The Last Airbender Book Finally Gives Us 1 Villain’s Story From His Own POV

Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Reckoning of Roku by Randy Ribay.

The Reckoning of Roku adds to Roku’s backstory from Avatar: The Last Airbender, so the July 2024 novel obviously offers the former Avatar’s perspective. The book contains another exciting POV, however, finally giving fans of the Nickelodeon series a breakdown of one villain’s history from his own eyes. The Chronicles of the Avatar novels are meant to explore the world of The Last Airbender, digging into what Aang’s predecessors were like when they were growing up. And The Reckoning of Roku expands on one of The Last Airbender‘s best episodes: “The Avatar and the Fire Lord.”

“The Avatar and the Fire Lord” finds Zuko digging up his great-grandfather’s history, while Aang ventures into the Spirit World to explore Roku’s backstory. As it turns out, Zuko and Aang are looking for the same thing. Roku is Zuko’s great-grandfather, and his history is heavily entwined with the prince’s other great-grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin. The Last Airbender depicts their friendship and falling out in this 25-minute episode, simultaneously showing how Sozin started the Hundred Year War. Despite Sozin’s prominent role, the narrative is mostly from Roku’s perspective — but The Reckoning of Roku changes that.

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The Reckoning Of Roku Finally Gives Us Sozin’s Story From His Own Perspective

The Avatar: The Last Airbender Novel Goes Back & Forth Between The Characters

In addition to following the titular Avatar as he trains for his new duties, The Reckoning of Roku contains chapters told from Sozin’s perspective. Randy Ribay’s novel features both characters in their teens, picking up right after they’re forced to part ways. And Sozin’s POV allows Avatar: The Last Airbender fans to better understand the villain and his motives, delving deeper into his desire for power and the insecurities that often fuel it.

While Roku ventures to the Southern Air Temple, Sozin strives to impress his father and make a name for himself in the Fire Nation. He manipulates his friend, even from afar, as he sets out in pursuit of more power. The Last Airbender doesn’t show what’s going through Sozin’s mind prior to his conquest, jumping from his jovial childhood with Roku to his argument with his old friend. The Nickelodeon show doesn’t have time to adequately flesh out the character, so his jump from prince to villain feels jarring. The Reckoning of Roku rectifies this, making more sense of his betrayal.

Sozin’s Betrayal In Avatar: The Last Airbender Makes Way More Sense After Reckoning Of Roku

Randy Ribay’s Novel Reveals Sozin’s Motives & Goals

Sozin ultimately betrays Roku in Avatar: The Last Airbender, choosing to invade the other nations despite the Avatar’s warnings. With Sozin seeming kind and level-headed years earlier, it’s hard to imagine how he gets there based on the TV series alone. Fortunately, Sozin’s betrayal makes far more sense while reading The Reckoning of Roku. The novel shows the darker side of his personality earlier than “The Avatar and the Fire Lord.” It confirms that he’s self-interested and ambitious even as he and Roku are growing up.

Sozin seeks out power as a teen, and readers are left with the realization that the future Fire Lord’s plans are laid long before he tells Roku about them. Ribay’s novel offers a believable motive for Sozin’s actions, too. Overlooked and heavily criticized by his father, Sozin feels a need to prove himself to his family. He is also disappointed that Roku is the Avatar instead of him, which pushes him to leave his mark on the world in other ways. Unfortunately, Sozin’s impact is detrimental to the world Avatar Roku strives to protect.

The Last Airbender Book Offers More Clues About Sozin’s Fallout With Roku

It Paints Their Friendship In A Different Light Than The Nickelodeon Show

The Reckoning of Roku sets up Sozin’s villainous turn, and the book also foreshadows his fallout with Roku. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, Roku reflects on their friendship in an almost positive way. Although Sozin betrays him later on, it seems as though their bond is innocent and genuine while they’re growing up. The Reckoning of Roku challenges this notion, suggesting that Sozin is manipulative towards Roku, even when they’re still kids. The novel reveals a more sinister reason for Sozin giving Roku his headpiece, and it also sees Sozin using Roku for his own ends.

It’s hard to say which version of events is more tragic — the one where Roku loses his brother or the one where Roku believes they’re friends, despite Sozin’s self-interest. Either way, their story is one of Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s most tragic narratives. It’s interesting to see it from a different angle, though Reckoning of Roku leaves readers feeling worse for its title character in the end.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender is an Animated Fantasy and Adventure series that appeared on Nickelodeon and was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The series featured voices from Zach Tyler Eisen, Jack DeSena, Dante Basco, and Mae Whitman. The premise follows a young boy named Aang, an Air Bender who is set to be the next Avatar, master of all elements, in a bit to unite the nations together and bring peace.

Cast

Mako , Dee Bradley Baker , Jack De Sena , Michaela Jill Murphy , Zach Tyler , Dante Basco , Mae Whitman

Release Date

February 21, 2005

Seasons

3

Writers

michael dante dimartino

Directors

Dave Filoni

Showrunner

michael dante dimartino

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