It’s pretty much a given that adapting something that already has a huge fanbase is tricky. In the case of the upcoming live-action adaptation ofAvatar: The Last Airbender, fans already have sky-high expectations for whatever’s in store. We already know that the Netflix series won’t start the same way as the animated version, and now cast membersIan Ousley(13 Reasons Why) andKiawentiio(Anne With an E) revealed that one distinct element from fan-favorite character Sokka’s arc won’t be there when we press play.
While speaking withEntertainment Weekly, Kiawentiio suggested that the new series got rid of an outdated storyline – or at least reworked it. She stated that she feels they “took out the element of how sexist [Sokka] was.” She added that, watching the original series, she felt “like there werea lot of moments in the original showthat were iffy.”
From episode one, Sokka displays misogynistic behavior and makes sexist commentsdirected mostly at his sister Katara(played by Kiawentiio in the live-action version). Even though the character eventually learns the error of his ways, we can’t ignore the fact thatAvatar: The Last Airbenderfirst aired on Nickelodeon in 2005– a time when discussions about how female characters are portrayed and addressed barely happened. From the sound of it, Netflix decided that Sokka doesn’t need this arc to be respectful of women – maybe he’ll be that way from the start.
Despite Changes, Sokka Is Essentially The Same
In the same interview, Ousley also spoke about his approach to Sokka and mentionedwhat else we can expect to seefrom the character. In the original show, Sokka started out as a bit of a comic relief, and apparently that is being preserved in some form: “I wanted to make sure that Sokka is funny. There’s more weight with realism in every way.” Ousley also added that Sokka is “dealing with what it means to not have his father and try to maybe lead when you’re not fully capable.”
In a recent interview, also with withEntertainment Weekly,Avatar: The Last AirbendershowrunnerAlbert Kimspoke about the thrilling but daunting task ofadapting a story that is already widely knownand making these kinds of decisions. He stated:
“My first reaction after ‘Hell yeah!’ was ‘Holy s—! Do I really want to do this? Is there a way to improve upon the original?’ Whenever you tackle something that’s already beloved by millions of fans, you have to ask yourself those questions.”
Netflix premieresAvatar: The Last Airbenderon February 22.
You can watch the latest trailer below:
Avatar: The Last Airbender
A young boy known as the Avatar must master the four elemental powers to save the world and fight against an enemy bent on stopping him.
