Summary
The live-actionAvatar: The Last Airbenderwas always going to struggle when it comes to pleasing fans of the beloved Nickelodeon series. The Netflix show unsurprisingly left at least a portion of the fanbase disappointed. But the issue with the 2023 series wasn’t a failure to faithfully adapt its source material. Despite retaining many of the animation’s best qualities,Avatar: The Last Airbendercreated faults of its own.
The live-action creators were under significant pressure to get the series right. Their effort was already overshadowed by the abysmal M. Knight Shyamalan film. It’s clear that the Netflix creative team took care to bring Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko’s fantasy universe to life with more authenticity. But stellar visuals anda great cast forAvatar: The Last Airbenderwere not enough to makeAvatara great series. WithAvatar: The Last Airbenderseason 2now confirmed, the live-action show has the opportunity to resolve its biggest teething problems.
Netflix’s Biggest Last Airbender Change Would Work Better For A Live-Action Legend Of Korra
Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender makes a major change to the original story, and it’s one that would suit The Legend of Korra better.
8Avatar Has A Pacing Problem
Efforts To Condense The Cartoon Storyline Resulted In A Messy Plot
Modern television is becoming an increasingly concise format as streaming services offer a barrage of new content. Any adaptation can be expected to trim the fat from its source material, especially when working from a cartoon likeThe Last Airbender,which is full of unnecessary filler material. “The Great Divide”is such a famously pointless diversion thatthe original show mocked the episodewith a season 3 gag. But where they should have cut back on insignificant side plotsto get to the heart of the show,Netflix’sAvatarchose to merge several storylines together.
This worked in some places: combining the Omashu and Northern Air Temple plots enabled live-actionAvatarto place essential characters like Jet, King Bumi, and the Mechanist in one convenient location. This was a logical move, but the show’s exploration ofAvatar’sSpirit Worldsuffered in comparison. A particular oversight saw Aang abandoning his original goal of saving the spirit Hei Bai. Book 2 will offer even more new characters and locations to juggle.Avatarmust resolve its pacing issuesif it’s going to pull the broad Earth Kingdom arc together.
7Season 2 Must Spend More Time On Its Setting
The Series Can’t Afford To Waste Book 2’s Expansive Locations
Book 2 is the cartoon’s richest season when it comes to developing the wider world ofAvatar.The Gaang’s travels through the Earth Kingdom take them to crucial locationslike the Foggy Swamp and the Earth Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Se. The Netflix series can’t afford to cover this journey in a whistle-stop tour like it did with season one. Theconfirmation thatAvatar: The Last Airbenderplans to condense the season 2 storylineis a cause for concern.
Netflix would rather benefit fromsplitting the Earth Kingdom arc into separate seasons.Zuko’s travels in the Earth Kingdom are particularly important to his character development and shouldn’t be covered in brief. By spending time amongst the Earth Kingdom’s citizens, both Zuko and the audience are exposed to the devastating impact of the Fire Nation’s imperialistic ambition. Zuko actorDallas Liu agrees that Netflix’sAvatarneeds a bigger episode countgoing forward. To faithfully express the rich, varied world ofAvatar, the live-action needs to spend more time on the little details that bring the setting to life.
6Netflix’s Avatar Needs To Lighten Up
The Live Action Loses The Comic Charm Of The Original
In an attempt to appeal to a more mature audience base,Netflix’sAvatarhas shied away from the slapstick humor of the original.It doesn’t take the ill-advised course of the 2010 movie, which made comic relief character Sokka painfully serious, however, but the few wise-cracks that the Netflix series injects aren’t very funny nonetheless. If it weren’t for Ian Ousley’s efforts, Netflix’s Sokka would be just as bland.
Season 2 needs to exploit the comic talent of its cast. Behind-the-scenes footage shows that the young actors have this in spades. If anything,the decision to ignore the humor at the heart ofAvatarmakes the live-action feel less mature than its predecessor. The Nickelodeon cartoon still manages to explore serious themes like war, genocide, trauma, and redemption. Its overarching lightness makes its dark spots all the more poignant.
5AvatarMust Fix Its Cheesy Dialogue
Poor Writing In Season 1 Detracted From The Story
For all its stunning visuals, Netflix’sThe Last Airbenderproved that special effects can’t redeem sloppy writing. All the characters were saddled with moments of cringy dialogue, but Gordon Comier’s Aang probably suffered the most. The tragic contrast between Aang’s youthful innocence and the huge responsibility on his shoulders expresses itself naturally in the cartoon. Netflix’sAvatarinstead chose to summarize Aang’s dilemma through painful monologuing.
“I know who I am,”says Aang early in the series.“I like to play airball and eat banana cakes and goof off with my friends. That’s who I am. Not someone who can stop the Fire Nation. Not someone who can stop a war.” Avatarwriters should remember the rule: show, don’t tell. The Netflix seriesrelies on such stilted dialogue as shorthand for fully rounded characters. In season 2,Avatarought to trust the audience’s intelligence to pick up on the meaning behind the characters' words.
4Avatar’sVillains Need More Subtlety
The Fire Nation’s Actions Can Speak For Themselves
Live-actionAvatar’svillains were given a similar over-explanation. In the original series, the threat of the Fire Nation is allowed to build slowly. Firelord Ozai remains a shadowy figure whose ruthlessness is best expressed through the influence he has on his children.Netflix’sAvatarchose to introduce Ozai immediately, butcould have been more subtle in exploring the relationship between Zuko and his father. It has the opportunity to redeem this in season 2, which will focus on the young prince’s personal angst as he begins the long road to redemption.
The live-action series made the bold choice to open with a flashback to the destruction of the Southern Air Temple. This worked well to set up the devastating power ofAvatar’svillains. The series should take a similar approach in season 2. Rather than characters simply warning the audience to fear the Fire Nation,season 2 could express the threat by examining the war’s impact on the besieged Earth Kingdom– just as it did with Jet’s tragic backstory.
3AvatarSeason 2 Must Write Katara Better
Even before its release, the creators of Netflix’sAvatardrew unwanted attention by claiming their intention to resolving sexist elements from the original series. In their view, Sokka’s childish attitude towards women in the cartoon was problematic. Fans countered this with the argument that Sokka is made out to be wrong-headed and foolish. The erasure of this side of Sokka’s personality doesn’t impact the series much. More alarmingly,Netflix’sAvatarproceeded to diminish the personality of their female lead, glaringly shown in her battle with Master Pakku.
In the original show, Katara is enraged by the waterbending master’s refusal to take on a female student. Katara’s righteous fury fuels the most impressive displays of her talent. The Netflix duel felt lackluster in comparison, largely becausethe show didn’t allow Kiawentiio the same depth of emotion. Katara isn’t supposed to be level-headed. Her passion in the face of injustice is key to her character, whether that is expressed through her protective nature or petty spats with her older brother. Season 2 can remedy this by exploring her rocky relationship with the Gaang’s new female member, Toph.
2Season One Should Have Explored Azula’s Villainy
Zuko’s Ruthless Sister Is The Central Antagonist Of Book 2
Grey DeLisle’s brilliant portrayal of the cold-hearted Fire Nation princess made this character an enduring fan favorite, which explains the decision to introduce her character earlier in the live-actionAvatar. Elizabeth Yu has yet to be granted the opportunity to express Azula’s true ruthlessness, though.The glimpses of Azula so far have revealed a spoiled princess vying for her father’s attention, rather than the menacing, manipulative villain she plays in the cartoon.
It isn’t necessarily a bad thing that the live-action has already introduced Azula’s crushing need to win her father’s approval. This is the driving force behind her most brutal acts. It is also the cause of her tragic unraveling in the Nickelodeon show’s final episodes. The newAvatar: The Last Airbenderhas set up the possibility thatAzula will get a Zuko-style redemption arc, butseason 2 must equally stress her conniving nature to pull off that dramatic twist. Azula is a force to be reckoned with, and she will have a significant role to play going forward.
1Avatar Should Let The Gaang Be Kids
Making The Main Characters Too Mature Is A Mistake
The Netflix live-action series raised some eyebrows when rumors spread around its decision to age-up the main cast. Many feared that Katara would be made older to tease a romantic pairing with Zuko, adding fuel to the fire of an old shipping debate. Thankfully, the ages have remained similar to those in theLast Airbendercartoon, with the exception of Sokka, who is two years older in the live-action. But even if the Gaang remains physically the same age,the live-action portrays them with much more emotional maturity.This isn’t always a good thing.
The more series overtone of the live-action removesAvatar’sjoyful spirit. 12-year-old Aang is not the playful prankster fans remember from early seasons of the Nickelodeon show. The animated series drew emotional power fromthe contrast between childhood innocence and a darkening world. Toph Beifong, the new addition to season 2’s cast, may allow the Netflix show to recapture that essence by allowing Aang to interact with someone his own age.
The 2024Avatar: The Last Airbenderhas some issues to resolve, but its shaky debut is no reason to discount the series. For all its problems, it remains a crucial departure from typical Eurocentric fantasy fare, championing a diverse cast as befits its setting. Moving forward, the live-action must support its style with substance. The foundations have been laid to allow Netflix’sAvatar: The Last Airbenderto approach the excellence achieved by its predecessor.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Cast
Avatar: The Last Airbender follows a young boy, the Avatar, who embarks on a quest to master the four elemental powers. Tasked with saving a world engulfed in war, he must confront a relentless adversary determined to thwart his mission.
