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Post by avatarfreak876 on Aug 29, 2006 20:27:33 GMT -5
hello jello
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Sonic1fan1
Master Piandao
I'll be waiting.
Posts: 5,376
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Post by Sonic1fan1 on Aug 29, 2006 20:35:18 GMT -5
Nothing much how bout you?
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Post by avatarfreak876 on Aug 29, 2006 20:39:05 GMT -5
good but I'm scared about after Secret of the fire nation
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Post by avatarfreak876 on Aug 29, 2006 20:40:29 GMT -5
AVATAR - "Secret of the Fire Nation" August 18th, 2006 1:52 PM by Aaron H. Bynum
Part IV
Likewise, the lovely Miss Suki and our growing boy Sokka share some time together that I'm sure I've never seen for animated characters their age, on western television. Suki and Sokka, in one tender goodbye moment, kiss… deeply. I don't know where the concept of kissing someone in order to stop him or her from speaking originated, but at this point I really don't care. Backtrack first--the previously explained soft-looking night with the moon and the calm blue waters visible off of the cliff holds much symbolism and purpose for every character in our core cast (save for Toph, poor girl). At their first tender moment, Suki attempts to kiss Sokka hoping to ease his troubled mind. Fortunately or unfortunately, with Yue's earthen form high in the sky behind, Sokka gracefully turns away from her lips. He is not unable to return her romance, just unwilling.
The day after, when Suki and Sokka actually do kiss, Suki blushes and tries to apologize for her advancement the previous night (she was "caught up in the moment" I guess). She stammers and protests it was all her fault… but Sokka finds her lips and calmly says, "You talk too much." He breaks the kiss, stares deep into her eyes, and kisses her again… this time, with heart. (Remember the part in Matrix Reloaded where Neo kisses Persephone? Sokka's kiss is fundamentally similar, only with far less tongue action.) I don't believe I've ever seen [western] animated characters of this particular age open mouth kiss like these two do here. It's something that is going to rack my brain for weeks to come.
Since I'm on the topic of maturing teen girls in Avatar: The Last Airbender, commentary on Katara in this review is long overdue. Fans of Katara, myself included, are really going to love "Secret of the Fire Nation." And no, it isn't just because we get to see her go cliff diving in her skivvies in the opening scene… although that would be a valid reason. These two episodes further allow Katara to let her hair down. Literally, as she goes swimming in the very first scene (she's gorgeous you know); and figuratively, as for the first time, the audience sees Aang clearly and directly tell Katara that he has feelings for her (and she accepts him with tears in her eyes).
Aang is beating himself up on the inside the majority of Episode #212. He forces himself to focus his efforts on what is presently occurring and not to worry about future problems. His detachedness and disinterestedness has Katara rightfully worried, and Aang's afraid that if he loses control of his Avatar State again, he won't have someone to stop him next time (or worse, someone will try to stop him, and they won't succeed). Katara: "You're not letting yourself feel anything. I know sometimes it hurts more to hope and it hurts more to care, but you have to promise me that you won't stop caring."
Aang, much later: "I thought I was trying to be strong... but really I was just running away from my feelings. Seeing this family together [with the newborn baby], so full of happiness and love, it's reminded me of how I feel about Appa... and how I feel about you."
Finishing up here, I'll make one final point, and it involves Toph. She may be the most confident and physically strong of our heroes, but she's also the most insecure (a delectable contradiction for screenwriters). She's an essential asset to helping the crew traverse The Serpent's Pass, but her hesitancy to cross a bridge of ice that Katara makes and hesitancy to go inside the Drill, a metal monster, exhibits some as of yet unearthed disassociations she feels are necessary between herself and the rest of the world she interacts with. And you thought her experience in the desert with sand made her nervous…
"Secret of the Fire Nation" is exquisite, but looking back, after this massive, superfluous review, I wasn't expecting much less. There's humor around every corner in these two episodes, so don't worry if my review focused on all of the dramatic or emotional aspects of the television special. Although I am a bit disappointed that more than halfway through the Second Season we have yet to find another story-shaping incident that affects all characters, that the pacing and direction of the series hasn't been bumped along or diverted like the First Season (i.e. #112: "The Storm"), yet, I am satisfied. Unfortunately, there's still no word on Uncle Iroh's deceased son Lu Ten, and it looks like we're going to have to wait a long time until we truly find out how much an impact the death of Prince Zuko's mother really is. All of that aside, we've made it to Ba Sing Se.
Additional Notes: (that are nifty/fun/strange, but would make my review even longer):
* Ty Lee's gymnastics-based fighting style doesn't hit pressure points (neither muscle nor reflex), she blocks your chi, literally. * Sokka is aware that Ty Lee has a crush on him... and certainly doesn't mind. * Sokka is a chauvinist (or did you already know that?). * Uncle Iroh has trouble identifying the gender of children. I know it sounds disturbing, but he always refers to children as if they were male… it's just, odd. * Momo is officially a "seeing eye lemur" for Toph. * Toph has a thing for Sokka. Don't believe me? Just watch. * Toph kisses Suki (don't take it the wrong way… she is blind afterall). * Jessie Flower, voice of "Toph," offers a great voice-over performance. * The Cabbage Man gets it again... no vegetables on the ferry, because "one cabbage slug could destroy the entire ecosystem of Ba Sing Se," the bureaucrat states. I think this makes five or six times he's been left out in the cold. * After looking back at the screens from Comic-Con, it certainly wouldn't surprise me if the young woman (daughter?) travelling with the [formerly] pregnant woman and her husband is the girl Zuko goes out on a "date" with. * Smellerbee is a girl. Smellerbee: "As long as I'm confident with who I am, it doesn't matter what other people think." (A LOT can be said about gender identity, if that is the case here, as such a concept has played a noted role in the progression of this television series.) * Longshot is mute, which took me two viewings to catch. (That makes two mutes in one episode; which reminds me of the kindhearted woman at the Comic-Con panel who raised the topic of children with disabilities. Just sit and think for a moment of all of the characters in this series who have physical deformities, select disabilities, have emotional dilemmas, come from broken homes, &c. It's mind-boggling.) * Aang has a fan club of "avatar impersonators," and he seems to be proud of it. * Katara exhibits her "master" abilities once again. I kind of felt cheated for a while that she was considered a master, yet we never received an opportunity to witness her in action. * Katara has experience in delivering babies. * Sokka does not have experience in delivering babies. Sokka: "This isn't the same as delivering an Arctic Seal, this is a real human thing!" Katara: "It's called a 'baby.'" Sokka, later: "It's so... squishy-looking." * Probably the most informational: the Fire Nation, although with their drill disabled, still managed to penetrate the outer wall of Ba Sing Se…
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Post by avatarfreak876 on Aug 29, 2006 20:40:58 GMT -5
I have no idea why I just posted that
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Post by Amira on Aug 29, 2006 21:23:14 GMT -5
::::raises an eyebrow::::
oooooh-kaaaay.
Anyway...hello guys!
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Post by fire/lightningbender emily on Aug 29, 2006 21:30:15 GMT -5
hey whats up
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Post by night on Aug 29, 2006 21:32:08 GMT -5
*rolls in*
Hi, all.
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Post by fire/lightningbender emily on Aug 29, 2006 21:38:08 GMT -5
hi night
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Post by Amira on Aug 29, 2006 22:19:55 GMT -5
:::::walks in with pie and ice cream:::::
The Dessert Fairy has arrived...LOL
::::sits down and starts filing nails::::
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Post by iluvzuko on Aug 29, 2006 22:22:02 GMT -5
I also saw this do kiss, Suki blushes and tries to apologize for her advancement the previous night (she was "caught up in the moment" I guess). She stammers and protests it was all her fault… but Sokka finds her lips and calmly says, "You talk too much." He breaks the kiss, stares deep into her eyes, and kisses her again… this time, with heart. ( Not to sound rude or mean but Avatarfreak876..............Uh.....how do I put this could you please tell people when your going to spoil them for the SoFN like put it in bold letters or another color......you have to respect that there are people here who haven't read the spoilers. Fpr example I already read them but.............You have to keep it on the download......... Do you get what Im saying?..........Im not tryin to do this to bug you I'm just trying to help those who dont wanna be spoiled.
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Post by Amira on Aug 29, 2006 22:32:02 GMT -5
::::tries to spark a little conversation::::::
I think someone in the other room asked what we would ship if we couldn't ship our ship and my answer to that is probably nothing. Although I do like Soko and Sokka and Suki. But since aang and Katara are two of my favorite characters and Zutara really holds no interest for me and I can't stand Taang at all, unless it would be a crack pairing, I really don't see me shipping anything.
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Post by night on Aug 29, 2006 22:38:17 GMT -5
Haha...desert fairy xD
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Post by Amira on Aug 29, 2006 22:44:07 GMT -5
eh...it's all melting anyway.
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Post by night on Aug 29, 2006 22:44:42 GMT -5
Aw, poo.
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