Avatar:TLAB, last night's episode

[timepiececlock]

"City of Walls and Secrets" was pretty much the best episode of this season so far. I'm condsiderably less squeeful tonight today than I was last night, when I watched it twice but had no internet connection with which to share my joy (my keyboard broke and my computer won't start without a keyboard attached, not to mention my password.) But oh, was I squealling in fangirl delight last night.

It's kinda sad that I'm more excited by an episode in the middle of the season of a Nickelodeon show than I was for the season premier of House a few weeks ago. I haven't even caught up on House since then.

I can't express how much I love this episode. But there was one point in particular that made me laugh, because remember when last season those few on my flist who happened to have seen both A:TLAB and Samurai Champloo were all OMG that's Mugen! What's he doing in the Avatar world?!... well, last night's episode... HE SWORD-FOUGHT ZUKO IN A TEA HOUSE. IT WAS FUCKING GREAT. THEY WATCHED CHAMPLOO, THEY TOTALLY FUCKING DID.

ALSO, SOMEONE READ 1984 BECAUSE THAT SCENE WITH JET AND THE HYPNOSIS OF HAPPY WAS SO $@#(&$*#$/*@FUCKING-ORWELL-THAT-BOOK-TRAUMATIZED-ME@#*@()#$*@$)&^*%$!!&!

Pretty much the entire episode delighted me, not just the fight scenes (it was good to have some again), but the entire A plot and B plot. Both were great, and I'm really looking forward to next week. Because I'm so suprised they went there with Ba Sing Se. OMFuckingG.

P.S. jetheartszuko: It's not healthy.

Comments

[octopedingenue]

TEAHOUSE FIGHT TEAHOUSE FIGHT THEY EVEN THREW TABLES AT EACH OTHER AND EVERYTHING ALL THAT WAS MISSING WAS FIRE AND FUU

Oh my God, I so wish there was a non-spoilery-for-1.5-seasons way to grab all the Champloo on my flist by the throat and go "GO WATCH RIGHT NOW"

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I KNOW IT WAS SO FUCKING BEAUTIFUL THEY CHOPPED UP TABLES AND ZUKO HAS SUPER BALANCE POWERS LIKE PAI MEI FROM KILL BILL VOL 2 AND JET ALMOST GOT HIS HEAD CUT OFF IT WAS JUST NEAT.

I know. I used to feel bashful about reccing this show, but anyone who watches anime would like this and they need to watch it right now.

Also, Smellerbee+Longshot=LOVE.

[rasielle.livejournal.com]

*still in shock*

I knew Atla was smart, but I didn't know it would be *that* smart. And the Joo Dee's?? FUCKING GENIUS!

[amber-leaves.livejournal.com]

B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T episode! You know, Zuko's a ninja at heart. He doesn't need the firebending. Grasscutting=love! Jet needed to get rid of that stalk anyway...

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we've known he was a ninja at heart since episode 1x13, and then when he broke into Northern Tribe's city. It's almost amazing that he angsts so much about how he's only competent at firebending instead of adept, when he's pretty damn great at swords and stealth and all things ninja. It's like being great at the saxophone, the guitar, and the violin, but bitching because you're only so-so at the piano.

I love that he almost cut Jet's head off. It sort of answers the unspoken question of whether or not he actually injures/kills people with those swords, since no one ever seems seriously hurt after fighting him, just beaten up. And yet, if Jet had been a little slower... WHOOSH! Permanent haircut. I almost wonder at the scene if Zuko had cut his head off. Zuko would look down at him and go, "Huh," the crowd would disperse, and Longshot and Smellerbee would have to confort one another and go off and live a happy life together. Of course, then all the fans would cry.

Jet needed to get rid of that stalk anyway...

How *did* he get it past the checkpoint, anyway? You know that thing could have carried a mite that could endanger the entire ecosystem of Ba Sing Se! ::gasp::

[amber-leaves.livejournal.com]

I think Zuko could kill, but not in cold blood. When he's fighting Jet its very much a heat of the moment thing (I mourn the loss of your moment, but Jet needs to survive to be brainwashed) but in the Zhao fight, he was in a case where he could choose-and he chose to let him live. So superninja!zuko is also a round-table-esque knight at heart.

I think the whole firebending frenzy thing is based partly on Azula. She's a prodigy-Zuko's father makes a big deal of this, so Zuko feels like he needs to surpass, or at least equal her, in order to gain his approval. Also, the fact that Zhao refers to Zuko's swords as 'antiques' suggests that the Fire Nation doesn't have much use for them-I suppose one-on-one swordfighting is less useful in a war than mass-homicide machines and fire-blasts that can wipe out a village at a time.

Jet must have smuggled the grass-stick inside his hair. If Zuko had angled his swords right he probably would have unearthed half the Fire Nation's treasures inside that mop!

[stardreemer.livejournal.com]

Maybe I need to start watching this show...I keep hearing really good things about it.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

It takes a while to see past the cheeseball humor and the fact that it's for a tween audience, but the further you go... oh, the show is ambitious. It's a delight and it's incredibly dark for a Nick show. I keep going "I can't BELIEVE they are implying what I think they're implying with this scene... OH MY GOD THEY ARE. AM I WATCHING NICKELODEON STILL?" Actually, in that way it very strongly lives up to the "anime" label: it's a long epic story and it gets dark at times, and people do die.

Certain character arcs and overall plot arcs are fairly predictable (typical hero's journey storyline), but the fun is in the little details, and I'm continually impressed by the creativity. It's not Full Metal Alchemist and it will never make me cry, but I am a fully addicted fan. You should watch it.

[stardreemer.livejournal.com]

I think you just sold me on it. I'll try looking it up on Youtube.

Also, I love your icon. Gotta love Buffy quotes.