The Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom are about to collide in this high-stakes episode of ATLA, and Azula is never far from the action! Voice actress Grey DeLisle returns to Braving the Elements to join Janet and Dante in recapping Book Two, Episode 18: “The Earth King.” As Zuko battles illness and Team Avatar finally gains access to the palace, political intrigue unfolds. With the voices of Zuko and Azula reunited, expect laughs, tension—and maybe even a power struggle over the mic. To learn more a...
Feb 21, 2023•33 min•Season 2Ep. 43
Janet and Dante welcome two amazing advocates in the disability community who also happen to be big fans of the Avatarverse: Jimmy Clare and Ru Jones! Jimmy Clare is a Motivational Speaker, Autism Advocate, Author, and Founder of CrazyFitnessGuy, and Ru Jones is a Disability advocate + content creator! Both bring their love of Avatar: The Last Airbender to BTE, and sharing their perspectives on the represenation of disability in the Avatarverse. They also make some amazing choices after question...
Feb 14, 2023•39 min•Season 2Ep. 42
Dive deep into one of the most suspenseful episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender—“Lake Laogai”—with comedian and actor Joel Kim Booster! Janet and Dante explore the mystery surrounding Jet, the brainwashing truth behind Ba Sing Se’s political cover-ups, and Team Avatar’s daring rescue of Appa. Joel shares his love for the Avatarverse, bending preferences, and favorite creatures—including a certain polar bear dog from The Legend of Korra. This episode uncovers hidden truths in more ways than one...
Feb 07, 2023•52 min•Season 2Ep. 41
Celebrate the gorgeous design of Ba Sing Se and more with three key artists of the Avatarverse! This week Janet and Dante welcome the brilliantly talented Elsa Garagarza, Angela Song Mueller, and podcast regular and “dad,” Bryan Konietzko! Find out incredible behind-the-scenes details as Elsa (Supervising Background Designer) and Angela (Character Designer) talk about their artistic development and roles in the Avatarverse. Learn about the inspirations behind many of the gorgeous scenic and char...
Jan 31, 2023•55 min•Season 2Ep. 40
Janet and Dante recover from “Appa’s Lost Days” with the brilliant and hilarious Ron Funches! What better way to transition from the emotionally poignant Appa-centric episode of Book Two to the rest of the season? By taking a break with one of the funniest comedians around to focus on some of the joyful, silly, and especially funny moments of ATLA, with particular focus on the second season. You’ll also hear from Ron about how he found both ATLA and TLOK, what he loves about the Avatarverse, and...
Jan 24, 2023•44 min•Season 2Ep. 39
Grab the tissues—this one's an emotional ride. Janet and Dante are joined by longtime ATLA fan Evanna Lynch (aka Luna Lovegood in “Harry Potter”) to explore the heartbreaking story told in “Appa’s Lost Days.” Revisit one of Avatar: The Last Airbender’s most gut-wrenching episodes as the trio discusses Appa’s journey, the importance of compassion in the Avatarverse, and the power of silent storytelling. How many tissues will it take to absorb our tears as we talk through Appa’s entrapment, horrib...
Jan 17, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 38
We’re not done celebrating the magic of “The Tales of Ba Sing Se.” This week we welcome two of episode's writers, Andrew Huebner and Katie Mattila! Janet and Dante are thrilled to be joined by writers Katie Mattila (“The Tale of Zuko”) and Andrew Huebner (“The Tale of Iroh”) for one of the podcast’s best behind-the-scenes episodes yet. Find out more about how The Tales came to be, including what Katie and Andrew’s actual “regular" jobs were at ATLA at the time. Get some in-depth intel on the ins...
Jan 10, 2023•43 min•Season 2Ep. 37
Ring in the new year with Azula herself! Janet and Dante revisit their fan-favorite conversation with voice actress Grey DeLisle, the iconic voice behind one of Avatar: The Last Airbender’s most formidable villains. From behind-the-scenes memories in the ATLA booth to Azula’s most chilling lines, Grey shares her unique experience in the Avatarverse and updates us on what she’s been working on outside of Ba Sing Se and the Fire Nation. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices v...
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! Janet and Dante are rejoined by the wonderful Danielle Radford, who'll ride the laughter and tears of the tales of Toph and Katara, Iroh, Aang, Sokka, Zuko, and Momo along with you. From Iroh’s legendary tale to Momo’s search for Appa, this discussion captures the heart of the Avatar: The Last Airbender experience. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: ht...
Dec 20, 2022•53 min•Season 2Ep. 34
You know her as Joo Dee from Ba Sing Se, but Lauren Tom’s voice acting legacy stretches far and wide! Janet and Dante sit down with the multi-talented Lauren to talk about her work on Avatar: The Last Airbender, her voiceover and on-screen acting career, and her representation as a powerhouse in the Asian American artistic community. Lauren talks about her career not just in voiceover, but as an on-screen actor, accomplished writer, mother, and we celebrate her stellar representation as part of ...
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
Ever wonder what it’s like to work behind the scenes in the Avatarverse? Janet and Dante welcome Avatar Studios friends Isabella Boettcher and Pramodh Manian for a lively conversation about their roles shaping the future of Avatar: The Last Airbender. From favorite ATLA moments to which characters they’d travel with, loan money to, or vacation alongside, this episode is a fun and fascinating peek into the people helping to expand the world of Aang, Zuko, and the Four Nations. To learn more about...
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. As Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai push Team Avatar to their limits, our hosts dive into the episode’s stunning animation, smart battle strategy, and subtle character dynamics. And don’t miss Karama’s hot takes on what kind of fashion icon Mai would be in the real world! To learn more about listener data and o...
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
Janet and Dante welcome podcasters Afiya Augustine and Vincent Bernard for an intense look at the suspenseful ATLA episode 12 “The Serpent’s Pass.” As Team Avatar braves this perilous crossing, our guests dive into bending battles, relationship dynamics, and how Avatar: The Last Airbender keeps fans emotionally connected. Plus, they share their favorite ships, bending styles, and what keeps the Avatarverse magical after all these years. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices...
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 to directing iconic shows, Sam shares insight on performance, creative collaboration, and what makes the world of ATLA so immer...
Oct 25, 2022•43 min•Season 2Ep. 26
Things get sandy—and serious—in this unforgettable ATLA episode 11, “The Desert.” Janet and Dante are joined once again by actor and comedian Jason Mantzoukas (The Good Place, Big Mouth) to dive into the heartbreak of Appa’s disappearance, the mystery of the White Lotus, and the horror of those terrifying buzzard wasps. Jason brings the laughs, but also gets real about what makes the Avatarverse so emotionally powerful. This is one Braving the Elements episode you won’t want to miss! To learn mo...
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
Team Avatar uncovers ancient knowledge—and faces heartbreaking loss—in the pivotal ATLA episode 10 “The Library.” Janet and Dante are joined by pop culture critic Phil Yu (Angry Asian Man) to explore Wan Shi Tong’s mysterious desert stronghold and the revelations it holds about the Fire Nation. Can Toph save the day? What will happen to Appa? This is one of the most emotionally charged chapters in the Avatarverse, and our hosts break it all down with insight and humor. To learn more about listen...
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 Ep. 9 “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. Gain a new appreciation for one of ATLA’...
Sep 20, 2022•36 min•Season 2Ep. 21
When other fandoms love the Avatarverse as much as we do, magic happens. Janet and Dante are joined by Broadway’s Major Curda (KPOP) and actor Lex Mayson (Joe vs. Carole) for a heartfelt roundtable about why Avatar: The Last Airbender is 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 privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com...
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
Sleep-deprived and running for their lives—Team Avatar is feeling the heat in Book Two’s action-packed episode 8, “The Chase.” Janet and Dante are joined by actor and performer Erika Ishii for a breakdown of the Gaang’s mounting tension and Azula’s relentless pursuit. They discuss Ty Lee and Mai’s tracking tactics, Katara’s leadership, and just how real things get when rest runs out. It’s a fun and fiery look at an ATLA episode full of friction (and Fire Nation pressure). To learn more about lis...
Aug 30, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 18
What happens when the Avatarverse makes friends with the amazing Dark Horse Comics world? Janet and Dante chat with longtime Avatar: The Last Airbender writer Tim Hedrick about expanding the ATLA story through the Dark Horse realm. From The Promise to Smoke and Shadow, Tim shares what it’s like building the post-series world of Aang, Zuko, and the rest of Team Avatar. If you love the comics or want to know where to start, this is your must-listen guide to the canon beyond the screen. To learn mo...
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's mysterious disappearance. Oh...
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
