Sully's Second Chance

I was not able to find a clip of this scene but it occurs towards the end of the movie.

The scene that I will be talking about is from 108:18-110:46.  This scene starts with Sully, Grace, and co-conspirators escaping deep into the woods of Pandora with a capsule containing pods to transform into Avatars.  When they fly over tree of souls, the colors say a lot about how this scene is portrayed.  The tree of souls is illuminated in a glowing white color with the foliage around a vibrant green.  The avatars bright blue bodies in a mass amount capture the essence of togetherness and strength in numbers.  As Sully narrates this part of the scene, he mentions “hope” as the camera is zoomed in on the white glowing tree.  White is a color of hope, pureness, honesty, freedom.  At this point, the avatars are striving for hope and safety and a place to turn.  At the tree of souls is where Awa is said to be.  This is their leader, their higher power/being, their comfort, and the answer to all of their prayers.  They believe that by banding together, they will gain the strength and courage to find a way to freedom. The music during this time is eerie and quiet.  It is sad and lingering as the plane lands placing the pod on the ground.  The music stops as Sully enters the pod.  It begins again as Sully wakes up and takes his first step into the grey dismal forest of Pandora.

Stepping out of the scene, James Cameron uses this technique of colors and music to help set the tone for the viewers.  The music grabs the attention of the viewer and due to its lingering sadness and quiet melody; it draws the viewer closer and closer.  Cameron wants the viewer to become nervous for what is about to come and wants to leave a sense of curiosity along with destruction and an unclear path for what is about to come next.  The glowing white of the tree provides the viewer with a sense of hope and a glimpse of light for the Avatar people.  The assumption of white meaning purity and hope secretly shows the reader that through the despair and destruction, there is a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel and as people band together to find peace and unity, “hope will prevail”.  This connotation gives the viewer a sense of intrigue as to what is about to become of the Avatar people.

The second part of the scene begins when Sully awakens as his Avatar figure.  As he opens his eyes, all the colors in the scene are gloomy and dismal.  The entire part of the scene contains different shades of black, grey, white, and a faint faint blue for his body color.  Tiny flakes of white dance across the screen symbolizing snow.  Sully animates this scene with the words of outcast, betrayer, and alien.  These are shown by Sully being alone with no one around him, no one by his side due to the Avatars thought of him betraying the avatars and taking the side of the sky people.  He has alienated himself from the tribe and has become alone, sad, and lost.  The colors symbolize death, destruction, despair, silent, and isolation.  The “snow” like flakes falling have a feeling of death and cold which are both being portrayed.  The music begins again as Sully takes his first steps as mentioned earlier.  The music becomes graver and more pronounced as Sully makes his way to the top of a clearing overlooking the mass destruction as smoke arises over the land.  Sully displays a face of strength and confidence, a face of power and prevail.  Moments later a screech is heard as Sully pauses and turns around.  The one friend he has left has come to help him get his message across to the Avatars and to help restore the order that has been lost.  As he jumps on the animal in sight of finding a way to make the avatars forgive him, the music picks up in an enlightening tone as though help is on the way.  This type of music is typically shown in movies when destruction is about to turn into strength and achievement.  As the animal emerges from the gloom and despair, the colors instantly turn bright and illuminating in preparation for a new beginning, a new strength, a new security.

The music at the end of this scene helps the viewer to become filled with reassurance and hope for a brighter outcome for the avatar people and for the future of Sully and Neytiri.  This puts a smile on the faces of the viewer and places them on the edge of their seats waiting for the battle that is going to fall upon the land. 

In my opinion, the message given though this scene is how no matter what life throws at you (complete destruction of Pandora, being isolated from the tribe, being harmed for doing the right thing and helping the Avatars, and your mentor Grace being shot), no matter what circumstances arise (being paralyzed from the waist down, being a fugitive, and being shunned from the one you love), strength with prevail and there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel (color change as Sully emerges from the forest, rise in music, strength in Sully’s facial expressions as he mounts the animal).  This message is what people strive for everyday of their lives but many think that it is just make believe, that this fantasy world of everything working out for the best is made up and will never occur.  These are the pessimists in life and people need to be more like Sully, an optimist.