Summary

The next Avatar will be an earthbender due to the Avatar cycle following fire-air-water-earth order.
The new Avatar may not have access to previous lives, similar to Korra's disconnect.
Physical appearance theory suggests the next Avatar could resemble Korra's love interest, Asami.

The Legend of Korra ushered in a new era for the universe's mythology, and it will be up to the next Avatar to know how to navigate the strange new world left to them by Avatar Korra. In the popular Nickelodeon series, "Avatar" is a title given to one human able to channel and bend all four elements (air, water, earth, and fire), bringing balance and peace to the world. While other benders are only capable of harnessing one element, the Avatar is unique and able to connect to all four due to access to the Avatar State.

Both Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend Of Korra are available to watch on Netflix.

There have been few details regarding what is to come of the franchise and its next chronological installment. Information on the Avatar after Korra continues to be scarce. However, looking to past Avatars, the creators of the property have left a handful of helpful hints. Looking at what is known of the few named Avatars - of which there are over six hundred - certain patterns begin to emerge, allowing fans to speculate about who Korra's successor as Avatar could be, and what they might be like.

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Earthbender Avatar

Wan learns Earthbending in The Legend of Korra

In the world of Avatar, there are four bending styles, each harnessing the power of one of the four elements. While Avatars are all capable of mastering all four bending arts with intense training, they are always associated with one primary element. Looking back to the last four Avatars before Korra, one might see that all four of the elemental bending styles are represented: Avatar Kuruk (345-312 Before Genocide or "BG") was primarily a waterbender; Avatar Kyoshi (312 BG-82 BG) was an earthbender; Avatar Roku was a firebender; and Avatar Aang, an airbender.

Of course, when considering that the most recent Avatar, Korra, is another waterbender, the pattern - referred to as the "Avatar Cycle" - begins to emerge. Each new Avatar's primary bending style goes in the order fire-air-water-earth before beginning anew. This means the next Avatar will be an earthbender.

The reason for this seemingly random ordering can be traced back to the very first Avatar, Wan. In ancient days preceding the Age of Avatar, the elementals' abilities were granted to human beings through the spiritual lionturtles, four of which carried entire cities on the backs of their shells. While still a young man, Wan (an inhabitant of the fire lionturtle's city) was granted the ability of firebending.

Sentenced to banishment by his people, Wan was able to keep his first bending ability, but after he accidentally set free the evil spirit Vaatu, he began visiting the other lionturtles, acquiring new abilities necessary for defeating him once and for all. And the order in which he acquired these elemental powers? Fire, air, water, and earth.

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Lost Past Lives

Aang in front of all of the past Avatars in an image from The Legend of Korra

In one of the entire series' most shocking and unsettling twists, near the end of The Legend of Korra's second season, a resuscitated Vaatu takes on Korra and Raava, a benevolent spirit merged with the Avatar host. After a series of brutal attacks, the dark spirit forcibly removes Raava from her Avatar host body and, as Vaatu's assault continues, Korra is severed from her past lives. Traumatized by the loss of her connection to previous Avatars, like Aang, Korra marks the first in a long line of Avatars completely on her own.

So, barring any developments that may have occurred in the intervening years between the end of The Legend of Korra and the reincarnation of a new Avatar, all future Avatars will not be able to connect to lives prior to Korra, perhaps making her the Wan of a new cycle. However, there is also evidence to suggest that the new Avatar may not even be able to connect to his or her predecessor. In a book released by Nickelodeon titled An Avatar's Chronicles, Korra and her friends give writing advice to the new Avatar after her.

I am sorry that you won't have the connection with me...

In one such letter, Korra writes, "While I know we can't let our failures define us, I am sorry that you won't have the connection with me, with Aang, and with all the lives you've lived before," seemingly indicating that she too will not be able to live on through the next Avatar. But with many of the rules within the Avatar mythology still a little up in the air, it is possible that the new Avatar will attempt to reintegrate all of the Avatar's past lives.

Physical Appearance

A pervasive theory exists pertaining to the next Avatar's physical appearance. Fans of both Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel series may notice that Korra shares similar physical features with Aang's friend and eventual love interest, Katara. Interestingly, when looking back to the previous Avatar, Roku, one may find that his wife Ta Min also looks familiar - her round face and softer features are reminiscent of Aang. While evidence is limited, it has been theorized that the next Avatar shares physical features with the preceding Avatar's great love.

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This theory is bolstered by both series' endings, which feature final shots of that series' Avatar, having saved the world, finally taking a bold new step with the person they love: Aang with Katara and Korra with Asami. So, considering this theory, the next Avatar (regardless of gender identity) should share some features with Asami, be it her dark hair, green eyes, skin tone, etc. With the emphasis the series places on love and the importance of light when confronting the powers of darkness, the idea of all Avatars being the amalgamation of their past self and their soulmate is certainly a resonant and poetically satisfying idea.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the future of the beloved series, there is canonical evidence about the identity of the next Avatar. If consistent with what is known from the universe's history and mythology, it is likely that the next Avatar will come from earthbending origins, have limited or no access to previous lives, and will bear some physical resemblance to Asami, Korra's partner.

Avatar fans may have a while to wait before this is all confirmed, of course, but with the reanimated fervor that came with both The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra's addition to the Netflix catalog alongside the live-action adaptation of The Last Airbender series, an answer is surely on the way.