Aang - Plot Overview

Plot Overview

The producers of the show have named each season a "book", whereof each was named after one of the four elements in the show. Flashbacks also reveal events that happened before the show opened, as in one wherein the elders of the Air Temple hold a private meeting with Aang to reveal his identity as the Avatar and Monk Gyatso, Aang's mentor and father-figure, insists that Aang be raised as an ordinary child; whereupon the other elders attempt to separate the two, prompting Aang to flee their monastery. During this flight, Aang and his bison Appa become caught by a storm, and later encased in an air-pocket among icebergs.

After 100 years, Katara and her brother Sokka free Aang and Appa; and the four embark to find a Waterbending master to teach Aang and Katara. Throughout their journey they are pursued by Zuko, the banished prince of the Fire Nation. In one episode, Aang meets his previous incarnation, Avatar Roku, who informs him that he must master all four bending arts and defeat Fire Lord Ozai before the end of summer. Among the Northern Water Tribe, Waterbending Master Pakku teaches Aang, and later Katara. In the second season, Aang learns earthbending from Toph Bei Fong, a blind earthbending prodigy. At the end of the second season, a muni or yogi attempts to teach Aang to open his seven chakras in order to control the defensive 'Avatar State'; but when Aang perceives Katara in danger, he leaves before the seventh chakra is opened, and thus loses his progress until the seventh is opened by another figure. He is injured, and the Avatar concept nearly lost, by antagonist Azula; but resurrected by Katara.

In the third season, Aang and his remaining allies attack the Fire Nation's capital; but are thwarted by Azula. In the following episode, Zuko has a change of heart and offers to teach Aang firebending. In "The Firebending Masters" Aang and Zuko improve their firebending powers with the help of their world's last two dragons.

During the finale, Aang learns to manipulate other people's essential natures from an immense 'lion-turtle'. With this ability, Aang removes Ozai's ability to manipulate fire, and thus renders him harmless. Later, in the Fire Nation capital, Aang is seen beside Zuko while the latter is appointed Fire Lord. The episode and series end with Aang and his friends relaxing at Iroh's tea shop at Ba Sing Se, where Aang and Katara share a kiss.

In the sequel series The Legend of Korra, it is stated that alongside Fire Lord Zuko, Aang founded Republic City, to represent the international peace. In the following years, Aang and Katara had married and had three children: Kya, Bumi, and Tenzin. The former two children were respectively named after Katara's mother and Aang's friend, King Bumi of Omashu. Their third child, Tenzin, currently resides in Republic City with a family of his own, and is the only Airbending master alive at the start of the series. Aang's physical appearance as an adult, resembling that of Michael Dante DiMartino, is shown in the series' opening and in Korra's flashbacks. In 128 ASC, Aang assisted Toph in arresting a crime lord known as Yakone. After attending his arrest, Aang watched the trial, where Yakone was convicted of using a rare and illegal technique called bloodbending. Yakone then tried to escape Republic city by using his unique abilities to subdue everyone in the court room, thus leaving them unconscious. Able to resist Yakone's bloodbending through the Avatar State, Aang put a halt to his Yakone's plans by utilising energy bending to remove his bending for good. At the end of the first season, Aang's spirit appears to Korra and restores the bending ability taken from her by Amon.