Avatar: The Last Airbender is a franchise that has seen very few problems in its fifteen-year existence. With the exception of M. Night Shyamalan’s critical failure "The Last Airbender,” the show has for the most part only aged gracefully with time. In 2018 Netflix announced that a live-action reboot of the series was planned, production expected to begin in the near future.
10 Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfics To Read Before The Netflix Series Releases
Even with original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko onboard, there is still fear that this remake will have a similar end result. As it is unlikely all of the show’s content will be adapted, it is important to the story that certain arcs be given priority over others.
The Storm (Should)
While it wouldn’t be until Season 3 that Zuko would befriend Aang, this Season 1 episode highlights the parallels between them. Both are caught in a massive storm, Zuko on his ship and Aang looking for Sokka at sea. Aang is reminded of the night he left the Air Temple, and the similar storm that led him to crash into the water. Iroh, meanwhile, explains to the ship's crew the events which led to Zuko’s banishment. This episode is among the most critical to include in the reboot, as essential information is given regarding Aang and Zuko's backstories.
The Southern Raiders (Should)
The murder of Katara and Sokka’s mother by a Firebender has been a major part of their foundations throughout the series. This is especially the case for Katara, who witnessed the act as a child and is seldom seen without their mother’s betrothal necklace. In the hopes of convincing Katara that he has changed for the better, Zuko tells her that he can help find the commander that did it. After a long search (in which she begins to utilize Bloodbending), Katara very narrowly avoids killing him before leaving. This episode offers some closure to Katara's past, and opens her up to the idea that Zuko is redeemable.
Warriors Of Kyoshi Island (Should)
The introduction of the Kyoshi Warriors is a pivotal encounter for Sokka. Holding many conservative views on how men and women should act, he is surprised by the adeptness of the all-female Kyoshi Warriors after they capture all three of the protagonists.
Sokka is then humiliated by their leader Suki after declaring that he could take them when not caught off guard. He apologizes afterward and asks them to teach him, leaving with a greater respect for women. Suki becomes Sokka’s love interest later in the series, and their relationship helps him to gradually move past Yue’s departure.
Return To Omashu (Should)
At the start of Season 2, Team Avatar returns to Omashu as it is on the path of their journey to the Earth Kingdom capital. This time, however, they find that it is under Fire Nation control. This marks the first episode that the trio encounter Azula, who is shown to be a much bigger threat than Zuko (who is now a fugitive of the Fire Nation). This episode also foreshadows Toph’s entrance into the show when Bumi tells Aang to find someone who “waits and listens” to be his Earthbending teacher.
The Chase (Should)
“The Chase” holds significance in a number of ways. Through her relentless pursuit of Team Avatar, Azula is shown to be a significantly greater threat than Zuko. She is shown to have the full support of the Fire Nation and its assets, unlike Zuko who now has even fewer resources. It also marks the reunion of Zuko and Iroh, who then incidentally join with the protagonists in fighting Azula. When Azula nearly kills Iroh with lightning, it also shows how truly dangerous she is to even former family members.
The Blue Spirit (Should)
Zuko’s willingness to fight against the Fire Nation is made clear in this episode. Zhao manages to capture Aang and places him imprisons him. Not wanting to lose his only chance at redemption, Zuko breaks into the prison to free Aang while disguised as the masked “Blue Spirit.”
He is knocked unconscious just as they are leaving, but is saved by Aang. Having brought himself and Zuko to a forest, Aang asks Zuko if the two could have been friends in another life. Zuko immediately attacks Aang, but the question resonates with both characters.
Avatar Day (Not Needed)
The trio come across an Earth Kingdom village with a vendetta against the Avatar in “Avatar Day.” As Avatar Kyoshi is held responsible for the death of their founder, the town is set on punishing Aang. Essential elements of this episode include Zuko leaving Iroh to forge his own path, while the Kyoshi Warriors are revealed to have left to aid the Earth Kingdom. Although exploration of the show's lore is a beloved aspect of "Avatar," episodes such as this are not critical to the narrative, and any elements that are could be included elsewhere.
Bato Of The Water Tribe (Not Needed)
In episode 15 of Season 1, Katara and Sokka are reunited with Bato, who like the rest of the Southern Water Tribe men had gone to war. His goal is to rejoin the Southern fleet after having been separated from them. The prospect of reuniting with Hakoda, the commander of the fleet and Sokka and Katara’s father, excites the siblings. Aang meanwhile, worried that he will be abandoned, conceals a message that arrives at their camp from Hakoda. Their discovery of his deception is a decent depiction of Aang making a hurtful mistake and learning from it, but the storyline could be ignored with little impact.
Jet (Not Needed)
While Jet and his Robin Hood-like personality and gang are fan favorites, his overall impact on the show is disproportionately minimal. He is not completely useless as a plot point; Jet’s plan to drown a Fire Nation village is a good early example of "Avatar’s" proclivity for showing the grey nature of war.
However, this is also accomplished in several other episodes, and Jet’s contribution to the story in Season 2 is minimal. In Season 3’s 'The Ember Island Players', his ambiguous fate is even mocked by Sokka during the titular stage performance.
The Great Divide (Not Needed)
In Season 1, the main group comes across two tribes while traveling through a massive canyon called the “Great Divide.” The tribes are themselves divided by a century-long feud over the disappearance of a sacred orb, each tribe claiming that a member of the other had been responsible. Aang, who was alive at the time, says that the two tribe members were children fighting over a normal ball. The issue of this arc primarily comes from Aang using deception to “successfully” resolve the conflict. The nonchalant revelation that he lied is antithetical to his culture, status as the Avatar, and teaches him nothing of value. Again in “The Ember Island Players,” it is heavily implied that the episode is worth outright skipping.