Avatar 3 Star Spoils Return of 1 Villain Who Many Thought Was Dead

An Avatar: The Way of Water star just confirmed his villain’s return in 2025’s Avatar 3 despite being believed to be dead in the sci-fi universe.

In James Cameron’s original Avatar and Avatar 2, the Resources Development Administration (RDA) and its military mercenaries, led by Stephen Lang’s Colonel Miles Quaritch, filled the role of the franchise’s villains.

Despite losing to Jake Sully at the end of The Way of Water, Quaritch was left alive for a future comeback; and despite what fans first thought, he isn’t the only one.

Avatar 2 Villain’s Death Debunked Ahead of Avatar 3

Matt Gerald, who played Corporal Lyle Wainfleet in Avatar: The Way of Water, took to Instagram to confirm his character’s Avatar 3 return.

Gerald’s post, which shows his character in Na’vi form, can be seen below:

Lyle Wainfleet’s presence in the upcoming threequel is surprising since some believed he was dead.

Toward the end of Avatar 2, he was thrown overboard and never shown again.

Wainfleet first appeared in 2008’s Avatar and worked for the RDA alongside Colonel Miles Quaritch.

While his human body died during the Assault on the Tree of Souls, he was brought back in Na’vi Avatar form during The Way of Water alongside his commanding officer and fellow mercenaries.

The Sully Clan’s Avatar 3 Problems

Matt Gerald’s baddie is not the only returning villain who was believed to be dead.

Brendan Cowell’s Mick Scoresby is also returning for Avatar 3, despite his character being outsmarted by the Tulkun in Avatar 2 and losing an arm.

However, Scoresby, Colonel Miles Quaritch, the RDA, and now Corporal Lyle Wainfleet aren’t the only obstacles Jake and Neytiri’s family will face in Avatar 3.

The 2025 film is also set to introduce the Na’vi Fire Nation who have been described as “antagonistic” to the Sully Clan.

Whether these antagonists will remain obstacles for the Sully Clan is unknown, especially after Avatar 2 established Quaritch and Spider’s familial connection, a bond that’s sure to be revisited in Avatar 3.

How Spider’s journey affects Quaritch and where that leaves Lyle Wainfleet will be interesting to see.

Avatar 3 is expected to release on December 19, 2025.