Avatar: The Last Airbender's protagonist, Aang, was a formidable fighter not for being ruthless or strong, but rather because he was resourceful and witty. Furthermore, the Fire Nation had not fought an Airbender in decades (since they had eradicated the Air Nomad culture), and thus they were not prepared to fight such an agile foe.
For the entire series, Aang is constantly giving hunters from the Fire Nation the slip. This frustrated many enemies, including Prince Zuko, Princess Azula, and Fire Lord Ozai. Eventually, Aang was able to stop Ozai. However, it never would have happened if it weren't for the tactics Aang employed throughout the series.
10 He Was Light On His Feet
Aang was really tough to beat because he was so light on his feet. Whenever the Fire Nation soldiers tried to capture Aang, he was able to blow them away and breeze past them, making a quick escape. When he confronted adversaries like Toph (when they first met), his lightness allowed him to be harder to detect.
Airbenders have speed and agility on their side. On top of that, they have a greater aptitude for stealth thanks to their lightness. This makes them hard to find and hard to pinpoint.
9 He Took The Advice Past Lives
Aang might have been a child, but he had the wisdom of many lives at his disposal. Though it was difficult, he was able to tap into their power and experience on several occasions. He gained wisdom and guidance from Avatar Roku, and when he was forced to fight Ozai, he consulted with previous Avatars to find a way to do it without killing Ozai.
Aang could also tap into their bending power. In the Avatar State, previous lives could move through him, allowing him to achieve great and powerful feats, which was one of the Avatar's greatest strengths.
8 He Relied On Dodging & Speed
Evasion was Aang's primary tactic, and it served him well on multiple occasions. On the small scale, he was able to dodge attacks and tire out his adversaries. However, Aang's encounter with Zhao was one of the most iconic moments where his evasion skills worked in his favor.
When Zhao tries to catch Aang, who was learning firebending from Master Jeon-Jeong, Zhao flew into a rage. However, Aang outmaneuvered him at every turn. When Zhao finally took a step back to take stock of the encounter, he saw that he had only succeeded in destroying his own boats.
7 He Rarely Took The Offense
Of course, Aang had to fight on occasion, and he had to be offensive to keep himself and his friends safe. However, outside of the Avatar State, Aang did not rely on offensive fighting too often, and this was probably what kept him alive for so long.
Aang was a child, and he was not a master of the elements when he first started. He had to go up against master benders, military commanders, and Fire Nation royalty. So, letting go of anger and the urge to fight back was sometimes a wiser decision, knowing his strengths were in evasion.
6 He Used Disguises
Sometimes, the best way to win a war is to not fight at all. Aang had to travel the entire world to master all four elements and stop Fire Lord Ozai from using Sozin's comet to take over the world. So, he had to pass through many hostile areas. His solution? Disguise.
Aang donned many disguises throughout the series. When the group entered Omashu, Aang disguised himself as an old man, while in the Fire Nation, Aang took on the persona of the young Fire Nation student, Kuzon. These disguises only worked for a time, but they helped the group navigate areas they were unsure about.
5 He Fought Without The Intent To Kill
Fighting to kill is not only harmful to some characters, it is also a weakness. There were many times characters like Zhao or Azula tried to use underhanded moves to kill their opponents, but they were thwarted each time. Aang, however, never wanted to kill anyone.
While his reverence for life came from his Air Nomad heritage, it helped him in other ways. It helped him develop the worldview that was needed to bring the world to peace and bridge it with the spirit world. Furthermore, by not focusing on rage, anger, and killing, Aang was able to show wisdom and mercy in his fights, even with Ozai.
4 He Had The Avatar State In His Back Pocket
Having the Avatar State is a huge weapon in one's favor. It can cause extreme destruction and can create natural disasters all on its own. When the series first started, Aang could not control this power, and he hurt those around him. However, as the series progressed, he gained more control over it.
The Avatar State had a weak point, though. Being hit while in that state was difficult but could have some world-shattering consequences. So, Aang had to use it sparingly and in the right moments, which he did, for the most part. However, he did lose the Avatar State for a while, until it was reawakened in his fight with Ozai.
3 He Took To The Air
Fire Nation airships aside, most benders cannot get into the sky as an airbender can. Waterbenders and earthbenders can create pedestals that help them reach new heights, and firebenders can jet into the sky to a point, but only airbenders get a true lift.
So, Aang used this to his advantage, whipping out his air glider whenever he had the chance. This made him difficult to hit as well as a threat from above, and it was a tactic Aang relied on throughout the entire show.
2 He Deflected Attacks
Using airbending and his air glider staff, Aang was able to deflect projectile and incoming attacks. Though he did not always have an earthbender's stability and defensive strength, his ability to deflect attacks added a level of defensive power that he might not have otherwise had.
While Aang could use multiple elements, he often relied on his airbending because it came more naturally to him and it was what he understood best. Luckily, airbending was perfect for defensive and evasive tactics.
1 He Sought To Understand His Enemy
As the bridge between the spirit and material worlds, and as an Air Nomad with a reverence for life, Aang always caught to understand his enemies. Even the monstrous-looking enemies could be understood if one gave the time. The incident with the spirit Hei-Bai was one such instance.
Aang was able to save an entire village from an unkillable rampaging spirit because he took the time to understand his enemy and learn that it was in pain due to the destruction of nature. This tactic made Aang a great Avatar, especially in the spirit realm side of things, as he was greatly connected with his spiritual nature.