Summary
- Aang and Katara had a deep and complex relationship that had a significant impact on his journey as the Avatar.
- Aang and Katara's romance had its challenges, including love, jealousy, and the pressure of saving the world.
- Aang and Katara's children played a vital role in continuing the legacy of airbending and maintaining balance in the world.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is a treasured animation with a dedicated fanbase that sees main characters Aang and Katara end up together. The animated series followed the journey of Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Zuko. Their adventure across the four elemental nations has inspired and fascinated fans across the world. Spawning several comics, a sequel series, and a questionable live-action movie, the series is a staple of animated television. While the journey was the best part, fans were also attached to the relationships that the characters formed.
The Avatar fandom has an entire subset fascinated with the different couples. One popular romantic relationship is the one between Katara and Aang. The young Avatar is smitten from the first time he sees her. When it comes to Katara, she eventually grows to love the fun-loving, determined hero, too. Their relationship is vital to Aang's journey. However, the romance didn't have much screen time. Instead, most of their story focuses on their friendship. The romance is largely off-screen. Because of that, sometimes the more interesting facts about Aang and Katara's relationship fall by the wayside.
Netflix's Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Has 1 Huge Advantage Over The Original ATLA
Netflix's live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender has one huge advantage over the original ATLA animated series that it needs to use.Aang And Katara Had Three Children
Baby Boom in the Avatar World!
When Katara and Aang became adults, they married and had three dynamic children.
When Katara and Aang became adults, they married and had three dynamic children. Their first born, Bumi, was a firecracker with no bending powers. Their second child, Kya, was born a waterbender with a fierce heart, much like her mother. Third, and finally, they had airbender Tenzin.
Though Aang didn't get to spend nearly as much time with his two eldest children, he was dearly devoted to his entire family. All of his children think of him fondly and always want to make him proud. Aang left an impressive legacy, but the wisdom and kindness that he imparted on his children was equally impressive.
Aang Wasn't Katara's First Boyfriend
First Crush or Destiny?
Early in their journey through the Earth Kingdom, Team Avatar ran into several villages that were enslaved or ravaged by the Fire Nation. One of their most notable encounters was with the Freedom Fighters, a group of orphans who banded together to fight back against the Fire Nation soldiers. Their leader was the suave, unmovable Jet. Katara instantly had a crush on him.
The feeling was mutual, and the two eventually shared a kiss. However, their relationship dissolved when Team Avatar discovered that Jet's tactics were brutal. He hurt civilians and soldiers alike. The group changed their ways after encountering Team Avatar, but Jet and Katara were never romantically involved afterward.
Katara Trained Two Avatars In Waterbending
The Legacy of Katara
Katara took quickly to waterbending. Before they found a master, she taught Aang. While they were on the road and Aang was trying to learn different forms of bending, she decided to personally train with him to hone his skills.
After Aang's passing, Katara became the new Avatar's waterbending teacher. She and Korra spent many hours together mastering the techniques. She's the only known waterbender to be the main bending tutor of two different Avatars, as Toph also taught both Avatars. She taught Korra metalbending, though, as Korra already knew how to earthbend.
Their Love Risked Aang's Ties To The Avatar State
Forbidden Romance?
Connecting to the Avatar State is a very complicated process. After a brush with the Fire Nation at his old Air Temple, Aang sought guidance. Guru Pathik agreed to help him, but Aang struggled to open the seventh chakra that would make him one with the Avatar State. After all, it required him to disconnect from all worldly binds, which meant giving up on his feelings for Katara.
Aang refused, but the guru warned that this might ruin his connection to the Avatar State forever. Despite this warning, though, Aang risked his Avatar role by leaving the seventh chakra closed.
Aang Loved Katara From The Moment They Met
Childhood Sweethearts & More
Katara changed the world when she found a boy trapped in an iceberg. Freeing him released the Avatar back into their universe. It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for her.
However, Aang felt differently about the experience. Instead of realizing the impact of the moment, he immediately fell in love with the girl who saved him. She was hopeful, powerful, and kind. From then on, Aang's crush only grew as he got to know more and more about Katara. Though Katara wasn't initially interested in him romantically at first, eventually she also developed strong feelings for Aang.
Aang And Katara First Kissed When He Was Only 12
A Shocking First Kiss: Aang & Katara's Young Love
The entirety of Avatar: The Last Airbender happened while Aang was twelve years old. Throughout that year, he learned how to bend all four elements well enough to fight the Fire Lord. He also made several powerful friends, one of which was the girl he went on to marry, Katara.
Katara had conflicting feelings for Aang, while he felt his own emotions bubbling over.
Near the end of the series, emotions ran high for both of the young teens. Katara had conflicting feelings for Aang, while he felt his own emotions bubbling over. This eventually led to the two kissing several times, trying to figure out how they feel and what they want. The show later ended with the two sharing a passionate kiss. He may have only been twelve, but Aang knew what he wanted.
A Fortune Teller Predicted Aang And Katara's Love
Aang & Katara's Predictable Destiny
In episode 14 of the series, "The Fortuneteller", the gang visited a city that relied on the word of an elderly psychic. They decided to seek out the psychic for guidance. Aang asked about his love prospects and, while initially disappointed, was given some hope. Katara, similarly, was told that she would have a great romance with a powerful bender.
Though the fortuneteller ended up being a fake, her prophecies did foreshadow Aang and Katara's relationship. When Aang used his bending to save the village from an erupting volcano, Sokka remarked that he's a powerful bender. When she heard that comment, Katara suddenly had a comprehensive look on her face. It seemed like the psychic wasn't wrong about everything.
Aang and Katara Are Both Great Dancers
Dancing Duo: Aang & Katara's Hidden Talent
During their travels throughout the Fire Nation, Team Avatar ran into a lot of interesting people and were put in some intense situations. One of the oddest, and most fun for the audience, was the Footloose situation in the episode "The Headband". The students there are rigidly taught pro-Fire Nation propaganda and aren't allowed to have too much fun.
In response, the fun-loving Aang set up a secret dance in a local cave and started teaching the local kids how to dance. After showing off a bit with some secret airbending tactics, he invited Katara to the floor. Her own athleticism and flowing waterbending style, mixed with his airbender boosts, made them the best dancers there... until the party eventually was found out.
Aang Was On Good Terms With All Of Katara's Family
Almost There!
Aang and Katara didn't officially get together until the end of the series, but the young Avatar was already in good standing long before then. Not only was he one of her closest friends, but he was also close with her family. Before they left the South Pole, her Gran-Gran accepted him and wished them well.
Similarly, when they found Sokka and Katara's father, both he and Aang got along well and worked together to stop the Fire Lord. The best example, though, was Katara's brother Sokka. Sokka and Aang were close friends, and it was obvious that Sokka had known about Aang's crush for a long time. He may have found it disgusting when they kissed, but he supported his sister and friend.
Aang And Katara Almost Kissed In "The Cave Of Two Lovers"
Almost There! Aang & Katara's Missed Moment
"The Cave Of Two Lovers" is a fun episode, but also a terrible one for a lot of fans. It gave Katara and Aang time to explore their feelings for each other, but it also included characters from the Earth Kingdom that a lot of fans don't love. It's a bit of a mixed bag, which might be why the episode was switched up in the live-action version of the show.
The live-action version of the series is available to stream on Netflix.
As legend goes, the Cave of Two Lovers was the meeting place for a couple driven apart by warring villages. They met in the caves in secret, letting their love light their way. However, to the average eye, the cave was dank and dark. When their torches started going out, Katara and Aang wondered if a kiss was what fueled the light. However, before their lips could touch, their torch went out and the luminescent rocks in the walls revealed themselves.
How Avatar: The Last Airbender's Live-Action Cast Looks Compared To Animated Characters
Since Netflix announced the show, fans have wondered how Avatar: The Last Airbender's live-action cast looks compared to their animated counterparts.Loving Aang Scared Katara
Love & Fear
Near the end of Book Three: Fire, Team Avatar and their allies were mounting a counter-strike against the warmongering Fire Nation. As tensions rose, so did other emotions. Aang was sure of himself: he loved Katara. However, she struggled with her emotions and thus wasn't sure how she really felt about him.
She had feelings for him, but he was about to go into a battle that they didn't know if he was ready for. It was hard to accept her romantic feelings for someone who she might lose the next day. It wasn't until after Fire Lord Ozai was defeated and Aang returned to her that she realized that she did love him.
Aang And Katara Call Each Other "Sweetie"
Aang & Katara's Adorable Nicknames
When Avatar: The Last Airbender ended, the creators commissioned a few graphic novels to wrap up a few loose ends. These novels included the mystery of Zuko's mother and the aftermath of Fire Nation occupation. In both, Aang and Katara were finally an official couple, with pet names and all. In fact, the two had quickly taken to calling each other "sweetie."
Some fans and characters weren't too happy about this, however. Sokka, in particular, said that this kind of affection gave him "the oogies." Though the pet name wasn't a huge hit, it was nice to see the heroes of the story being happy together after all of the hardships that they had endured.
Katara Saved Aang And The Avatar Cycle
How Katara Preserved the Avatar Cycle
When Aang got trapped in the iceberg, he put the Avatar Cycle in jeopardy. After all, if he stayed in that ice forever, the Avatar Cycle would have ended with him, since he had to pass away before a new Avatar could be born. The world would have lost all of that knowledge, power, and the deep connection to the spirit world.
Katara was the one who broke him out of the ice and, in turn, saved the Avatar Cycle. Though her waterbending powers were new and scary to her at the time, she saved the world by setting him free. Without him, it would have been harder, if not impossible, to bring the nations together and stop the Fire Nation takeover.
Tenzin Was Aang And Katara's Only Child Born An Airbender
The Mystery of Tenzin's Siblings
The Harmony Restoration Movement brought up a lot of issues for Katara and Aang. They struggled with what mixed heritage would mean for their children, and what it would mean for Aang's last airbender status. After all, if he had no airbending children, that form of bending would disappear with him.
However, the two decided to stay together anyway. Lucky for them, their third child, Tenzin, was an airbender and could therefore pass on the genes. He became a master, leader, and father of his own airbending brood and preserved the rare bending style. When the Harmonic Convergence happened in Legend of Korra, new airbenders thankfully had a great master to teach them.
Aang And Katara Both Had Jealousy Issues
Aang & Katara's Insecurities Revealed
Since Katara and Aang were very young when they started falling in love with one another, they were understandably immature. Because of this, they would easily become jealous. Aang was extremely jealous of Katara's time spent with Jet and Zuko. Out of the pair, he was the most actively jealous one.
However, Katara also had her moments. Katara was envious of On Ji when Aang taught her how to dance. She was also jealous when an airbending fan club dedicated to Aang was formed. Young love can be volatile, and jealousy can be ugly, but at least the pair seemed to grow out of it. After all, they were only young pre-teens when they first got together.
Katara Never Taught Aang Bloodbending
Katara's Waterbending Rules
While waterbending may seem like it's one of the most peaceful forms of bending, it has its darker side. One form of waterbending is bloodbending, which is the art of using the water in a person's veins to control them.
Initially, Katara was thrilled to meet a powerful waterbender named Hama in the Fire Nation. However, the more she learned, the darker things became. Eventually, the group learned that Hama used her bloodbending to hurt innocent Fire Nation civilians. Though Katara could use the power, she did not pass it along to Aang. As far as fans know, she kept the dark, manipulative technique to herself. After all, every time she watched people use it, all it caused was pain.
Aang And Katara's Children's Names Had Important Meanings
The Hidden Meanings Behind Aang & Katara's Kids
When it came to their kids, Aang and Katara gave them names that meant a lot to them. Their first son was named after Aang's childhood best friend and Earth King, Bumi. They named their daughter Kya, after Katara's lost mother. After that, they named their last son Tenzin. While there was no specific character who shared the same name, Monk Gyatso was named after a real, famous monk, and that real monk's first name was Tenzin.
For such high-profile children, Aang and Katara certainly gave their kids names with significant legacies. Each child surpassed those expectations and more, as they all became great leaders and masters, sharing their parents' legacy with the world.
Katara Was The Only Person Able To Calm Aang Out Of The Avatar State
The Power to Calm the Storm
Because of his young age and his inexperience, Aang struggled with going in and out of the Avatar State. He even found the Avatar State hard to control at times. Over the years, though, he grew and learned, becoming more skilled with the state. However, whenever he was out of control in the Avatar State, Katara seemed to be the only person who was able to calm him down.
For example, when he found out that the Air Temples were desolated and that his pseudo-father, Gyatso, was gone, he transformed into the Avatar State unconsciously. With the Fire Nation hot on their tails, it was only Katara's kindness and bravery that was able to calm him down and save him from himself.
Aang And Katara Had Their Own Theme Song
Aang & Katara's Secret Soundtrack
On Avatar: The Last Airbender's soundtrack, there is a song called "The Avatar's Love". The entire song can also be heard at the end of the series, when Aang and Katara kiss. However, bits and pieces of it are also played throughout the series, whenever the pair has a romantic moment. One of the most iconic examples of this is the moment that the two shared together in "The Cave Of Two Lovers".
Though the show had a lot of hopeful pairings, it's clear from this song alone that the writers always meant for Katara and Aang to end up together.
Katara Healed Aang Mentally And Physically
Katara's Healing Touch on Aang's Soul
As a master waterbender, Katara was skilled in a breadth of water techniques. One of the most useful techniques throughout the series was her healing skills. Whenever Team Avatar was injured during a fight, she would patch them up. She was even able to save Aang from a devastating lightning attack that could have easily taken his life.
However, her physical healing wasn't the only thing that was useful to Aang. Her emotional support and kindness also helped to keep him level-headed in any impossible situation. After all, he was just a twelve-year-old fighting a Fire Lord, regardless of his Avatar status. She helped him keep it together, healing his mind and body.
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Katara's 10 Best Episodes
Katara is one of the best characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender, and she certainly has many great episodes to prove it.Aang And Katara Rekindled The Art Of Airbending
Aang & Katara's Legacy of Rebuilding
When the Fire Nation invasion was stopped, the world was once again a safe place. However, that didn't change the fact that they had decimated the Air Temples and made Aang the only remaining airbender left alive.
Thankfully, the birth of Aang and Katara's son, Tenzin, changed all of that. After being the only airbender for so long, Aang now had a fellow airbender to teach his knowledge to. All he had to do was train him. Tenzin and Aang spent a lot of time together honing his skills, ensuring that Tenzin could lead the next generation of airbenders. If they didn't have Tenzin, the art of traditional airbending would have ended with Aang.
Katara Always Believed In Aang
Katara, Aang's Constant Believer
Since she grew up in the Fire Nation blockaded South Pole, all Katara had ever known was oppression. She was raised on the hopeful stories of the Avatar, but like everyone else, she was discouraged by the fact that an Avatar hadn't been around for years. When she found Aang in the iceberg and realized that he was someone who could change her world for the better, from that moment onward, she believed in his ability to make things better.
No matter what happened to them throughout their travels, Katara continued to support and trust the young Avatar. Despite his age and size, she never underestimated him. This helped to develop their bond and eventually led them to fall in love.
Aang Never Met His Grandchildren
The Grandchildren He Never Met
According to the series, whenever the Avatar passes on, the new Avatar is born. Throughout his life, Avatar Aang accomplished a lot. However, he never got to meet his own grandchildren. After all, Korra was 16 years old when fans met her in Legend of Korra, and Jinora, Tenzin's eldest child, is only about 10. This means that Aang never got to experience the joys of being a grandparent -- particularly, the grandparent of four boisterous airbenders.
Aang would have loved his grandchildren and would have happily taken part in their whimsical antics. He definitely would have air-scootered around with them. However, he unfortunately never got the chance. Instead, Korra got to know them in his absence.
Katara Stopped Aang From Destroying Zuko
Katara's Intervention Saves Zuko's Life
After the Fire Nation was stopped, Zuko took over from his father. In the aftermath, he and Aang tried to work together to remove the Fire Nation occupation in other lands, particularly in the Earth Kingdom. However, this wasn't as easy as they thought. Certain villages had been there so long that they had blended Fire and Earth traditions.
Because of this, nations were disagreeing and clashing all over again. Zuko refused to destroy the blended villages, while the Earth Kingdom wanted to peacefully remove all Fire Nation infrastructure. In the conflict, Aang almost destroyed Zuko. However, Katara stopped him from hurting his friend and kept the peace.
Aang And Katara Nearly Broke Up During The Harmony Restoration Movement
Aang & Katara Face Relationship Challenges
The Harmony Restoration movement caused a lot of trouble. It threatened not only well-established, blended villages but also world peace.
Katara and Aang also almost broke up because of the conflict. Being two benders from two different nations, they worried about their compatibility and how it would affect their children. They also worried about the future of the airbenders if they stayed together. The two went through a lot of emotional turmoil, but eventually, they decided to stay together.
Katara Could Have Ended Up With Zuko Instead
Katara and Zuko is called "Zutara" among fans.
Fandoms can be contentious when it comes to relationships among the main characters, and that’s certainly the case when it comes to fans who might prefer Katara with Zuko, or fans who prefer Katara with Aang. Fans who think Katara and Zuko would have made a good couple as they got older, however, aren’t alone.
The idea of Katara and Zuko forming a romantic connection was rumored to be floated in the writer’s room of the show throughout the production of the series. That’s seemingly evident in Katara being the person to get through to Zuko in his most agitated state, much like she’s the one to get through to Aang in the Avatar state. Nickelodeon’s trivia during the show’s reairings even labeled Zuko as one of Katara’s love interests.
Ultimately, the writers paid off Aang’s crush on Katara from the start of the show instead of pairing her up with the future Fire Lord.
Aang And Katara Lived Off The Coast Of What Would Become Republic City
Aang and Katara made a home on an abandoned island.
When the adventures of Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph were over at the end of the animated series, fans might have expected Katara to immediately return to her Southern Water Tribe home. That, however, was different from the follow-up comics and details from The Legend of Korra sequel series.
The world was fractured from war and the division sewn by Fire Lord Ozai. Katara, Toph, Sokka, and Aang all helped Zuko with efforts to restore peace and balance to the world. That included the area known as Cranefish Town where infrastructure was put in place for a former Fire Nation colony within the Earth Kingdom to develop factories. It would become Republic City. An abandoned island off the coast was where Aang and Katara settled during their peacekeeping efforts, raising their children there, and beginning the formation of Air Temple Island.
Aang Decided How Many Children They Would Have
Aang wanted a child who was an airbender.
Though Aang and Katara were undoubtedly happy together, one interesting part of their adult relationship following the end of the animated series was that Aang, not Katara, decided the number of children they would have. While that’s not something revealed in the anime, it was something their children talked about in Avatar: The Legend Of Korra. It’s all because Aang wanted to make sure airbending could survive.
Aang and Katara’s first two children were not airbenders in their youth. While Bumi developed the abilities much later in life, it wasn’t while Aang was alive. Kya was a waterbender. Tenzin, their third child, was an airbender. He became Aang’s hope that the airbending nation would once again thrive. Once Tenzin was born, they had no more children.
Aang And Katara Put A Lot Of Pressure On Their Children
Their children had a lot to live up to.
Aang and Katara might have had some innocent moments in the series that allowed them to act their age, but more often than not, they were under immense pressure to help the entire world. There was a need for balance, to hide who they were, and ultimately, to save the world from war. That pressure they felt as kids extended to their adult lives and their relationships with their own children.
Bumi never felt like he was important to his parents because he wasn’t a bender. Kya felt like she couldn’t live up to her mother’s reputation as a fighter or a healer and even left the family to travel for a while. Tenzin found it difficult to form a connection with the Spirit World because his father placed so much importance on him being able to do it. They might not have intended to put their children under the same pressure they were under themselves, but they did.
Hints At Aang And Katara's Relationship Were Toned Down For The Live-Action Netflix Series
Aang's crush on Katara is not as obvious.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (Live-Action)
Based on the acclaimed animated Nickelodeon television series, Avatar: The Last Airbender is an action-adventure fantasy series developed by Albert Kim. The series follows Aang, a young man training to harness the four elements to live up to the title of Avatar - the one who will restore balance to the world.
- Cast
- Gordon Cormier , Dallas Liu , Kiawentiio , Ian Ousley , Daniel Dae Kim , Paul Sun-Hyung Lee
- Release Date
- February 22, 2024
- Seasons
- 1
- Creator(s)
- Albert Kim
- Where To Watch
- Netflix
Though it was made clear from the beginning (and often throughout the animated series) that Aang had a crush on Katara, that was not the case with Netflix’s live-action adaptation. The first season of the live-action adaptation focused on the journey to the Northern Water Tribe, much like the first season of the animated series, but there were some changes for Avatar, including steering Aang away from romance or crushes.
The show streamlined the content into a shorter amount of time, which meant anything considered “filler” was effectively eliminated. While Katara still admired Jet, there was not much time devoted to a crush on him. Sokka still had his love interests in Suki and Princess Yue, but even those storylines made his admiration more evident for their skills or spiritual connection to their community than him strictly having a crush.
There's no doubt that Aang and Katara's relationship, whether romantic or platonic, is essential to the Avatar: The Last Airbender series.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender is an Animated Fantasy and Adventure series that appeared on Nickelodeon and was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The series featured voices from Zach Tyler Eisen, Jack DeSena, Dante Basco, and Mae Whitman. The premise follows a young boy named Aang, an Air Bender who is set to be the next Avatar, master of all elements, in a bit to unite the nations together and bring peace.
- Cast
- Mako , Dee Bradley Baker , Jack De Sena , Michaela Jill Murphy , Zach Tyler , Dante Basco , Mae Whitman
- Release Date
- February 21, 2005
- Seasons
- 3
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
- Directors
- Dave Filoni
- Showrunner
- michael dante dimartino