Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not | š„Zutara š | 30s | she/her Side blog of an old school fan rewatching ATLA Main Acct: geronimooooooooooo
iām never getting over this in my life idk. like i KNEW that witnessing the catacombs scene in live action would impact me one way or another but this is better than even my most recondite zutara dreams. look at this absolute Lover Boy. look at this pathetic wrecked mess of a man. look at his soft adoring besotted doe eyed gaze. eyes shiny and widening with surprise because a kind beautiful princess is showing *even him* some compassion. he fell in Love right here.
Zuko finding out that Katara is the Painted Lady and still choosing to save her and then being scared to turn around and reveal his identity to her after they got captured because he knew she'd be disappointed
In which I literally have no words left, because I wrote them all below. Spoiler alert: I spend entirely too much time squeeing over the Zutara Crystal Catacombs scenes, to no oneās surprise.
Click here for my thoughts on S2E1 "Somewhere Safe"
Click here for my thoughts on S2E2 "A Fight, Once Begun"
Click here for my thoughts on S2E3 "City of Walls and Secrets"
Click here for my thoughts on S2E4 āThe Water Falls, the Stones Emergeā
Click here for my thoughts on S2E5 āTen Thousand Thingsā
Click here for my thoughts on S2E6 āThe Parable of the Two Dragonsā
Spoilers below the cut, of course!
Thoughts:
Aww, baby Appa with his mama! Iām not ashamed to admit I got choked up.
Also aww, little Aang and Appa bonding! I want a sky bison companion. Theyāre so fluffy and sweet. I also liked how it emphasized that both Aang and Appa were loners.
That cut from baby Appa to present day Appa imprisoned HURT. HOW DARE YOU.
Sokka trash talking the Dai Li even when heās being dragged off to prison. Same, honestly.
Yay, Sai! I thought for sure he was going to be brainwashed, and Iām glad heās okay.
I enjoyed the conversation between Toph and her mother. I was completely buying her sincerity too, until she suggested that they finish their tea. Then my radar went off, and when Toph took the sip, I said to myself āwell crap.ā
The Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady are being thrown into prison together?
OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Seriously, I was kicking my feet and clapping my hands like a damn seal when I first watched this (and upon rewatch, who am I kidding?)
I mentioned last review that the setting of the Crystal Catacombs is gorgeous, and Iām so happy with how beautiful it looks brought to life. It reminds me of a nighttime starry sky, which is entirely fitting for the theme of star-crossed lovers.
The fact that Katara doesnāt blame her partner in crime (yet) for them being captured, and wanting to thank him for coming to her rescueā¦ oof. Meanwhile heās refusing to turn around until he has no other choice, because the second that he does, whatever camaraderie they shared as vigilantes will be over.
Katara: āWho are you?ā
Zuko: āYou donāt want to know.ā
Katara: āYou got captured trying to help me. Of course I want to know. I want to thank you.ā
Zuko: āā¦ you wonāt.ā
Then his reluctant sigh as he finally turns around to reveal his identity to her, the little gasp from Katara and instinctively taking a step back, his sad face? Oh, my heart.
Katara: āWhat do we do now? Fight to the death?ā
Zuko, holding out his hands: āIām not going to fight you.ā
Katara: āIām such an idiot!ā
Zuko: āYouāre not.ā
Katara: āAnd I thought you were good, Iā¦ā
Zuko: āIām trying.ā
My heart is being thoroughly stomped on right now, no big deal.
Itās fine. Everythingās fine.
The fact that she immediately jumps to the conclusion that her vigilantism was stupid and selfish once she finds out that Zukoās been doing the exact same is not surprising. Itās hard to reconcile that her longtime enemy is capable of good, and itās easier to blame herself for āsinking to his levelā if you will.
There is a whole essay or two that I could write on this, but for now, props to the show for doing their homework on why Zuko and Katara are such compelling characters both separately and together.
Like I pointed out in the last review, Katara argued to the rest of the Gaang that her vigilantism as the Painted Lady was to help people. Zuko did the same when explaining to his uncle why he was doing the same as the Blue Spirit.
At their core, both Zuko and Katara want to help others, and I love them being two sides of the same coin.
Katara: āAang was right. They were all right. Everything I did was stupid, and selfish, and I put us all in danger, and this is what I deserve. To be locked in a cave with a monster.ā
The way he just accepts that, his shoulders slumpingā¦ ouch ouch ouch.
Sheās not wrong to be angry at him, though.
Azula ruthlessly taking out the royal Earth Kingdom military leaders was insane.
While I loved her verbal takedown of Long Feng in the original, I enjoyed this version as well. Played him like a fiddle, and we love to see it!
Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon! While I loved Iroh getting promoted to the Upper Ring in the original, him taking ownership of the tea shop in the Lower Ring makes more sense. I also love the little details of the friendships heās made with the BSS residents.
Iroh, upon learning that his nephew has been captured by the Dai Li: well shit.
Aang and Momo hiding out with Amita! Yay!
Amita explaining the Painted Ladyās importance as a symbol of hope for the people of Ba Sing Se, immediately proving Aangās previous statement as wrong, was a nice touch.
I really like Amita as a supporting character, I hope they bring her back for Season 3 and let her live happily ever after with Sai.
How did Mai know that the Dai Li also captured Zuko? How did she end up with his dao broadswords?
āDonāt you kind of love Zuko?ā ā Ty Lee to Mai, questioning why she sold him out.
So weāre definitely getting MZ next season, then. Lovely.
Since I started writing this review, Iāve seen Thalia Tranās interview where she confirms MZ, and itās whatever. As long as they expand upon their relationship, sure, fine, what the hell, why not.
Theyāre also setting up for Mai to betray Azula for Zukoās sake, clearly.
I love Aang and Irohās reluctant team up to rescue the others. Their interactions are always so good.
Katara trying to cut her way out of prison using waterbending, because of course sheās not just going to sit back and give up. Zuko offers to help, she turns him down, and he points out that what sheās doing is never going to get them out of there. Teamwork makes the dream work, Katara!
Katara accusing Zuko of using her as bait, and him admitting that itās more of an elaborate plan than he could come up with was fantastic. Because itās true, when he takes the time to think heās nigh-unstoppable, but usually he rushes right into things.
Zuko: āI had no plan. When I saw the Dai Li attack you, I didnāt think. I just helped. Thatās why Iām here.ā
Katara: āSure. Iām supposed to believe that innocent act from the son of the Fire Lord.ā
Other people have already put together gifsets of this scene, pointing to how he does the same when he saves her from the falling rocks and intercepts the lightning. Yall, I am not ready for the Last Agni Kai.
I loved the additional lines they added to her dialogue from the original.
Katara: āIām supposed to believe that innocent act from the son of the Fire Lord. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood. Whole generations have been lost because of your familyās lust for power. Forests burned. Families separated. People that just donāt exist anymore. Because of you and your father and his father, and all the little men that go all the way back to Sozin. Every Waterbender in my tribe has been taken or killed. Children taken. Except for me. I hid so I lived, and I have to live with the guilt of that every day. I feel guilty because I lived. What do you feel?ā
*Zuko refuses to look at her or answer*
Katara: āNothing? How dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through. Me personally. The Fire Nation took my mother away from me.ā
*Zuko finally turns around as she kneels down, sobbing*
Zuko: āIām sorry. Thatās something we have in common.ā
His startled look of realization, then his glance back at her, and her surprised glance back at him? Beautiful.
Aangās happy that he was right about there being more to Zuko and that there is good in him. Ohhh boy. Keep that in mind next seasonā¦
Iāve mentioned before that I like how this show has Aang take accountability of his actions, with him declaring to Iroh that heās going to do whatever it takes to make things right with his friends.
I typed all that and forgot about Irohās lines immediately afterwards. Oh well.
āThe best friendships survive the truth. The best ones even grow from it. You must be who you are, but you must also let them be who they are.ā ā Iroh
My point still stands, but this conversation between Aang and Iroh is very well done.
Ooh, Avatar Door! Cool.
Sokka and Saiās discussion about his escape attempts was fun, as was Sokka still being partially paralyzed like Westley from The Princess Bride.
I could post the entirety of the dialogue between Zuko and Katara in the Crystal Catacombs and not feel the least bit guilty, itās all so good.
I really liked their heart to heart about his mother, and how he admitted that his father was the one who scarred him.
Zukoās speech comparing how hard it is to burn a firebender, enough to leave a scar at least, to a waterbender drowning was heartbreaking. All the flowers to Dallas and Kiawentiio for this scene. Him admitting that he felt like he deserved to be scarred by his father too? Oh, my heart.
Zuko: āBecause my father hates me, everybody else does too. Those Fire Nation defectors? They would hate me if they knew who I was.ā
Katara: āWhy were you defending them?ā
Zuko: āBecause they were helpless. Why were you?ā
Katara: āā¦ same reason. For so long, when I saw the face of the enemyā¦ it was your face.ā
Zuko: āNo matter how much you hate this face, Kataraā¦ I hate it more.ā
Katara: āItās not what I see now. I see someone in pain, someone who needs healing. This is water from the Spirit Oasis. Itās been known to cure the deepest and most dire of wounds. Maybe even those that reach back generations. Can Iā¦ try to heal you?ā
His initial scoff of disbelief, then his expression when he realizes how sincere she isā¦ quit stomping on my heart already!
Long Feng recognizing General Tran as the soldier that was taken captive earlier, plus the unsettling string music in the background, was a nice twist.
Poor Joo Dee.
Sokka and Sai trying to extract the crystal, only to realize that Aangās already come to the rescue was fun. Their callback to the original show with Iroh assuring them that there is good inside Zuko versus good outside of him was fun too.
Katara: āI wonder if this is the reason I was given this water in the first place, because it was meant for you.ā
Zuko: āI donāt deserve it.ā
Katara: āYou will.ā
Oh, Katara. Bless you for your kind heart, but no, thatās not what the healing water is for.
I did appreciate Zukoās admittance that he doesnāt deserve it, with her assuring him that he will. Seriously, Zutara tropes all over this season, and Iām not mad at all!
The hesitation as she reaches out to rest her palm against his scar, the terrified expression on his faceā¦ give them both all of the accolades, this was so well done.
Sokka bursting in like Anthony Bridgerton finding Daphne and Simon in the gardens made me giggle. Seriously, thatās a romance trope as old as time.
Plus Katara insisting not to attack him, standing between Zuko and her brother? I see you, show writers, letting your Zutara freak flag fly proudly.
Her immediately vouching for Zuko, claiming that sheās seen him helping people, was good too. The Gaang will need to remember that come next seasonā¦
Aangās silent dejected look seeing how close Zuko and Katara had gotten was an interesting change from the original.
Loved Sokka and Katara immediately making up and apologizing, with the classic sibling interaction. Thatās a sad contrast of how Zuko and Azula react to seeing each other again later on.
The uneasy alliance between Aang and Zuko to make sure everyone gets out was a good addition.
Aang almost admitting his feelings for Katara, only to back down at the last moment, was bittersweet.
Joo Dee noooooooo.
Okay but WHY did they make a point to show Zuko (and Iroh) running towards Katara, only for the Dai Li to shout āseparate them!ā and bending a wall of stone between them, just like they did with Sokka and Suki earlier this season?
COME ON, NOW. THE PARALLELS ARE PARALLEL-ING.
I did like Tophās calling out of her mother, and the realization that her friends at least know her.
Toph discovering her metalbending capabilities was alright. Not the greatest, but not as terrible as the internet claims it to be. Didnāt love it, but I didnāt hate it either.
Yay for Aang using earthbending to sense where Appa is!
I did like the addition of Long Feng sticking around and offering to help Aang, whereas he disappears from the narrative in the original after Azula takes command of the city.
Nice callback of Long Feng saying their only option is to run away and fight another day, which Aang was saying not too long ago before Toph smashed that out of him.
Liked Aangās calling out of Long Feng as well, plus Long Fengās retort when Aang says heās going to stay and fight and stop Azula:
Long Feng: āYou will never defeat her. You are too kind, and that makes you weak.ā
Yay, Appaās reunited with Aang! Had the show been longer, Appaās absence would have hit harder, but for the limited number of episodes we got, it was still devastating. Him telling Appa to get out, and that heāll be okay though? Ouch.
Side Note: It was such a good call to select actors with actual martial arts experience for both Aang and Zuko in this show. Seriously, go watch the behind-the-scenes clips of the pair of them before the special effects are added.
The Fire Siblingās showdown was done well, and I canāt wait to see their final fight next season.
Azula holding the blue flame near Zukoās unscarred eye when she had him beaten was chilling.
Also, Azula invoking the memory of their lost mother to manipulate Zuko into joining her side was a good call for the adaptation.
My breath literally caught in my throat seeing the cavern where the final battle takes place. The crystals in the darkness are so beautiful, which makes the tragedy thatās about to befall our heroes even more haunting.
Aaaaaand here comes Zuko! Surely heās decided to help Aang and Katara this time, right?
RIGHT???
(Also good grief at the arm muscles on Dallas. If I was that ripped, Iād have been pushing for a sleeveless shirt in this scene as well.)
Kataraās hopeful expression seeing Zuko again, thinking heās come to join their sideā¦ I canāt. It hurtsssssss.
Maybe if Zuko had found them again before heād crossed paths with Azulaā¦ but we all know how this chapter has to end. Heās got to make the worst choice possible, regain everything he lost, only to realize that heās changed for good, and so on.
Of course Toph was able to track them down to Lake Laogai. Sure, why not?
The sheer brutality of this fight, oof. I felt the flame whips when Zuko unleashed them. The special effects were fantastic.
The āI thought you had changed!ā āI have changed.ā exchange was heartbreaking. Cue Adeleās āRolling in the Deepā because we could have had it allllllllllllll
Side Note: Zuko/Dallas looks a lot like Bruce Lee in this scene. I can see him being cast if they make another movie about him.
I did like that Mai and Ty Lee joined the Dai Li as they arrived in the caverns, because what else were they doing during this part of the original show? Ty Leeās hands were trapped I guess, but surely there were enough Dai Li floating about to free her? Anyways, I did like this addition.
Ooooh, Kataraās glare at Zuko and his glare right back.
I loved this interpretation of Aang calling upon the Avatar State and seeing his past lives, as well as the giant celestial form of himself like in the original.
I liked how Mai and Ty Lee got the heck outta Dodge when Aang reached the Avatar State. Wise move, ladies!
Admittedly, it was really cool seeing Aang able to control three of the elements in the Avatar State. Itās going to look so good in the final season when heās able to control all four.
Lol at Zuko trying to shoot fire at a powered up Aang, only to get knocked flat on his ass. He tried.
Aaaaaaaaand hereās the second big change to the show that I referenced earlier in my review of Episode 5.
I would have preferred if Azula had blasted him immediately, not letting him have the chance to fully power up. I still remember the absolute devastation that I felt watching that for the first time, how it was so unexpected. I kept waiting for Azula to preemptively strike, and she didnāt.
That being said, this does tie back in to Long Fengās parting words about Aang being too kind to defeat Azula, and the parable of the two dragons from the previous episode. So I get the change, but I still prefer the original version.
For what itās worth, fomer ATLA writer Aaron Ehasz has stated on Twitter that he likes the change, so eh.
I donāt like it, but I also donāt hate it, and it does make sense narratively, so oh well.
Iām glad that the live action removed the reference to Michaelangeloās PietĆ . It makes sense narratively why Bryke included it in the original show, but then they had to add all the layers of Katara mothering Aang as well, only to have her end up marrying him. Appreciate the art reference, but in the original contextā¦ no.
Another change I liked (minor as it was) is that only Azula advanced on Katara while sheās holding Aangās lifeless body, instead of Zuko joining her. Itās a crumb, but Iāll gobble it up regardless.
Iroh to the rescue! His heartbroken glance at his nephew out of the corner of his eyes before heās led away, plus Zuko not even looking at his uncleā¦ damn.
Zuko staring up at the waterfall to where Katara just escaped with Aang, and the look in his eyesā¦ chills. I cannot WAIT to see them interacting next season.
The shot of King Kuei looking up at Appa flying away from Ba Sing Se, and the callback to how the city would fall into panic to see anything flying overhead was a tragic callback. Poor Amita and the rest of Ba Sing Se.
Yay, Aangās back from the dead! Unfortunately, he doesnāt wake up in this version, because theyāre saving it for next season.
Aaaaaand thatās a wrap!
Favorite Scene: Everything about Zuko and Kataraās interactions in this episode, from their conversations alone in the Crystal Catacombs, to their reunion during the fight against Azula, and his ultimate betrayal.
Favorite Line: As predictable as it is, Iām going to have to go with the Katara and Zuko dialogue from their imprisonment in the Crystal Catacombs. Shocking, I know!
Overall Thoughts: To say that I enjoyed this season more than the first would be a massive understatement. The actors are doing a fantastic job, and thereās been a noticeable effort to capture more of the essence of the original show that we all know and love. Iāve really appreciated the additional details and worldbuilding theyāve added, and I canāt wait to see what they do with Season 3. If you go into this expecting an exact replication, then youāll be disappointed. Maybe if Netflix allowed them to have more episodes, then it would be more faithful to the source material. As it stands, Iāve enjoyed what the show has done with remixing the story elements into a new format. Thereās more that I can say, but this review is already more then 3K words long, plus watching and writing down my reviews of the last two episodes has literally taken me 5 and a half hours. So Iāll end this by saying I would recommend at least checking it out for yourself, because itās an enjoyable ride at times.
In which a plan unravels, the Gaang has a fight, and a few of our heroes get captured...
Click here for my thoughts on S2E1 "Somewhere Safe"
Click here for my thoughts on S2E2 "A Fight, Once Begun"
Click here for my thoughts on S2E3 "City of Walls and Secrets"
Click here for my thoughts on S2E4 āThe Water Falls, the Stones Emergeā
Click here for my thoughts on S2E5 āTen Thousand Thingsā
Spoilers below the cut, of course!
Thoughts:
The Avatar State is breathtaking to witness but would be TERRIFYING to experience in real life. No wonder Tophās freaking out and asking if theyāre under attack.
I like the change that Aangās able to stop himself and pull out of the Avatar State without Katara having to put herself in danger to drag him back from the brink.
Oof. Aang immediately blaming Toph, just like in the original.
Katara: āAang, stop it! We barely got out of there. Toph did what she could.ā
Aang: āIt wasnāt enough.ā
Katara: āShe saved us.ā
Aang: āI donāt care.ā
On one hand, you sympathize with Aang, and itās completely understandable that heās lashing out, even though he goes too far (just like in the original.) But my biggest gripe is that he never has to apologize for it.
Kataraās sad expression when explaining to Toph that no, Jet didnāt make it out because he sacrificed himself to save them. Oof.
Aw no, not Momo curling up in the empty bison footprint.
Time for Zuzuās fever dreams!
āA fever is the fire of change. If you survive it, it burns away your old self and gives you new life.ā Iāll try to remember that the next time Iām sick, Iroh.
Baby!Zuko is too precious for words.
I like the change of his fever dreams flashing back to watching the theatre with his mother and family, and how it ties back to the myth of the Blue Spirit.
Seriously, the whole scene of his fever dreams taking place in a theatrical format was a brilliant choice. The red and blue dragons are portrayed as puppets this time, which adds to the eerie, haunting imagery. They saved money by not having to create the CGI dragons and again tied it all back to his childhood love of the theatre. Win-win!
Interesting that in his dreams, he slays the red dragon and leaves the blue alone. Because if youāll remember in the original show, Azula voiced the blue dragon while Iroh voiced the red. Sozinās dragon was also blue, while Rokuās Fang was red. Lastly, when Zuko and Aang faced off against the Firebending Masters Ran and Shaw, he was confronted by the blue dragon there as well. Symbolism!
Itās the little things like the above point which make me like NATLA as its own thing. Itās not perfect, but theyāve done a lot of work into expanding on the worldbuilding and being influenced by all of the lore.
Aww. Love that he got to hug his mother one last time, even if it was only in his dreams.
āThe plan isnāt planning like usual.ā ā Sokka, and me whenever the slightest thing goes wrong.
I like that theyāve made Aang a bit more mature here during the serious moments, as well as letting him be more lighthearted during the moments of levity.
The following dialogue was fantastic on so many levels:
*discussing how to break into the Earth Kingās palace*
Toph: āOkay, so weāre walking straight into a prison.ā
Sokka: āWhat? No. What kind of maniac would do that?ā
*Smash cut to Azula in the Dai Liās prison, smirking at Long Feng*
I love an answer cut in media, plus nice foreshadowing to the Boiling Rock if they choose to keep that storyline.
I loved the back and forth between Azula and Long Feng, as well as him countering her immortal line from the show about him coming from nothing. Seriously, there are so many good one-liners in this scene, I couldnāt pick one.
Zukoās spiritual sickness and fever dreams should have lasted longer in this episode, but thatās me being nitpicky. Also yay for him cooking and thanking his uncle for taking care of him! Sadly, we all know this wonāt last. Nice callback to Zuko taking care of Iroh earlier this season too, after he was struck by Azulaās lightning.
Love the callback to Momo āearthbendingā when theyāre trying to come up with a plan to get into the palace.
āI canāt even see it, and I already know itās bad.ā Toph regarding Sokkaās terrible drawings to explain his plan.
The plan to sneak in using the wine casks is a trope as old as time and reminded me of the movie āHairspray.ā
āNo oneās gonna notice if only one of these [wine casks] ends up in the storeroom, right?ā Loooooool.
Zukoās working at the tea shop now!
Him recognizing the woman he stole from in the second episode, holding her baby and smiling at him, none the wiser was a nice touch.
āAfraid of babies?ā āā¦ oh, no. Babies are afraid of me.ā Awwww.
Jin is so precious, I love her so much. I have a soft spot for Jinko and I loved their interactions. Also aw, heās smiling! Irohās smiling because his nephew is smiling! And itās the would-be mugger, learning to brew tea from Iroh! Now Iām smiling! Everybodyās smiling!
(Too bad that wonāt last, either.)
I enjoyed the moments of raw vulnerability when Aang and Katara were talking about him needing to control his emotions, and him almost breaking down because he misses Appa so much. My poor babies.
Bosco! I get why they didnāt include him (cutting costs on CGI, etc.) but it was nice to see a nod to our favorite bear companion.
Unrelated side note, if I would be any animal, Iād definitely be a bear. Chilling in the forest as an apex predator, eating plants, berries, and honey, and catching fish all day? Hibernating every winter? Sign me up!
Anywho, I like this change of the Earth King being a gardener, itās fitting given his fulltime occupation. Love a good Plant Dad!
Another unrelated side note, I cannot keep plants alive to save my life. People and pets, I can handle easily. Plants? Lol noooooooooope.
Hellooooooooo, King Kuei! I love that one constant Iāve seen from the fandom is that we all find his actor insanely attractive.
I also liked how the Earth King used plants at the Western Air Temple as a talking point with Aang. I also noticed on rewatch that the focus keeps switching to Katara when King Kueiās talking about the silver amaranth at the WAT. Foreshadowing, maybe?
Kuei immediately dismissing the topic of serious matters: āI have people for that sort of thingā and āpolitics turns my stomach.ā Well, this isnāt going to go well at all, is it?
Katara using gardening and the kingās love of flowers to make a point! (Maybe that's why the camera kept focusing on her a moment ago?)
Either way, lovely metaphor and using waterbending to control weeds and plants to convince Kuei to at least hear them out. We see you, Ambassador Katara!
āThe decision has been made for him. He just doesnāt know it yet.ā Azula about Long Feng, and waiting for the plan to come together. Love our scheming evil princess.
Nitpick: on one hand, it makes sense that they have Ozaiās Angels locked away in the Crystal Catacombs. However, how breathtaking would it have been for us to wait and see them when Katara and Zuko get captured and thrown in there next episode?
Like I said, itās a nitpick, and the setting of the catacombs is GORGEOUS.
I enjoyed Azula recounting the parable of the two dragons (title drop!) to Ty Lee and Mai, serving as foreshadowing for the finale (and maybe the Last Agni Kai next season?)
āThe lesson is to strike down your enemy completely when you have the chance.ā She and Mike Ehrmantraut from Breaking Bad have taught us that if nothing else, never settle for a half measure.
Aw, Zukoās date with Jin at the Firelight Fountain! Heās so awkward, bless him.
I feel for General Sung here, being blackmailed by Long Feng, as the Dai Li have her daughter held captive at Lake Laogai. That being said, boooooooo!
Long Feng, being diabolical and knowing everyoneās secrets. Iād say we love to see it, except we donāt. Still, heās such a good villain, and this interpretation of him has really grown on me.
Exposing Kataraās vigilantism in the Lower Ring as the Painted Lady, the Beifong family being involved in manufacturing war machines for the Fire Nation, and blaming Sokka for the disappearance of Professor Zei? The callback to the plot of Sai and the assassination attempt on King Bumi in the first season? Well done, you manipulative son of a bitch.
The Earth King hesitating and asking Long Feng what he should do was sadly to be expected. I appreciate this interpretation of King Kuei, being so dependent that he canāt make any difficult decisions on his own or think for himself.
Aaaaaaand Aang is finally losing his temper at the worst possible time, demanding to know where Appa is, and starting to go into the Avatar State only to pull himself back just in time, except itās too late. The Earth King sees him as a threat, and whatever case they had built for themselves has been shattered. Again, well done Long Feng, for being a master manipulator.
Wouldnāt it have made more sense for the Gaang to be captured and imprisoned right then and there, instead of letting them go back to their house?
I do like that the Earth King does intend to follow up and is directly interrogating General Sung about the war.
Aang immediately placing all of the blame on Katara for everything unraveling, because Long Feng exposed her vigilantism is not surprising, sadly.
Katara: āI took those nettles to help a sick kid. Everything that I did was to help people.ā
Aang: āWell, it didnāt help us, did it?ā
Excuse you. I wanted to throw hands at my TV when he said that. Ā
I briefly mentioned this last review about both Jet and Aang being against Katara disguising herself to help others, and their reasoning.
Jet, because he was jaded and she was (unknowingly) helping Fire Nation refugees.
Aang because it backfired and hurt their case to convince the Earth King to help them (whereas in the original, he was on board with it.)
Iāll touch on that more in the next review, but I just wanted to point that out here. Ā
The Gaang arguing and fracturing was well done, even if it was heartbreaking.
Katara admitting that she helped defend Fire Nation refugees and the othersā reactions = more foreshadowing for next season? Assuming we get to have Jang Hui?
If nothing else, itās a bittersweet call forward to the final episode of this season, IYKYK.
While I hate seeing the Gaang arguing and pointing fingers, I do like the raw honesty they each brought to the table, even if theyāre all right and wrong in their own way.
One thing I really appreciated was Katara actually standing up against Aang and pointing out how she had to carry the team, and telling him to carry himself because she wasnāt doing it anymore. Time will tell how long that lasts, but I do like that she was allowed to have a backbone.
I liked the brief conversation Zuko and Iroh had after he was caught getting ready to sneak out for another night of vigilantism.
āIām not doing this out of anger, or for vengeance. Iām doing this because I want to help people.ā ā Zuko to Iroh on why heās been sneaking out as the Blue Spirit. Who else does that sound like? Hmā¦
I also enjoyed Irohās introduction to the Order of the White Lotus and his conversation with Jeong Jeong and his past sins as the Dragon of the West.
Iroh: āIām not that man anymore.ā
JJ: āYou cannot escape the Dragon. You and he are one in the same. Those actions are your actions, no matter how long you run from them.ā
Jeong Jeong explaining that it was his desertion as an office to escape Irohās leadership that led to Lu Tenās death made sense, and it hurt. Iāve really appreciated the show letting Iroh come to terms with his past, both the trauma he endured and the trauma he inflicted, and not shying away from either.
Welcome to the Order of the White Lotus, Iroh!
Aw, yay! Zuko returned the stolen rattle back to the mother and her baby!
Katara rushing towards the sound of the woman screaming.
(Yes, I'm using an old meme and IDGAF. Deal with it.)
Oh no, sheās been trapped by the Dai Li!
Cue the Blue Spirit, leaping down from the rooftops and breaking her stone cuffs.
The pair of them make such a fantastic team, even when theyāre strangers.
Him grabbing her by the waist and lifting her up so she can kick was just *chefās kiss*
You cannot convince me that the pair of them havenāt been teaming up undercover ever since their initial meeting. There are so many fics that could be spawned from this idea alone (and I have zero time + energy to write them)
Literally the only reason they lost is because they were outnumbered.
Loved that they both glanced at each other once they were apprehended.
In all seriousness, which of the show writers have been reading my fic ādelicateā????
Someone also pointed out that the shot of them captured on the ground surrounded by the Dai Li resembles the Yin and Yang symbol, and I canāt unsee it.
Not gonna lie, I wasnāt actually expecting Poppy Beifong to be in the city. I thought it was going to be another trap.
Oh no, Sokkaās been captured! (Ty Lee, quit flirting with the man. His heart belongs to Suki!)
Sad little callback to the beginning of the previous episode, with Aang curled up on the ground instead of Appa, blaming himself for messing everything up and how heās failed everyone.
āI had to feel everything, so I could feel nothing, which is the key to feeling everything.ā Loved the callback to Bumiās advice, helping Aang sense through earthbending that Appa was being kept underground.
Now on to the finale!
Favorite Scene: Ā Zukoās fever dreams set in a theatre. Second place would be the Gaangās argument, as heartbreaking as it was to see.
Favorite Line: āBitterness has its own lessons, and once you get it right, you can savor how far youāve come.ā ā Iroh with the tea proverbs
(love's) the death of peace of mind by @jasmine-tea-latte. read here.
this fic must have the record of longest, most prolonged smut scene in world history. but there's more than smut this one also has plot! and it's great! painted lady x blue spirit joining forces to take down the bad guys before natla plagiarized (because what's natla without zutaras). must say that I had never envisioned painted spirit working together for that one thing but I loved it and now I wish natla also kinda plagiarized. it was a really good idea. this one is also another canon au so it goes all the way to the ending. also zuko's feelings are so raw in this fic.
In which the Gaang visits their local library and loses a few of their alliesā¦
Click here for my thoughts on S2E1 "Somewhere Safe"
Click here for my thoughts on S2E2 "A Fight, Once Begun"
Click here for my thoughts on S2E3 "City of Walls and Secrets"
Click here for my thoughts on S2E4 āThe Water Falls, the Stones Emergeā
Spoilers below the cut, of course!
Thoughts:
Last time, on Dragon Ball Zā¦ wait a minute, wrong show.
Aang is beating himself up for his argument with Katara, and how he feels like a jerk. Yay for accountability and self-reflection! Ā
āWhy not words bend?ā Me when Iām trying to write and my brain says lolnope.
āWait a minute, thereās a way out of this. I just have to say, āIām sorry.āā Itās a start, at least!
Sokkaās constantly evolving list of code words to keep the Dai Li confused was fun, considering no one was able to keep up with them (and Momo ate the new list anyway, which was definitely for security purposes.)
Aang keeping up appearances with Long Feng, to trick him into thinking thatās heās scared, was a nice touch. Way to game the system from within!
I like that Katara gets to flex her political and strategic muscles by meeting in secret with General Sung.
Zuko, keeping tabs by spying on Katara. While itās for pragmatic reasons (figuring out what she and the Gaang are up to), I like to think heās intrigued by her aiding the Fire Nation refugees as well.
Is this a safe place to admit that I never cared much for The Library or Wan Shi Tong in general? I do like the callback to the first season of NATLA with Wan Shi Tongās appearance there.
The Zei and Sokka bromance is fun. Too bad that wonāt last.
Sokka bringing up the refugees of BSS as potential sources of information + allies, and Kataraās silent look. Again, hoping theyāll call back to this next season.
A note from Poppy Beifong! Iām sure Toph has no reason to suspect anything nefarious is afoot.
I do like that Ozaiās Angels are spending more time undercover as Kyoshi warriors, to get a better grasp at how to take down BSS from within.
Toph, meet Iroh! I canāt tell if they recognize each other at this point, or if their fight against Azula distracted them in the moment. Either way, this was a fun interaction, even if we couldnāt have them encounter each other in the wilderness.
Something tells me the show writers knew that the fans would riot if they didnāt include a scene of Toph and Iroh being Tea Buddies.
Their conversation about families was good. Hereās hoping we get more interactions between the pair of them next season.
Long Feng always having personalized gifts for the newcomers. Man is always ten steps ahead of everyone else, except for the one person more crazy-prepared than he is.
I canāt wait to see Azula play him like a fiddle.
Jet, seeing Katara rounding the corner and shaking his head like:
āWhat are you, some kind of flame lover now?ā Give it time, Jet.
Love that once Katara unfroze Jet from the wall, she left him soaking wet. We stan a petty queen.
āYou should know, your little act isnāt changing anyoneās lives.ā Fuck off, Jet.
I originally was going to put a bullet point (or two) here regarding Kataraās vigilantism and how both Aang and Jet donāt support it, while a certain someone else does. But Iām tired, itās been a long, busy weekend, and Iāll circle back to that in either the next review or the last. Right now Iām pushing through this episode and review.
āYou hate the Fire Nation enough to pick on a bunch of helpless people, but you canāt do one thing to fight the real enemy?ā Read him for filth, Katara!
When she chews out Zuko next season, itās going to be glorious.
Katara bringing Jet back to the house + Sokka and Aangās understandable protests was fun.
āI like him. He stands with attitude.ā
Aang and Kataraās private-ish conversation about how she hated Jet before, and why sheās trusting him now are a good call forward to the Crystal Catacombs + maybe next season when Zuko joins the Gaang?
The convo between Iroh and Zuko here was good, calling back to the end of the first episode, and showing how much theyāve both grown since the beginning of the season.
āWhatever you choose, whatever path you walk downā¦ I will always love you.ā Oh, my heartā¦
Azula and Mai figuring out that the Earth King is controlled by a shadow ruler based on their observations of the city and all of its undercover spies was fun. How Azula decides to get herself captured so she can meet the real authority behind Ba Sing Se was fun too.
Basically, Azula:
I donāt remember if others were able to enter the Spirit World with Aangās help, as presented in this episode. Either way, Iām not complaining.
I would spend SO much time hanging out in that huge library if it were real, big ass owl spirit be damned. I would totally be Zei, getting sidetracked from the mission by the books and scrolls (minus selling the Gaang out of course!)
Nice callback to the Siege of the North, and the misadventures with the spirits.
Aw, Sokka meeting the fox spirit and talking about Yue.
Avatar Yangchen! Avatar Kyoshi! Always love seeing the past lives.
Iām going to be honest, I skimmed through most of this episode upon rewatch. Itās not bad by any means, but I just got bored once the Gaang gets inside of the library.
That being said, there is a bittersweet scene of Sokka pouring out his heart and how much he still misses Yue, and how her death has affected him and influenced the person he is today.
There are some good heartfelt conversations between the others as well, like the one between Katara and Jet.
āWe were kids, playing at a warā¦ and then a real war came. Every single one of them would still be alive if they never met me.ā Oh, Jet.
The scene with the celestial calendar was visually breathtaking.
Oh hi there, Blue Spirit!
Again, I have to give Dallas his flowers for silently portraying Zukoās inner turmoil so well when heās contemplating kidnapping Aang. I also like that this is what led to Zuzuās spiritual fever. While I loved that he set Appa free in the original, I think this was a good change.
Again, Iām viewing this as a remix of sorts, so Iām not put off by the changes (except for two big ones, one of which is coming up in this very episode.)
Zei you traitor. Boo this man!
Having seen an eclipse in real life, in full totality no less, I LOVED seeing the preview of the Day of Black Sun. Seriously one of the best experiences of my life, and I canāt wait to watch it depicted in the show.
Oh damn, Zei got gobbled down like the cowardly lawyer by the Tyrannosaurus Rex in the first Jurassic Park. So long, sellout!
Appa, noooo!
Toph to the rescue! Sheās the MVP for holding the library up as long as she could.
Aaand hereās one of the two big changes to the OG show that I wasnāt completely on board with. Most of the other changes I was fine with, but I preferred Jetās death in the original, at Long Fengās hand. I appreciate why they made this change for the live action, letting Jet redeem himself and all, and buying time for the Gaang to escape the library while facing down Wan Shi Tong.
That being said, I always appreciated (for lack of a better word, I guess) the irony of Jetās death. He spent most of his life fighting the Fire Nation, yet heās killed in a senseless fight against a fellow resident of the Earth Kingdom. I say senseless because in theory, Long Feng and the Dai Li should have been on the Gaangās side, but nope, gotta be power hungry assholes instead. I also thought it really hammered home the point that there are good and bad people on all sides.
This is subjective and a personal preference, so your mileage may vary. The second big change that Iām not a huge fan of happens in the last episode, which Iāll get to eventually.
Holy cliffhanger, Batman!
Favorite Scene: The one-on-one conversations in the library (Aang and Yangchen, Toph and Kyoshi, Katara and Jet, and Sokka to the illusion of the moon.)
Favorite Line: āWe donāt need help from a terrorist who tried to overthrow the government! Oh wait, weāre kind of trying to overthrow the government.ā ā Sokka
In which the Gaang settles into the city, and two masked vigilantes cross paths for the first timeā¦
Click here for my thoughts on S2E1 "Somewhere Safe"
Click here for my thoughts on S2E2 "A Fight, Once Begun"
Click here for my thoughts on S2E3 "City of Walls and Secrets"
Spoilers below the cut, of course!
Thoughts:
I loved the montage of the Gaangās daily lives in Ba Sing Se, as well as a glimpse of Iroh and Zukoās. I also liked the change that Zuko is working for a stable instead of the tea shop, because it gives him the excuse of working ānight shiftsā so he can get up to Blue Spirit vigilantism.
But seriously, which Painted Blue fanfics have the writers been reading?
All of Tophās affectionately derogatory nicknames for Aang are fantastic. āBald Sing Seā might just be my favorite.
Suki versus Mai and Ty Lee was good, and if it hadnāt been for Azula, she wouldāve walked away from that fight as the winner.
I liked the subtle detail of Zuko starting to warm the teapot with his hands, then glancing out of the window and remembering where they are, then asking for the spark rocks. Iroh pointing out the he knows his nephew stole the nicer teapot was a good touch, too.
Long Feng casually mentioning how he used to be good at earthbending. āI donāt pretend to be an earthbending masterā¦ā
Sure, Jan, never mind me, just getting traumatic flashbacks to Jetās death beneath Lake Laogai in the OG show, no big deal.
Irohās face when he sees The Tree š
Iāve mentioned this previously, but I do appreciate the details to the overall lore and the depth theyāre adding to the story. Case in point, Zei mentioning how the SWT is knowledgeable about celestial navigation due to being a seafaring people.
Jin! I loved her in the original, and Iām so happy they included her here. Also poor shy, awkward Zuzu sputtering like an idiot.
Hello again, Jet!
āYou know, we made a great team working back there on the ferry.ā I will forever mourn that the two of them will never be friends or lovers because their characters play so well off each other.
Going back to adding dimensions to the story, I liked that they included the subplot of Fire Nation deserters seeking refuge in Ba Sing Se. Of course Zuko doesnāt know, because thatās the last thing the Fire Nation would want getting out.
āA group of concerned citizens are going there tonight to discuss the matter.ā Sure, discuss. Oh, Jet. Ā
āYou want in? I could use someone to watch my back.ā Yeahhhh, you couldā¦ oh, not like that. Never mind, carry on. Just me making dumb double entendres about two pretty bois. Iāve got a soft spot for Jetko, and I make zero apologies for it.
Jetās Freedom Fighters dipping out of his more extreme behavior is sad, but I agree with them. Iād be saying nope as well.
I really appreciated the added scenes of Iroh coming to terms with his past, and his reaction to seeing all of the names of those killed in the siege of Ba Sing Se on the walls, before the Dai Li smoothed them away. I got chills when he glanced around and saw the citizens with burn marks on their faces, emphasizing that not even the royal family was safe from the cruelties they inflicted upon the world.
āBlood from a stone. Remember.ā
I enjoyed the scene of Ty Lee and Mai advising Azula, and the eventual payoff of their plot to use the soldier to infiltrate the city.
Of course Toph could sense that Katara was sneaking out. Again, classic Zutara fanfic trope in action.
Katara genuinely has no idea that Aang has a crush on her, and Toph immediately picked up on it, because of course she did.
I loved the scene of Zuko visiting the Fire Nation refugees in the Lower Ring, and his whole conversation with Jeong Jeong.
āYou mean Fire Lord Ozai.ā āHeās not my Fire Lord.ā Loved seeing Zuzu getting his worldview challenged and gradually coming to terms with how horrible his father is.
Jeong Jeong correctly identifying the firebending kata that Zuko used to catch the piece of fruit was fantastic. This whole exchange between the two of them was fantastic, with Zuko trying to warn them and Jeong Jeong immediately picking up that he was the one responsible for causing the fire at the shop in the first place.
When Zuko eventually becomes Fire Lord, these encounters are going to help shape his rule.
āSokka tried to tell you something was wrong, but you didnāt believe it until Long Feng said it.ā
Aangās response about how he trusts Long Feng, and how itās the first time since Gyatso that he feels like someone understands the pressure heās under ā to Katara and Sokkaās faces, no less ā perfectly sets up a core conflict of his character, in my opinion. His friends have been ride or die since day one, yet heās placing his trust in someone who says all the right words to win him over. Beware of flattery, guys.
I also really enjoyed the conversation / argument between the original members of the Gaang, and where their loyalties lie.
Circling back to my bullet point about them adding depth to the story, Iām not surprised that the Beifongs have been working with the Fire Nation because ābusiness knows no borders.ā
Jang Hui shout out!
Cabbage Merchant! Iām so happy theyāve included him for a cameo this season. All they need is a final cameo in Season 3 and weāll be set.
The shrine to the Painted Lady, and Kataraās reaction to seeing it was a lovely touch.
Love that they included the haiku poetry class, adding Toph into the mix, and their conversation as told through haiku.
While Iām sad we didnāt get more of the āTales of Ba Sing Seā clips, I did enjoy this more somber take on the Tale of Iroh, and his reaction to the would-be mugger while heās staring in horror at the wall where the victimsā names were. His repeated āit should have been me that dayā was heartbreaking, as was the mugger breaking down because heās been driven to desperation.
Jet being too far gone to listen to Jeong Jeong when he explained why he deserted the Fire Nation Army was tragically not surprising and very much in character.
Zuko as the Blue Spirit letās fucking gooooooooooo!
Oh no, heās been cornered and is getting ganged up on! But wait, thereās an eerie mist there that wasnāt there beforeā¦ who could it be?
Iām not ashamed to admit that I was kicking my feet and grinning like a damn fool this entire scene. Painted Spirit team up, letās goooooooo!
The way Zuko swung his arms forward again once he spotted the Painted Lady and dove back into the fight reminded me of the clip of Henry Cavillās character āreloadingā his fists to punch, from that Mission Impossible movie. Anyone else catch that? Just me?
(Link to the Blue Spirit gif below)
PAINTED LADY, MEET THE BLUE SPIRIT.
THE TENSION, THE INTRIGUE, THE STARES ACROSS THE FIRE PIT, THE RELUCTANT ALLIANCE. ITāS ALL GLORIOUS.
NOW KISS DAMN IT. Ā
I cannot WAIT to see all of the Painted Spirit in Ba Sing Se fics that come from this season alone.
They match each otherās freak, with their vigilante alter egos and sense of justice.
Iām giggling like a dork just rewatching this whole scene, even though Iāve watched it in gif form a billion times in the last week.
I also liked that Kataraās been practicing her hand-to-hand combat skills, since she canāt outwardly waterbend without giving her identity away.
We love a couple that fights together, Mr. and Mrs. Smith style.
For the record, this was the part where I went from āI wouldnāt mind if they went with KA in the live actionā to ālol never mind, Team Zutara for lyfe bitchesssssā
I donāt even care what anyone else says, Iām having a fucking blast with this subplot.
The snippet we got of Jet versus the Blue Spirit was entirely too short, and I wouldāve happily watched a whole episode of them battling it out.
Also, good on Jet for being the one to draw first blood, even though Iām obviously Team Blue Spirit in this fight.
And here comes Katara with the save! Except she used her waterbending, immediately outing her identity. Whoops.
Seriously, the writers have been reading Zutara fanfiction ahead of this season.
Jetās shocked āKatara? Why are you helping these people? Theyāre Fire Nation!ā and Zukoās slow head turn in realization that his unlikely ally is his mortal enemyās closest friend are chefās fucking kiss.
I could write a whole damn essay on how much I loved this scene.
Seriously, Dallas does such an incredible job of portraying Zukoās reaction from behind the impassivity of the Blue Spirit mask. I could feel his disbelief through body language alone, without any words.
It also occurred to me on this second viewing that earlier when Katara overhead Jet plotting to attack the fugitives, she didnāt hear them mention that the fugitives in question were Fire Nation. So her reaction afterwards, running away and stopping beside the Painted Lady shrine as she's silently freaking out, was an incredible addition.
Really hoping they visit Jang Hui somehow next season and this gets referenced. Probably not, but a girl can dream.
I just rewound back to the part where Katara eavesdrops to confirm that plot point, and have fast forwarded back to the Blue Spirit and Painted Lady team up, and I want you all to know that Iām watching the whole damn thing again.
Ahem. Anywaysā¦
Loved that Iroh was able to get his would-be mugger a job at the tea shop, and him offering his groceries to the poor man. Itās little details like this that make me love the live action as its own thing.
Iroh finally visiting the tree where Lu Ten died, and āLeaves from the Vineā playing = my bursting into tears. I also appreciate that ever since Mako passed away, no one whoās portrayed Iroh has sang it out of respect for him.
I loved Aangās conversation with General Sung, and the callback to his words of encouragement to Suki from the first season about people helping each other.
Aangās slow realization about Long Fengās true motivations were fantastic, as was the new Joo Dee reveal.
āGuysā¦ weāre in big trouble.ā Understatement of the century.
Seriously, the writers have to have been reading Blutara / Zutara fanfiction ahead of this season, with Zuko hanging out on the rooftops, having tracked Katara down. Dun dun dunnnnn!
Favorite Scene: The Blue Spirit meeting and forming a hesitant alliance with the Painted Lady, because DUH.
Favorite Line: āOnly a fool seeks his own destruction.ā ā Jeong Jeong
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