Avatar: The Last Airbender debuted back in 2005 and despite lasting only three seasons, cemented itself as one of the most beloved animated shows of all time. Close to two decades since its premiere, the series continues to be relevant in modern pop culture and has an undeniable influence on mainstream media.
In an interview, the show’s creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko discussed the show’s lasting impact and legacy. At the same time, Konietzko revealed a hilarious incident that serves as proof of the show’s timeless nature and masterpiece status. Here is everything the creators said about Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s legacy.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Creator Reveals a Hilarious Fan Encounter That Highlights the Show’s Legacy
Avatar: The Last Airbender concluded its run on air in 2008, after just 61 episodes. However, the series remains extremely popular even today, and only recently debuted a live-action adaptation on Netflix.
In 2015, the show’s creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko spoke with Hypable, on the eve of the show’s DVD release. During the interview, the duo was asked about the impact of the animated series and how beloved it was.
“I think we are still reminded on a fairly regular basis, even all these years later. The other day, my wife and I were walking our dog, and an Irish wolfhound galloped towards us off leash. The owner noticed and yelled the dog’s name, Zuko!”
Bryan Konietzko narrated the above anecdote in response to a question about the show’s lasting impact. From Konietzko’s comments, it is safe to say that Avatar: The Last Airbender remains a popular piece of media. Moreover, it has only aged better since its conclusion, making it one of the timeless masterpieces in fictional media.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Creator Talks the Show’s Biggest Accomplishment
In the same interview, the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender were also asked about what they thought was the show’s greatest accomplishment. Michael Dante DiMartino took the opportunity to appreciate that he and Konietzko got to tell the entire story they had envisioned. He said:
“I’m very proud that we were able to tell the whole story that we intended to tell from the beginning, and tell it in a compelling way.”
DiMartino added that the television medium is filled with uncertainty and one can never determine whether the first season is going to impress the audience. As a result, many creators never get an opportunity to tell their entire stories as shows get canceled quickly.
“So it’s quite remarkable looking back that we set out to tell a 3-season story arc and were able to do exactly that.”
DiMartino made the above statement acknowledging it was a privilege to get to complete the story he and Konietzko had set out to tell. However, the franchise did not stop with the original series, as it birthed an equally popular spin-off in The Legend of Korra, and several new projects are also on the horizon.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is streaming on Netflix and Paramount+.
