Nickelodean's "Avatar: The Last Airbender" Discusion [Archive] - Page 50

Jove

07-16-2009, 02:02 AM

- Combustion Man! :cry
- Boomerang: the Australian Aang

The Firebending Masters
- The version I watched online had really bad subtitles, so I didn't watch the show as much as the horribly written subtitles. :awesome

Subtitles? :oh

Also, one thing I forgot to mention yesterday was that I was :cry over Combustion Man as well, if anything because the handling of his character did not begin to touch upon his potential. He could have been the stabilizing force of the first half of Book 3, but in the end he was an inessential character. I never felt that we learned much about Zuko (his desperation, insecurity, etc.) or the Gaang, through him, like we did with Zhao or Azula.

But anyway... My Thoughts on Today's Episode:

The Firebending Masters

--- This is another strange one. I felt it was better than Western Air Temple at the time, and I still feel that way, but both episodes are awkward. Especially the humor in this one; it's a lot less guileful than typical Avatar episodes.

--- The first act is weird, as well. It's almost entirely exposition. I couldn;t believe how long that campfire scene went on for; but it does work, mainly due to the mid-scene interlude from Toph.

--- Speaking of which: Young Toph, you are fucking adorable. I recall at the time being excited about this scene because Toph was so neglected in Book 3.

--- Like Western Air Temple, the designs pretty much steal the show. The clear MesoAmerican influence on Sun Warriors Ancient City results in some of the most majestic and evocative scenery in Avatar, and shows the diversity of the design aspect of the show. Although an Asian-influenced world, the locations were based on fully Global references.

--- Zuko just said the Golden Egg seems like it's alive? Well hello Chekov's Gun, I'll be seeing you late... oh wait, we won;t be seeing you at all. In fact, you won't even be hinted at ever again.

--- Not much music in this episode, but the Track Team deliver gloriously during Ran and Shao's flight and the final judgement. It's amongst the most stirring ad exquisite pieces in the show. Though I was perplexed by the music during the beginning of the cermonial stuff as Aang and Zuko began to climb the stairs. That seemed totally incongruous.

--- The wide shot of Aang and Zuko on the podium after the judgment is one of my favorite shots in Avatar. So poignant, moving, and reflective.

--- I wonder about how knowledgeable the Sun Warrior Chief is about the politics and events of the world. I wonder if there a connection between them and the White Lotus, due to Iroh. Someone has to be supplying them with information.

Dragonus Nesha

07-16-2009, 02:23 AM

Subtitles? :ohIt was copy on tudou, so it had both Chinese and English subtitles. The English subtitles seemed to be going off how words and phrases sounded ('to feat' and 'to feet' rather than 'defeat') and to have never met spell check. They led to some funny sentences.

I also forgot to mention Toph's true fear after Zuko burned her feet in "The Western Air Temple." It was amazing to see her usually cool and tough character scrambling around totally afraid and blind. An interesting aspect of her character.
--- The first act is weird, as well. It's almost entirely exposition. I couldn;t believe how long that campfire scene went on for; but it does work, mainly due to the mid-scene interlude from Toph.I guess you're happy they didn't try retouching on water-benders learning from the moon.
I didn't really notice it being overly long though.
--- I wonder about how knowledgeable the Sun Warrior Chief is about the politics and events of the world. I wonder if there a connection between them and the White Lotus, due to Iroh. Someone has to be supplying them with information.I'm sure Iroh would have set up connections between the Order of the White Lotus and the Sun Warriors since both have a common goal. Although, that would mean the Sun Warriors really aren't as much of a secret as they want to be.

ReikaiDemon

07-16-2009, 02:36 AM

Subtitles? :oh

Also, one thing I forgot to mention yesterday was that I was :cry over Combustion Man as well, if anything because the handling of his character did not begin to touch upon his potential. He could have been the stabilizing force of the first half of Book 3, but in the end he was an inessential character. I never felt that we learned much about Zuko (his desperation, insecurity, etc.) or the Gaang, through him, like we did with Zhao or Azula.

But anyway... My Thoughts on Today's Episode:

The Firebending Masters

--- This is another strange one. I felt it was better than Western Air Temple at the time, and I still feel that way, but both episodes are awkward. Especially the humor in this one; it's a lot less guileful than typical Avatar episodes.

--- The first act is weird, as well. It's almost entirely exposition. I couldn;t believe how long that campfire scene went on for; but it does work, mainly due to the mid-scene interlude from Toph.

--- Speaking of which: Young Toph, you are fucking adorable. I recall at the time being excited about this scene because Toph was so neglected in Book 3.

--- Like Western Air Temple, the designs pretty much steal the show. The clear MesoAmerican influence on Sun Warriors Ancient City results in some of the most majestic and evocative scenery in Avatar, and shows the diversity of the design aspect of the show. Although an Asian-influenced world, the locations were based on fully Global references.

--- Zuko just said the Golden Egg seems like it's alive? Well hello Chekov's Gun, I'll be seeing you late... oh wait, we won;t be seeing you at all. In fact, you won't even be hinted at ever again.

--- Not much music in this episode, but the Track Team deliver gloriously during Ran and Shao's flight and the final judgement. It's amongst the most stirring ad exquisite pieces in the show. Though I was perplexed by the music during the beginning of the cermonial stuff as Aang and Zuko began to climb the stairs. That seemed totally incongruous.

--- The wide shot of Aang and Zuko on the podium after the judgment is one of my favorite shots in Avatar. So poignant, moving, and reflective.

--- I wonder about how knowledgeable the Sun Warrior Chief is about the politics and events of the world. I wonder if there a connection between them and the White Lotus, due to Iroh. Someone has to be supplying them with information.
I wonder if Bryke had plans for that egg-like thing, or that it was just a meaningless MacGuffin all along.

Darn, I wished there was a cute snakey dragon with the Gaang, the series doesn't seem too fond of adding animal regulars to the cast of Momo and Appa.

Maybe dragons have ears for the world, probably it was a hint about the entire world is all connected, the point being made back during the swamp episodes.

Jove

07-16-2009, 03:47 AM

I didn't really notice it being overly long though.
I'm sure Iroh would have set up connections between the Order of the White Lotus and the Sun Warriors since both have a common goal. Although, that would mean the Sun Warriors really aren't as much of a secret as they want to be.

I think I just noticed it because it went right up to the act break.

That's a good point. Zuko mentioned that the Sun Warriors civilization had been extinct for thousands of years, so they aren't simply hiding from the post-Sozin Fire Nation... I'm really intrigued by a backstory for the Sun Warriors.

Darn, I wished there was a cute snakey dragon with the Gaang, the series doesn't seem too fond of adding animal regulars to the cast of Momo and Appa.

If Hawky couldn't get through, what could?

And how did I just know you'd match my trope?

Jove

07-16-2009, 08:14 AM

Avatar: the Last Airbender Finale Week Commemorative Rewatch

Day 3: Some Dude from Blockbuster Presents...

Episodes

Book 3, Chapter 14: The Boiling Rock, Part 1
Book 3, Chapter 15: The Boiling Rock, Part 2

AND, in adhering to the exact scheduling of Finale Week last year, also acceptable is:

Book 3: Fire, Chapter 12: The Western Air Temple
Book 3, Chapter 13: The Firebending Masters

Today Zuko continues to run the Gaang Gauntlet in this two-parter, this time going on adventure with Sokka. Obsessed with finding his father
Sokka learns of the famed Fire Nation prison The Boiling Rock, and is determined to find him there. Zuko accompanies him, and although they initially do not find Hakoda, Sokka does find an old friend.

Eventually, Hakoda does show up, within a new batch of prisoners. At this point, however, they are stuck in the prison, and Zuko allows himself to be taken prisoner in order to enact Sokka's daring plan to escape. And just as the plan begins to unfold to fruition, old nemeses appear, resolute on thwarting their departure.

Anyone looking for a place to watch the episodes can find them here:

http://www.theavatarportal.org/Watch-Episodes.php

Besides being an Epic Galactic Homeric Biblical Grandiose Superextraordinary event, the Finale Week Commemorative Rewatch is also casual. Watch the day's episodes at any time of the day, and discuss them in any manner that you'd like, until the nearly morning of the next day.[/I]

Superstarseven

07-16-2009, 09:21 PM

Sifu Kisu has been kind enough to upload 2 peeks into the Martial arts sessions for the show from his personal video stash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nLZ-4fZ1QI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK_POwdgvnY

Chuck Norris

07-16-2009, 10:24 PM

I'm really going to watch this movie.
Unlike Dragon Ball this one seems like it will be a fair decent adaptation to the main screen.

Superstarseven

07-16-2009, 10:57 PM

People really love comparing The Last Airbender to Dragonball evolution.
Speaking of, the word Airbending is apparently used to refer to the Kamahamahe in the film. That'll be the strongest link between these two films since I'm pretty sure that Airbending is a word Mike or Bryan came up with back in 2002.

ReikaiDemon

07-17-2009, 12:49 AM

I think I just noticed it because it went right up to the act break.

That's a good point. Zuko mentioned that the Sun Warriors civilization had been extinct for thousands of years, so they aren't simply hiding from the post-Sozin Fire Nation... I'm really intrigued by a backstory for the Sun Warriors.

If Hawky couldn't get through, what could?

And how did I just know you'd match my trope?
I'm just hot like that :hurr

More things to note, the Sun Warriors believed there was a sun in every firebender, similar to chi anatomy, the dan tien in Chinese culture is believed to be not an organ, but a source and storage of chi whose mass resembles the sun. It is mostly connected to the digestive system and the respitory system. One way to draw chi from the dan tien is from the stomach, which is how Iroh taught Zuko to lightning bend.

Besides the MesoAmerican influences in the Sun Warriors, they have South Asian influences. It makes sense that MesoAmerican culture was used for the Sun Warriors, as the sun was a large center in their beliefs.

Jove

07-17-2009, 11:25 AM

Sifu Kisu has been kind enough to upload 2 peeks into the Martial arts sessions for the show from his personal video stash.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nLZ-4fZ1QI[/YOUTUBE

Damn, Kisu is smooth. If they put out every reference tape they made, I'd watch every single second.

Stupid me, falling asleep. Here are my thoughts on Today's Yesterday's episodes:

The Boiling Rock, Part 1

--- Backstory for the episode is still hilarious to me. I called this day "A Dude from Blockbuster Presents..." because these episodes stand as the only two that premiered outside of TV. Not outside of the country, outside of television itself. With a DVD release scheduled for early May and episodes being held back for Summer (they might also have been tweaking them still, if I recall), Nick made the decision to let the release date stand. And because Blockbuster lets employees screen such things, a dude uploaded them April 25, ten days before the release date. Still one of the most exciting days in the fandom.

--- I recall being quite squeal-y when Zuko said the actual names of Zuko and Appa. I still am.

--- After the awkwardness of the last two episodes, The Boiling Rock comes off as a masterpiece. But it comes off that way isolated, as well. It's truly exemplary of everything great about Avatar: dry, dialogue-based humor; dexterous and exquisite pacing; fluid animation, acting, and choreography; and a stirring amalgam of music and framing/direction that produces overwhelmingly emotional climaxes.

--- Why, hello there Chit Sang! You must be the character that will reveal with the Gaang, and the Avatar world, some sort of... oh wait. You're not going to do anything. :notrust

--- Still, Chit Sang is an interesting character to me, and I can see where many portended something important for him in upcoming episodes. More specifically, the clue people saw was the eye color, and that does make me ponder, still. I've found examples of deviations in the bending-iris connection, but Chit sang is pretty much the only one from the Fire Nation. I know it could be a simple genetic thing, but that's no fun.

--- Warden v. Warden! Which side will you take? We have Imprisoned's Takei Warden, and Boiling Rock's Wade Williams Warden. What it comes down to is whether you favor Takei's Takeiedness, or Triple W's gloriously grotesque, almost reptilian character design???

--- Suki's line, "Just get to the point, Sokka," is one of my favorite lines in anything ever. Television, and especially animation, are prone to this sort exposition, and no one ever seems to say something like that. What's even greater is that Sokka's explanation was pretty straightforward and terse. The line was totally unnecessary. Classic Avatar. :rotfl

--- Speaking of Suki, I have to point out that she's HOTTER THAN A BRUSH FIRE IN SUBURBAN CALIFORNIA in this episode. Prisoner Suki is the cutest girl in the show. And that's that.

The Boiling Rock, Part 2

--- These are very tenebrous episodes. The lighting is so low throughout, and it really amplifies the intrigue of the Sokka/Zuko faction infiltrating the prison, and especially when plotting their escapes.

--- Another great thing about these episodes is that they exemplify the most integral theme of Avatar: the manipulation of nature. And especially, the Fire Nation's industrial complex. The Boiling Rock stands as one of the most pointed examples of it, and especially the coolers. They actually use the surrounding environment to effect the opposite: using industrious heat to make cool.

--- Mai and Zuko's scene seem to me to be the classic Avatar emotional scene, which is terse and spastic and let's the emotion of the dialogue support the scene, not an explanation of the emotions. Unlike, you know, THE BEACH, or even the Hakoda/Katara scene from The Awakening (which I've actually come around on, and feel that the directness of saying the emotions actually made the scene moving).

--- I love Hakoda trying to start the riot and failing. Classic Avatar: even something simple ends up having an obstacle.

--- And so with Azula's presence we begin the march towards Sozin's Comet. The fight scene on the gondola is so crucial, and as the video SS7 posted above shows, detailed. But it's our first glimpse that post-Sun Warrior Zuko can handle Azula. And likewise, that Sokka and Suki have come along as well. And, quite simply, it's fucking awesome. The Zuko/Sokka tandem is fantastic and a shrewd combo, and Suki/Ty Lee is so fluid.

--- In fact, it's one of the coolest things about Avatar. This is a grand fight, and 3 out of 5 of the combatants are girls.

-- So... Sokka says he found, "the meat of friendship and fatherhood." The "meat?!" Guess the Greeks did find a way into the show. :LOS

Jove

07-17-2009, 11:39 AM

Double post, as if that wasn't the epitome of tl;dr right there above (and yes, I revel in it). Anyway, here's today's reminder post:

Avatar: the Last Airbender Finale Week Commemorative Rewatch

Day 4: Zutara's Last Stand

Episodes

Book3: Fire, Chapter 16: The Southern Raiders

AND, in adhering to the exact scheduling of Finale Week last year, also acceptable is:

Book 3: Fire, Chapter 12: The Western Air Temple
Book 3: Fire, Chapter 13: The Firebending Masters
Book 3: Fire, Chapter 14: The Boiling Rock, Part 1
Book 3: Fire, Chapter 15: The Boiling Rock, Part 2

Zuko concludes the Gaang Gauntlet, this time going on an adventure with his most antipathetic enemy amongst the group, Katara. They go on a journey of sexual discovery through the Earth Kingdom, unlocking their passions for the world and each other

Ahem. What I meant to say was that Zuko, upset over Katara's continued frostiness towards him, decides to win her trust by delivering to her one thing she's desired since the beginning of the series: closure in her mom's death. What follows is a search throughout various locations until they finally find the man responsible. And the questions Katara when confronted with this man become the questions Aang must ask himself about facing Zuko's father, the Fire Lord.

Anyone looking for a place to watch the episodes can find them here:

http://www.theavatarportal.org/Watch-Episodes.php

Besides being an Epic Galactic Homeric Biblical Grandiose Superextraordinary event, the Finale Week Commemorative Rewatch is also casual. Watch the day's episodes at any time of the day, and discuss them in any manner that you'd like, until the nearly morning of the next day.[/I]

Jove

07-18-2009, 02:10 AM

Sooo... triple post, eh? Alright, then. My thoughts on tonight's episode:

The Southern Raiders

--- This is the strangest pacing I've seen in Avatar. It begins with a climax, and the 3rd act has a long period of tranquility. It's a reason I'm still not so sure about this one.

--- Azula v. Zuko is tremendous, and serves as a thrilling antecedent to the Final Agni Kai. For one thing, we already see the mental instability of Azula, wither her composed logic replaced by mania. And the fight itself is brilliant; Zuko literally pushing through Azula's attacks is a fine manifestation of the mental progression of both.

--- Katara's comment about her mother seemed impulsive and maybe a little forced... but the real problem I have with this entire plot is that Zuko never once mentions his own mother. How did this happen? Bryke, Ehasz, a writer's assistant, fuck, even Kisu... someone had to step in here. That's the ultimate parallel, and would be been a properly displayed motivation for Zuko's fervent support of Katara here, especially when Aang voices his concern. I mean, obviously it's an implicit motivation, but the episode needed it to be more.

--- Speaking of Aang voicing his concern... damn, that was a harsh scene. Zuko particular acts strangely in the way he so sarcastically mocks Aang.

--- Sokka wants to borrow Momo, mere hours after what was very clearly sexual congress with Suki? SHIIIPPPPPP IT!!!!! :repstorm

--- Trademark perfection in the use of flashbacks. They provided not just insight but a welcome change of pace from the normal plot.

--- Katata is quite cute when she's stern and determined.

--- You can find erudite ways to analyze things, word it in highfalutin ways, and slap a tweed patch on it and call it cerebral... but at some point, something is just fucking awesome. And Katara stopping the rain is FUCKING AWESOME.

--- I'm not sure about the message of this episode. I can't grasp it, really. Katara didn't forgive not get her revenge upon Yon Rha, and she didn't seen like she got much closure. Is that the lesson, that sometimes these things leave us empty? That we should instead hug someone to set of Shipping Nuclear Winter?

Italics

07-18-2009, 03:03 AM

Jove

07-18-2009, 11:35 AM

C C C Combo Breaker...

Jove you mad man. Do you write reviews professionally or something? What's the deal here seriously?

I think I have a few of these recorded, but as far as commenting goes - looks like you even covered some of the...bonus material with Zuko and Katara. :lmao

Oh my God... the thought of getting paid for writing about Avatar is too Utopian to even consider. :X3

Avatar: the Last Airbender Finale Week Commemorative Rewatch

Day 5: Theater of the Absurd

Episodes

Book 3: Fire, Chapter 17: The Ember Island Players

AND, in adhering to the exact scheduling of Finale Week last year, also acceptable is:

Book 3: Fire, Chapter 12: The Western Air Temple
Book 3: Fire, Chapter 13: The Firebending Masters
Book 3: Fire, Chapter 14: The Boiling Rock, Part 1
Book 3: Fire, Chapter 15: The Boiling Rock, Part 2
Book 3: Fire, Chapter 16: The Southern Raiders

Having exhausted Zuko's capacity for adventure, the new incarnation of the Gaang move into the Fire Lord's abandoned summer cottage on Ember Island in order to make final preparations for the upcoming battle. With leisure time on their hands they decide to take in a play. A play that happens to be about their travels.

Reflexivity, hope, and HONOORRRRRRRR abounds as we follow a community theater's interpretation of Book 1, Book 2, and some of Book 3, which all amounts to an accidental parody. Even so, various members of the Gaang find some of the play uncomfortably illuminating, especially Aang, who is forced to confront his feeling for Katara once more. In addition to that, he and Zuko are also confronted with the weight and danger of the battles that await.

Anyone looking for a place to watch the episodes can find them here:

http://www.theavatarportal.org/Watch-Episodes.php

Besides being an Epic Galactic Homeric Biblical Grandiose Superextraordinary event, the Finale Week Commemorative Rewatch is also casual. Watch the day's episodes at any time of the day, and discuss them in any manner that you'd like, until the nearly morning of the next day.[/I]

Jove

07-19-2009, 04:31 AM

A little belated, but it's Saturday, I'm give myself a full pardon. And thus, my thoughts on today's episode:

The Ember Island Players

--- Because the first act of this episode was screened at NYCC '08, i tend to associate the two. Which is a shame, since last-minute business kept me from going and I'm still displeased about that. Even so, it was a pleasant surprise, even if it basically left zero time for Q & A, which was all anyone cared about.

--- It's so unsettling to see that goddamn Day of Black Sun, since we now have faces to go along with the characters.

--- Sokka's "wacky, time wasting" comment: just in case you were expecting any deliberate introspection in this episode.. Also, it's either an audacious euphemism for "filler," or an adequate and more accurate description.

--- I'm still not sure about the Great Divide joke. Yes, it is very funny, but how much of the Avatar fanvase truly understands this joke? It's for the fandom, based upon the fandom. In the end, I always believe that you flirt with the abstruse if the result it a better joke.

--- I adore the Katara representation, and here's why: ... what exactly are the basing this off of? This isn't mere exaggeration... it's taking minute idiosyncrasies and exploiting them so fervently that is creates a totally new character.

--- The 2nd act of this show is the funniest in the whole series, with Toph "sounds like tough" stuff, the scene about Zuko's hair, and the joke about Azula's escape in The Chase. Especially the scene about Azula. Everyone talked about the Jet jokes, but really: ho did Azula escape? She was literally backed into a corner!

--- I was and still ardently interested in Zuko's question about Jet's death, not for the joke, but for the mention of his name amongst the New Gaang. How much does the Gaang know of Zuko's relationship with Jet. Likewise, how much does Zuko know of theirs?

--- The final scene is really great music, and it's because the Track Team never settle for base effort. The obvious choice would have been to have the lighthearted music of the entire episode give way to baneful, sinister sounds. However, the Track Team add to the a disturbing element to the music, mimicking the disturbing imagery presented as the climax to such a goofy work.

--- Also love the scene because the way the Gaang look at Zuko, and then Aang, after their onscreen deaths. It might be the most empathetically uncomfortable and astounding scenes. The main characters seen oblivious to the weight of their situation and the dangers for most of the series... this scene illustrates to them that Zuko and Aang have a very real chance of dying. Soon.

--- I also like how the Azula/Zuko scene acts as a fantastic preview of the finale, by mentioning, for the first time, that the fight has inheritance issues as well. And, of course: HONORRRRRR!

--- For a recap show, this still stands as one of the more satisfying shows in Avatar, and not merely for the rich humor that is not afraid to be obscure and pandering to the hardcore fans at the expense of the casuals. But it stands as a great episode because the play illuminated the Kataang question, which is the crucial aspect of the show. Avatar is, if nothing else, a love story, in the end.

-- So, a butchering of Avatar's exquisite plot, with strangely effective scenery and captivating special effects to mask all the glaring deficiencies.... I mean, do I even have to say it?

ReikaiDemon

07-19-2009, 05:02 AM

Mider T

07-19-2009, 05:59 AM

This episode was lampshade hanging galore

Eight .

Jove

07-19-2009, 01:11 PM

Avatar: the Last Airbender Finale Week Commemorative Rewatch

Day 6: Sozin's Comet

Episodes

Book 3: Fire, Chapter 18: Sozin's Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King
Book 3: Fire, Chapter 19: Sozin's Comet, Part 2: The Old Masters
Book 3: Fire, Chapter 20: Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno
Book 3: Fire, Chapter 21: Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang

AND, in adhering to the exact scheduling of Finale Week last year, also acceptable is:

Nothing. The Finale aired on it's own. But if you want to talk about the other episodes, that's fine.

After three years, two extended hiatuses, and an enduring pool of transcendent memories, Avatar: the Last Airbender reaches it's conclusion in one of the most thrilling, exhilarating, satisfying, and fandom-specific-controversial finales ever produced.

Still hiding from detection on Ember Island, the Gaang reveal to antsy Zuko a new plan, possibly shrewd, possible pusillanimous, to wait until after the Comet. Zuko, appalled, reveals Ozai's ultimate plan for utilizing the power of the comet, an audacious and pernicious attack on the Earth Kingdom. He crowns himself the Phoenix King, granting Azula the title of Fire Lord, but no part in the scheme itself, bringing about her complete mental breakdown.

Distraught, Aang has apparent apparitions of an Island off the coast that seem eerily sentient. The others wake up to find that Aang has disappeared with a trace. In their search, we meet an old friend, who in turn leads them to more friends, the White Lotus Society, and their familiar peerage. Meanwhile, Aang is still struggling with the notion of killing Ozai to end the war, and calls upon past Avatars for guidance, but finds their wisdom unsatisfactory.

The Gaang now breaks off, into their respective fights. Zuko confronts Azula, with Katara for support and Sokka, Suki, and Toph infiltrate Ozai's zepplin battalion. When they arrive at the arth Kingdom, they find Aang waiting for Ozai, having finally received the wisdom he desired from an old source, familiar to the Avatar. Concurrently, the White Lotus call upon all their resources to single-handedly reclaim Ba Sing Se.

And so, in a series of captivaing battles in which they call upon all their resolve, perseverance, talent, and drive for good, the Gaang saves the world.

And then people went berserk because of the last scene.

Anyone looking for a place to watch the episodes can find them here:

http://www.theavatarportal.org/Watch-Episodes.php

Besides being an Epic Galactic Homeric Biblical Grandiose Superextraordinary event, the Finale Week Commemorative Rewatch is also casual. Watch the day's episodes at any time of the day, and discuss them in any manner that you'd like, until the nearly morning of the next day.

Hidd3N_NiN

07-19-2009, 02:15 PM

Superstarseven

07-19-2009, 03:59 PM

Taurus Versant

07-19-2009, 08:39 PM

Graham Aker

07-19-2009, 08:46 PM

Taurus Versant

07-19-2009, 08:48 PM

Ironic trolling, Aker, ironic trolling.

Hiroko

07-19-2009, 09:24 PM

I didn't really like the ending either, but not bc of ships lost.

ReikaiDemon

07-19-2009, 09:41 PM

I didn't really like the ending either, but not bc of ships lost.
Aww, Ponyo

masterriku

07-19-2009, 10:33 PM

I wonder if the zutara thread still lives.

TO my quest to check if the evil has left this world!

ReikaiDemon

07-20-2009, 12:24 AM

I wonder if the zutara thread still lives.

TO my quest to check if the evil has left this world!
As long as Macaluy Culkin and Alan Rickman breathes, evil ain't leaving anytime soon

masterriku

07-20-2009, 01:23 AM

Well that was a pointless quest.:lmao

Superstarseven

07-20-2009, 05:43 AM

I didn't really like the ending either, but not bc of ships lost.

Well one of two choices why.

"Aang pussies out and doesn't kill the Firelord"

Or the more popular "We didn't get to see Zuko find his Mom."

Personally I think it's perfect the way it is but these two options as to why someone else might not think that way are the ones that pop up often.

stab-o-tron5000

07-20-2009, 11:01 AM

You're forgetting the third classic argument against the finale. The Lion Turtle was a Dues ex Mechanica!

Because never before on the show has something of a spiritual nature shown up out of nowhere to assist the avatar in his time of need. So it totally didn't make any sense.

Cause that's never happened before...

Nope, not ever.

Taurus Versant

07-20-2009, 11:04 AM

Also we saw a picture of the lion turtle in the second season. The desert library.

Superstarseven

07-20-2009, 01:25 PM

Yes, the Lion Turtle/Deus Ex Machina argument.
That's a very common one.

If you want to go even further into the show's history, a statue of a Lion Turtle appears in the original 15 minute pilot.

Nøøps

07-20-2009, 09:16 PM

And there was a lion turtle reference in once of the first season episodes.
cmon stab-o he's the avatar, its common place for spiritual things tojust happen when hes around.

/Aang runs Spirithax.exe

Manwë Súlimo

07-20-2009, 09:36 PM

The finale sucks. Zuko didn't end up with Katara and instead stayed with that icky girl Mai.
Kataang is so creepy. Mike and Bryan don't know how to tell a good story. Oban Star Racers is better.
Anyone else could have written a more satisfying end to the show.

Well one of two choices why.

"Aang pussies out and doesn't kill the Firelord"

Or the more popular "We didn't get to see Zuko find his Mom."

Personally I think it's perfect the way it is but these two options as to why someone else might not think that way are the ones that pop up often.

Ok, I agree that Kataang was rather weak (not that I wanted Zutara to happen, not at all), but that wasn't the focus of the show. At least, not until the end. The worst part of SC was, in my opinion, the kiss at the end. Not the fact that they kissed, but that it was the last scene. Maiko was better in that it wasn't drawn out, just a side note. If a romance isn't high-quality, it's best to minimize it. Example of a romance gone wrong: Star Wars prequels.

As for the other two reasons, I don't have a problem with #1. As for #2, Mike DiMartino stated in the DVD commentary that he wanted to have a special focused on Zuko finding his mom, not just 2 minutes slapped on at the end of the finale. That's all well and good, but until such a special happens I admit that is a flaw for SC.

Regarding the Deus Ex Lion Turtle, first of all it's nothing new to Avatar- Deus Ex Ocean Spirit, anyone? Secondly, it wasn't all too major. The Lion Turtle was hinted at a few times before, and Aang's nature as the Avatar has always been unpredictable.

None of this changes the fact that Sozin's Comet was all-around epic, awesome, and in some places hilarious.

Nøøps

07-20-2009, 09:45 PM

Deus Ex Lion Turtle.... I like it :D
You have created a very AVATAR phrase :D

Italics

07-20-2009, 10:40 PM

Home sick today: don't worry - it's not Pentapocks. I did get to catch up on some of these episodes between bouts of sleep.

I rewatched the Western Air Temple:

Momo riding on Aang's head in the beginning looks hysterical. It’s probably my favorite shot of Momo in the whole series.

Although the Western and Southern Air Temples looked completely different, they do actually have a lot of similarities in color and feel. The colors in the Bison mural, flanking the Gaang as they settle in near the water element and discuss Zuko, are really reminiscent of those used in flashbacks of the Southern Air Temple in the episode The Storm.

After Zuko is rejected, he goes on a short rant – especially in reflection of admitting to hiring an assassin. He says something to the effect of “I should have blamed that on Azula” – and then it looks as though he peers right at the screen and says, “they would have believed me.” Color me crazy, but it almost looks like he was inviting audience opinion there (fourth wall?).

Speaking of flashbacks - as Jove said - Zuko's memories triggered by the temple are nothing short of brilliant writing. They go all the way back to the beginning of his pursuit of the Avatar immediately after his banishment. He's changed so much - and he knows it too. Even in the initial flashback, even though he hasn’t yet approached the gang yet, or reconciled with his Uncle (his true father), these thoughts seem to bring peace.

--- Combustion Man v. Gaang has got to be one of the weirder fights in the show's oeuvre. It's pure power versus power. And the moves they break out: Aang kicking a wind funnel, Katara's icicle storm... where's this been? :oh

While I agree with you here, the episode that really left me scratching my head (re power) was The Earth King. They kicked ass and took names all the way to the throne.

Finally, Kitara’s warning to Zuko: just pure woah! I’m somewhat surprised (given her icy edge) she didn’t bloodbend for just a second to make him fully understand that he’s toast if he even breathes wrong – which is not to say that her words didn’t fully convey the message.

The Firebending Masters:

Odd that Zuko’s firebending was just used against Sparky Sparky Boom Man, but gives out immediately thereafter. Perhaps it was the realization that he’s actually teaching his former quarry.

Sokka finds a fifth bendable element in this episode – Jerk.

Sun Warriors really physically/facially reminded me of the Hopi.

The Eternal flame was really a great touch. With all of the pomp of the Fire nation, their not possessing this really speaks volumes. Thank you Uncle Iroh?

Finally, Wren and Stimpy’s (when the Sun Warrior chief says Ran, to me it always sounds like Wren) flight scene is truly amazing. The animation is incredible, the sun flashes as they pass by; their motion stirs the air and fills it with dust. When they hover just prior to judgment – awesome! The scale of everything within the scene works so well: it’s impressive.

After watching this I had the urge to go to Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure in Florida and ride Dueling Dragons.

Nøøps

07-21-2009, 12:07 AM

Wow, respectable review.
And i rode the dueling dragons....i know what you mean >:D

Italics

07-21-2009, 01:37 AM

^ Thanks - but read Jove's. I expect Jove to be a syndicated columnist. Seriously.

Dueling Dragons was so fun. We got there and NOBODY was in line. So we rode both dragons like 50 times.

:ruri

AWESOME!!!

ReikaiDemon

07-21-2009, 10:26 AM

Why does dueling dragons keep reminding me of dueling banjos?

Jove

07-21-2009, 02:42 PM

^ Thanks - but read Jove's. I expect Jove to be a syndicated columnist. Seriously.

Wait until you see my review of Sozin's Comet. I'm pretty sure I'll have to break it up into two parts. We're at 1800 words right now and I just started on my notes from Into the Inferno. :rotfl

Ok, I agree that Kataang was rather weak (not that I wanted Zutara to happen, not at all), but that wasn't the focus of the show. At least, not until the end. The worst part of SC was, in my opinion, the kiss at the end. Not the fact that they kissed, but that it was the last scene. Maiko was better in that it wasn't drawn out, just a side note. If a romance isn't high-quality, it's best to minimize it. Example of a romance gone wrong: Star Wars prequels.

I totally disagree. It wasn't the focus of the show, but it was a focus, an underlying and recurring theme throughout the show. Aang's love for Katara was a major aspect of the story; most importantly, it was the key influence on him during his time with Guru Pathik and in the Catacombs of Ba Sing Se. As Mike said, Kataang was in the show's DNA.

Dammit, you're making me sound like a Kataanger, but they are right about this.

Nøøps

07-21-2009, 04:05 PM

Anyways, whos been catching the Avatar Extras?
To me it seem like they have very little helpful information. The rest is some of the most obvious stuff Ive ever seen. But avter watching some, it did remind me about the yuyan archers, i totally forgot about them, and thier epicness. And i also notced that one of the ... uhhh .... Rough Rhino's or is it Rough Rhino Riders or is it Rough Riders ... anyways, one of them is a yuyan archer, he has the sam face paint, i hought that was a cool little tid bit.

Manwë Súlimo

07-21-2009, 04:44 PM

I totally disagree. It wasn't the focus of the show, but it was a focus, an underlying and recurring theme throughout the show. Aang's love for Katara was a major aspect of the story; most importantly, it was the key influence on him during his time with Guru Pathik and in the Catacombs of Ba Sing Se. As Mike said, Kataang was in the show's DNA.

Dammit, you're making me sound like a Kataanger, but they are right about this.

Good points. I actually did like how Kataang was handled in The Guru/Crossroads of Destiny. It was just badly handled in Sozin's Comet.

Anyways, whos been catching the Avatar Extras?
To me it seem like they have very little helpful information. The rest is some of the most obvious stuff Ive ever seen. But avter watching some, it did remind me about the yuyan archers, i totally forgot about them, and thier epicness. And i also notced that one of the ... uhhh .... Rough Rhino's or is it Rough Rhino Riders or is it Rough Riders ... anyways, one of them is a yuyan archer, he has the sam face paint, i hought that was a cool little tid bit.

Really? Come to think of it- yeah, you're right, the Rough Rhino's archer does have Yuu Yan facepaint.

ReikaiDemon

07-21-2009, 05:16 PM

Jove

07-21-2009, 06:34 PM

Good points. I actually did like how Kataang was handled in The Guru/Crossroads of Destiny. It was just badly handled in Sozin's Comet.

I agree. It was strange that the only bit of it in the episode was that ending.

You guys are about to get a triple post. Why? Because this is what happened when I put my Sozin's Comet review in and did a preview:

http://i27.tinypic.com/dferd3.png

:oh

*AHEM*

My thoughts on Today's Yesterday's Sunday's episodes:

Sozin's Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King

--- The story behind Sozin's Comet was that it was originally meant to be three episodes, but production ran long and Nick, to their credit, granted them the resources to extend the story to four episodes. I feel like this is the crucial aspect of Sozin's Comet; the pacing, the sequencing, any number of scenes... all of it is predicated upon that extra time.

--- But one scene that is firmly entrenched is the opening scene. I note it because it's the pretty standard type scene for epics such as Sozin's Comet: the insouciant carefree opening scene. But usually these types of scenes are independent jarringly interrupted by plot of some kind. But this one was relevant as the cause of Zuko's wrath.

--- I admit: When this aired, I squeed when Zuko called Aang by his name. I had been waiting for it for so long.

--- And so, one of the more debated arcs within the show: Aang's dilemma over killing Fire Lord Ozai. I was ecstatic that this was given so much time to develop and breathe, given the extra episode. I also feel like it's a brilliant artistic choice to embrace this so completely. There was no avoiding it to begin with; it would be a pressing issue even if they never stated it at all. So why not make it a true struggle perfectly aligned with the spiritual tilt of the show, and make it the focus of the entire finale?

--- After an episode brimming with lampshade hanging, I loved the scene wherein the Gaang explains their plan to wait until after the comet is over. It's almost seems like a reflexive nod to the fandom, simply because so many of the ideas here have been unacknowledged on the show, but ubiquitous in the fandom. Aang waiting until after the comet, the impossibility of Aang truly master three elements in 7 or 8 months (especially considering that a few months had past before they met Toph, and a few more before Zuko joined.), the fact that the war essentially ended in Ba Sing Se... it's really more an acknowledgment than a hanging.

--- Again, I love the pacing of these first two epiosde. Things are moving so smoothly, unhindered by time constraints. I do wonder how the show might feel if it had remained 3 episodes. Little things, such as Aang learning the lightning redirect, the Melon Lord scene, meeting Jun in the bar... these are scenes that feel alive because they are given room to stretch, and the dialogue is bequeathed normal pacing.

--- Oh, did I just say lampshade hanging? I guess they couldn't resist with Aang's Spirit Water suggestion. Aang really loves that Spirit Water... hey wait, he loves... SHIPPPPP ITTTTTT!!!

--- The Melon Lord scene was possibly the most popular scene of Sozin's Comet, and why not? It was pretty much the essence of the show: humor, intense fight scenes, protagonist struggle, and a ruminative problem. And Toph is awesome. Awesome.

--- Also, I'm always a little taken aback by Sokka's, "There, that's how it's done." It's so forthright, and it basically shows how cavalier Sokka would be about slicing the Fire Lord's skull open. Time for me to reaffirm that Sokka's my favorite character.

--- This episode also redeems Nightmares and Daydreams, somewhat. I recall quite a fervent dissatisfaction with the way Zuko simply rejected things after the war meeting, as most people felt in was underdeveloped and simplistic. But it turned out it was merely selective presentation.

--- I was so engrossed in the episode when it aired that I never really grasped the potential "dream sequence/hallucination" aspect of Aang's discovery of the island. Looking at it that way, it becomes an even better cliffhanger, making his disappearance much stranger.

--- I love the trademark Zuko framing, which makes a return as they go to search for Aang: a close-up of the scar side of Zuko's face for when Sokka notes that Zuko has experience hunting the Avatar, then the scarless side for when Zuko says "trust me."

--- Speaking of framing, Ethan Spaulding's direction of the coronation scene was breathtaking. The march of the paladins, the interaction between Ozai and Azula with it's numerous perspective changes, and the final crescendo... all brilliant. The mise-en-scene is absolutely captivating, especially when Ozai reveals to Azula his plans to leave her behind. He becomes silhouetted to her, just as he was to the viewer and the Gaang before early Book 3, a physical display that Azula was now just a normal person and not the person closest to him.

--- Still one of the deepest, most revealing lines of the show: "You can't treat me like Zuko." All of Azula's psyche just spew forth.

--- The final moments, with the raised banners, winged firebending, low-and-wide pull back... very much a Triumph of the Will type sequence. Loved it. And the music was phenomenal, making the scene truly disturbing but epic.

The Old Masters

--- I've always disliked the "previously on" sequences, but I really despise them here. Sozin's Comet really needed to be released as a movie DVD.

--- And so we get a full course of Campbell, as the lion turtle island serves as Aang's In the Belly of the Whale stage.

--- Loved the scenes with June. First of all, Jennifer Hale is amazing and she nailed all the mordant put-downs. But Avatar always excelled at night scenes, there was always such an enchanting beauty to how they were drawn and colored.

--- And so, we meet the first group of Old Masters, the Avatars. I like how the personalities emerge, and we see distinct differences in their relationships to Aang. Roku is avuncular, Kyoshi is detached, Kuruk is empathetic, and Yangchen is like a schoolteacher.

--- I still hold my theory that Aang misinterpreted the wisdom of his previous lives. Roku told him to "be decisive," Kyoshi told him that "only justice will bring peace," Kuruk told him to "actively shape [his] own destiny," and Yangchen told him to "do whatever it takes to save the world."

Only Yangchen hinted at killing Ozai. The others are oblique and I feel that the Avatars were actually providing Aang what he needed: indirect advice for him to meditate upon, and find his own path. And in the end, he did exactly what they told him, just in a way he didn't know about when they espoused it to him.

I do feel, however, that Aang did not truly understand the profundity of what Yangchen was telling him. Even more so than Iroh backstory or Zuko's search for Ursa, I'd love to see something done with the previous Avatars, and see their relationships with Aang evolve.

It don't stop...

Jove

07-21-2009, 06:35 PM

Continued...

--- If the Melon Lord scene was the best in the show, Bumi taking Omashu back from the Fire Nation is #2. I doubt it would have survived the cut from 4 shows to 3, but it's one of the funniest things they ever did. So funny you just accept that impossibility of the eclipse happening in Omashu. I also love that Bumi chose to do all this during the eclipse, even though it turns out he had no clue that it took away firebending. And the genemite visual punchline still kills me.

--- The Order of the White Lotus was a well-known theory, and it was so satisfying to see it play it the way it did. It's also one of those revelations that profoundly changes the way you watch earlier, but in a positive way; it adds an excitement for what you know will happen later.

--- Zuko and Katara outside the tent seems to me to be the crucial scene in the relationship, as far as interpretation goes. Bryan Konietzko said this in the Sozin's Comet book:

Zuko and Katara might have shared some sparks, but sometimes there are people along your "journey of love" who are there to teach you about yourself and what you really need, but don't necessarily end up being your partner.

I feel this scene reflects that. The two of them are kind of like an old couple that remained friends. Ah, what the hell: SHEEEEEP ITTTT!!!!!

But Konietzko also says that Zutara could never have lasted, and I disagree. I believe this scene pretty much shows that it would have a chance. You know, just not in any sort of logical way within this narrative.

--- I definitely bawled a bit when Zuko and Iroh reconciled. Alright, a lot, but Zuko and Iroh reconciling was as yearned for as Zuko joining the group, and this is one of the most gratifying scenes in the show. Two major reason work in a majestic interplay here. First, the Track Team absolutely nailed it with the music they put underneath here ("Reconciliation"). Second, this is some heartbreaking acting. And kind of unlikely, as well. Dante Basco was always a little strange with his choices for lines, and Greg Baldwin was simply a replacement, yet they both gave stunning performances.

--- "It's amazing, Momo! The biggest random plot device in the World!"

--- A small thing and a large thing from the departure from Ba Sing Se. One, I really like the Sokka/Iroh relationship, as little as we get of it. Two, Greg Baldwin won me over with the way he delivered, "Today, destiny is our friend. I know it." The emotionally hushed way he says, "I know it," brought back some bawling, but also made me realize that even though Mako is Iroh, Greg Baldwin did his best with a difficult situation and came through when it was needed the most.

--- And as it stands, that is my favorite line in the entirety of the show. It was just a perfect choice, to deliver that in a hushed way. The weight of the show has always been felt the most by our protagonists, and finally things are going to change.

--- I accept the Lion Turtle and loved his presentation. Even though Konietzko seems thoroughly saddened by the Lion Turtle design, but I loved it. In HD, it’s remarkably complex and textured. As for the way he fits into the narrative, you guys have already mentioned the references to the Lion Turtle throughout the show, either in the library or in designs of buildings. Probably a reference to the picture from the Library would have helped, but I’d rather the artist err on the side of subtlety.

--- One of the all-time great design inspirations: having Sozin’s Comet graze the atmosphere, creating the crimson aura seen throughout the final battles.

--- Likewise, the show ends with it’s most stunning ending: a pan-up from a close-up of Aang's determined face to the comet behind him in the background. That stands as the last shot with Giancarlo Volpe’s name as director, and it solidifies him as one of the most important people that shaped the show. He stands as the only director that worked on the show, as a full director, from start to finish.

Into the Inferno

--- The sequencing of Azula’s descent into madness is impeccable. You can sense the growing terror, delusion, ennui, and paranoia with each successive scene. And Grey DeLisle gives a mesmerizing performance, even by her standards. And Azula continues to reveal her complete fear of becoming like those that she has abused and manipulated in the past. When the Dai Li affirms their loyalty to her, she responds, “I’m sure that’s just what you told Long Feng before you turned against him and joined me.” Honestly, she’s like the personification of the unjust soul from Plato's Republic.

The designs are fantastic, as well. Azula goes from rigid and upright during the cherry pit scene, to languid and disinterested during the Lo-Li scene. And it must be mentioned that the Track Team underscored this brilliantly. The music becomes more menacing, more disturbed. They also managed to put a skewed version of the Dai Li theme under their scene.

--- The show of all the war zepplins, finishing with that frame of Ozai on the platform of the lead zepplin, is just stunning. Not merely for the seemless blends of hand-drawn and computer art, but Ozai;s expression as well. You simply forget that he was a non-entity for most of the show, due to the grandeur of these shots.

--- And Bryke insert themselves into the show, in a gloriously irrelevant diversion scene. The dialogue between the two Fire Nation workers is also some great self-referential humor. The one Mike DiMartino voices works in the “communication room,” while the one Brian Konietzko voices responds, “I work down in the engine room. It’s probably why we’ve never met before.” :rotfl Thank God for that extra episode!

--- To those that say the Track Team could not have scored the movie, go ahead and listen to the music during Aang and Ozai’s battle, as well as that underneath the recapture of Ba Sing Se. It’s exhilarating, and a classic movie-type score, full of staccato and flourishes. One thing I have to note is that the Track Team were given a string section for the finale, and it really provides for some awe-inspiring moments. Throughout a lot of Sozin’s Comet, you can hear how they used the strings sagaciously, merely bolstering the trademark Avatar sound.

--- The recapture of Ba Sing Se has been called fan service, especially in a prominent thread at ASN. Well, that’s just total balderdash and foolish. Capturing Ba Sing Se is a crucial part of ending the war, and was an important part of Iroh’s character. Ba Sing Se is another part of the War Front, is all. It probably just seems like fan service because it’s SO FUCKING AWESOME. Pakku and Piandao working in tandem, Jeong Jeong’s aerial assault, Bumi’s goofy power, all culminating with one of the most touching scenes in the show with Iroh burning the Fire Nation banner. It is thrilling from beginning to end. Also interesting that after 50-something episodes of build-up, the first glimpse of the comet’s power is shown through Iroh. And he doubted that he could defeat Ozai? Pfffffff…

--- I do say this quite a bit, but the scene where Azula finally does have a breakdown is one of the finest in the show. The framing, the mise-en-scene, the acting, and the direction is all very theatrical, and the Track team got full work out of the string section. It’s difficult to produce such a drastic character shift such as this, but they pulled it off remarkably well. It did not seem contrived or over-the-top. In fact, it was really heartbreaking and tragic.

---It’s astounding that Grey DeLisle did not win an Annie for this. In fact, [I]she wasn’t even nominated[I]. Can you believe that? Neither was the Track Team! What the fuck is this braindead world coming to?

--- And there we see Ozai’s first real fire bending on the show, which requires a wide-shot encompassing an entire ecosystem.

--- I always loved how Sokka covers Toph after the fall onto the zepplin, with the debris showering down around them. Confirming once again that Sokka’s my favorite character.

-- Another all-time great artistic choice: mixing the sound design down and the music fully up during the Agni Kai. The Agni Kai itself is a nice balance to the power and pure destruction of the other two battles (collectively, the Battle of WuLong Forest). It is stylized, deliberate, often slowed to half-speed, and has an overwhelming beauty in the way the colors clash and intermingle.

--- More credit to the Track team in the way they created very distinct pieces and moods for each front of the battle, but transition seamlessly between them. Specifically, I am referring to the sudden transition between the fluid melancholy Agni Kai to the tense staccato of Aang v. Ozai, and then back to the Agni Kai. There no no hit or cresendo or pause. They go right into one another as if they were movements of the same piece, which I guess they are, in a way.

--- Credit to Joaquim Dos Santos, not merely for his incredible work done storyboarding the Airship battle, but also for the sequencing. I imagine it must have been nerve-wracking trying to order and time the scenes, but he did a great job. The tension is never broken, and he leaves each scene right where it needs to be. Joaquim won the directing Annie for this episode, and for good reason.

Still going...

Jove

07-21-2009, 06:37 PM

Sozin’s Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang

--- Aang retreating into the ball of Earth is a great manifestation of what Aang ‘s mental insecurities and his escapist tendencies.. He ran away when the Air Nomads wanted to send him from the Southern Air Temple, he fled when the old man scolded him as the boy that abandoned the world, he refused to firebend after hurting Katara, he nearly pushed Earthbending aside when he couldn’t understand it, he retreated internally when Appa was stolen, he fled the Eastern Air Temple when Guru Pathik told him he would have to let go of Earthly concerns (Katara), he ran away from the Fire nation ship when the shame of losing Ba Sing Se overtook him, and he evaded all questions of fire bending and guilt after Day of Black Sun. Now, faced with the nearly omnipotent Ozai, he’s literally sheltered himself.

--- Although you know there’s no danger of Toph and Sokka fallen to their deaths, and that they will be saved somehow, there an overpowering tension and anxiety in that scene, because they are so close to defeat. The music also helps; the choral arrangement is so harrowing and heartbreaking, so can’t help but feel it. More bawling, I recall…

--- Let’s examine some deus ex machina talk. A deus ex machina is a sudden and contrived. Is Suki’s arrival a deus ex machina? No, because we knew she fell onto another airship and was ok. Obviously she’d be back. Her timing was obviously convenient, but of course it would be. Is the rock unlocking Aang’s chakra a deus ex machina? Kind of, since it truly was sudden and a tad contrived. It was established that Aang’s chakra was blocked there, and that stimulation of the scar has some effect, but this one seemed too convenient. I still think it works, though. And finally, is spirit bending a deus ex machina? No, because it was set up in this episode, and we were provided the explanation of where Aang got it from. Even if it’s just minutes previous, as long as something is properly established it cannot be a deus ex machina. The real issue is whether you feel that it was established properly.

--- So this might be the enduring image of Aang, equally endure as Koizilla, for me.

--- It kind of seems like Zuko is trying to redirect Azula’s attack, but it’s lightning… oh wait, he’s literally REACHING OUT TO HER! SHIP IT!! SHIP IT HARD!

--- I’ve come to terms with Katara being the one to defeat Azula. Zuko is a main character, but even amongst the main characters, Katara stands above them, beside Aang. And Zuko was given the moral victory; he had finally gained the strength to fight equally with Azula, even besting her. And the expressions at the end are so poignant and profoundly joyless. There’s really no triumph over the way the Agni Kai ended, which is fitting and in line with Azula’s character arc, which went from being someone you’d cherish the thought of destroying to pity.

--- For a show that has such a depth and preciseness to it’s writing, a show that practically owned Tvtropes.com at one point, and a show that is known for foreshadowing and using things from it’s past, Aang “seeing” Ozai move the way Toph did when we met her during the Earth Rumble is one of the coolest things ever done. It’s one of those things that rewards you for worshipping the show.

--- The “Peace” coda is everything a finale wrap-up should be: touching, poignant, and amusing, with a tinge of relief that the journey has been complete. Again, I point to the music, and one of my favorite moment in Avatar, and, to me, another enduring image: the close-up of Aang opening his eyes, dressed very much like Gyatso. It happens on a big dramatic drum hit, and floored me when it aired. That was more meaningful to me than Aang being able to go into the Avatar state normally, with just the brief glow.

--- So… the “mother” scene. Well, I thought it was necessary, because not mentioning it at all would have been a big mistake. Though I’m not quite sure Mike DiMartino totally understood what the ramifications would be. In his defense, I’m not sure anyone, even the most conscious artist, could anticipate the fallout this got. One thing I did notice this time is that the way the music ends the scene almost states that there would be some sort of follow-up…

--- Finally, I’d like to give yet another laudation to the Track Team for the music under the closing credits, giving us one final variant on the main Avatar theme.

Book 3 Thoughts

--- It’s easy to break Book 3 into halves, and I feel like that’s also the proper thing to do. The first half of Book 3 was aimless but pleasant, and the second half was a determined and brilliant coterie of episodes that recalled some of the best of Book 2.

--- The problem with Book 3 is that the aimlessness would have been fine if there were some more well-supported themes. Zuko’s desperation was merely hinted it, besides the Beach. We didn’t even see much of Zuko, actually. There were times where he’d disappear for an episode or 2, even though it was his choice that made Crossroads of destiny so memorable. We never got see his struggle to readapt to the Fire Nation, to see how his journey amongst Earth Kingdom locals affected him, until Sozin’s Comet.

--- Related to that, Combustion Man could have been the thread that held everything together, but he disappeared for long stretches as well, and didn’t do anything dramatic. He never seemed like a threat, in the way Zhao or Azula did. It seemed like the main goal of the first half of Book 3 was simply the passing of time. They simply had to survive until Day of Black Sun… except that they had nothing to struggle against.

--- I didn’t really like the episodic nature of the first half, but I still enjoyed the episodes, besides The Beach, which some claim actually happened. It did not.

--- The second half has that running thread in the form of Zuko. Everyone runs on an adventure with Zuko, establishing character relationships almost as if they were trying to make up for lost time, which they might have been, I suppose. And it ends with the most exultant finale ever produced.

--- The ranking of Book 3 is difficult. Without Sozin’s Comet, it ranks quite a bit behind Book 2, and slightly behind 1. But with Sozin’s Comet included, things become more complex. I can say that I put it above Book 1, but putting it ahead of Book 2 still seems anathema to me. Book 2 was just another level of perfection…. So while Book 3 contains the height of Avatar in Sozin’s Comet, Book 2 was just far too consistent and great for me to put Book 3 ahead.

--- So in the end, Book 3 is too flawed to be deemed a masterpiece akin to book 2, but it contains a masterpiece (if not 2, with Day of Black Sun). To be blunt: I liked Book 3 immensely.

It's been a fun week (in addition to this). Thanks for almost certainly maybe reading.

Kusuriuri

07-21-2009, 06:39 PM

:lmao Always fun to see the word limit reached, and in this case, so beautifully and triumphantly destroyed.

I will read that....later.

Taurus Versant

07-21-2009, 08:11 PM

Heh, if only Jove could get himself a gig writing about Avatar. He'd be set for life.

Nøøps

07-21-2009, 08:28 PM

Jove

07-21-2009, 08:37 PM

Heres to Jove, the man with one of the most extensive vocabularies on this entire site, we love you Avatar Joveku, and thank you for these beautiful reviews. So now what ae you going to do with your free time :awesome

heh heh...

I'm pushing 1,000 posts in my thread. I'm gonna enact my plan for that shortly, I suppose. :X3

Superstarseven

07-21-2009, 09:00 PM

Great Review Jove, in fact I believe that it deserves more views outside of a Naruto message board. I forgot another complaint about the finale.
"Too rushed, everything was rushed"

Of course it was, 57 episodes of backstory notwithstanding.

stab-o-tron5000

07-21-2009, 09:10 PM

--- I do say this quite a bit, but the scene where Azula finally does have a breakdown is one of the finest in the show. The framing, the mise-en-scene, the acting, and the direction is all very theatrical, and the Track team got full work out of the string section. It’s difficult to produce such a drastic character shift such as this, but they pulled it off remarkably well. It did not seem contrived or over-the-top. In fact, it was really heartbreaking and tragic.

* * * *

--- I’ve come to terms with Katara being the one to defeat Azula. Zuko is a main character, but even amongst the main characters, Katara stands above them, beside Aang. And Zuko was given the moral victory; he had finally gained the strength to fight equally with Azula, even besting her. And the expressions at the end are so poignant and profoundly joyless. There’s really no triumph over the way the Agni Kai ended, which is fitting and in line with Azula’s character arc, which went from being someone you’d cherish the thought of destroying to pity.

Azula's breakdown is, for me, one of the crowning achievements for the entire series. It literally changed my entire opinion of her character in the course of this single episode.

It just seemed the most honest and realistic ending for a character that, up until an episode ago, I didn't even realize was supposed to be a tragic character.

To be able to do that in the course of 1 episode* while not making it seem unnatural or forced is a true testament to the shows writing .

*not that there wasn't some foreshadowing, but the culmination of it all doesn't fully stand out until this episode

Superstarseven

07-22-2009, 11:31 AM

I'm certainly in agreement with how Azula's character turned out.
Before Sozin's coment, I seriously wanted her to be taken down and humbled. The idea of her rehabilitating at the top psychiatric hospital in The Fire Nation seems really unfortunate to me now.

Peaking at the age of 15...that sucks.

Koi

07-22-2009, 02:53 PM

Jove: Avatar of AWESOME.

ReikaiDemon

07-22-2009, 06:35 PM

Jove: Avatar of AWESOME.
What Avatar am I? D:

Taurus Versant

07-22-2009, 09:41 PM

Madness :LOS

I never knew that Mike and Brian were those two firebenders, Jove. You've enlightened me to one of the most hilarious moments of Avatar, once you get the context.

Nizuma Eiji

07-23-2009, 01:50 AM

Finally got around to watching it, I blasted through the whole series in about a week or so. Really enjoyable series, haha. I can't believe I didn't watch this sooner. Toph is definitely my favourite character, she's a really funny character and a genius badass bender . :gar

SCREW YOU!!!!!!!!!! You don't know the extreme pain of the nearly year long gap between season 2 & 3 & the long ass 2 or 3 month gap between the beginning of season 3 & the end of it.

Koi

07-23-2009, 02:42 AM

Looks like there was a solar eclipse in India today. I guess there was no FIREBENDING at the time.

Six minutes and thirty-nine seconds is definitely not long enough to invade and take over an entire country, even when they can't firebend for just as long. Sigh. Dammit.

Rika

07-23-2009, 03:12 AM

Looks like there was a solar eclipse in India today. I guess there was no FIREBENDING at the time.

That's frekkin' awesome :iria

I can't remember the last time I saw one :(

And LOL at your firebending comment :lmao

ReikaiDemon

07-23-2009, 03:35 AM

Madness :LOS

I never knew that Mike and Brian were those two firebenders, Jove. You've enlightened me to one of the most hilarious moments of Avatar, once you get the context.
Madness? :pek
And no, no 300 joke
Looks like there was a solar eclipse in India today. I guess there was no FIREBENDING at the time.

Six minutes and thirty-nine seconds is definitely not long enough to invade and take over an entire country, even when they can't firebend for just as long. Sigh. Dammit.

At least M.Night had a piss poor tine :LOS Oh M.Night, you pussy, you can't live without firebending for one second. He must be in a fetal position, bawling how he can't warm up his coffee :LOS

Taurus Versant

07-23-2009, 04:36 AM

I dunno, you're the avatar of insanity to me, Rekky.

Hidd3N_NiN

07-23-2009, 09:11 AM

SCREW YOU!!!!!!!!!! You don't know the extreme pain of the nearly year long gap between season 2 & 3 & the long ass 2 or 3 month gap between the beginning of season 3 & the end of it.

Muahahahaha. :awesome I went through that long ass wait while waiting for Lost as well. :amuse

I wonder if there's any youtube videos of Aang doing that really lame dance he likes to do. The one where he stamps his feet while swinging his arms. That always cracks me up.

Nøøps

07-23-2009, 11:01 AM

Is the position for avatar of tuberculosis still open :LOS

Nizuma Eiji

07-23-2009, 02:54 PM

Muahahahaha. :awesome I went through that long ass wait while waiting for Lost as well. :amuse

I wonder if there's any youtube videos of Aang doing that really lame dance he likes to do. The one where he stamps his feet while swinging his arms. That always cracks me up.

Ahh yes the Lost breaks. I've heard of those as well.
I take back the previous comment, Welcome Brother!!!

Jove

07-23-2009, 06:57 PM

SCREW YOU!!!!!!!!!! You don't know the extreme pain of the nearly year long gap between season 2 & 3 & the long ass 2 or 3 month gap between the beginning of season 3 & the end of it.

You underestimate, my friend. It was actually a 7.5 month gap between 311 and 312. Well, at least technically there was.

I'm just going to go ahead and remind everyone that my opus is on the previous page. I'm not going to let the memory fade. I'm willing to discuss all 23000 characters.

Taurus Versant

07-23-2009, 10:21 PM

I came in after the breaks, thankfully. I caught up right with Southern Air Temple (I think that was 312).

Or was that Western Air Temple? I can't remember. Either way, yeah, not too bad for me.

masterriku

07-24-2009, 12:11 AM

You underestimate, my friend. It was actually a 7.5 month gap between 311 and 312. Well, at least technically there was.

I'm just going to go ahead and remind everyone that my opus is on the previous page. I'm not going to let the memory fade. I'm willing to discuss all 23000 characters.

Are you sure about that I can name a collection of characters you won't talk about.:LOS

Nøøps

07-24-2009, 12:11 AM

So you want to discuss EVERY character...
Lets discuss the 345th "E" that you typed :LOS
Its my favorite "E"

Taurus Versant

07-24-2009, 12:16 AM

Despite most likely being impossible, it would be hilarious if he had less than 345 'e' characters.

Nøøps

07-24-2009, 12:18 AM

Well considering 'the' 'he' and 'she' are most commonly used the most, its not that unbelieveable. Wow listed to this discussion we are having over 1 'E' character :D

Taurus Versant

07-24-2009, 12:22 AM

That's why I said it was pretty much impossible for there not to be that many e characters.

ReikaiDemon

07-24-2009, 12:22 AM

Well considering 'the' 'he' and 'she' are most commonly used the most, its not that unbelieveable. Wow listed to this discussion we are having over 1 'E' character :D
The e is the most commonly used letter in the english language, in fact, I just used twelve.

Nizuma Eiji

07-24-2009, 12:29 AM

You underestimate, my friend. It was actually a 7.5 month gap between 311 and 312. Well, at least technically there was.

I'm just going to go ahead and remind everyone that my opus is on the previous page. I'm not going to let the memory fade. I'm willing to discuss all 23000 characters.

:cry Damn I thought that was right but felt like I would've been pushing it.

Jove

07-24-2009, 12:53 AM

Are you sure about that I can name a collection of characters you won't talk about.:LOS

My mood's too pleased to excoriate that incident again, but it may actually make me feel even better, now that I think about it.

So you want to discuss EVERY character...
Lets discuss the 345th "E" that you typed :LOS
Its my favorite "E"

You're starting to get it... hidden within that Three Gorges Dam of text is the solution to Part 4 of Cryptos. :edu

Nøøps

07-24-2009, 01:05 AM

Exactly, now all we need is some monkeys and some typewriters. Am i right :awesome

masterriku

07-24-2009, 06:35 AM

My mood's too pleased to excoriate that incident again, but it may actually make me feel even better, now that I think about it.

What evil double talk are you trying.:pek

Nøøps

07-24-2009, 02:36 PM

Just foret it riku, dont even attempt to understand waht jove says o_o

Jove

07-24-2009, 08:40 PM

I thought that was pretty straightforward. I was in a good mood, and wondered whether thinking about The Beach would sour my mood. But further deliberation made me think that destroying The Beach might enhance my good mood.

ReikaiDemon

07-25-2009, 12:15 AM

So, now that we watched the series, LETS DO IT IN 3D!

*puts on red/cyan anachrome anaglyph glasses*

Also, if Micheal Bay directed the movie, at the absolute risk of stale cardboard acting, we get the Beach utterly blown up ten quadrillion ways from Ghomesday

masterriku

07-25-2009, 05:13 PM

Taurus Versant

07-25-2009, 08:22 PM

Deep down he secretly likes it, but maintains this steady stream of hatred so no one catches on.

Jove

07-25-2009, 09:20 PM

Deep down he secretly likes it, but maintains this steady stream of hatred so no one catches on.

Go ahead and give me that much credit, espada groupie slime. But I am not a symbolist. The Beach eats dick-meat. It eats it, lets it pass through it's wretched, bilious, vile viscera, before it excretes it out as artless, unseemly, conceptual drivel.

ReikaiDemon

07-26-2009, 01:29 AM

Go ahead and give me that much credit, espada groupie slime. But I am not a symbolist. The Beach eats dick-meat. It eats it, lets it pass through it's wretched, bilious, vile viscera, before it excretes it out as artless, unseemly, conceptual drivel.
Om nom nom nom

Chee

07-26-2009, 01:39 AM

Wait, The Beach was the episode where Zuko and his friends are having an emo session right?

I hate that episode with a burning passion of a thousand suns. :pek

Koi

07-26-2009, 01:51 AM

But.. it teaches you that violence and petty crime ARE the answer!

ReikaiDemon

07-26-2009, 02:00 AM

But.. it teaches you that violence and petty crime ARE the answer!
And that boobs and preference towards statutory sex exists on Nick
:lmao

BAIL JAIT!

Nøøps

07-26-2009, 02:15 AM

It also tells us about Ty Lee's inner feelings :D
...
wait, who cares?

Superstarseven

07-26-2009, 07:10 PM

Wait, The Beach was the episode where Zuko and his friends are having an emo session right?

I hate that episode with a burning passion of a thousand suns. :pek

Emo session? Really?

Anyway back to the show. Some new panels of Avatar comics have been made available for all to see.

Panel featuring Combustion Man by Tom McWeeney
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c255/soldieroffaith/12486073505-2.jpg

Panel done by Corey Lewis, a manga inspired artist who also created Sharknife
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c255/soldieroffaith/124860741399-1.jpg

Panel done by a Japanese duo called Gurihuru
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c255/soldieroffaith/12486073959-1.jpg

Jove

07-26-2009, 07:17 PM

Dammit, where are the SDCC reports? I don't see any up yet. :pek

Italics

07-26-2009, 08:07 PM

Wait, The Beach was the episode where Zuko and his friends are having an emo session right?

I hate that episode with a burning passion of a thousand suns. :pek

:lmao

*flinches and waits for baseball bat to appear*

Emo session? Really?

Anyway back to the show. Some new panels of Avatar comics have been made available for all to see.

Panel featuring Combustion Man by Tom McWeeney
http://plus4chan.org/boards/a/src/12486073505.jpg

Panel done by Corey Lewis, a manga inspired artist who also created Sharknife
http://plus4chan.org/boards/a/src/124860741399.jpg

Panel done by a Japanese duo called Gurihuru
http://plus4chan.org/boards/a/src/12486073959.jpg

Wow - never seen that before.

Hotlinky they no likey.

Superstarseven

07-26-2009, 11:00 PM

Pictures are fixed.
Sifu Kisu uploaded this video teaching the "Zutarian Queen" some Firebending.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghipq5HdKaM

This is a picture of a new drawing by Bryan specifically for the SDCC.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2562/3756505677_a1217f2ce2_b.jpg

Nøøps

07-29-2009, 08:57 PM

I think that we should start making a weekly discussion about the Avatar Extras, and how canon we think they are :)
Anyone else have any discussion topics? We could always talk about the movie.

Shade

07-30-2009, 12:54 AM

That's a great piece of artwork, I'd love to see a special focused on multiple Appas and Momos.

EDIT: Last Airbender Manga Announced
July 27, 2009 by Charles Carver

During Comic Con ‘09, Del Ray Manga a division of Random House announced they will be releasing a Manga based on M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender. No release date has been announced yet. Dave Roman will be writing it and Nina Matsumoto will be creating prequel art.

Coupled with news of a new toy line just last week based off The Last Airbender, this gives Avatar fans even more to look forward too.

That's actually pretty interesting. Some of you migh tknow Nina Matsumoto as spacecoyote, who's a very talented artist, I should add. Check out her work over at: http://www.spacecoyote.com/

Chee

07-30-2009, 12:59 AM

based on M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender

Ew. No thanks.

Nøøps

07-30-2009, 01:14 AM

Come on Chee,dont be so negative about MNS.

Shade

07-30-2009, 01:38 AM

Yeah, I think we should wait for at least a theatrical trailer before bashing it, that should be a fair enough chance.

Nanatsurugi

07-30-2009, 01:40 AM

So this is the thread where I can yell and shout that I am so pissed off by Nickelodeon continiously repeating episodes instead of new ones. :mad It's a lot better now, but at first I was like miles away from everyone in following the plot :facepalm

Ziko

07-30-2009, 07:24 AM

Ehm, new episodes? The show is finished dude...

Nøøps

07-30-2009, 01:06 PM

Your post would have made more sense if you posted it 2 years ago :edu

Superstarseven

07-31-2009, 12:46 AM

So this is the thread where I can yell and shout that I am so pissed off by Nickelodeon continuously repeating episodes instead of new ones. :mad It's a lot better now, but at first I was like miles away from everyone in following the plot :facepalm

Nickelodeon hasn't aired an Avatar episode since the finale so you must mean Nicktoons. As far as I know, they don't really air episodes out of order. I remember each season being programmed to air from first to last and then back to first again. I personally liked YTV's schedule when they aired Season 3, I believe it was Avatar, next was Naruto, and Bleach. Something like that but I remember that it was a great lineup of shows.

On the subject of the Last Airbender manga, Nina Matsumoto is handling the prequel art(?) and an artist named Joon Choi is taking care of the main story art. They will be black and white as we all like our manga to be I'm sure. I personally would have loved a manga adaptation of the animated series but this seems close enough.

Jove

07-31-2009, 01:15 AM

On the subject of the Last Airbender manga, Nina Matsumoto is handling the prequel art(?) and an artist named Joon Choi is taking care of the main story art. They will be black and white as we all like our manga to be I'm sure. I personally would have loved a manga adaptation of the animated series but this seems close enough.

Well, I guess technically the Tokyopop thing is a manga adaptation, but you're right. A project where an artist is given freedom to slightly deviate, expand, espouse... that would be ideal.

Chee

07-31-2009, 01:19 AM

Come on Chee,dont be so negative about MNS.

So far, I'm not pleased. Final judgement will come on the full trailer, but until then I'm still gonna be grouchy.

Teaser sucked.

stab-o-tron5000

07-31-2009, 01:55 AM

Out of curiosity, what did you dislike about the teaser. I thought it was pretty good.

Nøøps

07-31-2009, 02:16 AM

Yeah it was beastly, and dont say it was just becase you disliked the person playing aang. And also who gives final judgement on a movie just on a theatrical trailer. :edu

memento

07-31-2009, 04:28 PM

The teaser was alright, but I think it took itself way too seriously... And Aang looked REALLY young. I hope the Trailer is better.

Superstarseven

07-31-2009, 06:42 PM

The teaser was alright, but I think it took itself way too seriously... And Aang looked REALLY young. I hope the Trailer is better.

Well just to put things into perspective, a world entirely at war is pretty serious so the subject matter can't be treated any more lightly than that. Aang looking young was one appealing factor of the show. This kid is going to save the world and he hasn't grown any peach fuzz yet. The Last Airbender is going for a Harry Potter type of feel so it's gotta come strong out of the gate.

Anyhow the documentary that Mike and Bryan are helming is, according to rumors, set to appear on an upcoming Avatar series Box Set. I'd love to see it but I'm not double-dipping. The early reaction to the Last Airbender manga is overwhelming, here's what one young man has to write about it -

NO. No no no. Why do fools insist on ruining American cartoons by applying Japanese craptacular styles to them?
Is there ANY reason why it can't be drawn in a normal style that requires actual talent?

Alright, apparently mangaka have no talent. It's a bit strange when you see the character designs used in the animated series.

Chee

07-31-2009, 06:48 PM

Out of curiosity, what did you dislike about the teaser. I thought it was pretty good.

Eh', it just didn't feel like Avatar. That whole "fighting" scene where he was blowing out candles was kind of lame.

They could've done more, like put clips of waterbending, firebending, airbending and earthbending in instead of that long, tiring scene they used. I didn't like the voice over either, they should've gotten the girl who plays Katara do it so it would feel like the opening to Avatar or something.

Dunno, that teaser could've been better. Hopefully that full trailer will be better.

Super Mike

07-31-2009, 07:24 PM

Good to see this place still going strong.

Long Live Avatar, still kicking japanese anime in the nuts.

Superstarseven

07-31-2009, 08:59 PM

Eh', it just didn't feel like Avatar. That whole "fighting" scene where he was blowing out candles was kind of lame.

They could've done more, like put clips of waterbending, firebending, airbending and earthbending in instead of that long, tiring scene they used. I didn't like the voice over either, they should've gotten the girl who plays Katara do it so it would feel like the opening to Avatar or something.

Dunno, that teaser could've been better. Hopefully that full trailer will be better.

I hate to be "that" guy but goshdamn, the situation calls for it. Firstly I believe Aang was training so It can't be called fighting scene. There has to be another party involved if one is to call something a fight. Blowing candles...lame? Is it ever awesome? Once again, he was training. Also adding in all those bending styles would have been great but the special effects are just now being worked on in the post-production phase of the film.

masterriku

08-02-2009, 01:45 AM

Time for my patented silence breaker..

SOKKA WANK WANK.

where is everyone?

Superstarseven

08-02-2009, 02:13 AM

I think that Mike and Bryan are enjoying a well deserved break from the 7 years of hard work they put into Avatar but I hope they come back to Animation soon. Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy are doing all the real Executing producing on the films so I'm not worried that they're spending their time on The Last Airbender but if M&B can have something going by 2011 at least, then I'll be happy.

Nøøps

08-02-2009, 02:57 AM

Even if its not avatar, i would love to see another 'serious' cartoon like avatar made by M&B

Jove

08-02-2009, 09:21 AM

Even if its not avatar, i would love to see another 'serious' cartoon like avatar made by M&B

Yes, very much so. But after such a resounding success, the pressure and scrutiny will be enormous. But I trust them to make a Samurai Champloo, and not a John from Cincinnati.

Nøøps

08-02-2009, 01:21 PM

Samurai Champloo = :beardthing

Dragonus Nesha

08-02-2009, 07:39 PM

So any news on a box set containing all three books?

masterriku

08-02-2009, 10:50 PM

Not to my knowledge but my knowledge is mid-tier at best in the fandom.:zaru

Nøøps

08-02-2009, 11:10 PM

I just saw the northern water tribe episodes in AvatarExtras, did you know tat the southern water tribe came to be when people from the north didnt like customs so they migrated south! :O

masterriku

08-03-2009, 12:11 AM

Yes ,in fact I don't even remember where I learned that from.

edit:In all likelihood it was probably here long ago.

Jove

08-03-2009, 10:03 AM

I just saw the northern water tribe episodes in AvatarExtras, did you know tat the southern water tribe came to be when people from the north didnt like customs so they migrated south! :O

I believe I read that somewhere... The Lost Scrolls: Water.

I was able to watch these AE's, thankfully. They still have very little intriguing material, but some stuff was cool, like how M&B made a specific point to Giancarlo Volpe to include the moon in as many shots of The Waterbending Master as he could.

Even doubting that any of it will be useful, I'm still looking forward to Siege of the North this Friday.

Nøøps

08-03-2009, 03:38 PM

Haha, Where can i find this lost scrolls thing?

Jove

08-03-2009, 09:15 PM

Haha, Where can i find this lost scrolls thing?

http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Scrolls-Collection-Avatar/dp/1416978224/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249344364&sr=8-1

I mean... you can get all 4 for $8. That's pretty awesome, and as Avatar I fully recommend it.

Selections:

http://piandao.org/scans/book-air-5.png

http://piandao.org/scans/book-air-4.png

http://piandao.org/scans/scrolls-air.html

http://piandao.org/scans/scrolls-earth.html

http://piandao.org/scans/scrolls-fire.html

http://piandao.org/scans/scrolls-water.html

masterriku

08-03-2009, 10:09 PM

"you must spread rep before giving jove again", woot I don't even remember the last time I repped you.:lmao

Jove

08-03-2009, 10:43 PM

I believe you repped me for trashing the Beach, for yet another time.

Sooooooo close to 1,000 posts in this thread. Time to prepare for The Day of Lacked Fun.

Hiroko

08-03-2009, 10:45 PM

Ew. No thanks.

I just don't even understand. Why can't they just base it off the original series and just add some blood and gore? Maybe kill Hakoda and Iroh for some character grief sessions. :apathy

Anything but the Shamwow. :argh

Superstarseven

08-03-2009, 11:06 PM

The Last Airbender is based off the original series, what else could it possibly be based on?
Do you mean copying every scene shot for shot into live action?
Blood and gore? The film is going for the Harry Potter audience so you won't be seeing any much more than a PG rating would allow.

Hiroko

08-03-2009, 11:48 PM

I was going by the standards of Shamwow.
He wants to ground things and make them more serious business. :zaru

And I don't give a shit if the movie is based off of the original series--that's obvious. They need to base the manga on the original, not a version of the original.

HP has been PG-13 before. And the fans were thankful. :apathy

Superstarseven

08-04-2009, 02:23 AM

You got me there, I know nothing of the HP books or mythology.
I do know Avatar though and if there are to be manga based on the series then these movie based manga must do well.
If anything they'll be some nice collectibles.

masterriku

08-04-2009, 02:46 AM

I believe you repped me for trashing the Beach, for yet another time.

Sooooooo close to 1,000 posts in this thread. Time to prepare for The Day of Lacked Fun.

Oh yeah good times.

Nøøps

08-04-2009, 01:10 PM

Thanks Joveku ur the best :zaru

Chaos Hokage

08-05-2009, 09:14 AM

Okay, so I just got into watching this show & I have to say that it's very good. I watch some of books 1 & 2 and most of book 3. Question: Is there going to be a book 4 since that fire kid watch to look for his mother?

Superstarseven

08-05-2009, 03:17 PM

Damn, you just spoiled yourself. To answer your question, there will be no book 4.
Nor is there a spin-off planned to tell the story of Zuko finding his mother.
61 episodes in the can, that's the entire Avatar saga.

For now.

SmackyTheFrog

08-05-2009, 06:17 PM

I'm pretty excited for the live action movie, the trailer looks awesome. I can tell their taking a different direction with this movie though.

Aang looks bitter/apathetic in every shot, he's supposed to be care free and upbeat. The tone seems too serious so far.

Jove

08-07-2009, 01:23 PM

Reminder to those with Nicktoons: Tonight is the final episodes of AvatarEXTRA!, with Siege of the North, starting at 6 PM EST.

Nøøps

08-07-2009, 04:05 PM

I dont have Nicktoons at my moms house :(

Jove

08-07-2009, 08:33 PM

I dont have Nicktoons at my moms house :(

But you have a beneficent Avatar looking out for you. I took down some of the highlights, but keep in mind that accounts for very little. Most of the pop-ups are trivial.

----There was one about the collaborative writing process of the show, where Aaron Ehasz and the writers wrote every show with Mike and Bryan. So once again, POOLDUDE IS A CUNT.

For those unaware, there was and possible still is a bloke in the fandom who has taken the sobriquet "Pooldude." You can imagine the sort of braindead cretin that would assume an identity like that, but he exuded it as well. He claimed to know someone that worked on the show, and I do believe that, since his episode title spoilers were accurate.

However, he also made some wild, brash, and astoundingly idiotic claims. One was that there was an undercurrent of resentment amongst the crew towards Mike and Bryan, due to their acknowledged desire to end the show after Book 3. Pooldude vociferously argued that the crew could carry on without them. Now obviously this is hogwash, since people such as Aaron Ehasz and the Track Team are personal friends of Bryke and would never continue the show without their consent.

But Pooldude's main argument was that Mike and Bryan did no physical writing on the show. And this was not ambiguous; he made it very clear that he understood there was zero writing done for the show by the two. He even claimed that the writing credits they received were essentially honorary titles. This has been disproven in many different mediums, but we can add a new one to the list, and I love it every time.

In short: Pooldude's contact didn't like Bryke; Pooldude had issues over his favorite show being finite; I want to rub quickrete in that cunt's corneas. The end. True story.

--- But anyway, the point of the pop-up was that the "black snow" that preceded the Fire Nation attack was apparently a very early idea.

---- There was one about fireballs being the Fire Nation's first method of attack. I noted this because some of these pop-up shows are really frustrating, mainly throwaway jokes. But this is a simple fact, about the show, and something you could certainly dedude but it's nice to see it on the screen

---- There was about 7 or 8 in a row about the trebuchet's the Fire Nation ships use to launch the fireballs. Counter weight systems, use of mallets, real world history of the device... it's this attention to detail that the show should have been from the beginning. If kids don't like thorough explanations of Medieval war edifices, fuck them. Fuck the kids.

---- Apparently, turtle-seals grow their shells after one year.

---- Nothing from Part 2 that's useful... except maybe that Koizilla is made from pure water and light.

---- Now the big one: there was indeed plans to make an Avatar special that focused on Iroh's infamous Siege of Ba Sing Se, but it never happened. I've read just about everything you could read about Avatar, and I don't recall confirmation on this. So I dare say this is the first time that has been officially noted.

Taurus Versant

08-07-2009, 08:36 PM

The rage of Avatar Joveku is a terrifying thing to behold :uwah

Nøøps

08-07-2009, 10:35 PM

HEy, how bout that, the Avatar extras actually gave us something not totally obvious :D
so you mean that there will be no book 2 extras? book 3?
i would like to see that.

Jove

08-08-2009, 01:07 AM

HEy, how bout that, the Avatar extras actually gave us something not totally obvious :D
so you mean that there will be no book 2 extras? book 3?
i would like to see that.

Not this year, unless they run something for the Winter. But I can't imagine they wouldn't see it through to the end. I'd like for them to get 2 and 3 out as soon as possible, but I'll begrudgingly take AvatarEXTRAS as a annual Summer treat...

And considering that 75% of the blurbs are goofy cast-offs, I don't see why they couldn't do at least two for each episode.

Shade

08-08-2009, 01:19 AM

I wish they'd do a series of specials, the Iroh one mentioned as well as the Zuko epilogue one. It's a pipe dream now, but they'd be great to see.

Koi

08-08-2009, 01:35 AM

So Zhao Twitters. Or.. Tweets? Twits? I dunno. Either way, I found it from http://rufftoon.livejournal.com/65101.html#cutid1

http://twitter.com/aasif_mandvi
Selected Zhao quotes-
Everyone loves the Fire Lord... said Zhao to his therapist.
1:49 PM Jun 17th from txt

Are you like me? As soon as you get your Armor on...you have to pee!
2:21 PM Jun 5th from web

It's raining at The Northern Air Temple again. Gonna kick some Aang today.
5:52 AM Jun 5th from TwitterFon

if you need me today, i will be at the Northern Air Temple getting some pillaging done.,
6:51 AM May 27th from TweetDeck

Thank God that Airbender called. Honestly its hard being villainous in your apartment by yourself.
5:02 PM May 26th from txt

@Beau_Carver thats funny cos i am wearing drawn on sideburns right now
9:51 AM May 28th from web in reply to Charles_Carver

Jove

08-08-2009, 01:46 AM

Daaaahhhhhhh... why is Zhao at the Northern Air Temple? That's War Minister Qin's canon territory! :notrust

Koi

08-08-2009, 01:49 AM

Maybe he heard they have cake.

Jove

08-08-2009, 02:19 AM

:uwah

I'm not sure if exploiting that fandom meme will bring me totally onboard for the movie, or make me hope for a phosphine leak outside each and every home of those responsible.

Koi

08-08-2009, 02:37 AM

Listen, maybe he is genuinely taking a pillaging break? Or looking for clues, or something?

ReikaiDemon

08-09-2009, 12:53 AM

Listen, maybe he is genuinely taking a pillaging break? Or looking for clues, or something?
Zhao raped me and then pillaged

Koi

08-09-2009, 01:32 AM

Zhao raped me and then pillaged

What was it like? :iria

ReikaiDemon

08-09-2009, 02:43 AM

What was it like? :iria
Surprisingly unsatisfying when I think of it. You know, when you like, remove the shock of rape and everything, I mean, he IS asian after all.

And it burns.

masterriku

08-13-2009, 10:11 PM

I've figured out how M.night will ruin this movie he will make the Fire Nation Werewolves from the future.

Jove

08-13-2009, 10:27 PM

I've figured out how M.night will ruin this movie he will make the Fire Nation Werewolves from the future.

And Zhao will be a movie critic that has the audacity to critique things, who will die in a completely non-symbolic manner to said werewolves. :quite

Taurus Versant

08-14-2009, 12:09 AM

And Zhao will be a movie critic that has the audacity to critique things, who will die in a completely non-symbolic manner to said werewolves. :quite

You're not letting The Lady in the Water go, are you Jove?

3 more :LOS

Hiroko

08-14-2009, 01:14 AM

You said Lady in the Water, and I thought The Painted Lady. :argh

M. Night will write out that scene bc it's too familiar for him. :edu

Superstarseven

08-14-2009, 03:42 AM

And Zhao will be a movie critic that has the audacity to critique things, who will die in a completely non-symbolic manner to said werewolves. :quite

I didn't know what you were talking about but I found the scene you were referring to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkSpo6DR59c

stab-o-tron5000

08-14-2009, 04:23 AM

I'm trying to think of a reply to that clip. But, after watching it, I just... that, my mind... just doesn't feel.,;'ffffffffghhhhhhhkgfp[[[ purlpe 34 truckstop!

ReikaiDemon

08-14-2009, 05:25 PM

I'm trying to think of a reply to that clip. But, after watching it, I just... that, my mind... just doesn't feel.,;'ffffffffghhhhhhhkgfp[[[ purlpe 34 truckstop!
Ladies and gentlemen, we found the new Scissors 61 of our age

Taurus Versant

08-14-2009, 08:50 PM

Mindblowing.

Nøøps

08-15-2009, 07:40 PM

Mindbending :edu

Taurus Versant

08-15-2009, 09:01 PM

Mindblending :argh

stab-o-tron5000

08-16-2009, 06:33 AM

Woah. Ok, that was weird.

I just woke up a few hours agao in my back yard. My clothes are dirty and torn, dried blood surrounded my nose and ears, and all I can remember was clicking on a youtube link a few minutes ago.

Only it wasn't a few minutes ago. I come into my house and bring up this forum only to find I made a post, a post I don't remember making, days ago after I (apparently) watched that clip.

My house is a mess. My couch had been slashed open (I think by me), all the contents of my refrigerator are piled in the middle of my garage in a pyramid, and there's what appears to be a garbage back full of diced up hobo (judging by the pile of clothes smelling of urine and crack laying next to it) in my living room.

I guess what I'm getting at is, despite my attempts to defend M. Knight in previous posts. After seeing that clip (I think), I'm no longer very hopeful for this movie.

Taurus Versant

08-16-2009, 06:43 AM

Jesus, that video is a weapon of ultimate destruction :argh

Bury it under spoiler tags before it claims a new victim :argh

Shade

08-16-2009, 12:55 PM

Holy shit, that video just drained everything. Every silent hidden hope I had for this movie all washed out and down the drain. WTF did I just see?

Nøøps

08-16-2009, 01:03 PM

Wait, what am i missing that makes you all freak out? o_O

Jove

08-16-2009, 05:05 PM

I had the decency to simply allude to it; SS7 went that extra, baneful step of displaying the tragedy. The literal tragedy, where M. Night decided it wasn't enough to have a film critic character that's totally irredeemable and loathesome, but then to have him die in such a forthright manner, with dialogue that's only discernible purpose is to decimate any notion of allegory. :notrust

squilliam

08-16-2009, 05:24 PM

I have a feeling that the movie adaptation will fail epically....is Avatar really popular enough to have a live action movie made after it?

Taurus Versant

08-16-2009, 06:31 PM

It's good enough. The real question is, is M.Night good enough to make a live action movie of Avatar.

Answer's no.

ReikaiDemon

08-16-2009, 06:38 PM

Jaga

08-17-2009, 12:32 AM

i found some pics from the set of the movie from http://www.saiyanisland.com/2009/08/the-last-airbender-set-photos
http://images.saiyanisland.com/images/2/small/1_the-last-airbender-01.jpghttp://images.saiyanisland.com/images/2/small/1_the-last-airbender-02.jpg
fire nation logos

Nøøps

08-17-2009, 12:55 AM

Well atleast tahts some good accuracy.
@jove im going to pretend i know waht you just said :D

Quaero

08-18-2009, 06:28 PM

Koi

08-18-2009, 06:55 PM

^Oh Jesus. I pray that that isn't real.

Chee

08-18-2009, 07:00 PM

the war will return in three years, giving the firebenders control over their Chi, and thus the ability to create fire themselves.

Wait...whut?

Hiroko

08-18-2009, 07:09 PM

http://lastairbenderfilm.com/2009/08/18/exclusive-journeys-the-spirit-world/

:wth

Beware! This link fowards to an inimaginabe source of mindscrew if you even remotely understand the series, proceed with caution.

Ps: Oh no! I knew this would happen! Fang ate Roku! (and Koh, and Pathik)

:facepalm

What the HEEELLLL :wth

Right off the bat we're told Aang has to choose between being Avatar and being with Katara... Oh joy! :argh

Wait...whut?

Seriously. It's written as if they lost their powers or something. :facepalm

Oh, and they want to destroy the Spirit Realm. Bc that was mentioned all the time in the series. :apathy

I don't even want to know anything else about this travesty at this point. :scry

Chee

08-18-2009, 07:13 PM

The only time that it was mentioned, as far as I can think of, was when Zhao killed the yen (or was it yang?) fish. But it didn't destroy the spirit world, it would've done more damage to the world.

Austeria

08-18-2009, 07:41 PM

Emperor Joker

08-19-2009, 01:21 AM

http://lastairbenderfilm.com/2009/08/18/exclusive-journeys-the-spirit-world/

:wth

Beware! This link fowards to an inimaginabe source of mindscrew if you even remotely understand the series.

Proceed with EXTREME caution.

Ps: Oh no! I knew this would happen! Fang ate Roku! (and Koh, and Pathik)

:facepalm

Christ:notrust The more I hear about this the more I know I'm going to hate it.

And they fused Avatar Roku, Fang and freaking Koh together, what the hell is that!

Why can't Aang be both with Katara and be the Avatar, there's nothing the Job Description that says the Avatar can't have girlfriend. (At least I hope not for this movie's sake)

Manwë Súlimo

08-19-2009, 07:36 AM

@ Lady in the Water clip: Kill it. Kill it with FIRE!

@ "Early Draft": OMFG. That can't be the draft. At least, it can't be accurate. "Choose between being with Katara or being the Avatar"? The deal from the show was "Choose between being with Katara or being able to use the Avatar State". Even then it was sorted out so Aang could do both (he likely just didn't comprehend that "giving up Katara" was only temporary. Guru Pathik's exact words were "Learn to let her go, or you cannot let the cosmic energy flow in from the universe." The idea was that if he had to, he would be able to let Katara go, but not that he had to let Katara go permanently and be celibate)

My expectations for the movie are dropping by the second.

Chee

08-19-2009, 10:31 AM

They are probably gonna try and make it more of a choice to create tension and shit.

Nøøps

08-19-2009, 01:39 PM

I can reason with the 3 years thing, because its going to take a few years to make the three movies, and if they make it like 1 year like its supposed to, the actors will over age their charecters, so this 3 years thing is best. As far as the other changes, they are outlandish, but you have to understand that movie adaptations of cartoons will never ever ever be like the original cartoon. That is something ive learned to accept with movies, and you all should too.
P.S. stop complaining, we ll know your still going to see it ;)

Taurus Versant

08-19-2009, 07:09 PM

I'm not reading it, but I assure you, there's no way in hell a script exert could be out like that.

Shake your head and laugh at the fail.

And keep a small measure of your soul praying it's not true.

Noah

08-19-2009, 07:24 PM

ReikaiDemon

08-20-2009, 12:09 AM

I declare, that this movie will give us all cancer ._.

Taurus Versant

08-20-2009, 12:13 AM

Well, at least cause of that we won't have to sit through the second and third movies :dupe

Nøøps

08-20-2009, 01:01 AM

Holy shit, finally. Who are you and where have you been this whole time?

Yo mean you have come to accept that fact too? Finally a tard with some sense :LOS

tard=narutard

Jove

08-25-2009, 04:29 AM

Holy shit, finally. Who are you and where have you been this whole time?

I dunno where Noops came from, but it looks like you're still residing in a place where they confuse a carefree attitude about the movie for some kind of logic or reason. There are legitimate complaints about this movie, and you know that, mister.

Anyway:

Number one: why did this thread fall to page 2 again? :notrust

Number two: this is my 999th post in this thread. I've been writing 1,000 sporadically for the last few days, and it's going to be massive. Massive enough that I can't post it all in one day. That and the fact that I haven't finished it... So over the next however many days, Jove's 1K will be presented to you, my favorite specific-interest-internet-forum-unrelated-subforum-thread people in the world. The true 1,000 will be coming later today.

Taurus Versant

08-25-2009, 07:41 AM

You'd better make that first post kick ass though. The true 1000. It will be the stuff of thread legend.

Jove

08-25-2009, 07:06 PM

You'd better make that first post kick ass though. The true 1000. It will be the stuff of thread legend.

I consider it all one post, akin to Sozin's Comet being one episode divided into four sections. And thus, it begins:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was just over a year ago that Avatar: the Last Airbender, transmitted it's final episode. And on that night, pages in this thread flew by with astounding alacrity. And thanks to that fandom frenzy, soon thereafter we achieved done of my goals for this thread: 500 pages. It's nominally arbitrary, I know, but to me that validated what we had all known for a long time: this thread was awesome. That was another goal of mine: to make this thread a citadel of the Avatar fandom. Everything could be found here: news, drama, shipping battles, lulz, debate, philosophy, history, devotion... everything. And it was possible because very awesome people devoted their time to this thread. What was a simple discussion thread has evolved into a Fortress of Incredible housing an eclectic coven of Avatards devoted to lulz, pedantic posturing, and the greatest show ever to take breath. Yes, a show that took breath.

And even though the show has been moribund for a year (that would be, bereft of breath), there remains sustained activity in this thread. And so this thread continues to be rewarding and satisfying, but my post count within it has steadily risen. And eventually, I realized that 1000 posts was going to happen.

The question of what my 1000th post would be a complex issue with a simple answered. It would have to be something devoted to the show, reveal a frightful devotion and effort, be far too ambitious for NF, and display my typically highfalutin verbosity. Obviously, I had to rank all 61 Chapters. I had to, and I wanted to. I desired it. I craved it. My mind was hungry for it. I'm a listmaker. I make lists. I torture myself to construct them and agonize over slight demarcations. I tried this at least a half dozen times, tortuously poring over the stratification of quality, and stalling.

But this time I was focused, and it began thus:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d192/joviansatellite/005.jpg

By sorting the organized Books into qualitative pools, that became this:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d192/joviansatellite/0012.jpg

And from that, this list was derived. I know that others have ranked the Chapters before, most prominently the lurid, wretched cunts at DongBuFeng. Nut I claim the staus of Ultimate Episode Ranking for this thread. I want this to be the source the fandom makes when they consider a grading of the Chapters. That it spreads and infests the fandom, promulgating the quality of this thread and becoming a renowned example of the fandom’s comprehensive audacity. I want this to be the Episode Ranking List. If someone were to walk into their local library, demonstratively strut over to the Reference Desk and demand a ranking of every episode of Avatar: the Last Airbender, the clerk would scribble this url on a notecard and insouciant flip it over to them. That what I want this Ranking to be.

Most importantly, I dedicate this post to my lovely, enchanting, and astonishingly patient girlfriend, Laura. To everyone’s disbelief, she puts up with this overindulgent nonsense. The constant, latent fear that an Avatar ramble could arise instantly before she can brace herself. The inappropriate use of Avatar-related metaphors. The wildly oblivious mentions of the show itself. The outrageous praise I heap upon the show in totally pedantic phrasing... she's tolerated it all. I mean honestly... can you imagine having do deal with this? It makes me virulently ill to think about it, and I'm the perpetrator. And she’s not only tolerated it, she fully encouraged me in the writing of this omnibus monstrosity, and pushed me to finish it quicker than I probably would have without her. I can write 8,000 words about Avatar over however many days, and still, without even a faint penumbral shadow of hesitation, fawningly say that she‘s more awesome than the show. Way more awesome. Tell her so: http://forums.narutofan.com/member.php?u=15970.

And so... the list:

Avatar: the Last Airbender Episode Ranking

NOT RATED

The Beach

Once upon a time, there was a boy named Substance. Substance enjoyed his life; people craved his company, and would protect him. Then a mean, rapacious monster named Ambition flew in. Literally. Ambition's actually an excellent pilot. Ambition has a private flying licence, and over 1800 air hours. Ambition could make a living from it, if Ambition was honest with itself. Seriously.

Anyway, Ambition decided it wanted to rape the living fuck out of Substance. As I mentioned, Ambition is rapacious. That was not a randomly chosen adjective. But as Ambition's sallow, rapier-like nails descended upon Substance, Dignity arrived. Dignity, the square-jawed stoic of heroic timing, casually slapped Ambition's bilious paw away. Ambition tried every trick it had, but dignity saw through the pointlessly labyrinthine processes and eventually stuck a thundering blow to Ambition's xiphoid process, and with a cavalier pace walked over to end Ambition's tyrannical influence for good.

It was at that point that Mike and Bryan burst into the carnage. Having recently consented to allow Ambition to control them for one week, they callously slaughtered Dignity like it was fucking Grendel's Mother, tied down Substance with Strychnine-coated barbed wire in a most awkward and salacious position, and told Ambition to go to town, fully aware of what that meant. Ambition certainly did "go to town," it's maniacally savage intercourse leaving Substance with a punctured liver and a collapsed lung. There were no survivors.

And that's how The Beach was made.

60.

The Painted Lady

There's a problem with this sort of ambitious list, a catastrophic flaw that yearns to undermine the entire list itself: you feel distraught if you like every single thing you are ranking. And I do I like every episode. I've lost all critical capacity in Avatar-related materials. So ranking an episode as the last-place episode is painful. Is Painted Lady a woeful entrant to the Avatar canon? No, I don't believe so. It would be an enthralling entrant to a lesser ouevre, certainly. But it does have some deficient pacing, and it's possibly the apex of Katara's Mary Sue-ness. And that's saying something.

59.

The King of Omashu

I reiterate: I like this episode. It does manage to introduce an enigmatic, beloved character that also happens to be a member of the White Lotus, and it introduces the Defeat the Fire Lord plot point. But it is pretty inessential, however endearingly goofy it is. Even a quick glance at tvtropes.com would reveal the singular presence of Avatar on that website. Like most great narratives, the plot is recognizable but so full of idiosyncracies that it seems like it could appear in no other manner. Still, there are a number of Avatar episodes where yo wonder if this plot could not be transplanted into another heroic kid's show. King of Omashu is such a show, even though it is hilarious throughout.

58.

The Waterbending Scroll

This might have been a tad higher, if not for the hilariously cartoonish "dust cloud fight" in the climax. I guess Western animation did that some influence on the show. This episode reminds me a lot of the pilot, in the way Zuko relates to Aang. But it does give a greater sense of the discipline of Waterbending, and provides some interesting tension between the industrious Katara and the naturally gifted Aang, Unfortunately, this tension was left to this episode...

57.

The Awakening

Book 3 began with a inaudible scream. And that’s an apt metaphor, because superficially, a lot happens here: two extended exposition sequences, a grand fight scene, any number of deus ex machina… And yet, they never spending enough time on one thing for it to mean anything. The only scene they laid out for resulted in Katara undermining the entire feminist ideals of the show, turning into a sniffling, histrionic mess because of daddy issues. However, it does provide a nice parallel to the scene between Zuko and Ozai, which is equally tense for entirely different reasons. It also ends with one of the more poignant shots in the series.

56.

The Great Divide

Fine. I'll defend the Great Divide. I really love the stylization of the differing stories of Win Jei and Jei Win. Avatar never broke from their established look, so those vignettes are a refreshing part of the canon. And it's an excellent use of Rashoman Effect. But it also is, by a stunningly large margin, the most inessential episode in the series.

55.

Avatar Day

Pleasantly innocuous. However, Detective Sokka remains woefully underrated. Yes, Wang Fiyahh swooped in and stole his spot, but Detective Sokka is still excessively great. Also, Kyoshi and Aang's relationship sometimes interests me more than Aang and Roku. As contrasting elements, there always seemed to be a frigid relationship between the two, and near disinterest from Kyoshi towards Aang's problems. For it's placement in Book 2 I believe it works, a final bit of frivolous, jovial fun before the Book's story arc truly begins.

Nøøps

08-26-2009, 01:00 AM

1.) This post, however long it may become, and however many posts it actually takes up, will forever be known as, "The Truely Epic 1000th Avatar Related Post Made By Avatar Joveku", or the shorter version, "The Post". I will personally make sure that "The Post" is known to the world! Just look at my signatre already.

2.) In a very ellaborate fashion, I successfully told your girlfriend that she was "awesome". I tried to refrain from merely posting, "Your awesome!", and by trying to avoid it, i over avoided it, and the intelligent beast-child of a compliment can be found on her profile page.

3.
I dunno where Noops came from, but it looks like you're still residing in a place where they confuse a carefree attitude about the movie for some kind of logic or reason. There are legitimate complaints about this movie, and you know that, mister.

Ahem, *deep breath* NO! (joke)
I will have you know that I am the type of person who is willing to compensate and make peace with live action adaptations of cartoons. It is a bad habit, but that is just the way i am built, and i have this compentative nature with every movie i see ... except for Meet the Spartans ... it sucked hardcore. Anyways, even with Avatar, one of the best cartoons ever, i still make these compensations and i will continue to reason with the leaked information about the movie until i see the final product, and as of now, i have nothing but good wishes for this movie.

Superstarseven

08-26-2009, 01:23 AM

Considering that the majority of episodes start with "the", Titling Jove's opus "The Post" is perfect.

ReikaiDemon

08-26-2009, 01:57 AM

Considering that the majority of episodes start with "the", Titling Jove's opus "The Post" is perfect.
Why not call it The Big The?

Manwë Súlimo

08-26-2009, 07:58 AM

Nah, "The Post" sounds more epic.

Superstarseven

08-26-2009, 11:08 AM

I'm just amazed that Jove took time away from writing that young adult novel that he's been working on since 2006.
Can't wait to see it published buddy!

Nøøps

08-26-2009, 12:22 PM

Young adult novel? what is it about? Haha.

Hiroko

08-26-2009, 01:01 PM

Jove's writing a YA novel? :iria

Perhaps, one day, you too shall adorn my bookshelf right next to John Green, Jove. :quite

masterriku

08-26-2009, 07:38 PM

1.) This post, however long it may become, and however many posts it actually takes up, will forever be known as, "The Truely Epic 1000th Avatar Related Post Made By Avatar Joveku", or the shorter version, "The Post". I will personally make sure that "The Post" is known to the world! Just look at my signatre already.

2.) In a very ellaborate fashion, I successfully told your girlfriend that she was "awesome". I tried to refrain from merely posting, "Your awesome!", and by trying to avoid it, i over avoided it, and the intelligent beast-child of a compliment can be found on her profile page.

3.

Ahem, *deep breath* NO! (joke)
I will have you know that I am the type of person who is willing to compensate and make peace with live action adaptations of cartoons. It is a bad habit, but that is just the way i am built, and i have this compentative nature with every movie i see ... except for Meet the Spartans ... it sucked hardcore. Anyways, even with Avatar, one of the best cartoons ever, i still make these compensations and i will continue to reason with the leaked information about the movie until i see the final product, and as of now, i have nothing but good wishes for this movie.

Considering that the majority of episodes start with "the", Titling Jove's opus "The Post" is perfect.

Why not call it The Big The?

Nah, "The Post" sounds more epic.

Young adult novel? what is it about? Haha.

Jove's writing a YA novel? :iria

Perhaps, one day, you too shall adorn my bookshelf right next to John Green, Jove. :quite

AWWWW MAN I wanted it to be one continuous ranking/1k post then you guys had to come along and mess that up :wth I hope Koi comes for all of you tonight.::vegetant

While I'm here excellent Jove and the beach is exactly where I thought it would be............... exactly where it belong.

Nøøps

08-26-2009, 07:54 PM

AWWWW MAN I wanted it to be one continuous ranking/1k post then you guys had to come along and mess that up :wth I hope Koi comes for all of you tonight.::vegetant

While I'm here excellent Jove and the beach is exactly where I thought it would be............... exactly where it belong.

Well, he hasnt posted since "The Post", and how can you make us wait over a day to post in this magnificent thread.

masterriku

08-26-2009, 08:08 PM

Jove is the closest thing to a patron saint we have ,we could have waited. :pek

Voynich

08-26-2009, 08:14 PM

Haha well I'm egging him on here, so you should get post nr. 2 tonight.

*dangles irresistable metaphorical carrot in front of Jove's nose*

Jove

08-26-2009, 10:10 PM

Jove's writing a YA novel? :iria

Yes. It is a rousingly polemic yarn about a boy and his sister, who commit incestuous act in protest of the draconian government that is oppressing the people of their village. The people of the province the village is located are appalled, and this revulsion leads to a Vote of No Confidence and the sweeping of Parliamentary elections, which results in the institution of widespread reformative legislation.

They continue the incest, though.

It's a non-metaphorical satire about people who commit incest as a form of civil disobedience.

Anyway, this post is once again dedicated to Laura, my voluptuous, cherubic siren, instigator of Oranjekoorts and adroit carrot-dangler. Nonpareil of awesome, she should be commended for her inexplicable tolerance of such bollocks as the net few thousand words. Tell her so: http://forums.narutofan.com/member.php?u=15970.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

54.

The Headband

A pleasant and rewarding conceit to a show, which somewhat subverts the hackneyed Footloose concept by making it less campy and more about legitimate control over adolescent emotional development. There’s also some pretty sensual Kataang ship fodder going on, which takes place over the brilliant piece the Track Team conjured for The Flamios. This episode is an archetype of the first half of Book 3: the plot is innocuous, but the show itself looks incredible. The art of Book 3 is so consistently stunning. We also begin to see the emerging desperation in Zuko, as well as his aimless anxiety over his dissatisfaction with returning to the Royal Line. However, that pays off with the introduction of Combustion, which might have been portentious at the time but ended up being a massive disappointment itself.

But more importantly, this show introduces the Nonpareil of Esteem, the embodiment of the essence of human awesome, the most sublimely perfect being of the Avaverse... Wang Fiyahhh. Don't fret that Wang Fire's episode is a lowly #52, instead of #1. Wang Fire accepts and embraces this; that's who Wang Fire is, people.

53.

The Fortuneteller

A show simultaneously dedicated to romance and science, I’ve always liked this one as a pleasant bit of fluff, and it does have a layered message. But with the fruitful shipping and diplomatic fundamentals, it’s nearly as inessential as The Great Divide. Still, it has a nice theme about pseudoscience and mysticism, without becoming preachy or vindictive. In fact, it's possibly the finest example of the contention between Katara's faithful enthusiasm and Sokka's sardonic skepticism. In the end, it recognizes the social value of fortunetelling, which I felt was a proper stance. And the Volcano sequence was fantastic. Avatar had a tendency to supplement inconsequential plots with exhilarating actions scenes, which is certainly the case with this episode. The Fortuneteller also has the distinction of containing the Panda Lily musical cue, which is one of the more popular Track Team pieces amongst the fandom.

52.

Return to Omashu

Azula basically single-handedly saves an episode from inessential status, as she meets and battles Aang for the first time, in a thrilling 3rd act sequence. The pentapox b-story was silly, but an amusing catalyst for the real plot, which only reveals itself late in the 2nd act. I also feel that the Omashu resistance was underplayed; the fact that they felt so betrayed by Bumi was almost casually referenced. There was quite a bit of movement in this episode, with the pentapox evacuation and the climactic battles, but I yearned for more about the presence of the Fire Nation in a subjugated Earth Kingdom city. I felt that this episode was more anodyne than it should have been. But it is here that we get our first misdirect of Book 2; the most logical choice for the role of Aang’s Earthbending teacher refuses the offer.

51.

The Western Air Temple

Obviously, it was going to be awkward more when Zuko joined the Gaang. But the episode is kind of awkward itself. It sort of meanders about until Zuko finally reveals himself. And while the fight with Combustion Man was exciting, his character never earned the emotional investment needed to make his defeat meaningful. He never reflected upon Aang or Zuko's condition in Book 3, which is what a character like his was supposed to do, at least with Zuko. But Zuko is also hilarious in this episode, and I can say that this episode drastically improves upon repeat viewings. For one thing, the revelation of the Western Air Temple's design is still as breathtaking as it was when it first aired... IN CANADA. It was awkward, but it wasn't as awkward as it might have been, and it concludes with one of the more surprising and startling bits of dialogue in the show, which led to a very unsurprising nuclear holocaust of Zutara that startled no one.

50.

The Northern Air Temple

A charming moral tale about the passage of time and culture, it was nice to reestablish Aang’s Air Nomad connections before he went to sincerely learn his first foreign element. And, more importantly, we also begin to fully establish Sokka’s ingenuity and mechanical inclination. Furthermore, we get insight into the Fire Nation’s technological advantage, and their thirst for progress. War Minister Qin makes his first appearance as well, in a far more dignified manner than we'd grow accustom to seeing him. I also love the seamless blend of hand-drawn and CGI, something Avatar had perfected from the very first Chapter. I feel like I am underrating this one a bit, especially when you consider the final shot pays off so well on the Day of Black Sun… a full 34 episodes later!

49.

The Boy in the Iceberg

The series begins with an episode that does indeed hold up, and in fact grows more likable as we become further removed from the series' run. Not only does it include the breathtakingly eloquent original title sequence, it includes a number of famous scenes, and effectively introduces all major characters. In fact, it’s remarkable how well the personalities are established without seeming like stock characters. Aang as the prankster hero , Zuko as the sullen semi-antagonist, Iroh as the antagonist's counterpart who assuages the irredeemable quality of said antagonist, Sokka as the cynical chauvinist, and Katara as the optimistic hope-monger; all seemed so natural, imbued with the grace of the art and the show's nuanced concept. Of course, the art is noticeably different from later episodes, but still lush and inviting. But even severed from The Avatar Returns, this is a fun and vibrant episode. Even after 61 Chapters and a bevy of memorable scenes, its' hard not to think fo the penguin sledding scene as a defining moment in Avatar, if only for the Track Team musical score of it.

Speaking of severing episodes, I’d like to point out that it was a considerably arduous feat to judge a lot of these two-part episodes separately, let alone the four-part Sozin’s Comet. And when you think about these specials, you really are presented with two entities: the episodes separated and the episodes together. There’s such a distinct feeling to the conjoined parts, even if they were produced as distinct episodes. Because of this, I am ranking the special episodes, regardless of whether or not they were intended as multi-part episodes, within the list itself. They will be designated by half numbers.

48.

The Southern Raiders

A dilemma of pacing. The show seems to veer between speeds, and it’s detracting and disorienting. The first two acts are subdued, with the second continuing that pace until moving at breakneck speed near the actbreak, and the final act continues this havoc before abruptly becoming eerily quiescent in the lead up to the climax. In truth, the pacing works well once they arrive at the Southern Raiders' ship, and he disturbingly quiet scene of Yon Rha slipping deeper into paranoia on his trip to the market for his mother is utterly mesmeric. But it seems like overkill; they took far too long to get to the action, even if Katara stopping the rain is one of the most galvanizing and thrilling sequences in the series. The one thing holding it together are the flashback segments, which are captivating. It's kind of nice to see a oft-referenced character, a character who's death had a profound influence on a main character, be revealed, providing meaningful insight into the motivations and vulnerabilities of that character. Especially if that character is the mother of the affected player. Of course, that only happened once in Avatar

47.

The Runaway

If the episode was about Hawky, and I mean exclusively about Hawky, akin to an avian-based Zuko Alone… it would be #1. In fact, it would be the ONLY RANKED EPISODE IN SUCH A SCENARIO. But it is not. It’s about gambling, maternal instinct, I dunno. WHO CARES?! It’s not about Hawky! I must mention the Raymond Scott influenced score the Track Team created for the montage of Toph/Sokka/Aang hustling. It’s stunning. And it is touching to see the tumultuous bond between Katara and Toph strengthen. Equally strengthened is the notion that every goes well until Katara gets it in the way. This episode a good example of the problem with hating early Book 3 Chapters: while the plots may be relatively light in their relevance, the shows are well-constructed, beautifully drawn, and enjoyable.

Manwë Súlimo

08-26-2009, 11:30 PM

Another great Post, Jove. Keep 'em coming! With you on our side, we WILL turn this thread into the most epic thread across the entire internet. :pek

I have to say, this was my favorite part of the post:

It was awkward, but it wasn't as awkward as it might have been, and it concludes with one of the more surprising and startling bits of dialogue in the show, which led to a very unsurprising nuclear holocaust of Zutara that startled no one.

:rotfl

Nope, no surprise at all...:hurr

Jove

08-27-2009, 12:40 AM

Another great Post, Jove. Keep 'em coming! With you on our side, we WILL turn this thread into the most epic thread across the entire internet. :pek

I have to say, this was my favorite part of the post:

:rotfl

Nope, no surprise at all...:hurr

Heh, nope. And I trust you guys. With you guys supporting me, we will rule the internet very shortly.:quite

I'm looking forward the most to really debating placement and stuff... but we don't have to wait until The Post is over. I'm sure you guys might be anticipating what's coming up, as well. I'd be interested to see what might match up there.

It's so hard to keep these under the character limit and still get a decent amount of episodes in...

By the way, I forgot to congratulate TV on his 500th post. Well done, young man! You worship the Espada but act like a Captain. :quite

Superstarseven

08-27-2009, 11:11 AM

I don't think I'll be debating even though I disagree with your analyses of some episodes.
You have my support though. If I could Digg it, I would.

Nøøps

08-27-2009, 12:10 PM

Jove, your words make love with my mind.

Another beautiful entry to The Post. I can see it now:
Book 4
Jove

Chapter 1
The Post

Jove

08-27-2009, 03:49 PM

I don't think I'll be debating even though I disagree with your analyses of some episodes.
You have my support though. If I could Digg it, I would.

Well, this is a purpose of this; I'd like to debate. At the very least, to hear about the disagreements. It's not like I'm giving these episodes broad statements of "OMG NO WAY BRYKE WTF!:(" or "POMG IZ THE BEZT!:amazed." Though I would like to...

Nøøps

08-27-2009, 04:33 PM

I just realised that i joined 3 months before Jove, but he is literally 10x more awesome than me.

Debate:
I think that the Southern Raiders deserves a better spot in my opinion.

I think that the Great Divide deserves a worse spot in my opinion.

That should get us started. :)

masterriku

08-27-2009, 04:35 PM

He spends his time trolling ulquihime. :LOS

Nøøps

08-27-2009, 04:43 PM

:vegeta ... :pek:gun ... :vegetant

Jove

08-27-2009, 04:51 PM

He spends his time trolling ulquihime. :LOS

Blechtara? :uwah

I just realised that i joined 3 months before Jove, but he is literally 10x more awesome than me.

Debate:
I think that the Southern Raiders deserves a better spot in my opinion.

I think that the Great Divide deserves a worse spot in my opinion.

That should get us started. :)

I can see that. The think one of my problems with the butterness towards the Great Divide is that it really is a well-constructed episode. You might counter that it's a bit formulaic, but I adore the way they designed the flashback-stories. I think with The Great Divide, they told an inferior story better than they told some more interesting stories.

I consider The Southern Raiders such a show. It's hard to justify putting that there... but I couldn't see a reason to move it higher.

Jove

08-27-2009, 09:21 PM

And so, we continue. This post continues to be dedicated to the voluptuous Laura, my ravishing Nederlandse muse, a purveyor of gloriously vicious invective, bestowed with a figure of supreme fertility, and a girl that can pull Wax out of nowhere in a youtube battle. How cool is that? She continues to make sure these posts are delivered on time. That's quite awesome, and she should hear about it: http://forums.narutofan.com/member.php?u=15970

-------------------------------------------

46.

Imprisoned

I should rank it higher simply for this being the only episode in which Haru is tastefully clean-shaven. I do like this episode, even if it carries the weight of all successive Preachy Katara episodes. She tolerable here, however, and Haru’s father is remarkably voiced and characterized. His stoic defeatism is an excellent contrast to Katara's unmitigated optimism, especially at this early point in the series. This show is also our first and last real taste of Earthbending for a long while (to the point where they had to use Haru as the Earthbender in the first video game), and at times a moving story that shows hope seeping into the weathered Avatar world after years of warfare. And it is impossible not to be awed by George Takei's perfectly rigid performance as the condescending Warden.

45.

The Avatar Returns

I suppose lists like this favor later episodes, due to the suffocating influence of narrative. It’s difficult to avoid judging episodes solely upon plot. An episode that answers more questions, that reflects upon an further established character, that culminates a story arc… these are episodes that are looked upon more deferentially, and that's justifiable and proper. But this episode deserves much more commendation, because it truly is a solid chapter, and a number of stirring moments, especially our first glimpse of the Avatar State. And like the debut episode, it provides the necessary exposition and establishment of Universe in a natural manner. It's also quite alarming to see how easily Aang disposed of Zuko within the ship.

44.

The Firebending Masters

Containing one of the most rapturous, beautiful sequences in the show, this episode was a welcome confirmation that although Zuko’s entrance into the Gaang was a tad awkward, once he was there excellence would follow. Of course, Aang and Zuko’s interactions are certainly uncomfortable at times, especially considering that ungodly amount of homoeroticism spread throughout this episode. The way they quip and talk to each other seems perversely forced at times, but it does manage to stabilize itself once they enter the first temple. And this is one of rare episodes where Sokka is just insufferably annoying. But still, the Sun Warriors were a nice addition to the Avaverse, and come on… the Dancing Dragon! And tiny toddler Toph playing a caves! With Badger Moles!

43.

Bitter Work

As far as fatuous plotlines go, Sokka getting wedged in a hole in the ground is probably about as silly as Avatar got, especially when the plotline actually facilitated major character development. But then again, Sokka is awesome and even a silly plot based around him is going to be worthwhile. Likewise, the interaction between Toph and Aang are sublimely hilarious; Toph became more endearing in this period of episodes by not changing one bit and remaining brash and obstreperous. It's also very cool to see inter-elemental dynamics at play; this was never explored with Water, so to see it done with Air's natural opposite, Earth, was very cool. This is also one of the better a-story/b-story parallels between Zuko and Aang, once again demonstrating the fundamental difference between the two, as Aang perseveres and Zuko self-destructs. However, we do learn that if the sky sent a bolt of lightning towards Zuko, he could take it, and he could GIVE IT BAACKK!!!

42.

The Avatar and the Fire Lord

This might seem low… especially for an episode with such a cataclysmic plot reveal. And it does contain the most elite strengths of the show: meaningful use of flashback, fascinating backstory, a dual story… but I’m not sure what the show is about. If it was simply a story about the causation of the war, and that would be fine, but it also tried to attempt to relate Sozin and Roku’s relationship to Zuko and Aang’s, and I’m not sure it’s a very sturdy connection. It seems like a languidly constructed episode; perhaps Avatar was a little too confident in their flashback alchemy. But flashbacks work best when juxtaposed with current situations; this one simply told an old story. An excellent episode, nonetheless. Roku simultaneously bending all four elements inspired an audible gasp from the SDCC '07 crowd during the Book 3 Trailer, and it stands as one of the most spontaneously cool shots in the series.

41.

The Tales of Ba Sing Se

There’s mixed views about this one; some utterly despise it, others consider it amongst the better episodes in the series. I fall into the latter, even though this is technically ranked in the lower portion. The odious, totally inapplicable word “filler” is mentioned quite a bit in relation to this episode, and it is somewhat inessential, but what I love about this episode is that it sheds light on a whole new character: Ba Sing Se itself. We see it's people, it's streets, it's charm, and it's faults. And honestly, consider the stories themselves: Zuko’s date, Sokka’s poetry slam, Iroh’s dedication to Lu ten (with subsequent dedication to Mako)… there’s some classic material in this episode. If you deride this episode, you hate character development, and show a totally ignorance and disregard for story structure and all things good and decent in this world. And that’s that.

40.

The Puppetmaster

It had been rumored that there would be a Halloween-type episode that would be scary and frightful and ghoulish… of course, this aired the week after Halloween, but it remains the most tenebrous, dark, and brooding episode in the series. Hama is excellently rendered, going from genial to maniacally grotesque, and the flashbacks are, like always, sagaciously utilized. It was nice to see a rumination on the baneful, potential evil inherent in bending… even if Bloodbending was NOT a welcome addition. Yes, it is cool, but do we need to open that floodgate, whereupon every single facet of an elements unique properties is open to use? It is cool, though…

39.

Nightmares and Daydreams

This might be a controversial placement. But Avatar was underrated when it came to lunacy, and shambolic scenes. Just because every other show on Nick is brash and chaotic and obnoxious doesn’t mean Avatar can’t do the same, just in a more artful manner. We also see Dr. Wang Fiyahhhhh, and Aang’s big epiphanic moment is “No, Fire Lord Ozai; you’re the one who’s not wearing any pants.” How great is that? Well, it's almost as great Appa and Momo's samurai battle, which is one of the more unexpected shifts in the show, and as funny as anything in Ember Island Players. This episode itself is often unkindly looked upon for being so carefree before the Invasion episodes, but it's a common technique to place a breezy episode before a monumental and climactic one, as was the case with this episode and Day of Black Sun.

38.

Jet

Possibly another controversial placement. There was something about this episode that sort of reminds you that your protagonist are, in fact, children.. I suppose, more specifically, the scene in which the Freedom Fighter celebrate their victories of the day. It seemed more like kids in a treehouse than revolutionaries. But then again, we can juxtapose that with what turns out to be increasingly dangerous and flagrant terrorist behavior, and the character turn of Jet, from swoon-worthy idealist to ruthless and pragmatic gang leader, was perfectly accomplished, and the viewer’s empathy with Katara is legitimate. Also of note, that scene where the Freedom Fighters feast in celebration of their earlier victory is SO Hook, and yet ironically Dante Basco is not in this episode at all.

37.

The Ember Island Players

Avatar takes a barbed wire baseball bat of reflexivity and hits us square in the face with it. This episode had been hyped by Mike and Bryan for a long time as the funniest episode in the series, and it just might be, at least on a cursory level. It is truly a love letter to the hardcore fans, but there is very crafty additions of plot inserted, even if they are about shipping. As far as synopsis episodes go, this is as fine as it gets.

36.

The Warriors of Kyoshi

An excellent early-series type episode, introducing relevant new characters and further advancing the protagonist’s personalities. And delectable, it’s Sokka that is provided with the most progression, as we begin to see the chauvinistic tendencies or his original character outline fade, only a few episodes into the series. So it’s an important episode as well, because a typical show would have milked that trait dry, but Avatar simply replaced it with traits that were more rewarding. Likewise, Aang begins to accept his responsibility as the Avatar, even while still maintaining some of his prankster tendencies. I always get a tad emotional at the end, with Aang saving the village and flying away. It's such a fantastic addition, one that was not originally planned, either.

masterriku

08-27-2009, 09:39 PM

Haru is tastefully clean-shaven.
sIOgGBE5yOw

Taurus Versant

08-27-2009, 09:42 PM

Legendary series of posts, Jove :hawky

Jove

08-27-2009, 09:48 PM

:hawky

:amazed

Why doesn't this exist?!!!!

Taurus Versant

08-27-2009, 09:49 PM

Because there is nothing that could summarise that much awesome.

Voynich

08-27-2009, 10:07 PM

Hahah so another one done. Thanks for the messages and rep you guys left me. I told him he didn't have to dedicate each post to me but he insisted (and is surely exaggerating more than slightly in his praise of me but I'll let it slip for now :LOS).

Glad you guys enjoy it though. The creation of the posts (well his editing mostly) is definitely eating into our time so I'm glad it's appreciated :amuse

Taurus Versant

08-27-2009, 10:14 PM

Jove's tearing into The Beach was amazing :lmao

I loved at the start where he was arranging the slips of paper into groups, and stuck The Beach far away in its own sad little corner.

Voynich

08-27-2009, 10:21 PM

He was quite excited to get that first post up because he could rag on The Beach. And I loled massively at his arranging techniques. I had seen those slips of paper on the walls for a while before he even told me what they were for (I shall admit it now, I have not seen Avatar aside from the occasional flipping past Nickelodeon and thus did not know what they were). They're still up on the wall actually. Not sure why.

Taurus Versant

08-27-2009, 10:24 PM

It's probably his way of dropping hints:

"Hey, don't these titles sound awesome? You should totally watch this episode. And this one. Hell, all of them :iria"

I can see through your tricks, Jove :LOS

Nøøps

08-27-2009, 11:48 PM

Tales of Ba Sing Se needs a better spot IMO
It filled a few holes, payed a sad homage, had its funny moments, and created some character development.

Jove

08-28-2009, 01:25 AM

Tales of Ba Sing Se needs a better spot IMO
It filled a few holes, payed a sad homage, had its funny moments, and created some character development.

I can agree with that. That's the dilemma with Avatar; there's just far too much substance. Tales of Ba Sing Se was so hard to fit in. It's seems incredible that it's not even in the top 40, but I couldn't find any Chapters I could move behind it.

I might have mentioned this somewhere in there, but my Favorites list would be pretty different than this list. I tried to be objective, thinking about things like how an Chapter would seem if you isolated it from the other 60 Chapters.

I kind of want to do a Favorites Rankings now...

Voynich

08-28-2009, 09:32 AM

I kind of want to do a Favorites Rankings now...

*SIGH* x 1000

You're not even done with this one yet. But fine baby, you go make another list. I'll just get me a nice pile of books and sit it out again. :laugh

Taurus Versant

08-28-2009, 09:48 AM

You give the word, we can have a full ten page discussion on the literary value and directing brilliance of The Beach. Drive him out of this thread and into your arms, sobbing furiously, for weeks.

Voynich

08-28-2009, 09:53 AM

You give the word, we can have a full ten page discussion on the literary value and directing brilliance of The Beach. Drive him out of this thread and into your arms, sobbing furiously, for weeks.

I'll keep that in mind. :wink

Nøøps

08-28-2009, 12:08 PM

I can agree with that. That's the dilemma with Avatar; there's just far too much substance. Tales of Ba Sing Se was so hard to fit in. It's seems incredible that it's not even in the top 40, but I couldn't find any Chapters I could move behind it.

I might have mentioned this somewhere in there, but my Favorites list would be pretty different than this list. I tried to be objective, thinking about things like how an Chapter would seem if you isolated it from the other 60 Chapters.

I kind of want to do a Favorites Rankings now...

an chapter :LOS

Jove

08-28-2009, 03:18 PM

an chapter :LOS

I can explain that; I prefer to call them Chapters, but I slip up all the time and call them episodes. So I didn't change it...

Nøøps

08-28-2009, 05:01 PM

:hurr:gun What was that?

Jove

08-28-2009, 05:06 PM

:hurr:gun What was that?

Nothing but truths. Avatar is Books and Chapters, not seasons and episodes. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d192/joviansatellite/ZaruQuiteShirtZaruHatCampaign.png

Jove

08-28-2009, 07:18 PM

The Post is perpetually dedicated to my elegant and rapturous girlfriend, Laura. She draws people from out of slumber and into her room with her magnetism, her vituperation leaves even those of the highest equanimity frantically seeking refuge, and her innately mesmeric charm inspires diffident rodents to mark her in their zeal. She's amazing. Tell her so: http://forums.narutofan.com/member.php?u=15970

---------------------------

35.5

The Debut

As I said in the capsules for the individual Chapters, it’s an arduous duty attempting to properly rate a program’s initial Chapters. So much is exposition, exegesis, examination… literally constructing the undergirds of the show. And this is especially significant for a show like Avatar, which was distinctly planned to last a specific number of Chapters. Ranking the Debut special as a single entity, I find that it works as the template to most Avatar specials; the first Chapter is calm, measured, usually involving some sort of task, while the second is a shambolic cataclysm of action. The dichotomy works essentially well here; contrast the famous penguin-sledding scene with the first instance of the Avatar State, for instance. But I think the true substantiation of The Debut is that it is not pronouncedly noticeable that these are the initial Chapters; they seem like normal Book 1 Chapters.

35.

The Library

The first part of "The Fury of Aang," it’s climax introduced two separate plot points: Appa’s disappearance, and the Day of Black Sun. And, more surreptitiously, it introduced the concept of the Lion Turtle acting as an adviser of sorts to the Avatar. The Chapter itself is purposefully quiet, almost conceding to the concept of the library setting, climatically exploding with one of the more underrated bits of action in the show, with Wan Shi Tong's nearly demonic attempt to imprison them in the Spirit Library forever. Wan Shi Tong has held out as one of my favorite minor characters. We also receive insight into the destructive nature of human error, as Zhao's past reflects poorly upon the kids, even Aang. It's hard to judge this one on it's own, however, as there's not much actual plot.

34.

Appa's Lost Days

Alright, let’s talk about “filler.” I’ve already explained in great detail, on far too many occasions, the nomenclature of “filler.” Especially the delineation of it’s use, and why it’s completely and inescapably inappropriate to use when discussing an original work, such as Avatar: the Last Airbender. But fine, let’s just say that filler could, despite all logical inpulse, be used to describe an Avatar Chapter that has the audacity to stray a fiber’s width from the plot. If Appa’s Lost Days is filler, than it’s goddamn great filler. And frankly, it’s not filler… it deals with a main character’s journey, a journey which happens to coincide and flesh out important parts of the story. It also won a Genesis Award from The Humane Society of the United States in the category "Outstanding Children's Programming," for it’s moving and at times heartbreaking depiction of Appa’s travels to find Aang. We also see Hakoda fro the first time, as well as Guru Pathik, as the move towards Book 2's finale becomes conspicuous.

33.

The Spirit World (Winter Solstice, Part 1)

With a firm Princess Mononoke influence, this Chapter is another example of Avatar suiting the tone of the Chapter to its environment. Just as The Library was a subdued Chapter, The Spirit World is an agreeably placid Chapter and it manages to sneak in an environmentalist theme without becoming overwrought. This episode marks what is, essentially, the beginning of the main arc of the show. This is also where we truly begin to uncover the Avatar Universe and it’s intricacies, and begin to see the truly honorable and likeable nature of Zuko, as he chooses to save his uncle rather follow Appa. Unfortunately, it does contain one of the enduring, lingering questions in Avatar: Why can Iroh see Fang?

32.

The Earth King

A laudably efficacious bridge between the height of Long Feng’s treachery in Lake Laogai and the finale, this Chapter manages to work so well simply due to the gratification of finally seeing the Earth King, as well as Long Feng’s arrest. It’s surprising how little actually occurs in the A-story of this Chapter, as the Gaang merely present their case to the The Earth King. There's some delightful moments as the King interacts amongst the lower rings for the first time, but other than that, it's very much akin to episodes like the Avatar State: set up premise, play out scenarios, climax. And while is is pleasant, the b-story makes this Chapter such a treat, as if the a-story was perfunctory. We literally see Zuko’s inner turmoil, in it’s symbolic glory, and we begin to anticipate his defection to Good. But what makes this Chapter so memorable is the climactic reveal at the end, the reappearance of Azula under Kyoshi Warrior guise. It's a brilliant closing shot, alluding to the closing shot of Siege of the North, Part 2. I mention the Track Team use of leitmotif quite a bit, but Avatar had a exceptional knack for referencing past scenes1.

31.

The Waterbending Master

It’s difficult not to view this Chapter as a grand morality play, is it not? The show is a vibrant and almost forceful argument for progressivism, equality, and dignified treatment of others, as a clear rebuke of moral relativism and an interesting anthropological case study. A culture that is more clearly defined, yet suppressive, thrives while the more communally supportive, but physically disconnected one flounders. And yet, love undermines the undergirds, and cleaves two isolated, possibly contemptuous, sister tribes. Aside from that, this Chapter marks the end of Book 1’s journey; they finally reached the Northern Water Tribe, underscored by one of the most beautiful and complex pieces in the show (as they pass through the water locks). It also contains a brilliant fight scene, perfectly encapsulating the personalities of Katara and Pakku and their talent differences. It’s such a nuanced fight. Equally nuanced is Zhao’s plan to dispose of Zuko and recruit Iroh, and paying off with a magnificently baneful closing shot of Zhao‘s fleet.

30.

The Boiling Rock, Part 1

I’m not sure what it is about The Boiling Rock, and especially The Boiling Rock, Part 1, but it’s a real paradox: it's affecting but also disengaging. It’s possible that the infuriatingly unorthodox way this Chapter was released (officially: on DVD. In the real world: some dude from Blockbuster on a lunch break) has a part in this. Perhaps it’s the lingering awkwardness of Zuko’s presence around the Gaang. Perhaps it’s the fact that Hakoda, upon whom this whole plot is based, appears for a full 4 seconds. Whatever it is, something seems peculiar about this one. And yet, when Hakoda gets off that gondola at the end of the Chapter… it’s just the most goddamn emotional reveal in the entire series. We are also reintroduced to Suki, who establishes herself as the hottest girl on the show, by a stunning margin, in this Chapter.

29.

The Boiling Rock, Part 2

First of all, I tried to find a way to separate these, because ranking them next to each other makes me look indolent. But this is the way it fit. Again, the disconnect of Boiling Rock made it excessively difficult to rank. Objectively, it belongs in the higher half, if not the upper third, but it’s easy to underrate it and put it in the bottom third. That said, In contrast to the more understated Part 1, Part 2 is gripping, and filled to the brim with action. It contains one of the most thrilling flash fights in the series, the awesome Sokka/Suki/Zuko v. Azula/Ty Lee battle atop the gondola, as well as an amusing prison riot and some awesome, frenetic movements by Suki that were really well produced. But most importantly, it contained vital Zuko/Mai interaction leading to Mai’s startling betrayal of Azula, which is essentially the beginning of the final part of the series.

Ema Skye

08-28-2009, 08:05 PM

I just saw Zuko alone a few minutes ago and every time I watch the end I always think of this episode :argh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrMRmEeCfJM

Taurus Versant

08-28-2009, 08:12 PM

It's the lighting, I swear to god.

P r i d e

08-29-2009, 04:07 PM

Nøøps

08-29-2009, 05:33 PM

masterriku

08-29-2009, 07:15 PM

I actually never really watched this show much...
i mean when i saw it on nickelodeon i watched it and loved it but i really never kept up with it.. I only watched like 6 episodes but i did love them :)

Hmm how can I put this nice and respectfully..........yeah screw that

WATCH IT !!!!!!!!!!!!1111111!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's worth watching every single episode except that one we make fun of constantly.:hurr

Jove

08-29-2009, 10:37 PM

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d192/joviansatellite/ZaruQuiteShirtZaruHatCampaign.png
Hey jove, is there a Jove FC yet?
I would love to make one :awesome:gun

P.s. The your campain zaru is in my sig as is the most recent "The Post" edition.

Heh... I can become a Mod in 2008. I know it.

You're very sweet, but a Jove FC probably wouldn't work, though. I'm pretty much a hermit of the MD and this thread... I'm a pretty obscure NF member.
-------------------------------

This post continues to be dedicated to Laura, my stunning, statuesque maiden. A paragon of radiance, conjurer of hours of sympathy-yawns, and the most sincere and thoughtful person there is. She's just so awesome. Tell her so, she needs to hear it: http://forums.narutofan.com/member.php?u=15970.

28.

The Desert

I really can’t think of another show in recent memory that did more for women and the female gender than Avatar. Most of the strong characters are girls, and basically all of the girls are strong, in some way. And although she is often an insufferable Mary Sue, and even though her illogical recalcitrance very nearly destroys everything they are working for at least a few times, and even though she was a she undermined the show’s aforementioned celebration of the female gender by being a blubbering mess in The Awakening… it’s hard not to love Katara, because of the Desert. While Aang is stunned by Appa’s disappearance, Toph is useless on sand, and Sokka is tripping on cactus juice like Carlos Castaneda, Katara is a stubborn, determined, brilliantly diligent force, almost willing them out of the Si Wong Desert. But as this was the second half of “The Fury of Aang” special, it also focuses on Aang’s increasingly erratic emotional behavior, which explodes near the end, causing him to go into the Avatar State for the second time in Book 2. Katara bringing Aang out of it, by hugging him and not letting go, is one of the most affecting scenes in the show. Likewise, Iroh and Zuko’s escape from capture by Toph’s pursuers Xin Fu and Master Wu is an agreeable b-story, a satisfying, if brief, intermingling between two of Book 2's story arcs. This episode marks the true beginning of the mystical White Lotus within the plot.

27.

The Serpent's Pass

The first part of the “Secret of the Fire Nation” special, Serpent’s Pass generally follows the traditional Avatar structure for the the first half of double chapters, with some sort of task established and accomplished, long stretches of tranquil movement and an extended action sequence. Some of the most transcendent shots in the show occur in this chapter, during the moonlit scenes in the middle of the chapter. One of the cooler things about the chapter is that we get a more detailed glimpse into the lives of the people upended by the war. It also effectively presents Aang’s emotional strife, and resolves it, all within the span of one single chapter. And we are reacquainted with an old friend: Cabbage Merchant. And Jet. Him, too. The scene with Zuko and the Freedom Fighters stealing the food complements the moonlight scene very well.

26.

The Day of Black Sun, Part 1

All that stuff I said about the first half of Avatar double-chapter being the expository, mostly reserved chapters? Forget it for this one. It does follow that structure, but compared to the other Part 1’s, this is remarkably tense and chaotic. For one thing, there is no clear delineation between the action of Part 1 and Part 2 in Day of Black Sun. The battle begins in Part 1, with some of the more intense fighting and sequences taking place in this chapter. In fact, it might even have an equal amount of action as Part 2. But this chapter is also quite gripping, as well, from the congregation of old friend to begin the chapter, to Hakoda’s rousing speech, and the infiltration of the Great Gates of Azulon. The one thing that was a tad awkward was Sokka’s somewhat arbitrary insecurity about his failure to inspire the invasion force, but it paid off well when he took control and literally led the invasion.

25.

The Day of Black Sun, Part 2

I’ve got a confession to make. By the time Day of Black Sun was about to air, I had lost a lot of my passion for the show. The string of chapters that I, at the time, perceived as lackluster and uninspired had corroded my devotion to the show. Before DOBS aired, I pondered how I felt about this, and decided that I wanted to be hopelessly dependent upon the show. So I listened to the Track Team. For an hour, alone in my dark room, I listened to every Track Team piece I had, which was 35 minutes worth at the time. And it unlocked with me all the unqualified love, all the stark and fluid fervor I felt for Avatar that was vitiated by weeks of chapters that were, and I stress at the time, underwhelming. And so I watched DOBS, transfixed on every frame. And I felt rewarded, and never questioned my ardent devotion to the show again. And while it was really Part 1 that holds a reservation in my heart, I give a slight edge to Part 2 due to the superlative parallel scene of Zuko/Ozai and Aang-Sokka-Toph/Azula. It’s our first indication that while Azula is a master, Ozai is an unprecedented level of elite, with the way he manipulates Zuko. We also see a glimpse of Ozai’s astonishing raw power.

24.

The Swamp

If the designation of chapters as underrated is already a theme of this post, allow me to subvert it by stating that this chapter is almost certainly overrated, and I acknowledge that fully. But the Swamp is one of the more spiritual and insular chapters of the show, and I always favor those. I especially favor the shows in which Aang or another character has visions, especially ethereal ones. And I liked the kinds of images they had; Katara and Sokka had mournful, bittersweet images reflecting their loss and guilr, while Aang had an enigmatic one, which serves as our first introduction to Toph, whom I consider the show’s most popular character. The Swamp is also an excellent example of the dichotomy of action found within Avatar: long stretches of measured, often cerebral pacing, followed by a gigantic action sequence. And Katara/Aang v. Swamp Monster is one of the more exciting and lengthy battles in the show. And seeing water benders in the Earth Kingdom was pretty cool, and provided for one of the more amusing b-stories in the show.

23.5

The Boiling Rock

As far as the normal two-part specials go, this one probably has the least distinction between the chapters. And so it flows exceedingly well. Like most other Avatar two-parters, it is carefully delineated between the first Chapter, which establishes the situation and involves a task of some sort, and the second Chapter, in which there is more climactic action. But the Boiling Rock is slightly different. Because the two Chapters are so fluidly connected, there’s really more of an ebb and flow feeling to this. Taken together, you could say that the special is about bonds; the friendship between Zuko and Sokka, the romantic relationships between Sokka and Suki as well as Zuko and Mai, the paternal relationship between Sokka and Hakoda… they are the sole inspiration behind every action in the Boiling Rock. Which is ironic, considering that the most memorable aspect of the show is the severance of a friendship, between Mai/Ty Lee and Azula. This is an interesting special as well, because it is almost totally self-contained. Beyond the betrayal of Azula, it’s pretty much the story of a prison-break-in/break-out. But once again, Avatar never faltered with these types of Chapters; the story was always engaging, as it was here.

23.

Bato of the Water Tribe

Coming late in Book 1, this is essentially a perfect late-season 1 chapter, especially for a serial television program with a defined timeframe, like Avatar. It touches upon everything we’ve learned about the characters, while introducing characters that would be seen later in the series. With so much focus rightfully on Aang and Zuko for most of Book 1, it’s nice to examine the past of Sokka and Katara, and at the same time further develop Aang. If Book 1 was about Aang’s struggle to accept the fact that he is the Avatar, highlighting his young age and understandable immaturity, than this might be Book 1’s most efficacious chapter. Aang’s anxiety and fear of losing Katara and Sokka is well-constructed and turns out to be truly heartbreaking, but it’s also an excellent display of Sokka’s growth. I’ve said it before: Sokka is the most satisfying character in Avatar. His adroit performance in the ice-dodging scene, displaying his talent at leadership and decision, subtly hints at his later decision to leave Bato and rejoin Aang, a scene that always chokes me up. Bato of the Water Tribe also introduces the insanely popular June. Iroh’s unashamed flirtation with her is one of the highlights of Book 1. Finally, this chapter contains the best one-on-one Aang v. Zuko fight in the show; the framing and motion when they fight around the well, and on the rooftops, is incredible.

Xion

08-30-2009, 01:58 AM

Can we really trust such a notable American "anime" to someone like the director of The Crappening? The notorious M. Night Shamalamadingdong?

masterriku

08-30-2009, 02:54 AM

Shh we are having an important moment in this thread.

Talk about that...............unpleasantness after wards.

stab-o-tron5000

08-30-2009, 01:50 PM

Or you could just talk about it in the thread dedicated specifically to the movie. (http://forums.narutofan.com/showthread.php?t=360256&page=5)

EkibyoGami

08-30-2009, 05:51 PM

uhh this whole page just made no sense to me at all

Jove

08-30-2009, 09:44 PM

Whatever you do, don't go back one or two pages to figure out any context.

This post remains in dedication to my comely and captivating bewitching girlfriend, Laura. The citadel of all things good and decent about this or any other world, she really is the sweetest and caring person you could meet. And obviously patient and supportive, as she still encourages, tolerates, and reads these posts. How awesome is that? Tell her: http://forums.narutofan.com/member.php?u=15970.

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22.

The Cave of Two Lovers

If you happened to receive Nickelodeon, or, more pointedly, the Nicktoons Network, in 2006 and early 2007, there’s a distinct possibility that you know this chapter by heart. You might not even be aware of it. Just about every time I checked, this chapter was being replayed. During that time, if there was one chapter scheduled on a particular day I would have bet everything I could that it would be The Cave of Two Lovers. And so, an chapter I mildly disliked became one of my favorite chapters. In fact, if this list was judged solely as my favorite chapters, this might be in the top ten, and I‘m not a Kataanger at all. It’s redeeming qualities are enormous: the astoundingly catchy and endearing songs the Track Team wrote for the hippies, the characterization of the hippies themselves, the beautifully tragic story of Oma and Shu (and the way it‘s drawn), classic “exasperated Sokka” moments throughout, Zuko and Iroh’s early troubles attempting to live as refugees, and some subtle parallelism between Aang and Zuko. Where Aang embraces his love for Katara, Zuko shuts himself off from Song, unable to open up even when clearly affected by her pain. And in that, we get the first example of Zuko being presented with the human side of the War. Honestly, as far as “inessential” goes… this is phenomenal. For the record: yes, this episode was #31 on The Grate Blue Wall. Whilst writing this, I bumped it up to 22, and I seriously considered going higher. Much higher…

21.

Sozin's Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King

The first appearance of Sozin’s Comet on the list, and I’d like to point out how exhaustively difficult it was to rank the individual Chapters of Sozin’s Comet. As far as Avatar specials went, some of the double-Chapters blended into each other better than others, but Sozin’s Comet’s chapters really are only nominally distinct. While that sometimes makes for a panic-inducing night of staring at a blue wall, it also gives the finale of the greatest show ever produced room to breathe, resulting in perfect pacing. Part 1 is a thoughtful beginning to Sozin’s Comet, beginning as a lighthearted beach romp, introducing the portentous plot point of Ozai’s genocidal intentions, and presenting the dilemma of Aang’s disappearance. It ends with the ominously disturbing coronation of Ozai as the Phoenix King, which practically seems like something lifted from The Triumph of the Will. We’re also reintroduced to the wildly popular lust-magnet June. But most importantly, it introduced the most vibrant, magnetic, omnipotent leviathan of in the Avaverse: MELON LORD, a juggernaut of such exquisite supremacy that it had to be limited to one brief scene, lest the finale be overwhelmed by it’s sublime and pure awesome. Very much akin to it’s counterparts in the avatar Godhead, Wang Fiyahh and Hawky. We should thank Mike and Bryan for having the resolve to subjugate what must have been intense desire to let those three usurp the show, instead of limiting them to a few brief appearances. The Melon Lord scene is a fine example of the comfortable, natural pacing of Sozin’s Comet. It almost certainly would have been pared down if the finale was limited to three Chapters. Some have suggested that the Melon Lord is Toph.

It is not Toph; it is Melon Lord.

20.

The Southern Air Temple

Avatar already had enough hype when it premiered. It was “Anime-influenced,” it had an unusually complex and erudite premise for Nickelodeon, Mike and Bryan themselves had been around for several reputable years, and it was a pet project of Eric Coleman… a lot hinted that Avatar would at the very least be a respectable program. And many shows of this ilk tend to have an episode that makes everyone’s eyes glaze and widen, where everyone realizes that transcendence is not just possible, it’s inevitable. Additionally, children’s shows of this ilk have the added element of displaying a maturity and devotion to artistry that reveals that the show will appeal to all ages, not just the targeted demographics. Most times, this sort of episode comes midway through the first season, after characters are established and fully able to be undermined or subverted. Avatar did it in it’s 3rd Chapter. For one, it’s our first parallel Chapter, with both Aang and Zuko grappling with their past. Aang is forced to accept the decimation of his people and culture, while Zuko struggles with the innocuous, often subordinating status as banished Prince. And this is especially in the face of the inimical Commander Zhao, who we meet in this episode. And each story climaxes with an iconic scene: Aang with his involuntary Avatar State upon seeing Gyatso’s remains, and Zuko’s famous Agni Kai versus Zhao, which contains perhaps the most popular musical cue in the show, and the most stylized and visually appealing fight in the show until Sozin‘s Comet. Avatar’s crew really loved sunsets and twilight, and when you draw it that well, why wouldn’t you?

19.5

Avatar: The Fury of Aang

The mid-way point of Book 2, we’re presented with a major plot turn, and a mid-point reassertion of the stabilizing concept of Book 2: Aang’s continued struggle with the Avatar State. The Fury of Aang was used to assuage the agony of the mid-season break, and supposedly was designed as two separate episodes and not as a two-Chapter special. This makes sense, considering that the only connection between the two episodes is the capture of Appa, which is a miniscule portion of The Library. However, I’m also skeptical of this, considering how closely The Desert follows the climax of The Library, and how well they fit together in presenting Aang’s emotional breakdown. Of course, The Desert is truly Katara’s grand moment, where her personality shines it’s brightest. But we also see vulnerability in Toph and Sokka’s greatest comedic performance. One of the cool things about this special is that our a-story (the Gaang) and our b-story (Zuko and Iroh) are both put on the path to Ba Sing Se. bBut not a straight path, of course. Having just missed each other in this episode in the saloon, they are sent to Full Moon Bay, where they would miss each other again. It shows the unmistakable fluidity of Book 2 at this point.

19.

The Deserter

Fire was the most enigmatic of the elements on the show. It’s corresponding Nation was a mystery until Book 3, with only miniscule details of it’s culture leaking through in the first two Books. It was always presented as evil by hearsay and generalist historicism, but even at the beginning it was clear Fire was more complex than that, if nothing else than by the characterization of Iroh and Zuko. It was this chapter that we are presented with an even further distortion, through the remarkably cynical philosophy of Jeong-Jeong. But it also might be the most accurate. Fire is capricious and pernicious, but also beautiful and propitious. Jeong-Jeong ultimately gives us insight into the destructive aspects of the element, especially psychologically, although it’s strange to think that such a high ranking member of the White Lotus would be that fatalistic about his element. Aang’s struggle to learn fire bending, his first attempt to learn a non-native element, is fascinating, and his fight with Zhao is hilarious. And as I’ve noted, I love visions, and Roku’s appearance to Jeong-Jeong is one of the most sumptuous scenes in the show.

18.

The Blind Bandit

Avatar pays homage to a lot of works within the show. Some detractors suggest that they sometimes stumble over the line between homage and larceny. I’m sure if you were keeping track at home, you could have anticipated elements of certain iconic works to reveal themselves in the show. But I’m not sure anyone could have foreseen an entire act devoted to pro wrestling. Or that it might legitimately be the funniest scene in the series; it truly is the zenith of Sokka’s quirk. But it also serves a very proper purpose as well; only such a monumentally grandiose scene could effectively introduce the most poplar character in the series, the delightfully incorrigible Toph Bei Fong. And with her, one of the most ingenious aspects of the plot: Toph’s blindness, her method of listening to the earth, and the incredible graphical manner in which it is depicted. I struggled with this chapter’s placement more than any other. I’m not sure it’s a better chapter than The Deserter, or Sozin’s Comet: Part 1, or Bato of the Water Tribe. I’m still perplexed by an chapter like this; is it so highly revered due to the introduction of a cherished character, or does that itself justify such reverence? The show is pretty much exclusively devoted to making Toph look as cool as possible, managing to sneak in an acceptable amount of vulnerability as well. And it does foreshadow future problems nicely, with Toph’s father hiring in Fu and Master Wu to capture her in a typically baleful Avatar ending. So while I’m not sure if the chapter might be overrated due to TophGod issues, I’m also befuddled about whether I’m underrating it here, because it does reveal a main character and it’s a substantive chapter as well.