Now that Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action adaptation is official, rumors and speculation are rife on everything from the cast to the storyline.
Speaking of which, one particular arc that wasn’t explored in the original was Zuko’s quest to find his mother. Over multiple seasons, his past was slowly revealed to the viewer and his mom, Ursa, was shown to be a caring and kind woman who disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
She was only seen through flashbacks and dream sequences, but her story was also referenced in the sequel, The Legend of Korra. Still, the question remains, was she actually banished for killing Zuko’s grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon, as the passing references imply? And did Zuko ever succeed in finding her?
Thankfully, we’ll soon get some answers to all that, as sources close to WGTC – the same ones who told us Taskmaster would be the main villain of Black Widow, National Treasure 3 is in development and that Wonder Woman will don her Golden Eagle armor in the upcoming DCEU sequel – say that this tale will be told in the Netflix adaptation. And while details on what exactly we’ll see remain unclear, we’ve been told that Zuko will indeed find her at some point in the show.
Of course, this narrative has already been covered in a graphic novel called The Search, which features a ton of interesting material. Zuko’s bratty evil sister Azula escapes from her prison, the mystery of Fire Lord Azulon’s death is resolved and the question of what happened to Ursa is conclusively put to rest. Not to mention that a host of new fantasy elements unique to the lore of the element-benders are introduced in it, too. From what we understand, the live-action series may adapt certain parts of this, but will also be putting its own unique spin on the mystery of Zuko’s quest to find his mom.
Still, the novel builds quite significantly upon the world that the Avatar and his friends inhabit, so if the wait for the show’s release proves to be too much to bear, the answers are all published and just waiting to be read. It’s the closest a fan can come to feeling the same depth of emotions that the animated series evoked, along with offering a healthy dose of nostalgia, so we certainly recommend checking it out.
Tell us, though, do you think the live-action version of Avatar: The Last Airbender should diverge from the original? Or should Netflix adapt it faithfully? Let us know down below.
