User Reviews

Lots of plot elements and characters were combined in this episode. I can see why they thought it a good idea, but everything felt a little rushed and disjointed.

I said in a previous review that it's very hard to not compare to the original cartoon. It seems everything done here is done in the shadow of it

Katara saving the Father was very awkward. It felt kind of unbelievable. That kind of thing is more prone to animation I would say. The translation is a little hit or miss so far.

Everything with Zuko and Iroh was a bit confusing. I kind of got lost in the me.

I still am not sure what I think of this show so far.

I think the change made to the story was very good and combined. I don't understand why it wasn't liked so much. As someone who has watched the original series many times, I liked these changes and combination. I think it makes sense for the jet and the engineer to appear here in Omashu. Because in the first season of Avatar, each episode was a separate event and consisted of disconnected episodes, I didn't like it very much (and I think some parts of the first season of Avatar are not very good) and that's why I liked combining these episodes together. However, the problem is that events happen very quickly and this, in my opinion, is the main problem. Also, it continues to annoy me that Aang always acts like an adult. He's just a kid! I also don't understand why you added Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee. And couldn't you find another actress for the character of Mai? It really has nothing to do with the one in the original series. Lol by the way the zuko and aang fight was pretty cool.

Would have been nice, to have separate episodes like "Jet" "The waterbending scroll" and "The Northern Air Temple" of course!

But knowing that they didn't make an episode of every anime episode, I was just hoping we at least got all the important elements/characters. Which I think they did pretty well!

The shots of Omashu were great to begin with!

After that, the episode got different subplots, joining together at the end of the episode.

You got Aang flying with Theo.

Sokka helping the mechanic with the air balloon idea, which I am really happy about. Since that's really important for season 3!

And Katara follows Jet to meet up with the Freedom Fighters. (While also trying to learn the water whip from the scroll)

This is all brought together by the potline of bombs exploding in Omashu. The mechanic. Sai, is spying for the firenation and the freedom fighters are behind the bombs (trying to get rit of the spies, including Sai).

Mainwhile you got Zuko and Iroh searching for Aang (with Iroh buying a Pi Sho Tile (like the water scroll episode).

And Azula (with Mai and Ty Lee on screen, which I didn't expect) trying to influence Zhao, to make Zuko fail capturing the Avatar.

It's mainly multiple plot lines of different 'anime episodes' brought together with some extra storylines (like the Azula one).

It's episode 3, so I know after the previous episodes that Netflix used a lot of their own creativity, so it's kinda useless to compare this episode to the original anime show (which was a huge part of my childhood).

What's important for me now is that I enjoy the episodes and I stay excited to see more, and that at least there are enough 'important elements' of the storyline. For me, it's all there this episode (together with way better visuals than expected), and I think they did a great job! Of having bringing these important elements and characters together in a decent way!

This is the first part of a two-part story set in Omashu which tries to mash-up a great number of cartoon stories... and in my opinion results in being the weakest point of the series.

These 2 episodes for the most parts do not advance the plot. They are "filler episodes". And that's fine. Actually, some of the strongest episodes of the original cartoon could be considered filler episodes. They did not affect much the plot, but they had strong character moments and were key to the character and emotional arc of the whole series.

Here, it feels like the show just tried so hard to stick to key events of the original animated show. But these events are largely meaningless in themselves. Jet could have been dropped without compromising the story. But Jet's episode was a show of how horrors could be committed on both sides of a war. Jet targeting a village of innocent fire nation people in the cartoon made that point stronger than by targeting an earth nation traitor in the live action.

At the end, this episode did not work well, it was just bland. Nothing bad, and as usual the graphics and set designs are top notch. In addition, the action sequence was fun, if not a little cartoonish. But I think they may have gotten a better result by focusing on a single story line instead of spreading thin, to give more place for character moments.

One thing in this episode bothered me a lot. A question arose in my mind that why the actors should have East Asian faces. But the series is not talking about the whole world? We used to see different faces in the animation. I can say that Azula's friends did not have the slightest facial resemblance to the animation. Of course, I don't mean that all the actors have a face that is a copy of the animation, but the fact that most of their faces are like East Asian people distracts me from the story. Also, I don't know why the avatar gave Katara the wrong advice about bender. And on the other hand, Jet was able to give good advice to Katara, unless the Avatar lost control of his power when he thought of his late master and there was nothing left to harm Saka and Katara. I think Avatar could have learned from it and given good advice at this point, or at least not giving Katara the wrong advice against his own experience. These were the problems that bothered me during this episode and I couldn't get it out of my head throughout the episode. But about the city of Omashu, I have to say that I think it was beautifully and properly designed, and I would have preferred to see the king of Omashu in the next episode, instead of seeing a passing and ineffective image of him in this episode.

So they are jamming alot of stuff in one episode this is one of the best shows ever with so so so much potential i mean for a much worse idea you make 400 zillion espisodes why so short the visuals are very good and the carecters sometimes need better development like katara bending skills

so for people who dont know what the avatar is you could have extended a little these episodes

anyhow .. not having occupied air nation temple or the mad scientist fighting off the fire nation like the original series i dont know ....

i didnt hate hate the episode it was good but felt strange.

Overall the show is not bad .. but feel quite rushed.

This Episode begins with Fire Lord Ozai, he is preparing an attack with the Firenation. Aang, Katara and Sokka have reached Omashu, it is a village in the mountain. Aang, Katara and Sokka are staying in Omashu this night. Firenation spies have reached Omashu. Jet tells Katara that The Mechanist works for the Firenation. Katara tells Aang and Sokka that Sai is a traitor, who spoke with a firebender. Jet wants to blow up The Mechanist. Aang fights with Prince Zuko. Solid Episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 1, this was just really Solid. Not much action, only the fight between Aang and Prince Zuko was entertaining!

Omashu was one of my favourite episodes in ATLA. The fun they had, Bumi and Aang's friendship, cabbage man. Here Aang learned how to think outside the box. It was great.

And now here... jet, Machinist, teo, azula and the gang, Ozai ... everything is jumbled up in a single episode and stripped of their significance in the story. Each character, each episode bears importance, but neflix doesnt seem to think so. Soka is suddenly a genius, they didnt care to hint at it before, Aang teaches Katara waterbending somehow. ... and he doesnt know Bumi?

And Netflix, Katara is Aang's waterbending master first and foremost, here they try to rush north, because he wouldnt learn from a girl? And Teo is self sufficient, he was never pushed by anyone, he always steered his chair. Here Aang pushing him is a big disgrace.

This episode feels like an improvement over the last two. Each member of the trio have better push and pull than they have in the last two episodes. Sokka continues to represent the pessimistic part of the trio while Katara represents the optimistic part. Aang threads the needle between the two approaches and acts as an investigator of sort. Sokka and Katara's dynamic, especially, seems to be improving. In the first couple episodes, Katara felt a little too subdued and here she finally starts to dish it back out to Sokka. Ian Ousley continues to impress me the most out of the cast as he is able to portray all of Sokka's many facets with nuance- Sokka is curious and an inventor but he's also a bullheaded pessimist. He's a jerk sometimes, but he also has a sensitive heart underneath it all.

The plotting, however, continues to not impress. It awkwardly mashes together S1E10- "Jet" and S1E17- "The Northern Air Temple" of the animated series as well as unnecessarily inserting Zuko and Iroh in to the plot. In the original series' first season, Zuko does not appear as an explicit antagonist in every single episode. I think that would have felt repetitive. Here, it is already starting to. The more comedic fight in the market between Aang and Zuko is a welcome change of pace, but still lacks the dynamic cinematography of the original. I know that it is easier to create more fluid scenes in animation but the choreography in this show could still use a lot more work.

Jet, played by Sebastian Amoruso, and the Mechanist, played by Danny Pudi, both do an excellent job breathing some life in to the show. Jet is portrayed as so charismatic and nice that it's suspicious which, as we soon learn, is for good reason. Danny Pudi's Mechanist is more subdued than the original, but he brings a similar absent-minded yet well-meaning quality to the character. I like both of the moral dilemmas presented by both characters but integrating them together feels too rushed and doesn't give enough time to either conflict.

I did not think it could get worse. Now we have the mechanist in Omashu instead of the Northern Air Temple. And Jet. They are destroying this show one episode at a time.

They are trying to combine to many story lines and it just is not working. Only reason I am giving it the stars I did is because they are at least trying to go with the basic storyline. They have also done a decent job of the cgi for the bending.

If you have never seen the cartoon then maybe you would give this higher marks but I just cannot. They could have easily split book one in to 2 parts and made 2 seasons out of it. I think fans would have been happier with this.

Yeah, so where do I start I usually make movie/series/series episodes reviews I am at the third episode and could not take anymore.

The show is OK-ish, as expected by Netflix, good effects, bad dialog, bad writing in general....

Beside some modification that wasnt necessary or was badly done, there is a thing I can not get over it the bending system and the avatar in general.

The bending movements are preaty bad, I know you cant make same moves as the animated series but staying steel and move your hands a little so make some waterbending splash or throwing some little firebolts..... come on netflix..... also now the bending isnt about some martial art extend trainning but about your emotions, you think about some strong emotions congrats you are a waterbender, no trainning needed... just think you masturbating and this will do.

The airbending is even worst is a magic from top to bottom. Practically is the Force from star wars, Aang now could fly without his stuff, I dont even know why is he carrying around.

The Avatar..... oh boy...... from what I see they are going with some combination of the original avatar version and the retcon the original show producer did in the legend of korra.

For many that doesnt know the avatar until legend of korra realease was exactly that the avatar of the planet show take place.

The avatar is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means 'descent'. It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, or spirit on Earth, in this case beeing literally the Earth spirit, they say in this adaptation like in the original that the avatar state is a combination of all avatar past lives and experiences but like in legend of korra the avatar seems not like an one entity on itself but a combination of two one spirit who choose one human to be his "host?" and grants him spirit powers so this is the next avatar , which doesnt work... at all! Despite what some korra fans will say, this make sense because then the avatar will have no need of past avatars lives and experience because the glow doesnt come from there is coming from ravva, the spirit of kindness and good, which grants the avatar power...... is a mess, and netflix seems going, like I sad, on the same direction.....

Also from the first episode until now Aang is an egoist coward, Aang who in the original series confront Zuko and turn himself in to protect the water village, now is hiding thank you Shammallan.....

In this episode they make Hokkoda a little dirty, Sokka is saying to the Mechannic that his father isnt interested in inventions but only in war and how to fight, nothing more false there are pleanty of episodes that explicitly states that Hakkoda is an inventor and his is following his steps, Hakkoda invented the sticky bombs, explained in the Guru episode, in the Boiling water episodes him and Sokka jokes around about how they are 2 water tribe geniuses for sure will find a way to escape prison.

Also Jet parents.... seriosly!? So the men are cowards and the women are the only brave ones.... jet mother fights against firebanders and his dad is hinding..... come on.. was that really necesarry? In the original we only know that Jet parents where probably burned alive by firebenders. We already have some good written strong and feminine women/girls in the show why every women/girl must be strong and indepedent?

There are many things that they did wrong.... I was expecting that and I didnt had so much expectation.

BUT I still they can rework somethings in the next 2 seasons is not all bad but without some heavy retcon it will garbage like the M. Shammalan Ding Dong adaptation....... 3/10 I would give more for encouragement but I cant get over the bending system and Aang beeing a coward.

Also sorry for my bad english, is my second language.

They completely ruin the whole approach to Omashu! Aang was heading there to begin with, not seeing someone flying out of the blue! Hell, we do not meant the kid in the flying chair and his dad until the visit the northern air temple on their way to the northern water tribe!

Speaking of introductions of characters, Bomi is a man who is over 110 years old! You can try to do all you want to a 39 year old India guy but he will not look like Bomi should! Azula being introduced now instead of the end of season one? Bringing in Mai and Ty Lee now? We don't meet them u til the return to Omashu! We see everything around that is already SCREWED UP! Azula is the older sister of Zuko but they have her looking like a young girl who might be in the 8th grade! Same with Mai and Ty Lee! Again, none of these three are LITTLE KIDS, they are about 20-22!

One of the funniest characters and lines in the series was not used here! The cabbage guy is supposed to say, "my cabbages"! Hell, they even have shirts with this guy on them for crying out loud! That line was a must! I also noticed how the bad Iroh here is not really talking about nor looking for his teas nor have they had him mention the game he enjoys playing nor the game piece he carries with him!

When the creators left as show runners, that was the telling sign that this was going to be an abomination to the legacy of The Airbender! This ranks right up there with that movie as that bad! At least the pronounce Aang correctly in this compared to that movie!

I really want to like this adaptation but it get really hard for me with this episode. I felt like so many iconic moments were mashed into this one episode.

Meeting the mechanist? Check.

Meeting Bumi? Check.

Meeting Jet? Check.

Meeting secret tunnel hippies? Check.

Like I understand that there are only 8 episodes and they have a lot to do but it's also basically 16 animated episodes worth of time so it's not like they can't do these things better.

Overall pretty disappointed with this one because I felt it was unnecessary and overall confusing to meet all these pretty important characters and have team avatar go through major points of their character arcs in 1 episode.

1) Aang didn't really learn how to think through problems creatively and instantly figured out who Bumi was.

2) Bumi resented Aang for disappearing for 100 yrs which I could understand but this version of him seemed a little too jarring because the resentment and trauma didn't go hand-in-hand with the signature wackiness that they were clearly trying to stay consistent with.

3) Overall they did Jet somewhat okay, it was just anticlimactic.

4) We encounter the secret tunnels and the song (for a solid half second) but the journey was made by just Sokka and Katara because Aang was busy fighting Bumi.

Additionally, I'm not sure this episode holds up very well even considering the artistic liberties taken with the original story. It moved too quickly and also Bumi's hair and makeup were very poorly done. His hair was really strange, his head was massive, his face looked wrinkled from burn scars rather than old age, and magically the rest of him looked like he hadn't aged past 30.

Even with an open mind, what a mess of an episode.

For a moment I'll pretend I don't know any of these meaningful characters being thrown on screen one after the other.

If you didn't know anything about the last airbender this episode is quite jumbled and hard to understand in some parts.

Biggest annoyance so far is Aang "standing and fighting" but running away and getting his butt kicked by Zuko so easily. Even though in this series they explicitly tell you Aang is an airbending prodigy. Yet so far we've seen him bend some small puffs in fights. I hope it gets better layer on, this is a joke.