It's the start of a brand new year, friends! Whether you're a bender or non-bender, we hope you're having a fantastic start to 2023. This week, we have a special re-broadcast of our delightful conversation with the amazing Grey DeLisle, the voice actress who played Azula on ATLA - getting deep into her experience recording on the series, and what projects she's keeping busy with outside the Avatarverse. And yes, we get to hear the terrifying Azula with a special message for her Zuzu. To learn mo...
Jan 03, 2023•38 min•Season 2Ep. 36
Happy holidays from your friends at Braving the Elements! This week, our gift to you is one of our favorite conversations we've had with Avatar show creators (and our two dads), Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko! We get into the beginnings of Book 2 and how this season came to be in the Avatarverse. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 27, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 35
Celebrate this beloved ATLA episode of multiple character stories with the return of our friend Danielle Radford! Could we have done a single Braving the Elements episode for EACH of the marvelous stories presented in “The Tales of Ba Sing Se?” You bet we could! But we settled on discussing it the way it has been given to fans of the Avatarverse: all bundled up in one legendary and beloved episode of the television show. Janet and Dante are rejoined by the wonderful Danielle Radford, who'll ride...
Dec 20, 2022•53 min•Season 2Ep. 34
You know her as one of the smiling guides of Ba Sing Se, but you probably know her for a lot of other amazing roles. It’s Lauren Tom! The voice of Joo-Dee joins Janet and Dante to continue the streak of voice artists appearing on Braving the Elements to prove once again that the Avatarverse has featured some of the kindest, funniest, and most humble superstars in the business. Lauren talks about her career not just in voiceover, but as an on-screen actor, accomplished writer, mother, and we cele...
Dec 13, 2022•43 min•Season 2Ep. 33
Janet and Dante are joined once again by Bryan Konietzko to talk about one of his favorite episodes! Expect a ton of great insider info for this recap and discussion surrounding the mysterious “City of Walls and Secrets,” Episode 14 of Book Two of ATLA. Explore Ba Sing Se under the watchful eye of Joo Dee as more and more walls and rings of the city are revealed… to some degree. But many secrets remain, and Janet, Dante and Bryan dig into them all! Plus: listen up for an important message about ...
Dec 06, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 32
Meet two wonderful friends of the podcast, who also happen to work at Avatar Studios! Janet and Dante welcome Isabella Boettcher and Pramodh Manian for a chat about their work at Avatar Studios, how they discovered the Avatarverse, and some of their favorite moments in Book Two of ATLA! Find which Avatar character Isabella would go on a vacation with… and her answer may surprise you! Learn which character Pramodh would feel most comfortable loaning money to, and why! All this and more with two o...
Nov 29, 2022•55 min•Season 2Ep. 31
This week brings you our happy return to NYCC (where Janet and Dante recorded their first live, in-person episode last year)! Because NYCC 2021 was such a blast, we know we had to turn it up a notch— and you were there for it! Recorded on October 6th, 2022, Janet and Dante were joined by guest after extraordinary guest! From an in-depth conversation with David Burtka and Robbie Daymond about the marvels of the Avatarverse to a table read including Michaela Jill Murphy (Toph!!) and Greg Baldwin (...
Nov 22, 2022•51 min•Season 2Ep. 30
Friend of the show Karama Horne returns to dig into “The Drill!” As a giant drill threatens to breach the walls of Ba Sing Se, Team Avatar has to figure out if it’ll be possible to stop it in time. Not if Azula, Ty Lee and Mai have anything to say about it! Well… at least Azula and Ty Lee. Janet, Dante and Karama applaud everyone’s efforts and appreciate the detail and design of the infamous Drill. And speaking of design… Karama delights everyone by speculating on what clothing designers Mai wou...
Nov 15, 2022•47 min•Season 2Ep. 29
It’s Janet and Dante live at London Fan Expo, recorded this summer! Our Braving The Elements hosts rounded up hundreds of Avatar fans for a delightful discussion across the pond. This conversation, led by Janet and Dante featuring some truly fantastic questions from the audience, once again proves how insightful, charming, and enthusiastic the community of ATLA lovers truly is. And find out if Dante got some love of the Fire Nation from our U.K. friends! To learn more about listener data and our...
Nov 08, 2022•48 min•Season 2Ep. 28
Find out if you're brave enough to cross “The Serpent’s Pass” with our special guests, podcasters Afiya Augustine and Vincent Bernard! Join Janet and Dante in welcoming Afiya and Vincent for a very suspenseful ATLA episode. They don’t call it “The Serpent’s Pass” for nothing! This week also brings a lively conversation surrounding the difficult task of picking most valuable bending, our guests’ favorite ships, and how to keep falling in love with the Avatarverse over and over again... in new way...
Nov 01, 2022•52 min•Season 2Ep. 27
This week we talk Avatarverse, voice acting and directing, and more with Critical Role’s Sam Riegel! Sam sits down with Janet and Dante to talk not just about what makes "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and "The Legend of Korra" so special to Sam and his kids, but also what makes a great voice actor and how he approaches voice directing. From his early friendship with Janet through the sketch comedy world to the roleplaying empire he and his Critical Role mates have built with an amazing fandom, the...
Oct 25, 2022•43 min•Season 2Ep. 26
Get ready for one of our quenchiest episodes, with returning super-guest Jason Mantzoukas! Jason’s back with Janet and Dante to talk about the both very stressful and very funny ATLA episode “The Desert,” in which some pivotal actions take place. Who is The White Lotus society? Where is Appa? And what should fans of Braving the Elements be called? All this and much more, so stay hydrated and avoid the buzzard wasps! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.a...
Oct 18, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 25
One of the most amazing things about the Avatarverse is the creativity it inspires in its fandom, as shown by this week’s guests, Daniel Mertzlufft and Katherine Lynn Rose! Janet and Dante are joined by these two innovative, collaborative content creators to talk about how they were inspired by "Avatar:The Last Airbender" and where that inspiration took their own artistic creations. Social media blew up over the songs they wrote and recorded, which collectively garnered millions of views. And......
Oct 11, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 24
Take a trip with Janet, Dante, and their special guest Phil Yu... to the “The Library!” Will Team Avatar find a way to defeat the Fire Nation, using information guarded by a giant owl spirit? Can Toph save the day? And what will happen to Appa? Phil Yu (Founder and Editor of Angry Asian Man) helps Janet and Dante navigate the plot twists and turns of this exciting ATLA episode! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more ...
Oct 04, 2022•53 min•Season 2Ep. 23
It’s a family affair for this special midseason game of Avatarverse superfans! Our Season One player Abby Abebefe is back to once again test her ATLA knowledge, but this time she’s brought two of her sisters with her! Janet and Dante welcome Abisola and Ayosola Abebefe to Braving the Elements for the first time, challenging all three sisters to discover who knows the most about the Avatarverse. Guess the answers as you listen along, and let us know how YOU did! To learn more about listener data ...
Sep 27, 2022•50 min•Season 2Ep. 22
“Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source.” It’s an episode full of Uncle Iroh wisdom! Janet and Dante delve into ATLA’s “Bitter Work” this week, following the progress (or lack thereof) of a certain Avatar and his certain Earthbending Master, as well as training of a different sort between Iroh and Zuko. Along the way, we discover a connection between water and lightning, fire and rage, and Sokka and a very cute sabertooth moose lion cub. To learn more about listener data and our priv...
Sep 20, 2022•36 min•Season 2Ep. 21
One of our favorite things about the Avatarverse is when people from fandoms we love happen to love "The Last Airbender!” This week Janet and Dante are joined by Major Curda (“KPOP" The Broadway Musical) and Lex Mayson (“Joe vs. Carole") for a roundtable discussion about what makes ATLA so beloved, including the ways it helps propel us forward to follow our own artistic passions. And as always with our guests, we talk hybrid animals, ships, and bending! To learn more about listener data and our ...
Sep 13, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 20
We’re back at San Diego Comic Con for another LIVE podcast recording! This time, Braving the Elements is joined by not one but TWO beloved voice actors: Jack DeSena (Sokka) and Phil LaMarr (Kuei the Earth King). Join us for an exclusive listen to our panel from this past July. Expect from thrilling conversations with our Avatar VOs, breaking Avatar Studios news, and of course - a dynamic table read featuring fans and friends alike of some iconic scenes from Book 2 (and beyond). With our amazing ...
Sep 06, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 19
This week brings us the exciting ATLA episode “The Chase”— and Erika Ishii is along for the ride! Janet and Dante welcome the marvelous actor/performer/cosplayer Erika Ishii, who brings her love of the Avatarverse into the frame as the trio breaks down the many aspects of “The Chase.” Find out whose “fault” it is that Azula, Mai and Ty Lee keep successfully tracking Team Avatar, and does that really cause the rift in this episode? Because Janet, Erica and Dante (and probably YOU!) all know what ...
Aug 30, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 18
What happens when the Avatarverse makes friends with the amazing Dark Horse Comics world? Brilliance on the page! This week Janet and Dante spend time with friend of the show Tim Hedrick, who talks with them about the expansion of the ATLA television series into the Dark Horse realm, resulting in phenomenal graphic novels, delightful comic books, and more! Whether you’re a longtime fan of the books or just dipping a toe in for the first time, this is a great overview of ways to experience Avatar...
Aug 23, 2022•48 min•Season 2Ep. 17
This week, Zuko is anything BUT alone, since Dante and Janet are joined by ATLA superfan Adal Rifai for “Zuko Alone!” It’s the episode (and episode title) that would end up launching future iconic storylines (“Suki Alone,” “Korra Alone”) and Adal Rifai (Hello From the Magic Tavern, Hey Riddle Riddle podcasts) is here for the deep dive! Find out more than ever before about Zuko’s troubled childhood, including his relationship with Azula, Ozai, and his beloved mother. Oh— and… TURTLE DUCKS!! To le...
Aug 16, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Continuing our celebration of all things Toph Beifong, Janet and Dante welcome Michaela Jill Murphy (aka Jessie Flower), the original voice of Toph! Find out more about the real-life personality behind one of the biggest personalities in the Avatarverse as we sit down with Michaela to hear more about her life before and after joining the cast of Avatar: The Last Airbender, how much the young Jessie Flower (Michaela’s stage name) could relate to Toph’s bold and original characteristics, and what ...
Aug 09, 2022•35 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Janet and Dante reconnect with their “two dads” to hear more about Toph’s origin story! A character as iconic as Toph deserves a whole episode about how she came to be! Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko reminisce about their original concept designs for Toph and how they evolved during the collaborative process with writers and animators, as well as their memories of Jessie Flowers (aka Michaela Jill Murphy) — the voice is behind fan-favorite Toph lines like “Twinkle Toes!" To learn more about ...
Aug 02, 2022•33 min•Season 2Ep. 14
To usher in the first truly Toph-centric ATLA episode, Janet and Dante welcome “The Blind Bandit” director Ethan Spaulding! Ethan’s debut appearance on Braving the Elements includes great insights about the powerhouse that is Toph Beifong, as well as some fantastic behind-the-scenes trivia about the making of this seminal episode. With Ethan’s insider knowledge around all things Earth Rumble Six, discussion about Toph’s family dynamics, and much more, this BTE episode gets the Toph celebration k...
Jul 26, 2022•51 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Delight in this conversation with the incredibly warm and energetic Cricket Leigh, whom you also know as the voice of the significantly less warm and energetic Mai! Janet and Cricket sit down for a chat about the Avatarverse and its emotional depth, digging into how Cricket became a part of the show-- even as she wrestled with doubts about her own magnificent voice! Find out Cricket's thoughts on shipping and bending, Ty Lee and Azula, and of course, a certain moody hero whose name starts with a...
Jul 19, 2022•38 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Finally! Janet and Dante are overjoyed to welcome the wonderful person who voiced the beloved words… “MY CABBAGES!” Prolific voice-over actor and novelist James Sie (The Cabbage Merchant!) joins Janet and Dante for this trip back in time for ATLA Book Two episode 5, “Avatar Day.” Why does a whole town of people hate the Avatar? Can Aang and the gang change the minds of its citizens? And what’s the deal with Kyoshi Island? James brings his wisdom, memories and humor to this not-to-be-missed conve...
Jul 12, 2022•54 min•Season 2Ep. 11
This week we bring you a special episode from our Braving the Elements LIVE appearance at San Diego Comic Con, winter of 2021! Janet and Dante are joined by an amazing audience of fans and friends at the show, featuring live performances by members of the audience playing all of your favorite characters in a myriad of different beloved scenes from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Among other things, this live recording just goes further to prove that the Avatarverse is one of the best fandoms in the ...
Jul 05, 2022•53 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Janet and Dante welcome 4 superfans to debate on one of the Avatarverse’s most popular questions: which bending power is the “best?" Taking into account various aspects of each element, including defensive and offensive uses, overall awesomeness, examples of usage by individual ATLA characters and more, our debaters bring passion, heart and humor to this lively discussion! For WATER: Amanda Castrillo Foxworth For EARTH: Mikaila Baskin For AIR: Suraj Muralidharan For FIRE: Nicholas Mayfield To le...
Jun 28, 2022•56 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Our old friend The Profector returns to settle into “The Swamp” with Janet! Hector and Janet try to do credit to an ATLA episode of mysteries… and visions… and some of that profound wisdom that makes us all love the Avatarverse so much. Plus: you’ll get to hear some very fine accent work by the two friends as they talk about those irrepressible swampbenders. This episode of BTE is at least as much fun as a screaming bird with a human voice! To learn more about listener data and our privacy pract...
Jun 21, 2022•58 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Meet the voice behind the ever-cheerful and ever-dangerous Ty Lee, Olivia Hack! Janet and Olivia sit down to discuss her experience of voicing the first character we see in the Avatarverse who can seriously affect someone’s bending power! They talk about Ty Lee’s origin story as well as Olivia’s own origin story and how she came to the series for Book Two. And never fear— even an actor who voiced a chi blocker has thoughts about what kind of bender she would be! To learn more about listener data...
Jun 14, 2022•37 min•Season 2Ep. 7
