Who is Amon?
Air

Who is Amon? from Avatar The Legend Of Korra?

Avatar The Legend of Korra: Who is Amon? Amon is an anarchist that served as one of Korra’s foes. He was the first obstacle that Korra encountered on her Avatar journey. So, who is Amon?

Avatar Aang and his friends always had the support of each other, and this helped them defeat the Fire Lord Ozai, ending the 100- year war. 

Asking yourself how the world went from its state of balance to the upset and imbalance we see in the adventures in the Legend of Korra.

Several things happened which were documented in different graphic novels that predate the birth of Korra. The creators, along with a lot of other talented writers, dropped different novels on the happenings after the Defeat of Ozai.

Funko Pop! Amon: Legend of Korra
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Other Stories Before Korra

There have been graphic novels like The Search, The Rift, The Promise, and many more.

The Search is a graphic novel trilogy that is set one year after the events in The Promise. It also precedes the novel The Rift. 

It was written by Gene Luen Yang with Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The trilogy was released in three separate installments by Dark Horse Comics in collaboration with Nickelodeon throughout 2013. 

The story focuses on Zuko and Azula as they search for their mother, Ursa, with Team Avatar accompanying them to keep the mentally unstable princess in check.

Zuko tells Team Avatar regarding Azula.

“She’s going to come with me to look for our mother

“The Search trilogy includes:

Part one, two and three.

The first part of the Search is the first installment in the graphic novel trilogy series. It is a continuation of The Promise storyline. That itself is a follow-up of the series after the live TV animation series had ended. This is after team Avatar defeats Fire Lord Ozai. 

This follow-up to the plot of Avatar: The Last Airbender was originally set to be released by Dark Horse Comics in collaboration with Nickelodeon on March 20, 2013. It was released with its counterparts in Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Search Library Edition HC on February 5, 2014.

The Search takes up after The Promise ends and so on until the birth of Korra. 

As we have already established who Korra is, Who is Amon?

Who is Amon?

Amon and his Equalists on a mission of chaos

In Avatar the Legend of Korra: Who is Amon?

Amon is a water bender, born in the Northern water tribe. He was born in 130AG. His real name is Noatak. He is the leader of the anti-bending group that is known as the Equalists. Amon giving a speech during the Revelation rally said.

 “The Era of bending is over! A new Era of Equality has begun.”

Amon and his Equalists believe that bending induces an imbalance in the world. They also want to rid the world of bending by taking away the bending of anyone they can find. Naturally, the Avatar is the bridge, and the master of all four bending disciplines becomes Amon’s target. He toils with Korra, making her feel helpless, and finally succeeds in taking her bending away. This was before she could air bend.

Amon’s Goal

Amon about to take away a bender's ability for good

The ultimate goal of the Equalists was to introduce equality for all by permanently ridding the world of benders. The ranks of the Equalists are filled with non-benders who have suffered at the hands of benders and bending battles, unable to do anything in their defense.

Amon is a nimble, agile, and stealthy fighter. He was fearless in facing his opponents, regardless of their powerful bending skills and abilities. 

Amon claims to be an innocent non-bender who has been granted the power to rid the world of bending by the spirits. This is a power that was demonstrated by Avatar Aang in his final battle with Fire Lord Ozai. Aang chose the better path, deciding on a way forward that did not involve taking the Fire Lord’s life. He desperately sought this method as he could feel in the core of his being that the alternative option would alter his true nature.

Amon quickly gained the support of a lot of people, sharing his ideals like a plague and gathering more followers by the day. 

Amon’s Rise to Power

Amon threw the entire system of Republic city into chaos. The council, at first refusing to acknowledge the imminent threat that Amon posed, refused to take precautions. 

However, they soon came to acknowledge the danger. And just before the complete conquest of Republic City by the Equalists, Amon’s true identity was exposed to the public by Avatar Korra. 

She revealed that he was, in fact, a water bender. He was a prodigious Northern Water Tribe blood bender, son of the escaped crime boss, Yakone. Yakone was defeated by Avatar Aang in Republic city before Noatak was born. Alongside his younger brother, the former councilman, Tarrlok, Amon was unknowingly shaped by Yakone to be a tool for his revenge against the Avatar. With his identity exposed and his followers deserting him, Amon fled the city with Tarrlok. Tarrlok, however, ignited the fuel tank of their speedboat, killing them both. He saw this as a fitting end for both of them.

Amon’s Early Life 

Noatak was born in the Northern Water Tribe to Yakone and his wife. He was the older brother of Tarrlok by three years. When he was growing up, he was a good-natured child who always looked out for his younger brother and wanted everyone to be treated fairly and equally. It is said that those with the greatest capacity for compassion also have the ability for great hatred. It is the case for Noatak.

When Yakone discovered that both Noatak and Tarrlok were water benders, he ruthlessly trained them to help them develop their skills. 

While Noatak was a natural, Tarrlok struggled to progress as quickly and was often verbally abused by Yakone due to this. Noatak originally would stand up for his brother. He, however, stopped doing so when Yakone, their father, ordered him to never talk back.

When Noatak was ten, Yakone took both of his sons on a supposed hunting trip far from their home.

Amon’s True Powers

This was where he revealed his true identity as a Republic City criminal and explained what had happened to him all up until that time. He also explained the power of blood bending to them. He also claimed that their family had the strongest line of blood benders in history. This explains why Amon was strong enough to use blood bending to rid people of their bending without a full moon. 

Amon, demonstrating his true powers and taking away bending

Katara originally displayed this ability to blood bend without a full moon but never to Amon’s level. It was on this hunting trip that he expressed his intent to make his two sons blood benders of the highest level. This was in order to exact his revenge against Aang for stripping him of his bending. 

Yakone trained the two boys secretly during every full moon to use their blood bending on animals, such as yaks and wolves.

Noatak reveled in his newfound power, eventually mastering Yakone’s unique psychic blood bending technique by the time he was fourteen. As a prodigy, he carried the burden of all his father’s expectations and demands. Over the years, he became cold and detached. This birthed the Amon that we see in The Legend of Korra series.

At some point in his life, Noatak figured out how to use blood bending to disrupt a bender’s chi, making it impossible for them to bend. He assumed the alias of “Amon” and became the leader of the Equalists, an organization striving to rid the world of bending.

Read More
The Friendship Of Azula And Ty Lee
Fire

The Ultimate Guide to The Friendship Of Azula And Ty Lee

Both Azula and Ty Lee have been best friends since their childhood. Both of them attended school at the prestigious Royal Fire Academy For Girls. As Azula was the daughter of the Firelord Max Ozai and Ty lee also belonged to an aristocratic family. They were automatic selections for this prestigious institution. They also had a close friendship with Mai as well. The three of them were pretty close but Azula was the one who can be characterized as the leader of this group even from that young age.

Golden Ty Lee - Airbender Collectible Pin
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Ty Lee is a very soft-spoken yet extremely skilled acrobat. Her talents at acrobatics are even more refined then that of Azula. Even when they were children Azula pushed Ty Lee after she showed her talent. Azula bullied Ty Lee but she still endured the abuse. In this article, we will look at how the relationship between Azula and Ty Lee evolved over the years.

History

Ty Lee was born with seven identical sisters due to which she suffered a loss of her own unique individuality. As all the sisters were identical Ty Lee had to work extra hard to get the attention of her parents. And even after all this hard work her parents would never respond in a way she wanted. This caused Ty Lee craving for recognition all her life. A part of the reason she endured Azula’s bullying was also due to this fact. Ty lee got the recognition she wanted when she was with Azula and the young Fire Princess never compared Ty Lee to her sisters.

Azula, Ty Lee and Mai always played at the palace. Azula also teased Mai because she had a crush on Zuko, her brother. They usually played hide and seek with Azula always coming out as the winner. This was because she had known about the secret passageways in the castle. Ty Lee and Mai had no idea about these passages which provided an unfair advantage to Azula.

Fire Nation Girls Wall Decoration Poster


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Azula on the other hand had always been competitive from the start. And even thought Ty Lee was not a bender Azula was still jealous of her talents. While the group was on a vacation at the Ember Island, it was also revealed that Azula also envied Ty Lee because of how easy boys were attracted to her. Because of the urge to get attention Ty Lee developed a habit of flirting. And wherever she went the boys there always followed her. Despite all these complexities their friendship survived.

Relationship Of Azula And Ty Lee

Although the relationship between The Fire Nation Princess and Ty Lee started as a friendship, it changed into a fear-controlled relationship with time. Azula has this fearful personality and likes to use fear to control her subjects. And Ty Lee is no different. As they grew older Ty Lee started to fear the Princess more and more. The loyalty that Ty Lee had towards her friend was also because of the fear she instigated in the innocent Ty Lee.

One example of the princess coercing her friend through fear was her recruitment in tracking down Zuko as well as the Team Avatar. Ty Lee had run off and joined the Fire Nation Circus to get a sense of her individuality. But Azula came there to recruit her, and when Ty Lee refused. Azula told her that she would watch her show that night.

Funko Pop! Animation: Avatar - Ty Lee
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

During the performance, Ty Lee was performing a tightrope act. But while she was balancing on one hand high above the ground, Azula ordered Shuzumu, the ringmaster, to set the net beneath Ty Lee’s tightrope on fire. And release an assortment of dangerous animals inside the ring making the act life-threatening for Ty Lee if she were to fall. Although Ty Lee successfully completed the act. She still got the message from the Princess loud and clear and she joined Azula.

Following The Team Avatar

The girls started to follow team Avatar in hopes of catching the Avatar and encountered them twice. Ty Lee showed impressive skills in her encounters with the Team Avatar. She even Chi Blocked the Kyoshi Warriors at one point making them immobile. Ty Lee also encountered the Team Avatar when they tried to stop Azula and company from capturing Ba Sing Se. Aang successfully destroyed the drill that the Fire Nation girls were using to get into Ba Sing Se with the help of Katara and Sokka. They also neutralized Ty Lee but her chi blocking did scare everyone from the Team Avatar.

POP! Animation: Avatar The Last Airbender - Azula


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Ending Of The Friendship

In the episode “The Boiling Rock” Zuko is captured inside the prison and it is revealed that the prison’s warden is the uncle of Mai. Mai comes to visit and confront Zuko at his betrayal. Zuko apologizes to Main but says that he will continue on his path nontheless. Meanwhile Azula and Ty Lee arrive at the prison only to find out about Zuko. While Sokka and Zuko are attempting their escape from the prison the princess and Ty Lee start fighting them. And when the Warden orders to cut the lines of the cable car, Mai intervenes and neutralizes the guards allowing Zuko and others to escape.

Funko Pop Avatar The Last Airbender Zuko with Lightning Glow


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

This deeply angers Azula who confronts Mai by saying that how dare she betray her. To which Mai replies that her love for Zuko was more strong than her fear of Azula. This further frustrates Azula and she prepares to attack Mai. At this moment Ty Lee intervenes and chi-blocks Azula to save Mai rendering Azula immobile. But the guards arrest both Mai and Ty Lee before they could escape. Azula then ordered the guards to lock the two away and “let them rot”, not wanting to be in their presence ever again as a punishment for their unfaithfulness.

After Azula is defeated it is revealed that Mai and Ty are released and Mai joins Zuko. While Ty Lee is accepted by the Kyoshi Warriors in return for teaching them chi-blocking. Ty Lee’s induction into the Kyoshi warriors also solves her identity problem and she happily starts to introduce herself as a Kyoshi warrior.

The scene is so sweet for anyone watching because it’s the first time in the show that Azula does not get her way. She is a spoiled princess, the favorite daughter, and a firebending prodigy. When she finally gets what she deserves, you feel like everything is right in the world again. This is the beginning of the fall of Azula. After this happens, she begins to find it hard to trust anyone.

Conclusion

If you liked this article, then you should definitely visit our website www.avatarfactor.com for reading other articles on the Avatar universe as well.

Read More
6 Best Katara Cosplay Costume Options
Water

6 Best Katara Cosplay Costume Options

Katara is one of the key members of Team Avatar. Have you ever wanted to dress like your favorite on-screen character? Cosplay outfits that are ensured to make you look the part. These 6 Katar Cosplay Costumes will have all your friends fooled.

Here is a list of some of the best Katara cosplay costumes that you can get for your personal use. 

Yi Fang Katara Cosplay Costume Avatar Halloween Women Suit
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

This a Katara Halloween cosplay Costume. It has a light blue color like the famous water tribe colors. 

Katara Cosplay Costume Avatar Halloween Women Suit comes in various sizes which differ in prices. It comes in

  • Woman XS – $51.50 
  • Small – $49.99
  • Medium – $51.50
  • Woman L – $51.50
  • Woman XL – $51.50
  • Woman XXL – $51.50
  • Custom Made – $51.50

The Katara Cosplay Costume Avatar Halloween Women Suit comes with a dress, Belt, Pants, Glove, and a bag. The fabric is a uniform cloth. 

This is a unique cosplay outfit for all Katara and Avatar Last Airbender animation fans.

Newcos Avatar Ty Lee Katara Outfit Halloween Cosplay Costume, Medium
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

This is a Katara cosplay outfit.

This item is from the Anime Avatar – The Last Airbender series. Katara Outfit Halloween Cosplay Costume for Adult Women

It is made with polyester material.

This cosplay outfit comes with a Top, Pants, Wristguard, and a Skirt.

This Katara outfit is fit for several occasions like cosplay costume parties. They are also best for Halloween parties, theme parties, stage performances, and other types of fun activities.

The seller advises you to pay attention to the size. You’re employed to kindly choose the size according to the size chart that is provided so as to get your precise fit.

They also inform buyers that the size runs small and are advised to please order two order sizes up of the Anime Avatar: The Last Airbender Ty Lee Katara Outfit Halloween Cosplay Costume for Adult Women.

Ainiel Avatar Katara Cosplay Outfit Halloween Cosplay Costume
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

The Avatar Katara Cosplay Halloween Outfit is another excellent outfit for Katara fans. It is a well-designed product and is definitely recommended as one of the best cosplay Katara outfits you should get for your costume-themed parties, Halloween events, cosplay, and onstage performances. 

The product seller advises that the product is not US size, so you should check the size carefully before making your order. Katara Cosplay Costume Outfit Halloween Shirt Pants Set includes several things.

The Costume set includes Tops, Pants, a Water tribe betrothal necklace, a sleeve, a belt, and even straps.

It is made with polyester material.

This dress is very versatile, as long as you like it, on many occasions, it can give you a lot of praise.

It is suitable for role-playing, Halloween, Christmas, party, class, shopping, daily coat wear, casual wear, home clothes. It is also the best gift for yourself, family, friends, girlfriends, daughters.

It also has a Trust Guarantee From Ainiel. If you have any size questions or you get the item defective or damaged, or unfit, please just contact the seller first. They will try their best to solve the issue you may be having.

Women's Suit for Katara Cosplay Costume Women Red Dress Outfit Uniform Halloween-M
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

We all remember the time when our favorite heroes had to Infiltrate the fire nation. They needed proper disguises to look the part. Here is a Katara costume for that time. We might call Fire Nation Katara.

This item is made with polyester material, and it comes with a top, skirt as shown in the above picture. It, however, does not include headwear.

The size of the item varies. XS-3XL. Please refer to the size chart in the product description below for a perfect fit.

It is good for several occasions like Halloween, Christmas, Festival, Carnival, Ball Gown, Drama, School Performance, Masquerade, Birthday Party, Show Role-play/Dress-Up party and so much more.

It is also recommended that you hand wash this product, cold rinse, wash dark color separately, line dry in the shade.

Size chart for Katara Cosplay Costumes

Women Size(naked)(in inch)

  • XS Height:61″-63″ Bust:32″-33″ Waist:24″-25″ Hip:34.5″-35.5″
  • S Height:63″-65″ Bust:34″-35″ Waist:26″-27″ Hip:36.5″-37.5″
  • M Height:65″-67″ Bust:36″-37″ Waist:28″-29″ Hip:38.5″-39.5″
  • L Height:65″-67″ Bust:38.5″-40″ Waist:30.5″-32″ Hip:41″-42.5″
  • XL Height:65″-67″ Bust:41.5″-43″ Waist:33.5″-35″ Hip:44″-45.5″
  • XXL Height:67″-69″ Bust:46″-48″ Waist:39″-41″ Hip:48″-50″
  • XXXL Height:68″-70″ Bust:50″-52″ Waist:43″-45″ Hip:52″-54″
LVCOS Avatar The Last Airbender Katara Cosplay Costume
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

This costume Includes pants, dresses, and accessories.

You’re advised to double-check the size chart before ordering and choose the size that suits you.

Also, check the address information before you place the order; make sure you will leave the correct information, such as street, city, status, zip code, phone number, the name of the recipient, and such.

This costume can be used for parties, festival performances, and comic con events.

The item’s features include:

It is custom-made and 100% brand new.

It is made with High-quality material and very comfortable to wear.

This costume can be tailor-made in your own size per request.

You can send your measurements (required below) via email; the seller will tailor the most suitable size for you without additional charge. If there is no good size for you, please just message/email me your measurements for size customization (free of charge).

  • 1. Your gender.
  • 2. Your weight.
  • 3. Your height
  • 4. Bust-Female (Measure the circumference around the fullest point of the bust with a bra.) Chest-Male (Take measurement of the circumference at the fullest point of the chest.)
  • 5. Waist (Find the mature waistline, the narrowest part above your hip bone.)
  • 6. Hip (Put the tape around at the fullest part of your bottom when you stand with your feet together.)

The item is one of the best available Katara costumes, and the customizable nature of this product makes it even better. 

The Last Airbender Katara Men Cosplay Costume


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

The Katara cosplay outfit is very easy to clean. You can use mild shampoo in cold water, suitable for the long-term use of wigs.

It is made with High-quality synthetic high-temperature fiber. This makes it soft to the touch and natural appearance. 

It feels like real human hair.

Very suitable for daily use, nightlife, club parties, concerts, weddings, dates, Halloween, fashion, Christmas parties, role-playing, carnivals. You can wear it at parties or on daily use.

It is suitable for daily use, does not damage the hair, and is easy to clean and maintain. The normal shipping time is about 25 days. There may be delays during the COVID-19 epidemic, and the goods cannot be returned during transportation. If you need it urgently, you can choose expedited delivery. 

Read More
Avatar Wallpapers
Air

Avatar Wallpapers and Cool Graphics

If you’ve seen the Last Air Bender Series or The Legend of Korra series, you would know that some really cool scenes and characters would make for really cool wallpapers.

We would be compiling some of the best wallpapers that you can definitely use as an Avatar fan. Here are some really cool wallpapers from Reddit and other sources

Avatar Spirit Within: art by @charlestanart

This is a fan art of Avatar Korra by Charles. This image shows a fierce looking Avatar Korra and the light spirit, Raava inside of her. It is a beautiful wallpaper for your mobile phone or Laptop. Raava is the spirit of Light that fused with Avatar Wan about 10,000 years ago.

She fused with Wan to help defeat Vaatu. Wan was able to cage Vaatu in the tree of time due to Raava’s help. She exists in every Avatar, maintaining a connection with Korra and all the past Avatars. This image shows Korra in a beautiful light with the spirit within her, the spirit of love and light, Raava, glowing within. Raava’s strength and the bond between her and all the Avatars is what forms the Avatar State. 

Avatar State Avatar Wallpapers

This is a fan art that was compiled by bringing several different wallpapers together. 

This showcases Aang in the Avatar state. A state that enables him to summon tremendous power and tap into great and dispense great strength. It is a state that helps him connect with his strength, the past Avatars before him and the power of Raava.

The Avatar state enables its user and can be a two edged sword still. If he or any Avatar is killed while in the Avatar state, the cycle will be halted permanently as Roku warns him in one of his many times when he unknowingly slips into the Avatar state.

It also shows Toph Beifong, a blind master earth bender, Katara, a master water bender  Zuko, a crown Prince and Aang in his original element, Air. This image represents all the four elements and the merger of all four in one person, the Avatar. 

Team Avatar Avatar Wallpapers

Team Avatar is the team that bonded together to restore balance. The Team Avatar is a legendary team that started with Sokka, Aang and Katara and of course Appa. The team grew as the quest and need grew. 

Team Avatar is the name used to refer to Avatar Aang and his companions. They put together this team on Aang’s journey to master all four elements and defeat the Fire Lord. Balance was much needed during and after the 100 year war. Aang and his friends started out to restore the balance that the fire nation had upset but wiping out the Air Nation (Nomads), taking Earth nation territory and waging war on the Water tribe. 

Majestic Avatar 

We are all accustomed with the goofy Avatar but few times in the series when it all went dark and called for a lot more seriousness than we are used to when watching the series. 

This is an older Avatar from the time he came out of the iceberg. Judging by the age, he looks a little older than when he defeated the Fire Lord. At this point, Aang was well on his way to becoming a fully realised Avatar. Aang aged rapidly after he came out of the iceberg and this is as a result of a lot of his life force becoming drained over the 100 year period that he maintained the Avatar state.

This image showcases him bending all four elements as a fully realized Avatar would. 

Strongest Avatars Avatar Wallpapers

Some of the strongest Avatars in the Universe have been able to do extraordinary things. From Avatar Wan, a Peasant who didn’t own anything but the clothes on his back. He went on to become the first Avatar. Wan trained for years just to be strong enough to house Raava and hold all the four elements in his body.

This was the bravery and a feat no one had ever attempted or dreamed of attempting. Some of the strongest Avatars from Aang to Kyoshi, Roku, and many more. This would most definitely make excellent wallpaper for your phone. 

Last Air Bender Series 

The Last airbender series is one that graced all our screens and made memories that we would never forget. With the recent announcement of a Netflix adaptation of the series brought the much needed revival to the series’ franchise. This image shows the whole team Avatar, post the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai.

It shows Fire Lord Zuko on the front, Katara, Toph, Sokka, Appa, Momo. It also shows an enraged Avatar Aang, in the Avatar state. There is also a collection of all four elements in the background as seen in the final fight between Aang and Ozai. 

Aang and Katara with Toph as Third wheel

The couple and their growth is one to behold as Aang and Katara never gave up. This wallpaper is for Aang and Katara stans who have always supported and loved the relationship. The image showcases them looking wonderful together with Toph as a third wheel. Toph with her looks that clearly says Sokka forced me to do this. Momo is also featured in this shot as the pet lemur would be part of the family for many more years to come. 

The image is definitely one that you want to have as it just seems beautiful watching the two young lovers all grown up and starting their dream family. 

Aang and Zuko – Avatar Wallpapers

A lifelong friendship that began with so much hate. This image showcases Zuko and Avatar Aang. This image happens after they had defeated the Fire Lord. Zuko becomes the Fire Lord and Aang marries Katara, becoming a fully realized Avatar. 

Aang and Zuko created a bending city that did not discriminate. This was a city where all benders from all nations could live. A center of harmony. Aang and Zuko’s friendship did not start off to a smooth start but they eventually grow to form one of the strongest bonds. Bonds that withstood the test of time.

Read More
the Four avatar Elements
Fire

Avatar Elements: Why Are There Only Four Of Them?

In the year 2005, a new show aired on the Nickelodeon channel that would forever change the lives of  millions of TV viewers all over the world. That show was Avatar: The Last Airbender; a show about an Asian-centric fantasy world where people have the ability to manipulate any one of four (Avatar) elements; water, air, fire and earth. 

However, the Fire Nation, a nation of people who can bend fire, has laid siege over the other nations, and using a comet, gained the power to take over most of the world. Only one individual, a spirit-human who is able to manipulate all Avatar elements at the same time and is called the Avatar; can bring harmony back to this war-torn world. The show was known for its coverage of many themes, definitive storyline, and art designs and has since gone on to have a cult following. 

One of the most interesting and key features of the Avatar: The Last Airbender series are the Avatar elements themselves. Forces of nature, they are the driving plot of the series, and its spin off materials such as the comics, novels and The Legend of Korra spin off. But why just four elements? Let’s find out why.

Avatar Elements

The Avatar Elements: Four Instead Of Five

The very first episode of the Avatar: The Last Airbender series shows us right from the onset that there are four avatar elements with Katara’s narration. However, we never get to see why there are only four.

Sure, there do turn out to be more than this number of Avatar elements that benders control, but they turn out tobe sub-bending forms, categorized under the four main avatar elements. Take for example; metalbending for the earthbenders, bloodbending for waterbenders and firebenders can manipulate lightning for lightning bending. You might be wondering where air factors in here; but there is no direct bending sub skill for air, although some airbenders can manipulate air to receive flight as a sub skill.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 1
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Avatar Elements Origin

Get this, each of the sub skills mentioned earlier is actually a part of something called Wuxing or Wu-Hsing. It is a Chinese philosophy that is very ancient, and air is not one of them. Wuxing roughly stands for Five Phases in English, and it points out five elements of nature; water (shui), wood (mu), earth (tu), metal (jin) and fire (huo). So the real question is why aren’t these five being used as the primary avatar elements in the show?  

Avatar co-creator Bryan Konietzko gives us the perfect answer to this intriguing question. In the book Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Art of the Animated Series, Bryan points out that there were four avatar elements due to one thing: simplicity. It would have become too complicated to feature so many main elements. There is also the additional fact that the philosophy of the Five Phases is really not the only philosophy based on elements that is existent in ancient Chinese culture.

Konietzko continues; 

“People often assume the “four-element theory”… we brought to bending is exclusive to ancient Greece, and that in ancient China only a “five-element theory was used”… in our research we found the four-element theory was prevalent in ancient cultures all over the world, including ancient Buddhist teachings. While the five-element theory is interesting in its own right, we were attracted to the universality of the four simple elements.”

Avatar Elements: The Bare Facts

Elemental theories are a major part of our world; they have existed for thousands of years and continue to do so in modern times. Each culture has its own interpretations and representation on these theories, consisting of additions and variations; however the Avatar elements are some of the most common arrangements frequently appearing in element-based philosophies.

Also, you should know that the Wuxing philosophy is more flexible than the Avatar elements theory. Wuxing has a much different approach, calling the five phases rather than elements. This reflects the fact that they are ever-changing materials and so wood, fire, earth, metal, water do not have or possess Avatar’s same fixedness. This is one major reason why the English translation of Wuxing is regarded as Five Phases as opposed to Five Elements.

In the long run, it actually makes sense that the creators decided to take this path for so many reasons. The inclusion of air as one of the Avatar elements changes the tone of the show drastically. Also, if they had included a fifth avatar element, then we would have had to deal with a fifth nation as well as its corresponding bending form.

Sure, it might have been fun to see, but it definitely would have made the show overcomplicated. That would have been counterproductive, seeing as Avatar was created and directed towards children. With just four avatar elements, the show was able to properly explore each culture or nation’s intricacies as well as their bending form. It was also easier to honor the real-life cultures that inspiration had been drawn from to create the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Funko Avatar Last Airbender 7pc 3.75" Pop Figure Set - Katara - Aang - Iroh - Sokka - Zuko - Toph & Appa


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Conclusion

We certainly enjoyed the outcome of the decision; and how the writers still included other natural elements as sub skills bending. The world of Avatar was already a very vast one, and the decision to keep it down to just four avatar elements was more than enough to help create the time to explore it all.

Read More
The Avatar After Korra
Earth

The Avatar After Korra & Everything Else You Need to Know

Based on the natural cycle of all the four elements, it starts with Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. The Avatar After Korra would be in the Earth Kingdom.

Avatar Roku was of fire nation descent, followed by Avatar Aang, then Korra. The Avatar after Korra is said to come from the Earth kingdom. 

Although there has been no official announcement of who the next Avatar will be, we do know that the cycle will continue. 

An unsettling fact about the next Avatar is that he or she would be devoid of the wisdom of the past lives. Not even Korra would be able to help the Avatar in their quest. 

Legend of Korra - Korra Avatar State Exclusive
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Near the end of The Legend of Korra’s second season, a resurrected Vaatu fought against Korra and Raava. Raava is the light spirit that merged with the Avatar host.

After a series of rapid attacks, the dark spirit Vaatu forcibly removes Raava from Kora, her Avatar host body. Vaatu continues his assault on Korra until she is severed from all of her past lives. Traumatized by the loss of her connection to previous Avatars, like Aang, who might be able to assist her in saving the world and protecting people she loves. Korra marks the first Avatar in 10 thousand years of the long line of Avatars to completely be on her own.

The following years between the end of The Legend Of Korra and the reincarnation of a new Avatar will have to be navigated alone. Korra lost all ties with the previous Avatars and will not be able to help the new Avatar as the link that bonded Avatars together was severed in the battle by Vaatu.

Avatar & Legend of Korra Complete Series Collection


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Loss Of Past Lives 

Future Avatars will not be able to access the wisdom of the past Avatars, including Korra herself. This makes her the Avatar Wan of a new cycle of Avatars that will move on henceforth. 

There is also new evidence that suggests that the new Avatar will not be able to connect to his or her predecessor. 

In a book that was released by Nickelodeon titled An Avatar’s Chronicles, Korra and her friends gave writing advice to the new Avatar after her. 

In one of these letters, Korra writes, “While I know we can’t let our failures define us, I am sorry that you won’t have the connection with me, with Aang, and with all the lives you’ve lived before.” 

This somewhat indicates that even she too will not be able to live on through the next Avatar. But with many of the rules within the Avatar mythology still a little up in the air, it is possible that the new Avatar will attempt to reintegrate all of the Avatar’s past lives.

Appearance Of The Next Avatar

So many theories have gone on to try and predict the appearance of the next Avatar. A debatable theory exists that pertains to the next Avatar’s physical appearance. 

Fans of both Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel series, The Legend of Korra may have noticed that Korra shares similar physical features with Aang’s eventual love interest and long-time friend, Katara. Interestingly, when looking back to the previous Avatar, Roku, one might find that his wife Ta Min also looks familiar.

It is theorized that her round face and softer features are reminiscent of Avatar Aang’s as a young man. While evidence to support this fact is very limited, it has been theorized that the next Avatar will share some physical features with the preceding Avatar’s great love.

This theory is fueled by the choice of both Avatar series. It basically features final shots of that series’ Avatar, having saved the world, finally taking a bold new step with the person they love: Aang with Katara and Korra with Asami. 

So, considering this theory, the next Avatar regardless of the gender they would have should likely share some features with Asami, be it her dark hair, green eyes, skin tone, and others. 

The Legend of Korra: An Avatar's Chronicle
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Future Of The Avatar Series 

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the franchise, especially with the recent departure of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the original creators of the live-action adaptation. They indicated that the producers and themselves could not agree on the direction to go, hence tagging creative differences as their rationale for leaving. 

One thing we however know about the series is that the new Avatar will be of Earth Nation descent. He or she will have limited or no access to their previous lives. They might have some resemblance to Asami. Although there has been no official announcement on who this next Avatar will be, fans may have to wait a while before anything is said for sure. But with the reanimated fervor that came with both The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra’s addition to the Netflix catalog, an answer is surely on the way.

Some background information on the Avatar Cycle.

In the world of Avatar, there are four bending styles, each harnessing the power of one of the four elements. 

While Avatars are all capable of mastering all four bending arts with intense training, they are always associated with one primary element.

Taking a look back at the last four Avatars before Korra, it becomes evident that a cycle is followed. It is clear that all four of the elemental bending styles are represented.

Avatar Kuruk, an Avatar that lived around (345-312 Before Genocide or “BG”). He was primarily a water bender

Avatar Kyoshi (312 BG-82 BG) was an earthbender. Avatar Roku was a firebender; and then Avatar Aang was an airbender. 

Taking note that the most recent Avatar, Korra, is another water bender, the pattern that is known often referred to as the “Avatar Cycle” will restart all over. The cycle begins to emerge. Each new Avatar’s primary bending style goes in a patterned order. Fire, air, water, and Earth before it restarts the cycle all over again. This means the next Avatar after Korra will be an earth bender. 

There is a fanfiction that depicts a new Avatar named Jimu who is a bit on the stubborn side, just like Korra. 

The unique thing about the Avatar Cycle and the recurring lives is how each individual has a peculiar thing about them. They ultimately have the ability to dispense great love. 

Read More
Top 10 General Iroh Moments From Avatar
Fire

Top 10 General Iroh Moments From Avatar

In a show about superpowered teens driven by destiny and trauma, it’s surprising that one of the best characters is the elderly uncle that follows around the (original) antagonist. General Iroh is one of the greatest characters in television history for a reason – he’s just perfect. The top General Iroh Moments will be remembered forever!

He’s grounded, powerful, and caring, making for some exciting moments in Avatar the Last Airbender. While he definitely adds some much-needed comic relief to his brooding nephew, there is a deeper part of his character that shines through the darkest of moments and still brings fans to tears. While’s it’s hard to encapsulate the amazingness of Iroh in a simple list; we’ll try our best to do him justice.  

10. Defending the Moon Spirit

The Avatar series had a strong start for many characters, but the show didn’t have quite enough time to delve into the deeper personalities of the cast. For one, there were a lot of questions to be left for the early antagonists who wanted nothing more than to push for fire nation domination and get the Avatar.

Uncle Iroh was the elderly escort to Prince Zuko, who was looking to find the Avatar to regain his honor. While he seems to just go along with whatever Zuko is doing, he seems more like a loveable uncle than anything else. It’s during the 18th episode, The Waterbending Master, where we get our first real peek at Iroh’s defiance.

When Zhao insisted on killing the moon spirit, Iroh threatened to take action (and delivers on his words). It’s his insight that ultimately brings the moon spirit back to life as he sits side-by-side with the grieving avatar gang. Lets see some more of the best General Iroh Moments…

9. Meeting Toph

Toph and Uncle Iroh met outside of the terms of Avatar’s battles. While he was following Zuko during some much-needed character development, Iroh runs into Toph while she’s dealing with her own internal struggles. He treats her with the same kindness he treated everyone else, and they both exchange some helpful words on how to help each other.

Even though they probably didn’t realize who significant the other would be in the other’s life, it was a cute exchange that fans loved. He helped Toph learn that she needs to accept help from the people that love her – much-needed advice as she trailed on by herself while conflicting with adjusting to life in the Avatar gang.

8. The Banishment

Following a failed Avatar kidnapping stunt, Zuko and Iroh are both banished. Zuko ceremoniously cuts off his hair and falls down a spiral of angst. Uncle Iroh is doing arguably well, but he is trying his best to be there for Zuko. As Zuko is trying harder than ever to be full of pride after the shameful ordeal, Iroh explains that pride is not the opposite of shame. In fact, “humility is the only antidote to shame.” A very nice lesson for everyone listening.

7. A Memorable Iroh Quote

Uncle Iroh is known for giving some great advice, and that is exactly what he does when Aang asks for it. Although they are technical enemies due to his position in the fire nation, Uncle Iroh never saw Aang as an adversary. He’s pretty comfortable walking with the Avatar as they try to escape a tunnel, delivering some pretty memorable quotes.

One of the most significant was when he told the Avatar he admired how he chose love over perfection. He said, “You can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

6. Opening a Tea Shop

When Iroh and Zuko end up in the earth kingdom, Iroh does the most Iroh thing he can and opens up a successful tea shop. It’s during this fun little arc where he gets to act like a real uncle and not deal with all the drama and action of the whole Avatar thing. It’s cute to watch how he puts Zuko to work, interacts with his customers, and even sets his nephew up on a date.

5. Family Moments

It’s safe to say that Iroh favors Zuko over his sister, but the loveable uncle seems like the guy to value family, right? Well, fans were surprised with Iroh’s snarky response to Zuko when they discuss his troubling niece. After Zuko says some harsh things, he explains that he knows that Iroh would say they are siblings and should get along – Iroh just matter of factly replies, “oh no, she’s crazy, and she needs to go down.”

4. The Mugging

This is one of the funnier and less depressing moments of Iroh. After someone attempts to mug him, he simply gives the guy some advice. He sits down and has tea with the guy, who he figures out is just struggling and isn’t prepared to hurt anyone at all. It’s a small moment – but one that sticks with you. It certainly offered a lot of life lessons to the kids watching the show when it was airing on nickelodeon.

3. Harsh Words for Zuko

Understandably, some of the best Iroh moments involve his troubled nephew, Zuko. While he normally has some calming words and a cute little saying to go with his advice, he completely yells at Zuko when he discovers his nephew found Aang’s flying bison, Appa, who had been stolen.

While no one actually knows what Zuko is planning to do with the bison now that he found it, that is kind of the point that Iroh calls him out on, shouting at him how he never really plans anything out. He points out one of Zuko’s major Avatar-catching failures when Sokka and Katara end up saving them from freezing to death.

After Zuko insists on how he’ll make it work because he knows his destiny, Iroh calls him out for constantly following the “destiny” his father laid out. Ultimately, Zuko releases Appa from chains unharmed, and he ultimately finds his way back to the Avatar.

2. Prison Break

We’ve focused a lot on Uncle Iroh’s wisdom, but he is one of the most powerful characters in the Avatar series. While he acts as a frail old man in prison, the audience is let in on a little secret – Iroh is jacked and working out. The second he has the moment, he breaks out of jail like it’s nothing and rejoins his allies to help put an end to the war.

1. Forgiving Zuko (Best of General Iroh Moments)

Easily one of the heartwarming moments of the show was his conversation with Zuko. After Zuko betrays both the Avatar gang and his uncle, Iroh ends up in prison. Zuko tried to visit and reason with his uncle, who stays relatively silent. As Zuko is supposed to be enjoying his newfound life where he is redeemed, he can’t help but feel as though something is wrong. In the end, he makes up his mind and betrays his nation, pursuing the Avatar so he can be his firebending teacher.

This fun twist led to one of the greatest character redemption arcs in animated history. While he does eventually win the trust of the Avatar gang and reunite with his uncle, there is a lot they need to discuss. Zuko pours out his emotions in a heartfelt apology over everything he did and begging for his uncle’s forgiveness, even if he doesn’t deserve it.

He surprises Zuko by quickly pulling him into an embrace. Shocked, he asks Iroh why he forgave him so easily and why he isn’t furious. He simply says he was never angry with his nephew, just sad that he thought he lost his way. It is a tear-jerking moment that never fails to give goosebumps to any fan of the show.

Bonus: Leaves From the Vine

We always see Iroh as the fun-loving uncle. However, we get a rare glimpse of his troubles when he sings a commemorative song, “leaves from the vine,” for his son, who died in the war. It was one of the most touching General Iroh moments.

Without a doubt, Iroh had a huge impact on the Avatar world. He played a major role in driving both story and character development. He gave an entire generation of people some sound advice and interest in tea. We want to hear from you. Did we miss any major General Iroh moments for Iroh?

Read More
The Great Divide
Water

The Great Divide Avatar: One of Avatar’s Most Disliked Episodes

Avatar: the last airbender will forever be a show that fully captured the hearts of millions of fans all over the world. Unfortunately, even a good thing can have bad sides, and for the beloved series; one very bad side was the season one episode The Great Divide Avatar. 

Avatar: The Last Airbender may be a  near-flawless show; but it would be crazy to think that this doesn’t mean it won’t spot a bad episode once in a while – but there was something about The Great Divide Avatar that just sucked. 

No doubt the entire series is thought to be a fantastic one; a very neatly packed show that shows each episode was carefully thought out. Even the fillers seem to lead to some progression of the show’s main plot and the character arcs.

Sure, the Great Divide Avatar is pretty much very disliked, but it appears as though many of the fanbase have come to acknowledge that it was not so bad. It might be a weak spot in the show’s near perfect run; but it doesn’t do any damage to the show. For one thing, the creatures we see are very cool. Aang himself learned something about resolving conflicts; and we even got to see some of the best earthbending from the old tour guide. 

The Great Divide Avatar is still hated, however. So, let’s see why this is so.

The Great Divide Avatar Is The Weakest Episode In The Last Airbender Series

The Great Divide Avatar has the lowest overall rating of the entire series; with an IMDb scoring of 7. Next to it is Avatar Day, with 7.5. But the Great Divide isn’t so bad, to be honest. 

The problem is the episode is just really silly and goofy. The events therein are also quite forgettable; and it pales in comparison to all the other stellar series’ episodes. There is also the fact that it is a pretty strange episode; considering it does not teach kids any life lessons. ATLA at its core is still a kids’ show, so the absence of lessons is just off.

It Had Some Weird Tropes

The Great Divide Avatar has some really unpopular TV tropes; and it replays them over and over again. It made a lot of viewers unhappy. Having tropes isn’t necessarily bad; they are after all a big part of TV. Unfortunately when you repeat these sort of things; you overdo them and this can make fans very unsatisfied. It’s worse when the tropes in question are some of the most overused in TV history. No doubt this made the Great Divide Avatar very unlikeable

The Sibling Rivalry In The Great Divide Avatar Was Unbearable

One of the tropes we were just talking about is sibling rivalry. This trope was very much overplayed in The Great Divide Avatar. The episode sees Katara and Sokka mirror the extreme rivalry between the Gan Jins and the Zhangs; making them personifications of the water tribe sibling’s opposing personalities. As if that was not enough, the sibling rivalry trope was made further evident when Aang tells his story of the “actual” Jin Wei and Wei Jin. He tells the two warring clans that their forefathers were actually siblings; and that all their bickering was the result of a silly misunderstanding.

DIAMOND SELECT TOYS Avatar The Last Airbender: Sokka Deluxe Action Figure
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
Avatar The Last Airbender: Katara Action Figure
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Appa’s Disappearance

Fans had a huge aneurysm over the fact that Appa was barely used in the Great Divide Avatar. It kind of looked like the solution to the problem was very obvious. Why not have Appa take passengers on round trips, as opposed to him just airlifting the elderly people.

This whole debate bears some semblance to the Lord of the Rings issue; where fans wondered why the Fellowship didn’t use the Eagles. They have asked; why didn’t Appa just carry some of the food across to make it less dangerous?

It isn’t actually as clear cut as it seems. You have to consider the fact that The Great Divide is a really large expanse (it’s in the name after all). Crossing it took them a couple of days, so even with flying it would have taken Appa quite some time as well. And remember; the flying bison needs to rest every now and then; as flying takes a lot of his energy.

LevinArt Avatar Last Airbender Appa Plush Toy Soft Stuffed Animals


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

The Great Divide Avatar’s Side Characters Are Really Frustrating

Oh how annoying the side characters in the Great Divide Avatar were. Considering most of them were really old people; they acted like children for the bulk of the episode.

All they do is never listen, and create more mindless conflict. Even though they were warned not to; they brought food into the Great Divide. Their actions even cause a big rift between Katara and Sokka. The height of everything is when the first problems arise; and the tour guide injures his leg. They still don’t get their acts together, and end up making the situation even worse. They not only threaten their lives, but also the lives of others around them.

Team Avatar Acts Totally Out Of Character

One strange thing about The Great Divide is that Team Avatar behaves totally out of character. In fact, they are more like their characters in the Ember Island Players stage play. 

It was such a weird switch from what we were used to. While it could be argued that at this stage of the series there wasn’t much character development; being at the tail end of season one, there had been serious room for growth. 

Another fact is that the episode before this was “Jet”. It was a pretty intense episode, where Sokka and Katara shared some pretty deep trust issues and conflict with one another. Back to back episodes with the siblings having problems with each other was just too much.

Pins Set of 4: Avatar - Aang, Appa, Sokka and Katara
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

The Great Divide Avatar Was 100% Filler

To be honest, no TV series could exist without filler episodes. There were some clear filler episodes in the series such as Nightmares and Daydreams; but each of these filler episodes seem to continue the story in one way or the other. It could have been through character development, or through a subplot like the Painted Lady or Avatar Day respectively; or even a direct lead to something like Zuko Alone. 

Unfortunately, the Great Divide did not achieve either of these results. It is an entirely skippable episode; and it bears no consequence to the series whatsoever. We never see any consequences to Aang’s trickery in conflict resolution; and not even Sokka and Katara’s sibling issues are ever addressed again. We don’t even see or hear of the two clans in the show after that.

Know-It-All Katara Was A Pain

As earlier mentioned, the entirety of Team Avatar acted totally out of character. They act as extreme versions of themselves in order to go along with the plot of the episode. One person that really gets off the line is Katara. She sometimes acts a bit pushy and very much so like a know-it-all, especially in earlier seasons. It’s okay to point out that she is flawed, and that she continuously works on fixing this; but this episode brought the know-it-all Katara to its peak without making her likable at any point.

The Great Divide Avatar’s Brute Sokka

Just like Katara, we could say the same about Sokka. He acted brash and like a brute. He was lazy and just “hungry” the entire episode. At one point, he even says that he traveled with the Zhangs because of their food. This version of Sokka sounds more like the Ember Island play version of Sokka, that was just there for comedic relief the entire time. This version of Sokka was useless, far from the leader of the group, and also acted kind of like a know-it-all which made his conflict with Katara even larger.

Aang Lied

One of the worst aspects of this episode is its resolution. In a bid to get the feuding clans to quit arguing and stop being so hostile to one another; Aang decides to tell them the story of the “real” Jin Wei and Wei Jin. You’d think this was something; only that this real story wasa complete lie. Aang makes it up, just to settle the fight and make it look like a simple misunderstanding. You could state that it’s more or less something ingenious; but the fact remains that he lied.  What’s worse is that he gets away with it; with no repercussions whatsoever. 

The thing is, kids watching the show will see the fact that the Avatar lied. It sends a pretty horrible message if we’re being honest. It does not sound like a very good way for Aang to handle his problems; and it sort of does teach kids that if they have problems or situations they want to get out of they can just lie. It certainly also does not speak well of the Avatar himself; no hero should lie. 

Read More
The Last Airbender Comics Order
Air

Avatar Books: The Last Airbender Comics Order

Avatar: The Last Airbender is an American television series. The show aired for three seasons. It follows the adventures of Avatar Aang and his friends. The Avatar must master all four elements and defeat Fire Lord Ozai, who plans to use the return of Sozin’s comet to wipe out the Earth kingdom and solidify his victory. A war that began a hundred years ago by Fire Lord Sozin. Knowing The Last Airbender Comics Order can help you to navigate the rest of the story.

You can now continue the adventure in comic books. Some of these issues depict events that were unseen during the series and, most of all, after. Most of the comics available do, however, follow the growth and development of different characters after the conclusion of the original show. 

What To Read First in The Last Airbender Comics Order

Here are some of the issues to read and how to read them to. Also, before you engage in this, it is advisable to go and rewatch the series first and jog your memory on the happenings in the comics. Also, it is the perfect time to start with the two novels that chronicle the early life of Avatar Kyoshi. This takes place about 396 years before the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender. You can read them whenever you want. But for perfect placement, you should read them first to understand all of the Avatar Books.

There are two issues for Kyoshi and her life as the Avatar. 

  1. The Rise of Kyoshi
  2. The Shadow of Kyoshi 
The Rise of Kyoshi (The Kyoshi Novels Book 1)


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
Avatar, The Last Airbender: The Shadow of Kyoshi (The Kyoshi Novels Book 2)
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Avatar Books: The Last Airbender Comics Reading Order 

Here is the order to the comics once you have gotten out the basics.

  • Zuko’s Story: This is a prequel to the movie. Zuko’s story is a prequel story to the movie but with the movie’s character designs which all center around the character of Zuko. The story is set immediately following his banishment. It tells of the things he had to encounter to become the man we later see in the animation series.
The Last Airbender: Prequel: Zuko's Story
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

The Lost Adventures

These are stories of adventures that took place during the original TV series, in the middle of random episodes of the television show. To avoid providing you with any spoilers, we suggest reading them after each season. This would help in more ways than one.

The Original Series for Avatar Books

  1. Book One: Water. This happens between Season 1 of the animation series and Season 2
  2. Book Two: Earth. This is between season 2 and Season 3 of The Last Airbender series
  3. Book Three: Fire – After Season 3
Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 1
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

The Second Show

  1. Katara and the Pirate’s Silver: This issue follows Katara as she gets separated from the rest of Team Avatar during the events of Book Two: Earth
  2. Suki Alone is an unpublished issue, but we no doubt get to see Suki in her element as no episode in the series of comic issues have been dedicated to doing her justice. This issue is to be published on June 22, 2021. It follows Suki as a prisoner in the Boiling Rock prison during the events of Book Three: Fire
  3. Team Avatar Tales: Includes the previously published Free Comic Book Day issues as well as brand new mini-comics that are set during and after the series’ run. Better read together.
The Legend of Korra Book 1
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Avatar Books: The Promise

The Promise is an issue that details the events that occur immediately and one year after the end of the television series. If you’re particularly curious about what happens to our favorite characters, which, let’s face it, almost everyone is. This comic book series is the one that puts you at ease. 

  1. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise Part 1
  2. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise Part 2
  3. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise Part 3
Avatar: The Last Airbender--The Promise Omnibus
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

The Search: This issue entails Zuko on a quest to find his mom after he became Fire Lord Zuko. Zuko’s quest to find his mother, Ursa, with the help of his sister and a few old friends.

  1. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Search Part 1
  2. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Search Part 2
  3. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Search Part 3
Avatar: The Last Airbender--The Search Omnibus
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

The Rift: This issue continues the storyline that the authors have already established in the previous series titled The Search. 

  1. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Rift Part 1
  2. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Rift Part 2
  3. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Rift Part 3
Avatar: The Last Airbender--The Rift Omnibus
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Toph Beifong’s metal bending Academy: Toph discovers something that just might put the sparkle back in her eye. Okay, I get that she can’t exactly see, but you get the point. With everyone off doing their thing and starting something for themselves, it’s only fair that our blind bandit gets a stake in the future too. Toph, realizing that she can metal bend, decides to create an academy that would train skilled Earth benders in the art of metal bending. 

Avatar Books: Smoke and Shadow

Aang and Zuko attempt to resolve conflicts both physical and spiritual.

  1. Avatar: The Last Airbender – Smoke and Shadow Part 1
  2. Avatar: The Last Airbender – Smoke and Shadow Part 2
  3. Avatar: The Last Airbender – Smoke and Shadow Part 3
Avatar: The Last Airbender--Smoke and Shadow Library Edition
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Avatar Books: North and South

Focuses on Katara and Sokka, who discover that their village has become a bustling city with Hakoda in charge.

  1. Avatar: The Last Airbender – North and South Part 1
  2. Avatar: The Last Airbender – North and South Part 2
  3. Avatar: The Last Airbender – North and South Part 3
Avatar: The Last Airbender--North and South Library Edition
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Avatar Books: Imbalance

Aang and Team Avatar race to resolve rising tensions between benders and non-benders before a town is torn apart

  1. Avatar: The Last Airbender – Imbalance Part 1
  2. Avatar: The Last Airbender – Imbalance Part 2
  3. Avatar: The Last Airbender – Imbalance Part 3
Avatar: The Last Airbender--Imbalance Library Edition
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Other Collected Editions

The Library Edition

Hardcover edition with page-by-page sidebar commentary by Gene Yang and the Gurihiru team.Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Lost Adventures and Team Avatar Tales Library Edition

  1. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Lost Adventures and Team Avatar Tales Library Edition
  2. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise Library Edition
  3. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Search Library Edition
  4. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Rift Library Edition
  5. Avatar: The Last Airbender – Smoke and Shadow Library Edition
  6. Avatar: The Last Airbender – North and South Library Edition
  7. Avatar: The Last Airbender – Imbalance Library Edition

Omnibus Edition

Collects the storylines in a paperback omnibus

  1. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise Omnibus
  2. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Search Omnibus

Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Rift Omnibus. This is going to be published in 2021; the month is still not yet communicated to fans.

What to read after The Last Airbender?

After taking down the whole series, there is no better moment to binge Legend of Korra than now. You should do this before reading The Legend of Korra comics. The Last Airbender Comics Order will continue to grow with no content expected in the future.

Read More
Appa Plush
Air

Appa Plush: The Appa Stuffed Animal Every Fan Needs

Plushes are toys made out of soft furry clothes. There is no difference between plushes and stuffed animals as these names are used interchangeably. Plushies are used mostly because of how cute it sounds.

Stuffed animals are usually filled with cotton, wool, or straw. In other rare cases, they fill the plushies with more hard or rough materials like beans or plastic pellets.

You will know a stuffed animal when you see one as they are often soft and cuddly. The physical features are usually exaggerated, like their large pleading eyes, and short feet and limbs. This is what fuels its cuteness and appeal to those who love them.

Plushies are often made in animal shapes. It was first invented in Germany in the 19th century. These days, people of different age range own one.

Appa Plush

Appa is a cute flying bison which the avatar Aang uses as his source of transportation. He is fluffy and cute and would definitely be snuggly as a plush.
Here are a few Appa Plushes that you can get:

Montessori&USA 22'' Plush Doll Stuffed Animal


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

This Appa plush costs just $22.99. It is made with high-quality short wool fabric and soft PP cotton. Its elasticity and value performance was excellent in terms of volume as well.

  • It extremely soft, cuddly, cute. Collectible as well.
  • Children will love him! You can take him wherever you want to go.
  • Its height is about 45cm. Apart from its cuteness, it can also be utilized as a pillow for relaxation and sleep.
  • It can be used for birthday gifts as well as love affirmation gifts.
LevinArt Avatar Last Airbender Appa Plush Toy Soft Stuffed Animals


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
  • It costs $23.99 apart from the shipping fee; its size is about 50cm/20.7in. It is extremely soft. The edge stitches are finely done and very delicate. The soft plush is the perfect hugger buddy for anyone.
  • It can also be used as a cute pillow for relaxation.
  • There are NO buttons or beads that you should be scared of them falling off.
  • You can also gift this to your children or your lover.
Appa Plush Doll Stuffed Toy, 20''Plush Doll Stuffed Animal


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

This 18 inch Appa plush costs just $27.99 dollars. It has high-quality fillers with high-quality short wool fabrics. Its cotton is very soft, with excellent properties when it comes to elasticity and bulkiness. They cannot easily be deformed. It is also quite easy to clean and dry quickly

Types of Stuffed Animals

Stuffed animals are created in a variety of sizes and shapes. The appearance of a plush is usually used to classify its different types as they are shaped like popular creatures or objects. The bear is the most common type of plush: they are also known as “teddy bears.”

There are different bears in design, from panda bears to brown bears and koala bears. However, there are some plushes utilized as tiny key chains. There are also giant teddy bears that are as big as the large armchairs. They are generally about twenty centimeters high.

Also, dogs and cats are also common animals that are made in plushies. You can get plushes on the African savannah animals like the cheetah, the lion, or the hippotamus.

Calling them “stuffed animals” insinuates that all plushies look like animals. This is false. Though most of them take the shape of animals, there are others shaped differently. While most of them do resemble real animals, many of them are shaped differently.

There are plushie kinds that are shaped into spirits or mythological creatures. Others are inspired by characters from different books or films. Also, some plushies are made for real individuals. Are there other terms for “stuffed animal”?
There are so many different names for stuffed animals, such as “plushie.” The word “plush” is gotten from the French word “peluché,” which means “fluff” or “plush.”

Some people also called stuffed animals “stuffed toy,” “plush toy,” or “stuffy,” or “teddy bear.” They are known as soft toys in the UK and Australia.

Materials are Used to Make Stuffed Animals

The softness and flexibilities of a fluffy toy are one of the reasons they are so cute and wanted by all.
Their combined features of goodness and various physical features make the got to toys for comfort. The softness of a stuffed animal is mainly because of the material used.

The fabric used is similar to those that are used for clothing. The most common stuffing used is wool stuffing. Wool can be bent over a thousand times before it starts giving off the inclination that it is about to lose its shape. Wool, however, cannot be washed with the washing machine else; it begins to change its form.

The problem with wool, however, is that the material can’t be machine washed or dried without losing its form. Good quality cotton, on the other hand, will have been preshrunk before used as a stuffing, which is why plushies made with cotton are easier to wash. Plushies filled with polyester fiberfill are also very common, as polyester is relatively cheap and won’t cause allergic reactions.

Can I Use a Machine to Wash Stuffed Animals?

Except it is clear that these stuffed animals are made with materials suitable for machine washing, do not use them. If you absolutely have to, make sure to use the gentlest cycle available on your washing machine. It would be best to wash the plushies wrapped up inside a pillow cover or a large bedsheet. If there are any forms of damages found, the best thing is to wash the stuffed toy with your hands.

Benefits of Plushes?

Plushies simply know how to do just one thing; to comfort their owners. Young children see plushies as a mental security shield. Sometimes, they even help kids sleep comfortably.

Plushies also serve as an aid for children’s development in life. As they grow, they learn to start becoming self-reliant on plushies. Some matured minds use plushies as gifts or proof of love to their loved ones. Plushes can also be sources of healing for broken-hearted people.

Read More
aang and katara
Water

Aang and Katara & The Details On Their Relationship

A very visible example of how patience can indeed get you what you want is the story of Aang and Katara. 

The boy in the iceberg and how he became a man.

The love story of Aang and Katara starts with a tragedy that occurs when Fire Lord Sozin wipes out the Air Nation permanently. Aang had run away from home, leaving a note for Monk Gyatso, stating that he was leaving.

Funko Avatar Last Airbender 7pc 3.75" Pop Figure Set - Katara - Aang - Iroh - Sokka - Zuko - Toph & Appa


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

He became overwhelmed by the responsibility of being the Avatar and the expectations it comes with. Aang decides to run away from it all. He figures he could escape his destiny, and never wanting to be the Avatar; he wants to put it all away. Fate would happen, and the Air Nomads would be wiped out, leaving him alone to be the last air bender. He gets trapped in a storm while flying away on Appa, his Bison. The storm catches him, and as a defense mechanism, he goes into the Avatar state, entraps himself in an Iceberg, and sinks into the ocean. 

A hundred years later, two siblings go fishing in the icy waters of the Southern Water Tribe. Sokka angers Katara after accusing her of playing with magic water. Katara lashes out and unleashes her bending technique without being aware. She cracks a random iceberg to reveal a glowing one that was burned beneath.

Awed that she did that, Sokka tells her that she just went from weird to freakish. They both sight the glowing iceberg, and curiosity draws Katara towards it. They see a boy in the iceberg and realize that he is still alive. Katara quickly snatches Sokka’s weapon and heads for the iceberg to break it. She smashes it a few times before it breaks, releasing a giant beam of light in its wake and a gust of air that had been trapped inside. 

Aang falls out of the iceberg into Katara’s arms. Looking faint and weak, he asks weakly if she would love to go Penguin sledding with him. 

Much to her and Sokka’s surprise, a boy encased in an iceberg for God knows how long was particularly perky and cheery. 

Love at First Sight 

The first time they both set their eyes on each other, a sort of magic was created that would grow.

The three would go on to face many adversaries as Aang grows. 

As time goes, Aang’s feelings begin to grow. They soon become aware of a romantic side. One of these instances is when Katara teaches Aang water bending. In her underwear or swimsuit-like garment, she comes close to him, explaining a stance that causes Aang to blush a bit. Another instance is when Katara refers to Aang as a “sweet little guy.” This causes him to shrug and get frustrated a little bit. 

Another instance is where the Team Avatar encounters a fortune-teller named Aunt Wo. They meet a man who, due to his fortune that he would have a safe journey, did not fret as he was being attacked by a Platypus Bear.

Katara goes to find out her fortune and asks who she will marry. Aang, realizing that he needs to know about his love life, goes for his fortune. Aunt Wo tells him about the great battle between him and the Fire Lord Ozai that would later happen, but he already knows this.

He wonders if his fortune says anything about a girl. Aunt Wo, realizing that he wants to know about love, formulates a fortune and tells him to follow his heart. 

Aang walks out of there in high spirits, happy that everything would work as planned. 

DIAMOND SELECT TOYS Avatar The Last Airbender
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Cave Of Two Lovers

On their way to the North pole, they try to get away from the fire nation but eventually having to use a secret love cave that was carved by two lovers. The cave is said to be cursed and a tomb for those who didn’t believe in love. Aang is confident he and the rest of the team will be okay because, at this point, he has begun to feel overwhelming love for Katara. An accident happens in the cave causing Appah to cave them in, dividing them into two groups. Aang and Katara, Sokka and the musical group.

Aang and Katara end up trusting in love which lights a path for them in the cave. A trail of luminous crystals shows them the path out of the cave. 

Aang’s feelings root even deeper. 

LEGO Avatar Air Temple
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

 Before The Invasion 

Aang and Katara grow dangerously close, and before the invasion, they share a passionate kiss. It seemed like all was looking at this point, but the heavy loss they suffer would set any moves to their love backward a little. 

A few months later, Aang is plagued by the mixed signals he is receiving. Katara is carrying so much anger and sadness, not looking like she has any love in her. 

When the team goes to see the Ember Island Actors perform the play, The Boy in the Iceberg, Aang and Katara have a conversation where he wants to know where he stands. He says he thought they would be together after they kissed. Katara says she is confused, but Aang ends up kissing her anyway. She snaps and tells him that she said she was confused. 

But this wouldn’t deter Aang. After he defeats the Fire Lord and the balance is restored, he and Katara are seen on the balcony of the Jasmine Dragon.

Due to a century spent frozen in an iceberg while in the Avatar state, much of Aang’s life force was drained.

This led to him aging rapidly in his later years before dying at the relatively young age of 66, unfortunately, before any of his grandchildren were born. His wife, Katara, lived on for at least another 16 years after his death, as did his old friends Zuko and Toph. Aang was succeeded as the Avatar by Korra, a member of the Southern Water Tribe who is trained in the art of waterbending by Katara.

Avatar & Legend of Korra Complete Series Collection


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Aang and Katara’s Love

Just outside of the Jasmine Dragon, the two shared a warm embrace and a kiss. Unlike the past kisses, which were mostly kisses on the cheek, Katara threw her arms around Aang’s neck and initiated a more passionate kiss than they had ever shared before. By doing so, Katara showed that her romantic feelings were entirely mutual, and the two began a long-term romantic relationship.

The two eventually get married, and they have wonderful children. 

Katara’s love for and protection of Aang remained evident a year later. They continued their relationship and referred to each other as “sweetie.” Katara also retaliated angrily and embarrassedly whenever Sokka complained of “oogies,” apparently stemming from their constant displays of affection in front of their friends.

Read More
Kanto Avatar
Earth

Kanto (Avatar): Lin Beifong’s Father

One major scoop in the entire Avatar world, spanning both the Last Airbender and the Legend of Korra shows is on who the fathers of Toph Beifong’s daughters are. While many have theorized that Suyin’s father is indeed Sokka; that door has been left wide open. In Lin’s case, we finally get a name: Kanto. Unfortunately, Toph is still adamant on not revealing the identities, so who exactly is Kanto from Avatar?

Metal of Beifong Chief Korra Lin Legend iPhone Case
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Kanto (Avatar): Who Is He?

For Lin Beifong, most of The Legend of Korra has her grappling with the terms of her parenthood, especially strained relationship with her mother. Many of the issues arising had to do with Toph’s parenting style, and her blatant refusal to tell Lin the identity of her father. 

Anyone would be mad at that, so we don’t really blame Lin for cutting her mother off. However the shocker comes in season 4, when in a bid to foster some good will; Lin finally gets a name. Toph casually mentions that Lin’s father was a fellow who went by the name of Kanto avatar. 

Toph’s daughters were fathered by two very different men, and her refusal to name drop or identify them really affected how they related. But why would she? What is so special thatToph would risk losing her kids over that would make her not identify their fathers?

The question of the identity of Lin Beifong’s father hangs over the air of The Legend of Korra’s first three seasons. We are introduced to Toph’s rather strange parenting style;  Toph’s daughters were raised with a hands-off parenting style, and they got very little supervision from their mother.

Toph sought to give them the opposite of her strict upbringing under her parents; the prestigious Beifongs. Interestingly, both daughters had different reactions to not being privy to their fathers’ identities. On one hand, Suyin builds a large family and a legacy that is meant to replace the one she did not have growing up.

Lin on the other hand worked very hard to compensate for the distance between her and her mother by becoming the police chief of Republic City, following in her mother’s footsteps.

Avatar The Last Airbender: Toph Action Figure
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Kanto (Avatar) Is Revealed

In the The Legend of Korra episode “Operation Beifong,” appearing in season 4 as episode 10, Toph finally breaks her silence, and reveals that Lin’s father is a man named Kanto avatar. She does this in a conversation with Lin, Bolin, and Opal. However, she refuses to go into any more detail about Kanto Avatar’s identity. She only added that Kanto was a “nice man” but things between them in their relationship didn’t work out so they called it quits. 

After Toph reveals Kanto Avatar’s name, she notices Lin’s breathing has changed, and asks why this is so. An infuriated Lin snaps back at her and states that her growing up without a father or never ever discussing him has affected her all along, weighing on her heavily. She also mentions that she has considered reaching out to her mother many times over the years but seeing her now reminded her instantly why she didn’t.

The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars Part One
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

How Kanto Absence Created Conflict For The Beifongs

Lin’s primary conflict throughout The Legend of Korra is based around her relationship with her mother Toph. Lin and Suyin had difficult childhoods, thanks to uncertainties about their fathers and how Toph left them to their devices. Both of them subsequently rejected their mother and left the family.

As mentioned earlier, Suyin was a wild one because she had no supervision and ended up being arrested. However, she managed to turn her life around, devoting herself to building a family and a metal bending city for outsiders. Lin continued to try her tactics of impressing Toph to gain her attention and while doing so, she became the police chief of Republic City just like her mother before her.

Although she learns that her father’s name is Kanto Avatar; something that her sister Suyin never gets, knowing his identity doesn’t resolve Lin’s conflicted feelings about him, or even mend her relationship with her mother. Toph’s adamant and constant refusal to identify Kanto Avatar turns him into an enigma; one that will haunt Lin for the duration of her life.

She couldn’t understand why her mother kept him away, even more so when Toph reveals Kanto Avatar is just a man. She can’t understand why her mother kept him a secret. Eventually, Lin, Suyin and Toph patch up and reconcile, after Toph admits that she was not the best of mothers to her children. She also admitted that she was nonetheless proud of the women that they had both become.

The Legend of Korra: An Avatar's Chronicle
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Additional Information On Kanto from Avatar

Unfortunately, The Legend of Korra does not reveal any other information on Kanto. The tie-in materials do not even talk about that part of Toph’s life. At the end of the day, even though Lin learns about her father, she had one much bigger hurdle to get over; working on her relationship with her mother on her own.

She also had to come to terms with a lifetime of unanswered questions. She may have learnt about her father’s name, but Lin Beifong needed to resolve her inner conflict to truly get over her rather tough childhood. Only then was she able to settle differences and reunite with Toph as well as her sister Suyin once again.

Read More
Azula Avatar
Fire

Azula (Avatar): The Tragedy of a Teenage Prodigy

Azula is an extremely complex villain – and also a fascinating psychological case study!

She possessed a rare intelligence: like a chess player, she plans her every action strategically with a deep awareness of where each action might lead. Rarely caught off guard, always prepared for a vast array of possibilities. Azula was a girl in total control.

However, shaky foundations supported those extreme levels of self-control:

“Trust is for fools; fear is the only reliable way … even you fear me!”

Azula talking to a hallucinated image of her mother.
Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book Three: Fire, Episode 20 (Sozin’s Comet Part 3: Into the Inferno).

Azula controlled, influenced, and outright manipulated people with the use of fear. But when people feared something more than they feared her – such as living a life with love – people turned their backs on her. Despite all of her prowess, excellence, and foresight, she was unable to overpower people’s desire for love.

Azula, then, is almost like a typical villain in a typical ‘good vs. evil’ story … emphasis on ‘almost’.

Avatar The Last Airbender: Azula Action Figure
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Tragedy

Actually, Azula’s story is a genuine tragedy. Despite her obvious leaning towards the ‘evil’ end of the moral spectrum, Azula’s eventual downfall to insanity is really quite sad. Especially since there are signs throughout the series’ that her character has the potential to undergo redemption. As a viewer of the series and reader of the graphic novels/comics, I never wanted her to succeed in her missions. Yet, I still feel like I rooted for her throughout.

One of the great things about the Avatar franchise, in general, is that the lines between ‘good’ and ‘evil’ are extremely blurry. Azula’s character reflects that theme beautifully.

This article will tell Azula’s story as if she was the main character. Perhaps you, dear reader, will root for her, too!

Without further ado: The Tragedy of Azula.

POP! Animation: Avatar The Last Airbender - Azula


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Azula’s Life Story

Azula Before the TV Series

Early Life

Azula was born to her father Ozai and mother Ursa – a couple who couldn’t have been more different in personality types.

On the one hand, Ozai was an aggressive, power-hungry son of the Fire Lord. After Azula’s birth, he even stole the throne from his older brother Iroh, who would have been the Fire Lord by birthright. He influenced people by instilling fear into them, by use of his superior firebending.

On the other hand, Ursa was the sensitive, gentle granddaughter of the previous Avatar, Roku. In her worldview, love was more powerful than fear/anger. She hoped that she could pass such perspective onto her offspring.

Azula’s older brother, Zuko, used to happily play with her in her early years. But Azula began to resent him somewhat as she grew older.

She displayed natural firebending skills and instincts from a young age, whereas Zuko was an extremely slow learner. As a result, Ozai gave Azula much encouragement and positive feedback, while regularly scolding Zuko’s apparent weaknesses. Conversely, Ursa seemed to direct much more of her attention toward Zuko.

Azula, then, harbored beliefs that Ursa loved her less than she loved Zuko. Thus, resentment and a negative feeling colored the perception she had of her mother … and also of Zuko. The siblings’ relationship, in fact, would go on to be a quasi-continuation of their parents’ relationship.

Enjoying Zuko’s Plight

Azula regularly teased Zuko as they grew up. She once set his butt on fire for tattling on her after she set a bush on fire in the Royal Court’s gardens. Later, she tricked him into diving onto her friend, Mai, both of them falling into a fountain as a result.

But she even took a sadistic pleasure out of seeing Zuko treated harshly by their father.

One time, at dinner, Azula criticized her and Zuko’s firebending tutor, calling him a “dummy.” When Zuko defended the tutor, Ozai completely shut him down. He lambasted Zuko for having mastered 14 fewer firebending techniques than Azula, despite being 2 years older than her.

Ozai then told Zuko that he almost discarded him at birth because he was so underwhelming. Their father then told them that Azula was “born lucky,” whereas Zuko was “lucky to be born.”

Azula smiled victoriously at the devastaed Zuko. She displayed no sympathy for her emotionally-tortured brother.

She even teased Zuko when she overheard Fire Lord Azulon ordering their father, Ozai, to kill his first-born son.

“Dad’s going to kill you!

… really, he is ”

Azula to Zuko, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Book Two: Earth, Episode 7 (‘Zuko Alone’).

Zero remorse. Azula’s bitterness towards her brother, likely due to their mother’s preference of him over her, meant that she felt in competition with him. Victories like this one, where Ozai attacked Zuko, were always enjoyable for her.

Motherlessness: Ursa’s Banishment

Can you feel Azula’s sly sarcasm?!

A psychoanalyst would observe that Azula learned a lot from her parents’ relationship.

Ozai dominated Ursa. There are implications that Ozai even physically abused her. And in using his ability to strike fear into Ursa, Ozai always had the final say in decision-making.

Observing this, Azula learned that striking fear into people would be the most effective way to get what she wanted in life. She perceived Ursa’s tendency to show love instead of aggression as an ineffective approach … especially after she disappeared.

Ursa pleaded with Ozai to spare Zuko. Azula was not lying! Fire Lord Azulon genuinely ordered Ozai to kill his first-born son! Ursa, then, struck a bargain with him: she would leave the Fire Nation, never to come back, in return for Zuko’s life. Ozai agreed, and Ursa disappeared – considered “missing” by the rest of the Fire Nation.

This made Zuko’s life increasingly difficult, but Azula was freed from the criticisms of her moralistic mother. Ozai took Azula deeper under his wing. And Ozai, after poisoning his father, became Fire Lord soon after Ursa’s banishment.

Naturally, Azula grew up to become the cold, clinical, ruthless opponent she was always going to be. The scars of her motherlessness wouldn’t be visible for many years.

But more on that later … Years passed by, Azula turned 14 years old, and she was extremely powerful. Next, Ozai banished Zuko. And the events leading to Azula’s downfall were set in motion.

Azula - Avatar The Last Airbender - Fan Art Ceramic Coffee Mug


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Azula in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Book Two: Earth

Hunting for Zuko

The captain’s mistake…

Azula took great enjoyment in seeing her father burn the left side of Zuko’s face – permanently scarring him.

The Ozai banished Zuko (who was accompanied by fan-favorite Uncle Iroh).

Not long after that, when Ozai learned of Zuko and Iroh’s post-banishment antics, he branded them enemies of the Fire Nation. Then he honored Azula with the task of hunting them down to capture as prisoners.

Azula tracked down Zuko and Iroh with relative ease. And, in an attempt to trick them into coming aboard her ship, she convinced Zuko that his father wanted him home again. But then the captain of her ship accidentally referred to Zuko and Iroh as “prisoners” within their earshot. He ruined Azula’s facade! As a result, Zuko and Iroh quickly escaped.

Ozai’s Angels

Ty Lee, Azula, and Mai: “Ozai’s Angels”

Recognizing that she might need some extra help, Azula enlisted the help of her old childhood friends: Ty Lee and Mai. Together, “Ozai’s Angels” (as nicknamed by fans of the Avatar franchise) formed a seriously bad-ass trio!

While Azula recruited Mai in Omashu (a Fire Nation colony in the Earth kingdom), she sighted the Avatar for the first time.

In an attempt to capture him, Azula negotiated with Mai’s baby brother Tom-Tom. She was willing to allow her friend’s sibling to remain captive with their enemy in an attempt to take the Avatar prisoner. An approach typical of her cold, calculated attitude.

The ploy didn’t work, though. Lucky for Mai, the Avatar returned Tom-Tom to his rightful family (feeling morally obliged) before leaving Omashu and the threat of Azula.

Ozai’s Angels hunted and chased the Avatar for several weeks after that. Azula successfully tracked him but was eventually cornered by Team Avatar, supported by none other than Zuko and Iroh. Feigning a surrender, she caught her attackers off-guard by swiftly striking Iroh with a lightning bolt.

Sneaky. Lawless. Quick-minded. Azula: a force to be reckoned with.

Azula’s Coup of Ba Sing Se

Azula dressed in a Kyoshi Warrior costume, during her Coup of Ba Sing Se

Azula’s persistent energy was perhaps her most impressive trait in The Last Airbender series. Failing to capture Zuko and Iroh, followed by her failed pursuit of the Avatar, she never stopped making moves. Her attention turned, almost immediately, to the walls of Ba Sing Se.

This was a city her uncle Iroh had previously attempted to conquer but failed due to the defensive prowess of the city’s walls and the strong will of the city’s people.

Governance in Ba Sing Se, though, had slackened off since then. Azula tried to take advantage with the use of a giant drill. The drill reached the wall, but Azula’s plans were once again thwarted by the Avatar and his friends, who destroyed the great machine from the inside.

The huge drill Azula used to attack the walls of Ba Sing Se.

Not long after this disappointment, Ozai’s Angels met and defeated the Kyoshi Warriors in a battle. Following an impressive victory, they took the Kyoshi Warriors outfits as disguises and infiltrated the government of Ba Sing Se.

Due to Azula’s intelligent planning, they managed to fool the Earth King. Ozai’s Angels were about to conquer Ba Sing Se from the inside out – much like how the Avatar stopped her giant drill.

And after conspiring with the unfaithful Earth minister, Long Feng, Azula took control of the city. Not only that – she betrayed Long Feng and took control of his armed forces, the Dai Li. She was a legitimate conqueror, succeeding where her Uncle Iroh had failed during his previous attack on Ba Sing Se.

Crystal Catacombs: Killing the Avatar

Zuko and Azula fighting together.

While in a position of power, Azula arrested Katara of Team Avatar, who wanted to inform the Earth King about Zuko’s presence in Ba Sing Se. Azula went on to capture and arrest her brother, too, locking him up alongside Katara in the Crystal Catacombs beneath the city.

Despite her unfavourable treatment of Zuko, Azula managed to manipulate him back into helping her. When she seemed outnumbered and troubled in battle against Team Avatar, she convinved Zuko that she had imprisoned him in the Catacombs in expectation of this exact moment. She told him that this was his opportunity to regain his father’s honour. Zuko obliged.

And, in yet another display of her sharp mind and senses, Azula managed to strike the Avatar with lightning. Not only did she strike and seemingly kill him – she did so as he was in the Avatar State. The wound she inflicted upon him appeared to have been fatal. And the Avatar cycle should have been broken, due to him being in the Avatar State.

It was Azula’s crowning hour! She had conquered Ba Sing Se, got her brother back, and killed the Avatar. A Fire Nation Princess, indeed.

Azula in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Book Three: Fire

Returning Home

Azula after telling Zuko she was giving him credit for killing the Avatar.

Even after such successes as she managed in Ba Sing Se, Azula did not stop. She continued to plot and scheme just as before.

The Fire Nation welcomed her and Zuko back as war heroes. However, sensing that her brother was hiding some information, Azula chose to credit the killing of Avatar Aang to him. Ozai, then, restored Zuko’s honour. But Azula was protected from any backlash, should the Avatar have somehow survived.

Typical of Azula’s plotting, this gave Zuko the impression that she was looking out for him while actually improving her own situation. Smart!

The Beach (Book Three: Fire, Episode 5)

This episode was perhaps the most significant in all of Azula’s character development.

It was the first time throughout the Avatar franchies that we saw true vulnerabilities in the Fire Nation Princess – and it was also the first time we saw any empathy from her.

Along with Zuko, Ty Lee, and Mai, Azula visited Ember Island for a holiday (that none of them really wanted).

Azula decided not to tell people they met that she was Princess of the Fire Nation. It would be interesting, she thought, to see how people treated her without that information.

Azula flirting awkwardly.

As it happened, she found it extremely difficult to socialise under such circumstances. While playing a simple game of volleyball at the beach, she couldn’t curb her incessant competitive drive. When trying to flirt with a boy at a party, she repelled him with her rhetoric – the language of a Princess, it turned out, was far different from that of ‘normal’ people (who would’ve guessed it?!).

Later, though, when Zuko was asked to leave the party, she sought him out. In fact, Azula knew exactly where she would find Zuko in his moment of sadness and urged him to come join her with Ty Lee and Mai.

This was a fascinating moment because it suggested that Azula actually sort of cared about Zuko.

Okay, so she didn’t display such care again throughout the series! But the fact that she was able to display empathy this one time, at least, proves that she isn’t a psychopath … and also proves that her status as a villain is redeemable (hypothetically, at least).

Azula’s “Sob Story”

Azula reflecting on her childhood.

When Zuko, Ty Lee, and Mai recounted traumatic experiences from their childhoods, Azula considered their pain to be overdramatic.

But then she did something out of character: she spoke about traumatic experience of her own childhood. She calimed that her mother, Ursa, liked Zuko more than her. That her mother thought she – Ursa’s own daughter – was a monster. We see Azula’s face appearing to express suffering and regret at such memories.

“She was right of course, but it still hurt!” she then said, snapping back into the cold, unmovable personality that she had built herself upon for so many years.

This was smart foreshadowing of Azula’s destiny in this series. The childhood scars that Azula skilfully hid beneath her perfectly maintained hair were beginning to be revealed…

And this perspective actually raised a lot of questions about her childhood. Ursa was often portrayed as a morally upright person in the series. However, given Azula’s feelings on the topic, it seems quite possible that Ursa actually had a nasty streak of her own.

Is it possible that Azula was the biggest vicitim of the entire Avatar series? Perhaps that’s a bit much … but what happened to her next certainly supports such a theory…

Mai and Ty Lee Betray Azula

Ty Lee chi-blocking Azula at the Boiling Rock.

Following the end of her holiday in Ember Island, Azula helped to implement the Fire Nation’s plan to protect itself against an attack during the solar eclipse. The eclipse removed firebenders ability to bend, and enemies of the Fire Nation saw that as the perfect moment to fight.

Azula, though, was aware of this plan from her time undercover in the Earth Kingdom. Her slickness – once again – worked to the Fire Nation’s benefit.

But after this success, Azula’s sureness of self began to slip.

The obvious turning point towards her deterioration was when Mai – one of her sole, trusted allies – betrayed her in favour of Zuko. During the solar eclipse, Zuko had turned against the Fire Lord and left the Fire Nation to join Team Avatar. When he was helping Sokka to save his father from the Boiling Rock (Fire Nation prison), Mai prevented Azula from making the move that would’ve stopped and possibly killed Zuko in completing his mission.

“You miscalculated – I love Zuko more than I fear you”

Mai to Azula, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Book Three: Fire, Episode 15 (‘The Boiling Rock, Part 2’)

And when Ty Lee chose to take sides with Mai, chi-blocking the Fire Princess, Azula’s self-control began its disintegration.

Hallucinations

Azula hallucinating an image of her mother.

Azula’s father, Ozai, named her as the new Fire Lord, to rule the Fire Nation – which happily surprised her. Ozai, meanwhile, promoted himself to a position he invented for himself: the Phoenix King – supreme ruler of the entire world.

Despite such a success, Azula’s mental health plummeted.

Likely as a result of her friends’ betrayals, she grew suspicious of almost everybody around her. She banished some of her servants, she banished Lo and Li – her personal agents from the Dai Li – and even banished the Royal Procession (elite firebenders who had traditionally served the Royal Family for years).

Just before her coronation as Fire Lord, Azula struggled to style her hair the way she wanted it. In a mild rage, she cut off her fringe. As she did, her mother appeared to her in the mirror:

“What a shame! You always had such lovely hair!”

Azula’s hallucinated image of Ursa, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Book Three: Fire, Episode 20 (‘Sozin’s Comet Part Three: Into the Inferno’).

Azula engaged with her hallucination fairly naturally. It was as if seeing her mother came as no surprise, in fact (could that suggest that she had hallucinated such things before?).

In an expression of the philosophy that had driven her life to that point, Azula shouted at her mother.

Fear is the only reliable way … even you fear me,” she said…

… to which her mother replied: “No, Azula. I love you. I do.

This brought a tear to Azula’s eye. She then proceeded to throw her hairbrush at the image of Ursa, smashing the mirror to bits.

Azula was literally going insane.

Comet-Enhanced Agni-Kai

Azula before an Agni-Kai with Zuko

Azula was confronted by Zuko and Katara right before her coronation. In response, she challenged her brother to an Agni Kai – “the showdown that was always meant to be.” To her credit (and despite her questionable sanity) this was a smart move on Azula’s part. Outnumbered, she knew she couldn’t defeat Zuko and Katara. But one-on-one she stood a much better chance.

Zuko agreed, telling Katara that he thought he could manage to fight her alone. “Something seems off about her,” he said (oh really, Zuko?!).

Azula’s fighting was wild and unpredictable, although perhaps even more dangerous than before. Zuko’s fighting style, however, was relaxed and controlled. And for the first time in their young lives, Zuko got the better of his sister.

She surrendered. But, as we should know by now, that didn’t mean she had stopped fighting! Azula shot a bolt lightning at Katara who was stood to one side. Before he could strike her, though, Zuko dived and took the strike himself. Katara then proceeded to battle Azula herself.

Katara outsmarted the deranged Azula, chaining her to the floor. Chained up and her physical control taken from her, Azula’s deterioration was complete.

Azula compromised and defeated by Katara.

Azula breathed fire all over the place, without any degree of control, while crying manically. The Tragedy of Azula, and her fall, reached its lowest point.

Mental Institution: Admission and Release

Azula during Zuko’s visit of her in the mental institution.

Azula was locked in a mental institution following the defeat of the Fire Nation. Zuko pitied Azula for her descent into insanity and decided an instituion would be a better match than the prison he’d sent his father to.

After about a year of life in the asylum, Zuko visited her to discuss the whereabouts of their mother.

At this point, Azula had actually made friends with some of the inmates and displayed relatively compliant behaviour.

Zuko asked if she’d be interested in helping him to find their mother again. He requested for her to engage their father in conversation. Azula agreed.

But she later refused to tell Zuko what had been said between her and Ozai.

Avoiding Zuko’s cross-examinations, she asked him if he’d ever been chi-blocked. Zuko told her he hadn’t been. She then explained that one’s flexibility is significantly increased moments before their bending returns after a chi-block … and she demonstrated by escaping her straitjacket.

Shooting lightning at Zuko, she escaped.

Azula headed to an old secret passageway of Ozai’s. There, she knew, some undelivered letters of Ursa’s during her missing years had been stored. Azula burned all the letters, except for one – which contained information suggesting that Zuko was not Ozai’s son.

Zuko demanded information about the letter, but Azula – in old-fashioned Azula style – negotiated with him.

She agreed to tell him what the letters said … but only if he allowed her to join him on his hunt for their mother.

Joining Team Avatar’s Ursa Mission

Zuko eventually submitted to Azula’s demands, and the former Princess of the Fire Nation joined up with her former foes – Team Avatar.

In the early stages of the mission, Azula and Team Avatar (predictably) didn’t get along well. She underwent conflicts with Katara and Sokka, eventually insisting that everyone keep away from her.

Rumours of Ursa’s journeys post-banishment led them to Hira’a, where she had grown up.

During that journey, however, Azula behaved erratically. She hallucinated images and voices of Ursa more and more, acting unpredictably, and generally making a nuisance of herself. She even jumped off Appa, the flying bison, mid-flight in an attempt to escape.

Clearly, travelling with Team Avatar wasn’t going to be a smooth-sailing journey…

Saving Team Avatar

Azula defeat the moth wasps that were overwhelming Team Avatar.

One evening, Azula hallucinated Ursa in a river reflection. She argued intensely with the image of her mother, revealing a secret plot that she had devised to murder her when she met with her.

Then Azula declared, mid-rage, that she was intent upon revealing Zuko as an illegitimate heir to Ozai’s throne. She planned to use Ursa’s letter as evidence and take the throne for herself.

Zuko arrived soon afterwards and asked who Azula had been talking to. She reacted defensively, attacking him and causing Katara to contain her with ice-bending. Azula then proceeded to accuse Team Avatar of conspiring with Ursa to nullify her extraordinary power.

But the group were attacked by a Wolf Spirit as she protested. The spirit spat wasp moths at them, which Team Avatar struggled to deal with. At this, Azula convinced Zuko to free her from the ice. He did so … and she defeated the Wolf Spirit.

Saving Team Avatar provided another new perspective of Azula’s personality. It was another hint that her character could be redeemed.

Later that night, Zuko saw his sister shivering and talking to herself in her sleep. He covered in a blanket, suggesting that he felt Azula does, indeed, have ‘good’ within her. Zuko still held out hope for her.

However, Zuko also found the letter Azula was hiding…

Azula Fights Zuko Again; Arriving in Hira’a

Zuko was, of course, stunned by the contents of the letter. Ozai not being his real father would have meant Zuko was an illegitimate Fire Lord – a bastard.

Azula, meanwhile, woke up to hallucinate Ursa again. Ursa told Azula to accept that she was not destined to be Fire Lord. But Azula acted out angrily, once again. And she quickly turned her anger towards Zuko when she realized the letter was missing…

She accused Zuko of conspiring with Ursa to thwart her and proceeded to attack him. Zuko, though, insisted that she stopped fighting with him.

“Why do we always have to be like this?” he asked her. She eventually agreed to make a sort of peace with, and they undertook the last stages of the journey to Hira’a.

In Hira’a, they met a man named Noren who invited the team into his home. There, they met his wife Noriko and their daughter Kiyi.

Azula became angry (again) when the group criticised her (again). She told Kiyi – who was around 4 years old – that she used to give her dolls a “headcut” instead of a haircut. And then she offered to give one to Kiyi’s own doll. It should go without saying, but Kiyi was a bit freaked out by that…

The Forgetful Valley and The Mother of Faces

The Mother of Faces revealing Ursa’s identity…

As tensions flared up between Azula and Katara (whose motherly instincts apparently kicked in), Zuko decided that, after the team visited the Forgetful Valley, they would end the mission.

More drama inevitably ensued in the valley – of course it did! But Avatar Aang eventually meditated himself into the spirit world and brought a spirit back with him. The Mother of Faces.

It was from this spirit of the Forgetful Valley that Azula and Zuko learned about their mother, Ursa.

The Mother of Faces had given Ursa a new face: the face of Noriko. And memories of her previous life had been erased.

They soon realized that it was Ursa whose home they had been welcomed into back in Hira’a. Azula almost immediately burst to get back to Hira’a and to Noriko. Zuko and Sokka sensed something bad might be about to happen, so they chased after her.

Azula Attacks Her Mother

Azula speaks with her mother.

Immediately, Azula broke into Noren and Noriko’s home to confront her mother.

She was ready to kill Noriko/Ursa, when her mother apologised to her:

“I’m sorry I didn’t love you enough”

Noriko/Usa to Azula, Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Search, Part Four (graphic novel).

Azula teared up, hesitating, when Zuko separated her from their mother. Naturally, Azula attacked Zuko again – and scolded him for not giving up the throne to her. After all, she asserted, he didn’t want the throne anyway.

Zuko refused to give up the throne, though, and Azula ran off into the Forgetful Valley. Her brother searched for her in the ensuing weeks, but didn’t find her. Azula, it was clear, didn’t want to be found.

It was also revealed that Zuko was Ozai’s son, in fact. When Ursa’s memories were restored, she explained that she lied in the letter to her ex-husband.

Disguised as The Kemurikage

Azula in a Kemurikage outfit.

It was quite some time before Azula appeared again.

But during her time in the Forgotten Valley, Azula’s mental health recovered, to some extent. Her conduct when returning to the Fire Nation served as evidence of that. But during her time away, a number of things changed in her outlook.

She accepted that she would never become Fire Lord. Azula also accepted Noriko’s child, Kiyi, as her own blood. She even stopped being loyal to Ozai! But most significantly, she stopped hallucinating.

What she didn’t do, though, was fulfil any sort of redemption arc! Nevertheless, she got back to something like her previously cunning self.

In doing so, Azula devised a plot. The beginnings of the plot included the recollection of how her old friend, Mai, used to have nightmares about the Kemurikage.

The Kemuriage were mythical dark spirits. Fire Nation parents used to scare misbehaving children with this story (including Mai). They explained that the Kemurikage would take them away if they were disobedient. Azula, along with the followers that she enlisted, decided to disguise herself as the leader of such spirits. With her team, she kidnapped several children … including Mai’s young brother, Tom-Tom.

After that, she even attempted to kidnap her half-sister, Kiyi. But Zuko and others caught her in the act.

Azula revealed her identity by shooting lightning at her brother, who redirected her attack habitually … only for Azula to redirect it back at him. A fascinating development in the evolution of their conflicts!

Azula eventually succeeded in kidnapping Kiyi and locked her away.

Last Appearances (so far!)

Azula worked in alliance with Mai’s father, Ukano, who was still loyal to her father, Ozai. Ukano’s ‘New Ozai Society’ had attempted (and failed) to capture Zuko a number of times, with the desire to overthrown him and install Ozai on the throne.

Azula’s plan, however, was not consistent with Ukano’s desires. She was using Ukano to put pressure on her brother, Fire Lord Zuko.

In another battle with Zuko, Azula revealed what her intentions had been while disguised as the Kemurikage.

She told Zuko that she no longer desired the throne – instead, she wanted to turn Zuko into a leader who rules by fear, not love. And moreover, she told Zuko that she believed she had succeeded. During the kidnappings and attempts on his life, he had begun to rule much more like Ozai had ruled before him – and Azula’s words really struck a chord with the young Fire Lord.

After their battle, Zuko and Mai recover the kidnapped children. But Azula disappeared once more, in a cloud of smoke.

Her final appearance showed her dressed as the Kemurikage and watching Zuko give a public address to his people, from a nearby rooftop. What happened to Azula after that is yet to be revealed. Rest assured, though! This page will be updated as soon as any updates come to fruition 🙂

Closing Thoughts

Azula was a memorable villain, more so even than the series’ main villain (Ozai).

She’s intelligent, crafty, humorous, beautiful, and just a outright bad-ass! Okay, so she was a snide, calculating, daughter of a dictator … but she was that way in the most likable manner imaginable.

There is still much hope among fans of the series that she might be redeemed from her villain status. It would be a long journey for Azula, especially given the events during the graphic novels.

But the potential is there. And I’m sure such a story would sell extremely well!

Here’s to you, Azula!

Read More
The White Lotus
Air

The Order of the White Lotus (Avatar): A Guide

The Order of the White Lotus is possibly the most soulful organization in the entire Avatar franchise.

Its members are all popular, inspiring characters in their own rights. And all of them are pillars of wisdom and truth in a world that seemed destined for domination by people who lacked such wonderful qualities.

This article will guide you through the origins, philosophy, and legacy of this most wonderful society while introducing you to the main members seen in the Avatar: The Last Airbender TV series.

Avatar Last Airbender Order of The White Lotus Necklace Pendant Jewelry Element
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Why a White Lotus?

The White Lotus symbolism pays homage to Pai Sho – the worldwide popular board game (in the Avatar world, that is). The Order started out as a group of like-minded people who could have a friendly battle of Pai Sho together. The White Lotus is one side of the lotus tile in this game, with the other side being the Red Lotus.

When the Order of the White Lotus’ membership grew, Pai Sho also became a means for members to communicate discreetly. Pretty cool, eh?!

In the first series of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Grandmaster Iroh makes the first reference to the lotus tile:

“Most people think the lotus tile insignificant, but it is essential for the unusual strategy that I employ.”

Iroh to Zuko, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Book One: Water, Episode 9 (‘The Waterbending Scroll’).
Funko Pop! Animation: Avatar - Iroh with Tea Toy, Multicolor


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Origins of The Order of the White Lotus (Avatar)

Avatar Kyoshi was the first known Avatar to benefit from guidance of the White Lotus.

The formation date of the Order of the White Lotus is unknown, but we know they were active by the time of Avatar Kuruk (345 BG-312 BG).

It started out as a small Pai Sho games club. The only function was to share wisdom and knowledge that its members had gained throughout their respective lives. It’s fair to assume that this was all done just for fun. But at some point, they decided to spread their wisdom throughout the world as best as they could – for the benefit of all the world’s people.

By the time of Avatar Kuruk’s death, the White Lotus had evolved to take on more responsibilities. They wanted to unite the 4 nations into something more peaceful, as well as to protect the existence of the Avatar – the mortal portal of the physical world into the spirit world.

The Order, along with everyone else, failed to correctly identify the new Avatar (Avatar Kyoshi). An Air Nomad, named Jinpa, acted as a guide to Kyoshi. He was the first White Lotus member (that we know of) to act as a kind of guide or teacher to an Avatar when.

Kyoshi suffered an extremely difficult childhood. If she’d been discovered sooner, it has been argued that her suffering may not have occurred. Nevertheless, Jinpa made amends for this by guiding Kyoshi to eventually become a successful Avatar, who succeeded in maintaining harmony in the world.

Jinpa did an excellent job of performing the proper function of a White Lotus member’s duty to the Avatar, while not revealing the secret existence of the Order.

Identity/Philosophy of the White Lotus (Avatar)

Tapestry of the real-life White Lotus society from China.

There actually existed a White Lotus Society in real-life China. This society promoted a vegetarian diet and encouraged men and women to speak openly together – a radical idea in that time and place.

It is generally accepted that, spiritually speaking, the White Lotus has represented enlightenment and rebirth. Since the plant itself grows in murky, dirty waters, it is a symbol of hope.

It is safe to say that the fictional White Lotus in Avatar took its name from this historical society. The nature of secrecy employed by its members, though, as well as the brotherly way in which they share wisdom could be better compared to another real-life society – Freemasons.

Nevertheless, the White Lotus in Avatar are suitably unique in their own way. All of its members are also gifted in combat – from waterbending, to earthbending, firebending, and swordplay. They’re all pretty much bad-asses, actually!!

The fact that they choose to keep the society a secret points to their lack of egotistical desires. They don’t wish to be worshipped for their wisdom – they only want to enjoy wisdom for wisdom’s sake, and to share it with the world without the need for recognition.

This is very much the beauty of the White Lotus. And, of course, they played a vital role in preparing Avatar Aang to eventually save the world from Fire Lord Ozai’s empire…

White Lotus Helping Avatar Aang

Bumi: King of Omashu

In the 5th episode of season 1, Bumi was introduced as a crazy king with questionable sanity. He put Aang through a series of mind-bending trials which challenged him to think outside the box when he inevitably faces difficulties as the Avatar.

“I hope you will think like a mad genius!” Bumi to Avatar Aang.

Pakku: Waterbending Master

Pakku initially refused to teach waterbending to Katara due to her being female. Before long, though, he realised the folly of such a stance. It was Katara who progressed faster as a waterbender between herself and Avatar Aang under Pakku’s tutleage. And it was due to this fact that Aang was able to master waterbending under Katara’s guidance.

Jeong Jeong: The Reluctant Firebending Teacher

Jeong Jeong was the first Fire Nation soldier to escape the empirical army without getting killed! It was his reputation and standing among Fire Nation rebels that convinced Aang that he wanted Jeong Jeong as his firebending teacher. Jeong Jeong refused to teach him initially, but eventually submitted (thanks to the intervention of Avatar Roku).

When Aang burned Katara’s hand during training, it served as evidence that Avatars should take heed of White Lotus members’ words!

Piandao: Sokka’s Master

Piandao was another White Lotus member to indirectly give strength to Aang through the training of a Team Avatar member (much like Pakku’s training of Katara). The art of swordsmanship proved useful to Sokka following Piandao’s coaching – Zuko’s experience under Piandao’s tutelage helped Aang a couple of times, too (even if Zuko wasn’t a member of Team Avatar at certain of those times).

Iroh: The Grandmaster and Grand Lotus

Who could forget Iroh? He gave useful advices to Aang and Toph even when he was supposedly in opposition to them. Clearly, though, his most notable contribution to Avatar Aang’s mission was his guidance of Prince Zuko. Without Iroh’s input, it’s quite possible that Zuko would never have joined Team Avatar. As a result of that, who knows what might have happened in Aang’s final battle with Fire Lord Ozai?

Iroh’s wisdom is characteristic of the Avatar series throughout – and it is also, more subtly, characteristic of the White Lotus.

The Wisdom of Uncle Iroh Coffee mug 15oz


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Fan Theory: Monk Gyatso Was in The White Lotus? (Avatar)

Before Aang was frozen for 100 years, he was trained by Monk Gyatso. This teacher was sceptical of the forceful nature that authorities wanted to implement Avatar training onto Aang, displaying the kind of calm and wisdom we’d expect from the White Lotus.

Could it be that Gyatso was a member of the secret Order? It’s only speculation from a few fans online … but an interesting and plausible theory, nonetheless!

Legacy

White Lotus Reclaiming Ba Sing Se (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

The Order’s low profile was ended along with the Hundred Year War, when their cooperation and incredible power reclaimed Ba Sing Se for its people.

They also went on to save Sokka, Toph, and Suki from Fire Nation soldiers as they took down the Fire Nation airships.

One could argue that the Avatar would have lost the Hundred Year War had it not been for the Order of the White Lotus.

White Lotus (Avatar) Abandoning Secrecy

After the war, the White Lotus became an organization which actively and outwardly tasked itself with ensuring the Avatar’s safety. They did exactly this with Avatar Korra.

It became an ally of governments … which led to some conflicts…

Red Lotus

Unfortunately, the White Lotus’ legacy was tainted by the rise of the Red Lotus.

You may recall that the lotus tile in Pan Sho had two sides: the white lotus, and the red lotus. The Red Lotus, then, was the much like the dark version of the Order of the White Lotus. Instead of promoting peace and harmony, the Red Lotus believed that the natural state of any society should be of chaos. And in trying to kill Avatar Korra – in order to break the Avatar cycle – they almost succeeded in putting the world into an extended age of chaos.

Although they didn’t succeed, the seeds of their organization are sure to have scattered far and wide. Don’t be surprised if the Red Lotus make another appearance in future Avatar franchise installments.

Closing Thoughts: White Lotus (Avatar)

The Order of the White Lotus is a beautiful, philosophical organization whose members are inspirational in their own, individual rights.

However, like all things in the Avatar franchise, the White Lotus was not a purely good organization. Like the Yin-Yang symbol that appears throughout the series, the White Lotus was merely one half of a dualistic coin.

Nevertheless, I for one hope that we learn more about the White Lotus in future Avatar literature!

Read More
Aang With Hair
Air

Aang With Hair: The Best Pictures On The Internet

No doubt seeing Aang with hair was definitely a sight that caught most viewers by surprise, considering when we left him he was left for dead in the season 2 book two finale. In the season 2 finale, we see Aang in a keen showdown facing off Azula and Zuko.

The end result was a life-threatening and brutal injury.  Under normal circumstances, this would be the end, but with The Avatar, you know there’s always endless possibilities. With Katara’s healing abilities, Aang was able to recover; albeit slowly. In the time he takes to get back to his feet, we actually see a change in his appearance. What wakes up is Aang with hair. Aang grows out his hair and starts sporting a new outfit.

Up until this happens, what we are used to is Aang in his signature look: the bald head, distinctive arrow tattoos and that orange monk outfit. But for most of season three, we grow accustomed to the hair and robe, which now represent the new maturity of Aang. It is really a new chapter as Aang with hair gets a step closer to taking on the evil Fire Lord Ozai. 

Surprisingly, Aang with hair makes a lot of sense when you get used to the idea. He pulls it off quite well. Here are some of the best pictures of Aang with hair on the internet.

Aang With Hair: Blushy Face

In this picture, we see a bashful Aang in full fire nation army regalia.

In this picture of Aang with hair, we see a bashful Aang already in Fire Nation Academy regalia. If all memory serves correctly, he looks this way because he has just seen Katara in her Fire Nation disguise as well. If ever his crush on his teammate was ever so obvious, this was definitely one of those moments.

Aang With Hair: The Awakening

In the first episode of the third season, the Book of Fire; titled The Awakening, a previously injured Aang wakes up to find himself on a Fire Nation Navy ship. No doubt he is completely left bewildered, because this would mean he has just been captured by his worst enemies. Luckily, he comes to the realisation that he is indeed on a Fire Nation Navy ship, but it is under the control of his friends and allies. That must have been completely relieving but there are more surprises in store for the Avatar. 

He soon realises that a lot of time has passed, and with that a lot of change as well; Team Avatar has reunited with Chief Hakoda and the rest of the Water Nation Army and they are planning to attack the Fire Nation. Oh, there’s also the Aang with hair realisation. He surely didn’t see that coming.

Meditation Aang

Aang loves to meditate. It’s a monk thing, actually. To be honest, it’s the way he gets in touch with his inner self, and sometimes it is his passage into the spirit when he needs to clear his head or seek some much needed advice.

We have seen Aang meditate so many times in his usual regalia, but Aang with hair meditating adds a different touch to it. It’s like a new person has been found, but there is still a familiar feel. Whatever the case may be, one thing remains, Aang will always be in touch with his spirit self; with hair or not.

Bowing Aang With Hair

If there is anybody who is totally respectful of people’s cultures and beliefs, it’s Aang. He believes in the harmonification of all tribes; and why not; he is afterall, the Avatar. But we see this brought to the test when Team Avatar is behind enemy lines in the Fire Nation. Despite the evil that the war has done to the rest of the world, Aang with hair still shows the utmost respect to all those who he comes across.  He does not take it against them, but maintains his pacifist nature all-round.

Aang With Hair: Nightmares And Daydreams

This picture of Aang with hair comes from Avatar: The Last Airbender: Season 3, Episode 9; titled ‘Nightmares and Daydreams’. The plot synopsis reads:

“On the eve of the eclipse, Aang’s anxiety gets the better of him. His dreams become nightmares, and soon he can no longer tell dream from reality”

That’s why Aang looks so exhausted. He has been unable to sleep due to anxiety stemming from the incoming invasion slated for the day of the solar eclipse. As tired as he looks though; the fuzzy Aang with hair look compliments the storyline quite well, as we see him go through various hallucinations. We even get to see him in more than one do, proving that Aang with hair is a very versatile look.

Aang With Hair: “Kuzon” From Abigail Webster

Everyone remembers the name Aang took when he entered the Fire Nation; and that’s Kuzon. In this amazing fan art from Abigail Webster, we see Aang with hair, and a curious Momo on his shoulder. It’s a really detailed piece, and looks to depict Aang in his much older teen years, as opposed to what we see in the show and the tie-in comics.

Dreamy Eyed Aang With Hair

Need we say more really? Aang looks like a snack in this fan art, and there is just something about those blue eyes that sucks you in deep. No wonder Katara couldn’t stay away. No doubt anyone in her shoes would be easily carried away by this cute innocent look.

Excited Aang With Hair

Aang is clearly excited by something in this picture, and you can just tell that he’ll burst into a rush of energy the next moment. He usually has this look when he has just discovered something exotic or fun; and it is in these moments we realise that Aang is really just a kid with a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders. At his core he just wants to goof around.

Aang In The Awakening Fan Art

The Awakening was one of the darkest episodes of the Avatar series, considering it could have very well been the episode where Aang finally bit it. We see him go through a particular type of anguish; one similar to the same thing he felt when he realised he had been frozen for about a hundred years.

It is in this same episode that he finally puts the air glider to rest after it gets bashed in a storm he gets caught in. Right beside him is Momo of course, who always finds himself involved in these types of situations. 

Goofy Aang

Rounding off our list is this funny picture of Aang with hair, obviously up to no good. But with Aang it is always good and clean fun; and nobody gets hurt. He really is a bundle of energy when he wants to be. 

Funko POP! Animation: Avatar - Aang with Momo
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
Read More
Kya Avatar
Water

Kya (Avatar): 10 Things You Might Not Know About Her

Kya Avatar is one of Aang and Katara’s children. The second child and the only waterbender in their family besides their mother Katara, Kya is a pivotal character in the Legend of Korra.  

There is no doubt that Kya Avatar is one of the most rounded and most developed secondary characters in the entire Avatar mythos. She and the rest of her siblings play very crucial roles to the story; especially in helping Korra find balance in the world. But Kya Avatar seems to have the most influence. Not just as a spiritual and bending guide, but also with Korra’s sexuality struggles.

Without Kya, Korra might have never found any peace or comfort with herself. We also consider her relationship with her siblings. However, there are a lot of things that are unknown about the daughter of Avatar Aang. Or are at least not widely known. Let’s discuss them.

The Legend of Korra: Ruins of the Empire Library Edition


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

1. Kya Avatar Was Originally Meant To Be The Oldest Child

Kya  Avatar was originally meant to be the eldest sibling. We can see that from some of the family trees that Nickelodeon released, but for some reason, all that was changed and she was relegated to the position of middle child. Bumi was instead given the role of firstborn child.

You can even tell from their appearances that Kya was the apparent oldest. Her hair is already a permanent shade of gray, while her siblings still have full color in their hair. However, it does kind of make sense that she is the middle child considering she is the middle grounded personality between her brothers.

2. Kya Avatar Is The First Waterbender Born From An Air Bender

It is indeed a strange record to hold, but nevertheless Kya Avatar is the first waterbender to be born from an air bender. This begs the ultimate question; did it really take so long for an air bender and a water bender to come together and have a baby? Were Aang and Katara really the first time the two elements had ever crossed paths in a relationship?

If that is the case as we see it, then it shows the uniqueness of Aang as an Avatar. As for the specifics, it’s really not surprising how it happened. Usually with families, it’s common for one child to pick qualities from a particular parent. It still makes it very shocking that Kya Avatar is really the first waterbender born to an air bender.

Avatar & Legend of Korra Complete Series Collection


Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

3. Her Favorite Song Is Secret Tunnel

This nifty piece of information is one that wasn’t revealed in the series at all, but in a databook. Even so, it is still a very interesting piece of information, showcasing Kya Avatar’s personality. In this case, it shows just how difficult it was coming out while being in the water tribe.

She could only ever be truthful with her parents as the tribe as a whole preferred such things are left in private. Thankfully, Kya’s parents were nothing short of supportive, making her secret tunnel a little less of a burden to bear.

4. She Has A Special Bond With Jinora

We’ve all got that uncle or aunt that really gets us. For Jinora, it was her dear Aunty Kya, and they had a very strong bond. It was so strong, that after Jinora’s spirit left her body, Kya was left to care for it and she made sure it was still there when her young niece returned.

What makes their relationship extra unique is that Kya used to hold a little grudge in her heart against Tenzin, because of the extra attention Tenzin got from their father. Surprisingly, she went on to do the very same thing with Jinora. It is very obvious that Jinora is the favorite among her siblings for Kya.

The Legend of Korra: An Avatar's Chronicle
Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

5. Kya Avatar Is A Talented Healer

Kya is easily the best healer in Legend of Korra. She is capable of pulling off healing feats that her mother would be immensely proud of. Kya was able to keep Jinora alive for weeks  even though the latter’s spirit was no longer tethered to her body. She was also able to treat Bumi’s head wound, and she didn’t even use any water. Again, she shows just how talented she is when she heals Korra, Bolin, and Mako simultaneously with her spirit water. 

The one case Kya seemed never to be able to handle was the poison that coursed through Korra after Zaheer’s attack.

6. She Has  A Strong Connection To The Spirits

Kya Avatar was more knowledgeable about things of the spirit than her siblings. With Bumi this is expected. It is a surprising turn of events for Tenzin considering his connection with their father. She turned out to be a master of meditation. She was also the air temple’s lead instructor and knew how to use yoga to her advantage.

With her spiritual prowess, she could read auras, find people and she knew when threats were coming. She was also a great spiritual guide, especially to Jinora.

7. Kya Avatar Is A Bit Of A Hippie

Director Bryan Konietzko describes Kya as a hippie, and you can easily see why. She is a very free spirited person, and does not like being tied down by things. When things get heated, she is often the calm headed one, acting as a mediator in arguments between her brothers. It is also clear that she is more of a lover than a fighter. She prefers to heal people’s pains, as opposed to causing it. In this regard, she is very much like her father.

8. She Is A Defensive Fighter

We’ve already mentioned how Kya Avatar is more of a peace loving person than a fighter. It is not surprising, considering most of her efforts are centered on healing the pain of others. This does not mean she won’t lash out when she needs to; but if she can avoid it, she will. Even in such cases, she does so in a countering fashion rather than all-out assault.

This went beyond just bending as well, her body itself was far more nimble and evasive than many. She could do consecutive jumps or somersaults to avoid incoming attacks.

9. She Is A Confirmed Member Of The LGBTQ Community

Kya Avatar being a member of the LGBTQ community is great for inclusion, but it isn;t much of a surprise. It was already hinted for a while in the series before the creators confirmed it. She is another number to a rather small list in the Avatar series as a whole, alongside Korra, Kyoshi and a few others. 

You have to love how her character is not defined by her sexuality however. At the very least, it just felt like she was a character who happened to be a lesbian. She was not one-note or just an attempt by the studio to tick a social box.

10. Kya Is Named After Her Grandmother

As is the case with her aforementioned sexuality, this is also not very surprising, as any true fan will have noted the similarity since the very first mention. We learn of Katara and Sokka’s mother in the original series; as a side plot mentioned in Zuko’s redemption arc. But that felt like just something to get the plot going, and so many might forget that their names are the same. 

Naming her only daughter after her mother shows just how deeply Katara cared for her mother. It also shows the bond between Katara and her children. We particularly see Katara and Kya’s bond grow stronger as the show progresses, down to the very end. Katara was ultimately devoted to her children very much, but there was definitely something extra about her bond with Kya. In a way, it mirrored Aang and Tenzin’s relationship. 

Read More