Wednesday, August 2

Avatar Update

The next chapter in Avatar: The Last Airbender will be another one-hour (2-episode arc) 'movie', entitled The Secret of the Fire Nation". While it's still a ways off, early previews were shown at the recent San Diego Comic Con. One was a 30-second trailer which showed the Aang Gang heading off to the Great City of Ba-Sing-Se, to try and find the missing Appa and tell the Earth Kingdom of their discovery made during the previous Avatar movie, The Fury of Aang. Along the way, the kids seem to have picked up several other refugees, taking them under their wing and protecting them as they make their way to civilization. It is confirmed here in the trailer that Sokka's girlfriend Suki from Kyoshi Island will be apppearing, and perhaps even more familiar faces will return.

The second preview, shown live before an audience, lasts for about 2 minutes and starts with returning character Jet and Uncle Iroh (still voiced by the late, great Mako) at a campfire, talking about their mutual destination in Ba Sing Se. Apparently Jet has decided to atone for his darker ways from before, and seems intent fully on starting anew. Iroh supports hiim, saying that he believes in second chances- perhaps alluding to his and Zuko's own tragic pasts.
The preview then cuts to Aang and his party as they come to a what appears to be a large lake or river leading other refugees to Ba Sing Se. Katara tells the group to walk single file and then PARTS THE WATER (elicitng tremendous applause from the enthusiastic Avatar fans). As the water gets deeper, the party must 'cocoon' themselves in an air pocket as they walk under the sea. After some comedic antics from Momo, the troop is attacked by some beast which tries to break into the cocoon. The gang is saved by Toph, who earthbends the entire kit and caboodle on a small island above the water (another explosion of applause). The attacking creature is then revealed to be a gigantic sea serpent, which menacingly rears above the heroes...

And that's it! We'll all have to wait another month and a half for the full show. Still, this was pretty awesome and I just can't wait to get my Avatar fix again this September. To see the Avatar: Secret of the Fire Nation promos, just go to Youtube and search for "Secret of the Fire Nation".