Why did Jake's Toruk leave?
 

Something that is not 100% clear to me is that, at the very end of the movie, Jake's Toruk flies away and we hear Jake's voice narrate, "Toruk Makto was no longer needed". Did Jake send his toruk away or did it leave on its own? If he did send it away, why would he? Was it too hard to take care of or was it a symbolic gesture of some sort? Does a great leonopteryx fly with someone forever like an Ikran or is the relationship temporary? Should it be needed in the future, will Jake have to tame it again?

If anyone feels that they have anything to offer on the subject, I would appreciate it.

All purely speculation:
A Toruk wouldn't want to spend it's life with a Na'vi, it would want to return to being free once what was needed to be done had been. Probably would also be hard to keep - in terms of it staying somewhere and having to hunt, I'm guessing a creature as big as Toruk needs to fairly often. There's not so much it could do anyway when the time off great sorrow was over.
I think that a bond as special as with a Toruk would mean that each keeps something of the other though... if Toruk Makto was needed again, I think they could find each other. So not really temporary, but not the same as an ikran either.

I got the distinct impression that he set it free. You now have given me the seed for another small vignette scene for Jake. (My continuing Jake commentary and fan fic threads)
Toruk is still an Ikran, they operate basically the same so once Jake made a tsaheylu with it, they were joined for life. If he needs to ride him again, Eywa will likely make a point of getting them together again.
Jake will know where to find him if the need arises.

More questions:


What did Jake's ikran do during the final battle? Did Eywa transfer instructions to it?

Do you think Jake named his ikran during the time frame of the film, and we didn't get to see it, or did it remain nameless?

Jake's Ikran was probably part of the final battle if I had to guess. As for a name, Jake probably gave it one, but we never know what it is during the film. Maybe it's revealed in one of the deleted scenes from the collectors edition? It doesn't seem like something that important would be overlooked...

I agree

Toruk is no Ikran they are very different. They do not operate the same. Ikran live in communities like Wolf packs. Toruks are more solitary like the Tiger. Toruk strikes me as creature which values its freedom and space, unlike the Ikran which is more readily domesticated. But no doubt, should a time of great sorrow arise again, Eywa will bring Toruk back.

A Toruk could be a bit of a liability. I think that Toruk Makto would have to constantly send the message "Don't eat anyone or our Ikran's." Every time I watch the movie I think of Jake sending that message when he is landing at the Tree of Souls.

Now they did have the skeleton of the last Toruk Makto's Toruk there at the tree. So perhaps Jake letting it go was different than what the Na'vi did in the past.

I don't think it was part of the battle. Ikrans only fly with a single hunter. I still think that Jake has his Ikran. We will probrably see it in the sequel.

I miss Seze :'(.

I figured that the Toruk would have a connection to him forever, but since the time of great sorrow was over, he let it go live on its own until it is needed again.

this.

I wonder how big Toruk-sized hot pockets would be...

Just about the size of a tawtute :P