Hair (1979)

Amidst the pandemic, Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel Legend of Korra both returned to Netflix. At the time of their release, they ranked consistently in the platform’s top ten. The show’s success fifteen years after its 2005 premiere proves the enduring power of its storytelling. But Avatar is more than just a quality show. It may have well-rounded characters, serious subject matter, and detailed world-building, but it also offers timeless critiques of American society.

The Asiatic world of Avatar: The Last Airbender pays homage to Eastern culture. It’s a wise, culturally diverse children’s show that differs from the Western cultural monopoly in most American TV. Upon a 2020 viewing, viewers familiar with woke culture may wonder if this show, written by two white guys, might stray into the territory of cultural appropriation. But even in a time before allegations of cultural appropriation could cancel a show (Ah, 2005), the creators struck a careful balance and avoided it. They modeled each elemental “bending” discipline, in which characters can manipulate certain elements with their minds, after a specific martial arts discipline. They also incorporated Eastern wisdom into the characters’ arcs. However, the sensitive show still made a significant misstep.

While it creates an Asiatic world, the show casts mostly white voice actors. The Fire Nation, on the left of the map of the show’s fictional world, has light-skinned characters. Although its imperial spirit resembles Europe, its architecture mirrors Asia. The creator's choice to make the Fire Nation's characters light-skinned criticizes European colonialism, as, throughout the show, light-skinned characters assert their military strength and brutality against more peaceful peoples. The conflicts in this fantasy world, modeled after Asian cultures, disguises the story of European colonialism based on the voice acting. The creators stated they were drawing on Japanese, Chinese, Indian, and Inuit aesthetics — for the Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, Air Nomads, and Water Tribes, respectively (SyFy).

Mark Hamil, who played Luke SkyWalker of Star Wars, voices the infamous Fire Lord in Avatar: The Last Airbender. It makes sense that the son of Darth Vader would play the imperial father figure in Avatar: a role reversal that establishes irony for adult viewers. However, this casting choice, while situating the show carefully in the fantasy/sci-fi canon, draws attention to the underlying whiteness of a show that attempts to pay homage to Eastern cultures.