Avatar: The Last Airbender • Episodes 7-8

Matthew Fox reunites with guests Riki Hayashi and Paul Hoppe to
wrap up their deep dive into Netflix's live action take on Avatar:
The Last Airbender. Did the last two episodes stick the landing or
fall short?In the intro, Matthew notes rising excitement across the
four days while Riki felt genuine disappointment. Did Paul land
closer to one side or the other?Key Discussion Questions:

Does Ken Leung deliver one of the all-time great villain
performances as Admiral Zhao?

Does condensing Katara's waterbending mastery arc shortchange
her character growth?

Do strong performances help the show transcend uneven writing
at times? Is Dallas Liu's Prince Zuko a standout?

Did shaping the show for a wider Netflix audience undermine
quirks of the original that niche fans loved?

Other Questions Tackled:

Is the Zuko/Iroh dynamic enhanced by the tearful funeral
scene?

Was incorporating Northern Water Tribe sexism necessary?

Should the missing backstory between Master Pakku and Gran
Gran have been included?

Will season two deviate more radically from the original
animated series?

Should training arcs be sacrosanct versus “gifted” natural
talent?

What direction could Azula's characterization and Lieutenant
Jee's arc take?

What other Avatar stories could shine in live action down the
road?

In conclusion, despite significant flaws, Riki and Paul want
season two renewed for the cast and crew's sake. But will it stay
true to the essence of Avatar going forward?
We’ve started the conversation. Now we want to hear from you!Want
to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we
talked about, or add your own thoughts? We’ve got options for you!

Email: ️ Matthew@TheEthicalPanda.com

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