The Netflix cast shared their thoughts on Zuko-Katara, Toph-Aang, and major timeline changes
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Season 2 landed on Netflix on June 25. The new season follows Aang, Katara, and Sokka as they move deeper into the Earth Kingdom after the events of Season 1. It also introduces Toph Beifong, one of the most discussed characters from the original Nickelodeon animated series. Since the season began streaming, fans have been comparing the live-action adaptation to the animated show and looking closely at the changes made to the story. That has sparked a wave of fan theories about where the Netflix series might be headed next.
Fans have been buzzing about everything from a possible Katara and Zuko romance to whether the live-action version could pair Toph and Aang together. Others have been picking apart the details, questioning why Team Avatar isn’t just flying everywhere on Appa, how Toph’s earthbending will be portrayed, and more. With the live-action show taking a slightly different approach to the timeline, these theories have quickly become a big part of the Season 2 conversation. In a recent Entertainment Weekly ‘Debunked’ video, the cast, including Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, Dallas Liu, Elizabeth Yu, and Miyako, addressed several of those fan theories directly.
Speaking about the buzz around a possible romance between Katara and Zuko, Miyako pushed back on the idea by pointing to Katara’s history with Zuko, saying, “She’s hated him for forever.” Elizabeth Yu also spoke about the Fire Nation side of the story and said the show gives more attention to Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai. Yu added that it has been fun to explore the Fire Nation girls, while emphasizing that the show is staying close to the animated series when it comes to the relationships between its characters.
The Toph and Aang theory received an even clearer response. Some fans believed that changes to Toph’s live-action characterization could mean the show was setting up a romantic connection between her and Aang. Miyako shut down this theory and said, “[Cormier’s] like my little brother. So no, no! I disagree with that portion of it.” She also explained that her earlier comments about portraying Toph as slightly older and more feminine referred to her performance, not to any changes to Toph’s core role in the story.
The cast also addressed theories about the Season 2 timeline. Miyako said viewers need to understand that the live-action show’s timeline is “a little bit different.” She explained that this means some events may happen before or after they did in the animated series, which can create confusion when fans only see short clips from trailers. Kiawentiio also noted that some of the footage being discussed online came from a teaser trailer, so the scenes make more sense once viewed within the right context. Cormier responded to the Appa question as well, after fans wondered why Team Avatar would travel on foot if they could fly. “Because if we could just fly, we would. There must be a reason we can’t. I just can’t talk about it,” he said in the EW video. The cast did not reveal the full answer, but the comment confirmed that the show has a reason for that choice.
Another theory focused on Toph’s earthbending and whether the live-action version had changed how she “sees” through the earth. The cast pushed back on the idea that her ability had been completely changed. “Everything about her earthbending and about her story is pretty close to the original series. So, we didn’t want to touch that or change it,” Miyako said in the YouTube video. The cast also explained that the show can include both earth vibrations and emotional instincts without taking away from Toph’s main ability. The actors also noted that some parts from the animated series were already covered in Season 1, which means Season 2 may not follow the same structure exactly. ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Season 2 is now available on Netflix. The platform has already confirmed that Season 3 will be the final installment of the live-action series and will conclude Aang’s story.