countrypowerful

One of the most popular forms of western animation out there, Avatar: The Last Airbender was a revolution in every sense of the word. The quality of the visuals, the level of detail in the world, and the sheer awesomeness of the powers that are on display have made this series one of the most unique, popular, and revered shows out there. The themes and motifs touched upon in this show are nothing short of immense, making people re-watch the series just so they can pick up on all the hints that have been portrayed in the show. In fact, the popularity of the series reached such major heights that another sequel was released in the form of The Legend Of Korra, which occurred after a time skip where most of the original cast ends up playing little to no major roles, thus paving their way for the new generation of heroes.

Now, while The Legend Of Korra does detail out most of the events that happen during this time skip, there are still many fine details that have skipped the minds of most fans. After all, seventy years is quite a long time, and recounting each and every event that occurred over this span of time can be somewhat exhaustive. While there are comics that bridge the gap between both these series, many people either don't even know of their existence or haven't even bothered to read them. So, to help fans get a broad overview, here are 30 major events in the Avatar universe that transpired between The Last Airbender and The Legend Of Korra.

Click the button below to start this article in quick view

30 A Statue In Aang's Honor Was Erected On Aang Memorial Island

Speaking of Republic City, just guess who was the driving force behind the development of this city. The answer is so obvious that he's shown at the start of every episode in The Legend Of Korra.

This person is none other than Avatar Aang.

His role in negating the dominance of the Fire Nation and mitigating any subsequent fallout that could've arisen as a result just goes to show how important he was in shaping the Avatar world as we know it. So, to commemorate his contributions, a statue depicting his figure was constructed on Aang Memorial Island.

29 The Air Temples Were Rebuilt And The Air Temple Island Was Established

The Aang Memorial Island isn't the only island that came up after the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender. While the airbending clan has dwindled with the Fire Nation's unwelcome intrusion, Aang was hard at work trying to rebuild the lost glory of the airbenders.

Thus, the Air Temples were restored and a new one was constructed.

While the Air Temples were made mostly for show by the end of the series, the main focus was on the new Air Temple Island — a hub of sorts for future airbender where Korra learns the art of airbending with Tenzin.

28 Air Temple Island Became The Epicenter Of Air Nomad Culture In The Avatar World

When we said that Aang wanted Air Temple Island to become a hub for the airbenders of the future, we weren't kidding. The area has been customized specifically for the purpose of being the epicenter of the lost Air Nomad culture.

While the intervention of the Fire Nation has set back the airbending culture several years, it was obvious that Aang would take the steps required to ensure that it didn't become a lost fragment of the Avatar world's past.

In fact, he placed a contingency plan after his demise as well.

27 Aang Passed Down The Air Nomad Teachings Over To Tenzin

Out of all the three offsprings of Aang, it's clear that Tenzin matched up with him the most. Aside from the obvious trait — that being the airbending technique that was passed over to him — his looks and demeanor also tend to reflect Aang as well... although he can be somewhat rigid at times.

Thus, it was evident that Aang saw in Tenzin a worthy successor who could absorb the teachings of the Air Nomads and pass them down to the next generation. It was a wise decision, since Tenzin has obviously taken this role to heart.

26 Air Acolytes Promoted The Teachings Of The Air Nomads Across The Country

Now, who said that one needed to be an airbender to develop an interest in the teachings of the Air Nomads? After all, aside from the use of airbending techniques, the Air Nomad philosophy also instructed people on how to achieve inner peace as well, which was in the best interests of the population as a whole.

Thus, a large number of non-benders also decided to visit Air Temple island and understand the teachings of the Air Nomads and their philosophy of life as a whole.

25 Aang Roamed The World To Discover Surviving Breeds Of Sky Bison And Monkey Lemurs

The goal of bringing back the heyday of the Air Nomads that Aang wanted to achieve was quite in-depth, meaning that the Avatar needed to go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that everything could be brought back to the glory days.

Along with the things we've already mentioned, Aang also toured the entire landscape of the Avatar world to find surviving breeds of air bison and monkey lemurs, so that they could make the Air Temples their habitat once again.

24 The Harmony Restoration Movement Was Initiated

Remember when we talked about how the Fire Nation colonies were turned into the center of Republic City? Well, this was a gradual change — before this idea was debated, the initial idea was to do what seemed right and simply instruct the Fire Nation colonials to vacate the territory.

But while this might seem somewhat ideal and the best outcome for both parties, the fact of the matter is that such idealistic outcomes generally don't come to be. However, that's a topic that we'll save for another discussion.

23 Sokka Named The Movement

Now, the Harmony Restoration Movement is many things, but it's also a pretty divisive name based on whom you ask. For some, it completely fits the bill of what the movement sets out to do, while other's think that it's way too obvious and on-the-nose.

So, it becomes pretty obvious that this name was conjured up by none other than Sokka himself. It's quite jarring that a goofy comic-relief character was given the credit for naming such a major movement, but the more we think about it, the more it makes sense.

22 Zuko Survived An Attempt On His Wellbeing

So, remember when we talked about how the Harmony Restoration Movement didn't exactly have the reception that the Avatar gang yearned for? Well, the reception was more positive in the realm of the Earth Kingdom that was obviously getting a better — and arguably more one-sided — deal.

Meanwhile, there were many Fire Nation dissidents that saw this move as a sign of weakness from Zuko. This reached a head when one such firebender, Kori Morishita, decided to carry out an attempt on Zuko that was thankfully thwarted.

21 The Kyoshi Warriors Were Appointed By Mai To Serve As Zuko's Personal Guards

The aforementioned attempt against Zuko served as a wake-up call for Zuko and the rest of Team Avatar, who finally realized that the Harmony Restoration Movement would not be as smooth as they imagined it to be.

However, at that point, the first point of concern was to provide additional security for the Fire Lord. This was in the form of the Kyoshi Warriors, who were appointed by none other than Mai herself. After all, who else would be terrified for Zuko's well-being than her own wife?

20 The Battle Of Yu Dao Occurred Between The Fire And Earth Kingdom

The attempt also made Zuko somewhat paranoid, making him understand — if not empathize with — the plight of his people. This made him adopt a somewhat selfish stance, culminating in his withdrawal from the Harmony Restoration Movement.

This move didn't sit well with Earth King Kuei — a ruler who himself had ego problems. Instead of taking Aang's advice, he decided to jump the gun and declared war on the Fire Nation to take back his territories.

Thus, the Battle of Yu Dao came to be.

19 Aang And Katara Helped Settle An Impasse Between Fire Lord Zuko And Earth King Kuei

The connection between Aang and Katara is genuinely quite heartwarming. They play off so well with each other that they pretty much share the same wavelength by the end of the original series. This allows them to be the collective voice of reason when things go sour between Zuko and Kuei.

Massaging one emperor-size ego is hard enough as is, but Aang and Katara had to massage two such egos! And yet, not only were they perfectly competent at this, but they even managed to quell the dispute between both emperors and prevent any further escalations.

18 The Fire Nation Colonies Turned Into The Republic Of Nations

After dismantling the powers of Fire Lord Ozai, the territories occupied by the Fire Nation were up for dispute. There was a pressing need to settle this political unrest and prevent the nations from doing something stupid and impulsive.

Thus, the common regions were used to construct something else.

Here is where the concept of Republic City came into play. With the idea that this city would serve as a hub where both benders and non-benders could live in harmony, the plan to initiate this harmonious development would come into play.

17 Aang Cut Off His Connection With The Past Avatars

During the gap between The Last Airbender and The Legend Of Korra, perhaps one of the most monumental events that transpired is also something that has been glossed over for the most part. It's an event that could've had grave consequences for Aang but ends up playing little to no major role in the long run.

Basically, during a heated argument between Roku and Aang, the latter had enough of what Roku was debating. In a fit of rage, he decided to cut off his connection with Roku and — by extension — the rest of the past Avatars.

16 Zuko Made Aang Promise To End Him If He Turned Out Like His Father

In case you're wondering why Aang took such an extreme decision by cutting off his biggest source of knowledge, it's because the argument stemmed from a promise he didn't mean to keep. Namely, a promise to the then-new Fire Lord Zuko.

Zuko, still marred by the twisted nature of his father, didn't want to replicate even a single percent of Ozai's despicable behavior. Such was his adamance, that he told Aang to 'take care' of him the moment he showed signs of turning into his father.

15 Zuko Almost Ended Up Like His Father, Whom He Reviled

Quite ironic, isn't it? It might be somewhat boneheaded to say that arrogance and evil run in the family, but this case certainly showed that Zuko was his father's son through and through, whether he liked it or not.

After the events during his time as the Fire Lord, Zuko slowly broke down and adopted a mindset that wasn't particularly admirable. This reached a point where Aang almost fulfilled his promise and seriously tried to off Zuko. However, that would've made for a downer of an ending, and things ended up going back to normal.

14 Zuko And Mai Had A Pretty Rocky Relationship

The imbalance in Zuko's mind wasn't exactly ideal, and it started affecting the people around him whom he cared for the most. One of these people was Mai, who was less than enthused about the manner in which Zuko was carrying out his role as the Fire Lord.

A major argument led to Mai leaving Zuko for what seemed like good. However, Zuko got his act together and realized that — among other things — he wasn't exactly being a model boyfriend. Soon after, Mai came right back into his loving arms.

13 Technology Advanced At An Exponential Rate

With the focus of technology shifting from military to utility purposes, the Avatar universe was witnessing a massive shift in the way people could live out their lives. Technology developed at a pretty frenetic pace, especially when compared to the slow burn of years prior.

Add to this the prominence of metal bending, and industrial development in the world of Avatar would reach an all-time high. While military applications of technology were still pretty prominent, so was the lifestyle augmentations.

12 Yakone Rose As A Criminal Lord In Republic City

The person that arguably kicked off the events of the first season in The Legend Of Korra, Yakone was a criminal underlord and father to Noatak and Tarrlok, and his despicable acts in Republic City ended up causing quite the needless commotion.

Even after being arrested multiple times, Yakone was able to get away scot-free for the most part. However, after he bit off more than he could chew, Aang and Co. managed to capture him for good.

11 Aang Used Energybending To Remove Yakone's Bending Abilities

One of the major reasons why Yakone was considered to be such a major threat was his innate ability to bloodbend. If the fact that he could perform this act without a full moon wasn't bad enough as is, he also didn't need to move his hands to perform this form of bending!

To finally get rid of his debilitating technique, Aang caught the criminal boss and used energybending to take away all of his bending capabilities once and for all.

This should've been enough, but Yakone's tenacity meant that he groomed the next generation to excel where he'd failed.

10 Katara Became Part Of The Southern Council Of Chieftains And Elders

Katara ended up making quite a name for herself, even if one took out the factor in the equation that she just so happened to be the Avatar's wife. Her selfless acts endeared her amongst the masses — especially among those of her own tribe.

To maintain a certain sense of harmony and peace in the Southern Water Tribe, Katara became part of the Southern Council of Chieftains and Elders to make the administrative decisions in the clan — well, at least until the tribe gained independence from its northern counterparts.

9 Katara Was Widely Known As The Best Healer In The Avatar World

Another quality of Katara that absolutely deserves a mention is her mastery in the field of waterbending. While she might've been dwarfed by Aang's natural talent at this art from the get-go, her perseverance meant that she was able to become an expert in this particular art.

This culminated in her reputation as being the best healer in the Avatar universe, able to fix any problems that might arise in the human body. She was the healer of choice to go to whenever Korra was seriously injured, which speaks volumes as is.

8 Toph Founded The Beifong Metalbending Academy

Of course, Katara wasn't the only one making a name for herself. It would be a disservice to talk about the fates of Team Avatar's members and not mention Toph Beifong, who — along with Katara and Zuko — is still alive and kicking by the time The Legend Of Korra rolls around.

The fact of the matter is that Toph kickstarted a ton of things that shaped the modern Avatar world as we know it. Her discovery of metalbending meant that she was able to become a pioneer in this art and teach other earthbenders how to perform the same by constructing an academy.

7 Toph Served As The First Chief Of Police For Republic City

Oh, we weren't exaggerating when we said that Toph accomplished a ton of things after the end of The Last Airbender. Aside from making metalbending a common practice throughout the globe, she also helped Republic City maintain a much-needed sense of order and discipline during the early goings.

After all, no average person would've been provided the glorious opportunity of being the first Chief of Police in Republic City. It goes to show just reliable and smart Toph actually was — although to be honest, anybody who's seen the series can attest to that.

6 Zuko Freed Azula To Help Him Search For Their Mother

Azula isn't exactly known to be the most stable person in the Avatar universe — in fact, the last fight she has with the duo of Zuko and Katara ended up unhinging her mind, after a cumulation of negative events affected her psyche extensively.

However, after talking to his father and getting some crucial clues about her mother, Zuko decided that the best person who'd help him achieve this goal was none other than another member of his family. Meeting up with her in the mental asylum, Zuko decided to enlist the aid of Azula to make the act of achieving this goal all the more easier.

5 The Siblings Discovered Some Disturbing Things About Ursa

Well, if Zuko thought that his quest to help find his mother would end with a happy ending, then he was quite wrong. After all, the fact of the matter is that his mother took some drastic steps to hide from the rest of the world.

After escaping the tyrannous presence of Fire Lord Ozai, Ursa contacted a spirit that gave her the opportunity to take away her good looks and wipe her memory. After doing both of these things, the sight that greeted Zuko and Azula was quite pitiful — which is a pretty light way to put it.

4 Aang Appointed The Order Of The White Lotus To Protect His Reincarnation

We've already talked about Aang's long-term thinking at length in this list, but it must be said that his incredible foresight mitigated a ton of negative occurrences that could've destabilized the Avatar universe, especially since the entire structure of the world was changing as they knew it.

In fact, this stretched beyond the very existence of his physical body. Even on the brink of his demise, Aang realized the importance of not letting his successor go through the same ordeals that he luckily avoided early on in his life.

3 After Being Encased In Ice For A Hundred Years, Aang's Body Was Permanently Damaged

However, Aang wasn't exactly lucky when he managed to evade the Fire Nation's attack on the Southern Air Temple. The storm that sent him crashing down on the Southern Pole kickstarted his Avatar state, and he managed to encase himself in a ball of ice with his newfound powers.

But encasing his body in a ball of ice wasn't exactly great for Aang's body.

While his early years went by pretty smoothly, the Avatar felt his body degrading in his later years. After all, he was living on borrowed time — a century, to be exact.

2 The Relationships That Were Set In Stone

The end of the original series saw a number of permanent developments that would carry over to the new generation in The Legend Of Korra. To be more exact, we're talking about the relationships that were forged over time.

The obvious one we'll talk about is Katara and Aang.

After all, the series ended with a kiss between these two characters, which wasn't the only relationship that was forged. There's also the less conspicuous connection between Zuko and Mai, although — unlike the Avatar's relationship — it wasn't exactly a smooth ride.

1 The Legacy That They Left Behind

Marriage led to another aspect of the Avatar universe that was pretty fleshed out — namely, the children that carried forth the legacy of their parents.

Most of the major characters had at least one offspring.

The trio of Tenzin, Bumi, and Kya is perhaps the most prominently featured children, which is obvious since they're Aang's kids. Zuko had Azumi, who was next in line to take over the throne. Meanwhile, Lin and Suyin Beifong also play a major role as Toph's kids in The Legend Of Korra.