Elizabeth Culmer (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
edenfalling) wrote2009-10-31 02:10 am
edenfalling) wrote2009-10-31 02:10 am
wherein (predictably) Liz gives in and starts watching Avatar: The Last Airbender
Happy discovery! Netflix has book 1 of Avatar: The Last Airbender available for streaming play.
A few random observations on episodes 1-3 (The Boy in the Iceberg; The Avatar Returns; The Southern Air Temple):
1. I have not laughed this hard in weeks.
2. Zuko cannot lie for shit. It's weirdly adorable.
3. Actually, all the named characters are adorable so far. Except for Commander Zhao. He's just creepy. Suave, in a shallow way, but basically creepy.
4. I am not anything like objective, since I know what happens in the end, but I have to say it is obvious from as early as episode two that Zuko is not really a bad guy. There's too much menace in the basic setup of the story for it not to have a villain, but Zuko is far too sympathetic -- and in ways that are clearly intentional on the storytellers' parts -- to be evil. This is made even more obvious by the introduction of Zhao, who serves as a foil against whom Zuko can be the underdog.
5. I am oddly surprised that I am not suffering mood whiplash. The show flips from deathly serious to slapstick and back again on a dime, and you would think each mood would deflate or negate the other, but for me they don't. I am not at all sure how the writers pull that off -- I would like to learn the trick!
6. Predictably, I like Zuko best so far. This is not to say that I do not also like Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Iroh -- as previously mentioned, everyone is adorable! -- but, well, yeah. I like honorable characters with lots of implied angsty backstory, I like awkward well-meaning dorks, and I like impetuous hotheads; Zuko fits all three categories. The shirtless fight scene doesn't hurt at all. *pets Zuko, carefully* *leaps back to avoid outraged flames*
7. For the record, I still fail to see the appeal of Zutara. Honestly, I think at this point I could make better cases for Zukka or... whatever Aang/Zuko is called (Zukaang? Aangko? probably Zukaang), let alone Kataang. Obviously, many people's mileage varies!
8. Probably I will have more to say later on, though, this being me, I may never get around to writing it down. Oh well.
A few random observations on episodes 1-3 (The Boy in the Iceberg; The Avatar Returns; The Southern Air Temple):
1. I have not laughed this hard in weeks.
2. Zuko cannot lie for shit. It's weirdly adorable.
3. Actually, all the named characters are adorable so far. Except for Commander Zhao. He's just creepy. Suave, in a shallow way, but basically creepy.
4. I am not anything like objective, since I know what happens in the end, but I have to say it is obvious from as early as episode two that Zuko is not really a bad guy. There's too much menace in the basic setup of the story for it not to have a villain, but Zuko is far too sympathetic -- and in ways that are clearly intentional on the storytellers' parts -- to be evil. This is made even more obvious by the introduction of Zhao, who serves as a foil against whom Zuko can be the underdog.
5. I am oddly surprised that I am not suffering mood whiplash. The show flips from deathly serious to slapstick and back again on a dime, and you would think each mood would deflate or negate the other, but for me they don't. I am not at all sure how the writers pull that off -- I would like to learn the trick!
6. Predictably, I like Zuko best so far. This is not to say that I do not also like Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Iroh -- as previously mentioned, everyone is adorable! -- but, well, yeah. I like honorable characters with lots of implied angsty backstory, I like awkward well-meaning dorks, and I like impetuous hotheads; Zuko fits all three categories. The shirtless fight scene doesn't hurt at all. *pets Zuko, carefully* *leaps back to avoid outraged flames*
7. For the record, I still fail to see the appeal of Zutara. Honestly, I think at this point I could make better cases for Zukka or... whatever Aang/Zuko is called (Zukaang? Aangko? probably Zukaang), let alone Kataang. Obviously, many people's mileage varies!
8. Probably I will have more to say later on, though, this being me, I may never get around to writing it down. Oh well.
no subject
Zuko seems like the type that he's offended he has to be lying. Plus, he's probably never had to lie before so he doesn't have much practice at it.
I haven't watched to the end so I don't know who the evil people are but I already love Azula from fanvids. I don't mind Aang's group and quite like Sokka and I suspect I'll like Toph as well, but Azula. Guh. Azula needs to kick lots of butts and be awesome. I would not mind at all if she wins even though I think she probably won't given that it's still a kid's show and the "good guys" need to win out in the end.
Yep, Zuko is being set up for redemption. No idea on Zutara. Then again, they haven't really met yet in the season.
no subject
(In that light, I am mildly annoyed at Aang for so rapidly breaking his parole in their first encounter. Yes, it would have been bad for him to let Zuko take him to the Fire Nation, but at the same time, Zuko did keep his promise to leave the Water Tribe's village and not hurt any of its people. It would have been nice to show Aang at least realizing that he'd broken an implicit promise to Zuko, especially since he doesn't -- at that point -- really grasp the scope and implications of the war, and remembers the Fire Nation mostly as the place where some of his friends lived.)
I am assured that Azula is indeed awesome, and quite skilled at kicking ass and taking names.