One of Avatar's best installments gets an exclusive MTG collector's set.
Typically, recap episodes are loathed among audiences as an unnecessary time filler, or at best tolerated as essential in television during the period of episodic releases. However, this wasn't true, though Avatar: The Last Airbender proved it via "The Ember Island Players," a popular segment in its last season which is now getting an exclusive Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair collection.
Details of the Secret Lair
The entire Secret Lair superdrop for the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender edition was revealed earlier this month. Containing five distinct sets, and even though a set named "My Cabbages!" is clearly funny homage to the series' most famous minor character, the additional releases seem somewhat uninspired, with one notable exception: "The Ember Island Players."
Drawing from episode 17 from season 3 of the animated show, this Secret Lair contains the following 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 segment remains memorable
Fans of the series warmly cherish this installment, which served as a review of the protagonist Aang and his companions' journey leading up to the conclusion. Unlike standard summary installments, or retrospective segments, "The Ember Island Players" was not driven from financial limitations or production issues. The show's makers genuinely intended to provide audiences a chance to recap the show's narrative, however, they opted to do it creatively.
Throughout the segment, the crew observe a theatrical performance based on their journeys at a playhouse set on Ember Island, named The Boy in the Iceberg. The play itself is inaccurate, over-the-top, and overall hilarious. It excels since it plays with the characters' perception regarding their own identities, setting them against compared to how society (and particularly the antagonist nation) sees them. It possesses an ideal level of meta-commentary, and it results in arguably the best adaptation of the series available to date.
Value and availability
Regarding worth, this represents an excellent Secret Lair for one simple reason: Braid of Fire. This particular card sells between $20 and $40 on various platforms at the time of writing, and at $29.99 you can acquire the entire Secret Lair, or for $39.99 for the shiny edition.
Magic: The Gathering's Avatar: The Last Airbender edition is available for pre-release events starting November 14 and releases worldwide on Nov. 21.
