With production sluggish thanks to a multitude of problems, even next year seems like an unrealistic expectation to see our beloved Avatar remade on Netflix. The original creators left production and COVID precautions are slowing down progress, things aren’t looking bright. But we can’t expect it to be a carbon copy of the original series anyway; the new hour-long format alone will mean we’ll have to get used to the new format. Let’s just hope the Nickelodeon cartoon we know doesn’t get the Witcher treatment.
This is a list of beloved elements from the original show that are achievable and give the Last Airbender identity. I hope at least some of them will make it into the new show.
- The Opening
That opening is iconic. Every time it comes up, you just can’t resist watching it. It’s quick, it reminds you of how the story began, and the music resonates with you. Not to mention the fire nation bit has gotten viral. It just wouldn’t be the same without hearing Katara’s voice first thing in the episode.
It’s also a good reminder of where you are in the story; on the last episode, it really brought to perspective how long this journey took and how far they’ve gone. Bring this opening back or we riot! - The Combat
Think back to Toph whopping ass on the ring as the Blind Bandit, now think back to that group of earth benders from the (sorry excuse of a) movie throwing those tiny pebbles around. You just can’t call what you see in the movie bending. There’s no way bending would become any world’s dominant military fighting style if that’s the extent of its power. More people would be inclined to follow the sword, they’d kick more ass for starters. The series is unwatchable if they continue to make that mistake. - The Cabbage Vendor
Not only does he serve has important comic relief, but he is also literally part of the plot. If not for him, there wouldn’t be a Cabbage Corporation in the sequel. He livens up the combat and over time becomes a part of the Avatar experience. There’s bound to be lots of collateral damage anyways, just slip in a man complaining about his cabbages. It isn’t much work, and it would make for great publicity. If they do it right, it will beome a new meme. - Kyoshi Warriors
Even though they don’t serve a purpose in the telling of the main story, they are critical to the development of Sokka. In the beginning, Sokka was quite sexist being the only male teen left in his small village. He was very used to a society that had clear gender roles, but that just isn’t the case in the rest of the world. Those girls humbled him and welcomed him as one of their own, making him a stronger warrior. This is a crucial step in making him the man he was meant to be. It also helped express the avatar as a timeless entity, because the symbol of peace shouldn’t be tied down by the concept of sex. - Bloodbending
This episode was a huge tone shift from the standard shonen business it is, which is a good thing. For once, bending actually felt like a terrifying ability. We all knew the ability to manipulate the elements can be terrifying but we didn’t understand up until this point. On that day Katara felt power like nothing before, and that adds something to her character. She became a seasoned warrior that can kill but chooses not to, which makes her all the nobler. - Cactus Juice
Just seeing those words and that stupid look on Sokka’s face instantly comes to mind. Leave it to the guy who’s always hungry to try and drink from a cactus, which is something you shouldn’t do in real life because it would leave you as stiff as one. It’d be interesting to see how they do “idiot on acid” in live-action. This scene is comedy gold and a must in the series. - Aang Needs To “Die”
It’s often said that protagonists are predictable, plain, and can’t lose. While Avatar isn’t exactly like that, over time you get used to the fact that they can at least get away in one piece. But the final battle of season two dropped all jaws when it seemed like all hope was lost. Bam! Avatar cycle lost forever! After the shock it was obvious he would come back, but they did do it gracefully by using the spirit oasis. It would be a shame not to see it in the second or third season of the Netflix series. - Bubble Tea
Uncle Iroh travelled the world with his nephew and we bore witness to his journey too. Schooling Zuko on his firebending, flirting with border agents, facing his son again after many years, being imprisoned, and charging in with the other members of the Order of the White Lotus. The results of this journey and his many years of research into tea birthed something so ingenious, so ahead of its time that nobody around the table liked it. This show brought their world closer to ours at the end, which is the perfect way to send off a series.
As nice as it is to take things a little more slowly, COVID is also stopping people from doing the work that they’ve set their minds on completing. The vaccine isn’t perfect, and we can only hope the talented people assembled for this project stay healthy. But the situation here isn’t nearly as bad as some places in the world, like America, India, the Middle East, etc. As long as you pay attention to your hygiene and mental condition (watch the original Avatar series), this world will become just a little bit safer.
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