She's Standing In The Ashes At The End Of The World

[redbrunja]

It's been a long time darling, but it's good to have you back:

Okay, 2 minutes in and we have one of the most awesome Zutara moments ever. Seriously, Mike & Bryan - he saves her from falling rocks, lies on top of her for a bit with his hand curled around her waist, and they stark at each other for a bit, and you don't know why we ship them?

I think that moment right there was my second favorite bit of the episode.

Even mom, the Maiko shipper, was holding my hand and squeeing through that scene.

Azula is awesome. I really like her when she's being badass and not totally winning, and that shot of her with her hair flowing was fantastic.

I wish the animators would have lingered more on that scene where Katara catches Zuko.

Okay, Suki and Sokka? Totally fucking. I mean, totally. And I love a girl who sneaks into her lovah's tent.

Bloodbending? For the motherfucking win!

That was my favorite scene - Katara bloodbending with no angst about it, Zuko's look of 'holy fuck she's even more powerful than I thought', and then Zuko's utter disbelief that the Fire Nation officer could ever forget about anyone he hurt. Because I think that's something Zuko has always had - even if you're on the opposite side, you damn well remember who you hurt.

And I love love love the repeated images of Katara looking up just like Hama looked up. You guys rock, Avatar animators.

Katara and Zuko ninja-ing around was everything Stormbenders promised us it would be.

And have to say, I'm a little ambiguous about the resolution of the episode - it was only saved by the fact that Katara didn't forgive that man - she just didn't kill him.

I really like Aang's 'oh fuck' epiphany. That said, Avatar State hello? Is he completely not responsible for anything he did while under that? I mean, he's already killed people.

Also, I've been avoiding spoilery icons posts, but if anyone has good icon recs for just this episode I'd be interested.

Comments

[ryanitenebrae.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, definitely. Katara was strong in this episode, and the way they dealt with her character was perfect.

I have to agree with you about the two favorite scenes, to be honest. And that shot of Azula with her hair fanning out is awesome. She's losing her 'civilized' edge. With her sanity, it's like she's..pardon the geekiness, but going from Lawful Evil, to Chaotic.

If that made sense.

[tobu-ishi.livejournal.com]

The MINUTE Azula started to talk, I thought, "O shi, she's finally snapped." Her voice has gone crazy-growly and she's lost her delicate edge of snark. Highly alarming development, though she looks incredible with her hair down (and disturbingly similar to her mother).

NINJAS NINJAS NINJAS NINJAS NINJAS :DDDDD pretty much sums up my opinion of that. Also, "We weren't behind the bush" was the best kind of vaguely Pythonesque failed badassery.

I'm glad Katara chose not to rip the guy apart in cold blood. I think it won her respect points with Zuko, too. She's not a psycho crazy like his sister.

(Also, as long as we're talking Hama comparisons, how about Jet comparisons? Not just Sokka bringing it up, but later, with the attacking defenseless (albeit formerly murderous, in this case) old men.)

Miscellany: So much gorgeous animation. So many gorgeous shots. Sleeping Teo maxed out my seeving quotient in the first ten seconds. ROCKS FALL, ZUTARA LIVES. Zuko's capybara!face when confronted with seductive half-dressed Sokka. I totally called bloodbending without a full moon--or was it full? I should go back and watch again...

SO MUCH LOVE. SO. MUCH. LOVE. :D

[obsessive0514.livejournal.com]

Fuck yes. This episode was amazing. My older brother even said "Wow, she's pretty hardcore."

I think the ending itself was ambiguous, which I loved. I don't know why, though.

I kinda got the feeling Sokka and Suki hadn't started yet. But that was definately the plan. For some reason, that's the impression I got, which gives me more giggles. This was anbother scene that surprised my brother.

As for icons, I'm working on some right now. It'll probably end up being just TSR, except one TBR. So far, though, I haven't seen any icon posts for this episode.

[ivy-chan.livejournal.com]

This episode is rocking on the top of my Avatar faves, along with Siege of the North! Katara was seriously hardcore in here, all business and ready to go and avenge her mother. The comparisons to Jet and Hama were nicely done, and I felt sorry for Aang after the confrontation with Zuko and Katara. Especially when she pulled the 'you don't know what I've been through' card with the kid who's had his entire people massacred, the salvation of the world placed on his shoulders, and has had people trying to kill him left and right. Remember all those angry bursts into the Avatar State, Katara? And how you told him once that his loved ones didn't like seeing him in all that rage and pain? Yes. Irony.

Zuko walking in on Sokka getting ready to seduce Suki. (And yes, probably have sex with her. Love tent!) This? This made me die laughing a lot. I saw the preview, but this was great. And Zuko's melting face followed by the complete and utter deadpan poker face was brilliant. (Something bothered me about the art in that scene, though. And I think at some point Zuko got a giraffe neck.)

And yes, Azula is hitting the deep end! I await Crazula with much anticipation. (And I loved it when her hair went loose at the end. I like her with her hair down for some reason.)

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

Knew it! Knew there had to be a Zuko-Katara episode, that's the way the pattern's been going. And it was pretty damn awesome.

And Zuko was right more than Aang . . . he understood that, no matter Katara's decision in the end, she had to at least face down the bastard responsible. You can't forgive from a distance. You need to look them in the eye and make the decision.

And Katara . . . I think she realized that the guy was living such a pathetic little life that leaving him to live in it, knowing how big a fuck-up he'd made, was more of a punishment than just killing him outright. And the way he cheerfully offered up his mother? Killing her would be a reward.

Zuko's reaction to the bloodbending read to me as "Note: Never ever ever do anything to really piss this girl off."

I need icons, too.

[nephthysmoon.livejournal.com]

Yes...to all of it...I was absolutely speechless through out most of it, with my best friend and I typing mainly "OMG", "LMFAO", or "*DEATH*". Yes. I'm still speechless from the awesome, but I downloaded the torrent last night and put it on my mp3 player so I could hook it up to my work PC during lunch and watch again.

I cannot wait for tonight!

[oyster-district.livejournal.com]

Katara and Zuko ninja-ing around was everything Stormbenders promised us it would be.

Oh, man. You're gonna make me cry. For real. Thank you.

What I like about the resolution of this episode is its ambiguity. Katara spends so much of the series being completely self-righteous about whatever she's doing, and now she's actually uncertain for once. She's growing. It's great.

[mzminola.livejournal.com]

NINJA KATARA! And she finally pulled her hair back! Yay! I miss her braid

Azula's hair is usually so crisp- and here she shower up with the antennea longer than usual, and then the full-out loose hair? FUCK YEAH!
She is so going totally psycho without friends.

We think they heard fan-rumors that Katara's mom was just captured, not killed, and partly did this to nix that. Does a great job showing why Katara is so much more traumatized than Sokka, and angry.

And 17 is up now, by the way. Juuuuuuuust so you know.

[marbles-chan.livejournal.com]

Hey :D Late reply is late, but I remembered you asking for icons for up to this episode! I found some here (http://community.livejournal.com/profoundicons/13253.html), and I thought you'd be interested :3