One of Avatar's top episodes gets a dedicated MTG collector's set.
Typically, clip shows are disliked by fans as a needless waste of time, or at best accepted as a necessity for series in the age of episodic releases. That wasn't always true, though Avatar: The Last Airbender showed it through "The Ember Island Players," a beloved segment in its last season that is now granted a dedicated Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair collection.
Details of the special release
The complete Secret Lair superdrop for the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender edition was announced on November 4. Containing five Secret Lairs, and while one titled "My Cabbages!" is an admittedly amusing nod to the show's most famous minor character, the additional releases feel a bit less imaginative, aside from one remarkable entry: "The Ember Island Players."
Inspired by episode 17 of the third season of the beloved series, this special set contains 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
Why this segment is special
Fans of Avatar fondly remember this episode, which functioned as a summary of the protagonist Aang and the group's adventure leading up to the conclusion. Unlike other recap episodes, or "clip shows," "The Ember Island Players" did not stem due to production constraints or production issues. The producers genuinely intended to give fans a moment to revisit the series' story, yet they chose to do it creatively.
Throughout the segment, the heroes view a stage show based on their adventures at a playhouse located on Ember Island, named The Boy in the Iceberg. The entire performance is inaccurate, over-the-top, and utterly comical. It succeeds because it plays with the heroes' understanding regarding their own identities, juxtaposing them against how the world (and especially the Fire Nation) perceives them. It contains the perfect balance of self-awareness, and it results in possibly the finest interpretation of Avatar released so far.
Worth and cost
When it comes to cost-effectiveness, this represents an excellent Secret Lair for one simple reason: Braid of Fire. This card is valued between $20 and $40 on various platforms as of now, and for $29.99 you can acquire the entire Secret Lair, or $39.99 for the premium foil treatment.
Magic: The Gathering's Avatar: The Last Airbender edition is available for advance previews starting November 14 and releases worldwide come November 21.
