Yeah. In universe his personal human body count is zero. Out of universe, there’s no way the water spirit merging didn’t kill hundreds of fire nation sailors, but as far as the story itself is concerned, aang didn’t actually kill anyone.
I think it’s pretty well established that he doesn’t personally have control of his actions in the avatar state, at least at that point in the story. He doesn’t even know how it works. Thats a pretty major plot point. Combine that with him also being merged with the twin spirit of the one that was just killed, and justifying an argument of “but what about all those soldiers” really just falls flat.
I’d say the closest he came to killing of his own volition was when the sandbenders stole Appa… and he still didn’t pull the trigger.
When I was young I thought the ending was the coolest thing ever because taking a person’s elemental bending away is like ripping your entire being away. Like stripping a billionaire of all of their assets and cash. Horrible blow to their ego, lifetime of suffering, etc.
But now that I’m older, Aang should have just killed the bastard. The fight was hella cool tho.
There are good reasons to not leaving Ozai alive that a child wouldn’t factor in but an adult would. Namely a revanchistic coup against Zuko to reinstate either Ozai or Azula and restore the Fire Nation empire, while Azula was redeemable in theory Ozai wasn’t, my source for that last bit being that he is voiced by Mark Hamill.
Point is that leaving him alive while idealistic and honestly pretty gnarly also leaves loose ends.
Aang be like:
Aang doesn’t kill anyone, though. It’s an important part of his character for the entire series.
Yeah. In universe his personal human body count is zero. Out of universe, there’s no way the water spirit merging didn’t kill hundreds of fire nation sailors, but as far as the story itself is concerned, aang didn’t actually kill anyone.
https://screenrant.com/avatar-last-airbender-aang-killed-people-pacifist/
I think it’s pretty well established that he doesn’t personally have control of his actions in the avatar state, at least at that point in the story. He doesn’t even know how it works. Thats a pretty major plot point. Combine that with him also being merged with the twin spirit of the one that was just killed, and justifying an argument of “but what about all those soldiers” really just falls flat.
I’d say the closest he came to killing of his own volition was when the sandbenders stole Appa… and he still didn’t pull the trigger.
Externalities are a hell of a drug.
That was the moon spirit channeling through him. Different situation.
When I was young I thought the ending was the coolest thing ever because taking a person’s elemental bending away is like ripping your entire being away. Like stripping a billionaire of all of their assets and cash. Horrible blow to their ego, lifetime of suffering, etc.
But now that I’m older, Aang should have just killed the bastard. The fight was hella cool tho.
Amazing how, as you got older, your opinions got more basic and animalistic.
Kids really are incredible.
There are good reasons to not leaving Ozai alive that a child wouldn’t factor in but an adult would. Namely a revanchistic coup against Zuko to reinstate either Ozai or Azula and restore the Fire Nation empire, while Azula was redeemable in theory Ozai wasn’t, my source for that last bit being that he is voiced by Mark Hamill.
Point is that leaving him alive while idealistic and honestly pretty gnarly also leaves loose ends.
Caillou looking centrist loser 😶
Meanwhile Sokka and Toph do a dozen hindenbergs and no one cares
It makes sense for him as he is the equivalent of a Buddhist monk. They follow the virtue of no harm. Same way he is vegetarian in the story.