Epic Love, Epic War: Confessions on the Cusp of Invasion

[the_fox_bandit]

Introduction

You might wonder why I'm using an icon from The Office in a journal entry all about Avatar. Well, read on.

"The Day of Black Sun" is capital "E" "Epic." I mean... WOW, right?! The most epic episode prior to this was "Siege of the North." And somehow, "The Day of Black Sun" is even more epic than that.

"Day of Black Sun" takes everything

Comments

I wasn't sure what to make of Katara's expression...

[aangryjerk]

...but I get it now. Very excellent and detailed analysis.

Re: I wasn't sure what to make of Katara's expression...

[the_fox_bandit]

That's music to my ears! : D

[psylum_atla]

I beleave Fox already has, but it's basically an archive of meta for everything in the show....However since Kataang is so epic and beautiful and so much a part of what's going on dispite the war and strife much of it involves Kataang. :D

[ferroxcat]

Really? Hey is where might this archive be located?

[the_fox_bandit]

Awwww, thanks. : D

[millie_chan]

THANK YOU for pointing out the Oma-Shu connection!! I've been frustrated ever since "The Cave of Two Lovers" about *some* people going "OMG, Omashu is Zutara since they're forbidden lovers belonging to warring villages/groups" while conveniently ignoring the fact that it is Aang and Katara in the Cave of Two Lovers, it is Aang and Katara recounting the story of the two lovers, it is Aang and Katara trying to find their way through the cave like the two lovers, it is Aang and Katara realizing the many meanings of 'love is brightest in the dark' message of the two lovers. And that Zuko was off somewhere else thinking of how his beloved nation has hurt the other people of the world

[the_fox_bandit]

Re: Oma/Shu

Yeah, I know! It boggles the mind how Aang/Katara subtext gets used as Zutara subtext in Zutarian canon-bending.

Re: Zuko/Mai

ME TOO. I've been so intimidated by doing it, though, because really there's a lot more of it than this little scene!

Re: The Pieta

<3 I was an art history & archaeology major, SO I APPRECIATE THIS COMMENT MORE THAN YOU KNOW.

I'm actually not convinced that they were modeling that pose on the Pieta (something I don't have the time to get into here!), but even if they were the point was more "Aang = Jesus" rather than "Katara = Mary"

Of course, my art historical background is in the ancient world, particularly Greek and Roman art, so I can't say much of anything on Renaissance art, but I actually did a study of depictions of Adonis in Greek and Roman art! Unfortunately it's been a while, so I'd have to look it up to confirm what you're saying, but I do believe you're correct from what I remember.

(Not that Mike & Bryan et. al are necessarily aware of the sources for the Pieta.)

~Fox

[fallingscribble]

(I just have to point out about the pieta pose: I don't even know that much about the pieta, but that pose of Katara holding Aang is probably the most accurate representation of that piece of art I have ever seen in animation. Seriously. I was kind of boggled upon seeing it.

Right... )

[millie_chan]

Of course Aang parallels Jesus (and Vishnu, and every other ultimate savior of the world). But hey, my point is the underlying message of the art, and that the pose of the pieta is a typical lovers' pose.

[I'm not an art history major, but I'm an Italian major, so I have to study things about the Italian culture that I never thought I'd ever have to use. XD]

[frozen_heat141]

...THANK YOU. SO MUCH.

I was a bit unclear on some of the facial expression, and you cleared that up SO MUCH <3

This is absolutely wonderful, words cannot fathom how much I love the show right about now. And really, it can only get better. That kiss = amazingness to the extreme, well done for analyzing it all.

In conclusion, fricking amazing job, I'm definitely going to referencing some of this when the all mighty wank starts after the episode airs for real. So thanks once again ♥

[frozen_heat141]

Just to show the awesomness of this 'essay', I've already started making icons xD

Thank for the pics!

[the_fox_bandit]

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

I can't wait until you release them all. : D

[the_fox_bandit]

♥ Thank you very much! : )

(And thanks for working on that animated .gif even though it didn't work!)

[spootyatm]

When you told me about the end when she was comforting him I got all excited that there was no awkwardness between them, because that meant to me, it's real now. They're official. Nothing prepared me for when I actually saw it and I could FEEL the love radiating off of her as she kneeled behind him as he cried. It was as if she understood entirely how he was feeling. She knows he feels like a failure again. She knows he's sad for the losses. She knows he's sad about the family being split up. She knows it all, and for the billionth time, she's reassuring him, and loving him, having complete faith that in the end, he will triumph, and she will STILL be there with him through it all.

It was just...the most beautiful thing I've ever seen on television. This show takes my very breath away.

This was such a wonderful thing to wake up to. Thank you SO SO much for doing this. It was a beautiful analysis that NEEDED to be done, because some people...well...you know.

[the_fox_bandit]

Thanks! And...

"It's real now. They're official. Nothing prepared me for when I actually saw it and I could FEEL the love radiating off of her as she kneeled behind him as he cried. It was as if she understood entirely how he was feeling. She knows he feels like a failure again. She knows he's sad for the losses. She knows he's sad about the family being split up. She knows it all, and for the billionth time, she's reassuring him, and loving him, having complete faith that in the end, he will triumph, and she will STILL be there with him through it all."

Wow. That's poetry, right there. I'm gonna add this quote in there! *G*

~Fox

[spootyatm]

LOL Thanks ^^; Glad I could...help? XD