‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Remake: Resurrection or Denigration?

One of the most popular animated shows in recent memory, “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” will return for the first time in twenty years on Feb. 22. The live-action show is a remake of the early 2000’s animated series of the same name. It is worth noting, however, that the new production’s team has their work cut out for them: The original animation’s lofty legacy is still felt today.

The original "Avatar: The Last Airbender" is an animated TV show that ran on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. It follows the journey of a twelve-year-old monk named Aang voiced by Zach Tyler Eisen, who along with his friends must set out on a mission to end a hundred-year war. The show’s world is divided into four nations: the Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, Water Tribes, and Air Nomads, whose denizens have the power to “bend” or manipulate their respective elements. As the Avatar, Aang is the only person who can bend all four of those elements and restore balance to the world.

The series itself aged well, if its 9.3/10 rating on IMDb is anything to go by. Its longevity has many factors, but perhaps most crucial to its relevance are its immersive worldbuilding and expansive diversity — the four nations are inspired by a variety of Asian and Inuit cultures.

The show’s writers even invited the Vice President of the Media Action Network for Asian Americans to consult on the project and ensure it was culturally sensitive. It was also one of the earliest shows to respectfully portray disabled characters. Toph, for instance, is a blind teen girl who is canonically one of the strongest benders in the world.

The show’s popularity is also likely due to its excellent writing. “Avatar” boasts complex yet likable characters who experience rich development over the course of three seasons. The show’s plot is planned well, so its relatively short run ended with a satisfying conclusion. The conclusion was so good, in fact, that the finale holds the rare distinction of being the show’s highest-rated episode, with a nearly perfect score of 9.9/10 on IMDb.

All these factors combined have given the original show broad acclaim and appeal. “Business Insider” mentioned it in their “50 TV shows everyone should watch in their lifetime” article. In this piece, the author writes that “Avatar” “aims at being for all ages, and miraculously, succeeds.”

With the live-action remake, Netflix is attempting to garner the same appeal. The predominantly Asian and Native American cast respects the diversity of the source material, and the fact that the actors are real people also makes the diversity more empowering. In an interview with Daniel Dae Kim, the actor who plays Ozai in the remake, he said: “Having a predominantly Asian group of people in front of and behind the camera is significant.”

While elaborating on the relationship between the two series, executive producer and director Jabbar Raisani said, “I hope that fans say, ‘This is the live action adaptation that we’ve always wanted.’” However, it remains to be seen whether that will be true.

The Netflix production’s rewrites seem likely to eradicate the complexity and depth of the original show. The script, for example, completely omits the misogyny of Sokka, one of the main characters, a decision that makes no sense within the context of the original story. If Sokka doesn’t learn how to overcome his misogyny, he arguably loses most of his character arc in the first season. Moreover, several other plot points, including his first interaction with his love interest, Suki, are rendered irrelevant.

This creative decision is part of Netflix’s larger problem of misunderstanding its audience. In an interview with CBR, the remake’s showrunner, Albert Kim, said: “It couldn't just be for kids. It had to also appeal to the people who are big fans of 'Game of Thrones.’”

This choice may appear as an insult to the storytelling of the original show, which appealed to all ages and subtly covered the same dramatic topics in a way children could understand.

The original show’s head writer put a particular emphasis on empathy while crafting “Avatar,” and the show is beloved for its ability to appeal to a wide age range while still respecting the intelligence of its younger viewers.

This difference in approach reflects the creative conflicts that caused the original show’s creators to leave the forthcoming remake in 2020. Bryan Konietzko, one of those creators, said via Instagram: “They made a very public promise to support our vision … Unfortunately, there was no follow-through on that promise.”

This statement can only make fans wonder whether the live-action remake will resemble the “Avatar” they know and love.

Emotional significance aside, the original “Avatar” set an important precedent for storytelling in television at large. “Avatar: The Last Airbender” proved that shows with short episodes, animated shows, and yes, even kids’ shows, can be serious. And they can do it well.

—Staff writer Giselle P. Acosta can be reached at giselle.acosta@thecrimson.com.