Sozin's Comet

When the Sky Ignites: The Four-Part Finale That Ended the Hundred Year War.

Sozin's Comet is the four-part series finale of the American animated fantasy action Nickelodeon television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, this event aired as a two-hour film on July 19, 2008, concluding a week of ten new episodes that started on July 14. Although split into four distinct episodes titled "The Phoenix King," "The Old Masters," "Into the Inferno," and "Avatar Aang," it is considered a 92-minute television movie. The initial showing averaged 5.6 million viewers, marking a 195% increase compared to the previous year in its time slot.

Quick Facts

Series

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Air date

19 July 2008

Writer

Michael Dante DiMartino (1, 3 & 4)
Bryan Konietzko (3 & 4)
Aaron Ehasz (2)

Director

Ethan Spaulding (1)
Giancarlo Volpe (2)
Joaquim Dos Santos (3 & 4)

Runtime

92 minutes

Lore & Background

The finale centers on Avatar Aang's struggle with his non-violent personality and reluctance to kill Fire Lord Ozai. While Ozai proclaims himself "Phoenix King" and plans to use the comet's power to burn down the Earth Kingdom, Aang seeks a peaceful resolution. The story follows allies in parallel battles: Sokka, Toph, and Suki hijack an airship fleet; Zuko and Katara confront Azula during her coronation; and Iroh leads the Order of the White Lotus to liberate Ba Sing Se. Frustrated by advice from past lives Roku, Yangchen, Kuruk, and Kyoshi, Aang finds a giant lion turtle who grants him energybending, allowing him to strip Ozai of his powers without breaking Air Nomad pacifism.

Reader's Guide

The event aired on July 19, 2008, following a hiatus since November 30, 2007. Production notes reveal the story was originally written as three parts but split into four to avoid pacing issues after the script grew longer than predicted. Ethan Spaulding directed Part 1, Giancarlo Volpe directed Part 2, and Joaquim Dos Santos directed Parts 3 and 4. Dos Santos won an Annie Award for "Best Directing in an Animated Television Production" for his work on Part 3, "Into the Inferno." The animation required hand-drawn fire effects by Jae-Myung Yoo's team, costing more than most shows spend on an entire season. Zach Tyler Eisen voiced Aang in this final role before retiring.