Katara and Aang were always the representation of balance in ATLA, not zvtara, despite fandom misrepresentation and misunderstanding.
ATLA does not represent balance as something being opposite to another (see βfire and waterβ like shippers have misread) but rather as two things being half of a whole, or in other words completing one another. This is best shown with yin and yang, or Tui and La which are the moon and ocean spirits that take the form of yin and yang.
Even their native elements complete one another. Water exists in air and air exists in water. You canβt live without water and air. They are fundamental to life itself. And what their elements represent narratively is crucial to Katara and Aangβs survival. Water represents change, adaptation. Air represents freedom.
Theyβre even visually and narratively paralleled to yin and yang/Tui and La. Aang is the moon and Katara is the ocean. Sky element, water element. The moon moves the ocean, the ocean gives the moon purpose. Katara gives Aang reason to exist and Aang gives Katara reason to act. Katara teaches Aang to adapt and Aang teaches Katara how to be free.
