10 Best Characters in Netflix's 'Avatar The Last Airbender,' Ranked

Nearly 20 years after the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender premiered on Nickelodeon, the show is getting a live-action remake thanks to Netflix. Set in a world in which everyone can control one of the four elements and live in their respective nations, young Airbender Aang discovers he is the Avatar, a reincarnated person capable of mastering all four. As the Fire Nation wages war against the others after decades of living in harmony, Aang and his allies must find a way to stop the carnage.

Avatar presents a compelling story in a fascinating world, but the characters are the true heart of the show. This remains true in the live-action remake, which, although uneven, does a considerably good job translating them into a new medium. Netflix's Avatar features a number of great characters, each well-developed with unique motivations, flaws and traits that make them easy to love—or hate. From Avatar Aang and his friends to their enemies in the Fire Nation, Avatar is full of wonderful characters, even if some are far more successful jumping into live action than others.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024)

10 King Bumi

Played by Utkarsh Ambudkar

Bumi is the king of the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu, one of the few cities the Fire Nation hasn't captured. Bumi is also an old friend of Aang's. After being imprisoned by the Earth Kingdom, Aang is taken to Bumi, and although Aang recognizes and is happy to see him, Bumi doesn't feel the same. He puts Aang through a series of dangerous trials, culminating in a one-on-one fight.

Played by Ghosts' protagonist Utkarsh Ambudkar, Bumi is an eccentric ruler who behaves erratically and is fond of puns. He can be massively entertaining to watch and provides some of the funniest moments in every episode he's in, greatly benefitting from Ambudkar's comedic timing. Still, underneath, he is a man who's seen a lot of destruction and pain from war, and he blames much of it on Aang's 100-year absence. He feels abandoned and betrayed by Aang, and he's angry and hurt. It's a good characterization, and while Avatar could've done much more with it, Bumi remains engaging and entertaining.

9 Commander Zhao

Play by Ken Leung

Zhao is a naval officer of the Fire Nation, working under Fire Lord Ozai. He sees Ozai's concern about the Avatar as an opportunity for a promotion and attempts to find him before Zuko does, ultimately taking Aang from Zuko and imprisoning him. At the end of Avatar Season 1, Zhao hopes to kill the Moon Spirit, thus leaving water benders powerless. However, things don't go his way, and Zhao is presumed dead.

Much like his animated counterpart, Zhao is a brutal, power-hungry soldier who has his sights set on ruling the Fire Nation and is willing to be deceptive and cunning to accomplish it. Alas, he's quite short-sighted in this adaptation, and his blind ambition leads to crucial miscalculations. The death of the Moon Spirit would unbalance the world, and because of that, even other Fire Nation members are against it and try to talk him out of it. But Zhao's selfish desires were more important to him, and they ultimately led to his death.

8 Fire Lord Ozai

Played by Daniel Dae Kim

Ozai is the tyrannical leader of the Fire Nation and the father of Azula and Zuko, as well as the brother of Iroh. He exiled Zuko and sent him on his quest to find the Avatar. Ozai is determined to conquer the three other nations and serve as ruler over all of them. Season 1 of Avatar ends with the revelation that Ozai's hunt for the Avatar is just a distraction from his real plan: the capture of Omashu.

Arguably one of the best and most recognizable villains in modern animation, Ozai is sadistic and cruel, brought to life with compelling bravado by the ever-reliable Daniel Dae Kim. His terrible traits have rubbed off on both of his children, especially Azula. He has high standards for everyone around him, especially his children, whom he treats more like members of his army than his family. Ozai is a stellar villain full of layers, and Dae Kim does a brilliant job with the material. Still, Season 1 of Avatar doesn't do nearly half as much with him as it could, depriving him of some of his impact.

7 Suki

Played by Maria Zhang

Suki is a warrior on Kyoshi Island and the leader of the elite Kyoshi Warriors. The insular nature of the island—and all the nations in general—means she's spent her whole life there and has never left. Her role as a leader means she's a skilled fighter, and she instructs other young warriors in training. She is drawn to Sokka and has chemistry with him, and the two share a kiss before Sokka leaves.

Suki is tough yet compassionate—her trust in Aang and the others helps convince her mother to let them stay on the island for a short time. She's proud of her role as a Kyoshi Warrior and takes it seriously, but at the same time, she's frustrated by their isolationist policies and wants to see more of the world and meet more people. As one of the best side characters, Suki is great to watch. However, Suki and Sokka's fan-favorite romance is less successful in live-action than in animation, which does put something of a stain on her characterization.

6 Princess Azula

Played by Elizabeth Yu

Azula is the younger sister of Zuko and daughter of Fire Lord Ozai, and she's a fire-bending prodigy. She's willing and eager to do work for her father, including as a spy by infiltrating resistance groups and bringing them to Ozai. She also trains hard to be the toughest, strongest warrior she can be. At the end of Avatar Season 1, she conquers the city of Omashu and holds its king, Bumi, as her prisoner.

One of the best villains in the Avatar franchise, and much like her equally devious father, Azula can be cruel, especially when it comes to enemies of the Fire Nation. She's also a perfectionist, eager to please Ozai and willing to do anything he asks of her. Azula is cunning, manipulative and determined to take over as heir to the throne, and her success in taking Omashu leaves her feeling triumphant and proves she's more than capable. The live-action show tries to enhance the tragic element of her backstory, but it doesn't quite land. However, it also greatly emphasizes Azula's competency, thus making her one of the most daring adaptations in the live-action series.

5 Sokka

Played by Ian Ousley

Sokka is the 16-year-old brother of Katara. Their mother was killed by the Fire Nation when they were young, and their father has been missing for a few years, leading the two siblings to have a strong bond. Before the siblings start traveling with Aang, Sokka served as their tribe's main protector, and neither he nor his sister had ever left before due to the threat of the Fire Nation.

Sokka is known for his quick-witted sense of humor but can also be very insecure as a result of feeling like he didn't live up to his father's expectations. He is reluctant to set out with Aang initially, and he's skeptical that he and Katara are capable of protecting Aang. Sokka is also intimidated by Aang's power, especially coming from a protector role. Above all, he means well, even if he doesn't always know how to express it. Sokka has a good heart, which, combined with his flaws, makes him one of the show's most likable characters. Alas, the live-action series removes some of his animated counterpart's sharper edges, which does deprive him of some of his depth and ultimate growth.

4 Prince Zuko

Played by Daniel Liu

Zuko is the fire bender prince of the Fire Nation and son of Ozai, as well as the brother of Princess Azula. As a child, he was mistreated by Ozai, who later exiled him and ordered him to find the Avatar. Zuko hopes his success in doing so will get him back in Ozai's favor, and he remains loyal to the Fire Nation. He is accompanied on his quest by his kind uncle, Iroh, Ozai's brother.

One of Avatar's strongest benders and a universally acclaimed character, Prince Zuko is a brilliant depiction of the long-term effects of trauma. The live-action series does a fairly good job of bringing him to life; his determination to find Aang leads him to make rash decisions, and he can be impatient and temperamental, but he also has a vulnerable side. Zuko is one of the most compelling characters in the series with one of the best arcs—one of his greatest moments is his choice to take Iroh home rather than seize the opportunity to pursue Aang when he sees Appa flying overhead. Liu's performance as Zuko is one of the best in Netflix's Avatar, with the young actor capturing the character's essence faithfully yet still adapting it into this new medium.

3 Katara

Played by Kiawentiio

Katara is Sokka's 14-year-old younger sister, and the two are from the Southern Water Tribe. She is a waterbender—the last one remaining in their village—and discovers a scroll in her bag placed there by her grandmother to help teach her how to master her waterbending. Katara develops a close bond with Aang while on their journeys, becoming more confident in her abilities.

Compassionate and caring, Katara is eager to protect and accompany Aang when they first meet, in part because of what she could learn from him. Like her animated counterpart, Katara is quick to help others, as well, and has an almost naive faith in people. However, she's also tough and determined, more than capable of taking care of herself in the face of danger and those she cares about. Katara is among the best characters in both the animated Avatar and the live-action adaptation. The Netflix series does a great job adapting her into live-action, and while she can't quite reach the heights of her animated counterpart, she remains compelling and instantly easy to root for, largely thanks to Kiawentiio's performance.

2 Aang

Played by Gordon Cormier

After an attack on the Air Nomads by the Fire Nation, 12-year-old Aang is accidentally frozen in an iceberg for 100 years. He is then discovered by siblings from the Water Tribe, Sokka and Katara, and when he awakes, he learns the Air Nomads have been wiped out, making him the last airbender. Pursued by the Fire Nation's Prince, Zuko, Aang must master his abilities to stop the Fire Nation's attacks, accompanied by his two new allies and his pet flying bison, Appa.

The Netflix series tones down his side adventures, but Aang remains a typical kid, more interested in having fun than taking on the huge responsibility of being the Avatar. The power that comes with his status scares him, and it's made all the more daunting when he learns what's happened over the previous 100 years. Aang has a classic coming-of-age arc in the series, coming into his own while learning what it means to wield such unwanted power. Netflix's Avatar might not excel at everything, and its limited runtime means it misses many of the animated version's most charming moments; however, its depiction of Aang remains true to the character's spirit.

1 Uncle Iroh

Played by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee

Iroh is a skilled fire bender and retired Fire Nation general, well-known to the Fire Nation as the famous "Dragon of the West." He is the brother of Fire Lord Ozai, although the two couldn't be more different. After Ozai exiles his son, Zuko, Iroh decides to accompany the young prince on his quest to find Aang and often tries to give him advice and guide his decisions. Iroh's son, Lu Ten, died in battle, which informs Iroh's behavior.

Although not as warm and lovable as his animated counterpart, Iroh is still Avatar's best character, with a lighthearted demeanor and hints of something more sinister—and powerful—under the surface. He's dedicated to protecting and guiding his nephew, in part because he was deeply affected by his son's death and has been changed by the horrors of war. Netflix's Avatar introduces a few callbacks to the original series, including Iroh's love of a good cup of tea. Reliable and kind yet firm and commanding, Iroh is the best-adapted character to live-action, greatly helped by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee's outstanding performance.

Season 1 of Avatar: The Last Airbender is available to stream on Netflix.

Watch on Netflix

NEXT: The 10 Weirdest 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Episodes, Ranked

ncG1vNJzZmibn6G5qrDEq2Wcp51krret05qpZqyYmnqtrdKtZJqhopeyr7DEq2SnnaSbuarEjJyfmqqRmMGmvtJmqZqmm5qxcA%3D%3D