The History Of The Air Nomad Genocide (Avatar)

The History Of The Air Nomad Genocide (Avatar)

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The Air Nomad Genocide was a mass slaughter committed by the Fire Nation that resulted in the near eradication of the Air Nomads and the fauna that lived in the air temples. The only human survivor of the initial attack and its aftermath was Avatar Aang, who was ironically the prime target. The outrage over this cultural destruction compelled the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribe to take up arms and declare war on the Fire Nation, leading to the large-scale war that continued for one hundred years.

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This video uses material from the "Air Nomad Genocide” article on the Avatar Wiki at Fandom, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License.

[FrizzleLamb]

One of the things that amaze me, albeit being sad, is that Gyatso didn't go down without a FIGHT. The number of corpses around his body proved that he must have been a hell of an airbender.

[fling-dutchman]

Sozin's genocide on the Air nomads because he knew the next avatar that could stop the Fire Nation would be an airbender reminds me of Lord Shen going out to exterminate all pandas, because he found out that the one who would defeat him would be a panda. Both sought to kill what would defeat them, both failed. One usually seals his fate on the road he takes to avoid it.

[anthonymalone]

I bet Tenzin told the new airbenders to try and have as many kids as possible since all airbending children have the ability.

[FinalLugiaGuardian]

I tend to think that "Airbenders" did not all die with the Sozin's genocide.
We know that there were Air Nomads who left the air temples and had children with Earth Kingdom citizens (such as Avatar Kyoshi's Air Nomad mother).
Also, there were likely a few Air Nomads that went into hiding and did not fall for fire nation tricks that lead to their capture and murder. They likely stopped their air nomad traditions and married people from the Earth Kingdom.
I think those genes remained in the gene pool of the earth earth Kingdom citizens and when Harmonic Conversion occurred, those Earth Kingdom Non benders who had distant air nomad Ancestry had their dormant air bending abilities awakened.

[KIWIMADNEZ]

Dude... now that is cruel... Tricking the remaining airbenders that they could find refuge in a place they thought felt safe only to be quickly captured and murdered...

[wattsnottaken]

Fire lord Sozin is the definition of a Snake 🐍, he killed his best friend and then when he finds out his best friend will be reincarnated as an air nomad he genocides them...pretty sad

[Lalvon_Zelpharr]

God I love the Avatar Universe I really want more,

[markpepito]

How did Monk Gyatso wipe-out about a dozen firebenders, supercharged with Sozin's comet, before he died?
Here's my theory: Gyatso knew a secret "last resort" airbending move that Aang was never told about.
As they surrounded him, he sat quietly on the floor. Then, once they were close, he simply pushed all the air out of the room. He held the air out of the room long enough to suffocate all of them, and himself.
Evidence for this:
•His clothing is unburnt, and there is no evidence fire bending was used near him. Why would they have fought/killed him without fire?
•Their bodies are lying piled up around him. If he killed them with airbending, they would have been thrown across the room.
•Aang, as a child, wouldn't have been taught this dark technique, so it makes sense that it's not referenced in the show
•We know this type of bending is possible (on a small scale at least) because Zaheer uses it to kill the Earth Queen.
Think about how those firebenders must have felt. Standing over a frail old monk, feeling indestructible from the the power of the comet. Then suddenly, Gyatso pushes his hands to the side, and there's a rush of noise, then utter silence. They realise they can't breathe. They try to use firebending to kill him before they suffocate, but without air, there can be no fire!
In one move Gyatso has gone out on his own terms, killed them all, and shown how the elements rely on each other, and the importance of balance.
What do you think?

[mimbemsiyuh]

I love the avatar series. I watch it over and over again yet it never gets old.

[edra]

Apparently one of the Airbending elders betrayed the air nomads conspired with Sozin to launch the genocide
He allowed them access to each of the air temples to kill the air benders during the passing of the comet

[sergiovictoria]

If aang never ran away he would've died along with the air benders, unless he ran away with gataso to the earth kingdom, than it would've been different story but if he stayed and fought enhanced fire benders
In avatar state he would last, he would only a bit till he fell flat weak like he did in zukos ship in book 1 , and leave him defenseless, they would still slaughter the air benders and most likely capture aang alive considering if he dies he will be reborn, on top the fire benders where there to kill, they wouldn't be the same peaceful fire benders aang fought in book 1, 2, 3 they were there to kill men woman and children

[omaralfar]

Remeber how Roku manifested himself in Aang during the Winter Solstice? Yeah, imagine if he did that during the Air Nomad Genocide. That would surprise everyone, especially Sozin

[shivaumesh]

Similar to how Ozai flew in Book 3 because of the Comet, I think the Comet gave enough power for the firebenders to fly up the mountains and land to fight the Airbenders.

[Grail]

Actually, Monk Gyatso did a secret technique in which an airbender takes the air out of a room, that’s why there were so many corpses and why Gyatso died.

[rpt]

I used to believe that if Aang had stayed he could’ve fought off all the COMET enhanced firebenders to save his people like how he mentions from when he’s a kid until adult hood. But now after watching the show so much you realize that it was meant to be that way and Aang would’ve died or been captured.

[KDoeBeatz]

This goes to show you that things happen for a reason, it was meant for Aang to leave

Peace be to all my brothers and sisters...all of humanity....we can all learn from this series

[acat]

“Friendships can last more than one life”

[tomasvrabec]

"relatively intact western air temple"
Shows southern air temple

[rebeccadestin]

Damn I never took the extinction of the airnomads seriously until now

[nonanimeprofilepic]

The genocide makes no sense, even if he killed aang he would just reincarnate to a water nation person, then if he did that again he would just reincarnate. Only way he would actually kill the avatar is if they kill them in the avatar state