After watching the bland, confusing Netflix adaptation, I needed a palate cleanser to wash the cardboard taste out of my mouth. And I couldn't think of a better series to cure me than the original, the best, the true, the undefeated Avatar: The Last Airbender.

I'll freely admit that while I did watch the original run of A:TLA growing up, I didn't consider it to be my favorite show or anything like that. Sure, it would be so easy in retrospect to say that I was ahead of the curve and I loved it from the moment I started watching it. But in reality, it was something that I gradually grew through numerous rewatches and binges. I really do think that this show has endured for as long as it has because it, forgive the cliché, really does have something for everyone. Sure, the show was clearly aiming for a younger demographic early on, with some 2000s-era gross-out jokes, more "filler" episodes, and an overall lighter tone than what we would see in later seasons. But even with its weak points, season 1 was a solid foundation for a show. It gave viewers something to look forward to and a real sense of the world that these characters live in. You may scoff at oft-maligned episodes like "The Great Divide," but Avatar: The Last Airbender would not be the show it is without showing us how our main leads interact and solve their problems.

Speaking of which, one of the shows greatest points is its strong, recognizable main cast of characters. These are some of the most well-defined characters in animation, without a doubt. Maybe not the deepest like some may claim, but certainly perfect for the show they're in. In only a few episodes, you get a clear sense of Aang, Sokka, and Katara's personalities, their hopes, their wants, and what they are trying to achieve. It makes watching them, even through the series' few low points, worth it. You want to see these young characters grow and mature, joke around, and fight. What a lot of shows fail to realize is that a strong set of characters should be the basis of any work. The fights, animation, and lore are all great, but what fun would any of that be without characters we want to see? Why would we want to see Aang become the Avatar? Or Katara become a true waterbender? Or Sokka a warrior? It's because we WANT to be along for the journey!

Just as a side note, kudos to this show for showing examples of how to properly write strong female characters. There's this tendency in the modern day to show every girl as an inhuman "girlboss" because they're afraid to show women in a negative light. But what they fail to realize is that people aren't robots. Katara, and another team member later on, are examples of characters that are incredibly strong, but also flawed and human. They have distinct personalities that aren't just "mature" or "token girl on the team." Even Katara, who is usually usually kind and motherly to a fault, has moments where she breaks down, goofs off, jokes around, or gets angry. It's what makes them, and the boys as well, interesting to watch.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't speak about our villains. Prince Zuko remains one of my favorite characters, and a general fan-favorite to this day. The story of an underdog banished prince who is out to reclaim his honor just works so well with this premise. It allows him to travel and learn about the world in a way that traditional villains typically don't. With his affable Uncle Iroh by his side, the duo make for a great threat in the show's early seasons. They're threatening, while also having a comedic slant to them. The show does an excellent job of making the villains relatable, but still has them clearly as antagonists. But as the show progresses and we learn more about them, we start to understand why they are the way they are. And begin to question if everything is truly black and white. As the series progresses, we are introduced to other villains, including the big bad himself: Fire Lord Ozai. Ozai is one of the weaker characters, but really, it's out of necessity. We rarely see him throughout the series as anything other than a few glimpses, and it gives us as an audience the same information that our main heroes (and even Prince Zuko to an extent) have about him. While it would have been nice to get more in-depth with his character, it would have taken away from his mystique and almost-omnipresent power over the world.

The world of Avatar: The Last Airbender is one that is truly timeless, mixing in industry, mysticism, philosophy, and ancient worlds perfectly. You never question for a second why our characters live in a world with magic and steam power, because they never question it (aside from maybe a few fourth-wall-breaking gags about the strange animals that reside in the world). Each of the four nations has its own identity and flair, with smaller towns/villages with their own problems for our heroes to solve. The constant war is felt throughout the series, even when our main characters are taking a break to relax. You see devastation, poverty, refugees, and soldiers parading around the world. And it's not only our heroes that have to deal with these effects, but also our villains. It's done so well, you may not even realize how perfectly the web is woven. I didn't at first, but in my most recent rewatch of the series, you can tell a lot of thought went into how this world actually works and how they could use it to drive the story forward. Without getting too deep into spoilers, season 2 demonstrates this perfectly with all points converging on a particular city without it feeling contrived or too convenient.

I mentioned that the live-action Netflix adaptation was what pushed me watch this show again, and after completing it, I can say that trying to do this show in any other medium other than animation is pointless. You just can't get the same fluid action, exaggerated facial expressions, and beautiful landscapes by paying a thousand CGI/effects artists. It's just not the same. When you watch the fights in Avatar: The Last Airbender, their movements are distinct and calculated. No matter how much they might try, you can't replicate that in live-action. You also can't translate the show's charming brand of comedy to real people, as it is clearly influenced by anime and contemporary cartoons of the time. While there are moments in the show where the comedy fell flat for me or had poor delivery, there are more moments that worked well.

I do have my gripes with the show, but it's hard to get into without getting into heavy spoilers. So I'll just say that even with my issues with the ending and a particular Gaang member not receiving the screen time they deserve, my enjoyment of the show has not budged an inch. It's still a strong contender for one of the best animated series I've seen. The praise it has accrued over the years is well-warranted. I'm glad people have become more open to animation as an art rather than as just something for kids. The popularity of Avatar: The Last Airbender in the modern day is proof a solid story, an intriguing world, and lovable characters is all you need to make a great show that can persist even decades later.