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All the little angels rise up, rise up,
All the little angels rise up high!
How do they rise up, rise up, rise up,
How do they rise up, rise up high?

They rise hands up, hands up, hands up, they rise hands up, hands up high!

All the little angels rise up, rise up,
All the little angels rise up high!

The only non-spoilery thing I can say is Awesome musical score! And stuff.

I wish I had the energy to make a huge reaction post, but it's after 1am. So instead of squeeing about all the amazing epic amazingness, I will instead assume that we all agree on the amazingness and ask a few questions:

1. where is Azula? Is she in prison?

2. where is Zuko's mother?

3. why is everyone on vacation in the earth kingdom?

4. why did Mai's uncle get her out of prison instead of, you know, her boyfriend the all-powerful Fire Lord?

5. even though I'm kinda bummed about Katara magically getting over her issues with no explanation as to why, I have to admit that kiss was pretty epic. A little skeevy she had to bend down so far, and OMG ISN'T HE TOO YOUNG FOR TONGUE? but still epic. I rate it an 7.9 on thePrincess Bride scale. I'm told it was horribly written in the book? Oh well.

6. did everyone go home after their vacation in the earth kingdom was over?

7. is Ty Lee going to have a threesome with Suki and Sokka?

8. how awesome is Toph?

9. why did the lion-turtle mumble so goddam much? DON'T SLUR YOUR WORDS, GIANT MYTHOLOGICAL ANIMAL!

10. WHERE IS ZUKO'S MOTHER? [see #2]

[Okay, a little bit of squee]

I loved that acidic, dark moment in the prison cell where Zuko asks about her. It's like... yay Aang didn't kill him, let's mock the tyrant!, some slapstick humor la la la laaaaa.... and then Zuko arrives and it's like "You fucking evil bastard, I know exactly how horrible you are and I hope you rot in here for eternity. No love!" I love that the writers consistently kept Zuko somewhat dark and menacing all the way through the finale, and that he's not all light and fluffy after joining the good guys. In fact, he's kinda bitter.

Aang/Ozai was a pretty sweet fight, but not as epic as the almost-silent battle of Azula/Zuko that turned into the loud and scary battle of Azula/Katara.

I loved when Sokka cut down the melon head. "That's how it's done." Holy shiiiiiiite. I mean... HOLY SHIT. That was the most shocking moment of the whole finale, for me, and it came relatively early. I just...I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY WENT THERE.

But enough about let's talk about my favorite part: KATARA! That freeze-moment with Azula was probably the coolest moment in the entire series of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I could make-out with the writers for giving us that moment.

Zuko/Katara: everything I wanted it to be AND MORE. Everything Jun thought it would be too, apparently.

Zuko was unquestionably heroic in the finale. That was the Zuko we've been waiting for him to grow up to be. Zuko of season 1 or 2 would never have stepped in front of lightning for anyone.

I was inadvertently spoiled for the lightning-block moment because of a Zutara Week fanart, so when it happened I knew something like that would be coming. Still pretty freaking awesome, however. In fact, the Zuko+Katara=ComradesInArms was probably the second coolest thing about the finale, after aforementioned freeze-moment. I adored that he thoughtlessly through himself into the lightning for her. I adore that they were all partners and supporting each other and that they are totally the Mom and Dad of the group. I love that Zuko asked Katara to be his wingman immediately, without hesitation. And she agreed the same way. Canon endings aside, I think everyone can agree that they are amazing together. Platonic or potentially romantic, doesn't matter. ZUTARA IS AWESOME.

Zuko/Iroh: everything I wanted it to be plus some great acting.

Princess Azula: Challenger For The Dilandau Laugh Since '08! She came so close to the record, too... Paranoid!Azula was made of hilarity and win. I felt really sorry for her in the vision with her mother. Not so much when she went bananas and let loose with her Evil Laugh of Evil while fighting Zutara, though it was great fun to watch. Epic meltdown and oh, the screaming fire breathing animal she is when she lets herself go! Wonderfully crazy and sad. But for serious, guys, WHERE IS AZULA? [see #1]

Sokka/Toph on the zeppelins broke my fucking heart, because although I figured Suki would survive, for a moment I really did believe that Toph would fall to her death. I've been waiting for Toph to die since she was introduced: the little girl dancing in the swamp, loved and lost. DAMN THAT SWAMP EPISODE! If Joss wrote ATLA, Toph would have died. (not the least because Joss kills off female characters a lot these days. ::cough::) In terms of story she would have been a good choice anyway: she was very popular which makes for tragedy, she wasn't necessary to rule the country like Zuko or Aang are, she isn't Katara who was part of the original trio, and she's SO powerful, such an outlier in terms of talent compared to everyone else (except possibly bloodbending Katara) that having her die almost levels the playing field and removes the outlier that disrupts the average.

But seriously, I'm glad they didn't now. Because although I probably would have done it if I were on the writing staff, my heart did soften for that moment while they hung and I hated the idea of Toph dying without the ground beneath her feet. I don't even want to imagine what it would have done to Sokka if he felt her fingers slip from his into nothingness. That boy probably already has a ton of survivor's guilt from his mother and Yue. ...honestly, someone should have died, though. I had the same problem with the HP conclusion-- only the minor recurring characters died, and the whole main cast lived.

Oh Katara, Katara, KATARA. Oh Aang. Oh Zuko. Oh Sokka! Oh Toph. I am happy that you all lived and that everyone fought their own battles and won.

Except Ty Lee and Mai who totally failed to show up. In prison? No excuse! Bad writers. If I were a Maiko fan I'd feel cheated that she lacked all agency in the finale and kind of showed up as Gift With Purchase. I'm kind of annoyed, actually, and that's not even a pairing that I seriously ship. I mean... come on. GIFT WITH PURCHASE? Steal a throne and get a girlfriend with the package? That could have been handled better. I always thought Mai was cooler than "that" girl. Other than that gaff, and the fact that the issues of their relationship were too easily glossed over, I liked the reunion. In style and abrupt awkwardness it matched their established pattern (ah, teenagers!), but with a bit of extra sweetness knowing what Mai previously gave up for him.

EDIT for ships: Zuko and Katara have one of the most subtle and beautifully developed relationships in the series, and that's looking at it in a purely platonic POV, about forgiveness, and heroism, and rising above prejudice, and balance and duality, and trust and faith and sacrifice. All of that is real, and present, and canon.

I found it interesting (and almost laughable) that the two most romantic and dramatic moments between two close characters occurred with pairings that weren't canon: Zuko's sacrifice for Katara, and Sokka's desperate attempt to save Toph. Ultimately the show is about family and friendship, but I am amazed and delighted they managed to give us so much to work with, anyway. Not that I was looking for something like that with Toph and Sokka, since I don't actively ship them, but I found the drama of that moment alluring.

I want to know the names of the older Avatars that were introduced.

I want to talk forever and ever but it's 2am now and I have to go to bed. But seriously, guys, the score was pretty great.

You came to take us
All things go, all things go
To recreate us
All things grow, all things grow
We had our mindset
All things know, all things know
You had to find it
All things go
All things go