#live action avatar the last airbender spoilers

[the-phoenix-heart]

I'm on episode three of the live action avatar the last airbender, and while I'm not a fan of all the changes they have made with her character, I love that Azula's cover story when she infiltrates the rebels is "I lost my mother and brother in the siege of ba sing se." What an unhinged way for her to reword her real circumstances. I can just see her coming up with this story and learning, telling it to herself over and over again so it can be it's most convincing. "My family was perfect before the seige of ba sing se. Then my cousin died and my uncle was never the same. My mother disappeared one day and never returned. My brother was burned and died (to me)." Love the idea she uses this as an opportunity to roleplay her trauma and allow herself some grief.

[katy-l-wood]

Okay, finished the whole season. Thoughts on the new ATLA under the cut. (They're positive, so if that's not your jam that's fine. But I'd like to keep this post positive. Discussion is welcome, bashing is not.)

I fucking loved it. This is easily the best adaption of something I have ever seen. They got the tone so well, and the way they mixed in 1 to 1 stuff from the original show with their new stuff worked so, so well. That addition of the division Zuko saved being assigned as his crew? Chef's kiss. Chef's fucking kiss.

I think the biggest marker of success for me, though, is that I didn't have to do anything else while I was watching and I didn't WANT to. My attention was fully, 100% on the show 95% of the time, which is so, so fucking rare for me as someone with ADHD. I don't even remember the last time I watched a show and didn't have to also be drawing or doing a puzzle or playing a game on my phone to stay engaged. But with this I didn't.

Also, the COLORS. It was such a fucking pretty show. And IT WASN'T FUCKING BLACK. There was LIGHT. I watched 80% of it during the day in my relatively bright livingroom and I could always see everything clearly, even during the night scenes. And the siege of the North with the limited hues and blasts of fire? Perfect.

And Azula! The way they added her to this season was so damn good. Sets up her character so fucking well. Just. Ugh. Yes.

They also aged it up just right. It really feels like a WAR is going on in a way it didn't in the original (which is not a critique of the original at all, just what worked for telling the story that way). But it also doesn't revel in that darkness constantly, which is refreshing.

As for the changes they made to Sokka, I think the warrior narrative works really well, and they rounded it out nicely. I can't wait to see his eventually reunion with his dad now. Would it have been more true to his character to include the sexism as well? Yeah. But I think, with the way they streamlined the narrative overall, having him go on a journey of learning better about his sexism AND struggling with being a warrior would've made things feel bloated. Focusing on just the warrior narrative, to me, just works better with everything else they did in the live action.

Can't wait to see what they do in season 2! (And we better get a season 2. And 3.)

Also.

Queer ladies Oma and Shu FTW.

[timtimtara]

Gyatso's temporary presence in the Spirit World puts a different meaning to Iroh remaining in the Spirit World in Legend of Korra. Why did Iroh choose to stay? Was it also as temporary as Gyatso's? Will Iroh also have to eventually move on like Gyatso?

Also, I love the parallels of Iroh and Gyatso being mentors to Zuko and Aang, respectively. The challenges of their relationships. The feeling of not doing enough to lead these children on their paths. I appreciate the time we get to spend knowing more of Gyatso and Iroh in the live action series.

[kat-rose-griffith]

I liked it better when Katara released Aang from his 100 year slumber through the pure unfiltered rage of a feminist rant at her brother

[azural83]

No way they got rid of katara's anger in THE feminine rage era

[myrddinwylltemrys]

[dianadeadwing]

Dallas Liu is an amazing Zuko.

Like perfect vibes. He’s angry, he’s whiny, his voice cracks, he drew rage art of Aang and hung it on his wall right after meeting him, he disguised himself by wrapping a scarf over his eye, some random woman beat him up…

I’ve only seen three episodes and he’s perfect.

[buckyssexcmetalarm]

zuko screaming at aang about his notebook really gave “you stole my dream journal” vibes and i honestly love that characterisation for zuko

he WOULD be asking mr electric to send him to the principals office to have him expelled like no notes perfect

[sabreurs]

sokka trying to get katara to give up on her waterbending bc it could get her killed. and katara refuses to give up and continues to practice anyway. bc sokka and katara represent the survival of both the people and the culture. sokka had the safety of their people thrust upon him by his dad, while katara is the only one in their tribe that can carry the weight of their culture. both are heavy burdens, and they're struggling with their roles bc they're just two kids trying to rebuild in the wake of genocide. but they refuse to give up, bc that's what the story is about.

holding onto hope, regardless of what you face.

[winnie-the-monster]

[longing-for-rain]

LMAO his ass just got chancla smacked

[finnamin]

So we put on a mask. It's not hard to understand why. What's hard is knowing that sometimes, the mask is who we really are.

Zuko in 1x06 - Masks

[timtimtara]

Finished my first watch of the live action Avatar The Last Airbender series. I'm definitely going to be watching this a few times.

Initial thoughts after the season 1 finale is that I'm impressed by the level of love shown to the original series. The changes they made to the story for it to translate to 8 live action episodes weren't that bad. I tried to stay away from all the fan grumblings about this series so I wouldn't be looking for faults and I'm glad I did. I was able to see it without someone else's opinions clouding my judgment.

I liked that we got to see more of Azula's descent into madness. Ozai really was a horrible parent on top of being a garbage human being. I think the live action really highlighted just how horribly Azula was treated by Ozai and just how young she really is to have to deal with his mindgames. She really had absolutely zero positive support under Ozai's influence.

I enjoyed the additional focus on the past Avatars outside of Roku in this one. Kyoshi and Kuruk are such fascinating characters on their own. I look forward to seeing more of them in future seasons.

The casting on this series was really well done. The younger cast especially was delightful in their joy. They really hammered home just how overwhelmed they felt becoming child soldiers in a madman's war.

Gordon Cormier as Aang did really well depicting Aang's heartbreak and loneliness as the last of the Airbenders. Aang as a character has always been about the tragedy of being the last and how one learns to be hopeful on the face of that tragedy. His Aang really made me think about how much he struggles being the sole source of Air Nomad culture and he's 12, so there's so much he just doesnt know or experienced. I look forward to seeing how his Aang grows into his role as the Avatar.

Kiawentiio Tarbell as Katara just made me love her so much. Katara has always been one of my favorites because she's so determined and hopeful about life. I loved seeing a Katara who was just learning how to be herself, learning her powers, and just being a badass by holding her own against the forces that wanted her to be less than herself. She's gonna be amazing when she comes into her own. I can't wait to see it.

Sokka, my beloved. What can I say that isn't just me gushing about how much I love him and relate to his struggles as the elder sibling with so much responsibility on his shoulders. Sokka is the character that makes the world of Avatar so relatable. So thank you Ian Ousley for being a Sokka that showed him at his most loveable and hard headed and self doubting and annoying and absolutely the bravest warrior of the Southern Water Tribe. Ousley's Sokka is a gift, imo. He understood where Sokka's determination comes from and he did a great job depicting everything that makes Sokka who he is. Even when he's being an annoying little shit, he's just so...Sokka. I need more Sokka in my life, is all I'm saying.

Zuko. My goodness, Zuko. Dallas Liu is a phenomenal Zuko. He embodied the determination and internal conflict that is Zuko so well. And he remembered to be funny! Zuko is such a moody little teenager trying to be a strong leader and Liu did such a good job at showing all aspects of Zuko's character. And his relationship with Iroh!

Omg, Iroh, you break my heart. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee was the perfect Uncle Iroh. He was the elder statesman who'd seen too much war and had lost too much in it. I felt like you could see how much he regretted his lack of empathy for the people his nation warred against until it was too late. He's a man who has many regrets in his life and trying to guide his nephew towards being the Fire Lord the world needs is the one small thing he can do to make up for his mistakes. Also, I didn't realize hearing "Leaves from the Vine" would have me legit crying each time they played it. Well played Netflix, well played.

Which brings me to the music. Thank you for keeping the iconic background music because this series wouldn't have been what it is without those audio beats. The music of Avatar is what makes so many of the dramatic moments what they are. The Avatar theme song has always given me chills and they used it really well here.

There were only a few points that I didn't think were well dome, but in the overall story that we got told, they weren't that distracting. I'm sure I'll have some grumblings I'll share as I do rewatches.

[doggone-beauty]

make zuko's scar bigger, you cowards

make it big and gruesome and actually show how 'scarring' it was to get it

[shadowrosegarden]

WHAT IN THE BOLLYWOOD ROMANCE IS THIS?

[wileycap]

The biggest casualties of the Netflix Avatar show are Katara and Iroh. I already talked about Iroh, so, Katara...

Spoilers below. And anger below. Lots of rage. Sorry, guys.

Katara's anger is gone. "NO WAY AM I APOLOGIZING TO A SOUR OLD MAN LIKE YOU! I'll be outside if you're man enough to fight me." is instead "no uh i wouldn't have accepted that if i knew, uh, you're afraid of what you might learn if you fought me :(" and it's so fucking disheartening to see a 2020s production that doesn't know how to show justified feminine rage. Which Katara has, and which she's FUCKING ICONIC for.

Netflix Katara is such a pushover. OG Katara is compassionate, kind, nurturing, and FUCKING FURIOUS. Her compassion and kindness have a deep backdrop of RAGE to them. The world isn't how Katara wants it to be? Katara will FIGHT THE WORLD, and meanwhile, the Gaang will EAT THEIR VEGETABLES.

Like. Fuck. In my last, longer post I tried to be, like, fairly even and shit and channel my inner reviewer, and in this post, I RAGE ABOUT THE CHARACTER ASSASSINATION OF KATARA. Katara is not a meek dishrag. Katara is a smothering rageball and Katara is a kind, even-tempered person. Katara is capable of putting aside her own needs ("you have to learn from master Pakku, even if he is a big jerk", because yes, saving the world is the biggest priority) and then absolutely demanding her worth ("YOU CAN'T KNOCK ME DOWN!").

Real angry about that, in case you couldn't tell. They might have just put a necklace on a wooden plank and written "GIRL" on it.