In the fifteenth episode of the third season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Sokka convinces Team Avatar to watch a play that is an adaptation of their lives since discovering Aang. It is not at all what they expected, and then MOST HAWKWARD ENDING EVER. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Avatar.
Once I figured out what sort of format “The Ember Island Players” was going to take, I couldn’t help that my mind went straight to one place: “Hollywood X.” I love the idea of a well-executed re-cap episode, and this specific one not only wove a thread of absurd humor throughout, but it contained multiple meta moments of reflection from the writers. I am going to be an asshole and say that The X-Files did this very same concept (characters within a show watch an adaptation of their lives in another medium, producing wonderfully hilarious results) much better than this one, BUT THIS IS NOT BECAUSE THIS IS BAD. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL AND NOTHING HURTS.
I could already see how people might dislike “The Ember Island Players” purely based on the fact that it’s sandwiched in between the super intense “The Southern Raiders” and the series finale and tonally, it’s a jarring experience. I can admit that. And yet? DON’T CARE. This was a pleasure (though a very awkward one) to witness and even though most of it had me laughing, the few serious moments were necessary character developments before the finale. (CHRIST. THAT IS SO SOON.)
The biggest development of them all, however, is Aang’s confrontration with Katara, where he outright tells her that he likes her more than a friend. As I said in the introduction: HOLY. AWKWARD. I think it’s so shocking not because it’s unrealistic. In hindsight, this was the most natural place for the writers to take these two characters. Given that Katara never rushed to Aang to confirm her feelings for him after the invasion, I’d had a sinking feeling that this was not going to turn out like he’d hoped. And she makes a hell of a good point: Given the political (and emotional) situation they’re currently wrapped up in, how can Aang expect her to sort out her feelings for him in the midst of the war?
SO YEAH. Kissing her at that moment? Oh, Aang, what a REALLY BAD DECISION. I face-palmed so hard. I do get that Aang is young, confused, and immature about the whole thing, and having to face that sort of rejection certainly didn’t make things easier. STILL. I’m glad the message coded into this scene was pretty obvious: HEY DUDES. RESPECT BOUNDARIES. IT’S SHITTY WHEN YOU DON’T.
Despite getting absolutely NO CLOSURE AT ALL from these two characters, Toph and Zuko have a conversation that’s pretty much the polar opposite of Aang and Katara’s talk. I wondered if Toph would ever reveal that she once met Uncle Iroh, and this was a perfect time for her to do so. I like that the writers have not made Zuko’s transition to Team Avatar easy for him, and to do so would have seemed too convenient for me. Despite that the play enraged Katara and Aang, inspired Sokka to intervene, and brought joy to Toph, there’s no one who could feel quite as embarrassed as Zuko, who has his life’s mistakes laid out before him. Even if they got things “wrong” about him, he can’t avoid that in his path to where he is right at this moment, he lost his Uncle. (Where the HELL is Iroh, anyway?)
While Iroh isn’t around to witness Zuko’s genuine transformation, Toph is quick to point out that she knows from experience that there’s nothing Iroh would want more than to see his nephew happy and on the right side of history. It is sad to think that Iroh is off doing…I don’t even know. I can’t even guess! I think I’d love this even more if he were alongside Zuko right now, but this journey is one Zuko must conquer on his own, and ultimately, he’d have to let go of his uncle anyway.
I’m still holding out that Iroh has one last secret plan left. WHAT IS IT.
I feel like “The Ember Island Players” is an episode you either love or hate (CAN YOU GUESS WHICH SIDE I LANDED ON), and I think that’s perfectly fine. It’s largely a silly episode, though the final moments are IMMENSELY DISTURBING. Despite that the representation of the characters were meant to be ridiculous, I wondered why this wasn’t as negative as it could be for a Fire Nation production. Oh, it’s because they were going to KILL ZUKO AND AANG AT THE END OF IT. My god, could you imagine witnessing that sort of depiction of your immediate future? Christ.
Anyway, I didn’t really feel compelled to discuss the intricacies of the endless stream of jokes that this episode throws at us because…well, explaining jokes regularly removes the funny from them. I was thinking today about how I’ve gone through this show, how quickly I fell in love with, and how it’s enabled me to talk about a lot of rad things I’d never addressed before. Sometimes it’s weird to me. I feel like I’m riding a bulldozer into a fandom and I dearly hope that I am not running anyone ever. I did worry that I wouldn’t like Avatar that much, but it’s common knowledge at this point that I do with every series I start.
I know that I still have the finale left and I’m sure I will have lots of gushy thoughts and feelings that I’ll want to share, but the nature of “The Ember Island Players” got me thinking about the series as a whole. (That’s what recap episodes are for, right?) I am sad that this is coming to an end, that after Saturday, it’ll at least be until 2012 before I get to revisit this universe again. (LEGEND OF KORRA!!!!) This show has impressed me, time and time again, and I wanted to do a little experiment with today’s review that was less about me and more about the beautiful fandom that seemed to show up out of nowhere to contribute to this community.
Since “The Ember Island Players” references numerous episodes by hand picking scenes from the series, I wanted to know if there was an absolute favorite scene that you each had from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Yes, choosing one scene is absurd, but what specific scene is the one your mind goes to when you think about this show?
I will do a much more comprehensive write up about the series as a whole on Monday when I review the finale, but I wanted to take a more specific look back at my favorite moment in the entire series. For me, it was when Lee rejected Zuko’s dagger in “Zuko Alone.” Avatar doesn’t always have positive endings, but it was the first moment for me during the run of the show that I knew the writers were willing to take a risk and write a fulfilling story, even if it was upsetting. It’s still one of the most powerful images of the entire show.
We’ve got one more post to discuss a lot about this show, but let’s just devote this one to being sappy and positive, shall we?
I LOVE this episode. The overly emotional portrayal of Katara is my favorite.
As for my favorite scenes from the series overall…that’s difficult. I like every episode. I don’t even hate The Great Divide that much! But if I had to pick (aside from a few scenes from the finale, which is UNBELIEVEABLY EPIC)-
1. Aang seeing Katara for the first time (penguin sledding!)
2. Avatar Roku kicking butt at the fire sage’s temple
3. Koizilla!
4. Everything from “The Desert”
5. Everything from “The Guru”
6. Azula shooting Aang with lightning (even though it’s horribly depressing)
7. Katara and Aang dancing!
8. Aang kisses Katara before the eclipse
9. Everything during the eclipse
10. The dragon dance
11. “She lied to you…she was protecting the last waterbender.” – “What? Who?” – “…ME!”
Also, pretty much any Katara+Aang interaction. I LOVEEE them together.
I wish I could include scenes from the finale. Did I mention how epic it is?
[youtube qZUBAdafcx0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZUBAdafcx0 youtube]
I'm surprised no one has posted this yet. And I can't discuss my favorite scenes of all time because they are in the finale.
Mark, once you're done with the Avatar series and before doing the sequel liveblog, I'd suggest watching A Very Potter Musical again… they quoted this episode in the first part of the second act, and they do quote Avatar a couple more times throughout. 🙂
My favorite (non finale) scene is the ubercreepy at the end of "City of Walls and Secrets", when Jet is being brainwashed. So much love for the dystopia.
I'm just going to say the entire ep of The Blind Bandit as my favorite and call it a day (yes, I'm aware saying a whole ep is cheating but I can't pick just ONE).
As for this, I love this ep. It's hilariously meta. I adore it when shows are not afraid to make fun of themselves (and yes, the X-Files take on this trope is better, but I still adore this anyway).
I liked this episode. I appreciated the possibility of "taking breath" before the finale, and I appreciated that the recap episode was also a very "meta" episode. Actor Toph explaining his "sonic waves" sight and Toph delighted reaction are my favourite scene of this episode!
Mark, you ask about our favorite scene. Mine is in the final, but I have many runner-ups. I like every scene where Iroh is (benrvolently) trolling Zuko… Bu let's go with some order.
Season 1:
– Penguin sledding!
– The flashback of Zuko scarring… it's heartbreakin but it is also a beutiful (and SAD) scene. Kudos to MArk Hamill and Dante Basco for the perfect voice acting!
– Suki showing Sokka that a girl can be a warrior
– The fight between Katara and Master Pakku.
Season 2
– Teo and Aang "competition" while flying. I like how this show treats disabilities.
– Mai and Ty Lee first fight against the Gaang. Dangerous ladies indeed. And without bending!
– Everything with Toph!!! But mostly the scene where her father has just finished telling that she is blind tiny and helpless, followed by Toph showing how much she is NOT helpless.
– Azula first scene, and her dressing down of Long Feng (You were never a player)
– Mai in the Drill: We've lost
– Bumi! The whole episode!
– Iroh singing "Little Soldier Boy" while crying (yes, I like sad scenes if they are well done)
– Katara calming down Aang in the desert
– Sokka on cactus juice!
– The fight in the crystal caves
Season 3
– "I am a 400 foot tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings. "
– Zuko standing up to his father: the end of a long process.
– Zuko and Aang dancing with the dragons
– The fight between Katara and Hama. Hama is a wonderful vilain, and I like to see Katara showing her mastery of waterbending
– Sokka fight with Piandao
– "Why I am so bad at being good!". And every scene where Zuko shows his adorkability
– Zuko fighting Azula at the boiling rock, I think it's the first time he is really effective against her
– Mai ready to fight Azula at the boiling rock… maybe going down, but not without a fight!
Isn't the Teo and Aang scene from season 1?
You're right. The problem is that since Teo and his people are from Earth nation my brain at 2AM processed them as belonging to Book 2: Earth
Favorite scene? Like quite a few other commenters, my favorite scene is in the finale so I can't mention it yet. Next favorite serious scene is definitely Zuko confronting Ozai during the Day of Black Sun. I think it's a testament to how great that scene was that it was something the fandom had been waiting for since at least late season one, something that had been portrayed in hundreds of fanfics, something that had been speculated on and thought about every which way, and the show *still* managed to meet all those expectations perfectly. Sometimes you get so hyped up about the possibility of something really great happening on a show and you can't wait for it to actually happen and then when it does, the creators totally drop the ball. That didn't happen here. The Zuko/Ozai confrontation was so absolutely pitch-perfect in every way and a wonderful climax to Zuko's character arc.
Next favorite scene on the lighter end of things is Zuko practicing his join the Gaang pitch in The Western Air Temple. "Hey. Zuko here." It's so adorable in every way. And like with the scene I mentioned above, plenty of people had speculated all the different ways in which Zuko could first ask to join the Avatar, but I'd never seen one where he sits and practices his opening pitch (and does impressions!). It also shows one of my favorite character quirks that Zuko develops post-DoBS, how when Zuko gets in a spot he immediately thinks "What would Uncle do?" The cuteness, I cannot take it.
And my favorite funny scene after that is THIS ENTIRE EPISODE. I love this episode and I think it's perfectly placed. The finale's going to big Serious Business Defeat the Firelord stuff, and we've just come off some very emotionally heavy episodes, so I think this was just the right breath of fresh air before the big plunge.
I love this episode! Its hilarious and awesome and actually kind of a nice break in between The Southern Raiders and the finale. Plus I love Sokka's line about "this is the kind of wacky time wasting thing I've been missing" or something like that.
This is where its kind of obvious people know about Zuko's scar. And depending on how long the play had been running…well yeah. (I feel like I'll never let this go…and I should)
"Choose treachery, its more fun!" this needs to be on a t-shirt as well. And coffee mug. And life.
I was also about to say "Mark, you can totally go get the comic that just came out and read it" and then I remembered no you can't, not until after the finale cause there is one spoiler in there left. BUT THERE IS A COMIC WITH NEW STORIES.
The commentary on this episode on the dvds is with the creators, Toph's voice actor, and Sokka's voice actor. And there is a lovely moment where the actors are asked their shipping preference and they dodge it.
Damn. I was too busy getting my wedding dress fitted today to be a real part of the discussion. >_<
Oh well. At least I can think about my favorite scene in Avatar to make myself feel better: Toph fighting Xin Fu (sp?) in "The Blind Bandit." Specifically, the moment when she forms the earth pyramid around herself, and whips her hand out to send half of it flying at him (and he jumps in the air sideways to avoid it.) Toph's fighting style–the way she is animated–makes my heart EXPLODE.
Also…
"Did Jet just…die?"
"You know, it was really unclear."
I had no idea that there could even be people who did not adore this episode until the S.O. saw it and was merely, "Okay…yeah, I guess it was witty," and I turned all WHAT WHAT HOW ARE YOU NOT FALLING ON THE FLOOR LAUGHING LIKE I DID on him.
I admit I've been in knots for weeks hoping you would like this episode. Honestly, this episode has multiple of my favorite moments in the whole series.
-"Prince Zuko, it's time we had a talk…about your hair! It's gone too far!" is nearly my favorite line of the series.
-Sultry voluptuous thigh-high skirt-slit man-hungry Katara.
-Mr. B. Natural Aang (and his "little brother" status to Katara)
-"HONORRRRR!"
No joke, I wept.
Other favorite series moments not from this episode (will actually choose moments and not whole episodes or character arcs):
-Reveal of who The Blue Spirit is. I never guessed once.
-The Day of Black Sun, Ep 2: Katara cuts through a War Balloon with water, which flies on for a second…then splits in two. Such a great homage to the Diagonal Cut moment of awesome. (Less grisly, too.)
-The Headband: Katara and Aang dancing.
-City of Walls and Secrets: Toph picks her nose and flicks it across the room.
And I admit it, I'm all about the great funny lines.
-The King of Omashu: "Uh, take them to the refurbished chamber that was once bad!"
-The Boiling Rock Pt. 2, Chit Sang: "I'm new. What's up, everybody!"
-(Caveat that I know that this line pings some people the wrong way:) Bitter Work: "I know what you’re going to say: she’s my sister and I should be trying to get along with her." "No, she’s crazy and she needs to go down."
-The Firebending Masters: "Now that you have learned the secrets, and you know about our tribe's existence, we have no choice but to imprison you here forever. Just kidding! But seriously, don't tell anyone."
There's at least one more coming in the last four episodes, so, shutting up on that one.
And my number one favorite of lines in this series: The Boiling Rock Pt. 1: "My first girlfriend turned into the moon." "That's rough, buddy."
YES someone else referenced Mr. B Natural! 😀 I am happy!
The more obvious, original inspiration is all the terrific actresses who have played Peter Pan, but they were good. 😀 Mr. B. Natural is a much better comparison IMHO!
The first scene that came to my mind is in the finale.
The second scene that came to my mind is….also in the finale.
But the third scene that came to my mind is Zuko standing up to his father during the eclipse. It's such a powerful monologue, and I like the way he begins with his personal grievances against his father, but expands to the sins of the Fire Nation in general:
"Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history, and somehow, the war was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an amazing lie that was. The people of the world are terrified by the Fire Nation. They don't see our greatness. They hate us. And we deserve it. We've created an era of fear in the world, and if we don’t want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness."
Ah, like so many others my top two favorite moments are yet to come!
My third favorite moment has to be the end of "The Avatar State" when Zuko and Uncle Iroh kneel by the river and cut their hair. This is such a quietly intense and emotionally heavy scene and it never fails to give me chills. It is such a huge moment in Zuko's character development and though it is one of his first steps toward eventually joining Team Avatar, the emotions highlighted here are the pain and loneliness of Zuko and Iroh's physical, political, and emotional separation from their nation, family, and culture. Throughout the series the writers do such an amazing job of exploring the complexities of emotions and situations and I love the respect they pay Zuko and Iroh here. It was as if they were warning us; Zuko is going to have some major emotional battles and we aren't going to insult his character by avoiding them.
Scene? Scene?! You expect just ONE favorite SCENE from such an epic series?! Are you HIGH? Besides, I can't discuss my favorite scene, its a spoiler…so there 😛
ah how could i forget? this is my favorite. zuko's whole section in "tales of ba sing se".
<img src="http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/1020/zzzk3.png">
jin is made out of delightful and wonderful. so confident and fun and enthusiastic! we know why he can't, but oh god zuko please be happy.
are there any two avatar characters more PERFECT for each other?
not jin and zuko. jin and lee. the handsome, brooding, awkward tea-server lee. lee, refugee fresh to the big city. lee, victim of the fire nation. lee, the worst professional juggler in the world.
I think you're talking about my favourite too.
ALL TEH CREYS
This is cool: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ha…
AHAHAH THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RACHEL AND TOBIAS SURE WAS "HAWKWARD"
ANIMORPH JOKES
LOL FOREVER
Without question, my favorite scene in the show is Zuko confronting Ozai during the eclipse. Imagine being a fan of the show as it airs: Zuko is set up as an antagonist you can sympathize with. You have no spoilers for what's going to happen, but by the beginning of season two–maybe even the end of season one–it's blatantly obvious Zuko is going to be joining the Gaang to teach Aang firebending. Then Zuko has his crisis of identity in Ba Sing Se and everyone starts converging. Zuko and Katara have a heart-to-heart in the catacombs, and you think, This is it, this is it, this is it!
Then he sides with his sister. The fandom erupted. I can't even tell you how many people were furious with that plot twist. Yet we never stopped being sure of Zuko's destiny before Zuko himself was.
So it was building and building and building, all that anticipation, all that eagerness to see Zuko finally stand up for himself and for real honor. And on the Day of Black Sun, he walks into Ozai's secret father and tells his father just where he can shove it. And it was more beautiful than any of us could have hoped for.
secret BUNKER*
WOW WHAT EVEN
I was going to post a quote here, but then I realized it's spoilery. Which is weird because I could have sworn we'd heard it before. So, ROT-13'd:
Hapyr, lbh'er gur bayl bar orfvqrf gur Ningne jub pna cbffvoyl qrsrng gur Sngure Ybeq.
Lbh zrna gur Sver Ybeq?
Gung'f jung V fnvq!
Yeeeeeaaaaaeah…….. I know nothing about ROT-13 and have no idea how to convert that into English.
http://www.rot13.com/
copy – paste – click "Cypher"
FFFFFFFFF
w-well it's not a spoiler anymore…..
Haha I love that too!!!!!!
Without question, my favorite scene in the show is Zuko confronting Ozai during the eclipse. Imagine being a fan of the show as it airs: Zuko is set up as an antagonist you can sympathize with. You have no spoilers for what's going to happen, but by the beginning of season two–maybe even the end of season one–it's blatantly obvious Zuko is going to be joining the Gaang to teach Aang firebending. Then Zuko has his crisis of identity in Ba Sing Se and everyone starts converging. Zuko and Katara have a heart-to-heart in the catacombs, and you think, This is it, this is it, this is it!
It's probably because I want to get into animation, but one of my favorite scenes in Avatar is Aang and Katara's dance in The Headband. It's just so well done. Seriously, I can't even find a GIF of it to prove my point.
<img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/72g74p.gif">
Thank you. 🙂
No means no, Aang. Not cool.
"Given the political (and emotional) situation they’re currently wrapped up in, how can Aang expect her to sort out her feelings for him in the midst of the war?"
That was the same excuse Katniss gave Gale in Catching Fire. Remember when Gale was being such a wounded asshole in that book? "I know that you were shipped off to Murderfest 2057 but oh my God, you kissed Peeta? Bitch! And do you like me? Do you? DO YOU?"
My thoughts while re-watching the episode last night:
Can I just say, ALL SHOWS SHOULD HAVE A SELF-PARODY EPISODE Y/Y???
"And a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbages." I love that the entire series builds up to this punchline.
Ahahaha Zuko sat between Katara and Aang. He really is oblivious to all the romance (or attempted romance) going on around him, isn't he? Either that or he's learned trolling lessons from his uncle.
LOL Aang is played by a girl (just like Peter Pan) and Toph is played by a big buff dude. AND SHE LOVES IT.
I like how the Blue Spirit FIGHTS ZUKO. Hee hee, at least his sekrit identity is intact.
"Oh Jet, you're SO BAD."
LOL NO GREAT DIVIDE.
LOL SONIC WAVE. Toph's sekrit is safe too!
"Did Jet just… die?" "You know, it was really unclear." BEST LINE
Ahaha the playwrights are Zutara shippers. :/ poor Aang. But really, dude, don't kiss a girl after she's just said she needs some time to think about it.
"Avatar state, yip yip!"
I gotta say, I really like how they do the lightning and the bending and stuff. Makes me miss the plays I used to help with in high school and college. ~Theater~
Toph cheering Zuko up by telling him about her friendship with Iroh, aww. AND THEN PUNCHING HIM. I love you Toph.
"Your Zuko costume's pretty good! But your scar's on the wrong side!" LOLOL FOREVER
Sokka giving jokes to Actor Sokka is pure gold.
"Unless… this is the FUTURE!!"
"HONOOOOOR!"
I always thought the final lines referred to the movie, but… it didn't come out for a couple more years. So they're PSYCHIC.
—
Anyway Mark, how can you ask us to choose a favorite scene when for all intents and purposes FOUR EPISODES are still left? I know there's at least one scene I am REALLY looking forward to watching again.
Other than that, though, I think my favorite funny moment might be:
Katara: The King is throwing a party at the palace tonight for his pet bear.
Aang: Don't you mean platypus bear?
Katara: No, it just says, 'bear'.
Sokka: Certainly you mean his pet skunk bear?
Toph: Or his armadillo bear?
Aang: Gopher bear?
Katara: Just, 'bear'.
(short pause)
Toph: This place is weird.
Self-referential humor. I LOVE IT. (Which is also why I love this episode.)
"I already have a picture of Fire Lord Ozai. And here's one that I made out of noodles!" OK, I better stop before I start quoting EVERYTHING.
"Zuko Alone" is definitely a standout episode, which is funny because it's the only one that doesn't have Aang, Katara, and Sokka in it. (Did you know that Zuko wasn't even a character until the last minute because they were planning to have Ozai be the villain, but then they realized he couldn't cause the Avatar problems if he was just sitting on the throne, so they made up Zuko? And then he turns out to be one of the most important characters in the series. Yes I have been reading the IMDB trivia page.)
"The Storm" is great because it's the first time the show really kicks it up a notch. Shit gets real, if you will. Also FLASHBACKS.
This time around, though, I especially loved the moment when Mai saved the jerk who dumped her. Just… such a Crowning Moment of Awesome for Mai and Ty Lee. And "The Boiling Rock" is just about perfect in general.
And of course "Iroh's Tale" = all the tears forever.
SO I HAVE A LOT OF FAVORITE MOMENTS. HOW CAN YOU EXPECT ME TO CHOOSE??
Anyway SO EXCITE for the finale liveblog tomorrow. I'm kind of late with this comment because of life and stuff, but I'll be there with my hand on the "play" button at 1pm Central. ASSUMING MY INTERNET DECIDES TO WORK THAT IS. *glares at router*
In regards to the Zuko NOT originally part of the series – HOLY CRAP! I recently read how Zuko came to be (in that amazing art book we keep getting posts of 🙂 and it BLEW my mind. Zuko's story is hands down my favorite aspect of the show – and such an integral and interesting storyline, that I can't even…omg…my brain is going to explode imagining it without him.
Also, "Made in Earth Kingdom."
Favourite line from this episode is probably: "Is it just me or do you guys seem to lose a lot?" by Suki. Because, well she's right.
To be honest, my favorite scene of the series is in the finale so I can't share that just yet (no really, YOU ARE NOT PREPARED ASJKFHLDSKJFHSD).
However, I do have other highlights I loved that I *can* share, so there's that! XD
*The entirety of Zuko Alone. Seriously, after losing track after the end of season 1, this episode On Demand got me back in the saddle. 😀 Not to mention it's a damn powerful story in and of itself. <3
*Yue's self sacrifice in the season 1 finale. That look on her face, oh dear god, it's forever etched into my memory.
*TWO LOVERS~ FORBIDDEN FROM ONE ANOTHER~ A WAR~ DIVIDES THEIR PEOPLE~ AND A MOUNTAIN DIVIDES THEM APART~
*When the real Painted Lady comes to thank Katara for her work disguised as her. So beautiful, imho.
*Zuko and Katara's scene in the Ba Sing Se underground, particularly the moment where Katara has her hand on Zuko's scar. It's such an intimate moment that one wouldn't think would happen between the two, but it does and it's a very beautiful, if criminally brief, moment I love so much (though that *may* be my shipper side talking, lol).
Honestly, I could go on, but there are so many and I don't want to accidentally find the comment limit, haha. So yeah, I'mma shut up now. ONWARDS TO THE FINALE! o7
I don’t know if anyone else has said it, but my all-time favorite scene was in ‘Crossroads of Destiny’ when Iroh told Zuko he would have to choose sides and the screen shows the two sides of Zuko’s face. It has such an impact, not only as a defining moment for Zuko, but as a symbolic scene that shows the physical representation of Zuko’s two conflicting sides. I always think of that moment when I think of this show.
Thanks for everything you do, Mark! I really enjoy your sites and I’m so glad you started watching this show. It’s one of all-time favorite television series. Can’t wait for your review for the finale!
By the way, Mark, since you know about Legend of Korra, is it a spoiler to talk about what little we know? Because THERE IS AN AIRBENDER VOICED BY J.K. SIMMONS.
AIRBENDING CAVE JOHNSON OH FUCK YES.
I think we aren't supposed to talk about any speculation or confirmed information….mark only knows it exists as far as I know….
My favorite scene hasn't even happened yet. Mark you are so not prepared.
I might as well have posted this on the last post, because my favorite scene is in the episode before this. The Southern Raiders is my favorite episode (though I really, honestly, without hesitation, love them all, YES EVEN THE GREAT DIVIDE) and the bit where Katara confronts Yon Rha is just, for me, the pinnacle of both the episode and the series.
I'm also a very angry person. We can go into all the cool story bro of why, but let's not! Instead, let's just talk about anger abstractly. See, there's anger like, "This makes me mad and I'm going to blog my rage," and anger like punching walls and kicking cans, and anger like if someone doesn't hold you back, there will be blood, and I've taken the grand tour of all of those. I don't think anger is bad. I think anger is human. And while plenty of the things done in anger are bad and shouldn't be done in any state of mind, I do believe acts of revenge in a state of righteous rage can be justified, up to and including taking a life. I don't think that's the only response to something bad enough to justify that, or that it's always the best one, but there are some people in the world who just don't deserve to live while the people they killed lie cold.
So, I've never gotten the "revenge destroys you" type stories. I cheered Willow on in Buffy (leaving details vague-ish here, but if you have seen it you will know what she did and why) and when suddenly it made her randomly evil, I didn't get it. I thought there was a clear line between justified violence and unjustified violence. Stories like Kill Bill, where you can make a list of five terrible people, kill them, and get on with your life, make more sense to me. Not saying heroes have to be dark and violent. Just that when you wrong someone, you owe them a debt, and it is up to them if they want to collect.
So in The Southern Raiders, I empathized with Katara, and I loved her more than I'd ever loved her, which is saying something. I can't believe she got fan-hate for that. Yeah, she wasn't "nice." Those things she was going through, all that hurt and rage and hatred, those aren't nice things, but they're part of the human range of emotion. I don't think for a second that she was "losing herself." This had always been Katara. Like you said in your review, she always had this anger, but she had no outlet for it. She had no power. When a person who is hurt and angry gets power, hell yeah, you see a different side of them. And they have a right to that side of themselves.
And I wanted her to kill him. I wanted the satisfaction of it, the closure. Like it or not, Katara has become a soldier, and of all the people she will likely have to kill, Yon Rha deserved to be killed by her the most.
It didn't matter to me that he was pathetic. He was breathing, and Kya wasn't. That in itself was an injustice. Sure, killing him wouldn't bring her back. But letting him live wouldn't either. He took part in what was effectively a form of genocide. He isn't entitled to forgiveness, no matter how old he gets. There's a reason there isn't a statute of limitations on murder. Its effects are permanent.
And then Katara didn't do it.
(cont. below)
On first watch, I felt emotionally cheated. Later on, I understood that the message of the show was forgiveness, stopping the hurt and letting the healing begin. I've always loved the episode, for its power and the way it embraces rage, and the utter beauty of it, but I don't think I've always understood it.
It was in talking to someone else who has a different way of approaching these emotions that I think I came to a more complete understanding. She basically said that it was about power, that Katara had been helpless then, and what she needed for her closure was to feel power over Yon Rha, to feel his life in her hands to do with as she wished. That itself was the end goal, not actually killing him. Once she'd attained that moment of power, she'd already won, and killing him wouldn't have been closure, it would have been a superfluous act of spite. Yon Rha was completely stripped of his power, and that was enough.
It isn't the same as forgiveness. But it is the word you used to describe Zuko standing on equal ground with Ozai: freedom. And I am so, so happy that she got that, regardless of whether the cost would have been Yon Rha's life or not. I can't help but think of poor Hama, playing her endless power games and never once feeling that release, because she never established power over the people who hurt her, and they continued to haunt her into old age. All that power, and it wasn't enough. It breaks my heart.
Avatar is about breaking cycles of violence, and I think that's the crowning moment of it right there: Katara turning the rain to daggers, taking back the power that had been stolen from her as a child, and being set free. Free to kill, but also, free to be merciful. Free to be the person she wants to be, no longer controlled by his actions, even in the form of vengeance.
So, vid rec! No spoilers for anything past The Southern Raiders, though standard YouTube warnings apply.
[youtube lLOMTIvHKlo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLOMTIvHKlo youtube]
*standing ovation*
seriously. bravo. LOVE the comments specifically about power and freedom in this context.
The first time I watched this episode I totally hated it. I was expecting a build up to the finale and felt the jokes/tone was all wrong. But after seeing the finale and going back and watching this ep I really really like it. I love how the creators made fun of the characters and how innovative the theater props were. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's live blogging! 😀
The scene my mind immediately jumps to when someone mentions this series?
The Chase, the scene between Iroh and Toph
"I poured your tea because I wanted to, and for no other reason,"
"There is nothing wrong with letting the people who love you help you."
I'm at the far end of severe vision loss/near-blindness. Throughout my childhood and adolescents, there was a pervasive narrative regarding people with disabilities on television; "Average Joe Protagonist will pity PWDs. But disability=/=helpless (as long as the PWD proves themself to Average Joe Protagonist first)." That, or blindness was used as a single-episode punchline complete with slapstick.
I grew up trying (and often failing) to find the balance between fighting the unavoidable prejudice and asserting my independence (proving myself to the average Joe) and accepting both the help that I needed and the fact that sometimes help was offered not out of pity, but out of courtesy, kinship or affection, and offered with respect.
You have no idea – or perhaps you do? How would I know? – how immensely powerful it was for me to see this issue so succinctly and poignantly played out on a children's cartoon show. On Nickelodeon, often one of the worst offenders with the aforementioned narrative tropes. It was like being hit over the head with a two-by-four. It was exhilarating and empowering all at the same time and the first time I saw that scene, all I could do was stare agape because so rarely do I see a message so powerful that directly relates to my experiences going blind.
This series was jam-packed with emotive scenes, but for me, that is the one that I will always remember first.
My favorite scene is the one at the finale, just before the epilogue, with the largest impact. Only one I could think of off the top of my head.
Ok, you people are making this even harder to pick my favorite moment 😛 Every comment I am reminded of yet another scene that jumps into contention. Seriously, as many of you have said, it is impossible to pick.
SO…moments in Avatar that give me chills – everytime:
-Iroh's badassery when Zhao kills the moon spirit
-Zuko confronting Ozai and redirecting that lightnening (BAM!)
-(upcoming moments inserted here)
Episodes I've rewatched most:
-The Western Air Temple and The Firebending Masters (sorry, but good dorky zuko is always entertaining.)
Part of Avatar world that always leaves me craving more:
-Anything involving the spirit world
-Anything metaphysical & spiritual – I loved Hue's speech on everything being connected and time being an illusion, as well as anything involving Guru Pathik.
Ok, gotta stop now or else I will eventually name every part of the show, ultimately defeating the purpose of what we are supposed to be doing 😛
Also, any part of Avatar involving the Spirit World is very interesting to me…and I WANT MORE. That's all.
[youtube UfDk3I6di5E http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfDk3I6di5E youtube]
Muhahahahaa!
Favourite moment? About half of them are in the finale! But…
Toph – beating down all those Earthbenders in "The Blind Bandit": "Wait! …They're mine." Subtext: And you're not having any. Second fave is in the finale.
Aang – in "The Guru", after he reflects upon how he has lost his people, wipes away his tears and asks, "Can I have some more onion and banana juice?" It's the way he says it; he sounds so young and vulnerable, I have to swallow a lump in my throat. Second fave is also in the finale.
Sokka – sorry man, but you getting stuck in a hole in "Bitter Work" was hilarious. "I will give up meat… and sarcasm. That's pretty much my whole identity."
Katara – asking Master Paku in "The Waterbending Master" to step outside, if you'd be so fucking kind.
Zuko – facepalming over how stuck-up and humourless he was at the beginning of his journey in "The Western Air Temple".
Iroh – "Braaave soldier boy…" *chokes up*
Azula – conquering Ba Sing Se LIKE A BOSS.
Wang Fire – being Wang Fire.
Appa – blowing away Ty Lee and Mai in "The Chase".
Suki – the Spider-Girl moment in "The Boiling Rock".
Bumi – being Bumi.
I suppose my favorite moment was when Toph learned how to metal bend.
Also, I really miss those kids from the southern water tribe.
Perhaps this was part of the jokes that you ignored, but I LOVED the writer commentary stuck into the episode.
• Skipping over the Great Divide
• Jet's unclear death
• Sokka's comment about the effects at the end.
Favorite moment? The tale of Iroh. Hands down. It's perhaps the most important part of his character development. Like his confrontation with Zhao, it shows that while he's normally such a content man, he's more than capable of expressing other emotions, and when he does, IT'S SO REAL.
I dunno if that made any sense, sort of a rough draft I guess.
Favorite scene? I'm gonna have to go season by season here, or there's no way I'll be able to decide.
Book 1: Probably Katara and Pakku's fight. Her badass challenge always makes me cheer. YAY KATARA!
Book 2: I love the scenes between Zuko and Song. He's ready to brush aside her words of advice the way he does with almost everyone's, but then she shows him her burn scar and he realizes that other people have some of the same problems that he does. I think he also starts to comprehend the harm that his father and his nation have caused to so many on a very personal level. And then he steals her ostrich-horse :'(
Book 3: ALL OF THE BOILING ROCK. Or, if I have to go with just one scene, I can't talk about it because it's in the finale. It's the one scene in the series that makes me feel like bawling every time I watch it.
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