Avatar is set in a future in which we’re able to travel to distant planets and interact (read exploit) the natives. A huge corporation, backed by military forces to keep the peace, needs to mine a rare substance from the planet Pandora. Pandora’s populated with humanoid creatures known as the Na’vi. The Na’vi have blue skin, yellow eyes, elf ears, are incredibly athletic, and tall. They’re peaceful but can be fierce in battle, shooting arrows dipped in a toxin which kills almost instantaneously. In addition to the Na’vi, the planet is full of exotic-looking, dinosaur creatures, humongous birds which can be ridden in battle, and phosphorescent plants.
The substance the corporation is on Pandora to mine is located at the base of a giant tree, which is also the spiritual center of the Na’vi. The corporation is using a two-pronged attack to get to the substance. They’ve got the military out making excursions into hostile territory to try to get to the material. There’s also a scientific research arm of the company that’s working on making inroads with the natives through the use of avatars.
Mixing human and Na’vi DNA, creatures who look like the Na’vi can be manipulated by scientists linked to their own avatar. The scientist rests in a hyperbolic chamber, connects to his/her avatar, and thus is able to interact with the Na’vi. The head of the research program is Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver), a chain-smoking, no-nonsense scientist who doesn’t tolerate fools. Under her guidance, the Na’vi have learned to speak some English and together they’re working on trying to come to a peaceful solution.
