Aonung te Tsika'u Tonowari'itan

Aonung was born in the mid-2150’s (likely 2155) at Awa'atlu in the Eastern Sea as the firstborn child of Tonowari and Ronal. As he was born after the First Pandoran War had concluded (which saw the expulsion of most humans from Pandora), his childhood was peaceful. Over time, he became a skilled hunter and warrior-in-training. He additionally learned skills necessary for reef life, such as freediving and sign language for underwater communication.

When Aonung was approximately fourteen years old, the Resources Development Administration returned to Pandora and began the Second Pandoran War.

The next day, Lo'ak tells his siblings and Aonung, Tsireya, and Rotxo about the lone tulkun who saved him. Aonung is hesitant to believe his story. Tsireya realizes that Lo'ak is referring to Payakan after he mentions that the tulkun who saved him had a missing left fin. Aonung explains that Payakan killed several Na'vi and tulkun south of Awa'atlu years ago. Lo'ak refuses to believe that Payakan is a killer.

When the tulkun return from their migration, Aonung is seen swimming with his Spirit Brother. Later, Aonung, Neteyam, Tsireya, and Rotxo witness Lo'ak make the bond with Payakan.

Skirmish at the Three Brothers

After Ro'a and her son are slaughtered by Cetacean Operations forces, Tonowari wishes to wage war against the RDA, which Aonung seems to agree with. Jake convinces the Metkayina not to attack the RDA, and instead to tell their Spirit Siblings to leave so that they will not be harmed.

Kiri with Aonung and Rotxo underwater
Aonung and Rotxo witnessing Kiri demonstrating her powers.
When Lo'ak goes to Three Brothers Rock to warn Payakan about the RDA, Aonung, Tsireya, Rotxo and his siblings all follow him. When the group arrives, they find a tracker embedded in Payakan’s skin. Aonung helps to remove the tracker along with the rest of the group, but the SeaDragon tracking Payakan advances on them. The group rides ilu away from the ship. Aonung hides in a airbell with Kiri and Rotxo and manages to escape capture, though Lo'ak, Tuktirey, and Tsireya do not. Later, they are chased after by a Mako submersible and Aonung witnesses Kiri controlling a daisy anemone to crush the submarine and drown its crew, to which he shares an incredulous look with Rotxo.

Tsireya, Aonung and Rotxo funeral
Aonung attending Neteyam's funeral.
After the battle concludes, Aonung attends Neteyam's funeral to pay his respects with Tsireya and Rotxo. He comforts Tsireya by placing his hand over her shoulder during the ceremony.

Aonung first meets the Sully family when they arrive at Awa'atlu in search of refuge. He and Rotxo mock the tails of Lo'ak and Neteyam, comparing them to those of a child, but stop once they are reprimanded by Tsireya.

Once Tonowari and Ronal make the decision to grant uturu to the Sully family, Tonowari assigns Aonung and Tsireya to teach the Sully children the ways of the Metkayina. Aonung initially protests, but later gives in and agrees.

After the Sully family settle in their marui, Aonung and Tsireya give a freediving lesson to the Sully children. While diving, Aonung and Rotxo are confused as to why the group are not following them, unaware that they do not understand underwater sign language. Later, Aonung and Tsireya give them a lesson on how to ride ilu. When Lo'ak falls off, Aonung laughs.

The Way of Water Lo'ak and Ao'nung Fight
Aonung's group entering a fight with Lo'ak and Neteyam.
Some time later, Aonung and his friends find Kiri on the beach laying in shallow water, looking at the ripples on the sand. Aonung finds her behaviour strange and asks if she is a “freak”. Lo'ak and Neteyam then arrive and get into a physical altercation with Aonung and his friends. Aonung leaves the fight with multiple bruises.

Lo'ak later apologizes to Aonung. To his surprise, Aonung says that they should be friends and invites Lo'ak to hunt with him and his friends outside the reef. Lo'ak initially refuses because he has been told not to go there, but Aonung persuades him to go. When they arrive at Three Brothers Rock, Aonung tells Lo'ak to call the fish by making clicking noises. While Lo'ak is preoccupied, Aonung and his friends leave, leaving Lo'ak stranded. He is attacked by an akula and nearly drowns, but is saved by a tulkun named Payakan.

That night, Aonung is scolded by Ronal and Tonowari for taking Lo'ak outside the reef. After he returns to Awa'atlu, he lies and says that hunting outside the reef was his idea. Surprised, Aonung offers him his respect.

Initially, Aonung is prejudiced against the Sully children for their physical and cultural differences. He teases them for their weaker endurance underwater, and finds amusement in Lo'ak's struggle to ride an ilu.

Aonung eventually takes accountability for his recklessness. When Lo'ak takes the blame for him, Aonung is impressed. He does not hesitate to help the Sully children to remove the Cetacean Operations tracker from Payakan. Later, Kiri saves him with her powers.

Due to being skilled in hunting and diving, Aonung is well-liked and admired by his peers, and is usually seen in the company of his best friend, Rotxo.[3] He enjoys bodysurfing and plunge-diving through reef wall tunnels during changing tides.[4]

As the oldest child of Ronal and Tonowari, Aonung often feels pressured to meet his parents' high expectations, and masks it with reckless behavior. He rarely speaks up in the presence of his parents

Aonung te Tsika'u Tonowari'itan is the fifteen-year-old oldest child and only son of Tonowari and Ronal, the Olo'eyktan and Tsahìk of the Metkayina Clan, and the older brother of both Tsireya and Pril.

When the Sully family arrived at Awa'atlu, Tonowari assigned Aonung to teach the Sully children the ways of the Metkayina and to help them adjust to reef life, which he begrudgingly agreed to. He was initially hostile to Lo'ak and Kiri for being different, but later became an ally to them.