One of Avatar's most beloved episodes gets its own Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair.
Typically, summary installments face criticism by fans as a needless waste of time, or sometimes tolerated as a necessity for shows in the era of weekly production. That wasn't always the case, though Avatar: The Last Airbender demonstrated this via "The Ember Island Players," a beloved segment during its concluding run that is now receiving an exclusive Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair release.
Information about the collector's edition
The complete Secret Lair superdrop for the soon-to-release Avatar: The Last Airbender collection was announced earlier this month. Containing five separate collections, and although the one called "My Cabbages!" is an admittedly funny homage to the show's most famous minor character, the additional releases feel a bit uninspired, aside from one remarkable entry: "The Ember Island Players."
Inspired by episode 17 from season 3 of the animated show, this Secret Lair contains 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
Why this installment remains memorable
Fans of Avatar clearly recall this installment, which acted as a summary of the hero Aang and his friends' quest leading up to the conclusion. In contrast to standard summary installments, or compilation episodes, "The Ember Island Players" did not stem from financial limitations or creative challenges. The producers truly wanted to offer viewers a chance to recap the overall plot, however, they opted to approach it inventively.
In the episode, the heroes watches a play inspired by their exploits at a playhouse located on Ember Island, named The Boy in the Iceberg. The play itself is factually incorrect, cheesy, and overall hilarious. It works since it plays with the heroes' understanding of themselves, contrasting them against how the world (and notably the Fire Nation citizens) sees them. It has the right amount of introspective humor, and it becomes arguably the best adaptation of the show released so far.
Appeal and availability
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 through card retailers at the time of writing, and at $29.99 you can snag the complete collection, or $39.99 for the foil version.
Magic's Avatar: The Last Airbender edition is available for advance previews beginning November 14 and releases worldwide on November 21.
