Before You Watch 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' | Netflix

Transcript is generated automatically.
0:00

Hey, I'm Derek.

And I'm Noah, and you're listening to A Bite of.

Where we take our cards.

Favorite pop culture obsession?

And enjoy it 1 Nibble at a time.

Big nibble, big pop culture.

0:16

Obsession.

Yeah, like decades long pop culture obsession.

Yes, we are here today to get excited, to celebrate, to talk about things.

Before you watch Avatar.

The Last Airbender, yes, live action series is finally coming to Netflix.

0:32

It was announced in like 2018 or something like that.

And we're finally here 1 Pandemic later.

Yes, grab your cabbages, Grab your lychee nuts.

It's time to celebrate, baby.

Oh yeah, Yip, Yip.

And we fly off into the distance.

0:50

Very excited.

So how we're going to do this episode.

It's not going to be like our normal before you watch, because I think we're at the point where, like, we really want you to watch this, right?

We want you to watch the original series as much as the live action one.

We're just going to really focus on book one, so we're not going to do too many spoilers outside of the first season.

1:13

I put that in an asterisk.

Like we're not going to talk about big character moments and stuff like that, like ending character arcs.

So like, you should be relatively safe.

It'd be so hard.

It's going to be very hard, but you know, if you're using this as a primer, it will work.

If you've seen the series, stick around with us, or if you're like crazy and just want to, like know everything before you see it, Hi, Welcome.

1:33

Yeah.

I feel like for myself right now I'm just sort of soaking anything Avatar up that I possibly can.

Yeah, yeah, Rewatching the first book or season again was a lot of fun.

And I think it's just, and we really love this series, right?

And we can't wait to really just talk about it and get into it.

1:51

But we're going to be talking about those characters, the things we love about it, the creation of both of the shows.

It's going to be fun.

Agreed.

Yeah, going to be a lot of fun.

Before we get into all that, we got to do some housekeeping, you know, leave a review if you haven't.

We like those things.

2:08

We appreciate those things.

Also coming down the Pike, episodes that are coming up, we have a review of the live action Avatar coming up next week.

We're going to give you guys the weekend to watch it.

So watch it and then like we're going to have a review.

But on Patreon we're going to do a little cabin, not cabin, because we did that for Percy Jackson.

2:27

We're going to do a quiz hangout again, where we're going to take some quizzes that are in the Avatar sphere, in the Avatar universe to find out, you know what, Bender we would be, because that's going to be fun.

Yeah, I'm not even going to try and guess, because when we did the Percy Jackson ones, I was completely wrong about where I thought I would land.

2:45

So I'm not even going to put it out there.

I just want.

I want the quizzes of the interwebs to tell me where I would.

Land in this world the decisions, though.

I answer them honestly and apparently my heart is not synced up to my mind.

I would not be a good avatar because balance does not lie within.

3:03

It really doesn't, I guess.

So those are the things that we have coming up, very excited.

So I mean, let's just issue the spoiler warning right now, because we have a lot to talk about.

Yeah, definitely.

So y'all.

If you do not want to be spoiled on honestly just major plot points about the entire first season of book one of Avatar, The Last Airbender, you might want to stop, Jump onto Netflix, Watch it.

3:27

It'll take you about 9 hours.

We know from experience so go do that and then come back.

All right, so let us officially not really take a bite of, but introduce you to a before you watch Avatar, the last ender, ender the last airbender book 1 water.

3:50

Just like the turbulence seas, we must calm ourselves within and become one.

So I mean before we get into like really the the world of it, right?

I want to know like like what do you, what's your experience with it?

4:06

Like what do you love about it?

Like, how excited are you?

I'm incredibly excited.

So I'm one of those people.

So I wasn't a pandemic watcher.

I watched it way before that, but I wasn't a person that was watching it live on Nickelodeon.

So the first time that I saw it was that I had purchased the box set of season one.

4:26

So I had, I I had actually gone through a breakup at the time.

And so I was feeling really down and sad and lonely.

And I was just like, you know, having one of those afternoons and Target as you always do.

We were just kind of like walking and going, should I buy this?

4:41

Should I buy that?

And I saw the box set and I was like, oh, gosh, I've heard a lot from this show.

All right, let me just get it.

Let me watch it.

And I was immediately, immediately obsessed with it.

So I blaze through the first season.

I bought the second season, but then the third season hadn't even started a Nickelodeon yet, so I had binge watch the first two seasons like crying in my bedroom, non-stop, falling asleep to the DVD menu, Just having that, like all the time.

5:13

I will say though, those end credit that music hyped every time.

When we were re watching it every time, I was just like.

Yes, and and here's the thing about the music is that, you know, they left off on a serious moment when they don't play the music.

Yeah, those are.

5:30

Those are heavy episodes.

Yeah, they really let you sit in that emotion and you're like, oh, everything is horrible.

So, like, I'm, I mean, I think this is one of those series where like if you're going through a hard time or not, it's a great show to watch because it encompasses a lot.

5:46

There's a lot of empathy in the show and I think a lot of people can relate to that or see something in that.

I watched it when it was coming out.

I remember the guys.

This is like 20 years ago.

It came out in 2005.

I'm in my like 30s.

6:01

So like, I was young when it came out.

I watch this with my sister, which was really fun to watch because Osaka and Katara, they're brother and sister.

So we had a lot of fun watching that.

And my sister and I, we watched it.

She actually fell off of it.

But I loved it and I kept watching it.

6:17

So I watched the entire series as it was airing, which was torture because yeah, because like, I wanted to know more and especially how some of the books ended.

It's like I need to know what happened to this thing.

But that's really my memory with it.

I remember watching it as it came out.

6:34

They, Nickelodeon, used to have video games like on their website, as most of the websites did back then.

Because this is like pre.

Social media.

This is pre all of that.

So like they had one where you can make your own Bender and like play in this like world and stuff like that is so much fun.

6:51

So there's a lot of like, yeah, very fond memories.

Absolutely.

And I feel like I was so hungry for Avatar content.

Like when you when I used to get a box set or a DVD, you know, to be like director's commentary, you know, special featurettes or whatever.

7:06

You're kind of like whatever, whatever.

I was so hungry for more Avatar, the less inventor, that I watched every interview, every little dock that was on it.

I could not get enough.

You know, it's good when you watch those things.

I'm not saying like you shouldn't watch those, but like if you were like, really into it.

7:22

Those are the things that you need.

And I feel like I have such a chip on my shoulder as a millennial and the fact that like, I mean because I mean and kind of talking to what you were saying, right.

This is going on 20 years.

And I think when I was watching it, I was in my 20s.

So I'm feeling real old.

You.

Know.

7:39

Were you that old?

I was in college.

I was in college.

I was like, I think I was 1920.

Oh, well, OK.

I guess it was a couple years after it premiered.

Yes, I got it.

So figure the first two seasons were already out on DVD when I when I watch it.

But like, like you're saying, you couldn't just go on YouTube and watch endless clips and watch interviews.

7:59

It was like what you got was all there was.

And so, you know, like you're saying your only outlet was like, go on nickelodeon.com and try and find those games to give you something.

But now, almost 20 years later, almost two decades later, we really do get to kind of revel in the joy of Avatar.

8:18

Yeah.

And it's, it's great because there's this resurgence, right, Because it was hard to really find where to watch it because you had to have the box sets and DVDs.

And since the pandemic in 2020, I believe, is when they released them all on Netflix.

8:33

And so then it became the number one show in the world again.

And so it's like, cool.

Like, it's back, you know?

And we got Kora and we got some books and graphic novels and everything after that.

But like, it was cool to, like, feel that again of all these new people finding it and then just giving more life to it.

8:49

And now we got a series.

Yeah, it's fantastic.

It's really fantastic.

I mean, I that those first three books as they call them, those first three seasonings, they were almost perfect and so.

They were perfect.

9:04

They are sort of this gift of blending fantasy and spirituality and adventure and friendship and love and family.

And it was just this perfect package that kind of you can deliver to anyone and they'll love it.

Yeah, I agree.

So like getting into the show also like let us know how you found it.

9:23

And I know you know, if you found it during the pandemic or just like last year or last week, totally fine.

You know we have our our e-mail is open avonipples@gmail.com It will be down in the show notes if you want to look at there, but e-mail us or comment anywhere that you know, just let us know.

9:40

Like this is how I fell in love with it.

We love hearing stuff like.

That I would also like to see if you've ever cosplayed as any of the characters and to please send that along as well.

Yes, if you post it just add us.

I really feel like I just have such an opportunity here with this baldness.

9:57

Like how have I not cosplayed as ANG even once in my?

Life.

Any of the Air Nomads?

Totally.

I mean, I really can be Monk Yatsu if I wanted to.

I just need to that beautiful necklace for sure.

Or, you know, you could be anything that you want to be in the Avatar universe, because your destiny is your destiny and you can be who you want to be.

10:17

Yeah, believe in yourself.

So let's get into the world of this right?

And if I was to summarize and what this show is like, the basic plot of it, right Water, earth, fire, air.

10:32

Long ago, the foreign nations live together in harmony.

Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked.

That sounds familiar.

It's literally opening.

But I love it when they do that in shows because when it becomes so iconic.

But that first episode, it's extended and it just lays it out there for you.

10:51

It is the first episode.

I mean, I don't, I don't know how long it's been since I've watched the first episode.

And in the first episode, that beginning speech is different.

Right.

It's longer.

It's longer, but it also ends with and he the Avatar disappeared.

Right, right.

So this in this world, the Four Nations, right?

11:08

There's earth, fire, water, air, and they all have their elements and there's people in there that can control them in their respective nations.

It's called bending.

And there's an Avatar who is able to control all of them, and they bring balance between the world and the spirit world, and they can control all the elements.

11:27

And of course, our little, great little boy Eng disappeared for 100 years.

So there hasn't been an Avatar, and the Fire Nation has just completely dominated everything.

They're not great.

They attacked, they attacked.

They attack.

11:43

And so it's it's interesting that our character of ANG is coming into a world that is imbalance that is not balanced and what does that mean for this world?

He needed to be there.

Yes, and and what it means is that this One Nation, the Fire Nation, has decided to try and rule the three other groups that exist in the world.

12:02

And so how can a 12 year old do that?

What was really interesting, especially on the rewatch recently because you know, it's one of those things where like I tend a lot of the stuff in the second season and the third season is like big stuff.

And like I feel like the second season just has a giant action set pieces and like they kind of get in their groove in the second one and the first one like this.

12:26

I feel like this is the first time that I really watched it all the way through again and seeing how it affected Eng.

And I feel like I lost that bit from watching the first time to now of like understanding that, one, he was 12 and two, he was put with this giant responsibility and he just wanted to kind of play.

12:47

Yeah.

And so having that responsibility, what does the 12 year old do?

And then him rising to that occasion is like the perfect recipe for a good series.

Right.

And I I think one of the things that the series does is that it really does play with, again, this idea of balance between being a child but having such great responsibility.

13:08

And we don't only see that in ANG, we see that in Katara, who is our water Bender on the adventure, her brother Saka, who is our non Bender on the adventure, and of course our, you know, Prince who's chasing after them.

Prince Zuko, he very much is in that similar situation.

13:25

He's 16, he's a little older, but he's given such a great responsibility.

But again, he's only a kid.

Yeah.

And so this is something that these two characters, even though they're at odds and they're, you know, they're kind of enemies of each other, they have a very similar storyline as far as what's propelling them forward.

13:44

I will say too out of a lot of media and I know this might be some people might disagree or whatever.

Personally, I feel like Zuko himself has one of the coolest and greatest and well thought out arcs in most media, like a redemption arc and everything.

14:03

It's just so good and the seeds were planted so early on.

Like once you watch it and if you watch it again knowing what happens at the end, you're like it was always like that and it was so subtle.

It's just it's really good.

So let's like take a step back right before we get into some of the characters and talk about how it was made.

14:22

I think it's always interesting to know where it came from, yeah.

So the two creators of this show are Michael Dante Dimartino and Brian Konietzko.

And so they had both sort of had studied Taoism and Buddhism and they were big into meditation and yoga, and they were obviously also comic book nerds and loved sort of Japanese influences, magic, influence and magic and so and they were artists as well.

14:51

And so one day Brian just sort of sketched this bald kid with an arrow on his head and a giant bison and this idea stuck with them.

And so one day they were, they were kind of playing around with this idea.

15:07

And apparently one day Brian was in a yoga class, He was meditating and the idea came that there was this young heir, this childhood control air, but this fire Prince that was after him.

And so that really gave shape to what this story would be about.

15:26

And they knew they had an amazing idea here and they ended up pairing up with some amazing artists.

And actually all of Avatar, The Last Airbender was done by a Korean animation group, so it's sort of outsourced to Korea, and that's what really added to this beautiful element of the show.

15:45

Yeah, I mean there's, I think they did a lot of care, you know, because they are two white guys that did something that has a lot of heavy influence on Asian culture and Inuits and everything like that.

And I think finding out what they did to get inspiration and to work with experts in that culture, this is what you should do, right?

16:07

If you're going to create something like this and you're going to borrow things or talk about somebody else's culture, you should involve those people.

Absolutely.

And on the inverse, you know, we know that they're not involved with the Netflix show, right?

Which is I I know that gives people some hesitation because the Night Shyamalan, one that came out in two of those don't.

16:25

Bring it up.

Don't bring it up.

They weren't really involved with that one, and we know how that turned out.

Just really quickly, I want to say there are two properties in my life that when I saw the movies of them, I was so disgusted it infuriated me.

16:40

One was Percy Jackson, the Olympians, and the other was Avatar, the Last Airbender.

And we're covering those back-to-back.

That's what I'm saying.

This is my redemption arc.

This is the world's redemption arc.

Exactly.

For terrible adaptations, you know, And The thing is like an adaptation is like, you know, you take the thing and you adapt it into whatever medium you're doing.

16:59

It's fine, you can change things, but there is something where you just suck the life out of it and you miss the whole point, right?

And that's what makes them bad.

Avatar, the Last Ed Bender, has such a a true spirit to it, a joy in it, even though it's getting through sadness and strife that if you lose that joy, you're losing a main element of the show, right?

17:24

And I feel like that was lost in that adaptation of, yeah.

No, it it 100% was, and I know with them not involved, the creators, it gives people hesitation, right?

But there is something to be said of most of these people that are working on it.

Directors, writers, showrunners, everything are from the cultures that they're talking about.

17:44

So yay for Asian representation and telling a story that represents their culture.

Yeah.

And so that's one of the things of, like, I'm kind of like, fine with that.

You know what I mean?

Like, yeah, it sucks that they're not there, but they have Avatar Studios and they're coming out with a little bunch of stuff and let's just see, right?

18:04

Yeah, I think, you know, you hear these things.

It's always this sort of blanket statement of we didn't have creative control, so we stepped away from it.

And and I do have to wonder what it is like to create something so incredible and release it to the world and have it be loved by so many and then become part of a new team that's trying to do something new with the work that you created.

18:29

I can't imagine what that struggle must be like, to watch somebody else have new ideas about something and you have to sort of maybe take a backseat to it.

So part of me maybe understands wanting or maybe needing to step away.

Yeah.

And I think the cool thing about them having their own studio now and you know, we're going to be getting, you know, a movie and other things and they're expanding the world outside of what we already know.

18:55

I think they have their hands full, right?

And we're going to be getting that content from the people that we trust that did Avatar, that did Korra.

So like, we get a lot of stuff right.

But I will say that the trailers that I've seen for this are better than the movie they did in 2010 already, so I think I'll be happy.

19:14

I I have to say that when they first released that kind of teaser trailer, I think it was at to doom over the summer that I remember I was standing in our kitchen and I was looking at the TV through the pass through and a tear came to my eyes because it was like seeing these characters that I love so much come to life, right?

19:36

And there was really just something so incredibly moving about that because I'm telling you, this show, it just gets into your soul, You know it.

It reminds me very much of Steven Universe in the sense that when you look at the package from the outside, you think this is just a child's toy, but in reality it is something that everyone can enjoy.

19:55

Well, that's the thing, right?

It's like this, the show that's a good example of using Steven Universe or even Adventure Time.

I feel like Adventure Times a little more silly, but.

These are the shows that were like they're on networks for kids, but like they sneak up on you, especially as the series goes on.

20:12

And it's just such it's for a wide, broad audience and I think it shows right.

The series wouldn't be as popular as it is almost 20 years later.

Getting a movie, getting a new series, getting more other things and own studio if it wasn't so beloved and good.

20:28

And also let's not mention the series is funny.

It is very funny towards the after we get through like the the animation stuff and like the original series, we're going to talk more about like what we want from the live action one but like it's going to be funny I.

Really need it to be funny.

20:44

Just like there's one character in particular and I think later on too, that bring the funny.

But in this first season they got to be funny.

They got to make me laugh.

Yeah, yeah.

But yeah.

So they really did their due diligence and finding out how to create the series.

21:03

Yeah, one of my favorite details is that for the most part, each of the bending of a specific element is based in a very specific martial art.

It's.

So cool.

And so they brought an expert on board Sifukisu and they So water bending is based in Tai Chi, Earth bending is based in Hungar, fire bending is Northern Xiaolin, and air bending is Bagua.

21:27

Yes, lots of spinach.

So, but I love that and that was one of those featurettes that I watched over and over again so on the DVD set and it just like things like that of just do doing the research and really basing it in something that is so real and it just gives life to that specific art form within the element and and it's just such a team effort and then going out and looking for those experts and it just makes it that more much more authentic.

21:54

And it's it's very true who in your so out of the in the animated series, right Because that's the only thing we have so far.

Who would you say is your favorite character?

So I've thought about this a lot.

It's hard, right?

22:10

Yes, it's.

It is very hard.

It doesn't just have to be on the 1st season, right?

Well, it's like let's not do that.

I.

I feel like I can't.

I I OK, how dare you.

First of all, so I feel like my choice, my safe choice but not my actual choice is Appa.

22:26

So Appa I just, I don't know.

I have.

I feel such a love for Appa because Appa loves them so much.

Appa is so loyal and loving and is there to protect them and and take them on this journey.

Appa is just as much as a character as our team Avatar is.

22:45

Absolutely.

And that's one of the the great things they did with the show is that Momo and Appa, they are integral to it.

They actually have their own storylines.

They help save the world, you know, It's when they do, it's just good.

I love it.

Right and OK, no, no spoilers or anything, but there is a specific episode in season 2 that I will refuse to watch again because I love Appa so much.

23:07

Isn't.

This the end of Season 2.

It's towards the end, right?

Yeah, Yeah.

So I think that my favorite character, and this is, I feel like, cheesy.

That's a human.

That's a human is ANG I.

Don't know I I Is it because he's bald?

23:25

One, but I feel very much drawn to ANG's story because ANG tries so hard to bring joy into the world.

And my my, my way of living my life personally is that I lead with kindness because for a very long time people were not kind to me for no other reason for me being who I am.

23:50

Listen to our Heart Slopper episodes to find out more about.

That yes and and so that piece of ANG I think really I connect with, right.

But I also think that when he has to make those serious choices, it is hard for him, especially when he has to weigh what people think he should be doing versus what he wants to be doing and and where that meets in the middle.

24:12

Yeah, that's a that's a really good point.

I mean Eng is like Eng is the heart and soul of this series.

And by extension the very close people, Saka and Katara and Toff later on and Zuko and Uncle Ayro and all of these people, they all bring it all together.

If I had to pick my favorite, obviously APO MO MO top, right.

24:33

Like they are just there is something, I'm.

I'm not going to say it, I'll say it when we get to live action stuff.

If I had to pick my favorite from the first season, it would surprisingly have to be Katara.

Oh, I am surprised.

24:49

Zuko I love Zuko so much, but Katara I just.

I think she goes through such an interesting arc there and for her to be the only water Bender in the Southern Water tribe and having to like and that's her mission, right?

That's what pushes her to leave is she's like, I need to also train to do this but she takes such a like an older sibling role with Saka even though Saka's older than her.

25:14

It's just I I really like her arc and I think she has a lot more fun in the first season.

Definitely, definitely on, but overall.

I think they all have a lot more fun in the first season they.

Do.

Overall, Toff is my favorite.

And if you know who I'm talking about, I I just connect so much with Toff.

25:31

I love Toff with every fiber of my being.

She is the greatest ever.

From the top of your head to the bottom of your feet.

Right.

Yes.

She's so cool.

I'm wearing green to, you know, I don't know, Stripe.

And see, I have a gorgeous Appa pin that I got at Comic Con.

25:50

It's golden and I just oh gosh, his little like it brings me such joy and it.

Relaxes me.

It's so good.

Love these characters so much So the the the first really book one of the series.

26:08

And what we can expect from the first season of the live action is there's 20 episodes in the animated one.

They smooshed it down to 8.

Less than half.

Which is quite a big thing to do, right?

And I will say there are some episodes in the first one with 20 episodes.

26:27

I don't think any episode in this series is a filler because there's something important that happens in every single one.

But there is so many funny moments and there's moments where we can kind of just sit with these characters.

Is there a favorite area within the first animated series that, like you really, really enjoyed?

26:47

So the thing about the the first season and kind of like the the overarching storyline of the first season, right, is that they find ANG in an iceberg, Katara and her brother Saka.

And so ANG needs to master the four elements.

27:03

He already knows air, so now they need to find him someone to teach him water bending air, not air, earth bending and fire bending.

And so they're going to go and try and find him some of these masters, right?

Until he's then told the entire plot of the series.

27:18

Right, exactly.

Exactly.

And so it's kind of like, you know, like a good old road trip novel, like we're setting out on the road, we're in our car, only this time it's a bison and they're going through it.

So as far as a favorite moment from.

27:34

That road episode like episodes, pieces of episodes.

Oh my gosh.

I I OK, so I know I got it.

I.

Got it.

You have to know I'm going to ask these things.

I don't.

And that's what's so hard about this.

So I think my favorite area of this is Episode 7 and 8 Winter Solstice Part One and Winter Solstice Part 2.

27:52

Very good In Winter Solstice Part one, we Is this the first Tang Tang?

Oh my gosh.

First time that Aang crosses over into the spirit realm, right?

And so we see that that is part of who he is.

He's not just an airbender.

It's not just about the elements.

It's also this other world.

28:08

It's a very big part, especially in the Chorus series. 100% I think one of the one of the seasons in that is actually called Spirit.

And then in the second one, I love the second one Solstice Part 2 because he gets to speak to Avatar Roku, right Anytime.

28:26

Personally for me, ANG is connected to the past avatars.

I love that.

Oh my gosh, I love that so much.

It's very good.

Yes.

And then also in in this one is when he has a conversation and learns the whole point of the whole series.

28:41

Yeah, yeah, Avatar Roku really driving a lot of things at home, you know that.

Sosen's Comet and everything like that.

And that's really, you know, kind of like Percy Jackson, at least in the first book.

It's like when this happens, you have to be at the point where you can stop it if not.

29:00

But wow, what is so crazy about this series is that it takes place only in a couple of months.

Like a year maybe?

Maybe.

Yeah, because they did say a line where it's like, it's coming and I'm like, wait.

It's like it's coming by the summer.

I'm like what?

29:15

What is it winter now?

Like, we have a year, right?

So that's what's so crazy about this.

But the journey that they go on really only takes place in a very short period of time.

It is, but it feels longer because it's like 60 episodes.

Well, yeah, I mean, it ended in 2008, right?

So it was 3 three years.

29:31

Literally just following them by the month.

Yeah, each episode is a day.

What Kingdom are we in?

If I could pick my favorite episodes, and these are a little heavy, the first one would be the Southern Air Temple, which is the third one, and then actually funny enough, the Northern Air Temple.

29:48

I really love the Blue Spirit episode because I'm not going to spoil that because it's really whatever.

So Zuko is the Blue Spirit and he has to get Ang from another general of the Fire Nation.

I love it so much and these are one of the things that we kind of see Zuko and Ang.

30:05

You know, he could leave Zuko there and he decides to.

He's like, I can't leave him here to die.

And it's like he's been trying to kill you this whole time.

Like what?

That is the beauty of Ang, right?

Right.

The beauty of Ang is just because you are my enemy.

Just because I'm your enemy doesn't mean you're my enemy, He.

30:21

Does it twice in this one season alone.

It's very good.

But so the third episode this the Southern Air Temple.

The reason why I like it so much is that that puts him at this is the consequence of your actions 100 years ago.

30:37

Did he mean to go into an iceberg for 100 years?

No.

But it shows what happened.

Because he left and the Fire Nation, we were able to do and kill all his people, which is devastating and it's so sad for him to be confronted with that.

But it's one of the first episodes, three episodes in, of showing just how serious this series is going to take the themes.

31:00

And it's presenting and just speaking to our love of Appa and Momo.

They are the only other two beings from his line of civilization, A.

Flying lemur and a sky bison.

And a sky bison.

And the beautiful thing is that, right?

31:17

So apparently the the the lore is that airbenders learned how to bend the element of air because they watch the sky bison.

They were the first airbenders.

And so here he is.

It's just the three of them.

This is it.

Which is it's always funny to me when it's like it's the last Airbender.

31:33

I'm like it's the last airbenders because Oppa's there.

I'm just saying Oppa's with him.

He can fly.

The Airbends and Oppa like is just a pro.

He just like.

You learned it from me.

Exactly.

But the northern air?

Simple.

I like it a lot because it also then confronts him with now, 100 years later, what happens to the places once it's people are gone?

31:56

Industrialize.

You have the people doing things because they have to, not because they want to.

Having to work that way, it's just really cool.

You know, in in watching this episode and now having watched Korra, this episode of the Northern Air Temple really feels like the catalyst of what creates Korra's civilization.

32:15

Well, you have you, you have Teo and his dad.

And his dad is just like advancing technology with the the technology of air and air pressure, it's like.

Steam Punk.

Yeah, and that is what pushes them right?

32:30

You can.

You can see those things, they're advancing a little bit and that's how we kind of get aura years later.

That crazy society, we will not even touch that at.

This point in time, but it's very good that I'm very excited to see those ones.

But those are, yeah, my favorite episodes.

32:46

Funny enough, they're both air temples.

I mean, I think it's saying something.

I know I'm not an airbender, that is for sure.

I.

Don't know.

I could see you spinning around on that ball.

I think my temperament though, Just no way.

You're fire.

I I probably actually am, I just don't want to be but.

33:04

We must truly embrace who we really are.

Yeah, but the SO the Original Series, beloved.

I think so many people love this series.

I'm very excited to just get more of it and also an excuse to watch it again.

Yeah, I'm looking you know, and looking at the episode list and re watching it, I'm really curious to see what we're going to lose from this series in the live action one, because a lot of these episodes, they introduce characters and plot points that are very important.

33:36

Yeah, so I actually forgot like how early Kiyoshi Island was introduced, the 4th episode, Zuki was introduced there, and these are very big hot points.

So getting to the live action stuff, if we want to get into that conversation now, I think they're going to do the big stuff.

33:57

I think with those 20 episodes and condensing it, we might lose some of the episodes.

But from the trailers, we know Blue Spirits in it, Kiyoshi Warriors are in it, Northern and Southern Air Temples are both in it.

Obviously the Northern Water Tribe is going to be in it as well.

34:16

They have.

I mean, it's going to end the.

End of it, you.

Have to 100%, yeah.

So I mean I is there anything in the live action one where you're like would actually be upset if they don't include it?

I think again, it's not necessarily specific things, like if we lost the pirates, I wouldn't be so mad about it, you know, if we lost, that's about it.

34:42

So for for me, it's really the spirit of the show.

I think that this show really does deal with heavy, heavy themes, right?

It it deals with war, it deals with genocide.

34:57

It deals with just horrible things happening to kids and.

And so I understand that there needs to be that solid dramatic background.

But the thing that I loved so much about the show was the humor.

And we had mentioned this at at the beginning of the episode and Saka in this first season really is the spirit of that humor.

35:20

He's the comedic relief really.

Through this entire series, him and Momo paired together are so funny for me.

One of the things I think I actually said this online not too long ago, but like I momo's in it.

We've seen him.

If they don't have the silly little lemur in the background, just doing goofy things like, that's going to be such a disservice.

35:43

I need the the momo Jingle that happens whenever he comes on just that like it's it's too good.

If they lose that, I'll be so sad.

And I think you're right.

It's it's it's these moments that for just a little bit relieve us of the tension.

36:02

And I think Momo is one of those characters that can do that for us.

Yeah, I I wouldn't be sad if they lose the pirates.

I'm.

I think we're going to get the big characters right.

I think, you know they've made some changes.

I the only character I believe who is a new character that I've seen in the trailers or know about is Suki's mother.

36:25

And she takes the place of the mayor, the male mayor.

That was an animated series, but her mother isn't.

It now kind of in that place.

And that's really the only new character.

But I'm liking what I see with the Kioshi Warriors and Kioshi Island, so that's cool.

36:43

I feel like they know that, like if you don't do them a service, we're going to be mad.

Yeah, I mean, let's all remind ourselves that the Kioshi Warriors are based on Avatar Kioshi, right?

So we're not just dealing with some tiny character.

36:58

This is a person that Eng was in a past lifetime.

Quite recently.

Like, yeah, two incarnations ago.

Good point.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

Because it goes, where does it go?

Air.

Water.

Earth.

Fire.

Air, Water.

37:14

So it was Earth, Fire.

Eng.

Cora.

Yeah.

You're right, exactly.

So I mean we have to do service to them and and I and they see that's the thing about this show, right.

And I think that's what sets it apart from just sort of a kids cartoon is that it is serialized, right.

37:29

And so these characters who come in as early as the 4th episode come back throughout the series.

There's a lot of thought and care that's put into this.

Yes, absolutely.

I think one other thing that I'll miss are the voices of the animated.

37:44

Show, right?

I mean, so iconic.

They're so iconic and they so became even when I see them in interviews, they are this character, right.

So Zach Tyler Eisen as Eng, Mae Whitman as Katara.

I mean, it's Mae Whitman.

I every time I always forget that Mae Whitman, she's done so much voice acting work and also live, live action work.

38:06

I was going to say live, person, work.

In the theatre, yeah.

Like person movie.

It's a movie, but it's always crazy to me, like whenever I see her like go to like conventions and stuff like that, I'm like, that's Mae Whitman.

Oh yeah, she was Katara.

If you had never seen Mae Whitton Whitman as Bernice Matisse in Hope Floats.

38:29

This was a child.

She was six years old.

Maybe.

I don't even know, this little girl acted her ass off.

There is one scene that still brings me to tears.

She's incredible.

She was also incredible on parenthood, but I mean, we the.

List goes on.

She was great in Arrested Development.

38:44

We loved her and Scott Pilgrim.

It just keeps going.

So Qatar, Qatar, yes.

And then Jack Desena Osaka, I mean just that voice is just it will always stay with me and so when I have to of course talk about is Dante Basco.

39:01

The.

Dante Basco.

I mean it's Rufio from Hook.

Which I mean live action superstar, voice acting superstar.

The thing that's really crazy about these characters is that when the voice actor for Ang was doing it was a child does not have that voice anymore.

39:17

Everybody else has their voice, pretty much.

I'd say Soko was more like it's changed a little bit, like he has to do the voice.

Dante is literally just Suko.

I mean, even when when he was Rufio in, he had that same exact voice and it's just so iconic.

39:35

It's bizarre hearing him after watching Avatar because I think that's just had such an impact on everybody and hearing that I'm like or is he going to fire bend like it?

He's angry.

I can tell something's going to happen.

But so those voices I'm definitely going to miss, but I am absolutely going to be leaning into this new cast.

39:55

We're going to be bringing these characters to life with such authenticity that we haven't seen before.

Yeah, I'm I'm very excited for this.

So really getting into live action stuff.

I'm loving the look of it.

I love the cinematography, I love the costume work.

It looks like they spent a lot of money.

Turns out they spent like $15 million per episode for it and it shows, which I I'm not sure if I mentioned this whenever I went to the Netflix offices in New York to do this One Piece stuff for POC culture.

40:25

Thanks Ron.

Ron, I got to talk to one of the executives that was also working on the Avatar stuff and how he put it to me was he was very excited for Avatar.

He's very excited for One Piece.

He said he went to the CEO and everything and they were like, if we're going to do this, we can't like not put the budget in for the bending because I mean if it looks bad, the series is dead, like it's just not going to look good, he said.

40:54

The conversation that he had with the CEO is like, well, we don't skimp on the budget for Burger Tim Wigs, Why would we skip on the budget for this?

And it's like, yes, there you go.

And I will love both of them equally.

Right.

So it's $15 million per episode.

Oh my gosh.

Give or take.

41:10

That's a lot.

But it looks like it's like a lot of CGI.

So.

But the thing that I really like about the world is there is a lot of CGI.

There's a lot of bending.

Some of the characters are fully CGI, but like, the world looks real.

It looks lived in.

I like that.

41:27

Yeah, I like that look, because you're not going to get that same feel of the animated show.

Absolutely.

You're right, It's.

Just not going to work.

Like things just don't look that way.

But to have it look like it, feel like it, and also look real, I feel like that's a good thing.

Yeah.

And with that budget, I mean, it feels like they really do believe in the project and they want to do the due diligence by the source material.

41:48

And you know, that's kind of all we can ask for.

Yeah, and after.

As far as, like, behind the scenes stuff, Albert Kim became the showrunner and kind of took over after the creators left.

I really like that he said that what got him to do it is that his daughter loved it.

42:05

What more would you want?

You know, it's like, oh, I could do this thing that my daughter really loves.

Great.

Bringing generations together.

It's avatar.

I mean, that's what the avatar does.

Literally.

Literally.

Because he reincarnates it.

42:22

OK.

Every time.

Yes, So I I can't wait.

I can't wait to dive into this world.

I can't wait to see the Mythos come to life.

All those past avatars, this magical little child.

42:40

Who?

This kid, Gordon Cormier.

He has the biggest ears.

He looks.

Just like him.

It's insane, the side by side.

You had posted it in a story on a bite of Instagram of the animated character and this kid.

42:57

It's it's mind boggling.

How do you feel about Speaking of Eng?

So in the animated show it clearly it's just a solid arrow and in both live actions they're adding designs within the arrow.

How do you feel about that?

Can I?

Can I speak truthfully?

43:14

I think we would appreciate that.

I hate it.

Really.

Yes.

I hate the 2010.

I'm not saying any more than calling it the 2010.

That was awful.

This one, I kind of like it.

It makes more sense.

So the difference I would say between the 2010 one is that the 2010 one stayed in that sort of filigree state.

43:34

Also, it wasn't like it was not like saturated.

Right.

And that's So the difference is with this one, I feel like what I've seen of it is that as he's going into the Avatar state, the the design in it lights up, but then it becomes a solid arrow.

I would say from like a distance it looks solid.

43:50

Closer you get then you can see the intricate detail which I like.

It just adds a little more layer and a little more story.

I think, I think my hatred of it is truly based in the 20 in the 2010 representation of it.

So anything that has to do with that like you know, like freaking zombie Saka, I will like why?

44:08

You mean the white people that played people that were clearly of color?

Well that yes, very true, but also just like the non acting.

Nobody wants Jasper to be soccer.

That's what I'm saying.

It was literally Jasper with a ponytail.

You absolutely nailed it.

Really trying to.

Control his blood lust or whatever taste for blood.

44:26

I don't know.

It was ridiculous.

Get out of here.

But I'm.

I'm very excited.

I think it looks good.

I can't wait to watch it.

By the time this episode comes out, it's going to be out in the world, so hopefully we were able to kind of get you excited while you're at work waiting to go to watch.

44:42

On your ride somewhere?

Just beep.

Beep.

Oh, hello.

I got my coffee.

Is that Derek and Noah?

Why, thank you.

What?

What are you excited to actually like see in the show?

I love action.

I want to see butt loads of bending, butt loads bending butt loads of bending, butt bending.

45:05

Yes, I was going to try and snatch it together just when happened.

I want I'm.

I'm really excited for that.

I'm also very excited to see Appa fly and I do.

And you know, I'm actually really excited to see the relationship between Prince Zuko and Uncle Iro.

It has to be right, you know?

45:22

Yeah.

Like, I feel like all of the relationships really have to be good.

The chemistry has to be there for these characters and from the little bit that I've seen, looks great.

And we really didn't talk about him a lot.

But the character of Uncle I wrote is another one who is is putting putting something forward, but in reality is doing something else and you don't really recognize it until the full course of the series.

45:48

I think that's why I was hesitant to talk about him because they're there's a little, there's an episode where they're in the Earth Kingdom and there's like little vignettes of like things that happen.

And it's it is the single like one of the best episodes of television because it sneaks up on you.

46:04

You finally find out some things and it's just beautiful.

Mama, it's tear bending.

It's tear bending the Shokin tear bend is very good and like I was hesitant to talk about him because I could like really get into IRO and Zuko and I feel like once we actually start talking about the series will be a little more open with it.

46:23

I want to say that this series makes me cry for those moments, but this series can make me cry.

When someone believes in themselves like I'm not joking.

Like when a character stands up to a challenge and realizes that they can do something that they didn't think they could do, I get emotional.

46:39

Yeah, and I mean, and not to say too like the late, great Mako that voiced Uncle Iro, fantastic.

He did the first two seasons and unfortunately he had passed away before the third season, so literally his stand in for voice work came in to finish the series for him, which I think is beautiful in its own right, but man, it's Uncle Ayro can really tear bend.

47:02

Oh my gosh.

He induces it.

I just, I just want to drink some tea with him.

Just want to drink some.

Tea.

And I want to just hear him just spout his wisdom upon me.

But so.

What I'm excited for, before we go into this whole IRA, we could do a whole episode on IRA.

47:19

It's the IRA episode.

But I'm really excited to see how they convey what it all means in eight episodes, because I feel like this.

The 20 episodes, we got a feel for a lot of it and we were able to sit and have fun with them.

47:39

I want to see, like, how he responds to the stuff that I talked about, like at the air, temples and everything.

I want to see what that exactly is like, because I feel like it's easy for him to be mad, you know what I mean?

But is he going to be remorseful?

Is he going to be sad?

Is he going to be going to try to do something more because he wants to make up for what he did?

47:59

You know, I want, I want to see that stuff from ANG and I want to see Team Avatar kind of help him along with that.

But also each individually have their character arts start happening.

Yeah.

Yeah, I think, I think that by condensing it, there's less room to work with and I hope that they are able to rise to what the series was able to do.

48:21

I did see the run times for them.

First episode is the longest.

I believe it's like over an hour.

Most of them are 50 minutes.

All right, so they could possibly smash even 3 episodes into something like that.

I think that's like something to think about too, because the animated series, each episode was like 20 ish minutes and so now we're talking about almost 60 minutes for each episode.

48:42

So you could really fit two and like 1/4 into these, so yeah.

That's a good thing, agreed.

Yeah, Oof.

I can't wait.

I mean, obviously very excited.

Let us know what you're excited for.

There's going to be polls and questions down.

48:58

If you're listening to us on Spotify, let us know on YouTube.

If you're watching us there, follow along with us as we enter our Avatar state.

Here, very excited and we're glowing special effects.

You know.

Where's our 15,000,000 Budget?

49:16

We don't, we don't got the budget for that.

You're right.

If like 500 more people listeners sign up for Patreon, then maybe I can afford those.

But.

In post still do it in post.

If somebody just like poorly photoshopped that, that's.

49:32

Great.

I feel like it's a freeze frame.

And then you hear like a marker dragon arrow on me, Yeah.

Oh, man.

All right.

Excited for the show?

Yes, We'll be back very soon with all things Avatar.

Goodbye.

See you then, bye.