One of Avatar's best episodes is honored with its own MTG collector's set.
Ordinarily, summary installments are disliked from viewers as a pointless waste of time, or sometimes tolerated as essential for series in the era of weekly production. That wasn't always the situation, but Avatar: The Last Airbender showed it via "The Ember Island Players," a cherished episode in its last season which is now getting a dedicated Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair release.
Information about the Secret Lair
The full Secret Lair superdrop for the soon-to-release Avatar: The Last Airbender edition was unveiled recently. This includes five Secret Lairs, and although the one called "My Cabbages!" is an admittedly humorous tribute to the show's most famous minor character, the remaining sets seem somewhat lacking creativity, except for one standout: "The Ember Island Players."
Based on the seventeenth episode from season 3 of Avatar: The Last Airbender, this collector's drop includes these particular 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 episode is special
Fans of Avatar fondly remember this episode, which functioned as a review of the protagonist Aang and his friends' journey prior to the final episode. Different from standard summary installments, or compilation episodes, "The Ember Island Players" wasn't motivated due to production constraints or creative challenges. The show's makers specifically aimed to offer viewers a moment to revisit the overall plot, however, they opted to execute it with flair.
During the installment, the heroes view a play depicting their journeys in a theater located on Ember Island, titled The Boy in the Iceberg. The play itself is factually incorrect, over-the-top, and utterly comical. It excels since it plays with the characters' perception regarding their own identities, juxtaposing them against how the world (and particularly the antagonist nation) views them. It possesses the perfect balance of self-awareness, and it results in perhaps the top rendition of the show released so far.
Worth and cost
Regarding worth, this offers a fantastic Secret Lair due to one key factor: Braid of Fire. This specific card sells between $20 and $40 through card retailers currently, and for $29.99 you can obtain the full set, or for $39.99 for the foil version.
Magic's Avatar: The Last Airbender collection will be available during early access events on Nov. 14 and releases worldwide come November 21.
