The moment in Avatar that I believe is worth noting is the moving of the Avatar program to the floating mountains or the “Hallelujah Mountains.” Watching the movie I did not catch that they were referred to as the “Hallelujah Mountains” and upon hearing them called that in research, I immediately linked them to the White messiah archetype.
The Hallelujah Mountains is the place where the scientists move the Avatar program to get away from the militaristic base so they can conduct their research. It is the place where Norm most wants to visit and is extremely disappointed to hear that Jake hasn’t even heard of them. The mountains themselves are not inhabited by the Na’vi (they are however by the mountain banshees) so when they become the home for the scientists they are now “floating” above the Na’vis. Are you starting to see a pattern with the white messiah archetype?
The mountains are basically clouds that cast shadows over Pandora. In many western depictions of heaven, the heavens are set in the clouds, which could signify the religious connection with the “hallelujah” name. It is no mere coincidence then that Jake is coming down from the mountains each day to work with the Na’vi also signifying the white messiah aspect that we discussed in class. “Hallelujah” is something that is uttered in Christian religions when prayers are answered as well. To name the mountains the “Hallelujah Mountains” shows that whoever is inhabiting the mountains may in fact be answering prayers i.e. Jesus/God.
Based off of the role of the Hallelujah Mountains in Avatar as being seen as a beautiful portrayal of Pandora and a place in the sky, it can be argued that they are indeed an extension of the White Messiah archetype as a place where the messiah is to come from. Now, I know that Jake did not inhabit the floating mountains throughout the movie but neither did the Na’vis. So to say what the Na’vis though of what happened in the floating mountains is up for speculation because the viewer does not know. The difference is is that Sully and the humans were able to. By having Jake able to live on the floating mountains conveys the message that he is able to do things the Na’vis are not which is similar to Jesus and his followers, where Jesus could act out miracles.
First of all, I'd like to commend you on the huge picture (assuming size matters). Also great topic! I cannot believe that nobody argued the Mountains when we had a 30min discussion on the Great White Messiah! Hallelujah and Messiah should have came up right away! I like the analysis of the Position of the Mountains in accordance to several conventions of "Heavenly" stories. I'd like to add their connection to the greek Mount Olympus, yet another holy Mountain. Mt. Olympus was the "home base" of the Greek Deities, and it's probably no coincidence that these sacred mountains would be the base of our Messiah Jake. Jake's ability to live there also plays on the greeks again, as humans (or Na'avians for all we know) were not able to live in the realm of the gods.
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