Avatar: The Last Airbender is a fantasy animated series starring the Avatar himself, Aang the airbender. It is his noble duty to save the entire world from Fire Lord Ozai’s wrath and end the Hundred-Year War, and he’s going to need allies like Sokka, Katara, Toph Beifong, and even prince Zuko to do it. Katara, in particular, is one of Aang’s best allies of all.
Katara and her protective brother Sokka appeared early in the show, and they both found many ways to improve their likability and show viewers what kind of people they are. Time and again, Katara boosted her likability with her kind words, her heroic deeds, and even a bit of humor through all three of Avatar‘s seasons.
In Book One: Water, the relentless prince Zuko allied himself with a variety of third parties, including June the bounty hunter and a crew of pirates. To Katara’s dismay, those pirates had stolen a rare and valuable waterbending scroll, one that featured diagrams of advanced waterbending moves.
Katara eventually stole the scroll right back, and it was a great move on her part. She knows that stealing is wrong, but this is different, and she had some real guts in the process, too. It’s something Toph Beifong would do, and that is a real compliment.
9 When Katara Stood Up To Pakku
When Aang and his friends finally arrived at the fortified Northern Water Tribe, they were in for a shock. This icy city has a number of regressive policies, including a culture that forbids girls from learning combat-oriented waterbending. Master Pakku, secretly a member of the White Lotus, refused to train Katara.
Katara backed off at first, but soon, she found the resolve to confront Pakku about this unpleasant social rule and fought him over it. Katara may have lost that bending battle, but she impressed Pakku and audiences alike with her guts. She even inspired Pakku to bend the rules and train her alongside Aang.
8 When Katara Offered To Heal Zuko
During the climax of Book Two: Earth, Katara and Zuko found themselves alone together deep in the catacombs of Ba Sing Se, a place lit only by giant glowing crystals. The two of them were at odds at first, until Katara saw Zuko’s good side for the first time. They actually started to get along, and then Katara got an idea.
Up close, Katara could clearly see the horrible burn scar on Zuko’s face, and out of compassion, Katara offered to heal that scar with her precious spirit water. It was big of Katara to make this offer for a sworn enemy like that, though she didn’t follow through in the end, since the battle soon resumed.
7 When Katara Rescued A Polluted Fire Nation Town
Katara can’t help but protect innocent people in need, and she did this all the time in the expansive Earth Kingdom. Then she did it again in the Fire Nation, of all places, since she smartly knew that innocent townsfolk weren’t her true enemy. In fact, some Fire Nation villagers were a victim of their own nation’s warmongering.
Katara simply had to take action when the Gaang visited a heavily polluted, desperate lakeside town, and it paid off. Katara imitated the Painted Lady spirit and fought back against local Fire Nation troops with Aang and drove them off. Then she did her part to clean up the polluted lake.
6 When Katara Freed Haru & His Grandfather
Katara and her friends visited an Earth Kingdom town where all earthbenders had already been captured and relocated to a metal platform out at sea, where those benders couldn’t fight back. When a kind earthbender boy named Haru got himself captured as well, Katara took action and became a proper hero.
Katara took the lead with this rescue effort, getting herself captured as an “earthbender” to free the prisoners from the inside. With Aang’s help, Katara provided a huge amount of coal for them to bend, and she rallied them with an inspiring speech that Haru and his grandfather took to heart. It was one of Katara’s finest moments.
5 When Katara Said Aang Was Like Family
Early in the series, Aang had to face the horrible truth when he returned to the Southern Air Temple after an entire century. There, he found many signs of the battle that once took place, from rusted Fire Nation helmets to the skeletal remains of Monk Gyatso, who had once been Aang’s best friend.
Aang went into the Avatar State in sheer grief and shock, and he felt more alone than ever. That was when Katara bravely rushed over to comfort him, and she told him that she and Sokka were Aang’s new family without question. That was a great move on Katara’s part, and it helped Aang process his grief. The found family was born.
4 When Katara Made Up With Toph In “The Runaway”
During most of their time together in the Gaang, Katara and Toph Beifong didn’t get along that well, and they openly feuded more than once, such as during “The Chase.” Fortunately, Katara improved her friendship with Toph during their girls’ day out in “Tales of Ba Sing Se,” and in “The Runaway.”
This was the last time Katara and Toph ever clashed. At first, Katara openly disapproved of Toph’s many scams in a Fire Nation town, until she volunteered for one last scam and got thrown into a wooden jail cell with Toph. That was a dire situation, but at least Toph and Katara made up and were best friends after that.
3 When Katara Forgave Zuko
Katara didn’t end up forgiving Zuko during their time together in the Ba Sing Se catacombs, but she got another chance much later, when Zuko formally joined the Gaang. Zuko helped Katara track down Yon Rha, the retired general who had personally killed Katara’s mother years ago.
Katara swore to never forgive Yon Rha, even if she spared his life to avoid becoming a monster like him. In light of this, Katara saw fit to forgive Zuko for all he had done and acknowledged him as a true friend and ally. That was a big moment for Katara, recognizing Zuko’s genuine redemption while also rejecting bloody vengeance.
2 When Katara Defeated Hama
In the episode “The Puppetmaster,” Katara met a fugitive Water Tribe native, Hama, who had long since made her home in the idyllic Fire Nation countryside. At first, Katara was thrilled to meet another waterbender in hostile territory, only for Hama to out herself as a bloodbender and cold-blooded villain.
Katara fought back and won, and even learned to perform bloodbending herself. However, Katara refused to become a vengeful monster like Hama and denounced the entire existence of bloodbending. Years later, she would have it formally outlawed, a move that Yakon deemed cowardly.
1 When Katara Captured Azula
Zuko finally faced his powerhouse sister during the Sozin’s Comet battle, and while he had the edge in that fight, he failed to finish the job. So, it fell to Katara to handle the Fire Nation princess, and it was anything but easy. Azula had become unstable, but she was still a powerhouse bender.
Katara won in the end, though, and that helped restore world peace. Katara thrilled audiences when she used some crafty waterbending to capture Azula and chain her up, and Azula couldn’t break free. And that was after Azula arrogantly looked down on her as a mere “peasant.”
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