History WesternAnimation / AvatarTheLastAirBender

[[FountainOfMemes There is also]] [[Memes/AvatarTheLastAirbender an entire page of memes]], and a [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php/BestEpisode/Avatar Best Episode Crowner.]]

Compare ''Manga/DragonQuestTheAdventureOfDai'' for another adventure story with a similar main trio, but with Eastern writers and a Western setting rather than vice versa.

''Avatar: The Last Airbender'' is a Franchise/{{Nicktoon|s}} that ran from 2005-2008 on Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}. It is the first series in an [[Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender eponymous franchise]] which takes place in a ConstructedWorld divided into four nations: [[EskimoLand the Water Tribes]], [[TheKingdom the Earth Kingdom]], [[TheEmpire the Fire Nation]], and [[PerfectPacifistPeople the Air Nomads]]. Each nation has developed a spiritual art form to manipulate ("bend") their namesake element, but only the Avatar -- a great hero who is reincarnated into a different nation each generation[[note]]The order of the cycle is Air, Water, Earth, Fire[[/note]] -- is capable of mastering all four elements. The Avatar's role is to serve as a peacekeeper and protector for all four nations, as well as bridging and balancing the physical and spiritual worlds.

''Avatar: The Last Airbender'' is a Franchise/{{Nicktoon|s}} that ran from 2005-2008 on Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}. It is the first series in an [[Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender eponymous franchise]] which takes place in a ConstructedWorld divided into four nations: [[EskimoLand the Water Tribes]], [[TheKingdom the Earth Kingdom]], [[TheEmpire the Fire Nation]], and [[PerfectPacifistPeople the Air Nomads]]. Each nation has developed a spiritual art form to manipulate ("bend") their namesake element, but only the Avatar -- one person reincarnated periodically into each race -- is capable of mastering all four elements. The Avatar's role is to serve as a peacekeeper and protector for all four nations (as well as bridging and balancing the physical and spiritual worlds).

[[caption-width-right:350:''[[TagLine The legend of the Avatar begins... whether he likes it or not.]]''[[note]] Clockwise from front: Avatar Aang the [[BlowYouAway airbender]], Katara the [[MakingASplash waterbender]], Prince Zuko the [[PlayingWithFire firebender]], Toph Beifong the [[DishingOutDirt earthbender]], and Sokka TheTeamNormal. [[/note]]]]

The show's story centers around [[TheHero Aang]], the biologically-12 ([[HumanPopsicle chronologically 112]]) year-old incarnation of the current Avatar, and the eponymous [[LastOfHisKind Last Airbender]]. He must master the four bending arts so that he can save the world from [[EvilOverlord Fire Lord Ozai]] and end [[EarthIsABattlefield the century-long war]], a war which he accidentally avoided, spending a hundred years [[HumanPopsicle trapped in an iceberg]] after [[RefusalOfTheCall running away from his sudden heavy responsibility as the Avatar]]. Ozai's plans for [[TakeOvertheWorld domination]] are on a specific timetable, though, meaning that Aang [[RaceAgainstTheClock has until the end of summer to stop them]].

[[caption-width-right:350:''[[TagLine The legend of the Avatar begins... whether he likes it or not.]]''[[note]] Clockwise from front: Avatar Aang the [[BlowYouAway airbender]], Katara the [[MakingASplash waterbender]], Prince Zuko the [[PlayingWithFire firebender]], Toph Beifong the [[DishingOutDirt earthbender]], and Sokka the [[TheTeamNormal Team Normal]]. [[/note]]]]

A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the '''new''' Avatar, an airbender named Aang. The problem is, this Avatar is still a kid[[note]]Recorded for the test pilot, but cut from broadcast, for some reason[[/note]], and although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone.\\

%%Quote changed per [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1327331003042025100&page=307#comment-7651 this]] thread; if you want to change or add a quote, take it to the thread.

''Avatar: The Last Airbender'' is a [[Franchise/{{Nicktoons}} Nicktoon]] that ran from 2005-2008 on Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}. It is the first series in an [[Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender eponymous franchise]] which takes place in a ConstructedWorld divided into four nations: [[EskimoLand the Water Tribes]], [[TheKingdom the Earth Kingdom]], [[TheEmpire the Fire Nation]], and [[PerfectPacifistPeople the Air Nomads]]. Each nation has developed a spiritual art form to manipulate ("bend") their namesake element, but only the Avatar -- one person reincarnated periodically into each race -- is capable of mastering all four elements. The Avatar's role is to serve as a peacekeeper and protector for all four nations (as well as bridging and balancing the physical and spiritual worlds).

* [[AbandonShipping/AvatarTheLastAirbender Abandon Shipping]]
* [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Alternative Character Interpretation]]

* [[DieForOurShip/AvatarTheLastAirbender Die for Our Ship]]
* [[FandomSpecificPlot/AvatarTheLastAirbender Fandom-Specific Plot]]
* [[Fanon/AvatarTheLastAirbender Fanon]]

A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the '''new''' Avatar, an airbender named Aang. The problem is, this Avatar is still a kid[[note]]This line was recorded for the pilot, but was cut from the broadcast series, for some reason[[/note]], and although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone.\\

My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days -- a time of peace, when the Avatar kept the balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar had mastered all four elements; only he could stop the ruthless firebenders. But when the world needed him most, he vanished.\\
A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the '''new''' Avatar, an airbender named Aang. The problem is, this Avatar is still a kid, and although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone.\\

-->-- '''Katara''', opening narration (taken from the proof-of-concept pilot)

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished.\\
A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the '''new''' Avatar, an airbender named Aang. And although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone.\\

-->-- '''Katara''', opening narration

A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the '''new''' Avatar, an airbender named Aang. The problem is, this Avatar is still a kid, and although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone.\\

My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days -- a time of peace, when the Avatar kept the balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished.\\
A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe.\\
Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and that the cycle is broken. But [...] my brother and I discovered the '''new''' Avatar, an airbender named Aang. The problem is, this Avatar is still a kid[[note]]Oddly, this particular bit was omitted from the broadcast version; it remains uncut in the [[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderUnairedPilot proof-of-concept pilot]][[/note]], and although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world.''
-->-- A combination of the various iterations of Katara's OpeningNarration.

[[caption-width-right:350:''[[TagLine The legend of the Avatar begins... whether he likes it or not.]]''[[note]] Clockwise from front: Avatar Aang the [[BlowYouAway airbender]], Katara the [[MakingASplash waterbender]], Prince Zuko the [[PlayingWithFire firebender]], Toph Beifong the [[DishingOutDirt earthbender]], and Sokka, {{the Team Normal}}. [[/note]]]]

Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and that the cycle is broken. But [...] my brother and I discovered the '''new''' Avatar, an airbender named Aang. The problem is, this Avatar is still a kid[[note]]Oddly, this particular bit was omitted from the broadcast version; it remains uncut in the [[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderUnairedPilotproof-of-concept pilot]][[/note]], and although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world.''

Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and that the cycle is broken. But [...] my brother and I discovered the '''new''' Avatar, an airbender named Aang. The problem is, this Avatar is still a kid[[note]]Oddly, this particular bit was omitted from the broadcast version; it remains uncut in the proof-of-concept pilot[[/note]], and although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world.''

A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war.
Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe.\\

A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war.\\

My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days -- a time of peace, when the Avatar kept the balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation and Air Nomads. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished.\\

Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and that the cycle is broken. But [...] my brother and I discovered the '''new''' Avatar, an airbender named Aang. The problem is, this Avatar is still a kid[[note]]Oddly, this particular bit was omitted from the broadcast version; it remains uncut in the proof-of-concept pilot[[/note]], and although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world.''

A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and that the cycle is broken. But [...] my brother and I discovered the '''new''' Avatar, an airbender named Aang. The problem is, this Avatar is still a kid[[note]]Oddly, this particular bit was omitted from the broadcast version; it remains uncut in the proof-of-concept pilot[[/note]], and although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world.''

A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and that the cycle is broken. But I haven't lost hope.\\
My brother and I discovered the '''new''' Avatar, an airbender named Aang. The problem is, this Avatar is still a kid[[note]]Oddly, this particular bit was omitted from the broadcast version; it remains uncut in the proof-of-concept pilot[[/note]], and although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world.''

A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war.\\
Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and that the cycle is broken. But my brother and I discovered the '''new''' Avatar, an airbender named Aang. The problem is, this Avatar is still a kid[[note]]Oddly, this particular bit was omitted from the broadcast version; it remains uncut in the proof-of-concept pilot[[/note]], and although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world.''

Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and that the cycle is broken. But [,] my brother and I discovered the '''new''' Avatar, an airbender named Aang. The problem is, this Avatar is still a kid[[note]]Oddly, this particular bit was omitted from the broadcast version; it remains uncut in the proof-of-concept pilot[[/note]], and although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world.''