Katara was easily one of the best characters in the Last Airbender series. A waterbending prodigy, she went on to become one of the most prolific benders in the world; even beyond just waterbending. She had a lot of ups and downs over the course of the series, but she maintained her good nature all through regardless. Now, let’s look at some of the best things Katara Avatar ever did in the series.
She brought a lot of balance to the show. She was the motherly figure amongst a bunch of kids who did not know better. She gentle but she was also a protector and would get very angry if anyone tried to cross her or the ones she loved.
1. Katara Discovered The Avatar
It might have been somewhat by accident that Katara and Sokka found and freed Aang from the iceberg in the beginning of the show, but Katara showed no hesitation in wanting to open it. She also wasted no time in trying to help Aang once she realized what they were dealing with. Along with her brother, this does show how kind that she is. If Katara had been somebody else, then the Hundred Year War might have never ended.
The Avatar was destined to fight the fire Lord, but Katara and Aang were also destined to help the Avatar. He would have never been able to fulfill his destiny without the help of Katara and her brother. They all needed each other to become the best versions of themselves and to help restore balance to the world.
2. Agreed To Become Aang’s Waterbending Teacher
Even though she was not a master bender herself, Katar still agreed to help train Aang. We cannot overemphasize just how important this fact was. She was literally the only waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe, and it naturally fell on her shoulders. However, she could have flaked on her responsibility. Instead, she takes it on. Her selflessness and willingness to help made a huge part in Aang being able to master waterbending as quickly as he did.
Katara became a waterbending master because she was stubborn and unwilling to let old school traditions hold her back. The idea that a woman could only heal was ridiculous to her. Its a good thing because Aang, though he was a fast learning had a lot of work to do in order to be a fully realized Avatar.
3. Katara Stole the Waterbending Scroll
Early on in the series, the crew found a waterbending scroll that would be a huge boon to their training. Unfortunately, the pirates that had the scroll weren’t going to part with it easily. Katara ended up stealing the scroll. The situation eventually melted into a huge brawl between everyone. While the situation put Team Avatar in danger, Katara and Aang’s waterbending both benefited from using the scroll.
When she stole the scroll that was clearly a stolen product, she shows that she was brave enough to fight for her family and traditions. It put them in a bad spot, but it made for a very fun episode. They had to run from the pirates but they also ran into Zuko and Iroh while they were running.
4. She Forgave Aang For Lying
When Aang intercepts a letter from Sokka and Aang’s father detailing where he is, he fears they may eventually leave him. So to keep his friends from going to seek their long-lost father, Aang does the unbelievable; he lies. By the time Katara Avatar and Sokka find out, the lie has gone on for long. They have every right to be angry with the airbender, but Katara calms down and then eventually forgives her friend. It takes a really heart to be able to do something like that.
The whole show could have been much different if Katara did not choose to forgive. She could have remained bitter and held the mistake against Aang. But she was always good at seeing the best in others. She saw the best in people like Jet and even Prince Zuko. She though that everyone was capable of good.
5. Katara Avatar Forgave Zuko
There must be something about Katara Avatar’s heart, because it has to be as pure as snow for all the forgiving she does. We can understand her forgiving Aang, but it is her mercy for Zuko that is most baffling. Zuko betrayed her and Team Avatar quite a lot of times, and it is no wonder she objected to him joining them in Book Three. Eventually, she comes around, and they become friends again.
Katara really struggled in the Book of Fire with Zuko and being the nice caring girl we came to know. She wanted revenge for the death of her mom. The anger and pain from losing her mom started to bubble over and she even considered killing the man who murdered her mother. She chose not to kill him but she was still mad at him. In the moment she decided that Zuko would be forgiven because he did everything he could to help her.
6. Trained Korra in Her Old Age
Korra’s selflessness is unprecedented. Even in her old age she still turns up to help her friends when they need her. We’ve talked about how Katara took Aang’s waterbending training as her task; but he was not the only Avatar she trained. His successor, Korra also was a beneficiary of Katara’s kindness. The interesting thing is, she did not need to do this; she was already in her eighties at this point. But she ignored her limitations and took the rambunctious avatar under her wing.
Katara really wanted the best for the world and all the people in it. She gave her all to Aang and she turned around and did the same thing for Aang. She wanted nothing but the best for these people. As an old woman she could have rode off into the sunset but instead she choose to be their for the next Avatar.
7. Katara Avatar Freed The Imprisoned Earthbenders
The hordes of earthbenders that were trapped in a Fire Nation prison rig were saved by none other than Katara herself. She purposely trapped herself in order to devise a plan to save the group. Eventually, with help from Aang and Sokka, she did just that. This, in turn, led to the earthbenders freeing themselves from Fire Nation jurisdiction. Once more, it’s all thanks to Katara. What a world builder.
8. Learned Bloodbending
Bloodbending is a…….. strange sub bending art. Granted, bloodbenders are some of the most powerful benders when you look at it, but it is such a dangerous art of waterbending – it is outlawed. But we have one person to thank for this. And you guessed it right; Katara. Her refusal to bloodbend led to its outlawing; but it also shows something. The pure heart of Katara. Knowing the hurt that comes from bloodbending, she used it a few times and decided it needed to go. Even if it meant she would have been one of the most untouchable benders, she did not let that happen. We can be glad Ama is somewhere turning in her grave in anger that her plan did not work.
Bloodbending gave anyone who could do it the power to control another human being. Katara used it to get out of the grips of Ama and she also used it when she was facing off with the killer of her mother. Two very low moments and she hated how it made her feel.
9. Became the Painted Lady
When a Fire Nation village becomes abandoned by the spiritual force that used to protect it because the rivers around it were polluted, Katara takes it upon herself to fill in. In her place, Katara impersonated the Painted Lady in order to help the villagers, who had become sick from said pollution. Eventually, she was able to clean the river of its pollutants with the help of Aang. The real Painted Lady then returned and thanked Katara for what she had done.
10. Katara Avatar Defeated Azula
Of course, one of the best things that Katara did was step in and defeat Azula once Zuko was struck down. This was an incredibly tense fight, but in Azula’s declining mental state, she was able to trick her into walking over a grate of water, which allowed her to freeze the almost-crowned Fire Lord. This, of course, was a huge element of the Hundred Year War ending for good.
Its so easy to forget that it was Katara who stopped one of the baddest fire benders to ever walk the face of the earth. All her fire was blue because she was that dope! Azula was crazy but she deserves credit where it’s due. She was an amazing bender. It shows how good of a bender and how Katara was always able to keep a cool mind. She was able to stop stop her right in her tracks and cause her to have a complete meltdown.