20 Years Of 'Avatar:The Last Airbender': 20 Great Character Developing Moments

February 21, 2025 marked the 20th anniversary of the debut of the deeply loved animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. The series tells the story of Aang, the last living Airbender, who wakes after a century frozen in an iceberg to discover that he is the Avatar, destined to master all four elemental bending disciplines (Earth, Water, Fire, and Air), and use these new abilities to end a war that the Fire Nation has waged against the rest of the world for one hundred years. He is joined in this quest by Water Tribe siblings Sokka and Katara, and eventually others.

Loved by both fans and critics, Avatar: The Last Airbender is often called one of the best animated series of all time, and even one of the best TV series of all time overall. It has a rich world, a brilliant story, and great character development across its three seasons. In fact, one of it's greatest strengths is it's characters, with smaller character based moments having as much impact as action sequences.

To celebrate the show's 20th anniversary, let's look back at some of the greatest character moments in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

1. Sokka swallows his pride and agrees to learn from the Kyoshi Warriors

It would not be an incorrect assessment to say that at the beginning of the series, Sokka holds some sexist views. This is not necessarily his fault. Sokka's youth has been heavily influenced by the War, and his responsibility to protect his village as the oldest remaining male tribe member, with all the adult men having gone to fight. Sokka sees himself as stronger than the women and children he protects, because that helps him face his responsibility.

However, Sokka's views are challenged early on when the party temporarily seeks refuge on Kyoshi Island, where they soon meet the Kyoshi Warriors, an elite female fighting force modeling themselves on Avatar Kyoshi, one of Aang's past lives. Sokka's first instinct is to underestimate and talk down to the Warriors, until their leader, Suki, puts him in his place, defeating him easily in a sparring match. Initially embarassed, Sokka ultimately swallows his pride and asks Suki to train him, even going so far as to wear the Kyoshi Warriors uniform and make up. Later in the series, he and Suki even fall in love.

Sokka is often noted as an example of why a character with outdated views need not be eliminated from children's entertainment entirely. Rather than pretend these views don't exist, it is perhaps a better lesson to have a character learn why they are wrong, and make the effort to do and be better.

2. Zuko chooses the safety of his crew

'The Storm' is one of the most iconic and beloved episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender's first season, mostly for depicting the tragic backstory behind how Prince Zuko received his scar. However, just as important for Zuko's character is the episode's ending.

Both Zuko's ship and crew, and a second ship bearing Sokka and a fisherman with whom he has accepted a job to earn money for Team Avatar's journey, become lost in the ferocious storm of the episode's title. During the storm, Zuko risks his own life to rescue a crew member who had fallen overboard, and despite witnessing Aang fleeing on Appa after rescuing Sokka and the fisherman, gives up the chance to pursue him in favour of getting his crew safely out of the storm.

This scene is one of the first indications of the kind of person Zuko really is, and in fact, how he truly regains his honor by the end of the series: Doing the right thing by others, not just himself. This same inner goodness is re-iterated in season two, when Zuko frees Appa from captivity rather than make use of him to find Aang.

3. Sokka and Katara stay where they are needed most

Stumbling upon a seemingly abandoned Water Tribe ship, Sokka and Katara are happily reunited with Bato, an old friend who had been fighting in the war alongside the siblings' Father, Hakoda. Bato had been injured and temporarily left behind, but Aang intercepts a message from Hakoda informing Bato of the Water Tribe army's location. Fearful that he will lose his friends, Aang hides the message.

Upon discovering what Aang has done, Sokka and Katara are furious, and plan to abandon their quest with Aang in favour of meeting with Hakoda. However, when a pep talk from Bato reminds them of how scary it can be to be without one's friends, both siblings make the unselfish choice, continuing to travel with Aang.

4. Toph's unlikely friend

Toph, a young, blind, but deeply gifted Earthbender who joins the Gaang early in season two to serve as Aang's Earthbending Master, initially struggles with being part of a team, as many in her past saw her blindness as weakness, and she is loath to give up any of her hard won independence.

After a sleep-deprivation fuelled argument caused by Azula's constant pursuit, Toph temporarily leaves the group, and soon encounters Iroh, who has been quietly tracking Zuko. Not knowing of Iroh's previous negative association with Team Avatar in season one, Toph agrees to his offer of tea. Iroh, as he often does, drops a pearl of wisdom, telling Toph that it is not weakness to accept help from those who love you. This prompts her decision to return to the rest of the group.

In a humorous twist, the rest of the GAang never learn of this meeting between Toph and Iroh, so when they do eventually meet again, Toph knows Iroh not as a former enemy, only recognising his voice as her friend from the road. Despite only sharing a few scenes, Toph and Iroh's friendship has become a favourite from the series.

5. Toph and Katara's girl's day

Of all Team Avatar, Katara has a particularly difficult time bonding with Toph after she joins the group. To correct this, Katara takes a reluctant Toph out for a spa day in the episode 'Tales of Ba Sing Se'. Things go relatively well until, after leaving the Spa, a trio of mean girls make fun of Toph's make-up.

Katara tries to comfort Toph, at which point Toph points out that the comments bother her less than one might think, as her blindless means she cares little for appearances.

"I'm not looking for anyone's approval. I know who I am."

It is an important turning point for the two characters, after which Katara does not let herself be so bothered by Toph's unusual self-care habits.

6. Iroh's Tale

Elsewhere in 'Tales of Ba Sing Se', Iroh's tale initially appears to be a sweet story of Iroh helping others and offering his trademark pearls of wisdom, all while trying to make his way out for a picnic. However, in a tearjerking twist, it is revealed that the picnic was intended as a tribute to Iroh's late son, Lu Ten.

Lu Ten's death, occuring during a Siege on Ba Sing Se that Iroh had been leading, changes Iroh's view on the war, and ultimately life. It transformed him from the warrior General Iroh to the wise Uncle Iroh we all know and love, and drives his efforts to try and guide his nephew, Zuko, onto a better path.

7. Suki helps Appa

After his capture by Desert Bandits, Aang's beloved sky bison, Appa, suffers through a number of traumatic events. First sold by the bandits to a Fire Nation Circus where he is badly mistreated, Appa escapes, only to be seriously injured in a fight with a Boarcupine.

Thankfully, he is discovered by Team Avatar's ally, Suki, and her squad of Kyoshi Warriors. Appa's trust in humans has been shaken by the Circus, but Suki and the warriors are kind and patient, feeding and nursing him back to health. When Azula and her cronies arrive tracking Appa, Suki urges the bison to escape while she and the Kyoshi Warriors hold Azula off.

We later learn that this led to the group's capture and imprisonment, but at no point are they shown to regret their actions. Suki gave Appa a reminder of friendship and kindness at a time he desperately needed it.

8. Toph invents Metalbending

Following Toph running away from home to join Team Avatar, her overprotective parents set a pair of Bounty Hunters on her trail. Luring her into a trap near the end of season two, the Hunters think that they have Toph beat when they catch her in a metal prison. After all, you can't bend metal, right?

Well.. not before. During her captivity, Toph notes the fact that metal is made from Earth, and thanks to her especially close connection with Earth, she is able to zero in on impurities in the metal and bend them, escaping her prison and inventing the art of Metalbending in the process. Apart from being a universe-altering moment in the world of Avatar, it is a deeply important moment for Toph.

While others eventually learn Metalbending by the time of the sequel series Legend of Korra, it is something only highly skilled Earthbenders can manage. And only Toph could ever have invented it, cementing herself as a legend in the Avatar universe.

9. Aang opens his Chakras

Throughout the first two seasons of the show, Aang struggles while learning to control the powerful Avatar State. Eventually, he meets the Guru Pathik, who tells him that control will come when he learns to unblock his seven chakras, thus allowing a free flow of energy within him. Aang unlocks the first six with relative ease, but struggles with the seventh, when Pathik tells him he must let go of his earthly attachments.. mostly meaning Katara.

Aang is ultimately able to unlock his last chakra during the season's final battle, when he and Katara become outnumbered. The series gives a more nuanced, reasonable portrayal of forgoing attachment than, say, the anti-attachment rule of Star Wars' Jedi. Aang can love Katara, while also understanding that he must sometimes leave her alone to do the things he needs to do.

10. Katara bonds with Zuko

During the season two finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Katara finds herself sharing an Earth Kingdom prison cell with Zuko. At first angry at her predicament, Katara unexpectedly finds herself bonding with Zuko over their Mothers, both seemingly lost during the war. Katara even considers using her rare and magical Oasis water to heal Zuko's scar.

Katara genuinely believed that Zuko was ready to change, making his betrayal soon after all the more painful. It also explains why Katara has the hardest time trusting Zuko when he is truly ready to redeem himself in season three.

11. The Dance Party

While Aang is presumed dead, Team Avatar's plan to hide in plain sight in the Fire Nation hits a snag when Aang is accidentally picked up by a truant officer and dragged off to attend a Fire Nation school. Sokka is eager to extract Aang from the school as soon as possible, but instead, Aang hatches a plan to host a secret dance party for the Fire Nation kids, wanting to build a positive connection with the next generation for when the war ends.

As well as a reminder, particularly for Sokka, that the Fire Nation kids are not so different from children of other Nations, the scene builds further on Aang and Katara's budding romantic relationship as the story enters it's final chapters.

12. Piandao always knew Sokka's identity

Believing he needs a secondary skill to make him more useful to the GAang, Sokka seeks out training from Piandao, a native Fire Nation swordmaster. During his training, Sokka maintains his Fire Nation alias, but eventually feels guilty for the ruse and tells the truth. Piandao knew the whole time that Sokka was not a Fire Nation native, but believes the way of the sword should be available to all.

As well as giving Sokka the extra skill he sought, Sokka's training serves as another reminder that not everyone they meet in the Fire Nation is automatically a danger.

13. Zuko's Avatar Connection

Zuko, struggling since his return to the Fire Nation, seeks guidance from the last testament of his paternal Great Grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin, who started the war a century ago. Unable to entirely make sense of what he had read, Zuko seeks out Iroh in his prison cell.

Iroh informs him that while his paternal Great Grandfather was Sozin, his Great Grandfather on his Mother's side was Avatar Roku. This split in Zuko's bloodline represents the battle between good and evil that has raged within Zuko his whole life. Ultimately, Iroh says, it is still Zuko's choice which side of his legacy to pursue.

The reveal is often lauded as one of the most well-crafted scenes in the whole series, with Zuko's scar representing Sozin, while his unscarred eye represents Roku.

14. Zuko redirects Ozai's Lightning

Zuko's journey through the series is full of choices, often regarding which influences on his life he will ultimately accept. While presented in a more subtle way, one of the biggest of these choices is between his abusive Father, Fire L0rd Ozai, who just barely tolerates Zuko's existence even after he has supposedly proven himself, and his sometimes goofy but always wise Uncle Iroh, who loves him unconditionally.

Zuko seemingly makes this choice when he finally confronts Ozai in the two part episode 'The Day of Black Sun'. Ozai attacks Zuko with lightning, but Zuko deflects the attack, using a rare skill that Iroh had been trying to to teach him since the beginning of season two. Zuko then goes to free Iroh from prison only to realise he has already escaped. So, he once again sets off in pursuit of Team Avatar, this time to offer friendship and his services as a Firebending teacher.

15. Aang and Zuko learn from the original Firebenders

While Aang eventually accepts that Zuko is meant to be his Firebending teacher, their first lesson hits a snag when Zuko is unable to call upon his fire. Toph, who learned from the original Earthbenders, Badgermoles, suggests they learn from the original Firebenders, Dragons. This poses another problem, as Dragons are believed extinct. With little other option, the new unlikely duo of Aang and Zuko seek out the mysterious Sun Warrior tribe, to whom the Dragons once passed their knowledge.

The Sun Warriors inform the pair that they must be judged by the Firebending Masters, aka, the final two surviving dragons, Ran and Shaw. Aang and Zuko are judged worthy, as the dragons engulf them in a column of rainbow fire. The experience is transformative for both, teaching them the true essence of Fire as a source of energy and life.

This is a scene fans are eager to see adapted in Netflix's live-action adaptation of the series, as it is sure to be visually spectacular.

16. Mai chooses love

When they were initially introduced in season two, Mai and Ty Lee appear to be little more than sidekicks to Azula, until the eventual reveal that Mai was romantically attached to Zuko prior to his banishment. Their flame is rekindled following his return to the Fire Nation in season three, only to seemingly be snuffed out again when Zuko leaves to join Team Avatar.

However, in the two part episode 'The Boiling Rock', Mai unexpectedly battles a group of guards, aiding Zuko and Sokka in breaking prisoners, including Hakoda and Suki, out of a brutal Fire Nation prison. Confronted by a furious Azula in the aftermath, Mai replies:

"You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you."

In a second twist, Ty Lee then attacks Azula in an attempt to save Mai. Both Mai and Ty Lee are imprisoned, but their actions shake Azula's mental state, making her a slightly easier mark for Katara and Zuko come series end.

17. Katara chooses not to kill her Mother's murderer

Throughout Avatar: The Last Airbender, Katara grapples with survivor's guilt regarding the death of her Mother, Kya, who was killed by a Fire Nation soldier while protecting Katara. Zuko, hoping to finally win Katara's forgiveness, helps her track down the man who killed her Mother.

However, when they do find the now former soldier, Yon Rha, Katara is unable to kill him. He is a pitiful, selfish individual, not worth her rage. Thankfully, the trip is not entirely a waste, allowing a new bond to be forged between Katara and Zuko.

Katara is eventually able to honour her Mother in a healthier way, as Legend of Korra reveals that Aang and Katara's daughter is named for Kya.

18. Zuko and Iroh's reunion

On a few occasions throughout the back half of the final season, Team Avatar appears to just miss Iroh, delaying Zuko's reunion with his Uncle. When they do track down Iroh, in a camp run by the peace seeking Order of the White Lotus, Zuko is nervous, fearing Iroh will be angry, and unable to forgive him.

Thankfully, for Zuko, Iroh is not Ozai.

"I was never angry with you. I was sad, because I thought you had lost your way."

The reunion is considered one of the most beloved, heartwarming scenes of the whole series.

19. Zuko takes a hit for Katara

While Zuko and Katara's friendship took the longest to forge, it has surprisingly become one of the strongest in Team Avatar by series end, so much so that they are paired in the series finale, with Katara attending Zuko's Agni Kai dual against his sister, Azula. When Azula finds she cannot best Zuko as easily as she had hoped, she plays dirty, blasting lightning at Katara. Too late to deflect the blast, Zuko takes the hit for himself.

Thankfully, Azula's failing mental state means Katara is able to outwit and trap her, reaching Zuko in time to heal him. It is a surprisingly sweet moment, proving how far both characters have come.

20. Aang defeats the Fire Lord in his own way

Throughout the final season, it is assumed that 'victory' for Aang against Fire Lord Ozai means Ozai's death. Even Aang's past Avatar lives try to convince him that this is the case. For Aang, raised as a peaceful, pacifist Monk among the Air Nomads, this is a bitter pill to swallow. He would prefer a way to win without compromising his morals. Thankfully, his meeting with the Lion Turtle gives him a solution.

Aang does get Ozai into a position where he could kill him. Instead, Aang is able to energy-bend Ozai, removing his ability to Firebending and thus ending the threat he poses, all without physically harming a hair on his head. Aang wins without compromising who he is.

Happy 20th Anniversary, Avatar: The Last Airbender! Time will tell if the live-action adaptation is able to match the original's classic status.