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o_O Okay um...I just noticed my own username in the list of my followers...??? I'm not sure how, or when I did that but um...okay... *shakes head to clear it*

Anyway, I just noticed that Euphoric Grannies has my blog listed under "Sites I've Enjoyed." I thought that was cool. I'm not sure what I have on my blog that anyone could possibly enjoy, but hey, who's complaining? Apparently she (or they, since her profile says it's two girls) enjoys watching me rant and rave about Deviant Art, Halloween, and Avatar.

And no, I'm not talking about the movie about enlarged smurfs. Whenever I mention Avatar, that's always what people assume I'm talking about. There was a time when one could mention the name Avatar, and everyone knew right away that she was in fact talking about the TV show Avatar: The Last Airbender. Then the highly overrated movie came along. Curse you, Cameron.

And curse you, Shyamalan!! You have ruined ATLA's reputation with your crap-a-thon movie!

For those of you unwary victims who went to see The Last Airbender, let me just apologize on Shyamalan's behalf that you had to waste two precious hours of your life with that crap. And if you saw it and thought, "OMGrapes, the show must be horrid," please listen when I assure you that the show is on a level far higher than the movie. The show is an epic, beautiful classic about good vs. evil, love, and so much more. Shyamalan is the one who's horrid. He is herewith banished from ATLA fandom.

I highly encourage you to go check out the show. I give you an Avatar Promise, you won't regret it. Now maybe you're thinking, "OMGrapes, it's a cartoon. And a Nickelodeon cartoon, at that. How good can it possibly be?" That was my (highly misguided) assumption until just a few months ago, when my friend convinced me to give it a chance. Nickelodeon is not worthy of Avatar. It should be grateful that that epicness wanted anything to do with it.

If it takes you a while to get into it, don't worry. I confess that I thought it was lame for the first like two episodes. But it gets really good, really fast. Just trust me.

"Well, what is that show about?"

I'm glad you asked. Let me summarize for you.

By the end of the show, it does get a lot more complicated, but I can tell you the basic plot at the beginning:

The world is divided into four nations: the Air Nomads, the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, and the Fire Nation. In each nation, some people are born with the ability to "bend", or control, their natural element. The only person who can bend all four elements is the Avatar, and it's his (or her, the show is not sexist) duty to maintain peace in the world. The four nations live together in harmony, until the Fire Nation starts a war. And I'm not talking "Oh, I think I'll go pick on some lesser towns." This is an all-out, bloody massacred. And just when the world needs the Avatar the most, he vanishes. People think he's abandoned them, and they start to lose hope.

One hundred years later, the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. But then a Waterbender named Katara and her brother Sokka discover (more like stumble across) the new Avatar, an Airbender named Aang.

So, at it's most basic level, the show is about how Katara and Sokka help Aang to master all four elements and, ultimately, defeat the Fire Lord.

But wait, there's more! No real story is good without a subplot, right? Katara, Sokka and Aang have an enemy.

This enemy is a bitter, angry young man by the name of Zuko. Now, Zuko wants to capture the Avatar to restore his honor. That's like his favorite word. It's always "honor this", and "honor that." By the beginning of the show, we know that Zuko has been disgraced in some way, and by capturing the Avatar he can get back what he's lost, somehow.

One of the best things about Avatar is its great use of symbols. Probably the deepest symbol in the show would have to be: Zuko's scar. Zuko has a big, ugly red scar that pretty much covers up the whole left side of his face. Now, I won't tell you how he got it. You'll just have to watch the show and find out for yourself.

My personal favorite trait about Avatar is the characters. Every one of them is so dynamic, and flawlessly developed.

But a close second is the music. The music from that show...oh my gosh. Don't even get me started. The music from that show makes the likes of E.S. Posthumus and Beethoven look like Dora the Explorer.

Maybe you're thinking, "Okay, so it's your typical normal-kid-becomes-powerful-and-defeats-tyrant scenario. How original." Trust me, that show is very original. I can't really explain to you its original elements, however, without giving away key secrets to the story.

Avatar is not one of those mega 20-season shows that takes forever to watch, unlike Naruto or M*A*S*H. It's only three seasons and 63 episodes long. I watched it in less than a month.

And the best part: it's totally clean. Little kids can watch it. This show is loved by kids and adults alike.

To sum up, Avatar: The Last Airbender is a beautiful story of good vs. evil, love, courage, honor, overcoming obstacles, redemption, and strength. With beautiful music and Japanese culture, deep, relevant themes, a perfect balance of humor, and unforgettable characters you will fall in love with. I highly recommend it, no matter your age or tastes. It will leave you out of breath and pondering.

At least, that's how it affected me.