‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Almost Had Four Seasons — Here’s What We Missed Out On
Fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender are nothing if not dedicated. And it’s no stretch to say that they were happy with how the show wrapped up. Aang’s choice to take firelord Ozai’s bending away felt like a fitting end, and left the show hanging on a hopeful note for what the future might hold for the various kingdoms. However, it turns out that there used to be a fourth season planned out — and it could have changed everything.
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ could have ended differently
Avatar: The Last Airbender writer Aaron Ehasz sat down for a chat with Den of Geek, during which he revealed that the ending to Avatar was briefly very different from what we have today.
Ehasz revealed, “In my mind I was always thinking this was going to be a four season arc. Mike and Bryan’s initial plan was three seasons, but there was a period where they were open to the possibility of a fourth season. There was a period where Mike said, ‘Hey, can you run season four?’ Then some of those plans got interrupted.”
Ehasz explained that a large portion of the fourth arc was going to be focused on Azula and her possible redemption, similar to Zuko’s. However, another part of the plot would focus on the results of Aang’s decision to take Ozai’s bending away.
“My feeling about that was like there’s always a cost, right? There’s always some balance. You can’t just be like I’m the Avatar, taking your powers away. It’s a great power, but part of it is you just took all this evil into you. To take it away from someone else you’re holding onto it to protect the world,” explained Ehasz.
Ehasz also suggested the season would have seen Iroh communicating with the spirit world once more, as well as a possible reincarnation of Gyatso in the form of a new airbender. However, Ehasz stressed that he is satisfied with the ending as it exists now.
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ actor apologizes for M. Night Shyamalan film
Interestingly enough, M. Night Shyamalan’s widely panned attempt at creating an Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action film may be one of the reasons fans wound up with their Season 3 ending.
Ehasz claimed that the focus on the film meant less time spent preparing for a fourth season. Humorously enough, Dev Patel was once spotted apologizing to a fan for the Shyamalan adaptation.
In a recently resurfaced clip, Patel can be seen signing an autograph for a fan on Avatar merchandise. Patel can be heard telling the fan, “I’m sorry about this film. It was a little bit sh*t wasn’t it?”
A live-action adaptation is on the way to Netflix
While the first attempt at a live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender failed spectacularly, Netflix is jockeying to capitalize on the renewed interest in the franchise with a new adaptation.
The new adaptation is being spearheaded by the show’s original creators, so fans may take some solace from that fact. However, they naturally also feel some trepidation given the last attempt.
