The upcoming Avatar: Fire & Ash aims to introduce a ton of new stuff while also doubling down on the things people liked about its predecessors. Part of that doubling down will apply to Pakayan, the tulkun (space whale) introduced in Way of Water as an outcast among his people because he killed the humans who killed his mother. Over the course of the film, he became a friend to Jake Sully’s teen son Lo’ak and helped save the day in act three by going on a rampage that saved his fellow Tulkun from evil whalers.
Avatar is a franchise that loves animals, so naturally, he’s getting a meatier role in the threequel. Speaking to Empire Magazine, VFX supervisor Richard Baneham said the positive response to Pakayan—which has recently involved folks on Twitter gassing him up as a great guy in Hollywood—spurred the team to “go forward and play him at the highest level.” Over the course of the film, he’ll cross paths with Ta’nok, a fellow outcast who’ll become his love interest. Baneham teased the pair have a “really great dynamic” together, and with how much these movies love their love stories, is there going to be a scene where they go on a date? Because that seems where things are headed.
Ta’nok isn’t the only Tulkun coming along for the ride. Fire & Ash is introducing more of Tulkun society, up to and including a Patriarch and Matriarch who govern over their clan. According to Baneham, the Matriarch in particular will be in “full regalia,” with rings and tattoos “that suggest history beyond what we’re seeing.” So if you couldn’t get enough of Water’s undersea world, Pakayan’s here to give you more of it when Avatar: Fire & Ash releases on December 19.
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