It’s difficult to find many problems withAvatar: The Last Airbender. The show is beloved for a reason - it brought emotionally rich storytelling, sophisticated themes, and character arcs that still resonate nearly two decades later. Few shows, animated or otherwise, have nailed tone, pacing, and growth as well asATLA. However, despite its near-perfect execution, the series wasn’t flawless.
Throughout Aang’s journey to master the four elements and restore balance to a world torn apart by war,ATLAwove in several subplots to add depth and complexity. Some arcs,like Zuko’s redemptionor Toph’s journey of self-discovery, were highlights. Alongside these solid arcs, there was one noticeably shaky narrative thread that felt like a detour rather than an enhancement to the overall story.
While many subplots inAvatar: The Last Airbenderwere celebrated, one left fans divided. It wasn’t a bending rivalry or a political twist - it was a romance. More specifically, a romance involving the show’s main hero. No matter how nostalgic some fans may feel about it now, the reality is that therelationship between Aang and Katarajust didn’t work.
Aang And Katara’s Relationship Was Avatar: The Last Airbender’s Weakest Story
Of All ATLA’s Compelling Storylines, Its Central Romance Just Didn’t Hold Up
When discussing problems withAvatar: The Last Airbender,Aang and Katara’s romancestands out as the show’s most underwhelming arc. It was clearly intended as a core emotional thread, yet it lacked the nuance and care seen in the rest of the series. In a show filled with complex motivations and earned moments, their relationship felt underdeveloped and oddly forced.
Their conversations were friendly, even affectionate, but nothing suggested a gradual buildup to the grand romance the finale pushed.
From the start,Aang’s feelings for Katara read more like a one-sided childhood crushthan the foundation of a meaningful romantic arc. He idealized her, but the show rarely showed them bonding in ways that explained a deeper, mutual emotional connection. Their conversations were friendly, even affectionate, but nothing suggested a gradual buildup to the grand romance the finale pushed.
Meanwhile,Katara’s emotions toward Aang always felt like they were driven more by jealousy of othersthan anything else. She often seemed indifferent when Aang’s feelings surfaced, but disliked the idea of anyone else receiving his affection. UnlikeSokka’s evolving relationship with Suki, which was packed with mutual respect and growth, Aang and Katara’s dynamic felt like a shallow, almost high school-like attraction.
The romance didn’t meaningfully impact the plot, either. While Zuko’s arc directly shaped the series’ themes of identity and choice, Aang and Katara’s relationship rarely drove conflict or resolution. That lack of narrative weight made it feelmore like an obligatory pairing than an earned emotional payoff.
Aang And Katara’s First Kiss Felt Weird After So Little Development
The Couple’s First Big Romantic Moment Landed With An Awkward Thud
One of the most telling problems withAvatar: The Last Airbender’s romance subplot came inseason 2’s “The Cave Of Two Lovers.” After being separated from the rest of the group, Aang and Katara find themselves lost underground. The episode plays up the idea that love will lead the way, and the two characters emerge after what appears to be a kiss in the dark.
The problem with Aang and Katara’s first kiss is that it was barely addressed on-screen. Not only is the kiss shown through a cutaway and implied rather than confirmed, butthe moment also feels like it happens for plot convenience.They needed a way to leave the cave, and instead of it feeling like a natural emotional beat, it read more like a gimmick tied to the episode’s theme.
Unlike the first steps in the journies of many otherromantic couples inATLA,there was no proper lead-up, no emotional climax, and no real fallout afterward. Katara immediately brushes it off, and Aang looks sheepish - nothing about it felt like the culmination of a brewing connection. If anything,it made the supposed romantic tension feel less authentic.
Compared to other key moments in the show, which always felt carefully constructed and emotionally honest,Aang and Katara’s first kiss was oddly rushed and forgettable. The writers were clearly planting seeds for the eventual romance, but instead of growing organically, the moment felt shoehorned in.
Italso undermined Katara’s character. She was written with a strong moral compass, empathy, and clarity - but here, she’s left fumbling for emotional consistency. As one of the few awkward emotional beats in the series, it remains one of the most jarring moments inAvatar: The Last Airbender.
How ATLA Could Have Made Aang And Katara’s Relationship Better
There Was Never A Clear Reason Why They Were Actually Into Each Other
The biggest fixable problem withAvatar: The Last Airbender’s romance arc was simple: motivation. The show never convincingly explainedwhy Aang and Katara liked each otherbeyond surface-level reasons. Aang clearly had a crush, but it felt childish - something based more on infatuation than actual compatibility.
Katara, on the other hand, never seemed smitten with Aang’s personality. Instead,her admiration was rooted in his role as the Avatar,or her instinct to nurture and support others. While that dynamic made sense early in the series, it never evolved into a believable romantic attraction. Her love for Aang felt circumstantial, not deeply felt.
A stronger romance would have focused more on shared goals, complementary traits, or meaningful conversations.
The show excelled at developingrelationships like Zuko and Mai’s, where shared experiences built meaningful bonds. Aang and Katara lacked those kinds of interactions that would’ve shown them falling for each other’s minds, values, or quirks. We were told they loved each other,but rarely shown why.
A stronger romance would have focused more on shared goals, complementary traits, or meaningful conversations. Moments where they challenged each other, grew together, or offered insight into their emotional lives would’ve made a difference. Instead,the writers leaned too heavily on proximity and nostalgia.
Aang and Katara’s romance had potential, but without stronger groundwork, it never transcended the trope of “main boy ends up with main girl.” That’s not the standard fans expect from a show that did so much else right. It remains one of the lingering problems withAvatar: The Last Airbender.
Should Aang And Katara Have Really Been A Couple In ATLA?
The Story May Have Worked Better Without The Romance At All
One of the most divisive problems withAvatar: The Last Airbenderis whetherAang and Katara even needed to be a couple. The show was at its best when focusing on self-discovery, friendship, and inner conflict. Romance wasn’t central to its themes, and forcing it in felt more like fan service than narrative necessity.
Had Aang’s arc remained focused solely on his responsibilities as the Avatar, it may have strengthened his journey. A love story wasn’t required to validate his growth or emotional maturity. In fact, removing the romantic angle could’ve freed Aang up to focus more deeply on his identity, his grief, and his ethical dilemmas.
Katara, meanwhile, had enough depth to stand entirely on her own.Her development as a waterbender, a leader, and a moral center of the group made her one of the strongest characters in the show. Tying her story so closely to Aang’s romantic interest occasionallypulled focus from Katara’s more compelling traits.
The showcould’ve explored other relationship dynamics- like their sibling-style bond, or mutual respect as warriors - without needing to resolve it romantically. Some fans appreciated the pairing, but many others felt it diminished both characters.
In a series that respected complexity and avoided clichés, the neat, final kiss in the finale rang hollow.ATLAdidn’t need a traditional happy endingto be powerful. By choosing the expected romantic conclusion, it created one of the few flaws inAvatar: The Last Airbender.
