ATLA - 307 - The Runaway

[retro_eidas]

How arrogant is Ozai? Really? That 100 ft. firebending bronze statue of him in the middle of the town? Damn. I assume it's to make his own special mark not unlike how ancient Egyptian pharoahs made grander temples/statues then there predecessors, but... oh the vanity of it (particularly when there are other FN villages neglected and starving as we see in "The Painted Lady").

Toph's pebble knocking down Combustion Man = David & Goliath. Are they even trying to hide the religious metaphors anymore? Looks like they found his weak spot.

Of course, now things just got a little more personal for Combustion Man. He doesn't strike me as the sort that loses much, much less to children. He's going to be really pissed if Zuko, say, doesn't pay him / skedattles from the Fire Nation capitol before CM shows up to collect any payment.

As for Mommy!Katara's scolding of Toph? Was she or was she not the same that stole the waterbending scroll from those pirates (which didn't only have pirates after them, but eventually Zuko and his bunch as well), justifying the theft because they're pirates? Can't say I had too much sympathy for the clam shell dealers since they were willing to cheat a blind kid to begin with, but then Toph wouldn't stop the scamming essentially proving Katara in the right. However, still calling a bit o' hypocrisy there Katara, dear.

Comments

[dragon-faere.livejournal.com]

Meh, I've shrugged off Katara's hypocrisy and accepted it as part of her character. A dangerous flaw, to be sure, but it's Katara and we know that even in this fandom, nobody is perfect. *coughAzulacough*

It's a shame Toph didn't see Combustion Man take his fall, or did she? Because that would make things much easier for them.

Ozai is sooo slated to go underground. Judging from the great economic gap between the rich and the poor, the education of the youth, the propaganda, everything - the FN is in need of restructuring.

[eido.livejournal.com]

It's a shame Toph didn't see Combustion Man take his fall, or did she? Because that would make things much easier for them.

I don't think she noticed, but I think they set it up that way so we get all frustrated the next time they're getting their asses handed to them and we're yelling "Get him in the forehead!!"

Ozai is sooo slated to go underground. Judging from the great economic gap between the rich and the poor, the education of the youth, the propaganda, everything - the FN is in need of restructuring.

And his lovely little girl all slated to take over after him no doubt. The reason why I think Azula is going to be Fire Lord, however temporarily, is to bring things to maximum entropy. Get the FN so bad that there will be more dissenters amongst the FN (probably the colonies) willing to join the Avatar's side.

[mshepnj.livejournal.com]

Heh, I saw that statute and wondered if the people of that village go out of their way to avoid it. I would. It was just creepy. It's not just that it demonstrates Ozai's meglomania and cult of personality, but that it's so menacing; just exactly the sort of thing you'd want to decorate the middle of your plaza. Yeah. Yeesh.

The other thing I noticed was the people of the village managed to be out of sight when Sparky was exploding things to try to kill Aang. So, if Sparky knows Katara is part of the Avatar's party, does that mean the police know who she is too? And how did they know to put the world's only known metalbender in a wooden cage? Is it discontinuity, a convenient plot device or is the knowledge of the Avatar (and his friends) more broad than we knew?

I see your point about David v. Goliath. But apart from an excuse for some manufactured threat to the Gaang, I think Sparky is the most annoying, one-dimensional waste of screen time. Apart from being one more thing that Zuko will have to atone for, Sparky does nothing to advance the A story. Maybe they have some surprise in mind for him, or maybe Sparky will have more impact on the B story, but right now I feel like he's there to give fight scenes while other (more important but less action-packed) plot stuff is being unfolded.

As for Mommy!Katara's scolding of Toph? Was she or was she not the same that stole the waterbending scroll from those pirates (which didn't only have pirates after them, but eventually Zuko and his bunch as well), justifying the theft because they're pirates? Can't say I had too much sympathy for the clam shell dealers since they were willing to cheat a blind kid to begin with, but then Toph wouldn't stop the scamming essentially proving Katara in the right. However, still calling a bit o' hypocrisy there Katara, dear.

Of course, that first thing I thought of too, Katara's hypocricy. What it comes down to is that Katara will justify theft/vandalism as long as she's the one in control of it. I'm glad Toph called her on it (and the fact that she plays Mommy). However, it's also fair to note that the racket Sokka and Toph pulled on those guys driving along in their carriages was different than scamming three card monty scammers. Those men were just minding their own business driving along before Sokka and Toph set up their own extortion racket.

All that being said, I enjoyed this episode for what it was.

[eido.livejournal.com]

It's not just that it demonstrates Ozai's meglomania and cult of personality, but that it's so menacing

I wonder how close that village is to the border? Would that be one of the first things a foreign traveller (not that I imagine FN gets too many) sees when wandering into the Fire Nation? Imposing (yet tacky), undoubtedly.

And how did they know to put the world's only known metalbender in a wooden cage?

They at least seemed to know she was an earthbender to put her in that cage and I don't think they were given any clear indication due to anything Toph did she was an earthbender (was there anything on that Wanted poster? I can't remember). However, if they didn't know about the gAang before, methinks Sparky told them (to utilize the local police force to help him nab the gAang).... so the word is getting out (and as I suspected previously, it's going to be Sparky and now these methods trying to corner Aang that - inadvertantly - blows Zuko's comfy place in the palace which he only seems to have c/o one dead Avatar).

I think Sparky is the most annoying, one-dimensional waste of screen time.

I'm thinking his whole purpose was pretty much inject some action into the filler prior the Day of Black Sun. Also maybe give Zuko some karmic bitchslapping, which he really does have coming to him. The fruition of his dishonor coming to bite him in the ass by way of getting a mighty singing via CM.

However, I'm still wondering if Combustion Man is being used as a device to symbolise the nature of the omnipresent parallel and relationship between Aang and Zuko. At least that gives him a use apart from explody nemesis biding time prior the midseason arc. CM is a force that directly connects Aang and Zuko, allbeit in a negative way, but a connection nonetheless. If Combustion Man is being used as a device as part of their connection, I'd take it may have something to do with the meaning behind his Third Eye (Brow Chakra). (http://www.tantra-kundalini.com/ajna.htm) "The two physical eyes see the past and the present, while the third eye reveals the insight of the future." Pretty much is S3 in a nutshell, no? The shaping of the future (incidentally, with a direct tie to the past with their connections to Sozin and Roku), Aang and Zuko as the focal points. The Brow Chakra (http://www.spirit-alembic.com/brow.html) apparently also has to do with psychic disturbance and chaotic dreams (a la Zuko in "The Earth King" and Aang in 309).

Although if CM's major contribution to the plot is a means to connect Aang and Zuko while they're separated at the moment (Zuko secuestered in the palace macking on Mai and Aang meandering around FN macking on Katara)? CM will probably be liquidated when they meet again / team-up. I'm betting just after the DoBS arc.

However, it's also fair to note that the racket Sokka and Toph pulled on those guys driving along in their carriages was different than scamming three card monty scammers.

When they escalated the scamming to conning regular folks, that pretty much proved Katara in the right, but yeah, it almost seemed the writers included that escalation in order to make Katara not quite so hypocritical. I'd think they get in the least we don't have short memory spans and we recall her stealing that waterbending scroll, so they tried to compensate. Not sure how well it worked (as Katara's self-righteousness was still bugging me by the end), but didn't really take away from my enjoyment of the ep overall. Still kind of wish they'd get down to business in the plot already though.