"The Last Airbender" Review

Originally I was going to watch the movie several times and deliver a review, but I figured it'd be quicker to just write one after the first time seeing it.

Of course I had to go and check all the fan forums for Avatar: The Last Airbender to see how others were receiving it and, to say the least, reviews were not good. In fact, they were down right nasty. I feel bad for M. Night Shymalan. Because people sincerely hate him now, more than ever. How sad.

So without further adieu, I will deliver my review of M. Night Shymalan’s “The Last Airbender”.

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Loyalty
How close is it to the source material (e.g. the show)? Are the changes necessary and/or justified? Will fans of the original show generally find it likable?

For the most part, the source material was held to. This particular adaptation stayed truer to it’s source material than most. While this is something positive, it is also something negative. The movie spent so much time shoving the plot down your throat that there was no time left to help the audience get to know the characters and see them develop.

The condensation of the plot was good, considering their small time slot. It took a while for the movie’s pacing to find it’s groove, but once it did, it moved at a reasonable pace.

There were changes from the original series (obviously) but nothing too blatantly unnecessary or awful.

Unfortunatley, the movie has been horribly received by fans and non fans a like, everyone pretty much hating it and everything about it. So while I personally don’t think they did too bad, the loyalty to the show was compromised for most. And that’s bad.

Score: 5/10

Acting
Did they deliver a believable performance? Is there a clear understanding of the character and his or her motivation?

The acting in this film, for me, was split evenly down the middle. For each strong performance there was a weak one.

New comer Noah Ringer (Aang) exceeded every expectation I had. With no previous acting experience, I was not expecting him to do as well as he did. He held his ground, and made it believable that he was this character.

Although I was impressed with Ringer, it was Dev Patel (Zuko) and Shaun Toub (Uncle Iroh) were by far the strongest performances. They delivered the most accurate depictions of their characters and had wonderful dynamic on screen.

But, as I said, for each good one there was a bad one, and frankly I was the most disappointed in Nicola Peltz (Katara). She lacked the stubborn streak and strong will that made Katara such a powerhouse in the original show. It was sad to watch Katara, who I thought would be one of the strongest characters, fade into the back ground and not really stand out.

Jackson Rathbone (Sokka) delivered only a so-so performance for me. I was very disappointed to see that some of his more comedic moments from the trailers and TV spots had been cut from the final version of the film. I was still tickled to see him, however, and he still made it to the top of my list as my favorite character.

Overall, a few strong performances and some so-so ones are what’s in this movie. So as far as acting goes, don’t expect anything too mind blowing.

Score: 6/10

Atmosphere
Are the sets and locations true to the original source material? Do they incapsulate the spirit of each respective nation? Do they provide a realistic setting for the characters to interact in?

The scenery of this location was very well done, in my opinion. Each nation had a distinctive look and remained cohesive with it’s namesake element. Subtle, background things really added a lot of rich culture to the movie, and helped create a believable atmosphere for this reality world to exist in.

The architecture was pleasing, and they maintained a certain air about them that rang true to the original series. While some other elements of the film lacked the original luster of the cartoon, the sets and scenery remained spot on and true to what they needed to be.

Score 8/10

Special Effects
Are the bending effects believable? Are the creatures animated to seem canon to the world around them? How do the pure CG effects interact with the real physical elements?

The bending was pretty much the saving grace of this film. They were very fluid and pretty to look at. They did not seem out of place or forced within the realm of the film.

ILM did their job, and did it well. Creatures like the Komodo Rhinos and Appa, the flying bison, blended right into the world and helped heighten the fantasy of it. The most negative thing I have to say is that I didn’t get to see too much of Appa or Momo, and frankly, they’ve got some of the coolest personalities in the show.

Generally, the effects were pleasing and made the fight sequences really interesting and fun to watch.

Score: 8/10

Overall Score: 27/40

All in all, “The Last Airbender” lacked the charm and personality that the original series had to offer. There was little to no time spent on getting to know the main cast, which is a highly important element in the show.

Disappointment is running rampant amongst fans and non fans, but frankly, the movie wasn’t that terrible. It’s a good family summer flick and would probably be enjoyable for kids. Avatar: The Last Airbender’s older audience got snubbed of the more intense incarnation of the franchise that they were probably looking for. At the end of the day, it’s a fairly entertaining movie, but the cartoon will always reign supreme.

As far as a sequel goes, I will not be holding my breath for that announcement to come anytime soon. And if it does come, I will only be watching for details with mild interest (sorry, no t-shirts).

I would not discourage anyone from going to see this movie. Everyone I’ve talked to has liked or disliked different things, so who knows where the chips may fall? And if you really hate the movie, I beg you, really, I beg you to watch the original show. Avatar: The Last Airbender will always remain a true masterpiece that can withstand the test of lukewarm movie remakes.

Why "The Last Airbender" Will Be Awful

Sometimes it's good to get off cloud nine and eat a slice of humble pie.

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It goes without saying that I'm unbelievably excited for "The Last Airbender" to premiere tomorrow at midnight. But, as per the norm, movie adaptations of already popular shows tend to receive lukewarm to cold reviews from fans and non fans alike. With this in mind, I will be writing a list of all the reasons this film may be bad.

Within the past few weeks, I've grown more and more excited with the release of new TV spots, interviews and press photos. All of this has made my excitement meter sky rocket off the charts. I'm to the point where if I even get talking about it I become highly restless and borderline Foamy.

This list will help me preserve my shadow of doubt about this movie, and will help me keep my heart from getting broken if it's awful. Here's to hoping!

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1. Racebending. Deep down, I really would not mind if Katara and Sokka were tanned like they were in the cartoon, and if the rest of the cast maintained the originally cultural implications designated by the cartoon.

2. Noah Ringer as Aang. Yeah, he's a karate champion but that doesn't mean he can act. I'm sure he got coaching, but frankly, leaving an inexperienced kid to carry the weight of an action film is a bit risky.

3. M. Night Shymalan's bad rep. For someone that puts out as many good movies as he does bad, I'm not sure if he can handle the epic awesome greatness that is this franchise. I've always had hope, but I don't know. He might fail. Especially since he's never really directed an action film before.

4. The length. This movie is barely under two hours. There's so much story in the first season of Avatar, since it main serves as an exposition to the plot. How can that much story be told in such a short span? This movie could easily be two and a half hours and still not have everything important covered.

5. New name pronunciations. Who is they Ee-roh? And who are you calling Soh-kuh? And what about Ahng? What's that? Ahng is the Ahvahtar? Weird!

6. Dev Patel as Zuko. Yeah, he's got the acting chops but I wanted my Zuko to be a lot more sexy!

7. Iroh's lack of fat. I miss my robust, sagely Uncle Iroh. And what's with the dread locks?

8. Seeing Ozai's face so quick in the game. He's THE bad guy! We're not even supposed to see most of Ozai-Mania until the third season (AKA the third movie).

9. No Koh. How disappointing. A live action Koh would've been the coolest thing ever. CGI and over the top face stealer? I'm there! Unfortunately, he will not be making an appearance.

10. No Chief Arnook. Apparently, Yue can run the tribe all by her white haired self.

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Well, that's about it. And some of those reasons I had to really stretch on because they're some changes I'm looking forward to and/or interested in seeing them pulled off.

7 A:TLA Episodes To Watch Before Hits Theaters in 4 Days!

Installment One
Installment Two
Installment Three

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Day Four! Episode Four!

1:12 - The Storm

Okay, so, I goofed, and accidentally did the Blue Spirit yesterday when I was supposed to do this one. Oops.

So I'm writing about it now! Ha. Don't worry about it seeming out of place or anything plot wise, it's mainly a flashback episode so there's not much relevance to the current story.

Anyway, you can't get much back story than what this episode has to offer. It oozes character motivation building plots as well as some serious history that explains who the characters are and why they do what they do. It's also so great because it shows a contrast between the main hero (Aang) and the main villain (Zuko), and also highlights a lot of similarities between the two.

The Storm accomplishes a lot of what the Zuko prequel manga does for the movie, but doesn't quite dig as deep. But it's still a fantastically done episode.

And, with out spoiling too much, I will go ahead and say I love this episode a lot mainly because it is the very first glimpse ever of Princess Azula. And I'm not kidding, it seriously is a glimpse.

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[No screen shot comparisons for this one, folks. Sorry.]

7 A:TLA Episodes To Watch Before TLA Hits Theaters in 5 Days!

Installment One
Installment Two

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Day Five! Episode Three!

1:13 - The Blue Spirit

Okay, sure, this is a bit of a jump. From episode two to episode thirteen. But picking seven episodes that matter out of twenty that matter! (Except for maybe The Great Divide...)

I'm going to go ahead and say this now: WARNING! THE EPISODE "THE BLUE SPIRIT" CONTAINS A SUPER MOVIE SPOILER. If you have not seen the series and desire to remain innocent and untainted, please, don't watch this episode.

But other than that, the Blue Spirit provides an insightful view of duty and drive and fleshes out motivation for the main cast. It's an action packed episode with some of the best fight sequences in the series. It's story, while a bit flat in the b plot, thrives in it's a plot and gives the audience an intense look at some serious butt kicking action.

The translation of this episode to the big screen will most likely be one of the most pure transitions. Viewers of the original episode's story line can easily expect Shymalan's rendition to be as good, if not better, than the first.

Fun fact: This episode is so amazing because the show was originally picked up for 13 episodes. The creators, unaware of the show's fate, decided that the thirteenth episode had to be mind blowing just in case it was their last. I can undoubtedly say that they succeeded.

Not sure if you agree? Go ahead and take a gander at "The Blue Spirit"!

7 A:TLA Episodes To Watch Before TLA Hits Theaters in 6 Days!

Installment One

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Day Six! Episode Two!

1:02 - The Avatar Returns


So if the first episode of the series was crucial to know, then it pretty much goes without saying that second episode would be too (since they aired as a one hour premiere).

"The Avatar Returns" embodies the most essential elements of the show. It also presents the situation that can be considered step one of the monomyth theory (i.e. Step One - The Call to Adventure). It ties together the destinies of Aang, Katara and Sokka and gives them a goal that lasts for the entire season: go to the Northern Water Tribe and learn how to waterbend. Can't get more basic than that, huh?

I'll stop talking and let you get to watching!

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7 A:TLA Episodes To Watch Before TLA Hits Theaters in 7 Days!

As if the title did not say it all...

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Greetings!

With just a week (yes, only a week!) to go, it's time that people understand what's what about the Last Airbender. Because, you know, watching the show previous to this week was not an option.

Moving on...

Seven episodes! Seven days! I bet you can see where this is going, can't you?

I've selected seven episodes from Book One: Water that I think a) may be crucial plot points in this movie or b) capture the spirit of Avatar or c) help people fall in love with the show or d) help newbies understand why M. Night Shymalamadingdong wanted to make this into a movie in the first place.

So with out further adieu...

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Day Seven! Episode One!

1:01 - "The Boy in the Iceberg"

It pretty much goes without saying that you need to see this episode if you're interested in Avatar. It sets up the show because, well, it's the first episode. It introduces our main cast that we will, hopefully, be following throughout the entire movie trilogy.

It gives you a taste of the vibe the show has to offer, as well as the type of story you can expect. I defy anyone to watch this episode and not be interested to see more.

But what's all this talk good for? Go forth! Rent it! YouTube it! Whatever! Watch "The Boy and the Iceburg" today!

Two Years Two Weeks

I was sitting in my Multimedia class my junior year of high school. I had some free time, so I was perusing some Avatar: The Last Airbender fansites and stumbled across the press release that announced that M. Night Shymalan would be directing a live action movie based on the Nickelodeon hit show "Avatar: The Last Airbender".

From that point on, I've followed the journey through it's highest and lowest points. I've eagerly awaited casting announcements, script leaks, trailers and any other small droplet of anything to do with the movie. In all honestly, I feel that I've just been killing time since that faithful day and that July 2nd is going to be the first day of the rest of my life.

Yeah, that's pretty ridiculous. But hey, I'm more excited for this movie than I have ever been for any Christmas or birthday. It's been two years! Try waiting for your birthday for two years with the knowledge that you'll receive a truly awesome gift.

There are still a lot of doubts about this movie. Because, hey, this movie has as much going for it as it has against it. As excited as I am, I'm trying to stay realistic and realize that this could be a pretty bad movie. But alas, time will tell. And by time, I mean fifteen days.

Which, frankly, I still can't wrap my head around. Two weeks plus a day. Two years to two weeks. Holy cow!

Well, while I'm here, and on the subject (and by subject, I mean Avatar HUR HUR) I might as well introduce my review system for the film. Because, yes, I have thought about an entire system to help me review the movie to the best of my ability.

The movie will be graded as follows:

Loyalty - How close is it to the source material (e.g. the show)? Are the changes necessary and/or justified? Will fans of the original show generally find it likeable?

Acting - Did they deliver a believable performance? Is there a clear understanding of the character and his or her motivation?

Atmosphere - Are the sets and locations true to the original source material? Do they incapsulate the spirit of each respective nation? Do they provide a realistic setting for the characters to interact in?

Special Effects - Are the bending effects believable? Are the creatures animated to seem canon to the world around them? How do the pure CG effects interact with the real physical elements?

Each category will be worth ten points, giving the movie an overall score of forty points possible. I will not only grade it like this after the first time I see it, but I will reevaluate it once more after my third or fourth time seeing it. So you'll be getting my first impression as well as more analytical approach. Because I'm cool like that.

That's all for now. Over and out!

The Last Airbender Trailer #3

Click here for third trailer.

Click here for my reaction.

Ahem. With that out of the way...

The trailers have been increasing in quality, intensity and downright awesomeness. With this becoming a pattern, I can only hope that the trailers are just stepping stones to a movie of spectacular proportions. Let's go over a few things.

The bending. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, OH. MY GOSH. The water bending is superb! The firebending is sick nasty (in a completely positive way, of course), air bending looks cooler than I could've ever imagined and--while it has not received much screen time--the earthbending looks great.

Princess Yue. She's absolutely gorgeous! The white hair looks awesome, her eyes look otherworldly and beautiful. Her costume is spot on (can I just say I love her little hair pieces? Because I do.)

Prince Zuko ANGST! It's unbelievably refreshing to see Dev Patel pull off the classic Zuko pout, and even spout off some quintessential Zuko-isms in the trailer. Zuko is someone I definitely love to hate and I think Dev Patel will surely capture the essence that is Zuko in the movie if he's exactly how he is in the trailers all the time.

Appa. You see Appa! Enough said. Oh, and the Komodo Rhinos (which are definitely more "komodo" and a lot less "rhino") are looking pretty fierce as well.

Those are just a few of the highlights of what I liked in general. Now let's go through a list of all the moments that I totally freaked out during.

0:10 - Appa, F-T-W!

0:16 - I'm not certain, but that looks like Pakku waterbending. Sweet!

0:24 - WHY HELLO FIRE LORD OZAI. Great costume design. (:

0:47 - Princess Yue looking sexyfine.

0:48 - Again, that's probably Pakku standing off to the right.

0:56 - Nothing says Avatar like a talking Spirit Dragon.

1:00-1:06 - Great fight sequence with the Blue Spirit.

1:10-1:15 - COOLEST BENDING MOVE EVERRRR.

1:23 - Watch closely--is that a homage to the air scooter?

1:28 - OMG WTF BBQ? I don't want to spoil anything, but that's just downright awesome.

"There are reasons each of us are born. We have to find those reasons."

Things are looking up! My faith in M. Night from the beginning is finally starting to pay off. I'm trying to to have too much naive optimism here, but frankly, if the movie is anything like the trailers, I think we'll be in for quite the treat.

My only complaints: Suki? WHERE ART THOU, SUKI? I heard a rumor she would have a stronger prescense in this trailer. I suppose not. I also heard that we'd see a shot or two of Momo. Again, did not happen. But at least there was another glimpse of Appa (who's design is pretty much identical to the show's).

Other than that...woohoo! Yeah! Tell your friends and family! Go see it so it can make enough money for Paramount to green light the sequel and have fun!

The Top Ten Reasons Why I Love Jackson Rathbone as Sokka (and why you should too.)

This list is kind of silly. But I'm starting to think Jackson Rathbone is my favorite casting choice so far. Which is weird, because

at first I hated the idea of him playing Sokka, my most beloved character. But true to form, the "meat and sarcasm" guy will

always reign supreme in my heart...

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The Top Ten Reasons Why I Love Jackson Rathbone as Sokka (and why you should too.)

10. He is a southern gentleman. (Born in Singapore, but raised in Texas.)

9. He plays Jasper Hale in the Twilight Saga. He has plenty of experience in film, TV and theatre.

8. His fan base is considerably large and will support the movie. (High ticket sales = good public response = green light for the second movie.)

7. His band, 100 Monkeys, is super rad.

6. By nature, he is a goofball.

5. He’s sexyfine. (it must be the shampoo...)

4. He looks good in fur.

3. This interview. ("I have the power of sharp wit!")

2. Also: this interview.

1. The warrior wolf-tail works for him. (He's also figured out a way to make the wolf-tail versatile.)

"I LOVE that episode!" - 02 - 1:04

"I LOVE that episode!" - Feature 02 - Episode 1:04, "The Warriors of Kyoshi."

"Girls are better at fixing pants than guys, and guys are better at

hunting and fighting and stuff like that. It's just the natural order of things."

-- Sokka, episode 1:04 "The Warriors of Kyoshi"

This episode does a lot to set up the structure for the entire series. As you can see, this is the fourth episode of the first season--a time where Avatar: The Last Airbender was still gaining momentum as a contender as one of Nickelodeon's top cartoons. This episode, though it seems like a filler episode, actually sets up a dynamic for the audience that will follow them until the end of the third season.

What dynamic am I referring to? It's the dynamic of women in Avatar: The Last Airbender. There's only two episodes in the entire series that carry that "OMG YAH GIRL POWAH!" vibe, and this is one of them. Despite it's over-the-top "Girls can kick butt too!" theme, "The Warriors of Kyoshi" not only establishes the female presence among the battlefield, but establishes the more feminine side of the female characters as well. While Sokka is off making a fool of himself with Suki, one of the most notable female characters in the show, Aang is galavanting around trying to impress the local village girls and, specifically, Katara.

Suki and Katara's respective roles in this episode set up a standard that the viewer can come to rely on. Suki plays the role of the powerful warrior who is as tough (if not tougher) than any male warrior around (in this case, Sokka). Katara, in contrast, is portraying the woman in a more traditional sense: the love interest that is being courted by a foolish boy. The women of Avatar: The Last Airbender are both strong and in touch with what makes them ladies. Suki and Katara set up a mold in this episode that will later be reaffirmed by the likes of Toph, Princess Azula, Mai and Ty Lee. Minor female characters ring true to this mold as well (i.e. Jun, Kya, Ursa, Aunt Wu, Princess Yue, Avatar Kyoshi, etc.)

"I am a warrior...but I'm a girl too."

-- Suki, episode 1:04 "The Warriors of Kyoshi"

I have to admit, I didn't think much of Suki the first time I saw her. It was only when they brought her back in episode 2:12, "The Serpent's Pass" did I realize that I enjoyed her as a character. Although my heart mourned for the bittersweet romance of Sokka and Princess Yue, I couldn't help but feel that Suki was always the better match for Sokka. She's patient, strong, and a fellow kick ass non-bender.

Episode 1:04 marks her debut to the show and it couldn't have given her a better introduction. Her fierce feminist attitude parried sharply against Sokka's "make me a sandwich, woman" sexist views. Suki simultaneously laid the groundwork for her future character development while also helping Sokka mature.

Although Suki's screen time is sparse throughout the series, she still maintains a strong influence amongst the GAang, thus her appearance towards the end of it all didn't seem strange or forced to me. It was like Suki was supposed to be there the whole time, but she was just busy doing other stuff. I'll admit, I can see why people feel that Suki was just an afterthought as a love interest for Sokka, but I really think that she had a bigger role in the mind of the creators. But, like many other things in the shoes, some things simply fall between the cracks when you have such strict time and content constraints.

At any rate, I think Suki's a great character. She's actually one of my favorites. It took her a while to get there, but she can easily be included in the top five favorite characters (which is a hard list for me to make, trust me).

"You kids had a big impact on Suki. She said you inspired her

and she wanted to help change the world."

-- Oyagi, episode 2:04 "Avatar Day"

In conclusion, "The Warriors of Kyoshi" offers first time viewers a clear view of what you can anticipate from the female characters in the show. As I mentioned earlier, this and only one other episode have overtly girl power themes. The beauty of the female presence in this show lies in the fact that they don't really need girl power oriented episodes. The ladies of Avatar: The Last Airbender do just fine making themselves look awesome. It's one of the few cartoons where there isn't just the token girl character and that's all. Women play an important role and equality amongst the genders is something that rests that the core of the show's writing.

It may seem like I'm pulling a lot of this out of thin air and making it deep thinking, but for those of you who have seen the show (namely, this episode) consider how it portrays women. True, this is one of the more childish episodes (most of early season one are) but the true intent is still there. Dig deep for it. Or I might have to come after you with a pair of fans.

"The Warriors of Kyoshi" provides some fantastic character development for Sokka, Katara and Aang, and also introduces Suki as a key contender in the series. It also offers a look at the female dynamic in the show, while concurrently focusing on the two primary roles of female characters (the fighter, the love interest) in the show. The episode has fluid transitions between story lines, and ties it all up in a neat little bow at the end.

And those are the reasons why I LOVE that episode!

IMPORTANT THE LAST AIRBENDER T-SHIRT INFORMATION!

* * * IMPORTANT! MUST READ! * * *

Here’s the skinny:

I’ve invested in a do-it-yourself screen printing to machine to make these t-shirts. The machine burns the image onto a screen and creates a stencil outline of the image. Ink is then dragged across the surface of the screen while it’s placed on top of the shirt. Thus, the image is transfered and you’ve got yourself a screen printed t-shirt.

The screen is reusable, you simply need to wash the stencil off and burn another one on. Since I am offering four designs to choose from, I can only have one design burned onto the screen at a time. Which means I can only create shirts for one of the designs at a time. I’ve thought about investing in three more screens so each graphic could have their own, but the screens are about $35...which means the cost of the shirt would go up. And that ain’t good. So I’ve opted to make them one style at a time and just nag at everyone until they tell me what shirt they want.

In short: ORDER THE SHIRT YOU WANT NOW. I’ll only be making each design for about three weeks before I clean the screen and burn the next image on to make the next round of t-shirts. I’ll make a few extras for each style, but there is no gurantee that there will be one in your size.

As of right now, the AIR NOMAD image is the one burnt onto the screen. It will be available until APRIL 21ST. Again, if you want the AIR NOMAD t-shirt SUBMIT YOUR ORDER BEFORE APRIL 21ST.

Any important information about the t-shirts will be posted on this blog or on the Facebook page. Thank you all for your interest and support in this project.

KCA Interviews and a New TV Spot

Nicola Peltz (Katara) and Jackson Rathbone (Sokka) made an appearance at the Kids Choice Awards this year (last Saturday) in order to promote "The Last Airbender". Dev Patel, M. Night Shymalan and--*deep breath*--NOAH RINGER were also present. Here's some videos for y'all to partake of. These clips are short and dinky but at this stage in the game, any news is good news.

SLIME BENDING.

This is Nicola and Jackson's bit that they do during the actual award show, followed by a short clip of Dev Patel introducing Justin Bieber (random?).

PELTZ, RATHBONE, SHYMALAN INTERVIEW.

A brief interview where Jackson Rathbone stands around like a goober. Heh. Nicola looks pretty, and M. Night is an aging hipster.

NOAH RINGER INTERVIEW

My personal favorite. Finally some audio for this kid. And can I just say he LOOKS like Aang? I've had faith in Shymalan since the get go and now all of that is paying off. I think he cast Aang perfectly and the only thing that can stop me from rooting for this kid is his acting skills. If he's good and/or decent, I'll be fine. If he's shoddy, then I'll have to abandon ship (maybe. Not really. Bleh.)

Moving on...

TV SPOT WITH A FEW NEW CLIPS.

Please take note of a cool Appa flying scene, a sweet bending sequence between Zuko and Aang, and some pretty wicked awesome audio at the end. It's looking good. I am happy. I am content.

Can I get a whoop whoop?

WHOOP WHOOP!

NOTE: My new feature is, unfortunately, on hiatus this week. I was too busy fangirling over this treasure trove of new footage to fangirl over an episode from the show. I'll try and get a "I LOVE that episode!" up sometime later this week (if I can).

"I LOVE that episode!" - 01 - 2:07

This is a new feature that I've decided to do. I'll pick an episode (at random, probably) and talk about why I love it so dang much. This feature will, hopefully, be updated weekly. Mondays, most likely (since that's...today. Or, it was Monday when I started writing this. Heh.)

Before I begin:

The numbers that are at the tail end of the title (2:07) denote the season and episode number. So using this one as an example, it's season two, episode seven that I'll be talking about. Just so we're all on the same page here.

Now let's get this show on the road...

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"I LOVE that episode!" - Feature 01 - Episode 2:07, "Zuko Alone."

"My dad decided to teach me a permanent lesson...on my face!"

-- Prince Zuko, episode 3:05 "The Beach"

Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation is one of the most angst ridden teenagers to ever be dreamt up. He's a boiling pot of confusion, pride, anger, bitterness and pure anguish. He's more emotionally tumultuous than any other character in the series. And to top it all off, he's got a permanent reminder that he's a failure branded on his face, courtesy of his father. He's armed with a heavy set of daddy issues and a streak of stubborn will that results in some bad situations for Aang, Katara and Sokka.

Throughout the first season, I didn't think much of Prince Zuko. He was your standard, run-of-the-mill bad guy that's only angle was "capture the good guy to benefit my needs". His character, to put it simply, was flat.

Like I said, I was extremely indifferent to Zuko and his plight through the duration of the first season. I had thought I knew all the reasons why Zuko was such a whiney little punk. Well, the show decided to throw me a curveball early in Book Two: Earth in the form of a little episode called "Zuko Alone".

"[My father] says I was lucky to be born. I don't need luck, though.

I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong."

-- Prince Zuko, episode 1:20 "The Siege of the North, Part Two"

The episode is exactly as the title implies. It is a single episode focusing on Zuko as he wanders the Earth Kingdom alone. He is estranged from his Uncle Iroh, he's not hunting the Avatar and he's not evading Azula and her cronies. It's simply Zuko...alone.

As the story progresses, the audience is taken into Zuko's childhood memories. Most of these recollections revolve around his dynamic with his compassionate mother, Ursa. It also subtly suggests the favoritism played by Zuko's parents (Ozai's preference for Azula, and Ursa's soft spot for Zuko).

This glimpse into the angst-y prince's past works wonders on his character and his relationship with the audience. Or, it did for me, at least. As the drama of the episode unfolded, I began to obtain a firmer grasp on the skeletons that Zuko has in his closet. Understanding Zuko's family dynamic allows the viewer feel more sympathetic to his plight, and why he might be so darn angry all the time.

Furthermore, the episode offers the viewers a glimpse into what life in the Fire Nation is like. Up until that point, the Fire Nation had remained a very large question mark. So not only did "Zuko Alone" offer a better understanding of one the most misunderstood characters, it als

o helps the audience have a better grasp on what Fire Nation royalty life was like.

And as far as Fire Nation royalty goes--oh. My. Word. They are the most messed up people in the entire show. I was once having a conversation with my mother about this episode and she made the astute observation that an entire series could be dedicated to unravelling the issues and drama that went on behind the palace walls in the Fire Nation. In "Zuko Alone" there is plenty of inferences to foul play, deceit, and shady activity going on in the Fire Nation capital. Not to mention Iroh's siege of Ba Sing Se, his historic failure, the death of his son Lu Ten, Iroh's wife (she's never mentioned, but hello, he had to have one, he had SON. Come on, people. Get real), plus Iroh's relationship with Ozai, Ozai's courtship of Ursa, etc. etc. etc.

See what I mean? These people are a complex bunch. Zuko's just the tip of a very dysfunctional iceberg. But we're getting off topic. The point here is, Zuko's angst is legitimate. His sister is a sadistic psychopath, his father's a power monger hungry for dictatorship, and one of the only people he ever really trusted to love and be loved by disappears. I mean, come on. I would be a pretty moody person if all of this was going on in my life too. He has every right to be whiney and grumpy and pissed off all the time. And you have to admit, he's pretty tough for dealing with all of that emotional strife. Sure, he may not be the picture of good mental health but at least he had placed enough worth on himself to fight for his honor.

"Remember this Zuko: no matter how things may seem

to change, never forget who you are."

-- Ursa, episode 2:07 "Zuko Alone"

Another interesting thing about this episode that I adored was how well the audience got to know Ursa in such a small amount of time. She is, by far, one of the most captivating characters and she has very little screen time. The writers did a wonderful job of portraying her motivations and best qualities while not making her too overpowering. The episode was still about Zuko. Although she played a key role, she did not steal the spotlight from Zuko, who the episode was focusing on.

Overall, the episode does a wonderful job of taking a mildly annoying character and making them more relatable. As always, the writing was spot on. The animation? Fantastic. And the transitions in between the flash backs and the current plot were seamless and wonderfully placed. It's just a good episode in general. In terms of story, acting and animation.

And those are the reasons why I LOVE that episode!

---

Famous Last Words:

"My name is Zuko. Son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai.

Prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne."

-- Zuko, episode 2:07 "Zuko Alone"

---

screenshots from www.avatarspiritmedia.net/cropped and edited by yours truly.

EPIC WIN. -TLA spoiler alert-

Click here to read something awesome (contains movie spoilers.)

I KNEW IT! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!

The Fire Nation princess that everyone loves to hate will make an appearance in the film. How nerdy is it that my heart feels like it's going to explode out of my chest I'm so happy?

I'm going to go ahead and go on the record and say that I have supported M. Night Shymalan and the making of this film since I heard about it a few years ago. There have been moments that I have been nervous about the making of this film but I have always followed it with an optimistic outlook.

Now that more and more information about the movie is being revealed I am getting more and more excited. I will laugh. I will cry. My heart will burst from happiness.

Geez. Fangirl much?

Anyway. That is all.

The Importance of Princess Yue

I did not like Princess Yue at first.

She seemed too overdramatic, unnecessary and one of the least influential characters of the show. However, as time stretched on and I watched Book One: Water a few more times, I began to realize the absolute necessity of her character over and over.

Deeper I fell into the rabbit hole that is Princess Yue, and she has now become one of my favorite characters.

There are quite a few reasons that make Princess Yue such a lucrative character to the series. We'll go over some of the most obvious and we'll dig a little deeper as we continue on.

Her Sacrifice Saved The World

The Moon and Ocean Spirit chose to take on a mortal form. This, in turn, made them vulnerable to the consequence of death. When the Moon Spirit was killed, Yue stepped forward and sacrificed her life in order to restore the moon, and thus, restore balance to the world. What if she had not stepped forward? What if she had ignored this burden that had been put on her shoulders. And, more importantly, why on earth would anyone care that this whiney Northern Water Tribe princess gave up her life to save the world. I mean, who really cares? Well, let's figure that out now.

Sokka Cared About Yue's Sacrifice

And there's the primary reason why anyone should care about Princess Yue and the fact that she became the moon. Sokka, a character whom we've known from the first episode, was completely infatuated with this girl. His own strife and conflicting emotions concerning Yue were enough to get us, as viewers, to care about her. But there's still something about Yue that's...off putting. I admit, I understood why Yue and Sokka had to have a romance, but that didn't mean I liked her. So what was it, then? What was it that made me give a darn abou the Northern Water Tribe's crown princess? Well...

Yue Took Sokka's Characterization to the Next Level

That's right, kiddies. Sokka needed something to do at the North Pole. Katara and Aang were definitely center stage with their waterbending training. How could the writers leave good old Sokka in the dust? Well, they couldn't. And they didn't. In fact, they portrayed Sokka in a role that viewers had yet to see him in--that of the romantic. Sure, he had that brief (very, very brief) tryst with Suki on Kyoshi Island, but this whole thing with Yue gave viewers a glimpse of a vulnerable, growing up Sokka. This added to his character tremendously because up until that point he had been the "meat and sarcasm guy".

The fact that the writers had so cleverly transformed Sokka from a snarky punk into this stand up guy that cared about someone was a highly intelligent move. This, my friends, was what made me change my mind about Princess Yue. Though she seems a little weird, and their romance was a tad forced, you have to understand that the show had to cram weeks of romantic tension into three episodes. With that in mind, examine the last three episodes of Book One: Water once more (1:18 "The Waterbending Master", 1:19 "The Siege of the North, Part One" and 1:20 "The Siege of the North, Part Two") and take a closer look at Sokka and Yue's dynamic.

So you think that's the only reason I think Princess Yue is awesome? Well think again. Because I'm about to get all analytical up in here.

Princess Yue Made the Sokka/Suki Romance Possible

Unlike Yue, I've always been a fan of Suki. I thought she was an excellent character and I was completely ecstatic when she was brought into the series as a primary cast member. Sokka and Suki work wonderfully together, and Yue made it possible. Why is that? Well, first of all, she died so Sokka was single (harsh much?) but more importantly, she was a delicate girl.

Okay. Let's think about this: Yue, though brave and honorable, was kind of a weakling. She was strong emotionally but required a tough guy like Sokka to balance her character dynamic. When Sokka lost her, he transformed into this slightly overbearing, paranoid character. This internal conflict is directly addressed in episode 2:12, "The Serpent's Pass" where he was highly protective of Suki.

Suki has always been a tough cookie. I would go as far to say that Suki's driving motivation in the show is to be a super tough chick. This makes Suki ideal for Sokka in the sense that he doesn't have to constantly be protecting her. He can rest easy knowing he's with a lady that's got enough grit to take care of herself. The Sokka/Princess Yue romance directly influenced Sokka's character enough to make him more open to the idea of Suki.

You following me? Good. It all made sense in my head.

Perhaps I am reading too much into the show and made a whole lot of something out of nothing (and by "nothing" I mean Princess Yue) or maybe...she's just a really lucrative character and you didn't know it.

The end.

- - -

Images courtesy of www.avatarspiritmedia.net ; all images edited by me.

Full Trailer of Full of Epic Proportions

Here it is. Learn it, love it, live it.

- - -

Really, the title says it all.

But I can stand to say a little bit more...so I will.

I updated to my Facebook that the trailer made me cry (good tears, mind you) and I'm going to clarify: I was totally blown away by awesome until the very end. This is what got me (a single tear rolled down my cheek, it was really rather poetic):

"He will need you. And we all need him."

Oh, man. I got chills. I'm assuming that that voice belongs to no one other than Gran Gran. Speaking of voice overs, I'm fairly certain that the voice at the beginning belongs to Avatar Roku. I mean really, who else could it be?

Other awesome things that should be noted:

- Iroh, regardless of interpretation, is a complete, 100%, bona fide B.A.M.F.

- Princess Yue has white hair! Sweet!

- Zuko has angst! SWEEEEET.

- Aang has angst (Aangst?)! SWEEEEEEEET.

- Southern Water Tribe looks amazing.

- Northern Water Tribe looks amazing.

- No sign of Appa and Momo...but they will be in there. The animation probably isn't done.

- Costumes, sets, and props all look absolutely stunning.

I would just like to say that everything really seems to be falling into place with this movie (for me, personally) and I get more and more excited with each new bit of news. I have been a full supporter of it since the beginning. I stay away from the racebending topic as much as I can, but I will say this: I respect the people who are angry with the film's casting. I get it. But that's still not going to stop me from seeing it. I'll let you [anti-casting fans] have your opinions, and I can have mine. That's all I'll say regarding the issue.

Moving on to the original topic, I'm excited for this trailer for yet another reason. I have been planning on making t-shirts (for my friends and I to wear to the midnight premiere), and full trailer provides me with enough footage to get ample screenshots for reference and whatnot. Designing of the t-shirts will start soon.

I'm too excited to type anymore. I must watch it again. And again. And again.

...and again.

Over and out!

Why do I love it soooo much?

No one's ever asked me this, but I've thought about it a few times. Why do I love Avatar: The Last Airbender so dang much?

It really can't be boiled down to one reason. Trust me, I've tried to choose just one reason why I love the show. I can't do it. It's almost as hard as asking me which one of the seasons is my favorite (because if that were the case, we'd be here for DAYS.)

The fact of the matter is, I think I love the show because there's so much to love about it. I love the characters, the story, the wonderful animation, the voice acting, the fact that it didn't over stay it's welcome, the fantasy elements, it's intensely Asian inspired culture--*takes deep breath*--not to mention the wicked awesome battle scenes, romance, and all rolled into one perfectly awesome show.

I'm proud to say that it's one of the few things I consider myself to be passionate about (I mean, seriously, I'm dedicating a blog to my adoration for it for heaven's sake).

Which reminds me...one of the main reasons I'm creating this blog is so my friends don't have to constantly put up with my many, many rants/talks/spazz moments about the show. Now, they can choose to click on my blog and read it, as opposed to being force fed down their throats updated constantly to their status feeds.

At any rate, you'll mostly hear about my fangirlish squeals over the movie, and sometimes, when I feel the need, there will be an essay or two about some random thing that I thought was simply fan-tastic about the show.

More to come soon (seriously...I'm going to post another entry right after this one about the epic proportions of the full length trailer.)