Why 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' is the Best Show Ever - Part III: 'The Greatest Illusion of This World is the Illusion of Separation'

Written by Kate McHargue

​I think it’s safe to say that one of the best parts of Geek culture is the ability to travel into new worlds. They might be similar to our own or entirely new and unfamiliar, but there is always a sense of exploration and escapism. Avatar: The Last Airbender creates a world that is at once magical and realistic, combining elements of the fantastical and of our own reality to give us something truly unique.

The world of ATLA is not dissimilar to our own. It resembles the Earth we know, with a North and South pole and everything from swamps to deserts to mountains in between. And even the fantastical nature of this show relies on the existence of the four elements; Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. In this way, it is easy to accept this world as a possible reality. Perhaps it exists in a different corner of the Universe or maybe it’s our own world just in a different dimension. We readily accept that this world is somewhat familiar and therefore could exist. Our ready acceptance of this world is made even easier by the creators’ choice to model each of the four nations after a culture that we know actually exists. The Water tribes clearly pull from Inuit, Native, and Indigenous cultures, living in the snow covered lands of the North and South poles and drawing power from water’s healing properties and the Moon’s control of the tides. The Air nomads are reminiscent of Buddhist and Tibetan cultures, living in scarce and sometimes harsh mountainous environments to focus on spiritual enlightenment and the natural balance of the Universe. The Earth kingdom was inspired by Chinese culture, both in the design of its vast lands and great cities and in their history of great dynasties evolving into militant government. Finally, the Fire nation draws numerous parallels with Japanese culture, both in its aesthetic as an island nation with numerous volcanoes and in their history as an impressive military force, specifically their Navy.

Even bending is familiar to us in some ways because each style is inspired by a different type of martial art and each martial art was specifically chosen to teach us more about the different styles. Water bending is based on Tai Chi which loosely translates to 'Incredible Energy'. Tai Chi is primarily practiced more as a form of exercise to encourage health and balanced energy within one's self. When used for combat, the style is primarily defensive and uses the opponent's strength against them. Air bending is inspired by Ba Gua Zhang, a style that is similar to Tai Chi because it focuses less on offensive attacks and more on using your opponent’s style to your advantage. Ba Gua Zhang uses specific movements that are based on the movements of animals and, much like the Air nomads, those who practice Ba Gua Zhang are encouraged to find balance in Nature. Earth bending is similar to Hung Gar which relies on a firm stance and strong, quick movements to overpower your opponent. Like the Earth benders, the goal of Hung Gar is to never allow yourself to be uprooted or knocked over. And interestingly enough, some Hung Gar fighters choose to train blindfolded to heighten their other senses (sorta like ATLA’s greatest Earth bender, Toph Beifong). And lastly, Fire Bending, being the most offensive and energetic style, is based on Northern Shaolin. This martial art is aggressive and focuses on pushing energy through your body and using it against your opponent, attacking without hesitation.

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Having drawn us in with these similarities, ATLA then provides an element of escapism with places, creatures, and people that could not exist in our world. Bending is an ability that no one in our world has. It is a unique concept that provides the heart of the narrative and leaves viewers envious of the power these characters possess. Anyone who watches this show is lying if they said they wouldn’t want to be a bender. And each bending style comes with countless possibilities, like how water benders can heal the sick or bend the blood inside people, some fire benders can channel lightning, and earth bending can include anything from sand to asteroids to metal. The magic of this world is thrilling to watch and it is impressively woven into this narrative in the form of the Avatar. As the master of all four elements and the bridge to the Spirit World, the Avatar is the epitome of bending and the awesome responsibility that comes with such power. It is Aang’s quest to master all four elements that allows us to explore every corner of this fascinating world. In joining him on his journey, we learn more about each style of bending and how the spirit world can provide balance or wreak havoc. It is through Aang’s memory that we learn about the Air nation and it’s demise. In each season (Book One: Water, Book Two: Earth, Book Three: Fire) we join Team Avatar as they explore each nation and learn about their cultures, even the subcultures and tribes that exist in the most remote locations. And because our protagonists are children, many of them never having travelled farther than the borders of their homeland, we experience everything with the same amount of awe and fear that they do.

Any good fantasy worth its salt has an intricate and fascinating world that leaves us wishing we we could somehow travel to this imaginary land. But ATLA has some of the best and most intentional world building I’ve ever seen. So much care was taken in linking our world to the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. By giving viewers something similar to our own world, the creators also gave us a bridge into this one. They didn’t just build a world and present it to audiences. Instead they provided ways for us to, in a sense, crossover and explore this world in more than just our imaginations. The links between our world and theirs and the guides they gave us to lead the way are what makes this show so engrossing. And though at the end of this show we may still have questions and curiosities about this fantastical world, it is only because we feel we were actually there and would like the chance to explore just a little bit longer.

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