'Avater: Seven Haven' Showrunners Officially Reinforce a Major Fan Theory

Published Oct 12, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT

The series follows Pavi (Saheli Khan), a young earthbender from the walled city of Ellora, and her long-lost twin sister, Nisha (Aishu Devan), both of whom discover they’re the next Avatar. In a world that increasingly sees that mantle as a destroyer rather than a savior, the sisters must flee human and spirit enemies alike while uncovering the truth about their origins. Along the way, they're joined by airbender guard Jae (Major Curda), guard captain Karthik (Akshay Khanna), and cat-monkey companions Geet and Ruhi, both voiced by franchise veteran Dee Bradley Baker.

At New York Comic Con 2026, Polygon caught up with Sethi and Spaulding to discuss the new series’ creative roots and some of the mysteries surrounding its radically transformed world. The conversation took an interesting turn when we asked why there are exactly “Seven” Havens and whether their placement across the map is intentional. Considering how meticulously the Avatar universe builds its lore, it felt worth asking if the geographic layout was hiding a larger secret in plain sight. Sethi and Spaulding shared a quick look and a laugh before offering the following response:

Ethan Spaulding: “There’s a reason.”

Sehaj Sethi: “There’s a reason. I don't think we can say why yet.”

Ethan Spaulding: “I don't think we can.”

Sehaj Sethi: “It is important.”

It’s not the most revealing of answers, but it leaves plenty of room for speculation, particularly given how often the franchise has tied its geography to the spiritual history of the Avatar world. Fans have come up with plenty of theories of their own, which Sethi and Spaulding couldn’t verify, for obvious reasons. They range from interesting to ridiculous, and offer perspectives on where the Seven Havens storyline might take the future of the bending world.

What “Seven” Havens could really mean

Image: Paramount

One such possibility is that the Havens have some connection to the ancient Lion Turtles. Long before Avatar Wan became the first Avatar, humans lived on the backs of colossal creatures, which offered them protection from the dangers of the spirit wilds. The Seven Havens in this show could have been established on or around surviving Lion Turtles, turning these ancient sanctuaries into the last reliable refuges for humanity. It's a decidedly speculative theory, but might not hold much water given that all but one were hunted to extinction well before Aang’s time. Given that the Lion Turtles were also seafaring animals, it’s hard to see this theory holding up to scrutiny, even if it would give the Havens a connection to the world's earliest civilizations.

The number seven could also carry a more spiritual meaning, a connection Sethi even hinted at when discussing the show's shift toward South Asian inspirations. Sethi noted how the Last Airbender introduced the “whole concept of chakras,” highlighting how it was “a really big part of Aang’s journey and that’s a South Asian concept.” In that series, Guru Pathik is the one to teach Aang how to tap into them during his training. Pathik later divulges more about the chakras in The Legend of Korra, explaining how each is associated with a different aspect of a person's emotional and spiritual well-being. These connections led many to wonder if the Havens somehow reflect that very same system on a larger scale. If so, Pavi and Nisha’s journey between them might be about more than simply navigating a fractured world. Each Haven could force them to confront a different aspect of what it means to become the Avatar, with the number seven serving as a subtle nod to the spiritual principles that have always underpinned the franchise.

Image: Paramount

Then there's the increasingly complicated relationship between the physical and spirit worlds. By the end of The Legend of Korra, there are three portals to the spirit world open: one each at the North and South Poles and then one that had been opened accidentally in Republic City. That permanently changed the relationship between humans and spirits. Could the Havens represent pockets of stability in a world reshaped by that collision? Assuming the new world map presented in the Seven Havens intro is mostly accurate, all seven Havens are far away from the poles.

Their geographic distribution might reflect the places where human civilization has managed to survive amid the chaos, while the dangerous stretches between them leave plenty of room for hostile spirits, unstable technology, and competing factions to flourish. Such an arrangement would also give Pavi and Nisha a compelling reason to travel beyond the relative safety of the Havens, exposing them to the full consequences of a world that has changed dramatically since Korra's time.

For now, the creators are keeping their cards close to their chests, leaving fans to connect the dots as the series unfolds. But if there's one thing the Avatar franchise has taught us, it's that even the smallest details on a map can carry seismic implications for the future of bending.

Avatar: Seven Havens is streaming on Paramount Plus