Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series moves mountains as it ambitiously reimagines 20 chapters of Book Two in 7 episodes of Season 2.
Season 2 takes us to the Earth Kingdom’s famous city, Ba Sing Se, two years after Team Avatar saved the Northern Water Tribe at a heavy price. Now, they must convince the Earth King to aid them in their uprising against Fire Lord Ozai(Daniel Dae Kim) and his mindless troops. Meanwhile, Aang(Gordon Cormier), finally getting the hang of waterbending, learns earthbending under the tutelage of his new master, the Blind Bandit herself, Toph Beifong(Miyako).
Despite being labelled a traitor by the Fire Nation, Zuko(Dallas Liu) remains fixated on capturing the Avatar. Ironically, his sociopathic little sister, Azula(Elizabeth Yu) is fixated on capturing him, dead or alive, along with inheriting her father’s empire. With no shortage of enemies, the Gaang soon learns that the only thing worse than the Devil they know is the Devil they do not know.
The new season honours the mythology and characters fans have come to know and love in Nickelodeon’s original incarnation. The devotion by the cast and crew is evident in Netflix’s live-action production through its story, character portrayals, set pieces, and visuals. This series still does not reach perfection, but it is a bold step in the right direction.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Learns From Masters and Mistakes
The Last Airbender’s murky live-action past is no secret. We are all still recovering from that atrocious movie in 2010. Netflix’s creative team learnt from Nickelodeon Movies’ mistakes, while making a few of their own. When the dust settled, the freshman season earned the trust and respect of many, cementing its status as a modest hit. Showrunners Christine Boylan and Jabbar Raisani personally make sure that Avatar: The Last Airbender can only get better with the cast and crew behind them.
You can tell they took some criticism to heart. This series was already at a disadvantage by not having Aang waterbend outside his Avatar state in Season 1. Due to the time jump and shorter episode count, he mostly learns waterbending from Katara(Kiawentiio Tarbell) offscreen. He is already hurling water balls, whips, etc., like no one’s business under her guidance at the start of the sophomore season. His waterbending sequences compensate for his lack of screentime honing the skill. Fortunately, the writers carefully avoid repeating these issues in translating Book Two: Earth. Shortly after meeting Toph in episode two, Aang learns earthbending under her wing. Yes, we see him Earthbending significantly without his Avatar state.
“There Is No War In Ba Sing Se”
Ba Sing Se’s conspiracy, the focal point this season alongside Aang’s earthbending ambition, challenges Book Two’s narrative framework. Netflix condensed twenty episodes from season two’s animated counterpart into seven, already one episode less than its freshman season. Pacing becomes an issue with slightly uneven story beats in the first two episodes. Some memorable moments from Nickelodeon’s masterpiece do not make it here at all. We see a silver lining when Team Avatar arrives in Ba Sing Se, as political intricacies are emphasized, while bonds are tested.
The Gaang’s plan to convince the Earth King to join their fight against Fire Lord Ozai is complicated by something sinister brewing within the city’s walls. Netflix’s writers do not miss a step in adapting Ba Sing Se’s plot. Tensions run high, and expectations are subverted while core elements from the source material are kept intact.
Light and Darkness
Growth, trust, trauma, and family have always been consistent themes throughout this Avatar franchise, but they are examined more closely this time. Inner demons and interpersonal dynamics among Team Avatar and the Fire Nation’s royal family serve as reminders of war’s heavy toll on children, especially when they are on the frontlines.
Aang strives to see light in the darkest places, and he is as happy as any 114-year-old boy can be under the circumstances. While he has come a long way from being the boy reluctant to be the Avatar to a hero embracing his destiny, he yearns for a lost childhood and a life without the weight of the world on his shoulders. Katara and Sokka quietly mourn their loved ones because they share Aang’s mission to fight for those who cannot fend for themselves, and have limited time for grief.
Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio Tarbell, and Ian Ousley get to show more range as the initial trio. Their strengths are complemented by their vulnerabilities. In other words, they give us an intimate look at their characters’ demons so we can experience their peace when they overcome them. The live-action big three are as authentic as their original animated counterparts, thanks to these young actors humanizing them.
The Blind Bandit Sees Too Clearly
Miyako is a fantastic addition to the team as the fan-favourite earthbending master, Toph Beifong. If Aang is Superman, she is Batman. She lives up to the hype of her animated counterpart, matching her unbreakable confidence, attitude, and aura all around. The only difference between the two versions is age. Hailing from the Beifong dynasty with overbearing parents, Toph demands a space where no one walks on eggshells around her. Her impaired vision is never a weakness that anyone thinks it is. In fact, she sees the world for what it is, better than anyone else. She is a fighter, fully aware of her power, ready to dismantle anything in her way.
Miyako provides concentrated glimpses into Toph’s psyche without letting her guard down. No matter how strong or tough the Blind Bandit is, she is only human, a child longing for parents’ acceptance, and a family with her best interests at heart. Her organic chemistry with her fellow main cast members lets her fit right in. She is especially the “little-big” sister that Aang does not want, but needs. Their banter is sharp and witty, and their patience with each other is straw-thin, but Toph is determined to see Aang reach his potential, and he knows it.
Fire Nation’s Family Drama
As damaged as our heroes are, our enemies are much worse. Fire Lord Ozai’s power lust and sadism are his motivations for pitting his only children, Zuko and Azula, against each other, which obviously becomes everyone’s problem.
Zuko and Azula’s deadly sibling rivalry adds another layer to the plot, painting two sides of the same coin. Besides Uncle Iroh’s (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) unconditional love, Zuko has lost everything except an unhealthy obsession with earning Ozai’s respect. Azula has everything except his respect, even though she is his favourite child. Dallas Liu and Elizabeth Yu are equally magnetic as the polar opposites. When we see Liu as Zuko, a tortured soul driven by turmoil, always with the potential for redemption, stands in front of us. All we see when we look at Yu’s Azula is the soulless monster her father created. Their baggage amplifies tension, adding weight to key moments. Fight scenes, especially, hit harder because of them.
Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s Journey Into Sunset
Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender maintains its status as an honorable live-action adaptation of the beloved animated classic in Season 2. Granted, it’s not without cracks. If you are expecting a 1:1 adaptation, you may find disappointment. Boylan, Raisani, and their team prioritize storytelling that respects the past and embraces the future. None of their creative liberties compromises Avatar’s roots.
Despite its shaky pacing at the beginning, Season 2 is more digestible than Season 1 because of its story structure. Elevated suspense, blended with heavy action, excellent VFX, and character insight, set the stage for a grand finale next year.
