Why yes, guess what this post is about

[taotrooper]

I was too sleepy/high yesterday to make this post.

FIRST OF ALL. I LOVED IT. PURE CONCENTRATED AWESOME. I DON'T MIND THE PLOTHOLES. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I LIKED THE MOST BECAUSE I LIKED PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.

I have mixed feelings about The Southern Raiders. Well, I think the main issue is that Katara -great as she is, and I do like her- is my least favorite Gaang character and particularly when she gets like this. So I felt mostly uncomfortable during her Ninja Fieldtrip of Retribution with Zuko, because when she's set to something stubborn she can be really creepy. But I do appreciate to see flaws in a heroine, and that not always the good characters decide to do the 'right' thing morally. And sometimes it's better to realize the person who was such a bastard in your past can be so pathetic, it's not worth it to give the final blow and end with their suffering. And this also mirrored, I think, in the Azula showdown later in the finale. I theorize that Zuko and Katara left Azula alive partially because of what they both learned (yeah, who says Zuko didn't learn that lesson, too?) with Katara's mom's murderer. Okay, yeah, and after Iroh's speech about fratricide, Zuko wouldn't want to stain his throne with Azula's blood. Funny enough, I saw more bonding and understanding between Katara and Zuko in the fight with Crazula than in this escapade.

Kaya was awesome (what is it with moms and sacrificing for their kids in this show?). Aang was awesome. Also: Sokka/Suki XD!

There's not too much to say about The Ember Island Players because it was just pure win and fun. Poking itself and its fandom. I love how Toph was the only one pleased with her actor XDDDD Zuko, however, was so mortified of how spot-on he was (hahahaha, his hair). The bonding with Toph was so great and I felt vindicated that in RP, my icon for "bonding" with Toph is a punch to the shoulder. The cosplay kid mocking Zuko's bad costume was LOL. Stealth!Suki and Sokka giving out jokes to his actor as a fan of Sokka was hilarious.

...And man, is the play a kick in the balls to Zutarians and their arguments.

Part I: The dorkiest attire and name used by a megalomaniac EVER

- This tough training is being interrupted by BEACH PARTEY!
- Sand sculptures :DDD Blobbering blob Suki lolwhut XD God, I LOVE this pairing. I love how she resigns to Sokka's artsy shenanigans because he's such a sweatheart.
- "...Oh, and he's attacking Aang." Crazy surprise training is crazy.
- Crazy war reunion is crazy. But I like how Zuko described the Earth citizens.
- Melodrama ensues.
- "Air! Water! Earth! Fire! FAN AND SWORD!"
- Bitch, get your ass over here and have a group hug.
- Let's scare Aang to death while learning about lightning.
- MELON LORD. MWAHAHAHA. Toph was having too much fun.
- Momo eating the Melon Lord's head made it all more creepy XD
- Random Katara/Haru shipping from Toph whut. But heh, baby Ozai.
- Gluebending. Show him pictures of him as a baby until he's good again. NOT.
- Tibetan choirs for Lion-turtle island and Aang's conflict is a good musical touch.
- Hahaha, Toph also wants a life-changing trip with Zuko (too bad it didn't go well). Ad he blushes at unexpected!Toph clinging XD
- "I knew it was a matter of time. APPA ATE MOMO!!!" And then he's spit in the background.
- Zuko: expert on tracking the Avatar.
- Fire Lord Ozai is no more. THIS IS AN EX-PARROT THE PHOENIX KING.
- Very clever to think of Jun.
- Myyyyyystery island.

Part II: Old people are ready to kick your ass

- Iroh made a good impression on Jun, I see.
- "DOES THE END OF THE WORLD SOUND LIKE MORE FUN?!" I'm amused that in this finale, Zuko's CAPSLOCK and melodrama actually work on people.
- Appa licking Nyla, awww. I'm amused Jun treats her(him?) like a cute puppy XD
- Dun dun duuuuuun.
- SWEATY SANDAL. With flies and all.
- Huh, interesting hexagon is interesting.
- Protip: Avatar Roku isn't a GPS.
- OMG THE OLD PEOPLE WHO ROCK. The fact that Bumi and Jeong Jeong are also White Lotus is genious.
- Roku's wisdom: I sucked at being decisive.
- YOUR NEW GRANDFATHER. I didn't even ship it, yet it was just a cool surprise. Sokka hugging and calling him Gramp-gramp and Grandpakku was LOL.
- "Where's Momo?!" Bumi knows how to break the ice with crazie.
- Kyoshi's wisdom: Yeah well, he fell down, but I would've stopped him if not.
- Fuck yeah Bumi! Forget about Chuck Norris.
- It was so badass, the guys didn't dare about telling him about their fail. Bo-ring.
- Kurok's wisdom: I was busy being a hawt surfer. Be attentive or Koh comes for your girl.
- Welcome to old people camp. Population: badass.
- Yangchen's wisdom: Oh, you wanted an Air Nomad to tell you not to kill him? LOL sorry. You're still attached to the world as the Avatar.
- I cried ;___________________; I love those two so much.
- Back to LOST: this is the part I'm facepalming for not realizing sooner. Not an island, an ANIMAL. I went all OMGWTF polar bear GIANT TURTLE. I was only half wrong!
- Hey, don't mock on Zuko. Sometimes you think of two words at the same time and this happens. Fatherlord.
- How Iroh went about Zuko being perfect for the Fire Lord spot, and how he does have questionable honor... it moved me.
- Iroh so wise and awesome.
- See, shit like this is why I roll my eyes at the Zutara wank. Zuko asks Katara personally to help him out. The whole finale is filled with solid Zuko+Katara positive interactions. And yet, they're all butthurt because it wasn't canon. What the hell, man, crai moar.
- Sokka + Toph + Suki team: sweetness.
- "I'm going to reconquer my tea shop, and play paisho every day." Iroh so awesome.
- I don't care if it's a deus ex machina. I LOVED THE LION-TURTLE. Ghibli meets Ende.

Will continue later. Time to study a bit. The next entry will be shorter, I suppose, because it's mostly fights and all. And more incoherent, I suspect.

Comments

[laurus-nobilis.livejournal.com]

I felt mostly uncomfortable during her Ninja Fieldtrip of Retribution with Zuko
So did I. I'm pretty sure we were *supposed* to feel uncomfortable. They showed that side of her as a Very Bad Thing, which is reason #35412 to love this show.

Fatherlord! XD Oh Zuko, you're a psychologist's dream. You need plenty of time with Freud!Sokka.

Smarter fans than me have spotted that the lionturtle was foreshadowed as far back as The Library.

[kirarakim.livejournal.com]

Funny enough, I saw more bonding and understanding between Katara and Zuko in the fight with Crazula than in this escapade.

Looking back on TSR I think the point of the episode was not for Zuko/Katara to bond but for Katara to finally forgive Zuko for what he did in COD. They had to get to that point before they could bond. And that is why we see the actual bonding in the finale which was very nice.

TSR was definitely not my favorite episode (I think it didn't convey the emotion it needed to) but I think I am glad it portrayed Katara as not perfect.


Hey, don't mock on Zuko. Sometimes you think of two words at the same time and this happens. Fatherlord.

But mocking on Zuko is the best part of Zuko. XD

This is the most detailed finale post I've seen yet. Congratulations. I love your Squeeing especially since the ending so deserved this SQUEE. ♥

Looking forward to your part two.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

I'm of mixed thought on Southern Raiders but it has more to do with it lacks of subtlety - hit the right (and complex!) moral chords but laid them out too clearly for me - one of the place where Avatar being a children cartoon kinda gripe. OTOH I wonder if I'd still feel that way rewatching it now that I've seen the finale. I agree it's entirely a set up for the Zuko & Azula part (as well as for Aang's own decision). No only do they work better as a team in the finale than in Southern Raider but they do because of Southern Raiders.

(what is it with moms and sacrificing for their kids in this show?).
Dude, it's not this show, it's every show everywhere, starting with Harry Potter. And yes I loathe the trope, because it's true in a way (women do that, for their children, in real) but there's something about it that's always about getting women - non young women - killed in a narrative so as to help someone else's narrative. And, yeah.

Part I: The dorkiest attire and name used by a megalomaniac EVER
...I've seen dorkier...

Very clever to think of Jun.
What do you know, Zuko does have a brain? Show/CallBack&Continuity is my biggest OTP of Avatar *nodsnods*

The fact that Bumi and Jeong Jeong are also White Lotus is genious.
and had been called by many genius people too!

- Roku's wisdom: I sucked at being decisive.
He's like a romance shounen hero that way. He should just have had a threesome trufax.

- Kurok's wisdom: I was busy being a hawt surfer
Can you blame him?

- Hey, don't mock on Zuko. Sometimes you think of two words at the same time and this happens. Fatherlord.
Best lapsus ever. Makes me sad for Zuko.

- "I'm going to reconquer my tea shop, and play paisho every day." Iroh so awesome.
Yes.

[solesakuma]

Bitch, get your ass over here and have a group hug.
It was touching yet hilarious.

"I knew it was a matter of time. APPA ATE MOMO!!!" And then he's spit in the background.
I adore that dork.

And finding Jun proves that Zuko has finally grown a brain! XP

Kyoshi's wisdom: Yeah well, he fell down, but I would've stopped him if not.
Was that a blow to Disney Death.

The League of Extraordinary Old People was BADASS.

I don't care if it's a deus ex machina. I LOVED THE LION-TURTLE. Ghibli meets Ende.
I LOVED IT TOO. It was so... fitting, actually. Avatarverse is a mystic place.
And besides, they actually showed a picture of it in The Library.

[rainmage.livejournal.com]

You'd think that, and I agree, but I bet there're people who think it was a good thing. Then again, I'm still amazed people WANTED Aang to kill so badly.

I was linked to the whole library thing at the chan when I had watched the finale. I'm not surprised I was that slow but... yeah. Then again, during my season 2 rewatch I was paying more attention to Toph's mannerisms in order to play her.

[rainmage.livejournal.com]

It's true about the Katara and Zuko thing. However, I think it's funny that Zutarians enjoyed more TSR than the Crazula fight when he freaking saves her life! Understandable if they were into the ship since it was darker, but all those people who find it to be a fluffy bunny all along?

But mocking on Zuko is the best part of Zuko. XD
...True XDDD But I've been through that (not that Freudian slip, but saying silly things) so I can relate the embarrassment.

I just wanted an excuse to rewatch :P Besides, it's been ages since I rant about Avatar, so might as well do something large for the ending.

...I need a Zuko icon.

[rainmage.livejournal.com]

No only do they work better as a team in the finale than in Southern Raider but they do because of Southern Raiders.
Ayup. I'm fine with lack of subtlety in my canons, I think, unless it's something really annoying. This was more creepy to me than annoying, so I just let it be.

I know it's a trope, but I was thinking it repeats itself quite enough *inside* the show (first Urza, now Kaya). Vary it a bit! Let a father, a brother, a sister to make the sacrifice. Then again, it's an interesting thing Urza's sacrifice, because it might've triggered a large part of Azula's mother complex: "she'd sacrifice for him, but not for me because I'm a monster to her". So this time it's not entirely positive to all of the mother's children.

and had been called by many genius people too!
Aww. I had no way to know, avoiding the fandom. I only read my flist and they're not hardcore theorists.

[rainmage.livejournal.com]

And finding Jun proves that Zuko has finally grown a brain! XP
Finally, Iroh's geniality rubbing on him is giving results!

Was that a blow to Disney Death.
Totally. Simba was a pussy.

The League of Extraordinary Old People was BADASS.
I LOVE THAT NICKNAME.

I was told in the chan about the library forwshadowing. I'll have to rewatch that episode.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Ursa's an interesting almost-subversion.

Aww. I had no way to know, avoiding the fandom. I only read my flist and they're not hardcore theorists.
Err, I was sure laurus_nobilis or you or solesakuma was the one I'd seen mention that idea. Very likely laurus since she loves those old people so much.

[rainmage.livejournal.com]

Huh. Then I must've missed it D: Then again, it was kind of better I did. This way the sheer awesomeness of it all took me completely by surprise.

[laurus-nobilis.livejournal.com]

I called Bumi! :D But not Jeong Jeong, that one surprised me. In a good way, of course. ;P

[laurus-nobilis.livejournal.com]

The people who wanted Aang to kill make me wonder if they've been watching the same show, really. :/

I wouldn't have noticed it if people hadn't pointed out to me, either. Now I have an excuse to rewatch The Library.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Oh. I guess it was me for Jeong Jeong then ^^

[solesakuma]

I'm buying rewatching the series with my brother, probably. XP