Leona Lewis sees you! (Photo by Miko Lim for Blender)
The new Leona Lewis song from the Avatar movie is out and Popeater.com has it available via streaming for those of us that can’t wait until the end credits. This song was produced by James Horner and Simon Franglen.
“I See You” is a “Colors of the Wind” in reverse. Instead of the singer giving lessons about a different culture, she is being taught. The lyrics are almost pure codependent love, a staple of the power ballad. I couldn’t find the lyrics anywhere so I wrote them down and present them to you to mull over for possible plot links. The words talk about hope and sacrifice, so I’m expecting a tragic death of at least one major character and a bittersweet ending. Also, I remember that “I see you” was an Aiel greeting from the Wheel of Time books, so perhaps the Na’vi use it like that too. What do you think?
I See You lyrics:
I see you
I see you
Walking through a dream I see you
By light and darkness breathing hope of new life
Now I live through you and you through me, enchanted
I pray in my heart that this dream never ends
I see me through your eyes
Breathing new life flying high
Your love shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life as a sacrifice
I live through your love
You teach me how to see all that’s beautiful
My senses touch a world I’ve never pictured
Now I give my hope to you; I surrender
I pray in my heart that this world never ends
I see me through your eyes
Breathing new life flying high
Your love shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life, I offer my love for you
Then my heart was never open (and my spirit never free)
To the world that you have shown me
But my eyes could not envision
All the colors of love and of life ever more (ever more)
I see me through your eyes (I see me through your eyes)
Breathing new life, flying high
Your love shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life as a sacrifice
I live through your love
I live through your love
Ah ah eh
I see you (Ah ah eh)
I see you
There were quite a few Aiel references in the movie.
“I see you – walking through a dream” – Aiel dreamwalkers, anyone?
Also when Jake Sully is fighting the climatic battle, he asks his enemy to dance with him.
[MOVIE SPOILERS] I missed the dreamwalkers reference but now that you mention it I agree! I did get the dance reference though. Maybe it’s a stretch but the shaman/warrior couple could be compared to the Aes Sedai/Warder pairing and the planet network with the Source. I need to see it again- I bet there’s more! If they do make sequels perhaps we’ll even get a desert tribe.
I noticed alot of similarities between the avatar people in the aiel…first like you said the “I See You” but they actually used the term “dreamwalker” in one of the translated words on the screen. Plus the whole setup was very aiel. How they had a chief, clan chief, and they had a woman who spirtualy advised the clan, wise woman. Plus they called them clans and there were various ones throughout the planet.
Yes, there are definitely many interesting parallels. Or maybe we love WoT too much. 😉
they did use the term dreamwalker, i remember
also they the main girl in the movie mentioned something about “since the first songs were sung”
it reminded me of the whole entire formation of the tinklers looking for “the song”
and.. uhh.. both of them don’t use swords? but I guess that’s a stretch, haha
I noticed the same thing right away, and many elements of the movie went on to reinforce the notion. Jake Sully is a foreigner thrust among them who becomes their messianic figure. Trace the Aiel back far enough and you would likely find a people struggling to juxtapose their violent world with the way of the leaf, but well on the way to embracing their inner warrior. Of course Cameron may have borrowed from Jordan, but there are plenty of differences.
Did anyone notice the parallels between Sully’s love interest (the name escapes me) and Avienda, assigned to teach him the way of the “people” against her personal wishes? Of course the same parallel exists in Dances with Wolves, but I think the parallel with Avienda is stronger.
Also, the Aiel were the “People of the Dragon”, and the Navi are the dragon riders. I could probably spend hours drumming up allusions.
Neytiri is the name. Her people didn’t ride dragons exactly but close enough. Another Aiel similarity is that the clans have female warriors too although the movie focuses on just the one. Since we’re getting sequels I’m hoping for lots more immersion in Na’Vi culture. Then we can obsess further!
This is the only thing that popped up when I searched “Avatar Navi Aiel.” “I see you” and Neytiri’s reluctance to teach Jake immediately put me into the thought process that there were parallels, and thinking that way through the movie made me wonder if Cameron ripped off this stuff or not.
As more WoT fans see Avatar, I bet more people will discuss the similarities online. Still, I don’t think Cameron ripped off anything because the differences between Aiel and Na’vi outweigh the similarities. Also, Robert Jordan used elements previously seen in fantasy- it doesn’t mean that the concepts were stolen since he used his own interpretation of a basic tribal idea.
It is always interesting and fun when I see something that reminds me of a beloved series like Wheel of Time and that’s the spirit in which I’ve made the comparisons.
it’s fabulous