Why Some Fans Think Netflix’s “Avatar” Live-Action Series Is Already Doomed To “Flop”
Following the wild success of the One Piece live-action on Netflix, many were excited to hear the long-discussed remake of Avatar: The Last Airbender would be the next to air.
Avatar is the story of a young boy whose ability to control all four of the elements, rather than just one, sets him on a path to save the world from destruction at the hands of the Fire Nation’s leader.
The show boasts a talented host of actors, including Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai and Arden Cho as June.
However, many fans of the original series have already turned their backs on the show due to several changes and issues revealed before the show’s premiere.
For many, the first sign of potential issues came with the announcement that the series’ creators would leave the show due to creative differences.
When Netflix brought me on board to run this series alongside Mike two years ago they made a very public promise to support our vision. Unfortunately, there was no follow-through on that promise. Though I got to work with some great individuals, both on Netflix’s side and on our own small development team, the general handling of the project created what I felt was a negative and unsupportive environment.
— Bryan Konietzko, co-creator of the original Avatar.
The creators’ involvement made many fans believe this would create an excellent adaptation, leaving many disappointed.
Next, the casting of Sokka came with some controversy. Multiple Indigenous and Asian cultures inspire the characters in the world of Avatar, leading to an expectation that the cast would fully reflect this.
Ian Ousley was announced to play Sokka and described as a mixed-race member of a Cherokee tribe. However, the Cherokee Phoenix, a Native news publication, stated that he was not enrolled in any federally recognized Cherokee tribes and instead was allegedly a member of a “fake tribe.”
Ok everyone Just in: Today we received confirmation that Ian Ousley is not a member of the Cherokee Nation. This is the Response from Tribal registrar Derrick Vann CC'ed is Chief Hoskin, Chief of Cherokee Nation and Secretary of State for the Cherokee Nation Tina Glory Jordan pic.twitter.com/XpHCrUm9sa
— 7genvoices (@7genvoices) January 20, 2022
There are mixed opinions on Ousley’s claims, and no casting changes were made following this.
The following issues come from the production team revealing details about the live-action series’ plotlines, revealing some changes many believe to take away from the story, like Aang’s origins and path.
Aang is 12 years old and a member of the peaceful Air Nomads, where he received his first training ahead of the usual age, which ultimately led to his hundred-year disappearance. During this time, the Fire Nation committed genocide, killing all of the Air Nomads.
The original series did not show this in detail, but in an interview, the live-action showrunner, Albert Kim, revealed this will be shown.
On the other hand, it was also revealed that Aang would not go on as many side adventures and would instead be given “this vision of what’s going happen,” according to Kim.
While this is understandable for time’s sake, many of these adventures showed Aang’s growth and development. The show will also include Aang not going into the “Avatar State,” a technique that allows him to channel cosmic energy and the knowledge of the past Avatars.
Sokka was also revealed to have undergone a major character change, with the Katara’s actress revealing they removed his sexism.
While this might sound like a change made for current audiences, some believe it takes away from the character’s development. Sokka begins as a brash, sexist but, through the cartoon series, unlearned these behaviors and matures.
This will likely impact the cartoon series’ start, as Sokka’s rudeness towards Katara led her to free Aang from his sleep.
Avatar: The Last Airbender will be added to Netflix on February 22 and only time will tell how the series will be received!
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