One of Avatar: The Last Airbender's best episodes receives its own MTG collector's set.
Usually, clip shows are loathed among audiences as an unnecessary diversion, or at best viewed as a necessity in television during the period of regular broadcasts. That wasn't always the case, but Avatar: The Last Airbender demonstrated this via "The Ember Island Players," a popular installment during its concluding run now being receiving an exclusive Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair release.
Details of the collector's edition
The full Secret Lair superdrop for the soon-to-release Avatar: The Last Airbender set was revealed recently. It features five separate collections, and although the one called "My Cabbages!" is clearly funny homage to the series' most famous minor character, the remaining sets seem somewhat lacking creativity, with one notable exception: "The Ember Island Players."
Drawing from the seventeenth episode in the final season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, this special set contains these specific 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 episode is special
Viewers of Avatar fondly remember this episode, which served as a recap of the hero Aang and his companions' journey prior to the final episode. In contrast to other recap episodes, or retrospective segments, "The Ember Island Players" wasn't motivated due to production constraints or scheduling problems. The show's makers specifically aimed to give fans an opportunity to revisit the show's narrative, however, they opted to approach it inventively.
Throughout the segment, the main characters observe a theatrical performance depicting their exploits at a playhouse located on Ember Island, called The Boy in the Iceberg. The entire performance is wildly exaggerated, over-the-top, and utterly comical. It succeeds because it plays with the heroes' understanding about themselves, setting them against compared to how society (and notably the Fire Nation citizens) views them. It has the right amount of introspective humor, and it results in arguably the top rendition of Avatar released so far.
Worth and cost
In terms of value, this represents an excellent Secret Lair for one simple reason: Braid of Fire. This specific card is valued between $20 and $40 through card retailers at the time of writing, and for $29.99 you can snag the full set, or for $39.99 for the premium foil treatment.
Magic's Avatar: The Last Airbender set is available during early access events on Nov. 14 and debuts internationally on November 21.
