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

The 2005 Nickelodeon series "Avatar: The Last Airbender" takes place in a fantasy world where four kingdoms were long ago divided, with each one claiming magical mastery over one of the four classical elements. Each kingdom had citizens who were called "benders," who could magically manipulate said element to their will. The series was created by two white Americans, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is voiced mostly by white actors, but it draws much of its tone and iconography from Asian cultures. 

The titular Avatar is a rare bender that can manipulate all four elements. He is named Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen). One of the show's central antagonists is Zuko (Dante Basco), the exiled prince from the Fire Kingdom who has something of a painful history. Over the course of the series, he grew as a character, and by the end of the show's 61 episodes, he emerged with a certain sense of nobility. He becomes the new Fire Lord at the end. The series has many fans who are drawn to its moral complexity, its deep-scope storytelling, its anime-inspired style, and its characters. 

I mention Zuko because he happens to be a favorite of author Andy Weir, the novelist who wrote the books "The Martian" and "Project Hail Mary" (check out our review here). Weir was asked about his favorite sci-fi books and movies recently by GQ, and he was very thorough in recommending some stone-cold classic films like "The Empire Strikes Back," as well as beloved sci-fi novels like Arthur C. Clarke's "Rendezvous with Rama." Weir, however, felt he would be remiss in not also recommending a fantasy series like "Avatar: The Last Airbender." He feels that the show's character work was stronger than anything he had been able to write.

The GQ interviewer asked Andy Weir about how he was able to write such strong characters in his novels. Weir actually objected to this observation, feeling that his own characters were actually somewhat shallow. "I consider that to be one of my biggest weaknesses as a writer," he said, "character depth and complexity." For a more positive example, Weir immediately cited "Avatar: The Last Airbender" as something he has always aspired to. In particular, he talked about the character of Zuko, saying: 

"He starts off as almost the main antagonist. He's the so-called bad guy from the bad guy kingdom who's seeking out the good guys. And over the course of the series, he becomes a good guy that you root for that works with the protagonists. You learn about his character and his backstory of why he is the way he is. Then he undergoes personal growth. And then by the end he's firmly on the good guy's team. I wish I could write characters as well as that."

Weir shouldn't be so hard on himself, as his characters are just as human as anything seen in a fantasy story like "The Last Airbender." The character of Watney in "The Martian" doesn't grow and change much because he's already a resolute adult with a good sense of humor and a capacity to keep his wits about him. He began the story fully formed. That, too, is a good way to write a character. 

But fans of "The Last Airbender" were likely stoked to hear that Weir is a fan.