"Avatar: The Last Airbender" Co-Creators on Season 3 Finale

From SCI FI Wire:

Avatar To End With Battle

The creators of Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender animated fantasy series told SCI FI Wire that the third set of episodes will end with an epic battle that will please the fans.

"The current Avatar story will culminate in an epic battle between Aang and the Fire Lord at the end of book three," co-creator Mike DiMartino said in an interview. "Book three is all mapped out, and much of it is written. We're excited about it, and we know the fans will be, too!"

All 20 episodes of the animated series' first season are available in a DVD box set, and the second volume, subtitled Earth—Volume 1, has just been released on DVD. The new set features commentary from the voice cast and DiMartino and co-creator Bryan Konietzko.

The story follows Aang, a 12-year-old powerful "Avatar," who wants to be a regular kid but is called upon to help fight the vicious Fire Nation. He is joined by Katara, a girl known as a Waterbender, and her stubborn brother, Sokka, as well as a flying lemur and flying bison.

The creators intended Avatar to be both whimsical and edgy. "Bryan and I wanted to create a show that had a lot of heart and integrity, and we wanted to create a show that we would like to watch," DiMartino said. "Like Aang trying to balance the four elements, we try to balance comedy, action, drama and spirituality in every episode so there is something for everyone. Also, there is a message of balance that is pervasive throughout the series: characters trying to balance their lives."

DiMartino said that he and Konietzko love "serious and dramatic stories and believe you can do that without shocking violence." For example, the episode "Lake Laogai" deals with the nefarious Long Feng, who brainwashes Jet and eventually kills him—not the usual stuff of children's shows. Such dark moments are "written and directed in a very tasteful and dramatic way, where it's clear what's going on without having to show gratuitous violence," DiMartino said. "And we are always careful to balance the serious moments with humorous ones."