What do you think the symbolism of the large bird was?

[quail]

What do you think the cultural symbolism of the large bird was related to?

[Xenolius]

Dinosaurs -> Loch Ness Monster.

[Ja'k Dawsiin]

i think it has something to do with the mythical phoenix who was also a large bird. when Jake awakens at the destroyed Hometree,the air is filled with smoke and ash,he finds his ikran,and goes to find Turok,thus rising like the phoenix from the ashes of his ruined status with the Na'vi and his soulmate,Neytiri. great movie,great characters,so many levels and meanings. thanks,JC

[Pandora's Boxed?]

Pterosaurs. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterosaur)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO5mFGMf05c

[Ja'k Dawsiin]

going back to my previous comment about the phoenix,everytime i see the scene of avatar Jake waking up in the destroyed Hometree area,i see this 'phoenix rising from the ashes' theme as Jake bonds with his ikran and rises out of the gray-sky,ash filled wreckage of Hometree,on the back of the only being who hadn't abandoned him after his betrayal. maybe his ikran really could sense the courage,bravery,moral conflict within Jake,and rose to the occasion. in continuing the phoenix theme,Jake leaves the ashes of his previous existence,and literally rides into his future on the back of Toruk. great storytelling and symbolism.

[Porthos1]

This is a really good observation, glad I found this jewel. Ja’k, I see you, man.

When Jake returns to his Avatar after his escape from Hell’s Gate, he has figuratively “died.” He is in the place the eye does not see. He rises from the ashes (rebirth/renewal) and returns a mythical hero. This is the Phoenix, a bird that is cyclically regenerated or reborn. Toruk Makto was a hero that comes to the people in times of extreme stress, coming five times in Na’vi history. No longer considered part of the people, Jake's return reestablishes his place among them (with a little more street cred).

Another symbolism is that the Phoenix is associated with the sun. Toruk hunts by attacking under cover from the glare of the sun and when Jake returns to the Omaticaya, he drops into the well from the sun. To the Na’vi on the ground, it would have been their feared Last Shadow, but as it lands, only then would they realize it was being ridden.

Nice.

[Wind12]

I like these thoughts! very good stuff :nsmile:

[Wind12]

I think it could also be said that in a way, the term "sky person" comes full circle with Toruk, the term has a negetive connotation from the Na'vi who see the humans that came from the sky and attack with sky weapons, but in the end Jake, who comes as a "sky person" ends up having a talent for "sky hunting" with his Ikran, and ends up becoming TorukMakto to become a true "sky" person, who is one of the people and leads them to victory against the evil that came from the sky.