Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the greatest animated shows in history, and it plays home to an iconic and beloved cast of characters. But while everyone loves popular characters — such as Zuko, Toph, or Avatar Aang himself — many others go widely unnoticed by the fandom.
Throughout the series, fans meet many amazing characters, each with their own complex personalities and compelling backstories. Whether they play a major role like Suki or a small, brief part like Jeong Jeong, many amazing Avatar characters get far less credit than they deserve. Though they don’t play as big of a role as the main heroes, they’ve made a lasting impact on the story and Avatar wouldn’t be the same without them.
10 Suki
Suki may get more screen time than other supporting characters, but she’s still a severely underrated hero within the Avatar franchise. Despite being an official member of Team Avatar, Suki often gets sidelined and forgotten.
Suki has made many contributions to the team and the fight against Firelord Ozai. Even long before she officially joined Aang and friends, Suki was a vital ally and a fierce warrior that deserved praise. Sadly, the story pays little attention to her character; sometimes she’s even left out of the group altogether.
9 Haru
Haru is one of the first allies Team Avatar meets on their journey, becoming a good friend of the main group very early on in the series. His debut episode helps establish the plot, giving viewers a better look at the war and how it’s affecting the nations.
Haru is one of the few earthbenders the Gaang knows early on, so fans get much of the Earth Kingdom’s perspective through him. However, as the series progresses, Haru is essentially forgotten. Though he makes a few more appearances throughout the story, he gets overshadowed by more popular side characters like Jet.
8 Admiral Zhao
Avatar features many different villains throughout its run, and some are more memorable than others. Admiral Zhao is one of the earliest big baddies to appear in the series. Unlike some villains featured, Zhao is a classic villain, with no tragic backstory and very little complexity to his character. However, this works well for him, as his despicable actions raise the stakes in Book One and add much more interest.
But despite his important role in the first season, Admiral Zhao is mostly forgotten. As the series’ first major villain, he lost relevance once Aang defeated him, and fans shifted their focus to new villains like Azula.
7 June
June is a badass beauty who debuted near the end of Book One. She’s a fierce bounty hunter and experienced Shirshu rider hired by Zuko to track down Aang and the rest of Team Avatar. June is a spitfire of a character, from her incredible strength and skills to her unmatched beauty and sassy attitude.
But despite her many amazing attributes, June remains a highly underrated character within the series. Given she only appears a few times and plays a fairly minor role, many fans hardly remember her at all. Considering June’s impressive skillset, it’s a shame she didn’t get more screen time because she likely would have made an interesting addition to the story.
6 Princess Yue
Though she only appeared in the season finale of Book One, it’s hard to deny that Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe is quite an unforgettable character. With her beauty, courage, and compelling story, many fans quickly fell in love with her upon her introduction. But since Yue is only around for two episodes, it’s no surprise she’s become an underrated part of the cast.
Still, despite her very brief time in the series, Yue is probably one of the most important minor characters. Her sacrifice helped restore balance to their world and her emotional relationship with Sokka established early character development that stuck with him throughout the series.
5 Master Piandao
The members of Team Avatar all have some incredible mentors, from the memorable Master Pakku to the iconic Uncle Iroh. However, not all of them get the same amount recognition. Master Piandao may play just a small role in the series, but his impact is undeniable.
Master Piandao instills many valuable lessons in Sokka, teaching him the way of the sword as well as compassion, patience, and understanding. His teachings show Sokka and the audience alike that not all Fire Nation citizens agree with Firelord Ozai and his reign of terror. Master Piandao proves that heroes can be found even in enemy territory, changing the perspective of the main heroes forever.
4 Kanna
Kanna — or Gran-Gran, as Sokka and Katara call her — is a fairly easy character to forget, considering her very brief screen time. But though she’s barely in most of the series, she’s one of Avatar’s most important minor characters.
Kanna is her grandchildren’s rock, loving and supporting them when their parents are gone. She instilled her wisdom and experience into them, which in turn allowed them to blossom into the strong and capable heroes they both become by the series’ end. Even when she’s no longer a part of the story, her influence still guides Sokka, Katara, and Aang throughout their journey, getting them out of some pretty tough situations.
3 Teo
Of the many friends and allies Team Avatar meets throughout their journey, Teo is by far one of the most underrated. Meeting the Gaang early on in the series, he all but disappears until the very end, where he shows up to help with the invasion.
But despite his lack of presence, Teo is a surprisingly memorable character and a unique addition to the cast. As the Mechanist’s son, he’s got a knack for all things mechanical, and as a result, he’s an expert flyer. Unfortunately, his skills are severely underused in the series, and fans never really get to see what he can do.
2 Jeong Jeong
Jeong Jeong is probably one of the most underrated firebenders in the Avatar franchise. He’s one of the very first good Fire Nation characters fans meet, proving that not all of its citizens are evil.
Though he’s only in the series for a short time, Jeong Jeong greatly impacts the story. He warns the Gaang of the horrors of war and the unpredictability of fire, something that sticks with Aang throughout the series. Jeong Jeong is probably one of the most complex and interesting side characters in the series, and it’s a shame he doesn’t make more appearances throughout the story.
1 Monk Gyatso
Monk Gyatso was Aang’s guardian and mentor back when he lived at the Air Temple. Introduced in the episode titled “The Southern Air Temple”, fans learn that he was the closest thing Aang had to a father. Gyatso’s impact on Aang’s life is evident, from childhood onward. Much of who Aang becomes is thanks to his teachings and love.
Fans don’t get to see much of Monk Gyatso in Avatar, only learning about him through flashbacks. Nevertheless, he’s an amazing and well-loved character, and his relationship with Aang is absolutely touching.
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