Avatar: The Last Airbender

Sequence
The sequence opens by showcasing the four elemental bending styles:
waterbending, earthbending, firebending, and airbending. The waterbending
is performed by Pakku,[1] the earthbending by Sud, the firebending by Azula,
and the airbending by an Air Nomad. The sequence cuts to the map of the
Avatar World, followed directly by Katara's explanation regarding the origins
of the Hundred Year War launched by the Fire Nation. Following this, Avatar
Roku is seen bending all four elements before disappearing in a gust of air,
just as Katara states that the Avatar disappeared when the world needed
him most. Next, Katara and Sokka appear, followed by Aang, showing
scenes from the first episode. The title card is shown immediately after. The
Chinese characters that appear at the top of the show's title card mean "the
divine medium who has descended upon the mortal world".
Narration
Katara narrates the opening sequence. In the first episode, she states:

"Water. Earth. Fire. Air. My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old
days, a time of peace when the Avatar kept balance between the Water
Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed
when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar mastered all four elements.
Only he could stop the ruthless firebenders. But when the world needed him
most, he vanished. A hundred years have passed and the Fire Nation is
nearing victory in the War. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe
journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving
me and my brother to look after our tribe. Some people believe that the
Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and that the cycle is broken.
But I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow, the Avatar will return to
save the world."

In subsequent episodes, she says:

"Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony.
Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar,
master of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed him
most, he vanished. A hundred years passed and my brother and I
discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Aang. And although his
airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save
anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world."

In the unaired pilot episode, she says:

"Water. Earth. Fire. Air. My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old
days, how the four nations once lived in harmony. How everything changed
once the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar mastered all four elements.
Only he could stop the ruthless firebenders. But when the world needed him
most, he disappeared. Nobody had seen him for a hundred years, until my
brother and I found him, an airbender named Aang. The problem is, this
Avatar is still a kid, and even though his airbending skills are great, he has a
lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. The Fire Nation will do
anything to capture Aang before he masters all four elements, so I must
keep him safe until he's ready to fulfill his destiny. My brother thinks I'm
crazy, but I believe Aang can save the world."

On the first page of The Promise Part 1, Katara says:[2]

"Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony.
Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar,
master of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed him
most, he vanished. A hundred years passed and my brother Sokka and I
discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Aang. Although his
airbending skills were great, he had a lot to learn before he was ready to
save anyone. But from the first day I met him, I believed Aang would save
the world. And you know what? I was right. With the help of his friends, Aang
defeated Fire Lord Ozai and ended the Hundred Year War. Zuko, Ozai's son
and our ally, became the new Fire Lord. Together with Earth King Kuei,
Aang and Zuko promised to return the nations to harmony."

Calligraphy
Main article: Writing in the World of Avatar
Gallery
<a href="/wiki/File:Opening_Pakku_waterbending.png"><img
src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/avatar/images/4/43/Opening_Pakku_waterb
ending.png/revision/latest/zoom-crop/width/240/height/240?cb=20130618190719"
alt="<a href="/wiki/Pakku" title="Pakku">Pakku</a> <a
href="/wiki/Waterbending" title="Waterbending">waterbending</a>."></a> <a
href="/wiki/File:Opening_Sud_earthbending.png"><img
src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/avatar/images/7/7e/Opening_Sud_earthben
ding.png/revision/latest/zoom-crop/width/240/height/240?cb=20130618191127"
alt="<a href="/wiki/Sud" title="Sud">Sud</a>, <a href="/wiki/Toph_Beifong"
title="Toph Beifong">Toph's</a> original design, <a href="/wiki/Earthbending"
title="Earthbending">earthbending</a>."></a> <a
href="/wiki/File:Opening_Azula_firebending.png"><img
src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/avatar/images/d/d5/Opening_Azula_fireben
ding.png/revision/latest/zoom-crop/width/240/height/240?cb=20130618191631"
alt="<a href="/wiki/Azula" title="Azula">Azula</a> <a href="/wiki/Firebending"
title="Firebending">firebending</a>."></a> <a
href="/wiki/File:Opening_unknown_airbending.png"><img
src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/avatar/images/d/de/Opening_unknown_airb
ending.png/revision/latest/zoom-crop/width/240/height/240?cb=20130618191914"
alt="An <a href="/wiki/Air_Nomads" title="Air Nomads">Air Nomad</a> <a
href="/wiki/Airbending" title="Airbending">airbending</a>."></a>

Pakku waterbending.

Sud, Toph's original design, earthbending.

Azula firebending.

An Air Nomad airbending.

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The Legend of Korra

Sequence
 <img
src="http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/avatar/images/2/2f/The_Legend_of_Korra_
opening_logo.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width/200?cb=20130425215948"
alt="The Legend of Korra opening logo" class="thumbimage " data-image-
key="The_Legend_of_Korra_opening_logo.png" data-image-name="The Legend of
Korra opening logo.png" width="200" height="113" >
The title card marks the end of the opening sequence for The Legend of Korra.
The show opens by showcasing the four most recent Avatars bending their
native element: earthbending by Kyoshi, firebending by Roku, airbending by
Aang, and waterbending by Korra. Behind each bender is calligraphy similar
to that seen in the background of the original series. It subsequently shows a
picture of Team Avatar, followed by a map of the Avatar World. After that,
Tenzin explains the transformation of the Fire Nation colonies into the United
Republic of Nations, before the picture zooms in on the capital: Republic
City. A statue of Aang is seen on an island in the bay, and it is explained
how the Avatar accomplished many remarkable feats in his life, before he
eventually died and was reborn into the next nation of the Avatar Cycle.[3] As
of the second episode, the opening sequence is much shorter; the display of
bending is abridged to show only a few seconds of each element and the
sequence skips over the origin of Republic City to show the statue of Aang,
with Korra nearby striking a similar pose.
Narration
Tenzin narrates the opening sequence. In the first episode, he states:

"Earth. Fire. Air. Water. When I was a boy, my father, Avatar Aang, told me
the story of how he and his friends heroically ended the Hundred Year War.
Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko transformed the Fire Nation colonies into
the United Republic of Nations, a society where benders and nonbenders
from all over the world could live and thrive together in peace and harmony.
They named the capital of this great land Republic City. Avatar Aang
accomplished many remarkable things in his life, but sadly, his time in this
world came to an end. And like the cycle of the seasons, the cycle of the
Avatar began anew."
In subsequent episodes, he says:

"Earth. Fire. Air. Water. Only the Avatar can master all four elements and
bring balance to the world."