Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 continues the young Avatar’s journey as he attempts to master a new element: the earth. To do this, he meets Toph Beifong, a prodigious earthbender who, despite being blind, becomes one of the most powerful fighters in the group. At the same time, the threat from the Fire Nation continues to grow. Sozin’s comet is approaching, which will greatly increase the power of the firebenders, as Aang and his friends try to convince the Earth Kingdom that war is much closer than they think. It all leads to the fall of Ba Sing Se, one of the most important moments in history.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 Ending Explained: Has Aang Died in Azula’s Attack?
The series is actually a remake in live-action from the Nickelodeon animated hit that so many kids grew up with in the 2000s. Now, the streaming platform has adapted the second of the three parts that make up this story about Avatar Aang. In this installment, after the bittersweet victory in which they saved the Northern Water Tribe from the Fire Nation invasion, Aang, Katara, and Sokka regroup and embark on a mission to convince the elusive King of Earth to help them in their battle against the fearsome Fire Lord Ozai. His journey to the impenetrable city of Ba Sing Se is treacherous, but also fruitful: Aang must find a master of the Earth to help you add control of this element to your air and water control powers.
But even the powerful city walls can’t keep the Fire Nation forces at bay. Prince Zuko continues his quest to capture the Avatar, a mission made even more difficult by his status as a fugitive traitor to the Fire Nation and by a conscience that bothers him and makes him question whether he is on the right path. And what is worse for our heroes, their formidable sister, the princess Azula, has now joined the fight. Something that takes us directly to the end of season 2 of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
What Happens to Aang in the Season 2 Finale?
When the situation seems hopeless, Aang decides to enter the Avatar State. Recalling the power of the Avatars who preceded him, he unleashes a devastating force capable of easily defeating the Dai Li agents and Zuko himself. Even Azula appears completely powerless before the Avatar’s power. Aang now has the chance to eliminate her permanently, but his peaceful nature prevents him from giving her the final blow. It is precisely that moment of hesitation that changes everything. Azula takes advantage of the situation and strikes Aang with a devastating lightning bolt to the chest.
The Avatar immediately collapses to the ground. At the same time, a disturbing warning appears in the Spirit World: if Aang were to die while in the Avatar State, the Avatar cycle would end forever, and the world would permanently lose its balance. As Katara desperately tries to reach him, Iroh intervenes, allowing the two to escape but sacrificing their freedom. The uncle is, in fact, captured by the Dai Li and, while being taken away in chains, gives Zuko a look full of disappointment. With the escape of the Gaang, Ba Sing Se finally falls into the hands of the Fire Nation.
Has Aang Died in Azula’s Attack?
In the final stages of season 2 of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the protagonists manage to escape from Ba Sing Se prison and reach a huge cave under Lake Laogai. However, Azula and Fire Nation troops take the city and find them before they can flee. In this way, a brutal battle breaks out between the daughter of the Fire Lord Ozai and Aang and Katara.
To equalize the contest, unfortunately for the heroes, the prince Zuko arrives on the scene and, this time, teams up with his sister to defeat the Avatar. To defeat them, Aang is forced to enter Avatar status. With their power completely unleashed, the two young villains are not rivals capable of confronting him at all. However, the fruit of his goodness, when he has an Azula at his mercy, he decides to spare his life.
But while Aang begins to leave the Avatar state, the evil princess is not so benevolent and treacherously shoots a new beam at her that hits the protagonist’s chest directly and pierces his body. Aang falls to the ground, apparently lifeless. If he has really died, furthermore, while still in the Avatar state, there will be no reincarnation. As explained before in the series, the Avatar cycle will have been broken, and no one with the power to master the four elements will be born again. With this great uncertainty, season 2 of Avatar: The Last Airbender comes to its tragic end.
However, thanks to the animated series, we know what is really happening. And, indeed, the lightning Azula killed Aang. At least briefly. The hero remains dead for a few moments, but is soon resurrected thanks to Katara, who brings him back to life with the healing water that he obtained in the spiritual oasis of the Northern Water Tribe. However, in the original series, Aang remained in a coma for three weeks and, to make matters worse, lost his connection with the Avatars of the past, which completely prevented him from re-entering the Avatar state. A power without which he will not be able to defeat the Fire Nation. This entire conflict will be dealt with logically in season 3 of the remake, which will also be the last.
Why Does Zuko Become Evil Again in the End?
One of the most shocking moments of this season 2 finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender is the drastic change in Zuko. The character has been following an arc of redemption since the last bars of the first installment. Even saved Aang from General Zhao and, this season, to his own Katara and also to the most disadvantaged of Ba Sing Se. However, at the last moment, he decides to join his sister, destroying all that development.
The truth is that there are several reasons to understand this decision. One of the most important is that it stops Zuko from missing his mother, who has always been a central figure in his life. And one of the wishes of that was that Zuko and Azula always remain together and united. For the first time in years, the princess is offering that possibility to her brother. Added to that is that deep down he hates the life of a fugitive, as we had already seen. And if it joins Azula, you will be able to restore your honor and return home.
But, above all, Zuko has hated himself since he was a child. Therefore, although we viewers had seen changes for the better in his personality, he does not see them that way. In fact, he does not believe himself worthy of a redemption arc, of being able to be happy. Therefore, he resigns himself to fulfilling his mission for his father. Fortunately for fans, all of this will continue to be investigated in the next installment of the series.
Does Zuko Die in the End?
No. Although for much of the season it seems that Zuko will end up definitively facing her sister, just the opposite happens. Azula offers him to return to her side and regain his father’s favor. After years of seeking her family’s approval, Zuko accepts the proposal and fights alongside her during the final battle. The season ends with the two brothers united again, something that is a hard blow for Aang, as he will now have to face the two most dangerous firebenders in the Fire Nation.
Toph Dominates the Control of Metal?
Another of the great moments at the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 is the moment in which Toph manages to escape from her parents’ carriage, in which she was locked. To do this, she manages to master the control of metal, something that, as she herself proclaims, has never been done before in history. And the truth is that he has achieved it, in part, thanks to his blindness.
Because he can’t see with his eyes, Toph has developed an enormous capacity for “vision” of the earth, the element that she masters. He can feel it like no other teacher. Therefore, when concentrating, he manages to feel specks of a lighter material in the vibrations of the metal. Those specks are impurities in the metal, allowing a Toph to control them and, therefore, master metal. An advantage that will be very useful in the future for the Avatar team.
The Consequences of the Fall of Ba Sing Se?
The third big key point of the season 2 finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender is that Azula finally manages to take the city of Ba Sing Se. And to do this, you don’t even need to provoke a large-scale assault. Instead, he manages to infiltrate and manipulate London Feng and the Dai Li. Using them as puppets, he gets the Fire Nation to take control of the city.
This fact is a brutal turning point in the war. And with the Air Nomads completely eradicated and with the Water Tribes completely weakened, this impenetrable city of the Earth Kingdom was the last bastion that could stop the Fire Lord Ozai. His fall leaves the way clear for the great villain of the series to carry out his plans to dominate the entire world. Again, the catastrophic consequences will be seen in season 3 of Avatar: The Last Airbender, which should arrive on Netflix starting next year, since it has already been filmed.
Black Sun Day Will Be Key in Season 3?
Another element destined to play a central role is the Day of the Black Sun. While visiting Wan Shi Tong’s Spirit Library, the Gaang discovers that the power of the firebenders depends directly on the Sun.
While Sozin’s Comet makes firebenders virtually invincible, a solar eclipse produces the opposite effect, temporarily nullifying their powers. Thanks to an astronomical map kept in the library, the group also identifies the moment when the next eclipse will occur.
The date is not revealed to viewers, but it will represent one of the keys to the war against Ozai in the final season.
With Aang dying, Ba Sing Se conquered, Iroh taken prisoner, Zuko once again aligned with the Fire Nation, and the discovery of the Day of the Black Sun, the season two finale leaves all the pieces in place for what promises to be the most epic installment in Netflix’s entire live-action adaptation.