That finale everyone's talking about

[jlh]

Reacting to finales is a tricky business when you don't have expectations to compare reality to. One of my post-HP strategies when dealing with SF-F or action adventure canons is to not have expectations, to never think about where the thing is going until it's over. There was nothing I was hoping to see in the finale; Suki had already returned and Mai had already made her stand against Azula. In fact, I would say that the things I wanted wrapped up were satisfied, by and large, by the five episodes starting with The Western Air Temple and leading up to the finale.

For the sake of a few people on my flist, this is an all-happy LJ post. Upon reflection, I really only have one problem, not with the finale but with the series as a whole, which I will put in a separate post. Let's talk in terms of characters, since I can never remember what order anything happened in anyway.

In general, I liked how the only person who ended up fighting on his own was Aang, and even he wasn't truly alone, because he had all that help from the previous Avatars, from the lionturtle, not to mention the monks, Katara, Toph and Zuko. I would say that even Sokka, through his example, taught Aang how to think creatively. I liked his solution: "You have been very naughty, Ozai, so I will take away from you the one thing that you care about the most, which is also the one thing that allows you to make so much trouble."

Also, because this caused some confusion among our viewing party: while the bang on his back physically repaired the damage that Azula had caused, the whole idea the guru had posited that Aang had to remove himself from worldly connections (which he visualized as Katara) was disproven by Yan Chen, who was like, "that's nice for the airbender neighbors, but you're the Avatar." In a sense, he has to sacrifice walking the path that the monks laid out for him in favor of protecting the world and stuff. Ali noted that Iroh had also said that the guru's advice didn't sound right to him, so there you go.

I LOVE that Piandao was in the White Lotus because I love that Sokka had sort of representation in that group, too. Sure, there was "Grandpakku" but he was more connected to Katara. And when Piandao was like, "well, what do you think you should do?" and Sokka was like, "this" it was so Sokka and so awesome and brilliant, and seeing him recovering from the retreat after the eclipse to start trusting his instincts again was lovely. And then Sokka went on to basically save the Earth Kingdom from a literal lower-case-h-holocaust.

A lot of folks are talking about how Sokka cares more about Toph than about his sword or boomerang but—um, of course he does? I mean, he adores her; I think she's one of his favorite people, ever, and would have been even if they hadn't been in a Gaang that needed to save the world. I loved how he would just pick her up and move her from place to place and generally sort of take care of her in the few instances where she couldn't take care of herself, and that there was never any question that she and Suki would be the ones to come along with him.

Suki—oh, I love that Suki mostly just kicks a lot of ass and thinks very quickly. I love that she's flexible enough to go from being a leader to thinking in concert with Sokka, so that as soon as he has a thought she's figuring out how to make it real. We see that in Boiling Rock when he's dithering and she just runs over the top of people's heads, up the side of a wall, and then leaps over a balcony railing to capture the prison warden, and we see it again when Suki takes the helm of the captured airship, and then again when she was separated from the others but sees what Sokka has Toph do and bends the rudder of her own airship with her own hands. When she said to Sokka and Toph that she was fine and not to worry about her she meant it and Sokka knew that she meant it and trusted her to show up again later, though perhaps not in saving-your-ass-after-you-were-awesome mode.

OMG Zuko. Zuko and Iroh crying manly tears. Zuko freaking out about running out of time. Zuko the drill sergeant chasing Aang and destroying sand castles. Zuko sensing that there's something off about Azula. Zuko's expression when he realizes she's going after Katara. Zuko seeing Mai again. Zuko hugging Aang. Zuko being hesitant to join the Gaang group hug not because he doesn't want to but because he doesn't know if they want him. Zuko as the Fire Lord. Zuko as waiter at a teahouse. <3

Toph kicked so much ass I can't really go into all of it here. She rocketed into space even though she couldn't see where she was going (omg, the trust between her and Sokka and Suki is amazing). She made herself look like The Thing and then kicked more ass. Her little pep talk to Zuko about Iroh—maybe that was their actual adventure, because Iroh is the thing they share. I feel that Toph needs to go off and train/bond with Bumi, for he also figured out how to metal bend on his own and I bet he's the only person in existence who could actually teach her a thing or two.

I was pleased to see Katara getting out of her own way here, stepping in to help Zuko only when he needed it, and just generally being supportive otherwise, and good on her for trusting that Aang would show up at some point. I'm glad that they each got a part in kicking Azula's arse. Also good on her for figuring her shit out and just macking on him because seriously.

I also loved Azula's slow decent into madness; Ty Lee's future fucking her way through the Kyoshi Warriors; Mai's no-nonsense return (though why was Zuko surprised? couldn't he have just sprung her through official channels? that was odd); Iroh and his White Lotus pals retaking Ba Sing Se (especially Piandao surfing on Pakku's icy wave); Ozai taking off most of his clothes to get down to business (and also his ridiculous flowing locks); and of course the Fire Nation airmen (who will spawn thousands of fics, one hopes, all in a zany sitcom style).

But my favorite part was that coda in Iroh's tea shop, with everyone there together. It's the kind of scene I'm a total sucker for, and I'm glad it was there, however fanservicey it may be.

Comments

[imaginarycircus.livejournal.com]

I pretty much agree completely. Suki rocked and I loved the moment in the Ember Island Players when she says, "You never told me you made out with a moon goddess." She is so cool about it until Sokka shushes her and then she is just all whatever you weirdo. :D

Aang meditating and I can only assume praying for guidance and then the Lion Turtle showing up was so lovely and subtle. I wish I had started watching earlier.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

It's interesting that you find the Lion Turtle lovely and subtle; a lot of the more plot-oriented fans felt it was a clunky deus ex machina. I'm not plot-oriented so I don't feel qualified to speak to that; it didn't stick out to me at any rate.

Clearly, my love for Suki, it is great.

[imaginarycircus.livejournal.com]

I have seen complaints about it being deus ex machina because it seemed to come out of nowhere to some people. The subtle part is Aang meditating and praying for guidance. He didn't announce, "OK, I'll go meditate and hope the universe gives me an answer." That would have been unsubtle.

There was nothing subtle about the lion turtle, but I was OK with that.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Adding my own few notes: Of course the guru was wrong! Aang spent the pre-series days so detached from the world it was destroyed without his noticing. This kid *needs* someone to love in the real world. He needs attachments to be the Avatar. Have I mentioned I *love* stories where helping others over one's own personal spiritual advancement is rewarded?

Re: the sword and boomerang--seriously. Of course he does. And you know what? He would have saved a an anonymous Kyoshi warrior over them too, because Sokka doesn't put objects over people. That said, the perfect team to take down the entire Fire Nation airfleet. They have the advantage because they have Toph. (The thing about Toph isn't that he would choose her life over keeping the objects but that we all know he loves her more than those things even when she's not in danger!)

Suki: This is what drives me batshit about any shipping thing I read where anybody says somebody doesn't love somebody because they don't run after them to save them, because all the couples in this show can take care of themselves as individuals and switch back and forth about who's protecting whom. (And also they often separate with no way to communicate for months.) Suki is a fellow warrior (actually a senior warrior and a former teacher of Sokka's) and this is how you fight together. Just as Aang would accept Katara going to face Azula with Zuko and Zuko accepts Mai helping him escape. She doesn't need protection. "Believe me, she doesn't." In fact, none of these girls would appreciate you running back when she's trying to get you out.

Zuko as the Fire Lord. Zuko as waiter at a teahouse. <3

In that order, which makes it that awesome.

I assumed he was surprised to see Mai because she got out before his own ability to get her out would have gotten her there. Iow, by the time he was able to get down to that kind of business she was already on her way, or just in general it was too fast.

Also I love that Toph's affection for Zuko grew by leaps and bounds. I mean, he seemed to just tickle her. She was a total sucker for him and Iroh. I feel some people take the "worst fieldtrip" between them a little too seriously, as if Zuko is being dismissive rather than Zuko being confused. I think they will have many great moments together in the future, and that Zuko will probably turn out to have thought about everything she said and do something kind of awesome for her at some point. Like when he has to visit the Earth Kingdom he and Toph will visit her house with a royal retinue and force her parents to see her for her awesome self.

[rawles.livejournal.com]

I assumed he was surprised to see Mai because she got out before his own ability to get her out would have gotten her there. Iow, by the time he was able to get down to that kind of business she was already on her way, or just in general it was too fast.

I made this same assumption. The coronation seemed to be taking place very soon after the final battle (the next morning was the impression I got) and I figured that Zuko, as incumbent Fire Lord for a few hours, wasn't quite yet in the position to send an edict to release anyone from prison or, if he had, he didn't expect them to put it into effect until the flame diadem was on his head. But one assumes Mai's uncle heard about the change in regime and decided to get her out and anyone's objections were met with the fact that the boyfriend she committed treason for to get imprisoned in the first place was now the Fire Lord.



In other news, I agree with everything in this comment. And also everything in the original post. Particularly regarding people completely missing the point of the pairings in this series being willing to let each other stand independently. Zuko's Silly Man You Have No Idea laugh and "Believe me, she doesn't," is one of my favourite moments in the series because it so succinctly summarizes both how amazing the female characters in Avatar are and how much the male characters appreciate them for it.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Toph is an advantage, but in a way she's like a weapon that needs to be aimed. While Katara and Zuko, particularly before their adventure, needed to be controlled a bit (and having the one goal of subduing Azula did that) and Aang needed to be reassured and supported, Toph really needed Sokka to help her do exactly what needed to be done, whenever they weren't in a direct fighting situation. As she gets older she'll work out how to be more offensive than defensive, and have her own ideas.

My favorite moments in TBR are when Zuko and Sokka are all, "Observe, please, my kickass girlfriend, for she is awesome."

I see what you're saying about Mai—with all those people assembled I thought more time had passed than I guess did, but with those endings it's really hard to tell.

Zuko will probably turn out to have thought about everything she said and do something kind of awesome for her at some point

Totally, because he's like that.

[best-of-five.livejournal.com]

umm. ok, so i'm like lameishly super lame at figuring out that you have an avatar tag and am reading your posts. but mostly i'm just here to make puppy dog eyes and ask if you've ever considered writing zuko/sokka because i've read every fic in that fandom 5x over now and there's nothing left to read :(

/shameless begging

♥