The Water Tribe, inspired by Inuit culture, includes a Black actor (Ian Ousley) as Sokka, diverging from the original's more uniform light-skinned depiction, while Katara is played by an Indigenous actress (Kiawentiio) and Aang by a white actor (Gordon Cormier), sparking pre-release debates over race-swapping and cultural authenticity from both critics of 'forced diversity' and those decrying insufficient representation. A key change removes much of Sokka's initial sexism—jokes about gender roles that drove his growth arc in the original—to eliminate 'iffy' elements for contemporary audiences, as confirmed by cast and showrunner comments, exemplifying sensitivity editing common in progressive adaptations.

Original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko departed in 2020 citing lack of creative control, with speculation that Netflix's direction clashed with their vision, though not explicitly tied to DEI. Showrunner Albert Kim emphasized intra-community diversity and cultural accuracy, aligning with inclusive casting goals.

These elements influence casting and minor plot tweaks but do not dominate the narrative, which largely follows the original's anti-imperialist themes without adding overt social justice lectures. Audience reactions include backlash labeling it 'woke' for DEI hires and sanitization, alongside complaints of review-bombing racism, but the season succeeded commercially without 'go woke go broke' failure.