Aang

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Aang
Avatar: The Last Airbender/The Legend of Korra character
Aang kneeling in a battle pose, holding his staff behind him.
First appearance "The Boy in the Iceberg"
Voiced by Zach Tyler Eisen (original series)
D. B. Sweeney (sequel series)
Mitchel Musso (Unaired Pilot Episode)
Ben Helms (Nicktoons MLB)
Information
Aliases Avatar Aang
Bonzu Pipinpadaloxicopolis the Third
Kuzon
Gender Male
Relatives Gyatso (guardian)
Katara (wife)
Kya (daughter)
Bumi (son)
Tenzin (son)
Pema (daughter-in-law)
Jinora (granddaughter)
Ikki (granddaughter)
Meelo (grandson)
Rohan (grandson)
Sokka (brother-in-law)
Roku (immediate predecessor)
Korra (immediate reincarnation)
Nationality Air Nomads
Age Original series: 12 (biological) / 112 (chronological)
Manga Series: 13 (biological) / 113 (chronological)
Bending Element Air (native)
Water (combat)
Earth
Fire (lightning redirection)
Energy
Hair color Black / Dark Brown (generally shaven)
Eye color Hazel / Grey
Position Protagonist

Aang is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. The character is created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and is voiced by Zach Tyler Eisen. Aang is the show's protagonist.[1]

Aang is the series' reluctant hero,[2][3] and depicted largely as a trickster.[4]

The series depicts Aang as the last surviving Airbender and a monk of the Air Nomads, the people able to manipulate the air. He is a supercentenarian at the age of 112;[5] but remained in suspended animation for a century, and has thus physically aged only 12 years.[5] It is revealed in the second episode that he is the current incarnation of the "Avatar", As such, Aang has the ability to control the four classical elements and is tasked with keeping the Four Nations at peace.[2] The show follows Aang's journeys to complete this task, during a war instigated by the Fire Nation.[2]

Aang has appeared in other media, such as trading cards,[6][7] video games,[8][9] T-shirts,[10] and web comics.[11] Aang has also appeared in the feature film The Last Airbender in which he was played by Noah Ringer, and The Legend of Korra where he is voiced by D.B. Sweeney.

Contents

Creation and conception [edit]

Aang's character was developed from a drawing by Bryan Konietzko, depicting a bald man with an arrowlike design on his head, which the artist developed into a picture of a child with a flying bison.[12] Meanwhile, Michael Dante DiMartino was interested in a documentary about explorers trapped in the South Pole, which he later combined with Konietzko's drawing thus:

There's an air guy along with these water people trapped in a snowy wasteland...and maybe some fire people are pressing down on them...
—Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko[12]

The plot they described corresponds with the first and second episodes of the series, where the "water people" (Katara and Sokka) rescue the "air guy" (Aang) while "trapped in a snowy wasteland" (the Southern Water Tribe) with "some fire people [that] are pressing down on them" (Fire Nation Troops and Zuko).[5][12][13] The creators of the show intended Aang to be trapped in an iceberg for one thousand years, later to wake inside a futuristic world, wherein he would have a robot named Momo and a dozen bison. The creators lost interest in this theme, and changed it to one hundred years of suspended animation. The robotic Momo became a flying lemur, and the herd of bison was reduced to one.[12]

According to the show's creators, "Buddhism and Taoism have been huge inspirations behind the idea for Avatar."[14] A notable aspect of the character is his vegetarian diet, consistent with Buddhism, Hinduism, or Taoism.[14] In the Brahmajala Sutra, a Buddhist code of ethics, vegetarianism is encouraged.[15] In "The King of Omashu", Aang demonstrates his vegetarian beliefs by refusing to eat meat.[16] Furthermore, Aang consistently shows a reluctance to fight and an aversion to killing. In "The Spirit World (Winter Solstice, Part 1)", Aang encounters an angry spirit destroying a village and kidnapping villagers; but instead of fighting the spirit, Aang negotiates.[17]

Airbending, the martial art Aang primarily uses in the show, is based on an "internal" Chinese martial art called Baguazhang. This fighting style focuses on circular movements, and does not have many finishing moves; traits meant to represent the unpredictability of air and the peaceful character of Airbenders.[18]

In the episode "Tales of Ba Sing Se", Aang’s name was written as 安昂 (ān áng) in Chinese.

Plot overview [edit]

Prior to the series, after the death of Avatar Rokku, Aang was born and raised by Monk Gyatso, a friend of his previous life. However, due to Sozin's war, the other monks reveal Aang's identity as the Avatar and attempt to take the boy from Gyatso.[19][20] This causes Aang to flee the monastery on his flying bison Appa before being caught by a storm, and later encased in an air-pocket among icebergs.[5][20]

Book of Water [edit]

After 100 years, Aang was freed when found by Katara and her brother Sokka yet unaware of the events that occurred during his rest.[5] His reawakening catching the attention of Zuko, the banished prince of the Fire Nation, Aang is forced to leave with Katara and Sokka accompanying them when they learn he is the Avatar.[13] Aang and his new friends visit the Southern Air Temple where they meet a winged lemur, who Aang later names Momo. It was there that Aang learns that he was in the ice for a whole century and that the Fire Nation wiped out his people, including Gyatso.

After a series of misadventures, Aang meets his previous incarnation, Avatar Roku, who informs him that he must master all four bending arts and defeat Fire Lord Ozai before the coming of Sozin's Comet at the end of summer.[21] Upon arriving to the Northern Water Tribe, after a few conflicts, Aang became an apprentice of a Waterbending master named Pakku alongside Katara.[22] After helping the Water Tribe drive off a Fire Nation headed by Admiral Zhao, with Katara as his teacher, Aang and his group journey to the Earth Kingdom to find an Earthbending teacher.

Book of Earth [edit]

In the second season, Aang learns earthbending from Toph Bei Fong, a blind earthbending prodigy.[23] After learning of the Day of Black Sun, Aang and his group attempt to reveal the information to the Earth King at Ba Sing Se, only to find themselves dealing with the Dai Li before exposing their leader's deception. Soon after, Aang meets a guru who attempts to teach Aang to open his seven chakras in order to control the defensive 'Avatar State'; but when Aang perceives Katara in danger, he leaves before the seventh chakra is opened, and thus loses his progress until the seventh is opened.[24] Though Aang manages to unlock the Seventh Chakra, he is mortally wounded by Azula, yet was saved by Katara before the injury became truly fatal.

Book of Fire [edit]

In the third season, unable to use the Avatar State and though reluctant with the plan at first, Aang accept to have everyone think he died before and his remaining allies attack the Fire Nation's capital; but are thwarted by Azula.[25] In the following episode, Zuko has a change of heart and offers to teach Aang firebending. In "The Firebending Masters" Aang and Zuko improve their firebending powers with the help of their world's last two dragons.[26]

During the finale, not wanting to actually kill Ozai despite his past lives convincing him it is the only way, Aang learns to manipulate other people's essential natures, Energybending, from an immense 'lion-turtle'. With this ability as he regained his Avatar State, Aang removes Ozai's ability to manipulate fire, rendering him harmless and ending the Hundred Year War. Later, in the Fire Nation capital, Aang is seen beside Zuko while the latter is appointed Fire Lord. The series end with Aang and his friends relaxing at Iroh's tea shop at Ba Sing Se, where Aang and Katara share a kiss.[27]

Legend of Korra [edit]

Aang with Korra in The Legend of Korra.

In the sequel series The Legend of Korra, his adult self resembling series creator Michael Dante DiMartino, it is stated that Aang aided Fire Lord Zuko in founding Republic City. In the following years, Aang and Katara had married and had three children: Kya, Bumi, and Tenzin. The former two children were respectively named after Katara's mother and Aang's friend, King Bumi of Omashu. Their third child, Tenzin, currently resides in Republic City with a family of his own, and is the only Airbending master alive at the start of the series. In 128 ASC, Aang assisted Toph in arresting a Water Tribe crime lord known as Yakone. After attending his arrest, Aang watched the trial, where Yakone was convicted of using a rare and illegal technique called bloodbending. Yakone then tried to escape Republic city by using his unique abilities to subdue everyone in the court room, thus leaving them unconscious. Able to resist Yakone's bloodbending through the Avatar State, Aang used his energybending to put a halt to Yakone's plans.

After his death, Aang served as the spiritual advisor to his future incarnation Korra. Originally, Aang was only able to give Korra glimpses of his memory concerning Yakone in relation to her confrontations with his sons Amon and Tarrlok, the products of Yakone's bloodbending vendetta on the Avatar. It was only after she lost her ability to bend, that Korra became spiritually enlightened enough for her to meet Aang as he taught her energybending to restore her powers and help Amon's other victims.

Characteristics [edit]

The Avatars standing in line, including Aang, Roku, Kyoshi, Kuruk, and Yangchen, in that order.
The Avatars (from right to left): Aang, Roku, Kyoshi, Kuruk, Yangchen, and other previous Avatars.

Michael Dante DiMartino, the show's co-creator, said:

We wanted Aang to solve problems and defeat enemies with his wits as well as his powerful abilities.
—Michael Dante DiMartino[4]

Aang is depicted in the series as a vegetarian, as shown in "The King of Omashu"[16] and "The Headband"[28] when he refuses to eat meat on grounds that "all life is sacred".[27] Aang states a reluctance to fight in "The Spirit World (Winter Solstice, Part 1)"; Aang negotiates with a spirit who is destroying a village instead of fighting.[17] He is also depicted showing ethical reluctance in killing Firelord Ozai,[29] and eventually strips Ozai of his bending instead of killing him.[27] In the show, Aang has friends in all four nations.[5]

Aang reveals in "The Storm" that he wishes he had been there to help his people a century ago, but would rather live a child's carefree life.[19] Multiple times in the show, Aang demonstrates compassion, whimsy and occasionally, deceit.[30]

In some episodes, he demonstrates flight abilities with airbending. One technique for this is to make a whirling spherical whirlwind and ride on it, which Aang calls the Air Scooter.[31] Other methods of flying include his glider,[5] and Appa.[32] In the Avatar State, Aang can also fly inside a spherical whirlwind.[33]

Reception [edit]

In the show's intended demographics, Aang has been received exceptionally well. Kendall Lyons stated, "Aang seems to be the lighthearted kid that you can easily familiarize yourself with", and that he "seems to bring comfort in the most dangerous or hostile situations."[34] There are many similar descriptions about Aang as a childlike character who is "reckless and excitable".[35] Reviews point out that "as the Avatar, Aang seems unstoppable, but as Aang, he is just another Airbender"; the review states later that the show continues to focus on a more realistic character instead of a perfect one by revealing many character flaws.[36]

Appearances in other media [edit]

Noah Ringer portraying Aang in M. Night Shyamalan's "The Last Airbender".
Noah Ringer as Aang in M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender.

Aang's character appeared in the Avatar: The Last Airbender Trading Card Game on a multitude of cards.[6][7] He appeared in the Avatar: The Last Airbender video game as one of the four playable characters.[37] Two sequels were made: Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Burning Earth,[8][38] followed by Avatar: The Last Airbender – Into the Inferno. Tokyopop has published a films comic (sometimes referred to as cine-manga), in which Aang, being the main character of the show, appears repeatedly.[11]

Aang appeared in Escape from the Spirit World, an online video game that can be found on Nickelodeon's official website. The game includes certain plot changes that are not shown in the show. The show's directors, Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, claim the events are canon.[9]

In 2010 director M. Night Shyamalan cast 12-year-old Tae Kwon Do practitioner Noah Ringer as Aang in the film adaptation of the series, The Last Airbender.[39] The casting of a presumed white actor in the role of Aang (as well as a primarily Caucasian cast) in the Asian-influenced Avatar universe triggered negative reactions from some fans marked by accusations of racism, a letter-writing campaign, and a protest outside of a Philadelphia casting call for movie extras. A counter-movement was spawned in response by other fans who believed the casting was appropriate.[40][41][42] The casting decisions were also negatively received by several critics who stated that the original casting call expressed a preference for Caucasian actors over others.[43] Noah Ringer later identified himself to Entertainment Weekly as an American Indian.[44]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Written and Directed by: Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko; Voices: Mitchel Musso as Aang and Mae Whitman as Kya (2006-09-19). Avatar: The Last Airbender — The Complete Book One Box Set (DVD). Nickelodeon. 
  2. ^ a b c "Watch Out For Avatar on September 10!". Nickelodeon Asia. Archived from the original on 2008-06-08. Retrieved 2008-03-14. 
  3. ^ Pittarese, Frank (2006). "Nation Exploration". Nickelodeon Magazine (Winter 2006): 2. 
  4. ^ a b DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan (2007-09-06). Interview: Avatar's Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino. Interview with Eduardo Vasconcellos. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. http://tv.ign.com/articles/818/818284p1.html. Retrieved 2007-11-11.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Director: Dave Filoni, Writers: Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (2005-02-21). "The Boy in the Iceberg". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 1. Episode 1. Nickelodeon.
  6. ^ a b "Avatar Trading Card Game". Nickelodeon. Archived from the original on 2008-03-02. Retrieved 2008-03-24. 
  7. ^ a b "Avatar: The Last Airbender Trading Card Game". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 2008-03-24. 
  8. ^ a b "Avatar: The Last Airbender — The Burning Earth" (Flash). Nickelodeon. Archived from the original on 14 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-13. 
  9. ^ a b "Avatar Escape From The Spirit World" (Adobe Flash File). Viacom Corporation. Retrieved 2008-02-19. 
  10. ^ "The Nickelodeon Shop — Avatar". Nickelodeon. Retrieved 2008-02-11. 
  11. ^ a b created by Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko. (2006). Avatar: The Last Airbender Cine-Manga Volume 1. Avatar: The Last Airbender Cine-Manga. Tokyopop. ISBN 1-59532-891-2. Archived from the original on 16 April 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-14. 
  12. ^ a b c d DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan (2006). "In Their Elements". Nickelodeon Magazine (Winter 2006): 6. 
  13. ^ a b Director: Dave Filoni, Writers: Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (2005-02-21). "The Avatar Returns". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 1. Episode 2. Nickelodeon.
  14. ^ a b DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan (2006). "Myth Conceptions". Nickelodeon Magazine (Winter 2006): 7. 
  15. ^ Jing, Fanwang. "Brahmajala Sutra Translated Text". Purify Out Mind. p. 4. Archived from the original on 4 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-12. "He must not create the causes ... and shall not intentionally kill any living creature." 
  16. ^ a b Director: Anthony Lioi; Writer: John O'Bryan (2005-03-18). "The King of Omashu". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 1. Episode 5. Nickelodeon.
  17. ^ a b Director: Lauren MacMullan; Writer: Aaron Ehasz (2005-04-08). "The Spirit World (Winter Solstice, Part 1)". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 1. Episode 7. Nickelodeon.
  18. ^ "Nickelodeon's Official Avatar: The Last Airbender Flash Site". Nick.com. Retrieved 2006-12-02. 
  19. ^ a b Director: Lauren MacMullan; Writer: Aaron Ehasz (2005-06-03). "The Storm". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 1. Episode 12. Nickelodeon.
  20. ^ a b Director: Lauren MacMullan, Writer: Michael Dante DiMartino (2005-02-25). "The Southern Air Temple". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 1. Episode 3. Nickelodeon.
  21. ^ Director: Giancarlo Volpe, Writer: Michael Dante DiMartino (2005-04-15). "Avatar Roku (Winter Solstice, Part 2)". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 1. Episode 8. Nickelodeon.
  22. ^ The Waterbending Master". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon. 2005-11-18. No. 18, season 1.
  23. ^ Director: Ethan Spaulding; Writer: Michael Dante DiMartino (2006-05-05). "The Blind Bandit". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 2. Episode 6. Nickelodeon.
  24. ^ Director: Giancarlo; Writers: Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (2006-12-01). "The Guru". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 2. Episode 19. Nickelodeon.
  25. ^ Director: Giancarlo Volpe; Writer: Michael Dante DiMartino (2007-11-23). "The Day of Black Sun Part 1: The Invasion". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 3. Episode 10. Nickelodeon.
  26. ^ Director: Ethan Spaulding; Writers: Elizabeth Welch Ehasz, Tim Hedrick (2007-12-14). "The Western Air Temple". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 3. Episode 12. Nickelodeon.
  27. ^ a b c Director: Ethan Spaulding; Writers: Elizabeth Welch Ehasz, Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (2008-07-19). "Sozin's Comet". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 3. Episode 58-61. Nickelodeon.
  28. ^ Director: Joaquim dos Santos; Writer: John O'Bryan (2007-09-28). "The Headband". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 3. Episode 2. Nickelodeon.
  29. ^ Liu, Ed (2008-07-18). ""Sozin's Comet" Produces an Epic Season Finale for "Avatar the Last Airbender"". Toon Zone. Retrieved 2008-07-20. 
  30. ^ Director: Giancarlo Volpe; Writer: Ian Wilcox (2005-10-07). "Bato of the Water Tribe". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 1. Episode 15. Nickelodeon.
  31. ^ Director: Giancarlo Volpe; Writers: Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (2006-09-15). "The Drill". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 2. Episode 13. Nickelodeon.
  32. ^ Director: Giancarlo Volpe; Writer: Tim Hedrick (2006-04-14). "The Swamp". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 2. Episode 4. Nickelodeon.
  33. ^ Director: Joaquim dos Santos; Writer: Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (2008-07-19). "Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang". Avatar: The Last Airbender. Season 3. Episode 21. Nickelodeon.
  34. ^ Lyons, Kendall (2005-12-08). "Avatar: The Last Airbender". Animation Inside. p. 2. Archived from the original on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-15. "Aang seems to be the lighthearted kid that you can easily familiarize yourself with. He seems to bring comfort in the most dangerous or hostile situations." 
  35. ^ Robinson, Tasha (2006-03-07). "Avatar: The Last Airbender". Sci-Fi Weekly. p. 2. Archived from the original on 2008-02-17. Retrieved 2008-02-15. "Aang, meanwhile, is as reckless and excitable as a kid his age should be, but he also shows the marks of a monastic life of training and responsibility." 
  36. ^ Mell, Tory Ireland (2008-02-27). "Avatar: The Last Airbender - "The Spirit World (Winter Solstice, Part 1)" Review". IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on 2 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-11. "As the Avatar, Aang seems unstoppable, but as Aang, he is just another Airbender..." 
  37. ^ "Avatar: The Last Airbender Video Game". Nick.com. Nickelodeon. Retrieved 2008-03-22. 
  38. ^ "IGN.com: Avatar: The Burning Earth". IGN. Retrieved 2008-03-13. 
  39. ^ Sperling, N (2008-12-17). "Movies" 1026. Entertainment Weekly. p. 15. 
  40. ^ Graeme McMillan (2008-12-17). "Avatar Casting Makes Fans See... White". io9 (Gawker Media). Archived from the original on 20 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-19. 
  41. ^ Jeff Yang (2008-12-29). "'Avatar' an Asian thing- why isn't the cast?". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 1 February 2009. Retrieved 2008-12-29. 
  42. ^ Naomi Tarlow (2008-12-29). "Protesters oppose "whitewashing" in new Shyamalan film". Daily Pennsylvanian. Retrieved 2008-12-29. 
  43. ^ Hoffman, Jordan (2010-05-21). "Racebending — The Controversy Continues — The Last Airbender". UGO.com. Archived from the original on 24 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-16. 
  44. ^ Karen Valby (November 3, 2010). "Noah Ringer of 'The Last Airbender' has nothing up his sleeve: EW at 'The Kids' Table'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 8, 2011. 

External links [edit]
Series
Avatar: The Last Airbender
The Legend of Korra
Films
Video games
Characters
Avatar: The Last Airbender
The Legend of Korra
Related

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