The Netflix show unsurprisingly left at least a portion of the fanbase disappointed.
But the issue with the 2023 series wasnt a failure to faithfully adapt its source material.
Despite retaining many of the animations best qualities,Avatar: The Last Airbendercreated faults of its own.
The live-action creators were under significant pressure to get the series right.
Their effort was already overshadowed by the abysmal M. Knight Shyamalan film.
But stellar visuals anda great cast forAvatar: The Last Airbenderwere not enough to makeAvatara great series.
The Great Divideis such a famously pointless diversion thatthe original show mocked the episodewith a season 3 gag.
This was a logical move, but the shows exploration ofAvatarsSpirit Worldsuffered in comparison.
A particular oversight saw Aang abandoning his original goal of saving the spirit Hei Bai.
The Netflix series cant afford to cover this journey in a whistle-stop tour like it did with season one.
Theconfirmation thatAvatar: The Last Airbenderplans to condense the season 2 storylineis a cause for concern.
Zuko actorDallas Liu agrees that NetflixsAvatarneeds a bigger episode countgoing forward.
If it werent for Ian Ousleys efforts, Netflixs Sokka would be just as bland.
Season 2 needs to exploit the comic talent of its cast.
Behind-the-scenes footage shows that the young actors have this in spades.
The Nickelodeon cartoon still manages to explore serious themes like war, genocide, trauma, and redemption.
Its overarching lightness makes its dark spots all the more poignant.
All the characters were saddled with moments of cringy dialogue, but Gordon Comiers Aang probably suffered the most.
NetflixsAvatarinstead chose to summarize Aang’s dilemma through painful monologuing.
Thats who I am.
Not someone who can stop the Fire Nation.
Not someone who can stop a war.
Avatarwriters should remember the rule: show, don’t tell.
The Netflix seriesrelies on such stilted dialogue as shorthand for fully rounded characters.
In the original series, the threat of the Fire Nation is allowed to build slowly.
This worked well to set up the devastating power ofAvatarsvillains.
The series should take a similar approach in season 2.
In their view, Sokkas childish attitude towards women in the cartoon was problematic.
Fans countered this with the argument that Sokka is made out to be wrong-headed and foolish.
The erasure of this side of Sokka’s personality doesn’t impact the series much.
In the original show, Katara is enraged by the waterbending masters refusal to take on a female student.
Kataras righteous fury fuels the most impressive displays of her talent.
The Netflix duel felt lackluster in comparison, largely becausethe show didnt allow Kiawentiio the same depth of emotion.
Katara isnt supposed to be level-headed.
Season 2 can remedy this by exploring her rocky relationship with the Gaangs new female member, Toph.
This is the driving force behind her most brutal acts.
It is also the cause of her tragic unraveling in the Nickelodeon show’s final episodes.
The more series overtone of the live-action removesAvatarsjoyful spirit.
12-year-old Aang is not the playful prankster fans remember from early seasons of the Nickelodeon show.
The animated series drew emotional power fromthe contrast between childhood innocence and a darkening world.
Moving forward, the live-action must support its style with substance.
The foundations have been laid to allow Netflix’sAvatar: The Last Airbenderto approach the excellence achieved by its predecessor.
