ATLA - 313 - The Firebending Masters
Jan. 5th, 2008 05:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
retro_eidasFangirl Christmas most especially for Aang/Zuko fans (more like Aang and Zuko for me, I don't ship them in that way, but I certainly can understand why some folks do especially after an ep like this). I almost take this as a sequel to "The Avatar and the Fire Lord" with the name-dropping of both Roku and Sozin and Aang/Zuko pretty much being the continuation of that relationship between their predecessors.
I absolutely adored every second of Aang and Zuko's quickly burgeoning friendship. I'm also particularly curious on how soon it will be before Aang discovers that Avatar Roku was Zuko's great-grandfather. Aang is at once like this goofy, timid little brother so in need of guidance and direction, but also the reincarnation of Zuko's great-grandfather. What. a. head.trip. Really can't wait for that reveal!
Bitchy!Katara: Y HALO THAR Azula!! Granted, the distinct difference between Azula and Katara is Azula is a sociopath who gets sick pleasure in the misery and pain of others, while Katara is acting the way she is because she genuinely doesn't trust Zuko and feels personally burned by his choice and the aftermath of his choice in TCoD. However, the nasty taunting and laugh? That was pure Azula. Of course, Katara acting this way? So unlike the motherly, compassionate (allbeit also very stubborn and bossy) girl we've come to know two+ seasons? It HAS to be coming to a head re: her relationship with Zuko. Admittedly, the ingrained Zutarian in me can't help but be intrigued, but I still don't necessarily think anything romantic is in the works, but it MUST be going somewhere. Zuko is taking the treatment on the chin for now, but with that short temper of his he still can only just barely keep in check? When this antagonism between them hits critical mass? I think it's definitely going to be a sight to behold. I'm calling a "Let's take this outside" confrontation between them and a No Holds Barred sparring session to finally let out all their bad blood. Or the writers could go the cliche route get one or both or one of the gAang in trouble and have them bond over a disaster situation they must work together to get out of. One way or another, her attitude and his temper are going to clash, but wouldn't expect less from the story's chief water and fire representatives.
One thing that never fails to fascinate me about ATLA is how much and how deeply embedded the writers can include symbolism and meaning. I suppose I'm not too surprised that upon the inception of Aang and Zuko's friendship, and the progression (and imminent closing) of the storyline, the symbols would start getting more and more prevalent. This ep - despite all it's humor and levity - was BRIMMING with symbolism. Having a passing interests in things like theology, symbology and alchemy? I was seeing symbols pop up left and right. Almost more than I could name and probably more I missed. The dragons (representing so many things in so many cultures from Jung's identification of them as the Shadow, thus Aang and Zuko facing them facing down their Shadow selves, their darker halves, of which they must overcome their fear and integrate/accept as part of themselves. Kundalini which should be familiar to anyone who's studied Yoga. The circling dragons possibly reflecting the Ouroboros symbol meaning, amongst other things, eternity and unity), the concept of Secret Fire and the dancing (which Zuko angrily tells Sokka is a "sacred firebending form". Heh, it's also "sacred" in the real world, Zuzu)? That's just for starters and all of it plausible and fits into the story and characters as they currently stand. Not to mention internal continuity with past events in the storyline (the blue and red dragons clearly not only and obviously reflecting back to Zuko's dream in "The Earth King" but also more recently Sozin and Roku's pet dragons) which is also really interesting. However, I'd best quit before I ramble all night about crazy symbology. Suffice to say, if I didn't already have a mad crush on Mike, Bryan and Aaron Ehasz for their book-learnedness and spiritual knowledge (Eastern and Western) which they weave all over ATLA - crap that makes me so sadly giddy sifting through - I most definitely do now.
I absolutely adored every second of Aang and Zuko's quickly burgeoning friendship. I'm also particularly curious on how soon it will be before Aang discovers that Avatar Roku was Zuko's great-grandfather. Aang is at once like this goofy, timid little brother so in need of guidance and direction, but also the reincarnation of Zuko's great-grandfather. What. a. head.trip. Really can't wait for that reveal!
Bitchy!Katara: Y HALO THAR Azula!! Granted, the distinct difference between Azula and Katara is Azula is a sociopath who gets sick pleasure in the misery and pain of others, while Katara is acting the way she is because she genuinely doesn't trust Zuko and feels personally burned by his choice and the aftermath of his choice in TCoD. However, the nasty taunting and laugh? That was pure Azula. Of course, Katara acting this way? So unlike the motherly, compassionate (allbeit also very stubborn and bossy) girl we've come to know two+ seasons? It HAS to be coming to a head re: her relationship with Zuko. Admittedly, the ingrained Zutarian in me can't help but be intrigued, but I still don't necessarily think anything romantic is in the works, but it MUST be going somewhere. Zuko is taking the treatment on the chin for now, but with that short temper of his he still can only just barely keep in check? When this antagonism between them hits critical mass? I think it's definitely going to be a sight to behold. I'm calling a "Let's take this outside" confrontation between them and a No Holds Barred sparring session to finally let out all their bad blood. Or the writers could go the cliche route get one or both or one of the gAang in trouble and have them bond over a disaster situation they must work together to get out of. One way or another, her attitude and his temper are going to clash, but wouldn't expect less from the story's chief water and fire representatives.
One thing that never fails to fascinate me about ATLA is how much and how deeply embedded the writers can include symbolism and meaning. I suppose I'm not too surprised that upon the inception of Aang and Zuko's friendship, and the progression (and imminent closing) of the storyline, the symbols would start getting more and more prevalent. This ep - despite all it's humor and levity - was BRIMMING with symbolism. Having a passing interests in things like theology, symbology and alchemy? I was seeing symbols pop up left and right. Almost more than I could name and probably more I missed. The dragons (representing so many things in so many cultures from Jung's identification of them as the Shadow, thus Aang and Zuko facing them facing down their Shadow selves, their darker halves, of which they must overcome their fear and integrate/accept as part of themselves. Kundalini which should be familiar to anyone who's studied Yoga. The circling dragons possibly reflecting the Ouroboros symbol meaning, amongst other things, eternity and unity), the concept of Secret Fire and the dancing (which Zuko angrily tells Sokka is a "sacred firebending form". Heh, it's also "sacred" in the real world, Zuzu)? That's just for starters and all of it plausible and fits into the story and characters as they currently stand. Not to mention internal continuity with past events in the storyline (the blue and red dragons clearly not only and obviously reflecting back to Zuko's dream in "The Earth King" but also more recently Sozin and Roku's pet dragons) which is also really interesting. However, I'd best quit before I ramble all night about crazy symbology. Suffice to say, if I didn't already have a mad crush on Mike, Bryan and Aaron Ehasz for their book-learnedness and spiritual knowledge (Eastern and Western) which they weave all over ATLA - crap that makes me so sadly giddy sifting through - I most definitely do now.
