Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 Review: After a rather enjoyable live-action adaptation of the animated series in season 1 left fans reeling for more, the second season of this Netflix show is a noticeable improvement that will definitely steal hearts thanks to its original storytelling and fantastic performances. The show proves that if done right, live-action adaptations can be extremely enjoyable, as proved also by One Piece‘s live-action series.
In the second season, Team Avatar explores the Earth Kingdom, adapted mainly from “Book Two: Earth,” but one of the best parts of the series is its ability to not just adapt well, but also mix in original ideas that enrich the world and differentiate it from already available material. The result is an immersive experience, although not all works well for the season.
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Who is in the Cast of Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2?
Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, Dallas Liu, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Ken Leung, Daniel Dae Kim, Miyako
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Who are the Showrunners of Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2?
Albert Kim, Christine Boylan
The second season has 7 episodes, with a runtime of 60+ minutes each. The series is the live-action adaptation of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender by Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 Review
The Earth Kingdom Finally Opens Up the Story
The second continues the storyline of season 1, expanding the universe to the Earth Kingdom, where Aang, Sokka and Katara journey to master earthbending and defeat the Fire Kingdom’s tyranny. Seeking support from the Earth Kindom in their quest, our heroes arrive at the legendary sprawling capital of the Earth Kindom, Ba Sing Se, where we are introduced to new allies and enemies. This marks one of the most important locations of the Avatar Universe, and the series gives it the attention that makes it stand out.
As a result, audiences will get a larger canvas to explore, which also helps ground Aang’s own journey as it provides room to breathe. Unlike the first season’s rushed pace that oftentimes didn’t understand what it wanted to be, the season is more comfortable letting the characters and situations take their time while also adding political intrigue, cultural diversity and moral complexity to take shape. This results in an extremely entertaining and dense season that doesn’t forget its emotional core.
Season 2 Learns from Season 1’s Biggest Mistakes
One of the biggest problems of season 1 was that it didn’t know whether it wanted to be a darker retelling of the animated series or hold on to the fun and lighthearted vibe of the original. As a result, the season often gave mixed signals and left audiences confused. Season 2, however, is more secure in its storytelling, and it’s clear that the creators took the feedback from fans after season 1. The focus this season is on character relationships and giving each character a great character arc in the midst of ongoing action and adventure. Team Avatar, Zuko, Uncle Iroh and Princess Azula all get fantastic backstories that add so much to the storyline as a whole.
Meanwhile, Toph Beifong joins this season, and Miya Cech makes her character not just strong and a force to reckon with, but also surprisingly vulnerable. The combination makes her a memorable addition and not just another character helping Aang along the way. At seven episodes, the series fills every moment with important plot points that never weigh down the runtime. The character-driven moments are some of the best parts of the series and make it stand out from other live-action adaptations.
Toph Brings Fresh Energy
As mentioned previously, Toph is one of the most interesting additions this season as she shakes up the story quite a bit. She was a fan-favourite in the animated series and, in the adaptation too, she proves to be a worthy watch. Her introduction adds much-needed energy to the dynamic, and she not only challenges Aang every step of the way but also adds her own version of humour, confidence and unpredictability.
Her chemistry with the group is playful and adds a light-heartedness to the runtime that was missing in the last season. Her interactions with the rest of the characters are natural and add charm to the runtime.
Zuko Continues to Be the Show’s Secret Weapon
The Fire Nation characters are some of the most interesting, however. Much like last season, Zuko continues to be an evolving character whose storyline is the most compelling of the lot. His internal conflict surrounding his identity and family, his interaction with Uncle Iroh and the struggle between destiny and morality continue to be a huge part of his character that makes him stand out from the rest. Dallas Liu is fantastic in the role and brings a vulnerability that grounds the series.
More from the Fire Nation, Princess Azula continues to be a formidable antagonist as we get a deeper understanding of her resentment towards her family and her desperate need for approval. On the same vein, Uncle Iroh’s storyline gets a new lease of life this season, as we get to the bottom of his character as something more than the fun uncle. His history with the Earth Kingdom and his war criminal past play a huge role in shaping the story and make for a very entertaining addition.
A Shorter Season Creates New Challenges
All, however, is not well. The CGI is one of the heaviest to suffer this season, as it can be noticeably bad at times. The night sequences are sometimes hard to see, and some plot changes can be a nuisance, since they alter the storyline quite a bit, especially for longtime fans of the original series.
Final Verdict
Overall, this is a great adaptation that is both entertaining and emotionally grounded. The added characters this season and the expanded backstories paint a vivid picture that gets deeper than viewers could’ve hoped for. It’s not perfect, but it’s hard to stop watching regardless.
The series is streaming right now on Netflix. What did you think about the second season of this fan-favourite show? Let us know in the comments below!
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