Short answer: As of the latest released film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Miles Quaritch appears to die, but both the film’s staging and comments from people involved leave his final fate ambiguous rather than absolutely confirmed[2][1].
Why it is ambiguous
– In the climactic sequence, Quaritch jumps from a ledge into a fire-filled chasm after a confrontation with Jake Sully, and the film depicts this as a fall that strongly implies death[2].
– The scene is staged to look final, but interviews and reporting note that actor Stephen Lang has suggested Quaritch has historically been difficult to kill and hinted that the moment might not be truly definitive, which raises doubt about whether the character is permanently gone[1].
How filmmakers leave room for return
– Franchise storytelling often keeps major antagonists available for return by using ambiguous on-screen deaths, off-screen survival possibilities, or technological/mystical means within the story world; in this series Quaritch has already returned in previous films through body-transfer and hybrid forms, so the narrative has precedent for creative resurrections[1].
– Public comments from cast and the film’s structure—showing a dramatic fall without an on-screen body recovery or an unequivocal confirmation—are typical ways a franchise signals that a character could return in a later installment[1][2].
What to watch for in future installments
– Official confirmation would come from future films, studio statements, or credible interviews with filmmakers; until then, the most reliable evidence is the on-screen depiction (appears to die) plus the contextual hints from cast and franchise history (keeps chances open)[2][1].
Sources
https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/avatar-fire-and-ash-ending-explained/
https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65627981/
