Quaritch fans

[Ashen Key]

Originally Posted by joeylovesgaia

The fact that so many rooted for Quaritch (and more are likely to root for him in the special ed.) is disturbing. Apparently Cameron failed to truly show the horror of being invaded. If the Na'vi were human size, he and his men could be shown molesting the native women; if there were less mining tech, the Company could be shown using the Na'vi as slaves. This is the true history of colonization, and if the RDA jerks were shown doing it, all sympathy for them would go out the window...I hope.

There are a number of reasons to cheer for Quaritch.

A) He's effortlessly badass. He's on fire AND IGNORES IT. *goes to TV Tropes* Ah, yes. Colonel Badass

The one atop this page, Colonel Miles Quaritch of Avatar. He's the villain, but that doesn't stop him from modding his AMP suit with a gigantic combat knife, or running out into Pandora's toxic atmosphere, guns blazing, without bothering to put a gas mask on. In one instance, it takes him about 11 seconds to react to the fact that he is, in fact, on fire. Quaritch is in fact, so Bad Ass he inspires major Rooting For The Empire, especially compared to the Elf-ier than thou wonderfulness of the Na'vi.

B) Not only is he badass, but he's also trying to do his job and keep his men alive in an incredibly hostile environment. He doesn't, can't succeed - of course that's going to inspire sympathy.

C) And, to quote the ever-wonderful TV Tropes again, on the page "Scr*w You, Elves":

This is quite possibly the reason behind much of the appeal of Colonel Miles Quaritch from Avatar. Yes, he is technically the bad guy, and yes, he is kind of an *sshole; writing off an entire sapient species as beneath notice and making increasingly ruthless attempts to crush them will do that. But after having to sit through an entire 2.5 hours of James Cameron preaching about how the Na'vi are *so* superior to us humans, it was a little too easy for many viewers to enjoy seeing Quaritch open up a sizable can of whoop-ass on the heroes.

I think he provides an interesting counter to Grace - she only really cares about the Na'vi to the point of scorning and dismissing and actively insulting the humans (and, lets not forget it, it IS the job of the RDA Marines to protect Grace - they are paid to be willing to die for her should the need arise, which makes her scorn all the worse). Quaritch, in contrast, only really cares about his Marines, to the point of being perfectly willing to commit genocide in both in retaliation and in a hopefully pre-emptive attack that, in the long term, would keep his people alive and the operation running.

So, no. I don't find it disturbing at all. In all honesty, what's a large blockbuster without an enjoyable villain?