Quaritch does not clearly fully switch sides in Avatar 3 (Avatar: Fire and Ash); by the film’s end he is conflicted and appears open to change but his final allegiance is left ambiguous. [3][1]
Context and supporting details
– In Avatar: Fire and Ash, Quaritch returns in a Na’vi avatar form but continues to act on behalf of human goals and the RDA for much of the film, negotiating with other human-allied groups and pushing to capture Spider for study[3].
– He forms an alliance with Varang and the Ash People to further a scorched-earth approach against the Na’vi and Pandora, indicating he still pursues RDA objectives even while inhabiting a Na’vi body[1][3].
– During the climax, Quaritch fights Jake Sully in a dangerous anti-gravity vortex where Spider nearly falls; both Jake and Quaritch—after a tense interaction—stop fighting to save Spider, and Jake briefly reaches toward Quaritch in an attempt to bring him around[2][1].
– That moment suggests Quaritch experiences cognitive dissonance and shows potential for changing his stance, particularly because of his complex bond with Spider and his exposure to Na’vi life and people[1][5].
– Shortly after Jake appears to appeal to him, Neytiri and other Na’vi arrive and Quaritch, spooked, deliberately lets himself fall backward toward the fires below; the film leaves his survival and true final allegiance unresolved[2][3].
– Reviews and explanations note the ending sets Quaritch up as a continuing wildcard: he is both a surviving antagonist and a character who might be primed to switch sides in future installments, but the film does not present a definitive redemption or full conversion[1][2][5].
Implication for future films
– The narrative leaves room for either a redemption arc or a renewed opposition in sequels: Quaritch’s ambiguous fate and demonstrated internal conflict create a plausible path to switch sides, but nothing in Fire and Ash confirms such a switch as completed[1][2][3].
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar:_Fire_and_Ash
https://www.inverse.com/avatar-3-ending-explained-does-it-set-up-avatar-4
https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-movies/avatar-fire-and-ash-ending-explained-who-dies/
https://screenrant.com/avatar-fire-and-ash-jake-sully-quartich-relationship-changed-explained/
