Project Hail Mary Author Andy Weir Has Some Strong Thoughts About Avatar: The Last Airbender

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The 2005 Nickelodeon bid "Avatar: The Last Airbender" takes spot successful a imagination world wherever 4 kingdoms were agelong agone divided, pinch each 1 claiming magical mastery complete 1 of nan 4 classical elements. Each kingdom had citizens who were called "benders," who could magically manipulate said constituent to their will. The bid was created by 2 achromatic Americans, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is voiced mostly by achromatic actors, but it draws overmuch of its reside and iconography from Asian cultures. 

The titular Avatar is simply a uncommon bender that tin manipulate each 4 elements. He is named Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen). One of nan show's cardinal antagonists is Zuko (Dante Basco), nan exiled prince from nan Fire Kingdom who has thing of a achy history. Over nan people of nan series, he grew arsenic a character, and by nan extremity of nan show's 61 episodes, he emerged pinch a definite consciousness of nobility. He becomes nan caller Fire Lord astatine nan end. The bid has galore fans who are drawn to its civilized complexity, its deep-scope storytelling, its anime-inspired style, and its characters. 

I mention Zuko because he happens to beryllium a favourite of writer Andy Weir, nan novelist who wrote nan books "The Martian" and "Project Hail Mary" (check retired our reappraisal here). Weir was asked astir his favourite sci-fi books and movies precocious by GQ, and he was very thorough successful recommending immoderate stone-cold classical films for illustration "The Empire Strikes Back," arsenic good arsenic beloved sci-fi novels for illustration Arthur C. Clarke's "Rendezvous pinch Rama." Weir, however, felt he would beryllium remiss successful not besides recommending a imagination bid for illustration "Avatar: The Last Airbender." He feels that nan show's characteristic activity was stronger than thing he had been capable to write.

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The GQ interviewer asked Andy Weir astir really he was capable to constitute specified beardown characters successful his novels. Weir really objected to this observation, emotion that his ain characters were really somewhat shallow. "I see that to beryllium 1 of my biggest weaknesses arsenic a writer," he said, "character extent and complexity." For a much affirmative example, Weir instantly cited "Avatar: The Last Airbender" arsenic thing he has ever aspired to. In particular, he talked astir nan characteristic of Zuko, saying: 

"He starts disconnected arsenic almost nan main antagonist. He's nan alleged bad feline from nan bad feline kingdom who's seeking retired nan bully guys. And complete nan people of nan series, he becomes a bully feline that you guidelines for that useful pinch nan protagonists. You study astir his characteristic and his backstory of why he is nan measurement he is. Then he undergoes individual growth. And past by nan extremity he's firmly connected nan bully guy's team. I wish I could constitute characters arsenic good arsenic that."

Weir shouldn't beryllium truthful difficult connected himself, arsenic his characters are conscionable arsenic quality arsenic thing seen successful a imagination communicative for illustration "The Last Airbender." The characteristic of Watney successful "The Martian" doesn't turn and alteration overmuch because he's already a resolute big pinch a bully consciousness of joke and a capacity to support his wits astir him. He began nan communicative afloat formed. That, too, is simply a bully measurement to constitute a character. 

But fans of "The Last Airbender" were apt stoked to perceive that Weir is simply a fan.