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Zuko is so painfully awkward. It's hilarious and sad. What's interesting, though, is that I thought, after season 2 Zuko, that Zuko in the Gaang would be sullen, more quiet. Now I'm getting a sense that this prediction was wrong... if anything, Zuko's doing what he always does when he wants something: he's trying to hard. Of course, we won't know until next episode what his day to day interactions with the team are like, but I'm guessing he'll be like he was this time: earnest enough to give you a toothache, but awkward enough to stub your toe on. It's going to be a challenge for him, but I'm happy that he keeps looking to his uncle for inspiration. Now only if we knew what happened to Iroh!
How did combustion man die? Did he explode himself or fall? That part confused me.
Watching Toph crawl away from Zuko was possibly the most sad and uncomfortable scene of this entire season so far--by far the hardest thing to watch. I actually wanted to stop, even though I didn't. That was much worse than the bloodbending. Toph afraid and helpless is something a fan should never have to see.
Still, this greatly satisfies my desire for Zuko/Toph OTFriendship. [![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
high_born] I've thought since Toph was introduced that she was the most likely to understand Zuko's upbringing and his frustrations. And I was right! Toph made the first overtures of friendship, and even though she got burned, she's realistic enough to understand that it was an accident, and still supports his joining the group.
Sokka as the nervous host was amusing.
Zuko and Katara.... awesomeness. She made the allusion to their conversation in the caves, which was a hanging plot thread that I was hoping would get resolved at their next meeting, and it was. I love her death threat. Katara is badass like nobody's business. I totally agree that of the group, she'd be the first to make a death threat and mean it. (Sokka would be second.) I think it's partly their hard childhoods, partly the fact that they're children of a warrior, and partly the fact that Katara, in her heart, has potential to be vengeful, self-righteous, and a more than a little bit ruthless. She understands that someone needs to give Zuko this message, and she's the one to do it. How war changes people! Katara right now is growing up very fast, and is quite a different person from the girl at the South Pole. She's a leader, a bodyguard, an advisor, and a fierce warrior. I'm proud. You tell it to him, girl. (What a queen you'd make!)
From a shipper standpoint, I've no complaints either. I like friction, helps with the UST! There's not really any UST yet, but there's plenty of time for that later. Now I want to see these two work out their issues and become trusted companions, first.
From the other side of the shipper argument: I thought Katara was going to talk to Aang about their personal feelings, but it was all business. That's one of the things that hampers this pairing: they're always worried about business! It reminds me of cop shows, where the two partners are attractive people but each puts work first so any progress they make is agonizingly slow, and their relationship is always sacrificed to the mission.
EDIT: I just remembered another thing I loved... the fact that Appa likes Zuko. He licked him twice even. That's the seal of approval right there. And Zuko took it so well! He just endured and didn't even comment, or make the grossed-out faces that Sokka makes when that stuff happens to him. Sokka's retort about animal cruelty was pretty choice, too. One of his best lines this season. (although his deadpan "Not really, since you followed us all over the world," line was pretty good too.)
Zuko is so painfully awkward. It's hilarious and sad. What's interesting, though, is that I thought, after season 2 Zuko, that Zuko in the Gaang would be sullen, more quiet. Now I'm getting a sense that this prediction was wrong... if anything, Zuko's doing what he always does when he wants something: he's trying to hard. Of course, we won't know until next episode what his day to day interactions with the team are like, but I'm guessing he'll be like he was this time: earnest enough to give you a toothache, but awkward enough to stub your toe on. It's going to be a challenge for him, but I'm happy that he keeps looking to his uncle for inspiration. Now only if we knew what happened to Iroh!
How did combustion man die? Did he explode himself or fall? That part confused me.
Watching Toph crawl away from Zuko was possibly the most sad and uncomfortable scene of this entire season so far--by far the hardest thing to watch. I actually wanted to stop, even though I didn't. That was much worse than the bloodbending. Toph afraid and helpless is something a fan should never have to see.
Still, this greatly satisfies my desire for Zuko/Toph OTFriendship. [
high_born] I've thought since Toph was introduced that she was the most likely to understand Zuko's upbringing and his frustrations. And I was right! Toph made the first overtures of friendship, and even though she got burned, she's realistic enough to understand that it was an accident, and still supports his joining the group. Sokka as the nervous host was amusing.
Zuko and Katara.... awesomeness. She made the allusion to their conversation in the caves, which was a hanging plot thread that I was hoping would get resolved at their next meeting, and it was. I love her death threat. Katara is badass like nobody's business. I totally agree that of the group, she'd be the first to make a death threat and mean it. (Sokka would be second.) I think it's partly their hard childhoods, partly the fact that they're children of a warrior, and partly the fact that Katara, in her heart, has potential to be vengeful, self-righteous, and a more than a little bit ruthless. She understands that someone needs to give Zuko this message, and she's the one to do it. How war changes people! Katara right now is growing up very fast, and is quite a different person from the girl at the South Pole. She's a leader, a bodyguard, an advisor, and a fierce warrior. I'm proud. You tell it to him, girl. (What a queen you'd make!)
From a shipper standpoint, I've no complaints either. I like friction, helps with the UST! There's not really any UST yet, but there's plenty of time for that later. Now I want to see these two work out their issues and become trusted companions, first.
From the other side of the shipper argument: I thought Katara was going to talk to Aang about their personal feelings, but it was all business. That's one of the things that hampers this pairing: they're always worried about business! It reminds me of cop shows, where the two partners are attractive people but each puts work first so any progress they make is agonizingly slow, and their relationship is always sacrificed to the mission.
EDIT: I just remembered another thing I loved... the fact that Appa likes Zuko. He licked him twice even. That's the seal of approval right there. And Zuko took it so well! He just endured and didn't even comment, or make the grossed-out faces that Sokka makes when that stuff happens to him. Sokka's retort about animal cruelty was pretty choice, too. One of his best lines this season. (although his deadpan "Not really, since you followed us all over the world," line was pretty good too.)
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Firelady Would Be A Damn Perfect Job For Our Firebender.
Date: 2008-01-02 08:59 pm (UTC)Total word. I've come across some people recently who get all snippy about Avatars quote "girl powerness" unquote, and it really bugs me. That's one of the most fantastic things about this show, imho, how good they are at writing strong women, and how many of them there are.
Hmm, I agree that the season 2 finale was very romantic, but I read it negatively in that Aang can't keep choosing Katara forever.
Ummm, I was referring to the "sorry Katara" scene, which I read as Aang trying to let Katara go into order to save her/the world.
she just blushed and looked doubtful
Yeah, I didn't see the passion there that I saw in Suki/Sokka's kisses, Sokka/Yue, or Zuko/ that girl from 'Tales of Ba Sing Se'.
do think she genuinely cares for Zuko and that he cared for her the same way, and I do foresee a Zuko vs Azula showdown during which Mai will have to, finally, choose a side; but I really can't picture them lasting beyond the war. I dunno why; maybe this is just wishful thinking, again??
It's not wishful thinking. There a number of reasons why I don't think that Mai/Zuko is a long term thing - while I think they care about each other, I don't think Mai actually knows the real Zuko - she knew him prior to his banishment, and afterwards when he was playing at being the perfect Prince (which is was doing to a lesser or greater extent from basically from 3x01-3x09, not just when he was in the War Room with his father). So I don't think she really know the actual Zuko. (Tangentially, I really think she would make a horrible Fire Lady, without even Azula's evil competence. She doesn't care about anything - that is not someone I'd want in a position of power.) As for Mai choosing a side.... I can't think of a situation in which Mai picking Zuko's side over Azula's wouldn't feel... really trite. I think (hope) that that's too much of a cliche path for Mike and Bryan to go down.
I'm trying to be objective, though, because Maiko is a very real ship, albeit one with dim prospects.
Personally, I find it totally possible to objectively violently dislike this ship. Especially since I have no problem with other relationships that 'got in the way of' Katara/Zuko.
Just because it's canon doesn't mean I have to ship them. (Which is, right there, the fanfic writer's creed, isn't it?)