Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-8)

The greatest children's show, maybe the greatest TV show period, recently came to Netflix, and it holds up really well fifteen years later. As a kid, watching the animated bending was really cool. But as an adult watching again, I appreciate how complex and beautiful the plot and character development are: Zuko has a highly satisfying redemption arc. Drawing heavily on Asian (and Inuit) philosophy, martial arts and design, the creators put genuine thought into world building at a level we wouldn't see again until Game of Thrones. Ba Sing Se is a clear reference to Beijing, complete with the secret police and oppression.

The Avatar is the bridge between the physical world and the spirit world, and it is the Avatar's responsibility to maintain/restore balance in the world. The Avatar has the ability to bend all four elements: Earth, water, fire and air. And the Avatar is a spirit reincarnated in a different bender based on a cycle. Over the last hundred years, while the Avatar Aang has been frozen in an iceberg, the Fire Nation has embarked on an imperial war of world domination, committing genocide in the process. Yes, that's war crimes, refugees, and totalitarianism in a children's show at the height of America's war in Iraq. It is profound.

Even the Art of War is explored in the show. Omashu surrenders to fight another day. Earth benders are masters of "neutral jing", waiting for the right moment to strike. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending watching it back. The penultimate episode sees our hero struggling with having to kill the Fire Lord. It is a serious and deep introspective exploration that looks like he is about to come to peace with his fate. The show acknowledges the idea of just violence in which it is necessary to be violent to stop further violence (a just war). And Aang must selflessly put aside his own reservations for the greater good of the world to fulfill his duty as Avatar. That is a profound message for a kid, but the show ultimately goes in another direction. Aang unlocks a new superpower and saves the day in a non-fatal way.  It is visually awesome but I think not in line with the serious themes that the show explored throughout.

The music is beautiful. The writing is smart and funny and poignant. The animation cleverly combines both Japanese and Western elements. All the characters have fully realized arcs that develop over a tight three seasons. Even having a series-long episodic plot was pretty unique for a TV show in 2005, let alone a children's show. I can't wait for the live action remake of the series; hopefully M. Night Shyamalan stays far away. I think we'll give Legend of Korra another try now.