Lo'ak Explained | Avatar: The Way of Water Explained

A quick comprehensive guide and analysis of Lo'ak from James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) Explained.

In this breakdown, analysis, reaction and explanation we focus on Lo'ak, played by actor Britain Dalton, son of Jake Sully or Tsyeyk Suli (played by Sam Worthington) and Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite (Zoe Saldana). He's also the newest member of the Metkayina clan. One of the many oceanic clans residing in Metkayina, Awa'atlu within the atolls region of Pandora's eastern seas.

In this video essay we discuss Lo'ak's relationships with his parents, his sister Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), his other sister Tuk (Trinity Bliss), his brother "The Perfect Son" Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), and his cousin Spider (Jack Champion). As well as his new friends Tsireya (Bailey Bass) and Ao'nung (Filip Geljo).

We talk about how he proves himself like his father back in the year 2154. With Tsireya's help he learns how to the bond with Payakan. Giving him the motivation to protect him from the SeaDragon captained by Captain Mick Scoresby (Brendan Cowell), Dr. Ian Garvin (Jemaine Clement).

I reference Avatar The Way of Water The Visual Dictionary (2022) and The World of Avatar: A Visual Exploration (2022) to give you some more of that knowledge when it comes to his wardrobe, costume design, props and overall aesthetic.

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This video was made by Bryce Edward Brown

[CristinaGarcia-xxgy]

I think a huge problem is also that the strict parenting style Jake uses isn't the best suited for Lo'ak. He's more sensitive than he lets on and it brought him down more than it built him up. Tsireya is noticeably gentle and positively reinforcing in the way she teaches and he really thrived under that. When Lo'ak showed Jake the technique and all that he had learned, Jake finally saw it and I really hope he shifts his approach a bit as a result. The Visual Dictionary also goes into detail about how the big blue stone he wears on his hair was a gift from Tuk and how he helped collect the materials to make her a reef style loincloth as a surprise present and that is just so incredibly sweet and adorable. I don't think him using guns necessarily signifies a turn down a dark path, I think its just meant to signify that he truly is his dad's son and will have a similar combat style, the same way Neteyam was a great archer, like their mom.
Also, I would argue Three Brothers Rocks is actually Neteyam, Lo'ak and Spider, one of the rocks is even much shorter than the others.

[thedaniel]

I think Lo'ak is the character I connected to the most in the entire franchise. Living in the shadow of more-capable siblings and overcompensating to try and keep up is definitely relatable.

[CZsWorld]

Be careful Bryce. Lo'ak would destroy you in a fight

[etabiansosin]

Lo'ak's Personality:

Lo'ak is the black sheep of the Sully family who feels like a stranger within his own family and clan. Neteyam is seen lightly teasing him while Kiri claimed she hated him when they were children, calling him a "penis face". Even when Kiri is older, she still lightly shoves him out of her way in a somewhat cold manner. Lo'ak even goes so far to tell Payakan that he's all alone, even though his family is present at the village.

Because Neteyam was favored by the clan, Lo'ak has faced more social isolation and deprivation as a result. He became self-conscious because he resembles a human, having five fingers instead of four as well as eyebrows. This has made him somewhat of an outcast with the Na'vi since many have viewed him as being more human than Na'vi. No mention is made of any friends while living in the forest with the other Na'vi. Lo'ak instead identifies with outcasts like Payakan.

Adding to Lo'ak feeling like he does not belong with the Na'vi, it is notable that Lo'ak is never seen praising Eywa and he may be interpreted as being a more irreligious character who is apathetic towards traditional Na'vi spirituality, contrasting Kiri who feels extremely connected to Eywa. When Lo'ak and Kiri visit the Tree of Souls, Lo'ak instead watches her pray at a distance. Lo'ak is skeptical of Eywa's abilities, saying, "I don't think praying is going to do much against starships." Tuk tells Lo'ak her opinion that only Eywa can save them.

It does not help Lo'ak's loneliness either that Lo'ak has never been portrayed as having any hobbies or talents while in the forest, since the Omatikaya clan contains social groups for shared interests such as hunting, craft making, etc. However, Lo'ak picks up and enjoys diving while staying with the Metkayina. The Visual Dictionary even mentions that Lo'ak's ocean skillset is superior than Neteyam's, which delights Lo'ak to his surprise. However, this should not necessarily be confused as being a natural talent since Lo'ak is seen practicing with Tsireya, and it could be viewed that Lo'ak's progress is the result of hard-earned training. Additionally, it is another way for Lo'ak to be closer to Payakan.

Lo'ak is a generally kind boy who is sympathetic towards others and has a desire to help with their sometimes-dangerous plights. However, he has inherited his father's stubborn and reckless rebellious nature. Unlike his older brother, Lo'ak greatly values his independence, often disobeying his father’s orders in an attempt to prove his value to him, but this often backfires. For better or for worse, Lo'ak is also shown to be rather forgiving, as he still befriended Aonung after Aonung's actions caused Lo'ak to be nearly mauled to death and eaten by an akula.

While Lo'ak is a troublemaker whose actions tend to offend or annoy others, he does not cause trouble for the sake of it. His motives are altruistic in nature, often trying to help others. Even sneaking off with his siblings is the result of him trying to help them cope with boredom.

Lo'ak is shown to be very brave and won't hesitate to defy powerful or authoritative figures to do what his heart feels is right. He secretly joined his sister Kiri into sneaking into Hell's Gate to retrieve Spider, attempted to join the frontlines against the RDA, punched Aonung for insulting Kiri and his family, and tried to defend Payakan even when the whole Metkayina clan viewed him as an outcast that deserves alienation. He is shown to be outspoken at times, examples being when he gave Quaritch the double finger and when he attempted to challenge Tonowari's claims about Payakan, showing that Lo'ak doesn't just blindly believe what others tell him.

Lo'ak's tendency to get into trouble conflicts with Neteyam, who often takes the blame for his recklessness. He has a bit of a rivalry with Neteyam, jealous of the love, admiration and acceptance he receives, and wishes he could be seen positively like him; when Aonung said "I must be asking the wrong brother", this was all it took for Lo'ak to accept going outside the reef because he wanted to be seen as being the cooler brother. Despite this, Lo'ak does not hesitate to take charge in chaos, thinking quickly when threatened alone by a underwater beast, and guiding his father out of a sinking ship.

[chaoticpeacee]

Imagine a Neytiri explained video, that’d be the most interesting, Neytiri has GOT to have the most traumatic lore in the whole franchise, I would love that

[hhanni]

Not Lo’ak getting bashed this whole ep 😭 we still love him tho

[BaLLHands]

Lo'ak just going "fuck it" and pulling out his blade to fight the snakeshark and going out like a champion is my favorite scene in the way of water, so hyped for avatar 3 lol

[etabiansosin]

Lo'ak's Relationship with Jake Sully:

Lo'ak has a strained relationship with his father. Lo'ak always felt that Neteyam was viewed as the "golden child" who can do no wrong, making Lo'ak desperate to win Jake's approval. Unfortunately, Lo'ak's frequent attempts to help out only backfire, despite his good intentions, making Jake view Lo'ak as incompetent. Jake tries to force a strict and disciplinary parenting style on Lo'ak, such as grounding him from ikran flying for a month when Neteyam almost dies, and also has Lo'ak address him as "sir" in a military fashion, despite that Lo'ak does not really care about being a warrior or fighting for a community he does not even feel connected to in the first place.

Jake shows very little compassion towards Lo'ak due to his rebellious ways and seems more concerned about Lo'ak's failures instead of his earnest attempts to help. At one point, Jake bluntly tells Lo'ak that he has brought shame onto their family. Ironically, Jake contributes to Lo'ak's misgivings because when Lo'ak tries to communicate with Jake, Jake tries to silence Lo'ak and does not listen to his side of the story. For example, Lo'ak went outside the reef in an attempt to befriend the other boys and told Jake he was only trying to do this after Jake told him to make friends, Jake retorted, "I don't want to hear it." When Lo'ak tried to defend Payakan to Tonowari, Jake also silenced Lo'ak, telling him, "That's enough." Jake's constant attitude makes Lo'ak believe his father will never understand him, serving only to push the two away.

After Neteyam dies, Jake refuses to take Lo'ak on the mission to save Kiri and Tuk, telling him he's "done enough." Lo'ak defies Jake's order to stay put and eventually saves his father's life in the sinking SeaDragon. The two survive and Jake tells Lo'ak "I see you", suggesting the development of a healthier and more positive relationship in the future. Lo'ak's saving of his father's life, despite the order defiance, helps Jake to see the value of taking risks instead of running away or staying put, and how it can save people's lives. It also helps Jake see his own mistakes on how he has been mistreating Lo'ak, and how there is not always an easy answer on what someone should do for all of life's complicated dilemmas.

[etabiansosin]

Lo'ak is my favorite character in The Way of Water.

[lila]

This was really good, mate, thank you. I both pity Lo'ak for the shadows that he has to perpetually walk in, and have a slight disdain for his selfish, reckless ways 🤣 I was so angry at him when Neteyam died.

[victortang]

I like Lo'ak a lot because he reminds me of my younger days, and hence I sympathize with him a lot in The Way of Water. It is stressful to live in the shadows of not only his father Jake but also that of his big brother Neteyam who's better at everything he does, and so Lo'ak probably developed the mindset that he couldn't live up to Jake's expectations when he only wanted Jake to be proud of him and love him as a son. However, that kind of psychological hurt only deepened when he gradually saw Neteyam as a rival for his father's attention and couldn't see that his big brother loved him as a baby brother and never had any form of resentment towards him no matter what mistakes he committed. I do enjoy his relationship with Payakan, because it does show that Lo'ak does have empathy and kindness within him which he obviously inherited from Jake, as well as a strong heart with no fear. There have been comments that Lo'ak is basically a copy of Jake's younger self, and it shows in both his mannerisms and story arc so far. In terms of romance, he did get a break of sorts since he met Tsireya who genuinely took the time to know and understand him without judging him like the rest of the Na'vi despite Ronal's objections of Lo'ak having 'Demon Blood', which I hope would develop into a great romance story arc in its own right. (Honestly, Lo'ak got the better deal since Tsireya didn't try to kill him at first sight) Nonetheless, I wish Jake wasn't so hard on him and actually took the time to sit down and talk it out with Lo'ak instead of berating him which caused the youngest son to develop certain psychological problems and had difficulty fitting in with the rest of the family and the Na'vi Clan. Also, I hope Lo'ak's story arc in Avatar 3 won't be a copy of Jake's from Avatar...I want to see genuine character development for him in terms of accepting the consequences of his actions and also carving out his own path as well.

Thank you for reading my mini-essay, if you have reached here! 😀😁 And thank you Bryce for making this video!

[sofiasverdrup]

Even though Lo'ak is a troublemaker I love him so much

[Cliio]

I Always saw lo'ak as Jake and neteyam more Like Jakes Brother, because Jake was Always behind the Shadow of His Brother.

Neteyam died, Like Jakes Brother now both have to Be the bests.

[Yanna_]

I’ve been waiting for this episode since I’ve found your channel 😭. I love Lo’ak, dearly

[jadenbrown]

Lo'ak has Great Potential. I believe that AVATAR: The Tulkun Rider is his Movie.

[eeveebean]

That awkward moment when Way of Water is how you realize you're from a toxic military family

[frvshmdia]

Lo’ak will learn from his mistakes, i’m sure of it.

[spinnerboyz]

"I see you" means a different thing in Avatar. "I love you" would be an oversimplification of the complexity contained within the meaning of that expression.

[sophiaisabelle]

We appreciate your insights. Keep working hard.

[adventurekitty]

I feel like Jakes strict parenting style especially towards Lo'ak is because he sees a lot of his teenage self in Lo'ak and doesn't want him repeating Teenage Jake's mistakes. I get that feeling mainly because of how Jake talks about himself and Tom(Jakes twin brother who died if you reader did not remember) in the opening of the first Avatar movie(both the extended and the regular version).