#zhao is so whipped but he doesn't realize it yet

[vampiricmechanic]

[the first time he made her laugh]

ID in alt

[highfantasy-soul]

NATLA - Episode 3: Omashu (2/3)

[Masterlist of my NATLA thoughts]

An explanation of what I'm doing here and my history with ATLA.

Of course, full spoilers ahead.

<previous/next>

Starting the Gaang's POV storyline with Katara working on her waterbending was really nice - getting a little down time just like we get at the beginning of the animated episodes is always welcome when they can work it into the timeframe. We see Katara's skills growing, but having her classic trouble with the water whip - the same form she struggled with in The Waterbending Scroll episode. I like that Aang is trying to help her in his sweet and optimistic way, but he doesn't fully understand the mental block Katara has and she'll need another method of overcoming that block than what Aang provided in the first episode. It's so sweet and a great character moment as Aang blames himself for Katara's failure - he doesn't want her to feel bad about not being a master yet and tries to alleviate her struggle with some humor. We get the cute moment with Sokka bringing back supplies too, mirrored by Momo and it really feels just like the light-hearted beginnings of the animated episodes.

This is continued as we see Aang's excitement at seeing 'another airbender' and realizing they're heading in the direction of Omashu - he's so excited to share info about the city with Katara and Sokka, his joy is infectious - and his open naivete as he asks the 'cart guy' "What makes you think we're outsiders?" while they're in very color-coded clothing in an Earth Nation city is adorable. No idea how some people missed the whole first parts of the Gaang's episodes where they're all just hanging out and bonding.

I like us seeing Zhao sneaking his way into the authority position in his relationship with Zuko - instead of the brash, overbearing Zhao of the animated series, here, he's more subtle and it's harder to go directly against him as all his suggestions seem reasonable. Zuko, of course, doesn't want to allow anyone else to capture the Avatar therefore taking away his one chance of going home. I love how the scene with Zuko refusing to let Lieutenant Jee talk bad about Zhao - it so clearly shows how he values honor and not abandoning the values of the Fire Nation 'even out here'. He may have been banished, but he's desperate to cling to the order that makes him a part of his home - giving that up would be fully accepting he's no longer Fire Nation royalty - at the moment, his whole identity.

For Aang in this episode, we do miss where he gets to reminisce about the airbenders and be upset at the changes to the temple like he did in the animated episode that included Teo and the Mechanist - though I do think there's still room to bring that back in a later season as Omashu has been taken and they might show up again as refugees that took shelter in the Air Temple. You got hints of Aang being upset at how the world has changed in the Warriors episode with him not understanding why people wouldn't be open and welcoming and with how Omashu is now, but I think his real issues with the way the war has changed the world will come up in the next two seasons. I saw them drawing from different things for Aang's part here. Aang's journey pulled from his last bit from the Kyoshi Island animated episode where he decides that instead of running, he was going to do what he could to help. In this episode, he starts taking steps to stop running away and deal with threats to average people rather than focusing on the bigger picture stuff like getting to the Northern Water Tribe and learning waterbending. He's still figuring out what the world is like now and finding ways to help 'one person at a time'. He also gets to see people ready and willing to fight - like Teo and his desire to attack.

While it could be nice to see Aang taking the lead in battle strategy like he does in the animated episode, I like that it's Teo who brings up the idea that with Aang, they have air power - which the Fire Nation doesn't have. After all, Aang is a pacifist and not really wanting to strike directly at the enemy yet - but Teo has had years of resentment and pain due to the fire nation and it makes sense that that's his first thought when he meets Aang.  It does seem a bit odd in the animated version how ready Aang is to go to war, create battle strategies, and kill fire nation soldiers (because knocking them off mountains is 100% killing them, like, let's not pretend it's not). I get that he's angry and defending the Air Temple, but I think it was smart to avoid that level of violence from Aang so soon. I know he attacks fire benders a lot, but his actions in the animated episode felt more like outright war than just little skirmishes. It's a small aspect, but I can see why the writers of the live-action didn’t feel like that storyline was crucial to the plot or character development just yet - rather, focusing on what little things Aang can do wherever he goes to help people is the point they're making right now.

With Azula's addition - plus the introduction of Mai and Tylee - I know some people are worried about how that'll square with how Azula makes her team in season 2. I think it can still work out pretty much the same (if that's the route they choose) as it's likely Ozai sends Azula out alone like before and it's only later that she forms her team. So we can still have Mai and her family take over Omashu (as Azula took it at the end of this season) and Tylee could just stay in the capitol - there's nothing to say she isn't currently in the circus - she could just enjoy spending her time off with her old childhood (younger childhood) friends. So no, I don't think including them here was 'plot destroying fan service'. Also, what's with the criticism that she knows how to shoot a bow and arrow? She's a warrior - brutal and efficient. She can use her damn hair pin to cement herself to a cliff face - what makes you think she doesn't have mad skills with tons of weapons? There's nothing in canon (that I can remember) that says that firebenders using weapons is looked down upon, so not sure what the problem is here.

Seeing all the actors and how YOUNG they are, I'm totally cool with the writers skimping on most of the romances - Sokka being the oldest makes sense that his romances become things, but everyone else is a literal child. I can see in like, two years Zuko and Mai being cute together, maybe Aang and Katara (though that age gap is huge for the actors), but right now, all I can see are babies. Canon accurate, but just like with Azula, Mai was NOT drawn as a child - she looked waaaay older - like full on adult older.

Since we're speaking on the Fire Nation, right now: I love the choice for Iroh getting captured by protecting Zuko instead of him just getting caught sitting in a hot spring - it adds way more depth to both Iroh and his relationship with Zuko - plus, it's the first time in the live-action we ever see Iroh firebend. His first display of power is in a bid to draw the attention to him so that he can be punished instead of Zuko and I felt that was just super impactful. I think he did this because Zuko's ponytail would identify him as Fire Nation pretty quickly - and with all the guards, they could spot and take them down - Iroh sacrificed himself not pointlessly, but to draw every eye to him. Also love the detail - that they repeat next episode - that Iroh's firebending is POWERFUL! His fire blasts are SO much bigger than any we've seen - even with Ozai, we haven't seen the sheer magnitude of his bending even if we saw it reflected in Azula's eyes. Like the paralleling of the brothers here where we see the kind of power they have