Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of those shows that people really obsess over, and for good reason. With its well-developed world, sympathetic characters and stellar action, it’s easy to see how audiences cannot let go of this fictional universe and want to learn everything there is to know about it.

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The creators of the series know that and, in response, deliberately left certain things in the dark. Some of these, like what happened to Zuko’s mother, aren’t all that important in the grand scheme of things. Others, however, like how the protagonist of the original series actually died, have major ramifications for the story moving forward.

In the show, Aang was no one less than the latest reincarnation of the Avatar – an age-old spirit who possesses the unique ability to bend all four elements. In his lifetime, he had to protect his world from the destructive forces of the power-hungry Fire Lord. After his victory, Aang united the four nations and ushered in an era of peace.

The sequel of Avatar: The Last Airbender, which is called The Legend of Korra, explores the times that follow Aang’s death. The protagonist of this show, Korra, is the Avatar’s next reincarnation, and while Aang is dead, his adult spirit returns to Korra through visions, especially when she’s feeling most hopeless.

How exactly Aang died, though, is something many fans still wonder. According to Avatar lore, we know that he was sixty-six years old by the time he died, which is young, especially compared to other Avatars like Roku, who lived well into their old age. But as is explained in The Legend of Korra, Aang died young because the century he spent inside an iceberg depleted his energy.

As Decider puts it:

Essentially Aang’s death can be attributed to a complicated form of old age. As Aang grew older the 100 years he spent trapped in an iceberg started to catch up with him. His life energy was drained and he eventually died at the relatively young biological age of 66.

Tell us, have you been rewatching and enjoying Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix? And will you be catching The Legend of Korra when it hits the service next month? Let us know by commenting down below.