Let’s get 2019 started right. A thread on why Avatar the Last Airbender is one of the best cartoons of all time.

1 Last Airbender is the story of the Avatar who loses his people to genocide. I don’t know of any cartoon that so effectively tackles such a massive issue—the death of an entire people, their way of life, culture—is beautifully and painfully depicted in Aang’s struggle.

2 Edward Said once said every empire thinks they are doing good. Man, does Last Airbender do an amazing job showing this. Yeah the Fire Nation are the baddies, but they don’t see it that way. They see themselves as a civilizing force.

We can resonate so strongly with this. From the experience of colonialism in world history to the contemporary War on Terror--the civilizing mission and language of empire is alive and well. Avatar brilliantly conveys this experience.

3 We also see the ideological tools of empire. History taught by the Fire Nation is wrapped up in its jingoism. Aang’s correction seems like a small matter, but radical truth-telling ya’ll. All empires want to control the narrative and it is why history education is so important.

4 Avatar Last Airbender is also one of the best cartoon depictions of classism, I’ve ever seen. The Earth Kingdom of Ba Sing Se with its rings is a simple, but brilliant way of demonstrating the real impact of social hierarchies.

It also does a great job of demonstrating how those hierarchies are maintained using both ideological and coercive means (brainwashing + secret police)

The show does a great job of showing how the wealthy ring relies on and exploits the labor and resources of the other rings.

5 Lets not forget its inclusion of refugees. Avatar the Last Airbender shows the real consequences of empire: environmental destruction, depopulation, and the creation of refugees. You don't want refugees, stop starting wars.

6 we get to see a truly beautiful depiction of diversity. Even though Avatar is set in a world of only 4 nations, we see cultural diversity from dress to bending style, gender-relations, social class, and government.

7 This diversity is reflected in the heroes themselves. You’ve got badass women from different nations who are equally if not more powerful than the dudes. Everyone has a different background and struggle from Toph's blindness, to Katara taking on the patriarchy.

8 Most importantly Avatar does a brilliant job showing the process of radicalization. Jet suffers loss & in his quest for justice he becomes a monster. Radicalization/extremism isn’t depicted as purely born from ideology but a socialized process w/ deep psychological components.

9 Avatar also shows the process of de-radicalization. Everyone’s favorite emo trying to restore his honor, Zuko, changes sides through exposure, inclusion, and the soft influence of his uncle, Iroh.

By specifically tackling Zuko’s alienation, we see a young man come back from the edges of extremism.

10 Avatar the Last Airbender is honestly one of the best cartoons ever made for all the reasons stated and more. Fin.