Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 367

Dr Pepper Peeps Return for Spring

Chief among the many questions that this new Peeps flavor raises is the simple one of, “Why?” Soda-flavored versions of none soda things are always a bit of a contentious offering. Love a coke flavored slushy or hate it, you definitely feel a certain way about it. It’s never just going to be fine. And these Dr Pepper-flavored Peeps feel like they’ll go in that direction. But above all, we feel we really must ask, why are these Dr Pepper Peeps an Easter item? We’ll have to ponder that one for a minute. Dr Pepper has always felt much more agnostic to me. But hey, these Dr Pepper Peeps are back for the second year in a row, so they must be doing something right!

Peeps

In any case, who are we to pass judgment? We’ve experienced all kinds of bizarre combinations of food flavors. We’ll just put Easter Dr Pepper Peeps right next to Thanksgiving candy corn. It’s a feast for the five-year-old within us all. What do these sodalicious Peeps actually taste like, though? Their description sadly doesn’t make it too clear. So you’ll have to try them yourself. But we’re imagining something of a sugary onslaught.

Here’s what the official Peeps description has to say about this Dr Pepper variety:

These delicious, one-of-a-kind Chicks combine sweet marshmallow with the unique and refreshing flavors of DR PEPPER®. Treat yourself to the new PEEPS® DR PEPPER® Flavored Marshmallow Chicks this Easter season!

As we said, that’s not much to go off of. Do they evoke cherry? Are they more licorice-heavy? We guess you’ll have to take the plunge and commit to Dr Pepper Peeps this Easter. Who knows, they may become a whole new family tradition. We suppose while you’re at it, you could sip some of the soda and compare notes. Who knows, Dr Pepper may very well soon come out with a Peeps flavor to come full circle. Now that would make sense as an Easter treat. And hey, their chocolate version of the soda was actually good!

Dr Pepper peeps are now available nationwide in Walmart, Target, CVS, Kroger, Walgreens, and more. Happy hunting for these chicks.

Originally published on January 18, 2023.

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Every New Character Introduced in Netflix’s Live-Action AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER

Although there are dozens of characters to choose from in the Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon, Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender went ahead and introduced a few new characters of its own. This makes total sense since the adaptation is more of a remix than a direct one-to-one. Not too many new characters were introduced in Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender series, but here are all the characters you’ll meet for the first time in the live-action version of the story.

Suki’s Mother, Yukari, Is a New Character in the World of Avatar: The Last AirbenderNetflix

One of the main new characters in Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series is Suki’s mother, Yukari, played by Tamlyn Tomita. Including Yukari in the series is pretty cool because Kyoshi Island is notably full of strong women. However, in the Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon, it seemed like a man was still in charge. But no longer. Instead, Suki’s mother, Yukari, is the leader of Kyoshi Island. We learn in the live-action series that Kyoshi Island has remained safe during the 100 years of war by “keeping to itself.” This seems to mean that Kyoshi Island shut its doors and took on an isolationist mentality to keep its inhabitants safe. Yukari continues that tradition and feels wary of Avatar Aang, Katara, and Sokka coming onto Kyoshi Island. She does not wish for them to bring the outside world and, thus, harm to the island.

However, this new Avatar: The Last Airbender character eventually understands that simply staying quiet will not keep Kyoshi Island safe forever. Yukari also realizes that the isolation isn’t very good for the people on the island, namely her daughter Suki. In the end, Yukari and the rest of Kyoshi Island’s populace stand up and fight the Fire Nation. Yukari cites Aang has given Kyoshi Island a reason to believe again. Believe in their village, in themselves, and in the Avatar.

Aang, Sokka, and Katara will likely run into Suki again in the future, and maybe Yukari will also return. We enjoyed seeing Suki with her family and the deeper story the live-action gave to her via her mother. We hope this isn’t the last we see of this new character on Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Aydo Is Sokka’s Second-in-Command in the Southern Water TribeNetflix

We don’t spend too much time with Aydo, but this new character makes several appearances in Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s first live-action episode. Aydo is played by actor Dorian Giordano. He appears to be the next oldest member of the Southern Water Tribe after Sokka and Katara (at least as far as the young set goes). Sokka appoints Aydo as the new protector of the tribe after deciding to leave with Katara to help Aang.

In the cartoon, Sokka and Katara don’t really return to the South Pole at any point. But perhaps we’ll see this new character again as the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series continues. Sokka did leave Aydo in charge, after all. It would be a fun future reunion and we’d feel interested to see Sokka and Katara revisit their childhood home.

Lieutenant Jee Brings a New Story to a Familiar Avatar CharacterNetflix

Technically, Lieutenant Jee isn’t a new Avatar: The Last Airbender character. Lieutenant Jee does exist in the cartoon version of the story. And Jee even serves a role on Zuko’s ship in exile. However, the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series gives this character a new backstory. It’s so different as to be a whole new character, though he shares a name with his Avatar cartoon counterpart.

In the live-action series, like in the cartoon, Lieutenant Jee feels exasperated by the mercurial exiled prince, although he sometimes attempts to bond with Zuko. However, Zuko, of course, has no bedside manner. Despite a clear deference to Uncle Iroh, it seems that Lieutenant Jee might betray Prince Zuko to Commander Zhao. However, that changes when Uncle Iroh reveals how Jee came to serve on Zuko’s ship. Here, Lieutenant Jee’s story diverges widely from the cartoon, and he becomes a new Avatar character.

Uncle Iroh shares, during a war council, Zuko spoke up against using the Fire Nation army’s 41st Division as bait. Fire Lord Ozai took this recrimination as a massive insult and forced Zuko to face him in an Agni Kai. The Fire Lord saw Zuko’s compassion for the soldiers as a weakness that needed extinguishing. After the Agni Kai, Ozai exiled Zuko to search for the Avatar and, as punishment, ordered the men of the 41st Division to serve on his ship. Of course, it turns out Lieutenant Jee and company are part of the division that Zuko saved from certain death. Upon hearing this, Lieutenant Jee understands he misjudged Prince Zuko and becomes a loyal confidant.

We don’t know Lieutenant Jee’s fate after the Northern Water Tribe siege. We like him, so we hope this new/old Avatar: The Last Airbender character survived the fight.

Avatar Kuruk Has a Much Expanded Role in the Live-Action SeriesNetflix

Avatar Kuruk is also not exactly a new Avatar: The Last Airbender character. But since he only briefly appears in the cartoon series, his expanded presence feels novel. In what we deem a major difference from the cartoon, Aang can spend time with past Avatars more easily in the live-action series. Once in the Northern Water Tribe, Aang calls upon Kuruk to help him in the coming battle. But Kuruk shares he cannot help because of past tangles with the Spirit World.

We learn about this Avatar’s dark past and some of the deep pain he carries thanks to Koh, the Face Stealer, who took the face of his beloved Ummi. Previously, this information was explored largely in a canon online game called Escape from the Spirit World. But presenting it and the character of Kuruk early in the live-action story seems significant.

Although, as mentioned, Kuruk is not a character brand new to the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, this is the first time he meaningfully interacts with Aang. We’ll be curious to see if he returns again and if he and Aang tangle further with Koh.

Could There Be More New Characters in the Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Series?

The timeline of the Avatar: The Last Airbender series is changing in the live-action compared to the cartoon. The cartoon took place over the course of one year, thanks to Sozin’s Comet, but that isn’t the case with the Netflix series. Given there’s no specific timeline the live-action has to follow, the Gaang may go on all kinds of novel adventures during the span of the show. So we might also get to see a whole slew of new Avatar: The Last Airbender characters we’ve never met (or only briefly met) before.

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How Does the Live-Action Series Adapt AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER’s Opening Sequence?

Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony… Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. If you’re an Avatar: The Last Airbender fan, chances are you’ve heard this opening refrain at least 61 times in your life, if not more. And, even if you’re not an ATLA true-heart, “Everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked” is one of the most meme-ed lines ever on the internet. Avatar‘s opening moments are unarguably iconic ones. And that left fans wondering what the Netflix’s new live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series would do with the opening sequence. Would it recreate it faithfully? Would it come up with a spin on the often-repeated lines? Well, in the end, the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action does deliver a version of the cartoon’s opening sequence, but you only get to hear it once.

The Avatar Cartoon’s Opening Sequence Does Appear in the Live-Action Series

The live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series’ first order of business is to pay homage to the cartoon’s opening sequence, at least part of it. After an opening teaser, the live-action series goes right into “Water. Earth. Fire. Air.” And as it does, it shows cartoon-like shots of powerful benders bending all four elements. But this time, instead of Katara doing the voice-over, it’s Avatar Kyoshi. As Kyoshi speaks, the dialogue of the opening changes a bit.

Netflix

Avatar Kyoshi shares the following alongside images of her bending all four elements, “For millennia, the four nations have lived in harmony, a peace made possible by the Avatar—the one person with the ability to master all four elements and protect the delicate balance between nations. When one Avatar dies, their spirit is reborn into a new body in an eternal cycle. Since the death of the last Avatar, the new incarnation has yet to emerge. And so, Fire Lord Sozin, the ruthless leader of the Fire Nation, believes this is his moment to launch a merciless campaign to conquer the world. His first step is to eliminate the one person who could stand in his way. The next master of all four elements, an airbender who may not be ready for the responsibility of becoming the Avatar.”

NetflixAn Opening Sequence That’s A Little More AdultNetflix

In the live-action sequence, we can feel the sentiments of Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s cartoon opening. For example, “And though his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he can save anyone” becomes “an airbender who may not be ready for the responsibility of becoming the Avatar.” But Kyoshi’s live-action opening sequence is both more informative and more serious than Katara’s warm effusions. Jabbar Raisani, executive producer and visual effects supervisor, shares details of the intent behind the live-action Avatar opening sequence. He notes, “We just wanted to make sure audiences didn’t think they were getting a kids’ show. We want to ensure that our show is for all ages.” And, undoubtedly, the live-action wanted to use this real estate to get across some crucial information to more casual fans.

Netflix

Ultimately, though, this opening sequence only occurs once in the Avatar live-action show, as a part of its first episode’s narrative. It does not recur at the start of every episode.

More Light-Hearted Moments From the Cartoon’s Live-Action Appear Elsewhere in the Show

Despite the more serious nature of the live-action Avatar‘s opening sequence, the most light-hearted moments from the cartoon’s introduction do appear in the show itself. Specifically, we see the scene where Aang is giggling and rolling around on his air sphere and then bumps into a statue in the live-action. This occurs in episode two of the Netflix series, “Warriors.”

Is ‘Everything Changed When the Fire Nation Attacked’ in the Live-Action Avatar‘s Opening Sequence?

We know what you must be asking, where is “Everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked” in the new live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender opening sequence? Well, it’s not there. But fear not, the words do get uttered in the series. The live-action Avatar cleverly incorporates them into the in-universe mythology in a very meta way.

After Aang awakens, he doesn’t know what’s happened in the world. Sokka and Katara take him to Gran Gran who shares the story of war that “everyone in the village knows.” Speaking as though reciting a legend long-repeated, live-action Gran Gran launches into another version of the cartoon’s opening sequence. In fact, she shares parts of it verbatim noting, “Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago the four nations lived together in harmony, then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed him most, he vanished.” And then she continues, “And so the Fire Nation laid waste, plunging us into a time of darkness.”

Netflix

And drink! There you have it, “Everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked” isn’t in the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s opening sequence, but it is a part of legend in its world. Everyone knows these words… just like in our world.

How Does the Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-Action Series Open Its Episodes? Netflix

So, if the main opening sequence equivalent only plays once, how does Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender open its episodes? Well, instead of an elaborate sequence, the episodes open with something a little simpler that still works well to bring the audience in. At the start of every live-action episode, the Avatar‘s main theme plays to churn up all those emotions. In addition to the audio cue, the opening celebrates the main element in play that episode. (So when we visit the Air Nomad temple, we honor air, and when the story moves to Omashu, we honor Earth.) Colorful sweeps in the element’s color scheme swoosh across the screen (or crash, flow, burn, etc.), and, in the end, we see the Chinese character for the element artfully depicted on our screens along with the live-action episode’s name.

Nerdist Editor Rotem Rusak has been an Avatar: The Last Airbender fan for nearly two decades. You can learn all about her love of Zuko’s story on Nerdist’s Laser Focus Podcast.

The post How Does the Live-Action Series Adapt AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER’s Opening Sequence? appeared first on Nerdist.

THE BOYS Season 4 Sets a June Release Date

The Boys hit Prime Video back in 2019 and TV hasn’t been quite the same since. Over the past three seasons we’ve watched a band of morally corrupt supes maim, kill, and completely destroy lives without remorse. And, no matter how much the Boys try to mitigate the Seven’s impact, it seems that nothing can stop the worst of them all—Homelander—from becoming an increasing threat. So, what does the future hold for these characters? That remains to be fully seen next season.

Thankfully, we won’t have to wait long for answers. The Boys season four will release its first three episodes on June 13 with weekly releases to follow.

Prime Video

Here’s everything we know about The Boys season four so far. 

Prime VideoThe Boys Season Four’s Plot 

Here’s a quick synopsis for The Boys season four:

In Season Four, the world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power. Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son as well as his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late.

We also have our first trailer and it is very on brand. Homelander has some new friends and they are as twisted as he is.

Showrunner Eric Kripke’s previously told Deadline that the Gen V college spinoff would affect the events of The Boys season four. Now that Gen V has come to an end—after featuring multiple cameos from the original show—we have a better idea how it might. Gen V featured the creation of a deadly supe-killing virus which Victoria Neuman now possesses. The Boys know about it, though, and Billy Butcher personally inspected The Woods, the experimental Vought lab facility beneath Godolkin University. Homelander also locked up some truly heroic young supes, who might now be ready to take on Vought if they can escape from the company.

There are also these fun posters with Butcher and Homelander being their glorious selves. Kripke also notes that this season is the craziest one yet. That’s intriguing and also terrifying.

Here's the update. Editing: done. VFX: halfway done. Music & sound: quarter done. Now that the SAG strike is over (yay), the actors can record additional dialogue. No airdate yet, but will be worth the wait. It could be our best season. For sure our craziest. #TheBoys @theboystv pic.twitter.com/L47dDbreIy

— Eric Kripke (@therealKripke) November 9, 2023

Read more about the connections between both shows and what they mean for The Boys’ fourth season.

What Gen V’s Season 1 Finale Means For The Boys Here’s How The Boys Characters Showed Up On Gen V’s First Season Every New Gen V Hero And Their Powers On The Boys’ Spinoff

In the meantime, we have the title of episode one for The Boys upcoming fourth season.

Day One#Season4 #TheBoys #TheBoysTV @TheBoysTV @PrimeVideo @SPTV pic.twitter.com/M66rk8tpR1

— Eric Kripke (@therealKripke) August 22, 2022

Behind the Scenes 

Eric Kripke will continue to be the showrunner for The Boys season four. The season began filming in August 2022.

The Boys Season Four’s Cast

Some S4 supe news for ya. Join us congratulating our favorite lad Cameron Crovetti on his promotion to series regular, and give a warm Boys family welcome to @susanheyward as Sister Sage and @valoriecurry as Firecracker. pic.twitter.com/mgFQLx8IBs

— THE BOYS (@TheBoysTV) August 1, 2022

The titular crew is coming back for another round with Karl Urban (Billy Butcher), Jack Quaid (Hughie Campbell), Tomer Capone (Frenchie), Karen Fukuhara (Kimiko), Laz Alonso (Mother’s Milk), and Erin Moriarty (Starlight) reprising their roles. From the evil supes (and those who support them) side, Antony Starr (Homelander), Jessie T. Usher (A-Train), Chace Crawford (The Deep), Colby Minifie (Ashley Barrett), and Claudia Doumit (Victoria Neuman) will return. Giancarlo Esposito will also make his way back onto the show. It’s not clear if Dominique McElligott will return as Queen Maeve. But we do know that Black Noir actor Nathan Mitchell will return as a new person in that infamous suit. 

In August 2022, Variety revealed that Cameron Crovetti—who plays Ryan—will be upped to a series regular. Newcomers Valorie Curry and Susan Hayward will portray Firecracker and Sister Sage. They are not comic book characters, so fans will have to wait and see how they fit into the season’s puzzle. Jeffrey Dean Morgan will join the cast, too. We still don’t know anything about his character but he doesn’t seem to be a supe.

The Boys Season Four’s Release Date 

The Boys season four will hit Prime Video on June 13.

Originally published on October 10, 2022.

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Revenge Meets Cereal Mascots in BOY KILLS WORLD’s Wild First Trailer

Sadly it’s not hard enough to imagine a day where a kid’s cereal sponsors a game show where contestants are slaughtered on live TV for entertainment. But while we certainly hope to never actually see that future, that premise looks like it will make for one hell of a movie. The wonderfully wold first trailer for Boy Kills World starring Bill Skarsgård combines The Running Man and The Hunger Games with Oldboy and Captain Crunch. And even better? It’s all narrated by Sterling Archer.

Sign us up for that studio audience because we’re all in on this wonderfully absurd trailer and premise. Directed by Moritz Mohr, with a script from Tyler Burton Smith and Arend Remmers, Boy Kills World looks part action film, part comedy, part satire, and 100% entertaining. Even without this trailer, the official synopsis of Boy Kills World sounds like a total blast of chaos. From Lionsgate:

Skarsgård stars as “Boy” who vows revenge after his family is murdered by Hilda Van Der Koy (Famke Janssen), the deranged matriarch of a corrupt post-apocalyptic dynasty that left the boy orphaned, deaf and voiceless. Driven by his inner voice, one which he co-opted from his favorite childhood video game, Boy trains with a mysterious shaman (Yayan Ruhian) to become an instrument of death and is set loose on the eve of the annual culling of dissidents. Bedlam ensues as Boy commits bloody martial arts mayhem, inciting a wrath of carnage and blood-letting. As he tries to get his bearings in this delirious realm, Boy soon falls in with a desperate resistance group, all the while bickering with the apparent ghost of his rebellious little sister.

Plus the cereal mascots. Can’t forget them.

Lionsgate

The movie also stars Jessica Rothe, Michelle Dockery, Brett Gelman, Isaiah Mustafa, Andrew Koji, and Sharlto Copley. And that inner voice is obviously none other than the smooth vocals of Archer and Bob’s Burgers‘ H. Jon Benjamin.

Boy Kills World comes to theaters this spring on April 26, 2024. Hopefully that’s the only place we ever see a kid’s cereal sponsor a killer game show. Unless there’s a sequel.

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Earthbenders Get a Queer Origin Story in the AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Live-Action Series

Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s successor story, Avatar: The Legend of Korra, featured a few queer characters and romances, including, of course, between its main characters, Korra and Asami. But the earlier tale of The Last Airbender offered no representation in this arena. And so, going into Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s live-action series, the franchise’s many queer fans hoped they might see a little bit more queerness depicted in this take on the story. And happily, although brief, Netflix’s Avatar adaptation does bring some queerness to the table. In fact, it makes the origin story of an entire group of benders overtly queer. While this flash of queerness isn’t necessarily enough for the long term, it is done in a beautiful way that threads queerness into the very bedrock of Avatar‘s world. And so, we’ll celebrate it!

[image error]

Let’s take a look at how Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s live-action adaptation made the origin story of earthbending into a queer myth.

Netflix

“Secret tunnel! Secret tunnel!” We know this Avatar: The Last Airbender earworm, we love it, and it’s now officially a queer lady anthem. (Which, honestly, makes it kind of that much more amazing. But we won’t go into that too much here.) In the fourth episode of the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action, Sokka and Katara encounter a group of nomadic, hippie earthbenders playing some tunes outside the tunnels of Omashu. Franchise fans will recognize the scenario from the second-season cartoon episode “The Cave of Two Lovers.” Pausing in their singing, the earthbenders offer Katara and Sokka some insight into the tunnels’ history.

To explain how the tunnels came to be, the hippies tell the myth of Oma and Shu, the first earthbenders. Oma and Shu, they share, were two lovers from enemy villages who learned earthbending from the badgermoles in order to create a place where they could share their love. However, one day, Oma did not come to meet Shu in their tunnels; she had been killed in an attack. In devastation, Shu wielded her great earthbending powers, bringing both villages to their knees. But instead of striking against them, she declared the war over. The two villages came together in peace and built Omashu as a monument to Oma and Shu’s great love. But hey, did you catch that? Yes. Unlike in the Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon, Oma and Shu are two ladies this time, and that makes the myth of the first earthbenders a queer one.

NetflixNetflix

Of course, Oma does die tragically in this story, which is a fate we never love for our queer characters and love stories. But what we do love is the ease with which queer love is embedded into the mythology of Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s world in the live-action. We now know that all earthbenders in the series get to have their bending thanks to the love of two queer women. It’s a pretty powerful thing. Lore and history carry great weight in this franchise in particular, so the alteration of one of its main myths to include queerness is a very welcome one.

Honestly, as a queer person watching the episodes, I did not expect a sudden queer love story to come upon me in Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s live-action. Hoped, yes, but I did not expect it. And then I literally rewound the tape three times to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. The tale of Oma and Shu is depicted with such a poignant and beautiful hand; it really resonated with me. And the way in which the show shifted a previously straight narrative into a queer one without any fanfare is commendable. Diffuse queerness is an important aspect of normalizing the idea that queerness exists within these worlds. Also, while it is a short tale and doesn’t involve any main characters, it’s definitely not a blink-and-you-miss-it moment either.

Netflix

Ultimately, turning the earthbenders’ origin story into a queer myth shows that the Avatar: The Last Airbender series has queerness in mind. I would say that for the span of the whole story, this little bit of queerness is insufficient. But for the first season of the show, I will gladly take it. Hopefully, the series and its creators understand that turning a main character queer is every bit as simple as turning Oma and Shu into queer ladies.

Nickelodeon

Zuko’s live-action actor Dallas Liu is already spreading the Zukka agenda (that’s Zuko/Sokka for the uninitiated), and that would make for an amazing twist in my book. Not to mention the character of Toph always felt very queer-coded in the cartoon. And as an earthbender, Toph would now have a beautiful queer history to follow, should she become a queer character in her own right. Of course, the Kyoshi Warriors are definitely not straight. All this to say, we’re so glad to see some queer efforts from the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series… And we very much look forward to seeing more.

Nerdist Editor Rotem Rusak has been a queer Avatar: The Last Airbender fan for nearly two decades. You can learn all about her love of Zuko’s story on Nerdist’s Laser Focus Podcast. She ships Zukka and is proud of it!

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Magneto’s Evolution From X-MEN Villain to Hero (and Back Again)

If you ask any casual Marvel fan who the X-Men’s primary villain is, chances are they’ll tell you Magneto… and it’s true. The Master of Magnetism has been their primary antagonist ever since the first issue of X-Men came out in 1963. But he’s also often been an ally—and even a full member—of Charles Xavier’s mutant hero team. As the trailer for X-Men ’97 showed us, in that animated universe, Professor X left his whole estate and fortune to him. Of course, the producers of X-Men ’97 lifted this story right from the comics. From villain to reluctant hero to complex bad guy once again, here’s the comic book history of Magneto’s heroic turn.

Marvel Comics

When Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created Magneto back in the sixties, he was a pretty clear-cut villain. He believed the mutant race, a.k.a. Homo superior, were more genetically advanced than Homo sapiens and should therefore subjugate and rule them. There were not a lot of nuances to his fight against the X-Men in those early years. Whenever he fought the Avengers, or Iron Man, he was even more of a straight-up villain. But starting in 1975, a young writer named Chris Claremont started to view Magneto in a more sympathetic way. This led to one of the most interesting character arcs in all of comics.

The Tragic Backstory of Magneto Marvel Comics

When Chris Claremont took over as Uncanny X-Men writer with the title’s revival in 1975, it was a year before the mutants fought against their original foe once again. But when they did, there was instantly a change in his demeanor. Magneto wasn’t quite so mustache-twirling anymore, and seemed dismayed at having to kill to save other mutants. Claremont’s Magneto had a conscience. He also had many aliases. Over the years, Charles Xavier often referred to him as Magnus. However, his other aliases include Erik Lehnsherr (used in the live-action films) and Max Eisenhardt. Magnus returns to fight the new X-Men after a story in Defenders, where he was de-aged into a child. He later became an adult in his prime once again. All of this will matter in his later heroic turn.

Marvel Comics

It wasn’t until Uncanny X-Men #150 in 1981 that we learned the source of Magneto’s pain and rage. After a terrorist attack against a Soviet sub, Magneto nearly kills the teenage Kitty Pryde. Horrified at his own actions, in which he not only seriously injured a fellow mutant but also a young Jewish girl, he describes growing up in the concentration camps of Auschwitz, and losing his entire family. These traumatic events are the reason that he’s willing to do anything to make sure mutants aren’t hunted down and murdered as his own Jewish family was during the Holocaust. It’s here he begins to wonder if he’s become the monster he hated so much as a child.

How Xavier Met Magneto in the Marvel Comics UniverseMarvel Comics

Not long after that issue, Claremont explores the past of Charles Xavier and Magneto even further. Those early Lee/Kirby X-Men issues established that the two powerful men knew each other years prior, and part ways at some point. But they never elaborate on it further. It was nearly two decades later, in Uncanny X-Men, that we learned that the two met years before Charles lost the use of his legs. It was during a time when he was in Israel using his mental abilities to help trauma victims recover.

It’s in this Israeli hospital that Xavier first met Magnus, the name Magneto was going by at the time. Neither knew for sure the other was a mutant. Xavier suspected something was different about Magnus, when he had trouble reading his powerful mind. Eventually, the pair revealed their powers to each other when fighting a Hydra terrorist attack. This attack proves even more to Magneto that humans will always try to exterminate mutants, and he and Charles’ ideological paths diverge at this point.

Magneto Becomes a Nuanced Villain, then Later, a HeroMarvel Comics

After almost killing Kitty Pryde in Uncanny X-Men #150, Magneto begins to show a more honorable side. He sides with the X-Men in the seminal 1982 graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills, which was the basis for the film X2. He also fights alongside the X-Men in the event series Secret Wars. It’s also around this time that Magneto discovers that the Avengers’ Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are his twin children. This revelation softens his character’s temperament even further.

Marvel Comics

This is where Chris Claremont’s true vision for the Magneto/Xavier relationship begins to really take hold. Although modern readers have often viewed Xavier and Magneto as “Martin Luther King and Malcolm X,” that was not the original intent. (Although, Chris Claremont has admitted in an interview with Empire those parallels are also valid.) In Claremont’s plan, Magneto was based far more on Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. He was a terrorist in 1947, eventually embracing a more peaceful approach, to the point where he was the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 30 years later.

Magneto Becomes Headmaster of Xavier’s SchoolMarvel Comics

Magneto truly becomes a hero in 1985’s Uncanny X-Men #200. His recent adventures with his former enemies the X-Men lead to a true self-examination. He surrenders himself to a global tribunal, to stand trial for his many crimes. Because Magneto was turned into an infant and later “reborn” as an adult once more, this tribunal dismisses all charges against him, suggesting that the old Magneto “died” and the new one deserved a second chance.

Marvel Comics

In this same issue, a dying Xavier must leave Earth and go to Shi’ar space to heal. (They later echo this in the X-Men: The Animated Series finale.) He begs his old friend to take over as Headmaster of the Xavier School, teach the New Mutants, and fight alongside the X-Men. He reluctantly agrees. At this point, Magneto loses his helmet, and begins wearing his short-lived superhero costume. He also assumes the name of Michael Xavier, pretending to be the cousin of Charles Xavier to the outside world.

Magneto Reverts to His Old Ways

Magneto spends the next several years as not only the head of the Xavier School, but a member of the X-Men as well. He serves with the team during many major events, including their battles with both the Fantastic Four and the Avengers. However, his time as a hero does not go smoothly. The younger students, the New Mutants, never fully trust him. When Magneto joins the Hellfire Club in what he thinks is a power move to protect mutantkind, the students reject him. Things get worse when Doug Ramsey, the New Mutant called Cypher, dies under his tutelage. Eventually, the New Mutants leave Magneto, choosing mentorship under the original X-Men, then called X-Factor, and later, the cyborg soldier Cable.

Marvel Comics

The X-Men then died on a mission in Dallas, without Magneto at their side. Although resurrected, they do not tell their former enemy that they are alive and well. The loss of his allies further sends Magneto down a darker path again. He starts to feel he let down both the New Mutants and the adult X-Men. Slowly but surely, he reasserts his older, more militant ways. By the time Charles Xavier comes back to Earth and leads the X-Men again, chronicled in 1991’s record-breaking X-Men #1, Magneto is a villain. A sympathetic, nuanced villain to be sure but not anyone that was going to have brunch with Captain America or Iron Man.

Xavier and Magneto, Friends and Allies Once MoreMarvel Comics

Much of the ‘90s and ‘2000s era comics portrayed Magneto as a sympathetic villain. However, more recent comics have established him as one of the good guys again. At least as far as the other X-Men are concerned. In the modern Krakoan Age, Xavier and Magneto realized for the mutant race to survive, they would have to put aside their ideological differences and work together on their island nation. The two friends finally buried the hatchet, seemingly for good. However, we know Magneto can turn on a dime. As the current Krakoan era wraps up, who is to say what side Magneto will be on when the dust settles?

How Will Magneto Show Up in the New X-Men ’97 Series?

Judging from the costume used, as well as scenes from the trailer, X-Men ’97 will certainly lean into the Chris Claremont storylines from the mid-80s. Magneto will be wearing his purple “superhero” costume on the show, and we already know that he inherited the school for Gifted Youngsters from Charles Xavier. Will Magneto battling alongside the X-Men and not against them go better in the animated timeline? It remains to be seen. Magneto allied with the X-Men is almost always a short-lived scenario. We’ll find out when X-Men ’97 premieres in March.

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Every ATLA Cartoon Episode Adapted by the Live-Action AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Series

As fans dive into Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, they might start to feel the itch to revisit the cartoon. Of course, with eight live-action episodes and 61 total cartoon episodes, moments from the live-action’s first season come from all over the cartoon map. To help out viewers, we’ve compiled a list of which Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon episodes correspond to the eight live-action episodes of the Netflix series. It’s a more complex map than you might think. Yip, yip! It’s time to explore which cartoon episodes inspired and made it into the live-action series.

The Cartoon Episodes Adapted in Episode One of the Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-ActionNetflix/Nickelodeon

Episode one of the Netflix live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series, “Aang,” is one of the more straightforward episodes of the series as far as cartoon references are concerned. This episode chiefly adapts the first three episodes of the ATLA cartoon’s Book One: Water. It sets up the characters of Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko. From Aang’s emergence into the world to Zuko’s menacing of the Southern Water Tribe to Aang’s fraught discoveries at the abandoned Northern Air Temple, it’s the closest the live-action series gets to a straight retelling of the cartoon.

The ATLA Cartoon Episodes Referenced in “Aang”:Book One: Water, 1.01 “The Boy in the Iceberg”Book One: Water, 1.02 “The Avatar Returns”Book One: Water, 1.03 “The Southern Air Temple” The Cartoon Episodes Adapted in Episode Two of the Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-ActionNetflix/Nickelodeon

In episode two, Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series begins its remixing of the cartoon in earnest. Of course, since the episode is called “Warriors” and takes place on Kyoshi Island, it naturally borrows from the season one cartoon episode “The Warriors of Kyoshi.” But, in addition to this, it adds in details from later episodes. It even reaches into Books Two and Three of the cartoon. For instance, in episode two of the live-action, Katara reveals Gran Gran gave her a waterbending scroll. In the cartoon, that arrives in the picture only in episode nine. Additionally, in the cartoon, Kyoshi doesn’t make her first actual appearance until Book Two. Her presence in season one, episode two of the live-action series, brings information only discovered much later in the animated show.

The ATLA Cartoon Episodes Referenced in “Warriors”:Book One: Water, 1.03 “The Southern Air Temple” (Our meeting with Commander Zhao comes from this episode.)Book One: Water, 1.04 “The Kyoshi Warriors” (The Kyoshi Warriors, Kyoshi Island setting, the introduction of Suki, and her relationship with Sokka come from this episode. )Book One: Water, 1.08 “Winter Solstice, Part 2” (Precedent for Aang turning into one of the previous Avatars comes from this episode, although it is Roku and not Kyoshi in the cartoon episode.)Book One: Water, 1.09 “The Waterbending Scroll” (Katara receives her Waterbending scroll from Gran Gran in the live-action series but steals it from pirates in the cartoon.)Book Two: Earth, 2.01 “The Avatar State” (The information Avatar Kyoshi shares with Aang about the Avatar State comes from this episode.)Book Two: Earth, 2.05 “Avatar Day” (Some background about Kyoshi’s time as Avatar comes from this episode.)Book Three: Fire, 3.16, “The Southern Raiders (The flashbacks to Katara’s mother come from this episode.)Book Three: Fire, 3.19, “Sozin’s Comet – Part 2: The Old Masters” (Aang seeks advice from his past life and speaks to Avatar Kyoshi in this episode.) The Cartoon Episodes Adapted in Episode Three of the Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-ActionNetflix/Nickelodeon

Episode three of the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action adaptation kicks its cartoon reimagining into high gear. It smartly brings together many stand-alone Earth Kingdom characters into one tale. In the cartoon, fans met figures such as Jet, the Mechanist, and Bumi in their own separate episodic outings. But there’s no room for that in live-action, and the series instead combos all these cartoon figures into a singular narrative. It’s a great way to handle the number of characters Avatar has without cutting too many of them from the screen. Here’s what episode three, “Omashu,” entailed.

The ATLA Cartoon Episodes Referenced in “Omashu”:Book One: Water, 1.09 “The Waterbending Scroll” (Katara’s water whip move comes from this episode.)Book One: Water, 1.05 “The King of Omashu” (The Earth Kingdom city of Omashu, including its fun system of chutes, is introduced in this episode.)Book One: Water, 1.10 “Jet” (The characters of Jet and his Freedom Fighters, as well as his full story, come from this episode.)Book One: Water, 1.17 “The Northern Air Temple” (The tale of the Mechanist and Teo, as well as the latter’s inventions and work with the Fire Nation, comes from this episode. The Fire Nation’s war balloon and Sokka’s hand in creating the invention also come from this episode.)Book Two: Earth, 2.02 and 2.03 “The Cave of Two Lovers” and “Return to Omashu” (The idea of the Fire Nation causing trouble in Omashu comes to the cartoon in these episodes. Additionally, this Avatar: The Last Airbender episode is the first to properly introduce Azula, as well as her team of Mai and Ty Lee.)Book Two: Earth, 2.14 “The City of Secrets and Walls” (Uncle Iroh and Zuko’s more peaceful moments in the Earth Kingdom city during the live-action’s third episode bring to mind some of their quieter Ba Sing Se moments from the cartoon.) Book Three: Fire, 3.16, “The Southern Raiders (The flashbacks to Katara’s mother come from this episode.)The Cartoon Episodes Adapted in Episode Four of the Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-ActionNetflix/Nickelodeon

Episode four of the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series continues the Earth Kingdom remix. It brings Bumi to the table as well as concluding the stories of Jet and the Mechanist for now. This episode titled, “Into the Dark,” also brings in Earth Kingdom lore from Book Two of the live-action and cleverly mixes in parts of Zuko and Iroh’s journey as well.

Netflix/NickelodeonThe ATLA Cartoon Episodes Referenced in “Into the Dark”: Book One: Water, 1.05 “The King of Omashu” (King Bumi and his tests for Avatar Aang come from this episode. Their live-action backstory as childhood friends also stems from this cartoon episode.)Book One: Water, 1.07 “Winter Solstice, Part 1” (Clearly inspiring this live-action episode, in the cartoon episode, earthbenders capture Uncle Iroh, and Zuko must decide whether to save him or go after the Avatar. Uncle Iroh uses a slipper to mark the path of his captors in the cartoon and a lotus tile in the live-action. Zuko, of course, ultimately chooses to help his uncle, revealing the goodness of his heart.)Book One: Water, 1.10 “Jet” (Katara freezing Jet in place and leaving him there comes directly from this episode.)Book One: Water, 1.17 “The Northern Air Temple” (The Mechanist repenting for his betrayal comes from this episode.)Book Two: Earth, 2.02 “The Cave of Two Lovers” (This cartoon episode introduces us to the tunnels near Omashu and the romantic Earth Kingdom myth of Oma and Shu, which explains how earthbenders use their power. The live-action episode even brings to life the cartoon gang of nomadic hippies who love to sing the song “Secret Tunnel.” The cartoon episode introduces us to badgermoles as well, which the live-action brings to life as it reimagines the storyline of Katara and Sokka stuck in the tunnels.)Book Two: Earth, 2.09 and 2.15, “Bitter Work” and “The Tales of Ba Sing Se” (In these cartoon episodes, we get to know more about Uncle Iroh’s past and his now-dead son Lu Ten. The live-action’s fourth episode beautifully adapts these moments from the cartoon and even brings in the “Little Soldier Boy” musical cue so that we all cry.The Cartoon Episodes Adapted in Episode Five of the Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-ActionNetflix/Nickelodeon

Episode five of the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series, aptly titled “Spirited Away,” takes us out of Omashu and into the Spirit World. The episode has a firm basis in the cartoon’s season one episode, “Winter Solstice, Part 1.” But in this episode, the live-action also spiritually adapts and literally references many other Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon outings. We especially enjoy the slew of cartoon episodes name-dropped at the Earth Kingdom bar as the locals share the tales they heard of the Avatar in this live-action episode, “Spirited Away.”

The ATLA Cartoon Episodes Referenced in “Spirited Away”: Book One: Water, 1.05 “The King of Omashu” (The name Sokka gives to the villager girl’s doll in the live-action, Pippinpaddle Oppsookopolis, is the fake name that Aang gives to Omashu’s guards in the cartoon episode.)Book One: Water, 1.07 “Winter Solstice, Part 1” (In this cartoon episode, Sokka is kidnapped into the Spirit World, and Aang goes to save him. In the live-action, Aang brings Katara and Sokka into the realm, and then they get kidnapped.)Book One: Water, 1.12 “The Storm” (Some of Aang’s interactions with Monk Gyatso in this live-action episode come directly from flashbacks in the cartoon episode, “The Storm.”)Book One: Water, 1.15 “Bato of the Water Tribe” (Uncle Iroh and Zuko’s team-up with June the Bounty Hunter comes directly from this episode. The cartoon also introduces the character of Bato, a close friend of Sokka and Katara’s dad, Hakoda, and the concept of the Water Tribe’s rite of ice dodging here. These ideas feature in Sokka’s live-action visions during this episode.)Book One: Water, 1.19 “The Siege of the North, Part 1” (Aang demanding quiet to focus on his spiritual journey comes right from this cartoon episode.)Book Two: Earth, 2.04 “The Swamp,” (Although in a different setting, the Avatar live-action’s “Spirited Away” strongly calls up and adapts the cartoon episode, “The Swamp.” Like in the swamp, Katara, Sokka, and Aang get lost in a fog of memories and fears.) Book Three: Fire, 3.16, “The Southern Raiders (Katara’s visions of her mother’s death at the hands of the Fire Nation come from this episode.)Quickfire Cartoon Episode References from the Earth Kingdom bar: The live-action references episodes 1.09 “The Waterbending Scroll” (The Gaang vs. pirates), 1.11 “The Great Divide” (Canyon Guide who saw the Gaang fight Canyon Crawlers), 1.14 “The Fortuneteller” (The Gaang stop a volcano), 1.05 “The King of Omashu” (Aang vs. King Bumi).The Cartoon Episodes Adapted in Episode Six of the Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-ActionNetflix/Nickelodeon

Two of the best cartoon episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender, “The Storm” and the “Blue Spirit,” converge to create episode six of the live-action adaptation, “Masks.” The show hits some great notes as its focus shifts to Zuko’s backstory and his complex relationship with the Fire Nation and Avatar Aang.

Netflix/NickelodeonThe ATLA Cartoon Episodes Referenced in “Masks”: Book One: Water, 1.08 “Winter Solstice, Part 2” (Aang’s encounter with the Fire Sages at Avatar Roku’s temple comes from this cartoon episode, as does Aang finally getting to meet and learn about Roku himself.)Book One: Water, 1.12 “The Storm” (Zuko’s backstory is first revealed to the audience in the cartoon episode, “The Storm.” The live-action Avatar adaptation takes the flashbacks to Zuko speaking out at the war council and his Agni Kai with Fire Lord Ozai and expands them wonderfully.) Book One: Water, 1.12 “The Blue Spirit” (The live-action Avatar takes the core of “The Blue Spirit” and brings it life. While the cartoon episode has a funnier bend, the live-action is all business, but the change is effective. Aang still rescues Sokka and Katara as he does in the cartoon episode but under slightly different circumstances. (And no frozen frogs are involved this time.) The live-action also expands on the cartoon conversation between Zuko and Aang, creating an early basis for their later friendship.) Book One: Water, 1.18 “The Waterbending Master” (In this episode, Zhao demands to take over Zuko’s ship and announces he’s planning to be the one to capture Avatar.)Book Two: Earth, 2.07 “Zuko Alone” (In “Zuko Alone,” Avatar gives us a glimpse of the sweet child Zuko was before his exile and the death of his mother, something the live-action adaptation clearly uses in its episode six Zuko flashbacks.) The Cartoon Episodes Adapted in Episode Seven of the Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-Action

As the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series starts to draw to a close, it focuses on specific cartoon episodes once again. But, even still, a few other inspirations creep in to complete the live-action chapter.

The ATLA Cartoon Episodes Adapted in “The North”: Book One: Water, 1.15 “Bato of the Water Tribe” (Katara and Sokka’s love of stewed sea prunes is introduced in this episode.)Book One: Water, 1.18 “The Waterbending Master” (The Northern Water Tribe as a whole, Yue, and Katara’s conflict with Master Pakku all come from this episode.) Book Two: Earth, 2.18 “The Guru” (The idea that Aang has to let go of his friends and connections, especially Katara, to succeed at being the Avatar comes from this cartoon episode.) Book Three: Fire, 3.19, “Sozin’s Comet – Part 2: The Old Masters” (Everything we learn about Avatar Kuruk in the live-action is featured in this late episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender.) The Cartoon Episodes Adapted in Episode Eight of the Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-Action

The final episode of Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series is a straightforward retelling of the two final episodes of the cartoon’s Book One: Water and the battle of the North Pole. But it does bring a little season two twist to the table.

The ATLA Cartoon Episodes Referenced in “Legends”: Book One: Water, 1.19 and 1.20 “The Siege of the North, Part 1 and 2” (Everything from the battle at the North Pole to the tangles with the ocean and water spirits come from these cartoon episodes.) Book Two: Earth, 2.02 and 2.03 “The Cave of Two Lovers” and “Return to Omashu” (The live action closes with the Fire Nation taking over the city of Omashu, leaving only Ba Sing Se untouched in the Earth Kingdom. This storyline comes from Book Two: Earth’s second and third cartoon episodes.)

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Every Cool Creature and Spirit From AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER’s Live-Action Series

The best part of exploring a fantastical world like that of Avatar: The Last Airbender is the creatures and spirits we get to meet. Of course, Avatar began life as an animated series, and it’s much easier to bring unique beings to life when they’re just images on our screen. But we were very pleasantly surprised that Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender truly went for it when it came to the franchise’s creatures. From the cute to the creepy, here are all the Avatar critters that appear in season on the first season of the live-action show.

Creatures We Meet in Season One of the Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-ActionSky Bison or Flying Bison (Chiefly, Appa)Netflix

One of Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s most iconic creatures, we were thrilled to see Appa so well done in Netflix’s live-action series. Appa is, of course, a sky bison or a flying bison, a favorite friend of the Air Nomads. The live-action gives us a beautiful treat early on in the show, and we get to see the Southern Air Temple as it was in its prime. And that means the show gives us a glimpse of a time when there hundreds of Sky Bison in the sky—a true sight to see.

But what exactly is a sky/flying bison? Well in short, they are huge bison that fly. Or, as Aang would say, “Six legs, horns, brown arrows. Sky bison. Sky bison!!” A little more in-depth, a flying bison is an Avatar: The Last Airbender creature that has soft white fur, five stomachs, and a tail that resembles that of a manatee. Flying bison have brown arrow markings on their foreheads and six legs each. They are capable of carrying up to 10 tons. Flying bison are gentle giants and vegetarians. (But don’t make one mad.) Aang’s sky bison, Appa, went into the ice with Aang 100 years before the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender and is a loyal creature companion and one of the last strong connections Aang has to his childhood.

Winged Lemur or Flying Lemur (Chiefly, Momo)Netflix

Another favorite of the Air Nomads, the winged or flying lemur is one adorable Avatar: The Last Airbender creature. This critter is exactly what it says on the label: a lemur who can fly. Sadly, after the Air Nomad Genocide, very few flying lemurs remained alive. But happily, one winged lemur did survive, and the creature came to join Avatar‘s Aang on his journey after the Gaang discovered him at the abandoned Southern Air Temple. Called Momo, the live-action version of this flying lemur is as adorable as his animated counterpart, with just as much personality. Momo is a flying lemur with attitude, and the live-action retains that vision of him, especially where Sokka is concerned. It wouldn’t be the same without Momo.

Ostrich Horses (An Avatar Hybrid Animal Creature)Netflix

Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s world is famous for its unique hybrid creatures. And one such creature that leaped into live-action is the Earth Kingdom’s ostrich horse. The ostrich horse, is, you guessed it, a combination of a horse and an ostrich, two creatures that can really hoof it. In the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender, the ostrich horse is a creature that runs on two feet. It has the head of the horse, but a body that more closely resembles that of an ostrich. Additionally, the ostrich horse is covered by fluffy yellow-brown feathers, giving it a very earthy look, and it has a long tale like a horse. It makes a sound that’s a bit like a horse’s neigh but vibrates in a very birdlike way. We love these Avatar creatures!

Badgermoles (An Avatar Hybrid Animal Creature)

“Secret tunnel, secret tunnel.” We bet if badgermoles could sing, they’d adopt “Secret Tunnel” as their theme song. Badgermoles are giant, blind creatures that live primarily underground in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. While the badgermoles can’t see, they can sense the world around them through their earthbending. And although these enormous creatures seem threatening with their big claws and big teeth, they are actually incredibly sweet. The live-action series adds to the lore of the badgermoles by making them incredibly sensitive to love. In episode four of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, the creatures react positively to Sokka and Katara’s shared affection for one another. Katara explains, “They don’t navigate by sight but by feeling. They sense feelings and react to them. Anger, fear, but mostly love.”

Finally, in earthbender lore, badgermoles taught earthbending to Oma and Shu, helping them to become the first ever earthbenders. In the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series, Oma and Shu are actually both women, so badgermoles are also LGBTQ+ allies, which we love.

Shirshu (Chiefly, June the Bounty Hunter’s Nyla)Netflix

June the Bounty Hunter’s shirshu, Nyla, is a beloved Avatar: The Last Airbender creature. And we’re delighted Nyla wasn’t left out. Both Nyla and June look every bit as epic in live-action as they do in the original. Although June is undoubtedly an exceptional bounty hunter, her shirshu really gives her the edge. In the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, shirshus are star-nosed mole-like creatures that see the world through scents. If they have the scent of someone, they can track them across massive distances. In addition, the shirshu’s saliva contains chemical agents that can leave everyone in its path paralyzed. Not to mention, its tongue can snap out like a whip. Nyla is very loyal to June, but the shirshu is one Avatar creature we definitely would not want on our tail.

Gorilla Goats (Namely King Bumi’s Flopsie)

While Flopsie, King Bumi’s beloved pet Gorilla Goat, doesn’t make into the live-action series in full, we know that this creature exists in the world of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. That’s because we see statue homages to that very special Gorilla Goat in King Bumi’s dining room. It’s a clever way to incorporate the hybrid animal into the world as a treat for die-hard fans. Maybe we’ll get to meet Flopsie in person sooner or later. But for now, we’re pleased to him honored in such a way. This Avatar: The Last Airbender creature is, of course, a hybrid of a goat and a gorilla, but it also has the quickness of a rabbit. That’s a most excellent blend.

Spirits We Meet in Season One of the Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-Action

Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action also takes on an expanded jaunt to the Spirit World. There, in addition to the creatures of the real world, we meet some of Avatar‘s most iconic spirits.

Koh

Koh is a particularly creepy spirit in Avatar: The Last Airbender. If you show Koh any emotion, he will steal your face. Koh looks primarily like a shadowy spider, but he constantly changes his mask-like face into the ones he steals. In the cartoon, Aang only briefly engages with Koh, but in the live-action Avatar, the spirit becomes a more primary antagonist. Koh kidnaps Sokka, Katara, and other innocent villagers and traps them in a fog of lost souls, paralyzing them in despair and doubt. We also learn from Koh that a past incarnation of the Avatar, Kuruk, tried to slay him for stealing the face of something he loves. But ultimately, it comes out that Koh truly seeks a community and family of his own. When Aang returns his mother’s totem to him, he allows his captives to go free.

Spirit World Fox Spirit

Sokka meets an elegant fox-like creature with three tails in the forest during Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s fifth live-action episode. The fox spirit, who can speak, hits him with some devastating wisdom and then giggles away. Of course, it transpires that this is actually Sokka’s soon-to-be crush, Yue, who straddles the spirit and mortal worlds.

Wan Shi Tong

Wan Shi Tong is the spirit of knowledge that manifests as an owl-like creature in the world of Avatar. In the cartoon, Wan Shi Tong is the curator of a Spirit Library that contains great knowledge. He is wary of humans, who have wronged him and his work before, and can turn menacing on a dime. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, he appears in Book Two: Earth, but we meet him in season one of the Netflix show. Wan Shi Tong appears before Aang to warn him that Katara and Sokka do not belong in the realm of spirits and that it contains truths that can hurt them. To Sokka and Katara, he appears as merely an owl and they cannot hear him. We wonder if we’ll meet this Avatar spirit again later in the show. Randall Duk Kim voices Wan Shi Tong.

Hei BeiNetflix

The Hei Bei is a forest spirit angered by the Fire Nation’s destruction of nature. When calm, the Hei Bei looks like a fluffy panda protector, but when wounded, it becomes a ferocious, multi-legged, sharp-toothed creature.

Tui and La, Avatar‘s Moon and Ocean Spirits

Tui and La are the spirits of the moon and the ocean. In the cartoon, they crossed into the mortal world to help keep spiritual harmony and balance. Meanwhile, in the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender, Yue explains that the spirits choose to leave their spirit forms behind and join the real world for one night because they want to know what it feels like to be mortal. The live-action additionally explains that killing the ocean spirit will bring death to all waterbenders, meanwhile killing the moon spirit extinguishes all waterbending in the world. Although Admiral Zhao successfully kills the moon spirit, causing the ocean spirit to take over Aang and go on a rampage, Yue is able to return borrowed life to the spirit, restoring the moon, harmony, and waterbending.

Tui and La manifest as fish-like creatures in the mortal world of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

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How Azula’s Story Changes in the Live-Action AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Series

Avatar: The Last Airbender fans will know that Azula, the Fire Nation Princess, is one of the series’ best characters. Azula is the perfect foil for Zuko, her brother, and she brings a powerful yet vulnerable antagonist to the table. In the cartoon version of the show, though, Azula barely popped up in season one, or Book One: Water. Happily, Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series took advantage of knowing exactly where its story is going and introduced Azula from the start. But what did Azula do with all her extra screen time in the live-action Avatar? Here’s a breakdown of what Princess Azula got up to in season one and what new things we learned about the fearsome princess.

[image error]What Was Princess Azula Doing in Season One of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-Action Series?NetflixAzula’s Secret Missions to Root Out Fire Nation Resistance Movements

While the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series doesn’t disrupt cartoon canon to bring Azula directly into the action of season one too much, it does give us a deep look at what Azula was up to behind the scenes. We learn in the live-action that Fire Lord Ozai is testing Azula in several ways while Zuko is in exile hunting the Avatar. Early in the season, we see her go undercover as a spy for the Fire Lord. Azula infiltrates resistance movements in the Fire Nation, setting traps for them and bringing them to the Fire Lord for punishment. Azula has no qualms about watching these “traitors” burned by her father, and her deep sadistic tendencies and hunger for power are immediately on full display in the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action. It is implied that Azula regularly goes on these missions for her father.

Azula and Commander Zhao in the Avatar Live-ActionNetflix

However, once hearing Zuko has found the Avatar, Azula realizes she needs to up her game. She indirectly intercedes in the “big game” by writing to Commander Zhao and making him her pawn in the fray. Although Zhao has secret ambitions to become Fire Lord, he acquiesces to Azula’s request and informs her of her brother’s actions. In exchange, Azula arranges for money and resources, including the Yuyan archers, to be sent to Zhao by her father. She even has Zhao promoted to Admiral.

In the finale of the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series, Zhao also claims that Azula helped identify Zuko as the Blue Spirit, a.k.a. a traitor to the Fire Nation. None of this Azula and Zhao interaction was in the cartoon version of Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon, and we’ll have to see how it plays into future seasons of the live-action series.

Azula Confronts Fire Lord Ozai

Despite her brutal efficiency and great power, Azula is clearly very young. She doesn’t quite know when she’s tipping her hand too much and occasionally missteps. Compared to Zuko, she’s a downright savant at the intricacies of court and power plays, but in front of her father, she’s just a child. Still, in season one of the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series, we see Azula do what Zuko never successfully could and defy her father.

Netflix

Fire Lord Ozai has Azula continuously training and fighting prisoners from other nations in constant bids to prove herself. Although Azula performs powerfully, Ozai always denies her his approval. Toward the end of the season, though, Azula has had enough. She refuses her father’s demands that she fight or fail and bends lightning/her blue fire in a show of power, insisting that Ozai let her loose and give her a chance to prove herself.

In the series’ final scenes, we learn Azula has conquered the Earth Kingdom of Omashu. In the cartoon, the Fire Nation conquers Omashu, but it is not Azula who leads the charge. Clearly, the live-action Avatar series made this change in Azula’s storyline to highlight her great competency and her true thirst to be a player in the political game. It’s an effective addition.

Azula’s Appearance Also Brought Us Mai and Ty Lee Early

Thanks to Azula’s early inclusion, her best friends, Mai and Ty Lee, are also characters who appear in the live-action earlier than they do in the cartoon. Although Mai and Ty Lee don’t have too much to do in season one of the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series, their personalities already pop out. And we’re glad to see them. Ty Lee is positive and gushing, while Mai is already over it and ready to get out there and be anywhere but where she is.

Should we get season two of the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series, we hope to see Mai and Ty Lee fighting beside Azula. Mai is an expert with throwing knives, while Tai-Lee’s chi-blocking nerve pinches put even the best benders out of commission.

What the Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Series Reveals About Azula’s Ultimate Goals Netflix

So what does all this extra screen time in the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series reveal about Azula? One very big thing. In the live-action series, Azula overtly wants to be Fire Lord, and she wants Fire Lord Ozai to declare her next in line to the throne. While this might seem like an obvious revelation, it’s actually kind of radical. While the Avatar cartoon version of Azula was power-hungry and clearly sought to prove herself in the eyes of her father, she never outright declared that she wanted to be Fire Lord.

Of course, it’s possible that in the cartoon, unlike in the live-action, Azula was already named heir after Zuko’s banishment. But in the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series, Zuko remains heir to the Fire Nation throne despite his exile. And this is a huge thorn in Azula’s side. “I’ll burn everyone in the world until he [Fire Lord Ozai] admits the truth… That I’m the one,” Azula says in episode seven.

It’s clear Fire Lord Ozai retained Zuko as his heir to play his children against one another. For Zuko, not losing his place as heir gives hope of redemption. And for Azula, Zuko remaining heir over her forces her to fight for what she believes is her rightful place. Adding this element of conflict between Zuko and Azula creates a sharper reason for them to be at odds in the show. And it gets us excited for their eventual meeting. But to see that and to learn where else Azula’s journey takes her, we’ll have to wait for more of Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender. Fingers crossed for season two.

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