The Legend of Vox Machina's druid, Keyleth of the Air Ashari, has slowly proved that she is one of the most important members of the group. Despite her lack of self-confidence, she has shown herself to be vital to Vox Machina. While Pike was gone, Keyleth took over as the group's healer, and her nature-based spells have saved the group multiple times. Moreover, her connection to the Sun Tree helped them defeat Sylas Briarwood.
Although Keyleth has fully stepped into her role as the group's "light," she has her own goals to accomplish. Keyleth has mentioned that she is taking part in an Aramenté, which means "noble journey." This journey requires her to travel to each of the four Ashari tribes, which represent a specific element. There are clear similarities between the Aramenté and the Avatar Cycle in Avatar: The Last Airbender, but the two aren't the same.
What is an Aramenté?
The four Ashari tribes are guardians of portals leading to the Elemental Planes. These tribes ensure that dangerous elementals do not flood into the material world. In each new generation, the four tribes choose a member of their community to begin their Aramenté. These chosen individuals must then travel to each tribe and complete a challenge. If they succeed in all challenges, they will return to their home tribe and become the leader of their people.
Keyleth has been chosen to complete the Aramenté for the Air Ashari tribe. Originally, her mother was supposed to fulfill the role, but she disappeared during her own Aramenté. This situation has only added to Keyleth's self-doubt. She was not her people's first choice for a leader and was only picked as a backup. Keyleth's mother was both older and more prepared than her but still failed, which makes Keyleth unsure of her own success.
The comparison between the Aramenté and the Avatar is easy to see. Like Keyleth, Avatar Aang had to travel the world and visit each of the four elemental nations. Aang was also young, inexperienced and immature like Keyleth. Aang was only chosen to be the Avatar because the Avatar before him, Roku, failed in his duties. This directly parallels Keyleth, who had to accept responsibility because her predecessor failed her task. Despite the similarities, Keyleth's journey is not just a ripoff of Avatar.
What Makes the Aramenté Different?
The main difference between the Aramenté and the Avatar Cycle is that Keyleth isn't learning to master the elements. Keyleth has already displayed control over the elements; she has access to spells that allow her to manipulate ice, air, fire, earth and sunlight. Unlike Aang, Keyleth's journey isn't a quest for power but one to prove herself.
When Keyleth travels to different tribes, the people there aren't teaching her how to better use her powers. They are challenging her to see if the skills she has already obtained are adequate. The Aramenté is designed to test if Keyleth is capable enough to be a leader of her people. The Avatar journeys to gain power so that they can be strong enough to protect the world, acting more as a mediator of the world than as a leader of a people.
The Ashari tribes are also quite different from the Four Nations in Avatar. The Ashari is not a governing body or a political faction that controls a whole country. They are specifically protectors of nature and guardians of the elemental portals within their boundaries. They rarely interact with the outside world and don't engage in conflicts with other groups.
How is the Aramenté Unique?
Ultimately, the use of four elements that represent a people, culture or place is nothing new in storytelling, and certainly not an idea that was invented by Avatar. Throughout most of human history and across numerous cultures, the four elements have always been a major part of storytelling. It's a rather generic idea that relies on good execution to make it special.
Keyleth's personal relationship to the Aramenté is what makes it stand out from other stories about elements. The Aramenté represents her growth in maturity and self-confidence. With each step that Keyleth takes toward completing her Aramenté, she learns that she can be the person that both her friends and her people need her to be.
