Avatar: The Way of Water made it clear that Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) would play a significant role in the upcoming Avatar movies, and one theory could explain that purpose. Avatar's sequel made the children its main characters, with Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) playing supporting roles. There may not be much available information yet about the next three Avatars, but Avatar: The Way of Water was an indicator that the children of Jake and Neytiri were taking over the story.
James Cameron has proved that he should never be doubted. He consistently delivered movies that moved cinema forward as an art form while pulling in lots of money at the box office, including Titanic and the first Avatar. Still, fans were dubious when Avatar's sequel took 13 years to make, wondering why Avatar: The Way of Water took so long. James Cameron had an overarching plan, however, and that certainly extends to Avatar 3-5. That plan will include Kiri, and Avatar: The Way of Water provided hints as to what role Kiri will play moving forward.
Avatar: The Way Of Water Sets Kiri Up As A Messiah Figure
Avatar: The Way of Water had several scenes that indicated that Kiri's role in future films will be as a messiah figure. Eywa was the deity that everyone on Pandora looked to as a guide. Since the Na'vi believed that all living things were connected and that Eywa was the connecting force of that life, they were all deeply connected to Eywa. However, in Avatar: The Way of Water, it was obvious that Kiri had a much deeper connection than other Na'vi.
When Kiri used the tree of souls to connect to Eywa, infusing herself into Avatar: The Way Of Water's mythological being, she had a seizure after seeing her birth mother, Grace (also Weaver). When she explained to Jake that she could feel Eywa strongly, it was dismissed by others. However, it was clear to the audience that her connection was real.
During those earlier moments in Avatar: The Way of Water, Cameron made the crowd speculate what Kiri's connection to Eywa was. When Kiri's powers were revealed in the third act, it was close to a confirmation that she was a messiah figure. Her ability to control living things in the ocean, which not only helped save her life but also lit a path for her family to save their lives, was solid evidence that she was channeling Eywa. When others outside of her family realize her abilities in future Avatars, she will be seen as a messiah figure by all.
Could Kiri Be "The Seed Bearer," And what Would This Mean?
Kiri might be Avatar's most key character moving forward. Even though most information about the remaining three Avatar films has not yet become public knowledge, a possible future title for Avatar 3 is Avatar: The Seed Bearer, according to the BBC. There's no confirmation as to who the seed bearer is, but it theoretically being Kiri makes a lot of sense. Since Kiri was connected to Eywa, a source of life, and the Earth was dying in Avatar: The Way of Water, it would make sense that she could be the one to save it.
The rush to leave behind a dying planet like Earth was illustrated by the soldiers sent to colonize Pandora, but this also means that those on Pandora have the means to get to Earth. Kiri could take a seed from Eywa to Earth to bring life to the planet. Avatar: The Way of Water was not just a love letter to the ocean but an ode to James Cameron's greatest films, including their love of family. With Cameron having shifted the story's focus to the children, Kiri being the seed bearer would raise several questions for the story moving forward. One obvious question that arises from it is how would Kiri get to Earth.
People from Earth may discover Kiri's ability and try to bring her to Earth as a savior, or it is just as possible that Kiri and her family sneak aboard a spaceship to try to save Earth themselves so that Pandora will stop being attacked. Kiri being the seed bearer would also tie into the major themes of the franchise. In Avatar: The Way of Water, Cameron touched on the fact that younger generations were correcting the mistakes of older generations in protecting the planet. Kiri would be largely symbolic of this.
How Avatar Could End On An Optimistic Note
Avatar: The Way of Water's box office is already strong. However, if fans are to commit to five films, the hope is that they'd get more than just inventive special effects out of it. James Cameron had been criticized for his storytelling in the Avatar films, but his passion for the environment was clear. A blockbuster action flick that delivered on spectacle didn't require intricate storytelling, but any movie of this scale that guaranteed so many viewers should come with a thoughtful message. James Cameron's care for the environment and ability to capture its beauty painted a picture of why it's so important to protect the environment.
The franchise's conclusion is difficult to predict after Avatar: The Way of Water, given it's only the second of five movies. However, there's reason to believe it will end optimistically because of how environmentalism has been portrayed thus far. Avatar: The Way of Water suggests Earth will be visited in the franchise, given how Pandora is representative of Earth's environmental struggles. With James Cameron focusing on a younger generation and portraying how valuable living things are, it would make sense for him to end the franchise optimistically by having Earth be saved.
Viewers will potentially go on a journey over the franchise where they fall in love with the environment just like Cameron has and recognize how important it is to preserve it. Earth is not yet uninhabitable like it is becoming in the Avatar films, and they serve as a reminder that action needs to be taken immediately to stop that from happening. Avatar: The Way of Water displayed how beautiful the ocean was in a way that no movie had before, and if future films can do the same, they'll leave viewers hopeful about saving the environment.