In Avatar , they want to capture Jake Sully because he is a major threat to the humans’ control of Pandora and a key symbol of Na’vi resistance. In the story summary for Avatar: Fire and Ash , the military kidnaps Jake after learning that Spider can breathe on Pandora without a mask, which raises the stakes and helps drive the conflict forward.

Why Jake matters

Jake isn’t just any enemy; he is the Sully family’s leader and the person who helps unite the Na’vi against the RDA and allied forces. That makes him valuable as both a military target and a psychological one, since capturing him can pressure the whole resistance.

Story reason

From a plot perspective, capturing Jake gives the villains leverage and escalates the war on Pandora. It also fits the franchise’s broader conflict between the RDA, local Na’vi clans, and the Sully family.

TL;DR

They want Jake because he is the resistance’s most important symbol and a practical way to weaken the Na’vi fight.