Removing Sokka’s Sexism in Netflix’s ‘Avatar’ Removes Important Character Growth
I have my concerns about the Netflix live-action adaption of Avatar: The Last Airbender; many ardent fans do, not unfounded after the M. Night Shyamalan mess. That being said, I genuinely want to go into it with high hopes, but one recently announced change has given me pause.
This change, or rather removal, comes in the form of how the Netflix show depicts Sokka. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly cast members Kiawentiio (Katara) and Ian Ousley (Sokka) discussed how they had removed the sexist traits from the character. Kiawentiio stated, “I feel like we also took out the element of how sexist [Sokka] was. I feel like there were a lot of moments in the original show that were iffy.”
The revelation has left fans of the original show less than pleased, not because we like sexism by any means, but because we love how the show handles it through the character’s growth. If it has been cut, then is the issue of sexism, especially that found in the Water Nation, even addressed?
In the original animation, Sokka’s sexist attitude comes to light in episode four, “The Warriors of Kyoshi.” In the beginning, he states that Katara should fix his pants because “Girls are better at fixing pants than guys, and guys are better at hunting, fighting, and stuff like that. It’s just the natural order of things.”
Sokka soon comes to eat his words when the Gaang are ambushed by the Kyoshi Warriors, a group of female warriors who follow in the (rather large) footsteps of the former Avatar Kyoshi. After having his ass handed to him in a one-on-one fight, Sokka is sincerely humbled and apologetic and asks to learn from the Kyoshi Warriors, putting aside his former misogyny to further his training.
From then onward, Sokka is a reformed man, believing in the skill and strength of the women around him: his sister, Toph, Princess Yue, and his love interest, Suki. His sexism only lasts a few episodes, but it demonstrates a character who sees the flaws in his ways of thinking and reconsiders his worldview which allows him to grow.
Avatar: The Last Airbender addresses sexism many times, specifically when it comes to the Water Nation, of which Sokka and Katara are members. Sokka’s initial sexist attitude stems from his cultural upbringing but also from the trauma of his father leaving for war and his mother being killed by the Fire Nation, all while he was a child. To see him grow shows him overcoming those hurdles and serves as a powerful arc for the character as well as a template for how to graciously admit you are wrong and learn from others.
The animated series is full of these life lessons, especially not judging someone based on their gender, appearance, abilities, or even their past. Hearing that the live-action version is removing one of these important lessons has me and other fans concerned, even to the point where Sokka was trending on X (formerly Twitter).
Some pointed out that it may make Sokka less interesting. Without his sexist attitude to begin with, we can’t see his growth and learn to appreciate just how open-minded and progressive he really is.
This user is wondering how the show will begin now, given how it was Sokka’s sexism that pushed Katara over the edge, which released Aang from his immobilized state. Of course, there are many other ways they can do this, but why change it in the first place?
Sokka was never meant to be the perfect character from the beginning; he is flawed in many ways, as we all are, and it’s what makes him a well-rounded character.
While I don’t think removing this one aspect means the entire show is going to “suck,” I do think that removing or even toning down Sokka’s sexism is a missed opportunity to address the topic as the animation did so well.
As so many discussed on Twitter, the animated series did an amazing job of representing strong, confident, and powerful women, many of whom had to fight against societal expectations. If there is no sexism, will it undermine their struggles?
We have to hope they keep Master Pakku the same; to lose Katara’s scene where she stands up to him and his patriarchal values would be a huge loss for the show and for her character.
Can you still have the show without Sokka’s sexism? Of course you can. I hate when people pre-ruin something in their heads and go in already hating it when they haven’t even given it a fair shot, so I won’t do that. I will say that this is something that I would have liked to see in the show, and it does make me wonder what else they have cut out because it’s “iffy.” We can only wait and see.
(featured image: Nickelodeon)
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