Top 10 Best Toph Moments on Avatar & The Legend of Korra

After joining Team Avatar as its resident earthbending master, Toph sets out to teach Aang ... or smush the airbender in the process. Compared to Katara's nurturing approach to education, Toph is more like a drill surgeon, one that can wear rocks as armor and fling boulders. Earthbending and airbending require completely different mindsets, which is reflected by Toph and Aang's polar opposite personalities. Along with teaching the basics of earthbending, Toph's crash course is packed with hilarious moments and does a great job of evolving the blind bandit's early rapport with Team Avatar.

Unsurprisingly, putting together two of "Avatar's" best characters leads to a memorable scene full of introspection, character growth, and a few laughs along the way. Fiercely independent, Toph initially struggles to get along with Team Avatar, especially Katara. After being yelled at by Aang, Toph leaves the group, only to run into everyone's favorite uncle. Iroh and Toph's quiet talk over a cup of tea helps both characters consider their situations from different angles, motivating the earthbender to return to Team Avatar. This moment even leads to another great scene in "Avatar", when Toph and Zuko have their talk during "The Ember Island Players."

As a master, Toph is introduced as a powerhouse, and any lingering doubts about her abilities should be gone within a few episodes. With the rest of Team Avatar exploring a library to learn the date of the Eclipse, Toph is left to hold the building up when the massive structure begins to sink. The desert sand limits Toph's strength considerably, but the earthbender still manages to stall the building's descent for long enough for the other characters to escape. While overshadowed by the Sandbenders kidnapping Appa, Toph's accomplishment deserves to be acknowledged.

Some things never change. Toph's run in "The Legend of Korra" almost feels like it goes through the earthbender's greatest hits. After greeting Korra as “Twinkle Toes”, Toph puts the Avatar through the wringer, just like the good old days. As she instructs Korra, her earthbending remains a delight to behold. The years have also not softened Toph's snark or teaching style, with Korra getting the privilege of experiencing both. The Blind Bandit only has a couple of scenes in "The Legend of Korra," but it is just awesome to see that Toph is still Toph.

Born to a wealthy family and blind, Toph was sheltered by her parents, who believed that she needed to be under constant lock and key to protect her. Toph rebelled by secretly taking part in earthbending tournaments, but the arrival of Aang would inspire the Blind Bandit to come clean to her parents. Toph's mother and father do not react well to their daughter's plea for autonomy, forcing the earthbender to leave. It takes considerable strength of character to turn away from the life she’s always known to head out on a quest filled with danger - but also freedom.

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#5: Team Avatar Vs. the Royal Earthbender Guards
“The Earth King”

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When Team Avatar needs an audience with the Earth King, the heroes have no choice but to force their way into a meeting. While everyone gets a moment to shine during this sequence, Toph steals the show and makes an army of Ba Sing Se's best earthbenders seem like rookies still learning to move their first rocks. Toph leads the charge and expertly controls the crowd of guards, while Sokka and Katara apologize to the thoroughly outmatched and defeated earthbenders. It's always a sight to behold whenever Toph cuts loose, and this sequence delivers the goods in every way.

Although Toph takes a bit of a backseat during "Avatar's" final episodes, the earthbender still gets a couple of epic moments. She plays an instrumental part in taking down the Fire Nation's airships, a process that involves the Blind Bandit essentially metalbending into a mecha suit. Most earthbenders would be useless in a ship floating miles above the ground, but Toph only needs a metal door to spread all sorts of chaos. Her strength doesn’t only stem from the character's innate earthbending ability, but also her willingness to think outside the box and get creative.

With Sozin's Comet only three days away and Aang feeling ill-prepared, Sokka puts together a mock battle to prepare for the big day. Naturally, such a training session requires a stand-in for the Fire Lord, and who better to take on the mantle than the Melon Lord. Toph embraces her character with the vigor and energy of a Saturday Morning Cartoon villain, complete with an evil laugh and a penchant for theatrics. Despite lasting for just a few minutes, the Melon Lord might be a more memorable antagonist than Ozai.

Visions aside, Toph makes her debut in an underground tournament match against The Boulder. The fight, if it can be called that, only needs about a minute to convey Toph's uniqueness, confidence, snarkiness, and earthbending mastery. Fittingly for a character who would provide some of the funniest and most badass moments in "Avatar," Toph's introductory scene succeeds in being both of those things. While earthbending techniques tend to be aggressive and not too subtle, Toph outmaneuvers The Boulder using her intelligence and not only her overwhelming strength. The Blind Bandit knows how to leave a lasting first impression.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Toph Takes Out an Army, “Operation Beifong”
Even Decades Later, Toph’s Still Got It

Toph vs. Dai Li Agents, “Lake Laogai”
Showing Them Who’s the Master!

Toph vs. Earth Rumble VI Contestants, “The Blind Bandit”
Because Toph Refuses to Hide Who She Is Any Longer

Toph Learns Earthbending From Badgermoles, “The Firebending Masters”
Picking Up Earthbending From the Element’s Original Masters

Toph & The Bullies, “The Tales of Ba Sing Se”
Because Revenge Is a Dish Best Served by Toph

Take earth away from the Blind Bandit and she'll just invent a new style of bending. For a long time, metallic prisons were the bane of every earthbender; however, something as fragile as a metal coffin could never hope to keep Toph contained. After being captured by her parents' hired benders, Toph realizes the only way to escape is to abolish a long-held belief that earthbenders cannot metalbend. This groundbreaking act positions the character as perhaps the greatest earthbender in the world, if not ever. And Toph isn;t too humble to state as much.