The five main characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender—Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Zuko—are collectively known as Team Avatar, a name that is synonymous with both prestige and power. The sheer elemental force contained between the four benders, and the undeniable brilliance of Sokka, means that Team Avatar's accomplishments are nothing short of world-famous.
In fact, almost all the major events that lead to the culmination of the Hundred Year War have been influenced by the actions of these five characters in some way or another. That said, Team Avatar is incredible because they combine martial artistry with out-of-the-box tactics, limitless empathy, and excellent foresight.
10 Zuko And Aang Discover A Long-Lost Civilization
In the long list of accomplishments that Team Avatar is known for, discovering an ancient civilization seems practically negligible. However, it is important to note that the Sun Warriors are not only one of the earliest practitioners of Firebending, but they also protect the location of the last two surviving dragons in the world.
Further, Aang and Zuko learn everything they need to know about Firebending from Shaw & Ren, but their most important lesson is that the elemental form can be as innovative and life-affirming as it can be violent and destructive.
9 Team Avatar Frees Omashu Citizens From Azula's Iron Fist
On their second visit to Omashu, Team Avatar is shocked when they observe plumes of smoke wafting from the city, not to mention the Fire Nation emblems hanging from the bulwarks. Katara, Sokka, and Aang face off against Mai, Azula, and Ty Lee, hoping to exchange Mai's baby brother for King Bumi.
Azula naturally refuses and begins her attack, forcing the heroes to return the favor. Interestingly, it's Sokka's quick-wittedness that saves the day—he convinces Fire Nation guards that a number of Omashu citizens have been infected with pentapox, allowing them free passage out of the city.
8 Sokka & Katara Help Contain Aang's Anger At The Southern Air Temple
Despite spending a century in Avatar State hibernation, Aang emerges from the ice a happy camper. He is excited to learn about the latest developments in world politics, but Katara and Sokka confuse him by stating that the Air Nomads had all been driven to extinction by the Fire Nation.
Aang insists on proving that such a feat is impossible, but finding his beloved Gyatso's skeleton unleashes a torrent of rage and sorrow so powerful that it manifests in an uncontrollable Avatar State. Fortunately, Katara and Sokka help Aang calm down, which consequently permits the young Airbender to evolve beyond his past.
7 Team Avatar Protects The Refugees At The Northern Air Temple
Aang is initially annoyed when he discovers a large group of refugees taking sanctuary in the Northern Air Temple, but he gradually realizes that helping the lost and the dispossessed is one of the central tenets of Air Nomad philosophy.
Although Team Avatar finds themselves in dire straits when Fire Nation soldiers attack the temple (for breaking their so-called deal with the Mechanist), Sokka's hot air balloon stroke of genius helps them rebuff the invading forces with relative ease. Aang and Katara help out where they can, of course.
6 Sokka Convinces The Pirates That Aang Is Worth More Than A Scroll
Katara pilfers a Waterbending scroll from a group of pirates, an unforgivable crime in the captain's eyes. He joins forces with Zuko in order to locate and retrieve his precious loot.
Once again, it is Sokka who ameliorates Team Avatar's plight by asking the pirates to keep Aang because he would "fetch a lot more on the black market than that fancy scroll." His ploy turns Zuko and the pirates against each other, allowing Team Avatar to make their escape.
5 Zuko, Iroh, And Team Avatar Gang Up On Azula
Azula's elation at finding the Avatar is cut short when Zuko finds both of them. The resulting skirmish takes on truly epic proportions when Katara, Toph, Sokka, and Iroh enter the picture, forcing Azula to stand down and accept that she has no chance of winning against so many trained combatants.
Although the Fire Nation princess stops hounding Team Avatar (for a while), she has absolutely no intention of being taken to prison. On the contrary, Azula aims a quick blast of her trademark blue fire at Uncle Iroh before fleeing the scene.
4 Team Avatar Saves Ba Sing Se From The Drill
The Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se is legendary for being impregnable, so much so that it resists General Iroh's siege for nearly two years. Fire Lord Ozai refuses to admit defeat, ordering the construction and deployment of a massive drill to pierce through the Outer Wall. Ba Sing Se's inexperienced guardian forces attempt to stop the drill with the help of the Terra Team, a first-class selection of Earthbenders who are instantly taken down by Ty Lee and Mai.
Team Avatar makes their stand at this point—Aang and Katara weaken the innards of the drill while Toph decelerates its momentum. Finally, the Avatar himself strikes the top of the machine with so much force that it breaks.
3 Katara Leads A Small Revolution Of Earthbenders
Team Avatar continues to experience snippets of the Fire Nation's tyranny wherever they go, including a tiny Earth Kingdom village. The invading soldiers throw several men from the village into prison, which turns out to be a metallic rig suspended above the ocean.
When young Haru is taken away, Katara pretends to be an Earthbender and sneaks her way in, followed by Sokka and Aang. Unfortunately, Katara's encouraging words are dismissed by the prisoners, at least until Haru takes the first shot at the warden. Team Avatar's actions in "Imprisoned" return so many innocent people to their families.
2 Team Avatar's Three-Pronged Plan During Sozin's Comet
Team Avatar fragments into three separate units, each of which are expected to solve the crisis given to them. Katara and Zuko tackle the Azula problem with great success, even if Zuko is slightly wounded in the process. Toph, Suki, and Sokka manage to destroy the Fire Nation Armada with a combination of Metalbending and "Airship Slice."
Aang nearly loses to Ozai, but he regains his Avatar State capabilities at the last second and turns the tables on the Fire Lord. The Fire Nation's autocratic government is consequently removed from the equation, allowing Zuko to establish a reign of peace and harmony.
1 Team Avatar's Role In The Establishment Of The United Republic
The conclusion of the Hundred Year War leaves several power vacuums, most of which are filled by Team Avatar's diplomatic policies. The Harmony Restoration Movement is born as a result, which further develops into an entirely new country.
The government of the United Republic of Nations includes representatives from the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, the Air Nomads, and the two Water Tribes. Interestingly, malcontent non-benders force the United Republic to shift towards pure democracy in The Legend of Korra.