Sigourney Weaver returns in Avatar: The Way of the Water, now playing Kiri, Jake and Neytiri’s adopted daughter – and she’s key to the whole story. Sigourney Weaver starred as Dr. Grace Augustine in James Cameron’s first Avatar movie, a human scientist who fell in love with the planet Pandora. Grace died trying to protect her beloved Na’vi, but she actually returned in the sequel – voicing a new character named Kiri, revealed to be Grace’s daughter.
According to Avatar: The Way of Water, Kiri is something of a mystery. 14 years ago, after the Sky People’s initial defeat, the Na’vi were surprised to discover that Grace’s avatar form was pregnant. Jake and Neytiri adopted the daughter, Kiri, as their own. Kiri has always felt like an outsider among the Na’vi, aware of her human heritage and the mystery of her birth. But Avatar: The Way of Water hints that there’s a lot more to Kiri’s story than she realizes – and that she’ll be the one to finally end the war between the Na’vi and the Sky. People.
Avatar: The Way of Water Positions Kiri as a Messiah Figure
In thematic terms, the sequel is the story of a generation trapped in a cycle of violence and must be rescued by the next generation. This is exemplified by Jake Sully and the resurrected Colonel Quaritch, whose final battle at the end of Avatar: The Way of Water even follows similar beats to their last clash. Kiri is the most prominent of the Savior Generation, positioned as a kind of Messiah figure due to her miraculous conception. She seems to be exceptionally responsive to Eywa’s advice, hearing the mother’s heartbeat in the ocean, much like a baby in the womb might hear its mother’s. This spirituality reaches a climax that evokes the baptism of Jesus, as Kiri dives into the water and bonds with the Metkayina equivalent of the Tree of Souls. She receives a vision of love, just as Jesus heard the Father’s voice speak of love during his baptism.
Jake and Neytiri have no idea how important Kiri really is, with Jake’s faith in human science blinding him to his true nature. Kiri’s true potential is seen in the third act, when she summons bioluminescent fish and uses them to enter the wreckage her parents are trapped in, guiding them out of it. The image of the Messiah as light is central to Christian theology, so it should be seen as the beginning of true Kiri ministry. She fulfills the destiny that Eywa intends for her.
How Kiri Could Shape The Future Of The Avatar Franchise
The Bible describes Jesus as having a “ministry of reconciliation,” and that also seems to be Kiri’s role in the Avatar movies. She seems able to adapt to any environment, which means she could play a crucial role in bringing the 15 Na’vi tribes together. she is immediately able to spend unusual time underwater, and there are times when she seems to breathe underwater without any difficulty as well. But Kiri’s abilities go beyond that, as another scene shows her being able to spend long periods of time in a human environment without needing to use an exo-pack. All of this means that Kiri has the potential to serve as a bridge between the Na’vi and the Sky People – and it’s worth noting that she’s the only one of the Sullys who seems to really care about Spider, the human boy.
There have been rumors that Avatar 5 will leave Pandora and travel to the otherwise doomed planet Earth. Kiri can explain why this is the case; born of Eywa, she could bring Pandora’s blessing to Earth and end the story of Avatar. This is just a theory, of course; James Cameron is a talented filmmaker, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him take events in an unexpected direction. Still, the idea would certainly complement the messianic imagery surrounding Kiri in Avatar: The Way of the Water, as well as the theme of the past redeemed by the next generation. Such a plot would also reinforce the environmental ideas inherent in the Avatar franchise, adding a powerful note of hope to the overall story. Cameron’s message would become an encouragement for today’s teens to step up and work to save this planet, which has been so badly damaged by the current generation.
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Sigourney Weaver’s character is the key to the avatar mystery | Pretty Reel