TV · in order
Avatar: The Last Airbender Watch Order
Watch Avatar: The Last Airbender (its three Books) first, then the sequel The Legend of Korra (its four Books), set roughly 70 years later in the same world.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Watch Order — complete list
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Why this order?
The Avatar franchise is small and refreshingly easy to follow: two animated series set in the same world, watched in the obvious order. Start with Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008), which runs three "Books" named Water, Earth, and Fire. These are seasons, not separate shows, and they tell one continuous story of Aang, the young Avatar who must master all four elements and end the Fire Nation's hundred-year war. Watch all three in numerical order; there is no shuffling, no alternate viewing path, and no reason to skip around.
Then move to The Legend of Korra (2012-2014), the direct sequel set about 70 years later. Korra follows a new Avatar in a rapidly industrializing world, and it runs four Books: Air, Spirits, Change, and Balance. Watching Korra after Aang's series is the intended experience, since Korra constantly references events, characters, and consequences from the original. Our default watch order simply chains them: all of The Last Airbender, then all of Korra.
The one real gotcha is the in-between material. A series of graphic-novel comics (The Promise, The Search, The Rift, and others) bridges the gap between the two shows and explains how the world changed. They are optional and not required to enjoy Korra, but fans who want the full story read them between the series. Note that the 2024 Netflix live-action remake retells the first series only and is a separate adaptation, not part of this animated continuity, and new animated films are in development. If you are choosing where to begin, always begin with the original animated Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Timeline 2005–2012
Every entry plotted by release year — see the gaps, clusters and revivals at a glance.
Where to play it today
Affiliate links (Bookshop.org for books, store links for games/films) slot in here.
Frequently asked questions
What order should I watch Avatar: The Last Airbender in?
Watch the original Avatar: The Last Airbender first, in Book order (Water, Earth, Fire), then watch the sequel The Legend of Korra, which is set about 70 years later.
How many seasons and shows are there in the Avatar franchise?
There are two animated series. Avatar: The Last Airbender has three Books (seasons) and The Legend of Korra has four, for seven seasons total across the two shows.
Do I need to watch The Last Airbender before The Legend of Korra?
It's strongly recommended. Korra is a direct sequel that references events and characters from the original, so watching Aang's series first makes Korra far more rewarding.
Where do the Avatar comics fit in?
Graphic novels like The Promise, The Search, and The Rift bridge the gap between the two shows. They're optional but show how the world changed before Korra.
Is the 2024 Netflix live-action show part of the same continuity?
No. The 2024 Netflix series is a live-action remake of the original first series only. It's a separate adaptation, not part of the animated story you watch in this order.
Are there any Avatar movies?
New animated Avatar films are in development. The 2010 live-action film The Last Airbender exists but is widely disregarded and not needed for this order.
Last updated · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, Wikidata
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