In a twist of fate that can only be described as ‘life imitated art,’ Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko’s Avatar: The Last Airbender nearly met its demise after Season 2. The makers of the show battled against all odds to keep their creation alive, just as Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Fans of Nickelodeon’s beloved animated series have grown to love it since the show’s final episode aired more than ten years ago (2008). During the course of its three seasons, the show gained recognition for its intricate plot and weighty themes, all the while maintaining an enjoyable and intriguing viewing experience.
Inconceivably, though, the show was briefly canceled between seasons two and three, which would have left the finale of the series on a terrible cliffhanger.
How Avatar: The Last Airbender Overcame Obstacles to Continue Beyond Season 2?
When it comes to the intersection of art and life, the enduring animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender serves as a perfect example of how fiction can often imitate reality. Following a successful debut season that won the hearts of viewers across the globe, the show almost met an untimely end after the second season.
The future of Avatar: The Last Airbender was completely in doubt following the conclusion of its second season, according to head writer Aaron Ehasz. He told /Film:
“They did not pick it up after season 2. The ratings were not strong enough!”
The second season of the show, Book 2: Earth, follows Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen) and his allies as they get ready to take on Fire Lord Ozai (Mark Hamill). The season finale leaves viewers with several suspenseful cliffhangers, leaving them craving more. Apparently, none of that was enough to persuade Nickelodeon to give the show a timely renewal. Ehasz went on to emphasize:
“They did not pick it up. We laid off all the writers after season 2. Everybody was sent home for three or four months.”
The show wouldn’t return for its third and final season until nine months after the finale, when Nickelodeon executive Eric Coleman reportedly pushed for its continuation.
Just like the characters in the show, the creators faced their own challenges and battles as they grappled with the pressures of the entertainment industry. The show was close to being canceled when it started to gain traction.
From Fiction To Reality: Avatar: The Last Airbender Was ‘Default Canceled’
The creative team behind Avatar: The Last Airbender was unable to come together completely until the third season was finalized. As Aaron Ehasz clarified (via /Film):
“There was a rolling hiatus through all of season 3, where all the storyboard artists had to take a couple months off, all the designers had to take a couple months off. Everyone did, because we had to catch up again on the scripts.”
Finally, the program was able to conclude with a 21-episode final season, but as Ehasz explained-
“Avatar’ was essentially default canceled between season 2 and season 3. People do not know that. So there was always love, but there was not always obvious success and ratings for ‘Avatar.”
The show almost ended just when the world needed it to, but just like Aang, it was revived to save the day and had an amazing ending. At the end of the day, Avatar: The Last Airbender prevailed, defying the odds and proving that sometimes life really does imitate art.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is streaming on Netflix.
