<P> Although Earth is never seen in the film, other than in the extended collectors edition, Cameron developed the future Earth of Avatar as a dystopian, overpopulated, overpolluted, global urban slum wrecked by corrupt, nature - destroying industrialism; the movie's background cyberpunk theme is a regular feature of his work . According to Jake, the Earth is a "dying world" where humans have "killed their mother", suggesting that there is very little, if any, functioning natural ecosystem left . By the film's 22nd century timeframe, Earth faces a worldwide economic / energy crisis due to the depletion of natural resources . Earth is also apparently so politically unstable that the services of private security contractors and the militaries of Earth's nations are in high demand; Colonel Quaritch boasts about serving three combat tours of duty in Nigeria before coming to Pandora and notes that Jake is a veteran of a military operation in Venezuela . The planet has also suffered serious natural and man - made disasters, such as an intra-continental conflict and tsunamis hitting the east and west coasts of the United States . </P> <P> Technologically, humans have achieved monumental advancements by 2154: interplanetary and interstellar space travel and colonization; virtual 3D printing and holography mapping; and advanced methods of cryonics and psionics (via synthetic telepathy interface) are employed . Using their capability of advanced genetic engineering, humans develop "Avatar" hybrid bodies from genetically distinct modified - human DNA and Na'vi alien genetic material . Through psionics, genetically matched humans are then mind - linked to these "Avatars" for remote control operation . In the area of medicine, humans have developed advanced stem cell neuroregeneration technology that can cure Jake's paralysis . However, in 2154, it is still extremely expensive and is not covered by Veterans Affairs benefits . Thus, RDA is initially able to use Jake's desire to regain the use of his legs as leverage against him . </P> <P> As with many science fiction films, many space vehicles, aircraft, ground vehicles, weapons and technologies were created to fit the story . Many were patterned after historical or contemporary technologies to give the film a sense of futuristic realism . Concept artist Ryan Church based many drawings on aerodynamic research from previously classified NASA and DARPA technical papers . Unlike the movie Aliens which employed one drop ship from de-orbit to ground combat, several vehicles cover specific roles of utility transport, gunship, and base resupply . This is similar to the specialization of aircraft and helicopters in the United States military since the Vietnam war . </P> <Ul> <Li> Amplified Mobility Platform is an MK - 6 vehicle redesigned for Pandora's hostile environment that is worn and controlled as a large "mech" motorized suit . They are 16 - foot - tall (4.9 m) exoskeletons powered by ceramic turbines . Soldiers at Hell's Gate use these for patrol and for battle . AMP suits are controlled via a semi-master - slave system--with the AMP's arm motion slaved to the pilot's arm motion . Motion - sensing gloves worn by the pilot are used to control the AMP arms--the result being that the AMP's arm movements exactly match the pilot's movement . In their military role, AMP's are usually armed with 30mm GAU - 90 autocannons, (occasionally equipped with a blade below the barrel, allowing the AMP to cut its way through denser foliage without putting the weapon aside) which the suit deploys as a soldier or Marine would hold and use a rifle . There is an ammo belt that extends into the gun, into an ammo canister on the shoulder, over the arm, into a socket at the back . The GAU - 90 fires 350 rounds per minute . The AMP suit has GPS, thermal imaging display, FLIR, and radar . Stan Winston Studios animator and Avatar Design Supervisor John Rosengrant described the AMP suit as "An Apache helicopter with legs". It also has a ceramic knife that is three feet long . Quaritch owns an AMP suit and has named it "Beyond Glory". Its GAU - 90 has a dragon painted on the ammo tube . </Li> <Li> SA - 2 Samson is a twin - ducted fan VTOL utility aircraft, similar in role and appearance to the real - world UH - 60 Black Hawk, Mi - 8 or UH - 1 Huey utility helicopters . It is armed with two door mounted machine guns and two pylons near the cockpit with missile pods mounted on them . The pair of ducted - fan assemblies, each with two coaxial propellers, enable the Samson of 6,000 kilograms lifting capability by manufacturers specifications, but lifting performance is rated at 150% of that on Pandora due to the thicker atmosphere . Both ducted - fan assemblies are capable of changing blade pitch independently . From the pilot perspective, forward and aft, lift, yaw and roll authority are accomplished by similar sets of controls found in conventional helicopters . Propulsion is twin Goetz - Korman turbine generators . </Li> <Li> AT - 99 Scorpion Gunship is the heavily armed gunship counterpart to Samson and is similar in role and appearance to the AH - 64 Apache, Mi - 28 or AH - 1 Cobra gunships . Dual co-axial ducted - fan rotor systems with a total of four prop - rotors each with three blades lead as the aircraft's primary proplusion . It drives on redundant fuel cells . Twin turbine generators driving counter-rotating annular ceramic motors . It is equipped with radar and sonar generators . It is armed with hex - cluster pylon - mounted . 50 caliber rotary chain gun systems that can rotate a full 360 degrees with 700 rounds per minute cyclic rate of fire as close range primary weapons . The Scorpion has two pair of stub - wing pylons to carry its armament . Scorpions carry 190 TK - 411 WAFAR (Wrap - Around Fin Aerial Rocket) rockets in ten 19 - tube rocket launchers . The use of the rocket varies according to the warhead that can range from tactical applications to impact - based sensor systems . Eight Hawkeye NPB - 9 Hellfire (Helicopter Launched Fire - and - forget) missiles are used to engage air - to - air targets in conjunction with the nose - mounted sensor suite . The tail doubles as a rear stabilizer . </Li> <Li> C - 21 Dragon Assault Ship is a large four - post ducted - fan VTOL heavily armed transport and gunship which can deliver AMP suits through drop doors . Quaritch led RDA forces with one of these . Its myriad arsenal of heavy machine guns, dozens upon dozens of rocket and missile pods, and door - gunners makes it the RDA's largest ship so far, with the Valkyrie shuttle being the only larger vehicle designed for extended use in the atmosphere of Pandora . Quad turbine generators drive the four - posted ceramic propellers . The Dragon is heavily armed with multiple weapons systems included grenades, rockets, missiles and point - defense Gatling cannons . Ability to deploy many troops and AMP suits, variety of medium automatic guns, ATG and ATA missiles, incendiary rockets, grenades, door gunners, plus dual and quad Gatling gun systems . All gun and missile systems are constrained by friendly fire avoidance codes (IFF Lockout). It has twin cockpits . Its propellers counter-rotate to navigate, plus the nose - mounted radar suite . There are eight fifty - millimeter sentry guns mounted below the right cockpit . </Li> <Li> GAV Swan is a six - wheeled terrain assault vehicle . Its full name is the Ground Assault Vehicle JL - 723 . It has a gyrostabilized platform so when it travels over rough terrain, the gunner platform is stabilized . The extended gunner's chair can rise up 3.6 meters above the vehicle to see over obstructions between the gun and the target, like the long neck of a swan, hence the name . This 6x6 is built for all terrain, and its permalloy armor and four turret - mounted sixty - millimeter rotary autocannons provide protection from the Pandoran environment . The wheels have little armor and are designed with a thick polymer alloy . Swans have a gyrostabilized system that rotates a full 360 degrees . Swans also have a roll bar and four rear headlights . Swans have redundant fuel cells in the rear . When the chair extends, the ammunition storage canister is located at the back . </Li> <Li> Hell's Gate is a secure forward operating base with airfield, resembling a "modern day Khe Sanh". Slightly more than a third of the site is taken up by the shuttle runway, VTOL pads, hangars, equipment storage areas, and garage structures . The armor bay is where vehicles come to get stored, repaired or refitted . This building is the main storage area of all AMP suits . There is also a small weight room inside a weapons locker that Quaritch uses . Designed for security and rapid force deployment, the Armor Bay is the core of Hell's Gate's defenses . Housed inside its fortified hangar and at the ready are Dragon Assault Ships configured for forward strike operations, Scorpion Gunships, Samson Helicopters, Model 10 Slash - Cutters, an array of AMP Suits, and other attack craft including support vehicles and assorted battle - ready machinery . </Li> <Li> ISV Venture Star or Interstellar Vehicle Venture Star is an interstellar bulk carrier starship that uses antimatter propulsion systems to enable interstellar travel . It transports supplies, equipment, humans in cryonic hibernation, refined ore, and data between Earth and Pandora, taking around six years to travel from one to the other . The Venture Star does not land on the planetary surface, but stations itself in orbit and rendezvous with operations on Earth and Pandora via Valkyrie shuttlecraft that dock with it . The Venture Star is one of twelve RDA ISV mineral carriers, continuously traveling between the Sol and Alpha Centauri A systems . According to film designer Ben Proctor: </Li> </Ul>

What are the blue creatures in avatar called