Since its release in 2009,Avatarhas been the centerpiece of one of the most common clarifications in all of pop culture. Almost anytime anyone mentions either James Cameron’s sci-fi film or Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko’s beloved animated series, they must quickly note which one they’re referring to. Everyone has heard some variation of “the one about people who can control elements, not the one about blue cat aliens” or vice versa. It’s never been hard to tell them apart, but as James Cameron’s film series continues down its bizarre path, it seems to get closer toThe Last Airbenderwith every new reveal.
Avatarwas probably fine without any sequels. It has a decent enough beginning, middle, and ending to set up and resolve its conflicts without a follow-up. However, the film was one of those ideas that burrows into the mind of its creator, inhabiting a permanent corner of his brain and slowly expanding over the decades. Of courseCameron needed more than oneAvatar, but he’s had far too long to add details to the experience. It’s increasingly fascinating to wonder what aspects of the newAvatarentries might be brand new and which first appeared in the script he wrote way back in 1994.
Avatarhas more and more in common withAvatar
The comparisons betweenAvatarandAvatarall started as jokes. In truth, the two only share a name because that word sounds pretty cool and vaguely plays off the themes of both works. The word comes from Sanskrit and reflects a concept in Hinduism wherein a powerful spiritual entity must take a new form to act in the physical realm. The two titular uses of the word in their respective contexts are extremely different. Cameron’s avatars are blank, lab-grown bodies that allow humans to infiltrate and invade a foreign planet, while the show’s Avatar is a chosen figure of legend who is destined to master tremendous power and save the world. While the stories were once a million miles apart,Cameron’s sequels keep exploring Pandoraand finding things that seem oddly reminiscent of the Nickelodeon cartoon.
It all startedwithThe Way of Water, which introduced a clan of water-aligned Na’vi. They’re isolationists who value their spiritual connection to the sea, but their humble way of life is frequently set upon by hostile forces. Cameron then let slip the fact that he plans on introducing several other clans of Na’vi who happen to represent other elements. Most notably, the fire Na’vi, who are brutal conquerors that will introduce villainy to Pandora’s native race. At the recent CinemaCon,Avatar: Fire and Ashgot a teaser that revealed more about these fire Na’vi. Instead of mastering their domain in the way the water people do the sea, they actually control fire, arguably bending an element to their will. In addition,Cameron introduced the air Na’vi, who float through the world in a nomadic aerial city. These elements sound remarkably similar to worldbuilding elements inAvatar: The Last Airbender.
Avataris built out of tropes
A lot of the things that are comparable betweenAvatarandAvatarcome from the film’s reliance on familiar tropes. It’s a story that builds its limited emotional narrative on a shaky framework of tropes and old concepts. A ton of viewers have accurately pointed out thatAvatarisessentially a version ofDunewith almost none of the nuance involved. The framing concepts don’t hang together as well, but it’s basically the same story, save for the subversion packed intoDune’s anti-white-savior narrative.Avatar’s reliance on reliable tropes would logically draw it toward doing a lot of the same things asThe Last Airbender. The idea of societies themed after elements is nothing new, and many of the choices made within that concept are equally familiar. Humanity generally agrees about the temperamental characteristics ofearth, water, fire, and air. Unfortunately, it does work a bit better in one than in the other.
Why does it work better whenThe Last Airbenderdoes it?
Yes,Avatar: The Last Airbenderuses a lot of tropes to build its world. The citizens of the four kingdoms often run the risk of falling into a Planet of Hats situation in which each representative of a race can only do the things expected of the culture at large, but they tend to have considerably more nuance. Of course, part of the reason itworks forThe Last Airbenderis that it codified a lot of these tropes and became their most popular example for a generation of fans. Moreover,The Last Airbenderis largely about the world of benders and their consequences.Avatartreats its elemental tribes the way a comic book treats variants of a popular characters. This is the difference between using tropes as a foundation to build upon and using them as the bricks and mortar that make up the world.
AvatarandAvatarhave a few things in common now, but they’re still about as far as two works can be when it comes to cultural impact.The Last Airbenderremainsone of the most beloved stories ever told, with legions of adoring fans demanding something new from its creators.Avatarstands out as one of the most financially successful franchises that no one has much to say about. The similarities reveal the depth of their differences, driving an even deeper wedge betweenAvatarandAvatarand making it even more important that people keep clarifying exactly which one they’re talking about.
