Fan Forum - View Single Post - Avatar: The Last Airbender #3: "Air, water, earth, fire... fan and sword!"

**Veiled Vesta** · 07-23-2008, 10:22 PM

Sorry for the double post but this series finale and really long post warranted it!

Sozin's Comet Part 3: Into the Inferno

Here comes the comet! Run for your lives people! Zuko and Katara are flying along, getting a good view of that doom bringing meteor. Zuko worries that when push comes to shove, Aang won't have the guts to kill Ozai. Katara is sure that Aang won't lose. Either he wins or... well there is no other alternative. He better win. And don't worry, it's Nickolodeon. I think I can say with much certainty that Aang will not only win, but he won't kill the Fire Lord to do it. Doesn't mean I won't poke fun at him or groan when he doesn't crush a few of Ozai's bones. Paralyzing is not killing. He'd still be alive. More or less.
Oh! We're at the cherry pit scene! The start of Azula's descent into madness. I love her descent into madness.

In the royal boudoir or whatever it's called, we see her female servants scrubbing her feet, filing her nails, combing her hair, and serving her a bowl of cherries. It's the cherry girls who's in for it when Azula finds a pit in her cherry and thinks the careless mistake could've killed her. Somehow, I don't think a cherry pit would do Azula in. Azula banishes the servant girl and orders the rest of them to resume their grooming activities. She needs to look her best for her coronation ceremony later on.

On the eel hound that's swimming over the ocean, Suki comments on the beauty of the comet. Toph reminds her that beautiful things can be deadly. They make it to the island base where I assume the Fire Nation airships are docked. I wonder what happened to Piandao's eel hound after they left it on the beach. Did it stay there and wait or did it swim back home? It's the little things that bug me. In any case, it looks like our trio is too late as the airships are leaving. Using some earthbending to catapult them, Toph and the non-benders end up landing on the deck closest airship. For a blind girl, she has impeccable aim. At the head of the airship fleet we see Evil Fire Lord Ozai smirking his evil Fire Lord smirk.

Azula has gone from annoyed to paranoid when she accuses her Dai Li agents of not getting to her quickly when they were summoned. She thinks that in the time it took them to get to her throne room, an assassin "could've snuck in, done away with [her], and been on his merry way." If only.

She also reminds them that before they became her personal soldiers, they worked for Long Feng and since they betrayed him, who's to say it wouldn't happen again? I guess she has a point. She banishes the Dai Li agents looking all evil with that blue fire behind her.

Inside the airship, it's time for Toph to shine! She metalbends the hatch door and takes out the captain and his guards by forming the door into metal armor for herself and kicking all kinds off fire butt! Yeah Toph! With Suki at the wheel, it's time for Sokka to hatch a plan, and in what will go down as the funniest scene of this whole two hour event, he pretends to be the captain (enacting a goofy voice for the sheer hilarity, I suspect) and tells the crew to gather at the bomb area for "hot cakes... and sweet cream" because they have a "very special birthday to celebrate. As if that wasn't enough, we see small talk down in the bomb bay between a soldier who works in communications and a crew guy who works in the engine room, then they get interrupted by a Fire Nation soldier who's excited because it actually is his birthday!

Oh my God, I literally fell off my couch I was laughing so hard! And after Sokka had the crew dumped into the ocean via bomb hatch (that's why he gathered them there), the crew man wishes the soggy soldier a happy birthday. Funniest Scene Ever! And Sokka is officially the most quotable character.

Azula's descent into madness also amuses me. The scene that follows the hilarious birthday scene has Azula talking to Lo and Li (the old ladies from The Beach episode) and it's clear that the betrayal of her two best friends, Mai and Ty Lee, have really messed with her head. When one of them suggests they post-pone the corronation, Azula demands that they duel in an Agni Kai. Since neither of twin is a firebender, she banishes Lo and says Li can stay. Hah!

Since the comet can strengthen every firebender, Iroh and Jeong Jeong have a particular advantage when they, along with the other White Lotus members, team up to take back Ba Sing Se. Iroh unleashes a huge fireball and King Bumi takes them all down to the city via earthbending. Pakku uses his waterbending to freeze and block fire blasts, Piandao does some fancy sword work to take down Fire Nation soldiers, and Jeong Jeong uses his fire as an honest to goodness jet pack, hovering around the city and striking at the soldiers with firewalls. You go, old masters!

This is where we get some angsty Azula. She's in her room trying to fix her hair and failing horribly. In a fit of rage, she chops off some hair with a pair of scissors (the hair cut ends up pretty much how you'd expect it to) and suddenly we see Ursa! Zuko and Azula's mom! But wait, it looks like she's just a figment of Azula's imagination. Damnit. We only see Ursa through the gold mirror in Azula's room and even as a figment of a crazy girl's imagination, Ursa is still kind and wise. Azula accuses her mother of thinking she's a monster and saying she feared her. Ursa denies this, saying she loved her daughter. Tears run down Azula's eyes and she flings a hairbrush at her mirror. Ursa is gone and Azula is all alone. She cries and I'm pretty shocked. Azula crying is one of the last things I ever thought I'd see and this isn't even the last time it'll happen. Well, it's the series finale, so anything goes.

Drawing power from the ever nearing comet, Ozai unleashes a huge fire blast on the Earth Kingdom below and that's the signal Aang needs to start bending. He really does like to wait until the last minute, huh? He flings rocks at the engine of Ozai's airship and finishes off with a nice fire blast of his own. As the airship goes down, Ozai gets this awesome shocked look on his face but he quickly shakes off the surprise, flings off his shirt (apparently, fighting bare-chested is essential), and firebends a "jet pack" to get to a rock near Aang. Face off! Sokka and his gals are glad to see the bald-headed one is back.

Ozai does some monologue and Aang does some last minute pleading but nothing is going to stop this epic battle.

Ozai starts it up with a fire wave and Aang defends himself with some earthbending. I don't think I'm going to describe the battle in detail. Just now that it's awesome and it must be seen to truly appreciate it. While Aang and Ozai have a rumble to remember, Sokka helps out by steering his airship straight into the other airships so they don't try and finish the Earth Kingdom burning that Ozai started. Full speed ahead with the possible suicidal plan! The three rush to the top of the airship only to get separated when the ship splits. Suki gets left behind on the larger part while Sokka and Toph get flung onto the smaller part and land on another airship. Nice moment for Tokka shippers when Sokka dives onto Toph to cover her from falling debris.

Meanwhile, Azula and her shabby hair are about to get crowned Fire Lord but Zuko and Katara crash the small coronation (looks like she banished everyone who was supposed to attend). Better late than never. Azula calls an Agni Kai which Katara objects to because Zuko would be dueling Azula alone and the odds are better if she help him. Zuko realizes his sister is not up to her usual calm perfection which is emphasized by her sloppy posturing. Seriously, when she faces him in the beginning of the duel, she looks like she's drunk. Crazy and drunk. Unlike the action-packed music that underscores Aang and Ozai's battle, the music we get in the Agni Kai is slower and more melancholy. Very interesting.

Speaking of which, as Azila blasts tons of blue fire that Zuko easily deflects, we get back to Ozai blasting away at Aang who jumps onto many a rock while blocking the firey blasts with earthbending and waterbending. The giant rocky quarry is good for earthbending but Aang soon relies on airbending (into a tornado) as he escapes Ozai's lightning blasts. At one point Aang takes a lightning blast head on and we get a slow-mo as he considers directing it back at the Fire Lord just as Zuko taught him. Aang chooses to redirect the lightning back into the sky and he suffers for it by being knocked off the tall rock, just barely managing to waterbend something to catch him.

Back with the Agni Kai, Zuko and Azula are dueling away. Blue fire vs. red fire. Evil and crazy vs. formerly evil and sane. Azula is getting tired and Zuko is getting heated up as he nearly catches her off guard. She gives her all as she charges at him but her recklessness gets her knocked down! Woah! Way to go, Zuko. Azula's hair is even more disheveled and when Zuko taunts her to use her lightning (remember, he can redirect it and use it to kill her), Azula conjures up a whole lot of it but a brief moment of clarity strikes and instead she chooses to direct the lightning at poor bystander, Katara. Slow-mo as Zuko and Katara realize what she's doing and at the last second, Zuko jumps in front of Katara and takes the blast! Zutarians around the world cheer. Non-shippy fans gape in shock. And Azula's evil maniacal laugh just got more maniacal.

Aang is now literally running away from the Fire Lord as he directs fire blasts his way. Since he can't run very far because of the surrounding cliffs, Aang earthbends some rock and encases himself in a rock ball. Oh Aang, this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't aimed the lightning at the Fire Lord.

Didn't have to get him in the head or heart. A bolt to Ozai's crotch would have incapacitated him in a snap. Things are looking bad for Zuko and Aang.

~

Sozin's Comet Part 4: Avatar Aang

The last episode! Aang is really cooking in his rock ball while Ozai cackles like a truly evil villain and fires tons of fire blasts at the rock. We haven't checked with Sokka and Toph for a while, so let's do that. They're currently running across the airship they landed on and bravely going on with their plan. Toph metal bends the rudder so that airship crashes into the remaining airships. The crew in the current airship don't take kindly to that plan and Sokka and Toph nearly sail off the edge of the airship when they try to run away. They land on some small metal platform with Sokka injuring his leg and doing his hardest to hold onto Toph who's currently hanging off the edge. The Fire Soldiers surround them and even though Sokka sacrifices his boomerang and his space sword to knock two of the guards down, more follow and it looks like the end for Toph and Sokka. But hold that sad music, because here comes Suki tot the rescue, piloting an airship and knocking the Fire guys down while catching Toph and Sokka! Yay! The trio gets reunited.

Ozai continues to blast the rock ball Aang is currently cocooned in, and he finally breaks through, sending Aang hurtling into this pointed rock fixture that jabs him right in the scar where azula shot him!

Okay, did anyone else think that would hurt horribly, if not kill, our poor Avatar? Who knew that a sharp jab to the scar would RELEASE THE AVATAR STATE!? That's right, all the power of his past lives are at his finger tips and thus the tides have turned in Aang's favor. Aang is glowing it up as he airblasts Ozai away and unleashes a true battle roar, fire blasts included. That's a roar that would make Zuko proud. Avatar Aang hovers in a cool air sphere as he gathers rocks, water and makes fire to surround him like the rings on a planet. Or like those rings you see on a picture of an atom. It's Avatar-tastic!

Over at Ba Sing Se, the OWL members are still fighting the good fight. King Bumi is using some fine earthbending to take care of the Fire Nation tanks And Iroh is finally at the entrance of the Earh Kingdom palace where he symbolically burns the Fire Nation flag that's hanging over it. He has fulfilled his destiny. Very nice, Iroh.

While Aang is kicking all kinds of butt using his Avatar powers (including shooting out small rocks like bullets and exploding the quarry around them), Katara is ready to take over the Agni Kai and take down Azula. Well sort of. First she has to dodge Azula's crazy blue fire and lightning. Katara runs, hides, dodges, runs some more and then she's standing over a grate with water underneath. This is where Katara shines. Luring Azula over the grate, Katara flings water all around them and freezes the two of them in solid ice. Yeah. And since she's a waterbender, she glides through the ice to grab a nearby chain and tie Azula down. With Azula safely chained into the grate, Katara goes over to heal Zuko where they exchange thank you’s and nice looks that get cut off when Azula starts making a racket. She cries out like an animal, shooting fire out of her mouth and trying to escape. It's no use, and she knows it. Azula starts sobbing; and I mean all out tears, gasping for breath, pitiful sobbing. It's a far cry from when we first saw her: the cool and calm mistress of cruelty and manipulation. To see her reduced to a bawling mess who may not even be mentally sound... wow. Just wow. I can say with all honesty that I did not expect that. Kudos Mike and Bryan.

The hunter has become the hunted now that Ozai is firebending-flying away from Avatar Aang. Excellent.

Offensive plus defensive doesn't work for Ozai. Avatar Aang flings off any fire attack like a pesky bug. Finally, Avatar Aang grabs him with waterbending and flings him onto a rock cliff where he prepares to give him the ultimate punishment. Ozai kabobs for everyone! For a second it looks like he will kill him but then real Aang stops himself. He was able to control the Avatar spirit inside him and regain his senses. Argh. But just as Ozai attempts to attack Aang while his back is turned, Aang uses his Toph-patented earth vibration senses to get out of the way and he earthbends some restraints for Ozai. Aang then places his hands on Ozai and we get an alternate solution to killing the Fire Lord. Using the power the lionturtle gave him, Aang glows brightly and so does the Fire Lord. We learn something else with the flashback of the lionturtle but I'll be damned if I can understand. However, I've had time to think about that animal's significance. It's a very mythical type of creature that we've seen before on the show (in a book Aang was reading in The Library) What's more, we know about the power and regality of a lion but a turtle is an ancient type of creature that figures into many great myths, including those of creation. If I recall my Iroquois mythology correctly, there's a tale about a Sky Woman who, with the help of other aquatic animals, created land on a big turtle and thus the earth became the basis of what it is today. From the Ancient Chinese belief that a turtle's shell formed the vault of the heavens, to the Hindu myths that Vishnu took the form of a turtle to carry the world on his back, and even back to many Native Americans who believed the world rides on the back of a giant turtle, there's much to be said about this animal's significance. In short, turtles rock.

And now let's see if Aang beat the Fire Lord yet. Nope still glowing. Ozai tries to overwhelm Aang but in the end, his pure light gives in and engulfs them both.

What has Aang done to the Fire Lord, you may ask? Why, take away his firebending so he'll never hurt anyone again, of course. That's why I love this kid. And with the weak Fire Lord out of commission, Aang waterbends to put out the fires still roaring in the Earth Kingdom, all the while in complete control of the Avatar state. Oh how much he's grown. I'm getting teary eyed over here!

Sokka, Toph, and Suki meet up with Aang along the rocky beach by the quarry where they wonder how they make fun of the "Loser Lord" aka the "Phoenix King of Getting His Butt Whooped". Suki not being nearly as good at making up nicknames as the two masters. ("King of the guys who... don't win") This is why Sokka and Suki are the perfect couple. Sokka's humor and creativity would do wonders by rubbing off on Suki. The king of silly jokes and the Queen of crappy nicknames. It's true Avatar love! Well, not as true as my OTP...

And thus the comet has come and gone and our heroes won. As if there was any doubt.

In the morning, while the town's sort of in ruin, Zuko enjoys his first day of being Fire Lord, trying on his robe despite his injury. And what's a Fire Lord without his Fire... Lordess? Fire Lady? Fire Queen? I'll just stick with girlfriend. Mai got let out of prison and she looks pretty good considering the crap she must've been through. While they're not my favorite couple if Mai makes Zuko happy, who am I to deny them that kiss that most of you seem to dislike?

Anyway, Katara and Sokka reunite with the proudest father in the world and we see everyone in what I assume the town square, including the Kyoshi Warriors in full Kyoshi gear – plus Ty Lee! Our favorite spunky acrobat has joined the Kyoshi Warriors and I'd pay good money to see the kind of adventures they'll have after this episode.

Zuko and Aang do some reminiscing on the long crazy year they've had (it's only been a year!?) and how they're finally friends. Awww. Zuko walks out and gives a speech on how the Avatar is the hero and the long road they'll have ahead of them. Zuko finally gets crowned Fire Lord and the two new friends look out into the cheering crowd. Everyone is rejoicing, and not just the people on screen.

Newly crowned Fire Lord Zuko goes to visit his father in prison, the guy still as bitter and jerk-ish as ever. And he asks the question that's been on many a mind: Where is his mother, Ursa. But then it cuts away before we get any kind of answer! WHHHYYY!? Will this be revisited in a possible spin-off or maybe addressed in the live action movies? Argh. I hate them for reeling me in like this. And that's not the only loose end, just the most glaring and important: what happen between Toph and her parents? Where is Azula? How are they going to rebuild after the war? Questions, questions. And this is the series finale.

But I can't despair too much because now the Gaang is in Ba Sing Se, dressed in Earth Kingdom garb for... some reason. I'm not sure. I guess it's been a while since the previous scene because Sokka looks fit as a fiddle and everyone is relaxing away. Sokka is trying to "capture the moment" in a portrait. A true Sokka original. Is it any wonder they all complain at how they turned out in his painting? Oh, Sokka.

Aang watches the people who have changed his life the past year with a look of fondness and walks out onto the balcony. We get the pretty tinkly music of the end of an episode and oh my goodness, Katara is out there joining him! She blushes and she pulls him into a hug. These two have had so many hugs it's insane. Adorably insane.

Then we cue Aang and Katara's theme. That's right, they have a theme. The song from the Cave of Two Lovers where they almost kissed. They look at each other, looking all sweet and adorable and then they go in for the deepest, most loving kiss I've ever seen on an animated show (initiated by Katara!) SQQQUUUUUUEEEEEEEE! I think some of you may have remembered the promise I made to keep my icons neutral until a certain moment? THIS is that moment. The last scene of the show, of the series, is Aang and Katara kissing on the balcony. For every ship I've ever had that never became canon, a ship where the guy cares about the girl and the girl doesn't seem to like him at first. A true underdog ship where it's usually in the minority fanbase... well Kataang is my redemption ship.

If we ever get another series that would be great. But if not, I'd be happy with these three seasons. I really would. It's just perfect.