Avatar (2009)

Giovanni Ribisi: Parker Selfridge

Photos 

Quotes 

• Dr. Grace Augustine : [to Selfridge]  Those trees were sacred to the Omaticaya in a way you can't imagine.

  Selfridge : You know what? You throw a stick in the air around here it falls on some sacred fern, for Christ's sake!

  Dr. Grace Augustine : I'm not talking about pagan voodoo here - I'm talking about something REAL and measurable in the biology of the forest.

  Selfridge : Which is *what* exactly?

  Dr. Grace Augustine : What we think we know - is that there's some kind of electrochemical communication between the roots of the trees. Like the synapses between neurons. Each tree has ten to the fourth connections to the trees around it, and there are ten to the twelfth trees on Pandora...

  Selfridge : That's a lot, I'm guessing.

  Dr. Grace Augustine : That's more connections than the human brain. You get it? It's a network - a global network. And the Na'vi can access it - they can upload and download data - memories - at sites like the one you just destroyed.

  Selfridge : [after a stunned pause]  What the HELL have you people been smoking out there?

  [beginning to laugh] 

  Selfridge : They're just. Goddamn. Trees.

  Dr. Grace Augustine : You need to wake up, Parker. The wealth of this world isn't in the ground - it's all around us. The Na'vi know that, and they're fighting to defend it. If you wanna share this world with them, *you* need to understand *them*.

  Col. Quaritch : I think we understand them just fine. Thanks to Jake here.

  [Jake and Grace share a look of horror as Quaritch begins to play Jake's video log] 

• Col. Quaritch : So since a deal *can't* be made, I guess things get *real* simple.

  [Sarcastically] 

  Col. Quaritch : Jake, thanks. I'm gettin' all emotional. Might just give you a big wet kiss!

  Col. Quaritch : I'll do it with minimal casualties to the indigenous. I'll drive 'em out with gas first. It'll be humane. More or less.

  Selfridge : Alright, let's pull the trigger.

• Selfridge : Look. You're supposed to be winning the hearts and minds of the natives. Isn't that the whole point of your little puppet show? If you walk like them, you talk like them, they'll trust you. We build them a school, teach them English. But after - how many years - the relations with the indigenous are only getting worse.

  Dr. Grace Augustine : Yeah, well that tends to happen when you use machine guns on them.

  Selfridge : Right. C'mere. You see this?

  [shows Grace the sample of Unobtanium on his desk] 

  Selfridge : This is why we're here. Because this little gray rock sells for $20 million a kilo. That's the only reason. This is what pays for the whole party, and it's what pays for your science. Those savages are threatening our whole operation. We're on the brink of war and you're supposed to be finding me a diplomatic solution. So use what you've got, and get me some results.

• Selfridge : [In the tech room, Selfridge putts a golf ball into a mug and laughs]  You see that?

  Worker : Yes sir!

  Selfridge : No you didn't, you were looking at the monitor. I love this putter, Ronnie! I love this putter!

  Dr. Grace Augustine : Parker. You know, I used to think it was benign neglect, but now I see that you are intentionally screwing me.

  Selfridge : Grace, you know, I enjoy our little talks.

  [He putts the ball again, it's about to go in the mug but Grace kicks the mug away] 

  Dr. Grace Augustine : [Deadpan]  Oops.

• [after Neytiri rejects Jake from Pandora] 

  Selfridge : Pull the plug.

• [as Jake is being relinked] 

  Selfridge : [scolding Jake a last chance]  Listen to me. You've got one hour. Unless you want your girlfriend in there when the axe comes down, you get them to evacuate. One hour.

• Selfridge : Look at all that Cheddar.