Avatar: The Last Airbender boasts a wonderful cast of characters, and Katara is certainly one of the best. Katara’s journey from a waterbending novice to one of the most powerful waterbending masters in Avatar history is well-chronicled throughout ATLA and represents one of the best character arcs in fiction.

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Katara narrates the iconic opening sequence at the beginning of each episode, but of course, she contributes far more than just that to the series. Katara's best episodes tend to be those which showcase her leadership, compassion, or unrivaled waterbending prowess.

Imprisoned

Katara raising her hand while addressing an audience in ATLA

“Imprisoned” is undoubtedly one of Katara’s best episodes, as it perfectly encapsulates her character. After Haru is arrested for earthbending, Katara feels that it is her responsibility to rescue him. Katara gets herself arrested and sent to the prison where Haru is being held in the hopes that she can break him out.

During the episode, Katara showcases her spirit, leadership, and infectious hopefulness when inspiring the down-trodden Earth Kingdom prisoners to revolt against their Fire Nation oppressors. “Imprisoned” is one of the first of many episodes where Katara’s ferocious authority saves the day.

The Waterbending Master

Katara and another man waterbending in Avatar The Last Airbender

Having finally arrived at the North Pole, Katara and Aang were excited to begin their waterbending training. However, much to Katara’s anger, women are forbidden to learn waterbending according to the customs of the Northern Water Tribe.

Katara’s admirable response to the injustice is the reason that “The Waterbending Master” is one of her best episodes. Katara dismantles the Northern Water Tribe patriarchy by proving that women have just as much of a right to learn waterbending as men do. She also proves herself to be a worthy student who has unlimited potential as a waterbender.

The Crossroads Of Destiny

Katara holds Aang in The Crossroads of Destiny episode of Avatar The Last Airbender

“The Crossroads of Destiny” is one of Katara’s best episodes because it contains moments where she undergoes significant character development, as well as moments that showcase her immense waterbending talent.

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Katara has an emotional conversation with Zuko in Ba Sing Se’s Crystal Catacombs, which gives audiences an insight into both of the character’s vulnerabilities and displays Katara’s sophisticated emotional intelligence. Towards the end of the episode, Katara shows just how powerful she has become by going toe-to-toe with Azula and holding her own. Arguably, Katara's most significant moment came at the very end of the episode, where she uses her incredible healing ability to save Aang's life.

The Serpent’s Pass

Katara facing a water serpent in ATLA

“The Serpent’s Pass” is just one of the many episodes where Katara’s leadership and spirit are vital in ensuring the safety of Team Avatar. When forced to cross the Serpent’s Pass, Team Avatar is confronted by perilous conditions, including landslides, incomplete pathways, and a giant sea monster.

Katara’s mental and physical strength during the episode is incredibly impressive; without her, the group would have really struggled to make it through the Serpent’s Pass. It is difficult not to rank the episode as one of her best, considering that in the space of 22 minutes, she kept the group's morale high in a time of great peril, defeated a giant sea monster, and delivered a baby.

The Waterbending Scroll

Katara looking shy in Avatar The Last Airbender

“The Waterbending Scroll” is an episode centered on Katara, and it shows audiences just how desperate she is to be the best waterbender that she can be. The episode introduces audiences to a new, darker side to Katara, one of envy but also cunning and cheekiness.

By the end of the episode, Katara has shown marked character development, understanding that her jealous behavior was not fair to Aang. She also showed an improvement in terms of waterbending, which ultimately saved the gang from a watery demise.

The Desert

Sokka smiling while Katara and Toph look on in ATLA

Katara is magnificent in “The Desert” and reminds audiences why she is considered one of the strongest women in ATLA. With no Appa, limited drinking water, and depleted morale, Team Avatar must escape from the unforgiving desert. Katara comes into her own, acting as the glue that holds the group together.

Without her strong leadership and optimistic attitude, Team Avatar would likely have met their fate in the desert. To top it off, Katara prevents Aang from doing something terrible to the sandbenders by calming him down from the Avatar state, once again showcasing her impressive emotional intelligence.

The Puppetmaster

Katara and an elderly woman in ATLA

As with many of the episodes in season 3, Katara undergoes significant character development in “The Puppetmaster”. After meeting another waterbender from Southern Water Tribe for the first time in her life, Katara is desperate to learn from her.

The waterbender, Hama, teaches Katara many highly advanced waterbending techniques, taking her bending to the next level. However, Hama reveals the sinister but incredibly powerful technique of bloodbending to Katara, who is horrified by the prospect of using it to bend somebody to her will. Ultimately, Katara uses bloodbending out of necessity, to save her and her friends, which has an adverse impact on her emotional state. The events of “The Puppetmaster” mark a significant milestone in the development of Katara’s waterbending skillset and character.

Sozin’s Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang

Katara running in Avatar The Last Airbender

The finale of ATLA finally gives Katara her long-awaited rematch with Azula, in which she showcases the full extent of her waterbending talent that has been cultivated throughout the entire series.

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Katara deploys the full repertoire of her inventive and effective waterbending techniques, putting on an epic display of bending mastery which ultimately enables her to defeat Azula and save Zuko's life. Katara receives a well-deserved happy ending at the end of the episode, where she and Aang share a kiss which signifies the official start of their romantic relationship.

The Painted Lady

Katara as the painted lady in Avatar looking somewhat scared

“The Painted Lady” is one of Katara’s finest episodes, granting her extensive screen time, which is certainly beneficial for her character development. After Team Avatar discovers a destitute village that can barely produce enough food to feed its inhabitants, Katara feels that she must do something to help.

Disguised as a spirit named ‘the Painted Lady’, Katara sneaks away from the group at night and helps the village in secret by healing their sick. Later in the episode, Katara rids the surrounding area of Fire Nation soldiers, meaning the village could once again thrive. Katara’s acts of selflessness in “The Painted Lady” reaffirm her unfaltering compassion for others and were ultimately rewarded by a visit from the grateful ‘Painted Lady’ spirit.

The Southern Raiders

Katara looking annoyed while Aang and Sokka look from behind in Avatar The Last Airbender

In “The Southern Raiders”, Katara pursues the Fire Nation soldiers that killed her mother. This episode contains Katara’s finest moments, showing her immense waterbending talent and emotional integrity. Throughout “The Southern Raiders”, Katara goes full John Wick, tearing through Fire Nation soldiers and even using bloodbending to find the information she needs.

After finding the man who killed her mother, Katara is faced with a moral dilemma, a choice between killing the murderer or showing mercy. Katara chooses mercy and exhibits how incredibly strong of a person she is.

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