@@duretihailu4026 there are still people to this day that criticize Aang because he’s impulsive, selfish, etc. You just haven’t met them. People forget Aang is 12 years old when it benefits their argument about why he “sucks” as a main protagonist. It’s sad tbh.
Some people also tend to hate him for running away from his responsibilities as the Avatar, but what would you do as a 12 year old kid who just got told you have to master all elements and save the world?
And then there is Korra who annoyingly overdues her avatar obligations like when she first gets to the city and wants to help the citizens but she ends up making more trouble
plus he ran away because he overheard the monks deciding he would be removed from gyatso's care, and that he would be made to train (essentially) 24/7, as if he's a weapon
People believe that humans are logical thinking creatures 24/7. We aren't. We are driven more by emotions than by logic . And by alot more than we would want to admit
Aside from that moment where Aang kept the secret of their father’s message from Sokka and Katara I’ve never disliked anything he did throughout the series(at least not that I remember). I mean in that episode I totally sided with Aang I mean how would you react if your pet was taken in such a situation. Plus like you said Appa was his best friend who he’s been with forever and the stress of the invasion and war were really high I mean he had every right to be upset
Honestly, i dont think that letter moment was so bad. Aang kept it for like, what, a few hours? I think Katara's reaction was more bad and unrealistic, cuz iirc she and sokka just left without even letting Aang explain. I didnt watch that episode in a while tho so i might not remember everything.
Yeah, I didn't even realize anyone had an issue with this episode. There were really only two times I strongly disliked Aang's actions or attitude. One of them was during the episode with Bato, regarding the issue you mentioned, and another moment in The Ember Island Players where he kissed Katara after she said she wasn't sure about their relationship.
I think it was really realistic for him to keep that letter in the Bato episode. Not long ago he learnt that all his people were gone. Not only his nation but also his friends from the other nations bc of his 100 year long nap. He had nowhere to go, no one waiting for him. What helped him deal with that was Katara saying that he is not alone because she and Sokka are his family now. It makes sense that he was hesitant to tell them about the letter, he was afraid he would lose his family again and he'd be completely alone. And he did give it to them in the end. He just needed some time to process it. We might not agree with some of his decisions but imo its very good they are in the show. They show that Aang is not only the avatar but also a human, makes him more relatable and fun to watch.
@@vrinkee wow, i forgot that kiss. I really disliked Aang in that episode, but i suppose it's still understandable. I mean, he's a kid dealing with adult things, someday it was obvious he was going to do something stupid. Not saying he's right, because he's not, but i think we can understand why he would do that.
Forget him being 12, Appa was Aang's BEST FRIEND. Appa was literally one of Aang's two friends (counting Bumi) who he could still talk to. We're talking 100 years without his old friends, his entire life was changed. He came back to a completely different world in what felt like for him was a night or two. Add in him being 12, he's actually handling things well - even when he does stupid things or lashes out. He lost his whole life. Everyone he loved and knew, he would never see again. Even one death hits you hard, but literally, everyone from his childhood died. I, an 18-year-old, would have acted way worse than how he did. At the end of the show, it was heartbreaking for me. Everyone else got to go home, see their friends and family. Everyone else's life was restored, reverting to better days. But Aang? He couldn't go back to Gyatso or the other monks. He couldn't go back to play with Bumi as they did before since Bumi wasn't a kid anymore. Aang had every right to act however he needed to, but he chose maturity 90% of the time.
Well I salut you 👏🏽 👏🏽 ! I beg to differ about playing with bumi tho, I feel like he’s still a kid deep down. And even if Bumi tells Aang he’s too old to play, they could always have a friendly bending battle.
Well, he had a new family. He had katara, they literally created a new family together.. He had sokka, his friend and mentor in life. He had zuko, who had also made a great journey.
Not to mention that he felt it was his whole fault for running away, but usually when this happens people tend to get depressed and not do anything at all. He had to deal with grief and blamed himself and yet he was still able to grow. Yes, he runs away from time to time, but it has been shown to be one of his faults, it's not all of the sudden. It's like Katara nagging someone, you expect it. Yet he was able to stop doing it most of the time and completely grew out of it at the end.
Honestly, this never bothered me. Aang didn’t mean what he was said, he was clearly just devastated that Appa was taken away. In just about every instance where he does something wrong, he’s always remorseful for it, so I can easily give him a pass for this.
@@qiralyncassette I feel like he said what he said in a fit of rage and stress, Appa was the ONLY thing Aang had that survived from the genocide that wiped out the airbenders. That’s not some pet to him, Appa is literally Aang’s best friend. Not even Sokka or Katara could compare with their bond. It just doesn’t feel so fair that people expect such perfection from Aang, he’s still a 12 year old kid who survived a genocide where most, if not all, people he loved had been murdered.
@@qiralyncassette just like how real life goes. Just because you like someone doesn't mean you have to agree with everything they do. And just because someone did something you didnt like, doesnt mean you have to hate them.
No one would call him a Gary sue. They’d call him boring but Gary sue is very uncommon for male protagonists it’s mostly just a reverse of the sexist Mary Sue stereotype
Omgosh thank you! So many people forget this and unfairly criticize Aang for being a “problematic protagonist” and this video explains exactly why it’s honestly just stupid to blame him for that. I mean he can’t be perfect. Also I’m a new sub and I love your content. As being part of your first 1 hundred subs: remember me when you get famous Edit: damn all these likes. Didn’t know I was that famous 😂 (I mean keep it coming I don’t mind it)
Someone: Does 999 tasks perfectly People: Cool cool Someone: Makes a single tiny mistake People: Omg hes worse than hitler SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
I totally agree! Also, one thing I don’t think many people bring up, even if Toph was able to fight the sand benders, she couldn’t. In the few seconds where she stops holding up the library to attack, it sinks a heavy amount. If she started fighting them, Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Momo all probably would’ve died.
And even then its hard for her to see in sand so she wouldn't be able to clap them as bad as she usually would even if she didn't have to hold up the library
@@georgyekimov4577 even with that situation, aang didn't even do anything wrong. he was firebending and she was sitting there in the way. Like obviously she was hurt but she definitely could've just left. Plus he was scarred from that situation, and he almost never firebent again
imagine if people had a whole parade about how much they hated you and there was a float of you and it was burned. Im pretty sure this happened to aang/the avatars. Basically that town didn't like avatars because kyoshi killed their king or something so now every year they have a like "avatar hate day" or something. that is what i thought this video was going to be about but yeah I salute aang for bieng such a great 12 year old (like mature)
this is the literally first time I've even see people criticising Aang for the Apa thing. wtf Most of the critique I've seen was about his stubborn refusal to kill the in-universe equivalent of evil Chaplin
“Stubborn refusal” is Aang preserving the teachings of an eradicated culture that he is the only surviving member of. Killing Ozai would go against everything Aang stood for as a monk. It’s the principle that matters. Practice what you preach.
@@AE_AnarchistAlexcianEmpire69Bi yh cuz she upheld the duties of being the avatar over her principles... The reason Aang didn't kill him was cuz he held on to them and that's how he was able to achieve the best alternative possible... She actually wasn't too great of an avatar cuz she caused a lot of problems with spirits and stuff so yhhh...
Frustrating but something worth noting: You can't really expect casual viewers to have the same perspective as actual writers, creators, and/or critics. -An amateur soon-to-be webcomic creator
@@brianaguilar8283 He was, it's just that people are aware that characters need to butt heads sometimes and he cannot be morally upstanding 100% of the time. So we don't hold anything against him or the rest of the Gaang and instead call it good writing.
@@brianaguilar8283 Good writing doesnt make him right for what he did. Think of it this way, You take a toy from a 5 year old do you expect them to act calm like an adult or get made like their age? You'd expect the latter cause that makes sense. Which is good writing. Expecting Aang, who was a 12 year old boy given responsibility literally no one could understand at his age, to not be upset at Toph even when it wasnt her fault is stupid. Not saying you are upset at him for it, just saying in general. While Aang shouldnt have yelled and got upset at her, what would you expect from him? Toph was the only other way he could express his pain. He is a child who went through genocide, seeing his friend being taken away would make calming himself hard as fuck. Thats why its good writing, even if Aang did something bad to toph. The writers saw Aang, who is a child, loose his best friend. So they had him react to the situation as any child would when they learn that someone they love is being taken. While Toph WAS NOT at fault for what happened, she also understood why Aang was so upset. Which is good writing. She understood his feelings and decided that she never wanted to let her friend down that bad again, so she started practicing sand bending so she could help. Which is amazing.
In the heat of the moment it seemed to Aang that Toph didn’t really care that much about Appa, she blames Appa during the chase. I think Aang took that personal and it flared up again in the desert when he was stolen.
I don´t think he blamed Toph too much, he did blame her for a bit but it was just right after he found out and after that he doesn´t really meantions it anymore. After he calmed down he stopped blaming Toph and doesn´t show any contempt
Aang' actions in the episode are petty, selfish and fueled by pain. He constantly makes terrible decisions in this episode and puts his friends at risk. And that's why I love this episode. I feel people often forget that protagonists, don't and shouldn't be flawless. Aang makes mistakes in this episode, we see his immaturity and highlight his flaws. We get to see Aang *angry* which isn't something we usually get from the show. We were meant to be frustrated with Aang in this episode but we were also meant to feel empathy and not hold it against him. I hate when people decide that because a character made bad mistakes from time to time, that makes them completely unlikable. It reminds me of when people try and act like Katara was the spawn of Satan when she made a super hurtful comment towards Sokka in the Lost Raiders episode.
@@brianaguilar8283 OP isn't saying Katara wasn't out of line but was saying she is showing her flaws and that her doing that doesn't destroy her character.
I actually love to point to this moment as why avatar is so good. If a protagonist is always perfect it feels weird but freaking out Getting overwhelmed by emotions is the epitome of being human
Aang's character would be ruined if he never made mistakes like that. One of the most satisfying aspects of that show is watching the characters learn from each mistake they make, It's why we identify with them so much. Since he's such an all-around stand-up guy, you really feel that emotional turmoil when he lashes out. Idk, I just feel like anyone who holds shit like that against him is being pretty willfully ignorant of how humble, empathetic and wise the kid is 99% of the time. As well as not grasping effective storytelling.
It’s always toxic ZK shippers that try to give Aang the most hate and blow everything he does out of proportion. People also forget that Appa, other than King Bumi, is the only other being from a time before the war started and the air nomads were around.
Toxic, thank you! Not all zutara shippers do this. And it isn’t just toxic shippers, just mainly people in the fandom in general who are zuko fangirls.
When I watched ATLA for the first time when I was12 years old, I felt so many similarities to Aang because what he did would be what I would have done too if I was in his place.
He checked 4 months of dates while Toph single-handedly held the library. To which someone said "4 months. Aang we are all devastated but she can't be held accountable."
Very nice YT-channel, you got a new sub😍 And yessssssss I've said it so many times, Aang is just a 12-year-old boy with an incredible heavy burden. I'm glad I didn't have to save the entire world when I was 12.
Its explained in the Kyoshi books that the relationship between a Bison and an air nomad is very spiritually sacred, the bison can even tell when their Airbender has died, without even seeing their body and in almost all cases will run away and live with other bison, as a bison will only ever bond with 1 nomad
Anyone who hated Aang completely doesn’t understand him. How would you feel if you was only 12 years old and the fate of the world is up to you in so little time? He actually handled this really well. Most people wouldn’t be able to handle it. “Yeah, leave the kid alone!” -Momo
Ppl hated Aang for THIS?! Maybe other 12 year olds, younger or older kids, but ADULTS?! That makes no sense to me. That’s like expecting a 6 year old Gohan to NOT be scared of homicidal extraterrestrials. Especially after seeing 3 of his father’s friends die in front of him.
I don’t think many ppl hated him here however everyone hated him when he kissed katara after she said she was confused. That’s the only time I’ve ever truly been ashamed of aang
Yeah Aang is my favorite character but he definitely pulled a real bad move there. I don’t understand the people that hate on him for that and insist that it makes him irredeemable or something. He’s 12? He made a mistake? And immediately after Katara left, he said “I’m such an idiot” and acknowledged his mistake?
The one other time he kissed Katara was similar-he was scared, he acted on impulse, and surprised her. His first attempt went over fine…so when he was distressed, he fell back on what worked before, and did what his heart wanted-with devastating results. Emotions don’t always guide us well, but it takes time and experience to learn when we should listen to them, and when we should ignore their urging. Mistakes are inevitable, especially when you’re twelve.
Agreed, and even though I hated seeing him do that, he was being immature, insecure, and when the truth came out, his friends were rightfully very angry with him and he had to really figure out how to do right by them after.
I have no idea why this video even needs to exist. Disliking Aang? I don’t understand the concept. Who’s coming against our boy? The only time Aang did anything I didn’t like was when he hid that map to Sokka and Katara’s father, and even then he basically told them straight away. Disliking Aang other than that? Can’t relate.
I never hated Aang lol he my favorite character 😂 but seriously tho when that happened to Appa I actually felt Aang’s feelings because like you said Appa has been there for him since he was a kid ( even tho he still is ) so I just automatically understood why he acted that way
Appa’s storyline during this period highlighted just how vulnerable animals are. They made him suffer so much before he was reunited with the rest of the Gaang, and showed us that it wasn’t just Aang who had lost everything in the air temple genocide. Obviously it was wrong to blame Toph, but it was completely justified for Aang to be devastated that he was kidnapped.
I feel like aang acted even worse during season 1 when he hid the map that would’ve led to katara and sokka finding their father. Even both his teammates turned their back on him during that episode
Well it was wrong what aang did BUT truly understandable cuz neither Sokka and Katara showed empathy for aang they only talked about their father and how it would be great to see him and of course aang thought he would be left alone the conversations with bato were hinting that sokka and katara leave aang and go to Hakoda. It is still wrong what Aang this but if we want to be fair nobody considered how Aaang feels about this
Never hated aang from anything. When he burned katara I was shocked first time and when he hided that letter I was disapointed but I thought katara and sokka reaction got me hate them a bit actually that they just left aang behind after finding out. I think that was out of their characters.
Eh, I don't know if I would say that is out of their characters. They're adolescents as well and had very strong feelings considering how long it had been since they had seen their father. They got all excited without regarding his feelings and then got strong feelings themselves, and they got adult guidance to help them think more clearly. But Aang probably needed a stronger consequence to crossing a line like that than just saying a rote "I'm sorry". Helps him grow as a character too
@@pena380 I dunno about you but I think that's an age where drama is more likely. Teenagers have trouble regulating their emotions. Just look at Zuko who's close to the same age
I think it's unbelievable that people hate on Aang for this reason. I feel like they don't understand that in a way Aang and Appa were almost soulmates in a way. They had a bond for life. They were best friends. While I don't fully agree with him flipping out on Toph I understand. He was hurt and grieving because for all he knew Appa could possibly be getting tortured or worse. I always imagined it as how would you feel if someone stole your beloved dog or pet in general. You'd probably feel the exact same way.
Bottom line, people make mistakes and say things they don’t mean when they’re angry. When you’re in that moment, there’s no thought process, just the emotions overwhelming you. Another example of this is in _How to Train Your Dragon_ when Stoik argued with Hiccup after Toothless was captured. He felt betrayal, confusion, anger, etc, and it all lead up to him saying “you’re not my son”. And immediately after that, he stumbled back in shock of what he just said to Hiccup, but walked forward because he had a job to do.
Bruuuh during that episode is when I loved him the most. I felt so bad for him, he was just a poor kid dealing with the loss of not only his best friend, but the only thing he truly had left of his people. Aang’s one of my personal favourite characters in the series, mostly because of those reasons,,, You feel for him!
Why is this being brought up as a valid reason to hate him? No mercy. This is why I say fuck people who dislike Aang a lot of the times, they usually come across as callous.
on that ep I actually hated everyone but Aang. none of them really cared about Appa "himself", like, Sokka was only concerned for his own life, he was worried if they can get out of the desert or not. Katara and Toph weren't worried that much for Appa either, only Aang was worried.
It’s like people don’t want flawed and relatable characters. They hate Katara too for being so hung up on her mom’s death when it gives her depth and makes her more empathetic to other characters’ situations.
Nah they just don't like characters who are typically nice people be anything but nice. They hold them to higher standards then worship obviously flawed characters like Zuko or example 🤷♀️
This is what makes ATLA good, the fact that everyone is human and makes mistakes, people aren't portrayed like some godly saints who always know what to do and never mess up.
I feel like the creators knew, or perhaps unwillingly foresaw, where our generation was going and designed Aang to reflect it. After early 21st century, it became obvious that we were going to be a screwed-up generation with a bad economy, overpopulation, environmental hazards, lack of socialization, family-friend issues etc. So it was obvious that we were going to take large responsibilities prematurely. Aang dealt with everything prematurely, just like we were going to be. He had to grow up while he was only 12 or something, just like we had to.
I never really blamed aang for anything, maybe the whole keeping their fathers location a secret from katara and sokka, but even then i could understand the fear or not wanting to be alone. When oppa got kidnapped i didn't blame aang for that either, he needed time to cool down mainly because he just lost his best friend and the only link to his people. Its understandable that he would be going through anger as thats one of the 5 stages of grief, you lash out, you find someone to blame, its natural.
Honestly i never really batted an eye at his reaction. Sure i thought it was unfair but i also understood the pain he must be feeling after loosing someone he cared about. I can say with certainly i would have been even more angry/ distraught if i found someone had stolen my beloved fury family members (not so much to yell at my friends but i would not be a good person to be round at the time). I think you nailed it in this video... people sometimes forgot that Aang (and the other characters) are children in the middle of a war.
I actually loved him on that episode, it was cool to see his complexity as a character, he is not just the sen and wise boy we always see, he can also be violent and intimidating
I loved that scene. Makes him human. Take our monks irl. They can prostrate and meditate the whole day but even them can get angry sometimes. Happy is not their only emotion.
People need to remember that the reason why Aang (and every other character) in the show is a great protagonist because they’re flawed. If Aang was perfect, no one would like him as a character. They’re all meant to be human at the end of the day.
The amount of times I’ve seen teenage or fully-grown fans of shows that feature teenage or preteen protagonists…complain and criticize something about a main character’s pretty normal behavior or decisions for their age… Like-have they forgotten their age? -and what it would be like to have a crap ton of responsibility? Nonetheless given to u when you’re just a kid? They’re children, not constant stoic, clever decision-making, bad*ss adults all the time. Let them act like it sometimes. Idc if it ruins the fantasy of what a cool hero should act like. It’s called a well written character: they make mistakes at times and have visible flaws. That’s what makes them more relatable and realistic.
I feel the Toph being unable to help Appa and Aang bursting out at her for it is one of the best emotional and gut-quenching scenes in the series. Of course Toph did everything in her might to safe the others, and you see her being upset at not being able to help Appa, and it being a hard decision within a very short time to keep the library from sinking. She is blind and can't see in the desert, and Aang knows this. But in that scene, you get how both characters are feeling, and Aang getting mad at Toph, no matter how unjustified, is not bad writing at all. It shows the emotional impact it all has on the characters in such a great way, and reminds us of the struggles that have been going on between the characters in the past few episodes. Toph hasn't really "proven" herself yet as a team member, making this me emphasize with her even more, because you know she did the best thing and she didn't give saving the gang a second thought.
The only things I truly dislike about him are those two sexual assaults, mostly because he never got punished for it. In the contrary, he was rewarded.
Both times weren't with malicious intent and when he found out it was wrong, he was remorseful and felt shame over it. He mostly didn't do it again but I do think there should've been a talk between them.
I kind of remember when everyone hated and briefly when he had the letter for Bato of the water tribe, and it was simply out of fear that his friends would abandon him but briefly he inadvertently caused a very thing he tried to prevent. But I understood why he did it the fate of the world hung on his shoulders and there’s no fucking way at 12 year old kid can save the world on his own and he too knew that. Also, no 12-year-old kid should ever be alone.
I never blamed him for being upset, and I don't think I ever met anyone who has blamed him for that. I just don't like how he blamed Toph for it, she *literally* couldn't do anything. It wasn't anyone's fault but the guys who took Appa. Edit: There are actually a few moments that I don't like Aang in though, one of them being "I can't kill the firelord because I don't wanna kill anybody and I never have and I never will". I chuckled when I heard that. I would love it if Aang absolutely took the peaceful approach and never killed anyone just to show how love is stronger than hate, but he has most definitely killed before.
Him not wanting to kill anymore people (because I agree, he most likely has before) is perfectly understandable? He was forced into making that decision hours before the final confrontation, and now he's stressing over it and everybody is telling him what to do. He really wasn't planning on killing him before but then suddenly that's his only option. Arguably, because of the war, he was forced into making the decision of offing those other no names but they were much easier to rationalize (yet he's shown compassion for harming others that were potentially fatal before, notably in the Guru and the Avatar State episode) than going in to face a man you fully acknowledge as human and intend to take their life. Also, Aang attacked the desert wasp out of anger so he definitely wasn't in his right mind there either. Aang has never wanted to kill anyone.
@@drfifteenmd7561 I never said that he wanted to, and I never said that I wanted him to kill people. That wasn't my point at all. He was saying to whoever that line was being said to (Roku, maybe? I don't remember) that he's never killed, when he has. I don't WANT him to kill anyone. He just has and he would have been a more likeable character, in my opinion, it he owned up to that.
@@ashlingcashling2474 Understandable. I do think he was in denial too, because fundamentally that goes against what he strongly identifies with. Fun fact: Bryan Kon. was upset as well hearing that line post-production fully acknowledging that he has in fact killed before. My source is the DVD commentary. He knew it’d be an irritating line and didn’t want it officially written in yet somehow the line made it past review. He said, “don’t think about it too hard”. When honestly that line sticks out like a sore thumb and potentially has him come off as more childish and poorly prepared than ever before to many. I don’t think it weakens his moral dilemma personally because I feel I can take him seriously no matter his age or maturity level, but it does detracts sympathy from many like yourself so that is itself an issue deserving critique.
I understand why Aang acted that way. He was grieving the loss of Appa. It often leads to anger and lashing out at loved ones out of misplaced anger and hurt.
I would have expected him to act out *more* given that he's just woken up from a hundred year coma, everybody he's ever loved is dead and all of a sudden he has to save the world. That would fuck up a grown man.
Same. He's really likable and the show goes out of their way to present all sides, so that you'll understand everyone's perspectives. They're allowed to get mad at one another but visibly they forgive one another.
Thank you. He was angry and reacted how anyone with feelings would. I get him blaming Toph although it wasn’t her fault at all but let’s not forget Toph never liked Appa. She has expressed her dislike way too many times. It’s completely normal to suspect her. It’s easy for us the audience to take her side bcos we saw how she tried to save Appa but Aang wasn’t there, he didn’t see what happened and he wouldn’t believe her if she made her case. You wouldn’t too if you were in his shoes. His reaction was normal, c’mon he’s a CHILD. Kids throw tantrums for smaller things. He just needed someone to blame and poor Toph happened to be there.
Fair enough, but he did burn Katara because of his impatience with learning how to firebend, killed an insect (to monks all life is sacred and then he says he never tried to kill anything), and lies to two warring groups of people in the most infamous episode of this series. He’s a flawed character and I like him overall, but his flaws are still flaws
With all his Godlike power and responsibility it’s easy to forget that he’s human, and a child at that I could barely do math at 12years old, this had to stop a war
Monk Gyatso even said the only mistake the monks made was telling him he was the Avatar before he turned 16, but from the monks perspective, they had foreseen the 100 year war coming and thought it would be best to prepare the Avatar as soon as possible. Aang was already a skilled Airbender, he earned his tattoos and was considered a prodigy. Mentally, he was not prepared.
Aang acted exactly like you'd expect a 12-year-old who is the sole survivor of a genocide to act when his best friend is taken from him.
*And yet, some, if not most, won't even bother to begin connecting the dots.*
@@SCP--fj2jr lol
@@SCP--fj2jr please don't cure Aang. The pestilence is long gone brother.
*so Dimitri from Fire Emblem?*
The fandom started getting really bad once it started streaming on Netflix and obtained an influx of 'woke' fans.
Who criticises Aang THAT much? He's a great and understandable protagonist. Screw the haters lack of empathy.
I’ve never seen people criticize Aang.
@@duretihailu4026 there are still people to this day that criticize Aang because he’s impulsive, selfish, etc. You just haven’t met them. People forget Aang is 12 years old when it benefits their argument about why he “sucks” as a main protagonist. It’s sad tbh.
@@lanAdraHrepuS I think it's people who ship zutara so they made arguments how zuko is better.
Yeah.
@@duretihailu4026 same man
Some people also tend to hate him for running away from his responsibilities as the Avatar, but what would you do as a 12 year old kid who just got told you have to master all elements and save the world?
And then there is Korra who annoyingly overdues her avatar obligations like when she first gets to the city and wants to help the citizens but she ends up making more trouble
plus he ran away because he overheard the monks deciding he would be removed from gyatso's care, and that he would be made to train (essentially) 24/7, as if he's a weapon
@@zaddyfaye6880 I like how haters are hating on Aang for running away but they also complain school and its not even 24/7 well not yet
@@999rupeesgreg omg so true
Especially when most kids or even teenagers have huge problems with setting up their own appointments.
He’s also human. How many times do we say things, horrible things, when we’re upset? Even as adults. And Aang is a kid.
People believe that humans are logical thinking creatures 24/7. We aren't. We are driven more by emotions than by logic . And by alot more than we would want to admit
A 12 YR that fights a war isn’t a normal 12 yr
@@emre6086 Still a 12yr
I mean I didn’t.
@@emre6086 exactly, he's fighting in a war which means it's a lot more reasonable that he'd be upset.
Aside from that moment where Aang kept the secret of their father’s message from Sokka and Katara I’ve never disliked anything he did throughout the series(at least not that I remember). I mean in that episode I totally sided with Aang I mean how would you react if your pet was taken in such a situation. Plus like you said Appa was his best friend who he’s been with forever and the stress of the invasion and war were really high I mean he had every right to be upset
Honestly, i dont think that letter moment was so bad. Aang kept it for like, what, a few hours? I think Katara's reaction was more bad and unrealistic, cuz iirc she and sokka just left without even letting Aang explain. I didnt watch that episode in a while tho so i might not remember everything.
Not only that, but appa and Aang is basically the last ones of the air nomads. Appa is basically everything he has, not just a pet.
Yeah, I didn't even realize anyone had an issue with this episode. There were really only two times I strongly disliked Aang's actions or attitude. One of them was during the episode with Bato, regarding the issue you mentioned, and another moment in The Ember Island Players where he kissed Katara after she said she wasn't sure about their relationship.
I think it was really realistic for him to keep that letter in the Bato episode. Not long ago he learnt that all his people were gone. Not only his nation but also his friends from the other nations bc of his 100 year long nap. He had nowhere to go, no one waiting for him. What helped him deal with that was Katara saying that he is not alone because she and Sokka are his family now. It makes sense that he was hesitant to tell them about the letter, he was afraid he would lose his family again and he'd be completely alone. And he did give it to them in the end. He just needed some time to process it.
We might not agree with some of his decisions but imo its very good they are in the show. They show that Aang is not only the avatar but also a human, makes him more relatable and fun to watch.
@@vrinkee wow, i forgot that kiss. I really disliked Aang in that episode, but i suppose it's still understandable. I mean, he's a kid dealing with adult things, someday it was obvious he was going to do something stupid. Not saying he's right, because he's not, but i think we can understand why he would do that.
Forget him being 12, Appa was Aang's BEST FRIEND. Appa was literally one of Aang's two friends (counting Bumi) who he could still talk to. We're talking 100 years without his old friends, his entire life was changed. He came back to a completely different world in what felt like for him was a night or two. Add in him being 12, he's actually handling things well - even when he does stupid things or lashes out. He lost his whole life. Everyone he loved and knew, he would never see again. Even one death hits you hard, but literally, everyone from his childhood died. I, an 18-year-old, would have acted way worse than how he did.
At the end of the show, it was heartbreaking for me. Everyone else got to go home, see their friends and family. Everyone else's life was restored, reverting to better days.
But Aang? He couldn't go back to Gyatso or the other monks. He couldn't go back to play with Bumi as they did before since Bumi wasn't a kid anymore.
Aang had every right to act however he needed to, but he chose maturity 90% of the time.
Well I salut you 👏🏽 👏🏽 !
I beg to differ about playing with bumi tho, I feel like he’s still a kid deep down.
And even if Bumi tells Aang he’s too old to play, they could always have a friendly bending battle.
And he wasn't able to process his emotions properly because he has to be the Avatar.
Well, he had a new family. He had katara, they literally created a new family together..
He had sokka, his friend and mentor in life. He had zuko, who had also made a great journey.
Not to mention that he felt it was his whole fault for running away, but usually when this happens people tend to get depressed and not do anything at all. He had to deal with grief and blamed himself and yet he was still able to grow. Yes, he runs away from time to time, but it has been shown to be one of his faults, it's not all of the sudden. It's like Katara nagging someone, you expect it.
Yet he was able to stop doing it most of the time and completely grew out of it at the end.
@@ponglenis9273 He may have had new friends and family, but no one can ever replace your old family.
Honestly, this never bothered me. Aang didn’t mean what he was said, he was clearly just devastated that Appa was taken away. In just about every instance where he does something wrong, he’s always remorseful for it, so I can easily give him a pass for this.
I dont like what Aang did or say when blaming toph but I don't hate him for it.
@@qiralyncassette I feel like he said what he said in a fit of rage and stress, Appa was the ONLY thing Aang had that survived from the genocide that wiped out the airbenders. That’s not some pet to him, Appa is literally Aang’s best friend. Not even Sokka or Katara could compare with their bond.
It just doesn’t feel so fair that people expect such perfection from Aang, he’s still a 12 year old kid who survived a genocide where most, if not all, people he loved had been murdered.
@@lanAdraHrepuS oh I understand! I don't dislike him for it but that doesn't mean I have to like his actions.
@@qiralyncassette just like how real life goes. Just because you like someone doesn't mean you have to agree with everything they do. And just because someone did something you didnt like, doesnt mean you have to hate them.
@@timelesspizza9892 Exactly! I feel like people forget that! They equate disliking an action to disliking the character.
I actually empathise the a lot with Aang in the desert, that ending gets me every time.
As a kid it was frustrating as an adult its relatable
The going into the avatar state because of appa part kills me
If he didn't have flaws people would be calling him a Gary Sue.
Thank u!!!
Exactly.
No one would call him a Gary sue. They’d call him boring but Gary sue is very uncommon for male protagonists it’s mostly just a reverse of the sexist Mary Sue stereotype
@@OrionG Why is mary sue sexist now, it was just a term for a trope because it originated from a female character wtf you on
@@Kerubii22 if you don’t understand why the Mary Sue label is sexist I shouldn’t waste my time explaining it
Omgosh thank you! So many people forget this and unfairly criticize Aang for being a “problematic protagonist” and this video explains exactly why it’s honestly just stupid to blame him for that. I mean he can’t be perfect. Also I’m a new sub and I love your content. As being part of your first 1 hundred subs: remember me when you get famous
Edit: damn all these likes. Didn’t know I was that famous 😂 (I mean keep it coming I don’t mind it)
Someone: Does 999 tasks perfectly
People: Cool cool
Someone: Makes a single tiny mistake
People: Omg hes worse than hitler SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Lol
It’s a animated character 😐
@@kryptonic9568 fun fact this is the 2nd most popular Nickelodeon show NICKELODEON SHOW
@Kryptonic Gamer this is true. True facts. Aang is indeed an animated character.
I totally agree! Also, one thing I don’t think many people bring up, even if Toph was able to fight the sand benders, she couldn’t. In the few seconds where she stops holding up the library to attack, it sinks a heavy amount. If she started fighting them, Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Momo all probably would’ve died.
And even then its hard for her to see in sand so she wouldn't be able to clap them as bad as she usually would even if she didn't have to hold up the library
And she missed
I never hated Aang for that. He was totaly justified in his actions.
I agree. He's a kid and appa was pretty much the last thing from his past life since all of his people were killed off.
I didn t like aang when he burned katara because
I like playing with fire
but even 9 ears old me knew that i need to be really carefull
@@georgyekimov4577 judging by your grammar you’re probably 10
@Pickle sorry bro, i had to LOL
@@georgyekimov4577 even with that situation, aang didn't even do anything wrong. he was firebending and she was sitting there in the way. Like obviously she was hurt but she definitely could've just left. Plus he was scarred from that situation, and he almost never firebent again
Let's all be honest here, Nobody hated Aang during this scene. It portrays Aang just as a 12-year-old and does it perfectly, not creating hate
imagine if people had a whole parade about how much they hated you and there was a float of you and it was burned. Im pretty sure this happened to aang/the avatars. Basically that town didn't like avatars because kyoshi killed their king or something so now every year they have a like "avatar hate day" or something. that is what i thought this video was going to be about but yeah I salute aang for bieng such a great 12 year old (like mature)
You know I never realized how messed up it was, like they wanted to murder a child cuz of how salty they were.
Omg I like your Goshiki icon
@@patmonte8426 thanks 😁
this is the literally first time I've even see people criticising Aang for the Apa thing. wtf
Most of the critique I've seen was about his stubborn refusal to kill the in-universe equivalent of evil Chaplin
“Stubborn refusal” is Aang preserving the teachings of an eradicated culture that he is the only surviving member of. Killing Ozai would go against everything Aang stood for as a monk. It’s the principle that matters. Practice what you preach.
@@smallandstressed2364 I get that would've be a much stronger argument had they not included Yangchen instructing Aang to kill him
@@Axyr I Agree Because Yangchen, Another Air Nomad Avatar Herself Even Told Aang To Kill Him.
@@AE_AnarchistAlexcianEmpire69Bi yh cuz she upheld the duties of being the avatar over her principles... The reason Aang didn't kill him was cuz he held on to them and that's how he was able to achieve the best alternative possible... She actually wasn't too great of an avatar cuz she caused a lot of problems with spirits and stuff so yhhh...
@@zq9817 Yeah Ik, That Was My Point
People got mad at him for this? Isn't this just good character writing?
And thats why we have crappy writing now
Frustrating but something worth noting: You can't really expect casual viewers to have the same perspective as actual writers, creators, and/or critics.
-An amateur soon-to-be webcomic creator
You don’t think he was out of line for lashing out at Toph?
@@brianaguilar8283 He was, it's just that people are aware that characters need to butt heads sometimes and he cannot be morally upstanding 100% of the time. So we don't hold anything against him or the rest of the Gaang and instead call it good writing.
@@brianaguilar8283 Good writing doesnt make him right for what he did. Think of it this way, You take a toy from a 5 year old do you expect them to act calm like an adult or get made like their age? You'd expect the latter cause that makes sense. Which is good writing. Expecting Aang, who was a 12 year old boy given responsibility literally no one could understand at his age, to not be upset at Toph even when it wasnt her fault is stupid. Not saying you are upset at him for it, just saying in general.
While Aang shouldnt have yelled and got upset at her, what would you expect from him? Toph was the only other way he could express his pain. He is a child who went through genocide, seeing his friend being taken away would make calming himself hard as fuck. Thats why its good writing, even if Aang did something bad to toph. The writers saw Aang, who is a child, loose his best friend. So they had him react to the situation as any child would when they learn that someone they love is being taken.
While Toph WAS NOT at fault for what happened, she also understood why Aang was so upset. Which is good writing. She understood his feelings and decided that she never wanted to let her friend down that bad again, so she started practicing sand bending so she could help. Which is amazing.
In the heat of the moment it seemed to Aang that Toph didn’t really care that much about Appa, she blames Appa during the chase. I think Aang took that personal and it flared up again in the desert when he was stolen.
Toph was right about his shedding leading the enemies to them. He just took offense of that, but she didn't have anything personal against Appa.
@@auburneytuckerson2959 if there anyone to BLAME its sheddy over here
I don´t think he blamed Toph too much, he did blame her for a bit but it was just right after he found out and after that he doesn´t really meantions it anymore. After he calmed down he stopped blaming Toph and doesn´t show any contempt
Aang' actions in the episode are petty, selfish and fueled by pain. He constantly makes terrible decisions in this episode and puts his friends at risk.
And that's why I love this episode. I feel people often forget that protagonists, don't and shouldn't be flawless. Aang makes mistakes in this episode, we see his immaturity and highlight his flaws. We get to see Aang *angry* which isn't something we usually get from the show. We were meant to be frustrated with Aang in this episode but we were also meant to feel empathy and not hold it against him. I hate when people decide that because a character made bad mistakes from time to time, that makes them completely unlikable. It reminds me of when people try and act like Katara was the spawn of Satan when she made a super hurtful comment towards Sokka in the Lost Raiders episode.
*Southern Raiders
What? So Katara wasn’t out of line when she accused Sokka of loving their mother less than her?
@@brianaguilar8283 OP isn't saying Katara wasn't out of line but was saying she is showing her flaws and that her doing that doesn't destroy her character.
There's a time people hated Aang? I've never hated him. Aang is so sweet, funny and he really did he's best throughout the whole series.
I understood Aang there tbh and didn’t even hate him for it for the same reasons here, Appa was all that he had left from his people.
Momo: "damn"
@@agentmysterious6682 Momo is there yes but he wasn’t around when the air nomads were.
I actually love to point to this moment as why avatar is so good. If a protagonist is always perfect it feels weird but freaking out Getting overwhelmed by emotions is the epitome of being human
Everyone treated him so terribly. Like how are you gonna disrespect someone who trying to save you from utter world destruction?
Hater: Why can’t you fight this entire army or do this right?!
Aang: I’m literally a child
I agree.
The fact that I’m the same age at him and he is saving the world while I’m running into walls
why do you have a youtube account
@@ghouldrago360 why not?
@@ghouldrago360 why not is it a problem
At that age everyone thinks Hogwarts it's real, don't worry
@@idk-hj7rj RUclips is 13+
Aang's character would be ruined if he never made mistakes like that. One of the most satisfying aspects of that show is watching the characters learn from each mistake they make, It's why we identify with them so much. Since he's such an all-around stand-up guy, you really feel that emotional turmoil when he lashes out. Idk, I just feel like anyone who holds shit like that against him is being pretty willfully ignorant of how humble, empathetic and wise the kid is 99% of the time. As well as not grasping effective storytelling.
It’s always toxic ZK shippers that try to give Aang the most hate and blow everything he does out of proportion. People also forget that Appa, other than King Bumi, is the only other being from a time before the war started and the air nomads were around.
Toxic, thank you! Not all zutara shippers do this. And it isn’t just toxic shippers, just mainly people in the fandom in general who are zuko fangirls.
Now you’re just generalizing
When I watched ATLA for the first time when I was12 years old, I felt so many similarities to Aang because what he did would be what I would have done too if I was in his place.
He checked 4 months of dates while Toph single-handedly held the library. To which someone said "4 months. Aang we are all devastated but she can't be held accountable."
Very nice YT-channel, you got a new sub😍
And yessssssss I've said it so many times, Aang is just a 12-year-old boy with an incredible heavy burden. I'm glad I didn't have to save the entire world when I was 12.
Its explained in the Kyoshi books that the relationship between a Bison and an air nomad is very spiritually sacred, the bison can even tell when their Airbender has died, without even seeing their body and in almost all cases will run away and live with other bison, as a bison will only ever bond with 1 nomad
Anyone who hated Aang completely doesn’t understand him. How would you feel if you was only 12 years old and the fate of the world is up to you in so little time? He actually handled this really well. Most people wouldn’t be able to handle it. “Yeah, leave the kid alone!” -Momo
I blame him less for this than when he hid the map of the Southern Water Tribe fleet movements from Sokka and Katara in early season 1.
same
Never hated Aang because of his actions during the desert episodes.
Hell, I’d do the same thing in his shoes.
Ppl hated Aang for THIS?! Maybe other 12 year olds, younger or older kids, but ADULTS?! That makes no sense to me.
That’s like expecting a 6 year old Gohan to NOT be scared of homicidal extraterrestrials. Especially after seeing 3 of his father’s friends die in front of him.
He was upset, so like everyone, he said things that weren't true (like how Toph "let Appa be taken")
Still, lying can't be justified by that. Toph already feels bad enough for failing to save him. If I was her, I would've snapped.
@@auburneytuckerson2959 you are putting yourself on the same level of a 12 years old who just lost his best friend then
@@saverio_6990 Like, I get that, and it's hard, but putting your trauma on other people isn't wrong or justified.
@@auburneytuckerson2959 True, but u can’t blame him
@@cosmiccomet_2705 I know.
I don’t think many ppl hated him here however everyone hated him when he kissed katara after she said she was confused. That’s the only time I’ve ever truly been ashamed of aang
Yea isn't that technically assault?
Aang will always make me smile, way to young for the things he has to do yet he still manages it. Unlike some other avatar.
@@nanaliz7210 Tbh a lot of the characters did that in this show(not excusing Aang but yeah 🙃)
Yeah Aang is my favorite character but he definitely pulled a real bad move there. I don’t understand the people that hate on him for that and insist that it makes him irredeemable or something. He’s 12? He made a mistake? And immediately after Katara left, he said “I’m such an idiot” and acknowledged his mistake?
The one other time he kissed Katara was similar-he was scared, he acted on impulse, and surprised her. His first attempt went over fine…so when he was distressed, he fell back on what worked before, and did what his heart wanted-with devastating results. Emotions don’t always guide us well, but it takes time and experience to learn when we should listen to them, and when we should ignore their urging. Mistakes are inevitable, especially when you’re twelve.
I don't think people criticized him for that, but when he hid the letter from katara and sokka I think he deserved criticism.
Agreed
agreed. He also deserved criticism for the episode after in which his impatience with learning firebending ended up with him burning katara
Agreed, and even though I hated seeing him do that, he was being immature, insecure, and when the truth came out, his friends were rightfully very angry with him and he had to really figure out how to do right by them after.
TheAvatarist: Everythingfrom the air temple was detroyed or burned. Appa was the only thing Aang had left.
Momo: ._.
Well Momo wasn’t exactly there 100 years ago
@@zrc1514 Yeah but Aang said that him Appa and Momo are the last things left of the place soooo
I have no idea why this video even needs to exist. Disliking Aang?
I don’t understand the concept.
Who’s coming against our boy?
The only time Aang did anything I didn’t like was when he hid that map to Sokka and Katara’s father, and even then he basically told them straight away. Disliking Aang other than that? Can’t relate.
"We all know the story. Everybody was inside the library, Toph was outside **watching** Appa"
Eyyyy another great video am happy to see ur views are going up, keep it up man!
I never hated Aang lol he my favorite character 😂 but seriously tho when that happened to Appa I actually felt Aang’s feelings because like you said Appa has been there for him since he was a kid ( even tho he still is ) so I just automatically understood why he acted that way
Appa’s storyline during this period highlighted just how vulnerable animals are. They made him suffer so much before he was reunited with the rest of the Gaang, and showed us that it wasn’t just Aang who had lost everything in the air temple genocide. Obviously it was wrong to blame Toph, but it was completely justified for Aang to be devastated that he was kidnapped.
I loved those desert episodes when they were first airing
I feel like aang acted even worse during season 1 when he hid the map that would’ve led to katara and sokka finding their father. Even both his teammates turned their back on him during that episode
Well it was wrong what aang did BUT truly understandable cuz neither Sokka and Katara showed empathy for aang they only talked about their father and how it would be great to see him and of course aang thought he would be left alone the conversations with bato were hinting that sokka and katara leave aang and go to Hakoda. It is still wrong what Aang this but if we want to be fair nobody considered how Aaang feels about this
@@codetron1.1 Yeah, that aspect really set the stage for that to happen.
Never hated aang from anything. When he burned katara I was shocked first time and when he hided that letter I was disapointed but I thought katara and sokka reaction got me hate them a bit actually that they just left aang behind after finding out. I think that was out of their characters.
Eh, I don't know if I would say that is out of their characters. They're adolescents as well and had very strong feelings considering how long it had been since they had seen their father. They got all excited without regarding his feelings and then got strong feelings themselves, and they got adult guidance to help them think more clearly. But Aang probably needed a stronger consequence to crossing a line like that than just saying a rote "I'm sorry". Helps him grow as a character too
@@KiraNightshade sokka is 16 and katara is 14 so they are teens and for me that scene was too over dramatic.
@@pena380 I dunno about you but I think that's an age where drama is more likely. Teenagers have trouble regulating their emotions. Just look at Zuko who's close to the same age
Dude I was glad Aang got angry. I kinda got tired of seeing him be calm all the time
I think it's unbelievable that people hate on Aang for this reason. I feel like they don't understand that in a way Aang and Appa were almost soulmates in a way. They had a bond for life. They were best friends. While I don't fully agree with him flipping out on Toph I understand. He was hurt and grieving because for all he knew Appa could possibly be getting tortured or worse. I always imagined it as how would you feel if someone stole your beloved dog or pet in general. You'd probably feel the exact same way.
I felt sympathy for Toph in the scene because I have a disability and I get (unfairly) blamed for things i cannot do or understand.
At the end of the day we can all agree that we hated the sand benders
Bottom line, people make mistakes and say things they don’t mean when they’re angry. When you’re in that moment, there’s no thought process, just the emotions overwhelming you.
Another example of this is in _How to Train Your Dragon_ when Stoik argued with Hiccup after Toothless was captured. He felt betrayal, confusion, anger, etc, and it all lead up to him saying “you’re not my son”. And immediately after that, he stumbled back in shock of what he just said to Hiccup, but walked forward because he had a job to do.
When it comes to aang, he's done some not cool things. But nothing we see in the show can't be justified to some degree.
Bruuuh during that episode is when I loved him the most. I felt so bad for him, he was just a poor kid dealing with the loss of not only his best friend, but the only thing he truly had left of his people.
Aang’s one of my personal favourite characters in the series, mostly because of those reasons,,, You feel for him!
Why are you underrated asf
“Toph was outside watching Appa,”
Me: poor choice of words
am i the only one who thinks aang actually acted super natural for it, like he had so much stress and literally someone kidnapped hsi pet
Why is this being brought up as a valid reason to hate him? No mercy. This is why I say fuck people who dislike Aang a lot of the times, they usually come across as callous.
Me: 0:10 "Aang is just a kid."
Aang: I was in an iceberg for 100 years...
It was instantaneous from his perspective. He didn't experience 100 years in the ice mentally, he experienced 0.
@@NapaCat yeah
on that ep I actually hated everyone but Aang. none of them really cared about Appa "himself", like, Sokka was only concerned for his own life, he was worried if they can get out of the desert or not. Katara and Toph weren't worried that much for Appa either, only Aang was worried.
"Toph was out there watching appa"💀💀💀
Your gonna make a Korra version of this, right?!
Well technically he is 112 years old because he got trapped in the iceberg
I feel very sorry for him that as a 12-year-old he had the whole world on his back
It’s like people don’t want flawed and relatable characters. They hate Katara too for being so hung up on her mom’s death when it gives her depth and makes her more empathetic to other characters’ situations.
Nah they just don't like characters who are typically nice people be anything but nice. They hold them to higher standards then worship obviously flawed characters like Zuko or example 🤷♀️
“Toph was watching Appa”
Me: *visible confusion*
Plus Toph was the reason they weren't all buried alive...
If he was an adult, or a 15-19 year old, I'd be mad. But he's a kid who has lots to learn. Good video, man.
Even adults still have lots to learn.
This is what makes ATLA good, the fact that everyone is human and makes mistakes, people aren't portrayed like some godly saints who always know what to do and never mess up.
I thought this was going to be about the time he didn't give them the letter
I can't believe anyone could have criticized Aang for his reaction in that episode. I was too busy crying as a kid and I still am
“Toph couldn’t do anything”, “she couldn’t even see them” 😂
I feel like the creators knew, or perhaps unwillingly foresaw, where our generation was going and designed Aang to reflect it. After early 21st century, it became obvious that we were going to be a screwed-up generation with a bad economy, overpopulation, environmental hazards, lack of socialization, family-friend issues etc. So it was obvious that we were going to take large responsibilities prematurely. Aang dealt with everything prematurely, just like we were going to be. He had to grow up while he was only 12 or something, just like we had to.
I haven´t met anyone who has ever hated Aang for this
Thanks for makin your channel, subbed fast
I never really blamed aang for anything, maybe the whole keeping their fathers location a secret from katara and sokka, but even then i could understand the fear or not wanting to be alone. When oppa got kidnapped i didn't blame aang for that either, he needed time to cool down mainly because he just lost his best friend and the only link to his people. Its understandable that he would be going through anger as thats one of the 5 stages of grief, you lash out, you find someone to blame, its natural.
Honestly i never really batted an eye at his reaction. Sure i thought it was unfair but i also understood the pain he must be feeling after loosing someone he cared about. I can say with certainly i would have been even more angry/ distraught if i found someone had stolen my beloved fury family members (not so much to yell at my friends but i would not be a good person to be round at the time). I think you nailed it in this video... people sometimes forgot that Aang (and the other characters) are children in the middle of a war.
Imagine a gang stealing your dog
That's what aang was going through
John Wick but PG
@@drfifteenmd7561 lol
I actually loved him on that episode, it was cool to see his complexity as a character, he is not just the sen and wise boy we always see, he can also be violent and intimidating
I loved that scene. Makes him human. Take our monks irl. They can prostrate and meditate the whole day but even them can get angry sometimes. Happy is not their only emotion.
People need to remember that the reason why Aang (and every other character) in the show is a great protagonist because they’re flawed. If Aang was perfect, no one would like him as a character. They’re all meant to be human at the end of the day.
Aang is such a pure, good guy.
The amount of times I’ve seen teenage or fully-grown fans of shows that feature teenage or preteen protagonists…complain and criticize something about a main character’s pretty normal behavior or decisions for their age…
Like-have they forgotten their age? -and what it would be like to have a crap ton of responsibility? Nonetheless given to u when you’re just a kid? They’re children, not constant stoic, clever decision-making, bad*ss adults all the time. Let them act like it sometimes.
Idc if it ruins the fantasy of what a cool hero should act like. It’s called a well written character: they make mistakes at times and have visible flaws. That’s what makes them more relatable and realistic.
I feel the Toph being unable to help Appa and Aang bursting out at her for it is one of the best emotional and gut-quenching scenes in the series. Of course Toph did everything in her might to safe the others, and you see her being upset at not being able to help Appa, and it being a hard decision within a very short time to keep the library from sinking. She is blind and can't see in the desert, and Aang knows this.
But in that scene, you get how both characters are feeling, and Aang getting mad at Toph, no matter how unjustified, is not bad writing at all. It shows the emotional impact it all has on the characters in such a great way, and reminds us of the struggles that have been going on between the characters in the past few episodes. Toph hasn't really "proven" herself yet as a team member, making this me emphasize with her even more, because you know she did the best thing and she didn't give saving the gang a second thought.
Tbh I’m totally ok with the way Aang acted, but he still owed Toph an apology.
He definitely did
True
The only things I truly dislike about him are those two sexual assaults, mostly because he never got punished for it. In the contrary, he was rewarded.
Both times weren't with malicious intent and when he found out it was wrong, he was remorseful and felt shame over it. He mostly didn't do it again but I do think there should've been a talk between them.
Yeah even as a kid, I saw this as "Aang is so hurt from this hes taking it out on his friends" its totally believable
Imagine a cartoon character getting criticized like he got feelings 😂😂😂
I kind of remember when everyone hated and briefly when he had the letter for Bato of the water tribe, and it was simply out of fear that his friends would abandon him but briefly he inadvertently caused a very thing he tried to prevent. But I understood why he did it the fate of the world hung on his shoulders and there’s no fucking way at 12 year old kid can save the world on his own and he too knew that. Also, no 12-year-old kid should ever be alone.
Speak for yourselves, I've never hated Aang at any point in the series.
Aang also killed hundreds of people and said he never kills
I never blamed him for being upset, and I don't think I ever met anyone who has blamed him for that. I just don't like how he blamed Toph for it, she *literally* couldn't do anything. It wasn't anyone's fault but the guys who took Appa.
Edit: There are actually a few moments that I don't like Aang in though, one of them being "I can't kill the firelord because I don't wanna kill anybody and I never have and I never will". I chuckled when I heard that. I would love it if Aang absolutely took the peaceful approach and never killed anyone just to show how love is stronger than hate, but he has most definitely killed before.
Him not wanting to kill anymore people (because I agree, he most likely has before) is perfectly understandable? He was forced into making that decision hours before the final confrontation, and now he's stressing over it and everybody is telling him what to do. He really wasn't planning on killing him before but then suddenly that's his only option. Arguably, because of the war, he was forced into making the decision of offing those other no names but they were much easier to rationalize (yet he's shown compassion for harming others that were potentially fatal before, notably in the Guru and the Avatar State episode) than going in to face a man you fully acknowledge as human and intend to take their life. Also, Aang attacked the desert wasp out of anger so he definitely wasn't in his right mind there either. Aang has never wanted to kill anyone.
@@drfifteenmd7561 I never said that he wanted to, and I never said that I wanted him to kill people. That wasn't my point at all. He was saying to whoever that line was being said to (Roku, maybe? I don't remember) that he's never killed, when he has. I don't WANT him to kill anyone. He just has and he would have been a more likeable character, in my opinion, it he owned up to that.
@@ashlingcashling2474 Understandable. I do think he was in denial too, because fundamentally that goes against what he strongly identifies with. Fun fact: Bryan Kon. was upset as well hearing that line post-production fully acknowledging that he has in fact killed before. My source is the DVD commentary. He knew it’d be an irritating line and didn’t want it officially written in yet somehow the line made it past review. He said, “don’t think about it too hard”. When honestly that line sticks out like a sore thumb and potentially has him come off as more childish and poorly prepared than ever before to many. I don’t think it weakens his moral dilemma personally because I feel I can take him seriously no matter his age or maturity level, but it does detracts sympathy from many like yourself so that is itself an issue deserving critique.
I understand why Aang acted that way. He was grieving the loss of Appa. It often leads to anger and lashing out at loved ones out of misplaced anger and hurt.
YO WHY DA HECK IS THIS UNDERRATED
I would have expected him to act out *more* given that he's just woken up from a hundred year coma, everybody he's ever loved is dead and all of a sudden he has to save the world. That would fuck up a grown man.
Honestly I can’t see what there is to hate about aang
Same. He's really likable and the show goes out of their way to present all sides, so that you'll understand everyone's perspectives. They're allowed to get mad at one another but visibly they forgive one another.
Thank you. He was angry and reacted how anyone with feelings would. I get him blaming Toph although it wasn’t her fault at all but let’s not forget Toph never liked Appa. She has expressed her dislike way too many times. It’s completely normal to suspect her. It’s easy for us the audience to take her side bcos we saw how she tried to save Appa but Aang wasn’t there, he didn’t see what happened and he wouldn’t believe her if she made her case. You wouldn’t too if you were in his shoes. His reaction was normal, c’mon he’s a CHILD. Kids throw tantrums for smaller things. He just needed someone to blame and poor Toph happened to be there.
Not to mention she's blind soooooo yelling and blaming a blind person I think thats what Fuled the haters but still not an excuse to hate him
Fair enough, but he did burn Katara because of his impatience with learning how to firebend, killed an insect (to monks all life is sacred and then he says he never tried to kill anything), and lies to two warring groups of people in the most infamous episode of this series. He’s a flawed character and I like him overall, but his flaws are still flaws
Aang burning Katara's hands is one of the few instances where fire actually acts like fire lol. Usually it just launches the person backwards
With all his Godlike power and responsibility it’s easy to forget that he’s human, and a child at that
I could barely do math at 12years old, this had to stop a war
So much was put on him 😔 he was a 12 year old thrown in a world he didn’t know anymore after everyone he ever loved was murdered.
What he said to toph was unfair and hurtful but understandable and realistic we've all said things like that when we were angry or frustrated
Monk Gyatso even said the only mistake the monks made was telling him he was the Avatar before he turned 16, but from the monks perspective, they had foreseen the 100 year war coming and thought it would be best to prepare the Avatar as soon as possible. Aang was already a skilled Airbender, he earned his tattoos and was considered a prodigy. Mentally, he was not prepared.