The Ewya or the Na'vi

[exostrike]

Yes, the title is a reference to the classic 'the chicken or the egg' question but it does to tie into the idea that I want to talk about, did Ewya create the Na'vi or did the Na'vi create Ewya. I'm going to view Ewya as a more measureable/explainable force than the mystical ideas that some have on this forum.

Firstly lets talk about how Ewya evolved. If we assume that Pandoran life evolved with the ablity to share thought patterns and the structure of the trees allowed such patterns to be recorded, then we have an possible way that Ewya evolved, as an amalgamation of these basic thought patterns (I wouldn't call it a being yet). At this time I wouldn't say that Ewya controled or directed Pandoran evolution, but instead acted more as checks and balances, like a physic version of the Gaia principle. When prey animals are being hunted too heavily, the thoughts of distress they create in the system causes the predator animals to also be distressed and reduce thier hunting activities.

As Pandoran life becomes more advanced, more complex thought patterns are added to the Ewya creature, increasing its self-awarness and possible meaning it starts to having more direct influence over Pandora. But self-awarness does not mean true sentience. Then the Na'vi evolve and thier highly complex and sentient thought patterns are added to the mix. Here is the nub of the matter, did the Na'vi create the Ewya being. If you kept adding sentient thought patterns to a creature at some point you are going to create a mind that can create its own thought patterns.

[Tsyal Makto]

Most likely Eywa came first.

['upxare]

It's most likely that Ey'wa was first, as she is a global (not only where forests are but virtually every plants) neuronal network of information and intelligence. This extremely complex version of a self sustaining ecosystem needs extremely stable planetary conditions to evolve - and much time. Since the Alpha Centauri System is around a billion years older than ours, we can assume that life on Pandora hat at least some hundred million more years to evolve than Earth's. It would be interesting to know when the first version of Na'vi walked on Pandora as there are hints that their civilization, although based on co-existence with Ey'wa, lasts longer than our own. In comparison to Ey'wa's own evolution, it's logical to conclude that the Na'vi are there for a rather short time - as, we can say, the last missing component.

['itan Ateyo]

I think Eywa evolved with the planet. With each plant adding another 'neuron' to Eywa's network, her intelligence capacity grew. The forest and other plant life probably far preceeded the Na'vi and so I believe Eywa has always been with the Na'vi. They evolved with the ability to access her through their queue's and have likely been uploading memories and turning to Eywa for guidance from the time of the first songs.

[Sanjwale]

eywa, pretty sure about it. because eywa is everything.. if you beleive in a god it is pretty simple that god was first. because you can't make something that made you.

[_Omaticaya_]

Well, I guess under a religous point of view, it would be Eywa, and that's my opinion aswell. As God almighty created the Universe, in AVATAR Eywa IS the Universe, and a deity, she's awesome I guess for all the 'evolutionists' here it was a 'bacterium' that came first, then a few million years later the Na'vi came.

[Sanjwale]

^but eywa isn't the person. so eywa isn't a bacterie (atleast lets assume that ) so the na'vi made eywa. but how can you make something that is something. (the voices just before ney and jake are mating)

hard to explain actually

[_Omaticaya_]

So eywa isn't a bacterie

That's what I'm saying matey ^_^ I'm being ironic... The fact people make fun of religion so much bugs me... then they talk about Eywa... If you make fun of religion, then you can keep your crap about evolution and stuff, and assume with your arrogance that the same thing happened on Pandora... (Anthropocentric garbage...)

Eywa instead is a deity, she is Mother Nature, and the Protector of life, She beholds all living creatures, the balance of life and also has supernatural powers as we saw, such as Revival if it's in her powers. She is a god, and the Na'vi praise her and have Faith in her, as the inhabitants of Pandora, Eywa's creation.
IMO

[Theorist]

My best guess would be Eywa came first too, as the Na'vi never mention a before Eywa time, or anything such as that, as even in their earliest times (around the 1st time of great sorrow) Toruk Makto was still there, and there's no indication Eywa wasn't there, so I would assume she was there, but not certain.

Although the chicken and the egg thing, from an evolutionary standpoint, the egg had to have come first, because something that was similar to a chicken, but not technically a chicken by definition of a species would have laid the first egg which would hatch into the first technically a chicken by definition of a species.

[Scott]

I think most people are standing too close to the big picture to imagine life being anything other than organic based life we see here on Earth. Eywa might not be organic at all, she could be mineral or energy. Just because I am made out of flesh and bone dose not mean I only appreciate things made of the same material. Eywa is a gardener on a planetary scale. Eywa populated her garden with creatures that would further enhance the lifeforce and beauty of her garden. Eywa eventually learned how to create the highest form of biological life and created the Na'vi. This is in terms of billions of years mind you.

And she dose not need to be the creator of the universe, just a sentient being with a love and appreciation for life. I think Eywa is Pandora. I think she see's better than what any human brain could comprehend, but not the creator of everything because if she created Earth we wouldn't be blowing eachother up etc etc. Now that man has met Eywa, one could say it was ment to be. God wanted us to meet Eywa and we can learn a lot from her. I think, given time, man can love Eywa the way the Na'vi do.