Avatar: Seven Havens Stars Break Down the New Team Avatar & Pavi and Nisha's Similarities to Aang and Korra (NYCC)

Avatar: Seven Havens introduces two new Avatars and a fresh dynamic to the team.

By Lauren Rouse Posted:
Pavi and Nisha in Avatar Seven Havens with New York Comic-Con Logo.

Avatar: Seven Havens is the latest series in the smash hit Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise, putting the focus on a brand new time period, with two twin Avatars for the first time. Premiering on Paramount+ on October 9, Avatar: Seven Havens takes place roughly 225 years after The Legend of Korra and explores a society that despises the Avatar after she brought about a catastrophe that destroyed the world. Stepping into Korra's shoes are young twins Pavi and Nisha, who have the odds stacked against them as they attempt to rebuild faith in the Avatar name with a new team of friends at their side.

Avatar: Seven Havens took to the stage at New York Comic-Con 2026, where the cast and producers unpacked the new animated series and also came in swinging with a slew of new Avatar announcements, including confirmation of Seasons 3 and 4 for Seven Havens. 

At NYCC, The Direct participated in roundtables with cast members Saheli Khan (Pavi), Major Curda (Jae), and Aishu Devan (Nisha), as well as producers Sehaj Sethi, Ethan Spaulding, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Bryan Konietzko, where they spoke about the new Team Avatar's dynamic and how Pavi and Nisha's personalities compare to Aang and Korra.

Avatar: Seven Havens airs new episodes weekly on Fridays on Paramount+.

Avatar: Seven Havens Introduces a New Team Avatar

Avatar: Seven Havens poster.
Paramount+

"It’s Definitely Very, Very Different in Terms of Structure and Purpose..."

  • The Direct: "We have a new Team Avatar in the show. Can you talk a bit about the team dynamic among your characters, and how it might differ from the teams in The Last Airbender or The Legend of Korra?"

Major Curda: "It's definitely very, very different in terms of like structure and purpose. You know, the previous Avatar crews have really been sort of a mishmash of the Avatar's closest friends, and I think our team Avatar is still very much taking shape in the first couple of episodes, and we're excited to share with everybody where it's going, but I think there's such an interesting dynamic. 

My character, Jae, has a really interesting dynamic with Karthik, and Karthik has his own dynamic with some of the other members of Team Avatar, let alone with Nisha and Pavi. So I think, in contrast, the friendship between Aang and Katara and Sokka, and Korra and Bolin and Mako is very organic. They just sort of run into each other through happenstance, and they become besties. And we are very much sort of forced together through circumstance, and sort of learn to find our group dynamics, to adapt to each other." 

Aishu Devan: "I think how we differ from the original gang is they were kind of all in their same stage of life. They were all kind of kids and teens, and I mean [we have] Karthik on Team Avatar.... So I think that there are a lot of people who are in different stages of their life. We are in the show, like nine. Jae, I think is like an older teen, possibly early 20s. Karthik is like in his 30s or 40s. Like we're all at different stages of our lives."

Saheli Khan: "Jae's kind of like our older brother, and like we're like two younger siblings that always cause ruckus and chaos, like literally everywhere we go. I think it's a really cute. It's a really cute dynamic that we have. It's like a little family."

Seven Havens Expands Representation in the Avatar Universe

Pavi and Jae in Avatar: Seven Havens artwork.
Paramount+

"It’s a Part of Who They Are, but It’s Not All That They Are..."

  • Question: "Seeing characters and cultural influences that reflect people's backgrounds seems like it's a major thing in [Avatar: Seven Havens]. What does it mean to be a part of a series that brings that kind of representation to the Avatar universe?"

Saheli Khan: "It's so important because, you know, representation makes everyone feel seen and important. All the South Asian cultural influences that are so deeply woven into the show, it really means everything to me, and it's amazing being part of this show."

Aishu Devan: "I think that both the South Asian representation and the LGBTQ representation is very important. I think the South Asian representation, a lot of it looks the same in today's media. I think there's a stereotype with South Asian culture and South Asian American people that I believe that Pavi and Nisha are kind of steering away from, because the fact that they're South Asian doesn't have to be who they are. It's a part of who they are, but it's not all that they are. 

Pavi is known for her heart, for her compassion, for her willingness to help anybody, and how much she cares about her family. Nisha is known for her drive, her determination, for her loyalty, for her willingness to protect the people that she loves, and it doesn't have to just be you're South Asian, that's all you are."

Major Curda: "Avatar is a show and multiple shows and properties that are known for their representation, but really, none of the shows are explicitly about representation. I think that's something so beautiful is that the feeling of being represented comes not from a specific desire to talk about representation through these characters, but it really just shines through from the sort of the curiosity and appreciation and dedication of the people in the writers' room, and our incredible artists and animators who really just let these elements become a part of the story without sort of taking precedence over the greater story being told.

Something that I really love is that Jae and his boyfriend Datu–it's not some big reveal or plot twist or you know any shocking moment. No, it's just: that's his boyfriend. They're together, and that's just the way it is, and nobody's batting an eye."

Are Pavi and Nisha Reflections of Aang and Korra?

Pavi and Nisha in Avatar; Seven Havens.
Paramount+

"Those Pairings Make Sense, but I Think They’re All Pretty Distinct..."

  • Question: "I don't know if this was intentional. So my question is going to be: Was this intentional? Pavi gives off Aang, while Nisha gives off Korra. Was that an intentional thing, or was it just something that sporadically happened?  

Bryan Konietzko: "I mean, I get that. I'm not refuting that read, but I don't get either of them from that. Like to me, they have distinct personalities. I mean, if you're gonna be really binary, like this one's more passive, this one's more active. Yeah, they line up, but I think Pavi–Aang was funny, but Pavi is quirky. To me, she's a different character. Aang would ride animals and he'd be like, I have a friend, he's a caterpillar and he lives in a log 3000 miles away. Pavi's like, this rock is my best friend. To me, those are two different people, you know? And Nisha is a different vibe to me than Korra, but they're certainly more similar to each other. Those pairings make sense, but I think they're all pretty distinct."

Sehaj Sethi: "I 100% agree. I was shocked when I heard this. I was like, 'Oh, that was never our intent.' I think both Pavi and Nisha, but especially Nisha, that aggressiveness is hiding a vulnerability, and that's something that we really wanted to play with. So we wanted to show off the aggression first, and you'll start seeing the vulnerability as the show continues. And Pavi, I think we always wanted to play with her. I guess Aang is positive, but I think he actually kind of sees the somberness of the world a little bit easier than she does. I think she wants to feel like the world is like a nicer thing. She's younger, so in a lot of ways I think that age difference actually does make them quite different in a lot of respects. So I guess to answer your question, it's super cool that fans are seeing different sides of them, but nope [it wasn't intentional]."

- In This Article: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Release Date
February 22, 2024
Platform
Actors
Dallas Liu
Gordon Cormier
Ian Ousley
Kiawentiio
- About The Author: Lauren Rouse
Lauren Rouse has been a writer at The Direct since the site launched in 2020. She has a huge passion for everything pop culture and currently writes news articles for the Marvel, Star Wars, DC and video game branches.