The Last Airbender: Every Avatar From Oldest To Youngest

While Avatar: The Last Airbender, Nickelodeon’s acclaimed animated series that has recently returned to U.S. Netflix, focuses on the titular Aang, it also prominently features many past Avatars. Fans became familiar with figures like Roku, Kyoshi, and Yangchen through the seasons.

And, of course, fans met a new Avatar in Legend of Korra, the sequel series following Aang’s successor. In that series, viewers learn of Aang’s fate: due to his years in ice, he lived a shorter life with his peers. For those readers wondering how long the other Avatars lived, here’s a comprehensive list of those featured in the show.

7 Kyoshi

Kyoshi is iconic for many reasons: she is an incredible female Avatar who showed no remorse or fear in the face of her enemies. She was the tallest Avatar with the biggest foot size. And, she lived the longest of any Avatar (and human!) in the universe at 230 years old.

Kyoshi’s life was truly legendary. She is such a fan favorite, in fact, that she landed a spin-off series by author F.C. Yee. The YA books, which take place nearly 400 years prior to the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender, focus on Kyoshi’s younger years and rise to becoming the fiercest and longest-living Avatar.

6 Wan

Wan was the very first Avatar and his saga was featured in the two-part episode, “Beginnings.” Fans have deemed it a favorite special across both series. Wan was 20 years old when he merged with Raava.

When Wan died, this final breath went into starting the Avatar Cycle. He was then reincarnated. He was elderly when he died, and he passed on the battlefield. He lived to 160 years old.

5 Yangchen

Yangchen was a peaceful, able airbender. She believed in living out sacrificial, serving duties as the Avatar, and was an opposing voice for Aang against the stronger-willed opinions of other Avatars. She lived in such peace, in fact, that there were no wars in her lifetime.

Her life did not meet a terrible demise like her successors, Kuruk, or Roku. She lived to 155 years, one of the longest-lived Avatars and humans. This can probably be attributed to the world peace she achieved, and her respected status as a saint and her own personal nirvana.

4 Aang

At 12 years old, Aang ran away from his responsibilities, encased himself in ice, and eluded the world for 100 years. He survived the genocide of his people and a raging war during this time. But in the end, this 100-year period caught up to him.

Sadly, Aang died at 66 years old, because the effects of 10 decades in the iceberg had a lasting impact. Technically, one could say he started the series at 112 years old and thus lived an additional 54 years on top of that. He made huge strides in his time as Avatar and had a lasting legacy.

3 Roku

Roku appears to Aang as an older man, with long white hair and beard. But in Book 3, fans get to see him as a young man alongside his best friend Sozin. At this age, he is young and awkward, but meets the love of his life and grows up. Unfortunately, it is due to Sozin that Roku meets his untimely death.

At 70 years old, he tries to prevent the destructive overflow of a volcano and ultimately gives his life to protect others.  Thus, he appears in this form to Aang as he guides the young Avatar through his duties, and it is his most recognizable age to viewers.

2 Kuruk

Of the seven Avatars named in the series, Avatar Kuruk died the youngest at only 33 years old. His story is among the most tragic, as well. On his wedding day, his betrothed was sucked into the Spirit World. Each year, on the anniversary of this day, he ventured into the realm to retrieve her.

Famously, Koh had stolen her face. Kuruk encounters Aang during the show while his spirit is trapped searching for her. In his final moments, Kuruk urged his friends to be part of the search for the next Avatar (who would eventually be Kyoshi). He was committed to his role to the very end.

1 Korra

Audiences met Korra, the headstrong Avatar following Aang, at 17 years old. The Legend of Korra picked up 70 years after the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender. She was significantly older than Aang was at the start of her program, and her story crossed over three years by the end of its run. In the canonical comic series, she is 21.

This difference in age really had an impact on how the Avatars turned out. Aang, as a young boy, fled his Avatar duties, while Korra learned of her true identity young enough that she embraced the role and was masterfully trained. Even an elderly Katara had a part to play.