Avatar: Fire and Ash – The Evolving Relationship Between Jake Sully and Colonel Quaritch

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Avatar: Fire and Ash takes the ongoing conflict between Jake Sully and Colonel Miles Quaritch in a new direction. In the first Avatar film, both Jake (Sam Worthington) and Quaritch (Stephen Lang) were characters defined by the military – following orders and relying on strength. They represented opposing sides of a straightforward struggle: a soldier against an aggressive invader.

Living among the Na’vi completely changed Jake’s beliefs and who he was loyal to, causing him to abandon the human military’s goals and oppose Quaritch. In Avatar: The Way of Water, Quaritch returns as a Na’vi avatar after his original body is destroyed. And in Avatar: Fire and Ash, he gradually starts to understand Pandora in the same way he’s trying to wipe it out.

While speaking with ScreenRant’s Ash Crossan about Avatar: Fire and Ash, Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña discussed how their characters have changed because of Pandora. They explained that what started as a simple military story has become a much more complicated and developing connection between them.

Worthington discussed how his and Quaritch’s characters evolve throughout the films. He explained that after transferring their consciousnesses into Na’vi bodies, they naturally begin to shed their former human military perspectives. You can find his complete thoughts below:

Sam Worthington believes that when actors embody the Na’vi characters, they tap into their humanity and shed some of the rigid thinking associated with a military background.

There’s a funny parallel to the first movie. In the original, the colonel warns Jake about venturing too deep into Pandora’s woods. This time around, I’m essentially telling him he needs to explore Pandora, but to still be cautious. Of course, he ignores that advice! It’s great to see their relationship develop beyond a simple hero-villain dynamic.

Stephen Lang explained that the characters still use military ranks like Colonel and Corporal. He finds this interesting because it seems like they’re trying to preserve a familiar past, as embracing change can be frightening.

I don’t know what Jake experienced, but in the first movie, the idea of becoming someone else seemed really scary and unsettling. And with Quaritch, being a soldier is completely central to his identity. He really struggles to change or let go of that part of himself.

Sam Worthington describes the relationship between the characters as constantly changing. Around the middle of the film, a major confrontation causes a noticeable shift in their dynamic, and things start to move in a different direction.

Stephen Lang: That’s so true. There’s an equality that’s happened organically.

In Avatar: Fire and Ash, the complex relationship between Jake and Quaritch takes center stage, promising to be one of the most emotionally resonant storylines in the series so far. The movie explores how spending a long time on Pandora challenges both characters to examine their own identities. As Quaritch connects with Vaarang, the leader of the Na’vi Ash People (played by Oona Chaplin), his views on the Na’vi, his avatar, and Pandora itself begin to shift.

The new movie, Avatar: Fire and Ash, is expected to earn around $350 million worldwide when it opens. However, it has a lot to prove after the huge success of the previous two Avatar films, which both made over $2 billion. Critics haven’t been as impressed this time, and the movie currently has a 69% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 203 reviews.

Look, let’s be honest, Avatar: Fire and Ash isn’t winning over everyone – it’s got the lowest score of any Avatar film on Rotten Tomatoes and critics are really split. But what I appreciate is that James Cameron hasn’t abandoned his dedication to really developing his characters. This time, he uses Jake and Quaritch’s journeys to dig into some fascinating themes: who they are, how they wield power, and how much people can actually change over time. It’s a slow burn, but it’s rewarding if you’re willing to stick with it.

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2025-12-19 03:08