Joanna Orban
Copy Editor
2020 has been a rough year. There’s no denying that. However, there has been one bright spot. “Avatar: The Last Airbender” is now on Netflix. Although I wasn’t one of the lucky ones to grow up watching ATLA when it was on Nickelodeon, I have seen the show all the way through many times. For those of you who unfortunately aren’t familiar with ATLA, it follows the story of an airbender named Aang who runs away from home after learning he’s the next avatar…the only person who can manipulate, or as the show refers to it, bend, all four elements. An accident happens and 100 years later Aang’s woken up by two water tribe teenagers, Sokka and Katara, to discover that the world he knew is gone. The four nations are in chaos and he’s the only one that can save the world. Sounds good, right? It is and I’m here to tell you the reasons why you should watch it.
It’s well written
When I say this show is well-written, that doesn’t mean that it has no cheesy jokes. There are quite a few, especially in the first season. However, the lightheartedness of the characters contrasts wonderfully with the issues they face as the seasons go on and towards the end, you have a cast of battle-ready kids who are ready to face a tyrannical dictator with their humor intact. The humor in this show elevates it to another level. Another great aspect of this show is the redemption arc of a certain character. I won’t spoil it by telling you who, but their redemption is incredible and definitely one of the best in any TV show or movie I’ve ever seen. This show also has so many tidbits of wisdom sprinkled throughout and honestly, some of my favorite quotes are from this show, such as this piece of Uncle Iroh wisdom: “Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not.”
It has great diversity
One of the selling points of this show is the way that it incorporates different cultures. Each of the four nations is based on a different culture with the air nomads taking inspiration from Tibetan monks and the water tribes being reminiscent of Inuit culture. Throughout the show, this inspiration can be seen in several ways from the distinct architecture of Fire Nations cities that is reminiscent of ancient Japan or Katara’s signature hair loopies. In fact, when I heard that Netflix had gotten the right to adapt ATLA into a live-action tv show I was incredibly scared because this show can absolutely not be white-washed. The cultures in this show are so important and are one of its biggest selling points. Just as a side note, avoid the 2010 movie adaptation which absolutely did white-wash the characters.
It’s incredibly emotional and impactful
Yes, ATLA is rated TV-Y7 but that doesn’t mean it isn’t intense. In fact, one of the best parts of this show is the fact that it doesn’t shy away from difficult subject matters. Genocide, parental abuse and colonization are dealt with in an incredibly sensitive way suitable for kids and adults. As one of the only TV shows that has made me cry, I promise it will make you think about the world we live in with a different perspective. Several of the issues faced throughout the course of this show are issues people still grapple with every day which is what makes it so impactful.
It has a spot on sibling relationship
This is a big one for me. I have a lot of siblings and I’ve never quite found a show that perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to have a sibling. Katara and Sokka are quite literally the most perfect pair of TV siblings I’ve encountered. The show starts with them arguing about the proper way to catch a fish and their banter continues on with Katara teasing Sokka about his love life and Sokka continually finding ways to annoy his little sister. They have their deep, loving moments too. The siblings lost their mom when they were little and they each dealt with that in a different way. For Sokka, it’s to pretend it never happened, while Katara constantly misses her and in a way becomes a surrogate mother to the other people in their band of friends. As someone who can go from fighting to crying with her siblings in less than two minutes, this show is incredibly relatable.
If that didn’t convince you, maybe the fact that ATLA has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes will. Seriously, just give it a try. You’ll fall in love as quickly as I did.
