Avatar: The Last Airbender was an animated show that first started in 2005. It was the  Western-made adventures of Aang the young Avatar who had been asleep in ice for 100 years. But if you're reading this, I'm sure you are more than familiar with the Avatar setting.

Quite frankly, Avatar is one of my favorite franchises of all time. It truly is one of the most well fleshed out and creative worlds I've ever seen.

Plus, all of the characters feel real, they have their own individual journeys and resolutions, especially Prince Zuko. I truly believe it pushed the animation medium forward. Now Aang was a passive, childish, and adorable Avatar that wanted to solve everything peacefully. Which, made it all the more difficult when he was tasked with stopping a century-long war led by a violent dictator. But, through an incredibly long and amazing journey, the Hundred Year War came to a close, and peace arrived at last. Then, the second series came out, Avatar: The Legend of Korra. This new set of seasons followed Korra, the next Avatar, a waterbender with a surprisingly rockheaded personality. Korra was brash, violent, and incredibly extroverted. It took place 70 years after the end of A: TLA where society had progressed quite staggeringly. For many, it was a bit too much of a jump from Aang's world and people felt like that had missed out on what happened to Aang and friends. Honestly, they did. Much of the later adventures of A: TLA were only told in a comic book format, published by Dark Horse. So, to help fill you in on the later adventures of team Avatar, here are 30 Ridiculous Things Fans Had No Idea Happened Between Avatar And The Legend Of Korra

30  Aang And Katara Sitting In A Tree

Aang likes Katara, we knew that from episode one. But fans didn't actually get romantic payoff until the attack on the Fire Nation at the end of book two, where Aang kisses Katara.

Now, after the events of the Hundred Year war, we get to see just how gross and couple-y these two master benders are.

They call each other "sweetie" constantly, always defend each other, and are all around attached at the hip. Honestly, it's quite adorable, but Sokka is not the biggest fan. Though I don't know if he has much ground to talk, given how often Katara and the rest had to deal with his "love life" throughout the show.

29 Toph Founded The Beifong Metalbending Academy

Toph actually does quite a bit after the Hundred Year War. But, her crowning achievement has to be raising the first generation of metal benders.

Right after the Hundred Year War she settles down near Yu Dao and creates the Beifong Metalbending Academy.

The first three students are a bit eccentric, but soon it becomes one of the most popular schools around. This, of course, gives way to Toph eventually creating the Metalbending police force in Empire City. And along the way she apparently starts going boy crazy because Toph has two kids with two different fathers. These kids are of course Su Yin and Lin who play a major role in Korra's adventures.

28 Kiyoshi Warriors Now Fire Lord Guards

So if you remember, the Kiyoshi Warriors are essentially the Peace Corps of the Avatar world. They get their name from Avatar Kiyoshi, the Earthbending Avatar three cycles before Aang.

They started as just a group of warriors that protected their own home, but after running into Aang's crew they ended up playing a part in the Hundred Year War.

They even recruited Ty Lee from Azula's squad! Anyway, after Zuko succeeds Ozai, he starts fearing for his life. Mai, in an effort to help, brings them on as personal guards for Zuko. And oddly enough, they kind of just...stayed.

27 Another War Almost Started

The Hundred Year War was no easy clean-up job. The Fire Nation had ironically burned all their bridges with the other nations and making everything right in the aftermath was apparently difficult.

In an effort to help out, Avatar Aang, Zuko as the new Fire Lord, and the King of Ba Sing Sei created the Harmony Restoration Movement.

During the century-long war, there were many Fire Nation colonies set up in the Earth Kingdom, and this movement was made in order to bring them back home. But, as is customary with politics, things are never that easy. Some colonies didn't want to move, Zuko ended up leaving the movement, and war almost broke out again.

26 Aang Almost Ended Zuko

Aang, of course, continued his friendship with Zuko after the end of the war. Zuko needed someone to help guide him as he suddenly became the ruler of an entire nation that previously had nothing but hatred for him.

But, fearing his own ancestry, Zuko became terrified that he would eventually become as bad as his father. He made Aang promise to end him if he ever went too far.

Turns out that promise was almost cashed in not much later, during the skirmish between Earth and Fire for the Yu Dao Colony. Aang almost had to snuff out the Fire Lord, again.

25 The New Ozai Society Was Founded

This next entry is what I feel to be the most accurate representation of how a country would adapt to a new leader like Zuko in this sort of setting. The Fire Nation reigned supreme for 100 years, under Ozai's rule.

It's honestly surprising that the New Ozai Society isn't massive as opposed to a relatively small force.

Ozai might have been a tyrannical, cruel, and supervillain-esque leader, but he did look out for his own people. He believed that Fire Benders were supreme, while Zuko in his peaceful ways, attempts to bring the Fire Nation back down to eye level with the rest of the world.

24 Aang Made Some New Air Acolytes

During their travels, Aang never really tried to keep himself hidden. He was always proud of his Air Nomad heritage, and the fact that he was the Avatar. This was a problem during the Hundred Year War as it only brought their enemy's right to them. But, after the war, it became a benefit. Turns out Aang had a couple of fan clubs full of people praising his exploits.

Once such fan club was a group of girls so dedicated they mastered the Air Nomad forms, despite not being Air Benders. They also gave themselves the full-body Nomad tattoo's.

Aang originally was against this but after seeing their respect and dedication, decided to make them the new "Air Acolytes".

23 Zuko And Azula, Sibling Duo

It's no secret that near the end of Book Three, Azula begins to lose her marbles. The once fearsome Fire Bender is now plagued by hallucinations of her mother as every one of her plans seem to fail. This culminates in one of the best fights of the series as she confronts her brother in the capital of the Fire Nation.

After the war, Azula is essentially sent to jail but for the mentally unstable.

Unfortunately, in order to find his apparently alive mother, Zuko needs her help. The entirety of The Search comic line has Azula as one of the main cast. Of course, she's a jerk like always but it's still a great read.

22 Azula, Undeservingly, Got To Ride On Appa

While Azula was adventuring with Aang and friends, she got exclusive access to a mode of transportation not many are privy to. In this world, there is only one Avatar, one Air Nomad, and one Sky Bison named Appa.

He's a beautiful fluffy boy that honestly has more characterization than 90% of all other animals in animation.

And there was even an entire episode where Azula tracked the Avatar purely by Appa's fur, making fun of him the whole way. So that is exactly why it is so purely unjust and unfair that someone as cruel as Azula got to ride on Appa's fluffy back.

21 Zuko Found His Mom

So at the end of the Search series of comics, Zuko finally finds his mom. It turns out the Ursa had originally been madly in love with someone from her hometown before Ozai essentially took her.

Ursa's entire arc is probably one of the more well-written ones even between the comics and animated show.

At one point she has to decide on either getting a new face to be with the man she loves, but losing the memories of her children or remembering her children, but putting them and the man she loves in danger. Luckily Aang being the Avatar basically hacks the situation and gets the best outcome for everyone, so Ursa gets both her face and memories back, and is reunited with Zuko.

20 Azula's Unstable Mental State Gets Worse

Finally, after a standard Avatar adventure that includes spirits, helping strangers, and a bit of family drama, Zuko finds his mother. But, along the way, we get to see just how far Azula has fallen down the rabbit hole.

We knew how crazy she had become near the end of Book Three, but it had apparently got much worse after the Hundred Year War.

Now Azula is on the warpath to find her mother in hiding. Her hallucinations have gotten so bad that she essentially has two personalities. Throughout the Search, Azula flips between friendly and straight up sociopathic at the drop of a hat.

19  We Learned How Ozai Became Fire Lord

Fire Lord Ozai isn't a well-loved character. A horrible father, awful husband, and tyrannical leader. So how did someone like that become the Fire Lord when they weren't the next in line? Well, Ozai's father Azulon, mysteriously passed right before crowning Iroh, his older brother as the new ruler. But Ozai actually became Fire Lord as Azulon's "dying wish", an obvious lie.

But, how did Azulon pass? Well, we find out in the Search that Ursa actually traded Azulon's life for Zuko's.

Ozai was ordered to end Zuko after speaking ill of Iroh's son who passed. But as a deal to Ozai, Ursa made an odorless poison for Azulon so that Zuko may live.

18 We Found Out How Ursa, Zuko’s Mom Survived This Long

Ursa truly is one of the more relatable characters in the Avatar setting. To find true happiness and be with the one she loved, she had to make an insanely difficult decision. The Mother of Faces was ready to give Ursa a much less beautiful, more plain face so she could hide her identity and live in peace.

But, in exchange, she wouldn't remember anything about her life as Ozai's wife. Unfortunately, that also meant she wouldn't remember Zuko or Azula.

In any normal cartoon, Ursa would give up and say that she couldn't forget her children, but A: TLA bravely makes her more human and lets her make a decision for her own happiness.

17 Origin Of The Blue Spirit

Prince Zuko has arguably one of the best arcs of any character in animation to date. And, the beginning of his arc starts with his adoption of the "Blue Spirit" moniker. It essentially allowed Zuko to be true to his convictions, without betraying his Fire Nation heritage.

It also let the writers team up Zuko and Aang as early as Book One. But, where did the Blue Spirit come from?

Well, apparently the mask Zuko wears has some ties to ancient history. In the Search when Ursa first meets Noren, a theater fanatic, you can see he's carrying a familiar blue mask.

16 Aang Met A Giant Angry Wolf Spirit

So after the whole almost war fiasco in Yu Dao, Zuko has some downtime and realizes he can finally search for mommy dearest. And, after having literally the worst idea ever to bring Azula along, the gang is on their way to Ursa's hometown. On the way, Aang gets a case of the grumpies and senses a very angry spirit.

Right below them just happens to be an absolutely gigantic wolf spirit.

Apparently, it's the familiar of the Mother of Faces, as you can tell by the face on its chest. But, we never get the backstory on this cute fluffy pup, and I wish we saw more of it.

15 Then Aang Also Met the Mother of Faces

After finding Zuko's mother we find out why she doesn't look like the same Ursa we saw in flashbacks. After Ursa disappeared the night of Azulon's passing, she went back to her home village. There, she found out that the love of her life she thought had passed, was actually alive. He had gained a brand new face, a process he also introduced Ursa to.

Again, it all comes down to spirits. This one is called the Mother of Faces, she lives deep in the forest and changes the face of anyone she wishes.

Aang encounters the spirit himself in the search for Ursa, but she won't spill her location. Aang only convinces her by mentioning her son, Koh, The Face Stealer.

14 The First Dual Nation City, Yu Dao, Was Created

After the faux war in Yu Dao calmed down, the leader of Ba Sing Sei, Avatar Aang, and Fire Lord Zuko met once again. This time it wasn't to figure out how to relocate the refugees, but how to build the first dual element city.

Months later, they had established a brand new governmental system in Yu Dao, one that had both Fire and Earth bending representatives.

It was the first step to the unified society that we see in Empire City later down the road. Aang originally had some issues with merging Benders, but after realizing he was in love with a water bender, saw the error of his ways.

13 The Rough Rhinos Found Job Security

the Rough Rhinos are a group of Fire Nation cavalry that rode around on gigantic Komodo Rhino's. That's actually one of my favorite parts of the Avatar setting, they love to combine animals.

But in any case, the Rough Rhino's are not great people. They're the reason Jet hates the Fire Nation, they attacked Team Avatar multiple times, and they even steal Sokka.

But, that doesn't mean they're all bad. And after the war, they were left without work. Luckily they managed to secure work as guards at the Earthen Fire Refinery thanks to Lao Beifong, Toph's Dad, and Loban.

12 First Dual Element Government is Formed

Once everyone just calms down a tad, Yu Dao quickly develops as it's own dual element city. And the first order of business is to have a leader that both sides can rely on.

Now the solution is quite simple, just have a governmental representative from each element.

This might not seem like a big deal but in a setting where nations are still run with a central "monarch" at the top, having multiple leaders is quick the breakthrough. It's the first step towards Korra's multi-element world where all the elements come together in a big old melting pot.

11 Toph Reconnected With Her Father

If you don't remember Toph, first of all, wrong article. Secondly, she's only the world's absolute greatest Earthbender. Going so far as to create a whole new sub-genre of bending calling Metalbending.

Well, this visionary (no pun intended) actually came from quite the prim and proper background.

Toph came from a very wealthy family, and they tried to control every aspect of her life. She ran away to help Aang and still hasn't seen them even after the Hundred Year War. Well, in the Rift comics, she just happened to run into her father once again. And, through a series of events Toph actually, finally, finds middle ground with her family!