How-To
How to Watch the Whole Avatar Franchise
By Jordan A. · · Updated · 5 min read
Avatar: Seven Havens premieres on Paramount+ on October 9, 2026, and it is a direct continuation of the animated saga that started back in 2005. If you are new to the franchise, or you watched The Last Airbender as a kid and forgot half of it, now is the time to catch up. The good news is the core path is short and streamable.
Here is exactly how to watch the animated Avatar story in order, what is essential, and what you can skip before Seven Havens arrives.
The short version of the watch order
You only need two shows to be ready. Watch Avatar: The Last Airbender, then The Legend of Korra, and you have the full spine of the story. Seven Havens picks up the cycle after Korra with a brand new Avatar. Everything else, the films and the live-action version, is optional. Both animated series stream on Paramount+ and Netflix, so you can knock this out on an account you likely already have.
Avatar: The Last Airbender, the foundation
Start here, always. The Last Airbender ran from 2005 to 2008 across three seasons, called Books, and it is the reason the whole franchise exists. It follows Aang, the last of the air-bending monks, as he tries to master the four elements and stop a war. It is funny, it grows up alongside its characters, and its final stretch is some of the best animated storytelling ever made. Do not skip ahead. This is the emotional bedrock Seven Havens is built on.
The Legend of Korra, the essential sequel
Next comes The Legend of Korra, which aired from 2012 to 2014 across four Books. It jumps ahead 70 years to a new Avatar, Korra, in a more industrial, modern world. It is a bit more mature and its themes are heavier, which some fans prefer and some do not, but it is required viewing here for one reason. Seven Havens follows the next Avatar after Korra, so her story sets up everything the new show inherits. Watch it before October 9.
The films and live-action, and where they fit
This is where people get confused, so keep it simple. There is a 2026 animated film centered on an adult Aang that expands the original continuity, and it is a fun bonus rather than required homework. There is also the 2024 Netflix live-action series, which retells The Last Airbender in a separate continuity with real actors. It is a fine watch, but it is not connected to Seven Havens and it is no substitute for the animated original. If your goal is to be ready for the new show, stick to the two animated series and treat the rest as extras.
What Seven Havens actually is
Seven Havens comes from original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and it is a bolder swing than a simple sequel. It follows a new Avatar named Pavi, an earthbender, and her twin sister Nisha in a post-apocalyptic world shattered by a catastrophe, where they must protect the last pillars of civilization. It is planned across two seasons of 13 episodes each, with episodes rolling out on Paramount+ from October 9. Knowing Aang and Korra's stories makes the stakes of this new era land far harder.
Your catch-up plan
If you have a few weeks, watch The Last Airbender first, then The Legend of Korra, and arrive at Seven Havens knowing the whole cycle. If you are short on time, at minimum finish The Last Airbender and read a quick recap of Korra. Franchise catch-ups like this are their own art form, the same way we mapped out how to start Star Wars on Disney Plus and how to watch the Monster anthology in order. And if the animation bug bites, our best anime shows of all time list is a natural next step.
What to expect from the animation itself
One reason the Avatar shows earn their reputation is craft. The Last Airbender built a martial-arts fantasy world with real rules, where each bending style borrows from a distinct real-world tradition, and it treated its young audience as smart enough to handle war, loss, and moral complexity. The Legend of Korra pushed the animation further and aged its themes up alongside its original fans. If you only remember the show as a kids' cartoon, a rewatch will surprise you with how much of it holds up as genuinely great television.
That pedigree is exactly why Seven Havens matters. DiMartino and Konietzko are not handing the franchise to strangers, they are continuing a story they have shaped from the start, in a post-apocalyptic setting that promises the highest stakes the world has faced. Going in with Aang and Korra fresh in your mind turns Pavi's inheritance into something you actually feel, rather than a name you have to look up halfway through the premiere.
The bottom line
Two animated series, watched in order, and you are ready for October 9. Everything else is a bonus. Do not overthink it, do not let the live-action version or the films pull you off course, and give yourself a few weeks to enjoy the ride. It is some of the best all-ages storytelling ever made, and it costs you nothing extra if you already carry Paramount+ or Netflix. Start tonight and you will walk into Seven Havens knowing exactly why it matters.
Keeping track of which Avatar chapter lives on which service, and in what order, is a hassle. BingeNext sorts the watch order and the streaming homes for you and lines up what to watch next once you finish. Get show recommendations and walk into Seven Havens ready.
Update, October 9: Seven Havens is out. Once you've watched the first three episodes, here's what to watch between episode drops.
Topics covered: avatar last airbender, legend of korra, avatar seven havens, watch order guide, paramount plus
About the author
Jordan A., Founder, BingeNext
Jordan A. is the founder of BingeNext and is responsible for every guide published on this site. He built the recommendation engine after one too many nights lost to the streaming menu. Dates, season counts and where-to-watch details in these guides are checked against official sources before publishing, and corrections are welcome at Jordan@Bingenext.com.