James Cameron's ambitious sci-fi epic Avatar introduced fans to the alien world of Pandora. This was a planet that certainly felt alien, with its jungles full of odd creatures that at most only vaguely resemble those of Earth. Among the many peculiar creatures to be prominently featured was a flying animal referred to as a mountain banshee by humans and the Ikran by the Na'vi. These large creatures have a prominent role in Na'vi culture, with one spending a portion of the film as a companion of protagonist Jake Sully. Their role in the movie and subsequent material has allowed the Ikran to stand out among Pandora's wildlife.
In addition to the film sequel The Way of Water, the world is getting revisited with Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Ubisoft's open-world adventure will allow players to freely explore James Cameron's alien world on a level far greater than he could show on film. There is plenty of Far Cry-style action involving gunplay and carnage, but one interesting detail has been revealed. A central part of the game will involve the player getting with an Ikran of their own, but what exactly is an Ikran? And why is it so significant to Avatar lore?
5 Role in Na'vi Culture
The Na'vi rcognize a close connection to nature, but their relationships with Ikran take things to a whole new level. Because they form lifelong bonds with their riders, Ikran hold a special position in Na'vi beliefs. Many of the clans treat bonding with an Ikran as a rite of passage, and an essential step to becoming a warrior. Because of this, every Na'vi warrior has their own Ikran mount.
4 Biology
Admittedly, a lot of the Ikran's anatomy is pretty confusing even to the greatest biologists. Suffice it to say that they are large flying creatures that look vaguely like pterodactyls with a few strange traits- the most obvious probably being the ridge protruding from the lower jaw. The full body is almost snake-like, with four limbs that function as both legs and wings. A person could easily be forgiven for assuming Ikran to be reptilian, as they certainly appear that way on the outside. In actuality, it is capable of regulating its own body temperature and shares a lot of traits closer to birds. Other notable traits include four eyes- two pairs that serve differering functions- and an organic air intake system.
3 Bonds with Riders are Permanent
Like other creatures on Pandora, the Na'vi can connect to Ikran through their braids, which act like chords joining them together. What distinguishes Ikran, however, is setting up the link permanently ties it to the rider. This means that any Na'vi and an Ikran that form this link remain lifelong companions. Because of this, many Na'vi clans view bonding with an Ikran as a rite of passage and most Na'vi warriors have an Ikran.
This aspect was shown in the original movie, when Jake Sully had to go through the ritual and nearly died in the process. According to Ubisoft, Frontiers of Pandora will also allow the player to bond with one and even includes options for naming and feeding it. According to Neytiri, an Ikran can only bond with one person during its lifetime, though it is unclear what happens to it if the rider dies.
2 Ikran Training is Extremely Dangerous
Although it is a central part of their culture, successfully bonding with an Ikran is quite dangerous. Just reaching them is difficult enough. It requires traversal of the Hallelujah Mountains, a range of floating peaks where any misstep could send an unfortunate individual falling to their death. Upon finally reaching the biggest mountain, Mons Veritatis, actual interaction with the Ikran can begin. The caveat is the "correct" Ikran is identifiable because it will immediately try to kill its future rider, requiring them to wrestle with it until they can get their braid properly connected. The final step involves riding the Ikran off a cliff. As Neytiri puts it, "the first flight seals the bond." However, this process takes a few minutes, during which the rider will have to continue wrestling with the Ikran which will alternately be plummeting, flying erratically, and/or resisting the rider's influence.
1 In Frontiers of Pandora
According to Ubisoft, a major part of the game will involve the player bonding with an Ikran of their own. This presumably means the game will portray the bonding ritual, though whether it will be playable, shown through cutscenes, or some combination thereof remains to be seen. What matters is the player will get one as a companion and riding it is a big part of gameplay. The official gameplay overview shows Ikran gameplay to include lots of cool stunt work that would definitely make some epic virtual photography, as well as opportunities to use the Ikran to gain an advantage against the RDA.
Additionally, the Ikran is fully customizable. Players get to name it and, presumably, modify its appearance. The exact range of options has not been disclosed yet, but it would probably at the very least include being able to change colors. This means that not only can the player get their own Ikran, they can personalize it to better fit their game experience.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is set to release December 7, 2023 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Microsoft Windows.