Sol Garcia | THE RIDER
One of the few good things about lockdown was having the time to watch “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005). On May 15, Netflix subscribers could stream our childhood favorite.
Aang, the series’ protagonist, had been frozen in an iceberg for 100 years until siblings from the water tribe, Sokka and Katara, freed him. At 12, Aang has to face a responsibility that only he is destined for: being the Avatar. The Avatar is the keeper of balance and justice, the bridge between the Spirit World and Earth, and the only person who can bend water, fire, air and earth.
Every time an Avatar dies, they are reincarnated. Meaning, all of the previous Avatars’ knowledge and spirit is within the current. This is fortunate because Aang needs their experiences and knowledge to do something that no other Avatar has done: ending the war that the Fire Nation has started against the other nations.
But to do that, Aang needs to master the elements. Sokka and Katara, along with his fluffy bison, Appa and chirping lemur, Momo, join Aang on his journey, all while evading the cruel Fire Nation, including the banished Fire Prince Zuko.
In order to be successful, a show needs to captivate their audience. If a viewer is going to sit through several seasons, the show needs to have relatable, three-dimensional characters, compelling plots, and utilize humor and somberness appropriate to the scenes’ mood. “Avatar” is as skillful at this as Sokka is at making us laugh. From the running joke of the cabbage man, to the sympathizing of the seemingly heartless villains, to enjoying Uncle Iroh’s wholesome passion for tea, viewers will find a reason to fall in love with this show.
While it may seem this animated series is meant for children—0riginally shown on Nickelodeon—“Avatar” is enjoyable to all ages. Children can see their reflection in Aang. One episode features him enrolling in a school, where he finally gets the chance to be with children his age. His laughter is contagious, as well as his dancing, to the other children both on-screen and off.
Children are also shown other cases of representation. One of the most powerful characters on the show is crucial to Aang’s journey, along with being a close friend, and she’s blind. You can always count on her to bring up her blindness as a joke, but there’s not one moment where the “Avatar” gang sees her as weak for it after her initial episode.
Additionally, young girls can learn about empowerment by watching the series. In one scene, Katara is kissed by a boy after saying she was confused about her feelings. Instead of letting it pass, she rebukes him angrily. Katara stands up for herself and to sexism from anyone, including her brother and a skillful water-bender master. Other themes depicted on the show are political unrest, justice, grief, honor, love and friendship.
If viewers aren’t ready to let go of the element-bending world, they can read the comics with the same name based off the show or stream “The Legend of Korra,” the sequel series to “Avatar,” on CBS. They can also eagerly await Netflix’s live-action movie based off the “Avatar” show. (The first live-action must not be spoken of.)
“Avatar: The Last Airbender” (the series) receives the sunny rating of : ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼.
Reviews are based on five suns.
