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For those unfamiliar with the world of Airbender, Netflix’s adventure drama Avatar: The Last Airbender is a live-action rendition of the beloved Nickelodeon animated series from 2005. It is related to the 2010 film The Last Airbender by M Night Shyamalan, which also adapted the cartoon into live-action. However, none of the Airbender franchises are associated with the highest-grossing movie of all time, Avatar, as its copyright lawyers claimed the desired one-word title. Despite having to add a colon and a clunky subtitle, Avatar: The Last Airbender has still earned widespread acclaim as one of the most highly-regarded animated series to date. Nearly twenty years later, the devoted fanbase remains, eagerly anticipating the retelling of the story.

The story follows a common fantasy plot, where a world is divided into kingdoms constantly at war or on the verge of it. Young individuals have a significant impact and magical abilities are present for both good and evil purposes. The world consists of regions based on elements – fire, earth, water, and air – and each population has individuals known as “benders” who can manipulate their local element and use it as a weapon. Only one person at a time, known as the Avatar, has the potential to master all four elements and become a powerful peacekeeper with glowing blue eyes when confronting adversaries.

In the first episode, we meet Aang, a 12-year-old airbender who has been told some surprising news by his elders: he is the chosen Avatar. However, the fire people, using a powerful comet to boost their abilities, attack and eliminate all other airbenders. Aang manages to protect himself by encasing himself in an iceberg for 100 years. When he finally emerges, he joins forces with Katara, a 14-year-old waterbender, and her older brother Sokka, a skilled warrior. Together, they embark on a journey to finish Aang’s training and restore peace to a world torn apart by war.

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We are unsure of how people discovered that Aang was the Avatar, or the mechanics of the comet, or how Aang came to the decision to trap himself in an icy pod. However, this should not hinder our understanding. It is a common story of a young person with a great destiny. Aang, hailing from a tribe with prominent face markings in the shape of a downward arrow, unmistakably signaling his role as the protagonist, would rather reject his fate and enjoy a carefree childhood. “I never wanted to stand out!” is just one of many obvious lines of dialogue emphasizing the notion that this revered child will have to sacrifice his youth to fulfill his sacred responsibilities.

Shortly after, Aang’s first encounter with Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu), a member of the aggressive Fire Nation, occurs. Zuko is characterized as a villain due to his facial disfigurement, which is a common trope in fantasy genres. The burn mark on his eye marks him as an outcast, shunned by his father and struggling with inner turmoil and violent tendencies. Zuko’s determination to capture Aang and impress his superiors leads him to chase him across continents, causing harm to innocent people in the process. As Aang embraces his destiny and accepts his role as the Avatar, his eyes turn blue and his arrow glows, signifying his readiness for the challenge.

Aang and his companions are constantly on the run, moving from one place to another. The homeland of Katara and Sokka has a striking resemblance to Alaska, while the island kingdom they later visit is heavily influenced by feudal Japan. Each location offers valuable life lessons and intense hand-to-hand combat, with carefully choreographed fight scenes incorporating a rock/paper/scissors element as benders of different elements clash. Will fire triumph over water? Can water manipulate earth to its advantage? And will air extinguish fire, or will it only fuel the flames?

The scenery is stunning, with a massive six-legged flying bison providing transportation through the clouds. The young actors, Ousley and Kiawentiio, portray Sokka and Katara’s sibling dynamic with a perfect balance of spikiness and tenderness. Cormier captures Aang’s youthful playfulness and natural leadership, as the trio embodies the idea that a child and two teenagers can overcome oppressive rulers with determination, wit, and the power to control the wind. The Airbender series has successfully made a comeback, and we can expect to see more of it in the future.

Source: theguardian.com