In Defense of Shyamalan

M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender (2010) is almost universally regarded as a cosmic mistake that caused a wave of collective amnesia among its own would-be fans.

I certainly can’t defend every decision made by Shyamalan and his writers/crew. However, regarding the specific case of stylizing the Fire Nation after India instead of Japan, the original show does present a small piece of supporting evidence.

There's a traditional duel in the Fire Nation called Agni Kai. This is no mere trivia—Zuko’s character arc begins when his father challenges him to an Agni Kai, and several other pivotal duels take place throughout the series.

Nickelodeon occasionally ran “Avatar Extras” during the Nicktoons block—episodes of A:TLA with fun behind-the-scenes facts appearing on screen. According to a tip that appears during “The Southern Air Temple,” the phrase Agni Kai is derived from two words in Earth languages.

Kai is Japanese and translates to something like “business meeting.”

Agni is the name of the Hindu fire god.

Mr. Shyamalan, please accept my apology. The movie is still unwatchable, but I concede that your decision to make the Fire Nation Indian is supported by evidence in the source text.

Also, did y’all know Jason Isaacs played Admiral Zhao?