It's been 15 years since Avatar: The Last Airbender aired its final episode with Aang defeating Fire Lord Ozai, and nine years since The Legend of Korra aired its final episode with Korra taking down Kuvira and her giant mech. It all began as a humble adventure/comedy show on Nickelodeon, but it quickly became one of the best cartoons ever created. Despite the fact that the universe has no current series, it's a testament to the quality of the shows that they are still talked about with as much love today as when they were airing.

Both Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra introduced some of the most impressive fighters, both in the form of benders and non-benders. The world of Avatar has some of the strongest characters in television history, and these acrobatic and exciting characters made the shows so much fun to watch.

Updated on April 2, 2024 by Jennifer Roy: Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel The Legend of Korra are just as popular today as it was in the mid-2000s, and fans are still talking about its amazingly strong characters. This list has been updated to reflect CBR's current formatting guidelines.

30 Asami Sato Is Brilliant in The Legend of Korra

Hand-to-Hand Combatant And Engineer

Even though her father was working with the Equalists led by Amon, Asami became an important part of Team Avatar in The Legend of Korra. Asami isn't a bender, so while she's trained in hand-to-hand combat and can defend herself, she's not nearly as powerful as other characters in the series.

However, Asami can stand on her own against average enemies. In fact, she was capable of fighting against the equalists' Lieutenant as well as other equally capable fighters. Most of the time, she avoids the battles, but that doesn't mean Asami is a damsel in distress.

29 Sokka Has a Strong Tactical Mind and Combat Skills

Water Tribe Warrior, Swordsmanship Apprentice, and Amateur Tessenjutsu Martial Arts Combatant

Unlike his sister, Katara, and his friend, Aang, Sokka doesn't have bending abilities. While he is considered one of the unluckiest characters in Avatar, this disciplined and strategic character took the initiative to learn different forms of combat to become a formidable fighter. Sokka was trained as a warrior by the Southern Water Tribe, and he's proficient in the use of the boomerang.

Furthermore, Sokka also learned swordsmanship with swordmaster Piandao and Tessenjutsu with Suki. Throughout the series, Sokka manages to defeat a couple of talented fighters, including firebenders. Additionally, while Sokka may be the weakest fighter of Team Avatar, his tactical advice is crucial for the team.

28 Suki Leads the Kyoshi Warriors

Tessenjutsu And Chi-Blocking Expert

Leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, Suki is one of the most powerful non-bender characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Her proficiency in Tessenjutsu and chi-blocking make her a formidable fighter. In fact, she helped Team Avatar defeat the Fire Nation and later on became the leader of Fire Lord Zuko's bodyguards.

However, Suki's abilities can't compare to some of the most powerful benders in ATLA, so she was once defeated and incarcerated by the Fire Nation. Still, she managed to hold her ground long enough, and it's very unfair to measure this character's abilities with Azula's team since she's an outstanding firebender.

27 Ty Lee Chi-Blocking Makes Her Formidable

Hand-to-Hand Combat and Chi-Blocking

When Azula was tasked with hunting down Avatar Aang, she thought it was best to have a small, elite team of the best fighters in the Fire Nation to accompany her. She asked one of her closest friends to join, Ty Lee, who was a member of the circus.

Ty Lee's time as a performer taught her how to outmaneuver just about any opponent, as well as how to unlock the ability to block chi, which meant that she could render anyone either without the ability to bend or move. This makes Ty Lee an extremely formidable opponent despite not being a bender.

26 Mako's Bending Powers Served Him in the Arena and on the Police Force

Firebender

Mako was one of the main characters in The Legend of Korra. The son of both a firebender and an earthbender, he was the brother who knew how to firebend. Not only was he great at his job, but he was also one of the best pro-benders of his time.

Mako also unlocked the ability to shoot lightning, which was something that he, surprisingly, didn't use very much in The Legend of Korra. However, this doesn't make it less impressive. He would later join the police force of Republic City, where he would use his bending powers to take down criminals.

25 Hama's Bloodbending Is Powerful and Horrific

Waterbender and Bloodbender

Hama is a brilliant waterbender who learned how to bend blood after being incarcerated for years by the Fire Nation. Even though bloodbending is an unethical way of using her powers, there's no doubt that Hama is a powerful and ingenious bender. In fact, thanks to this, she managed to escape the Fire Nation's prison.

Unfortunately, Hama used her powers for evil, exacting her revenge on the Fire Nation by controlling and imprisoning innocent people from a Fire Nation town. When Katara figured this out, she put a stop to it. While Hama put on a fight, Katara learned bloodbending as well and stopped this cruel villain.

24 Varrick's Intelligence is His Greatest Strength in The Legend of Korra

Inventor

When it comes to fighting wars, it's not always one's muscles that turn the tide. Varrick from The Legend of Korra proved that a large brain can be much more effective. Despite having made enemies with some of the strongest benders in the world, Varrick always seemed one step ahead of the rest of the competition.

Varrick's power lies in his intelligence and great strategic abilities. Not only did he manage to trick the leader of the Earth Empire, but he also headed a conspiracy in the heart of Republic City and even fooled almost everyone in the process.

23 Katara Is One of Avatar's Most Powerful Waterbenders and Healers

Waterbender And Healer

Katara was the last waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe during the Hundred Years War. She was self-taught for a large portion of her life before she studied under Master Pakku at the Northern Tribe.

Katara quickly became one of the strongest waterbenders, having mastered the art of healing others and even figuring out how to bloodbend. During the ATLA series finale, she also managed to beat Azula by herself, one of the strongest members of the Fire Nation.

22 Bolin's Earthbending and Lavabending Make Him a Powerful Ally

Earthbender and Lavabender

Bolin was the younger brother of Mako, and he got the earthbending part of their heritage. While he had a lot to learn at first, Bolin quickly became an extremely capable earthbender. Mako wasn't able to learn how to metalbend, but he later made up for it by becoming a lavabender.

Bolin was also the only member of the Fire Ferrets who continued his pro-bending career, thus allowing him to further hone his skills. While he may have been a bit dim-witted, his raw power is still formidable.

21 Lin Beifong's Metalbending Talent Serves Her Well

Earthbender and Metalbender

Lin Beifong is the daughter of Toph and the police chief of Republic City. Learning the metalbending art that her mother invented, Lin became an unwavering force who would apprehend criminals without a second thought.

Armed with a set of metal armor and whips, Lin was one of the greatest metalbenders of her time. Unfortunately, she did lose a lot of battles due to there always being a much stronger villain getting in the way. Still, she put up several great fights, and her talent is remarkable.

20 Master Piandao Is a Master Swordsman in the Avatar: The Last Airbender Universe

Swordmaster

Master Piandao is living proof that bending isn't crucial to be able to be a great fighter in the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe. A master of the sword, he was not only one of the most capable fighters but also one of the wisest.

Master Piandao knew how to weave around even the deadliest of firebenders. He was one of the members of the Order of the White Lotus who helped take back Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth Kingdom. What's more, the Fire Nation couldn't even touch him.

19 Zuko's Firebending and Swordplay Made Him a Powerful Enemy and Ally

Firebender and Swordmaster

The first villain introduced in Avatar: The Last Airbender was Zuko. Banished by the Fire Lord, his only way to restore his honor was to capture the Avatar. However, Zuko realized his mistake and became one of Aang's greatest allies.

Zuko was the one who taught Aang how to firebend. Having completely learned to accept who he was, he became a much better firebender than the rest of the Fire Nation. His greatest accomplishment was standing up to his twisted family. Despite the fact that he wasn't as great a fighter and bender as his sister, Azula, Zuko was a talented firebender who helped Team Avatar through a lot of difficult battles.

18 Jeong Jeong Hated His Power Despite Its Strength

Firebender

While most firebenders seemed to be evil, there was one hiding in the Earth Kingdom who turned out to be good. That firebender was Master Jeong Jeong. Jeong Jeong was one of the most talented firebenders of his time, and he was a crucial part of freeing Ba Sing Se.

It was Jeong Jeong's hatred of his own potentially destructive power that made him such a great threat. When he fought, he was unlike any firebender in the world, mostly because Jeong Jeong didn't draw his power from anger but from technique. However, he also had a hot temper, even denying the Avatar his help.

17 Combustion Man Was a Hired Assassin with Explosive Powers

Firebender and Combustionbender

When Zuko was still trying to end the Avatar, he hired an unnamed assassin to hunt him down, who was later named Combustion Man by Sokka. Combustion Man was a firebender who had the ability to shoot explosions out of his forehead.

On top of that, Combustion Man's metal limbs and large stature allowed him to be much more threatening than the average assassin. Unfortunately for him, his powers were eventually his downfall, as he had one weakness that Team Avatar exploited. Yet, before this, he almost managed to kill the whole crew.

16 Ming Hua's Waterbending Was One of the Avatar Franchise's Deadliest Threats

Waterbender

Zaheer was the third primary villain in The Legend of Korra, and he was accompanied by three above-average benders. Any of them could've been in this spot, but Ming Hua was definitely the most terrifying of the three.

Ming Hua had no arms but still became one of the deadliest waterbenders of all time. She could turn entire oceans against her opponents as well as outmatch just about any other bender that tried to take her down. Not even Avatar Korra could best her in a waterbending duel.

15 King Bumi Stayed Immensely Strong As He Aged

Earthbender

Bumi is the King of Omashu and an old friend of Avatar Aang. Despite being over 100 years old, Bumi remained one of the strongest earthbenders throughout the ATLA. He was extremely muscular and could even bend when most of his body was buried.

Bumi was the physical embodiment of a genius. No one understood his decisions, but when it came down to it, Bumi's strange patience proved to be one of his greatest assets. Furthermore, he managed to take back his own city single-handedly.

14 Tenzin Inherited Aang's Strong Airbending Techniques

Airbender

Of Avatar Aang's three children, it was Tenzin who became the strongest. The only airbender born to Aang and Katara, Tenzin was taught all the advanced techniques that Aang learned when he was a kid. Even when faced with a duel against Zaheer, Tenzin still put up a brutal fight, nearly winning in the process.

Tenzin was also the one who led the rebuilding of the Air Nomads, hoping and praying that he could live up to his father's legacy in the process. Tenzin had both spiritual and physical strength, which made him one of the greatest characters in the Avatar universe.

13 Kuvira's Power Comes from Her Bending and Her Charisma

Earthbender and Metalbender

One of the main antagonists of The Legend of Korra, Kuvira is one of the most powerful earthbenders and metalbenders, as well as a great political leader. However, she took a dark path when she decided to lead a fascist empire and call herself the "Great Uniter."

Kuvira managed to defeat Korra in a one-on-one duel, which is proof of her outstanding abilities. In all fairness, Korra was in a weakened state, and she would have won the fight once she was in the Avatar state if she hadn't had a vision. Still, it isn't easy to defeat Korra, even if she isn't at her best.

12 Toph Beifong Expanded the Scope of Earthbending and Metalbending

Earthbender and Metalbender

Toph Beifong was taught how to earthbend from the badger moles. Being a blind girl, earthbending helped her see better than most people who had their vision. Not only was she one of the best earthbenders before she became a member of Team Avatar, but she got much stronger when she figured out how to metalbend.

Toph changed the way in which earthbending was perceived and generalized the knowledge of metalbending. In fact, after helping take down the Fire Nation airships, she started her own metalbending school and founded the police force of Republic City.

11 Avatar Wan Was the First Avatar

Firebender, Airbender, Waterbender, And Earthbender

Avatar Wan is known canonically as the first Avatar, a powerful and spiritual person who lived during a time when the Spirit World and the Human World were one and the same. Slowly gaining new types of bending abilities and housing a spirit that helped him contain them all, the two entities were permanently bonded, forcing them to become the Avatar.

Despite his skill, the Avatar benefits from the knowledge of their past lives. Because Wan had no past lives, he was arguably one of the weaker Avatars, but an Avatar nonetheless.