Avatar: The Abridged Series

Katara: It's a random stranger that I can exhibit naive optimism towards! Yay, naive optimism!
Aang: Uh... who are you?
Katara: An optimist!
Sokka: And I'm a skeptic! Skepticism, skepticism, skepticism...
...
Katara: Hopeful optimism?

Sokka: Continued skepticism....
—Characterization, Cliff Notes style.

In yet another Follow the Leader version of Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series, GanXingba made an abridged version of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Can it capture the flavor of the original?

No, it really can't, which is sort of the point, but it keeps the basic character concepts roughly the same and just Flanderizes the bejezus out of them. Aang is an annoying, clueless idiot even more hopelessly in love with Katara, Katara is shrill, overbearing, and needlessly optimistic, Sokka is much snarkier, Zuko is a stereotypical Emo Teen, and, inexplicably but hilariously, Momo is Mexican and Iroh is a stereotypical Jewish old man (not to mention that Ozai sounds like Hulk Hogan, Azula speaks Valley Girl and Pakku is the only Scottish Water Tribesman). It works. It also gave us "Kung Fu Action Jesus".

The first episode can be viewed here. Now has its own website.

Tropes used in Avatar: The Abridged Series include:

Katara: "Well, at least we know we weren't in any real danger."
Bumi: "Oh no, I was definitely going to kill you."

    • Also Jet, with a healthy dose of paranoia.
  • Badass Mustache: In the "Day of Black Stache" special, Haru's mustache which is so powerful that it can single-handedly defeat Fire Lord Ozai.
  • Because I Said So: Roku's explanation about the comet giving firebenders more power.
  • Berserk Button: Do not be the guy who didn't call Mike Tyson 'Iron Man' (ep. 6). Also see Trash Talk below.
    • "THEY'RE NOT MUTTON CHOOOOOOOPS!!!!"
  • Brain Bleach: "Now I'm scarred physically and mentally!"
    • The closest Aang can manage is to burn Appa's harness, bathe him a dozen times and find a therapist (re. ep 11).
  • Brainless Beauty:

Jin: You're lucky you're hot, you know that?

Jet: You're too late to stop me.
Aang: Please. I'm the Avatar. You can't even bend! You don't stand a- (crashes into tree with a loud thud) Okay, seriously, what the crap? Who wrote this episode? It was Zuko.

Katara: *sigh* Crushed optimism...

Sokka: Well Aang, because when I'm being pursued by people who want to kill me, I'd rather throw them off by walking through a dense forest than fly through an empty sky on a giant freaking bison!
Katara: That may make sense, but since you're trying to be the leader, I'm guessing this is gonna fail horribly.
Sokka: Oh c'mon, the writers don't hate me that muuuu....

    • He hangs a lampshade on it in Episode 9.

Bato: You should try to find your friend Aang.
one transition later, Sokka and Katara are being chased by a mercenary
Sokka: Why do I ever listen to anybody!?

    • Zuko is as well, and he hangs a lampshade on it in Episode 9.

Zuko: That's it! I'm not gonna let myself be humiliated anymore--* gets struck by the shirshu's tongue* OH THIS IS JUST EXCESSIVE!

Katara: BESERKER BARRAAGE!

Zuko: "Jee, your accent is ruining our image!"

"They're all lined up in a straight line with their guns pointed the same way... they're probably French."

Zuko: I don't think rabbits can operate screwdrivers without opposable thumbs.

"Now that we can conveniently move, I have a convenient plan that conveniently involves these convenient vats of perfume they conveniently make at this temple!"
"How convenient!"

  • Does Not Understand Innuendo: On the Zuzu's Date episode, his date tries every innuendo short of saying that she wants to have sex with him, failing to get across her meaning to Zuko. In the end, she flat out says that she wants to have sex with him, and instantly, Zuko is transformed from whiny bitch to lady's man extraordinaire.
  • Don't Explain the Joke: King Bumi has this as almost his entire personality:

Bumi: So in other words, they went postal! Get it? Postal, mail delivery system...

Zhao: Well darn, it looks like I'm out of luck barring a sudden promotion, like the one arriving right now.
Colonel Shinu: What!? There's no way you could have timed this down to the second!
Zhao: Of course I can. I went to the Light Yagami School of Strategy. I can practically predict the future.

Aang: I don't even really have to dodge. He just kind of misses."

"Kung Fu Action Jesus!
He's fightin' the bad guys
And making them pay,
With magic kung fu
He'll save the day!
It's Kung Fu Action Jesus!"

Zuko: Awww, now I'm scarred physically and mentally!

Sokka: Wow Bato, the nuns let you stay here for free?!
Bato: Let's just say they haven't exactly seen a man in a while...

Sokka: Now sis, remember what we said about Waterbending when you're PMSing...

    • In a commentary of episode one, the creator of the series explicitly stated that that joke is the one that he's gotten the most criticism for and admits that it wasn't a very good idea anyway.
  • Now You Tell Me:

Gyatso: Remember, Aang, if you ever fall into the water during a storm, never freeze yourself in a block of ice like a complete idiot.

  • Oh Crap: Pakku in Episode 11 during his fight with Katara.

Pakku: Ohohoho!!!! Oh, you sure showed me lass! Ohoho--CHRIST ON A CRACKER!!!

Sokka: Let Me Get This Straight...: you can invent tanks (invented 1915), jet skis (invented 1973), and a gi-gantic friggin' drill (invented 20XX)... but the concept of a hot air balloon(invented 1783)... eluuuuudes you. ...I hate this world and everyone in it.

Jeong Jeong: Only a master of evil, Zhao

    • Colonel Avdol: "Admiral Zhao... I have leaned over a great deal of time the only to defeat the Northern Water Tribe... is to burn it."
      • Which in itself calls back a similar shout-out in Antfish's own series where Abdul has an Imagine Spot where he is crowned as "Fire Lord Abdul," and when he's snapped out of it, he screams "I WILL DESTROY THE AVATAR!" Aang, voiced by Gangxingba, pops in and adds his disapproval of this plan.
  • Side Effects Include: The side effects for Haru's Sexyfine Shampoo are as follows: "Headaches, blood clots, green rashes, gonorrhea, albinism, thumb cancer, chocolate cravings, heroin addiction, pregnancy, ear mutation, increased risk of cyborg koala attack, the apocalypse, and Zutara." Your Millage May Vary if that last one is a case of Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking or not.
  • Smite Me Oh Mighty Smiter: "Why a duck? Why a duck?!"
  • Snub By Omission:

King Bumi: Good try, but if you want to save the girl -
Sokka: And Sokka!

  • Stalker with a Crush: In fact, she is named Stalker Girl.
    • Zuko with Katara. He even had a lock of her hair.

Iroh: You took a lock of that water tribe girl's hair?
Zuko: Well, yeah. I just wanted a piece of her with me everywhere I went.

  • Stay in the Kitchen: Master Paku believes that if woman aren't healers or summoners they should be this.

Master Paku: '"So go learn to heal or get in the kitchen and make some babies!"

Aang: So you think you're hot shit, huh, but I got news for yo' punk ass! You ain't got nothin'! Ho ho, what is this, loop-de-loops? Get that J.V. shit outta here, son!

    • The Guy Aang's trashing? Teo. Sokka treats it as a What the Hell, Hero? after the reveal.
      • He's handicapable.
  • Valley Girl: Azula, apparently.
  • Weirdness Censor: Sokka is starting to question some of the absurdities he runs into.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: Zuko ("Time to make Daddy love me!")
  • What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?: When Aang states that he's master of all the elements, the four main elements' symbols are shown around him. A heart symbol then suddenly appears but is quickly X'd out.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: Aang gets the recieving end of this for laughs in episodes 9 with the map (Then they wouldn't be paying attention to ME!!) and in episode 10 with Aang trash-talking Teo (you remember, the kid in the wheelchair.)

Sokka: Wow, Aang! You're an ass!

Katara: Encouraging optimism?
Aang: Yeah, I'm gonna have to ask you guys to stop doing that.

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