Warning: Spoilers ahead for Avatar: The Way of Water.
While the original Avatar hero Jake Sully was central to the story of the much-anticipated sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, Avatar 3 should take his plot to its logical conclusion by killing off the franchise hero. In Avatar, director James Cameron used Jake Sully as an avatar for audience members. Viewers who were unfamiliar with the world of the Na’vi and knew nothing about Pandora were given a convenient audience insertion persona to follow into the franchise’s universe. Jake’s initial lack of understanding allowed the audience to keep up with Avatar’s ambitious world-building.
However, when Avatar: The Way of Water arrived, this function was no longer necessary. Viewers were now familiar with Pandora and its inhabitants and, as Avatar 2’s riskily slow second act proved, Jake’s children were arguably more compelling than him. Since multiple Avatar sequels have already been shot, it seems likely that these supporting stars will play a more prominent role in future franchise installments. However, to make the most of Avatar 3’s story potential, the franchise needs to follow through on one of its biggest promises around the original Avatar’s hero.
Avatar and Avatar 2 Set Up Jake’s Death
The lesson that Jake Sully learned in Avatar was that his life was just part of a larger ecosystem. At the end of Avatar: The Way of Water, Jake lays his dead son Neteyam to rest while reaffirming this spiritual belief. The best way for Jake to embody this faith is for Avatar 3 to replace him. Whether it is via Jake’s battle with Avatar's Quaritch or through another storyline, the character should die in Avatar 3. This would prove that Jake’s talk about all time being borrowed from the Great Mother and all life being shared among all beings was something he truly believed.
Jake’s Quaritch Story Should Be His Ending
Since he was a human, Jake has been locked in a duel with Avatar’s villain, Quaritch. Jake’s death could catalyze Quaritch to switch to the Na’vi side. The villain might finally realize that his brutal attempts to colonize Pandora can only lead to further bloodshed. Avatar: The Way of Water had some interest in exploring pacifism, as highlighted by the plot involving Payakan’s exile from the Tulkun. However, the brutal (and undeniably deeply satisfying) climax proved that violence was still the driving force that allowed change in Pandora. Quaritch killing Jake Sully could lead him to realize the error of this approach, existentially speaking.
If Quaritch ends up helping the Na’vi resist human colonization, Jake would have done for Quaritch what Quaritch did for him. By introducing Jake to the Na’vi, Quaritch inadvertently saved the soul of his young charge. Jake could hand this energy back to Quaritch and, in the process, prove that no one is beyond redemption in the franchise’s universe by dying to further his cause and changing the obstinate marine’s mind. That being said, even if Avatar 3 involves redemption for Quaritch, the franchise would still need a new hero after Jake’s death. Fortunately, Avatar: The Way of Water has already set up his replacement.
Who Could Replace Jake As Avatar 3’s Main Character
Kiri is the best option to replace Jake Sully as Avatar 3’s lead character. Sigourney Weaver’s self-conscious heroine is a mysterious figure who seems to hold a supernatural significance among the Na’vi. Her shared Na'vi and human origins mean she could unite humans and Na’vi, and her powers make her an obvious candidate for Avatar 3’s leading lady. However, her romance with Spider suggests he, too, could play a significant role in the sequel. This would be particularly true if Quaritch switched sides since Avatar: The Way of Water proved that Spider values family bonds even at the expense of his survival.
Avatar 2's Spider might continue the budding romance with Kiri hinted at in the sequel. The star-crossed lovers could unite enemies like Jake Sully and Quaritch thanks to their shared family values. This union would likely only come about when Quaritch realizes that the revenge he seeks is pointless, which would require Jake’s death. However, Jake always knew this would be the case. In Avatar, the character stated that all energy was borrowed and all he could do was play a part in the story of Pandora, meaning that, after Avatar: The Way of Water’s ending, Avatar 3 could use his death to prove this true.