2 Avatar Sequel Character Returns Mean Kiri’s Role Is Even Bigger Than We Realized

By Daniel Bibby Published 1 minute ago

Avatar’s first two movies have introduced many characters, but certain familiar faces in Avatar’s coming sequels could highlight Kiri’s role.

Summary

• Two original Avatar characters, Tsu'tey and Eytukan, are set to return in the upcoming sequels, likely through interactions with Eywa.
• Kiri's strong connection to Eywa is becoming more important as the narrative evolves, possibly acting as a conduit for communication with the deceased characters.
• The Avatar franchise's unique take on death and consciousness suggests that Tsu'tey and Eytukan could play important advisory roles through flashback scenes or spiritual exchanges.

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Kiri's role in the Avatar franchise could become pivotal, especially given the return of two figures from the first movie in the coming sequels. The first two Avatar movies have already introduced an impressive array of human and Na'vi characters. While there will undoubtedly be many more by the time the saga ends, James Cameron's film series has shown it isn't beyond delving into the story's past as well as looking to the future. However, this approach will inarguably make Kiri's unique talents even more important as the narrative evolves through every upcoming Avatar movie.

There are currently two Avatar movies and three more on the way. The Avatar franchise is James Cameron's most ambitious undertaking, and the simultaneous production of certain Avatar movies implies an impressively cohesive timeline. The movies aren't known for their quick turnarounds, but the gaps between the next three installments are set to be a fragment of the previous two. The lengthy production process and innovative filmmaking techniques made unique demands of the Avatar 2 cast and will likely continue to do so, but certain characters are already proving to be able to dip in and out of the story.

Tsu'tey & Eytukan Return In Avatar's Upcoming Sequels (Probably Through Eywa)

Both Avatar characters will be portrayed by their original actors

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A Facebook post from Avatar producer Jon Landau has revealed two stars from the first movie in the franchise have been called upon again for "A little performance capture." The picture posted by Landau shows him with arms around actors Wes Studi and Laz Alonso. Studi and Alonso portrayed Na'vi characters Tsu'tey and Eytukan respectively in 2009's groundbreaking Avatar movie. However, what makes their return to the franchise so interesting is that both of their characters perished in the first film.

While the comeback of deceased characters may require some creative writing in certain franchises, Avatar has already established that the souls and memories of their dead become part of Pandora at the end of their lives. So, Tsu'tey and Eytukan's roles in the Avatar sequels are unlikely to involve a physical return. Instead, the living Na'vi characters will probably interact with their fallen clan members via the abilities of Eywa, the race's deity. Unlike religious lore in similar franchises, Eywa is a quantifiable entity in the Avatar universe, so speculation is kept unusually low regarding her existence.

Avatar's Returning Characters Make Kiri's Connection To Eywa More Important

Not everyone has such a strong connection to Eywa as Kiri

Kiri's special abilities have yet to be sufficiently explained in the first two Avatar movies, but put simply, she has an especially strong connection to Eywa. Although it was already relatively clear that Kiri's unique talents would play a significant role in Avatar's story going forward, Landau's reveal that Studi and Alonso are returning to reprise their roles gives much greater clarity to how Kiri's connection to Eywa will be used.

Kiri is portrayed by Sigourney Weaver, who also played her human mother, Grace Augustine.

The Avatar franchise has already proven it has an unconventional relationship with death. For instance, Miles Quaritch's return as a Na'vi Recombinant shows there is potential for any character to make some form of a return at any time. However, the Recombinant technology is limited by the fact that the individual's memories need to be actively backed up and so some will invariably be missed when the time for integration arrives. Kiri's ability to commune with the dead Na'vi characters enables a full return of their consciousness rather than the incomplete and artificial resurrection of which humans are capable.

Predicting Tsu'tey & Eytukan's Roles In The Avatar Sequels

Both returning Avatar characters could speak through Eywa or even appear in flashback scenes

The physical return of the characters is unlikely, as it would undercut the impact of their loss in the first Avatar movie. However, Kiri's ability to communicate so clearly with Eywa in the Na'vi's sacred locations and beyond could act as a conduit for Jake to speak with Tsu'tey and Eytukan and seek their guidance. Both deceased characters held senior positions in the Omiticaya clan, and although Jake did a valiant job when leadership was thrust upon him, he is still a human in Na'vi form. As such, Tsu'tey and Eytukan would be able to act as counsel to Jake when he has difficult decisions to make.

There is also the possibility that Tsu'tey and Eytukan could appear in flashback sequences rather than in present-day Eywa-enabled exchanges. Both Na'vi figures had long and storied lives before the events of the first Avatar film, so key events from the pre-Jake era could hold significant themes in the coming sequels. So, although Studi and Alonso coming back to James Cameron's latest franchise may raise a few eyebrows, there are various ways their characters could appear in the Avatar sequels.

The third Avatar movie is scheduled for a December cinematic release in 2025. Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 are both also set to land in the respective December months of 2029 and 2031. The first two Avatar movies are available to stream on Disney+.

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Director James Cameron Release Date December 18, 2009 Cast Sam Worthington , Stephen Lang , Michelle Rodriguez , Sigourney Weaver , Zoe Saldana