Avatar Book One “The Great Divide”
02 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in Project Avatar, TV Shows Tags: Aang, Appa, Avatar, Gan Jin, Katara, Sokka, The Last Airbender, Zhang
Quote of the Episode:
Aang: “Harsh words won’t solve problems. Actions will.”
Aang and the gang arrive at The Great Divide, the world’s largest canyon. They are about to just fly over on Appa, but right before they leave, a man runs up, telling them that they better not be taking his tour guide. The tribes then appear, the Zhangs and the Gan Jins, feuding over the tour guide — and fighting about pretty much anything else. Aang, who settled an argument between Katara and Sokka this morning, tries to settle this feud, too, and suggests (well, commands) that the two tribes share the tour guide and cross the canyon together.
Things are going decently until a Canyon Crawler attacks the tour guide and breaks his arms. Aang successfully gets rid of the beast, but with the tour guide neutralized, the leaders of the tribes begin arguing again. Aang splits them up, hoping that Katara and Sokka can find out why they’re fighting.
The events of this episode are definitely nothing new. Parables have told about feuding families and the ridiculous reverence to some event, far in the past, that keeps the families angry at each other. Even when Katara and Sokka are split up, they relate to the tribes’ stories, making them argue with each other when they finally rejoin again.
Seeing that it’s just that story that makes the families fight, Aang retells the story, saying that he was actually there (since he is 112 years old). As the tribes believe his story, they can finally move past the past and establish a friendship for the future. However, Aang lied. I’m not sure that this is the best message for kids, lying to solve the problem, but Aang saw the pettiness in their feuds and now that they’ve forgiven the past, they can respect each other as they are presently — which is a good message.
Avatar Book One “Jet”
02 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in Project Avatar, TV Shows Tags: Aang, Appa, Avatar, Katara, Sokka, The Last Airbender, Zuko
This episode focuses on Sokka.
The backdrops in this episode are quite beautiful. It must be autumn, because the leaves are all bright red — giving a nice contrast with the golden light of the sun.
As the gang prepares to leave for the next leg of their journey, Sokka expresses that they probably shouldn’t fly anymore. Zuko tends to find them, because he thinks that Appa is really easy to track. He brings up his instincts and that he really feels like following them.
The gang follows Sokka’s lead, and they end up walking into a Fire Nation camp. Trapped, the gang is prepared to fight the 20+ group of Fire Nation soldiers, when suddenly a group of rogues arrive and neutralize the soldiers. Jet, the leader of the group, mesmerizes Katara and impresses Aang. Sokka isn’t entirely taken by him.
This episode focuses on Sokka’s leadership and warrior skills. Katara and Aang follow his lead in the beginning just to humor him; they don’t really believe that his instincts are correct. The truth of the matter, though, is that Sokka’s warrior skills are very impressive in this episode. He cuts down the monkey-trapping cages down with his boomerang; he uses his knife to detect the footsteps of an approaching stranger; and he stealthily follows Jet and his gang in the dark. Sokka, for the most part, is comic relief and he is depicted merely as an adequate warrior — but this episode proves that he is good at what he does. What really pains Sokka is that Katara and Aang don’t trust him entirely; they stick up for Jet, whom they have only just met.
Jet, who does have good intentions, proves to be a very flawed character. His hatred towards the Fire Nation has skewed his perspective. He used to fight against the Fire Nation and protect the innocent, but he’s reached a place where he’s willing to sacrifice innocent people in order to hurt the Fire Nation. Katara and Aang finally break out of their hero-worshiping bubble and realize that Sokka is the one they should have trusted the entire time — and it’s Sokka who saves the day.
This episode shows that there’s more to Sokka then comic relief; he’s a crucial part of the team.
This episode also shows some of Katara’s new moves. She can bend water out of her canteen and use it as a whip. She can also freeze water with her breath — which is pretty badass. Katara’s skills are improving!
Avatar Book One “Winter Solstice: Parts 1 & 2″
27 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
in Project Avatar, TV Shows Tags: Aang, Appa, Avatar, Iroh, Katara, Roku, Sokka, Sozin's Comet, The Last Airbender, Zuko
I didn’t use my time very wisely last quarter, and I’m going to now try to cram in the rest of the series in the next 8 weeks — in preparation to recital-theme research.
These two episodes revolve around the ability of the Avatar to access the spirit world. As the Avatar, he/she acts as a bridge between the earthly world and the spirit world. In Part 1, Aang is asked by a village to help them get rid of a spirit that kidnaps villagers every night. Aang struggles with something that he’s had to struggle with before — and something he will struggle with in the future — which is his lack of training. People around the world have grown up with the stories of the past Avatars and the various abilities that they have, but Aang is only 12 — and he’s been frozen in an iceberg for 100 years, so he’s out of the loop. He genuinely wants to help, but he’s not sure how he can. He encounters the spirit and finds himself stuck in the spirit world, but his time there gives him some insight on how to speak with Avatar Roku.
An interesting juxtaposition occurs in this first part. It opens with Aang being childlike and silly, jumping off of a flying Appa for fun. The next scene cuts to Zuko, urging his uncle to get out of the hot springs so they can go. Iroh tries to persuade Zuko to relax a little bit in the water, but Zuko is stubborn in his plans. These two scenes show the opposite ends of the spectrum. Aang still has some maturing to do; he indulges in his childish desires. Zuko is too serious, and he doesn’t give himself a break. It’s important to note this comparison, because it shows how both characters must learn a little about the other character’s personality in order to be a well-rounded warrior for success.
The second part takes the gang to the Fire Nation. This is the first time we hear about an important comet. The gang heads to a crescent island, and Zuko’s ship closely follows. They run into a Fire Nation barricade; Aang’s group maneuvers past it and Zhao allows Zuko to pass through so he can follow him to the Avatar. When Aang and the gang arrive, they are stopped by 5 Fire Sages who used to support the Avatar (whomever he/she may be) but now support the Fire Lord. Aang, Katara, and Sokka run, trying to find the place where Aang can speak with Avatar Roku, but one of the Sages finds them and tells them that he still supports the Avatar and pledges to help Aang. They find their way to a locked door that can only be opened by Firebending. They trick the other Sages and Zuko to open the door, and Aang dashes inside. Once the sun of the Solstice shines on Roku’s statue, Aang and Roku talk about Sozin’s Comet — that which gives the Fire Nation even more power than they already possess. It was at the comet’s first coming that gave the Fire Nation enough power to start the war, and it’s at the comet’s next coming — the end of the summer — when the Fire Nation will be able to win the war for good. Roku gives Aang a very hurried mission: to master the other three elements before then, so he can stop the Fire Lord before the comet’s next coming.
Then, to help Aang escape from the Fire Nation ambush that awaits him, Roku performs an impressive display of Firebending that helps Aang and the gang escape. Roku had tremendous power, and it shows the kind of power that Aang can have as his powers grow.
Avatar Book One “The Boy in the Iceburg”
19 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
in Project Avatar Tags: Aang, Airbender, Appa, Avatar, Dante Basco, Iroh, Jack DeSena, Katara, Mae Whitman, Mako Iwamatsu, Sokka, Zach Tyler Eisen, Zuko
Hello all!
I am excited to announce a new TV project for my blog: Project Avatar!
Please do not worry; I have not given up on Project Buffy. I will be focusing on Project Avatar for the time being but I will be continuing Project Buffy at the same time. The reason I’m starting Project Avatar is because my senior recital’s theme is based on this fantastic show, and I want to rewatch the entire series in preparation. And because my senior recital will be in spring, I have a deadline to watch the show before, so that’s why I’m interrupting Project Buffy.
Before I start the episode (the DVD is and awesome flute/drum music is playing right now), I need to talk about my first experience with Avatar: The Last Airbender. I watched the series this past summer (2010), because the live action movie was coming out later that summer (which is the movie that pushed me to actually start this blog!). I didn’t know much about the series; I knew a couple of people who liked it, but even they didn’t really tell me much about it. So I didn’t have many expectations at all when I first started, but after I started watching it, I was blown away. The show is incredibly deep and meaningful for it being a children’s animated show. I can’t wait to blog about it! 
Let’s start with the opening. The opening sequence for this pilot episode is different than those for the rest of the show, though, there are some similarities. The opening, narrated by Katara (Mae Whitman), introduces the world as made up of four nations: Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. Since I study Chinese at school, I was always interested in learning and understanding the characters that are displayed during the opening, so I’ll post them here so that everybody knows what they mean.
For water, these two characters are displayed: 水善。 The first (pinyin: shui) means water, and the second (pinyin: shan) means benelovence and adaptivity. Knowing what the characters mean, one can now understand that they describe the element itself and then a trait that is associated with that element, as well as a trait that will be associated with bending that particular element.
For earth, we see: 土强。The first (pinyin: tu) means earth, and the second (pinyin: qiang) means strength and stability. The first time I saw the show, I got excited because I knew the second character — it’s part of my Chinese name: 汤强。 Sorry for the tangent!
For fire, we see: 火烈。The first (pinyin: huo) means fire, and the second (pinyin: lie) means passion and intensity.
For air, we see: 气和。The first (pinyin: qi) means air, and the second (pinyin: he) means peace and harmony.
It will be important to keep this all in mind as the show progresses, to see how the different elements and benders align with these descriptions in the opening sequences.
The opening sequence also gives a very good summary about what’s happening in their world. The four nations once lived in harmony, but the Fire Nation has started a war with the rest of the nations. The Avatar — he who can master and bend all four elements — is the one who can restore balance in the world, but he has mysteriously disappeared for over 100 years. Katara’s added heartfelt expressions of hope add to the effective opening sequence.
The show itself is quite delightful. The characters are interesting and the conversation is entertaining. The show starts off with Katara and her older brother, Sokka (Jack DeSena). Katara is a young waterbender, and Sokka is a warrior; they’re both in charge of the tribe now that their father has left to fight the war. They clearly get on each other’s nerves, because Katara lets loose at him after he mis-navigates their canoe — though, her letting loose is what leads to their finding the Avatar.
They find this ominous shadow in a huge ball of ice, with eyes and tattoos glowing white. Though, after Katara breaks the sphere open with a club, this little boy falls out. And even then, the expectation for him to be a wise or powerful sage is there, but when he finally talks, he sounds just like a little kid, asking to go penguin sledding. He completely defies our expectations — which can be a good thing. This 12-year old boy is named Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen), and he is an airbender. In this episode, we find out that he is the last airbender (which is where the show gets its name). He is wise and also childlike, which will be an interesting dynamic to experience. He has a flying bison named Appa, whom I find delightful.
This show has created a wonderful world, filled with interesting animals! In this episode alone we encounter a flying bison and penguins with multiple sets of flippers and whiskers. I give them an A+ in world building!
The last two characters to talk about are Prince Zuko (Dante Basco) and his uncle Iroh (Mako Iwamatsu) of the Fire Nation. They clearly are the antagonists, since they’re of the Fire Nation. Zuko has terrible scars on his face and an explosive temper, so he really fits the bill as an antagonist. His uncle, though, is calm and wise. He acts as Zuko’s mentor. I loved Iroh from the very beginning, because he likes jasmine tea — and I enjoy jasmine tea.
I am very glad to begin Project Avatar! A new year’s resolution is to blog consistently, so lookout for more posts soon!
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