Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender trailer breakdown - 3 key takeaways

Netflix released the full and official trailer of Avatar: The Last Airbender on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. While a short teaser was released two months ago, the official trailer reveals a lot about what the much-awaited live-action series will be presenting.

There is a lot to be captured in the Avatar universe and the production team has managed to live up to the expectations of the fans. Looking at the trailer, the show has likely captured the lore, its spirit, the characters, and their world.

The trailer teased many spectacles to come, from Monk Gyatso’s narration to the different bending styles of each warrior. It also seemingly promised to fix some of the missing parts of the animated version.

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Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender - 3 major takeaways from the trailer

As mentioned earlier, the final and official trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender was released on Netflix on Tuesday. The eight-episode show is set to be released on the streaming giant on February 22, 2024.

1) The missing story about the Fire Nation’s attack on the Air Nomads is presented

The Fire Nation's genocide is shown in the series (Image via Netflix)

A few shots show the Fire Nation attacking Air Warriors and committing genocide. This sequence plays an important part in the history of the Avatar World storyline as it explains the origin of Aang becoming the “Last Airbender”.

However, this was never clearly shown in the original animated version. It was only mentioned as part of the Avatar World’s history. Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender likely includes this tragic event in flashbacks connecting Aang's survival and making his battles significant.

Though trying to be close to the original source material, this element seems to fill the gap in the origin protagonist's story and points towards the fact that the Netflix show is open to adaptations.

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2) The bending moves of the fighters have been well-presented

Different Bending styles have been shown (Image via Netflix)

As the name of the show predicts, bending moves are an integral part of the warriors’ fighting styles. The fighting and bending style in the 2010 live-action movie was lackluster, but the Netflix show seems to have worked on the same.

The moves look both dynamic and well-shot. The glimpses from the trailer show a different bending move for each group of the benders. The way King Bumi of the Earth Kingdom moves his body is different from the moves that Zuko of Fire Nation uses to throw fire attacks. Again, Aang's body language as he creates a storm is distinctive and swift warrior-like style, adding to the excitement for the show.

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3) Monk Gyatso has more presence in the upcoming series

Monk Gyatso trained Aang (Image via Netflix)

As the previous teaser and the more recent trailer show, Monk Gyatso may have a bigger presence in the upcoming series. For one, he is the narrator who asks Aang to remember who he was. Being the one who shielded and raised Aang into an Airbender, his presence in the series will be more than just a voice-over.

Avatar: The Last Airbender will also cover the attack the monk had to endure and its consequences. With Aang being at the center of the plot, the Air Nomad who trained him will have a larger presence.

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What is Avatar: The Last Airbender about?

The plot of Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the protagonist Aang, one of the last survivors of his clan, the Air Nomads. The martial arts-based story is set in a world where some people can manipulate the four elements - fire, air, water, and earth - and bend them at will. However, just as in any world, there is a fight for power and supremacy, with one clan trying to eliminate the others.

As the Fire Nation tries to gain supremacy by eliminating other element benders, Aang strives with his friends to learn to bend the other elements. Whoever can manipulate all four becomes the Avatar.

The show attempts to voice issues such as war, genocide, totalitarianism, imperialism, indoctrination, and freedom of choice. The animated version was widely acclaimed receiving many awards, leading the path for the upcoming Netflix show.

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The trailer of Avatar: The Last Airbender has revealed more about the upcoming show. According to fans, the plot remains true to the original, including the music, the locations, and the storyline. The CGI used in the series looks impressive too.

Fans can watch Avatar: The Last Airbender with its eight episodes as it is set to premiere on Netflix on February 22, 2024.