The Best Show Just Dropped on Netflix… Here’s Why You Should Watch.
A popular cartoon series from Nickelodeon drops on Netflix today. This is huge news for those living in the United States because Avatar: The Last Airbender hasn’t been on a streaming service in years. The last time Avatar was on Netflix US was probably around 2009-2010. Some people hear Avatar and immediately think of the blue people, but Avatar: The Last Airbender is an entirely different world, one that has left a major impact on people of all ages.
The people who know me and love me can say this one thing about me: Avatar: The Last Airbender is my favorite show. I’m a writer who loves stories—whether it be told in the form of a play, a novel, a movie, a TV show, a song, I’m all in and invested. If there is one show that has resonated with me over the years, it’s Avatar. I’m a geek about it, I admit it. I’m a mega fan. I’ve seen it so many times, and I know so much about the history of the show. I can quote it. I know all the voice actors, I know the writers and people who worked on the show. I could have conversations about it that lasted hours. It has changed my life, and I dare say it has made my faith in God stronger. Crazy, right?
You might be asking, How can a kid’s show on Nickelodeon have made your faith stronger?
Well, without sharing crazy big spoilers, I’d love to walk you through why you should watch this show, and hopefully, I can convince a few of you to give the show a chance. There is so much to cover in this show that I could probably write a long research paper over it, but I’ll spare you from that (this time).
The show ran on Nickelodeon from 2005-2008. The creators of Avatar are Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino, two guys who met in college. It was around 2002 when they began working on a project for a new show to pitch to Nickelodeon. Spongebob Squarepants was a hit at the time, but they wanted something different involving lords, mythology, legends, etc. Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings were popular movies, so Nickelodeon wanted something along those guidelines for kids to watch.
What actually started as a sketch made by Bryan ended up inspiring the world of Avatar that so many have come to know and love. Mike was watching a lot of documentaries about the South Pole, and together, the sketch and concept of the South Pole turned into a more prominent storyline—a show centered around the four elements: Air. Water. Earth. Fire. How certain people held the ability to “bend” or manipulate one of the four elements. And only one person, the Avatar, could bend all four elements. When the Avatar dies, they’re reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle. The Avatar’s purpose is to bring peace and balance in the world. They’re considered to be the “great bridge” between the human world and the spirit world. The show holds many Western influences with inspiration drawn from a diverse array of cultures, including those of Japan, India, China, and the Inuit. How AWESOME is that? Each element uses a different style of martial arts: Airbending is based on Baguazhang, Waterbending is based on Tai Chi Chuan, Earthbending is based on Hung Gar Kuen, and Firebending is based on Northern Shaolin Kung Fu.
Let me start by saying this is considered a “kids” show. But it’s also a show about war—a horrific, painful war that has lasted 100 years. It’s not pretty. Friends, this show is so much more than a kid’s show (with more details on why this is to come).
The show begins by introducing us to Sokka and Katara, siblings living in the South Pole. Sokka, a 15-year-old boy who is a non-bender, is the oldest, and he’s very protective of his sister. When his father and the men from their tribe left to go fight in the war, he was left behind to take care of their village. He’s a bit sexist at first, and relies heavily on his “instincts,” but he is the comedic relief of the show. Most funny moments in the show probably revolve around Sokka in some way! Along the way, he really grows and changes. This boy learns from his mistakes, and he really proves himself as a warrior and leader.
Katara is a 14-year-old girl who can waterbend. She’s the only person in the whole South Pole with this ability since the Fire Nation took away all the waterbenders of the South Pole years before. She’s motherly, and she’s not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. There are countless powerful Katara moments all throughout the show where she challenges anyone who thinks she’s incapable or weak. Katara wants to fight. Who cares that she’s a girl? There was a moment when Katara said, “I will never, ever, turn my back on people who need me,” and it has remained one of the most moving moments of the entire series for me. Katara and Sokka lost their mom during a Fire Nation attack on their village when they were kids. While they both struggle with losing their mom, Katara speaks about it numerous times throughout the show. Without spoiling anything, there is a moment in the show where revenge and forgiveness are things Katara must figure out for herself. I’ll keep throwing around the word “powerful” all throughout this post. It is the only word that can adequately describe some of the things that happen in this show. It is POWERFUL watching Katara find healing for her mother’s death.
Katara and Sokka discover a boy frozen in an iceberg near their village, and Katara is the first to try to help get him out of it. The boy is young, around 12 years old, and he’s not dressed for the conditions of the South Pole. He’s covered in blue arrow tattoos, with a mysterious giant flying bison accompanying him. We learn his name is Aang, and Katara is intrigued by the boy, while Sokka is a bit more concerned about if he’s a threat to them. They learn later that this boy is the mysterious Avatar, and hasn’t been seen in over a century. There’s an entire story that goes behind his disappearance, and why he was trapped in an iceberg (but I’d rather people watch the show to get the background on it), but he had been trapped in there for a hundred years, not even aging, not even knowing there had been a war going on for the entirety of him being in the iceberg. He’s an Airbender, and nobody had seen an Airbender since the war started, because the Fire Nation wiped them all out. That was the start of the war, and the Fire Nation had been fighting with the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom since. From the beginning of the show, it was clear that the Fire Nation was near victory in the war. It was only a matter of time, especially given that the Avatar had not returned. Sokka and Katara discovering Aang in the iceberg changed EVERYTHING. Aang was the Avatar, it was his duty to bring balance to the world, meaning putting an end to the war.
That’s a lot of responsibility for a boy who is only 12 (112 if we’re being precise). Aang is an Airbender, and he was raised by monks. He’s all about peace and spirituality. He’s practically a pacifist at first. And the Avatar is supposed to master each element in the cycle, and it usually takes years of discipline and training to do that. He’s already a master Airbender, but there are three other elements he has to learn. Unfortunately for Aang, with the Fire Nation so close to winning the war, he learns that his time is limited, and he must master all the elements before a powerful comet arrives the following summer. The comet makes the firebenders stronger, and the Fire Lord will use the comet to end the war. There’s only one way for there to be balance and peace: Aang must defeat the Fire Lord before the comet comes.
Aang is a great character. He’s still a goofy kid, but yet, he has a duty. He has to help people and bring peace. He has the weight of the world on his shoulders (literally). I try to put myself in his shoes, imagining him coming out of the iceberg after a hundred years. Learning what all had happened since he was gone. Learning that the Fire Nation started a war. Learning about the genocide of his entire nation, knowing all of them were gone (yes, this all happens in a KIDS show). He was the legacy of his nation, the only Airbender left. Besides him, there is nobody to remember his culture and their values. It’s absolutely devastating. He’s just a kid, and his people are gone, and he’s supposed to just save the world? To watch Aang learn, grow, deal with his grief, and watch him become a leader, is so inspiring. It’s the heart of the show, and Aang is someone people can relate to and cheer for through his journey of fulfilling his destiny.
Katara and Sokka join Aang so that they can make sure he masters all the elements, and along the way, they get into a lot of trouble. From firebenders, to pirates, to warriors, they meet a lot of people on their journey. As you watch along, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, get angry, celebrate, and feel like you’re apart of the story.
There’s also a major villain in the story. No, it’s not just the Fire Lord. His name is Zuko, Prince of the Fire Nation. He is a complicated 16-year-old, voiced by the brilliant Dante Basco. He’s hot-headed, angry, and has a ROUGH upbringing. He also has a scar on his left eye from being burned. I don’t want to spoil what happened with that, but know it’s so sad. He has this mission: find the Avatar, capture him, bring him back to his father. Zuko needs to regain his honor, and there’s so much that goes into that. I think adults will relate to Zuko the most, and as the show goes on, so much storyline is being built, and more things begin to piece together in his story. Zuko’s story is actually what draws people to Avatar the most. There is so much to uncover with Zuko, and I’d love to write a separate post going into depth with it. It’s what makes this show so great, it’s easily the best part (in my opinion). So Aang, Katara, and Sokka are always on the run from Zuko, who never gives up, who keeps fighting.
Yes, the Internet really likes Zuko.
Joining Zuko on his journey to find the Avatar is his Uncle Iroh. Iroh is another fan favorite, an old man who is laid back and always drinking tea. Iroh has a wild past as well, known as the great General Iroh, the Dragon of the West. He once invaded the Earth Kingdom Capital, and nearly conquered it. He’s widely respected across the Fire Nation, and he was once in line to be Fire Lord. There’s a lot that happened with him no longer being Fire Lord, and why Zuko’s father, Iroh’s younger brother, was the Fire Lord instead. That is not revealed until season 2, but it’s important. He serves as Zuko’s fire bending instructor and mentor. He gives the best advice, and I’ve taken the time to memorize stuff he’s said because it’s helped me in my life. Zuko and Iroh’s relationship, though it has its ups and downs, is one of the most beautiful displays of love I’ve ever seen. I see so much Jesus in it. While many aspects of the show has made my faith stronger, a major factor in that is because of Iroh and Zuko. Zuko is complicated, and he battles a lot of things internally, and Iroh is always there for him. If there is one reason you should watch the show, it should be to watch what happens with Zuko and his Uncle.
Although there’s a lot of humor in this show, and some moments of childishness, this show is much deeper than that. There’s a reason why both children and adults love this show. I loved it so much when I was younger, but now that I’m older, I can’t get over how good it is. When I was younger, I enjoyed the fight scenes and having people to root for. Now that I’m older, I appreciate the storyline, the themes woven throughout it, the characters, and their development.
The show covers genocide, war, family dysfunction, abandonment, betrayal, class division, disabilities, mental illness, grief, sacrifice, identity, destiny, and so much more. It can be really dark. But I think the beauty of it is that while it has mature topics and themes being shown, it still has the ability to be fun, entertaining, and light-hearted. That was exactly what the creators wanted it to be. It’s the kind of show I urge every parent to introduce their children too. There are so many life lessons and things this show can teach you and your kids.
Season one is a solid season, but not my favorite season. It introduces you to characters and their motives, and sets the foundation of the conflict and purpose of the show and the direction its going. Season two provides more epic characters, more villains, and a deeper storyline. Season three remains the best season. It has everything you could want in a story: depth, action, shocking moments, and a wild series finale. I am so excited that this show is coming to Netflix. I am so excited for the people who will watch for the first time and fall in love with a story that means so much to me. A whole new audience is going to experience Avatar, and I hope you’ll consider being apart of that.
If you read around the Internet, you’ll learn a lot of people love this show and think it’s the best show ever made. There’s a reason why people still make videos on YouTube covering aspects and characters of the show, and why all these comics and graphic novels are still being written about the show. I know I’m a better person because I’ve watched this show. I know I’ve learned so much from watching. It’s one of those shows I could watch again and again, never growing tired of it.
If you’ve seen some of the show and it’s been a while, I hope you watch it again. If you’ve seen it before, round up some people who haven’t watched it before, and watch it together. I recently started doing that with a couple of friends. Watching one of my friends become invested in the story has been one of the best memories we’ve been able to make together. I’ve made a lot of friends through this show, and it’s really changed my life. I hope you decide to give it a chance. I hope my passion for it has sparked some sort of interest. If one person decides to watch it, then this whole post was worth it to me.
Get your popcorn bowl ready, because the most exciting adventure begins on Netflix!