Every Major Character’s Fate in Avatar: The Way of Water (& What It Means for Fire and Ash)

Released in 2022, as a sequel to James Cameron’s OG film, Avatar: The Way of Water ended with heartbreak following the RDA attack, which led to the death of Jake and Neytiri’s eldest son, Neteyam. Now, Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to dive straight into the aftermath of the events of The Way of Water, and pick up a year later. 

The third film will pick up one year after Neteyam’s death, with Jake Sully and Neytiri struggling to rebuild their lives among the Metkayina. But peace doesn’t last long. A deadly Na’vi group known as the Ash People, who use fire as their power, attacks, shaking Pandora’s fragile balance once again. 

Their arrival sparks a huge conflict that pulls every major character into danger, forcing the Sully family to fight for survival. As war spreads across Pandora, alliances shift, losses deepen, and new destinies emerge, Avatar: Fire and Ash becomes more than a battle. So today, let’s check out how The Way of Water changed each Avatar character’s path forever, and what is to come for them. 

The table contains basic details on James Cameron’s Avatar franchise:

Movies Production HouseYear of ReleaseRotten Tomatoes ScoreBox Office AvatarLightstorm Entertainment
Dune Entertainment
Ingenious Film Partners200981%$2.9 billionAvatar: The Way of WaterLightstorm Entertainment202276%$2.3 billionAvatar: Fire and AshLightstorm Entertainment2025––

1 Neteyam

Neteyam’s death became the emotional center of Avatar: The Way of Water. As Jake and Neytiri’s eldest son, he always carried the weight of responsibility. He acted like a protector for his siblings and tried to follow every rule his father set. But then, tragedy befell at the final rescue mission. 

Add Fandomwire as a Trusted Source

While trying to help Lo’ak and Spider escape on the RDA’s Tulkun-hunting vessel, Neteyam gets shot in the chest by RDA forces. His body is then given a sea burial, and his spirit joins Eywa in the ocean’s collective consciousness, where Jake later visits his memory. But overall, his death changes everything. 

The Sully family loses its anchor, and the Metkayina join them in mourning. Now, in Fire and Ash, Neteyam’s death will act as a driving force for revenge. Given how we know that the Sullys’ fight against the RDA is far from over, we can assume that they’re going to be driven by the loss of their son. 

Therefore, Neteyam’s memory will guide the story. Jake and Neytiri’s decisions are now going to be shaped by the pain of losing him, and Lo’ak will grow into the role that Neteyam left behind.

2 Jake Sully

Jake Sully is still alive and well, but he ended The Way of Water with a huge shift in mindset. Like, after years of running from the RDA and trying to protect his family by staying hidden, he realizes that hiding will no longer work. 

Sam Worthington as Jake Sully | image: 20th Century Studios

And this realization came only after losing Neteyam. His son’s death forced Jake to stop being passive. So, by the end of the 2022 film, we see him accept the Metkayina as his new people and decide to help them fight instead of escaping. He also develops a closer bond with Lo’ak, who saves his life during the sinking-ship battle.

So now, Avatar: Fire and Ash will see Jake exact revenge and lead the Metkayina, protect his children, and confront the Ash People. Plus, given how the war with the RDA is far from over, we might also see Jake become a war-ready leader in his and his family’s fight against the forces that previously destroyed their Hometree. 

So, after the events of The Way of Water, the upcoming sequel will see Jake fight not just for survival, but for Pandora’s future.

3 Neytiri

In Avatar: The Way of Water, Neytiri experiences her darkest moments. After losing Neteyam, the firstborn son she raised with so much love, she unleashes a terrifying fury against the RDA soldiers. This even leads her to get trapped in the sinking ship with Tuk, but she is thankfully saved by Kiri on time. 

Zoe Saldaña as Neytiri in Avatar | image: 20th Century Studios

So now, we might see her cope with the profound grief of losing her firstborn son. And that grief is set to show her deep connection to her children and to Eywa. But not just grief, much like Jake, even Neytiri is now set to be driven by revenge and rage. In Fire and Ash, her anger and sadness will shape her actions. 

She may become more protective, more emotional, and possibly even more dangerous. Additionally, the Ash People’s attack might even push her to fight harder than ever as a mother and warrior. And since the RDA remains a major threat to Pandora, with forces returning to extract the valuable Tulkun-derived Amrita, Neytiri might play a major role in her fight against the atrocities over Pandora. 

4 Lo’ak

Technically, Lo’ak had a major character development in Avatar: The Way of Water. Because prior to the final events in the film, he’s often seen as the “troublemaker”. But surprisingly, he finally shows his deeper strength through his bond with Payakan, the outcast Tulkun. Thereafter, he even plays a crucial role in the final battle. 

Lo’ak in Avatar: The Way of Water | image: 20th Century Studios

He saves Jake from drowning and even steps into a new role of being the family’s protector, following his brother’s death, having learned the “way of water”. Lo’ak proves that he is brave, emotional, and willing to break rules to do what feels right. But then, while being levied with the responsibilities, he also carries guilt for Neteyam’s death. 

After all, Sully’s firstborn son did die trying to save Lo’ak and Spider. So now, even though Lo’ak’s growth accelerates when he rescues Jake from drowning, proving he is ready to step up, we also see him struggle with grief and regret in his own way. Therefore, in the upcoming Fire and Ash, Lo’ak is expected to play a larger role. 

While he’s set to step into the position Neteyam once held, Lo’ak might also fight his share of battles against the Ash People and the RDA. So, his bond with Payakan and his desire to make his family proud will shape his journey.

5 Kiri

Introduced as Jake and Neytiri’s daughter in The Way of Water, Kiri is one of the most mysterious characters in the franchise. We see her somewhat magical abilities grow stronger, and her connection to Eywa and Pandora’s nature intensifies. She now feels Eywa more closely than anyone and can connect with sea creatures through a deep spiritual link.

And that exact power is what helped her save Neytiri and Tuk from drowning during the battle. But then, we also see her experiencing seizures, which hint that her connection to Eywa comes with its own risks. While people believe she may be Eywa’s chosen child or connected to Grace’s essence in a bigger way, Fire and Ash will explore it in detail. 

After James Cameron dropped hints about Kiri’s mysterious powers and left us with a cliffhanger, we can expect the upcoming movie to provide the answers. In Fire and Ash, Kiri’s powers will likely grow and become crucial. She might even be the one to understand the Ash People’s threat on a spiritual level, helping her family survive the new conflict.

6 Tuktirey “Tuk”

Throughout The Way of Water, Tuk brings heart and innocence as the youngest Sully child. But we also see her experience real danger when she is kidnapped by Quaritch and trapped inside the sinking ship. However, Tuk never gives up hope, trusting Kiri and Neytiri to save her. And overall, it is through her eyes that Cameron tries to show the cost of war on children. 

Tuktirey “Tuk” in Avatar: The Way of Water | image: 20th Century Studios

Even though she doesn’t get enough screentime, we believe her experiences will shape her future. In Fire and Ash, she might show more bravery, maturity, and awareness of the dangers around her. Although still young, she will likely develop her own role in the Sully family’s survival. Perhaps in the upcoming movie, she might reverse her role and save a member of her family.

In Avatar: Fire and Ash, Tuk will represent the new generation of Na’vi who will grow up during Pandora’s darkest times.

7 Colonel Miles Quaritch

Appearing as the antagonist played by Stephen Lang in his Recombinant Na’vi avatar form, Colonel Miles Quaritch received the strength, speed, and connection he lacked as a human. But even then, by the end of The Way of Water, Jake chokes him unconscious and leaves him to drown following the battle. 

Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch | image: 20th Century Studios

Meanwhile, Quaritch is seen torn between his mission and his newly discovered father-son bond with Spider. And later, we see that when the man is left for dead, it is Spider who unexpectedly saves him. This one moment changes Quaritch’s entire future, making his return possible in Avatar: Fire and Ash. 

So now, in the upcoming movie, we might see him return as far more dangerous and more conflicted. With the Ash People entering the story, Quaritch may either join the chaos or form uneasy alliances. Plus, his personal identity crisis, his human memories in a Na’vi body, could push him into darker or more unpredictable choices.

Not to mention, there’s also a potential (though unlikely) for a redemption arc for Quaritch in the upcoming sequel. 

8 Spider

Finally, there’s Spider, who we see being caught between two worlds in The Way of Water. Raised by the Na’vi and close to the Sully children, he sees them as his true family. But in reality, he’s the human son of Quaritch, which makes his connection to Lang’s character more complicated, especially when he rescues him from drowning. 

Spider in Avatar: The Way of Water | image: 20th Century Studios

Despite his strained relationship with his father and his loyalty to the Sullys, as Spider saves his biological father, this decision becomes pivotal to his character, which might appear to haunt him in the future. After all, we know how Spider wants to belong to one place. But he is constantly pulled in two directions, his past and his chosen family. 

By the end of the 2022 movie, although we see him choose to return to the Sully family, his divided loyalties remain a key plot point and a cliffhanger for fans. So now, in Fire and Ash, this emotional struggle could intensify. His loyalty may be tested as the Ash People attack and Quaritch returns. 

Spider could become a bridge between humans and Na’vi or a key reason conflicts grow. Whatever it is, his choices will have major consequences for everyone on Pandora.

Let us know your hopes and expectations for each character in Avatar: Fire and Ash. 

Avatar: Fire and Ash will release on December 19, 2025.