The Resources Development Administration, also known as the RDA or the Corp,[3] is a corporation based on Earth responsible for the management of interstellar harvesting of resources. It is the primary administrative body of human operations on Pandora, and the main antagonist organization in the Avatar franchise.
The RDA is the single largest non-governmental organization in the history of humanity. Due to dwindling natural resources on Earth, which had led to multiple resource wars, the importance of extraterrestrial mining operations gives RDA so much power and authority that it outmatches most Earth governments in wealth, political influence and military capability. Due to its vast capabilities, the RDA is a leading figure in many aspects of human society (defense, energy, manufacturing, aeronautics, transportation, commerce, etc.), and has monopoly rights to all products shipped, processed or developed from Pandora and any other exoplanets. These rights were granted to the RDA in perpetuity by the Interplanetary Commerce Administration (ICA), with the stipulation that they abide by a treaty that prohibits weapons of mass destruction and limits military power in space. Due to its expansive organization, it is unknown whether the RDA has a true centralized leadership or if it is loosely led as a conglomerate.
Outside of its main mining operations, the RDA has many supporting branches such as Sec-Ops, a private military contractor department responsible for providing defense and security against hostile native species; Cet-Ops, a naval department tasked with maritime harvesting of resources such as amrita; and SciOps, an academic department devoted to studying native faunas, florae and culture, as well as research and development of new technologies such as the Avatar Program and Project Phoenix.
The RDA first arrived on Pandora for extraction of rare resources such as unobtanium, which can sell for 20 million dollars per kilogram back on Earth. The organization soon came into contact with the indigenous residents of Pandora, the Na'vi, and had numerous interactions with them. Unfortunately, the ever-encroaching operations of the RDA soon bring about violent confrontations with the Na'vi, which eventually escalated into an open war after numerous unsuccessful attempts by SciOps to find diplomatic solutions, mainly failing due to the recklessly militant attitude of Sec-Ops, who often resorted to violent strong-arm methods when dealing with the natives. The First Pandoran War ended with RDA's defeat at the Battle of Ayram Alusìng and surrender of the RDA stronghold Hell's Gate, which resulted in the expulsion of all human colonists (with the exception of a small number of friendly SciOps members) from Pandora back to Earth.
However, worsening economic conditions on Earth led the RDA to return to Pandora fourteen years later in 2168 to establish a new colony Bridgehead, trigging a second war with the Na'vi Resistance. The RDA, in addition to resuming mining operations, now seeks to permanently colonize Pandora as a new home for humanity.
A propaganda poster for the Resources Development Administration, the leader in pioneering outerspace development.
With 263 million shareholders, the RDA is the oldest and largest of the quasi-governmental administrative entities (QGAEs), but its origins are far more modest. The entity that would become the RDA was little more than a Silicon Valley garage startup in California in the early 21st century, when its two founders borrowed money from friends and family to begin the company.[4]
After only a few decades, with its enormous shareholder base and massive influence, the company vastly expanded its branches, giving it the capital and stature for numerous global technological and urban development projects. One of these iconic developments included the construction of a world-spanning rapid transit system that would allow entire population groups to conveniently commute hundreds or even thousands of miles to perform work where it was needed, without impinging on the cultural values of host populations. The success of the venture led to the current global network of maglev trains that require the superconductor material known as unobtanium for their continued operation.
Additionally, the RDA expanded to the skies, creating hundreds of orbiting factories on Earth's moon, Mars, and the solar system's asteroid belts. However, these factories somehow caused a pollution of toxins to frequently rain down on Earth.[5] The RDA's successful expeditions into space also eventually lead to terraforming and mass colonizing operations on Mars and possibly other celestial bodies in the Sol System.
As the RDA continued its rapid and vast technological developments throughout human civilization on Earth, the projects and programs significantly contributed to the ongoing Anthropocene Extinction. By this point, the mega corporation had accumulated much power and they were able to operate freely without the considerations of international laws regarding human rights, environmentally destructive practices, and other unethical actions as by this point, many nations and people had become overly dependent on their advancements. This overreliance gave the RDA unprecedented powers and influence over almost the entirety of the global human population. This allowed for direct involvement in international and national politics in their favor, making any legal action against the rapidly expanding QGAE unfeasible. Under the pressure, human rights, environmentalist, and other CSOs eventually were bought out or collapsed.
Now with little to no legal or public opposition, the powerful organization continued its unregulated, unethical, and rampant activities, which caused cultural values of many nation-states, indigenous populaces, etc. to degrade/collapse rapidly. In addition, their actions accelerated the Anthropocene Extinction at an unprecedented rate at levels not seen since the beginning of the 19th century Industrial Revolution.
Colonization and Mining of Pandora (2120s)[]
An RDA advertisement.
The company's early expeditions to Pandora were seen as a colossal risk; the construction of the ISV Venture Star in the late 21st century alone put enormous strain on capital resources. However, with exclusive monopoly rights to unobtanium (which is valued at 20 million dollars per kilogram raw and 40 million dollars processed), and other resource products extracted from Pandora, along with potential profits and revenue streams from exotic items such as countervirals, energy, cosmetics, furniture, textiles, and electronics, the enormous capital investment has paid off.[6] The RDA then began to suppress Terran alternatives for unobtanium and other Pandora-extracted substances, which created a black market which helped to fund terrorist groups.[7]
Despite this, with the investment paid off and newfound, unprecedented influence, the organization then began rapidly conducting mass resource extraction operations (mining, drilling, lumber, land-clearing, etc.) that resulted in those immense profit streams that allowed the RDA to further expand themselves.
Interactions and Conflict with the Na'vi (2130s-2153)[]
During the RDA's time on Pandora, they set up bases and started various operations on Pandora. They eventually came into contact with the dominant species native to Pandora known as the Na'vi, namely a clan known as the Omatikaya.
Events between the RDA and the Na'vi were generally peaceful at first, with negotiations and cultural exchanges having been established. The organization would introduce various human advancements and knowledge to the Na'vi, with Grace Augustine having founded a schoolhouse to help the two species learn more about each other and strengthen diplomatic ties. However, tensions formed due to the RDA's more harmful operations and practices to the environment, one of them being the mining of unobtanium which the organization had largely been in pursuit of. The Na'vi were against this goal, though they did not interfere and interactions went on.
The Avatar Program was developed by RDA scientist Dr. Cordell Lovecraft. Avatars, a hybrid species of the Na'vi mixed with human DNA, were created. Originally created for more efficient workers on Pandora, the Avatar Program was then repurposed to improve communication with the Na'vi, with xenolinguists bridging communication due to the Na'vi's unique language.
At one point, there was an incident involving the accidental contamination in the water which resulted in an ailment in the Na'vi and avatars later on. This threatened to damage relations between the Na'vi and the RDA but fortunately, this was resolved thanks to the efforts of Grace Augustine.
Sylwanin's death worsened relations between the RDA and Na'vi.
The murder of the Na'vi Sylwanin te Tskaha Mo'at'ite acted as the catalyst for the RDA's relationship with the Na'vi to worsen. Sylwanin was the tsahìk-in-training for the Omatikaya clan, the sister of Neytiri, and was betrothed to the apprentice clan leader, Tsu’tey te Rongloa Ateyitan. Sylwanin was one of Grace Augustine's best students at the schoolhouse. However, at some point, she would cease coming to school due to growing upset over the deforestation enacted by the RDA.
Tragedy occurred when Sylwanin along with several other students were killed by Sec-Ops soldiers at schoolhouse after they had attacked and destroyed a bulldozer in protest of the deforestation by the RDA. The soldiers had chased the students to the schoolhouse who believed Grace could defend them after their assault. The soldiers hastily gunned down Sylwanin, right in front her Neytiri, while Grace tried to protect the remaining students. As a result of this incident, the schoolhouse was closed down, and the Omatikaya severed its ties with the RDA, forbidding any further contact with the humans.
The RDA continued its operations even after this event, though conflicts continued to escalate until both sides were on the brink of war.
Throughout the 2140s, the RDA had a program known as The Ambassador Program (TAP) which was meant to create Na'vi diplomats and negotiators for the organization. This would help build peaceful relations and allow for easier access to Pandora's resources from the Na'vi without the financial expense of a prolonged conflict. TAP was created by John Mercer and Alma Cortez. Cortez believed the program could be used for good, while Mercer aimed to use it to win the admiration of the organization by any means necessary.
Alma resolves to protect the Sarentu children after the massacre.
Unbeknownst to the RDA and other Na'vi clans, however, children had been abducted and imprisoned for the program from the nomadic Sarentu clan. Mercer had executed the clan with the aid of Sec-Ops soldiers led by Angela Harding, and took the children by force. The truth of how the children were obtained was hidden from the RDA through fabricated reports[8] and a corrosive acid was used to destroy the corpses of the clan while also inadvertently creating a poisonous mist which prevented anyone from investigating.
The children taken from the clan were kept and raised at TAP's residential school. During their time there, they were pressured lose their Na'vi identities, customs, and belongings. They were further subjected to various forms of abuse at the hands of Mercer and Harding, while Cortez did what she could to protect them.
A Na'vi learning human weaponry as part of TAP.
As Na'vi and human relations on Pandora soured, the program started leaning towards military and covert skills to be used in a more confrontational landscape. The goal turned to having Na'vi children at the program be raised as humans and eventually turn them against their own kind.
In 2154, the RDA's mining operations on Pandora went on while met with resistance with the Na'vi, the organization no longer able to interact with the clan peacefully. The ancestral Hometree of the Omatikaya resided over one of the largest deposits of unobtanium and so, the RDA needed the clan to move to extract this resource from the area.
The RDA bulldozing the Tree of Voices.
Upon Jake Sully's arrival on Pandora, the RDA made one last attempt to find a diplomatic agreement with the Omatikaya and convince them to leave the Hometree, so the organization could mine the unobtanium without interference. This unfortunately failed, however, when Jake revealed that the clan would never be willing to move. Subsequently, the RDA resorted to more forceful means to achieve its goals.
RDA bulldozers arrived at the Tree of Voices but were halted by Jake Sully who was later reprimanded for his actions. Sometime later, a war party of Na'vi attacked the bulldozers and destroyed them, killing six RDA employees.
The RDA setting the Omatikayan Hometree on fire.
After this, the RDA came with aerial forces to remove the Omatikaya clan from the Hometree. In an initial attempt to do so non-lethally, teargas canisters were deployed first. This, however, led to retaliation from the clan who quickly started fighting back using arrows which were ineffective against the aircraft. The RDA responded with lethal force and fired incendiary missiles to topple the Hometree. Many Na'vi such as the clan leader lost their lives in this traumatic incident. The ones that survived were forced to take refuge at the Tree of Souls.
These events were the tipping point which resulted in a war between the RDA the native Na'vi. The Omatikaya clan refused to allow their land to be subjugated by the organization anymore and together with other clans and like-minded humans, they aimed to drive the RDA from Pandora. Jake Sully along with his allies prepared to attack Hell's Gate. Meanwhile, the RDA anticipated this and planned a preemptive strike. The organization aimed to destroy the Tree of Souls which would sever the Na'vi's main connection to Eywa and inflict long-lasting fear and inter-generational trauma, and would also silence the growing uprising.
The Na'vi fighting the RDA in the skies.
A massive battle was fought in the skies of the Hallelujah Mountains and on the ground beneath. Although quickly routed the Na'vi with superior firepower, a large amount of Pandoran animals started to attack, which was believed to be Eywa's retaliation. The organization ultimately lost the battle against the Na'vi and many RDA security personnel perished, including Quaritch.
After the conflict, Hell's Gate was stormed and the RDA was driven off Pandora with a majority of them being sent back to Earth. About 90% of the organization was forced off Pandora while a select group of defectors were allowed to remain.[9]
During the expulsion of the RDA, John Mercer and the others at TAP were ordered to evacuate. Considering the facility and project a loss, Mercer ordered the execution of the Na'vi students. By luck, however, they were rescued by Cortez who put them in cryosleep. Mercer then destroyed TAP in an explosion as a cover up attempt.
Project Phoenix had been accelerated as part of the RDA's inevitable return. Before the first war started, various Sec-Ops soldiers including Quaritch had their minds copied and backed up by the RDA in the event they were killed and organization lost the battle.
Following the RDA's absence from Pandora, the company stated that its employees were the victims who were mistreated by the Na'vi and great things were also said about Quaritch.[10][11]
Return to Pandora (2168)[]
Ardmore broadcasting her threat to the residents of Hell's Gate.
Fourteen years later, the RDA returned to Pandora for a full-blown recolonization. They aimed to claim Pandora and make it the new home for humanity since Earth was reaching inhospitable levels with numerous human lives trapped there.
The organization arrived in ten heavily armed spaceships. The new head administrator Charles Stringer along with general Frances Ardmore threatened the occupants of Hell's Gate to surrender and be given amnesty, or die. This worked for most of the humans on Pandora, as more than half of them complied. Instead of doing nothing, Jake along with the Na'vi and humans who were willing to fight attempted to once more drive the RDA away.
Jake and Neytiri confronting Ardmore.
The group piloted a spaceship directly to the RDA's fleet, and threatened to destroy the unobtanium and the various structures as leverage to get the organization to surrender peacefully. Negotiations were initially attempted, but once again ended in failure. Jake claimed the organization would simply never hold their end of a treaty and Ardmore made it clear the RDA no longer had interest in any sort of diplomatic solution. However, what Jake and his team did not expect was that a human in their group had been secretly working to sabotage the plan. The explosives were disarmed and the allies on the moon were neutralized.
The RDA setting Pandora's forests and animals on fire during its return.
After a violent conflict with the Na'vi on their spaceship, the RDA descended down to Pandora and reclaimed Hell's Gate. Jake and his remaining allies were forced to retreat.
The RDA soon began their recolonization of the moon and their ships landed in the forests of Pandora, setting it and the animals ablaze with their exhaust. The surrounding area was destroyed in a matter of moments as troops disembarked and allowed the RDA to set up there.
RDA™ beer, such as Viperwolf Ale, that is "freshly brewed on Pandora".
The RDA constructed a coastal city known as Bridgehead in under a year using advanced technology and tools. These consisted of advanced 3D printers, swarms of spider-like drones, and other massive construction machines. The organization established bases, factories, and other such facilities of varying sizes across Pandora,
The RDA are determined to extract resources and claim Pandora to make the moon the new home for those back on Earth. They combat any resistance who opposes them, regardless if they are Na'vi or human. No longer considering diplomacy or peaceful approaches as viable solutions, one of their goals in their colonization of Pandora is to "pacify the hostiles" through forceful and/or lethal means. The organization developed powerful weaponry and vehicles, and enlisted numerous soldiers to protect their assets and battle enemy groups.
Other products such as food and drinks were created, some of which use Pandora and its natives species as inspiration like Viperwolf Ale.
The Avatar Program had also been restarted with plenty of more avatars produced. Their use expanded from the Sci-Ops branch of the RDA to other branches including Sec-Ops with some joining their ranks as soldiers. A new variation known as Recombinants was created from Project Phoenix. These were the human soldiers who were killed during the first war but had their copied minds uploaded into clone Na'vi bodies.
At some point, the RDA discovered the tulkun, a highly intelligent whale-like species, as well as a yellow liquid called amrita contained within them that had the capability to halt aging. This made it the most wanted resource on the moon since unobtanium and the RDA began whaling operations in order to kill the tulkun and harvest their amrita.
An RDA soldier slaughtered by the Na'vi
Opposing the RDA are the Resistance which consists of Na'vi and like-minded humans. Their goal is to prevent the colonization of Pandora by the RDA, prevent the extensively damaging anthropogenic effects of their activities, and once more drive the organization away from the moon. They lead a series of guerilla operations against the RDA, attacking their bases, transports, and supply lines. The efforts of the Resistance have managed to deal at least some damage to the operations of the RDA and in response to this, the organization had labeled them as eco-terrorists and aims to neutralize them. The RDA also sought to kill Jake Sully due to his role as leader of the Resistance and influence with the Na'vi.
Led by Mercer, bases and factories pollute Pandora.
By 2169, the RDA had expanded its operations into the Western Frontier. Meanwhile, John Mercer also returned to seek revenge and spearheaded this branch with Angela Harding as second-in-command. Under his leadership, the RDA constructed numerous bases across this part of Pandora, many of which were shown to be polluting the environment with plant life around the region becoming shriveled and dying out.
At some point, the remains of TAP were targeted by Mercer but the Resistance managed to awaken several of the students from their cryosleep and rescue them. One of the students alongside the others would fight with a division of the Resistance and allied Na'vi clans in the Western Frontier. They would actively fight against John Mercer, eventually thwarting his machinations and ending his life. The operations of the RDA in the Western Frontier were soon shut down and the organization was repelled from the region.
The RDA would soon return to the Western Frontier, however, led by Angela Harding following the death of Mercer, although this second intervention was also thwarted when the Resistance and Na'vi forces killed Harding as well.
After a female tulkun and her calf were killed, a major conflict between the Na'vi and the RDA's Cetacean Operations broke out on the ocean at the Three Brothers in the Eastern Sea. The incident involved Jake Sully, Neytiri and the Metkayina clan versus Mick Scoresby, the Recom of Miles Quaritch and the fleet of the S-76 SeaDragon. Nearly all of the Recoms died, as well as much of the SeaDragon crew which sank. However, the Na'vi's victory came at the cost of Jake's and Neytiri's son Neteyam.
The RDA attempted to slaughter a large gathering of tulkun at their Calf Communion. However, Jake and the Na'vi clans intervened. The RDA's Factory Ship was pulled into a Flux Devil at the Cove of the Ancestors.
Near/Far Future[]
Generations later, the RDA's chokehold on Pandora was diminished. The Alpha Centauri Expeditions (ACE), Pandora Conservation Initiative (PCI), and other eco-friendly humans set out to restore human-Na'vi relations as well as conducting ecological restoration projects to restore Earth. The PCI begin eco-tourism operations for humans to Pandora, part of which to educate them about the RDA's environmentally destructive actions and operations against the Na'vi.
Operations[]
Science Operations[]
The Science Operations (SciOps) is comprised of current and former scientific, scholarly and other intellectual personnel from Earth, whether seasoned or newly trained, now serving as a research group on Pandora. They once handled the Avatar Program.
Aviation[]
Emblem for pilots
An unnamed branch of the RDA is dedicated for flight and transportation. Their duties involve transporting RDA members or cargo and equipment. Pilots are expected to be able to handle VTOL. Trudy Chacón, Wu Mingxia and Antonio Bruno were pilots for the RDA's aviation wing.
Mining Operations[]
The Mining Operations (abbreviation unknown) is comprised current and former mining and construction personnel from Earth, now serving as a labor force on Pandora. They handle extraction of resources on Pandora such as fuel, certain bio-materials, and unobtanium, although they have also been engaged in mining to create materials such as steel and concrete in order to continue their re-colonization. Their mining vehicles are the Bucket Wheel Excavator, the bulldozer, and many other vehicles.
Security Operations[]
Sec-Ops emblem
The Security Operations (Sec-Ops) serves as the company's private security company on Pandora. They are comprised of former military personnel from Earth and civilians with/out prior training or tactical/combat background recruited and trained by the company itself through Sec-Ops programs. The RDA's Sec-Ops strength and operational capabilities significantly surpass most other military forces on Earth, and includes large interstellar ships, walkers, and heavily armed infantry.
The Cetacean Operations (Cet-Ops) is the marine arm of the RDA's presence on Pandora. Its fleet consists of various vessels for marine and submarine operations and commercial whaling used to fund the RDA's colonization effort during its return to Pandora and extraction of amrita from tulkun.
Consolidated Development[]
Consolidated Development (CON-DEV) is an administrative entity of the RDA established after 2154, whose role is to strengthen cooperation between construction companies and other entities working on the construction of the city base in Bridgehead. CON-DEV is responsible for all construction work on the territory of Bridgehead City, in charge of hexbots, robotic cranes and construction airships.
Integrated Logistics Division[]
Integrated Logistics Division (ILD) is a subdivision of the RDA. Their logo could be found on the Mag-Lev Jungle Train. It is unclear what this division is responsible for, but they may be a subsidiary or a subcontractor. Due to their logo on the train, they may be a distribution facility for packages or equipment between RDA bases.
When the RDA first came to Pandora, weapons were brought to allow for self-defense against the native fauna and other such threats. However, events eventually caused the RDA to take a more offensive approach which ultimately led to the Pandoran War.
Upon the company's return to the moon and the second war, the RDA started to develop far more powerful armaments to use against the Na'vi.
Vehicles[]
The RDA designed and manufactured dozens of vehicles for traversing the environment on Pandora. All kinds of vehicles were created and adapted for the many different terrains of Pandora. Mag-Lev Jungle Trains are utilized for transporting directly to Bridgehead.
Interstellar Vehicles[]
The Interstellar Vehicle Venture Star.
The Interstellar Vehicles, or ISVs, are the only known way to travel between Earth and Pandora. There are at least twelve ships transporting cargo and crew between Pandora and Earth, seven at the same time.[12] However, the later task force of General Frances Ardmore used ten in its invasion to establish Bridgehead. By then, every vessel was armed to the teeth, making them de facto warships.[13]
Apart from treating the Na'vi and environment poorly, the RDA has been involved with ethically controversial practices regarding Pandora's animals which involve animal cruelty, abuse and neglect:
When the RDA first landed on Pandora during its return, its ships likely roasted thousands of animals to death in the forest fires they caused.
After its return to Pandora, the RDA legalized poaching across the Western Frontier.
The organization is known to abduct animals from their families and cage them for undisclosed lengths of time in claustrophobic cramped cages.
In an audio log by John Mercer, it is mentioned the RDA aims to make Pandora safe for new settler, and as such, intends to cull predators. However, it is also mentioned the RDA wants to make leisure hunting an activity.
The RDA is involved with animal testing and has cruelly experimented on animals; they had a project known as the Feral Project in an attempt to train animals to be vicious killers that could be controlled. For example, thanators and viperwolves had traumatic surgeries performed on them. Their kuru, their sensitive neural whips, were forcefully removed.[14] This has resulted in them exhibiting erratic behavior, not only severing their connection to Eywa but also with other animals. (See also: Controlled Animal)
In Non-Canon Media[]
An animal killed by Earth Syndrome.
Note: This section contains information from the non-canon 2009 video games.
When humans arrived on Pandora, animals began to mysteriously die of a virus dubbed Earth Syndrome, causing mass suspicion that the virus was spread by bacteria on humans themselves. Despite the potential danger that humans could pose to the wildlife, Parker Selfridge told Conrad Olson they would choose not to report on the virus until it was known for sure what the cause was, endangering the lives of many animals.
It is said that tapirus often ends up on the Hell's Gate cafeteria menu, suggesting the RDA may be breeding them in slaughterhouses.
Sec-Ops is shown to be blunt and lacking humane protocols; when Tan Jala asked a group of sturmbeest to be euthanized, Able Ryder, a new RDA member, "euthanized" them by firing dozens of bullets at them which goes against the point of euthanasia (seen here). Trinity Harper also brutally killed a Hammerhead Titanothere.
Some RDA members openly slaughter Pandora's animals. Angela Henrick, for example, killed a titanothere and posted a selfie of her with its corpse to her social media.
Throughout the franchise, there have been differing views about the RDA and their practices. Some support them, while others are against them.
Many members of the organization believe they are benefiting humanity and are fighting for Earth's future to save their kind.
However, the RDA still becomes involved with controversial matters such as genocide, theft, child abduction, environmental damage and animal cruelty in doing so.
It is unknown if the human population on Earth is aware of their more controversial and unethical operations.
In the first film, Parker states "There's one thing that shareholders hate more than a bad press..." which would indicate that if the RDA were exposed back on Earth, it would cause a certain degree of outcry.
According to Grace Augustine, the bulldozing of the Tree of Voices on August 19 was supposedly an act intended to provoke the Na'vi and make them the RDA's enemy which could be used to justify further force against them.[15] Whether this was actually true is unclear.
The RDA's animal experiments in the video games (attempting to control their minds and behavior using technology) foreshadowed, in reality, Elon Musk's Neuralink Corporation nearly a decade in advance, as sites have claimed the corporation caused over 1500 animals to suffer and die via surgeries and brain implants.[16]
The anime girl guns.
In Avatar: Reckoning, Sec-Ops have some anime girl skins for weapons. However, it is unclear if this is canon since the game was cancelled.
The RDA can be compared to the Shinra Electrical Power Company from Final Fantasy VII. Both are ethically dubious organizations with similar environmentally harmful practices. Spoilers for the entire Final Fantasy VII series follows:
Their harvesting of unobtanium and mako energy respectively is seen as controversial.
Both are corporations whose activities harm a world where the deceased return to after death (Eywa and the Lifestream).
Both the RDA and Shinra have their own city with a circular design: Bridgehead and Midgar.
The two groups possess as a bio-engineered army (SOLDIER and Recombinants).
An army member kills a main character by a fatal torso injury, who is then given a water burial.
Quaritch can be compared to Sephiroth. They burned villages (Ta'unui and Nibelheim) and were once thought to be killed by the main characters via torso injuries (Neytiri shoots Quaritch in the chest using arrows, and Cloud impales Sephiroth with a sword), but they are able to return from death by cloning their consciousness (Recoms use Soul Drives and Sephiroth has Jenova clones).
Both companies killed people by dropping their own home during a massive crush (Hometree, Sector 7).
Despite all the damage, Gaia is healed by its own Lifestream while Eywa sends the wildlife to keep its nature alive at the end of Avatar; this is suggested to be the result of two women who are within Eywa/the Lifestream (Grace and Aerith). Both Grace/Aerith were also shown to love plants/flowers, and were killed by Quaritch/Sephiroth via torso injuries.
Midgar is shown to be covered in moss and greenery in the ending, but voices of children can be heard. This is similar to Hell's Gate being portrayed similarly in the beginning of The Way of Water with child Spider.
The RDA can also be compared to the conglomerate Buy n Large from the film WALL-E, another Disney environmentalist film set in the future and involving a dying Earth.
References[]
↑Rainbowhawk1993 (2019-05-02). Deleted scene 19 "Drums of War" (early cut), minute mark 00:20 - 00:42. YouTube.com. Selfridge shuts down the AVTR Program effective immediately and all staff are to be sent back to Earth on the next shuttle tomorrow. Though the scene was cut short from the theatrical release, viewers still see the AVTR Program staff packing up their belongings when Trudy notifies Grace and Jake about Quaritch leaving to destroy Hometree.
