#guru pathik

[die-auster]

International Lefthanders Day

I am not a leftie but anyway.

Other possible lefties could be the Boiling Rock's warden and crabby women from Ba Sing Se ferry.

It's not a canon information but I noticed that these characters usually use their left hands for gestures/bending/etc. Here's a post about Katara if you're interested.

If you feel like it you can support me on Ko-fi. And your feedback will make the artist really happy!

[solo-walker]

Favorite and least favorite episode up until this point?

FAVOURITE EPISODE-

Lake Laogai (Book 2) Yeah, i'm sure nobody's surprised by this choice. It's just an overall awesome ep, and acts such a good lead into the last couple episodes of Book 2. The humour? ON POINT. All the storylines and characters coming together? BEAUTIFUL. "Jet's back"? YAYYY! The Dai Li and the underwater facility being creepy as hell and genuinely formidable threats? AWESOME. The return and end of Blue Spirit Zuko? Incredible. Reunion with Appa? I COULD ASK FOR NOTHING MORE.

well, toph, he sure ain't standing-

LEAST FAVOURITE-

This took me a LOT of thinking, because honestly? I didn't outright hate any of the eps. But if I had to pick, I'd probably say :

The Fortuneteller (Book 1) Just kind of eh. Raises some interesting questions about destiny and fate, but doesn't achieve much plot-wise, as far as I can remember. Sure, we get you saving a town and fighting a volcano, but they go on to save a whole bunch of towns later down the line as well.

Nightmares and Daydreams (Book 3) Surprisingly, I actually like this more than The Fortuneteller, mainly due to the interspersed bits about Zuko in the Fire Nation. But I ended up explaining my issues with it more... elaborately, so uh-

Yeah, yeah, I laughed at all the weird dreams a sleep-deprived Aang was having (I'm not immune to talking and duelling Appa and Momo) but like. Ok. Aang is super duper nervous. The team tries to get him to take a break by methods that are all mostly ineffectual to varying degrees

Besides, I have my own gripes with the portrayal of Guru Pathik. Sure, it's just for "haha funny" purposes, I get that, but he feels soo caricature-ish in this ep particularly, even if that was just his brief dream-version. For someone who served as "spiritual guide" to Aang, whose warning toward the end of Book 2 still has repercussions today, you'd think his character would be treated with a little more gravity. He's eccentric, but it often veers into the stereotype of illogical-sadhu-obsessed-with-weird-home-remedies-and-nebulous-spiritual-nonsense. Hell, even IROH is treated as a wiser character and afforded more dignity compared him!

Also points deducted from both the eps for overly sappy romance stuff (which i admit i'm selectively petty about).

Whew. Thanks for the ask!

[thegreatestdollarbean]

ATLA Rewrite: Aang's Abandoned Character Arc, Part One

Inasmuch as I love ATLA and will continue to do so till my dying breath, the ending and, in particular, Aang's character arc (or lack thereof, in my opinion) have never really sat well with me.

This isn't a particularly novel take; think-pieces on how unsatisfying the ending of ATLA was are a dime a dozen. However, what I haven't seen much of are rewrites or possible changes that could be made to enhance the story. Hence this post.

For starters, this isn't anti-anything or anyone (maybe except Bryke, but just a little bit). This is a very passionate topic for me, but I (try to) make my arguments cohesive and logical.

Anyway, this is going to get pretty long, so I have divided it into parts. This is part one, by the way. Links to the other parts are here, but if you want to read this in chronological order, the links to the next and previous are at the bottom.

Table of Contents:

What Abandoned Character Arc?

What Went Wrong and How to Fix It?

Rewrite: S2E19- S3E13

Rewrite: S3E16-S3E21

You don't need to read all the parts, but I'd recommend it for a full experience.

If you've watched ATLA, loved it and were very satisfied by the ending, this might sound strange, especially if you believe Aang's character arc wasn't abandoned. And so in this post, I shall be justifying this position. If you already agree with me and just want to get into the rewrite, you don’t need to read this post and can just jump right into the next.

What Abandoned Character Arc?

1. Conflict and Its Role in Storytelling

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

A conflict is the opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to the dramatic action in a drama or fiction.

Conflict is what makes a story a story in the first place. It's what moves the plot forward, demonstrates the themes and develops character arcs. Three things you definitely want your story to do.

To properly develop a conflict, you need to define your character, their goals or needs, the obstacle stopping them from achieving said goal or need and most importantly, what they must do to overcome this obstacle.

Now, you can have multiple conflicts in your story, even for one character. For example, in season one, Zuko's conflict is between him and Aang. He wants to return home (goal) but can't until he's captured the Avatar (obstacle) and so must chase Aang all around the world and hatch crazy ideas in the hopes of finding Aang (what he must do).

Later on, Zuko's conflict is within himself. He needs to realize that only he controls his destiny and can define his honor (need) but finds it difficult to let go of the hope of his father's love and going against everything he's been taught that says otherwise (obstacle) but he must face himself and be truthful if he's ever going to be free and live a life of true honor (what he must do).

2. External vs Internal Conflict

From the two examples above, we can agree that stories can have different types of conflict: an external conflict and an internal conflict. Of course, there are more, but these are the most relevant to this discussion.

An external conflict is usually between characters (Zuko vs Aang, Katara vs Pakku) or even between a character and nature (Zuko vs the North Pole). It requires your character to overcome a physical obstacle and usually that obstacle is stopping a character from reaching a goal.

An internal one is between the character and themselves (Zuko vs his idea of honor, Sokka vs his own sexism). This is usually represented by a worldview or trait they have at the beginning of the story, which poses as an obstacle to the character achieving what they need.

From these definitions, it is clear that external and internal conflicts play different roles in a story. The external one should oppose what the character wants or needs to achieve, whilst the internal one should oppose who the character needs to be.

That being said, the external and internal conflicts have something in common; they both demand that a character change in some way in order to achieve their goal or gain what they need.

Zuko can't capture the Avatar without tracking him down, chasing him across the globe, risking his life in the North Pole during a blizzard, etc. And he can't achieve total self-actualisation unless he internalises the lessons he's learnt about the world, his family and himself.

However, even though these conflicts play different roles, they are best appreciated when intertwined. Zuko fails to overcome his external conflict, but it is by exploring the journey Zuko takes in order to overcome this conflict that he is able to learn that he needs to be able to triumph over his internal conflict.

If Zuko failed to capture the Avatar and continued to live his life in Ba Sing Se with Iroh, forgetting about the Fire Nation and his banishment, yes, we'd be happy for him, but his story and character arc wouldn't feel complete. It would make everything he's learnt so far feel useless.

And if Zuko were to know from episode one that the Fire Nation was wrong, his father's love is conditional, and that he needs to live his truth, yes we'd be happy for him, but it wouldn't make sense for the character we know him to be and would erase his relevance in the first two seasons at least.

It is by combining or relating these two different conflicts to one another that we can say that Zuko's character arc is satisfying and complete.

This is true for any character, including Aang, but before we can examine how that would play out, we need to understand what character arcs are to begin with.

3. Character Arcs

Again, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

A character is someone who appears in a book, movie, etc; a representation of an individual personality in a fictional or dramatic work. An arc is a continuous progression or line of development

And so, a character arc can be defined as a continuous progression of a character. That is, the line that tracks how a character moves from point A to B to C, either physically or emotionally. And for a character to move from those points, they need to change in a meaningful way.

Now, these changes aren't random. They should be tied to the conflict itself (they need to change to resolve the conflict), and, when done really well, to the character's traits.

This makes the change personal to the character. For Sokka to learn how to fight better (goal), he needs to get over his pride and ask the Kyoshi Warriors to teach him (obstacle), which means he must accept the fact that girls can fight (change tied to a character flaw).

The resolution of this conflict (Sokka learning to fight) is what builds his character arc, and what marks a difference between Sokka pre-Kyoshi Warriors (who believes that girls can't fight) to the Sokka post-Kyoshi Warriors (who cheers on Katara as she fights Master Pakku).

By nature of the conflict, the character at the beginning cannot be the same one at the end, because then, why can’t they resolve their conflict from the start? This means that character arcs and conflicts depend on each other.

The character at the start of their journey cannot resolve their conflict until they make a change and this change is tracked by a character arc. And a conflict's resolution is only meaningful if the character has to overcome a flaw or gain a skill to do so.

To determine what character arc Aang was meant to go through and what conflicts would facilitate the necessary changes he must undergo, we need to understand Aang's character.

This is a fairly simple task. Who is Aang?

Aang is an Air Nomad who lived in the Southern Air Temple.

When he was 12, he found out he was the Avatar, and shortly after, ran away. This is because he wasn't ready for the responsibility of being the Avatar, and didn't want to be the Avatar in the first place.

While running away, he and his flying bison, Appa, got caught up in a storm. He was submerged in the water, where he got into the Avatar State, made a ball of ice around him and his bison.

After a hundred years, Katara got him out of this ball of ice, where he had been preserved as a twelve-year-old boy.

Some time after he ran away, the Fire Nation committed genocide on the Air Nomads. When Aang finds out about this, he is riddled with guilt and promises not to let the world down again.

These irrefutable facts about Aang are what the text tells us directly, and it is from them that we can build a case on Aang's character traits.

Aang loves having fun; his literal first lines in the show are asking Katara to go penguin sledging with him. Though this is shown as a positive trait, like showing Katara in The Boy in the Iceberg and some Fire Nation kids in The Headband, that life shouldn't be taken so seriously all the time, it does have its downsides, such as in Kyoshi Warriors and The Western Air Temple.

Aang is steadfast in his beliefs. I find it very interesting that Katara is known in the fandom for harping on about her mother when Aang has said some variation of the line 'The monks used to say' at least five times in the series. Nothing wrong with that, it's just … interesting.

Aang is often immature or irresponsible. This sometimes goes hand in hand with his fun-loving self, but it also means that he is unwilling to face responsibility and is known to run away when things get tough, i.e. in The Storm, both past and present and the Awakening.

And so, we can agree that Aang's biggest flaw is his desire to abscond responsibility and prioritise his wants over the needs of the people he is responsible for.

Therefore, his arc must show him go from this to a version of himself that is willing to accept his responsibility and put the needs of others above himself, as is required by his role as Avatar.

This, in turn, means that his conflicts must be resolved by his maturing and learning to take responsibility.

4. Aang's External Conflict

His external conflict is pretty much obvious. Aang is the Avatar who has mastered airbending and been missing for 100 years, during which a war has been waged on the world (definition), and he must bring peace and balance back to the world (goal).

However, the Firelord wants to continue this war and is a very powerful man (obstacle), and so Aang must master the other three elements to become a fully realised Avatar and defeat the Firelord (what he must do).

This is pretty much outlined word for word in The Winter Solstice, Part Two and is the primary conflict of the story. There is a reason the story cannot end until Aang defeats Ozai, and why, even if it did continue into the rumoured fourth season, it would feel like the show is stretching on more than it needs to.

This external conflict is handled pretty well. In mastering the three elements, Aang learns that he can't think like an airbender all the time (Bitter Work) and the true meaning of firebending (The Firebending Masters).

Moreover, as the series goes by, we see him being more and more mature and willing to take on the weight of being the Avatar, thus overcoming his biggest flaw.

Just compare his attitude in The Siege of the North and The Day of Black Sun, Part One. He goes from complaining about being just one kid and unable to take down the Fire Nation fleet to insisting he and the invasion force can still win the day and that even if they might lose, he has to try (facing the Fire Lord).

There's also something very satisfying about watching him fight Ozai in the finale, and that is because you can't help but remember how he fought with Zuko in the pilot. The Aang who was depending on airbending moves to evade Zuko's attacks and was breathing erratically is not the same Aang who redirects Ozai's lightning and fights him with a rock armour.

Now, this would, in my opinion, all make a complete arc. The change Aang makes isn't as great as Zuko's, but it honestly doesn't have to be. His story is simple, and that's okay; most hero’s journeys are.

The problem begins when the story introduces another, much more compelling conflict for Aang to face.

5. Aang's Internal Conflict

Throughout the series, we see and are actively told that Aang is in love with Katara. This is no surprise to anyone and is a great way to humanise a character. Having to master four types of bending to defeat the evil warlord planning to take over the world isn't a struggle we can all identify with, but having a crush on someone just out of reach is incredibly relatable.

I'd say in season one, Aang's crush was quite tame. It was only ever really brought up in episodes like The Fortune Teller and otherwise, and wasn't taken too seriously. Didn't have much conflict to it. Cute, not overly inspiring or compelling, but harmless, and downright expected of a coming-of-age show.

In season two, however, things started getting serious. Aang's feelings for one were treated with more weight than they had before, right from the beginning in episodes like Avatar State and Cave of Two Lovers. Aang and Katara's emotional intimacy was also developed in episodes like The Desert and The Serpent's Pass. Again, completely harmless and very predictable.

Another interesting thread that came about in season two was the Avatar State. We've obviously seen this before in season one, but in The Avatar State, we learn exactly what it is, what can cause it to arise, and the danger it poses to be in it, for both the Avatar and those around them. This gives a new dimension to what Aang needs to do to meet his goal of bringing balance to the world.

Not only does he need to master all four bending types, but he must ensure, if he gets into the Avatar State, not to die in it, as that will end the Avatar Cycle. And since the Avatar's job is to bring balance to the world, a world in which the Avatar doesn't exist will, by definition, be out of balance.

And so, to not die in the Avatar State, Aang must control it. Aang is therefore presented with a new goal: to learn to control the Avatar State. In The Guru, Guru Pathik offers Aang an avenue to meet his goal, which will reveal the obstacle Aang will face and what he must do to overcome it.

The Guru starts by explaining the concept of chakras. According to Guru Pathik, these are seven points throughout the body where chi energy is heavily concentrated. To master the Avatar State, Aang needs to open the seven chakras.

Guru Pathik also warns Aang that the process of opening the chakras cannot be stopped once it has begun and must be completed to succeed. Okay, seems easy enough. And for the most part it is. Aang unlocks six chakras with relative ease. It's at the last chakra that Aang has a problem.

According to Guru Pathik, the seventh and final chakra is located at the crown of the head. It deals with cosmic energy and is blocked by earthly attachment. To open this chakra, Aang must let go of his attachments.

Aang vehemently refuses to do this because when he visualises his earthly attachments, all he sees is Katara. He doesn't see why he would let go of her; he loves her. When he reluctantly tries anyway, he sees Katara being captured and abandons the endeavour altogether.

Before Aang leaves, Pathik tells him very clearly that by choosing attachment, the last chakra has become blocked, and if he leaves now, he will not be able to trigger the Avatar State at all. Aang chooses to leave anyway.

And so, by the end of this episode, an internal conflict has been established, which:

A: Has a simple goal, an obstacle and changes required to overcome the obstacle

Aang must gain control on the Avatar State (goal) by letting go of Katara, his biggest earthly attachment (change) even though he doesn't want to (obstacle).

By completing his goal of controlling the Avatar State, Aang has a better chance of not being killed while in this state and also has a better chance when facing Ozai as the Avatar State will give him immense power, enabling him to resolve his external and the story's primary conflict.

B: Makes perfect sense for Aang's character

We know that Aang is fun-loving to a fault and is known to abscond from responsibility. Say what you will about Aang running away from home at 12, but that backstory in particular was meant to show Aang's greatest weakness: his reluctance to take responsibility and put the needs of others above his own.

Whether you think Aang was wrong or right in his decision, or whether the monks were putting too much pressure on him, this is undeniable. It's the foundation on which Aang's character is written. It's also why I take issue with how Netflix changed that beginning, because the guilt Aang feels about running away is integral to his character.

This choice is (according to the narrative at least) the wrong one. And so, the obstacle of this conflict being, to choose what's best for the world (letting go of Katara) over what he wants (not letting go of Katara) becomes both relevant to Aang’s character and means overcoming this obstacle will positively affect Aang’s arc.

C: Is supported by the narrative

The genius behind this conflict is how organically Katara has been linked to it. When the Guru makes Aang's attachment to Katara a problem, a pattern that's been hiding in plain sight starts to emerge.

Let's start by listing all the onscreen times Aang has been in the Avatar State before The Guru. I have come from rewatching the show, so hopefully I haven't missed any:

In the Iceberg, before Katara frees him. He was already in this state when he was found, and got in it after he and Appa were caught in a storm and were submerged. It is seen that he got in this state subconsciously, or in the very least, did not willingly do so. (The Boy in the Iceberg and The Storm)

He falls into the ocean after his fight with Zuko on his ship. He hears Katara calling his name and comes out of the water, and whilst in the Avatar State, uses water to push Zuko off the ship (The Avatar Returns)

He finds Monk Gyatso's bones, internalises what happened to the airbenders and gets into the Avatar State. Katara can talk him out of it by assuring Aang that she and Sokka are now her family. (The Southern Air Temple)

The spirit of Roku uses his body to destroy the fire sage temple (Winter Solstice, Part Two)

The spirit of Kyoshi uses his body to explain what she did to Chin to Conqueror (Avatar Day)

After the moon spirit is killed, Aang goes into the Avatar State and merges with the ocean spirit (The Siege of the North, Part Two)

After General Fong sinks Katara into the ground, and already upset at being manipulated, Aang gets into the Avatar State (The Avatar State)

After finding out who stole and muzzled Appa, Aang gets into the Avatar State and destroys a bunch of sand boats (or whatever they're called). It is only when Katara pulls him down and hugs him that he comes out of it (The Desert)

Of these eight times, Aang is in control of none of them, and Katara is involved one way or another in half. Three are due to his past lives or some Spirit World shenanigans, and two, including the one in The Avatar Returns, are a survival mechanism.

The most damning examples, however, are in The Avatar State and The Desert. I don't think it's a coincidence that these two episodes shed the light on Aang's attachment to Katara the most, and are both in season two. Avatar State is even more damming because this is where controlling the Avatar State is set up, and the danger of ending the Avatar Cycle is brought up.

In The Avatar State, Aang gets into the Avatar state because Katara was in danger, and in The Desert, it's Katara's compassion that gets him out. These are more direct examples, but they paint a particular picture. In the former, Katara being in serious trouble makes Aang lose control of his emotions, and in the latter, it's with Katara's help that he can gain control.

From this, it is clear that there is a link between Aang’s attachment to Katara and his lack of control over the Avatar State, and so the need for Aang's detachment is backed up by plenty of textual evidence.

6. The Resolution

So, just a quick summary. For Aang to have a meaningful character arc, he must resolve both the external and internal conflicts that the story sets up for him. It is by resolving these conflicts that he can change from the Aang in the beginning of the show to the end.

Since he is our hero, this change must be positive, meaning he must learn a lesson that gives him a new strength, overcomes a weakness, or both. We know that Aang’s primary characteristics are that he is fun-loving, adventurous and immature. We also know that his biggest shortcoming in the past, which that he feels very guilty about, is running away from responsibility and prioritising his selfish desires above all else. 

And so, for Aang, the most important change he should make is from being the type of person who runs away from responsibility and puts himself first (who he is in the beginning of his story as shown in The Storm and hinted towards in The Boy in The Iceberg) to the kind of person who accepts his responsibility to the world and puts their needs before his own when necessary (who he’d should be at the end).

The conflicts set up for Aang are to defeat the firelord and to gain control over the Avatar State. To defeat the Firelord, Aang needs to master all four elements and be in control of the Avatar State to avoid being killed in that state, ending the Avatar Cycle and throwing the world out of balance.

To gain control over the Avatar State, Aang needs to let go of earthly attachments, i.e. Katara, to unlock his chakras, which is necessary in gaining control over the Avatar State.

To achieve both, in varying degrees, Aang must mature and accept his duty as Avatar. It is the second conflict, however, that directly pushes Aang to give up a selfish desire (stay attached to Katara) for the sake of the world, something he has already failed at doing in the past. 

It is this conflict that makes Aang’s journey that much personal, gives him a tangible task that, just by the fact that he does it even though he doesn't want to, speaks volumes to the maturity and level of responsibility he is willing to take, and results in the largest change in him, thus completing his arc.

Aang would start the series as an immature kid who never wanted to be the Avatar, to a fully realised Avatar who can put aside his selfish wants for the sake of a greater cause that people are depending on him for.

7. Conclusion

So... it would be pretty ludicrous if the show went through all this trouble to introduce an internal conflict that had a natural goal, obstacle and change, link it to the preestablished external conflict and manage to link both to a preestablished fatal flaw of the main character ... to abandon the thread almost immediately after its introduction... right?

Well... believe it or not, that’s exactly what happened.

After season 2, we don’t hear about or see the Guru again (I'm not counting the cameo he makes in Nightmares and Daydreams) or the internal conflict he brought up.

I guess Guru Pathik was just … wrong. For Aang to open his seventh chakra and master the Avatar State, all he needed to do was get hit by a pointy rock in the back, not let go of his earthly attachments. It's a very easy mistake to make, really.

So yeah, this is what I mean when I say that Aang’s character arc was abandoned. And if you thought the only consequence this has is on Aang’s character development, think again.

This abandonment goes on to affect much more of the story.

Next: Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

[zuko-always-lies]

What do the chakras tell us about Aang?

First Chakra:

Pathik: First we will open the Earth Chakra, located at the base of the spine. It deals with survival, and is blocked by fear. What are you most afraid of? Let your fears become clear to you. Aang sees images of things that cause him great fear, including the Blue Spirit attacking him, General Fong sinking Katara into the ground, himself merging with La at the North Pole, Fire Lord Ozai, and Sozin's Comet, which make him scream.

Aang is afraid of

The Blue Spirit

Katara getting hurt (while he's helpless to save her)

Sozin's Comet (and the danger it poses to the world?)

His own uncontrolled power in the Avatar State

His own uncontrolled power as Kaiju Koi

Firelord Ozai

Second Chakra:

Pathik: Next is the ... Aang: Water Chakra? Pathik: Brilliant! Maybe one day you will be a guru too! This chakra deals with pleasure and is blocked by guilt. Now, look at all the guilt which burdens you so. What do you blame yourself for? Aang: [Sees the image of him leaving home.] I ran away. [Sees images of him in the Avatar State at General Fong's base.] I hurt all of those people.

Aang feels guilty over

Running away and abandoning his people to their fate.

The people he hurt in the Avatar State.

Third Chakra:

Pathik: Third is the Fire Chakra, located in the stomach. Aang: [Holding his stomach.] My Fire Chakra would like to eat something other than onion-banana juice. Pathik: [Chuckles.] Good one! Moving on. This chakra deals with willpower, and is blocked by shame. What are you ashamed of? [Cuts to Aang's vision of his first attempt at firebending, which resulted in him accidentally burning Katara's hands.] What are your biggest disappointments in yourself? Aang: I'm never going to firebend again. I can't.

Aang feels ashamed over losing control of his firebending and burning Katara.

Fourth Chakra:

Pathik: The fourth chakra is located in the heart. It deals with love and is blocked by grief. [Aang smiles and looks at a Air Nomad statue nearby before looking sad.] Lay all your grief out in front of you. Aang sees images of many airbenders, including Gyatso and Yangchen. He smiles upon seeing them, but becomes saddened as they start to vanish into smoke. Pathik: You have indeed felt a great loss. [The airbenders appear floating in the clouds.] But love is a form of energy, and it swirls all around us. [Aang is lifted into the air and sees the Air Nomads floating in the smoke.] The Air Nomads' love for you has not left this world. It is still inside of your heart, and is reborn in the form of new love. The smoke in front of Aang forms a face and shows the first thing he saw upon waking up from his iceberg: Katara. Back in the real world, Aang is starting to cry tears of joy. Pathik: Let the pain flow away. [Aang wipes away his tears.] Very good.

Aang feels grief over losing his people, and Katara is the antidote for this grief.

Fifth Chakra:

Pathik: The fifth in the chain is the Sound Chakra, located in the throat. It deals with truth and is blocked by lies. The ones we tell ourselves. Aang flashes back to when he, Katara, and Sokka first began their journey to the North Pole. Katara (flashback): Why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar? Back to the real world, Aang finds himself answering the question. Aang: Because I never wanted to be. Pathik: You cannot lie about your own nature. You must accept that you are the Avatar. [Aang inhales and, seeing an image of himself on a cliff looking down at the ground, exhales, and accepts his nature.] Very good, Aang. You have opened the chakra of truth.

Aang's greatest deception is refusing to accept that he's the Avatar.

Sixth Chakra:

Pathik: The sixth pool of energy is the light chakra, located in the center of the forehead. It deals with insight and is blocked by illusion. The greatest illusion of this world is the illusion of separation. Things you think are separate and different are actually one and the same. Aang: [An image is shown of the world, with the four nations' territories marked.] Like the four nations. Pathik: [The image changes so the territories become the same color.] Yes. We are all one people, [The territories become separate again.] but we live as if divided. Aang: We're all connected. Everything is connected. Pathik: That's right! Even the separation of the four elements is an illusion. If you open your mind, you will see that all the elements are one. Four parts of the same whole. Even metal is just a part of earth that has been purified and refined.

Aang must realize that everything is connected and nothing is separate. This is the only chakra that isn't about Aang.

Seventh Chakra:

Pathik: The Thought Chakra is located at the crown of the head. It deals with pure cosmic energy, and is blocked by earthly attachment. Meditate on what attaches you to this world. [Images of Katara appear before Aang.] Now, let all of those attachments go. Let them flow down the river, forgotten. Aang: [Coming out of his meditation.] What? Why would I let go of Katara? I ... I love her! Pathik: Learn to let her go, or you cannot let the pure cosmic energy flow in from the universe. Aang: Why would I choose cosmic energy over Katara? [Aang throws his hands up.] How could it be a bad thing that I feel an attachment to her? Three chakras ago that was a good thing!

further

Aang: I'm sorry, but I can't let go of Katara. Pathik: Aang, to master the Avatar State, you must open all the chakras. Surrender yourself. Aang: Okay, I'll try. Pathik: Now think of your attachments and let them go. Let the pure cosmic energy flow. Aang sees an image of him letting Katara go, and a bridge that will lead him to Avatar State mastery. His image looks down, smiles at the bridge, and walks up to the Avatar Spirit, which is an enlarged image of himself in the Avatar State. The Avatar Spirit is holding a ball of energy, and Aang walks directly inside of it. As he does so, his tatooes glow, and he closes his eyes. Right before he is able to completely open the final chakra and master the Avatar State, however, he hears a shriek from Katara and sees a vision of her in chains. At this, he jumps out of the energy sphere and runs away from the Avatar Spirit. The energy bridge that lead him there slowly vanishes behind him until it catches up and falls from underneath him, causing his image to plummet toward Earth. This cuts his connection to the Avatar State, which forces him back to reality. Aang: Katara's in danger! I have to go! [Prepares to exit.] Pathik: No, Aang! By choosing attachment, you have locked the chakra! If you leave now, you won't be able to go into the Avatar State at all!

Katara is Aang's biggest attachment, but he was reluctantly willing to let her go until he realized she was in danger.

P.S. As a final note, it's interesting that Katara appears in 5 of the 7 chakras.

[entropyally]

Guru Pathik: One of the most important side characters in ATLA

So here's this man who has a lot of spiritual knowledge, so much so that he can help Aang master the Avatar State. This is not only important for defeating the Fire Lord, but this is something that the premiere of Season 2 setup as a big task to overcome, along with mastering all four elements.

His offer of help is extraordinary and by learning from his wisdom, Aang can protect the world and his friends.

But of course, he has his Empire Strikes Back moment and has to leave. From a storytelling perspective, I'm actually okay with this and think it sets up a good arc for Aang.

However, Guru Pathik's lack of mention or consideration for Aang returning to him in S3 is where I lose my shit.

Or rather, sincere and serious return

Even if Aang returned and realized the Guru had passed away, it still would have been important for the journey. Aang would have had to recognize that the only person who might have helped him was gone. His chances of mastering the Avatar State, and yet another connection to the Air Nomads, is gone.

Because Guru Pathik is a serious connection to the Air Nomads, and would have been Aang's best chances in understanding his own people. He had great knowledge of their ways, and perhaps knew more about Air Nomad philosophy than a 12 year old boy.

Because let's be real. Across most cultures, a 12 year old will not be fully integrated into their people's ways. There are things that won't be taught to them until they're older, and even then they might be twice Aang's age before they start to understand the deeper philosophies they live by.

Aang's understanding of the Air Nomads is from a child's perspective, and that's what he's going to teach future disciples, unless he has other sources to draw from. Books and writings are a great start, but a spiritual brother who knew Gyatso personally is invaluable.

Essentially, Guru Pathik could have helped maintain the ways of the Air Nomads, so that Aang could fulfill his role as the Avatar.

Even if Pathik wasn't an airbender, he understood the people better than anybody. Aang learning from him about Air Nomad teachings, the advanced set, would have been a really beautiful relationship that Aang desperately needed. He needed his version of Iroh. Somebody older and wiser who could guide him when he was struggling.

He turns to the past Avatar's, including Yangchen, but they're all telling him the same thing. You're the Avatar first, and an air nomad second. And that's a really hard pill to swallow.

But if he had that mentor relationship, I think he could have accepted it a little better.

As others have mentioned, time and time again, there were exceptions. There were reasons when it became acceptable for the monks to kill

And I love when fanfictions explore this, since a children aimed show might have had a harder time with it.

Guru Pathik could have been the bridge between being an Avatar and being an Air Nomad that Aang desperately needed. His erasure from the story is one of my biggest icks.

[sleepy-sham]

ATLA Big Post 10!!! This is the first fandom to hit double digit Big Posts outside of AOT let's go!!!!!

more atla memes

[mtg-art-daily]

Guru Pathik

Artist: Dee Nguyen

[butchhatred]

I just had a dream where i went on a spiritual journey with guru pathik from avatar. Chat did i just open my light chakra or what