Post by Amira on Apr 30, 2007 22:54:54 GMT -5
This was something I found over at ASN in one of their threads, what do y'all think?
Okay, keep in mind that I personally think the online comic thingie was introduced to help explain some things that happened in Crossroads of Destiny, at least until the 3rd season. Since the writers apparently were responsible for this, I think it's safe to say that's the only bone they'll throw us, but it's a big one.
The problem is that up to this point, the Avatar State was a "quick 'n easy" way to unleash a wave of ownage without any real effort. All Aang had to do was go blue-glowey-emo and poof! Fire navy go bye bye!
By introducing a catch or two, and giving Aang a reason *not* to use the Avatar State, they create a plot device that gets rid of "instant ownage mode" to make Aang's journey a bit more interesting. Can he survive and win the final battle without it?
Personally, I don't think he could survive *with* it. Think about it. Why did Azula run around *behind* Aang before he entered the Avatar State? She was in front of him with the Dai Li before he made that little crystal shell. The simple answer is that she knew what was coming. Azula was waiting for him to enter the Avatar State. The Dai Li would most likely have informed her what the kiddos were up to, so she probably figured it was her chance to take down the Avatar for good. If Azula knows the "weakness" of the Avatar State, then is it really worth the risk?
It's not like Aang doesn't have to come to terms with his feelings. I think he will, but not in the way the Guru wanted him to. If you think about what Yangchen told Aang in that online comic I mentioned, the Guru is the "perfect being sitting on the mountain" without much connection with the "common man". Now that his injuries will prevent him from entering the Avatar State in the near future, Aang is going to need his friends (and Katara) more than ever. As I've said many times, Katara isn't a distraction, she's the carrot in front of the donkey. The Guru basically asked Aang to give up his reason for fighting, which in the long run, probably would have hurt more than helped.
It's not that the Guru didn't present Aang with a means of consciously using the Avatar State. It's that he missed the point of the Avatar completely. This is where Yangchen's explanation comes in. Aang isn't supposed to be this perfect being. He's supposed to be human. Iroh was the *true* wisdom in this case.
It's sort of a Luke Skywalker moment. What *would* have happened if Luke had stayed with Yoda and allowed what happened in Bespin to just happen? Luke gained a new reason to do his duty when he learned the truth behind Vader. Vader never would have been saved if Luke had been a good little boy and stayed with Yoda. Even worse, I can imagine a scene in which Luke kills Vader, then Palpatine just kinda shrugs and says "Why did you just kill your father?" I think such a situation would probably have driven Luke to the dark side in two seconds flat.
Anywho, consider this: Aang won't be able to enter the Avatar State in the near future, but Roku thinks he'll still be able to do it eventually.
What was Roku's story, though? It seems the only "weakness" Roku had to master was a case of ADD and a snack attack.
Are we really to believe that Roku had no worldly concerns other than lunch? Or maybe the different nations have different philosophies on how the Avatar State works. I'm betting the latter, and that might come into play once Aang starts working on firebending.
The problem is that up to this point, the Avatar State was a "quick 'n easy" way to unleash a wave of ownage without any real effort. All Aang had to do was go blue-glowey-emo and poof! Fire navy go bye bye!
By introducing a catch or two, and giving Aang a reason *not* to use the Avatar State, they create a plot device that gets rid of "instant ownage mode" to make Aang's journey a bit more interesting. Can he survive and win the final battle without it?
Personally, I don't think he could survive *with* it. Think about it. Why did Azula run around *behind* Aang before he entered the Avatar State? She was in front of him with the Dai Li before he made that little crystal shell. The simple answer is that she knew what was coming. Azula was waiting for him to enter the Avatar State. The Dai Li would most likely have informed her what the kiddos were up to, so she probably figured it was her chance to take down the Avatar for good. If Azula knows the "weakness" of the Avatar State, then is it really worth the risk?
It's not like Aang doesn't have to come to terms with his feelings. I think he will, but not in the way the Guru wanted him to. If you think about what Yangchen told Aang in that online comic I mentioned, the Guru is the "perfect being sitting on the mountain" without much connection with the "common man". Now that his injuries will prevent him from entering the Avatar State in the near future, Aang is going to need his friends (and Katara) more than ever. As I've said many times, Katara isn't a distraction, she's the carrot in front of the donkey. The Guru basically asked Aang to give up his reason for fighting, which in the long run, probably would have hurt more than helped.
It's not that the Guru didn't present Aang with a means of consciously using the Avatar State. It's that he missed the point of the Avatar completely. This is where Yangchen's explanation comes in. Aang isn't supposed to be this perfect being. He's supposed to be human. Iroh was the *true* wisdom in this case.
It's sort of a Luke Skywalker moment. What *would* have happened if Luke had stayed with Yoda and allowed what happened in Bespin to just happen? Luke gained a new reason to do his duty when he learned the truth behind Vader. Vader never would have been saved if Luke had been a good little boy and stayed with Yoda. Even worse, I can imagine a scene in which Luke kills Vader, then Palpatine just kinda shrugs and says "Why did you just kill your father?" I think such a situation would probably have driven Luke to the dark side in two seconds flat.
Anywho, consider this: Aang won't be able to enter the Avatar State in the near future, but Roku thinks he'll still be able to do it eventually.
What was Roku's story, though? It seems the only "weakness" Roku had to master was a case of ADD and a snack attack.
Are we really to believe that Roku had no worldly concerns other than lunch? Or maybe the different nations have different philosophies on how the Avatar State works. I'm betting the latter, and that might come into play once Aang starts working on firebending.