Korra was done so dirty by it's shorter less planned seasons. She's my queen but i still want better for her. I would've killed for her and her Krew to get the same level of filler world building as ATLA got
I do wish her show was a lot better. The characters were likeable. I'd the world got more of the respect it deserved I'd imagine it would be just as if not more popular than ATLA
True it was a always just a like a "big baddie need to be stopped season", i wish it was either travelling, a more who-done-it or more straight up action 24-7. Or something else every season but as well gotten some filler.
@@adolescentbirdNo, they’re talking about Katara’s ITALIAN voice (Ilaria Latini) who is also Flora’s VA in the original Italian version of Winx Club. Mae Whitman has never voiced Flora, not even once
the fact that the great divide is considered the worst episode and it’s not even bad says how amazing the show is. The filler episodes may not help the plot but they show us great character moments, which in my opinion is just as important. It’s also just really fun being able to watch the show out of order and still understand what’s going on. When the show aired it was usually out of order ( for me at least ) but that didn’t matter all you really needed from this show were the characters. And they were great every episode.
I don't even think that the episode is bad. In fact the Epsiode itself makes fun of how pointless disagreements can be, especially when you can just make sht up.
I would argue that the Great Divide only has one bad aspect, and it's that the Gaang just feels a little too mean spirited with each other, and Aang lying in the end just felt a little off. Outside of that, it's one of the first instances where you see Aang actually perform Avatar duties, that being serving as the peacemaker between two people. For standard shows, it's a pretty solid episode, for the sheer amount of quality that Avatar brings, it's the worst. Which is saying something!
@@blackfox4138 I get that and that's valid. Yet the message from that episode still stuck with me until today. They just wanted to make a point about people fighting in the present, about things in the past that can't the obectively proven. Where the point is, that the reason for fighting is only in your own imagination and nothing that exists now. All Aang needed to do was make something up and it had the same weight as the other story.
The original definition of 'filler', and the definition still used by the anime community, is "a story that is not present in the original manga", aka "anime only". By this definition, Avatar doesn't have any filler episodes because it does not have a manga or any other form of source material.
Came here to comment this. For example, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood definitely has some episodes that don't immediately advance the plot iirc, and add levity, but all of them are in the original story. The problem with filler is that unless the anime references the filler in future filler, or reference it during an adaptation of the source material, it will by definition not even come up as an emotional callback.
This has also been on my mind for so long. I keep seeing people say "filler" when that's ... not what's being discussed? The closest actual term I can think of people actually meaning is "padding" but even then that doesn't fit all of the time. This obsession with "ONLY PLOT AT ALL TIMES" has really been warping discussions of what makes up the whole of stories. It feels like people aren't letting themselves relax and breathe even with their entertainment. A car can't drive forever - it'll run out of gas. So to do stories need time to refuel - re-Fill if you will :p Anyway thanks for saying what I wanted to say before me xD Makes me feel less crazy for thinking of the "old" definition of filler.
My thoughts exactly. "Filler" was meant to say arcs or episodes that were added to a series when the show caught up to the creator. It was meant so that the show could still air episodes while allowing the creator to release more content. "Filler episodes" are literally that. Episodes that are place holders, and are filling time. They can literally be skipped and not affect the story in any way. Avatar doesn't have any true Filler episodes. While it does have episodes that are not directly influencing the plot, they are still contributing to the show overall. Whether that is exploring characters or giving the story down time. I would say the only true Filler episode of Avatar is the great Divide.
@@inarifox8912 Even then, the Great Divide is the first time we see refugees heading to Ba Sing Se and it's established that preventing a bender from moving their arms is often the best way to prevent them from bending at all which is extremely relevant to the entire show. That's why it's so surprising to Aang in Book 2 that Bumi can still bend with only his face uncovered. For most benders, that would be enough to effectively subdue them.
sure, but that's not what it means colloquially and the colloquial definition/meaning is the foundation for the usage, on the internet. i agree that 'filler' is regarded way too negatively but when people use the word they obviously aren't referring to the technical definition
0:19 fr, I hate the binge watching stuff. A story has a much bigger impact imo if you have to wait another week tune in to watch it It starts living more in your head instead of binging 6 episodes in a row
I hate how "filler" has gained such a negative reputation as a word and concept in TV. Like people are saying a story is worthless unless it add to some overall story arc 😟
Right! Also, what does it even mean for a part of a story to "not add to the overall story arch?" Isn't that self contradictory? If it's part of the story, it's part of the story arc, right? It just feels like a weirdly sterile and taxonomic way of interacting with art.
I kept up with Anime Filler List during my initial watch of Naruto. I don’t dislike filler. I watched it. I wanted more content with my favorite characters. I just like knowing whether it’s canon or not. Whether it’s an episode I really need to focus on or not. I get that’s not for everyone. But it gets too much hate for just existing.
I'll add to how filler really can be good. Sailor Moon for example: The Origonal Anime actually put in a whole Doom Tree Arc as filler between the first season and he second season, The Mangaka took one look of the Doom Tree Arc and actually was *Excited* for it. She absolutely loved the Doom Tree Arc and wished she had thought of it herself but I remember learning that and was like "Oh that's actually pretty awesome." The Doom Tree also did a good job in bridging the gab between the two seasons of how Mamao and Usagi got to be closer and follow the Manga a little closely in their relationship because it would have been whiplash if they didn't have it. I know you already did a series of Videos talking about Sailor moon overall (and read the Manga and watched both versions of the anime) But learning about the Doom Tree Arc's story actually had me see "filler" as less a bad thing and more of a thing that helps with the quieter moments of building things to the next stage of things. Filler used to be used as a term when the animators didn't have much else to work on while they wait for the mangaka (or novels in some cases) to finish up things. Some was good, some were bad, but he bad ones weren't *as* common as people made it out to be (Look at Gurren Lagann... The whole time skip is actually *all filler* because the Mangaka passed away right before the time skip. And people loved it a whole lot more back then then other realized. My friends wouldn't stop talking about it and how it elevated the story.) But I think now people just use the term "Filler" when it doesn't focus on the main point of the story with sprinkles of it. A lot of people use the Blount Arc in Bleach as an example of what they mean. Then it morphed into something people *hate* absolutely due to the culture of shifting from weekly episodes to binge watching and Steven Universe got smacked with those critizims due to still doing the weekly thing, but then people complain not having enough infomation with Owl House (and other areas in Steven Universe) due to cut content. It's a bit intresting how it shifted so drasticly since the 90s which wasn't too far ago.
Filler is good. It lets us see more of what the characters like and how they react to different situations. It fleshes out the world, relationships, characters, so much more. Just look at Sailor Moon crystal compared to the 90's anime. The lack of filler in Crystal makes the relationships between the girls feel rather hollow. We don't get all the cute bonding moments, or seeing everyone have their own skills like we did before. It sucks
None of these episodes feel like filler at all. They feel relevant for many reasons, but mostly because they expand the world and give insight to characters. A true filler can be skipped without losing anything.
The Great Divide is the only filler episode. Adds nothing to character development, doesn't expand the world, and doesn't have anything to do with the rest of the show.
But that's part of the problem, people don't know the difference. The term "filler" went from dozens (sometimes hundreds) of episodes that mean nothing to the overall plot or development of characters to just a general term where the plot isn't the forefront of the episode. Now we've reached a point where people have become so anti-filler, that shows these days are expected to be Plot over Everything.
@@blackfox4138 That's a change in the discourse that has cycled back around. The term 'filler arc' was only popularised when shonen series started getting weekly fansubs in the early 2000s but episodes of Neon Genesis Evangellion were getting called 'filler' before then.
I think people fundamentally do not understand what filler episodes are. Filler episodes stem from anime, especially long running anime like Bleach, Naruto, One Piece. Filler episodes referred to episodes that were added when the show caught up to the source material to allow the creator of the source material to put out more content. Filler episodes where stroies that went no where, didn't devolp the characters in any meaningful way, and were never referred to by the story again. These types of episodes were meant as litteral place holders until they could progress the story. Meanwhile stories like Avatar don't have filler episodes as all of the episodes contribute to the overall story in some way. Not all of them contribute to the plot, but they do explore the characters and what happens in a filler episode still affect them going forward.
Nope the concept of 'filler' comes from album track lists where subpar songs got added to LPs to bad them out into albums and predates so called anime fandom by decades (anime became the standard term in the mid 90s replacing 'Japanimation'). What you're talking about are 'filler arcs' which are an anime thing.
I've come to loathe the term filler all together. It is tossed around so much that it has become meaningless. Any episode of any show that could technically be cut out and you could still follow the plot gets the label, which leads to people under-valuing fun episodes, episodes with meaningful character moments, and even episodes that just help keep the pace of the show from going too fast. I feel that it is a term that ends up hurting discussions around a show by implying that any episode that doesn't advance the over-arching plot isn't worthy of your time when that could not be further from the truth. I've heard people call Tales of Ba Sing Se filler as through it doesn't feature one of the most heart wrenching scenes in the entire franchise. These aren't "filler" episodes, they are NORMAL EPISODES. The ones that do make significant plot advancements are the special ones, not the other way around. Every episode of this show is part of the greater tapestry that makes it what it is. Why is there even a conversation around skipping any of it? It's a well paced 3 season masterpiece. If you want to talk filler and skippable episodes there is a lot of 200+ episode anime out there where the term actually applies. I've seen enough mid-season Pokemon to know what true filler looks like and it is not pretty.
The term comes from the music industry where its an alternative way of saying 'padding' and refers to album tracks that aren't good enough to be singles. When albums were a new thing in the 60s they had a justifiably bad reputation but most great albums have songs that couldn't be singles on them which are still great songs in context so the same issues of fans undervaluing stuff was there too.
I think my absolute favourite thing about Avatar is the pacing. And the balance it strikes between episodic and serialised storytelling. It gives it the vibe of a sitcom and a drama and allows it to excell at both It's such a stupid thing to enjoy but the PACING of this show and how they ontroduce concepts and create momentum and escelate is just so absolutely perfect
This video is great, but I particularly love your analysis of The Deserter and I love how it sets up Book 3. Aang, once eager to learn fire, makes a mistake that sends him further back then when he started. He now no longer wants to firebend at all. Also I love how the Jeong Jeong's jaded view of Fire and his self hatred sets up the whole "Water good, Fire bad" that we might carry into early Book 3. I love how they use a person's jaded perception, coupled with his authority as a potential firebending teacher, to create this expectation that will be subverted when we learn more about what Firebending is and what Waterbending can become. I want to rewatch the Deserter now to see what else it sets up in Book 3.
I don't know. It's kind of weird that we use the term filler for television shows made outside of the production process of anime adaptations of manga. Filler, as a term, comes from Anime where show runners often had to inject new content into already existing stories when the manga they were getting those stories from started to run low on material. In those cases the "filler" episodes didn't "advance the plot" of the story they were adapting because they were not originally a part of that story. But avatar isn't an adaptation. Everything that happens in the show is part of the original story. When we go to Kyoshi Island, the story isn't stopping or taking a detour, the plot is moving at just the same pace as when we're in the Norther Water Tribe. I appreciate this video for showing how "filler" in serialized stories isn't bad. I honestly kind of wish we could ditch prescriptive terms like "filler" when talking about art. Outside of anime adaptations of manga, it just isn't useful for discussing stories. If anything, it implies that stories, like the excellent ones you talk about here, are incidental to the overall story they are a part of rather than being a necessary component of those larger stories.
Filler comes from album tracklists where it was a synonym for 'padding' and was a dismissive term for songs that weren't good enough to be singles. Filler arcs are a thing in daytime shonen anime but aren't where the concept comes from. Its a dismissive term but it does reflect how stories get paced out during the planning stages. The Great Divide almost certainly was written just to pad out an episode order but that doesn't mean that space shouldn't be used properly.
I personally think there should be a different term for episodes that provide breathing space but are still important to the story (aka, all the 'filler' in atla) and episodes that aren't canon and are just a bit of fun.
I think it can be referred to as character exploration/world building but in all honesty, I dont think there's a word to capture it cuz most audiences aren't media literate and could differentiate or see how these 'filler' episodes drive the plot.
I'm ok with katara stealing the scroll because they stole it first anyway, but what pisses me off is the way she berated toph for scamming scammers before it even became a problem "because it's wrong" and the relationship between these situations never being adressed by anybody. Like gurl what 😭
The difference is that it’s a lot riskier to steal/scam when they’re in enemy territory (the Fire Nation) and are trying to hide the fact that the Avatar is alive.
I don't think Sokka or Aang ever want to get between Toph and Katara, since they rarely do when those two are bickering. Katara (mostly with others) had been on a commandeering streek anyway; firenation ship, clothes, supplies from the factory in the painted lady episode. Given the last one Toph could have brought up herself and Sokka or Aang coulda mentioned the scroll.
Personally I don't think filler episodes are generally bad, I believe that they can be good if done well, like putting more emphasis into the characters and taking time exploring it's worldbuilding. It's ok to take a break from the narrative and give the characters time to breath. Just as long as it's entertaining and interesting and doesn't feel completely pointless.
I initially thought this episode can be removed in the Netflix ATLA. But after I watched the Netflix version, I realized that no, this episode is too important for Katara's character development to be removed. This episode showed Katara is driven and passionate in learning waterbending to the point she would steal. Do anything to learn waterbending. This is why I cheered for her so much when she fought Zuko during the siege. You saw her passion and the results were satisfying to watch.
Filler is incredibly under appreciated, something I’ve only realized in the last two years going back to 2000s tv. An episode of anything is driven by one of two things: plot (ie, the overarching story) or character (focusing on a single character having some issue relating to them specifically). And filler is inherently is inherently not driven by plot, so it has to be character-driven. This is where we get to see the little bits that truly flesh out characters, the hidden depths that make them real. Leverage is one of the best TV shows ever made, adored utterly by just about everyone who’s seen it. And yet, it’s mostly filler. It doesn’t really have overarching plots, and those that do exist aren’t universally beloved. But they made compelling tv episodes every week by making sure every episode hit some nerve for one of these otherwise unflappable people,and the episodic plots were always well-written. Filler needs more love!
If it expands on characters, then it isn't filler. A filler episode is one that could be skipped without losing anything. Episodes that give character development wouldn't be filler episodes. If you skip The Great Divide entirely, you lose nothing. There's no character development, there's no world building, and it isn't ever referenced again. Aang as a character always hated lying, he always felt guilty when he did it. Except in The Great Divide, when he was proud of lying to these people. But only for the one episode, after which he's back to feeling guilty about it.
My favourite episode is "the tales of ba sing se" It's the most filler episode in the series, but it explores the characters and ba sing se itself a lot, I just love it. Also, I cried on the tale of Iroh and a little bit on Appa's
I compare the situation a lot with Steven Universe, for example. SU also was planned with a TV format in mind, that's why we see a lot of "fillers" episodes in the first season. Even though most of what was presented in season one gets ignored in terms of lore e worldbuilding, since it is a "experimental season", it's still fun to watch and to know about these characters and their dynamics. That should be the purpose of a good "filler". With that said, i hate the "fillers" episodes in season 4 and 5. we've gone through a lot and suddenly we're spenting with uninteresting plots and characters. If you're going to make a "filler" episode, make it worth it. the owner of the arcade store is a retired comedian with a clown ex boyfriend that Steven has to help them reconciliate and we never see that character again? A whole episode about Pearl learnig to let go of Rose and meeting other humans and we never see Mistery Girl again? The daughter of the pizza maker is having nightmares because she can't say no to her sister escaping her responsabilities? MAKE US CARE. I know the show went in a production hell, but that's not an excuse to bad "fillers". The creator always say how a lot of content couldn't make it into the series, for example, a flashback episode about Rose being motherly with Amethist anf their relationship. Why you didn't do it? it could've been watched in any order and it still would've a much better addition to the show. One of my favorites episodes, the one that stuck with me, it's the episode of the origin of amethyst. I always cry with that episode, and it is a "filler" episode. MAKE BETTER FILLERS.
-Even the Mishnah says that the who steals from a thief is exempt from punishment from theft, though it also obligates the new thief to return the property to its original owner. Something Katara most likely did during her six-month training in the Northern Water Tribe. -Aunt Wu seems like a heavily spiritual woman who believes in her own readings, much like Ty Lee's trust in "auras". -I find it interesting that Aang was just as gifted in firebending as he was in airbending, but lacked discipline and control - something that held him back in water and earth and Jeong Jeong rightfully pointed out made him too dangerous to be a firebender just yet.
Great video, fun consept. From what i understand growing up on the internet, Filler originally meant episodes that were not adaptations of source material (mainly cause I think it's a term that originated from anime), and i hate that moat people now use it to mean character cofused/self contained episodes.
I honestly hate the term filler. If a story legitimately adds nothing then id maybe accept it. The obsession with plot at all costs mentioned in this video just seems to be a misunderstanding of storytelling in general or at least a very narrow understanding of it. Id not take such offense though if the term wasnt so obviously pejorative.
i also think katara's flaws make her a much more nuanced and well developed character which is why it irritates me when the fanbase gives katara flak for being 'mean' or constantly in the wrong or whatever. what i find funny is that stripping her of her flaws and depth by not 'allowing' her those moments of outburst would result in those same people labeling her as a mary sue or goody two shoes. just can't win
Filler should ALWAYS be cannon be it Seal of Orichalcos in Yu-Gi-Oh, The Bouts in Bleach and the 10 million mini adventures in Naruto, One Piece and FairyTail
"Filler" was originally a term for when adaptations of media would insert extra episodes that didn't happen in the original, and thus nothing happens in them, right?
Avatar doesn’t have any filler episodes. Every episode adds at least something meaningful to a character. Even if it’s an episode like “Imprisoned” which adds fundamentally nothing to the main story, it gives us deeper insight on our main characters and adds depth to their personalities, motives, etc., as well as adds depth to the world around them. Filler episodes don’t do this. Sure you could reduce the series to just several episodes featuring key points in the plot, but at what cost? Major character development and world-building…. *cough cough* netflix…. Each and every episode is important and adds depth to the show
Honestly yeah, Katara was justified in stealing the scroll... The scroll itself was already stolen, and they didn't know the owner. Its not like it would be returned if they had left it, and they were going to the Northern Water tribe anyway. The fate of the world is kinda more important than the morals of stealing an already stolen possession (also... the pirate weren't water benders, they couldn't even use it themselves).
I want to add more on why despite being stand alone stories these aren't filler in a traditional sense-- given each is inherently linked into things need for the future of the group. In Warriors of Kyoshi character wise this is the defining change for Sokka's character. Beyond growth from his sexist ideas Sokka is given the direct answers that help him become a needed leader and warrior later on. Honor, bravery, heroism, and loyalty-- it clearly tells us the way his arc will eventually grow. Beyond this the Kyoshi warriors end up becoming a very needed factor to the main plot and are best introduced early-- if the group never came they wouldn't have inspired to warriors to leave to be active members in the war, and without that there wouldn't be an easy cover for Azula to mimic to get into Ba Sing Se. Having an episode early constitutes the pay off later that works best if given the timeline to breathe because it also gives characters off screen a reasonable time for their plot to become settled. The Waterbending Scroll as you said, it develops the characters but adds in the connection of waterbending and it's importance to both characters. It also focuses the plot back in on the book one being about waterbending; this was the first time in like 6 episodes where it took focus and it's a needed element to move that sort of plot along of them actively choosing to learn waterbending when they can so it doesn't feel like a forgotten element to time crunch the characters are on. The Fortune Teller is probably the most traditional filler episode but it does have two things. Katara and Aang waterbending scroll and overall practice did actually come into use with the clouds. Given how little control and skill there was at the start, I think it shows while not masters they are improving and have an understanding of how to improve that is need with something like the scroll. It also is a concept that foreshadows elements of Ba Sing Se and the blind faith that if not taken was forced onto people-- it's a nice twist later on with something we encounter that takes an earnest belief/concept and makes it well terrifying. The Deserter as explained isn't filler in any sense, it established Aang's fear of the element very early on and why it was so hard for him to learn while building more of his dislike to the fire nation despite once not holding that belief. I think without this episode we might question while Aang doesn't pick up on firebending earlier on despite it being around and used, and it's a needed lesson for Aang that is good to establish early when he's been so carefree. It teaches Katara's healing and like with Kyoshi sets up Jeong Jeong as an important ally later on that helps having the time apart. The Northern Air Temples, same thing. We need Sokka to have that inventor side established early to make it have enough time to make sense of things being built and possible in the long term. It provides allies and ends up being a great gateway into partly setting up how the Fire Nation has items because of what is seen throughout the episodes that is rooted in importance in the following books. What I mean to say is we see these are filler because the impact most of these episodes have can't be tangible until later on, and in a time where people love action and high stakes progression all of the time it's nice when things don't have instant gratification and pay off. When all of these characters return it really does have emotional weight in understanding the positivity influence the gaang had even from the start. It's because of time willing to plant seeds and allies later on that ATLA is able to have character studies, development, and still have a linking progression that isn't overly in your face. Also I don't say any of this to discredit the video and even it being more filler based but with importance-- partly because I see people say 'we'll ATLA had a lot of filler that's why its good' when it not because of filler it's because they knew how to pace and make use of everything they could get out of what they had.
Sokkas development in s1ep4 is cool. I would've like to see it come full circle. Like in s1ep18 for example, when katara challenges the gender roles of waterbending. Sokka should've been right there with Katara, as he's seen women can fight too. Not to mention, it's his own sister.
I never had a problem with filler, I think it’s actually necessary for world building and character building, and helps with pacing, I can’t stand shows these days that have high alert action non stop, it needs a moment to breathe, but also adds realism. Sure people might be on a mission but it’s just weird if every episode is pushing story forward, I feel like that’s why avatar worked so well, there are many episodes where they’re aimlessly wandering and just don’t know what to do, it gives it meaning when something big happens, and also gives more depth to characters if it’s dealt well. (Looking at you, lousy beach filler in anime that’s nothing more but a bikini showcase) Except the type of fillers that’s basically just recaps, (like how in Naruto you’ll have recaps of the same storyline a million times to the point they don’t have much meaning anymore, I do love the filler that’s just about their side missions etc, it’s when I saw the filler and OVA in Naruto for example that I only started to understand why it hurt Sakura and Naruto so bad that sasuke left, and saw that in fact they were much closer as a squad and as people than the main story was portraying, and even I felt the ache of how much better their squad functioned with sasuke in it, each member of the team was truly indispensable. If I had to rely on the story alone I honestly didn’t get it at all, and felt like everyone was overreacting by a landslide, since no one seemed to be that close, until the filler showed me otherwise. I feel like this type of filler should be in a different category since I’d argue it’s part of the main story, since it adds body and soul to it, and should’ve been part of the main story. And then have fillers that’s all recap be the only type of filler to be actually called filler.)
I barely rewatch Stranger Things, but constantly rewatch random old episodes of Bojack Horseman sporadically That was a great blend of serial and episodic too I don't like these basically long movies
2:08 you bothered tho. Ill stand by the belief that the episodes you are referencing here are not fillers. I would only classify an episode a filler if the mood is completely disconnected with the main theme.
Hell none of these episodes are 'filler'. I mean the Kyoshi warriors play a big role in Azula's takeover of Ba Sing Se and Suki herself becomes a large player for the finale. Her introduction ep ain't filler. Same with the mechanist. It's his intro before his inventions are used in the invasion. And the water bending scroll is literally shenanigans while trying to learn waterbending, a core component of Aangs journey is that he Has to master the 4 elements and This is where that starts. (Also isn't this where Katara loses her necklace??? Might be a different ep I can't remember.) A filler ep is an ep where absolutely nothing happens to the status quo. No character development or plot threads, nothing. It can be removed and the story doesn't change. ATLA is episodic but other than The Tales of Ba Sing Se (which is the definition of good filler) I don't think ATLA has filler. Hell Ember Islands is a recap ep but it's showing us literal Fire Nation propaganda and the Beach ep with Azula and Co shows just how much the war has messed up even the antagonists! Their IS a reason ATLA is so praised lol.
I don’t mind filler as long as they provide SOMETHING interesting, whether that be character beats, allegory to the main plot, expansion on something we saw in the past and were just curious about, etc. I just would like to be interested in what is being presented, so I don’t mind episodic narratives
I'm convinced that Kiyoshi plays such an important role in LATLA is because the ONLY time we really get to see Kiyoshi is in possibly the most fillerly of filler episodes, and the Kiyoshi fans don't wanna deal with that fact.
"Noooooo I hate character development and world building!!!1! Every episode has to be extremely plot driven!!!1!1! Also if I can't finish it in a weekend I'm NOT watching it! grrrrrr"
I'm exaggerating a little, but this is a sentiment I've seen a lot, and I find it really confusing. There are people out there who want LESS content? Why?
Sorry, but the live action Katara isn’t Katara. That’s someone else… Katara is meant to be passionate, strong willed and flawed. Not another mf generic girlboss who has no flaws
I saw a post someone made about how it was good Suki beat the sexism out of Sokka in book 1 because imagine if it had been left to Toph. She would have straight up killed our boi.
the waterbending scroll is far from a filler episode, the plot of season 1 is "Aang needs to learn waterbending" so uh... not sure what the thumbnail is about but not actually watching the video because of that
She picked at least 2 non-filler/plot relevant episodes and the two of the more filler episodes she picked (The fortuneteller and the waterbending scroll) are indeed some of what I personally would call, the worst episodes of the series and don't add much to the depth of any of the characters. Sure some people over compensate when calling things that dive into character dynamics, emotions, and worldbuilding filler and to that end I agree those episodes can be great and really help fill out and give life to a story. True filler doesn't give us any additional information about the world or the complexity of our characters and will always be worse than it could have been if better integrated with the plot/characters. That does not mean it is bad or that non-filler episodes are always good, just that there is some room for improvement and wasted potential. Honestly despite how important it is I think the northern air temple is one of the worst episodes because it is one of the episodes were the target age and subject matter of war are most sharply at odds and limit what the show can actually do which really pulls you out of the story and undermines the worldbuilding. Being unable to show the terrible death/suffering the refugees have gone through, the real threat of the fire nation to the people and why the mechanist does what he does really hambers the show and having to repel the fire nation with pranks (slime and stink bombs) instead of actual war and death just undercuts so much of the tension and sorrow that the war brings to the world/show.
i was under the impression filler was used to describe story added by someone who isnt the author like when an anime adds episodes that arent in the manga. im not sure any of avatar is actually filler as it was all intended to be there by its creators
That's a misconception I'm for some reason wasting time pointing out ten times in a comment section. Anime fans use 'filler' for that meaning but it comes from music criticism where its a synonym for 'padding' and is a dismissive term for album tracks that couldn't stand on their own as singles.
On The Northern Air Temple. Why should the refugees care? The air nomads have been dead for 100 years to the point where some thought they were a myth. That’s how real life works too. Before historical preservation ruins would be built over, repurposed, or disassembled for a new purpose. The circle of life and all that.
atla fans have such high standards (reasonably) that they've largely overblown the flaws of the great divide. it's not amazing by any means but it's not the worst episode i've ever seen on television. it simply exists; in all its mediocrity
The Avatar filler definitely added more depth to the characters and lore. It allowed the characters to breathe for sure. Another show with great filler is Yugioh (the original). Btw, will you be speaking about the Quiet on Set documentary?
Imho the only two "filler" episodes of atla were the great divide and the painted lady. In both there are no progression of the main plot and little characterisation. We learn nothing new and protags aren t changing, that s what fillers are. The other exemples had something going on, thus not making them fillers.
I really didn't like Suki falling for Sokka because it's what always happens whenever shows try to tackle sexism. (Wonder Woman, anyone?) I wish she stood up and blocked a blow and said that line about being a girl too, instead of kissing the bastard who was rude to her. Girl, no. Do better. The Kioshi's suck after this too, constantly getting their asses handed to them which in retrospect, proves Sokka right. His apology was bad too. "Sorry _if_ I upset you before." If?! _IF?!_ Again, would've been better had he said, "I'm sorry for disrespecting you before. I was out of line and was rightly humbled." Glad to see someone else like "The Divide." I've always liked the episode and I never feel I can admit to that and unlike _some reviewers,_ I'm not even remotely upset that Aang lied to these people. The truth was unobtainable and even if it wasn't, one wouldn't listen if it didn't benefit them so lying really was the only option. (Also Aang's a total ass modeled after his assholish creator who gets weirdly defensive whenever people poke holes in his -shipping- writing choices.)
i love atla and think it empowers women a lot but your critiques are very valid and true, it's nice to see an atla fan who isn't blinded by the show's near perfect writing and can actually call out the flaws when they see it. i rewatched the kyoshi island episode recently and that's when i noticed the same flaws as you, especially the issue with them getting their asses handed to them by zuko's crew right after they proved they're good at fighting. another thing that ticked me off was with the addition of sokka standing his ground and being able to hold off zuko longer than any of the kyoshi warriors did and actually managing to push suki down after just, what? maybe a few hours or few days or training? whereas the kyoshi warriors have been fighting for who knows how long??
YES, EXACTLY! I know the defense of this will be "MeN aRe StRoNgEr" but, like... They're the same age and Sokka's had zero experience with fellow warriors. He wasn't even a preteen when his father left so he's been "training" with his -toy- boomerang and that's it. He has no reason to be as good as he is in that episode aside from writer favoritism.
The Great Divide gets a lot of flack because it was one of the few (if not only) book 2 episodes that was "self-contained" and thus was the one that most frequently aired its episodes back in the day. A lot of people got tired of seeing the same episode over and over again whereas people who see it for the first time or didn't rely primarily on cable to watch the series didn't get bothered nearly as much by it.
Women's Rights equal women's wrongs. (Wrongs being flaws nothing wrong with women having rights I mean more in an equal rights equal fights kind of deal)
I admit, “the deserter,” was definitely one of my least favorite episodes of season 1. I was never a fan of Jeong Jeong’s doom and gloom world view especially concerning his own element. I get that he’s likely got a ton of issues at the horror committed by his nations use of fire. But this combined with the shows depiction of fire as souls a destructive element. Paints it as the sort of “evil element.” Even when Jeong Jeong envies Katara for her water bending abilities. It also doesn’t help that he’s kinda a bad teacher. He tells Ang what to do without explaining the necessity of the things he’s doing. Then just leaves him holding fire with only the basic knowledge. As if a child wouldn’t literally play with fire in this situation. The hole Ang burning Katara gets swept under the bridge between Katara and Sokka too as soon as Katara learns her healing abilities. It isn’t until both Ang and Zuko learn the true fire bending from the sun warriors later on that weee shown that Fire isn’t inherently evil. But I do wish the show did more to show the good that Fire can do even in healing. Luke with Hot cup therapy, or hot rock therapy, saunas, ext.
I thought the world filler episode is used only for anime or it can't be used for this animated series, because its purpose is to stall the anime so it can't catch up with its manga (source). So if there's no source to begin with, how do you know its a filler or not canon. The filler episodes has its own characteristics IMO such as add nothing to the main story, can't callback a thing that episode in the main story, and can't be use for a character arc... The only episode i can think of that has quality of a filler episode is the great divide episode, the rest of them are canon... ATLA is a great series because they spent the episodes with either a character based narative and expanding its world building or progressing the main story
What do you mean? Don't you know there aren't any filler episodes in Avatar. Only episodes that characterize our protagonists without progressing towards beating the Fire Nation.
i dont know the full details but i think its mostly because it aired so many times so people who tuned in to watch atla every night/week (idk the airing schedule i wasnt a nickelodeon kid) would be greeted by that same episode every single time. for people like me who didn't grow up watching atla/nickelodeon, the reason might just be because the events of the episode are never brought up again, we dont see any character exploration or worldbuilding. the other 'filler' episodes aren't as 'filler-y' as this one is.
Avatar literally does not have filler. Youre not allowed to just steal words from other genres and then retroactively apply them to series that have no relationship whatsoever to the source of the word you're using. There was no Avatar manga that the anime had to keep pace with. Therefore, there is objectively no filler. Fill stop.
The terrible thing is that book 1 wastes it's subject: water. Instead of learning more about Water Tribe lore and culture (including the roots of their sexism), we're going around a bunch of different places to build the world, ironically underdeveloping the WT in the process.
Great divide is definitely not a shit show, but as the most "stand alone" episode of atla , it became the rerun episode. I loved avatar as a kid but never got the story because i missed chunks of episodes. But i had still seen the great divide so many times i disliked it. Its the only episode i skip during a rewatch, but ill still watch it sometimes, i like to think ive moved past my prejudice 😂
Ya know filler is in anime that had a manga as the source material and was put into the show to give the manga time to catch up, or filler in a movie based off a book, atla has no filler because there's no "source material" to base it from, uneducated people throw around words that they don't understand the meaning to, we all do it I'm just saying learn the definition of words before you use them because here "filler" is misunderstood and is being used out of context
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Best quota was when they were captured by Pirates.
Aang: Don't worry Katara this isn't your fault.
Uncle: Actually it is.
Korra was done so dirty by it's shorter less planned seasons. She's my queen but i still want better for her. I would've killed for her and her Krew to get the same level of filler world building as ATLA got
Say it louder!
Yeah, the show deserved more time to cook.
I do wish her show was a lot better. The characters were likeable. I'd the world got more of the respect it deserved I'd imagine it would be just as if not more popular than ATLA
That would only work if the show was actually well written.
True it was a always just a like a "big baddie need to be stopped season", i wish it was either travelling, a more who-done-it or more straight up action 24-7. Or something else every season but as well gotten some filler.
Fun fact: in italian katara is voiced by the same voice actor that voices flora in winx. Funny that they're both the moms of their respective group
Mae Whitman is Flora?!!! She's my fav I didn't know that 😭
@@adolescentbirdNo, they’re talking about Katara’s ITALIAN voice (Ilaria Latini) who is also Flora’s VA in the original Italian version of Winx Club. Mae Whitman has never voiced Flora, not even once
@@laurimarbaez6314 thank you lmao. I did not read that comment well 😭
Katara isn’t the mom of the group. Stop it. Get some help
@@mysticalkeyblade759 bro did we watch the same series?
the fact that the great divide is considered the worst episode and it’s not even bad says how amazing the show is. The filler episodes may not help the plot but they show us great character moments, which in my opinion is just as important. It’s also just really fun being able to watch the show out of order and still understand what’s going on. When the show aired it was usually out of order ( for me at least ) but that didn’t matter all you really needed from this show were the characters. And they were great every episode.
I don't even think that the episode is bad. In fact the Epsiode itself makes fun of how pointless disagreements can be, especially when you can just make sht up.
Ok here’s the thing the great divide is an amazing episode of a TV show but an awful episode of Avatar
I would argue that the Great Divide only has one bad aspect, and it's that the Gaang just feels a little too mean spirited with each other, and Aang lying in the end just felt a little off. Outside of that, it's one of the first instances where you see Aang actually perform Avatar duties, that being serving as the peacemaker between two people. For standard shows, it's a pretty solid episode, for the sheer amount of quality that Avatar brings, it's the worst. Which is saying something!
@@blackfox4138 I get that and that's valid. Yet the message from that episode still stuck with me until today. They just wanted to make a point about people fighting in the present, about things in the past that can't the obectively proven. Where the point is, that the reason for fighting is only in your own imagination and nothing that exists now. All Aang needed to do was make something up and it had the same weight as the other story.
the great divide is the only episode from atla i consider a filler fr
The original definition of 'filler', and the definition still used by the anime community, is "a story that is not present in the original manga", aka "anime only". By this definition, Avatar doesn't have any filler episodes because it does not have a manga or any other form of source material.
Came here to comment this. For example, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood definitely has some episodes that don't immediately advance the plot iirc, and add levity, but all of them are in the original story. The problem with filler is that unless the anime references the filler in future filler, or reference it during an adaptation of the source material, it will by definition not even come up as an emotional callback.
This has also been on my mind for so long. I keep seeing people say "filler" when that's ... not what's being discussed? The closest actual term I can think of people actually meaning is "padding" but even then that doesn't fit all of the time.
This obsession with "ONLY PLOT AT ALL TIMES" has really been warping discussions of what makes up the whole of stories. It feels like people aren't letting themselves relax and breathe even with their entertainment. A car can't drive forever - it'll run out of gas. So to do stories need time to refuel - re-Fill if you will :p
Anyway thanks for saying what I wanted to say before me xD Makes me feel less crazy for thinking of the "old" definition of filler.
My thoughts exactly. "Filler" was meant to say arcs or episodes that were added to a series when the show caught up to the creator. It was meant so that the show could still air episodes while allowing the creator to release more content. "Filler episodes" are literally that. Episodes that are place holders, and are filling time. They can literally be skipped and not affect the story in any way. Avatar doesn't have any true Filler episodes. While it does have episodes that are not directly influencing the plot, they are still contributing to the show overall. Whether that is exploring characters or giving the story down time. I would say the only true Filler episode of Avatar is the great Divide.
@@inarifox8912 Even then, the Great Divide is the first time we see refugees heading to Ba Sing Se and it's established that preventing a bender from moving their arms is often the best way to prevent them from bending at all which is extremely relevant to the entire show. That's why it's so surprising to Aang in Book 2 that Bumi can still bend with only his face uncovered. For most benders, that would be enough to effectively subdue them.
sure, but that's not what it means colloquially and the colloquial definition/meaning is the foundation for the usage, on the internet. i agree that 'filler' is regarded way too negatively but when people use the word they obviously aren't referring to the technical definition
0:19 fr, I hate the binge watching stuff. A story has a much bigger impact imo if you have to wait another week tune in to watch it
It starts living more in your head instead of binging 6 episodes in a row
I hate how "filler" has gained such a negative reputation as a word and concept in TV. Like people are saying a story is worthless unless it add to some overall story arc 😟
Right! Also, what does it even mean for a part of a story to "not add to the overall story arch?" Isn't that self contradictory? If it's part of the story, it's part of the story arc, right? It just feels like a weirdly sterile and taxonomic way of interacting with art.
This is what happens when people steal terms they don't comprehend from the anime and manga community.
I kept up with Anime Filler List during my initial watch of Naruto. I don’t dislike filler. I watched it. I wanted more content with my favorite characters. I just like knowing whether it’s canon or not. Whether it’s an episode I really need to focus on or not. I get that’s not for everyone. But it gets too much hate for just existing.
YES and then people praise The Beach and Appas Lost Days but those two are technically “filler” but everyone loves them
@@Mother_is_Mothering306 Well the second isn’t exactly filler, but absolutely the first.
I'll add to how filler really can be good. Sailor Moon for example: The Origonal Anime actually put in a whole Doom Tree Arc as filler between the first season and he second season, The Mangaka took one look of the Doom Tree Arc and actually was *Excited* for it. She absolutely loved the Doom Tree Arc and wished she had thought of it herself but I remember learning that and was like "Oh that's actually pretty awesome." The Doom Tree also did a good job in bridging the gab between the two seasons of how Mamao and Usagi got to be closer and follow the Manga a little closely in their relationship because it would have been whiplash if they didn't have it. I know you already did a series of Videos talking about Sailor moon overall (and read the Manga and watched both versions of the anime) But learning about the Doom Tree Arc's story actually had me see "filler" as less a bad thing and more of a thing that helps with the quieter moments of building things to the next stage of things. Filler used to be used as a term when the animators didn't have much else to work on while they wait for the mangaka (or novels in some cases) to finish up things. Some was good, some were bad, but he bad ones weren't *as* common as people made it out to be (Look at Gurren Lagann... The whole time skip is actually *all filler* because the Mangaka passed away right before the time skip. And people loved it a whole lot more back then then other realized. My friends wouldn't stop talking about it and how it elevated the story.)
But I think now people just use the term "Filler" when it doesn't focus on the main point of the story with sprinkles of it. A lot of people use the Blount Arc in Bleach as an example of what they mean. Then it morphed into something people *hate* absolutely due to the culture of shifting from weekly episodes to binge watching and Steven Universe got smacked with those critizims due to still doing the weekly thing, but then people complain not having enough infomation with Owl House (and other areas in Steven Universe) due to cut content. It's a bit intresting how it shifted so drasticly since the 90s which wasn't too far ago.
Filler is good. It lets us see more of what the characters like and how they react to different situations.
It fleshes out the world, relationships, characters, so much more.
Just look at Sailor Moon crystal compared to the 90's anime. The lack of filler in Crystal makes the relationships between the girls feel rather hollow. We don't get all the cute bonding moments, or seeing everyone have their own skills like we did before.
It sucks
Jeez its refreshing to see someone who actually gets it after like 5 posts from people who think anime fans invented terms from whole cloth.
None of these episodes feel like filler at all. They feel relevant for many reasons, but mostly because they expand the world and give insight to characters. A true filler can be skipped without losing anything.
The Great Divide is the only filler episode. Adds nothing to character development, doesn't expand the world, and doesn't have anything to do with the rest of the show.
But that's part of the problem, people don't know the difference. The term "filler" went from dozens (sometimes hundreds) of episodes that mean nothing to the overall plot or development of characters to just a general term where the plot isn't the forefront of the episode. Now we've reached a point where people have become so anti-filler, that shows these days are expected to be Plot over Everything.
@@blackfox4138 That's a change in the discourse that has cycled back around. The term 'filler arc' was only popularised when shonen series started getting weekly fansubs in the early 2000s but episodes of Neon Genesis Evangellion were getting called 'filler' before then.
I think people fundamentally do not understand what filler episodes are. Filler episodes stem from anime, especially long running anime like Bleach, Naruto, One Piece. Filler episodes referred to episodes that were added when the show caught up to the source material to allow the creator of the source material to put out more content. Filler episodes where stroies that went no where, didn't devolp the characters in any meaningful way, and were never referred to by the story again. These types of episodes were meant as litteral place holders until they could progress the story.
Meanwhile stories like Avatar don't have filler episodes as all of the episodes contribute to the overall story in some way. Not all of them contribute to the plot, but they do explore the characters and what happens in a filler episode still affect them going forward.
The Great Divide adds nothing to the story or the characters and is never mentioned again.
Nope the concept of 'filler' comes from album track lists where subpar songs got added to LPs to bad them out into albums and predates so called anime fandom by decades (anime became the standard term in the mid 90s replacing 'Japanimation'). What you're talking about are 'filler arcs' which are an anime thing.
@@AC-dk4fp……
9:58 which is why it is not ok they remove it from the netflix series outright..
I've come to loathe the term filler all together. It is tossed around so much that it has become meaningless. Any episode of any show that could technically be cut out and you could still follow the plot gets the label, which leads to people under-valuing fun episodes, episodes with meaningful character moments, and even episodes that just help keep the pace of the show from going too fast. I feel that it is a term that ends up hurting discussions around a show by implying that any episode that doesn't advance the over-arching plot isn't worthy of your time when that could not be further from the truth. I've heard people call Tales of Ba Sing Se filler as through it doesn't feature one of the most heart wrenching scenes in the entire franchise. These aren't "filler" episodes, they are NORMAL EPISODES. The ones that do make significant plot advancements are the special ones, not the other way around. Every episode of this show is part of the greater tapestry that makes it what it is. Why is there even a conversation around skipping any of it? It's a well paced 3 season masterpiece. If you want to talk filler and skippable episodes there is a lot of 200+ episode anime out there where the term actually applies. I've seen enough mid-season Pokemon to know what true filler looks like and it is not pretty.
The term comes from the music industry where its an alternative way of saying 'padding' and refers to album tracks that aren't good enough to be singles. When albums were a new thing in the 60s they had a justifiably bad reputation but most great albums have songs that couldn't be singles on them which are still great songs in context so the same issues of fans undervaluing stuff was there too.
I think my absolute favourite thing about Avatar is the pacing. And the balance it strikes between episodic and serialised storytelling. It gives it the vibe of a sitcom and a drama and allows it to excell at both
It's such a stupid thing to enjoy but the PACING of this show and how they ontroduce concepts and create momentum and escelate is just so absolutely perfect
This video is great, but I particularly love your analysis of The Deserter and I love how it sets up Book 3.
Aang, once eager to learn fire, makes a mistake that sends him further back then when he started. He now no longer wants to firebend at all.
Also I love how the Jeong Jeong's jaded view of Fire and his self hatred sets up the whole "Water good, Fire bad" that we might carry into early Book 3. I love how they use a person's jaded perception, coupled with his authority as a potential firebending teacher, to create this expectation that will be subverted when we learn more about what Firebending is and what Waterbending can become.
I want to rewatch the Deserter now to see what else it sets up in Book 3.
I don't know. It's kind of weird that we use the term filler for television shows made outside of the production process of anime adaptations of manga. Filler, as a term, comes from Anime where show runners often had to inject new content into already existing stories when the manga they were getting those stories from started to run low on material. In those cases the "filler" episodes didn't "advance the plot" of the story they were adapting because they were not originally a part of that story. But avatar isn't an adaptation. Everything that happens in the show is part of the original story. When we go to Kyoshi Island, the story isn't stopping or taking a detour, the plot is moving at just the same pace as when we're in the Norther Water Tribe.
I appreciate this video for showing how "filler" in serialized stories isn't bad. I honestly kind of wish we could ditch prescriptive terms like "filler" when talking about art. Outside of anime adaptations of manga, it just isn't useful for discussing stories. If anything, it implies that stories, like the excellent ones you talk about here, are incidental to the overall story they are a part of rather than being a necessary component of those larger stories.
Filler comes from album tracklists where it was a synonym for 'padding' and was a dismissive term for songs that weren't good enough to be singles. Filler arcs are a thing in daytime shonen anime but aren't where the concept comes from.
Its a dismissive term but it does reflect how stories get paced out during the planning stages. The Great Divide almost certainly was written just to pad out an episode order but that doesn't mean that space shouldn't be used properly.
18:42 like airbending taking a life, waterbending to control someone’s body, or earth bending to also take a life like in rise of Kyoshi
Idk if it counts but zuko alone is one of my fav episodes!
I personally think there should be a different term for episodes that provide breathing space but are still important to the story (aka, all the 'filler' in atla) and episodes that aren't canon and are just a bit of fun.
I think it can be referred to as character exploration/world building but in all honesty, I dont think there's a word to capture it cuz most audiences aren't media literate and could differentiate or see how these 'filler' episodes drive the plot.
I'm ok with katara stealing the scroll because they stole it first anyway, but what pisses me off is the way she berated toph for scamming scammers before it even became a problem "because it's wrong" and the relationship between these situations never being adressed by anybody. Like gurl what 😭
Those are two completely different situations
The difference is that it’s a lot riskier to steal/scam when they’re in enemy territory (the Fire Nation) and are trying to hide the fact that the Avatar is alive.
I don't think Sokka or Aang ever want to get between Toph and Katara, since they rarely do when those two are bickering. Katara (mostly with others) had been on a commandeering streek anyway; firenation ship, clothes, supplies from the factory in the painted lady episode. Given the last one Toph could have brought up herself and Sokka or Aang coulda mentioned the scroll.
Personally I don't think filler episodes are generally bad, I believe that they can be good if done well, like putting more emphasis into the characters and taking time exploring it's worldbuilding. It's ok to take a break from the narrative and give the characters time to breath. Just as long as it's entertaining and interesting and doesn't feel completely pointless.
In Korra, there was a healer who used fire bending and I loved it 😊😊😊
I initially thought this episode can be removed in the Netflix ATLA. But after I watched the Netflix version, I realized that no, this episode is too important for Katara's character development to be removed. This episode showed Katara is driven and passionate in learning waterbending to the point she would steal. Do anything to learn waterbending. This is why I cheered for her so much when she fought Zuko during the siege. You saw her passion and the results were satisfying to watch.
Yay I was just done re-watching the Asami video
Filler is incredibly under appreciated, something I’ve only realized in the last two years going back to 2000s tv. An episode of anything is driven by one of two things: plot (ie, the overarching story) or character (focusing on a single character having some issue relating to them specifically). And filler is inherently is inherently not driven by plot, so it has to be character-driven. This is where we get to see the little bits that truly flesh out characters, the hidden depths that make them real.
Leverage is one of the best TV shows ever made, adored utterly by just about everyone who’s seen it. And yet, it’s mostly filler. It doesn’t really have overarching plots, and those that do exist aren’t universally beloved. But they made compelling tv episodes every week by making sure every episode hit some nerve for one of these otherwise unflappable people,and the episodic plots were always well-written. Filler needs more love!
If it expands on characters, then it isn't filler. A filler episode is one that could be skipped without losing anything. Episodes that give character development wouldn't be filler episodes. If you skip The Great Divide entirely, you lose nothing. There's no character development, there's no world building, and it isn't ever referenced again. Aang as a character always hated lying, he always felt guilty when he did it. Except in The Great Divide, when he was proud of lying to these people. But only for the one episode, after which he's back to feeling guilty about it.
I hate how the streaming era of tv ruined “filler” episodes of shows that let us get to know the characters more
My favourite episode is "the tales of ba sing se"
It's the most filler episode in the series, but it explores the characters and ba sing se itself a lot, I just love it. Also, I cried on the tale of Iroh and a little bit on Appa's
I love how Aang was the middle ground just like "ok I'll take the fortune under advisement"
Filler is important to know how characters interact in different situations.
We have been blessed with more UOW ATLA content! I’m so happy! 😭🙌❤️
ATLA fillers are the best. They really help both with knowing the characters in depth and wordlbuilding.
I compare the situation a lot with Steven Universe, for example. SU also was planned with a TV format in mind, that's why we see a lot of "fillers" episodes in the first season. Even though most of what was presented in season one gets ignored in terms of lore e worldbuilding, since it is a "experimental season", it's still fun to watch and to know about these characters and their dynamics. That should be the purpose of a good "filler". With that said, i hate the "fillers" episodes in season 4 and 5. we've gone through a lot and suddenly we're spenting with uninteresting plots and characters. If you're going to make a "filler" episode, make it worth it. the owner of the arcade store is a retired comedian with a clown ex boyfriend that Steven has to help them reconciliate and we never see that character again? A whole episode about Pearl learnig to let go of Rose and meeting other humans and we never see Mistery Girl again? The daughter of the pizza maker is having nightmares because she can't say no to her sister escaping her responsabilities? MAKE US CARE. I know the show went in a production hell, but that's not an excuse to bad "fillers". The creator always say how a lot of content couldn't make it into the series, for example, a flashback episode about Rose being motherly with Amethist anf their relationship. Why you didn't do it? it could've been watched in any order and it still would've a much better addition to the show. One of my favorites episodes, the one that stuck with me, it's the episode of the origin of amethyst. I always cry with that episode, and it is a "filler" episode. MAKE BETTER FILLERS.
-Even the Mishnah says that the who steals from a thief is exempt from punishment from theft, though it also obligates the new thief to return the property to its original owner. Something Katara most likely did during her six-month training in the Northern Water Tribe.
-Aunt Wu seems like a heavily spiritual woman who believes in her own readings, much like Ty Lee's trust in "auras".
-I find it interesting that Aang was just as gifted in firebending as he was in airbending, but lacked discipline and control - something that held him back in water and earth and Jeong Jeong rightfully pointed out made him too dangerous to be a firebender just yet.
Great video, fun consept.
From what i understand growing up on the internet, Filler originally meant episodes that were not adaptations of source material (mainly cause I think it's a term that originated from anime), and i hate that moat people now use it to mean character cofused/self contained episodes.
I honestly hate the term filler. If a story legitimately adds nothing then id maybe accept it. The obsession with plot at all costs mentioned in this video just seems to be a misunderstanding of storytelling in general or at least a very narrow understanding of it. Id not take such offense though if the term wasnt so obviously pejorative.
I need more love to the Great Divide episode... it's my favorite...
i liked that great divide episode as it showed aang’s problem solving skills and bringing people together as the avatar
If it adds to the characters and world-building of the thing, then filler is good!
i also think katara's flaws make her a much more nuanced and well developed character which is why it irritates me when the fanbase gives katara flak for being 'mean' or constantly in the wrong or whatever. what i find funny is that stripping her of her flaws and depth by not 'allowing' her those moments of outburst would result in those same people labeling her as a mary sue or goody two shoes. just can't win
Filler should ALWAYS be cannon be it Seal of Orichalcos in Yu-Gi-Oh, The Bouts in Bleach and the 10 million mini adventures in Naruto, One Piece and FairyTail
Sokka's problem? He was born to be a king, but grew up surrounded by queens.
Being humbled as a life lesson for the future ❤
"Filler" was originally a term for when adaptations of media would insert extra episodes that didn't happen in the original, and thus nothing happens in them, right?
Avatar doesn’t have any filler episodes. Every episode adds at least something meaningful to a character. Even if it’s an episode like “Imprisoned” which adds fundamentally nothing to the main story, it gives us deeper insight on our main characters and adds depth to their personalities, motives, etc., as well as adds depth to the world around them. Filler episodes don’t do this. Sure you could reduce the series to just several episodes featuring key points in the plot, but at what cost? Major character development and world-building…. *cough cough* netflix…. Each and every episode is important and adds depth to the show
Honestly yeah, Katara was justified in stealing the scroll... The scroll itself was already stolen, and they didn't know the owner. Its not like it would be returned if they had left it, and they were going to the Northern Water tribe anyway. The fate of the world is kinda more important than the morals of stealing an already stolen possession (also... the pirate weren't water benders, they couldn't even use it themselves).
I can't wait for you Tales series video! ❤
I want to add more on why despite being stand alone stories these aren't filler in a traditional sense-- given each is inherently linked into things need for the future of the group.
In Warriors of Kyoshi character wise this is the defining change for Sokka's character. Beyond growth from his sexist ideas Sokka is given the direct answers that help him become a needed leader and warrior later on. Honor, bravery, heroism, and loyalty-- it clearly tells us the way his arc will eventually grow. Beyond this the Kyoshi warriors end up becoming a very needed factor to the main plot and are best introduced early-- if the group never came they wouldn't have inspired to warriors to leave to be active members in the war, and without that there wouldn't be an easy cover for Azula to mimic to get into Ba Sing Se. Having an episode early constitutes the pay off later that works best if given the timeline to breathe because it also gives characters off screen a reasonable time for their plot to become settled.
The Waterbending Scroll as you said, it develops the characters but adds in the connection of waterbending and it's importance to both characters. It also focuses the plot back in on the book one being about waterbending; this was the first time in like 6 episodes where it took focus and it's a needed element to move that sort of plot along of them actively choosing to learn waterbending when they can so it doesn't feel like a forgotten element to time crunch the characters are on.
The Fortune Teller is probably the most traditional filler episode but it does have two things. Katara and Aang waterbending scroll and overall practice did actually come into use with the clouds. Given how little control and skill there was at the start, I think it shows while not masters they are improving and have an understanding of how to improve that is need with something like the scroll. It also is a concept that foreshadows elements of Ba Sing Se and the blind faith that if not taken was forced onto people-- it's a nice twist later on with something we encounter that takes an earnest belief/concept and makes it well terrifying.
The Deserter as explained isn't filler in any sense, it established Aang's fear of the element very early on and why it was so hard for him to learn while building more of his dislike to the fire nation despite once not holding that belief. I think without this episode we might question while Aang doesn't pick up on firebending earlier on despite it being around and used, and it's a needed lesson for Aang that is good to establish early when he's been so carefree. It teaches Katara's healing and like with Kyoshi sets up Jeong Jeong as an important ally later on that helps having the time apart.
The Northern Air Temples, same thing. We need Sokka to have that inventor side established early to make it have enough time to make sense of things being built and possible in the long term. It provides allies and ends up being a great gateway into partly setting up how the Fire Nation has items because of what is seen throughout the episodes that is rooted in importance in the following books.
What I mean to say is we see these are filler because the impact most of these episodes have can't be tangible until later on, and in a time where people love action and high stakes progression all of the time it's nice when things don't have instant gratification and pay off. When all of these characters return it really does have emotional weight in understanding the positivity influence the gaang had even from the start. It's because of time willing to plant seeds and allies later on that ATLA is able to have character studies, development, and still have a linking progression that isn't overly in your face. Also I don't say any of this to discredit the video and even it being more filler based but with importance-- partly because I see people say 'we'll ATLA had a lot of filler that's why its good' when it not because of filler it's because they knew how to pace and make use of everything they could get out of what they had.
Sokkas development in s1ep4 is cool. I would've like to see it come full circle. Like in s1ep18 for example, when katara challenges the gender roles of waterbending. Sokka should've been right there with Katara, as he's seen women can fight too. Not to mention, it's his own sister.
I never had a problem with filler, I think it’s actually necessary for world building and character building, and helps with pacing, I can’t stand shows these days that have high alert action non stop, it needs a moment to breathe, but also adds realism. Sure people might be on a mission but it’s just weird if every episode is pushing story forward, I feel like that’s why avatar worked so well, there are many episodes where they’re aimlessly wandering and just don’t know what to do, it gives it meaning when something big happens, and also gives more depth to characters if it’s dealt well. (Looking at you, lousy beach filler in anime that’s nothing more but a bikini showcase)
Except the type of fillers that’s basically just recaps,
(like how in Naruto you’ll have recaps of the same storyline a million times to the point they don’t have much meaning anymore, I do love the filler that’s just about their side missions etc, it’s when I saw the filler and OVA in Naruto for example that I only started to understand why it hurt Sakura and Naruto so bad that sasuke left, and saw that in fact they were much closer as a squad and as people than the main story was portraying, and even I felt the ache of how much better their squad functioned with sasuke in it, each member of the team was truly indispensable.
If I had to rely on the story alone I honestly didn’t get it at all, and felt like everyone was overreacting by a landslide, since no one seemed to be that close, until the filler showed me otherwise. I feel like this type of filler should be in a different category since I’d argue it’s part of the main story, since it adds body and soul to it, and should’ve been part of the main story. And then have fillers that’s all recap be the only type of filler to be actually called filler.)
I barely rewatch Stranger Things, but constantly rewatch random old episodes of Bojack Horseman sporadically
That was a great blend of serial and episodic too
I don't like these basically long movies
2:08 you bothered tho. Ill stand by the belief that the episodes you are referencing here are not fillers. I would only classify an episode a filler if the mood is completely disconnected with the main theme.
Also can’t help but wonder on your thoughts on Bato of the Water Tribe. Pretty sure that’s also considered a book 1 filler.
Agreed.
2:26, come on! you knew what you were doing.
Hell none of these episodes are 'filler'. I mean the Kyoshi warriors play a big role in Azula's takeover of Ba Sing Se and Suki herself becomes a large player for the finale. Her introduction ep ain't filler. Same with the mechanist. It's his intro before his inventions are used in the invasion. And the water bending scroll is literally shenanigans while trying to learn waterbending, a core component of Aangs journey is that he Has to master the 4 elements and This is where that starts. (Also isn't this where Katara loses her necklace??? Might be a different ep I can't remember.)
A filler ep is an ep where absolutely nothing happens to the status quo. No character development or plot threads, nothing. It can be removed and the story doesn't change. ATLA is episodic but other than The Tales of Ba Sing Se (which is the definition of good filler) I don't think ATLA has filler. Hell Ember Islands is a recap ep but it's showing us literal Fire Nation propaganda and the Beach ep with Azula and Co shows just how much the war has messed up even the antagonists! Their IS a reason ATLA is so praised lol.
I don’t mind filler as long as they provide SOMETHING interesting, whether that be character beats, allegory to the main plot, expansion on something we saw in the past and were just curious about, etc. I just would like to be interested in what is being presented, so I don’t mind episodic narratives
Everything changed, when RUclips adjusted the algorithm. 🔥
I'm convinced that Kiyoshi plays such an important role in LATLA is because the ONLY time we really get to see Kiyoshi is in possibly the most fillerly of filler episodes, and the Kiyoshi fans don't wanna deal with that fact.
5:26 not side eyeing my phone right now nooo…
"Noooooo I hate character development and world building!!!1! Every episode has to be extremely plot driven!!!1!1! Also if I can't finish it in a weekend I'm NOT watching it! grrrrrr"
I'm exaggerating a little, but this is a sentiment I've seen a lot, and I find it really confusing. There are people out there who want LESS content? Why?
I love characters-driving episodes. I wish we wouldn't call those "fillers"
Sorry, but the live action Katara isn’t Katara. That’s someone else… Katara is meant to be passionate, strong willed and flawed. Not another mf generic girlboss who has no flaws
also long serialized arcs were a thing before binging. shonen manga have always done thirty of forty chapter arcs.
I feel i should point out that a bath house is not the same thing as a bathroom. The former is just for bathing, while the latter... is not.
Don’t wanna shock you but avatar doesn’t have any fillers!
I saw a post someone made about how it was good Suki beat the sexism out of Sokka in book 1 because imagine if it had been left to Toph. She would have straight up killed our boi.
the waterbending scroll is far from a filler episode, the plot of season 1 is "Aang needs to learn waterbending" so uh... not sure what the thumbnail is about but not actually watching the video because of that
ahh the great divide i actual hated it but at the same time i loved it 😭😭
She picked at least 2 non-filler/plot relevant episodes and the two of the more filler episodes she picked (The fortuneteller and the waterbending scroll) are indeed some of what I personally would call, the worst episodes of the series and don't add much to the depth of any of the characters. Sure some people over compensate when calling things that dive into character dynamics, emotions, and worldbuilding filler and to that end I agree those episodes can be great and really help fill out and give life to a story. True filler doesn't give us any additional information about the world or the complexity of our characters and will always be worse than it could have been if better integrated with the plot/characters. That does not mean it is bad or that non-filler episodes are always good, just that there is some room for improvement and wasted potential. Honestly despite how important it is I think the northern air temple is one of the worst episodes because it is one of the episodes were the target age and subject matter of war are most sharply at odds and limit what the show can actually do which really pulls you out of the story and undermines the worldbuilding. Being unable to show the terrible death/suffering the refugees have gone through, the real threat of the fire nation to the people and why the mechanist does what he does really hambers the show and having to repel the fire nation with pranks (slime and stink bombs) instead of actual war and death just undercuts so much of the tension and sorrow that the war brings to the world/show.
i was under the impression filler was used to describe story added by someone who isnt the author like when an anime adds episodes that arent in the manga. im not sure any of avatar is actually filler as it was all intended to be there by its creators
That's a misconception I'm for some reason wasting time pointing out ten times in a comment section. Anime fans use 'filler' for that meaning but it comes from music criticism where its a synonym for 'padding' and is a dismissive term for album tracks that couldn't stand on their own as singles.
There was a good scene about the "evasive manoeuvring" route the gang are taking (lost): ruclips.net/video/hgkXTxQAT6o/видео.html
I don’t like calling the non-main story episodes filler because they’re usually doing something to develop the world or characters
On The Northern Air Temple.
Why should the refugees care?
The air nomads have been dead for 100 years to the point where some thought they were a myth.
That’s how real life works too.
Before historical preservation ruins would be built over, repurposed, or disassembled for a new purpose.
The circle of life and all that.
atla fans have such high standards (reasonably) that they've largely overblown the flaws of the great divide. it's not amazing by any means but it's not the worst episode i've ever seen on television. it simply exists; in all its mediocrity
The Avatar filler definitely added more depth to the characters and lore. It allowed the characters to breathe for sure. Another show with great filler is Yugioh (the original). Btw, will you be speaking about the Quiet on Set documentary?
I’m pissed Jeong-Jeong wasn’t in the live action series
Imho the only two "filler" episodes of atla were the great divide and the painted lady.
In both there are no progression of the main plot and little characterisation. We learn nothing new and protags aren t changing, that s what fillers are.
The other exemples had something going on, thus not making them fillers.
There’s really only 2 filler episodes in avatar. The great divide and the painted lady
True but the painted lady at least had really good characterization for aang, sokka and katara
I really didn't like Suki falling for Sokka because it's what always happens whenever shows try to tackle sexism. (Wonder Woman, anyone?) I wish she stood up and blocked a blow and said that line about being a girl too, instead of kissing the bastard who was rude to her. Girl, no. Do better. The Kioshi's suck after this too, constantly getting their asses handed to them which in retrospect, proves Sokka right. His apology was bad too. "Sorry _if_ I upset you before." If?! _IF?!_ Again, would've been better had he said, "I'm sorry for disrespecting you before. I was out of line and was rightly humbled."
Glad to see someone else like "The Divide." I've always liked the episode and I never feel I can admit to that and unlike _some reviewers,_ I'm not even remotely upset that Aang lied to these people. The truth was unobtainable and even if it wasn't, one wouldn't listen if it didn't benefit them so lying really was the only option. (Also Aang's a total ass modeled after his assholish creator who gets weirdly defensive whenever people poke holes in his -shipping- writing choices.)
i love atla and think it empowers women a lot but your critiques are very valid and true, it's nice to see an atla fan who isn't blinded by the show's near perfect writing and can actually call out the flaws when they see it.
i rewatched the kyoshi island episode recently and that's when i noticed the same flaws as you, especially the issue with them getting their asses handed to them by zuko's crew right after they proved they're good at fighting. another thing that ticked me off was with the addition of sokka standing his ground and being able to hold off zuko longer than any of the kyoshi warriors did and actually managing to push suki down after just, what? maybe a few hours or few days or training? whereas the kyoshi warriors have been fighting for who knows how long??
YES, EXACTLY! I know the defense of this will be "MeN aRe StRoNgEr" but, like... They're the same age and Sokka's had zero experience with fellow warriors. He wasn't even a preteen when his father left so he's been "training" with his -toy- boomerang and that's it. He has no reason to be as good as he is in that episode aside from writer favoritism.
The Great Divide gets a lot of flack because it was one of the few (if not only) book 2 episodes that was "self-contained" and thus was the one that most frequently aired its episodes back in the day.
A lot of people got tired of seeing the same episode over and over again whereas people who see it for the first time or didn't rely primarily on cable to watch the series didn't get bothered nearly as much by it.
Women's Rights equal women's wrongs. (Wrongs being flaws nothing wrong with women having rights I mean more in an equal rights equal fights kind of deal)
I would like to understand the rationale of jet not being filler
Was this video also made to somewhat spite the new Netflix Avatar that skipped all these events?
I admit, “the deserter,” was definitely one of my least favorite episodes of season 1.
I was never a fan of Jeong Jeong’s doom and gloom world view especially concerning his own element. I get that he’s likely got a ton of issues at the horror committed by his nations use of fire. But this combined with the shows depiction of fire as souls a destructive element. Paints it as the sort of “evil element.” Even when Jeong Jeong envies Katara for her water bending abilities.
It also doesn’t help that he’s kinda a bad teacher. He tells Ang what to do without explaining the necessity of the things he’s doing. Then just leaves him holding fire with only the basic knowledge. As if a child wouldn’t literally play with fire in this situation.
The hole Ang burning Katara gets swept under the bridge between Katara and Sokka too as soon as Katara learns her healing abilities.
It isn’t until both Ang and Zuko learn the true fire bending from the sun warriors later on that weee shown that Fire isn’t inherently evil. But I do wish the show did more to show the good that Fire can do even in healing. Luke with Hot cup therapy, or hot rock therapy, saunas, ext.
I thought the world filler episode is used only for anime or it can't be used for this animated series, because its purpose is to stall the anime so it can't catch up with its manga (source). So if there's no source to begin with, how do you know its a filler or not canon. The filler episodes has its own characteristics IMO such as add nothing to the main story, can't callback a thing that episode in the main story, and can't be use for a character arc... The only episode i can think of that has quality of a filler episode is the great divide episode, the rest of them are canon... ATLA is a great series because they spent the episodes with either a character based narative and expanding its world building or progressing the main story
What do you mean? Don't you know there aren't any filler episodes in Avatar. Only episodes that characterize our protagonists without progressing towards beating the Fire Nation.
That background sound “doo doo doon” is so bothersome 😂
The background music sounds like a phone ringing😭
Excuse me but what the fuck happened to winx season 6 rewrites??? Like I'm starving for them so badddd
I do not understand the hate for the great divide like at all. It was pretty funny to me. Only episode I don’t care for is nightmares & daydreams
i dont know the full details but i think its mostly because it aired so many times so people who tuned in to watch atla every night/week (idk the airing schedule i wasnt a nickelodeon kid) would be greeted by that same episode every single time. for people like me who didn't grow up watching atla/nickelodeon, the reason might just be because the events of the episode are never brought up again, we dont see any character exploration or worldbuilding. the other 'filler' episodes aren't as 'filler-y' as this one is.
I’m sorry butttt WHERE IS THE WINX REWRITE FEED THE WINX CHILLDREN
Avatar literally does not have filler.
Youre not allowed to just steal words from other genres and then retroactively apply them to series that have no relationship whatsoever to the source of the word you're using.
There was no Avatar manga that the anime had to keep pace with. Therefore, there is objectively no filler. Fill stop.
Winx content again when 😢
The terrible thing is that book 1 wastes it's subject: water. Instead of learning more about Water Tribe lore and culture (including the roots of their sexism), we're going around a bunch of different places to build the world, ironically underdeveloping the WT in the process.
Great divide is definitely not a shit show, but as the most "stand alone" episode of atla , it became the rerun episode. I loved avatar as a kid but never got the story because i missed chunks of episodes. But i had still seen the great divide so many times i disliked it.
Its the only episode i skip during a rewatch, but ill still watch it sometimes, i like to think ive moved past my prejudice 😂
Ya know filler is in anime that had a manga as the source material and was put into the show to give the manga time to catch up, or filler in a movie based off a book, atla has no filler because there's no "source material" to base it from, uneducated people throw around words that they don't understand the meaning to, we all do it I'm just saying learn the definition of words before you use them because here "filler" is misunderstood and is being used out of context
maybe it's the naruto fan , but filler gives me ptsd, nam flashbacks whatever.
avatar doesent have filler
the tales from Ba sing se are technically fillers as well.
yeah, i disagree as well
they arent fillers, they're side stories.
There has to have been a non-binary and/or gender fluid Avatar at some point in time, right?