ATLA - 305 - The Beach

[retro_eidas]

This ep was a comedic motife throughout, but I am wondering if the comical exterior was hiding some darker themes and foreshadowing underneath. You could say it's synonymous with those flashbacks of the happier, childhood summers that are now long gone. That one's true nature cannot be hidden, no matter how normal things may seem on the surface or try to be. I'm pretty sure Iroh had a line once on the lines of, "The family is not what it seems." No, no it isn't.

This ep was a little bizarre to watch. However, I take it this ep was something of a calm before the storm. We see these people bonding to see how well these bonds hold up against the pressure of the fast approaching Day of Black Sun. As we have every ep so far in S3, we get another moment to see the human face of the aggressors, but now through some of it's key players. These characters are still, despite everything, teenagers and have teenagers' problems but ... all of this in the backdrop of Zuko's assassin viciously attacking the Avatar and friends? Giving us more insight on why these characters are the way they are, making them all a little more human, but also we're definitely not to forget the other side of what they all are... the aggressors.

I don't necessarily feel anymore sympathy for Azula than I did before. She's still "crazy and needs to go down", as Iroh so succinctly put. There was something of a tragic spin, however, as it's always a bit sad to see the origins of someone whose gone so wrong (and is, honestly, too fargone now to be saved). The megalomaniac in Azula is so thoroughly ingrained in who and what she is, she can't get away from it. Not even on a day at the beach. That she just can't be a normal teenage girl, because it's just not in her to be so.

However, they all at least got a little more development. Especially Mai (who rather needed it paired off with such a major character like Zuko). I'm still kind of irritated there was virtually no development towards the place the Mai/Zuko pairing is when we first saw it and up to now, but I can deal with it a little better than before.

I'm also glad we're all but assured a Combustion Man vs the gAang rematch. His powers are every bit as wicked cool as the trailers eluded. A gAang rematch, or maybe Zuko can get a taste of his own medicine when Azula sends that guy after his ass when he runs off after Avatar Aang (as the kid obviously has a problem with the whole discretion thing) reveals himself to be alive? Oh, you totally know this is going to happen. Karma is a bitch, ain't it Zuzu?

And as is required in all of my ATLA posts.... Toph is still majorly bad ass. She's the only one that managed to hold her ground while all the rest of them got blown away like tumbleweeds.

I am a bit of an idiot, however, as I didn't stick around and watch the trailer for next week. I stupidly flipped the channel beforehand. UGH! Anyone care to give me a recap?

Comments

[dragon-faere.livejournal.com]

I've heard rumours that there was no preview. Then again, I watch on a different network.

Re: the episode. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely watch it again. Although the current setting is a teenage party, the backdrop is the personal memories of Azula, Ty Lee, Mai, and Zuko. They try to act normal and are able to pull it off, but in the end, their lethal destructive behaviour is what we see. (wow, what a way to trash the party)

Despite the volleyball scene as a means of fanservice, I thought it displayed their fighting skills wonderfully.

♥ Lo and Li.

[eido.livejournal.com]

I've heard rumours that there was no preview. Then again, I watch on a different network.

I just meandered around DH a bit and saw someone else mention there wasn't a preview (bastards!), although there's still that YTV clip on YouTube somewhere. I suppose that will have to tide us over.

They try to act normal and are able to pull it off, but in the end, their lethal destructive behaviour is what we see. (wow, what a way to trash the party)

And it was a house of a peer (house of a Fire Nation admiral). If I was going to read more into that then there was (and I am!), I'd say that's symbolic of this team - representing the current ruling body of Fire Nation (in this case, led by Azula) - having no qualms in subjugating (and alienating) it's own, all the way to the top. Although this is a powerful team, it's also a self-destructive one (sidenote, they reminded me a bit of BTVS and the Darla/Angelus/Drusilla/Spike gang. The parallel and antithesis of the gAang). Maybe foreshadowing of Fire Lord Azula's reign of terror? That although Azula would be a strong and ruthless leader, this ruthlessness going too far even amongst her own and eventually being her undoing?

I'd also wonder if there is a certain, really messed up aspect of the Azula/Mai relationship where they both represent aspects of each other's mothers. Azula is like Mai's controlling mother that at once repels and compels Mai (mommy makes me miserable, but I must listen to mommy and mustn't disobey her or fear punishment). While Mai is like Ursa with Mai's closeness to Zuko (and possibly favoring him in the end over Mai)? That would drive Azula absolutely crazy, it's yet another person Azula believes should love her unconditionally (or at all. Then again Azula's ideas of 'love' are likely very fubar ones. Accolades/subjugation of the masses = substitute for mommy not loving her) and here's yet another person choosing weak Zuko over her... to the point I'm starting to wonder if we should be fearing Mai's safety. Is she going to be another Jet? Azula - I do think - is genuinely crazy or definitely could be Caligula-style. If anyone so close to her dared betray her? It's going to be off with their heads.

[mshepnj.livejournal.com]

There was no trailer for next week.

The episode was hilarious in parts but left me unsettled. I'm disturbed by Zuko's regression. I think it's interesting that despite the group therapy session around the campfire, the nightcap for the evening was arson and vandalism. This is not out of character for Azula and her minions, but Zuko?
He's confused... he's angry... he doesn't know right from wrong... Yay vandalism and arson! Am I to believe that all last season's character development is for naught?

I think the weird snapshot at the end with the eerily distorted images of the Gang of Four shows them looking twisted. I'd guess that's intentional to remind all of us that they may be human, but they are still the villains with a very twisted idea of right and wrong. It just bothers me to see Iroh's beloved nephew - who has good inside him - be so diminished from what he was at the end of last season. I can understand a person taking one step forward, two steps back (as Zuko did), but he's awfully far gone at this point.

Did burning the family portrait mean Zuko's resolved to forget his past and more forward? If so, his first actions don't bode well.

[eido.livejournal.com]

Although I don't think I'm quite as disturbed by Zuko's actions, they are pretty unfortunate. However, for now, I'm willing to chalk it all up to Zuko's temptation in the wilderness combined with Teenage Angst and the typical overabundance of Zuko emo/inner-turmoil. The vandal!Zuko is the sort of person he is when paired up with these people, they manifest all of his negative traits and make them the pre-dominant (but, despite this, he's still not at peace despite that happy portrait of the kids at the end). I'm also suspecting whatever pleasantries (or illusions of it) Zuko is currently experiencing just hit their peak with "The Beach" and that happy portrait. I'm thinking it's all downhill for him from here and to the eventual and painful, "Oh sweet JESUS, what have I DONE?!" moment of jarring revelation. Busts his uncle out of the pokey and they head out of Dodge prior Day of Black Sun.

And I'm still calling Mai as a goner before all is said and done. The shock to the system Zuko (and probably Ty Lee) need to realize just how bad news Azula/her agenda is and get the hell away from her. As their force of destruction turned on their own fellow Fire Nation elite in "The Beach" (the vandalism of the Admiral's house), that same force is going to end up destroying their little Fire Brat Breakfast Club from within (just like the treachery and power-lust destroyed the royal family, symbolised in Zuko burning the family portrait). ...And I am thinking there's going to be at least one death amongst them to cement that theme and Mai looks like the most likely candidate to me.

Here I go on a crackspec roll, but I'd also bet Mai's death would tie into what I've been seeing as a budding trend early on in S3... Fire Nation (the elites loyal to Ozai/Azula, for the most part) vs the Fire Nation colonies (considered the more common of the FN, it seems, and seemingly denigrated somewhat by and possibly disenfranchised from the elites/the Motherland). Mai's father was put in charge of Omashu, if her parents find out she was murdered by Princess Azula? That would probably be a very understandable motivator in them turning against their government and using their military force to side with the rebel alliance (probably behind Zuko/Iroh, when they eventually join up with the gAang).

[mshepnj.livejournal.com]

The vandal!Zuko is the sort of person he is when paired up with these people, they manifest all of his negative traits and make them the pre-dominant (but, despite this, he's still not at peace despite that happy portrait of the kids at the end). I'm also suspecting whatever pleasantries (or illusions of it) Zuko is currently experiencing just hit their peak with "The Beach" and that happy portrait. I'm thinking it's all downhill for him from here and to the eventual and painful, "Oh sweet JESUS, what have I DONE?!" moment of jarring revelation. Busts his uncle out of the pokey and they head out of Dodge prior Day of Black Sun.

I hope for that "Oh sweet JESUS, what have I DONE" moment. Soon. I feel like Zuko has sunk pretty low at this point and really hope it's rock bottom now so he can start to pick himself up and start the upward climb -with newly-buff Uncle Iroh by his side.

I think Mai's a goner too (not in the "dead" sense, just in the "ex" sense) because his relationship with her is symptomatic of Zuko's current descent into madness.

Toph pwns.

[eido.livejournal.com]

I hope for that "Oh sweet JESUS, what have I DONE" moment. Soon. I feel like Zuko has sunk pretty low at this point and really hope it's rock bottom now

I get a distinct feeling the longer Zuko stays in the palace and acts how he's been acting, the more painful the epiphany is going to be for him. Hubris and all that.