Duels (Spring 270 BG - Winter 100 AG)

Duels are battles fought by at least two individuals, and they can be considered a form of recreation, a way of settling disputes or a training tool for students who are developing skills in a particular art.

Duels may be fought to the death in the most extreme cases, or may simply be friendly spars fought to pass time. Duels are practiced by a variety of cultures, but is most notably seen in the Fire Nation in the form of an Agni Kai.

The following is a list of known duels that occurred between the spring of 270 BSC and the winter of 100 ASC.

Duel During the Creation of Kyoshi Island
Combatants: Avatar Kyoshi and Chin the Conqueror

Victor: Avatar Kyoshi



Around 270 BSC, Chin the Conqueror attempted to control the Earth Kingdom, taking advantage of the Earth King's unpopularity with the citizens. He launched a massive invasion against settlements all over the nation, eventually conquering all the land in the kingdom apart from the impenetrable capital and a small peninsula, home to Avatar Kyoshi. Deciding that it would be nearly impossible to break through Ba Sing Se's massive walls, Chin instead launches an attack against the Avatar's home peninsula. Following a relatively quick duel in which Kyoshi uses an air blast to remove Chin of all his armor and clothing (save for his undergarments), Kyoshi separates the peninsula from the mainland, causing the earth beneath Chin to crumble, subsequently leading to his demise.

Duel in Sozin's Palace
Combatants: Avatar Roku and Fire Lord Sozin

Victor: Avatar Roku

In 37 BSC, Avatar Roku confronts Fire Lord Sozin after seeing a Fire Nation occupied colony in the Earth Kingdom. He orders him to stop, and proceeds to leave. As Roku exited, Sozin releases an extremely powerful blast of fire aimed toward the Avatar. Roku uses Earthbending to tunnel himself beneath the palace floor, evading the attack, and shoots back up from the ground behind Sozin, striking him with an Airbending blast. Knocked to the floor, Sozin is then pinned and elevated by an earth pillar as Roku enters the Avatar State.

Sozin is rocketed through the roof of the palace and Roku uses a state-enhanced air spout to lift himself up. He propells upward, destroying the palace completely, meeting Sozin face to face to inform him that if he continues his endeavors, he would not hesitate to kill him. Roku then leaves the palace grounds, leaving Sozin suspended in the air. Roku will later admit to regreting not killing Sozin during the duel, which would have prevented further war.

Agni Kai of Zuko and Ozai
Combatants: Prince Zuko and Fire Lord Ozai

Victor: Fire Lord Ozai



While in a war meeting in the Fire Lord's chamber, a thirteen-year-old Zuko protests against a strategic technique that involves sacrificing an inexperienced division of troops in an attempt to breach Ba Sing Se's walls from behind. By speaking out, he offends a general, and by law, is required to battle in an Agni Kai. Zuko expresses confidence about dueling the general, assuming that they would battle considering the fact that it was the general who he spoke out against. However, since Zuko offended the general within the Fire Lord's chamber, Zuko had to duel the Fire Lord− his own father. Zuko refuses to fight. Disgusted, his father exclaims, "You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher." He then burns Zuko, giving him his trademark scar. A crowd of spectators witnesses the Agni Kai, with Iroh looking away during Zuko's punishment while Azula and Zhao express delight in seeing Zuko suffer at the hands of Ozai.

Duel of the Southern Water Tribe
Combatants: Avatar Aang and Prince Zuko

Victor: Prince Zuko



In 99 ASC, Avatar Aang is reawakened, and Prince Zuko learns about this via an explosion of light. The prince is able to track down the Avatar to the Southern Water Tribe after Aang and Katara set off a booby-trap in an abandoned Fire Nation shipwreck. There, he confronts Aang, and the two engage in a duel, with Zuko beginning by firing constant blasts of fire. Aang uses conventional evasive Airbending maneuvers, by fluttering away from Zuko's attacks and by using his staff to divert the flames. Seeing the danger he posed to the village, Aang offers complete compliance with Zuko if he vows to leave the tribe alone. Zuko agrees to Aang's terms, and so he willingly surrenders.

Duel on Zuko's Ship
Combatants: Prince Zuko and Avatar Aang

Victor: Avatar Aang



After escaping Zuko's Ship almost immediately after surrendering to him, Aang runs to the deck, where Katara and Sokka find and attempt to rescue him. Together, they fight back the guards, and eventually Aang is forced to trifle with Zuko. Aang is able to evade the prince for a short amount of time, though eventually, Zuko is able to overpower Aang by firing constant blasts of fire toward him. Aang falls into the water, where he triggers the Avatar State. Using the knowledge and power of previous Avatars, Aang creates a massive water spout and propells himself upward. He then lands on the ship, using the water to defeat Zuko and his guards.

Agni Kai between Zhao and Zuko
Combatants: Commander Zhao and Prince Zuko

Victor: Prince Zuko

After Zuko's encounter with the newly discovered Avatar, Zuko docks at a Fire Nation controlled harbor in order to have repairs done on his ship. Commander Zhao welcomes the banished prince and the retired general, explaining the Fire Nation's planned victory over tea in his tent. Amidst the conversation, Zhao inquires Zuko about his search for the long-lost Avatar. Knowing that disclosing the Avatar's discovery would attract bounty hunters, Zuko lies and states that his search has been rather unsuccessful. Zhao has suspicions about the battle Zuko describes, because he had seen the destroyed parts of the ship, which Zuko had explained earlier as damages from an encounter with an Earth Kingdom Navy ship.

One of Zhao's soldiers then walks in and reports that he interrogated Zuko's crew, finding out that Zuko had the Avatar but let him escape. Zuko has no choice but to tell Zhao the truth. Zhao replies that he would be taking over the hunt for the Avatar. Zhao then insults Zuko by telling him that his father would let him come home without the Avatar if he really loves him. Enraged, Zuko challenges Zhao to an Agni Kai at sunset. In the duel, Zuko wins a strategic victory by using the basics Iroh instructed him to use− moves which caused Zhao to lose balance. After the fight, Zhao, upset by the outcome of the duel, tries to attack Zuko from behind, but is stopped by Iroh. Iroh tosses Zhao aside and states, "So this is how Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honorable than you."

Duel on Kyoshi Island
Combatants: Prince Zuko, Kyoshi Warriors and Avatar Aang

Victor: Avatar Aang and Kyoshi Warriors



Upon discovering that the Avatar and his companions are resting on Kyoshi Island, Zuko sets a course toward the island, bringing with him a destructive force of Firebenders equipped with weaponry and mounted on Komodo Rhinos. To prevent Zuko from destroying the village entirely, he battles him with support from the Kyoshi Warriors, and they eventually defeat the prince. Team Avatar then escapes on Appa, but not before using the Unagi to put out the fires created by the battle.

Duel on Omashu Royal Palace
Combatants: King Bumi and Avatar Aang

Victor: Draw

When Team Avatar travels to Omashu and destroys many parts of the city, they are taken to the Omashu Royal Palace where King Bumi decides to give them a banquet as their "punishment". After providing them with adequate chambers for rest, Bumi takes Katara and Sokka and encases them with Jennomite, an expanding mineral that will eventually cover the body of the host. He offers the safe removal of the crystal only if Aang completes three challenges successfully.

Aang completes the first two through unconventional methods. He then proceeds to the last challenge, a duel with an opponent of Aang's choice. Thinking strategically, Aang chooses the king, thinking that it would be relatively easy to defeat an old, frail man. To his surprise, Bumi removes his robes to reveal a buff body. The two begin to battle each other, with Bumi easily dismissing Aang's evasive maneuvers. Aang is forced to attack, to no avail. Bumi continues to attack, exhibiting great feats of Earthbending and overpowering Aang in the process. In the end, however, the fight ends in a draw, as Aang successfully taps the king with his staff, while the king holds a large boulder over the young Avatar's head.

Battle on the Prison Rig
Combatants: Team Avatar, Earthbenders, The Warden and Fire Nation Soldiers

Victor: Team Avatar and Earthbenders



After seeing the despair of the imprisoned Earthbenders, Katara and the rest of Team Avatar devise a plan where they would provide the Earthbenders with coal used by the Prison Rig. At first, the Earthbenders refuse to participate, losing all hope from years of being imprisoned. Haru initiates the battle by hurling a small piece of coal toward the rig's warden. Enraged, the opposing force attacks Haru with a fire blast, which is then blocked by Tyro and several other Earthbenders. Soon enough, a vicious battle breaks out. The Earthbenders and Team Avatar overpower the Firebenders, who found themselves losing. The warden and his men are eventually defeated and dropped into the water. The Earthbenders then use the ships to return to the mainland, and set off to reconquer their villages in the name of the Earth Kingdom.

Duel with the Pirates
Combatants: Pirates, Zuko and Team Avatar

Victor: Team Avatar

When Katara stole a Waterbending Scroll from the Pirate Ship Boutique, the pirates decide to follow Team Avatar to restore the valuable artifact. When Zuko overhears that the pirates are chasing them, he makes a deal with the crew to go with them to search for Aang and the scroll. When they find Team Avatar, the pirates successfully apprehend Aang and Sokka, and Zuko obtains the scroll from Katara. The pirates first wanted to trade the Avatar for the scroll, but break the deal off after realizing that they could earn more money with the Avatar. Angered, Zuko attacks the Pirate Captain and begins the duel. Team Avatar manages to escape from the fight in Zuko's Ship.

Duel between Aang and Jet
Combatants: Jet, Avatar Aang and Katara

Victor: Avatar Aang and Katara

When Jet reveals his plan about flooding Gaipan, Aang and Katara express anger and disbelief. Although against The War, they disagree with hurting innocent people in order to punish the Fire Nation. In an attempt to stop the plan from being executed, Aang tries to use his glider. Jet stops Aang and takes his glider, daring him to fight for it. The two begin fighting on treetops, and Aang's reluctance toward fighting Jet allows him to overpower the young Avatar. Katara then steps in, first stunning him with blasts of water, and then immobilizing him by freezing him to a tree. However, Jet is able to signal the Freedom Fighters to flood the village. Luckily, Sokka had been able to warn the village, and the group flies away on Appa, leaving Jet frozen to the tree.

Duel between the Yu Yan Archers and Aang
Combatants: Yu Yan Archers and Avatar Aang

Victor: Yu Yan Archers

When Katara and Sokka become sick due to exposure to a vicious storm, Aang heads to the Herbalist, in hopes of retrieving an effective medicinal herb or paste that could help Sokka and Katara. The Herbalist informs Aang that he needed to find Wood Frogs, as they secrete a substance with healing purposes. While searching for the frogs in a nearby river, Aang is attacked by the Yu Yan Archers, who under the direct command of Zhao, are ordered to retrieve the Avatar. Aang refrains from attacking, and instead, he attempts to escape through the use of evasive maneuevers. However, the Yu Yan Archers easily pursue him, and takes him to be imprisoned in the Pohuai Stronghold.

Duel at the Abbey
Combatants: Team Avatar, Prince Zuko, June and Nyla

Victor: Team Avatar



Zuko was now in close pursuit of Aang, after successfully capturing the young Avatar's friends with the help of June. When June's Shirshu, Nyla, locates Aang, a battle between Aang and Zuko along with a duel against Nyla (under June's direct orders) and Appa occur. Aang and Zuko trade air and fire blasts with seemingly no one advancing toward victory. Meanwhile, June and Nyla fight Appa, who despite putting up a good battle, eventually falls after being paralyzed by the bounty hunter's Shirshu. As Aang starts to gain the upper hand in his duel with Zuko, he discovers Katara's Necklace. He retrieves this necklace not to soon after, following his victory over Zuko. June and Nyla are also defeated when Katara bends large vats of perfume toward Nyla, in order to impair her sense of smell, which she depends on for sight. In an act of panic, Nyla accidentally strikes both her owner and Zuko, paralyzing them both.

Duel between Zhao and Aang
Combatants: Admiral Zhao and Avatar Aang

Victor: Avatar Aang

While learning Firebending under the tutelage of Jeong Jeong, Aang is pursued in an Earth Kingdom forest by Admiral Zhao, who arrives on the scene with a small fleet accompanying him. Zhao first instigates an attack against Jeong Jeong, who uses walls of fire to defend himself. Amidst the battle, Jeong Jeong performs a move that distracts Zhao, allowing him to escape. Zhao's soldiers push into the forest to locate him, while Zhao directs his attention to Aang. Initially, Zhao attempts to overpower the young Avatar by using powerful blasts of fire. Recalling Jeong Jeong's lesson of control, Aang provokes the admiral, goading him into destroying his own ships. Zhao could only watch as his ships burn and sink into the river as Aang escapes.

Duel between Pakku and Katara
Combatants: Master Pakku and Katara

Victor: Master Pakku

After arriving at the Northern Water Tribe, Katara and Aang are shocked to discover that the city is largely patriarchal, and that law restricted women certain rights, such as the privilege to learn Waterbending for battle. Instead, female Waterbenders are sent to healing huts, where they develop the ability to heal wounds and other body complications with the use of chi points. Sensing her disappointment, Aang offers to teach Katara what he learned during the day at night. During a session, they are spotted by Master Pakku, who dismisses Aang from his class, exclaiming that his actions violate tribal law.

The next day, Katara consults with the tribal council, in order to allow for Aang to resume his studies in Waterbending. Pakku agrees only to instruct the Avatar once more if Katara apologizes and swallows her pride. Angered by his pompous and condescending attitude, Katara challenges the master to a duel.

Pakku expresses no interest in battling the Southern Waterbender, until he is struck by a single water whip created by Katara. The two then engage in a battle. Despite having no formal training, Katara is able to endure several attacks by the Waterbending master. Katara's strategy involve continuous attacks, in an attempt to overpower the old master. Pakku, on the other hand, uses Katara's force as his own weapon, turning the young Waterbender's attacks from simple water formations to complex moves, such as waves. At one point, Pakku admits that Katara's skill is impressive, considering her lack of knowledge regarding the fundamentals involved in the art of Waterbending. Eventually, however, Pakku secures his victory by immobilizing Katara in a cage of ice, much to the horror of the spectators.

Duel between Zuko and Katara
Combatants: Prince Zuko and Katara

Victor: Prince Zuko

After hearing about Zhao's plan to invade the North Pole, Zuko disguises himself as one of the many soldiers involved in the siege in order to be transported to the Northern Water Tribe safely. Once they arrive, he uses the commotion caused by the battle to sneak into the city, and go forth to seek the Avatar. After some time searching, he stumbles upon a spirit bound Aang meditating in the Spirit Oasis, and attempts to pursue him. However, he is stopped by Katara, whose enhanced Waterbending due to the full moon easily overpowers him. Zuko is, however, strengthened by the power of the sun. In broad daylight, he is able to free himself from the ice that imprisoned him. He then battles Katara once more, securing his victory with relative ease. With Katara defeated, Zuko is able to capture the Avatar.

Duel between Zhao and Zuko
Combatants: Admiral Zhao and Prince Zuko

Victor: Prince Zuko



After killing the Moon Spirit, Tui, during the Siege of the North, Admiral Zhao attempts to flee from the wrath of General Iroh. As he makes his way through the streets of the Northern Water Tribe, Zhao is halted by Prince Zuko, who confronts him for his plan to assassinate the banished prince. The two trade vicious fire blasts, with Zuko progressively dominating over Zhao. He soon defeats the Admiral, knocking him to the ground. La, the Ocean Spirit, interrupts the duel before Zhao could make his next move. For his killing of Tui, La drags Zhao underwater, killing him.