Do Jake and Quaritch Team Up in Avatar 3?
Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third movie in the Avatar series released in 2025, keeps Jake Sully and Colonel Quaritch as bitter enemies for most of the story. They clash hard over control of Pandora, with Quaritch leading attacks to grab Jake and his adopted son Spider. But there are key moments where their paths cross in tense ways that feel like uneasy teamwork, without a full team-up.
The plot picks up after the events of Avatar: The Way of Water. Quaritch, now in a Na’vi body called a recombinant, builds forces with the fierce Mangkwan Ash tribe. He allies with their leader, Varang, to hunt Jake and recover Spider, who he sees as his son. This setup from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar:_Fire_and_Ash shows Quaritch scheming against Jake, not joining him.
Jake fights back to protect his family among the Metkayina clan. Tension builds when Quaritch’s group ambushes and captures Spider, dragging Jake to the RDA base at Bridgehead City. Neytiri sneaks in for a rescue, and Spider helps Jake escape by acting as a human shield, since the RDA values him for science reasons. As they flee, Jake even considers killing Spider to cut ties but backs off in grief, and Neytiri accepts him fully. Details on this escape come from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar:_Fire_and_Ash.
A big scene happens when the Sully kids get trapped by Ash fighters. Quaritch and Jake both show up. Quaritch teaches Varang to use guns, but Kiri calls on Eywa’s plants to wipe out the fighters, letting Jake’s family slip away. Later, in a cliffhanger fight on a floating rock, Spider shoots Quaritch, who falls but grabs Spider. Jake pulls them both up, even though he hates it. Neytiri arrives with backup, and Quaritch leaps off in fury rather than surrender. This reluctant save hints at Jake’s changing view, as noted in https://screenrant.com/avatar-fire-and-ash-jake-sully-quartich-relationship-changed-explained/.
Pandora’s wild environment starts to shift their rivalry. Quaritch forms an odd alliance with the Mangkwan to chase Jake, creating a new threat dynamic. Sources like https://www.threeifbyspace.net/2025/12/review-avatar-fire-and-ash-a-visually-stunning-story-with-heart/ call it unusual, while their bond over Spider adds layers. Still, no real team-up happens; they end as foes, with Quaritch raging into the unknown.
Spider grows into a wildcard, bonding with Na’vi spirits underwater and meeting Grace’s ghost, which ties into family drama. Reviews point out how this makes him central, per https://www.thereviewgeek.com/avatar-fireandash-endingexplained/.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar:_Fire_and_Ash
https://screenrant.com/avatar-fire-and-ash-jake-sully-quartich-relationship-changed-explained/
https://www.threeifbyspace.net/2025/12/review-avatar-fire-and-ash-a-visually-stunning-story-with-heart/
https://www.threeifbyspace.net/2025/12/review-avatar-fire-and-ash-a-visually-stunning-story-with-heart/
https://www.thereviewgeek.com/avatar-fireandash-endingexplained/
