Lion turtle

"neutral"

- The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can touch the poison of hatred without being harmed. Since beginning-less time, darkness thrives in the void, but always yields to purifying light.

The Lion Turtle is a gigantic, ancient creature with the head of a lion and lion-like, clawed feet. He has existed since the beginning of time, and predates the Avatar. Possessing immense power and wisdom, the Lion Turtle serves as a spiritual beacon where Aang commutes with his past selves, and when these efforts prove fruitless, reveals to him the power to bend the energy within oneself. Aang is not the first Avatar to meet one of these legendary beasts, but is the first in many ages.

Because of the Lion Turtle's age, a large forest has sprouted on its back. It prefers to stay hidden from the world; with his head submerged, he appears as an ordinary island.

History
The Lion Turtle was first seen as a small, dome-shaped island that appeared just off the coast of Ember Island at night. Aang, feeling conflicted over the seemingly impossible realization he must kill Ozai, sleepwalks there with Momo. By the following morning, the island was gone, and with it, Aang and Momo.

While the others are searching for him, Aang woke up the next day to see that the island is now adrift in the middle of the sea. After exploring a little, he found himself at the center of the island, where he found a hexagonal piece of a unknown material (part of the Lion Turtle's shell). He then decided to meditate there, and calls on his previous incarnations for guidance; starting with Roku, then Kyoshi, Kuruk and finally Yangchen. After listening to their advice, he realized he has no choice but to kill Ozai.

Eventually, the island approached land revealing how it is moving, Aang jumped off it and while diving below, discovered it was in fact a creature. After approaching the head, he realized it was a Lion Turtle. Aang then asked the turtle for guidance; to which the Lion Turtle replies, "The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can touch the poison of hatred without being harmed. Since beginning-less time, darkness thrives in the void, but always yields to purifying light." He imparted an ancient art to Aang after these wisdoms. He then left Aang and Momo on the Earth Kingdom shore to wait for the Fire Nation Airship fleet and Phoenix King Ozai, saying, "Wait for him, he will come."

The Lion Turtle was seen again whilst Aang was Energybending Ozai. He was seen in a flashback and spoke the words: "In the era before the Avatar, we bended not the elements, but the energy within ourselves…" Aang then realized what this means, and begins to bend Ozai's energy. The final time the Lion Turtle was heard, he spoke the words: "To bend another's energy, your own spirit must be unbendable… or you will be corrupted… and destroyed…" During this time, Aang managed to overpower Ozai and took away his ability to bend. The Lion Turtle was never heard from again.

Connection
The Lion Turtle, as its name suggests, has the body of a giant turtle and the head and forelegs of a lion. It appears to be able to communicate telepathically. It is also the largest animal in the Avatar universe, as Aang first mistakes it for an island and has a forest atop of its shell.

The Lion Turtle taught Aang Energybending, an ability currently only known by the Avatar, though very few past Avatars have learned Energybending and used it. The four previous Avatars urged Aang to kill Ozai; only the wisdom of the Lion Turtle taught Aang the alternative way to defeat Ozai that he had been searching for.

Trivia

 * While appearing (in 'person') only during the season three finale, the Lion Turtle was referenced several times:
 * It is seen in a scroll in Wan Shi Tong's Library.
 * A fountain at the Northern Air Temple had the shape of a Lion Turtle.
 * Piandao compares Sokka's courage and heart to a Lion Turtle.
 * Piandao's manor contains many lion turtle statues.
 * Admiral Chan's home in The Beach has a Lion Turtle door knocker.
 * Its face somewhat resembles the oni mask Zuko wears when in the guise of the Blue Spirit.
 * General Fong and General Sung both have pauldrons representing the head of a Lion Turtle as does one of Aang's battle "options" in The King of Omashu.
 * Statues of the Lion Turtle are seen in the background during the episode Avatar Day when Sokka is looking for clues in the courtyard.
 * The Lion Turtle in Sozin's Comet, Part 2: The Old Masters is voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson, who also voices Tyro and The Big Bad Hippo.
 * The chanting that can be heard when The Island/Lion Turtle calls to Aang, in Sozin's Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King, causing him to sleepwalk/swim to him is a Buddhist chant, "Na Mo A Mi Tuo Fo Shin Di" (spellings vary). This chanting was first heard in Winter Solstice Part 2: Avatar Roku when the Firebenders were assuming their stances in front of the Door to the Fire Temple Sanctuary. It was heard again in The Siege of the North, Part 2 right before Aang stepped into the Spirit Oasis to fuse with La. Na Mo A Mi Tuo Fo" (南無阿彌陀佛) is from Da Bei Chan Fa (大悲懺法), and translates as "Blessed be Amitabha Buddha".
 * A giant turtle-like being with an island (or the entire world) growing from his shell is quite popular in several mythologies.
 * It is most likely that Lion Turtles were able to Energybend, seeing as the Lion Turtle met during the series said that "In the era before the Avatar, we bent not the elements, but the energy within ourselves." Since the Lion Turtle used the word "we" it was most likely including itself.
 * Nyla was unable to find Aang while he was on the Lion Turtle due to the fact that the Lion Turtle is so old and it travels all over the world accumulating a number of smells, making it smell like the earth itself, thus masking Aang's smell.
 * The Lion Turtle is the oldest and largest living thing in the Avatar World.
 * The Lion Turtle was well received by critics of the Sozin's Comet special. However, some critics claim the Lion Turtle teaching Aang Energybending to defeat Ozai without killing him was a deus ex machina (a cop-out used by writer when they have written themselves into a corner), and that his voice was too difficult to understand.
 * According to Avatar Extras a Lion Turtle's heart equates to 12 of Appa, who is already 10+ tons.
 * The Lion Turtle appears in the beginning of the unaired pilot as a statue behind Aang.
 * The Lion Turtle is one of the few animals that can understand human speech, and it is the only one that can speak human language. However, it does so telepathically.