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Ordinarily, clip shows are loathed among audiences as a pointless diversion, or perhaps viewed as a requirement for shows during the period of regular broadcasts. This wasn't always true, but Avatar: The Last Airbender showed it through "The Ember Island Players," a beloved installment from its final season which is now receiving a special Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair release.

Details regarding the collector's edition

The full Secret Lair superdrop for the soon-to-release Avatar: The Last Airbender collection was announced on November 4. It features five separate collections, and although the one called "My Cabbages!" is an admittedly amusing nod to Avatar's best background character, the other collections seem somewhat uninspired, with one notable exception: "The Ember Island Players."

Based on the seventeenth episode in the final season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, this Secret Lair includes these particular cards:

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

What makes this installment stands out

Viewers of the show clearly recall this episode, which served as a recap of Aang and the group's journey leading up to the conclusion. Unlike typical clip shows, or compilation episodes, "The Ember Island Players" was not driven by budget restrictions or creative challenges. The show's makers specifically aimed to offer viewers a chance to reflect on the series' story, yet they chose to approach it inventively.

In the episode, the main characters watches a theatrical performance based on their journeys on a stage set on Ember Island, called The Boy in the Iceberg. The whole thing is inaccurate, melodramatic, and overall hilarious. It succeeds as it plays on the characters' views about themselves, contrasting them compared to how society (and notably the Fire Nation) sees them. It has the perfect balance of introspective humor, and it becomes arguably the finest interpretation of the series available to date.

Worth and cost

In terms of value, this is a great Secret Lair due to one key factor: Braid of Fire. This specific card sells between $20 and $40 through card retailers at the time of writing, while for $29.99 you can snag the complete collection, or for $39.99 for the foil version.

Magic's Avatar: The Last Airbender collection can be accessed for advance previews starting November 14 and launches globally on November 21.