James Cameron Rewrote Avatar: Fire & Ash Script To Avoid Glorifying Guns

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Be warned, this contains spoilers for Avatar: Fire and Ash. James Cameron has discussed how Jake Sully’s views on weaponry and the Na’vi lifestyle evolved in the script for Avatar: Fire and Ash. After initially trying to avoid conflict to keep his family safe, Jake understands by the end of Avatar: The Way of Water that he and the Na’vi must fight back against their enemies.

Cameron shared with TheWrap that he took feedback from audiences who saw The Way of Water into account while working on Fire and Ash. He explained that this led him to write new scenes, cut others, and even bring the actors back to reshoot some parts with adjustments made on the spot.

One of the changes made to the story involved Payakan, the lone Tulkun who forms a connection with Jake Sully’s son, Lo’ak. Here’s what director James Cameron had to say about it:

Payakan resonated so strongly with audiences that I expanded his role in the third movie. It’s standard practice to give a more prominent part to any character who unexpectedly becomes popular.

In addition to developing Payakan’s story, Cameron decided to equip the Metkayina—the water tribe who sheltered and welcomed Jake and his family in The Way of Water—with weapons.

The character initially asked the question three times before receiving a yes. The reason they agreed was because they needed to protect the Tulkun, which are like whales. I felt it was important to add the line, “Okay, you can believe in peace, but sometimes you have to fight for what’s right.”

It suddenly clicked for me – Quaritch’s strategy is straight out of a colonial power move: arming one side of a conflict to have them fight each other. And if that’s what the film defines as truly evil, then Jake simply can’t participate in it. He has to allow the Na’vi to fight their own way, using their own methods. And honestly, you see that working brilliantly in the battle – those rocks taking down the ships? That Na’vi approach is incredibly effective.

Cameron cut a scene where Jake gave the Metkayina weapons. Instead, he added a scene of Jake reconnecting with Toruk, the flying creature he bonded with in the first movie – the one that made him known as Toruk Makto. Cameron explained this change happened as they were making the film and was a last-minute decision.

These changes weren’t just based on what happened in the past or the beliefs of the Na’vi people. The tragic shooting in Uvalde, Texas in 2022, where nineteen elementary school children lost their lives, deeply affected James Cameron and was a key factor in his decisions.

I didn’t want to make the assault weapon seem appealing or desirable. However, I faced a challenge because my character is a Marine, and the Marine Corps strongly emphasizes the bond between a Marine and their rifle – they see it as the ultimate weapon. So, I decided to focus on Jake and his personal connection to the weapon, making sure it didn’t influence the Na’vi people or their beliefs. These ideas evolved as I developed the story.

Cameron expressed similar feelings to those he shared with Esquire magazine in 2022, admitting he now regrets certain films he’d made, specifically early Terminator movies, and how they might have glorified gun violence.

Cameron says the actors in Fire and Ash weren’t worried about the changes and were actually happy to adapt.

The actors all bought into these ideas. They loved it. It’s like, “Sure, we’ll get back together.”

While critics are somewhat divided on Avatar: Fire and Ash (with a 67% score on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences overwhelmingly love it, giving it a 91% rating. The third act, in particular, seems to be a point of disagreement between reviewers and viewers.

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Since two more Avatar movies are in the works, the conflict on Pandora will continue. Avatar: Fire and Ash establishes what weapons Jake and the Na’vi will and won’t use when battling their enemies, and director James Cameron is expected to maintain this approach in future installments.

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2025-12-20 17:29