History MoralEventHorizon / AvatarTheLastAirbender

* Most firebending generals and soldiers are shown as being an AntiVillain ObliviouslyEvil posse, with Jeong-Jeong saying that he was in the army for years before realizing he was enabling atrocities. Then we come across Yon Rha, who murdered an innocent woman in her home after she lied about being the last South Pole waterbender. Zuko, formerly Fire Nation, shows disgust when he admits that he went against protocol and killed Kya in cold blood, leaving [[HarmfulToMinors her family to find her body]]. Katara says that her mother lied because ''she'' is the later waterbender, and comes close to impaling Yon Rha with frozen rain shards. His response is to [[DirtyCoward offer up ''his'' own mother for her to kill and smiling about the thought]]. Then Katara [[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim admits]] his death wouldn't give her satisfaction because he's a pathetic old man, and leaves him to sob in the rain. She still says she doesn't forgive him, however, and Aang admits that not everyone deserves forgiveness necessarily.

-->-- '''Sokka''', ''Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender''
MoralEventHorizon in this series.

* Zaheer and his Red Lotus gang pretty much cross this when after Kya and Bumi are beaten from their battles with Ming Hua and Ghazan, they start [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown attacking Tenzin savagely]]. If that wasn't enough, then Zaheer definitely crosses it in the season finale by poisoning Korra so that she can be forced into the Avatar State and his cohorts can kill her, thus permanently ending the Avatar. And his reaction to [[spoiler:Korra apparently dying in her grieving father's arms]] is to [[EvilLaugh laugh in triumph]].

* [[spoiler:The crime lord of the Republic City, Yakone]] crosses this when he [[spoiler:bloodbends the entire courtroom]]. If it's not the act itself, it's the sadistic glee he takes in it. And if he hadn't crossed it then, well, he definitely skipped across it in the flashback [[spoiler:that came with the finale showing how he turned his own sons into his personal bloodbending instruments of revenge and power, and even had them ''bloodbend each other'' as a part of that training.]]

* The [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Earth Queen]] crossed this a while ago in her treatment of her citizens, but with the revelation that she kidnapped several post-Harmonic Convergence airbenders for an army and is fine with the Dai Li killing any possible deserters ([[WouldHurtAChild chlidren included]]), there probably isn't any redemption for her. [[spoiler:Her SupernaturalSuffocation in the hands of Zaheer, another post-Harmonic Convergence airbender, was well-deserved.]]

'''''Kyoshi novels'''''
* In ''Literature/TheRiseOfKyoshi'', Jianzhu crosses it by [[spoiler:leaving Yun to die in the Spirit World when Father Glowworm confirms he is not the Avatar. He then murders his best friend and Kyoshi's adoptive father Kelsang when the Air Nomad tries to stop him. Kyoshi considers both these points to be this as well, refusing to accept him as her teacher]]. Sure enough, [[spoiler: Yun ends up striking the decisive blow against Jianzhu and murders him painfully in revenge at the end of the novel]].
* In the same book, Xu Ping An firmly places himself above this when he sadistically butchers dozens of villages out of his sheer egomania that the world owes a debt to him and is above everyone to be judged. If that was not enough, the time he beats up a family and forces the child and mother watch the father be be slowly boiled to death to simply let off some steam would be as that's Kyoshi's breaking point and calling out to him that such sadistic acts makes his entire existence insulting to her.

* Long Feng, the Earth Kingdom's EvilChancellor, who [[spoiler:brainwashes Jet and then kills him when he resists]].

* Sozin when he abandons Avatar Roku, [[spoiler:his former best friend]], to die and then [[FinalSolution wipes out the Air Nomads all]] to make sure the next Avatar couldn't stop him. [[spoiler:He himself [[HeelRealization realized]] he did this after a lifetime of telling himself it was [[WellIntentionedExtremist necessary for a better world]], but [[HeelFaceDoorSlam far too late to try and atone for it]].]] It's lampshaded when Aang finds out that [[ArtisticLicenseHistory Fire Nation students are taught the airbenders had an army, and he knows for a fact that airbenders were pacifists]].
* in-universe, Katara feels that Jet crossed this by using her and Aang as pawns to drown a village. Even though Sokka stopped him by warning the soldiers and citizens, ensuring a safe evacuation, Katara swears that she will never forgive Jet and refuses to even after [[spoiler:he dies protecting the Gaang from Long Feng]]. Meanwhile, Smellerbee and Pipsqueak feel that Jet is crossing it by letting his obsession with proving Zuko and Iroh are firebenders overriding with the fact that they nearly killed innocents before and are trying to atone for it. They pragmatically tell him that this obsession with hurting the Fire Nation got them in trouble before.
* Combustion Man crossed the line by [[spoiler:refusing to obey Zuko when (having pulled off a HeelFaceTurn) he calls off his pursuit of the Avatar]]. In fact, WordOfGod's revelation that he felt his mission would still be in Ozai's interests (and possibly Azula's) proves that point.

* Sozin when he abandons Avatar Roku, [[spoiler:his former best friend]], to die and then [[FinalSolution wipes out the Air Nomads all]] to make sure the next Avatar couldn't stop him. [[spoiler:He himself [[HeelRealization realized]] he did this after a lifetime of telling himself it was [[WellIntentionedExtremist necessary for a better world]], but [[HeelFaceDoorSlam far too late to try and atone for it]].]] It's lampshaded when Aang finds out that Fire Nation students are taught the airbenders had an army, and he knows for a fact that airbenders were pacifists.

* In the Book 1 finale, Admiral Zhao crosses this when he [[spoiler:kills the Moon Spirit.]] [[EvilIsPetty It hadn't even done anything to him]]: he wanted to make a name for himself so that he would be remembered by history forever, but as Iroh told him, "History isn't always kind to its subjects."

'''''Imbalance'''''
* Yaling just seems to be a blind follower of her mother, loyal and unquestioning her behavior. Then we learn she has no compunctions about trying to kill a Firebender that she and Ru hired when Team Avatar catches him sabotaging the factories. It also ends up being her undoing; Aang saves the Firebender who reveals his employers since he owes the Avatar his life.
* Aang even when finding out that Liling never had any intention of brokering peace believes he can convince her to change her mind, that they can work together in Cranefish town to stop the probender tensions. That doesn't last when she tries murdering her own daughter on learning that the nonbending Ru defected to Team Avatar. Ru pointing out to Liling that she's never seen her own daughter as someone worthy compared to her bending daughter Yaling has no effect on the lady, who proceeds to try to bury Ru alive. In fact, this is part of the reason why Toph advocates that Aang remove Liling's bending, since she's just as bad as Ozai who did the same thing. Aang only doesn't because he sees that it wouldn't teach Liling or her probender followers anything.

* In the episode "When Extremes Meet", Councilman Tarrlok crosses it when enacts a curfew on a Non-Bender district of Republic City, shuts off the power to said district so he can arrest those who "break curfew" as they come out to complain, arrests the new Team Avatar for trying to help them and to top all off, bloodbends Korra and has her exiled from Republic City and left to die alone, locked in a box.
* The OriginsEpisode ''Beginnings'' introduces Vaatu, the spirit of chaos and all around GodOfEvil. His moment is when he corrupts Wan's spirit friends into dark spirits and causes a fight between them and Wan's human friends. Wan tries to stop the two forces, but he isn't a full Avatar yet and the strain knocks him out. When he comes to, he finds the valley in flames and Vaatu [[EvilGloating gloating about how all of Wan's human friends were completely slaughtered]].
* Unalaq not only crosses it in ''New Spiritual Age'', he ''polevaults'' across it [[spoiler: by nearly wiping out Korra and Jinora's souls. Note, Korra is his ''niece'' and Jinora is an '' 11-year-old girl''. Erasing any ambiguity of his crossing is his sadistic smile which he does these things.]]
* The Earth Queen crossed this a while ago in her treatment of her citizens, but with the revelation that she kidnapped several post-Harmonic Convergence airbenders for an army and is fine with the Dai Li killing any possible deserters ([[WouldHurtAChild chlidren included]]), there probably isn't any redemption for her. [[spoiler:Her SupernaturalSuffocation in the hands of Zaheer, another post-Harmonic Convergence airbender, was well-deserved.]]
* Zaheer and his Red Lotus gang pretty much cross this when after Kya and Bumi are beaten from their battles with Ming Hua and Ghazan, they start [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown attacking Tenzin savagely]]. If that wasn't enough, then Zaheer definitely crosses it in the season finale by poisoning Korra so that she can be forced into the Avatar State and his cohorts can kill her, thus permanently ending the Avatar. And his reaction to [[spoiler:Korra apparently dying in her grieving father's arms]] is to [[EvilLaugh laugh in triumph]].

'''''Ruins Of The Empire'''''
* Guan seems to be a mirror of who Kuvira was, wanting to use Wu's new system to become elected as the Earth Kingdom governor and then reforming the Empire. He also makes legitimate points that Kuvira is a DirtyCoward, which she tries to contest by attacking him during a peace talk. [[spoiler:Then we learn he perfected the Dai Li brainwashing and is using it on voters to hedge his bets. He gets DrunkWithPower and brainwashes half of Team Avatar and Wu, even targeting Korra despite the fact that she agrees they can't use force or canceling the election to stop him. Kuvira herself nearly murders Guan for this when she gets the opportunity in the climax]].

* In ''Rise of Kyoshi'', Jianzhu crosses it by [[spoiler:leaving Yun to die in the Spirit World when Father Glowworm confirms he is not the Avatar. He then murders his best friend and Kyoshi's adoptive father Kelsang when the Air Nomad tries to stop him. Kyoshi considers both these points to be this as well, refusing to accept him as her teacher]]. Sure enough, [[spoiler: Yun ends up striking the decisive blow against Jianzhu and murders him painfully in revenge at the end of the novel]].
* In the same book, Xu Ping An firmly places himself above this when he sadistically butchers dozens of villages out of his sheer egomania that the world owes a debt to him and is above everyone to be judged. If that was not enough, the time he beats up a family and forces the child and mother watch the father be be slowly boiled to death to simply let off some steam would be as that's Kyoshi's breaking point and calling out to him that such sadistic acts makes his entire existence insulting to her.
* ''Shadow of Kyoshi'' features the moment where [[spoiler:Yun snaps]]. It's understandable that he's been through a TraumaCongaLine on finding out he wasn't the Avatar and that Jianzhu left him to die in the Spirit World while kidnapping Kyoshi, one of his {{Only Friend}}s, and left him to fight Father Glowworm who tries to eat him alive. After he escapes, when he's dying and begging for a sip of water at an inn but having no money, the innkeeper mocks him for claiming to be the Avatar. You can't blame him for giving them all a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech for how the ordinary citizens treat their so-called chosen one and they don't appreciate the sacrifices he made. What's not-so-understandable is when he [[spoiler:kills everyone in the inn, and anyone in the town who weren't fast enough to escape, as retaliation, including one innocent, albeit rude, person that tries to defuse the situation by giving him their water]].

* Most firebending generals and soldiers are shown as being an AntiVillain ObliviouslyEvil posse, with Jeong-Jeong saying that he was in the army for years before realizing he was enabling atrocities. Then we come across Yon Rha, who murdered an innocent woman in her home after she lied about being the last South Pole waterbender. Zuko, formerly Fire Nation, shows disgust when he admits that he went against protocol and killed Kya in cold blood, leaving [[HarmfulToMinors her family to find her body]]. Katara says that her mother lied because ''she'' is the later waterbender, and comes close to impaling Yon Rha with frozen rain shards. His response is to [[DirtyCoward offer up ''his'' own mother for her to kill and smiling about the thought]]. Then Katara admits his death wouldn't give her satisfaction because he's a pathetic old man, and leaves him to sob in the rain. She still says she doesn't forgive him, however, and Aang admits that not everyone deserves forgiveness necessarily.

* The Earth Queen crossed this a while ago in her treatment of her citizens, but with the revelation that she kidnapped several post-Harmonic Convergence airbenders for an army and is fine with the Dai Li killing any possible deserters ([[WouldHurtAChild chlidren included]]), there probably isn't any [[BeyondRedemption redemption for her]]. [[spoiler:Her SupernaturalSuffocation in the hands of Zaheer, another post-Harmonic Convergence airbender, was well-deserved.]]

* The Earth Queen crossed this a while ago in her treatment of her citizens, but with the revelation that she hires poachers to capture Air Bison for steaks, [[spoiler: and that she possibly killed and ate her father's bear,]] there probably isn't any [[BeyondRedemption redemption for her]]. As if extorting her own citizens wasn't enough.

* In the Book 1 finale, Admiral Zhao crosses this when he [[spoiler:kills the Moon Spirit.]] It hadn't even done anything to him: he wanted to make a name for himself so that he would be remembered by history forever, but as Iroh told him, "History isn't always kind to its subjects."
* [[EvilOverlord Fire Lord Ozai]] started at this and just kept running, becoming the most thoroughly unsympathetic villain in the entire series. After his son disrespected one of the generals in the war room because he didn't agree with the idea of using fresh recruits as bait, Ozai ''burned half his face'' and sent him on a SnipeHunt. Still, villains have been redeemed from worse. What truly defines him is his utter ''excitement'' at carrying out his plan in the finale, which is to [[spoiler:quell rebellion in the Earth Kingdom by ''burning the continent to nothing''.]]

* Most firebending generals and soldiers are shown as being an AntiVillain ObliviouslyEvil posse, with Jeong saying that he was in the army for years before realizing he was enabling atrocities. Then we come across Yon Rha, who murdered an innocent woman in her home after she lied about being the last South Pole waterbender. Zuko, formerly Fire Nation, shows disgust when he admits that he went against protocol and killed Kya in cold blood, leaving her family to find her body. Katara says that her mother lied because ''she'' is the later waterbender, and comes close to impaling Yon Rha with frozen rain shards. His response is to offer up ''his'' own mother for her to kill and smiling about the thought. Then Katara admits his death wouldn't give her satisfaction because he's a pathetic old man, and leaves him to sob in the rain. She still says she doesn't forgive him, however, and Aang admits that not everyone deserves forgiveness necessarily.

* The Earth Queen crossed this a while ago in her treatment of her citizens, but with the revelation that she hires poachers to capture Air Bison for steaks, [[spoiler: and that she possibly killed and ate her father's bear,]] there probably isn't any redemption for her. As if extorting her own citizens wasn't enough.

* InUniverse, Aang and Sokka warn Katara that she would cross over this if she finds and murder her mother's killer in cold-blood.

* In-universe, Baatar Jr.'s family feels he crossed it by siding with Kuvira and imprisoning them, except for Suyin who feels that [[spoiler:he received enough punishment when Kuvira tried to kill him]]. They still treat him with hostility and awkwardness, even his own father, and his little sister Opal is never letting him live it down. Baatar Jr. himself feels that he deserves the punishment of [[spoiler:house arrest with a parent and many siblings who hate his guts]] and is working to make up for his mistake with [[spoiler:the deprogramming machine]]. Whether or not he can uncross the MEH is up to the readers.

-->-- '''Sokka''' (after he finds out that Fire Lord Ozai plans to [[spoiler: [[FinalSolution wipe out the Earth Kingdom]]]]), ''Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender''