The world of Pandora in James Cameron's Avatar is a vibrant world full of exotic flora and fauna, but comic book spin-offs of the movie showcase that it also has its own version of the Force Ghosts from Star Wars. The Na'vi are a complex species with a rich culture, history, and many traditions. Comics inspired by the film are continuing to add depth to the world and reveal some of the secrets Pandora is still hiding. One secret is very similar to a means of communication found in the Star Wars universe.
Avatar: Tsu'tey's Path, a comic published by Dark Horse in 2019, follows Tsu'tey. It was written by Sherri L. Smith, with penciller Jan Duursema, inker Dan Parson, colorist Wes Dzioba, and cover artist Doug Wheatley. Tsu'tey was the rival of Jake Sully in the original film and earned the role of Olo'eyktan (clan leader) before his eventual death in the war against the human colonists. This six-issue mini-series takes place concurrently with some events of the film. It shows some behind the scenes action that the movie didn't cover, adding to the character of Tsu'tey and the thoughts and traditions of the Omatikaya clan.
Pandora has many distinct geographic features, but none as prominent as the trees. The Omatikaya live in the Hometree, which was destroyed by the Resources Development Administration (RDA). There is also the Tree of Souls, a tree which is the most important spiritual location known on Pandora thus far. It provides the closes connection to Eywa, the Na'vi's deity. Another tree of importance is the Tree of Voices. This is the tree that Neytiri takes Jake to just before they became mates. The Tree of Voices connects the Na'vi to the people in their past, but Avatar: Tsu'tey's Path #2 reveals that there is more to the Tree of Voices than fans have realized.
In Avatar: Tsu'tey's Path #2, Tsu'tey goes to the Tree of Voices by himself. He connects to the Tree and a holographic image of a Na'vi female appears. This is Sylwanin, the deceased older sister of Neytiri, and Tsu'tey's beloved, who made her first appearance in James Cameron's Avatar: The Game. Tsu'tey seeks her counsel, communing with her directly. It is said that the voices of the Na'vi ancestors could be heard here, but this comic reveals that it is also possible to see the dead and communicate with them. Hearing is not merely a passive activity. Tsu'tey seeks advice from Sylwanin, since she was previously in line to become Tsahik, the spiritual leader of the Na'vi. She asks questions about how she passed and the state of Pandora, but ultimately is unable to give him the advice he seeks. This exchange reveals that the Na'vi have a direct communication with deceased Na'vi, including those who have been gone for many years, similar to the Force Ghosts in Star Wars.
Like Luke talking to Obi-Wan and seeking answers in the Star Wars films, Tsu'tey tries to find guidance from his former betrothed, whom he perceived as being more connected to their clan. Sylwanin appears to interact with Tsu'tey as an apparition. When this concept was first introduced in Avatar, it seemed like the interaction with ancestors in the Tree of Voices was passive. It seemed as though connecting to the Tree allowed a Na'vi to only hear the voices of those who came before. Instead, the Na'vi can have conversations, seek guidance, and in some ways, even SEE those they have lost. Although the Tree of Voices was bulldozed by the RDA, trees have roots. There are other spiritually connected trees and other clans of Na'vi, so there may be a root system by which this Tree of Voices can connect to another or regrow. If so, this is how Grace Augustine, Sigourney Weaver's character, could appear in the upcoming films. Her consciousness was transferred into Eywa so she may be a part of the overall network of Pandora; she may be able to communicate with the Na'vi. Grace Augustine could be Avatar's next Force Ghost. The world of Avatar clearly has a lot of secrets yet to be uncovered.