Avatar: The Last Airbender - 10th Anniversary Rewatch
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Night Hunter
Banned
I'd really like to buy the DVD set, but it's supposed to be really bad in terms of picture quality and is said to have an insane amount of unskippable commercials etc. before you come to the main menu, which is a damn shame as this is probably my favourite cartoon series ever.
As mentioned, the first two episodes have a rough combination of having to introduce a ton of concepts and characters in fourty-so minutes, and some of the sequences in these episodes really expose the show's Nickelodeon roots ("Let's go penguin sledding!", "Aang showed us what we've been missing: fun.", etc). Though when you go through the series and look back on the early episodes, it really puts it into sharp contrast how much both the characters and the show itself has evolved.
One interesting little observation is that The Avatar Returns shows the only time Iroh actually attacks Aang and crew. It happens only the one time here, which is interesting because otherwise Iroh is usually trying to talk Zuko out of his quest, either because the quest was a wild goose chase to begin with, which was Iroh's attitude at the beginning of this episode, or later because he knows that capturing the avatar won't give Zuko what he really needs. So seeing Iroh help Zuko firebend at Aang as they flee on Appa is a strange little moment, one that might be chalked up to a bit of early-installment weirdness for the series before Iroh's character came into more focus.
One interesting little observation is that The Avatar Returns shows the only time Iroh actually attacks Aang and crew. It happens only the one time here, which is interesting because otherwise Iroh is usually trying to talk Zuko out of his quest, either because the quest was a wild goose chase to begin with, which was Iroh's attitude at the beginning of this episode, or later because he knows that capturing the avatar won't give Zuko what he really needs. So seeing Iroh help Zuko firebend at Aang as they flee on Appa is a strange little moment, one that might be chalked up to a bit of early-installment weirdness for the series before Iroh's character came into more focus.
the-pi-guy
Member
Picture quality is bad, but I don't think it is a deal breaker. Just have to sit a little further away from the TV than you'd probably like. But everyone is different.
I've heard of the unskippable commercials, but I haven't had any troubles skipping it through with the R1 button on the PS3/4. I assume that most DVD players should be able to do the same. I don't think pressing the menu button works, but it hasn't been a hassle and I haven't had to sit through minutes of commercials like some people have complained about.
Same age as Aang's VA.
ActuallyHulk
Banned
Crazy that it's been ten years. I wish time was still slow like it was when I was a child.
Okay, I'll join in.
The first two episodes are very pilot-y. Characters are defined by one or two traits and their motivations are sometimes flimsy, but the episodes do a good job kicking everything off, and a lot of what helps make the show an all-time great is present.
Iroh and Sokka are particularly bad here. Iroh is pure comic relief. Sokka does a lot of that, though he does double duty as an idiot.
I actually think Aang works well. It's easy to take him as too aggressively childish here, in light of the seriousness of the situation and his responsibilities. Searching the old Fire Nation ship is just dumb. He's bizarrely playful when captured by Zuko. But this is basically all new to him, and he's still adjusting. I buy it.
Everything about the sound is incredible. The voice actors haven't quite settled in yet but they're already way above average. The animation is also really strong right from the start. The fight choreography is obvious, but the characters are also just way more expressive than what you see in a typical cartoon. The main characters all have an enormous variety of facial expressions and they use them appropriately. Even when they're in the background they react to what other characters are saying or doing. Aang's "why are you smiling at me like that?" face is what other cartoon characters look like all the time. As early as Katara and Sokka's first meeting with Aang these touches do serious work in fleshing out the siblings' relationship.
The writing isn't that great, mostly. Much of the humor is clumsy, though some lands. "You still are a kid" is a notably great little comment on the effect of a century of war.
The first two episodes are very pilot-y. Characters are defined by one or two traits and their motivations are sometimes flimsy, but the episodes do a good job kicking everything off, and a lot of what helps make the show an all-time great is present.
Iroh and Sokka are particularly bad here. Iroh is pure comic relief. Sokka does a lot of that, though he does double duty as an idiot.
I actually think Aang works well. It's easy to take him as too aggressively childish here, in light of the seriousness of the situation and his responsibilities. Searching the old Fire Nation ship is just dumb. He's bizarrely playful when captured by Zuko. But this is basically all new to him, and he's still adjusting. I buy it.
Everything about the sound is incredible. The voice actors haven't quite settled in yet but they're already way above average. The animation is also really strong right from the start. The fight choreography is obvious, but the characters are also just way more expressive than what you see in a typical cartoon. The main characters all have an enormous variety of facial expressions and they use them appropriately. Even when they're in the background they react to what other characters are saying or doing. Aang's "why are you smiling at me like that?" face is what other cartoon characters look like all the time. As early as Katara and Sokka's first meeting with Aang these touches do serious work in fleshing out the siblings' relationship.
The writing isn't that great, mostly. Much of the humor is clumsy, though some lands. "You still are a kid" is a notably great little comment on the effect of a century of war.
Whoever said that you can feel the Nickelodeon identity seeping through in the pilot definitely has a point. I think the attack on the Water Tribe highlights that, though it also gives some indicator of where the show is going. The parallel arming scenes for Sokka and Zuko are effective, and the music and visuals give a rather eerie effect. For Sokka especially, this brief scene really casts his attempts at being a drill sergeant in a new light, as you see the hopelessness and absurdity of his trying to be a warrior. But in the midst of this, the episode can't resist throwing in a sarcastic "aw, man" because his snowfort got knocked over, and keeps using goofy sound effects for people being poked in the head. It's not that I necessarily wish the show had taken a uniformly serious and dark approach to the subject matter -- it wouldn't be Avatar without the sense of fun -- but they were clearly still trying to find that balance.
I get what you mean. Some of the humor in the early episodes (especially the very first one) is pretty jarring. Character-wise, I think this is one of the few times they actually act their age. We as audiences are so used to child and teen characters acting like adults (ASOIAF, much as I love it, can be a big offender here), that it's kinda weird seeing them actually act like kids. I think that ATLA generally does a good job of having the characters act their age while still justifying why they get to go around and meet world leaders (supernatural Avatar powers will do that for you I guess), but they had to grow up really fast. But at the beginning of the season, Aang was still (in his internal chronology) at most a few weeks removed from his carefree Air Nomad childhood, and Sokka and Katara had never seen a non-icy landscape before.
I bought the series on Amazon Instant Video a number of years ago, which is still how I watch it most of the time (I sometimes record random episodes on the TV too). The video quality there is not that great either; I don't know if it's worse than or the same as the DVD release, though. I've been really spoiled by HD, but looking back at SD is another strange experience.
I thought Mae Whitman was a little hit or miss, but all in all the voice acting here was good for what they were going for. I continue to be really impressed at how Andrea Romano drew such great performances from Zach Eisen and Jessie Flower at such young ages (in addition to the actors' own obvious talents).
You bring up a really good point. Like a lot of people, Iroh is one of my favorite characters in the show, so I've spent a good deal of time thinking about him, including his role in this episode. I recall that in one of the Korra OTs, Satch made some interesting arguments about Iroh that caused me to reconsider some elements of the character. I'm gonna spoiler tag this though because it discusses his role in all three seasons.
I get what you mean. Some of the humor in the early episodes (especially the very first one) is pretty jarring. Character-wise, I think this is one of the few times they actually act their age. We as audiences are so used to child and teen characters acting like adults (ASOIAF, much as I love it, can be a big offender here), that it's kinda weird seeing them actually act like kids. I think that ATLA generally does a good job of having the characters act their age while still justifying why they get to go around and meet world leaders (supernatural Avatar powers will do that for you I guess), but they had to grow up really fast. But at the beginning of the season, Aang was still (in his internal chronology) at most a few weeks removed from his carefree Air Nomad childhood, and Sokka and Katara had never seen a non-icy landscape before.
I bought the series on Amazon Instant Video a number of years ago, which is still how I watch it most of the time (I sometimes record random episodes on the TV too). The video quality there is not that great either; I don't know if it's worse than or the same as the DVD release, though. I've been really spoiled by HD, but looking back at SD is another strange experience.
I thought Mae Whitman was a little hit or miss, but all in all the voice acting here was good for what they were going for. I continue to be really impressed at how Andrea Romano drew such great performances from Zach Eisen and Jessie Flower at such young ages (in addition to the actors' own obvious talents).
You bring up a really good point. Like a lot of people, Iroh is one of my favorite characters in the show, so I've spent a good deal of time thinking about him, including his role in this episode. I recall that in one of the Korra OTs, Satch made some interesting arguments about Iroh that caused me to reconsider some elements of the character. I'm gonna spoiler tag this though because it discusses his role in all three seasons.
We tend to see Iroh through Zuko's eyes, so it's not surprising that most fans share Zuko's perception of his uncle (to the point where plenty of people, including the creators, often refer to the character as "Uncle"). His reputation tends to be one of a warm, generous, compassionate, peace-loving, understanding old man. And he certainly earns all of those adjectives over the course of the show. But it would be a mistake to assume he was born that way, and I think the show indicates that he was not.
To be sure, Iroh is always depicted as mentally healthier and less violent than the rest of the Fire Nation royal family. He refuses to kill the last surviving dragons, and he shows elements of his fuddy-duddy persona when writing to his niece and nephew even when presiding over the siege at Ba Sing Se. But let's not forget what he was doing at that siege the rest of the time. Iroh was a successful general; even Zhao respected him for that. He dreamed of being a conqueror and spent almost two years leading what had to have been one of the largest campaigns in the entire Hundred Year War. While he might not have fully embraced the ultra-nationalist ideology, Iroh was still an active participant in Fire Nation imperialism.
The turning point, of course, was the death of his son, Lu Ten. Iroh called off the siege to grieve at home, which disgraced him in the eyes of Fire Nation militarists and probably contributed to the ease with which Ozai pulled off his coup. Once he returned, Iroh took Zuko under his wing (especially since Zuko's mother had just disappeared). Now this is where Satch made the interesting point that Iroh seems to have basically written off Azula. I don't agree with Satch's complaint that Iroh seems to have disregarded Azula's hopes and dreams by sending her a doll as a gift; he hadn't seen her in two years and probably didn't know either his niece or his nephew all that well. But after his return, he sees in Zuko another lost and grieving soul, and one whom he is able to help, and thus to maybe atone in part for his failure as a father. (This is where I have to point to the fan theory that Lu Ten committed suicide >link<, which is entirely speculative but IMO quite convincing.) While I'm sure Iroh cared for Zuko, I think he was reaching out as much for his own well-being as for Zuko's. We don't know if he tried to reach out to Azula too, but even if he did, she made no secret of her disdain for her "failure" of an uncle (already being daddy's little imperialist).
In any event, Iroh seems to have renounced all ambition and most of the trappings of his former life by the time the show starts. He knows that Zuko's pursuit of the Avatar is a fool's errand, and treats the voyage as more of a vacation during retirement than anything else. We know that he's concerned for Zuko's well-being, and tries to watch out for him, but at the time of the pilot he doesn't think the Avatar is a factor so he lets Zuko pursue potential leads with only gentle rebukes and cautionary advice. Even during the season 1 finale, Iroh didn't try to stop Zuko from going after the Avatar, and he doesn't explicitly call Zuko out until almost the end of season 2.
But what would be going through Iroh's mind when he realizes that the Avatar is in fact alive? He doesn't seem to show much surprise or even interest when he first sees Aang on the ship (not having personally witnessed him airbending against Zuko), but once he sees Aang flying and wrecking shit for himself, Iroh is clearly taken aback. Does he work with Zuko in attacking the avatar because, in a moment of shock, he simply reverted to old habits? Perhaps he had not ever considered the possibility that the Avatar would show up (I think this is likely), so he had not planned what to do if he found himself in a fight. I'm not sure Iroh would have let Zuko take Aang to the Fire Lord without trying to dissuade him along the way, but he would've had time to come up with a strategy if Aang hadn't escaped so quickly. As impressive as that fire blast looked, it wouldn't have been fatal; not the way firebending works in ATLA.
I know I'm just speculating, but your post really got me thinking. There's a very good chance that you're right and it is just early installment weirdness, but I prefer to try to come up with in-universe explanations first if at all possible. However, I do have to admit that I'm not sure how to square Iroh's backstory with his documented involvement in the Order of the White Lotus. Why would a general in a conquering army be part of the White Lotus of ATLA (which shares almost nothing except the name and logo with the organization from TLOK), an internationalist and largely pacifist organization? The best solution I can come up with is that Iroh did not join until after Lu Ten's death, but I can't recall if this is supported or contradicted by anything specific in the show.
To be sure, Iroh is always depicted as mentally healthier and less violent than the rest of the Fire Nation royal family. He refuses to kill the last surviving dragons, and he shows elements of his fuddy-duddy persona when writing to his niece and nephew even when presiding over the siege at Ba Sing Se. But let's not forget what he was doing at that siege the rest of the time. Iroh was a successful general; even Zhao respected him for that. He dreamed of being a conqueror and spent almost two years leading what had to have been one of the largest campaigns in the entire Hundred Year War. While he might not have fully embraced the ultra-nationalist ideology, Iroh was still an active participant in Fire Nation imperialism.
The turning point, of course, was the death of his son, Lu Ten. Iroh called off the siege to grieve at home, which disgraced him in the eyes of Fire Nation militarists and probably contributed to the ease with which Ozai pulled off his coup. Once he returned, Iroh took Zuko under his wing (especially since Zuko's mother had just disappeared). Now this is where Satch made the interesting point that Iroh seems to have basically written off Azula. I don't agree with Satch's complaint that Iroh seems to have disregarded Azula's hopes and dreams by sending her a doll as a gift; he hadn't seen her in two years and probably didn't know either his niece or his nephew all that well. But after his return, he sees in Zuko another lost and grieving soul, and one whom he is able to help, and thus to maybe atone in part for his failure as a father. (This is where I have to point to the fan theory that Lu Ten committed suicide >link<, which is entirely speculative but IMO quite convincing.) While I'm sure Iroh cared for Zuko, I think he was reaching out as much for his own well-being as for Zuko's. We don't know if he tried to reach out to Azula too, but even if he did, she made no secret of her disdain for her "failure" of an uncle (already being daddy's little imperialist).
In any event, Iroh seems to have renounced all ambition and most of the trappings of his former life by the time the show starts. He knows that Zuko's pursuit of the Avatar is a fool's errand, and treats the voyage as more of a vacation during retirement than anything else. We know that he's concerned for Zuko's well-being, and tries to watch out for him, but at the time of the pilot he doesn't think the Avatar is a factor so he lets Zuko pursue potential leads with only gentle rebukes and cautionary advice. Even during the season 1 finale, Iroh didn't try to stop Zuko from going after the Avatar, and he doesn't explicitly call Zuko out until almost the end of season 2.
But what would be going through Iroh's mind when he realizes that the Avatar is in fact alive? He doesn't seem to show much surprise or even interest when he first sees Aang on the ship (not having personally witnessed him airbending against Zuko), but once he sees Aang flying and wrecking shit for himself, Iroh is clearly taken aback. Does he work with Zuko in attacking the avatar because, in a moment of shock, he simply reverted to old habits? Perhaps he had not ever considered the possibility that the Avatar would show up (I think this is likely), so he had not planned what to do if he found himself in a fight. I'm not sure Iroh would have let Zuko take Aang to the Fire Lord without trying to dissuade him along the way, but he would've had time to come up with a strategy if Aang hadn't escaped so quickly. As impressive as that fire blast looked, it wouldn't have been fatal; not the way firebending works in ATLA.
I know I'm just speculating, but your post really got me thinking. There's a very good chance that you're right and it is just early installment weirdness, but I prefer to try to come up with in-universe explanations first if at all possible. However, I do have to admit that I'm not sure how to square Iroh's backstory with his documented involvement in the Order of the White Lotus. Why would a general in a conquering army be part of the White Lotus of ATLA (which shares almost nothing except the name and logo with the organization from TLOK), an internationalist and largely pacifist organization? The best solution I can come up with is that Iroh did not join until after Lu Ten's death, but I can't recall if this is supported or contradicted by anything specific in the show.
Iroh's an interesting character. I'll be keeping an eye on him during this rewatch to see when and where he's subtly trying to influence Zuko, especially in Book 1 where on the surface he's just there as a retired general looking after his nephew. A good amount of his bumbling uncle routine is him masking his own strength and intentions. But then other times he accidentally poisons himself trying to brew wild tea, so you never know for sure.
My interpretation was also that he joined the White Lotus sometime after his son died. That suicide theory for Lu Ten is pretty much just speculative. I get that the theory hooks into the idea that Iroh is looking after Zuko's mental health, but my view is that it is less about Iroh making sure Zuko doesn't go nuts, and more that Iroh doesn't want Zuko to repeat the same mistakes he made. When Iroh lost his son in the campaign against Ba Sing Se, I think he learned a hard lesson in what's really valuable in life. He was doing his duty to the Fire Nation as their prince, trying to gain honor in battle, but lost what mattered most to him in doing so. I don't think he wants Zuko to now put the expectations of others before his own happiness and self-worth.
Interesting to note that though losing his son was a turning point for him, it wasn't an absolute bad guy-to-good guy turn, even though he was there to conquer the place to begin with. Before then he would of already gained the title of the Dragon of the West (since after losing his son he was considered washed up, so he likely wasn't earning honorary titles after that moment). Meaning he already was the type of person who chose to spare the last dragons, rather than killing them. So while the siege of Ba Sing Se was a major turning point for Iroh, he still had glimpses of having a kind heart for conquering warlord prince.
Interesting to note that though losing his son was a turning point for him, it wasn't an absolute bad guy-to-good guy turn, even though he was there to conquer the place to begin with. Before then he would of already gained the title of the Dragon of the West (since after losing his son he was considered washed up, so he likely wasn't earning honorary titles after that moment). Meaning he already was the type of person who chose to spare the last dragons, rather than killing them. So while the siege of Ba Sing Se was a major turning point for Iroh, he still had glimpses of having a kind heart for conquering warlord prince.
The picture quality isn't the greatest, but it's DVD not Bluray, so...
And yeah, there are a ton of commercials at the beginning, but I have an old Sony DVD player that lets me fast forward through them.
103 "The Southern Air Temple"
Original airdate: February 25, 2005
Written by: Michael Dante DiMartino
Directed by: Lauren MacMullan
Sokka really grows up here. In "The South Air Temple" we see a lot more of his nurturing/protective side now that he has included Aang in the group that he's responsible for. Obviously episode 4 is a big moment for him, and it's nice to see that the show is willing to have the characters grow and change so significantly so early on. An early indication that the show was investing in long-form storytelling despite the largely serialized nature of Book 1.
Gyatso's first flashback appearance is shorter than I remembered (I think I'd mentally merged it with the one from The Storm), but you can see where Aang got some of his sense of humor. The shot of his corpse, though ... dude went out like a true G.
Zhao ... I know he gets some flak in certain quarters but I actually really like him. I think it was important to have a character who represented the Fire Nation mainstream since Zuko and Iroh had been isolated for so long. Jason Isaacs does a great job voicing the character in all his slimy malevolence. Zhao always felt like an ambitious corporate climber type and clearly wasn't as good as he thought he was, but he's also only a secondary antagonist here. I think he plays his part well and he gives us some memorable scenes to come, even if
.
104 "The Warriors of Kyoshi"
Original airdate: March 4, 2005
Written by: Nick Malis
Directed by: Giancarlo Volpe
The jokes in this one are a real highlight, especially on rewatch. Apparently the writer for this one (his sole credit for the show) is currently the head writer for Tosh.0. Whether that explains this episode or makes it a mystery depends on your taste.
But more importantly, it has a lot of character development, not just for Sokka, but also in Aang and Katara encountering the first real challenge in their relationship. It's definitely a high point of the first half of Book 1 IMO, and arguably the first great episode of the series.
...However, I recognize that I'm considerably less than objective in making that statement, because this is the episode that introduces us to Suki, who is one of my favorite characters. Her "I'm a warrior, but I'm a girl, too" line is great, but it only works because it's born out by her characterization. Book 1 doesn't do as good a job with its female characters as the latter two, but it has a lot going for it, and Suki is part of that. Plus she's a memorable badass in her own right.
Original airdate: February 25, 2005
Written by: Michael Dante DiMartino
Directed by: Lauren MacMullan
Sokka really grows up here. In "The South Air Temple" we see a lot more of his nurturing/protective side now that he has included Aang in the group that he's responsible for. Obviously episode 4 is a big moment for him, and it's nice to see that the show is willing to have the characters grow and change so significantly so early on. An early indication that the show was investing in long-form storytelling despite the largely serialized nature of Book 1.
Gyatso's first flashback appearance is shorter than I remembered (I think I'd mentally merged it with the one from The Storm), but you can see where Aang got some of his sense of humor. The shot of his corpse, though ... dude went out like a true G.
Zhao ... I know he gets some flak in certain quarters but I actually really like him. I think it was important to have a character who represented the Fire Nation mainstream since Zuko and Iroh had been isolated for so long. Jason Isaacs does a great job voicing the character in all his slimy malevolence. Zhao always felt like an ambitious corporate climber type and clearly wasn't as good as he thought he was, but he's also only a secondary antagonist here. I think he plays his part well and he gives us some memorable scenes to come, even if
he's no Azula
104 "The Warriors of Kyoshi"
Original airdate: March 4, 2005
Written by: Nick Malis
Directed by: Giancarlo Volpe
The jokes in this one are a real highlight, especially on rewatch. Apparently the writer for this one (his sole credit for the show) is currently the head writer for Tosh.0. Whether that explains this episode or makes it a mystery depends on your taste.
But more importantly, it has a lot of character development, not just for Sokka, but also in Aang and Katara encountering the first real challenge in their relationship. It's definitely a high point of the first half of Book 1 IMO, and arguably the first great episode of the series....However, I recognize that I'm considerably less than objective in making that statement, because this is the episode that introduces us to Suki, who is one of my favorite characters. Her "I'm a warrior, but I'm a girl, too" line is great, but it only works because it's born out by her characterization. Book 1 doesn't do as good a job with its female characters as the latter two, but it has a lot going for it, and Suki is part of that. Plus she's a memorable badass in her own right.
I'm jumping ahead of this thread's schedule, but his line delivery in the eighth episode is so good. "Come on, Aang. Let her dream."
openrob
Member
Man, now I remember why I always jump in at the southern air temple episode.
It really gives you an idea of the world of Avatar. The spiritual side, and the different nations (first actual peek of the Earth Nation, air nomads and the fire nation here, plus what suspect is the Northen water tribe?, when Aang goes all glowy) I liked that scene man, and shows what I love about ATLA, is the representation of the different nations and their spirituality. You really get a sense of why they care about the Avatar
.
I like the fight between Zhao and Zuko, werent great but it's cool seeing some realy 1 v 1 Fire Bending, and again, showing you something about culture.
You can tell that Iroh is a master in hiding, and that although he doesn't show it, and people seem to somewhat disrespect him - they know that he is the Brother of the Fire Lord and a really powerful guy. When he rushes in and grabs Zhaos foot he pushes him back effortlessy.
It really gives you an idea of the world of Avatar. The spiritual side, and the different nations (first actual peek of the Earth Nation, air nomads and the fire nation here, plus what suspect is the Northen water tribe?, when Aang goes all glowy) I liked that scene man, and shows what I love about ATLA, is the representation of the different nations and their spirituality. You really get a sense of why they care about the Avatar
This seems to be missing from Korra in a big way IMO
I like the fight between Zhao and Zuko, werent great but it's cool seeing some realy 1 v 1 Fire Bending, and again, showing you something about culture.
You can tell that Iroh is a master in hiding, and that although he doesn't show it, and people seem to somewhat disrespect him - they know that he is the Brother of the Fire Lord and a really powerful guy. When he rushes in and grabs Zhaos foot he pushes him back effortlessy.
Icyflamez96
Member
Oh crap ya'll already started lmao
That's a great little moment and one of the early glimpses of Iroh's hidden strength obfuscated by his fuddy duddy old man persona.
In The Warriors of Kyoshi, Sokka rightly gets his comeuppance for his sexist attitudes, but also when he's sparing with Suki in the Kyoshi warriors getup, he does manage to land a hit on her. I like that the show knows to give Sokka the nod ever once in a while, both in this episode and in the series as a whole, so the guy never really goes over the line from the show's comic relief to the show's complete whipping boy. It's the difference between being a jokey character and the character being a joke.
JadedWriter
Member
I'm watching the first episode and it's really easy to notice that Aang likes being the center of attention. How is Zuko just now learning the firebending basics from Iroh? I love how in the intro Azula's doing the firebending.
Ep 2 really makes airbending look pretty op, but Aang really does use it as a pacifist for avoiding attacks. It's fun seeing him wreck Zuko with that staff though.
Ep 3 for an airbending hippie Gyatso took a lot of fire nation soldiers with him.
Agni Kai
Ep 2 really makes airbending look pretty op, but Aang really does use it as a pacifist for avoiding attacks. It's fun seeing him wreck Zuko with that staff though.
Ep 3 for an airbending hippie Gyatso took a lot of fire nation soldiers with him.
Agni Kai
It's interesting how Monk Gyatso (Sab Shimono) pronounces Aang completely different than anyone else in the show.
Everyone has more or less settled into their roles, so it's time to introduce some new characters. We get Zhao and of course Momo. Zhao in particular proves more of a foil for Zuko than Aang.
We get a whole lot more backstory in this episode for both Aang and Zuko, and an introduction to the concept of an Agni Kai. We get a really neat one in the series finale, and the one in this episode isn't too shabby either.
I wonder if all of those statues and shrines light up every time an avatar goes into the avatar state. The must have been driven crazy by Korra.
I don't know what sublime kush Katara was on to matter-of-factly state she was going to calm down a force of nature. She did it with some words, but still.
The pacing of this episode is all off. You introduce the Avatar State proper but immediately cut to an Agni Kai? Should have finished one plate before going to the next.
Sokka's immature sexism is put center stage in The Warriors Kyoshi, and it's played for some laughs. but he learns something important by episode's end. His worldview probably changes the most across the series out of every cast member aside from Zuko.
"Where we're going, you won't need pants." Then he immediately jumps out of his clothes. Aang is a wild boy.
This animation, lol.
Everyone has more or less settled into their roles, so it's time to introduce some new characters. We get Zhao and of course Momo. Zhao in particular proves more of a foil for Zuko than Aang.
We get a whole lot more backstory in this episode for both Aang and Zuko, and an introduction to the concept of an Agni Kai. We get a really neat one in the series finale, and the one in this episode isn't too shabby either.
I wonder if all of those statues and shrines light up every time an avatar goes into the avatar state. The must have been driven crazy by Korra.
I don't know what sublime kush Katara was on to matter-of-factly state she was going to calm down a force of nature. She did it with some words, but still.
The pacing of this episode is all off. You introduce the Avatar State proper but immediately cut to an Agni Kai? Should have finished one plate before going to the next.
Sokka's immature sexism is put center stage in The Warriors Kyoshi, and it's played for some laughs. but he learns something important by episode's end. His worldview probably changes the most across the series out of every cast member aside from Zuko.
"Where we're going, you won't need pants." Then he immediately jumps out of his clothes. Aang is a wild boy.
This animation, lol.
Bare Grills
Member
In episode four how did Katara know Zuko's name if he never told them? It was never established that they knew who Zuko was but somehow Katara knew his name.
i haven't started rewatching just yet but doesn't he state his name when he invades the southern water tribe village in episode 2?
Let's all take a moment to appreciate(?) off-model Aang (apologies for the shitty tumblr gif)
I don't think so. He doesn't introduce himself, he just clocks Sokka and starts grabbing old people, yelling where is the avatar.
I don't think so. He doesn't introduce himself, he just clocks Sokka and starts grabbing old people, yelling where is the avatar.
I think that Sokka is one of the best comic relief characters in a show I've seen, and that's mainly because he has more to his character than just the jokes (despite his self-proclaimed "meat and sarcasm guy" status). Not just with fight scenes either but he gets to show big-brotherly feelings from time to time as well, including in The Southern Air Temple, which I thought was very well executed.
I love that piece of music. Great fight song for the soundtrack. And man, the people who make the extended versions of these tracks on YouTube are doing God's work. Closest thing to a legit soundtrack we're probably ever going to get. But y'know, I can kick back and listen to, say, Peace (full) and for a few minutes I don't even care.
That statement would be even more true for Sokka on visits to Kyoshi Island after the war's end. *badumtish*
I was wondering this too. My thought was that someone must have said Zuko's name while Aang was on the ship, and Aang passed this information on to Katara and Sokka offscreen. But I checked the unofficial transcript of episode 2 just now and it doesn't seem like that happened, at least not on screen.
Haha, my stream kept freezing up during that sequence so I got to savor every last poorly-drawn frame there.
Brainfreeze
Member
I literally just finished rewatching this series today. I'm thinking of picking up the comic books sometime soon, since I haven't been super-pleased with the first three seasons of Korra.
I'm on record as not being a big fan of the comics but I know a number of people who have enjoyed them, so I'd encourage you to check 'em out. They follow ATLA directly so if you've just finished rewatching the series now's the perfect time to try reading the follow-up. The Promise is probably the weakest so far but it's best to read them in chronological order.
Bare Grills
Member
JadedWriter
Member
I would like to think people would know the name of the son of the guy trying to enslave mankind.
I'm not really sure how to square the comments about basics with Zuko's later established firebending skills and the length of time we know he's been training. I've tried coming up with explanations but none really make sense to me.
Trey said:
I was more wondering if the statues were lit up during the entire hundred years when Aang was in the iceberg in the avatar state and/or when he went into it in the second episode when he fell off Zuko's ship.
True, and we don't know who the Gaang might have met and talked to in between episodes as well.
JadedWriter
Member
Well the thing is we know he's been trying his hand at it since he was a kid, just never as good at as Azula. Since at that point in time his bending is fueled by angst so there's a good chance he didn't get some what proficient at it till he was a teenager, so this is probably a case of him being a late bloomer. Isn't the span from book water to book fire just a little over a year?
Were only four episodes in so if you guys wanna join in it shouldn't be too hard to catch up.
Good point. We know he was certainly no prodigy, and a lot of other characters become masters over the course of the series. I think the timeline is closer to 9 months. Each season of TV covers about one season of the Avatar cycle. Book 1 starts in November or December (a bit before the solstice) and Book 3 ends with the comet at the end of summer (so like September I imagine). Everyone has to grow up REALLY fast lol.
The Southern Air Temple/The Warriors of Kyoshi
It's quite sad seeing just how optimistic and happy Aang is about visiting the air temple at the start of the episode knowing what's going to happen. It does make his anguish over the realization of what has happened have a much bigger impact on you. Grim stuff and we're only on the third episode. The Agni Kai fight is pretty good also and that Agni Kai music. Love it.
Lovely final shot and music as Aang stares at the temple one last time before leaving on Appa.
One of the best things about "The Warriors of Kyoshi" is that it gave us this guy. I'll always love you foamy mouth guy.
Also enjoyed the spaghetti western tone/vibe the episode decided to give for the Zuko attack. Worked really well for me.
So good.
It's quite sad seeing just how optimistic and happy Aang is about visiting the air temple at the start of the episode knowing what's going to happen. It does make his anguish over the realization of what has happened have a much bigger impact on you. Grim stuff and we're only on the third episode. The Agni Kai fight is pretty good also and that Agni Kai music. Love it.
Lovely final shot and music as Aang stares at the temple one last time before leaving on Appa.
One of the best things about "The Warriors of Kyoshi" is that it gave us this guy. I'll always love you foamy mouth guy.
Also enjoyed the spaghetti western tone/vibe the episode decided to give for the Zuko attack. Worked really well for me.
So good.
JadedWriter
Member
Wow Zuko leveled his skills up really fast in that show than, so did Katara, I love when she gets trained in water bending because she learns how to kick an ass in Earth and Fire. It is pretty funny how the Gaang is OP as fuck, but the Krew is almost just above scrub tier.
Definitely agreed on the final shot. And yeah, this episode is still setting up things that the premiere had only started to address, easing Aang into the modern world and exploring the consequences of his return as word spreads.
When I think of Avatar doing westerns my mind jumps to
Zuko Alone and The Chase
The timeline does strain plausibility, but if you can accept all the bending prodigies traveling together it's not too hard to roll with. The only real issue is travel times, but the geography in general is pretty inconsistent. One of the few changes from the movie that made any sense was having the comet predicted to arrive in three years, to account for the live action cast aging, had the planned sequels ever been made.
JadedWriter
Member
That transition does make more sense. That did a good amount of visual aging if that was only supposed to only be 9 months. The funniest one being
Zuko's hair
openrob
Member
It's interesting how young they look in the first season. Especially Zuko. Makes you appreciate how the artisits develop anong with the show and the style of the characters takes on more form.
Reminds me of Death Note when Light
. It provided a challenge to the creators as they had to go back and remember how to draw Light all innocent again. (can't remember where I read that now)
Reminds me of Death Note when Light
signs the death note away and loosing all his memories of it
I do think it was good that the show depicted the characters aging, which as openrob points out creates more work for the artists and animators. The nine month thing is still weird, though it doesn't create the same sense of urgency to say "you must master the elements over three and a half years" as "by summer's end".
JadedWriter
Member
Yeah good point. I think if they had 3 years to master the elements Aang would've been way more relaxed about it. Like with Joseph Joestar and is one month bet with Wham and ACDC.
Ooh, I hadn't seen this. I'll watch up to ep 3 then post something.
Episode 1: Most of the story and character stuff has been gone over, so I'll just point out a few small things I liked. First, you can see the use of visuals to tell the story early on when the 'camera' zooms slowly into Aang and Katara as he beckons her closer, then pulls back ever so slightly as she backs away once he asks her to go penguin sledding. Basic use of visuals to sell the joke a bit more, yet it's sadly missing from a lot of cheaper animation. Speaking of, the animation of Appa is amazing here, but even more impressive to me is his sound design. That shuddering grumble really makes him sound like a majestic beast where even a small tired movement like getting up is full of power. Also, perhaps a sign of the shows insecurity with itself at this point, but I noticed all but the last serious moment was diffused with a joke in this ep. They never let serious character interactions stand on their own merit. The exception being that last one in the ship where Aang realises he's been gone 100 years.
Episode 2: Most of what was said before applies here, but I noticed one great moment that would become a praised quality of Avatar over it's run, where Zuko and Sokka have their little fight. Zuko wins easily as expected, but in order to not just let the two of them fall into their established caricatures, the boomerang comes back and hits Zuko, making him look stupid for a second and letting Sokka have a small win as a warrior. It humanizes both of them in different ways with just a tiny moment, and I really liked it.
Episode 3: I noticed 3 (ha) main things here. Firstly, the colour contrast between the flashback and present day. The past is bathed in a warm yellow, you can't even really see the landscape and mountains, it's pleasant and nostalgic. The present is in a cold blue, with much more detail. A much harsher perspective. Again, it reminded me of how well Avatar uses colour throughout the series. Another thing was the framing of Zuko and Zhao. This is of course where we start to see the other side of his character, and he is portrayed as the underdog throughout the episode not just by the writing, but the visuals too. It's another very basic technique, but notice how Zuko is always below Zhao, looking up at him. This is helped by the fact that Zhao is taller, so he can look down on Zuko even when the camera is even, but during the main dramatic moments you'll notice the camera looks up at Zhao and down at Zuko. Zuko is often sitting down as well. This of course leads up to the Agni Kai, where for the first time Zuko gets the upper hand, and after he's turned it around and gotten Zhao off balance, the camera of course looks up at Zuko and down at Zhao. Zuko has overcome the odds. Which leads into the third thing, the duel itself. The fights in Avatar are highly praised and even in this simple early one you can see their knack for it. The fight has a good steady rhythm, with the blasts matching that imaginary beat. And of course they fight with a distinct firebender style, sharp movements that really emphasize those strong beats.
Anyway, that's all the pretentious rambling I got in me for now so I'll do ep 4 later.
Episode 1: Most of the story and character stuff has been gone over, so I'll just point out a few small things I liked. First, you can see the use of visuals to tell the story early on when the 'camera' zooms slowly into Aang and Katara as he beckons her closer, then pulls back ever so slightly as she backs away once he asks her to go penguin sledding. Basic use of visuals to sell the joke a bit more, yet it's sadly missing from a lot of cheaper animation. Speaking of, the animation of Appa is amazing here, but even more impressive to me is his sound design. That shuddering grumble really makes him sound like a majestic beast where even a small tired movement like getting up is full of power. Also, perhaps a sign of the shows insecurity with itself at this point, but I noticed all but the last serious moment was diffused with a joke in this ep. They never let serious character interactions stand on their own merit. The exception being that last one in the ship where Aang realises he's been gone 100 years.
Episode 2: Most of what was said before applies here, but I noticed one great moment that would become a praised quality of Avatar over it's run, where Zuko and Sokka have their little fight. Zuko wins easily as expected, but in order to not just let the two of them fall into their established caricatures, the boomerang comes back and hits Zuko, making him look stupid for a second and letting Sokka have a small win as a warrior. It humanizes both of them in different ways with just a tiny moment, and I really liked it.
Episode 3: I noticed 3 (ha) main things here. Firstly, the colour contrast between the flashback and present day. The past is bathed in a warm yellow, you can't even really see the landscape and mountains, it's pleasant and nostalgic. The present is in a cold blue, with much more detail. A much harsher perspective. Again, it reminded me of how well Avatar uses colour throughout the series. Another thing was the framing of Zuko and Zhao. This is of course where we start to see the other side of his character, and he is portrayed as the underdog throughout the episode not just by the writing, but the visuals too. It's another very basic technique, but notice how Zuko is always below Zhao, looking up at him. This is helped by the fact that Zhao is taller, so he can look down on Zuko even when the camera is even, but during the main dramatic moments you'll notice the camera looks up at Zhao and down at Zuko. Zuko is often sitting down as well. This of course leads up to the Agni Kai, where for the first time Zuko gets the upper hand, and after he's turned it around and gotten Zhao off balance, the camera of course looks up at Zuko and down at Zhao. Zuko has overcome the odds. Which leads into the third thing, the duel itself. The fights in Avatar are highly praised and even in this simple early one you can see their knack for it. The fight has a good steady rhythm, with the blasts matching that imaginary beat. And of course they fight with a distinct firebender style, sharp movements that really emphasize those strong beats.
Anyway, that's all the pretentious rambling I got in me for now so I'll do ep 4 later.
foxuzamaki
Doesn't read OPs, especially not his own
This was.....this was 10 years ago?.........its been 10 years....?
Man, I really need to get around to watching Jojo's.
I hope you'll give us some "rambling" on subsequent episodes, cause I found your thoughts to be quite interesting.
I don't as much about the technical side of animation as some, but I do find that stuff fascinating. The idea of camera work within animation is sometimes underrated I think, but Avatar frequently impresses me with its visual sense. There's one "handheld" type shot in Tales of Ba Sing Se (
when Jin and Zuko are running towards the fountain; can't find a decent clip of it on YouTube though
The worst part is that for these past 10 years we've always had more onscreen Avatar to look forward to, but now with Korra finished, it's over, possibly for good. But that makes this a particularly good time for a rewatch IMO.
JadedWriter
Member
I'm always surprised by the lack of Jojo's in peoples lives. It's weird, but you get used to it. It's definitely a good shounen anime.
I'll try to make time on Sunday's for a couple of episodes or maybe Saturday, my schedule is random.
Thanks Wiz! I hope you'll still join in the discussion if you feel like it.
I'm glad it's not just me. It's different not powering through the whole show in a week or two but I like hearing everyone else's takes. I hope the three day breaks give a good balance of momentum and giving everyone time to keep up.
I'm glad it's not just me.
It's different not powering through the whole show in a week or two but I like hearing everyone else's takes. I hope the three day breaks give a good balance of momentum and giving everyone time to keep up.- Status