PLOT: After a world-shattering disaster, a young Earthbender named Nisha discovers a shocking truth: she isn’t the sole successor to Korra, but half of a twin Avatar duo. Branded as harbingers of doom, Nisha and her sister Pavi must conceal their powers and race to save the Seven Havens while pursued by enemies on all sides.
REVIEW: Roughly twelve years after defying expectations with The Legend of Korra, original Avatar Universe creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko have returned with a series that feels brand-new, while also honoring much of what’s come before. Set about 225 years after Korra’s adventures, Seven Havens introduces fans to a bright and colorful world as it picks up the pieces after a cataclysmic event. Stories say it was Korra who shattered the peace and divided the land into seven nations, tarnishing the Avatar’s reputation for generations. Now, as a mysterious evil approaches, the Seven Havens must believe in the Avatar again if they hope to survive what’s coming. However, undoing centuries of pain and grief won’t be easy.
As a hardcore Avatar fan, I love what DiMartino and Konietzko are doing with Seven Havens. The show immediately feels like a fresh start, with a cast of new faces to get to know and learn to love. Instead of introducing a solitary Avatar, Seven Havens takes the formula one step further by introducing Nisha (Aishu Devan) and Pavi (Saheli Khan), twin sister Avatars who, after becoming separated for a handful of years, reconnect and discover they’re capable of overcoming impossible odds.
However, rather than announcing their reunion to the city of Ellora, a fortified metropolis where benders of all elements live in harmony, their identity must remain a secret, lest the status quo be obliterated. Guarding the truth are Captain Karthik, an airbender and member of the Order of the White Lotus, and Jae, a young airbender who quickly learns the truth about Nisha and Pavi. Throughout the series, Karthik and Jae work together to train the twins and strategize as word about the Avatar’s return begins to spread.
Unlike other series in the Avatar franchise, Seven Havens takes a slow-burn approach to its storytelling. Instead of throwing audiences into one element-bending fight after the next, the new series relishes in tension, subterfuge, and paranoia. It’s character first, spectacle second, giving us time to get to know and learn about the core cast while fostering an unbreakable bond between Nisha and Pavi.
That’s not to say there isn’t plenty of action. While they’re still in training, Nisha and Pavi can already wield all four elements, putting them lightyears ahead of Aang in the original series. Together, they’re able to bend in new and exciting ways when the going gets tough, leading to clever brawls, exhilarating chase sequences, and a few surprises I won’t dare spoil.
In addition to introducing an entirely new cast (so far), Seven Havens takes its time revealing its “Big Bad.” Instead of putting a face to the evil that plagues this chapter of the franchise, the threat to Ellora arrives in the form of a strange energy that poisons the minds of anyone who gets too close. The energy resembles red bismuth, its geometric pattern expanding as the evil grows from within. It taps into people’s fear of the Avatar, transforming them into crazed and violent lunatics. How do you combat something you don’t understand? How long do you wait to reveal the Avatar’s return when people are already terrified?
While I’m thrilled to praise Seven Havens for its originality, it also pays homage to what’s come before. Still, instead of beating fans over the head with references to Aang and Korra’s era, winks, nods, and direct ties to the franchise’s history are organically woven into the story. It’s a fantastic balance that gives long-time fans a North Star while allowing them to float in a starry expanse of unexplored space.
After watching the first six episodes of Seven Havens, I’d say the show is off to a great start. The final episode ends with a revelation about the twins that introduces a new and intriguing wrinkle to Avatar lore that I can’t wait to learn more about. Throughout my preview, I found myself laughing, eager to learn about Ellora and its people, and marveling at the parade of new animals throughout the kingdom. Oh, and Seven Havens doesn’t miss a beat in the comedy department. There are still plenty of laughs to break the tension, and there are some progressive relationships peppered throughout the series as well. Any Avatar fan who’s been waiting for more representation in the franchise, your ship has come in!
With so much more to see from Seven Havens, I’ll be marking my calendar for the day when new episodes arrive. We’ve waited more than a decade to get a new animated series from this team, and it’s been worth it. Seven Havens is bold, bright, and, most importantly, refreshing. I’m extremely excited about this new era of Avatar, and all the mysteries that await as Nisha and Pavi discover the magnitude of their combined power.
Avatar: Seven Havens premieres globally on Paramount+ on Friday, October 9 with 3 episodes followed by episodes 4-6 on October 16, episodes 7-9 on October 23, and the remaining episodes 10-13 on October 30.
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