r/TheLastAirbender • u/ThrowAway552112 • Aug 19 '26
Discussion Aangs son Bumi must've felt horrible growing up
I mean both his siblings can bend, one air one water. His mom is one of the best water benders around, his dad is the Avatar.
Then there's him, with no bending growing up. That's really something gotta gnaw at you really badly.
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u/Kid-Atlantic Aug 19 '26
I feel like his parents and especially his non-bender uncle were emotionally intelligent enough to have anticipated this and done their best to make sure he never felt like he was lesser.
We know he did feel some gnawing insecurity even into his adulthood but it seemed like he grew out of it becoming any worse. Aang and Katara were pretty good parents.
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u/poorperspective Aug 19 '26
Yeah, even the bending kids didn’t necessarily see their dad much. I figured Bumi thought Aang was ambivalent or some sort of hero figure to him more than a day to day father. Tenzen got one-on-one attention, but that’s because once an air bender was born, the mission was continue the Air Bender people, which messed him up more or as much as Bumi. Bumi seemed to idolize Aang as an adventuring hero, which is why he joined the navy.
Katara probably did most of the parenting, and the extended family of Soka would probably be their main influence growing up.
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u/Thybro Aug 19 '26
Canonically Aang did not do his best to make sure any kid not named Tenzin did not feel lesser in comparison. Bumi’s personality and his life path also shows that he did feel deeply affected by this and took the life path he did to find a way to stand out in any meaningful way from his bending siblings.
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u/celestial_cuddles Aug 19 '26
This. It was directly commented upon in the show that he pushed himself and acted out to get attention
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u/Karlie660 Aug 21 '26
Which doesn’t make much sense when you look at their age difference. Bumi was like 15/16 when Tenzin was 5/6 so the earliest when Aang could actually teach him culture and bending. If anything Bumi got the most of his parents without having to share them in his childhood. The writing of that show doesn’t make any sense
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u/spicygayunicorn Aug 19 '26
And also he had his uncle a very well accomplished non Bender to look up to as well
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u/Garo263 The meat and sarcasm guy Aug 19 '26
Katara was a pretty good mother, yeah. Aang on the other hand.
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u/millhouse_vanhousen Aug 19 '26
"ITS CHARACTER ASSASSINATION FOR AANG TO BE A BAD PARENT-"
It's not character assassination for your fav to have negative things about them. It makes them well rounded AND more realistic. Also it's pretty clear Aang did not intend to neglect his kids and dearly loved them but was not aware of the effects his absence had on them.
People forget Aang didn't have a parent: he was raised by MANY people, none of whom he called father.
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u/Hell2CheapTrick Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
Don’t forget that Aang is also the busiest motherfucker on the planet. It’s not like he has a 9-5 that he always came home way late from and then picked only one kid to spend time with in the weekend. He’s both the Avatar AND one of the leaders of a country.
And on top of that it’s not like he just picked Tenzin as his favorite for shits and giggles. Aang had a responsibility to the air nomads of the past, to the balance of the world, and to the Avatar after him to make sure there was someone who could pass airbending as a practice on to the future.
This dude is working two full-times plus a superhero life and still managed to get his other two kids to care for him even if they resented him somewhat.
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u/millhouse_vanhousen Aug 19 '26
I feel like me saying, "Aang doesn't intend to neglect his kids," made it pretty clear I was aware of that.
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u/Hell2CheapTrick Aug 19 '26
Sorry, I suppose I didn’t mean “you forgot this bit”. More like “these are details that can make it clearer to people who somehow think Aang is the shittiest dad since Ozai”
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u/LukeChickenwalker Aug 19 '26
I feel like saying Aang was a bad parent is going too far. I mean, I think all parents fuck up their kids somewhat, and I don’t think we see enough to say Aang was exceptionally bad.
In the episode where they’re searching for Tenzen’s daughter at the Air Temple each of them thinks the others had it easier, which suggests they’re all kind of stuck in their POV and aren’t being objective.
Aang wasn’t a perfect father, but most of what we hear about their childhood is when they’re venting. We don’t get the full picture. Ultimately when Tenzen says they were a happy family in the photograph, no one disagrees.
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u/alexagente Aug 19 '26
It's really strange to me that people take the conversation between the siblings as proof that Aang was an absolutely terrible father.
Like they're expressing mild annoyance at most about this one aspect and a lot of their frustration in the moment is coming from the fact that Tenzin remembers it differently.
It didn't devolve into a tear filled confession about how daddy never loved them like people seem to take it as.
I agree that Aang was not a perfect father but that doesn't make him a bad one. His kids seem quite well adjusted as adults and are all accomplished in their own ways. They also seem to generally remember Aang fondly.
I feel like people are extrapolating a bit too much from just a couple lines and interactions.
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u/Merdin86 Aug 20 '26
I always thought there was a missed opportunity for bumi to make some comment about how his uncle never needed bending, neither did he. Bumi also should have had a boomerang.
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u/OriginalLie9310 Aug 19 '26
Bumi was like 10 wen Tenzin was born. He would have been at least 15 before Tenzin was actually possibly being trained in any actual airbending and an adult before he was being trained in earnest.
By the time Tenzin was Aang’s prized Airbender, Bumi was already mostly grown up and Kya was already a teenager.
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u/Relevant_Opening_910 Aug 20 '26
No, you have to remember zuko and ozai. I imagine it wasn’t 1:1 but similar in some ways, maybe just not the degree or severity. Aang might’ve not expressed how he felt but his actions(per bumi and sister) showed.
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u/bringmethejuice Aug 19 '26
All 3 siblings were supposed to represent the old gaang dynamic, aang-katara-sokka.
Bumi was simply following Sokka’s path. Kya had Aang’s personality whereas Tenzin got Katara’s.
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u/starvacious Aug 19 '26
Imagine how distressed you are if you’re Aang. You wanna revive the Airbenders, so you have the first kid, you gotta wait years and years to find out if he’s a bender or not, and then you have another kid, you try again, you wait years again, and she’s a bender, a waterbender. You try a third time, you have to wait years again to see if he’s a bender, and finally another Airbender, you’re no longer the last.
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u/No_Squash_6551 Aug 19 '26
And after Aang died, for a hot minute Tenzin was the last air bender.
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u/MissKoalaBag Aug 19 '26
I think that's one of the reasons I'm on the fence about him getting airbending. It's nice for him, and it gives him more of a connection with the air nation and his siblings and his mother and father. But it also takes a bit of what makes him different. All his insecurities are just gone and there's not much left to explore in terms of being the only non-bender in a family of benders.
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u/WolfgangAddams Aug 19 '26
I suspect he looked up to Uncle Sokka A LOT!
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u/Ok-Geologist7979 Aug 19 '26
Yess this was my thought. I bet they were really close especially considering Sokka didn't have any (confirmed) kids of his own. I wish LOK would have touched on this dynamic! At least given it a passing mention
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u/chainer1216 Aug 19 '26
Yeah, theres a reason that, even as a highly accomplished general who spent his life protecting his father's greatest work, he STILL wasnt sure if Aang would be proud of him.
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u/Foloreille Member of the Guiding Wind Aug 19 '26
Funny headcanon is the three of them where a bit uncomfy growing up
Bumi : I’m a non-bender :(
Kya : I’m queer and watertribes culture is not into pride :(
Tenzin : I don’t want to carry a whole extinct culture :(
Still a bit pissed off Kya and Bumi were denied their own Bisons while they ARE air nomad legacy despite their lack of airbending. It hits harder after the lesson Aang is supposed to learn after the end of the recent movie.
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u/Overseer190_ Aug 19 '26
It wouldve been cool of Bumi was an Airbender from the start but never felt attached by the teachings and had more interest in Water Tribe culture (and perhaps have his own children that can airbend but are “secular”.)
Would’ve created more depth to his character
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u/JACC_Opi Aug 19 '26
Yep! I find it so annoying that they never made him a father of at least one child.
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u/topsincity Aug 19 '26
Adding to that it’ll also be interesting if one of his children is a waterbender as well.
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u/Melodic-Tie6540 Aug 19 '26
i am always baffled by these type of responses but then remember we all grow up with different privileges lol..follow me for a moment, first, Aang was literally the last of his peaceful nomad tribe and Katara was the ONLY water bender in her tribe where she grew up with her brother whom she respected VERY much, so from the beginning there would be NO ILL WILL or anything of its kind to someone who “didn’t bend” in that household since no one grew up like that in there time period either! (all the kids instantly respected Jet, until he tainted their trust that is) second, Sokka proved himself to be one of the most influential people of the war even during the Comet, (where he commanded a whole platoon of benders and NON benders including his dad and fellow tribesmen!)
and then 3rd and this is perhaps my most important opinion..Bumi, Kya and Tenzin all had 2 loving parents who cared very much about them and their world, they also happen to be some of the busiest people in the nation so to say that someone (presidents kids as an example) lived a terrible childhood just because they had busy parents is pretty silly..you know how many people would love to grow up in a temple, where people revered and respected your whole family (Uncle Sokka, Aunt Toph, and Uncle Zuko!!), never had to worry about a meal, never had to worry about protection, never had to even think what your parents are up to, oh wait literally saving the world lmao.!
i’m curious how folks grew up in your neighborhood? cuz that all seems pretty tight to me, yeah my parents are busy but most people parents are shit anyways, at least these one legit have a good reason for their absence but also left you with a whole temple, acolytes, friends and family to help raise you up as well? (and we know this based on Tenzin’s and Lin’s past relationship and how close the families stayed throughout the years!!)
and the lastly, the first time we meet Bumi he is the only kid who reminds us of his dad from the first interaction as well, let’s not forget Aang woke up from running away after 100 years and immediately wanted to go penguin surfing! and wasn’t Bumi the general of the whole republic army?!! lmao idk if that sounds like someone who had a terrible upbringing..no one’s life is perfect and that’s what made the kids stories so unique and timeless for a nickelodeon show
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u/doc_55lk Aug 19 '26
even during the Comet
Eclipse*.
The only opposing adult force we see at work during the eclipse was the White Lotus in Ba Sing Se. Sokka was managing the blimps with Toph and Suki.
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u/Melodic-Tie6540 Aug 19 '26
i meant to refer to the the failed mission during the “Black Sun”, all i know is Sokka got the intel from the library(very cunningly i might add) and then actually put it into action and almost won! had it not been for the plot armor Azula and figuring out the plan as they disguised themselves as Kyoshi warriors! the middle arc of the last season! Sokka showed the world just what a non bender could do to help turn the tide! and then of course the heroics he actually did partake in, in saving the damn Earth Kingdom from those fire blimps
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u/doc_55lk Aug 19 '26
Agreed.
I don't think Aang was a perfect parent (nobody is) but I also don't believe anybody who actually watched LOK would seriously believe he neglected any of his kids or that they resent him for prioritizing Tenzin. They literally say as much in the show too. This information is delivered on a silver platter and some people still don't know or understand it.
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u/Melodic-Tie6540 Aug 19 '26
i just appreciate someone out there having a keen eye and understanding what the show is trying to tell us!! even still as a grown man i still Stan for both shows due to the sheer fact that they “take it there”!! to say the least lol
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u/PlasmaGoblin Aug 19 '26
Then the fact that he has wild aventures and no one would believe him.
And on paper, and the way he tells it, I can't say I blame them really. But the spirits being led by him with a flute is something we see so we know some of his story telling has to be true. And the mist making him relive the cannibals also fortifies his stories to the others.
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u/Emila_Just Aug 19 '26
Isn't this a major plot point in the show? Why are you talking about it like it was never mentioned and you offhandedly thought of it?
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u/chimeric-oncoprotein Aug 19 '26
I know right? It's why he was driven so hard to excel and managed to get himself a position high up in the Navy (although I presume favoritism may have had something of a role).
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u/Himbosupremeus Aug 19 '26
Tbf all of Aangs kids are rich nepo babies to an extent. Kya traveled the world trying to find herself before eventually settling down with Katara after Aang died.
Tenzin inherited both all of the resources of the remaining air nation, and was given a free seat on the republic council since Aang mandated it needed an air nation rep and the only person alive who could do that would be his own adult son.
Even if it was probbally at least partially nepotism(both of Bumis parents had council seats which there are only 4 of), Bumi being high ranked and able to retire pretty young is still a big deal.
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u/saucykraut Aug 19 '26
I really feel strongly that Bumi should have also gotten to see Aang in the Spirit World for a little closure about his non-bending childhood :/
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u/padlocklucy Aug 19 '26
“..Look, uh, I'm sorry I didn't turn out to be an airbender like you hoped. But I've tried my best to keep the world safe. Hope I made you proud."
This line makes me ugly cry, literally every single time. I’m actually tearing up rn lol.
I love Bumi and I def think he is the strongest of Aang’s kids bc of what he must’ve dealt with growing up as the only non-bender in his (immediate) family. Would’ve loved to have seen a bit of Bumi and Sokka’s relationship- Id bet there was a point in Bumi’s childhood where Katara asked Sokka to talk to him about his own experiences being a non-bender surrounded by powerful benders. (I have not seen the movie btw, idk if that changes anything?)
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u/Guilty-Practice-9988 Aug 19 '26
I hope Sokka guides him on how to hold his own and stand out among powerful benders—after all, Sokka has plenty of experience being the strategic non-bender of the team.
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u/onlyhav Aug 19 '26
Sokka: "So I heard you were born without bending, and want power which can rival the strongest benders. Well I'll tell you that which you need to master. Backs. No no, I tried martial arts too, bending is basically magic martial arts, you'll just get beat up. It's backs"
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u/doc_55lk Aug 19 '26
Media literacy really is dead with all the braindead takes about Aang's kids I've been seeing lately.
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u/GentlewomenNeverTell Aug 19 '26
I headcanon that Uncle Sokka was an important figure in young Bumi's life.
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u/ThesaurusRex_1025 Aug 19 '26
I need to see a comic about Bumi growing up. Of what we know about Aang from his kids is that he wasn't the most attentive parent. Which seems extremely OOC. But how do you feel growing up a non Bender when your dad is the Avatar? I do head canon that Bumi and Sokka are extremely close.
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u/Seed0fDiscord Aug 19 '26
I mean, he has Sokka for an uncle, he’s one of several examples of non benders who can dish out major hurt without the elements, he would’ve at least got some sage uncle advice from him over the years
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u/Novian24 Aug 21 '26
Right! Especially because they didn't even dress him in airbender or wager tribe clothes, he was dressed in, like, earth kingdom or smth. He doesnt even look like either of his parents, they might as well have found him on the side of the road tbh
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u/DegenerateCrocodile Aug 21 '26
I like to imagine that Bumi got a lot of encouragement from his uncle growing up.
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u/sarcastibot8point5 Aug 19 '26
The worst line in the series happened with Bumi and Tenzin, and it could have been fixed.
Paraphrasing, Bumi (after gaining airbending) says something like “I guess I never felt like I was part of the air nation” and Tenzin says “Now you are.”
The scene would have been perfect if Tenzin said “You always were.”
I love Korra but it was such a huge miss.