ATLA - 302 - The Headband
Sep. 26th, 2007 08:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
retro_eidasI liked it a lot.
And... wow... I really do think Zuko is crazy or at least very very close to a serious meltdown. I'm not even kidding. He scared me a little during those visits with Iroh and I think uncle even picked up on it some (partly his upset is the nephew acting like a total dick, but I don't think Iroh has lost all faith in Zuko and I think he's going to love him no matter what ... and watching Zuko pretty obviously so torn and just... cracked. That's got to hurt and Iroh is helpless to do anything as Zuko hasn't and won't listen to him. Probably not until that TOTALLY painful epiphany comes which likely will come and very likely would be VERY painful, otherwise the boy just. won't. get. it.). Total hot/cold behavioral turnarounds there. "I feel like I'm losing my mind" Uhm, YEAH.
If we are to believe Zuko better than the way he's currently conducting himself (and will be redeemed at some point)? S1 and S2 would say as much (the reasons for his banishment, his love for / closeness to his uncle and mother, Zuko Alone, his contemplative look after Aang offered friendship in "Blue Spirit" etc). That bounty hunter / assassin he hired? That is most definitely going to come back and bite him. Karma and all that (and poor ole emokid Zuko in a show that leans heavily on Eastern Philosophy / Spiritualism. Zuko? You are effed). That is pretty dishonorable and deplorable for someone we're to believe Better Than That, so to make up for that? It's going to be something ugly.Not that Zuko wouldn't deserve it though. The total cunt.
As for life in the Fire Nation, it kind of was what I was expecting it to be. The victor gets the history, after all. Tons o' propaganda ingrained at a young age and a stifled, stringent society in making future overlord fascists of the world with no senses of humor... but they are still children and not so fargone. So turning the Brave New World on it's head, Aang - doing his natural free-spirit airbender thing - and letting loose some of those inhibitions (a lot in the case of that sweaty fight-dancing he was doing with Katara. Yowza. Then making the advances at the pretty Fire Nation girl and PWNing her bullying boyfriendHA! A 12-yr-old has a bigger penis than you meathead!! and making a group of them giggly idiots? The little monk has a bit of Lothario in him, who'd have known?). Get them acting like kids... which they never seem to in Der Materland. NOW only if it can happen with the kids actually realizing they're partying with non-Fire Nation and being kudos with that? For the future, hopefully. Aang remembers how it used to be, I've got faith in the little guy.
I was actually getting a major "V for Vendetta" vibe with the headband diversion at the end. Guy Fawkes masks = headbands. Headband as a symbol of rebellion. I like that a lot. I'd almost be tempted to throw the Blue Spirit mask akin to Aang's headband as that's Zuko's own personal symbol of clandestine rebelling, but that's only the sad Blue Spirit fangirl in me that refuses to die. Ignore me, pls.
I also love that notion of saving the world through music & dance and general merriment. Very 1960s of you, Aang. Now only if someone could find some cactus juice.
And wow, it was ridiculously shippy. The Maiko and Kataang fans are going to be quite pleased after this ep. As for my own shippy preferences, I told myself long ago I wouldn't let them take away from my enjoyment of one of the best series on tv as things this good are so tragically few and far between. Although it leaves me at a loss at what to say about it. These characters are teenagers though and it's only natural they get those squidgy feelings for each other / someone. I'm glad the creators aren't neglecting that aspect of rites of passaging and all thateven if it's not my own personal favorites, but they were likely ever going to be fanon anyway.
About the ONLY thing I am and have been hoping for is Aang and Zuko to somehow become friends. Yeah yeah, I know it's looking pretty grim these days, but there are some tiny shreds of not-grimness. "Blue Spirit" ingrained me with the accursed hope oh so long ago. Zuko as the new Kuzon (and hey! Aang used "Kuzon" as an alias in this ep). Also the whole more blatantly obvious paralleling lately between Zuko and Aang. Now it's the Fire Nation colony boy Kuzon as the odd boy out even amongst his own people.... which isn't like Zuko AT ALL, of course (goes all the way back to Aang being the Avatar thus also different and excluded amongst his own).
And... wow... I really do think Zuko is crazy or at least very very close to a serious meltdown. I'm not even kidding. He scared me a little during those visits with Iroh and I think uncle even picked up on it some (partly his upset is the nephew acting like a total dick, but I don't think Iroh has lost all faith in Zuko and I think he's going to love him no matter what ... and watching Zuko pretty obviously so torn and just... cracked. That's got to hurt and Iroh is helpless to do anything as Zuko hasn't and won't listen to him. Probably not until that TOTALLY painful epiphany comes which likely will come and very likely would be VERY painful, otherwise the boy just. won't. get. it.). Total hot/cold behavioral turnarounds there. "I feel like I'm losing my mind" Uhm, YEAH.
If we are to believe Zuko better than the way he's currently conducting himself (and will be redeemed at some point)? S1 and S2 would say as much (the reasons for his banishment, his love for / closeness to his uncle and mother, Zuko Alone, his contemplative look after Aang offered friendship in "Blue Spirit" etc). That bounty hunter / assassin he hired? That is most definitely going to come back and bite him. Karma and all that (and poor ole emokid Zuko in a show that leans heavily on Eastern Philosophy / Spiritualism. Zuko? You are effed). That is pretty dishonorable and deplorable for someone we're to believe Better Than That, so to make up for that? It's going to be something ugly.
As for life in the Fire Nation, it kind of was what I was expecting it to be. The victor gets the history, after all. Tons o' propaganda ingrained at a young age and a stifled, stringent society in making future overlord fascists of the world with no senses of humor... but they are still children and not so fargone. So turning the Brave New World on it's head, Aang - doing his natural free-spirit airbender thing - and letting loose some of those inhibitions (a lot in the case of that sweaty fight-dancing he was doing with Katara. Yowza. Then making the advances at the pretty Fire Nation girl and PWNing her bullying boyfriend
I was actually getting a major "V for Vendetta" vibe with the headband diversion at the end. Guy Fawkes masks = headbands. Headband as a symbol of rebellion. I like that a lot. I'd almost be tempted to throw the Blue Spirit mask akin to Aang's headband as that's Zuko's own personal symbol of clandestine rebelling, but that's only the sad Blue Spirit fangirl in me that refuses to die. Ignore me, pls.
I also love that notion of saving the world through music & dance and general merriment. Very 1960s of you, Aang. Now only if someone could find some cactus juice.
And wow, it was ridiculously shippy. The Maiko and Kataang fans are going to be quite pleased after this ep. As for my own shippy preferences, I told myself long ago I wouldn't let them take away from my enjoyment of one of the best series on tv as things this good are so tragically few and far between. Although it leaves me at a loss at what to say about it. These characters are teenagers though and it's only natural they get those squidgy feelings for each other / someone. I'm glad the creators aren't neglecting that aspect of rites of passaging and all that
About the ONLY thing I am and have been hoping for is Aang and Zuko to somehow become friends. Yeah yeah, I know it's looking pretty grim these days, but there are some tiny shreds of not-grimness. "Blue Spirit" ingrained me with the accursed hope oh so long ago. Zuko as the new Kuzon (and hey! Aang used "Kuzon" as an alias in this ep). Also the whole more blatantly obvious paralleling lately between Zuko and Aang. Now it's the Fire Nation colony boy Kuzon as the odd boy out even amongst his own people.... which isn't like Zuko AT ALL, of course (goes all the way back to Aang being the Avatar thus also different and excluded amongst his own).
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*shipping discussion* - even if I know it's not your preference
Date: 2007-09-29 03:25 am (UTC)As you've probably noticed, I love to ship and do so gleefully. However, I did get a rather chilly feeling during that picnic scene with Zuko and Mai. With the sunset and picnic I understood the romance in it, but their conversation rubbed me the wrong way.
Wasn't it along the lines of "I love it when you hate the world" or something along those lines. Perhaps it's just me, but I disliked their dialogue with a passion. If the creators/writers put that to show the compatibility between Zuko and Maiand how good they are together, it kinda worked. But kinda not.
Instead of seeing a dangerous knife-wielder who went with Azula to leave behind the mundane life in the city, I see a high-class girl who's happy that she got her man. As if nothing else matters, and I hate to say it, but her appearance struck me as very snobbish. Zuko, on the other hand, comes off even ruder than ever (then again, this is Zuko we are talking about and the fans know enough of him to predict his behaviour and temperment). Elitest fire nation prince rears its ugly head again.
Now, contrast that with Aang and Katara. Remember what we thought of "The Awakening" with the whole needing-each-other for the wrong-yet-desperate reasons? Kataang shippers definitely have reason to celebrate. The dance was rather daring and provocative(coming close to kissing they were) and heck, being the only pair amongst a group of teens - read like fanfic.
Gods, this went on much longer than I thought. XD
Re: *shipping discussion* - even if I know it's not your preference
Date: 2007-09-29 03:58 am (UTC)It does seem to be coming a bit out of no where. I felt that in "The Awakening" too. I heard there was some build-up in a comic in the Avatar/Nick mag for it, but... I resent the idea I have to go out and look for and purchase the (much needed) background of this story that they should be (doing a better job in) telling onscreen. Until that stuff actually makes it into one of the eps in flashback form or something, I'm not considering that canon (I don't care Aaron Ehasz wrote it). I'm not saying that in some anti-Maiko stance or anything either. If they can't be bothered to tell that story onscreen as it should involving such a major character? That's just plain lazy writing and I'd expect better from this group.
However, uhm, I really don't want to sound anti-Maiko again and I'm not intending to, but due to the rather blatant lack of onscreen development? I get a distinct impression Maiko is going to be used for something for something other than the romantic bliss it's currently being sold as in a torrential downpour.
Wasn't it along the lines of "I love it when you hate the world" or something along those lines.
Did sound a bit like something I might read in an emo goth kid's MySpace or something... however, since Mai and Zuko are pretty much emo gothkids? I guess they likely would sound like that (allbeit quite eye-rolling and nauseating. I'm betting there's a lot of My Chemical Romance and Evanescence on their mixtapes for each other).
Instead of seeing a dangerous knife-wielder who went with Azula to leave behind the mundane life in the city, I see a high-class girl who's happy that she got her man.
Although, I get a feeling Mai may actually be the one to break off the relationship when she realizes the Zuko she once knew really isn't the Zuko he is anymore. And/or he isn't heeding her advice of "Stop worrying" and dumps a barrage of ultra-emo on her that she hasn't the time or inclination to deal with, so she swans off with Azula and/or Ty Lee or something.
If I were to go all meta for a moment, I'd wonder if Mai may be the equivalent of Zuko's Meryl (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120382/) or Woman In The Red Dress (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programs_and_machines_in_the_Matrix_series#The_Woman_in_the_Red_Dress). I also got a heavy Matrix vibe with the red and blue dragons last season (reflecting the red and blue pills. The red pill as the truth/reality, the blue pill as the dream/the Matrix = red & blue dragons?). Azula plays her role in that as well, of course (the blue dragon telling Zuko to "sleep" and "just give into it"). The seductiveness of (not necessarily evil for Mai maybe, but definitely evil in Azula's case) the illusion / subconscious. What Zuko desperately wishes to be a dream realized, but "it's not at all what I thought it would be". The dream agonizingly and slowly coming apart as his conscious and subconscious duke it out in his head, with the subconscious frightfully ahead at the moment (the one symbol of reality, Iroh, refuses to speak to him. Reality is silent to Zuko, for now). Err, something like that anyway.
Kataang shippers definitely have reason to celebrate. The dance was rather daring and provocative (coming close to kissing they were)
And, Jesus, I can't stop talking about The Matrix (but in the words of Toph, Mike & Bryan "make it too easy")... rave in the cave, anyone? Celebration of rebellion via a clandestine dance party. I could go scary again with more meta about how capoeira's origins was trying to fool the Portuguese elites into thinking it was innocent native dancing, but in reality it was the locals practicing the forbidden fighting techniques right under the elites' noses, but I won't go there! Enough meta for one night!
Re: *shipping discussion* - even if I know it's not your preference
Date: 2007-09-29 04:11 am (UTC)Oh eido, you make me laugh. So hard.
Until you brought it up, I didn't think of the red/blue dragons similar to the red/blue pills. Now, to place Mai in the position of the Woman in the Red Dress give me more hope that Mai is in cahoots with Azula's plan, or at least, knows more of the plan than Zuko (who alas, has very little knowledge of his planned downfall). There's the potential of backstabbing here.
Rave in the cave?! *bursts out laughing again* It is definitely too easy. The kid was practically sweating bullets! Then throw in some 100 year old dances and lingo (honestly, I would love to know if Aang's slang was current, probably not) and forbidden fighting techniques.
After all, did get a spoon-bender.
You are too precious.
Re: *shipping discussion* - even if I know it's not your preference
Date: 2007-09-29 04:15 am (UTC)Imagine that, Toph's got herself a new hobby.
Re: *shipping discussion* - even if I know it's not your preference
Date: 2007-09-29 08:27 pm (UTC)Backstabbing of some variety, from Azula in the very least. Like I said, it's like something out of I, Claudius or Macbeth with the levels of deceit and looking out for the poisoned figs and such.
After all, did get a spoon-bender.
Heh. I'd watch that ep you know. Just 30 min of Toph in the Lotus position staring at cutlery as she is easily one of those Reading The Phonebook characters. She rules all.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 03:00 pm (UTC)I love dance = rebellion meta. The native populations of South Africa used to do this in their choral/dance performances for protest. A song called Shumayela has simple non-threatening words "Preach the Gospel" basically done over and over in vocal parts along with dance moves that were subversive- a literal call to arms. the white audiences of South Africa would listen to the performances without understanding the meaning of the dance moves. My Daughter actually sang and danced this song with her summer choir group and it was goose-bump inducing it was so powerful - the voices working together with dance steps the simulated to brief history of colonial South Africa and the subsequent fight to overcome apartheit.
Uh, but I digress.
Aang seems like an "age of Aquarius" type of guy.