How is Quaritch Alive in Avatar: The Way of Water?

Avatar: The Way of Water is making waves in cinema fan circles for what could turn into James Cameron’s greatest epic collection of tales brought to the screen. When Avatar obliterated box office records a decade ago, people were astounded by the technical innovations it brought to push filmmaking forward, and now there are a whole new set of stories to be told. But during all of this, viewers might notice in the cast list a certain character that they didn’t expect to see again, the villainous Chief of Security Col. Miles Quaritch is due to make an appearance in The Way of Water, but how?

Didn’t Miles Quaritch Die in Avatar? How is He in The Way of Water?

In the climactic final battle of 2009’s Avatar, Quaritch was out to execute Jake Sully for abandoning his human compatriots and defecting to the Na’vi and was killed by Neytiri. Quaritch was certainly defeated in the previous film and dealt a killing blow, but he was resurrected as a Recombinant, given a Na’vi avatar body but with Quaritch’s memories in The Way of Water. It will provide an interesting twist to his character, who was outwardly racist toward the Na’vi, yet now he is forced to adapt to their physiology, much like Sully’s clan must adapt to the seafaring ways of the Metkayina Clan Na’vi.

What is Col. Quaritch’s Role in Avatar 2?

Quaritch, much like how he was in the first Avatar, will act as the main antagonist not only for The Way of Water but also for the other 3 sequels if this movie performs well. As the leader of the Recombinant (Recom) Squad and bearing a personal vendetta against Jake Sully and his clan, it’ll be interesting to see what ruthless turn he will take.

Miles Quaritch has also served previously as an important character when juxtaposed with Jake Sully: Quaritch was in the prime of his life even in middle age, showing peak physical fitness, while Sully suffered a spinal injury in Venezuela leaving him disabled. Despite this, they share a striking number of similarities that Quaritch noted, seeing Jake as one of his own. They both have military backgrounds, with Quaritch having a brutal streak tempered by many successful military tours and survival on Pandora. They both show a remarkable aptitude for combat, with Quaritch adapting well to the AMP Suit, and Jake to his Na’vi avatar and the way of the Omaticaya Clan and their combat techniques.

But with the film teasing tragedies for Sully’s family and a fight for survival, it seems Quaritch will take some personal victories of his own. That’s not all, as it would seem the Resources Development Administration (RDA) Security Ops forces have some grudges of their own, likely fueled by their greed for the precious unobtainium found on Pandora. All we know for sure is, if the two of these characters meet, it’ll surely be a highlight of the film, and a grudge match you won’t want to miss. Stephen Lang will return to portray Miles Quaritch.

Avatar: The Way of Water will release worldwide exclusively in theaters on December 16, 2022.