Despite the stunning visual splendor of James Cameron’s Avatar, the number one gripe about the franchise is the childlike simplicity of its plot and characters. The basic good versus evil archetype presented through the epic clash between the benevolent Na’vi and the malevolent human corporatists could not be more straightforward or black and white. Fortunately, Cameron broke the mold with Varang (Oona Chaplin), the complex leader of the Mangkwan (the Ash People) in Avatar 3.
In ascending to the most well-rounded and three-dimensional character in the franchise thus far, Varang’s villainous traits are balanced by the dogged protection of her Na’vi race, the bold sacrifices she is willing to make, and the genuine sympathy garnered therein. All add up to Varang exacting a vicious revenge campaign in the next franchise installment.
Varang Finally Breaks the Oversimplified ‘Avatar’ Formula
Varang is the mighty matriarch and gallant leader of the Mangkwan (Ash People), the volcano-dwelling Na’vi race known for their aggressive nature. Varang and the Mangkwan are introduced in Avatar: Fire and Ash when Sully and Neytiri’s ship is ambushed, plundered, and set ablaze. When their families are separated following the attack, Sully and Quaritch set out to find Spider.
Extremely calloused by the traumatic hardship that her people have endured, Varang is easily the most formidable and vulnerable villain in Avatar lore thus far. Despite setting the ship on fire and capturing the Na’vi children, Varang’s complexity shines through when she forms a romantic alliance with Quaritch, learns how to use guns and flamethrowers, and agrees to launch an offensive against the Metkayina (Water Na’vi) to rescue Sully.
In the previous Avatar movies, the division between the Na’vi heroes and human villains is laughably elementary (no pun intended). Varang finally busts the benevolent Na’vi trope, finally painting the Na’vi as both benevolent and malevolent at once. As Cameron told Empire while promoting the film:
“Varang is the leader of a people who have gone through an incredible hardship. She’s hardened by that. She will do anything for them, even things that we would consider to be evil. One thing we wanted to do in this film is not be black-and-white simplistic. Or blue-and-pink simplistic…We’re trying to evolve beyond the ‘all humans are bad, all Na’vi are good’ paradigm.”
Varang’s Vengeance Adds Complexity to ‘Avatar’s Next Chapter
As both a lovable hero to her own people and a loathsome villain to her enemies, Varang is bound to complicate matters ahead in the best way possible. In representing the darker side of Pandora’s natives with her supernatural dark arts, Varang viciously attacks Neytiri at the end of Fire and Ash. Kiri fends off the fierce Mangkwan warrior and saves Neytiri in time. Although she is captured, Varang is set free as the others try to rescue Spider from falling off a floating rock.
Once Eywa revives Spider, Varang becomes enraged that her own kind would rescue an outsider rather than protect the Mangkwan. It’s an incredible character development that proves the Na’vi are not a monolithic race and have a different set of beliefs. Varang’s romantic feelings for Quaritch (Spider’s father) complicate matters, which makes her quest for revenge all the more intriguing moving forward.
As Avatar 3 ultimately resolves the Metkayina storyline with emotional heft, it also sets up Varang’s vengeance in the franchise’s fourth installment. Although it took 16 years for Cameron to introduce the most compelling and complex character within the world of Pandora, at least fans have plenty of drama to look forward to when Avatar 4 is released around Christmas 2029.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
