In James Cameron’s Avatar, Pandora is the fictional moon where the Na’vi live.
The 2009 science-fiction film Avatar is set primarily on Pandora, a moon orbiting the fictional gas giant Polyphemus in the Alpha Centauri system. Pandora is home to the Na’vi, a tall humanoid species whose society is deeply connected to the moon’s organisms and ecosystems. The human expedition seeks unobtanium, a valuable mineral found on Pandora.
The film’s story follows Jake Sully, a former Marine who operates a genetically engineered Na’vi-human body called an avatar. Through this body, he interacts with Na’vi communities and becomes involved in the conflict over land and resources. Pandora’s forests, wildlife, floating mountains, and networked biology are major parts of the film’s visual and thematic identity.
This fictional Pandora is distinct from Saturn’s real moon Pandora. It is also distinct from the ancient Greek figure Pandora, although the shared name creates an intentional mythic association in popular culture.