Top 15 Hidden Details in the Avatar Live Action
You would need to master the art of bending all four elements to pick up on all of these epic easter eggs! Welcome to WatchMojo and today, we’re looking at the best Easter Eggs, references, and callbacks only diehard fans would catch in the 2024 “Avatar the Last Airbender” series.
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00:00 (angelic music)
00:01 - Only justice will bring peace.
00:03 - Only justice will bring peace.
00:08 - Welcome to WatchMojo,
00:09 and today we're looking at the best Easter eggs,
00:11 references, and callbacks only diehard fans would catch
00:14 in the 2024 "Avatar The Last Airbender" series.
00:18 Beware of massive spoilers ahead.
00:21 - What happened there?
00:24 - Number 15, Bumi's burly pet Flopsy.
00:29 In the original animated series,
00:31 the eccentric King Bumi had a big, weird,
00:33 and wonderful pet named Flopsy.
00:36 The hybrid goat gorilla looked incredibly intimidating,
00:39 but was actually a big softie.
00:41 - Flopsy?
00:42 (Ang screaming)
00:48 - Although Ang met Flopsy during Bumi's trials,
00:50 the pet wasn't part of the King's test
00:52 in the live action show.
00:54 But if you pause at the right moment
00:55 during the "Into the Dark" episode,
00:57 you'll see that the palace has multiple statues
01:00 dedicated to the gorilla goat.
01:02 Flopsy probably didn't appear,
01:04 so the show could focus its CGI budget
01:06 on other animals and bending scenes.
01:09 While it would have been fun to see a realistic gorilla goat,
01:12 we'll settle for this nice nod to the lovable pet.
01:14 - Oh, that's a good boy, yes.
01:17 Who has a soft bendy?
01:19 (Ang groaning)
01:20 - Number 14, Daniel Dae Kim completes a hat trick
01:23 of "Avatar" roles.
01:25 - Have I not led us to the brink
01:26 of bringing the entire world under one rule?
01:30 - Our rule.
01:31 - Before playing the intimidating Ozai,
01:34 Daniel Dae Kim nabbed two other notable roles
01:37 in the "Avatar" universe.
01:39 During the 2005 series,
01:40 he played the over-eager General Fong.
01:43 - Men!
01:44 Attack the Avatar!
01:47 - This character notably pretended to hurt Katara
01:50 in order to push Ang to enter the Avatar state.
01:53 After Kim nailed that role,
01:55 he returned to play a major supporting character
01:57 named Hiroshi Sato in "Legend of Korra."
02:00 Like General Fong, Sato crossed lines
02:03 and endangered the Avatar's friends.
02:05 But Kim brought a tinge of tragedy to this performance
02:08 that made the character feel sympathetic.
02:11 - Asami.
02:11 Asami, I know I have hurt you, and I am sorry.
02:17 But I believe that one day you will come to your senses
02:20 and we can be a family again.
02:22 - The actor's great performance on both "Korra"
02:24 and the original show made us excited to see him play
02:26 yet another person that antagonizes the Avatar
02:29 and their friends in live action.
02:32 Number 13, why Ang and Zuko talk during a storm.
02:36 - I have a small boat nearby.
02:38 - We can't go anywhere.
02:41 Not with those soldiers still out there.
02:43 - After narrowly escaping from a Fire Nation stronghold,
02:46 Ang and Zuko hide in a small structure.
02:49 As the storm blows through outside,
02:51 the two talk about their past.
02:53 The scene ultimately concludes by showing a grim flashback
02:57 that explains how Zuko got his scar.
03:00 This important piece of backstory was notably revealed
03:03 in an episode of the animated series called "The Storm."
03:07 During that chapter, Ang and Zuko talk about
03:09 their difficult past as turbulent weather passes by them.
03:13 On top of the plot similarities,
03:15 the live action "Masks" episode recreates iconic shots
03:18 from "The Storm."
03:20 The visual and storytelling parallels
03:22 in the 2024 chapter served as great homages
03:25 to a stellar episode of the original animated series.
03:29 Number 12, "Pi's Show" shout outs.
03:32 A flashback scene in the 2005 series showed a time
03:35 where the mischievous Monk Gyatso covered Ang's eyes
03:38 so he could cheat at a game of "Pi's Show."
03:41 - Very interesting move, young one.
03:44 - What do you mean?
03:45 (upbeat music)
03:47 - Hey.
03:51 - The 2024 show added significant weight
03:53 to this lighthearted moment.
03:55 When Ang was unsure if the Gyatso he met
03:58 in the spirit world was real,
03:59 his mentor convinced him by cheating at their old game.
04:03 During the same episode, Iroh went on a long tangent
04:06 about the merits of "Pi's Show" players.
04:09 - There you are.
04:10 Where have you been?
04:11 - Apologies.
04:12 I got distracted watching a game of "Pi's Show."
04:15 The street players in these parts are quite good.
04:17 - Longtime fans know that he was part of a secret society
04:20 that used one of their game tiles as a sign of membership.
04:24 As Iroh talked excitedly about "Pi's Show,"
04:27 we couldn't help but wonder if he was secretly hinting
04:30 that the society was nearby.
04:32 - Prince Zuko, there is much you can learn
04:34 from these "Pi's Show" players.
04:36 They are untrained,
04:38 but that only means their minds are open to new ideas.
04:41 - Number 11, Zhao disrespects the lion turtles.
04:45 While Admiral Zhao was going through scrolls about spirits,
04:48 he casually dismissed the importance of lion turtles.
04:51 - Nothing.
04:52 Just a bunch of mumbo jumbo about lion turtles
04:55 and cosmic balance and push and pull.
04:58 - And yet there is wisdom to be gleaned from the old tales.
05:01 - His disregard for the beings is hilarious
05:04 because he owes them everything.
05:06 During "Legend of Korra,"
05:07 we learned that lion turtles were responsible
05:10 for giving people the ability to bend the elements.
05:13 Zhao would have probably been amazed to learn
05:15 that the first avatar started as a firebender
05:18 thanks to one of the mystical creatures.
05:20 - May the element of fire protect you against the spirits.
05:25 - On top of giving out elemental abilities,
05:30 a lion turtle notably made it possible
05:32 for Aang to take away people's bending.
05:35 If Zhao had studied more about those spiritual beasts
05:37 instead of focusing on slaying the moon,
05:39 he might've had a better chance
05:41 at surviving the siege of the North.
05:43 Number 10, honoring the animated intro.
05:47 Longtime fans will never forget
05:49 how hard the original animated introduction
05:52 to the show went.
05:53 - Water.
05:54 Earth.
05:57 Fire.
05:59 Air.
06:01 Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony.
06:05 - It featured great narration,
06:07 awe-inspiring visuals, and a little humor.
06:10 The 2024 show paid homage
06:12 to this iconic sequence multiple times.
06:15 We got to see live-action versions
06:17 of the benders that appear in the animated intro.
06:20 During the second episode,
06:21 Aang recreates the sequence's funniest moment
06:24 when he hits a statue while airbending.
06:26 But the best homage came when Kana, aka Gran-Gran,
06:30 delivered nearly every line of the intro word for word
06:33 to explain to Aang how the world had changed
06:36 while he was asleep for 100 years.
06:39 - Water, earth, fire, air.
06:43 Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony.
06:47 Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked.
06:51 - It was incredible to see the amount of effort
06:54 that the 2024 show put into honoring the original opening.
06:58 Number nine, Roku buries a terrible truth.
07:02 When Roku is asked if it's possible to be the Avatar
07:05 and not harm anyone, he gives Aang an ominous answer.
07:09 - So we can solve the world's problems
07:12 without hurting anyone?
07:13 - We can try, but there are consequences if we fail.
07:18 Painful consequences.
07:22 - His grim response makes sense
07:24 when you look at his backstory.
07:26 During the original series,
07:27 we learned that Avatar Roku was best friends
07:30 with Fire Lord Sozin, but everything changed
07:33 when the royals started conquering other territories.
07:36 Although Roku had a chance to kill Sozin,
07:38 the heroes spared the Fire Lord's life.
07:41 - I'm letting you go in the name of our past friendship,
07:44 but I warn you, even a single step out of line
07:49 will result in your permanent end.
07:52 - The ruler used his second chance at life
07:54 to ensure that the Avatar died
07:56 and then kicked off a centuries-long war.
08:00 When you rewatch the live-action scene
08:02 with this backstory in mind,
08:03 it's easy to see the dark truth
08:05 hidden underneath Roku's words.
08:07 - I hope that you're able to save your friends,
08:09 but the truth is, for the Avatar, friends can be
08:12 a liability.
08:16 - Number eight, the hidden jokes in Sokka's dialogue.
08:19 - My name's Sokka.
08:20 Rhymes with
08:22 Akka.
08:25 - Shortly after Sokka comes across
08:26 an apprehensive little girl in the forest,
08:29 he tries to make her feel comfortable with a few jokes.
08:32 The gag about his name is a callback to a haiku competition
08:35 that his animated counterpart entered.
08:38 - That's right, I'm Sokka.
08:39 It's pronounced with an Akka.
08:42 Young ladies, I rocked ya!
08:44 - When that version of Sokka gets too cocky,
08:46 he makes a poem by rhyming words in his name
08:49 and ends up getting kicked out for not following the rules.
08:52 Speaking of name gags, Sokka makes up an elaborate
08:55 and silly one for the girl's doll.
08:57 - Well, maybe we can come up with one for her.
09:01 How about
09:02 Pippin Paddle Opsicopolis?
09:05 The third.
09:08 - The ridiculous moniker is a reference
09:10 to the fake title Aang adopted when sneaking into Omashu.
09:13 Ironically, Sokka was the only one in the gang
09:16 who didn't say the name on the animated show.
09:19 - Name's Bonzu!
09:21 Pippin Paddle Opsicopolis!
09:23 - Number seven, Zuko's wall of Easter eggs.
09:26 Anyone who pauses the first episode
09:28 to look at the drawing Zuko was staring at
09:30 will see that he was closely studying
09:32 the previous airbending avatar, Yang Chen.
09:35 - I am Avatar Yang Chen, young airbender.
09:38 - Avatar Yang Chen, the monks always taught me
09:41 that all life is sacred.
09:42 - Additionally, Zuko's illustrations foreshadow locations
09:46 the show will travel to.
09:47 The two most distinct drawings
09:49 are of the Northern Water Tribe
09:51 and of the Fire Nation's capital city, Volcano.
09:54 One of our favorite Easter eggs comes down
09:56 to how the shot is framed.
09:58 Upon pausing, you'll see Zuko is positioned
10:01 right in between Roku and Aang.
10:03 It's revealed in the animated series
10:05 that the prince is the great-grandson
10:07 of the firebending avatar.
10:10 Placing Zuko between Roku and Aang
10:12 feels like a subtle visual hint
10:14 that all three are closely connected.
10:16 - Sozin was your father's grandfather.
10:19 Your mother's grandfather was Avatar Roku.
10:23 - Number six, the Fog of Lost Souls.
10:27 During the gang's trip into the spirit world,
10:29 an angry Hei Bai caused them to run
10:32 right into the Fog of Lost Souls.
10:34 This terrifying location was first seen onscreen
10:37 in Legend of Korra.
10:39 It's notable for being the place Xiao was sentenced
10:41 to spend eternity in after killing the moon spirit.
10:45 - I am Xiao the Conqueror.
10:47 I am the Moon Slayer.
10:49 I will capture the avatar.
10:51 - Hopefully we're not trapped in here
10:53 as long as that guy.
10:54 - However, there's another layer
10:56 to this scary live-action trip.
10:59 In extended universe novels,
11:00 we learn that one of Avatar Yang Chen's closest friends
11:04 dedicates her existence to comforting those
11:06 who get trapped in the Fog of Lost Souls.
11:09 This plot detail was echoed on the show
11:11 when Aang found his close mentor
11:13 waiting in the fog to help him.
11:15 Both airbending avatars were fortunate
11:18 to find comforting faces in one of the universe's
11:21 most frightening places.
11:23 - You chose not to move on
11:24 to the next stage of enlightenment?
11:26 Why?
11:27 - Because I knew you would need me.
11:32 - Number five, "Kiyoshi Kills Chen the Conqueror."
11:35 This show went to great lengths
11:37 to highlight details about Avatar Kiyoshi
11:39 that were revealed in both the original series
11:42 and in the prequel novels.
11:44 - Did you know she was an orphan?
11:46 Lived on the streets until she was hired as a house girl
11:48 for the richest family on the island.
11:49 - If viewers wanna get a look
11:51 at one of her greatest victories,
11:52 they'll need to pause quickly.
11:54 During the Warriors episode,
11:56 there's a blink and you'll miss it shot
11:58 of Kiyoshi using powerful bending to defeat an enemy.
12:01 Judging by his Earth Kingdom garb, beard, and distinct hat,
12:05 the man she defeated was Chen the Conqueror.
12:08 Kiyoshi notably confessed to killing him
12:10 to end his tyranny on the animated series.
12:13 - I killed Chen the Conqueror.
12:15 A horrible tyrant.
12:19 - This powerful bending feat
12:20 also caused her village to split from the mainland
12:23 and become Kiyoshi Island.
12:25 Is it any wonder why she tore through Zhao's forces
12:28 like they were nothing?
12:29 - Pull back.
12:34 - Number four, "Leaves from the Vine."
12:37 If you wanna make any Avatar fan cry,
12:39 just play "Leaves from the Vine."
12:42 Iroh notably sang this sad tune
12:44 to memorialize the son he had lost in battle.
12:47 ♪ Leaves from the vine ♪
12:51 ♪ Falling so slow ♪
12:53 ♪ Like fragile tiny shells ♪
12:57 ♪ Drifting in the foam ♪
13:00 - Since the song didn't appear
13:02 until the second animated season,
13:04 we weren't expecting to hear anything like it
13:06 in 2024 so soon.
13:08 But in certain moments,
13:10 like when Zuko tries to comfort his uncle at a funeral,
13:13 the score suddenly changes to mirror "Leaves from the Vine."
13:16 - When my studies weren't going well
13:19 and father wasn't happy,
13:21 Lu Ten gave me this.
13:26 - The musical motif often returns
13:28 whenever the duo shares a particularly emotional moment.
13:32 Thankfully, the show balanced out the sad song
13:35 by including a surprise appearance
13:37 from the trustfully in love band.
13:39 Hearing the goofy musicians sing
13:41 the fan-favorite "Secret Tunnel" number
13:43 instantly put a smile back on our faces.
13:46 ♪ Secret tunnel ♪
13:48 ♪ Secret tunnel ♪
13:51 ♪ Through the mountains ♪
13:54 - Number three, the true importance of the Mother of Faces.
13:58 - A totem that represents something
14:00 that Ko needs and cannot forget.
14:03 The pennant belonged to the Mother of Faces.
14:05 - Ko the face stealer was ready
14:06 and willing to consume Sokka and Katara's souls
14:09 until Aang gave the spirit a totem
14:11 that represented the Mother of Faces.
14:14 This exchange worked because of the villains
14:15 hidden backstory.
14:17 For some unknown reason, Ko's parent,
14:20 the Mother of Faces, stopped seeing her son.
14:23 As she continued her sacred task
14:25 of giving everyone a unique identity,
14:27 Ko began stealing faces to fill the hole in his heart
14:30 that his missing parent left.
14:32 Outside of him, the Mother of Faces plays a crucial part
14:36 in answering the mystery of what happened
14:38 to Zuko's mom, Ursa.
14:40 Seeing the mystical being mentioned so early
14:42 gives us hope that we'll see the tale
14:44 of the maternal spirit and Ursa unfold on screen.
14:48 - I must be going now.
14:50 - We'll meet again.
14:52 - Number two, nods to the missing "Avatar" episodes.
14:56 While Zuko was asking for information at a tavern,
14:59 the patrons casually mentioned the events
15:01 of three animated episodes
15:03 that weren't adapted to live action.
15:05 - The Avatar, he's with some waterbenders.
15:08 - Is that right, Mookie?
15:10 - What, the Avatar?
15:11 What those pirates said.
15:13 - The line about the pirates is a reference
15:15 to the outlaws the gang met in the waterbending scroll.
15:18 We also got a callback to the "Fortune Teller" episode
15:21 when a patron talked about the Avatar stopping a volcano.
15:24 But the most surprising piece of dialogue
15:26 centered around the canyon crawlers.
15:29 - No, it wasn't the pirates.
15:31 It was that canyon guy.
15:32 He said the Avatar fought off some canyon crawlers
15:34 for help with a couple of waterbenders.
15:36 (people chattering)
15:39 - It seems they've heard about the Avatar.
15:42 These creatures notably appeared
15:43 in the universally despised "Avatar" episode
15:46 known as "The Great Divide."
15:49 The original show creators actually made fun
15:51 of that infamous storyline
15:52 in an animated season three episode.
15:55 So it was a hilarious surprise
15:57 that it was even mentioned in live action.
16:00 - Look, it's the Great Divide,
16:03 the biggest canyon in the Earth kingdom.
16:05 - Eh, let's keep flying.
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16:25 Number one, my cabbages.
16:27 - Oh, would you like to try one of my--
16:30 - Not right now.
16:31 - Throughout the original animated series,
16:33 there was a running gag where either Aang
16:35 or a random person would destroy the cabbage merchant's cart.
16:39 This joke became so beloved among fans
16:42 that it became not a question of if,
16:44 but when the live action series
16:45 would bring this sad salesman in.
16:48 Fortunately, the show didn't disappoint.
16:50 We got multiple scenes where the heroes or villains
16:54 disrespect the iconic vegetable.
16:56 As the icing on top of the cabbage,
16:58 actor James C returned to play the merchant in live action
17:02 after voicing the character on the show.
17:05 The show's dedication to this one joke was astounding.
17:08 While the cabbage gag isn't the most elaborate Easter egg,
17:12 it's a top tier reference
17:13 in the hearts of Avatar fans everywhere.
17:16 - My cabbages!
17:17 - What was your favorite Avatar Easter egg?
17:22 Let us know in the comments.
17:24 (dramatic music)
17:27 - My cabbages!
17:29 - Did you enjoy this video?
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