I binge-watched Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix

I was on Twitter, scrolling my life away - as one does - and I kept seeing Avatar memes everywhere. There were debates about the episodes, references about the characters and just a plethora of Avatar related content. Now, if you're familiar with twitter, then you know that it's not uncommon for a singular topic to take over the platform every now and then. Yet still I wondered...why Avatar?

I hadn't seen it referenced on social media platforms before and if I did I couldn't recall. Especially, not on such a large scale. I later found out that it was recently added to Netflix's catalog. After - how many, some years - they essentially "brought it back" and that's why people were in such a frenzy.

Mind you, I haven't seen this show in YEARS. I can't exactly remember when I saw it last, but I remember watching the very last episode. I remember how excited I was the night it aired on Nickelodeon. Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA) was -and is - an amazing show, and so I get the uproar. Hence why I got a bit excited myself and spent the last few days binge watching it on Netflix.

It was different.

Like I said, I hadn't seen this show in years so I went in with no memory other than the basic plot. I don't even remember what my thoughts where when I watched it as a kid. I just knew I liked the show.

I started watching it, and with every episode I saw more than what was being shown. Every episode ended on such an interesting note that I couldn't help but think about its deeper meaning. I laughed of course, but I couldn't shake the thought that the show was teaching me something. Granted, it could've always been like that, and I'm just now seeing it in my adult years. Either way, I was intrigued.

In ATLA, the world is divided in four nations and each nation is based on one of the four elements - water, earth, fire and air. In each nation, there're individuals that have the power to 'bend' their respective element. 'Bend' meaning manipulate.

As long as each nation does it part, their world will remain balanced, similar to nature in the real world. No element is superior or inferior. They all have their purpose, and in order to understand their true potential and their dangers, one has to explore them. All of them. One has to be an Avatar.

The crisis of the show is that the fire nation has started a war against the other nations. They believe that fire is the superior element and they deemed the other nations inferior and weak. Admittedly, I once thought this as well. As a kid, I wanted to be a fire bender even though they were the bad guys. I thought it was the "strongest power". I now realize how wrong I was.

I think that's an important aspect of the show. It teaches us that in order for the world to exist in harmony ;) we have to work with each other. Our contributions are neither superior nor inferior, and we don't have to downplay each other in order to feel powerful. And if you do, it's a very clear sign of just how weak you really are, which isn't bad thing, but it's something that should be addressed and worked on.

If the fire nation really believed that the other nations were weak and worthless, they wouldn't have killed and arrested all the benders. They wouldn't have spent decades looking for the avatar, so they could kill him before he became powerful. If they really saw themselves as powerful, they wouldn't have started a war.

In one episode, an old fire bending master made a very good point. His sentiments were that fire differs from all the other elements, in that it cannot be controlled. Unlike air, water and earth, fire cannot be "called" back. It simply spreads. The fire nation misunderstood their element and that's why it controlled them, rather than the other way around.

I mentioned that I wanted to be a fire bender when I first watched the show. Well, during my recent marathon, I wanted to be a water bender (I'll tell you why in another post). It wasn't until I finished the show that I wanted to be the avatar. I've always struggled with picking one element, I've never thought of choosing all four. It never crossed my mind to want to be the hero.

But he was more than that.

The avatar is the only person that can master all four elements. They are also the only ones who can restore balance to the world. Their job is to maintain order among the four nations. Do you see the correlation? Took me longer than it should've.

The avatar has to be able to bend all the elements and in order to do that, they have to learn about each element - both the positive qualities and the negative qualities. They have to respect the element for what it is and form a bond, which then enables them to be able to bend it. Otherwise they won't be able to.

Aang (the avatar) had trouble bending earth and fire. Earth is stable and strong and he couldn't connect with that energy. Born an air bender, he was more used to a free flowing energy (it's why he picked up water bending so easily). He also couldn't bend fire because he thought it was destructive. He attempted to learn it before he was ready and he hurt a friend. He also wasn't familiar with the true nature of fire. In a nutshell, he didn't understand the fire element, and just as with earth, he couldn't bend it.

Through out the show, everyone desperately needed the Avatar. He was their last hope in ending the war. And through out their journey, Aang and his friends helped everyone they met. Many a times by simply encouraging them to find hope in themselves and fight back against the oppressor. The fire nature was winning because they convinced the other nations that they were weak, but once they stopped believing this notion they found their strength. Once the other nations found the power in themselves and their element, they were able to free themselves physically and mentally.

This was his job. The avatar is the embodiment of all four elements. He is balance. Apart from being able to physically bend them, he sees the power in each element and shares that knowledge with the rest of the world, so they can see it too. The avatar represents strength, unity and understanding.

I think, perhaps it's why I never wanted to be the avatar. It requires an open mind and a lot of discipline. It's not easy accepting something you aren't familiar with, or something that only reminds you of pain. Relearning what it is you thought you knew is difficult, but necessary if you wish to evolve in your understanding and grow as a person. Learning to let go of what you can't control and respecting what you can is not easy to master. All of this and then some is necessary in building a long lasting foundation for self improvement, and that's why it's not easy. But it all sounds nice, doesn't it?

In conclusion...

I'm sure I didn't tell anything you didn't already know. Maybe you too saw the show through this kind of lens, or perhaps it was just a show to you. Regardless, I hope I gave you some food for thought.

It's not unusual for movies and t.v. shows to have deeper meanings within their plot, it's just that I'm someone that focuses more on that, than anything else. ATLA is a cartoon, but it's concepts and themes are incredibly complex and, quite frankly, superior. The shows touches on a multitude of topics, but one I feel that stands out is spiritually - something most people reject or misunderstand - and it shows it in a way that is entertaining and educational.

This show is indeed top of the line and if you haven't already, I highly suggest you watch it. When you do, come back and comment which element you'd want to bend, or if you'd want to be the avatar. I haven't quite decided yet.

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