The Avatar isn't just a man or woman capable of bending all four elements. What mostly sets them apart from every other being on the planet is their ability to tap into a power known as the Avatar State, in which all of an Avatar's past lives focus their energy and experiences onto their body. Aang has gone into the Avatar State a handful of times in Avatar: The Last Airbender and Korra also didn't hesitate to tap into this spiritual power whenever she found herself in a crisis during The Legend of Korra's four seasons.
Fans pretty much know that the Avatar State is an Avatar's ace in the hole, essentially boosting their bending beyond its normal limits, but there are a few things about this legendary transformation that many fans are unaware of. Below are 10 facts regarding the Avatar State that every true Avatar definitely should know.
10 An Avatar Killed In The Avatar State Ends The Avatar Cycle, But Not Raava
Roku was the first to reveal to Aang that if he were killed while he was in the Avatar State, the Avatar Cycle would end. When Raava was introduced in The Legend of Korra, and fans realized that she was, in fact, the "Avatar Spirit", many fans probably assumed that the death of the Avatar Cycle would result in her death as well, but this isn't the case.
When Raava was killed after being yanked from Korra's body by Unalaq and Vaatu, she was immediately born again from the small amount of residual light that resided in the dark spirit. It's impossible for her to perish as long as Vaatu still exists somewhere, meaning that even if the Avatar Cycle ended after Azula shot Aang down with a lightning bolt, Raava and Vaatu would've just had to get comfortable sharing the Tree of Time for all of eternity.
9 Aang Was In The Avatar State For 100 Years
After the pressure of being the Avatar became too much for Aang to bear, he fled on Appa, but due to a storm, he and Appa were lost at sea before they could reach their destination. Just before Aang nearly drowned, he entered the Avatar State and was able to freeze he and Appa in a gigantic sphere of ice for a century.
Every Avatar fan remembers that iconic moment where Aang originally emerged from his subzero bondage, but many forget that his tattoos were still glowing. This meant that the young Avatar was in the Avatar State the entire time he'd been encased in a block of ice. Of course, being in this state for so long took a toll on his body, leaving him to die a natural death at the age of 66.
8 Avatars Can Access Styles Of Bending That They Personally Haven't Learned While In The Avatar State
The Avatar State enables an Avatar to access the knowledge and techniques of all their past lives, making them much stronger than they could ever hope to get on their own.
When Aang entered the Avatar State for the first time in the series, he left everyone speechless after deploying a powerful Waterbending move to knock Zuko and his lackeys off their ship despite not yet knowing a lick of Waterbending!
7 Avatars Can Channel A Specific Past Life Using The Avatar State
The Avatar can also utilize the Avatar State to channel one specific past life, essentially becoming another person for a short time.
Aang famously did this in the episode "Winter Solstice, Part 2: Avatar Roku", where he channeled Roku, who appeared before Aang's enemies and friends and used his powerful Firebending techniques to help Aang escape the Fire Nation's clutches.
6 It's The Only Thing That Can Overcome Psychic Bloodbending
Bloodbending is one of the darkest, most powerful techniques in the Avatar franchise. In The Legend of Korra, powerful Waterbenders like Amon and Yakone took the technique to a new level and were able to Bloodbend solely with their minds. In a flashback from Aang's life, Korra saw firsthand how he was able to nullify the effects of Bloodbending by going into the Avatar State.
Even another powerful Waterbender who knew how to Bloodbend couldn't resist its grasp after being caught by the technique; this was proven after Katara managed to use the technique on Hama, leaving the witch to be ensnared by the very technique that she created.
5 It's Relatively Easy For Avatars To Use The Avatar State In Momentary Bursts
While the Avatar State is often a grand spectacle, both Aang and Korra have shown the ability to utilize its power in short bursts, which appears to be a lot easier, a less taxing, than a full-blown Avatar State transformation. After taking away Ozai's bending, Aang taps into the Avatar State for a brief second so that he can manipulate the flow of the ocean at the edge of the Wulong Forest in order to put out the flames set by Ozai and his men.
Likewise, by the beginning of Book 2, Korra was able to use the Avatar State to get the edge on Tenzin's children during an Air Scooter race, giving her just enough juice to ride her way to victory without tiring herself out.
4 The Avatar State Allows Avatars To Combine With Spirits
Given the fact that the Avatar State is due to Raava's residence inside the Avatar, it makes sense that an Avatar would be able to interact with spirits in ways that others aren't able to. During the Siege of the North, Aang entered the Avatar State and combined his powers with La, the Ocean Spirit, in order to turn the tide during the fight with the Fire Nation.
After this moment, neither Aang nor Korra combined with a spirit in a similar manner, although that's because unlike La, most spirits didn't exist in the physical world. However, with spirits now in Korra's world to stay, she may find herself combining with a spirit in a similar fashion as she continues her lifelong tenure as the bridge between both worlds.
3 Airbender Tattoos Glow Due To Chi Paths
When an Avatar enters the Avatar State, their eyes glow, which is cool and all, but it pales in comparison to an Air Nomad Avatar who enters the Avatar State.
Not only do their eyes glow, but the blue arrow tattoos all along their body also glow with a bright white light. This is due to the fact that these tattoos run along natural chi paths in the body, causing them to light up when an Avatar channels so much spiritual energy.
2 Villains Defeated By Avatars Who Utilize The Avatar State In Battle Are Often Humiliated
It's rare that a villain goes up against an Avatar in the Avatar State and walks away from the fight in one piece. Usually, the Avatar State gives an Avatar the upper hand, and it's almost been a running gag for villains defeated by an Avatar who tapped into this incredible power to be left humiliated.
Kyoshi entered the Avatar State to separate her land from Chin the Conqueror's, after tearing off his clothes with a fierce burst of wind. When Sozin foolishly attacked Roku, Roku entered the Avatar State, blowing the roof off his chamber and leaving him hanging from a stone pillar like the scorned child that he resembled after Roku's harsh threat. When Aang defeated Ozai, Ozai could barely move and was left drooling on the floor with Sokka, Suki, and Toph insulting him. Worst of all, Zaheer received a sock in his mouth after being defeated by Korra.
1 Inspiration For The Glow
The Avatar State's glow was inspired by the original video animation FLCL, which Avatar's creators happen to be fans of so much that according to director Giancarlo Volpe, the staff had to buy the show and watch all the episodes. In the show, one of the characters undergoes a powerful transformation that causes his entire body to glow bright red, and his eyes to shine with a bright white light.
This just goes to show that greatness always inspires greatness.