*SPOILERS*
Main Characters
Aang (Mitchel Musso in the unaired pilot, Zach Tyler Eisen onwards) -
The fun-loving, 12-year-old (plus 100 years spent in suspended animation)
titular character of the series and the current incarnation of the Avatar,
the spirit of the planet manifested in human form. As the Avatar, Aang must
master all four elements to bring peace to the world. This burden was placed
upon him early in his life and eventually led to his being frozen in suspended
animation for one hundred years until he was awakened by Katara and Sokka.
Aang loves to travel the world and is always eager to learn new things. However, he is truly saddened by the loss of his people, and is concerned in regard to his newfound duty. But Aang's sorrow is soon replaced by his deep love for Katara and his friendship with Toph and Sokka. At times, he is somewhat naïve of the world and others' true feelings, as he is too preoccupied with the events immediately surrounding him to notice what occurs on a more in-depth level.
Katara (Mae Whitman) - The 14-year-old, sole remaining Waterbender of the
Southern Water Tribe who, along with her brother Sokka, discovers Aang. She
and Sokka accompany him on his quest to defeat the Fire Lord and bring peace
to the war-torn nations. She is a very gifted Waterbender who, by season two,
achieves her dream by becoming a Waterbending master.
Katara is mature, loving, and responsible. Always looking out for the well-being of others, she is an apt leader when the situation calls for one. However, she can be overbearing at times, and believes without exception that her way is the right way, never relenting on her views even when they are disproved. Despite Katara's kind nature, she has a temper which, when combined with her impressive Waterbending skills and idealistic views, can be quite destructive. After the passing of their mother at the hands of the Fire Nation, Katara took on a motherly role over her older brother Sokka, a nature that she later took to in relation to Aang. Katara is an idealist, constantly attempting to right wrongs and help those that have lost hope. However, her kind and controlling nature often makes her rather blind to others' true feelings and desires.
Sokka (Jack DeSena) - A 15-year-old warrior of the Southern Water Tribe who,
with his sister Katara, accompanies Aang on his quest to defeat the Fire Lord.
Unlike his companions, Sokka cannot Bend an element. He constantly struggles
to deal with his lack of mystical power in a world ruled by Benders. However,
the series frequently grants him opportunities to demonstrate his true gift:
inventiveness.
Sokka describes himself as "meat-loving" and "sarcastic." He takes great pride in his mental and physical strength, though it is often overshadowed by others' ability to Bend. He is extremely clever, relying on science where the mystical and martial arts elude him, though his silly and immature manner often causes others to underestimate his intellect and makes him the comic relief of the group. Sokka is very flirtatious and has gained the interest/affection of several female characters throughout the series. At the start of the series he was a male chauvinist, but after witnessing the strength (and not just physical strength) of women like Suki and his own sister, his prejudice has gradually waned.
Toph Bei Fong (Jessie Flower) - A 12-year-old, blind Earthbender who leaves
her wealthy lifestyle and home to join Aang on his quest in season two. Her parents
are incredibly overprotective, leading her to rebel and fight in underground tournaments.
Her popularity as "The Blind Bandit" attracted a hopeful Aang who, at the time,
was seeking an Earthbending master to teach him. Though blind, Toph has been shown
to be a very exceptional Earthbender, possessing abilities unique only to her, such
as Bending metal. Her Earthbending abilities are such that she can "see" through the
earth beneath her feet by feeling vibrations. While this does not allow her to percieve
objects in midair, she can detect individuals by the patterns of their footsteps, as well
as the truth of a statement and perhaps a person's vital signs.
Toph has largely lived alone all her life, which makes her somewhat selfish, sarcastic, and at times, arrogant. She is also a loner who does not hesitate to speak her mind and be bluntly truthful. She does not take pleasure in being mean; however, she has been sheltered from the world her entire life, and never had a friend before she joined the group. Thus, her social skills could be considered lacking. However, in City of Walls and Secrets she reveals that she has a solid grasp of rules of etiquette, especially those of high society; she merely chooses to ignore them in favor of her own self-expression.
Toph's attitude towards her blindness shifts between humor and indirect bitterness. She is not angry or sad due to her lack of sight, but rather possesses a fierce sense of pride. Many times, she questions the kind actions of others towards her as being due to the perception that it makes her weak (as is the attitude adopted by her family). On other occasions, she jokes about her blindness when her companions forget about it in heated situations.
Zuko (Dante Basco) - The exiled 16-year-old prince of the Fire Nation,
obsessed with capturing the Avatar in his quest to restore his honor and redeem
himself in the eyes of his father, Fire Lord Ozai. After being branded a traitor
at the beginning of Book Two, he begins to change from a spoiled prince to an outcast,
at times expressing pity for and bonding with the same people his nation has
terrorized. Zuko, while not as skilled a Firebender as his sister, has other, more
powerful skills, specifically in the superior use of twin broadswords and
hand-to-hand combat.
Zuko is hard, militant, and very obsessive in his quest to capture Aang in the first season. He often acts coldly but has revealed himself to be a very caring character as well - a trait which most often is exhibited in the presence of his Uncle Iroh. Zuko's appearance is well-known due to the scar over his left eye, which eye received during the Agni Kai against his own father that also led to his exile three years prior.
Azula (Grey DeLisle) - The 14-year-old princess of the Fire Nation,
Zuko's younger sister, Iroh's niece, and Fire Lord Ozai's favorite child.
Azula has been especially cruel her entire life. Her mind is set on war and
power; she manipulates and even tortures others, including her brother.
Azula is a prodigy, which combined with her sadistic personality makes her an extremely gifted and dangerous Firebender. She is capable of using hotter blue flames and can even generate and manipulate lightning, a skill possessed only by a select few Firebenders. Azula is uncaring and possibly sociopathic, willing to manipulate others to the extent that she will put their lives in danger to get what she wants, and almost never getting her own hands dirty in the process. She sees others as expendable, and intimidates her lackeys and all those under her command. At times, Azula acts kind and caring, but only to further her own interests.
Iroh (Mako) - A retired Fire Nation general and Prince Zuko's uncle, who is also branded a traitor in Book Two. Iroh is the older brother of Fire Lord Ozai and was the original heir to the throne of the Fire Nation. Iroh is an immensely powerful Firebender of the highest order who accompanies his nephew in his quest to capture the Avatar. He looks upon Zuko as a son more than as a nephew, especially after the loss of his only son, Lu Ten. He is as pained by his nephew's past as Zuko is, and hates that his nephew must suffer as he does. On the surface Iroh is a cheerful and kind old man whose hobbies include drinking tea, playing Pai Sho, and singing.
Much older and more experienced than any of the other main characters, Iroh chooses to take a less active role in the affairs, acting as more of a tutor and guide to Zuko and sometimes even the prince's enemies- Aang and his friends. Especially in Book Two, Iroh is shown to take pleasure in helping others and to prefer a more passive approach to problems; he also displays great humility. The series reveals that he has crossed into the spirit world at least once before, that he shows great sympathy and respect for the role of all elements in the world, and that he has studied the disciplines of other nations.
Beneath Iroh's kindly appearance is a cunning and resourceful master of Firebending who can rival the Fire Nation's best. Though usually friendly, in times of danger Iroh can become incredibly angry and truly dangerous, frightening even the cocky Admiral Zhao into submission.
Mako, the voice actor who portrayed Iroh, died on July 21, 2006. While guest-starring at the Pacific Media Expo on October 28, 2006 the creators confirmed that another voice actor has indeed been selected, although no names were mentioned as for who will take up the role.
