Underrated Characters in Avatar: The Way of Water
Though the technical team behind the motion capture deserves a nod, the performances delivered by the cast of ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ were second to none…Combined with the audience's conflicted views over Lo'ak, played by Britian Dalton, and Sigourney Weaver as Kiri, these performances have given us lots to discuss.
Though the technical team behind the motion capture deserves a nod, the performances delivered by the cast of ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ were second to none. A few of my favorites, whose characters seem to be flying under the radar, are Tonowari, played by Cliff Curtis, and Tsireye, played by Bailey Bass. Combined with the audience's conflicted views over Lo'ak, played by Britian Dalton, and Sigourney Weaver as Kiri, these performances have given us lots to discuss.
WARNING: Spoilers ahead.
Tonowari, though having limited screen time compared to the rest, is captivating. He is a man whose patience is tested repeatedly, yet he remains in control. The only time we see him lose that control is for a moment, and with a breath, he regains himself. Cliff Curtis leaned into his heritage as a member of the Mauri tribe in New Zealand to bring this character to life. In an interview, Sam Worthington (reprising his role as Jake Sulley) commented that Cliff almost never got out of the water; something about him seemed to connect with his ancestors. That connection is undoubtedly one of the key influences that led Curtis to deliver a character that paints an excellent picture of a genuinely masculine leader.
Tsireye is the princess of the reef people and the love interest of Lo’ak, whom we will get to in a moment. She is responsible for teaching the Sulley kids about being one of the Metkayina people. Bailey Bass’s performance as the teenage Na’vi is innocent yet knowing. Loyal yet rebellious. She is wise beyond her years without sacrificing a childlike jubilance. Watching her and Lo’ak grow together over the sequel movies will be just as fun as watching Neytiri bully Jake into loving each other in the first movie, and I cannot wait. For a young actress like Bailey to possess the emotional range necessary to pull off such a character. Better yet, getting those same emotions conveyed through a performance capture (CGI) film will inevitably set this young actress' among the stars very early in her career.
Lo'ak steals the show in more ways than one. Not only does most of the story revolve around the young Na'vi, but his performance is on par with all but the most experienced members of the film's cast. As the middle child and youngest son of Jake Sulley, Lo'ak yearns for his father's attention and approval. This yearning invites brash action, both in hopes of taking on more responsibility and in rebellion after repeatedly finding himself in trouble. Much of this movie's story is Lo'ak's journey to maturity, a virtue that comes at a heavy cost. Though some fans are upset that Lo'ak got as much screen time as he did, at the expense of other already established characters like Neytiri no less, James Cameron has decided to double down on Lo'ak as a character, and actor Britian Dalton by proxy, having announced recently that it will be Lo'ak who takes over the series as narrator for film number three.
Finally, the film's most controversial actor and character, Kiri, is portrayed by Sigourney Weaver. Kiri is our new, direct link to all story elements involving the Pandoran nature goddess Eywa. Though there is some vague attempt to keep Kiri's origins a mystery (i.e., how exactly Grace Augastine's Avatar got pregnant is kept secret), the implication is clear: Kiri is the soul of Grace born again. Too weak to migrate bodies the way Jake Sulley managed at the end of the first film, Grace's soul was used by Eywa to impregnate her Avatar (now brain-dead and kept in her growth tank as there is no compatible pilot), who gave birth to Kiri. Having no other family and her birth being a 'mystery,'’ the Sulley family takes Kiri in and treats her as one of their own.
This story, as weirdly fascinating as it might be, differs from the reason Kiri has come under scrutiny. Instead, it is the fact that Sigourney Weaver, now 73, was cast to play the role of the 14-year-old Na'vi girl. Making it even more interesting, and even weird, is the fact that this 14-year-old Na'vi girl has a roughly 14-year-old human love interest. As strange as that might be behind the scenes, on screen, both the vaguely hinted at romance and Weaver's performance work. She is a joy to see on screen and is wise when necessary due to her intense connection to Eywa, but childish and innocent as well. We're sure to see much more of Kiri in future films, and we are curious how her connection to the Eywa will play out in the coming movies, as a return to Earth has been confirmed for film number four.
Though main characters like Lo’ak stole the show (and the screen time), characters like Kiri are stealing the headlines. Yet, some characters deserve more time in the spotlight. We hope and believe we will see many more of these characters in the coming three films as one of many people's newfound favorite franchises barrels forward.
