‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’s Jack Champion Breaks Down Spider’s Split Loyalty Between Hero & Villain [Exclusive]

Avatar: Fire and Ash is now playing in theaters, with James Cameron’s third installment in his epic sci-fi trilogy already estimated to have an impressive opening weekend at the box-office. The wait to return to Pandora wasn’t as long as the wait between the first Avatar film and its sequel The Way of Water, meaning the excitement for the franchise hasn’t waned. This latest installment features the introduction of new Na’vi clans, such as the Ash People and the Wind Traders, expanding the world of Pandora while also developing the core cast of characters. Interestingly, Fire and Ash features a particularly interesting character arc for Spider (Jack Champion).

In MovieWeb’s exclusive interview with Champion, the actor discussed his character’s struggle with belonging, particularly when it came to the two dueling father figures in his life. The first, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), is someone who has known Spider since he was a baby stranded on Pandora. The other is Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), the man who was Spider’s biological father and who died in the first film and returns via a Na’vi body with backup memories of Quaritch, who attempted to reconnect with his son over the past two films.

Champion talked about the two characters and their split loyalties, saying that “They’re both such charismatic guys, and Jake, he’s always wanted Jake to accept him fully as a son, but then with courage there, he’s like, this is my dad, but he’s also this kind of despicable guy, but he’s got some charming qualities. He’s a charismatic guy. He’s a man of his word, all that stuff.” The divide between Jake and Quaritch is what leads to most of the tension in the film, especially in regard to Spider’s place in the story and what side he decides to take in the struggle against the sky people.

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Features Multi-Faceted Character Dynamics

Stephen Lang and Jack Champion in ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’20th Century Studios

For Champion, though, Spider’s arc is all about wanting acceptance from the Na’vi, and wanting to become part of their people on Pandora. Specifically, it’s the Sully family that Champion’s character wants to ultimately be accepted by. Avatar: The Way of Water offered a brief glimpse into Spider’s dynamic with the Sullys before he was taken by Quaritch, with Fire and Ash now further expanding on the dynamics between the human character and the Na’vi. It’s a touching character arc that allowed Champion to work with his co-stars in an exciting new way, saying:

“He wants Jake to fully accept him. He wants the courage to not be the way he is. And has hope that one day he can see, see the light, see the way. It was just so amazing to also work with Sam [Worthington] and [Stephen] Lang and have them there for those scenes. It was just such an awesome time.”

The Avatar series manages to be so successful and resonate with audiences, not just because of its groundbreaking visual effects, but also because of how its characters are multi-faceted. Not everything is black and white in Cameron’s larger-than-life portrayal of Pandora, with characters constantly changing allegiances and sides based on their relationships with other characters.

Release Date

December 19, 2025

Runtime

197 Minutes