Avatar: The Last Airbender - Realistic Fantasy

Patreon: / razbuten
Twitter: / therazbuten
Edit by Jesse Guarascia: / guarascia
Avatar: The Last Airbender makes me feel like a human, so I’m going to talk about one of the reasons I love it so much. Despite being a fantasy story, Avatar keeps its story grounded in rules and limitations, creating a realistic feeling to it. I talk about all this and more in the video.
Music:
Magical Land by DJ Sonny
Angelic Thoughts by DJ Sonny
sungod.bandcamp.com/music
So, this video was originally going to be part of a collaborative channel between myself and Jesse, but both of us lost interest in actually doing that. I still wanted to share this video though, so here it is. Pretty much this video would not exist if it were not for Jesse. He helped me revise the script a billion times, he did a large amount of the video editing for it, and he made the thumbnail. He is a dear and I love him, but don't tell him that because I don't want it to get to his head.
I also got a lot of scripting help from:
Steven The Hobo: / steveohobo
PerrydactylShow: / @perrydactylshow
HeavyEyed: / @heavyeyed

[@screamingcactus1753]

"He has a pet bear." "A gopher bear?" "An Armadillo bear?" "No. Just a... bear." "This place is weird."

[@itachi0089]

Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for that nostalgia hit!! :D

[@kay_twinkle_toes1051]

Yeah normal is weird 😂 ATLA forever 😍

[@soggybread5355]

Gamepro Wizard you forgot platypus bear

[@Lily-wk1dw]

"Surely you mean a platypus bear?"

[@rishabhanand4973]

@@Lily-wk1dw "it just says ... bear"

[@thawhiteazn]

Avatar even managed to do what I had long though impossible: make a decent recap episode. Instead of doing a standard clip show, having the story retold as a play that the main characters watched was great.

[@aidenoliver1681]

thawhiteazn ikr!!!

[@commandertempest6391]

It was such a good recap episode, I didn't realize it was a recap episode until somebody told me it was.

[@Bhez7]

@@commandertempest6391 yeah I didn't really see it that way either at first, it just seems to fit the world and the story so well the narrative device becomes less visible

[@MasterJohnny007]

@@commandertempest6391 What?! That was a recap episode?! 😱 Worldview destroyed :x

[@AbsalomIndustries]

Too bad Legend of Korra's recap episode was duller than a dirt-covered rock.

[@DoctorDex]

I always loved that a character's moral alignment wasn't linked to their heritage. There are good people in the fire nation and monsters on the other sides. It felt real. The secret police in Ba Sing Se was more terrifying to me than the fire lord's military.

[@ezioclashroyale5676]

Kinda reminds you of our own governments huh

[@edgeribble]

There is no war in Ba Sing Se

[@pux0rb]

This show really understands balance. Not just thematically, but through simple things too like use of colors, music, a character's tone through an episode, even animation. Its not like anime where characters have 2 frames of animation for speaking and thousands for the fight scenes. Everything is given care and attention, more so at times when they are the focus of attention. This show really does emotions right. It gives closure to problems, shows fear and danger, love and peace. It treats its audience (which were mostly kids) with respect and introduces them to complex ideas without dumbing them down. It really is an amazing show and I think it might be my favorite cartoon of all time.

[@qunrcm591]

Its my favorite piece of film (including movies and t.v shows) period.

[@tijsp.8162]

This is also why I worry a little for the upcoming live action series. I'm worried that they'll add to many bells and whistles. A great part of the charm of this show, I think, comes from its simplicity

[@OK-mh2cr]

Agreed. I love that it took the anime art style but added more fluent emotions. I think anime art style is beautiful but i cant watch a single show for this exact reason. They over emote for *everything* and they scream *all. the. time.* avatar is so fluent in how it conveys the proper emotion and only exaggerates ones that fit the mood and it adds the right amount of emphasis to that emotion. All while having the beautiful art style.

[@omnistellar5647]

Half the anime I've seen prioritized emotion and speaking over action. So I take it this opinion was formed by thinking every anime is a shonen lol. That aside, I completely agree on every other level

[@SimLove1031]

@@OK-mh2cr for an Anime that doesn't '"over emote". I recommend The Promised Neverland.

[@markedlyunremarkable]

Missed one thing -- Iroh.

[@razbuten]

It might seem that way, but I'm saving Iroh for a different video.

[@lucaaz14]

@@razbuten where is it?

[@processinginformation]

6:07 :)

[@CarbonComs]

@@razbuten Is this Iroh video ever coming out?

[@razbuten]

Honestly...I forgot I ever said this publicly lol. With that said, I have been taking a little break from Avatar content (all the Korra videos last fall burnt me out in regards to talking about the franchise). However, I still have some thoughts on Iroh that I want to put in video form at some point. I just have been working on other projects that I am more passionate about doing, so I have put that on the backburner until I am in the proper headspace to jump back into Avatar.

[@altaccount648]

Avatar has one of those special worlds that you dream of living in. When watching I can escape into a different world while still being able to examine it next to my life and my struggles, and that's why I come back to it... every week.

[@nicolefrancom4351]

Wow nice job.

[@jakman8515]

Wow the part that he said this literally came up when i was reading this lol

[@maxtheratking2139]

Leaves from the vine, falling so slow, like fragile tiny shells, drifting in the foam. Little soldier boy, comes marching home, brave soldier boy, comes marching home

[@intellectualhybrid2]

STOPPPPPPPPPP

[@murdanom]

Damn Zuko with dual swords cutting onions...

[@gamingcinema3210]

The PTSD be like

[@isabellesia4234]

Please don't make me tearbend 😭

[@Badz_B34chst4r]

Sweet, joyful, wise, loving voice of Mako, RIP

[@Origamibeats]

when i was a kid i always fantasized about being the avatar and bending the elements

[@lemonyboop2033]

I am 28, and I still wish I could be an Earthbender.

[@Deimos_the_Autist]

I am 20 and still want to metaphorically be an Avatar haha

[@christophernanney6446]

I’m 21 and I am the Avatar!! Haha Just kidding, I wish🔥🌊⛰💨

[@alinaw.2071]

I am 21 and I still look at water and think: "I wish I could..." 🤣

[@_hypr_]

Technically Fire, Air, Water and Earth were based on the real martial arts of Northern Shaolin, Baguazhang, Tai Chi and Hung Gar respectively. So you could learn them and almost bend the elements

[@costacreates2566]

Avatar the last Airbender is one of the greatest series of all time. The characters, animation, story, writing, etc are all executed perfectly. Awesome review, you really delved into the genius of the show very well. 👍🏻

[@pharaohkai1]

CostaCreates so true

[@Jonman7502]

CostaCreates man we really need an avatar skyrim type game, it would be amazing to free roam around the world and engage in side quests and bending.

[@Elli_Nyda]

jonmangaming combine it with augmented reality we will be future Marshall arts pros :D

[@Elli_Nyda]

Maybe not martial arts, but other types of the avatar world

[@Sworbertson]

This channel is better than allot of 100k plus subscriber channels, it needs more videos

[@TheReal_ist]

4:05 I just realized that they slipped in the Nickelodeon logo in this scene............ That completely flew by me damn thats pretty cool.

[@AtlasNL]

TheReal_ist Wow. Never noticed that!

[@chrysanna8896]

Logobending

[@peterm8286]

Coconut Pal here’s a gold star for you to flaunt ⭐️

[@eitakou]

Are you serious... God damn xD

[@toolapc13]

MY CABBAGES!!!

[@BlaxeFrost-X]

how does this still get me?

[@PancakemonsterFO4]

Bitches and Whores

[@Lanay_]

cabbages are temporary, but avatar is eternal

[@012jebaited9]

@@BlaxeFrost-X same

[@wellthen4128]

That's sad dude. All he did was try to sell cabbages

[@millitron3666]

I think the episode "The Storm" is one of, if not THE, best episode of any television show. We learn so much about our main characters and most importantly we see it. We aren't told their backstories in some dump exposition, we SEE Aang flee the Air nomad village, we SEE Zuko confront and be burned by his father. And most importantly, we learn that both characters have similar motivations; they're ashamed of their pasts and need to prove themselves honorable, in Aang's case to himself, in Zuko's case to his father. I particularly love that shortly after finding this all out, we get a great shot of Aang and Zuko locking gazes as Aang flies away.

[@maddisonjohnson4308]

For a brief moment they really connected

[@gloop7458]

Millitron Lol my favorite episode is Zuko Alone.

[@fatquickscope4150]

For me, my favorite episode was the tales of ba sing se

[@Awes0m3n3s5]

There's not really any filler. The protagonists are always learning and progressing, which is the entire plot of the show.

[@Ten_Thousand_Locusts]

The only episode I'd describe as being close to filler is the one where Aang can't sleep because he keeps having nightmares about fighting the Firelord; it ends with the gang making him a bed out of wool, and even then that episode has tremendous character growth for Aang. That being said, it's still my least favourite episode though.

[@Awes0m3n3s5]

@@Ten_Thousand_Locusts i always forget about that episode. It has a lot of quality jokes, but yeah, not the most plot driven in a show filled with storytelling gems. Id say my least favorite is The Divide

[@Ten_Thousand_Locusts]

@@Awes0m3n3s5 lol yeah it's a pretty forgettable episode. Also I agree 'The Great Divide' isn't great, but at least it's got that cool animation in the stories the tribes talk about.

[@dreamingblue3939]

@@Ten_Thousand_Locusts I love that episode lol. The only one I could do without is probably The Great Divide.

[@Missy-zz6ll]

The Jrr I mean that episode shows just how nervous Aang really is even knowing he’s so powerful. To each their own but I see it’s purpose haha

[@TheShadesOfBlack]

Am I the only one who celebrates Avatar like it was a christian holiday?

[@razbuten]

Every year, I eat some unfried dough to celebrate the day that the Avatar was not boiled in oil.

[@hierony5471]

Avatar day is my favourite holiday!

[@dolphingoboop]

Me

[@davidakin3840]

Bro can you contact the creators to make more episodes

[@cheesecakelasagna]

Relatable, have a nice day.

[@Verbindungsfehle]

I also love how this show does strong female leads. Way too often when media try to tackle that, it just produces one-dimensional women whose only purpose is to be a strong, female fighter. Girls and women in ATLA are so much more than that. They get as much depth, character and detail as a male character would have, they're balanced and don't just break gender expectations just to break them. Feminist extremists are wrong, men don't just dislike strong female characters, only chauvinists do. But everybody dislikes badly written strong female characters.

[@bencarter5563]

And i only realized this after I watched the show through. Only later did i realize that entire episodes are dedicated to showing the strength of katara's will and convictions, (the one with the coal). I agree that the female leads contain more depth than a thousand Hollywood attempts rolled into one. Toph is a strong character that kicks ass in that same sense, but the show also manages to embrace her femininity, for example in Tales of Ba Sing Se. Azula may not qualify as a female lead, but she contains a lot of depth as well beyond the typical fire-bending prodigy stuff. The fifty minute or so long video essay on her psychology helped me to understand that. And i am one of the people that detests empty female leads, obviously, I was smart enough to not give a cent to that Charlie's Angels movie.

[@ablebodied175]

The episode where Katara is ragged on for being a mom to everyone really struck deep. Instead of just showing her as overbearing they explained why she HAS to be because of the lack of their mother there. Gives a whole layer to her character and backstory rather than "Big Strong woman has to mommy young stupid boys".

[@hannaittihadiyah5264]

agreed. Katara not only able to waterbend but also she being mother of the group naturally while Toph is one of some badass female character who has in depth feminity.

[@hannaittihadiyah5264]

im sorry for bring another cartoon herroine. For me Sakura (naruto) is one of badly written strong female character.

[@skykidddragonfly2812]

Huh,..* Glances at Korra * should I watch this series?

[@alemirdikson]

I firmly believe that Avatar: The Last Airbender is the single greatest piece of media of all time. No TV show, movie, book, song, poem, or video game has ever presented such a rich, meaningful, and beautiful story as this, while making it all seem so simple and easy to understand and follow. No piece of media will ever surpass Avatar in my opinion.

[@alemirdikson]

Side note: That doesn't mean Korra isn't also good. It is. (Minus season 2) It's a bit unfair to compare the two. Avatar was a masterpiece. Korra was a 12-part miniseries follow-up that was never meant to be a "successor" or anything like that. It was a follow-up. A peak at the next Avatar. And yeah. It WAS good enough for what it needed to be. Then Nick rush-ordered another season, catching the crew off-guard, forcing them to crap out three more seasons out of nothing. They cobbled it back together by season 3, but it was NEVER meant to go that far. So yeah. Unfair comparisons.

[@TetrologyGamingBattlefield]

@@alemirdikson Korra was trash and retcons like everything ATLA set up.

[@alemirdikson]

@@TetrologyGamingBattlefield I mean Book 2 did. Book 2 sucks. We don't talk about book 2.

[@TetrologyGamingBattlefield]

@@alemirdikson Korra has good animation, thats the only good thing in it though, everything else is trash.

[@alemirdikson]

@@TetrologyGamingBattlefield Book One (originally meant to be the end of it) was a beautiful follow-up to the story. A fun revisit. It didn't need to be grand or anything, just a "hey, come check out how the world has changed, come see the new Avatar". And for that purpose, I think it worked marvelously. Book 3 was just fun as all hell. It was a fun concept, and I think it was executed decently enough. Book 4, I'll concede was okay at best. Honestly, I think if not for book 2, the whole thing would've been far better. Or if they had just stopped at 1.

[@BeastOrGod]

The word you're looking for is "Hard Magic System". Hard Magic system is where supernatural powers like magic follows rules. It's far more prevalent in Anime, while soft magic system more in western tv. Harry Potter follows a soft magic system where magic is basically just magic, it does whatever it wants. While Bending in Avatar is Hard Magic system where it follows rules.

[@Apelles42069]

Additionally, ATLA's "hard magic" bending system is intentionally not written as a magic system. It is instead an extension of the world building and character development. The world's societies and histories are literally shaped by it, and anything from characters' emotional states, ambitions, or instincts affects an individual's abilities regardless of the hard rules of the magic system. It's a humanized magic system.

[@gilgamesh6135]

Just out of curiosity what anime follows hard magic. I am asking because I would like to watch them.

[@BeastOrGod]

@@gilgamesh6135 Full Metal Alchemist is obviously the best hard magic system, their alchemy hard magic system is very well made. Watch the Brotherhood version. Naruto is also very good, tho they do get out of hand sometimes, especially the fillers are shit at that. I highly recommend Tanya the Evil, their hard magic is literally science based. Tho, God himself throws his wrench to screw things up. The Irregular at Magic High School has a hard magic system, but I don't remember much of it. Black Clover is great, it's basically a better version of Fairy Tail. The Ancient Magus' Bride is something I would consider hard magic system, even tho it seems like soft magic system, mainly because they explain so much of it and how it works.

[@gilgamesh6135]

@@BeastOrGod That is unfortunate. I agreed all these have good hard magic system. I unfortunately watch them all. Thanks tho

[@WhyDidIEvenBother602]

@@gilgamesh6135 HunterXHunter has the most complex and indepth magic system

[@VfxBlender]

I remember when it was on nickelodeon but the episodes were randomly showed and it wasn't until 2014ish that I watched it on Netflix chronology from start to finish. It was the best animated series I had ever watched. From the self reflecting change in Zuko and the guilt experienced with aang the show quickly became realistic and one of the best character developments I had ever seen. I watched season after season on a projector for 2 days and felt like I got transported to another world. Now I recently watched the episodes slowly on Amazon video. I am still catching new things in the episodes. 10 out of 10 go watch it lol!

[@385thstu]

You must've been watching during the break periods, they played it Chronologically throughout the run

[@robertharris6092]

Same. I grew up with it but never got to watch it in chronological order. Then i watched the show in order and my appreciation for the show grew 10 fold.

[@taylorbritt499]

There were times when they would show it chronologically over the course of a few days, and that was basically the only thing they showed until the later hours of the evening. I lived for those days, they were the days I was absolutely glued to the tv as a kid and took in every precious moment this show has to offer. When I was 17 I bought the whole series on DVD box set with my Christmas money, and I now watch it regularly.

[@hmof826]

Well said,

[@Flome810]

It’s the best show of all time imo

[@hunterc8943]

Avatar is one of the best shows ever made FIGHT ME

[@razbuten]

I mean, I agree with this 100 percent. But fuck it, I am still down to tussle.

[@vlr7368]

Gravity Falls is one of those as well.

[@juliocrivero71]

I'm not fighting, I agree

[@thisiscertainlynotmynameso8374]

Nothing to fight about

[@aidenoliver1681]

no ideas for a name. Yessss

[@sayma25n.46]

This is the kind of show that you wish you could rewatch for the first time !! legendary !!

[@bencarter5563]

This is precisely what i tell my friends when they start watching it: "remember you can only watch a masterpiece for the first time once."

[@rhian6459]

I'd give anything to even watch it for a 2nd time lol

[@mememan3799]

I think Avatar is probably my favorite Cartoon, this or Samurai Jack.

[@xkilla911]

10 years ago, when I was 9, i felt so empty when 1-4 seasons of Samurai Jack was over, and even more empty when the show didn't even resolve with Jack finishing his quest, "What? That's it? There had to be more!" I felt like my life had something important gone missing... that is until season 5, I got so excited I rewatched the whole show up to season 5 AAHHH

[@seppuku_doge]

Meme Man Samurai Jack is the shit

[@MultiFluffyMuffin]

Meme Man watch samurai champloo if you haven't yet. It's a really good anime!

[@serenaswanson3315]

MultiFluffyMuffin Not only is it a good anime, but has great music as well

[@MultiFluffyMuffin]

Serena Swanson Very true, I think it's time to rewatch it 😁

[@Momo-zi7sp]

Still uploading avatar videos in 2017 Thanks man

[@razbuten]

Just trying to save the world with one Avatar video at a time.

[@Mixu.]

Razbuten next review legend of korra?

[@issy785]

Razbuten good job at restoring balance to the avatar world

[@kboi1170]

"For me, limitations are important." *proceeds to let Korra bend every element without training and retcons the rules of blood bending*

[@dreamingblue3939]

Kind of unrelated, but I think one of the reasons LoK wasn't as good as ATLA was that Aaron Ehasz was no longer working with Brian and Mike on the second show. If you watch the Dragon Prince, it's pretty interesting to see his distinctive influence on that show and similar elements in ATLA that came from him (like Toph being a girl instead of a buff guy that was initially going to compete with Aang for Katara, as well as a lot of the character arcs and dynamics/interactions with eachother). The three of them together did a great job on ATLA, and LoK was missing a lot (imo) without Ehasz. I don't know what inspired Brike to change the world's lore though...

[@Jokerboy1410]

@@dreamingblue3939 what do you mean by "changed the world's lore"?

[@kori228]

Fergus MacLeod they retconned the Avatar Spirit from the incarnation of the spirit of the planet to a generic good vs evil. Bending origins retconned from mimicking animals to granted by the lion turtles

[@camouflage_cat1973]

@@kori228 I can't remember that it was stated in the show that the avatar is the incarnation of the spirit of the planet. Where did they state this in the show? And regarding the origin of bending: bending is something you have to be born with. So unless you are born with the ability to bend, mimicking animals, which are able to bend, will not make you a bender. So I do not agree that this was a retcon, as bending granted by the lion turtles and mimicking animals is not a contradiction. There has to be something that gives the ability to bend to the people before they can develop their bending through mimicking the moon, dragons, badgermoles and so on. Also do not forget they retconned the whole spirit world throughout book 1 of ATLA.

[@kori228]

@@camouflage_cat1973 The thing about the avatar spirit was never stated directly, but it's heavily implied based on the themes of balance between humans and nature and the avatar keeping the 4 nations in check. Outside of the show itself, it has been stated in several released books and side story-like books, which are/were canon at the time of their release. As for the bending, requiring an origin may be true but the way it is handled in Korra is absolutely terrible. In Korra, there is zero mention of animal mimicry and people are basically given full mastery by the turtles. If such is the case, how would animal mimicry ever come into play if they already got the ability to bend? In ATLA the animals are the *source* of bending, not just another creature that can bend. If say lore-wise it was the tribes of people who worked closely with and studying specific tribes of animals who were granted bending by the spirits of those animals or something, it would fit far better.

[@HDawg26]

I've never met a person who has said that they didn't like Avatar the last airbender. It truly is a masterpiece in a world full of meh

[@OK-mh2cr]

Very true. Even my grandma loved the show and she hates pretty much any modern cartoons. It was super surprising but she’d get excited to watch the new episodes and everything. Only show I’d ever seen her not want to miss new episodes to is wheel of fortune

[@satyre_1]

@Kinickylj, plz elaborate. No, really. I'm open to ideas and opinions.

[@yomumma7803]

@Kinickylj i would also like to know...

[@pipstix5487]

Kinickylj - _i wanna hear what you have to say_

[@jackshackanimations9482]

@Kinickylj why do you think that?

[@zophielhousen924]

No matter how many times I watch it, ATLA is one of the very few shows that makes me feel the thrill and excitement as if I were watching it for the first time. EDIT: Wtf how did this get so many likes!! 😂😱

[@irvinrrix8022]

idk why i read ATLA with "America's/Asia's next top model"

[@JoyStar]

You got so many likes because it's true! :D

[@ahlyae]

Zophiel Housen *hears theme* OMG OMG OMG -reacting how you reacted when you were 6-

[@kay_twinkle_toes1051]

Because your comment is so relatable 😊

[@Bandoolero]

Gave you the 500th like

[@MasterBombadillo]

I feel suspension of disbelief implies that the audience has to do the work to belief the story. What you described what great fantasy stories do is what Tolkien called secondary belief - which places the burden on the writer to set the rules of the world, and make sure they are consistent. When a writer fails to create this secondary belief, then suspension of disbelief comes into play. But suspension of disbelief cannot create the same sense of wonder and "realness" the secondary belief creates.

[@razbuten]

AHHH! I am super happy you commented this actually. My original draft had a section talking about secondary belief, but I ended up cutting it because it kinda interrupted the flow AND I felt like it sounded too NerdWriter-y (which is probably a dumb reason to not include something, but oh well). I might explore Tolkien's ideas about secondary belief in a future video in more general terms though.

[@MasterBombadillo]

Nice, I'm looking forward to it. Be quick though, I can only drool for so long. Funny reason not to include it. Because the only people who would think like that, are the people who think you're a nerd already (because only nerds watch cartoons right?) :P

[@razbuten]

So when I said NerdWriter, I meant the youtuber named NerdWriter. See, I kinda just expect everyone else to know the creators I know about.

[@MasterBombadillo]

Sorry I failed to meet your expectations. I will try to make up for it when I've got more time. Although I could've guessed it by the use of capitals.

[@FuriousProphet]

6:05 This scene right here is what solidified my undying love for Uncle Iroh... God the tears i cried on this day... And i don't even cry.

[@bnora1995]

Lmao yes, it is so tiring when anime protags break all rules and pull some unexplainable powerup from their asses and Ichigo is a perfect example tbh, he started out good but then whole Bleach became "Ichigo will save us!". It is true that Aang was inarguably the strongest but his friends had an organic part in the fights too. Plus the whole concept of Aang sacrificing EVERYTHING to dedicate himself to become the Avatar is so heartbreaking yet so much more compelling than just have it handed to you on a silver platter, it has a heavy weight and carrying it is much harder than the actual fight.

[@SodaGC]

which is why i liked Avatar The Last Airbender more than Korra because we see Aang grow and learn how to use his abilities, but in Korra she already knows 3 of the 4 when we meet her it's just weird. It's like turning on a movie and just watching the final battle and ending.

[@StevenDolbey]

@@SodaGC to be fair, Korra was meant to be a one season spin-off. They never intended to have a full story arc like they did with the first show. It's why each season has a new villain.

[@kingkylie9655]

@@SodaGC ur absolutely wrong and its why i loved korra as a character more than aang. Seeing Korra have this horrible set up from teh start because of Aang's doing, made me hate the fact that Tenzin continued what Aang started. Korra is a PERSON before she is the AVATAR, and in a world where they didnt need the avatar she was broken down into barely a shell of a person. No social life until she was 16 and had her first boyfriend, unlike Aang who travelled the world with monks and made friends all at 12. I love Korra, too bad ignorant haters will always cry over aang this, aang that becaus eof nostalgia lol

[@swamidude2214]

King Kylie or people appreciate deeper story lines more then some glowing giants shooting lasers from their chest...

[@taylorbritt499]

Another part of the appeal of Avatar is that Aang is just a kid. He's one of the youngest of the troupe and has the weight of the world put on his shoulders at such a young age, and we see that internal struggle time and again across the show's four seasons. That's important because he's not just this powerful adult who knows exactly what he's doing all the time and has a solid plan, he makes irrational decisions and poor choices sometimes because that's what a child would do, and that limits their progress while trying to save the world from war. If the whole troupe were adults, they probably would have gotten things done a lot quicker, but the series wouldn't have been near as fun or relatable. The show makes the case that sometimes you just wanna stop at Kyoshi Island and ride an elephant koi for the heck of it.

[@BoukenJima]

On my overall list of TV shows, Avatar is in my top 3. Easily. I think you're absolutely right to call it a "satisfying" show, specifically because of that internal consistency which, regardless of the episode, always has some kind of payoff. Doesn't matter if it's character development or world building or just great bending choreography, you know they are always working towards something. Would love to see a Korra review btw.

[@razbuten]

I have some thoughts. It would pretty much be about how Book 2 of Korra could have not been terrible.

[@princessthyemis]

Book Two was unquestionably the WORST! I, too, would love to see you do a Korra video. You make some GREAT stuff, especially this video!!

[@HQ_Default]

Yeah, I didn't like Korra all that much. It did a good job of making the characters still feel like real people, instead of weird cartoon people things, but it felt like that was about it. It got rid of a lot of the consistency, and felt A LOT less focused than the original. Also, I think it tried way to hard to shove the world building down your throat.

[@FanGirlMania]

Which are your other 2?

[@BoukenJima]

Mushishi and Star Trek DS9.

[@MarkFilipAnthony]

Lol, I've seen the show like 3 times, and never thought about the logic how the different nations are created

[@SkyLordPanglot]

But it feels natural. Without the need to even think about it. Thats the heart of the show. Thats why it's so good.

[@greg77389]

Probably the same way we have different nations in the real world. Also I think it's possible that benders of any element can be born in any nation but that they may never realize this without being in the nation of their element. For example, a firebender could be born in the earth kingdom yet never realize he's/she's a firebender because there aren't any firebending teachers or dragons there.

[@ambergardner620]

greg77389 but I’m sure it was brought up in the show that benders find out they’re one naturally at a young age by messing around

[@greg77389]

+Amber Gardner Perhaps, but then there's still the matter of not being able to develop your skills without a teacher. Additionally, it's probably taboo to use an element different from the nation you're in unless you're the Avatar. And finally, since we know bending is genetic, all the benders probably moved to their respective nations years ago, meaning there's a very slim chance of a bender being born in the "wrong" nation.

[@Mikeyyer]

I just got done watching the legend of korra and that gets explained i dont want to say anything incase people who havent watched it like me up until last week but it does get explained on how everyone gets their powers it is genetic along with some mystical spirits magic that gives certain people powers while others dont have any but inorder to get these elemental powers you had to live where that spirit was again dont want to say shit or get detailed just in case

[@TheDartLuke]

Why didn't you mention Aaron Ehasz? In my opinion, it was him, who made the story and the characters such lively and easy to believe, and maybe it is the same for the world of Avatar. Maybe because he wasn't working on Korra, the result was... well, not very well. Maybe it is just me, but when I was watching Korra, I felt like it is not the Avatar. But when I was watching the Dragon Prince, which writer was also Aaron Ehasz, I felt almost the same atmosphere. So I guess, not mention him is a big mistake. Also, you have good thoughts, I really enjoy watching your videos, thank you for the good content xd

[@taytertots3448]

Yes!! He is also responsible for the female characters being so good, without him both Toph and Azula would be males, making it a very male-dominated show. Much less appealing.

[@blackrapier713]

He is the lead writer for both ATLA and TDP. So, yeah. while Bryke were responsible for the concept of the world it's obvious that Aaron is responsible for developing that world. The harassment allegations are unfortunate, to say the least.

[@TheOneWayDown]

I feel like this show and Star Wars: The Clone Wars were so instrumental in shaping my taste in storytelling, and they're still my favorites to this day even though they're supposedly "for kids"

[@AdmiralBonetoPick]

Dave Filoni was a director on both those shows.

[@yomumma7803]

yeah, but they did grievous dirty

[@SharkyMcSnarkface]

@@yomumma7803 To be fair he usually went up against people protected by plot armour so he couldn't do much there. But when he didn't he was badass. For example, Grievous really shined in the CIS invasion of Dathomir.

[@boonanabob2081]

This Chanel needs more love

[@razbuten]

[@dragon-tamer7956]

boonana bob so does Avatar.

[@Kaiwala]

Ok. Here's some love. Lik

[@KamiliumAMVs]

Man every time I see someone misspell channel like that I think of the perfume xD

[@Lana-qp9qv]

Give the channel a child then?

[@giorgigagua3034]

Im always so scared when getting attached to low sub count channels. What if they quit :(

[@razbuten]

There is a pretty famous saying that I think addresses your concern: it is better to have loved a low sub count channel and lost than to have never loved a low sub count channel at all.

[@tomtom9889]

top keks, sir. 11/10 well memed speaking of which, have you read the comics? and if so, what did you think of them? Besides the different format, they're pretty identical to the show.

[@mrshmuga9]

Mast3rBa1t Try to help them get bigger, and they'll have more reason to stick around (or output more/faster).

[@razbuten]

I have read The Promise and The Search, but I have kind of fallen behind on my comic reading game since then. It also ends up costing a lot of money, so I figured I would wait until they publish a big anthology of every Avatar comic. I don't really remember The Promise all that well, but from what I do recall, I remember thinking that a lot of the conflict between the main cast in that one could have been solved if Zuko and Aang just, like, communicated with each other better. Also, while I like the idea of a past Avatar giving Aang shitty advice, it seemed weird that it came from Roku. I get why they used him (being related to Zuko and all), but his representation in the comics kinda felt at odds with how he was represented in the show. I did like that it focused on cleaning up the mess of the past 100 years. It is easy to just assume that without Ozai, the world would go back to being fine, but that would not be realistic in the slightest. The Search was great. It was cool to see the power shift that happens between Zuko and Azula at the end of TLA be explored further. And also, Zuko's mom was the big unanswered question at the end of TLA, so it was nice to see that get wrapped up.

[@Ali_M3]

razbuten Yeah, The Promise isn't great, I feel like the character are really off, just like how they are in The Rift. The Search is easily the best of the 4, but if you're a fan of the show, I think you will enjoy them as they really help to build further on the world in ways the show never did.

[@cooltrainsinmontreal4883]

I think Avatar is probably the deepest cartoon series I've ever seen, its a sophisticated satire that draws inspiration from some very interesting sources, like Heart of Darkness (Jong Jong is a parallel to Kurtz) or the Mt. Vesuvius disaster (the Firelord quotes Pliny the Elder's account of the eruption. Also liked how the earthbending tournament paid homage to 80s wresting (Nikolei Volkov used to piss everyone off with the Soviet anthem) and other small details like that which refereed pop culture or real war stores. The characters were great, but these underlying references always blew my mind. I'd actually like to see someone catalog all these references and show them in a video, at least the obvious ones like I mentioned. there are MANY, and most people aren't aware

[@bencarter5563]

Absolute no cap, heart of darkness is also referenced in T. S. Eliots poetry (The Hollow Men) and i love that as well. So im gonna read it so that i can respond to this comment in the future.

[@ethanmcfarland8240]

Avatar is ABSOLUTELY a war story

[@theteddyoso4142]

I just found your channel through a recommended video about “the lady you live with” learning to play games. I really enjoyed it so I subbed. Earlier today I bought the whole Avatar series so I could rewatch it because I loved it so much. And funny enough this video was on your channel so I HAD to check it out. Great video and great content overall!

[@isame0085]

I watched this video years ago without subscribing and I also got recommended the same video

[@Seltaeb_]

"Lady I live with" squad TURN UP!

[@swamidude2214]

Omg I got that lady you live with video in my recommended as well a few days ago

[@robertharris6092]

Did you buy it in HD?

[@theteddyoso4142]

Robert Harris I’m pretty sure. I don’t remember. I bought it on Xbox so I think so.

[@shineinouzen7412]

Man this review was fantastic. I agree, not only does the world make you want to live there, but the characters make you want to be their best friend... or... sometimes more ;p

[@razbuten]

If you watch the show and don't have at least the tiniest crush on Suki, then you ain't watching it right.

[@Teel217]

Loooove the video man! As some of the other comments have said, i would like to see you tackle Korra as a subject. I always get excited when i see a good Avatar video essay. Especially since there are so few of them.

[@razbuten]

Yeah! I have noticed a bit of a surge of them kinda recently though, which is friggin awesome. I am glad that you enjoyed it!

[@TheMhalpern]

I would say that Korra has strong points compared to ATLA, even if its weaker in others, I disagree (mostly) about your assessment of Korra violating limits, except for in the spirit strangeness that was book 2, and strongly disagree on your take on character development, say what you will about the main character relationships in Korra, there is no denying they are believable even when they DON'T work out, I am not here to argue about Korrasami other than to say the groundwork was there, so it wasn't forced in any way. With the exception of Book 2 there was an element of Bad guy has a relateable cause.

[@casimiriii5941]

Razbuten I'd love to see you, or anyone really, tackle Varric. He's my favorite avatar character and a really well written one. He's one of the good guys, yet when you actually think about he's a villain, a big one. Just to point out an example He tried assassinating the president.

[@LiamsMusic78]

legend of korra is an embarassment. it showed huge potential within the first few episodes with character and world development then just completely shit down it's own throat for the rest of the series. I kinda wish I never watched the whole thing.

[@alexgrim5165]

LiamsMusic78, Each to their own. I'm sorry that LoK was that terrible for you, though. Guess it's a matter of taste? As for me, I love both series!!

[@woomynation]

The Eragon diss hurt my soul, but I’ll deal with it

[@albertoaltozano8354]

I don't thinks he's read the series

[@atlys258]

The sheer volume of video essays and deep dives truly speaks to the incredibly high quality of Avatar:TLA and our undeniable love for it.

[@civilwarfare101]

I watched this show for the first time in 10 years and really enjoyed. Some of it was due to the reasons you mentioned. It's pretty incredible what they managed to pull off for a kids show. It manages to beat a lot of animated shows with an older demographic.

[@civilwarfare101]

TZand I honestly can't think of a single cartoon that has characters that as well developed as Avatar's tbh. I also think Avatar does handle friendship better than a lot of popular fighting shounen.

[@civilwarfare101]

I am generally not a big fan of 100 episode long arcs. Some are good but others are very poorly paced and makes me wish they'd get to the point already. I never watched Korra nor am I planning on it. I might do it if I am bored. I don't really mind that Aang beat Ozai with 6 months of training. What I don't like is the overall resolution of Aang taking Ozai's bending away. It's shit like that reminds you that you are watching a kids cartoon. I really think Aang should've just killed him. In fact I find it funny that the only on screen death we see is Jhao getting killed by a water spirit. Yeah I can agree there. There's really not a lot of long running cartoons tell a continuous story. It's why I prefer anime overall. Hell, there's not really a lot of adult cartoons with a lot of character development or fleshing out either. It's yet another reason why I prefer anime really. I am hoping that recent Castlevania cartoon changes that but of course that was also inspired by anime.

[@civilwarfare101]

I've heard about that regarding One Piece. Yeah it does suck all though I haven't watched much of it. I enjoyed the Soul Society arc but probably not as much as you did lol. I agree that the series turns to shit after that. It literally tried to rehash that arc lol. Yeah that is true as well. I don't even think there's really as many long running fighting shounen as there used to be or at least one's that aren't decades old like One Piece or is based around something that is decades old like Dragon Ball Super. All though lately I've been noticing that there have been over excess of shows lately regarding anime. There's a lot of stuff coming out but none of it is particularly interesting outside of a Yusa work or Mob Psycho and OPM. As for cartoons I really think Avatar was ahead of it's time with the serial storytelling, it's disappointing that it never really caught on. But I do hope that previously mentioned Castlevania series becomes a great long running series or atleast something good at the very least.

[@civilwarfare101]

TZand I normally don't really care for any of that stuff. I usually care more about the script and writing if anything. But if there is anything I notice with anime is that they rarely go past season 3 if they aren't fighting shounen. I really don't like how in anime seasons are treated as actual sequels instead of just being an extension of the show.

[@Bapfal]

Huh. You kicked Avatar from "next to no interest" to "pretty high up the watchlist" for me. Looks interesting. :) Thanks for your videos! I don't really mind the few uploads, I prefer you having the time to put in the work that you obviously do, and being able to pick topics you really care about. It may take a few months till the next one, but at least I know it'll be good.^^ Really appreciate it.

[@dalmationblack]

Definitely watch it ASAP.

[@razbuten]

That is awesome to hear! I really wish I could go back and watch Avatar for the first time, so I am pretty jealous of you. Enjoy it. Also, thank you for watching! I have a fairly busy life, and while I do wish that I could put more stuff out, I agree that it is far better to focus on the topics that I truly feel like I need to cover instead of just covering stuff to cover it. I appreciate you, and I am glad that you get something out of these videos I make!

[@shineinouzen7412]

I've watched and re-watched the show about 15 times. And those are rookie numbers to some, veteran numbers to others, but like the gentleman in the video said, it is so engaging that no matter how many times you've seen it, you just love being encapsulated in that world with those characters, if only for 22 mins. I highly recommend giving the show a chance and watching it through to the end. It is just... a joy.

[@YumiVanherck]

Avatar is a classic by this point and for all the right reasons. I think it's the best cartoon to ever come out of the US.

[@97Multiphantom]

It's hands down the greatest piece of media ever constructed

[@mememan9734]

On the topic of ATLA, it definitely secures the number two spot on my list of favorite things. I dream about being able to control earth or water, or air with my mind/body everyday. The possibilities seem endless, but the realistic limitations that are set for bending make it seem so... Real. It IS the kind of show you can go back and watch, but you DON'T wanna know what happens, you want to savor the greatness of the show all over again, I felt amazed when someone else who loves the show re-watches it every year-- i've been re-watching for 6 years now, starting from the beginning of the show, it was, and still is, a tradition of mine. In fact, i have just started re-watching today, got to episode 6, 7, or 8, can't remember, but the show makes me cry every time i get to "Tales of ba sing se.", that episode really lets you feel the pain and suffering of the war-torn world the protagonists and other characters are going through. It portrays animal abuse, giving you another thousand reasons to dislike the fire nation, and just begging to see the payoff of defeating the fire lord. I can not express how great this show is, it feels like real life. Which is why I can't stop coming back to the show. No matter how much lore I learn, no matter how many times I know exactly what dialogue is going to be said and when, no matter how much i've studied and drawn about the show. This show is a godsend, and even as a older person, this show really makes me cry and feel for the characters as i would for my own loved ones. I've grown a sentimental attachment to Aang, Katara, Sakka, Yuki, Appa, any many more characters- - Hell! even the cabbage guy. Many people who I explain the show to find it quirky, un-natural and un-fitting in our world, and don't bother to learn the context of it. Which is part of why the show is slowly getting less popular. It's only due to the true fans of the show who keep watching which save the show. Truly, this is by far the best cartoon produced by nickoloden, or any other company for that matter. I love it, I crave it, It's an addiction. I could go on and on about this, but I don't think youtube allows that many characters.

[@chrissdevano]

8:16 this would be the best live background ever

[@Tit0Matic]

It just says "bear"...

[@razbuten]

This place is weird...

[@NarutoGeek411]

1:15 Aww, I actually really like the Eragon saga. Although I can understand why people wouldn't.

[@dreamingblue3939]

I like it because it was the first fantasy series I ever read and it got me into reading. Plus, nostalgia factor. But while I appreciate it for what it is, it isn't the best example of writing.

[@kairos9205]

20 seconds in and I was grateful this popped up in my recommended. Excellent video dude, it's clear quite a bit of work went into it.

[@Alex2468ful]

I always felt like the expansion of bending was very realistically balanced, Katara discovering how to manipulate the water in plants and then learning how to physically extract the water made sense. Same thing with blood bending. And when Toph discovered metal bending by bending the impurity’s in metal.

[@johnnyvanguard8978]

Just in case you didn't know they made a series of comics following the events after the last air bender ended, I've only read half of them but they were very well done

[@razbuten]

I have read some of them (I mainly only remember The Search, and it was pretty good!), and I think they are the perfect addition to A:TLA's story. Like, they get what they are and stay in their lane, and I am glad they didn't try to do it as another show or movie. I need to finish the rest of them though.

[@mrchuckmorris]

My wife and I have watched the show twice now, and I'm gradually working through the comics, which are fantastic. The same creators are involved and the stories read just like real episodes would. Maybe someday they'll adapt them... but for that to happen, more people need to discover the greatness of Last Airbender. So thank you for doing your part!!

[@mechajay3358]

What Last Airbender had what Legends of Korra didn't, Consistent Storytelling.

[@razbuten]

I agree. I think a big part of Korra's issues come from the creator's being dicked around by Nickelodeon. If I recall correctly, they thought they were gonna get 2 seasons, but then during production of season 1, Nick made it sound like they'd only get one, which is why season 1 wraps up a little too "aww everything is gonna be all right!" And then they had to rush season 2 because Nick decided pretty late to keep the show running (and uh, yeah...that did not turn out so great). By the 3rd and 4th seasons, Nick stopped fucking around with them, which led to a more consistent story. The other issue is that when you have 4 unconnected villain arcs, it ends up feeling less succinct.

[@tori6586]

razbuten Honestly, I do kind of agree with you about how Korra could have been done better if Nick didn't screw them over lol, but I think the first, third and fourth seasons were done really well anyway!! I know it's a pretty unpopular opinion, but I actually do prefer Korra over TLA. Don't get me wrong, I agree with everything you've said about it in this video and more, I just feel like the character development and I guess Korra's conflict about how each of the villains had a trait that she believed in won it over for me. I guess, having someone who thinks that all that they are is the Avatar, realise that their humanity is worth much more, is a bit of a more interesting conflict than a human having to turn into an Avatar. Also, I do agree that Korra went a bit weird with all the spiritual jazz, but I guess the writers wanted to give more info on the spirits and the spirit world and how it works overall, because we didn't really get much of that in TLA to be completely honest. xD

[@ThePreciseClimber]

Besides the idea whether Avatar reincarnations are still the same person or not. They kept flip-flopping all the time. And it annoyed the fuck outta me. Because if they ARE the same person... then Aang's pacifist dilemma is worthless since he already has killed people before.

[@davidgoldenrose]

ThePreciseClimber if you don't understand how past lives are both you and not you, then I can't help you. It's not the writers fault it's just how it works

[@ThePreciseClimber]

It's not my fault the whole concept sounds retarded.

[@protonjones54]

Every scene between Aang & Katara, along with Zuko & Iroh are just gold. Seeing the relationship develop between these characters transcend the show, and brings light to our own humanity. We learn what it means to have fellowship, and what it means to discover purpose in life.

[@garrettbarton5240]

This video was extremely well done and brings up great insights about Avatar that I never even realized. Wow!

[@erinbunch133]

I love this video. I absolutely love avatar so seeing someone else who loves this show as much as I do is awesome. I watch this show so much. This is the best video I have ever watched. It really made me smile. It gave me an idea for my own channel and I'm working on it now. You have a great channel.

[@razbuten]

Thank you! The fact that it inspired you to make something is incredibly cool. Good luck with it!

[@erinbunch133]

good luck with your videos. I will continue to watch this and subscribe.

[@MrGamelover23]

razbuten It's got me thinning of a show concept I've had after watching young justice and one punch man. A guy who has powers but doesn't want to be a hero, but because of his powers has to be a hero anyway. And like exploring how powers affect everything from. government to petty crime to...anything. Heck, power damage coverage in insurance would likely exist, I gotta build this world now. Maybe nothing will come out of it, but thanks for the awesome vid and reminding me why I love this show.

[@hollyhandgrenade42]

There is a word for this: verisimilitude.

[@Meowblivion]

Definition?

[@xoreign]

blue Google?

[@mr.cup6yearsago211]

Xoreign Squirrel?

[@jacksonw3867]

@@Meowblivion "The Appearance of being real or true"

[@KyleJohnson-mk4bx]

I don’t normally comment on videos but damn this is probably the best video I have ever watched. It basically took what was in my head and finally put it into words! Thanks you for this and keep doing what you do!!

[@griffinloiselle2239]

That last shot, with Aang taking a nap on Appa, needs to be used in a lo-fi music playlist.

[@MoonSpiritChannel]

Not gonna lie, this series was one of the best viewing experiences I had. Seeing this huge world makes me filled with wonder and I love it so much. Awesome review raz. Keep up the great work, no matter how your schedule works.

[@hellnaw7921]

I need a sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender. Korra is a spinoff in my mind.

[@razbuten]

What would you be hoping for in a sequel?

[@hellnaw7921]

razbuten The comics. How they were looking for Zuko's mother. Basically everything after like a 1 year, not 1000+ years like in Korra.

[@razbuten]

That is fair. The comic about Zuko's mom could have made for a pretty decent movie, but I think I prefer it as a comic. Also, while Korra does take place way after A:TLA, I think it is only around 60-70 years later (Katara, Toph, and Zuko are actually all still alive in it). I still would agree with you that it does not really feel like a sequel, but it is definitely pretty closely related to the original series.

[@Reynoldo]

Hell Nah lol katara is still alive in LoK. Not sure if the 1000+ years was sarcasm

[@hellnaw7921]

Kevin Reynolds duh

[@greent26tube]

Phenomenal video. Thank you so much. This is probably my favorite show and I loved the way you described certain elements of it!

[@bhagavanramana9936]

OMG you nailed it so well!!! Good montage and song, it's so well articulated and intelligent. loved it so much. thank you :)

[@carola2358]

Great Video! Just finished rewatching the show yesterday, for the third time this year. Can't get enough of it, just love too much.

[@manishs6479]

You should do a review of the characters in the show as well. HQ content, my man

[@evilazulan]

Awesome video, well done! You so succinctly explained why it's been my favourite show since I was 10!

[@h.berksurucu6350]

I too come back to this incredible show every year, and this is simply the best examination of the show I ever seen. It was a joy to watch, thanks a lot man!

[@PikaBoyTV]

I see big things for this channel, and that makes me extremely hopeful for more diverse kinds of content creation popping up in the future. Video essays aren't inherently new, but being able to present an idea in such a fluid and comprehensive way made me your newest subscriber. Please, keep it the hell up!

[@razbuten]

Thank you! I really appreciate you and your kind words.

[@chrisshaffer5206]

Just started re-watching the show last week great video man

[@sebastiand6027]

Oh, I can listen to you for hours. You narrate your videos really well, and it gives me a cozy feeling just to follow you on your journey through the topic of the video! :)

[@27blues27]

This is the best video I have ever watched. Great analytics and a POV close to my heart.

[@highperformancedan]

I am not early but it's still not to late for a joke. What Did the Dad Buffalo say to his son when he left for college? Bison.

[@highperformancedan]

lol

[@xxxxsilentscreamxxxx]

Thank you.

[@fUZZILin]

Breh moment

[@satyre_1]

Get out.

[@satyre_1]

Kidding

[@faceless58]

To that small reference about Eragon I want to say that although the characters and overall writing of the Eragon series is not the greatest, its magic rules and limitations are probably my favourite in any media. The true names, turning any matter into atomic bombs according to Einstein's law of relativity, killing people by telekinetically snapping tiny connections in their brain and the final ending to stop the villain. Amazing imo

[@quasar4780]

A bit late, but I would like to add my opinion. The problem with Eragon concerning its limitations is that they they are too often circumvented by multiple means, whether it's magic items to store huge quantities of energy, the "hearts of the dragons" (or whatever they are called) which allow their bearer to exploit the magic power of its owner - which is already broken in itself, given how strong dragons are in the books - or simply side characters giving the protagonist way too much power, so that more often that not he is able to achieve powerful spells or fight for a very long time without being overly worn out by the side effects of magic, which makes his progression feel forced rather than earned, and the limitations feel artificial. In Eragon, it's very rare to see the negative effects of using magic ; the books tell you that you can't lie using true names nor usemagic without speeling the words, but the consequences of that are almost never shown, if not at all. Sometimes, Eragon will just feel a bit tired of using magic ; and some other times when using magic in group, its teamates will feel the fatigue before he does, but there is no follow-up to that, and there aren't more drastic, concrete examples of magic failing or its user overstepping the boundaries of what is possible or not. Compared to Avatar, the only advantage Aang has compared to other benders is that he can bend multiple elements, including wind, which was supposed to have dissapeared 100 years ago. All his strength comes from his training stretched across the entire show, whereas while yes, Eragon spends the first two books training with his different mentors, the difference with Avatar is that Eragon's mentors are all powerful swordsmen and magicians giving him the best teaching he could have ever hoped in a safe environment (I'm thinking of the elves' village) most of the time, while Aang, being tracked by the fire nation, trains most of the time with his friends, which aren't necesarily the best teachers in the world either, which shows a lot in the next episodes, when Aand first struggles to use his new bendings before using them regularily. I mean, I still like Eragon's magic system, but I think the writer(s) played too much around the boundaries while not making them tangible enough to make us worried about its abuse. Another point about the telepathic fights is that neither Eragon nor his friends never really struggle against their enemies during these fights, with the exception of certain very convenient points throughout the story. Once again, the first book tells us the consequences of losing a mental fight - losing you sanity, and most of the time even fallng into a deep coma or death - but the fact that the stakes are so high for these mentals fights REQUIRES Eragon to always win them, no matter what kind of opponent is in front of him - and if he's too weak, the books just give him more allies or magic items to compensate his lack of power during these mental exchanges. Combine that with the fact that these fights happen way too often for what their stakes imply, and that Eargon actively searches for the opposing army' magicians in order to kill them really make the consequences really artificial, since neither Eragon nor his friends ever feel the consequences of losing that kind of fight.

[@faceless58]

@@quasar4780 yeah pretty much agree as i said eragons characterization and writing are not anything to be celebrated. He is very much a mary sue and child of destiny that i dont usually enjoy in stories.

[@PengyDraws]

@@quasar4780 That's a really nice way of putting it! I never thought of it like that while I was reading the books because I always immersed myself and felt like there would be consequences, but the way you put it makes me realize that yes, they didn't actually make any payoffs for rules you couldn't break. I don't think that's such a bad thing, though, since power fantasy is a tool and it's used pretty well in the series overall. There's never "massive unfair powerups" only powerups we know exist already.

[@crazyxaznx94]

Raz! Insightful and interesting as always. I've always liked the series and have had great conversations around it. I'll definitely be sharing this one with some friends!

[@linum861]

I truely love the video and all the points you brought up. I saw the show as a kid about 10-11 years ago and it was and has been my favourite for so long. Without a doubt I've gotta rewatch this atmospheric, heart-warming show.

[@Hakuu_A19]

I also find myself rewatching it year after year, just an important part of my childhood! A masterpiece!

[@paulatano1746]

I believe Avatar will be a cult serie when we grow up.

[@Redfield982]

It won't be a cult anything. It's too widely popular. It'll be a straight up childrens classic.

[@Dastankbeets9486]

It already is

[@Thejosiphas]

i love that this show is a story rather than a directionless amalgamation of stories eventually collapsing to one major plot like so many similar shows are. the characters change and evolve but never become distorted or caricatured, always have humorous moments, serious moments, uplifting moments etc. it's a great example of balance.

[@moonstruckstarlet6607]

Great video man, very well written, extremely enjoyable and insightful. Thanks for this.

[@gideon4942]

I've watched this show 17 times

[@satyre_1]

Pshhhh pathetic. Only 17?

[@AdmiralBonetoPick]

I'd recommend you give Gravity Falls a try.

[@ng7756]

@@AdmiralBonetoPick Other than Avatar, thats the only show I enjoy.

[@qinlee1182]

@@AdmiralBonetoPick Comparing Gravity Falls to Atla?

[@SuperGamer61499]

Wow. Good video man. Really good stuff. Honestly, it makes sense why I got so invested in this universe even if it is at heart, a fantasy themed show. Because although yes, there is fantasy elements, the world of Avatar has a lot of depth and is very interesting while being grounded in it's limitations. Not just that but the characters themselves I can relate to even if they are just fictional characters. Here's a story I have when I first watched this show. When I first watched this show I heard about it time and time again not just from Animation reviewers but also from my real life. And at the time, I didn't know what I was getting myself into with this show. And during November of 2015, I was having self esteem problems as well as problems of grasping a world that I didn't understand.(Basically, I was depressed and it was a coming of age feeling of finding my identity in this world.) So when I first watched this, I fell in love with this show and it's characters,world,everything basically from the beginning. It was a show that I couldn't help but love. The characters I love a lot, the world was so cool to me and made me want to be in it's world, I love the influence of Eastern Philosophy and Culture this show brought in, and in general, it was the show I needed at the right time. I needed something to inspire me,influence me,hell, even give me a better sense of the world that I thought at the time betrayed me. And the journey from beginning to end was one that I easily got invested in. I wanted to know, could Aang bring peace and balance to the world, will Zuko find his own calling in life, would Sokka be a good leader and so on. For what was a Nickelodeon show, it was pretty damn phenomenal. This show although didn't completely fix my existential crisis, it did present me with a lot of things that helped me find my own calling in life. And for that, I can't thank this show enough honestly. So yeah, I know this is a long comment but seriously, I love this show I really do.

[@razbuten]

This is really cool. I think there are a ton of lessons to be learned in this show, and I genuinely believe that watching it has made me a more empathetic person. It is incredible that a television show on Nickelodeon can have such an impact on people's lives that it brings about real change in people and the world as a whole. I hope that your calling brings you fulfilment in life!

[@thelyinggrayson]

Really really fantastic video. I love how well put together this is. The editing perfectly adds a million extra words and concepts to what you're saying, especially for those who have seen the show multiple times. If I'm honest, this is probably one of my favorite videos on KZbin; if nothing else for the video and editing style alone. Well done mate. This is how KZbin should be done.

[@Rachel-ff3ze]

fantastic work on this video essay, you mentioned a lot of stuff i didnt even notice

[@Jaygorian1]

"No episode really feels like a filler." There is no Canyon Crossing in Ba Sing Se

[@Sam-wt8kh]

I dont think that was a filler. The Canyon Crossing was the first time Aang had to perform his role as the Avatar, a mediator, in the world.

[@taokuoh6805]

Not going to lie, kind of gutted that I didn't get back to you faster. I love the Avatar show, the show has such a deep philosophy within it. It's more than just a kid's show. You definitely deserve more views man, top content bro!

[@calebmeyer6553]

this video was edited very well, all the clips he was playing while he was talking directly related to what he was talking about. other people would have just thrown up any footage of avatar. props to you man

[@DreamAndBelieve13]

Wonderful video! Great job

[@kajikanna]

"Every year I find myself re-watching Avatar..." automatic thumbs up.

[@unicorn1655]

So sad there will never be another Avatar Season.

[@Boxygirl96]

I want someone to edit together all the flashbacks from Legend of Kora so we can watch the aftermath of ATLA without having to sit through the all the current politics and spirit nonsense

[@lorettabes4553]

It's now on Netflix, so we might get something.

[@jasminetheshrub]

You can read comics

[@tashaglam4824]

Maybe it's a good thing that it ended with only 3 seasons. It could've fallen victim to what a lot of shows today fall victim to the most, which is dragging the show out too long and ending up ruining itself. The show ended perfectly as it did, tied up all the loose threads, and gave satisfying conclusions to every character. I would say a little mini animated special into the disappearance of Zuko and Azula's mom would be nice, but the comic handled it well.

[@TheBlueAnt]

@@Boxygirl96 i hate what they did with the original cast in LoK, the last thing toph should have become was a cop

[@jordmungandorexplains5471]

Just on point man. Great video pacing without getting overly sentimental. I dig it.

[@ArkaneRK]

Amazing video. It's nearly surreal to hear all the things I appreciate about this show be summed up so articulately and quickly. I hope I can write something as great as this show one day

[@ehmaysi]

Watched this a while ago but never commented because I'm a bad person... But dude, I watched this back when it first aired and never even noticed how "realistic" it is, at least in universe. Good stuff man, never thought of a lot of the subtle stuff you brought up in this.

[@razbuten]

You really are a monster... But yeah! When I first watched this, I really did not realize just how fucking tight this show is in terms of writing. It is kinda perfect.

[@illfigure9270]

One of my favorite shows of all time. It really doesn’t get enough credit for what a great piece art it is.

[@Flome810]

Yes

[@isbammoi3358]

You captured this series beauty and magnificence so fantastically. Its a masterpiece worthy of a legacy. I love this video

[@thesolitairegambit2556]

Freaking amazing video! Keep it up! The way you narrated the show is fantastic and satisfying. The show has so many elements from all walks of life that it touches your heart in a way the few shows do. I'd say Avatar: The Last Airbender is my #1 favorite show of all time. Shout out to Dante and Bryan!!!! We Lov U guys!

[@zubair1149]

The story of this series does continue through the graphic novels I remember one of them being Zuko's Journey to finding his lost mother.

[@davidgoldenrose]

I am watching legend of korra and it's so great to see how the world has become, but the stories are SO BAD. I was ready to give up and then I saw the episode with the first avatar and I'm like THIS IS WHAT I WANT FROM THIS SHOW ITS SO AWESOME

[@razbuten]

YEAH! People are conflicted about Korra because there are a lot of parts that really are not great. BUT it also has some incredible arcs and moments. Season 3 is pretty special, so I hope you enjoy that one.

[@doggo7499]

Glad you didn't give up. It's pretty good. Well I wouldn't say it was better than its predecessor but it's close to being as good. I didn't like season two except for "Beginnings." book 3 and 4 are really good though. You might like Korra at book 4. I know I did

[@wildcatste]

Great video! I love rewatching this series too!

[@WizzyPuff]

Avatar is hands down my favorite show ever and I think your description really does it justice.

[@AhsimNreiziev]

I think there are two ways to deal with rules. Two extremes, essentially. Either you need to set rules early on and be consistent with them -- although pushing boundaries can work if done right. Or, alternatively, one could also establish early on and be consistent in creating a world in which rules do not exist at all. _Doctor Who_ is a prime example of an almost universally beloved show (like ATLA) that follows this pattern. There are a few ways the show can be summed up, but one of them is most certainly a simple: _"Screw the rules; we've got Time Travel!"_. And it *works*, because everybody involved, from writers to crew to cast to audience, is aware of and is content with the fact that _Doctor Who_ has no rules, and that any rules that are set can be broken at any time.... well, except for the blue British Police Box exterior of the TARDIS, that one will stay the same for all eternity. And because this has been the case pretty much from the first Episode all the way back in 1963, and also because, again, everybody who has any sort of connection with the show goes in knowing, accepting and celebrating this lack of rules, it works in *favour* of the show, rather than against it.

[@razbuten]

This is a very good point. I think in either instance, the most important element is consistency. If a writer jumps between rules mattering and not mattering, it ends up being a jumbled mess.

[@TC-mp7vn]

I think the only power creep we saw was blood bending. It’s never used really but that’s because they knew it was way too strong. Theoretically katara could’ve stopped anyone she wanted seeing as no one even knew it existed.

[@SonofSethoitae]

Also, at least in ATLA, you can only blood bend during a full moon

[@gi20Moon]

@@SonofSethoitae true... I mean it did have a limitation, but in The Leyend of Korra it annoyed me the fact that it was overpowered 🙄

[@camouflage_cat1973]

@@SonofSethoitae To be fair, in ATLA we only see two bloodbender: Hama and Katara, who learns bloodbending from Hama. We can only know for certain, that Hama was only able to bloodbend during a full moon, because the full moon increased her abilities to a point, at which she was able to bloodbend. We see that Katara is a more skilled bender than Hama, as she was able to learn bloodbending rather easily, as soon as she knew it was possible. So there is room for the possibility that an exceptionally strong bender would be able to bend blood without the need of a full moon. So, although it was stated in ATLA, that bloodbending was only possible during the full moon, it could be more of a believe Hama held, as she was not able to bloodbend without a full moon, rather than a hard fact. And Katara never tried to find out, whether this was true or not.

[@larkinlover]

This video says everything that I felt while watching the show, but couldn't put into words myself. Bravo!!

[@Maxificent]

I've seen a few of your videos now and I really like what you're doing here. Definitely worth a sub, keep it up :D