Avatar: the Last Airbender, why I watch it, and why you should too
So… Avatar.
I’d like to devote a post to telling you all about it, and why it’s so brilliant. And naturally, the first question that springs to mind is: What Show Am I Watching?
I’m watching… Toph and the Danger Girls
Toph is the world’s best “earthbender”; a tough, no-nonsense fighter; into nose-picking, mud-wallowing, gross-out humour; snarky, sarcastic, and generally awesome.
She’s also a twelve year old girl. Who’s teeny and blind.
This show’s girls kick arse.
There’s Katara and Azula, who are some of the best water/firebenders around; Mai, who fights with throwing knives, when she’s not busy hating the world; Suki, who leads a whole troop of teenage girl warriors; and Ty Lee, an acrobat who can take down any of them.
Some are good, some are evil, and all of them are interesting, full of character, and up for anything the plot-line can throw at them.
I’m watching… The Uncle Iroh Hour
This is Iroh.
He’s an incredible firebender and famous warrior. He can take on anyone, and generally wins every time.
He loves ginseng tea, playing tile games, and long, hot baths.
I love him. And, from what I can see, so does everyone who’s ever watched the show.
He’s just wonderful.
I’m watching… Zuko and his Delicious Manpain
Zuko has one of the more interesting character arcs - one which involves a great deal of angsting, whinging, pouting, and generally being as emo and teenaged as possible.
But, to be fair, he’s got good reason. His father favoured his sister Azula over him, banished him for being disrespectful, and, oh yes, burned half his face off.
The only way Zuko can restore his honour, and be welcomed home, is to capture The Avatar (our hero). So he spends a very long time trying to track down the good guys by any means possible, and probably destroy them.
Zuko’s main companion is the aforementioned Uncle Iroh. They love each other dearly, and don’t get along at all.
I’m watching… Magic Kung-Fu Smackdown
This show has kung-fu. Magic kung-fu. Need I say more?
Oh, I need? Well, okay…
There are four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. And there are “benders”, who can control one of those four elements.
Katara, for instance, is a waterbender. She can throw water at people, turn water to ice, throw ice at people, surf without a surfboard, move clouds… and many other things besides.
Airbenders can create small localised tornadoes, firebenders can throw fire around, and earthbenders can chuck massive rocks around. It’s kind of cool.
I’m watching… Discovery Channel’s Look at the Pretty
Pretty show. REALLY pretty show.
(Seriously, go look. Scroll down. I’ll wait.)
That post of pretty images got me to watch the show. It’s so extremely gorgeous, it really is.
I’m watching… History Channel’s Aftermath of Genocide
There were four different people groups in the world - one per element. Now there are three.
Aang is a twelve year old boy who wakes up one day to discover that his entire country has been wiped out.
…in fact, that happened a hundred years ago. (Yes, he’s still twelve. Kinda.) Now there are only ruins.
Katara is a fourteen year old girl who has been mothering her big brother for years - ever since their mother was killed. (By the same people who wiped out Aang’s country, I might add.)
Now the Fire Nation are trying to wipe out the rest of Katara’s people, the rest of the Earth Kingdom… the rest of pretty much everyone in the world except them. And so far, they’re doing a pretty good job of it.
(Did I mention this is a kids show? Yeah.)
The show is happy to be silly, at times. But it also takes its premise seriously - and that premise includes genocide and an ongoing war.
I’m watching… The Awesome Love of Sokka and Suki
Suki is Sokka’s second girlfriend. His first girlfriend turned into the moon - and after that, dating her became slightly tricky (long story).
She kicks arse on a regular basis. Usually better than him.
They didn’t get along when they first met, but Sokka quickly started to understand that “warrior” and “girl” weren’t mutually exclusive terms, and instead of him always rescuing her… he sometimes rescues her, but she comes to his rescue twice as often.
While the rest of the world are preparing to fight a war, and angsting earnestly about all the tragedy and heartbreak in their lives, Sokka and Suki are having a fun and delightful time dating. And also preparing to fight a war - they’re warriors, after all - but not letting it get them down.
They’re rather awesome together.
Plus… they’re teenagers. Their romance is sometimes really silly.
So… that’s my show. Or, well, shows. You should all watch it - and report back about what shows you end up watching.
The conversation's happening over at Dreamwidth. Feel free to comment there using OpenID. (
comments so far)
I’d like to devote a post to telling you all about it, and why it’s so brilliant. And naturally, the first question that springs to mind is: What Show Am I Watching?
I’m watching… Toph and the Danger Girls
Toph is the world’s best “earthbender”; a tough, no-nonsense fighter; into nose-picking, mud-wallowing, gross-out humour; snarky, sarcastic, and generally awesome.
She’s also a twelve year old girl. Who’s teeny and blind.
This show’s girls kick arse.
There’s Katara and Azula, who are some of the best water/firebenders around; Mai, who fights with throwing knives, when she’s not busy hating the world; Suki, who leads a whole troop of teenage girl warriors; and Ty Lee, an acrobat who can take down any of them.
Some are good, some are evil, and all of them are interesting, full of character, and up for anything the plot-line can throw at them.
I’m watching… The Uncle Iroh Hour
This is Iroh.
He’s an incredible firebender and famous warrior. He can take on anyone, and generally wins every time.
He loves ginseng tea, playing tile games, and long, hot baths.
I love him. And, from what I can see, so does everyone who’s ever watched the show.
He’s just wonderful.
I’m watching… Zuko and his Delicious Manpain
Zuko has one of the more interesting character arcs - one which involves a great deal of angsting, whinging, pouting, and generally being as emo and teenaged as possible.
But, to be fair, he’s got good reason. His father favoured his sister Azula over him, banished him for being disrespectful, and, oh yes, burned half his face off.
The only way Zuko can restore his honour, and be welcomed home, is to capture The Avatar (our hero). So he spends a very long time trying to track down the good guys by any means possible, and probably destroy them.
Zuko’s main companion is the aforementioned Uncle Iroh. They love each other dearly, and don’t get along at all.
I’m watching… Magic Kung-Fu Smackdown
This show has kung-fu. Magic kung-fu. Need I say more?
Oh, I need? Well, okay…
There are four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. And there are “benders”, who can control one of those four elements.
Katara, for instance, is a waterbender. She can throw water at people, turn water to ice, throw ice at people, surf without a surfboard, move clouds… and many other things besides.
Airbenders can create small localised tornadoes, firebenders can throw fire around, and earthbenders can chuck massive rocks around. It’s kind of cool.
I’m watching… Discovery Channel’s Look at the Pretty
Pretty show. REALLY pretty show.
(Seriously, go look. Scroll down. I’ll wait.)
That post of pretty images got me to watch the show. It’s so extremely gorgeous, it really is.
I’m watching… History Channel’s Aftermath of Genocide
There were four different people groups in the world - one per element. Now there are three.
Aang is a twelve year old boy who wakes up one day to discover that his entire country has been wiped out.
…in fact, that happened a hundred years ago. (Yes, he’s still twelve. Kinda.) Now there are only ruins.
Katara is a fourteen year old girl who has been mothering her big brother for years - ever since their mother was killed. (By the same people who wiped out Aang’s country, I might add.)
Now the Fire Nation are trying to wipe out the rest of Katara’s people, the rest of the Earth Kingdom… the rest of pretty much everyone in the world except them. And so far, they’re doing a pretty good job of it.
(Did I mention this is a kids show? Yeah.)
The show is happy to be silly, at times. But it also takes its premise seriously - and that premise includes genocide and an ongoing war.
I’m watching… The Awesome Love of Sokka and Suki
Suki is Sokka’s second girlfriend. His first girlfriend turned into the moon - and after that, dating her became slightly tricky (long story).
She kicks arse on a regular basis. Usually better than him.
They didn’t get along when they first met, but Sokka quickly started to understand that “warrior” and “girl” weren’t mutually exclusive terms, and instead of him always rescuing her… he sometimes rescues her, but she comes to his rescue twice as often.
While the rest of the world are preparing to fight a war, and angsting earnestly about all the tragedy and heartbreak in their lives, Sokka and Suki are having a fun and delightful time dating. And also preparing to fight a war - they’re warriors, after all - but not letting it get them down.
They’re rather awesome together.
Plus… they’re teenagers. Their romance is sometimes really silly.
So… that’s my show. Or, well, shows. You should all watch it - and report back about what shows you end up watching.
The conversation's happening over at Dreamwidth. Feel free to comment there using OpenID. (
comments so far)