Who Is Avatar Kyoshi in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’? Here Are the Basics

Avatar: The Last Airbender is hitting Netflix in less than a month, and the two trailers that the streamer has released so far show what promises to be a gorgeous adaptation of the beloved animated series. The teaser shows off one character in particular: Suki (Maria Zhang), one of the formidable Kyoshi Warriors.

What’s the story behind the Kyoshi Warriors? To understand that, you need to know the story of Avatar Kyoshi, voiced by Jennifer Hale in the original series, and played by Yvonne Chapman in Netflix’s remake.

Who is Avatar Kyoshi in Avatar: the Last Airbender?

Thanks to the graphic novels and games that came out after the original Last Airbender series ended, Avatar Kyoshi has developed an extensive backstory. We won’t get into the really deep lore, but here are the basics on Kyoshi.

Kyoshi is the Avatar who precedes Avatar Roku, who in turn precedes Aang. The Avatar is a soul who’s reincarnated again and again, born into the Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads in turn. The Avatar is the one being who can manipulate all four elements, giving them a unique responsibility to bring peace and justice to the world. Kyoshi, as one of the most recent reincarnations, helps guide Aang as he learns to bend each element and comes into his power.

The animated series doesn’t give us a vast amount of information about Kyoshi (although the comics and games do fill in the gaps), but we do know that Kyoshi is very tall, and that she establishes the Kyoshi Warriors on the community that will come to be known as Kyoshi Island. She’s recognizable by her face paint, golden headdress, and fans.

In a 2023 interview with Everything Zen Xtra Z, Chapman expressed her excitement about playing Kyoshi. “I was thrilled [when I was offered the role] because I love her,” she said. “I love, love, love her. I’m a huge fan of the original anime, and I just couldn’t believe that that’s the one I was being called for.”

Who are the Kyoshi Warriors?

Although we don’t see Kyoshi herself in the teaser and trailer, we do get a good look at Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors.

The Kyoshi Warriors are a group of women who wear Kyoshi’s iconic headress and face paint, and use her fans as weapons. They aid Aang, Katara, and Sokka on their quest to help Aang master all four elements—and Suki develops a deeper bond with Sokka.

Will the story of Kyoshi and her warriors be a direct adaptation of the original series, or will Netflix take her in a new direction? It remains to be seen.

(featured image: Nickelodeon)