Between the vast mythology underpinning James Cameron’s fictional universe and his plan for at least two more movies, Avatar: Fire and Ash invites plenty of speculation and theories. The third in the series, Avatar: Fire and Ash is expected to continue lingering plot points from previous installments – Kiri’s connection to Eywa, for example – while also giving some idea of what Cameron’s endgame will look like in Avatar 5.
We do know that Avatar: Fire and Ash will, for the first time, involve the Sully family and their allies fighting an evil tribe of Na’vi, and these fire-themed villains will be working hand-in-blue-hand with the story’s OG antagonist, Quaritch. Beyond that, the story of Avatar: Fire and Ash remains a relative enigma. Thankfully, Miley Cyrus may have provided a salient clue as to the threequel’s direction.
Are James Cameron’s Avatar Films Heading For Unity Between Humans & Navi?
The most logical endpoint for the Avatar saga is humans and Na’vi to, essentially, become one. And not just a few humans being friendly with a few Na’vi – that’s already the case in Avatar: Fire and Ash – but all of humanity existing in harmony with the whole of Pandora.
As much as the Na’vi keep repelling the evil RDA, greedy corporations will continue making the trip to Pandora, striving to seize the moon for everything it’s worth. The prospect of all-out war between humans and Na’vi is absolutely plausible before James Cameron brings the series to a close.
Since Disney probably wouldn’t want to end the franchise on a massive downer, let’s assume Avatar 5‘s finale does not involve one species completely annihilating the other. At some point, then, humans and Na’vi will be forced to coexist, and there are compelling reasons to explain why this must be the eventual ending.
For one, we know from exposition and deleted scenes that Earth is in bad shape during Avatar‘s futuristic timeline. The RDA’s entire mission in Avatar: The Way of Water is colonizing Pandora by force because Earth has become unlivable, and terraforming a planet like Mars into a habitable location would take too long.
And while the RDA is clearly going about things in the most despicable way possible, the reality is that Jake Sully’s species teeters on the brink of extinction. Millions of innocent people on Earth are doomed if something doesn’t happen to save them.
The Avatar story could end with the Na’vi accepting refugees from Earth, and the two species learning to embrace each other peacefully using the Sully family as a template. A “roommate” arrangement on Pandora would inevitably lead to more humans being transferred into Avatar bodies when they die, just like Jake, Grace and Quaritch.
Over the course of several generations, the line between human and Na’vi would then become indistinguishable, and a new species would arise. The merciful Na’vi rescuing humans from extinction would flip the “white savior” narrative from the first Avatar movie completely on its head, giving Cameron’s epic tale a satisfyingly meaningful conclusion.
Miley Cyrus’ New Avatar Song Supports The Na’vi/Human Ending Theory
With Avatar: Fire and Ash focusing more on Na’vi vs. Na’vi battles, the upcoming third chapter could be where the idea of humans and Pandora existing in tandem begins coming into view. And to support that theory, look no further than Miley Cyrus’ new promotional track, “Dream as One,” which has been confirmed to feature in Avatar: Fire and Ash.
At first glance, the title “Dream as One” would appear to reference the unification of Pandora’s various Na’vi tribes, which will likely happen after the Omatikaya and Metkayina clans sort out their differences with the fire folks in Avatar: Fire and Ash.
But the next Avatar entry will also continue exploring Spider’s delicate tightrope walk between human and Na’vi cultures. On top of that, Earth’s predicament has almost certainly worsened since The Way of Water, Quaritch’s return invites further conversation around the Recombinants, and Kiri’s connection to Grace remains unresolved.
With so many human elements still in play, it’s possible the “Dream as One” theme woven into Avatar: Fire and Ash‘s music has less to do with ending the Na’vi’s inter-clan civil war, and more to do with the increasing acceptance of humans on Pandora.
Kiri’s Existence Is Another Big Clue That “Dream As One” Is About Humans & Na’vi
Whatever Pandora’s future looks like, it seems inextricably bound to Kiri. Born from Grace’s Avatar, Kiri appears to represent the will of Eywa itself and communes with the Na’vi deity more closely than any other member of her species. Kiri could even be the physical manifestation of Eywa herself.
It is, therefore, rather telling that Kiri only exists because of a unification between a Na’vi and a human – in particular a human who showed great respect and understanding toward Pandora.
It’s like Eywa is sending a message to both the Na’vi and the humans, showing both sides that the path forward is togetherness, not conflict. After The Way of Water began to scratch the surface of Kiri’s true nature, Avatar: Fire and Ash is perhaps where this message will finally start being heard, allowing the Na’vi and humans to, as Miley Cyrus puts it, “Dream as One.”
