Since childhood, I’ve adored the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. It takes place in an Asian-themed world with four nations named after the four classic elements of nature: the Fire Nation, the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, and the Air Nomads. In each nation, there are “benders”—citizens who can manipulate the element of their nation.
The series follows the adventures of Aang, the “Avatar”—the only one with the ability to bend all four elements. His mission is to defeat Ozai, ruler of the Fire Nation, who has unleashed a bloody war against the other nations in pursuit of world domination.
Beyond its brilliant animation and captivating story, the series imparts valuable life lessons. Many of them are embodied by one of its heroines, Toph Beifong, whose example can inspire us all to live a more authentic and fulfilling life.
At just twelve years old, Toph is one of the most formidable “earthbenders” of her time. She even becomes Aang’s earthbending teacher. She was born blind, a condition that led her family to pity her. Yet, to overcome her disability, she honed the skill of earthbending, using it as an extension of her senses. She “sees” through the vibrations in the ground, however subtle.
Despite the restrictions imposed by her overprotective parents, Toph has managed to pursue her great passion: fighting using earthbending. In the arena, she earned the nickname “The Blind Bandit” and defeated opponents physically stronger than her. These combat skills, plus her rational decision-making, make her a war heroine, crucial to defeating Ozai.
Toph embodies the seven fundamental virtues core to Objectivist ethics: rationality, honesty, independence, integrity, justice, productiveness, and pride. Her example offers us valuable lessons to apply in our daily lives.
Rationality is the recognition and acceptance of reason as the only source of knowledge, life-serving values, and purposeful action. For example, in combat situations, she logically considered the repercussions of her actions and chose the ones that maximized her chances of success.
Toph is also characterized by her brutal honesty. She never hesitates to express her thoughts frankly, without fear of the consequences. This sincerity is evident even when criticizing her friends, showing a genuine willingness to point out the truth, no matter how crude it may be. Her commitment to the truth goes beyond words, as she actively rejects any form of evasion, falsification or deception. For example, Toph is honest with herself about her own limitations and weaknesses. In one episode, Appa, the protagonists’ guide animal (which also serves as their means of transportation) is kidnapped in the desert and only Toph was with him. However, she couldn’t do anything to stop it, because just at that moment a sand storm occurred that completely disoriented her. When Aang realizes what happened, Toph recognizes her limitation and frankly expresses that circumstances got the better of her.
Independence, understood as the decision to think and make decisions for yourself, is arguably Toph’s defining trait. In the series, we witness her disdain for living under the overbearing supervision of her parents, and she prioritizes her autonomy above all else. She consistently asserts her ability to “carry her own weight,” disregarding any pity based on her blindness.
Independence empowers us to face challenges with confidence and perseverance. If we want the same, Toph serves as a prime example of how to do this in practice.
Toph also distinguishes herself through integrity—loyalty to your convictions and values. From a young age, she opted to live life on her terms, aligning her choices with her values and goals. She remains loyal to her pursuit of an authentic life, refusing to be swayed by her parents’ plans. For example, they thought that she should live her life isolated from the outside world and under strict rules of etiquette due to her social class. However, she doesn’t defer her judgment to her parents. She stays true to her preferences by playing rough sports and exploring the world.
By practicing integrity like Toph’s we can empower ourselves to withstand external pressures and not compromise what we value to please others. We can then choose to live authentically by making decisions that resonate with our aspirations and personal goals, even if it means challenging social norms or the opinions of those close to us.
She also exhibits a strong sense of justice, which entails treating others according to their actions and merits. During the war, she confronts villains with tenacity and gives her support to those who deserve it. For instance, one day, Toph noticed the potential of a group of children to become skilled earthbenders. They desired to improve their skills and were willing to work hard to develop them. Toph recognized that they were worthy of becoming her students and decided to teach them.
In everyday life, it’s easy to be complacent or indifferent, especially when facing uncomfortable or challenging situations. Toph’s example reminds us that justice is not only about punishing those who deserve it but also recognizing those who deserve our empathy, support, or commendation.
Another one of her virtues is productiveness. Toph is constantly pushing herself to improve. For instance, in one scene, she is kidnapped and placed in a metal cage. While caged, she reasons that the metal still has impure bits of earth in it, so she may be able to bend the metal to free herself. And she does. She ended up producing an entirely new sub-skill of earthbending, metalbending. She could not have done this without years of productive effort refining her earthbending skill, though. Moreover, this productive effort made her the best earthbender ever, later leading her to establish her own academy, where she taught generations of students to master different skills related to earthbending.
The lesson Toph embodies is to maintain a mindset of continuous improvement (even under dire circumstances). This enables us to reach higher goals and pave a path to success. Likewise, productiveness such as Toph’s not only drives personal growth but can also inspire others and open doors to opportunities that once seemed unattainable.
As for pride, no character manifests it more than Toph. Despite her physical limitations, she acknowledges her abilities and refuses to be seen as helpless or a victim. Valuing her personal achievements and merits empowers her to face every situation with confidence and determination.
By recognizing our own abilities and merits, we can build a solid foundation of self-confidence that propels us to confront challenges with bravery and resilience. Pride in our capabilities not only helps us overcome adversity but also encourages us to set bold goals and pursue our passions with unwavering determination.
Even though she is a fictional character, Toph Beifong is a testimony of the strength of the human spirit. Through her example, we learn that physical limitations cannot stop the power of determination and that by embracing the virtues we have covered, we can become strong enough to overcome any obstacle toward a legacy of greatness.
