Get ready to put your Avatar: The Last Air bender knowledge
to the test with 11 rapid fire facts.
Did you know the role of Aang's earth bending teacher
wasn't always going to be a 12 year old girl?
What?!
The original design was a tall, muscular teenage boy.
However, as the team was writig
for season two, someone suggested
making Toph a girl while keepig the original personality
of a tough and brash brawler.
The Boulder feels conflicted
about fighting a young blind girl.
Sounds to me like you're scared, Boulder.
The Boulder's over his conflicted feelings.
This was later referenced in the episode
The Ember Island Players, where Toph is played by a man.
[screaming]
There. I got a pretty good look at you.
Did you know Uncle Iroh,
our favorite tea loving fire bender wasn't always going
to be related to his nephew, Zuko?
The show's creators initially conceived Iroh
to only be Zuko's Sifu. A gruff, firebending master
who would train the banished prince along his journey.
Early concept art actually shows us
this version of Iroh's character.
Drawn with horned armor and a battle ready pose,
this powerful warrior did not have a soft side.
After writing several episodes; however, the creators realized
Zuko's mentor figure could be more interesting
as a family member. The idea was then born
that Iroh was a former general trying to enjoy his retirement,
who got stuck as his nephew's caretaker.
Once this concept developed, the wise, compassionate
and unexpectedly hilarious version
of Iroh emerged.
While a gruff Iroh could have been fun,
we might have never gotten to see
his story develop full circle,
as the father figure Zuko needed.
I am so happy, you found your way here.
It wasn't that hard, Uncle. You have a pretty strong scent.
Did you know old Toph stands the same height
as her 12 year old self?
We saw our favorite metalbender grow up to a height
around five foot five inches
as chief of Republic City Police.
When an elderly top returned in The Legend of Korra;
however, the creators thought it would be fun
to show that she had shrunk back down
to her former size.
Early concept art shows us this version of Toph,
where her bending and public service
had clearly taken its physical toll.
Don't tell Korra, but my back is killing me now.
It turned out to be a challenge to animate,
as Toph was still her adult height,
but in every scene, including fights,
she needed to be shown hunching over.
At some point, you've got to leave it to the kids.
Whether short or tall, the one thing that's for sure s
this master bender is a fearsome force at any age,
even when she needs a nap sometimes.
Did you ever notice that Zuko was very first scene ever ends
with the line..
"Helmsmen, head a course for the light"?
And for the rest of the series
Zuko really does follow that course
as he slowly leaves the dark path
of hunting the Avatar behind hm and ends up on the light path
of helping the Avatar restore balance to the world.
So that very first scene with Zuko set up
his entire journey throughout the series.
Did you know Aang's origin was nearly set
in a futuristic sci-fi world?
What? That's impossible.
It's true. When developing his character,
the creators thought Aang could be the last survivor
of a technologically advanced civilization.
His journey would have then taken him 1,000 years
into a war torn future where society had regressed
back to an ancient past.
He still had his arrow tattoos, but early concept art showed
Aang's clothing and staff with the space age design.
Momo is also a robot cyclops monkey named Momo Three.
However, once the creators had the concept of the Four Nation,
they decided Aang was more compelling
as a young Air Nomad
with Momo as our favorite winged lemur sidekick.
While Aang coming from a sci-fi world is
definitely an exciting idea,
he and Momo probably had a lot more fun flying on Appa
rather than a spaceship.
Did you know Korra's character design was inspired
by female MMA fighters and snowboarders?
In contrast to Aang's pacifist nature,
the creators imagined that his successor could be
a tough, headstrong girl
who would never back down from a fight.
In one meeting, she was described
as a Water Tribe version
of a snowboarder or an MMA fighter.
Only an hour later, Artists Joaquin Dos Santos
drew the concept pictured here,
showing off not only her heritage
but her impressive physicality and athleticism.
Even though Korra's general lok was found quickly,
finalizing her design was a different story.
Through a process known as draw overs,
the creators each took turns drawing over
each other's concept art, combining
and revising their ideas, for months.
Soon with motifs of Water Tribe costumes
and modern winter sportswear,
Korra's final look was born.
With every detail highlighting her experience and personality.
It's no wonder why it's so fun
to watch this Avatar come to life on screen
like the athletes who inspired her.
Look at this.
Did you ever wonder
what Aang's wanted poster translates to an English?
A wanted poster. This is bad.
The poster says...
Pretty amazing.
Eh, that's just a bunch of Fire Lord propaganda.
There's no way that's true.
Did you ever notice that whenever Zuko firebends,
he always makes these angry grunt sounds?
But after the episode, The Firebending Masters,
he never makes that sound agai.
That's because during his meeting
with the firebending masters, he learned
to stop drawing on his anger in order to firebend.
Because for so many years, hunting you was my drive.
It was my purpose.
So when I joined you, I lost sight of my inner fire.
But now, I have a new drive.
I have to help you defeat my father
and restore balance to the world.
No more anger, no more angry grunts.
Did you know that Katara wasn't always Katara?
Back in the original unaired pilot,
Katara was actually named Kya.
The name Kya would ultimately o to Katara's mom.
But before they landed on Katara,
she was almost named Kanna.
Of course, that would end up being
the name of Katara's grandmother.
In hindsight,
doesn't Katara feel so fitting now?
Did you know Avatar Aang and Wan's designs are based
on the real life looks of the series creators
Mike and Brian. It's true.
It was only ever a joke between these two.
The 12 year old Aang's bald and beautiful hairstyle
was inspired by Mike.
But when it came time to design an adult Aang, Brian insisted
that his cocreator's features,
particularly his impressive beard,
be incorporated into the character.
Soon, a matured and only a slightly hairier version
of our favorite airbender emerged.
Now, don't worry.
Eventually, both creators had character designs inspired
by their appearances.
Continuing the trend with the very first Avatar, Wan
Brian simply copied what he saw in the mirror.
Describing the process, Brian said
that he drew Wan scrawny, lanky and triangular faced
but with much cooler hair.
It is a fantasy, after all.
So the next time you're looking for inspiration,
just like these talented creators,
you may not need to go far.
Did you know that the adventures of Aang
and the rest of Team Avatar continued in the comics?
Yeah!
[screaming]
The hundred year war was finally over,
and we all knew it would be a happy ending.
Aang saved the world by defeating Ozai
and Prince Zuko became the new Fire Lord.
Everything was perfect.
[screaming]
Well, almost perfect.
Sokka.
We find our heroes in the Earth King's palace,
where they'd begun planning
the Harmony Restoration Movement,
an initiative that would remove
the Fire Nation colonies from the Earth Kingdom.
And thus begins the celebratio.
But the war wasn't over just yet.
Struggling with the pressures
of being the new Fire Lord, Zuko saw
how easily he could slip down
the same terrible path as his father.
Zuko asked Aang to make a promise.
Aang must kill Zuko if he ever saw him
turning into his father.
Aang was reluctant, but he promised.
And there you have it.
If you didn't know these 11 Team Avatar facts before,
now you do. And if there's anything else
in the Four Nations you're curious about,
comment below and let us know
what we should deep dive into next.