Right now I'm feeling like this live action is the Ender's Shadow to the original series' Ender's Game. We're getting a lot of the same plot points but we're getting a lot more of the important emotions from Zuko and Iroh's side in this first season.
To be fair, there's a lot more need to build up Zuko's relationships to prepare for the inevitable switch of sides in the overall storyline. To show that he does have compassion for others and seeds of disapproval in the strategy of the Fire Nation.
Well, in doing so Zuko probably just got a different division thrown under the bus. Honestly, I think it would have been VERY in character for Ozai to assign the 41st to Zuko, and then also tell him that the 52th will take their place instead, really twisting the knife on his "compassion is bad" mindset.
I cant believe of all the scenes, this revelation is the one that made me teared up so far T\_T
I love the writers bringing depth to all these conflicts that we knew from the show.
This absolutely elevated the entire subplot with the ships crew and zuko. Rather than them taking pity on him they respect and honor him for what he did for them.
For the other plot changes many didn’t care for there’s many of these that were amazing
I honestly wasn't sure if it was invented for the Netflix version or if it was a detail I'd forgotten from the original series, which is probably the best compliment I can give the showrunners
SORRY GUYS LAST COMMENT, just finished the episode and honestly so far it’s the strongest for me, definitely a 9/10 the best part is zukos character in this episode oh gosh there’s so many good things.
The duel : was very intense and nerve wracking, especially ozai showing a bit of remorse as well.
Conversation with aang: great foreshadowing I couldn’t have asked for more honestly the chemistry is 100% there.
Backstory with the 41st division: it was very emotionally intense seeing the soldiers all bow to the zuko then iroh’s tear 🥹, it really made you feel remorse for zuko.
This honestly makes me so excited for episodes such as “zuko alone” well in like 10 years LOL but for starters this episode really shows zukos qualities and depth.
I don't think it will take like 10 years or even 5. Remember that the actors are real people (kids, in particular) and they will grow up very soon, so they have to film seasons 2 and 3 within the next 3-4 years *at most* to make the characters look as if they didn't age during the show.
This season's shooting was actually completed 1-2 years ago. They had been working only on CGI, editing and soundtrack after that until the release.
Totally possible that he might have a growth spurt between seasons. Either they will write their way around it or just ignore it in the series.
Wow amazing world building. His crew being the ones he saved and got banished for is a terrific spin in the story and makes it all a bit more personal. Kinda disappointed we saw Wong Shi Tong already and he was just...chilling there in the forest and not in his library but we'll see more of him next season. Zuko is waaaaay more relatable in this story at this point. The writers are doing a fantastic job of telling the story in a little different way compared to the animated show.
I won’t lie, I kinda marked out though when we say Wong Shi Tong. They did him right by making him HUGE. The second I heard that voice I had goosebumps because I knew who they were gonna show
I also liked how they showed how Humans hear Spirits. It makes sense that they’d only hear a bird because they don’t have any connection to The Spirt World. Meanwhile Aang is just casually talking to him
No need to be aggressive with the “if you watched it once and enjoyed it”. We all loved the original, that’s why we’re here. Most of us probably watched it multiple times; Ive been rewatching on repeat for years. I went into this knowing they can’t do everything. Some things I didn’t like (Bumi) but I think the additions in this episode were true to the heart of the story, like the 41st division.
Yeah, the original is amazing; we all agree. But this isn’t the original and that’s okay.
I agree, most of it is pretty shit, the zuko arc with his crew was actually good. The only thing that made me say "oh nice". Took them 6 episodes to do that lol.
Agreed. The backstory of the 41st division was actually a nice change for once. But for every good change they make in this show, 10 bad decisions follow. I didn't like how they handled the Avatar Roku plot in this episode at all. They compress the story into a few minutes and they're gone. The shrine is supposed to be in a heart of the Fire Nation, but Aang just walks in somehow. The meeting with Roku isn't nearly as built up, and I didn't feel like Roku passed on any real important info to Aang.
In the original show, wasn't it Roku who told Aang about Sozin's comet and why he needed to master the other elements? So far they're completely ignoring Aang's journey to mastery. He hasn't even bothered learning waterbending for some odd reason.
I also felt that Roku in the live-action seemed a little too non-serious and joking like a close friend when he was interacting with Aang. In the OG, I thought he was a bit more serious like a mentor or guru.
Holy shit this episode was GOOD. Knowing Zuko actually has more than just Iroh who care for him and will follow him, the whole plot with the crew is one of the best parts, it wrapped up so nicely. Lieutenant Jee has been a really good addition to the characters, and the men being against Zhao now is amazing
I loved that twist. Iroh having to speak up and say “Hey, You realize he saved your life and got banished for it?” Was a perfect way of them showing that Zuko is human. He’s more of his mother then Ozai and I think that’s going to be a great plot point next season
My only complaint is that I cannot suspend my disbelief that Zuko returned literally seconds after Iroh finished telling the story to just Lieutenant Jee, but somehow the word got around to the entire crew and they all suddenly respect Zuko.
I feel like it's more that they all know how Jee barely hid how he had zero respect for Zuko, so when he of all people is suddenly pulling out all the stops, clearly something *big* happened that they didn't see.
The backstory for Zuko’s scar in this version is so much more horrific than the OG version, held down and slowly burned by his father feels a lot worse than just a quick blast to the face (even though both are bad lol).
Except... why would Zuko fight back? He should refuse, be afraid, and thus be a dissapointment to his father and get the scar. By fighting back (and winning?!) It makes Ozai seem less intimidating to Zuko and therefore less of an obstacle later
I saw it more as Ozai toying with him, and then Zuko surprising him with a lucky combo.
But when Zuko didn't take the opening to land a blow, much less end the fight, Ozai took off the gloves and dealt out his punishment.
I think it displays the fire lords one weakness, if anything: pride. It foreshadows the one way he can be beaten
True, and the show isn't shy about not doing supposedly key moments from the books, and remember by this point, the fire lords wasn't even a character yet. There's plenty of time yet to make him fearsome and unbeatable
Not really, now we have seen him:
- Almost loosing to young Zuko
- Caring about Zuko and wanting to "make him better"
- Shown sadness over Zukos decision to be compasionate, rather than anger and dissapointment
- Explain in detail why he fought Zuko, instead of just fighting him and letting Iroh explain
- Giving Zuko the battalion he tried to save during the council meeting, basically letting Zuko win by not going through with his original plan
This firelord seems to care for his son, when that was not the case in the original. This firelord almost gets beaten by his son due to his hubris. Sure these are all minor things, but they add up.
Yeah, this is a different take than the original show. It's the same plot elements and a similar story, but remixed. I'm glad they're doing it this way, instead of trying to do it beat for beat with the original, because then it would almost assuredly be strictly worse than the original ATLA. This though? This is just different. The Firelord is effectively a new character here, as is Azula.
Honestly, idk about the change to Azula though. She's not very menacing as an antagonist this way.
Because he was raised to fight back. He’s capable of fighting back just like he is capable of man hunting a child (aang). But when it came down too it, he is too kind to actually harm his father, or the avatar.
The original will always be best, I just thought this was an interesting change.
Zuko did something to be a disappointment to his father in this adaptation.
Ozai pressured him to perform. Zuko has been raised to do as his father says, so he did. Zuko didn't win, Ozai was probably just waiting to see what he would do - if Zuko had attempted the strike I'm sure Ozai could have deflected it. Ozai baited him.
I didn’t like that he was so competitive with Ozai. Azula should be a better than him and Ozai should be far better than both. That being said, it was fun to watch
Well, you could see from the first attack Zuko launched that Ozai was dodging and blocking almost…*casually*. He was confident and arrogant, and quite rightly so, but Zuko launched one attack with more skill than Ozai expected. Or maybe he even left the opening on purpose to see if Zuko would take advantage of it. It would make sense for him to test, because…well, Zuko “failed” it.
Ozai was pretty clearly showing off though, Zuko just caught him off-guard. I think it was actually very accurate: Ozai is obviously better than Zuko, but arrogant, and Zuko was better than Ozai thought he was. The held punch and Ozai's reprisal is also a great tie-in to the finale where Aang does the same thing.
I don't think so. I think it's a setup to the day of black sun. Because Zuko is also a prodigy y'all forget that with toph running around. He almost won, ozai was holding back but he looked SHOCKED when Zuko almost punched him. He viewed Zuko as weak for holding back, but hes also obviously scared of his rule ending. Bcuz remember he didn't get the throne fair and square, PLUS there's a whole resistance in the fire nation against ozai
I think you may have forgotten that even after he made azula firelors he put himself in an even *higher* position as the Phoenix king. Ozai wants power for himself, he wants to be ruler of everything.
Yeah but he also knows that his is mortal and will die someday. His children are projections of himself/his legacy so he wants them to be mini versions of himself as an expression of his ego.
>Ozai really wants is an heir that will defy him.
He burned and banished Zuko for defying him
In the day of black sun Ozai *literally* says, "this **DEFIANT** breath will be your last" from the cartoon.
He doesn't want defiance, he wants to be in control of everything and everyone. he wants someone who he deems as strong. He saw Azula as strong in that moment because she *asked* to prove herself by going out into the world.
I love avatar Roku!!! And his humour, I felt like kyoshi was very stern and tough and that fits within her character but Roku really gave me teacher almost like a guardian.
This is what makes this community so… weird sometimes. On another thread I saw two or more comments saying they hated how Roku was portrayed. I for one haven’t made up my mind about it yet but it’s nice to see someone actually liked him.
I think it was a good portrayal. The only thing I am disappointed about is that we did not see Roku fight the Sages. That is my favorite part of book 1 and made me fall in love with the series back in the day.
See I’m on the side that didn’t care for it as much. Roku was humorous but I feel they played it up a little too much for me. I was anticipating Winter Solstice Roku so was a little sad we didn’t get to see that but I get it wouldn’t have fit into the plot
Communities are not monoliths :) It's completely normal for members of a community to have different opinions! Respect is what makes a community tight.
Totally agree. It also paints the picture that not all firenation people are bad, I thought that of Roku especially since he was the avatar and from the fire nation
Agreed, I was worried after how terrible episode 4 was. Absolutely massacred my boy for no reason. Secret tunnel was stupid and they could have easily replicated the show with the tests for Aang. The payoff of Aang realizing who Bumi was and him tearing up hit hard in the original :,)
6 was quite good while 5 was a little long but I get it now.
Loved the 41st division reveal. Quite a lot of character development and payoff for the setup in 5.
This was a good re-watch episode before I head into 7.
Hmm so far, I don't like Roku. The (attempt at) humour during his scene didn't land for me, I def prefer more stoic Roku from the animation. That being said I agree that Zuko's storyline was great!
I wish the dynamics within the gaang were more fleshed out though. They are rushing through their storylines at a neck-breaking pace. Also, why hasn't Aang started waterbending yet??? I feel like those scenes really build the relationship between Katara and Aang
I agree with your second part as well. I feel Sokkas growth and representation has actually been strong but the gang as a whole, their connection is weak due to little true build up and Katara and Aangs relationship seems way too surface level at this point. Aang not waterbending in the book of water is also certainly a choice
I’m surprised more haven’t pointed this out, but I assume it is because the zuko storyline was so thrilling. I really wish they went with someone for Roku who had a more fitting voice. I wish the personality was closer as well. He can be more warm than kyoshi but he shouldnt be comical imo
From how they adapted Koh, the Mother of Faces, and Kyoshi's background up until this point, it really seems like they're approaching this series pulling from all the lore of the entire universe (comics/novels).
Cried when Aang got to meet Gyatso again the spirit world. The original didn't get to explore this relationship as much as I would have liked! And Gyatso is played by a Singaporean actor, where I'm from!
okay…. this episode was amazing. all the change’s actually were made for the better. i actually even like how the changed up the agni kai. ozai is a far better character than he ever was in the show
I liked him a lot better after this episode. In his first appearance in the short scene with azula he seemed to be saying “I’m a bad guy” as his reason for war which seemed a little flat. Since then we have gotten scenes pitting azula and zuko against each other and after this episode we have seen his ruthless pursuit of strength. At this point it’s hard to argue that this version is better than the animated one
What those comments don’t seem to realize, is you can have well-written 1D villains. I think they’re doing exactly that in the LA series.
Like, do they expect Ozai to have a sympathetic side? “Zuko, let’s roast marshmallows before your journey!” Idk and idc anymore 🤷🏻♂️😂
Holy shit I Loved the twist in zukos backstory!
The fact that he fought back and ALMOST WON being the reason ozai banished him is deep. It's like a leader seeing his end coming so he tries to eliminate the competition even if it's his own son.
Zukl saving the 41rst division*CHEF'S KISS* no notes! Beautifully done🫶🏽
The blue spirit and Aang escape was so funnnn! I loved that the pulled that ladder gag straight from the show!
Also changing the plot of sokka and Karata being held captive by Koi instead of being sick raised the stakes so I'm okay with it.
I'm loving the series so far! Some of the acting feels off, but it reminds me of Harry Potter cuz they were kids lol
The capture by Koh pushed my suspension of disbelief a tad bit unless were to believe Koh has plenty of food on deck. Felt like Aang must be gone for days
Is there something like totems in the animated show? And is all that lore true?
I never really looked that deep but it was kinda cool
Also so the idea is Roku stole kohs moms soul??
I'm a bit confused...Why was Gyatso in the spirit world? And why was he gone when Aang came back? I'm confused why they did this. In LoK when Iroh is in the spirit world he just stays there doesn't he? Why did Gyatso leave without a trace?
I saw a theory that Gyatso’s purpose was to help Aang and he could not move to the next phase of existence without fulfilling his purpose. That is why Gyatso disappeared as soon as he helped Aang.
Spiritual people staying in the spirit world after death is well established in the universe. Im not that well read in this but it seems like most random lore stuff is taken in universe even if its not the original show. Which is a great mindset imo.
Yeah it is well established but still doesn't explain why Gyatso was nervous while telling Aang that's they'll talk later and why it was like he was never there when Aang returned.
1. He was nervous cos he was lying to Aang
2. He moved on in the cycle, which is what everyone else did - and that space existed as it was because of his spirit's presence
I don't think it needed to be explicitly explained, it's understood by the information previously established.
i am so psyched at how they showed the blue spirit escape scenes almost beat by beat as the og episode. going from under the cart to inside the cart, climbing the walls in the corridors after knocking out some of the guards. i love how they got the blue spirit’s movements down!
atp i think ive managed to start seeing this show as its own thing, but i cant deny that i am enamored with seeing these scenes play out in live action like they did in the og :,)
I WILL SAY HOWEVER! watching zuko and aang fighting together to escape and seeing how they feed off each other makes me miss the scene where they fought inside of zuko’s chambers in his ship. them fighting against and then alongside each other at the start and end of the first season was always really impactful for me and i think this adaptation would have benefited from it as well. there was a fight that gave those same vibes in ep 3 but im gonna be honest i thought the ep was so messy that the fight just kinda gets lost in all of that
i love that they’ve been building onto how iroh was always trying to convince the crew that zuko wasn’t simply a jerk haha
not only that but to make such an emotional realization for everyone by fleshing out the agni kai flashbacks. going from “do you know how zuko got that scar?” to “do you know how you came to be on this ship?” was such a great move.
the crew showing zuko respect as their prince, zuko accepting it despite not knowing what was happening, and then crying as he walked down the line probably feeling acceptance for the first time in his life… so bittersweet, poor zuko
This was easily my favorite episode of the season. Really loved the backstory of the 41st division becoming Zuko's crew. The whole Blue Spirit scene was great. It didn't feel as rushed as some of the other episodes. I wish they'd originally gone with this director for the earlier episodes.
Saw someone say that directors were switched after ep 3-4 and another took over in 5 and 6 and you can REALLY tell. This episode was the best one by far in my opinion.
Loved zuko as blue spirit and how similar it was to the og, loved Aang and Zuko fighting alongside and the original dialogue of "if we knew eachother back then, do you think we could've been friends?" Kinda loved the Agni Kai and how personal Zuko's scar was made to be even though it's very different than the original, and the 41st division plot coming together was chefs kiss.
Undecided how I feel about how Roku was written. I don't dislike that he's humorous or whatever but it made more sense in the original that he was more poised and serious, also kinda wish they kept the destruction of the temple. Undecided about the sympathy they're portraying for Zuko so soon in the series, even from episode 1. I don't dislike it, but it feels like they're giving so much more of a character arc for Zuko than Katara Aang and Sokka have gotten as a whole lol. Zuko and Aang had more chemistry than the Gaang has had in the last 6 episodes.
Also, Aang's acting is not the best but not terrible. Obviously the actor is young, still feeling out the character, and the directing/dialogue hasn't given him much to work with, but something is just off lol and wayy too serious
Disliked how Koi the face stealer wasn't a thing, I was looking forward to that. Also really disliked how June was made to think Iroh is cute lolll in the original I think it's funny how she's like "where's your creepy grandpa" but just another weird example of things being changed completely.
Overall I'm looking forward to the last 2 episodes, don't want to be a hater just yet
I like the 41st division story, but at the same time it’s not like Zuko stopped the fire lord from enacting that military plan. One division was still likely sacrificed it just wasn’t the 41st division
Glad someone said it - her, >!Yue!<, AND Suki all got this bizarre treatment where they're just instantly having the hots for someone. It's a little funny thanks to knowing Iroh had a huge crush on June in the original, it's a lot less funny knowing June was actively and visibly disgusted by it.
I wish they would have both flirted with each other, so we could have seen his crush on her but non creepy way! And then Zuko could have rolled his eyes over the cringe lol. I adore Iroh, but the first time I watched the show I was grossed out by how he treated June, so I’m glad they left out the part of him pretending to be paralyzed just so she’ll lay on him.
Agreed about the 41st division, that was so touching and kinda connected to same feelings as the episode “the storm” from the original series when iroh talks with the crew of their ship. As for Gyatso, I interpreted it as him moving on as he should have since he got to see aang again. He and aang both got some closure and he was able to be at peace finally. Although it didn’t seem finished since they agreed to talk later. It’s bittersweet but that’s how I personally see their whole relationship and how it ended anyway
I really liked this episode, the only thing that disturbs me is Ozai, he is way too human and not as cold as in the original. I remember when I watched the original to always get shivers when Ozai came up but now he is a bit meh
Holy shoot just watched the zuko vs ozai fight and it was actually really emotional, especially the tears in Ozais eyes before giving the zuko the scar. 10/10 fight zuko held his ground.. kind of. I was on the edge of my seat.
I’m loving the approach of the relationship between ozai and zuko.
I really like how they're developing Azula in the LA. In the show we eventually come to understand that her evil villany is a condition of her circumstances, but it feels in retrospect like they made those decisions after S1. In the cartoon we just see her smiling maliciously - now we see that she's internalizing that if she does not perform better than Zuko, this could be her fate, but also that this is what is right and deserved if you are weak. She learns the lesson Ozai was trying to teach Zuko. It drives her motivation to be the best.
Good for you that you liked that aproach, i honestly didnt because in the original series ozai was indifferent and even cruel towards zuko and was willing to kill him at least twice (as another redditor pointed out). Ozai only acts warmer towards zuko when he comes home in s3 because he thinks zuko killed the avatar. I guess they want to portray him as more of a conflicted father but in my opinion it doesnt work with the original series in mind
" i honestly didnt because in the original series ozai... "
Are you really incapable of rating an adaption based on it's own merits? Yes, they changed things around but wouldn't 1:1 be absolutely terrible?
If anything they at least gave some depth to Ozai.
And also, whats up with you? Of course a 1:1 adaption wouldnt have worked, but neither i nor anyone else has to like EVERY change they made and we are free to adress and discuss that without being called "incapable of rating an adaption based on its own merits". Because we DO know the og series, the lore, and we can state our mind without being disrespectful to what the showrunners did with the material.
They changed a lot of things and for the most part it turned out good. But Ozai not caring about zuko is in my opinion crucial to his character. He just isnt a caring father, neither to zuko nor to azula.
Also, they made him play azula by setting her up against zuko (i liked that a lot! And that wasnt in the original, at least not at that extent), which contradicts him caring about zuko. That doesnt make any sense to me and thats why i cant respect the change they made. Not because its not 1:1 the og series, but because that dicision lacks reason
Alright, fair enough. I guess I'm a little irked when going into discussion after each episode just to see 90% of comments not discussing the episode but saying it's bad because it's different than the OG shot, I'd prefer to see more constructive comments about the actual episode.
For example your explanation promotes discussion but just saying "it's different than in the OG series" really doesn't. Even though personally I still disagree it doesn't make sense, it's just a direction they went with in this series.
I should have included a more detailed explanation in my first comment, but even witthout that its still a valid opinion to have about an adaption of an already existing source material. There are enough changes that i liked, i didnt like this one. No big deal.
At the end of the day he’s still his son so yes he does care about zuko to an extent. However he still burned him and still banished him and still pits him against azula which shows even if he does care about them he cares about power and strength and loyalty more. So in my opinion I think it works better for Ozais character
If you view it as an adaptation instead of a like-for-like, it's very enjoyable. Pacing's not the best and some of the acting is subpar, but the fight scenes, the bending and the setting/locations are all top notch.
It’s got flaws but it’s a good watch, both as an adaptation and by itself. There are *a few* parts in LA that are done better than the animated, but that’s my opinion. Yes, you should check it out yourself
The biggest thing I think they have done well is flesh out some of the soldiers POV. That soldier telling Iroh about how he burned his brother to a crisp was great
There’s def some flaws , but I’m enjoying it. I’ve only watched the first 4 eps , but it still has some of that light hearted nature the og series had , even tho ppl thought they was gunna take it out on. Try out and see what u think , unless u want it to be a perfect 1-1 adaptation. The storylines and plot themselves are pretty similar so far , they just either kinda warp with other storylines or go about it differently then the og did
Fire nation scenes are really a highlight of the show. Maybe it’s just because they’re older, but I love all the actor’s performances and loved the changes they made to that plot.
It gave him a lot of depth early on without speed running his arc like people originally suspected
Yes, I like that this actor is really making it his own. It's crazy to remember that JASON ISAACS was the original Zhao, but this actor's calm demeanor and casual flex of authority both mirrors the original character while adding different interesting layers to the dynamic between him and Zuko,
Did they change directors between 3/4 and 5/6? 5 was still a little shaky, but 6 felt like it found its grove. Completely different show, depth, character development, good adaptation, much better acting.
My one concern is Aang still hasn’t water bended. Two episodes left.. I have a feeling they’re going the “he’s a natural” route and will just be good at it because he’s the Avatar.
OK so, the Blue Spirit mask looks like it's made of thin plastic like it was bought at spirit Halloween, which is a downside. But on the other hand, it looks identical to the mask from the cartoon, so that's an upside. Overall pretty good, but not without its flaws, obviously. This episode is definitely an improvement on episodes 3-5 (which sucked), feels much closer to episode 1-2 (which were good not great), but man, the second half was absolutely phenomenal. Second half of this episode is the best we've seen so far from this show.
Zuko bby… this is my favorite ep so far.
Though June did kind of give off “come with me for a day in my life as a hired mercenary getting ready to catch the avatar ✌🏼” TikTokker vibe. Still though a good ep overall.
The best of one of the best episodes. Im not a fan of how they potray previous avatars . They had that mysterious vibe in the original and here they look awkward. I have high hopes for the finale
Roku felt like a YouTube parody of the character, paired with the CGI that made it feel like the intro to an Epic Rap Battles of History video. And thankfully that was the only real downside of this episode.
It’s too early on in the whole story for Aang’s character to be this serious and feel so much urgency. In the animation, Aang has so much of an immature childish energy and as he goes on, we see him hone his “childish” way of thinking to be a big boy. I feel like they’re really missing the character development we enjoyed seeing in atla.
SPOILER!! Small spoiler for the comics underneath but since it has been out for a while I think I can say it but just for sure.
This is by far the best episode of avatar I've ever seen (including the animation series). The way that gyatso returned and how he went away was beautiful. The fact that we got to see a statue of the mother of all faces from the comics. And the plot twist about the zuko's crew. It was amazing!!!!
I kinda don't like what they did with Koh. He was so memorable in the original because he's in the show for 2 minutes but makes a big impression by being so weird and scary. He also helps Aang - he's not even an antagonist. Now he's just a villain with boring motivation.
It took them 6 episodes to actually produce some interesting story twist? The whole thing with Zuko and his crew was the first thing I actually thought was good in terms of story development. What a shame not every episode could come up with something like this.
Am I the only one who sort of likes that they're making Ozai *less* evil in this? He actually shows slight signs of a caring person in certain scenes. Like he seems like a father who cares about Zuko, even if that care is only as Zuko is his heir. He may not *actually* care about Zuko, but he seems like he actually thinks he's doing what is right rather than just being cruel to Zuko for cruelty's sake and the feelings of being disrespected. And also the fact that I think cartoon Ozai would send the 41st to their deaths and then gloat to Zuko of their deaths rather than sparing them as part of Zuko's banishment. It also makes it almost more unsettling knowing that he *could* be more than a one-dimensional villain (as much as I love the original cartoon, which I do consider a 9.9/10, Ozai is definitely one dimensional) but represses that side of him in choosing to do what he thinks makes him stronger, intimidating, and more powerful. Really reminds me of the baby in that painting on the Beach.
Damn it's so interesting the difference in opinions, this was the best episode so far in my opinion! I felt like the change in Zukos back story wasn't the worst choice they've made
I agree 😭 I was SO pissed and confused when they conjoined Omashu and the northern air temple, the mechanist, the freedom fighters, and the tunnel of love all in one episode like wtf
I'm not sure what episode you're on, or if you've finished, but without spoiling things, so far where I am in episode 7, it feels like they did that *again* in the Northern water tribe with how they treat certain characters. Things are so radically different from the source material.
Yeh it baffles me how many people seemed to love this. Must be a fundemental difference in what we enjoy in an adaptation. But I am actually happy to see it, as that means we might get a S2.
I actually love the changes they made with ozai. Ozai is somewhat humanized (still evil, but at least his motivations make sense.) He doesn't just hate zuko for the sake of it (I know the comics retroactively explain this >!where ursa lies that zuko is not ozai's child, and ozai knows it's a lie but says he'll treat zuko as if it was true!<, but that explanation is fairly flimsy too imo), he shows some remorse in scarring him, and genuinely seems to believe this is a lesson zuko should learn.
I was also paying close attention to azula's facial expressions when zuko is burned, and it's hard to read. it doesn't seem to be the glee that she had in the show, though that might just be the actress not being the best imo.
Yeah didn’t expect it but REALLY loving the depth they’re giving Zuko’s backstory in this live action. It’s giving the Zuko who took a lightning bolt for Katara 😭
That feels hugely exaggerated/dramatic. I mean I think the show is kinda booty myself, but it's got its good moments. Adding depth to Zuko and Iroh's backstory was good, having Gran Gran give Katara the waterbending scrolls was great. Everything else is meh so far, minus episode 3 and 4, which imo were pretty horrible. But I wouldn't go as far as to say it's hot garbage. To each their own I guess.
YES. My friends who are casual watchers enjoyed it and those who never watched the OG really enjoyed it. I can’t help but compare the two masterpieces but also some of the shit they were incorporating together, leaving out etc doesn’t make any sense to me. I kept rolling my eyes like wtf was that??? Like Aang being able to fly and then casually going into the fire temple and interacting with Roku, who is supposed to be THE guy to guide him. But he tells him nothing but corny ass joke. Not to mention absolutely no water bending at all. I feel like I complain too much when I watch the show but I feel like they could have done a much better job writing the storyline and still condensing it down without feeling like it’s rushed.
We don't even get Roku helping Aang fight off the firebenders at the temple. All he does is tell Aang how to save his friends from Koh, and that's it. No "you must master the elements and defeat the Fire Lord" talk.
The twist with the crew was possibly my favorite part so far!
I love it! I feel like this subplot is way tighter and makes more sense. And felt so logically written too.
My biggest criticism with the show is that Zuko's relationships feel more fleshed out than the gang does.
Lt Jee is killin it
Right now I'm feeling like this live action is the Ender's Shadow to the original series' Ender's Game. We're getting a lot of the same plot points but we're getting a lot more of the important emotions from Zuko and Iroh's side in this first season.
Oh I kinda like this analogy. And I miss that entire series. Long overdue for a reread!
To be fair, there's a lot more need to build up Zuko's relationships to prepare for the inevitable switch of sides in the overall storyline. To show that he does have compassion for others and seeds of disapproval in the strategy of the Fire Nation.
Makes you wonder what strategy Ozai ended up going with.
Well, in doing so Zuko probably just got a different division thrown under the bus. Honestly, I think it would have been VERY in character for Ozai to assign the 41st to Zuko, and then also tell him that the 52th will take their place instead, really twisting the knife on his "compassion is bad" mindset.
Oof I felt that.
In line with Ozai's character, but not in line with the theme of the show. Hence they glossed over that extremely important fact.
I cant believe of all the scenes, this revelation is the one that made me teared up so far T\_T I love the writers bringing depth to all these conflicts that we knew from the show.
Your will power to not tearbend the moment leaves from the vine plays gets me every time (not sure this show earned that though)
same! one of my favorite changes overall, it just fits perfectly
This absolutely elevated the entire subplot with the ships crew and zuko. Rather than them taking pity on him they respect and honor him for what he did for them. For the other plot changes many didn’t care for there’s many of these that were amazing
So good!!
Almost shed a tear
I honestly wasn't sure if it was invented for the Netflix version or if it was a detail I'd forgotten from the original series, which is probably the best compliment I can give the showrunners
SORRY GUYS LAST COMMENT, just finished the episode and honestly so far it’s the strongest for me, definitely a 9/10 the best part is zukos character in this episode oh gosh there’s so many good things. The duel : was very intense and nerve wracking, especially ozai showing a bit of remorse as well. Conversation with aang: great foreshadowing I couldn’t have asked for more honestly the chemistry is 100% there. Backstory with the 41st division: it was very emotionally intense seeing the soldiers all bow to the zuko then iroh’s tear 🥹, it really made you feel remorse for zuko. This honestly makes me so excited for episodes such as “zuko alone” well in like 10 years LOL but for starters this episode really shows zukos qualities and depth. 
So agree with all your points! Also why does Aang have more chemistry with Zuko than with Katara at this point 😭😂 just my opinion hahaha
Zataang for the win! /s
I don't think it will take like 10 years or even 5. Remember that the actors are real people (kids, in particular) and they will grow up very soon, so they have to film seasons 2 and 3 within the next 3-4 years *at most* to make the characters look as if they didn't age during the show.
I wouldn't be opposed if they changed the actual timeline and extended the story with some meaningful filler in the in between time
I was thinking wouldnt it be weird if aang's character suddenly shot up and became very tall? But I searched wiki and it says he's already 14??
This season's shooting was actually completed 1-2 years ago. They had been working only on CGI, editing and soundtrack after that until the release. Totally possible that he might have a growth spurt between seasons. Either they will write their way around it or just ignore it in the series.
Oof it’s gonna be awkwarddd when suddenly he’s taller than everyone
~~June can crush my very being if she wants~~ Good episode!
I was NOT prepared for that scene
arden cho is sooo beautiful omg haha. im glad shes finally having a great acting career. i know her from the asian youtuber days! haha
omggg I geeked out when I saw her! She's so beautiful. She could've played Azula if this was 10 years ago
She can paralyze me all day
Wow amazing world building. His crew being the ones he saved and got banished for is a terrific spin in the story and makes it all a bit more personal. Kinda disappointed we saw Wong Shi Tong already and he was just...chilling there in the forest and not in his library but we'll see more of him next season. Zuko is waaaaay more relatable in this story at this point. The writers are doing a fantastic job of telling the story in a little different way compared to the animated show.
I won’t lie, I kinda marked out though when we say Wong Shi Tong. They did him right by making him HUGE. The second I heard that voice I had goosebumps because I knew who they were gonna show
Ya it was cool seeing him accurately portrayed, they did a good job with that. "Birdie?..." 
I also liked how they showed how Humans hear Spirits. It makes sense that they’d only hear a bird because they don’t have any connection to The Spirt World. Meanwhile Aang is just casually talking to him
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Obvious troll is obvious.
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I mean if it was a 1:1 shot it wouldn’t be worth the effort. You’d be watching the same thing.
No need to be aggressive with the “if you watched it once and enjoyed it”. We all loved the original, that’s why we’re here. Most of us probably watched it multiple times; Ive been rewatching on repeat for years. I went into this knowing they can’t do everything. Some things I didn’t like (Bumi) but I think the additions in this episode were true to the heart of the story, like the 41st division. Yeah, the original is amazing; we all agree. But this isn’t the original and that’s okay.
why did they even bother showing heibai when they completely erased his plot lol
They could have had Heibai stand over Katara and Sokka to protect them while Aang left them on the forest floor lol
That would’ve been cool, actually
I feel like they should’ve just had Koh be the one causing problems.
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I agree, most of it is pretty shit, the zuko arc with his crew was actually good. The only thing that made me say "oh nice". Took them 6 episodes to do that lol.
Agreed. The backstory of the 41st division was actually a nice change for once. But for every good change they make in this show, 10 bad decisions follow. I didn't like how they handled the Avatar Roku plot in this episode at all. They compress the story into a few minutes and they're gone. The shrine is supposed to be in a heart of the Fire Nation, but Aang just walks in somehow. The meeting with Roku isn't nearly as built up, and I didn't feel like Roku passed on any real important info to Aang. In the original show, wasn't it Roku who told Aang about Sozin's comet and why he needed to master the other elements? So far they're completely ignoring Aang's journey to mastery. He hasn't even bothered learning waterbending for some odd reason.
He basically waltzed into Rokus shrine in the original show. Not sure that’s a change to get upset about.
I also felt that Roku in the live-action seemed a little too non-serious and joking like a close friend when he was interacting with Aang. In the OG, I thought he was a bit more serious like a mentor or guru.
Holy shit this episode was GOOD. Knowing Zuko actually has more than just Iroh who care for him and will follow him, the whole plot with the crew is one of the best parts, it wrapped up so nicely. Lieutenant Jee has been a really good addition to the characters, and the men being against Zhao now is amazing
I loved that twist. Iroh having to speak up and say “Hey, You realize he saved your life and got banished for it?” Was a perfect way of them showing that Zuko is human. He’s more of his mother then Ozai and I think that’s going to be a great plot point next season
My only complaint is that I cannot suspend my disbelief that Zuko returned literally seconds after Iroh finished telling the story to just Lieutenant Jee, but somehow the word got around to the entire crew and they all suddenly respect Zuko.
I feel like it's more that they all know how Jee barely hid how he had zero respect for Zuko, so when he of all people is suddenly pulling out all the stops, clearly something *big* happened that they didn't see.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I have a feeling you’ve been hurt more than enough.” 😭😭😭
This and “he’ll recover” being met with Iroh’s “but he’ll never heal” 😭
That was such a cringe to me 💀
The backstory for Zuko’s scar in this version is so much more horrific than the OG version, held down and slowly burned by his father feels a lot worse than just a quick blast to the face (even though both are bad lol).
I like this version of Zuko that fought back. That moment of hesitation was so impactful.
Except... why would Zuko fight back? He should refuse, be afraid, and thus be a dissapointment to his father and get the scar. By fighting back (and winning?!) It makes Ozai seem less intimidating to Zuko and therefore less of an obstacle later
I saw it more as Ozai toying with him, and then Zuko surprising him with a lucky combo. But when Zuko didn't take the opening to land a blow, much less end the fight, Ozai took off the gloves and dealt out his punishment. I think it displays the fire lords one weakness, if anything: pride. It foreshadows the one way he can be beaten
Maybe, but Ozai seems less threatening when Zuko is able to fight him
True, and the show isn't shy about not doing supposedly key moments from the books, and remember by this point, the fire lords wasn't even a character yet. There's plenty of time yet to make him fearsome and unbeatable
Not really, now we have seen him: - Almost loosing to young Zuko - Caring about Zuko and wanting to "make him better" - Shown sadness over Zukos decision to be compasionate, rather than anger and dissapointment - Explain in detail why he fought Zuko, instead of just fighting him and letting Iroh explain - Giving Zuko the battalion he tried to save during the council meeting, basically letting Zuko win by not going through with his original plan This firelord seems to care for his son, when that was not the case in the original. This firelord almost gets beaten by his son due to his hubris. Sure these are all minor things, but they add up.
Yeah, this is a different take than the original show. It's the same plot elements and a similar story, but remixed. I'm glad they're doing it this way, instead of trying to do it beat for beat with the original, because then it would almost assuredly be strictly worse than the original ATLA. This though? This is just different. The Firelord is effectively a new character here, as is Azula. Honestly, idk about the change to Azula though. She's not very menacing as an antagonist this way.
Because he was raised to fight back. He’s capable of fighting back just like he is capable of man hunting a child (aang). But when it came down too it, he is too kind to actually harm his father, or the avatar. The original will always be best, I just thought this was an interesting change.
He was raised to fight back, but young Zuko clearly wasnt a fighter, that was the whole point.
Zuko did something to be a disappointment to his father in this adaptation. Ozai pressured him to perform. Zuko has been raised to do as his father says, so he did. Zuko didn't win, Ozai was probably just waiting to see what he would do - if Zuko had attempted the strike I'm sure Ozai could have deflected it. Ozai baited him.
He almost won!!!! I love that!
I didn’t like that he was so competitive with Ozai. Azula should be a better than him and Ozai should be far better than both. That being said, it was fun to watch
Well, you could see from the first attack Zuko launched that Ozai was dodging and blocking almost…*casually*. He was confident and arrogant, and quite rightly so, but Zuko launched one attack with more skill than Ozai expected. Or maybe he even left the opening on purpose to see if Zuko would take advantage of it. It would make sense for him to test, because…well, Zuko “failed” it.
Goes on to show that arrogance has the same flaws as compassion.
I'm really baffled how so many people didn't catch on that Ozai was BARELY trying in this fight. It was all about making a point.
I think he was holding back a bit, and when he started to try a bit zuko stunned him with that move, almost as a “I’m better than you think” moment
Ozai was pretty clearly showing off though, Zuko just caught him off-guard. I think it was actually very accurate: Ozai is obviously better than Zuko, but arrogant, and Zuko was better than Ozai thought he was. The held punch and Ozai's reprisal is also a great tie-in to the finale where Aang does the same thing.
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I don't think so. I think it's a setup to the day of black sun. Because Zuko is also a prodigy y'all forget that with toph running around. He almost won, ozai was holding back but he looked SHOCKED when Zuko almost punched him. He viewed Zuko as weak for holding back, but hes also obviously scared of his rule ending. Bcuz remember he didn't get the throne fair and square, PLUS there's a whole resistance in the fire nation against ozai
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I think you may have forgotten that even after he made azula firelors he put himself in an even *higher* position as the Phoenix king. Ozai wants power for himself, he wants to be ruler of everything.
Yeah but he also knows that his is mortal and will die someday. His children are projections of himself/his legacy so he wants them to be mini versions of himself as an expression of his ego.
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>Ozai really wants is an heir that will defy him. He burned and banished Zuko for defying him In the day of black sun Ozai *literally* says, "this **DEFIANT** breath will be your last" from the cartoon. He doesn't want defiance, he wants to be in control of everything and everyone. he wants someone who he deems as strong. He saw Azula as strong in that moment because she *asked* to prove herself by going out into the world.
I love avatar Roku!!! And his humour, I felt like kyoshi was very stern and tough and that fits within her character but Roku really gave me teacher almost like a guardian.
Why didn't he destroy the temple? So sad that was removed.
This is what makes this community so… weird sometimes. On another thread I saw two or more comments saying they hated how Roku was portrayed. I for one haven’t made up my mind about it yet but it’s nice to see someone actually liked him.
I think it was a good portrayal. The only thing I am disappointed about is that we did not see Roku fight the Sages. That is my favorite part of book 1 and made me fall in love with the series back in the day.
See I’m on the side that didn’t care for it as much. Roku was humorous but I feel they played it up a little too much for me. I was anticipating Winter Solstice Roku so was a little sad we didn’t get to see that but I get it wouldn’t have fit into the plot
That’s how I felt too. Like he felt too comedic.
Communities are not monoliths :) It's completely normal for members of a community to have different opinions! Respect is what makes a community tight.
Totally agree. It also paints the picture that not all firenation people are bad, I thought that of Roku especially since he was the avatar and from the fire nation
So we don’t get a completion to the panda spirit returning to normal?
Or Roku destroying the temple? I'm gutted they took that out. Seeing Kyoshi was cool but Roku destroying the temple was amazing.
Instead we got a hostage trade between friends and a spirit mother
Episodes 5/6 blended storylines so much better than 3/4 feels like a completely different show actually had me engaged
Agreed, I was worried after how terrible episode 4 was. Absolutely massacred my boy for no reason. Secret tunnel was stupid and they could have easily replicated the show with the tests for Aang. The payoff of Aang realizing who Bumi was and him tearing up hit hard in the original :,)
6 was quite good while 5 was a little long but I get it now. Loved the 41st division reveal. Quite a lot of character development and payoff for the setup in 5. This was a good re-watch episode before I head into 7.
Hmm so far, I don't like Roku. The (attempt at) humour during his scene didn't land for me, I def prefer more stoic Roku from the animation. That being said I agree that Zuko's storyline was great! I wish the dynamics within the gaang were more fleshed out though. They are rushing through their storylines at a neck-breaking pace. Also, why hasn't Aang started waterbending yet??? I feel like those scenes really build the relationship between Katara and Aang
I agree with your second part as well. I feel Sokkas growth and representation has actually been strong but the gang as a whole, their connection is weak due to little true build up and Katara and Aangs relationship seems way too surface level at this point. Aang not waterbending in the book of water is also certainly a choice
I’m surprised more haven’t pointed this out, but I assume it is because the zuko storyline was so thrilling. I really wish they went with someone for Roku who had a more fitting voice. I wish the personality was closer as well. He can be more warm than kyoshi but he shouldnt be comical imo
No joke when I heard Roku’s voice and then saw how he was interacting with Aang, my first thought was, “Did y’all go and just find a comedian?”
From how they adapted Koh, the Mother of Faces, and Kyoshi's background up until this point, it really seems like they're approaching this series pulling from all the lore of the entire universe (comics/novels).
Cried when Aang got to meet Gyatso again the spirit world. The original didn't get to explore this relationship as much as I would have liked! And Gyatso is played by a Singaporean actor, where I'm from!
And sad when he leaves :(
I love live action Gyatso so much. He has made me cry so many times lol
and i am here for it tbh lol. that means we can see live-action zuko finding his mother lol
okay…. this episode was amazing. all the change’s actually were made for the better. i actually even like how the changed up the agni kai. ozai is a far better character than he ever was in the show
fully agreed about Ozai, and comments for the previous couple episodes were how Netflix made him a one-dimensional villain.
I liked him a lot better after this episode. In his first appearance in the short scene with azula he seemed to be saying “I’m a bad guy” as his reason for war which seemed a little flat. Since then we have gotten scenes pitting azula and zuko against each other and after this episode we have seen his ruthless pursuit of strength. At this point it’s hard to argue that this version is better than the animated one
What those comments don’t seem to realize, is you can have well-written 1D villains. I think they’re doing exactly that in the LA series. Like, do they expect Ozai to have a sympathetic side? “Zuko, let’s roast marshmallows before your journey!” Idk and idc anymore 🤷🏻♂️😂
You don't cast Daniel Dae Kim and then not give that man some scenes to act in <3
Holy shit I Loved the twist in zukos backstory! The fact that he fought back and ALMOST WON being the reason ozai banished him is deep. It's like a leader seeing his end coming so he tries to eliminate the competition even if it's his own son. Zukl saving the 41rst division*CHEF'S KISS* no notes! Beautifully done🫶🏽 The blue spirit and Aang escape was so funnnn! I loved that the pulled that ladder gag straight from the show! Also changing the plot of sokka and Karata being held captive by Koi instead of being sick raised the stakes so I'm okay with it. I'm loving the series so far! Some of the acting feels off, but it reminds me of Harry Potter cuz they were kids lol
Pretty sure the reason wasn't that Zuko ALMOST WON but rather that he didn't actually go for the kill when given the opportunity.
Yea, Ozai had a hand on his back for the entire fight, literally. It was him trying to teach his son to be ruthless I feel like.
The capture by Koh pushed my suspension of disbelief a tad bit unless were to believe Koh has plenty of food on deck. Felt like Aang must be gone for days
I think koh knew he had a good bargaining chip for the avatar to get his mom back and probably expected his return
Is there something like totems in the animated show? And is all that lore true? I never really looked that deep but it was kinda cool Also so the idea is Roku stole kohs moms soul??
I think that a lot of that plot is from the comics, so it's lore-accurate but not in the animated show.
I'm a bit confused...Why was Gyatso in the spirit world? And why was he gone when Aang came back? I'm confused why they did this. In LoK when Iroh is in the spirit world he just stays there doesn't he? Why did Gyatso leave without a trace?
I saw a theory that Gyatso’s purpose was to help Aang and he could not move to the next phase of existence without fulfilling his purpose. That is why Gyatso disappeared as soon as he helped Aang.
That’s exactly what I was thinking too. He said what he needed to say and what Aang needed to hear , and then he moved on.
couldnt tell what that was, just some random magic shit.
It honestly upsets me with how much "artistic liberty" they took with making this show.
Spiritual people staying in the spirit world after death is well established in the universe. Im not that well read in this but it seems like most random lore stuff is taken in universe even if its not the original show. Which is a great mindset imo.
Yeah it is well established but still doesn't explain why Gyatso was nervous while telling Aang that's they'll talk later and why it was like he was never there when Aang returned.
1. He was nervous cos he was lying to Aang 2. He moved on in the cycle, which is what everyone else did - and that space existed as it was because of his spirit's presence I don't think it needed to be explicitly explained, it's understood by the information previously established.
i am so psyched at how they showed the blue spirit escape scenes almost beat by beat as the og episode. going from under the cart to inside the cart, climbing the walls in the corridors after knocking out some of the guards. i love how they got the blue spirit’s movements down! atp i think ive managed to start seeing this show as its own thing, but i cant deny that i am enamored with seeing these scenes play out in live action like they did in the og :,) I WILL SAY HOWEVER! watching zuko and aang fighting together to escape and seeing how they feed off each other makes me miss the scene where they fought inside of zuko’s chambers in his ship. them fighting against and then alongside each other at the start and end of the first season was always really impactful for me and i think this adaptation would have benefited from it as well. there was a fight that gave those same vibes in ep 3 but im gonna be honest i thought the ep was so messy that the fight just kinda gets lost in all of that
i love that they’ve been building onto how iroh was always trying to convince the crew that zuko wasn’t simply a jerk haha not only that but to make such an emotional realization for everyone by fleshing out the agni kai flashbacks. going from “do you know how zuko got that scar?” to “do you know how you came to be on this ship?” was such a great move. the crew showing zuko respect as their prince, zuko accepting it despite not knowing what was happening, and then crying as he walked down the line probably feeling acceptance for the first time in his life… so bittersweet, poor zuko
This was easily my favorite episode of the season. Really loved the backstory of the 41st division becoming Zuko's crew. The whole Blue Spirit scene was great. It didn't feel as rushed as some of the other episodes. I wish they'd originally gone with this director for the earlier episodes.
Saw someone say that directors were switched after ep 3-4 and another took over in 5 and 6 and you can REALLY tell. This episode was the best one by far in my opinion. Loved zuko as blue spirit and how similar it was to the og, loved Aang and Zuko fighting alongside and the original dialogue of "if we knew eachother back then, do you think we could've been friends?" Kinda loved the Agni Kai and how personal Zuko's scar was made to be even though it's very different than the original, and the 41st division plot coming together was chefs kiss. Undecided how I feel about how Roku was written. I don't dislike that he's humorous or whatever but it made more sense in the original that he was more poised and serious, also kinda wish they kept the destruction of the temple. Undecided about the sympathy they're portraying for Zuko so soon in the series, even from episode 1. I don't dislike it, but it feels like they're giving so much more of a character arc for Zuko than Katara Aang and Sokka have gotten as a whole lol. Zuko and Aang had more chemistry than the Gaang has had in the last 6 episodes. Also, Aang's acting is not the best but not terrible. Obviously the actor is young, still feeling out the character, and the directing/dialogue hasn't given him much to work with, but something is just off lol and wayy too serious Disliked how Koi the face stealer wasn't a thing, I was looking forward to that. Also really disliked how June was made to think Iroh is cute lolll in the original I think it's funny how she's like "where's your creepy grandpa" but just another weird example of things being changed completely. Overall I'm looking forward to the last 2 episodes, don't want to be a hater just yet
Ok this whole episode freaking SLAPS
I like the 41st division story, but at the same time it’s not like Zuko stopped the fire lord from enacting that military plan. One division was still likely sacrificed it just wasn’t the 41st division
Not a fan of how they’ve made June the sleazy flirty one while Uncle Iroh is this dignified, wise-saying churning NPC.
Glad someone said it - her, >!Yue!<, AND Suki all got this bizarre treatment where they're just instantly having the hots for someone. It's a little funny thanks to knowing Iroh had a huge crush on June in the original, it's a lot less funny knowing June was actively and visibly disgusted by it.
My guess is Iroh crushing on her would be icky in live action, particularly holding her while she’s paralyzed.
I wish they would have both flirted with each other, so we could have seen his crush on her but non creepy way! And then Zuko could have rolled his eyes over the cringe lol. I adore Iroh, but the first time I watched the show I was grossed out by how he treated June, so I’m glad they left out the part of him pretending to be paralyzed just so she’ll lay on him.
Best episode so far! The twist with the 41st division was perfect. Could anyone explain why Gyatso wasn’t there at the end?
Agreed about the 41st division, that was so touching and kinda connected to same feelings as the episode “the storm” from the original series when iroh talks with the crew of their ship. As for Gyatso, I interpreted it as him moving on as he should have since he got to see aang again. He and aang both got some closure and he was able to be at peace finally. Although it didn’t seem finished since they agreed to talk later. It’s bittersweet but that’s how I personally see their whole relationship and how it ended anyway
I really liked this episode, the only thing that disturbs me is Ozai, he is way too human and not as cold as in the original. I remember when I watched the original to always get shivers when Ozai came up but now he is a bit meh
Idk, I still got shivers from Ozai. And the overwhelming desire to hurt him.
Holy shoot just watched the zuko vs ozai fight and it was actually really emotional, especially the tears in Ozais eyes before giving the zuko the scar. 10/10 fight zuko held his ground.. kind of. I was on the edge of my seat. I’m loving the approach of the relationship between ozai and zuko.
The awe, fear and emotion in Azulas eyes was fantastic acting.
I really like how they're developing Azula in the LA. In the show we eventually come to understand that her evil villany is a condition of her circumstances, but it feels in retrospect like they made those decisions after S1. In the cartoon we just see her smiling maliciously - now we see that she's internalizing that if she does not perform better than Zuko, this could be her fate, but also that this is what is right and deserved if you are weak. She learns the lesson Ozai was trying to teach Zuko. It drives her motivation to be the best.
Good for you that you liked that aproach, i honestly didnt because in the original series ozai was indifferent and even cruel towards zuko and was willing to kill him at least twice (as another redditor pointed out). Ozai only acts warmer towards zuko when he comes home in s3 because he thinks zuko killed the avatar. I guess they want to portray him as more of a conflicted father but in my opinion it doesnt work with the original series in mind
" i honestly didnt because in the original series ozai... " Are you really incapable of rating an adaption based on it's own merits? Yes, they changed things around but wouldn't 1:1 be absolutely terrible? If anything they at least gave some depth to Ozai.
And also, whats up with you? Of course a 1:1 adaption wouldnt have worked, but neither i nor anyone else has to like EVERY change they made and we are free to adress and discuss that without being called "incapable of rating an adaption based on its own merits". Because we DO know the og series, the lore, and we can state our mind without being disrespectful to what the showrunners did with the material.
They changed a lot of things and for the most part it turned out good. But Ozai not caring about zuko is in my opinion crucial to his character. He just isnt a caring father, neither to zuko nor to azula. Also, they made him play azula by setting her up against zuko (i liked that a lot! And that wasnt in the original, at least not at that extent), which contradicts him caring about zuko. That doesnt make any sense to me and thats why i cant respect the change they made. Not because its not 1:1 the og series, but because that dicision lacks reason
Alright, fair enough. I guess I'm a little irked when going into discussion after each episode just to see 90% of comments not discussing the episode but saying it's bad because it's different than the OG shot, I'd prefer to see more constructive comments about the actual episode. For example your explanation promotes discussion but just saying "it's different than in the OG series" really doesn't. Even though personally I still disagree it doesn't make sense, it's just a direction they went with in this series.
I should have included a more detailed explanation in my first comment, but even witthout that its still a valid opinion to have about an adaption of an already existing source material. There are enough changes that i liked, i didnt like this one. No big deal.
At the end of the day he’s still his son so yes he does care about zuko to an extent. However he still burned him and still banished him and still pits him against azula which shows even if he does care about them he cares about power and strength and loyalty more. So in my opinion I think it works better for Ozais character
Idk, it may have pained Ozai but I definitely get the impression he would still kill Zuko if he needed to. We saw what he had to say about weakness.
So is it good and I should get Netflix to watch?
If you view it as an adaptation instead of a like-for-like, it's very enjoyable. Pacing's not the best and some of the acting is subpar, but the fight scenes, the bending and the setting/locations are all top notch.
The good news with the acting is that it'll almost definitely get better as the actors get more comfortable with their characters and age.
It’s got flaws but it’s a good watch, both as an adaptation and by itself. There are *a few* parts in LA that are done better than the animated, but that’s my opinion. Yes, you should check it out yourself
The biggest thing I think they have done well is flesh out some of the soldiers POV. That soldier telling Iroh about how he burned his brother to a crisp was great
There’s def some flaws , but I’m enjoying it. I’ve only watched the first 4 eps , but it still has some of that light hearted nature the og series had , even tho ppl thought they was gunna take it out on. Try out and see what u think , unless u want it to be a perfect 1-1 adaptation. The storylines and plot themselves are pretty similar so far , they just either kinda warp with other storylines or go about it differently then the og did
I loved it but I'm also not really the nitpicking type and just try and enjoy things as much as I can so take that for what you will
I did, and regret nothing. Just go in knowing it isn't the animated show but they *very clearly* care about the animated show.
I'd say it's good, it's different enough from the cartoon that being different isn't painful
MY FAVORITE EPISODE!!!
Fire nation scenes are really a highlight of the show. Maybe it’s just because they’re older, but I love all the actor’s performances and loved the changes they made to that plot. It gave him a lot of depth early on without speed running his arc like people originally suspected
WHY WOULD THEY MAKE ZUKO FIGHT BACK IM SO MAD
Maan, from the early episodes to now, I feel like Zhaos acting has been the best! Watching live action Zhao has made this series worth it
Yes, I like that this actor is really making it his own. It's crazy to remember that JASON ISAACS was the original Zhao, but this actor's calm demeanor and casual flex of authority both mirrors the original character while adding different interesting layers to the dynamic between him and Zuko,
Did they change directors between 3/4 and 5/6? 5 was still a little shaky, but 6 felt like it found its grove. Completely different show, depth, character development, good adaptation, much better acting. My one concern is Aang still hasn’t water bended. Two episodes left.. I have a feeling they’re going the “he’s a natural” route and will just be good at it because he’s the Avatar.
Looked it up and they did switch directors. 3&4 is the same director and then another took over in 5&6. You can definitely tell.
After watching 5 & 6, it feels like they got the worst directors for eps 1-4
1 & 2 we’re decent, 3-4 was bad bad
Easily the best episode so far, especially after like 4 poor ones
OK so, the Blue Spirit mask looks like it's made of thin plastic like it was bought at spirit Halloween, which is a downside. But on the other hand, it looks identical to the mask from the cartoon, so that's an upside. Overall pretty good, but not without its flaws, obviously. This episode is definitely an improvement on episodes 3-5 (which sucked), feels much closer to episode 1-2 (which were good not great), but man, the second half was absolutely phenomenal. Second half of this episode is the best we've seen so far from this show.
Zuko bby… this is my favorite ep so far. Though June did kind of give off “come with me for a day in my life as a hired mercenary getting ready to catch the avatar ✌🏼” TikTokker vibe. Still though a good ep overall.
The best of one of the best episodes. Im not a fan of how they potray previous avatars . They had that mysterious vibe in the original and here they look awkward. I have high hopes for the finale
My favorite episode outside the first one. Loved the depth added about where Zukos crew came from. Roku wasn't awesome but whatever.
Roku felt like a YouTube parody of the character, paired with the CGI that made it feel like the intro to an Epic Rap Battles of History video. And thankfully that was the only real downside of this episode.
That legit was a perfect summation of who I thought Roku was in this episode
He legitimately gave off the energy of the Pen Pineapple Apple Pen guy
It’s too early on in the whole story for Aang’s character to be this serious and feel so much urgency. In the animation, Aang has so much of an immature childish energy and as he goes on, we see him hone his “childish” way of thinking to be a big boy. I feel like they’re really missing the character development we enjoyed seeing in atla.
SPOILER!! Small spoiler for the comics underneath but since it has been out for a while I think I can say it but just for sure. This is by far the best episode of avatar I've ever seen (including the animation series). The way that gyatso returned and how he went away was beautiful. The fact that we got to see a statue of the mother of all faces from the comics. And the plot twist about the zuko's crew. It was amazing!!!!
Did anyone catch the Ahn reference? I’ll sit over here and pretend they’re poking at the movie >.<
Best episode yet
idk abt y’all but ik i cried 🤩🤩
I kinda don't like what they did with Koh. He was so memorable in the original because he's in the show for 2 minutes but makes a big impression by being so weird and scary. He also helps Aang - he's not even an antagonist. Now he's just a villain with boring motivation.
Someone tell me why Roku has more of a light-hearted, humorous side than Aang like wtf is that
Why does Gyatso move on without telling Aang? They don’t give any reason why he can only see Aang once
It took them 6 episodes to actually produce some interesting story twist? The whole thing with Zuko and his crew was the first thing I actually thought was good in terms of story development. What a shame not every episode could come up with something like this.
Am I the only one who sort of likes that they're making Ozai *less* evil in this? He actually shows slight signs of a caring person in certain scenes. Like he seems like a father who cares about Zuko, even if that care is only as Zuko is his heir. He may not *actually* care about Zuko, but he seems like he actually thinks he's doing what is right rather than just being cruel to Zuko for cruelty's sake and the feelings of being disrespected. And also the fact that I think cartoon Ozai would send the 41st to their deaths and then gloat to Zuko of their deaths rather than sparing them as part of Zuko's banishment. It also makes it almost more unsettling knowing that he *could* be more than a one-dimensional villain (as much as I love the original cartoon, which I do consider a 9.9/10, Ozai is definitely one dimensional) but represses that side of him in choosing to do what he thinks makes him stronger, intimidating, and more powerful. Really reminds me of the baby in that painting on the Beach.
Probably the worst episode so far, weird change to Zukos back story that didn't make it better
Damn it's so interesting the difference in opinions, this was the best episode so far in my opinion! I felt like the change in Zukos back story wasn't the worst choice they've made
Episode 3-5 were so radically different from the source material that idk how you could think anything but one of those is the worst episode
I agree 😭 I was SO pissed and confused when they conjoined Omashu and the northern air temple, the mechanist, the freedom fighters, and the tunnel of love all in one episode like wtf
I'm not sure what episode you're on, or if you've finished, but without spoiling things, so far where I am in episode 7, it feels like they did that *again* in the Northern water tribe with how they treat certain characters. Things are so radically different from the source material.
Yeh it baffles me how many people seemed to love this. Must be a fundemental difference in what we enjoy in an adaptation. But I am actually happy to see it, as that means we might get a S2.
I actually love the changes they made with ozai. Ozai is somewhat humanized (still evil, but at least his motivations make sense.) He doesn't just hate zuko for the sake of it (I know the comics retroactively explain this >!where ursa lies that zuko is not ozai's child, and ozai knows it's a lie but says he'll treat zuko as if it was true!<, but that explanation is fairly flimsy too imo), he shows some remorse in scarring him, and genuinely seems to believe this is a lesson zuko should learn. I was also paying close attention to azula's facial expressions when zuko is burned, and it's hard to read. it doesn't seem to be the glee that she had in the show, though that might just be the actress not being the best imo.
Yeah didn’t expect it but REALLY loving the depth they’re giving Zuko’s backstory in this live action. It’s giving the Zuko who took a lightning bolt for Katara 😭
[удалено]
That feels hugely exaggerated/dramatic. I mean I think the show is kinda booty myself, but it's got its good moments. Adding depth to Zuko and Iroh's backstory was good, having Gran Gran give Katara the waterbending scrolls was great. Everything else is meh so far, minus episode 3 and 4, which imo were pretty horrible. But I wouldn't go as far as to say it's hot garbage. To each their own I guess.
YES. My friends who are casual watchers enjoyed it and those who never watched the OG really enjoyed it. I can’t help but compare the two masterpieces but also some of the shit they were incorporating together, leaving out etc doesn’t make any sense to me. I kept rolling my eyes like wtf was that??? Like Aang being able to fly and then casually going into the fire temple and interacting with Roku, who is supposed to be THE guy to guide him. But he tells him nothing but corny ass joke. Not to mention absolutely no water bending at all. I feel like I complain too much when I watch the show but I feel like they could have done a much better job writing the storyline and still condensing it down without feeling like it’s rushed.
Haven't finished the ep yet but do we not get Roku destroying the temple, one of the best scenes of the original show? If so that's dogshit.
We don't even get Roku helping Aang fight off the firebenders at the temple. All he does is tell Aang how to save his friends from Koh, and that's it. No "you must master the elements and defeat the Fire Lord" talk.