The episode received mostly mixed reviews from critics. Emily VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club gave the episode a B+. She praised the storytelling, positively commenting on how it revolved around Skinner and his past life. In addition she wrote that the episode possessed some "good scares". However, she felt that the "central paranormal mystery of the episode is handled in a fashion that feels a bit muddled". John Keegan from Critical Myth gave the episode a moderately negative review and awarded it a 4 out of 10. He wrote, "Overall, this episode fails to capitalize on the idea of delving into the world of Walter Skinner. The conspiracy elements seem a bit redundant, and the paranormal side of the episode is a forced and inconsistent mess. Instead of developing something unique about Skinner, the episode dwells on what is already known or suggested, leaving the character in the same emotional place at the end as in the beginning." Entertainment Weekly gave "Avatar" a D+, describing it as "ridiculous" and saying, "The clench-toothed Skinner deserves more air time, but not this USA Network reject".
