27 Avatar: The Last Airbender Memes to Honor the Cabbages We Lost in The Way

Melissa Knudson • Writer

Oct 9, 2026 11:00 AM EDT

Forget planes, can we get an Appa instead?

Fire can be destruction, turn everything to ashes, lose control, and burn it all. It can also be light, life, passion, and strength. Nature has a way of balancing itself, and so does the human spirit. This is one of the many poem-worthy lessons that the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender left for us in their scripts. A TV show that tried to make us believe it was made for kids, and yet, brings tears to our eyes as adults all the same. A story that seemed like just another cartoon, but that gave us the most valuable pieces of wisdom that continue to rule our life choices. Stepping into the Avatar's universe for the first time felt like stepping inside a dream; and now, a couple of decades later, it continues to be a dream we keep going back to.

This show captured our hearts when we were kids and made us try to bend our shower water. It gave us a stronger appreciation of nature and a wider understanding of history and politics. It made us laugh, cry, think, and wish for an Appa in our lives. It really made us feel like there was a transforming power within all of us. A comedy animation turned into a testament of humanity itself. A place we can always go back to, and feel just as happy as we did the first time we found it.

Truly, what is there not to love? Deeply flawed characters who remind us that growing up is a process as much as it is an adventure. Kids that cared about the world as much as they cared about having fun. Cultures that celebrate each other and others that break each other. A narrative that finds beauty in the midst of loss, and peace in the face of conflict. Yes, We've taken a much more profound route here. Blame it on Uncle Iroh's influence.

This collection of memes will always remind us that our inner Zuko can always start making the right choices, that our Toph side will never let us give up, that the Katara in us will find a way to heal, that our inner Aang will never forget to have fun, and that Sokka has a clever comedic comeback for absolutely every situation (and that we should learn to hide our cabbages better).