Characters

Aang is the world's last airbender...or so it seems. At the start of the great war, the Firebenders went first to all the air temples and wiped out everyone. The only other creatures to have survived besides Aang are Momo (a flying lemur) and Appa, (Aang's flying bison).

Aang is very reluctant to talk about his troubled past. When he was only twelve, the council of monks told Aang that he was the Avatar. Aang was to be sent away from his teacher and friend, Monk Gyatso, to the Western Air Temple to train Airbending (he was already a master, that's what the tattoos stand for). Unwilling to accept his destiny and utterly afraid, the young Airbender ran away, leaving a note for Gyatso. He and Appa flew over a stormy sea, and eventually were caught by a wave and sent tumbling into the murky depths of the ocean. Summoning his last tendrils of strength, Aang went into the Avatar State and sealed both Appa and himself in ice, literally frozen in time through the properties of Suspended Animation.

When Aang awoke, nearly a hundred years later, he was greeted by the loving face of Katara, who had mistakenly cracked open the glacier that he was trapped inside. Katara and her brother, Sokka, told Aang that it was a hundred years since Aang left the Southern Air Temple and the people of the world had given up hope on the Avatar. As the story unfolds and Aang grows as an individual, he finally accepts his frightening destiny: to defeat the Firelord and return peace to the world.

A considerable feat, no?

Vicious, merciless, beautiful and an amazing firebender, Princess Azula has her place secured as the Princess of the cold-hearted Fire Nation. The favorite child of her father, the Fire Lord Ozai, Azula always has a plan that can not fail.

Also, Princess Azula seems to be able to bend lightning, which only the most precise and powerful firebenders can do. No one who isn't calm can bend lightning. Just another piece of proof that she is an amazing princess.

Being perfect has it's downsides, she is jealous of Ty Lee, who always seems to attract boys. Azula has problems intimidating others, including boys she likes. And the fact that her mother thought of her as a monster, to quote Azula "My own mother...thought I was a monster. She was right of course, but it still hurt."

Katara is the main heroine of the show, as well as Aang's crush. Although she trained using her own - inventive, but not very helpful - tactics/methods for her bending, Katara was not a great waterbender until later in the show.

She also always had something to speak up for and still does in later series. This proves how powerful her sense of doing good is, especially when it leads her to save the people of a small Fire Nation village in "The Painted Lady" or to fight for women's rights in "The Waterbending Master".

Her mother was killed in a Fire Nation raid when Katara was very young, so how could she possibly have any sympathy for the Fire Nation? It's mainly because of her nature and her deep belief that it was the Fire Nation army, not the Fire Nation civilians that caused the war - and have kept it going for so long - bringing pain to many.

Because of her beauty, she is the target of large bias in part of the avatar fan community. This really must stop, but doesn't show many signs of doing so.

This little sarcastic, weird, and a little bit crazy fellow is Katara's brother and one of the original members of the gang. He was also introduced quickly, in the very first episode. Actually, he was even introduced in the very first scene. But, maybe that's not such a good thing.

At first, Sokka clearly showed how he did not trust Aang. Even though that gradually changed, it took a while for Sokka to accept Aang as part of his new family. Now, Sokka would put his life on the line to help his friend - not only because he is the avatar - and protect their friendship.

A lot of people have noticed how Sokka is sexist, that might be true...but it changes in a sweeping motion performed by the Kyoshi Warrior, Suki in "The Warriors of Kyoshi". She beat Sokka in a duel and showed him how girls kick butt. Of course, he wanted her to help train him - the greatest warrior in his village -, which she eventually (after Sokka begging in a kneeling position) agreed to.

Talking about training, Sokka also got sword training from Master Piando in "Sokka's Master". In that episode, he learned about how many people still wanted to promote peace, even in the Fire Nation. He also learned how much people would do to help others. Master Piando naturally challenged Sokka to a duel, which he won, after Sokka admitted he was from the Southern Water Tribe. Apparently, Master Piando had already known that Sokka was from the south and still insisted that he deserved to live.

Suki is a hardworking warrior who aspires to carry on her island's traditions. Way back when Avatar Kyoshi separated the peninsula (that would later be renamed for her and become Kyoshi Island) were her people lived, she began a very important tradition. The tradition of female warriors protecting the scattered villages on that island. Each village has a group of these warriors and a leader among them. Usually they protect the village from drunk citizens or foreigners, but now that the war has finally reached their shores (thanks to Aang being the avatar and staying there, which ultimately led to Zuko following and burning down most of Suki's village) the Kyoshi Warriors are prepared to fight back.

Being the leader of her village's group of warriors, Suki has been training since the age of eight (8) and is responsible for not only the villagers, but the rest of the warriors. She also seems to be the leader of the other villages' groups of warriors. The other leaders treat her with high esteem and respect, listening to her very word and letting her decide most situations.

Beautiful and kind, Yue is the princess of the Northern Water Tribe. Sokka first saw her when entering the city and immediately fell in love. Soon, she sacrificed herself in order to save her beloved people and home. Chief Arnook, the leader of the Northern Water Tribe, told Sokka that when Yue was born, he had received a message from the spirits...telling him of the future.

Sad as it may be, her birth wasn't exactly joyous either. When Yue was born, the healers try as they might, couldn't save her from dying. After, her father and mother (name unknown) placed her in the Spirit Oasis and prayed to the Moon and Ocean Spirits. The moon spirit took pity (being, apparently, more merciful than the ocean spirit) and saved the young princess by giving her part of it's life.

Now, it was time for her to give that life back.

...thanks Zhao, you've been a great help. Pon may be obsessed with you, but Sokka sure ain't.