“Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed him most, he vanished.” – Avatar: The Last Airbender’s introduction theme song

The highly anticipated live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender was released on Netflix on February 22, 2024, with eight episodes in total. For those who are unfamiliar with the Nickelodeon animated series from 2005, Avatar: The Last Airbender takes place in a world split into four nations; the Fire Nation, the Water Tribe, the Air Nomads, and the Earth Kingdom. There are people in these nations, known as benders, who can use their respective elements to their advantage. The Fire Nation plans on expanding its territory, ultimately taking down all the other benders and nations. Aang, the Avatar, is the only person who can utilize all four elements. The series centers around his journey along with Katara and Sokka, two water benders, and unforgettably Appa, his sky bison, to save the world from the cunning Fire Nation. 

The show is influenced by Asian, Inuit, and other Indigenous traditions. In 2010, writer and director M. Night Syamalan’s version of the story received backlash after he cast white actors to play Asian characters and was disapproved by critics. However, the live-action adaptation did not fail to bring threat representation. The 12-year-old Filipino-Canadian actor, Gordon Cormier, landed the role of a lifetime, Aang, the protagonist of the live-action series. The live-action film also stars Kiawentiio Tarbell as Katara, Ian Ousley as Sokka, Dallas James Liu as Zuko, Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai, and Paul Sun- Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh. 

Undoubtedly, fans have been skeptical of a live-action version of the series, but audience reviews have been generally positive. With 21.2 million viewers throughout the first weekend of release, Avatar: The Last Airbender is a smash hit for Netflix. Since the first season of the live-action series ended abruptly (spoiler alert), a second season is already in the works. 

Additionally, the series has an animated sequel show, The Legend of Korra. The Legend of Korra explores the journey of Korra, a young female bender, in an evolved world. Technology has advanced, and the setting reflects a more modern, industrialized culture compared to the more traditional setting of Avatar: The Last Airbender. One can watch the animated series of Avatar: The Last Airbender, to gain a full understanding of the background of what has happened in the cinematic world. 

Stream Avatar: The Last Airbender, now on Netflix.