Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s Aang star, Gordon Cormier, has teased an epic conclusion to the show’s third season.
The live-action adaptation of the groundbreaking animated series of the same name premiered on Netflix on February 22, 2024. The first season ran eight episodes, and concluded by setting up several iconic moments that Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 needs to include. With the impending release of season 2, anticipation for season 3 is higher than ever, and Cormier has fueled this anticipation.
In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Grant Hermanns for our cover story about the show’s return, Cormier compared the third season with the beloved animated show. “Season 3, it’s honestly crazy, because I feel like everybody’s favorite season of the animated series is season 3, or at least that’s how I’ve taken it. A lot of people are season 2-ers, but season 3 is dope. I feel like it’s so different in the sense that season 1 was the intro, season 2 is kind of learning the elements — he’s getting there, he’s almost there. And then season 3, it’s all heavy hitters. Every episode is something huge.“
His excitement for the upcoming season bodes well for fans of the original series who are hoping the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender can conclude in a satisfactory way.
Cormier continued by talking about how much still needs to happen, and that season 3 feels like a completely different show, in the best possible way. “I need to learn how to firebend. The comet is coming. I have to fight the Fire Lord, eventually.” There’s a lot, and it’s all stacked up, and it’s all in red. We’re all in the Fire Nation. So I feel like, as it is the third season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, it almost feels like a totally different show, but in the greatest way possible.“
Cormier’s comments show how much the show needs to wrap up narratively, and tease at an epic and breathtaking conclusion to the show that many hope will live up to the excellence of its predecessor.
He talked about how the show has evolved through the seasons, and how season 3 is set to be the biggest, and represent the ‘peak of Netflix.’ “It’s like we’ve built season 1 and season 2, and all of it has led up to this giant season. So, season 2 is going to be incredible. It’s going to be huge. It’s going to be big. It’s going to be dramatic, but season 3 is going to be bigger. It is going to be the absolute peak of Netflix, TV, cinema. I don’t know how to hype this up. It’s going to be incredible. [Chuckles] It was probably the only season where I could proudly say that I am happy with what I have done on that set.“
The fact Cormier reveals this is the only season where he is completely happy with everything he’s done over the course of the season suggests a thrilling and immersive climax for Aang, and suggests cause for optimism from fans concerned about how the show will wrap up.
Concluding, Cormier wrapped up his comments by praising the cast and stating how much they’ve pushed themselves this season. He ruminated on the fact this would be his last opportunity to play Aang, but joked that he’d be open to a return at 40 if he was offered one. He also teased a jaw-dropping final fight that took up much of season 3’s budget.
I’m happy with everything I’ve done, but I think season 3, we all pushed ourselves so hard because we knew it was like, “This is our last opportunity. I will never play Aang ever again.” I don’t know, actually, if they do a live action of Korra, or something, and I suddenly am like 40 and they need me. I wouldn’t turn down that contract. But yeah, as of now, that was my last time to play Aang. So we really poured it all into season 3. And I think, as somebody else mentioned, that’s where a lot of our budget went, too. That final fight was not cheap. Very expensive final fight.
Teasing season 3 as representing the peak of Netflix is a bold claim, especially given the epic nature of installments like Stranger Things season 5 and Cobra Kai season 6. While Avatar is not quite at those levels in terms of popularity, the series has proven a solid adaptation, and after a strong Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1, there is the opportunity to expand the scope and scale of the show.
Adaptations of classic shows can always be something of a mixed bag, and Avatar: The Last Airbender has had a rough time as a franchise, but there is reason for optimism. The Netflix adaptation has been well received, and based on Cormier’s comments, it could end as one of Netflix’s best-ever shows. There is, of course, also the possibility of Avatar: The Last Airbender spinoffs beyond season 3, and these should not be ruled out moving forward.
Cormier has plenty to say about season 3, which perfectly sets up the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2, and grounds the story in a definitive direction. While season 3 is not yet released, it is confirmed that, like the animated show, it will be the final season, and there will be hopes that the show can conclude in a satisfactory way after three seasons.
The fact that Cormier states how proud he is of the season, and how epic it is set to be, should build excitement through season 2. Of course, that’s not to say that seasons 1 and 2 of Avatar: The Last Airbender should be overlooked, but, as he alludes to, they function to lay the groundwork for the revolutionary events of the concluding chapter in the show.
Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 premieres on Netflix on June 25.