Avatar: The Last Airbender has rich, compelling characters and worldbuilding. Therefore, it's the perfect series to write fanfiction for in order to further explore the characters and the world.
The series also ends with the characters realizing they have a lot of work ahead of them in order to fix what has been broken from 100 years of war. This opens up numerous possibilities in terms of where the story as a whole could go, as well as where individual character arcs could lead. Avatar is also getting a Netflix reboot, so here are 10 fanfics to read before the new show drops.
Eight Principles of Yong by psocoptera
Written by psocoptera, this story takes a slightly different approach to how Zuko ends the fighting towards the end of Sozin's Comet. He decides to show off his handwriting. In the middle of the present-day story, the reader is treated to flashbacks of Zuko's childhood and desperate attempts to gain his father's approval. Firewriting is a concept that expands the universe in only a slight way but is very interesting from a character standpoint in terms of what Zuko decided to do with it.
Went with her and is with her still by Damkianna
This tale, written by Damkianna, takes on the backstory of a character the audience never even meets, let alone hears about: Earth King Kuei's mother. Like the previous story, this one expands the universe slightly, here discussing the harem-like structure of the Earth King's family. He has multiple wives and children, but Kuei is the first son, so his mother is given special treatment. She fights for Kuei's life in multiple ways, scheming her way through the politics of the Earth King's court.
Forgotten Ones: Lieutenant Jee by Evilnor
Forgotten Ones: Lieutenant Jee, by Evilnor, covers the trial of all the men who were captured at the North Pole at the end of season 1. For Lieutenant Jee, it's a day of confusion, as he knows the war is over but doesn't know who the new Fire Lord is.
His oath of loyalty is still to Prince Zuko. It's wonderful to see an outsider's perspective on favorite characters and relationships, especially when the outsider is a minor character dealing with a strange situation like a court trial.
Eyes Open Wide by The Quiller
A beautiful character study, this piece by The Quiller covers Zuko after the war as he fights in a forest. The author truly understands what makes him up as a person, and his character development since the end of the series is believable, if mature and a bit sad. Zuko is only 22 in this story and carries a heavy burden. A companion story, Unbreakable, shows the aftermath of these events and is also quite somber.
Avatar Aang: An Annotated Bibliography by The Big Rocky Eye
Written by The Big Rocky Eye, this story is exactly what the title says: an annotated bibliography of Aang and his friends from several Avatars in the future. It's a fun blend of humor and scholarship. Among other things, Zuko and Sokka get into a yearslong debate about calculus and the Cabbage Merchant starts a business. This covers the lives of many characters in different ways, so nearly everyone gets a story. The dry tone of most of the scholarship contrasts perfectly with some of the more ridiculous events, such as the aforementioned mathematics debate.
Excerpts From the Diary of Princess Ursa by Karalora
Impressively, Karalora has written a haunting, beautiful series of diary entries for Princess Ursa. As her children grow up, she comes to truly understand her love for her son, even as her husband and daughter slip away from her. Ursa also becomes good friends with Iroh during this decade, even trusting him with her son's wellbeing. Ursa's thoughts on Azula are particularly harrowing, as she realizes what kind of person her daughter has become but doesn't know how to stop her behavior.
Mai by Alabaster86
Mai by Alabaster86 is both a character study and the story of how you move on after the end of something all-consuming, like a war, for example. This story, the first in a series, follows Mai as she navigates her life during and after the war.
Her quiet nature makes her easy to follow as a character, and the decisions she makes are interesting and understandable. The rest of the series, which follows the characters through to being parents, is also worth the read.
Hints of Change by PeaceLoveandasideofWriting
Set after the war, this story, by PeaceLoveandasideofWriting, revisits the Fire Nation school Aang attended in "The Headband." Slowly, change comes. After a century of war, it's not surprising that it would take a long time to get an entire nation to go along with the idea that the war is over and the world is now at peace, but it does make sense that those lessons should start to be taught in schools as soon as possible. That's what Aang and Zuko begin here, and what the other kids start to research: the truth.
Conversations by JupiterLily
This is a great friendship story by JupiterLily between Zuko and Aang. After all, they had to have been stuck waiting for the Sun Warriors in season 3 for quite a while. What did they talk about? This piece tries to answer that question, often with hilarious results. For one thing, Aang thinks Zuko should grow a mustache. And the narration is great. This is a humorous story based on the episode where everything began to ramp up for the finale. It serves as a perfect calm before the storm.
Halfway Home by zephyras13
Halfway Home, by zephyras13, is a very different look at Toph and Zuko. This story is fairly cynical in regards to both of their characters, and can, in a way, be a difficult read. However, hard reads can be just as powerful. Here, Zuko is not a natural leader and is barely holding everything together just a few years after the war. Toph is a wanderer who inappropriately falls in love with him. They try to make everything work, and the results leave something to be desired for everyone else, though perhaps not them.