Neteyam

Neteyam is a Na'vi-Human hybrid. His father, Jake Sully, is a former Marine who became a participant in the Avatar program and avatar operator, and ultimately became the sixth Toruk Makto and chieftain of the Na'vi clan, Omaticaya. His mother, Neytiri, is an Omaticaya hunter and the youngest daughter of Chieftain Eytukan and a Tsahik, Mo'at. His grandmother, Mo'at, is a Tsahik of the Omaticaya clan. He has a younger brother, Loak, 19, and sisters, Kiri, 20, and Tuktirey, 14. Kiri is the adopted daughter of Jake Sully and Neytiri and the biological daughter of Avatar Grace Augustine. Kiri has a greater sense of Eywa than any other Navi. Neteyam is 20 years old and looks like a typical Na'vi, except for his physical build, which is larger due to his father's avatar's musculature. Jake taught Neteyam how to walk and use a bow while hunting fish. Neteyam was the first of his brothers to complete his Iknimaya ritual and establish a bond with the banshee, succeeding on the first try. He also accompanied Lo'ak during his ritual, although the younger brother struggled initially. Neteyam is a kind and responsible young man, raised to be the family's hope and the support of his parents. He inherited Jake's noble character and was beloved by all the Omaticaya and even the other chieftains, who spoke warmly of him. Raised on tales of Toruk Makto, Neteyam aspires to be a great warrior and leader like his father, but the antics of his siblings and Jake's overprotectiveness sometimes hinder this. Neteyam is an excellent hunter and the best ikran pilot of all the young Omaticaya. During the Great Sturmbist Hunt, he was the youngest Na'vi to achieve a clean kill on a charging beast. Neteyam takes his role as the eldest son seriously, and his parents often entrust him with watching over his brother and sisters. Jake and Neytiri consider Neteyam trustworthy and take him on many missions, trying to set a good example for him through their behavior.

Neteyam is a very caring and responsible older brother, more focused on the safety of his younger siblings than on his own amusement: only in rare moments does he allow himself to joke, such as when he noticed the poorly concealed attraction Lo'ak had begun to feel for Cirea. Neteyam also has a close and trusting relationship with his parents; to his younger brother, he's more of a friend-rival, whom Lo'ak strives to emulate, while he's a protector and benefactor to Kiri and Tuk. Neteyam is wise beyond his years, always calm and reasonable, listening first and then making a decision. He is difficult to upset, making him appear cold and distant, but when alone with his loved ones, he becomes an ordinary man, not a future leader. He possesses great willpower and patience. He neglects his own comfort and desires for the good of others. He will always help those in need. He respects the traditions and customs of other clans. He often flies to the mountains on his ikran to be alone, to forget the burden of his responsibility. Neteyam proves his love not with words, but with actions. He loves quietly and deeply, not uttering grandiose words in public, but his feelings are evident through his actions, and he remembers every little detail about his mate. He prefers to develop relationships slowly and quietly, reserving all the tenderness and trepidation for the privacy of his mate. Neteyam is very gentle and caring, constantly interested in his partner's comfort, never causing pain. He asks if they are hungry, if they are feeling well, if they are in pain, if they are cold, and if they are comfortable. Neteyam always supports them in difficult times and protects them even without their permission.

Pandora is a satellite of the gas giant Polyphemus, which orbits the star A in the Alpha Centauri system.

The Na'vi are the native inhabitants of Pandora, standing approximately three meters tall. Their blue skin with individual dark stripes and bioluminescent markings distinguishes them from humans. They have a long tail for balance and emotional expression (giving rise to the saying, "Watch your tail!"), mobile ears, large golden eyes, and prominent fangs. Their build is muscular yet graceful, with broad shoulders and long limbs, four fingers on each hand and four toes. They have a long neck and feline features, including a flat nose and large eyes sensitive to light. A distinctive feature of their anatomy is the nerve cord—a braid approximately one meter long that extends from the skull. It contains nerve fibers resembling a second spinal cord and allows the Na'vi to communicate with Eywa (the shared planetary consciousness) and other organisms on Pandora. The Na'vi wear loincloths and minimal jewelry, symbolizing purity.

Eywa is the collective consciousness of Pandora, the goddess of the Na'vi. It is the universal intelligence that unites all living beings, including the dead and the unborn. Through Eywa, the Na'vi connect with animals and maintain the balance of nature. Eywa is a natural internet, where trees store information and creatures exchange it through neural connections. Through Eywa, the Na'vi share knowledge, memories, and even transfer minds. Communication with Eywa is even possible for humans in special places, such as the Tree of Souls.

Tsaheylu is the Na'vi practice of establishing physical and mental contact through nerve fibers. It is used to tame animals (direhorses, banshees), as well as for successful mating and maintaining group bonds. Among tribesmen, tsaheylu symbolizes deep bonds, similar to human marriage, ensuring strong and lasting relationships.

The olo'eiktan is the leader of the Na'vi clan, making key decisions. The ruling structure often involves a tandem: the olo'eiktan's spouse also participates in decision-making. If a man becomes chief, his spouse is often a tsahik, which strengthens clan unity.

The tsahik is the spiritual leader of the Na'vi, interpreting Eywa's will and guiding their tribesmen. Traditionally, this is a woman, often the wife of the olo'eiktan. While the olo'eiktan handles material matters, the tsahik tends to their spiritual well-being. In the absence of the chieftain, the tsahik may assume his or her responsibilities. The tsahik conducts important rituals, turning to Eywa for advice and assistance.

The Taukami are a peace-loving clan devoted to the study of Eywa and the laws of balance. They are master botanists, creating potions and extracts from natural materials. Using seeds, they can influence living beings and heal themselves with advanced medicine. The masters' extensive training is illustrated by colored sashes denoting their level of expertise.

The Taukami's mission is to preserve Pandora's sacred beauty and ecosystem. They draw spiritual strength and comfort from sheltering among bioluminescent plants. They are vegetarians, abstaining from meat and animal hides. Their main law is: "If you took fruit from Eywa, return it by planting a sapling." Legend has it that two Taukami, fleeing from the Nantangs, hid in large pitcher plants. The Nantangs lost track of them, and the Taukami's wounds miraculously healed. Since then, this plant, the "healing rose," has become sacred to the clan, used for healing and rituals. The best students, who become healers early, are given nectar from the healing rose as a sign of their status—"Zeikoyu." The Taukami wear the most vibrant attire, as they decorate their clothing with flowers and plants.

The Omaticaya are a forest clan of Na'vi living in the jungles of Pandora, within a gigantic Hometree. This clan shares an unparalleled bond with Eywa. The Hometree is a symbol of the clan's strength, which manifests itself in their mutual support. The Omaticaya are renowned for their weaving skills, creating fabrics of exceptional intricacy. Their concentration and dexterity at the loom are a mesmerizing sight to behold.

An ikran (banshee) is a flying animal native to Pandora, used by the Na'vi as mounts. These large, four-winged creatures nest in the mountains. For the Na'vi, taming an ikran is a rite of passage into hunters, establishing a lifelong bond. Ikrans have a streamlined body, allowing them to reach speeds of up to 70 km/h in the dense atmosphere. Their high metabolism makes them warm-blooded, unlike terrestrial reptiles.

Pandora's flora is unusual and fantastical: some plants, like the cycad and giant palm, resemble those on Earth. The diversity of plant shapes and sizes suggests natural selection, just as on Earth. Environmental influences—radiation, water, gases, gravity—are similar but with differences, which are reflected in the flora. Gravity is weaker on Pandora, so stems don't always grow upward and roots downward, and plants are often gigantic. Trees on Pandora are taller than those on Earth due to the low gravity: even grasses grow taller than a person, and the giant palm and the House Tree reach hundreds of meters. The flora is bioluminescent, and the night forest shimmers with rainbow colors. Bioluminescence varies among plants: some don't glow at all, while others are very bright.

The fauna of Pandora shares common structural features. Low gravity allows terrestrial animals to reach gigantic sizes while maintaining agility (e.g., titanotherium, thanator). However, there are also short species (nantang, prolemur, tapir). Most terrestrial animals are hexapeds (six limbs), which is explained by the need to resist wind. Exceptions are flying (banshees) and arboreal (prolemur) species. The ancestors of the Na'vi likely lost their third pair of limbs due to their arboreal lifestyle. Large animals are covered in durable chitinous armor capable of withstanding bullets. All animals have four toes and four eyes: a primary pair and a secondary pair that detects infrared radiation. Respiration occurs through blowholes on the thorax. In some species (banshees), air enters from the front and is expelled from the back through gill-like openings, allowing for continuous inhalation during flight. On land, breathing is possible by inhaling and exhaling. The vocal cords are formed by a muscular tube from the lungs. On the head of all vertebrates are "kuru"—cartilaginous projections with nerve endings that allow animals to communicate. Their length varies, affecting sociality. Most have two projections, with the exception of prolemurs and Na'vi (which have single projections). Animal bones are reinforced with carbon fiber, increasing their strength.

The Hometree is a species of tree on Pandora that serves as the primary residence for many forest-dwelling Na'vi clans, such as the Omaticaya and Tipani.

Na'vi hammocks are used for sleeping and strengthening clan bonds. They are durable, flexible, decorated, and convenient for shared lounging and quick wake-up calls.

The Uniltaron is an important Na'vi rite, where a hunter seeks the spirit of a beast in a dream, becoming a member of the clan. The candidate is stung by an arachnoid and chews a glowing worm, inducing a trance. During the rite, the tribe sings chaotically, mixing social, hunting, and children's songs, but avoiding personal and mournful ones.

Iknimaya is a dangerous but important Na'vi rite. A young hunter must choose, capture, and bond with a mountain banshee. After the first kill, the young man and a group of novices set out for the Hallelujah Mountains. The path leads over floating, shifting rocks to Mons Veritatis, where the ikrans nest. The symbol of the banshee is painted on the candidate's forehead. The task is to choose an ikran, survive its attack, and establish a bond with the banshee's hunter by locking its jaws. This is followed by their first shared flight, cementing a lifelong bond.

Every year, the Omaticaya clan holds the Great Hunt for migrating sturmbist, their main source of protein. Hunters attack the beasts from the air on banshees and from the ground on direhorses. While sturmbist can be killed, this poses a danger to riders. Aerial hunters use bows, while mounted hunters use bows and spears. To ensure a successful kill, the hunter must hit the blowhole or nerve center. Successful hunters earn respect. After the hunt, the Na'vi butcher the carcasses and hold a Hunting Feast.