Reminder: Avatar’s Na’vi Stick Their Sex Tentacles Into Animals

Thanks to a latest re-release, James Cameron’s 2009 CG megahit Avatar has toppled Avengers: Endgame to regain the #1 spot because the highest-grossing movie of all time. Chances are Endgame will get a revival finally, after which Avatar may have one other, and the 2 movies will commerce locations backwards and forwards for years, all whereas raking within the money. But now that we all know Cameron’s sequel is lastly on the best way, we should acknowledge there’s one distinction no Marvel film will ever win—Avatar will at all times be the highest-grossing film to ever function aliens who’ve intercourse with their ponytails after which stick those self same ponytails into animals to drive them.

I’m not making an attempt to be reductive right here. In Avatar, the lanky, blue, cat-like aliens referred to as the Na’vi have what are referred to as “queues” popping out of the again of their heads. This seems to be like a protracted braid of hair, however inside is a neural appendage that ends in quite a lot of small tentacles that may join with the wildlife of the world of Pandora, all of whom have related appendages. The bond, additionally referred to as “tsaheylu,” is a significant a part of the Na’vi’s lives. Here’s how the Pandorapedia—an official film useful resource—describes the neural link-up these queues enable:

“This connection allows a Na’vi to sense the energetic and kinetic signals broadcast by creatures, plants, and even the moon itself. It also allows the Na’vi to access the neural network that envelops the entire moon, and thus the collective wisdom of all Pandoran life. It is difficult to overstate the importance of the queue to the spiritual and physical well-being of the Na’vi. It is used on a daily basis to connect to animals that are vital to the success and protection of the clan; the direhorse and the mountain banshee both come under the sway of the Na’vi through use of the queue.”

When Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) teaches Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) about the best way of her individuals and his avatar/new Na’vi physique, one of many earliest classes is about how he can use his queue to connect with a direhorse’s antenna-like neural interface to manage it. After the small, fleshy tentacles in Jake’s queue and the beast’s antenna have intertwined with one another, Neytiri tells Jake, “Feel her. Feel her heartbeat. Her breath. Feel her strong legs. You may tell her what to do. Inside.” When she says “Inside,” Neytiri factors to her head, indicating the hyperlink doesn’t simply enable entry to bodily sensations, however can carry psychological instructions. The Na’vi additionally use their queues to connect with, journey, and management the flying, dragon-like ikron (identified to people as banshees), which notably bond with their rider for all times.

But, until the scene depicting Jake and Neytiri’s bodily romance was a significant anomaly, the Na’vi additionally use their queues throughout the act of lovemaking. In the movie’s most intimate scene, the 2 carry the ends of their queues collectively, the a number of pink tendrils reaching hungrily for each other. The two bond bodily and mentally, and the feeling appears to almost overwhelm Jake earlier than they start making out, laborious, till the scene finally fades out. See for your self on this video of the scene; the sexiness begins at 2:20:

[Please be aware: in keeping with James Cameron himself, this scene was not included in Avatar’s official theatrical launch. However, it was shot and composited, and was added again into the movie for its DVD launch. However, a number of io9 staffers have reported that they swore they noticed the tentacle intercourse scene throughout their theatrical viewings. Whatever the reality of the place it was proven, its authenticity isn’t doubtful, and should be thought of Avatar canon.]

G/O Media could get a fee

Save $70

Apple AirPods Max

Experience Next-Level Sound
Spatial audio with dynamic head monitoring supplies theater-like sound that surrounds you

When we return to Jake’s avatar and Neytiri, she is snuggled up subsequent to him in a historically post-coital place. To be clear, this becoming a member of of the queues is not a part of the Na’vi reproductive system—no genetic materials is handed backwards and forwards—as confirmed by the (once more, utterly official) Pandorapedia, which explicitly states “Some Na’vi elect to abstain from reproduction, despite being sexually active. It is not known how contraception is accomplished.” My level is that Na’vi queues are an important a part of their lovemaking, whilst they’re inessential to replica. And then in addition they stick these intercourse tentacles into animals.

This is just an announcement of reality. Na’vi use the identical appendage to make love as they do to manage different Pandoran creatures they use for transport. If this thought unsettles you, it’s possible since you’re making an attempt to evaluate them by human requirements. Obviously, right here on Earth, sticking our intercourse organs into animals for any purpose is taboo, and wouldn’t assist us journey a horse even beneath the most effective of circumstances. But lots of the animals of Pandora developed with an exterior neural interface for some purpose, and so far as we all know, connecting with the Na’vi does them no discernible hurt.

Personally, I’d hope the Na’vi would clear their queue ends earlier than and after attractive occasions, however it’s not my enterprise, and admittedly, it is probably not crucial; I don’t know Na’vi biology, and maybe there’s micro organism or a secretion that sterilizes the fleshy pink tendrils after use, retaining the Na’vi and their sexual companions from being uncovered to one thing dangerous (or on the very least disagreeable). Maybe the Na’vi do wash their queues ceaselessly, and it simply wasn’t portrayed on display screen. Maybe they clear their queues with their tongue, like cats, which might be nice though I sincerely hope I by no means see that portrayed on display screen.

We simply don’t know. Again, all we all know for sure is that the Na’vi use the identical tentacle to have intercourse and drive animals, they usually’re the celebs of the highest-grossing film of all time. And that’s not one thing we should always ever neglect.

Want extra io9 information? Check out when to count on the newest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on movie and TV, and every thing you want to find out about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.