Avatar: the Last Airbender: the 20th Anniversary
The Blind Eternities forum
Posted on Feb. 9, 2025, 10:25 a.m. by DemonDragonJ
This year is the 20th anniversary of Avatar: the Last Airbender, an American television series that some people regard as being one of the greatest television series ever made.
A:tLA is a western series, but it is heavily inspired by eastern/Japanese animation, most notably with its art style and the setting of its fictional world, a world modeled after several Asian cultures: for example, the Water Tribes are molded after the Inuit people, the Earth Kingdom is modeled after imperial China, the Fire Nation is modeled after Feudal Japan, and the Air Nomads are modeled after Tibetan Buddhist monks. Some people in this world have the ability to control the elements, and the titular avatar is a person who can control all four elements, serving as one who is supposed to maintain balance in the world. The story of the series deals with many very serious topics, including genocide, slavery, and abusive families, and the majority of the major characters were very multifaceted and developed over the course of the story, helping the world to feel very real and believable. The series lasted for three seasons, and has become one of the most beloved western animated series of all time.
A:tLA was broadcast on Nickelodeon, and was quite a departure from that channel's usual fare, as it was quite serious and dramatic, compared to the slapstick or surreal humor that was typical of most other series on that channel, and the series was sufficiently popular to lead to a sequel series, Legend of Korra, and numerous comics that follow the story after the television series. I did not watch the series until several years after it premiered, but I enjoyed it, very much, and would like to believe that Nickelodeon shall do something to commemorate this most momentous occasion.
What does everyone else say about this? How do you feel about this year being the 20th anniversary of Avatar: the Last Airbender?
Poly_raptor says... #3
It makes me feel very old. I remember watching it when I got home from school.
I have read lots of theories that Atla will be the next Universes Beyond sent, which I’m not sure I like the idea of. Would you like to have Atla embodied on Magic cards?
February 9, 2025 2:32 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #4
The sequel series, Legend of Korra, was set in world reminiscent of the 1920's (also known as the Roaring 20's), so, presuming that Korra dies in her mid-eighties, the next avatar shall begin their journey in that world's equivalent of the early 2000's, so I wonder how different the world shall be, at that time?
February 9, 2025 2:38 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #5
Poly_raptor, I am not certain, about that, because the idea of four elements does not perfectly match with the five colors of this game, although, ironically, if the makers of A:tLA had instead used the traditional Chinese philosophy of five elements, the world would likely have matched better with this game.
February 9, 2025 9:11 p.m.
DarkKiridon says... #6
DemonDragonJ Nah, I could see it working, just would be a lot of red, blue and green cards.
I can see Aang being Azorious or just 4 color minus black.
Fire nation could be Rakdos honestly.
February 9, 2025 9:25 p.m.
Poly_raptor says... #7
DemonDragonJ Yes, I understand what you mean. I agree with DarkKiridon that colour pairings could work but it could be tricky as there would be overlap
I would think the following:
- Fire Nation- Rakdos
- Earth Kingdom - Selesnya / Boros
- Air Temples - Azorius ?
- Water Tribes - Azorius ?
Although I imagine they may do it as form of secret lair as we are returning to the plane of Tarkir soon?
I did actually make a commander deck themed around Avatar, I think you might appreciate it, I could link it below if you don’t mind my shameless deck plug?
February 10, 2025 1:31 a.m.
Ironically white is perfect for earthbending and green is prefect for airbending by color pie flavor standards but in game mechanics... not so much. At least for Airbenders. But they'd probably just swap that and have it be pretty much element for element where Plains = Airbenders and have black be chi blockers, knife throwers, etc.
TheoryCrafter says... #2
Makes me feel old. It's an amazing show and one of the few television series I've watched every episode more than once. If I were to assemble a list of cartoon shows to introduce to this generation's kids, this would be on it.
The show kinda does for the Eastern Religions and Philosophies what The Chronicles of Narnia does for Christianity.
Though, I wouldn't say it was a departure, per se. Nickelodeon has had a long history of their shows handling serious topics. The comedy series You Can't Do That on Television, an English dubbing of the Spanish animated series The World of David the Gnome and the horror anthology Are You Afraid of the Dark? are just a few examples. I would say that ATLA and TLOK were a brief return to form.
February 9, 2025 1:24 p.m.