Among Avatar's most beloved installments gets an exclusive Magic: The Gathering collector's set.

Typically, clip shows face criticism from viewers as a pointless time filler, or sometimes accepted as a requirement in television during the period of episodic releases. This wasn't always the situation, and Avatar: The Last Airbender showed it with "The Ember Island Players," a popular segment during its concluding run now being getting a dedicated Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair release.

Highlights regarding the collector's edition

The full Secret Lair superdrop for the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender collection was announced recently. It features five Secret Lairs, and while a set named "My Cabbages!" is an admittedly amusing nod to Avatar's beloved recurring figure, the other collections seem somewhat less imaginative, except for one standout: "The Ember Island Players."

Based on episode 17 from season 3 of Avatar: The Last Airbender, this collector's drop contains 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 segment is special

Audiences of the series warmly cherish this particular episode, which acted as a summary of Aang and his companions' adventure prior to the final episode. In contrast to standard summary installments, or compilation episodes, "The Ember Island Players" was not driven from financial limitations or creative challenges. The creators truly wanted to provide audiences an opportunity to revisit the series' story, however, they opted to approach it inventively.

During the installment, the heroes view a play inspired by their exploits on a stage located on Ember Island, named The Boy in the Iceberg. The entire performance is factually incorrect, over-the-top, and completely amusing. It excels because it plays on the characters' views about themselves, juxtaposing them with how the world (and notably the antagonist nation) views them. It contains the right amount of meta-commentary, and it becomes perhaps the top rendition of Avatar we have had.

Appeal and availability

When it comes to cost-effectiveness, this is a great Secret Lair due to one key factor: Braid of Fire. This particular card trades for $20 and $40 on various platforms currently, while for $29.99 you can acquire the full set, or $39.99 for the shiny edition.

Magic's Avatar: The Last Airbender collection is available for pre-release events starting November 14 and debuts internationally come November 21.