Long ago, the four chairs lived together in harmony...BUT THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED WHEN THE CHFIRE NATION ATTACKED
Avatar: The Last Airbender is a series so popular that it's no surprise that it has a huge number of
memes that fans will be familiar with.
The Animated Series- "Drink cactus juice! It'll quench ya! Nothing's quenchier! It's the quenchiest!" Explanation In the episode The Desert, Sokka drinks some cactus juice and has a Mushroom Samba.
- "Yes! We defeated you for all time! You will never rise from the ashes of your shame and humiliation!" ExplanationIn the wake of defeating SpongeBob SquarePants at the 2008 Kids' Choice Awards, the pervasive meme was this quote from Azula, after she beats some people at volleyball. However, SpongeBob has won every year since.
- Zuko is a Master Cockblocker. ExplanationZuko accidentally interrupts Sokka and Suki's attempts to have sex. Later on, when they go to the theater, he sits between Aang and Katara just as Aang was trying to sidle up "smoothly" to her.
- "PENETRATING THE WALLS OF BA SING SE?!?" ExplanationThe colossal drill and The Impenetrable City of Ba Sing Se make some epic dirty joke material.
- "Thank you, the universe." ExplanationSokka mentions the group's incredibly bad luck immediately before a giant water serpent attacks a pursuing Fire Nation ship, allowing them to escape and prompting this line.
- "My name is Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. You killed my mother. Prepare to die!" ExplanationThough not even remotely close to what was actually said, the situation in the episode "The Southern Raiders" was so similar to The Princess Bride that this meme was formed.
- The whole of "The Ember Island Players", a Self-Parody of the series containing massive Flanderization and outright inaccuracies regarding the characters:
- "HOOONNNOOOOOOOR!" ExplanationActor Zuko after getting killed by Actor Azula.
- "Wait, did Jet just die?" "You know, it was really unclear." ExplanationThe writers hanging a lampshade on the fact that Executive Meddling had forced them to leave Jet's fate unclear.
- Often warped into, "Wait did X just Y?" "You know, it was really unclear." For example, from The Legend of Korra: "Wait, did the Lieutenant just die?" "You know, it was really unclear." Or "Wait, did Mako even break up with Asami?" "It was really unclear." And now as of Season 3 Episode 10: "Wait, did Zaheer kill the Earth Queen, or just knock her out and capture her?" "You know, it was really unclear."
- "Avatar state, yip yip!" ExplanationActor Aang's Catchphrase.
- "These memes are so good, they're making me tearbend!" ExplanationActor Katara is a big crybaby.
- "Choose treachery! It's more fun!" ExplanationActor Iroh during the play's version of Zuko's Heel–Face Revolving Door moment.
- "That... wasn't a good play." "I'll say." "No kidding." "Horrible." "You said it." "But the effects were decent." ExplanationA universal response to M. Night Shyamalan's film adaptation, as, Adaptation Decay squared, but it had Visual Effects of Awesome. And Iroh's awesomeness ALWAYS triumphs.
- Fire Lord Ozai would've gotten away with it if it weren't for those meddling kids!
- Toph knows when you lie. ExplanationToph's Disability Superpower allows her to sense heartbeats and therefore when someone is lying.
- And she can hear you fap. ExplanationAn enormous piece of Fridge Logic that concludes Toph knows everything that anyone is doing in close proximity to her.
- You got that right, twinkle-toes! ExplanationToph's name for Aang, used throughout her conversations with him.
- WANG FIRE! The supernatural embodiment of manliness and beards!ExplanationThe name Sokka uses when he disguises himself with a beard during the group's stay in the Fire Nation
- The only element Wang Fire bends is the element of surprise.
- I AM MELON LORD! MUA-HA-HA-HA-HA! ExplanationThe name Toph creates for a training dummy representing Ozai, briefly treating it as a real person.
- I'd like to spend my vacation AT THE LIBRARY! ExplanationSokka's failed attempt to be dramatic.
- SECRET TUNNEL! SECRET TUNNEL! THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN! SECRET, SECRET, SECRET, SECRET TUNNEL! Yeah! ExplanationA bard in "Cave of Two Lovers" begins ad-libbing this song rather loudly the moment he hears about the tunnel.
- Hey, I remember that line of the song! AND DIED....
- Victory is boring. ExplanationMai, after she and Ty Lee defeat an exhausted and sleep-deprived Sokka and Katara in "The Chase".
- MY CABBAGES! ExplanationA Running Gag where some cabbage merchant gets his merchandise destroyed in some form.
- Whenever a solar eclipse is scheduled, someone's sure to ask if it's time to attack the Fire Nation. Explanation Referring to the solar eclipse learned about in The Library that would temporarily stop all firebending. This was unsuccessfully exploited in an invasion of the Fire Nation in Day of the Black Sun when the invasion was timed to coincide with it.
- Iroh just wants his cup of tea. Explanation Iroh's affection for tea is legendary. The creators even admitted (jokingly?) that IrohXTea was canon.
- Creepy Katara
ExplanationAn unintentionally creepy screenshot of Katara in ‘The Day of Black Sun, Part 1: The Invasion’. - I laugh at gravity all the time. Haha! Gravity. ExplanationAfter hearing legends of Airbenders still at the Northern Air Temple, Aang explains that he also laughs at gravity.
- My first girlfriend turned into the moon...ExplanationSokka, completely deadpan, sums up how the call kills one's dating life.
- That's rough, buddy. ExplanationZuko is a master of empathy.
- Now this meme finds itself in the The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power too. Elrond: My father turned into a star. — Durin IV: That's rough, buddy. ExplanationThe meme makes reference to The Star of Eärendil, a Silmaril carried into the sky by Eärendil the Mariner, Elrond's father.
- Frothers, Foamy, Foaming At The Mouth Guy, Crazy Foaming Mouth Guy, Rabid Fanboy. ExplanationA character whose only defined trait was to collapse into a frothing seizure upon mention of the Avatar.
- This one only pops up among the anime fanbase, with which the general Avatar fanbase has some crossover, but mentioning the series on an anime discussion board will generate numerous cries of "Anime ja nai!" ("Not an anime!") or links to Gundam ZZ's opening.
- With the debut of The Promise comics comes the fandom's general confusion (and amusement) at Aang and Katara calling each other "sweetie." Some find it endearing, others, not so much. Either way, there's no shortage of jokes about it.
- The Boulder. An obvious parody of The Rock.note "The Boulder feels conflicted".
- Parody would've been further enhanced had they succeeded in their attempt to get him to voice the character.
- Further enhanced instead by having his old tag-team partner Mick Foley voice the character. ExplanationFoley voiced the Boulder with the same tone that he used to poke fun at the Rock with, making the Boulder a parody of a parody within a parody.
- Any crossover with Bender, for obvious reasons.
- It was a normal day, but then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked.◊ ExplanationStarted on Tumblr, when someone thought that it would be humorous to add the tag to everything. Another reason was the fans noticed that a handful of important characters in the series were orphaned by firebenders, which became the series scapegoat.
- "But then, everything changed when the Water Tribe attacked." ExplanationThe second season premiere of The Legend of Korra has the Northern Water Tribe invading the Southern, and it's hard not to draw parallels.
- "But then, everything changed when the Airbender attacked." Explanation The plot of the 3rd Legend of Korra season kicks off when an anarchist named Zaheer gains airbending.
- "But then, everything changed when the Earth Kingdom attacked." ExplanationSeason 4 of The Legend of Korra has Kuvira using more extreme methods to "reunite the Earth Kingdom."
- Avatar: The Last Tearbender/Tearbending. Explanation A slang term used in the Avatar fandom when talking about the franchise's reputation for having some of the most tear-jerking moments of any show, in Nickelodeon's catalog or otherwise.
- "When the world needed him most, he returned". Explanation A variation of the line from the intro "But when the world needed him most, he vanished", often used to celebrate the return of a content creator after a long hiatus.
- Zuko the awkward turtle-duck Explanation:Scenes for Zuko Alone and the third season show that Zuko was fond of the the turtle-ducks in the palace garden's pond. Fans thought it was cute and endearing.
- "There is no war in Ba Sing Se." ExplanationOriginally from the Book 2 episode Lake Laogai, where Joo Dee and Jet, among others, are brainwashed into believing just that. Now frequently used as a sarcastic remark to an obviously false statement.
- "The Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai."ExplanationThe Trigger Phrase that Long Feng uses to activate his brainwashed sleeper agents.
- "I am honored to accept his invitation." Explanation The response from the brainwashing victim
- Katara's joke about the "Not as Much of a Jerk as You Could Have Been" Award inspired this image◊ which, in turn, inspired comics◊ and even cosplay. The award has also been given to Tarrlok, Eska, Desna◊, and Zaheer. It's also found use outside the Avatar fandom.
- Azula and Kim Yo-Jong.ExplanationDuring a brief period of 2020 when Kim Jong-Un temporarily went missing and was speculated to be dead by some sources, many rumors circulated that heir apparent Kim Yo-Jong was allegedly even more sociopathic and tyrannical. Comparisons between her and Azula were inevitable. As of May 21st, 2020, an image juxtaposing them is the sixth result on Google Image Search and Azula mockingly asking about Kim Jong-Un's alleged botched heart surgery is the 24th result.
- "Oh I'm sorry Kim, did your heart surgery not go as planned? Shame."
- Jokes about Zuko leaving Azula's door open. ExplanationAfter Zuko confronts Azula in "The Awakening" he exits the room, but leaves her door completely wide open. Since it's a pet-peeve for many people, especially when sleeping, many viewers comment on it.
- Comparing the scene between Azula and Zuko in "The Awakening" to Game of Thrones. ExplanationThe scene is infamous for having accidental incestous overtones and Game of Thrones has a reputation for having Brother–Sister Incest.
- If Momo had a gun. explanationA meme◊ opined that Momo having a gun would have resolved the events of the show easily, and Momo having a gun and Cutting the Knot quickly became a favorite meme on fan groups.
- Debates about whether Momo or Appa would kill you first.
- Lee from the tea shop. ExplanationStarted circulating about 2020, many fans found it amusing in retrospect that Zuko had to endure customer service during his time in the Earth Kingdom. Jokes range from Earth Kingdom citizens being shocked to find that Lee was the new Fire Lord, claiming that the tea shop was where he learned to suppress his rage, how it was vital to his redemption arc, and generally how much more relatable Zuko became after fans of the original airing grew up and had to work retail themselves.
- Kuzon from school. ExplanationSimilar jokes have been made about young Fire Nation students being surprised that Kuzon, Aang's secret identity while being enrolled in a Fire Nation school in "The Headband," was the Avatar.
- Avatar Kyoshi says to kill the motherfucker. ExplanationWhile battling Chin the Conqueror, Avatar Kyoshi weakened the stones under his feet, causing him to fall to his death. When asked if this was considered murder, she responded "Personally I don't see the difference." This has been Flanderized by the fandom to the point where Avatar Kyoshi is treated as a foul-mouthed Ax-Crazy murderer with a Hair-Trigger Temper quick to consider violence to be the only option, as seen here◊, here◊, here◊, or here◊.
- "I've certainly never used violence to take a life."ExplanationDuring Sozin's Comet, Part 2 when Aang is contacting the previous Avatars about whether or not to kill the Fire Lord, he states that he only used violence in self-defense and never used it to take a life. Even back when the episode first released, with at least some degree of Misblaming, many people promptly pointed to instances in previous episodes where Aang's violence either would've resulted in people dying or at least gravely injured, like Aang as the Ocean Spirit, him airbending someone off of a cliff when it was established that Chin died to the same thing, him causing an avalanche in the Northern Air Temple, etc.
- "That's quite a bit of damage." ExplanationZhao's remark upon, well, seeing how much damage Zuko and Iroh's ship had sustained from Aang's escape in "The Southern Air Temple".
- Any mundane activity happens. "My mother used to [x]." ExplanationA memetic mutation born from how often fans perceive Katara as mentioning her mother, particularly in scenarios where memories of her mother are triggered by mundane things happening. For example, an invented scenario where Zuko simply breathes and Katara says "My mother used to breathe" in response.
- The actual first time we see Aang earthbend is when he digs a massive hole for himself. ExplanationA play on the trope that describes Aang's awkward attempt at playing off Katara's suggestion to kiss to see if it will show them the way out of the cave.
- "It's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions." ExplanationIroh's line before he asks Zuko his iconic Armor-Piercing Question in "Lake Laogai". Expect said question to be replaced by a question of the poster's choosing.
- Aang Sees Past AvatarsExplanationIn "The Avatar State", Aang has a vision where he sees the past Avatars lined up, and Avatar Roku, who's standing next to him, turns to stare at him with glowing eyes. This scene is subjected to object-labeling and redraw memes that mock people who are longtime followers of trivial traditions.
- Sokka the BackbenderexplanationSokka has quite a few love interests over the course of the show. Him being the only non-bender of the main group, this led to jokes that he is in fact a "backbender", sometimes with the addendum that his element is "rizz."
The Movie
- The Racebending community was created in protest of casting decisions made by M. Night Shyamalan for The Last Airbender. Named after the hiring of Caucasians playing Aang, Sokka and Katara as well as brown people as the Fire Nation. Thus, phrases like "Aang ain't white" and "Aang Can Stay Asian And Still Save the World" became popular among some Avatar fans.
- And the quotes "Caucasian and any other ethnicities" and "If you're Korean, wear a kimono" (especially offensive considering how the Imperial Japanese government tried to erase Korean culture) shows how ridiculous the casting calls could be.
- It has become popular to make light of the unfortunate implications of the Race Lift that occurred in the movie by saying: "Wait, so the good guys are white and not Asian? What a twist!"
- Before the movie had even come out, early test screening reviews mentioned a scene that has turned the phrase "punching the fish" into a meme.note In the final movie, he stabs it with a knife.
- Speaking of Movie!Zhao, did you hear that he found a secret library? He got a scroll that his men are trying to decipher, did he mention that it was a SECRET LIBRARY? ExplanationThe wonderful Rufftoon of DeviantArt, who worked as a storyboard artist on the animated version, pointed out that Zhao mentioned Wan Shi Tong's library (that's supposed to be a secret) several times, as compared to the one time he mentioned it in the series. The meme was created after she posted a series of humorous guides and overviews of the movie. The one containing this meme is here.
- Senior Fire Nation Correspondent Commander Zhao.ExplanationZhao is played by Aasif Mandvi, one of the main Daily Show correspondents.
- PEBBLE DANCE!◊ ExplanationSix earthbenders. Four seconds of kata. One rock, slightly larger than a human head that languidly drifts sideways, all so another earthbender can just fling it at a single firebender.
- Kat-tackle! ExplanationKatara pushing over a random guard and then just standing there.
- "Are you an airbender, boy?" ExplanationWhat the random guard said that causes this.
- AANG! JUST ONCE! ExplanationHow the many changes in the movie affects the audience. Case in point, one fan bemoaned the fact that Aang's name was pronounced as Ong.
- X! Why are you acting this way? There's Y right beneath your feet! The Z is the extension of who you are! Explanation:A speech to some prisoners, made incredibly bizarre because of the large deviation from the equivalent moment in the series.
- X scene was cut from the movie because it was too "distracting".
- "We need to show them that we believe in our beliefs as much as they believe in their beliefs." is very popular in capslock_atla.
- Movie!Ozai's glowing ass. ExplanationIn one shot,◊ the source of light appears to be Ozai's rear end.
- At least the effects were decent. ExplanationOriginated from the Ember Island Players, the effects are in fact one of the few saving graces of the movie.
- That boy's an earthbender, he was bending tiny stones at us from behind a tree. It really hurt! ExplanationProof that the movie Fire Nation are pretty weak.
- EVERYBODY CAN HELP US NOW!
- YOU'RE LYING!
- ....Yes.
- HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ExplanationA battle cry done horribly.
- I am pleased. ExplanationGood news pleases Fire Lord Ozai.
- BRING ME... ALL YOUR ELDERLY!!! Explanation The movie version of Zuko's line asking the Southern Water Tribe makes it sound like he has a fetish for old people. In the show itself, he says the more specific and less dirty-sounding "I'm looking for the avatar. He'd be about this age [at this point, Zuko grabs Gran-Gran as an example of how old the avatar would be], master of all four elements."
- Watch out for the Fire Nation and their machines.
- My brother and (insert girl's name here) became friends right away.ExplanationSokka developed a romantic relationship with Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribes in the series. Here, their first meeting is condensed to maybe this one sentence.
- To get airbending tattoos, you have to meditate...for long periods of time, without losing focus. Some of the great monks...can meditate...for four days. ExplanationStoicism. Dramatic emphasis. Unnecessary information sharing. All rolled...into.....one.
- There is no movie in Ba Sing Se.ExplanationA snowclone of a line from the show based on the film's Fanon Discontinuity status. It is often used by fans whenever anyone brings up the movie in a fan thread, particularly on Reddit.
