New Netflix Live Action The Last Airbender TRAILER BREAKDOWN

READ MY PUBLISHED WORK + GET ON WRITING AND WORLDBUILDING VOL II I linktr.ee/timhickson
Thank you patrons - without you, I wouldn't be able to do the work I do. / hellofutureme (come join the Discord/writing workshops!)
INSTAGRAM: / tim_hickson_hfm
TWITTER / timhickson1
A WIZARD DID IT MUG store.nebula.app/collections/...
EMAIL [e-mail]
GOODREADS / 18990222.timothy_hickson
SECOND CHANNEL tinyurl.com/ybhtz42g where I put extra notes for videos, vlogs, board game reviews, and other stuff from my life
POSTAL ADDRESS (if you're kind enough to send me a letter or something!)
Tim Hickson
PO Box 69062
Lincoln, 7608
Canterbury, New Zealand
Script by meeeeeeeee
Video edited by Lalit Kumar
The artist that designed my display pic! serem01.deviantart.com/
The artist who design my cover photo:
- raidesart.deviantart.com/
- / raidesart
- / raidesart
Music by Epidemic Sound: epidemicsound.com/creator
Stay nerdy!
Tim

[@HelloFutureMe]

What did YOU think of the trailer? What excited you? What maybe worried you? Did you see something I missed? ~ Tim

[@S1rD4niel]

I really applaud the amount of effort has been put into the visuals; the costumes look intricate and the sets grand and magnificent. The bending looks impressive and the actors really seem to fit their roles. Hearing the music remastered genuinely gave me goosebumps. CGI Momo also gave me goosebumps, but in the bad way. And I’m probably overanalysing the only crumb of dialogue that is spoken in the trailer a lot, but if it's still Iroh speaking those lines, to me it’s worrisome. I think Netflix made a big mistake in haphazardly taking the last words Zuko’s mom spoke to him before she left and giving them to Iroh (or Gyatso) instead. Ursa encouraged Zuko to remember who he is because she didn't realise the ambiguity of her words and underestimated the emerging struggle between good and evil waging within him. Zuko misinterpreting her “remember who you are” encouragement for years as him being ‘The Prince of the Firenation, and Heir to the Throne’ instead of a person that never gives up even when things are hard, and someone that feels empathy for the suffering of others, is a big part of his redemption arc. Because Iroh grew up in the exact same position as Zuko, being the heir to the Firenation Throne with a tyrannical father and a psychopathic power-hungry younger sibling, he has a way deeper understanding of Zuko’s crisis. So at this point in the story, I really don’t think Iroh would trust- and encourage Zuko to rely on his sense of self-identity like that. If it's Gyatso speaking to Aang, it still feels kinda weird to take that encouragement from Ursa and give it to Gyatso. I really hope this is an outlier and the writers at Netflix have a good grasp on the story and characters were able to appropriately translate- and expand on the original series, but to me a well-written script is essential in the (re)telling of a good story. I do recall Mike & Bryan leaving the project due to creative differences, so even though the teaser displayed many stunning looking aspects, I’m still extremely cautious with my expectations for the show.

[@Raiku49]

There is still a little hope for quality entertainment based on nostolgia left within me, but as foe this live-action remake, as good as it may turn out, i still remember wanting to see the live action movie in theatres. So much of my hope for the future has been eroded away, that my only hope for this is that it will actually be worth my time to watch, if we are still able.

[@olsenslow]

You should watch some interviews of the cast of this live action adapation, I think it shows how aang might act in the show

[@pyeitme508]

Wow

[@cartermaloof4980]

For me the first bit was excitement, I'm very happy with how the visuals, characters and animations look, the only thing I don't like is how Momo looks, but everything else I am a fan of.

[@OverlySarcasticProductions]

If the show gets too grim and doesn't let the protagonists be kids sometimes, it'll lose a ton of the impact that they ARE children; their natural, most comfortable state is carefree and fun-seeking, and the responsibilities and stress and horrors of war being imposed on them are abberations that must be corrected (by saving the world). Especially since most of the original audience that grew up alongside these characters are now adults, the perspective they'll have on the story is naturally different than it was the first time. Back when I was watching this from the same age as the heroes, it made perfect sense that they were the only ones who could save the world, and I never thought "instead of going on a perilous adventure with kickass fight choreography I think these kids should be doing Normal Kid Things" - but with over a decade of time, I think we're primed to see the story more from the perspective of the adults, recognizing that their children fighting their century war represents *their* failure. It is crucial to the story that Aang's destiny and fate is an injustice, that he should have had time to be a kid without the weight of the world on his shoulders - that his natural state IS one where he finds and shares fun easily. Katara shouldn't have had to replace her mother in caring for her family; Sokka shouldn't have had to become a leader with no help or training. (Toph, who wakes up every morning and chooses violence, is an outlier) -R

[@pianissimo7121]

Good to see osp here 😂. You guys love unnecessarily long videos

[@muboobilee3607]

unfathomably based take

[@jamesmorgan1886]

"This is exactly the kind of time-wasting nonsense we've been missing!"

[@TheTsugnawmi2010]

Toph is an outlier but Zuko (and even Azula) certainly makes up for her. He just wanted to make his father proud. It’s a tragedy who that father was.

[@ezekielmcgee825]

I don’t think there’s ever been a more accurate description of Toph.

[@DanCreaMundos]

I don't think they can abuse the cabbage joke like the animated series but I really hope they do it at least once. cabbage man is just such a fun character 😂

[@RedDrogonTV]

Poor man was just trying make a living 😂

[@RavenStarMedia]

Not only is the Cabbage Merchant in it, his original voice actor is playing him!

[@knghtbrd]

It'd actually be more funny if they did it once and then later on had him in the background quickly moving his cart to safety. Don't have to say a word, just make the joke once for the fans and then have it in the background somewhere else so it doesn't distract too much from the story to remind the fans that yes, they know, and we know, and they know we know. 🤣

[@YaGurlSunshine]

I would love if they just double down on it for shits and giggles, I will laugh every time, I don't care if it's corny and ridiculous, just destroy some cabbages a dozen times in one season, just GO FOR IT

[@tijgertjekonijnwordopgegeten]

funny??? He has the most tragic story in the whole series, everywhere he goes all of his stuff gets destroyed by some kids ultimately bringing him to bankruptcy.

[@discreetscrivener7885]

Note about Azula’s age: I noticed that she is one of only a few characters in that age bracket who wears makeup. When we see her without her makeup in later seasons, she looks significantly younger. And I just thought that felt very consistent with her characterization as this aggressive perfectionist. That her style choices were her intentionally trying to look older than she actually is.

[@codybischoff1010]

Damn! I forgot about that detail, great point!

[@CaedenV]

studio lights are soooo damn bright. Everyone wears makeup in every scene. If you don't, you look really weird.

[@YourWaywardDestiny]

@@CaedenV This isn't a comment about leaving the actors bare-face on set XD

[@langustajableczna]

@@CaedenV she is a character... she's drawn.. there is no studio lights and she doesn't wear anything because she's drawn and not real

[@adrianodrika]

​@@CaedenVyeah, but there's make up to look like no make up was used (normally very heavy). But indeed Azula was very traumatized by her upbringing and wanted to look older, more self composed and mature that she really was.

[@ComicBookGuy82]

I actually think the scene with Momo is them leaving the airtemple. Aang looks rather down at the beginning, and Katara is trying to cheer him up by pointing out the lemur that's following them. And my guess for having Zhao at Kyoshi is that the battle will be more devastating and they didn't want to make Zuko too villainous by burning down an entire village.

[@christopherpoet458]

It could also be at this point that Zhao is following Zuko at this point or perhaps with a twist of events Zhao is sort of keeping Zuko prisoner in a way. In this sense, he could send in Zuko to draw out the Avatar and then follows in to finish the job he does not believe Zuko is capable of. Otherwise, I think the former suggestion I made would make sense too and Zhao is following Zuko following the Avatar and he arrives after Zuko attempts to capture him. It would defiantly give him a more threatening presence in the series if it was not just Zuko after them.

[@pedronotpascal]

I agree, there's really no reason for Aang to be sad/angry if they were going to the Air Temple, he would be totally excited to show it to Katara and Sokka. It makes sense if the scene takes place soon after they leave, and Momo is either just flying alongside them after they found him at the temple or maybe they will change it to Momo following them after they leave thinking that no one survived, not even the lemures, but then it's revealed that Momo did.

[@Mediados]

But that's the thing, it has to be Zuko who attacks Kyoshi island. The fact he was willing to do these horrible things is what makes his character arc so good.

[@nickkerber1145]

That what worries me. It seems like they may be intending to make Zuko a sympathetic secondary protagonist from the start, giving his worst moments to Zhao, which would screw up Zuko's arc pretty bad.

[@user-ld9oe8bq5f]

Zhao at Kyoshi island might be a good decision if executed correctly. And it doesn't have to be about making Zuko "less villainous". It might be a part of expanding Kyoshi warrior's role in the bigger picture. Zuko is and underdog. All he has is one old ship with a really small crew. Sure, he is able to bully some defenseless water tribe village, but raiding Kioshi island... It felt really above his weight (power-wise, not in terms of villany) in the original series already. And if Kyoshi warriors would be a bigger deal in the whole picture, making them lose to Zuko would feel really off, it can undermine everything. Zhao, on the other hand, represents the might of the fire nation military.

[@miguelrebelo3225]

The trailer massively bolstered my expectations. The released still of Azula looked pretty underwhelming, but seeing her for a split second with flames in her eyes sent shivers down my spine. The shot of Sokka and Katara at the iceberg?!? Insane. So excited to see how it all comes together.

[@oomreni5820]

I don't get their styling of Azula at all. In her second season introduction, a single hair being out of place was enough to set her off. Now she has loose, uncombed hair? Correct me, if I'm wrong, but the only person in the Fire Nation to have semi-loose hair was Hamma. So the water bender is the only one, I can remember, having her hair down. (And no, Mei's bob doesn't count. I have no justification for this, but I stand b y it anyway xD )

[@urlsisi]

​@@oomreni5820she has the exact same hair styling as the original tho. She had a bun and two straight strands on each side. It was a hair in the middle getting out of place that bothered her.

[@Seabasstard22]

Well you can’t make sure everyone isn’t reaching

[@Sandkasten36]

These are details I really don't care about. It's about the characters. It's about their acting. Do they nail the characters, do they have depth and do they make sense. I wouldn't even mind if they changed the characters if it fits the world and the character dynamics. I just want to see good world building with decent acting, a show that is made with love, care and attention to detail.

[@spacechampi0n]

This seems to be the younger Azula during Zuko's agni kai. I think they're going to show how what her father did to Zuko affectedher too.

[@crimsoneclipse0618]

Is it weird that the thing I'm most impressed about were the fire effects? Like my god those are some gorgeous flames.

[@johnathancooper5753]

I'm with you. The fire is sort of the "antagonist" for the show, so it has to be intimidating and it was amazing

[@PeregrineSW]

I wonder if the fire is actually gonna be shown landing and hurting people. That's one of the thing they avoided in the original and in Korra because it's quite...gruesome.

[@gingerdog8203]

Idk, they didn’t look that good imo, kinda cheap looking

[@PeregrineSW]

@@gingerdog8203 They should hire you to fix it then 🙄

[@daveski7]

@@johnathancooper5753 I'd Argue Fire is as much of an antagonist as Zuko is. His story arc parallels the thin line between Mastery and Savagery that every firebender deals with, as told by JeonJeon. (I love JeongJeong btw, i feel like hes a lot like Zuko, but if Zuko never found the Sun Warriors and found peace in firebending.)

[@nesbits22]

my guess about the blue spirit uniform in that scene: the events of Iroh telling the crew of Zuko's past happen while Zuko is away on his mission to save Aang. then when he tries to sneak back on the ship the crew is waiting for him as a show of loyalty (in the sense of yeah you're doing sneaky and probably illegal stuff but we're loyal to you and not Zhao) and Iroh is watching proudly from the side I think it would be nice to delve deeper into these dynamics, make Zuko's men a bit more involved in the story, show how he reacts to being acknowledged as a leader (as foreshadowing to him taking the throne), reveal that Iroh knew about the blue spirit thing from the start, etc. it also combines the events of two episodes into one which we know the show has to do anyway

[@gabrieldossantos1116]

Definitely would love to see some reactions from those soldiers. Like honestly they were sent away with the banished prince to never return. Do they hate him? Do they actually believe in him? Iroh telling them Zuko's story was a nice point but it just never came up again, would love to see the extent of the soldiers loyalty and the good thing is they don't even need to focus on that, just have them on the background saluting Zuko, bringing him maps or whatever without him having to order just to show how they're on the same page after that.

[@oomreni5820]

@@gabrieldossantos1116 Well after Iroh tells the crew about Zuko's banishment (past the halfway mark of the first season) Zuko is kind of absent from most of the season. He only appears in 2 other episodes after this. Excluding the 2 part Siege of the North. And neither of those appearances were anywhere near water. I'd like it to be after Zuko beats Zhao in the agni kai. I'd be like: "Flamio, our captain just kicked the crap out of that navy commander! Definitely gonna give him some props." If they move The Storm and Zuko's part in The Southern Air Temple around it could make for a more interesting environment, on Zuko's ship.

[@irohmaniac]

Uuuh i Love this Idea.Would definitely be a version that would be nice and have goosebumps instead of breaking it

[@nesbits22]

@@gabrieldossantos1116 agree, that would be a nice touch. seeing them transition from resentment (because they feel like they're fighting for a lost cause) to respect and a genuine desire to help Zuko would be great. even better if we see a contrast between the way Zuko and Zhao treat their men

[@shinigamis_like_apples4797]

This is a SOLID Theory 👏 Would be a clever use of run time too! I think they’ll do that a lot tbh, combine subplots from more than one episode in an effort to tie the eps together so the tone shifts in between aren’t too jarring. In the cartoon the inconsistency in tone isn’t that important to the feel of the eps to the viewers, because it’s cartoon. Big outlandish facial expressions and goofy tone doesn’t feel out of place after a serious scene with a more somber tone, because it’s portrayed by animation- whereas in live action that tone shift will be a very delicate thing to balance. Maintaining the goofy fun ep plots while having the next ep be a serious one, like the storm ep won’t be easy to pull off without either overplaying the comedy elements, or downplaying them and making the jokes miss entirely (cough like what the movie did cough) making the comedy scenes underwhelming by trying maintain a serious tone so the switch is more seamless. So imo they really might combine the storm ep with the Blue Spirit ep like you said, because they have a similar tone in regards to zukos tragic arc as the banished prince/abused son

[@rupertgarcia]

I was honestly tearing up when the OST started playing. I felt like that little kid watching the show for the first time all over again. I really hope they nail this one!

[@Witheringdawn2]

Same! It hit so good

[@romanova-9682]

DUDE ME TOO! I was promising myself to not get my hopes up - and then BAM that final OST hit and I was a kid again with chills all over and stars in my eyes. I'm all in lol 😂

[@simonopps]

They will not nail it, it's going to be impossible to replicate what the original series is.

[@stinkypitz0005]

Hi, I'm the pessimist--

[@wile123456]

A remake of the soundtrack is so welcome. The original series reuses the same few tracks again and again, so hearing variations of the motif is great.

[@Booksds]

I do hope Zhao being the apparent threat on Kyoshi Island isn’t trying to “soften” Zuko’s villainy in Book 1 in a misguided attempt to make it easier for the audience to accept his later redemption. Impossible to say from just the one shot though. Otherwise I’m pretty hopeful for this series!

[@dawert2667]

Hopefully its meant to just further antagonize zuko, forming the hierarchy we see in the show where we hate zuko and really hate zhao lol

[@kushj9568]

I keep wondering what exactly the issue was that caused the creators of the original show to walk away, and I feel like this could be it. Zuko's arc is such a big part of the show and story, and Netflix softening him would really reduce a big part of the impact the character has

[@powerjolt7215]

​@@kushj9568Yeah. Softening things up seems to be a big norm nowadays. Its unfortunate really.

[@_catulus]

I suspect they are planning to have a 3 way battle between Aang, Zhao, and Zuko, making it more devastating for Aang when Kyoshi Island gets caught in the crossfire while also heightening the rivalry between Zhao and Zuko.

[@neptunecentari7824]

perhaps they gave zuko a small group of soldiers that are actually loyal to him, or maybe still loyal to general iroh? maybe a way to show that not all fire benders are jerks?

[@samwyeth8547]

Or it could be the scene at the start of season 2 when azula is first introduced and tried to capture zuko and iron. But wouldn't mind if they tried something new too though

[@christopherpoet458]

@@samwyeth8547 Not likely IMO. If they are going to end the season with the battle in the North Pole, not likely they will be jumping to events from S2. I am willing to bet that it could be one of two options. A; His crew and Iroh are aware he is the blue spirit or B; they just found out and he somehow got exposed without intending to be.

[@aQrator]

​@@christopherpoet458 I could see that Azula scene as a cliffhanger for next season, even if it'll ring hollow for most peopl who've seen the show

[@AudoricArt]

I thought that was the case in the show? he had a small crew on his ship

[@karinamasso7948]

If I remember correctly Zuko's crew left him because they were order to accompany Zhao's armada; here perhaps they wanted to show that while the crew had to abandon him they still respected him

[@chelsiemcnatt335]

I’ve often wondered how Zuko’s crew felt throughout their journey, as Zuko is a target, disrespected by his own nation, so too must his crew be. We see respect grow as Zuko chooses their well-being when he chooses not to go after Aang at their expense. Mayhaps when things get really heated between their crew and Zhao’s, his crew will show respect for him in ways they never did in the show.

[@obara7366]

Ooh, i like this idea.

[@Zarastro54]

Yeah, you have to be super loyal to follow your Prince into exile.

[@Otra_Chica_de_Internet]

​@@Zarastro54or maybe the crew is exiled too and they had no other option but to join Zuko's crew 🤔 I mean it's either that, piracy or living as an earth Kingdom citizen and hope you never get caught

[@dannyfrost8216]

I think it was more of respect to Iroh than to zuko

[@davidj.medinag.6524]

I think that they are too brainwashed to think like that (Zuko even call then traitors in the show, when Zhao takes then), you can see that in The Storm episode, while they do simpathize with Zuko and grew to respect him more at the end of the episode, notice how none of then implied that Ozai was wrong for banishing Zuko or think that what happened to him was unfair in any way. Their loyalty to the FN and Ozai is just too big for that to be possible.

[@onesith4528]

I sure we can all agree this trailer alone is better than the movie that shall not be named!

[@greasybumpkin1661]

The movie, for some reason, had a great trailer though lol

[@onesith4528]

@@greasybumpkin1661 the classic Hollywood bait and switch. And remember that trailer was never in the film

[@greasybumpkin1661]

​@@onesith4528 I suspect a different team were working on the trailer, away from M Nights incompetence.

[@sunbleachedangel]

That movie doesn't exist

[@sebastianpinoalipaz5935]

There is no Avatar film adaptation in Ba Sing Se

[@evankraabel5415]

"Remember who you are" is actually a critical quote in the show, Zuko's mom says it to him in a flashback in Zuko Alone, immediately before he leaps up and proclaims himself prince of the fire nation. If they end up using it as another parallel of Aang and Zuko, thatll be really cool.

[@watchmesquatch]

Yeah. In season fkin 2 when things are getting more serious. This show is going to be so outta place and off putting.

[@evankraabel5415]

@@watchmesquatch I think having Gyatso say it to Aang in season 1 is a great way to set up the parallel in Zuko Alone. Probably helps clarify Zuko's misunderstanding of his mother in that moment too, because while Aang IS the avatar, Zuko is not defined by who others tell him he is.

[@davidj.medinag.6524]

I mean, it kind of is in the show. Zuko and Aang characther arcs is a lot about being true to themselves in spite of the horrors of the war. Aang struggle is more external because of his role as the Avatar and Zuko's is more internal because of the way he was raised/brainwashed in the FN.

[@CJ-mk3nf]

The fact that Aang is shown *smiling* at one point in this trailer, and not like hes about to burst into tears at any given moment, already puts the characterisation at 100x better than the movie that doesnt exist. I maintain cautious optimism, but i reallllyyyy want this to be good

[@somehelluvafanboy8357]

Omg that's so real lmfao He does look like he's about to cry at any moment

[@pyrosymphonyfireworksdesig5690]

I really hope this series will go well! Can you just imagine Katara bloodbending in live-action? That would be bone-chilling and epic at the same time!!!!

[@iamdebaby8152]

Sir we all are only here for the blind bandit not more nothing less.

[@Sandkasten36]

Damn that can get really dark (not suggesting The Boys effects, that would be out of place). But seeing close ups when someone manipulates blood in your veins. Damn..

[@pyrosymphonyfireworksdesig5690]

@@iamdebaby8152 just the blind bandit? Not the Melon Lord? 😉

[@iamdebaby8152]

@@pyrosymphonyfireworksdesig5690 the blind bandit Vs the boulder fight is going to be a top 5 fight in anime history

[@pyrosymphonyfireworksdesig5690]

@Sandkasten36 I really hope if they reach book 3, they would be truthful to how disturbing the concept of bloodbending truly is. In the original series, it's already dark with all the muscle twitches when you control someone/something. Don't get me wrong, I don't want bloodbending to be just pure gore where we can hear bones cracking and all since we all know they want this project to be accessible to a lot of people. Just the mere idea and visuals and a few squishing water sound effects the original series used while someone is controlling another person/animal is already enough. But hey! If they really want to be realistic and also push the envelope and the limit of their audience rating, who am I to stand in their way?

[@barroslucasc]

Appa doesn't need to be perfect, but HE DOES NEED TO BE CUTE. The inexistent movie made him so weird I'm very anxious about how he will look in this. A still picture is one thing, but seeing him move and interact with the other characters can make it or break it.

[@pythonxz]

I think he will be very similar to the Aang we know and love.

[@bendoucet8641]

I assumed that Momo's presence in the trailer was more him catching up to the Gaang after they left the temple. Since Aang doesn't look as joyful, then seems to cheer up when Momo joins them.

[@EyeMCreative]

That's a good theory, I think that makes a lot of sense.

[@irohmaniac]

Hope so, would be an cute Ending of an Episode

[@guuuut]

Me too

[@Erlianes]

That's my guess as well.

[@jamesshepard3]

Same! I made a comment indicating as such.

[@Ellementz]

The actor who plays Azula is actually 21, she just looks very young for her age which works for the show.

[@reinescape9827]

They are definitely doing the cabbage merchant joke because they cast the original voice actor as the Cabbage Merchant himself. His name is James Sie

[@rwrw418]

I think not hiding Ozai’s face was the right choice to make. Having someone’s face in shadow or only showing it from behind is the sort of that thing that no one bats an eye at in a cartoon, but could come across as goofy in live action

[@CRanapia]

Yeah, and let's keep it boring real. I don't think Daniel Dae Kim works for SAG scale, and you're certainly not to get a name like that on board so you can shoot the back of his head.

[@user-ym1zs8sd2y]

I think they decided to reveal him early because they have to show how he invaded the Air Nomads and then lowkey fading him in the back ground... And I think that could work.

[@LunaWitcherArt]

True. Hiding his face too much if they are going to focus on more flashbacks would make it look like they didn't really have an actor in mind when filming those scenes and only decided on it later in production.

[@khadeejones1136]

That would be super goofy in live action but I think a better alliterative is to not show the character at all, only other characters talking about him. But that can still be tricky to do well so I agree with you.

[@watchmesquatch]

Because live action is inferior. It's hard to watch.

[@cloudwatcher608]

I think you’re forgetting that there were corpses of fire benders at the Southern Air Temple, so Gyatso at the very least was able to fight back, and I hope we see this. Plus the temple was still largely intact and didn’t appear as though it was burnt to a crisp like Ozai was going to do to the Earth Kingdom.

[@HelloFutureMe]

I personally imagined that as an outlier. I think Gyatso fought back, but most would have just tried to flee. The rest of it, I imagine, would be a massacre of chasing down fleeing people. ~ Tim

[@hez859]

​@@HelloFutureMeyeah, you have a point but I thought that the Airbenders also knew that war was brewing in the show? The monks tell Aang early that he is the avatar (12 instead of 16) specifically for this reason so while they may be traditionally a peaceful people, I think they may have been preparing for SOMETHING

[@285049]

Actually, good point there. The reason that the air nomads made Aang the Avatar so early on was because they sensed that conflict was going to come, which served as sort of a catalyst as to why Aang later on ran away, with the last straw being that the monks wanted to separate Aang from Gyatso. Edit: Actually, I meant to say "revealed," not made the avatar since being the Avatar is something that you are born with (the avatar spirit.)

[@MariThomas01]

@@HelloFutureMe The air nomads were not completely passive, they could fight and did. We learn about that a little in the kyoshi comics

[@lainiwakura1776]

@@MariThomas01 If you take the comics as canon. But even pacifists have a will to survive and the show implied they did fight back.

[@brocode780]

I’m not sure the air nation was caught off guard as much as you would think. I haven’t watched the show in a min but wasn’t the reason they were pressuring to have Aang to be the avatar before he was old enough was because they knew the fire nation was up to something? They wanted him to be prepared before the comet came before he even went into the ice 5:35

[@dawert2667]

They definitely do pressure him because of the tension coming from the fire nation (roku, the previous avatar, was killed by the firelord at the time over the fire lord wanting to expand the fire nation) but I don’t think they knew about Sozin’s comet. It seems like information about astrological phenomenon is pretty limited to most people in the avatar world seeing as no one knew about the solar eclipse (had to be learned from the all-knowing knowledge spirit)

[@LunaWitcherArt]

From what I remember, they were pressuring Aang to assume his role as avatar earlier than most avatars before him, because Roku was the only thing holding Ozai back, and ever since he was killed Ozai was putting nitro on that war train and expanding his territory. They needed an avatar to hold Ozai back and keep him in check again, but Aang was too young so he fled because of the pressure. The invasion of the Air Temple and the way the soldiers were laying felt very much like Gyazo sacrificed himself in order to protect (avenge?) the other monks, and removed the air out of everyone's lungs, including himself.

[@ericlamb4501]

​@@dawert2667 Actually, Roku died after inhaling toxic volcanic gases, which basically boiled and seared his lungs, the Fire Lord just ended up abandoning him to his fate, which is honestly kinda even worse than straight up murdering his closest friend.

[@heathertaylor3103]

I think for me the moment that got me was them flying up to the southern air temple. Appa's fur looked super fluffy and soft but still had the coarseness that cows fur has. The flying lemur looked incredible. While I know we won't get to see colorful eyes on the characters (which makes sense, because nearly every actor would need contacts and it would probably still need CGI afterwards to get the same effect as the animation) the lemur's eyes were so colorful and bright which really sold, this is fantasy. And of course, the landscape was just beautiful. Idk that was the moment that gave me a lot of hope.

[@LemonMan..]

Momo?

[@ArticWS]

Loved this breakdown. The most comprehensive I've seen BY FAR. That said, you asked for details you might have missed, so I'll do my best, from both official sources and public leaks: 1) Showrunner Albert Kim confirmed on Twitter that the trailer's narrator is Gyatso. 2) The Cabagge Merchant has been cast... and the actor's the same as in the original show, James Sie! 3) It's been confirmed (albeit not officially) that Azula, Ty Lee, and Mei will be in the episode "Omashu", among others, including "Spirited Away" (ATLA's Winter Solstice... at least Part 2) and "The North" (mostly ATLA's The Northern Air Temple, but with some of The Waterbending Master, as we know this is the episode in which we'll see the Mechanist but also meet most of the Northern Water Tribe characters). Azula and company's presence in Omashu makes me think the episode will have much less of Bumi fucking with Aang and instead it'll take from "Return to Omashu" for the meat of its plot, namely with the taking of the city by the Fire Nation, for which the Gaang wasn't there originally. Losing Omashu and Bumi could be a great early character moment for Aang and the team to really show us the Fire Nation's expansion. This last part is just a theory though. We only know for sure that Azula and company will be in the episode. 4) The shot of the messanger hawk going to the tower is, I'm pretty sure, of the Fire Lord's palace, not the 'Blue Spirit' fortress. You can see the volcano caldera in the background, and also (barely) the characteristic shape of the palace building at the bottom, as well as a sprawling city. 5) Jet AND Juno both will be in "Into the Dark", the episode preceeding "Spirited Away" (Winter Solstice; at least its second part). Juno will be introduced in the episode before it, "Omashu", presumably being hired, and her hunt will be in "Into the Dark". The episode will also include Jet and the Freedom Fighters. It seems clear that "Into the Dark" will be the episode with most changes and mixing up of different ATLA episodes. 6) The reason we know the Agni Kai in the trailer is Zuko/Ozai and not Zuko/Zhao is more simple than any of the very good thematic reasons you gave: look at Zuko's hair. He still has a full head of hair in the scene. In the show version presumably he'll have all that hair in flashbacks. In the present, we know for sure that he has his shaved head with a ponytail. 7) I'm not as sure as you are that that's Zhao in the Kyoshi Island scene. You're 100% right about that 'Aang' probably being Kyoshi taking form through Aang, though, taken from Avatar Day, not unlike Omashu is also likely to take from Return to Omashu. As for the suppsoed Zhao, at least he's not wearing the same clothes as in the promo still. He can change his clothes, for sure! Perfectly reasonable. I just don't think it's 100% clear that it's Zhao. That's about it. Some are merely doubts, some are clarifications, some are actual corrections. Awesome video! I'm SO looking forward to seeing you cover every episode in the other channel.

[@TalAzulay]

Bravo, you know your stuff! I was gonna comment some similar things (mostly learned from following AvatarNews for years) but you've done all that and more.

[@dificulttocure]

Interesting what you said about Omashu. The more that I think about it, the more I actually like the idea of having the episode being an introduction to Azula and how ruthless she is. The episode could end with the city being completely overtaken by the fire nation (led by azula) with Bumi helping the gaang escape, and then getting captured. It would be an amazing episode if it's done that way.

[@ArticWS]

@@dificulttocure Basically what I'm picturing, yeah. Unlike Books 2 and 3, most of Book 1 suffers from "early 2000's episodic plotting", where they didn't have much faith in everyone watching every episode, so it was a bit too "adventure of the week" for most of it. They weren't 'filler', to be clear; they were all about showcasing and sometimes advancing the characters. But the plot itself rarely tied to the main story in the first season. That's what I believe will be most changed in live-action. This would be a good example of that: Omashu's great; Bumi's great. But the plot? An almost episode-long puzzle-based riddle? That was a bit weak, and they're obviously not gonna do that, with time as precious as it is with only 8 episodes for all of Book 1. They need a stronger plot tied to the central story for the Omashu episode. And it's the same thing they're gonna do with the Kyoshi Warriors, Jet, Juno, etc; showcasing them in similar ways to the original show but much more tied to the serialized story, instead of in individual episodic adventures. Bringing Azula forward helps with that, too.

[@dificulttocure]

@@ArticWS Totally agree. I would like Azula not being very present this season though. Give her that victory over Omashu and maybe a couple of scenes with her father and that's it. Establish her as a menacing force and prepare her to be the main villain in season 2. But with Zhao and Zuko, this season already has its villains and Azula should not overshadow them.

[@ArticWS]

@@dificulttocure Since she and her friends are supposed to be in Spirited Away and The North, too, I wouldn't be surprised if she's involved in the scene where everyone's together at the Crescent Island palace, and in the attempted taking of the Northern Air Temple (which is a good idea, since there wasn't a proper face for the Fire Nation in that siege, just a random guy). So I think she'll be present. I just don't think the Gaang will be very aware of her, or certainly of who she is.

[@gabrielaizaguirre523]

my theory about the air nomad genocide.... the comet hasn't arrived yet. the sky should be red, lighting the darkness with fire. the attack might be staged to get solders at all the temples earlier than the comet so that when it hits they deliver the final blow. it looks like an even fight... at first... and then the comet comes and we see the complete destruction AND/OR they just show the comet light the sky and cut off there so we know without giving away the exact full scale of the power up that will be the series finale.

[@LadyKhione]

I can see where your theory comes from and its not a bad interpretation but based on how netflix tends to handle things I doubt were gonna get episodes steeped in color the way we see it in the animation - its unlikely that we'll get a full red drenched scene just because the comet is 'active'. Additionally if they [netflix writers] do decide to make this scene a 'get firebenders in place before the comet' that falls far out of line with what happened in cannon - the fire benders needed the comet to even reach the air temple. Most of the reason Aang refuses to believe that the air benders were wiped out is because he is confident that no one but an air bender can reach the temples. Remember back when the attack first occured under sozins comet the firebenders didn't have the hightened technology tanks or air ships or anything else to help them reach the temple, it was a 100 years before they'd have the right technology to scale any air temple by force. If they change it so that the fire benders are at the temple without the assistance of the comet they would be altering a major world building point. I'm not saying they wont do that, this is an adaptation, and thats why I can see where your theory could make sense. I just really really hope your theory is wrong.

[@potterlover96]

Anyone else hoping we get a live action rendition of "Secret Tunnel" in this? 😂 The trailer looks great, I'm actually kinda excited for this series! I can't imagine it's any worse than the film that doesn't exist in Ba Sing Se 😂

[@wolfishpotato6978]

Yeees! There's a couple of running gags they simply have to include, even if theyre just background references. Secret Tunnel and Cabbage Merchant are two of them. When we get to season 3 they'd also better give Sokka that beard

[@kiaraknight5380]

We may hear an instrumental of “Two Lovers” in the background while they explore Omashu who knows! Could be cute foreshadowing and a nod to the fans that know the stories coming up

[@cmd0317]

I can’t wait for the cactus juice scene in future seasons 😂

[@frustratedincorporated]

I want Iroh singing "Leaves from the vine". That 5 or 6 minute clip is the saddest of the series.

[@kiaraknight5380]

@@frustratedincorporated Hopefully Netflix’s version of book 1 is good/popular so that we can see that and more in book 2

[@Grumpiergoat]

The shot of the duel, where it may be Zuko bowing to Ozai, but the costume indicates Zhao, may be a change - the general Zuko "insulted" may be Zhao now, and the Agni Kai may start with Zhao challenging Zuko, only for Ozai to insist on teaching his son a lesson. It would create more antagonism between Zhao and Zuko and also make for a stronger story than just some random, nameless general as in the original.

[@kirstenkolkman6758]

I actually quite like that it's a nameless general? Maybe that's weird of me, and I don't know a lot about filmmaking, but otherwise it would feel to me that the entire fire nation army is just... Zhao. The existence of another general who is somewhat important to the story makes me think: oh there's a NATION fighting this war. Otherwise it would be strange to me that Zhao is literally everywhere.

[@ericlamb4501]

​@@kirstenkolkman6758 This, sorta. While I do agree with OP's comment that it could build tension, at the same time, it just being a random general like in the original show also just goes to show how much of a ruthless monster Ozai is, that he'd be willing to literally cook his own son alive just because he disagreed with something some random said.

[@milward4563]

Seeing all the Airbender leaping forward to confront the firebender army was so intriguing to me. I can't wait to see the new stuff they bring in for this show.

[@rowangarel3417]

Thank you so much for your very detailed breakdown. I am blind, so videos like this help me to get an idea of what we can expect when there is no descriptive audio available. Have enjoyed your videos for years. Keep up the great work.

[@legendseriesx4365]

I didnt think about that

[@Parhelion2]

Keep in mind gyatso was surrounded by a large group of dead firebenders when they found him. So even in the animated show the fire benders didn’t come in and completely clean house.

[@Canadish]

Yeah, I recall speculation being that he sucked the oxygen out the room ala Zaheer as an absolute desperate last action. Curious if we'll see his end or just show the bodies like the show.

[@ericlamb4501]

​@@Canadish I'd like to think that's head cannon, considering how the show usually also went for the "either you dodge and you're fine or this hits and you're basically dead" approach starting out. It isn't actually till the later books that we see other people alongside the main cast being maimed or injured. And even then, thinking about it logically, there's only a limited amount of bending ways for every element to actually kill someone. By that I mean, sure, that fire ball *IS* gonna hurt like a bitch when it does hit you and do damage and set you on fire, but one even medium size one alone isn't gonna instantly kill you. So I would imagine an unarmed Gyatso literally sacrificed himself to take as many armed soldiers with him as he could using the only technique he knew, that being vacating the air judging by the state of the skeletons as well. Otherwise, he could have also probably sliced them with high pressure air currents, but that would have been significantly messier.

[@astaldogal]

Tbf, about the clothing, if you watch any of the historical fashion KZbin channels, most humans wield very hard and very precisely to get clean lines and clean stitches because the clothes would have to last them a long time. So, the super straight and clean lines on Sokka's coat isn't so far out of the realm of possibility.

[@Temperans]

I think it might be just a case of the seam feeling off. But that might just be because the clothes look too "clean". (a common issue with live action shows)

[@amihigh9654]

0:18 about how I felt: I felt weirdly emotional. After watching TLOK when Jinora got tattoos, it really hit that Aang was actually dead. And they look so much alike in that moment. In the trailer, to see such good animation and well casted actors, just brings back this feeling of nostalgia. Remembering how as a little kid I never could wait until there were new episodes. I am truly exited for this movie and I hope Netflix does us justice.

[@cirthador1453]

Most Avatar Fans: Wow, this trailer looks better than I expected! True Avatar Fans: CABBAGES?!?!

[@OopsBigSad]

Even with IPs I really like. I usually don't care if they mess it up. But I will be very upset if they ruin this show in translation.

[@christopherpoet458]

@@OopsBigSad I can relate. I mean in a way I care but, if they do f up, the original exists and I am not obligated to pay the adaptation any attention. So, its not the end of the world.

[@watchmesquatch]

It looks bad.

[@livtempleton]

Loving the casting for this, especially Daniel Dae Kim as Ozai

[@redencarnacion]

That shot of Aang petting Momo while smiling captures Aang’s lighthearted spirit.

[@claytonharting9899]

Azula being only 14 and being as intimidating as she is honestly makes her more intimidating. I can’t wait to see the actress’s performance

[@Somerandom1922]

Regarding Aang flying to the island, it could also just be that Aang is really excited and is jumping off Appa to fly on ahead. I don't necessarily think so, but it's definitely not confirmed that it's just Aang

[@shmeepshmoop2717]

one thing my dad mentioned mentioend he was scared of was that Aang would be this serious guy if they went down the edgy path a lot of shows seem to be treading, because Aang is a goofy guy, he has his fun, this kind of reminded me that the show was actually really funny on top of being an amazing story so i'm interested to see how they capture that edit: oh yeah for sure, Azula's casting was on point for me, people forget she is 14 and she would fucking look like that, her eyes in that shot were excellent. i am so nervous about all the acting and dialogue i really do hope they pull it off, with their own twist that doesn't ruin the character

[@equalsmacsquared]

i think in "spirited away" both katara and sokka could be taken into the spirit world, so aang goes by himself to crescent island to talk to roku and find a way to get them back. then in "masks" aang is with zuko and katara and sokka are with jet.

[@watchmesquatch]

Dumb.

[@seanthornton2588]

I think it’s not his blue spirt costume but could be the outfit he wears before he sneaks into the water tribe at the end of season 1. The soldiers could be welcoming him back after that.

[@brinmoody]

That's also a good theory! I'm intrigued about it, to say the least.

[@irohmaniac]

Unfortunately, the clothes are not warm enough for this and he would have to have wounds from the attack on his ship, if they let this in

[@oomreni5820]

I mean his crew gets taken from him before the siege of the north. And after it, he's branded as a traitor. I'd like it to be after Zuko beats Zhao in the agni kai. I'd be like: "Flamio, our captain just kicked the crap out of that navy commander! Definitely gonna give him some props." If they move The Storm and Zuko's part in The Southern Air Temple around it could make for a more interesting environment, on Zuko's ship.

[@nickgoodwin8715]

I agree. I'm really afraid they will go too dark with this. Aang's sense of play and fun is super important to his character. It shows that he is still just a kid but it also shows how he tends to deflect his responsibilities and fears sometimes (especially in S1) and just ride around on penguin-seals. It's also shows the flighty, playful nature of air nomad culture like when Aang and Monk Gyatso throw pies around! Same with Sokka and Iroh. They both serve as balanced characters, one just trying to be funny and the other, Iroh, wrapping his wisdom in ways that are calm and not pretentious or patronizing but fun and sometimes silly!

[@CRanapia]

I agree with your point - and I think like the OG Avatar there's a really tricky balance that has to be struck, but I don't think they can push the horror entirely off screen. I don't want the show to go full trauma porn, and I think another consideration is that (if this makes any sense) live-action lands differently than animation. Some things can be dealt with in the stylized non-realistic medium of animation that would be unwatchably horrific in live action. I know it's not a direct comparison, but Neil Gaman made no apologies that in THE SANDMAN he treated some aspects of the story (particularly a sub-plot involving sexual assault) very differently than he did on the page.

[@sarad2659]

Agree completely. I think they will have Sokka play very similar to the non existent movie portrayal. All humour gone, straight laced and serious

[@khadeejones1136]

I'm anxious, the trailer is giving off a really serious tone. I really hope they were able to re-create some of that fun playful energy that the original series had. It doesn't have to be a comedy but I think it should really take the time to show the characters bonding.

[@CRanapia]

@@khadeejones1136 I take your point, but I guess in the end a 90 second teaser trailer only has one job - grab the attention of people who first thought when they hear the word 'Avatar' is giant angry space smurfs. What I really love the character-based humour of the original show, I'm not sure if that's really going to pull eyeballs without a LOT more context than you can put over in a teaser trailer. (That said, I think it is absolutely something that should be a part of the promotions when they pick up closer to the release date.)

[@joaosousa4349]

Honestly i want oblivious, silly Iroh in season 1, it makes sense to me. You have Zuko so angry and frustrated at everything, and it seems reasonable that Iroh would try to balance his pessimistic nature and show him a different side of all this dificult moments

[@CRanapia]

YES! Everyone underestimates Iroh - and I think that's exactly the way he wants it.

[@dariodelvoije]

I think the Zuko scene on the ship might be a flashback to when he just got banished and Iroh got him a ship and a crew to start his journey. That would maybe explain why he has his sword outfit on, but it does not explain why there is no sword in the holster on his back. I really hope they add one of my favourite lines from the show: Azula was born lucky, I was lucky to be born. That would really show the dynamic between Zuko, Azula and Ozai.

[@Jdude217]

I love most of it a lot more than I was expecting, but I was taken aback by Katara and Sokka's clothes. They look very clean and almost fancy, like the parka of royalty, which would be fine for the northern water tribe but the souther water tribe is supposed to be roughing it pretty hard by this point, so I'd expect their parkas to look a bit more tattered or well-worn.

[@MrErik052005]

The ending scene with MoMo, I think they are leaving the Southern Air Temple. Ang looks sad or self reflective like he realizes he is the last Air Nomad. MoMo then flies in and joins them. Ang gets a big grin on his face. So the episode ends on a happier note.

[@RavenStarMedia]

Not only is the Cabbage Merchant in it, his original voice actor is playing him!

[@romainmahij876]

my first feeling was "wow omashu looks fantastic !" and it was the same for the first part of the trailer, with all the beautyfull visuals they gave us, in then the second part with more acting, i was like "ok it doesn't look so bad, but it's hard to juge with 2 seconds sequences"

[@UYNiko]

I’m guessing that on the Roku episode Sokka and Katara are going to be trapped in the spirit world like Sokka was on the previous episode, this give them the opportunity of exploring the spirit world with Sokka and Katara while Aang connects with Roku, maybe the temple is a portal to the spirit world?

[@justicefool3942]

I think that first shot of Zuko with the soldiers saluting him might take place during "The Storm" episode, specifically when he saves one of the crew members from falling. It can make sense thematically since it's the first time we see Zuko not only help his crew, but risk his own safety on their behalf. It could be their way of thanking him or showing him respect, with Iroh looking on and seeing that little spark of good that is in him. I think we also might be reading too far into the sheath as well. It's entirely possible he uses his broadswords much more in this show than in the original series and so, would not really be out of place for him to have the sheath on in this particular shot.

[@SnowOfAllTrades]

The first thing I thought when watchign this trailer was "Azula NAILED that condescending look!" I was originally not too happy with the casting because the animated Azula has a very sharp face and the actress does not, but with just that 0.3 seconds of glaring down at the camera I think she can absolutely pull it off!

[@samfisher6606]

I love the Gyatso voiceover. The compositing looks weird in some shots and everything looks a little too clean. But it looks great. It’s crazy how I can pick out moments from specific episodes. And I don’t just mean the pilot. I mean I see shots from the Warriors of Kyoshi episode, I see Omashu, I see shots from the Winter Solstice two-parter.

[@Biotorian]

Something I'm hoping for, maybe not this season, is some of Iroh's Dragon of the West days. He wasn't always our favourite tea loving font of wisdom. He was the perfect prince, the man who laid siege to Ba Sing Se for 600 days and broke through the first wall. He became who he is because of the loss of Lu Ten and a lot of soul searching and travelling afterwards. It would be nice to see hints that he's been where Zuko is, that he's had some similar struggles with who he is after losing what was most important to him.

[@joynerj.k.6215]

I like the idea of the Kyoshi reveal happening in season 1. I feel like her appearance saving her home through Aang is more impactful. But I would miss her first line being "I killed Shin the conquerer." Maybe Avatar Day will still happen in some capacity and that will be Kyoshi's second appearance as opposed to her first.

[@nick15684]

I'm cautiously optimistic. Live-action adaptations very rarely ever translate the original faithfully. It's like finding a unicorn when they do. Visually, I think they've gotten a lot right, especially with the casting and environments. The costumes also look very detailed and faithful to the original. Of course, we'll have to wait and see when it comes out. Looks are only a very small part of the puzzle. The acting and writing are what will really make or break this.

[@Itharl]

My first gut feeling was honestly hype, which was immediately tempered down to cautious optimism. (and then honest joy when I saw who was cast for Iroh, I love him SO MUCH)

[@ethanwaltz4799]

I think that zhao being in the kyoshi warriors episode might mean that they are combining the deserter ark with the kyoshi warriors ark, I honestly think that it would really work

[@rakhatthenut3815]

But it would be waaaaaay early for aang to try firebending. Kyoshi island is 4th episode and deserter is like 15th or 16th episode. I think deserter storyline will be in "masks" episode. Gaang go to festival, then escape with that guy to jeong jeong then zhao comes with his archers and captures aang and then blue spirit aka zuko helps aang escape. Although i don't know what sokka and katara would be doing

[@TAP7a]

I liked the trailer, but what I like more is an HFM breakdown

[@trishapellis]

Looking at the strange thing with Zhao on Kyoshi Island, it's making me worry that maybe the producers are trying to offload some of Zuko's atrocities onto Zhao so Zuko doesn't look like as much of a villain. That way, Zhao and Azula will bear the brunt of the villainism and it becomes easier for the gaang to accept Zuko as one of them (Zuko will still be an antagonist, because he's trying to capture Aang and deliver him to his father - but in this scenario, Zuko wouldn't actually have harmed any innocents).

[@spookyputhy7991]

If this show is successful and ever gets to remaking the legend of Korra series I hope they hire you as a writer. Or earlier. You're mad talented, man. I'd 100% trust any writing team with you on it to do this series justice.

[@jonmedina259]

As long as they rewrite season 2 I'm down.

[@lainiwakura1776]

@@jonmedina259 The whole thing.

[@jonmedina259]

@@lainiwakura1776 as long as they keep Amon and zaheer I'd be down with a whole rewrite

[@satyre_1]

​​@@jonmedina259honestly really love kuvira too, just rewrite most of her stuff and am hella down. like i always even said, they shoulda just made the live-action korra adaptation, but the true vision bryke always wanted for it without studio interference. can you imagine the bending and atmosphere of republic city and other locations in LIVE-ACTION korra??!?!?!!

[@jonmedina259]

@@satyre_1 the more I think of Kuvira I think you're right. I think she was a very compelling villain. The only major rewrite that really pops out to me was the giant mecha destroying the city. I think it should have been disabled much easier. When the Airbenders used paint balloons on it they just needed to add some motor oil, sand or cooking oil. That or have korra, Lin, Suyin, and Bolin create a giant sink hole to trap the mecha.

[@Apollo9898LP]

I think while Aang is off on Crescent Island doing the Winter Solstice stuff, that might be an opportunity for Katara and Sokka to do the Imprisoned plotline. That's also a plot that is mostly focused on Katara more than Aang, so could be a good opportunity to get that character development for her, and also show us how the Fire Nation is oppressing the Earth Kingdom

[@aidanclark196]

It would be cool if haru's story was concurrently told to the crescent moon island. This might be a stretch, but delving into "aang's" past and dealing with the war, and how to stop the war and his duty therein could be a nice parallel to katakana and sokka and haru discussing their pasts ow the war has effected all three of them, and katara's whole thing about hope and fighting back would go a long with the direct action aang has to take with the comet

[@earlybirdman269]

If they actually use this series to expand the world building and lore of Avatar, I think that would be a good way to get people who have already watched the series a reason to see as well people who didn't.

[@kcastless]

My theory on that scene where Zuko is walking past the ship crew. I think that it’s the Azula scene and that we’re getting it at the end of season 1 instead of the beginning of season 2 which will essentially mean we’re ending with Zuko and Iroh going on the run instead of starting season 2 with a real introduction of Azula (vs. The Whole your uncle is a traitor and brother is a failure convo) because we are getting expanded Azula

[@irohmaniac]

But wouldn't Zuko be wounded by the attack on his ship? In the series you can clearly see which wounds he suffered from it during the explosion

[@kcastless]

@@irohmaniac See you’re right about that, that’s the only thing that gives me pause. We will have to see I guess.

[@ToppledTurtle834]

Suki does look fantastic and a big part is probably that it is makeup and not CGI.

[@oomreni5820]

Has Hollywood really gotten so lazy that makeup is now done in post-production?

[@rishkabibble]

@@oomreni5820 its less laziness and more financial greed. Makeup / physical FX teams are unionized, CGI/VFX workers are not. Which is why CGI in modern blockbusters looks crap, the artists are exhausted and it shows 😔

[@LadyKhione]

A fantastic Analysis as always, I think a big thing to remember is that this is more a teaser than a true trailer so I'd bet on the side of the studio stitching together scenes that may look simlar but dont occur sequentially, I'm personally hoping that the agni Kai scenese are exactly that - two separate agni kai stitched together. Overall I am very excited for the series to debut and while the outfits were ah a little too costume-y for my taste its a small part of the overall expectation - I'm not gonna gripe about clean clothing on a long adventure if the acting is amazing - same as I've done with the live action one piece. My reason for believing that the two agni Kai shots are from two separate agni kai bouts is that the first shot is, to me, clearly baby zuko bowing before his father with his full head of hair while his father commands him to "rise prince zuko and face me" but of course we know zuko does not rise to face his father. The second shot, to me, shows the defender clearly fighting back, standing, and diverting the flames of the attacker, something baby zuko would not have done at this point in his relationship with his father. Personally I'd really hate to see a scene where zuko tries to fight back against his father before his banishment so I'm really hoping thats not the case here. If it is actually two shots from the same duel, It might be more reasonable for the fire lord to punish his son, in in a grand spectical but in a palace setting with all the important officials watching so it would be a more intimage agni kai and we just cant the onlookers who are to the sides of the duel due to the camera angles they chose. As for the greenery, I think your right it is shrubbary of sorts which could just be a nod to the garden we see in most of the animated flashbacks of zuko and his mother so maybe the just changed the location of the duel to fit the more intimage setting, or maybe we're both wrong and its just some green tinted stone/ pottery or jade etc (unlikely but...) The lemur scene I really think is momo, and personaly I'm really hoping its the scene of them leaving the air temple - I imagine this to be the last scene before credits hit as kinda a 'now that we've gathered a new friend lets face the next adventure' kinda vibe

[@andalilbitqueer]

As soon as I heard Appa and Momo's voices, I was heartbroken cause I can recognize Dee Bradley Baker's animal sounds from a mile away and I knew those weren't him smh. I am sad (not enough to hate the show) because of how much he loves the character how he aparently wasn't contacted about it, and that he voiced them in all versions and even played them uncredited in the movie. i wonder if that's the creative differences Bryke left for, considering how much they resect Dee lmao /j

[@muireannmc1056]

I don't think netflix would lose the creators of the show for the sake of animal noises

[@andalilbitqueer]

@@muireannmc1056 did you not see the "/j"?

[@usonohoshi6165]

Still cautious. But more optimistic than before. Everything looks great. The bending looks right. I just had a smile on my face the whole time, while a part of my brain reminds me not to be TOO excited.

[@alorachan]

The only minor thing you didn't mention in the trailer was in the shot of Aang crashing down in Kyoshi Island, you're looking from the perspective between (what I presume is) Suki and Sokka, which I believe is like a shot from the animated series. If I remember correctly (it's been a hot minute since my last rewatch), Sokka and Suki are sharing a moment together when the village is attacked, so the shot in the trailer could be them on the edge of the village to scout and plan their attack right when Aang blasts down.

[@Renagale]

I think Netflix has a chance to really change the way they do things and to set a future for the company. If they where to release this series once a week and give the show more then 8 episodes a season they can really change and grow. Their system of turning shows into 8 hour watch Fest's is bound to fail. The system means they only get subscriptions for one months then they cancel after. if they release once a week they can pad out times between releases they can also make people subscribe for 2-4 weeks and allow shows to have more in depth writing with more time allowed per season.

[@legendseriesx4365]

Nah I like to binge stuff personally so if they put the whole thing I would be very happy

[@ggemcat]

@@legendseriesx4365it adds way more hype and ability to talk abt each episode. and u can always watch em all after its all out

[@patrickgabrielson690]

I'm usually really picky about my shows, but this was nice in my opinion. What you said about the avatar state arrow looking like photoshop - I don't really agree, I think it looks fine. Also I hope they don't abandon Azula's iconic hairstyle - it has the same value as Katara's "hair loopies" imo. As you said, we haven't seen the acting yet, and I'm not jumping to any conclusions, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't think Katara looked a little expressionless in the trailer. Hopefully just a coincidence. I think what you said about light-heartedness is super important. There's a reason the animated series is so digestible, it has the cliché sort of nickelodeon kids show style at the start with dumb jokes and iroh being silly. Then you see the characters develop and you realise the weight behind each one. I think that's part of what makes the show so watchable, and I hope they don't just have the serious parts, without also having what made the serious parts so meaningful. Also P.S. - Thanks for the mango on the 1M QnA video! :>

[@kdc-wy3su]

re Zuko on the ship: best guess, they have combined Blue Spirit and The Storm and what we see is the crew of Zuko's ship giving him respect now they know his back story

[@ryomawashere4032]

Booking a front row sit on the review. Also heads up for another one hour long of this new Azula's psychology.

[@serflagriffin5752]

I suspect we're going to get the exaxt opposite of your hopes for Zuko's story - rather than a villain with a redemption arc, he'll be a secondary protagonist on a path toward destruction until he finds a better path. My guess is we get the full flashback of the Agni Kai (explaining Ozai's early appearance and the Agni Kai shots) through his recovery and banishment, ending with the scene of him walking onto his ship to begin the search for the Avatar, which is what my guess is for that scene with him on the ship with his swords (from a costuming perspective, choosing a violent path). His face looks like he's sad trying to be stoic, and Iroh watching on as his nephew comes aboard the ship for the first time at night, without honors, makes sense. For the shot from behind a guy toward Zuko bowing - I suspect the lighting is deceptive and that's not a guy in a grey shirt, just a shirtless Ozai with bracers, as they all are shirtless for Agni Kai, and Zuko is as well in that shot.

[@oomreni5820]

Damn, your idea is actually cooler than mine. I was aiming for after Zuko beats Zhao in the agni kai. I'd be like: "Flamio, our captain just kicked the crap out of that navy commander! Definitely gonna give him some props." If they move The Storm and Zuko's part in The Southern Air Temple around it could make for a more interesting environment, on Zuko's ship.

[@secretlyadragon4723]

Tim made a 45 min video off of a 2 min trailer... that is dedication. I can't lie. Props to you dude.

[@emilyk4437]

I kind of like the way Aang’s tattoos glow as it almost give it the effect like a light behind glass, seeing beneath the skin, meaning that we are seeing Aang’s chi paths which is where the tattoos are placed supposedly. Does that makes sense?

[@RyansReflections7274]

Tim you're the only one i trust with the extensive knowledge needed to accurately and fairly critique the new ATLA series. Can't wait to watch you follow it!

[@its_joey]

one thing i haven't seen anyone point out yet is that in the first couple frames of the Omashu reveal, we see the top of aang's head where he's wearing the wig made of appa's fur and you can see momo's ears sticking out of it! i think that really helped solidify that theyr'e going to keep his goofy side apparent in this version

[@EthanHaluzaDelay]

This felt like such a throwback to your earlier content-the worldbuilding theories and the trailer reviews for Race to the Edge and HTTYD-3

[@oswakazimi5532]

So happy you uploaded. Been counting days for your breakdown video

[@SerpentKnight555]

This may be weird to say but I love the fact momo's cgi is in my opinion kinda goofy I feel it's better than if they tried to make him look fully realistic

[@brinmoody]

I actually agree with you!

[@irohmaniac]

I agree

[@kiaraknight5380]

I agree :’) it’s like Sonic! I actually am so curious to see how they do the other animal hybrids

[@hannahschmitt8442]

I think it’s cool that the series has the potential to expand upon things that the original could not, but I also hope that in doing that they don’t lose focus on what the overall focus and narrative is of avatar. Sometimes everything doesn’t need to be explained for a story to be good.

[@97nived]

Bloodbending is going to be terrifying in live action.

[@Mysterios1989]

2:50 : Honestly, I am glad if they stretch the story out a bit. A few elements that were more later in the show (especially the Katara Aang love story) works I think better with a bit of an older cast than a 12 year old Aang and a 14 year old Katara and a 15 year old Sokka. When we assume that each book will be stretched out over a year, we would have them 15 and 17 in the end, which feels more appropriate for the more mature themes in the later parts. For example, if they keep (what I hope) how Azula slips into insanity in the last part, I feel that it would be differently unsettling if it happens to the 14 year old child we see in this clip than to a 17 year old teenager, not giving up the same intimidating vibes as with an older person. With the cartoon, it was easy to not thing about their exact age in these moments and just let the animation speak, but in live action, the actor needs to carry these intended emotions, and that simply works better with a bit of an aged up cast.

[@LadyKhione]

First, while reading your commet my interpretation is that you would like to see an older Azula for her breakdown if this is wrong I apologize! While I am happy for the actors sake that they are aging up the cast, I would politely disagree when it comes to Azula's insanity at the end. A major part of Azula's tragedy is the audience being forced to remember that this is a child that has been mentally and emotionally manipulated and abused and she is another casualty of the great struggle for power. Its heavily hinted that Azula from a very young age adapted to a skewed world view with power and her fathers acceptance as the driving forces behind all her actions - and the very means of her survival in what is clearly an unhealthy and unstable family environment. As the audience we are meant to question how much of Azula is a sociopath and how much is learned behavior - at least that was always my interpretation given the duality between how Azula is treated by her mother and by her father, equally praised for her acheivements by the fire lord, while all behavior interaction in the flashbacks are questioned by her mother "what is wrong with that child' etc. Azula's character stands as a complex reference and reminder that its not just the other kingdoms that are suffering under the regeime of the fire lord; and as a testiment to the type of person Ozai is that this is how he chooses to promote and raise his family and as a foil to zuko's coping mechanisms. All this to say - the point of Azula's breakdown is to feel unsettled; to feel sorrow and helplessness for the twisted person she became due to forces outside her control. Personally, I hope that while they expand on various stories they do not stretch out the in world timeline - the whole Avatar series takes place over about a year, if they try to make it happen over years I fear we'll lose the momentum of the story. I dont think its likely they will make each book a year since we already know the shows runtime and can compare it to the animation run time and they are pretty close which doesn't leave a lot of room for time stretches unless they want to do time skips - given the amount of back story they seem to want to cover I think its more likely they will stick to a year timeframe for in world events. Plus, one of the main amazing feats of Aang is that he learns all of the forms of bending in such a short period of time and masters them. Giving him years to master the elementts would take away from this acheivment.

[@Mysterios1989]

@@LadyKhione I agree that this part of Azula's portrayal looking back at the show as an adult and deliberately remembering her age, it has the described effect. The thing is: The show does not try to make that impression of her as a child loosing it, but her as a person disregarding the age. The show itself is aimed at children, even though it has universal appeal. If I remember, the only actual age confirmed within the show is Aang with 12, the other characters are never specifically aged and only additional content reveals that Azula is only 14. When watching the show, I already got the impression that she was older. While I understand that this view on Azula's decent into insanity makes sense in an analytical sense, the show does not point in that direction nor ever emphasizes her child-like characteristics. She was always treated like a young adult, and with animation having issues to actually giving proper age markers for a character, it is how the majority of the audience perceived the scene without thinking of the wider implications. In the show, Azula feels like how a teen feels to a child, like she is already so mature, and the show never tries to change this even when she goes insane. Because of that feeling, my point is to keep it similar, the LA Azula needs to age up to fit the feeling of the younger show-Azula.

[@LadyKhione]

@@Mysterios1989 a fair point :) I guess we'll see which direction Netflix decides to go.

[@sevearka]

The beginning had me a bit sceptical (those are still tiny blasts for comet powered benders, and the airbenders fighting back in that kind of cinematic clash seems odd to me). But everything after that looks amazing, and the music had me tearing up. All the actors seem fantastic! Some thought and care have clearly gone into this.

[@darkdarkdarkdra]

I think the zuko shot is the one right after he got the scar and he was banished. notice how unconfortable he looks in the middle of all of them and how worried iroh looks (though iroh was always worried for zuko)

[@irohmaniac]

If they stick to the original, his wound should still be bandaged at this time and not already a scar

[@irohmaniac]

He visits the air temple I think 2-3 weeks after the Agnikai and still has the wound bandaged

[@Spike2276]

First thing that came to mind was: Wow, Appa and Momo don't look like nightmare fuel, GG Netflix. Edit: that shot of Zuko and Iroh in a back to back fighting pose is absolutely of Iroh's capture, and i already see the humor in that episode because it seems Iroh has gotten a tan/sunburn from sleeping out in the sun during his hotspring bath

[@shadowthehedgehog181]

My first thought about the trailer was, "Hello Future Me," is going to make a 45-minute breakdown of this." Does one for nearly 48 minutes instead 😅

[@addnamere1187]

I was worried about this at first. But after watching the trailer I have faith this show will be good. Changes can be a good thing, as long as they keep the sprit of Avatar I'll be happy.

[@Skaiser_Wilhelm7938]

I've been waiting for this video since the trailer came out. The wait payed off. 👍

[@reasez2020]

Omg I have been WAITING for this from you! Lol great insight as always. I was super excited about the trailer & I'm STILL excited!

[@biornr.4031]

Maybe the Zuko shot with the saluting men is from an expanded of The Storm? It is a sly hint to the blue spirit in the following episode, and it can further give some depth to Zuko, Iroh, and the crew plus their dynamics

[@nonamek3697]

Hello Future Me is eating with each ATLA drop.

[@RottenBen]

"They did Luffy quite well." I feel like Tim's going off of the response of everyone else who watched the Live Action One Piece with this statement, since I don't know anyone else who has watched it that is still mispronouncing Luffy's name. Either that or he's doing it out of spite. Could be either. In regards to the actual analysis, fantastic job, you've actually made me more hyped for this new series than the trailer already had.

[@IfEnjoinder]

Since the Moment the Trailer dropped I was looking forward to this video. Thank you so much. :)

[@qtunicorn2123]

I think that scene is more Aang being happy to see that Momo has followed them after departing the southern air temple. You can see Katara kinda nudging sad Aang to look over to cheer him up.

[@KitOfTheWeirdWoods]

I thought that the Momo clip was them leaving the Southern Air Temple. Aang looked quite down, which he wouldn't really be on his way there, then Katara points out Momo which seems to cheer him up. I assumed that they maybe saw him at the temple, then as they are leaving Momo decides to follow and join them, and I love that.

[@flameblade5127]

There are two things in this trailer that stand out and give me a good feeling about this show. The first thing is the music. Every adaptation like this should use a rendition of at least some of the original music. The second thing is the color. The shot of the iceberg, Omashu, Suki. They all look amazing, and that’s because of the bright and vibrant colors. It makes the world look so much more fun to eventually see and explore. It makes all the costumes look better as well.

[@ajnebula6622]

I'm still terrified. You gave me a bit of reassurance. I do deeply appreciate the break down, since there was A LOT I missed.

[@carterbaker4107]

Really awesome analysis Tim, a lot of stuff I heard you mention I really hadn’t fully thought about!