Adapting a beloved animated series into live action comes with challenges that go far beyond visual effects or faithfully recreating iconic moments. Sometimes, the biggest obstacle is something no amount of planning can completely control. Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender has largely won over audiences with its young cast, particularly Gordon Cormier's portrayal of Aang. However, as the series continues, one unavoidable reality could force the adaptation to make creative choices that the original animated show never had to consider.

That challenge is not about bending, visual effects, or the story itself. Instead, it comes down to the passage of time—and how it could shape the future of Avatar: The Last Airbender in ways fans may not have expected.

Speaking to PEOPLE ahead of Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, Gordon Cormier reflected on what it has been like spending the past five years portraying Aang. The young actor explained that, much like his character, he has grown and evolved over the course of the series.

"As Aang was growing up, I was growing up. And I was also growing as an actor," Cormier told PEOPLE. He added that spending more time with the character allowed him to understand Aang's personality better and "play him the best I could."

He continued by explaining to PEOPLE how he spent more time developing "giving him traits, giving him things that are just specific to him," so that Aang's he could better understand and portray the character. That growth has been visible both on and off-screen. In a separate interview with ScreenRant, Cormier revealed that he grew nearly a foot between Seasons 1 and 2, prompting Netflix to introduce a time jump that ages Aang up to around 14 years old in the second season. In doing so, the adaptation has already begun departing from the animated series' tightly compressed timeline.

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The decision is a practical one, helping the live-action series account for its young cast growing older between productions. However, it also highlights a challenge unique to live-action storytelling—one that becomes even more significant when compared to the original animated series.

In Nickelodeon's original Avatar: The Last Airbender, the entire story unfolds over roughly a year, allowing Aang to remain a 12-year-old throughout his journey. Animation made that timeline easy to maintain, regardless of how many years passed between production cycles.

Live action, however, operates under very different rules. Even though Seasons 2 and 3 were filmed back-to-back to minimize further changes, actors naturally continue to mature in ways that can't simply be paused. As they grow older, the adaptation must decide whether to stay faithful to the original timeline or allow more time to pass within the story itself.

Ironically, that challenge could also become one of the show's greatest strengths. Rather than resisting Gordon Cormier's natural growth, Netflix has an opportunity to let Aang mature alongside him, giving the live-action adaptation its own identity while preserving the heart of the beloved animated series.

Do you think Netflix should stick closely to the original timeline, or embrace a longer journey for Aang in the live-action adaptation? Let us know in the comments!