Avatar: The Last Airbender
image courtesy of Google Images
By MADELINE CESARETTI ‘21
On May 15 of this year, my siblings and I settled down to watch some good ‘ole television. We were all preparing to spend an ungodly amount of time arguing over what to watch when we opened Netflix to serendipitously find that our beloved Avatar: The Last Airbender had finally made its return to the popular streaming platform, and had subsequently shot to #1 on Netflix’s “Most Popular in the U.S. Today” list. Avatar was first released in 2005 on Nickelodeon and ran for only three very high-quality seasons –not for lack of enthusiasm for the show but rather because the creators had a set narrative and stuck to that narrative throughout the entirety of its run-time. As long-time fans of the show, my siblings and I clicked and began to watch from the beginning, only slightly jarred by the different opening sequence for the very first episode.
The world of Avatar is divided into four nations each of which are united by their ability to manipulate, or “bend,” one of the four essential elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. These nations and their people lived in peace until the Fire Nation waged genocidal war on the other countries in order to gain more power. Siblings Sokka and Katara of the war-ravaged Southern Water Tribe are fishing when they discover Avatar Aang, the only person in the world who can bend all four elements and the one prophesied to end this war; of all places, he was stuck in an iceberg. The only problem is that Aang is only twelve years-old, and Sokka and Katara are both barely teenagers as well. The show follows Aang, Sokka, Katara, and others like Toph; the other characters help Aang master the elements and end the war once and for all.
From the group’s amusing hijinks and to their more serious adventures, each character is given his or her time to shine. With fully fleshed out motives and coherent character arcs, Avatar builds a cast that is both endearing and empowering to the viewer. Each character is written with delicate intent and imbued with complexity-- not being pushed by the plot but rather pushing the plot themselves.
It is through these characters that we explore the wonderful, but war-torn world they must navigate to bring peace. Following narratives of all scopes and sizes, Avatar expertly balances both frivolous and serious issues in a way that is applicable to most age groups. The show works hard not to paint morality in broad strokes of black and white but rather through a nuanced lense that leaves room for compromise and growth for its characters and for their values. It explores the human cost of imperialism, genocide, and authoritianism. Between examinations of historical revisionism and censorship, the show mixes thoughtful explorations of family, trust, forgiveness, and love-- themes that center the characters’ lively and complicated relationships.
Avatar also delivers a beautiful animation of movement and scenery as well as a wonderful musical score that artfully highlights all of its best elements; beyond the dialogue, plot, and characters, the visual storytelling of the show works to further accentuate its virtues.
Within its world and with its characters, Avatar: The Last Airbender immerses the viewer in a truly imaginative and unique narrative. As a result of the show’s popularity among viewers upon its return to Netflix, the streaming giant has revisited its promise to give the show a live-action counterpart in the years to come. Whether you’re returning to Avatar: The Last Airbender after years or watching for the first time, I promise that this is a story you will not regret spending time with.