Among Avatar: The Last Airbender's most beloved episodes receives its own MTG collector's set.
Typically, recap episodes face criticism among audiences as an unnecessary diversion, or at best tolerated as essential for shows in the age of weekly production. That wasn't always the situation, though Avatar: The Last Airbender demonstrated this via "The Ember Island Players," a cherished segment in its last season that is now getting a dedicated Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair collection.
Information about the Secret Lair
The complete Secret Lair superdrop for the forthcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender edition was revealed on November 4. It features five separate collections, and although one titled "My Cabbages!" is certainly funny homage to Avatar's best background character, the additional releases seem somewhat lacking creativity, aside from one remarkable entry: "The Ember Island Players."
Inspired by the seventeenth episode from season 3 of the beloved series, this collector's drop includes these particular cards:
- 1x Phantasmal Image as "Absolutely Accurate Actor"
- 1x Braid of Fire
- 1x Cursed Mirror
- 1x Mask of Memory
- 1x Thespian's Stage
Why this installment is special
Viewers of the show warmly cherish this episode, which served as a recap of Aang and the group's journey prior to the final episode. Unlike typical clip shows, or compilation episodes, "The Ember Island Players" wasn't motivated by budget restrictions or creative challenges. The show's makers specifically aimed to provide audiences a chance to reflect on the series' story, however, they opted to approach it inventively.
Throughout the segment, the crew observe a theatrical performance depicting their adventures on a stage located on Ember Island, titled The Boy in the Iceberg. The entire performance is factually incorrect, cheesy, and completely amusing. It works because it plays with the characters' perception about themselves, contrasting them with how the world (and especially the Fire Nation citizens) sees them. It has the perfect balance of self-awareness, and it becomes arguably the best adaptation of Avatar available to date.
Value and availability
When it comes to cost-effectiveness, this offers a fantastic Secret Lair due to one key factor: Braid of Fire. This particular card is valued between $20 and $40 through card retailers at the time of writing, and for $29.99 you can obtain the full set, or alternatively $39.99 for the foil version.
Magic's Avatar: The Last Airbender edition is available for advance previews beginning November 14 and launches globally come November 21.
