One of Avatar: The Last Airbender's top installments receives its own Magic: The Gathering special card drop.
Usually, clip shows face criticism by fans as a pointless time filler, or at best accepted as essential for series in the era of weekly production. That wasn't always true, and Avatar: The Last Airbender showed it via "The Ember Island Players," a popular installment from its final season that is now receiving an exclusive Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair collection.
Highlights about the special release
The entire Secret Lair superdrop for the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender set was unveiled earlier this month. This includes five separate collections, and although one titled "My Cabbages!" is an admittedly funny homage to the show's beloved recurring figure, the remaining sets feel a bit uninspired, except for one standout: "The Ember Island Players."
Drawing from episode 17 of the third season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, this Secret Lair includes the following cards:
- 1x Phantasmal Image portrayed as "Absolutely Accurate Actor"
- 1x Braid of Fire
- 1x Cursed Mirror
- 1x Mask of Memory
- 1x Thespian's Stage
What makes this installment stands out
Audiences of the series warmly cherish this particular episode, which acted as a recap of Aang and his companions' quest leading up to the conclusion. In contrast to standard summary installments, or compilation episodes, "The Ember Island Players" was not driven by budget restrictions or scheduling problems. The producers genuinely intended to provide audiences a moment to reflect on the overall plot, yet they chose to execute it with flair.
During the installment, the crew observe a play depicting their journeys in a theater on Ember Island, named The Boy in the Iceberg. The entire performance is factually incorrect, melodramatic, and completely amusing. It works since it plays on the characters' views regarding their own identities, juxtaposing them with how the world (and particularly the Fire Nation citizens) sees them. It has the right amount of meta-commentary, and it results in arguably the finest interpretation of the show available to date.
Worth and pricing
In terms of value, this is a great Secret Lair due to one key factor: Braid of Fire. This specific card sells between $20 and $40 on online marketplaces as of now, and for $29.99 you can acquire the complete collection, or alternatively $39.99 for the shiny edition.
Magic's Avatar: The Last Airbender edition is available during early access events starting November 14 and debuts internationally come November 21.
