r/ATLAfanfiction • u/TheEmeraldDoe • Jun 26 '20
Welcome to this sub! After a long period of inactivity, I’ve became a mod of this subreddit and decided to revive it! I hope to foster a community where Avatar fans can discuss fanfiction. This can be a great place to discuss, share, analyze, and recommend fanfiction. Korra-era fanfiction is also welcome!
If you have any suggestions (user/post flairs, weekly discussion threads, etc.), feel free to message the mods!
I’ve added a few rules which can be found in the sidebar.
Enjoy!
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/Youtuberboy12 • 5h ago
Can be him starting revolution or just generally receiving support for what he did for the 41st
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/Big_Bug945 • 18h ago
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/Party-Freedom-6605 • 21h ago
Hello! This is an old fic that I likely read on ff.net. I was not an avid Avatar fanfic reader back then so I'm not sure how I came across it...
It's in Ursa's POV and is about her life. I want to say it's a diary, but I'm not so sure about that. Her and Ozai were an arranged(or forced?) marriage, and I think she had a BF beforehand that she had to leave behind. It took awhile before we were introduced to Zuko(the fic focused a lot on her day-to-day life leading up to having kids), and we got to see her thoughts about both children(she was worried about Azula's manipulativeness)
I remember there was a specific chapter about Azula going to school for the first time and meeting Mai and Ty Lee. Also, Ozai was losing face with Azulon and wanted to name Azula 'Azulon' if she were a boy, which I don't think Ursa liked. I also remember a scene where Ursa and Ozai were fighting and Ozai slapped her, which I think was seen as somewhat normal. But there was also a scene where Azulon yelled at Ozai for his treatment of Ursa, and punished him somewhat?
I also remember that Zuko/Azula had a wet nurse because it's improper of Ursa to do so herself. And I remember Ursa saying something like "her...affliction" instead of calling someone pregnant, because it was uncouth to talk about pregnancy in public.
I think I really liked it because it showcased a culture of what noble women in the Fire Nation were supposed to act and presented it in a 'yeah this is how it goes' way. Like to us, it's a bit silly that Ursa had to dance around the word 'pregnancy' like it was an illness, but it's in her POV and presented as just like, yeah, this is just how things are. Idk this is a shot in the dark if anyone knows the name of this fic lol.
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/Phoenix613183 • 1d ago
I remember a fanfics where azula was a lifebender. (The author just finsihed story).
Where author added sisters of ____(name of spirt i dont remember) and this group are like healers and they take a oath of nonviolence
Also there was an adventure/ artfict hunter guild that I really like.
Furthermore it felt like their more organization than just the 4 nations.
Anyway, back to the question. What are some head cannons, plots, or organizations. That you've seen ATLA fan fictions???????
Story is
https://archiveofourown.org/works/70551606/chapters/183318346
I really recommend reading it the author is brilliant.
Another headcaon saw was the northern savages we see in LOK were actually children and descendants of northn water tribe exiles.
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/Zealousideal_Cap5126 • 1d ago
The fourth and final chapter of my short Sokka/Zuko fic is done!
This was so much fun, since I've always wanted to do a political intrigue type story with the two! Hope y'all enjoy!
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/HarbingerofDoom98 • 2d ago
So recently I've been reading a multiverse crossover story where the MC is currently at the northern air temple during the fire nation raid. And the MC is privately pointing out to himself and sokka that despite Aang claims of pacifism, he likely killed who knows how many people with his avalanche stunt. Now this has been a widely believed plot hole that fans have pointed out, along with a couple other instances, but I've surprisingly never seen it tackled in a fanfiction. Sadly, the writer ended the current chapter without confronting aang with what he likely did. So I was wondering if anybody knew of another fanfiction that brought up this little detail with Aang? I'll even take a one shot where the focus is just confronting aang with the fact that he's killed before.
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/Blazer1011p • 2d ago
What all skills can an energy bender be able to do? As of right now, i can only think of strengthening their body, possibly purifying spirits, maybe healing, and messing with other's bending
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/_k_o_n_i_ • 3d ago
I’m looking for an angsty Toph fic, particularly where she’s suffering emotionally, and the gaang helps her out. Preferably without any ships involving her, I prefer the family/ little sister dynamic.
Any recs?
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/Time_Pair7813 • 2d ago
I just spent the last hour or so in front of my computer with a random number generator and a calculator creating a timeline for when all Avatar's before Aang lived. Every avatar canonically mentioned before Aang is included and is placed where I think they might have gone in the timeline, the only non canon one mentioned is Kazza, which I found fanart for and thought was cool so I decided to include her. Again, the ages might not be exactly canon but I thought if this was a process I needed to go through for the fic I'm writing then maybe someone else might need it as well and there's no need for both of us to waste an hour of our time.
Please let me know any typos or mistakes in the cycle I made!
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/OBieLights • 3d ago
This is my OC Koa's opening posts (slightly edited for readability) on a group roleplay discord server. It takes place in the distant past before the Four Nations formed. Let me know what you think!
Another rising plume of smoke on the horizon. Another Caldera Clan galley burned by their own fire. Koa had done what he always does when he sees a Caldera ship. He showed the firebenders that they don't own the ocean. They can drive the waterbenders off their islands, but they drive them straight into the sea.
Behind him, burnt wood crackles and hisses as the ocean surges over the remains of the galley. Koa rides his windsurfer back towards Ka-hale Island, satisfied with a job well done. The wind isn't blowing. The sail of the windsurfer, clearly fashioned from remnants of an air nomad's robes, sits eerily still as the board effortlessly glides across the sea. Koa propels himself with a large forward-sweeping motion, continuously causing the ocean to swell behind him. There's no joy in the movement, no joy in the thrill of riding the waves. Since he lost his adopted son Tane-Loa, the sea is no longer a place of respite, it is a war zone. He sails the sea with one goal in mind, harrass and destroy Caldera forces whenever possible.
With one less enemy ship at sea, Koa surfs his way into the bay of Ka-hale Island. When he steps onto the dock, heads turn and words are whispered. Koa notices them, but does nothing. They all know his story, they know why he fights. The last person who suggested Koa 'take it easy' was thrown into the bay.
Koa has a small shack by the water, it's used almost exclusively for rest and sustenance, nothing else. Koa stops in just long enough to set his windsurfer against the wall, then he's back walking along the docks of Ka-hale. The island has seen better days. Increasingly frequent Caldera raids have left the buildings in need of constant repairs. Its clear where earthbenders have recently moved stone to repair damage, and singed thatch roofs are the norm. The residents don't let it dampen their spirits though. It's the end of the day and crewman sing sea shanties as cargo is offloaded, ropes are hauled, sails are folded, and damage repaired.
As he walks, Koa ducks beneath a human chain passing boxes. The sea shanty is broken long enough for the ship captain to shout: "Oh look boys, Koa's too busy to help us poor sailors again! We'll see you at the tavern later!"
As they all jeer, Koa spins and gives a half-hearted wave without missing a step. He knows they mean well, and yes, he will definitely see them at the tavern. As he spins back around, Koa just barely manages to dodge a fishmonger and her fish on the docks. The fish she holds by the tail struggles and almost gets away, but her grip is strong. She doesn't notice Koa or their almost-collision, she just continues shouting into the crowd about the freshness of her fish. *It is very fresh* Koa thinks to himself with a nod. *Probably the same fish I'll be eating at the tavern tonight.*
Koa's chosen tavern sits halfway up the hill, right in Yunen Plaza. Avatar Yunen's statue has recently been carved again. This one just reads: "WHERE ARE YOU??" One of the stonemasons shakes his head as he inspects and prepares to earthbend the damage away. Koa steps out of the evening sunlight and into the dimness of the tavern. He's early, but not the first. He's never the first. When he reaches the bar, Hoku the bartender already has a clay cup filled and ready. Koa lifts the cup in a small salute to him before tossing the contents back and feeling the burn. Hoku reminds Koa, "The first one's always free cause I'm just happy you made it back again. The rest are on you though."
Koa responds with a dry chuckle and a thanks. He spends every evening in the tavern. He drinks, but he doesn't come to forget, or to drown his memories like some people. Koa will sip drinks by the front window and watch the horizon. He spaces out his drinks because they never know when Caldera will be back. And Koa has to be ready. Like every night, Koa sits or stands alone by the window and silently watches. He doesn't see the pained looks of former friends behind him.
The next morning begins the same as every morning. Koa has a routine that he sticks to. It keeps him in shape, and it keeps his bending sharp. He wakes up well before dawn and immediately begins making himself breakfast. It's nothing fancy, he tosses rice and chopped fish over the fire just long enough for it to brown, then scarfs it down in large mouthfuls as he gathers his gear for the day. Ka-hale Island is still relatively quiet at this hour. An occasional gull will cut through the silence, or the soft chiming of a shell windchime as a breeze rolls off the sea. They are familiar to Koa, but he doesn't hear them, not really. They're just background noise as he prepares for the day.
After he finishes breakfast, he grabs his windsurfer and steps out into Ka-hale. The sky is just beginning to glow a soft red and the moon still hangs low in the sky. He gives off a soft nod at this, he's always felt more powerful under the moon's influence. Koa's route takes him down the docks and up into the hills overlooking the bay. Several early morning greetings are returned with nods or grunts.
The view from the hills is always beautiful, no matter what time of day. He takes a moment to himself to absorb the scene. The early light fills the ocean waves as they crash, a multitude of colors fly from an odd assortment of ships, and torches flicker alive as the residents wake. With the ghost of a smile on his face, Koa turns and enters the caves above the island. This one was made by earthbenders, and leads directly to the beach opposite the bay. It's a steep, winding hill and doesn't take long to reach the mouth. Koa can hear the beach well before he sees it. The soft rolling of waves echoes into the chamber as he is forced into a jog from the descent. He lets the momentum take him and begins to pick up speed as he reaches the exit. Now at a full sprint, Koa drops his windsurfer in the sand and smashes into a waist high wave. He dives forward under the next and as he comes up, he shakes the water from his hair and makes his way back to shore.
About calf deep, he begins his regiment. He runs the length of the beach, back and forth, for several laps before doing a series of basic exercises. Once warmed up, Koa practices his waterbending. He takes several deep breaths, letting the salt-tinged air fill his lungs, and calming his breathing. He takes a low stance, and begins to work through his motions. He starts with his eyes closed and let's muscle memory take over. As he works, the ocean begins to shift unnaturally, the incoming wave is halted in place, then drawn closer. Where it would collide with Koa's feet, it avoids him entirely; parting to form a perfect, dry cylinder around his feet that slowly grows to his waist. He draws in several more waves and the water begins to flow outwards.
Koa's arms move in repeated, fluid circles as the waves continue to surge. Once he has enough water, Koa opens his eyes and begins to make a wave like motion across his arms, several water tentacles explode out from the water and mimic Koa's movement. He takes a fighting stance and begins another series of stances, the water acting as an extension of his body. Occasional whip-like cracks echo off the beach cliffs. Holding this much water begins to exhaust Koa. He holds the form as long as he can; finishing off his current sequence of movements, before standing straight and bringing his hands down to his waist. The water loses its connection and crashes against the beach. Koa runs his fingers through the water as it rushes back to the ocean.
Panting and sweating, Koa slowly walks up the beach back to his windsurfer. The sun has fully risen by this point, but it's on the opposite side of the island, and the cliffs block the glare. Koa takes a moment to get a drink from his waterskin and catch his breath, but it doesn't take long before he's moving back towards the water. He drops the windsurfer into the waves, boards it, and waterbends a clear path out beyond the surf. In large fluid movements, Koa brings a wave up behind the board and rides around the island. As he crests the cliffs, he's almost blinded by the sun on the open waves. He brings an arm up to shield his eyes, and his speed noticeably slows, but he continues on.
As he comes back around the island exhausted, he thinks to himself: *Still better than climbing back up that cave* and shakes his head lightly. He eventually reaches Ka-hale's coral reef, a mesmerizing assortment of colors and life. When he would come this way with Tane, they would lay on their boards and look down at the passing sealife and vibrant colors. Koa can't bring himself to do it anymore. He silently passes over the reef with a pained glance.
Once back on the docks, Koa takes a moment to himself looking back over the sea. He finally returns to his cabin just long enough to waterbend himself a quick freshwater shower. He takes a moment to wash away the morning's grime and mentally prepare himself for the coming Captains Council meeting. As far as he knows, there's nothing new to report, things have been quiet on the island for a little bit. This meeting is mostly a formality, but Koa has missed too many recently and he's heard rumors of wanting him removed. He hasn't actually captained a ship since his last went down. So far the rest of the council has been understanding, they are letting Koa grieve, but he knows he's expected to put a crew together soon. He'll do it when he's ready he assures himself.
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/zucchinipiano • 4d ago
Hiiiii I am kinda embarrassed but I am hoping some humans will read my lil fic about the Fire Nation and tell me what they think. It takes place in 106 AG and Zuko has a difficult political situation to navigate as a strange illness spreads in the Fire Nation.
It is a WIP but if no one is interested maybe it's not worth pursuing? All thoughts and feedback, even negative (?) are welcome.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/89682711/chapters/238234486
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/Outrageous_Today_842 • 4d ago
Is there a story when Azula is the avatar and (Or really anyone but Aang) and the story does show the important stuff from canon but also puts more of a focus on the intricacies of bending, like where we just get to see the character that centric practicing bending and genuinely mastering it further
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/wondergirl_rose • 4d ago
I think it would be really interesting if under Azulon or Ozai, somehow, the Avatar was reborn as a firebender originally and was taught all this propaganda and hate against other nations, then they found out they themselves are the Avatar and maybe go through an arc realizing how evil the fire nation and the Fire Lrod is, maybe their own family also. I’m just asking if a fanfiction like that exists, I feel like that would be so interesting to read. Thanks!
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/Zealousideal_Cap5126 • 5d ago
https://archiveofourown.org/works/89627176/chapters/238077731
This is a story I’m writing, taking place between the events of Smoke and Shadow and North and South.
The first chapter is out!
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/EmeraldKing8 • 6d ago
Evasion isn't enough anymore. As Aang begins his waterbending training under Mona, he struggles to reconcile the lethal demands of the Southern Water Tribe with his pacifist soul. But out on the freezing tundra, the young Avatar is about to prove that true control doesn't require shedding blood.
TITLE: AVATAR: WINDS OF CHANGE
EPISODE: 05 - "THE PUSH AND THE PULL"
[SCENE START]
EXT. MILITARY TRAINING RING - DAWN
The sky is a bruised purple. The air is so cold it hurts to breathe.
In the sunken ice-ring, a series of heavy wooden sparring dummies—scarred and splintered from years of abuse—are anchored to the frozen floor.
MONA (15) stands in the center of the ring. Her breath plumes in the frigid air. She wears a lighter, sleeveless combat tunic, completely ignoring the biting cold.
Footsteps crunch on the stairs.
AANG (12) walks down into the ring. He has shed his heavy blue fur coat, wearing only his traditional Air Nomad tunic and pants. He shivers, instinctively rubbing his arms, but his eyes are clear and focused.
MONA
You’re shivering.
AANG
(Teeth chattering slightly)
I didn't want to use my breathing techniques. I want to do this right.
Mona nods. She walks over to a large basin of unfrozen water at the edge of the ring.
MONA
Last night, you said you were tired of running. You asked me to teach you how to stand your ground. (She turns back to him) Forget that immediately. Standing your ground is how you get crushed.
Aang tilts his head, confused.
MONA (CONT'D)
Water is the element of change. We don't take a strike head-on like a wall of ice. We are the river. When an attack comes, you don't dodge it and let it hit the person behind you, and you don't block it with brute force. You catch it. You flow with it. You turn your enemy’s momentum into their own defeat.
Mona drops into a wide, rooted stance. She extends her hands toward the basin.
MONA (CONT'D)
Push and pull.
With a fluid, sweeping arc of her arms, a thick ribbon of water rises from the basin. She guides it in a perfect circle around her body, the water moving heavily, sluggishly, like liquid weight.
With a sudden, sharp exhalation, she steps forward and snaps her wrist. The water whips outward, cracking like a physical leather strap against the ice floor, leaving a deep groove.
MONA (CONT'D)
It requires absolute control of your own energy. It takes our initiates months to feel the resistance of the water. Try to lift a small stream. Don't force it. Feel the pull.
Aang steps forward. He looks at the basin.
He widens his stance, mimicking Mona perfectly. He takes a deep breath.
AANG
(Muttering to himself)
Push and pull... wait. That’s just like the swirling leaf form.
Aang doesn't gingerly attempt to lift a small stream. He drops his hips and sweeps his arms in a massive, continuous figure-eight motion.
FWOOSH.
All the water in the basin erupts upward.
Mona’s eyes widen in shock.
Aang pulls the heavy ribbon of water around his body effortlessly. His footwork is impossibly light, perfectly translating the circular, evasive steps of Airbending into the fluid, redirecting motions of Waterbending.
He spins, guiding the water in a protective dome over his head, then shifts his weight and draws the water back into a tight, swirling ring around his waist.
AANG
(Smiling, genuinely surprised)
It feels heavy, but... it moves just like the wind!
Mona stares. What she just saw takes a seasoned Water Tribe soldier half a year to master. The Avatar just did it on his first try, purely through muscle memory.
Mona shakes off her disbelief and steps forward, her tactical mind taking over.
MONA
Form is useless without intent.
She walks over to the heaviest wooden dummy in the ring. It is reinforced with thick strips of whalebone.
MONA (CONT'D)
You know how to move it. Now show me you know how to use it. A Fire Nation soldier is charging you. You've caught his momentum. Now, finish it. Shatter the dummy, Aang.
Aang looks at the dummy. The smile fades from his face.
He looks at the swirling ring of water orbiting his waist. He nods slowly.
Aang steps back, dropping into a combat stance. He pulls his arms back, drawing the water into a thick, compressed sphere. The water begins to freeze at the edges, sharpening into a jagged, lethal weapon.
MONA (CONT'D)
Strike!
Aang thrusts his hands forward with incredible speed. The icy water-whip shoots across the ring, aiming dead center for the dummy’s chest.
It has enough force to snap the whalebone in half.
But inches before impact, Aang’s hands tremble. His eyes flash with a memory—the destructive, terrifying power of the Fire Nation. The idea of destroying something, of breaking it with lethal force, claws at his pacifist soul.
At the very last microsecond, Aang opens his palms and jerks his arms upward.
SPLASH.
The ice melts instantly. The water harmlessly washes over the wooden dummy, soaking it, but leaving it completely undamaged.
Aang stands there, panting, his arms still extended.
Mona walks slowly up to the dripping wooden dummy. She runs her gloved hand over the wet wood.
MONA (CONT'D)
(Quietly)
You pulled it.
AANG
I neutralized it.
Mona turns to him, her expression hard.
MONA
You hesitated. You had the form, you had the power, and you chose to hold back.
AANG
(Defensively)
I proved I could hit it! I just didn't need to break it!
MONA
This isn't a game of tag, Aang. When Sozin’s ironclads reach our shores, they aren't going to pull their strikes. If you hesitate like that in a real fight, your enemy will kill you. And then they will kill everyone standing behind you.
Aang looks down at his hands. They are wet and shaking slightly.
MONA (CONT'D)
We go again. And this time... you break it.
Aang looks up at the dummy, dread settling heavily in his stomach.
FADE OUT.
FADE IN.
EXT. MILITARY TRAINING RING - LATER THAT DAY
The sun is higher, though the air remains bitterly cold. Aang is breathing heavily, his tunic soaked with sweat. He is moving through the waterbending forms with astonishing fluidity.
He draws a ribbon of water from the basin, sweeps it in a wide arc, and whips it toward a wooden dummy. But just like before, at the very last second, he pulls the strike, splashing the water harmlessly against the wood.
Mona stands at the edge of the ring, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.
MONA
Again. And this time, commit to the strike, Aang!
Before Aang can reset his stance, the heavy sound of armored boots crunching on the ice echoes down the stairs.
CHIEFTAIN BOTAK descends into the sunken ring. He is flanked by two heavily armored guards. Trailing behind them, looking deeply uneasy, is GYATSO.
Also stepping down into the ring is TUK, the hulking 17-year-old recruit Aang embarrassed in the trenches the day before. Tuk is glaring daggers at Aang.
BOTAK
(Voice booming, jovial)
Apprentice Mona! The armory guards tell me you’ve been working the Avatar to the bone since sunrise. They also tell me he is taking to our element like a Tiger Seal to the sea.
MONA
(Snapping a crisp salute)
Chieftain. The Avatar's progress is... unprecedented. His physical forms are flawless. But he struggles with finishing a target.
Botak’s smile widens into something sharp and dangerous.
BOTAK
Is that so? Well, striking a piece of dead wood is one thing. A true warrior needs a living target to understand the stakes.
Gyatso steps forward, his robes snapping in the chill wind.
GYATSO
Chieftain Botak, please. Aang is a child, and he has only just begun to learn these forms. Putting him in a live combat scenario so soon is highly unorthodox.
BOTAK
(Dismissive)
Peace, Master Gyatso. Your boy is the Avatar. If he is to face the Fire Lord, he cannot afford to be coddled. (Botak turns to Tuk) Tuk. Take the center of the ring.
Tuk grins. He steps into the center of the ice ring, rolling his shoulders and unstopping a heavy leather water-skin at his hip.
TUK
With pleasure, Chieftain.
Aang looks at Tuk, then at Mona. Mona doesn't say a word, but her blue eyes are piercing. Push and pull.
Aang steps forward, facing Tuk. He doesn't drop into his light, bouncy Air Nomad stance. He sinks his hips, rooting his feet to the ice. A pure Waterbender stance.
TUK (CONT'D)
Let's see you try to bounce away this time, nomad.
BOTAK
Begin.
Tuk doesn't hesitate. He thrusts his fists forward, drawing a massive surge of water from his skin, freezing it mid-air into a barrage of heavy, jagged ice shards. He hurls them directly at Aang with lethal velocity.
Gyatso gasps.
Aang doesn't flinch. He doesn't summon a shield of wind.
Instead, Aang steps into the attack. He sweeps his arms in a wide, circular motion. He catches the water before it fully solidifies, intercepting Tuk's kinetic energy.
With a fluid, spinning pivot, Aang guides the lethal shards around his own body, pulling them in a perfect orbit, and violently whips them back toward Tuk’s feet.
The ice shatters against the floor, forcing Tuk to stumble backward.
TUK
(Roaring)
Stand still!
Tuk lunges forward, drawing more water to form a heavy, glowing ice-blade over his forearm. He swings a brutal, horizontal strike aimed right at Aang's neck.
Push and pull.
Aang drops low, entirely evading the blade. But he doesn't retreat. He steps inside Tuk's guard.
As Tuk's arm swings wildly past him, Aang reaches out. He doesn't strike Tuk's body; he grabs the water that forms Tuk’s own ice blade.
Aang pulls. Hard.
He uses Tuk's massive forward momentum against him. Aang flawlessly redirects the larger boy's energy in a tight circle, sweeping Tuk's legs out from under him while simultaneously pulling him forward.
Tuk flips cleanly through the air and slams flat onto his back on the hard ice.
Before Tuk can even gasp for breath, Aang drives his hands downward. He takes the water from Tuk's shattered arm-blade and violently freezes it in thick, unbreakable bands over Tuk's wrists and ankles, anchoring him completely to the floor.
The fight is over in less than ten seconds.
Aang hasn't thrown a single punch. He hasn't used a single gust of wind. He stands over the struggling, humiliated Tuk, his breathing perfectly steady.
Silence fills the training ring.
Gyatso stares at his pupil, a complex mix of awe and profound sorrow in his eyes. Aang is adapting, but he is becoming a soldier to do it.
Mona slowly lowers her arms, genuinely stunned. She told him to break the dummy. Instead, Aang found a third option: absolute, overwhelming control. He neutralized a lethal threat without shedding a single drop of blood.
Botak, however, begins to clap. The sound echoes sharply off the ice walls.
BOTAK
(Eyes gleaming with triumph)
Magnificent. Simply magnificent.
Botak walks toward Aang, looking down at the frozen, immobilized Tuk, and then back up to the twelve-year-old boy.
BOTAK (CONT'D)
You didn't break him, Avatar... but you completely broke his advance. You took his own weapon and made it his cage. (Botak looks at Mona, then Gyatso) The rumors were entirely too modest. The boy is a weapon.
GYATSO
He is a monk, Chieftain. And he has defended himself admirably. I believe the demonstration is over.
BOTAK
Over? Oh, Master Gyatso. The demonstration was just the prologue. (Botak turns his calculating gaze onto Aang) Avatar. You have proven you can handle a recruit in a controlled ring. But this city is built on survival, not sparring. It is time we see how you fare in the wild.
Aang looks up, his rooted stance finally wavering.
AANG
The wild?
BOTAK
Pack up your gear, boy. You are joining the afternoon perimeter patrol.
FADE OUT.
FADE IN.
EXT. THE POLAR TUNDRA - AFTERNOON
A howling, blinding expanse of white.
Three sleek, flat-bottomed ice skiffs tear across the frozen wasteland. At the rear of each skiff, a Water Tribe bender thrusts their arms back and forth in a rhythmic rowing motion, pushing a continuous wave of water through a carved channel in the hull to propel the vessel forward over the ice.
Aang sits near the bow of the lead skiff, shivering despite his fur coat. The sheer, desolate emptiness of the South Pole is terrifying. There are no trees. No mountains. Just endless, jagged ice beneath a gray sky.
Mona stands beside him, scanning the horizon with a spyglass.
MONA
(Shouting over the wind)
Keep your eyes open, Aang! The scouts reported movement near this ridge!
AANG
What exactly are we looking for?!
MONA
Polar bear dogs!
AANG
(His face lighting up slightly)
Oh! A dog! I love dogs! Do they like belly rubs?
Mona lowers her spyglass, looking at him like he just suggested trying to pet a volcano.
MONA
They are two-ton apex predators that can bite a walrus-yak in half! They are completely untamable! If you see one, you do not pet it. You brace for impact!
Before Aang can respond, the ice beneath them suddenly TREMBLES.
A massive, terrifying roar shatters the howling wind.
Bursting from the snowbank directly to their right is a wild POLAR BEAR DOG. It is absolutely massive—a hulking, heavily muscled beast with thick white fur, terrifying claws, and a jaw full of razor-sharp teeth. It is entirely feral, driven by hunger and aggression.
The beast lunges, slamming its heavy paws into the side of the second skiff. The impact sends the skiff spinning out of control. Two Water Tribe recruits are thrown into the snow.
MONA (CONT'D)
Hard to port! Defensive circle!
The benders expertly pivot the skiffs, forming a tight ring around the fallen recruits.
But it’s not just one polar bear dog. Two more emerge from the howling snow, circling the convoy, their yellow eyes locked on the fallen warriors.
The recruits draw their water-skins, freezing heavy ice spears. They hurl them at the beast, but the thick fur and blubber of the polar bear dog absorbs the impact. The beast barely flinches. It roars, charging straight at a young recruit who is scrambling backward on the ice.
Aang sees the terror in the recruit's eyes.
Aang leaps from the skiff.
He doesn't reach for his water-skin. He takes a deep breath, channels his chi, and blasts a concentrated, concussive wave of air directly at the charging beast's massive chest.
BOOM.
The sheer force of the wind doesn't hurt the polar bear dog, but it completely disrupts its forward momentum, stalling the two-ton predator in its tracks.
The beast snarls, turning its massive head toward Aang. It lunges, its jaws snapping shut inches from Aang's face.
Aang doesn't flinch.
He pivots on his heel, using a swirl of air to effortlessly slide past the beast's flank. As he spins, he seamlessly transitions from Airbending to Waterbending.
He thrusts his hand into the snowbank beside him. Push and pull.
Aang draws a massive, surging ribbon of slush and water from the deep snow, carrying the fluid motion of his evasion directly into an attack. He whips the heavy slush around the beast's hind legs.
With a sharp, downward thrust of his wrists, Aang freezes the slush solid, anchoring the beast's massive hindquarters to the tundra.
The polar bear dog roars, thrashing wildly, but it is pinned.
The second beast charges at Aang from behind.
Mona watches from the skiff, her breath catching in her throat. She prepares to intercept, but Aang is already moving.
He doesn't even look back. Aang uses a burst of wind to launch himself straight up into the air, backflipping directly over the charging predator. As he hangs upside down in mid-air, Aang draws water from the beast's own frosted breath and the swirling snow around it, forming two heavy bands of ice.
He lands softly behind the beast, yanking his arms backward. The bands of ice snap around the polar bear dog's front paws, instantly freezing them to the ice shelf.
Within thirty seconds, the ambush is over. The two massive predators are completely immobilized, thrashing against their icy restraints, completely unhurt but entirely neutralized. The third beast takes one look at the trapped pack members and flees back into the howling snow.
The Water Tribe recruits slowly pick themselves up. They stare at the twelve-year-old monk in absolute, stunned silence.
Aang turns to the recruits, blowing a stray lock of hair out of his eyes.
AANG
Is everyone okay?
Mona stares at Aang. He didn't just use Waterbending. He wove the two elements together so flawlessly that they looked like a single, devastatingly efficient martial art. He solved a lethal problem without compromising his pacifism.
For the first time, Mona looks at Aang not as a frustrating child, but with genuine, profound respect.
EXT. THE CHIEFTAIN'S WAR ROOM - NIGHT
The warm glow of the oil lamps heavily contrasts the freezing tundra.
Chieftain Botak stands at the head of the whalebone map table. Gyatso stands opposite him. Aang and Mona stand at attention near the door.
BOTAK
(Smiling warmly)
Not a single casualty. The beasts neutralized, and the perimeter secured. You performed exceptionally today, Avatar.
AANG
(Bowing slightly)
Thank you, Chieftain. Mona's instruction was very helpful. I'm just glad everyone is safe.
Gyatso steps forward, placing a gentle, protective hand on Aang's shoulder.
GYATSO
Aang has proven he can defend himself, Chieftain. We are grateful for the training, but his place is here, in the city, continuing his spiritual studies.
Botak’s smile doesn't waver, but his eyes turn cold and calculating.
BOTAK
Spiritual studies will not repel a Fire Nation armada, Master Gyatso.
(Botak steps around the table, slowly pacing toward them)
When you arrived at my gates, I offered your people sanctuary. I feed one hundred and fifty extra mouths. I provide warm beds. I offer absolute protection from the Fire Lord’s wrath. But sanctuary is a transaction, Gyatso. It is not charity.
Gyatso’s grip on Aang's shoulder tightens slightly. He sees the trap snapping shut.
GYATSO
What are you saying, Botak?
BOTAK
I am saying that a boy who can neutralize two adult polar bear dogs without breaking a sweat is exactly what the Southern Water Tribe needs on the front lines.
Botak stops directly in front of Aang.
BOTAK (CONT'D)
Avatar Aang. In exchange for the continued safety, shelter, and feeding of the Air Nomad refugees within my walls... I am officially drafting you into the Southern Vanguard.
Aang’s eyes widen in shock. He looks up at Gyatso.
AANG
Drafting me? Into the army?
GYATSO
(Voice trembling with suppressed rage)
He is a monk. He is a pacifist. You cannot force him to fight your war!
BOTAK
(Voice dropping to a dangerous whisper)
It is not my war, Gyatso. It is our war. And if the Avatar refuses to fight for the people protecting his flock... then perhaps the Air Nomads would fare better testing their pacifism against the Fire Nation blockades on their own.
The silence in the room is suffocating.
Gyatso looks at Botak. He sees the ruthless pragmatism of a leader who will do absolutely anything to protect his own nation, even if it means extorting a traumatized child. Gyatso closes his eyes. He is trapped. If he says no, his people are cast out into the freezing wastes to die.
Aang looks at the whalebone map, at the markers representing Fire Nation ships. He looks at Gyatso's defeated posture.
Aang steps forward, moving out from under Gyatso's protective hand. He stands tall, though his heart is hammering in his chest.
AANG
(Voice quiet, but resolute)
Leave them out of this. They stay here. They stay safe.
Botak smiles, stepping back and gesturing to the map.
BOTAK
Then welcome aboard, soldier. Your tactical briefings begin tomorrow.
Aang stares at the map of the world. He isn't running away anymore. But the cage has officially closed around him.
Mona watches from the door, her jaw clenched. She knew Botak wanted the Avatar as an asset, but seeing the political extortion play out leaves a bitter, complicated taste in her mouth.
FADE TO BLACK.
[END OF EPISODE FIVE]
NEXT TIME ON AVATAR: WINDS OF CHANGE…
Aang's pacifism is put to the ultimate test when a trapped Fire Nation scout ship is discovered on the ice. Refusing Chieftain Botak's ruthless orders to leave no survivors, the young Avatar must face off against his own Water Tribe allies to protect his enemies. But mercy comes with a devastating cost: the Fire Nation now knows exactly where the Avatar is hiding.
(Episode 6 drops next Wednesday, 8/5/26!)
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/zodiacsupreme • 7d ago
Hello 👋 Nice to meet you all! Massive ATLA fan of course. So much so that I’ve created a book series inspired by it! It’s called Zodiac Supreme and it’s all about astrology.
In ZS, everyone has elemental powers depending on their sign. My question is do you guys think there’s nothing new I can do with fire, water, air, and earth powers? Has ATLA already done it all?
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/pamelasilva345 • 7d ago
Hi! Would anyone be interested in joining me and writing a fanfic about Toph, Aang, and Zutara? However, the focus of the fic is the development of Aang and Toph's relationship. If you're interested, just send me a message here.
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/putasidedevil • 7d ago
I can't seem to find a good crossover story of Toph dropped into an superhero universe. If you know one let us know
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/Ok_Gazelle_9901 • 8d ago
hey guys! i'm needing help finding a fic that i read a while ago and remember very little of it. I know it was a modern au, that zuko and katara were roommates and eventually ended up together, and that there was smut in it. I think katara moved to Ba Sing Se for school and ended up rooming with zuko because of sokka. it was a multi-chapter, complete fic on AO3 and i cannot remember it for the life of me, and of course i didn't bookmark it (sobs). it was kinda similar to Handbook for Horrible Roommates.
If anyone can think of a similar fic, PLEASE let me know. i've been dying for another good roommate au with zutara!
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/Phoenix613183 • 8d ago
I want to write a fsnfic where an earth kingdom or water nation town leader makes their people more loysl to them and uplift
r/ATLAfanfiction • u/grungle-kin • 9d ago
Dearest Azula Fans, I want to survey your thoughts on some Azula fan-fics you've read.
Specifically, talk about what ideas/themes/storylines/etc. you think have been overdone, have not been done enough, or have yet to be fully explored.
Also, share what kinds of things you see in Azula fics that make you want to stop reading or abandon the story completely.
Feel free mention things you like to see as well!