Does Avatar 3 Make Quaritch More Sympathetic?
Colonel Miles Quaritch has always been the tough, no-nonsense villain in the Avatar movies. In the first film, he was all about destroying the Na’vi to get the valuable unobtanium. Fans loved to hate him for his brutal ways. Then, in Avatar: The Way of Water, things got a bit more personal. Quaritch came back in a Na’vi avatar body, complete with his old memories. He had a son, Spider, who was raised by the Na’vi. This father-son bond made some viewers feel a tiny spark of sympathy for him, even though he stayed driven by revenge against Jake Sully.https://www.cbr.com/avatars-quaritch-detail-hateable/
Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third movie released on December 19, takes this further. Quaritch teams up with Varang, the fierce leader of the Ash People, a group of Na’vi who live in a harsh, volcanic world. At first, it looks like a pure alliance of convenience. Quaritch needs her warriors to hunt Jake, and she wants power. But actor Stephen Lang, who plays Quaritch, says there’s more to it. He describes a “chemical reaction” between them, like two kindred spirits who get each other right away. Quaritch feels at home in her world of conflict and battle, which matches his soldier background.https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a69805012/avatar-fire-ash-stephen-lang-quaritch-varang-relationship/
This partnership shows Quaritch changing. He spends real time living among Na’vi, not just fighting them. One sign could be him starting to use Na’vi names properly, like calling Varang by name instead of treating her as just another enemy. In past movies, he lumped all Na’vi together, seeing them only through his grudge against Jake. Now, allying with her might force him to adapt to their ways, similar to how Jake did.https://www.cbr.com/avatars-quaritch-detail-hateable/ Lang notes Quaritch’s body is sleeker and more agile in this Na’vi form, reflecting how Pandora itself is reshaping him.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-P22aw3vhk
Reviews point out this growth adds layers. One critic called Quaritch’s arc “interesting,” with inner conflicts that give him more depth. He’s not suddenly a hero, but you see him wrestle with his loyalties and past. Pandora changes everyone, including Quaritch and his rivalry with Jake. His bond with Varang builds real respect, making him less one-dimensional.https://www.indy100.com/showbiz/avatar-fire-ash-review-need-to-knowhttps://screenrant.com/avatar-fire-and-ash-jake-sully-quartich-relationship-changed-explained/
Quaritch still does villainous things, driven by anger and war’s cycle. Yet these shifts in Avatar 3 make him more human. Fans might root for his struggles, even if they still cheer when he faces off against the Sullys.
Sources
https://www.cbr.com/avatars-quaritch-detail-hateable/
https://screenrant.com/avatar-fire-and-ash-jake-sully-quartich-relationship-changed-explained/
https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a69805012/avatar-fire-ash-stephen-lang-quaritch-varang-relationship/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-P22aw3vhk
https://www.indy100.com/showbiz/avatar-fire-ash-review-need-to-know
