Between the classic Nickelodeon animated series and Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, we’ve seen Aang’s beloved journey on many occasions. Every time his story is told, there are a plethora of colorful side characters who help him along the way, and today we’re talking about 32 times said characters really came through to help Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph and/or Zuko, a.k.a. Team Avatar.
Suki Teaches Sokka The Ways Of The Kyoshi Warriors
When Sokka meets the Kyoshi Warriors his misogynistic beliefs are overwhelming. So, Suki decides to put him in his place. Not only does this lesson teach Sokka to respect women and their power, he also learns some valuable fighting skills.
The Sun Warriors Teach Aang And Zuko The Dance Of The Dragon
Zuko said he would teach Aang firebending, however, they both stumbled when the prince of the Royal Fire Nation family lost his mojo. It turns out, he was finding his power in rage, and when that wasn’t there anymore, he wasn’t sure how to harness it. So, he and Aang take a trip where they meet the Sun Warriors, who teach them that light and energy are more powerful than destruction and rage. This helps both boys on their journeys to master firebending.
Iroh Supports Zuko On His Mission To Find The Avatar
Iroh provided Zuko with great wisdom, firebending tips and the support he needed to survive after Fire Lord Ozai exiled him. Not only did the prince's uncle teach him how to be a better bender, but he also supported and loved him through this excruciating time in his life. Ultimately, all that adoration and care proved to make his nephew a great hero who helped the Avatar restore balance.
Pakku Realizes That Katara Is On Track To Be A Master Waterbender
After Katara almost beats Pakku in a battle, and after somewhat getting over his sexist assumptions about a woman’s ability to fight, the waterbending master finally accepts that his pupil is on track to be a great warrior. This encounter helped Katara really come into her power, and prove that yes, she is also a master waterbender.
Suki Comes In Clutch And Helps The Boys Get Out Of The Prison
Sokka and Zuko constructed a plan to break out Hakoda, Sokka’s dad, and Suki from the Boiling Rock, a high-security prison. When everything goes haywire, the Kyoshi Warrior really comes through as she helps capture the warden and secure the tram out of the compound.
Mai Turns Against Azula To Help Zuko
Even though Zuko did her dirty, Mai realizes that his mission is important, and what Azula is doing is wicked. So, when they meet at the Boiling Rock, Mai helps her ex by turning against the princess and helping the team get out of the prison safely.
Ty Lee Turns Against Azula To Help Mai
Not long after Mai turns against Azula and the princess tries to kill her, Ty Lee uses her knowledge of pressure points to stop the princess and save her friend.
Piandao Teaches Sokka To Be A Swordmaster
While Sokka’s charm, jokes and boomerang got him quite a ways, he really found his power after being under the tutelage of swordmaster Piandao. The member of Team Avatar learns more about himself as a leader and warrior through this too, and this new skill he develops proves to be invaluable.
Roku Teaches Aang About The Origins Of The War And His Friendship With Fire Lord Sozin
In one of the best episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender – “The Avatar and the Fire Lord” – Roku tells Aang the story of his friendship and history with Zuko’s great grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin. Sozin started the war, and as the Avatar learns the story of its origins, it helps him better understand how to bring balance back to the world and his predecessor.
Bumi Helps Aang Realize The Power Of Being Clever
While King Bumi’s tests for Aang seemed nonsensical, random and kind of cruel, they were actually helping the young Avatar learn. Ultimately these games Bumi plays with his friend taught him the power of being clever and thinking outside the box.
The Order Of The White Lotus Helps Take Back Ba Sing Se
When Sozin’s Comet arrives, Iroh and the members of The Order of the White Lotus use their power to help take back Ba Sing Se from the Fire Nation. We see all the iconic masters who helped Team Avatar along the way – including Iroh, Jeong Jeong, Bumi, Piandao and Pakku – as they help bring down the Fire Nation’s reign once and for all by taking back the Earth Kingdom’s capital.
Appa Flies The Team Literally Everywhere
Do you know who the real MVP of Avatar: The Last Airbender is? Aang’s Sky Bison Appa. That guy gets the gang everywhere they need to go, and without him, traversing the world would be significantly harder.
Iroh Teaches Zuko How To Redirect Lightning
Due to his time learning about other types of bending, Iroh is able to create a new technique that allows him to redirect lighting. He teaches this to his nephew, and ultimately, it helps save Zuko’s life.
The Mechanist Designs The Submarines For The Attack And Gives Aang A New Glider
Team Avatar’s allies get together for the Day of Black Sun attack, and The Mechanist comes with inventions to help take down the Fire Nation rather than help it. While the attack isn’t successful, the submarines he designed and Aang’s new glider prove to be invaluable.
Suki Tries To Help Get Appa Back To Aang
Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors find Appa after he gets lost, and they promise to help protect him. Even though they’re captured by Azula in the process, they’re able to help the Sky Bison heal.
Teo Helps Team Avatar Confront His Father, The Mechanist, About His Dealings With The Fire Nation
When Teo finds out his father is helping create weapons for the Fire Nation, he immediately wants to help Team Avatar. While he obviously loves his dad, he’s betrayed by this action, and he’s very driven by wanting to do the right thing to help restore balance.
Sokka’s Dad Hakoda Helps Him Get Through His Big Speech Before Battle
Right before Team Avatar goes into battle during the Day of Black Sun, Sokka gets up in front of them to try and give a speech. He gets a bit of stage fright, but his father, Hakoda, stands up to help him get through it, and then later encourages his son about how great a leader he is.
Princess Yue Sacrifices Herself To Save Aang And The Water Tribe
Arguably one of the most heroic moments in Avatar came when Princess Yue sacrificed herself to save the Moon Spirit. Not only did she help Aang survive, she also helped save her Water Tribe from the Fire Nation.
Monk Gyatso Helps Defend Aang From The Pressures Of Training To Be The Avatar
When the other nomads want Aang to start mastering elements immediately, Gyatso defends his pupil, saying he needed to have at least a semi-normal childhood. This helps Aang maintain his youthful energy, and the lessons the monk imparted to him stuck with him forever.
Gran Gran Sends Katara And Sokka Out Fishing
To put it simply, if Gran Gran hadn’t sent Katara and Sokka fishing, they never would have found Aang and Appa in that iceberg.
Guru Pathik Helps Aang Open His Chakras
One of Aang’s biggest hurdles is learning how to control the Avatar State, and Guru Pathik helps him do that. Based at the Eastern Air Temple, the Avatar travels to the Guru to get help, and while there the spiritual man teaches him about chakras, how to open them and balance himself. By doing that, Aang is able to control the Avatar State.
Roku Takes Over Aang’s Body To Help Him Escape Admiral Zhao
When Aang is stuck between a rock and a hard place at Roku’s temple, and Admiral Zhao is about to catch him and his friends, Avatar Roku takes over the young airbender’s body and helps him escape.
The Lion Turtle Emerges And Helps Aang Learn About Energybending
Before Aang takes on Fire Lord Ozai in one of Avatar: The Last Airbender’s best fights, he has to learn one more skill, energybending. The Avatar doesn’t want to kill Ozai, and one of the original benders, the Lion Turtle, emerges to teach him a skill that will help him defeat the Fire Lord by taking away his bending abilities rather than killing him.
June Helps Zuko Find Iroh
While June isn’t one to help without payment (I mean she is a bounty hunter of sorts), she did come through when Zuko asked her to help find Aang. When they couldn’t find the airbender, the prince asked if she could help locate his uncle instead. Ultimately, this led to the long-awaited reunion of Zuko and Iroh.
Suki Helps Team Avatar Get Through Serpent’s Pass
When Team Avatar decides to get to Ba Sing Se by going through Serpent’s Pass, they are reunited with Suki, and the Kyoshi Warrior helps them and the refugees safely pass through the deadly body of water.
Roku Teaches Aang About The Avatar State
As Aang was learning about being the Avatar, he learned who had the ability before him, Avatar Roku. He appeared as a spirit to help the young airbender learn about the power he has. Notably, he taught Aang about the Avatar State, which is a “defense mechanism, designed to empower you with the skill and knowledge of all the first Avatars.”
Iroh Forgives Zuko, And Helps Team Avatar
When the gang can’t find Aang in the final episode, Zuko decides to find Iroh instead. Once they find him, he immediately forgives his nephew, they share a tear-jerking hug, and the two both play integral roles in defeating the Fire Lord.
Bumi Teaches Aang About Neutral Jing, And He Instructs Him To Find An Earthbending Instructor Who Has It
Bumi reiterates to Aang that jing is “a choice of how you direct your energy,” and neutral jing is when you “do nothing.” According to the King of Omashu, neutral jing is the key to Earthbending and it’s all about patience and listening. He said Aang needs to find an Earthbender who has mastered this, and ultimately, that leads to the Avatar finding Toph.
The Earth King Believes Aang, And He Helps Prove Long Feng's Guilt
When the Fire Nation corrupts the Earth Kingdom’s capital and the King’s guard, the Dai Li, the gang tries to convince the Earth King that his palace is full of traitors. Eventually, he believes them, and he helps them prove the leader of the Dai Li, Long Feng, is guilty.
Fire Sage Shyu Helps Aang When He Visits Roku’s Temple, And He Helps Defend Him
Aang’s first visit to Roku’s temple is met with an unexpected challenge when he realizes that the Fire Sages, who are supposed to protect the temple, are more alligent to the Fire Lord than the Avatar. However, one Fire Sage, Shyu, hasn’t been corrupted yet, and he helps the young airbender connect with Roku and eventually escape the temple.
Iroh Gives Toph Some Very Good Advice
When Iroh and Toph meet each other on the road, Zuko’s uncle gives her advice that makes her realize she should return to Aang, Sokka and Katara. Not only is this great advice, but it also comes in handy later, because Toph knows the gang can trust Iroh.
The Boulder Gets Over His Rivalry With Toph And Agrees To Help Team Avatar
While Toph and The Boulder were opponents in the ring, during the Day of Black Sun, the fighter gets over his rivalry to help his fellow Earthbender.
Whether it's recurring beloved characters like Iroh, Suki and Appa or people we only see two or three times, like Bumi and Teo, all these folks help assist the Avatar, and we fell in love with them. Aang and his friends’ journey is so rich and educational, and that’s partly because of all these characters who helped them along the way.
