Avatar 2: Disney Honors Neteyam After On-Screen Death

Disney put a spotlight on a new character from Avatar: The Way of Water, Neteyam, following his tragic on-screen death.

Neteyam became an important new player in Avatar 2's massive cast of characters and actors, taking his place as the eldest of Jake Sully and Neytiri's four sons as the pair started a family.

Spending most of Avatar 2's extensive 192-minute runtime watching out for his three siblings, Neteyam was forced into battle against General Quaritch's army before he tragically met his death while rescuing his family and friends.

Disney Pays Tribute to Neteyam in Avatar 2

Disney's official Avatar account on X (formerly Twitter) shared images centered on Jake Sully's sons, Jamie Flatters' Neteyam and Britain Dalton's Lo'ak, from Avatar: The Way of Water.

Neteyam is highlighted after his death in the film, with one image showing a full body shot and highlighting his clothing and the meaning behind each piece he wears. 

This includes a cumberbund and knife from the Omatikaya tribe, a choker similar to those worn by generations of warriors from his clan, and a song cord hanging from his loincloth that represents songs from his past.

Neteyam is joined by Lo'ak in another shot, with the two brothers standing tall in front of the waters in the Eastern Sea reefs that serve as a home for the Metkayina clan.

Lo'ak gets his own solo photo highlighting his own gear, including an Ikran claw necklace, a hunting knife, and even a new loincloth that he makes with the Metkayina. 

The picture also highlights his eyebrows which come from his human side when taking into account that Na'vi don't typically have eyebrows as part of their makeup.

Will Neteyam Have a Role in Avatar 3?

Even though Neteyam met his unfortunate end in Avatar 2, Avatar 3 could certainly bring another tribute to his memory as the Omatikya progress forward, especially with his brother Lo'ak reportedly being the main voice of the new film.

And while it's unlikely that the character will be brought back to life, there's no doubt that Jake, Lo'ak, and the rest of the Sully family will have plenty of other challenges as the Pandoran adventure evolves further.

As Lo'ak takes on a bigger role, he and the family are also set to interact with a new group of Pandoran natives from a fire-based clan, expanding the planet's known borders and uncovering new dangers.

But with family being as important of a theme as ever moving forward, Neteyam's memory will be an important driving force for the clan no matter how the details pan out for the new story.

Avatar: The Way of Water is now streaming on both Disney+ and Max.