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1[[WMG:[[center:[-''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' '''[[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbender Main Character Index]]'''\
2[[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTeamAvatar Team Avatar]] ('''Avatar Aang''', [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderZuko Prince Zuko]], [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderKatara Katara]], [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderSokka Sokka]], [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTophBeifong Toph Beifong]]) | [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderMentors Mentors]] | [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderAllies Allies]] | [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheFireNation Fire Nation]] | [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheFireNationRoyalFamily Fire Nation Royal Family]] ([[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderPrincessAzula Princess Azula]]) | [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheEmberIslandPlayers The Ember Island Players]] | [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderOtherCharacters Other]] | [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderComicCharacters Comics]]]]]]-]
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5!!Avatar Aang (安昂)
6!!!'''Voiced by:''' Creator/ZachTylerEisen (English)[[labelnote:Click to see other languages]] Creator/RenePinochet (Latin American Spanish), Johannes Walenta (German), Alessio di Filippis (Italian), Creator/CsongorSzalay (Hungarian), Creator/WitApostolakisGluzinski (Polish), Toval Shapir (Hebrew), Eric Bougleux (Brazilian Portuguese)[[/labelnote]], Creator/MitchelMusso (proof-of-concept pilot), Benjamin Helms (''VideoGame/NicktoonsMLB''), Creator/DBSweeney (''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra''), Jaxon [=McBride=] (''VideoGame/{{Smite}}''), Dustin Sardella (''VideoGame/NickelodeonAllStarBrawl''), Davis Pak (''VideoGame/NickelodeonKartRacers 3: Slime Speedway'')
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8[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/avataraang.png]]
9 [[caption-width-right:350:''"There's just too many of them. I can't fight them all... I'm just one kid."'']]
10[[quoteright:350:[[labelnote: Click here]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/e9cd6b1137d4413c80eb430e6a50b754_5.jpg[[/labelnote]] to see him in his Season 1-2 garb.]]
11The 12-year-old (well, [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld technically 112-year-old]]) plucky [[BlowYouAway Airbending]] boy destined to save the world. When he learned of his status as [[TheChosenOne the Avatar]], followed by the monks trying to take him from his teacher/father figure, he couldn't handle the pressure and ran away from home. When he and Appa were caught in a storm, he defensively used his powers to seal both of them in an iceberg, which protected them for a century while the other Air Nomads were exterminated by the Fire Nation in an effort to kill him. After being freed from the iceberg by Katara and Sokka, he now must face his destiny by mastering all four elements and defeating [[EvilOverlord Fire Lord Ozai]] to restore balance to the world.
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13For tropes applying to the Avatar entity in general, [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbender return]] to the main Character page.
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18* EleventhHourSuperpower: Energybending is a skill Aang learned in the last part of Season 3. Also [[spoiler:one could argue his chakra becoming unblocked during the fight with Ozai (allowing Aang to enter the Avatar State again).]]
19* TheAce:
20** The youngest airbending master in history [[spoiler:(before [[GenerationXerox his granddaughter Jinora]] [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra bested him at 11]])]] and quite smart about different cultures or spiritual matters.
21** Amongst all known Avatars, Aang faced the perhaps single greatest uphill battle at an age four years before all others even discovered they were Avatars (biologically, at least), and managed to get an excellent grasp of all three non-native elements ''and'' energybending in the span of one year when all others (including his successor, Korra) needed several years to even just master the other elements. He and Zuko went on to guide the world into a radically different, more culturally merged era, marking the largest change in the world's long-stagnant status quo and causing the world to develop at a much faster pace. He left behind fewer problems for his next life to face than his immediate predecessors too; his actions indirectly allowed the rise of the Anti-Bending movement, but that was essentially the ''only'' problem he left behind for Korra to deal with that he had any real hand in.
22* AchillesHeel: While going into the [[SuperMode Avatar State]] makes him the [[PhysicalGod most powerful character in the series,]] it also makes him very [[GlassCannon vulnerable]]. Because the Avatar State pulls all the spirits of the former Avatars -- that is, the entire spirit that ''is'' the Avatar -- into one body at the same time, dying while in the state means the Avatar spirit would die, the chain of reincarnation would break, and the Avatar would cease to exist.
23* AdrenalineMakeover: Compare [[http://piandao.org/screenshots/water/water9/water9-227.jpg Aang's first season look]] to his [[http://piandao.org/screenshots/fire/fire10/fire10-928.jpg third season look.]]
24* AfraidOfTheirOwnStrength: He is haunted by how scary and destructive he can be when he's in Avatar State; being that he's a pacifist by nature and upbringing, it's very justified. In the episode he even says "I was scary" referring to the Avatar State.
25* AllLovingHero: He has a love and respect for all life, including those of his enemies.
26* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: He was shut out by the other airbender kids when they learned he was the Avatar, seeing it as an unfair advantage in games.
27* AmazonChaser: Downplayed. Aang was already in love with Katara when they first met but a tie-in comic has him smiling with pride when Katara goes ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend on firebenders attacking him.
28* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: When Guru Pathik explains to Aang that he must let go of his attachment towards Katara, Aang instantly disagrees with the choice, saying that he loves her.
29* AnimalMotifs:
30** Sky Bisons thanks to his [[HorseOfADifferentColor steed]] and lifelong companion Appa, who shares his arrow mark. Not to mention the beasts being the original [[BlowYouAway Airbenders]].
31** Winged lemurs on account of his other pet Momo, fitting his nature as a playful, airborne speedster.
32* TheAtoner: He wants to stop the Fire Nation not only because it's his job as the Avatar, but also because he wants to atone not being there for his people when the Fire Nation ambushed them.
33* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: In the first episode, he's more interested in chasing a penguin than finding out what happened while he was frozen in the iceberg.
34* AuthorAvatar: The first character conceived by Bryke. He was designed by Bryan to have his philosophical outlook but to have the appearance of Mike. This is especially true for his adult version in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' where he was also given Mike's beard by Bryan. Aang was created back when the Avatar universe was set in a science fiction world and it was only after the setting shifted to a FantasyCounterpartCulture to eastern Asia was Aang re-imagined as a Buddhist-like monk due to his completely bald head.
35* TheBabyOfTheBunch: Aang is the second youngest after Toph and most innocent member of Team Avatar.
36* BackFromTheDead: With a dose of OnlyMostlyDead since Katara got to him in time.
37* BackToBackBadasses:
38** With the Blue Spirit.
39** A subtle one with Zuko, in the climax of "The Firebending Masters."
40* BadassAdorable: Total ass kicking hero with elemental kung fu, looks adorably huggable.
41* BadassInDistress: PlayedForLaughs in "Avatar Day," where Aang is wearing a heavy wooden stock. Not only does it not fit him, but he's able to casually slip out of it while chatting with the other prisoners. Note that he also does this in "The Earth King" by dismantling the earth-handcuffs to wave at the king.
42* BadassPacifist: Aang has demonstrated on separate occasions to be capable of avoiding violence while stopping said violence:
43** In "The Great Divide", he stopped the feuding clans by lying.
44** Aang manages to give a subtle defeat to Koh the Face Stealer by remaining TheStoic throughout their conversation. He was helped with some advice by Avatar Roku, but it was still impressive from Aang's part.
45** Aang managed to one-up the resident [[TheBully bully]] in "The Headbands" by simply evading his punches.
46** The series finale had him defeat [[BigBad Ozai]] [[spoiler:by taking away his bending.]]
47* BaldHeadOfToughness: Zig-zagged. At the start of the series, although Aang has the potential to be the strongest person in the world as the Avatar, he's just an 12 year old boy who only knows airbending and actually ran away from his duties out of fear. Even after he learns the other elements, Aang is far more likely to rely on his airbending to evade attacks and battles than take a fight head on. That said, when pushed enough he's a OneManArmy. In Season 3, his hair grows back [[spoiler: after some time in a coma]], which he keeps in order to lay low while in the enemy Fire Nation. Finally played straight when he shaves his head again for his attack on the Fire Lord during the Eclipse, signifying he's ready to face the Fire Lord and has [[ImportantHairCut strengthened his resolve to defeat him]].
48* BaldMystic: He's a bald WarriorMonk and the Avatar, the human connector between the world of the living and the Spirit world.
49* BattleCouple: Downplayed with [[spoiler: Katara]]. They are a couple and both of them fight but rarely side-by-side.
50* BewareTheNiceOnes: He's one of the most genuinely kind, empathetic, and gentle individuals in all of fiction. He can also throw hurricanes, tidal waves, and mountain ranges around like softballs. Case in point, when the buzzard-wasp kidnapped Momo, Aang rescued him and then, with nothing but [[TranquilFury pure cold-blooded anger]] in his eyes and no hesitation at all, [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness killed]] the buzzard-wasp as it was retreating. This is the only time Aang ''deliberately'' killed something is cold blood, and he wasn't in the Avatar State. It was all Aang.
51* BewareTheSillyOnes: He's a goofy and fun-loving kid, but if you mess with his friends, you'll likely regret it afterwards.
52* BigGood: By default, he is this, but secures this status after becoming a fully-realized Avatar.
53* BirdsOfAFeather: With Katara. Both are extremely optimistic people who keep that outlook while also becoming more realistic due to CharacterDevelopment. They are [[ChildProdigy child prodigies]] in their own field (Aang in Airbending and becoming the youngest Fully Realized Avatar, Katara becoming a Waterbending master at only 14). They have a ChronicHeroSyndrome tendency, [[NiceGuy are incredibly nice individuals]], but can be '''''[[BewareTheNiceOnes terrifying]]''''' when pushed too far. They even share a similar trait of being more [[ItsAllAboutMe selfish]] when it comes to a personal topic.
54* BlessedWithSuck: Sure, he's the Avatar, a godlike human being who can manipulate all four elements to balance out the world. Sure, he's the bridge between the Spirit World and the regular world. Yeah, okay, he's the spirit of light and peace all rolled into one dude. His past lives worked out just fine being the Avatar. Unfortunately for Aang, he doesn't get to wait until his 16th birthday to be told that he's the Avatar. Nope, some grumpy old dudes tell him when he's ''twelve'' because they fear a war is soon to break out. They make plans to take Aang away from his guardian, so Aang runs away...and gets frozen inside an iceberg for 100 years while a war sweeps across the world while he's gone. Then when he gets out of the iceberg, he has to fix everything! By himself! With a bunch of scary guys trying to capture him! And he's 12. Plus, the first thing he learns about the new world he's entered is that he is [[LastOfHisKind the only Air Nomad left]] since all of the others were wiped out by the Fire Nation in the opening moves of the war, who were the priority targets due to having the Avatar. Finally, there's what comes with being the Avatar: [[AllYourPowersCombined the ability to draw on the power and experiences of all past Avatars]]. It seems good... But until Aang learns how to control it the Avatar State manifests when he's in grave danger or furious beyond control, has the power of an EldritchAbomination and absolutely no care for collateral damage. There is a ''good'' reason why Aang had nightmares about the Avatar State for a while... Additionally, whereas every other Avatar (that we know of) had years to learn how to bend all the elements (a task that usually takes roughly a ''decade'' - Roku started at 16 and finished in his twenties, Korra started prepubescent and finished in her late teens), Aang has less than one year. Oh, and even after he can control the Avatar State there's a downside (for the world, at least): if he dies while in it, the Avatar Cycle is broken. No more Avatar. And given he's the spirit of the ''world'' and that killing the spirit of the moon made the moon disappear until it was resurrected...
55* BlindfoldedVision: Toph trains Aang to see like her this way.
56* BlitheSpirit: Aang acts as one of these in "The Headband" when he becomes accidentally enrolled in a straight-laced Fire Nation school. And being the friendly, world-traveling free spirit he is, he won't settle for anything less than throwing everyone a dance party. Yes, that's a reference to ''{{Film/Footloose}}''.
57* BlowYouAway: He's primarily an Airbender, and recognized as a master, denoted by the tattoos.
58* BlueIsHeroic: Has [[PowerTattoo blue arrow tattoos on his head and arms]] and as the Avatar serves as a force of balance for the world. [[spoiler:The use of energybending causes his entire body to turn blue]].
59* ABoyAndHisX: A Boy and His Flying Bison and Winged Lemur:
60** For the former, Appa was Aang's loyal pet and friend, as well as Team Avatar's primary means of travel. Aang first met Appa at the Eastern Air Temple when the latter was just a calf during a customary event where all airbender children are paired with a flying bison for life. After Aang offered an apple to Appa, the young sky bison seemed to bond with him immediately, affectionately licking his face. Aang loved his fellow survivor of a century of sleep, noting that they could both be the last of their kind.
61** For the latter, Aang discovered Momo, a winged lemur, while wandering about the ruins of the Southern Air Temple. Aang quickly claimed him as a pet and named him Momo. He also seemed protective of Momo, as seen when he struck a buzzard wasp in order to protect him. This was shown during his final battle with Ozai, as Aang told Momo, the only one that accompanied him when he ventured onto the lion turtle, to stay far away from the scene of the fight.
62* BreakTheCutie: Starts as a naive and innocent child. By the end, he has seen too much tragedy and heart-ache to be either.
63* BrilliantButLazy: His ''only'' major setbacks in learning water and fire seemed to be his childlike lack of focus. When he's focusing on them because he just seems to enjoy it, he actually improves faster than Katara herself at water bending and on his first try displays more raw power at firebending than the likes of Admiral Zhao who, while certainly not a firebending master, is a trained and capable adult with a lot of experience.
64* BrokenAce: The most talented bender of his age group, [[CursedWithAwesome but he never wanted to be the Avatar.]]
65* BrokenBird: Briefly becomes this after Appa's kidnapping in Book 2.
66* BurnScarsBurningPowers: Aang is left with a scar on his back after Azula strikes him with lightning in the Avatar State. As the Avatar, he eventually learns to control all elements, fire being the last one.
67* CannotSpitItOut: He has a hard time confessing his feelings for Katara throughout the series.
68* CharacterDevelopment: At the start, Aang is a happy-go-lucky, naive kid who doesn't want to be the Avatar. Going through numerous battles and trials, especially when Appa was kidnapped, took a toll on his carefree attitude. By the end, Aang became a more serious and mature young man who took his Avatar duties seriously without losing who he is or sacrificing what he wants and desires. This is probably most noticeable when compared to his actor in the [[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheEmberIslandPlayers "Ember Island Players"]] episode, as Actor!Aang always portrays him as happy-go-lucky and naive.
69* CharacterTitle: The "last airbender" refers to Aang.
70* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: Most of Aang's speed and agility are shown to be from the use of his airbending, but he's also displayed feats of this trope that can't be attributed to it. While not as impressive as Zuko, he has done things like briefly BridalCarry Katara while jumping down a couple stories, and also once carry Zuko, despite both of them clearly being heavier than him and his thin build wouldn't hint he possessed that sort of strength. He's also fallen a few stories out of a tree, and got back up seconds later with no lasting injuries.
71* CheerfulChild: Aang is initially bright, fun-loving and infectiously cheerful. [[CharacterDevelopment He matures over the course of the series]], but for the most part, retains his mellow upbeat attitude.
72* ChickMagnet:
73** [[PrecociousCrush Meng]] from "The Fortuneteller" and all of the young girls from "The Warriors of Kyoshi" were completely enthralled with him.
74** Some of Aang's female "classmates" in "The Headband" thought he was quite charming.
75** The tie-in comics showed that the Air Acolytes were initially a group of fangirls who had crushes on the Avatar.
76** [[spoiler: [[TheParagon Katara]]]] eventually realized that she had fallen in love with him and they became a couple.
77* ChildhoodFriendRomance: {{Zigzagged|Trope}} with [[spoiler:Katara]]. They met when he was 12 and she was 14, but Aang is technically older than her, as he was born 100 years earlier than her and only kept his youth because he was frozen in ice. Even so, they would later become an OfficialCouple, marry, and have three children.
78* ChildMage: Mixed with KungFuKid due to the martial arts nature of bending.
79* ChildProdigy: Usually it takes a couple years for a bender to attain mere competency of their element, and a lifetime to become a master. Not so for Aang, who became the youngest airbending master in recorded history and got a decent grip of the other three elements in ''less than a year''. At least part of his quick mastery of the other elements can be attributed to a time crunch, since he had to learn the three elements in less than a year or else the world would pretty much end.
80* TheChosenOne: He's the Avatar, and it was his destiny to defeat the Fire Lord and stop the war that Sozin started.
81* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Much to his allies' consternation, he's always digressing to do {{Sidequest}}s rather than focusing on his training and fleeing from the Fire Nation.
82* ColorCodedEyes: His gray eyes emphasize his mystical nature as the Avatar. Although gray eyes are a common Air Nomad trait, he stands out as the SoleSurvivor.
83* ComesGreatResponsibility: Much of Aang's character development in the first episodes is learning that as the Avatar he has duties he can't avoid.
84* CrazyJealousGuy: In the comic "Love is a Battlefield", he becomes violent towards Katara for refusing to be in a relationship with him by erupting a small volcano - despite his awareness of how firebending had hurt Katara in the past. In the episode "The Ember Island Players" he gets angered at the actor playing Katara because she is in love with Zuko. He lashes out at the real Katara and forcefully kisses her.
85* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Aang was an example of this trope in the first episodes whenever he tapped into the Avatar State. CharacterDevelopment, a showcase of the fact that he is a master airbender, and the realization of how scary he is in the Avatar State contributes to the lessening of this carefree nature.
86* CulturedBadass: He's quite knowledgeable with different cultures.
87* CursedWithAwesome: Aang is initially upset at finding out he's the Avatar (and to be fair, the circumstances of the world shortly after he runs away do make the responsibility a pain). Still, you'd think that a 12 year old kid finding out that he could bend not just one, but ALL of the elements would be a little more excited. And as Avatar Roku mentions, being the Avatar doesn't hurt with the ladies.
88* DarkAndTroubledPast: While he had a happy childhood with the Air Nomads, he made the fatal mistake of freaking out and running away from his responsibilities, ending up being frozen in ice for a century, and finally paying dearly for it when he discovers the corpse of his beloved mentor.
89* DeadlyDodging: A fundamental part of Airbending because of their pacifistic nature.
90* DeadpanSnarker: Surprisingly often, though it's usually subtle and good-natured. Other times when he's being sarcastic are when he's frustrated, or the time he [[YouFightLikeACow made Zhao angry enough]] so he would destroy his own fleet of ships.
91-->''[Aang is prying open a large drainpipe to the city of Omashu]''\
92'''Sokka:''' A secret passage? Why didn't we just use this last time?\
93''[A flood of sewage pours out and splashes Sokka]''\
94'''Aang:''' Does that answer your question?
95* DeconstructedCharacterArchetype: Aang deconstructs the KidHero. [[TheChosenOne Each Avatar]] is supposed to learn of their identity at the [[DangerousSixteenthBirthday age of sixteen]], which is the age of majority in the World of Avatar. However, when the Air Nomads sensed that a war was brewing, they made the decision to reveal Aang as the Avatar four years early so he could start mastering the other three elements to help stop the threat. Needless to say, [[NiceJobBreakingItHero this decision made things even worse for everybody involved]] because it forced a huge responsibility onto Aang that the 12-year-old wasn't ready for, and alienated him from his pre-series friends because they felt like they weren't supposed to be around him anymore. After overhearing he was to be separated from Gyatso, [[ParentalSubstitute his guardian]] and the only one who actually treated Aang like a kid and as an actual person, he ran away, and then got trapped in a storm that [[HumanPopsicle forced the Avatar State to freeze Aang and Appa inside an iceburg for a hundred years in order to save both of their lives]]. He subsequently [[ItsAllMyFault blamed himself for the genocide of his people and the subsequent century of war because he wasn't there]], even after he's told he would've been too inexperienced to make a difference back then. His childish personality and cheerfulness [[SadClown is an act to try avoiding the burdens placed on him]] which proves to be his FatalFlaw (like how it takes the whole series to realize his destiny to defeat the BigBad might conflict with [[ThouShallNotKill his morals]], something he struggles with).
96* DespairEventHorizon: Comes very near to it after Appa was kidnapped. [[HopeSpringsEternal He eventually got better.]]
97* {{Deuteragonist}}: In the comic books set between ''The Last Airbender'' and ''The Legend of Korra''. With his main character arc completed, he tends to help out whoever is the main character of a particular arc get through their problems.
98* DishingOutDirt: Once he learns Earthbending. It was the hardest for him to learn; being a native airbender, he found earth's direct, confrontational, and rigid discipline difficult to grasp.
99* DistressedDude: The Fire Nation knows that if Aang is killed he'll simply reincarnate so their goal is to imprison him until he dies naturally.
100* TheDitherer: On occasion when he gets overwhelmed by the hardship of his journey he'll play delinquent and go penguin sledding instead or undergo additional/superfluous training to avoid the issue.
101* DoesNotLikeSpam: Sea prunes don't sit well with his stomach.
102* EarnedStripes: When airbenders are recognized as masters, they are given blue arrow tattoos that follow chi lines from their forehead, to their hands and feet. Aang was one of the youngest to ever wear tattoos at age 12, [[spoiler:until his granddaughter Jinora earned them at age 11 in ''The Legend of Korra''.]]
103* ElementalMotifs: Like most characters, is strongly associated with his native element, though his nature as the Avatar associates him with several others.
104** [[BlowYouAway Air]] is his native element, and the element of freedom. Fitting for a happy child pacifist who tries to enjoy the journey despite the hardships along the way.
105** His second element is [[MakingASplash water]], which he has the least trouble learning. The element of change greatly fits him given his CharacterDevelopment from a child who wishes to run away from his problems to a mature protector of the world.
106** His third element is [[DishingOutDirt earth]], which gave him the most trouble since it required him to stand his ground. Despite the initial hurdles, his learning coincides with him hardening his resolve to end the war, alongside the loss of Appa [[TookALevelInCynic hardening his attitude in general]].
107** While he initially struggled with [[PlayingWithFire fire]] thanks to his initial misuse under Jeong Jeong, as well as [[ThePowerOfHate how the Fire Nation channels it]] souring his view, learning that the true form of firebending reflects life helps him overcome this hangup. Quite fitting for someone [[AllLovingHero so warm and nurturing towards those he meets]].
108* ElementalPowers: Hardly a rarity in this universe, but being the Avatar, Aang is the only person innately capable of mastering more than one.
109* EntitledToHaveYou: Displays some of these traits along with being a (downplayed) CrazyJealousGuy. He tells Katara: "we kissed at the invasion and I thought we were going to be together" - when in actuality it was no "we" as it was not a mutual kiss. Aang gave Katara a ShutUpKiss which left her upset and confused. Katara not wanting to be in a relationship with him is what leads to him planting another ForcefulKiss on her, resulting in her running away in anger. [[spoiler:Only in the finale do they share a mutual kiss, this time with Katara initiating it.]] The DVD commentary even [[WhatTheHellHero points out how selfish Aang was being]].
110* EvilMeScaresMe: He says, "I was scary" when reflecting on the Avatar State. [[DownplayedTrope While not evil in any way,]] the Avatar state can be a terrifying experience both for the Avatar and the surrounding people.
111* ExposedToTheElements: As a nomad Aang seems to be comfortable in his standard vestments in both the North and South Poles while other characters wear more layered clothes. ''The Legend of Korra'' reveals that Airbenders like Firebenders can keep themselves warm with breathing techniques.
112* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: Him growing hair between the second season finale and the third season premiere.
113* FashionableAsymmetry: His airbender outfit in season 3 goes over his left shoulder and leaves his right shoulder and part of his chest exposed.
114* FatalFlaw: Aang's flaw is his [[HonorBeforeReason conviction]]. He was raised as a dedicated pacifist, and though [[MartialPacifist he will fight if necessary,]] he won't kill. When his opponent is the BigBad who slaughtered Aang's people and oppresses the populace of two nations, this turns out to be a bad thing.
115* TheFettered: Unlike Ozai, who refused to check himself with morality or compassion, Aang is extremely dedicated to his pacifist ideals and will go to great lengths to keep them. This contrast is shown starkly in their final battle. Aang has Ozai on the ropes even before he enters the Avatar state, but Ozai is able to gain the upper hand because Aang will not perform a killing strike.
116* FirstGirlWins: [[InvertedTrope Gender Inverted]]. Aang is the first boy we see [[spoiler:Katara]] meet and ultimately the one she gets with.
117* FishOutOfTemporalWater: Needless to say, Aang is more than slightly overwhelmed about effectively disappearing from the world for the entirety of a century-long war that wiped out his society. Also, literally, as he was stuck in an iceberg for 100 years.
118* {{Forgiveness}}: Aang was taught by the Air Nomads to forgive those who hurt him instead of seeking vengeance. He also acknowledged that forgiveness isn't an easy action to do.
119* FragileSpeedster: Like most Airbenders, his original fighting style involves speed, agility, and misdirection more than toughness, which is part of what makes it so hard for him to learn Earthbending, which typically involves [[NighInvulnerable enduring attacks rather than dodging them]]. By the end of the series he's a MasterOfAll.
120* FriendToAllChildren: As a part of Aang's AllLovingHero nature, he also happens to be good with little kids.
121* FriendToAllLivingThings: The Avatar has an innate connection to nature, and Aang is a vegetarian by choice.
122[[/folder]]
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124[[folder:G-L]]
125* GenocideSurvivor: A hundred years before the start of the series, the Fire Nation wiped out the Air Nomads in hopes of killing Aang, the Avatar, in the process. Aang was the only survivor, ironically enough, because he was [[HumanPopsicle trapped in an iceberg]] the whole time and the Fire Nation never found him. The series delves into how much Aang struggles with being the LastOfHisKind, such as when he visits the ruins of his former home [[spoiler: and finds his father figure's remains]] or when he tries to stay true to the values of his culture even though his friends don't fully understand them.
126* TheGift: {{Justified|Trope}} -- being the Avatar, Aang was born with a tremendous amount of natural talent. He was a prodigious Airbender, already inventing new bending techniques without having any formal training or finding out he was the Avatar, and picks up waterbending very quickly, to Katara's dismay.
127* GlowingEyesOfDoom: When he enters the Avatar State.
128* GodInHumanForm: At base power, he's "merely" a talented bender housing the spirit of light and peace. He falls into PhysicalGod when the [[SuperMode Avatar State]] is activated.
129* GodOfGood: As the [[GodInHumanForm human form]] of an incredible spirit of light, he maintains equilibrium between the four nations, as well as between the physical and spirit worlds.
130* GoodIsNotDumb: Aang comes off as a silly, excitable kid but he's proven to be both clever and more self-aware than he lets on.
131* GoodIsNotSoft: For all of Aang's [[NiceGuy kind-heartedness and sweet demeanor]], when he gets pissed, he turns into a cold, ruthless CreepyChild with GlowingEyesOfDoom and the VoiceOfTheLegion.
132* GoodScarsEvilScars: Sports permanent scars on his back and on the sole of his left foot after [[spoiler:being killed by Azula's lightning and revived by Katara.]]
133* GrowingUpSucks: {{Zigzagged|Trope}}. Aang has to rise to his responsibilities as the Avatar and leave his childhood behind early, [[IJustWantToBeNormal which he never wanted.]] He later expresses how his feelings with Katara are complicated for him, and Avatar Roku tells him that love gets better as you get older. Furthermore, for most of the story Katara is unsure of her feelings for him, because he has a lot of growing up to do in her eyes. Rising to the challenges of growing up, and displaying selflessness and maturity, win her over in the end.
134* GuestFighter: Was added as a skin for Myth/{{Merlin}} in ''VideoGame/{{Smite}}'' in 2020.
135* HarmfulToMinors: His reaction when he comes across the skeletons of his entire culture, including his ParentalSubstitute and mentor Gyatso.
136* HealTheCutie: He went through a lot of trauma after waking up from a 100-year sleep, to find all his loved ones dead and the world locked in a horrific war, but he rarely let it show much... until he loses Appa. Come "The Serpent's Pass", he [[HeroicSafeMode shuts down and stops responding to the concerns of his friends]]. However, seeing Katara help a couple deliver a baby named Hope gets him out of his funk.
137-->'''Aang:''' I thought I was trying to be strong. But really I was just running away from my feelings. Seeing this family together, so full of happiness and love, it's reminded me how I feel about Appa ... and how I feel about you.
138* HeIsAllGrownUp: Before their battle with Fire Nation, Katara and Aang talk with the former telling the latter how much he has grown over the past year and he's not "the goofy kid she saved from an iceberg".
139* HeroicSafeMode: The [[SuperMode Avatar State]] isn't evil, but it's not necessarily good either. Its main concerns are Aang's survival, his rage and sorrow, and maintaining balance. Aang's morals and innocent bystanders are secondary considerations, at best. Luckily, it retains his crush on [[KidWithTheLeash Katara]], and she can calm it with {{Cooldown Hug}}s.
140* HeroProtagonist: He's the main protagonist, and it is his destiny to defeat Ozai and save the world.*
141* HeWhoFightsMonsters: {{Downplayed}}. In "The Desert", he is genuinely upset at Appa getting kidnapped and desperately tries to find him, but in turn, Aang becomes hostile and aggressive during his search, though no nearly like a villain. Also, he was more motivated by fiding Appa than punishing the kidnappers.
142* HonorBeforeReason: Was going to let himself be punished for a ''crime'' (that word being used loosely) Kyoshi committed two avatar cycles ago.
143* HopeBringer: As the Avatar, he's the last hope to defeat the Fire Nation. Lampshaded frequently by Katara.
144* HumanPopsicle: He was trapped inside an iceberg for 100 years until Katara freed him. He looks and acts like a young boy, but it's frequently pointed out he's chronologically an old man.
145* HumbleHero: Aang rarely "pulls the Avatar card" when asking for leniency, unless he needs to.
146* AnIcePerson: Once he learns Waterbending, Aang is able to turn water into ice effortlessly.
147* IGotBigger: Throughout the series, Aang's recurrent height is 4 1/2 feet, thus making him the second shortest member of Team Avatar. In the tie-in, sequel comics, Aang's height increases with Toph commenting on it.
148* IJustWantToBeNormal: Didn't want to be the Avatar and would rather have just been a normal kid.
149* ImportantHaircut: After letting his hair grow out for the first half of Season 3, he shaves his head again for the big invasion.
150* IncorruptiblePurePureness: [[spoiler:Achieving this is what enables him to un-bend Ozai in the finale. As the Ocean Turtle said, to bend the spirit of another, one's own spirit must be un-bendable.]]
151* InstantArmor: A favored tactic of his earthbending, [[{{Pun}} suiting]] Aang's defensive nature. He uses it against Azula (twice), Combustion Man and Ozai.
152* InstantExpert: Aang is able to learn basic waterbending and firebending extremely quickly, but his lack of focus prevents him from completely mastering any except airbending (which he started with).
153* InstantFanclub: Has one on Kyoshi Island and in Ba Sing Se as well.
154* InstantFlightJustAddSpinning: While Aang has the added advantage of airbending, he uses his Gliderstaff for this purpose numerous times.
155* InTheBack: In the finale of Book 2, Aang's attempt to enter the [[SuperMode Avatar State]] is promptly shut down by [[CombatPragmatist Azula]] putting a lightning bolt into his back.
156* InTouchWithHisFeminineSide: Aang is a pacifist who openly shows his emotions and affections. Toph says this of Aang in "Ember Island Players".
157* IShallTauntYou: Aang is an advocate of irritating enemies into making mistakes and creating openings.
158* ItsAllAboutMe: In the series finale he has a [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]] version of this, as he is hugely hesitant to kill Ozai as a result of his personal beliefs and only seems to be willing to consider it after ''all four'' of his lives in the previous Avatar cycle, as well as all his teammates tell him he has to do it. Yangchen even tells Aang that "Selfless duty calls you to sacrifice your own spiritual needs and do whatever it takes to protect the world." Aang almost put the world at stake in favor of his own ideals in his refusal to kill Ozai because the airbenders taught him that all life is sacred (never mind that Gyatso's body was surrounded by the bodies of like twenty Fire Nation soldiers). [[spoiler:Subverted in that by continuing to search for and ultimately finding the non-murderous solution he was looking for, he avoided [[DontCreateAMartyr creating a martyr out of Ozai]], slowing down whatever spirit of resistance remained to allow his allies to declare victory. He did make the right move to save the world after all.]]
159* ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne: Especially near the end of the show, when everyone is expecting him to kill Ozai.
160* JackOfAllStats: He can control all four elements, but he is not the best with any of them except air, since he is the last one alive. Compared to acknowledged prodigies or young masters like Toph, Katara, and Azula, he is not seen to be particularly powerful at earth, water, or fire outside of the Avatar State. However, he is still a young Avatar who is new to these disciplines, and because of his prodigious talent, is expected to eventually become a MasterOfAll.
161* JerkassBall:
162** Briefly, at the beginning of the finale, when it seems the only possible option for dealing with Ozai is to kill him, Aang starts snapping and yelling at everyone else to come up with another solution.
163** During the latter part of season 3, his [[EntitledToHaveYou attempts at romantic interaction]] with Katara generally come off as uncharacteristically knee-jerk, but this can be attributed to both [[HormoneAddledTeenager his age]] and the mounting constant stress he is enduring. During the series finale Aang seems to have made peace with his feelings and lets Katara instigate their BigDamnKiss instead.
164* TheJuggernaut: A rare heroic type. When he's in the Avatar state, do NOT be in his way. [[spoiler:The final battle between the Avatar-State Aang and the [[BigBad Phoenix King Ozai]]]] is definitely a great example of what happens when [[CurbStompBattle someone tries to fight the juggernaut.]]
165* {{Keet}}: Is very energetic. He ''is'' only twelve.
166* KidAppealCharacter: An energetic yellow-orange colored kid and the youngest member of the core team. He's balancing his love of having fun with responsibilities of his job and growing up. Despite this he's also TheHero, balancing out to KidHero below.
167* KidHero: Essentially. Though going just by years he's 112, for a hundred of those years he was a HumanPopsicle.
168* KingInTheMountain: While he's frozen in the iceberg for a century, people believe that he will one day return and bring balance to the world.
169* TheKirk: Often gets caught in between Sokka and Katara in Season 1.
170* LastOfHisKind: The Fire Nation killed most, if not all, of the other Airbenders.
171* LaughOfLove: He's a frequent cause of these:
172** In "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheWarriorsOfKyoshi The Warriors of Kyoshi]]", Aang's {{fangirl}}s tend to giggle and squeal when they're with him, much to Katara's jealousy.
173** In "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheFortuneteller The Fortuneteller]]", [[PrecociousCrush Meng]] giggles when Aang catches her hands as she accidentally trips while carrying a tray full of snacks, and later when she admits that she's been [[StalkerWithACrush stalking him]].
174** In "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheHeadband The Headband]]", two Fire Nation girls giggle when Aang, while dancing, gets very close to them before leaping away.
175** He also sometimes laughs when with Katara, who sometimes reciprocates, [[spoiler:and they get together at the end of the series]].
176* {{Leitmotif}}: The main ''Avatar'' theme also serves as Aang's leitmotif. It plays whenever he does something badass, but also appears in other situations involving him, like "The Tale of Aang" in "Tales of Ba Sing Se." A humorously distorted version of it also plays in "The Serpent's Pass," when the Avatar-cosplayers waiting for the ferry are shown.
177* LightFeminineDarkFeminine: Aang forms a [[GenderInvertedTrope Gender Inverted]] example with Zuko, being the light feminine ([[TechnicalPacifist peaceful]], [[AllLovingHero gentle]], [[InTouchWithHisFeminineSide open with his emotions]]) to Zuko's dark feminine (brooding, short-tempered, moody).
178* TheLightfooted: Aang's has been given the name "Twinkletoes" by Toph. He's able to float down gently from ten feet in the air. If you look carefully at the Gaang's footprints on the beach in "The Phoenix King" you can tell that Aang's footprints are ''literally'' lighter than everyone else's.
179* LightningBruiser: By the second season, Aang becomes this as he still is the quick on his feet but now has the destructive force of Earthbending.
180* LikeASonToMe: Gyatso was the closest thing Aang had to a father; likewise Aang was the closest thing Gyatso had to a son.
181* LikesOlderWomen: Has a crush on Katara who is (biologically) two years older than him.
182* LivingRelic: Called as such by Professor Zei, though he's not as old as most examples.
183* LoveAtFirstSight: It's implied, and later confirmed by 'Avatar Extras,' that Aang fell for Katara when he first saw her after being freed from the iceberg.
184[[/folder]]
185
186[[folder:M-R]]
187* MacGuffinSuperPerson: Aang is a textbook example, being hunted by every villainous force in the series.
188* MagicalBoyfriend: Towards [[spoiler: Katara]]. He's an energetic, kind, generous messiah-figure that helps her achieve everything she ever wanted to.
189* MakingASplash: He was able to pick up the basic moves of Waterbending very quickly, though more advanced moves take more time compared to more adept waterbenders.
190* ManicPixieDreamGuy: Interestingly, Aang is this to [[spoiler: Katara]], with him being the cheerful, quirky little thing who teaches the heroine to relax and have fun.
191* MartialArtsHeadband: He has one in the third season to cover his arrow.
192* MartialArtsStaff: His main weapon is a staff with collapsible glider-wings, designed to enhance the power of his airbending attacks and defenses, and allow him to fly by manipulating air currents.
193* MartialPacifist: Aang being an Airbender and all only fights when absolutely necessary.
194* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Aang is an easygoing, energetic, and non-confrontational MartialPacifist. Toph is a [[TheLadette bullheaded and casually violent brawler]] and former [[ProfessionalWrestling Professional Earthbender]] who is about his (physical) age. {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in [[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheEmberIslandPlayers "The Ember Island Players"]], where they watch a ShowWithinAShow that has Aang portrayed by a GenkiGirl and Toph by a huge BoisterousBruiser bodybuilder man, and she actually ''liked'' the idea.
195* MasterOfOneMagic: He excels at Airbending, having invented at least one new technique for it and risen to the rank of master at a very young age. While he does master the other three elements, he never picks up the advanced techniques, such as healing, Bloodbending, Metalbending, or proper Lightning generation, though he is able to redirect lightning.
196* MeaningfulName:
197** Aang was written 安昂 , meaning "peaceful soaring" in Chinese and Vietnamese.
198** The name Aang is similar to the Malaysian and Indonesian word ''angin'' and Filipino word ''hangin'', meaning "wind". Aang is also the Inuit word for "hello", which could be a reference to his friendly nature.
199* MessianicArchetype: Being a GodInHumanForm, a natural pacifist, and even [[spoiler:temporarily dying at the end of Book 2]] clearly paints him as one of these.
200* MonkeyKingLite: He is a young, rambunctious boy that wields a staff, rides a flying apparatus (Sun Wukong riding a cloud, Aang riding Appa) with divine powers (as one would expect from the Avatar). Both end up entrapped for many years (Sun Wukong having been trapped beneath a mountain by the Buddha, Aang within a glacier) and would later join a group of people on a journey that would strengthen them spiritually and enrich the world around them (Sun Wukong learning the tenants of Buddhism on their search for the sacred texts, Aang learning the other bending arts to defeat Fire Lord Ozai and restoring balance).
201* MyGreatestFailure:
202** Aang feels tremendous guilt over not being there for the Air Nomads when the Fire Nation attacked.
203** He feels great shame for accidentally burning Katara's hands because of his careless firebending.
204* NatureSpirit: Subverted, actually. Though the Avatar was originally suggested to be this, as per ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' he's actually just a normal human that has a spirit of light bonded with him.
205* NiceGuy: Aang is peaceful, fun-loving, polite, respects all life (including enemies), and is respectful of the cultures of others.
206* NotWearingPantsDream: Happened when he began to stress over facing Ozai in Book 3.
207* OffhandBackhand: Aang does this ''to a rock'' while riding Appa and again to Sokka with earthbending while blindfolded.
208* OfficialCouple: [[spoiler:At the very end of the series, he finally becomes a couple with Katara. They [[SealedWithAKiss seal it with a kiss]] under the setting sun as [[PanUpToTheSkyEnding the camera pans to the sky]].]]
209* OlderThanHeLooks: He's 12 years old physically and mentally, but due to being frozen for a hundred years, he's actually 112.
210* OneManArmy: Being the Avatar, he can take on several Benders of all kind at once.
211* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Aang is the only one who can fight Ozai, though not for the usual reasons for this trope. Simply having just anyone defeat Ozai doesn't guarantee an end to the war, because it would result in even more war and conflict. Since Aang is TheChosenOne, defeating Ozai would be an act of divine providence and a signal that he was in the right.
212* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Aang is usually a very happy-go-lucky kid. He's very peaceful and spiritual, and has stated repeatedly that he doesn't eat meat. Then in [[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheDesert "The Desert"]], his best friend and pet since he was a kid, Appa, is stolen by Sandbenders. The normally cheerful Aang spends the entire episode being cranky, aggressive, and angry. He even kills a wasp-buzzard that tried to take one of his other friends even after the threat it posed was gone. When they run into the Sandbenders who stole Appa, you know [[PhysicalGod they're in]] [[UnstoppableRage for a world]] [[MuggingTheMonster of hurt.]]
213* PapaWolf: If any harm comes to Appa or Momo, you better pray you're not the one who did it. Otherwise, you'll have the Avatar in an UnstoppableRage.
214* ParentalAbandonment: A weird case, as his parents are never seen, nor even ''mentioned''. It's like he was born out of thin air. Even if he did have parents, no chance that they survived the purge. Supplementary material informs that Aang's parents gave him to the monks to raise after it was revealed he was the Avatar.
215* PersonalityPowers:
216** Aang adapts to waterbending easily. As an Air Nomad, he's pretty predisposed to the element of change as is, catching on quickly enough to make Katara pretty jealous. Likewise, with firebending. Aang's cheerful nature means he gets a quick handle on the uncorrupted firebending focusing on warmth and light. It's earthbending that gives him difficulty, and not just because of the clash of teaching styles with Toph. Earthbending requires being direct, not looking for an alternative solution or a clever trick, which given Aang's an airbender by nature, and they're ''all about'' alternative solutions...
217* PeterPanParody: Aang himself bears multiple resemblances to Peter Pan, having been a child much longer than normal (having been trapped in the ice for 100 years), is capable of flight (thanks to his [[BlowYouAway airbending]]), his affinity to mystic forces (him being the Avatar predisposing him to general Spirit World weirdness), is prone to childish jokes (though he tries to keep his carefree actions from hurting anyone, feeling great remorse if it accidentally does), adopting a ragtag group of children as a surrogate family (Team Avatar) and antagonizing (physically) older men in positions of authority (Zuko, Zhao, Long Feng, Ozai, etc). This is cemented in "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheEmberIslandPlayers The Ember Island Players]]", where Aang is played by a spritely woman in a stage play adaptation of his adventures as a reference to the tradition of Peter Pan being potrayed by a woman.
218* PhysicalGod: By himself he's just a GodInHumanForm, but if you manage to push him into the [[SuperMode Avatar State]], you've lost the fight, if not your ''life''. Only [[spoiler: Azula]] has managed to beat him while he's in it, and [[spoiler: that's only because she sneak-attacked him in the back while he was transforming.]] The most ''generous'' way to describe his final fight in the GrandFinale would be as a CurbStompBattle.
219* PintSizedPowerhouse: Notes in the art book indicate that Aang is only 4 and a half feet tall, but he is still one of the most powerful benders alive.
220* PlaguedByNightmares: He becomes deeply stressed as the Day of Black Sun approaches. He begins having nightmares akin to those of a kid the night before an exam, where his battle goes comically wrong, such as him showing up without pants and Ozai making fun of Aang, causing him to become sleep deprived and neurotic.
221* PlayingWithFire: Once he learned how to use firebending. He was initially reluctant to learn this at first, thinking of fire as evil, but he was eventually able to learn a different form of firebending that focuses on life.
222* ThePollyanna: Usually remains cheery and upbeat in spite of the CrapsackWorld he lives in.
223* PowerFloats: When he enters the Avatar State, he levitates off of the ground.
224* PowerGlows: When he enters the Avatar State, his arrow tattoos glow white.
225* PowerStrainBlackout: At first, activating the Avatar state left him weak and visibly exhausted. As the series went on, this disappeared.
226* PowerTattoo: Arrow tattoos to denote his mastery of airbending, which glow when he uses his Avatar powers.
227* PreviouslyOverlookedParamour: Katara initially dismisses Aang as "a sweet little guy, like Momo [their pet lemur]." She treats him more like a little brother figure rather than a potential love interest, not noticing Aang's obvious crush on her. Eventually, after watching him mature and grow as the Avatar, Katara acknowledges Aang is a man and a hero, causing her to start reciprocating his romantic feelings. [[spoiler:At the end, she finally agrees to be his girlfriend.]]
228* PrimaryColorChampion: He has a blue arrow tattoo, and starts off with orange and yellow clothing. This is later replaced with a dark orange robe.
229* PrinciplesZealot: He adamantly sticks to his MartialPacifist views and ThouShaltNotKill stance, to the point that in the finale, he desperately looks for a non-lethal way to defeat the Fire Lord and end the war even as his friends and four of his previous lives insist that the only way to stop Ozai is to [[MurderIsTheBestSolution kill him]].
230* RazorWind: [[MemeticMutation Airbending slice!]] Although Aang rarely uses this side of Airbending and almost never on a living being, in a moment of rage after losing Appa in Season 2 he coldly bisects a fleeing vulture-wasp that had tried to eat Momo.
231* RecklessPacifist: Sure, he'd never kill anyone directly, but his collateral damage record is hard to ignore.
232* RedOniBlueOni: The blue to Zuko's red (during their training). Though he also could be red to the rest of his friend's blue due to his childlike nature while the rest tend to be more serious and less naive.
233* RefusalOfTheCall: Discovering that he was the Avatar pretty much ruined his life, as everyone saw the PhysicalGod and not the twelve-year old that desperately needed companionship. Running from it resulted in his life being ''completely'' ruined, as he SleptThroughTheApocalypse of his people.
234* {{Reincarnation}}: Of the previous Avatars, most recently, Roku.
235* RelativeButton: Don’t mess with Appa. Just... don’t.
236* {{Retcon}}: The main series never explained what the Avatar State was or what made the avatar so special. Only a tie-in game briefly spoke of The Avatar being the spirit of the planet in a human body. ''Legend of Korra'' book 2 then spent a two-parter establishing that the Avatars (Roku, Aang, Korra herself etc.) are all basically {{Heroic Host}}s for Raava, the spirit of light and peace, and when the current host dies, Raava takes them with her to the next one.
237* RookieRedRanger: Played with, while Aang is certainly the youngest and most naive member of his team he is also the most worldly and the most experienced combatant.
238* RunningGag: In the comics, Aang has a notion of saying something brazen just seconds before someone else says something which shoves his foot back into his mouth.
239[[/folder]]
240
241[[folder:S-Y]]
242* SadClown: His cheerful exterior and fun-loving personality is a way to cope and ignore the guilt he feels for running away from his home and people and getting frozen, allowing the Fire Nation to wage war for a century, wiping out his people. He finally faces his guilt later on when he's mentored by Guru Pathik.
243* SarcasmBlind: There have been times when Sokka, and in one instance Zuko, have used sarcasm only for Aang to miss it completely. One particularly notable instance is when Aang is confiding in Sokka about his struggles with learning earthbending, while Sokka is stuck in a hole, and describes his situation using words that perfectly and literally describe Sokka's predicament. Sokka lampshades it using sarcasm, which goes completely over Aang's head.
244* ScarsAreForever: Suffers a permanent scar on his back from being shot with lightning by Azula. He also has one on the sole of his left foot, where the lightning left his body.
245* SealedGoodInACan: He spent the past century encased in ice and was unsealed in the series premiere. While this allowed him to [[GenocideSurvivor survive the Air Nomads' genocide]], he thinks he failed the world by leaving them without an Avatar in the middle of a war.
246* SecondLove: Early in the series, Katara crushed on Jet, only to get disappointed in him because of his extremist ways. Later on, she starts to like Aang as more than a friend [[spoiler:and finally becomes his girlfriend at the end]].
247* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: The sweet, playful Sensitive Guy to sarcastic, grounded Sokka and grumpy Zuko's Manly Men.
248* ShirtlessScene: Frequently in Season 3. Aang has a perfectly good shirt he could be wearing... he just chooses not to. Because all the fire he has to deal with would burn his clothes off if he did. Clothes just don't play well with fire.
249* SickeninglySweethearts: With [[spoiler: Katara]] in ''The Promise'' and ''The Search''. All the cuddling and petnames give Sokka 'oogies'.
250* SignatureMove: Aang has a couple, depending on what element he's using and if he's in the Avatar State:
251** When using airbending he has his Air Scooter, a move he created and allows him to zip around at high speeds, even up vertical surfaces.
252** When using earthbending, his most common move seems to be forming Rock Armor, using it three separate times (four is counting the Rock Gauntlet he uses against Azula in ''The Drill'') throughout the show.
253** When in the Avatar State his first move is almost always to generate an Air Sphere, acting as both a means of independent flight and as a protective barrier.
254* SingleTargetSexuality: Showed interest in Katara and ONLY Katara from the moment he met her.
255* SkilledButNaive: Extremely skilled, master airbender and skilled in the other three bending arts as well, but he's extremely (often willfully) blind to how the world is. He spent most of the last season hemming and hawing over being confronted with the idea that he would have to kill Ozai. Before it was thrown right in his face he never considered that it would take more than just beating the guy in a fight to magically solve every problem in the world.
256* SleptThroughTheApocalypse: He entombed himself and Appa in an iceberg and as a result missed ThePurge of his people. At one point, he has a nightmare about missing the Fire Nation invasion.
257* SmarterThanYouLook: Aang may seem like just a goofy kid but he's also a wise and understanding person who gives insightful advice.
258* SoulPower: [[spoiler:Energybending which can remove bending from a bender.]]
259* SphereOfPower: During the series finale he creates a sphere of air around himself, and supplements it with other elements. Provides the picture for that page, in fact.
260* StockShonenHero: {{Downplayed}}. Due to the anime influence of the series, Aang plays much of the trope straight. He's a naive and excitable KidHero with nearly infinite compassion, [[AllLovingHero extends a kind hand to anyone,]] and cherishes his family and friends above all else. He's the current incarnation of the Avatar, which pretty much amounts to being the most powerful bender on the planet. One of the main plot points in the series is Aang becoming stronger in order to defeat the EvilOverlord. However, he also inverts many core aspects of the trope, such as being more of a {{Keet}} than HotBlooded, InTouchWithHisFeminineSide and not being a BigEater, and finally being a MartialPacifist rather than a BloodKnight or SpiritedCompetitor.
261* StrongAndSkilled: Aang has the natural strength and skill to utilize all four elements in combat.
262* StrongerThanTheyLook: Aang looks like a skinny kid but he has been shown to be able to carry two people with his gliding staff.
263* SuperMode: The Avatar State, which gives him access to the knowledge and strength of every past Avatar.
264* SuperpowerLottery: Can learn all types of bending, not just his native one. He masters the basics very quickly thanks to his millennia of experience through past lives, and has a defense mechanism that sends him into SuperMode.
265* SuperSpeed: He can give himself a boost with a tailwind, thanks to his airbending.
266* SurvivorGuilt: From the Air Nomad Genocide.
267-->'''Aang:''' "The Fire Nation attacked our temple. My people needed me, and I wasn't there to help."
268* TaremeEyes: He has big and round eyes to reflect his kindness and naivety.
269* TeacherStudentRomance: Katara is his (second) waterbending instructor and he has a big crush on her. [[spoiler:Katara later reciprocates and becomes his girlfriend.]]
270* ThouShaltNotKill: This becomes a plot point in the finale, where he's torn up by the possibility that [[GodzillaThreshold he will have to kill Ozai for the good of the world]].
271* TokenFlyer: Aang is the sole airbender in the cast, and as such the only one of the main characters (not counting Team Pet Appa) who is able to fly, either by using his glider-staff or by levitating through airbending. Unusually for this trope, he's also the main protagonist.
272* TookALevelInBadass: When first met, he is a scared boy who, from his perspective, just learned he was to be the Savior of the World and must leave home from the only man he knew as a father. Now the world is in danger and so he shirks his responsibilities. Less than a year later, he is a fully competent Avatar, Master of All the Elements. Even without using the Avatar State, he can hold his own against a super-powered Phoenix King Ozai. When he finally activates the Avatar State, it is a no holds contest.
273* TooQualifiedToApply: A flashback in "The Storm" shows that after Aang was publicly revealed to be the Avatar the other airbender kids stopped playing competitive games with him because they felt he'd have an unfair advantage, even though his actual level of ability hadn't changed.
274* TrademarkFavoriteFood: "The Great Divide" reveals Aang has an intense liking towards [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_tart egg custard in a tart]].
275* TranquilFury: When Aang enters the [[SuperMode Avatar State]], he seems perfectly serene. [[UnstoppableRage Unless he's in a raging fury instead.]]
276* {{Troll}}: Becomes a rare benevolent one in "The Deserter". He trolls the HELL out of Admiral Zhao by using his lack of self-control against him. It's actually very effective: [[spoiler:Zhao accidentally destroys his entire fleet in the process.]]
277* TurnTheOtherCheek: Being a pacifistic monk, he is inclined to do this. Unfortunately, this mindset is what makes learning earth bending so difficult.
278* UnderestimatingBadassery: He's a 12 year old goofball with the ability to master all four elements and restore balance to the world. Not to mention that if you piss him off enough, he'll enter his UnstoppableRage superpowered [[SuperMode Avatar State]].
279* UnskilledButStrong: Subverted when it comes to the other elements he is a naturally gifted bender due to being the Avatar but when he first uses each of the elements he has little technique due to his lack of experience, as he mostly relies on his raw power to fight with them, but later on he is shown to be a very quick learner and can now uses them to his full advantage.
280* UnstoppableRage: While in the [[SuperMode Avatar State]]. He be becomes insanely powerful and very ferocious to the point of becoming an apocalyptic juggernaut.
281* UptownGuy: {{Zigzagged|Trope}}. While Aang is the Avatar (a position considered equal to or higher than royalty) fell in love with Katara (a girl from the struggling Southern Water Tribe). However, since Katara is the daughter of the Southern Tribe Chief, this technically makes her a princess, while Aang is the last survivor of a group of Nomads with little in the way of worldly posessions.
282* VirtuousVegetarianism: Aang is an AllLovingHero, and a vegetarian. It is implied that this is in part due to his monastic upbringing. The Air Nomads are based on Tibetan monks, who are sworn not to harm living beings, and as such subsist on a vegetarian diet.
283* WaifFu: Aang is a GenderInvertedTrope of this. While Toph is about the same size as he is, she's much more smashy with her fighting technique. Aang is the lightest and smallest fighter in the whole series, whose biggest physical talent lies in a fighting style that emphasizes speed and grace. Naturally, being the avatar, he can kick more butt than anyone else on the show.
284* WakeUpCall: Aang got comfortable on Kyoshi Island due to his fanbase, forgetting about the war that he as the avatar was supposed to stop. And then Zuko attacked, giving Aang the reminder of his responsibilities he needed.
285* WalkingDisasterArea: Because of the Fire Nation's SternChase.
286* WalkingShirtlessScene: In the later half of Season 3.
287* WarriorMonk: Aang was raised by monks and taught their teachings. He's also a master airbender who later becomes a fully realized Avatar.
288* WeakButSkilled: Aang could be considered this, especially before he learns the other Bending skills. Airbending itself mostly relies on evading. Bumi taunts him with this;
289-->'''Bumi:''' Typical Airbender tactics, avoid and evade. I was hoping the Avatar would be a little less *kicks a rock at the Avatar* '''PREDICTABLE'''.
290* WeaponTwirling: {{Justified|Trope}}. He uses his staff to create wind attacks (or defenses) this way.
291* WideEyedIdealist: Aang starts off this way. But being shouldered with the weight of the Avatar Spirit, his entire people dying, Appa's kidnapping and the horrors of war quickly got rid of it.
292* WiseBeyondTheirYears: He is only twelve but has the WIS score of 20. But then again, he is the Avatar. He is chronologically a hundred and twelve years old. He was frozen in time for a hundred years, so mentally he was still twelve at the beginning of the series. He matured a lot throughout the show, however. A point is made of this in "The Southern Raiders". When Katara sets off [[spoiler:to avenge her mother's death with Prince Zuko]], Aang makes it a point to advise her several times. At the end, Sokka responds with the line: "You know, for a kid, you're pretty wise. Usually it's annoying, but right now I'm just impressed."
293* WorldsStrongestMan: At the end of his story he definitely qualifies for this title as nobody in the world can match him in bending due to being able to master his powers to their fullest extent without any recoil.
294* YoungerMentorOlderDisciple: Due to what his age actually is, Aang is often older than anybody who teaches him. This is especially the case with Toph who is younger than him both physically and officially.
295[[/folder]]
296
297[[folder:Tropes that apply to him in ''The Legend of Korra'']]
298[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tumblr_nd8dafc5ua1rss05ao1_500_7029.png]]
299[[caption-width-right:350:"When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change."]]
300
301The Avatar directly preceding Korra. It was by his hand that Fire Lord Ozai was defeated and the Hundred Year War ended. He founded the United Republic of Nations from the former Fire Nation colonies with its oldest and most ethnically-culturally mixed Fire Nation/Earth Kingdom ex-colony of Yu Dao becoming its capitol, in the hope that it could become a nation where people of the three remaining nations could live in peace, harmony, and prosperity.
302
303Though Aang accomplished much, he passed away at the relatively early age of his mid-sixties; due to the century spent in an iceberg in the Avatar State draining much of his life energy.
304
305----
306* TheAce: Grew into this by time he's an adult, as Aang became more competent at dealing with criminals and is considered a respected figure.
307* ActionDad: Fathered three children with Katara and remained an active Avatar until his death.
308* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Neither Tenzin nor Korra seem to believe they can live up to their father/predecessor's list of accomplishments. Tenzin realizes that he doesn't have the spiritual capabilities of his father like Jinora does.
309* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: As with anyone who was an Avatar, upon his physical body passing on, his spiritual self becomes one with the Avatar Spirit and he may be called upon for counsel whenever his successor Korra needs it.
310* BabiesEverAfter: Had three children with Katara in between the TimeSkip.
311* BadassCape: Part of his Air Nomad get-up.
312* BigGood: Prior to his death, he was a major force of stability and diplomacy in the world, having co-founded the United Republic with Zuko.
313* CallOnMe: Like previous Avatars, Korra can call on him for advice. Korra's lacking spiritual connection prevents this at first, limiting her to brief flashes of relevant memories. After losing all but her airbending to Amon, she is finally able to connect with him. This allows him to restore her bending. In Book 2, the connection is severed entirely when Raava is temporarily destroyed.
314* CastFromLifespan: Aang's lifespan was shortened due to spending a century in a trance state, after being trapped in an iceberg for 99 years. He passed away at the biological age of 66. By comparison, Avatar Kyoshi lived to 230.
315* DorkKnight: Even as an adult he's still a goofy person, such as using his [[https://33.media.tumblr.com/899c3d69fba87d5b863eb7c2132cdd4d/tumblr_nd8wz2YCt71qlpn5qo1_1280.jpg old marble trick on some seafood rolls]].
316* EmbarrassingNickname: Toph doesn't stop calling him "Twinkle Toes" even though he's forty, much to his annoyance.
317* FolkHero: Comes with being the Avatar.
318* GreaterScopeParagon: Avatar Aang attains this status in ''The Legend of Korra'', having been the one who originally founded the United Republic alongside Fire Lord Zuko and being Korra's direct predecessor. However, because of Korra's issues with the spiritual aspects of being the Avatar, his role as SpiritAdvisor is limited to giving her dreams of his battle with Yakone 42 years prior, and restoring her bending at the end of Book 1. In Books 3 and 4 he's unable to help Korra because he and all her other past lives had their connection to her severed by Unalaq managing to kill Raava.
319* HarmlessFreezing: {{Subverted|Trope}}. While there are no significant physical effects in the original series, [[AllThereInTheManual supplementary materials]] state he died prematurely due to complications resulting from his being frozen in an iceberg for 100 years.
320* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Zuko. As Iroh put it, their relationship started out "[[{{Understatement}} a little rocky]]", but they became lifelong friends. Korra herself notes that Zuko knew Aang better than anyone.
321* LegendaryInTheSequel: Aang's reputation looms so large that his son Tenzin and successor Korra feel enormous pressure to live up to and maintain his legacy. Aang provides the page image for the trope itself.
322* LivingLegend: During his life after the war. He has his own island with his statue on top of it.
323* NoHeroToHisValet: To the world at large, Aang might have been a UniversallyBelovedLeader, but his children think considerably less of him due to his shortcomings as a father.
324* NoSell: Now that he's capable of blinking in and out of the [[SuperMode Avatar State]] at will, he can use this ability to break bloodbending attacks and rapidly recover from being knocked out, as displayed in his fight against Yakone.
325* NotSoStoic: Even though he became more serious as he got older, it wasn't so much that he wouldn't pose like a kid for a picture.
326* OpenMindedParent: As per Air Nomad custom, he was nothing but supportive of Kya being a lesbian.
327* OurFounder: Has a massive statue in the bay that looks like the Art/StatueOfLiberty, and his face is printed on the Yuan.
328* ParentalFavoritism: Towards Tenzin, his youngest child and the only Airbender. Aang would take Tenzin on many travels around the world, to teach him about the Air Nomad culture and even just for the sake of fun without Kya or Bumi. Aang even writes a book for Tenzin, compiling information about the original series, thinking of him as his legacy, without even mentioning his other two children. Partly justified in the sense that Tenzin was to have the duty of rebuilding the Air Nomads, thereby forcing Aang to prepare him for that burden. Tenzin himself infers that Aang really did love Kya and Bumi, and he is later on revealed to have been an OpenMindedParent in regards to [[spoiler: Kya's sexuality]], so it's not like Aang didn't care for his other kids at all.
329* ParentalNeglect: According to Bumi and Kya, as a father Aang was so focused on "saving the world and doing his duty" that he never had time for his kids, save [[ParentalFavoritism Tenzin]], whom he needed to groom to rebuild the Air Nomads. The Air Acolytes were not even aware that Aang had other children apart from Tenzin and assumed that Kya and Bumi were servants instead.
330* ParentsAsPeople: Aang was stated to be a loving and accepting husband and father of three but he was also an Avatar with the duty of a) fixing the world after a century of war, b) ensuring the Airbenders did not go extinct. In that regard he spent a lot of time away from home and a lot more time with his only Airbender child, Tenzin. He was preparing him to carry the burden of resurrecting an entire race after all, but in doing so, Aang left feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt in Kya and Bumi which trouble them into their 60s. Even Tenzin wasn't exempt, as he felt intensely pressured to live up to Aang's legacy, and was deeply insecure about where he fell short - it takes an intervention from Aang himself in the Fog of Lost Souls to get Tenzin to move past it.
331--> "You are not me. And you should not try to be me. You are Tenzin."
332* PosthumousCharacter: Being Korra's predecessor, he's long gone by the time of the ''Legend of Korra'', but he still shows up through flashbacks, and his spirit converses with both Korra and Tenzin.
333* SpiritAdvisor: Played with. He's supposed to fulfill this role to Korra. However, due to Korra's spiritual problems, he's unable to do so directly and is forced to advise her by sending Korra disjointed visions. At the end of the first season they finally meet face-to-face, so to speak. Following Raava's destruction and rebirth, that link has been severed.
334* TheStoic: He became a lot more serious in his old age (at least in public appearances).
335* StoryBreakerPower: As has often been the case with any fully realized Avatar. Aang is so powerful as an adult that the writers needed to make the villainous Yakone a bloodbender who could control people ''by thought alone'' '''at high noon''' just to have him be a believable threat to the Avatar. Even then, Aang won instantly once he decided to use the Avatar State (as well as the involuntary life-saving mechanism coming into play).
336* ThemeMusicPowerUp: A remixed version of the Main Theme of ''ATLA'' plays during Aang chase after Yakone, and later when he restores Korra's bending. An almost angelic rendition of the theme plays during his final appearance in the series, when he appears to Tenzin in the Book Two finale.
337* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: From what little we saw of him in ''Legend Of Korra'', he still kept the [[WideEyedIdealist idealism]] and [[NiceGuy kindness]] he had in his childhood and used his power to co-found Republic City as a place where all three nations in harmony. While he became TheStoic in public, in private he was still the goofy Airbender we all know and love. He is also the second-youngest Avatar we know of to die, dying of natural causes in his early sixties.
338* TookALevelInBadass: From his childhood days. He took on Yakone head-on and depowered him, as opposed to trying to deal with problems non-violently and peacefully. Of course, he still doesn't actually kill him.
339* TranquilFury: When he fights, he goes into a state of utter calm. It makes him scarier than when he was a kid and didn't have control of the Avatar state.
340* VibrantOrange: Aang wears orange clothing and is a fun-loving, humorous kid with a sense of adventure and a love of meeting new people and exploring different places. However, this carefree exterior hides a great deal of grief over being the LastOfHisKind and guilt over not being around to stop the Air Nomad massacre.
341* WizardsLiveLonger: Played with. On the one hand, he died at the physical age of 66. On the other, he was chronologically 166 years old. Overuse of the Avatar State to keep him alive and in stasis is the WordOfGod explanation as to why he died so seemingly young, but that technically gives him the third-longest lifespan of any recorded Avatar, exceeded only by Avatar Kyoshi (at 230) and Avatar Roku (at 70).
342[[/folder]]

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