'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Season 1 Episode 2 Review
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With only eight episodes to accomplish what was done in 22 with the original cartoon, we shouldn’t be surprised when an adaptation like Avatar: The Last Airbender cuts things here, blends different parts of the season into a single event, or changes elements of a character to fit the story it’s telling.
Episode two certainly does those things, and if we’re going to be fair in judging something like this show, we need to judge it on its own merits. Yes, it’s based on a previous work, but it is also trying to make its own path. Otherwise, what would be the point when the original is out there?
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Image Source: ScreenRant
“Warriors” sees Aang and his new friends Katara, Sokka, and the flying lemur Momo head to Kyoshi Island to see if they can learn anything about the Avatar state from the home of a previous Avatar, Kyoshi. They don’t exactly get a warm welcome, seeing their arrival as a threat to their isolation, and that turns out to be true. Prince Zuko’s obsessive search for Aang gets the attention of an opportunist Fire Nation Commander, Zhao, bringing both of them to the island, setting everyone up for a confrontation that will test their growing bending skills.
One thing the show has going for it is the chemistry between the characters. Much like its source material, Aang and his new friends mesh well pretty quickly. Sokka is slow to warm up to him, but by the end of the episode, he comes around to continuing his journey with Aang. Despite the changes that were revealed in interviews before the release, I didn’t sense any real diminishing of Sokka’s purpose on the island. His chemistry with Suki is strong, and I thought it was portrayed well. His desire to prove himself to others, but really to himself, that he is a worthy warrior of the Southern tribe, connects well with the established and disciplined warrior in Suki who is eager to be a part of something bigger than just standing guard on the island. Aang and Katara grow closer through their mutual bending bond as she comes into her power more and Aang tries to figure out what he needs to do.
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The acting continues to be the strongest part of the show. Cormier is coming into his role more, and he’s growing on me. Dallas Liu as Zuko continues to be the best of the crop portraying Zuko, and his pairing with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Iroh continues that chemistry I talked about above. The casting department deserves a raise for their work on this show. Ken Leung is introduced as the opportunist and duplicitous Commander Zhao, and Yvonne Chapman plays Avatar Kyoshi, whose role in the adaptation is turning out to be far more prominent than it was in the original.
That’s where I think the show also excels. It is an adaptation, and it is charting its own path. That is what it should be judged on. We can’t ignore the source, for sure, the showrunners are making bold choices, and I think they’re paying off. Bringing in Commander Zhao early works with the plot and the direction it is going, as well as the necessary pacing restrictions brought on by the limited amount of episodes. Aang’s new reasoning for going to Kyoshi Island also works well in this instance.
Image Source: ScreenRant
However, not every choice the showrunners made with this episode and the direction of the series so far works as well. For example, it makes sense that Aang goes to Kyoshi for anything he might be able to glean that could help him, but Katara’s suggestion to connect with his former lives and Aang just kind of knowing to do it kind of comes out of nowhere. It’s the unfortunate result of having to make difficult decisions due to the limits of the show and the scope the first season has to accomplish, and some things get lost in the mix.
I will say again that the attention paid to the effects of this show continues to pay off. When Kyoshi takes over Aang’s body and just goes to work on the Fire Nation soldiers Zhao brings to Kyoshi, it's just cool. Kyoshi’s presence also shows how the showrunners did their homework. If you know anything about Kyoshi, she had a reputation for being bigger than other Avatars, and watching her talk to Aang in the spirit world and just towering over him is hilarious and brings a smile to this fan’s face. Also, the action sequences, particularly the fights, are well done and choreographed. The cuts, shot angles, and moves are fun to watch and help sell the episode.
Rating: 8/10
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Source(s): Netflix
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