Avatar: Fire and Ash is easily one of the most anticipated movies of 2025. It might be a year when multiple indie auteurs like Wes Anderson, Lynne Ramsey, Richard Linklater, and Kelly Reichardt are releasing movies. But after Avatar: The Way of Water delivered on groundbreaking special effects and a record-breaking box office back in 2022, the hype surrounding the third movie is high. The film will continue the story of Jake Sully and his family, with an Avatar 3 cast that includes Sam Worthington, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, and Zoe Saldaña.
Whereas the 2009 original focused more heavily on Jake and Neytiri, Avatar: The Way of Water introduced several new characters. By the time the sequel rolled around 13 years after the original, time had pᴀssed on Pandora as well. The Sully couple had become parents, with four Na’vi children, including Neteyam, Lo’ak, Kiri, and Tuk, and one semi-adopted human child, Spider. Neteyam dies by the end of The Way of Water, but the rest of the family will be alive for Fire and Ash. As the third film prepares for release on December 19, I’m excited to see who the main hero is.
Jake Sully Could Die In Avatar 3
And Cameron’s Previous Quotes Hint Towards This
Both Avatar films released prove that James Cameron and his team are not afraid to kill off major characters. The Avatar ending in 2009 saw the death of Grace, who was an essential human character throughout the entirety of this first installment. The second movie introduced the Na’vi children of Jake and Neytiri and then killed off the eldest, Neteyam. While these deaths pack a significant emotional punch and impact the narrative arcs of the films, Avatar 3 could be even bigger by killing Jake Sully.
As of now, there is no source that concretely confirms that Jake will meet his end in the third film, and even if he does pᴀss away, this will likely be a secret that the team will want to keep under lock. Some commentary from Cameron, however, suggests that Jake could meet his end. In an interview from January of this year, Cameron noted (via Empire) that the third movie will take viewers to “places they won’t expect” and will make “brave choices.” Given that there are two more Avatar movies planned after Fire and Ash, killing Jake Sully would count as unexpected.
Between these elements and the franchise’s increasing focus on his children, Jake dying in Avatar: Fire and Ash seems increasingly likely.
Other interview quotes have also explained the timeline for the forthcoming Avatar movies. While the third film will take place pretty immediately after the events of the second movie, as the films were sH๏τ back-to-back, the fourth film will have a six-year time jump. As such, Jake is getting older, and with all the war he has gone through, he lives an exhausting life. Between these elements and the franchise’s increasing focus on his children, Jake dying in Avatar: Fire and Ash seems increasingly likely.
Avatar: The Way Of Water Set Up Various Replacements For Jake Sully
I Think Lo’Ak Is The Most Likely
A Jake stand-in would not come out of nowhere in Fire and Ash. Rather, The Way of Water took time to flesh out several new characters who could easily become the new leads of the franchise. With Neteyam gone, Jake will not be succeeded by his eldest child. That said, three of the other main children — Spider, Kiri, and Lo’ak — seem like likely candidates for the potential lead role in the next Avatar films.
Though he frequently ʙuттs heads with his father, Lo’ak is the most Jake-like of the potential replacement characters. In The Way of Water, he always wants to both explore the world of Pandora and fight for what he believes in. Lo’ak also feels some significant guilt and grief regarding the death of his older brother, Neteyam, which would give him additional motivation going into both Avatar: Fire and Ash and its sequels. If his father also died, I could see Lo’ak becoming even more fiery than he already is.
Kiri would also be a fascinating replacement for Jake. While there is still more to explain in Avatar: Fire and Ash and beyond, The Way of Water teased Kiri’s unique connection with Eywa. Biologically, Kiri is the daughter of Grace Augustine, who died in the first movie. The character is also played by Sigourney Weaver, providing a throughline from the first movie. There is a lot of lore to unpack with Kiri, making her an interesting character.
Luckily, Cameron has created some uniquely rendered characters in Avatar: The Way of Water that would all be great leads in Avatar: Fire and Ash and beyond.
Spider also has connections with all the movies. In the third act of Avatar: The Way of Water, Spider, also known as Miles, is the biological son of the first film’s villain, Colonel Quaritch. His background is a source of resentment for the character, who goes on a tumultuous journey at the end of Way of Water. Like Jake, Spider is also not a Na’vi by birth, so even if he became one, he would have a similarity with how audiences are already experiencing the story.
Using one of the children as the new lead would be the easiest way to make a new lead in Avatar: Fire and Ash. If they do not choose to do that, however, the movie could instead focus on Neytiri. As the wife of Jake, she would be the best candidate for a more adult character to take over the franchise. I would also argue that Neytiri was under-utilized in The Way of Water. As such, Avatar: Fire and Ash would be a great way to further explore one of the series’ strongest characters by making her the new lead.
Avatar: Fire & Ash’s Ambiguous Main Hero Makes The Franchise’s Future More Exciting
The Franchise Could Part With Jake Sully
The initial marketing for Avatar: Fire and Ash makes it much clearer who the antagonist will be. For the first time in the franchise, the movie will show major infighting between various Na’vi groups. So, the movie will make antagonists out of the ash people. But even with this clear setup of who is on the good and bad side of the third movie, the main hero is still kept ambiguous.
I find this ambiguity to be the most exciting element of Avatar: Fire and Ash. While The Way of Water was strong enough as its own story, it introduced a plethora of characters in a way that hinted at big things to come in the next film. This third movie will help bring together these elements, but it will also be indicative of where the rest of the franchise is going to go as it selects its new lead character. By potentially choosing one of Jake’s kids, it can hit home The Way of Water‘s central theme of family.
I’m genuinely thrilled to see where Avatar can go without Jake Sully as the lead. After all, he was always the audience’s way to discover the world of Pandora and its vast possibilities. He wasn’t the most fascinating character, and in fact, his backstory feels a little outdated by modern standards. Luckily, Cameron has created some uniquely rendered characters in Avatar: The Way of Water that would all be great leads in Avatar: Fire and Ash and beyond.
