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Typically, summary installments are disliked from viewers as a pointless waste of time, or at best tolerated as a requirement in television during the period of regular broadcasts. This wasn't always the case, but Avatar: The Last Airbender showed it through "The Ember Island Players," a cherished episode from its final season which is now receiving a dedicated Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair drop.

Information of the Secret Lair

The entire Secret Lair superdrop for the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender collection was announced earlier this month. This includes five separate collections, and although one titled "My Cabbages!" is an admittedly amusing nod to Avatar's beloved recurring figure, the remaining sets feel a bit less imaginative, aside from one remarkable entry: "The Ember Island Players."

Drawing from installment 17 of the third season of the animated show, this Secret Lair features the following cards:

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

What makes this installment is special

Viewers of the show warmly cherish this particular episode, which acted as a recap of the protagonist Aang and his friends' quest prior to the final episode. Different from typical clip shows, or "clip shows," "The Ember Island Players" was not driven from financial limitations or creative challenges. The creators specifically aimed to offer viewers a chance to recap the series' story, but they decided to approach it inventively.

Throughout the segment, the heroes view a theatrical performance depicting their journeys at a playhouse set on Ember Island, called The Boy in the Iceberg. The whole thing is wildly exaggerated, cheesy, and utterly comical. It works because it plays on the characters' views regarding their own identities, contrasting them against how the world (and particularly the Fire Nation) sees them. It contains the right amount of meta-commentary, and it becomes possibly the top rendition of Avatar released so far.

Appeal and pricing

Regarding worth, this offers a fantastic Secret Lair because of one major element: Braid of Fire. This card trades for $20 and $40 on various platforms at the time of writing, and at $29.99 you can obtain the full set, or for $39.99 for the foil version.

Magic: The Gathering's Avatar: The Last Airbender edition is available during early access events starting November 14 and debuts internationally on Nov. 21.