Avatar: Braving the Elements

Team Avatar has a rough time of it in this first episode of Book Two, and Janet and Dante are feeling it! While Aang, Katara and Sokka (and, of course, Appa and Momo!) try to navigate a relationship with a very zealous Earth Kingdom General, Dante has to emotionally process the reality that before Zuko gets to enjoy the demise of Zhao, he’s confronted with his fierce and intimidating sister, Azula...

Welcome back to Season 2 of Braving the Elements! Hosts Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (Zuko himself!) reunite for an exciting kickoff to Book Two: Earth in the world of ATLA. This special episode features a heartfelt catch-up with none other than the co-creators of the Avatarverse, Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who share behind-the-scenes stories about how Book Two came t...

Ready to explore more of the amazing world of Avatar: The Last Airbender? Nickelodeon’s official companion podcast, Avatar: Braving the Elements is back for a second season! Join hosts Janet Varney and Dante Basco every Tuesday as they rewatch and discuss every episode of Avatar Book 2. Plus, Janet and Dante are joined by special guests for more behind-the-scenes info you can’t get anywhere else. 

Hear from The Avatar himself, Zach Tyler Eisen! Join Janet & Dante for an exclusive, rare appearance by the former actor who gave Aang life. We revisit Zach’s experience of recording ATLA, which he did when he was about the same age as the character he portrayed (while still enjoying the childhood Aang may have missed). Zach also weighs in on some of Aang’s tougher choices, and illuminates us...

This exclusive release of the live Avatarverse panel at ECCC features Janet, Dante, and friend of the podcast (and talent extraordinaire) Dee Bradley Baker! Recorded in the chilly December clouds of beautiful Seattle at Emerald City Comic Con, moderator Patrick Hawkins takes Janet, Dante and Dee through a thoughtful conversation before turning the questions over to the audience! And as usual, fans...

This week, Janet and Dante reminisce about some of their - and YOUR! - favorite moments from Season One of the podcast. We'll hear memorable conversational gems with ATLA creators and Avatar Studios’ Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino, Jack De Sena (“Sokka”), Zach Tyler Eisen (“Aang”), and Jennie Kwan (“Suki”)! Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning, or are catching up on the pod...

Join Janet and Dante for their first-ever live Braving the Elements, which they did live at NYCC 2021! They are joined by their friend and ATLA/TLOK staple Dee Bradley Baker for a spirited discussion about the Avatarverse… and a very special table read! They are also joined by hundreds of amazing audience members, who made the live experience so incredible and heart-warming. Would you have had the...

It’s the final episode of Braving the Elements’ first season, and Janet and Dante are celebrating with friends new and old! The game’s afoot as Janet and Dante are joined by two amazing superfans and two delightful voice actors for a series of games that will show off just how much these four really know about Book One: Water! Antoine Bandele and Kendall Byrd bring their passion and encyclopedic k...

It’s Book One’s spectacular finale episode, and we’re talking about it with the spectacular author of the first five ATLA graphic novels, Gene Luen Yang! Janet and Dante wrap up the recap side of BTE in the second-to-last episode of the podcast’s first season, and they’re doing it in style, thanks to Gene’s insight and perspective. Highlights include Gene’s own background (in teaching, which we lo...

As we approach the Season Finale of Book One: Water, Janet and Dante welcome back the awesome Hector Navarro! It’s a good time to take a close look at some of the big moments of Book One, and review the complex and very cool character arcs of many of our ATLA characters. And who better to join Janet and Dante than friend of the show, Hector Navarro, whose love of the Avatarverse and his passion fo...

The penultimate episode of Book One features our guest, the voice of Vegeta (Dragonball Z) and All Might (My Hero Academia): Christopher Sabat! It’s the first half of the two-parter that marks the finale of Book One of ATLA: “The Siege of the North, Part One!” Janet and Dante are joined by their buddy Christopher Sabat to talk discovering podcasts, confusing friend zones, and the coolest way to im...

Join Janet and Dante for a fun and informative conversation with longtime ATLA Director, Giancarlo Volpe! Hear more about the early experience of working on ATLA from the Directing side, including very cool details about the animation process. Learn about Giancarlo’s background and what art has inspired him. And find out what final shot of a particular episode Giancarlo felt was missing… and the s...

We’ve set our course heading North… and toward a great conversation with the voice of Princess Yue, Johanna Braddy! Janet and Dante explore the wonders of the Northern Water Tribe as we near the end of Book One Ep 19 of ATLA with “The Siege of the North, Part One.” After praising the amazing design of this episode’s extraordinary landscape and discussing the complicated introduction to Master Pakk...

Janet and Dante are still abuzz over all the gadgetry in “The Northern Air Temple,” so they decide to talk to fellow lover of gadgets, Adam Savage! From the delivery systems of Omashu to Jet’s hooked swords to the Fire Nation’s reversible tanks, Adam geeks out with Janet and Dante about some of the very cool designs to come out of Book One of ATLA. But the trio also talks about the deep, abiding e...

Hop onto your glider and come with us for this journey to “The Northern Air Temple” with special guest Jason Mantzoukas! Jason joins Janet and Dante for a rousing conversation about not just this conflict-laden episode of ATLA, but also the joy of the Avatarverse at large! Marvel at Aang’s willingness to forgive and move on; celebrate Sokka’s discovery of a cerebral kindred spirit; watch Katara so...

This week we take a closer look at the hugely important theme of "Family" with Cheyenne Ewulu! For a deeper dive into all of the various and layered family dynamics in Book One of "Avatar: The Last Airbender," Janet and Dante welcome actress, Amazon Prime Video and Funimation host, and all-around entertainer, Cheyenne Ewulu! Cheyenne’s love and understanding of the Avatarverse makes this is a grea...

What do you do when you really want to wrap your head around an ATLA episode? Go to the source! This week, Janet and Dante break down Ep 16 of Book One “The Deserter” with ATLA, LOK, and Avatar Studios writer, Tim Hedrick! And yes, he IS credited with the writing of this acclaimed episode, in which we meet the mercurial Jeong Jeong, who has a lot of brilliant observations, but an equal amount of w...

You know it’s going to be an amazing conversation when you have Avatar Kyoshi and June the Bounty Hunter together in one person! Janet and Dante are thrilled to welcome their friend, VA and musician Jennifer Hale to the podcast! What follows is a conversation spanning from her beloved roles in ATLA (shout out to Nyla the shirshu), to the snowy wilds of Labrador (Jen's heritage!). And-- fascinating...

This week, Janet and Dante are joined by Avatar Studios’ Consultant on Native Representation, Migizi Pensoneau! The trio discusses the many layers of “Bato of the Water Tribe,” including Aang’s actions in this episode (controversial amongst fans!), the introduction of the very memorable shirshu (multiple-animals-hybrid alert!) and bounty hunter June, and the reinforcement of what it means to honor...

Happy Holidays from your pals at Braving the Elements! This week, Janet and Dante reminisce about some of their - and YOUR! - favorite moments from Season One of the podcast. Featuring memorable conversational gems with ATLA creators and Avatar Studios’ Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino, Jack De Sena (“Sokka”), Zach Tyler Eisen (“Aang”), and Jennie Kwan (“Suki”)! Whether you’ve been with...

For their interpretation and discussion of ATLA’s Episode 14 of Booke One “The Fortuneteller,” Janet and Dante are joined by their pal, the talented and wonderful Evanna Lynch (“Luna Lovegood” from the Potterverse)! Discussing Aunt Wu’s approach to fortunetelling (Cloud-reading! Osteomancy!) leads to some personal anecdotes about seeing psychic advisors IRL; everyone celebrates the introduction of...

Janet and Dante joyfully welcome Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra Sound Designer Benjamin Wynn to the podcast! Ben chats with Janet and Dante about his early experiences on ATLA, including what it’s like to jump into the deep end on a job you have no idea how to do! Hear about Ben and previous BTE guest Jeremy Zuckerman’s tandem approach to sound and music, learn about their crea...

Janet and Dante discuss one of the most acclaimed episodes of ATLA Episode 13 of Book One: “The Blue Spirit” — and things get emotional! As Aang rushes to find a cure for what ails Katara and Sokka, Janet and Dante rush to lavish praise on the thirteenth episode of the series’ first season. Find out what color Zuko’s mask was originally supposed to be, and why they changed it! Learn more about rea...

Get ready for a very cool “big picture” conversation about the Avatarverse this week as Janet and Dante sit down with Karama Horne and Ijeoma Njaka! Hear from two extraordinarily awesome women who bring nuance, intellect, and humor to this very special round-table-style episode of BTE. Featuring discussions about big recurring themes in ATLA, find out about lessons we can all take into our own liv...

The wonderful Jack De Sena (“Sokka”) rejoins Janet and Dante as they sail together into ATLA’s Episode 12 of Booke One: “The Storm!" Jack comes back to bring us all a little more Sokka-- in this Book One episode that contains decidedly less Sokka than others! In addition to the gang’s breakdown of the revelations from “The Storm” (Zuko’s scar! Aang’s toys! Iroh’s lightning!), you’ll also get to he...