Raava

Raava, also known as the Great Spirit of Light and Peace and Avatar Spirit, is one of the two overarching protagonists (alongside Wan) of the franchise.
She is the spirit of peace and light and, after fusing with Wan, the Avatar Spirit. Likewise, she is one of the oldest known spirits, having existed over ten thousand lifetimes before the appearance of the first humans. Raava's fusion with Wan is what created the Avatar spirit and allows the Avatar to wield all four elements. She is also the embodiment of light and peace and the opposite of Vaatu who battles her counterpart once every ten thousand years, unless either one of them was permanently contained, light and darkness cannot exist without each other. Even if one of them wins the victor can't destroy the other, as their counterpart will emerge from within their self again after ten thousand years.
She was voiced by , who also voiced Izumi in the same series.
==Personality==
Raava, who was dedicated to maintaining the world's balance, had a tendency to be harsh towards anyone who threatened it. While she fought against Vaatu in order to benefit both spirits and humans, she often held a judgmental view towards humankind, believing that they lacked the qualities of nobility, courage, and concern for others. This led her to quickly blame Wan for his mistakes and remain vigilant for any further missteps. 
However, as time went on, Raava realized that her judgment of all humans was too severe and she developed a deep care for Wan and his future incarnations. Each new incarnation of the Avatar allowed Raava to gain a true understanding of what it meant to be human and brought her closer to empathizing with them.
==Biography==
===Becoming the Avatar Spirit===
At a certain juncture, Raava and Vaatu united their forces to breach the boundary separating the Spirit World and the domain of humans, engaging in a fierce confrontation. This momentous event had profound consequences for both realms, enabling the denizens of each to intermingle, yet compelling the humans to seek sanctuary in limited shelters as a result.
After successfully defeating Vaatu during the Harmonic Convergence that occurred in 19,829 BG, Raava found herself engaged in an ongoing battle with the dark spirit, tirelessly working to maintain balance and keep darkness at bay. This arduous struggle persisted for thousands of years, until it reached a critical turning point in 9,830 BG. Unfortunately, Wan, the protagonist, fell victim to Vaatu's cunning manipulation and was deceived into severing Raava's connection to him. It was then that Raava took it upon herself to enlighten Wan about her true identity and the consequences of his actions. She made it clear that by aiding Vaatu, Wan had unknowingly allowed chaos to reign supreme in the world once again. Raava scolded Wan for meddling in the affairs of spirits, placing the blame solely on him for the impending destruction that awaited their world. Before embarking on her mission to find Vaatu and prevent the annihilation of their world, Raava sternly warned Wan against interfering with her endeavors ever again. It was a final plea, filled with determination and a sense of urgency, as she recognized the dire consequences that would arise if she failed in her quest. The moment this separation occurred, Raava's strength began to wane and she started to diminish in size. The absence of her radiant light, which symbolized hope and goodness, became increasingly apparent as darkness gradually engulfed the world. Filled with fury and disappointment, Raava directed her anger towards Wan, who ignorantly viewed her as nothing more than a bully.
Raava traced Vaatu's path all the way back to the air lion turtle, where she found Wan in need of assistance. Displaying her power, she knocked Vaatu down and scattered the spirits he had corrupted. Once Vaatu retreated, Raava, now significantly diminished in size, turned her frustration towards Wan, scolding him once more for interfering. Wan, determined to make amends and thwart Vaatu's plans, promised to do whatever it took. Raava agreed to accompany him as they approached the lion turtle, hoping to gain the ability to airbend. However, the lion turtle, recognizing that no human had ever possessed multiple elements simultaneously, decided that Raava would hold the power for Wan until he became proficient in airbending. Although hesitant at first, Raava complied, understanding that teaming up with Wan was their only chance to prevent Vaatu from enveloping the world in darkness.
Therefore, the unlikely pair embarked on a mission to restore equilibrium throughout the world. During their journey to encounter a water and an earth lion turtle and gain the ability to manipulate water and earth, Raava educated Wan about the ongoing conflict she faced with Vaatu, the disharmony between humans and spirits, and the significance of the impending Harmonic Convergence, which was only twelve months away. Over the course of almost a year, the two individuals trained side by side, honing their skills and becoming more adept as a unified force; Wan felt a surge of immense power every time Raava merged with him, combining their energies. However, as the days turned into months, Raava gradually weakened and diminished in size due to Vaatu's growing influence on the world.
Just a few days before the Harmonic Convergence, the tranquility of their practice was abruptly disturbed by the strong scent of smoke, signaling the presence of humans nearby. As they made their way towards the source, they discovered a vast open clearing where settlers were mindlessly setting fire to the surrounding forest using their firebending abilities. In this chaotic scene, Raava, being a spiritual being, became the immediate target of their aggression. However, Wan swiftly intervened, dispelling the attack and preventing any harm from coming to Raava. Filled with anger, Raava scolded the settlers for their hostile attitude towards all spirits, explaining how their actions only served to deepen the divide between humans and spirits, thus benefiting Vaatu, the dark spirit. Before their conversation could come to a resolution, the aye-aye spirit, accompanied by a group of other spirits, arrived on the scene, escalating the tension between the settlers and the spirits. Sensing the impending conflict, Raava and Wan felt compelled to step in and try to mediate a peaceful resolution. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain as Vaatu appeared, manipulating the spirits' anger to turn them towards darkness, causing the situation to further deteriorate. Recognizing that they were not strong enough to handle the situation alone, Raava agreed to Wan's plea to merge their energies. Through their combined strength, they were able to temporarily halt the fighting. However, the presence of Raava within Wan's body posed a grave danger to him. Raava expressed her concerns, but Wan was dismissive, as he believed that their combined power was the only reason the conflict had ceased. Despite this, Raava was eventually forced to leave Wan's body when he collapsed, saving him from what could have been a fatal fall amidst the chaos of the ongoing battle.
Raava, unable to intervene in the battle that led to the settlers' destruction, carried Wan to safety on a nearby cliff. The intense hate and anger surrounding her weakened her significantly, causing her to shrink and lose her ability to fly or move independently. Luckily, Wan came across her in this vulnerable state and wasted no time in picking her up, ensuring her safety inside his teapot as they continued their journey to the Southern spirit portal. As the day of Harmonic Convergence approached, Raava expressed regret for her initial biased perception of Wan, admitting that she had underestimated the potential for humans to possess traits of nobility and courage.
Once they had crossed into the Spirit World, Raava faced a challenge from Vaatu. However, Wan intervened, asserting that if Vaatu wanted to reach Raava, he would first have to defeat him. This compelled Raava to observe as Wan valiantly tried to conquer Vaatu. Unfortunately, Wan's power alone proved insufficient, prompting him to insist that Raava join forces with him once more. Together, they presented a more formidable opposition to Vaatu. However, the presence of Raava within Wan's body placed a strain on him, ultimately working to their disadvantage. When Vaatu managed to overpower them near the Southern spirit portal, Wan harnessed its energy during Harmonic Convergence, resulting in the permanent fusion of his essence with Raava's. Consequently, he became the first Avatar, with Raava now serving as his Avatar Spirit. As a unified entity, their combined might enabled Wan to imprison Vaatu within an elemental cage, sealing him away within the hollow of the Tree of Time. Although the dark spirit had been neutralized, darkness still plagued humanity, compelling Raava and Wan to dedicate their lives to restoring balance for all mankind.
After countless years had passed, Wan, now in his old age, found himself lying on a battlefield devastated by the ravages of war. In his final moments, with death slowly closing in, he expressed his deep remorse to Raava, acknowledging his apparent failure in bringing about peace to the world. However, Raava, the ever-wise and comforting spirit, offered him solace and reassurance, assuring him that their efforts would not be in vain. She promised that they would forever remain bound together, traversing through the many lifetimes that awaited Wan, and they would never abandon their noble pursuit. And so, as Wan took his last breath, a remarkable transformation occurred. In a breathtaking display of radiant golden light, Wan's spirit and Raava's essence merged, departing from his mortal body and embarking on a remarkable journey of reincarnation, destined to become the next embodiment of the mighty Avatar.
===Harmonic Convergence of 171 AG===
Nevertheless, the balance between light and dark necessitated Raava's rebirth, which occurred from the residual light that had begun to grow within Vaatu. While Korra's astral projection managed to momentarily subdue the Dark Avatar, the search for Raava's light proved challenging. With the assistance of Jinora's spiritual abilities, Raava was eventually located and extracted from Vaatu's essence by Korra's astral projection. Utilizing Unalaq's pacification technique, the Dark Avatar, UnaVaatu, was dissipated. As Harmonic Convergence drew to a close, Raava and Korra returned to the Spirit World. Raava had grown in strength due to Vaatu's defeat and the retreat of his residual darkness inside her. Shortly thereafter, Korra and Raava fused together, resulting in the restoration of the Avatar Spirit and the reinitiation of the Avatar Cycle. During the Harmonic Convergence of 171 AG, Avatar Korra received encouragement from Raava to resist the impending darkness that would envelop the world if Vaatu, merged with Unalaq, succeeded in defeating her. Raava reassured Korra of her status as the one true Avatar. However, as the battle unfolded, Vaatu managed to extract Raava from Korra's body, leaving her defenseless. Raava endured a relentless onslaught of waterbending attacks, each strike progressively weakening her connection to the past Avatars and inflicting more damage. Eventually, Raava succumbed to a final devastating blow, dissipating in a radiant golden light and severing her connection to the first Avatar, Wan.
===Korra's recovery===
Determined to overcome this obstacle, Korra focused on purging her body of the remaining poison. Through her resilience and determination, she successfully removed the toxins and once again connected with Raava. This reunion allowed Korra to regain her ability to enter the powerful Avatar State. However, despite this regained connection, Raava and Korra still struggled to communicate. It was not until weeks later, with the assistance of Zaheer, that Korra was able to meditate herself back into the Spirit World and finally reestablish contact with Raava. Ever since Korra was afflicted with mercury poisoning by the Red Lotus, she found herself unable to connect with Raava's essence. In a desperate attempt to reunite with Raava, Korra embarked on a journey to the Tree of Time. However, even the friendly spirits within the Spirit World could not sense the presence of the Light Spirit, and the tree revealed no images to guide her. Frustrated, Korra left the Spirit World and tirelessly searched the earth for any sign of Raava. Sadly, the only trace she discovered was a mere mirage in the vast desert. As Raava's energy illuminated Korra's being, the Avatar could not contain her joy. She eagerly greeted Raava and expressed how much she had missed her. Raava, however, clarified that she had always resided within Korra. With Raava's guidance, Korra embarked on a mission to rescue Jinora and the other trapped souls. Raava informed her that she needed to manipulate the energy within the sphere that contained the souls. Korra initially felt powerless in the Spirit World, but Raava corrected her, explaining that she was actually at her most formidable in this realm since she was deeply connected to all spiritual energy.
==Power and Abilities==
In her spiritual form, Raava possesses the ability to take over the body of a human and exert a certain level of control over them. Unlike other spirits, however, Raava's presence within a human does not result in any physical alterations, yet it does place the host in significant peril. Moreover, Raava possesses the remarkable capability of harnessing the powers of multiple elements, and she was entrusted with safeguarding these elements for Wan until he had acquired the necessary skills to manipulate them. By passing through Wan, Raava could switch the element he held, enabling him to master each one. Only through the fusion of Wan's essence with Raava's was he finally able to manipulate all four elements simultaneously.
Similar to Vaatu, Raava possesses immortality and has engaged in a never-ending conflict with him for a staggering number of millennia. In the event that she is overpowered by Vaatu, Raava possesses the remarkable ability to slowly reconstruct herself utilizing the remnants of light that reside within him.
During the Harmonic Convergence of 9,829 BG, the protagonist became permanently united with Wan's spirit as a result of the spiritual energy emitted by the spirit portals. This fusion allowed her to exist as the Avatar Spirit, granting her the ability to communicate with previous incarnations and access a greater level of power in the Avatar State. However, it was not a common occurrence for past Avatar incarnations to have personal conversations with Raava, as it was immensely challenging to reach back to the very origins of the Avatar. Instead, they primarily experienced her presence as a formidable force. Unfortunately, this spiritual connection with the past lives was severed when Unalaq caused Raava's destruction. Nevertheless, there was a subsequent reconnection between Raava and the protagonist, Korra, which marked the restart of the Avatar Cycle.
==Gallery==
Raava.png
==Trivia==
*Vaatu and Raava can be seen as symbolic representations of opposing forces in Chinese philosophy known as the yin-yang concept. This concept highlights the interconnectedness and interdependence of opposite forces in the natural world. In the case of Vaatu and Raava, they embody the duality of darkness and chaos represented by Vaatu and light and peace represented by Raava. Interestingly, Raava's characteristics align more closely with the Taoist ideal of darkness (yin) rather than light (yang). Despite being female and relatively reasonable, Raava can also be abrasive and initially discriminatory, in contrast to Vaatu who is male and aggressive.
**Expanding on the yin-yang analogy, it is believed that Vaatu and Raava possess residual aspects of one another within their beings, which enables them to rejuvenate after experiencing defeat. In a similar fashion, the yin-yang symbol showcases a minuscule dot of the contrasting color on each side, signifying the interdependence of both elements and the impossibility of one existing without the other.
**The concept of duality is further emphasized through the names and color schemes associated with these two spirits. In the Sanskrit language, vatu (वतु) is an interjection that signifies "silence!", standing in direct contrast to the noun ravaḥ (रवः), which translates to "sound". Evidently, their names reflect opposing qualities. Moreover, the visual representation of these spirits also reinforces their contrasting nature. They can be perceived as negative counterparts, mirroring each other's characteristics in an intriguing manner.
**Raava and Vaatu can be likened to the Zoroastrian notion of moral dualism, wherein Raava embodies the principles of morality and light much like Ahura Mazda.
*According to Bryan Konietzko, the brilliant visionary behind the show, it is his creative imagination that envisions the birth of Raava and Vaatu to have originated from the boundless and potent energy emanating from the primordial Tree of Time, an ancient entity that holds immense power and significance within the fantastical realm of the Avatar universe.
*In his visualization of the spirits' fused form, Konietzko also envisioned a different arrangement for Raava and Vaatu compared to their original spherical shape in "Beginnings, Part 1". Instead of being side by side, they would be placed back-to-back, with each spirit's blank side concealing the other's. This alteration adds a new dynamic to their combined form.
*At the sanctuary of the Southern Air Temple, there was a wooden carving that depicted Raava and Wan in an embracing position. This carving was carefully preserved and cherished by the temple's inhabitants.
*As Raava decreased in size, certain elements of her design vanished.
*Avatar Aang, along with his loyal animal companion Appa, had the extraordinary ability to remain preserved in a state of stasis for an astonishing duration of one hundred years, all while defying the natural process of aging. This remarkable phenomenon could be attributed to the influential presence of Raava's spirit energy, which played a significant role in safeguarding their existence within the confines of an iceberg.
*In Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix, the beloved character Raava makes a thrilling appearance in a specially designed circuit that perfectly captures the essence of the Spirit World. This exhilarating addition to the game allows players to immerse themselves in the magical realm as they navigate through the race track, encountering mystical creatures and breathtaking scenery along the way. With Raava as their guide, players can experience the wonder and enchantment of the Spirit World firsthand, adding an extra layer of excitement and adventure to their kart racing experience.
==External Links==
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