She waited many breeding cycles to have this calf. The clan was so happy for her. What is this, Tonowari? What is this?!Ronal regarding the death of her spirit sister Ro'a.
Ronal is the Tsahìk of the Metkayina clan and mate of Tonowari. With her husband, she is the mother of the free-divers, Aonung, Tsireya and an unborn child. She also is the spiritual sister of the tulkun, Ro'a.
While Jake Sully, Neytiri and their children work with Ronal's family to learn the ways of the Metkayina, Ronal spends her time with Neytiri, instructing the Omatikaya tsakarem on how to live in harmony with the ocean. When the RDA tracks the family, Ronal fights to protect her clan on the battlefield.
Biography[]
Accepting the Sully Family[]
Ronal apprehensive about the Sully family.
When the Sully family seeks refuge with the Metkayina clan, both Ronal and her mate make the difficult decision to provide it. She seems almost offended by their request for asylum. Unlike Tonowari, who values Jake Sully as Toruk Makto and a formidable warrior, Ronal is very apprehensive and particularly direct. She also criticizes the Sully children and makes Kiri uncomfortable when she shows her hands and Lo'ak's to the clan and claims they have "demon" blood. She and Neytiri initially don't get along because Ronal tries to undermine Jake's accomplishments, prompting Neytiri to defend him. Although still reluctant, Ronal finally agreed with her partner's decision to give the Sully family uturu.
Although rarely, Ronal accompanied and assisted the Sullys as they learned the ways of the Metkayina. Together with her daughter, Tsireya, she taught the children how to use gill mantles, and also showed Tuktirey how to pluck shellfish from the bottom of the sea. During this, Ronal witnessed Kiri's mysterious powers with the marine life and was impressed.
Ronal assisting a comatose Kiri.
Later when Kiri falls into a coma as a result of a seizure from connecting to the Spirit Tree, Ronal went to help her. However, seeing scientists Max Patel and Norm Spellman help her with specialized medical devices for it, she was disheartened and outraged, saying they do not need her help. Neytiri convinced her to help and ordered the scientists to get out and let her work since the scientists' methods were ineffective. Ronal helped Kiri wake up using her medical practices, thanks to which she regained consciousness.
Ronal while talking to Lo'ak.
When the tulkun returned to Awa'atlu, Ronal greeted her spiritual sister Ro'a happily. They exchanged memories of the last months, paying special attention to their children. Ro'a had had a son while away, while Ronal's pregnancy entered an advanced stage. After the migration, she learned of Lo'ak and the tulkun Payakan's friendship. Ronal became furious at her daughter for allowing Lo'ak to bond with the outcast.
Skirmish at the Three Brothers[]
Ronal flies into battle on her skimwing.
Soon after, tulkun hunters operating near Awa'atlu, led by Mick Scoresby, organized a hunt and targeted Ro'a. When Ronal discovered the dead body of her spirit sister and her calf dead, she fell into despair. The death of her spiritual sister and her baby caused the Metkayina to plan to retaliate with weapons, which Jake tried to stop them from. However, when she learned from Jake that her children are in danger, Ronal prepared for battle. Tonowari tried to convince her to stay in the village due to her pregnancy, but she was determined to fight alongside the rest. With their warriors, they mounted their skimwings and set off to face the Sky People.
Arriving at the Three Brother Rocks, they were stopped by Miles Quaritch, who ordered Jake to surrender, threatening to shoot his children and Tsireya. When Jake admitted that the entire conflict stemmed from his personal feud with the colonel, Ronal accused him of bringing the war to her clan. Jake humbly accepted her words, then set off alone for the SeaDragon. However, with Payakan's unexpected and arbitrary attack on the ship, the Metkayina enter the war. Ronal personally killed at least one tulkun hunter.
Neteyam's Funeral[]
Ronal at Neteyam's funeral.
After the battle ended, Ronal led the funeral with Tonowari and the rest of the clan for Jake's son Neteyam, who was killed in the battle. After the funeral, she did not protest when Tonowari decided to accept the Sully family as full members of the Metkayina clan.
Personality[]
Ronal body shaming Lo'ak in front of her entire clan.
Ronal has a wise and strong personality as a warrior which makes her clash with Neytiri. She greatly respects her husband Tonowari, trusting his decisions even if she disagreed with them. Ronal is described as being fiercely independent.[2]
She is far more cautious than her husband, being the most critical of welcoming the Sully family during their arrival. She does not look out for only her own family, but her community as a whole, hence why she is highly critical and suspicious about letting the Sully family stay. She may be more forceful and protective, calling for war and the Sully family’s exile after Ro'a and her child were killed by the RDA.
Ronal deciding to help her clan fight.
As the Tsahìk of the clan, Ronal is responsible for instructing and leading their ceremonies. However, she also assists in other areas, whether it be fighting, gathering or cooking. Despite being pregnant, she does not let this stop her from entering the battlefield and doing whatever she can to help protect her clan.
Relationships[]
- See Ronal/Relationships.
Trivia[]
- She will have a larger role in Avatar: Fire and Ash.[3]
- Cliff Curtis mentioned in an interview that Kate Winslet took part in a haka and performed a whole song in Na'vi, which may be seen in Avatar: Fire and Ash or a later installment.[4]
- She wears her songcords integrated into her skirt, which also happens to have either other songcords or songcord-like strings, showing her bond with her clan.[1]
- Ronal doesn't smile much in the movie. It is only seen when greeting Ro'a, her spiritual sister.
- Ronal's pregnancy can be seen throughout the film. She barely has a belly when first introduced, but is heavily pregnant during later scenes. This is because The Way of Water is set across several months.
- Kate Winslet was impressed upon hearing that Ronal would be a fierce pregnant Na'vi because she felt pregnant women are often not represented enough in media despite that many women will become pregnant throughout their lives, and even if they are represented, they are often portrayed as being merely passive baby carriers who do little to nothing to impact the story.[5] In The Way of Water, Ronal saves Kiri's life and helps out on the battlefield.
- Ronal's decision to fight while pregnant has received a divided reception among viewers; some feel it is reckless and endangering her baby's life. Others feel her decision is important for the clan's strength and morale, pointing out that the RDA could have executed her and the Metkayina if the clan lost. Nonetheless, this can be seen as an example of the film exploring complex morality and the idea how there is not always a clear right or wrong choice.
- In the early script, it is mentioned pregnant Na'vi give birth to babies in pods which nourish the baby after birth. While it is unclear if this is still canon, this may have factored into Ronal's decision. As long as she was not hit in the abdomen, it is possible that if Ronal died, her child could be removed from her body and survive in its pod which could act as an incubator.
- Ronal had an additional line near the end of The Way of Water that did not make it into the film for unknown reasons, with even the CGI for this moment being complete. When Tonowari accepts Jake Sully as a Metkayina, she was originally supposed to say, "Now you must stand with us." [6]
- In the original script, when Neytiri successfully hunts, there is a line showing Neytiri's attitude towards Ronal: "Serve that up for dinner, reef bitch."
- In the original script, Ronal tries to frame Kiri's seizure as evidence Eywa has turned her back on the Sully family. This may have been removed because it can easily be seen as a low blow towards a family with one of its members in a coma, and making Ronal too unlikable would make viewers sympathize with her less when Ro'a is killed.
- During the filming of The Way of Water, Kate Winslet beat (by one minute) Tom Cruise's record of six minutes underwater.[7]
Gallery[]
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See the image gallery for |
Memorable Quotes[]
- „This you call victory? Hiding among strangers? It seems Eywa has turned her back on you, "chosen one".“ - To Neytiri and then Jake.
- „I see that I am not needed here.“ - Viewing Norm and Max trying to heal Kiri.
- „You allowed this! You allowed him to bond with the outcast!“ - Ronal chastises Tsireya after finding out about Payakan and Lo'ak.
- „Sister, I see you.“ - Ronal greets her spirit sister.
- „Your son is beautiful.“ - Ronal to Ro'a.
- „Leave? You live among us and you learn nothing!“ - When Jake says the tulkun should leave.
Appearances[]
| Title | Format | Release date | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avatar: The Way of Water | Film | December 16th, 2022 | Portrayed by actress Kate Winslet. |
| Avatar: Fire and Ash | Film | December 19th, 2025 | Portrayed by actress Kate Winslet. |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Avatar: The Way of Water: The Visual Dictionary page 98
- ↑ https://www.avatar.com/pandorapedia/ronal
- ↑ https://www.indiewire.com/2022/12/avatar-the-way-of-water-james-cameron-interview-1234793778/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwnBbe049aw&t=165
- ↑ https://ew.com/movies/kate-winslet-avatar-the-way-of-water-pregnant-warrior-ronal/
- ↑ Featurette: Acting In The Volume
- ↑ https://www.insider.com/kate-winslet-broke-tom-cruises-underwater-record-in-avatar-2-2022-12
| Characters from the films | ||
|---|---|---|
| Introduced in Avatar | Humans: Na'vi: | |
| Introduced in Avatar: The Way of Water | Humans: Na'vi: Tulkun: | |
| Introduced in Avatar: Fire and Ash | Humans: Na'vi: | |
| Metkayina Clan members | ||
|---|---|---|
| Members | Aonung · Ronal · Rotxo · Tonowari · Tsireya | |