Colonel Miles Quaritch has so far been the main protagonist of the Avatar franchise, but he may not remain so villainous throughout future installments. The first Avatar movie has already seen humans switch allegiances to the side of the Na’vi, and while Quaritch may seem unlikely to follow suit, there are various reasons why it could and should happen. With director James Cameron’s plans to expand the Avatar franchise even further, the fate of Miles Quaritch could be set to drastically change course in future films. The first Avatar movie was released in 2009, followed by a huge gap before its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, in 2022.
The wait isn’t set to be quite so long for Avatar 3, with its release scheduled for December 2025. So far, Stephen Lang has played two different versions of Quaritch across the first two movies, with Cameron reimagining the colonel between installments. Although the development of Quaritch as a character has so far been interesting, the fact that Cameron has already reworked his villain so drastically could be a sign that he’s willing to do the same again in the near future. One possible next step for Lang’s character could be to side with his nemesis, Jake Sully.
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The Version Of Colonel Quaritch In Avatar 2 Doesn’t Remember His Fight With Jake Sully
The missing memory could alter the plot of the Avatar franchise
In the first Avatar movie, Quaritch and Sully are allies, but things quickly go south when Jake defects from the colonel’s forces. The movie’s final showdown ultimately leads to a bloody conflict between the humans and the Na’vi for the fate of Pandora. The battle in question leads to the death of Miles Quaritch. Due to the opportunities afforded to characters in science-fiction movies, Quaritch is resurrected in Na’vi form in The Way of Water.
Known as a Recombinant, the new Quaritch has been supplied with almost all the memories of his predecessor, but he’s missing one key sequence of events. Due to Quaritch’s memories being backed up as insurance prior to his fatal skirmish with the moon’s natives, he has no recollection of his fight with Jake Sully and his fellow Na’vi warriors. Therefore, Quaritch’s motive for seeking out Sully and his family has been given to him by an external source. Colonel Miles Quaritch is a very hot-headed man, but there’s only so long he can continue to fight for a cause he doesn’t himself remember.
Quaritch Has Moments In Avatar 2 Where He Openly Enjoys His New Na’vi Body
His hatred for the alien race softens a little in The Way of Water
Despite being openly prejudiced against Pandora’s native inhabitants, the Recombinant Quaritch is visibly joyous at his new form in The Way of Water. As well as returning him to his younger, fitter years, Quaritch’s new body boasts abilities that his human form never could. One example of this is the scene where Quaritch is attempting to tame and ride an Ikran for the first time. Although his technique is stereotypically violent because of his military background, Quaritch is eventually elated at his success due to his ability to bond and fly with the alien creature.
The moment may be masked by tribal bravado, but it’s an important step in Quaritch’s character development. Prior to this, the resurrected colonel saw the presence of the Na’vi as little more than an obstacle to overcome in the pursuit of a greater goal. His shift in attitude toward a Pandoran creature, along with his own new physiology, is a pivotal moment. In future Avatar movies, Quaritch may reach the point where he understands and sympathizes with Jake’s decision to leave humanity behind in favor of the Na’vi.
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There are also a few moments in The Way of Water that show the Recombinant Quaritch letting out a signature Na’vi hiss, something he criticized Jake for in the first movie. The colonel’s willingness to fold to the instincts of his new body is another sign of assimilation to his new life, and yet another way the movie could be signaling his character’s future at Jake’s side.
Jake Sully’s Defection From His Kind Shows That It’s Possible For Colonel Quaritch In Future Avatar Movies
Avatar‘s villain could follow in the footsteps of its hero
The Recombinant Quaritch’s reaction to becoming a Na’vi parallels that of Jake’s in the first Avatar movie. As a Na’vi, Jake regained his ability to walk, which contributed to his preference for living among the other Pandorans rather than his own kind. As a result, he made the switch to being a Na’vi permanently at the end of the first movie, rather than having to live his dream life vicariously through an Avatar. Quaritch’s journey has been very similar to Jake’s in this respect, except the path of the former has been much more extreme and involuntary.
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Although the triggers for both men becoming full-time Na’vi differ, the end result is the same. Jake may have recovered his ability to walk when in his alien form, but Quaritch regained not only his youth but also a chance of a relationship with his son as a result of returning to the land of the living. Even for a hardened soul like Quaritch, it would be difficult for him to ignore what the Na’vi race has afforded him. As such, he could soften to the moon’s inhabitants. Although the change is unlikely to happen overnight, Avatar 3 could display a much less intense hatred from Quaritch toward the Na’vi.
Quaritch Isn’t A Good Enough Villain To Hold Interest For Another 3 Avatar Movies
The franchise needs a new bad guy
With Colonel Quaritch holding the title of the main villain throughout the first two Avatar movies, his time in the role is probably limited. There aren’t many movie villains who last longer than three installments, even if they even reach that milestone at all. Quaritch’s longevity needs to be addressed in Avatar 3, with his role or overall presence going forward being decided. Although Lang has done a good job as Quaritch so far, the character itself is not compelling enough to last any longer than three movies.
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However, the interest in Quaritch as a character could be revived if he were to continue on his current path and side with Jake Sully. Not only would the Na’vi gain a valuable asset in the defense of their home, but there would then be space for a new antagonist to enter the fray. While it’s possible that Colonel Quaritch could perish before he completes his defection, joining Jake and his family as a native Pandoran would be a much more fulfilling end to the arc of Stephen Lang’s character in the Avatar franchise.
Avatar
- Release Date
- December 18, 2009
- Director
- James Cameron
- Cast
- Sam Worthington , Stephen Lang , Michelle Rodriguez , Sigourney Weaver , Zoe Saldana
- Genres
- Sci-Fi , Fantasy , Action , Adventure
