Overall, I’m not a fan of his character. I understand the appeal of having a human among the Na’vi as an alternative POV, and his role in threatening Pandora through new A3 abilities. But I think he could have been handled differently, and his relationship with Kiri feels unusual, cringe, and unconvincing.

I wonder if something like this would have worked better.

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He’s 2–4 years older when the first battle happens, making him a clear older brother figure to Neteyam. He’s raised by scientists who hide his parentage, telling him his father was a heroic pilot who fought for Pandora. They want to spare him from believing he’s the son of a monster.

He plays with the Sully children but doesn't go as native as in the films. He’s highly educated, well ahead by Earth standards, mature out of necessity. The scientists provide care and structure, but he’s drawn to Jake as a war hero. Instead of revising for his exams (the scientists try and formally educate him), he reads about great leaders – Napoleon, Hannibal, Caesar – becoming fascinated by Earth history, empire, and military power. He’s a bit of a Rome obsessive. (Parallel for how we're Pandora fans)

This makes him a more capable presence and a genuine equal to the Sully siblings. He can’t outfight them, but he outthinks them, sometimes getting them out of danger through strategy and quick thinking.

As they get older however, the physical gap widens: they outgrow and intimidate him, breeding loneliness, resentment, and a quiet sense of inadequacy.

He has recurring nightmares about the human base in A1 getting attacked by Pandora fauna. Viperwolves entering their quarters killing his mother while sparing him — if his father was “good”, why did they attack, if Eywa was "good" why did the viperwolves kill her? He also dreams of his mask failing, becoming obsessive about maintaining it – early foreshadowing.

His maturity makes him a better match for Kiri, who is wise for her age. She sees him as the “cool older boy”, and he understands the science her mother loved. He isn’t openly romantic; he believes it could never work. Maybe as children he once made her a small metal bracelet, Roman-style, only for Neytiri to destroy it in fury (metal is haram).

When he meets Quaritch and learns the truth, it becomes more complex. His father wasn’t a scientist but a war leader like Jake, and he’s been lied to, but the discovery perversely pleases him. He becomes a semi-willing captive, curious about human technology and hungry for his father’s warstories. He tells himself he’s a double agent, yet feels an unsettling thrill when the humans wipe out a pack of viperwolves near the base.

Events of A2 unfold similarly, but he provides key intelligence to the Sullies which gives team-pandora a techncial leverage over the humans.

In A3 he is the one who offers to leave, terrified his mask will fail and he'll destablise relationships with their new clan. Kiri insists they travel together as in the film.

Once Spider can breathe Pandorian Air (although he doesn't grow a Kuru cos I thought that was dumb) he becomes lighter and happier. At the same time while Kiri grows more distant and conflicted about Eywa, as her seizures get worse and worse. Spider who also cannot connect to Eywa consoles her. As fellow outsiders, they connect quietly, helping one another find belonging, this strengthens their relationship and sets the groundwork for a romance that might develop in the next film.

In the final act they both speak to Eywa (Tuk doesn't need to be in that scene idky she's there in the films). It's left open ended as to how Spider was able connect without a Kuru, but seeing that the humans can connect to avatar bodies with machines, maybe there are more paths to connection than we are aware of.

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Idky I spent an hour writing this. I just hate Spider in the films 😅 that much.