Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Cycle of War [ video essay ]
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- čas přidán 13. 06. 2024
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![What happened to Katara after The Last Airbender? [ Avatar Explained ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/JQ_LQ0C4zfY/mqdefault.jpg)
![What happened to Katara after The Last Airbender? [ Avatar Explained ]](/img/tr.png)
So, I'm *really* proud of this video. It took me a whole week and a few sleepless nights. *It'd mean the world if you shared it with someone who might enjoy it.* If you'd like more of this kind of content, I'd love you to join the Patreon-Discord community (patreon.com/hellofutureme) for a couple of bucks to support me and Supreme Leader Mishka. QotD: Which one movie/book/series changed how you think philosophically? For me, it was the History Boys. A really underrated movie in discussing the role of education today. Let me know yours below! This is my favourite episode in the whole series, I think, and it even made me cry while writing it.
~ Tim
Hello Future Me okay tim we love you 😉
I have a recommendation: the uldart-series of Markus Heitz tells the story of prince lodrik and his rise to power, and how that changes him. he goes from prince to king, to someone who loses everything and rises again as a changed man.
pretty sure the cycle of war is interwoven with the story in some ways too.
It’s my one off my favourite episodes to! Also can we have more dragon vs battles, they’re my favourite episodes.
also tim there is a book called "Art of War" it might help you if you want to make other topics about "war"
You are wonderful, don't stop with your content. It's awesome
"The saddest thing is not that one thousand people died... but one thousand times, a single person died." I wish I could remember who wrote that.
Jack London's wrote it.
Those are the words I have been searching for.
A Single Death is a Tragedy; a Million Deaths is a Statistic
-Joseph Stalin
That's the closest I can get
Sounds like something Iroh would say.
Gryffindor Edits its meant to show that a large number of deaths seem like a statistic, but a single death seems like a tragedy
I think the end of the episode presented another lesson
That recovery from trauma does not require the victim to forgive their oppressors
@Thewarmestmachine Agreed!
I wouldn't say recovery from trauma. I'm not sure Katara ever recovered from it.
Yes! The need for vengeance is harming the victim and letting that go does not mean they forgive those that hurt them. It’s a way to heal and move on.
Always strive to forgive the universe for what happened. Only forgive the person/people if it would actually bring you closure or peace.
I 100% agree with this one, i will never forgive my bully. However i dont wanna torture him, i just wanna move on and never think about it again
I really like the detail the writers put into this show. When Katara blood bends in front of Zuko, you can see the sheer surprise and terror on his face.
Yeah when I rewatched i saw that surprise on his face and realized he’d never seen bloodbending and probably didn’t even know Katara could do it
he's just like asdfdhdfsdfgg i could be DEAD
Well also it was important to really sell the importance of that moment, they could have had him be disgusted, too. Having no idea where she learned it, he might have been thinking that she was holding back against him since the beginning.
that's the face of someone who realised that she can make good on the threat she gave him the other episode
Yeah that was a great detail, especially considering their history. He knew she was a powerful waterbender but when he saw bloodbending he probably thought oh, shit... oh.. *shit.* yep, never gonna piss her off again 🙏 😅
I think katara not accepting Zuko at first is also because of the fact that he failed her trust. She was the first to trust him, but he betrayed her, this will made him harder to trust again.
Lemon Juice xx ya think?
yeah Katara mentioned it after he became part of the group.
I think she was a bit cold regarding that. I can't feel sympathy for her despite feeling betrayed.
Amber Slahlize that’s cause we as the audience know that Zuko genuinely wants to do good but Katara doesn’t. As far as she knows he is just using team avatar for his own ends
@@BrawnyStream If this was something happening in real life, I'd be cautious maybe even uneasy at first, but that's the key here, *at first*.
Generally though, I am faulted for being gullible, so maybe that's my real issue?
But after that "at first" moment, she just kept being unreasonable.
In simple terms, you just don't alienate people, even if you don't believe them. You drive them away, and if they really are bad, what use is it telling them? To emotionally deflate yourself?
In a time of war, that would be foolish.
You spend better time making a back-up plan with your trusted friends over what to do if so-and-so turns on you.
But I think it's important to remember that everyone else knows as much as Katera does, but yet they don't come close to treating him like the way she does.
The scene in the Southern Raiders where Katara screams "ME!" and the rain stops is probably my all time favorite Katara moment.
@@SekaiWythica Not effortlessly. But near close. She was highly emotional and tapped into her bending better. But she gets to that point very fast.
Somebody tell Nux Taku so he can put this in his *Top Flexes in in Anime-inspired media* video
I think it's my favorite waterbending moment in general, especially how powerful it is in context
Bitch can control the weather
I like that she t-poses right after
“Some traumas cut you so deep that you never truly get over them, and thats ok.”
ye, but living with them is just as hard.
I started choking up when he said that - those last three words hit hard for anyone with their own relation to trauma. Absolutely beautiful.
Moon agreed
I think this is something that we don’t talk about enough, it is ok to have scars and trauma from your past.
I was just talking about traumas today and that part hit me hard.
"Leaves from the vine falling so slow" I always cry
Me too. Damn
Whats that mean?
All of those scene hit me hard but when it got there..yeah I teared up🥺
Like fragile tiny shells, drifting in the foam
Little soldier boy, come marching home
Brave soldier boy, comes marching home...
@@unknownana9797 it's a song iroh sang while honoring his son's memory at his grave. Search leaves from the "iroh vine" on YT and prepare
This episode really did something with me as a child. For the first time ever in a childrens show, someone was showed not forgiving, not being able to forgive and rightfully so, and it really stayed with me.
But when you can't forgive, you get episodes like 'The Great Divide' all over again.
Not forgiving is what cripples a person more than being the victim.
@@amberslahlize7961 Yeah but some people just can't forgive, no matter how much they try, and that's ok. And this is why I love this episode, it shows you that you're not a bad person for not being able to forgive someone. You can move on either way, like Katara did.
@@dlr_rosa254 I disagree, but you and I can agree to disagree.
@@amberslahlize7961 I've faced trauma that destroyed my life. I hated a certain someone because of it, and I greatly hurt them. I will never get over the trauma, and I will never forgive that person. It is impossible to. If you faced something like that, you would understand. But I sincerely hope that you never do.
I think one line that’s said by Katara during The Southern Raiders episode really puts an interesting perspective on her mental state. She KNEW that her mother lied and said she was the last waterbender to protect her. That is most likely what sat with her in her mind all these years. That deep down her waterbending was why her mother was killed. This would explain why Katara had a drive to be a great waterbender, so that her mother’s sacrifice wasn’t in vain. She blames herself on some level for her mother dying. This is further supported by the fact that she takes in her mother’s role from an early age, as a way of trying to make what happened better. Finally being able to kill the man who killed Kana would essentially “kill her old weak self” and free her from torment about why she couldn’t fight for her mother then. In the end she couldn’t do it though, and decided to free herself from it. She stopped the pain that had been inflicted on her to from continuing to ruin her life. ATLA understood this wasn’t about Katara leaving her pain behind her, it was about her learning to live with it in a healthy way.
And she really was right when she told sokka: ‘you didn’t love her the way I did’. Because the survivors guilt was rooted in her love for her motherz
actually it wasn't katara's waterbending who got her mother killed, it was Hama's
@@markimoss9890 it doesn't negate the fact that she was still protecting katara bc she knew if they found out she was a waterbender she would be dead too.
It’s also worth discussing that the rest of season 3 further examines the contrast between aang and zukos philosophies here. In The Southern Raiders it makes clear that vengeance only perpetuates the cycle of war, but the show also validates Zukos advice that you can’t just “do nothing”. When Aang strips Ozai of his bending, it’s a synthesis of these two points of view. Aang stays true to his pacifist philisophy so that he does not continue the cycle of violence, but he also doesn’t just ‘forgive’ the firelord and sink into complacency and inaction. The last episodes are very explicit in explaining this philosophy by having the past Avatars tell Aang directly while he’s on the Lion Turtle (especially Kioshi “Peace only comes from Justice”) and then having Aang demonstrate that the advice of the pastAvatars can be followed while still being non-violent.
I took a screen shot of this because that's a really great point that I just completely overlooked. I wish it would've been in the video.
I dislike the idea that forgiveness has its limits , but then again I don't equate 'forgiveness' to denying consequences for ones actions. Forgiveness is not for the sake of our enemies, but for our own healing. Without it, we live in constant pain. And when the pain becomes too irritating to bear, the cycle of war starts anew. This has been witnessed in our own histories.
fuck this show is amazing
@@smurf0920 It truly is something that the creators put a lot of thought into.
@@WolfGr33d Indeed. I was bullied mercilessly in Elementary, so much so that I pulled out to home-school throughout all of high school. For many years, I clung onto bitterness towards those who tormented me. I was urged by my aunt to forgive them - not because they deserved forgiveness, but to find personal peace. Mockingly, I did so. Then again. Again. Over and over as the months passed, they started to mean something. Eventually, they became sincere and I released all of my hatred towards those people. Since then, it's been a struggle to even form a grudge, let alone maintain it. I like to see that as a good thing.
The only thing I disliked about this episode is how they treat Aang, like he's naive, sheltered and stupid when he's endured a MASSIVE loss, of his culture, his home, his friends, he has lost even a hundred years, he has lost everything, he fights all the time with people who wanna kill him and he even was killed by Azula, and yet he's willing to forgive, not because he's inactive and stupid but because if he lets that anger and sadness consume him he will kill everyone and then that grief would kill him. Just as that anger and grief almost consume Katara in this episode when she can't bring herself to sleep. I just wanted to point that.
I think it has something to do with his continued character arch. He has suffered incredible loss, but hes never actually faced a singular entity he simply couldn't forgive (except maybe the sand raiders). Even Zuko he forgave with little hesitation. But, like Zuko asks at the end of the episode, what good is forgiveness going to do when he faces the Fire Lord. Even though Aang is barely in the episode it still has to do with his own arc
Aang didn't have a singular person for his trauma like Katara did. Example: A man kills your mother so you hunt down that man to kill him. But if an entire nation kills your own people you can't hate all of them. Aang is left with a huge grief but nowhere to put all his anger to (Like Sozin that actually came up with the plan to kill the airbenders)
It's part of culture and specifics. Think of it, it was a single man that killed Katara's mother, but for her as well as for Aang, it was the entire Fire Nation that made it possible. Does she hate the entire Fire Nation? Not that much. Plus, Aang saw the consequences of their actions, not the destruction of the Air nomads itself. Katara saw her mother being cornered by a Fire Nation soldier. Furthermore, the Air Nomads do have a culture of peace and forgiveness, so for Aang, holding anger is something that has been culturally taken out of him.
When all his anger can be directed at a specific person and a specific event, he does get out of control, like when Appa was captured or in Book 2, Ep 1, when Katara gets burried alive. However, both of these times (and when he discovered that his kin were killed) Katara was there to calm him down. That's why Aang says what he says. He's not being naive, he tries to be for Katar what she has been for him.
@@nottoday3817 EXACTLY
Also, let's not forget that the monk culture he literally grew up in always emphasized forgiving and kind of a "go with the flow" perspective, just like the wind. His entire culture was constructed upon the notion that selfish desires and motives are what inhibit you from achieving the best version of yourself (kind of like Buddhism). However, what was Naive was that Aang didn't take the consideration that not everybody deals with vengeance and remorse the same way. He can't fully comprehend what Katara was truly thinking, nor understand what it's like to know that the killer of your guardian is still alive and having the power to actually be able to do something directly to them (as whoever killed his people are long gone). So, it was idiotic of him to try and tell Katara the forgiving the person is the only other option.
I also don't believe he actually forgave those who killed his people. He accepted what happened and learned how to move forward and forgive himself. There's a difference.
"but she lied to you, she was protecting the last waterbender."
"really, who?"
"ME!"
The way Katara says this, the heartbreak in her voice in the beginning, which immediately turns into rage again is just so powerful and so fucking sad. Every time I hear it I get so emotional.
At least Katara was able to forgive Zuko and to see that he’s actually a good person. Thankfully Zuko joined team Avatar and helped them take down his father and sister. What was Sozin thinking when he started this war against the other nations? Didn’t it occur to Sozin that many people would suffer and lose their lives, did he even care? It’s said that Sozin felt nothing but regrets for his decisions, realizing too late the harm his ambition had caused others.
AGREE!!!! One of the best scenes in the show
Katara was more outraged about her mother's demise than his brother Sokka because she knows that her Mom died for her. She felt not only sorrow but also guilt.
yeah, unfortunately many people seem to forget that or purposely omit it to fit their narratives about her
also because she was right there, but too little, top weak, too powerless
ATLA was an emotional rollercoaster. Had me laughing one minute and crying the next. No show compares.
Except for Attack on Titan. I'm so glad shows like AtLA and AoT are getting the appreciation they deserve.
I would agree if Bojack Horseman didn’t exist. Both are phenomenal shows that made me laugh and cry
@@HOPEfullBoi01 Did you seriously just put the Rick and Mort of Anime and ATLA in the same conversation? ATLA is miles, miles ahead of AoT and so are quite a few anime.
@@Moony1568 such an underrated gem
You, Sir, know your shit.
@@extraterrestrialhorse9722 you've clearly not seen beyond season 1 if you think that
Having recently watched this video and your one mentor characters, I've come to a sort of epiphany about this episode. Aang is the voice of restraint and forgiveness to Katara, when she struggles most with her loss, precisely because of what happens when he lost Appa in Book 2. In the desert episode, Aang is the villain. He abandons his friends to presumably die in the desert without a second thought. He needlessly kills a buzzard wasp to get Momo back. He was fully prepared to completely destroy the Sandbenders at the end of the episode. The line "Maybe we'll find some Sandbenders" is dripping with vengeance. Aang personally saw how the need for revenge/justice warped him as a person. And we see him coming to terms with it during the Serpents' Pass episode.
I don't think it is no coincidence that the person that stops Aang from enacting revenge on the Sandbenders is Katara. Perhaps unknowingly, she is the one that taught Aang to forgive. So it makes perfect sense that Aang would be the one to urge Katara to forgive and not seek revenge. He not only doesn't want her to make similar mistakes, but he would also want to be the person that she was for him. It's a really cool twist on the action-lesson scene (from the mentor characters video) where the mentor (Aang) tells the protagonist (Katara) the truth that revenge won't help her feel better and it is only in the midst of the action that the protagonist realizes this truth. Aang is the logical mentor in this situation because he has been down this same path before, of seeking revenge to abate his sense of loss.
Excellent video. I'm always discovering new things to love about this show.
UNDERRATED COMMENT!
good point on this! I remember this to be constantly brought up in ship wars, stating how aang is not meant for katara because he doesn't understand her. I ship zutara, but i don't think it makes aang toxic for being "preachy" to katara in this episode. In the narrative, each character is given their own principles and personalities and they act in a certain way because of that; to ultimately parallel and contrast each other, putting several layers of complexity to the story. Seeing all of the characters' take on how katara should react on the information of yon rha also poses that same question to the audience and make them ponder on what to do once they're presented with the same choice.
Aang killing the buzzard wasp after it drops Momo is his equivalent of kataras blood bending the southern raider
but the buzzard wasp really had no true value it might as well have been a parasite and he struck it down. Its implied that he killed it but he really could've just shocked, stunned of injured it.
@@acelesbianmrclean Aang is a pacifist vegetarian. He wouldn't hurt a bumblefly much less an innocent animal they pissed off. That is pretty big for him to go against his code and kill something. Think about it, he doesn't even kill a wholly evil being for the sake of the world despite everyone telling him to and it risks his soul just to avoid killing him.
@@haruhirogrimgar6047 innocent my left ass cheek it kidnapped Momo.
@@haruhirogrimgar6047 and they only pissed it off on accident they didn't know what was in that cave until Toph felt the buzzard wasp coming.
@@acelesbianmrclean Okay, wild animal is out in a desert with scarce food. 4 humans and a small animal trespass on the territory.
Is it really fair to judge a wild animal for protecting its turf and getting some food? An animal with no brainpower focused on understanding the concept the Avatar crew are peaceful.
And the point was Aang killed something despite his very strict moral code.
This is why the Southern Raiders is such a beloved episode, while everyone in the show goes through the cycle, it is in this episode where it appears the most obviously. It presents so many questions and ideas that it really makes you think, and feel for the characters. Signs of a great show.
Yes, this is one of the top 3 episodes of the show.
I liked parts of this episode but never liked the episode itself.
The moment that makes it impossible for me to enjoy "The Southern Raiders" was when she yells at Sokka, "Then you never loved her the way I did!" and then at no point in the series or episode does she address, feel remorse or apologize for saying something so vile and hurtful to the only person who's been there for her all her life. Can't get past it.
Atlas Films yeah, i will admit. As much as i like this episode, that bit always bothered me.
I don’t know, I don’t ever see at the top of favorite episodes. And I don’t think it works perfectly .
+Atlas Filmsi i feel very similar to you. Although this episode has some great discussions (zuko and katara) and very important characterization i still will never like the whole scene where katara screams at sokka and dares to say that aang didnt understand her. Granted she was just furious with so much rage that she never had a chance to process but still for me it always kinda ruins part of the journey they went through from season 1 to season 2 (air nomads and appa) and zuko saying stupid shit like "goody goody guru", really? 2,5 seasons of development and then this from such an otherwise well written character? And at the end... turns out aang and zokka were right but no apology or anything. So yeah good episode if you ignore that part but nowhere near top 3.
Something this analysis glosses over (and that I didn't notice myself until just now) is that Yon Ra *remembered* Katara. He didn't know her name, but that moment stayed with him. Even the aggressors can suffer from their actions.
Omg, I'm only realizing this now, but the rain Katara uses to attempt to kill this man might represent the tears she shed over her mother. She's literally trying to kill him with her sorrow, trying to make him feel her pain.
I'm done. this show is too good...
“ *Some traumas you never truly get over. And that’s okay.* “ I felt so validated, thank you.
I remember watching Wan Shi Tong's library episode with my dad when I was about eight. There was that part where WST discovers that the Gaang is seeking information to defeat the Fire Nation, and he explains that he'd never let his knowledge be used for war again. I said something like "I don't get what he's going on about. The Fire Nation is evil, they all have to die!" and he just said that I'd understand when I was older. And, eventually, I did :)
ATLA is the best show ever and we all know it
I still think that Wan Shi Tong was being unreasonable. Why would an entity from the spirit world just be ok with the four nations continuing to suffer this imbalance? For a wise old spirit he sure was quick to assume that they had homicidal intentions, when we know the opposite is true.
Gabriela Mello This is beautiful. Thank you.
@@brianaguilar8283 It's a bit complicated to explain. It's more like understanding. Just like how the video said in the end. The Commander who killed Katara's mother has a family. Now this dosen't mean spare him he has a family, it means the side your trying to take down have innocent individuals who have to live under the decisions of their leaders decisions i.e the Fire Lord. The Commander was not innocent but there are people in the fire nation who will suffer as well if extreme tatics of war breakout. The owl is saying he doesn't want his knowledge to be used as a weapon of war regardless of who is right or wrong. To be honest there's a lot more I want to say to answer your comment but it's kinda difficult to put into words.
Mira Noire team avatar is obviously not homicidal. There is a difference between defeat and murder. The fact that Wan Shi Tong immediately jumped to conclusions that they were going to be killing their enemies says a lot for a supposed wise spirit, who should know that it’s perfectly reasonable that they wouldn’t just sit back and continue to let the world suffer the imbalance. What was he going to do about it? Where does he go off criticizing their morality when he’s apparently fine with just sitting back and letting the nations kill each other.
Brian Aguilar well the original plan was to get the earth kingdom to invade and there would definitely be deaths as a result. I’m pretty sure people died during the eclipse invasion from the show they just didn’t show it
This cycle of war is also broken by iroh when he lost his son he didn’t seek vengeance he chose to help people because he experienced personal loss and pain and didn’t want anyone else to experience that.
"Kids' show"
But the thing is, it somehow DOES manage to tackle this very adult concept while still being a good show for kids... because it's just so fucking perfect.
Even though it’s suppose to be ambiguous, the way I took the ending of this episode was basically katara saying “I’m not forgiving you, I’ll never forgive you, but I won’t allow myself to become you”.
There’s nothing ambiguous about that episode 💀
This is really, really good.
Thanks man! Glad to hear you liked it.
~ Tim
Sage's Rain
I also really like your Avatar videos, they are great :)
youuuuuuuuu
Sage's Rain yooo who would've have thought i'd see sage rain here. Two people who I fuck with 🔥🔥🔥
Amazing
Also I think that Zuko betraying her on the catacombs that almost ended on Aang’s dead after she saw that maybe the fire nations may be humans too added coal to the fire, she was so ready to help him even after all that happened and it got throwback at her face, no wonder she was so angry at him and even at herself for being naive when he came back, amazing video it always amaze me how Avatar was able to tackle this teams for a children's show
I never really understood this. They had a moment but Zuko agreed to nothing, he didn’t betray them. Katara takes it personally but Zuko has no real personal relationship with her at this point.
@@oliviaplayer8039 You don't need an official agreement. Katara showed him trust and Zuko let her in. Then attacked her. It's a betrayal
simonegreco I think in war you kind of do need something more official than a fleeting moment. A small moment of trust isn’t enough to earn the right to a person’s allegiance imo.
olivia player betrayal isn’t necessarily an official thing. You don’t need to swear allegiance to something or someone to betray it, tf
simonegreco they had no relationship to betray. I’m not saying you need to swear allegiance but one conversation built up to a lot of entitlement for katara. They didn’t even finish talking and she blew it up into something it wasn’t.
"when you spend every day fighting a war, you learn to demonize your attackers. To you they're evil and subhuman. Because if they weren't, then what would that make you........"
-Kimballs speech from red vs blue.
thought you meant FNV for a sec
"What I'm trying to say... is that I've been afraid to see you for what you really are. You're our brothers. Our sisters. And the things we've done to one another are unforgivable."
Man I love that show....
Rvb fan? Let’s go
I always love how the writer never portrays Yon Rha as "kind," or "nice," to try and make us feel bad. Hes presented as just, normal. If anything, we get to see him as weak, cowardly, pathetic. It invokes our sense of pity because WE are kind. His own kindness comes off more as meekness, not altruism. We get to see that hes not some bloodthirsty psychopath, but we're never forced to try and see him as a good person. And i think that was an incredible choice
He should have been a war hero tbh after all his service
Oh man, those first 40 seconds hit me hard. Especially the completely raw emotion within that single “No!” at 0:10...
I agree. That beginning was brilliant!!!!!!
Only the singing hit me iroh has the only real tragedies
Definitely agreed.
0:20 sent goosebumps all over my body.
Leaves from the vine playing with all the chaos in the background was great
That was well edited. The effects of war that could happen to anyone but it happened to the characters we love.
It's kinda like Jet and Katara relive their trauma every time they get angry and honestly, thinking about that is so sad. The pain never dies for them.
When katara said the fire nation took my mother away from me with tears in her eyes and zuko said it took mine away too u could feel the emotional turmoil in their voice let’s be honest
Only later we find out that Zuko's mom didn't die but was banished so that the Fire nation wouldn't take Zuko away.
@@acelesbianmrclean But his mom was still taken away, and as far as he knows, Ursa was dead. Plus, Zuko has suffered other losses, mainly his face, his honor, his throne.
@@acelesbianmrclean the mother didn't have a choice either she leaves and Zuko stays alive or she stays and he dies
I hadn't made the connection between the water sphere and the igloo before - thank you for the insight!
Dude. Your best yet. You tackle the nuance of war and it’s cost witin fantasy narratives that I feel gets overlooked most of the time. Kudos to the care and delicacy with which you present the subject, something that needs to be applied to all Wars and all conflicts in this day and age, and something that we can all learn from.
war only ends forever when then is no lack of empithy and no more self gain for pointless reasons and when your scared but not paranoid.
You said exactly what I was thinking. I was hoping someone had. You can sense he considered the feelings that this video might trigger in people, esp those who might have experienced war.
War never changes and everywhere is war. Whether it's about race, gender, power, money and etc. In the end it cause nothing but pain and suffering for all.
@Deathcoldan That is true. But humans aren't only beings to cause war. animals, insects and even the white blood cells in our body's are fight war right now against virus, sickness and whatever; I'm not doctors.(I hope you get the point here that humans aren't only causing war.)
Crying. All the crying. It started with the intro, and never stopped. It's been five minutes since the video ended and I'm still leaking tears.
I really needed this message right now.
Angel Harvey you're sensitive soul is making me give off 2nd hand tears hun 😂 bless you
I know that feeling. Stay strong
If he had end off the video with Iroh singing to his son I would have been a mess.
Stay strong. I’ve been where you are. Good luck and know that it’s okay to not be okay
Personally I think it's a bit of an incorrect message myself. We're shown in earlier episodes of the first season how the refusal to forgive leads to fury and despair. Ozai could not forgive his son Zuko for speaking out of turn, Aang could not forgive himself for letting his anger get the best of him and abandoning his role as the Avatar. Without forgiveness, the cycle of war and pain never truly ends for us.
I'm sorry but Zuko's face when he sees Katara bloodbend is priceless. It's that moment when he realizes she can basically do anything she wants, to anyone she wants, and she's been holding back every other time he's seen her fight.
The first sign for me that Zuko would get a redemption arch was his Agni Kai with Zhao. On a smaller scale to Katara, he refuses to burn him like his Father did. He doesn’t want to be like him, even to attack an enemy. It’s a really interesting fight to watch again after seeing the full series and understandings the context of his last Agni Kai.
“Don’t hate the player but hate the game” - unknown
I think about this quote all the time especially when I watched the episode where Katara and Zuko looked for the man who killed Katara’s mother
This video was very well made! Katara was always one of my favorite characters because, like her, I lost my mother when I was young. 'The Southern Raiders' is my most favorite episode of the series. No matter how many times I watch it, it always makes me cry just because that I know that wound will never heal and neither will Katara's. And of course, I cried just by watching this video. Thank you Tim! Please make more like this, your insightful essays inspire me!
Zivalene I’m truly sorry for your loss. The wound will never heal but many things can make it bearable, friends, hobbies etc. I hope life is treating you better now.
Losing my mom at the age of 15, I totally understand Kataras actions. And to answer your question in the beginning, you can't overcome a trauma like this, that's impossible. You can only learn to live with it as good as possible.
Honestly this episode has helped me come to terms with emotional abuse that I have suffered through. As a person who tends to forgive too easily it has showed me that I don't have to forgive and forget but I don't have to say that the abuse is okay. No matter how much I want to hurt the people who have hurt me, its wrong and only makes more people suffer the way I have. And the last thing I want is anyone to suffer the way I did...even those who have hurt me.
Thank you. Thank you for creating this video. Not only because it deepens the love I have for this show, but for also revealing to me why this show has helped me so much with my own traumas of the past. You have earned a patron sub from me. I look forward to seeing all the great things you do in the future.
Means a lot you would support me
I think it's really interesting that after realising the man she bloodbended wasn't the killer, she didn't bloodbend the actual killer, as if she realised it still felt horrible to do, regardless if he was the killer or not.
I always thought that was becbecause it was the next day, and you can only bloodbend on the night of the full moon.
12:20 That moment reminds me of how expertly they use the Avatar State and how afraid Aang can be of "that part of him" at times. That moment with Aang hovering over the firelord, *roaring* and unleashing the full fury of the elements is *terrifying* as we again reverse the roles and see the firelord about to be the victim.
That could be another video, because that's one of my favorite arcs of the series. Aang slowly learning to control it, and ultimately overwhelming it in that final battle. Not only triumphing over the fire lord, but triumphing over the Avatar State. "No, I'm not gonna end it like this."
In a way it embodies anger, power, that sense of the adrenaline rushing and blood pumping. Exhilarating, but without control, *extremely dangerous.* Definitely something I dealt with in my own way over my childhood.
What series changed me philosophically was "Myself; Yourself" . It showed a sort of real view of depression where you won't even notice the depression because of the type of humour that is covering the series. The two main characters both being or having been a victim, but the one of them shows the other that even though you might feel that way, ultimately there will be something you find worth living for again (though they both have no clue, but it's a theme that plays out).
It comforted my cosmic-nihilistic views and strengthened the parts of me that knew, to me personally, there will always be something for which worth living, regardless of the worth of it to the rest of the universe. And that, that is about what life is. Exploring the stories that might be or become part of you, your motivations, your flaws, and about whom you will grow to care, and of course not to forget discovering more about those people and their stories in turn. It's easy to let yourself go after thousands of beatings, but there will be those few moments in life for which you'd never have thought to live.
Long story short: Don't be hesitant or afraid of living, however much darkness consumes you, for however many years (speaking from experience). There will be a light you are thankful to have seen, for its beauty outweighs your struggles. (Sorry for the sappy cliché message though)
Don't apologize for anything. You just brightened my day.
Okay you just sold my on this and i have to watch it. Thank you for writing a comment this deep.
Thank you
hope denies fear!!!
I don't know how relevant this is, but I know that many people view nihilism as very.... disheartened and crushing. But I've always thought of it as very empowering. Often, the thought that nothing matters in the grand scheme of things would be considered bad... but I think that all that means, is that you are the one that ultimately decides what Matters. The power of deciding what is important is in your hands, there are no pre-ordained mandates that state the meaning of life, because it is up to you to figure out and decide what your own meaning is, and what you want to live for. I guess it is a big burden... but yeah... that's at least how I view it.
Really excellent breakdown, Tim, and perfectly timed for me, as I've just finished writing a book myself about the perpetuating cycle of vengeance. You really should be proud of this. While I recognized the themes in the episode when I watched it, it was really amazing to see you break it down into such tiny details like the way Katara created the sphere of water to recreate the scene of her mother's death, or the use of camera angles and establishing character moment for Yon Rha to paint the victim/aggressor motif. Color me impressed! Your videos are always great, but I have to agree that this is your finest work yet. Keep it up!
This comment really made me smile! Seeing the video make an impact is just so damn cool.
~ Tim
May I ask what's the name of the book?
Hasn't been published yet, but I'm working on that!
shadowofdancingleaf Well please tell us its name when you do publish it please 🙏
I think it's important to note that when Katara was threatening his life, he told her to kill his mother instead of him. He wasn't kind to his mother, but rather appeased her in order to minimize the conflict he had with her. Like Katara said, he's empty, rather than a mix of good and bad.
One thing I never really thought about is that Katara saw her mother's dead body. She ran into her house at the same time as her father, so its unlikely he was able to shield her from seeing that. That may be one of the reasons it affected her differently than sokka
Also, she knows her mother died for her. Because Katara was the waterbender, but her mom lied so her daughter would be spared. Katara clearly feels guilt around her mother's death due to that.
How are you so good at this?
I wonder why water benders with few exceptions stick to the poles. In the earth kingdom there are massive lakes and rivers which you would think would have water benders
foggy swamp tribe
I want to see the version of the Avatar born into the Foggy Swamp tribe.
It could be that they migrated to these areas because they felt a spiritual connection to these places. No one asks why Earth benders don't live in the fire nation despite how mineral rich the country is. The water benders might feel more connection to the ice and snow, both of which are made of water.
The earth kingdom might have lakes and rivers, but the largest portion of the kingdom is dry and desert land or has underground water reservoirs.
well if i remember correctly its mostly due to the spiritual side of their society. its explained in the spinoff show that they have the spiritworld portals in the north and southpole, which they stay close to because of traditions.
Since one off the poles is in the moon's pull for half a year and tides are affected by the moon. Well they figured it would be best for them.
I love the quote "Dont you worry about my strength. I have plenty..." Such a good Katara quote.
A lot of sad things happen in this series, but Iroh crying destroyed me, seeing him, such a wise and intelligent character driven to tears. Even as zuko, the one he looked at like a son, yelled at him and was constantly angry he never broke, even after zuko left.
I absolutely LOVE that you still do ATLA videos(as well as HTTYD videos). The show ended 10 years ago and it's my absolute favorite. Thank you so much for doing these you do a fantastic job! I am currently watching the series again and it's so awesome to have your videos on the series to watch. I just watched your video on what determines how an Avatar looks in the spirit world and as for Avatar Kyoshi, I personally think that the formation of the Kyoshi warriors was also very impactful event because of how much it went against the status quo. The comic "Shells" details the backstory. I just really love the Kyoshi warriors and everything they represent. I love how much you went into detail on this episode! Have you thought about making a video on your top favorite episodes or just going into detail on more episodes? You are awesome and Mishka is SOOO cute! I'll be looking forward to your next video:)
I will keep doing them, don't worry! I have so much to unpack. Thank you for your kind praise. I totally agree on Kyoshi. That's a really good theory. I probably wouldn't make a whole video dedicated to just listing my top 10 episodes or whatever, but you will see more videos like this which will break down some of my favourite episodes.
~ Tim
We have all been so damn blessed to have been given Avatar: The Last Airbender. That show was just...
I just realized Katara named her daughter after her mother. Ooh, that hurt
one thing i love about the southern raiders episode is how much emotion is shown just by the character eyes, especially with katara and zuko covering their faces, you can only see their eyes but still know exactly what they are feeling
That intro was spectacular
This is so good, Tim! Beautifully edited and thoughtfully narrated ❤ Proud of you, this is a good one
This episode always cuts so deep. It's amazing to see Katara claiming her power, while it's unnerving at the same time to see her go all 'Dark Side' like that. But for me, the most poignant moment in the episode was when she said: 'I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him,' and I realized I also have experienced things I cannot forgive. But that doesn't mean I cannot find peace, like Katara did. And that doesn't at all mean I want or need vengeance of any kind, either. Or any sort of justice, really. I had a confrontation in my own life similar to Katara and Yon Rah's, and, like Katara, I also chose not to lash out, because I decided it was not who I wanted to be.
I certainly cried with that intro
Leaves from the vine... Falling so slow...
"Leaves from the vine,
Falling so slow,
Like tiny, fragile shells
Drifting in the foam...."
The Southern Raiders has always been my favorite episode. It shows a completely different side of Katara then we are used to.
"Revenge is a fools game" -Arthur Morgan
The one thing I hated in this episode was how Katara yelled at Sokka that "MAYBE YOU DIDN'T LOVE HER LIKE I DID!" I get that she was consumed with an obsession to find their moms murderer, but it clearly hurt Sokka. And then never apologised. I guess it doesn't matter since they never bring it up again.
Ikr. But honestly though, Katara was more closer to her mother while Sokka was closer to his father.
Plus, Katara apologizes a lot more than Sokka. Not necessarily to each other, but, for example, in the beginning Sokka is really rude to Aang. Then he "banishes" him with not-so-good reasoning. He calls him a threat and says some other things. Honestly, that kinda pissed me off. Sokka never apologized.
I’ve been thinking about it for a few days and here’s how I see it, Sokka probably didn’t love his mother the way Katara did. Now before you come after me let me elaborate, Sokka is very clearly portrayed to be closer to his father than Katara is, and simply because two people are your parents doesn’t mean that you love them the same way. Katara didn’t say ‘well then, you didn’t love her as much as I did’ or ‘you didn’t love her enough’ she said “well then, you didn’t love her like I did”, a person isn’t required to love their parents the exact same way their sibling does simply because both people helped raise you. Fathers and sons in the southern water tribe have all these bonding activities like ice-lodging, while daughters might participate it’s meant to be a father-son bonding activity not a family one. It’s probably typical that sons grow to be closer to their fathers so daughters would likely be closer to their mothers and that’s what happened here. Also Katara saw her mother on the ground in the tent and had seen her mother’s face moments before she was killed, on top of that she had the face of the person of the person that took her mother’s life, she had a singular person to place the murder of her mother on. At that point she didn’t blame the entire group of people that participated in the purge as much as she did to that one person, yes she still blamed the ‘entirety’ of the Fire nation army but not as much as that one person. Another point is that she knew that her mother lied about being the last water bender, she likely blamed herself, as well as the murderer for her mother’s death. Sokka didn’t have that, he knew that it was the Fire nation he didn’t have a singular person to place the blame on, he didn’t have a reason to blame himself, and he likely loved her in a different way than Katara did. Also they’re children, words are going to be said in anger and ill thought actions are gonna happen, you can’t expect too much, even if they have the capabilities to bend water to their will or expertly plan a battle using the battlefield to their advantage.
This was such an amazing essay. This episode in ATLA its definitely one of my favorites. As someone who comes from a bad background, my young self took this episode as a way to let me know that I don't have to be the bigger person and forgive my past aggressors. This show has a way of making big ideas relateable to almost anyone which is why I think its so successful.
Hears the best song ever made.
*LEAVES FROM THE VINE INTENSIFIES*
Beautiful video. The way you break down motifs and visual symbolism is really fascinating and highlighted a lot of things I'd never noticed before. Katara may not have chosen forgiveness or vengence, but she did choose not to lower herself to bringing more trauma and pain into the world, and in the end, from people who've suffered so much, I think that's all we can morally ask of them.
There is one noticable flaw, though: In the caves under Ba Sing Se, Katara was relatively symathetic to Zuko, open to the idea of him as a complex and worthwhile person and even was willing to heal him out of sympathy and empathy for the hurt he has gone through - but this sympathy did more harm than good when Zuko's betrayal almost killed Aang. She's also sympathetic to the Fire Nation village suffering from illness due to the polution of their resources.
The idea that Katara is unwelcoming to Zuko merely because she's projecting her grief with the Fire Nation onto him as a Firebender is true, but also a massive oversimplification, because Katara has several layers of reasons not to trust Zuko in particular, with the death of her mother at the hands of the Fire Nation being only one. This is why this anger isn't also held against the other Fire Nation citizens. Katata only imposes the crimes of the Fire Nation onto Zuko after he has specifically betrayed her and chosen to side with the Fire Nation for a second time, simultaneously nearly getting a _second_ critically inportant person in her life killed. He, by his own mistakes, chose to stand in a very similar role to the man who killed her mother.
Kratos: "The cycle ends here, we must be better then this"
God damn man. You just keep getting better and better. This is a really impressive breakdown of perhaps my favorite episode of one of my favorite series and its given me new insights even though I've seen it like, 6 times now. Keep up the incredible work.
9:35
I like that and also the one with Hanna as it establishes that Katara is a powerful waterbender. She can hang with the best but that also means that against average people she is absolutely dominant and can crush them without any real effort.
I like it when shows do this. Show that as the characters grow in power they now are dominant against those who are not the top. That bullying them is very possible.
The way Katara just showed off her power but stopping the rain instantly and making a huge waterdome to trap Yong Ra is exactly like how a villain would do it just before a fight. It's not the only time as with Hana Katara also just showed off her power by deflecting Hana's charged up attack with one hand. Showing off that Hana just is completely outclassed.
The thing about Katara is that in the end she does still get her own kind of vengeance. She doesn't have to kill the man to achieve it, she gets it in her own right by getting him prostrate in the mud, groveling and begging for his life, her being in the same power position he'd had over her once is in itself revenge, and it's only in achieving it that she's able to make a decision what to do with him. Only when she has the power over his life and death in her hands is she actually able to show any mercy, and that in itself can be considered a form of power exertion. "Your life was in my hands, and every day you have left is because I allow it", which can be an incredibly potent form of catharsis for someone in her position, whether consciously or otherwise
I really want a video focusing on Aang, like his loss and all that
honestly FMA led to me accepting a more nuanced view of morality. I use to see the world in very black and white terms. if you where bad you where bad and if you where good you where good. that show showed me that everyone is just a product of there environment. that whiles there are some saints and some monsters most of us are just shades of grey trying to do what we believe is right.
In my opinion I'll still say that if you look closely enough all gray is just a bunch of little black and white dots.
@@jameslillie5445 Explain better
@@capivara6094 You have the opportunity to murder 1 person in order to save the lives of 3 others who would otherwise die, and decide to do it. White - You've saved the lives of 3 people. Black - You murdered someone. White - They were guilty and deserved it. Black - They could have changed, everyone has the potential to be a Mr. Rogers. White - those 3 people had families. Black - So did the person you killed. White - The person you killed was suffering and in constant pain. Black - You have chosen to taint yourself and murder may seem like an option if convenient. How can you uphold the values of society knowing you are a hypocrite to them?
No black dot makes a white dot worse, no white dot makes a black dot better.
There are no good, bad, or grey people... just choices with those dots which form habits and people who get lost to them.
The writing was just too good on this show..they were kind of holding themselves back by making it a “Y7” rating, but they made it work so so so beautifully.
By far your best video yet, this video made me subscribe. Keep it up
when ever I'm writing a literature essay I'm always thinking "How would Hello Future Me wright this" it helps me think about what I'm writing and organise my thoughts in a high stress environment. thank you, your work serves your viewers in more ways than I think you know.
This is so impressive. I really like your interpretation. On German CZcams, I haven't found anybody who really has the skill to interpretate in this intelligent way by using that many examples and being able to connect them. And you also pointed out many symbols (for example in minute 11:20 to 11:23 you compare the water dome, Katara creates to the igloo, where her mother has been killed). This is a really good video and your way in presenting the theme you want to show to your audience is really, really great. :-)
Thank you for your kind words!
~ Tim
Actually there are a lot of people, who do make such videos, you just have to find and search them
Wenn du Filminterpretationen auf deutsch suchst kann ich dir die Filmanalyse empfehlen. Es sei denn du hast Probleme damit dass deine Lieblingsfilme zerrissen werden.
There is a german CZcamsr (OneYuki) WHO literally rips of parts of "Hello Future Me"s Videos. IT Drives me crazy that He doesnt give credit at all.
30 seconds in and im already traumatised
Same ...Iroh singing "Leaves from the vine" doesn't help at all!
New game:
Pet your cat everytime he says "war"
The southern raiders episode was one of my favorite, such a powerful episode and i love the breakdown of the cycle of war you mentioned , very in-depth analysis
i have to admit avatar is my favorite series of all times and i f-ing adore the way you analyze all these details and topics, great work man!
this is one perfect example of a small but dedicated and passionate fanbase of this 3-season-piece-of-art which "ages like fine wine".
i cried. several times throughout the series. despite the fact that NO other series, movie etc. has managed to make me do so.
summed up: i appreciate you making such high quality content on this (in my opinion perfect) series.
keep up the good work! props :D
Probably one of my favourite of your videos. Your usual content is already high quality, but this one really is a cut above the rest. Thank you for this brilliant analysis video, I almost cried watching this.
I always found it funny how water bending-the calmest element in my opinion-has the darkest sub function-blood bending.
I always thought airbending was the calmest element, but then later on in Korra I realised also how OP it can be, when Zaheer literally bent the air out of people's lungs.
And even more interestingly, if you have a look again at the episode in Book One of ATLA, you'll see that in the cave where Gyatso died, there are a whole bunch of dead Fire Nation soldiers as well. Gyatso probably used the same technique to deal with those soldiers, before they eventually overpowered him due to the power of Sozin's comet.
robertdevald you know damn well Gyatso wasn’t goin down without a fight 😤 would’ve loved to see him do that, also really loved Zaheer’s character in LOK
0:25 IROH MY DUDE THAT SCENE IS SO SAD
This reminds me of a quote from yoda "fear leads to hate hate leads to anger anger leads to hatred hatred leads to suffering"
sorry to nitpick but you switched anger had hate
edit: you actually didnt switch them you added "hate leads to anger"
All hail lord MISHKA may he forever more be beautiful and divine
13:35 I think this perfectly fits with the scene where they're in the firelord's vacancy house, and somebody shows them a picture of baby Ozai. Their realisation (and Aangs comment on the picture) make them think about who a person was, and is.
This video has to be one of the most moving video's I've ever seen. It is so true and so moving, so inspirational. I love watching videos from this channel. In all honesty, this has shed new light on my life...light I've been tracking but never could find in it's entirety.
You should do a video on how airbending is severely underrated and potentially the most powerful element.
Jalen L. Ai that suffocation scene
Envy West I would NEVER say that’s the most powerful airbender move. That literally took so long, it’s such a precise move. There’s a lot of other airbender moves that are waaay stronger and cooler.
This episode (and this video) have convinced me that Katara would be an incredibly effective firebender. The fact that she gets so passionately angry is definitely a firebender trait, just look at Zuko.
My goal in life is to be a film director and one of the films I plan on directing is a Avatar the last airbender series ( 4 movie - I’ve already wrote the scripts and I’ll carry on editing them until I finally get to do the movie ). I’ve always thought that avatar deserved so much more when it came to live action and I believe I’m the one who can give it justice
SDPRZ, if you’re interested, I have ATLA Kalimba covers on my channel :)
Pretty sure that's how Shyamalan started. Look how that ended up.
Animation never translates well to live-action. It just shouldn't be attempted. You will never find actors as expressive as an animated character. You can never get artistic shots and changes in style comparatively. And you will never get the same proper run-time unless the story is built to be a movie. Avatar needs as many episodes as it does to get connected to the characters and appreciate their arcs. You can't condense that except maybe scrapping 2 filler episodes of each season.
@@haruhirogrimgar6047 You're probably right but since now the original creators have decided to bring a live action version to Netflix, we're just gonna have to wait and see
@@sdprz7893 It is just going to be strictly worse than the original. The most it can bring to the table is some new stories or adventures we "missed" on their previous journey. But even then the directors taking it on are still missing the writer who brought and kept the world together.
Btw I am calling it now, there is going to be more pointless romantic tension between Katara and Zuko. The second these directors were unchained they filled LoK with as much romance as possible (not saying it is a bad thing, it is a big reason I love LoK so much.)
Fantastic video... I’ve been following your Atla videos for a while... but this one struck a chord, neatly encompassing thoughts I had on the series that I could never articulate. I’m sorry that I haven’t subscribed sooner, but I will now! Your videos are amazing, you were made for public speaking and this kind of thing. Keep up the good work!!!
Thank you!
~ Tim
This is the best video on this channel. Hands Down. 🔥🤚 Greatest Show of all Time. Great video. The show that changed me was definitely- Avatar: The last Airbender. And this video reminds me why I will have to watch it once again. From its nuances of life, death to tui and la. And great characters from Iroh to Aang. Its the show of my lifetime. 🙂
This show reminds me of Ideas, philosophy, life and Principles. All thoughts of mine visit me. And honestly speaking this is timeless. The intro was hands down best. This is something that only happens to people like you who have mastered the show's smallest nuances. I can speak lengths on the vid. But it speaks for itself. 🙏
This is an absolutely fantastic video. You had lead with the cycle of war and I wasn't sure how it would all relate but you supported everything you said with amazing detail and taught me something new. Thank you for creating one hell of a quality video.
Those first forty seconds, dude.
Hoh, mah gawsh. 💔
Nicely done, Tim Man. 👌
Wow.
This is the deepest insight into something i’ve ever experienced.
Im thinking of every faceless soldier in every war ever.
Namless, unknown, just seen as statistics.
It makes me even more sad then before because i didn’t think like How you described in your video.
A actual human, a name, a face, a person with different experiences that shape who They are, were, and will be.
Im making a fantasy/adventure with many techniques to write a story.
Man i was just a kid when i watched Avatar the last airbender, i didn’t understand the deepness and complexity that the show had.
I need to watch it agian.
Best video ever.
I luved it! It was so well crafted and framed! The cinematic way of showing and following through with the video essay was done wonderfully and coherently! Great job! ^.^
Not a series but one that changed me philosophically was the movie 'Sword of the Stranger'. You might like it if you haven't seen it so I'll try not to spoil too much but it's another that sort of looks at the concept of how war or at least hard times can change people and how some relationships become stronger and others break. It's a beautifully animated movie based in Japan with some characters coming from China (and speaking Chinese in both English and Japanese versions of the movie
That intro is so powerful, gives me chills
That’s one of the things I enjoyed about ATLA it really shows the effects of the hundred year war it’s not some nebulous conflict but a very real life event for these characters. From katara and sokka losing their parents, to iroh losing his son and being completely disillusioned with the war and the fire nation as whole at that point and aang losing everything and everyone he’s ever known and being thrusted into a new world that’s completely new and alien to him and having to accept his role as the avatar into a very short amount of time.