Avatar - 3x17

[timepiececlock]

3x17 - The Ember Island Players



1. Azula wears shorts!


2. TOPH/ZUKO = ONE TRUE FRIENDSHIP FOREVER. AND EVER!




AND EVER!







Oh, and if you think anything else from this episode is of interest to you...



I liked it. I giggled. It was amusing, and I liked how it very neatly threw everyone's insecurities and problems in their faces. I thought the animation design for the "stage special effects" was the cleverest thing about the episode. I loved all the FX they came up with...ribbons, wires, giant wavy things across the stage... that was very cleverly designed visually.

While I liked this episode, and while I think the animation was brilliant and clever, and the meta very cutely amusing, I can't help but feel

a) it's filler
b) it's really tame after last episode's intensity

I'm sure they thought they needed something lighter, but in marathon format, it just makes the difference in tone more startling. Yes, this episode ended on a negative note, but overall it was cheery and cutesy and since I just watched 3x16 three hours ago, watching this now feels like getting tossed into a circus after having just been to a funeral. I blame the marathon scheduling; it's unfair to the flow.

Katara & Aang:

I feel I'm long overdue for saying officially that my hope for the show is Independent!Katara. Yeah I ship K/Z in the broad and super-duper sense, but in terms of what I want out of canon... I used to want Katara/Aang somewhat (this was in the beginning of season 3, before Katara grew up and Aang didn't), but now I want everyone to go home and reconnect with their families and their lives. I don't want anyone to get married or swear eternal love. They can do that five years down the line in fanfic.

Now that you've heard that, you'll understand why I was satisfied with the Aang/Katara scene. My heart hurts for Aang's public humiliation (Oh Aang), but Katara's "I'm not ready!" reaction resonated very well with where I think her character is right now. The scene speaks to what I think is a very visible dissonance between Katara and Aang and what each wants out of their relationship. That's a dissonance that could be bridged with time... but right now Katara's distracted and Aang's too immature to see beyond his own desires to what Katara desires, or doesn't. This will probably be resolved by the end of the show, but really I think it's something that can be best resolved by both characters growing up a little. And as sorry as I felt for Aang's pain here, in watching my heart kind of sided with Katara, and I felt for her confusion more than for Aang's frustration. Not that you're meant to feel more for one than the other, but... well, no...it was painful for all involved. I look forward to seeing how that is resolved in the finale. If she accepts his affection, that's great. If she doesn't, that's great too. I'm just glad to see that the Katara of last episode, who is obviously dealing with a lot in her life right now, is being given the time she needs before declaring eternal puppy love with anyone. And, yeah, I love Katara's character more than I love Aang's. Katara is honestly my favorite of all the cast.



Do you feel like the show has killed 3 ships in three episodes?

Maiko: dumped
Zutara: all about the guilt
Kataang: omg grow up before you talk to me


* except Zutara had a near-boob-grazing-while-saving-from-falling-rocks-scenario

Comments

[mswyrr]

I worry about them having enough time in the finale to resolve everything satisfactorily, so having them spend this episode on cute meta filler was somewhat irritating to me.

ITA re: Independent!Katara. That would be a great way to complete her story arc in the series, and it would be awfully nice for shippers of all stripes to be able to write the future they want in fic without AUing or making disaster strike Katara's SO.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about irritation. Couldn't we have had this episode as, like, 3x04 or something? I'd rather have had a whole episode devoted to Iroh's Awesome Adventure.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Do you feel like the show has killed 3 ships in three episodes?

Maiko: dumped
Zutara: all about the guilt
Kataang: omg grow up before you talk to me


...Except, of the three, the Zutara wasn't so much ended. In fact, it's still just about where it's been since season 2: Not happening on screen, but nothing on screen to tell you it ISN'T happening, either, and here have pretty imagery and emotional intensity to chew on.

[faoiltiamatani.livejournal.com]

Haha, I think this episode may embarrass me too much to watch it! Whenever someone's embarrassed onscreen, I tend to get that way too.

[britt-marie92.livejournal.com]

When Aang kissed Katara even after she said no, I was sitting there saying "Slap him! Slap him, darnit!"

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I was very surprised that he tried to kiss her a second time. I didn't see that coming.

[clodia-risa.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping that this episode will prevent any major IC recap tomorrow. They've been reminded of the last three season, we've been reminded of the last three seasons, we know the stakes, so tonight should start at a good pace. I hope.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

You know, with Gilmore Girls I was hoping that they would do a pairingless ending for Rory, and never thought they actually would.

I'm beginning to hope that Avatar might do the same.