Duels (Summer 100 AG)

Duels are battles fought by at least two persons, and 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 during the summer of 100 ASC.

Duel between Hide and Aang
Combatants: Aang and Hide

Victor: Aang

After enrolling in a Fire Nation School, Aang attracts the attention of his fellow students, primarily by dancing in music class, an activity frowned upon. After being dismissed, he is approached by On Ji, a female student, who tells Aang that she liked his moves. In turn, he offers to teach her. Before the conversation could go on, however, Aang is startled by blasts of fire aimed toward him, conjured by Hide, who is angered at the sight of Aang and Onji together. He states that Onji is his girlfriend and attempts to strike Aang. Aang easily evades Hide's attacks, and the boy soon falls from fatigue and exhaustion. The Headmaster arrives just then and assumes that Aang instigated the duel.

Duel in Jang Hui Village
Combatants: Katara, Aang, General Mung and Fire Nation Domestic Forces

Victor: Katara and Aang

When Katara disguises herself as the Painted Lady to help the impoverished village of Jang Hui, she and Aang decide the best way to save the villagers was to destroy the factory that is causing them harm. After they do so, General Mung, the leader of the factory, attacks the village to get revenge. To save it, Katara and Aang stage an act where Katara would pretend to be the Painted Lady, while Aang assists her with his bending. Katara and Aang are able to scare off all of the lackeys, but needed a quick battle to defeat Mung, in which Aang levitates Katara in the air with his bending. He then blows Mung off the boardwalk, where Katara warns him to leave the village and never return. Mung flees the scene clearly angered and humiliated at his defeat.

Duel between Piandao and Sokka
Combatants: Sokka and Piandao

Victor: Piandao

After Sokka trains with Piandao, a master swordsman, Piandao tells Sokka he is more worthy than any other pupil he has trained. Sokka feels he does not deserve to be told this, and he confesses that he is from the Southern Water Tribe, much to the rest of Team Avatar's dismay. Piandao then attacks him, and Sokka tells his friends that he doesn't need their assistance. The two fight with their swords, and soon move into Piandao's garden. Sokka uses his superior agility to avoid many attacks and neither combatants were able to gain the upper hand. Eventually, Sokka blinds Piandao by throwing dirt in his eyes. Piandao is still able to sense Sokka's movements and defeats him by knocking his sword away. Right when it looks like he is about to finish Sokka off, Piandao congratulates Sokka, and tells him the fight is just to see if he is worthy. He then states that Sokka proved himself.

Duel between Combustion Man and Team Avatar
Combatants: Combustion Man and Team Avatar

Victor: None

While relaxing at a lake, Aang is spot by Fire Nation soldiers. They proceed to send a Messenger Hawk to inform the Fire Lord. Combustion Man intercepts the message and later attacks Team Avatar. The members of Team Avatar fail to land a blow on him despite their efforts, so Aang runs away to give the others a chance to escape. Aang hides behind rocks to trick Combustion Man, but is eventually spotted and hit by a surge of combustion. He escapes Combustion Man's fatal attacks with the use of Airbemding. He then goes to hide. Combustion Man once more finds him, but Aang escapes by quickly jumping into the air with an earth shield. He then blasts himself onto Appa and flies away safely.

Duel between Katara and Toph
Combatants: Katara and Toph

Victor: No victor, interrupted by Aang

Aang trains with Katara and Toph to develop proficiency at using Seismic Sense. He dodges a rock thrown by Toph, but the attack accidentally hits Katara. Toph laughs at the whole incident, angering Katara and causing a small but vicious duel between the girls. They attack using mud, but Aang interrupts the duel and stops them before it could escalate.

Duel in Fire Fountain City
Combatants: Combustion Man and Team Avatar

Victor: Team Avatar

After Aang and Sokka go to rescue Katara and Toph from the Fire Fountain City prison, they are attacked by Combustion Man. They are able to hold their own against him, but Aang eventually finds himself trapped. Right before Combustion Man can finish off Aang, however, he is attacked by Katara, who freezes his head in ice. Team Avatar uses the opportunity to flee the scene, but Combustion Man remains in hot pursuit. He uses combustion yet again, but Toph blocks it, which, in turn, accidentally sends a pebble toward Combustion Man, hitting his tattoo and, as a result, blocking his chi. Combustion Man attempts to fire anyway, but is instead thrown backwards.

Duel between Katara and Hama
Combatants: Katara, Hama, Aang (under Hama's control), Sokka (under Hama's control)

Victor: Katara

Eager to learn traditional Southern Waterbending style, Katara follows Hama into the fields. After learning several new moves, Hama leads Katara into the woods beneath the full moon to teach her the ultimate technique of Waterbending- Bloodbending. Upon understanding the immoral extent of this technique, Katara refuses to learn it and identifies Hama as the one responsible for the missing villagers. Upon her refusal, Hama subdues Katara with Bloodbending, lowering her to the ground.

Though Hama flawlessly executed the technique, Katara proves able to resist her manipulation completely, even so far as to break free of her firm hold. Moreover, Katara's transcendent skill of Waterbending plays a role in her resistance, as she has learned how to Bloodbend when she withdraws the water by her hands, attaining the knowledge to counter the technique while doing so.

Following her resistance, the two begin to trade quick water blasts, each in turn manipulating the water thrown to return it against their adversary, building in strength with each counterattack. After a quick trade-off of these blasts, Hama combines the water of two nearby trees, sending a massive wave back at Katara. The young Waterbenders stands her ground and uses her Waterbending to cease Hama's attack in its tracks. Stunned at Katara's sheer Waterbending prowess, Hama is stupefied. Taking notice of her opponent's sudden bewilderment, Katara acts quickly, using Waterbending to knock Hama down.

Hama rises again just as Sokka and Aang show up to aid Katara. In doing so, however, Hama Bloodbends the two and forces them to assault Katara. Deftly avoiding their attack, Katara returns an attack that Hama blocks. Dodging Aang and Sokka's following attacks, Katara freezes them both to trees for their and her own safety. However, Hama, a Waterbender herself, shatters the ice holding them and sends the two at one another to inflict injury with Sokka's space sword.

In desperation to save her brother and Aang, Katara attempts the technique she had resisted earlier, bringing Hama under her control with Bloodbending. Soon following Hama's defeat, villagers show up and arrest Hama, but not before she contemptuously praises Katara for learning the technique, Bloodbending. Katara, the victor, is left to grieve having gained knowledge and power she deems corrupt.

Battle in the Underground Bunker
Combatants: Aang, Sokka, Toph, Princess Azula and Azula's Dai Li Agents

Victor: Princess Azula

During the Invasion of the Fire Nation, Aang, Sokka and Toph enter the Fire Lord's Underground Bunker in hopes of defeating Ozai. Much to their surprise, they instead come across Azula. They demand that she tells them where the Fire Lord is, telling her that she is in no position to refuse, as the eclipse takes away her Firebending. She refuses and Toph traps her in an earth cone. Azula then tells them that she has brought back some souvenirs from Ba Sing Se- two Dai Li agents. Team Avatar chases Azula through the bunker, but, surprisingly, Azula proves an even foe even without her Firebending. Throughout the battle, she uses her acrobatic skills to dodge all of Team Avatar's attacks.

Eventually, Aang and Toph defeat the Dai Li agents. At this time, Sokka sees through Azula's ruse and tells Aang and Toph to ignore her, as she is trying to stall them. Azula, however, is able to sucessfully manipulate Sokka's emotions by telling him that Suki used to mention him all the time, but soon gave up on him. Sokka attacks Azula in blind rage and Toph pins her to a wall with Earthbending. Sokka interrogates Azula, but she only gives him a smug look. When the eclipse ends, Azula attacks the three, almost killing Sokka. She then happily tells them her father's location and that he'd be more than happy to see them now and left.

Duel between Zuko and Ozai
Combatants: Ozai, Zuko Victor: Zuko

During the Day of Black Sun, Zuko steps into his father's secret chamber, right as the eclipse began. Holding his father at bay with dual broadswords, Zuko tells Ozai that he'd come to realize the wrongness of The War, and announces his intention to join the Avatar. To keep Zuko from leaving, Ozai tells him about the fate of his mother, stalling him long enough for the eclipse to end. At that point, Ozai generates lightning and fires it at Zuko. Zuko absorbs the lightning and redirects it back at his father, stunning him long enough to get away.

Attack in the Western Air Temple
Combatants: Team Avatar, Zuko, Combustion Man

Victor: Team Avatar and Zuko

After expressing interest at joining Team Avatar, a newly converted Zuko is rejected, and proceeds to leave the Western Air Temple. Later at night, he hears a figure in the woods, unbeknownst to him is Toph. Alarmed, he attacks with Firebending, burning Toph's feet in the process. Team Avatar then tends her feet in a fountain, while Sokka plans an attack on Zuko. The gang is soon interrupted, however, when Combustion Man attacks. He would have successfully killed them at first shot, but Zuko was able to stop him, giving Team Avatar a warning to escape. Combustion Man soon blows Zuko off the edge of a roof, but he is able to hold onto a vine. Katara attempts to stop Combustion Man by shooting ice spikes at him, but he uses his metal arm to destroy them. He continues to fire until Sokka throws his boomerang into the air at the angle of the assassin's blasts. The boomerang is successful at hitting Combustion Man right in his third eye, blocking his chi. Combustion Man ignores this and tries to fire again, but instead he causes a massive explosion, ultimately killing him.

Duel on the Gondola
Combatants: Zuko, Sokka, Suki, Princess Azula and Ty Lee

Victor: No victor; interrupted by prison guards

Zuko, Sokka, Suki, Chit Sang and Hakoda are trapped in the Boiling Rock. In order to escape, they take The Warden hostage and enter one of the prison's gondolas. While escaping, they soon find Azula and Ty Lee, in hot pursuit of them. Ty Lee runs across the cable and onto the gondola, while Azula propels herself onto the vehicle with Firebending. Zuko and Sokka prepare to fight Azula, while Suki faces off against Ty Lee. Zuko and Sokka try their best to defeat Azula, but she proves an even foe, with flames hurtling both ways. Ty Lee and Suki also battle evenly. The fight soon ends, however, when The Warden tells his guards to cut the line. Azula and Ty Lee then make it onto another gondola, leaving the five escapees to boil to death in the lake's scalding waters.

Duel by the Gondola's Line
Combatants: Mai, Boiling Rock Guards

Victor: Mai (later arrested)

As the guards were nearing completion in killing the escapees by cutting the line, Mai attacks them to save Zuko, much to the surprise of everyone. A battle then ensues, where Mai shows great skill. She precisely pins each guard to the wall, despite their Firebending. She then releases the gondola's cable and defeats the remaining guards, winning the fight, but at the same time losing Azula's alliance.

Duel on the Airship
Combatants: Zuko and Princess Azula

Victor: None

As Team Avatar escapes from Princess Azula's attack on the Western Air Temple, Zuko goes to confront Azula himself. He finds her on top of one of the airship's command towers. Upon asking his sister about the purpose of her attack, she exclaims that it is a celebration of her soon becoming an only child, attacking Zuko after with a furious blast of blue fire, barely missing. He attempts to defeat her, but can only destroy her command tower before he falls into an abyss. Azula is sure of her victory, but is proven wrong when Zuko comes back on top of another airship. The two fight furiously, though this time Azula does not gain the upper hand. The two then unleash an extremely powerful blast of fire at the other, causing both of them to fall off the airship. Zuko is saved by Team Avatar, while Azula propels herself to a cliff and uses her headpiece to grapple onto the side.

Duel on the Southern Raider Vessel
Combatants: Katara, Zuko, Southern Raiders Captain

Victor: Katara and Zuko

When Katara sets out to find the man who killed her mother, she and Zuko attack the Southern Raiders' lead ship, in hopes of finding the man they believe is responsible. They are able to quickly overpower the ship's defenses, and they soon arrive at the ship's command center. There, the captain and Zuko exchange fire blasts. Katara, however, subdues the captain with Bloodbending, immobilizing him. Zuko interrogates him, though he denies being Kya's killer. Zuko, with assistance from Katara, furiously tells him to look her into the eyes and honestly say that he was not responsible for Kya's death. The man meets her gaze with sincere eyes, and Katara realizes that he is not the man they are looking for, and releases him. Zuko, however, interrogates him to find out who was the previous captain, to which he states that they are looking for Yon Rha, the real killer.

Duel by the Beach House
Combatants: Avatar Aang and Zuko

Victor: Avatar Aang

Zuko, angered by his friends' apathetic attitude while on Ember Island three days prior to the arrival of Sozin's Comet, attacks Aang to teach him a lesson. Zuko chases Aang across the beach, blasting puffs of fire at him. The duel continues and moves into the beach house, where Aang ends the scuffle by blowing Zuko out of the beach house with a powerful gust of air.

Duel in the Fire Nation Airship
Combatants: Toph, Airship Captain and Airship Soldiers

Victor: Toph

Sokka, Suki and Toph travel to Ba Sing Se to launch an attack on the Fire Lord's Airship Fleet and participate in the Battle at Wulong Forest. They board a Fire Nation Airship. Toph knocks on the control room door and uses Metalbending to disable the soldiers and the Airship Captain, while Sokka and Suki wait outside. Toph makes a metal armor with the door and she easily defeats the crew of the airship, pinning them to the walls with metal.

Comet Enhanced Agni Kai
Combatants: Zuko, Princes Azula and Katara

Victor: Katara

Zuko lost. He was zapped by lightning. Please do not add him.

Zuko vs. Azula
Not knowing of his daughter's descent into insanity, Phoenix King Ozai decrees that Princess Azula is to become Fire Lord on the day of Sozin's Comet. Before Azula can be coronated, however, Zuko and Katara arrive, intending for Zuko to become the new Fire Lord. Azula, knowing she can not take on the both of them, challenges Zuko to an Agni Kai. Zuko accepts, much to Katara's discomfort.

Zuko and Azula then start their battl by blasting enormous amounts of flames at each other. At first, the duel is relatively even, though Azula's further descent into madness slowly allows Zuko to gain the upper hand. Azula then tries to kill Zuko by jetting around him and attacking him on all sides, but to no avail. Zuko gets on the ground and creates a fire tornado, knocking Azula to the ground and furthering her insanity even more. Zuko then taunts Azula for being scared to use lightning, as Zuko can redirect it. Azula takes the bait and generates a powerful bolt of lightning. At the last second, however, she aims at Katara, who is vulnerable. Zuko jumps in front of the lightning to save her. However, he can not redirect all of the lightning, which causes him to be badly injured. Azula then focuses her attention on Katara.

Katara vs. Azula
Azula chases Katara across the arena. Katara runs for her life, barely escaping the huge bolts of lightning and blasts of blue fire coming her way. Azula then decides to chase Katara by propelling herself in the air through the arena. Katara tries to stop her, but to no avail. Right when Katara's chances of survival seems to be non-existent, Katara finds an underground vent filled with water and chains on a pole. Azula then catches up to Katara, and gets ready to kill her. Right at the last second, Katara traps herself and Azula in ice. She then thaws herself out, and tightly ties Azula to the vent with the chain. She then unfreezes the two of them and heals Zuko, while Azula watches in rage. Azula soon realizes her defeat, crying and screaming hysterically, while Katara and Zuko watch in pity and grief.

Final Duel in Wulong Forest
Combatants: Avatar Aang and Phoenix King Ozai

Victor: Avatar Aang

Though hesitant to fight or kill, Aang waits for Phoenix King Ozai's airship as Ozai attempts to burn down the entire Earth Kingdom. When Ozai's airship finally arrives at the coast, Aang destroys it using Earthbending and comet enhanced Firebending. Seeing Aang, Ozai takes off his armor and propels himself to a large rock, only yards away from Aang. Aang tells Ozai that they don't have to fight, and that Ozai has the power to stop what he is doing. Ozai refuses, and attacks Aang. The two fight furiously, yet evenly. After a while, Ozai uses lightning against Aang. Aang dodges as many as he can, but he is finally hit by one, leaving him with no choice but to redirect it. Hesitant to kill Ozai, Aang instead unleashes the bolt into the sky, leaving him in physical pain. Ozai takes advantage of this, and soon gains the upper hand. Aang soon finds himself falling to his possible death, which he is barely able escape by Waterbending. He ends up washed up beside the lake, and hides in a ball of earth. Ozai mocks him and his people for their peaceful nature, and starts to burn up Aang's earth ball. Ozai is eventually successful in destroying the ball. However, the force of the flame causes Aang's scar to smash into a rock, unlocking his Seventh Chakra, and letting him enter the Avatar State.

Aang then quickly overwhelms Ozai with all his power. Ozai attempts to flee, but he is eventually captured by Aang. Right before Aang can kill Ozai, however, he leaves the Avatar State. Ozai eclaims that Aang is still weak even with all the power he has, and attempts to kill Aang again. Aang, however, senses his movement through the earth and traps Ozai's hands and feet to the ground. With his limbs immobilized, Ozai attempts to attack Aang with a fire breath, but the Avatar is able to block the attack with Airbending. Aang then uses Energybending, a bending art taught to him by a Lion Turtle, to take away Ozai's Firebending. Surprised at the loss of his ability to Firebend, Ozai angrily asks Aang what he did to him. Aang tells Ozai that he took his bending away to remove him as a threat. Aang then uses Waterbending to put out the forest fires Ozai and his men created. Sokka, Toph and Suki then arrive to mock the now defeated Phoenix King. With Aang's victory, The War ends, leaving the world at peace once more.