Avatar Yangchen

Lore & Background

In 'The Rift Part One,' Aang meets with Avatar Yangchen to learn about a festival named in her honor. This event was one of the most sacred Air Nomad holidays, which Aang never learned much about because he and Monk Gyatso were flying kites instead. The festival had not been celebrated for 100 years due to the Air Nomad genocide. Yangchen informs Aang that a jointly owned Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom factory is being built on Air Nomad sacred land, creating a conflict between industrial progress and spiritual tradition.

In Their Own Story

In 'The Rift Part Two,' Aang and Avatar Yangchen enter the Spirit World together. There, she shares her experience with General Old Iron, a spirit who holds a grudge against the city of Boma for the death of Lady Tienhai. As they speak, an earthquake hits the physical world. By 'The Rift Part Three,' Aang connects deeply with Yangchen and learns that the only way to prevent the bitter spirit of General Old Iron from returning is to destroy the town. This creates a moral dilemma as Toph disagrees with destroying the refinery, viewing it as a symbol of international cooperation between the Fire and Earth nations.

Reader's Guide

Avatar Aang must rely on Yangchen's guidance to resolve the crisis involving General Old Iron. After Aang fights and defeats the spirit in 'The Rift Part Three,' he meets Lady Tienhai in the Spirit World. This experience leads Aang to recognize that spirits deserve to live with human civilization in peace. Consequently, Aang creates the 'Spirits Friendship Festival' as a new tradition, replacing the lost Yangchen's festival and establishing a lasting peace between the spirit world and humanity.

Did You Know?

• Avatar Yangchen's festival was not celebrated for 100 years due to the Air Nomad genocide.
• Aang and Monk Gyatso skipped learning about Yangchen's festival because they were flying kites instead.
• In 'The Rift,' Avatar Yangchen explains her past experience with General Old Iron in the Spirit World.
• General Old Iron held a grudge against the city of Boma for the death of Lady Tienhai.
• Aang created the 'Spirits Friendship Festival' after meeting Lady Tienhai and resolving the conflict with General Old Iron.