Avatar

An **Avatar** (Na'vi name: ***uniltìrantokx*** meaning "dream walker") is a genetically engineered human/Na'vi-hybrid body, designed to serve as a remotely controlled vessel for a human mind.

Selected human candidates from the RDA-funded Avatar Program, known as **drivers**, can psionically connect with their avatars, which use their human DNA as part of the genetic templates and greatly resemble the drivers' own facial features. The avatars are used to explore Pandora without needing exopacks to breathe air that would be poisonous to humans, and to more easily interact with the Na'vi natives.

## Creation

The Avatar Program scientists take DNA from a Na'vi and from the selected human candidate. On Earth, in genetics labs, they create an in-vitro embryo, which is a genetic composite of the alien and human donors. The cost of each avatar was once roughly five billion dollars ($5,000,000,000). However, there is information suggesting the price of avatars has decreased over time.

The recombinant embryo is grown in-vitro during the flight to Pandora, which takes 3 years ship-time (5 years Earth time due to relativistic effects from the light-speed). In that time it reaches near-adult size, since avatars mature much more rapidly than humans. Avatars are normally grown 'en-route' to Pandora in an amnio tank, which serves as an artificial womb, while their operators sleep in cryo-hibernation for the journey. During the flight, the avatar progresses from coin-sized embryo to a near-adult size of nine to ten feet (2.75 to 3.0m).

A gentle blue light, provided in the tank and falling within the natural Pandoran daylight spectrum, aids the avatar's skin formation and guarantees amniotic fluid sterility. The fluid itself is of similar chemical composition to Pandora's oceans. A nutrient-rich broth is circulated through an artificial placenta, a purpose-designed matrix of spongiform blood vessels and monitoring electrodes. Engineered hormones are used to stimulate rapid growth and ensure correct organ development and muscle tone during the interstellar journey.

While the avatars in-vitro wince like dreaming babies, when "born" they are not believed to be sentient, having no personalities of their own. Their sensorimotor and higher brain functions operate only through a psionic link with a human driver. The avatar body is intended simply as an empty vessel for use as a surrogate body by the human operator.

Decantation usually takes place in the Ambient Room at the Hell's Gate BioLab complex. (The avatars grown for Jake Sully, Norm Spellman and Able Ryder were decanted from their tanks shortly after their arrival.) After decantation, the artificial placental matrix and umbilical cord are removed. The wound heals naturally over the course of a few days. Once all tests confirm that maturation is complete and all wounds are healing, the avatar is ready for initial motor cortex testwork and neural interface linkup.

An avatar was created and a cryo berth reserved for scientist Tom Sully aboard the ISV Venture Star, scheduled to arrive at Pandora in mid-2154. However, Tom met an untimely death at the hands of thieves a week before embarking for Pandora. His twin brother Jake was quickly recruited by RDA agents into the Avatar Program. Since Jake's genetic makeup was identical to his brother's, he was able to use the avatar created for Tom, albeit with no training prior to his arrival on Pandora.