Avatar the Last Airbender quickly became a classic of television animation. And leading the way was the Avatar himself, the master of the elements, Aang.
Aang is the last Airbender in existence after being frozen away following the destruction of the Airbender temple by the Fire Nation. Not only is he an Airbender, but Aang is also the latest human vessel for the Avatar, a powerful spirit of light whose influence on the human world stretches back generations. The Avatar is the only human with mastery over all four elements.
When the show’s second series, The Legend of Korra, aired, Aang was nowhere to be seen—well, except for in statue-form—and it was revealed that he had passed away during the time between series. With the undeniable fighting ability and an intelligent team around him, you may be wondering how Aang was killed, but the answer is actually quite simple.
How did Aang die in Avatar: The Legend of Korra?
Time itself was ultimately Aang’s only unbeatable opponent. Aang passed away at the surprisingly young 66 years of age—apparently, his energy was still being drained while he was using the Avatar state stuck in the iceberg. Previous Avatars were said to have lived hundreds of years.
Before his passing, Aang recruited the help of the Order of the White Lotus to find his successor, the next Avatar. That next Avatar would be Korra, who we meet in her titular series.
Even in death, Aang’s legacy lived. As the Avatar, he saved the world from the wrath of the fire nation, establishing peace across the world and bringing back the of Airbenders. Aang and his wife, Katara, had three children, two of whom were born with the power to Airbend. One of these children, Tenzin, went on to lead the Air Nomads and became a major character in The Legend of Korra.