He is the only son of the previous Olo'eyktan and Tsahìk, and was always destined for clan leadership. He was taught to put the needs of the clan before himself.
Early in his teen years he met the nosy Asahe, who he gradually fell in love with. When he became olo'eyktan, Asahe became the next Tsahik. Years later, the union brought forth their daughter, Etuwa. The bond between mother and daughter was strong, while Ka'nat remained slightly more distant as a father.
After Asahe was killed in an RDA ambush, the heartbroken Ka'nat put the well-being and safety of his clan above all and withdrew from the RDA. He has been the olo'eyktan for a long time and is sure he knows what's best for his clan. The traditions of old have always served them well, whereas change - which his daughter Etuwa promotes - can potentially lead to chaos.
He fears the war with the RDA, knowing his clan of artists is ill-equipped to fight them. Above all else, he fears losing Etuwa the way he lost Asahe.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora[]
Ka'nat meeting the lone Sarentu
When the protagonist arrives at the home of the Aranahe clan at the invitation of Etuwa, Ka'nat is reluctant to let them enter the village. He notices signs of human influence on the Sarentu, including their mannerisms and clothing, and is unconvinced by assurances that the Sarentu is on the side of the Na'vi. He is only convinced by Nefika, who decides to take the Sarentu under her protection and leadership.
At Etuwa's request, the Sarentu wants to speak with Ka'nat about the Resistance as soon as possible, but does not have the opportunity to do so until some time later. The Sarentu tries to convince the chief to fight the RDA and join the Resistance, but Ka'nat insists that he wants to keep his clan in a state of peace. He believes the Sarentu's motives boil down solely to the desire to fight. He asks if they remember their family, and "how Eywa's light leaves someone you love." Ka'nat alludes to the own pain he still feels over the loss of Asahe. He leaves without letting the Sarentu finish the conversation.
Ka'nat is resolved to fight the RDA
Some time later, after a joint mission with Eetu, the Sarentu returns to Hometree and goes to speak with Ka'nat at the chief's request. He apologizes, saying that it was fear that spoke through him earlier and that he failed to take into account his own considerable loss. He admits that Asahe's death constantly reminds him of everything the RDA has taken from him and the clan. He sees in the Sarentu and Etuwa what once characterized Asahe. However, when the Sarentu tries to convince him to fight again, so that the Aranahe don't lose everything, Ka'nat becomes enraged again and says that he was wrong to expect to find the peaceful spirit in the Sarentu. By saving the kinglor, Etuwa was able to show Ka'nat the necessity of active resistance against the RDA. He agreed that the clan would join the Resistance in their fight, and that he and Etuwa would lead the clan as equals.
Personality[]
Stern and controlling, Ka'nat does not react well to disagreement. It helps that he is a skilled public speaker, often able to sway people to his side. He speaks with an elevated, authoritative voice, as if acting as an obvious vessel of reason and truth. He believes the traditions of old have always served the clan well, while change brings chaos.
For Ka'nat, such chaos is evidenced by the fate of the kinglor. Etuwa is adamant that the problem lies with the RDA who are throwing the rainforest out of balance. Afraid for his daughter and clan, he insists that if only Etuwa would take responsibility for the kinglor, all would be well.
Ka'nat is afraid of what fighting the RDA will cost, yet he frames his fear in tradition, order, and logic when speaking to his clan. He will do whatever it takes to ensure the clan and its culture is not in harm's way, and above all he fears losing Etuwa to what he sees as a pointless war.
Relationships[]
Etuwa[]
Unlike Etuwa and Asahe, Ka'nat never developed a deep bond with his daughter. He remained distant as father, kept his feet on the ground and at the same time wanted to maintain peace in his clan, while his daughter and her partner were close. The rift between father and daughter deepened after Asahe's death, when Etuwa assumed the title of tsahìk. Ka'nat wanted to protect Etuwa to avoid sharing the same fate as his mother, refusing to join the Resistance. But ironically, Asahe's death only made Etuwa even more eager to fight the battle. His conflict led to situations where he did many things in secret, and one example was actively fighting the RDA. It was only when Etuwa was wounded in battle and spoke of Sarentu's role in her defense that Ka'nat became convinced of his daughter's razia.
Asahe[]
Although they had very different personalities, Ka'nat loved his partner Asahe very much. For a long time he could not accept his loss, when Asahe died in his arms after she was seriously wounded in an ambush by the RDA. After her death, Ka'nat completely closed himself off from any fight against the Sky People for fear of losing his people, especially his only daughter.
The Sarentu[]
The dispute between Ka'nat and the protagonist, which began from their first meeting, had two sources. Firstly, Ka'nat noted the influence of human culture on the Sarentu and secondly, they shared the same values as Etuwa, which in turn were contrary to Ka'nat's ideals. Various attempts to convince him to join the fight against the RDA only angered Ka'nat, as he wanted to keep the peace at all costs. It was only when Etuwa described the Sarentu's role in the battle in which she was wounded, as well as their help in saving the kinglors, that Ka'nat not only appreciated the Sarentu, but also agreed to join the Resistance.
