Avatar: The Last Airbender

In the frozen waters of the South Pole, Sokka and Katara of the Southern Water Tribe are bickering on a fishing trip when they stumble onto a strange, glowing iceberg housing the figure of a young boy inside. Breaking it open they discover Aang, a rambunctious and bafflingly conscious kid with strange arrow tattoos all over his body. They take the child back to their village where the tribe elder is shocked to discover that Aang is, in fact, a young monk from the Northern Air Temple, the last survivor of a civilization believed to be extinct. More puzzling still, Aang is surprised to hear about his people’s fate when the villagers ask about his mysterious appearance, and is completely unaware that the Fire Nation has been systematically taking control of the other territories across the world, beginning with their eradication of the air nomads nearly a hundred years ago. The Water Tribe is struggling to grasp the gravity of this child’s discovery when Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation attacks the village and abducts him, claiming Aang to be the lost Avatar, sole connection to the spirit world and centre of balance and harmony in the world. Sokka and Katara give chase, setting in motion an ambitious journey to restore the Avatar and bring peace back to the four nations.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is set in a world divided into four primary civilizations, centered around the four elements of Eastern philosophy: Earth, Air, Water and Fire. The four nations are substantially self-sufficient, isolated to their own continental territories and developing their own cultural heritage around the element most abundant to their homeland. This includes their lifestyles and industry, but more importantly involves their philosophy and bending abilities. A ‘bender’ is a term given to people across the world who possess the natural ability to manipulate matter around them through focus and body control. Each nation develops its own bending skills through specific forms of martial arts which lend most appropriately to the manipulation of their associated element. More important, however, is how bending reflects the heart of each nation, empowering benders with the strength and spirit of their people.

The Earth Kingdom

Largely inspired by Chinese culture, The Earth Kingdom occupies the largest territory on the map. Ba Sing Se, the most expansive city in Avatar’s world, is located here, and holds the largest population of any location on the planet. Based on its clearly sectioned layout, the grand city is most likely based on Beijing, and surrounded by an impenetrable stone wall that is undoubtedly a reference to China’s Great Wall. Drawing from the foundations of the planet itself, the Earth Kingdom’s people are strong, ordered and wilful. Their benders learn to control rock and stone through the Hun Gar style of Kung Fu, a style primarily based on strong stances, in order to sustain a physical connection to the earth.

The Air Nomads

The Air Nomads are mostly based on the culture of Shaolin and Tibetan monks. The most isolated of all the nations, the Air Nomads, lived in two colonies [Editor's note: the nomads, wanderers by nature, didn't call any particular territory home. However, they actually built four air temples to the North, South East and West, not two. Thanks to Calvin for pointing that out - DW] on floating islands high above the ground. Deeply spiritual and monastic in nature, they were the most closely connected to the Spirit World, and because of this they are the only nation entirely made up of benders. Inspired by the element of air, the nomads believe in non-violence and introspection, keeping themselves to quiet lives of reflection and meditation. Young Airbenders are taught Ba Gua in order to master air, a form of martial art that emphasizes circular motions and constant eye contact. This style is used defensively and reactively, in keeping with the nomads’ philosophy of pacifism.

The Water Tribe

Primarily inspired by Inuit culture, the two Water Tribes are located on the North and South poles of the planet. Living amidst the frozen water and ice floes, their inhabitants are nurturing, close-knitted families of small numbers. Waterbenders practice Tai Chi, a mostly non-violent form of martial arts that involves fluid movements of the entire body. Tai Chi is widely practiced in real life for its associations with body strength and good health, and waterbenders are able to use water as a healing property within the show.

The Fire Nation

The Fire Nation exists on a volcanic island chain, similar to that of Japan. Fiercely proud, powerful and quick to emotion, the Fire Nation’s people are passionate and disciplined. They are the only people to develop mechanized technology, powered by coal burning, and use this to power immense fleets of vehicles and industrial tools. Militaristic and confident, their people live by their reputation and will rise to any challenge to defend their honour. Firebenders learn to manipulate fire through Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, a dynamic style that features extravagant movements and quick motions. It is like fire, in that it is extremely powerful but difficult to control and takes intense focus and discipline to control.

While each of the four nations is strong and self-contained, their existence depends on balance and peace between all of the world’s people. This is maintained and symbolized by the Avatar, the only person capable of bending all four elements. He is also the only connection to the Spirit World, as his spirit contains that of all the previous Avatars before him, which gives him the combined power of hundreds of years of knowledge spiritual guidance, and means that he serves as the bridge for the entire world to the source of life and spirituality.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a very carefully crafted story, full of powerful symbolism, imagery and philosophy. The series is essentially a love letter to Eastern spirituality, stressing the beauty of its ideas, arts and cultures. All of this is told through a sharply focused narrative, separated into three seasons, or books, each following the young Airbender Aang on his quest to master the elements of water, earth and finally fire before becoming the Avatar and facing the Fire Lord Ozai to restore harmony between the four nations. Along the way, the show deals with typical kid’s show fare; insecurity, maturation, jealousy and friendship. However A:TLA dabbles in some pretty adult themes as well, for example incorporating class and race issues, feminism and even revenge, to an extent. There are a lot of ideas and themes to explore in Avatar, and while a kid’s cartoon might seem an odd format for it, Avatar proves to be the perfect showcase of the validity of animated television, far surpassing the quality of many shows out there that are being taken far more seriously. Growing up I was audience to some of the best animated programs TV has ever aired, including the last of the good seasons of The Simpsons, Animaniacs and arguably the best cartoon ever made, Batman: The Animated Series (If you disagree with that, I will find you and I will fight you). The Last Airbender feels like a throwback to such quality animation because while it is intended for a young demographic it doesn’t hide the fact that there is real storytelling happening here – real concepts and messages are being sent through this lighthearted adventure tale (not to mention that the show is drawn beautifully). The show might surprise you with how authentically developed the characters are, even compared to live action dramas. I’d be hard pressed to think of another series I’ve seen that demonstrates the same level of growth and finality in all of its characters at the end of its run. Sokka is probably my model character in any story when I look at this. Avatar even features the only love triangle I can ever remember being so invested in, and I still wish the results were reversed years later.

Avatar: The Last Airbender makes a case for finite TV stories, something I think would be a welcome addition to television in North America. I would have so much more love for shows like Lost, Heroes and Prison Break if they’d stuck to a planned ending after a set number of seasons, rather than prolonging the show to keep the cash cow going (not that I disagree with the business model). I’ve been told British TV is notorious for this kind of format and I think it’s something we should incorporate here. Obviously there are certain stories that would benefit from it and others that would not but if a Nickelodeon cartoon has the balls to declare a real ending for their show I don’t see why it can’t be done in more ‘mature’ television as well. If you haven’t Seen Avatar: The Last Airbender yet, it’s on my required viewing list. Go and watch it now. Just remember to be careful around those cabbages.

Addition: While I was writing for Bam! Kapow! I wrote a review for The Last Airbender movie. You can read it here if you like.

Dedicated to Calvin Santiago, who turned me onto the series.