Completely biased opinions
Oct. 27th, 2007 01:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
soc_puppetPutting this up without answering comments or even glancing at my f'list in an attempt to avoid the WikiFriends phenomena. (I'm sure it's subconscious on my end, guys.)
Re: The Avatar and the Firelord:
I feel like this is the episode that I've been waiting for... Well, not all my life. Not all season either. Maybe since the show began, though.
Fire Nation is further humanized. Roku and Sozin are given appropriate backstory and better fleshed out. Zuko is taught of his lineage. Aang... Well, he already knew a lot of that stuff, I think. He'd already had a good history with Fire Nation, as shown by his attempts to reason things out with Zuko in 1x13, and this episode really built on that.
I don't know that I agree with Uncle's simple interpretation of Avatar Roku and Firelord Sozin's opposition as "good" and "evil", but I will acknowledge that there was a strong dichotomy. It's built up the future interactions of Aang and Zuko better. Roku had become a great believer that each nation should live with the others in balance, most likely due to his training as the Avatar and the fact that he had to master all four elements at once. Sozin on the other hand took a more imperialistic approach to the matter. I could speculate as to why (and, in fact, have, but not yet enough), but I think I'll wait and see if the show tells us more first.
Regardless, Sozin thought he was truly doing what was best when he made his plans to colonize the other nations and make them a part of his own. It's not unlike what the British empire did not too long ago - or Japan, for that matter, though Japan didn't get quite as far, IMHO. (And then there were the French, and the Germans, and the Spanish, and...) As far as he was concerned, he was right: the Fire Nation was the best and most advanced of all nations, so why not spread the wealth? And even this idea I don't entirely disagree with. His approach to it, on the other hand, is probably what doomed his plan to cause imbalance.
It was also interesting (and rather fitting, given what we've been shown of her so far) that Roku was Ursa's grandfather rather than Ozai's. I'm assuming that Sozin's title was inherited through a series of sons from that point, though I don't put it entirely out of the question that he might have had a daughter and Azulon married into the family.
And I'd dearly love to know how Uncle got a hold of that heirloom - which is something I wouldn't be surprised if we find out.
Moving on, where the heck was Third Eye Dude? I mean, why the hell did they introduce him at all last episode if they were planning to do something that didn't even nod to him in this one? Given the buildup he's gotten, I'm sure he's going to get more of a role in the story, but I don't feel that he's being handled very well as a dramatic element. For now though, I'll just trust that they've got a good reason to have made him a pre-introduced character, and that we're going to have a very awesome and ass-kicking episode with him and Aang-tachi in the future, and that it'll involve something along the lines of, "Oh noes! It's that guy again!" Cuz if they don't, I'll be kinda disappointed, man.
I'm also waiting (im)patiently for hot air balloons to show up again. They were planted there in season one, where are they now? And did I miss the secret of Serpent's Pass? I'm pretty sure I remember something about the Fire Nation working on some top secret project there, but we never covered it when Aang-tachi re-visited the place. Are we going to find out?
And I wanna see some of our favorite season one characters-of-the-day again! Teo, Haru, Jun/Kuei OTP, Aunt Wu! ...Okay, I'm probably the only one who wants to see Aunt Wu again, but that doesn't stop me from wanting it. And what's happened with Longshot and Smellerbee already? We've seen Pipsqueak and the Duke, and we've got... strong hits for what's up with Jet, what about those other two? Wanna know D: Also, wanna see Paku and Gran-Gran. Most especially Gran-Gran. Loev kick-ass old lady :Dbbb Also, Koh. And our other spirit world friends acquaintances, too.
Hurrah, we finally have another time placement! Summer solstice ♥ That means they've been on this journey for about six months now :3b It also means that solstices and equinoxes are more spiritually than elementally significant, something I find very interesting. Or at least solstices. (Where's the equinox love, guys? It's all about balance, man! Let's have some celebration of the times when the earth's day is as long as its night!)
"Sokka, just hold hands." Alsdkfjlsdf ahahahaa XDbbb ♥♥♥ So much win.
Random speculation! Re: Toph's meteor dirt: I've already theorized that it's going to play a bigger role in this season (see also: Lotus Tile, Engagement Necklace), and I don't remember if this was Tomas' idea or not, but it could well be that the invasion plan for the eclipse falls through (which wouldn't surprise me dramatically, actually). WHAT IF, and I'm just wildly theorizing here, but WHAT IF... The solar eclipse plan falls through, and they have to think of something else? Might that something else, at least at one point, involve manipulating a comet? And, if so, isn't it handy that they have something to practice with?
Mind, I don't think it's likely, but if my brain is going to go all out with crack theories, I may as well share 'em.
Also, I would now like to point out that this totally makes Aang and Zuko related in the Pratchett sense. Because some things are inherited by the soul and stuff. And it's just funny to me? Iunno, I'm crazy about that relation stuff.
Oh, and was it just me, or did Roku and Sozin kinda have some crazy homo-erotic tension going there? I mean, yeah, canon dictates that Roku had the hots for his wife (and who could blame him, really), but I wouldn't be at all surprised if Sozin had a huge flaming crush on his BFF.Roku = Dumbledore of Avatar? *shot* I await "awkward teen years of experimentation" fics, f'list!
In retrospect, that second part under the cut probably could've been a bulleted list.
Anyway, I'm fully looking forward to upcoming episodes, and fangirling in sync with the rest of the US-airing-watchers :3b
On a different note, got through episode eighteen of Gurren Lagann today. My first thought upon getting past the flashback episode: So that's why they all say he's a douche! (Srsly, man. I get what you're saying about people needing an organized system, but you've taken it way too far.)
Re: The Avatar and the Firelord:
I feel like this is the episode that I've been waiting for... Well, not all my life. Not all season either. Maybe since the show began, though.
Fire Nation is further humanized. Roku and Sozin are given appropriate backstory and better fleshed out. Zuko is taught of his lineage. Aang... Well, he already knew a lot of that stuff, I think. He'd already had a good history with Fire Nation, as shown by his attempts to reason things out with Zuko in 1x13, and this episode really built on that.
I don't know that I agree with Uncle's simple interpretation of Avatar Roku and Firelord Sozin's opposition as "good" and "evil", but I will acknowledge that there was a strong dichotomy. It's built up the future interactions of Aang and Zuko better. Roku had become a great believer that each nation should live with the others in balance, most likely due to his training as the Avatar and the fact that he had to master all four elements at once. Sozin on the other hand took a more imperialistic approach to the matter. I could speculate as to why (and, in fact, have, but not yet enough), but I think I'll wait and see if the show tells us more first.
Regardless, Sozin thought he was truly doing what was best when he made his plans to colonize the other nations and make them a part of his own. It's not unlike what the British empire did not too long ago - or Japan, for that matter, though Japan didn't get quite as far, IMHO. (And then there were the French, and the Germans, and the Spanish, and...) As far as he was concerned, he was right: the Fire Nation was the best and most advanced of all nations, so why not spread the wealth? And even this idea I don't entirely disagree with. His approach to it, on the other hand, is probably what doomed his plan to cause imbalance.
It was also interesting (and rather fitting, given what we've been shown of her so far) that Roku was Ursa's grandfather rather than Ozai's. I'm assuming that Sozin's title was inherited through a series of sons from that point, though I don't put it entirely out of the question that he might have had a daughter and Azulon married into the family.
And I'd dearly love to know how Uncle got a hold of that heirloom - which is something I wouldn't be surprised if we find out.
Moving on, where the heck was Third Eye Dude? I mean, why the hell did they introduce him at all last episode if they were planning to do something that didn't even nod to him in this one? Given the buildup he's gotten, I'm sure he's going to get more of a role in the story, but I don't feel that he's being handled very well as a dramatic element. For now though, I'll just trust that they've got a good reason to have made him a pre-introduced character, and that we're going to have a very awesome and ass-kicking episode with him and Aang-tachi in the future, and that it'll involve something along the lines of, "Oh noes! It's that guy again!" Cuz if they don't, I'll be kinda disappointed, man.
I'm also waiting (im)patiently for hot air balloons to show up again. They were planted there in season one, where are they now? And did I miss the secret of Serpent's Pass? I'm pretty sure I remember something about the Fire Nation working on some top secret project there, but we never covered it when Aang-tachi re-visited the place. Are we going to find out?
And I wanna see some of our favorite season one characters-of-the-day again! Teo, Haru, Jun
Hurrah, we finally have another time placement! Summer solstice ♥ That means they've been on this journey for about six months now :3b It also means that solstices and equinoxes are more spiritually than elementally significant, something I find very interesting. Or at least solstices. (Where's the equinox love, guys? It's all about balance, man! Let's have some celebration of the times when the earth's day is as long as its night!)
"Sokka, just hold hands." Alsdkfjlsdf ahahahaa XDbbb ♥♥♥ So much win.
Random speculation! Re: Toph's meteor dirt: I've already theorized that it's going to play a bigger role in this season (see also: Lotus Tile, Engagement Necklace), and I don't remember if this was Tomas' idea or not, but it could well be that the invasion plan for the eclipse falls through (which wouldn't surprise me dramatically, actually). WHAT IF, and I'm just wildly theorizing here, but WHAT IF... The solar eclipse plan falls through, and they have to think of something else? Might that something else, at least at one point, involve manipulating a comet? And, if so, isn't it handy that they have something to practice with?
Mind, I don't think it's likely, but if my brain is going to go all out with crack theories, I may as well share 'em.
Also, I would now like to point out that this totally makes Aang and Zuko related in the Pratchett sense. Because some things are inherited by the soul and stuff. And it's just funny to me? Iunno, I'm crazy about that relation stuff.
Oh, and was it just me, or did Roku and Sozin kinda have some crazy homo-erotic tension going there? I mean, yeah, canon dictates that Roku had the hots for his wife (and who could blame him, really), but I wouldn't be at all surprised if Sozin had a huge flaming crush on his BFF.
In retrospect, that second part under the cut probably could've been a bulleted list.
Anyway, I'm fully looking forward to upcoming episodes, and fangirling in sync with the rest of the US-airing-watchers :3b
On a different note, got through episode eighteen of Gurren Lagann today. My first thought upon getting past the flashback episode: So that's why they all say he's a douche! (Srsly, man. I get what you're saying about people needing an organized system, but you've taken it way too far.)
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Date: 2007-10-27 07:24 pm (UTC)PS!: I have gotten my brother hooked to Storm Hawks. :D
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Date: 2007-10-27 07:34 pm (UTC)PS: Huzzah and congratulations! You've managed better than I am ever likely to ¦3b
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Date: 2007-10-27 07:48 pm (UTC)PS: It was easy! All I had to do was make puppy dog faces at him and hobble around on the crutches I had to use for my twisted ankle talking about how AWESOME and COOL Storm Hawks was, and his "big brother instincts" kicked in, he said.
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Date: 2007-10-27 07:51 pm (UTC)PS: Somehow I don't think that'll work so well for me :/ But I'm glad you managed it ♥ I shall only have to try harder!
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Date: 2007-10-27 07:54 pm (UTC)PS: Good luck! :Db
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Date: 2007-10-27 08:00 pm (UTC)PS: Thank you, I shall need it :(b
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Date: 2007-10-28 12:33 am (UTC)OMG, I wanna comment so bad on your Avatar ideas, but for the sake of respect, I will not reveal or hint any of the episodes 307-309!!
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Date: 2007-10-28 06:30 pm (UTC)XD Thanks, I appreciate it. B-but now I'm kinda really tempted to watch my copies... I WILL PREVAIL! I CAN HOLD OUT UNTIL THEY AIR! *is strong, rly*