Avatar – The Last Air Bender: Book 3, Volume 4 (Nickelodeon DVD)

Picture: C     Sound: C     Extras: B     Episodes: A

 

 

Avatar - The Last Air Bender takes place in an ancient Asian-like world with mystic creatures, and people who can control the elements.  The world is ruled by the four nations of the Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Air Nomads and the Fire Nation.  Each nation controls its own elements with their own mystic arts of Waterbending, Earthbending, Airbending and Firebending.  But within each generation there is the Avatar, one who is capable of bending all the elements.  The Avatar keeps the balance between the nations so that they can live in harmony and peace.  Then the Avatar disappeared for nearly 200 years, and during that time the Fire Nation attempted to take control of all the nations.

 

That is when Aang the Avatar awoke, after being trapped in an iceberg for two centuries he is joined other elemental benders to stop the Firelord, Katara and Sokka from the Water Tribe, Toph from the Earth Kingdom, and Zuko the exiled prince of the Fire nation. Can Aang master all the elements and live up to the destiny of the Avatar?

 

 

I found this series to be very amusing; there were comedic episodes when Aang and the gang were just running around and epic episodes in where they were fighting the Fire Nation.  A lot of episodes taught a moral by the end, and I like how the main character was a monk and acted very monkish in always trying to find a way to the problem without fighting as much as possible.  It could be said that the show has a lot of influences from Asian cultures and Buddhism.  In all it has a great cast of characters that came together and worked with each other, becoming friends and showing unity of friendship can defeat evil.  Extras include commentary and a mini-special bonus comic.

 

Chapter 16: The Southern Raiders

Katara finally gets the chance to find the Fire Nation soldier who attacked her village and killed her mother, but is revenge really worth it?

 

Chapter 17: The Ember Island Players

Aang and the gang get to see themselves in a play, but not everything goes exactly like how they see it…

 

Chapter 18: Sozin’s Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King

The team learns that they must face the Firelord soon and he has plans in destroying the World, but can Aang do what he must, kill the Firelord?

 

Chapter 19: Sozin’s Comet: Part 2: The Old Maters

Aang disappears and goes on a journey within to seek away if possible to beat the Firelord without killing him.  Meanwhile the rest of the gang looks to their old masters for help.

 

Chapter 20: Sozin’s Comet: Part 3: Into the Inferno

The comet arrives and endows the Firelord with great power and begins to burn the nation, Aang’s friends attempts to stop the invading armies, Zuko confronts his power hungry sister, Aang must confront the Firelord.

 

Chapter 21: Sozin’s Comet: Part 4: Avatar Aang

It the final confrontation Aang and the Firelord.  When the Avatar’s power truly awakens, can Aang take the life of another when all his life it has been taught to protect it?

 

 

-   Ricky Chiang