How Bryke & Kataang Ruined Aang’s Character in Book 3
It was impossible for me not to notice the massive difference in characterization between Books 1 / 2 and Book 3. I ALWAYS wondered why the writing quality plummeted in Book 3, and I know I wasn’t the only one, judging by the forum reactions at the time. It was so obvious that something felt off, even long before I had any knowledge of the writers’ disagreements about shipping that plagued Book 3 behind the scenes. So hearing about the shipping conflict and cancellation of Book 4 made perfect sense and explained a lot.
It would seem that after Book 4 was scrapped for that shitty movie, the decision was made to pair Aang and Katara (even though there’s proof this was NOT the original plan), and the characters’ personalities got badly warped to accommodate this last minute decision. Yeah…it’s probably not a good idea to change such important elements in the story so late. It had a severely negative impact on the story and characters as a result. It left gaping plot holes, and the characters frequently said and did things completely out of character. When Bryke said Kataang “felt a little forced,” I think that might have been a bit of an understatement…
I’m not gonna pull any punches here, so prepare for very harsh and intense criticism. I’m gonna explore how Kataang and the writers who pushed it (Bryke and John O’Bryan) ruined Aang’s character; morphing him from a terrific character, into a much more horrible one. I plan on covering Katara next, but let’s focus on Aang:
In Books 1 and 2, Aang was portrayed very consistently. He displayed a wide range of emotions, had depth, flaws, and was more or less portrayed very realistically for a playful 12 year old monk with the weight of the world on his shoulders. You gradually learned more about him as the story progressed. His strengths are best shown when he helps build a zoo for the animals in Ba Sing Se. His optimism, sensitivity and sincerity are on full display and he is shown to be a very likable character.
He worries about the effect the war is having on the world and has nightmares about being unable to control his Avatar powers and unintentionally hurting people (even Zuko, his enemy!). He shows remarkable compassion and a true respect for his responsibility to try and stop the war and prevent anymore death and destruction. And he tries to do something about it when he agrees to General Fong’s plan. He shows he takes his position as Avatar seriously and is aware of the effect the war has on people.
We also see him have to work to overcome some of his difficulties in order to get stronger. His more passive, avoidant nature is challenged by Toph as she teaches him Earthbending. He actually has to work to achieve things, showing he isn’t perfect.
His weakness is best shown when Appa is taken, and Aang shows his grief, anger, and vulnerability. He is shown to be a flawed human, and not superior the rest of his companions. He even violates his “no killing” philosophy by killing the buzzard wasps. He is compassionate, but not overly idealized. He is a complex, multi-dimensional character.
He has strong feelings for Katara, but he obviously values their friendship. She may not share his romantic feelings, but he cares for her and respects her as a person. He doesn’t force himself on her. Now let’s look at Book 3…
The Awakening (Writer- Aaron Ehasz) Book 3 starts off well. Aang has emotional depth in this episode. He struggles with his failure to master the Avatar State and defeat Azula, is troubled by the guru’s warning about his attachment to Katara and his sealed 7th chakra, and runs away under the pressure. He is shown to be human and greatly affected by what happened to him in Ba Sing Se, both physically and mentally.
He then eventually has to overcome his pride and conceal his Air Nomad identity. He is portrayed as a complex human character with emotional depth who struggles with both his responsibility to the world and the emotional toll it takes on him personally.
The Headband (Writer- John O’Bryan) This all changes by the very next episode however. All of his inner conflicts seem to disappear and we get a disgustingly cutesy, saccharine episode devoted to him teaching kids how to dance and wooing Katara. All of his concern about the guru’s advice is forgotten permanently from now on, creating a giant plot hole later. Apparently the Nick execs pushed for Kataang in order to not “make 6 year olds cry” and I have no trouble believing that in the slightest, considering how unusually childish many episodes in Book 3 were, compared to Books 1 or 2, which had far, far more sophistication.
This episode marks the start of Aang’s more juvenile, 2-dimensional portrayal from now on in the series; he becomes a far more simplistic, airheaded character that constantly gets pushed on the viewer as 100% morally pure. He morphs from a flawed, multi-dimensional humanized character into what I can only describe as a Gary Stu-ish character who the viewer often cannot take seriously. An author’s pet, basically. Sadly, this episode could have actually developed Aang’s character, since it was originally going to be about Aang and Kuzon’s backstory. We get an early glimpse at how Kataang interferes with fleshing out Aang’s character.
The Avatar and the Firelord (Writer- Elizabeth Welch Ehasz) Aang fares well in this episode, though. His old personality seems to be retained and we see him learn about the history of the war and the ill-fated friendship of Roku and Sozin. Outside of Roku’s awful dating advice (and probably the fart joke…), it is a pretty good episode for Aang. He even learns a little about his parents and Monk Gyatso.
Nightmares and Daydreams (Writer- John O’Bryan) Then we get a Kataang episode. I was disappointed at the childish way that most of Aang’s nightmares were portrayed in this episode. It was hard to take his fears seriously when he’s having dreams about flying pigs, Appa and Momo talking, losing his pants and…failing a math test? Um…ok? Clearly, there was a concerted effort in Book 3 to appeal more to the very young demographic of the fans. It’s too bad, because previous seasons were able to appeal to children just fine without alienating the older fans (who buy more merchandise). The humor is just very cringeworthy compared to Book 2 and Aang comes across more like 8 years old instead of 12 or 13.
The same goes for his dynamic with Katara. She is trying to calm his nerves, and instead of the focus being on the upcoming invasion, we see him obsessively dreaming about her, then almost unable to control himself around her. It’s definitely not a very flattering portrayal of Aang. He never displayed such…creepiness in Book 2. It’s weird how Aang acts MORE immature in the episodes that they want to push him as a love interest. We see here how Kataang interferes with the seriousness of the plot.
The Day of Black Sun, Part 2:The Eclipse (Writer- Aaron Ehasz) Yet later, after the invasion fails, he is back to being a complex character. He displayed a lot of courage and determination at taking on the Firelord even against the odds, and we see how emotionally distraught he is when he fails. He shows that he takes his duty seriously and really wants to end the war.
It doesn’t last long, though. In The Western Air Temple, he’s back to running away and goofing around yet again, ignoring all his problems, and making Katara have to baby him.
The Southern Raiders (Writer- Elizabeth Welch Ehasz) The Southern Raiders exemplifies the conflicting ways Aang is portrayed in Book 3. Bryke altered the script from its original version, so on the one hand we have “Guru Goody-Goody” Aang. Lacking in any subtlety or complexity and his dialogue existing only to preach to the audience on how “good” Aang’s position is in comparison to Zuko, who the audience is supposed to see as “bad.” Bryke’s DVD commentary uses Aang’s moral “goodness” as a reason why he is a better match for Katara. We see here how Kataang distorts Aang into being a self-righteous jerk.
Which he NEVER was before. He was never, ever this condescending or preachy in Book 1 or 2. Not even to Jet. Someone who Katara liked, and who attacked him previously and tried to get him to help wipe out innocent people. Yet, he never lectured him and even seemed willing to try to understand and help him.
It really is insulting, not only to the characters, but to the fans. Avatar was such an incredible show, because it didn’t tell you what to think. It presented complex subject matter with respect and nuance and let the characters be realistically human. You really could empathize with all of them, even when they made bad choices. They were not mouthpieces for obnoxious, trite, kindergarten-level “moral lessons.” Or spoonfed shipping.
And yet, at other points in the episode, you can clearly see the complexity that Elizabeth Ehasz intended to portray. Aang’s position is not, in fact, so simple. We see that although he may have been right that exacting vengeance on Yon Rha was not necessary for Katara’s emotional well-being, Zuko’s approach to support her no matter what, even if it meant killing a man, was actually very helpful to her. He accepted her flawed, darker side, in a way that Aang could not. They both had valid points, and neither one is necessarily good or bad. There was no need in this episode to demonize one character or position, or force a viewpoint on the audience.
Later on, Aang is even challenged on his philosophy and is forced to confront the moral dilemma of his pacifism. Zuko is absolutely right, and Aang’s distaste for killing needs to be challenged if he wants to protect the world against Ozai. Aang may have good intentions, but in reality, that is not always enough. The ending handles Aang’s moral dilemma with the seriousness that it deserves, and you can empathize with both his and Zuko’s feelings regarding Ozai’s fate.
The Ember Island Players (Writer- John O’Bryan) Yet in the very next episode, Aang is back to being ridiculously childish. He reacts in a very jealous and possessive manner, just because of some dialogue in the play. The story never asks us to view Toph’s crush on Sokka in the manner it does with Aang’s crush. Aang gets special narrative treatment that no one else gets.
And the sad thing is, he never acted that immature when Katara had a crush on Jet. In fact, he took it in stride, and thought Jet was cool. He even wore the hat Katara made for Jet. Even when Jet returned later, Aang didn’t act that jealous. Sokka made a joke about Katara kissing Jet, and while Aang didn’t like that, he did NOT act like this. So, we see how Kataang distorts Aang into a possessive, entitled brat, which he never was before.
In Book 3, he behaves in an immature, entitled fashion, and the story not only never calls him out on this, but it ultimately rewards him for his lack of consideration at the end. Aang is twisted into an unrecognizable character yet again.
Sozin’s Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King (Writer- Michael Dante DiMartino) Oh look, it’s Guru Goody-Goody again! This episode may be the most egregious example of Aang’s moral dilemma being trivialized. Aang is presented as ridiculously naive and silly. He states, with apparent seriousness, that he may be able to get Ozai to come around by showing him his baby picture. Are you kidding me? I guess Aang is now 4 years old? He did NOT demonstrate this type of naivete or stupidity when he agreed to let General Fong help him master the Avatar State. Here we see how Bryke’s writing of Aang distorts him into a complete and utter dimwit.
Even worse is that, the way the episode is written, it makes Aang out to be the reasonable one, while his friends are made out to be big meanies who just can’t understand Aang’s poor, delicate feelings. Aang’s self-centeredness is made into a virtue, and apparently we are supposed to be impressed with his “morality.” It really is ridiculous, and Avatar was always much, much better than this. It may have been a Nickelodeon cartoon, but it was sad to see it come to this, given its previous mature writing.
Sozin’s Comet, Part 2: The Old Masters (Writer- Aaron Ehasz) Yet, in the next episode, an attempt is made to make Aang more authentic and relatable. His past lives tell him that he needs to put the world’s needs above his own feelings. He seems to take this seriously, and for the first time, emotionally and mentally prepares himself for the very real possibility that he may have to take a life for the good of the world. He may not like it, but he doesn’t want to let the world down again, like he did 100 years ago, or in Ba Sing Se. He expresses maturity and emotional depth that you can empathize with, unlike in the last episode.
The Lion Turtle then touches his Heart Chakra and Third Eye Chakra, representing compassion and psychic ability, respectively. This foreshadows his eventual ability to take away Ozai’s bending. Unfortunately, instead of earning it through sacrifice and selflessness and unlocking his Crown Chakra, thus mastering the Avatar State on his own, the Lion Turtle’s gift turns out to be a Deus Ex Machina, due to the way the next 2 episodes are written.
Sozin’s Comet, Part 3: Into The Inferno (Writers- Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko) In this episode, Aang cowers, and avoids his problem. He is unwilling to make a tough choice. It wouldn’t have been so bad if it weren’t for the way his dilemma is “resolved” in the next episode.
Sozin’s Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang (Writers- Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko) Thankfully, he is bailed out by the Rock of Destiny, just in time to magically reactivate his Avatar State (in contradiction to all logic), so he never has to give anything up or grow as a character. He never has to make a tough choice, or put his own feelings aside for the sake of others. His selfishness and inability to consider anything but his own needs is rewarded by pure luck.
This nonsensical plot hole was no doubt created so Aang could end up with Katara and not have to give up his attachment, thus opening his 7th chakra. We see how Bryke and Kataang completely butchers the metaphysical aspect of the Avatar State and creates a giant plot hole that many fans still try to make sense of to this day. They will never be able to though, because it never made any sense to begin with and Mike and Bryan know this.
The narrative then hands his crush to him on a silver platter, after doing a pitiful job of developing their “romance”. He never has to grow up, alter his perspective, learn from his mentors, or do anything to advance as a character. He gets the girl even though he displayed a worrying lack of respect for her feelings when she was disinterested, and a frankly unhealthy level of emotional attachment to throughout the series. And this is presented as “romantic.” He is portrayed as the perfect hero, who obviously earned the girl, despite her not sharing his feelings previously. We see how Kataang robs Aang of potential growth and character development he could have gotten by overcoming his needy puppy love. And we see how it robs Katara of her romantic agency.
This was so disappointing as a fan. Books 1 and 2 set the bar so high with characterization, so it was very sad to see this happen to the series due to Bryke’s writing incompetence and shipping bias. I would have preferred no pairings happen if it meant the characterization stayed consistent in quality. This is NOT even the fault of Aang’s character, but solely a result of the way Bryke distorted him. Their attachment to Aang’s perfection was a severe detriment to his character and his previous believability and likability were all throw out the window. He never seriously developed in any way by the end, and he is awarded a serious relationship despite displaying the readiness of a 4th grader.
If you take away Kataang completely, you’re left with a version of Aang that is far more respectable, interesting, likable, and realistic. He is a sweet, fun, charming boy, and it would have made for far more interesting and compelling character development to see him mature and eventually outgrow his rose-tinted glasses puppy love. He would have seen that Katara can still be a valued friend, but it would be healthier for them both if he wasn’t so needy or desperate for her affections. He would become more independent and confident in himself as a result. Instead, he was warped into an obnoxious “ Nice Guy™ ”, and his character deserved far better than that.
So much time was wasted on forcing Kataang that we barely learned anything new about Aang in Book 3. Book 4 could have delved into his past, his parents, Kuzon, his relationship with Gyatso. It could have really fleshed out his character as he struggled to deal with the consequences of energybending and letting go of his puppy love as he looked for surviving airbenders. Instead, he got warped into Bryke’s creepy Gary Stu self-insert.
Worse still, Bryke attacked the fan base for noticing a sharp decline in writing quality in Book 3 and disliking the atrociously written pairings. And they insult the fandom’s intelligence by lying about the change of direction that the story obviously took (yeah, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to notice the GIANT plot holes…). It wouldn’t bother me so much if Avatar wasn’t so good in Books 1 and 2 thanks to the other writers, which Bryke’s writing is an insult to. And if the other writers’ plans for the ending of Book 3 and scrapped Book 4 weren’t so much better and more interesting compared to what we ultimately got. I feel sad as a fan that we got robbed of the story that was originally being set up with Books 1 and 2 and Avatar never got to fulfill its true potential as a story and will forever remain incomplete. But hey, at least we got the live action movie, right?
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