Current Events > Watching Avatar the last airbender. Why are the fire nation evil/the bad guys?

(+) Yeah! (+)

They are not screwed, they already turned their back on their king, why not go for who you think is gonna win?

---

Yeah, I don't think they're as dumb as you're implying. I don't think the Fire Nation are supremacists or anything, they just want to rule the world. Having a group of earth benders subservient to Ozai would probably tickle his pickle. He probably would reward them just by keeping them around as his enforcers in the conquered Ba Sing Se.

---

What are your thoughts on toph bending metal now? I enjoy toph's character a lot, so didn't mind it but just wondering if it makes sense in context. They already gave Azula lightning powers after all. And I guess technically being able to heal using water is an added perk of water bending.

It seemed a bit out of the blue, but that's okay

---

She's not bending the metal itself, she's bending impurities in the metal that are just bits of earth left over in it. It also makes sense that Toph is the first one to do it since her tremorsense is what enables her to "see" the impurities.

I guess it's out of the blue, but it makes enough sense that I don't see that being a problem.

---

pegusus123456 posted...

Yeah, I don't think they're as dumb as you're implying. I don't think the Fire Nation are supremacists or anything, they just want to rule the world. Having a group of earth benders subservient to Ozai would probably tickle his pickle. He probably would reward them just by keeping them around as his enforcers in the conquered Ba Sing Se.

You really think so? I kind of got the impression that the Fire nation were based on ww2 Japan, so they would be supremacists and look down on anyone not of pure fire blood line. Plus the show kind of portrayed it as every nation is homogenously divided and fights against the other, that being the Fire nation since they instigated the war.

Plus don't the dai li have families or ties or anything. I wonder if they feel bad at all.

Thing is, Azula gave me the impression that she's the kind of person who would easily betray them and have them killed once they served their purpose... Then again she was serious when she let Zuko return to the Fire Lord with her in all their glory of victory, so I guess maybe you're right. That one still surprised me, I was sure she'd zap him too and throw him in the same cell as Iroh.

I started re-watching and finished the series again since this topic started.
Love this show.
---

I absolutely love the metal bending stuff and seeing how it was further developed and used was one of my favorite parts of Korra. It never bothered me because when it came about I already viewed two of the other elements as having a second, more advanced form - fire to lightning and water to ice. Earth to metal follows suit well enough.

Toph was already an earthbending goddess when she entered the group, so the only way for her to develop in power was a more lateral approach, in which she unlocks an entirely new sub-form of bending.

---

Ohhh now I finally get it. Just saw the painted lady episode and I realize what they're trying to show. The fire nation is winning the war and they have all these horrible machines, all this technology. To make them, they have to destroy the environment in the process. The other tribes live in harmony with nature. But the Fire nation pollutes rivers and roads all in the name of conquest. Even their own people suffer as a result.

By the way it seems some of them are prejudiced, they scorned Katara because she was a water bender even though she helped them countless times. Of course they learned their lesson and helped each other in the end.

And I really liked seeing Aang in school. I hope we find out just how exactly the Fire nation beat the air nomads. Seeing the brain washing of young kids confirms my suspicions exactly.

Amenadeel posted...

You really think so? I kind of got the impression that the Fire nation were based on ww2 Japan, so they would be supremacists and look down on anyone not of pure fire blood line. Plus the show kind of portrayed it as every nation is homogenously divided and fights against the other, that being the Fire nation since they instigated the war.

it's actually mostly based on feudal japan. but also the militarization and brainwashing of the kids mostly makes me think of the US

---

Omg never mind, book 3 is amazing and I'm once again super stoked.

That beach episode was hilarious and I loved getting to see the Fire girls and Zuko in that kinda setting (now I see what everyone is talking about with ty lee, all the guys are into her. Azula is hilarious too in her own demonic way)

Also it all but confirms what I suspected, this show is basically an anime that's American produced. That beach episode is pretty reminiscent of all those anime beach episodes and I really liked it.

Amenadeel posted...

Also it all but confirms what I suspected, this show is basically an anime that's American produced. That beach episode is pretty reminiscent of all those anime beach episodes and I really liked it.

Yeah it's definitely American anime.
---

Oh my god. Finally. They finally explained the origin of the war, the avatar, all of it. That episode was chilling.

Zuko's great grandfathers were both the Fire Lord sozin and the avatar roku!

That was one of the best episodes. I almost don't want this show to end, I had no idea I'd like it so much.

Bruh, don't even tell me you didn't comment on one of my favorite eps, 'Sokka's Master.'

---

masterpug53 posted...

Bruh, don't even tell me you didn't comment on one of my favorite eps, 'Sokka's Master.'

Thats a great one.
---

Fun fact the sword master in Sokkas Master is the dude who played the T1000 in T2

---

Doom_Art posted...

Fun fact the sword master in Sokkas Master is the dude who played the T1000 in T2

This show and Korea have a lot of cameo voice actors.
---

blablablax17 posted...

This show and Korea have a lot of cameo voice actors.

Korea

---

I never understood why a Meteor Iron sword would be a big deal.

IRL, that was the common source of Iron long before people figured how to mine and smelt good Iron, and due to impurities, it would probably be shit compared to a regular sword.

---

ROBANN_88 posted...

I never understood why a Meteor Iron sword would be a big deal.

IRL, that was the common source of Iron long before people figured how to mine and smelt good Iron, and due to impurities, it would probably be shit compared to a regular sword.

I just assumed it was magical space metal

---

masterpug53 posted...

Bruh, don't even tell me you didn't comment on one of my favorite eps, 'Sokka's Master.'

Oh man sorry I really wanted to! Here's the thing, it was so good I had to see more and couldn't stop myself from binging before posting in this topic.

Such a great sokka episode. I mentioned before that despite making him the goof/comic relief most of the time, they really know when to treat his character well. I loved how the gang missed him and showed what he brings to the group.

And I particularly loved how they showed something that was brought up in a later episode: that one being from the Fire nation doesn't mean they're bad. The sword master knew right away and helped sokka. Also I like his meteor sword, that looks cool.

This show handles its characters so damn well.

Bloodbending? How utterly terrifying. Old people are so scary.

And the worst part is it's not her fault, the Fire nation made her this way. I can't even blame her when they were literally imprisoned and tortured.

But still, a very horrifying skill. I feel for Katara.

A very creepy episode and one of my personal favourites.

---

Doom_Art posted...

I just assumed it was magical space metal

It isn't? I mean after all if a comet can apparently give fire benders more power, I'm sure meteorites and meteors also hold special powers.

Amenadeel posted...

Oh man sorry I really wanted to! Here's the thing, it was so good I had to see more and couldn't stop myself from binging before posting in this topic.

Such a great sokka episode. I mentioned before that despite making him the goof/comic relief most of the time, they really know when to treat his character well. I loved how the gang missed him and showed what he brings to the group.

And I particularly loved how they showed something that was brought up in a later episode: that one being from the Fire nation doesn't mean they're bad. The sword master knew right away and helped sokka. Also I like his meteor sword, that looks cool.

This show handles its characters so damn well.

Korra, Zuko, and Iroh are impossible to top on my 'best series character list,' but Sokka is easily #4, and that's quite an accomplishment. I can't think of another 'comic relief' character in fiction who's treated with such respect and allowed to grow and develop the way Sokka is. Let's just say you're in for a treat when you get to The Boiling Rock.

This is one of those aspects in which I'll freely admit Legend of Korra dropped the ball: even at his best moments, Bolin can't hold a candle to Sokka. Also, now with the benefit of hindsight (because I watched LoK first), I'm really miffed that (Legend of Korra spoilers) Sokka didn't live long enough to be part of that series. I can get why it happened: the show was initially planned as a thirteen-ep miniseries, at that point it wasn't confirmed that Zuko or Toph were still alive either, and when Katara mentions in the first ten minutes that Sokka's passed away, they'd already written themselves into a corner by the time the series got extended. But the one plotline I always wanted to see further developed in LoK was Korra finding identity and self-worth beyond being the Avatar, and Old Chief Sokka would have been the perfect person to help her develop that side of her personality.

---

Bloodbending is the best episode

---

Omg omg the day of black sun! It's finally here!

holy crap holy crap! This is it. I can't believe they're finally invading the Fire nation!

They... They knew. How did they know? Is there a mole on the team? How did Azula and fires know they were going to invade during the eclipse?

I can't believe it. Everything, all that planning... for nothing?

Amenadeel posted...

They... They knew. How did they know? Is there a mole on the team? How did Azula and fires know they were going to invade during the eclipse?

I can't believe it. Everything, all that planning... for nothing?

The Earth King blabbed when Azula was disguised as a Kyoshi Warrior.
---

Did they ever show what happened to the cabbages?

MelzezDoor posted...

Did they ever show what happened to the cabbages?

There is Cabbage Corp in Korra.

---

He did it, Iroh broke out! I wonder where he went.

More importantly... Zuko. Zuko... stood up to his dad???!!!! Omg omg the thing they teased us with in book 2 but then disappointed us, now it's happening? Zuko is on the side of good??!!!!

Oh. my. god. This is the most insane most exciting thing yet. I can't believe it. Zuko Is planning to help the avatar.

And at this point, those of us watching the series in real time had to wait many months to see what happened next.
---

Phantom_Nook posted...

The Earth King blabbed when Azula was disguised as a Kyoshi Warrior.

*Facepalm* duh! Cant believe I forgot about that. Both me and sokka forgot about it, they should have suspected after the earth king was infiltrated! How could we miss it.

Phantom_Nook posted...

And at this point, those of us watching the series in real time had to wait many months to see what happened next.

I feel for you guys. To have actually watched this as it was airing 10+ years ago is so insane to think about though because I still can't get over this being a Nickelodeon cartoon. A Nick cartoon in the 2000s amid all their live action MTVkids crap programming. A Nick cartoon in the 2000s that's utterly fantastic. It's like... how? Why was this on Nick and not Disney or some other channel?

It's like finding a diamond in a sea of coal.

Lol that was hilarious, Zuko trying be good and trying to explain himself to "team avatar"

At least Appa seems to like him. And huh, toph wasn't around when he was chasing them in s1 so she was the first one willing to give him a chance. Even after he accidentally burned her feet, I hope that's not permanent!

Katara seems to hate him most, even more than Aang... I can imagine why, if she had wasted her special healing water on Zuko, Aang wouldn't have been revived after being struck by Azula lightning and would be dead...

just looked it up. Black Sun aired November 2007, and the next episode aired July 2008.

then they aired the final 10 episodes in a week.
that was a pretty cool week tho.

---

Oh dang this is so cool, all bending comes from animals? Dragons for fire bending, sky bison for air bending, and earth moles for earth bending? I wonder what animal water bending comes from.

The fire bending masters episode was amazing. They memorized those dance moves a little quick when they'd only just seen the statues, but I didn't even care, that was freaking badass. The way they were doing the sacred dance with the dragons flying around them and then both dragons doing the rainbow colored firespin... That was awesome.

And heck, just an episode about Zuko and Aang as allies (nay, maybe even friends) together on a mission? Book 3 is awesome. Who would have thought it would be Zuko who would teach Aang fire bending.

Yeah book 3 is a masterpiece. Every episode was just stunning things.

Waterbendings learned bending from the moon.

---

Oh thank God. Suki is fine. I hate the Fire nation so much, how dare they imprison her in such an awful place.

But man a sokka and Zuko partnership, they're bonding surprisingly great.

Lol at:

"my girlfriend turned into the moon"

"That's rough buddy"

seriously it's like a new budding bromance, I love it.

I love how Zuko gets time to bond with the Gaang. It's like he's a totally different character from the start of the series.
---

I'm glad they got sokka and katara's dad out. That was heartwarming. And it's made me hope Zuko gets to reconcile with his uncle before the end.

But holy crap. Did you guys expect that from May? She helped Zuko. She... She does care. I was for sure thinking she like the rest were just brain washed fire nation style. And not only that, Ty Lee struck Azula to save May herself! My jaw dropped. I don't even know what to think right now about them both.

You could tell that was one thing Azula wasn't prepared for or anticipating, she was shocked too. Something finally happened that wiped that perpetual smirk off her face. I'm glad for that at least.

So happy youre enjoying this, TC

---

What were you guys more shocked by, may helping Zuko or ty lee helping May?

Even the reasoning she gives: "You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you"

Literally on the edge of my seat during that confrontation. Literally.

Ty Lee and May perfectly represent the people who get dragged in a war they don't want to be in and can't leave either out of fear or royalty. Sometimes people do not have a choice.

Series is almost over. The finale is great. A show that managed to end perfectly and didn't fuck everything up like most other shows.