Jake Sully flying on Toruk in Avatar: Fire and Ash
James Cameron has never been subtle with the massive spectacle that is the Avatar franchise, but Avatar: Fire & Ash might have the clearest example yet of why he’s so unmatched when it comes to pure visual storytelling.
As a prime example, the film’s final battle deliberately plays with audience expectations before completely redefining the scale of the major conflict. What I found to be so visually satisfying is how Cameron used the familiarity of what audiences had seen before in the previous two Avatar films before completely pulling the rug. As a result, Avatar: Fire & Ash's final battle is split into two key halves, highlighting the evolution of the franchise and how the world of Pandora routinely"goes much deeper" than we imagine. Avatar: Fire & Ash's Final Battle Begins As An Epic Homage, Honoring The Previous Two Movies Simultaneously At first, the movie's final battle feels incredibly familiar, perhaps being a source for the controversial criticism arguing that Fire & Ash is simply a redux of The Way of Water. After all, Jake Sully becomes Toruk Makto once again, echoing the rallying charge from 2009's Avatar. Skimwings soar into combat just above the waves, recalling the final battle of 2023's The Way of Water. Likewise, RDA ships fill the sky and the sea, blending imagery from both previous films. Much of the action choreography at this point in the conflict mirrors the major battles of the previous films, as does the music and even some of the specific framing, effectively being a tribute/homage to what has been seen before. If that was all we got from Fire & Ash's third act, those rehashing criticisms would indeed be more valid, and the"homage" would actually be fairly lazy from a visual perspective. However, everything changes at the moment of Pandora's daily eclipse. Everything Ramps Up After Fire & Ash's Eclipse, Showing Us Pandora Warfare Like Never Before The eclipse is the turning point, both narratively and particularly visually. As darkness falls, the entire conflict is transformed as we enter some critically new visual territory, which I found to be quite captivating, particularly with the massive magnetic flux pulling in RDA ships, resulting in a massive column of fire as the primary centerpiece for the final battle. This is when the Ash People arrive in force, led by Quaritch and Varang, wielding human RDA weapons while flying on ikrans, effectively merging the advantages of both sides of the conflict. Likewise, Kiri's role escalates the entire battle dramatically, finally reaching Eywa and showing us the face of Pandora's Great Mother before calling upon her power, resulting in both new and old wildlife being summoned to aid the Na'vi and turn the tide. Kate Winslet's Ronal gives birth right before her death. Quaritch and Jake work together to save Spider's life before he jumps into the abyss. Varang is overwhelmed and flees in the face of Kiri's new power through Ewya. Subscribe for deeper Avatar visuals and lore analysis Curious about the craft behind Avatar's spectacle? Subscribe to the newsletter for in-depth breakdowns of visual design, effects choices, and narrative stakes—contextual analysis and expert perspective that enrich your appreciation of the franchise and its world. Subscribe Subscribe for deeper Avatar visuals and lore analysis Curious about the craft behind Avatar's spectacle? Subscribe to the newsletter for in-depth breakdowns of visual design, effects choices, and narrative stakes—contextual analysis and expert perspective that enrich your appreciation of the franchise and its world. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. So many new and momentous things happen in the back half of this final fight, a true spectacle built on the world James Cameron has been building over the last 30 years. It begins with the familiar, and then ramps up those elements farther than anyone was likely expecting. From just a visual standpoint, Avatar: Fire & Ash's ending proves that Pandora will always be expanding and evolving . 21 9.1/10 Avatar: Fire and Ash 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed PG-13 Science Fiction Adventure Fantasy Release Date December 19, 2025 Runtime 197 Minutes Director James Cameron Writers Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa, James Cameron, Josh Friedman, Shane Salerno Producers Jon Landau, James Cameron, Brigitte Yorke, Jamie Landau, Maria Battle-Campbell 7 Images Close Cast See All Prequel Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water Franchise Avatar Genres Science Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy Powered by Expand Collapse
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