Avatar: Fire and Ash is shaping up to be a pivotal entry in the franchise for Neytiri. Zoe Saldaña’s character has always been central to the sci-fi franchise, and she went through a lot of changes in Avatar: The Way of Water. After the death of her son at the end of the sequel, things are only getting worse.

The third film in James Cameron’s Avatar series introduces the Ash People, a villainous fire tribe led that lives on Pandora. These Na’vi are heavily featured in the first trailer for Fire and Ash, showing off their conflict with the Sully family and the Omatikaya and Metkayina clans. While their goals are mysterious, the film has already established them as a major threat.

This is largely accomplished through the Ash People’s leader, Varang, played by Oona Chaplin. The trailer showcases her terrifying presence, incredible power, and the different belief system that she has compared to the franchise’s usual leads, which strongly juxtaposes her with Neytiri.

Varang Is Poised To Give Neytiri A Truly Worthy Opponent

While the franchise has already done an excellent job of exploring the similarities, differences, and conflict between Jake Sully and Quaritch to the benefit of both characters, Avatar: Fire and Ash can now do the same for Neytiri through Varang.

Throughout the trailer, Varang makes comments about taking down Eywa and accepting a “different power.” The movie frames her as opposed to the entire Sully family, but her biggest enemy seemingly comes from Neytiri.

Both Varang and Neytiri are female warrior leaders of their respective clans, and they even have similar Na’vi designs. While there are a lot of questions surrounding Neytiri’s direct feud with the new villain, Varang actress Oona Chaplin hinted at her character’s and the Ash People’s motivations, saying this:

They have a bunch of unresolved trauma. They got hit by a natural disaster and what Varang did was say, ‘Well, f*ck Eywa.’ She basically goes towards a different power, and tries to harness that, and in so doing kind of raises her people out of misery. It’s easy to fall into the villain mentality, but actually she’s the hero of her people. Because she’s saved them out of misery and starvation and begging.

This quote is revealing for Varang. Firstly, she is a protector. In the same way that Neytiri is protecting her family, Varang is protecting her clan, and she is willing to go to war to do so. These parallel motivations will make their character dynamic incredibly interesting, as it will be hard to sympathize with Neytiri while not sympathizing with Varang.

Both characters will also be on revenge quests in Avatar: Fire and Ash. After the death of Neteyam in Avatar: The Way of Water, something in Neytiri snapped. She will be a much more vengeful and violent person in the third film, something that is hinted at during a conversation with Jake in the trailer, as he mentions that hate cannot consume her.

Considering one of the final moments in the trailer is of Varang and Neytiri seemingly squaring off, the marketing is already doing an excellent job of setting them up as opponents. They’ll surely clash physically, but also philosophically and spiritually, since Neytiri so strongly follows Eywa.

So, if Avatar: Fire and Ash sees Neytiri struggle with being consumed by vengeance, she could see the future that awaits her if she continues down that path through Varang. She’s essentially the dark mirror of Neytiri, making her the perfect narrative and thematic arch-nemesis.