Spotlight- Avatar: The Last Airbender

Okay, for future reference, this is about the cartoon TV series, NOT the movies. Okay? Okay. Let us proceed.

At first, I was determined not to watch this show, deeming it one of those lame little cartoons that no one really likes, but my friend really, really, really, REALLY wanted me to try it and she kept nagging me over and over, so I finally did. I admit, the first few episodes are a bit lame, but it gets SO good and has actually become a bit of an obsession of mine. Yes, it is on Netflix, and I highly, highly recommend it. Anyway, here's an overview of the universe and general premise of the show.

In Avatar, there is a country for each of the four elements: the Fire Nation, the Water Tribes (northern and southern), The Air Nomads and the Earth Kingdom. There are people in each country who have the ability to manipulate, or "bend", one of the elements, but one person, the Avatar, has the ability to learn to bend all four elements. The Avatar is the bridge between the mortal world and the spirit world, and each time the Avatar dies, he or she is reincarnated into the next country in the Avatar Cycle (Water, Earth, Air then Fire). The Avatar Cycle is also the order in which the Avatar must learn the elements; if the Avatar is from a Water tribe, they learn water, then earth, then fire, then air. When the series begins, the Fire Nation has been at war with all of the other countries for 100 years, and they are winning the war. The Air Nomads have been completely eradicated (except for one- the last airbender- hint, hint, nudge, nudge), all of the benders in the Southern Water Tribe have been captured, and the Earth Kingdom is under attack. The Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire Nation and restore peace to the Avatar Universe (that's what I call it; it doesn't actually have an official name).

Aang is the Avatar and the last of the airbenders. He survived the Fire Nation attack on the Air Nomads 100 years ago because, upset at the responsibility of learning he was the Avatar and saddened because he was being separated from his father figure, Monk Gyatso, he ran away on his flying bison (named Appa), got caught in a storm, and was eventually trapped in an iceberg, where he remained preserved for 100 years.

The story starts when siblings Sokka and Katara from the Southern Water Tribe unintentionally free Aang from the iceberg and take him back to their village. Sokka and Katara agree to accompany Aang to the Northern Water Tribe in search of a waterbender to teach Aang and Katara to waterbend (Katara is the only waterbender left in the Southern Water Tribe, and has no one to teach her. Her brother, Sokka, cannot bend, but is skilled with a boomerang.)

The main bad guy in the first season is the exiled prince of the Fire Nation, Prince Zuko. When he was thirteen years old, Zuko was challenged to an Agni Kai (a firebending duel), but when he arrived, he realized that he would be fighting his father, the Fire Lord. Taken aback, Zuko refused to fight his father. Seeing this as a sign of weakness, his father badly burned the left side of Zuko's face, giving him a permanent scar, and banished him from the Fire Nation, telling him that he could only return to regain his honor and birthright when he had captured the Avatar.

There are three seasons in the series (it first aired in 2005), and it is a fantastic show. Part of the reason I started it was to get to season two, when the character, Toph Bei Fong, is introduced (she's on my profile picture and I'll be talking more about her later). I can't make you watch it, but if you stick with it, I'm sure you'll like it. It has humor, elements of Asian culture, great characters, super awesome butt-kicking and a lot more!

For another summary, visit epictalesfromaninjasociety.blogspot.com or avatar.wikia.com. WARNING- the Wiki link has spoiler alerts so be cautious. If you have already watched Avatar, I recommend Avatar Wiki because it has many interesting facts about the show.