From Fan History Wiki

[edit] Introduction

Box art of season one of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a cartoon airing on the Nickelodeon channel. Aang, the main and titular character, is the latest avatar, the chosen person who can manipulate (or bend) all four elements. He and his friends journey across their world in an attempt to defeat the Fire Nation army and restore peace.

peace and balance to the 4 nations

[edit] Characters

[edit] Major Characters

[edit] Minor Characters

[edit] Terminology

Below is a list of terms and their definitions that are used in this fan community.

avatard: A fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender
avvy: An avatar used on a forum. [1]
crack!ships: "A relationship that has no backing or evidence from the show, usually humorous; see ship" [2]
Ozai's Angels: The fire-nation group that hunts Aang, consisting of Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai

[edit] Shipping terms

Gaang - The gang who travels with Aang (not exclusive to shipping)
Azuko - The sibling relationship between Azula and Zuko
Hammi - The relationship between Hama and Bumi
Harutara - The relationship between Haru and Katara
Jetko - The relationship between Jet and Zuko
Jinko - The relationship between Jin and Zuko
Kataang - The relationship between Katara and Aang
Katoph - The relationship between Katara and Toph
Longerbee - The relationship between Longshot and Smellerbee. Also known as Smellershot.
Maiko - The relationship between Mai and Zuko
Rozin - The relationship between Roku and Sozin
Sokkaang - The relationship between Sokka and Aang
Sokkla - The relationship between Sokka and Azula
Soko - The relationship between Song and Zuko
Sukka - The relationship between Suki and Sokka also known in some forums as George because Sukka sounds to much like Sokka and Sokki sounds like Suki
Sokko - The relationship between Sokka and Zuko More commonly known as Zuka
Taang - The relationship between Toph and Aang
Tokka - The relationship between Toph and Sokka
Toko - The relationship between Toph and Zuko
Tykka - The relationship between Ty Lee and Sokka also known as Ty Lokka
Watercest - The relationship between Sokka and Katara of the Southern Water Tribe
Zucest - The relationship between Zuko and Azula
Zukaang - The relationship between Zuko and Aang
Zusue - The relationship between Zuko and a Mary Sue
Zue - The relationship between Zuko and Yue
Zutara - The relationship between Zuko and Katara

[edit] Timeline

Below is a partial timeline of events that took place in this community.

[edit] 2005

On February 21, 2005, Avatar: The Last Airbender premiered on television in the United States on Nickelodeon. [3]
On February 21, 2005, the LiveJournal community avatar_fans was created. [4]
On February 22, 2005, Aang's training by Vivi Highwind became the first Avatar: The Last Airbender story published on FanFiction.Net. [5][6]
On February 28, 2005, Distant Horizon was created. [7]
On March 3, 2005, the RPG mailing list Avatar_The_Last_Airbender_Rpg was created. [8]
On March 6, 2005, Stuck with You by Alimoe became the first Zutara story published on FanFiction.Net [9] [10]
On March 18, 2005, an article about Avatar: The Last Airbender was created on Wikipedia. [11]
On April 25, 2005, the MySpace group cartoonnetworkcom was created. [12]
On April 28, 2005, the MySpace group avatar was created. [13]
On May 3, 2005, the MySpace group avatarfans was created. [14]
On June 5, 2005, the MySpace group avatarlastairbender was created. [15]
On July 26, 2005, the LiveJournal community avatargraphics was created. [16]
On July 26, 2005, the LiveJournal community katara_zuko was created. [17]

[edit] 2006

On January 22, 2006, the fansite Avatarspirit.net was created. [18][19]
On January 22, 2006, the fansite Blue Spirit Gal was created. [20][21]
On February 9, 2006, Sa Sottise by witheringheights became the first French language Avatar: The Last Airbender story published on FanFiction.Net. [22] [23]
On February 11, 2006, the vidding LiveJournal community avatar_vids was created. [24]
On April 3, 2006, the femslash LiveJournal community avatar_femslash was created. [25]
On June 18, 2006, the A:TLA graphic fansite Breakthrough-Designs.com was created. [26][27]
On September 26, 2006, the orkut group avatar the last air bender was created. [28]

[edit] 2007

On April 4, 2007, Breath Life Into Fire by mirahhare became the first Avatar: The Last Airbender posted on FanLib. [29]
On April 9, 2007, the RPG mailing list avatarrpgstate was created. [30]
On July 3, 2007, the LiveJournal community avatar_fanclub was created. [31]
On July 4, 2007, the orkut community Avatar: The Last Airbender was created. [32]
On August 14, 2007, the InsaneJournal asylum atlafen was created. [33]
On September 29, 2007, the Kataang Livejournal community kataang100 was created. [34]
On October 29, 2007, the LiveJournal community avatarstate was created. [35]
On November 2, 2007, the Sokka/Azula LiveJournal community sokkla100 was created. [36]
On November 2, 2007, the icon contest LiveJournal community frozen_avatar was created. [37]
On November 3, 2007, the LiveJournal community avatarflashfic was created. [38]
On November 5, 2007, the Ty Lee/Zuko LiveJournal community emocircusfreak was created. [39]
On November 8, 2007, the LiveJournal community avatar_contest was created. [40]
On November 1, 2007, the teo LiveJournal community teo_flying_high was created. [41]
On November 11, 2007, the MySpace group coolavatar was created. [42]
On November 19, an Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanon wiki was created by paperclipchains on Wikia. [43][44]
On November 23, 2007, the MySpace group avatarfansite1994 was created. [45]
On November 24, 2007, the orkut community Avatar: The Last Airbender was created. [46]
On November 28, 2007, the Livejournal community zukoxyue was created. [47]
On November 30, 2007, the MySpace group avatarshippings was created. [48]
In December 2007, people complained about the lack of femslash in the Avatar: The Last Airbender and the lack of feedback for femslash stories that were out there. [49]
On December 7, 2007, at The New York Anime Festival, Dave Roman from the Nickelodeon magazine hosted a panel about the future of Avatar.[50]
On December 15, 2007, the LiveJournal community avatarlims was created. [51]
On December 26, 2007, the MySpace group clubavatar was created. [52]

[edit] 2008

On January 5, 2008, the Toph/Teo LiveJournal community teoph was created. [53]

On February 11, 2008 the avatar_critics LiveJournal community was created [54]

[edit] Kerfluffles

As with many fandoms, the most significant kerfuffle in the fandom is over shipping. There is an ongoing "war" between those who ship Kataang and those who ship Zutara, with tremendous animosity on both sides.

As of season three, Maiko shippers joined the fray.

[edit] Conventions

There have been a number of conventions dedicated to, selling merchandise related to, screening or having panels dedicated to Avatar: The Last Airbender. These conventions include San Diego 2005 Comic Convention [55], the 2007 The New York Anime Festival, and the 2008 New York Comic Con.

[edit] Influential Fanworks

[edit] Influential Stories

Agni Kai [56] by Hotspur [57] was one of the first pieces of Avatar fan-poetry. She later went on to write many alternative pairings, such as Zuko/Toph, Zuko/Meng, Iroh/Jun and many more non-romantic stories.

[edit] Influential Fan Art

The fan art of Ozais Angel has become very popular.

Image:Http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs10/i/2006/111/4/9/Avatar Ozai s Angels by finni.jpg

[edit] Fandom Members

[edit] Fandom Size

As of August 3, 2008, there were 15,941 stories on FanFiction.Net [63] and 586 fans on FanPop. [64]

[edit] External Links

[edit] See also

Avatar: The Last Airbender fanzines

[edit] Sources

Below is a partial list of articles and academic sources to help you continue to learn about this community. This section needs more information.

Avatar: The Last Airbender