The Last Airbender’s Gyatso Backstory Explains 1 Of Aang’s Greatest Challenges

The Reckoning of Roku adds depth to one of Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s best storylines, but it also elaborates on one of Aang’s greatest challenges by including Monk Gyatso’s backstory. Written by Randy Ribay, The Reckoning of Roku expands on one of The Last Airbender‘s most intriguing episodes: “The Avatar and the Fire Lord.” The novel builds on the series’ depiction of Roku and Fire Lord Sozin’s friendship, offering further insight into what drives them apart — and giving readers Fire Lord Sozin’s perspective on everything that unfolds.

Although The Reckoning of Roku takes place before Avatar: The Last Airbender, everything that happens in the book affects what comes later. Sozin and Roku obviously play large roles in the beginning of the Hundred Year War, which becomes the major conflict of ATLA. But Ribay’s novel also features another character who’s crucial to Aang’s journey in the Nickelodeon series. Since Roku becomes friends with Monk Gyatso during his Avatar training, the book chronicles their relationship. And its insight into Gyatso’s character actually explains one of Aang’s biggest obstacles.

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The Reckoning Of Roku Puts A Sinister Spin On 1 Sweet Moment From Avatar: The Last Airbender

The Reckoning of Roku features familiar scenes between Sozin and Roku, and the Avatar: The Last Airbender novel makes one sweet interaction darker.

The Reckoning Of Roku’s Gyatso Backstory Reveals A Similarity Between Him & Aang

Throughout The Reckoning of Roku, a young Gyatso struggles to master his Airbending — mostly because it stops working at his command. Although Gyatso proves his talent when his Airbending first manifests, the loss of his sister causes him to lose his abilities in Ribay’s novel. Gyatso is able to call upon his Airbending in life-or-death situations, but otherwise, it doesn’t work the way he wants it to. Given the Air Nomads’ philosophy about attachment, he assumes he can’t use his power because he’s struggling to let go.

This is something he and Roku bond over, as Roku has trouble releasing his connection to the Fire Nation as well. But Roku isn’t the only one who has this in common with Gyatso. Aang struggles to release his attachment to Katara in Avatar: The Last Airbender. This feels reminiscent of Roku and Gyatso’s storylines in The Reckoning of Roku. And Gyatso’s backstory could even explain Aang’s issues later in The Last Airbender timeline. It makes sense Aang would face a similar challenge to his childhood friend and mentor.

Gyatso’s Struggles With Detachment Explain Aang’s Biggest Challenge In The Last Airbender

Before Aang discovers he’s the Avatar, he’s raised like a normal child at the Southern Air Temple — and Gyatso plays a major role in his upbringing. Aang holds a lot of love for Monk Gyatso, as he’s one of the Avatar’s earliest friends. Their bond even “transcends lifetimes,” as Roku puts it in “The Avatar and the Fire Lord.” The fact that both Gyatso and Aang have trouble with the Air Nation philosophy of letting go can’t be coincidental. It’s likely Gyatso’s The Reckoning of Roku backstory has a direct impact on Aang’s journey.

Aang learns the value of love and friendship from Monk Gyatso, so it’s no surprise The Last Airbender’s lead also picks up this so-called shortcoming. This seems to be something multiple Avatars and Air Nomads struggle to do, and Aang might have taken a different approach to attachment had he been exposed to more detached mentors and friends. Aang’s inability to embrace this Air Nation philosophy doesn’t prevent him from saving the world. In fact, The Last Airbender and Reckoning of Roku prove attachment to others can also be a strength.

The Last Airbender Book & Show Prove Gyatso’s & Aang’s Problem Isnt’ Such A Bad Thing

Love and friendship are major themes of the Last Airbender franchise, and the Nickelodeon show posits that Aang can embrace such things and succeed as the Avatar. Gyatso’s closeness to Aang also helps him become someone capable of saving the Fire Nation, so the willingness to feel love and loss so strongly isn’t something the franchise condemns. Judging by these characters’ stories, it’s also painted as a strength. Moderation seems to be key here, but having something to fight for proves beneficial to Aang in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender is an Animated Fantasy and Adventure series that appeared on Nickelodeon and was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The series featured voices from Zach Tyler Eisen, Jack DeSena, Dante Basco, and Mae Whitman. The premise follows a young boy named Aang, an Air Bender who is set to be the next Avatar, master of all elements, in a bit to unite the nations together and bring peace.

Cast

Mako , Dee Bradley Baker , Jack De Sena , Michaela Jill Murphy , Zach Tyler , Dante Basco , Mae Whitman

Release Date

February 21, 2005

Seasons

3

Writers

michael dante dimartino

Directors

Dave Filoni

Showrunner

michael dante dimartino

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