Some first-look pH๏τos and concept art from Avatar: Fire & Ash have been released, and they show a new clan of Na’vi known as Wind Traders, who could be more formidable than they initially appear. Fire & Ash is one of the most anticipated movies of 2025, unsurprising after Avatar‘s record-breaking original run and Avatar: The Way of Water‘s eye-popping $2.3 billion box office run.

As with The Way of Water, we don’t know much about Avatar: Fire & Ash‘s story yet, but it has been confirmed that at least two new clans will be introduced. One of those new Avatar 3 clans is the Ash Clan, who seem primed to be antagonists in the third movie. The other, however, is not clearly stated as a clan, but a new tribe of people in the movie known as the Wind Traders. While the Ash Clan is getting most of the pre-release attention, the Wind Traders could have a significant impact on the story of Avatar: Fire & Ash.

Avatar: Fire & Ash’s Wind Traders Explained

They’re A Nomadic People

The new images revealed another look at Avatar: Fire & Ash‘s new tribe of Na’vi, the Wind Traders, who were first revealed at Brazil D23. The concept art shows giant ships floating in the sky, carried by jellyfish-like creatures with giant air bladders that support the trader ships on the wind. They’re airships, with a marine inspiration that hearkens back to pirates and the environmentalism of Cameron’s Pandora. James Cameron also gave a brief description of the Wind Traders:

“[The Wind Traders] are nomadic traders, equivalent to the camel caravans of the Spice Road back in the Middle Ages. And you know, they’re just fun. Like all Na’vi, they live in a symbiosis with their creatures. If you’ve got any nautical blood in your veins, you’ll want to be on [their] ship.”

It’s unclear what role the Wind Traders will have in Avatar: Fire & Ash, but they’re an interesting addition to the world and hopefully, they’ll have a significant part to play in the upcoming movie. Interestingly, while their clan is named for the element of air and they move with the wind, they’ll have aquatic stylings, which is a fun twist. It hints at a bit of deception to their existence – or rather, a double layer – and that their ships may be more important than just carrying them on the winds.

Fire & Ash’s Mounts & Ships Suggest They Could Be Secretly Formidable

They Look Like Portuguese Man O’ War Jellyfish

Some people have described the Wind Traders’ mounts as squid-like, but the first thing that should come to mind when looking at them is the Portuguese man o’ war jellyfish. The blue-purple color scheme and the trailing tentacles are such clear indicators that that was their visual inspiration. This comparison is really driven home by the air bladder that enables them to float, exactly like that of Portuguese man o’ war jellyfish – even their elongated shape is the same. The only design difference is that the Wind Traders’ mounts have fins or sails on the side, whereas Portuguese man o’ war have sails on the top of their wind bladder.

Despite that minor difference, the design is basically exactly the same, and that is almost certainly not without reason. James Cameron is one of the most detail-oriented directors out there and he has crafted every grain of sand in Pandora with meaning. As a deep sea explorer, Cameron has more knowledge of marine life and sea creatures than most people on the planet. If the Wind Traders’ mounts resemble Portuguese man o’ war, that inspiration is certainly intentional, and the symbolism could have deep meaning in Avatar: Fire & Ash.

Portuguese man o’ war may look harmless and lovely, floating on the surface with their indigo air bladders and graceful tentacles, but they are incredibly dangerous. While their sting is rarely fatal, it is excruciating, including welts, shortness of breath, chest pain, burning, and more. Even after they wash up on a beach and are seemingly ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, their tentacles can still sting, trailing 30 feet or more under the sand, inflicting far-reaching injury. If that’s anything to go by, the Wind Traders’ mounts may very well be capable of delivering a powerful blow while also symbolizing the far, hidden reach of Pandora’s nomadic tribe.

The Wind Traders Could Play A Crucial Role In Any Avatar: Fire & Ash Battle

If the Wind Traders are indeed able to defend themselves – and, indeed, it seems they should be able to in order to protect their goods from skyward pirates – then they could play a bigger role in Avatar: Fire & Ash should the movie have any battle scenes. Oona Chaplin will play a new character, Varang, the leader of the Ash Clan, which has seen terrible hardship. As such, it’s made her hard and antagonistic as she’s willing to go to extreme lengths for her people, putting her in direct opposition to Jake Sully as his enemy.

From what little is known of Avatar: Fire & Ash, it seems likely that Sully and his people will clash with the Ash Clan at some point. If that’s the case, the Wind Traders could come to their aid as friends or fight against them as foes. If their jellyfish air mounts are any indication, they could turn the tide of a battle should they choose to engage. It remains to be seen how they’ll factor into the story, but either way, it’s really fun to see the new clans and creatures James Cameron is introducing in Avatar: Fire & Ash.