{English} Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Promise, Part One (The Promise #1)

For fans of: the Nickelodeon series
Published: 2012 (Dark Horse)
Pages: 76

 

Blurb: The war is over...but the adventure has just begun!

Picking up exactly where Avatar: The Last Airbender left off. The Promise takes Aang to a Fire Nation colony in the heart of the Earth Nation, where tensions between neighbors threaten to shatter the world's newfound peace--putting the Avatar on a collision course with one of his closest friends, Fire Lord Zuko!

My opinion: Why haven't I discovered this earlier? The TV series had always seemed to me to be unfinished, somehow. There were some unknown plot points and loose narration strings. Back then I didn't understand how they could let the series end like that.
After having read "The Promise" it makes a little more sense. It even closes the gap between Aang's story and "The Legend of Korra" in some parts. What we saw in this story is probably the beginning of Republic City.

That Happy End in Book Three didn't really convince me and that's why I enjoyed "The Promise" so much. It picks up right after they all drink tea and Aang and Katara get together (still not a fan of the latter, but that's the way it is). All the doubts Zuko and Aang have about the future of all the nations are pictured realistically. It's good that they all (not only Zuko and Aang) have different opinions on how the world should be like.

All that Aang wants is harmony, but he soon has to learn that it's not easy to reach that goal, despite the war having ended. He might be the Avatar, but being able to communicate with his previous lives doesn't mean he's all-knowing. Avatar Roku seems to think that about himself and I never really liked him because of that.
Then there's Zuko who is sorry for everything he and his people did and wants to become even with each and every person in the world. He's desperately trying not to become like his father and I get why he's scared of that. He (and Katara, sort of) is the first one of the core group to notice that the four nations can live in harmony, BUT they don't have to be kept apart from eachother.
Kori is a great addition to the cast of original characters and perfectly fits into the story. I think she's quite the key character.
Either there's a lot more diversity here or I just didn't notice it while watching the series years ago. Anyways, it's awesome!
That side plot with Aang's fanclub is so adorable. You go, fangirls!

This graphic novel is perfect for fans of the series that weren't too happy with how it ended.
  
My rating: 5/5 Buttons