Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender hasn't even come out yet, but fans of the original are already disappointed. Apparently, they took out one of Sokka's most defining flaws: his sexism.
Netflix's version of Avatar: The Last Airbender is just around the corner, but had its fair share of controversies already. Sokka's casting wasn't the only thing that fans were unhappy with – now, it's also his character development or rather, apparent lack thereof.
ATLA is widely considered to be a nearly perfect show, often referring to the amazing character development and rich worldbuilding. Original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko have told a story that made fans laugh and cry for years now (I've been listening to Leaves From The Vine on repeat today, I would know).
But, in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, actors Ian Ousley (Sokka) and Kiawentiio (Katara) mention that they took out a key element of Sokka's character: his sexism and misogyny. Fans are not happy.
Sokka's Sexism Will Be Toned Down In Netflix's ATLA Adaptation
If you haven't seen the original Avatar: The Last Airbender, I implore you to stop reading now and watch it. Spoilers incoming!
When Netflix announced they would make a live action adaptation, many fans had horrifying flashbacks to the movie by M. Night Shyamalan, but there was still hope. A show had way more potential to live up to the original than this nightmare of a movie, right? There was still hope. If Katara taught us anything, it's that there's always hope.
Some of this hope has been crushed now, though. As Kiawentiio revealed: "I feel like we also took out the element of how sexist [Sokka] was. I feel like there were a lot of moments in the original show that were iffy."
And exactly that is the problem. Taking that element out, I mean. Obviously, Sokka was a sexist idiot in the beginning. That's the whole point. It doesn't even take ten minutes in the original show for the viewers to realize that this dude is being such a douchebag towards his sister for such a dumb reason.
In fact, he makes Katara so mad with his remarks, his misogyny is the whole reason the siblings even find Aang in the first place. Remember when Katara gave us a first glimpse at her powerful waterbending? Yeah, she didn't do that because Sokka thanked her for all the work she has done, did she?
Getting Over His Sexist Views Was Sokka's Earliest Arc
In the original show, Sokka is the last man – boy, actually – still at the Southern Water Tribe and got into the mindset of being "the man". Hence his complex with being a leader and the big, strong protector of the Tribe, even though he isn't exactly the strongest fighter.
He doesn't even take his sister seriously, simply because of the fact that she's a girl and her time would be put to better use by sewing clothes than by "playing with water", according to pre-character-development-Sokka.
But that's the whole point, isn't it? It's Sokka's first flaw. He starts out as a sexist idiot. Aang starts out as a coward. Katara is kind-hearted to a fault. But Sokka gets his misogyny beaten out of him at Kyoshi Island by Suki, Aang faces his fears and finally steps up, and Katara's bloodbending later on wouldn't hit as hard as it does if we hadn't always known her as this motherly figure.
Speaking of Katara – she quite literally puts an end to the patriarchy at the Northern Water Tribe in the first season. Will Master Pakku be more tolerant towards women as well, or is it just Sokka that got an "upgrade"? Sexism wasn't a Sokka-exclusive problem in the world of Avatar, after all.
He is on his way to being the fiercest of warriors Meet Sokka in AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER pic.twitter.com/ojd43rbx4j
— Avatar: The Last Airbender (@AvatarNetflix) January 30, 2024
Point being: fans are not happy with this change. It takes away from Sokka's complex character, reducing him to a boy wanting to be a warrior like his father – yawn.
Avatar: The Last Airbender has always been a show about overcoming the odds, a show about inclusion and learning from mistakes. The most powerful earthbender in the world is a freaking blind girl, we've got a boy in a fantasy-wheelchair flying like he was an airbender himself and do not get me started on Zuko's whole arc. Even though it's a kids show, it had heart and it had lessons to learn.
Seems like we won't be learning with Sokka that misogyny is a fool's game, though. Sadly. I knew it was a bad sign that DiMartino and Konietzko parted ways with Netflix after working on the adaptation for a while. It's getting harder to follow Katara's advice of never losing hope.