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Ordinarily, clip shows face criticism by fans as an unnecessary time filler, or at best accepted as a requirement for shows in the era of episodic releases. However, this wasn't true, though Avatar: The Last Airbender demonstrated this via "The Ember Island Players," a cherished episode in its last season which is now getting a special Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair drop.

Details about the collector's edition

The complete Secret Lair superdrop for the soon-to-release Avatar: The Last Airbender collection was announced recently. It features five Secret Lairs, and while one titled "My Cabbages!" is clearly amusing nod to the series' most famous minor character, the additional releases appear slightly uninspired, aside from one remarkable entry: "The Ember Island Players."

Based on episode 17 in the final season of the beloved series, this special set contains the following cards:

• 1x Phantasmal Image represented as "Absolutely Accurate Actor"
• 1x Braid of Fire
• 1x Cursed Mirror
• 1x Mask of Memory
• 1x Thespian's Stage

What makes this installment stands out

Viewers of Avatar clearly recall this episode, which functioned as a recap of the protagonist Aang and the group's quest leading up to the conclusion. Different from other recap episodes, or "clip shows," "The Ember Island Players" wasn't motivated due to production constraints or scheduling problems. The show's makers genuinely intended to offer viewers an opportunity to recap the show's narrative, but they decided to do it creatively.

During the installment, the heroes watches a theatrical performance inspired by their adventures on a stage located on Ember Island, called The Boy in the Iceberg. The whole thing is inaccurate, over-the-top, and utterly comical. It succeeds since it plays with the heroes' understanding of themselves, contrasting them against how the world (and particularly the Fire Nation) sees them. It contains an ideal level of self-awareness, and it becomes perhaps the finest interpretation of the series available to date.

Value and availability

Regarding worth, this is a great Secret Lair for one simple reason: Braid of Fire. This card trades for $20 and $40 through card retailers as of now, and at $29.99 you can snag the complete collection, or $39.99 for the shiny edition.

Magic's Avatar: The Last Airbender set will be available for pre-release events beginning November 14 and releases worldwide on November 21.