Avatar the Last Airbender: Japan’s Best Animated Show
No one could have expected a treat like Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender three years ago. An epic cartoon that is inspired by the best animated shows in Japan and the most memorable moments of Star Wars. A chimerical but unexpectedly current-present made by people who remember when the other, the mundane, was always better. The series is at its best when it mixes up its unlikely heroes with an unexpectedly solid problem. “Sozin’s Comet” does just that while delivering some of the series’ most exciting moments.
Avatar is not a show that is trying to pull off ambiguous plot twists or subplots in its swan song. It remains appreciably straightforward in both execution and story. The only remaining sources of ambivalence are the characters themselves. Like the final act of the Star Wars trilogy, the characters know that a great process awaits them, but the small difficulties still plague them.
The writers could have made the ending hackneyed by setting up the tension between Aang and Ozai out of fear. However, the writers made a smart move in deciding to capitalize on Aang’s reluctance to take his own life as the main stiffener. It provides a whole new layer of depth to the series and has Aang in the most reflective and thoughtful state of his. Just as Luke constantly contemplates how he would stop his father in Return of the Jedi, Aang’s confusion is the conclusion, not the battle. Aang has been too late for a time like this.
The opening sequence might seem silly if it was anyone other than the main leads of the show. A continent is about to be destroyed and its only savior is to have fun with a beach party. It’s innocuous and awesome, but it’s a choice the writers wanted to make to convey that these young people are still kids. Aang is not an all-powerful warrior like previous incarnations of him; he is a guy who would rather play first then work. Zuko’s presence on the show proves to be essential, as he offers stability for Aang’s childish forms. He’s the only person who knows firsthand how ruthless the Home Nation can be, and his outrage at Aang’s childish ways imbues a sense of emergency into the episodes.
Likewise, Azula’s newfound paranoia can be surprisingly real. It’s very superfluous in her execution, the amount of twitching is almost comical, but it’s believable. It’s a whole new side of the character that the audience hasn’t seen yet, and it’s gratifying to see such a cocky villain collapse. Different characters from the past reveals make an appearance, and there’s no denying how nice it is to see the previous masters again. However, the writers made the bizarre decision to include some minor characters Jun, but left out some old favorites, for example Jet’s outdated gang.
The writers do an excellent job challenging Aang and the viewers to the very end. The final battle is exciting, and the writers never suggest that Aang found a practical way to stop Ozai without killing him. What’s more wonderful is that the contemplation of the character in no way overcomes the powers of the other material. There is still fascinating movement and heart: warm moments, Zuko and Iroh’s will be unmatched. In the end, the writers are forced to put the knife down, but it never stopped being one of the most important dramatic adventures in the series.
