Avatar: The Way of Water is an emotional journey through previously unseen depths of Pandora as Jake Sully and his family fight for their survival after more than a decade together. But Jake’s family is more than those simply born to him and Neytiri, as he has taken in orphans and misfits among his ranks too, chief among them being Spider and the mysterious Kiri. While we know Kiri’s mother, given the pretty big tip-off that her portraying actor is Sigourney Weaver, fans might be curious about who the father of Kiri is in Avatar: The Way of Water.
Who Are the Main Suspects to be the Father of Kiri in Avatar 2?
In Avatar: The Way of Water, Kiri’s family is quick to prod her with the question of her father’s identity, and while it’s a sore subject, it’s not given nearly as much of an overt answer as Spider’s father. Kiri’s father is a genuine mystery for the entire film, teased with some clear and rather obvious possibilities, but shrugged off by Kiri as disappointing answers.
Spider and Kiri’s parents are somewhat reminiscent of the mystery behind Rey’s family before The Rise of Skywalker ultimately underwhelmed us. Fans can draw a parallel with Kiri’s tightly-held secret, while Spider’s reveal of a certain villainous figure as his father is a spot-on parallel between Ben Solo and Darth Vader as his grandfather. But let’s go through the possibilities, and if you’ve not seen the film, spoilers are ahead.
Is Norm Spellman, or at Least His Avatar, Kiri’s Father in The Way of Water?
This one is the most obvious answer directly addressed by Kiri’s family with snickers and mockery. Norm worked in close quarters with Kiri’s mother, Grace, both in human and Na’vi form. There’s video footage of Norm flashing Grace ‘the look’ as teased by Kiri’s brothers. It makes sense that he would fall for her, and while they had a mutual respect for one another as intelligent researchers in the Avatar Program, there’s no indication that this went any further. Kiri also virulently dismisses this possibility, disgusted at the notion of Norm being the father.
Is Jake Sully the Father of Kiri in Avatar 2?
While it’s easy to brush off, especially since he has adopted her and taken her in on an emotional level, there’s no indication that this is a possibility either. Despite him also having worked in close quarters with Grace and her avatar, Grace was inherently distrusting of Jake at first, only warming up to him as a friend later on before her inevitable death. It’s certainly possible that Kiri could have been conceived as a temporary moment of passion between the two, but this is pure speculation and has no basis in evidence. But when considering that Kiri seems younger than her siblings, who were born well after Grace’s death, this seems impossible.
However, the only thing that possibly ties Jake to this at all is how Kiri has a similar bond with Eywa to what Jake achieved in the first Avatar. It’s uncertain whether this is genetic or a visionary trait that is randomly passed along, it’s a fascinating aspect of her character we’re sure to see in later films.
Who Isn’t Kiri’s Father in The Way of Water?
We can rule out supporting characters like Col. Miles Quaritch and Parker Selfridge as she never trusted either and would certainly never associate with them on any romantic level. It also helps that Quaritch has his relationship with other characters that warrant further exploration,
This is also important to remember: Kiri is a Na’vi born from Grace’s avatar, so if she was conceived sexually, it’s highly unlikely any of these human characters would have been the father. This also likely rules out Max Patel, a fellow Avatar Program researcher.
Does Kiri Have a Father at All?
There’s a distinct possibility that Kiri didn’t have a father in a traditional sense, but was born with Grace bearing her as a surrogate child, possibly in the chamber Grace’s avatar is now preserved in. Grace showed no signs of pregnancy in Avatar, and Kiri is 14, the same age as Neteyam, so she would have been carried to term in Grace’s avatar’s body after her death, but there are plenty of possibilities to consider for Avatar 3 and beyond. Kiri is an important character going forward, with her ties to the moon’s very essence prominently on display.
Avatar: The Way of Water released worldwide exclusively in theaters on December 16, 2022.
