One of the fans' biggest fears aboutAvatar: The Last Airbenderbeing translated into live-action is how bending is going to be adapted. Thankfully, the trailers for the upcoming Netflix serieshave been promising. Mastering an element is the distinguishing trait of this world, and it’s directly tied to the nations that represent them: the Water Tribe, the Air Nomads, the Earth Kingdom, and the Fire Nation. Beyond their elemental prowess, these nations possess distinct cultures, traditions, and societal structures, but everything is out of balance by the timeThe Last Airbenderbegins. Not everyone is a bender in this world, but everyone belongs to one of these four nations.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
A young boy known as the Avatar must master the four elemental powers to save the world and fight against an enemy bent on stopping him.
Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Water Tribes
When Avatar Aang (Gordon Cormier) is finally found after a century of imbalance in the world, it’s bytwo Water Tribe siblings, Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley), who were navigating a glacier on the South Pole. That’s where the Southern Water Tribe is located, with people living in small villages in the harsh and icy environment of the South Pole. They are a small population that has faced many challenges in the past, including the risk of extinction of their Waterbenders. Because of that,the Southern Water Tribe is known for its resilience and close-knit community, where family bonds matter more than anything. After Aang, the Avatar cycle predicts a Waterbender as the next Avatar - Korra, from the Southern Water Tribe, who got her own animated series on Nickelodeon,The Legend of Korra.
The Northern Water Tribe shares many similarities withtheir southern siblingsbut offers a stark contrast in terms of societal organization and infrastructure.While the South is almost tribal in its ways, the Northern Water Tribe, being more populous and prosperous, maintains a more formal and structured society. The cultural distinctions are also reflected in their respective leadership structures - both tribes are led by chiefs, for example, but the Northern Water Tribe has many degrees of authority and influence, whereas the Southern Water Tribe has a simpler hierarchy. Another distinguishing trait is the impressive architecture in the north, with whole cities built in the ice.
What connects both these sister tribes is their connection to water as a natural element.Waterbenders are usually masters of fluidity who move with distinguished finesse and harmonic movements when bending, from using their abilities to craft weapons out of ice to summoning tidal waves. They can also manipulate nearly everything that’s liquid or has a good degree of water in its composition. For example,a forbidden practice among Waterbendersis Bloodbending, a torturous bending subtype that controls the foe’s body against their will. Waterbenders also have a strong connection to the Moon, becoming more powerful on full moon nights.
Why You Won’t See Sozin’s Comet in Netflix’s ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Yet
Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio and Ian Ousley star in Netflix’s live-action adaptation.
Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Air Nomads
The current Avatar at the time of the series is Aang, a young Air Nomad who struggles with the burden that has been laid upon him. Conflicted about his role in the world, he runs away and ends up being hit by a storm, inadvertently entering the Avatar state and getting frozen inside an iceberg. The absence of an Avatar led to the so-called Hundred-Year War. Knowing the Avatar to be an Airbender,the powerfulFire Nation led an attackon all Air Temples and killed all remaining Air Nomadsin the hopes of getting the Avatar among them. Thus, leading Aang to be considered “the last Airbender.”
Known for their nomadic lifestyle and distinctive arrow-shaped blue tattoos, the Air Nomads have Air Temples spread around the world high up in mountain regions. Unlike other nations,they lack a formal government structure, relying instead on the guidance of spiritual leaders and the collective wisdom of the community.Each temple is presided over by anAirbending master, and the culture emphasizes meditation, spiritual enlightenment, and a carefree approach to life - which is why Airbenders are usually very wise while also being a little silly. They also have deep connections to certain animals, especially flying bison and winged lemurs - like Aang’s companions Appa and Momo, respectively.
The Air Nomads' deep spirituality and commitment to non-violence doesn’t mean they aren’t powerful, though, which makes their genocide even sadder. The remnants of this once vibrant cultureserve as a somber reminder of the consequences of war and the importance of maintaining balancein the elemental world. As masters of Airbending, they gracefully manipulate air currents with dance-like moves and agility. Theirunique bending artistryenables them to soar through the skies and maintain a serene connection with the spiritual realm.
Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Earth Kingdom
The largest of the nations in size and population, the Earth Kingdom also used to be the most powerful before the Hundred-Year War. Home to a diverse society,the Earth Kingdom boasts bustling cities, agrarian communities, and formidable military fortifications. The most famous is the capital megalopolis of Ba Sing Se, with an outer wall that’s more than 100 feet tall and a population estimated at around 200 million people from all over the world. Another example is Omashu, thehome of King Bumi(Utkarsh Ambudkar).
To manage such huge proportions, the Earth Kingdom has a decentralized governance system, with local leaders overseeing regions, and a monarchy traditionally holding influence over the entire nation.Still, local communities get to flourish and preserve their traditionswhile part of such a huge state.The most famous of those is Kyoshi Island,home of the Kyoshi warriors. They are a group of womenwho have their own distinct martial art, which combines dancing and fightingas a way of preserving the traditions of Avatar Kyoshi (Yvonne Chapman), who was the Avatar two cycles before Aang’s time.
As to their abilities, Earthbenders can manipulate rock, soil, and other mineral variations, like metal and even lava. They bend through brute and sudden movements, often stomping the ground and punching the air with their limbs at a right angle to make the earth rise. They are also the most numerous group among benders, mostly because of the sheer size and population of the Earth Kingdom. Their connection with the Earth makes Earthbenders and regular Earth Kingdom inhabitants perceived as strong and resilient.
Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Fire Nation
At the time ofThe Last Airbender, the Fire Nation isthe most powerfulin the world.Nestled on volcanic islands, they are a highly militarized and industrialized nation that also boasts a powerful navy with hundreds of warships and heavy weaponry. This mix of industrialization and military prowess resulted in an aggressive expansionist doctrine carried out by the royal family since the Avatar’s disappearance, leading to the Hundred-Year War and the Air Nomad genocide. Many territories in the Earth Kingdom were annexed by the Fire Nation, which they turned into colonies.
Characterized by a society that values discipline and loyalty,the Fire Nation is led by a monarchy with a hierarchical military, their leader being the Fire Lord.The royal family has complicated dynamicsthanks to their mercurial tempers, with Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim) having exiled his son Zuko (Dallas Liu) and started to train his daughter Azula (Elizabeth Yu) as his heir apparent - all of them powerful Firebenders in their own right. Before Aang, the previous Avatar was the Fire-Nation-born Roku (C.S. Lee), who did not share his nation’s ideology. He died stopping a volcano from killing his people, then reincarnating as an Airbender, as per the Avatar cycle.
Firebending itself is one of the most dangerous bendings, and the one Aang struggles the most to dominate.It’s often performed in a dance with outstretched limbs, the fire then coming out of the bender’s curled fists. They have a natural connection toSozin’s Comet, which appears in the sky every 100 years and makes them even more powerful. One of the most powerful and innovative Firebenders known isthe beloved Iroh(Paul Sung-Hyung Lee), Zuko’s uncle and guardian. He developed many different ways to perform his martial arts, including the unique lightning bending, which he developed after studying how Waterbenders would often redirect an opponent’s strike instead of simply blocking it.
Season 1 ofAvatar: The Last Airbenderpremieres on Netflix on June 10, 2025.
