(A/N: This is just a theory I came up with about how the Avatar first came to be and how the cycle began.)

Disclaimer: I don't own 'Avatar the Last Airbender'.

"BIRTH OF THE AVATAR"

The Avatar; the master of the all four elements and protector of the world.

It wasn't always like that though. No, at the very beginning, there had been only one Avatar, and he was not into the whole saving person thing. He was a power hungry being who wanted only one thing, more power.

Starting out as a Fire Nation, the first Avatar couldn't bend. His whole family had been benders, but he was not, and he was considered a disgrace. The first Avatar swore to become the most powerful bender to ever live and left to gain the ability to fire bend.

Benders were given their power from the gods. The first Avatar knew this. After many years of searching, he found the god that granted the ability to fire bend. He begged for the ability to bend, and the god answered his prayers. It cost him many years of servitude, but finally the first Avatar became a fire bender. He had achieved his goal.

But power can be very tempting, and humans were weak, falling prey to their greedy desires. The first Avatar wasn't satisfied. He begged the god for more power. Finally the god caved in and granted him the ability to use lightning.

Convinced that he was now the strongest of all benders, he returned to the Fire Nation, expected to be welcomed back with open arms. He was wrong. He was looked down upon by his family. The way they saw it was that since he was not born with the ability to fire bend, he was not worthy of his powers.

Enraged, the first Avatar once again left the Fire Nation. He decided to become even more powerful and earn respect and honor from the whole world. He swore that no bender from any nation would be able to stand up to him.

For years he traveled the worlds, discovering secrets of the spirit world. He found the gods that granted the ability to earth bend, water bend, and air bend. And just like before, he earned the ability to bend from each of them until he mastered all four elements. But he wanted more from each element, just like he did with fire. And eventually he got it. From earth, he gained the ability to bend metal. With water, he gained the ability to heal. And with air he was taught how to fly.

But he wanted more. The gods were hesitant to grant him more power, but the first Avatar was persistent. The gods decided to test him to see if he was worthy by giving him the responsibilities that the Avatars of today have.

After years of servitude, the gods finally gave the first Avatar the power he desired; allowing him go into the Avatar State.

Now confident in his abilities, the first Avatar returned home. When he was once again rejected by his family, he retaliated. It didn't take long before he took over and was named Fire Lord.

But it wasn't enough. The first Avatar had started down a road from which he would not turn away from. He started taking over everything, bent on having the whole world bow down to him. Many lost their lives as the first Avatar slowly began dominating the world.

It did not last though. The gods had become enraged by the way the first Avatar was using the powers they gave him. They attacked him with their godly wrath. As powerful as the first Avatar was, he could not stand up to gods.

On his dying breath, the gods decided to punish him doing the one thing that would infuriate the first Avatar. They knew that the first Avatar wanted to be the only one with the powers he possessed, so they denied him that right. From now on, there would be many Avatars. And when the current Avatar died, a child of the next nation would be born with the powers the first Avatar had. And when that Avatar died, a member from the next nation would be born with the power of the Avatar. And each Avatar would have the responsibility that the first Avatar had when he was serving the gods. On top of that, they would also have to keep peace between the nations, which the first Avatar had disrupted.

As the first Avatar passed into the afterlife, he watched in horror as a child of Air Nation was born with his powers. And when this new Avatar passed on, a child from the Water Nation would be born with the powers of the Avatar, followed by the Earth Nation, the Fire Nation, and then the Air Nation again. The cycle had begun, and it would continue to go on, and there was nothing the first Avatar could do about it.

But he vowed not to make it easy. So using the fullest extent of his powers, he sealed away the Avatar State. The future Avatars would not be able to access it at will as he had, and during the times they did activate it, they would have a difficult time controlling it. The only way they would be able to willingly go in and out of the Avatar State would be if they proved themselves worthy in his eyes by willing to let go of all worldly attachments as he had.

And it has been this way for several generations. The Avatars have continuously upheld the duties the first Avatar had abandoned; keeping peace between the nations and being the bridge between the spirit world and the human world. The Avatars of the past continue to aid the Avatars of the future. All except one. The first Avatar.

(A/N: So, who likes my theory? I know it's very unlikely that this is the true story, but I think it's a good idea; it covers everything. So, tell me what you think and thanks for reading.)