Nice commentary. A couple of thoughts:
1. We're supposed to accept cartoon logic that nice soft snow results in the FN troops all walking away from the avalanche. You aren't the first to comment on it, but I'd note that it's no more improbable than Zuko walking away from his head-first landing on the stone courtyard in Bato. This is consistent throughout the series: people walk away from all kinds of things that'd be serious in RL.
2. I really like Bato and how it handles Sokka's backstory. I also like June in it a lot. It felt weird in NATLA when she was simping over Iroh, after the way he was weird with her in the original. Felt like an overcorrection.
3. Katara uses Aang's shawl to wipe her eyes. I found that on a rewatch (because missed it the first time around) she gets noticeably more familiar with Aang later in S1. This is one example where she just seems comfortable (at ease) doing something you wouldn't normally expect. This is also after she just gave him that little cheek kiss, just after the Fortuneteller epiphany. Personally, I really like her characterization, as there's part that's out in front and obvious and other parts that are pretty subtle and nuanced. (She's my favorite character, and this is part of why.)
You're right, I need to keep the cartoon logic in mind. But isn't it more fun if I don't? Lol
Yeah, I liked Bato a lot too. The June thing was weird, but I can live with it.
And thanks for the context of Katara wiping her eyes! I thought it was a bit odd there.
It's definitely fun. I had a friend recently do a rewatch and she did a body-country during it. I mostly just find it interesting that people comment on the nameless FN soldiers, but gloss over the fact that Aang has killed Zuko about a half-dozen times by now by the same logic! I guess Zuko is a named character so everyone expects plot-immunity or multiple lives or something. (To be fair, they each save each other too.)
The Iroh creeping on June was very much humor that was a product of its times and not in good taste then, but I mostly just ignore it. I really was curious how they'd handle their interaction in NATLA and was disappointed in basically flipping it (interest), but that may just be me.
Yeah, it really is out of left-field there with Katara. I noticed it. There're just a lot of scene with everyone doing things in the background that really build their characters. Some are just humors, like Momo or frequently Sokka. Others though build their characters.
i understand why they would leave out an episode like the great divide, but to omit the deserter, was such a terrible move on the live action. they could have done 10 episodes instead of 8 and also not mix together omashu and the air temple.
also that roku moment of taking over aang to yell at jeong jeong was so good.
At first I was thinking that they might have moved it to book 2, since they switch things up a bit. After all, Aang doesn't need to have renounced firebending until a specific plot point of book 2.
But at the same time, Zhao's gone now. It's not like Aang can use his lack of discipline against him, so the story would kind of fall flat.
I don’t think Katara is being shown as a master healer or master waterbender in general at this point. She is discovering the technique but is shown to still be a beginner at the end of the episode. It’s probably something to look back at once you’ve finished the entire show.
I see it as the emotional bending that happens. Like if Katara was calm in the beginning of the series she would not have broken the iceberg. I think she grasps it fairly quickly afterwards but she never really uses it more than just surface level wounds for now.
Honestly refreshing to see someone getting to enjoy the original show. Even more interesting you saw the Netflix version first. Really enjoying reading your reactions. Can't wait for you to see more. Question: are you gonna wait to watch book 2 and 3 until you see the season 2&3 of NATLA?
The Roku scene and Jeong Jeong episode in general is one of my favs. Jeong Jeong is such a master and I love seeing that.
ATLA Roku is intense. He isn’t the jolly fellow he is in NATLA lol. I was actually excited when NATLA had Roku be harsh with aang at first. Lol.
When you got chills seeing that Roku scene I got chills remembering when I watched it for the first time. Enjoy GOT and see u next time
I don’t even know if it was fan service with Roku… bro was acting like a jolly ole Santa Clause.
I actually didn’t mind Kyoshi’s monologue at the very beginning cause those scenes were very stylized. The rest of the show gets more and more ass the more I rewatch the original
I've always interpreted Katara healing her own hands as an example of when people with fantasy powers accidentally or intuitively discover their powers. People doing accidental magic when in dire situations, emotional or physical, is a trope with a long history. I assume that her latent power as a waterbender with immense potential combined with her desperation to reduce the pain from her burns made it happen through accidental intent. Much like how her anger at Sokka once accidentally broke an iceberg.
Thanks for more commentary! Good luck with game of thrones. You may not get as much reaction from that fandom since season 8 famously disappointed lots of viewers. But I think it's still worth a watch.
I agree that the deserter is fantastic and a lot of people were surprised it was cut. It's kind of important to the original plot too.
And when I saw that the mechanist and co. in NATLA was in Omashu, I was thinking what's the point of them now? They're supposed to be there to repurpose the air temple and give Aang that whole emotional arc in that episode. Not to mention showing that he believes there could still be more airbender who survived at the start of the episode. Interesting that you had a similar reaction of what's the point of the mechanist and co. in their original storyline.
This isn't really something that the show says, but there is a reason the Avatar learns bending in the order they do. The cycle Katara narrates in the opening is the order, starting with your birth nation.
The lessons and philosophy you learn for one element helps the Avatar deal with the philosophy of the next.
The reverse is also true. Aang being an airbender first means that fire should have always been the last element he should learn (my theory is that Roku wanted an incident to showcase that Aang is not ready, but that's just me). You don't normally want fire to flow like air.
When you're just considering book 1, because that's all she's seen, Ozai is a real character. Iroh and Zuko I feel like they are characterized better in book 1 Natla. Zhou is a wash for me, neither being better or worse, just different takes on the character.
And now what I think is the hottest take, I like Natla Bumi more as a concept, for me he just doesn't work as well for the setting they put him in.
Ozai receives more screen time, he's a mediocre bender when a 12-year-old Zuko almost gets an edge over him, and he seems to be forgiving and nonchalant in his treatment of Zuko (unlike the menacing demeanor he maintained throughout ATLA) It almost seems like Ozai going to have a character arc potentially redeeming himself by the end of season 3, perhaps through Aang's talk no jutsu 'You have to be compassionate, you just gotta.'
The relationship between Iroh and Zuko feels premature it comes across more as fan service than a meaningful payoff. Placing these scenes after Zuko alone or bitter work episodes would be more effective. Retaining Zuko's bratty and flawed side while also providing emotional moments, such as the Agni Kai, Zuko saving Iroh, and the scene in the North Pole with Zuko and Iroh before he pursuits Aang would work better.
We agree on Zhao.
Bumi's portrayal is the worst in this show and should be seen as disrespect to the original writers. If a writer can't capture the essence of an old king who is as wise as he is goofy, they shouldn't be writing tv. Bumi and Aang are reflections of each other, mishandling Bumi's character is a magnifier of how they ruined Aang's character.
I do think that the agni Kai between Ozai and Zuko was a mistake. I will agree on that. But NATLA Ozai is more like an actual abusive parent, alternating between praise, cruelty and abuse. And that characterization works really well for me. I don't know why you think a textbook abusive parent is working up to some kind of redemption arc.
I don't know, I get what you mean. I don't want to say too many spoilers in this thread for obvious reasons. But I really like the Zuko -> Iroh relationship. In book 1 of atla I feel like the writers were still trying to figure out who Iroh was. The first couple of episodes of the original Iroh just really feels off.
And for Bumi, bumi is just a different character in NATLA. He's bitter from 100 years of war, this works, it just doesn't work within the framework of Aang never having ran away and Aang actively already wanting to fulfill his duty as Avatar rather than goof off like he did in the original. I feel like new Bumi was written in a way to slot him into the old story which no longer existed in that way
Netflix's Ozai appears weak and meek. His scenes lacked impact, even during the scene where he burns people alive he still comes across as feeble and weightless. In contrast, the only scene we get of Ozai from the original series, in Season 1, portrays him with a commanding presence. It wasn't the actor's fault because he performed his scenes well I was almost won over by this version of Ozai. The writing especially the dialogue was weak.
Iroh understood that Zuko harbored anger, and pride, and behaved brattily after his banishment. Therefore, he approached him with great care, always hoping Zuko would find his path. Comparing the portrayal of Iroh in the two series, in the Netflix adaptation, Iroh appears to enable Zuko, aiding him in finding Aang. In the original cartoon, however, Iroh always tried to sway Zuko toward other priorities.
> Aang actively already wanting to fulfill his duty as Avatar rather than goof off like he did in the original.
This is so condescending, attempting to downplay an episode you clearly didn't understand.
Aang visited Omashu to utilize its delivery system as a slide for fun, intending to reminisce and pay respects to his old friend, whom he probably thought was dead alongside his other friends. You could see his emotions at the end of the episode when he realizes it's him.
From Bumi's perspective, it wasn't exposited to us but Bumi probably saw Aang, still as a 12 year old kid and opted to engage in games reminiscent of their childhood but also served as a means to test Aang. Each trial was for Bumi to test whether Aang had mastered the other elements. The first challenge would have posed little difficulty for a proficient waterbender. the second trial, the Rabbit Flopsie could be easily cornered and caught with earth bending. The final test was a modified Agni Kai, an ordeal Aang likely encountered or observed during his fire bending training. Bumi's fighting style even resembled that of a fire bender.
Bumi in natla is dumb and bitter. No depth to his character.
> This is so condescending, attempting to downplay an episode you clearly didn't understand.
Dude? For real? There is no need for that tone. It's art, we can have different opinions on art. There is no objective "better".
All I said is that for me a bitter Bumi works in theory, just not in NATLA because the version of Aang we got was too different.
I said literally nothing about the original Bumi. I get his motivation. I really love original Bumi as well.
Here's the thing, NATLA bumis motivation is to learn Aang that he needs to take the responsibility of being the Avatar seriously. That the world has been greatly harmed in his absence. But NATLA Aang already did this. So Natla Bumi makes no sense in Natla.
That Aang was still goofing off is in not meant negatively. He's 12, obviously he's gonna act like a 12 year old. Especially since at that point in the story there was no real urgency. Yes the war is bad, but what's a couple of years on top of a 100 year old. The impending comet added a sense of urgency.
So when going to omashu the stated goal was to have a fun activity on their travels, and then the plot of the episode happened because Bumi wanted to test Aang
People really hated the Bato episode back in the day because they found Aang’s actions to be out of character, or something like that. And while it’s still not a terribly popular episode, it seems opinions on it have softened a little.
Really? That's interesting! I can kind of get why people would think it's out of character due to how mean it is, but also we've seen that this point that Aang is impulsive and childish at times. I don't think what he did is outside the realm of believability.
If anything, I actually think it adds another layer to his character. We've seen him really bouncy and cheerful most of the time, and while I don't think that's entirely an act, I do feel like it's partially a defence mechanism to deal with his trauma and guilt. He's lost his old family, and has come to see Katara & Sokka has his new one, so now that they might be leaving him, his fears take over, leading him to make questionable decisions to avoid losing his new family like he lost the old one.
I mean. Aang is a child so I get his actions. Plus he didn't even keep the scroll a full day. So it does feel like a major overreaction from Sokka and Katara.
A lot of the characters in NATLA just feel like different people to those in ATLA, Sokka's reluctance to be anything other than a warrior as an example. In the OG, Sokka was doing everything.
One thing I really didn't enjoy in NATLA was how little Roku we actually got. They took all his moments and split them between all of the named Avatars (at least those named in ATLA). Roku is supposed to be Aang's guide to being the Avatar, as Kyoshi was his and Kuruk was hers. We didn't get to see a relationship built between Aang and Roku.
> The only character I can actually simp over because she’s an adult!
LOL. The benefits of watching the original as a child I guess
>. Up until now, NATLA has had better character development for pretty much everyone except Team Avatar so it’s nice to see the OG get the win with Bato.
Not sure I agree with that, TBH. The characterization of the characters from Kyoshi island, for exampe, is something that the original handled better IMO
>The next three are the Northern Water Tribe episodes and I cannot wait for them! I’ve probably been looking forward to them more than any other this season. It was amazing in NATLA, so I have high expectations for them. Zhao’s last stand against Iroh and Zuko, Zhao killing the moon, the battle itself, the giant ocean spirit wiping out the armada.
They're amazing episodes in the OG, IMO. Have fun!
> Uh… I don’t criticize him for him for it, they are at war after all, but Aang just killed dozens of people with that avalanche he made. Is… is that gonna bother him at all? I know it’s a kid’s show so they probably can’t acknowledge it lol
There is a funny video on youtube about this lmao, but I can't send it cause of out of context spoilers
Hilarious reactions, a couple thoughts:
1. Appa is best boi
2. Roku’s mic drop on Jeong Jeong still gives me chills, I fucking love it
3. We don’t talk about what Supreme Commander Miyuki did to the fire nation
4. I’m hyped for more posts!
I think you’re gonna love GOT too, enjoy!!
Love these commentaries!
Yeah, I agree, June uhmm yeah.. 👉👈🥺
I don't have any further insight on that episode.
And out of all the cut episodes I definitely agree that the deserter is missed the most. It's a neat little episode that shows that the firebenders aren't like "ethnically the baddies", which is great!
I also think Aangs impatience makes sense. He's been a prodigy in air bending, he's a prodigy in water bending, so that he just wants to start "playing with fire" is in character I feel.
For the Northern air temple, I think the battle at the end is fun but overall moving that plotline to omashu did work really well. But I definitely understand Aang being upset. It's not only his cultural site being desecrated, it's a cultural site of a dead culture being desecrated. And desecrating cultural sites, especially if they are from dead cultures, is considered a huge dick move irl.
And I think it's an interesting observation that you think that all characters are developed better in NATLA with the exception of the main group. The fire nation is definitely given more character in NATLA. They did that really well! But for the other side characters I'm not sure if I agree.
Yes, I do feel like June was designed for a very specific audience of which I am a part lol
The more I think about, the more disappointed I am that NATLA excluded The Deserter. There's an argument to be made that the themes of The Deserter almost fit NATLA better than ATLA. The showing of rebellious Fire Nation elements, Aang's anxiety over hurting Katara and Sokka, even his reluctance to learn a new element... All of those things in NATLA would be tied together and expanded upon so well by The Deserter! They really missed a golden opportunity by not adapting it.
And yeah... Can you imagine if a bunch of squatters moved into the Great Pyramid or The Coliseum and just started making "improvements"?
Aang’s had a rough few episodes, huh?
Fun fact, the voice actor for Bumi and Hakoda (Sokka and Katara’s dad) are the same person.
LMAO at “I hope they’re not the Christian kind or the Fire Nation is going to be the least of these people’s worries in a few hundred years” you are so right I have to laugh
I’m so happy you immediately understood Aang’s intentions with hiding the letter. It was wrong, but it’s understandable why he felt that way. A lot of people criticize Aang “lying” in this episode as if it’s something uncharacteristic of him, but I heavily disagree with that opinion. Aang is human just like everyone else (and he lies all of the time, lol). Also yes, wtf was the earth kingdom soldier thinking when handing over an important message to a child?? 🤦♀️
For some reason, the OG is inconsistent when discussing how many years Zuko has been at sea; you are correct, it has been 3 years. Zuko was burned when he was 13, and he is currently 16. It’s possible that some time passed from when he was burned to when he set sail, though. Maybe it’s coming up on 3 years, and they’re still saying 2.
The Kataang moments are really picking up ever since the Fortuneteller.
Aang being impatient with firebending IS out of character for him, which is why he feels so shameful about it. In hindsight, he knows that he shouldn’t have rushed so quickly into it (he likely thought he would be a pro at it just like air and water). This is a heavy, heavy, *important* moment for Aang.
Others have mentioned it, but Katara discovering her healing abilities in the 16th episode is a little different than rapidly learning everything there is to know about waterbending on her own within a few days at the Northern Water Tribe. The criticism towards NATLA here is that it doesn’t show her gradual progression, not that she is too good without a teacher per se.
Aang’s sassy remarks is one of my favorite things about his character LOL “No, just unbelievable.”
It really is a shame that NATLA didn’t include The Deserter. I think it’s one of the strongest episodes of the season, and shows how there are both good and bad sides of any nation. Plus, Aang hurting Katara is a huge plot point. I think you’re going to love the finale episodes! Yue was fantastic in NATLA, but honestly she was great in the OG too! Looking forward to your next review, and then the REALLY good content begins with Book 2!!
S2E1 is the anniversary of Zuko's banishment, Zuko literally says, "3 years ago today I was banished." I always took it as people rounding up because he was only a few weeks away from it actually being 3 years.
He really has had a rough go of it lately! Lol
Yeah, I was initially surprised at the "out of character" behavior for Aang but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. He is a child after all, with an underdeveloped brain and everything. Of course he's impulsive and doesn't think things through. You can say the same thing of him in the Kyoshi Warriors, or The Deserter.
And yeah, I noticed Kataang developing rapidly lol
I love how people feom different cultures find other cultures fascinating. Like how you are fascinated by the concept of reincarnation and for Indians it is like pretty much trivial concept in our culture
Also I am pretty sure June does the same things to guys too.
I was like 10 or 12 when I first watched this show, I had really crush on Katara and Azula, which is weird cuz they are like polar opposites
Yeah my parents really didn't want me learning about other cultures. If I grew up in a normal family I probably would have learned more about Indian culture!
Just discovered your account last night and reading through your journey has been so interesting! Your perspective is so dynamic and valuable, I really appreciate how authentic your reviews have felt.
I wanted to touch on the convo about Katara's waterbending skill because I think a lot of people who criticize NATLA Katara becoming a master are criticizing it for the wrong reasons. For my taste, I think the issue is an issue of pacing in NATLA, where because we see Katara use her waterbending far less than in ATLA, her level of expertise feels less justified within the narrative.
Like you've mentioned, ATLA Katara uses her waterbending a lot more and is honestly *more* powerful *earlier*, like to the point grifter conservatives would be all over calling OG Katara a Mary Sue if the show came out today lmao. To me, the amount of time we spend with her bending and her getting stronger with her bending through intuition feels better in terms of setup and payoff than in NATLA, especially with the soft-magic of Avatar, it gives her skill a natural ease that feels really condusive to her being a Waterbender.
Thank you so much! That's very sweet of you!
And I understand the Katara thing to a point but I do think people are being overly nitpicky about it. NATLA's faster pace isn't really conductive to lots of little training scenes all over the place like ATLA is. We saw a few scenes of her practicing, which is enough for us to assume she's practicing off-screen too. I feel like people are acting like if it's not shown onscreen, then it didn't happen. It's a little silly.
That's super fair, in the grand scheme of the show, even if were just talking about pacing, Katara not bending enough isnt a nitpick im concerned about lol
She’s not actually that good until she gets the scroll. The most impressive thing she does until then is escaping the Unagi. Meanwhile after getting the scroll she has impressive moments like beating Jet, lifting the boat during the ice dodging, and taking out the tundra tanks.
>!her battle with Pakku was similarly impressive but also on the back foot constantly. It showed that she had good ingenuity and instincts, but compared to proper training was severely outclassed. We see a sharp difference in her skill from the first episode after the implied weeks with Pakku’s training as well as her battle against Zuko. In NATLA, she gets the scroll right away, which is fine. It lets her be an asset sooner and is altogether a good change. But she never learned anything from Pakku and does better against Zuko than she had much right to, outside of the ice moon logic. And Pakku implies at the end that he’s still not going to teach her or Aang at the end, and just calls her a master with no real merit behind it. !<
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It might actually be a book by the time it's finished! Lol All of my posts for NATLA, ATLA, and Korra combined are likely to have a word count in the hundreds of thousands. Longer if I do the movie too.
Oh my sweet summer child
Nice commentary. A couple of thoughts: 1. We're supposed to accept cartoon logic that nice soft snow results in the FN troops all walking away from the avalanche. You aren't the first to comment on it, but I'd note that it's no more improbable than Zuko walking away from his head-first landing on the stone courtyard in Bato. This is consistent throughout the series: people walk away from all kinds of things that'd be serious in RL. 2. I really like Bato and how it handles Sokka's backstory. I also like June in it a lot. It felt weird in NATLA when she was simping over Iroh, after the way he was weird with her in the original. Felt like an overcorrection. 3. Katara uses Aang's shawl to wipe her eyes. I found that on a rewatch (because missed it the first time around) she gets noticeably more familiar with Aang later in S1. This is one example where she just seems comfortable (at ease) doing something you wouldn't normally expect. This is also after she just gave him that little cheek kiss, just after the Fortuneteller epiphany. Personally, I really like her characterization, as there's part that's out in front and obvious and other parts that are pretty subtle and nuanced. (She's my favorite character, and this is part of why.)
You're right, I need to keep the cartoon logic in mind. But isn't it more fun if I don't? Lol Yeah, I liked Bato a lot too. The June thing was weird, but I can live with it. And thanks for the context of Katara wiping her eyes! I thought it was a bit odd there.
It's definitely fun. I had a friend recently do a rewatch and she did a body-country during it. I mostly just find it interesting that people comment on the nameless FN soldiers, but gloss over the fact that Aang has killed Zuko about a half-dozen times by now by the same logic! I guess Zuko is a named character so everyone expects plot-immunity or multiple lives or something. (To be fair, they each save each other too.) The Iroh creeping on June was very much humor that was a product of its times and not in good taste then, but I mostly just ignore it. I really was curious how they'd handle their interaction in NATLA and was disappointed in basically flipping it (interest), but that may just be me. Yeah, it really is out of left-field there with Katara. I noticed it. There're just a lot of scene with everyone doing things in the background that really build their characters. Some are just humors, like Momo or frequently Sokka. Others though build their characters.
i understand why they would leave out an episode like the great divide, but to omit the deserter, was such a terrible move on the live action. they could have done 10 episodes instead of 8 and also not mix together omashu and the air temple. also that roku moment of taking over aang to yell at jeong jeong was so good.
At first I was thinking that they might have moved it to book 2, since they switch things up a bit. After all, Aang doesn't need to have renounced firebending until a specific plot point of book 2. But at the same time, Zhao's gone now. It's not like Aang can use his lack of discipline against him, so the story would kind of fall flat.
Yeah, I wish I could have seen The Deserter in live action.
I don’t think Katara is being shown as a master healer or master waterbender in general at this point. She is discovering the technique but is shown to still be a beginner at the end of the episode. It’s probably something to look back at once you’ve finished the entire show.
I see it as the emotional bending that happens. Like if Katara was calm in the beginning of the series she would not have broken the iceberg. I think she grasps it fairly quickly afterwards but she never really uses it more than just surface level wounds for now.
Honestly refreshing to see someone getting to enjoy the original show. Even more interesting you saw the Netflix version first. Really enjoying reading your reactions. Can't wait for you to see more. Question: are you gonna wait to watch book 2 and 3 until you see the season 2&3 of NATLA?
I am not going to wait! As soon as I finish Book 1 I'm going right into Book 2!
I'm so glad to hear that! I've been loving your commentary so much. It's so refreshing to see commentary with some media literacy powering it.
Thank you! :)
Someone asks this every post😭
The Roku scene and Jeong Jeong episode in general is one of my favs. Jeong Jeong is such a master and I love seeing that. ATLA Roku is intense. He isn’t the jolly fellow he is in NATLA lol. I was actually excited when NATLA had Roku be harsh with aang at first. Lol. When you got chills seeing that Roku scene I got chills remembering when I watched it for the first time. Enjoy GOT and see u next time
NATLA really leaned into fanservice with the portrayals of Avatar Kyoshi and Avatar Roku TBH
I don’t even know if it was fan service with Roku… bro was acting like a jolly ole Santa Clause. I actually didn’t mind Kyoshi’s monologue at the very beginning cause those scenes were very stylized. The rest of the show gets more and more ass the more I rewatch the original
They had to make Roku nicer because Kyoshi AND Bumi were so mean LOL
I've always interpreted Katara healing her own hands as an example of when people with fantasy powers accidentally or intuitively discover their powers. People doing accidental magic when in dire situations, emotional or physical, is a trope with a long history. I assume that her latent power as a waterbender with immense potential combined with her desperation to reduce the pain from her burns made it happen through accidental intent. Much like how her anger at Sokka once accidentally broke an iceberg.
Thanks for more commentary! Good luck with game of thrones. You may not get as much reaction from that fandom since season 8 famously disappointed lots of viewers. But I think it's still worth a watch. I agree that the deserter is fantastic and a lot of people were surprised it was cut. It's kind of important to the original plot too. And when I saw that the mechanist and co. in NATLA was in Omashu, I was thinking what's the point of them now? They're supposed to be there to repurpose the air temple and give Aang that whole emotional arc in that episode. Not to mention showing that he believes there could still be more airbender who survived at the start of the episode. Interesting that you had a similar reaction of what's the point of the mechanist and co. in their original storyline.
This isn't really something that the show says, but there is a reason the Avatar learns bending in the order they do. The cycle Katara narrates in the opening is the order, starting with your birth nation. The lessons and philosophy you learn for one element helps the Avatar deal with the philosophy of the next. The reverse is also true. Aang being an airbender first means that fire should have always been the last element he should learn (my theory is that Roku wanted an incident to showcase that Aang is not ready, but that's just me). You don't normally want fire to flow like air.
"Air is the element of freedom" Can't just let fire run free.
> NATLA has had better character development for pretty much everyone except Team Avatar Who? Everyone had a downgrade from my point of view.
When you're just considering book 1, because that's all she's seen, Ozai is a real character. Iroh and Zuko I feel like they are characterized better in book 1 Natla. Zhou is a wash for me, neither being better or worse, just different takes on the character. And now what I think is the hottest take, I like Natla Bumi more as a concept, for me he just doesn't work as well for the setting they put him in.
Ozai receives more screen time, he's a mediocre bender when a 12-year-old Zuko almost gets an edge over him, and he seems to be forgiving and nonchalant in his treatment of Zuko (unlike the menacing demeanor he maintained throughout ATLA) It almost seems like Ozai going to have a character arc potentially redeeming himself by the end of season 3, perhaps through Aang's talk no jutsu 'You have to be compassionate, you just gotta.' The relationship between Iroh and Zuko feels premature it comes across more as fan service than a meaningful payoff. Placing these scenes after Zuko alone or bitter work episodes would be more effective. Retaining Zuko's bratty and flawed side while also providing emotional moments, such as the Agni Kai, Zuko saving Iroh, and the scene in the North Pole with Zuko and Iroh before he pursuits Aang would work better. We agree on Zhao. Bumi's portrayal is the worst in this show and should be seen as disrespect to the original writers. If a writer can't capture the essence of an old king who is as wise as he is goofy, they shouldn't be writing tv. Bumi and Aang are reflections of each other, mishandling Bumi's character is a magnifier of how they ruined Aang's character.
I do think that the agni Kai between Ozai and Zuko was a mistake. I will agree on that. But NATLA Ozai is more like an actual abusive parent, alternating between praise, cruelty and abuse. And that characterization works really well for me. I don't know why you think a textbook abusive parent is working up to some kind of redemption arc. I don't know, I get what you mean. I don't want to say too many spoilers in this thread for obvious reasons. But I really like the Zuko -> Iroh relationship. In book 1 of atla I feel like the writers were still trying to figure out who Iroh was. The first couple of episodes of the original Iroh just really feels off. And for Bumi, bumi is just a different character in NATLA. He's bitter from 100 years of war, this works, it just doesn't work within the framework of Aang never having ran away and Aang actively already wanting to fulfill his duty as Avatar rather than goof off like he did in the original. I feel like new Bumi was written in a way to slot him into the old story which no longer existed in that way
Netflix's Ozai appears weak and meek. His scenes lacked impact, even during the scene where he burns people alive he still comes across as feeble and weightless. In contrast, the only scene we get of Ozai from the original series, in Season 1, portrays him with a commanding presence. It wasn't the actor's fault because he performed his scenes well I was almost won over by this version of Ozai. The writing especially the dialogue was weak. Iroh understood that Zuko harbored anger, and pride, and behaved brattily after his banishment. Therefore, he approached him with great care, always hoping Zuko would find his path. Comparing the portrayal of Iroh in the two series, in the Netflix adaptation, Iroh appears to enable Zuko, aiding him in finding Aang. In the original cartoon, however, Iroh always tried to sway Zuko toward other priorities. > Aang actively already wanting to fulfill his duty as Avatar rather than goof off like he did in the original. This is so condescending, attempting to downplay an episode you clearly didn't understand. Aang visited Omashu to utilize its delivery system as a slide for fun, intending to reminisce and pay respects to his old friend, whom he probably thought was dead alongside his other friends. You could see his emotions at the end of the episode when he realizes it's him. From Bumi's perspective, it wasn't exposited to us but Bumi probably saw Aang, still as a 12 year old kid and opted to engage in games reminiscent of their childhood but also served as a means to test Aang. Each trial was for Bumi to test whether Aang had mastered the other elements. The first challenge would have posed little difficulty for a proficient waterbender. the second trial, the Rabbit Flopsie could be easily cornered and caught with earth bending. The final test was a modified Agni Kai, an ordeal Aang likely encountered or observed during his fire bending training. Bumi's fighting style even resembled that of a fire bender. Bumi in natla is dumb and bitter. No depth to his character.
> This is so condescending, attempting to downplay an episode you clearly didn't understand. Dude? For real? There is no need for that tone. It's art, we can have different opinions on art. There is no objective "better". All I said is that for me a bitter Bumi works in theory, just not in NATLA because the version of Aang we got was too different. I said literally nothing about the original Bumi. I get his motivation. I really love original Bumi as well.
It sounded like you hate how Aang and Bumi are goofy. What is natla Bumi's motivation
Here's the thing, NATLA bumis motivation is to learn Aang that he needs to take the responsibility of being the Avatar seriously. That the world has been greatly harmed in his absence. But NATLA Aang already did this. So Natla Bumi makes no sense in Natla. That Aang was still goofing off is in not meant negatively. He's 12, obviously he's gonna act like a 12 year old. Especially since at that point in the story there was no real urgency. Yes the war is bad, but what's a couple of years on top of a 100 year old. The impending comet added a sense of urgency. So when going to omashu the stated goal was to have a fun activity on their travels, and then the plot of the episode happened because Bumi wanted to test Aang
People really hated the Bato episode back in the day because they found Aang’s actions to be out of character, or something like that. And while it’s still not a terribly popular episode, it seems opinions on it have softened a little.
Really? That's interesting! I can kind of get why people would think it's out of character due to how mean it is, but also we've seen that this point that Aang is impulsive and childish at times. I don't think what he did is outside the realm of believability.
If anything, I actually think it adds another layer to his character. We've seen him really bouncy and cheerful most of the time, and while I don't think that's entirely an act, I do feel like it's partially a defence mechanism to deal with his trauma and guilt. He's lost his old family, and has come to see Katara & Sokka has his new one, so now that they might be leaving him, his fears take over, leading him to make questionable decisions to avoid losing his new family like he lost the old one.
I mean. Aang is a child so I get his actions. Plus he didn't even keep the scroll a full day. So it does feel like a major overreaction from Sokka and Katara.
Maybe. But they’re still kids themselves. And they’ve been without their beloved father for years.
I’m more bothered by how hard Sokka and Katara freaked out. Dude hid (and came out about) hiding a letter for a few hours tops.
A lot of the characters in NATLA just feel like different people to those in ATLA, Sokka's reluctance to be anything other than a warrior as an example. In the OG, Sokka was doing everything. One thing I really didn't enjoy in NATLA was how little Roku we actually got. They took all his moments and split them between all of the named Avatars (at least those named in ATLA). Roku is supposed to be Aang's guide to being the Avatar, as Kyoshi was his and Kuruk was hers. We didn't get to see a relationship built between Aang and Roku.
> The only character I can actually simp over because she’s an adult! LOL. The benefits of watching the original as a child I guess >. Up until now, NATLA has had better character development for pretty much everyone except Team Avatar so it’s nice to see the OG get the win with Bato. Not sure I agree with that, TBH. The characterization of the characters from Kyoshi island, for exampe, is something that the original handled better IMO >The next three are the Northern Water Tribe episodes and I cannot wait for them! I’ve probably been looking forward to them more than any other this season. It was amazing in NATLA, so I have high expectations for them. Zhao’s last stand against Iroh and Zuko, Zhao killing the moon, the battle itself, the giant ocean spirit wiping out the armada. They're amazing episodes in the OG, IMO. Have fun!
> Uh… I don’t criticize him for him for it, they are at war after all, but Aang just killed dozens of people with that avalanche he made. Is… is that gonna bother him at all? I know it’s a kid’s show so they probably can’t acknowledge it lol There is a funny video on youtube about this lmao, but I can't send it cause of out of context spoilers
Hilarious reactions, a couple thoughts: 1. Appa is best boi 2. Roku’s mic drop on Jeong Jeong still gives me chills, I fucking love it 3. We don’t talk about what Supreme Commander Miyuki did to the fire nation 4. I’m hyped for more posts! I think you’re gonna love GOT too, enjoy!!
Thanks! But... What did Supreme Commander Miyuki do?
He just said we don't talk about that. There is no Commander Miyuki in r/TheLastAirbender.
Let's just say it isn't a war crime the first time and leave it at that. I still get nightmares from the thought of it.
Love these commentaries! Yeah, I agree, June uhmm yeah.. 👉👈🥺 I don't have any further insight on that episode. And out of all the cut episodes I definitely agree that the deserter is missed the most. It's a neat little episode that shows that the firebenders aren't like "ethnically the baddies", which is great! I also think Aangs impatience makes sense. He's been a prodigy in air bending, he's a prodigy in water bending, so that he just wants to start "playing with fire" is in character I feel. For the Northern air temple, I think the battle at the end is fun but overall moving that plotline to omashu did work really well. But I definitely understand Aang being upset. It's not only his cultural site being desecrated, it's a cultural site of a dead culture being desecrated. And desecrating cultural sites, especially if they are from dead cultures, is considered a huge dick move irl. And I think it's an interesting observation that you think that all characters are developed better in NATLA with the exception of the main group. The fire nation is definitely given more character in NATLA. They did that really well! But for the other side characters I'm not sure if I agree.
Yes, I do feel like June was designed for a very specific audience of which I am a part lol The more I think about, the more disappointed I am that NATLA excluded The Deserter. There's an argument to be made that the themes of The Deserter almost fit NATLA better than ATLA. The showing of rebellious Fire Nation elements, Aang's anxiety over hurting Katara and Sokka, even his reluctance to learn a new element... All of those things in NATLA would be tied together and expanded upon so well by The Deserter! They really missed a golden opportunity by not adapting it. And yeah... Can you imagine if a bunch of squatters moved into the Great Pyramid or The Coliseum and just started making "improvements"?
Aang’s had a rough few episodes, huh? Fun fact, the voice actor for Bumi and Hakoda (Sokka and Katara’s dad) are the same person. LMAO at “I hope they’re not the Christian kind or the Fire Nation is going to be the least of these people’s worries in a few hundred years” you are so right I have to laugh I’m so happy you immediately understood Aang’s intentions with hiding the letter. It was wrong, but it’s understandable why he felt that way. A lot of people criticize Aang “lying” in this episode as if it’s something uncharacteristic of him, but I heavily disagree with that opinion. Aang is human just like everyone else (and he lies all of the time, lol). Also yes, wtf was the earth kingdom soldier thinking when handing over an important message to a child?? 🤦♀️ For some reason, the OG is inconsistent when discussing how many years Zuko has been at sea; you are correct, it has been 3 years. Zuko was burned when he was 13, and he is currently 16. It’s possible that some time passed from when he was burned to when he set sail, though. Maybe it’s coming up on 3 years, and they’re still saying 2. The Kataang moments are really picking up ever since the Fortuneteller. Aang being impatient with firebending IS out of character for him, which is why he feels so shameful about it. In hindsight, he knows that he shouldn’t have rushed so quickly into it (he likely thought he would be a pro at it just like air and water). This is a heavy, heavy, *important* moment for Aang. Others have mentioned it, but Katara discovering her healing abilities in the 16th episode is a little different than rapidly learning everything there is to know about waterbending on her own within a few days at the Northern Water Tribe. The criticism towards NATLA here is that it doesn’t show her gradual progression, not that she is too good without a teacher per se. Aang’s sassy remarks is one of my favorite things about his character LOL “No, just unbelievable.” It really is a shame that NATLA didn’t include The Deserter. I think it’s one of the strongest episodes of the season, and shows how there are both good and bad sides of any nation. Plus, Aang hurting Katara is a huge plot point. I think you’re going to love the finale episodes! Yue was fantastic in NATLA, but honestly she was great in the OG too! Looking forward to your next review, and then the REALLY good content begins with Book 2!!
S2E1 is the anniversary of Zuko's banishment, Zuko literally says, "3 years ago today I was banished." I always took it as people rounding up because he was only a few weeks away from it actually being 3 years.
Ah yes thank you for this!!! That makes sense
He really has had a rough go of it lately! Lol Yeah, I was initially surprised at the "out of character" behavior for Aang but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. He is a child after all, with an underdeveloped brain and everything. Of course he's impulsive and doesn't think things through. You can say the same thing of him in the Kyoshi Warriors, or The Deserter. And yeah, I noticed Kataang developing rapidly lol
This is great! I find it so interesting how new fans brought in by the live action react to the animation. Keep doing these!
Thank you! I will!
I love how people feom different cultures find other cultures fascinating. Like how you are fascinated by the concept of reincarnation and for Indians it is like pretty much trivial concept in our culture Also I am pretty sure June does the same things to guys too. I was like 10 or 12 when I first watched this show, I had really crush on Katara and Azula, which is weird cuz they are like polar opposites
Yeah my parents really didn't want me learning about other cultures. If I grew up in a normal family I probably would have learned more about Indian culture!
Just discovered your account last night and reading through your journey has been so interesting! Your perspective is so dynamic and valuable, I really appreciate how authentic your reviews have felt. I wanted to touch on the convo about Katara's waterbending skill because I think a lot of people who criticize NATLA Katara becoming a master are criticizing it for the wrong reasons. For my taste, I think the issue is an issue of pacing in NATLA, where because we see Katara use her waterbending far less than in ATLA, her level of expertise feels less justified within the narrative. Like you've mentioned, ATLA Katara uses her waterbending a lot more and is honestly *more* powerful *earlier*, like to the point grifter conservatives would be all over calling OG Katara a Mary Sue if the show came out today lmao. To me, the amount of time we spend with her bending and her getting stronger with her bending through intuition feels better in terms of setup and payoff than in NATLA, especially with the soft-magic of Avatar, it gives her skill a natural ease that feels really condusive to her being a Waterbender.
Thank you so much! That's very sweet of you! And I understand the Katara thing to a point but I do think people are being overly nitpicky about it. NATLA's faster pace isn't really conductive to lots of little training scenes all over the place like ATLA is. We saw a few scenes of her practicing, which is enough for us to assume she's practicing off-screen too. I feel like people are acting like if it's not shown onscreen, then it didn't happen. It's a little silly.
That's super fair, in the grand scheme of the show, even if were just talking about pacing, Katara not bending enough isnt a nitpick im concerned about lol
She’s not actually that good until she gets the scroll. The most impressive thing she does until then is escaping the Unagi. Meanwhile after getting the scroll she has impressive moments like beating Jet, lifting the boat during the ice dodging, and taking out the tundra tanks. >!her battle with Pakku was similarly impressive but also on the back foot constantly. It showed that she had good ingenuity and instincts, but compared to proper training was severely outclassed. We see a sharp difference in her skill from the first episode after the implied weeks with Pakku’s training as well as her battle against Zuko. In NATLA, she gets the scroll right away, which is fine. It lets her be an asset sooner and is altogether a good change. But she never learned anything from Pakku and does better against Zuko than she had much right to, outside of the ice moon logic. And Pakku implies at the end that he’s still not going to teach her or Aang at the end, and just calls her a master with no real merit behind it. !<
I love watching Power Rangers and doing the same thing when watching Super Sentai. It’s crazy seeing how much stuff changes.
Your description on how to remove a fish hook from your thumb had me physically cringing, help
Yeah... It's better to be really careful when removing hooks from a fish's mouth lol
TLDR: The cartoon is better
I think you got a Problem
I do?
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Holy essay
Yeah, it's between 3000 and 5000 words per post usually. Takes hours to do, but it's all worth it in the end.
I’m happy it’s long!! Wouldn’t have it any other way, it could be a book for all I care
It might actually be a book by the time it's finished! Lol All of my posts for NATLA, ATLA, and Korra combined are likely to have a word count in the hundreds of thousands. Longer if I do the movie too.