Avatar: The Last Airbender has sat at the top of Western animation since its debut in 2005. The Avatar animated series literally bends the definition of anime by the way it blends an Eastern aesthetic with Western storytelling conventions. The adventures of Aang, Sokka, and Katara will go down in history as one of the best animated series of all time, regardless of the time period it finds itself in.
Today, the Avatar franchise has gathered more clout than it ever had while being released weekly on Nickelodeon TV. This has everything to do with the way the new information age enhances media. Here are ten ways the series has gotten better with time.
10 Avatar: The Last Airbender Is More Readily Available Today Than It Ever Has Been
Perhaps the number one reason Avatar: The Last Airbender is better today than it was when it released in 2005 is the availability of the series. Whether fans gain access to the series by buying it on Amazon or simply logging into their Netflix account, one thing has changed for the better: fans no longer have to wait week to week to watch ATLA.
This improves on the series in a number of different ways. Fans can now binge-watch the series, which makes it significantly easier to catch the set-ups and payoffs within its incredible continuity. Furthermore, the more fans that are able to watch the series, the more Avatar-related content will find its way into the market.
9 The Producers Of Avatar The Last Airbender Understood That Representation Matters
One of the reasons that Avatar: The Last Airbender has avoided the fate of so many other series that bit off more than they could chew in the early 2000s is how well it represents the people and cultures that it borrows from. Fans of the series already know that ATLA based a ton of its worldbuilding elements on real-life cultures.
Not only did the series incorporate four completely different cultures to fill in its world, it managed to do so respectfully. Considering the number of other shows that have not aged well due to biases and stereotypes that have come to light in recent years, ATLA deserves a high level of praise for its thoughtful worldbuilding.
8 The Legend of Korra Comparison Proves How Incredible ATLA Truly Is
Avatar: The Last Airbender is fantastic in its own right, but the introduction of a sequel series has only enhanced the original. The Legend of Korra is a fantastic series as well, but when compared to the original it falls a bit short.
The fact that TLOK was unable to completely live up to the pristine plotting of the original series proves that the original was not successful simply because of its worldbuilding. Avatar: The Last Airbender is a masterpiece of animation and storytelling, and TLOK proves it.
7 Sequel Lore Solves Potential Plot Holes By Enhancing The Original Series' Subtleties
The comics that follow after Avatar: The Last Airbender give avid ATLA fans the opportunity to continue following Aang on his adventures through the world he just saved. Following Katara and Aang's relationship and watching Toph start her own metalbending school expands the lore and even enhances the subtle nods to these ideas present in the original series.
Now that fans know Katara and Aang worked out a healthy relationship, and even had children who appear in The Legend of Korra, all the subtle romance in the original series carries much more weight. Sorry, Zutara shippers.
6 Memes! Memes! Sokka Is A Meme!
Some may have a different opinion on this matter, but most fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender would proudly admit that memes enhance the viewing experience. What is Sokka other than a big animated meme anyway?
Even beyond memes, social media offers fans the opportunity to interact with the entirety of their niche without running into that random adult who is convinced Avatar: The Last Airbender is just for kids, although there are trolls that fans have to deal with now more than ever.
5 Trolls, Haters, And Naysayers Have Only Strengthened The ATLA Fan Base
The troll test is not a real thing, but everyone in the 21st century has had their patience tested by a troll at one point or another. Avatar: The Last Airbender is not so perfect that it avoids trolls, haters, and naysayers, but it is good enough to allow fans to mount a strong argument against their discrepancies.
Even after more than 15 years in the spotlight, Avatar: The Last Airbender is regarded as one of the best animated series of all time. Despite all the time and effort that contrarian trolls have put into knocking the show down, it still stands stronger today than ever before.
4 Strong Female Characters Were Not A Requirement In 2005, But They Are Now
Katara and Toph are iconic in the world of animation for good reason. Both are independent women capable of carrying themselves without the help of a strong male counterpart leading the way. This may seem simple and obvious to viewers today, but in 2005 it was rare to find any content that could pass the Bechdel Test. ATLA truly was setting trends all the way back in 2005.
3 ATLA Is As Kid-Friendly As It Is Politically Intriguing
One of the most important aspects behind Avatar: The Last Airbender's longevity is the way that it can entertain both children and adults. While kids are captivated by the colorful cities, fantastical animals, and exciting fights, adults can dive deep into the characters' relationships, the animated world's political structure, and the show's vibrant fight scenes. Who doesn't love a good elemental fight scene with with well-animated choreography?
2 Fan Art Enhances The Original Series By Adding New Perspectives
Social media platforms have truly rewritten the rules on fan art and given fans of any source material the opportunity to see their favorite series from a new perspective.
The more fan art a series has, the more lore fans are able to bring to the table, improving on the source material without ever having to add anything directly to it.
1 Sokka's Toxic Masculinity Doesn't Make It Past Avatar's First Arc!
In the same way that characters like Katara and Toph were way ahead of their time in terms of female representation in media, Sokka also learns a valuable lesson in the first few episodes of ATLA that couldn't be fully appreciated back in 2005. Toxic masculinity is one of those buzzwords that many people don't like to hear, just like many people don't like to hear someone explain something without having first asked if an explanation is necessary.
The fact that Sokka's original arc in ATLA was to overcome his habit of looking down on women is incredible for a TV series that aired in 2005. Fans today can praise the series for teaching children respect before respect became popular in today's culture of accountability.