The AvataRenaissance
Avatar: The Last Airbender was one of my favorite shows growing up, and seeing it come back into vogue on streaming has been a special joy for me. I remember my older brother and I in rapt attention every season finale, blown away by the excitement. It’s possible that my first excursion into online piracy was for the third season of Avatar (the scheduling of which was bonkers, with long, unclear hiatuses broken with very little warning).
There are no doubt hundreds of articles on why this show is so beloved: how fun and exciting the world is (full of cute critters and impossible sights), the beautiful animation and fight choreography, unforgettable characters, the Harry Potter-esque desire to sort yourself into one of the four nations, the care taken with introducing Eastern influences into Western Animation, and, of course, IROH. The character of Uncle Iroh could be not only his own post, article, essay, and novel, but can and should be his own prequel series.
But one thing that I zeroed in on during my latest re-watch is how well the show handles growth. The protagonists of this show begin as children: Aang’s a free-spirited goofball, Katara’s uncertain, Sokka is a hero-wannabe. Over the course of the show, they are forced to become outlaws, soldiers, protectors, diplomats, spies, and leaders. Watching these characters grow into responsible young adults with the weight of the world on their shoulders makes for excellent viewing as a grown-up. But what makes the show so unique in television is also what makes this progression work for younger viewers: the growth is paralleled by the characters’ growth in bending (magic martial arts, for the uninitiated).
While other action cartoons (particularly anime) tended to have problems with their characters “leveling up,” starting as weaklings and fighting gods by the end of the series, characters in Avatar get better in perfect pace with the story. Aang learns one new form of bending per season, each with its own challenges: reaching the water tribe is the work of the entire season, and earth and fire are connected to key insecurities. Katara has to earn her mastery by standing up for herself and proving her place in the Northern tribe. Late arrival Toph develops powers no one has seen before. Even Sokka, who is non-magical throughout, hones his skills of analysis, combat, and engineering to stay valuable. Kids can root and cheer for the awesome action taking place on screen, but the best of those moments (Aang lashing out in the desert, the battle beneath Ba Sing Se, Katara’s quest for revenge, and Zuko’s duel with Azula, to name just a handful) are undergirded by a challenge or triumph from characters you care about. Characters put aside doubts, face fears, break loyalties, or just break down in the middle of a tense battle, and I think that drama is the real magic of the show.
That’s something that’s rare in television, even in Avatar’s own sequel series, Legend of Korra. But I can’t think of a better recipe for an engaging fantasy than to let the audience feel just as excited by the magic powers as the emotional life of the characters wielding that power.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is streaming on Netflix. If you haven’t seen it before, you’re missing out. If you have, it’s time for a re-watch with a close eye on those emotional stakes.