As a huge fan of Avatar, I had high hopes for the new series, Avatar: Seven Havens…and then I watched the first three episodes, and I had mixed feelings. This bugged me, since I’ve watched every season of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, so a new show in the Avatar universe seemed like a cause for celebration, especially since the Avatar Aang movie was such a boon.
Even though I wasn’t blown away by the first three episodes, I’m now all in after the last three episodes that came out on October 16th, and which you can watch with a Paramount Plus subscription. So, here’s why I now view Avatar: Seven Havens as a worthy successor to the Avatar name.
I Was On The Fence About Pavi And Nisha, But Now I LOVE Them
A lot of people like to debate which show is better: Avatar: The Last Airbender or The Legend of Korra. Personally, I prefer the latter, but I think a lot of it comes down to which Avatar you prefer. Some pick Aang because he’s more whimsical and so, so powerful. Others pick Korra because her adventure felt more engaging. However, both shows really live or die on the world and characters that surround the Avatar.
This is something I kept in mind while watching the first three episodes of Seven Havens because I just wasn’t enjoying Pavi or her twin sister, Nisha. The issue, at least with the first three episodes, was that they were just TOO young. Nine may not seem like that big of a difference from Aang’s twelve, but it certainly felt like a big gap in those first three episodes. So, I was really hoping that the other ancillary characters would make up for how much I disliked the Avatars this time around.
These last three episodes changed EVERYTHING, and I love these characters now. I think it was Episode 6, “Night of the Afflicted,” that changed my mind. In the episode, Pavi is experiencing phantom limb pains, and she has to see a doctor. Her sister, Nisha, is supportive every step of the way, and I just love their dynamic now as sisters, whereas I found their youthful energy kind of annoying before. So, in other words, they’ve grown on me.
The Intrigue Is Growing At A Fever Pitch
Another thing that’s got me hooked is all of the intrigue in this show. You see, the Avatar is viewed as a villain this time around after Korra apparently caused a cataclysmic event. Now, people HATE the Avatar, and if a new one were to come along, they would be public enemy number one.
Well, being that Nisha and Pavi can’t just remain in hiding forever, they accidentally get spotted doing multiple bending techniques - a trait only the Avatar can do - and now citizens think the powers that be are aware of the Avatar’s existence (which they are), and that they’re hiding them (which is also true). However, keeping Pavi and Nisha’s existence a secret is necessary, since they are a huge asset, but they are not mature enough (Or so the powers that be believe) to be revealed.
This is causing a lot of tension since the secret is getting out, whether people are ready for it or not, and these last three episodes made that a through-line. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
I Also Like How This Show Seems To Be A Commentary On PTSD
Lastly, I love that this show is trying to say something. ATLA was a commentary on genocide, and TLOK was…well, I don’t know if it was a commentary on anything. I just found it to be engaging (and ahead of its time).
Now that I’ve seen these next three episodes, I definitely think this show is a commentary on warfare and PTSD. Children who can bend are conscripted and taken away from their families, and those who have survived the Cataclysm still seem to be reeling from the event.
It’s all very dire (and mature) stuff, and I’m now much more engaged than ever. These next three episodes can’t get here soon enough!
