Avatar Aang will go down in history as one of the greatest Avatars to ever walk the Earth, as he was responsible for ending the Hundred Year War with the Fire Nation. However, Aang was not simply born great, he was given much guidance, assistance, and reassurance along his long and arduous path.
Not only did Aang rely on his past lives to help him make crucial decisions and teach him important skills and lessons, but he also valued the opinions of his closest loved ones. Aang had many important people in his life and many of them had a significant impact on the young Airbender.
10 His Father Figure & Airbending Teacher, Monk Gyatso
Despite the Air Nomads not believing in nuclear families and earthly tethers, they still formed healthy and meaningful relationships with one another. Monk Gyatso was not only Aang's airbending teacher but was also very much a father figure for Aang.
Unfortunately, this closeness is what the other airbending masters feared was distracting Aang from his Avatar training. After overhearing that he was to be separated from Gyatso, Aang ran away from home. While Aang never saw him again, Gyatso remained a major influence on the person Aang became as he often tried to teach others the lessons his mentor taught him.
9 His Best Friend & Airbus, Appa The Flying Bison
While some might be quick to dismiss a giant flying bison as "people," anyone with a pet knows that animals can be as close as family, sometimes even closer. As part of the Air Nomad traditions, all of the young Airbenders were paired up with a baby sky bison, and those bonds lasted a lifetime.
Aang trusts Appa more than anyone, he even changed his opinion of Zuko after seeing Appa give Zuko a lick of approval. Aang is also a fairly carefree type of person until someone threatens Appa, then he channels his inner Kyoshi to save his big furry pal.
8 His Best Childhood Friend From The Earth Kingdom, King Bumi
Just when Aang thought that everyone he had ever known and loved was long gone, he comes across his childhood friend, Bumi. However, Bumi is now over 100 years old and is the acting King of the great Earth Kingdom city of Omashu.
Because of their close friendship as children, Aang trusts Bumi and holds his advice in the highest regard. Most importantly, he listens to Bumi's suggestions when looking for an earthbending teacher. He also trusts Bumi's decision to save Omashu only when the right opportunity presented itself, despite the denizens thinking Bumi was crazy for such a move.
7 His Best Childhood Friend From The Fire Nation, (Prince?) Kuzon
Aang's other childhood friend, Kuzon, is never seen in the series but is referenced on multiple occasions. Aang even borrows his buddy's name when the Gaang is undercover in the heart of the Fire Nation. It's unknown if Kuzon was of royalty, though with Bumi being an Earth Kingdom prince it's not unreasonable to assume Aang had many royal friends. Many fans have speculated that Kuzon may have even been a younger brother of Prince Azulon's.
However, regardless of whether or not this theory pans out, Kuzon was a major influence on how Aang saw the people of the Fire Nation. Aang knew them to be just like everyone else in a time where the rest of the world saw them as imperialist warmongers. It was Aang's previous experience with Kuzon that allowed him to understand that the Fire Nation citizens were not the enemy in the war.
6 His Future Wife & First Waterbending Teacher, Katara
Katara was the very first person Aang laid eyes on after waking up from his 100-year iceberg nap. After Aang essentially imprints on Katara, they develop a strong bond over the course of three seasons, teaching each other many important lessons along the way.
Katara is a driving force in Aang's journey and she is the one person who helps him retain his hope after his near-death experience at Ba Sing Se. Additionally, while Sokka was the reason for her emotional outburst, if Katara hadn't lost her temper, Aang may have never been freed from his iceberg.
5 His Predecessor, Avatar Roku Of The Fire Nation
Avatar Roku was Aang's predecessor and he was best friends with the man responsible for launching the world into a 100-year war. Because of his own experiences, Roku was able to provide Aang with plenty of advice and wisdom as Aang began his Avatar journey in a strange and unfamiliar world.
Despite almost being directly responsible for the Air Nomad genocide, Roku is often a friendly guide in times of uncertainty for Aang. Roku is especially useful for learning some helpful information and turning the tables on Zhao and company at the Fire Sage Temple.
4 His Earthbending Teacher, Toph Beifong
Before Aang ever meets Toph, he sees her in a vision during the Gaang's time in the Foggy Swamp. Aang and Toph later become incredibly close friends despite being polar opposites.
While Toph's stubbornness often causes problems among the Gaang, it was her earthbending lessons that taught Aang to tackle an opponent head-on. Aang may have been a pacifist, but he was much more willing to confront issues rather than avoid them after learning a few things from Toph, which proved to be important later on.
3 His Enemy-Turned-Ally, The Honorable Prince Zuko
Prince Zuko was positioned as a primary villain for much of the series. However, he eventually came to a realization that he was on the wrong side of history and that he was responsible for his own destiny which helped him truly regain his honor.
Once he switched sides, it took some coercing, but he eventually won over Team Avatar. He also became Aang's firebending teacher after they took a life-changing field trip to the Sun Warriors' ancient city together. After defeating the Fire Lord, Zuko and Aang were the driving force behind the post-war rebuilding efforts as well as the establishment of Republic City.
2 Zuko's Uncle Iroh Offered Wisdom & Tea To Everyone
While Iroh and Aang didn't spend too much time together, Aang managed to learn some valuable lessons from the retired warmonger. After Aang second-guesses his decision to abandon unlocking the Avatar State at will for love, Iroh reassures him that he made the right decision as happiness is what is truly important.
Iroh also essentially confirmed with Aang that Zuko isn't truly a villain, he just doesn't know his place in the world yet. This allows Aang to give Zuko the chance he needs to prove himself to the Gaang.
1 His Guide To The Avatar State, Guru Pathik
Guru Pathik waited for Aang for a very long time so that he could teach him how to properly access the Avatar State at will. While Aang ultimately blew off the final lesson to maintain his love for Katara, he eventually unlocks the final chakra to enter the Avatar State during his fight against Ozai.
Each lesson that Pathik taught Aang involved reflection on a previous experience or anticipation of a future one. The seven lessons Aang learned not only allowed him to access the Avatar State but also allowed him to grow as a person in meaningful ways.