Avatar through 2.14

[rachelmanija]

SQUEE! I love the beautifully detailed and coherent worldbuilding! I love the creatures! I love the realism-- supply lines, friendly fire, idealistic freedom fighters who don't care about civilian casualties, different currencies, and economies. I love that likable characters can still have scary temper tantrums and fits of depression. I love that there is strategy! I love the martial arts! I love the eunuchs behind the throne! I love the genuinely snappy dialogue! I love the exquisitely gorgeous animation! I love that there is BRAINWASHING!!! AWESOME!!!

I really disliked several unfunny fluff episodes early on, so I was relieved that once the ongoing narrative kicked in, it became compelling once again, and dispensed with the stupid hippies and swamp rednecks.

Though, I hate the romantic scenes. They clunk horribly. Also, everyone is twelve and it's creepy. Though Yoon and I fell into a fit of hysterics at imagining Zuko trying to court a girl, so that could be amusing if it ever happens.

yhlee has more coherent notes. Spoil us in any way, and die via pinpoint chi-strikes.



Oh, and I love Zuko and his emo. (He has emo with an emu!) I loved him standing on the mountaintop while the lightning basically mocked his pain.

I love uncle Iroh.

I love the all-girl hit squad.

I love Toph.

And I still love Aang (especially now that we've seen his unpleasant side) and Katara and Sokka. Probably especially Sokka.

I love the training scenes.

And since I despise and detest Mr. Slick-Talking, Cooler-Than-You, Straw-Chewing, Band-of-Merry-Rebels Jet, I was alarmed to see him fall in with Zuko, but relieved to see them end up on opposite sides, delighted to see Zuko cut off his twig, and delighted to see him GET BRANWASHED a la Clockwork Orange.

Comments

[yhlee.livejournal.com]

...there are people who like Jet? I loathed him.

Cannot imagine Zuko in any pairing, whether with girl, guy, or emu.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Oh man...just go to my LJ and click my avatar tag...all but one person who chimed in on Jet loved him. (Don't worry, people replaced actual spoilers with *spoileried* for me.) I just don't get it.

The thing is, Jet is a character type I normally like...but he lacks the moral complexity and self-awareness that makes the type interesting. What makes the character type interesting is the awareness that they're doing something wrong, but the belief that it's for a greater good. Jet is just lashing out and completely unaware that anything he does COULD be wrong as long as he gets what he wants. He's not interesting, he's just a cocky brat who needs to have some sense knocked into him. It wouldn't be so bad if I weren't clearly meant to see him as the COOLEST! THING! EVER!\

I have such strong opinions on him despite only seeing him in the one episode so far.

I think I could ship Zuko with someone who literally slapped his emo out of him. Maybe. But really, nothing in Avatar ignites my shippy tendencies at all. Well, Sokka/Suki set off "possible future ship" alerts, but that's it. I'm positive I was supposed to ship Sokka/Yue, but mostly I was annoyed by Yue but delighted she was clearly destined to die and provide teen emo angst.

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

I love Jet! If only for the fact that they centered an entire episode around someone so pathological. Also, I kind of find his whole Freedom Fighter shtick amusing.

But I pretty much love every character on Avatar. I even love Zhao for his insatiable ambition.