Korra Proved Aang’s Biggest Complaint From Ember Island Players
Aang was always annoyed when someone thought of him as a woman in Avatar: The Last Airbender - which was a result of his head being fully shaved - and unfortunately for him, that point was further proved in The Legend of Korra. Team Avatar's exploits became legend after Aang defeated Fire Lord Ozai and peace was restored to the world. But even before that happened, people were aware that the Avatar had returned - and what Aang and his friends were doing were succinctly explained in a play.
In Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3, episode 17, "The Ember Island Players", the acting troupe of the same name performed the play The Boy in the Iceberg. It was written by a man named Pu-on Tim, who had somehow sourced information from various people around the world - nomads, prisoners, and even the infamous cabbage man - to the point where he could adapt Aang's story in a cohesive and relatively accurate manner. Although it was a filler episode, "The Ember Island Players" was an engaging recap of Team Avatar's adventurous, three-season journey.
Everyone had their personal issues either with the story or their characterizations, including Aang. But unlike everyone else, Aang took issue with the person portraying him: a woman. When the actress first appeared on-screen, Aang said, "Wait, is that a woman playing me?" And then later on, he expresses frustration, saying, "I don't do that! That's not what I'm like! And I'm not a woman!" Funnily enough, when Jinora shaved her head to receive the Air Nomad tattoos in Legend of Korra, she looked identical to Aang, proving to some extent that Aang's portrayal by a woman had a degree of truth.
Whether or not Legend of Korra's creators and animators were trying to draw a stark parallel between Aang and Jinora, it was a fitting tribute to the former Avatar, given that his granddaughter was following in his footsteps. And perhaps the look was only meant to signify that connection, but to longtime fans, it was also a hilarious confirmation of The Boy in the Iceberg's portrayal. That's something Toph would agree with as well, since she said to Aang, "Oh, they nailed you, Twinkle Toes!"
Beyond Jinora looking like Aang (and consequently, Aang looking a tad bit like a woman in Avatar: The Last Airbender), Legend of Korra's dedication to showing more of the Air Nomads and their culture was admirable. Jinora saw her father, Tenzin, struggle with living up to Aang's legacy and expectations. It wasn't until he was finally in the spirit world that he realized all he needed to do was be himself. So for Jinora to become a master - and possibly an even better airbender than he was - she not only reached her personal goal but fulfilled Tenzin's lifelong objective to rebuild the Air Nomad's culture.