Hello Avatar fans, Airspeed Prime here to bring you the 12 edition of our Monthly Community Opinion post. Once fellow site Moderator Kelly informed us all on the site a few months ago that February 21st would be the 7th anniversary of the premiere of Avatar I instantly knew what February’s CO post would be about.

The Topic is simple

The first title card we see in Avatar, this episode started it all.

7 years since the premiere, your memories of the first time you saw 101 and 102 and Thoughts on them now 7 years on To expand further I asked people to write their opinion on this topic with these 3 things in mind 1/ Memories of their first time watching the first two episodes of Avatar regardless of wheter it was in 2005 or just a few months ago 2/ How they feel now having watched the whole show 3/ With a new show, Korra coming this year, how will it’s premiere compare/what should it do compared to ATLA’s premiere So lets turn back time as we see our communities nostalgia about 101 The Boy In The Iceberg and 102 The Avatar Returns !!! Airspeed Prime (Site Super Moderator/News Post Writer/facebook admin) With this topic, I love it because all in one it asks for thoughts on how we felt years ago watching Avatar, how we feel now and onwards to the future of Avatar. So I will start with my memories of watching 101/102 for the first time, it was 2005, I was 13 at the time. I came home from school one day, did my homework and turned on the TV to watch some Nick when I saw a commercial for this new show “Avatar The Last Airbender” or “Avatar: The Legend Of Aang” as it was here in Ireland. I was instantly drawn in by the interesting animation and especially the colour, it was so different than any other show on Nick at the time, so I decided I would watch it when it was on. The day came around and I woke up early to watch it and even at 13 I knew it was a show I would really get into. The whole premise of the show with bending action and the Avatar was amazing to me, what is not to like. Specifically about the episode back then, I seem to remember just loving how real the characters were compared to over the top characters on Nick like Spongebob, it meant I could relate to them. The Animation was great and music a standout. Now I feel much the same, it still is just as big a deal to me as it was back then, I get the same “This is going to be awesome” feeling. Now that I am older I can see that there are so many other reasons that the premiere is so good, it does such a great job at setting up all the main characters stories and introducing them to us. I love the way that we open up in a very isolated part of the Avatar world, the Southern Water Tribe as opposed to a huge city with tonnes of Bending everywhere, it allows a great focus on the characters. Stuff like Zuko being presented as a villain early on, with the hints that there is a lot more behind why he is like he is early on, it makes you think about him so differently when find out more about him. Other stuff like how many parts of the show are quite mature, like War, death of family members, genocide and even just how much responsibility is placed on the Avatar. Now I can see that this show is the type of show kids and everyone should be watching as it teaches life lessons, Now I realise just how high quality of a show Avatar is as since it there has been nothing for me that has matched it especially not on Nick. Regarding what from the ATLA premiere will be in the Korra premiere, I think the character introductions and how they start a characters arc was fantastic and should definitely be a part of Korra. I thin kthe shows humour changed fairly quickly from the early episodes which were quite kiddy, snot and so on, so Korra I think from early on will be more like the humour of later ATLA episodes. The creators have so much more experience now than then, so I think Korra has the ability to be just as good if not even better than the ATLA premiere. Tracy (Moderator) I started watching Avatar late in the game, so, I was eager to see the first episode and how it all started. It was certainly worth the wait! The tale begins with The Boy In The Iceberg with Katara’s point of view of the war, yet despite that, she has faith that the Avatar will return. Right away, I felt a connection with her. To have hope in the time of war isn’t easy. She’s very three dimensional. The show starts with Katara and her brother Sokka in a little boat. Sokka was another character I connected with. It was amusing when he said he could already smell that fish cooking. not paying attention to the fact that his little sister had trapped a fish on a water bubble with waterbending. Sokka accidentally breaks it and ends up getting wet. Sokka gets ticked off. Now this is one of the things I like about Avatar because the characters aren’t always so predictable. They are full of surprises. One would have thought Katara would meekly apologize, but that wasn’t the case it was sibling rivalry at its best. Then to top it all off, Sokka gets a crash course in ice dodging while Katara kept yelling for him to go left. They end up stranded and like so many brothers and sisters, they bicker once again. It’s humorous, if you have a sibling, it’s something you can relate to. Yet, in there, comes the strain and sad fact that they lost their mother. Katara’s temper is so flared, she breaks the ice, literally, and what pops up? A huge iceberg with a boy inside. Then we cut to my favorite character who saw the great flash of light. He’s high strung, wound up tight, while his uncle plays a game similar to solitaire. Prince Zuko believes it to be the Avatar while his Uncle Iroh tries to convince him not to get his hopes up, that he should have a cup of calming Jasmine tea. I was amused when Zuko bellowed that he didn’t need any tea with a wicked expression on his face. He had such personality that I hardly noticed that he had a scar. He has a very strong personality. On the surface, he’s hot head, but there is so much more to him. Iroh was very calm, the embodiment of still waters running very deep. And then comes the moment…. That connection, the big hint to all the KatAangers of the magic that lies ahead. Aang opens his eyes, sees the lovely girl looking down at him, hair loopies moving in the breeze. He beckons her to come closer and so she does. But Aang is innocent, and by golly, that was one of the biggest draws to the show to me. “Will you go penguin sledding with me?” I think that’s one of the biggest draws to Avatar, it can be enjoyed by children, but there are certain things that adults into the world of Avatar. I’ve never seen anything quite like Avatar. There’s amazing martial arts and when it is coupled with bending, it sucks you right in to the story, the story line is amazing, and most of the characters are just asking to be loved. The introduction to Appa was hilarious, he was tired, and he must have had a sky bison cold, in which Sokka experienced first hand. I laughed like crazy when Appa sneezed on him. It was gross, it was disgusting, but it was so funny! After that, Aang convinced his new friends to ride with him (on Appa) to their village. I wasn’t too fond of Kanna (Gran Gran) at first. She seemed a little bit on the sour side, but then, she’d seen a lot of hardship. I enjoyed the way Aang showed off his airbending skills with his glider. The children seemed to enjoy it a great deal. I also liked the way Katara tried to tell Gran Gran that Aang had so much wisdom and ended up getting his glider stuck to his tongue. Definitely not the best thing to do. On the surface, despite the spoils of war, Sokka and Katara seem to be pretty happy. But when Katara goes penguin sledding, another truth is revealed. “I haven’t done this since I was a kid!” Is how Katara expressed herself. But Aang gave a very wise retort. “You’re still a kid.” And he was right. I cringed when they entered the Fire Nation Navy ship, I knew something was going to go wrong and then, they hit the booby trap, setting off the flare. I just KNEW there was going to be trouble. Of course there was. Zuko saw it and he was determined to find the Avatar. It saddened me when Sokka banished Aang from the village, yet I could understand why, he was trying to protect those that he loved. I gave Aang a lot of credit though, too for not wanting to come between Katara and her family. It could have been very easy to just take off with Katara and leave it at that, but he didn’t. One scene I really enjoyed was when both Zuko and Sokka were getting ready for battle. It was a great tension builder, it also demonstrated their cultural differences It was a bit amusing that Sokka’s watch tower was knocked over again, saying his infamous. “Oh man!” The tension grew quite thick as Zuko walked down the gang plank. I cringed every time Sokka tried to attack Zuko because the Prince knocked him away with such ease. I kept saying. “Don’t do it, Sokka.” But then Boomerang saved the day for at least a moment and bonked Zuko right on the head. It was hilarious when Aang arrived, riding the penguin, knocking Zuko down, his helmet landing on his butt. It was way too funny, I loved that scene. And then the cat was out of the bag…. Aang was the Avatar. It shocked everybody. I found myself smirking when Zuko said Aang was just a child and Aang’s snappy come back. “You’re just a teenager.” That obviously didn’t go over too well. Zuko was shooting fireballs at Aang which he held off quite well, but from behind, he heard the screams of children who stood behind him and offered to be a prisoner if Zuko agreed to leave the village peacefully. He agreed. “….I’m going home.” The way Zuko said it, It was so intense, I could sense the deep emotion he’d felt when he’d said it It was no longer a JUST cartoon. The animation was beautifully done. The voice actors breathed life into them, adding their own special touch. There is no other show quite like Avatar, Watch the first two episodes and you’re hooked. The battles, the humor, the warriors… They are all intriguing, And of course, THE BENDING, The bending requires peace of mind. It can be lethal, but it is as graceful as any dance. We get humor, intrigue, battles, romance, life lessons…. and it all started with a young lady who caught a fish while practicing her waterbending, Long live Team Avatar! Kelly (Modertor/Facebook Admin) I first heard of avatar: The last Airbender when I was 10 ½ years old. I saw commercials of its official premiere started airing on Nickelodeon a little over 7 years ago since I watched nickelodeon a lot and I was very excited to see it. I remember bits and pieces of the first commercials, and that they even used some clips from the un-aired pilot episode (like the fight on the pillars with zuko vs. aang and katara and sokka stuck in the pit). I was drawn in from the idea of elements and the look of it, but I think what really drew me in was the fact that there was some kid in an iceberg, and that he was really important to everyone according to the girl speaking (Katara). I remember on the night of the premiere I was in my basement waiting for the premiere to start anxiously. It’s kind of funny because this is where I forget how I felt about it, but I’ll put in a list the most memorable things. - The panoramic shot of the South Pole RIGHT after the opening made me feel ready for what was to come! - Katara waterbending for the first time had me very interested and intrigued. I was like “What did she just do?!” - “Will you go penguin sledding with me?!” Priceless - I didn’t like sokka at first, but then after his boomerang hit zuko and he was starting to be nice and funny later in the special I knew I would like his character a lot more. - When Aang and katara penguin sledded, it was so fun to watch, I wanted to do it right then and there - Who doesn’t remember “Wake My Uncle! Tell him …I’ve found the avatar. And his hiding place. *BLACKOUT* I was so scared for them. And zuko’s arrival to the town was so epic. - Aang in the avatar state in the end! I remembered how psyched I was and how I got chills from Katara calling his name before it. - Katara waterbending at the guards was so interesting to me because of how she thought of turning backwards! I fell in love (and still love) waterbending! That’s about it, but it really. I hope Korra makes me feel the same way and hopefully I won’t forget it after 7 more years’ lol. I admire how these episodes do such a great job starting the series, perfectly introducing each character and who they are. (Well maybe not iroh but nothings perfect!!) We immediately get a sense of what the rest of season one will be like with these episodes and I love that : ) Arthan (Moderator) All started in 2010 summer or a little before, with the trailer of the movie “The Last Airbender”, a film of a director I like (M. Night Shyamalan) and with a story and an atmosphere very interesting. The truth is I was unable to go to the cinema (my recent paternity had something to do with it), so it was in December of that year when I watched the film in DVD, and though it seemed entertaining to me I don’t considered it to be very good. Even so it had something that made me look for more information until I found it was based on a animation series (I thought it was a comic before), and though I wasn’t broadcast in any channel here at that time I looked for the first episodes on the Net and watched them. I started looking for the other episodes immediately. Some days after, I googled for more info and found this amazing Site and still some month passed until I made up my mind to becoming a member. It was a long time since I watched any animation series or read comics so the impulse that made me watch ATLA was pretty big. I remember the feeling and the thought “how good is this!”; very elaborate characters with their own and different personality each one, adequate doses of humor, very good animations and an excellent soundtrack. All this with a story that forces you to keep stuck to the TV, and combined in some way that makes it different from other shows. The concepts that lured me from the beginning: the eastern environment, the power over the elements and the humanity of the characters (to name some of them), all keeps the same freshness today, after several years, when you watch again the series. And I think this is what people will look for in “The Legend of Korra”: the interaction among protagonists, the action scenes with the elementbendings, the backgrounds and a good story to get hooked. Concluding, after seeing episode 101 and 102, and even having watched the movie, I was eager to know more about Aang and his friends, who is that child with that incredible power and domain over the elements?, where he comes from?, will Katara improve her waterbending with Aang?, I want to see more bending fights!!…

A lot of questions to be answered, a feeling for the fate of our new heroes and the wish of watching more staggering animations; with the quality and interest improving ‘in crescendo’ from episode to episode. Now take all this and apply it on the new Korra series, you will obtain what people expect from it. Clintoshoto Honestly, I can’t remember the first time I watched 101 and 102. 7 years is quite a long time. In retrospect, however, re-watching 101 and 102 is like looking back at a time capsule. I realized how much the show has grown from the animation to the characters. In terms of animation, there’s obviously a difference from the look of the first episodes and the last ones. The first episodes don’t really have the same detail and vivid imagery the later episodes have. In terms of characters, the first two episodes already set up the dynamics of Team Avatar. Sokka is quirky and the ”comic relief,” Katara is grounded/humble yet she has raging spirit inside, and Aang is energetic and enthusiastic. There’s that bit of ”Kataang” when Aang unknowingly smiles at Katara. What struck me the most is how well these two episodes fit in with the entire series. I noticed how much the characters have grown. Aang becomes the fully realized Avatar. Katara becomes a waterbending master. Sokka becomes a swordsman and a…uh…better artist. It really is like looking back at old photos and recognizing how much a person has changed for good/better. Of course, there’s Zuko’s and his search for his ”honor.” Seeing how much he’s changed was interesting. There’s somethings that didn’t change entirely–the style of music. The music in Avatar is one of the best parts of the show. (Still hoping The Track Team releases an album/track of some sort.) Additionally, the concept of ”bending” really got me into the show. I was (and still am) fascinated by the manipulation of nature. Seeing Katara slice right through an iceberg and Zuko blasting fire right from his hands is amazing. It’s a genius idea from the creators. Just epic. For the premiere of Korra, I’m definitely paying close attention to the music. The music makes Avatar. Also, I’m gonna be looking forward to another comic relief character, like Sokka and Cabbage Guy. Callum Fryars What brought me to the show was that it had something that other shows didn’t. It had an amazing sense of adventure and comedy. And I think just the idea of controlling the four elements just hooked me. The first two episodes opened up my theories and ideas of what was to come with Avatar, and the thing that really got me hooked was the fact that I couldn’t come up with any ideas of theories. Now looking back on these episodes, it reminds me of when I first saw the show and how it captured my imagination. And I see how these two episodes really set up this amazing show. For Korra I would like to see such an amazing and captivating premier as Avatar: The Last Airbender. And really re-hook the audience by bringing back the memories of their first time watching Avatar: The Last Aibender. And if they have not seen Avatar: The Last Airbender, I would like to see it have the same effect on new time viewers as ATLA did Atry I was first introduced to the Avatar world after seeing a review of the film adaptation in late summer of 2010, I was immediately intrigued but because of the negativity surrounding the film it took me a few months to gather the courage to see it. Even though the film was boring my fascination for the world of Avatar grew stronger, and I knew it was based on an animated series. Since it appeared that the series was critically praised I decided to get it for christmas. On the 27th of December 2010 I started watching, beginning with the first two episodes, and I expected it to be better than the film. My expectations were surpassed, not only was it supremely better than the film, it worked on another level entirely, one that actually worked. What first caught my attention was the characters and the acting. In the film both of those were totally boring, with no personality to speak of. In the series it was the complete opposite, you could immediately tell what personalty and agenda these characters had, and they where a lot of fun. But what I was looking for first and foremost was passion both in the characters actions and in the story. Did I find it in the series? To put it in perspective for you: In the first few minutes of both the film and the series there’s a scene where Katara smashes away at an iceberg to rescue Aang. In the film there’s no buildup, no urgency, and Katara just appears to scraping at the ice, how freaking lame. In the series she’s stunned by the sight of a boy in a glowing iceberg, runs up and starts hitting at the ice with all her strength, now that’s passion. It may sound silly but that’s basically the moment I realized this series can’t even be compared to the film, and there was plenty more passion after that. The art and animation was impressive too, it’s interesting to see how this world came to life much more vividly with animation rather that live-action. The music made it even better, with ethnic and distinct notes that gave each scene a certain atmosphere that played very well. Still, I will admit that I was bothered by one thing; the humor was clearly made for kids, and I found it pretty annoying. It’s not my sense of humor, and considering my age I thought it was a bit embarrassing that I was watching a kids show. But thanks to the clever pacing of the story, and the seriousness brought along with the Fire Nation I managed to stick with it. By the end I was convinced that this was worth watching. Just like the characters I knew that I had a long journey ahead of myself, it would not be an easy path as I would be subjected to annoying humor, but all the exploration and development would make it worth. Now that I think back at it I think this was a very good introduction, it does what a premiere should do; present the most important characters, the story, the conflict at hand, establish the overall feel, and forebode what is to come. It has aged as one can see just how far they’ve come by the end of the series, but even by that early stage it was still really ambitious. I mean, these where people who had worked on simple cartoons and now they where taking part in creating something cinematic on anime levels. For a first time they did really good, and it served to pave the way for more spectacular things. Avatar went of with a bang, but luckily it wasn’t the biggest bang, it held itself in place for more. As for the episodes themselves, like with all of Avatar it gets better and better every time I see it. If not for the nostalgia one can always look closer and see things you might have missed, cause as the series grows on you one can get a better perspective at just how good it was from the start. I’m not even annoyed by the humor anymore but have actually come to find it quite charming, with the possible exception of the penguin scene (Aang’s imitation and Katara’s ”ancient-luring-art” was pushing it). So when Korra premieres I don’t I will keep my eyes open for a solid introduction, along with great art, fun characters, and of course a lot of passion. But please, try and be less annoying this time, there is such a thing as wacky in place for childish you know. Becky Weaver (Facebook Fan) Before it premiered I saw the commercials for it and thought it’d be an interesting show. So I taped the first two episodes on vhs and kept rewatching it. I tuned in for every single episode since then..taping all the episodes first premieres, never missing an episode. I loved the world, the plot, the message behind the show…the music, kung fu, art, just…everything & I still do! I was around twelve when the premiere aired…now I’m almost 20 and I can’t help but look back and say that this show helped me learn a lot of moral lessons & became a big part of my life. And TLoK is probably going to do the same thing♥ Admin/Jordash (Site Admin/News Post Writer/Facebook Admin) I first saw ATLA at the recommendation of a close friend. My first impression was ”Isn’t that a little kids show?” nevertheless I saw the logo and artwork and it seemed pretty interesting, it was also legally free to watch on a site called Joost.com (a site similar to Hulu) so I thought I’d start watching it. I was hooked after about the first few episodes, I was amazed that such a deep show was on a channel like Nickelodeon, so I bought all 3 seasons (Joost only allowed to watch 5 at a time on a weekly basis.) Surprisingly my feelings haven’t changed much. I’ve re-watched it several times, mostly with friends and family and it’s always awesome every time. So yeah I could say after that I became a huge fan. In Korra i’m hoping it gives a similar feeling, probably not the same feeling of surprise. But just of awesomeness. Our Communities Thoughts So there has been our communities thoughts, we have have a mix of fans who saw the show day 1 and those who only saw the show a year ago or so. We all have many unique reasons for liking the show, but one common one among many of us was the characterisation of the characters and the fantastic introductions of them. We are all excited for Korra, and while it may not be the brand new surprise that ATLA was, it will definitely be a new experience with mainly new characters. Please give us your thoughts in the comments below and discuss the 7 Year Anniversary of Avatar in this thread http://avatarthelastairbenderonline.com/groups/avatar-world/forum/topic/7-years-since-the-beginning-event-ideas/ I will be requesting Opinions for Community Opinion 13 at the start of March so just be active on the forums and you may be picked. Be sure to join us later on in the Chatroom for our big 7 year anniversary Rewatch of 101 and 102, we will start at 7PM GMT.

Zuko looks great dressed as Mulan