#natla debrief

[yourhighness6]

NATLA Crystal Catacombs Debrief

I promised an extra post about my thoughts on the crystal catacombs so here it is! I decided just to separate it into likes/ dislikes because that was easiest so enjoy:

Likes:

Zuko refusing to turn around at the beginning because he's afraid of what Katara will think when she learns its him

"Of course I want to know... I want to thank you" "You won't"

Kia's acting when she said "Zuko?" when he first turned around the angst and tension were palpable

"I'm not gonna fight you"

"I thought you were good" "I'm trying" // "I don't deserve it" "You will"

"I'm so stupid" "You're not" // "Aang was right... everything I did was stupid" Genuinely how are they going to make kataang canon after that one Zuko in the background saying "you're not an idiot for having hope and wanting to do good" while the reason she thinks she's an idiot for those things is her canon love interest COME ON

"This is what I deserve... to be locked in a cave with a monster" meanwhile all season all Zuko has wanted to do was avoid becoming the monster his father tried to make him and his mother feared he would become ARGHHHHHH THE ANGST THE LAYERS

Katara trying to escape with water bending because of course she wouldn't just sit there

Katara asking "Did you always know it was me?" when he literally knew from the first night but didn't decide to attack her or Aang and instead decided to defend her when she was in trouble

"That's a more elaborate plan than I've ever come up with" when Katara's describing how she thinks he's trying to trick her so he can trap Aang peak Zuko behavior

"When I saw the Dai Li attack you I didn't think I just helped"

"Because of your father and his father and all of the little men that go all the way back to Sozin" I fear she ate down with "little men"

Katara's anger felt more organic than in the cartoon because she had a whole speech leading up to her talking about her mother's death instead of just a few lines. I know in the original its heavily implied that there was off-camera conversations between them that leave plenty of time for her to get worked up about the topic but I liked the way they did it here better. They really took a lot of what was given in canon and expended upon it in this scene

"I feel guilty because I lived" No because the emphasis on that one word says so much about how she's learning to outgrow her survivor's guilt and realize it wasn't her fault. She understands now that not only is she no longer powerless but also the way the FN made her feel is ridiculous because no one should feel guilty just for being "allowed" to live and THAT is the evil of the Fire Nation destroying kid's childhoods right there

The og lines omg! "You have no idea what this war has put me through... me personally... the FN took my mother away from me" "I'm sorry... that's something we have in common"

The implication that they talked more in between Zuko revealing his mother's death to Katara and Zuko telling her about his mother... they're giving us room for fanfic within the fanfic

"Do you know how hard it is for a fire bender to get burned?" this was TRAGIC to me his father didn't just want him to be in pain he wanted him to have a constant reminder of his pain on his face scarring him was completely intentional. "He has to down his basic defenses, instincts he's born with" also this implies he was so trauamatized by Ozai's past abuse (in my opinion specifically his abuse against Ursa that Zuko witnessed in one of the flashbacks) that he couldn't even defend himself

"My father may have scarred me but deep down some part of me believed I deserved it... that part of me let him" Netflix WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME

Katara being quiet until Zuko finishes his story because she realizes how vulnerable he's being and how he's probably never talked to anyone like this before

Also Zuko oversharing was lowkey in character this is the same guy who told Aang "My father said Azula was born lucky and that I was lucky to be born" in the middle of a blizzard after he'd kidnapped him in the cartoon

"Why were you defending them?" "Because they were helpless. Why were you?" "Same reason" They are the same person different font as I have always and will always say

"For so long when I saw the face of the enemy it was your face" "No matter how much you hate this face Katara I hate it more" "That's not what I see anymore"

Zuko scoffing when Katara said he needed healing because he's still afraid of showing weakness

"It's been known to cure the deepest and most dire of wounds... maybe even those that reach back generations" this line because she's talking about healing his personal generational trauma yes but it's also so loaded knowing that he's the one who eventually becomes Fire Lord and breaks the cycle of perpetuating violence against other nations/ cultures!!! because he's representative of the Fire Nation as a whole and what THEY need to do to make up their for their mistakes

"I wonder if this is the reason I was given this water in the first place. Because it was meant for you" BECAUSE THEY WERE MEANT TO BE THE SHIP WAS MEANT TO SAIL

"I don't deserve it" "You will" I already mentioned this it was so good it had to be mentioned twice

The tentative way she reached up to touch his scar, the hesitation on her face, the acting, the cinematography, everything about this moment was perfect. She's literally reaching out to him and offering him a chance at redemption because she believes he can make up for his mistakes SHE BELIEVES IN HIM!!! I'm going into a catatonic state

Sokka fucking barging in there where Katara yelled "no he saved me" That is such an unambiguously romantic forbidden love type trope

Zuko just looking resigned to Sokka beating him up because he knew it was too good to be true

No Katara running to hug Aang because we all know kataang is nonexistent in this season

But Zuko still hugs Iroh

The way Katara says "Zuko. Both of you" trying to get him and Sokka to calm down and not fight because she feels responsible for both of their actions [in a way a sister would to Sokka but also sort of in the way a gf would to Zuko]

THIS WAS ALL THEY WERE DOING FOR HALF THE FUCKING EPISODE BECAUSE THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS THAT IMPORTANT TO THE STORY

Dislikes:

Zuko telling Katara it was his father who scarred him. Look, listen, I know he wasn't trying to guilt trip her into forgiving him because of his tragic backstory but... The narrative doesn't know that. I liked how in the original they left it up to interpretation when and if Zuko told the gaang because #1: fanfic potential and #2: he's trying to genuinely change and he's not using his past or the things Ozai did to him as a way to justify his past actions.

Zuko also has come to terms too early with how wrong what his father did to him really was. In the cartoon Zuko is only able to confront this in DOBS, a pivotal moment in his arc where he finally chooses to join the gaang. Him telling Katara "no story they could come up with [about how he got his scar] is as horrible as the truth" makes it seem like he's fully come to terms with his father's evil but... doesn't care when he betrays Katara in order to rejoin his family

The way the scar touch itself was done because she genuinely looks like she's just sort of brushing it with her fingertips. It's a more professional, medical-looking touch in my opinion because in the cartoon it literally looks like she's cupping his face and her thumb is even touching his lips. in this version it doesn't seem as intimate

No jealous look at Zuko from Aang

[yourhighness6]

NATLA Debrief S2 Episode 4

Here are episodes 1, 2 and 3. Sorry again for the horrible quality of the photos but it can't be helped.

Aang

I liked how it showed us Aang struggling with bending and actually training this season. I feel like they definitely listened to the complaints about him not really ~learning~ waterbending last season.

I really like Aang being manipulated more by Long Feng as well. It's a good way to address how his naivety will get in the way of him being effective as the avatar and how he needs to become more mature.

I appreciated this plot twist with General Sung. I didn't see it coming but it felt natural when it did happen

The new Joo Dee was just as creepy as in the original. The open-ended question of what they did to the first Joo Dee is really eerie

Katara

Blue spirit/ painted lady parallels right off the bat??? Oh zutarians were are being SPOILED and I love it. Kia's makeup is beautiful.

Okay imagine Toph thinking Katara's sneaking out to meet Zuko... Fanfic, anyone?

Katara looking disappointed when Toph implied Aang had a crush on her

I like that Katara is being more confrontational with Aang when he does/ says something that bothers her (it's more consistent with her character even though it wasn't addressed a lot in the og because her relationship with Aang was ooc) but I feel like they're really flubbing the Painted Lady subplot if kataang is going to be endgame. Like in the og Aang was excited to go along with Katara and help FN people when she was the Painted Lady, but in this adaptation she doesn't trust him with that information (she doesn't in the og either but if they wanted to make it a kataang moment they could have used this as an opening to how they trust each other + have a bond over wanting to help people) and he seems very controlling of how she spends her time, almost trying to guilt trip her into spending more time with him.

She also seems really weirded out/ concerned when Aang seems like he might be trying to confess something to her and relieved when he doesn't. They're taking everything that was once good out of it and just leaving us with Aang's jealousy and Katara's evasiveness

But here we have painted spirit at last!!! The romantic music, them looking at each other is so good! Put this against kataang and KA really doesn't stand a chance. I also like that Katara is specifically helping Fire Nation people in this scene. When I heard the Painted Lady was going to be in season 2 I was concerned it would lose a lot of the depth since Katara would be helping people she perceives as "her kind" or on her own side of the war, but her recognizing the injustice in targeting Fire Nation deserters preserves that message. It also adds the extra layer of the fact that she's RIGHT there are many good Fire Nation people who don't agree with Ozai and she's right to want to help them.

I did dislike that she didn't use waterbending at all and seemed to just magically be able to fight hand-to-hand. This is kind of what I was afraid of that they would turn her into an effortless badass without any indication of her struggling to learn these things. I wish we'd at least gotten a scene of her practicing more nonbending fighting with Suki or even just in their house courtyard on a dummy or something. I did like the way her and Zuko seemed to be fighting totally in sync though it was very zutara of them

The reveal of her identity was incredible too. Like the way she immediately jumped in with water bending to save Zuko even though it was a risk that Jet would figure out who she was. And the way Zuko didn't even try to fight her he just stood there in awe. Lovely

And of course the next scene Katara is in is another argument with Aang. I'm actually crying a zutarian wrote this season for sure

Zuko

I love the depiction of the Blue Spirit as a sort of antihero Robinhood type at the beginning, representing how Zuko is still making mistakes and misguided but trying to be better. It really does a good job of showing exactly where Zuko is in his redemption right now. He's not becoming a vigilante all at once. He hates injustice but his definition of injustice is the world being unjust to him because he can't live in a palace

Awkward Turtle Duck Zuko my beloved

I really like the added detail of the Fire Nation deserters in Ba Sing Se, and Zuko feeling responsible for them after he started that fire, but still being conflicted about his loyalty to his father. I've always thought there should have been more deserters/ dissatisfied people in the Fire Nation so I'm glad they're adding that to this adaptation. I think this line in particular demonstrates the conflict that Zuko will have to grapple with later on as well: He feels he can't be accepted anywhere besides the Fire Nation, but he doesn't want to go back and do more harm. I think seeing the future in store for him in Ba Sing Se if he becomes a deserter is a good conflict to add because it will encourage him to go back to the FN with Azula despite his growing worry for the populace

This whole subplot was also a great example of why people love book 2 so much. It talks about issues applicable to the real world more than the other seasons. And I loved the way they showed how in times of crisis or uncertainty people target minorities. I also think this moment during the raid is when Zuko crosses over into full on vigilante. It's a great precursor also to showing him trying to right the wrongs of the Fire Nation when he's fully redeemed in season 3, because he wants to right his own wrongs and feels guilty for what is happening to the FN refugees because he started that fire. He's also super badass and cool in the scene with the Painted Lady

Yes. Yes yes. This is gonna be a great season

Side note: it took me awhile to notice but I like the way they did Zuko's scar a lot better in this season. It actually has texture rather than just being a splotch of red which makes it look more realistic.

Toph

Again, addressing some real world issues like weapons manufacturing and how people in power are above the law. I love Toph playing a more active role in the plot surrounding the Ba Sing Se corruption as well, because I think it means she'll get more development and be a more dynamic character

Sokka

They're also managing to address how Ba Sing Se's facism pertains to the real world, especially in the US right now with ICE. And a refugee being one of the first to vanish because's he's an easy target... I feel like the writers knew what they were doing with that one

Also the Sokka/ Toph friendship finally!!! We've been seeing more of Katara + Toph which I do enjoy but these two had such an important relationship in the cartoon I'm glad that's starting to come through more. Her trusting him before anyone else with the info about her parents was really special to me

Iroh

I like the way they're showing that there are people within the city dissatisfied with the government and staging protests to try to spread information about the war. I'm still unsure about why they're doing so much with Iroh. I guess they've been listening to people's complaints in recent years about him not being punished enough for committing literal war crimes (which is fair) but I do miss him being a more steady guide to Zuko. In this adaptation he feels a lot more lost

This is another example of how he doesn't have many of his nurturing qualities and whimsy. Like yes he helped the mugger but I think that was more the mugger being conflicted than anything he did, cuz all he actually did do was demonstrate he has a death wish like omg. This portrayal also makes me nervous that he doesn't have as big a part to play in the white lotus later on, which we haven't seen mentioned at all as of yet, because he doesn't seem as in control of his own fate or at peace with his mistakes (and the reason he was at peace in the cartoon was because he knew he was helping make up for his mistakes even if he had to keep it a secret)

Iroh offering to get the guy a job was nice though. I guess they're trying to say that his character derives comfort from offering comfort to others which fits nicely into the og series characterization. I liked that it helped him be able to confront his grief for Lu Ten when he wasn't able to when he saw the tree earlier in the episode. Unfortunately I felt like a lot of him talking to himself was overdone and unnecessary to understand the significance of him helping the mugger. All in all his conflict still seems unnecessary to me especially if he's still high up in the white lotus. And where is leaves on the vine?

Azula, Mai + Ty Lee

Suki getting the screen time she deserves. Her fight with Mai + Ty Lee was also really cool AND she faced down lightning bending Azula with no fear. What a badass.

Other than that I feel like Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee have been my least favorite part of the show so far. The flanderization of Azula's character by trying to make her more "redeemable" (aka like Zuko) and the lack of clear motivations for Mai and Ty Lee have made them unenjoyable to watch. It feels like very basic villainousness and like they're just getting the perfunctory "evil" scenes rather than anything that gives us insight into their characters or gives the story more depth.

The ending was pretty cool and ominous though. And Ty Lee looks amazing in Kyoshi Warrior makeup

Closing Thoughts

I'm still unsure of Zuko and Iroh's motivations for being in Ba Sing Se. Why doesn't Zuko want to go back to his family if he can't capture the avatar, but his intention in coming to Ba Sing Se wasn't to look for the avatar?

Otherwise I was very happy with this episode. I'll give it a solid 8.5/10. My ratings are only increasing as the season goes on I feel very engaged with the plot and the characters. Again, I wish that they didn't spell every nuance out for the audience but the storytelling is feeling a little more subtle as the season goes on

[yourhighness6]

NATLA S2 Debrief Episode 1

Okay guys this is a continuation from my series last season where I walk through everything I liked/ didn't like about the live action as it comes out. Hopefully I'm able to actually finish all of the episodes this time lol. I'll be updating probably once a day it depends on when I feel like watching the episodes because I am just going to go episode by episode live reaction.

Affects/ Cinematography:

This intro page is a lot nicer than the one from the first season. The earth symbol is a nice touch.

The fucking times new roman on the next slide actually sucks though

Is it just me or has this whole episode been Game of Thrones level dark? Like I can't see shit. I need Melisandre to light the way.

The fighting sequences look a lot better. I think a lot of the fights were good last season but the water especially looks very good here. My biggest problem with water in both LA adaptations is how slow it moves but they managed to make it really engaging here.

Aang:

He is not 12 omg don't play. But at least they're addressing the height thing I guess. And the measuring against each other thing is cute and so real. I feel like I do this every time I haven't seen my younger male cousins in a while and suddenly they're my height. I think this whole seen had a more fun/ familial atmosphere that reminds me of the og series that I'm on board with.

On a more serious note, what did they do to him? Because I know he's sassy in the og series but a lot of that is just snarky passive aggression in this episode all he's been is just vaguely rude to people like where is his happy go lucky personality? Is he just stressed about Bumi? Cuz even if he is they're kind of showing it in a shitty way the Aang I know does not act like this.

Katara was right when she said he's acting more like Sokka. I had this thought myself before I even got to this scene. Like lmfao even my girl is catching onto it!!! Why is he acting like that?????

Overall he seems pretty milquetoast. Don't love it don't hate it but I'm not really enjoying watching him other than the fight scenes

Suki and Sokka:

Sokka is not funny at all I'm sorry. The only time I laughed this whole episode was this line from Bumi:

I know I said I liked the new fighting stuff and Sokka's fighting does look a lot cooler but it made me think "where did he learn that???" and it kind of makes me nervous they won't do the Piandao arc at all in Season 3. Sad but they will have to cut filler no matter what I guess.

Suki on the other hand??? Obsessed. When she caught the fan I almost spontaneously combusted. My girl is back and pretty as ever!!! Also it's so cute that he kept the fan. I thought at first this meant they're trying to speed up the the him-getting-over-yue-arc sped up (yikes she JUST died give him a minute Netflix) but after watching the whole episode I think this means she'll become a more active member of the Gaang. She gets left out of so many other adaptations I'm really glad they did this.

Also glad that the girlies are finally passing the bechdel test. And at least they're kind of explaining why the Kyoshi Warriors are here now and the Ba Sing Se thing hooray. I feel like they took forever to explain why the Kyoshi Warriors were helping people in the Earth Kingdom and even now I'm not sure I understand. I know in the original it was because Sokka inspired Suki to go help others in the war and to be less isolationist and I feel like with that context I can read between the lines here, but it still doesn't seem fully fleshed out. I also think that if they're going to try to attract more viewers I don't understand why they're relying on details that only hardcore fans will remember from the original series to flesh out the plot when they could literally just have Suki tell Sokka that's why they're there in one of their many awkward will-they-won't-they-his-gf-just-died scenes.

Okay so they're still not going to talk about Yue at all. I guess at least they're maybe giving him some proper time to grieve her? His overprotectiveness hasn't come into play at all so I guess they're trying to make this a more definite part of his character arc by trying to get him to open up to people and not use humor as a cover so much rather than an episodic conflict like him saving Suki from the rocks in the original. I'm okay with this direction but it's no more or less interesting than the original

Azula and Ozai:

She is ethereally beautiful omg. His fit on the other hand is UGALAY was it different in the first season or am I tripping? She looks like the princess she is and he looks like a cheap action figure

I don't like that they're talking about Ba Sing Se so much so early. Maybe it'll end up being good foreshadowing or something but I feel like I can already tell the trajectory of this entire season just by watching this scene. It's a lot more predictable than the original because Ba Sing Se falling to Azula really wasn't even on my mind during the original I was too focused on the corruption. Also it's a representation of how they have nothing left to lose at the end of the second season now there doesn't really seem like a point to the siege other than Azula pleasing her father it's all just falling sort of flat.

He really was just trolling her here lmfao like why did he need to say "prodigy of the younger generation" only to choose some random guy like I think he actually enjoys messing with her head. Also general Tran looked ready to piss his pants just give her the command already Loserlord

This guy is def going to betray her right? Like if he continues to be a character I'm just going to assume the "I love zuko more than I fear you" line is going to him. Speaking of which where are Mai and Ty Lee?

Ty Lee and Mai are finally here. I don't really care about their whole fake fight to the death thing. Also they make an oblique reference to Mai being bored and Ty Lee being "rescued" from the circus which were their reasons for becoming fire angels in the go series but I'm unsure why that was still included when they were with Azula in the first season? It feels like the writers are realizing their mistakes by not giving them any depth or personal backstory but half assing fleshing them out. Also the fight was kind of stupid like we understand that they're afraid of Azula and she requires their unconditional loyalty without that. The whole thing just feels rushed and messily put together and the fight wasn't even that exciting. It feels like they're giving us the wrong details because instead of Aang and Katara yammering on about healing they could have actually made Ty Lee and Mai genuine characters instead of accessories to Azula but whatever. The pacing of this entire subplot just feels weird I'm not on board at all.

Katara and the Shipping Crumbs:

I like that they went back to the OG introduction with Katara narrating, but I don't like the change from "I" to "we". I think faith in the avatar and hope despite everything are huge parts of Katara's character and this just does more to show that the writers really don't understand her or her motivations. It's a small detail but everything about the way they characterize her makes me mad. Also the fact that she mentions in the intro how he's doing great at water bending to the point of being a master now when it didn't show him training at all in the last season is ridiculous.

Her hair and costume look SO much better than the first season omg.

If we actually get some Painted Spirit content I will never complain about this show again. Because why did they show this scene directly after one of Zuko and Iroh's conversation in the field? It's like they're reminding us he exists before mentioning the painted lady. One thing I will say is that the Painted Lady being an Earth Kingdom river spirit does take away from the themes and romance a bit because the whole point of the parallel is that Katara is a Fire Nation spirt and Zuko is a dark water spirit but whatever I'll take the crumbs I can get beggars can't be choosers

I don't understand the point of this whole healing subplot but I love the way my girl Katara is like "no I have to save the water for healing my boyfriend's scar hehehe". Also I'm glad they're introducing how Aang's whole life is sacred thing is going to conflict with the rest of the group early on (not saying he's wrong by any means I just enjoy proper foreshadowing) Although it's kind of annoying that I don't think they mentioned anything about Katara learning to heal last season and now it's a plot point. Where is the set up omfg

His italicized "oh" moment. You guys know I'm forever a zutara shipper but I actually really like this moment. It feels a lot more authentic then the "hero falls in love with random girl on first sight" thing they have going on in the og version, which is a trope I always have a problem with (because it's slightly misogynistic and very overdone and boring). I think they also might have been waiting until they look more similar in age in order to do the romance properly. I still don't like kataang in this version. They feel even more sibling coded to me than in the cartoon and I don't like Aang not supporting Katara in learning to fight in the Northern Water Tribe, but whatever I'll shut up now because we all know none of this will matter at all if they don't do Katara's character justice

We do love to see her carrying the team all by herself obviously

I don't understand the Kyoshi Warrior thing and I do think she's going to refute Suki's offer and it's just going to end up as a way for her to "realize her true place is with the avatar" and push some heteronormative kataang bullshit. I'll reserve judgement for now but if I'm right then I'm mad

Her jumping into the middle of the pass with the serpent to help Aang felt more like her. If she continues without being even slightly angry at anyone for the next few episodes though I will be upset again. I'll give the writers the benefit of the doubt for a little while but I really miss her random temper tantrums

Zuko (and whatever the fuck is wrong with him):

At first I was enjoying his emo ahh. He has genuinely mastered the annoyed teenager face and I'm so here for it.

I'm surprised they let him say the quiet part out loud lmfao

But when we got to the final few scenes I realized a major problem. There's nothing about him that's likable. In the original cartoon by this point in the series I was fully on Zuko's side. I understood that this dad and sister were evil and I wanted him to prevail instead of them. But in this version Zuko and Azula seem basically identical. They're both equally horrible to the people who care about them (Zuko to Iroh and Azula to Mai and Ty Lee). They're both just trying to prove themselves to their father. And beyond that, Ozai seems to regard them with equal disdain. He's not proud of his daughter, he doesn't think of his son as a failure. He enjoys messing with them in equal measure. The only difference between the two of them is that Zuko seems more pathetic than Azula. It removes the depth of his redemption arc because we're just supposed to root for him because he has a tragic backstory, not because he seems comparatively better than the other villains or because we can see how much he's struggling against his nature to be evil. He's not the exception, he's just like everyone else. And Azula isn't properly demonstrating how Fire Nation colonialism is destroying the nation from the inside. Her perfection and excellence isn't what's going to be her downfall, it's her need to prove herself. She isn't special either. They're not foils, they're the same character in different fonts.

And on that note of Zuko not having many redeeming qualities, they aren't just not showing his compassion (which I acknowledge they did show in season 1 it's just dormant in this episode for some reason) they're removing his care for his uncle. Instead of the levity of their original dynamic, which made viewers of the original series root for Zuko because of the quirks in his personality that appear in contrast to Iroh to humanize him, he just seems like a mean kid. At this point in the original series, Zuko was out stealing a tea pot for Iroh. He was misguided, but he always cared about him. He wanted to do what was right he just didn't know how. The only thing he ever put above Iroh is his honor when he betrayed him in Ba Sing Se at the end of book two, and we as viewers could see how that hurt him personally. I'm not saying that his entire redemption arc is ruined based off of one episode but it feels flanderized and even if they do manage to rectify his dynamic with Iroh, it won't be as depthful because of the Azula and Ozai problem.

On a nice note, Iroh's wife finally has a name. Let's go Zarina I guess (I like this name too because it reminds me of the title for the queen of Russia, so I feel like it tells me she was powerful without telling me anything more about her)

Closing Thoughts:

One thing I will give them is that I think they're doing better at condensing multiple episodes into one. Instead of throwing details around and trying to force them together into one cohesive thought they're sticking to a simpler plot line. It makes the storytelling more episodic which I appreciate and helps to not overwhelm the viewer. There's still a lot of stuff happening but I feel like that's more the fault of condensing a bunch of different character conflicts into one episode than it is the actual plot. This is another problem in it of itself because there's so many damn emotions going on I can't concentrate on one thing but that isn't the fault of the storyline necessarily it's just a completely different type of bad writing. I will give them credit though because I think by removing unnecessary details and re-using characters like Suki, Teo and the Mechanist rather than trying to flesh out new ones they're at least trying to listen to the fan's complaints about too many things happening at once. I'll give them a pass as long as all the crazy emotional conflicts are resolved in a satisfactory way.

It feels like they're kind of just giving exposition to the entirely wrong things. Like why do I know about a romance happening between the mechanist and some random lady (Can they stop pushing her into an unnecessary romance my girl doesn't even have a name?!?!) and have seen a million scenes of Zuko and Iroh's new life and the random "Aang can't heal" thing but I haven't seen Ty Lee get taken from the circus or heard anything mentioned about Katara's mother's necklace or why the Kyoshi Warriors are there. They're trying to fill time it feels like but I'm confused as to why they're doing that when there's plenty more they could be focusing on??? Idk the pacing is wildly off once again.

SECRET TUNNEL!!! THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS!!! SECRET TUNNEL!

Overall I would rate this episode a 6/10. Not horrible but there were a lot of things I disliked about it. It's still better than the final season 1 episodes and the zutara crumbs + hope for improvement is keeping the rating out of the gutter. That's all I hope you guys enjoyed. Let me know your thoughts (but no spoilers please!!)

[yourhighness6]

NATLA Debrief S2 Episode 7

AHHHH last episode. I'm so excited {especially for the zutara stuff ;)} Anyway here are my thoughts on episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 if anyone is interested in reading

Aang

Okay yeah protect this little CGI furball at all costs. In all seriousness though I think that the way they're showing Appa kind of does a disservice to his significance. Like yes he's Aang's companion but he's also the last sky bison the same way Aang is the last Airbender. He's the remnant of a lost culture and species. I feel like Aang's anger feels more justified when looking at it from that perspective rather than the "my dog is my best friend" thing they have going on. It was sweet to see in the flashback that Appa is his oldest friend though.

I'm really glad that despite the zutarafication of this season (which don't get me wrong I love but hear me out) they're still making an effort to let Zuko and Aang's bond shine through. In the og they were best friends by the end of the series and Aang is an integral part of Zuko's character arc I'm glad they're not erasing that to replace him with Katara. This also proves how zutara can be done in a way where the "love triangle" won't affect the Zuko + Aang friendship we all love, which is a complaint I see a lot of antis make. Zuko can be with Katara and still be best friends with Aang

Speaking of the Iroh + Aang conversation I dislike that they tried to make it into "Aang is giving too much of himself to these unreasonable people be yourself king". Um no he was a huge jerk? Him being afraid of his friends "not liking him" is not the point at all? Maybe let him take responsibility for his actions? Their verbatim conversation was basically Aang: "I was selfish I'm going to change" Iroh: "No you can't" Aang: "But what if they don't like me for me" Iroh: "Then fuck them" Absolutely flabbergasted by this. Also Mr. Dragon-of-the-West over here being like "people shouldn't try to be less selfish in order to fit into society's standards of good and bad" stfu yes they should in this situation??? I'm absolutely crying over the implication that Iroh is telling Aang to continue being a selfish jerk and yell at the people who are just trying to help him all the time???

And then he didn't even apologize to Sokka!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are allergic to making him say the words "I'm sorry" because Sokka was just tripping over himself to forgive him after all Aang said was his name

Like Sokka and Katara apologized to each other and that was all that needed to be said for it to be a nice moment. They didn't have to do a whole big thing they could just say sorry and move on but Aang can never be sorry about any of his actions ever because he is perfect always

At least Aang did apologize to Katara I just wish he'd had a meaningful moment with everyone or they all talked it out together because that argument was NASTY they were all talking shit about each other. But she also just forgives him right away meanwhile we've already seen that Aang isn't planning on rectifying his behavior at all because of Iroh's horrible advice. Also he's only sorry for "pushing her away" (the exact canon line) and not anything else he did??? UGHHHHH

The Aang I know would have helped Long Feng escape because he would recognize even if he isn't good he still deserves saving

Speaking of which where is Aang's pacifism at all? This literally looks like Katara's ice spikes pointed at Yon Rha in the og series. He was fully about to murder Azula while supposedly in control of the avatar state the entire time. I know he made the choice not to kill her but it seemed like he was actively stopping himself from doing it in almost like a fit of rage which is very un-Aang-like. I worry what this means for his arc with deciding not to kill Ozai later in the series

I did enjoy him committing to facing his problems head on despite personal risk though. This is the only thing I liked about Aang's character arc in the entire damn episode

They completely removed the guru plotiline god help me. Like I know it was never very satisfactory in the cartoon because the guru explicitly stated that he had to get over Katara in order to master the avatar state but he ends up with her [after kissing her without her consent, mind you] yet masters the avatar state anyway. Still I like that plotline and if they did it correctly it would show how bending is connected to emotions expanding on canon lore, properly discuss the Buddhist belief in non-attachment [especially important to me personally because I am Buddhist and the air nomads are based of Buddhist Tibetan monks], and create an interesting obstacle for him that allows Aang to realize he must put aside his personal feelings in order to do his duty and grow into his power WHYYYYY are they taking this away from me. And in the fight with Azula he just accesses the avatar state no problem. Fully in control over it nothing to see here folks just putting in absolutely no effort to master this mystical ability. Ew

Zutara

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Okay SO SO SO!!!! I was originally going to put all of my thoughts about the crystal catacombs here but I realized that I have enough thoughts for a whole other post so that's what I'll be doing. This is all of the non-catacombs scenes thoughts I have:

Zuko being described as Katara's sidekick yes exactly.

Also Iroh fucking RUNNING the moment he knew Zuko was in trouble. He was halfway down the block before they could even finish their sentence. Good job Uncle Iroh

Katara looking supremely uncomfortable when she thought Aang might confess his feelings. Her eyes were literally darting around like she was looking for an escape. At least Aang read the room and didn't say anything to her when she looked confused or doubtful unlike in the cartoon. She also looks relieved when he doesn't say anything romantic. Also the whole "if I wasn't the avatar and you weren't a water bender" yeah well that's the situation unfortunately buddy. Katara's water bending is an integral part of who she is and you have to be the avatar I fear

The guards yelling "separate them!" because in the context of the fight not only do they know they'd be unstoppable together but also as a symbol for how the universe is literally keeping them apart??? Zuko running desperately to get to Katara??? The glance they share before the wall goes up??? Katara looking like she wants to say something or maybe even yell his name because she's afraid for him??? Oma and Shu are so back ya'll

"I thought you had changed!" "I have changed" Yup yeah yup

Side note: Thank you NATLA for putting some fucking respect on my girl's name

Toph

This is crazy because in the og the Beifongs were actually less sinister. Sending bounty hunters after your daughter after she runs away is totally different than drugging her after having a long conversation about the place she's at in her life. Like wow. I don't know how I feel about this portrayal because for most of the season Toph's struggles with her parents have seemed more relatable but this scene paints all of their actions in an entirely different light to me. I know it was for ~plot~ but I'm disappointed by the way they took it.

There was also imho more buildup to her metal bending and it felt more impactful in this version because she was escaping from her mother not from random guys she didn't care about like in the og version. Also her metal bending and thinking outside the box (literally and figuratively) as a symbol for how she's unorthodox and not all all what her parents wanted her to be but that makes her powerful and strong. Breaking the cycle at its finest good job Toph. Also note that despite her spelling out how her friends do understand her and yada yada all of what I just said was subtly their within her arc instead of being spelled out. And it was the best part of her in this episode.

Azula and Long Feng

So the scene where Azula killed all the officers reminded me of that quote from Stephen King about how in the movie adaptation of his book "Jack Nicholson walked into that hotel already crazy" Like there's no arc here of her going insane from the pressures of the perfectionism her father imposed upon her because she already started out insane. Not as enjoyable to watch I must say, because even if they kept this scene which I'm not really mad about, in all of her scenes leading up to this point, she was already complaining about her dad loving Zuko more and Mai and Ty Lee were already afraid she was going to blow up a town in episode 2 I think so... There's nothing really dynamic about her and that's the problem. She walked into Ba Sing Se already crazy

I also think that the reason Azula was so terrifying in the cartoon wasn't just because of her lighting or blue fire. More than that, it was her strategic mind and her ability to command a room. We were afraid of her because the characters were afraid of not just her fire bending but also HER as a person and the potential of what she might do. I think having her just lightning bend her problems away really takes away from her character, especially in comparison to her winning over the Dai Li in the original.

I liked the Zuko + Azula fight specifically the moment where he blocked her when she directly targeted his scar was very good. Especially since although she blocked it this was how she beat him since he fell to the ground right after

Although I didn't like how Azula seemed more aware of Ozai's manipulation and felt guilty about her mother and also seemed to genuinely care about Zuko?? Like her whole arc is going insane because she's trying to be perfect in order for her father to love her and her mother to fear her meanwhile she seems to care more about keeping their family together than Zuko does and also is afraid of becoming a monster just like Zuko. They really messed up completely this relationship. I don't understand the vision. I genuinely think what they did to Azula's character was the worst part of the season and all of my least favorite parts about Zuko's arc in this season can be traced back in some way to the decision to change her character (and Iroh's)

Mai and Ty Lee

Mailee crumbs. Also "don't you love Zuko?" she hasn't seen him since they were in middle school shut up.

In all seriousness though one of my major gripes with maiko in the og series was how Mai wasn't actually shown to be afraid of Azula and therefore her getting over her "fear" to save Zuko wasn't a satisfying end to her character arc. But if they're still doing maiko in this adaptation they have properly set it up to a point where the Boiling Rock might be more satisfactory, as long as they handle their relationship better throughout season 3 and make them lest blatantly toxic/ abandon the idea of Mai as a symbol of the things Zuko has to "give up" in order to do the right thing by leaving the Fire Nation.

Sokka

He was as disinteresting as usual but I do love that he spent his entire first scene just in a pool of stagnant water. Very Sokka of him actually

They really did just use him as comedic relief in this episode huh? At least he was a little funnier than normal but I think Sai was doing more of the heavy lifting in that department

In all seriousness though I think they're trying to give Sokka Katara's character traits because they have no idea how to handle him. His whole "we must always have hope" thing... that was Katara talking. Also wasn't this whole conversation exactly what ZUKO said to HIM at the Boiling Rock??? The Sokka I know is terrified of failure and it's okay because it's relatable. This is not Sokka

His whole thing was also completely undercut because they didn't get themselves out of there without bending, Aang literally used his avatar powers to get them out. If their commentary is about how non benders are just as powerful as benders this was a lousy way of showing it

I'm also mad they never even attempted to resolve his conflict about Suki and meaningfully address grief using his conflict over Yue. They just gave him a dead girlfriend and said "deal" instead of trying to make any kind of commentary

Closing Thoughts

I was very disappointed with the way they closed out this season, especially where Aang is concerned. I can safely say that Toph and zutara were the only things I really liked about this season. Zutara was also one of the only things I liked about either Zuko or Katara's arcs this season because through the Painted Lady Katara was able to express her willful spirit and her constant desire to help everyone, and through Katara Zuko was able to find hope for redemption.

Anyway I'd give this episode a 6/10 (it would be a 4 if it weren't for the ZK moments) and I'd also give this season a 6/10, which is an improvement from the 3.5/10 I probably would have given last season had I made it all the way through this debrief series to do my rating.

[yourhighness6]

NATLA S2 Debrief Episode 2

Here is episode 1. I'm planning on binging all the episodes today + tomorrow so get ready for a lot of these. Also sorry about the poor image quality blame Netflix for not letting me screenshot it I'm taking pictures of my computer screen and it happens to be older than the avatar cycle itself lol

Toph

I got so excited when she was the cover for the episode lol the hold she has over all of us. I might be the only one still pissed they didn't cast a blind actress to play her but I am. Also her costume looks better than I expected it to the costume department really stepped up this season between her and Katara.

Earth fight didn’t look as good as it could have in my opinion. I liked how Aang didn’t defeat Toph in this version. I always thought that was kind of underhanded of him and if it wasn’t for plot she would have kicked his ass.

Taang crumbs. Also this whole scene with the Beifongs captured the group dynamic very well in my opinion. Sokka obsessed with food, Aang obsessed with earthbending, Katara telling terrible jokes and getting shit done, Toph being a little shit. Perfect no notes.

I like that she doesn’t look directly at people while she’s speaking and is uncomfortable when Aang is in the air. They’re making an effort to make her seem actually disabled instead of just saying “she’s blind” and moving on. And side note I love her fancy society lady costumes.

Overall I’m pleased with their representation of her in this version. She still felt very tough and dirty and tomboyish and not at all “feminized” like her actress was hinting at. One thing I did dislike was how quickly she confronted her mother directly. The storyline didn’t seem developed enough especially after she told Aang in the scene just before that she wasn’t leaving. Still, I like that they at least had a more direct confrontation with her parents because I remember feeling unsatisfied that she never told them face to face what she wanted in the original series.

Zuko, Alone

I genuinely said "what the fuck Zuko???" out loud at the part where he stole from the pregnant lady and her husband and we were only like five seconds into the episode. At the same time though does not hesitate at all to step between Peng (they changed his name for this version I'm assuming this is Lee) and those Earth Kingdom soldiers. The needle of his moral compass is spinning in so many different directions it's hilarious

He's also funny af. He said this and then went around in a circle and criticized their clothes. He's like Meryl Streep in Devil Wears Prada.

I liked his dynamic with Fei and her character in general. The way they combined Song and Lee from the og series into one episode was well done. Her backstory was very tragic and the dialogue was on point.

Despite how well they handled Fei and Feng as characters, I think they misunderstood the point of Zuko, Alone. Of course they’re going to hate him. He just wrecked basically their entire town. In the original he saved the little boy but was still rejected for his heritage, demonstrating his compassion and solidifying his belief that he will never be accepted by anyone if he can’t earn his father’s love. Without these nuances the message of his arc in this episode feels cheapened.

Fire Hazard Siblings

First of all Ursa is gorgeous and I'm in love with her. It also seems like she's not "playing favorites" as much with the siblings here. She comes for Azula first instead of Zuko when she is trying to leave the palace, and I also appreciate that she didn’t just abandon her children.

I’m surprised that Ursa is allowed to speak so openly about what she feels is best for Zuko. I’m also surprised that Ozai seems genuinely convinced that the Fire Nation is trying to spread “order” considering what we know he tries to do to the Earth Kingdom during Sozin’s Comet. They made a lot of changes to his character that I don’t like. I don’t think villians necessarily need to have motivations or convictions besides power. I don’t like that they’re trying to humanize him.

The way they’re trying to show how Zuko is afraid of becoming like his father and becoming exactly what his mother was afraid of??? Yes thank you this is the type of angsty content I appreciate. And the flashbacks are finally falling into place in the storyline in a meaningful way. Lovely.

I also find it heartbreaking how Ursa encourages them to try to stay together but during their “reunion” they’re immediately fighting and throwing their accomplishments in each other’s faces. Ozai really did get to them. Something I really disliked though is how Zuko is unwilling to come home once she tells him his father is ready to accept him. In the original series this was his only motivation, but now it seems like he actually wants to do more harm by capturing the avatar. Not my favorite moment, and I think it isn’t helped by the fact that Zuko and Azula are still basically same character different font. They have the same reaction to their mother leaving and the same need to please their father. Even if this does “humanize” Azula it doesn’t have the same depth because they no longer foil each other as efficiently.

Azula no longer represents the fire nation’s expansionism either. Zuko is the one trying to capture the avatar, not her. It cheapens the moment where all four elements are united against Azula because they’re not united against anything in particular. The symbolism in this version, of all the elements working together against the fire nation’s imperialism, would have actually been improved if they’d all been fighting Zuko, which just goes to show how muddling his motivations about returning home also muddles up the rest of the storyline. He’s now the one trying to capture the world’s last hope, and Azula is the one going against her own interests to please her father and keep their family together. A horrible misunderstanding of the character imho

Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Suki

Suki and Katara friendship I knew there was a reason I'm watching this show!!! This is definitely another instance of them giving the fandom what they want because I've seen a lot of HCs about how close Katara and Suki could be but they don't interact a lot on the og. So glad they're giving Katara a girl friend her own age!!! That being said, I do worry that they’re going to try to turn Katara even more into the effortless badass female stereotype. They already removed part of her struggle to learn waterbending by not allowing her to train with an actual master, and now she’s defeating Ty Lee, an accomplished chi blocker, just by punching her once in the face. Netflix needs to learn that female characters are more intriguing when their every move isn’t effortless, and that just like any character, it’s their struggles that actually make them interesting in the first place.

I’m happier with Aang’s portrayal in this episode. I was concerned that they were going to make him all serious for the entire season which goes directly against the point of the show but here he is being twelve. We love to see it

Sokka was a little funnier in this episode in my opinion.

His and Suki’s conversation here was also nice. I liked that they waited an episode before his fear of losing Suki manifested. It’s a better way to portray his grief over Yue since they have limited time due to the condensing of the episodes. It actually feels more authentic than in the original because he’s not just over it in a twenty minute period like he was in the cartoon.

Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee

I guess friends who torture together stay together? They won't let Sokka say "damn" but they'll let this happen?? Seems a bit weird to me but whatever.

My Mailee heart I can’t believe they held hands

In all seriousness though I dislike Ty Lee in this version. Her motivations are unclear since she doesn’t seem as explicitly afraid of Azula and seems to genuinely enjoy hurting people. It was satisfying to watch her get punched.

Mai actually comes across as more sympathetic to me because she seems like she’s just along for the ride. If they still decide to make maiko canon this could be nice. That being said she feels very bland to me. She’s not as apathetic as she was in the original series and therefore feels like she’s lacking any distinctive character traits.

Zutara Crumbs

Blue spirit mentioned!!

Them looking at each other across the circle when facing Azula!

That moment happened right after this line btw:

The way she was immediately willing to use the spirit water on Iroh while Sokka was basically saying "no!" in the background and when she wouldn't use it on the sea serpent for Aang in the last episode??? Someone has a crush...

Closing Thoughts

I still feel as though the storytelling is very in your face. I was excited about a few parallels I noticed only for them to point out that exact parallel a moment later. There were a lot of parts that would have been better if they didn’t insist on treating the audience like we’re stupid.

Overall I would rate the episode a 7.5/10. A lot better than the first episode and Toph’s characterization was a pleasant surprise but there were still plenty of things I disliked.

[yourhighness6]

NATLA Debrief S2 Episode 6

I can't believe I'm almost already done with this season. It's been such a rollercoaster! Here are episodes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 if anyone is interested on reading my thoughts on those. Sorry again about the image quality in this post.

Aang (+ Toph)

He calmed HIMSELF down from the avatar state????? I think this is the first time we have EVER seen this happen in either adaptation. I'm very excited about the potential of this. I'm glad Katara didn't have to calm him down like I thought she would last episode

I also like that his behavior is shown to have an affect on the rest of the group, and all of them (especially Katara) are allowed to feel mad about the way he's treating them even when he's under emotional distress.

I felt really bad for Toph and the way Aang was treating her. Also he is still refusing to come to terms with all of his mistakes, but I have hope that they can rectify this in the finale. I need his actions to actually have consequences, and for him to learn from them in order to be satisfied. I think my opinion about the gaang's fight and their current dynamics depends on how the next episode chooses to address it

I have no thoughts on him finding Appa with earth bending. The connection to Bumi and neutral jing also seemed sort of forced. Still, if they take it in the right direction it could be done well

Katara

I also liked that they didn't erase Katara's anger at Toph and Sokka, just like she's allowed to be with Aang. Of course she would be angry at the Beifongs. Her characterization was very good in this scene.

I also enjoyed that the narrative is finally addressing Katara's efforts and the emotional labor she does to keep the team together.

I didn't like the scene with her and Kuei, though. I feel like Toph is more politically savvy and should have been the one getting Kuei to trust them. I think this plays into her "girlbossification" and how she's quite literally capable of anything without learning it or struggling with it first. The plantbending especially annoyed me because in the og series we see the plant benders in the swamp specifically teaching her that skill, but of course there's no mention of them in this adaptation in the same way they don't show her learning with a water bending master or training in hand-to-hand combat before facing down the rioters in the Fire Nation district as the Painted Lady.

Zuko

Jinko is pretty cute but it seems basically meaningless? Like what was the point of their scene by the fountain without him running away? In the original it was used as a way to show Zuko trying to find a normal life in the lower ring then realizing that he doesn't want/ can't have a normal life because it's his responsibility to either make up for his mistakes by helping the avatar or go back to his father and continue the war effort. In this version there's no definite end to the romance so it feels like a random addition.

I am finally starting to understand what they're doing with the Zuko + Iroh dynamic. They want him to be redeemed through having to care for his uncle, rather than just showing his uncle's unwavering faith in him. I still think it reduces the point that it takes proper guidance in order for someone to own up to their mistakes and how connections are part of redemption, but I'm not too mad about it. I think that now they're properly highlighting Iroh's importance in his arc and their relationship I'm okay with this.

Also more Toph + Zuko parallels if the third season goes the same way as the original adaptation. "I am not my family" and I'm trying to make up for their mistakes// temporarily returning to that family out of fear that they won't be accepted anywhere else

I think this was a pretty good episode for Zuko all in all.

Iroh

I'm really mad they didn't make Iroh a grandmaster. In the og series, he is the one who orchestrates the take back of Ba Sing Se! It's a several year plan that all begun with him! But instead of having him reconcile his mistakes off camera, they're making him less active in helping Ba Sing Se to add extra angst on camera and pad the story. If their plan was to make Iroh come to terms more with his mistakes they're doing a terrible job.

King Kuei

I like that the king knows about the war. It's an interesting commentary about how the people in power often choose to do nothing to help others with it. I thought it was weird that he was completely excused of blame for what happened to his citizens in the original series so I hope they try to address his mistakes and have him redeem himself as this adaptation continues.

Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee

Why are they insisting on making it look like Azula is vulnerable in this season??? Every single time I think they're doing something right they turn around and make me hate it. Ugh

Also SHE is supposed to be Hageshi, not Nho Xiu in this metaphor. She's the prodigy who earned all of their father's love. The whole parable was also another example of the lack of subtlety in the writing. The whole thing was obvious and yet they felt the need for her to say "to kill Zuko" at the end. And why is she explaining her evil plan before she enacts it? That trope is so tired

Shipping Crumbs

I love the Blue Spirit being a protector of the Painted Lady. Very cool detail

And then Zuko stepping in to try to save Katara from the Dai Li???? Oh yes, yes, yes

Kataang is a complete mess right now. We have the show aknowledging Aang puts Katara in a caretaking role and them arguing for the entire season. I don't know guys do we think it's possible that they might make zutara endgame? Because at this point I think it is.

Closing Thoughts

I once again have nothing to say about Sokka.

Overall I think that if all of these conflicts are handled properly in the next episode this season will be really great. But if the gaang doesn't come together well in the end and we don't see Aang making up for his mistakes and apologizing then I don't think it will be very satisfying. Overall I'd give this episode a 7/10. There were parts I really liked and parts I disliked but overall I'm excited to see the finale

[yourhighness6]

NATLA Debrief S2 Episode 5

Hi guys! I'm planning on finishing my binge watch today so that will mean an end to this series unfortunately. Here are episodes 1, 2, 3 and 4 if anyone's interested. As always the image quality is terrible and I'm sorry.

Aang

I'm glad they're trying to make him grapple with his mistakes more, especially where Katara is concerned. But the same time, they showed us plenty of his guilt in the og series without necessarily any payoff. He made a bunch of mistakes, felt bad for them, and then never learned his lesson. So if I see him arguing with Katara for no reason in the next season, get him outta here.

He also seems to be struggling with the weight of his responsibilities...

And then learning nothing. Great. And now Katara is going to have to calm him down from one of his temper tantrums in the next episode, isn't she? I think overall Aang has appeared more responsible and dynamic in this adaptation but I'm still unsure if they're actually fixing anything. It seems to me like he's entering the same pattern of being a static character who just keeps repeating the same mistakes because they need some sort of conflict for him to pad the episode

I do think that they're not going to scrap the plotline of one of the Earth Kingdom generals trying to coerce Aang into entering the avatar state. I think that general is going to be General Sung. Maybe they'll use the moment of her burying Katara to resolve some of this kataang tension? Still I don't see how they're going to fix kataang though at this point considering they've been arguing for the entire season, and if Katara does have to calm him down from the avatar state at the beginning of the next episode any kind of moment like this would lose all meaning.

This was not a good episode for Aang, overall.

Katara + Jet

I'm glad she's taking a more active and personal role in the plot. Last season it just felt like she was always going along with what Aang and Sokka did, but this season she's been striking out a lot more on her own (see the Painted Lady). Her characterization has been a lot better this season. The writers are finally starting to understand how she will "never turn my back on the people who need me" instead of just having her stand around like nothingburger make-water-go-splash girl. Cheers to Katara having a personality and her actions being consistent with it!

Also the zutara crumbs are zutara crumbing.

As much as I love Katara, dislike what they did to Jet. He didn't realize any of his past mistakes and instead became worse. His last message to Katara, the person who gave him his hope back after loosing faith that they could ever defeat the Fire Nation, is that he wants her to kill all of the fire benders. I thought that his arc was not well-handled in the cartoon because it invalidated the anger of victims of imperialism, but here it's done even worse because there is not even the slightest implication that he could be better.

I also think it undercuts the distinction they were trying to make in the episode between wanting to end the war to protect people and wanting to fight the war to kill people. Wan Shi Ton says that both sides of the war are evil, Aang disagrees because his side of the war is just trying to push back the Fire Nation. The writers are trying to say fighting back against imperialism isn't a crime and neither is standing up for yourself, in the same episode where the show's poster child against imperialism is advocating for genocide, basically. I do think that we understand within the context of the episode the owl is hypocritical in his pacifism-- killing people in order to protect others while saying no humans can kill people to protect others-- but the messaging is a little mixed because technically he was right about Jet. Jet should not have had access to that information because he would choose to be a terrorist again. Very disappointing

Toph + Iroh

I like that they're focusing more on her relationship to her parents instead of just leaving it in the second episode. I said before I disliked how quickly she confronted her mother in that episode but now that it seems like she's still conflicted about her decision everything about her arc this season seems more organic. It also parallels Zuko in an interesting way, with his loyalty to his father conflicting with his desire to do the right thing (and therefore be true to the compassion Ozai quite literally burned out of him) paralleling her love for her parents conflicting with her desire to be herself (and therefore do the right thing by teaching Aang). I hope they end up exploring their relationship more in season 3 because I'd love to see more of the big brother + little sister stuff they had going on in the og series shine through (especially since the movie is trying to brainwash us into shipping them in order to create more "competition" for zutara). I also love this parallel because it's the first time the writers haven't completely spelled out an interesting character dynamic to the audience. It was fun to realize that it was there and analyze it because there was no dialogue of Iroh explicitly stating, "You're just like my nephew, Toph", like they've done in the past with other relationships (for example Toph and Aang)

At the same time, those parallels to Zuko also open up an interesting and more depthful relationship with Iroh. This is exactly the kind of conflicted teenager he knows how to deal with. And here, unlike with the mugger, he seems more grounded and nurturing and more like himself from the cartoon. It also demonstrates how despite how bad her parents are, just like any kid with bad parents, there were good moments too, making their relationship more realistic and relatable. Her mom really did care about her daughter, even if she can't accept her. I'm really glad they included this discussion instead of scrapping it it's doing so much for both characters. I'm also fascinated by the way they only revealed at the end that she knew who he was the whole time, and the way this implies that throughout their conversation she realized he wasn't a Fire Nation war monger (she doesn't know the whole backstory enough to fully forgive him but it was a cool moment nonetheless)

The annoying thing though is although we can see what Iroh is grappling with, after him not wanting to get on the ferry to Ba Sing Se, this line falls a little flat. He was ready to abandon Zuko just so he wouldn't have to relive his painful memories. I like the direction that they're taking his arc the whole thing just seems unnecessary and wishy-washy to me. Parts of it are well done and other parts aren't, and it takes away from the redemption we should be focusing on, which is Zuko's.

Zuko

Speaking of Zuko's arc, I feel like his lack of connection to his uncle takes away from some of the themes surrounding his redemption. In the original, he is redeemed because unlike Azula, he has people like Iroh, Aang, and Katara reaching out to him and assuring him that he can change. Like any redemption arc, he redeems himself through personal connections. By removing some of Iroh's importance in his arc and barely giving them any scenes together in Ba Sing Se, I think the importance of support and community in his redemption is lost.

I also dislike how they handled this scene. Yes, Iroh has made some mistakes but the only person to blame for what Ozai did to Zuko is Ozai. This blame game thing is really annoying and another reason why I don't think they're handling Iroh correctly.

His conflict about capturing Aang is nice. I think I'm starting to understand more why he doesn't want to return home to his family. He thinks that he doesn't deserve to because he hasn't captured the avatar, because Ozai instilled in him that backing away from conflict of any kind is weakness. Now that his motivations feel more fleshed out I'm enjoying his character a lot more.

Sokka

I found Sokka in this episode rather disinteresting. It's good to see him grieving Yue, but instead of making any kind of commentary about grief... that's just all we're seeing. Him grieving. Without a direction or a narrative purpose the whole storyline feels a little bland, even for me, and I'm like the #1 Yukka shipper.

Maybe I just don't really like his acting and that's why it's boring to me.

Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee

They're finally showing some of Azula's political savvy without all of this "I just want my dad to love me" angst going on in the background, which I really appreciate. Azula feels more like cartoon Azula here. She's in control. She knows exactly how to sew discontent between Long Feng and General Sung, realizes Joo Dee is a spy, and knows there's a shadow ruler of Ba Sing See all in less than a day. That's my girl.

I do feel like she's still to vulnerable around Mai and Ty Lee, though. The Azula I know does not care at all about their opinions and she definitely isn't willing to let them think that she's imperfect in any way.

Closing Thoughts

I can't tell whether the storytelling is getting more subtle or not. On one hand we have the Toph + Zuko parallels not being explicitly stated, but on the other hand Toph's entire conversation with Kyoshi felt unnecessary. They are really laying it on thick about her feeling responsible for Appa's disappearance.

I think all in all this was a so/so episode. I would give it a 6.5/10. I still think my biggest gripe in the series so far is whatever the hell they're doing to Azula's character, and since her scenes in this episode were pretty good, it offset some of the problems I saw with Aang and Jet's storylines and the fact that I wasn't really engaged with Sokka's part of the story.

[yourhighness6]

NATLA Episode 2 Debrief (by yours truly)

Hi again! Here's episode 1 if anyone is interested. This is going to be another outrageously long post, just a tw

I absolutely loved the ominous start and then it's just:

They really captured the Zuko/Iroh dynamic the cartoon had in this scene. I hope they keep this sort of thing throughout the show. Also, side note, but for whatever reason Zuko seems a LOT more violent in this version. This child needs some serious therapy.

I guess this is their version of the map joke, huh? Low-key disappointed but not as mad as I thought I would be.

I'm not sure how I feel about the writers prolonging some of the conflicts that were resolved back in the SWT into this episode. I guess it makes sense that they would have to extend the drama, but I'm a little disappointed these thoughts didn't make it into the first episode. I'm glad they're included, but I think at this point team avatar had started to feel like family already in the cartoon, so it's kind of annoying and misses the mark a bit.

Yes I'm so glad they put GranGran's blessing back in! I was really mad when they took it out, but this honestly feels more meaningful than it did in the cartoon. It's a precious cultural artifact rather than just a couple of blankets. This is similar to what I was mad about with extending SWT conflicts, but I don't have nearly as much of a problem with it, as it seems like they're carrying a little piece of home with them rather than just extra drama.

The burial scene was very sweet and sad. It gave us a bit more insight into Air Nomad culture, and a sense of closure the cartoon didn't really give us. A+ for Gordon's acting as well (he is perfect for this part, even if he does still need some more acting experience)

Zuko has officially mastered the "my uncle dragged me here and I'm an agnsty teenager" face. A+ to Dallas for this entire scene. I am absolutely LOVING the Iroh and Zuko dynamic. Never change (jk I wish you a wonderful redemption arc)

Suki looks just as beautiful as she did in the trailer. Unfortunately can't say the same for the Kyoshi statue (I wish it had been made out of wood), but there is something to be said for the little shrines to the avatars instead of a few big ones. I actually kind of like that they changed that element, and I hope they explore it more in future episodes, because I assume some of the spiritualism surrounding them would have to be changed. Side note: but I've seen nothing of the spirit world so far and I'm getting a little nervous. I guess I wouldn't mind if they decided it was some long-lost avatar trick or is introduced in the NWT, but if they get rid of it altogether I'm gonna be pissed.

I'm glad they decided to make Kyoshi Island a matriarchal society instead of having a male leader. It just makes sense based on the lore and I like to see more strong adult women than in the cartoon. Also Suki got a mom! Maybe she'll get some development too!

This Aang speech was very in-your-face storytelling, but I feel like the whole show is gonna be like that so I'm just accepting it at this point. I think it stayed true to his character while getting the point across, and it also kind of helped his character compared to the cartoon. He's very emotionally open and has a charming nativity about him, but he's clearly trying to help. Loved it.

He's so awkward I love it. This whole interaction was really cool, because it expanded on their relationship in a cool way. They're both struggling between doing what their parents expect of them to help their respective villages, but are being faced with a pull to the outside world, Suki with her "big heart" and Sokka with his need to protect Katara. Thishonestly gives more depth to their relationship and I don't mind the writers dragging out first episode conflicts if this is how they're choosing to explore them.

Aww look at these cute little siblings. I like that the writers are giving them more time to progress from strangers to besties. Their interactions seem more natural, and Aang's grief more realistic. It's also great to once again see Katara growing more confident and powerful in her abilities. I love the smell of some good character development in the making.

Look at her face! She's like,"I'm so good at flirting. Mother would be proud." Meanwhile Sokka's scared of her. Anyway I'm living for their scenes and they're making me giggle. (Despite Sokka's sexism being toned down it still exists to a lesser level and I love to see her beating his ass while he tries to flex)

I love the new subplot! I love that flashback! I love this conflict! It gives more credence to his fears as a prodigy. Whatever writer came up with this deserves a hug.

AHH the ship is sailing! I love Sokka learning to be more open minded! I love Suki learning to be more open-hearted! I love when characters in romantic relationships learn from each other! This is giving Suki and Sokka development in ways the cartoon did not without trying to play Sokka's sexism off as a joke and also giving us more screentime and when I say I love it I mean I am doing a happy dance right now!

Okay, so just a quick word on shipping besides Sukka because as Zutara trash I am legally required to do this:

It seems like they are keeping the zutara hope parallel intact, with Katara and Zuko both finding hope in the avatar but in different ways. However, I don't think this really changes anything. So far, there's beven nothing to suggest they're going with ZK instead of KA, and I'm a little worried that they're trying to parallel Sukka and KA wwith the way they're setting up both girls as kind of a "teacher" to the boys in a way and giving both ships a huge amount of screentime in the same episode. Also, and I hate to say this, they might be attempting to fix KA by toning down Katara's anger and her "dark side". She didn't get angry to break the iceberg and they're eliminating her entire waterbending scroll plotline. They're trying to make them a better match for each other by watering her down and therefore increasing her connection with Aang and decreasing the chance of a future connection with Zuko over their anger and shared trauma. It's sad news that I didn't want to deliver, and I've seen spoilers that there is another ZK moment later down the line, but at this point, I think KA is a lot more plausible than ZK. *cries*

In slightly less depressing news, they're inserting the avatar state plotline a lot earlier. This makes sense with the condensed timeline, and I think I like the way they're going with it so far. I hope they keep the concept of avatar guide intact, though, and I'm worried that they're going to play into more of a connection to all of his past lives instead of just Roku. I kind of hate Roku but I do think that's a major concept I don't want them to get rid of, and his inaction during a time of adversity mirror's Aang's own challenges with confrontation. Their dynamic is a good one, and I wouldn't be opposed to changed but I really hope they don't entirely throw it out.

Scratch whatever the fuck I said before. I'm back on my shipping bullshit I can't believe we got a BONUS FIGHT! Also kudos to whoever decided Zhao should burn the village instead of Zuko. I was always so pissed at him whenever I rewatched this episode and now I can sleep easy knowing it was that military dipshit instead of him

I love Kyoshi to an unhealthy extent but I kind of wish Katara had been the one to go off on him. It would have seriously fixed things.

COUPLES THAT FIGHT TOGETHER ARE THE BEST COUPLES CHANGE MY MIND

Also, side note, but I love the hair these in fight scenes:

Most action movies hairspray the shit out of them but these actors are allowed to look a little disheveled while they kick ass. Huge thank you to whoever decided that more natural hair is superior cuz they are 100% correct

THE BONUS FIGHT SCENE IS NO LONGER COOL I REPEAT THE BONUS FIGHT SCENE IS NO LONGER COOL

I think this was the perfect conclusion to Sukka (for now)! Sokka learned something so much more valuable and impactful than in the cartoon, in my opinion. His masculinity is handled very well in my opinion, and even if I would have liked to see him wear the warrior outfit, there's something really great about the way he continues to embrace protectiveness, a masculine trait, while having rid himself of toxic masculinity, such as not being able to learn from others. He's leaving a more open minded and humble person and I love the way they portrayed it.

Okay the speech was a little on the nose but I liked it. One of the best things about ATLA was the way they executed Aang's childishness ending up beneficial for the world. I think the new conflict is expanding on that nicely while staying true to its roots. *pats writers on the head*

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IS THIS REAL I LOVE IT SO MUCH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

IM TRYING SO HARD NOT TO THINK ABOUT THIS LINE AND HOW IT COULD BE ANOTHER PARALLEL TO K/A I HATE IT BUT I LOVE IT AT THE SAME TIME LETS JUST FOCUS ON SUKI SAYING SOKKA HELPED HER AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Also the fan was so cute. That last scene on Appa really wrapped everything up nicely. I like the way they tied in the conflicts between the siblings while engineering growth for Sokka.

Daniel Kim delivered in his two seconds of screentime. Zhao was such a bitch but idk what else I expected. Can't wait to see more of these two bastards in future!

Anyway, to recap:, things I did like:

Aang's new conflicts

Sokka's mini arc

SUKKA

Expanding on Katara's PTSD

Zhao burning the town instead of Zuko

Zuko and Iroh's dynamic

Things I didn't like:

Katara's characterization

Lack of Aang's actual avatar guide

K/A hints and lack of zutara implications

Postponing the Zhao and Zuko agni Kai

Overall, I have to say I think that they're playing into the core themes very well while expanding on the characters. If it weren't for the whole Katara debacle this would be a 9/10 episode, but with the Katara debacle imma give it a 7/10. Still, I can at least understand why the writers made their crappy decisions, even if I don't agree with them. Hopefully certain things are fixed in future episodes, but as it stands I think I'll live (barely)