By the mid-22nd century, Earth was a dying world. Overpopulation, pollution, and the total depletion of natural resources turned the cradle of humanity into a grey, toxic wasteland. To survive, the RDA (Resources Development Administration) looked to the stars, specifically to the moon Pandora, orbiting the gas giant Polyphemus. Pandora held Unobtanium, a room-temperature superconductor capable of solving Earth's energy crisis.
The First War (The Jake Sully Era)
Decades ago, the RDA began the Avatar Program, using human/Na'vi hybrids to negotiate with the indigenous Omatikaya (Forest Clan). Jake Sully, a paralyzed Marine, was sent to infiltrate the clan. Instead, he fell in love with Neytiri, the daughter of the clan leaders, and realized the Sky People were destroyers.
Jake led a historic uprising, uniting the clans of Pandora as Toruk Makto (Rider of Last Shadow). The Na'vi won a temporary victory, kicking the RDA off the planet, and Jake chose to permanently transfer his consciousness into his Avatar, becoming a full Na'vi.
The Return: "The Sea of Dust"
Fifteen years of peace followed. Jake and Neytiri raised a family: Neteyam (the firstborn), Kiri (the mysterious adopted daughter of Grace Augustine's Avatar), Lo'ak (the second son), and Tuk (the youngest). They were joined by Spider, the human son of the late Colonel Miles Quaritch, who was left behind and raised as a "stray" among the Na'vi.
But the Sky People returned, not just to mine, but to colonize. They burned a massive landing zone into the forest, creating the city of Bridgehead. They brought with them Recombinants, Avatar soldiers imprinted with the memories of dead Marines, including Colonel Quaritch.
Flight to the Sea
To protect his people and his family from Quaritch's personal vendetta, Jake abdicated his position as Olo'eyktan of the Omatikaya. He took his family into hiding, seeking Uturu (sanctuary) with the Metkayina, the Sea People of the eastern islands.
There, the "Forest People" had to learn the Way of Water. While Neteyam and Kiri adapted quickly, Lo'ak struggled. He felt like an outsider, a "half-breed" with five fingers and demon blood. He found his only true connection with Tsireya, the daughter of the Metkayina leaders, and a rogue, outcast Tulkun named Payakan.
The Rescue of Spider
The RDA eventually tracked the Sullys to the islands. During a brutal skirmish on the whaling ship Sea Dragon, Spider was taken by his "father," Quaritch.
In the final, chaotic battle to reclaim the boy, Lo'ak refused to follow Jake's orders to retreat. He was determined to save Spider, his brother in soul. Neteyam, ever the protector, followed Lo'ak into the crossfire to ensure his younger brother's safety.
Neteyam was shot while covering their escape. He died on a rock in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by a family that would never be the same.
The Aftermath
Spider was saved, but the cost was the heart of the Sully family. The story now picks up in the shadow of that sacrifice, with a family broken by grief and a young man, Lo'ak, who believes the wrong brother survived.