When Toph ran away from home to teach Aang earth bending, her father sent bounty hunters to bring her home. When Toph learned metal bending- Book 2, ep. It's extremely rare for a female villain to be so frightening and unapologetically powerful. At the end of the season, Azula conquers Ba Sing Se all by herself, a feat that every Firelord has failed to accomplish. With her two childhood besties, Mai and Ty Lee, Azula tracks the Avatar throughout Book 2. The Firelord's daughter -and Prince Zuko's baby sister- is a fire bending prodigy and force to be reckoned with. While the Firelord is technically the villain of The Last Airbender, I challenge you to find villain more ruthless and cunning than Azula. In a true moment of female solidarity, Katara gives Toph the affirmation she needs and tells Toph she's pretty. We love to see strong women build each other up! Toph and Katara use their bending to get their revenge, but later Toph feels insecure and starts to cry. Then some local Ba Sing Se girls tease Toph and make fun of her makeup. Katara and Toph indulge in a day of well-deserved spa time and are feeling confident with their makeovers. When Katara tells Toph she's pretty-Book 2, ep. In this scene, Toph saves Aang from seven prize-fighting benders and shows her father she isn't "helpless". Her parents have no idea what a powerful bender she is, and constantly baby her. Toph, also known as The Blind Bandit, can feel the vibrations of the earth and is always one step ahead of her opponents. 6Īfter watching an earth bending tournament, Aang finally finds the perfect teacher: a twelve-year-old blind girl. When Toph single-handedly saved the day- Book 2, ep. Yue's sacrifice is the incredibly selfless act of a true ruler. She becomes the moon, and the tribe is saved. Without the moon, the water benders are powerless against the Fire Nation so Princess Yue decides to give her life back to the moon spirit. When the Fire Nation attacks and destroys the moon spirit's physical form. Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe was born weak and sickly, but the moon spirit gave her life. When Princess Yue sacrificed herself for her tribe Once Master Pakku gives in, Katara masters both fighting and healing techniques. Katara challenges Master Pakku to a fight to prove to him that women can fight. 18Īfter finally making it to the North Pole, Katara is thrilled to start her training- until water bending Master Pakku informs her that women are only allowed to learn healing techniques. When Katara challenged Master Pakku- Book 1, ep. Sokka has to swallow his pride and ask the leader of the Kyoshi warriors, Suki, to teach him their fighting style. Sokka is shocked to later discover that their captors are trained, female warriors. On the way to the North Pole, Katara, her brother Sokka, and Aang make a pit stop on Kyoshi Island are captured by the fierce warriors that protect it. When Sokka trained with the Kyoshi Warriors- Book 1, ep. Katara teaches young women to take pride in themselves and nurture their talents. After meeting the Avatar Aang, Katara makes the tough decision to leave her family behind and travel across the world to learn from the masters in the North. Katara is able to teach herself a few tricks but hopes to one day bring this lost art back to her village. 1&2Īs the last bender in the South Pole, Katara has no one to train her in the ancient art of water bending. When Katara left home to master water bending- Book 1, ep. Whether you're watching for the first time- or the 100th time like me- these moments are sure to leave you feeling empowered. In addition to nations inspired by real cultures around the world and one super hot (no pun intended) fire-bending prince, Avatar offers some of the most complex female characters on TV. Over the past months, the show enjoyed a second life as the perfect quarantine binge-watch.Īs I was rewatching ATLA with my sister, I realized how much the strong female characters like Katara and Toph shaped me into the feminist I am today.
AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER BOOK 2 EP 1 SERIES
The show even won a Peabody award in 2008 for its "multi-dimensional characters, unusually complicated personal relationships for a cartoon serial, and a healthy respect for the consequences of warfare."Īfter Netflix added the classic series to their catalog, the show quickly climbed to the top of the most-watched list. It's got an uplifting plot, hilarious jokes, and a diverse cast. There's no denying that Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the greatest kids shows ever made.