These Characters in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Embodied the 7 Deadly Sins
Since being revived on Netflix earlier this year, Avatar: The Last Airbender has been well-received by viewers. Even though new episodes stopped being aired on Nickelodeon 12 years ago, the show remains as popular as ever.
Despite having only been available for streaming since May 28, Avatar: The Last Airbender has been shattering Netflix’s streaming records and has been a mainstay in their Daily Top 10, according to Newsweek. Fans of the show, both new and old, have been deeply absorbed by the show’s superior writing, impeccable character development, and deep thematic elements.
Two recurring themes of the show are morality and the human connection with spirit, which the show’s writers found creative ways to convey. One way, in particular, was illustrating the seven deadly sins in several of the show’s main characters. Find out which deadly sin applied to which character, below.
Prince Zuko’s pride brings him many hardships
Prince Zuko is one of the most complex characters on Avatar: The Last Airbender. Zuko has many layers to his personality, but his pride shines stronger than any other quality. Fueled by his desire to regain his honor and reclaim his place in Fire Nation royalty, the disgraced prince scours the Earth tirelessly, searching for the Avatar.
Despite his admirable dedication, Zuko’s drive to capture Aang often borders on obsession and frequently leads him into compromising situations. On several occasions, he risks his life to capture Aang, such as when he dons the “Blue Spirit” persona to retrieve Aang from Admiral Zhao’s clutches.
After nearly dying in a blizzard in the process of kidnapping Aang, it becomes clear to viewers that Zuko will stop at nothing to vindicate himself.
Sokka envies the natural abilities of benders
Sokka is one of the few central characters of Avatar who is a non-bender. Because of his inability to bend water, he’s forced to rely on other skills, such as hand-to-hand combat and guerilla warfare.
Although initially portrayed as powerless and goofy, he eventually distinguishes himself as a resourceful battle strategist and a quick thinker. Regardless, Sokka carries sadness due to his lack of bending ability, and in the season 3 episode “Sokka’s Master,” he expresses feeling inferior because of this.
During the episode, he goes out of his way to find a swords master who can help further his skills in battle, later proving to the team just how valuable he is.
Ozai’s greed causes the fall of the Fire Nation
Fire Lord Ozai is the most-ruthless and intimidating character on Avatar. His unquenchable thirst for power terrorizes the other three nations, as he enslaves many members of the Earth Kingdom and brings the Air Nomads to extinction.
Ozai’s grand aspirations become more clear over the course of the show, as he reveals to Azula his plans of renouncing his title as Fire Lord and becoming the Phoenix King, ruler of the world.
Luckily, before he is able to utilize Sozin’s Comet to burn down the Earth Kingdom and fulfill his goal, Aang is able to take away his bending abilities and restore peace.
Aang lusts for a romantic relationship with Katara
From the moment he meets her, it’s clear that Aang has a major crush on Katara. Infatuated by both her beauty and ferocity in battle, Aang constantly wrestles with the idea of having a romantic relationship with her.
However, due to his responsibilities as the Avatar, he is not allowed to have attachments to worldly connections—most notably human love. Aang rejects this notion in season two when a guru tells him he must let go of his feelings for her to open his Thought Chakra.
Frustrated, he abandons his training to master the Avatar state and runs off to save Katara, blocking his chakra in the process.
Azula’s wrath is felt by friends and foes
Princess Azula is sadistic and manipulative, characterized as highly unstable. Her hair-trigger temper is frequently set off by the slightest inconveniences, and nobody is safe from feeling her wrath.
Throughout the show, she is portrayed as a powerful leader and a firebending prodigy, however, she lacks compassion and shows no empathy for her friends and family.
Eventually, Azula’s fierce demeanor and fiery rage lead to her downfall, as her best friends abandon her and cause her to lose control mentally and emotionally.
MoMo’s gluttony inconveniences the crew
Aang’s pet lemur MoMo has one mission in life—to find food. He plays a key role in helping the crew overcome several obstacles throughout Avatar, but for the most part, he only cares about eating.
His insatiable appetite inconveniences the crew on a number of occasions, specifically when the crew is detained in the city of Omashu. Aang tries to get MoMo to slip through an air vent to find help, but MoMo is unable to fit through the vent because he’s engorged himself with fruit.
Iroh’s laziness gets the best of him
Uncle Iroh’s easy-going attitude and carefree outlook on life make him a fan favorite for many viewers. However, his lack of hustle frequently upsets his nephew, Zuko, and delays their crew’s efforts to capture the Avatar.
Zuko constantly berates his uncle for his inability to take their quest more seriously, while Iroh tries his best to get Zuko to appreciate the little things in life.
Iroh’s devil-may-care attitude lands him in trouble when he falls asleep in a hot spring during a temporary break; Earth Nation soldiers are able to capture him and attempt to take him back to Ba Sing Se to stand trial for his war crimes.
