In the epic finale of Avatar: Fire and Ash, Colonel Miles Quaritch does not sacrifice himself to save Spider. Instead, he makes a shocking choice that leaves fans debating his true fate.
The movie builds to a massive battle on Pandora where the Na’vi, led by Jake Sully, fight back against the RDA invaders and their new allies, the fire-worshipping Mangkwan clan. Quaritch, reborn in a Na’vi body, teams up with the fierce priestess Varang to turn the tide. As the clash intensifies during an eerie eclipse, Jake and Quaritch end up in a brutal fistfight inside a sinking ship with anti-gravity effects. Spider, Quaritch’s biological son and a human teen raised by the Sullys, gets caught in the chaos and nearly plummets to his deathhttps://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-movies/avatar-fire-and-ash-ending-explained-who-dies/.
Both warriors pause their grudge match to grab Spider and pull him to safety. In that tense moment, Jake extends a hand to Quaritch, offering him a shot at redemption and a new life on Pandora. Quaritch seems to waver, hinting at the fatherly bond he’s developed with Spider despite his ruthless pasthttps://comicbook.com/movies/feature/avatar-fire-and-ash-ending-explained/. He has shown rare softness before, telling Spider he’s proud of him and vowing to be there if neededhttps://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/avatar-fire-and-ash-2025/.
But then Neytiri and the Sully family arrive, spooking Quaritch. Rather than accept help, he rejects Jake’s offer and hurls himself backward into the fiery abyss below. He screams as he falls, but not in fear—more like defiance. His death is left ambiguous, true to James Cameron’s style, since Quaritch has cheated death beforehttps://www.altbollywood.com/post/avatar-fire-and-ash-ending-explained-quaritch-death-spider-twisthttps://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-movies/avatar-fire-and-ash-ending-explained-who-dies/. Some accounts frame it as a spiteful act, proving his hatred runs deeper than any survival urgehttps://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a69794487/avatar-4/.
One source suggests Quaritch sacrifices himself specifically for Spider, but most agree the save happens before his deliberate plunge, driven by a mix of instinct and his complicated paternal feelingshttp://www.thereelroundup.com/2025/12/avatar-fire-and-ash-review.html. Spider survives the ordeal and even gains Na’vi-like abilities from Pandora’s organisms, like breathing the air naturally and forming neural links. Meanwhile, Varang escapes, hinting at more threats ahead.
Sources
https://www.altbollywood.com/post/avatar-fire-and-ash-ending-explained-quaritch-death-spider-twist
http://www.thereelroundup.com/2025/12/avatar-fire-and-ash-review.html
https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-movies/avatar-fire-and-ash-ending-explained-who-dies/
https://comicbook.com/movies/feature/avatar-fire-and-ash-ending-explained/
https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a69794487/avatar-4/
https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/avatar-fire-and-ash-2025/
