Avatar 3x13
Jan. 6th, 2008 02:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
timepiececlock"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?"
"Maybe it's the altitude."
**dies snickering**
Sifu Hotman. Best nickname ever, if only because Zuko clearly despises it.
"Hey jerks." Sokka is a million times a million awesome this season. Sifu Toph has taught him well. Also, yay apples exist in Avatarverse!
Zuko goes to hang out with Appa while brooding. I love Aang-Zuko parallels like this. Also, furthers my idea that Zuko is animal-friendly and if he lived in this world, would be a member of the PETA. What evidence do I base this on? He had a hawk in the pilot, and Appa likes him. TRUFAX.
I love vindictive Katara. It's one of my favorite aspects of her character.
"Don't look at me, I didn't touch your stuff." HAHA. She totally rifled through his shit, didn't she?
"I bet it's because I changed sides?" ::headdesk:: You know it probably is. But Katara's right-- for any other character that'd be ridiculous. Still... as an audience member and Zuko character fan, I'm kind of happy he's not that angry anymore. The boy has needed to chill out for years. Now he has.
Sokka poking Zuko in the ass with a giant stick. This is going to be a ho-yay episode, I can tell.
"I don't want to rely on hate and anger anymore." Wow it sounds like you actually HAVE grown up. Finally. The creators better not do yet ANOTHER fake-out with your character, and make you confused and evil again. Maturity has to stick at some point.
"I recommend the original source." This is why Toph is the best bending teacher of the lot.
"Is it jumping into a volcano?" ....Yeah, is it? Inquiring minds want to know.
Baby benders flashback? Of Toph? I knew the creators loved us. They must love us, it's an ASSAULT OF CUTENESS. I do remember earlier in the season, or maybe last season, that Toph said she learned from badgermoles. It probably explains why she is the first to bend metal; she had the finest teachers.
Who want to bet that Sozin or Azulon had the dragons killed off too? Genocidal freaks. Anyway, I think that this lack of firebending in Zuko is kind of a weak plot device. It's probably just a mood thing.
"...just by standing where they stood a thousand years ago?" Sokka is rocking the cold buckets of rationality this episode. pun!
Zuko's muttered "Oohhh I can't believe this" on Appa is my favorite delivery of any Zuko line in the show so far. That was note-perfect acting. So far this is a great episode for knowing how to write everyday-Zuko dialogue.
Aang: "Maybe we shouldn't be here? We could be killed."
Zuko: "Are you kidding? This is the best thing that's happened to me all week!"
Aang: "Hidden fortress of doom and death?"
Zuko: "Yeah! And it's not even my birthday!"
What does it take to cheer up Prince Zuko? A deadly booby trap and a never-before-tried impenetrable fortress of doom. For that, he smiles for the first time in a week. The boy is a ninja, alright. His character is very kinesthetic
Iroh is a DRAGONSLAYER? His awesomeness is boundless, I see. Pity about the dragons, though. Hm... I like that this episode is reinforcing some of my thoughts about Zuko-turned-good, mainly that if he's not frustrated or trying to convince someone of something, then his normal tone of voice is relatively mellow. I thought it might be. He's not as introverted as I imagined, and that's a good thing. We haven't gotten to see Zuko interact with his peers in a place where he felt safe and free to be himself until now. It was clear that even in the FN he was on guard a lot of the time, or restless.
Aang: "I don't care what everyone else says about you, you'renot a bumbling imbecile like we thought pretty smart."
You know, I never got to that whole fusion arc in DBZ. But I've tried that leanign-over-with-both-arms pose in stretching before, and I have to say: it's pretty uncomfortable, and not that stable. Seriously, someone could push you over with one finger, you're so off-center.
"I'm just suspicious of giant glowing gems sitting on pedestals." Because Aang, like the rest of us, actually watched Aladdin as child instead of living it. Of course Zuko picks it up anyway, without caring.
"What do you think we should do?"
"What I do every night Binky, think about our place in the universe?" God, Zuko, that's one thing you need to do less of.
"....destroyed on the spot." Let me guess: eaten.
Rainbow fire? The original firebenders... are Care Bears cursed to live in the bodies of dragons! Although hideous monsters, they still express their rainbow Care Bear love in mutual breathing sessions! Zuko understands.
Of course Iroh was judged and found worthy. Even dragons know that Iroh is awesome. Why is he not king, again? oh, right, treachery and all that. Hey... does that mean Zuko is a Dragon now? Dragon of the...Southwest? Dragon of Middle Earth? Dragon of the East Side Sun Dance Troop?
Are they going to kiss? Although creepy and pedophilic, it would end some of the tension.
"...FOREVER." ::meep:: "Just kidding! ... BUT SERIOUSLY. WE'LL KILL YOU."
Of course, as soon as they get back Zuko and Aang tell the first SIX people they see. Six people do not a secret keep.
Overall thoughts:
From other people's mood reactions, I thought Katara would be a lot meaner than this. Sure she was hostile, but not THAT bad. Not nearly as bad as last episode. There was no life-threatening going on, just a lot of emasculating comments. I was cheering for her and for Sokka. Sokka wins for being all "Sure you can join us, but I will insult you constantly if you do." And Katara wins for consistant use of derisive laughter at anything that Zuko says.
The Sun people were neat; I loved the effort to bring another historical culture into the world of ATLA, though the link between it and the FN design felt forced. Ancient MesoAmerican pyramids do not look remotely East Asian to me, sorry. I've been to pramids in Mexico; it looks like nothing else you've seen before. It actually makes me wish that the creators had taken this visual design of the fire nation from the very start, rather than the psuedo-Chinese look. I've always thought the FN and EK designs were too similar, compared to how different the Air Nomads and Water Tribes looked. If the FN had be designed with this Aztec-like imagery from the start, then the link to an older culture would feel more organic than it looks here. It would also have been a clearer divide between the EK and FN cultures.
Although I suppose one could look at it as presented backwards: maybe the FN started out looking like the Aztecs or Incans, but gradual influence from the EK transformed them into a pseudo-Asian culture instead? It's a long stretch, but it could serve for fanon history purposes.
I'm kind of sad that there was zero dialogue for the other new gang members. Still, it means I can fic about them without breaking canon.
EDIT: This is pretty neat. A discussion with screencaps about the graphic continuity matches of this episode and an episode from way back in season 1. Avatar wins for background image and prop continuity! Seriously, it wins.
"Maybe it's the altitude."
**dies snickering**
Sifu Hotman. Best nickname ever, if only because Zuko clearly despises it.
"Hey jerks." Sokka is a million times a million awesome this season. Sifu Toph has taught him well. Also, yay apples exist in Avatarverse!
Zuko goes to hang out with Appa while brooding. I love Aang-Zuko parallels like this. Also, furthers my idea that Zuko is animal-friendly and if he lived in this world, would be a member of the PETA. What evidence do I base this on? He had a hawk in the pilot, and Appa likes him. TRUFAX.
I love vindictive Katara. It's one of my favorite aspects of her character.
"Don't look at me, I didn't touch your stuff." HAHA. She totally rifled through his shit, didn't she?
"I bet it's because I changed sides?" ::headdesk:: You know it probably is. But Katara's right-- for any other character that'd be ridiculous. Still... as an audience member and Zuko character fan, I'm kind of happy he's not that angry anymore. The boy has needed to chill out for years. Now he has.
Sokka poking Zuko in the ass with a giant stick. This is going to be a ho-yay episode, I can tell.
"I don't want to rely on hate and anger anymore." Wow it sounds like you actually HAVE grown up. Finally. The creators better not do yet ANOTHER fake-out with your character, and make you confused and evil again. Maturity has to stick at some point.
"I recommend the original source." This is why Toph is the best bending teacher of the lot.
"Is it jumping into a volcano?" ....Yeah, is it? Inquiring minds want to know.
Baby benders flashback? Of Toph? I knew the creators loved us. They must love us, it's an ASSAULT OF CUTENESS. I do remember earlier in the season, or maybe last season, that Toph said she learned from badgermoles. It probably explains why she is the first to bend metal; she had the finest teachers.
Who want to bet that Sozin or Azulon had the dragons killed off too? Genocidal freaks. Anyway, I think that this lack of firebending in Zuko is kind of a weak plot device. It's probably just a mood thing.
"...just by standing where they stood a thousand years ago?" Sokka is rocking the cold buckets of rationality this episode. pun!
Zuko's muttered "Oohhh I can't believe this" on Appa is my favorite delivery of any Zuko line in the show so far. That was note-perfect acting. So far this is a great episode for knowing how to write everyday-Zuko dialogue.
Aang: "Maybe we shouldn't be here? We could be killed."
Zuko: "Are you kidding? This is the best thing that's happened to me all week!"
Aang: "Hidden fortress of doom and death?"
Zuko: "Yeah! And it's not even my birthday!"
What does it take to cheer up Prince Zuko? A deadly booby trap and a never-before-tried impenetrable fortress of doom. For that, he smiles for the first time in a week. The boy is a ninja, alright. His character is very kinesthetic
Iroh is a DRAGONSLAYER? His awesomeness is boundless, I see. Pity about the dragons, though. Hm... I like that this episode is reinforcing some of my thoughts about Zuko-turned-good, mainly that if he's not frustrated or trying to convince someone of something, then his normal tone of voice is relatively mellow. I thought it might be. He's not as introverted as I imagined, and that's a good thing. We haven't gotten to see Zuko interact with his peers in a place where he felt safe and free to be himself until now. It was clear that even in the FN he was on guard a lot of the time, or restless.
Aang: "I don't care what everyone else says about you, you're
You know, I never got to that whole fusion arc in DBZ. But I've tried that leanign-over-with-both-arms pose in stretching before, and I have to say: it's pretty uncomfortable, and not that stable. Seriously, someone could push you over with one finger, you're so off-center.
"I'm just suspicious of giant glowing gems sitting on pedestals." Because Aang, like the rest of us, actually watched Aladdin as child instead of living it. Of course Zuko picks it up anyway, without caring.
"What do you think we should do?"
"
"....destroyed on the spot." Let me guess: eaten.
Rainbow fire? The original firebenders... are Care Bears cursed to live in the bodies of dragons! Although hideous monsters, they still express their rainbow Care Bear love in mutual breathing sessions! Zuko understands.
Of course Iroh was judged and found worthy. Even dragons know that Iroh is awesome. Why is he not king, again? oh, right, treachery and all that. Hey... does that mean Zuko is a Dragon now? Dragon of the...Southwest? Dragon of Middle Earth? Dragon of the East Side Sun Dance Troop?
Are they going to kiss? Although creepy and pedophilic, it would end some of the tension.
"...FOREVER." ::meep:: "Just kidding! ... BUT SERIOUSLY. WE'LL KILL YOU."
Of course, as soon as they get back Zuko and Aang tell the first SIX people they see. Six people do not a secret keep.
Overall thoughts:
From other people's mood reactions, I thought Katara would be a lot meaner than this. Sure she was hostile, but not THAT bad. Not nearly as bad as last episode. There was no life-threatening going on, just a lot of emasculating comments. I was cheering for her and for Sokka. Sokka wins for being all "Sure you can join us, but I will insult you constantly if you do." And Katara wins for consistant use of derisive laughter at anything that Zuko says.
The Sun people were neat; I loved the effort to bring another historical culture into the world of ATLA, though the link between it and the FN design felt forced. Ancient MesoAmerican pyramids do not look remotely East Asian to me, sorry. I've been to pramids in Mexico; it looks like nothing else you've seen before. It actually makes me wish that the creators had taken this visual design of the fire nation from the very start, rather than the psuedo-Chinese look. I've always thought the FN and EK designs were too similar, compared to how different the Air Nomads and Water Tribes looked. If the FN had be designed with this Aztec-like imagery from the start, then the link to an older culture would feel more organic than it looks here. It would also have been a clearer divide between the EK and FN cultures.
Although I suppose one could look at it as presented backwards: maybe the FN started out looking like the Aztecs or Incans, but gradual influence from the EK transformed them into a pseudo-Asian culture instead? It's a long stretch, but it could serve for fanon history purposes.
I'm kind of sad that there was zero dialogue for the other new gang members. Still, it means I can fic about them without breaking canon.
EDIT: This is pretty neat. A discussion with screencaps about the graphic continuity matches of this episode and an episode from way back in season 1. Avatar wins for background image and prop continuity! Seriously, it wins.
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no subject
Date: 2008-01-07 01:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-07 01:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-07 02:52 am (UTC)The Sun people were neat; I loved the effort to bring another historical culture into the world of ATLA, though the link between it and the FN design felt forced. Ancient MesoAmerican pyramids do not look remotely East Asian to me, sorry. I've been to pramids in Mexico; it looks like nothing else you've seen before. It actually makes me wish that the creators had taken this visual design of the fire nation from the very start, rather than the psuedo-Chinese look. I've always thought the FN and EK designs were too similar, compared to how different the Air Nomads and Water Tribes looked. If the FN had be designed with this Aztec-like imagery from the start, then the link to an older culture would feel more organic than it looks here. It would also have been a clearer divide between the EK and FN cultures.
I fully agree with this, partly because I have a huge love for the Aztec, Maya, and Inca, and it would suit the FN so well.
Hilarious commentary. ♥
no subject
Date: 2008-01-07 04:46 am (UTC)Ditto. I'm so pleased that they show her like this. It makes me really, really want to see some follow up to "The Puppetmaster" ep. Her laugh was just so perfect - great work by her voice actress. I just hope that they don't OVER us it. And also get out of the Western Air Temple soon.
Who want to bet that Sozin or Azulon had the dragons killed off too? Genocidal freaks.
The writers practically explicitly stated this.
What does it take to cheer up Prince Zuko? A deadly booby trap and a never-before-tried impenetrable fortress of doom. For that, he smiles for the first time in a week.
I know! It's adorable! He's just not happy if there isn't the prospect of death! *sigh*
minor rant on this topic
Date: 2008-01-07 04:55 am (UTC)What's getting my goat at the moment is that everyone on k_z agreed Katara's aggression in the Puppetmaster was cool and better developed her character by giving her bending a sinister aspect, yet now people are complaining that Katara mocks Zuko too harshly, saying she's a bitch.
Dude, people, MAKE UP YOUR MINDS. If you want her character to be assertive and aggressive in bending battles, if you want her to be "dark", then you can't look down your nose at her when she's angry in a non-battle situation. She's not being a bitch, she's legitimately angry, just like Sokka is.
And even if she were being bitchy for the sake of being bitchy... well she can pull water out of your blood and kill you in the process, so is it really a surprise that she has the capacity to say mean things? And say them to someone who deserves some hassle before he's accepted?
Argh. I just hate the whole persecute-the-female-character-for-being-vocal-with-anger thing, and its especially hypocritical after people celebrated that same behavior in the Puppetmaster episode.
sorry. had to rant.
Re: minor rant on this topic
Date: 2008-01-07 05:02 am (UTC)I mean, Zuko betrayed her. I would be more upset if she was acting all forgiving and sweet at this point. And frankly, it was funny. He chases them across the globe and is an awesome firebender, and then can't teach Aang? It's either laugh or scream at that.
Personally, I hope next episode has a bit more Katara being something other than deservedly bitchy, but that's because so far that's all we've seen of her for the last two episodes, and it's getting one-note. But that has nothing to do with her not supposed to be angry.
Argh. I just hate the whole persecute-the-female-character-for-being-vocal-with-anger thing, and its especially hypocritical after people celebrated that same behavior in the Puppetmaster episode.
What do you bet it's because in this episodes it's 'in the way of' Zutara? (Which it totally isn't, fyi. Anger is a strong emotion - that means 1.) she cares and 2.) hello, have you people never heard of angry sex? I mean, seriously!)
And never apologize for your rants. I love hearing articulate people rant about subjects that deserve to have a good rant penned.
Re: minor rant on this topic
Date: 2008-01-07 05:12 am (UTC)I just don't like knocking on female characters for this reason, especially because in this instance Katara is in the right, and Zuko deserves to be hassled.
What do you bet it's because in this episodes it's 'in the way of' Zutara?
I don't know. I certainly don't see it that way either, but maybe people do? For me the anger isn't a problem. It's better than not caring.
:sigh: I may yet apologize for ranting more. I basically rewrote the rant above and posted it to the spoiler post. I usually try to avoid strong-sounding negative opinions at the community for keeping-the-peace reasons, but sometimes you've got to say "that's bullshit."
Re: minor rant on this topic
Date: 2008-01-07 05:26 am (UTC)I just don't like knocking on female characters for this reason, especially because in this instance Katara is in the right, and Zuko deserves to be hassled.
Word. And, Mike and Bryan, now that you've done it, please move on and do not-filler episodes? Plz?
Re: minor rant on this topic
Date: 2008-01-07 07:22 am (UTC)One of my favorite line's was Sokka's insulting "Hey jerks...jerkbending." I think I found that so funny because he included Aang in the "jerks" category, and didn't make disclaimers or anything.
Re: minor rant on this topic
Date: 2008-01-13 08:05 am (UTC)I wonder if Sokka has some lingering subconscious annoyance with Aang?
no subject
Date: 2008-01-07 10:35 am (UTC)If the person dismissed the ship itself in a rude way... well I didn't read/see that, but I'm sorry it's upsetting you. I know its frustrating having the ship you love mocked by other fans. I stopped caring about that shit several fandoms ago; I just like whatever pairing I want and don't pay attention to what other people say about it. When I talk about other pairings, I don't talk about the fans themselves just the pairing, and I don't expect fans of pairings I disagree with to take my words any more seriously than I'd take theirs.
Just as it's pointless to generalize a group of utterly individual fans as if they were a single thinking unit (ex: Zutarians), so is it pointless to dignify such generalizations with a response. You're only in the debate chair if you put yourself there.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-07 11:12 am (UTC)I'm kind of hijacking your respectable journal for a non-respectable cause. I'm very sorry about that. I almost never post without thinking what I'm saying through, but I admit I was the exception to my own rule with the above post, which unfortunately renders a few of my own arguments about dismissing Zutarians out of hand completely moot. I've not the least desire nor intention to start any kind of shipping argument here, I promise you. But I think I'll delete out my Zutara remarks just in case.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-07 11:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-07 12:19 pm (UTC)On a totally unrelated note! I borrowed Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell after reading your review here, mostly just on a whim. I'm only just finishing the first volume, but... wow. Can I just say, I've been waiting for this kind of book for so very long! It is bloody marvellous. Thank you for bringing the existence of this delightful, delightful book into my awareness. :D