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Anyway, I'm watching the series in order to build a highly accurate hex map of the World of Avatar - the last airbender. Just got to the Tales of Ba Sing Sei - Iroh's Tale: It is the last episode voiced by Mako - a fine actor of many decades experience - and he died from throat cancer in 2006 meaning he wasnt there to voice the roll of General Iroh in season 3.
The Series itself continues to escalate into this awesome yet terrible darkness where the Avatar is no longer the unifier of all peoples but the destroyer and wager of terrible conflict in a war that will cost lives whether he wins or loses. Frankly It cant have possibly rated G Children after the Passing of Mako.
The Tale of Momo - Momo has curled up to die in the footprint of the flying bison Apa.
I loved this series, and yeah after the first season it was more intense than a normal kid's show. The story of Zuko's mother and his sister being a psychopath aren't typical themes for a kid's cartoon.
Agreed on all accounts.
The only thing that annoyed me was that Aang ended up with Katara. I seem to be the only person I know that had this reaction, but it bugged me. I mean... she never liked him (at least that's how i saw it).
Despite the fact that he already had a woman, I thought it would have made more sense if Katara had ended up with Zoku.
I don't know.. I guess I'm weird like that.
If you don't cry during Iroh's Tale in "Tales Of Ba Sing Sei," you have no soul.
Agreed on all accounts.
The only thing that annoyed me was that Aang ended up with Katara. I seem to be the only person I know that had this reaction, but it bugged me. I mean... she never liked him (at least that's how i saw it).
Despite the fact that he already had a woman, I thought it would have made more sense if Katara had ended up with Zoku.
I don't know.. I guess I'm weird like that.
You may have missed the parts where Aang and Katara end up alone, stammering over their feelings for one another, come ridiculously close to kissing each other, and work some particularly angry bending when the other is threatened, then.
Lots of people want the Katara/Zuko pairing because it's "more romantic" or "more karmic" or what-have-you for the Girl Who Lived and the Son Of The Murderer to end up together, but really, the creators always had Aang and Katara paired off.
You might want to pick up the previously released Avatar: TLA comics, as well as the new stuff that's set to come out. Lots of good Aang/Katara stuff there.
Anyone else ready for the sequel series to start yet?
I'm pretty stoked for it, myself. About the only thing I'm not on board with is that it's only been 70 years, and the people of the world have gone from Middle-Kingdom China/Heian Japan era fashion to mid-1940's pinstripes (at least in the Earth Kingdom), it seems. I hope they have a good explanation for that.
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Anyone else ready for the sequel series to start yet?I'm pretty stoked for it, myself. About the only thing I'm not on board with is that it's only been 70 years, and the people of the world have gone from Middle-Kingdom China/Heian Japan era fashion to mid-1940's pinstripes (at least in the Earth Kingdom), it seems. I hope they have a good explanation for that.
Note that the announcement said "At least" 70 years so I'm figuring it'll be a little longer, although one of Aang and Katara's kids are in it along with the police force that is trained my Toph.
Note that the announcement said "At least" 70 years so I'm figuring it'll be a little longer, although one of Aang and Katara's kids are in it along with the police force that is trained my Toph.
I'm personally digging the idea of Metal Bending police, and am glad that Dante Brasco will be back for a new character.
The Wiki says that it's 70, no more, no less. I'm a little surprised (but not too surprised) that Korra already knows Earth and Fire Bending, but I suppose it makes sense that not every Avatar has a tremendous amount of adventures before finding a teacher.
More info here:
http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/The_Last_Airbender:_Legend_of_Korra
Sign me up on the Avatar TV series fan, my wife and I truly love this one. To bad it ended on season the book of fire... :(
That last season seemed really rushed.
Yes... I suppose they knew there was not going to be a "Book of Air" and had to short the plot to close on the third season.
Yes... I suppose they knew there was not going to be a "Book of Air" and had to short the plot to close on the third season.
They didn't "short" anything. The series was only ever intended to be 3 seasons, and they told the story they wanted to tell. The only reason they agreed to do Korra was because the network ordered more episodes, because the fan reaction was so intense.
Avatar: TLA had a beginning, a middle, and an end. Simple as that.
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You may have missed the parts where Aang and Katara end up alone, stammering over their feelings for one another, come ridiculously close to kissing each other, and work some particularly angry bending when the other is threatened, then.
Lots of people want the Katara/Zuko pairing because it's "more romantic" or "more karmic" or what-have-you for the Girl Who Lived and the Son Of The Murderer to end up together, but really, the creators always had Aang and Katara paired off.
Yeah I noticed that whole Aang goes avatar in the first chapter of Book 2: when General Fong 'kills Katara' in an attempt to force Aang into the Avatar state...But it isnt until the Sandbenders mess with Apa that Aang goes 'I'm gonna kill you' nuclear.
Agreed on all accounts.
The only thing that annoyed me was that Aang ended up with Katara. I seem to be the only person I know that had this reaction, but it bugged me. I mean... she never liked him (at least that's how i saw it).
Despite the fact that he already had a woman, I thought it would have made more sense if Katara had ended up with Zoku.
I don't know.. I guess I'm weird like that.
I thought Katara would be tied to Zuko's need for Healing. Not necessarily the girl he winds up with, but the Girl who heals him spiritually - and that is apparently what happens.
Katara begins as the girl who is looking for a hero to save the world and she creates that hero from Aang - whether he wants to be that hero or not is irrelevent.
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He is considerably more developed as an Avatar by the time he encounters the Sandbenders. At that point he's bending three elements not just two and Toph had given him some lessens in sticking up for his own.
Yeah I noticed that whole Aang goes avatar in the first chapter of Book 2: when General Fong 'kills Katara' in an attempt to force Aang into the Avatar state...But it isnt until the Sandbenders mess with Apa that Aang goes 'I'm gonna kill you' nuclear.
The Avatar State has access to all the bending forms anyhow - seen book 1-episode 2 when Aang water bends Zuko off his ship - it is the emotional state of Aang that is escalating.
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What is really wierd is the meaning of all their names.
Momo is supposed to be a reference to Peach, but in the Indoeuropean Roots it is a whole bunch of stuff related to who Momo is personality-wise. Mo seems to mean 'trouble' - momo thus meaning 'double trouble', or an imitative sound 'mo mo' made when eating wet/juicy foods; its also 'flying pest' or 'mouse'.
All of those covers who Momo is.
Katara (Kat-are/Ka-tere) means 'to throw down to plow', 'to create offspring' or 'to sow'; also 'to desire to overcome' which is more about who she is in the series.
Suki (Su-kei) means 'Pig-coloured' like suede or Pink, but possibly the makeup she is using as a Kyoshi Warrior.
Aang means (Ai-ng) 'to tell tales'.
Sokka (So-ka) means 'this/that to desire' or 'declared preference'.
What is really wierd is the meaning of all their names.
Momo is supposed to be a reference to Peach, but in the Indoeuropean Roots it is a whole bunch of stuff related to who Momo is personality-wise. Mo seems to mean 'trouble' - momo thus meaning 'double trouble', or an imitative sound 'mo mo' made when eating wet/juicy foods; its also 'flying pest' or 'mouse'.
All of those covers who Momo is.
Katara (Kat-are/Ka-tere) means 'to throw down to plow', 'to create offspring' or 'to sow'; also 'to desire to overcome' which is more about who she is in the series.
Suki (Su-kei) means 'Pig-coloured' like suede or Pink, but possibly the makeup she is using as a Kyoshi Warrior.
Aang means (Ai-ng) 'to tell tales'.
Sokka (So-ka) means 'this/that to desire' or 'declared preference'.
I'm so glad I am not the only one who caught this. Given the fantastic blend of Asian/Indo-European cultures and mythologies in the show, I think the naming of the characters really show a lot of forethought and consideration on the parts of the creators.
Another reason I love the show. :)
Jemstone, you mentioned someting about comics that tie the old series with the new one right? When does it take place in the time line? when did come out?
Jemstone, you mentioned someting about comics that tie the old series with the new one right? When does it take place in the time line? when did come out?
The easiest way for me to answer this is to point at the Avatar Wiki:
http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Avatar:_The_Last_Airbender_Comics
And, as well, "Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Lost Adventures" was released in July (and I missed my copy, sadly).
http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/255/dark-horse-and-nickelodeon-bring-avatar-l ast-airbe
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Avatar - The Last Airbender series may be the great Scifi we were looking for
You realize that the world of Avatar the Last Airbender is unusual the instant the 'inuit' girl of the Southern Water Tribe named Katara shatters an iceberg with her anger at having to wash her brother's dirty laundry. It soon becomes apparent that while she is she is no anomaly with the emergence of Aang and his 'bison' from the ice and the arrival of Zuko and his ship from the fire nation.
Between these three factions we realize that Telekinesis covers what they can do.
The Haves
The 'Benders' we learn over the course of the series are broken up into four 'elemental' manipulating factions - water, earth, fire, and air - though there are unusual groups like the sand benders (who could be earth or air benders) who seem to be borderline in their talents. Passing through each of these groups is one individual. They have their own creation myths: the earth benders learned from the badgermoles, the water benders from the push and pull of the tides and the moon, and the fire benders from the Sun.
These Benders are the ruling caste for pretty much every society except the Southern Water Tribe which has been thoroughly depopulated of its Water benders.
The Avatar
While there have always been 'benders' - the most powerful is a single entity who is reborn in a cycle taking him or her through the cycle of Air, Water, Earth, Fire for longer than anyone would care to specify. This lineage seems to go back to the beginings of this world to a point when the benders were energy benders. Its obvious that the power is 'genetic' and the Lineage of the Avatar is the source of every bender - despite their creation myths. Genetically the Avatar is the parent of all these benders - The majority of Avatars having families over the many thousands of years.
The Have Nots
Not every one had the bending ability. Katara's brother Sokka doesnt. Though this may be either through loss of the southern water tribe benders able to teach them as children, because Sokka's Chakkra's are blocked - Fear being a psycological padlock on the mind (likely a result of the death of his mother during hish childhood), or genetic chance. In a world ruled by benders the have nots are considered permanently disadvantaged peasants by those who have the power.
There are non-benders who dont see it that way:
The Chi Blockers have the ability to attack key points on the physical body of a bender and simply take their powers away and leave their bodies paralyzed.
The Kyoshi Warriors - women trained in martial arts by Avatar would be another warrior caste standing against the benders where possible.
In the end you percieve The Lineage to be at the centre of it all. A bloodline from which all telekinetics in this 'world' are descended.
How Technology rose and fell with the Tide
Watching the series you realize that bending has shut down technology. While the Fire nation seems the most advanced - making use of it in the hundred years war it has been running for the last century, this is an aberation. Technology is kept low and thus when it is available it is to the elite few. The childhood toys of the Avatar have amongst their collection what looks like a basis of a helicopter. Machines such as warships, dirigables, submarines, vehicles, and technologies such as siege engines and explosives are all available to those who will develop them but they exist at the whim of the Benders.
What we see is that technology seems to rise and fall with the emergence and fall of tyrants willing to make use of it or control it.
The Wildlife is a tidal wave of Genetic Aberations
The natural world is dominated by weird animals like a Gargantuan sentient Lion Turtle, Penguin-seals, Flying bison, Flying Lemur, Platapus Bears, Koala Otters, and livestock like Riding Birds, and food animals like Pig-Chickens, Sheep-Pigs, and Cow-pigs. So our world is one of genetic modification where an actual Bear named Bosco in the hands of the Earth King of Ba-Sing-Sei is exotic and a one-off.
The Geography is no longer like the Earth we know
The world is changed. The map tells us it is as big as Earth but the Geography is altered. Land exists at the North and South Pole. In a world where every Avatar had the ability to raise an island or sink or divide a continent with telekinetic power is it any wonder.
Religion: Where did God Go?
While Religion as we have known it fell by the wayside - the Avatar - despite the fact he is as human as the rest has access to a superconciousness state known as the Avatar State. This is as much a God like figure as anything. There are temples in each of these regions devoted to the Avatar - and the Priest class associated with these temples have struggled to build a religion in which they have power from the Avatar. The Avatar has a wife or husband and children seems to be the big muddy secret that is kept by the priests from even the ordinary benders. The Idea that there is a Lineage from which all benders are the descendants of the Avatars is a church secret.
A World of Ruins
There are ruins everywhere. Aang, Sokka, and Katara take shelter in a ruined citadel after Sokka falls ill - followed by Katara. In Book of Earth there is a library in the desert filled with as much knowledge as the Avatar Temples seem filled with Avatar generations. Appa the flying bison shelters in a rock shelter that is overgrown by centuries of forest during 'Appa's lost days'. Civilizations have risen and fallen and vanished.
A Scifi tale?
Yes. It has all the aspects of one. A world so far in the future it has changed. A World of Genetic Aberations, Telekinetics, built on the remains of our humanity.
I really would like to know what series you were watching. Aang and Katara were the classic couple in denial because both had problems coming to grips with their mutual attraction to each other. It's very obvious that both had strong feelings for each other from pretty much the getgo. When Kitara was ranting to her father, it was pretty obvious that her point of being upset was that Aang had taken off to taken on the Fire Nation without her and she had reason to doubt that he'd ever come back... given his rather suicidal frame of mind at that point.
Lol. watch it now... i watched the same show you did. And i realized the direction they were taking the love story early on. I guess what I should have said was that I never bought them as a good romantic couple based on how i saw the characters... or more specifically - Katara.
Clearly that was the match they were shooting for from the beginning. Maybe I just had hoped for something with a twist in regards to who Katara ended up with. Aang obviously had it for her bad from the beginning, and I realize it would have been awfully tragic if she ended up choosing someone else, but I guess there were enough elements of her seeing him as something other than a love interest (and having the passionate engagement with zuko - whether she thought that engagement was love or not) for me to hope for a different spin on it.
But again, that's probably a reflection on me. Like you said, the story was obviously written for them to get together in the end.
: shrugs :
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To label something 'fantasy' or 'sci-fi' you really need to be on the same page as to what those terms mean.
Me personally, I don't distinguish the two anymore. They're both fiction.
"Any sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from magic."
and
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
The 'Benders' we learn over the course of the series are broken up into four 'elemental' manipulating factions - water, earth, fire, and air -Only three, by the beginning of the series, the Air Nomads are extinct as a culture and save for one, as a people as well. This will probably not change that much in the new series as it seems that Katara and Aang will at most only leave one child to the world.
You forgot the gift of the ancient lion turtle. He retaught Aang the true power of the Avatar - the ability to grant or remove the ability to bend any element.
To label something 'fantasy' or 'sci-fi' you really need to be on the same page as to what those terms mean.
Me personally, I don't distinguish the two anymore. They're both fiction.
Which is separated from both, if we are looking at it bibliographically.
And I don't see how "sufficiently analyzed" magic is indistinguishable from science. Sufficiently analyzing magic would prove conclusively it isn't science.
It also seems incredibly risky, to the point that it's something that you don't bring out unless the world is at stake. From what I've seen of the Korra preview, it very much looks like Ten-Zen is the only air bender in the series.You forgot the gift of the ancient lion turtle. He retaught Aang the true power of the Avatar - the ability to grant or remove the ability to bend any element.The 'Benders' we learn over the course of the series are broken up into four 'elemental' manipulating factions - water, earth, fire, and air -Only three, by the beginning of the series, the Air Nomads are extinct as a culture and save for one, as a people as well. This will probably not change that much in the new series as it seems that Katara and Aang will at most only leave one child to the world.
He would have to use it to create a new race of air benders - otherwise, the cycle of the Avatar would end within 3 lifetimes.
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Maybe it's supposed to end at some point. It did have a beginning after all. And technically speaking all you need is for one person to be born an Airbender. Technically speaking while it's the Avatar's job to maintain balance it's not necessarily true that balance can't be maintained without one.He would have to use it to create a new race of air benders - otherwise, the cycle of the Avatar would end within 3 lifetimes.It also seems incredibly risky, to the point that it's something that you don't bring out unless the world is at stake. From what I've seen of the Korra preview, it very much looks like Ten-Zen is the only air bender in the series.You forgot the gift of the ancient lion turtle. He retaught Aang the true power of the Avatar - the ability to grant or remove the ability to bend any element.The 'Benders' we learn over the course of the series are broken up into four 'elemental' manipulating factions - water, earth, fire, and air -Only three, by the beginning of the series, the Air Nomads are extinct as a culture and save for one, as a people as well. This will probably not change that much in the new series as it seems that Katara and Aang will at most only leave one child to the world.
I thought I read on the wiki site that Aang & Katara had one son - an airbender, and then he himself had 3 children - two of which are now also airbenders and the third too young to determine yet.
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best The Count voice: "That's THREE! Three air-benders. A-HA-HA!"
I'm pretty stoked for it, myself. About the only thing I'm not on board with is that it's only been 70 years, and the people of the world have gone from Middle-Kingdom China/Heian Japan era fashion to mid-1940's pinstripes (at least in the Earth Kingdom), it seems. I hope they have a good explanation for that.
It's very simple. The Fire Nation in the original series already has technology that in certain respects is up to early 20th century level prevalant up to the point where it's ready to propagate explosively, especially if they're working WITH other benders instead of trying to exterminate them. The Earth Kingdom already has sophisticated transit planning, and the Northern Water tribe shows quite a bit of advanced architectural design considering that the buidling material is ice.
And I didn't even factor in the genius savvy of the Earth Kingdom Mechanist and his group.
I don't dispute the mechanics and engineering and science - I simply don't understand the necessity for a dramatic shift in clothing and fashion styles. The Fire Kingdom had 100 years of technological advancement over the other nations, and still stuck with their traditional garb. Part of the "feel" of Avatar is the costuming, and the change just seems very jarring.
But then again maybe it's supposed to?
best The Count voice: "That's THREE! Three air-benders. A-HA-HA!"
CURSES! Beaten to the punch!
Again, think of how rapidly fashion styles change in our century... from the 00's to the 10's and the 10's to the 20's and 30's. Also remember that Republic City is a fusion of all 3 Bender cultures that's a heck of a culture dynamic. Think how rapidly fashion changed in Japan afer contact with the West, especially again in our century.
I don't dispute the mechanics and engineering and science - I simply don't understand the necessity for a dramatic s+&@ in clothing and fashion styles. The Fire Kingdom had 100 years of technological advancement over the other nations, and still stuck with their traditional garb. Part of the "feel" of Avatar is the costuming, and the change just seems very jarring.But then again maybe it's supposed to?
But why does fashion suddenly change drastically from what they wore for centuries. Before the Fire Benders decided to take over the world, they got along with the other nations perfectly fine. Look at the flashbacks from the previous bending lifetimes - everyone dressed the same. There is literally no reason for everyone to suddenly dress like they stepped out of the 20s.
I simply don't understand the necessity for a dramatic s#%$ in clothing and fashion styles.Perhaps you meant "shift"? ;)
Oh, I very much did. Curse you, stuck key on loaner laptop! Curse you and the pit that spawned you!
But why does fashion suddenly change drastically from what they wore for centuries. Before the Fire Benders decided to take over the world, they got along with the other nations perfectly fine. Look at the flashbacks from the previous bending lifetimes - everyone dressed the same. There is literally no reason for everyone to suddenly dress like they stepped out of the 20s.
This is my point exactly. I love me some 20's and 30's fashion, I really do (I have a rack in my closet just for it, actually... it's next to the stuff from the 15th and 16th Centuries)... but the various nations lived in harmony for centuries and wore the same things. They were at war for a hundred years, and with a few minor changes, wore the same style of clothing.
I'm sure the creators have a reason for the change - they've always had reasons for everything they've done, even though they weren't always immediately obvious. But it is a jarring and noticeable change, and I'd love to know what's behind it.
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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... but the various nations lived in harmony for centuries and wore the same things. They were at war for a hundred years, and with a few minor changes, wore the same style of clothing.
I'm sure the creators have a reason for the change - they've always had reasons for everything they've done, even though they weren't always immediately obvious. But it is a jarring and noticeable change, and I'd love to know what's behind it.
So they wore the same style of clothing for all those centuries during which values and culture also didn't change much.
We've gone from four distinct nations to a metropolitan blending, gone from "benders are awesome" to "benders suck", gone from a primarily pre-industrial society to (at least to some degree) a more industrial one. Doesn't it make sense that if pretty much the whole world is changing so rapidly, that fashions would change along with it? Honestly, I think it'd be a little weird if a generation that has rejected or altered everything else about their predecessors somehow kept up the clothing traditions.
Doesn't it make sense that if pretty much the whole world is changing so rapidly, that fashions would change along with it?
No. otherhwise the Fire Benders would have changed first when they industrialized
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Doesn't it make sense that if pretty much the whole world is changing so rapidly, that fashions would change along with it?No. otherhwise the Fire Benders would have changed first when they industrialized
But even that's a smaller change than the combined total of everything that's being upheaved for the new series.