Avatar: The Last Airbender Book Tag

I was beyond excited when I saw this book tag over on the Sassy Book Geek. I’m a fan of Avatar: the Last Airbender and often rewatch the series to immerse myself in the world and revisit the characters. It was such a great show, and I wish the original had continued. Since it didn’t, I’ve taken to collecting the comics in the huge hardcover bind-ups because the creators and artists share their thoughts about the creative process alongside the comics, which I think is pretty cool and hope will give me more insight into the story and characters.

Avatar Korra was nice too, but nothing can beat the original. I love that both kids and adults can watch and gain much from it. The story imparts lessons without forcing it on viewers and it didn’t take itself too seriously.

By the way, if you’re interested in hearing how the idea for this show came about and the creative process behind it, I highly recommend this episode of the Nick Animation Podcast, which features an interview with Avatar: the Last Airbender creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino.

Oh! And this tag was created by booktuber A Clockwork Reader. Okay, let’s start! 😀

Water

Katara and Sokka: Best sibling relationship

I love these two, especially Sokka. He’s my favorite character. 😀 And Katara is such a kind-hearted badass. 😉

Elric brothers from Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa

I admire the relationship between Edward and Alphonse Elric, the brothers who are protagonists of this manga/anime series. The story focuses on the Elric brothers’ quest to find a way to restore their bodies after they became disabled following a fateful experiment.

Fullmetal Alchemist is one of my favorite stories. I stumbled upon it because I wanted to find a show similar to Avatar: the Last Airbender. Fullmetal Alchemist was perfect. Though darker in tone, it contains a similar light-heartedness seen in Avatar. And like Avatar, friendships and familial relationships are paramount to the story. What draws me to Edward and Alphonse’s relationship is how obvious it is that they love, respect, and support each other. Alphonse has a little brother’s admiration of his older brother, which Edward is both proud of and humbled by. And although Alphonse is younger, Edward trusts him and is very encouraging of him. I love the two so much!

Yue: Favorite star-crossed lovers

Aww, Yue. I love the part when Sokka told Zuko about her. (I think it was the Boiling Rock episode.)

Aerin and Luthe from The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

My go-to answer for these sort of questions is Marko and Celia from The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, but I wanted to mix things up, so I instead chose Aerin and Luthe from The Hero and the Crown, a YA fantasy series about a girl who embraces her identity and saves her kingdom. There’s loads more to the story than that, but that’s the gist of it.

The Hero and the Crown is one of my favorite stories. I love it for how it’s written (love McKinley’s descriptive writing) and the character development we see in Aerin.

Blood Bending: A book with a disturbing/unsettling concept

I thought of this and was surprised they went there the first time I saw the blood bending episode.

The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

Before it became a TV show, The Strain was a novel and was also adapted as a comic book series. Above is a poster for the TV show, which looks way cooler than the book covers.

I’d say The Strain is both sci-fi and horror. It’s one of my favorite stories because I love the concept. It’s about a vampire-zombie apocalypse that begins in New York City, but what makes it interesting is how a person becomes a vampire-zombie. I’d tell you, but that would spoil it.

Anyway, I highly recommend the novel (it’s a trilogy, I’ve read only the first novel so far but I enjoyed it, it starts slow but gets interesting as the story progresses) and the TV show (seasons 1, 2, and maybe part of 3; there are 4 seasons but, ugh, didn’t like the 4th).

Earth

Toph: A character who’s strength surprised you/or surprised the other characters in the book

Toph!!! 😀 She’s my favorite character and such an awesome bender and fighter. I love her attitude.

the Narcheska in Fool’s Fate by Robin Hobb

Fool’s Fate is the third novel in the Tawney Man trilogy, so I can’t reveal too much here. But the Narcheska, who is an important character, really surprised me in this book by defending and fighting for herself.

The Tawney Man trilogy is the third trilogy in Hobb’s larger Realm of the Elderlings series, which begins with the Farseer trilogy, about a prince’s bastard son who becomes an assassin’s apprentice.

The Tales of Ba Sing Se: Best short story/poetry collection

This is my favorite episode in the entire Avatar: the Last Airbender TV show because of the snippets we get of each character’s life and because of Uncle Iroh’s sad song about his son, “Little Soldier Boy.” I shed a tear the first time I watched it.

salt. by Nayyirah Waheed

Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez

I decided to feature both a poetry and a short story collection since I don’t read much of either. I highly recommend salt, which is a wonderful collection of poems about Black female experience. And Things We Lost in the Fire was just as good. The stories were gripping and sometimes unsettling but always hard to break away from. I breezed through them.

Kyoshi Warriors: Best warrior character

These ladies are awesome, and I really like Avatar Kyoshi. I’d like to know her story.

Thor

Avengers: Infinity War is still on my mind. I can’t stop thinking about it and I so want to see it again. I think it might be my favorite superhero movie, second to the first Avengers movie.

I chose Thor for this answer because of his character arc in Infinity War. I like that he’s able to keep going. As Uncle Iroh would say:

“In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength.”

Fire

Zuko: Best redemption arc/a redemption arc that should have happened

Zuko. I really like the dude. Even in the earlier episodes when he’s an ass. He’s my favorite.

Murtagh from the Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini

I enjoyed reading Paolini’s fantasy series back in the day about a boy who finds a dragon egg and becomes a dragon rider to defeat the evil lord who rules his country.

Murtagh is one of my favorite characters in this series and for much of it, I was sorry for him because he didn’t want what happened to him.

Uncle Iroh: A wise character

Uncle Iroh is my favorite!! 😀 I love him so much. He’s such a sweet, though badass, old dude. Check him out:

Tyrion Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin

This one was difficult because I couldn’t think of a character that can reach Uncle Iroh’s level, so I went with Tyrion, who does have some wisdom though it falters where Shae is concerned.

Azula: Best downfall

AZULA!!! I know she’s bad and horrible, but she’s my favorite character! I love her fighting style and that she gives zero fucks.

Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

I guess Mr. Rochester because by the story’s end, he’s no longer the man he once was. He’s not as independent and can no longer force his patriarchal/masculine views upon others. Instead he must rely on a woman’s perspective to navigate the world.

Air

Appa: Favorite fictional animal/pet

APPA!! I love Appa. Both him and Momo are my favs. I wish I had a winged lemur too. (Also love the lion turtles. I’d like to meet one.)

Nighteyes from the Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb

My answer for these sort of questions is always Nighteyes. I think Hobb’s novels are the only ones where I’ve encountered animals that are more than just a pet or companion, and that’s because of one of the magic systems in the story — the Wit, which allows humans to communicate with animals.

The Farseer trilogy is the first trilogy in Hobb’s larger Realm of the Elderlings series.

Aang: Purest cinnamon roll

Aang!! I love Aang. He’s so sweet. Yeah, he’s my favorite too. 🙂 Can’t help it. Lookie:

Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

For some reason, my mind kept drawing a blank when I tried thinking of an answer for this. Bilbo quickly popped up and since I couldn’t think of anyone else, I decided to feature him. So that would be before Bilbo starts on his journey with the dwarves and learns that the world is much larger than he thought.

Avatar state: A stubborn character/a character that struggles with letting go

The coolest part of the show!

Jon and Chloe from Providence by Caroline Kepnes

I recently read this book and really enjoyed it. It’s a thriller about a boy who is kidnapped and returns years later believing he has abilities that endangers those he’s close to. The story is inspired by Lovecraft, but it isn’t fantasy or supernatural (depending on how you consider it, I guess).

Two of the protagonists, Jon and Chloe, are stubborn and find it difficult to let go. Whether or not that’s a good thing is left up to the reader to decide, I think.

---

And that’s it for this awesome tag. I enjoyed drafting this and reminiscing about my favorite show while doing so. I just realized that almost all the characters mentioned I pegged as my favorite. Well, they are all my favorites. It’s a great series filled with lots of strong characters, so it’s hard not to choose a fav.

As for who I tag:

All Avatar fans! 🙂

…and those who aren’t too.

Advertisement