Top 15 Hidden Details in the Avatar Live Action
#15: Bumi’s Burly Pet Flopsie
“Into The Dark" In the original animated series, the eccentric king Bumi had a big, weird, and wonderful pet named Flopsie. The hybrid goat gorilla looked incredibly intimidating but was actually a big softie. Although Aang met Flopsie during Bumi’s trials, the pet wasn’t part of the king’s tests in the live-action show. But if you pause at the right moment during the “Into the Dark” episode, you’ll see that the palace has multiple statues dedicated to the gorilla goat. Flopsie probably didn’t appear so the show could focus its CGI budget on other animals and bending scenes. While it would’ve been fun to see a realistic gorilla goat, we’ll settle for this nice nod to the loveable pet.
#14: Daniel Dae Kim Completes a Hat Trick of Avatar Roles
Various Episodes Before playing the intimidating Ozai, Daniel Dae Kim nabbed two other notable roles in the Avatar Universe. During the 2005 series, he played the overeager General Fong. This character notably pretended to hurt Katara in order to push Aang to enter the avatar state. After Kim nailed that role, he returned to play a major supporting character named Hiroshi Sato in “Legend of Korra”. Like General Fong, Sato crossed lines and endangered the Avatar’s friends. But Kim brought a tinge of tragedy to this performance that made the character feel sympathetic. The actor’s great performance on both Korra and the original show made us excited to see him play yet another person that antagonizes the Avatar and their friends in live-action.
#13: Why Aang & Zuko Talk During a Storm
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“Masks” After narrowly escaping from a fire nation stronghold, Aang and Zuko hide in a small structure. As a storm blows through outside, the two talk about their pasts. The scene ultimately concludes by showing a grim flashback that explains how Zuko got his scar. This important piece of backstory was notably revealed in an episode of the animated series called “The Storm”. During that chapter, Aang and Zuko talk about their difficult pasts as turbulent weather passes by them. On top of the plot similarities, the live-action “Masks” episode recreates iconic shots from “the Storm”. The visual and storytelling parallels in the 2024 chapter served as great homages to a stellar episode of the original animated series.
#12: Pai Sho Shoutouts
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“Spirited Away” A flashback scene in the 2005 series showed a time where the mischievous Monk Gyatso covered Aang’s eyes so he could cheat at a game of Pai Sho. The 2024 show added significant weight to this lighthearted moment. When Aang was unsure if the Gyatso he met in the spirit world was real, his mentor convinced him by cheating at their old game. During the same episode, Iroh went on a long tangent about the merits of Pai Sho players. Longtime fans know that he was part of a secret society that used one of game tiles as a sign of membership. As Iroh talked excitedly about Pai Sho, we couldn’t help but wonder if he was secretly hinting that the society was nearby.
#11: Zhao Disrespects the Lion Turtles
“Legends" While Admiral Zhao was going through scrolls about spirits, he casually dismissed the importance of lion turtles. His disregard for the beings is hilarious because he owes them everything. During “Legend of Korra”, we learned that lion turtles were responsible for giving people the ability to bend the elements. Zhao would’ve probably been amazed to learn that the first Avatar started as a firebender thanks to one of the mystical creatures. On top of giving out elemental abilities, a lion turtle notably made it possible for Aang to take away people’s bending. If Zhao had studied more about those spiritual beasts instead of focusing on slaying the moon, he might’ve had a better chance at surviving the siege of the north.
#10: Honoring the Animated Intro
Various Episodes Longtime fans will never forget how hard the original animated introduction to the show went. It featured great narration, awe-inspiring visuals, and a little humor. The 2024 show paid homage to this iconic sequence multiple times. We got to see live action versions of the benders that appear in the animated intro. During the second episode, Aang recreates the sequence’s funniest moment where he hits a statue while airbending. But the best homage came when Kanna, AKA Gran- Gran, delivered nearly every line of the intro word for word to explain to Aang how the world had changed while he was asleep for 100 years. It was incredible to see the amount of effort that the 2024 show put into honoring the original opening.
#9: Roku Buries a Terrible Truth
“Masks” When Roku is asked if it’s possible to be the Avatar and not harm anyone, he gives Aang an ominous answer. His grim response makes sense when you look at his backstory. During the original series, we learned that Avatar Roku was best friends with Fire Lord Sozin. But everything changed when the royal started conquering other territories. Although Roku had a chance to kill Sozin, the hero spared the fire lord’s life. The ruler used this second chance at life to ensure that the avatar died and then kicked off a centuries’ long war. When you rewatch the live-action scene with this backstory in mind, it’s easy to see the dark truth hidden underneath Roku’s words.
#8: The Hidden Jokes In Sokka’s Dialogue
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“Spirited Away" Shortly after Sokka comes across an apprehensive little girl in the forest, he tries to make her feel comfortable with a few jokes. The gag about his name is a callback to a haiku competition THAT his animated counterpart entered. When that version of Sokka gets too cocky, he makes a poem by rhyming words in his name…and ends up getting kicked out for not following the rules. Speaking of name gags, Sokka makes up an elaborate and silly one for the girl’s doll. The ridiculous moniker is a reference to the fake title Aang adopted when sneaking into Omashu. Ironically, Sokka was the only one in the Gaang who didn’t say the name on the animated show.
#7: Zuko’s Wall of Easter Eggs
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“Aang” Anyone who pauses the first episode to look at the drawings Zuko was staring at will see that he was closely studying the previous airbending Avatar Yangchen. Additionally, Zuko’s illustrations foreshadow locations the show will travel to. The two most distinct drawings are of the Northern Water Tribe and of the fire nation’s Capital city volcano. One of our favorite Easter eggs comes down to how the shot is framed. Upon pausing, you’ll see Zuko is positioned right in between Roku and Aang. It’s revealed in the animated series that the prince is the great grandson of the firebending Avatar. Placing Zuko between Roku and Aang feels like a subtle hint that all three are closely connected.
#6: The Fog of Lost Souls
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“Spirited Away” During the Gaang’s trip into the Spirit World, an angry Hei Bai caused them to run right into the Fog of Lost Souls. This terrifying location was first seen onscreen in “Legend of Korra”. It’s notable for being the place Zhao was sentenced to spend eternity in after killing the moon spirit. However, there’s another layer to this scary live-action trip. In extended universe novels, we learned that one of Avatar Yangchen’s closest friends dedicates her existence to comforting those who get trapped in the fog of lost souls. This plot detail was echoed on the show when Aang found his close mentor waiting in the fog to help him. Both airbending avatars were fortunate to find comforting faces in one of the universe’s most frightening places.
#5: Kyoshi Kills Chin the Conqueror
“Warriors” The show went to great lengths to highlight details about Avatar Kyoshi that were revealed in both the original series and in the prequel novels. If viewers want to get a look at one of her greatest victories, they’ll need to pause quickly. During the “Warriors” episode, there’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot of Kyoshi using powerful bending to defeat an enemy. Judging by his Earth Kingdom garb, beard, and distinct hat, the man she defeated was Chin the Conqueror. Kyoshi notably confessed to killing him to end his tyranny on the animated series. This powerful bending feat also caused her village to split from the mainland and become Kyoshi Island. Is it any wonder why she tore through Zhao’s forces like they were nothing?
#4: Leaves From the Vine
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“Into the Dark” If you want to make any Avatar fan cry, just play “Leaves From the Vine”. Iroh notably sang this sad tune to memorialize the son he lost in battle. Since the song didn’t appear until the second animated season, we weren’t expecting to hear anything like it in 2024 so soon. But in certain moments, like when Zuko tries to comfort his uncle at a funeral, the score suddenly changes to mirror “Leaves From the Vine”. The musical motif often returns whenever the duo shares a particularly emotional moment. Thankfully, the show balanced out the sad song by including a surprise appearance from the Trustfully In Love band. Hearing the goofy musicians sing the fan favorite Secret Tunnel number instantly put a smile back on our faces.
#3: The True Importance of the Mother of Faces
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“Spirited Away” Koh the Face Stealer was ready and willing to consume Sokka and Katara’s souls until Aang gave the spirit a totem that represented the Mother of the Faces. This exchange worked because of the villain’s hidden backstory. For some unknown reason, Koh’s parent, the mother of faces, stopped seeing her son. As she continued her sacred task of giving everyone a unique identity, Koh began stealing faces to fill the hole in his heart that his missing parent left. Outside of him, the Mother of Faces plays a crucial part in answering the mystery of what happened to Zuko’s mom Ursa. Seeing the mystical being mentioned so early gives us hope that we’ll see the tale of the maternal spirit and Ursa unfold onscreen.
#2: Nods to the Missing Avatar Episodes
“Spirited Away” While Zuko was asking for information at a tavern, the patrons casually mentioned the events of three animated episodes that weren’t adapted to live-action. The line about the pirates is a reference to the outlaws the Gaang met in “The Waterbending Scroll”. We also got a callback to the “Fortuneteller” episode when a patron talked about the avatar stopping a volcano. But the most surprising piece of dialogue centerED around the canyon crawlers. These creatures notably appeared in the universally despised “Avatar” episode known as “The Great Divide”. The original show creators actually made fun of that infamous storyline in an animated season 3 episode. So, it was a hilarious surprise that it was even mentioned in live-action.
#1: “My Cabbages!”
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“Omashu" & “Into The Dark” Throughout the original animated series, there was a running gag where either Aang or a random person would destroy the cabbage merchant’s cart. This joke became so beloved among fans that it became not a question of if, but when the live-action series would bring this sad salesman in. Fortunately, the show didn’t disappoint. We got multiple scenes where the heroes or villains disrespect the iconic vegetable. As the icing on top of the cabbage, actor James Sie returned to play the merchant in live action after voicing the character on the show. The show’s dedication to this one joke was astounding. While the cabbage gag isn’t the most elaborate Easter Egg, it’s a top tier reference in the hearts of Avatar fans everywhere. What was your favorite Avatar Easter egg? Let us know in the comments!
