Avatar: The Last Airbender: Each Main Character And Their Signature Pokémon

Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender is fondly remembered by fans for its incredible worldbuilding across only three seasons. Viewers not only encounter diverse and believable societies as Aang and friends travel across the four nations but also a slew of memorable mythical creatures.

So it isn’t hard to imagine a mashup of the Avatar world with that of the equally beloved Pokémon franchise. Many of the hybrid animals running around the Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, Air Temples, and Water Tribes riff on real-life fauna in much the same way Pokémon do, infusing common animals with element-based powers. If Avatar‘s cast of characters were Pokémon trainers, which of the creatures would be their go-to?

10 Mai: Cacturne

Azula’s sardonic, deadpan, and thoroughly lethal right-hand woman would require a Pokémon that mirrors her two sides: unbothered, cool, and reserved on the one hand, and speedy, precise, and intimidating in battle on the other.

Cacturne, the Grass/Dark-type Scarecrow Pokemon can be as still as its namesake plant and yet a vicious opponent, as fans of the anime recall. Like Mai, who wields darts, shuriken, and throwing knives to terrifying effect, Cacturne can launch spiny projectiles from its body. Although it might seem odd for a Fire Nation resident to have a Grass-type Pokémon, it’s not unlikely that Cacturne and its progenitor Cacnea would feel at home on the hot and tropical archipelago.

9 Ty Lee: Hitmontop

This former circus performer, proficient acrobat, and impressive martial artist joins her old friend Azula’s team to capture the Avatar and becomes a significant antagonist in Book Two. In memorable episodes such as “The Chase,” this extremely agile non-bender is shown to have no trouble disarming benders by rapidly hitting pressure points on their bodies.

Hitmontop, the Fighting-type Pokémon from Generation II, would serve as Ty Lee’s ideal companion. While Ty Lee disorients her opponents with flips, spins, and Olympic-level tumbling, Hitmontop serves as a foil to its peers Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee by spinning on its head and launching punches and kicks at opponents.

8 Iroh: Camerupt

Zuko’s uncle and a revered Fire Nation general who accompanies Zuko on his quest to capture Aang, Iroh brings a great deal of wisdom as well as levity to Avatar – and becomes much more likable after viewers learn of his membership in the insurgent Order of the White Lotus. Although we see Iroh burst into action several times across the series, he is most often a jovial and unhurried character.

A Camerupt would be the perfect fit. The slow-moving camel-like Fire/Ground-type has a cow-like languidness at times, but like Iroh can exhibit explosive tendencies when required. And, as a fully-evolved Pokémon, it could feasibly be just as old as its trainer.

7 Suki: Grovyle

The leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, who take their appearance from their namesake Avatar Kyoshi, is a fierce warrior who time and time again goes up against powerful benders despite being a non-bender herself.

It would make sense for the Generation III Grass-type Grovyle to be found roaming the lush forests of the Earth Nation where Kyoshi island is located. These agile Pokémon could even feasibly take part in the Kyoshi Warriors’ training, mimicking the girls’ signature war fans with the blade-like fan of leaves on their reptilian forearms.

6 Azula: Luxray

The hugely powerful and equally ruthless Fire Nation princess would require a Pokémon that truly means business. Although not a Fire-type, the Generation IV “Gleam Eyes Pokémon” Luxray would suit Azula on multiple fronts. As its name implies, Luxray possesses the kind of regal stature that would befit a princess. In addition, as a fully evolved Pokémon, the leonine Electric-type has the power to face down other powerful characters like Zuko, Katara, and Aang.

Azula is the first Firebender in Avatar to demonstrate the terrifying ability to bend lightning, and it’s no question that a swift Electric-type predator would be a worthy ally.

5 Toph: Drilbur

Toph is the “gaang’s” resident earthbender, a prodigious talent, and the inventor of metalbending. Fans learn in Book Two that as a young girl, Toph ran away from home and encountered the original earthbenders, the badgermoles, in a cave. These beasts taught her not only how to earthbend, but also how to use her sense of touch to essentially gain X-ray vision.

Considering these qualities, Toph would be perfectly paired with Drilbur, the mole Pokémon who players first encountered in Generation V. The Ground-type creature would enhance Toph’s famed earthbending abilities, and its evolution Excadrill (which adds Steel to Drilbur’s type profile) would be perfectly suited to Toph’s development of metalbending.

4 Zuko: Combusken

The hot-tempered Fire Nation prince would certainly require a Fire-type companion and Generation III’s Combusken would fit the bill perfectly. The Fire and Fighting-type combination would reflect not only Zuko’s firebending, but also his athletic prowess and extensive physical training in preparation for his quest to hunt down the Avatar.

As the series progresses, Zuko’s powers increase as he learns to redirect lightning from Iroh and meets the Firebending masters – the pair of dragons who live in the Sun Warrior Ruins. As his abilities grow in preparation for his final Agni Kai against Azula, he’d be well served by Combusken’s evolution Blaziken, whose severe appearance matches Zuko’s famously dead-serious demeanor.

3 Sokka: Cubone

Sokka is the gaang’s beloved comedic figure who struggles in the first half of the series over feeling less powerful and useful as a non-bender among two (and later three) increasingly powerful ones. But by the end of the series, Sokka has come into his own not only as a swordsman and a good shot with a boomerang, but more importantly as a formidable strategist and thinker.

The Lonely Pokémon and adorable dinosaur-like reptile Cubone would be a great representation of Sokka’s arc, especially upon its evolution into the far more confident and adept Marowak. It’s also one of the few Pokémon that wields a weapon – specifically, a bone – and to boot, it uses it as both a sword and a boomerang.

2 Katara: Lapras

Although she starts off the series only knowing the very basics of waterbending, Katara develops into one of the most powerful of her kind by the show’s end. Seeing as her home is the Southern Water Tribe, it would be logical for her first Pokémon to be a Water/Ice-type found roaming around the South Pole.

Lapras is known for its gentle and kind demeanor, which would be a great match for Katara’s empathy, wisdom, and care for others. In the absence of Appa, the Transport Pokémon would also prove to be an effective steed for the Gaang’s many travels.

1 Aang: Emolga

While it wouldn’t be surprising to find Aang in the company of the many birdlike creatures that populate the Flying type, it would make more sense for his right-hand Pokémon to be a flying mammal (like himself). Emolga, Generation V’s Sky Squirrel Pokémon fits the bill.

The Electric/Flying-type is known to possess a cheerful and lighthearted personality similar to Aang’s, but like the Avatar can get itself into trouble in its interactions with its avian neighbors. It’s perfectly reasonable to imagine these cute creatures flying around the Air Temples and delivering playful zaps to young airbenders who come too close. Ultimately, this Pikachu-Momo hybrid has the Avatar written all over it.

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