Lumos Episode Thoughts (amassed for perusal)

[lumos]

Season 1 Episode 10: Jet


When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the...oh, sorry, hello there. So, we've finally run up on the first rival for Katara's affections, and, the funny thing is, Aang couldn't care less. It is actually Sokka who cares.

This is another one of those episodes that point out that a bit of something can be useful, but too much can cause problems. This idea comes to us from two directions. First, Sokka's instinct versus having a plan. Also, in how one deals with revenge.

The idea of this episode recalls part Robin Hood, part - in my opinion - Lord of the Flies. There's the outlaw trying to help the oppressed people angle, and also the bunch of kids causing trouble angle. Unlike almost any other group we come upon (Aang and crew and the Kyoshi Warriors aside), this one has no adult supervision, and it is rather large. We never get a straight count, although there seems to be an inner-circle of close Freedom Fighters, some of whom we do see in later episodes.

The strength of Jet, a teenager himself, among this band of lost kids is impressive. He keeps them together, and they accomplish amazing feats of heroics over the invading Fire Nation. The problem with Jet is that his strength stems from pain and a sense of weakness. He cannot afford to let himself fail, and that, ultimately, is his downfall. He shows his hand in essentially mugging a helpless old man. The guy was Fire Nation, but he was completely harmless.

He compounds his sins, in the watcher and Sokka's eyes by denying and lying about it. When we see the extreme to which he would turn to eliminate the threat of the Fire Nation, it brings to mind the question of where he would stop. If he had to burn down the entire Earth Kingdom in order to eliminate the threat, would he? At this point, he goes from hero to madman.

He has had tragedy, losing his family in a raid - similar, in a way, to Katara and Sokka's story. He had grouped with like-minded young persons, bent on doing what they could to save their world from the threat, also like our intrepid Water Tribe pair. However, the lengths to which he would go to achieve this goal is terrifying. This is another example of the reaction people may have to tragedy, and we can all learn from it in real life. In real life, people experience traumas of differing sorts and handle them differently. The creators recognize this and have worked it into the story nicely.

Katara is shielded from this truth by circumstance and her own feelings for this dashing vagabond. Aang is having too much fun playing in the treetops, apparently. Sokka, alone sees the problem and confronts it, at first. His instincts were a bit overblown at first, but in dealing with people, he seems to have a knack for it. Sokka feels something is off around Jet, but is unable to verbalize what exactly that is. Investigating gets him in trouble - a downside to his inquisitive way - but a flash of tactical instinct saves him. Sokka battles with winging it and having a plan all through the series. Even as late as the Burning Rock, there are still difficulties. I think it shows that the struggle to find the balance there varies time to time and is a difficult to pin down.

Jet was an able fighter. He knocked Aang out of the trees - although Aang really only has one element mastered. It is his intensity that gives him strength. Only an intensity equal or stronger could undo his actions. Katara supplied that with betrayed anger. She took him down, and, fortunately Sokka had instinct enough to save the townspeople. This ending felt a bit like The Puppetmaster, in that the team actually helped out the Fire Nation against an opposing force to them. In the end, people are people, and Aang is there to save everyone, not excluding the Fire Nation.

[lumos]

Season 1 Episode 11: The Great Divide

I know, I know...filler episode prime example. Still, as every episode, it deserves some thought. This episode deals primarily with understanding differences. Beginning with the minor scuffle between Katara and Sokka over how to dress the tent and culminating in the feud between the two tribes, we see the divisiveness and misunderstandings that can arise.

What really happened over 100 years ago? We'll never know. And does it even matter? Frankly, to let the past to dictate your future is a foolish thing. Aang's lie, though technically wrong, helped them put an uncertain conflict of 100 years before behind them.

Most everything else in the episode was fairly fluff, really. You had the crawlers, and Aang's clever solution to getting them to carry everyone out of the canyon. There were a few funny moments. The animation was normal. Nothing special to speak of there or musically. Still, had to give this episode a moment. Next up, my favorite episode of the first season: The Storm.

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Season 1 Episode 12: The Storm

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This is my favorite episode of the first season, maybe the reason I really got into Avatar in the first place. It's certainly something special in terms of the depth of the storytelling.

It reminds me, in a way of the parallel in the Avatar and the Firelord episode 2 seasons later. The pairing of Zuko and Aang's stories weave a level of complexity into the two characters that has only been hinted at before. On Zuko's part, we see an explanation for his manic  need to capture the Avatar. On Aang's, we hear the full story of why he was caught in that storm that left him frozen for a hundred years.

Whether through fate or the inordinate complexity of many choices, Aang had abandoned the world for that hundred years. Did it save him from certain death with his fellow Air Benders? Did he leave the world open to the long torment under the fist of the Fire Nation? Was he to blame? Or would his death have cost the world more?

We cannot know the answer to these any more than Aang can. And that, of course, is the whole point. Speculation will not answer any questions. It just leads to more questions and more. In the end, you become caught in a web of uncertainty and do nothing. Aang was alive. He was the Avatar, like it or not. He was where he was when he was. The only thing he could do was to make the most of it and do whatever it took to better the world he had been so long absent from.

Zuko's story was as staggering, if not more so. It revealed that, at his heart, Zuko was a good person. He stood up for the Fire Nation new recruits who could not stand up for themselves, who would not know that they were marching to their planned deaths. He saved the helmsman. He may be rough and abrasive at times, but he wants to do right.

If he were Azula, he would have dueled his father, lost, but dueled a family member with no hesitation. Therein lies the difference, and it is great. Zuko would not dare attack his father. This is not necessarily out of fear of his father. More, it is the strong sense of honor that Zuko holds dear. It would be a dishonor to himself and his father for them to fight. Incredible to think, Zuko acts quite honorably (including the fight with Zhao) compared to others, but still cannot see that he does not need his father to restore his honor. No one need restore that which was never lost.

Instead, his father burned his face. This is intended as a lesson. A lesson. Stand up for what is right and you get burned. That is the lesson I see here. The Firelord is as horrible a teacher as he is a person. It is fitting with the way of the Fire Nation's tutelage, however. We see this in The Headband. Punishments are dealt out for anyone stepping out of line, any free thought, anything that does not conform to the teachings.

Funny to think, Aang, in the show, including their time in the Fire Nation, is roughly the age Zuko was when his father punished him. Their paths to maturity have differed greatly, but the end of the series brings them both into their own. At this point, we are only beginning to see them come to terms with their past. It takes Zuko much longer, because his is based around that empty promise of regaining honor through his father. Aang realizes here that he must redeem himself. He cannot look to the monks; they are gone. Only he can fulfill his own destiny, find his own path.

The storm that is billowing out of the sea is a metaphoric representation of the turmoil within their minds and the uncertainty of the future they now face. Like all storms, this one subsides, and sunlight again prevails. This was not seamless, however. Neither Aang nor Zuko's journey through this storm was easy. There was danger for themselves and for others.

Zuko endangered his crew by not heeding his uncle's warnings that the storm was coming. He steered into the storm to find the Avatar, to regain his honor. Aang, too, flew into the storm for his honor, but on his own terms. He went in there to save people who could not save themselves. By doing what is right, he continued on that long journey to save the people of the world, and, thereby, regain his honor.

It is noteworthy, too, how these stories are brought to us. Due to Zuko's pride (based, as we later here from Iroh, in shame), he would not be the one to tell this story. Iroh tells it for him, and we can hear the love he has for his nephew in his telling. He had lost his son, and now saw Zuko as good as his own, advising him and acting as a father would towards his son. Would a good father burn his son's face or look away, pained by the thing he could not prevent and may have felt some responsibility for - having let Zuko into that war room meeting?

The other side of the story was Aang telling Katara. This is most natural. The two have a close, understanding bond that will eventually grow to something much greater. At this point, she acts as an understanding confessor to him, and the cave setting only seems to emphasize this. It calls to mind a cloistering of monks, shielded by their isolation from the world - the storm without. This temporary reprieve from the dangers of the world without allows Aang to approach a troubling story of his past that he would rather forget.

His emergence from this meeting, back into the world, the storm, is a symbolic breakthrough in his situation. Aang leaves having faced his past and prepared to face his future. Zuko isn't there yet, but the watcher can see the deep scars that run through his life, more obvious now than those on his face. These scars will take more than healing water from the north to close. It will take a metamorphosis.

[lumos]

Season1 Episode 13: The Blue Spirit




Serious episode...so, why is my first image of Aang jumping on the giant Blue Spirit's head to escape Zuko? haha

Getting away from that, my next thought is of the very end, and the one-sided conversation Aang has with Zuko as he regains consciousness, but I'll get to that critical moment later.

This is another episode that balances strong depth and complexity with a little fun comedy. The silliness of the misunderstanding Momo and the Desert-like hallucinations of Sokka do not distract from what the creators are doing here. If the last episode, The Storm, forced Zuko and Aang to look at themselves and how they are, this one is the proving grounds.

As I said before, Aang takes to the hero thing and matures into what he wants to become much more easily than Zuko. Zuko is the same. He may be conflicted somewhere deep inside himself, but he is still obsessed. He must capture the Avatar, even at the risk of open treason against his own country. Had Zuko not interfered, Aang would have found himself in the hands of the Firelord soon.

His friends were in no condition to fight. Even then, unless Aang found a way to put himself into the Avatar State, he could not help them. Katara and Sokka are valiant fighters, but they could not take on an army by themselves, even after they recovered. They would still find it difficult to discover what had happened to Aang, as well.

We see the ascent of Zhao to his admiralcy. That was a great moment to capture. Zuko spying on as Zhao fights with the local general. Zhao is conveniently promoted over the man and gets what he wants. Undoubtedly, Zhao does the Firelord proud in his work. We don't see most of it, but he is ruthless and strong-willed, traits the Firelord both possesses and admires in others. There is no telling what prompted the promotion at that time, but I am sure that he earned it.

Those archers are one of the most amazing additions to this story, and it is too bad that they were never used again. Their accuracy and strength, especially in gale-force winds, is nothing short of legendary. To knock out, and not kill, the blue spirit as he holds Aang hostage in retreat, is the sort of thing snipers only dream about.

On to the Blue Spirit, though. It is a symbol and a protection for Zuko. Of course, he doesn't want anyone to discover his identity, but it also allows him to do things he otherwise wouldn't. He doesn't betray his country, the Blue Spirit does. In season two, he doesn't have to deal with his thefts and attacks, the Blue Spirit took that role.

It is a part of his personality trying to find an outlet, the deep, stubborn and proud part. The Blue Spirit is proud of itself, it may simply be his pride embodied. It acts confidently, if sneakily. His goal is similar to Zhao's, capture the Avatar to protect and better his country. Of course, Zuko has more selfish reasons, as well. Yet, he must have felt a deep pride in beating Zhao.

In the end, he is unmasked, but only Aang knows him. After the unmasking, there is no hiding what he is. He attacks Aang as he always does, his actions before regardless. Aang expressed a sad thought, that the world has so terribly become divided. You can see that Aang is hoping to bridge the gap between them, but Zuko is not ready for that. All he sees is his prize uncaptured. It is that break in maturity - despite the fact that Aang is younger - that holds them apart.

I'd like to comment here on that note. Zuko is older, but after his banishment, he stagnated his maturity at about the age of 12. You can see Sokka, who is closer to Zuko's age, tends to keep a bit more maturity - not always - about him. Aang begins the series as a goofy kid, but gradually grows into his responsibilities. By the end, he is more determined and strong than almost any other character.

That is not to say Zuko is immature like a goofy kid. They come from different backgrounds. Aang's childhood was much more fun and silly than Zuko's. Zuko's immaturity is in how he treats people, how he acts toward those he should respect - his uncle - and toward those working for him. He needs to develop his skills in leadership, which he has missed out on in three years of searching. It is a selfish attitude that prevented this gradual growth. It is necessity and a sudden self-awareness later that gives it form.

[lumos]

Season 1 Episode 14: The Fortuneteller


The Fortuneteller was a fun episode for me. Certainly it is rather shippy for Aang/Katara, but the fun comes with the little things. Sokka's hilarious bouts of anger at the villagers followed by seemingly random moments of badluck, Sokka the love guru, and Katara's addiction to predictions, were among my favorites.

The story did have a serious side, as well. The dangers of putting full trust in something without any practical skepticism are apparent. It should be pointed out that the skepticism is not focused on any particular superstitious beliefs nor religion as a whole. The skepticism is more generally based. The people of this town leave everything up to the prophecies of another human being.

The reason for this is as old as humanity itself. People have an aversion to risk. If you don't have to make a decision, you don't feel like you are taking on a risk for it. Also, if the stars divine a certain action, you can't be blamed for following it through. The people of this town became so accustomed to letting things be as they were told they would be that they did not trust their own eyes.

I think Aunt Wu, herself, put it well as the gang was about to leave. She said, "As you have reshaped these clouds, so can you reshape your own destiny." It was amusing to me that she said this in front of the town. It shows that the town is incapable of realizing how she dupes them, even when she practically admits it in front of them.

Still, she does enable them towards things she thinks is right. She tries to help encourage match-ups where otherwise one person might not make the move. Predicting that x girl would have a rare panda-lily given to her by her true love, inspired the guy who really loved her to demonstrate his love. She does not act selfishly or in a way to harm the town.

Wu was, we can only assume, provided for by the town, but she didn't have a palace, per say. She had a very nice home, but the area looked well off. In a sense, she was a trusted government official for the town. She was the ruler, not with laws, but with prophecy. She gave people initiatives to certain actions, and thus, ran the town effectively. And the people were happy.

Taken that way, Aunt Wu's society doesn't seem too much different from society today. We, too, have predictive politicians, telling us what we should do and what to expect for the future. We may have competing ones arguing over futures none of us could ever know. And that, perhaps, is the difference. She has no one to squabble with, and a happily ignorant people who take her at her word. Except for a near-fatal problem with the local volcano, that is about as fair as governing gets.

[lumos]

Season 1 Episode 15: Bato of the Water Tribe

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Bato is a minor recurring character who really embodies the friendship and spirit of his people. In this episode he really takes the role of surrogate father for Katara and Sokka in their father's absence. He is brave, caring, and wise. It is at his urging that the siblings decide to return to help Aang. Not only that, but he does it using imagery very near to the Water Tribe, the wolf.

This episode demonstrates that the team is still experiencing some growing pains. Aang has never before had to face the possibility of losing Sokka and Katara. The closest was in the second episode, but that was technically before they were a team. Now, he sees their excitement at meeting a fellow Water Tribe member and their hope to meet with their father. Further, the very stories and food, for that matter, that connects the siblings to Bato seem to push Aang away from the others. He wanders off for a while, and no one notices he left.

Now, what Aang did was wrong, of course. He betrayed their trust, and paid the consequence. Even Katara, who has developed a closer bond to Aang than Sokka, walks away. To them, it had not been a choice between Aang and family. They had determined to help Aang no matter what. Aang's action changed that. In the end, Bato shows them that Aang really does need them and would be lost without them. They go back, because friends forgive each other.

Sokka's test was very interesting. It was not a test of his sailing skills, but of his leadership and the close bonds with his team. Sokka passed, and brilliantly. The latter piece demonstrated thinking well out of the norm, a valuable skill that Sokka will use much later on.

We also meet Jun, and her Shirshu, Naala (sp?). They make an interesting pair, and Jun, particularly, adds a nice sarcasm that is often unseen among the other characters. Azula has her moments, but this is the way of Jun. I liked the retracing Jun, Zuko, and Iroh made of the Avatar's last few episodes. It was a pleasant reminder of the interesting characters they have come across.

The battle at the end was really nice. I specifically enjoyed the well fight between Zuko and Aang, it was pretty and well choreographed. Aang's landing at the end of that was in a powerful pose. Well done, indeed. The smell-blocking perfume took care of the Shirshu, and that finished the battle.

Aang made some small bit of recompense to Katara, at least, in retrieving her necklace. Needless to say, the team leaves in high spirits. The episode had some funny and silly moments, but it was rather serious. This mixture becomes a major trend in the episodes of the show. It is written such that children can enjoy it, but has darker, more complicated themes, as well.

[lumos]

Season 1 Episode 16: The Deserter

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An interesting and important episode in various ways. This episode gives the group their first chance to walk around a Fire Nation town. It also shows a human side to what normally appear to be vicious invaders. The people of this town, albeit transported into the Earth Kingdom, are just living their lives, and today is a celebration.

They have masks and festival foods, even a fire juggling act. It is only when Aang tries to save Katara from the theatrics of an actor that they see another side of the Fire Nation altogether.

From the first, we have seen the Fire Nation as a united front against the world. They support their country above all else. Zuko is a bit of an exception, choosing to act in his own perceived best interest over the goals of the country, and, then, only in a couple rare instances. Iroh really has not shown his more complex side yet.

Here, in the outskirts beyond a Fire Nation controlled town, we meet the first group from within the Fire Nation to defect against their country. Jeong-Jeong and at least the one overzealous soldier have defected but not actively joined the Earth Kingdom. This is important. They are primarily trying to stay out of the war, the senseless violence.

It all spirals around the complex relationship Jeong-Jeong has developed with fire. He sees, too clearly, that his nation has taken upon itself a bad way of relating to fire. They drive with hate and rage. They seek to destroy and pervert the original ways of bending, whatever they may have been. He has been taught in this way, and has mastered the art. Only after countless battles and bloodshed, the horror of what he had become, an instrument of destruction, consumed Jeong-Jeong, and he fled.

We meet him at an interesting moment. He, at least so far as we can tell, has not been on the run interminably long. He looks more haggard than his posters, but, if you recall from Season 2, it did not take Iroh and Zuko long to lose their original appearances.

He bears this burden, this "burning curse" like a weight, but knows no other way to approach fire bending. Jeong-Jeong is strong enough to find fuel for his bending when he needs it, but he does not like to. Zuko, on the other hand, found himself without fuel in the third season when he lost all direction. Jeong-Jeong may not have a firm direction, except in that it is away from where he has been.

In comes the new Avatar. Jeong-Jeong does not want to see him for two reasons, I feel. The first he expresses, that Aang is not ready to learn fire bending. Jeong-Jeong is skilled enough to recognize telltale signs in a person's gait, apparently, when they have mastery over a specific element. We never hear what that is, but he could.

The second is probably more critical to his character. Jeong-Jeong was not ready or confident enough to teach. His great and talented pupil, Zhao, we learn, did not listen or have patience, seeking to actively destroy his enemies and anything in the way. This is the opposite of Jeong-Jeong's philosophy. He would rather destroy nothing, if he could help it. Having failed with this great student, he does not want to face the prospect of teaching again.

Jeong-Jeong is scared into consent by the presence of Roku within Aang. Roku is Aang's advocate, but, moreover, I believe he was trying to help Jeong-Jeong, as well. Roku knew as well as Jeong-Jeong that Aang wasn't completely prepared for Fire Bending. Still, he gave Aang a touch of it, and showed Jeong-Jeong something to think about, the power and talent of the Avatar. Again, we see the power of hope, for later, when the White Lotus group gathers, he is there.

Jeong-Jeong does not disappoint, either. Despite Aang's accidental - though, ultimately helpful - burning of Katara, Aang learns a touch more about patience and how beneficial it can be over a hasty enemy. I do say that the burn was helpful, because she learned to heal, a very useful, and fateful tool. She uses it to save Aang's life in Ba Sing Se.

In Zhao, we see an out of control man. He fails to capture Jeong-Jeong and Aang, while destroying his boats. He has no patience and has paid the price for his arrogance and anger. It will not serve him well, later, either.

[lumos]

Season 1 Episode 17: The Northern Airtemple

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Ah, we are now approaching the end of Season 1. We also see the second Air Temple the group encounters on their journey. This one is distinct among the Air Temples in that it is currently housing a community. They have taken a bit of license with the decor, but they have a spirit that even Aang cannot deny.

I love how we are introduced to this place. The story at the camp by the traveling tale teller is an angle that both adds mystique to the place before we arrive and keeps the viewer in touch with the culture and ways of the Earth Kingdom people.

The mechanist was a type that we have not seen in the story to date. He's a craftsman and a visionary. He and Sokka basically helped create manageable flight for people. They invented a method of detecting Natural Gas leaks. Brilliant is almost an insult to this guy.

Yet, like all the people in the series, his story is not simple. He is a refugee, and has been under the threat of the Fire Nation for years lest he surrender his skills to the use of the Fire Nation Army. It is a good threat, really. He wants peace and protection for his son and their friends in a world at war. They can take that away with little effort.

This is yet another adaptation to the way of the world. We've seen isolationists, fighters, those who have surrendered to fate, etc. Here, he is caving to threats to protect those he loves. It is certainly understandable. Yet, Aang will not settle for leaving things the way they are. He is the Avatar, the instrument of change and renewal.

It is not surprising, though, to see how readily this man was able to convert his energies into a great defensive strategy. They win, in the end, but the balloon is lost, giving the Fire Nation an advantage they will use heavily later on. It helps the good guys, too.

The primary thing learned here, by all, is the power of innovation and the will to do right. With a will and a creative idea, great obstacles can be overcome.

[lumos]

Season 1 Episode 18: The Waterbending Master

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Prejudice and tradition. These are the challenges Katara faced in this episode. Paku, the Waterbending master, is a rough man. He is steeped in the way things are done and in getting his way. Katara, fortunately, is just as stubborn. Aang was more of a bystander in this mess, siding with his friend in her wish for training, but unable to help for his own need to train. His mission is critical to the survival of the world.

In that way, this episode resembles the episode with the Waterbending Scroll. Katara's selfishness almost costs the team, and the world, more than they would gain. However, as we know, it is ultimately for the good. If she had not trained and mastered Waterbending, it would have delayed Aang's training, and possibly changed the timing of everything that happened afterwards. Aang was not the prodigy that Katara became. Her dedication was such that she mastered the art while Aang was goofing around.

This is a stark contrast to Aang's training with Earth and Fire. Earth was so difficult that he had to take it much more seriously, and thus, gained ground faster. Fire had its own block, but that is another matter. Aang, here, though, was feeling the initial frustrations of learning the more difficult aspects of the art, with a master, I might add, that did not gel with his style of training. Katara was much more understanding and capable of training him. Paku was like Toph, tough and unforgiving in mistakes. He used taunts and sarcasm more in his form of inspiration.

Katara's stand against Paku, and brave battle, were impressive. This was a fully trained master, and she did well against him, unleashing Waterbending we had never seen and rising from powerful strikes. He was much more skilled, and ended it when he wanted to, but even he was impressed with her level.

The key, of course, to his change of heart was the necklace. As Katara learned, it was the betrothal necklace he gave to her grandmother. This necklace was a symbol of tradition and the bond of a couple. To the grandmother, when she left, it was like a prison. She saw the stiff manner in which Paku clung to the traditions of the tribe and envisioned a life that was not free for her. Thus, she left.

To Paku, in that moment of discovery, faced with the painful reminder of whom he had let slip away in his own stubbornness, he had to face what he was and what he had wanted to be. It was a breakthrough moment that no words could have brought about. Sometimes objects, smells, sensations can draw out more powerful memories and reactions than any word or thought.

He saw it and felt his heart crack again, as it had when she left him, so many years ago. Then, he saw the connection, he saw the stubborn, willfulness of Katara and knew he was repeating history. He then knew he could change the way he approached the world for the better. She was skilled and so much like her grandmother. It was as though, in training her, he was trying to make it up to the woman that he lost, tradition or no tradition. That is why he changed his mind.

Sokka's side story was the beginning of a tragic romance. It began in the way of such romances, tentative and uncertain. Sokka was smitten and Yue was confused. She had just been betrothed, but did so only for her tribe. The tribe, the community, is so much more powerful for the Water Tribe than for any other group we see. It is a repeated theme, especially exemplified between Sokka and Katara as they cross the world in this journey. Even though they do not always agree with each other, they stick up for the other, always.

Yue's world was torn by the divide between her affection for Sokka and her sense of utmost duty. The swings in this, and the following episode, follow the track of her attempts to make sense of her destiny, her purpose. She loved Sokka, but her tribe more, in the end. He understood, but was saddened by it.

By the end of this episode; however, they had only crossed the threshold of their relationship. They both knew the heart of the other, but it had not progressed. This was beautiful storytelling, and made her eventual death more meaningful to Sokka and the viewer.

This episode was full of complexity. It had 2 subplots. The second was Zhao's plan to attack the Water Tribe. He has the pirates attempt to kill Zuko, because he realizes Zuko is the Blue Spirit. He also knows this is the best way to get Iroh to join him. Iroh's purpose is to watch over Zuko, without Zuko, there would be nothing between him and his duty.

Zhao may have laughed at Iroh's failure at Ba Sing Se, but he respects his mind for strategy and other military matters. As we know, he thinks he has succeeded, but Zuko fortunately has impressive reaction time and a keen ability to sense danger. He is burned, another set of scarring, but survives. Zuko's determination to succeed and beat Zhao to the prize - the Avatar - is reaching a manic state. Zhao's attack on Zuko was a direct affront, and he will never forgive for that.

It is interesting that Zhao took this step. He could easily have had Fire Nation soldiers arrest him under suspicion of being the Blue Spirit. Indeed, he had the mask somewhere on the ship. That would have removed Zuko from the picture more simply. However, Zhao is an impatient and vengeful man. No doubt he still resented Zuko defeating him in Agni Kai and escaping him at other times.

[lumos]

Season 1 Episode 19: The Siege of the North, Part 1

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Now we come down to it, the first season finale. Everyone has been training and preparing for this confrontation, but it turns out so different from the best laid plans of every single person.

As this episode is complicated, I'll focus on a couple people's journey at a time. The first is around the most important relationship for this finale: Sokka and Yue. Sokka is in a pretty happy place to begin with. He and Yue are getting along well and seem to be doing more "activities." Sokka shows off Appa and flight. Of course, this leads to one of the truly beautiful and horrifying images of the series.

The smoke-coated snow falling innocently upon them and the whole Northern water tribe is the harbinger of destruction and death. It precedes the fleet by such a wide margin that the fleet is not visible on the flat horizon. When it does appear, it is staggering, but I digress. After the appearance and the realization of the battle to come, Yue is reminded of her duty to tribe and decides to end her friendship with Sokka in favor of it.

He, devastated, volunteers for a suicide mission. It should be noted that this was not a gesture to impress. He could see her seriousness, and knew her mind was made up. This act was born of sudden despair. Later, I'm sure he would feel a bit remorse over the stubborn suddenness of it, but felt he could be useful. Indeed, the Tribe's information sources were sparse, and the mission was pretty weak, to say the least.

Finding out his leader was Yue's intended, they inevitably get in a scuffle. Sokka sees the negative qualities and cannot help mentally comparing to his positive. It is uncertain how much the community leader heard of their conversation before the scuffle, or, perhaps, he had seen Sokka's friendly attention to Yue before. In any case, he asks Sokka to guard her.

Aang's story is a bit more unusual (he is the Avatar). He takes the fleet head-on. As he tells us, he takes out about a dozen ships before dark. We see one of them. I'm just impressed he could do that well. After a while, you'd think everyone would start firebending in his direction to prevent him from flying towards them. Would have been nice if he took out Zhao's ship, but then that would have been bad for Iroh and Zuko.

Yue and Katara go with him to the most sacred place, which has grass, of all things, growing in it. We see Twi and La momentarily as he uses their dance to experience the push and pull of the universe. He travels through the Spirit World blindly. He has no idea how to find the two spirits, much less what they could do for him and the water tribe. His past self, Roku, helps out and we meet a most curious figure, Koh.

It is a mystery what the purpose of such a spirit could be. It takes faces. It reminds me of trickster gods of ancient lore, whose purpose seemed to be trouble. Yet, this one has a dark attitude and a malicious need for more faces. He does it out of whim and want, not to bring about a specific event.

I love reversals. Aang must face one as he learns that the coy fish were the spirits and that they need his help, rather than the other way around. It is in the nature of Spirit World mystery that these things must come to pass.

Zuko's journey is shorter in narrative, but among the more dangerous. Having stowed aboard a fire nation ship. He would be arrested if caught. Sneaking off, he boats and swims through icy waters after the cold air exposure. He melts his way into the city, nearly dying in the process. This is a perfect example of how obsessed he has become with Aang. He is nearly killing himself to sneak into an enemy city that is armed for a war. If either side finds him, he is lost.

Iroh does pose a good question. There's almost nothing Zuko could have done with Aang afterwards. He himself could hide on a Fire Nation ship, but with Aang? In the north he would freeze and die. This shows the blindness to anything but capturing the prize. It has become an obsession. This failure helps begin the road to change for him...but not just yet.

The fight with Katara is telling. Both are much stronger than ever before. She is dominant when the moon is up. When the sun rises, he has the upper hand. It is a beautiful example of the elemental tendencies of the two celestial orbs.

He grabs Aang and runs off into the cold of the further north. What he says to Aang is telling (not sure if it is at the end of this or the beginning of the next one, particularly). He talks about himself and his sister. The gist of it is that he fights for everything. His determination is the only thing to keep him going.

That's basically part 1. Everyone is caught up in their own adventures. It will all come crashing back together in the finale part 2.

[lumos]

Season 1 Episode 20: Siege of the North, Part 2

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The end of season 1! This season brought to an end an era for the world. Before this, the Avatar's return was rumored and heard about. After this, it was known as a fact. Everyone was aware of the great power he unleashed. First, however, it is critical to understand what happened to the spirit of the moon, and why that is so critical.

Zhao's slaying of the moon spirit was probably the most dangerous move made by anyone in the series. I would say it certainly surpasses the Firelord's attempt to burn the lands of the Earth Kingdom in Season 3. The power the moon exerts on the Earth is incredible. The tides would disappear. Can you imagine a tranquil ocean? It may sound positive, but many ecosystems would be ruined. The oceans affect the temperatures worldwide. Changes in the motions there could impact the climate of every surface of the world.

Also, we must consider the impact on the spirits. If any decided to take revenge (as the Ocean Spirit seemed eager to do immediately thereafter) the power they could unleash would be unimaginable.

Iroh seemed to realize this (and maybe more) when he defended the Spirit. Zhao, as ever, is so short-sighted, he kills the Spirit out of hope for immediate victory. He seems successful at first. When Iroh attacks, we have a series of events that completely unwind the victorious moment for the Fire Nation. Aang, furious at the Death of the Spirit and his own failure to stop it from happening, joins forces with the Ocean Spirit to unleash arguably the most devastating attack of the series. He was tossing the ships like the toys they were represented by in the Ember Island Players play.

In steps Yue. As they had traveled back from saving Aang from Zuko (and the elements), she had told her story. It sounded like a fairy tale. In a way, it is. She was given life by a spirit, and she gave it back. In fairy tales, it is hard to find anything that is free. There is always some payment, something that must be lost to gain.

It's a sad moment, and one that will affect Sokka deeply. He has to say goodbye to the girl he has become so attached to. She does this, not only for the tribe, but the whole world. That, at least, Sokka can certainly respect. After all, he and Katara left their tribe at the beginning of the season. It's actually an appropriate ending to the first season. You see the sacrifices people have and may continue to make to save their friends and families.

All the more reason for Aang and company to do what they can to get him prepared to defeat the Fire Lord. I love the line Yue's father says, when asked if he was proud. "Proud...and sad." That is the way of the world. So many sacrifices, so much pain. The world is in pain, and only Aang can help bring it back to peace and healing.

[lumos]

Season 2 Episode 1: The Avatar State

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This was quite a way to begin the second season. For both sides of the fence, a lot happens. I'd like to take a moment at the beginning to make a statement of opinion. It is my contention that this episode is a major turning point in the story beyond the obvious repercussions of the victory for Aang et al in the North. The thing that changed the most is the storytelling itself.

After this point, I would contend that the story has 2 primary protagonists, Aang and Zuko. Zuko hasn't fully cottoned on to this shift yet, at the end of this episode he's on his way. Both are on a journey of growth and are hounded by an identical antagonist, Azula. It may not always feel like it on Zuko's side, but he is running all of Season 2. He does chase Aang at times, but that is more of a desperate gesture when he cannot feel his path.

I'll discuss all of this more in the chapters to come, but everything to come is based on this changed premise. Aang's primary foe is no longer Zuko. This, too, helps make a difference in the end. If Zuko had hounded Aang as ruthlessly as in Season 1, I do not imagine he ever would have been allowed into their group. As we saw, Toph had little to no exposure with Zuko as the villain. That certainly made a difference.

Back to this episode, however. This episode touched on a couple fundamental items to the series. One is the use of power. The other, to me, is the purpose of discipline. Power, such as Aang's Avatar State, is seen as a great asset, and can be wielded to great results. However, as all power, it is a dangerous thing. It is as dangerous to Aang and the Avatar line as it is to his foes. As Roku tells him, to die in the state will sever the Avatar line and end all hope of a new peacekeeper.

This revelation shocks Aang, but not as much as what he sees in the damage he has caused. In a sense it is touching to see the amount of anger he had when the General threatened such harm to Katara. In another sense, it is terrifying. He is young, of course. Controlling anger and not lashing out from it are difficult accomplishments even for older and wiser men. He, though, is granted with great strength. He has the responsibility to guard that power and to work to protect those who cannot protect themselves, from himself most of all.

This is where discipline is most important. Here Katara was the voice of reason. She knew there was a right way, a way to teach Aang the skills he would need to effectively govern his powers. With proper training and control, he could do amazing things and endanger others much less. There is always a present promise of quick power in the world. How you respond to that says a lot. Aang, of course, was thinking of others. That is his saving grace in deciding to use his power. That and his eventual decision to follow Katara's advice (before anyone was hurt, mind you).

The general is an understandable character, too. He is desperate. Like all men in power in dark times, he wants to be seen accomplishing something. It reminds me a great deal of Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour in Harry Potter, asking Harry to show support for the Ministry's activities, to boost morale. This is taking it a step further, of course. The general knows that defeating the Fire Lord can save the world. He wants to do whatever he can to expedite that.

Our second protagonist has just been washed ashore with his uncle after weeks at sea. This is classic hero journey material. He's on a foreign shore, feeling his failure doubly so because it is the day of his banishment come around for the third time again. They say three strikes and you're out. Maybe he had hoped desperately for reprieve in that third year, especially after discovering Aang's existence. This moment sounded the doom bell for his dream, his hope.

How easy is it to imagine his fervent wish that Azula spoke the truth, then? His father wanted him. It was the thing he had hoped to achieve for 3 years, and now, even after his failures, his father wanted to forgive and return things to the way they should be, the way he remembered them.

She was lying, of course, and Iroh saw something not right in it. He has wisdom that Zuko does not fully appreciate, yet. He won't until Ba Sing Se, really. When they flee, they make a powerful gesture in cutting off their ponytails. I do not recall what they are called off the top of my head, but they are a sign of honor in connection with their class and country. In severing it, they demonstrate the severance they have made with the Fire Nation. For Zuko, it is like the last stone falling. He is lost, for now.

[lumos]

Season 2 Episode 2: The Cave of Two Lovers

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This was really a big character development episode. Aside from the obvious Aang and Katara moments, the separation of the trio is more of a metaphorical division in attitudes. Aang and Katara were much more go-with-the-flow than Sokka was, unsurprisingly.

Sokka did not get along exceptionally well with the hippy-type nomads they stumbled upon. He is very down-to-business serious, and they are anything but. However, he had to overcome this difference, and find something they could work together on to escape the tunnels. Needless to say, however, his patience was sorely tried.

Still, when it came down to it, they were saved by the music that had irritated Sokka so much before. The badgermoles did not seem particularly happy to see the intruders, and the group of them did not have the strength to take on one, much less several, of the badgermoles.

On the Aang and Katara side, we really start to see the tension build between them as both like the other but are uncertain of the other's feelings. Aang's awkward blunder about the choice between kissing her and dying is standard awkward teen fodder. Still, they weren't angry with each other, in the end.

I loved the tale of the two lovers. It is certainly a story that legends emerge from. It also draws us more into the world of the Earth Kingdom and the traditions and history of Earthbending. Toph, we learn, was taught by the badgermoles, just as the two lovers were. They were not blind, but used the darkness to confound those who would keep them apart.

As the season progresses, we grow in respect for the art of Earthbending, the difficulties of it, and the power it has within the very lives of the people. This episode, moreso even than Episode 1 of the season, is an introduction into that world. Finding the source of a legend deep within the rocky caves beneath the land is incredibly appropriate for the beginning of a journey to find an Earthbending Master.

[lumos]

Season 2 Episode 3: Return to Omashu
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Been a while since I reviewed one..so....

This was a rather interesting episode. Again, we have a two sided story, but, this time, Zuko does not measure up in it. The primary stories in this episode are Aang's and Azula's. Aang is looking for his friend, Bumi, and Azula is recruiting her friends for the hunt.

Here is where we see the first true bit about Azula's psychology, so I will highlight what we learn here. Her weakness and strength is in the people around her. She needs them, certainly, but does not want them to feel that. She wants them to feel it is an honor to do whatever she wants.

Of course, since these two are her friends, it is not so difficult. Ty Lee - usually the most easy going later - is actually the more difficult to recruit. She was happy where she was. Azula exhibits her hold over Ty Lee and people of that more passive type, fear. She presents Ty Lee with dangers as the alternative to doing what she demands. It is a subtle thing, really, but very clear.

With Mei, we see a different angle, entirely. Mei was more than ready to go with Azula at the get-go. She gets bored easily, and Azula had no problem getting her interest on something less mundane. Still, - and this is critical - Azula tested her. She suggested that Mei give up on saving her brother, her baby brother, for retaining their captive. Mei doesn't have a strong connection with her family, but it was still a pretty strong sign - at least to Azula - for her to sacrifice her brother's safety to do what Azula asked.

Aang spend the episode looking for his friend, Bumi. He expected Bumi to be his Earthbending Teacher, but that did not work out the way he wanted. When Aang did find him and had a moment to speak, Bumi refused to go with him. This was all because of the idea of jin.

Jin, as Aang defines it, is a set of choices in how to direct your energy. Even before they speak, Aang shows a strong understanding of jin. He tells the people of Omashu that an alternative to fighting is retreat. He's not thinking in as many ways as Bumi, but he is an airbender at heart. Airbenders find ways around trouble, like the wind whipping around an obstruction.

Bumi's actions are almost a teaching point to Aang, and his people, about choices. He thinks like an Earthbender. He doesn't back down, but he doesn't press against the immovable objects. He waits for the right time, then moves. So, he advises Aang to find a master who thinks like that, too. As for him, he is already determined to stay where he is and wait for his moment.

Another critical element of this episode is the intersection of our heroes and new villains. We see the strengths, formidable as they are, of the enemies, and the enemies learn about our characters. Aang only escapes when he does because of an unprecedented strong move by Bumi. Before this, we were largely under the assumption that their feet had to be on the ground to earthbend. Apparently, if you can see the ground, you can bend it. Go figure.

The chutes battle was impressive. Both sides used some impressive attacks and attempts at maneuver. Azula is shown as clearly superior to Zuko in battle here. We saw that first when they fought in the first episode of the season, but her attacks on Aang were much more powerful and effective than his. She has more confidence, generally. Zuko would catch up later, but at this point, Azula is a greater threat.

I love the end. Aang, despite his war on the Fire Nation, is a good person. He returns the baby, safe and sound. They evacuated thousands of people and returned a child without any casualties. That is fairly miraculous, believe me. It is the sort of thing, like Bumi's retaking of Omashu, that will go down in legends.

[lumos]

Season 2 Episode 4: The Swamp
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This was an odd episode, even for Avatar. Granted, the one following is rather weird, too, but I'll get to that another day.

Having freshly left Omashu, and Aang's previously clear choice for an Earthbending Master, the Gaang is a bit directionless. This episode depicts that quite well. They are caught in the quagmire of the swamp, forced to find out where they are and should be going.

The spiritual connectedness aspect is later echoed by the Guru. Here, you can see and experience the interconnections quite literally. The massive tree is the entire swamp. All of the other plants are buds from that main tree. It makes complete sense, to me, that water benders live within. Not only is there a strong source of water to be used, but the swamp reflects their communal way of life.

The connections with the visions are a more unique spirituality. The swamp finds something important to each of them and brings it forward. For Sokka, the loss of Yue is still very much unresolved. He has a lot of pain and self-doubt to face (wait for The Serpent's Pass). Katara has a long-standing grief for her mother, one that will never truly settle to her liking. It is just a harsh reminder to her then. Aang, of course, sees Toph, his future teacher.

For each, the moment is significant. Sokka hears Yue telling him he didn't save her. That is more an effect of his own psyche and a sign of what he has yet to do to grow and recover. Katara thinks she sees her mother, but no one is really there. This is a reflection on what has happened within her many times, that realization that her mother is gone and cannot return.

Aang's is more forward looking, and reflects what he is currently doing, searching. He chases after this figure, hoping to find out who she is and why she is there. This is very similar to the search for a master, he doesn't know what to expect or whereat, but he must keep following.

The other bits of the episode are not as critical. Appa and Momo's adventure is not significant in meaning. The waterbenders are an interesting find, but not helpful to the team in this season.