headcanons / canon-divergences;
➜ kataang is not endgame, and they do not kiss or become a couple by the end of the series finale. aang seeks council from the spirit world and his previous avatar cycles prior to that event, and is advised to give katara time and space to decide for herself what and who she wants; he agrees, honoring his spiritual and animistic culture, while continuing to court her in a slow and steady way that does not demand or expect anything of her. if they become a romantic couple at all, it is going to happen when they are older, as adults, with their own autonomy and independence from each other. their romance will specifically be explored with @quvianartuvik! ➜ the air nomads, and aang's culture, will be heavily inspired by the indigenous bön religion of tibet, and significant elements of tibetan buddhism (specifically vajrayana buddhism). this includes elements of animism, visualization/meditation/prayer, tantra, guru/student relationships, and the belief of nonduality and interdependence within the bipolar continuum of existence. ➜ aang is a pollotarian; he eats vegetables and poultry exclusively. because of his indigenous roots, he does believe in using animals for certain resources. the air nomads used sky bison hide (from bisons who have passed on) for blankets and garments. sky bisons are considered sacred to the air nomads, so their meat is never consumed. but their bones and fur are used to create the airbenders' spiritual and religious jewelry or meditative tools (such as talismans, Mala prayer beads and necklaces, drums, flutes, and other musical instruments, as music and dancing is considered sacred tools to connect to the divine). ➜ aang's connection to his culture is important to him, but he is also multicultural due to his position as the avatar; even in his youth, he was groomed to be diversified; traveling to other countries, befriending people in the fire nation and the earth kingdom (kuzon and bumi, respectively). because his past self was the late avatar roku, a firebender and fire nation citizen, he loved the fire nation's food and culture before the demise of the air nomads (the fire nation's mode of consciousness is primarily inspired by confucianism/daoism/chan buddhism, like china). (indeed, seeing the remnants of roku's life through his old home, belongings, and teachers via paintings and statues had brought aang to tears when he had first visited the fire nation at just ten years old). aang walks through the world like everything is painfully familiar, but not; and his time in the iceberge is not the only reason as to why that is. he has lived many lives, in the same realm, the same reality, the same linear timeline, within the vast scope of absolute existence in oneness. it is like a permanent case of de ja vu. it is like reincarnating with a soulmate, over and over. but his soulmate is the world. humanity. life. because he achieved and mastered the avatar state at such a young age (12), he is especially connected to the spirit of the earth and life on it. he is a spiritual master and prodigy. his empathy and compassion is transcendent. (inspired by real incidents of reincarnation).
