“Avatar: The Way Of Water” leaves its audience with some unanswered questions – some of which will surely be answered in “Avatar 3”. One thing has already been revealed away from the mega-blockbuster: the mother of Spider.
Warning, spoilers for “Avatar 2: The Way Of Water” follow!
After 13 years of waiting, the time had finally come on 14 December: “Avatar 2” was released and the world finally got to see what master director James Cameron (“Terminator”, “Titanic”) has been working on all this time. For a whole 192 minutes, he once again takes us to Pandora – and once again leaves us hungry. Because yes, you can clearly tell that “Avatar 2” is a centrepiece of a film series. A non-judgemental statement, which is neither meant to be positive nor negative, but does have a certain side effect.
“Avatar 2: The Way Of Water” leaves its audience hungry for more and leaves some questions unanswered, while at least answering others. We’re sure: In “Avatar 3”, which is scheduled to hit the cinemas on 18 December 2024, some of the unanswered points will be resolved. But you don’t have to wait two years (or even longer, should the theatrical release be postponed as it was for part 2) to get answers. At least one question has already been answered off-screen: Who is Spider’s mother?
“AVATAR: THE HIGH GROUND” REVEALS: THIS IS SPIDER’S MOTHER
To set the mood for “The Way Of Water”, the first volume of the three-part comic or graphic novel series “Avatar: The High Ground” was published on 6 December – which takes place between the two films and thus sheds light on what has been happening on Pandora over all these years.
Before “Vol. 2” and “Vol. 3” follow on 10 January and a complete edition uniting all three chapters on 23 May, the first volume already reveals a first exciting detail about the Spider played by Jack Champion.
The son of the uncompromising Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) is certainly one of the most exciting characters in the entire film, as he lives with his enemy – the defected Jake Sully (Sam Worthington). On top of that, he is one of the few human characters in the Na’vi adventure. His origins, however, remain at least partly in the dark in the film, “The High Ground” now remedies this:
Paz Socorro is the mother of Spider, born as Miles, as revealed on page 38 of the first “The High Ground” volume. Spider was once one of the first humans born on Pandora, but grew up as a child not only without a father, but also without a mother. For he was still a baby when Paz Socorro died in the course of the Last Great Battle (the finale of “Avatar – Setting Out for Pandora”) – before Jake Sully finally took him in, hoping Spider would “not turn out like his parents. “
Because Spider’s mother was also a soldier in the RDA who had a forbidden love affair with Quaritch. Paz, who carried a baby photo of Miles with her when she was deployed, died in battle. And today it is Miles aka Spider who carries a photo of his once pregnant mother.
Spider wishes he could bring his mother back, certain that she could not have been as bad a person as his father – and that she too could have been converted to a peaceful life, just as he too left his human origins behind and became part of the Na’vi community. While his mother is presumed dead (but will she stay that way?), Spider saved Colonel Quaritch’s life in “The Way Of Water”. He has forgiven him, meets him well – to possibly awaken the good in the nasty military as well.
In any case, actor Stephen Lang will also appear in other “Avatar” films. So there is still plenty of time for his character to undergo such a transformation. And since “Terminator” and “Terminator 2”, James Cameron no longer has to prove to anyone that he knows how to turn a villain into a hero…
