Avatar: The Last Airbender... 15 Years Later
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- čas přidán 4. 06. 2024
- Join me as we journey back to the world of bending and balance with "Avatar: The Last Airbender" 15 years after its conclusion. In this reflective video essay, we delve into the timeless aspects that make this series a masterpiece. From world-building to character relationships, filler episodes, the future of the franchise, and a detailed exploration of beloved characters like Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Zuko, Iroh, and Azula.
🌍 World-Building Brilliance: Explore the intricacies of the four nations and the remarkable world crafted by the creators. How has the world of bending evolved, and what aspects still captivate us after all these years?
🤝 Character Relationships: Dive deep into the bonds that defined the series. From the heartwarming connections to the rivalries that added intensity, we revisit the relationships that continue to resonate.
📺 Filler Episodes and Impact: Uncover the significance of seemingly filler episodes. How did they contribute to character development and the overarching narrative? Let's reevaluate their importance.
🚀 The Future of the Franchise: Speculate on the future of the Avatar universe. What lies ahead for Aang, Katara, and the next generation of benders? Join the discussion on the potential paths the franchise might take.
🔍 Character Spotlight: Indulge in a comprehensive analysis of key characters. From the journey of the reluctant hero Aang to the redemption arc of Zuko and the complexity of Azula, we dissect what makes each character unforgettable.
Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the world of bending, this video offers a nostalgic look back and a thoughtful exploration of the enduring legacy of "Avatar: The Last Airbender." Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on all things Avatar!
#AvatarTheLastAirbender #ATLA15YearsLater #AvatarWorld #CharacterAnalysis #WorldBuilding #BendingMasterpiece #AnimatedSeriesLegacy #Aang #Katara #Sokka #Toph #Zuko #Iroh #Azula #AvatarCommunity #AvatarFans #ATLAReflection #NostalgiaTrip #BenderLegacy #AnimationMasterpiece #CZcamsEssay #AvatarReview #ATLAFuture #AvatarFranchise
_CHAPTERS___
0:00 - Avatar: The Last Airbender... 15 Years Later
1:16 - The World Building
21:03 - The Last Airbender
34:18 - Katara of the Water Tribe
44:34 - Sokka The Leader
52:41 - Toph The Blind Bandit
1:04:37 - Making A Great Team
1:09:37 - Zuko The Honorable
1:24:33 - Iroh The Wise
1:33:37 - Filler Episodes
1:40:49 - Azula The Prodigy
1:47:15 - Supporting Characters
1:53:45 - A Franchise 15 Years Later
Music:
-The Power of Balance - An Avatar Orchestration
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DISCLAIMER: this video is a compilation of parts 1,2,&3. Part 3 is completely new while parts 1&2 have been repackaged into this video.
I was wondering where those videos were and where part 3 was, and what the point of uploading part 1 and 2 separately was when you just release one big video
That’s a relief because this seemed familiar but couldn’t remember why!
Good for you for figuring out that the algorithm currently prefers longer videos. This shows your channel is very serious about the algorithm but also presents something new for the viewer instead of only repackaging old videos and call it a day. I'm very happy to watch this entire video.
I disagree, the reason Aang can’t kill is because he is the last person who can uphold his air bender values. If he were to kill, he would no longer be a true air bender according to their values. So what’s at stake is his people’s ways.
Ooooh that explains things. I felt so confused cuz I knew I had seen this video before but I just couldn’t place it! Haha I thought I was having some insane case of Deja Vu.
Incredible video, you did some great work on this!
22 years old and watched it for the first time this year. It’s not just nostalgia making you think it’s good. It’s fucking amazing even without the nostalgia.
damn thanks thats what I've always wondered
I would say childhood nostalgia just enhances it. Im almost 25 and I grew up watching the series as it came out around season 2 which would've been 2005 or 2006. Throughout the years, I would watch a handful of episodes or favorite moments but didn't return to watch it fully until 2020 where I was 21 years old. It was on par if not better that time and was EVEN BETTER watching it again twice last year at 23. You can definitely watch for the first time as an adult but there was something about watching it at a time where I was not only close in age to the characters but had never seen anime or something like avatar before. It's my third favorite series of all time behind breaking bad and attack on titan
I can vouch for that! I’m 20 and I just watched it for the first time too and it’s literally so incredible. Though I am kinda sad it wasn’t a part of my childhood like it was for nearly everyone else my age. I don’t get to share that experience
@@lindseywolthuis9535yeah you missed out. Glad you caught it before 21
@@aarondecker7980its better than AoT in the grand scheme but they are in the same tier i just feel as if avatar carries more weight because the whole cast was useful unlike AoT.
But you enjoyed Avatar in its heyday just like me. Im 24 so we grew up in the same class. Its one of the best Stories ever told
Avatar The Last Airbender is one of the greatest TV shows of all time
It’s number seven on IMDb‘s highest rated TV shows of all time list. It’s up there with Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, The Wire, and the good seasons of Game of Thrones.
Fax
Indeed
Real
Wrong , it is The Simpson's
So just to clarify, that's not a sewer that Katara uses to defeat Azula. It's actually the "secret river that flows right under the firelord's palace" that aang learns about at firebending school in the Headband episode of season 3 ❤ little callbacks and details hidden in this series are just another thing that makes it so great
Wow I didn't even think about that!
Great eye!!
I never noticed that and I've seen the show at least 3 times. The level of detail from the writers was amazing. Thank you
Wow! I literally just finished watching it and I didn't realize that's what that was
wow the point about all the agni kais being battles where zuko has always had honor while his opponent doesn’t, is so poignant, loved that
I was 13 yo and my mom just died, there was nothing in the world that made me feel better but there was the last Airbender on tv. and i watched it like my live depends on it. It was such a beautiful aventure. It made me forget the pain for a moment. It made me feel hope in the world and i will be grateful for that all my life.
Sorry for ur lost! I love this show dont know how Katara let her mom killer live! I would have ended him!
I'm sorry for your loss. Hold onto the good times. And let them carry you.
@@MONKEYDZETSThat part was not letting the cycle of revenge happen
Basically don’t sink to his level
Imagine being Zuko and seeing a pissed off Katara whip out blood bending. Like he was probably thinking she was so angery she just created a new way to bend water.
I had never thought of it that way. His reaction to her was amazing not obvious but nuanced just like this entire show. I love seeing these new takes or perspectives that I never would have thought up.
He propably tought he doged a bullet
Or he couldn't believe he never got that treatment
@@noirspiderman44Zuko in his mind: *"SHE CAN DO THAT? FUCK I GOT OFF EASY"
Holy crap i knew he was scared, but the build-up to that moment now, i see that!
My favourite reason I've heard for Aang sparing Ozai is that, well, he is the last Airbender. The last one who remembers Air Nomad culture (aside from Guru Pathik, problably) and pacicism is a core belief held by his people. If Aang were to kill Ozai, he would be turning his back on not only his own beliefs, but those held by his entire culture; he is the only one left who _can_ hold them, and to not do so would mean that the Air Nomads and their way of life dies along with Ozai. It's not like with Yangchen, who didn't have to carry on the traditions of her people all by herself, and could afford to let go of some of the teachings of the Air Nation in order to be the Avatar. This is still very speculative and not stated outright in the show, but I feel it makes sense for Aang's character, especially with what we see of him in the comics and in Korra, with Tenzin's family and the acolytes carrying on the traditions of the Air Nomads.
I totally agree with this. He talks about there are no stakes, which is only true on a world level. The stakes in the final fight are a on personal level for Aang. He kills Ozai and he kills the air nomad culture. The show definitely didn’t do this perfectly by any means but I still think it’s so great. It even aligns with every this far in the story. Even Iroh says, he was wise to choose love over power.
100% this!!!! They actually do touch on this in the show, especially with Aangs conversation with Avatar Yangchen! Everybody seems to forget this whole cultural dilemma when talking about this choice 😅
I mean he had an entire episode where this decision was literally driving him insane. Its not stated to be THE reason but its a huge one. most people only remeber the App v Momo battle and it was filler.
Yangchen be like 👀 but yes i agree
I'm having a moment where I'm trying to get in touch with my culture. We live in a society. Cutting grass for example makes me mad. My mother is from a tribe in Mexico and I used to say mean things about her beliefs. Like saying it was stupid to think spirits and ghosts and witches and all these things were real. I didn't notice how whitewashed I was. I was spitting on my culture and now I desperately want to be part of it. My mother, the way she admires plants and has memories of her grandmother who had even more knowledge than her on these things. Who would ask where she was (sky/star/sun mapping?) When on calls, so she would know what direction to send blessings. I hate that even they are deep into Christianity. A colonial religion forced upon them. I don't know I'm going through it.
Edit: i have made great strides on my appearance. I used to think parts of me were ugly as many of us do. But thinking that these are the features of my ancestors is so beautiful to me. I remember my mother saying that her grandmother was glad to have her blood live on. I don't want kids. And I feel like I'm destroying something. I know it's okay. I know no any reason for not wanting kids is a great reason. And not every reason to have them is a good one. And... I know, I know. And I'm okay. But I can still cry about it.
The development of Toph and Katara's friendship is one of my absolute favourite parts of this amazing series. Glad you discussed it!
It's wonderfully written!
I also love how it develops both Katara’s and Sokka’s relationship with Toph in the runaway. Toph being pretty much another sister to Sokka by the end of the series is super great. Every character has a super great relationship with the others, the show is so fucking good lol
Avatar: The Last Airbender is number seven on IMDb‘s highest rated TV shows list. it’s up there with Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, the Wire, and the good seasons of Game of Thrones.
That is a very impressive achievement, isn't it?
@@thevarietychannelofyoutube4769honestly it should be higher but that’s still good
@@andrewgarfield9898 I don't know if it should be higher but the fact that a children's show somehow managed to be ranked higher on IMDB then most shows for adults, despite most of IMDB's users not being children is incredible. That means that the writing in Avatar was so good that the fact that it was technically made for really young children didn't stop massive amounts of adults from being huge fans of the show.
I think you should also check out Attack On Titan.
@@benapeh854 I’m reading the manga right now
I feel like Toph was largely inspired by more eastern media as well. Western media disabled or blind people are generally displayed as frail, but in eastern media it's very common for blind characters in particular to be either extremely powerful mystics and clairvoyant, or great masters of a specific form, the trope of blinding yourself so you can better focus is a more common thing in that media.
Fujitaro has joined the chat
I don't know mate... you'd have to go back a long time in history to get to a point where the "Handicapped Badass" or even "Disability Superpower" trope didn't exist in western media.
I mean history alone is full of examples of handicapped badasses, and a lot of those come from a long ass time ago. The Blind Weaponmaster subtrope might be more common in eastern media, but the main trope is likely older than dirt.
Everybody gangsta till a blind guy with a sword shows up and absolutely bodies the entire cast
The Style of Shaolin Kung Fu that Toph's Style is based on, is called "Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu," which was said to be created by a Blind Shaolin Female Nun.
Aang is eastern centric cartoon while korra iz westernized. Statue of fkin liberty (aang), NYC 1920, western poltical ideology pov villains, zuko dragon become western dragon instead eastern one from TLA. Date and fk everyone, very western culture. Even the philosophy aspect in LOK changes from eastern to western real quick. Whats eastern is nothing but the remnants of whats left from TLA.
I remember seeing "southern raiders" and rolling my eyes thinking it was going to be a filler episode. Holy crap was i wrong. Its one of my top favorite episodes. I never thought Katara would get such a powerful and important episode.
Mine is Avatar Day
I think Aang not killing Ozai being his own choice is actually really important. Everyone says either he should do it or at best they don’t know. Aang has been told the entire show what his destiny is, what he will have to do. “Defeating” the fire lord like a cartoon villain was always a little naive, same way a bad guy “Destroys” a character. He was always gonna have to fight and probably kill him. So when he is once again put in a position where the world tells him what to do, he finally takes hold, stands firm and says no. I’ve lost enough, the worlds lost enough. I won’t sacrifice my own beliefs because they tell me too and no matter how bad ozai is he doesn’t deserve what he deals out. Maybe nothing would have changed for the world if he killed him but Aang would be irreversibly damaged if he knew saving the world cost him taking a life directly if his own free will. Just my thoughts though
Indeed. Stuff I can respect, even like that he took his own risk in using energy bending destroying himself if his spirit wavered for even a moment and allowed him to have his cake and eat it too along with Bumi asking him to "think like a mad genius". Still, I'm also not very fond that this power came into his lap at such a convenient moment and allowed him an easy out in many respects. Much as I love the idea around it, not very fond of the way it came to him and when it did.
Don't ever forget Aang killed that Wasp vulture.
@@wilsonz6796 He did that while he was deeply grieving. Ironically, he was grieving the loss of his best friend and last remaining companion who knows about their shared culture
It's also showing the whole World that his culture wasn't useless. That it has value despite its perceived "weakness". Ozai looked down on the Air Nomads and Aang showed him that he can defeat him not in spite of his upbringing but rather because of it.
And he sure as hell isn't gping to throw his morals away for a person like Ozai
@@frauleinzuckerguss1906😊
I feel there is a little more to Aang's arc in season three. In the beginning, he seems to almost be ignoring the problems he knows are coming, the invasion and how everyone is counting on him to perform. Instead, he does many things that show he still isn't quite ready to accept his role as the Avatar. He goes to school, hosts a dance party, things a normal kid would do, because that is what his wants were, for a return of normalcy. But as the Day of Black Sun approached, it dawned on him that that reality was far behind him, and soon he would have to take on that huge responsibility again, hence the anxiety building.
Then he comes to the conclusion that he won't run away or fail again, like he did with his people, and at Ba Sing Se. He was at that point, unwilling to accept defeat. So when it inevitably happened, he finally, for the first time in his arc, accepted a loss with grace, which I personally felt was an important step for one in such a powerful position, particularly one who has had trouble standing up for his failures in the past.
And to put his decision not to kill the firelord into perspective, I think that boils down to the fact that up until that point, they had been pointing at this unknown man as a target and that's that. Firebenders are bad, blah blah blah. But then, Aang had learned the truth; that firebenders, including Ozai, are people too, not just faceless foes. (insert Ozai macaroni art here.) it was also a key lesson in his 'field trip' with Zuko, learning that firebending isn't inherently evil or wrong.
As for the lion turtle thing; I feel that has more of a connection to Aang's story then just randomly showing up, although it was never really fully explained. Aang could not have sought one out; we know they are untrackable because of the shirshu. Yet it is of my opinion that what happened with Aang was a moment where his unwavering spirituality, and unwillingness to give it up even for the sake of his duty, had acted as a call for the lion turtle, the very source of spirit.
At the end of it all, we learn that to bend the spirit, your own spirit must be unbendable. This seems to correlate towards the notion Aang's spirituality beckoned the lion turtle to teach him, and not the other way around. I agree it wasn't well explained, but I think it could have been easy to fix without even changing much. All the way back in the Library, when Aang read about lion turtles, he could have just said 'they sometimes show up to spiritual people in their hour of greatest need.'
Aang refusing on killing the fire lord is a closed chapter of his inner conflict. He was scared to do things that goes against his believes just as you just did like earth bending, fire bending again, letting go of his love and peace to go fully on avatar state. Now “life” is everything that he believes on, what makes him who he is. The ending of him not killing ozai was him retaining who he is, after all the sacrifices he doesn’t have to actually kill who he is to become the avatar that the world needs. He can be both, an air nomad and the avatar.
I am very happy about the fact that this show has basically become a universally loved classic. If any kids show deserves it, it's this.
This is a great example at elaborating why great shows have no filler, even the "filler" is essential to the story
i can think of ONE episode that's filler...
@@TheHan464646 worst avatar filler episode is still better than the best filler episode of some other shows lol
@@realawesomeos ehhh idk the Zanpakuto Rebellion and the Regai arc in Bleach was pretty good. Even G5 arc in One Piece was so good people didnt even know it was filler
Uncle Iroh explained why Aang doesn't have to kill Ozai when he explains why he can't become the next Fire lord. The Fire Nation structure is based on might is right. Whoever defeats the Fire lord and importantly How will set the example for the nation. If killing is the answer then the Fire Nation was never wrong. They simply didn't fight hard enough. Actual peace advocates understand this thinking. Good people should kill. By saying there are exceptions you open up opportunities for bad people. Aang is a good person. A monk who understands peace is fragile.
thank you! although i try my best to not be biased when hearing criticism of the show, i did feel a little confused when Gold Man said there weren’t any negative consequences of Aang killing Ozai. you’re bang on in saying that Aang killing the Firelord would imply that there were exceptions to pacifism, and the war would just end with more bloodshed, rather than a new era of peace. it is Aang sparing Ozai’s life that is able to become a turning point and a final conclusion to the war. thank you for this analysis!
HARD AGREE! Zuko AND Aang both had the chance to kill Ozai, but they didn’t because it was a statement, and there WOULD have been consequences if either of them had.
I still remember when the show was originally released, watching week by week… Good nostalgic memories
Yes to the yes. I remember being shook at the end of season 2.
yess I remember it so well
I remember there would always be commercials that showed aang saying “the avatar is back” from book 3 episode 1 - whenever I rewatch the show and see that scene I’m like “time for a commercial break!” Lol
Yes! We didn’t get book 3 at the same time it was released in the US (I live in the UK) but I watched it online as soon as it was out week by week.. as an 11 year old that was some dedication and I think the first time I was so enthralled by a piece of art.
I'm 43. I watched the entire series as it played out originally with my at the time, young son. I still come back to videos about Avatar, search for favorite scenes, and rewatch episodes here and there as I have time. It is not just an amazing series for kids, it is one of the best, most well told stories that has ever graced the screen.
I feel as though The lion turtles were always meant to be in the story because in season 1 and 2 they were hinted at and mentioned in a few episodes. But that they just didnt have enough time to properly introduce them into the story.
So the plan was for Aang to always take his power away but the execution just wasnt 100% there.
Lion turtles were definitely always planned, because a statue of one is the statue that Aang crashes into in the opening credits. I think there was also art of one in a book at Wan Shi tong's library?
@@KisiroKitsuneYep, good eye catching it!
I know this is like four months old but I feel like saying that they were supposed to be a main part of the show it was mentioned by Bryke that they wanted to put the origins of the avatar in the last air bender but they couldn’t find out where to put it so they left it for Korra. But it was thought about since ATLA. And they said this in one of the commentaries I don’t remember which one tho 😅
Disagree that the Lion Turtles were handled improperly-someone else in the comments holds the same opinion I do that knowing about energybending before the finale episodes would have totally spoiled it. I believe the four final episodes were released all on the same day. I’ve always loved how cryptic the Lion Turtle’s quote was about it-“We bent not the elements, but the energy within ourselves.” A viewer who had never been introduced to the concept of energybending would probably go “The energy within ourselves? What does that mean?” But we were so caught up in the action that we didn’t have time to think it over and figure out what exactly was going to happen, making the reveal so dramatic and hard-hitting. (That’s how it was for kid-me, anyway.) Then we can go back later and find the Easter eggs hidden in previous episodes about them!
Honestly I love that iroh was such an important person in zuko's life that his grandson was named after him. That meant even his children had major respect and love for Iroh too. TBF if you were related to iroh you would too. I have major respect and love for him and he's just a fictional character.
I feel like Iroh lived to like 120 so his kids definitely knew him well lol
I'm 29 and never watched this show until 4 days ago (an entire week watching all 61 episodes, took me that long due to other responsibilities lol). I knew who the characters were and the overall plot of the story (very, VERY, surface level), but that was about it. I watched Shyamalan's movie like a decade ago and since I didn't watch the show prior to watching the movie, I didn't have anything to compare it to but yeah, it was bad, so bad I didn't wanna watch the animated series after that.
After watching Netflix's new live action trailer and after enjoying One Piece live action so much, I decided to finally give ATLA a try and it is hands down one of the best shows I've ever watched, what an amazing experience, loved the "magic system", how balanced it is, the story telling, the world building, characters and their arcs, my favorite has to be Iroh.
I also started Legend of Korra, I'm in episode 4 season 2, but it's not as strong as ATLA.
Respect 🎉
When it comes to Korra season 1 is okay, season 2 is quite bad, seaon 3 is pretty good and season 4 is absolute trash. overall it's worth watching for season 3 alone and some fans do like the back story in season 2. it's definitely respectable that they weren't going for a rehash but tried a completely new approach.
Season 2 is the weakest of the korra seasons, but it is still better than a lot of other things on tv. Season 3 is arguably the best, and personally I would say season 4 is second best and season 1 comes in third.
Basically, if you get through season two it’s all up hill from there.
Season 3 is super good even though 2 flops hard
Just push through, and prepare for a slight letdown in season 4
On the subject of filler, for me it’s really important to have those breaks from the main plot to flesh out the timeline. It also makes the dramatic fight scenes and everything going on feel much more rooted in reality when we see all the build up and waiting rather than having it all back to back. Filler is important to create a coherent storyline!
At 41:40, zuko isn’t looking at katara out of surprise for her blood bending, but it’s meant to remind him of the time she threatened him by saying “ if you make one slip up I’ll make sure your destiny ends, permanently” and him realizing in that moment it wasn’t a bluff or an overstatement. Such good writing and setup/ppayoff
Even after 15 years Avatar The Last Airbender is still in my top 10 kids cartoon and I plan to show my parents. I'm grateful that they're continuing the series with a 10 years later film and a successor to Korra. Although personally I would wanted a Kiyoshi show instead but if the Netflix show is successful maybe they'll make Kiyoshi spin off and adapt the books. And if the Earth Bender successor to Korra is true then once that show ends I would also like one about a fire bender. Bringing the series full circle.
I think it's in my top ten pieces of media, let alone kid shows, lol
We spend too much time driding Kiyoshi in the avatar community lets move past the WNBA player and get to more modern times or go a millennium before AANg
So what else is is the 10?
@@redi.c.e.6046gravity falls definitely
@@redi.c.e.6046sorry I'm late. But to answer your question aside from ATLA my top 10 kids cartoon would consist of Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, The Amazing World of Gumball, Regular Show, Steven Universe, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Transformers Prime, Star Wars the Clone Wars and Phineas & Ferb. There's a bunch of others that I didn't listed that I also love like the Ben 10 franchise, The Owl House, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) and more but for the most part that's my top 10 list
Its still one of the best television shows ever made!!
you mean THE best
I rewatch it every few years and have for a decade. Every time I do a run, I feel something new. It feels fresh even now.
Toph literally mastered earth bending, mastered a subgroup of earth bending (sand bending!), even going as far as creating a new form of bending! Although I agree that Toph could have had a grander showcasing of her growth and arc, but put some respect on her bending game!
Great comprehensive video - only thing left out was Azula and Zuko's relationship to the mother! She was actually very jealous of how her mother fawned over Zuko and this is shown when she is going insane and sees her mother in the mirror (my own mother thought I was a monster).
The finale was written exactly the way it should've been. Going into the finale knowing Aang has the ability to take bending away would've spoiled it. There's no way the writers would've made Aang kill the firelord against taking his bending away and there would've been less tension
I agree. Obviously Aang was going to win, the only tension in the fight was whether or not he could do it without killing the Fire Lord. Revealing that Aang had a back up option the entire fight would have killed the tension.
Wish the turtles or even the myth of being able to do it would make it look like more of an intentional ending. Think him never trying before then adds drama and makes sense, but it also felt a bit like a rushed concept out of no where
I started watching this show whilst I was 17, and the beautifully balanced simple yet so complex storylines were just so addictive to watch.
Minor thing: the past Avatars never told Aang to kill the Fire Lord. They told him he couldn't be indecisive. Aang interpreted that as being told to kill the Fire Lord.
Sokka the rizzler:
You gotta admit, he pulled more than anyone in the series
Man had SUPERNATURAL charm, rolled 20 on charm, and 5 on everything else lol. He spends all his points on intelligence afterwards lol
Great video! I just wanna add that, while I don't believe their growth can be considered an arc necessarily, Ty Lee and Mai did not simply just realise that Azula was crazy.
In that moment when Mai betrays Azula, despite her cool demeanor, she is actively choosing love, emotion and vulnerability as she is saving the life of Zuko, someone that she 1) loves and 2) has been heartbroken by; and she's openly declaring her love and risking her life, she's finally caring about something/someone instead of going along simply because she's bored or apathetic (let's remember she didn't even care enough about her baby brother when she was introduced).
As for Ty Lee, there's not necessarily any growth happening there, as I believe she would've betrayed Azula in minute one if she had felt there was any chance of winning or if she knew she had the support of Mai. While Mai joined Azula because she wanted to (even though she didn't care particularly about the quest itself) Ty Lee was threatened and coerced to join, and I believe in that moment she saw a friend in danger, yes, but also a chance to escape and an unlikely ally in Mai (as she, unlike Ty Lee, could be just as ruthless as Azula and she probably believed they would never be on the same page because of that).
I think Aang taking Ozai's bending aways ends the war because of how he ruled. He ruled through fear and a big part of that fear was how ruthless he was as a firebender. Taking that away leaves a power vacuum for Zuko to more easily fill. Moreover, there was evidence throughout the show that many firebenders were growing tired of the war and their authoritarian regime.
One thing I noticed it's that Iroh's story almost certainly parallels Zuko, while Zuko It's having his growth.
Iroh starts as a military hero of an oppressive, genocidal state, and as the heir to the throne. He is usurped by a more malicious younger sibling and begins to be disillusioned by the war.
We can infer that at the beginning of season 1 he isn't totally against the fire nation cause at this point, as he helped Zuko throw a fireball at Aang and friends in episode 2.
Through season 1, he seemed primarily interested in helping Zuko chill out. He may have intentionally thwarted Zuko because he felt compassion for the gaang, possibly because they are kids, but it's unclear if that was the reason or if he just didn't want Zuko to go back to his abusive father.
I think Iroh and Zuko both learned compassion for the Earth Kingdom, and the extent of the evilness of the war in season 2.
Just as season 1 Zuko would not have joined team Avatar, I don't think season 1 Iroh would have re-conquered Ba Sing Se In the name of the earth king. I don't think he cared enough at that point.
For me the final duel between Aang and Ozai was just pure amazement and awe at the magic, and the series had gotten me so deeply invested in this world that I didn't mind this one "deus ex machina" or "power escalation" of Aang acquiring over-power (similar to the Avatar state) for this one time.
And we had zuko and azula’s agni kai to make up for aang’s deus ex machina moment
I was 37 when I saw it for the first time and it blew me away.
i think the energy bending thing is fine. because if he had not learned all the other elements, he would not have been able to get ozai into the position where he could use it.
I don't think using the scene where Iroh is clearly demonstrating Lightning bending to Zuko is a fair comparison of how skilled he is with it compared to his brother. Later on we somewhat see Iroh Lightning Bend to get himself and Zuko away from Azula in the Earth Kings Palace. The actual process is offscreen (since the camera is looking at the wall from the outside) but given the urgency of the scene, we can assume that it was quickly generated.
it's established throughout the show that Iroh and Ozai are similar in terms of power and skill. Ozai being younger, more ruthless and evil would probably make him the more dangerous opponent though.
Fun fact: You can see the Lion Turtle in season 2. Although only on a scroll which was found in the library in the desert.
The OG's watched Avatar when it was airing back on TV from 2005 - 2008.
I did! It's a phenomenal show with great characters, gorgeous animation, and a great story!!
@@aalleezzzzgatekeeping is how you keep bad actors out of communities. You should always gatekeep otherwise your community has no meaning.
@@aalleezzzzThat’s not gatekeeping. It’s just stating a fact. If you didn’t watch it when it was airing, then you’re not an OG. Nothing wrong about that
OG watcher and it's so awesome to see so many more people seeing this show and enjoying and appreciation coming to it. Lowkey
I watched it all the time! I remember when the desert episodes aired. At least in my area they replayed those episodes for days and so I would rewatch them over and over again until the next episodes or chapter came out
Literally an incredible show, one of, if not, the best
Love the show so much could re watch it every year.
I started a rewatch (my first watch was actually in 2011) -- this show is still REALLY good and really layered.
I remember the first time I watched Avatar, I watched all of it with my brother, and it is one of his, and one of my favourite shows of all time.
16:20 You worded this incredibly elegantly and accurately. How people and societies leverage words to manipulate information to fit their narrative is around everyone; no matter the society. It's really scary how most of us naturally internalize that information and then continue dispersing the manipulated information because it's all we know and outside ideas are considered propaganda.
This video is so well-written. Absolutely no fluff and is pure gold for two hours!
To me, the best thing of Aang sparing Ozai is exactly that the outcome would be the same if he had killed him. I think framing the Fire Lord's death as the "wrong choice" (in a sense that besides it being morally challenging for Aang, it wouldn't end the war) would be a bit manichaeist because the reality is: Ozai must die for the war to end and most people at that point think that the world would be a better place without him. And that is also a reality for the dictators and imperialists of our world.
The struggle Aang is facing is that not only facing Ozai goes against his principles, but also that his friends and past lives are correct when that state that he MUST do it. Killing Ozai being a viable option is what puts so much weight in Aang's choice to spare him, because he did it for the sake of himself, for the world it would not make a difference. It shows the amount of resolve Aang has for going against everything everyone is telling him, no matter how right they are, and finding a different path that honor his beliefs
Also, I think that if I knew Aang had the ability to take Ozai's bending away, I would've known from the get-go that he would spare him, to me it would be too obvious to the spectator and it would also lower the emotional stakes of the fight
I think it would have felt out of character for Aang to all of a sudden be eager to kill someone. Even if this was a TV-MA cartoon for adults, someone with Aang's personality would not want to take a life.
Technically Aang flies using Airbending while on the Avatar state several times, so it is not new to LOK, but Zaheer is the only Non-Avatar to do it. It makes sense since we never see other advanced airbender in the entire first series. This happens as early as "The Southern Air Temple". Our introduction to the Avatar State is Aang flying via airbending.
Interestingly, Aang always "fly" that way using a big air ball, except from B2 finale, and it happened after he made the choice to let his attachments go allowing him to open all his chakras.
It would be possible that Aang was truly flying like Zaheer, instead of levitating, but the lightning and Katara saving his life caused his chakras to be blocked.
Kids? I was born in '77 and I was so hyped about TLA that my work collegues at the time just couldn't help checking it out. At first no one wanted to admit it but eventuallywe all did - TLA is peak entertainment!
You questioned how the war ended by just "removing Ozai's bending". But that is just one portione of the finale. You also have to cosider "Zuko's part in the finale" where He basically took the "firelord" title thus offiicially taking over what's left of the fire nation army who lost the war.
Like how do you think a lot of wars technically end?
Have the enemy nation leader surrender or have him depose and be replace by a friendly figure.
Since the fire Nation still respect fire nation traditions. It is still logical how the Fire Nation still accepted Zuko and Iroh being the next leader due to their blood and right to claim the throne
The war doesn't really end because Aang takes out Ozai. It ends because Zuko challenges Azula for the throne and she accepts. Then she loses by default because she attacks a noncombatant to gain the upper hand. As the new Fire Lord, Zuko declares the war over. The Fire Nation, being as honor bound as it is, mostly respects this wish. I believe it's addressed in the comics that not all of the Fire Nation is on his side.
The real criticism here is that by the end of the series, Zuko is more of the main character than Aang is.
I have to contest the criticism that Aang sparing ozai’s life should have been set up as the true way to end the war, and that killing him would have had negative consequences like your Star Wars example.
I think the fact that killing him would have also ended the war makes Ang’s decision SO MUCH more impactful. Because in life, there will always be opportunities to do things the “easy” way or, more importantly, the morally gray way…or the “eye for an eye” way. And a lot of times, yes, that will yield the results we want. But staying true to our character and our convictions IN SPITE of that IS the true mark of character.
He could have, but he didn’t. Not because taking away Ozai’s bending was strategically the best choice to end the war, but because, for Aang, that was the right thing to do.
I never saw this show as a kid but I watched it for the first time last week and just finished the last episode today. I was seriously missing out as a kid
When I saw for the first time Ember Island episode and saw Zuko remembering his childhood at the beach, there was an image of what I thought it was him as a kid with his father and baby Azula. And I even thought Ozai wasn't so bad in the past and maybe just when he got all that power and status he lost his mind. But no. That bitch was always bad and that image was not about that part of Zuko's family. That man in the pic was Iroh himself, the baby was Zuko and the kid was LU TEN T.T His true family maaaan.
When the fire nation came looking for “for the last water bender” in the South Pole they were looking for Hama not katara. They had no way of knowing a 4 year old girl was a water bender they more than likely assumed Hama went home and that’s why they said “we aren’t taking prisoners today.” Bc she had already shown that prisons were useless against her.
Then wouldn't they be looking for a 70 year old woman (assuming Hama was 80 in the canon)
Very nice video man. You feel that you love the show and put that in excellent writing and editing. Good stuff man
That line from Sokka’s dad hit me as I listened to it here. As a child of divorce I had to choose who to go with and I chose to go with my mom and sister as they may need me
I truly hope the Netflix writers watched and studied this.... what an excellent group of essays.
Great video. Only thing I would add is I've always heard of "filler" as parts of a show not based on the source material, thus "filling in" parts that weren't actually there. This is how you have both good filler that expands upon and fits into the original work, and bad filler that ruins pacing or is contradictory to the original work. Original shows don't have filler as there's no source material to fill in.
Avatar is my favorite show of all time, and I based a lot of personal philosophy off from it.
26:43 THANK YOU so much for saying this, people can be so harsh on others or, in this case, fictional characters instead of trying to see where they are coming from, nobody is perfect, not in Avatar either and that is one of the many reasons the show is just so good, it's real, is empathetic, is compassionate is unfiltered and authentic, Aang is if not my favorite fictional character in any story and the biggest part of it is not that I relate to him on so many ways, but that he is also an imperfect character that makes mistakes, the whole reason he he has to end the war is because (partially) he refused to take on the responsibility of becoming the Avatar and fixing the mess that Avatar Roku (inadvertently) caused before he passed, another mistake he made was when he impatiently tried to firebend and *accidentally* burned Katara and of course the most important example, when he took the life of fire nation soldiers, he did it because his hands were tied, if he had a choice that didn't require to let fire nation keep destroying and making the world worse, he would have obviously chosen to let every single person live, but *as you know* (pun intended) , it's not that simple, this kid literally has to fight a war, he was lucky not to have to fight more people to the death (of course the show being originally kid oriented is also a reason) so I'm glad someone is finally defending one of, if not the most mature and responsible and kind Avatar, Aang, the last airbender (of his time).
Gold Man and Avatar you know your in for a Good Time ❤
this was a fantastic video essay/retrospective. it’s the first video i’ve watched from you and to be completely honest, the sheer amount of oversaturation in the youtube video essay sphere leading me to think this one would just be another mediocre drop in the ocean but i was completely wrong
I really appreciate that, thank you so much for the kind words! If you don't mind me asking, what about this video separates it from other video essays you've watched? Just curious so I can keep trying to improve. Thanks again!
@@thegoldman25 i think i found the way you articulate your thoughts and go about analysis to be particularly effective/well done. every point you made was backed up by in story evidence and was satisfying/enough for me to accept due to sufficient elaboration on your part.
to be more specific, when you talked about magic systems and what makes a good magic system. i never realized that it's more about what the characters can't do, rather than what they can. when you elaborated on this by stating that benders are only able to bend one element, with the avatar serving as an exception to that and thus, allowing me to understand why ATLA works so well.
it seems very simple and i doubt this will give you any true insight you've never heard before or help you improve but it's what i think, nonetheless.
I appreciate it, thank you
For the Airbending flight mentioned, I remember reading that flight is only possible if you let go of all worldly things, including relationships. Aang can’t do this outside of AS because of his bond with Appa, and his love for Katara. Imo the strongest feat of Airbending off the top of my head is the concentrated gust of wind AS Aang disintegrates a giant stone pillar with during his fight with Ozai.
Toph was one of the few main characters in any show that made their first appearance in the middle of the series and immediately became awesome. You become emotionally invested in each of the characters which are all so awesome.
"Waterbenders can't just bend water out of thin air"
Hama and Katara: Hold my watermelon juice
I agree with you about the filler the one and only episode that in my eyes fits that description is the great divide, all the others do so much for character work and development the only other close to fit into the filler category is probably the fortune teller but even here you have a lot of development and it also show you for the first time how strong aang is without the avatar state and how good of an airbender he is that he stops a volcano
And iroh is truly one of the best mentor and father figures of cartoons history
I'm 23 now, but I've been a fan of Avatar since I was 8. Back then, it was the show I never wanted to miss, and I'd even try to imitate the bending. It was so much fun! Revisiting it as an adult, I still enjoy it just as much. I believe it played a role in shaping who I am today. I also learned the importance of choosing to be kind and compassionate because I wanted to be like Aang.
The show has been incredibly special to me ever since it first released and I regularly still think about it. It's truly a one of a kind show. Things I respect about it the most are how it doesn't dumb down serious concepts due to it being primarily being consumed by children. It trusts its audience that while it may not get ALL the meanings, children are still able to understand a lot if they are done in the right way. Things like Zuko and Azula's trauma, katara's need to be a mother figure for her brother/tribe, war, the effects of war on both the agressor and defensive side, sokka unlearning a lot of ignorance and becoming a great leader in a world without bending, toph's everpresent need to feel free due to her overprotective parents, growing up and accepting responsibility with Aang's arc, etc I could go on forever and ever. You don't need to see blood splatters and tons and tons of corpses to realize how devastating war can be for a nation. It's also about how war affects the people not actively participating in it as soldiers that really shows how deep it goes. I truly do believe that this show is absolutely timeless and can be enjoyed by any age and gender.
To answer your question on why that ending worked; if Osai had been killed, Azula would have been the Firelord and would have been even more tyrannical than her father, and would no doubt have ended the war by killing off all other benders. Or, at best, the kingdom would have been torn between Azula's followers and Zuko's. Removing Osai's bending allowed Zuko to legally claim the throne because, as a non-bender, Osai could no longer rule.
When looking back at Korra and seeing the flashbacks to "that trial" where we get a glimpse of an adult Aang, Sokka, and Toph - sure, we would all love more of the gangs lives between ATLA and Korra, but personally i think the most interesting and compelling story would be Sokka as an adult because just as you said, he learned the hallmarks of being a man and being a leader at such a young age but how does that shape the man he becomes as he gets older? Thats a story I would pay good money to see fleshed out.
That’s definitely what I’m hoping the 2025 film will showcase seeing we get a glimpse into their lives as adults!
As a 29 years old man the segment about Sokka hits hard. I think that young men like me who grew up thinking they should protect everyone around them without asking for help and try to do it all on their own can really benefit and evolve from Sokka's arc. He learns to be a better man, understanding and embracing exactly what his father told him, to know where you are needed the most.
Truly touching and I was on the verge of tears in that part, thank you for this video man!!
This is the quality content I come to CZcams for. When dealing with atla withdrawal, this video is here for me. ❤❤
Thanks for the video Goldman, and thanks for the rebels shoutout!
Thank you for watching!
Did YOU ever hear the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?
I've read it! The book by James Luceno was great!
i’ve been binging this series like crazy please keep up the good work
Amazing show for many reasons! One of my favorite reasons for loving the show is that my grandmother who didn’t speak English could still watch and enjoy the show with me 💕
This series is my biggest inspiration for my writing. the characters, the world building, the lore and power system are what i always look for how to build up my own.
Ok I just want to make the point, in Avatar The Last Airbender, it's not about who is more "powerful" cause that's lame. It's about who is more skilled, these are martial arts, remember that!
But there actually is power. It's both skill AND power. If there's two benders with equal skill, one of them could still be more powerful. The avatar has the most "sheer power" as commented on by Jeong Jeong, the firebending master. Even if Aang had no skill in firebending at the time, the amount of power he had when bending it was immense.
I absolutely love this video, one of my favorite video essays on this site all about one of my favorite shows. Amazing work!
so glad you shouted out hello future me! he has made so many thoughtful observations about the core themes of the story!
With the end of the series I completely agree that there could’ve been a negative consequence to aang betraying his beliefs- and it’s right there too! Imagine:
Aang is at the utmost of power, he’s circled by all four elements in the avatar state and he shouts devastatingly, “Firelord Ozai! You and your forefathers have devastated the balance of this world, and now: You shall pay the ultimate price!” He goes to kill Ozai, but suddenly all of the elements splash to the floor or into thin air. Aang remembers: How the fire nation would make Ozai a martyr, how Zuko would never know where his mother is- but mostly, how Aang would be doing taking the life of a monster yes, but how this is the very thing the fire nation has done all along. How the fire nation thought they were justified, how this cannot end with more killing. He understands death, he understands the loss of his people, and his understands through Katara and Sokka what the murder of their parent did to them. How the fire nation thought they were justified to kill Kya. He just can’t kill him. He decides to take the fire lord’s bending instead. As a sign for hope, as a signal for choice and change. It’s his destiny, but he chooses what to do with it.
Reminds me of Hercules. At some point, he is challenged to capture and not kill because killing is too easy.
I really think Iroh was more of a father figure this Zuko's actually father.
Zuko literally says that in season 3 lol
I watched avatar as a grown adult and completely agree its one of the best shows ever. I never understood how he even took away Ozai's bending until now I just figured it was an avatar thing. If they treated it like Naruto's sage mode training at mount miyoboku it would be alot more fortified in the narrative but it's kind of flimsy
I watched Avatar as it was airing when I was 7 it was so good. I rewatched it for the first time when I was 18 and I was blown away with how good it truly was now that I was older and understanding more themes showcased in the show. And now, 25, I've been rewatching it again with my girlfriend (its her first time watching the show, she is 22). And still, to this day, it is amazing. She loves it as well. Its crazy how this show has stood the test of time almost 20 years later.
You know a show is a goat when you remember it in detail over 15 years later.
Wow No Mention of Suki?
He the audience knew before the fight he could remove the bending there would have been less tension not more. I have watched too many people watch that fight to believe the opposite to be true.. Everyone gets emotional moved every time he leaves an opportunity to kill Ozai.
Avatar is the perfect blend of action, drama and comedy. One of the closest things I have seen to a complete package
i was flabberghasted when i saw this channel was under 100k subscribers, the production quality is insanely good
Wow, thank you!
The last great idea western animation had. Come at me, modern animation. Yall suck.
Castlevania, Arcane Supremacy
@@buzzwithdrip6347 arcane league of legends blew me away. Ok I meant my comment for the cal art crsp like Steven universe. And castlevania ws great.
Ride of the tmnt Lego Monkie kid
Infinity Train.
@@asarishepard8171you asked for it
Primal
Unicorn
Monkie Kid
Vox Machina
Invincible
Arcane
Kipo
Castlevania
Blood of Zeus
Ducktales 2017
Wakfu
Amphibia
The Owl House
Gravity Falls
Infinity Train
Blue Eyed Samurai
Captain Laserhawk
The Hollow
DOTA
Pantheon
Pariah Nexus
Kid Cosmic
Hilda
Glitch Tech
The Dragon Prince
Lost in Oz
Over the Garden Wall
Villainous
Tear Along the Dotted Line
This World Can't Tear Me Down
Bojack Horseman
You did such a thorough and amazing job on this video! Thank you for taking the time to make this.
You are so welcome!
This video was just awesome. thanks for taking time and make such a banger!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This is probably the BEST video I've ever seen exploring ATLA and why it's so good. Damn. Flameo, hotman. Flameo.
This is my favorite video of yours, I couldn't get passed your view of star wars, but with this show I really see what you're saying
I just finished rewatching this series with my mom, cried a bit at the Zuko and Iroh reunion scene at the last episodes.
i think at 41:43 u didn't quite realize what that look from zuko was because of the scar and mask but in my opinion, that was the look of terror in not only realizing what she was capable of but also, he doesn't know when she learned it or what bloodbendings limits are so if it was when she got a master back in season 1 that very easily could've been him many times throughout the series
I love these type of vids, i vid where i can sit and pay so much attention that i dont realize 2 hours have gone by. you my good sir are amazing