Arguably one of the best-animated series of its time, Avatar: The Last Airbender is relevant to people of all ages. The Nickelodeon series follows Avatar Aang and his Team Avatar through a series of events on a mission to learn all forms of bending. Their final goal is to subdue the Fire Nation that has wreaked havoc in the world due to the Avatar's disappearance for 100 years.
While Avatar: The Last Airbender has its high and low points, fans keep coming back to it for a sense of comfort. Uncle Iroh's philosophy and advice strike a chord in fans' hearts while the cabbage merchant's plight is a source of amusement for all viewers.
10 The Show Is Canonically Complete
Avatar: The Last Airbender first premiered in 2005. Following Katara and Sokka's discovery of the Avatar and Zuko's attempts to regain his honor, the series takes viewers on a three-season-long journey. Avatar: The Last Airbender delivers devastating moments like Aang briefly losing his bending powers and Uncle Iroh's song at his son's grave. The series also has funny moments like Sokka and Katara pretending to be Aang's parents.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is a well-rounded viewing experience for all viewers. However, the series is limited to three seasons. The only way to continually enjoy Avatar: The Last Airbender is to rewatch it.
9 "Leaves From The Vine" Is A Sad Moment All Fans Remember With A Heavy Heart
"Leaves From the Vine" is the song General Iroh sings at his son's grave remembering him with a heavy heart. The impact of this scene is almost impossible to replicate; it's one of the most emotional scenes in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
All Avatar: The Last Airbender fans have shed a tear or two during "The Tales of Ba Sing Se," the episode in which "Leaves From the Vine" is featured. This sad yet beautiful moment has become one of the defining characteristics of the series.
8 The Legend Of Korra Is Starkly Different From ATLA
The Legend of Korra is the sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender. It follows the story of Avatar Korra from the Southern Water Tribe and her attempts to master all forms of bending while trying to justify her role in society. The Legend of Korra is set in a more modern world with the Avatar facing new problems.
Fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender find it difficult to follow the Avatar Korra through her journey due to the lasting impact of the original series. The constant comparison between the two also works against ATLA fans.
7 Debates About The Series Anime Status
While Avatar: The Last Airbender is considered anime by some viewers, others are completely opposed to the idea. For some viewers, anime consists only of series that are produced by Japanese animation studios such as UFOtable and MAPPA.
The anime-or-not debate surrounding Avatar: The Last Airbender has been around ever since the series premiered and is yet to be resolved. Due to its shonen-like tropes and borrowing from various Asian cultures for its setting, Avatar: The Last Airbender can tick the anime box while selecting the genre.
6 The Movie Doesn't Exist In The Fandom
Ask any Avatar: The Last Airbender fan about the live-action movie and they will probably feign ignorance and pretend the movie doesn't exist. A missed opportunity in all conceivable ways, M. Night Shyamalan's live-action movie for Avatar: The Last Airbender was a disastrous flop. From miscast characters and poor production value to plot holes and poor acting, this movie was a disappointment to all ATLA fans.
While Avatar: The Last Airbender fans are hopeful that the new live-action adaptation may live up to their expectations, this movie is a dark spot in the history of ATLA.
5 The Show Isn't Easy To Find
A product of the early 2000s, Avatar: The Last Airbender hasn't always been easy to find for fans. With the advent of the internet, various OTTs, and streaming services, fans can now easily find Avatar: The Last Airbender and enjoy it.
However, while Avatar: The Last Airbender was streaming on Nickelodeon, it was arduously difficult to find a copy of the series to indulge in a rewatch session. Unlike most series that aired reruns or repeat episodes after the premiere, this show was difficult to find on TV as well.
4 The Animation Is Dated
When compared to contemporary animation like that of Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen, Avatar: The Last Airbender doesn't stand a chance. ATLA's animation is amazing for its time, but it may not live up to the expectations of today's kids. Some visuals are better enjoyed in HD, which Avatar: The Last Airbender doesn't provide.
The 4:3 screen also constricts the expanse of the background and the overall impact of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Geography shots look constricted leading the viewers to feel suffocated due to the many actions happening in a small space.
3 The Fandom Memes Are Tired
Viewers have picked out a few moments from Avatar: The Last Airbender and made them into evergreen memes. Even people who haven't watched the series are likely to be familiar with these popular memes; they made a huge comeback when ATLA was put on Netflix.
Most of the Avatar: The Last Airbender memes include rhymes with Zuko's "that's rough buddy" reaction to Sokka talking about Yue, Katara bringing up her late mother whenever she felt like it, and Zuko's obsession with regaining his honor. While extremely popular, some fans are tired of the same jokes.
2 Some Interesting Characters Have Very Little Screen Time
Aang, Katara, and Sokka have been constants in Avatar: The Last Airbender from the very beginning to the end. However, other characters, like Yue, passed too soon and others, like the master Earthbender, Toph, and the princess of the Fire Nation, Azula, make their first appearance in Book Two of the series.
Yue sacrifices herself to protect the Northern Water Tribe and merges with the Moon Spirit. Suki, a warrior of Kyoshi, has a big personality and gels well with Team Avatar, eventually becoming a part of the team.
1 There Are Too Many Serious Topics Addressed
While Avatar: The Last Airbender is infamous for pulling its punches due to it being a kids' show, it addresses some very serious issues. From Katara facing Yon Rha, her mother's killer, to Bloodbending, the dark offshoot of Waterbending, this series also deals with mature themes which are not exactly suitable for younger audiences.
Some Avatar: The Last Airbender fans like to keep their animated shows lighthearted while some don't mind the mature content. Avatar: The Last Airbender addresses various issues regarding mental health and moral ambiguity while avoiding any major physical or mental scarring.