For those counting down the moments for Netflix’s Avatar the Last Airbender live-action, there is plenty of discourse to distract the time. With such an enormous fan base, this live-action series has had an ongoing buzz since the announcement of the show’s creation in 2018. One question is, is there even a need for a live-action? VALLEY wants to showcase highlights of the discourse with the onset of the show’s release.
A General Theme of Hope
Will this live-action bring a just retelling of the adventures we grew up loving? Can the elements of a live-action move our hearts the way the animation did? People online have been showing their readiness, excitement and nerves since the announcement of the show. In June of 2023, the show’s social media accounts began to promote the show.
With a magnificent story to already tell, one could argue this remake will be a slam dunk. However, from experience, that may not be the case. Cue that 2010 movie with five percent rotten tomatoes… Ouch.
This is a Different Story
One point of excitement from the original announcement of the show was the involvement of Bryan Konietzko and Micheal Dante DiMartino: the original animation’s creators. Then, in 2020 it was announced that the original creators DiMartino were leaving this project. This was on the basis that Netflix was taking the show in a direction that the creators did not want. In an open letter to fans, DiMartino wrote that leaving was,
The hardest professional decision I’ve ever had to make.
Micheal Dante DiMartino
Upon news of the original creators’ departure, there was an uproar of disappointment from some fans and a cause of worry about what the show would look like. The producer of Netflix’s live action, Robert Kim acknowledges the differences saying, “This is Avatar: The Last Airbender, but it is our version of Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Kim is not shying away from the differences believing it is normal in an adaptation. When talking about a change to one scene he says, “That’s part of the process of going from a Nickelodeon cartoon to a Netflix serialized drama.”
No one will know what an adaptation by the original creators would have been. In response to hearing that some fans believe the original animated show to be “perfect,” original creator Bryan Konietzko replied, “That blows me away—there’s so much that I would fix.”
WARNING: Spoilers Ahead
Sokka’s Sexism
There are many ideas online about changes that will be made, and it is hard to know what to expect. One known change that is conflicting with the internet is having Sokka not be sexist. After all, it is Sokka’s sexism that gets his sister Katara furious as she yells “You are the most sexist, immature, nut-brained… I’m embarrassed to be related to you!” subsequently breaking the iceberg that has trapped the main protagonist (Aang) for over 100 years.
The show does not conclude with Sokka’s sexist views as victorious. Rather, his beliefs get challenged in the series (often in humbling ways) to the point where he changes. The question then presents itself, how important is sexism in Sokka’s overall character arc? It wears on him when he takes himself too seriously and rejects the help of his sister.
Moreover, it shows growth (and brings humor) when he gets a lesson from his later girlfriend, Suki — a female warrior trained in an all-female squad in a style developed by a former female avatar. Some on the internet believe this trait is major while others find it’s not that deep. The main concern is making Sokka a “perfect protagonist.” Should this Sokka insight be extrapolated to other aspects of the live action?
A Love for The Cast
The internet is mostly positive about the cast. In the photo above we see, from left to right, Gordon Cormier (Aang), Dallas Liu (Zuko), Ian Ousley (Sokka), and Kiawentiio Tarbell (Katara). People have been speaking favorably of seeing the characters portrayed by actual teens and those of Asian and indigenous ancestry. Moreover, in cast interviews and media, there has been praise for the group’s chemistry.
In one controversy, Ian Ousely’s claimed background as mixed and part Native American was inconclusive. This caused some backlash about Ian being possibly white and a call for him not to play Sokka.
Is There a Need for a Live Action?
The live-action is coming, but many have voiced if there is a need for one. Animation is beautiful because of how the artistic style can contribute to the world-building, immersion and feel of a show. Specifically, with Avatar, depicting the bending in a live-action provides a challenge where animation can capture the dynamic movements with ease. In shows where our laws of nature are defied, animation can wow our minds.
Avatar the Last Airbender, to many, is the story, the characters and the animation. In that view, one must wait to see what impression the live action will have.
Will you be watching Netflix’s Live Action on the 22nd? Let us know on Instagram @VALLEYmag.
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