Who trains Sokka in swordsmanship?

Piandao trains Sokka in swordsmanship.

Piandao is a renowned Fire Nation swordmaster who lives in a secluded estate and teaches Sokka during Book Three: Fire. Sokka seeks him out after feeling inadequate as the only nonbender in Team Avatar. Piandao agrees to train him, even though Sokka initially has little formal sword-fighting experience.

The training includes swordplay, strategy, calligraphy, gardening, painting, and other disciplines. Piandao’s lessons show that swordsmanship is not just about physical strength or aggression; creativity, adaptability, and awareness are equally important. Sokka eventually forges his own sword from a meteorite, giving the weapon a distinctive dark-metal appearance.

A major twist is that Piandao already knows Sokka is from the Southern Water Tribe, despite Sokka disguising himself as a Fire Nation student. Piandao accepts him because he believes Sokka intends to use his skills for a worthy cause. The character appears prominently in “Sokka’s Master,” one of the series’ key episodes about Sokka’s growth.