|
Post by brilliantlygreen on Mar 26, 2007 19:22:12 GMT -5
Zuko was bashing Aang around pretty bad during the "Crossroads of Destiny" final fight. The most dramatic moment was when Aang retreated to a higher area, and Zuko fired a massive fireball at him. Aang's attempts to defend himself fail, and then we see a slo-mo of Aang falling backwards. Aang=powerful bender Zuko beat up Aang Zuko=powerful bender At any rate, after watching that episode again, I really felt that Aang won't be with Katara because Aunt Wu actually saw no love in his future. Sure, theres the whole "you can shape your destiny blah blah blah obligatory moral point" but even when Sokka says that Aang is a powerful bender, Katara didn't seem happy to realize this, just shocked. So that would point to her not having considered Aang. Just my thoughts at least. Very well said. I completely agree. However, I feel that one of the reasons why Aang was fighting so poorly, was because he wasn't focused. His chakras were completely messed up and off-balance, and one of them was interrupted. Aang is without a doubt better than Zuko. But he's just a kid and obviously has distractions. It wasn't until he sat himself down under the crystal 'tent' and regained his focus that he was able to attempt to do something serious. Of course, as we all know, Azula messed that up for him too. Either way, Zuko is a powerful bender. He just needs to learn humility and patience, like his uncle.
|
|
|
Post by Milkman on Mar 27, 2007 8:53:24 GMT -5
Their are so many powerfull benders around in the avatar world that Katara might end up with Azula But maybe she won't marry at all. She might get killed in the next season. The series will probebly end with the defeat of the firelord wich will happen before sozin's comet returns. Both Aang and Katara are not old enough to marry so we might never find out I do think that Zuko has the best chance since Aang let Katara go in the CoD in order to get the Avatar state. Basicly he has given her up. But you might never know.
|
|
|
Post by Renoaru on Mar 27, 2007 9:37:10 GMT -5
to > topic : zuko IS a powerful bender
|
|
|
Post by Kohana on Mar 27, 2007 11:21:26 GMT -5
Many have said this before, but I do believe Zuko's truly becoming a powerful bender.
I agree with you, Isaac.
In the first episode he was just learning the basics, and in CoD he was already beating Aang.
That's development, don't you think?
It's kind of (notice the kind of) similar to Katara, who was a beginner in the first episode too and was ranked waterbending master after season 1.
But we've got to remember that Zuko's inner turmoil is holding him back, like Iroh said in Bitter Work, whereas Katara doesn't have an inner turmoil.
So yeah, I think Zuko has impoved a lot and I know he'll keep on improving. And who knows, perhaps he'll earn his ranking of master during the third season too.
|
|
|
Post by aangryjerk on Mar 27, 2007 12:43:46 GMT -5
Zhoa was a master, and Zuko beat him. He only needs to be called a master by another master. Maybe Iroh will do that.
He's not Aang's equal, but then who is? Aang and Azula are prodigies, it's not a fair comparision. Even so, Zuko put up a tremedous fight in CoD, and appeared to create some new unique bending moves that no other firebender has used. So he is a powerful bender, not by being gifted with great talent, but through dedication and innovation. If he continues in this way, maybe he'll beat Azula someday.
But as I have said, it isn't shipping evidence.
|
|
|
Post by luthien on Mar 27, 2007 14:00:46 GMT -5
I definitely think he is becoming one, and I think he definitely has potential to be a master. The only thing holding him back is his turmoil (Zuko: "What turmoil?!?"). But I'd love to see him one day master white flame and lightning just by sheer force of will alone - it would serve Azula right.
|
|
trustno1
Happy Festival Mask
"You got served xD"
Posts: 3,838
|
Post by trustno1 on Mar 27, 2007 14:38:04 GMT -5
Yeah, I think it should be noted that Zuko fought in CoD while his own feelings/spirit were in a turmoil. He has his own attachment, he will have to let go in order to master a certain type of bending, just like Aang, yet Zukos turmoil also weakens his normal firebending techniques, since firebending demands channeling ones emotions. So basicly it means that we haven't even seen, what Zuko is capable of in CoD. I think it's likely, once he finally gets over his past and stops persuing aknowledgment from his father, that Zuko becomes an even more powerful bender then he already is, which still is enough to be worthy opponent for Katara and Aang. I guess Azula should better watch out.
|
|
outcast
Gran Gran
makes me happy
Posts: 557
|
Post by outcast on Mar 27, 2007 16:01:22 GMT -5
I think Zuko's a powerful bender, but I'm not a big Zutara fan. Something I find funny in CoD:
Katara=Zuko
Aang=Azula
Katara>Azula
Zuko>Aang
Just who are the prodigies?...
|
|
|
Post by Kohana on Mar 27, 2007 16:25:46 GMT -5
I think Zuko's a powerful bender, but I'm not a big Zutara fan. Something I find funny in CoD: Katara=Zuko Aang=Azula Katara>Azula Zuko>Aang Just who are the prodigies?... Haha Good point
|
|
yiceman
Bosco
Not all who wander are lost.
Posts: 2,929
|
Post by yiceman on Mar 27, 2007 18:36:57 GMT -5
What separates Zuko/Katara from Aang/Azula is---pure dedication and committment against natural born skill. We've seen that Aang isn't as committed to his bending as he ought to be, as seen in the beginning of the season 1 finale when he uses all his skill in waterbending to make a snowman.
Same goes for Azual. She's known for so long she's great, so she just assumes she's the superior fighter in each instance. She's never fought a water bender, isn't used to the wat the water moves and coils like a living thing, and dosn't know how to counter it except for head-on attacks. You see the same thing happen in The Drill--Aang is just slapping the fire right out of her hand with waterbending, and instead of altering her tactics, she just....shoots an even BIGGER fireball at him. She's kind of like Zhao in her thinking: there's no threat that a huge ball of fire or bolt of lighting can't take.
Zuko, on the other hand, is more adaptive, and less concerned with perfection. So he improvises: the first time he fought Katara, he shot a fire fireballs at her to start. After realizing she was just sweeping them aside, he decided to rush in so close that she would either have to retreat away from the water, or face him within arm's reach. Surprisingly for him, Katara's just as fast up close; even though she couldn't do more than sweep a small stream of water up with each split-second, he couldn't do more than send a small burst of fire out, moving as fast as he did. After that, he seems to decide "Forget this! and just rushes past her to go after Aang. Rather unexpected, neh?
Then when he fights her the second time, he does much better. He seems content to merely distract her so that Azula can take on Aang, but he knows how to fight a waterbender much better than Azula. He has dedication and experience.
Same for Katara. You saw how fast she advanced her skill, and ever since the first episode she's been determined to learn more. A rather obscure fight she has is from The Swamp, but I think some of her moves there are pretty cool, and shows her she also adapts, trying different types of attacks. Like water, she is ever moving and changing.
So basically being a progedy dosn't even seem to make a person the better bender without a few things, such as determination, preserverence, and experience.
I noticed something in the CoD fight that was interesting; it seems like Aang is really afraid of Zuko. Some people protest, saying Zuko was never a match, but if you watch all their season 1 fights, you basically never actually see Aang defeat Zuko. All he does is knock Zuko down and run away, and people call that a victory.
The second episode he throws a mattress at him and runs out the door. What a victory! The Warriors of Kyoshi is the closest I can remember of Aang actually beating Zuko instead of just knocking him over and running away, but it takes more than being blasted through a wall to stop that kid. And in CoD, Aang basically stays far, far away from Zuko the entire time, afraid to even get near him.
|
|
nandireya
Zuko's Path to Redemption Mod
...tickled pink...
Posts: 6,822
|
Post by nandireya on Mar 28, 2007 3:06:46 GMT -5
There's a member at ASN that keeps insisting that the creators said in a DVD commentary that Zuko isn't a powerful bender...but I find this hard to believe because their own show doesn't back them up...nearly all his bending battles have ended in victory or stalemates...
|
|
attonbitus
Blue Spirit
I'm in ur clouds, steel'n ur thundar
Posts: 2,121
|
Post by attonbitus on Mar 28, 2007 8:23:49 GMT -5
Well i'd say during season 1 and first half of season 2 he wasn't a powerbender. By the finale though he's able to fight on equal footing with the avatar and a master waterbender. If that isn't powerful then we'd have to say that azula wasn't powerful either . I would say that while powerful Zuko is NOT a master since he still doesn't seem to understand the nature of fire.
|
|
Melis
Long Feng
hay baby wanna get away on my bison?
Posts: 3,293
|
Post by Melis on Mar 28, 2007 11:16:44 GMT -5
There's a member at ASN that keeps insisting that the creators said in a DVD commentary that Zuko isn't a powerful bender...but I find this hard to believe because their own show doesn't back them up...nearly all his bending battles have ended in victory or stalemates... They did say it, during the "Siege of the North" commentary. They said that even though Zuko's not that great of a bender, he still has things to fall back on. Kind of like how Sokka isn't a waterbender but he's a great leader, etc. I do think that Zuko's firebending skills are getting better, and I wouldn't be surprised if by season 3 he masters lightning and zaps it right back towards Azula.
|
|
|
Post by aangryjerk on Mar 28, 2007 11:57:56 GMT -5
I would say that while powerful Zuko is NOT a master since he still doesn't seem to understand the nature of fire. Can you explain that a little more? How does he not understand the nature of fire if he can still bend it? What about Zhao? He was impatient and lacked self-control, and had not completed his training with Jeong Jeong, yet he was considered a master by Iroh. Zuko bested him, albeit by the skin of his teeth. So why shouldn't Zuko be considered a master then, or now since as of the end of season 2 he has surpassed Zhao's abilities by a much wider margin?
|
|
attonbitus
Blue Spirit
I'm in ur clouds, steel'n ur thundar
Posts: 2,121
|
Post by attonbitus on Mar 28, 2007 12:44:57 GMT -5
Mastery and being good at something are 2 differnt things. Mastery implies you understand a nature or specific philosophy about the discipline you're working at.
Zhao understood the destructive nature of fire and how it consumes and creates more fire hence his "mastery". The nature if any element is multi-facet and it's unlikely that there are a lot of "masters" that understands them all. JJ understand the nature of fire in that consumes and is rather uncontrollable but for some reason shuns any good of it out side of destruction. Iroh's mastery comes from that fact that he understands there is a ebb and flow to the element as it seeks to reach harmony with things around them and you never seem him "over do it" with his firebending.
Zuko as right now only sees firebending as a tool much like his swords. It's something to be used.
It's like trying to understand any weapon/tool. Lot of people say that guns are bad and all should be banned, on the flip side i'm sure you've heard the quote, "guns don't kill people, people kill people".
|
|