But the theory does provide an interesting avenue of thought about the unseen consequences of Ozai's corrupting influence. The friendly and sensitive Bolin is as much an Earthbender as the tough and callous Toph, for instance. After all, a range of personalities is present among every type of Bender without the need to point to some corrupting influence on their spirit in the past. The theory is a little far-fetched and not really necessary in terms of answering a question that was not really a mystery.
Instead, Ozai's firebending spirit left an impression on the spirit of Raava that would later reincarnate as the more fire-oriented Korra. According to the recent theory, Aang didn't actually walk away from the clash unscathed. But the new technique nearly came at a dire cost as Ozai's own red energy corrupted Aang's body, nearly overtaking him completely before a final burst of energy ended the fight in Aang's favor. Granted a unique ability by the Lion Turtle, Aang instead opted to remove Ozai's power with Energybending, restraining the Firelord before purifying him with the blue light of his spirit. In the finale to Avatar: The Last Airbender, Aang was adamant that he not end the Hundred Year War by taking his foe Firelord Ozai's life. RELATED: Legend of Korra: Mako is Avatar's Most Underrated Firebender For the most part, it's reasonable to chalk that up to a difference of character, but a recent theory on Reddit proposes that there is an actual explanation for the drastic shift in personality from Aang to Korra. Aang took to Waterbending naturally during his lifetime, but it seems something changed in his next life when he was reincarnated. While Waterbending blends offense and defense in a patient and versatile style, Firebending is favored for its aggressive use of an onslaught offense. Personality differences in Avatar often align with the type of a Bender a person is, and Waterbending and Firebending are considered opposites that require completely different mentalities for their approach. But, though the Avatar is the master of all four elements, Korra's preference may strike some as a little odd.
That same personality made her perfect for Firebending, already mastered in her teenage years and proven to be one of her go-to options in any fight. Even as a child she burst into a room to bend three different elements and declare "I'm the Avatar and you've gotta deal with it!" A far more confrontational attitude than Aang's more passive personality, as even as she grew older Korra maintained her headstrong mentality. Right from her introduction, it was clear that Avatar Korra was different from her predecessor Aang.