Sorting “Avatar: The Last Airbender” Characters into Hogwarts Houses
If you haven’t already watched Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender series, you are definitely missing out! If you loved some of the themes of Harry Potter – love, forgiveness, the Chosen One – you will love Avatar. Because of some of their similarities, and just because it’s fun, we Sorted some of the main characters from Avatar into Hogwarts Houses.
1. Aang – Hufflepuff
Unlike Harry, the hero of Avatar: The Last Airbender is definitely not a Gryffindor. Raised by monks in the Air Temple, Aang is decidedly non-violent whenever possible. This becomes a theme throughout the series. When he must fight, he does so only to defend and disarm rather than to cause harm. Situations in which violence seems to be the answer clearly make him uncomfortable, and he always searches for an alternative. Aang is also extremely considerate of the feelings and needs of his friends and fellow people. While he can obviously get caught up in the occasional teen drama (let’s not forget when all those Earth Kingdom girls were fawning over him!), he frequently puts love and friendship above everything else.
2. Katara – Ravenclaw
Katara, like Hermione, could feel comfortable in either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. That said, unlike Hermione, her primary house is most likely Ravenclaw. While she has a bit of Harry’s need to save everyone (as demonstrated in the episode “The Painted Lady”), she rarely acts without thinking things through. Katara has strong emotions, but she is good at sorting through them and finding the logical, smart path for the gang to follow. She acts as the voice of reason when Aang is faced with a tough decision. Katara values knowledge and learning, and she uses that value to progress from novice to master in the span of one season of the show, going from learning alongside Aang to becoming his instructor.
3. Sokka – Gryffindor
Sokka is unequivocally a Gryffindor. He places a lot of importance on bravery and courage and he often leaps into action before taking the time to decide the best course. As the only non-bender of their group (until Suki joins them), he sees himself as a protector. Sokka’s skill with a sword and a boomerang frequently save the gang from trouble, and his head for strategy and war mechanics make him a valuable member of the group.
4. Zuko – Slytherin
Zuko is my personal favorite character from Avatar, and his character arc would be envied by the likes of Draco Malfoy. Zuko is a classic Slytherin. He is motivated by power, ambition, and a need for absolute respect from his followers. His primary emotion is anger, and he is the king of the resting bitch face. Zuko goes through an incredible emotional transformation throughout the series. A Slytherin to the end, Zuko learns to connect with his feelings, to examine his values, and to figure out what he believes to be right. He makes a lot of mistakes along the way, but that’s part of what makes his character so compelling and his change of allegiance so believable.
5. Iroh – Hufflepuff
When we meet Iroh, he has processed a lot of the choices he’s made in his life, grieved the loss of his son, and learned from the other Benders of the world. Lovable, tea-obsessed, and full of (sometimes confounding) ancient proverbs, Iroh is a grounding presence in Zuko’s life. It’s his stability, sense of peace, and his joy in smaller pleasures that teaches not only Zuko but many of the younger characters how to find their own paths.
6. Toph – Slytherin
Our second Slytherin of the group, Toph is a favorite of many! She is badass, uncompromising, and unabashedly certain she is the best Earth Bender in the whole world. And considering she literally invented Metal Bending, who can blame her? Toph is extremely competitive, and when she first joins the group, apparently self-serving and not a team player. Much about Toph is revealed as the gang gets to know her, but she never loses her sarcasm, her dark sense of humor, or her hard-earned confidence. It’s no wonder she’s the first to accept fellow Slytherin, Zuko, into the group.
7. Suki – Gryffindor
It’s no wonder Suki and Sokka are such a good match! She is a classic Gryffindor in many ways. She is courageous, strong, and determined. As the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, Suki is confident in her abilities and the abilities of her team and doesn’t let anybody try and pull one over on her. She decides to accompany the gang through the Serpent’s Pass to make sure they get through okay (even though Sokka is being a bit of a butt about it). In the end, it’s Suki and her quick thinking and bravery that saves Sokka, Toph, and everyone fighting the Fire Nation.
So there you have it! The Avatar gang make up a well-balanced and diversely-Sorted group of characters. Their differences in character are often the source of friction between them, but they’re also probably the reason they are so successful in their pursuits.
