Who is the Avatar?

The Avatar is a person who acts as the link between humans and the spirit world, and who also works towards maintaining peace and balance. They can bend all four elements, pertaining to water, earth, fire, and air, whereas, all other benders can only bend one.

The Avatar is fused with the spirit of light, known as Raava, who gives them great power. This power is passed down through each reincarnation of the Avatar, see The Avatar Cycle, which manifests through the Avatar State, see The Avatar State.

The Avatar Cycle

The Avatar Cycle is the reincarnation cycle of the Avatar. After each Avatar dies, the next Avatar is reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle, which can be seen in Figure 1 below. For instance, in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar Aang was born into the nation of the Air Nomads because the previous Avatar, Roku, was born into the Fire Nation; therefore, the next Avatar after Aang will be born into the Water Tribe.

Figure 1. shows the order of the Avatar cycle. Note. Image created using Photopea and Canva.

The Avatar State

The Avatar State is the state in which the Avatar is most powerful, combining all of the lessons, skills, and techniques each of them acquired in their past lives. In this state, the Avatar has enough power to perform the greatest bending techniques ever thought possible.

Not only is the Avatar’s power immensely increased in this state, but their appearance changes as well. They can morph into looking like one of their past lives, as Aang did with Avatar Kyoshi in Book Two: Earth in the episode titled “The Avatar State,” but most often remain looking like their current selves with glowing eyes, and if an Air Nomad, glowing arrow tattoos.

Nonetheless, there is one major risk in using this power, breaking the cycle. If the Avatar were to die while in the Avatar State, the cycle would be broken and the Avatar would exist no more.

The Avatar’s Origins

Although the Avatar’s origins are not explored until the Avatar: The Last Airbender sequel, The Legend of Korra, more information can be found by clicking here.