#atla fixit

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ATLA Rewrite: Aang's Abandonded Character Arc, Part Three

If you’ve come from the previous two posts, your wait has come to an end! If not, well, the good news is that you can read this and the next parts on their own.

Here, we shall tackle the actual rewrite, changing scenes and conversations in order to complete Aang’s character arc and development in a satisfying way.

We shall also replace the plot devices (lion turtles and pointy rocks) that rob Aang of his agency and therefore, give Aang a more active role in the latter third of his story.

This part in particular will span from season 2 episode 19, The Guru, until season 3 episode 13, The Firebending Masters.

Anyway, this is pretty long, and so I have divided it into parts. This is part three, by the way. Links to the other parts are here, but if you want to read this in chronological order, the links to the next and previous are at the bottom.

Table of Contents:

What Abandoned Character Arc?

What Went Wrong and How to Fix It?

Rewrite: S2E19- S3E13

Rewrite: S3E16-S3E21

You don't need to read all the parts, but I'd recommend it for a full experience.

Now onto the subject matter of this post:

Firstly, the goal of this is to rewrite ATLA from season 2 episode 19 until the finale. No major plot beats will be changed until the finale; I will just be adding small bits and changing a few things to give Aang the internal arc he deserves.

This rewrite will realize Aang's forgotten internal conflict of 'letting go of Katara' in order to gain control of the Avatar State.

A few disclaimers before I begin:

This is just my opinion, and so if you do not agree with it, or even agree with the idea that ATLA needs a rewrite, you are entitled to that opinion and are welcome to scroll away.

This will largely be a rewrite of season three, leaving season 1 and 2 intact, with maybe a few changes to set up things in season three. I do think the writers were gearing up to complete Aang's character arc satisfyingly, but for some reason, it got abandoned. All I shall be doing is picking up the pieces and making an approximation of what could have happened, but I shall not stray from their original ideas too much.

Not everything is concrete; some ideas I had were difficult to make airtight, but I did try. This is mainly for fun, so don't come for me if some things don't mesh well with the story at hand.

In this rewrite, the kiss that Aang and Katara share at the end will not happen, and hence, they will not get together by the end of ATLA, the series. It just wouldn't make sense at the end of my version. But that doesn't mean that they can't get together, or shouldn't, and if you want to accept my version, or parts of it, and also include that kiss, go for it, I have no issue, but I won't.

And on that note, this is not a pro or anti any ship and definitely not anti-Aang. It might get into anti-Bryke territory, but since I don't know who wrote what where, when judging the writing, I mostly just … say writers.

I’ll start by mentioning the changes I will make in each episode, though most episodes will go untouched, recap what happened in canon, the reason for the change and how I think it would enhance the story.

There are some changes I could make simply because I didn't like how things were handled in the series, but you can disregard those if you please. I will also try to be conscious of the show's time constraint, and for the most part (until the finale), I won't add new scenes that weren't there before, just changing the conversation or something like that.

For the changing conversations, the replacement dialogue is my personal example of how the scene could play out, but if you don't like it, you're welcome to ignore it.

You'll see what I mean as we go.

S2E19: The Guru

Change 1: Making the Unlocking of Chakras Harder

According to the Guru, unlocking the chakras is not a simple feat. If you think about it, yes the Guru guided Aang by explaining what the chakras do and how to unlock them, but that's not particularly difficult, or better yet, not something I'd say can't be done ever as the Guru threatens Aang at the end of the episode.

I personally think the chakra opening should be done in the Spirit World. The Eastern Air Temple, like the Northern Water Tribe can have a very spiritual place than they could go to. This would make opening up of chakras a spiritual journey for Aang, you know, the bridge between the human and spirit world.

This would also connect the season finales to the Spirit World (you'll see what I mean when we get to the finale in this rewrite) and Aang's spiritual journey. A thread that was forgotten past season one it seems.

And to make it even harder, I'd have the Guru be the one to guide Aang in the Spirit World. As we saw in the season 1 finale, Aang didn't really know how to navigate the Spirit World, but have Guru Pathik help him. Not uncover all of the Spirit World's secrets, of course, but have Aang have a deeper understanding of how to move around it and give the audience more lore on it.

This, again, will make much sense when we reach the finale, but I always thought the Spirit World was somewhat abandoned in season 2, outright disregarded in season 3 and then lobotomized in LOK. This brings back a piece of interesting A:TLA lore and also gives Aang a skill he must learn as well, i.e. understanding the Spirit World, which will come in handy.

Change 2: The Guru's Origins

Look, Roku being friends with Monk Gyatso was cute and really sweet, and I love the idea of friendships transcending lifetimes. But Guru Pathik did not need to be friends with Monk Gyatso.

I know it was probably to give him credibility or something, but I'd rather not keep this. Because the thing is, the Guru doesn't have to be connected to the Air Nomads. His teachings are primarily spiritual. He could be from anywhere. This also ties back to my opinion that the writers glazed the Air Nomads too much, but I won’t get into that here.

I'd like to think that the Guru doesn't live in the Eastern Air Temple, but had a vision that he'd help the Avatar there and so has waited for years in that temple for the Avatar to come to him. This is just adding to the canon lore established.

If I really had my way, I'd have them meet in the swamp. Mostly because it's the most spiritual place in the Earth Kingdom that we have seen so far, but this isn't really a requirement and the swamp is actually quite far from Ba Sing Se, and so wouldn’t make sense in the end.

Anyway, what I can concretely say is that Guru Pathik wasn’t friends with Monk Gyatso. This is just personal, but I feel very strongly about this.

Change 3: Not Being Able to Enter the Avatar State At All

When Aang chooses to go save Katara instead of letting her go and unlocking his seventh chakra, Guru Pathik says, "If you leave now, you won't be able to go into the Avatar State at all!"

Now, since this is just... not true given that Aang enters the Avatar State in the very next episode, I'd change it slightly to Pathik saying he won't be able to control/master the Avatar State unless he repeats this process all over again.

This sets up what Aang must do (more on that in the finale), and since we've seen that this process wasn't as simple as drinking onion and banana juice and talking, we can understand that this is a pretty bad consequence.

S2E20: The Crossroads of Destiny

Change 1: Aang enters the Avatar State Involuntarily

When Aang sees he and Katara are outnumbered and about to lose in the Crystal Catacombs, he decides to try letting go of Katara (one can infer because they don't really show him letting go of her, but I digress),coming out in the Avatar State and being shot down by Azula.

This isn't great because, as Aang tells Toph in The Day of Black Sun, Part One, Azula shooting him down locks his seventh chakra, stopping him from entering and controlling the Avatar State. All this does is remove Aang's agency from the situation. I mean, the show doesn't really point out a way for Aang to unlock his chakra so he just … can't get into the Avatar State (unless of course, he gets hit by a random rock, which makes perfect sense).

And so, I suggest that Aang should enter the Avatar State involuntarily, as he has in the past. You could have Katara be in graver danger than she was in the catacombs. I would suggest sinking her like General Fong did, which would be a callback to the first episode of the season, reminding Aang and the audience what's at stake.

With this, have Aang so desperate to save Katara that he gets into the Avatar State, and then is shot down. This would make Aang's failure at Ba Sing Se way more personal; he failed to control the Avatar State and risked not only his life, but the Avatar Cycle. It also means he did not fail by doing the right thing i.e. letting go of Katara.

But most of all, it doesn't disregard what the Guru said and therefore the show's own logic. Before Aang begins unlocking the chakras, Guru Pathik tells him that, "Opening the chakras is an intense experience, and once you begin the process, you cannot stop until all seven are open."

And when Aang leaves to save Katara, he tells Aang that "By choosing attachment, you have locked the (seventh) chakra. If you leave now, you won't be able to go into the Avatar State at all."

It's safe to say, that by the logic set up in just the previous episode, Aang shouldn’t even be able to willingly enter the Avatar State as he does in the catacombs in the first place. So consider this fixing the show’s logic as well.

Change 2: Toph joins Katara and Aang the Catacombs

With Katara quite literally in the ground, or almost, and Aang just shot down, clearly she or even Iroh can't save the day on their own. Someone needs to get Katara out.

Enter Toph. She and Sokka have just bust out of their prison, they went to get Bosco from Mai and Ty Lee, so you could easily have them ask where Aang and Katara are. They can then agree that Sokka and Kuei should go get Appa and that Toph can enter the catacombs and get them.

Have Toph free Iroh from his crystal cage and have them come in to fight together instead of just Iroh. This would also make Toph and Iroh's friendship relevant to the plot, as we'd see them work together to help Katara and Aang.

Toph would free Katara, Katara would go to Aang and if Toph tells them Sokka and Appa are above, Katara can carry Aang and Toph up the waterfall with her bending as Iroh attacks Azula, Zuko and the Dai Lee.

I feel like this would also make the whole waterfall escape make sense, though honestly, where was my girl Katara going to go, and explain how Iroh escaped from earlier in the episode from the crystal cage. But of course, this is just to fix the mess I made with sinking Katara.

You could have Sokka join them, too, if you want it to be a Gaang thing or something, but I don't know how Katara would carry all three of them, and now Appa is alone with Kuei.

But I don't think it's too much of a stretch to have Sokka here. Katara is a strong waterbender, and Appa is smart enough to follow instructions.

S3E01: The Awakening

Change 1: Aang didn't die

In the series, it is alluded that Aang died and Katara brought him back. In my rewrite, Aang doesn't die from that lightning, but is critically injured. You know, like Zuko is in Sozin's Comet.

Which, by the way, sorry, allow me to just get into a small tangent here. Azula shoots Aang with lightning, and he dies almost immediately, needing Spirit Water to be brought back. Azula shoots Zuko with lightning, but he stays alive for the entire duration of Katara and Azula's fight and is healed by Katara without Spirit Water.

Huh?

Is it because Zuko took control of the lightning? That can't be right because he REDIRECTED IT TO HIS HEART. Is it because Aang was in the Avatar State? In The Avatar State, Roku doesn't say that being in the Avatar State makes you more likely to die in fatal situations than when not, only that being killed in it breaks the cycle.

Anyway, I can live with this discrepancy. I just hate resurrection tropes, and I would do away with the Spirit Water if Katara hadn't offered it to Zuko earlier, showing just how deep her compassion goes and how much she trusted Zuko in The Crossroads of Destiny.

But, if you feel particularly strongly about this, you can still have Katara bring him back to life; it won't change the rewrite in any way.

Change 2: The Reason For Aang's Angst

This isn't a big change really; Aang is already feeling like crap for letting the world down at Ba Sing Se. I’d just make him feel worse because he got into the Avatar State unwillingly and almost died because of it, as he was warned before.

This would be helpful because Aang doesn't get introspective until episode nine, so if there's any emotional work we want to do regarding what happened in episode 20, it should be done here.

Another thing we can add here is that, though Aang is grateful Katara saved him, he's not very happy with it. This can be tied to his feelings of failure, but you can have him offhandedly mention how Katara did that in The Desert and The Serpent's Pass as well.

This will bring attention to the imbalance in their relationship.

Change 3: No conversation with Roku or Yue

As stated in Part Two, I have a personal beef with how the show treats the Spirit World post-season 2 (and also in LOK but that's a different story altogether) and though it doesn't have much relevance to this, I WILL be taking this opportunity to right some wrongs.

The Spirit World was one of my favorite parts in season 1, and one of the things we see in season 1 is that talking to Spirits isn't as easy as them appearing out of nowhere or randomly telling you their backstories.

One of the worst parts of seeing Roku all the damn time in season 3 is it makes The Winter Solstice and The Siege of the North look pretty stupid. The entire plot of The Winter Solstice was that Aang had to go to the Fire Nation, on the solstice, to a specific room, just to speak to Roku. And for Aang to get even a clue on how to save the Northern Water Tribe, he had to go to a very spiritual place and enter the Spirit World.

Having Roku and Yue then randomly appear to give Aang a pep talk he could have gotten from his friends when they found him, and to allude to the drama between him and Sozin as if an entire episode isn't dedicated to that, just doesn't justify breaking the rules you set up of your magic system.

Yue can appear in the finale (more to come there), but yeah, not here, please. That being said, you can still have the scene where the tides suddenly rise and help Aang out and then have Aang look at the moon and thank Yue. That can stay. Yue deserves all the appreciation in the world. That girl gave herself up for the world with zero hesitation (Aang, take notes).

Seriously, the Gaang has never had an issue uplifting Aang, and this wouldn't be any different. Give that moment to the Gaang!

Change 4: Aang Keeping Secrets

Okay, in this version, Aang knows he failed to master the Avatar State and that he lied to Toph, who couldn't tell because they were on Appa at that time. And so, it's safe to say, his friends would know he got into the Avatar State, but not that he got in there without control.

Katara was in the ground so she had no way of knowing, and as far as Toph and Sokka know, he's mastered the Avatar State. Katara could even bring this up when healing him, comforting him by telling him that it wasn't his fault, he did everything he could.

You could even flash back to that scene for a second when Katara is healing him pretty much the same as in canon, but this time add a flashback of the Guru saying he won't be able to control the Avatar State and have Aang look guilty or upset (not a tall order, since he's not his most sunshiney this episode anyway) so you can communicate this discrepancy without having him outright say it.

This plays on another weakness we know Aang has (lying), plays into Aang's arc of growing up and taking responsibility (lying is a form of regression on this development) and creates a future conflict in which this lie is revealed, an opportunity for Aang to be honest and atone for this sin (taking responsibility).

S3E06: The Avatar and the Firelord

Change 1: Make the day a Summer Solstice

Okay, as I have explained before, I don't like how Roku just appeared out of thin air and got to talk about his backstory. And so my solution is to make the day they speak the Summer Solstice or even the Equinox.

To be honest, it's quite hard to keep track of time in A:TLA. We know Sozin's Comet is in summer's end and so a little over two months after the Summer Solstice. The Equinox is five months before the comet so that's definitely way more time than they had between episode six and episode eighteen so I'll stick with the solstice.

I'd suggest moving this episode to number seven or eight? Just to make it closer to Sozin's Comet but, I'm not to worried about that, but if two months doesn't seem like enough for you, then by all means, move it as forward as you can.

Given what Aang knows about Solstices, it wouldn't be a leap for Aang to look to speak to Roku at this time. Why would he want to speak to him? Well, he needs advice on the whole Avatar State thing.

This makes him proactive in the episode, for one, and also in his ongoing issue with the Avatar State. It also makes helps him develop his spiritual skills. You could have Aang go back to the Fire Sage temple but this time not have to enter Roku's room because he's better at navigating the Spirit World after Guru Pathik’s help and it being a solstice is enough. Or some thing like that.

I was going to have Roku mention that they could meet in the Summer Solstice back in season one as well, but I think Aang figuring it out is much better. It also makes him seem like he wants to continue his spiritual growth and figure out his Avatar State dilemma. It's a win-win!

Change 2: Introduce The Idea of Taking Someone’s Bending Away

Now, this is perhaps my biggest change here because it alters Roku's backstory and struggle a bit more. 

I love the idea of taking someone's bending away. It's interesting, no matter how badly I feel it was botched in the main series. And so, if I want it, I'd have to have it make an appearance at some point. And here was the best place I could.

I would have Roku fight other people before going back to see Sozin. Maybe a montage of him saving the world and being a good Avatar, given all we see him do is master bending. In this example, I'd have him take the bending of someone, whilst in the Avatar State.

Obviously, Aang would be shook, and ask how Roku did it. Roku would say, flippantly, that it's one of the gifts Avatars have in the Avatar State. Something about chi and chakras and how being in the Avatar State is connected to the Spirit World and all that.

This makes sense since you can't bend in the Spirit World. It's one of those eerie and weird things that doesn't really make sense, but hey, if it's in the Spirit World and some Avatar nonsense, that works.

Roku mustn't overexplain this part; have him say something about the perks of being an Avatar or something.

Anyway, this also makes things a bit worse for Roku lol because Aang could ask why Roku didn't take Sozin's bending. Roku could explain how valuable firebending is to the Fire Nation royalty, and taking it away would make Sozin weak. He can also go about talking about how he cherishes the days he and Sozin would spar, and secretly, selfishly, didn't want to take Sozin's bending as that would also be taking the possibility of that happening.

You can also include that's it's very dangerous, or even show it as Roku does it. I like what the lion turtle says about Aang's spirit being having to be unbendable, and since Roku wasn't strongly motivated to hurt Sozin, he feared it wouldn't work,

Anyway, this makes Roku even more guilty, as he didn't just spare Sozin's life, but also his comfort and privilege for Roku's own selfish desires (something Aang can deeply relate to).

Change 3: Roku and Ta Min's Relationship

Another important change or enhancement I'd have is Ta Min (Roku's wife). Now, Ta Min and Roku know each other in teenagehood but Roku is away for 12 years during which time we can assume he and Ta Min aren't together, and it's only after Roku goes away and comes back that the two end up married.

This is just perfect!

Have Aang ask if he had to let go of Ta Min to get into the Avatar State, and have Roku explain the difference between the crush he had as a young boy and the love he and Ta Min found in adulthood. He can explain how shallow and self-centred his crush was and how deep and selfless his love became.

This shows the difference between attachment and love, how one is selfish and naive, and the other is more mature and giving. Aang needs to realise that 'letting go of Katara' does not necessarily mean 'stop loving Katara'.

This scene shouldn't be too long, just a mention at the wedding. Basically, replacing what Roku said about Ta Min in canon. And then have Aang make an introspective face. Or just a face to show that he is listening to Roku keenly.

If you ship Kataang, this is a good hint that they'd be able to work in the future when Aang's childish and selfish attachment transforms into a mature and selfless love. If you don't ship Kataang, you can just ignore that. They don't get together in the end of this rewrite anyway

Change 4: The Avatar State

Now, since Aang sought out Roku about the Avatar state, somehow, they must talk about it. I'm not sure how to go about this part, only that you can have Aang question whether he really needs it. Have him say how difficult it was to do the first time, and that letting go of Katara would be difficult as well.

This would also give Roku a reason for dumping his backstory on Aang (I'm sure you can tell I don't hold this episode in high regard, but only because this backstory is just handed to Aang like everything else is) and advise Aang to seek a way of reopening his chakra and letting go of Katara.

You can also have Aang defend himself and say he doesn't need the Avatar State for the invasion since Ozai won't be able to bend and he has the invasion group. He could even complain on how unfair it is, Roku mastered the Avatar state well into adulthood, he doesn't have the same pressures Aang does.

Roku could agree, and they could end the conversation with Roku saying that he hopes Aang is right, but he'll always support his decision.

This way, we get an idea of where Aang's head is at, when it comes to the Avatar State, and we still keep the invasion plan a secret from the audience.

S3E10: The Day of Black Sun, Part One

Change 1: Avatar State

When Aang wakes up, Toph asks what his strategy is for taking down Ozai and if Aang will 'hit him with a little Avatar State action'. In the show, Aang says he can't because, "When Azula shot me with lightning, my seventh chakra was locked, cutting off my connection to all the cosmic energy in the universe."

In this rewrite, this isn't true. His seventh chakra is locked because he chose to leave in the middle of opening his chakras instead of letting go of Katara.

So now, what does Aang tell Toph? He can't lie to her directly because A: he's a famously bad liar (see Bato of the Water Tribe) and B: Toph would know now that she isn't on Appa for him to lie to her as he did in The Crossroads of Destiny.

So I'd have Aang tell Toph, whilst looking deeply uncomfortable, that he can't get into the Avatar State. Have Toph ask Aang why, and before he can answer, let Sokka interrupt and say it's obvious that Azula is the reason he can't enter the Avatar State.

Now, even though the Azula locking his chakra excuse is a lame one for the narrative to suggest, it's a pretty good one for the in-universe characters to believe.

None of them (as far as we know), apart from Aang, knows about chakras. All they know is that Aang mastered the Avatar State with the help of the Guru (a lie Aang tells them in The Crossroads of Destiny), he got into the Avatar State in the crystal catacombs, got shot by Azula's lightning, and hasn't gotten into the Avatar State since.

It's therefore quite logical to assume that Azula locked his chakra. You can even have Katara support this by telling them about the twisted energy she could feel on his scar.

Before Aang can confirm or deny this theory, have Toph say her line about how all she heard was a bunch of spiritual mumbo jumbo and move to the next scene.

This manages to have Aang lie by omission, a great way to lie around Toph without being caught. It also means that no one will bother him about the Avatar State until the finale (more on that later).

Change 2: Firelord Ozai's Fate

You could have this discussed along with the Avatar State in The Avatar and the Firelord but it also makes sense here. You could have one of the foggy swamp benders or Southern Water Tribe warriors or earth benders to ask about Aang's plan for the firelord when the Gaang and Hakoda are up on the dias.

Aang can look at his friends and nod, showing that hey, they've talked about this, and have Aang say they plan to detain him as he won't be able to bend. Easy peasy.

For funsies, you can have someone else ask why not kill Ozai and Aang give his (very valid) reasons which his friends and most of the adults will support. He doesn't need to kill Ozai, just detain him.

Would you look at that? So you can mention the whole killing Ozai thing before the eleventh hour? Huzza! This whole argument, though interesting, took up way too much time in the finale imo, so this is me redistributing its airtime.

Change 3: What Aang Says Before the Kiss

I know, I know, Kataang doesn't end up together in the end of this rewrite. But the kiss stays.

All I'd change, or not even change, just add, is what Aang would tell Katara. I'd like to make this more of a love confession in which Aang tells Katara that no matter what, and with everything changing, he'll always choose her over anything.

Of course, Katara is confused but nonetheless pleased to hear this, and then she starts to say something before Aang kisses her as he does in the show.

This, again, lets us know where Aang is emotionally. To him, he can't let go of Katara, because why would he choose cosmic power over Katara. This lets us know that he hasn't really understood what letting Katara go means (understandable, it could mean a myriad of things, and I can't blame Aang for thinking the worst) and what he believes is happening.

Again, Katara is oblivious to this internal struggle, but it makes the stakes of defeating Ozai even higher, because this could be the one shot Aang has at taking Ozai down without needing the Avatar State.

S3E12: The Western Air Temple

Change 1: Reason for Aang Running Away From Serious Conversation

So, in the show, we have a mini conflict where upon arrival at the Western Air Temple, the Gaang want to talk strategy, but Aang wants to explore the temple.

I … don't have too much of an issue with this. I get what the show is going for by showing us some regression on Aang's part, but it feels so half hearted and… honestly wholly out of place. Since the fall of Ba Sing Se, there's been a maturation Aang has gone through. He failed at Ba Sing Se, and this time not from negligence, but despite being there.

And just the episode before, he is almost moved to tears by the fact that the rest of the invasion force would stay and be imprisoned as he and his friends run away. He promises them quite solemnly to make it up to them.

All this to say, Aang's very brief regression doesn't make complete sense. I do agree he'd run away, or at least try to avoid the Gaang, as he did in The Awakening. It's clear that is his instinct when hit with emotions he can't process. But even in The Awakening he didn't run away just to have fun, and the reason he was so emotionally distraught in the first place was explained.

Therefore, the change I'd make here is basically just have what the comics have of Aang and Katara talking about the kiss.

No matter how you spin it, that kiss going unacknowledged for five episodes was not a good idea. Of course, given that four episodes in those five don't have an organic place for this conversation, we're going to have it here.

I'd have Katara and the Gaang nag Aang and then have a scene where Katara finds him and they can speak alone. Have Katara angry at Aang for running off and have Aang vent his frustrations about the Invasion and how useless a Gaang meeting would be because Aang's chance is gone.

Of course, Katara would refute that. They still have other opportunities to defeat Ozai and even have her mention the Avatar State and how much stronger he could be if Aang were to try and figure out to get into it. She can even say that the Gaang will help him figure it out, they are a family and theres no problem they can’t solve.

This would then make Aang burst out and ask about their kiss, which Katara hasn't mentioned. Katara could then give the excuse she gives in The Ember Island Players about being confused, or even just have her evade the question.

Also, have her express her wish to not talk about this anymore. Aang could also, in an effort to explain the futility of their mission, bring up the fact that he has no firebending teacher.

In the middle of this argument, have Toph interrupt them and announce Zuko's appearance, which would naturally put a halt to this argument.

I think this works best because A: Katara and Aang talk about the kiss earlier, B: a reason for why they don't speak about it until three episodes later is given, and C: we get a concrete reason for Aang's (short-lived) regression.

S3E13: The Firebending Masters

Change 1: Aang's Inability to Firebend

I have mixed feelings about this episode. On the one hand, yes Zuko and Aang needed to have a bonding trip episode. Yes, the idea of them both trying to learn the true meaning of firebending is important. But did the show have to go about it as it did?

I'm not going to waste your time ranting about how convenient it is for Zuko to lose his bending after firebending so well in the previous episode that he managed to burn Toph's feet.

Instead, I'm going to talk about one thing I can fix, and that is Aang's story within this episode.

The episode itself, despite it's wonky setup, is perfect for both Zuko and Aang, and their individual issues with firebending. Aang is scared of burning Katara, and Zuko's inner fire was fueled by rage, an emotion he doesn't want to use anymore when it comes to firebending.

The episode starts with that idea, and then kind of just abandons Aang's thread. In this rewrite, I won't repeat that mistake. Aang's getting over his reluctance to firebend because of his fear of hurting Katara is the perfect first step in the right direction to his internal conflict.

For starters, just for my sanity, I'd keep Zuko's bending. This is a personal preference, so if you'd prefer his bending go, you can keep that.

Have Zuko try to instruct Aang to firebend, and have Aang unable to firebend in the same way Zuko is in canon. They can argue on whose fault this is: Aang thinks Zuko isn't explaining firebending well and Zuko thinks Aang’s fear is holding him back.

This makes sense because Zuko's firebending is powered by rage and negative feelings, feelings that wouldn't inspire much in Aang, especially given his own negative feelings about firebending.

In canon, all Aang does is watch Zuko as if he’s never had a firebending teacher and we haven't seen him firebend before. Having him actually try shows his subconscious reluctance and honestly just gives him some well-deserved agency. Zuko can still internalise this failure and think it's his fault because his reason for firebending isn't what Aang needs.

When Zuko tells the group, it doesn't just become a Zuko problem, but an Aang one as well, and not just indirectly. Especially when Aang explains or more like repeats that he's scared because he hurt Katara. Because this is the perfect time for Katara to give her thoughts on this.

Now, I've seen people romanticise the line Aang says in the Guru, where he asks, "Why would I choose cosmic energy over Katara?" Which, on its own, is pretty sweet. I'll give credit where credit is due.

However, this is quite the misinterpretation on Aang's part. He's not choosing cosmic energy for cosmic energy’s sake over Katara as a person. He's choosing a higher chance of defeating Ozai over his own attachment to Katara.

If Katara got the full context of the situation, do you think, honestly, she'd be ecstatic over this choice? For her sake? Katara, who sees Aang as the world’s only hope? Katara, whose own mother sacrificed her life for Katara's? Katara, who despite being angry at her father, understands why he had to leave?

Anyway, I'm going on a bit of a tangent here, but what I want to say is that it is very probable that Katara would express her wish for Aang to get over this fear. Especially if it came at the expense of Aang not being able to master firebending.

Then, have Toph suggest going to the sun warriors and the episode going as it did before.

Change 2: Aang's Lesson

In the series, after the dragons judge and show Aang the true meaning of firebending, Aang says, "All this time, I thought firebending was destruction. Since I hurt Katara, I've been too afraid and hesitant. But now I know what it really is … it's energy, and life."

This is a perfectly good lesson, and I'm not going to remove that. I'll just add a few other points.

For starters, his reluctance to firebend in fear of hurting Katara (the conflict he must face in this episode) is very similar to his reluctance to unlock his seventh chakra in fear of letting Katara go (his larger internal conflict).

In both scenarios, Aang, to some extent, is being selfish and using Katara and his love for her as a cover. In The Deserter, Aang burns Katara, but Katara is able to heal herself. Aang vowing never to firebend isn't the selfless and caring act he thinks it is, as it doesn't benefit Katara in any way.

The thing is, Aang must learn how to firebend if he's to face Ozai and bring peace and balance to the world. A world in which Katara lives. And so, by choosing not to firebend, he is, ironically enough, hurting Katara even more than if he were to firebend.

The same thing goes for letting go of Katara. Aang letting go of Katara (at least, in the way I define it in Part Two of this essay) does not negatively affect Katara. However, Aang failing to save the world because he couldn't get into the Avatar state, does.

What I would do in this episode is have Aang realise the reality of his firebending dilemma. This can happen in a scene where Aang talks to Katara at the end of the episode about getting over his fear and how selfish that fear was.

Have him say he learned from the dragons that fire in and of itself isn't good or evil. Just like power isn't good or evil. It's what you make of it. You can choose to burn someone or warm someone with fire, just as you can choose to harm someone or protect someone with power.

He can also give Katara an (overdue) apology for burning her in The Deserter and allowing her to comfort him when she was the one in pain. Katara can even look shocked but pleased that Aang realised this.

This foreshadows the growth Aang will have later on in the series and also hints that Aang is capable of letting go of his selfish desires and gaining a more mature perspective on what he needs to do for the sake of the world.

Of course, keep Zuko's storyline basically the same.

Part One

Previous: Part Two

Next: Part Four

[thegreatestdollarbean]

ATLA Rewrite: Aang's Abandoned Character Arc, Part Two

Here, we shall tackle the issue of what went wrong in not only Aang's character arc, but also the end of ATLA in general, and what needs to be fixed.

Anyway, this is pretty long, and so I have divided it into parts. This is part two, by the way. Links to the other parts are here, but if you want to read this in chronological order, the links to the next and previous is at the bottom.

Table of Contents:

What Abandoned Character Arc?

What Went Wrong and How to Fix It?

Rewrite: S2E19- S3E13

Rewrite: S3E16-S3E21

You don't need to read all the parts, but I'd recommend it for a full experience.

Anyway, back to the meat of this post!

The thing about Aang’s abandoned character arc is that, well, it really didn’t have to remain abandoned. You can have a satisfying ending and not have to sacrifice Aang’s character development. For this to work, we need to outline what didn’t work in the finale/season 3 and what the rewrite aims to do.

What Went Wrong?

1. Hey, so… Aang is still attached to Katara.

An argument I have seen a lot online is one that insists that by the series's end, Aang has let go of his attachment to Katara. It goes like this:

In The Crossroads of Destiny, Aang apologises to Katara, meditates and gets into the Avatar State. By virtue of the fact that he has entered the Avatar State, a feat he can only accomplish after letting go of Katara and unlocking his seventh chakra, he must have let go of Katara!

This is a very, very, very generous reading of the text, I’ll give you that.

Anyway, I obviously disagree with this take, but before I make my case, I would like us to define what ‘being attached’ means. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

Being attached means being emotionally connected: having strong feelings of affection or connection

Now, let’s examine how Aang acts in relation to Katara post The Crossroads of Destiny:

In The Headband, he notices Katara sitting alone and asks her to dance with him. Nothing wrong with this in any way, shape or form, but try replacing Toph in that scene and ask yourself if the same vibes are given.

In The Painted Lady, he tells Katara (though he doesn't know it's Katara) that she's attractive. Again, nothing wrong with this, especially because he's correct, but still.

In Nightmares and Daydreams, Aang daydreams about CONFESSING HIS LOVE TO KATARA and calls her his FOREVER GIRL.

In Day of Black Sun, Part One, Aang KISSES KATARA.

In The Ember Island Players, Aang tells Katara he thought they would be together by then, continues to ask her about her feelings when she clearly wants this conversation to end, and then KISSES HER AGAIN.

Oh yeah. Super detached. Not a strong feeling of affection or connection in sight. 

No matter how you spin it, Aang is still attached to Katara post The Crossroads of Destiny, and honestly, the only problem with this is that the show is either acting like he isn’t or like the Guru never said anything about letting go of attachments. I have no issue with Aang’s character regressing this way and actually prefer to read it like that, but ignoring it altogether isn’t the way to go.

Especially when letting go of Katara is an important part of Aang’s character arc.

2. It's All Azula's Fault, Blame Her!

In The Crossroads of Destiny, when cornered by Azula, Zuko and the Dai Li, Aang decides to try to let go of Katara and enter the Avatar State. They don't show it on screen, but we are to assume, by his emerging a few seconds later in the Avatar State, that he is successful (I’m doubtful, but I digress).

As he ascends, Azula strikes him down with lightning, and Aang falls to the ground. Katara rushes to save him. Iroh suddenly appears and allows Katara to escape with an unconscious Aang in her arms. She finds Sokka and Toph, and as they fly away, she uses the spirit water on Aang's back. Aang groans, and his tattoos glow, signalling that he's alive.

The Avatar State isn't brought up until The Day of Black Sun, Part One. Toph asks Aang if he is going to use the Avatar State against Ozai, but Aang explains that his seventh chakra was locked when Azula struck him with lightning, so he can't use it. Which… Huh?!

How did that happen? When did Guru Pathik ever say that the seventh chakra can be locked by earthly attachment or, on very rare occasions, lightning?! And okay, even if I suspend my disbelief, are we then saying that Aang has been able to let go of Katara and everything should be fine, but now that Azula shot lightning at him, he can't even access the Avatar State?!

This just removes any responsibility Aang had when it comes to his internal conflict. Like, what does one do when lighting locks their chakra? Aang doesn't even seem that concerned about it, and the narrative, in turn, doesn't seem concerned with fixing this issue. Are we to just accept that Aang will never be able to enter or control the Avatar State? Is the Avatar State even needed anymore?

Clearly, this isn’t the case as Aang gets into the Avatar State in the finale when a pointy rock hits him in the back, where Azula hit him with the lightning. Which, again… Huh?!

This robs Aang of even more responsibility! He has no hand or say in being able to enter the Avatar State again. And worst of all, the narrative just… gives him that power back. Just like that. No struggle or lesson needed. Nope. Not for Aang.

Secondly, Aang … isn't being exactly truthful here. In The Crossroads of Destiny, Toph asks Aang if he was able to master the Avatar State (it seems like Toph cares more about the Avatar State than the writers do at this rate), and Aang lies and says he did. It's not totally out of character for Aang to lie (see Bato of the Water Tribe), but it's the first time the narrative has let him get away with it.

This isn't great for Aang because, if you can recall (God knows the writers can't), letting go of Katara is more about Aang learning to be responsible and put the needs of others above his. Lying is not in line with that at all. In fact, it's seen as a very immature and irresponsible thing to do (again…see Bato of the Water Tribe).

There are a lot of things I dislike Bryke for, trust me, but this one is high up there. For all the love they say they have for Aang, they did not do him any justice here.

3. To Kill or Not To Kill Ozai... When Was That The Question?

In theory, I have no issue with this question. I think, on its own, it's interesting. However, it didn't need to be the last and perhaps most important issue Aang was to face, nor to be handled so abhorrently.

For starters, how was this not discussed before? This question should have been brought up during or before The Day of Black Sun. We are purposefully not told what Aang plans to do to Ozai during the Invasion, but we can infer that he's either going to imprison him in the palace or capture him. This makes sense, given that Ozai can't firebend for eight minutes, giving the Invasion enough time to secure the palace.

But you could easily have some foggy swamp bender or one of the Southern Water Tribe warriors ask during the meeting at the Black Cliffs if Aang is going to kill Ozai and have him give that excuse. It makes sense, and most importantly, it sets up that problem for later. Because clearly, during Sozin's Comet, imprisonment or capturing Ozai is near impossible. 

Another grievance I have is with Aang asking his past lives for advice. I really don't know what the writers were going for here. All the lives he asks, in one way or another, tell him he needs to kill Ozai. All of them. Obviously, Aang doesn't do that, so what was the point of having him ask them? Narratively speaking.

This would make sense if the struggle Aang had was not being steadfast in his beliefs. If it were shown that Aang does not believe in himself and is very wishy-washy when it comes to what he deems is right or even what he should do, then having him disregard his past lives' advice to find his own way would make sense.

The only problem is that Aang doesn't have this issue. His belief system is almost unshakeable. That's like half the plot of The Northern Air Temple. Aang is so steadfast in his beliefs that it leads to the first argument he has with Katara that isn't played for laughs and isn't resolved (The Southern Raiders). And so, the only thing you achieve by having Aang disregard his past lives is discrediting them. Which is a weird way to end your series, I'll tell you that much.

Now I'd be okay-ish with those first two problems… if they didn't commit the cardinal sin of having Aang's problem solved by a deus ex machina. 

Seriously.

How do you bring up the last problem your character will have to face, have him, against his will mind you, or at least subconsciously, swim onto a lion turtle's back and then be told some mumbo jumbo from said lion turtle, have him fight your primary villain in the last fight of the series, and have him solve the problem by doing something we’ve never seen or been told of before?

4.  Lion Turtles… Not the Biggest Fan

I don’t even know where to start here.

First off, to anyone defending the lion turtles by saying they appeared in a scroll Aang read during The Library, yes, I understand that, and I also quite appreciate that, because the writers could have just gone with the tradition set in this finale and just pulled the idea of lion turtles out of thin air.

My problem with the lion turtles is two-fold:

For one, even though we saw them in The Library, they were still a last-minute addition. We didn’t even know that lion turtles were that huge, or that they had mystical powers. But even without that… what exactly did the lion turtles tell Aang? Like, seriously, this is a question I ask myself, and for that reason, let me just pull out exactly what the lion turtle says:

The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can tough the poison of hatred without being harmed. Since beginningless time, darkness thrives in the void. But always yields to purifying light. Wait for him, we will come.

Now, okay, let me put my own frustrations aside and try to understand what the lion turtle is saying regarding Aang’s dilemma of whether or not he should kill Ozai.

The first two lines imply that someone with a true mind and heart can overcome anything. Again, this would make sense if Aang had a problem with being steadfast in his beliefs. Or if that was part of his arc. As neither is the case … what’s the point of this? 

The next two are even worse, but I digress. He's basically saying that evil shall bend to good. Now, it should be noted that though there are good and bad guys in ATLA, I wouldn’t say this show is about good vs evil. In the external conflict, Aang’s fight against Ozai isn’t treated as a holy war, or even a war between the forces of pure good and pure evil, as compared to, say, the fight between Korra and Unalaq in the LOK season 2 finale.

If Aang fails to defeat Ozai, the war continues on, and this would be a terrible fate for the world, but the force of evil wouldn’t have won. This is an idea ATLA actively rejects: that the Fire Nation is all bad. We’ve seen the Dai Li be bad, Hama be bad, and by Aang defeating Ozai, these bad forces wouldn’t be automatically stopped.

And so when the lion turtle mentions good and evil, even though it’s been made clear that this isn’t a fight between ultimate goodness and ultimate evil… It’s a bit confusing at best. 

I won’t even attempt to decode that last line. Who is Aang waiting for? Genuinely?! No one else comes within ten feet of Ozai and Aang as they fight. Did the lion turtle mean the Avatar State? Is that a he now? Before the introduction of Raava, the Avatar State was defined as a combination of all the previous Avatars.

Okay, I said I wouldn’t try to decode that line, so let me stop while I’m ahead.

Anyway, my second and much larger gripe with the lion turtles is the fact that they are a clear stand-in for the Spirit World or the spiritual elements on ATLA. This is more of a season 2 and 3 problem at large, but I’m going to blame the lion turtles regardless.

I have a personal fondness for the Spirit World in season 1, and so, seeing it be forgotten really irks me. I talk more about this in my rewrite, but I believe Aang should have gone into the Spirit World as his last journey before facing Ozai.

This is a sentiment I believe the writers share. On the lion turtle’s back, Aang is alone, introspective and can easily communicate with his past lives. In what other context have we seen Aang be alone, introspective and easily communicate with his past lives? The Spirit World! Why include the lion turtles when you already have an in-universe way to separate Aang from the Gaang?

And yes, of course, his body would remain in the physical world, but his body remaining without his soul would cause a pretty similar dilemma to the one the Gaang face in the actual finale. Instead of looking for Aang, they can still look for Iroh, have the all masters thing and worry about Aang’s soul being able to get back into his body in time to save the world.

This enables Aang to talk to his past lives in a way that is consistent with what was established in season one, and you can still have your lion turtles in the spirit world if they’re that near and dear to you. A giant lion turtle doesn’t have to make sense in the Spirit World! Have all the giant lion turtles you want there!

5. The Downfall of Kataang

I think this is where I may start sounding anti-Kataang, even though I'm not. I am anti how they were written, not particularly anti the idea of them being together. I don't care either way, to be honest.

One of the running ideas out there is that Kataang vs Zutara was going on in the writer's room well into Ember Island Players, which I can see, but to be honest, has never sounded like the full picture to me.

In my opinion, the writers, at the very least Bryke, had to make a decision at the end of season 2. Have Aang detach himself from Katara and let her go, or keep the possibility of them being a canon ship. They obviously chose the latter, to the detriment of both characters, but mostly Aang.

Before the Guru, Kataang had the option of being a very sweet, low-stakes kind of ship, but The Guru forced their specific dynamic under a microscope for analysis for the sake of Aang's character. It also, by definition of the conflict, established that whatever Aang does, his relationship to Katara wouldn't be the same.

It's one thing for the show to abandon this altogether, fine, whatever, who needs character arcs anyway, definitely not Aang. But then start giving Kataang issues stemming from nowhere? What kind of logic is that?

I mean, you'd think after ignoring the Guru, you'd go back to the sweet, happy-go-lucky dynamic they had before, but no, those last few episodes all Aang and Katara do is fight.

In The Southern Raiders, they fight over what Katara should do about Yon Rha. In Ember Island Players, they fight about the nature of Katara's feelings for Aang. In Sozin's Comet, Part One, they fight about whether Aang should kill Ozai.

Which is not a bad thing, by the way. That's not the argument I'm making. But if you're going to have them argue and then have them get together in the end, shouldn't they resolve their conflicts?!

Especially if their last spoken interaction is that last fight in Sozin's Comet, and their very last interaction, right after the fight, is to kiss.

Anyway, even though I don't care either way if they get together, this was just really bad writing in general.

How to Fix It

For starters, this fix-it will tackle only Aang's character development. I feel like this kind of ties to Katara's (Aang's idealisation is not a one-way street, but that's a topic for another day), but I'll stick strictly to Aang, because for the most part, Aang isn't even that relevant to Katara's arc.

1. Aang detaching from Katara

This is the most vital step as it relates to Aang’s character development. Aang must let go of Katara.

However, I will admit that 'letting go of Katara' is quite the nebulous task. Like, what does that actually mean?

Well, let's start by looking back at some examples of Aang being in the Avatar State. In The Desert and The Southern Air Temple, Aang is shown to depend on Katara to come out of the Avatar State and stop destroying the things around him.

This emotional dependence on Katara isn’t just there when Aang is in the Avatar State. In episodes like The Southern Air Temple, The Storm, Bitter Work, The Serpent's Pass … I could literally go on, we see Aang process his emotions with Katara's help.

This isn't a novel way to have a character process their emotions; in a TV show or film, they either have to talk to another character or narrate their feelings. It's just interesting that Aang only ever does this with Katara and no other character.

And so, a natural way to show that Aang has detached himself from Katara, especially when it comes to the Avatar State, is by having Aang purposefully get himself in and out of the Avatar State without Katara’s help and for a reason removed from Katara.

In addition to this, you also have Aang understand the difference between love and attachment. When the Guru asks Aang to let go of his earthly attachments in The Guru, the first thing Aang says in response is: "What? Why would I let go of Katara? I, I love her."

It’s clear that Aang sees these two as the same, and for the most part, they are. The Merriam-Webster dictionary has multiple definitions of this word, but the most relevant definition of love when it comes to Aang’s journey might be:

Love is an unselfish, loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another, such as empathy, concern or care for others.

This definition sets apart love and attachment very well. Aang’s attachment to Katara is largely selfish. It focuses on his needs and wants, and more often than not has Katara be the comforter and Aang the comforted.

This isn’t me bashing Aang, but drawing attention to a dynamic that was established as early as in The Southern Air Temple. Almost every time Aang is facing an emotional problem, Katara is there for him. This isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, but just look at these specific examples:

In The Southern Air Temple, Katara tells Aang about her mother’s death for the first time in an effort to empathise with him, to which Aang brushes her off and insists the Air Nomads are just fine. In The Deserter, Aang burns Katara, then becomes withdrawn and angry with himself. Katara flees when burnt, doesn’t blame Aang as Sokka does, heals herself and goes out to look for Aang to comfort him.

Another thing to note is that in the very few moments we see Katara emotionally distraught (seeing her mother’s vision in The Swamp, remembering her mother’s death in The Crossroads of Destiny, fighting to keep her friends alive in The Desert), Aang is either not around to comfort her or too busy with his own issues to do so. (Don't worry, I talk more about The Southern Raiders in part four)

Seriously, the one time I’ve seen Aang comfort Katara was at the end of The Puppeteer, where he and Sokka hug her after she bent Hama’s blood to save them. If you can remember another instance that I have forgotten, please let me know.

Lastly, it’s worth noting that Aang heavily idealises Katara. This is clearly seen in episodes like The Fortune Teller, where they quite literally add sparkle sounds when showing how Aang views Katara, and in more subtle ways when Aang insists Katara doesn't mean the hurtful things she tells Toph (The Chase) and that she's fighting Pakku for his sake (The Waterbending Master)

Aang's idealisation of and emotional dependence on Katara feed on each other. Aang's rose-tinted view of Katara is supported by her near-constant emotional availability, and her near-constant emotional availability makes it very easy for Aang to maintain this rose-tinted view of her. It's kind of like a chicken-and-egg situation, if you ask me.

Therefore, have Aang realise that what he thought was love —his idealisation and emotional dependence— was really just an attachment. Not the love that is defined as unselfish, loyal and invested in the care of others. But a rosy-tinted view of someone who does most of the emotional labour in your relationship.

A straightforward interpretation of 'letting go of Katara' would mean letting go of his idealisation of Katara and understanding that the emotional labour between them has not been fairly split. This will make the task of Aang letting go of Katara not just mature for the sake of Aang doing something he doesn’t want for the sake of the world, but also mature in and of itself.

Aang would be letting go of his selfish desires to put his comfort first by choosing to let go of attachment to enter the Avatar State, and by understanding that his attachment to Katara isn’t the love he thought it was, which is, in and of itself, a mature and responsible thing to do.

2. Aang Being at Fault for Locking His Chakra

Instead of blaming the locking of chakras on Azula, have Aang at fault. Azula should still shoot him down, but by placing the blame on Aang and his failure to unlock his seventh chakra, he will gain back his agency in the story and give him a tangible way of unlocking it.

It also has the added benefit of not going back on the logic already established. Just an added bonus, really.

3. The Ozai Question

Again, there’s nothing wrong with this question; it’s just the fact that it came out of nowhere, took so much of Aang’s screentime, and then was solved kind of offscreen.

I’m okay with this question as long as it’s either asked before i.e in DoBS, or is solved easily. Don’t waste Aang’s final moments in the show on a question that no one even thought to ask before. How to go about solving this problem shall be discussed in the rewrite (part three in particular)

4. No Lion Turtles Please

I stand by what I said when outlining what went wrong; the lion turtles were only there to give Aang a Deus Ex Machina, and since we won’t need those, we won’t need the lion turtles.

If you personally feel like the story couldn’t and shouldn’t end without the lion turtles, keep them, but know that I won’t.

5. The Fate of Kataang

According to the first aim of letting go of attachment, at least in the series proper, we can’t have a Kataang kiss or get together at the end. I’m not saying it’s not possible, but we simply don’t have the time to deconstruct Aang’s attachment to Katara and then reconstruct a (good) romantic subplot for Katara and Aang. 

Again, if you feel very strongly about this, you can opt to keep the kiss, but I personally will not be doing so.

And now with all that out of the way, we can finally get into the rewrite!

Previous: Part One

Next: Part Three

Part Four

[thegreatestdollarbean]

ATLA Rewrite: Aang's Abandoned Character Arc, Part Four

Here, we shall tackle the actual rewrite, changing scenes and conversations in order to complete Aang’s character arc and development in a satisfying way.

We shall also replace the plot devices (lion turtles and pointy rocks) that rob Aang of his agency and therefore, give Aang a more active role in the latter third of his story.

This part in particular will span from season 3 episode 16, The Southern Raiders until season 3 episode 21, Sozin's Comet: Avatar Aang.

Anyway, this is pretty long, and so I have divided it into parts. This is part four, by the way. Links to the other parts are here, but if you want to read this in chronological order, the links to the next and previous are at the bottom.

Table of Contents:

What Abandoned Character Arc?

What Went Wrong and How to Fix It?

Rewrite: S2E19- S3E13

Rewrite: S3E16-S3E21

You don't need to read all the parts, but I'd recommend it for a full experience. However, for this specific post, you may need to read part three (Rewrite: S2E19-S3E13) for this to make sense.

S3E16: The Southern Raiders

If there's an episode I was most anxious to rewrite, it's this one. Oh boy.

Now, are there some things in this episode I would like to change that are unrelated to the quest of giving Aang a proper development? Yes. But I will keep on task and keep the episode as is, for my sanity and yours.

So much happens in this episode, and this will be the most drastic change I make, in my opinion, because the message at the end (pertaining to Aang anyway) will not be the same as in canon.

And so before I mention the changes... let's talk about The Southern Raiders.

Aang's Role in The Southern Raiders

Okay, let's set the scene. Katara tells Aang that she needs to borrow Appa. Aang jokingly and distractedly asks Katara if it's her turn to take a little field trip with Zuko, to which Katara deadpanly says yes.

This grabs Aang's attention. He turns to Katara, and it's obvious that something is wrong. One thing we can all agree on in this episode is that Katara is upset, and that no character in this scene is oblivious to that fact.

Anyway, back to the scene. Aang asks Katara what's going on, to which Katara says she and Zuko are "going to find the man who took my mother away from me". On the off chance that Aang wasn't clued in on Katara's emotions before, he sure as hell is now.

When Aang asks, "What exactly do you think this will accomplish?", Katara scoffs, shakes her head and says, "Ugh, I knew you wouldn't understand."

To which Aang insists that he does understand. He then outlines two instances that relate to Katara's situation: when sandbenders stole Appa and when he found out what happened to his people.

Aang, Katara, Zuko and Sokka argue for a while, but in the end, Aang lets Katara take Appa. He tells her, "This is a journey you need to take. You need to face this man. But when you do, please don't choose revenge. Let your anger out, and then let it go. Forgive him."

Which, I mean... yeah, no duh, Katara needs to face this man. That was what she was planning to do from the get-go! But, I digress. Katara and Zuko go, Katara opens up about her mother's death FOR THE FIRST (and only) TIME EVER to Zuko (who listens to her and affirms that her mother was a brave woman), and they eventually find Yon Rha.

Katara sends a stream of water at Yon Rha, transforming the stream into a flurry of ice daggers that stop midway before hurting Yon Rha and realises she can't do it. Later, when she's at a boardwalk, sadly paddling the water with her feet, Aang and Zuko approach her.

I'm just going to type this conversation word for word as it plays out:

Aang: Katara? Are you okay? Katara: I'm doing fine. Aang: Zuko told me what you did. Or what you didn't do, I guess. I'm proud of you. Katara: I wanted to do it. I wanted to take out all my anger at him, but I couldn't. I don't know if it's because I'm too weak to do it or because I'm strong enough not to. Aang: You did the right thing. Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing. Katara: (rises from the boardwalk and frowns at Aang) But I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him. (smiles at Zuko and walks up to him) But I am ready to forgive you. (Hugs Zuko before walking away) Zuko: You were right about what Katara needed. Violence wasn't the answer. Aang: It never is. Zuko: Then I have a question for you. (Turns to look at him.) What are you gonna do when you face my father? Aang: (looks uncertain and uncomfortable)

Okay... that was a lot.

Now, I'm not going to dissect this episode in its entirety, just the parts relating to Aang and the position Katara takes in Aang's story. This means I will not be touching on Katara, Sokka or Zuko's arcs, I will not be arguing on who is right or wrong, and I will certainly not touch on the Zutara vs Kataang discourse that this episode so naturally brings about.

That being said, let's start the discussion.

As I said, I'm not going to argue whether or not Aang understood Katara or not, or whether the examples he gives should even be compared to Katara's situation right now.

What I will do, which I think is much more interesting, is compare Katara and Aang's reactions when the other is, according to Aang, feeling "unbelievable pain and rage".

In The Desert, when Appa is missing, Katara lets Aang lash out at her and swallows her own frustration to ensure he (and the Gaang) survive. When Aang, in a fit of anger, gets into the Avatar State, starts destroying sand sailers and endangers everyone, including the Gaang, she doesn't run away from him like Sokka and Toph do, and instead takes his hand, pulls him down and engulfs him in a hug.

In The Serpent's Pass, when it's clear that Aang has moved from anger to depression in his grieving of Appa, Katara continuously checks on him, chastises Sokka for bringing up the fact that Appa is missing, urges Aang not to lose hope and offers him a hug.

In The Southern Air Temple, Katara (and Sokka) know that there will be no airbenders in the Southern Air Temple because they were killed in the Air Nation Genocide. She tries to empathise with Aang by telling him about her mother's death, urges Sokka not to tell Aang about the murder of his people, and when Aang gets into the Avatar State and endangers Katara and Sokka, she assures him that even though his people are gone, he has a new family in her and Sokka.

Now, in The Southern Raiders, when Katara is clearly the most upset she's ever been because there's a chance she could find the man that killed her mother, her most painful memory and the source of almost all her trauma, what does Aang do?

He asks Katara what she thinks finding her mother's murderer will accomplish, assumes that Katara wants to get revenge, tells her what the monks believed about revenge and urges her to forgive Yon Rha.

I hope the point I'm trying to make is clear.

At no point in the rest of the campsite argument scene does Aang extend an ounce of empathy to Katara. To be fair, neither does Sokka, but still. To Aang, it's somehow more important to give Katara (and the audience) a morality lesson than it is to emotionally show up for Katara. And it's not like Aang, or we don't have examples of what that could look like.

Katara could have chastised Aang about how incredibly dangerous it was for him to lose control of his emotions, get into the Avatar State, and endanger himself and those around him in The Southern Air Temple and in The Desert. But never, not once, not even later on, does she do that.

She soothes Aang, reassures him, and even goes as far as endangering herself to do so. She goes out of her way to be the shoulder he can lean on during his worst times.

And the thing is, it's not just in those three episodes. She does the same thing in The Storm, The Deserter, Bitter Work and more. The one time Aang has the opportunity to do the same for her, he instead chooses to argue with her.

Also, for some reason, the narrative has decided to make Aang's part of the episode be about how wise and right he is. He is the moral authority in this episode, as seen in how absolute his advice is, telling Katara how proud he is of her, and having Zuko affirm that Aang was right.

This isn't a problem on its own; having Aang be a moral authority is a great way to show that he is mature. And though I personally take issue with this, as it feels like more Air Nomad glazing, it isn't a bad place to take Aang's character.

The problem is, it comes at the expense of Katara and Aang's relationship.

In part two, I bring up the difference between attachment and love and how Aang could differentiate between the two. Part of letting go of Katara and understanding how his attachment is a detriment to both of them would have him recognise the disproportionate amount of emotional labour Katara does for him that he doesn't.

This episode, more than any other, shows that Aang and Katara are not on an equal emotional footing in their relationship. It gives us a scenario in which Katara is the one who is upset and in need of Aang's emotional support, and we see that Aang's approach is to do none of that and instead lecture Katara.

And look, even if you argue that Aang's lecture was given from a place of love and care for Katara, and that Katara took Aang's advice by letting her anger out and then letting it go, you can't say that by the end of the episode, they are in emotional harmony.

Because Katara and Aang's relationship and it's evolution is important to his arc, we are going to have to change that.

Change 1: Aang and Katara before she takes Appa

The argument during the day that Aang, Katara, Zuko and Sokka have can stay as is in the show, but what I would like to change is the next scene in which Katara and Zuko are planning to steal Appa anyway later in the evening.

Here, I'd have Aang acknowledge that he did not want to argue with Katara in the first place and apologise for jumping to conclusions and not hearing Katara out. He's literally a pacifist, and the few times he seriously argues with his friends before this (like when he yells at Toph in The Chase), he's not pleased with himself.

Instead of having him double down on being on a higher moral ground than Katara, have him realise and verbalise to Katara that whenever he's going through something, Katara is always there for him, even when he doesn't do the right thing. He also tells Katara that he wants to do that for her here as well.

Maybe have him admit that he never knew what happened to her mom, and that this must be a very confusing and emotionally turbulent moment for her. And that whatever happens, he will always have Katara's back, or something to that effect.

You can still have Aang say what he did in canon, but I personally won't. It's important (to me, anyway) that Aang realises that his own moral code isn't what's important here. It's Katara's emotional state.

The first argument would allow us to know Aang's position on the matter, but this second reaction has Aang realise how he failed Katara in that first argument, especially given how Katara has shown up for him in the past, apologise for that mistake, and assure Katara.

This is a great way to show how much Aang has matured, especially regarding his relationship with Katara, and his willingness to try and match Katara's emotional labour in their relationship.

At the end, have Katara give Aang a small appreciative smile before she leaves with Zuko.

Change 2: Aang and Katara at the Boardwalk

At the boardwalk, Aang approaches Katara, asks if she's okay and expresses how proud she is of her for not killing Yon Rha. Katara opens up to Aang (and Zuko) about her conflicted feelings on whether she spared Yon Rha because of her strength or weakness.

Aang assures her she did the right thing in forgiving Yon Rha, but Katara refutes this and says she will never forgive Yon Rha. She literally turns from Aang with a frown to give Zuko a small smile and a forgiving hug before walking away.

The problem with this interaction is that Katara and Aang have not come to an understanding, and Katara is still (clearly) not happy with Aang. This would be alright if it were resolved or relevant to ... anyone's arc, but nope, it's just ... there.

In this rewrite, the conversation will continue largely the same, but Katara's tone towards Aang will be different. Katara can still insist she'll never forgive Yon Rha, but she doesn't need to give Aang such a venomous look. This is plausible since Aang and Katara patched things up before, so there's no reason for any nasty looks on Katara's part.

Have Aang look shocked to hear Katara say this, or if not surprised, at least have him frown. This will make more sense in the next change.

Change 3: Aang and Zuko's Discussion

Another change I'd make is the conversation post-forgiving hug scene.

The scene in which Zuko and Aang talk to her is meant to (very halfheartedly) foreshadow the problem of whether or not Aang will kill Ozai. This won't be as big of a problem in the rewrite as it was in the show, so I'd rather use this moment to develop Aang.

You can still have Zuko start by saying Aang was right, or not, I really don't mind, but Aang can bring up the fact that he does not know Katara as well as he thought he did, shown in the conversation they just had before Katara left.

Now, for this take, argue with the wall if you don't agree. If this episode has shown us anything, including the viewers when first watching, is that there is a dark side that Katara has been hiding for quite a while.

Aang's particular issue would be seeing this side of Katara. So far, Aang has shown to be dismissive or ignorant of Katara's less-than-savoury character traits.

When Katara steals the waterbending scroll in The Waterbending Scroll, Aang finds a way to spin it positively. It's Sokka who points out that she's endangered them, and even when Katara apologises for getting them captured, Aang assures her it isn't her fault, even though it one hundred and ten per cent is.

When Katara is blaming Toph for their situation in The Chase, Aang quite literally interrupts Katara and tells Toph that no, Katara isn't blaming her. When Katara chooses to fight Pakku in The Waterbending Master, Aang thinks that she's doing so to defend his honour, and not due to her own anger and pride.

Having Aang realise that his view of Katara isn't always accurate is a great way to deconstruct his idealisation of Katara, which hinders him from loving Katara unselfishly and maturely.

He doesn’t need to say much; just one or two lines should suffice.

This revelation on its own also shows how much Aang has matured, and you can even have Zuko make this comment. He can even say that sometimes people aren't always what they seem, citing what the Gaang thought of him before as an example.

Change 4: Sokka and Katara Talking

This has no bearing to the Aang development, and even stretches the runtime more than it should, but for the love of God have these two interact. Forget Zuko and Aang, these two underwent the most damage this episode. We can all agree that they just need to talk and hash some things out.

This also allows Katara to tell Sokka she heard what he told Toph about their mom, if you so wish.

How this scene would go is largely up to you. My interpretation is that after hugging Zuko, Katara looks for Sokka. When she finds him, maybe even with Toph and Suki, they all express their relief over her well-being before Suki and Toph leave the scene.

Have Katara then apologise for what she said about his love for their mother. It doesn't matter if what she said was right or wrong, because it clearly hurt Sokka.

Sokka accepts this apology and says something about understanding how Katara's trauma or even having him crack a joke when he notices that Katara's eyes are watering.

He immediately pulls her into a hug as Katara sobs on his chest. You can even show Sokka cry silently and end the episode on this hug.

S3E17: The Ember Island Players

Change 1: Aang and Katara's Balcony Talk

Ah, finally. Let's talk about The Ember Island Players.

For the most part, I'd keep the episode the same. The actors being one note versions of our characters is such a perfect addition. We can all agree this is one of the best recap episodes in television history.

Now, the balcony scene. Or wherever Katara found Aang during the second intermission. Some healthy reminders. A few weeks ago, at least, Aang kissed Katara. No matter how you want to look at it, Katara wasn't expecting that kiss (in fact, I'd say her not expecting it was the appeal but I digress) and, at least in canon, at this point, has not shared her feelings about it.

I mean, technically she never does, which is what makes the finale kiss so jarring, but again, I digress.

Now, in this rewrite, the DoBS kiss has happened as per usual, but a couple more things have happened as well. Aang and Katara had the largely same argument they would have in canon at this time in ep 13. Then, Katara expressed her discomfort/disapproval of Aang refusing to firebend for her sake, or for fear of hurting her, depending on how you look at it.

Then, in ep 16, Aang and Katara had a disagreement. He apologises for that, tries to put himself in Katara's shoes and emotionally support her, and later on, he realises he didn't know Katara as well as he thought he did.

Now, the rewritten scene starts off the same as in canon. For starters, this intermission is right after the scene of stage!Katara telling stage!Zuko she sees Aang like a little brother, confessing her love to stage!Zuko and of stage!Aang being struck down in the crystal catacombs in the Avatar State.

Katara notices that Aang is missing and asks if anyone knows where he is. Katara looks for him and finds him on the balcony, clearly upset. Already, this scene's setup is familiar. Aang has run off upset, and Katara, worried for him, has gone out to look for him and find out what's wrong (see The Storm and The Awakening).

This is clearly a point backwards for Aang's arc. He's run away without telling anyone where he is (he doesn't go far, but you get my gist) and is more than willing to dump his emotional baggage on Katara.

Anyway, Katara asks what is wrong and hence begins this episode's piece of Kataang drama.

To be honest with you, I cannot comprehend that that scene was written as the last scene in which Katara and Aang would interact alone (spoken interaction, at least) and then have them kiss in the finale. Like… what? The thing is, they didn't even have to confess their love to each other! They just didn't need to fight. Like why make this interaction negative?

Anyway, yeah, this rewrite isn't going to be much better if you're a Kataang fan here, but I will try to make it relevant to Aang's arc, something the show didn't do.

It's really hard to paraphrase this so I'm just going to write the dialogue from when Aang brings up the kiss. It's not perfect but, here goes:

Aang: But it's true, isn't it? We kissed at the invasion, and I thought we were gonna be together, but we're not. Katara: (looking away) We didn't kiss, Aang. You kissed me. Aang: What? Katara: (sighing) We're in the middle of a war, Aang, we have other things to worry about— Aang: (interrupting Katara) Wait, what do you mean I kissed you? Did you not want to be kissed? Katara: What? Aang: (getting frustrated) The kiss. Did you not like it? Is that why we aren't together?! Katara: (sighing again and looking away as she hugs her torso) I'm sorry, Aang, I... I just don't want to talk about this right now. Aang: (staring at Katara, who won't meet her gaze before deflating. Lowering his voice) You don't like me... do you? Katara: (turns quickly back to Aang, clearly worried) Aang! Of course, I like you. I love you! Aang: But not the way I love you. (Silence. Katara looks away again into the ocean, her face twisted in discomfort) Aang: (chuckles darkly) I'm having the weirdest sense of deja vu right now… Katara: (confused) Deja vu? Aang: (sighing) Never mind. It's alright, Katara. You can forget everything I just said. I'll see you back in there. (starts to walk away) Katara: (reaching out to him in concern) Wait, Aang... Aang: (turning back to face Katara with a sad smile) Seriously...it's alright. (leaves Katara at the balcony)

I really didn't know how to go about this in a way that doesn't directly sink Kataang or ship Zutara, so I decided, won't it be fun to draw parallels to Meng's crush on Aang? Anyway, I hope, not much of a radical idea, because the episode The Fortune Teller itself draws more than enough parallels between the two.

From the similar sounding name, to the lovey dovey way they both view the objects of their affections, flirting by pointing at clouds, etc.You can even have Aang say "so this is how Meng felt" but I felt like that was too on the nose.

But yeah, I thought if I have to break Aang's heart here, I might as well do it whilst having a callback to an episode in which Aang has to reject someone else’s crush on him. Parallels are fun.

And also, give my guy Aang some dignity and have him be the one to leave Katara on the balcony. And double points because Katara, as usual, tries to comfort Aang even when she's in her own turmoil (again, see The Deserter and The Desert), but this time, Aang refuses to be soothed.

This allows him to choose emotional independence and move the story forward positively (kissing Katara without her consent for a second time was not the most positive way to progress the plot). Not all his hurts must be eased by Katara. He can process his own emotions, and also understand that Katara's offering to comfort him would be to her own detriment.

Alternatively, if you'd like Zutara to be endgame at this point, have Katara confirm her budding romantic feelings for Zuko. She doesn't have to be in love with him, but having her even blush and look away if Aang were to ask if she likes him would be enough.

This would give Aang a very simple and direct way of 'letting go of Katara' as he'd have to let go of his crush and, by accepting Katara's feelings for Zuko, shows that his love for her has grown from a selfish attachment to a selfless care of Katara.

This isn't necessary; it's just an option for any Zutarians out there who believe Katara likes Zuko at this point in the story. I personally like the one I've written, but hey, you can get as flexible here as you want as long as Aang decides to stop pursuing Katara romantically (at least in the series proper).

Again, this decision doesn't necessarily have to be anti-Kataang.

If Katara is genuinely confused and not ready to talk about romance but still likes Aang in that way, that works because Aang realises his love is selfish and it's not taking her readiness into account.

This shows his maturation, and Katara could even appreciate this from him, making her fall harder for him later on. Nothing gets a girl going more than their feelings being considered.

If Katara is trying to let him down easy because she doesn't share his feelings, Aang is being mature by finally truly listening to what Katara is trying to say and understanding that Katara is not the type of person to reject Aang like that.

Either way, this is massive growth for Aang.

S3E18-21: Sozin's Comet

Change 1: Gaang's Last Argument

Now, because I honestly see the four-part finale as just one big episode, I'm just going to tackle all the changes in the four episodes here.

Everything from the beginning remains the same and it's only when it comes to the argument after Katara shows the picture of Baby Ozai do some things change.

Unlike in DoBS, the Gaang minus Aang doesn't see a way for Aang to defeat Ozai during or before Sozin's Comet without killing him, especially given that he could escape, or other firebenders could free him when the Comet arrives.

The argument will start out the same, with Aang reluctant to kill the Fire Lord, but instead of storming away in a huff, and getting into an explosive fight with Katara here, he will remember having seen Roku take someone's bending away.

It makes sense that Aang wouldn't think to say this before because A: still unwilling to unlock his chakras and B: he really thought they'd do this post Sozin's comet. However, the fact that Aang must defeat Ozai before it means it's either this, or kill Ozai.

Immediately, the Gaang would approve of this plan and ask Aang how he'd do it. Of course, as Roku told him, he'd have to be in the Avatar State. This would make the Avatar State relevant again, because it just kind of stopped being relevant at some point. The characters could start brainstorming on how to Aang should get into the Avatar State and finally, finally Aang fesses up.

Of course, the characters are not pleased about this lie, and Aang gives all the excuses he can't but still. They ask why he couldn't let go of his earthly attachment, and he confesses that he had to let go of Katara which he couldn't.

There's an awkward pause, and then one of the characters (preferably Zuko, because aside from Katara, he is the one most in tune with Aang and other people's emotions, but take your pick, really) ask the rest to leave to give Katara and Aang space to talk.

Change 2: Aang and Katara’s Final Conversation

Katara is obviously not happy to hear she is inadvertently the reason Aang can't reach the Avatar State and Aang isn't proud either, but have him verbalize and tell Katara what he's learnt.

First, from the belief that he was choosing Katara over power, and how in the quest to learn firebending, he learnt that was untrue. He also learnt that his attachment to Katara isn't helping him think clearly, assuming things that aren't true (Katara reciprocating the kiss) and that he saw her in an idealised way that wasn't fair to her.

Furthermore, no matter how hard and how much he doesn't want to do it, he's realised that that doesn't matter. He has to let go of Katara if he wants to control the Avatar State. The world is depending on him to do his duty, and he's tried to look for other ways to outsmart the system, but there's no outmanoeuvring he can do this time (callback to Bitter Work, one of my personal fave episodes in ATLA).

And most of all, have Aang verbalise to Katara how imbalanced their relationship is, just how much Katara does for him and how much he appreciates it, but he realises that his love was selfish and did not take into account Katara's feelings.

You can have Katara and Aang hug here, and even have Katara shed a few tears and express how proud she is of Aang for this growth. She can even apologise for not being as sure of her feelings as Aang is, but have Aang tell her she doesn't need to apologise to him.

They can then join their friends or like fade to a new scene and have them form a plan. Aang decides to go back to the Eastern Air Temple and look for the Guru to help him. He also says that opening of the chakras takes time, and the last time he did it, it took a day or days, or even have Sozin's Comet be less days away now since they won't have to lose time looking for Aang in this rewrite.

Have Katara offer to come with Aang and for him to refuse and say this is a personal journey he must take on his own. Have him be a bit unsure about whether or not he'll make it in time (just for some tension) but that he'll try their best.

This is a much better way to end Aang and Katara's (spoken) journey than whatever the hell the show tried to pull. It completes Aang's arc and satisfyingly ends their relationship arc.

One thing I can agree with Bryke on is that Katara and Aang's relationship was the heart of the show, be that in a familial, platonic or romantic way, you pick.

Over and over again, we see how these two care for each other. I know I've used the examples of Katara taking care of Aang in a negative way, but honestly, that aspect of their dynamic has always been really sweet. And though I haven't talked about it, Aang does have moments where he selflessly shows Katara his care for her (The Painted Lady, The Northern Air Temple)

Anyway, yeah, it's not good practice to have 'the heart of the show' get into their third unresolved argument in a row as the series ends, and have that be the very last time they talk.

Change 3: Aang Purposefully Goes Somewhere Private

The rest of the gaang tries to think of what to do, as a backup in case Aang is late and Zuko suggests Iroh. They all fly with Appa look for June and find Iroh outside Ba Sing Se. I guess since we need time to show Aang in the spirit world, he leaves now, though I'd rather he's there when Iroh is giving his speech, but yeah that probably won't be possible.

I'd say instead have Aang thank the Gaang one last time. Like a pep-talk of sorts. Have Toph give a funny quip and Katara smile proudly at Aang.

Anyway, Aang and Appa, leaving Momo with the Gaang, go to the Eastern Air Temple, but the Guru isn't there, because he was only there because his vision said he’d meet Aang there and it’s safe to say he moved away. This forces Aang to go into the Spirit World and unlock his chakras for a second time on his own.

Now, one of the things I hated about the finale is how Aang just disappears. I'd actually rather he actively ran away because why rob him of choice. Like he's your main character. Things shouldn't continuously be happening to him, he should be making active choices in the story.

With this change, he gets to go on a private journey, but this time, he makes this choice on his own, and doesn't (even if unknowingly) abandon his friends.

Change 4: Aang's Final Internal Journey

Instead of Aang being pulled by some invisible force to swim onto a lion turtle's back, Aang will have to enter and navigate the Spirit World largely on his own to find a way to unlock his chakras.

I've seen someone mention once how the narrative (once again) hands Aang his victory in The Siege of the North. He doesn't choose to enter the Avatar State, and when he merges with the Ocean Spirit, it seems to be the one in control.

I have no issue with this, and actually prefer it, because it will then be a step in Aang's arc. In the season 1 finale, Aang can only defeat the Fire Nation by entering the Avatar State due to an unnamed force and being used by the Ocean Spirit. In the series finale, Aang enters the Avatar State on his own and is in control of the situation.

In the Spirit World, depending on time, I'd have him go through some challenges. Bob's your uncle here; you can add whatever you think is necessary.

In The Siege of the North, we see Aang struggle to find Koh, and in The Guru, we'd see Guru Pathik be the one to know the ins and outs of the Spirit World. To show Aang's growth, he is going to have to be able to navigate the Spirit World on his own, or at least not have to be as assisted in every step of the way as he was in the season 1 finale.

You could still have the Avatars give Aang advice. I’d rather in the challenges he faces in opening the chakras, he meets different Avatars and their stories are relevant to the chakra, or they even share with Aang their own personal experience and problem with unlocking different chakras.

This makes the experience much less lonely and also … this is just a cool idea if you were to ask me.

You can even have Yue make an appearance now (something about how Aang helped the Ocean Spirit in season 1, and now the Moon Spirit will help Aang) for all the Yue fans out there.

Anyway, this is largely up to your own imagination. In the end, just have Aang unlock the seventh chakra on his own. All this could take some time, but since we’re cutting the time in which Aang is on the lion turtle and the Gaang is looking for him, it could work.

Change 5: Aang vs Ozai

You can have the same mystery the show had of him getting to Ozai. We can have him emerge from the Spirit World having unlocked all his chakras and even having a momentary glow but unable to go into the state willingly. However, it's already Sozin's Comet and he has to leave.

He faces Ozai and now Aang is anxious because yes he's detached from Katara but can he control the Avatar State? The fight goes as it did in the show, but this time when in the rock ball, have him meditate and try to get into the Avatar State. Build tension by having him panic and the ball crumbling basically play by play as they show but no pointy rock this time.

Then have him come out victorious in the Avatar State and things play out as they did until the end. Have Aang and the past Avatars be ready to deal the final blow until Aang stops himself.

Now, here I have two alternative paths depending on how you define 'controlling the Avatar State'. Is it controlling when you can enter and leave, or it is controlling what you do when in the Avatar State or is it both. I think the show does make it clear the former is part of controlling the Avatar state so let's say our options are controlling when you can enter and leave the state or both.

If it's the former, have Aang's tattoo stop glowing in his hand as it does, and basically everything to play out as it did then when he goes to touch Ozai's forehead, have him take a breathe in and for the tattoos to glow.

This shows that Aang can control when to go in and out of the Avatar State and that he is aware of what he is doing in the state and can stop himself.

If it's the latter, the tattoos glow throughout, but when Aang decides not to kill Ozai, have his voice change to just him. I feel like this is a very potent way of showing he's in control even when in the Avatar State. You get to lose the cool effect of the multiple voices thing but you also get to see how powerful Aang is.

The good thing is as of the finale, we haven't seen a fully realized Avatar speak whilst in the Avatar State, so maybe they do speak in only their voice. It also makes him using seismic sense really cool because what we know of the Avatar State is that it is used by an Avatar to use their past lives' knowledge, but since we know Aang was taught seismic sense by Toph, we can infer that he's using his own knowledge in the Avatar State.

This makes that relationship more reciprocal and gives Aang an equal footing as the other Avatars. Have him then remove Ozai's bending. Instead of the lion turtle's speech playing, have Roku mention that to take someone's bending, one's spirit must be unbendable.

An added bonus is having a sort of replay of Aang's greatest hits throughout the story be voice over as Aang's blue light and Ozai's red battle.

Have it progress from the start of the show, like when he complains that he's just a little kid, to him at the end when he's more confident in facing Ozai. The point is to show his character progression, how much he's grown and the lessons he's learnt on the way.

This is a very on-the-nose way of showing that this final battle, though fought externally, is won by the internal work Aang has had to do.

Change 6: The Final Scene

This is largely fine, them at Uncle Iroh's tea shop. What I would change is Mai being there (sorry… no) and the kiss. Aang and Katara still hug, you can even keep the looks they give each other and the blushes, but no kiss. I honestly believe a romance would have made more sense later in the comics where it can be properly developed.

Or if you don’t want them canon, that’s also fine. Remove the looks and blushes. Katara and Aang remaining friends is also a great ending.

Then, have the rest of the Gaang (Sokka, Toph, Zuko and Suki) come outside and have a group hug with Appa and Momo joining. Have Iroh looking from outside with a smile and then cutback to the Gaang arguing about something as the sun sets before them

Final Thoughts

Of course, this is not absolute and you are free to substitute your own interpretations. This was just something I had to get into written form for my sanity as this was ALL I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR A WEEK.

And that's it. That's my fix-it.

Not much is changed, just some little things here and there, but that was my intention.

If you've read so far, thank you so much, and I hope you somehow enjoyed all of this.

This is my first Tumblr post so please be kind :)

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