(L) Avatar: The Last Airbender

[einhorn303]

Originally Posted by wandering-dreamer

It's actually more balanced than you think, I won't get into the spoilery details but some of the characters get very creative with what they can bend.

Yeah, there are techniques introduced later that balance things out. But even hinting at their nature or element is kinda spoilery.

Originally Posted by Dark Wing

Am I the only one who thinks that the creators making a whole new series is just a cheap way out of writing stories about the old cast?

But the old cast is mostly all going to be dead. I mean, it's set 100 years in the future.

[wandering-dreamer]

@Dark Wing: I'm not exactly sure what you mean, but Bryke said that they knew someday Nick was going to come asking for another season so they had this idea planned just in case. And honestly I think more people are happier to see a new cast than dragging out the old story, aside from one or two minor plot points it was wrapped up pretty well.

[Guardian Enzo]

I think the Aang Gang had their story wrapped up pretty nicely. The idea of a new cast is probably a harder sell to Nick than another series with the old one - and more challenging to write. So I don't see this as any kind of cop-out by Bryke - quite the opposite, in fact.

If this were an actual anime, we might get an OVA or 2 set between the two series to set up the Korra season.

[Dark Wing]

Originally Posted by wandering-dreamer

@Dark Wing: I'm not exactly sure what you mean

Okay what I'm trying to say is that they could've took the old cast and tried to make more stories with them.

I'm not saying that this new series idea is bad by any means just that it seems like a convent way to get out of writing about the old characters (perhaps because they've no clue about what else to do with them ) and sweep them under the rug when so much more could've been done.

However as Guardian Enzo up there has stated maybe I'm thinking to much about this...

[wandering-dreamer]

And I agree with Guardian Enzo, I found that the gaang's adventures were pretty well wrapped up after three seasons and any extra stuff there would feel extraneous/trying too hard to pander to the fans. Plus, this gives a chance to pull in even more fans, although I agree that an OVA or two to wrap up some of the unexplained plot points would be nice.

[chobisu]

I really loved the show from episode one. I was actually surprised when I found it it wasn't an anime but from elsewhere in the world. I didn't like how everything ended on a cliff hanger though - I'm desprate to find out if another series will be made and when it will be released. As said by Enzo, it was wrapped up well but I would love to see Zukos own adventure take place where he finds out what happened to his mother, et cetera. New cast? Would be interesting. But I would love for Toph and Sokka to stick around. Those two always had something amusing to say.

[wandering-dreamer]

The new series definitely needs old lady Toph still kicking ass and training future earthbenders to be (almost) as awesome as she was. And I'd love if they threw in a reference to Sokka and showed some weird invention he came up with.

[roriconfan]

I finished the series today. It is amongst the most entertaining cartoons I have seen and it's a shame they were holding back in making the story more unexpected or dark.

The setting was rather generic (four nations, four elements) and the story simplistic, with most problems being resolved too convininetly.

The artwork was appealing and the fight scenes were also the best ones I have seen in cartoons. Heck, the last showdown puts even major Dragonball showdowns to shame.

The characters were very likable and lively and their humor successful most of the time.

If I were to give rattings, those would be:
Animation: 8 (some more blood and deaths and it would be a 10)
Sound: 8 (good dialogues and music but nothing to sing along)
Story: 6 (too convinient and expected most of the times)
Characters: 9
Value: 7 (I would skip some parts on a second view)
Enjoyment: 8 (the story and the lack of blood made it too childish)
Average: 7.7/10

[Lady Tsukiyomi]

Like others had previously said, I would like it if they made like a mini-movie about what Zuko found out about his mother and what happened to her. D:

@roticonfan Aww...you didn't favor the story too much? Well to give the directors/writers some credit, it was a pretty good series with an actual plot that came from Nickelodeon in a long time. Besides, it was a very good series considering it was an American "anime". ^____^

[roriconfan]

Originally Posted by Lady Tsukiyomi

it was a very good series considering it was an American "anime". ^____^

No doubt about that. As I said, they were holding back; cartoon or not.

[Haak]

I think Mike & Bryan did say in an interview once that they didn't like the ending they had to make but couldn't much about it since there was only so much they could do for a show suitable for children. Can anyone confirm this?

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Haak

I think Mike & Bryan did say in an interview once that they didn't like the ending they had to make but couldn't much about it since there was only so much they could do for a show suitable for children. Can anyone confirm this?

I've read quite a few Bryke quotes about the ending (they're very outspoken guys by the standards of show-runners) and I confess I've never heard them say that. I got the impression they pretty much got the ending they wanted.

[wandering-dreamer]

I've never heard them say anything like that on the ending as well. And, considering there were a lot of people who didn't like the ending, I can kinda see an upset fan trying to justify their view with a fake quote, but if you can ever find the source I'd love to read it.
What I do remember them saying was that they did come up with an ending to the Ursa plot but it got cut in the end (don't remember the reason specified, I always assumed it was due to time constants but if Ursa was dead after all I could see Nick cutting it, they didn't even let them say in show that Jet was dead).

[Guardian Enzo]

Well, if they didn't like it they have a chance to fix it with Korra. But I suspect they made something pretty close to the series they wanted to make.

[roriconfan]

Originally Posted by wandering-dreamer

if Ursa was dead after all I could see Nick cutting it, they didn't even let them say in show that Jet was dead).

Spoiler for key events:

You know, this goes beyond not allowed to show death in the series. Katara had that miracle water with her and didn't even think about using it on poor Jet. Yet a few episodes later she is willing to waste it on Zuko's scar and has no problem to remember using it on Aang's wound in the third season.

In fact, the finale of the second season was dreadful. The zealotic Dai Li betraying their city to their enemies just because Azula spoke to them a few times??? Aang being shot so easily in the back when he was open to attack a hundred times before or after??? Introducing as major cliffhanger this bad ass fire assassin that was a cardboard and completely useless to the plot???

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

I've read quite a few Bryke quotes about the ending (they're very outspoken guys by the standards of show-runners) and I confess I've never heard them say that. I got the impression they pretty much got the ending they wanted.

Originally Posted by wandering-dreamer

I've never heard them say anything like that on the ending as well. And, considering there were a lot of people who didn't like the ending, I can kinda see an upset fan trying to justify their view with a fake quote, but if you can ever find the source I'd love to read it.
What I do remember them saying was that they did come up with an ending to the Ursa plot but it got cut in the end (don't remember the reason specified, I always assumed it was due to time constants but if Ursa was dead after all I could see Nick cutting it, they didn't even let them say in show that Jet was dead).

Oh I see. I think I also heard the Ursa thing and thought they were also disatisified with other parts of the ending. I admit, I was a little disappointed with the whole Energy bending thing.

Originally Posted by roriconfan

Spoiler for key events:

Aang being shot so easily in the back when he was open to attack a hundred times before or after???

Spoiler for season 2 and 3:

He was going into the avatar state. I'm guessing what he did then was somewhat different to the usual avatar state he went in before. When he went in to the avatar state before, an immediate shitstorm would follow that would be almost impossible to counter. I think the time he got shot, he was trying to achieve enlightenment or something, rather than blow everyone near him to smithereens.

As for Katara not using the water on Jet. Well due to his rather ambiguous fate (something they even lampshaded in the Theatre episode) we'll never know if it was neccessary, and it's possible they had to get out of there immediately so she didn't think they had enough time. Well, i suppose you could make up any theory, but yeah it is a bit of jarring hole. I don't mind Boom Boom man going out, though. He was used as a way for Zuko to gain the Gaangs trust so it's not like he was completely irrelevant. He did provide some epic fights and i think it's just aweosme that Sokka of all people ended up being the one to defeat him.

[wandering-dreamer]

Spoiler for On the Jet thing:

I just double checked and she does try to heal him but it's implied that it doesn't work. As for the miracle water, I always thought it was weird/Bryke messing with the shippers for Katara to want and use it on Zuko's scar but as for Jet, they were apprehensive about him the entire episode and combine that with the panic of getting out of there/still trying to find Appa I'm not surprised it slipped her mind. Heck, she might not have even been carrying it at the time but none the less, I never found it strange that she didn't try to heal him with it.

[roriconfan]

There are other things I minded as well that show sloppiness in storytelling.

Spoiler for key events:

Like how they found the day of the eclipse in the library by randomly trying dates. If it took about one minute just to get one reading, and the library was sinking, then how many tries did they had before they found it? And what was their way on narrowing down the possible dates again?

The fire nation always imprisons other benders for some reason yet had no worries killing all the air benders. So what if it was done to kill the avatar? I thought they wanted to leave only fire benders alive in the world.

Fire bending creates fire out of your rage and life force or something? That is so hax compared to other elements. In fact the only thing the movie version improved was having existing fire to be needed.

Earth bending clearly can move coal but not human bodies which are partly carbon based.

Metal bending. Taff saw impurities in metal and found the way to do it while trapped? Only blind people can do that? The earthbending prisoners sure didn't mind.

Blood bending went completely untouched. I thought Kitara would use it on Azula in the finale because she was so strong but nooo.

Energy bending. Cheap deus ex.

Aang was supposed to save the world. Finale aside where we see the Fire Lord wanting to burn the world and thus excused the term "save" for the rest of the show we just see him wanting to rule it. So Aang was supposed to save the world from a universal leadership?

So what about the air benders? Will more be born in the future?

The cosmic balance sure didn't get affected by 1 element nearly being eradicated.

[Kaijo]

Originally Posted by roriconfan

There are other things I minded as well that show sloppiness in storytelling.

Well, allow me to answer your concerns.

Spoiler for key events:

Like how they found the day of the eclipse in the library by randomly trying dates. If it took about one minute just to get one reading, and the library was sinking, then how many tries did they had before they found it? And what was their way on narrowing down the possible dates again?

It was pretty actually easy to tell. By selecting a few dates, you can tell if an eclipse is getting closer or not. Just a simple matter of "hmm, sun and moon seem to be getting closer." For someone of Sokka's intellect, it wouldn't be too hard. I could do it within a few minutes, easy.

The fire nation always imprisons other benders for some reason yet had no worries killing all the air benders. So what if it was done to kill the avatar? I thought they wanted to leave only fire benders alive in the world.

You forget the initial reason for the war, was for the fire nation to bring the bounty of life to the others. They only wiped out the air nation to prevent the Avatar being reborn (which didn't work).

Fire bending creates fire out of your rage and life force or something? That is so hax compared to other elements. In fact the only thing the movie version improved was having existing fire to be needed.

Earth is all around us. Air is all around us. Water is all around us. And it's really not that difficult to create fire. I can easily see some of the first fire benders being able to create their own fire. After all, they were based off dragons, which can easily create its own fire. It's not so hax, when you realize that, to a degree, the other benders are actually a bit more powerful than a fire bender (we regularly see other benders beating firebenders). Without being able to create their own fire, they'd be pretty pathetic. All you'd need as a water bender is to put those fires out, and you're home free. Or dump some earth on it.

Earth bending clearly can move coal but not human bodies which are partly carbon based.

So? Most everything is carbon based, but earth bending is based on earth. Dirt, rock, etc. It has nothing to do with whether something is carbon or not.

Metal bending. Taff saw impurities in metal and found the way to do it while trapped? Only blind people can do that? The earthbending prisoners sure didn't mind.

Other earth benders probably could, but Toph had an easier time "seeing" it due to her particular way of seeing.

Blood bending went completely untouched. I thought Kitara would use it on Azula in the finale because she was so strong but nooo.

It was clearly stated that bloodbending could only be used on the night of a full moon, when a waterbender's power is at their peak.
Energy bending. Cheap deus ex.

Aang was supposed to save the world. Finale aside where we see the Fire Lord wanting to burn the world and thus excused the term "save" for the rest of the show we just see him wanting to rule it. So Aang was supposed to save the world from a universal leadership?

Not sure what you're trying to get at herer. Ozai was a pretty nasty dude, and wanted to torch a bunch of the Earth nation in order to end their resistance and bring them to heel. So yes, Aang was supposed to stop him, because the avatar stands for balance, and having fire rule over all is not balanced.

So what about the air benders? Will more be born in the future?

A trickier question, but I think it's possible. Remember, Aang is an airbender. If he has children, they will have the "gene" for airbending. As they spread out into the world and marry others and have children, it's possible for more airbenders to be born. How their civilization would look a thousand years from now, is anyone's guess, but I'd suspect Aang would do his best to make sure the air nomad's legacy continued.

Would make an interesting story, seeing an airbender or two rediscover their lost heritage and attempt to gather scattered air benders together to recreate the air nomads at their temples.

The cosmic balance sure didn't get affected by 1 element nearly being eradicated.

Possibly. But we don't know what the long term effects would be.

[Kazu]

Originally Posted by roriconfan

I'm halfway through the second season and I can't help thinking the elements are not balanced. Water and Earth benders can be rendered useless in areas without water or soil but Air and Fire benders can spam their powers everywhere. Also, Airbenders fly. How broken is that?

Theres water everywhere in the plants, in your body, remember katara used her sweat to break through that jail cell

and Earth is everywhere iirc Toph rose earth from beneath the sea in that one episode when they brang that family to Ba sing se

Meaning they can earth and waterbenders could spam too.