Neytiri, the Na’vi heroine introduced in James Cameron’s Avatar, has long been viewed by fans as the moral center of the story. That perception rests on her early role as a guide, teacher, and uncompromising voice for Pandora’s living world. Over the course of the films, though, her choices and emotions complicate that status. By the time of Avatar: Fire and Ash, Neytiri still embodies many moral strengths, but she is no longer the simple, unambiguous moral anchor she once appeared to be.
Neytiri’s original moral authority came from clear places. In the first Avatar she is the character who knows and defends the Na’vi way of life, who teaches Jake Sully respect for Eywa and the interconnectedness of life, and who shows courage and compassion in resisting human exploitation. Her moral claims were grounded both in spiritual conviction and in practical leadership of her people. That combination made her a believable conscience for Jake and a moral reference point for the audience.
Several things shift Neytiri’s role in later installments. One is trauma and loss. The sequels place her in situations of grief, fear, and repeated violence against her family and community. Those experiences reshape how she reacts. Where she once offered measured spiritual guidance, she sometimes responds with anger or desire for vengeance—reactions that are human and understandable but that complicate a simplistic moral image. Reviews of Avatar: Fire and Ash note that both Jake and Neytiri swap some of their earlier roles, with each displaying anger and making poor choices at different times[1]. This suggests a deliberate storytelling choice: heroes can falter, and moral clarity can be tested by suffering[1].
Another factor is protection of family. Neytiri’s instincts are often fiercely maternal and protective. In Fire and Ash she is shown reacting strongly to perceived threats to her children and clan, including prejudice and the legacy of past enemies[2]. Her immediate desire to punish or exclude those linked to old aggressors—such as Spider, the son of Quaritch—reveals how personal and communal wounds complicate ethical judgments[2]. That kind of protective instinct can be morally defensible, but it can also lead to inflexible, punitive decisions that sit uneasily with the idea of a calm moral center.
Narrative purpose also changes her portrayal. As the franchise expands, character arcs need conflict and development. Turning Neytiri into a figure who can err or be pushed to morally ambiguous choices increases dramatic stakes and prevents the story from relying on a single, untouchable moral voice. Critics and reviews have pointed out that the sequels intentionally give both Jake and Neytiri more flawed behavior to explore themes of anger, revenge, and reconciliation[1][2]. This is a sign of maturation in characterization rather than simple demotion of her ethics.
Still, Neytiri retains core moral values. Even when she acts from anger or fear, her underlying commitments—to her people, to the health of Pandora, and to kinship with living beings—remain present. Those commitments continue to guide her mistakes and her returns to compassion. In many scenes she is shown struggling with the right path, weighing retribution against renewal. That internal conflict can be read as a deeper, more realistic moral center: not someone who never errs, but someone whose moral identity is active and tested.
Audience response matters too. Some viewers feel betrayed when a beloved moral figure makes harsh choices; others welcome complexity and find Neytiri more relatable and compelling as a result. The split reflects differing expectations: whether a moral center should be consistent and exemplary, or human and evolving. The creative team appears to have leaned toward the latter, using Neytiri’s evolving moral landscape to explore how communities heal after trauma and how leaders reconcile justice and mercy.
In short, Neytiri is still a moral center in the sense that her values and loyalties continue to shape the story and influence other characters. However, she is no longer an unblemished symbol of moral clarity. The films present her as a more complete, sometimes contradictory human figure whose ethics are tested by grief, fear, and the pressures of leadership[1][2]. That shift makes her a richer moral presence for some viewers and a more complicated one for others.
Sources
https://www.threeifbyspace.net/2025/12/review-avatar-fire-and-ash-a-visually-stunning-story-with-heart/
https://movieweb.com/james-cameron-promised-different-avatar-fire-and-ash-op-ed/
