Naming the colony.

[HorusRe/Bila'reu]

Seems like we should make an endeavor to develop a name for the colony, otherwise we are all going to be going around with human characters referring to it as "the colony". Seeing as how these humans have to get used to the idea that this IS home, there is no place to go back to really, wouldn't it make sense to try and make it feel like homw? This would, of course, start with perception... and having a name is a start to making it feel like home.

I suggest "Heaven's Gate", and in short form simply "Heaven". This gives credit to the movie but is less hopeless sounding than "Hell's Gate". This name thus speaks of hope and of benevolence, of a new life and a new start for humanity.

What says the community?

[fuzzydude]

To be honest, I sort of think it sounds kind of cheesy. Then again, I thought nearly all the names in Avatar were pretty cheesy, including Hell's Gate. Also, seriously, who names a moon "Pandora" and expects something good to come from it? Sure it means "all-gifted" but nobody thinks of that when they hear the name! And that's not even mentioning "unobtanium", which is probably the element right before MacGuffanium.

Keeping with the horrid naming convention, we might as well call the colony "the Box" because what could possibly go wrong with the Box in a place called Pandora? Although I guess if you thought about it enough, there's some accidental brilliance to that considering hope was the only thing left trapped in Pandora's box.

Anyway, the place does definitely need a name. Heaven's Gate works, although it sounds a bit too optimistic to me. They'd probably hopeful, but not that hopeful about it. I guess there's always "Haven" although that's overused in science fiction.

I'm pretty terrible with names, unfortunately. Which explains most of my unimaginative thread subjects.

[HorusRe/Bila'reu]

Normally I'd agree with the "cheesy" aspect, but then I remember what world I'm talking about. The "wannabeFerngully" movie. Where the primitive culture is all about love and life and there are only trace elements of the violence associated with real primitive tribal cultures, its almost insulting really, how idealized the Na'vi are in this flick. While the corporation is depicted as greedy and self-serving, again, this is a caricature of the truth. The whole thing is dripping optimism like sap from a maple tree. Seriously, does anyone really think bows and arrows will beat bullets and technology? The American Indians couldn't pull it off... and the US Cavalry didn't come in with gunships and power suits.

This RP keeps with the optimistic spirit.

What would really happen in the situation detailed at the end of the movie? The Na'vi kick humans off Pandora. Pragmatically... the next human group that comes along doesn't have a mercenary force, they come armed for bear, with a fully armed and trained military contingent, and simply practice slash & burn tactics. Anything that gets in their way eats large caliber MG fire or fuel air explosives. The only goal is the MacGuffinanium, and seeing as how it is a LONG way from Earth (and reporters and correspondents that might issue "bad press") they can do anything they want to get it. Na'vi resistance meets Imminent Domain, and just like every culture that has met the needs of a superior technological force, they get ground under the wheels of progress. Done deal. Over and out.

Doesn't make for much of an RP though.

Cameron intended the story to be fanciful, optimistic, and more than a little sickeningly sweet. I mean really, on a world where all the other life conforms to a whole different body design, the Na'vi are basically big humans with feline features. Making them attractive and familiar. Would it have worked as well had Jake been a bit of a freak and fallen in love with something that looked more like a six legged reptile-thing? Nope, people would have walked out on that flick. So figure on the theme being blindly optimistic, and more than a little unbelievable as a result. heh heh

In that light I don't think "Heaven's Gate" is too over the top.

I thought of Haven myself, and came to the same conclusion... it feels used up. Too often applied in sci-fi. People use it for planet names and colony names whenever they want to project a sense of hope in a hopeless situation.

Heaven, not so much. Why? Probably to avoid any possibility to offend the religiously devoted... people that (it would seem) would not be interested in an RPG to begin with.

Yup. It's all sorts of cheesy. But like good Blue Cheese, it is something that one might have to grow accustomed to.

Maybe something that does tie back into the Greek mythos. Didn't Pandora have a lover in one version?

*checks wiki*

Hmmmm.

I'm still keeping Heaven's Gate open (mostly because it abides by the Cameron intended theme and serves as homage to the director/author), but I found another possibility.

Deucalion.

Husband of Pyrrah (the daughter of Pandora), child of Prometheus, and survivor of the flood that ended that age of man. He was the Greek Noah, built and arc to survive the great flood. He was hope, he was survival.

Seems and interesting parallel here.

Course, heh heh, I still prefer my first suggestion, but I'm also democratic.

[fuzzydude]

Hehe, when you put it that way... yeah, it doesn't sound so bad. There's a lot about the movie that is blatantly silly, or even insulting if you think about it for any amount of time, yet it taps so hard into the inner psyche of our society that it pretty much leaves a smoking crater of feel goodness. I have a strange love-hate relationship with the movie for that reason, among others (like the unfortunate implications that come from the whole Mighty Whitey becomes a better native than the natives and gets chief's daughter routine).

I actually find the victory in the movie pretty realistic, though. The natives can fly, shoot spears instead of arrows, and the RDA had pretty much zero strategy and tactics. They were arrogant enough to do nothing but fly in a straight line and primarily use guys in little rectangular buckets wielding small arms that have been shown to have limited effect on a good deal of creatures on Pandora. Despite all this, they were still winning, which also makes sense because they were that technologically superior. And also because the Na'vi's entire ground strategy was apparently to charge head-first into an established firing line of mechanized infantry carrying high caliber automatic weapons, which had the expected results. Maybe the Na'vi wouldn't have the knowledge of that kind of large-scale, technology-based warfare to carry it out properly, but they were being lead by a trained marine who's supposedly a great leader. Seriously Jake? Sun Tzu was rolling in his grave at that moment.

Anyway, it wasn't until the entire moon full of bulletproof animals charged them on the ground and a bunch of banshees (and a dragon) pretty much zerg rushed them until all their aircraft were crashing from the sheer weight of it all (or stuff simply getting stuck in their propellers) did they lose. And if you're surrounded by a bunch of ultralisks and flying zerglings all controlled by a single sentience the size of a moon, supported by natives shooting 6 foot long spears at you, it's pretty realistic that you're in a lot of trouble no matter how many big guns you have. They were pretty much trying to take on the Zerg, complete with the Overmind using only a force intended to protect some miners from wildlife.

Of course, you're totally right. 5 years later, real army comes in, nukes them from orbit (it's the only way to be sure), and then go in with radiation suits to take all the unobtainium they'd like. I think I recall that canonically, it was already a PR nightmare for the RDA and a lot of people were opposed to it, but the truth is that it wouldn't take a genius to spin the whole event and justify a full scale assault in retaliation for an unprovoked attack and, oh by the way, now that they aren't around, we might as well use all this useful unobtainium lying around!

Anyway, all that being said... Heaven's Gate actually fits after your explanation. I do have a great weakness for obscure Greek references, though, and Deucalion is just perfect in that respect, which is why I actually personally like it much better.

[Jai'byrd]

Two for one Sci-Fi references for the win! ;D

[HorusRe/Bila'reu]

So we got a few more members now... lets open this up for the full floor discussion.

We have, currently on the table,

1) Heaven's Gate.
2) Deucalion.
3) The Box.

Looking for more options here and then we can try and hammer those options down to two or three for a vote.

We do need a name for the colony, as "the colony" will get old real fast, and its already established its already been running for five years. People don't live anywhere, with intent on it being permanent, for that long without giving the place a name.

[HorusRe/Bila'reu]

Heaven's Gate is still my preferred option here. The floor has been open for suggestions, debate, and general discussion for some time now and there has been no significant interaction... thus, unless I get some other input to dissuade my lasting impression, I shall assume that there need be no other discussion and go with the option I prefer.

If having the colony named "Heaven's Gate" doesn't appeal to anyone then speak now or forever hold yer peace.

The debate over the matter will be tabled in three days if there is no response here.

[HorusRe/Bila'reu]

The debate is officially tabled.

The colony is now named Heavens Gate.