It's been over 15 years since "Avatar: The Last Airbender" first premiered on Nickelodeon. In the years since, the series has stood out as one of the century's fantasy greats.
Avatar takes place in a world comprised of four nations: the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, the Water Tribes, and the Air Nomads. Certain members of each nation have the ability to bend one of the four elements, and one individual known as the Avatar has the power to bend all of them. In turn, the Avatar is tasked with maintaining balance in the world, particularly between humans and spirits.
The world of "Avatar," as Nicole Clark wrote in Vice, is on par with other fantasy greats like "Lord of the Rings." However, it draws inspiration from a variety of Asian cultures (primarily Chinese, Clark notes) as opposed to European, as is the case in most Western fantasy fare. Its bending disciplines are based on different martial arts including Northern Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi.
While the worldbuilding of the original "Avatar" series is comprehensive, the universe's seemingly limitless history has only expanded with recent releases like F.C. Yee's 2020 spin-off novel "The Shadow of Kyoshi." Add that to a continuous stream of comics, a full sequel series, and assorted animated shorts and auxiliary materials, and there's a lot of canon material to parse through.
We've combed through the canon materials of the "Avatar" universe — including the main series, comics, animated shorts, and novels — to put together a comprehensive timeline. Whether you're a longtime fan of the series or someone who's just looking to get their facts straight, here's a history of the universe of "Avatar: The Last Airbender."