

When Katara refuses to learn this technique, Hama uses it on Aang and Sokka, forcing Katara to use the technique herself on Hama. Later, she offers to teach Katara a Waterbending technique called “Bloodbending”, which enables physical control of animals and humans. While staying with the semi-reclusive Hama, the protagonists learn she is a Waterbender of the Southern Tribe imprisoned by the Fire Nation. In a village burdened by the Fire Nation's pollution, Katara disguises herself as the river spirit 'Painted Lady' in order to help the village. In the Earth Kingdom's capital, Katara encounters antagonist Prince Zuko and his sister Azula and during the following battle, Aang is injured by Azula's lightning, whereupon Katara takes him to safety and eventually heals him. After the earthbender Toph Bei Fong joins the group to teach Aang, Katara and Toph initially quarrel but thereafter become friends. At an Earth Kingdom stronghold, General Fong places Katara’s life in danger to induce Aang's Avatar State but achieves only destruction. Katara then accompanies Aang to the Earth Kingdom for him to learn earthbending. Katara having achieved her own expertise, Pakku deems her sufficient to teach Aang. Upon arrival, Master Pakku refuses her apprenticeship, because the customs of the Northern Water Tribe dictate that females cannot learn Waterbending as a martial art but upon noticing Katara's necklace, which he himself gave to Katara's grandmother, he agrees to teach her. Bent on mastering Waterbending, Katara joins Aang to reach the Northern Water Tribe to find a Waterbending master, with Sokka alongside them. The events of Avatar: The Last Airbender begin six years thereafter, when Katara and Sokka find Aang in suspended animation and identify him as the Avatar. Later, Katara’s father Hakoda and the other tribesmen journey to the Earth Kingdom to oppose the Fire Nation leaving Katara, Sokka, and their grandmother Kanna to look after the tribe. Though her interests lay in developing her Waterbending skills, she resigned herself to cooking and cleaning duties while her brother, Sokka, trained to become a warrior. When Katara was eight years old, her mother, Kya, sacrificed her life during a Fire Nation raid in order to protect Katara whereafter her daughter assumed an adult's role in later life.

Katara also is the owner of her grandmother's betrothal necklace, a navy blue choker bearing a blue pendant marked with the Water Tribe's symbol. In the commentary of the unaired pilot episode, co creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino state that Katara's "hair loopies" were intended to hang downward, but were thought too hard to animate and looped backward instead. The character 'Lā' appears in the first season's finale, while the character 'Kǎ' also appears in Sokka's name. Kǎ (卡) means to check, block, or card Tǎ (塔) means pagoda and Lā (拉) means to pull.

In “ Tales of Ba Sing Se”, Katara’s name was written as 卡 塔 拉. (March 2008)Īccording to the un-aired pilot episode, Katara’s name was originally 'Kya', which was later used for her deceased mother instead.
