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In Avatar: The Last Airbender, Aang's eyes glow when he goes into the Avatar State. This seems to be the case with all Avatars, but Aang and the other airbending Avatars tattoos glow too.


Is there any reason for why airbending Avatars tattoos glow as well as their eyes?

James Douglas
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Air Nomad tattoos glow when in the Avatar State because they follow chi lines in the body.

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This has been stated by the Creators in DVD Comments of "Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang".

As they run along chi paths, the Air Nomad tattoos of an Avatar will glow when they enter the Avatar State.

T.J.L.
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Ram
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    So, this would mean it doesn't glow like that because it's a tattoo, it was tattooed because it glows like that. Interesting. – Megha Jul 16 '17 at 01:21
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    @Megha In-universe it suggests no such thing. They are tattooed there because they follow chi lines. In the case of the Avatar this produces a cool effect, but considering the age at which Air Nomads recognize the Avatar, why then tattoo all other master Air Nomads with otherwise useless tattoos? It is because they have meaning unrelated to the Avatar's cool glow trick. – Dúthomhas Sep 09 '17 at 10:58
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    @Megha , I don't think it was tatooed because it glows like that. From what we have seen of the ancestors of the air Nomad (in Legend of Korra) their original tatoo on the head wasn't an arrow – Edelk Sep 30 '17 at 09:47
  • @Edelk Also interesting to note the natural arrow markings on sky bison. – James Douglas Jun 18 '18 at 17:31