Filler episodes are often a contentious topic, and Avatar creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino rightly disagree with the term.
Although no television series is perfect, Avatar, the last airbender it is often considered the best option. But its near-universal acclaim causes the flaws it has to highlight even more, and that applies doubly to episodes viewed as “filler” by fans.
Recent comments from AvatarCreators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino respond to the common criticism that episodes like “The Great Divide” are simply filler. And, really, they have a great point.
The podcast Avatar: Defying the Elements recently had an episode titled “Origin Stories with Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko Pt. 2”, in which Avatar The creators spoke about their creative background in the industry, part of their philosophy towards creating the series, and various aspects of how the fandom responded to the story they were telling. One particularly contentious issue is that of “filler” episodes, a term commonly used for episodes that don’t advance the plot. “Filler” is traditionally applied to manga adaptations in which anime needs to stay afloat in order for its source material to catch up.
DiMartino and Konietzko disagreed with the term in regards to Avatar. “If there was an episode that didn’t move the overall plot 100 percent forward, it was like, oh, suddenly it’s a filler episode, forget about it. And I was like, what is this filler? It’s all part of the story, guys. “. The first example they discuss, “The King of Omashu,” DiMartino notes, actually becomes crucial later in the story for the introduction of King Bumi. The next example, “The Great Divide,” they acknowledge “is quite filler,” but they still value portions and are not comfortable with dismissing it as a waste of space.
And they are right. “Filler” has negative connotations that imply that nothing of value occurs within the episode, but most of the time is spent with the characters in Avatar helps viewers understand who they are and their motivations. Even “The Great Divide” helps establish Sokka and Katara’s differences and Aang’s well-intentioned trickster nature. Although these qualities are set elsewhere as well, “The Great Divide” takes it to an extreme that strengthens those qualities to solidify who the characters are. That’s the kind of value that leads many episodes that fans see as “filler” being some of AvatarBest moments.
There is always something of value even in the worst episodes of the show, and an easy area AvatarThe creators note that what they enjoyed about “The Great Divide” was the canyon trackers, spider-like animals that are not present anywhere else in the series, but are still fun and exciting moments. When it comes to developing characters, it is important to remember that different characters attract different people, and it is the combination of many aspects introduced throughout a series that makes a cohesive whole that all fans can enjoy.
Avatar Fans who dislike Katara may go as far as calling “The Painted Lady” a filler episode due to how little it contributes to the overall plot, but for her fans, that episode is crucial to evidence her status as the center. Team Avatar morale. , in addition to embodying the Fire Nation as a place.
The pacing of the series is crucial in building Aang’s intended showdown with Ozai in the finale, but there is more to the series than the progression of the main plot. What makes the main story matter is the audience’s investment in the characters involved in that plot, and to that end, each piece matters in the larger saga realm. DiMartino and Konietzko clearly understand that, and as they move forward to add more to the Avatar world, it’s exactly that kind of thinking that is sure to satisfy fans for decades to come.
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Reference-www.cbr.com
