Netflix just released another teaser for the upcoming "Avatar: The Last Airbender" live-action adaptation. It shows a few key scenes that hint at what we can expect from the first season, which is due to be released this February 22nd, 2024.
It's Been Accurate So Far
Fans of the franchise have been wary about the upcoming adaptation. Even though the first teaser showed that the showrunners are staying true to the source material, Netflix tends to stray from it after a while. However, the second teaser indicates that might not be the case.
The first teaser shows Katara and Sokka discovering the iceberg that preserved Aang, but it isn't until the second teaser that we see the explosion that sends out a beam of light as the Avatar emerges from the shattered ice.
Netflix's teaser shows Aang riding his signature air bubble as a way to get around faster. Not only that, we finally got to meet some of the important side characters from the show such as June, the bounty hunter who rode a "shirsu," a creature that can track anyone by scent.
The first released teaser shows Omashu, but the new one reveals King Bumi for just a second, hurling rocks at Aang during their fight as both Sokka and Katara are slowly enveloped by the crystals that were attached to them.
Furthermore, the video shows Jet in action, defending Katara from a flurry of fire attacks. He is even using his hook sword, which you might recognize from the animated Nickelodeon show. Lastly, a peek at Aang going into the Avatar state, likely from the time he discovered the fallen Monk Gyatso.
If we are to base the accuracy of the adaptation from the teasers, then things are looking good. Hopefully, the showrunners will not change much from the show as fans can argue that it's already perfect.
There's Already a Major Change to Be Expected
Live-action adaptations are never 100% accurate to the base or source material. Take "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" for example, showing several changes that have been greenlit or written by the author of the books himself, Rick Riordan.
The Netflix series' showrunner Albert Kim says that one character from the show will deviate from the original timeline, namely Azula, as per Screen Rant. In the first season of the animated show, Azula does not appear at all and is only mentioned by name.
However, the showrunners are going in a different direction and will be introducing the firebending prodigy in the first season of the live-action. Kim said that by introducing her early, they had the "benefit of hindsight in fleshing out her character and being able to tell a story with her in it."
It's unclear just how much screen time the young firebender will be getting for the first season. The latest teaser shows her aiming her bow and arrow, but that's about it. It could be a good thing, as the showrunners might provide fans with a better understanding of Azula's actions and intentions.
