Yes — in Avatar: Fire and Ash, Quaritch does begin to question his relationship with the RDA for the first time, and the film shows him shifting from a loyal commander to a man whose ties to the corporation have frayed and who is open to other paths[2].
The movie presents this change as gradual and driven by practical and personal pressures: Quaritch has been resurrected as a recombinant, he faces the limits and costs of RDA loyalty, and he discovers unexpected personal stakes that make him reconsider his current role and allegiances[2].
Why this matters
– Quaritch’s character has always been defined by single-minded loyalty to the RDA and to the goal of securing Pandora for humanity; that loyalty justified his brutality in earlier films. The new film shows cracks in that commitment by giving him reasons to doubt the RDA’s aims and methods[2][3].
– The film frames these doubts as both strategic and emotional. Strategically, Quaritch sees that the RDA’s corporate priorities and short-term thinking can be limiting; emotionally, revelations about family ties and the chance for something like fatherhood make him reassess what he wants out of life[2].
How the film shows Quaritch’s doubt
– Dialogue and character notes: Stephen Lang, who plays Quaritch, says the character’s relationship with the parent company has “soured,” opening him to “other possibilities”[2].
– Plot events: The RDA’s continued exploitation and the escalating conflict create situations where Quaritch must choose whether to keep following orders or pursue alternatives that might align with his changing interests[3][4].
– Relationships: Discovering Spider may be his biological son introduces a personal motive that conflicts with pure corporate loyalty and complicates his decisions[2].
Is this the first time he questions RDA?
– On-screen, this film is the first major installment that explicitly shows Quaritch reconsidering the RDA as an institution and his place within it; previous films presented him as committed and unrepentant[3][5].
– Earlier appearances left little room for doubt, making Fire and Ash the first narrative moment in the series to portray him as open to breaking with or at least challenging the RDA[2][4].
Notes on tone and interpretation
– Different reviewers interpret the depth and sincerity of Quaritch’s questioning differently. Some see a meaningful character arc that adds moral complexity[2][3], while others find the arc uneven or less convincing within the film’s broader storytelling choices[4][5].
– Whether Quaritch’s doubts mark a full ideological conversion or a pragmatic shift remains open to interpretation from the film and likely to be debated among audiences and critics[4][5].
Sources
https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/avatar-fire-and-ash-cast/
https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/avatar-fire-and-ash-the-way-of-waters-ending-recap
https://keeping-it-reel.com/2025/12/17/avatar-fire-and-ash-2025-review/
https://duffhood.com/2025/12/20/more-of-the-same-avatar-fire-and-ash-2025-review/
