Review of Avatar: The Last Airbender – a brilliant comeback for one of the most exceptional fantasy series in history.

February 22, 2024

Review of Avatar: The Last Airbender – a brilliant comeback for one of the most exceptional fantasy series in history.

After a twenty-year anticipation, we find ourselves immersed in the Airbender universe once again, this time with a live-action protagonist—a blue-eyed boy who deliberately encases himself in an iceberg for a century to rescue the fragmented world. What an exhilarating journey!

For those unfamiliar with the Airbender universe, Netflix's adventure drama "Avatar: The Last Airbender" is a live-action reimagining of the beloved Nickelodeon animated series that premiered in 2005. It shares connections with the 2010 M. Night Shyamalan film "The Last Airbender," also a live-action adaptation of the animated series. Notably, none of the Airbender properties are associated with the highest-grossing movie of all time, "Avatar," as its straightforward one-word title was claimed by copyright lawyers. Despite the need to append a colon and a somewhat cumbersome subheading to its name, "Avatar: The Last Airbender" has successfully become one of the most lauded animated series over almost two decades, with a dedicated fanbase eager to embark on the story once again.

The storyline adheres to the familiar template of numerous fantasy series, depicting a world divided into perpetually warring kingdoms, where young individuals possess extraordinary influence and magical powers are both tools and potential sources of abuse. This universe features regions defined by fire, earth, water, and air, each populated by "benders"—individuals capable of manipulating their local element as a weapon. At any given time, there exists a singular individual known as the Avatar, with the potential to master all four elements and become an all-powerful celestial peacekeeper whose eyes turn blue when confronting adversaries.

In the first episode, we are introduced to 12-year-old Aang (Gordon Cormier), an exceptional airbender who learns he is the next Avatar. However, the nefarious fire people, empowered by a comet, invade, wiping out all airbenders except Aang. He then encases himself in an iceberg for a century before emerging, joining forces with 14-year-old waterbender Katara (Kiawentiio) and her warrior older brother Sokka (Ian Ousley). Together, they embark on a quest to complete Aang's training and restore a world in ruins.

The uncertainties surrounding how people recognized Aang as the Avatar, the mechanics of the comet, or how Aang discerned that he should encase himself in an icy pod are not meant to impede our understanding. Instead, this is a familiar narrative of a youth with a significant destiny. Aang, conveniently hailing from a tribe with facial markings resembling a conspicuous arrow pointing down towards his face – a clear indicator that he's the central character – prefers to resist his destiny and engage in carefree activities typical of a regular kid. Dialogues like "I never asked to be special!" are among several overt lines emphasizing that this adorned child must relinquish his youthful pursuits to fulfill his sacred responsibilities.

Before long, Aang has his initial encounter with Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu), a member of the war-driven Fire Nation – easily identified as a self-loathing antagonist due to a facial disfigurement, adhering to the somewhat concerning visual conventions of the fantasy genre. The burn mark across his eye signifies his status as an exile, shunned by the king and grappling with a mix of violent impulses and unresolved paternal issues. As Zuko demonstrates his determination to pursue Aang across continents in a quest to capture the new Avatar and validate himself to his homeland, willing to incinerate any civilians in his path, Aang's eyes turn blue, and the arrow on his head begins to glow. In accepting his calling, he decisively says yes: let’s Av it.

Consequently, Aang and his companions find themselves fleeing from one locale to another – from the Alaskan-like homeland of Katara and Sokka to the island kingdom with an unmistakable resemblance to feudal Japan. Each stop on their journey imparts life lessons, involving hand-to-hand combat with intricately choreographed fight sequences that add an exciting rock/paper/scissors-esque dynamic to conventional martial arts battles. Different elemental benders face off in intriguing confrontations: will fire evaporate water, can water transform earth into mud, and will air extinguish fire, or perhaps exacerbate the situation like a bellows?

The landscapes are breathtaking, featuring a colossal six-legged flying bison that gracefully transports everyone through the clouds. The youthful cast rises to the occasion, with Ousley and Kiawentiio establishing a nicely dynamic sibling relationship as Sokka and Katara, while Cormier imbues Aang with the perfect blend of boyish cheek and inherent authority. Together, they convey the impression that a child and two teenagers can stand against genocidal authoritarians with a combination of pluckiness, gentle sarcasm, and the ability to summon a hurricane. The Airbender franchise has successfully revitalized itself, and this surely won't be its last appearance.

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Review of Avatar: The Last Airbender – a brilliant comeback for one of the most exceptional fantasy series in history.

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