I Will Never Forgive Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender Remake For Ruining This Fan-Favorite OG Cartoon Episode

As a fan of the original cartoon, I will never forgive Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender remake for ruining one fan-favorite cartoon episode. Like many of the fans who watched the show when it originally released, the Nickelodeon cartoon holds a special place in my heart. Consequently, I was skeptical going into the Netflix live-action show. After all, I pretend that the horrible M. Night Shamylan movie doesn’t exist most of the time because I hate it. Luckily, I was positively surprised when I watched Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1.

I really enjoyed this adaptation, giving it 7.5 out of 10 stars, and I can’t wait to watch seasons 2 and 3 (which have already been confirmed). Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender made many positive changes that benefited the story and characters. However, they made one change that’s unforgivable for me. They ruined the fan-favorite original cartoon episode, “The Cave of the Two Lovers,” and I’ll probably hold a slight grudge about it forever.

Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender Ruined The Secret Tunnel Episode

The Netflix Adaptation Missed The Point Of “The Cave of the Two Lovers”

Even though it’s easy to dismiss “The Cave of the Two Lovers” as filler, the episode did many important things for the story. It shows Aang working to improve his waterbending so he doesn’t suddenly go from subpar to master level. His goofing around as an octopus reminds the audience that he doesn’t fully understand the scope of his job. They go through the backstory of the Earthbenders, which is great worldbuilding. In the B-story, Zuko starts to realize the damage that the Fire Nation does. The episode also serves the purpose of getting Katara, Sokka, and Aang to Omashu.

On top of those things, the lighter moments in Avatar: The Last Airbender, like “The Cave of the Two Lovers,” are what make Sokka, Katara, and Aang feel like friends. The Secret Tunnel song is iconic and a fan-favorite moment of the show. Sokka is forced to learn from the hippies he hates. Plus, the scene within the tunnel is the first moment where Katara and Aang kiss, laying the groundwork for their romance.

However, Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender fails to understand the importance of the episode. It seems like they only thought the benefit was the meme of the Secret Tunnel song. The way they adapted the story completely removed the impact of the episode, except for telling the backstory of the Earthbenders. It minimized the hippies’ involvement and the character development for all parties in the episode. They also changed it so that the “two lovers” were Sokka and Katara instead of Katara and Aang, and their sibling love allowed them to escape.

I’m all for familial, platonic, and other types of love being displayed. However, the problem is that they tell a story of two women who romantically love each other so much that they create elaborate tunnels so they can meet. Then the hippies sing Secret Tunnel, which very directly references “two lovers.” The connotation of that phrasing is incredibly awkward when it comes to a brother-sister duo. There is a big difference between “love” and “lovers.” Ultimately, I was frustrated enough with them ruining “The Cave of Two Lovers” that I almost quit watching the show.

The Hippie Minstrels Would Have Added Levity To Netflix’s Avatar Adaptation

The Minstrels Accompany Them Into The Caves In The Cartoon

The changes to this original Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon episode are representative of a bigger problem within the Netflix show. The ATLA franchise includes heavy themes like war, genocide, trauma, and grief. The cartoon is by no means happy, but the episodes deemed “filler” help break up the emotionally taxing parts of Avatar: The Last Airbender. They have a good balance within the story.

The cartoon show understood that the best dark shows have some lightness to them that juxtapose the somber parts. When everything is just heavy, heavy, heavy, then the audience becomes numb to the action-packed scenes and emotional moments. When a story sprinkles in levity, the contrast makes the dramatic scenes more impactful.

Unfortunately, because the Netflix show cut out the sillier episodes, the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender lacks almost any lighter moments. As much as I enjoy the show, there’s no ebb and flow in the live-action ATLA TV show. Every scene matters to the bigger story, giving practically no time for viewers to breathe between serious moments. The hippies going into the caves, too, would have been an excellent way to inject the Netflix show with some humor and goofiness. Instead, all we get is Sokka shaking a maraca for a minute while the hippies sing. That just wasn’t enough.

Katara & Aang Will Need A New Romantic Moment In Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2

The Netflix Show Needs To Lay The Foundation For Katara & Aang

The choice to make Sokka and Katara the two lovers instead of Katara and Aang was most likely rooted in the ages of the actors in Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. When they filmed season 1, Gordon Cormier (Aang) was 12 years old and Kiawentiio (Katara) was 15 years old. To make matters more complicated, Cormier appears a little younger than his age in season 1, while Kaiwentiio looks her age.

Had they waited until season 2 to include “The Cave of the Two Lovers,” like the cartoon does, it wouldn’t have been as big of an issue. The actors would be 13 and 16, making them both teenagers. Plus, a BTS Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 photo shows that Cormier looks like a teen now instead of a child, and interviews show that his voice has dropped. As such, it doesn’t look like Katara and Aang have a big age gap. Unfortunately, as it stands, they’ll need to find another way to lay the foundation for their eventual romance.

Even if they don’t want the actors kissing because of their ages or the actors don’t feel comfortable with that, they can have had other signs of affection between them to lay the groundwork, though. Hugs, kisses on the cheek, holding hands, or putting an arm around the other person are all great options that wouldn’t be as potentially uncomfortable as kissing on the lips. If they don’t do something to hint at romance earlier in Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, it will seem weird. After all, Aang and Katara eventually become romantically involved, marry, and have a family.