Will Jake and Quaritch ever team up?
In the current Avatar films, Jake Sully and Colonel Miles Quaritch have a long history of enmity, but recent events suggest the possibility of uneasy cooperation rather than permanent reconciliation. In Avatar: Fire and Ash, the two men face moments where their goals align and they briefly cooperate to save Spider, and the film leaves Quaritch’s fate and future intentions ambiguous, opening the door for a future team up or further conflict[2][4][1].
Why a team up is possible
– Shared threats can force enemies into alliances. In Fire and Ash, both Jake and Quaritch confront greater dangers on Pandora — rival Na’vi factions and large-scale RDA operations — and they briefly set aside direct combat when Spider’s life is at stake, showing pragmatic cooperation under pressure[1][2].
– The films have already planted seeds for change in Quaritch. Commentators and cast interviews note a growing complexity to Quaritch’s character and a chemical rapport between him and other warrior figures like Varang, implying he is not a one-note villain and could shift motives in future installments[3][4].
– James Cameron’s storytelling history favors redemption arcs or shifting alliances. Past franchises directed by Cameron have turned antagonists into allies over time, which makes a future team up plausible within the creative patterns the director has used before[4].
Why a team up might not happen
– Deep ideological conflict remains. Jake’s commitment to Pandora and the Na’vi contrasts fundamentally with Quaritch’s career as an RDA soldier and his habitual embrace of violence; that core split could prevent durable trust even if temporary cooperation occurs[2][4].
– Quaritch’s arc may be used to keep tension. The films benefit narratively from the recurring rival dynamic, and preserving Quaritch as an antagonist or an ambiguous figure maintains dramatic stakes for future sequels[4].
What the films actually show
– Fire and Ash depicts direct confrontations between Jake and Quaritch, a moment where both men stop fighting to save Spider, and a final scene in which Quaritch seemingly throws himself into a fiery void leaving his survival uncertain; the ending emphasizes ambiguity rather than closure[2][1][4].
– The movie also shows Quaritch forming alliances with other hostile Na’vi groups like the Ash People under Varang, demonstrating his willingness to negotiate and cooperate when it serves his aims, though those alliances are self-interested and militaristic in nature[1][3].
How future installments could plausibly make it happen
– A mutually existential threat (for example, an RDA internal power struggle, a new external invader, or an ecological crisis on Pandora) could force a pragmatic alliance. The films have used such catalysts before to create shifting loyalties[1][4].
– Personal developments — Quaritch surviving and reassessing his goals, or Jake making a strategic decision to spare Quaritch for larger gains — would create narrative space for partnership while keeping emotional complexity intact[2][4].
– A gradual redemption through actions rather than words: the franchise could show Quaritch performing one crucial choice that helps the Na’vi, which would echo Cameron’s earlier penchant for slow-burn character reversals[4].
What to watch for in future films
– Whether Quaritch actually survives the fall at the end of Fire and Ash and, if so, how he is portrayed afterward[2][4].
– Any scenes that soften Quaritch’s stance toward Pandora’s ecology or the Na’vi, especially choices that put him at odds with the RDA or with other human characters[3][4].
– Jake’s willingness to engage in long-term strategic compromise with former enemies rather than purely punitive action[1][2].
Overall, the franchise now supports both outcomes: a future team up is narratively and thematically plausible, but it would require continued character development and a credible shared threat to be emotionally believable. The films so far favor ambiguity, leaving the possibility open rather than committing to a definitive alliance or permanent antagonism[1][2][4][3].
Sources
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1757678/plotsummary/
https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-movies/avatar-fire-and-ash-ending-explained-who-dies/
https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a69805012/avatar-fire-ash-stephen-lang-quaritch-varang-relationship/
https://www.slashfilm.com/2056278/quaritch-avatar-fire-and-ash-fate-death-explained/
