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A scientist stays objective -- we can't be ruled by emotion. But I put ten years of my life into that school. They called me sa'nok. Mother. That kind of pain reaches back through the link.
Grace regarding the school shooting

Dr. Grace Augustine (Na'vi name: Kìreysì)[4] is a major supporting character in Avatar and the protagonist of the Avatar: Adapt or Die comic series. She was one of the original 20 avatar drivers.

Grace was an xenobotanist and xenoanthropologist in charge of the Avatar Program for two years after the death of René Harper (non-canon). She was fascinated by the Na'vi and empathized with their plight. She was a legend to the scientific personnel as the author of a comprehensive book on Pandora's plants. She was responsible for bridging a peace with the Omatikaya clan and established a school where the clan could interact with humans up until its closure in 2152.

In 2154, she helped Jake Sully on the Avatar Program. Having arrived on Pandora three decades before him, Grace was reluctant to accept him on her team due to his lack of training and qualifications for the program, but had no choice. When Jake was lost in the forest, she presumed his avatar dead but later found out that his avatar had been taken in by the Omatikaya. Due to Jake's presence, in successive months relations with the clan improved and Grace was allowed back into the village, until the Hometree was destroyed.

Grace, Jake, and Norm Spellman escaped Hell's Gate in an effort to help the Omatikaya, but not before Colonel Quaritch fatally wounded Grace while firing at the Samson that they were escaping in. Jake brought her human form to Neytiri and Mo'at at the Tree of Souls, in the hope that they could transfer her consciousness into her avatar form, but she was rendered too weak by her wounds and the transfer failed. Before she died at the foot of the Tree of Souls, she told Jake that she was with Eywa.

Despite her death, her avatar gave birth to a daughter named Kiri, who was later adopted by Jake and Neytiri.

Biography[]

Arrival on Pandora[]

Grace was born in the year 2103 or 2104 and she was a teenager during Pandora's early colonization.

She arrived on Pandora as a young woman in 2124, 30 years before Jake and Norm. Despite only being around 20 years old at the time, Grace was considered to be a prodigy and a wunderkind, as she already was an experienced and respected botanist. She was eager to explore the plants of Pandora, eventually writing the book on the unique botany that she discovered. She was considered a living legend in the Terran scientific community, and her work developed Pandoran cures for Earth diseases. She also began to become intrigued by the wonder and wisdom of the Na'vi.[5]

Around the year 2136,[6] Grace was given her own avatar.

Initial Relations with the Na'vi (Avatar: Adapt or Die)[]

Grace seemed to always have sympathy toward the Na'vi and was at the forefront of establishing a peaceful relationship between the RDA and the local Omatikaya clan, eager to learn about the Na'vi and in turn, allow them to learn about humans so that the two races could coexist safely. Grace formed a friendship with Mo'at, the Tsahìk (spiritual leader) of the clan. Several years after her arrival on Pandora, Grace proposed the idea of a schoolhouse to Mo'at, where humans and Na'vi could interact and learn from each other. Mo'at was initially skeptical and discussed the idea with the Olo'eyktan of the clan, Eytukan, who was equally apprehensive of the idea.

Grace teaching basketball

Grace playing basketball with the children

The two leaders decided to let the children of the clan, including their daughters, Neytiri and Sylwanin decide if they wanted the schoolhouse. The children requested to visit Hell's Gate, to which Grace obliged. She toured with the children around the base, teaching them how to play basketball and letting them observe the humans' mining operations. Grace was optimistic about their future together, and after returning to Hometree, the Omatikaya children agreed to the idea of a schoolhouse.

The following day, optimistic about their future together, Grace attempted to return to the Omatikaya's Hometree but was turned away by Mo'at. She learned that the children had fallen ill with a mysterious sickness since departing from their Samson escort and set out to do her own investigation. Parker Selfridge, however, offered that the sickness may solve the issue of the Na'vi's interference with the RDA's operations, which appalled Grace.

Grace disgust

Grace disgusted by Selfridge's nonchalant attitude about the Na'vi suffering and dying

Despite Parker's protests, Grace set out to deliver some samples and medicine to the Omatikaya, but her avatar began to fall ill as well. Grace found her, delirious and unconscious, and announced that they needed to seek out the help of Pandora's skilled botanists, the Tawkami clan, for help with the illness. Grace collapsed and was unlinked from her avatar shortly after arriving at the Tawkami clan, and one of the clan's botanists, Mireya, agreed to help Mo'at investigate a treatment for the illness. As Grace emerged from her link unit back at Hell's Gate, a scientist informed her that something had gone terribly wrong with the other avatars; they had light blotches on their backside, prompting Grace to call for a quarantine of the avatars. Grace theorized that the sickness could be the result of the avatars being deprived of something, rather than an overexposure.

Grace and the other scientists decided to search Hell's Gate for a possible cause for the illness. Although they were intercepted by Parker who was not pleased with them leaving the base, they left anyway. During a patrol, they found a concerning stream of black oily liquid, but Grace was not entirely convinced it caused the sickness. She and her pilot scanned the area from above in a Samson, revealing that the stream of black liquid had spread far into the jungle. Grace deduced what has caused the sickness: the toxic black liquid seeped into the water and was absorbed by plants and animals, infecting any Na'vi who consumed them.

Grace cure

Grace and Mo'at developing a cure

Grace's team collected a sample of the black sludge and ran an experiment on it. Grace deduced that the goo was not just a toxin, rather it used up essential nutrients which the body cannot replace quickly enough. Now with the cause of the illness identified, Grace needed to find Mo'at and her unconscious avatar in the forest. She arrived at Hometree and was found by a furious Na'vi, who blamed Grace for the sickness, but he was dissuaded by Mo'at when she returned with Grace's avatar in tow. Mo'at trusted Grace to make a widespread cure and came with her to the lab of the humans. After helping to create a cure with Mo'at, the cure was delivered to the Na'vi, greatly improving relations between and humans and Na'vi, as well as Moat's faith in Grace.

The Schoolhouse Closure and Grace's Exile[]

Fridge shot 2

Grace showing Na'vi children an old book from her home planet, The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

The Na'vi agreed to the building of the schoolhouse where Grace taught English and human customs to the children. She taught both Neytiri and her older sister Sylwanin. Grace was viewed in a maternal manner to the children, who called her "sa'nok", meaning "mother" in the Na'vi language.

Unfortunately, 10 years after its opening, in 2152, the schoolhouse was closed and humans were exiled from the Omatikaya clan's territory after SecOps mercenaries shot and killed several of the students, including the then Tsahìk-in-training of the Omatikaya clan, Sylwanin. Grace herself was shot by stray bullets. The event caused Grace great guilt and she was exiled from the Omatikaya clan, who decided that interaction with the humans was too dangerous.

Arrival of the New Avatar Drivers[]

In 2154, the ISV Venture Star deployed shuttles to Pandora, carrying soldiers, technicians and new additions to the avatar team. Among these were Norm Spellman, an anthropologist, and Jake Sully, who was a stand-in for his twin brother, Tom Sully, who was killed by a mugger on Earth.

Grace was sharp with the newcomers, particularly so with Jake, whom she saw as incompetent and an attempt by the military to hijack her program. She made it clear that she was displeased and that she considered Jake's brother, Tom Sully, to have had skills far more valuable than those Jake had. Bringing Jake up-to-speed required a tremendous amount of effort on her part and that of Dr. Max Patel, the technical support officer.

Graces avatar

3D Version: red/cyancross-eyedGrace in her avatar form

Grace also made her feelings about RDA administrator, Parker Selfridge, abundantly clear for the benefit of her team. She not only disagreed with Selfridge's principles and agenda, but also his impatience and methods regarding negotiation or pacification of the native Na'vi.

Grace and Jake's first avatar encounter took place in the outdoor recreation area, shortly after Jake took control of his avatar for the first time. She tossed him some spartan fruit which he enjoyed.

First Expedition with the Avatar Team[]

Norm and Grace as Avatars

3D Version: red/cyancross-eyedGrace and Norm taking research samples

Grace took Norm and Jake out on a routine expedition to gather samples of Pandoran plant life. She expressed anxieties about Jake's twitchy and overzealous soldier mentality. The team explored the abandoned school house where Grace taught young Na'vi English. Grace reminisced over how intelligent the children were and felt sad upon seeing the unused books scattered on the floor such as The Lorax. Norm asked Grace why the Na'vi don't return and she replied that they learned as much about humanity as they needed to. Jake noticed bullet holes and asked Grace what happened at the school, but she dodged the question.

It was while testing Norm's research and sampling abilities that Jake slipped away to examine the area further, which led to a freak encounter with a group of hammerhead titanothere followed by a prowling thanator. In the ensuing chaos, the thanator pursued Jake's avatar while Grace and Norm managed to escape back to their Samson. Jake was separated from the team when he jumped off a waterfall to escape the thanator.

IMG 0947

Grace, Trudy, Norm and Wainfleet searching for Jake

By Grace's insistence, the team remained for as long as possible attempting a search and rescue. Although bitterly determined, Grace and the others had to call off the search and leave him behind due to Quaritch's order that there would be no night-time flights, which forced them to abandon their search until morning. Grace was convinced that Jake's avatar wouldn't survive the night.

The Three Months (Avatar and Avatar: Tsu'tey's Path)[]

When Jake woke up, much to the relief of the avatar team, Grace was astonished when Jake told her that he managed to infiltrate the Omatikaya clan and that Neytiri would be personally mentoring him. Grace, although apprehensive of Jake being chosen by the Omatikaya clan, assisted him with his training. After she learned from Max that Jake was giving information about the Na'vi to Miles Quaritch, she relocated the team to Site 26 in the Hallelujah Mountains, but continued to be friendly toward Jake.

Grace shows photo

Grace shows Jake photos of the children as she opens up about the school shooting

Although Jake remarked that this was only because Grace needed a way back into the Omatikaya clan, she demonstrated genuine care for him, worrying over his eating habits and even carrying him to his bunk after he fell asleep in front of his video log camera. One night, Grace finally told Jake about the massacre at her school where many young Na'vi were killed by RDA soldiers, including Neytiri's sister Sylwanin and the pain it caused her. She warned Jake to try not to get too emotionally attached to his life as a Na'vi.

Grace Comic

Tsu'tey reunites with Grace

Due to Jake becoming a member of the clan, Grace was allowed to re-enter Hometree, much to the delight of some of her former Na'vi students, including Tsu'tey. Tsu'tey initially hid from her out of nervousness, but was eventually swayed into speaking to her by Atan. Grace was glad to see him, and asked if he remembered his English lessons, which he did, and demonstrated his English to Grace. He also called her sa'nok, meaning "mother", the term of affection that he and the other school students had used for Grace. He expresses his concern over Jake to Grace, and though she empathizes with him, she tells him that Jake may yet surprise them all.

She witnessed Jake becoming a full member of the clan in her avatar form and was clearly proud of him. However, the three months that Quaritch had allocated to Jake went by quickly and she, along with Jake, tried to convince the Na'vi to flee Hometree, but without success.

Destruction of the Hometree[]

Jake Grace binded

Grace begs Mo'at not to harm Jake

When the RDA gave them one last chance to convince the Omatikaya to relocate, they were bound by the clan after Jake revealed his true mission. Witnessing the carnage the RDA wrought on Hometree, Mo'at desperately pleaded with the two to save her people while setting them free. After the Hometree's destruction, Jake and Grace's link units were deactivated and their avatar forms tumbled lifelessly. Jake's avatar collapsed at the ashes of Hometree, but Grace's was brought to the Tree of Souls by the Omatikaya.

Escape from Hell's Gate and Death[]

After being incarcerated by the RDA, Trudy Chacón and Max Patel freed the avatar team and they headed to Trudy's Samson to escape. However, Quaritch was alerted of the break-out, and without grabbing an exopack he raced out to the hangar and fired an Assault Rifle at them before resorting to his Wasp sidearm. Although the team managed to escape the compound, Grace suffered a bullet wound to the torso.

Grace dying

The Na'vi try to transfer Grace's consciousness into her avatar

Jake attempted to help her live long enough to reach the Omatikaya clan at the Tree of Souls to seek Mo'at's help. After Jake entered his avatar form and managed to bond with and ride a toruk to the Tree of Souls to the amazement of the Na'vi, he sought their help to save Grace from dying. Grace was bewildered by the Tree of Souls, wishing she was in a better condition to still collect samples. In a trance-like state, the Na'vi and Mo'at prayed in the hope that Eywa would permanently transfer Grace's consciousness to her avatar body. Unfortunately, she died from her fatal wounds.

Grace(g).TreeOfSouls

Grace tells Jake she has seen Eywa before dying

Moments before she passed away, Grace told Jake that she was with Eywa. While Grace's consciousness did not successfully transfer to her avatar, the neural link created when the tendrils of the Tree of Souls interfaced with her human body allowed her full memories to be "downloaded" into the "organic computer" of Pandora's ecosystem: the Pandoran Neural Network.

Post-death (Avatar & Avatar: The Way of Water)[]

Later, Jake begged Eywa for help in the struggle against the RDA by asking Eywa to access Grace's memories, which would reveal how Earth's ecosystem had been destroyed by humans, a danger that Pandora now faced. Apparently, this was successful, as Eywa heard Jake's plea and sent Pandora's wildlife to help the Na'vi in the final battle against the RDA.

Kiri with Grace

Kiri visiting Grace's avatar.

One year after the battle, Grace's avatar, which was rendered brain-dead, gave birth to a girl named Kiri. However, the father, if any, remains unknown. Grace's avatar has since been incubated at the laboratory for over a decade. When Kiri is a teenager, she visits Grace's avatar in the biolab at High Camp and watches old video logs of Grace from her time at Site 26. Miles Socorro and Lo'ak speculate who Kiri's father is and joke that it could be Norm due to him and Grace having a lot of eye contact in the footage.

GraceHugsKiri

Kiri embracing Grace in her vision.

Later, when Kiri and her family flee to the Metkayina clan and connects to the Spirit Tree in the Cove of the Ancestors, Kiri sees a vision of her embracing Grace's spirit. Kiri attempts to ask Grace about why she is different from the other children and about her father's identity. Grace tries to answer but the vision is cut short, however, when the connection inexplicably causes Kiri to suffer from a seizure.

Personality and traits[]

Grace being naive

Grace not seeing the bigger picture; she is a smoker damaging her own body and she is wrong about the RDA's involvement in the poisoning incident

When first introduced, Grace can be interpreted as having blunt, rude and standoffish behavior. She had a noticeable negative bias towards military members due to the RDA's actions. While Grace has a backbone, she also made condescending remarks to Jake about his intelligence, belittling the paraplegic young man. Although he traveled across the galaxy to assist her team, she refused to reciprocate his handshake at first meeting. Although she lacked the information Tom had died, when Jake told her, she immediately changed the topic to Jake's work experiences, instead of expressing her condolences. When Jake awakes in his human body after a potentially traumatic night surviving in the forest, Grace callously only lets around 20 seconds pass before asking Jake "Is the avatar safe?" when he is still disoriented and groaning.

Grace can be interpreted as a bit naive and illusioned about corporations such as the RDA, not being able to see the bigger picture sometimes. When Mo'at pointed out humanity could have poisoned the Na'vi, Grace was immediately dismissive to the idea despite that this was later discovered to be the truth. She can also be viewed as being a "glass half empty" type of woman; Selfridge even commented on her cynical and ungrateful outlook on life, saying she should consider herself lucky that Jake wasn't "some oral hygienist or something." However, when in her avatar form, Grace seemed more enthusiastic about her work and more cheerful and kind instead of being irritable.

Grace Lilypad Tree

Grace studying a Lilypad Tree

Despite her flaws, Grace was still quite intelligent, and was able to correctly deduce the truth about the Pandoran neural network using her own science, though she seemed to keep her theories to herself, concerned the RDA would metaphorically "crucify" her and think she's crazy. As a scientist, Grace had a skeptical nature, claiming she was not one to believe in fairy tales. Her primary concern was with her work. She demonstrated her dedication to the study of Pandora and the Na'vi early and often; this dedication often manifested itself as hostility towards Colonel Quaritch and Parker Selfridge, who did not share her enthusiasm. As a result of this hostility, it was considered by many outside the Avatar Program that Grace was little more than an introverted and lonely scientist who loved plants more than people.

Grace and Children

Grace happy to be reunited with the Na'vi children

Despite her somewhat aloof nature, Grace had a compassionate side and she appeared to be very fond of and close to her Na'vi students, who seemed to show the same feelings toward her; this was demonstrated when they dragged her unconscious avatar body to the Tree of Souls with them after the destruction of Hometree. Grace harbored great guilt for the school shooting deaths, commenting, "That kind of pain reaches back through the link." Ever since then, she became more emotionally distanced during her work on Pandora.

YOU MURDERER

Grace shouts "YOU MURDERER!" at Quaritch while she is arrested by the RDA

Grace's character's growth and arc revolves her around being able to tap into her seemingly repressed compassionate side that has been hardened due to the RDA's actions, and realize that she can not judge the hearts of all military men; a major theme of the Avatar series is that generalizing entire groups of people can be wrong.

She had two major conflicts. One of them is her not being hypocritical and admitting she can be wrong, and living in accordance and harmony with the values of her ideals. Grace wants other people to understand and empathize with the Na'vi, an example of her hypocrisy when it comes to her treatment of Jake and SecOps, and she learns how to meet people where they are better. Jake also points out her hypocritical ways; Grace was a smoker and a moderate drinker and she told Jake he needed to look after himself, causing him to take a cigarette from her mouth and say she can lecture him when she looks after her own body first.

Jake and Grace

Grace beginning to treat Jake with respect

The other conflict is her inability to heal from her traumatic experiences and guilt as to what happened with Sylwanin, still feeling the pain of the incident a decade later after being being ostracized from the clan. She views Jake as a second chance at redemption, and while Jake suspects she is only being nicer to him in order to try to find a way back into the clan, it becomes evident that Grace begins to view Jake less like a tool and more of a human being who deserves respect. Grace is able to grow a fondness for Jake and looked after his welfare, ensuring that his human body kept eating. Jake's accomplishments are able to give Grace a more optimistic view of human nature before her death.

Relationships[]

Family[]

Kiri[]

Avatar The Way of Water Press Kit Stills 13

Kiri watching Grace's videos

Although Grace has never met Kiri while alive, her daughter regularly visits her avatar in the lab and looks at her video logs. They first meet during Kiri's connection with Eywa in the Tree of Spirits. Seeing her daughter, Grace hugs her and addresses her as "daughter"; both are very excited about the meeting. Grace is deeply affected by Kiri's problems which she asks about, but their meeting is cut short unexpectedly.

Allies[]

Jake Sully[]

Grace and Jake

Jake trying to save a dying Grace

When Jake Sully first arrived on Pandora, Grace was rather hostile and rude towards him as she needed Jake's twin brother Tom who was killed by a mugger and therefore replaced by Jake. She also made a few condescending remarks about his intelligence, such as saying clearing his mind shouldn't be too hard for him, and calling him a jarhead dropout and numbnuts. She was also harsh and perhaps insensitive on him at times, despite that he was paraplegic and had lost a brother.

When Jake was adopted by the Omatikaya clan, her attitude soon changed towards him as Jake learned the ways of the Na'vi from Neytiri. Through Jake, Grace was allowed back into Hometree by Mo'at. As time went on, Grace and Jake formed a close friendship, and Grace opened up to him and began to respect him, viewing him like an equal ally. When Grace died during the consciousness transfer, Jake was distraught by her death.

Max Patel[]

Max Patel was one of Grace's original scientists of the Avatar Program and one of her few friends and allies on Pandora. When Grace, Jake and Norm were imprisoned by the RDA, Max, along with Trudy, helped them to escape with Max staying behind (by Jake's will) to be a spy inside Hell's Gate.

Norm Spellman[]

Norm Spellman viewed Grace as a legend and impressed her with his knowledge of the Na'vi language. Grace and Norm got along well during their expeditions. When Grace was fatally wounded by gunfire from Quaritch during the avatar team's escape from Hell's Gate, Norm brought Grace's avatar to the Tree of Souls for the Omatikaya to transfer her consciousness permanently into the avatar. Norm was saddened when the consciousness transfer failed to save Grace due to her wound being too great.

Mo'at[]

AAoD-i6-cover-art

Mo'at assisting Grace with her avatar.

Mo'at is an ally of Grace and they have known each other for at least a decade before Jake's arrival, and the two worked together to help save the Na'vi when they became ill. Mo'at has never harbored any ill will for Grace, as Grace only sought to learn about the Na'vi and their world for the sake of knowledge. Due to Jake's progress as a warrior-in-training of the Omatikaya clan, Mo'at rewarded him by allowing Grace back into the village, where she was able to reconnect with several of her former students. When Grace died, Mo'at displayed a quiet sorrow and sadness at the loss of the doctor, and appeared genuine in her empathy for Jake, as he grieved for his friend.

Neytiri[]

Neytiri was one of Grace's many Na'vi students and Grace said that she was, along with her sister Sylwanin, the best student she had taught. Grace also referred to her as an amazing girl. After Sylwanin's death, Grace lost contact with Neytiri but after Jake persuaded Mo'at to allow her into Hometree, she and Neytiri bonded once more. Neytiri was concerned for Grace when she learned that she was dying and was saddened when the consciousness transfer to save Grace failed.

Sylwanin[]

Sylwanin was another of Grace's best students and Grace claimed that she and her younger sister, Neytiri, were both amazing girls. Sylwanin trusted Grace very much and treated her almost like a mother. She and several Na'vi hunters went to Grace's school hoping that she could protect them from RDA soldiers. Grace could not protect them. Sylwanin and the others were killed and none of Grace's students returned to the school. Grace was deeply affected by the death of Sylwanin and the other young Na'vi, and felt a great sense of sadness when none of her pupils returned to the school.

Rivals[]

Parker Selfridge[]

Selfridge

Grace arguing with Parker Selfridge

Parker Selfridge is the head of the RDA. His views are the complete opposite of Grace's, which causes many clashes between the two. When Jake first comes to Pandora, she takes it as an insult from him. She is upset when Parker uses Jake as a resource for getting Na'vi information as well as when he refers to the Omatikaya clan as "fly-bitten savages that live in a tree."

Miles Quaritch[]

Grace has similar feelings towards Colonel Quaritch as she does towards Parker. Unlike most people, she isn't afraid to stand up to the Colonel as proven when she talks back to him. Quaritch eventually shoots Grace during the avatar team's escape from Hell's Gate, which eventually leads to her death.

In the Games[]

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora[]

Grace is sometimes mentioned by characters, and is also mentioned in a note in the game.

Avatar: The Game - PC, Xbox 360 & PS3 (non-canon)[]

Grace4

Grace as she appears in The Game

Grace makes appearances in Avatar: The Game for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 and is voiced by Sigourney Weaver. Her avatar model can also be found through datamining, despite it not appearing in this version, possibly hinting she would have appeared alongside René Harper, Jerome Epstein and Anson Langley.

She is shown at the very beginning greeting protagonist Able Ryder as they arrive in a Valkyrie shuttle en route to Hell's Gate, warning them about Pandora's many hazards.

If the player allies with the RDA, she is shown at the very end, congratulating Ryder's victory against the Na'vi through the RDA's seizure of the Tree of Souls.

Grace video

Grace warning Ryder that people may not be who they seem in a missable scene

There is a hidden scene where Grace will talk to Ryder one more time. In the Command Tower where Dr. Monroe and Commander Falco are located, there is a large screen showing Earth. The OPS Halo Stations in front of the screen has the option to inspect, and Grace will appear on the screen. This begins a dialogue between Grace and Ryder. She will criticize Ryder for their fight with Harper and say things may look black and white, but that once Ryder starts to get used to it and focus, they will see things for what they really are. This can hint towards the option for Ryder to side with Na'vi for a last chance towards the end of the game. This will only work if Ryder sides with RDA, because joining the Na'vi will forever stop Ryder from entering Hell's Gate.

Another audio log on the screen from Grace can be heard after Grave's Bog: "Today Dr. Harper brought me to meet the leaders of the Tipani clan. This was my second visit. On my first visit, they'd refused to see me. Of all the clans we've contacted on Pandora, the Tipani are by far the most resistant to human interaction. Even avatars have been rejected. So around 10 years ago, we came up with a plan. We'd create avatars that combine human DNA with Tipani DNA. That's how Dr. Harper arrived on the program. He was our first guinea pig I guess you'd call him. To be honest, I was never 100% that this plan would work. It was too simple. But it did work. Harper's avatar was welcomed into the clan. So today, Harper brought me to meet the clan's Tsahik, a Na'vi called Sänume. She remembered my first visit, but it was clear that she had little interest in me. Harper, on the other hand, was treated as a near-equal. It amazes me that they're able to pick up on the subtle differences in our avatars. They must be deciphering patterns in the body pigmentation that we haven't even decoded yet."

Avatar: The Game - Wii & PSP (non-canon)[]

Rai'uk, Grace And Sylwanin

Grace telling Rai'uk not all humans are evil.

In the Wii/PSP edition of Avatar: The Game, Grace appears and is also voiced by Sigourney Weaver. In the time before Jake arrived on Pandora, Rai'uk of the Anurai clan was a Na'vi warrior who sought revenge on humans for destroying his village. In level 8, Rai'uk meets a young girl named Sylwanin (Neytiri's sister) from the Omatikaya clan who seeks his help because a "Metal Village" (RDA) is destroying her village. She tells him about the humans in Na'vi bodies called avatars who teach the Na'vi their ways, and Rai'uk agrees to meet her at one of the schools. At the school, Sylwanin introduces him to Grace Augustine in avatar form. Rai'uk criticizes Grace, calling her a 'false demon' who is trying to make his world into hers, but she calmly tells him that not all humans are the same and that she feels his pain. Rai'uk leaves, still vengeful, but pondering what Grace said and wondering if she is right. Rai'uk respects her after his visit.

Avatar: The Game - iOS & Android (non-canon)[]

Sylwanin Meeting Grace

Grace meeting with Ryan and Sylwanin.

Grace made an appearance in the iOS/Android game near the end. After Ryan Lorenz had saved Sylwanin, Grace and Moran arrived in a Samson. They told him that he was in trouble and that they needed to go to the Tree of Souls. This was also the moment where Grace and Sylwanin met, or at least in this game, since this contradicts Grace knowing Sylwanin since she was a child in Adapt or Die. Sylwanin was impressed by Grace's knowledge of their customs.

Avatar: The Mobile Game (non-canon)[]

Grace Augustine Mobile Game

In the mobile game, Grace is in radio contact with Jake as he goes in his first mission. She also encouraged him to make contact with the natives, especially with Neytiri. Grace informed Jake of the explosives in Na'vi villages near the mining complex. Later when Jake searched for the captured Ni'awve clan leader, Tse'huk, he asked Grace to search for where the Na'vi prisoners were held. Grace found out that Neytiri also was captured and was held along with Tse'huk in an unobtanium mine. After Jake had reached the Sacred Soul of Pandora, Grace moved Jake's body to safe location, because Quaritch wanted to shoot Jake. Jake told Grace to keep his body safe and broke contact.

Avatar: Pandora Rising (non-canon)[]

Grace Augustine

Commander Info[]

Grace was one of the controllable Commanders in Avatar: Pandora Rising before its cancellation. She was available to RDA players as a Scientist.

Biography[]

"Dr. Grace Augustine is not only the leading Xenobotanist and Xenoanthropologist on Pandora but also the head of the RDA Avatar Program. Of all the humans stationed on Pandora, she has the deepest connection with the Na'vi and does everything in her power to respect their ways and culture. Simultaneously, she must also balance the needs and desires of the RDA, who underwrite all of her scientific endeavors."

Trivia[]

Grace's Necklace

Grace's necklace.

  • Grace's avatar appears to wear a necklace that Sylwanin wore while alive. Similarly, Kiri wears the same necklace that Grace's human form wore.
  • She wears a Stanford shirt, suggesting she may have attended or taught at Stanford University in California, although it can also be seen as a reference to her actress, Sigourney Weaver, who attended Stanford.
  • In the pre-release script of Avatar, Grace calls Mo'at the "Queen Bitch" which suggests Grace resents Mo'at somewhat for being exiled from the clan. This greatly contrasts Adapt or Die which depicts them as being allies.
  • There are some foreshadowing lines regarding Grace in the film, for example:
    • Grace, looking at a display showing the Tree of Souls: "I would die to get samples there." - She does, in fact, die there.
    • Grace to Quaritch: "Or what, Ranger Rick? You gonna shoot me?" Quaritch: "I can do that." - Quaritch ends up mortally wounding her with his sidearm during the Avatar team's escape from Hell's Gate.
  • Grace's smoking and drinking have been one of the criticisms thrown at Avatar by some anti-smoking organizations, who said that Grace set a bad example for young children who might see the film, despite that it is rated PG-13 for multiple reasons. James Cameron argued that Grace smoking was not an endorsement of smoking, and was meant to depict it as negative, specifically as a way of representing Grace's neglect and lack of care for her human body.[7]
    • Sigourney Weaver did not actually smoke on set, however, as she is not a smoker. She acted out the motions of smoking and the cigarette was added in digitally in post, which can be observed in some deleted scenes from the film.[8]
  • Grace's avatar resembles her human form far more than other avatars. Her avatar form lacks a typical, flat Na'vi nose and has facial structure and traits very similar to her human form.
    • The Winston designers had the most difficulty incorporating Sigourney Weaver's features into their avatar design, partly due to the fact that her avatar was supposed to be eighteen years younger than Grace appears in her live-action scenes. Rather than go off current reference, the artists imported fifteen-year-old photographs of the actress. "To de-age Grace's avatar," said John Rosengrant, "we took picture of Sigourney Weaver from Alien 3 [1992] and brought them into ZBrush. Then we started sculpting and pushing things around to create her avatar." Artists found that the avatar was not suitably recognizable as Sigourney Weaver once they added the broad Na'vi nose, because it was so at odds with Weaver's naturally slim, patrician nose. After exploring several options, the designers finally decided to give Grace's avatar a more human-size nose than her avatar colleagues, justified by the logic that the mix of human and Na'vi DNA could result in any number of different facial-feature combinations.[9]
  • Grace meets Kiri

    Grace's memory can recognize Kiri as her daughter

    It is peculiar that the Grace seen in Kiri's vision is aware Kiri is her daughter, because Joshua Izzo has stated that Eywa works like a read-only hard drive, even pointing out that the deceased need to be reminded they have died over and over again every visit. Kiri and Grace both seem to have a special relationship with Eywa that seems to overcome this limitation.
  • In James Cameron's original concept, Grace was named "Grace Shipley," (a possible reference to Sigourney Weaver's character named Ripley in the Alien films) while her role as head of the Avatar program was originally assumed by Dr. Brantley Giese, a character omitted from the final film. Also in the original scriptment, she survives the consciousness transfer and is reborn as a Na'vi.
  • Grace's favorite Pandoran animal is the fan lizard.[10]
  • Strangely, in the RDA route for Avatar: The Game, she congratulates Ryder on defeating the Na'vi rather than despising them for it.
  • The Way of Water begins with Jake saying, "The forests of Pandora hold many dangers. But the most dangerous thing about Pandora is that you may grow to love her too much." This is a reference to a quote said by Grace in James Cameron's Avatar: An Activist Survival Guide, though it is written, "There are many dangers on Pandora, and one of the subtlest is that you may come to love it too much."
  • The World of Avatar: A Visual Exploration claims Grace's avatar is 10 feet or 330 cm tall, which is the result of incorrect conversion. 10 feet actually convert to 304.8 cm, while 330 cm approximates to 10.83 feet. Even the smaller of both values makes Grace's avatar is taller than the recom avatar of Miles Quaritch, Jake, Neytiri and even Tonowari.
    • Joshua Izzo later clarified both heights in the book should be considered an error, and Grace's avatar is closer to Neytiri's height.[11]
  • In The Way of Water, Kiri embraces a taller human Grace in her vision, however, Kiri is much taller than human Grace in reality. This can be explained due to them meeting in a dream and how Kiri mentally envisions her mother as being taller.
  • Jake's songcord has a white button from Grace's lab coat as part of it, representing how much her death affected him.
  • Jodie Foster was considered for the role before Sigourney Weaver signed on.
  • Sigourney Weaver reprised her role in a Saturday Night Live skit called "Avatar Sex Gone Wild".

Memorable Quotes[]

Avatar: The Game[]

  • Those things are not who we are. Yes, they are in us... but they are in you, as well. Learn how to live together in harmony with this beautiful world. How to SEE beyond our differences. How to SEE beyond this exterior, beyond this body. - Grace to Rai'uk
  • I SEE your pain, I do. It is the same pain that I would feel if you hurt someone I loved. It is the same pain any being would feel if they had to live what I SEE you have lived. - Grace to Rai'uk
  • You're Dr. Harper's problem. You disappoint him, and that becomes my problem. So I got three words for you: Don't screw up. - Grace to Ryder
  • File away fantasies of a tropical vacation. If you go cowboy like the rest of these jarheads, you'll be dead inside 2 weeks. I guarantee this planet is the most hostile world you've ever seen. But you keep an open mind, and she'll reward you in ways you can't imagine. - Grace to Ryder
  • I've worked for René Harper for nearly 10 years. Who the hell are you? Some new recruit having a bad day. You have no idea what he's been through. - Grace to Ryder
  • You know, things can seem pretty black and white when you first get here. But be careful. It's a bit like walking into a dark room. It takes time for your eyes to adjust, and then you start to see things as they really are. - Grace to Ryder

Avatar[]

  • Who's got my goddamned cigarette? Guys! What's wrong with this picture? - coming out of her link unit
  • I mean, they're just pissing on us without even the courtesy of calling it rain. - to Jake upon first meeting
  • Parker, you know, I used to think it was benign neglect, but now I see that you're intentionally screwing me. - arguing with Parker Selfridge
  • So you just figured you come out here, to the most hostile environment known to man, with no training of any kind, and see how it went? - to Jake
  • Run, definitely run! - shouting to Jake when he sees the thanator
  • For reasons I cannot fathom, the Omatikaya have chosen you. God help us all. - to Jake
  • Yeah, that tends to happen when you use machine guns on them. - to Selfridge when he complains relations with the Na'vi are worsening
  • Don't make me force-feed a cripple. - ordering Jake to eat food in his human body
  • Oh, shit! - when the Omatikaya discover that Jake and Neytiri mated
  • Or what, Ranger Rick? You gonna shoot me? - to Quaritch when he tells Grace to shut her pie hole
  • The wealth of this world isn't in the ground, it's all around us. - explaining to Selfridge the importance of Pandora
  • There are families in there. There are children. Babies! Are you gonna kill children?! - Grace trying to persuade Parker to delay the Hometree strike
  • Crap... this is gonna ruin my whole day. - after being shot by Miles Quaritch
  • I need to take some samples. - at the Tree of Souls, shortly before her death
  • I'm with her, Jake... she's real. - moments before her passing

Avatar: The Way of Water[]

  • Maybe I'm just losing it out here, but I'm seeing real evidence of a systemic response on a global level. I can't... I won't use the term "intelligence." It's, um... maybe "awareness" is a better word. It's like the entire biosphere of Pandora is aware and capable of this cognitive response. Oh, crap, I can't say that. They'll crucify me. - in her video log
  • My beautiful daughter. I'm so happy to see you. But you look troubled. Shh... shh... my sweet girl. It'll be okay. Shhh... What is it, baby? - to Kiri
  • Oh, my darling... - before her meeting with Kiri ends

Appearances[]

Films[]

Games[]

Comics[]

Books[]

References[]

  1. Avatar script: "DR. GRACE AUGUSTINE sits up in her link, stretching and cracking her neck after a long session. She's fifty, with a strong face and fiercely intelligent eyes."
  2. Avatar script: In human years she would be about 35.
  3. It is possible she may have been 51 at death because her birthday may have been during the three months.
  4. Avatar: The Way of Water: The Visual Dictionary page 18
  5. The World of Avatar: A Visual Exploration
  6. https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/blog/behind-the-scenes-of-avatar-part-two
  7. https://www.slashfilm.com/831493/sigourney-weavers-avatar-character-sparked-a-surprising-controversy/
  8. https://www.thegeektwins.com/2019/01/25-mind-blowing-facts-about-james.html
  9. The making of Avatar, page 103.
  10. James Cameron's Avatar: An Activist Survival Guide
  11. https://www.reddit.com/r/Avatar/comments/18rmk2s/which_avatar_books_are_actually_lore_accurate/
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