The new villain in Avatar: Fire and Ash has finally been revealed in full form. Set for a December 19, 2025, release, the threequel will feature Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and the rest of their family as they navigate an increasingly dangerous world. All the while, Quaritch (Stephen Lang) recruits a new Na’vi threat to his cause: the Ash Clan.
A series of posters provided by Empire offers a full look at the mysterious Ash Clan. Led by Oona Chaplin’s Varang, the Fire Na’vi do not live in harmony with nature, and they instead equip themselves for war however they can. Check out the images below, which offer a detailed glimpse at Varang and her people:
The first cover sees Varang against a fiery backdrop, as she directs her people to march to war. It features a full-body sH๏τ of Varang, who appears to be wearing thin cloth and decorative red war paint. The second sees Varang’s face in full detail, as she stares ominously at the reader.
What This Means For Avatar: Fire And Ash
Humans Are Not The Only Enemies
The Avatar franchise has generally featured the Na’vi as good-hearted and nature-driven people who never shy away from protecting their own. By contrast, humans are violent, greedy, and unwilling to allow the Na’vi to simply live their lives in peace. Fire and Ash will be changing that through Varang’s introduction.
The first glimpse of Varang sees her as a haunting commander, who stands in front of a wall of fire while covered in bump-like scars. She leads a clan of warriors, who wear skull-like face paint, carry human weapons, and seemingly reject much in the way of clothing. In many ways, the Ash Clan is extremely intimidating.
The design of the characters is impressive, but it also hints at the quality that sets the Avatar movies apart, which is the visuals. Every character is extremely detailed, and Varang is especially impressive. The scars and dirt along her arm, the faded quality to her skin, and the ridges along the paint imply that the CGI will be even more granular.
Our Take On Varang’s Debut
A Na’vi Villain Is A Welcome Change
After two straight movies featuring humans as existential threats to the Pandoran natives, it is interesting to see a Na’vi villain taking the stage. Quaritch has previously taken up that role, given that he was resurrected in the artificial body of a Na’vi man, but it is not quite the same as having an actual enemy from that culture.
Cameron has previously emphasized that he hopes that this movie will “not be black-and-white simplistic“.
It adds some variety to the franchise, which could help set Fire and Ash apart. Not every Na’vi should be portrayed as one-dimensional heroes who stand at odds against humanity. Having Varang there will add another element of chaos to the human invasion, especially if she does not stand side-by-side with humanity.
Speaking with Empire, Cameron has previously emphasized that he hopes that this movie will “not be black-and-white simplistic“. By having a Na’vi standing against Jake and his family, he can easily achieve that goal. Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to add nuance to the franchise, and Varang will be crucial to that goal.
Source: Empire
