Na'vi Mating, Biologically

['upxare]

I dunno, probably there are a lot of plausible explanations to make sense, like a recessive characteristic... but Avatar is work-in-progress so things can change on the fly.

So I hope the result won't be inconsistent coz that would certainly kill the avatar universe.

[applejuice]

So I hope the result won't be inconsistent coz that would certainly kill the avatar universe.

True, true. There is a looooooooooooooot of time to sort this things out for Cameron, I expect Avatar 2 not before 2015... (Cameron is in a very difficult situation, he has to deliver an super high quality production for us!!!)

['upxare]

True, true. There is a looooooooooooooot of time to sort this things out for Cameron, I expect Avatar 2 not before 2015... (Cameron is in a very difficult situation, he has to deliver an super high quality production for us!!!)

I know JC will consider his steps carefully. As mentioned in another thread, Avatatar II is slated for a year 2014 release.

[Eddie D]

they're aliens-anything is possible

lol

[Urban_Durga]

Regarding the original poster's question about reproductively functional purposes for the 'queue'...

I suppose it's possible that by hooking up to another life form's permanent record, as it were, one could determine if the potential mate would be a good match biologically. Factors such as dominant/recessive traits, history of illness or congenital issues, degree of relation (to prevent incestually influenced developmental defects; most species have some sort of mechanism to help safeguard against this), assessing physical strength/ability to provide for and protect offspring, etc.

It is fiction, after all, so who knows...but even human feelings of romantic love ultimately serve a necessary biological function for the propagation of our species.

[tawtute_tsamsiyu]

I doubt it, since females still have breasts (not to mention, technically, wouldn't the gender which carries the baby always be the female?), so if it was the other way around, Jake would still have a 'male' avatar body.

Male seahorses get pregnant!

[Ney´tiri]

I´ve done some research, this is what I found about Mating;

The Na'vi are monogamous creatures who mate for life. The mechanics of reproduction are similar to that of humans and other Terran mammals. However, their unique physiology provides the Na'vi with a level of intimacy unknown on Earth. Cultural anthropologists believe that when an appropriate mate has been selected (which can take many years), the male and female Na'vi will connect queues (called Tsaheylu) to create an emotional bond that lasts a lifetime. The intertwining of queues is both highly erotic and profoundly spiritual, but does not in itself lead to reproduction.
Traditionally, once a Na'vi male has passed the tests on the path to manhood and has been accepted into the clan as an adult, he is not only allowed to make his bow from the wood of the Hometree, but he is also allowed to choose his woman. After the woman has been chosen, the new couple are mated before Eywa.
Jake Sully chooses Neytiri to become his mate, and she accepts and mates with him under the Tree of Voices following his acceptance into the Omaticaya clan as 'One of the People'.
Once Tsaheylu is made between the couple, the ultimate in intimacy, pleasure that is unfathomable to humans, causes the somewhat unwilling sharing of the couple's good memories, and is a sign of Eywa's acceptance. If a couple can be foreseen to not have a pleasant or happy future, Eywa has been known to reverse the feeling produced by making Tsaheylu, a sign to the couple that mating would only, in simple words, ruin their lives together. Therefore, this process prevents the what would become an unsuccessful lifelong mating. After the resulting embracing and kissing, the couple is sent to sleep by Eywa, and the two dream of hints of what their future will be together. The couple will experience the pleasure of Tsaheylu from the moment of connection until they awaken and have completed mating. When they disconnect and return to the clan, they are mated for life

[edplane]

I would hope they actually reproduce like mammals. Otherwise, whats the point of designing the characters to look like us? Make us bond with them, sure, but gotta get the technical aspects down. This goes there, this goes there, we are mated before Eywa, now I am having a baby, and we will live a happy life. I envy that process...

[electrosphere11]

At this point, i'm quite positive that the Na'vi share a similar reproductive system to humans, perhaps with slight variations.

[squires]

i for 1 would certainly hope that Ney'tiri has the neccessary biological equipment to be able to be a mother. It would be a shame if that aspect was denied her. I bet she would make a fabulous mother with her deep caring attitude too.