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 Southern Air Temple”
21 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
in Project Avatar Tags: Aang, Avatar, Gyatso, Iroh, Jason Isaacs, Katara, Sab Simono, Sokka, The Last Airbender, Zhao, Zuko
In this episode, Aang, Katara, and Sokka journey to the Southern Air Temple. This was Aang’s home 100 years ago. Katara is conflicted about whether or not to tell Aang about the Fire Nation’s genocide of the Airbenders. She tries to warn him that things may have changed in 100 years, but Aang doesn’t really accept that. It’s not until he accidentally discovers remains of Fire Nation soldiers and his master, Gyatso (Sab Simono), that he truly understands the ruthlessness of the Fire Nation and that stakes of the war. He is on the last Airbender in the world — he is truly alone.
At the Southern Air Temple, Aang recalls a memory he had when he was younger. His master, Gyatso, told him that he shouldn’t worry about the past and to enjoy the present. He also told Aang that, once he’s old enough and ready, he will enter the Air Temple Sanctuary and meet someone. After remembering all of this, he decides to go to the Sanctuary. He opens it with Airbending, and the gang sees a myriad of statues — all in Water, Earth, Fire, Air Nation order. This scene shows the audience that the Avatar is reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle, the same cycle seen in the opening sequence of the show.
When Aang sees his master dead, he’s overcome by so much sorrow that his emotions take over his body and he enters into the Avatar State. His eyes and his tattoos glow white, and he floats up into the air, almost creating this storm of high winds and sadness. By entering this Avatar State at the Air Temple, he triggered Avatar shrines around the world, indicating that the Avatar has returned. He no longer has the element of surprise on his side now.
Meanwhile, things with Prince Zuko aren’t going so well. He takes his ship to a Fire Nation station to get repaired, and he tries to hide the fact that he’s found the Avatar. Commander Zhao (Jason Isaacs) interrogates Prince Zuko, taunting him during the process. Zuko gets so angry easily; his temper is extremely fire-y, which is hard to relate to — but during his scenes of the episode, we find out that he has a troubled past. His father, the Fire Lord, has exiled him from the Fire Nation and will welcome him back only if he brings back the Avatar to him. Also, it was during a duel where Zuko got his terrible scars. Zuko’s heated temper makes him challenge Zhao to a duel, and Iroh tries to guide him to success. At first Zhao has the upper hand, but once Zuko listens to Iroh’s advice, he finally defeats Zhao. Though, instead of giving Zhao a set of scars, like he threatened to, Zuko spars him this one time. As he walks away, Zhao then attacks him from behind, but Iroh stops the attack. This scene shows that Zuko has a moral code — which most of the Fire Nation doesn’t seem to have. As Iroh’s pupil, Zuko is an honorable man, despite his hot temper.
During Aang’s emotional breakdown, Katara calms him down, saying that he, Katara, and Sokka are a family now. As Aang calmed down, Katara and Sokka stood behind him, and this image showed them to be very parental to him. They’re going to take care of him and help him, very much like family members do. After finding a lemur in the temple, Aang takes the critter under his wing, adding another member to the family — Momo.
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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