Avatar: The Last Airbender features an eclectic mix of powerful teams and factions, from the ragtag and spirited Freedom Fighters to the organized and militant Dai Li. The dynamic array of teams in ATLA are central to the show’s ability to captivate audiences. They provide a plethora of epic battle scenes throughout the show, including series highlights such as the White Lotus’ liberation of Ba Sing Se and Team Avatar’s final battle against Fire Lord Ozai.
The most formidable teams in ATLA are comprised of master benders, weapon experts, ingenious tacticians, or a combination of all three in some cases. They tend to have a unique blend of ingenuity, sternness, and raw power.
Huu, Due And Tho Of The Foggy Swamp Tribe
Huu, Due, and Tho are a trio of waterbenders from the Foggy Swamp Tribe, one of the three Water Tribes that exist within the ATLA universe. Having first appeared in “The Swamp”, Huu, in particular, displayed great ingenuity while fighting Team Avatar, by bending the water in vines to create a plant-based exoskeleton which proved difficult for the protagonists to defeat. The trio showed how formidable they could be during the Invasion of the Fire Nation on the Day of Black Sun, where a seaweed-clad Huu, along with Due and Tho, defeated many heavily-armored Fire Nation soldiers, playing a vital role in the invasion team.
The Rough Rhinos
The Rough Rhinos are an infamous band of Fire Nation mercenaries known for riding komodo rhinos into battle; each of its five specializes in a distinct type of weapon or combat style, first displayed against Team Avatar in “Avatar Day”. They are feared throughout the Four Nations, having developed a reputation for being callous and cruel, typified by Jet’s flashback in “Lake Laogai”, which depicted them burning down an innocent village, killing Jet’s entire family. The Rough Rhino’s combination of battle expertise and ruthlessness places them as one of the most formidable teams in ATLA.
The Freedom Fighters
The Freedom Fighters are a ragtag team of refugees led by Jet; their primary purpose is to cause as much trouble as possible for the Fire Nation. The Freedom Fighters demonstrate how fighting with spirit and cunning can make a team formidable, after helping Team Avatar defeat a group of Fire Nation Soldiers in "Jet".
However, after trying to flood a village full of innocent people, the disgraced Freedom Fighters essentially disbanded, with just Jet, Smellerbee, and Longshot sticking together and moving to Ba Sing Se. They ultimately redeemed themselves by helping Aang rescue Appa from the Dai Li, once again showing what a fearsome team they could be.
The Yuyan Archers
The Yuyan Archers are a legendary team of warriors that are immensely skilled with a bow and arrow. According to iral Zhao, they “can pin a fly to a tree from a hundred yards away without killing it”, a testimony to their deadly precision. The Yuyan Archers showcased their incredible teamwork and combat skills while pursuing and capturing the Avatar, a difficult task that they completed with ease. This impressive display of combat proficiency demonstrates why the Yuyan Archers are so revered within the Fire Nation ranks, positioning them as one of the most formidable teams in the ATLA universe.
The Kyoshi Warriors
The Kyoshi Warriors, named after Avatar Kyoshi, demonstrate how impressive a team they are from the outset by capturing Team Avatar during their first on-screen appearance. Led by the fearless and resourceful Suki, the Kyoshi Warriors are strong, skilled, and disciplined; their effective use of metal fans as weapons, combined with their unique fighting style, makes them an intimidating team. The Kyoshi Warriors prove their mettle at the end of “The Warriors of Kyoshi” by fending off an attack from Prince Zuko and his troops, doing so with great skill and aplomb.
The Dai Li
As the elite police force of Ba Sing Se, the Dai Li are necessarily well-drilled, intelligent, and immensely strong. Initially led by Long Feng and subsequently by Princess Azula, the Dai Li prove themselves to be powerful allies, albeit disloyal ones, with the person in charge of the Dai Li essentially controlling the entire city of Ba Sing Se. As a team of master earthbenders originally trained by Avatar Kyoshi herself, the Dai Li provide constant problems for Team Avatar throughout the show. Their inventive use of earth-based shoes and gloves augment their combat capabilities and make them one of the most formidable foes in ATLA.
The Day Of Black Sun Invasion Team
After failing to recruit the Earth Kingdom armies, Team Avatar was still keen to capitalize on the information gained from Wan Shi Tong’s Library and attack the Fire Nation on the Day of Black Sun. To do this, Team Avatar assembled a supergroup of their most powerful allies from across the world, featuring the likes of Hakoda, the Foggy Swamp waterbenders, and the mechanism.
Despite ultimately failing to defeat the Fire Lord and win the war, the invasion force fought with valor and posed a real threat to the Fire Nation, boasting a formidable team of master benders, submarines, armored tanks, and of course, the Avatar himself.
Azula's Team
Azula’s team was formed to apprehend Zuko and Iroh, with its later purpose to capture the Avatar as well. Comprised of firebending prodigy Azula, master markswoman Mai and chi-blocker Ty Lee, this elite trio were invincible, besting the Kyoshi Warriors, Team Avatar, and many others throughout the show. Having single-handedly captured the city of Ba Sing Se on behalf of the Fire Nation, Azula’s team appeared to be unbeatable; they utilized cunning, dexterity, and precision to complete any task that lay before them. However, despite their might, the team’s only significant flaw proved fatal for the trio, with Azula’s callousness driving Mai and Ty Lee to betray her.
The White Lotus
The White Lotus are a secretive ancient order that “transcends the divisions of Four Nations”. During the ATLA finale, Grand Lotus Iroh called the most powerful masters of the White Lotus together to liberate Ba Sing Se and help end the war. The of the White Lotus that responded to Iroh’s call, including the likes of Bumi, Piandao, Pakku, and Jeong Jeong, formed one of the most formidable teams in the history of the Four Nations. Their incredible strength was showcased during the liberation of Ba Sing Se, where they exhibited the very pinnacle of bending and weapon mastery.
Team Avatar
As the arbiters of peace and unity in the Four Nations, Team Avatar is undoubtedly the most formidable team in ATLA. Comprised of master benders from all four nations, as well as masters of weaponry and hand-to-hand combat, Team Avatar boasts the most comprehensive skillset out of any team. Fans had the privilege of watching the team develop their skills and master their crafts throughout the entire series, with their hard work paying off in the finale. With the perfect blend of spirit, ingenuity, and sheer power, Team Avatar defeated Fire Lord Ozai and the Fire Nation, ending the Hundred Year War and finally bringing peace to the Four Nations.