timing of destruction of Hometree

[Ashen Key]

I was looking through some screencaps yesterday when I was reminded of a timeline question I have in movie - namely, when did the destruction of Hometree happen?

The theatrical version of the movie makes it look like it happened on the same day as the destruction of the Tree of Voices, and you can argue that it is the same in the CE (hmm, I should go and see if Selfridge is wearing the same shirt or not). But on the other hand, when the scene comes of the Omaticayan warparty setting fire to the bulldozers, the way the light is from memory, it looks like night. And also, when Wainfleet and his squad turn up to inspect the damage and retrieve the bodies, the fire has burnt out. Both of those things could suggest that discovery of the bodies and the destruction of Hometree happen the NEXT day (or possibly the two are stretched out over two days).

...and if the next day, this also gives Neytiri more time to rebraid her hair. (Although...this actually makes me wonder where the Omaticaya found their snazzy war outfits, given their belongings were destroyed along wit the rest of their village).

Any thoughts?

[Human No More]

Hmm, I don't see why it couldn't be the next day, it doesn't actually cause any conflict with anything.
As for where the Omatikaya got their different clothes and warpaint etc. - I guess maybe from another clan on the way there, or even from when they were bringing the clans together before the battle - I'm sure those other clans would share what they have considering as they lost their home.

[Ashen Key]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Hmm, I don't see why it couldn't be the next day, it doesn't actually cause any conflict with anything.

Nope, it doesn't conflict with anything, I'm just trying to work out what'd be the most LIKELY. For Great Fic Justice.

Originally Posted by Human No More

As for where the Omatikaya got their different clothes and warpaint etc. - I guess maybe from another clan on the way there, or even from when they were bringing the clans together before the battle - I'm sure those other clans would share what they have considering as they lost their home.

Mmm, probably, yes. At least, the ones who stopped to pack before charging off after Jake and Neytiri fired them up *g*. Just all the details, particularly on the hair, are so intricate, it just made me tilt my head a little.

[Sothis]

Already sent you my timeline, but thought I would put it here too.

This timeline represents "minimums".... tracking what is the shortest possible time between Jake's dreamhunt and the big battle that stays true to what's in the movie, deleted scenes, and script. In reality, "Day 4" might be several days, or as long as a week.

Day 0: pre-dawn -dreamhunt; morning - post-dreamhunt ceremony; night - Jake and Neytiri love scene at the tree of voices

Day 1: Morning- ToV destroyed; Tsu'tey/Jake challenge; avatars unplugged; Night- hunters attack (drums of war)

Day 2: Avatars reawaken; Hometree destroyed; Norm, Jake and Grace imprisoned;

Day 2 -3: Night- Trudy breaks them out and they escape

Day 3: Dawn- shack lands; Day- Jake tames Toruk; Late afternoon- Jake returns; Dusk – attempt to save Grace @ Tree of Souls, Jake's speech, begin gathering clans

Day 3 – 4: Night - “Horse people of the plains” (Akwey), “You came back” scene

Day 4: “Ikran people of the Eastern sea”

Day 5: Dawn – return to well of souls; Morning: Quaritch addresses colony; Day- humans prep for war; Day - Conference with Max

Day 6: Morning - The Great Battle

EDIT: Just rewatched's Quaritch's briefing to get an idea of how much time had passed since Jake's epic speech. Doesn't sound like a lot of time: "These orbital images tell me that the hostiles' numbers have gone from a few hundred to well over two thousand in one day. And more are pouring in. In a week's time, there could be twenty thousand of them."

So I'd say "day 4" is one or two days.

[Ashen Key]

Originally Posted by Sothis

Just rewatched's Quaritch's briefing to get an idea of how much time had passed since Jake's epic speech. Doesn't sound like a lot of time: "These orbital images tell me that the hostiles' numbers have gone from a few hundred to well over two thousand in one day. And more are pouring in. In a week's time, there could be twenty thousand of them."

So I'd say "day 4" is one or two days.

You could actually stretch it out a bit more then that - the 'few hundred' could well be just the neighboring clans coming in. Especially if the Omaticaya only had a population of 200 (give or take), and then had a large number killed as Hometree fell. And also, the time it takes to get the numbers back....I think you can stretch it out to three or so day.

My main problem with days one and two being seperate is that Selfridge is wearing the same shirt. Given all the other times, he's wearing different ones, that suggests to me that it's the same day.

EDIT: Actually, pretty sure ALL the characters are wearing the same clothes - so, it's the same day.

[Human No More]

It makes sense as the bulk of the Omatikaya (minus the ones who went with Jake) would be the few hundred, the clans that they gathered would probably need some time to arrive for some such as the horse clans who seem to have relatively few ikran, and distance is still a factor with all the clans. Gathering the clans visibly takes at least one day as it is night at the start and perhaps early afternoon later on in the scene, then night again at the end, so it can be assumed that the evening shown is either the same day or one day later and the same night as Quaritch talking, where all the clans have arrived.