With the upcoming Avatar Generations RPG, fans of the beloved Nickelodeon show can relive the adventures of Aang and the gang as they save the world from the treacherous Fire Nation. This time around, the game is teased about being a squad-based RPG, where players organize their own Team Avatar to relive some of the best moments throughout Aang’s journey.
However, what’s perhaps intriguing in the Avatar title is a rumored squad recruitment system, where players may be able to unlock and unravel the stories of Avatar characters that didn’t get much screen time on the show. And while awaiting the game’s release, it may be an interesting exercise to determine just which underrated Avatar characters should appear in the upcoming RPG.
10 Guru Pathik
Fans of the Avatar series first saw a glimpse of Guru Pathik back in “Appa’s Lost Days” (S2E16), where he guided a lost Appa to Aang due to their spiritual connection. As such, it became quite a surprise when the Avatar himself looked to him for spiritual guidance, and it’s through Pathik that Aang not only became more intimately familiar with chakras but also with his nature as the Avatar.
Although not a Bender and certainly not seeming like a fighter due to his age, Guru Pathik may become a valuable asset to an Avatar RPG. As a character, Guru Pathik may be a pure support unit, perhaps with little to no attack options but massive buff opportunities, making him both a super-healer and an immense glass cannon. Likewise, he can become an interactive merchant NPC where players can upgrade their characters.
9 June
When Prince Zuko starts to grow desperate in hunting Avatar Aang, he hires a bounty hunter named Juno who almost got the job done. Since her first appearance in “Bato of the Water Tribe” (S1E15), June proved to be quite the formidable bounty hunter. Inside her beauty and slender frame is a ruthless professional, capable of going toe-to-toe against multiple enemies with her impressive strength, speed, and reflexes. Accompanied by her shirshu Nyla and her trust whip, June has become a persistent foe of Team Avatar throughout the series.
In the Avatar Generations RPG, June could become an asset to players who want to make teams heavily comprised of non-Bending individuals. June’s usage of the whip can give her an edge in long-distance combat, and a character variant that pairs her with Nyla may transform June into a heavy-hitting tank.
8 Suki
Known primarily as a member of the Kyoshi Warriors, Suki is by no means a damsel in distress dressed in theatrical garb. As the leader of one of the Kyoshi Warrior teams in Kyoshi Island, Suki is one of the most skilled weapon masters in the Avatar series. After making easy friends with Aang and especially Sokka, Suki became a frequent ally that aided the team in numerous situations.
Suki is no slouch in fighting as well. Having begun training at the age of eight, Suki is a natural acrobat and athlete, capable of holding off the likes of Azula’s ally Ty Lee who could disable others with chi blocking. She is even skilled with the Kyoshi war fans and the katana. Unlike other melee weapon users, Suki in an Avatar game like Avatar Generations could have techniques that use her different weapons, highlighting her martial prowess.
7 Long Feng
Although dressed like a mere aristocrat at first glance, Grand Secretariat Long Feng of Ba Sing Se is no mere confidant of the Earth King. In fact, his lust for power has stemmed from a young age when he started from the lowest of Ba Sing Se’s social order, having to hone his skills of deception and manipulation to reach his status. This was worth the while, considering Long Feng practically ruled Ba Sing Se through the Earth King while controlling the secret agents of the Dai Li as well.
While Azula had managed to turn the Dai Li against him, Long Feng had the potential to become the overarching villain of the second season of The Last Airbender. As an RPG character, Long Feng may be a leader-type that could buff his other teammates with his presence. Moreover, being an agent of the Dai Li makes Long Feng quite a formidable fighter and Earthbender, capable of fatally-wounding the likes of Jet with a pinpoint shot from a small rock.
6 Jet
Before Sokka became a master swordsman under the tutelage of Piandao, it was Jet that became the resident sword-wielder of The Last Airbender. Whereas Zuko’s the Blue Spirit still had mixed allegiances, Jet was at least allied to the gang. However, behind his rash and cool attitude is an unfortunate backstory, as the death of his parents at the hands of Fire Nation soldiers motivated him to lead the Freedom Fighters.
Although Jet was implied to have met an unfortunate end after helping Team Avatar escape the Dai Li. However, Jet’s skill with the hook blades allows him to disarm enemies, even other Benders, with ease. Due to the prominence of Benders and the skill of in the Avatar series, Jet may be able to capitalize on his hook swords to “disarm” melee fighters to stun them, or perhaps even get a boost against Benders.
5 Piandao
It was Sokka’s insistence on wanting to contribute to Team Avatar as a fighter that motivated him to seek Piandao in “Sokka’s Master” (S3E4), especially after townsfolk commented on Piandao’s skill and renown as both the Fire Nation’s best swordmaster and swordsmith. And it was only after witnessing Sokka’s humility that Piandao took him under his wing for grueling training. Such was the surprise of Team Avatar to learn that Piandao also taught Zuko swordsmanship, explaining his competency with two swords.
While Piandao seemed like a typical “character master” tasked to train a member of Team Avatar in the series, akin to Waterbender Pakku teaching Katara, what perhaps truly impressed fans is his membership within the Order of the White Lotus. Not only did this mean that Piandao was a skilled swordsman, but skilled enough across the Four Nations to earn a spot in an organization that transcends national boundaries. A character like Piandao can exemplify the potential of non-Benders in Avatar Generations, perhaps even having an immense advantage in melee attacks or have unique techniques exclusive to him.
4 Combustion Man
While June almost always catches up with Team Avatar during her appearances, her decent combat skill were not necessarily on par with the team’s, making her “successor” hunter the Combustion Man a frightening The Last Airbender foe. Large, silent, and utterly motivated, Combustion Man went on a relentless pursuit to fight and kill Team Avatar across four episodes. Known for his tattooed third eye that became a beacon of his unique and destructive Combustionbending, Combustion Man also boasted tremendous strength and metallic limbs that made him nigh-impossible to defeat.
In fact, it took a lot of tactical prowess from Team Avatar to take advantage of the Combustion Man’s weak point - his reliance on his tattoo. With that said, Combustion Man would make for a decent character in Avatar Generations, with his Combustionbending making him a destructive and tanky single-target Firebender with perhaps a glaring weakness towards critical attacks.
3 Avatar Kyoshi
Although Avatar Roku was heavily featured as the spiritual mentor of Aang in The Last Airbender plot, Avatar Kyoshi was perhaps a close second in terms of popular former Avatars. Known for creating the skilled Kyoshi Warriors and the nationalist Dai Li secret police, Kyoshi was born in an era of strife that motivated her rather strict outlook in life. This was quite the opposite to the rather peaceful Roku and non-confrontational Aang. Being in a world filled with strife forced Avatar Kyoshi to have more aggressive takes on Airbending and the rest of her elemental masteries.
A 5-star Avatar Kyoshi in Avatar Generations could highlight a new aggressive powerset that may oppose the flexibility of Aang’s. For instance, some of her various Bending attacks may incorporate more offense-leaning techniques, highlighting her merciless nature should the situation allows it.
2 Sozin
There’s a reason why Avatar Roku became such a pivotal character in building Aang as the current Avatar in The Last Airbender, and not simply because he was his predecessor. Rather, Avatar Roku had a hand in the major events that led to the current series, where his death has fully motivated his former best friend, Fire Lord Sozin, into launching his campaign to rule the world, leading into the Hundred Years War in the series. Such was Sozin’s influence in current events that it’s a shame he wasn’t featured as much even in stories.
In turn, Sozin might make for a rather powerful character in any squad in the Avatar RPG. Due to Sozin’s status as on par with Avatar Roku in terms of Firebending, he can be a rare 5-Star Firebender with a specialization in long-ranged attacks. Moreover, he may even have a buff where a Sozin’s Comet appears and boosts his stats temporarily, in line with his discovery of the said comet.
1 Cabbage Merchant
First introduced in “The King of Omashu” (S1E5), the Cabbage Merchant has perhaps become one of the most famous minor characters in the series. Although once an ordinary businessman, Cabbage Merchant earned the love of viewers when his constant presence near Team Avatar and both their allies, especially comedic Sokka, and companions will almost always result in the destruction of his cabbages.
However, such was his determination as a businessman that Cabbage Merchant did found Cabbage Corp. in The Legend of Korra sequel, where it became a leading producer of technologies such as cheap automobiles. With his legacy in mind, it makes sense for Avatar Generations to be able to feature Cabbage Merchant as a gag character. If the RPG includes a gacha system, Cabbage Merchant could be a measly 3-Star or even 1-Star character with high points in stats that reflect his persistence such as Constitution or Willpower.
Avatar: Generations is slated to have a soft launch this August 2022 for Android and iOS.