So, since it's been like almost 4 months of quarantine period, i got bored and rewatch the whole avatar : the last airbender (is gonna be referred as atla after this) like everyone else does, and there are some things that I didn't notice the first time I watched it, prob bc I was younger back then and as you can see on the title of this post, I'm gonna talk about it and divide it into 4 sections : Plot, Characters' arc +, Bending, Ships, and Memes. Let's just jump right in :
1. Plot
Now, I've always known since the first time I watched the show, that atla has one of the best plot in all history of fictional writing. The world building has always been perfect in my opinion. Though there are a few more elements about the plot that I noticed after second time watching.
First of all, the time frame. I'd always thought that the show went for years, I mean it was on air for 3 years, but like the time that Aang took to learn each elements, I thought it was at least a year for each element. But I realized that it only went for 9-12 months. For such great developments in a very short period of time, it's amazing.
Second of all, It's consistent, like the writers really said, "Inconsistency? Who is she? Never heard of her". There are actually a lot of consistency and continuity moments in the show, but my brain is still so overwhelmed by the show that I can of one. When Iroh taught Zuko how to redirect lightning, he mentioned that lightning always find a way to blast to the ground(?) and it's proven when Azula striked Aang with lightning at the end of Book 2 and there was a scar on Aang's feet that showed the lightning did find a way to blast the ground. Oh, I just remember another thing. Atla has always been giving us strong female characters since day one. Whether they're benders or not, good or evil. They always have one thing in common : strength.
Third of all, message behind the story for the world that we're facing today. Atla does have a lot of the things that we can learn from, especially in the time being. For example, violence isn't always the answer for justice. Aang showed us that being violent isn't always gonna solve the problem. He's stated since the beginning that he's not gonna kill anyone, including Ozai (well except for when Aang was about to kill the sandbenders). Eventhough there was a genocide towards Air Nomads that wiped out all their population, Aang wasn't gonna answer it with violence as well. Instead, he brought a solution that didn't involve violence but still made everything balance. Something that some group of people don't understand about.
2. Characters' Arc + Bending (if they are a bender)
Zuko :
Gotta start with the character that started my love for dark, emo, misunderstood boys in every franchise. Though, I knew back then that he has such a great redemption arc but that was before I knew that atla only went for about 9-12 months. For him to change himself for the better with the help of Iroh was, amazing. From believing that honour is something that's given to him from someone else to knowing that honour is something that you need to gain yourself and work for it. Knowing that his destiny isn't just something that other people force onto him, is just, wow. I honestly always lost for words whenever I talk about his arc.
Next, his bending. I agree that he's not the best firebender in the whole show, like we have his sister, Azula, having that title. Azula is much better than Zuko, if we're talking about firebending skill with strictly firebending technique only. But Zuko was taught by Iroh to not isolate every 4 elements to themselves, but rather think pass through it. So he learned how to do firebending with other elements technique. It can be seen in his Agni Kai with Azula (which i think is tied with Anakin and Obi Wan's Mustafar Duel as the best duel in pop culture history). He used all those techniques from different elements so that it gives more variety to it that indirectly gives him more strength in his firebending.
Also, I've always known that Zuko is great at swordsmanship but I always look pass through it, because I was tasteless. But now that I've watched it for the second time, let's just say that, Zuko can do pretty well for himself if his firebending skill is being taken away.
Toph :
To be honest, the first time watching Atla, Toph wasn't really my most favorite character. But now I've grown a soft spot for her, because, I see myself in her. Her stubborness, her difficulty for opening up to people in the beginning are definitely some of the things from her traits that I can relate to. Also to be reminded everytime that she was only 12/13 when she clung onto the other members of the Gaang when they're not on solid ground but she already grew to be the baddest bitch in the world is always a sight to see. A follow up to the previous statement, this rewatch made me see a more human side of Toph. Like we all know that she's as hard as a rock and she's such a brat. But whenever she started to talk about how she only wanted some love and understanding from her parents, always got me. She's the most lovable brat that you'll ever see.
Earthbending wasn't my favorite element at first. But the way Toph bend it, and the story when and how she picked up earthbending changed my way of thinking. Toph learning the earthbending from the og earthbenders which are the badgermoles is so cool and sweet at the same time. The way she mimicked how the badgermoles bending the earth, not only using it as her self defense mechanism but also and most importantly as the extension of her senses makes me think that earthbending isn't just straight up dirt and destruction, but there are some softness to it. Basically this section is just "TOPH BEST GIRL" "TOPH WORLD DOMINATION"
Sokka :
Sokka's arc is pretty interesting to watch. How he grew from being a sexist jerk to respecting women throughout the show is how some people need to educate themselves and change their perspectives on gender. He started by showing his strong dislike on Katara being a waterbender (okay, it's more like him thinking that she's weird but anyway), underestimating the Kyoshi warriors to acknowledging and praising how incredible Kyoshi warriors are, letting all of the female protagonists kicking ass left and right without showing some prejudices. Again, I do think many people need to learn from his arc.
Azula :
My thoughts on Azula overall doesn't change. Like I do still think that she's the spawn of satan. But now I put it more as, she's actually just wanted love from people around her, same as Zuko actually. But the difference is fortunately, Zuko had Iroh next to him who gave him all the love and support that he needs. Azula got no one. Ozai showed some admiration on her bending and her being a firebending prodigy, and she tried really hard to please her father also that what slowly drove her into madness, being the perfect daughter that Ozai wanted.
Also, Azula managed to create and redirect lighting while not being in her right mind is impressive. In order to create and redirect lightning, you need to be calm, so her doing lightning bending in the final Agni Kai was, again, impressive and almost impossible.
Aang and Katara :
The reason I put them in the same section is not because of them together. No, it's not that. But it's because my overall thought about them now is pretty much the same for each other and mainly, well it's about their bending.
Aang and Katara are both, should I say, masters in their respective origin elements at such a young age. We all know that Katara improved massively once she was trained by Pakku and being one of the best waterbenders of her generation. Aang was already an airbending master at the age of 12. I looked past all of those first time watching the show, because, again, I was tasteless. Second of all, I have this mindset that it didn't make me happy if they didn't learn any other type of bending other than their origin bendings. So I was so pumped up when Aang started to learn the other elements, Katara learning bloodbending(?) and just look past their actually incredible air and water bending skills.
3. Ships
Shipping was a big issue in this fandom, everyone had their strong opinion on what their ships are. I, myself, was and still am a HUGE zutara shipper. Because I've always love this kind of ship trope. Bad boyxgood girl, the misunderstood male and the "perfect" female protagonist *cough* Reylo and Dramione *cough*. But the difference is that in the past, I didn't wanna look at any other ships and now I do have some other ships that I ship other than zutara. Such as Tokka, I've always liked their dynamic bc back then I knew that Toph somewhat had a crush on Sokka and the fact that we don't know who Suyin's father is but we all collectively point at Sokka for that.
Also, I started to like other Zuko ships like Maiko and ZukoxJin (idk what their ship name is). Maiko grew on me when I watched the last episodes of Book 3 especially the boiling rock ones, when Mai confronted him why he dumped her via breakup letter, that was pretty cute. Maiko is also the ship with the most realistic problem in my opinion. But the thing with Maiko is that, Zuko's arc is all about emotional development, and him being with Mai just not it to me, but it's cannon, so.
Zuko and Jin is my favorite somewhat cannon Zuko ship. The Zuko tale on tales of Ba Sing Se was the first time we saw him acted as a normal teenager and not the banished prince who tried to regain his honor. The date was, well, normal, they went to a restaurant, and Jin showing him her favorite place in the whole city which is a fountain at night, ending the night with a kiss. But this normality was just what we need from Zuko. One thing I also want to point out is that he tried to make the date memorable by lighting up the the torches around the fountain, Zuko thought it was a nice night, probably the first time in a very long time. Like he made to make that date was memorable and he definitely succeeded in doing that.
4. Memes
"That's rough, Buddy."
Probably one of the most iconic memeable line lately, so does dozens others of quotes from Atla. When I first watched the show, I didn't know what memes were and the concept it. But I do remember some highlights of the show, like Kyoshi is the most badass avatar, Katara mentioning her mom too often, Sokka being the ladies' man, Iroh and his tea, The iconic songs like "Secret Tunnel" etc. That turned into memes 15 years after the show aired. My favorites these days are probably Zuko being a socially awkward person and Toph's "I'm not Toph, I am Melon Lord. Mwahahaha". My take on the memes are, I do like them and it makes the show even more interesting than first time, also memes are like the fandom's inner jokes.
So anyways, those are the things that I personally noticed after rewatching Atla, thank you for reading my post. Stay Flaming, Hotman!
SAY NO TO LOK!!!
BalasHapus