Foreshadowing in Avatar: The Last Airbender's Bounty Hunting Pair Shapes the Ultimate Conclusion
Discover how the dynamic duo of bounty hunters in Avatar has laid the groundwork for the show's epic finale, hinting at what's to come in the ultimate showdown.
Warning! This article contains spoilers for Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender.
The ending of Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender has already been hinted at by the appearance of season 1's bounty-hunting duo. The original show's final season aired in 2008, so the writers of Netflix's live-action version could have dropped clues about the show's future in the first season's ending. In the last episode of season 1, Admiral Zhao mentions a key creature in The Last Airbender's conclusion: a Lion Turtle.
The ending of The Last Airbender will showcase epic bending fights, but the show's finale also focuses on important thematic elements. The Lion Turtle tease and Aang's connection with past Avatars play a significant role in setting up these elements. Surprisingly, another crucial storytelling element of Avatar: The Last Airbender's ending was subtly introduced in Netflix's season 1 through a bounty-hunting duo.
Explaining The Last Airbender’s June & Her Shirshu Creature
Arden Cho as June provides her pet shirshu Nyla with Aang's scent in Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Last Airbender’s June & Her Shirshu Creature Explained
Meet June and her trusty companion, Shirsu, the bounty-hunting team from Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender. In episode 5, June utilizes Shirsu's remarkable sense of smell to establish herself as a respected bounty hunter in the Earth Kingdom. Zuko enlists June's help to track down Aang, leading to another encounter with the dynamic duo in episode 6 of The Last Airbender.
Their story in Netflix's live-action remains mostly the same, including hints about the show's ending.
In this episode, June and Aang share a brief conversation before Zuko and Iroh show up. June gets paid before leaving, telling Aang, "See you around, Avatar." This scene marks the final appearance of June and her pet in Netflix's The Last Airbender. The live-action version alters their story slightly, placing them earlier in the series compared to the original show. Despite this change, their storyline in Netflix's live-action stays true to the overall plot of the show.
June & The Shirshu Set Up Last Airbender’s Series Finale
(Arden-Cho-as-June)-from-Avatar-The-Last-Airbender - June & The Shirshu Set Up Last Airbender’s Series Finale
Custom image by Yailin Chacon
The following section contains major spoilers for the original Avatar: The Last Airbender animated show.
In the original Avatar: The Last Airbender, June and her Shirshu make a reappearance in Book Three: Fire, which is two seasons after their initial appearance. Aang goes missing just days before Sozin's Comet is set to return, prompting Team Avatar to search for him in order to end the war. Zuko, who joins Team Avatar in the middle of Book Three, leads the group to June and her Shirshu to track Aang by using the scent from his glider that he left behind.
June reveals that the Shirshu is unable to locate Aang's scent, hinting that he may be shielded by the spiritual energies of the Lion Turtle. Despite this setback, June guides Zuko and the group to Iroh and the White Lotus, known as Avatar: The Last Airbender's Fifth Nation. With Iroh's assistance, the group devises a plan to defeat Ozai, illustrating the significance of June and the Shirshu's role in setting the stage for the three-season story arc of Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1.
All episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1 are now streaming on Netflix.
Editor's P/S:
The return of June and her Shirshu in Netflix's live-action adaptation of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" serves as a clever and subtle nod to the original animated series' epic conclusion. By introducing this bounty-hunting duo in the show's first season, the writers have laid the groundwork for the thematic elements and plot points that will unfold in future seasons.
The presence of June and her Shirshu hints at the profound spiritual connection between Aang and the Lion Turtle, a key creature that guides the Avatar in their journey to master the elements and defeat the Fire Nation. Additionally, their involvement in tracking down Aang foreshadows their role in aiding Zuko and Team Avatar in finding the Avatar and ultimately bringing about the war's end. This subtle foreshadowing demonstrates the writers' attention to detail and their commitment to creating a cohesive and engaging adaptation that honors the legacy of the original series while bringing a fresh perspective to the beloved story.
