Avatar: Fire and Ash brings a new Na’vi clan called the Ash People, or Mangkwan clan, to Pandora. Their visual style stands out as dark and fierce, showing a side of the Na’vi world full of anger and survival[1][2][4].
The Ash People live in harsh volcanic lands scarred by past disasters like eruptions that destroyed their home. They blame Eywa, Pandora’s living spirit, for not protecting them, so they reject her harmony. This shapes their look: bodies covered in grey and white ash from the volcanoes, with bold red and black paints drawn on skin to mark their rebellion[1][2][4]. Scars and self-made cuts cover them too, proving how tough they are and how they refuse to leave their ruined land[2].
Their clothes and gear mix Na’vi ways with scavenged human junk. They grab metal bits like helicopter parts, tarps, and struts, treating them like treasures in a cargo cult style. James Cameron described it as kids in a candy store, grabbing industrial scraps to build a raw, living space that feels part alien, part machine[2]. Colors for the Ash People stick to black, white, and fiery red, unlike the bright blues of the ocean clans or earthy tones of others[2].
Leader Varang, played by Oona Chaplin, pushes this wild vibe. Her design mixes Na’vi grace with animal strength and something strange, hard to pin down. Rituals draw from real-world sources like ancient fire dances, Papua New Guinea cultures, and bloody ceremonies with weapons[1]. Dances are intense and aggressive, full of physical power that screams trauma, loss, and rage from generations hit by disaster[1].
This style contrasts the peaceful Na’vi we know, painting the Ash People as out of balance, destructive, and resilient in a Pandora torn by fire[1][2][3].
Sources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dR7jkN25nU
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9vxdw0
https://collider.com/avatar-3-fire-and-ash-filming-vfx-sam-worthington-stephen-lang-oona-chaplin-bailey-bass-interview/
https://james-camerons-avatar.fandom.com/wiki/Mangkwan_Clan
