How Old Jet Is In Avatar: The Last Airbender

Jet in Nickelodeon’s animated program Avatar: The Last Airbender may be well-loved by viewers, but one question remains – how old is he, exactly? Jet is one of many supporting characters Aang, Katara, and Sokka meet along their journey against the Fire Nation, though the exact specifics of his background are left largely unexplored. Jet originally appeared as an antagonist in Book One: Water, before eventually resurfacing in Book Two: Earth as a reformed good guy.

Jet’s first appearance in Avatar season 1, episode 10, “Jet,” gives the first hint at his potential age. In the episode, Jet explains to Katara that the Fire Nation killed his parents when he was eight years old. After confiding this to Katara, he then explains how the various members of his gang of Freedom Fighters joined with him. Given that he references other attacks by the Fire Nation that took place over the course of several years, alongside Jet’s skill with his hooked weapons of choice and the extensiveness of the Fighters’ forest hideout, it can be assumed that Jet has been working and living alongside his Freedom Fighters for quite a while.

Based on the context clues in his first appearance in Avatar, Jet is likely sixteen years old. Canonically, Katara’s age fourteen, Sokka is fifteen, and Aang is twelve – biologically and emotionally. Jet is shown to be close in age to the protagonists; however, his leadership — as well as how both Team Avatar and the Freedom Fighters look to him for advice and guidance — suggests he is slightly older.

Additionally, Jet being sixteen would place his origin story of losing his family happening approximately eight years prior – plenty of time to allow Jet to learn to fight and become self-sufficient in an Earth Kingdom forest. This rare look at Jet’s past is shown in Avatar season 2, episode 16, “Lake Laogai.” Jet’s village is seen being destroyed in a flashback by the Rough Rhinos.

Details about Jet’s character in Avatar: The Last Airbender, such as his age, can be frustratingly vague. The choice to keep these details surrounded in mystery even came down to the character’s ultimate fate, when the character’s death in Ba Sing Se was left largely implied but never seen on-screen. The death was only confirmed by series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko when asked at the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con. One fact that isn’t shrouded in mystery, however, is the strength of the supporting characters Aang and his friends meet, Jet included. Even if he ultimately met a tragic end, for a sixteen-year-old, it is fair to say Jet is quite accomplished.

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