Katara's Revenge: Why It's the Perfect Side Story
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- čas přidán 6. 05. 2020
- In the Southern Raiders episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Katara goes on a mission to kill the man who killed her mother. In this video, I look at why this works so well as a side story and doesn't feel like a filler episode.
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'What're you gonna do when you face my father?'
Honestly, they should have brought this up before the Day of Black Sun. Just what did Aang plan on doing then?
Steven Universe- Just make the Dictator say sorry and face no consequences and all will be forgiven.
Zuko- 😑
The Southern Raiders was definitely a great episode. It’s story was very intense and did show a different side of Katara. However, I do think Nightmares and Daydreams served a very important function: Giving the audience a break. After all, some pretty intense stuff happens before and after that episode. Soon before this episode, Aang gets zapped by Azula after Zuko’s betrayal, and Aang stresses about having to sit around and do nothing as the next season starts. After this episode, The Gaang invades the Fire Nation during a solar eclipse, but gets curbstomped because Azula already knew about the invasion for months. Then Zuko finally changes and tries to join the team, but they reject him because of what happened earlier. And that eventually leads to The Southern Raiders, which is another intense episode, then later the ending. I think giving the audience a break before more intense stuff happens can help them heal so they can handle it better and keep watching without getting drained.
every episode with Iroh in it makes me feel safe.
Facts
Rest in peace Mako
I get anxious because I think he could die anytime.
Thank you
@@masteryoda4727 u like hot leaf juice?
Still sad that Toph didn’t have a life- changing field trip with Zuko like everyone else had
I hope they did have one after the main show events
She didn't need one, she never had any grudge against him.
To be honest, outside of burning her feet by accident, what beef does toph have against zuko? Not much right?
Don't let this distract you from the fact that Toph still didn't get to pick her mini vacation
Whitelion 1200 but zuko had a life changing conversation with toph in the ember island players
My favourite episode in the show. I love that although Katara didn't kill the man, she was still unable to forgive him. It's very realistic and mature and unexpected for a Nickelodeon show.
I also really love that! I dont think I could forgive someone who killed a loved one of mine but everyone always pushes it and forgiveness is always pushed onto everyone. Even though it may be the "right" thing to do that doesnt mean you can or even should. The show doesnt tell you if Katara was right or wrong to not forgive him, just that she didnt. It's relatable and let's you decide how you feel about it
@@tylerjames6701 What made it palatable is that the guy literally felt no guilt about what he did. So even though he wasn't a monster, he was still a bad person that did not deserve to be forgiven.
still better than last of us pt 2 XD
Agreed, unlike Steven Universe where everything can be redeemed by crying, talking, and singing.
X2
How dare you! Nightmares and daydreams is an essential episode. Without it we would never have got to see therapist Sokka
Or Appa and Momo's fight!
I pretty sure they did that episode for pure comedy only. It had me dying of laughter and I felt like it further zukos story.
or bipedal appa
To be honest, while it was a stupid episode I think it was cool how it kinda showed ways to deal with stress because we live in a age of stress and anxiety.
It was significant for the arc. It was a story about Aang's stress (as well as a build-up to the invasion of the Fire Nation). Aang's tension about what he had to do and whether he was ready (let alone could do what everyone thought he would need to) was a major arc for the entire series and the Book of Fire in particular. The fact that it culminated in Aang accepting that he had to deal with the situation his own way was acknowledging that his stress was justified and toward a narrative purpose.
Also, we got to see Momo and Appa fight.
The fact she doesn't forgive her mother's killer was also a twist especially for a North American cartoon, usually, the story sides with Aang when he starts preaching about forgiveness but then she flat out breaks Aang out of the moment and says even though she spared him doesn't mean she forgives him. True she forgives Zuko but he was earning that forgiveness, Aang was essentially thinking she'd forgive her mother's killer "just because" (or because he would) and she immediately shuts that down.
I wish more shows today took notes from this episode on how to write a GOOD forgiveness (sub)plot.
Exactly. Forgiving your abusers/people who have wronged you is not required for closure.
That’s litterally why Aang and Katara shouldn’t have ended up together. He didn’t understand why Katara couldn’t forgive her mothers killer when it’s her decision not his.
He literally went on about forgiveness being essential to a healthier soul for anyone. He never was projecting. He was talking about his culture, yes, but in a way to advise her since he saw his friend going down a dark path. So few people will understand how much I hate how many don't even try to understand where Aang was coming from in this episode. I completely understand that this story was about Katara, but what he said was valid though not the point, I know. Aang had good suspicions of what she actually wanted to do being revenge (which she never denied). It wasn't about him not trusting her - as he let her take Appa - it was about his worry that she'd do something horrible. People misunderstand him so bad here, it's ridiculous.
the real reason katara didn’t kill her mothers killer is because she once stopped aang from killing the sandbenders who stole appa, she remembers that and wanted to not kill because it wouldn’t do anything but make katara live with guilt
"--Nearly killed Aang--" to be honest, Azula straight up murdered Aang there, had it not been for the water from the Northern Water Tribe's spiritual/magical properties. Katara's healing ability coupled with that is the only reason Aang wakes up later.
Yeah she destroyed the avatars by sniping TF out of em. Tbh if Ozai had cheered her on and helped prevent her breakdown, Azula might have made the final confrontation muuuuch more difficult. Although we have yet to see how Azula performs without pawns at her disposal (which she lost when she began to give up all of her pawns)
Azula broke the one rule in action cartoons. Never attack the main protagonist while their charging up.
True..
I HATE IT WHEN PPL SAY "nEarLy kiLled" or "bAdLy iNjuRed" SHE STRAIGHT UP FUCKING MURDERED THE AVATAR
I remember so many people got annoyed at Katara for not trusting Zuko but then she said “Everyone trusts you now!? I WAS THE FIRST ONE TO TRUST YOU REMEMBER! Back I’m Back Sing Se! And you turned around and BETRAYED ME! BETRAYED ALL OF US!” And they all went “oh yeah...” 😂
Yea I was originally annoyed by her attitude towards him, but it makes sense. I wouldn't have trusted him either after his previous betrayal.
Also no one is entitled to your forgiveness. She doesn't have to like someone anyway.
Yes and she almost gave him the healing water which was needed to save Aang
So true. Like, if someone would betray me and got my boyfriend killed, I would never trust him again.
SAME!
I think part of why it's so good is that it might not contribute to the main plot but it does contribute to the main theme(s) of Avatar.
I love this comment such a valid point
We need a better way to think about “filler” episodes. Some are filler to be be sure, but others add some much more flavor and depth. It’s more like adding spices to something. It’s not the main dish, but it brings out so many important flavors and changes the basic nature of the dish.
Troy Kawahara well put
...characters
Plus character development
Another thing I loved is how Zuko is probably the one person in the group, who would know about how love for a missing mother, can consume you. He gets it. His willingness to help Katara go out to murder a man, isn't solely motivated to just get on her good side. I genuinely feel like he felt it was a just cause. The way he just stands there, while she towers over the cowering form of her target, completely impassive. He's not trying to convince her not to do it, and he's also not urging her to kill him. His silent support of her choice, even to kill someone, spoke volumes about the world that Zuko grew up in, and how it colored his take on the world. He just stands there, letting her take the lead in this, simply observing. It's incredibly powerful to me, the way they bond over hatred and revenge, and how that similarity of purpose, is what helps Katara let it go, and realize how something like that, can make you make bad decisions, like betraying your friends, or everything you stand for.
Yeah, I loved how the show didn't gloss over the fact that the fire nation antagonists and/or deuteragonist were straight up savages, or rather almost seemingly passive to death and violence because of the beliefs and mindset taught to them by the fire nation. We see this with Zuko, Mai, Azula, and even Ty Lee. If they felt or saw it as justifiable and well within reason, they were okay with whatever.
I would argue that by far the biggest factor for Zuko was to regain Katara's trust. If she didn't hate him, this mission would have never taken place. He wasn't there to support Katara, he was there to help her find the man so she can kill him. By telling Aang he was right about what Katara needed and violence wasn't the answer, I think he feels a bit guilty that he pushed someone to do something they would regret for the rest of their life. Katara not killing the man is what lets her forgive the Zuko because she knows that holding this anger inside of her isn't what is best.
Reminds me of an episode of Angel (a spinoff of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) where an abused girl developed telekinetic abilities and is confronting her abuser. Angel specifically says "you have the power, finish it" but does not make any mention of actually harming him. He stands aside and supports her in her decision no matter how she handled it.
Here's why i think that the ongoing meme about "bUt mY mOtHeR iS dEaD" thing isnt that bad. she compared her moms death to aang's and zuko's loss is the closest thing she has to their situation. She wants to sympathize with them and show it gets better. I do think when she said "you didn't love her like i do" to sokka was out of pocket, but she was angry and overcome with emotions at the time. It's a story she tells others so that they could know more about her. She is also more impacted by her death because she was there right before her death. But I believe the main reason why she still grieves and brings up her mothers death is because *her mother was protecting HER.* She believes she's the reason why her mother was killed. She thinks that she could have stopped it. So think what you want to think but to me, Katara's feelings are valid.
EXACTLY FINALLY SOMEOME SAID IT.
Bless you
Yes and Sokka was younger and said he couldn't remember his mother as well as Katara. Don't get me wrong it's really sad for him but it's perfectly valid that she would be more affected.
Yeah and people aren’t realizing that she probably feels like it’s her fault her mother died
Also the scene of her and Hakoda running into the tent suggests the poor kid likely saw her mother’s dead body when she was 8, which is wildly traumatic. Grief is messy and complicated and I would’ve liked a talk between Katara and Sokka where they talk about their different feelings about what happened to Kya but I hate the hate she gets for her human reaction to trauma.
The nightmares episode is absolutely essential because we got to see Appa standing in his back legs
And putting a person in aangs shoes when appa starts talking, who could’ve seen that one coming 😂
Katara brought to the show that kind of passionate chemistry that makes a show feel more intimate and worth your time. I loved this episode for the story it presents us alone, but the development it gives her as a vital character is priceless 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Aang: "As a pacifist, I think it's best to separate yourself from the stressful and painful situation, and let it go."
Aang's children: "Sounds like your approach as a father."
Honestly what bothers me the most about this, was that Katara let it happen..like her character was never the type to allow that so why did she eventually let Aang ignore and neglect his other two children? Heck it sounds like he barely had time for Katara either seemingly heading off with Tenzin for so much time..they kind of ruined the older characters in korra..as well as the TLA comics which do have the characters act sometimes in ways that are out of character.
carrastealth HAHAHAHAH
I mean being a parent is painful and stressful
Not gonna lie that's why I've never thought that bad dad aang wasn't a crazy story arc... Because well... It isn't that crazy... And our boy lacked a parental figures so... Not that crazy
I mean, unless you're Tenson
This was amazing! Katara is such an underrated character and deserves so much more credit! I think after Zuko, she's the most complex. There's so much depth to her character, she's compassionate yet fierce, and her desire to protect and nurture is what gives her so much drive. I really like that she had an intensity and darkness to her, despite being so sweet and kind. It's what makes her so interesting. She's one of the best female characters in fiction!
dont forget azula, shes probably the most complex out of all of them
@@chulol7935 I don't think she was that complex, she was elevated as a prodigy and had to be though and perfect to be accepted. Is not as complex as Zuko being mom's favorite and sweet, then lonely, then banished, then furious, then confused, then balnced. But Azula had the richest traits of personality though.
Lucky hold tf up Katara is underrated wtf
Niggato yeah...? Lots of people make fun of her missing her mother.
@@chulol7935 Not really. She's really easy to pick apart psychology wise. Getting to know her, all you have to understand is "Oh she's a clever psychopath, okay." and that's like her entire character.
What I love about this episode is that Katara spared her mother's killer's life, but refused to forgive him.
Too many people nowadays are gas-lit into believing that forgiving someone that has wronged you is the only way to move on, which is not entirely true (You don't need to forgive to move on)...and too many stories follow that path with giving forgiveness/redemption stories for characters that don't deserve it being they have never atoned for their crimes, or have proven that they do not wish to change and revert back to committing those same crimes.
I like how the show doesn't paint Katara as being in the right or in the wrong for not forgiving the killer.
That's the type of nuance I wish more stories followed.
I don’t think any of the Zuko adventures are really necessary, but I also don’t know a single ATLA fan who’d label them as filler. Mainly because they’re so character driven unlike the derided filler episodes *cough* Great divide *cough*
For Katara and Aang's part, sure. But the prison break episodes were pretty intregal to the plot; Suki and their dad couldn't have just randomly shown up after being captured with no explanation. Plus Ty Lee and Mai's betrayal of Azula is vitally important to her arc.
I know most people hate the Great Divide but you have to admit that it was Aang’s development as a peacemaker which is one of the main skills an Avatar needs to develop. Yeah they could’ve done it on a more meaningful episode but I think it goes to show how good this show is: even some of the “worst” episodes have some point to them
The Grand Tamborini
The Katara episode was very important. That’s the reason Zuko and Katara team up to beat Azula. Katara before the southern raiders would never do that.
Toph should of had a Zuko adventure
@@GatoSanDad the only mistake of avatar XD
By far my favorite episode. Throughout the series, Katara was shown to be the most responsible, mature, & level headed person of the group. She was the mom of the group. However, we also got a few small glimpses of what Katara would do to protect the ones she loves, like when she literally threatened to murder Zuko is he did anything to Aang, or when she attacked Jet when she thought he was responsible for her brothers death.
This episode finally showed that Katara is not perfect & had flaws, which is good. It showed that emotion could play a major role on how she behaves, & once again, shows how she really cares for the ones she loves.
Also, the fact that she hated Zuko so much wasn’t just because of what happened in the crystal caves in ba sing se. That was definitely part of it, but not the only reason.She had an intense hatred for the fire nation, although she didn’t show it much. Sokka was the same way, which is understandable, especially in the beginning of the series. It took her a lot to be able to trust someone from the fire nation, especially Zuko.
The three most important characters in Avatar the Last Airbender are Aang, Katara, and Zuko, and the Southern Raiders episode is a vital turning point for both Katara and Zuko. It allows Zuko to earn back Katara’s trust after the end of season two, and it both closes a loose end in Katara’s life and reveals a new side of her character. Katara’s story is one of surviving an attempted genocide, after generations of the Fire Nation chipping away at her tribe, she is the last bender in the entire South Pole. While Aang’s story is one of destiny and duty and Zuko’s story is one of redemption and growth from trauma, Katara’s journey is about reclaiming her power and her heritage on behalf of herself and her people. We saw it when she met Hama, when she discovered the water bending scroll, when she challenged Paku and defeated Zuko at the North Pole (not in that order, of course). Finding her mother’s killer is a cap on all of those developments. She went from being a scared child, desperate to avoid being taken away by the Fire Nation, to stopping the rain with a wave of her hands in front of her mother’s killer before continuing her mission to help defeat the Fire Lord. Her growth was epic.
I agree
Well I guess we gonna throw sokka under the bus their
I couldn't have said it better.
The United States Of America what I was thinking.
@@ethanmcfarland8240 Sokka has the "becoming a leader, being less arrogant" type of story
I love this episode so much! Chills when Katara stops the rain!
And when she bloodbend
@@alec2733 and how zuko looked at her when she did. lmao
that shit still creeps me out
I love stories where the MC's lust for revenge leads them to finally getting a chance to enact it, but they don't because they realize it won't heal them or change the past. That's my shit.
Have you played GTA 4? You would love it.
But I hate when they forgive them or God forbid don't kill them because of their tragic backstory.
I liked the message of it being hard to forgive and some cases impossible. I also liked how Katara couldn't kill him because the man was so freaking pathetic that he offered up his mother as if that was the issue.
One of my favorite episodes, along with the tails of Ba sing Se. Another episode that moves away from the main plot but still gives insightful character knowledge and a meaningful story.
Leaves form the vine. falling so slow.
is that from the furry version of ATLA
@@LunatheMoonDragon Wut.
@@LunatheMoonDragon what
@@Flome810 They said “The TAILS of Ba Sing Se”
Aang's struggle with nightmares was important. It showed that he struggles internally, just like the rest of us. Pressure can get to him, despite his immense power and sense of responsibility. Also, his friends were there for him. At first his friends failed, but they didn't give up, and were eventually able to guide aang back to a healthy state. That solidifies the team's bond with every member, and is an important thematic message
I agree - learning how to deal with fear and troubling times through connection and joy is one of the main themes IMO : )
Everyone talks about when katara says to aang that he wouldn't understand
I dont think she was talking about her mother dying I think it was about her growing hatred for the person that killed her mother and how she couldnt live with herself if she let this opportunity to know what kind of sick person killed her mom
Its really important they show you can have closure from a traumatic experience without forgiving a criminal. And its okay.
This pairs really nicely with Hello Future Me's video 'The Cycle of War' on this episode on why it is so much more significant than just 'filler'
@Liam Cobb RIP great leader Mishka, the only cat I ever loved as I am a dog person.
@@thehellhound8582 WAIT WHAT?!? O_o
Mishka... is gone?!?
...
Rest in Peace!
@@thehellhound8582 Wait... really? Where did you find that? I didn't see any video on the CZcams channel, or on the Community page
I liked Katara. Then I saw this episode and she went from a character I liked, to a character I absolutely loved. As you mentioned, you see Katara in a completely different side and something I find very interesting is that at one point she scares everyone in the episode. Sokka is scared and offended when he sees Katara so filled with anger and when she says that he didn’t love their mother the way Katara did. Aang is clearly put off when Katara is yelling at him and showing so much hate and anger in her eyes. When Katara starts bloodbending, before Zuko says anything, you can see in his eyes and hesitation that he has never seen Katara filled with so much hate and it’s likely that Zuko had never even seen bloodbending before and this is his introduction. And both of the two leaders of the Southern Raiders were literally so close to death all Katara had to do is move her hand.
This episode is such an amazing one and probably my favorite in the series of both LOK and ATLA. And bc of this episode, Katara grew to be one of my favorite characters. First Toph bc Toph is Toph and no one beats Toph, then Zuko bc Zuko has one of the best character developments I’ve ever seen, even after the series as revealed in comics. But then you have Aang and Katara. Tied for third favorite, but if I really had to choose, I’d say Katara
Honestly I feel like katara is really under appreciated she’s my favourite character
I don't like her but that's your opinion
@@smalza1341 No one cares lol
I dont know why avatar sudenly got so popular again and why people makes so many videoes about how great of a masterpiece it is in 2020, but im not going to complain.
its on netflix, people only start paying attention again when its on netflix just like victorious. I use to watch both shows back in the day
@@xnng that's kinda sad tbh. That people only start paying attention again when an fucking pay to watch online service has it... just a bad feeling on my side.
I think it's because of quarantine and lockdowns. People were stuck at home with nothing better to do than watch ATLA 😅
@@promisnwekenta9703 It gave people who never got an opportunity to watch it a chance to
Promis Nwekenta, on the plus side now more people are getting sucked into the fandom-
this episode showed off katara really well, this is the ONLY other time Katara bloodbends other than her first time, it really shows how much she loved her mother
Kataras outfit is so cool in this episode...
Not to mention Zuko had the most involvement with this story arc since Book 1. He acquired her necklace and used it as leverage on two separate occasions. So he kinda owed her.
Makes Agni Kai more impactful as well with cool parallelism with end of book 2 and the ensuing fight.
Nightmares and Daydreams is amazing for comic relief tho... especially Momo & Appa xD
Especially since it's right after "The Puppetmaster" and before the invasion episodes.
For me, not only for the comic but it was realistic and very relatable, it's kind of like the stress before a big project, a result or a test, but this is a hundred times stressful as the time has come for him to save the world by risking his life and his feelings of not failing the world again at stake.
I would differentiate between three different kinds of episodes: Main/Story Episodes, Filler Episodes and World Building Episodes. World Building Episodes do not advance the Plot, or at least not as main focus, but provide a deeper understanding of the world in which the story take part. As such, they fulfill an important role to the series and are not filler episodes that just pad out the runtime.
In my opinion, Last Airbender contains lots of World Building Episodes, but nearly no Filler Episodes. This is one of the main reasons that make The Last Airbender so a good show!
I 100% agree with this, because what made ALTA so great is that each episode that was considered a filler for one season actually became important for a future plot or storyline. I'm pretty sure this show only had 2-3 actual filler episodes which meant that almost every episode was integral to the story and was never wasted.
@@ahsoka5216 I agree; a lot of season one is the main trio traveling the world and showing us both the world of Avatar and how the war has affected it's people. These episodes are pretty episodic (you could skip an episode or two and still understand what's going on), but a lot of them are later called back to in later episodes (like how a lot of seemingly one-note characters from seasons one and two reappeared/had an important role in The Day of Black Sun).
also, katara is usually (besides a peaceful character) a very angry and emotional character. some people think that the southern raiders episode was out of character for her, but it makes perfect sense. she's been like this the whole time, it's just been festering and becoming worse and worse.
This is my favorite episode. The character development is outstanding and I believe is very important in understanding how Katara and Zuko build their relationship together.
Back in the southern raiders episode, back in 2007, I never understood why everyone was surprised and startled by Katara’s revenge intention. Why should Katara being full of rage surprise us? Why, because throughout the show we are shown how loving she is? I didn’t think anything of that crap because no matter who you are, everyone has a dark side; even the nicest of people; shouldn’t all of us know that? Everyone is complex. Back when I was 7, I had a reading tutor who would hit me with a hammer anytime I got a question wrong, at 14 I was punched in the jaw by my aunt for something I didn’t do, and when I came back home from school to complain about the bullying I was experiencing, my aunts and grandparents did absolutely nothing, I suffered in silence of no one wanting to hear me out and you know what my principal told me? How is it after everything you went through, you remain respectful to all the elders and teachers at my school and never get into trouble at school and never showed any abusive behavior towards women? People are complex, I am complex and you don’t know what goes on people. Katara’s quest for revenge is nothing to be surprised about; we all have a duality.
This isn't a filler episode. The whole reason Katara strives to get stronger, more skilled, her whole drive, is because of the fact that she couldn't save her mother. Just like Zuko's journey to discover his true motivation, Katara needed this character growth moment where she learned that she can't be driven by hatred and fear of the past, but rather to grow in a healthy way, and have her motivation be to learn from the past, let go, and make the future better with that experience.
"violence is never the answer"
-aang
"your right.
violence is the question.
AND THE ANSWER IS YES"
Katara gets a lot of flack from this show's fanbase. Honestly, I can't see why. She's a strong but flawed female lead character who goes through believable character development throughout the show, just like the rest of the cast. I personally don't see any reason to hate her. Also, Kataang for the win.
Katara confronting her mother's killer demonstrates such an amazingly nuanced perspective of grief. This is a character that is usually so well mannered and level headed (not all the time of course, she is still a dynamic and emotional person), and Zuko just mentioning the possibility of finding her mom's killer turns Katara into an almost completely different character, one that the audience had only seen glimpses of up until now. Her decision to spare him is so powerful, and it really had me thinking she wouldn't do it, even on a kids show. Forgiveness at points, feels almost inhuman. It feels so natural and so much easier to harbor hatred, lash out, seek vengeance and be violent with rage.
To forgive somebody means keeping some of those feelings inside you, and letting them die like a fire by refusing to give it any kindling. Sometime's it's simple, but some times it's impossible, which is probably why the saying goes, "To err is human, to forgive; divine." The right thing to do isn't usually easy, and while Katara made the right choice to spare him, the fire inside her is still alive, because part of her wants it to never go out. It helps her remember all that she lost because she misses it so much. Within that fire is warmth that she's not willing to extinguish. Even a prison is still a shelter. Everybody's grief is different. Zuko, Katara, Sokka, Aang, all of them handled loss very differently.
Honestly I think we've always been shown her darker side through out the series, it was just glimpses of it until the Southern Raiders. We glimpses of it since the very first episode. That is one of the reasons why I like this episode because her dark side didn't come out of nowhere and was built up to that episode.
I actually really enjoyed this side episode. Katara behaves typically of a "water sign" when it comes to horoscopes. Emotional, wise, and helpful but also a great holder of grudges (due to her vulnerability). Her sudden coldness is just a shell to protect her tender heart.
She's literally like water, nurturing but also stormy at times.
I think all the nations' mentalities fit so well with their elements.
GREAT CHARACTER WRITING!!
To me this isn't filler. Character insight and development is essential to the plot. She needed to forgive Zuko. With their new forged friendship, they're able to trust each other and take on Azula.
If you hate Katara because she had childhood trauma we can't be friends. She literally found her dead mother's body who was murdered by the fire nation and then watched Zuko burn down villages and constantly try to kill her and the people she cares about. Despite all that trauma, she gave Zuko the benefit of the doubt and empathised with him when she learnt about his past. She was even about to heal his scar with a very precious resource she only had one vile of. Zuko then betrayed her which lead to Aang, the boy she loved, almost DYING and y'all blame her for not trusting him later?
Katara's whole life was shaped from the abuse she suffered at the hands of the fire nation. It's the reason she can be so controlling and motherly which can cause conflict. However, she's also very empathetic and always tries to examine her own behaviour to recognise when she has been unfair. She's a very real representation of what constant betrayal and trauma can do to a person and people really show their true colours when they dismiss her as annoying or mean.
"mY MotHeR iS dEaD" was literally made into a meme and I wish I was joking. Like, um, sorry? Is she just meant to get over finding her mother's murdered body as a literal child? That's no big deal, is it? That isn't a genuine excuse for being heavily affected by trauma? I really hope y'all don't treat people like this in real life. Literally, can you even imagine making fun of a real person because they're still traumatised over the death of their mother? It couldn't be me.
That thrilling moment when her mother's killer, dumfounded, asked who _was_ the waterbender, and Katara said, _"ME!"_ , and stopped the rain. Dude, you failed in your mission!
That's one of my favorite Avatar episodes because it adds so much to Katara's character
Zuko: *Makes lots of terrible choices throughout the show, spends season 1 being a deadass villain*
Shitty Fans: angel baby 🥰
Katara: *Realistically grieves over her mother, makes some mistakes sometimes*
Shitty Fans: 😡🤮
It was such a great episode of such a great show
Back in this episode and the southern raiders episode, back in 2007, I never understood why everyone was surprised and startled by Katara’s revenge intention. Why should Katara being full of rage surprise us? Why, because throughout the show we are shown how loving she is? I didn’t think anything of that crap because no matter who you are, everyone has a dark side; even the nicest of people; shouldn’t all of us know that? Everyone is complex. Back when I was 7, I had a reading tutor who would hit me with a hammer anytime I got a question wrong, at 14 I was punched in the jaw by my aunt for something I didn’t do, and when I came back home from school to complain about the bullying I was experiencing, my aunts and grandparents did absolutely nothing, I suffered in silence of no one wanting to hear me out and you know what my principal told me? How is it after everything you went through, you remain respectful to all the elders and teachers at my school and never get into trouble at school and never showed any abusive behavior towards women? People are complex, I am complex and you don’t know what goes on with other people. Katara’s quest for revenge is nothing to be surprised about; we all have a duality.
Voice Acticon You may have commented this to simply express some of your feelings out, but let me tell you, your words hit deeper than any comment I’ve ever read. I feel like sometimes we forget how the person next to you may have a backstory so similar to yours and yet we never seem to stop and think about it. The world needs to remember we are all people, we are humans, we have flaws and attributes, and most importantly, we all have something to tell.
@@santyso5075 express my feelings? That’s what you are calling this? I ain’t expressing anything. I am just stating my opinion about how it’s stupid that people are surprised with how dark Katara is being. And I gave my background of how I am complex. This has nothing to do with expression
I actually think this episode has nothing to do with filler and is very essential. Without this episode we would never believed Katara trusting Zuko, we never believed that she actually cares for him when “his” people are responsible for Kataras biggest nightmare. Katara wondering off alone with Zuko and Appa to overthrow Azula in the finale only works because of this episode. Because we believe that she cares for Zuko. Katara didn’t had to help Zuko fight Azula, she could have helped Aang with the Firelord or Sokka with the Firenation army. But she didn’t. After Zuko got hit by Azulas lightning, without this episode, Katara would have had 0 reason to heal Zuko. She could have let him die as revenge for her mother. But she didn’t, thanks to this episode. She already let her revenge out and she forgave Zuko. That’s why it made sense to face Azula with Zuko, why it made sense to rescue Zuko, to safe his life. This is SOOO important for the overall story ark. The reason why so many shows are not as good as ATLA is, because they don’t do these episodes. They often just have some smalltalk with the characters and that’s it, problem solved, sin is forgiven. Showing forgiveness works way better then tanking about it. Having a whole episode dedicated to this topic is brilliant. That’s the kind of stuff that involves the audience in a show.
And I am sorry but you not seeing that, not acknowledging that shows me, that you don’t have an idea what filler episodes are. And then I am wondering why you make a video about it, if you clearly don’t even know what you are talking about.
I see you pointed out these things later in the video yourself. But why then calling the episode a filler, even if you are aware of all the aspects that make this episode not a filler? That kinda seems strange to me^^
I didn't actually see the entire second season episode in which Zuko betrayed Katara, but I got the impression that they had bonded over the fact that both of their mothers had sacrificed themselves to save them. That made Zuko's betrayal far more personal to her. I also feel that she needed to face the very worst part of herself before she could forgive him for that betrayal.
Why did this make me so emotional? D:
I think quarantine has us all a little emotionally strung out and revisiting these deeply emotional stories from our childhood and appreciating them properly as adults is making these video essays hit harder
Another way I think The Southern Raiders connects 2 the rest of the story is that it ends Katara’s bitterness towards Zuko & if u skip over it, you’re left wondering how she’s suddenly acting more civil around him afterwards
When I was watching avatar for the first time a few months ago it sent shivers down my spine when Zuko said: “then what are you going to do when you face my father?” And then just ended
This episode makes me wanna cry
I love this show so much! My favorite episode is the blood bending episode or the boiling rock
Katara's revenge is by far one of my favorite episodes of the entire show because it shows how the writers are willing to dive deep into the characters' backstory's to further develop them even if it strays away from the main plot.
By showing Katara struggle with her past by trying to come to terms with her mother's death, it shows the complexity of her story and how holding onto hatred will never amend old wounds, but deepen them even more.
You are an amazing youtuber you deserve to be more well known
Nightmares and daydreams was the best. There was oppa and momo doing an epic anime fight, therapist sokka, and six armed charkra guy singing about how "chakra sandwich taste good, yum!"
I got chills when she made that water shield. Just stopped the rain in place.
I am so happy I just found this channel. All your perspectives make so much sense to me and I find them so interesting to me.
This show doesn't feel like it ever has filler episodes because even these "filler" episodes have a purpose
Zukos just standing there like how am i not dead
I love your video essays! I am watching your playlist right now, and it's really enjoyable and interesting! You do a really good job analyzing the shows!
your atla videos are the best. this side arc is just amazing!
She’s the baddest 🌊💪
Ooh, the nightmare episode could have introduced the idea of the lion turtles so it doesn’t just show up during the finale ahhhh
i think it's also in the library episode, mentioned just in passing
Why, the idea of lion turtles was introduced way back in book two in the library episode. A lion turtle was shown on one of the scrolls Aang held, so it was kinda foreshadowed?
@@smushed_eyes wasn't a picture of them also in the opening?
@@ShadowSkyX I don't think so...
ahhh i love your analysis videos very much! thank you for making them and putting so much effort into them ✨
It's the perfect side story because she was on a field trip with Zuko that was life-changing.
an incredibly well done episode and an incredibly well done analysis of it!!
I love your video essays.
Giuuurl you just got yourself a subscriber! This was a good video
Another great video :)
Can we also just talk about the look in Zuko's eyes when Katara bloodbent that guy on the airship? Like he had no idea that was even possible, let alone that she could do it. It's both impressive and a testament to his loyalty that he didn't run for the hills then and there. He stayed even though she was bloodbending someone into submission in pure blackout rage.
This is hands-down my favorite episode, and not just because I'm severely biased towards both Katara- and Zutara-centric things, lol. It's deep and it's dark and it fills in so many little holes we've been dancing around the whole series. I think I watched it like three times in a row when it first dropped and like it wasn't until the third that I fully realized this was the first time we actually *see* Kya's face or hear her voice. That was so impactful, especially watching the show in real-time, because for us the viewers, Kya had also been dead for literal years, and it just--
Just don't touch me with this episode, LOL
Thanks Elizabeth for giving us this episode 💛💙
Katara to aang: I knew you wouldn't understand
Mans had his friends, loved ones, and entire race wiped out by the fire nation but sure he wouldn't understand.
To be fair, Aang was always very forgiving and loving, motivated for his responsibility as the Avatar and saviour, and his guilt for running away and no helping the rest of the Air Nomads. Most of his life was peaceful and playful, not as hard, war-crossed and traumatic as Katara's.
Roberto Guevara just because aang is a very forgiving person doesn’t mean he understands less.
They are similar they both feel guilt and hold themselves accountable for the death of people they loved, but while Aang suffered from trauma due to an abrupt life change after being in basically a coma for over 100 years and finding his entire race wiped out of existence during the war, katara had actually witnessed her mothers murder and the suffering of her people for as long as she has been alive. So there are psychological differences in that aspect of their experiences plus the fact that they come from different cultures and have differing beliefs and personalities.
This! 👍
IM PRETTY sure she said that because aang was raised to be wise and forgiving not because of what happened to him LOl she knew he wouldnt want her to take revenge
I would like to point out that Kya’s killer told Katara that it would be fair to take his mother since he took hers. Earlier in the episode we see his mother being crabby with him so he might think that it would be a way to get rid of his unkind mother. Just a thought.
Wait
In the Freedom Fighters episode on Book 1, does jets actions twords the old man directly contrast what we saw in the Southern Raiders?
I think this is my favorite episode
Girl, I am glad to have discovered you from Contrapoints. Subbed.
Aang: You're going down a path I cannot follow
It’s been a long while since I watched the show and this episode BUT I will NEVER forget how absolutely SCARY Katara was in the episode, if it’s enough to make even Zuko feel shocked then you just KNOW that she’s out for vengeance and blood
I think they could have combined the two. Aangs having nightmares, looks over to get support from katara but she's off revenging. It could show consequences of going off on revenge trips while also showing how much they rely on one another
pretty great idea!
Well, one takes place right before the Day of Black Sun, and the other is after Zuko joins the Gaang.
Jolie Crusoe that is not the only point in the show where aang is stressed about fighting the fire lord. I would argue It’s a pretty movable episode
I think that wouldn't do Katara's story justice. The episodes are only so long and the conclusion to a major arc for her deserved the complete spotlight.
Side story???? No no. Katara is one of the main characters. Her mother dying to the fire nation is one the main reasons she fights the fire nation. Is central for her character (not just because she is the teacher of aang), and in this episode, it gives a closure to that. Few "kids show" adress hate in one of their protagonists, one which, as you said, is mostly upbeat. I loved that, because hate is something we humans DO feel. At least I have, and I can relate to Katara in that level.
Another reason to why Sokka grew to trust Zuko is because he went to the Boiling Rock with him to save his father.
It hurts me to think there are people in the Avatar universe who think Katara's loss is a funny thing. The fire nation killed Kya, and Zuko used to be on the evil fire nation side. Zuko didn't just betray Iroh, he betrayed Katara. She thought she could trust him and he tried to kill Aang. Thank you for not judging my feelings and letting me speak my mind.
Me too I makes me furious 😡
The freezing rain moment is so badass
Good video Riley
"Ya' know-psychologically speaking vengance rarely brings us the catharsis we hope for." -Harley Quinn
ik that was meant to be funny in the context of the movie but, considering she was a psychiatrist, she does know what she's talking about lmao
Fantastic analysis. I agree. Southern Raiders is super awesome and very important for character (and I would say not just for Katara's character -- Aang and Zuko also both have some important character points here). Loved your thoughts and well done tying how this story reflects on the series as a whole.
Just a side note, but I agree with you about the Nightmares and Daydreams story being less necessary. But man it makes me laugh! =)
All the side stories gave the characters dimension. That’s why everyone loves ATLA and doesn't like the Legend of Korra. Korra was the only one who had a story behind her, no one else.
Yeah that’s a big problem considering the fact that Korra’s personality isn’t likeable by all
My favorite line is "take my mother in return "or something like that
I think Nightmares and Daydreams was more of a showcase of how stress can mess you up
Ah, yes, the Zutara episode
EWW. Gross.
Tecnically is the second one, the first was that season 2 ending bait.
Not really, it was just Katara’s turn to go on a life changing trip with Zuko-
(But yeah shippers think whatever they want-)
I don't understand the Zutara ship
@@literallyasuka2996 I think it's because the writers joked about it so much in the show that some fans thought it was going to happen. Also, people believed that they related more to each other than Katara and Aang do due to them losing their mothers. I have to admit I shipped them for awhile too, but then I realized that they are more of a brother and sister type of bond which is probably one of the reasons why Azula snapped in the series finale because she felt replaced and forgotten just like what Mai and Ty Lee did to her (Do you really blame them though? As Iroh once said, Azula is crazy).
Nightmares and Daydreams is essential for tonal balance within Book 3. The previous light hearted episode was The Headband, which came 7 episodes earlier and then the next one would be Ember Island Players which came 9 episodes after. Not to say the episodes in between these 3 did not have light hearted moments, but their tone was serious, adventurous or emotional.
Tonal balance is a crucial element for long running series like these, and you can prove it by simply watching all Book 3 episodes besides 2, 9 and 17 and observe how the story flows without them. I can guarantee you it won't feel the same.
I also like the lesson the Southern Raiders teaches about anger and hatred. Sometimes the anger we place upon a person isn't always that person's fault. And that it takes letting go of something in our past in order to move on from something in our present.