Avatar: The Last Airbender Will Only Get Better In The Following Seasons

We are in an era of nostalgia fighting for a glimpse of the feeling we felt in our youth. But is it truly just about nostalgia, or is it about creating an experience that new audiences can appreciate? Netflix’s new series Avatar: The Last Airbender may not be perfect, but it is entertaining, thrilling, and shows so much love to the original series while also giving new life. Let us not forget, this live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender is not just a remake but a reimagining of the Nickelodeon animation created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. This means it isn’t meant to be a copy and paste of the previous series, but rather a fresh new take.

We follow the story of 12-year-old Aang (Gordon Cormier), who has woken up 100 years after the Fire Nation wiped out the Airbenders in an attempt to kill the Avatar. He is the Avatar, the only person who can master all four elements: fire, air, water, earth, and restore balance to the nations. Aang is discovered by Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley), siblings of the Water Tribe, who become his friends on his quest to stop the Fire Nation from continuing to conquer other lands. Zuko (Dallas Liu), the prince of the Fire Nation, was banished by his father Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim) and told to only return after he finds the Avatar. So, when he gets a hint from a glowing light that the Avatar is near, he follows it to the Southern Water Tribe where he meets the all powerful Avatar, who turns out to be a child. Zuko captures Aang, but, of course, he escapes. Zuko and Uncle Iroh (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) follow Aang through many lands and as the journey unfolds so does each character's history. We get to see many of the tribes and their way of living, exposing how the Fire Nation's undertaking has disrupted the balance and peace. While this may seem like a difficult storyline to keep up with, it most certainly was not.

I’ll admit, I had my suspicions with this show. It’s very easy to succumb to the pressure of outdoing previous work rather than simply finding what makes your show just as entertaining. The truth is you can’t compete with history and this fandom has a strong and loyal history. However, despite my concerns, I did not feel the show struggled with finding its own way. As a new viewer, I did not feel as though I was missing parts of the story or even missing out on some of the fun because we were reliving the story. As a TV lover whose guilty pleasure is action and fantasy, I was hooked from the first fight sequence in the first episode.

The show wastes no time getting right into the storyline. The war between nations kicks off the show, demonstrating the threat of the Fire Nation and other nations' willingness to die to stop them. But it’s clear from the start that the Fire Nation is the one who holds all the power. The genocide of the Airbenders was violent but also so compelling to watch. This was the best display of the Airbending powers throughout the entire series, which isn’t necessarily a great thing considering there are eight episodes, but I have to acknowledge the execution of the work. It was an actual song and dance and it was devastatingly beautiful. The contrast between Aang fighting with the water and the Airbenders fighting for their lives was perfection. That first episode is undoubtedly spectacular from the beginning to the end. It does not skip a beat.

The second episode also really blew me away. Kyoshi Island was stunning. The women of the Kyoshi Warriors remained some of the most impressive warriors we witness despite the absence of bending. They moved with such elegance but also were quite powerful. Avatar Kyoshi did not come to play and she was by far my favorite past Avatar. She allowed us to see what the future could hold for Aang, but she was also the first hint to me that Aang was not ready to become the Avatar. Though I was excited to see him master all four elements, I think the decision to wait for the story to unfold further was the right call. Had the directors rushed such an epic display of power, it would have left the viewers no more room to discover this world any further.

Without a doubt, the casting in this series is what truly sets it apart. It isn’t easy to cast so perfectly. These characters are true icons of Nickelodeon and the actor’s abilities to bring them to life, not only in physical appearance, but their essence was astonishing. Appa and Momo were the best!

Of all the cast members who significantly contributed to the magic of this series, Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko stepped into his role beautifully. I love to love a villain and Zuko is definitely one to watch. His storyline was the most impactful, as you watch him struggle between the acceptance of his father and the acceptance of himself. The love between him and Uncle Iroh stood out as one of the purest elements of the story, with great on-screen chemistry and strong dialogue. His love for his uncle is his greatest weakness but also his greatest strength. Uncle Iroh is a constant reminder of who Zuko is at his core, never allowing him to stray too far away from his heart.

Elizabeth Yu as Azula was definitely fiery. What I loved about her is how much I wanted to hate her because, well, she is the enemy. But I also couldn’t help but enjoy watching her on the screen. She surprised me the most, as I did not think her presence would be felt the way it was. She commanded all the space she filled and it was incredible to watch her. And now that we are officially getting a season two and three, I will definitely be in need of more Azula scenes, especially since they’ve hinted at how powerful she is.

Oh, sarcastic, stubborn, argumentative Sokka — I mean, he looks the part and I just adored him. Sokka’s presence was felt from beginning to end. He was a stabilizer, reminding us all of the power that lies within us. He gave us heart, he gave us passion, and he even gave us some light humor. I think there need to be more risks taken with his character and, if I am right, that's exactly what we will see moving forward.

I needed so much more from Kiawentiio’s Katara. It honestly just felt like they didn’t utilize her in all the ways they could have. She was great and her character was gentle, patient, and yet powerful and brave. I loved her gradual growth, but her presence didn’t demand my attention, which annoyed me more than anything because I liked her, but it never progressed. I wanted to love her. I started to feel indifferent about her halfway through the series until she surprised me with her Waterbending, but before that, I missed her. It wasn’t because of her as an actress, but rather the writer's inability to give her the presence she deserved. I feel there is so much potential with her not yet explored.

This adaptation is not without its faults. One of the more questionable aspects is the portrayal of Aang. Though Gordon Cormier does have some pretty good moments, I felt a lack of depth for his character. It felt very over-the-top animated and not at all what I wanted to see with a character of his backstory. I loved that they still allowed him to be hopeful and playful, but parts of me wanted him to be more relaxed so that when he did go into the Avatar state, it would feel greater. There was so much opportunity to make Aang even more furiously epic. The dialogue was weak. I felt as though he said the same few lines at least once every episode. And yes, I get it, he’s a 12-year-old — well, 112-year-old — kid who is expected to save the world from an entire nation of Firebenders. I wouldn’t have much to say if I had that responsibility. But I really hope that this lack of depth for Aang is Netflix’s way of setting him up for the most epic character development. Cormier is the coolest kid on TV right now and milking that would be the best way to save us for the next two seasons.

This show has great potential and, though it will always be compared to the animated series, it's important for us as an audience to differentiate the two and recognize their unique strengths. Yes, honoring the original series is crucial, but we should also welcome creative changes that allow the live-action adaptation to stand on its own, rather than being an exact replica of the original series. Avatar: The Last Airbender is an enjoyable watch, despite a few character, storytelling, and special effects flaws — issues that could be addressed in the upcoming seasons.

The first season of the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender is streaming now on Netflix and has been picked up for seasons 2 and 3.