WAI!
My "The Headband" thingy. Because someday, somebody will be saying 'I told you so,' and I'll be looking back here. I'm hoping it will be me. But if not, I'd worry about the foot-in-mouth thing when the time comes. ^_^ V
Toph: Yeah, we wouldn’t want a bird hearing us chatting out here and turning us in.
Sokka: Hey-we’re on enemy territory! Those are enemy birds.
Sokka, Sokka, Sokka… every time he says something, he makes me laugh. ^o^ Toph-Sokka, the tandem of sarcasm.
Doesn’t Toph look so cute and little and adorable in her new clothes? ^o^
Toph: Sorry shoes!
Just Sokka and Toph being their usual funny selves. Toph kicks out the soles of her new shoes [so that she could still ‘see’ with her feet], and predictably, the soles hit Sokka’s face. ^o^
This part I really liked for two reasons. One, Aang gets to go to school, something I’ve always wanted to see. [That’s the thing about fiction wherein the kid characters don’t really go to school, it makes me want to see them going to school.]
Two, he gets flak for being ‘from the colonies’. Now we’re starting talking about Fire Nation politics. [Of course for me, coming where I come from, the ‘colonization’ themes in a fictional work are close to my heart.]
Oh yeah, Aang gets talked to by a girl named On Ji. [Watch ‘some people’ abuse her existence as they abused Meng’s, and dub her as “Aang’s one true love.” *snicker*] She has a bully boyfriend who threatens Aang. Aang also makes some new friends.
This whole Fire Nation School thing makes me want to write that fanfic idea of Zuko, Mai, Azula, and Ty Lee attending the Royal Academies and doing school stuff… featuring Azula being the mean princess, and Ty Lee being an adorable aura-reading playgirl floozy, and Mai being the goth aristocrat girl crushing on her princess best friend’s prince brother, and Zuko being a usually nice prince with a fiery jealous streak when it comes to his sister’s best friend. With the Zuko-Mai hilarity the comics alluded to: expression-inept Mai throwing mud at his face, and OMG-I-touched-her-arm blushing Zuko, and Zuko getting a giant case of the fuzzies at seeing Mai laughing and having fun. Oh, twelve was such a fun age. ^-^V
Katara: Where have you been? We’ve been worried sick!
…
Aang: Flameo, hotman!!
Aang comes back to their hideout late and makes everyone worried. He also shows off his artistic endeavor [noodle picture of Fire Lord Ozai = winner]. He manages to convince Sokka that the information he gets from school is worth the risk. And uses some new Fire Nation slang he picked up. Adorable.
Aang sticks out like a sore thumb at school: making other kids laugh at his version of the Fire Nation oath, telling them the true story of how Sozin ambushed the Air Nomads, and dancing during music class. Dancing is apparently illegal. Angie’s boyfriend turns out to be a firebender and picks a fight with Aang. But we’ve already seen Aang deal with a hot-headed firebender before [*cough*Zuko*cough*], and pwns him airbender-style without even laying a finger on him, literally. [Take that, firebender! ^-^V This coming from me, born under an Air sign, lol.] Naturally the headmaster assumes Aang’s a troublemaker when he sees the slimeball firebender down on the ground, and asks to see Aang’s parents. Uh-oh.
Regarding Fire Nation School: talk about propaganda! There are pictures and sculptures of Fire Lord Ozai everywhere. And the school teaches their own version of history, a version Aang [having lived a hundred years ago] knows to be a lie. Between that and the colonies issues, and the World War in the Avatar World, it just cuts too close for one of the Philippine archipelago, like me. [Hellooooo WWII Japan! Remember us? =/]
Mai: Orange is such an awful color.
Zuko: *chuckles* You’re so beautiful when you hate the world.
Mai: I don’t hate you.
Zuko: I don’t hate you too.
*kissy-ness*
???: *coughs*
I thought the Maiko date in the Avatar comics was the dweebiest, dorkiest, most hilarious date in the Avatar universe, but they’ve just topped themselves now. Picnic at sunset with cheesy lines. *snicker, snicker* I hear Mai’s contented sighing voice! XD And I literally snorted at Zuzu’s dorky compliment coupled with an equally dorky smile on his face! ‘I don’t hate you’ exchange equals Maiko-speak for ‘I love you’. There’s the kiss from the trailer. LOL at the oh-no-you-didn’t look on Zuko’s face when they get interrupted.
[I wonder how Cricket Leigh and Dante Basco managed to voice-act this scene with their sexy voices without dying from the hilarity. It must have taken an enormous amount of self-control. Now I understand Grey de Lisle’s amusement at the Zuko-Mai dynamic-she must have greatly enjoyed voice-acting Azula.]
It’s the cheesiest scene I’ve ever seen in Avatar, and I love it to bits. Because thank God, we see teenagers acting like teenagers instead of wanting to wipe out villages [Jet], getting thrown in prison [Haru], turning into the moon [Yue], being a convenient plot device [Song], fighting maybe to the death [Suki]. I don’t know why this scene is getting so much hate, it’s not like the Sokka-Yue scenes were any better. At least Zuko and Mai have a long history [instead of the Sokka-Yue oh-love-at-first-sight-so-convenient], and they have a reason for being so bad at the whole socializing thing. [They’re Fire Nation kids, and this episode shows just how repressed they are by their society. How are they supposed to know how to not act corny during a date? ^^;] As long as they’re having fun, that’s what matters.
Azula: Zuko, can I have a word with you?
Zuko: Can’t you see we’re busy?
*more kissy-ness*
[Oh yes, very busy. ^-^V]
Of course who else would interrupt them but Zuko’s-evil-sister/Mai’s-manipulative-best-friend, Azula. Zuko’s reaction was classic teenage brother. The Maikout continues-in front of Azula. Hahah! *wheeze*cough*wheeze* [Hey, I see something that looks like siopao among Zuko and Mai’s picnic stuff.] Note that Mai’s hand is somewhere around Zuko’s fanbait abs. The Zuko fangirls are going to tear her apart-as always. Some characters are just doomed. [But I’ll love Mai and her super-sharp knives and her super-shiny hair forever!]
Is that just a red cloak over Mai’s outfit, or did she really lose the black outer robe? Because adding a cloak considering that it’s summer… @__@; Did she ditch the black for the red because she’s feeling more patriotic now that her prince has returned? [She also kept the black polish off her nails. But that might just be for practical fighting purposes.]
Azula: Oh Mai, Ty Lee needs your help untangling her braid.
Mai: … Sounds pretty serious.
Hah, Azula’s reaction at them ignoring her to continue the Maikout! [At full-size, it’s precious.] I don’t know if it says ‘Agni, go get a room,’ or ‘did the lesser beings just ignore me just so they can kiss,’ or ‘I’m traumatized for life’… maybe a little bit of everything. There’s even that moment wherein she looks away and grimaces. [‘I so did not need that image of my brother and my best friend!’] Azula soon regains her composure, and her words somehow get Mai to stand up and leave Zuko [aww, he looks so disappointed]. But not before Mai glares at Azula, and gets a rather victorious glare in turn.
This scene is probably the most analyzed and over-analyzed scene of the episode. The look Mai gives Azula is interpreted in different ways: she might be glaring threateningly, or she might be giving a knowing look. The look Azula gives Mai could also be a glare, or a conspiratorial evil grin. [Note that there are just too many viewers who would condemn Mai as the devil’s spawn and Azula’s spineless brainless flunky and take this ambiguous scene as undeniable proof of Mai’s irredeemable evil.]
Personally, I see more of worry in Mai’s look. It’s a glare yes, but I don’t think it’s that defiant [yet, hah]. She’s got every reason to be worried: about what Azula’s schemes might mean for Zuko, about what lies Azula might be about to tell him. That little grin Azula gives Mai looks mildly threatening and quite smug: as if to smirk at how Mai followed her anyway, and to say that no matter how they try, it’s pointless to defy her. As for the Azula’s Ty Lee comment, it could be best friend code for ‘you better leave me with my brother because there’s some serious shit going on that I have to tell him,’ or else for ‘you better leave me with my brother or else Ty Lee [or somebody else close to you] will get tangled in some serious shit-if they aren’t in it already.’ Would fit Mai’s reaction either way.
Whatever the truth may be, it’s undeniable that Mai cares a lot for Zuko and vice-versa, and that Azula is manipulating both of them to suit her own needs. Based on the comics, the ‘rekindling’ of the childhood sweethearts’ mutual feelings was genuine, despite the fact that Azula did orchestrate the situation that provided an opportunity to lead them back to each other. Azula may have set them up to dine together, but strolling together and opening up to each other and talking about their past and kissing was entirely Zuko and Mai’s choice. If between then and this scene Azula did ask Mai to keep a rein on Zuko or tried to involve their relationship in some scheme, that doesn’t mean Mai is following her. In any case, the inevitability that Zuko and Mai’s relationship is going to be prey to Azula’s schemes and the general harshness of Fire Nation royalty business makes it all the more heartbreaking.
I will agree with the detractors about one thing: this glowing and perfect [to the point of hilarious cheesiness] oblivious bliss the Fire Nation lovers have isn’t going to stay for the entire season. [If only because they’re among the villains and one of them is the-universe-hates-me Zuko. And dude, this is a work of fiction. There must always be conflict.] That’s probably Zuko and Mai’s trial: they’re in love, they’re childhood sweethearts, they’re incredibly happy together, they’re both of the Fire Nation, they’re both royalty-it should be a perfect fairy tale. But the very reasons that make them so perfect together might just provide the opportunities to tear them apart: Zuko’s background, their connection with Azula, the customs of their nation, etc.
However, that doesn’t mean what they have isn’t true. That it’s real is the reason could be the source of much drama for Zuko’s half of the story later on. Imagine how Zuko’s going to feel if/when Azula betrays him and suggests that Mai is part of the scheme, feigning her feelings to help Azula manipulate Zuko. Or how difficult it would be for Mai, caught between the guy she’s loved forever and her cruel so-called best friend. Ever since they were children, Azula has been tormenting Zuko and Mai, and it looks like things still haven’t changed.
Yes, Zuko is the jinx of this series and he just can’t get a break, so his love story will be headed for trouble. But as long as Zuko and Mai don’t end up getting killed by the end of the series, they’ll find each other again anyway. So I’m clenching my teeth in preparation for the heartache ahead and keeping my fingers crossed.
Azula manipulates Zuko into admitting that he visited Iroh in prison. Zuko is apprehensive about Azula’s motives. Azula says she’s simply looking out for Zuko, that Zuko will be suspected of plotting with Iroh should the word of the visits come out, and tells him: “Just be careful, dum-dum.”
Ow. Does Zuko want to believe Azula? Some part of him probably does. I wouldn’t blame him. I myself want to believe that it’s possible for Azula to end up helping Zuko. If they work together, they would be invincible. But it’s just too risky to trust Azula. =(
I’m really glad that Zuko’s last visit to Iroh happened after the date, because I would have been too depressed to appreciate the cheesiness if the visit came before.
The visits start with Zuko being calm, but he quickly loses his temper as Iroh keeps turned away from him and silent. At the last visit, Zuko admits that he’s got everything he has ever wanted, but it’s not turning out how he wanted it to be. He also admits the reason: he feels that the Avatar is still alive. Zuko asks for advice and gets angry when Iroh remains silent. As Zuko leaves, Iroh sheds a tear.
Oh… the two of you just want to break my heart, huh? T___T I don’t want to talk about it anymore.
I’m sure viewers will take Zuko’s ‘everything I ever wanted’ line in the context of his relationship with Mai [because that’s the only thing the fandom is talking about now, unfortunately]. It probably includes that among other things, Fire Lord Ozai’s approval, his supposedly restored honor, Azula’s [however dubious] companionship, etc. And well, that just proves that Zuko, dweeb he may be, hasn’t been reduced to a bumbling fool by his lovesickness. Regaining his girlfriend isn’t going to make everything right for him, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t really care about her, as ‘some people’ would be oh-so quick to say. [Oh, please to be letting the stupidity stop!]
Aang: I’m not ready to leave. I’m having fun for once, just being a normal kid. You don’t know what it’s like Sokka, you get to be normal all the time.
Toph: Ha-hah!
…
Sokka: What could you possibly do for a country of depraved little fire monsters?
Aang: I’m gonna throw them *dances* a secret dance party!
Sokka: GO TO YOUR ROOM!
Sokka has an unhealthy attachment to the dead critters pasted on his face masquerading as a beard. Toph’s precious with her ironic: ‘Ha-hah!’` LOL at Sokka’s daddy mode. Oh Jack de Sena, where would we be without your brilliant Sokka?
Isn’t Aang sweet? Because the children are the future of the Fire Nation, Aang says he wants to give them a taste of freedom. You know, changing the nation not just by the force of defeating their Fire Lord, but also the mindset of the youth. =^-^=
Aang shows off his mad skillz, charming the girls and pwning the boys. Katara smiles. [Aww!]
Sokka: Wow, they look pretty good together.
Katara: Hmyeh… if that’s what you like. *jealouzzz look*
But there’s a damper in Katara’s mood. Aang should take some dweeby-compliment lessons from Zuko and tell her: “You’re so beautiful when you’re jealous.” ^-^V He gets the Fire Nation kids to start dancing.
Aang: Take my hand.
Katara: Okay.
…
Katara; Aang, everyone’s watching.
Aang: Don’t worry about it. It’s just you and me right now [baby XD].
There are NO WORDS to describe the Kataang dance. XD The Fire Nation kids watch in awe-even ‘depraved little fire monsters’ can feel when something EPIC is going on. Just note Aang’s suave smile and Katara’s blushy ‘bedroom eyes’. LOLZ. But I must say the magical mood of the entire sequence had a very good Miyazaki-esque feel to it.
Tubby Kid: This is incredible, it’s like my inhibitions just disappear!
Tubby Kid: O__O
Tubby Kid: Okay, now they’re back.
Inhibited Tubby Kid is my favorite random Fire Nation kid! Unfortunately, like all good things, secret dance parties must come to an end. They get discovered by the headmaster because On Ji’s slimeball boyfriend squealed. ^^;
The reason for the episode title becomes clear when the headmaster tells his flunkies to go after the kid with the headband. Every kid helps Aang by imitating him and putting on their belts as headbands. Even the flunkies can’t help but dance to the beat of the music, hahah. In another epic sequence, Aang and his new friend bid goodbye to each other, although said new friend wasn’t prepared for the exit being earthbended close after Aang.
I already see that Fire Nation kid’s future: he grows up with a positive attitude and when he’s a grandfather, he will tell his grandchildren of how he befriended Avatar Aang, joined his secret dance party, witnessed an epic dance between the Avatar and his lady, and helped them escape.
AWESOME.
*kissy-ness*
Sokka: Flameo sir, flameo.
Everyone congratulates Aang for a job well done. The best form of congratulations being from Katara. XD
So much kissy-ness in this episode!!
Congratulations to both the protagonist AND the antagonist for getting some much deserved love!! ^-^V
Zuko: The Avatar’s alive. I want you to find him, and end him.
Oh Zuko, Zuko, Zuko… Zuko.
I don’t mind if you never ‘turn good’ and join the Gaang, in fact, I prefer it that way. Be Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. But for Agni’s sake, just please, please, please… survive, groom yourself for being Fire Lord if your father won’t do it for you, protect your girlfriend AKA future Fire Lady, watch out for Azula, do right by Uncle Iroh, keep your head on your shoulders, serve your people, and then when the time comes, reconcile with the Avatar and his allies for the sake of the Fire Nation and become the best Fire Lord the world has ever seen.
Oh please, may I have some more Avatar?
Toph: Yeah, we wouldn’t want a bird hearing us chatting out here and turning us in.
Sokka: Hey-we’re on enemy territory! Those are enemy birds.
Sokka, Sokka, Sokka… every time he says something, he makes me laugh. ^o^ Toph-Sokka, the tandem of sarcasm.
Doesn’t Toph look so cute and little and adorable in her new clothes? ^o^
Toph: Sorry shoes!
Just Sokka and Toph being their usual funny selves. Toph kicks out the soles of her new shoes [so that she could still ‘see’ with her feet], and predictably, the soles hit Sokka’s face. ^o^
This part I really liked for two reasons. One, Aang gets to go to school, something I’ve always wanted to see. [That’s the thing about fiction wherein the kid characters don’t really go to school, it makes me want to see them going to school.]
Two, he gets flak for being ‘from the colonies’. Now we’re starting talking about Fire Nation politics. [Of course for me, coming where I come from, the ‘colonization’ themes in a fictional work are close to my heart.]
Oh yeah, Aang gets talked to by a girl named On Ji. [Watch ‘some people’ abuse her existence as they abused Meng’s, and dub her as “Aang’s one true love.” *snicker*] She has a bully boyfriend who threatens Aang. Aang also makes some new friends.
This whole Fire Nation School thing makes me want to write that fanfic idea of Zuko, Mai, Azula, and Ty Lee attending the Royal Academies and doing school stuff… featuring Azula being the mean princess, and Ty Lee being an adorable aura-reading playgirl floozy, and Mai being the goth aristocrat girl crushing on her princess best friend’s prince brother, and Zuko being a usually nice prince with a fiery jealous streak when it comes to his sister’s best friend. With the Zuko-Mai hilarity the comics alluded to: expression-inept Mai throwing mud at his face, and OMG-I-touched-her-arm blushing Zuko, and Zuko getting a giant case of the fuzzies at seeing Mai laughing and having fun. Oh, twelve was such a fun age. ^-^V
Katara: Where have you been? We’ve been worried sick!
…
Aang: Flameo, hotman!!
Aang comes back to their hideout late and makes everyone worried. He also shows off his artistic endeavor [noodle picture of Fire Lord Ozai = winner]. He manages to convince Sokka that the information he gets from school is worth the risk. And uses some new Fire Nation slang he picked up. Adorable.
Aang sticks out like a sore thumb at school: making other kids laugh at his version of the Fire Nation oath, telling them the true story of how Sozin ambushed the Air Nomads, and dancing during music class. Dancing is apparently illegal. Angie’s boyfriend turns out to be a firebender and picks a fight with Aang. But we’ve already seen Aang deal with a hot-headed firebender before [*cough*Zuko*cough*], and pwns him airbender-style without even laying a finger on him, literally. [Take that, firebender! ^-^V This coming from me, born under an Air sign, lol.] Naturally the headmaster assumes Aang’s a troublemaker when he sees the slimeball firebender down on the ground, and asks to see Aang’s parents. Uh-oh.
Regarding Fire Nation School: talk about propaganda! There are pictures and sculptures of Fire Lord Ozai everywhere. And the school teaches their own version of history, a version Aang [having lived a hundred years ago] knows to be a lie. Between that and the colonies issues, and the World War in the Avatar World, it just cuts too close for one of the Philippine archipelago, like me. [Hellooooo WWII Japan! Remember us? =/]
Mai: Orange is such an awful color.
Zuko: *chuckles* You’re so beautiful when you hate the world.
Mai: I don’t hate you.
Zuko: I don’t hate you too.
*kissy-ness*
???: *coughs*
I thought the Maiko date in the Avatar comics was the dweebiest, dorkiest, most hilarious date in the Avatar universe, but they’ve just topped themselves now. Picnic at sunset with cheesy lines. *snicker, snicker* I hear Mai’s contented sighing voice! XD And I literally snorted at Zuzu’s dorky compliment coupled with an equally dorky smile on his face! ‘I don’t hate you’ exchange equals Maiko-speak for ‘I love you’. There’s the kiss from the trailer. LOL at the oh-no-you-didn’t look on Zuko’s face when they get interrupted.
[I wonder how Cricket Leigh and Dante Basco managed to voice-act this scene with their sexy voices without dying from the hilarity. It must have taken an enormous amount of self-control. Now I understand Grey de Lisle’s amusement at the Zuko-Mai dynamic-she must have greatly enjoyed voice-acting Azula.]
It’s the cheesiest scene I’ve ever seen in Avatar, and I love it to bits. Because thank God, we see teenagers acting like teenagers instead of wanting to wipe out villages [Jet], getting thrown in prison [Haru], turning into the moon [Yue], being a convenient plot device [Song], fighting maybe to the death [Suki]. I don’t know why this scene is getting so much hate, it’s not like the Sokka-Yue scenes were any better. At least Zuko and Mai have a long history [instead of the Sokka-Yue oh-love-at-first-sight-so-convenient], and they have a reason for being so bad at the whole socializing thing. [They’re Fire Nation kids, and this episode shows just how repressed they are by their society. How are they supposed to know how to not act corny during a date? ^^;] As long as they’re having fun, that’s what matters.
Azula: Zuko, can I have a word with you?
Zuko: Can’t you see we’re busy?
*more kissy-ness*
[Oh yes, very busy. ^-^V]
Of course who else would interrupt them but Zuko’s-evil-sister/Mai’s-manipulative-best-friend, Azula. Zuko’s reaction was classic teenage brother. The Maikout continues-in front of Azula. Hahah! *wheeze*cough*wheeze* [Hey, I see something that looks like siopao among Zuko and Mai’s picnic stuff.] Note that Mai’s hand is somewhere around Zuko’s fanbait abs. The Zuko fangirls are going to tear her apart-as always. Some characters are just doomed. [But I’ll love Mai and her super-sharp knives and her super-shiny hair forever!]
Is that just a red cloak over Mai’s outfit, or did she really lose the black outer robe? Because adding a cloak considering that it’s summer… @__@; Did she ditch the black for the red because she’s feeling more patriotic now that her prince has returned? [She also kept the black polish off her nails. But that might just be for practical fighting purposes.]
Azula: Oh Mai, Ty Lee needs your help untangling her braid.
Mai: … Sounds pretty serious.
Hah, Azula’s reaction at them ignoring her to continue the Maikout! [At full-size, it’s precious.] I don’t know if it says ‘Agni, go get a room,’ or ‘did the lesser beings just ignore me just so they can kiss,’ or ‘I’m traumatized for life’… maybe a little bit of everything. There’s even that moment wherein she looks away and grimaces. [‘I so did not need that image of my brother and my best friend!’] Azula soon regains her composure, and her words somehow get Mai to stand up and leave Zuko [aww, he looks so disappointed]. But not before Mai glares at Azula, and gets a rather victorious glare in turn.
This scene is probably the most analyzed and over-analyzed scene of the episode. The look Mai gives Azula is interpreted in different ways: she might be glaring threateningly, or she might be giving a knowing look. The look Azula gives Mai could also be a glare, or a conspiratorial evil grin. [Note that there are just too many viewers who would condemn Mai as the devil’s spawn and Azula’s spineless brainless flunky and take this ambiguous scene as undeniable proof of Mai’s irredeemable evil.]
Personally, I see more of worry in Mai’s look. It’s a glare yes, but I don’t think it’s that defiant [yet, hah]. She’s got every reason to be worried: about what Azula’s schemes might mean for Zuko, about what lies Azula might be about to tell him. That little grin Azula gives Mai looks mildly threatening and quite smug: as if to smirk at how Mai followed her anyway, and to say that no matter how they try, it’s pointless to defy her. As for the Azula’s Ty Lee comment, it could be best friend code for ‘you better leave me with my brother because there’s some serious shit going on that I have to tell him,’ or else for ‘you better leave me with my brother or else Ty Lee [or somebody else close to you] will get tangled in some serious shit-if they aren’t in it already.’ Would fit Mai’s reaction either way.
Whatever the truth may be, it’s undeniable that Mai cares a lot for Zuko and vice-versa, and that Azula is manipulating both of them to suit her own needs. Based on the comics, the ‘rekindling’ of the childhood sweethearts’ mutual feelings was genuine, despite the fact that Azula did orchestrate the situation that provided an opportunity to lead them back to each other. Azula may have set them up to dine together, but strolling together and opening up to each other and talking about their past and kissing was entirely Zuko and Mai’s choice. If between then and this scene Azula did ask Mai to keep a rein on Zuko or tried to involve their relationship in some scheme, that doesn’t mean Mai is following her. In any case, the inevitability that Zuko and Mai’s relationship is going to be prey to Azula’s schemes and the general harshness of Fire Nation royalty business makes it all the more heartbreaking.
I will agree with the detractors about one thing: this glowing and perfect [to the point of hilarious cheesiness] oblivious bliss the Fire Nation lovers have isn’t going to stay for the entire season. [If only because they’re among the villains and one of them is the-universe-hates-me Zuko. And dude, this is a work of fiction. There must always be conflict.] That’s probably Zuko and Mai’s trial: they’re in love, they’re childhood sweethearts, they’re incredibly happy together, they’re both of the Fire Nation, they’re both royalty-it should be a perfect fairy tale. But the very reasons that make them so perfect together might just provide the opportunities to tear them apart: Zuko’s background, their connection with Azula, the customs of their nation, etc.
However, that doesn’t mean what they have isn’t true. That it’s real is the reason could be the source of much drama for Zuko’s half of the story later on. Imagine how Zuko’s going to feel if/when Azula betrays him and suggests that Mai is part of the scheme, feigning her feelings to help Azula manipulate Zuko. Or how difficult it would be for Mai, caught between the guy she’s loved forever and her cruel so-called best friend. Ever since they were children, Azula has been tormenting Zuko and Mai, and it looks like things still haven’t changed.
Yes, Zuko is the jinx of this series and he just can’t get a break, so his love story will be headed for trouble. But as long as Zuko and Mai don’t end up getting killed by the end of the series, they’ll find each other again anyway. So I’m clenching my teeth in preparation for the heartache ahead and keeping my fingers crossed.
Azula manipulates Zuko into admitting that he visited Iroh in prison. Zuko is apprehensive about Azula’s motives. Azula says she’s simply looking out for Zuko, that Zuko will be suspected of plotting with Iroh should the word of the visits come out, and tells him: “Just be careful, dum-dum.”
Ow. Does Zuko want to believe Azula? Some part of him probably does. I wouldn’t blame him. I myself want to believe that it’s possible for Azula to end up helping Zuko. If they work together, they would be invincible. But it’s just too risky to trust Azula. =(
I’m really glad that Zuko’s last visit to Iroh happened after the date, because I would have been too depressed to appreciate the cheesiness if the visit came before.
The visits start with Zuko being calm, but he quickly loses his temper as Iroh keeps turned away from him and silent. At the last visit, Zuko admits that he’s got everything he has ever wanted, but it’s not turning out how he wanted it to be. He also admits the reason: he feels that the Avatar is still alive. Zuko asks for advice and gets angry when Iroh remains silent. As Zuko leaves, Iroh sheds a tear.
Oh… the two of you just want to break my heart, huh? T___T I don’t want to talk about it anymore.
I’m sure viewers will take Zuko’s ‘everything I ever wanted’ line in the context of his relationship with Mai [because that’s the only thing the fandom is talking about now, unfortunately]. It probably includes that among other things, Fire Lord Ozai’s approval, his supposedly restored honor, Azula’s [however dubious] companionship, etc. And well, that just proves that Zuko, dweeb he may be, hasn’t been reduced to a bumbling fool by his lovesickness. Regaining his girlfriend isn’t going to make everything right for him, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t really care about her, as ‘some people’ would be oh-so quick to say. [Oh, please to be letting the stupidity stop!]
Aang: I’m not ready to leave. I’m having fun for once, just being a normal kid. You don’t know what it’s like Sokka, you get to be normal all the time.
Toph: Ha-hah!
…
Sokka: What could you possibly do for a country of depraved little fire monsters?
Aang: I’m gonna throw them *dances* a secret dance party!
Sokka: GO TO YOUR ROOM!
Sokka has an unhealthy attachment to the dead critters pasted on his face masquerading as a beard. Toph’s precious with her ironic: ‘Ha-hah!’` LOL at Sokka’s daddy mode. Oh Jack de Sena, where would we be without your brilliant Sokka?
Isn’t Aang sweet? Because the children are the future of the Fire Nation, Aang says he wants to give them a taste of freedom. You know, changing the nation not just by the force of defeating their Fire Lord, but also the mindset of the youth. =^-^=
Aang shows off his mad skillz, charming the girls and pwning the boys. Katara smiles. [Aww!]
Sokka: Wow, they look pretty good together.
Katara: Hmyeh… if that’s what you like. *jealouzzz look*
But there’s a damper in Katara’s mood. Aang should take some dweeby-compliment lessons from Zuko and tell her: “You’re so beautiful when you’re jealous.” ^-^V He gets the Fire Nation kids to start dancing.
Aang: Take my hand.
Katara: Okay.
…
Katara; Aang, everyone’s watching.
Aang: Don’t worry about it. It’s just you and me right now [baby XD].
There are NO WORDS to describe the Kataang dance. XD The Fire Nation kids watch in awe-even ‘depraved little fire monsters’ can feel when something EPIC is going on. Just note Aang’s suave smile and Katara’s blushy ‘bedroom eyes’. LOLZ. But I must say the magical mood of the entire sequence had a very good Miyazaki-esque feel to it.
Tubby Kid: This is incredible, it’s like my inhibitions just disappear!
Tubby Kid: O__O
Tubby Kid: Okay, now they’re back.
Inhibited Tubby Kid is my favorite random Fire Nation kid! Unfortunately, like all good things, secret dance parties must come to an end. They get discovered by the headmaster because On Ji’s slimeball boyfriend squealed. ^^;
The reason for the episode title becomes clear when the headmaster tells his flunkies to go after the kid with the headband. Every kid helps Aang by imitating him and putting on their belts as headbands. Even the flunkies can’t help but dance to the beat of the music, hahah. In another epic sequence, Aang and his new friend bid goodbye to each other, although said new friend wasn’t prepared for the exit being earthbended close after Aang.
I already see that Fire Nation kid’s future: he grows up with a positive attitude and when he’s a grandfather, he will tell his grandchildren of how he befriended Avatar Aang, joined his secret dance party, witnessed an epic dance between the Avatar and his lady, and helped them escape.
AWESOME.
*kissy-ness*
Sokka: Flameo sir, flameo.
Everyone congratulates Aang for a job well done. The best form of congratulations being from Katara. XD
So much kissy-ness in this episode!!
Congratulations to both the protagonist AND the antagonist for getting some much deserved love!! ^-^V
Zuko: The Avatar’s alive. I want you to find him, and end him.
Oh Zuko, Zuko, Zuko… Zuko.
I don’t mind if you never ‘turn good’ and join the Gaang, in fact, I prefer it that way. Be Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. But for Agni’s sake, just please, please, please… survive, groom yourself for being Fire Lord if your father won’t do it for you, protect your girlfriend AKA future Fire Lady, watch out for Azula, do right by Uncle Iroh, keep your head on your shoulders, serve your people, and then when the time comes, reconcile with the Avatar and his allies for the sake of the Fire Nation and become the best Fire Lord the world has ever seen.
Oh please, may I have some more Avatar?