What Does Unobtanium Actually Do? Avatar’s ‘Little Grey Rock’ Explained

The mineral Unobtanium is greatly valued in the Avatar franchise, with its properties making it a rare commodity. Set in the 22nd century, James Cameron’s Avatar would introduce the vast, breathtaking world of Pandora and its people known as the Na’vi, who maintain a spiritual connection with their world and deity known as Eywa. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) travels to Pandora as part of a human mining operation, but after having his mind uploaded into a Na’vi Avatar, he develops a connection with the Na’vi and eventually helps them fight off the human invaders. The humans were especially interested in Pandora’s Unobtanium.