Avatar: The Last Airbender might be one of the greatest TV shows of all time, and revisiting the series today cements this, even if it also shines a light on some of the flaws. RewatchingAvatar shows what's wrong with the live-action version and showcases why this children's animated series has such a hold on the fantasy genre,thanks to its pacing, storytelling, and characters.
It's hard to believe it's been 20 years sinceATLA first premiered, as interest and love of the project have only grown since it ended. There are manyperfect episodes ofAvatar: The Last Airbender that make it easy to overlook the problems with the show, as no series is flawless.It's only because we loveATLA that we hold the show to such a high standard with every rewatch.
10 The Spirit World Is Never Fully Explored
ATLA Missed The Opportunity To Dig Into The History Of The Spirit World
The existence of the Spirit World is one of the most interesting parts of the world-building inATLA. Its mysteries and the many inhabitants of this other universe are touched upon many times, but the characters never get to dig into what exactly the Spirit World is and how Aang's connection to it makes such a difference in his power.
ThoughThe Legend of Korra's explorations of the Spirit World and the lore surrounding the Avatar were controversial,it was admirable that the series tried to delve deeper into this side of the story. There are someKorra episodes that are better thanATLA, as the spinoff has more time to explore the mythology.
It's unfortunate thatATLA doesn't focus on the Spirit World, as the writers often use Aang's spiritual powers as a way to solve the biggest problems and battles of the show. As early as the season 1 finale, "The Siege of the North,"Aang is used as a tool of the Spirit World, sparking more questions about it than answers.
9 Season 1’s Pacing Is Uneven
Compared To Seasons 2 and 3, The First Season Has Some Problems
It's rare for any TV show to be perfect right out of the gate, and even thoughATLA never struggles to keep the audience invested in the story, season 1 has some low points. It couldn't be avoided thatATLA season 1 had to spend time communicating the essential exposition and introducing all the story's major players, but this bogs down the narrative.
Avatar: The Last Airbender's Worst Episode According To Fans Is The One You Can Always Skip
This Avatar episode is the only installment of the series that audiences can always skip if they're first-time viewers or rewatching the show.
Additionally, some of the series' best characters don't appear in season 1, with Azula and Toph joining the cast in earnest in season 2. Villains like season 1's Commander Zhao are uninteresting compared to the antagonists who would come later, making the stakes of the first installment less urgent.
WhileATLA wastes no time in exploring the emotional devastation that Aang faces after waking up and finding out that his culture has been destroyed, the action and excitement of the story don't get going until halfway through the season. Season 1, episode 12,"The Storm," is largely thought of as a turning point forATLA, pushing the characters and the audience alike.
8 Aang & Katara’s Relationship Is Underdeveloped
Their Romance Was The Least Important Part Of ATLA
Aang's crush on Katara is largely played for laughs or sweet, awkward moments that comment on the pangs of adolescence, humanizing the powerful characters of the show. However,this budding romance was typically used as a secondary or tertiary storyline, or practically as an afterthought, until it became canon in the series finale.
Though there are some hints that the pair might end up together, one of the most popular ships within theATLA fandom was Katara and Zuko being endgame, not Katara and Aang. Katara and Zuko made more sense narratively as a match, even if having a romance between the protagonist and his close friend is a well-known trope on TV.
When the characters finally kiss, it doesn't feel satisfying or like a significant payoff.
It's not unreasonable that the couple gets together, and it's nice for Aang to find love after giving the world so much of himself, butATLA doesn't do enough to build to this moment. When the characters finally kiss, it doesn't feel satisfying or like a significant payoff becauseATLA didn't spend a lot of time focusing on the importance of the romance within the context of the story.
7 The Lion Turtle Plotline Came Out Of Nowhere
ATLA's Ending Didn't Get The Set Up It Needed
ATLA's four-part series finale, "Sozin's Comet," is a truly epic conclusion to the story that added a lot to the show's enduring legacy. From the action during Aang and Ozai's battle to the intense internal conflict that raged within Aang throughout the episodes, there's a lot to love about this addition to the show, even if it's not perfect.
Title | Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score | Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–2008) | 100% | 98% |
There are a few moments in "Sozin's Comet" that are too close to a deus ex machina to be ignored. From Aang's discovery of the Lion Turtle to the existence of energy bending,ATLA allows itself to wrap up every plot thread in a few simple stepsinstead of mining the existing lore of the story for satisfying endings.
In some ways, the fact that Aang suddenly had the power to energy bend and found a way to avoid the moral dilemma he was grappling with feels like a way for the series to sidestep an essential thematic question. This was surprising, asATLA was never afraid to touch upon the big, serious questions about the story.
6 The Filler Episodes Are Easy To Skip
There Aren't Many, But The True Filler Episodes Aren't Worth Watching
The most famous example of a filler episode inATLA is season 1, episode 11, "The Great Divide,"which does nothing to further the overall plot of the story. Considered the easiest installment of the show to skip, "The Great Divide" demonstrates why fans of the show feel so comfortable skipping over these lackluster episodes when rewatching the series.
7 Avatar: The Last Airbender Episodes I Always Skip On A Rewatch
While every episode in Avatar: The Last Airbender is great, there are a few installments that are easy to skip over if you've seen them many times.
ATLA worked hard to make even the filler episodes as exciting as possible, and infuse character work into these less action-packed stories, letting us get to know the protagonists. However, after revisitingATLA many times over the years, it gets easier to pick out which episodes aren't necessary to watch multiple times.
Most of the filler episodes inATLA are in season 1, as the first installment of the series is considered the weakest. Since viewers are still getting a sense of who Aang is and discovering the rules of the story's world, it makes sense that season 1 spent more time on filler, but many of these episodes are repetitive when compared to the rest of the series.
5 Aang’s Character Development Isn’t The Best Of The Show
There's Another Character Who Gets The Best Arc In ATLA
Aang might be the protagonist, but it's not his development that the audience is the most invested in throughoutATLA. While Aang has to step up and fulfill his duty and balance his ideological beliefs with his role as the Avatar,there's little question about him being able to do the right thing, as it's his destiny.
It's a long, complicated journey that is far better than Aang's path to greatness.
Conversely, Zuko's redemption arc is the best-written character development of the show. Beginning as a tortured villain, the audience watches as Zuko begins the slow path of unlearning the beliefs his father instilled in him and understanding that he wants to be on the right side of the war. It's a long, complicated journey that is far better than Aang's path to greatness.
From episodes like season 2, episode 7, "Zuko Alone," to the season 2 finale, "The Crossroads of Destiny," which cements him as an imperfect hero, Zuko anchors some of the show's best installments. While it's easy to love Aang and root for him,ATLA saves its best work for Zuko,making Aang's arc slightly underwhelming.
4 Azula’s Defeat Is Too Easy & Underwritten
Azula's Fall From Grace Comes Out Of Nowhere
ThroughoutATLA season 3, there are some subtle hints dropped about the fact that Azula is still haunted by her mother's fear, and her isolation after Mai and Ty Lee leave her. It makes sense that Azula would slowly come undone, losing her grip on reality as the Fire Nation's power crumbled, but her defeat wasn't as well-earned as it could've been.
While Zuko was set on a path of redemption from the beginning, Azula was characterized by her power, ambition, and ruthlessness, as she was everything Zuko couldn't be for their father. However, if Azula was Zuko's foil, then their battle in the final moments of the show should've been on a more level playing field, allowing Zuko to overcome his fear of his sister.
Instead,ATLA undermines her abilities and throws her off her game, implying that this sudden story intervention was the only way that Team Avatar could've taken her down. Azula's character arc is one of the least satisfying inATLA, as there are seeds planted that might have led to her finding peace, but they were never explored.
3 There Are Inconsistencies In The Magic System
The World-Building In Avatar Is Nearly Perfect, But Has Some Holes
ATLA is easily one of thefantasy TV shows with the best world-building, as the different nations, their cultural differences, and the way that bending fits seamlessly into the story's universe are all well-written parts of the world. However, the hard magic system ofATLA creates some plot holes as the series progressesand new forms of bending are introduced within the world.
There are inconsistencies when it comes to how bending started.
No series is immune to adding pieces of lore into the story to help propel the narrative as the show progresses, but this happens quite a few times inATLA. There are inconsistencies when it comes to how bending started, with animals like dragons helping the fire benders and the moon showing the water benders how to use the tides.
Additionally, differences in power levels and the boundaries of where elements begin and end are up for debate inATLA. Whenmetal-bending and blood-bending come into play, it's interesting and adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story. However, it also demonstrates the malleable nature of the magic system, which doesn't always work in the series' favor.
2 It’s Unrealistic That The Kids Could Defeat So Many Adult Benders
The Protagonists Are All Overpowered In Comparison To The Minor Characters
Of course, it's easy to suspend your disbelief while watchingATLA,as it's a fantasy show that's supposed to take liberties with the logic of the story. However, when it comes to the oversized powers of the central characters in the series, it's a little shocking that these kids would be able to overpower almost every adult bender they come across.
Overall,each of the characters being a prodigy is a stretch of the imagination, and the fact that they all improve so much, mastering difficult techniques in only a few months, is a bit of a plot hole. Aang is the Avatar, so he's born with natural talents, but this doesn't account for all of his friends being better than more experienced benders.
Since there's a war going on, it would be fair to assume that a lot of the adult benders of the world never got the opportunity to practice and hone their skills like the protagonists. However, when looking back on the episodes when Team Avatar has to battle older, stronger characters, there are moments when it's pretty convenient that they win.
1 Ozai Is An Underdeveloped Antagonist
As A Central Antagonist, Ozai Lacks Depth
There are some great villains inATLA, but it's disappointing that the series' biggest antagonist is the least compelling of the show.Watching Zuko evolve from a villain to a vital member of the team is moving, and witnessing Azula's single-minded quest to destroy the Avatar and gain power is plenty terrifying throughout the show.
However, becauseOzai is so far away and seemingly untouchable, this makes his power and impact on the story more vague, ultimately undermining his character. Some of the best parts ofATLA are when the audience gains insight into who the antagonists were before they rose to power, like in "The Avatar and the Fire Lord."
It would have been more interesting to learn more about Ozai's background.
However, this episode focused on Sozin, not Ozai, who is characterized as cruel and unyielding as a matter of course. It would have been more interesting to learn more about Ozai's background and understand what made him such an unforgiving father and ruler, makingAvatar: The Last Airbender even more thrilling in its final moments.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Release Date
- 2005 - 2008
- Network
- Nickelodeon
- Showrunner
- Michael Dante DiMartino
- Directors
- Giancarlo Volpe, Ethan Spaulding, Lauren MacMullan,Dave Filoni, Joaquim Dos Santos, Anthony Lioi
- Writers
- Tim Hedrick, Elizabeth Welch Ehasz, Joshua Hamilton, James Eagan, Joann Estoesta, Nick Malis, May Chan, Katie Mattila
Cast
Zach Tyler EisenAang (voice)
Katara
- Franchise(s)
- Avatar
- Creator(s)
- Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko
