Avatar: The Last Airbender entered the spotlight again due to an internet debate. Avatar, the incredibly popular Nickelodeon animated anime-inspired show, originally aired from 2005-2008. Its popularity skyrocketed even further after it was added to Netflix’s catalog in 2020, becoming one of Netflix’s most popular shows over a decade after its initial release.
Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, Avatar tells the story of a warring society that can only be brought to peace by the Avatar, the one person who can manipulate all four elements. The show was incredibly successful during its initial release, garnering high ratings as well as a Primetime Emmy Award and a Peabody Award. Avatar was praised for not only its high production quality and cultural references, but also for introducing children to difficult topics such as genocide, feminism, imperialism, war, and totalitarianism. The show was so successful that it birthed a franchise comprising the popular spin-off/sequel series The Legend of Korra, a prequel novel series, an ongoing comics series, and M. Night Shyamalan’s infamous 2010 live-action film. Currently, a live-action remake of the show is in development at Netflix, but the show is now trending for a different reason.
Aang, the protagonist of Avatar: The Last Airbender, began to trend on Twitter after user @AuxGod tweeted a controversial picture of the best shows from Nickelodeon. The photo, which replaced America’s founding fathers on Mount Rushmore with characters from Hey Arnold!, Rugrats, The Fairly OddParents, and SpongeBob SquarePants, created a war in the replies. Many fans began advocating for shows such as Doug, Rocko’s Modern Life, Rocket Power, and Danny Phantom. However, not many advocated as hard as Avatar’s fans did for Aang and the show’s legacy, with many claiming that Avatar is the best show Nickelodeon has ever made.
Netflix’s upcoming Avatar live-action adaptation has been another point of contention for fans as details have slowly trickled out. Fans were hoping that it would be better than Shyamalan’s widely-disliked 2010 film adaptation, though it is not looking so sure. To start, the creators of the original show left the Netflix project due to creative differences, going on to create Avatar Studios at Nick, which will be a division dedicated to expanding the Avatar universe. Then, it was announced that the Netflix series was angling to change the ages of Aang’s friends and companions Katara and Sokka, a choice which they then reneged. As of yet, there have been no casting announcements, but fans’ fears that the show would be whitewashed seem to be being taken seriously as actors of indigenous and Asian backgrounds are reported to be the main considerations for the series.
Nickelodeon and Avatar are not new subjects of debate. Fans are consistently discussing the best Nickelodeon shows, both animated and live-action. From Dan Schneider’s impressive empire of teen shows such as Drake & Josh and All That to the all too unsung animated series such as ChalkZone and As Told By Ginger, the best Nickelodeon show is often up for debate. As for Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans will have to wait and see what Netflix and Avatar Studios bring to the table.
Source: @AuxGod_/Twitter