Avatar: The Last Airbender features a world populated with lively characters, each with a distinct design that informs who they are. The series’ story centers around four diverse, major cultures: the Air Nomads, the Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, and the Fire Nation, with many unique sub-cultures featured throughout. The character designs displayed in the series not only inform who each character is as an individual, but also the culture they belong to.
The characters of Avatar: The Last Airbender each received multiple iconic looks throughout the series. Some designs may be more stylish than others, but all of them do a remarkable job of reflecting prominent themes and character arcs.
Updated on September 26th, 2024 by Lauren Younkin: Avatar’s exceptional and ever-evolving character designs are indicative of their personal journeys, and often say more with visual cues than can be said with dialogue. As such, this list has been updated to showcase even more incredible Avatar designs, as well as to follow CBR’s current guidelines.
15 Yue’s Design Reflects the Power of the Moon
Yue, princess of the Northern Water Tribe, ultimately sacrifices herself to save the moon spirit by the end of Book One of Avatar. Even before she does this, however, several aspects of her character link her to the moon. Other than her name deriving from the Mandarin word for “moon,” Yue has visual design elements that enforce this connection.
Yue’s hair, which was black upon her birth, is only white due to the moon spirit saving her life when she was placed in the Spirit Oasis as a sickly baby. On the day that the Fire Nation sieges the North Pole and Admiral Zhao kills the moon spirit, Yue knows that she can help because the moon’s power lives in her, which is visually indicated by her blue eyes being the only source of color when the world goes black and white. When she eventually becomes the moon itself, her design is changed to indicate her new divine status, and she is always bathed in the colors of moonlight. This strong thematic connection is why Yue, despite being a secondary character, earns a place in the rankings.
14 Appa Represents the Last of His Kind
Avatar has always gone out of its way to show that Appa is more than just an animal companion. He is not only Team Avatar’s primary means of transportation, but a beloved friend as well. Much like Aang, his presence within the era during which Avatar is set is a reminder of a lost civilization from a time gone by.
The large arrow across Appa’s head and back is an instant indicator of his connection to the Air Nomads, as is the fact that he can airbend to fly. Despite this, people often react to Appa with confusion or fear because they’ve never had the chance to see anything like him, reflecting his status as something out of time. Unfortunately, this makes him a valuable target for poachers, an idea that was touched upon in Book Two with the sandbenders and then more specifically within the episode “Appa’s Lost Days.” Primarily, though, his design reinforces his relationship with Aang and the deep bond they share as the last remnants of their culture.
13 Mai’s Design Showcases the Suppression of her Feelings
Mai is a character that stands out because of how she tries not to stand out. Being in a trio with two very strong personalities like Azula and Ty Lee, she balances out the group’s energy with her calm demeanor and non-reactive nature to any given situation. As someone who intentionally avoids the spotlight, her character design is appropriately toned down in comparison to other characters.
Mai’s overall look lacks bold colors, with the red in her outfit being characteristically Fire Nation in a way that blends in with her peers. This is beneficial to her fighting style as it allows her to avoid detection, but also is the result of her strict upbringing. With her father holding an important political position, Mai was raised to not draw attention to herself so as not to affect his career. As a consequence, she continues to suppress her personality and her clothes are devoid of self-expression.
12 Jet’s Design is Unique Among Earth Kingdom Citizens
Jet is the leader of the Freedom Fighters, a group of orphaned Earth Kingdom children doing what they can to fight back against the Fire Nation. Living on their own in the woods, away from society, their clothes still resemble Earth Kingdom fashion while also feeling close to what a group of kids dressing themselves in this world would look like.
Jet’s role in his Book One appearance is to serve as a foil to Sokka, with him wearing more form-fitting clothes and being portrayed as generally more attractive. His makeshift, colorful armor informs how long he’s been fighting despite his youth and gives his design a memorable palette. His hook swords are a weapon type unique to him that allows for a creative fight between him and Aang, and his trademark chewing straw is the perfect touch to show just how hard Jet tries to seem cooler than he is.
11 Suki Perfectly Embodies a Kyoshi Warrior
The Kyoshi Warrior look has become a recognizable piece of Avatar iconography, and none wears it better on the show than Suki in her first few appearances. Each part of the outfit has a symbolic meaning; as Suki says in the episode “The Warriors of Kyoshi” in Book One, “The silk thread symbolizes the blood that flows through our veins. The gold insignia represents the honor of the warrior’s heart.”
Their image also has historical significance, as it is meant to invoke the appearance of Avatar Kyoshi. As she is the founder of their home, Kyoshi Island, the Kyoshi Warriors are showing her respect by dressing in her likeness. Suki uses this outfit as a teaching tool for Sokka when they first meet, as a way of getting him to overcome his preconceptions about the fighting ability of women — something that goes on to significantly inform his character arc.
10 Ozai Isn’t Quite as Intimidating as Initially Portrayed
As the main threat looming over the entire series, Aang gets an idea in his head of what Fire Lord Ozai might be like early on. He often thinks of Ozai as a large, shadowy figure wreathed in flame, without any real humanizing features or characteristics. He is depicted in this way for most of Avatar until the premiere episode of Book Three, “The Awakening,” where his face is fully shown for the first time.
After all the buildup, it almost comes as a shock to see that Ozai looks like a regular guy, which most likely is the effect the series was going for. This is even emphasized in the episode “Sozin’s Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King,” when Katara finds his baby picture and remarks on how innocent he looks without knowing that it’s the Fire Lord. It shows that anyone has the potential to be a monster on the inside, regardless of how they appear to the world.
9 Iroh’s Earth Kingdom Look Reflects Who He Always Wanted To Be
Though Iroh was once a feared general in the Fire Nation and is still menacing as the Dragon of the West, he went through many hardships that put him on the road to a life of peace and balance. When he and Zuko arrive in Ba Sing Se in Book Two as refugees rather than conquerors, he discards his identity as the previous crown prince of the Fire Nation and takes the opportunity to reinvent himself as a tea maker.
Iroh contrasts his brother Ozai in many ways, but their appearance might be chief among them. As Ozai continues to deck himself out more extravagantly and appoint more titles to himself, Iroh dons outfits that are increasingly simple. The new green color scheme on him indicates his inner peace in opposition to his past anger. By putting on the uniform for his very own tea shop, he is finally able to present to the world the person who was there on the inside as he pursues what makes him passionate.
8 Bumi’s Design Reflects His Mad Genius
King Bumi is the 112-year-old King of Omashu, as well as the former greatest earthbender in the world, and everything about his design represents these aspects of his character perfectly. His wild hair, hunched back, missing tooth, and intense eyes give Bumi one of the most eccentric looks in the series.
As a king, how Bumi dresses is meant to make him look unassuming and ornate in a way that’s over the top and serves the impression that he’s not entirely with it anymore. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Bumi is a mountain of muscle and, without his robes, it’s easy to believe he’s strong enough to retake Omashu by himself during Book Three. This deception works as a test for Aang when they first reunite after 100 years and eventually winds up tricking a couple members of the Fire Nation as well.
7 Sokka’s Book Three Armor Shows His Growth
As one of the original three members of Team Avatar, Sokka gets more designs throughout the series than almost any other character. Out of all of them, his armored-up look from the latter half of Book Three is his strongest, as it represents the goal he’s been working toward since the very first episode of the show.
Wolf armor is traditional attire among Water Tribe warriors, and Sokka wears his for the first time as he steps up and leads the invasion of the Fire Nation on the Day of Black Sun. The armor pays respect to several important aspects of Water Tribe culture with its implementation of animal fur and lunar patterns. The armor mirrors his father’s in a way that represents his growth as a man and a warrior, in contrast with his childish attempts at playing warrior early on.
6 Katara’s Book Three Outfit is Her Best Look
All of Katara’s designs throughout the series make an impression, but her Book Three look is her absolute best. After ditching her Fire Nation disguise before the Day of Black Sun, Katara returns to dressing as a Water Tribe member with more style than ever.
This design has a lot in common with her previous designs, including her color scheme, her braids, her mother’s necklace, and even parts of her outfit. The major differences that set this design apart from her Book One and Book Two designs are her loose hair, her dress now having shorter sleeves but with her arms still covered by gloves, and her pants and boots being better suited for combat. With this design, Katara no longer looks like a waterbender traveling the world, but a hardened warrior fighting to save it.
5 Ty Lee Never Forgets Where She Was Happy
Ty Lee is the daughter of Fire Nation nobility, but life among the upper echelons of her home country never satisfied her. Instead, she found a place to put her unrivaled skills as a gymnast to use as a part of a traveling circus. It’s clear from her introduction that Ty Lee wished to stay there and never would have left without Azula’s influence.
Throughout her travels with Azula and Mai, Ty Lee remains in her circus acrobat attire. The outfit’s red and pink color scheme keeps her from feeling out of place among her fellow Fire Nation elites while simultaneously giving her a unique flair. It is later revealed to the viewers in the episode “The Beach” that Ty Lee places great importance on appearing distinctive due to having several other sisters who look exactly like her. By using this visual aspect of the show, the creators indicate that Ty Lee takes great pride in her circus identity.
4 Zuko Finds His True Self in Book Three
While the changes in the rest of Team Avatar’s outfits are primarily based on the territory they find themselves in, Zuko’s outfits are more directly influenced by his ongoing character arc. Especially with the change in animation style between seasons, he might not even look like the same character at the end of the series that he was at the beginning if not for his iconic scar.
Upon leaving the Fire Nation behind and joining Team Avatar, Zuko looks better as a hero than he ever did as a villain. Zuko’s unkempt hair suits him better than any of his previous styles, and his simple but elegant Fire Nation robes make clear that while he’s turned against Fire Lord Ozai, he remains loyal to his country. His Book Three design is directly built off his previous ones as he still bears the scar over his eye given to him by his father, but it no longer commands as much attention on his face as it did before, which helps symbolize Zuko putting his era of anger and hatred behind him.
3 Azula’s Flawless Appearance Shatters Over Time
Azula is the crown princess of the Fire Nation, and her design befits her regal status. Priding herself on her perceived perfection, Azula spends the majority of the series looking the part, with perfectly fitting fancy outfits, and flawless hair and makeup. As Azula’s control starts to spiral, however, so does her appearance.
While Azula’s more armored Book Three design is cool, the Book Two design in which she was introduced is what most fans remember best. Her sharp bangs, dark lips, and flashy hairpiece come together with her combat-ready garb to create a far more intimidating design than Zuko had in Book One. Azula’s consistently unblemished appearance makes her ultimate fate all the more striking, as she ends the series with ragged hair, bags under her eyes, and hysterical tears smearing her makeup. Azula is a prime example in Avatar of a character’s design signifying their journey.
2 Aang’s Book Three Outfit Displays His Maturity
Aang’s original design is perfect, but it also speaks purely to who he is at the beginning of the series: a goofy kid from the past. It isn’t until Aang dons a revised version of his initial outfit in preparation for the Day of Black Sun that it becomes visually clear just how much he has changed and grown throughout the show.
Aang in the back half of Book Three sports a similar color palette to the one he had during the first two seasons, as well as his standard arrow tattoos. By this point, however, he’s noticeably taller and more muscular, which he shows off by leaving a single shoulder exposed. The colors on his clothes are darker and more faded, and his new boots are better suited for combat. The evolution of Aang’s design throughout the series beautifully reflects him having respect for his past while at the same time embracing his future.
1 Toph Beifong is One-of-a-Kind
A well-known piece of Avatar: The Last Airbender behind-the-scenes information is that Toph was initially conceptualized as a very different character. Aang’s earthbending master was originally going to be the stereotypical earthbender: an extremely muscular man. During development, Toph was changed into a completely different character, which turned out to be a great move for the series.
Toph Beifong is a small, 12-year-old blind girl who’s also the greatest earthbender to ever live. In contrast to the frilly and restraining dress she wore while living with her wealthy parents, Toph’s preferred outfit, originally put together for her Blind Bandit persona, speaks to who she really is: a warrior. Toph never wears shoes, as she uses the vibrations in the Earth to see, and her short stature not only makes her stand out but gives the false impression that she’s weak. Her cloudy eyes are an unforgettable design element, constantly reminding the audience that a disability is not what defines a person — and it’s this fact that lands Toph the top spot on this list.