The Ending Of Avatar Finally Explained

When James Cameron's "Avatar" premiered in 2009, it quickly became a box-office juggernaut. Science fiction fans and filmmaking technology geeks had been anticipating the movie for months, learning all they could about the motion-capture technology used to turn human actors into alien creatures. By the time the movie finally arrived, everyone had heard about how cool it was supposed to be, with its high-definition, three-dimensional projection and hyper-realistic CGI effects.

"Avatar" soared its way to over $2 billion worldwide at the box office, spawning numerous planned sequels. And the results were cool. The story may rehash some familiar fish-out-of-water culture clash themes from movies like "Dances with Wolves," but the stunning visuals and incredible world-building allowed audiences to look past the repetitious plot points.

It will no doubt be long remembered as a groundbreaking technological achievement in cinema. But for as cool as "Avatar" is, sometimes it gets a little hard to follow. With actors playing both humans and aliens, a subtitled alien language, and heavy action, crucial details might seem a little fuzzy now and then. With more "Avatar" films on their way to theaters — as "Avatar: The Way of Water" lands on screens December 16 — you might need a bit of a refresher. So here's the ending of "Avatar" finally explained.

Toward the end of "Avatar," the RDA orders the destruction of Hometree, Neytiri's tribe's home base, because of the rich deposit of unobtainium that lies beneath. By this point, Jake is fully on team Na'vi, even though Neytiri and other members of her tribe have turned against him after finding out about his spying. Jake has completely changed his identity, considering himself a part of the Na'vi, embracing their beliefs, and so he fights for their cause against the RDA.

But Quartich's huge military planes, massive guns, and numerous soldiers quickly overpower the tribe, and Hometree is destroyed. During the battle, many lives are lost, including Neytriri's father, Eytukan. Jake, Grace, and Norm's human bodies are rescued by Trudy, who airlifts them and their avatar capsules to a safe location, while their Na'vi avatars are left in the forest. But during the mayhem, Quartich shoots them, with a bullet hitting Grace.

In order to regain the trust of Neytiri, the Omaticaya tribe, and their new chief Tsu'tey, Jake mounts and bonds with Taruk, a huge dragon-like beast related to the smaller banshees. By bonding with this fierce beast, whom the Na'vi both revere and fear, Jake proves that he's a part of the Na'vi, that he respects their culture, and he wants to live among them. Jake is embraced by Neytiri, her mother Mo'at, and Tsu'tey, and together they make plans to gather the numerous Na'vi tribes to fight back against the RDA and evict them from Pandora.

The final battle for Pandora includes the RDA soldiers, the many tribes of Pandora, and one final participant: Eywa herself — or at least Eywa as manifested through the animals and wildlife of Pandora, who come to the Na'vi's defense at the last minute. The night before the battle, Jake connects neurologically to the Tree of Souls and asks that Eywa help them on their quest to defeat the RDA. This, more than his bond with Toruk, proves Jake has fully embraced his life as a Na'vi. He used Toruk to regain Neytiri and the other Na'vi's trust, but his prayer to Eywa is a private act, showing us that he now believes in the power of Pandora and its spiritual network.

During the battle, at a moment when it looks like the Na'vi might be defeated once again, suddenly a great rumble is heard from beyond the forest. Numerous animals from throughout the planet join the fight, understanding that the RDA is destroying their world and their survival depends on their involvement. Not only is the neural connection on Pandora more significant than previously thought, but the creatures of the planet are capable of more complex decisions. "Eywa has heard you!" Neytiri screams as the animals join the fight, eventually leading to the RDA's defeat and the return of Pandora to its original inhabitants.

Sigourney Weaver's Dr. Grace Augustine doesn't survive the battle of Hometree, and she was far from the only casualty. During the epic final conflict, Trudy switches sides as well, outfitting her fighter plane and face with Na'vi colors, but her plane gets shot down. Omaticaya chief Tsu'tey is also mortally wounded in the battle, and after the battle ends, asks Jake to end his suffering. At first, Jake is reluctant to do so, but as Tsu'tey explains, it is a great honor, and passes the tribe leadership on to Jake, before Jake ends his suffering.

On the human front, scientist Norm Spellman survives the battle. Unfortunately, his Na'vi avatar gets shot and dies, so Norm has to remain in his human form on Pandora from then on. Norm is one of the few humans who is permitted to stay, and he fronts a new and ongoing scientific exploration team — one that has nothing to do with procuring unobtainium or conquering the indigenous peoples of the planet. Neytiri's mother Mo'at also survives the final battle, and it's she who supervises the ritual at the Tree of Souls to transfer Jake's consciousness from his human body to his Na'vi avatar.

There are a number of ways to read "Avatar" and how it connects to our own history and possible futures. First, it's easy to see the parallels between the RDA's conquest of Pandora and the European colonization of America, Africa, Asia, and other nations. The RDA is financially driven, as were European countries during various imperial spreads. Gobbling up resources and forcing original inhabitants to move, or killing them when they didn't, was unfortunately a huge part of the formation of the modern world; its aftermath comes in the form of continued racism, the consequences of industrialization, and lost civilizations. "Avatar" is particularly evocative of the plights of Native Americans against European forces, which is why it's often compared to films like "Dances with Wolves."

There's also the future that "Avatar" is suggesting. In 2154, humans have basically destroyed the Earth and turn to other planets in a repetitive cycle of environmental destruction. "Avatar" provides us with a view of what humans used to have: a pristine world of untouched, lush landscape — an atmosphere not destroyed by pollution and a planet that is still thriving. ”There's a sense of entitlement," James Cameron told The Telegraph, adding that humans believe they're "entitled to every damn thing on this planet. That's not how it works and we're going to find out the hard way if we don't wise up and start seeking a life that's in balance with the natural cycles of life on Earth.”

With or without all of the upcoming sequels, James Cameron's "Avatar" was a truly innovative and interesting film, one that plunged audiences deep into a new world and heralded a new era of filmmaking. The motion capture technology as well as the use of 3D definitely had an impact on the film industry. Although 3D as a gimmick is dying down a bit these days, motion capture, as well as new advances in computer graphics and life-like animation are more integral to filmmakers than ever.

It's those technological advancements that will be the lasting legacy of "Avatar," as well as Cameron's ability to bring action and heart to some of his most elaborate worlds. Regardless of how the sequels fare, the original ushered us into the new millennium of cinematic experiences. So it's exciting to imagine what's coming next from Cameron and Pandora when the second "Avatar" movie, "The Way of Water," debuts in December 2022.