I started watching Avatar: The Last Airbender when it was relatively new. I liked the characters and the humour but I did not understand the greatness of the show until several years down the road. So when I heard that the writers of Avatar: The Last Airbender were working on a new show called The Dragon Prince, I was quite excited. Unfortunately, The Dragon Prince never exceeded the standards set by its predecessor.
I can still remember the fantastic visuals of Avatar: The Last Airbender, but that all is gone in The Dragon Prince. The visual standard set by Avatar: The Last Airbender, such as the animation, scope, creativity and balance of colour, is not met. Though the show starts off with a sight to behold, you are, within seconds, greeted by an enormous eye. This eye, however, looks off and it does not take much time until you realize that it is 3D. The whole show is, in fact, 3D-animation.
After that realization, a narrator informs us about the six Primal Sources of Magic (the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Earth, the Sky and the Ocean), the discovery of the seventh Primal Source of Magic called Dark Magic, the conflict between men and elves, and, in particular, the destroyed egg of a dragon named Thunder. This is definitely not the first form of media that has incorporated the power of some sort of elements. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, every nation had its own element which reflected the psyches and philosophies attributed to the respective element but none was inherently bad. Dark Magic in The Dragon Prince, however, is inherently bad and is, therefore, not nearly as interesting as firebenders. The deep mythological and philosophical backbone of Avatar: The Last Airbender is gone in this show.
The world of The Dragon Prince is not as interesting as its predecessor and the same applies to the characters. Side characters appear throughout the adventure but are often only there to make childish jokes. Fortunately, the main cast, all of whom are given mostly consistent but not necessarily engaging development, is atleast more interesting. From family related angst, identity dilemmas and their overarching quest, the characters are pressed with many trials which change the way they perceive themselves and others over the course of their journey.
In conclusion, The Dragon Prince tries to impersonate Avatar: The Last Airbender but it fails in doing that. It does not have its own identity, nor does it ever reach the same standard set by its predecessor. The show does not manage to weave philosophy and deep moral concepts within its world and characters to the degree that Avatar: The Last Airbender did, creating a fantasy world that has been done much better in many other works of art.
I can still remember the fantastic visuals of Avatar: The Last Airbender, but that all is gone in The Dragon Prince. The visual standard set by Avatar: The Last Airbender, such as the animation, scope, creativity and balance of colour, is not met. Though the show starts off with a sight to behold, you are, within seconds, greeted by an enormous eye. This eye, however, looks off and it does not take much time until you realize that it is 3D. The whole show is, in fact, 3D-animation.
After that realization, a narrator informs us about the six Primal Sources of Magic (the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Earth, the Sky and the Ocean), the discovery of the seventh Primal Source of Magic called Dark Magic, the conflict between men and elves, and, in particular, the destroyed egg of a dragon named Thunder. This is definitely not the first form of media that has incorporated the power of some sort of elements. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, every nation had its own element which reflected the psyches and philosophies attributed to the respective element but none was inherently bad. Dark Magic in The Dragon Prince, however, is inherently bad and is, therefore, not nearly as interesting as firebenders. The deep mythological and philosophical backbone of Avatar: The Last Airbender is gone in this show.
The world of The Dragon Prince is not as interesting as its predecessor and the same applies to the characters. Side characters appear throughout the adventure but are often only there to make childish jokes. Fortunately, the main cast, all of whom are given mostly consistent but not necessarily engaging development, is atleast more interesting. From family related angst, identity dilemmas and their overarching quest, the characters are pressed with many trials which change the way they perceive themselves and others over the course of their journey.
In conclusion, The Dragon Prince tries to impersonate Avatar: The Last Airbender but it fails in doing that. It does not have its own identity, nor does it ever reach the same standard set by its predecessor. The show does not manage to weave philosophy and deep moral concepts within its world and characters to the degree that Avatar: The Last Airbender did, creating a fantasy world that has been done much better in many other works of art.
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