Tuktirey te Suli Neytiri'ite, nicknamed Tuk, is the only biological daughter of Jake Sully and Neytiri and their youngest child at seven years old.[2] She has two older brothers; Neteyam and Lo'ak, and an older adoptive sister; Kiri.
Tuktirey was born in 2163[1] as the fourth and last child of Jake and Neytiri. Being too young, she does not accompany the rest of her family on dangerous expeditions such as Lo'ak's Iknimaya ritual, but is instead left in the care of the rest of the Omatikaya clan.
Tuk develops a special bond with her adoptive older sister Kiri.
In 2168, while their parents were attending the council of elders, Tuk, Kiri, Lo'ak and Spider, slipped away to the ancient battlefield. There, among the branches of a tree, they find the remains of a Samson and the skeleton of a victim and a banshee; As the children are fascinated by the machine and view its remains, Kiri teaches Tuk how to pay her respects to the late ikran. When the remains of the Samson slip off the branch and fall to the ground down a cliff, Tuk and Kiri hang from the vines at risk of falling from a great height. Kiri, however, manages to get herself and her younger sister safely to the ground using her "strange powers". Soon, Neteyam finds his siblings, long wanted by their parents.
"Only Eywa can save us."
When Kiri ran away from Hell's Gate in frustration because her parents did not want to take Spider with the family, she came across Mo'at with Tuk. Tuk expressed the desire to fly with her sister and Mo'at told Kiri to watch over her. Kiri and Tuk took Lo'ak with them to the Tree of Souls and although Lo'ak felt praying was pointless against the RDA's starships, Tuk said only Eywa could save them. When Kiri resolved to sneak Spider out of Hell's Gate, Tuk and Lo'ak followed.
Neteyam catching Tuk on the ship.
However, all of the children became trapped in the biolab as hostages after they were fooled by Nash McCosker. Spider rescued them, but the RDA was in the process of reclaiming the facility. The children fled into the woods where they were found by a banshee, however, the animal was shot dead by SecOps soldiers. Neytiri arrived and opened fire and the family reunited. They all managed to reach the floating mountains where Wu Mingxia rescued them. However, they failed to flee when they were pursued by warships. Their shuttle crashed into the ocean. Fortunately, despite being attacked by a nalutsa, the entire family was rescued by Norm Spellman.
Along with Lo'ak, Spider and Kiri, Tuk went to explore the old battlefield. While Kiri was enjoying a moment of solitude in the forest, Tuk and the boys explored the remains of a Samson. On the way back home, the children discovered a group of Recombinants led by Miles Quaritch. After reporting the situation to their parents, the children were spotted and captured by the Recoms. Their parents came to their rescue, killing some of the Recoms in order to save their children. At the decision of Jake and Neytiri, faced with the new human threat, the entire Sully family emigrated to the territory of the Metkayina Clan. As she was too young to tame her own banshee, Tuk made the journey in her mother's arms on her banshee.
Tuk learning to live on the reef.
Although initially saddened by having to leave the safety and comfort of the rainforest and feeling homesick, Tuk adapts to reef life quickly. She begins to become more comfortable with the clan's different lifestyle and the marine life. As Tsireya shows the children around the Metkayina village, Tuk is delighted and surprised by every new bit of exotic ocean flora and fauna she encounters. She is particularly fond of the ilus that live near the pelagic Na'vi.
Tuk at the Cove of the Ancestors.
Tuk was involved in many activities with her siblings. When Lo'ak told his siblings and friends about a tulkun who saved him, Tsireya, Aonung and Rotxo warned him about Payakan's history. Tuk was dismayed when Lo'ak left after he was not taken seriously by his brother Neteyam. While Lo'ak was meeting Payakan, Tsireya and Rotxo took Tuk and her siblings to the most sacred place of the clan, the Cove of the Ancestors, to see the Spirit Tree. After Kiri had a seizure after bonding with the tree, Tuk was confused and worried about her sister. Tuk was at Kiri's side during her treatment and assisted Ronal in bringing Kiri back to consciousness after Norm's and Max's efforts did not bear fruits.
When the tulkun returned from the migration, Tuk dragged Kiri out of the marui where she was recuperating. Tuk playfully swam with one of the creatures with Kiri and Rotxo.
Soon after, Miles Quaritch and his Recoms began hunting down tulkun and interrogating clans like the Ta'unui to lure Jake out of hiding. After learning that the Recoms were getting closer to Awa'atlu, Lo'ak left the village, followed by his siblings and the Metkayna children, to warn Payakan. They found him at Three Brothers Rocks with a tracking device from the SeaDragon hunting vessel stuck in his skin. The children worked together to rid him of the tracker, but the RDA hunting party was very close and started to chase the children. While underwater, Tuk briefly hid inside an airbell.
Tuk trying to escape from Quaritch.
As a result of the human pursuit, Tuk, Lo'ak and Tsireya were captured and cuffed to the railing of the SeaDragon. Quaritch used the children as bait to provoke Jake to an attack. Payakan's intervention by attacking the ship changed the course of events. In the ensuing battle, Tuk was freed by Neteyam, but was later recaptured while trying to save Kiri together with Tsireya. Jake eventually found her handcuffed on the deck. Jake pushed Tuk protectively behind him when Quaritch appeared with a knife at Kiri's throat. When Neytiri did the same with Spider, Quaritch gave in and released Kiri.
Tuk and her mother on the sinking ship.
While Jake entered a fight with Quaritch, the rest of the Sullys tried to escape the sinking ship. Tuk fell down a bulkhead and Neytiri jumped in to rescue her, but they ended up being trapped inside. Although Tuk and Neytiri were terrified, they navigated through the SeaDragon's flooding and tilting hallways but found themselves trapped. Making use of bioluminescent squids, Kiri eventually found both and led them out of the ship, after which the whole family reunited holding on to Payakan's fin.
Tuk attended her brother Neteyam's funeral with the rest of her family and the assembled Metkayina clan.
Tuk is a strong-willed girl who loves her family and is close to her mother; her grandmother Mo'at; and her sister Kiri.[3] She is daring, mischievous, and curious about the world, and always follows her siblings on their adventures, even though her brothers wish to shake her off. She often snuggles with her parents, both her mother and father. She has a big heart and her family is the most important thing to her.
Although Tuk is an avatar / Na'vi hybrid, like Neteyam, she was born with four fingers and toes, and her face is browless, making her look like a full-blooded Na'vi. Due to her age, her hair is still quite short, though her braid is now completely long. She wears a decorative necklace around her chest and a purple loincloth; she is also armed with a small knife.
Like her parents, Tuk is brave and will do anything to protect those she loves. In a way, she looks a lot like her mother. Emotionally, she views her family, home, and Pandora as most important to her and is inclined to be healing and nurturing. At the same time, she also gets a lot of her personality from her father, such as being reckless and a bit stubborn or brave.
Having grown up in the forest next to the humans at Hell's Gate, Tuk is used to experiencing cultures other than her own. For that reason she quickly bonds with the Metkayina, blending in easily with the other reef kids. Young Tuk is full of boundless love and completely open to the world.
Tuk loves her parents very much, being the youngest in the family, she is always attentive and affectionate with them. Jake and Neytiri are also a role model for her during her youth, she can be brave and reckless like her father, but also sensitive to her surroundings and daring like her mother.
Tuk has a lot of respect for Neteyam because he is her older, protective brother who sometimes feels like a dad.[4] He was carrying Tuk in the deeper water when Ao'nung was showing them the ilu. After the Skirmish at the Three Brothers, Tuk was weeping over her dead brother, clutching his left arm with both hands.
Tuk and Kiri have a very good sisterly relationship. Due to her age, Kiri plays the role of Tuk's teacher and guide, teaching her, among other things, how to honor a deceased animal. Kiri is also responsible for taking care of her younger sister when her parents are busy. Kiri sometimes calls her sister "Tuk-Tuk".
Lo'ak often does not bring Tuk when he adventures into the world because he is protective of her. They often tease each other as seen when Lo’ak mimicked her for saying she would tell her mom if her older siblings wouldn’t let her come along with them. Despite this, they still love and care for each other as siblings; in The High Ground, Lo'ak can be seen holding Tuk's hand even though it's not necessary. When Lo'ak was offended when no one seemed to believe his claims about Payakan and he said no one was listening, Tuk made sure to say, "Lo'ak, I'm listening!"
It is shown that Tuk loves her grandmother very much. In a deleted scene, when the Sully family prepares to leave the Omatikaya clan, Tuk cries at the thought of leaving her. She begs her grandmother to come with them but Mo'at kindly denies, saying the clan needs their tsahìk. Tuk tearfully hugs her grandmother before leaving with her family.
Trivia[]
The way Tuk falls down a tunnel is believed by many to be a reference to Newt falling down a shaft in another James Cameron film Aliens.
According to The Visual Dictionary, Tuk's shell armband was made by Jake to her as a gift.
According to The Visual Dictionary, she has a best friend named Popiti. The book also says that the color of Tuk's knife was suggested by her friend.
According to the Visual Dictionary, Tuk's siblings know that she is excited by Metkayina culture, so they commemorate her experience by making a reef loincloth for her. The dried seeds and seaweed from the loincloth were collected by Neteyam and Lo'ak for her.
In the original script, Jake is shown being offended the group of youths have Tuk with them when they are trying to warn Payakan. Jake says, "You have TUK with you??!!" Lo'ak then says to Tuk, "Tuk! Why do you even exist?!" due to her presence getting Lo'ak in more trouble.
The character of Tuktirey is also called, referred to, and alluded to as: High value prisoner(s) (by Recom Quaritch), Our little one(s) (by Jake), Child(ren) (by Neytiri and Jake), Kid(s) (by Jake and Recom Quaritch), Daughter(s) (by Recom Quaritch and Jake), Sister(s) (by Jake), and Girl(s) (by Recom Quaritch)
