Conspicuously absent on last month’s Better Call Saul podcast, Josh Sarnecky returns to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Avatar: The Last Airbender with his brother Aaron.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is an animated action-adventure series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The series premiered on Nickelodeon on February 21, 2005. It ran for three seasons and 61 episodes, finishing on July 19, 2008.
The series takes place in a fantasy world where “benders” can manipulate the elements of water, earth, fire, and air. The world fell out of balance when the Fire Nation invaded its neighbors. Protagonist Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen) is the last surviving Airbender and the Avatar, who can control all four elements. He must defeat the Fire Lord (Mark Hamill) to end the war. Aiding Aang are his Water Tribe friends Katara (Mae Whitman) and Sokka (Jack DeSena), as well as Earthbender Toph (Michaela Jill Murphy).
Other characters include the Fire Lord’s banished son Zuko (Dante Basco), Zuko’s ruthless sister Azula (Grey DeLisle), and their Uncle Iroh (Mako, Greg Baldwin).
Many critics regard Avatar: The Last Airbender as one of the greatest animated series of all time, praising it for its blend of lighthearted comedy, deep themes, character growth, mythology, and martial arts-based action. The series won one Primetime Emmy for Individual Achievement in Animation and was nominated for another for Outstanding Animated Program.
The cartoon spawned a sequel series, The Legend of Korra, as well as multiple comics and books. More shows and movies are in the works, including a movie following Aang and a sequel to The Legend of Korra called Avatar: Seven Havens.
Aaron and Josh talk about their history with Avatar: The Last Airbender before going into the show’s plot, characters, animation, and legacy. They also discuss the show’s live-action adaptations and the new projects coming from Avatar Studios.
For more Nicktoons, you can listen Josh and Aaron’s podcasts on SpongeBob SquarePants and Rugrats.
