Aang (pilot)

In this pilot episode, Aang is very similar to himself in the first book of the main series. He is fun-loving, somewhat naive, and adventurous. He also seems to already have a conscience against killing people, as he saves Zuko from, at the very least, a critical injury towards the end. He already has had some waterbending experience, as he bends the water and both corrects Kya's attempts and gives her advice.

Notably, the Avatar State is much more simplistic in this pilot; Aang throws himself into danger to activate it, and seems to be able to come out of it at will as well, seemingly indicating mastery. Obviously, the concept of the Avatar State is much more complex in the show, as the current Avatar reincarnation isn't born with mastery of the state, and it activates only when it is in real danger or from extreme emotion; also, Aang doesn't master it until the very end of the series.

History in Pilot Episode
Aang, Kya, and Sokka are together fleeing Zuko on his ship. They run into a sea serpent, but it takes interest in Zuko's ship rather them them, and allows them to escape to an island. When there, Kya practices her waterbending, but can't control it well; Aang offers her some advice and demonstrates the correct leg stance. When Sokka demands them to help search for food, Kya is reluctant to leave Aang, "the world's last hope", and so Sokka goes off in a huff. Kya and Aang wait around, and engage in a slightly awkward conversation before Momo alerts them to danger.

When they reach the Fire Nation base and see Sokka being taken in, Kya decides to go after him but tells Aang to stay hidden. She gets captured as well, but refuses to reveal Aang's wherabouts. When Aang flies in, shocking everyone, the soldiers throw Sokka and her into a pit. Aang sits on the scaffolding evading Zuko's attacks while Momo distracts the soldiers and then engages Zuko's pet hawk in a flying duel of sorts.

As the scaffolding disintegrates, Aang and Zuko move their fight to the defaced Avatar statue. When Aang is almost cornered by Zuko, he simply throws himself off the statue, activating the Avatar State and blowing Zuko off. Coming out of the Avatar state, Aang catches an unconscious Zuko, but drops him a short distance into a wall to fly over to Kya and Sokka and subsequently escape.

Similarities to Real Series

 * He already seems to have feelings for Kya, as noted by Sokka's "boyfriend" comment, recreated in the actual series in The Avatar Returns and The Fortune-Teller.


 * He saves Zuko from falling to his certain death; he similarly saves Zuko from a near certain death in The Blue Spirit and The Seige of the North Part 2.
 * The serpent reappears in the aptly named Serpent's Pass in The Secret of the Fire Nation Part 1: The Serpent's Pass.