19 Best Villains in the Avatar Franchise, Ranked

Highlights

• Avatar franchise’s success lies in its well-written villains with unique goals and abilities, adding depth to the story.
• Characters like Azula, Amon, and Vaatu stand out for their impact on the heroes and intricate ideologies.
• From power-hungry Fire Lords to vengeful freedom fighters, Avatar’s villains bring complexity and depth to the series.

In the early 2000s, Nickelodeon introduced Avatar: The Last Airbender to the fantasy genre realm, revealing a bending-based world where Avatar Aang needed to master the four different elements and end the Fire Nation’s tyranny. Close to a decade later, Avatar: The Legend of Korra debuted in 2012, showing us the aftereffects of Aang’s heroic effort, and the new tech-oriented world, where Avatar Korra needed to restore balance to the somewhat fragile society and prevent the likes of Vaatu from causing world destruction.

The Avatar franchise remains popular among fans due to its great re-watch value, stemming from the show’s epic fights, comedic scenes, interesting array of characters, and superb plot. However, one of Avatar’s main specialties is its villains, with different goals and mannerisms. Villains like Azula, the Firelord’s daughter, gave the main characters occasional despair, Amon, the revolutionary, politicized the franchise, allowing viewers to see through the perspective of non-benders, and Vaatu threatened impending apocalypse. So, we are going to rank the best villains in Avatar based on their ideals, thought processes, and how well they impacted the story.

Updated March 3, 2024, by Emedo Destiny The Avatar franchise came back with a bang following the release of the live-action of its famous first series, Avatar: The Last Airbender. With so many mixed reactions and talking points, the franchise is once again the rave of the internet. The franchise boasts many significant elements and features. However, the series particularly stands out for its cast of characters, specifically in their villainy. From a face-stealing spirit, a war-hungry Firelord, to a charismatic freedom fighter who had the power to take away bending, the show always managed to outdo itself in terms of its search for antagonism for its peculiar protagonists. So, regarding the series’ villains, here are the most frightening to behold.

19 The Dangerously Loyal P’Li

Bending Type: Fire Bending (Combustion)

Member of the infamous Red Lotus, P’Li was Zaheer’s love interest before his incarceration, and in addition to that, a fearsome fire bender who could combustion-bend. Initially imprisoned at the hands of the order of the White Lotus, P’Li regained her freedom with the help of Zaheer, who, together with the Red Lotus, unleashed the horrors of anarchy on the world and Avatar Korra.

Born as a bending prodigy with the aptitude to combustion bend, P’Li lived her early life as a trained assassin for a warlord responsible for her kidnap. Despite being a capable fire bender, P’Li’s combustion bending managed to be even more impressive than the first iteration shown in the franchise, with her capable of accurately taking out her target regardless of difficulty. P’Li, however, meets her end at the hands of Suyin Beifong during the Air Temple invasion.

18 Vengeful Jet

Fighting Style: Swordsman

In his brief yet prolonged stint in the Last Airbender series as Freedom Fighters refugee group leader, Jet provided a fresh breath of antagonism for Aang and his friends. Orphaned as a child, Jet grows to become a vengeful vigilante with a deep-seated hatred for the Fire Nation, who would go to any length to exact his revenge, even at the expense of the lives of innocent civilians.

This particular trait of his became undeniable after he betrayed Team Avatar. Even after seemingly turning a new leaf, Jet is unfortunately once more a hurdle for Team Avatar to cross in Ba Sing Se, an encounter which sadly led to his demise at the hands of Long Feng.

17 Zhao, The Overzealous Commander

Bending Type: Fire Bending

Zhao was an overambitious commander and leader of the Fire Nation Navy in the first season of the Last Airbender series, whose abilities justified his forward actions. Due to his mastery of fire bending under the tutelage of Jeong Jeong of the White Lotus, Zhao was one of the most powerful men in the Fire Nation at the time. To prove his worthiness and loyalty to the Fire Lord, the central antagonist for much of The Last Airbender’s first season, Zhao took upon himself the Avatar’s capture, making him the unappreciated rival of the exiled Prince Zuko.

Rash and thoughtless concerning the Avatar, Zhao was responsible for the death of the Moon Spirit following his siege of the Northern Water Tribe. His action would lead to the desecration of the Fire Nation’s navy fleet by Aang and, ultimately, his condemnation to the Fog Of Lost Souls in the Spirit World by the Ocean Spirit.

16 The Covetous Fire Lord Sozin

Bending Type: Fire Bending

The mastermind of the Hundred Year War, Sozin began the persecution plaguing the benders even after his death. Father to Azulon and grandfather to Iroh and Ozai, Sozin started to steer down the path of evil world domination after Roku was confirmed to be the Avatar. Unable to keep hidden his desires for global encroachment, Sozin’s relationship with his best friend, Roku, became highly strained.

A result which ended in Roku’s death and Sozin harnessing the power of the comet to commit mass genocide against the Air Nomads, kickstarting a war that culminated in two lifetimes and another comet to put an end to.

15 The Deadly Skilled Ming-Hua

Bending Type: Water Bending

In Book 3 of The Legend of Korra, Ming-Hua made her first appearance as one of the secondary antagonists. Together with other members of the Red Lotus, she attempted to abduct young Avatar Korra but this resulted in her imprisonment in a cell above a volcano without any access to water.

Born without arms, she used a specific style of Waterbending to create arm-like appendages which gave her a tremendous edge in battle. She could manipulate these ‘water arms’ to be more resourceful than ordinary arms and could even freeze the tips into lethal spikes. Using her water whips, she could also create the velocity required to transform her entire body into an ice drill capable of digging a hole in the ground. These and many other highly debilitating techniques made her a formidable opponent.

14 The Dangerous Lavabender Ghazan

Bending Type: Earth Bending (Lara)

Ghazan was a dangerous Earthbending criminal and another member of the Order of the Red Lotus imprisoned after taking part in a plot to capture Avatar Korra. His Lavabending abilities made him a terrifying villain since his lava was highly lethal and incapable of being redirected by most opponents. He could manipulate it to be used as a potent weapon or transform any earth-based attack launched at him into lava and re-divert it.

He remained devoted to the Red Lotus, going to any length to achieve their goals, even opting to kill himself rather than surrender and go back to prison.

13 Combustion Man

Bending Type: Fire Bending (Combustion)

The Combustion Man, first introduced in Book Three of Avatar: The Last Airbender, possessed a specialized bending ability that allowed him to produce powerful explosions that could tear through any strike directed at him.

Hired as a bounty hunter by Zuko to kill Avatar Aang, he relentlessly pursued Aang and his friend, tracking them down wherever they went and forcing them into battles which they narrowly escaped. Very little was revealed about this firebending assassin, not even his real name. He also displayed no physical weaknesses when attacked. All of this added to his intimidating aura.

12 The Face Stealer Koh

Entity: Ancient Spirit

Koh, also known as the Face Stealer, was one of the Spirit World’s most ancient and knowledgeable spirits. He first appeared when Avatar Aang went to Koh’s lair along with Roku.

He was a malicious spirit with a centipede-like body who found joy in stealing the faces of anybody that showed emotion in his presence. The most terrifying aspect of his power was that capturing the face of another being does not kill them, but instead traps them “somewhere between life and death” for many years.

11 Hama The Twisted Blood Bender

Bending Type: Water Bending (Blood)

The creator of the deadly blood-bending technique that was a terror to even Avatars started out as a water tribe girl, thriving in her little village. Hama’s villainous nature emanated from being incarcerated by soldiers of the Fire Nation. Captured alongside her tribe members, Hama created her pathway for her escape by creating a new water-bending sub-art, which she perfected using rats in the prison cells.

After practicing and perfecting the powerful bending technique, she escaped from prison and became the villain to the innocent citizens of the Fire Nation. Using blood-bending, she controlled innocent citizens, holding them hostage for the actions committed by the Fire Nation towards her and her deceased brethren. Although Hama was briefly introduced, her story was saddening, revealing how suffering can change someone’s personality and ideals.

10 The Crafty Long Feng And The Dai Li

Bending Type: Earth Bending

Long Feng practically shows how a king’s authority can be twisted to benefit his most trusted advisors. The power-hungry advisor to the Earth King was able to charm the unassuming ruler of the Earth Kingdom into believing his wiles and less-than-ideal suggestions. Backed up by the Dai Li, Long Feng was undoubtedly the unofficial ruler of the Earth Kingdom.

Using his wits and intelligence and the Dai Li’s influence, he managed to brainwash and manipulate the citizens of the Earth Kingdom into believing that there was no existing war outside their imposing wall. Unfortunately, the façade he sets up crumbles after Aang visits. Still, he managed to wriggle out of the temporary problem, using his connection with Azula, showing his doggedness and mettle as a villain.

9 The Ambitious Prince Zuko

Bending Type: Fire Bending

In many ways, Zuko, the embittered exiled firebender, was unlike any other villain. More than anything, he desired to earn his father’s affection and restore his honor as the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. He spent three years trying to find the Avatar, making him one of Aang’s most tenacious foes.

Zuko possessed a lot of contradicting characteristics, attitudes, and actions. Later in the series, after much internal conflict, he realizes that only he can restore his honor. He decides to oppose his father’s oppressive dictatorship by joining Team Avatar, delivering one of the greatest redemption arcs in the series.

8 The Two-Faced Councilman Tarrlok

Bending Type: Water Bending (Blood)

To the citizenry of the Republic City, Councilman Tarrlok was a charismatic politician and a fair-minded individual who had the interest of their nation at heart. However, in council meetings and as a council member, Tarrlok revealed his manipulative and extremist side, forcing Tenzin to convince Korra to use her bending skills to eliminate the Equalists.

At this point, viewers well-acquainted with the typical villain mannerisms could rightly guess that there was more to this manipulative councilman. Episodes later, he proves it by blood-bending the council members and Korra later in the series. Reviving the deadly art, he uses it to capture the Avatar and imprison her in his secluded home, showing his two-sided nature.

7 Zaheer The Anarchist

Bending Type: Air Bending(Flight)

Zaheer brings back the air-bending narrative, but in a different way. Due to the world balance system finally recovering from the disaster wrought by the Fire Nation, new air benders like Zaheer showed up. Zaheer was a talented air bender, mastering how to fly without any supporting craft. However, apart from his bending skills, his ideals and character made him very unlikable.

Zaheer supported anarchy, claiming that the world was becoming more bureaucratic, and the regular people suffered because of the controlling leadership. At first glance, his ideals seemed reasonable, but on a closer look, you will discover that they benefited only him and his cohort greatly. To prove the extent of his conviction, he captured and poisoned Korra, so she could reveal the Avatar State, and he would destroy it permanently. This action places him above most villains in terms of cruelty.

6 Unalaq The Dark Avatar

Bending Type: Water Bending

Avatar: The Legend of Korra showed fans what a Dark Avatar looked like, using Unalaq. One of the most dangerous sets of villains are individuals who believe that their evil actions are righteous, with firm and unflinching conviction. Unalaq is one such villain. Starting out as the Korra’s reasonable uncle, Unalaq appears to be a level-headed and strategic leader.

However, this subtly gives way to the vicious villain with the goal of reviving Vaatu, Raava’s archenemy, during harmonic convergence. But to obtain his goal, Korra’s input was needed, so he tried to manipulate the young Avatar into doing his bidding. Even though his plan didn’t follow his original intention, he managed to secure his objective, fusing with the dark entity, Vaatu.

5 Kuvira The Dictator

Bending Type: Earth Bending (Metal)

Kuvira’s actions were an interesting redo of the Fire Nation’s attempt to conquer the world. However, from Kuvira’s perspective, the Earth Kingdom is the leading nation. The birth of Kuvira’s villainy resulted from the decline in the Earth Kingdom’s infrastructure after the Earth Queen’s death. Soon after the royalty’s death, she managed to spread her influence enough to conquer the Earth Kingdom.

Drunk on her newly-obtained power and unreasonable propaganda, she desired to conquer the United Republic, using war machines she devised, a tech-oriented approach different from past villain strategies in the Avatar Franchise. Even though she didn’t succeed, Kuvira impacted the story because she was Korra’s exact opposite, confident and self-assured, contrary to Korra and her perpetual self-doubt.

4 The Malevolent Vaatu

Alias: Spirit of Darkness & Chaos

Vaatu ranks high on this list because the spirit is the incarnation of evil in itself. The character is introduced as the Spirit of Darkness and Chaos, contrary to Raava, the Spirit of Peace and Light, making both spirits archenemies since their existence contradicts each other.

Apparently, this spirit is a being from time immemorial, with the century-long goal of enclosing the world in perpetual darkness and chaos. Initially, his plan was foiled by the Wan-Raava fusion, which created the first-ever Avatar, and led to his imprisonment in the Tree of Time. Unfortunately, through Unalaq, the malevolent being struck again, almost succeeding if not for Korra’s actions.

3 The Power-Hungry Firelord Ozai

Bending Type: Fire Bending

Ozai was the main antagonist of Avatar: The Last Airbender and was one of the most difficult opponents Aang subdued. It can be rightly assumed that Firelord Ozai’s greed for world domination resulted from the Fire Nation’s long-standing desire to rule the Four Nations even before his birth. However, despite his hunger for power, Ozai also displayed horrible traits as a father.

Proof of his bad parenting was his son, Zuko, who he treated disdainfully due to the absence of his fire-bending talent, like his sister Azula. While Zuko was still young, Ozai burned his son’s face, causing a permanent scar over his face and creating a permanent rift between both of them.

To complete the ideal villain formula, formidable strength must be involved. Ozai perfectly embodies this villain trait through his masterful and incredible fire-bending skill.

2 Amon The Revolutionary

Bending Type: Water Bending (Blood)

Honestly, if this ranking was purely based on intelligence and impressive ideals, Amon would have placed first. Arguably, the best villain in Avatar: The Legend of Korra, Amon, was a nightmare for the teenage Avatar. Amon was the leader of the Equalist faction with the goal of eliminating bending using his supposed ‘spiritually-granted power’, which later turned out to be high-level blood-bending.

His ideals and mannerisms most likely stemmed from his oppressive and abusive father’s treatment of his younger brother, Tarrlok. It made him believe bending was a skill that shouldn’t exist, so he resolved to eradicate the art. Amon was unpredictable, intelligent, and was always one step ahead of Korra and Republic City’s authorities. Similarly, one of his best actions as a villain was his removal of Korra’s bending, which lurched the character into a state of despair.

1 The Talented Azula

Bending Type: Fire Bending (Lightning)

Azula, the daughter of Firelord Ozai and the sister of Prince Zuko, is one of the best, well-written villain characters in the Avatar Franchise. From a young age, she displayed a high aptitude for bending with her blue-colored flames. Blue flames are hotter than red flames, so this rare trait possessed by Azula already signaled her undeniable talent as a fire bender.

Azula was always a thorn at Zuko’s side, finding ways to manipulate her blood brother even from their childhood. However, if Azula was a menace to Zuko, then she was the harbinger of despair for Aang and his group. After chasing Aang relentlessly through the Earth Kingdom, she struck him down with lightning while he was in the Avatar State, almost killing the Avatar, revealing how cold-hearted she could get. Still, it wasn’t till the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender that we saw how malicious Azula could become after she tried to attack Katara with lightning to cripple her brother.

Arguably, Azula was more of a threat to the Avatar group than even the Firelord, and the constant battles with this maniac at its center made the show a fan-favorite.