Do you guys ever think about how the Fire nation is seen as the only faction that went crazy after the avatar left when really, every faction was driven to the extreme version of themselves without Aang?
The Fire nation was just the most obvious because without someone to guide them fire did what it does best, spread. Fire is the clan of Power so they let it consume them, they could not have power without taking it from others which is why it became a problem for all the other factions.
Earth, the people of Substance, were also out of control. They clung to their traditions and fought every change Aang tried to bring to them. Places like Ba Sing Se were able to exist, a stale fortress that literally killed to keep things the same.
And the Water clan, the people of Change, were consumed by their flexibility. Spreading their people too thin over the world, forgetting culture they lost their community. They threw their warriors into war, chasing just the slimmest chance of a change in circumstances, which is how great tribes like Katara and Sokka’s lost their strength.
Basically what I’m saying is, everything did not change when the Fire nation attacked, the big event that caused all the chaos was the avatar leaving. Fire sought Power, Earth clung to Substance, Water could only Change. All the factions became the “extreme” versions of themselves, fire was just the easiest to see.
