Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender takes place in a fantasy world of people, animals, and spirits. The human civilizations are divided into four nations: Water tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Air Nomads and the Fire Nation. Each nation has its own order of “Benders” who have the ability to control their nation’s element. Within each generation, there is only one person who is ready to bend all the elements. This individual is known as the Avatar. The Avatar has the power to maintain the 4 nations at peace, and keep order within the world. The Avatar additionally bridges the physical world and the spirit world.

The main story revolves around Aang, a 12-year-old Airbender who’s torn between his duties because the Avatar and his need to stay life as a standard kid. Aang’s mission is to guide the fight against the Fireplace Nation to restore steadiness to the world. His companions are a protective Waterbender named Katara, her sometimes foolish and immature warrior brother Sokka, the Earthbender, Toph Bei Fong, Appa, a flying bison, and Momo, a lemur.

The primary Fire Nation characters are the story’s unhealthy guys. Prince Zuko is an advanced younger man who is on a quest to capture the Avatar however who is also coping with issues of honor and his remedy at the hands of his Fireplace Lord Father, Ozai. Azula, Zuko’s youthful sister may be very much her father’s child. Cruel and self-centered, she resorts to torture and manipulation to get her way. Iroh is the imprisoned older brother of Ozai. Iroh should have been the heir to the throne of the Fire Nation, but from his jail cell, acts as a mentor and information for Zuko.

The hour-long special episode, “Day of Black Solar” takes place on the day of a solar eclipse when a mixed power of Airbenders, Earthbenders, and Waterbenders join Aang in an assault on the Hearth Nation. The photo-voltaic eclipse provides the drive a small window of alternative for the attack, since it limits the firebending talents of their enemies. Aang hopes to face and defeat Fire Lord Ozai, thereby bringing an finish to the warfare and achieving balance among the nations of the world.

This episode has all of the components of an adventure that I have come to appreciate from this series. There’s humor, drama, treachery, and action aplenty. There are also dramatic parts to advance character development including the underlying themes of responsibility, trust, proving oneself with honor on the battlefield, and the age-previous battle between good and evil on the planet and within ourselves. Especially poignant are the dual storylines of Sakko making an attempt to live as much as his father’s popularity, and of Zuko coming to terms with his relationship along with his Hearth Lord father.

This particular episode is a stellar instance of the epic scale of the story of the Avatar.

The action sequences had been surprisingly nicely thought out, precisely depicted, and simple to follow. The plot twists helped cement the characters, generally in surprising ways, and left me eager to be taught extra about how these youngsters develop and develop via the years. It is easy to see why Avatar is among the high, rated packages on Nickelodeon and why it’s enjoyed all through the world. This engaging story will proceed to entertain the younger and young at coronary heart for many extra episodes to come.

Avatar has been the most successful movie in Hollywood history. There has been huge fan following of film right from start. Being mostly created in animation, this film is naturally adoptive the gaming world quite easily. Here are some tips for enjoying the Avatar games online.

The story of Avatar is quite attractive one super human creature of Avatar game lives in this alternate universe filled with the magic and common bond. Their forest is under attack so Avatar must help the super humans to defend their home from the attack from the humans. The Avatar is human himself so there is chance of him losing his life in the other world as well, as result there are many levels of the game in which the player has to explore and survive.

The Avatar game is quite thoughtful companion to the movie rather than just another tie in. There are some attractive 3D graphics and action sequences for the players to explore, like the background of android world is quite interesting with its blue and green explosion of colors.

The different locations in the game are all quite interesting as well. The exploration of new world is full of mysterious creatures as well. In here you get the chance to understand the different creatures around that might seemingly attack you. The best idea in here is to leave the different creatures alone unless some one specify attacks you or comes on your way.

The test of Avatar is quite interesting as well especially the flying lesson. Riding the dragon like banshee is quit different from using a machine. You will need to create the bond with the creature to keep the flying in the right direction. You will need to take down the choppers while flying banshee, this might not work the first time, but once you start to practice it is quite easy to do so.

The overall difficulty of this game is moderate, but the kids can use the easy version as well. The fight mechanism is little complex while flying but over all this is a great game to be enjoyed fully.

Much has been written about James Cameron’s new epic Avatar… about it stunning 3D visual effects, big budget, etc., but I haven’t seen much written about the theology or mythology behind it. There seems to be a subtle, maybe even sophisticated, theology behind the story.

I noticed a few things, and I wanted to jot down a few ideas:

o How does Pandora represent an prelapsarian (before the Fall) world in which Nature and Grace have not yet been divorced from each other? How does the god Eywa represent the unbroken bond between Nature and Grace? (and the Holy Spirit?)

o Are the Two Sacred Trees, the Tree of Voices (or Souls) and the Hometree, an allusion to the two trees of the Garden of Eden, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life?

o Is Sigourney Weaver’s character name, Dr. Grace Augustine, an allusion to Saint Augustine’s Doctrine of Grace?

o What does the Second Birth of the Na’vi race say about Baptism?

The 7th day of Creation, the Sabbath, serves as a sign of the covenant–of the marriage–between nature and grace. In the beginning, God’s creation was perfect: “God saw how good it was” (Gen 1:12). The Sabbath was a day to admire the goodness of creation; all our days were meant to be Sabbaths. Mankind, however, did not fulfill his covenant. Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and the original grace of nature was marred by man’s will.

In the movie Avatar, however, a day on Pandora is no Sabbath. There’s no time to admire the beauty of Pandora with all the massive, angry animals stalking around. Corporal Jake Sully takes a moment to admire the beautiful flora of Pandora, the collapsing “helicoradian,” at the beginning of the movie, and ends up running for his life and jumping over the edge of a cliff to escape a “thanator.”

But, the Na’vi people do live in a graced harmony with nature in two related ways:

o First, the Na’vi are capable of a neurological connection with animals through the “queue.” The Na’vi can actually unite their wills with those of animals by physically connecting their neural networks (by mutual acceptance).

o Second, Dr. Grace Augustine discovers that the bio-botanical connection between all the living organisms of Pandora is far more extensive than anything known on Earth. The Tree of Voices eventually reveals the extent of this.

It’s as though mankind has stumbled into a second Garden of Eden, only to fall all over again. Only, our sin isn’t so “original” this time. The Corporation, which is mining Pandora’s rich natural resources, serves as mankind’s representative in the same way Adam did. The Corporation desires, above all things, the fruit of the Na’vi’s sacred tree, the rich deposit of “unobtainium” beneath the Hometree, which also–it is said–happens to be the only thing which can keep Earth from dying.

Because of Original Sin, however, mankind cannot freely eat of Eden’s Tree of Life. “Lest he put forth his hand and take also from the Tree of Life,” man is barred from the Garden (Gen 3:22). The way is shut and guarded. Because of our fallen wills and polluted motivations, there is no easy, painless way to bring forth life. We must suffer to bring forth life, as with childbirth or the paralyzed Jake Sully or the Suffering Servant, who dies on the cross.

A mineral such as can be found by plundering Pandora can only delay the inevitable. It is a temptation destroying the relationship between the humans and the Na’vi, who hold the truest hope for a post-Earth mankind. Did you notice the name of the trucks which harvest that rich mineral, “unobtainium”? Did you notice the name of the human colony on Pandora? Hell trucks. Hell’s Gate. It begs the question: on which side of the gate does Hell really lie?

Further, did you notice the name of the mineral: UNOBTAINium? And so it is unobtainable, like the fruit that Tantalus spends an eternity reaching for. It’s the illusion, the false pursuit, that will claim your life while impoverishing you. It’s the road to hell.

The Na’vi’s union with nature proves that their natures are not fallen in the same way as mankind’s. The story of Avatar is a story of the reunion of grace and nature. [THESIS]

The story presents this contrast between man and the Na’vi in three ways characters interact with the world around them:

1. Greatest Union of Grace and Nature: The Na’vi Communion, in which the Na’vi connect to nature and to souls directly through the “queue” (i.e. through a bio-botanical neural network);

2. Transitional Union: The Avatar, the greatest union that man can accomplish by his own power and strength, a union which only the Tree of Souls can complete;

3. Dis-Union, or Hollow Union: The AMP (Amplified Mobility Platform) suits of the army, which only mimic the union of animal and human found among the Na’vi.

Dr. Grace Augustine

So, what’s in a name? There must be something going on with Dr. Grace Augustine’s name. The pairing of the words “grace” and “Augustine” is an unlikely coincidence. With his Doctrine of Grace, Augustine, Doctor of the Church, has ensured that his name will always be associated with grace, the fall of man, and free will.

But what does it mean for Sigourney Weaver’s character to be called Grace Augustine? Dr. Grace is portrayed as a clearly brilliant woman, with many natural gifts and talents (not unlike Weaver’s character in Gorillas in the Mist, Dr. Dian Fossey). As a xenobiologist, one who studies alien life, she dominates her field. She has gone further into the Na’vi culture than any human being alive. But! She ultimately fails to be taken into the Tree of Souls, and dies before her soul can be incorporated into Eywa. It is the free gift of Eywa–it is grace–which allows for the incorporation (i.e. redemption) of a soul. It cannot be earned; it cannot be gained no matter how far we can reach.

The Second Birth & Baptism

Na’vi are initiated into society by being born again: their “Second Birth.” This is the Christian Sacrament of Baptism. In Baptism, we are sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit; our fallen natures are again united perfectly with grace; we are born again. This is why Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life (CCC 1213).

Christians, like the Na’vi and their “queue,” also have a direct link to the life of this world: the Holy Spirit, “the Lord, the Giver of Life” (Dominum et vivificantem, from the Nicene Creed). Eywa represents the Holy Spirit, by whose power Jake Sully can fully transition into his avatar and Pandora’s animal life is summoned against the forces of Colonel Quaritch.

Natural Miracles

For me, this biological representation of the Holy Spirit is the most powerful part of the Avatar story, and its greatest contribution to science fiction. This piece of the story, more than any other, sparks my imagination. I suppose I’m always looking for a biological basis for God’s miracles. I don’t intend to dismiss miracles by physical explanations; I hope to see the whole physical world as a miracle. As Einstein said,

“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.”

Biology and all of science is God’s handiwork and His laws. In the case of miracles, God doesn’t violate His own laws, his own essence; He demonstrates the full potential of His Creation. Isn’t it fantastic that we can ask how?

The English word “avatar” derives from a Hindu concept relating to the descent to earth and manifestation in earthly form of a god. In modern computer terminology this has been transformed to mean the image of a computer user that accompanies his or her posts on a particular website or forum – effectively representing the alter ego of the user.

Some computer users will attach their own portrait as the avatar accompanying their posts but many prefer to remain more anonymous and will create an avatar in cartoon or other form so that they are not instantly recognizable. This protects their privacy while adding a distinct identity to their posts.

Using an avatar will enhance your online presence. You can use a different one for each of the sites and forums on which you post, but if you keep the same one for all, your exposure will be stronger which must be beneficial if you are an internet marketer or have some other internet-based business.

For those not sure that they can create an avatar without help, there are a huge number of easy to use avatar makers on the internet. Many free avatar generators allow you to choose from a variety of templates to create a cartoon-like character of your own design. They are very simple to use but often require you to log in to access some of their more advanced features. If you want to create an avatar in this way it can be great fun and the results can be surprisingly good but, as they are template based, you night feel that they aren’t quite as unique as you would like them to be.

Making your own avatar will guarantee uniqueness. However, you can still use sites that will help you transform photographs or other images into an avatar; they will also ensure that your avatar is correctly sized. In fact, if you create an avatar yourself, sizing is often one of the main problems. Avatar generators know what size sites will accept and will size accordingly. You will have to do the same because an avatar that is too large will not load.

Avatars generally come in four sizes from 50x 50 pixels to a maximum of 96 x 96 pixels. The most common avatar size found in forums and chat rooms is 80 x 80 pixels. Before trying to upload your avatar, therefore, you should check the allowable size.

Whether you want to create an avatar on your own or you think it is best to try one of the multitude of free avatar makers on the internet you will have great fun and you will be surprised at the number of alternative, unique designs you can create. An avatar next to your post instead of that blank square will add fun and distinction to your post and will help enhance your popularity. Just Google “avatar” and a whole new world will open up with avatar generators of every genre vying for your attention.

What are you waiting for? Upgrade your online presence and create an avatar today.

The avatar is something which has become a normal part of life in the 21st century. We use an avatar generator on many of the websites we visit. But each time we create an avatar we enter a new body and we can adopt an entirely new personality. We also interact with other people’s avatars. So with the avatar becoming such an important part of our lives, should we really start transitioning into these virtual bodies so quickly?

Why Avatars are Awesome

1. Branding

Avatars are a fantastic way to introduce yourself to people. You can hang up your skills and promote yourself all over the Internet. It prevents people from clashing with your personality and it allows you to set the tone for anything you do. For example, if you were writing about computer technology you could include something geeky in your avatar to match the audience.

2. Personality

Your avatar is an extension of your personality. If you’re a writer you can add a pen or a book to your avatar. Many sites now offer an avatar generator which can accommodate these additions.

3. Appealing

Avatars appeal to an audience. They make socialising far less intimidating and encourage people to mix. If a part of your avatar has something which matches your interests, you can go in with confidence. You don’t have to worry about potentially finding out you have nothing in common with the person in question.

Why Avatars are Not Worth the Hassle

1. Usability

When you create an avatar you nearly always ask yourself whether it’s worthwhile. If you’re talking to people you already know there’s not a lot of point in having an avatar. Furthermore, we are now revealing more and more details about ourselves. There’s rarely a reason to have a little figure which reveals our interests when we can just write them down. Another factor is the way the Internet, and life, moves. What was relevant in the morning isn’t necessarily relevant in the evening. Things change in our lives. We use multiple brands. We have different moods. An avatar just can’t keep up with these things.

2. Trust Issues

If you’re hiding behind an avatar your real face isn’t there. If they can’t see you why should they trust you? For all they know, the middle-aged office worker they think they’re talking to could turn out to be an old man sitting in a retirement home. There’s no way to discover the truth if someone is using an avatar generator.

3. Future Markets

The pull to ‘create an avatar’ remains just a fad like any other. It doesn’t have a permanent position in the world of the Internet, like email and instant messaging services. Eventually, the avatar will disappear. Customers and clients demand more from the people they speak to. They want to know they’re talking to a real person, and the only way to do this is to appear in person via webcam. With attitudes and desires changing, the future of the avatar as a widespread entity isn’t good.

It is hard to fill a cup that is already full.

-Mo’at (played by CCH Pounder) in Avatar (2009).

The mother of Neytiri in James Cameron’s Avatar, Mo’at, is the Tsahik (Righteous One, shaman or spiritual teacher) of the Omaticaya clan (the Na’vi). In the quote above upon meeting him in avatar form, she notes as others in the clan do, the overweening arrogant pride in Sam Worthington’s character, Jake Sully. And this is fundamental.

Human pride of conquest and Na’vi humility are divergently central to the plot of Avatar.

It is fascinating then how this film turns the viewer against their very own kind–the human race–by virtue of the fact that arrogant, ignorant pride is repugnant everywhere. We just can’t stand to see someone whose cup runneth over in selfish conquest; the know-it-all inability to learn; the arrogance of my-way-or-the-highway.

We’d normally expect to see aspersions to the ‘cuppeth runneth over’ phrase in the opposite genre-that of the spiritual phenomenon of being filled internally, though externally sourced i.e. not of ourselves, but of God–the inspiration of the Spirit.

The plot of Avatar effectively remedies the Jake Sully character kinks as he proves that his cup has indeed room for filling with the Na’vi’s traditions, skills and practices. Learning is central.

And it is hence a key tenet of the spiritually humble life–that ability to learn. Jake’s interest to the Na’vi was his heart. He has unprecedented heart. It is enough to ensure his ‘insanity [of spiritual pride] could be cured.’

And the fact that a vast majority would like to deny is this:

We naturally gravitate to the spiritual when our positive emotions[1] are keyed in. And we are creatures of emotion. This can be said definitively because our whole world intuits emotions–look at the things we worship. Everyone worships something/s.

The Na’vi (per Indigenous tradition) are incredibly spiritual, sharing a connectedness hard to describe. The sehalo bonds they establish with the creatures and the environment on Pandora prove this connectedness–a connectedness that implies interdependence i.e. the rejection of the cup running over due to sinful pride.

It’s interdependence that defines our togetherness, our teamwork; our collective contributions to the whole, which is greater than the sum of its individual parts.

The spiritual principle of Avatar is one of the basic principles of life. For the uninitiated it presents a pride-humility continuum, a paradox of humungous proportions.

When our cupeth runneth over, a vast world of difference is created, for at one end of the scale we can be detested; at the other, admired, set apart and honoured. One end, pride–the other, humility. At one end, there’s nothing to be learned–we know it all. At the other, something can be learned everywhere, in every situation.

Who could not simply admire the latter, the consummately humble person, the learner?

The character trait of humility–in order to learn, to aspire, to achieve, to honour–is inherent to the Indigenous peoples around the world and it is admired by the all due to the code of life it represents.

© 2009 S. J. Wickham.

[1] By ‘positive emotions’ I mean those devoid of selfishness.