Avatar: Seven Havens – Episodes 7 to 9 Review

Avatar: Seven Havens has reached its third block of episodes, and it’s the best so far by expanding the plot as Ellora’s tensions come to a head.

Pavi and Nisha’s objectives start to diverge. Nisha wants to knuckle down with training and prove she is a worthy Avatar, whilst Pavi wants to continue the search for their parents. Nisha thinks she gets her chance when the envoys from the other Havens arrive, and the Faceless make their move against the leadership of Ellora. Pavi’s search for her parents leads her to become more entangled with the Anomaly plaguing the city.

Avatar: Seven Havens has been an excellent series so far; I have given the first and second block of episodes glowing reviews, and the general reaction has been positive. The few complaints I have seen have either been about the animation or say the show is ‘woke.’  Anyone who subscribes to the second opinion has never seen anything Avatar-related, and they should be dismissed. Considering how well Avatar: Seven Havens has started, it’s remarkable the series is getting better.

Episodes 7 to 9 expanded on this new world. The first way it was done was in the episode “What Lies Beneath”, where Pavi, Nisha, and Jae find themselves in the ruins of the old world and see an old world film reel, or as they call it in the Avatar universe, a “mover.” It was a quick clip, but it showed that the world was more advanced than the one Pavi and Nisha were living in. Fans of the Avatar series will already know this, but it’s still a fun detail, and in the context of Avatar: Seven Havens, it was a fun detail that made Avatar: Seven Havens feel a little like The Wheel of Time and Monster Rancher, because it was a world that had regressed. Pavi and Nisha went into a locker room where they saw that the Avatar was idolised in the past; they even found an action figure of Korra, the so-called destroyer.

Pavi and Nisha’s exploration of the past also extended to another run-in with the Anomaly, where they saw Korra during the Cataclysm. It was a small view as she was in the Avatar State and smiling during the destruction. This caused a rift between the twins because Nisha feared they would end up like Korra. Nisha even says to a poster of Korra ‘I’m nothing like you.” Yet, Nisha’s personality was similar to Korra’s.

The fandom has joked that Korra is the worst Avatar. There is even a meme that shows Aang left behind Republic City, whilst Korra left a post-apocalyptic Hellscape. One of the mysteries in Avatar: Seven Havens is why Korra caused the Cataclysm, or even if she did it. The two main theories are currently amongst the fandom. The first is that Sato Industries experimented on Spirit Vines, and Korra took the blame to protect her wife. The other theory involved Vaatu taking control of Korra and possessing her to cause the event. I personally think that Korra was trying to stop the Cataclysm, or she had to let it happen because the alternative would have been worse. Karthik said in the ninth episode that people have been taught that the Avatar was only part of the story, so he clearly knows more than he has been letting on. There were also questions about why it took so long for the Avatar to reappear, with theories ranging from Korra hiding in exile and living a long life to there being numerous Avatars between Korra and the Twins, and they were snuffed out.

The other way this block of episodes expanded the universe was the introduction of the other Havens. They appeared in the two-parter “The Envoys.” They were different from Ellora. The three that sent envoys were Aksaha, the only Haven to have gotten old world technology to work, New Ba Sing Se that was culturally traditional, and Feather Mountain, the successors of the Air Nomads. Feather Mountain sent their empress, Yeshe (Jennie Kwan), who was the most sympathetic to Ellora’s plight, and she seemed to have a spark with Jae. It was stated that no one had heard from Republic Forest for years, which added another mystery. The Faceless Queen wanted to lead an expedition to Republic Forest, which reminded me of Aurion’s ill-fated expedition to Old Valyria in the Song of Ice and Fire books.

The Faceless were the connecting thread throughout this block of episodes. Pavi, Nisha, and Jae accidentally discovered that The Faceless were hiding beneath Ellora, and in “The Envoys” episodes, they made their move against Ellora’s leadership. The Faceless were disaffected benders who were fighting for their freedom. They didn’t want to be pressed into service. That was why Uki faked her kidnapping, because being a bender took away their dreams. However, The Faceless were hypocritical because they were willing to take the twins so they could be ‘re-educated.’

Due to benders being conscripted from a young age, they were indoctrinated. Jae and Nisha were loyal to the Bending Brigade and Ellora, whilst Pavi was a little more sympathetic to The Faceless. Pavi was more forgiving towards the group. Nisha’s loyalty to Ellora and her desire to prove herself by trying to fight The Faceless Queen. Although Nisha was a skilled bender, she was clouded by anger, and the fight was between a grown woman and a nine-year-old girl.

Pavi’s storyline involved following up on clues to find her parents. Her side of the story offered some lightness as her quest was halted and derailed in some unexpected ways. Her politeness was lovely, whether it was waving at people in the mover or saying thank you when she was in the astral plane. The end of the episode shows Pavi getting sucked into the spirited aspects. There was a beautiful image when Pavi entered this realm, which adds to the theory that the Avatars need to master the seven chakras.

On a final note, Pavi’s animal companion, Geet, deserves some praise. He was cute, and his cat-like behaviour led to the discovery of the mover. Geet’s loyalty and devotion to Pavi were shown in “The Envoys,” especially at the end of the two-parter. He might be a scaredy-cat monkey, but he was protective of Pavi.

Episodes 7 to 9 were a great block of episodes. It had everything an Avatar fan would want: drama, action, character development, twists, and a bit of humour. The final block of episodes is an exciting prospect.