Avatar: 10 Unpopular Opinions About Aang, According to Reddit
Avatar: The Last Airbender boasts a wonderful cast of characters, which will soon be on viewers' screens in live-action on Netflix. However, the main character Aang is certainly one of the best. He is likeable and goofy, and despite having the fate of the world rest on his shoulders, he manages to remain positive. Fans generally love him, and many have high opinions of him.
On the website Reddit, viewers can find some unpopular opinions of the character, which range from his personality being unlikeable to his relationships being wrong. While not everyone may agree with these opinions, they are still interesting points and are worth discussing.
While the moments when Aang entered the Avatar State were both exciting and terrifying, some Redditors didn't think it was necessary. According to LetMyPeopleJo, "Aang didn't need to go into the Avatar State to beat Ozai, but because he chose to evade Ozai's attacks until he cornered himself he had no choice to break out the Avatar State. If he'd had the same determination and focus he did once he realized he had to "duel" Ozai from the very beginning he would have beaten him easily."
This is arguably an unpopular opinion because Aang has had to rely on the Avatar State many times to get him out of fights, and the show wouldn't be the same without it.
While Kataang seemed inevitable from the start, many fans didn't like seeing the pair get together. According to Reddit user blo0_, it seemed cliched and was as if Katara was a prize to be won: "It seemed like a: "hero gets the girl" moment. It just didn't fit."
Many Redditors agreed, saying that they should have remained as friends, especially considering that they were only 12 and 14. The relationships of the show will always be a controversial topic among fans, though arguably The Last Airbender's most relatable couple is Aang and Katara, and there are many reasons for these two to be together, hence why this opinion can be deemed unpopular.
Many Redditors state that Aang should have killed Ozai, and believe that the alternate path he took, that of taking the advice of the Lion Turtle, was too easy a solution. DennisBaily states that "Aang should have killed him. The writers devalued the entire story by introducing lion turtles so close to the finale without Aang having to work for it."
But while many agree that killing Ozai would be the best course of action in real life, Aang and his culture are defined by pacifism, so it would be widely out of character for him. Ultimately, the series is for kids, and having a pacifist child murder a man would likely be way too dark.
During the final battle with Ozai, Aang hits his back on a rock which allows him to finally enter the avatar state. But according to Redditor LORDs_andros, "I still don't get how a rock unlocked Aang's Avatar State. Was Guru Pathik talking out of his butt when he told Aang he needed to let go of Katara to gain control?"
Many other Redditors agree, arguing that it was a deus ex machina, and it weakened the plot point of Aang having to give up his earthly attachments in order to access the Avatar state. But many other viewers are able to overlook this, as it does lead to one of Aang's most badass scenes when he defeats Ozai.
While Aang's zany antics and childish personality is very endearing to most viewers, some find it grating. According to Reddit user slythclaws, Aang is not only annoying, but he is also actually the most annoying character in the show: "Especially since his "f*** this I'm out of here" attitude carries well into season three. He's not exactly a dynamic character and that bugs me."
There are moments when Aang does act a little too childishly, such as when he hides Hakoda's letter from Sokka and Katara. But as Aang is only 12, it's usually pretty easy to let his behavior slide, as he is still growing as a person, and he does become more serious later on.
While there was often debate about who Aang should have ended up with, some viewers believe that he shouldn't have gotten into a relationship at all. According to Reddit user ChineseCookieThief, "Aang should have cut out love from his life and followed the spiritual life closer. I feel like he'd be stronger overall."
There is some sense to this opinion. Aang was only 13 by the end of the series, not the best time to have a partner. There was also the fact that he had a responsibility to rebuild the airbending nation, so according to Redditor RubberDuckyUthe1 he shouldn't have been tied down, "Aang should have been having as many children as he could, and not just with Katara."
The plot of the show is that Aang must master the four elements to defeat the Firelord. But according to Redditor DennisBaily, "I don't see why he would necessarily need to. For big fights, the avatar uses the Avatar State, which isn't really affected by your own abilities but rather those of the past avatars. For a small kerfuffle it's easier to use regular bending, but it doesn't look like you would need to master it."
Whether or not this opinion is correct, the episodes that Aang spent training, such as "The Firbending Masters" or "Bitter Work" are often considered to be some of Aang's best episodes. Therefore, most viewers are thankful that he was learning the other elements.
Many fans felt heartbroken and betrayed that The Legend of Korra revealed that Aang was not the best father. However, for Reddit user WanHohenheim, "I love the fact that Aang was not the perfect father," as it added realism to the show.
Aang had been through a ton of trauma, and still had the weight of the world on his shoulders, so it was only natural that he couldn't be there for his children as often as viewers would have liked him to be. Though it is very tragic that the baggage that Aang leaves his children with leads to one of the saddest moments in The Legend of Korra, where they argue about who he loved the most.
Many fans agree that Katara is probably the best person for Aang to end up with. However, not everyone shares the same view. Reddit user emzolio states that, "Even though I like Kataang, Aang and Toph would have made a good couple."
The reason that many people enjoy Toph and Aang together is that she continuously challenged him rather than coddled him, which pushed him to grow as a person. Though this does seem to be a less popular ship in the fandom, with some Redditors, such as WanHohenheim, even arguing that "In my opinion, all the romantic relationships in ATLA were forced."
Both Korra and Aang are great characters and great Avatars, though sometimes fans favor one over the other. Reddit user TamarAngov argues that Korra is better, as "Korra has more character development than Aang. She goes through more situations that end up changing her as a character for both good and bad. And Aang didn’t want to be the avatar, whereas Korra did."
Korra did put more effort into being the Avatar when growing up as opposed to Aang, but both characters were definitely amazing at the job when they needed to be. Both also went through a lot and grew as characters during their respective series. It's pointless to say that one is better than the other.