Big burly men with lovely lady legs, iconic superheroes, and more - all in a day’s work for a storyboard artist and director, and this episode Janet and Dante are joined by one of the best, Lauren Montgomery! Lauren gives a behind-the-scenes scoop on a couple animal hybrids that didn’t quite make the cut, and shares her very surprising favorite ship from the Avatarverse (you’re seriously never going to guess who it is). We hear Dante’s FIRE rec for the best tea in Ba Sing Se, then he and Janet t...
Mar 19, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast Join Zuko, Azula, and the girlies for a bit of sun, a little relaxation, and just a touch of ambition for total world domination. We’ll get a taste of the trials and tribulations of Fire Nation teens, and witness a touching moment between siblings that *almost* convinces Dante that Azula means well. Almost. Guests Olivia Hack (voice of Ty Lee) and Cricket Leigh (voice of Mai) help Janet brainstorm some new nicknames for Combustion Man - which is just soooo formal - and we see the line between Da...
Mar 12, 2024•59 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast Leaves from vines and secret tunnels - feel all the feelings with Janet and Dante as they are joined by composer, Jeremy Zuckerman and original show editor, Jeff Adams to talk about the Avatar live concert tour and the iconic music that makes us laugh and makes us cry (especially Janet). We’ll hear more about Jeremy's super airbending music powers and what it’s like to put the score at the forefront of storytelling and truly capture the essence and emotions of the Avatarverse. There may even be ...
Mar 05, 2024•44 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast Space rocks, training montages, and Fire Nation shopping sprees - there is never a dull day on a road trip with Team Avatar. In ‘Sokka’s Master’ we follow the journey of our favorite (and only) non-bending member of the Gaang as he discovers his own unique strengths and learns the skill of the blade. And who better to join this Sokka-focused side quest than the voice of the boomerang guy himself, Jack De Sena! Jack, Janet, and Dante catch up with each other, question whether or not our friends R...
Feb 27, 2024•42 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Author of the Avatar Kyoshi & Avatar Yangchen novels, F.C. Yee, and the novels’ audiobook actor/narrator, Nancy Wu, join Janet and Dante to geek out! Together, they discuss team Avatar throughout history, what it's like to expand the Avatarverse with a master like Michael DiMartino, and why ‘The Great Divide’ is such an important episode. Nancy talks about the cultural relevance and authenticity she feels as an Asian American and fan of the Avatar series. Then, Dante asks F.C. which of the novel...
Feb 20, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast Janet and Dante are joined by Avatar graphic novel and comic book author, Faith Erin Hicks, as we follow our favorite Gaang to a peculiar little fishing village in, ‘The Painted Lady’. Plagued by the toxic run-off from the Fire Nation weapons factory up the river, the villagers suffer greatly from the surrounding polluted waters - that is, until a mysterious female figure comes to their aid… Janet and Dante find out who Faith’s REAL favorite member of Team Avatar is, talk about the diversity and...
Feb 13, 2024•41 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast Janet and Dante welcome 3 superfans to tell us what kind of bending THEY would love to see in the Four Nations. Along the way, important questions are answered like, who is the best ship? Do animal hybrids exist IRL? And is any type of bending innately good or evil? Together, Janet, Dante, and our fiery fans stretch the fabric of the Avatarverse to its limits with their dream bending possibilities, and maybe even stumble upon a powerful new super bending gang of their own… Learn more about your ...
Feb 06, 2024•57 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast Janet and Dante are delighted to welcome back John O’Bryan, the writer who gave us the most iconic (and unlucky) cabbage merchant ever! John shares more behind-the-scenes intel as we catch up with Aang, the gang, and their sticky fingers, doing their best to assimilate to the Fire Nation; including ‘picking up’ some fresh new fits and taking a *brief* break from restoring world balance, to host the hottest Fire Nation school dance of the century...likely the only Fire Nation school dance of this...
Jan 30, 2024•55 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Janet and Dante are joined once more by dynamo director, Giancarlo Volpe, as we welcome Aang back to the land of the living in, ‘The Awakening’! After the fall of the Earth Kingdom, Aang wakes up in some alarming new digs with a hair-raising new look (iykyk) as the Gaang makes their way towards unfamiliar Fire Nation territory. Meanwhile, Zuko finds himself feeling uneasy about his long-awaited return home after helping Azula defeat the Avatar, troubled by the question - is there a chance he cou...
Jan 23, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast We’re back and fired up for a new season! Janet and Dante have a ‘family’ reunion with their two dads, Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, as everyone catches up on some of the major moments from Team Avatar’s time in the Earth Kingdom. To get ready for Book Three: Fire, we’ll talk about the epic cliffhanger of season two, fiery characters we’ll meet in season 3, and some of our favorite episodes we can’t wait to watch again. Janet and Dante ask Mike and Bryan some questions from fans, and we ma...
Jan 16, 2024•54 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Coming in HOT - Nickelodeon’s official companion podcast, Avatar: Braving the Elements is back for it’s third season! Join hosts Janet Varney and Dante Basco every Tuesday as they rewatch and discuss every episode of Book 3: Fire with special guests for more behind-the-scenes info you can’t get anywhere else. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 09, 2024•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast The long-awaited Avatar The Last Airbender Soundtrack, Book 1: Water, coming soon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 25, 2023•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Join us for a special milestone as we celebrate the 100th episode of Braving the Elements! In this rebroadcast from Season 1, Janet and Dante are joined by former Nickelodeon executive (now CEO of Avatar Studios) Eric Coleman, aka "The Godfather of Zuko," for a candid discussion about the development of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Learn about Mike and Bryan's early ideas, their creative process, and valuable insights on navigating network animation development from an industry veteran! Learn mor...
May 09, 2023•39 min•Ep 54•Transcript available on Metacast Let's celebrate the funniest moments of Book 2 of Avatar: The Last Airbender, with comedian and Avatar fan Ron Funches. This episode rebroadcast highlights not only some of Janet, Dante and Ron's favorite scenes but also the moments our fans have shared with us over social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 02, 2023•43 min•Ep 53•Transcript available on Metacast Let's celebrate one of the most cherished episodes in Book 2 - "The Tales of Ba Sing Se"! Joined by our dear friend and fellow Avatar stan Danielle Radford, Janet and Dante dive into an epic recap of this special collection of sentimental and emotional Avatar vignettes. We're not crying, you are... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 25, 2023•52 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast We're joined by Lauren Tom, the multi-talented actor and voice artist who brought to life Joo Dee, the smiling guide of Ba Sing Se and so many other memorable characters. Listen as Janet and Dante chat with Lauren about her prolific career in voiceover and on-screen acting, her success as a writer, mother, and being such a prominent figure in the Asian artistic community. In this captivating rebroadcast, Lauren shares her journey and insights into the entertainment industry, showcasing the quali...
Apr 18, 2023•42 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast Join Janet and Dante as they continue to celebrate the remarkable Toph Beifong by sitting down with Michaela Jill Murphy (aka Jessie Flower), the original voice of Toph. In this rebroadcast, Michaela shares insights into her life before and after joining the cast of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and how much she relates to Toph's bold personality. This episode promises to be a compelling and insightful conversation about the beloved character and her real-life counterpart - you won't want to miss....
Apr 11, 2023•35 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast Get ready to hear the story of one of the most iconic characters in the world of animation! Join Janet & Dante as they bring back Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko on a nostalgic trip down memory lane to reminisce about the creation of the legendary Toph. With exclusive insights into the creative process, we'll unpack early character concept designs and their evolution to the Toph we all know and love today. This rebroadcast promises to be an enthralling experience for all fans of the show. Lea...
Apr 04, 2023•33 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast It’s the last official episode of Braving The Elements season two, and we’re going out big with two returning guests: our “dad” Mike DiMartino and the voice of Aang, Zach Tyler Eisen! Hear from two adored members of the ATLA world as we face the final episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Book Two. The action-packed finale of the television season may not have as happy a conclusion as the one we have closing out our podcast season… but that’s what makes getting into Book Three so exciting! Lear...
Mar 28, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast In our penultimate Season Two episode, Janet and Dante welcome back Ijeoma Njaka to the pod! Who better to explore some of Book Two’s most formative and critical turning point moments than Ijeoma, an academic professor who created a class syllabus highlighting some of the great “big picture” themes of Avatar: The Last Airbender? The trio explores Zuko’s journey, the power of knowledge -- and its risks — and much more, including lots of discussion around fan favorite responses! Learn more about y...
Mar 21, 2023•42 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast This week Janet and Dante welcome the actor who stepped in as Uncle Iroh: the delightful Greg Baldwin! Meet the warm, kind, and humble voice of the man who truly honored his predecessor by joining the "Avatar: The Last Airbender" cast after the passing of the great Mako. Always committed to respecting and continuing the work that Mako began, Greg shares some of his own background in the arts, his love of voice acting, and how his life has been impacted by interacting with so many fans who love U...
Mar 14, 2023•42 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast Our friend Migizi Pensoneau takes a break from writing on “Reservation Dogs” for this week’s conversation about ATLA 219: “The Guru!" Janet and Dante are thrilled to have Migizi's perspective, humor and insight, since, as they like to say almost every recap and discussion: “A lot happens in this episode!” Book Two draws towards a climax as Sokka reunites with his dad, Azula’s plan is dangerously close to succeeding (will Katara find out it time?), Aang clears his chakras, and Iroh and Zuko get t...
Mar 07, 2023•48 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast Join us in remembering Mako, the legendary actor whose iconic voice brought Uncle Iroh to life. Janet and Dante are joined by Mike, Bryan, and ATLA Voice Director Andrea Romano for a wonderful conversation honoring the great Mako Iwamatsu. In addition to sharing memories of Mako’s work as Iroh in "Avatar: The Last Airbender," the group looks back on Mako’s extraordinary life and career, including his stage, screen, and television work. And the episode wouldn’t be complete without sharing some ca...
Feb 28, 2023•48 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast Reunited for the first time on a Braving The Elements episode: the voices of Zuko and Azula! Grey DeLisle joins Janet and Dante for their breakdown of ep 218 of ATLA, “The Earth King,” and the trio are delighted to be together at last. Except for a few moments when Azula seems to be trying to take over the narrative…! Will Team Avatar convince the King to believe them? Will Zuko survive his sudden illness? What’s the deal with the dragons we see in his fever dream? It’s another action-packed epi...
Feb 21, 2023•33 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast Come with us… for a tranquil visit to Lake Laogai… with Joel Kim Booster! Janet and Dante are thrilled to be joined this episode by the inimitable and truly hilarious Joel, as together they dig into the Gaang’s encounter with the mercurial Jet, their further attempts to rescue Appa, and the discovery of a significant secret woven into the political and cultural fabric of Ba Sing Se itself. And speaking of discoveries, you’ll find out about Joel’s love of the Avatarverse —including love of a cert...
Feb 07, 2023•52 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast The wonderful Evanna Lynch (aka Luna Lovegood in “Harry Potter”) comes back to the podcast for “Appa’s Lost Days!” Janet and Dante can’t imagine a better guest to weather the heartache of this crucial and unique episode of ATLA, when we find out what happened from the moment Appa was taken away as Toph struggled to keep The Library from sinking in that eponymous episode. How many tissues will it take to absorb our tears as we talk through Appa’s entrapment, horrible treatment, brave escape, and ...
Jan 17, 2023•58 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast 
