James Cameron's Avatar: An Activist Survival Guide is a book that describes the dangers of Pandora. It is presented like a field guide, and according to the back cover, is from the perspective of RDA researchers.
According to Joshua Izzo, this book was in the process of being phased out of canon.[1] In December 2023, he clarified that the book is no longer canon.[2] He mentioned that the development of the book was rushed out in order to give lore to the film.
An example of a contradiction is that the survival guide mentions Na'vi have roughly the same lifespans as humans, but the old Pandorapedia claimed Na'vi live about 30% longer than humans. The Survival Guide also claims the AMP Suit is 1.83 meters wide while the old Pandorapedia and Avatar: The Game says 2.83 meters.
Summary[]
The Activist Survival Guide is a companion "field guide" to the film Avatar. The book's original purpose was to fill in some of the gaps that the movie itself could not cover. Displayed as a confidential Resources Development Administration report, it describes in great detail everything from names and characteristics of the various flora and fauna of the Pandoran environment to the specifications of RDA technology and weaponry. 224 pages long, it is presented in full color and includes illustrations and pictures of the material.
Back Cover[]
For Internal Use Only
Field notes and other data from the Resources Development Administration's xenobiological research and scientific labs have been compiled as a guide to the many unique aspects of the moon Pandora. This report details Pandora's alien ecosystem; its mining motherlode and topography; its flora and fauna; and the culture, language, and physiology of the native population, the aggressive hunter-gatherer race called the Na'vi. Exceedingly profitable, Pandora provides challenges to successful exploration and extraction. From its gravity-defying Hallelujah Mountains to its gargantuan natural Stone Arches, and from the small but venomous hellfire wasp to the gigantic carnivorous thanator, Pandora poses continual dangers to RDA aerial- and ground-forces daily. Also included in this manual are highly confidential and detailed descriptions of RDA technology and weapons systems deployed to suppress the indigenous hostiles and defend employees against the dangerous Pandoran environment.
Warning
This document has been circulated without the knowledge or the consent of the Resources Development Administration. Anyone found in possession of this document faces imprisonment or more extreme punishment.
Table of contents[]
| a. Pandora: A Survival Handbook | X |
| b. Warning! | XIII |
| 1. Astronomy and Geology | 2 |
| 2. Na'vi Physiology and Culture | 24 |
| 3. Fauna of Pandora | 48 |
| 4. Flora of Pandora | 106 |
| 5. Human Technology on Pandora | 144 |
| 6. RDA Weapons Guide | 170 |
| 7. RDA Documents | 180 |
| 8. Glossary | 184 |
| 9. Na'vi-English Dictionary | 190 |
| 10. Acknowledgments | 204 |
International editions[]
The Survival Guide has been translated into several other languages that are listed below:
| Language | Book Title | Released | Translated by | Publisher | Pages | ISBN | Front cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Avatar Jamesa Camerona: Povjerljivi izvještaj o biološkoj i društvenoj povijesti Pandore | February, 2010 | Vladimir Cvetković Sever | Algoritam d.o.o. | 224 | 978-95-331-6070-2 | 
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Avatar Jamese Camerona: Příručka pro přežití | May 15, 2010 | ? | Knižní klub | 224 | 978-80-242-2698-9 | 
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Avatar: Rapport confidentiel sur l'histoire biologique et sociale de la planète Pandora | December 10, 2009 | ? | Michel Lafon | 224 | 978-27-499-1092-5 | 
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James Cameron Avatar: Túlélési kézikönyv Pandorához | April 1, 2010 | Tóth Tamás Boldizsár | Egmont-Hungary Kiadó Kft. | 203 | 978-96-362-9569-1 | 
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James Cameron's avatar: Rapporto confidenziale sul mondo di Pandora | February 24, 2010 | ? | Rizzoli | 224 | 978-88-170-4179-9 | 
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Avatar Jamesa Camerona: Tajny raport o świecie Pandory | January 12, 2010 | Agnieszka Kabala, Agata Kowalczyk, Cezary Murawski | AMBER | 224 | 978-83-241-3604 | 
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Аватар: Секретный доклад о биологии и истории Пандоры | January 14, 2010 | Ольга Ратникова | Азбука-классика | 224 | 978-59-985-0766-3 | 
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Avatar: Manual de supervivencia en Pandora | June 22, 2010 | ? | Timun Mas | 224 | 978-84-480-3990-5 | 
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Bir James Cameron Filmi Avatar: Pandora'nın Biyolojik ve Sosyal Tarihi Üzerine Gizli Rapor | March, 2010 | Özgür Atılım Turan | Doğan Kitapçılık | 224 | 978-60-511-1541-2 | 
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