Avatar: The Last Airbender – 10 Best Songs On The Soundtrack

The Last Airbender managed to get everything right. There was the right chemistry with the cast, animation quality, stellar writing, and a fantastic soundtrack. Fans of the show are well aware that the show owes some of its success to a great score. To clarify, however, if someone goes looking for the official The Last Airbender OST, they won’t find it as a conventional song collection.

As long as Nickelodeon owns the copyright, fans will have to be content with streaming and online downloads. There might be an advantage to this format, as the songs are available free of charge, and with about 37 tracks in total, that’s a pretty good deal. The Track Team is credited with creating this music, and their work was so impressive that they’ve gone on to compose music for The Legend of Korra. 

10 Cave Jivin’

Some episodes are famous for their musical scores, and “The Headband” is one example. The plot revolves around a secret part that includes freestyle and historic dancing, so there’s going to be some music involved to go along with it.

Honorable mention to the Scarf Dance, which was a song for a solo number that Sokka was meant to do during the same episode, but the scene and the tune that went with it was cut.

9 Uncle’s Tsungi Horn

Another noted track, Blue Spirit, borrows a few notes from this song. It’s often used as Uncle Iroh’s theme and plays occasionally during Zuko’s more important and tense moments, such as when a tortured nephew visits his uncle in prison.

It’s sad and happy at the same time and is very much symbolic of the character from which it takes its name, another reason it’s one of the best songs in the series.

8 Nomad Songs

This track is unique on the soundtrack, featuring folk music, spoken word, and comedic relief courtesy of Chau, his wife Lily, and their friend Moku. They act as the theme characters throughout the episode, giving the heroes valuable lessons about life, travel, and music, along with some practical information about how to get to Omashu.

Nomad Songs isn’t one, standalone song but a mix of some short verses the group sings in the episode. Unfortunately, one of their best song sequences, the improvised song that soothes the badger moles, isn’t included in this medley.

7 The YuYan Capture Aang

Even though the name doesn’t sound familiar at first, this is a distinct tune, and fans know it when they hear it.

It’s used during the capture of Aang by the Yuyan Archers in “The Blue Spirit” episode and repeats again when Zuko, disguised as the Blue Spirit, helps Aang escape. Fans who are paying attention will also recognize that it’s used as a theme song when Zuko fights with his dual swords.

6 Avatar Theme Song

The show was off to a good start as soon as it began, literally. One of the best songs in the show is the theme song. Viewers recognize it as the tune that plays along with Katara’s narration during the opening scenes that give background information for the world of the Avatar.

It’s recognizable as a song from a movie soundtrack, sounding more like it was composed by an orchestra compared to the other tunes.

5 Season Three Trailer Theme

Here’s a track that’s really done some traveling. Not only was it used in the trailer for Season 3 of The Last Airbender a portion of it was also used for the Legend of Korra teaser trailer at ComicCon in 2011. In an unusual twist, the Brazilian synchronized swim team used it in their routine for the London 2012 Olympics.

The song is an overture of sorts, combining musical notes from Agni Kai, Uncle’s Tsingo Horn, and the Main Theme. Anyone new to the soundtrack can start with this song as an ideal first step.

4 Leaves From The Vine

Even people who aren’t fans of The Last Airbender recognize this song through its association with Mako, who was well-loved by fans of both animated television shows and live, full-length movies.

He brought the character of Iroh to life, and as a result, Zuko’s gentle uncle is one of the best-loved characters on the show. Mako passed away in 2006, and the voice had to be recast. The episode “Tales from Ba Sing Sae,” which features this song, is dedicated to his memory.

3 The Final Blow

This track is aptly named. It’s first played when Aang stops the Fire Nation’s massive drill from breaking through the wall of Ba Sing Se.

It’s an extremely tense fight, with Mei and Tai Lee fighting Katara and Sokka inside the drill, and Aang dodging Azula on the outside. At the conclusion of the series, the song is played again when Aang takes away Ozai’s bending powers.

2 Last Agni Kai

This is the fight that the viewers have been waiting for, so the score had better be good. Instead of a high-energy action sequence, we get a slow, orchestral song that’s more like a dirge, which emphasizes the sadness of the scene. The stakes are high since the story has been clear that Azula is determined to kill somebody.

The ominous music predicts an equally somber ending, but Katara’s ingenuity combined with Zuko’s determination manages to defeat Azula after all. Their victory comes at a high price, especially for Zuko.

1 The Avatar’s Love

There are a few songs on this score that invoke the purest of emotions, and most of them take their cues from The Avatar’s Love. This tune echoes a few notes from tracks like Heart Chakra, this the same way Uncle’s Tsungi Horn inspires a few others.

It’s prominently featured in the episode “The Cave of Two Lovers” which is one of the first times the fans see some affectionate scenes between Katara and Aang. Just let ferocious beasts or love songs lead the way.

About The Author

Kristy Ambrose
(159 Articles Published)

Kristy Ambrose has been writing professionally since 2010. She dabbles in various genres, including everything from short blog posts to serialized novels. Her inspiration comes from gamers, beachcombers, foodies and of course her fellow travelers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from the University of Victoria.

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