Nickelodeon’s animated series released of The Legend Of Korra acquaints viewers with an array of interesting characters including power-wielding elementals and other arcane beings. The courage and skills of Avatar Korra could not have progressed without the guidance and instruction of her trainer, Airbender Tenzin.
Tenzin is the virtuous and loved son of Aang ( The Last Airbender), the proceeding Avatar who kept world peace during the 100-year old war. Tenzin holds the great responsibility of training the new and headstrong Avatar, young Korra in her journey to save the world once more. As the series progresses, fans are interested in the history, background, and life of Tenzin and how his strengths and vulnerabilities have made him the perfect master and spiritual guide for Korra.
10 He’s The Oldest Airbending Master Alive In The Series
Age is just a number, some say and this statement also holds true in The Legend Of Korra. Aang became the Avatar at the age of 12 and Korra at 17. Tenzin is the oldest living Airbending master despite being the youngest of Aang and Katara’s 3 children. Avatar Aang took a deeper caring and interest in his youngest son because of his special ability and so trained him extensively. This exclusive attention and training helped Tenzin master his skills and prepare him for his role as master Airbender and trainer to the new Avatar, Korra.
9 He Was Too Insecure To Enter The Spirit World Through Meditation
Tenzin believed that it was his duty to help Korra connect with her Avatar predecessors and enter the spirit world. He tried to force his way in through meditation but ultimately had no choice but to accept his shame and confess that he had never entered the spirit world before. His entire life he had been too weighed down by his destiny and the burden of living up to his father’s legacy. As it turned out, his daughter Jinora had a natural connection to spirits and would be the guide to help Korra enter the spirit world.
8 He Trained In The Arts Of Aikido And Xing Yi Quan
Airbending is a skill that helps the practitioner remain swift and elusive. That is why the series creator consulted with a professional martial artist to really get down a fighting technique for Tenzin. Tenzin is able to defend himself while also making sure that his attacker is repelled but not hurt.
It was finally decided that a martial art such as Aikido and Xing Yi Quan would best suit the Airbenders’ fighting styles in the series. Tenzin’s fighting skills were a huge asset for him when fighting to protect Republic City, Air Temple and the one’s he loved.
7 He Was An Expert At Training Ring-Tailed Flying Lemurs
Although flying bison were supposed to have been extinct, Avatar Aang had discovered a new herd along with some flying lemurs that he brought back to the temple. Tenzin spent his youth perfecting his command of the rebellious ring-tailed winged lemurs. It is not surprising that Tenzin usually rides around on his flying bison as he has a strong connection to his animals. In the series, Tenzin’s son, Meelo, gets a few lessons from his father to train Poki, his befriended flying lemur.
6 He Had A Sibling Rivalry That He Never Knew About
Call him naïve or call him intentionally neglectful but Tenzin is not very aware of his brother and sister’s feelings about their past. Sibling jealousy can be a major factor in the development of family structures. That can be seen with Tenzin and his older siblings, Bumi and Kya.
As their father Aang spent countless years focusing solely on the development of his Airbending son, Tenzin, Bumi, and Kya grew more resentful and jealous of the attention they felt was robbed from them. It took until their older age to expose their true feeling and make Tenzin aware of their sensitivity.
5 He Broke Up With His Girlfriend Because She Didn’t Want Kids
When two people in a relationship don’t see eye to eye about building a family, things can’t really progress much further. That is the case with Airbender Tenzin and Earthbender Lin. After a long supportive and sometimes tense relationship, it came time to weigh out the priorities and goals they had as individuals. Although Lin did not desire children, it was really Pema who stole Tenzin’s heart away. After Pema professed her deep love to Tenzin, he could not help but fall in love with her, marry her, and have the children he always wanted. Lucky choice! They had 3 children who all turned out to be Airbenders.
4 He Was The Only Airbender Born In A Span Of 100 Years
Tenzin is not only special because he is the spiritual guide and master trainer for Avatar Korra, but he is also special because he is the only Airbender who was born within a time span of 100 years. For this reason, he is the oldest Airbender in The Legend Of Korra. Due to his wisdom, he is able to help and advise Korra when she has to vanquish villains and evil-doers such as Lord Izumi and Unalaq. Interestingly there is Tenzin’s older brother Bumi who was born a non-bender but after the convergence, he developed Airbending abilities. He would be the oldest Airbender if he fully developed his abilities but Tenzin will always hold the title for being the oldest naturally-born Airbender.
3 He Was Bullied As A Kid
No one can say that being teased by family or friends is any fun. Likewise, Tenzin has no problem making it clear that he cannot stand spending too much time with his older brother and sister. As he recalls, his older siblings made his life as a youth difficult by antagonizing him, teasing him, playing pranks on him, and making fun of his accomplishments and abilities. He was even afraid of his sister Kya for many years because she would overpower and roughhouse him. Little did he know they were simply envious of their little brother.
2 He Had To Rebuild Air Temple After His Ragefully Ex Destroyed It
It’s not unusual for break-ups to lead to vengeful actions but perhaps not many have gone as far as Tenzin and Lin’s aftermath. As fans of The Legend Of Korra know, Lin threw a fit of rage after Tenzin left her for his true love, Pema.
As she insinuates to Mako during their brief relationship talk, Lin tells him of the damage she did to air temple after her devastating breakup. This series certainly has a character list of upset girlfriends and bad breakups!
1 His Sense Of Duty Has Kept Him From Reaching His Spiritual Potential
An Airbender must be spiritually sound and in tune with his inner self. This has proven to be a difficult task for Tenzin. After finally entering the spirit world to search for his daughter’s lost spirit, Tenzin and his siblings get trapped in the Fog Of Lost Souls. This place consumes souls by making them delirious and forgetting where they are. Tenzin must find his strength and change his perception of himself to escape. As he speaks to his father’s image which eventually turns into a mirror image of himself, he finally breaks out of his father’s shadow.
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