Team Avatar

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- Team Avatar is back! Air. Water. Earth. Fire... Fan and sword!

Team Avatar is the name used to refer to Aang and whoever is accompanying him at any given time. Originally composed of Katara, Sokka and later Toph, Zuko and Suki eventually became important members. The Team's constituency varies little throughout the series until the Invasion of the Fire Nation, where a much larger number of people begin to join and leave the group. The name of the group originated from Sokka, who also suggested the Boomeraang Squad (because it had "Aang" in it), the Aang Gang and the Fearsome Foursome, before settling on Team Avatar (note that Sokka is the only person in the series to use any of these names on-screen).

Team Avatar, as of the end of The War, is notable for having at least one member from every nation and at least one bending master of each of the bending arts. This makes Team Avatar a formidable fighting group, capable of assaulting even the Earth Kingdom Royal Palace or destroying an Airship Fleet without outside assistance.

Formation


During The War, started by Fire Lord Sozin in 0 ASC, Avatar Aang fled the Southern Air Temple shortly before the Air Nomad Genocide occurred. Unfortunately, Aang was imprisoned inside an iceberg over the South Pole, encasing him for about one hundred years. Eventually, Katara and Sokka discovered and released him. A brilliant ray of light suddenly shot out from the broken shell and the two teenagers met him for the first time. They later discovered his position as the Avatar and decided to accompany him on his journey to the Northern Water Tribe where he would master Waterbending.

Journey to the North
During their long journey, they met Suki, Haru, the Freedom Fighters, Teo, escaped Zuko and Zhao and visited two of the four Air Temples. They took a route up the western Earth Kingdom, meeting many people and visiting several villages. Upon arrival at the Northern Water Tribe, Aang began training with Master Pakku, later accompanied by Katara.

Northern Water Tribe


Zhao soon plotted an attack on the Northern tribe, sending in large naval forces to overwhelm the city. Searching for answers on how to rescue the tribe, Aang ventured to the Spirit World where he visited the spirit, Koh. Soon afterwards, the Moon Spirit, Tui, was captured and murdered by Admiral Zhao, causing the moon to turn red and then disappear completely, rendering the Waterbenders defenseless. In desperation, Aang worked together with the Ocean Spirit, La, to drive away the invading army. Meanwhile, Princess Yue, who was blessed in early childhood by Tui, gave up the life she had gifted her with and became the present Moon Spirit. When the Siege had ended, the gang traveled south to find an Earthbending teacher, preferring King Bumi.

Earth Kingdom


The team journeyed to the city of Omashu in the hope of finding King Bumi as an Earthbending teacher. Unfortunately, Omashu was captured by the Fire Nation and renamed New Ozai. In dismay, the team rescued Bumi, who advised Aang to search for someone who waits and listens before striking. They eventually met Toph Bei Fong, who joined them in an effort to leave her overprotective parents and save the world. They traveled and trained on their way to the Earth Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Se. They traveled to a secret library where Appa was captured in the Si Wong Desert. The team crossed the Serpent's Pass where they reunited with Suki and eventually arrived at their destination. After battling the Fire Nation Drill and Azula, they entered the city.

In Ba Sing Se
Arriving at the outskirts of Ba Sing Se, the team had to fight and save Ba Sing Se from the drill, a Fire Nation construction constructed to break through the walls of the Earth Kingdom's capital. The drill was destroyed by Aang, who saves the city. In Ba Sing Se, the gang discovered a conspiracy led by Long Feng (Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se) and the Dai Li, covering up the concurrent war and gaining control of the city. After finding Appa, who was saved by Zuko, the team attempted to inform the Earth King, Kuei, who distrusted them at first. He was eventually convinced upon viewing the destroyed drill. Long Feng was then arrested by the Dai Li.



The group disbanded for a week: while Aang met with a guru, who would teach him to control the Avatar State; Sokka was reunited with his father after two years; Katara helped the generals plan the Invasion of the Fire Nation in Ba Sing Se and Toph was unexpectedly kidnapped and imprisoned in a metal box where she would discover the secret of Metalbending. After that, Iroh and Aang saved Katara and Zuko from the Crystal Catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se, but, Zuko soon changed sides and joined Azula. Aang almost died in the Avatar State because of Azula's lightning shock, but he was saved by Katara, who used water from the Spirit Oasis to heal him.

In the Fire Nation


After the Coup of Ba Sing Se, Team Avatar hid in different villages and cities of the Fire Nation waiting for the Day of the Black Sun and continuing with Aang's training. In one village they found a Waterbender called Hama of the Southern Water Tribe, who invented Bloodbending, and holds an especially deep grudge against the Fire Nation and its people, attempting to exact revenge whenever possible. Katara learned this technique trying to defend herself and her friends from Hama. In the village of Shu Jing, Sokka was trained by Piandao in swordsmanship. On the Day of the Black Sun, the gang invaded the Fire Nation Capital with the help of many Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe warriors, using weapons and vehicles invented by the Mechanist. Unfortunately, the Fire Nation knew about the eclipse and they had a plan to keep the Fire Lord hidden. The invasion failed and only the youngest members of the group escaped on Appa. The rest of the invaders were taken prisoners.

Western Air Temple


The gang and the other youngest participants of the invasion Haru, Teo and The Duke went to the Western Air Temple. Zuko followed them, with the objective to change his life and join Team Avatar to help them end the War and defeat Fire Lord Ozai. Zuko tried to prove to them that he had changed for the better. It was only after Zuko saved them from Combustion Man that he received their acceptance as Aang's Firebending teacher. However, Katara refused to trust Zuko and warned him of the consequences of any treachery. Zuko started to teach Aang Firebending, but for unknown reasons couldn't Firebend. He and Aang traveled to the Sun Warriors' Ancient City (while the rest of the group waited in the Air Temple) to learn about the origin of Firebending with Dragons.

Then Sokka traveled with Zuko to the Boiling Rock, a Fire Nation prison which they infiltrated as security guards. They traveled there with the hope to save Hakoda. After finding Suki in the prison and a failed escape plan with another prisoner called Chit Sang, they decided to postpone the escape when Sokka found his father. In a new plan to escape, they had to fight with Azula, Mai and Ty Lee. But Mai helped Zuko and the others to escape. Azula attacked Mai for her betrayal, but Ty Lee intervened and the team escaped with Chit Sang, Suki and Hakoda.

Back to the Fire Nation


The Avatar and his friends were forced on the run again after Azula found them in the Western Air Temple, but Chit Sang, Hakoda, Haru, The Duke and Teo had to separate from the group. In another hiding place, Zuko confronted Katara about her distrustful disposition towards him and thinks of a way to gain her friendship. He decided to help Katara find the Yon Rha, the Fire Nation soldier responsible for killing her mother. Together they fond the man, but Katara was unable to take her revenge out on him. After returning, Katara finally forgave Zuko and accepted him in the team. Three days before the arrival of the Sozin's Comet, they traveled to Ozai's Beach House, where Aang kept training. The group went to a play called "The Boy in the Iceberg", based in the adventures of the Avatar and his friends, where Aang confronted Katara about their relationship, but she was unable to give him a clear answer as she felt confused. Aang also had difficulties deciding how to defeat Ozai without taking his life. His friends pressed him to kill the Fire Lord, but Aang insisted it went against his beliefs. In his sleep, Aang was drawn towards a mysterious island that appeared in the sea. His friends hired June the Bounty hunter to attempt to locate him again, but she was unable to do so; so they decided to search for Iroh. On the island, Aang searched guidance from his past lives, but they too insisted he must kill Ozai, now self-proclaimed Phoenix King. The island turned out to be a giant lion turtle, which gave Aang the guidance he had been seeking. When the rest of the team was on the search, they met the Order of the White Lotus, its leader being Iroh. After reuniting with Iroh, the team decided to go in different directions to help stop the Fire Nation and prepare for the final battle.

Final Battles of The War


Zuko and Katara confronted Azula, but she challenged Zuko to an Agni Kai; in the battle, Zuko was wounded by Azula's lightning blast while protecting Katara. Meanwhile, Aang confronted Ozai in Wulong Forest but was unable to defeat him, still unwilling to kill him. Sokka, Toph, and Suki attempted to halt the Airship fleet but were soon separated, while the Order of the White Lotus battled for Ba Sing Se's freedom.

Ozai accidentally caused Aang to enter the Avatar State. The Order of the White Lotus successfully liberated Ba Sing Se, while Sokka, Suki and Toph disabled all of the Airships. Katara defeated Azula and healed Zuko's injuries. Aang overwhelmed Ozai, yet still refused to kill him; he used Energybending to strip Ozai of his Firebending powers. Newly appointed Fire Lord Zuko declared the War over, and Team Avatar celebrated together in the Jasmine Dragon along with Iroh and Mai.

Original Members

 * Aang New_avatar.png
 * KataraKatara_312.png
 * SokkaSokka.png

New Members

 * Toph (Joined in "The Blind Bandit")
 * Zuko (Temporarily allied with Aang in "The Blue Spirit" and "The Chase", joined in "The Western Air Temple")
 * Suki (Allied in "The Warriors of Kyoshi" and "The Serpent's Pass", joined in "The Boiling Rock, Part 2")

Animal Members

 * Appa (Original member)
 * Momo (Joined in "The Southern Air Temple")

Temporary Members

 * Hawky (Joined and left in "The Runaway")
 * The Duke (First met in "Jet". Allied in "The Awakening", joined in "The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse", left in "The Southern Raiders")
 * Haru (Allied in "Imprisoned", joined in "The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse", left in "The Southern Raiders")
 * Teo (Allied in "The Northern Air Temple", joined in "The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse", left in "The Southern Raiders")
 * Chit Sang (Allied in "The Boiling Rock, Part 1", joined in "The Boiling Rock, Part 2", left in "The Southern Raiders")
 * Hakoda (Allied in "The Guru", "The Awakening" and "The Boiling Rock, Part 1", joined in "The Boiling Rock, Part 2", left in "The Southern Raiders")

Allies

 * † indicates deceased.

Enemies

 * † indicates deceased

Fire Nation

 * Ozai
 * Azula
 * Zhao †
 * Combustion Man †
 * Yu Yan Archers
 * Rough Rhinos
 * The Warden (Imprisoned)
 * The Warden (Boiling Rock)
 * Yon Rha
 * Hide
 * General Mung

Earth Kingdom

 * Long Feng
 * Dai Li
 * Xin Fu
 * Master Yu
 * Joo Dee
 * Fong
 * Ghashiun
 * Various Earth Rumble VI Competitors

Water Tribe

 * Hama

Spirit World

 * Wan Shi Tong

Former Enemies

 * Zuko
 * Iroh
 * Jet
 * The Boulder
 * The Hippo
 * Mai
 * Ty Lee
 * June
 * Mayor Tong
 * The Duke
 * Smellerbee
 * Longshot
 * Pipsqueak

Semi-Permanent Locations

 * Southern Water Tribe ("The Boy in the Iceberg" to "The Avatar Returns")
 * Kyoshi Island ("The Warriors of Kyoshi" and "Avatar Day")
 * Omashu ("The King of Omashu" and "Return to Omashu")
 * Various Earth Kingdom villages ("Imprisoned" to "The Deserter")
 * Northern Air Temple ("The Northern Air Temple")
 * Northern Water Tribe ("The Waterbending Master" to "The Siege of the North, Part 2")
 * General Fong's Fortress ("The Avatar State")
 * Various Earth Kingdom villages ("The Cave of Two Lovers" to "Bitter Work")
 * Si Wong Desert ("The Library" to "The Desert")
 * Ba Sing Se ("City of Walls and Secrets" to "The Crossroads of Destiny")
 * Various Fire Nation villages ("The Awakening" to "The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse")
 * Western Air Temple ("The Western Air Temple" to "The Southern Raiders")
 * Ember Island (As of "The Southern Raiders", last semi-permanent location)

Location at the End of the Last Episode
Ba Sing Se (After the war ended starting from "Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang", the group is seen in the Jasmine Dragon).

Legend of Korra
While little is confirmed at this point, Andrea Romano has stated that all members of the team are deceased; it is unknown how this affects former members.

Terminology
The Gaang is an unofficial fan nickname for the core characters- Aang, Sokka, Katara, Toph, Appa, Momo, and more recently Zuko and Suki- which is a portmanteau of "gang" and "Aang". The term is not used in canon (although Sokka's suggestion of "the Aang gang" comes about as close as possible while maintaining a sufficiently distinct pronunciation), but may be seen on Avatar Trading Card Game cards.

In the Book 2 episode "The Drill", Sokka also gives a few suggestions for a team name, which include "The Aang Gang", "Boomer-Aang Squad" and the "Fearsome Foursome".

In "Sozin's Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King", Sokka says, "Team Avatar is back," and later, "Gather round, Team Avatar."