polychrome_pen | Avatar: The Last Airbender

I can't believe that I'm finally finished with all 61 episodes of Avatar. It has been an amazing journey, and I'm sad to see it go. I've had the episodes for quite some time (at least two years if not longer!) and can't believe it's taken me this long to finally watch them.

This series is one of those few cases where - after watching - I think it's deserving of all the praise it has garnered. There is a wonderful, possibly unique blend of action, comedy, and emotional depth that sets Avatar apart from many other animated series. Especially more recent American-made ones. I might be going a little too far (being in that post-series bliss that I usually get after watching something good), but Avatar may be my pick for the best American animated series of the decade.

There are many truly laugh-out-loud funny moments (The episodes "The Beach" and "The Ember Island Players" come to mind), and yet the series doesn't just rely on laughs - each of the characters is unique, with their own personal stories and motivations, dreams and fears.

The presence of good continuity and copious, baggage-filled backstory only fuels my love of this show. The backstory is actually where we discover what drives many of the characters.

So while I'm sad my watchthrough is over, there is at least the live action movie to look forward to. Though I have to admit that Jackson Rathbone as Sokka made me lol.

And also, I'm in the mood for some good Avatar fanfic. If anyone has a good recommendations, I'd love to know!