r/legendofkorra • u/Ry90Ry • 13h ago
Discussion Did Aang fundamentally change by the end of ATLA in the way Korra did by the end of LoK?
I don’t think so. granted it’s been a min since I’ve rewatched ATLA but recently saw the new m**** and rewatched LoK and like
Korra is a fundamentally different and grown character at the end of season 4. that is not the same girl we started the series with. she approaches life, her duty, and the world from a drastically different place by book 4/post series vs book 1
she confronted things that broke her; her spiritual inabilities, losing her physical prowess (twice!), choosing to turn away from the support she had in her life then reembracing them
aangs fundamental conflict was embracing his avatar duty and ending the fire lord. Now i get he accomplished his goals but it’s in the how that sticks out vs Korra. He arguably didn’t HAVE to make his tough choice; compromise on his morals to achieve his goals. the lion turtles gave him a way out; a plan c. and I think because of that he is not as much a different or changed avatar by the end of his arc but simply a more well rounded and developed version of the same kid in book 1. I don’t think his approach to conflict or his duties really changed…..and I think the m*v** indicates as much
TLDR; Korra had an arc that fundamentally changed her and her approach to the world along w her duties and I don’t think Aang did.
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u/BahamutLithp 12h ago
No, I don't think he did. I think Last Airbender basically tricked people into thinking the characters are way more developed than they actually are because:
It sprinkles small amounts of development across the show so it looks, in broad strokes, like a much bigger arc.
People tend to assume characters they like more must be "better written" &/or "have more development."
People tend to conflate growth in abilities with growth in character; though it's a useful writing tool to pair them so that the former give a tangible payoff to the latter while the latter make the former feel earned, they can appear separately just fine. Like when Aang mastered the waterbending scroll techniques on his first try, he wasn't growing as a person from that shit.
Aang's arc is really only a handful of episodes. Korra's dominates the show, which might explain why some people insist she "never learns." From Airbender, only Zuko really gets that same level of development.
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u/Arrokaang 9h ago
I have been thinking about this recently too. Aang learned waterbending without any character growth. But in case of earth bending, he needed to face his problems head on. But what frustrates me in this is the show acts like Aang didn't show that characteristic before that. Aang faced Zuko head on in the very 2nd episode, he was the one who literally run towards the lava when others wanted to run away, In the episode Northern Air temple Aang came out of hiding and confronted the fire nation general and told him to get off his air temple. Aang had already faced many of his problems head on before that. Aang shutting himself off from firebending after accidentally hurt Katara was also felt uncharacteristic of Aang. He didn't even had any grudge or discontent towards fire nation for air nomads genocide but somehow he blamed firebending and shut himself out of it instead recognising his own carelessness.
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u/Sonicrules9001 6h ago
Earth bending was about Aang being able to stand his ground. Before this point, Aang was a far more passive character who went with what others decided for him and even when he did speak up, he often backed down later. Aang of Book 1 and early Book 2 was the type willing to let himself be walked all over by others but by the end of Book 2, he is calling the shots and has that authority that he needed to be the Avatar. Book 1 Aang never would have walked up to a general and said 'I'm the Avatar, take me to who's in charge!' but he did in Book 2.
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u/Arrokaang 2h ago
In "Avatar returns" episode he stood his ground against Zuko, even he surrendered on his own terms not on Zuko. In "Northern air temple" episode he was the one who told the fire nation general that the deal was off. He was the one who encouraged them to fight against the fire nation soldiers. In "Return to Omashu" episode every decision was made only by Aang. In Avatar day episode he made his decision to surrender and clear his name against Sokka's decision. Aang had made his own decisions and also had followed other's decisions before he could earth bend. That dynamic didn't change afterwards too.
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u/Sonicrules9001 2h ago
It literally did. He was more willing to stand up for himself afterwards and more willing to accept his role as the Avatar. I don't know why we need to pretend Aang has no character growth to prop up Korra when Korra's growth is cool enough on its own and can be highlighted without shit flinging.
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u/Ok_Philosopher_9176 9h ago
I feel like most people are able to separate their favorite characters from who's better written or better developed. Like Aang is one of my favorites, and imo I think he's a little better written than korra (not by a substantial margin tho) but I could go either way on that, if you said he's not I could see why.
But even a blind person should be able to see korra has more development than aang, especially in her later seasons
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u/PCN24454 11h ago
I mean part of why people conflate character growth with power growth is that in fiction, those lessons are often intertwined.
Earth in particular was about Aang leaving his comfort zone while Fire was about trusting himself after his constant failures.
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u/Invite-Healthy 11h ago edited 11h ago
Hate to break it to you but the characters in ATLA are, overall, far better written. Also, Sokka gets a ton of characterization and development too, with even Katara and Toph getting some nice moments.
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u/Ibrahim77X 13h ago
Loaded as fuck question
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u/Ry90Ry 13h ago
Especially when some could argue what Aang did to Ozai identity was comparable to what Amon, Unulaq, Zaheer all did to Korra
Granted Ozai deserved it imo vs Korra being a victim but like Aang did “kill” The fire lord in a sense but didn’t actually feel the weight of it imo bc of his get out of jail feee card of stripping his bending
And bc of that I think it hurt his arc
(Again not sure if he ever talked to Ozai in the comics or what ev)
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u/PCN24454 13h ago
Nah, the only reason he was able to strip Ozai’s bending is because of his journey. The main theme of the franchise is balancing the old with the new.
Aang was the Avatar, but he was also still Aang. Both of those sides were important.
Aang is the only person to remember what the Fire Nation used to be before imperialism really took root. That’s why he never developed a grudge against the Fire Nation for the destruction of the Air Nomads. He was the only one to remember that they were still people.
Aang had been forced to give up a lot of things during his time as the Avatar: his friends, his home, his heirlooms. His religion was literally the last thing he hadn’t given up. If he did, he wouldn’t have been Aang anymore.
But his Earthbending training taught him that there were times when he had to put his foot down and defend himself. That’s why he chose to spare Ozai in the end. This is reinforced by him using Seismic Sense, a technique that born from his opposite element.
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u/Ibrahim77X 12h ago
Taking away Ozai’s bending is the same as killing him? Huh?
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u/Ry90Ry 7h ago
It prob killed his soul in a way no?
it does strip him of his identity
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u/Ibrahim77X 5h ago
I don't that's enough to consider those two things equivalent
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u/Ry90Ry 5h ago
¯_(ツ)_/¯ let’s talk to Ozai about it lol
Korra may have contemplated killing herself off that cliff at the end of book one (given the tear falling of the edge shot)
Removing their bending is taking away part of their personhood fundamentally no? U can kill a spirit and not kill a body
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u/mrsunrider LET GO YOUR EARTHLY TETHER 11h ago
I think so.
I would say the thesis of Aang's challenge was most visible in books 2 and 3; he's spent his life yielding and to be the person the world needed he needed to learn to be unyielding when it mattered most. He took a step into that role when finally cracking earthbending (pun intended) and then again when refusing the advice of his past lives.
I'd say their arcs aren't symmetrical but they do mirror each other: Aang had to learn resolve while Korra needed to learn fluidity.
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u/Misfit_Number_Kei VP of Future Industries 11h ago
You answered your own question.
What left a bad taste in my mouth when AtLA ended was that Aang ultimately had everything handed to him on a silver platter without really earning or sacrificing anything.
Lion-Turtle solves the (suddenly discussed) issue of what to do with Ozai by giving him a convenient power that requires zero training or anything like the elements.
Avatar State is suddenly fixed by a stone to the spine and Aang simply Shonens his way into controlling it, also requiring zero training.
And he gets the girl despite the initial random bullshit from the guru saying he had to and then the third book's narrative basically saying, "Nah, nevermind, Avatars can have love interests, hell Roku is Zuko's ancestor!"
Considering how Book 2 showed Book 1's ending went to Korra's head for not really earning those gifts and Book 4 showed how brutally slow and arduous Korra's recovery was, alone, I feel like the writers realized they spoiled Aang and (after at least Book 1,) didn't want to repeat the same mistakes with Korra and it makes a world of difference in her character and the feeling of accomplishment when she defeats Kuvira vs. how Aang took down Ozai.
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u/PCN24454 11h ago
For all people like to criticize Korra being arrogant, she honestly didn’t do anything wrong in Book 2.
If anything, people were more complaining about how she didn’t follow orders like a good tool.
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u/PCN24454 11h ago
Energybending is the basis for the four bending styles. Literally everything up to that point was training him for Energy. For more specific examples, Huu’s lesson on spirits and philosophy helps explain how it works. Same with his time with the Guru.
The foreshadowed the rock is the Book 3 premiere when Katara was healing Aang. Aang got flashes of the Avatar State when she tried to. Aang was always ready by that point. He just needed one last push.
The Guru’s way was always a shortcut because he was crunched for time. Once he mastered all four elements, he was always going to control the Avatar State.
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u/PCN24454 13h ago
Old Aang would’ve ran away at the very thought of fighting Ozai. It would’ve led to the Avatar State controlling him to kill Ozai.
The fact that he was able to control the Avatar State in the end was proof that he’d changed.
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u/Ry90Ry 13h ago
Good point! I do see that growth in him about being a scaredy cat but like……..didn’t Korra pretty much do all that in book 1 w the Amon confrontation and crying in tenzins arms about how scared she was?
She was back out in those streets going up against Amon days later, no?
plus she even confronted zaheer post the poisoning…..not sure if Aang ever spoke w Ozai again post removing of his bending…..
But I guess some could argue that was “killing” or violating Ozai in some way like Amon, Unalaq, Zaheer stripped Korra of her identity forcibly
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u/vizmarkk 13h ago
Its less about being a scared cat and more facing his own responsibilities
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u/_Cromwell_ 13h ago
Somebody the other day in a completely different thread said that ATLA is a story about a person learning to become the Avatar and LOK is a story about an Avatar learning to become a person.
Not implying she wasn't a person or anything at the beginning, just that those were the separate distinct journeys. I think the difference in how Aang would have reacted to Ozai in season 1 vs the final illustrate that a bit
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u/vizmarkk 13h ago
I understand where they're coming from. Korra was so focused on being the avatar that she needed to, like Zuko in a way (which makes the idea of her having an "Alone" episode even more appropriate) to understand who she as a person is besides being the avatar. Its wh in Aang's ending he accept his role and responsibilities as the Avatar while Korra finally gets to simply be herself and just go on a fun field trip with her newfound love.
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u/Ry90Ry 13h ago
hmmmm but wouldn’t that difference in aang season 1 vs 3 simply be how confident and his readiness to confront him?
His approach or choice didn't change right? Just his demeanor and sense of obligation. He knew going in he didn’t have to make the choice to kill to achieve his goals. he kinda sidestepped it….which I guess is v air bender of him lol
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u/vizmarkk 13h ago
To me korra was more about growing out of her idea of what being the avatar is meant to be like. Villains and conflicts are more complex, and Korra who romanticize what being an avatar was like, traveling the world and kicking butt, has to accept the world change and as such her views of what the avatar should do also changed. It was a difficult hurdle when at the end of book 3, while tenzin didn't intend to come off as such, she felt that the world no longer needed an avatar which is what she wanted her whole life. I like to think her journey is the realization of how her role as the avatar is not like the simple fantasy she thought of before and to understand the complexities of the new world that has shaped around her.
But this is just my interpretation of it
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u/Invite-Healthy 11h ago
I think he did. The core part of his development was around taking responsibility for the past and to stop running. Even though the energy bending prevents him from needing to sacrifice his morals, we see a clear shift from how he runs away several times from his duties and responsibility to how he faces Ozai. Not only does he stand up to Ozai, but he remains in control of himself, like when he is presented with a clear opportunity to redirect lightning back at Ozai but doesn’t take it.
Korra went through a lot too, but I think it’s hard to compare something like dealing with trauma to changing in ways not directly involving personal trauma. We tend to associate more bad stuff happening to you has being indicative of more change.
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u/Sonicrules9001 6h ago
Aang changed but in more subtle ways because his story wasn't about him needing to change but rather, him bringing change to the world whereas Korra's story was far more about her filling the role of Avatar and living up to the impossible expectations that come with being the Avatar after the one who stopped a hundred year war and brought newfound peace to the world.
Aang's change was about accepting that he needed to be the one to make the change while Korra's change was about accepting that she needs to change to be the Avatar needed for her world. That's the reason that Korra looks so much different by the end, she needed to make a bigger change since her personality was more in conflict with her duties.
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u/Emergency_Cry_1269 4h ago
Aang does grow but not as fundamentally as Korra does. By the end of Atla, Aang is still an air nomad monk who believes in balance and peace, he does not sacrifice his values to achieve peace. He spares the life of Ozai despite his many past lives and freinds around him suggesting otherwise. He grows, by learning and respecting other cultures to better learn how to water/earth/fire bend, but he is never held back for not grasping one of them the same way Korra struggled with Air.
Korra on the other hand goes through small amounts of growth each season, but the growth between each season is bigger. While Alta takes place over the timespan within a single year, LoK takes place over several years. I think if it were just the first 3 seasons her growth is not really anything unexpected, but the growth and whole arc she goes through from the end of S3 and throughout S4 is big.
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u/Accomplished-Exit-58 12h ago
A reaction video youtuber said it well , Aang is a static character.
But watching the leak movie, he has some korra-ish S1/S2 similarity, his stubborness in trusting Taga, this is what fans are hating about Korra when he trusted unalaq, but silent when Aang did it and again got himself killed.
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u/Ok_Philosopher_9176 9h ago
While Korra definitely did fundamentally change more than aang, he also still changed
Even from the first episodes he changed fundamentally as a person, going from a kid refusing his destiny to accepting his duty as the avatar (this develops more as the series goes on, but it starts after the first 2 episodes). And it goes from there.
In book 2 he learns that as the avatar he sometimes must be confrontational and cant always go the nomad route of "no violence" (not counting his refusal to take a life). Imo this is a majority of where his development takes place, as it's one of the best representations of him rising into his role as the avatar
Another comment said it best. While Korra had to learn to be more fluid, Aang had to learn more resolve
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u/GabbyGabriella22 11h ago
Personally, I do agree that Korra is a more interesting protagonist than Aang. I love how much she grows and changes as a character from the beginning of the show to the end.
Now, Aang did change a lot during the course of ATLA. By the end of the series, he took things a little more seriously, he learned to accept his responsibility as the Avatar, and he ultimately confronted his destiny by defeating the Fire Lord. But I do agree that Korra's arc is more interesting than Aang's. Her's feels more dynamic, like she more radically changed as a person by the end.