‘Avatar: The Last Airbender has always been my safe space – now I understand why’

I was 12 when Avatar: The Last Airbender came out, and it’s still the series I return to whenever I’m feeling vulnerable at 33.

I watched and re-watched the original series, I actually enjoyed the 2010 live-action movie, and couldn’t wait for more from the universe when The Legend Of Korra was announced. Then came Netflix’s live-action series (loved season one, season two was fine), animated movie Avatar Aang, and now another spin-off series, Seven Havens.

For more than two decades, the franchise has been something I go back to if I’m sad, bored or even if I’m feeling unwell and need something to take my mind off what is usually a bad cold.

Now, as a gay man, I’m realising that might not be a coincidence.

With the revelation that Seven Havens features a prominent gay couple, the franchise just expanded its already decent roster of canon LGBTQ+ characters.

I didn’t come out until I’d finished university, but started the long process of coming to terms with being gay as a teenager.

Throughout that time, I would lean on ATLA – whether that be the animated series, the latest Nintendo DS game, collecting trading cards or trying to come up with my own element-bending characters.

Now, the original Avatar: The Last Airbender series didn’t explicitly feature any out LGBTQ+ characters, but in the years that followed there have been many.

The first spin-off show, The Legend Of Korra, ended with Korra and Asami getting together romantically. Wider releases, like novels, comics or games, have also introduced other characters who are canonically LGBTQ+. Fans believe Zuko’s writing in the recent feature film suggested he was bisexual too, though that’s up for debate.

Now, Seven Havens has introduced a prominent gay, male couple – Jae and Datu – and it feels important.

Times have changed since I was young and the original series debuted, and LGBTQ+ representation on television is much more visible. But with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) wanting warning labels for LGBTQ+ stories, it feels important that the show creators aren’t hiding them away – especially in what is essentially a cartoon for kids.

Speaking at New York Comic Con last week, Major Curda, who voices Jae, said LGBTQ+ representation in the franchise is “exciting because of how it’s not a huge deal”. Curda went on: “Here is Jae, this new character. Here is also this new character Datu, they’re boyfriend and boyfriend. It’s just such a wonderful exemplification of love is love.”

I agree. Same-sex relationships don’t need to be a huge plot point in the way that heterosexual relationships don’t need to be either. The characters and their love are simply part of a story.

And I think that’s why the Avatar franchise has always felt like a safe space for me.

It’s about belonging, celebrating differences, overcoming challenges. Yes, it’s not a queer story, but the themes are pretty similar to things a queer person likely has experience with.

Aang feels alone as the world he once knew changes. Katara, Sokka, Toph and their other friends become a family to him. He deals with pressure from the society around him, working with his chosen family to overcome issues. Sounds familiar, right?

And in Avatar: Seven Havens, the world has turned against the Avatar, who was once celebrated by all of humanity. Now, I’m not saying us LGBTQ+ people were once celebrated by all of humanity, but I’m sure we’ve all felt like at least some of humanity has been against us, simply for being born a certain way.

As a teenager, those themes – or how I now read into them, at least – absolutely went over my head. But now that I’m older and have experienced more of life as a gay man, the series holds a special place for me, and always will.

And with another spin-off announced – Avatar Kuruk: Wave of Chaos – I’m excited that yet another generation will get to experience that safe space, too.

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