Avatar: The Last Airbender's likable cast of characters is another reason the show is beloved. Zuko has one of the best redemption arcs on television, while Katara's strength and Aang's perseverance also inspire viewers. Avatar: The Last Airbender also has many iconic moments, including Mai standing up to Azula with "You miscalculated; I love Zuko more than I fear you," and Katara bloodblending for the first time. Some of Avatar: The Last Airbender's iconic moments also define the show—without these scenes, Avatar: The Last Airbender would be inherently different.

12 The Kyoshi Warriors Prove Sokka Wrong

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 1, Episode 4, "The Warriors of Kyoshi"

A defining moment early on in Avatar: The Last Airbender occurs in season 1, episode 4, "The Warriors of Kyoshi," when Team Avatar runs into the Kyoshi Warriors on Kyoshi Island. Sokka is horrified to discover that the warriors that subdued him are girls, and he continues to act like he is automatically better than them because he is a man. Suki, the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, humiliates Sokka because of his arrogance. This moment forces Sokka to humble himself, and he asks Suki to teach him how to be a Kyoshi Warrior.

Sokka recognizes that his misogynistic beliefs are wrong—a significant moment for his character arc. He learns to stop underestimating women simply because of their gender and begins treating them as true equals, with respect and human decency. Without this scene, Sokka would have continued believing women are automatically inferior to men. Furthermore, this moment forces Sokka to take leadership and his warrior skills more seriously, eventually leading to additional critical moments for his character development.

11 Roku Tells Aang About The Sozin's Comet

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 1, Episode 8, "Winter Solstice, Part 2: Avatar Roku"

In Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1, episode 8, "Winter Solstice, Part 2: Avatar Roku," Aang and his friends infiltrate a Fire Nation temple so Aang can the previous firebending Avatar Roku. Roku teaches Aang about the history of Sozin's Comet and what Aang must accomplish. Aang has to master air, water, earth, and fire within the year because he has to defeat the Fire Lord before Sozin's Comet returns at the end of the summer. It is a pivotal moment because, up until now, Aang's goal has been to travel to the North Pole so that Katara could learn waterbending.

Roku's message significantly raises the stakes for Aang's journey. Now, he also has to learn waterbending, along with earthbending and firebending too. Avatars usually have years to perfect the four elements, with a rough deadline of turning 16. However, Aang has a unique predicament due to the war and the impending return of Sozin's Comet. Aang now bears the burden of being the last airbender, a fully-trained Avatar, and the fate of the world, and he is only 12 years old. Aang and Roku's conversation changes the trajectory of Avatar: The Last Airbender and Aang's character arc.

10 Katara Stands Up To Master Pakku

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 1, Episode 18, "The Waterbending Master"

In Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1, episode 18, "The Waterbending Master," Katara discovers that Master Pakku will not train women because they are not meant to be warriors in the North Pole. Katara becomes angry upon learning this information and eventually goads Pakku into fighting her instead of apologizing to him. Although Katara loses this fight, she never backs down and continues to stand up for what she believes in. Katara's stance is so strong that she ends up changing the North Pole's laws regarding women and waterbending.

There are many important Katara episodes in Avatar: The Last Airbender, but "The Waterbending Master" stands out in particular because it illustrates the lengths Katara will go to defend her values and how her refusal to back down quite literally changes outdated and misogynistic laws. Katara is arguably the most essential character in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Katara challenging Pakku is a clear example of what she is capable of and why she is so important.

9 Toph Defeats Her Opponent In The Ring As The Blind Bandit

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, Episode 6, "The Blind Bandit"

One of the most iconic moments in Avatar: The Last Airbender is Toph's introduction in season 2, episode 6, "The Blind Bandit." Aang, Katara, and Sokka attend an underground earthbending tournament, where they watch various earthbenders compete for the champion title. Aang and his friends are stunned to discover that the final round will consist of a strong, muscular earthbender against a blind child. Aang quickly recognizes her from one of the visions he had in the magical swamp, and he watches in awe as Toph easily defeats her opponent.

Related

13 Strongest Female Characters In Avatar: The Last Airbender, Ranked

Whether benders or non-benders, these women have all proven themselves to be fierce combatants but only one can take the rank of strongest.

Posts

When Toph wins the underground earthbending tournament, Aang realizes she is meant to be his earthbending teacher because she has all the characteristics Bumi told Aang to look for—someone who "waits and listens" before bending. Avatar: The Last Airbender's Toph is arguably the most powerful bender in the series; she even creates metalbending, an entirely new variation of earthbending. Toph's introduction is not only iconic, but it also illustrates her importance as a character and a member of Team Avatar.

8 Iroh Sings Leaves From The Vine

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, Episode 15, "The Tales Of Ba Singe Se"

In Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2, episode 15, "The Tales Of Ba Singe Se," Iroh's tale is surprisingly heart-wrenching and tragic. He spends the day wandering through Ba Singe Se, helping various people with their troubles. At sunset, Iroh arrives at a tree and puts together a makeshift memorial for his son, Lu Ten. His tale ends with Iroh singing "Leaves from the Vine" once again as he sobs while ing his son.

Iroh's tale is a heartbreaking scene that illustrates that there is much more to the Fire Nation and its people. Even the Fire Nation royal family bears its own wounds and scars. Iroh's scene proves that no one is immune to tragedy, grief, and loss. Although Iroh is responsible for the siege on Ba Singe Se, his grief demonstrates that he would not have gone through with it if he knew it would come with the price of losing his only child.

7 Aang Lets Go Of Katara

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, Episode 20, "The Crossroads Of Destiny"

In the season 2 finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Aang must master the seventh chakra to control the Avatar State. In the penultimate episode, "The Guru," Aang struggles with the last chakra because it involves letting go of Katara, his "earthly attachment." However, when Aang realizes they are losing the battle against Azula and Zuko, he must let go of Katara to access the Avatar State and protect Ba Singe Se. However, Azula shoots Aang with lightning while he is in the Avatar State, which ends the Avatar Cycle until Katara revives Aang with water from the Spirit Oasis.

Aang finally masters all seven chakras, a critical and defining moment for his development. It is also a defining moment for Katara because she must reconcile with how much she depends on Aang. Katara is desperate to hold on to Aang while he must let her go. It is a fascinating dichotomy, especially since Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3 presents the opposite—Katara is unsure about her feelings, while Aang is desperate to hold on. It also coincides with the koi fish, Tui and La, from the first season, two spirits "circling each other in an eternal dance."

6 Zuko Stands Up To His Father

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 3, Episode 11, "The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse"

One of the most satisfying moments in Avatar: The Last Airbender occurs in season 3, episode 11, "The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse." After two and a half seasons, Zuko's arc finally comes to a head when he stands up to his father and renounces everything the Fire Nation stands for. It is Zuko's most pivotal and significant moment in the entire show, and it pays off his redemption arc that has been set up from the beginning. There are several scenes in Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1 that foreshadow Zuko's confrontation with Ozai.

These scenes include Zuko choosing his uncle over the Avatar in episode 7, "Winter Solstice, Part 1: The Spirit World," and Zuko contrasting with Aang's story in episode 12, "The Storm." Zuko's redemption arc was always intended, but the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender changed Zuko's original plan—he was supposed to be an adult instead of a kid. If the show stuck with the original plan, then this epic scene of Zuko confronting Ozai would not exist, proving that changing his age was the right decision. Zuko's confrontation is easily one of the best scenes in the show.

5 Aang & Zuko Perform "The Dancing Dragon" For The Last Two Living Dragons

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 3, Episode 13, "The Firebending Masters"

In Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3, episode 13, "The Firebending Masters," Aang and Zuko search for the Sun Warriors, an ancient clan who were the first people to learn firebending from dragons. The Sun Warriors arrest Aang and Zuko, who then insist on meeting the firebending masters to earn the right to firebend. Aang and Zuko learn that the firebending masters are the last two living dragons, Ran and Shaw. They decide to copy Ran and Shaw's movements, a segment called "The Dancing Dragon," which consists of firebending stances.

"The Dancing Dragon" is a pivotal moment for Zuko, who learns how to firebend for the first time from the source instead of his rage, while Aang learns that firebending is not evil—it is the source of life. It also changes the perception of the Fire Nation in general, suggesting that not everyone in the Fire Nation holds the same bigoted, systemic beliefs that Ozai and his team do. There is good and evil in all forms of bending, in all four nations, and the Fire Nation is not an exception, but rather, the rule.

4 Katara Confronts Her Mother's Killer

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 3, Episode 16, "The Southern Raiders"

Katara-centric episodes are always powerful moments for her character arc, and Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3, episode 16, "The Southern Raiders," is no exception. Zuko attempts to earn Katara's forgiveness, but she cannot trust him because of his betrayal at the end of season 2. Zuko realizes he can deliver Katara to her mother's killer, which could earn her forgiveness. While Zuko's motivations are for himself, this is still a critical journey that Katara has to endure to face her most traumatic memory. She now has the upper hand over Yon Rha, the man who killed Katara's mother, Kya.

However, facing Yon Rha with all the power to kill him, Katara realizes that although she can never forgive him, and she will always be angry about what he did, she does not want to sink to his level, especially for a man as "sad and pathetic" as he is. It is a defining moment that helps Katara realize who she is and who she wants to be. In the end, Katara forgives Zuko, but even he realizes that this scenario is not about earning forgiveness, but rather, a journey Katara had to venture on for closure.

3 Zuko Dives In Front Of Azula's Lightning To Save Katara

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 3, Episode 20, "Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno"

Zuko's character arc comes full circle in Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3, episode 20, "Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno," when he jumps in front of Azula's deadly lightning to save Katara. Although Zuko's most important moment occurs when he confronts Ozai, his redemption arc is not complete until he selflessly sacrifices himself for one of his newfound friends. Ideally, Aang or Katara is the perfect choice—Aang becomes Zuko's best friend, while Katara and Zuko endure several critical moments together, from the underground catacombs in Ba Singe Se to confronting Kya's killer.

Related

Zuko's History Makes His Avatar Story More Painful (And Better)

Zuko is one of the most complex and sympathetic villains-turned-heroes of all time, but one forgotten detail from his past makes him even more tragic.

Posts

Zuko's friendship with each member of Team Avatar is important, but Aang and Katara stand out. Since Aang has to defeat Ozai, it makes sense for Katara to accompany Zuko in defeating Azula. Although Katara defeats Azula on her own, she cannot until Zuko selflessly jumps in front of Azula's lightning to save Katara's life. It is a defining scene that illustrates Zuko's newfound selflessness. Zuko is the only hope for the Fire Nation's future, and he is willing to sacrifice it all to protect his friends. It demonstrates how far Zuko has come since the beginning of the show.