Drive Until You Lose The Road

[redbrunja]

Okay, let's make this quick and dirty:

The bad:

I knew they were going to do the shipping that they did, but I still didn't like it. I don't think any of those problems that Mai/Zuko and Katara/Aang have were resolved, so it felt really, really fake to me. Especially the Kataang post-EIP. In Avatar, relationships usually feel so pasted on.

Aang. God, he was fucking annoying. I loved the resolution for the Fire Lord, but I hated that it took Aang three episodes of desperately trying to find someone to give him the answer he wanted while he whined about it to get there.

Forgoing finding out what happed to Zuko's mother so we could see Katara and Aang suck face.

The good:

Everything with Zuko. God, he is so much more interesting than Aang. I loved his fight with Azula, and how Katara dealt with her. The music was heartbreaking.

Fantastic season 2 finale homage. As my mother says upon seeing Zuko in Katara's arms: "Now what are they going to be about Mai?" (meaning, since Katara and Zuko are clearly meant for each other, and mama red loves Mai.)

Speaking of Azula, my heart was breaking. Seriously, Mai and Ty Lee betraying her totally fucked her up. I loved how she was shoving people away in an effort to get control, and just losing it more and more.

I was thrilled that Katara was the one to defeat Azula - I was afraid that Katara wouldn't get much to do in the finale.

Toph and Sokka and Suki (and especially that scene with Toph hanging from Sokka's fingers) was fantastic.

I adored Ty Lee going off with the Kyoshi warriors. That was just perfect.

Comments

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

And we've seen this quite a few times now -- Zuko considers Katara the best one to have at his back in a fight. Even in the training exercise, he picked her to go with him. Their fight scenes (against each other and together) have enough passion that it easily translates into something else.

Zuko . . . with everything he's been through, the girl for him is a) One he trusts to watch his back and b) One he knows is powerful enough to defend it.

That's Katara. I've got nothing against Mai, but Katara is Katara.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

*nods*

The fact that they work so well together, and Zuko in particular knows it... just says so much.

And my problem with Mai and Zuko is that when we see them actually in a relationship, they made each other worse, not better, plus we never got to see if Mai actually changed her opinions about the war - last we heard, she was firmly on the 'fire nation is the greatest, you're a traitor Zuko.'

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

Yeah . . . she's never actually left the Fire Nation; unlike Zuko, she's never actually seen the world, seen what it's like out there, seen what her country is doing. I can see how she'd feel that way -- being raised in the ruling class, weaned on propaganda when even her grandparents wouldn't remember a time when the Fire Nation was on its way to becoming the greatest -- the only -- nation on earth. Understandable, sympathetic in a way, but not someone who's really best for the position of power she'd have as the Fire Lord's wife. She wouldn't consider him a traitor now -- he's clearly working for the best interests of the people -- but I feel there'd still be a part of her that believed the basics of the propaganda.

Katara, he can trust with his life. He can trust her to do the right thing, even if her emotions are elsewhere. Your icon? She grabbed him and pulled him to safety even when she still pretty much hated him. And now . . . she'll even pull him into the group hugs.

[wolfhowlers.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.

I know this probably comes off weird and random, but I would like to add on to your comment:

can you honestly imagine pairing yourself to someone who, despite your numerous attempts at impressing that person, doesn't even show a hint of appreciation or interest?

That's pretty much Maiko in a nutshell.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

She wouldn't consider him a traitor now -- he's clearly working for the best interests of the people -- but I feel there'd still be a part of her that believed the basics of the propaganda.

Yes. And I can't help but feel that that will get the Fire Nation into a lot of trouble in the future.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

Well, that depends on how much power she has as Zuko's . . . well, just girlfriend for now. The wife of the Fire Lord, certainly, but just dating him, she wouldn't be able to do more than, perhaps, order some servants around. I think the issues would affect the relationship before they could affect the Fire Nation.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Well, we hope. ^_^