One of Avatar's best episodes is honored with an exclusive MTG Secret Lair.

Typically, recap episodes face criticism by fans as a needless diversion, or at best accepted as a requirement in television in the age of episodic releases. That wasn't always the situation, though Avatar: The Last Airbender showed it with "The Ember Island Players," a cherished episode during its concluding run now being getting an exclusive Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair collection.

Information of the collector's edition

The complete Secret Lair superdrop for the forthcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender collection was revealed earlier this month. Containing five distinct sets, and even though one titled "My Cabbages!" is clearly humorous tribute to the series' best background character, the other collections seem somewhat less imaginative, with one notable exception: "The Ember Island Players."

Drawing from installment 17 from season 3 of the beloved series, this collector's drop contains these particular cards:

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

Why this episode remains memorable

Viewers of the show warmly cherish this episode, which functioned as a review of Aang and the group's adventure prior to the final episode. In contrast to other recap episodes, or retrospective segments, "The Ember Island Players" wasn't motivated due to production constraints or production issues. The show's makers specifically aimed to give fans an opportunity to recap the overall plot, however, they opted to approach it inventively.

Throughout the segment, the heroes observe a stage show depicting their journeys in a theater on Ember Island, called The Boy in the Iceberg. The play itself is factually incorrect, over-the-top, and overall hilarious. It excels because it plays with the heroes' understanding of themselves, setting them against against how the world (and especially the Fire Nation citizens) perceives them. It possesses the right amount of self-awareness, and it becomes arguably the top rendition of the show available to date.

Appeal and availability

Regarding worth, this represents an excellent Secret Lair for one simple reason: Braid of Fire. This specific card is valued between $20 and $40 on various platforms currently, and for $29.99 you can snag the full set, or alternatively $39.99 for the shiny edition.

Magic: The Gathering's Avatar: The Last Airbender set is available for advance previews beginning November 14 and releases worldwide on November 21.