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Ordinarily, clip shows are disliked among audiences as an unnecessary time filler, or at best tolerated as a necessity in television in the era of regular broadcasts. However, this wasn't the situation, but Avatar: The Last Airbender proved it via "The Ember Island Players," a cherished installment in its last season which is now granted a special Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair drop.

Information about the collector's edition

The full Secret Lair superdrop for the soon-to-release Avatar: The Last Airbender collection was unveiled earlier this month. It features five Secret Lairs, and while one titled "My Cabbages!" is certainly humorous tribute to the show's most famous minor character, the remaining sets appear slightly lacking creativity, except for one standout: "The Ember Island Players."

Drawing from episode 17 from season 3 of the animated show, this Secret Lair includes these particular cards:

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

The reason this installment stands out

Viewers of the series fondly remember this episode, which acted as a review of Aang and his companions' adventure leading up to the conclusion. Unlike standard summary installments, or retrospective segments, "The Ember Island Players" was not driven from financial limitations or scheduling problems. The show's makers genuinely intended to offer viewers an opportunity to revisit the overall plot, however, they opted to do it creatively.

Throughout the segment, the crew view a theatrical performance based on their adventures at a playhouse located on Ember Island, titled The Boy in the Iceberg. The entire performance is factually incorrect, melodramatic, and overall hilarious. It works since it plays on the characters' views of themselves, juxtaposing them against how the world (and notably the antagonist nation) perceives them. It has the perfect balance of self-awareness, and it becomes possibly the finest interpretation of Avatar available to date.

Value and cost

In terms of value, this represents an excellent Secret Lair for one simple reason: Braid of Fire. This card is valued between $20 and $40 through card retailers as of now, and at $29.99 you can obtain the entire Secret Lair, or $39.99 for the foil version.

Magic: The Gathering's Avatar: The Last Airbender set is available for pre-release events starting November 14 and launches globally on November 21.