The Last Airbender: More than Charming Chakras

In an age where conspiracy theorists are being proven right in their indefatigable belief in the coming of a 'New World Order' and the seeming spread of shadow governments, it is only too easy to find the signs even when they may not be there. However, sometimes the messages are there, packaged neatly enough to escape the untrained eye and perhaps even without the intention of the medium used. This explains the increasing fascination with Nickelodeon's “Avatar: The Last Airbender”.
This US animated series fuses the North American cartoon style with that of anime, throwing in elements of Chinese martial arts and visuals depicting settings of East Asian, Indian and South American societies. Traces of 19th century Manga are also evident on the creation of certain characters. This motley of styles is used to extend the show's reach from children to adults. Then, of course, there's the whole interesting story that hits so close to home.
The show chronicles the adventures of 12-year old Aang and his friends, whose purpose is to bring peace and unity to a world divided by conflict. The world Aang calls home is a place that shelters humans, animals and spirits and is divided into four nations: the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation and the Air Nomads. The societies of each nation differ, united only by the fact that they all contain “Benders”; people with the ability to command the element their nation is associated with. Finally, there is the “Avatar”, an entity reincarnated in human form after death each time, capable of manipulating all elements and acting as the ultimate protector of all the nations. However, the catch is that at any particular age, there can be only one Avatar and upon his/her death, the entity is reborn in another nation in the Avatar cycle.
Aang, the protagonist of the show, learns of his Avatar status early on. His reluctance to accept his fate and burdens leads him to escaping from home and being frozen in an iceberg, which is the result of his attempt to protect himself from a storm. After years of being entombed in this icy state, the Avatar wakes up to a world in near apocalyptic state, while everyone believes him dead. The ruler of the Fire Nation, Fire Lord Sozin, has finally put the gears in motion for his ambition of expanding the territory under his control. Knowing that the Avatar is all that stands between him and his plans, he carries out the destruction of all Air Benders, where the next Avatar was prophecised to come from. Thus, Aang finds himself to be the last remaining Air-Bender and embarks on a tumultuous journey to bring peace to all nations and put water over the Fire Lord's dangerous designs.
The premise seems innocent enough, unless one reads between the lines. A world full of strife and internal divisions reads like a page out of our very own world. The concept of one all-powerful nation imposing itself on weaker nations is also strangely familiar. Toss in a figure reincarnated from a nation persecuted as the last hope for mankind and one cannot help but draw striking religious resemblances. This isn't to say that Aang is based on Jesus Christ or the last Prophet. However, the convenient similarities shouldn't be shrugged off; each nation's differing cultures and spiritual relationship with the symbols they represent do lend a religious angle to the proceedings. The presence of an Avatar comprising of all the elements then represents the unison of all the so-called religions.
Furthermore, consider also the politics embedded almost subliminally. There is the Fire Nation, which has the means of destroying every other nation; in real life context this relates to a nuclear-armed country, far powerful than all others. Before one points a finger far West, peel the layer a bit further. The Air Nomads, the most persecuted of all, reside in mountainous regions, like the Tibetans.
It is these much-nuanced depictions of political leanings, religious elements and prevalence of diversity that makes the show stand out and become more than just another cartoon. There remains a story within the story, a propaganda behind the idea and a conspiracy in the context that makes “Avatar: The Last Airbender” so poignant and powerful. It captures your imagination and then lets it run wild. Grab the entire series and dive into a fantasy world based on masqueraded realism.