The Importance of Being Toruk Makto: Mythology and Colonialism in the Avatar Franchise

In their study of colonial relationality, Sullivan and Goad argue mythical selves “reaffirm the existence of advantaged selves and marginalize or control the existences of disadvantaged selves” (2025: 3). However, their understanding of myth as a set of false notions that reinforce social structures of domination risks sidelining the propagandistic manipulation of already-existing folk myths to justify this structure. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to provide a background on the role of mythology in backing colonial conquest and apply it to James Cameron’s Avatar franchise. Set in a distant future and moon called Pandora, the world of Avatar introduces the indigenous Na’vi, who are very reliant on their folk mythology for their social organisation. This enables the human protagonist Jake, to gain acceptance and ascend as leader of the Na’vi: Jake tames and claims the pterodactyl-like Toruk as a mount, and hence becomes the new Toruk Makto, a mythical and revered hero of Na’vi mythology. Once in this position, he embodies a white saviour that paternalistically introduces colonialist values into Na’vi society, often against indigenous wishes. This goes on to show how self-mythologisation and mimicry may be used to gain compliance of indigenous groups in their own colonial subjugation.