One of Avatar: The Last Airbender's best episodes gets an exclusive Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair.
Typically, summary installments are disliked from viewers as a needless time filler, or perhaps viewed as a requirement for series during the period of episodic releases. That wasn't always the situation, though Avatar: The Last Airbender showed it through "The Ember Island Players," a popular episode in its last season which is now granted an exclusive Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair release.
Highlights regarding the special release
The entire Secret Lair superdrop for the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender set was announced earlier this month. Containing five distinct sets, and while a set named "My Cabbages!" is an admittedly amusing nod to the series' most famous minor character, the other collections appear slightly uninspired, aside from one remarkable entry: "The Ember Island Players."
Inspired by the seventeenth episode from season 3 of the animated show, this collector's drop includes the following cards:
- 1x Phantasmal Image represented as "Absolutely Accurate Actor"
- 1x Braid of Fire
- 1x Cursed Mirror
- 1x Mask of Memory
- 1x Thespian's Stage
What makes this installment stands out
Fans of Avatar clearly recall this particular episode, which served as a recap of Aang and the group's adventure prior to the final episode. Different from typical clip shows, or compilation episodes, "The Ember Island Players" wasn't motivated due to production constraints or creative challenges. The show's makers truly wanted to offer viewers a chance to revisit the series' story, but they decided to do it creatively.
In the episode, the crew view a stage show depicting their exploits at a playhouse located on Ember Island, titled The Boy in the Iceberg. The play itself is factually incorrect, melodramatic, and utterly comical. It works since it plays with the heroes' understanding regarding their own identities, setting them against against how the world (and particularly the antagonist nation) sees them. It contains the perfect balance of introspective humor, and it ends up arguably the best adaptation of Avatar we have had.
Value and cost
In terms of value, this represents an excellent Secret Lair due to one key factor: Braid of Fire. This particular card trades for $20 and $40 on online marketplaces at the time of writing, while for $29.99 you can obtain the entire Secret Lair, or for $39.99 for the shiny edition.
Magic's Avatar: The Last Airbender edition is available during early access events starting November 14 and releases worldwide come November 21.
