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 depicted as the show's protagonist and as such has appeared in all the episodes but one ("Zuko Alone"). Aang also appeared in the pilot episode which has not been aired.^[1]

Aang is the series' reluctant hero.^[2][3] The creators intended Aang to defeat enemies with his wits and be 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 one century, making his biological age twelve.^[5] It is revealed in the second episode that he is the current incarnation of the "Avatar", the spirit of the planet in human form.^[3][6] 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,^[7][8] video games,^[9][10] T-shirts,^[11] and web comics.^[12] Aang has also appeared in the feature film The Last Airbender, wherein he was played by Noah Ringer.

Creation and conception [link]

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.^[13] 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^[13]

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][6][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.^[13]

Aang's character has a well-developed cultural ideology. 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 [link]

The producers of the show have named each season a "book", whereof each was named after one of the four elements in the show. Flashbacks also reveal events that happened before the show opened,^[19] as in one wherein the elders of the Air Temple hold a private meeting with Aang to reveal his identity as the Avatar. Monk Gyatso, Aang's mentor and father-figure, insists that Aang be raised as an ordinary child; ^[20] whereupon the other elders attempt to separate the two, prompting Aang to flee their monastery. During this flight, Aang and his bison Appa become caught by a storm, and later encased in an air-pocket among icebergs. ^[5][20]

After 100 years, deuteragonist Katara and her brother Sokka free Aang and Appa; and^[5] the four embark to find a Waterbending master to teach Aang and Katara.^[6] Throughout their journey they are pursued by Zuko, the banished prince of the Fire Nation.^[5] In one episode, 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 end of summer.^[21] Among the Northern Water Tribe, Waterbending Master Pakku teaches Aang, and later Katara.^[22] In the second season, Aang learns earthbending from Toph Bei Fong, a blind earthbending prodigy.^[23] During the season finale, a guru 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 by another figure. At the end of the finale, Aang opens the seventh chakra, only to be shot down by Azula with lightning, and is therefore killed in the Avatar State. For an unknown period of time, the reincarnation cycle broke due to the mortal wounding of the Avatar Spirit, and the Avatar fell from the plane of existence, but Katara brought both the Avatar Spirit, and its current host, Avatar Aang, back to life with water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. ^[24]

In the third season, Aang and his remaining allies attack the Fire Nation's capital; but are thwarted by Princess 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 learn firebending with the help of their world's last two dragons.^[26]

During the series finale, Aang learns a new rare bending called Energybending, or manipulating the energy in another person, by an immense 'lion-turtle'. This particular bending is the riskiest because "to bend another's energy, your own spirit must be unbendable, or you will be corrupted and destroyed". Enabled by this encounter, Aang removes Ozai's ability to manipulate fire, and thus renders him harmless. Later, in the Fire Nation capital, Aang is seen beside Zuko while the latter is appointed Fire Lord.^[27]

In the sequel series The Legend of Korra, Korra is the next Avatar following Aang. Following the new series, alongside Fire Lord Zuko, he and Aang founded Republic City, a symbol to represent the heart of peace and harmony of the globe in which is inhabited by all benders and non-benders alike. In addition it has been revealed that Aang and Katara had married, and had three children including Kya, Bumi,and Tenzin. It has been hinted that Katara named their daughter after her early-deceased mother and Aang named one of their sons after his close and old friend, Earthbending Master and King of Omashu, Bumi. Their third child, Tenzin, who currently resides in Republic City with a family of his own, is the only Airbender of the siblings and the only Airbending Master alive after Aang's death at 66. Aang's physical appearance as an adult has been shown in the series' opening intro as well as part of one of Avatar Korra's flashbacks. No official explanation has been given for his relatively early death.

Characteristics [link]

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 since the Air Nomads taught him 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] Due to his non-violent nature, he is also depicted as 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 a complex network of friends extending over 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 how much he cares for those close to him and also demonstrates his fun-loving nature. He also showed that he can act immaturely, and once tried to deceive others in order to keep the group together. In "Bato of the Water Tribe", Aang thinks Katara and Sokka might leave to visit their father. Aang hides the map showing their father's whereabouts and lies about having it in the first place.^[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 [link]

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 child-like 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 [link]

Aang's character appeared in the Avatar: The Last Airbender Trading Card Game on a multitude of cards.^[7][8] 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,^[9][38] followed by Avatar: The Last Airbender – Into the Inferno. Avatar T-shirts, some with Aang appearing on them, are being sold through the Nickelodeon Shop website.^[11] Tokyopop has published a films comic (sometimes referred to as cine-manga), in which Aang, being the main character of the show, appears repeatedly.^[12]

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.^[10]

In 2008 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 [link]

External links [link]

• Official TV Show Website at Nick.com
• Aang at Nick.com

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