Maintaining the Integrity of a story

Before we begin i'd just like to mention a name: Harry potter.

Why do i mention that, especially in an avatar thread and forum?

Here's why:

Harry potter and a number of other amazing series taught us one thing, that good stories have to end sooner or later. Why do good stories have to end? Because if you want to maintain the spirit of a story, not go off tangent, and you want the story to remain amazing, you cannot keep it going forever.

It seems with avatar, the creators decided to end it at a certain point. Imagine now, trying to continue a story that they've ended with no purpose and no aim, where would this new story lead? What would we gain from it? Would a purposeless story help the avatar series?

What i'm trying to say is simple, we all want one thing in this forum, to have a great story, and maintain it's integrity.

Asking for a new season is simple, but what we really want is the enjoyment we had in the first three seasons. The truth is though, we'll never have that again because those days are gone and that chapter is finished.

The writers had a purpose then, a story and a path, an aim, a message, a voice calling to them.

That's why it succeeded, that's why we loved it.

The voice is gone now, having given everything it had, having created the path for much enjoyment, it left. In some stories it stays for 10 seasons, in others just 2 or 3.

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Closing the book

What i've learned from the many stories i've read, from the thousands of adventures i've been in, from the amazing twists and turns i've wound through, is that eventually the story has to end.

It ends because there was a reason it started, a purpose, an aim, a trouble, and when that trouble is solved, when their aim is fulfilled, then their chapter in my life finishes because they are complete.

We all want the same thing, to feel how we felt during those first 3 seasons, to make avatar have a purpose again, to destroy the world so he can save it.

But sooner or later, he either succeeds or he fails, and on that day we end the story.

The story has ended, in my opinion it was in a good way(though i do have some critiques), to ask for another season would mean to destroy the integrity of the avatar.

Lets keep the integrity of Avatar intact, lets let his story ring true for many other generations to love, and lets not currupt the gift we've been given by trying to stretch it too thin.

My only advice now is to find a new adventure, there are many awaiting, and i am reading one now.

The next adventure is the only solace to having finished the last. Trying to stretch the last one after it has finished, will inevtiably destroy it's soul.

Avatar will live forever, lets let it live as a perfect story of amazement and success, lets not destroy it because of our greed.

I have to admit, your thread is waay organized, and I like that. That is how all threads should be started. THoughtfully and carefully. And thanks for giving us a piece of mind about avatar right there.

You get my seal of approval.

That was an amazing post of epic win.

And yet I must disagree with it.

Why? I too would like to mention a name: Star Wars.

When I say Star Wars, please note that I am not talking about the Prequel trilogy (episodes 1, 2, and 3). Those special effects extravaganzas were living proof of what you just wrote. No I am actually refering to almost 100 full blown novels that continue the story of the Galaxy Far, Far, Away.The thing about these books is that more often than not the original charcters are not the main characters. They appear occaisonally, but they are never again the heroes of the story. It should be noted that about half of these books are terrible. But the others are excellent stories; tales of new charcters on new adventures in a familiar universe that enabled the more dedicated Star Wars fans (like myself) to relive the fandom all over again.

And now it is time to mention another name; The Lord of the Rings.

In the case of the Lord of the Rings, I speak of the Silmarilion. An intimidating novel of epic proportions it is numbered as one of the greatest pieces of english literature of all time. The LOTR fan who conquers the Silmarilion (as I have done) will understand the true meaning of continuing to explore a universe.

So I must agree, and yet at the same time disagree with you. What you said is right when applied to the fact that the story of Aang, Zuko, and all their friends has ended and must now come to a close in order to maintain its integrity. But I speak with experience when I say that it is more than possible to achieve a wonderous result in continuing to explore a known world from a different viewpoint. As long as a new Avatar series has a different storyline, I have faith that Bryke, the geniuses who created this world, are more than capable of summoning up new life within it.

Axrendale makes a great point.

You could continue the world, while letting the story rest. I've read elsewhere that people have been pushing for a new story 100 or 1,000 years after aang and a new avatar with a new purpose.

This is very possible, and it has been done successfully in the past.

There is some risk though, if this new endeavor fails, it will mark the name of the original avatar, and will thereby lower it's quality.

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Imagine they continued the story and it turned out horribly, or conflicted with the original somehow.

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If they do it correctly though, we'll have our next great story.

I personally wouldn't risk it, if it were my story, but then again it's not my story and the writers may have much more talent than i give them credit for.

I still caution against a new series in that it may risk the status of the current avatar we have.

But what they might do is hint at a new series or start part of the plot in the new avatar movie.

Basically they've already finished the show on television and have no way of starting the plot through that. The only other choice they have is to insert a new plot somehow at the end of the movie. And if the movie does well and people like the plot enough they then can transfer it back over to television and start a new plot 100 or 1000 years after aang.

Again though, it would be a huge risk, i would not want it done, and if it is done i hope it goes well.

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But yea if the new plot isn't mentioned in the movie, then that most likely means we need to lay to rest the avatar world like we have the characters and their stories.

I've come to terms with both, being forced to in the past with other stories and other characters.

But i tell you, it never gets easier, even if you have done it before, and the only solace is just to find a new adventure to try and fill your now hollow heart.