let’s talk about how amazing Avatar: The Last Airbender is for a second
Fantasy world not based on typical medieval Europe
Was a children’s show that openly discussed war, death and genocide
Had several handicapped characters, one of whom was the show’s most powerful person
Every single character was a person of color, drawn to represent Asian and Inuit peoples
Had a character story arc centered around both emotional and physical parental abuse, whose arc was about learning that they didn’t need the parent who abused them
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL ART STYLE AND DIRECTION
Three dimensional writing that rivals even most adult dramas
Characters dealt with sexism in society
Showed citizens on both sides of the war, including showing how the people in the enemy nation were merely influenced by propaganda and an oppressive regime
Had romances that developed overtime and actually talked about the issues of forming a relationship instead of just “and now they’re in love.”
Characters died. On a children’s show. Characters who you fucking knew! Who had story arcs and were their friends and were kids like them!
When those characters died, they left an impact. It wasn’t ignored after a few episodes, the feelings they had for these characters stayed through the entire show
Had environmental messages that weren’t cheesy, and they made you take the destruction of the environment seriously
SUPERB world building, fleshing out many cultures and histories that always felt real
Had a magic system that never felt like magic. It always felt natural and like a solid part of this world with rules that couldn’t be broken
The cute animal sidekicks weren’t just there to sell toys. They were characters who had so much emotion to them and were vital parts of the show’s dynamic. Also, the animals never talked yet somehow still portrayed an insane emotional level that some Disney films only dream of
Spawned a sequel series that dealt not only with sexism, but with sexuality, religion, and the benefits and dangers from the rapid progression of technology
The point is, Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the greatest shows of all time and the proof is right there
