One extra heartbreaking detail to add on to that masterpiece of a reunion scene: if you notice, when Iroh is about to hug Zuko, you can see Zuko flinch slightly. Because he remembers what happened the last time he disappointed a father figure...
not just the last with disappointing a father figure but also every time Zuko was on his knees begging for forgiveness that we have seen before this point he was hit, burn, or attacked in another way
@@mitchhamilton64 I mean, I flinch when someone makes sudden movements towards me regardless of who they are. It’s just ingrained in me to try to avoid their hands, feet, etc. even my closest friends weren’t exceptions to that.
@@mitchhamilton64 It’s very common for someone who has been abused. I can confirm that. It’s a response that is so deeply ingrained in you to survive, even if it’s someone who means no harm. Since avatar is an animated series, each panel is intentional. The flinch is there and it was animated intentionally.
Something I just realized, When Iroh went to conquer Ba-Sing-Sae, he lost a son. When Iroh went to liberate Ba-Sing-Sae, he got back the man he considers his son.
Fun fact! They're blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments, but the existence of lion turtles is actually foreshadowed as far back as Book 2! When in Wan Shi Tong's library, Aang is actually seen reading a scroll with a lion turtle on it and then showing it to Katara, even name-dropping the creature. Then, later on, when Sokka is training with Piandao, his gardens are decorated with lots of lion turtle statues in the background.
I would have like just one more, like maybe one in the spirit world, not even show it talk but having an "aura" of power just to show yes this are ancirnt and know how to do more that even and old avatar would, they been here long Yes I know that in korra they get to that but I am talking in here.
Zuko's reunion with Iroh is one of those few piece of media that never fails to bring a tear to my eye. Masterfully written by the creators and masterfully voice acted by Dante.
SAME! Every. Single. Time. That score, the voice acting, even the interrupting embrace which basically said it all! "Oh shut up & hug me, my beloved "son'." Remember when media had amazing father-figures & positive examples of masculinity? Pepperidge Farms remembers.
A lot of people tend to forget that its not just about "killing is bad" or that Aang is a good kid but it also about Aang's culture. He is last surviving air nomad if he were to abandoned belief of his people, their ideals, their mentality, then in a way Ozai truly will win ideological war.
And I think that’s a big difference between him and the previous air nomad avatars. They hold their tenants dearly but they also understand that they’re far more than just the air nomads but they’re all of the four nations and must maintain the balance of all of them. The difference with Aang is that he’s the very last of his people, if he forgoes his tenants then he’s effectively letting the air nomads die. In a way, him staying true to his tenants is keeping the air nomads alive and to some degree keeping balance in the world.
@@dragenfire68 did I *STUTTER?* in all seriousness for fhe sake of fhe argument, the air bendersclearly fought to the death for people who suppos3dly taught aang never to kill. Giatso having a comet death rafio of 30 sounds like he taught "f@ck around find out."
Avatar Yangchen’s wisdom is the most interesting to me. She believes, as Aang does, that all life is sacred and that the taking of life is morally wrong. Yet she still counsels him that ending Ozai’s is necessary for the world to balance itself. Despite popular opinion, a wrong can make a right. Being bound to one set of morals and ethics limits and constraints your actions, and becomes just another weapon to be used against you.
I love how all the past Avatars' wisdom applies to the situation, and Aang is the one who interprets it as them telling him that he must kill. But none of them say it outright that he should kill Ozai.
Exactly. All they are saying is: he needs to act (Kuruk) and act decisively (Roku). That justice is required for peace (Kioshi) and that the good of the world is paramount (Yangchen).
You’re coming at it the wrong way. They all know that he doesn’t want to hear “you must kill Ozai” so they’re going at it indirectly with examples from their own lives to be more convincing, and it works.
@@dodiswatchboboboYeah exactly. They understood very well that Aang wanted to hear he didn't have to kill Ozai and they all said "sorry, you need to give up your own spiritual well being and accept to kill him"
That shouldn't surprise anyone every avatar has there own way of doing things EX: Kyoshi wouldn't have spared Sozin like Roku did. Aang's past lives can give him counsel but they can't tell him how to do his job he has to figure that out on his own just as they all did.
one thing i love about the lion turtles design is that is colored and shaded and even animated in a totally different way from the rest of the show. it just feels ancient and otherworldly.
iroh having his own, mostly off-screen, redemption arc, he took part in the fire nation's unjust war efforts laying siege to ba sing se for hundreds of days, only to realise years later that his destiny was actually to help ba sing se, kinda like zuko chasing the avatar only to end up joining him, incredible writing
A good writer creates a world that extends beyond the extent of the story. A great writer knows restraint in only showing what is necessary. So many stories try to make their world seem more alive but get bogged down in unnecessary side plots and exposition. The key is to keep the plot slim and streamlined while hinting at the existence of other stories the audience can only guess at. Avatar clearly shows that Iroh once had a redemption story that mirrors Zuko's, but they never spend time explaining or showing it because we don't need to see it. Giving us Zuko redemption but again would not have made the show better, and we don't need to see how Iroh redeemed himself to understand that he did. At the same time, giving us this incomplete fragment of a story stimulates the creative fan-fiction juices that keeps people talking about the show even after they finished watching it.
@@Celestia282 Knowing more about Mako gives the character of Iroh a whole other level to it. Iwamatsu Makoto was born in Japan in 1933. His parents fled to the US in 1939, but left him in the care of his grandmother; so Mako experienced WWII as a civilian child in Kobe. He saw the jingoism and propaganda of a government that wanted to conquer, the shortages of a wartime economy, the devastation of repeated bombing raids, and the heartbreak of the people losing loved ones by the thousands. Later, after he'd immigrated to America, he joined the US Army and served in the Korean War. That's actually where he learned he had acting skill, making training and morale films and plays for the other soldiers. And then he's cast to voice this character who cheerfully led men to war in the name of glory and honor, saw the reality of war, lost his only son, and came home a broken man. Mako was born to play Iroh.
And even though we never see his change (he more or less doesn't want anythinh to do wjth the war as far back as season 1 aside fron helping zuko), it feels COMPLETELY natural from everything we learn throughout the story especially when we discover his teaching in season 1 about the breath meant so much. God I lobe Iroh im so sad Mako is gone.
So there's a LOT of controversy surrounding Aang's dilemma, but I think people tend to forget a few things regarding the build up to it. Aang receives wisdom from 5 individuals: Roku - "You must be decisive." Aang needs to make a decision and stick by that decision, but it must be a decision that will ensure peace. Kyoshi - "Only justice may bring peace." It's Aang's duty as the Avatar to bring justice to the Firelord for what he's done in whatever form that takes. Kuruk - "You must actively shape your own destiny, and the destiny of the world." Aang mustn't hesitate with his decision, and he must be active in his approach. Yangchen - "Self-sacrifice means sacrificing your own spiritual needs for the sake of the world." Aang mustn't let the teachings of the monks dictate his choices, and he must view his decisions from the perspective of all nations, not just the Air Nomads. All four of these choices make it seem like Aang's only option is to kill Ozai, but then you have the fifth master, the Lion Turtle, and this is what he says: "The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can tough the poison of hatred without being harmed." The Lion Turtle is essentially telling Aang to not take the wisdom of the Avatars at face value, and instead look at the deeper meaning behind all of them. None of them told Aang to directly kill Ozai, instead they told him that his decision on whether or not to kill the Firelord must be his own active decision that he believes will ensure peace and justice. Not a one of them is saying that the best decision is to kill him, they're saying that Aang must face Ozai with wisdom and certainty, and only then will he make the right choice.
boy we are lucky the option of "take his bending away" was made possible by the Lion Turtle as well, otherwise the interpretations of all the advice would lead to Aang actually having to kill Ozai. Look, im not mad at energy bending, but i see it as a plot device made to appease the pg rating of the show, you cant have the main character of a children's show kill someone. But otherwise, i see the presence of energy bending to be poorly introduced to the point where it could be considered a cop out.
@@joeldykman7591 The literal only other option would have been Aang defeating him and then one of the gang killing him - which would have been Sokka I guess?
@@joeldykman7591 The thing is, energy bending was foreshadowed pretty early. Hell, the avatar state itself is a way of energy bending. The unlocking of the chakras by the banana onion monk is also technically a way of energy bending
@@joeldykman7591 maybe it was a plot device to appease the rating, but I think it's very thematically on point that Aang doesn't kill Ozai. The show is, at the most basic level, about war and loss- choosing to end the show with Aang breaking the cycle of violence by finding a way to spare Ozai is valid.
He initially flinches too because he never learned to expect positive affirmation and unconditional love. Failure ment punishment. But Iroh filled that void fully, as Zuko realized just how much his uncle stepped in and gave him that wich he so desperately sought out. A fathers love and pride.
I love that Bumi scene so much. People seem to forget he and aang are technically the same age. So a legitimate 113 year old man single handedly took back his city on his own
Poor Zuko this entire time has been searching for forgiviness. First from someone who never accepted him for his pure heart, and only took. Next from team Avatar, who he had chased around and hurt. Lastly, from his uncle, his true father, who forgave him immediately because all he wanted, was to see that pure hearted boy come back to him 😢.
There's a fan theory that each new Avatar embodies what the last avatar lacked or wished they had been. Yangchen spent her entire life devoted to the world rather than herself, so we get Kuruk. If Kuruk had been less worldly and more decisive his lover wouldn't have had her face stolen (and a couple of geopolitical crisis could have been avoided), so we get Kyoshi. Kyoshi was so focused on her duty and fixing the problems of the world that she literally and figuratively isolated herself and her people, which leads to Roku. And while Roku was too attached and trusting of his friends to see how far they'd gone (he's constantly telling Aand to trust less)... if he had been better at actually connecting with and confronting his friend he might have been able to prevent the conflict before it even started. Roku sees his mistake as not killing Sozin as soon as he started the conflict, but before the conflict even began Roku knew what Sozin wanted to do. Rather than confronting him while peace was still an option, he shut down all discussion, distanceing himself from the problem until it was too big to ignore. So we get Aang as the diplomat. He is amazing at connecting with others and mediating conflict, but he's also a pacifist to a fault and struggles with the reality of necessary conflict and violence.
@@dragonstouch1042 I mean, originally yes, but if you look on the statues at the air temples, Aang is the last of the cycle. Meaning that the avatar state probably goes in a cycle where the last avatar of the last cycle becomes the first of the new one. Or they just thought it'd be cool to imply Aang would die in avatar state and end the cycle. honestly I'm not sure
I was so hyped to see Alixia watching this episode since book 1 because I knew she would dehydrate for crying her eyes out on the Zuko + Iroh scene. For me, it is the most emotional moment in the entire series. So good.
Kyoshi once again cements herself as the best Avatar and the most underutilized part of the franchise. Aang: “But technically you didn’t kill him, he fell to his death.” Kyoshi: “Bitch, what’s the difference? Bring his ass out here and I’ll do it again.”
"I was never angry with you, I was afraid that you'd lost your way" When I first heard them, those words hit harder than possibly any other quote in existence, because I grew up with a particularly strained relationship with my parents. But no matter what, after every fight we had my parents would often say something very similar, often breaking down themselves, as looking back, they likely felt worse simply because they felt like they failed to help me... every time i watch this scene, even to this day, tears inevitably come.
THE FINALE IS HERE BABY! Zuko has gone through so much and changed so much. I love that while Zuko thinks Iroh was gonna be angry and scold him instead, was brought into a hug and told that Iroh was never angry just sad. Now we got the rest of the finale to end this great series
Another detail that's more wholesome than heartbreaking: the moment Iroh pulls Zuko in, in the very last frame, you can see Zuko's mouth/tongue whatever forming to an "L", which implies he was going to say "I don't know how I'll ever make it up to you, but I love you" Thanks for coming to my TED talk, I'm going to cry in a corner now
Aangs story definitely has an aspect of personal freedom. He has the world trying to tell him what to do and forcing him to act how they want. He pushes back against that and finds his own way while still helping others.
Fun fact I only just noticed recently. When the avatar spirits leave you can hear their element. Roku's spirit leaving sounds like something burning, Kyoshi's sounds like gravel falling, Kuruk sounds like water flowing, and Yangchen sounds like wind blowing.
14:03 - 14:43. This is Avatar Kuruk a water bender Avatar and he had a tragic story. When he was the Avatar, he had been fighting dark spirits that invaded the mortal world. Even though the dark spirits can't come back, unfortunately, it affects Kuruk as it causes him to feel depressed after fighting dark spirits. Because of this Kuruk doesn’t help the nation which makes them think that he is the worst Avatar and have the world without the Avatar including a group of pirates coming around. Koh the face stealer stole his wife’s face to punish Kuruk for his arrogance. When he confronted Koh, he didn’t kill him because if he killed Koh, it would kill his wife as well. So he had no choice but to let him go. But he still roamed the spirit world fighting dark spirits.
@@IndigoWilliams22 yeah, but I wonder if his story would be different if he told them. Maybe if he had some Allie’s he and fiancé could’ve had a happier life. But he did what he thought was best and he was younger and in a time with less conflict. He couldn’t grow and mature like most other avatars so he lived a life to make himself happy but also to make him feel alive with the darkness he struggled with until his death.
Something I love about this situation is that none of the previous selves had to be int he same conditions as Aang. He's the *last* of his people. He's the avatar that would have this knowledge but he's the only one to ask this so he has to set the precedent. This is his knowledge to give future avatars if they find themself int his situation, but it can't help him now. He has to make the decision first.
I found Avatar Yangchen’s advice very interesting. She believes that all life is sacred, yet she still counsels Aang that he must set aside himself to do what is necessary for the rest of the world. She acknowledges that for the world to work you sometimes have to do things that you consider morally wrong.
Roku: Be decisive Kuruk: Be active Yangchen: Fulfill your duty to the world Kyoshi: Let's kill da ho, I mean, responsibility for your decisions, no regrets or something
To add to the awesomeness of Bumi retaking his city: according to fan analysis, since the eclipse was still going when he was done, he managed to retake his entire city, solo, in under 8 minutes.
Fun fact: Zuko’s VA and Jong Jong’s VA played Jake Long and his Grandpa respectively in American Dragon Jake Long, another series about a hero with magical powers meant to keep peace between the material world and the mystical one.
I love the double meaning of the title in this one. In both stories of the episode, they're meeting with a group of "old masters" Aang meeting with the previous Avatars, and the rest of the gang meeting with the order of the White Lotus.
The only way should be asking Kyoshi how not to kill someone is how to keep them alive for torture reasons but even then she'd say "Why are you wasting time. Ice the bitch and move on."
Not sure if anyone posted this since I came in late but the sandal Zuko saved and used in this episode is the one Iroh dropped as a hint when he got captured by earthbenders in season 1.
I whole heartedly agree with you. I’m glad I’m not the only one who agrees Aang shouldn’t have killed Ozai. And believe me I *hated* the dude when I was younger, but I also acknowledged the true strength of not killing him and finding another way. Now as I’m older I’m bitter towards the previous airbender avatar for basically abandoning what it meant to be it. The nomads teachings apply to ALL life, not just the normal ones but the major ones to.
Those bastards knew what they were doing, having Zuko break when seeing Iroh again. Man is the absolute GOAT of this series! We all need an Iroh in our lives…
Zuko: I'm so sorry uncle, I made the wrong choice but im here to fix it, i need to atone for my dad's mistakes. Iroh: he may have been your father, but he wasnt your Daddy
So just to clarify the reason Nyla couldn’t sniff out Aang was because the lion turtle he’s on the back of is so old that it’s intense scent of the earth masks out Aangs own scent, one of the creators stated this when a fan asked about it
Nothing left but big amazing moments, we have been waiting for this one for awhile. the White Lotus, the return of Iroh, the Lion Turtle. This is peak Avatar!
over a thousand small strands laid down over 3 seasons finally come back together for the finale, basic story telling masterfully done. 😁 also Mark Hamill being over the top chewing through fictional scenery is always a win. 😉
One of the essential rules of Avatar, if Iroh is crying, we're all crying. Theories about Aang not existing are that the lion turtle is both in the spirit world and the material world at the same time, or that Lion Turtles' Spirits are so powerful that being on their back s is like being in a miniature spirit world. Either way would work because if you take your body into the spirit world with you then you get to keep your bending. Alicia really did well in picking up on things in this episode. She caught that Aang was looking for someone to make the decision for him, but he's the main character,....I mean he's the Avatar. He has to make the choice on his own. She also caught that throughout the talks with his past selves they never tell him which way to choose. What he knows now is that he has to be decisive, bring justice so there can be peace, be active and attentive, and do whatever it takes to stop the Firelord, no matter what the risks. There are a lot of really well written episodes of this show, and the next two are real good ones, but I consider the Old Masters to be the best written episode of the entire show.
One of the other huge parts about Aang's worry that I love, though this is like 50% just speculation and not something touched on much in the show, he is the LAST of his culture, for him to do what the Avatar is expected to do, he will have basically given up the last bit of the air nomad ways.
Roku: Yeah I let my best friend live and later he left me to die in a volcano and commited genocide so yeah that didn't go too well. Kyoshi: Lamo id have killed this dude for fun lol. Kuruk: Yeah I didn't do much work and a centipede spirit stole my girlfriends face so yeah. Yangchen: Sorry kiddo but you can't hide behind your culture to get out of your work upp and at em.
We all need an Uncle Iroh in our lives. We all cried when Zuko and Iroh reunited. We're approaching the end of Zuko's redemption arc. And what a beautiful end it is.
Avatar Kuruk was the shortest-lived avatar in history and was directly followed by Avatar Kyoshi, the longest-lived avatar in history. I think he was only in his thirties when he died. Kyoshi lived to at least 200. Add to that the fact that Kuruk was the laziest, least involved party animal of an avatar ever while Kyoshi was the most duty bound and involved.
@@pedrohenriquedasilvaroque1085 I did read the books. However, Alixia hasn’t and there’s a debate about how canon they are. So I thought it best to err on the side of caution. Personally I like the books and think that they add some new and interesting dimensions to the atla world.
Avatar Yangchen statement about sacrificing your own spiritual wellbeing in defence of the world is one of my favourite lines in Avatar. What a wild and thought provoking idea.
Small detail I wanted to share since no one else mentioned it. When Zuko reunites with Iroh, it’s the first and only time we see tears coming out of Zuko’s scarred eye
I know this video’s been out for a while, but one thing that everyone seems to gloss over is the fact that Bumi was clearly capable of escaping whenever he wanted. He just wanted to do it when he was able to fully drive the Fire nation out in one fell swoop. Man has patience for days
I like the fact that they give aang advice and what they went through, and him understanding that he know ye has to but can't because his still mentally 12 years of age, but then he hears that he doesn't need to take the life only the darkness it holds
June seems like a decent person, being a merc for hire aside. Also, cute of Appa to forgive. 10000 years of the world's protectors to call upon. You mentioned the White Lotus last time. That was a very good guess. The old masters have mustered for war. A coalition of friends and allies from all nations come to turn the tide. If he lives, Ozai MUST be broken. Cool trivia about the comics. Piandao also trained Zuko back when Zuko was still a prince. And for a lot longer, so when Zuko and Sokka decided to spar with swords, Zuko beat him handily. And for the really fun one, Toph and Bumi has a slugfest of a sparring match. It ended in a DRAW. Honestly, Kiyoshi was too passive about Chin if anything. For the Force of Nature that she was, she should have beaten him down sooner. Unless she was busy training. "I knew I shouldn't have asked Kiyoshi." This means Aang isn't seeking wisdom, he's seeking validation and the answer he wants. He dismisses what Kiyoshi has to say despite her having far more experience than him and living longer than any other Avatar. She was the World's Protector for over 200 years. Aang is not willing to listen though, unless he gets the answer he wants, which is not wise. It is folly. Again, in a sparring match, Toph fought Bumi to a DRAW! Granted, sparring match, so probably not bringing, the S game with full effect, but it speaks volumes to both of their power and skill to tie. She is his successor as greatest and strongest Earthbender alive. Aang is fishing for approval of the answer he already chose. Choosing to find a way to nonlethally defeat the Fire Lord is one thing. Deluding yourself into thinking you're seeking wisdom when you're just trying to get someone to sign off on what you already chose is deep hubris. Your advisors can be wrong, but you must be willing to consider that you can be wrong. And Aang isn't just doing this for his personal beliefs, but because he wants to follow his teachers. The Monks told him killing was wrong, so it's wrong. The Monks had him prejudging the Ba Sing Se that was 100 years of wartime removed from the Ba Sing Se of his time. The Monks who tried to force a 12 year old to be Their champion because They couldn't fight for themselves. Aang refuses to believe that he is wrong or that his teachings aren't his priority. I said last time I'd come back when I had the last piece of applicable evidence. Aang is being close minded and selfish here. She knows what she speaks of. She fought a warrior spirit who nearly leveled an entire city. She faced off against a conspiracy headed by 3 combustion benders. She knows how to kill with airbending. Precisely, you agree. He wanted a specific answer, not guidance. If killing is evil, there are times it's a necessary evil. Let's say all life, even the most evil scum, is sacred, then that doesn't preclude necessary violence. Ozai is responsible for untold suffering and death indirectly and will now do even more harm directly if allowed. Preserving one unit of sacred that has already ended at least 10's of thousands of other units of sacred and will continue to do so is not a wise choice. Even if Aang held Ozai's life no less sacred than Katara's, logic would still demand ending Ozai's. Dante is putting in the work on that acting. You did call the turtle, but there's more to it. I'm kind of sad Suki still has to wear the commandeered fire nation clothes and can't gear up with her fans. and makeup. Everyone else gets to put on their comfortable and national pride clothes, but not her. Sokka has his armor, Katara is packing heavy with two large waterskins, but poor Suki doesn't get even a single fan. Sometimes it is best to appoint those who don't want power to leadership. Because they respect it and do not pollute it with ambition. Zuko has come to respect the power of other benders, and he saw the typhoon of fury Katara can unleash or temper. He underestimates her no more. Iroh is looking forward to retirement. There was a blink you you'll miss picture of a Lion Turtle in the Great Library. If not for this Lion Turtle, Aang likely would have to take Ozai's life this night. The Comet is here, and the final battle has begun.
If I recall, one of the reasons why Iroh didn't speak until now during the entire season was because Mako, his original voice actor, passed in-between seasons. They managed to get Mako's understudy Greg Baldwin to record Iroh's lines for the season, but brought out as much emotion as they could and increase the sense of loss by deliberately not having Iroh speak.
Fun fact: avatar Yang Chen created a forbidden air bending technique. It involves forcing the air out of someone's lungs until they suffocate. She is known as the deadliest known avatar because of this.
Woman 1: he didn’t cry during the titanic Woman 2: do men even have feeling Men: *even more than a decade after this episode premiered* flood tears, don’t hold back This entire series is just made to make even grown adults shed tears
I watched that last few episodes on your patreon because the last two episodes have a lot of tear jerking and a lot of emotions. Avatar the last air bender was the best cartoon to watch growing up. Thank you Alicia for allowing me to watch this once again but with a very amazing person to share the experience with. And as well I hope your medical situation gets better.
In a (semi-)canon comic, Toph and Bumi have a sparring match shortly before the gaang leaves the White Lotus camp. The overall result was a tie, meaning they are both tied for "Strongest/Best Earthbender in the world". However, Bumi is super old and Toph is 12-13, and she does get even better as she gets older.
“But the Avatar can never do it, b/c Your sole duty is to the world. Here is my wisdom for you. Selfless duty calls you to sacrifice your own spiritual needs, and do what ever it takes to protect the world” = chills
Have anyone told her that In this part Bumi and toph actually have a 1v1 becoz of sokka instigation of whom is the true best earth bender And ofc we end in a draw Comic cannon btw
If you're a reader, I HIGHLY recommend the Kyoshi novels, Rise of Kyoshi and Shadow of Kyoshi. They're an amazing duology about Kyoshi's early days finding out she's the Avatar and there's lots of twists, political intrigue, and in some ways they're darker than either of the shows ever get (w/ the exception of maybe the Air Nomad Genocide). And let's just say, Avatar Kuruk was witholding a LOT about how the world was relatively peaceful and the "good times" during his life,. FC Yee is a really talented writer, imo. They're also going to be considered canon for the ongoing Avatar Studios projects, so it's good backstory to have to spot easter eggs & references they might put in to various projects. There's a new book (also by Yee) about Yangchen too, Dawn of Yangchen, currently awaiting its sequel. Also a very good read, it's more "subdued" I'd say, but it fits for the more spy/mystery vibe.
19:25 K.O.! Lol. all the way back at episode 5, you were like "Why ami about to cry? I aint cryin to no kids show" and this is exactly where we all end up. crying unapologetically to two people being reconnected. the journey has been wonderful
![The Beginning of The End | AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER [3x18 & 3x19] (REACTION)](/img/1.gif)
One extra heartbreaking detail to add on to that masterpiece of a reunion scene: if you notice, when Iroh is about to hug Zuko, you can see Zuko flinch slightly. Because he remembers what happened the last time he disappointed a father figure...
Damn…
not just the last with disappointing a father figure but also every time Zuko was on his knees begging for forgiveness that we have seen before this point he was hit, burn, or attacked in another way
@@mitchhamilton64 I mean, I flinch when someone makes sudden movements towards me regardless of who they are. It’s just ingrained in me to try to avoid their hands, feet, etc. even my closest friends weren’t exceptions to that.
@@mitchhamilton64
It’s very common for someone who has been abused. I can confirm that. It’s a response that is so deeply ingrained in you to survive, even if it’s someone who means no harm. Since avatar is an animated series, each panel is intentional. The flinch is there and it was animated intentionally.
@@mitchhamilton64 Wow, you're just a fucking bowl of roses, huh?
Something I just realized,
When Iroh went to conquer Ba-Sing-Sae, he lost a son. When Iroh went to liberate Ba-Sing-Sae, he got back the man he considers his son.
Roku: you must have the resolve to do what’s necessary
Kiyoshi: _kill the bastard._
I dont know why I heard Kiyoshi say that in my head like Snake Plissken. 😂
She said it head high, full chest, Drop that motherfkker
"Just go get my gear and ill do it for you!"
"But you didn't kill him" "I don't really see the difference and if he hadn't died like that I would have killed him anyway"
Dew it
Zuko ended up being the brave soldier boy marching home. That reunion will always be a series highlight.
Fun fact! They're blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments, but the existence of lion turtles is actually foreshadowed as far back as Book 2! When in Wan Shi Tong's library, Aang is actually seen reading a scroll with a lion turtle on it and then showing it to Katara, even name-dropping the creature. Then, later on, when Sokka is training with Piandao, his gardens are decorated with lots of lion turtle statues in the background.
I would have like just one more, like maybe one in the spirit world, not even show it talk but having an "aura" of power just to show yes this are ancirnt and know how to do more that even and old avatar would, they been here long
Yes I know that in korra they get to that but I am talking in here.
Piandoa even name drops that Sokka has a heart as big as a lion turtle
even Energy Bending is foreshadowed in The Swamp and Appa's Lost Days (with Guru Pahtik)
weren't lion turtles mentioned on the pirate ship in season 1?
Zuko's reunion with Iroh is one of those few piece of media that never fails to bring a tear to my eye. Masterfully written by the creators and masterfully voice acted by Dante.
SAME! Every. Single. Time.
That score, the voice acting, even the interrupting embrace which basically said it all!
"Oh shut up & hug me, my beloved "son'."
Remember when media had amazing father-figures & positive examples of masculinity? Pepperidge Farms remembers.
I've seen this for years on end. And rewatching this vid STILL made me tear up a bit!
Yo, Bumi really said "I didn't escaped from them, they escaped from me" what a madlad, literally
A lot of people tend to forget that its not just about "killing is bad" or that Aang is a good kid but it also about Aang's culture. He is last surviving air nomad if he were to abandoned belief of his people, their ideals, their mentality, then in a way Ozai truly will win ideological war.
And I think that’s a big difference between him and the previous air nomad avatars. They hold their tenants dearly but they also understand that they’re far more than just the air nomads but they’re all of the four nations and must maintain the balance of all of them. The difference with Aang is that he’s the very last of his people, if he forgoes his tenants then he’s effectively letting the air nomads die. In a way, him staying true to his tenants is keeping the air nomads alive and to some degree keeping balance in the world.
Giatso: *kill to death ratio of 20*
Its like Katara and the whole Bloodbending thing.
@@wastelandlegocheemgiatso wasnt the avatar nor was he the last of his people.
@@dragenfire68 did I *STUTTER?*
in all seriousness for fhe sake of fhe argument, the air bendersclearly fought to the death for people who suppos3dly taught aang never to kill. Giatso having a comet death rafio of 30 sounds like he taught "f@ck around find out."
Avatar Yangchen’s wisdom is the most interesting to me. She believes, as Aang does, that all life is sacred and that the taking of life is morally wrong. Yet she still counsels him that ending Ozai’s is necessary for the world to balance itself.
Despite popular opinion, a wrong can make a right. Being bound to one set of morals and ethics limits and constraints your actions, and becomes just another weapon to be used against you.
I love how all the past Avatars' wisdom applies to the situation, and Aang is the one who interprets it as them telling him that he must kill. But none of them say it outright that he should kill Ozai.
Exactly. All they are saying is: he needs to act (Kuruk) and act decisively (Roku). That justice is required for peace (Kioshi) and that the good of the world is paramount (Yangchen).
All the past avatars are really good at copping out
You’re coming at it the wrong way. They all know that he doesn’t want to hear “you must kill Ozai” so they’re going at it indirectly with examples from their own lives to be more convincing, and it works.
@@dodiswatchboboboYeah exactly. They understood very well that Aang wanted to hear he didn't have to kill Ozai and they all said "sorry, you need to give up your own spiritual well being and accept to kill him"
That shouldn't surprise anyone every avatar has there own way of doing things EX: Kyoshi wouldn't have spared Sozin like Roku did. Aang's past lives can give him counsel but they can't tell him how to do his job he has to figure that out on his own just as they all did.
one thing i love about the lion turtles design is that is colored and shaded and even animated in a totally different way from the rest of the show. it just feels ancient and otherworldly.
iroh having his own, mostly off-screen, redemption arc, he took part in the fire nation's unjust war efforts laying siege to ba sing se for hundreds of days, only to realise years later that his destiny was actually to help ba sing se, kinda like zuko chasing the avatar only to end up joining him, incredible writing
A good writer creates a world that extends beyond the extent of the story. A great writer knows restraint in only showing what is necessary. So many stories try to make their world seem more alive but get bogged down in unnecessary side plots and exposition. The key is to keep the plot slim and streamlined while hinting at the existence of other stories the audience can only guess at. Avatar clearly shows that Iroh once had a redemption story that mirrors Zuko's, but they never spend time explaining or showing it because we don't need to see it. Giving us Zuko redemption but again would not have made the show better, and we don't need to see how Iroh redeemed himself to understand that he did. At the same time, giving us this incomplete fragment of a story stimulates the creative fan-fiction juices that keeps people talking about the show even after they finished watching it.
@@Celestia282 Knowing more about Mako gives the character of Iroh a whole other level to it. Iwamatsu Makoto was born in Japan in 1933. His parents fled to the US in 1939, but left him in the care of his grandmother; so Mako experienced WWII as a civilian child in Kobe. He saw the jingoism and propaganda of a government that wanted to conquer, the shortages of a wartime economy, the devastation of repeated bombing raids, and the heartbreak of the people losing loved ones by the thousands. Later, after he'd immigrated to America, he joined the US Army and served in the Korean War. That's actually where he learned he had acting skill, making training and morale films and plays for the other soldiers. And then he's cast to voice this character who cheerfully led men to war in the name of glory and honor, saw the reality of war, lost his only son, and came home a broken man.
Mako was born to play Iroh.
And even though we never see his change (he more or less doesn't want anythinh to do wjth the war as far back as season 1 aside fron helping zuko), it feels COMPLETELY natural from everything we learn throughout the story especially when we discover his teaching in season 1 about the breath meant so much.
God I lobe Iroh im so sad Mako is gone.
One of the most heartwarming scenes in media. That reunion always gets me.
So there's a LOT of controversy surrounding Aang's dilemma, but I think people tend to forget a few things regarding the build up to it. Aang receives wisdom from 5 individuals:
Roku - "You must be decisive." Aang needs to make a decision and stick by that decision, but it must be a decision that will ensure peace.
Kyoshi - "Only justice may bring peace." It's Aang's duty as the Avatar to bring justice to the Firelord for what he's done in whatever form that takes.
Kuruk - "You must actively shape your own destiny, and the destiny of the world." Aang mustn't hesitate with his decision, and he must be active in his approach.
Yangchen - "Self-sacrifice means sacrificing your own spiritual needs for the sake of the world." Aang mustn't let the teachings of the monks dictate his choices, and he must view his decisions from the perspective of all nations, not just the Air Nomads.
All four of these choices make it seem like Aang's only option is to kill Ozai, but then you have the fifth master, the Lion Turtle, and this is what he says:
"The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can tough the poison of hatred without being harmed."
The Lion Turtle is essentially telling Aang to not take the wisdom of the Avatars at face value, and instead look at the deeper meaning behind all of them. None of them told Aang to directly kill Ozai, instead they told him that his decision on whether or not to kill the Firelord must be his own active decision that he believes will ensure peace and justice. Not a one of them is saying that the best decision is to kill him, they're saying that Aang must face Ozai with wisdom and certainty, and only then will he make the right choice.
boy we are lucky the option of "take his bending away" was made possible by the Lion Turtle as well, otherwise the interpretations of all the advice would lead to Aang actually having to kill Ozai.
Look, im not mad at energy bending, but i see it as a plot device made to appease the pg rating of the show, you cant have the main character of a children's show kill someone. But otherwise, i see the presence of energy bending to be poorly introduced to the point where it could be considered a cop out.
@@joeldykman7591
The literal only other option would have been Aang defeating him and then one of the gang killing him - which would have been Sokka I guess?
@@joeldykman7591 The thing is, energy bending was foreshadowed pretty early. Hell, the avatar state itself is a way of energy bending. The unlocking of the chakras by the banana onion monk is also technically a way of energy bending
@@joeldykman7591 maybe it was a plot device to appease the rating, but I think it's very thematically on point that Aang doesn't kill Ozai. The show is, at the most basic level, about war and loss- choosing to end the show with Aang breaking the cycle of violence by finding a way to spare Ozai is valid.
Apologizing to Iroh must have been so difficult for him as the last time he kneeled to a father figure to apologize he got his face burned off
He initially flinches too because he never learned to expect positive affirmation and unconditional love. Failure ment punishment. But Iroh filled that void fully, as Zuko realized just how much his uncle stepped in and gave him that wich he so desperately sought out. A fathers love and pride.
I love that Bumi scene so much. People seem to forget he and aang are technically the same age. So a legitimate 113 year old man single handedly took back his city on his own
Only bumi aged physically though, but that didn't stop the crazy old man
"I didn't escape. Everyone else escaped."
That's such a hardcore line once you realize what he means.
Also, he took back his city, single-handedly, in less than 8 minutes (the length of the total eclipse).
Iroh scene kills me in the best way!
Also fun fact the Lion Turtle was shown in the library... the pay off no one knew was coming haha
Poor Zuko this entire time has been searching for forgiviness. First from someone who never accepted him for his pure heart, and only took. Next from team Avatar, who he had chased around and hurt. Lastly, from his uncle, his true father, who forgave him immediately because all he wanted, was to see that pure hearted boy come back to him 😢.
There's a fan theory that each new Avatar embodies what the last avatar lacked or wished they had been.
Yangchen spent her entire life devoted to the world rather than herself, so we get Kuruk.
If Kuruk had been less worldly and more decisive his lover wouldn't have had her face stolen (and a couple of geopolitical crisis could have been avoided), so we get Kyoshi.
Kyoshi was so focused on her duty and fixing the problems of the world that she literally and figuratively isolated herself and her people, which leads to Roku.
And while Roku was too attached and trusting of his friends to see how far they'd gone (he's constantly telling Aand to trust less)... if he had been better at actually connecting with and confronting his friend he might have been able to prevent the conflict before it even started. Roku sees his mistake as not killing Sozin as soon as he started the conflict, but before the conflict even began Roku knew what Sozin wanted to do. Rather than confronting him while peace was still an option, he shut down all discussion, distanceing himself from the problem until it was too big to ignore.
So we get Aang as the diplomat. He is amazing at connecting with others and mediating conflict, but he's also a pacifist to a fault and struggles with the reality of necessary conflict and violence.
....
Which in turn leads to Korra. A hot-headed and brash warrior, whose first instinct is to tackle a problem head-on.
@@nemasisdemarini8339weird considering next in line is an earth bender
@@dragonstouch1042 I mean, originally yes, but if you look on the statues at the air temples, Aang is the last of the cycle. Meaning that the avatar state probably goes in a cycle where the last avatar of the last cycle becomes the first of the new one. Or they just thought it'd be cool to imply Aang would die in avatar state and end the cycle. honestly I'm not sure
Iroh hugging Zuko is the most powerful moment in the whole show for me.
I was so hyped to see Alixia watching this episode since book 1 because I knew she would dehydrate for crying her eyes out on the Zuko + Iroh scene. For me, it is the most emotional moment in the entire series. So good.
For me it's a close second to his son's birthday.
@@pakman9794 that one hits hard too!
Kyoshi once again cements herself as the best Avatar and the most underutilized part of the franchise.
Aang: “But technically you didn’t kill him, he fell to his death.”
Kyoshi: “Bitch, what’s the difference? Bring his ass out here and I’ll do it again.”
Right, I love how she's all if he HADN'T have fell to his death I'd have still killed him!😂
idk, they literally weote 2 novels about kiyoshi. i think that makes her utilized enough 🙃
Willing to bet her plan was to go back and kill him, but he saved her the trouble.
"I was never angry with you, I was afraid that you'd lost your way"
When I first heard them, those words hit harder than possibly any other quote in existence, because I grew up with a particularly strained relationship with my parents. But no matter what, after every fight we had my parents would often say something very similar, often breaking down themselves, as looking back, they likely felt worse simply because they felt like they failed to help me... every time i watch this scene, even to this day, tears inevitably come.
THE FINALE IS HERE BABY! Zuko has gone through so much and changed so much. I love that while Zuko thinks Iroh was gonna be angry and scold him instead, was brought into a hug and told that Iroh was never angry just sad. Now we got the rest of the finale to end this great series
Another detail that's more wholesome than heartbreaking: the moment Iroh pulls Zuko in, in the very last frame, you can see Zuko's mouth/tongue whatever forming to an "L", which implies he was going to say "I don't know how I'll ever make it up to you, but I love you"
Thanks for coming to my TED talk, I'm going to cry in a corner now
Aangs story definitely has an aspect of personal freedom. He has the world trying to tell him what to do and forcing him to act how they want. He pushes back against that and finds his own way while still helping others.
Fun fact I only just noticed recently. When the avatar spirits leave you can hear their element. Roku's spirit leaving sounds like something burning, Kyoshi's sounds like gravel falling, Kuruk sounds like water flowing, and Yangchen sounds like wind blowing.
14:03 - 14:43. This is Avatar Kuruk a water bender Avatar and he had a tragic story. When he was the Avatar, he had been fighting dark spirits that invaded the mortal world. Even though the dark spirits can't come back, unfortunately, it affects Kuruk as it causes him to feel depressed after fighting dark spirits. Because of this Kuruk doesn’t help the nation which makes them think that he is the worst Avatar and have the world without the Avatar including a group of pirates coming around. Koh the face stealer stole his wife’s face to punish Kuruk for his arrogance. When he confronted Koh, he didn’t kill him because if he killed Koh, it would kill his wife as well. So he had no choice but to let him go. But he still roamed the spirit world fighting dark spirits.
I always felt bad for him
@ it is sad. Nobody didn’t know what he was doing because he didn’t want to put his family or friends in danger, so he fought dark spirits alone.
@@IndigoWilliams22 yeah, but I wonder if his story would be different if he told them. Maybe if he had some Allie’s he and fiancé could’ve had a happier life. But he did what he thought was best and he was younger and in a time with less conflict. He couldn’t grow and mature like most other avatars so he lived a life to make himself happy but also to make him feel alive with the darkness he struggled with until his death.
"The tinyest spider-fly caught in its own net"
How did i only now notice that line? It's brilliant! 😂🤣😂🤣😂
Something I love about this situation is that none of the previous selves had to be int he same conditions as Aang. He's the *last* of his people. He's the avatar that would have this knowledge but he's the only one to ask this so he has to set the precedent. This is his knowledge to give future avatars if they find themself int his situation, but it can't help him now. He has to make the decision first.
It never fails to amaze me at just how heartbreaking Zuko's voice actor's performance is in this episode. Dante Basco really hit it out of the park.
I found Avatar Yangchen’s advice very interesting. She believes that all life is sacred, yet she still counsels Aang that he must set aside himself to do what is necessary for the rest of the world. She acknowledges that for the world to work you sometimes have to do things that you consider morally wrong.
Roku: Be decisive
Kuruk: Be active
Yangchen: Fulfill your duty to the world
Kyoshi: Let's kill da ho, I mean, responsibility for your decisions, no regrets or something
To add to the awesomeness of Bumi retaking his city: according to fan analysis, since the eclipse was still going when he was done, he managed to retake his entire city, solo, in under 8 minutes.
Omashu Freedom speedrun WR 6:43
Fun fact: Zuko’s VA and Jong Jong’s VA played Jake Long and his Grandpa respectively in American Dragon Jake Long, another series about a hero with magical powers meant to keep peace between the material world and the mystical one.
I love the double meaning of the title in this one. In both stories of the episode, they're meeting with a group of "old masters" Aang meeting with the previous Avatars, and the rest of the gang meeting with the order of the White Lotus.
@1:41 the Zutara/Kataang shipping wars were something else 😂 and all the avatars talking to Aang about duty… this was powerful stuff to see as a kid.
I was watching this episode in a normal mood but the moment of reunion literally made me burst into tears. Such a masterpiece
So, these next two episodes are going to be epic... SO PLEASE JUST WATCH THEM BOTH BACK-TO-BACK!!! IT'S SO WORTH IT!!!!
She's already watched them seperately
she's like 5 episodes ahead on every series on patreon, so safe to say she may already have finished the finale
19:01 is where streamer broken. That being said…can’t blame her
Iroh saying he was sad and then that he was proud of Zuko just hits different. May we all find someone who is as proud of us as Iroh was of Zuko.
I love how he calls Kyoshi out to get advice on how not to kill someone. Bruh she would be the first and last mf to tell you to drop him
The only way should be asking Kyoshi how not to kill someone is how to keep them alive for torture reasons but even then she'd say "Why are you wasting time. Ice the bitch and move on."
Lion turtles were mentioned a couple of times before and piandao had a bunch of lion turtle statues
Not sure if anyone posted this since I came in late but the sandal Zuko saved and used in this episode is the one Iroh dropped as a hint when he got captured by earthbenders in season 1.
Fun Fact: Zuko's voice actor, Dante Basco, actually said "Father Lord" on accident but the directors liked it so they left it in.
I whole heartedly agree with you. I’m glad I’m not the only one who agrees Aang shouldn’t have killed Ozai. And believe me I *hated* the dude when I was younger, but I also acknowledged the true strength of not killing him and finding another way.
Now as I’m older I’m bitter towards the previous airbender avatar for basically abandoning what it meant to be it. The nomads teachings apply to ALL life, not just the normal ones but the major ones to.
but aang is more than a nomad, the avatar trumps being a air nomad
Still one of the most masterful scenes we've ever seen. This NEVER fails to bring a tear to my eyes. And I'm a grown ass man.
God damn that Mark Hamil Fire Lord voice is so good. Who knew Luke Skywalker would be so good at playing Bad guys.
He also played the Joker in Batman the Animated series. He’ll take on the Avatar, but the IRS, no thank you.
there's a comic that takes place during this episode where toph and bumi try and find out who's the better earth bender
You know Yang Chen invented the air bender equivalent to Darth Vader's force choke.
I’d argue it’s worse than the force choke
Those bastards knew what they were doing, having Zuko break when seeing Iroh again. Man is the absolute GOAT of this series!
We all need an Iroh in our lives…
Zuko: I'm so sorry uncle, I made the wrong choice but im here to fix it, i need to atone for my dad's mistakes.
Iroh: he may have been your father, but he wasnt your Daddy
So just to clarify the reason Nyla couldn’t sniff out Aang was because the lion turtle he’s on the back of is so old that it’s intense scent of the earth masks out Aangs own scent, one of the creators stated this when a fan asked about it
Why was THAT the explanation? Most of us just assumed it was some spirit shenanigans stopping her. Why did they go with a much worse explanation?
@ahumanbeingfromtheearth1502 It probably had some spiritual funk too, being that old
Fun fact:
Everyone hated Kuruk until the Kyoshi novels was released.
Iroh really said "I'm going to do what I love for the rest of my life, and it will be so good"
Good for him
WELP, TIME TO CRY
literally the second episode that ALWAYS makes me cry
Nothing left but big amazing moments, we have been waiting for this one for awhile. the White Lotus, the return of Iroh, the Lion Turtle. This is peak Avatar!
over a thousand small strands laid down over 3 seasons finally come back together for the finale, basic story telling masterfully done. 😁
also Mark Hamill being over the top chewing through fictional scenery is always a win. 😉
One of the essential rules of Avatar, if Iroh is crying, we're all crying.
Theories about Aang not existing are that the lion turtle is both in the spirit world and the material world at the same time, or that Lion Turtles' Spirits are so powerful that being on their back s is like being in a miniature spirit world. Either way would work because if you take your body into the spirit world with you then you get to keep your bending.
Alicia really did well in picking up on things in this episode. She caught that Aang was looking for someone to make the decision for him, but he's the main character,....I mean he's the Avatar. He has to make the choice on his own.
She also caught that throughout the talks with his past selves they never tell him which way to choose. What he knows now is that he has to be decisive, bring justice so there can be peace, be active and attentive, and do whatever it takes to stop the Firelord, no matter what the risks.
There are a lot of really well written episodes of this show, and the next two are real good ones, but I consider the Old Masters to be the best written episode of the entire show.
One of the other huge parts about Aang's worry that I love, though this is like 50% just speculation and not something touched on much in the show, he is the LAST of his culture, for him to do what the Avatar is expected to do, he will have basically given up the last bit of the air nomad ways.
😭😭😭😭brooo Iroh will always be a top tier character not only in this series but in cartoons in general
Iroh is the literal embodiment of a perfect father figure.
Roku: Yeah I let my best friend live and later he left me to die in a volcano and commited genocide so yeah that didn't go too well.
Kyoshi: Lamo id have killed this dude for fun lol.
Kuruk: Yeah I didn't do much work and a centipede spirit stole my girlfriends face so yeah.
Yangchen: Sorry kiddo but you can't hide behind your culture to get out of your work upp and at em.
Oh this one killed me! So touching seeing Zuko and Iroh reunite and mend fences. I love it! The whole finale is great! Glad u r enjoying it Alicia!!
We all need an Uncle Iroh in our lives.
We all cried when Zuko and Iroh reunited. We're approaching the end of Zuko's redemption arc. And what a beautiful end it is.
Avatar Kuruk was the shortest-lived avatar in history and was directly followed by Avatar Kyoshi, the longest-lived avatar in history. I think he was only in his thirties when he died. Kyoshi lived to at least 200. Add to that the fact that Kuruk was the laziest, least involved party animal of an avatar ever while Kyoshi was the most duty bound and involved.
You should read the Kyoushi books if you think so. They show how Kuruk lived and died as well as why Kyoshi lived for so long.
@@pedrohenriquedasilvaroque1085 I did read the books. However, Alixia hasn’t and there’s a debate about how canon they are. So I thought it best to err on the side of caution. Personally I like the books and think that they add some new and interesting dimensions to the atla world.
ITS FINALLY HERE! THE MOST HEARTWARMING MOMENT OF THE SERIES!
Yeeess this was the episode I’ve been waiting for you to see. Years later it still makes me tear up every single time.
Avatar Yangchen statement about sacrificing your own spiritual wellbeing in defence of the world is one of my favourite lines in Avatar. What a wild and thought provoking idea.
Imagine working in a factory and being shifted around not from an earthquake but because the entire building was effectively fluck off a hill.
Ah yes the scene that made us all fucking sob with joy
Omg I love that hug so much you can practically feel it
This is about the time in reactions where I like to say that Momo was originally intended to be Monk Gyatso's reincarnation
Small detail I wanted to share since no one else mentioned it. When Zuko reunites with Iroh, it’s the first and only time we see tears coming out of Zuko’s scarred eye
his past selves techical didnt say to kill him. they said to do what must be done
I know this video’s been out for a while, but one thing that everyone seems to gloss over is the fact that Bumi was clearly capable of escaping whenever he wanted. He just wanted to do it when he was able to fully drive the Fire nation out in one fell swoop. Man has patience for days
I like the fact that they give aang advice and what they went through, and him understanding that he know ye has to but can't because his still mentally 12 years of age, but then he hears that he doesn't need to take the life only the darkness it holds
I hereby vote we change the definition of "Goat" to Uncle Iroh. All in Favor?
June seems like a decent person, being a merc for hire aside.
Also, cute of Appa to forgive.
10000 years of the world's protectors to call upon.
You mentioned the White Lotus last time. That was a very good guess. The old masters have mustered for war. A coalition of friends and allies from all nations come to turn the tide.
If he lives, Ozai MUST be broken.
Cool trivia about the comics. Piandao also trained Zuko back when Zuko was still a prince. And for a lot longer, so when Zuko and Sokka decided to spar with swords, Zuko beat him handily.
And for the really fun one, Toph and Bumi has a slugfest of a sparring match. It ended in a DRAW.
Honestly, Kiyoshi was too passive about Chin if anything. For the Force of Nature that she was, she should have beaten him down sooner. Unless she was busy training.
"I knew I shouldn't have asked Kiyoshi." This means Aang isn't seeking wisdom, he's seeking validation and the answer he wants. He dismisses what Kiyoshi has to say despite her having far more experience than him and living longer than any other Avatar. She was the World's Protector for over 200 years. Aang is not willing to listen though, unless he gets the answer he wants, which is not wise. It is folly.
Again, in a sparring match, Toph fought Bumi to a DRAW! Granted, sparring match, so probably not bringing, the S game with full effect, but it speaks volumes to both of their power and skill to tie. She is his successor as greatest and strongest Earthbender alive.
Aang is fishing for approval of the answer he already chose. Choosing to find a way to nonlethally defeat the Fire Lord is one thing. Deluding yourself into thinking you're seeking wisdom when you're just trying to get someone to sign off on what you already chose is deep hubris. Your advisors can be wrong, but you must be willing to consider that you can be wrong.
And Aang isn't just doing this for his personal beliefs, but because he wants to follow his teachers. The Monks told him killing was wrong, so it's wrong. The Monks had him prejudging the Ba Sing Se that was 100 years of wartime removed from the Ba Sing Se of his time. The Monks who tried to force a 12 year old to be Their champion because They couldn't fight for themselves. Aang refuses to believe that he is wrong or that his teachings aren't his priority.
I said last time I'd come back when I had the last piece of applicable evidence. Aang is being close minded and selfish here.
She knows what she speaks of. She fought a warrior spirit who nearly leveled an entire city. She faced off against a conspiracy headed by 3 combustion benders. She knows how to kill with airbending.
Precisely, you agree. He wanted a specific answer, not guidance.
If killing is evil, there are times it's a necessary evil. Let's say all life, even the most evil scum, is sacred, then that doesn't preclude necessary violence. Ozai is responsible for untold suffering and death indirectly and will now do even more harm directly if allowed. Preserving one unit of sacred that has already ended at least 10's of thousands of other units of sacred and will continue to do so is not a wise choice. Even if Aang held Ozai's life no less sacred than Katara's, logic would still demand ending Ozai's.
Dante is putting in the work on that acting.
You did call the turtle, but there's more to it.
I'm kind of sad Suki still has to wear the commandeered fire nation clothes and can't gear up with her fans. and makeup. Everyone else gets to put on their comfortable and national pride clothes, but not her. Sokka has his armor, Katara is packing heavy with two large waterskins, but poor Suki doesn't get even a single fan.
Sometimes it is best to appoint those who don't want power to leadership. Because they respect it and do not pollute it with ambition.
Zuko has come to respect the power of other benders, and he saw the typhoon of fury Katara can unleash or temper. He underestimates her no more.
Iroh is looking forward to retirement.
There was a blink you you'll miss picture of a Lion Turtle in the Great Library.
If not for this Lion Turtle, Aang likely would have to take Ozai's life this night.
The Comet is here, and the final battle has begun.
You are correct, Avatar Kuruk was indeed a ladies’ man.
Just realized, a comet is made of ice, rock and frozen gas. It's literally every element except fire.
28:00 Ozai working on his Nobunaga impersonation.
Iroh and Zuko's reunion always makes me cry too.
The tearbending is strong in this episode
I love how despite the very small amount of time to characterize Kyoshi in the show, everyone predicts that Kyoshi will tell aang to just kill Ozai.
1:20 this started many a fanfic.
If I recall, one of the reasons why Iroh didn't speak until now during the entire season was because Mako, his original voice actor, passed in-between seasons. They managed to get Mako's understudy Greg Baldwin to record Iroh's lines for the season, but brought out as much emotion as they could and increase the sense of loss by deliberately not having Iroh speak.
Fun fact: avatar Yang Chen created a forbidden air bending technique. It involves forcing the air out of someone's lungs until they suffocate. She is known as the deadliest known avatar because of this.
Woman 1: he didn’t cry during the titanic
Woman 2: do men even have feeling
Men: *even more than a decade after this episode premiered* flood tears, don’t hold back
This entire series is just made to make even grown adults shed tears
I always cry when I see Zuko and Iroh hug it out in this episode.
I mean if you don't at least get misty eyed are you even human.
Uncle Iroh is a real one!! we don't deserve a man like him!!!
😭😭😭😭😭😭
The Zuko/Iroh reunion is so nice. And I love how the Avatars were like "nah, waste 👏 his 👏 ass 👏".
I watched that last few episodes on your patreon because the last two episodes have a lot of tear jerking and a lot of emotions. Avatar the last air bender was the best cartoon to watch growing up. Thank you Alicia for allowing me to watch this once again but with a very amazing person to share the experience with. And as well I hope your medical situation gets better.
I was waiting so long for this moment and seeing you tear up at this actually made me tear up a bit. So glad I could watch it with you Alica
After rewatching these reactions, I noticed they teased the Island thing Aang is on as early as the episode featuring Wan Shi Tong's Library.
In a (semi-)canon comic, Toph and Bumi have a sparring match shortly before the gaang leaves the White Lotus camp. The overall result was a tie, meaning they are both tied for "Strongest/Best Earthbender in the world". However, Bumi is super old and Toph is 12-13, and she does get even better as she gets older.
This is probably my favorite episode of the franchise because of that reunion scene.
“But the Avatar can never do it, b/c Your sole duty is to the world. Here is my wisdom for you. Selfless duty calls you to sacrifice your own spiritual needs, and do what ever it takes to protect the world” = chills
Have anyone told her that
In this part
Bumi and toph actually have a 1v1 becoz of sokka instigation of whom is the true best earth bender
And ofc we end in a draw
Comic cannon btw
If you're a reader, I HIGHLY recommend the Kyoshi novels, Rise of Kyoshi and Shadow of Kyoshi. They're an amazing duology about Kyoshi's early days finding out she's the Avatar and there's lots of twists, political intrigue, and in some ways they're darker than either of the shows ever get (w/ the exception of maybe the Air Nomad Genocide). And let's just say, Avatar Kuruk was witholding a LOT about how the world was relatively peaceful and the "good times" during his life,. FC Yee is a really talented writer, imo.
They're also going to be considered canon for the ongoing Avatar Studios projects, so it's good backstory to have to spot easter eggs & references they might put in to various projects.
There's a new book (also by Yee) about Yangchen too, Dawn of Yangchen, currently awaiting its sequel. Also a very good read, it's more "subdued" I'd say, but it fits for the more spy/mystery vibe.
19:25 K.O.! Lol. all the way back at episode 5, you were like "Why ami about to cry? I aint cryin to no kids show" and this is exactly where we all end up. crying unapologetically to two people being reconnected. the journey has been wonderful
When she said that, I literally just laughed. There was no doubt that she WOULD be crying over a kids show.