It’s a return to the second-largest city of the Earth Kingdom (Omashu!) AND the return of our beloved Jennie Kwan to take us there! Janet and Jennie are thrilled to discuss this epic episode in which we meet two new fierce non-bending characters in the form of Mai (Cricket Leigh) and Ty Lee (Olivia Hack). Jennie (the voice of Suki) is ready to compare Suki’s formidability to these two new fighters, and there’s a lot to dissect about their fascinating friendship dynamic with the controlling Azula...
Jun 07, 2022•51 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast We said we’d do it and we did: diving further into "The Cave of Two Lovers,” this time with writer Josh Hamilton and composer Jeremy Zuckerman! This episode is truly a treasure trove of trivia you could only learn from Josh and Jeremy’s uniquely "inside" perspectives. From hearing about Josh and Tim Hedrick’s own renditions of the ATLA episode’s famous songs, to finding out more about the process of making a show like Avatar, to hearing what these behind-the-scenes contributors to the Avatarvers...
May 31, 2022•44 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast How could we cover this iconic episode without bringing back a buddy like Jack De Sena? Janet and Dante welcome Jack back to the podcast for this dive into the Secret Tunnels near Omashu, where music fills the air and love leads the way. Celebrate the fabulous voice work by the dynamic guest cast in Episode Two of Book Two of ATLA, including Dee Bradley Baker’s turn as troubadour Chong and his rendition of one of the most famous songs ever to hit animation! Will Jack, Dante and Janet be able to ...
May 24, 2022•46 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast This week brings you a conversation with the amazing Grey DeLisle Griffin, who voiced Azula on ATLA! It’s the long-awaited debut of the magnificent actor who brought Azula to life— in all her terrifying glory! Grey talks about her experience recording her part in the epic series, along with the process of discovering how beloved the show was after the fact. And that discovery came through the most perfect means possible— the fans themselves! Janet and Grey also talk about some of the other fanta...
May 17, 2022•37 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Team Avatar has a rough time of it in this first episode of Book Two, and Janet and Dante are feeling it! While Aang, Katara and Sokka (and, of course, Appa and Momo!) try to navigate a relationship with a very zealous Earth Kingdom General, Dante has to emotionally process the reality that before Zuko gets to enjoy the demise of Zhao, he’s confronted with his fierce and intimidating sister, Azula! Can Dante and Janet reconcile their fear of Azula with their total love of Grey DeLisle? Will she ...
May 10, 2022•40 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast We’re Back and we couldn’t be more excited! Janet and Dante catch up with each other and with their two Dads, Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko! In anticipation of all the great things that happen in ATLA Book Two: Earth, we’ll share some teasers about what's coming up in this season of the podcast, chat about characters we can’t wait to meet (Toph lovers, rejoice!), and prepare for some of the big themes of Book Two we can't wait to dig into. Then Janet and Dante talk to Mike and Bryan to get ...
May 03, 2022•1 hr•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Ready to explore more of the amazing world of Avatar: The Last Airbender? Nickelodeon’s official companion podcast, Avatar: Braving the Elements is back for a second season! Join hosts Janet Varney and Dante Basco every Tuesday as they rewatch and discuss every episode of Avatar Book 2. Plus, Janet and Dante are joined by special guests for more behind-the-scenes info you can’t get anywhere else. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy...
Apr 26, 2022•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Hear from The Avatar himself, Zach Tyler Eisen! Join Janet & Dante for an exclusive, rare appearance by the former actor who gave Aang life. We revisit Zach’s experience of recording ATLA, which he did when he was about the same age as the character he portrayed (while still enjoying the childhood Aang may have missed). Zach also weighs in on some of Aang’s tougher choices, and illuminates us about his current career passions! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: ht...
Apr 19, 2022•41 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast This exclusive release of the live Avatarverse panel at ECCC features Janet, Dante, and friend of the podcast (and talent extraordinaire) Dee Bradley Baker! Recorded in the chilly December clouds of beautiful Seattle at Emerald City Comic Con, moderator Patrick Hawkins takes Janet, Dante and Dee through a thoughtful conversation before turning the questions over to the audience! And as usual, fans of the Avatarverse continue to prove how insightful, compassionate, and all-around awesome this fan...
Apr 12, 2022•56 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Janet and Dante reminisce about some of their - and YOUR! - favorite moments from Season One of the podcast. We'll hear memorable conversational gems with ATLA creators and Avatar Studios’ Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino, Jack De Sena (“Sokka”), Zach Tyler Eisen (“Aang”), and Jennie Kwan (“Suki”)! Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning, or are catching up on the podcast, this episode captures great moments with just a sampling of some of our many terrific guests! ...
Apr 05, 2022•46 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast Join Janet and Dante for their first-ever live Braving the Elements, which they did live at NYCC 2021! They are joined by their friend and ATLA/TLOK staple Dee Bradley Baker for a spirited discussion about the Avatarverse… and a very special table read! They are also joined by hundreds of amazing audience members, who made the live experience so incredible and heart-warming. Would you have had the right answer to win an ATLA collectible at the show? Did Dante show off any Zuko fight moves? And d...
Mar 29, 2022•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s the final episode of Braving the Elements’ first season, and Janet and Dante are celebrating with friends new and old! The game’s afoot as Janet and Dante are joined by two amazing superfans and two delightful voice actors for a series of games that will show off just how much these four really know about Book One: Water! Antoine Bandele and Kendall Byrd bring their passion and encyclopedic knowledge of the Avatarverse! Jack De Sena (“Sokka”) and Jennie Kwan (“Suki”) pair up with our expert...
Mar 22, 2022•44 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Book One’s spectacular finale episode, and we’re talking about it with the spectacular author of the first five ATLA graphic novels, Gene Luen Yang! Janet and Dante wrap up the recap side of BTE in the second-to-last episode of the podcast’s first season, and they’re doing it in style, thanks to Gene’s insight and perspective. Highlights include Gene’s own background (in teaching, which we love!) and how he came to the Avatarverse, the creepy coolness of Koh (and all the faces he loves to s...
Mar 15, 2022•58 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast As we approach the Season Finale of Book One: Water, Janet and Dante welcome back the awesome Hector Navarro! It’s a good time to take a close look at some of the big moments of Book One, and review the complex and very cool character arcs of many of our ATLA characters. And who better to join Janet and Dante than friend of the show, Hector Navarro, whose love of the Avatarverse and his passion for details has now earned him the official Avatarverse nickname: The Profector! Revisit how far Team ...
Mar 08, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast The penultimate episode of Book One features our guest, the voice of Vegeta (Dragonball Z) and All Might (My Hero Academia): Christopher Sabat! It’s the first half of the two-parter that marks the finale of Book One of ATLA: “The Siege of the North, Part One!” Janet and Dante are joined by their buddy Christopher Sabat to talk discovering podcasts, confusing friend zones, and the coolest way to impress someone you’re crushing on (heads up, piano players!). And, of course, the trio has to spend s...
Mar 01, 2022•51 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast Join Janet and Dante for a fun and informative conversation with longtime ATLA Director, Giancarlo Volpe! Hear more about the early experience of working on ATLA from the Directing side, including very cool details about the animation process. Learn about Giancarlo’s background and what art has inspired him. And find out what final shot of a particular episode Giancarlo felt was missing… and the satisfaction of seeing how it ended up being created by a fan afterwards! And yes, more talk about… y...
Feb 22, 2022•36 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast We’ve set our course heading North… and toward a great conversation with the voice of Princess Yue, Johanna Braddy! Janet and Dante explore the wonders of the Northern Water Tribe as we near the end of Book One of ATLA with “The Siege of the North, Part One.” After praising the amazing design of this episode’s extraordinary landscape and discussing the complicated introduction to Master Pakku, Janet and Dante are joined by Johanna Braddy for a chat about her own experiences in the Avatarverse an...
Feb 15, 2022•1 hr•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast Janet and Dante are still abuzz over all the gadgetry in “The Northern Air Temple,” so they decide to talk to fellow lover of gadgets, Adam Savage! From the delivery systems of Omashu to Jet’s hooked swords to the Fire Nation’s reversible tanks, Adam geeks out with Janet and Dante about some of the very cool designs to come out of Book One of ATLA. But the trio also talks about the deep, abiding emotional calls to action that come from the series, and how we can foster our own imaginations and s...
Feb 08, 2022•35 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast Hop onto your glider and come with us for this journey to “The Northern Air Temple” with special guest Jason Mantzoukas! Jason joins Janet and Dante for a rousing conversation about not just this conflict-laden episode of ATLA, but also the joy of the Avatarverse at large! Marvel at Aang’s willingness to forgive and move on; celebrate Sokka’s discovery of a cerebral kindred spirit; watch Katara soar like an airbender, and much more! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices vis...
Feb 01, 2022•49 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast This week we take a closer look at the hugely important theme of "Family" with Cheyenne Ewulu! For a deeper dive into all of the various and layered family dynamics in Book One of "Avatar: The Last Airbender," Janet and Dante welcome actress, Amazon Prime Video and Funimation host, and all-around entertainer, Cheyenne Ewulu! Cheyenne’s love and understanding of the Avatarverse makes this is a great episode for fans who celebrate the depth and complexity of ATLA’s given and chosen families. To le...
Jan 25, 2022•34 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast What do you do when you really want to wrap your head around an ATLA episode? Go to the source! This week, Janet and Dante break down “The Deserter” with ATLA, LOK, and Avatar Studios writer, Tim Hedrick! And yes, he IS credited with the writing of this acclaimed episode, in which we meet the mercurial Jeong Jeong, who has a lot of brilliant observations, but an equal amount of what you might call baggage. Plus! Dante draws our attention to the charms of a quaint Fire Nation village, including a...
Jan 18, 2022•58 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast You know it’s going to be an amazing conversation when you have Avatar Kyoshi and June the Bounty Hunter together in one person! Janet and Dante are thrilled to welcome their friend, VA and musician Jennifer Hale to the podcast! What follows is a conversation spanning from her beloved roles in ATLA (shout out to Nyla the shirshu), to the snowy wilds of Labrador (Jen's heritage!). And-- fascinating, inspiring thoughts on honoring your gifts, spirituality, and the word that seems to come up so oft...
Jan 11, 2022•34 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Janet and Dante are joined by Avatar Studios’ Consultant on Native Representation, Migizi Pensoneau! The trio discusses the many layers of “Bato of the Water Tribe,” including Aang’s actions in this episode (controversial amongst fans!), the introduction of the very memorable shirshu (multiple-animals-hybrid alert!) and bounty hunter June, and the reinforcement of what it means to honor not just your literal family, but also your chosen one. To learn more about listener data and our p...
Jan 04, 2022•53 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Holidays from your pals at Braving the Elements! This week, Janet and Dante reminisce about some of their - and YOUR! - favorite moments from Season One of the podcast. Featuring memorable conversational gems with ATLA creators and Avatar Studios’ Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino, Jack De Sena (“Sokka”), Zach Tyler Eisen (“Aang”), and Jennie Kwan (“Suki”)! Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning, or are catching up on the podcast, this episode captures great moments with...
Dec 28, 2021•45 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast For their interpretation and discussion of ATLA’s “The Fortuneteller,” Janet and Dante are joined by their pal, the talented and wonderful Evanna Lynch (“Luna Lovegood” from the Potterverse)! Discussing Aunt Wu’s approach to fortunetelling (Cloud-reading! Osteomancy!) leads to some personal anecdotes about seeing psychic advisors IRL; everyone celebrates the introduction of the brilliant Jessie Flower/Michaela Murphy to the Avatarverse (pre-dating her role as Toph, she plays Meng in this episode...
Dec 21, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast Janet and Dante joyfully welcome Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra Sound Designer Benjamin Wynn to the podcast! Ben chats with Janet and Dante about his early experiences on ATLA, including what it’s like to jump into the deep end on a job you have no idea how to do! Hear about Ben and previous BTE guest Jeremy Zuckerman’s tandem approach to sound and music, learn about their creative manifesto, and find out what 99 Cent store purchase has become part of one of animation’s most ...
Dec 14, 2021•54 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast Janet and Dante discuss one of the most acclaimed episodes of ATLA Book One: “The Blue Spirit” — and things get emotional! As Aang rushes to find a cure for what ails Katara and Sokka, Janet and Dante rush to lavish praise on the thirteenth episode of the series’ first season. Find out what color Zuko’s mask was originally supposed to be, and why they changed it! Learn more about real-life frogs and toads in a very unscientific way! And see if Janet can get through talking about Aang and Zuko’s ...
Dec 07, 2021•55 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast Get ready for a very cool “big picture” conversation about the Avatarverse this week as Janet and Dante sit down with Karama Horne and Ijeoma Njaka! Hear from two extraordinarily awesome women who bring nuance, intellect, and humor to this very special round-table-style episode of BTE. Featuring discussions about big recurring themes in ATLA, find out about lessons we can all take into our own lives from Avatar. Karama is a culture journalist and content creator also known as @theblerdgurl, and ...
Nov 30, 2021•57 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast The wonderful Jack De Sena (“Sokka”) rejoins Janet and Dante as they sail together into ATLA’s Episode 12: “The Storm!" Jack comes back to bring us all a little more Sokka-- in this Book One episode that contains decidedly less Sokka than others! In addition to the gang’s breakdown of the revelations from “The Storm” (Zuko’s scar! Aang’s toys! Iroh’s lightning!), you’ll also get to hear about fun facts, like the ordinary temp jobs Dante and Jack tackled as teenagers. To learn more about listener...
Nov 23, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast This week’s special guests, Hector Navarro and Danielle Radford, jump in to help Janet and Dante further unpack the merits of “The Great Divide!” Following their lively recap last week, Janet and Dante bring in their two friends, Hector Navarro (SpongeBob BingePants podcast) and Danielle Radford (Honest Trailers), for a high-spirited-yet-extremely-friendly debate over whether this much-discussed episode of ATLA is in fact “thriller” or “filler!" To learn more about listener data and our privacy ...
Nov 16, 2021•58 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast 
