Avatar: Braving the Elements

Say hello to Toph Beifong! Janet and Dante welcome Ethan Spaulding, the director of “The Blind Bandit,” to celebrate the epic ATLA episode 6 that introduced one of the Avatarverse’s most iconic characters. Learn behind-the-scenes trivia about Earth Rumble Six, the casting of Toph, and what makes this earthbender such a fan favorite. Get ready for seismic-level insights into Toph’s legacy in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Delight in this conversation with the incredibly warm and energetic Cricket Leigh, whom you also know as the voice of the significantly less warm and energetic Mai! Cricket opens up to Janet about joining the ATLA cast, Mai’s emotionally complex character arc, and how her chemistry with Ty Lee and Azula makes for one of the series’ most intriguing friendships. Plus, you’ll hear Mai thoughts on Zuko, shipping, and the subtleties of non-bending strength in the Avatarverse.

“MY CABBAGES!” If you love this iconic ATLA line, then this episode is for you. Janet and Dante welcome James Sie, the voice behind the unforgettable Cabbage Merchant, to revisit ATLA Book Two episode 5 “Avatar Day.” They explore the episode’s themes of justice, Kyoshi Island lore, and why some villagers want to cancel the Avatar. A fun, nostalgic deep dive into one of Book Two’s quirkiest chapters—and the character who became a fandom meme legend.

This week we bring you a special episode from our Braving the Elements LIVE appearance at San Diego Comic Con, winter of 2021!

Janet and Dante are joined by an amazing audience of fans and friends at the show, featuring live performances by members of the audience playing all of your favorite characters in a myriad of different beloved scenes from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Among other things, this live recording just goes further to prove that the Avatarverse is one of the best fandoms in the world!

Which element reigns supreme in the Avatarverse? Janet and Dante moderate a passionate debate among four ATLA superfans, each repping one of the four bending styles—Water, Earth, Air, and Fire. From iconic benders like Katara and Zuko to the practical and aesthetic strengths of each element, this battle of bending is both hilarious and heartfelt. Who wins? You decide.
For WATER: Amanda Castrillo Foxworth
For EARTH: Mikaila Baskin
For AIR: Suraj Muralidharan
For FIRE: Nicholas Mayfield

Step into one of Avatar: The Last Airbender’s most mystical episodes, “The Swamp,” with returning guest Hector Navarro! Janet and Hector break down the eerie visions, spiritual symbolism, and unforgettable swampbenders from this memorable ATLA chapter in Book Two. It’s a fun, thoughtful dive into how the Avatarverse blends folklore, philosophy, and comedy—with a few great accents along the way. This episode of BTE is at least as much fun as a screaming bird with a human voice!

Meet the voice behind the ever-cheerful and ever-dangerous Ty Lee, Olivia Hack! Janet and Olivia sit down to discuss her experience of voicing the first character we see in the Avatarverse who can seriously affect someone’s bending power! They talk about Ty Lee’s origin story as well as Olivia’s own origin story and how she came to the series for Book Two. And never fear— even an actor who voiced a chi blocker has thoughts about what kind of bender she would be!

Join hosts Janet and Dante—plus returning guest Jennie Kwan, the voice of Suki—as they revisit the action-packed ATLA Book Two episode “Return to Omashu.” Episode 3 introduces fierce non-benders Mai and Ty Lee, and deepens Azula’s fearsome squad. Jennie compares Suki’s fighting style to her new foes, and the trio dives into the dynamics of Azula’s control, friendship tensions, and the importance of freeing King Bumi. A must-listen for any Earth Kingdom enthusiast or Team Avatar fan!

We're diving further into "The Cave of Two Lovers,” this time with writer Josh Hamilton and composer Jeremy Zuckerman! This episode is truly a treasure trove of trivia you could only learn from Josh and Jeremy’s uniquely "inside" perspectives. From hearing about Josh and Tim Hedrick’s own renditions of the ATLA episode’s famous songs, to finding out more about the process of making a show like Avatar, to hearing what these behind-the-scenes contributors to the Avatarverse think about all of the amazing covers of “Secret Tunnel” that are out there in the Fandom: it’s a conversation not to be missed!

We couldn’t cover this unforgettable ATLA episode without welcoming back Jack De Sena, the hilarious voice of Sokka. Join Janet, Dante, and Jack as they sing (maybe off-key) and laugh their way through the legendary “Cave of Two Lovers.” Celebrate the dynamic guest cast in Episode Two of Book Two of ATLA, including Dee Bradley Baker’s turn as troubadour Chong and his rendition of one of the most famous songs ever to hit animation! Will Jack, Dante and Janet be able to meet the standard? Can they carry a tune? Or even stay in sync? It’s a good thing Team Avatar isn’t depending on them doing so in order to get to Omashu!