Netflix’s The Last Airbender Is Taking A Big Risk Including 1 Unseen Moment From The Original Show

Summary

• Including unseen moments from the original Avatar: The Last Airbender series in the live-action adaptation is a risky move for Netflix, but if handled properly, it could pay off.
• The live-action adaptation has the opportunity to add depth to the original story by exploring the Fire Nation attack on the Southern Air Temple, but it must be careful to balance the darker moments with the lighthearted tone that made the animated series special.
• The inclusion of brutal moments in the adaptation may make it more difficult to redeem certain characters, such as Prince Zuko and Uncle Iroh, but it also has the potential to enhance their storylines if approached carefully.

Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender is taking a big risk by including an unseen moment from the Nickelodeon series, but if executed properly, this gamble could pay off. The live-action Last Airbender adaptation is finally hitting the streamer in February, and the first season will reveal whether it can truly recapture the magic of the original. There are many things Netflix’s Last Airbender remake must get right, and it faces numerous challenges, especially when bringing the elemental magic of the animated series to life.

This is enough to worry about without adding original content, but an update from showrunner Albert Kim confirms the show will feature scenes that aren’t in the original story. To a certain extent, this is to be expected. However, it does raise questions about how faithful Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender will be. Kim revealed one of the unseen moments from the animated show will appear in the live-action adaptation. Its inclusion runs the risk of hurting the Netflix series, though it could pay off if it’s handled with care.

Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender premieres on February 22, 2024.

Netflix’s The Last Airbender Will Include The Destruction Of The Southern Air Temple

The Nickelodeon Series Only Showed The Aftermath Of The Raid

The live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender has the opportunity to expand on characters and storylines the original show glosses over, and it seems it’s taking advantage of this. Speaking to Games Radar, Kim revealed that season 1 will show the Fire Nation attack on the Southern Air Temple. While Aang and his friends see the aftermath of this tragedy in the animated series, the Nickelodeon show doesn’t actually depict the raid on-screen. The fact that Netflix’s adaptation will cover it more thoroughly shows that it’s working to add depth to the original story.

Elaborating on what exists can benefit adaptations, but digging into moments like this one comes with risks. The original Avatar: The Last Airbender is revered for a reason, and overlooking this could cost the Netflix remake. If the streamer is hoping to capture the magic of the original, it needs to walk a fine line when it comes to adapting the story and expanding on it.

Showing This Moment From The Original Last Airbender Risks Ruining Its Tone

The Netflix Series Must Tread Carefully

The original Avatar: The Last Airbender doesn’t shy away from important subjects, and the series is founded on political discussions. Still, as the Nickelodeon show is aimed at kids, it takes care to balance its more serious themes with a lighthearted tone. That approach is what makes it feel so timeless, and it’d be a shame if the Netflix show didn’t capture that element of the story. While the live-action adaptation should dig deeper into The Last Airbender‘s core themes and conflicts, doing so comes with risks, as a lack of balance will ruin what made the original show so special.

Showing the Fire Nation raid on the Southern Air Temple will highlight the very real brutality that comes with colonization. It will also allow viewers to feel Aang’s losses more acutely, giving the lead a stronger motivation in the process. Netflix can accomplish this successfully, but it must take care to balance the bleaker moments with the comedic scenes and upbeat storytelling the animated show is known for. If the live-action series leans too hard into the darker themes of The Last Airbender, it will struggle to sell itself to longtime fans, even if that approach works for countless other projects.

Nickelodeon’s Last Airbender deviates from its fun tone on occasion, so including a few hard-hitting scenes won’t hurt Aang’s story. The risk comes from turning Avatar into a darker and more devastating tale across the board. Doing so would overlook why the animated show became so popular in the first place, setting the streamer’s take up for failure.

The Live-Action ATLA’s Ending May Be Hard To Pull Off After Showing This Tragedy

Prince Zuko & Uncle Iroh Might Be Harder To Forgive

In addition to requiring balance, the inclusion of brutal moments in Netflix’s live-action The Last Airbender may make it more difficult to redeem certain characters. While Fire Nation leaders like Fire Lord Ozai and Admiral Zhao are detestable across the board, players like Prince Zuko and Uncle Iroh are easy to like in the original show, even when they’re on the wrong side of the war. Knowing Iroh’s history and how it relates to scenes like the Fire Nation’s raid may paint his character in a darker light. The former general’s easygoing nature may not come off as well when viewers see the devastation the Fire Nation is causing.

Prince Zuko faces a similar problem, and his character arc is often regarded as one of the series’ strongest. The Last Airbender excels when it comes to Zuko’s redemption, and it’s one of the things the live-action show must get right in order to succeed. Including Fire Nation travesties like the attack on the Southern Air Temple could make it harder to forgive Zuko when he finally comes around. Unlike Iroh, he has the excuse of being a child whose upbringing shapes most of his actions and beliefs. With that in mind, a darker view of the Fire Nation could also enhance the prince’s storyline. It all depends on the approach.

Netflix’s Risky Decision To Include The Southern Air Temple Could Pay Off

The Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Can Successfully Find Balance

When it comes down to it, Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender including the darker parts of the Fire Nation’s takeover can either benefit or hurt the live-action series; it all depends on how it’s handled. Showing the scope of the Fire Nation’s destruction isn’t an inherently bad idea, and it gives the adaptation room to stand out from the original story. The important thing is to tread carefully when it comes to the tone, as overdoing the violence and drama will make it feel like an entirely different property.

Many adaptations that wander too far from the source material fail, so The Last Airbender‘s success hinges on staying faithful to its predecessor. It can — and even should — expand upon elements of the original series. And there are ways to ramp up the political stakes without removing what made the animated series great. It’s all about striking the right balance. Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s added scenes can be compelling if they manage that, elevating the story and highlighting how relevant its themes are today.