Silly

hiccup doesn't want to get married, has repeatedly said so infact. very publicly said so. but stoick is worried about his line of succession and insists upon it. hiccup is praying that his future wife will want to rule, because no way in hell is he doing that

they don't have any actual interactions until the night of their wedding where, before astrid can threaten hiccup even once, he's asking her if she has any leadership experience (obviously she does). he then offers the throne to her so that he can fly off the edge of the world or something (astrid didn't quite catch what he said, something about mapping the whole world and a trader?)

this arrangement goes great, but they don't really spend any time in the same house or doing any other husband and wife things, which leads people to thinking there is some kind of weakness/tension between the two.

so someone tries to assasinate astrid.

Ok so hear me out what if an avatar driver couldn't help but stare at So'lek. You try your best to stay out of his way out of respect but you can't help but look at his markings. Specifically the ones on his face, at first they just reminded you of a cat and you find it kind of funny because honestly it makes sense (he looks like a big'ole blue grumpy cat). Now whenever you see him you're Waaay less intimidated,you still give him his space out of respect but you find it easier to greet him and be in a general area with him. But now since you're comfortable being closer to him you notice the dots next to one stripe on his forehead and you can't help but think that they remind you of the moon back on earth, and each dot looks like a different phase. At first you would just glance and smile or laugh to yourself but now you zone out starting to stare a lot longer than you intend too (cuz you love the moon and kinda miss it). One day you try to work up the courage to ask him what his markings mean.

Honestly if anyone wants to write a short story based on this go for it I'm getting low on fan fic to read.👌🏻😁

She clearly has no hang ups on using human technology, but she also feels guilt and shame when Nor reacts poorly to it. It's clearly something she's had to reckon with.

From her introduction, Ri’nela is shown to deeply embody the diplomat trait of the Sarentu clan as she breaks up the fight between Nor and Teylan. She’s a mediator and a peacekeeper and I’d imagine that throughout their time at TAP she did her best to keep the rest of them out of trouble, which might be where you get the parentified vibe from. She was likely the one attempting to limit the amount of abuse they faced, and the TAP assessments of the children state that the others were very attached to her, and this was something they may have exploited.

She was also noted as being “articulate for a Na’vi” and was not perceived as rebellious like Aha’ri. Alma has also written that Ri’nela “asks all the right questions” at the Resistance.

A big part of her main storyline arc, for me, was her learning to use her own voice. When Nesim is introduced, Ri’nela begins to talk about their own experiences with the sky people before second-guessing herself and announcing instead that she will go and get Alma. It is So’lek who urges her to speak her own mind.

Later in the game though, when burying Alma’s avatar, Ri’nela speaks against her, reminding her that she is not a Na’vi and revealing that she’s deeply troubled by everything Alma has done, even though she remains civil most of the time. I think it’s likely that she has a certain dislike for humans, perhaps buried quite deep under all the conditioning, but she chooses to keep this to herself because the resistance is more important?

I think she feels a lot of responsibility when bad things happen to her fellow Sarentu, as she beats herself up over not being there for both Nor and Teylan despite knowing that they were finding it difficult to be out of TAP in their own ways. This likely stems from the peacekeeping role she may have taken on while in TAP, as well as from her now being the Tsahik.

One of the main reasons I asked is to explore what would motivate Ri'nela to choose to stay at the Resistance base rather than go with Tamtey to the Aranahe at the start of the game, why she doesn't join you on quests and the like. The obvious answer is "Ubisoft," but I'm writing a novelisation that seeks to write the story from a grounded point of view. Ri'nela needs a reason to stay.

For Teylan and Nor, it's easy. Teylan is currently afraid of Pandora and discomforted by the Na'vi, so of course he'd stay at the Resistance, surrounded by all the human stuff he's so at ease with. He won't be leaving the Resistance base if he can help it.

Nor is insecure and self-conscious. He fears being rejected by the Aranahe so he refuses the invitation. It's the same with Eywa. Can't be rejected if you don't engage with them. He also has a problem with the Resistance, especially when it reminds him of TAP, and is hesitant to outright hostile to the idea of working side by side with them. He'd be fine going on a hunt with Tamtey and the rest of the clan, especially if it involves learning how to hunt the Na'vi way.

It's Ri'nela that I struggle with. For all that Ri'nela can fight and will fight if push comes to shove, I don't necessarily see her as a fighter. So, I don't see her joining Tamtey in systematically demolishing the RDA facilities they come across. However, she is very much a diplomat, as you said. She's intelligent, a peacemaker, and would've done well had she chosen to come along with us to the Aranahe. Except... she doesn't go with us. Why?

Maybe it's mentioned in game, I'll probably find it during my next playthrough, but all I'm left with is my own thoughts. There's a few ways I could characterise it. The obvious way is the "parentification." Nor and Teylan won't go and, because they have Issues™, she is not comfortable leaving them alone (especially with humans she can't quite trust). Conversely, Tamtey is capable -- can handle herself. It's just a few days trip, and there's no reason to be concerned there. It's Nor and Teylan she's gotta be concerned about.

There's also, like... Ri'nela's own mental health that could be a factor. Perhaps she genuinely just needs some time to adjust, and going out to meet the Aranahe is not something she can bring herself to do. Maybe freedom is just overwhelming, and perhaps she's a bit afraid of what she'll find out there, like Nor. At least the Resistance feels familiar. And there's also the possibility that Tamtey and Ri'nela aren't as close.

Poor Lo'ak in Mo'at's high camp tent, so nervous yet also wanting to get rid of the painful devils in his jaw. Neytiri and Jake waiting by his side. (While Norm, paranoid it could go wrong, waits outside in case they need him)