Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender reboot is reportedly aging up Katara, and there’s only one reason that would be a good idea. Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for Nickelodeon, Avatar: The Last Airbender was an incredibly successful, moving, and mature animated series that aired in the mid-2000s. And given its popularity, it’s understandable Hollywood attempted to turn the story into a feature film. However, that movie turned out to be anything but a franchise-starter.
The Last Airbender was meant to be the first installment in a full-fledged trilogy, but those plans quickly dissipated following the movie’s release and its subsequent backlash. But years have passed and, thanks to its release on Netflix, the Avatar series is back on people’s minds. Now, Netflix is attempting a live-action adaptation of their own, but there have been some hiccups along the way. The original series’ creators were initially on board as writers and producers, but they’ve since departed the project due to creative differences, with Netflix bringing in a new showrunner.
However, in addition to bringing in someone new, Netflix’s Avatar reboot will reportedly deviate from the original series and make Katara older than Sokka. In the original show, Sokka was the oldest of the main characters, at 15 years old, with his sister, Katara, being 14 years old and Aang being 12 years old (not counting his 100 years in the ice). The live-action reboot plans to switch Sokka and Katara’s roles; Katara reportedly will be 16 years old and Sokka will be 14 years old. Aang, however, will remain the same. Although this seems like a minor change, it actually isn’t – and the only reason it would make sense is if Netflix plans to develop a relationship between Katara and Zuko.
One of the many fan debates that continues to rage more than a decade after the animated series ended is whether Katara should’ve ended up with Zuko instead of Aang. Since the series spent three full seasons setting up Aang and Katara’s relationship, the writers and producers perhaps didn’t feel it was right to suddenly change the plans in the final season. However, that hasn’t stopped the “Zutara” discussion from enduring. And now, with Katara possibly being 16 years old in the reboot, there’s a chance for Netflix to do what the animated series never did: give fans a true Zuko and Katara romance. After all, both characters would be 16 years old. Otherwise, having Aang and Katara still end up together – taking into account the Avatar himself being 12 years old – would be revolting.
Aside from the “Zutara” point, though, this decision to switch Katara and Sokka’s ages presents a new set of problems. A huge aspect of their characterizations is that Katara steps up to become the adult of the group, taking care of everyone, including her brother who, while a strategic mastermind, takes time to mature throughout the story. So while she takes care of Sokka and Team Avatar as the motherly figure, Sokka exudes his older bother attitude and attempts to protect his sister at all costs. That sibling relationship will be entirely different in the reboot, should the reported plan to age up Katara go unchanged.
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