Top 7 Quotes From Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender

Netflix’s live-action version of Avatar: The Last Airbender has been a hot-button topic of conversation on the internet for the past week since its drop. Avid, devoted lovers of Nickelodeon’s animated predecessor dissected it to ensure it was a perfect adaptation. Some found it lackluster; others thought it was a blast. It feels like there’s very little middle ground regarding live-action ATLA opinions.

As for me, I enjoyed it. The special effects are visually stunning (especially Katara’s waterbending). The sets are expansive and gorgeous. It’s hard not to feel immersed in this world. Gordon Cormier and Dallas Liu are standouts among the younger cast, while Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Daniel Dae Kim captivate from the adult cast. 

Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender isn’t perfect, but if you temper your expectations with the understanding that it’s not a word-for-word adaptation, you’ll have a good time. It’s cotton candy fun with plenty of amazing moments in each ATLA episode.

To celebrate the Avatar’s resurgence (after his 100-year nap), I’ve compiled a list of the seven best quotes from season 1. There are definitely some insightful gems. 

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“We’re never really ready until we have to be.” – Katara

Shortly after Katara and Sokka stumble upon Aang in his century-old glacial stasis, our titular Avatar gets some words of wisdom. Katara is right on the money here. We can do our best to prepare for the worst or the unexpected, but we’ll never truly be ready until it’s time to step up to the plate. However, sometimes, when that spotlight finally shines on us, we discover that we can become ready at a moment’s notice. 

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“It’s only after we’ve lost something that we realize how much it means to us and how we’d do anything to get it back.” – Aang

Aang is quite perceptive for a 12 year old. I wouldn’t have said anything this remotely profound at his age. I was too busy watching Toonami. Anyway, a loss can shake our foundation and turn our world on its head. It also adds perspective. Unfortunately, it’s usually irreversible. That’s why focusing on your healing in the wake of significant loss is essential. 

Of course, Aang knows a thing or two about grief, having lost his family and friends of the Southern Air Temple and all Airbenders, no thanks to the Fire Nation. 

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“Hope does not come without a cost.” – Kyoshi 

Kyoshi is one badass Avatar. She doesn’t shy away from giving the unvarnished truth when Aang questions his position as the current Avatar. It’s crucial to hold fast to hope when we can. Life is too unpredictable not to. With that said, when the stakes are high, the cost of hope can come with hefty consequences, including, you know, the Fire Nation engulfing the world in flames. 

That’s a huge weight to put on a kid’s shoulders. Aang’s probably the most stressed-out 12 year old ever to exist. Somebody please get this kid into therapy. 

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“If not us, then who?” – Teo

Young Teo of Omashu is determined to put the Fire Nation in their place, even with the odds stacked against him. His quote here is so short and simple, yet it packs a wallop. It’s applicable to real life and all the injustices happening in this world. Sometimes, it takes one person stepping up to do the right thing and be a catalyst for change. 

Hey, at least Teo’s father did the right thing and turned the Fire Nation spies over to King Bumi. That’s a step in the right direction. 

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“We don’t have to be afraid of our pain. We just need to decide what we’re gonna do with it.” – Jet

Jet and Katara might have parted on shaky terms, but the former makes sure to leave the latter with this gem of a quote. Too often, people suppress their pain and move forward, filing it away to be forgotten. Then, that pain festers and erupts in an unhealthy manner. For me, transforming my pain into art is a cathartic way to work through it. It also feels more productive to use it for something greater than me. 

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“Time is a funny thing. The past, the future — it all gets mixed up. There’s only one way to keep it straight. It’s by remembering what really matters.” – Gyatso

Listen, there are some weeks where I go three days thinking it’s Tuesday. Even in this digital age, time is difficult to keep track of. Gyatso, Aang’s dearly departed mentor, imparts some wisdom to Aang when they reunite in the Spirit World. It seems so obvious, but we humans are adept at forgetting to prioritize. Remembering what matters helps keep us grounded. 

Really, that’s all we need in life — the good stuff that makes us light up. 

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“We can’t worry about anyone else’s expectations.” – Aang, quoting Gyatso 

Easier said than done, am I right? We’re constantly stumbling under the weight of other people’s expectations because we regard them as important. However, this is a slippery slope. When you start living to fulfill the wants of others, you then strive to find your value in them. But you can’t get your self-worth from someone else. Only you can give you what you need. So, poo poo on anyone who thrusts their unrealistic expectations onto your shoulders. 

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What are your favorite quotes from the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender? Join the discussion with other fans at side.show/geekgroup or in the Sideshow Social Network, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!