Fanon:Colosseum - Aang v. Korra

By Corvus Pathoris	Genre	Rating	Reviews	Updates
More from Corvus Pathoris	Adventure	PG	None yet	Updates

Aang v. Korra
Information
Series	Avatar Colosseum
Chapter	3
Written by	Corvus Pathoris
Air date	7.5.15
Episode guide
Previous	Sokka v. Asami
Next	Zuko v. Mako

Avatar Aang and Avatar Korra are perhaps the greatest Avatars of all time. These two titans have obviously never battled and never will. But if they did, who would win? Would it be the last airbender? Or would it be the fiery maiden?

Aang

Aang was born into the Air Nomads and taught airbending by his master, Monk Gyatso. At age 12, he ran away and remained frozen for 100 years, allowing a near eternal war to spark. Aang returned and ended the war, preventing the genocide of the Earth Kingdom and taking down the comet-enhanced Fire Lord.

Weapons

Aang was a powerful airbender.

Aang's native element is airbending. He excelled at airbending, getting his tattoos at age 12, making himself the youngest airbending master for 171 years, until his granddaughter received them, aged 11. Aang could create powerful gusts of air that could destroy a catapulted projectile or even change the direction of a large boulder. In Aang's battle with Zuko in Old Ba Sing Se, Aang smacked into Zuko with an outline of himself created with airbending. Aang's airbending power was such that he was able to defeat many firebenders, including Zhao and Zuko, without help of any other element. Aang is also able to form tornadoes and use his own airbending move, the air scooter, as a form of transportation.

Aang favoured earth as a defensive element.

Aang is a skilled waterbender, his abilities range from a simple water whip to creating massive waves. Although Aang mastered waterbending, he infrequently uses it, favouring earth and air. Aang does not carry a water pouch, and will not use the element unless pushed.
Aang had great difficulty mastering earthbending, but when he did, it became his secondary element. He utilised it in many battles, appreciating its defensive manner. While he could use it to launch great boulders, he preferred creating walls of earth and rock armour. He is capable of creating a ball of earth in which to hide. Aang utilises seismic sense to detect movement, as taught by Toph. Although a master earthbender, Aang never learned metalbending.

Aang's weak firebending.

Aang was initially excited to learn firebending, but after hurting Katara, was unwilling to try again. When he discovered the true meaning of firebending, he became proficient in the art. From Zuko, he gained the ability to redirect lightning. He used firebending extensively in the Battle of Wulong forest, matching that of Ozai. Aang's firebending was great, but he lacked the ferocity required.
Aang was the first Avatar to master energybending. He used it to remove the bending of both Ozai and Yakone. He also used it to restore Korra's bending.

Strengths

Aang is remarkably agile. He is able to evade many attacks and jump great heights. His natural agility is further enhanced by his airbending.
Being spiritual, Aang has mastery over the Avatar State and can easily interact with the great spirits.

Weaknesses

Being an Air Nomad, Aang utilises negative jing, or retreating. He does not stand his ground and prefers to evade attacks, rather than dealing his own. This often serves to his detriment, as he misses several opportunities to bring the battle to an end. On the day of Sozin's Comet, his reluctance to kill allowed Ozai to get the upper hand.
Aang is not a fighter and, when cornered, he runs out of options. His lack of combat experience enabled Azula to deal a finishing blow and defeat Aang, almost ending the Avatar Cycle. Aang does not have great endurance and has trouble in a sustained fight.

Korra

Korra was born in the Southern Water Tribe. When she turned 17, she put down the Equalist rebellion, defeated her uncle and the evil spirit, Vaatu, battled Zaheer, and defeated the Great Uniter, Kuvira (who, in an earlier battle, defeated Azula).

Weapons

Korra is a very skilled waterbender.

Korra's native element is water. She can create ice walls, strong whips and powerful waves. Korra mastered Southern and Northern style of waterbending as well as the more modern, but less sophisticated, pro-bending style. Korra is also a skilled healer, being trained by Katara. Korra's uncle taught her the waterbending derivative - spiritbending. Spiritbending allows her to change a spirit's energy. She utilised it in her battle against Vaatu to 'purify' his soul.
Korra is a powerful earthbender and the first metalbending Avatar. She utilises both the solid, traditional style and Bolin's pro-bending style.

Fire is Korra's favoured element.

Korra's preferred element is fire. This matches her hot temper and reliance on offensive manoeuvres. Although fire is Korra's elemental opposite, she never had any trouble learning it. This is probably because it matches her more aggressive personality. Korra's lack of spirituality made it notably more difficult for her to learn airbending, with it being the only element she could not utilise by age 4. When she did learn airbending, however, she used it in a very similar way to fire. She then learned Aang's air scooter and more traditional fighting styles.
Aang taught Korra energybending, and she appears to know all he did, including the restoration of bending.

Strengths

Korra is a fierce fighter, with great endurance, being able to sustain a fight with more powerful benders, even when crippled by a harsh poison.
Another of Korra's strengths is her ability to enter the Avatar State at will. However, she does not use it often and only uses it in short bursts, save for the battle with Zaheer.

Weaknesses

Korra's major weakness as shown on screen appears to be her temper. Korra is not the strategist of the group and does not seem to plan her battles, rather fight them on impulse. This has often given her foes the edge. Korra has a notable lack of restraint early on, but later learns discipline.

Battle

The battle is set in the ruins of the Southern Air Temple

Korra notices Aang and starts with a fire ball. The fire ball hits the hapless Aang, shocking him. Korra launches another, larger fireball, blocking her vision. Aang dives behind a rock, with Korra believing him to be dead. Suddenly, Aang bends his cover at Korra. Korra braces herself and smashes the boulder with her fist. Korra punches a fire blast, but Aang evades it, back-flipping onto a high platform. Korra jumps after him, preparing a fiery punch. However, Aang knocks her back with airbending. Korra lands with a thud. Frustrated, she bends icicles and streams of water at Aang. Aang avoids most attacks, but is knocked over by a lucky water stream. Aang flees. 

Korra closes her eyes and opens them, entering the Avatar State. She propels herself in the air and lands on the platform. She gives chase, entering a meditation chamber. The two exchange attacks, Korra primarily using fire and Aang returning with air. Aang evades most of the attacks and lands a strike on Korra. Korra advances closer, pinning Aang down with a quick succession of fire blasts. Aang, with his back to the wall, forms rock armour around him and parries the attacks. Korra is unable to break through. Aang launches rocks from his armour, hoping to strike Korra. Korra charges and bends his armour apart. Aang picks up his staff and uses it to enhance his airbending strike. Korra thuds on the ground and launches a fire ball at Aang. Aang backflips out of the way and retreats further down, riding an air scooter. Korra attempts to catch him by extending horizontal pillars from the wall, but he is too fast. Korra stops chasing Aang. Standing still, she kicks and punches three rocks at Aang. Aang ducks and avoids them, retaliating with balls of fire. Korra disperses the attacks. Aang bends a hole in the ground and jumps to a lower floor, slowing his drop with an air ball.

Korra rushes to the hole, but is taken off guard by a surprise icicle to the ankle. Korra stops and starts healing it with water. Enraged, Korra throws a large rock down the whole and bends it apart, creating large, flying chunks. Aang bends the chunks and stops them from landing a blow. Korra jumps down and lands with a thud, impacting her injured ankle and forcing her to limp. Korra gives chase to Aang, launching numerous fireballs along the way. Aang stops and counters them with airbending. Neither Avatar is able to score a hit. Aang jumps to a higher platform. Korra jumps after him, but is impacted by a rock pillar. She tries once more, this time reaching the platform. Korra chases Aang to the top of the temple, attempting to strike him with airbending.

Aang opens his glider and jumps from the roof, attempting to escape. Korra bends rock pillars from the ceiling and launches herself after Aang. Landing on him, she catches him and burns his glider, causing them to descend. After a brief struggle, Korra asserts her dominance. Pressing her feet down on Aang's chest, she pushed him, accelerating his descent. Aang slowed his fall with airbending, while Korra landed on her stomach. Aang, realising he has nowhere to run, sits with his legs folded. He erects a rock bunker and meditates. Korra strikes the bunker, to no avail. The bunker is torn apart, almost striking Korra. 

Korra stops to catch her breath. She looks up to see Aang, his eyes and tattoos glowing; he is in the Avatar State. He gathers a ball of air, a disk of earth, of fire and of water around him. He descends upon Korra, unleashing powerful gales of air, flood of water and even infernos. He tries to crush Korra with earthbending, but cannot land a clear hit. Korra is forced to retreat. Aang strikes Korra with a combined elemental assault, knocking her down. Eyes still glowing, he raises Korra into the air. His hand begins to glow with fire, burning Korra. Korra closed her eyes and entered the Avatar State. With a powerful blast of air, she launched Aang into a temple wall. Exiting the Avatar State, she unleashed numerous attacks - fire, air, water and earth. Aang parried each one, but was being battered. Korra's eyes glowed, she combined a powerful blast of the four elements, overwhelming Aang.

Outcome

Korra's offensive strategy would give her the edge and force Aang to retreat. Having a preference for earth, Aang would often try to utilise it, but would either be overpowered by Korra's raw power, or unable to bend quickly enough. Korra's pro-bending style allows here to earthbend faster than Aang. Korra's mastery over many bending sub-skills would give her the edge over Aang, especially taking into account the danger of spiritbending. Aang's reliance on Katara for healing means he cannot stop to heal in a fight, whereas Korra can.

Aang also had many advantages, having fought the Fire Nation, he knew how to overcome positive jing. Aang would win in circumstances that enabled him to use his greater agility, without always being forced to retreat.

In a rather close battle, I estimate that out of 100 battles, Korra would only win about 56. A battle between Avatars is never one-sided.