Known as one of the greatest animated series of our time, Avatar: The Last Airbender had an incredible run during its time on air. Fueled by incredibly written characters, an engaging plot and astounding animation sequences. Fans quickly and intensely fell in love with Aang and his crew as they journeyed to stop Firelord Ozai.
The show ran for a total of three seasons with almost every episode garnering amazing critical response. The show and the franchise it spawned still have a plethora of fans to this day who are just as in love with it as they’ve always been.
10 “The Tales of Ba Sing Se”
Season 2, Episode 15
IMDb Score: 9.2/10
An episode that many fans would argue is the most emotional, “The Tales of Ba Sing Se” features three tales; Toph and Katara, Aang and the most impactful of all, Iroh. The Tale of Iroh is the stand-out of the episode, featuring an incredibly tear-jerking sequence of Iroh singing “Leaves from the Vine” in memory of his late son Lu Ten.
The episode becomes more impactful with the ending being dedicated to the first voice actor for Iroh, who sadly passed away amidst recording for the show after a long battle with cancer.
9 “The Siege of the North, Part 1”
Season 1, Episode 19
IMDb Score: 9.3/10
The battle between the Northern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation for the city of Agna Qel’a was one for the books. What many consider to be the first large-scale battle of the series, Part 1 does an excellent job of setting the stakes and power-scaling both sides of the conflict before their battle.
The conflict of Katara having to protect Aang from Zuko while he’s immobile in the Spirit World was nail-biting to say the least and provided a wonderful third act to an already thrilling episode.
8 “The Day of the Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse”
Season 3, Episode 11
IMDb Score: 9.4/10
Marking a pivotal moment in the show’s trajectory, Zuko finally decides to abandon his father and his immoral plots, this episode was packed to the brim with familial drama. Finally facing off with a father who cared so little for him, Zuko gets an abundance of character moments and growth within the battle with his father.
Whether it be Aang and his crew rushing to find Firelord Ozai before the eclipse or Zuko learning to redirect lighting to best his father, the episode was also packed with engaging action set-pieces that made for the perfect balance of an episode.
7 “The Avatar and the Fire Lord”
Season 3, Episode 6
IMDb Score: 9.5/10
When Aang receives a vision from his past life, Avatar Roku, and Zuko receives a message from his Uncle Iroh, both embark on a journey of discovering their connections to both Roku and the previous Fire Lord, Sozin. Zuko discovers that Roku is his great-grandfather and Aang discovers he was childhood friends with Sozin in his past life, only to be betrayed by him.
The message of the episode that anyone, even members of the Fire Nation, is capable of both good and evil, really sets the standard for the coming final act of the series as it defines Aang’s want to not kill the Fire Lord in hopes of redeeming him.
6 “Sozin’s Comet, Part 2: The Old Masters”
Season 3, Episode 19
IMDb Score: 9.5/10
Serving as the second episode of four in the series finale, Aang seeks guidance from his past lives regarding whether he should take the life of Fire Lord Ozai. They all insist he must, but Aang remains unsure and among his travels, he learns the long-forgotten skill of energy bending.
Marking the halfway point in the finale of the show, this would be the last time the whole group would be together before the end of the battle, with audiences unsure who would come out of the other side alive.
5 “Zuko Alone”
Season 2, Episode 7
IMDb Score: 9.5/10
Upon abandoning his uncle in favor of solo travels, Zuko ends up bonding with a young boy in a nearby Earth Kingdom village. This throws him into a conflict where he must defend the village from rogue Earth Kingdom soldiers but upon doing so, he’s outed as a firebender and rejected by the boy and his family.
The world-building done through Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, Episode 7, “Zuko Alone” is some of the best in the series, accurately depicting how the rest of the world is being affected by the actions of the Fire Nation and Zuko.
4 “The Siege of the North, Part 2”
Season 1, Episode 20
IMDb Score: 9.6/10
The second half of the intense battle for the city of Agna Qel’a brings about a wonderful plot and a fitting end to the first season of the show. With Aang being taken captive by Zuko, Admiral Zhao killing the physical body of the moon spirit and the waterbenders temporarily losing their abilities, the stakes are higher than ever as the fight continues.
These factors all coming together resulted in Season 1 going out with a bang and most likely securing a lot of fans in waiting for a Season 2. In the grand scheme of things, the success of this first season’s finale definitely would play a big part in whether the show continued to succeed or not.
3 “The Crossroads of Destiny”
Season 2, Episode 20
IMDb Score: 9.6/10
Zuko betrays his uncle’s trust, Azula betrays Long Feng and Ba Sing Se is taken by the Fire Nation in this climactic final episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2. This would mark a huge point in the series, with Aang being murdered by Azula while in the Avatar State. He was able to be resurrected with the help of Katara and the spirit water, this would come as a huge shocker to audiences everywhere.
The episode ends on an incredibly haunting note, with the Earth King stating that the Earth Kingdom has fallen. The contrast between Season 2’s bittersweet ending and Season 1’s more hopeful ending left fans feeling a lot differently at the bottom of Season 2.
2 “Sozin’s Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno”
Season 3, Episode 20
IMDb Score: 9.8/10
Azula begins to snap as her time to become Fire Lord slowly approaches, but Zuko and Katara approach at the last moment to stop the ceremony, and what results is an Agni Kai between brother and sister for the crown they’ve both been looking up to since they were children.
The rivalry between Zuko and Azula is set up from the very beginning of the series and finds its satisfying payoff within the second-to-last episode, and it paid off better than most fans would’ve ever expected. It’s known as one of the best fights in the series due to the tension built up behind it over the course of three whole seasons.
1 “Sozin’s Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang”
Season 3, Episode 21
IMDb Score: 9.9/10
Many would not be surprised to hear that the finale of the series is a fan and critic favorite. With the years worth of well-written plot, character arcs, and world-building leading up to the scenes fans got to see in Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 3, Episode 21, “Sozin’s Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang”.
Whether it’s Katara encasing Azula in ice, Zuko being crowned Fire Lord or Aang’s final battle with Fire Lord Ozai, the episode is packed to the brim with unforgettable scenes that sent the series off in a blaze of glory. Nothing is better than eating a cake with an even better frosting on top and that is the exact experience that viewers got upon the conclusion of this masterful show.
