See Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action cast side by side with their cartoon counterparts

Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, all four nations lived together in harmony on the Nickelodeon animated show Avatar: The Last Airbender. Then everything changed when Netflix announced a live-action series adaptation.

Only Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, creators of the original series, could pull this off. But when the fans needed them most, they vanished (i.e. departed the project over creative differences). Not quite 100 years past, and Netflix discovered a new showrunner, Sleepy Hollow and Nikita's Albert Kim. And although his showrunning skills are great, it'll be some time before the new series hits the streaming platform.

But until then, let's take a look at the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action cast members who are bringing the animated show to the screen in a new way. See side-by-side photos of the original cartoon characters and their live-action counterparts.

Aang (Gordon Cormier)

Aang is an adventurous and fun-loving 12-year-old who is constantly grappling with the burdens thrust upon him. Not only is he said to be the last of the Air Nomads, monk-like airbenders who were all wiped out by the Fire Nation in pursuit of world domination, but he's also the Avatar, a reincarnated being with a mastery of all four elements. His job is to restore peace and balance to mankind, but he's still a kid at heart.

Katara (Kiawentiio)

Fourteen-year-old Katara is the last waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe. Along with her brother, Sokka, she suffered a great personal tragedy that has held her back, though she remains a promising, formidable waterbender.

Sokka (Ian Ousley)

Sokka, 16, takes his role as leader of the Southern Water Tribe seriously, even though he questions his skills. He constantly tries to mask these doubts with wit and a deadpan sense of humor. With his sister, Katara, he discovers the presence of the next Avatar, Aang, and helps him on a quest to master all four elements and bring peace to the world.

Appa

Don't mistake Appa's size for aggression. This flying air bison is a gentle soul… unless you threaten him or his friends. Then watch out. Appa is Aang's trusted steed and best animal friend, ferrying Team Avatar across the skies along their adventures.

Momo

Another animal member of Team Avatar is Momo, the flying lemur. Though he doesn't go as far back with Aang as Appa, this winged creature forms a bond with the Avatar and his friends.

Prince Zuko (Dallas James Liu)

Zuko, a skilled firebender, is the 17-year-old Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and son of Fire Lord Ozai, though he's been left to roam the world in exile. Marked by a burn mark that covers his left eye, Zuko believes the only way to reclaim his place at court and win the respect of his cruel father is by hunting down the Avatar.

Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim)

Fire Lord Ozai, leader of the Fire Nation, is a power-hungry ruler hellbent on world domination. In the absence of the Avatar, he waged war against the Air Nomads, wiping them all out (save one). Now that the Avatar has reemerged, he's determined to hold onto his grip over the nations by any means necessary.

Uncle Iroh (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee)

Brother of Fire Lord Ozai and uncle of Zuko, Iroh is a firebender and a retired general of the Fire Nation army. Wise and nurturing, he's taken it upon himself to mentor his often hot-headed nephew.

Princess Azula (Elizabeth Yu)

Princess Azula is the deranged sister of Prince Zuko. Described as a relentless perfectionist and a firebending prodigy, she will stop at nothing to secure her place as heir to the Fire Nation throne while her brother is off in exile.

Mai (Thalia Tran)

Mai is one of Princess Azula's two closest confidantes, though she's much more deadpan than her upbeat friend, Ty Lee.

Ty Lee (Momona Tamada)

Described as "energetic and upbeat," Ty Lee rounds out Azula's very close-knit inner circle. In the animated series, the character was highly agile, given her acrobatic circle background; and could leave foes paralyzed by hitting pressure points on the body.

Commander Zhao (Ken Leung)

Commander Zhao is described as a scheming and ambitious Fire Nation military officer. A chance encounter with a desperate Prince Zuko leaves him eager to leverage the situation in order to advance his personal goals.

Suki (Maria Zhang)

Suki, portrayed in live action by Maria Zhang, is the leader of a fierce group of all-female fighters called the Kyoshi Warriors, who are based on Kyoshi Island. Suki's mother, Yukari (Tamlyn Tomita), is the mayor of Kyoshi Island. The Avatar encounters these warrior women on his journeys, and Suki ends up forming a relationship with Sokka.

June (Arden Cho)

One of the most renown bounty hunters across the four nations — and her loyal shirshu — have arrived in live-action. June is described on the Netflix series as "a tough and persistent bounty hunter known for her ruthless efficiency," according to the streamer.

Nyla

In the cartoon, June typically tracks down her targets with the help of Nyla, a four-legged creature she rides. Nyla is blind but uses her powerful sense of smell to see the world around her.

Jet (Sebastian Amoruso)

Actor Sebastian Amoruso is bringing Jet, described simply as a young warrior from the Earth Kingdom, to life in live action. In the cartoon, the character is a rebel fighting against the Fire Nation by any means possible.

The Mechanist (Danny Pudi)

Yes, that is Community and Mythic Quest star Danny Pudi in the world of Avatar. Pudi plays a man nicknamed the Mechanist, who's a brilliant inventor and engineer from the Earth Kingdom. He's doing his best to raise his son Teo (Lucian-River Chauchan) in a war-torn world.

Teo (Lucian-River Chauhan)

Teo (Lucian-River Chauhan), the son of the Machinist in Omashu, may be wheelchair bound, but that doesn't stop him from taking flight, thanks to his father's inventions.

Gran Gran (Casey Camp-Horinek)

Katara and Sokka's grandmother is a formidable woman. Played by actress Casey Camp-Horinek, she is the compassionate and wise matriarch of the Southern Water Tribe, where she's done her best to guide her grandchildren during harsh times.

Hei Bai

One of the many spirits Aang and his friends encounter on their journeys is Hei Bai, a typically docile entity protecting a specific forest in the Earth Kingdom. They usually present as a giant panda, but they can take a more ferocious appearance, like the one spotted in the live-action show's trailers.

Koh (George Takei)

Koh is an ancient and highly predatory spirit. He's known as the Face Stealer because he steals the faces of his victims and then uses their likeness to stalk his next prey.

Wan Shi Tong (Randall Duk Kim)

Wan Shi Tong, a.k.a. the Spirit of Knowledge, appears in the form of a giant owl that towers over Aang and Team Avatar. Randall Duk Kim now voices the spirit in the live-action series.

Fire Lord Sozin (Hiro Kanagawa)

Fire Lord Sozin is the previous leader of the Fire Nation and the grandfather of Fire Lord Ozai. Hiro Kanagawa, seen recently on Percy Jackson and the Olympians, portrays Sozin in live action.

Monk Gyatso (Lim Kay Siu)

Gyatso is an Air Nomad monk who resides at the Southern Air Temple. Kind and caring, he's equal parts guardian, father figure, and best friend to Aang. Anna and the King actor Lim Kay Siu plays Gyatso in live action.

Bumi (Utkarsh Ambudkar)

Bumi, portrayed in live-action form by Ghosts and Free Guy star Utkarsh Ambudkar, is the ancient ruler of the city of Omashu. He may look old, but as Aang realizes (as seen in trailers) he's still a quite capable earthbender.

Avatar Kuruk (Meegwun Fairbrother)

A benefit of being the Avatar is being able to connect with your past lives. Aang is able to consult Avatar Kuruk (Meegwun Fairbrother), a waterbender with a haunted past, thanks to his run-ins with Koh.

Princess Yue (Amber Midthunder)

Princess Yue (Amber Midthunder) is the daughter of Northern Water Tribe Chief Arnook and acts as the spiritual leader. Sparks fly between her and Sokka upon Team Avatar's arrival in the north, but certain arrangements drive them apart.

Chief Arnook (Nathaniel Arcand)

Chief Arnook is the respected leader of the Northern Water Tribe and the father of Princess Yue.

Avatar Kyoshi (Yvonne Chapman)

Kyoshi, born an earthbender, was another past Avatar. She's the patron of Kyoshi Island and founded the Kyoshi Warriors, an elite group of female warriors who dress in her likeness.

Avatar Roku (C.S. Lee)

The previous incarnation of the Avatar just before Aang was Avatar Roku, a firebender. Wise and benevolent, he used to be friendly with Fire Lord Sozin before the war began.

Cabbage Merchant (James Sie)

James Sie is the rare actor from the original Avatar: The Last Airbender reprising his same role in live action. After voicing the fan-favorite Cabbage Merchant in the Nickelodeon animated series, Sie appears in the Omashu episodes, still lording over his precious cabbages.

This article will be updated as more characters of the live-action series are revealed.

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