Dork Alert

I've given it quite a bit of thought and done hour after hour of research, and I've decided that I'm a waterbender. For those of you who don't get the reference, this is my way of saying I've just finished watched the Avatar the Last Airbender series! Woo!

I'm going to go ahead and warn you here that there are SPOILERS!! But I figure if you haven't watched the series by this point then you don't really care too much anyway...just be warned.

Yes, I realize how dorky this is. I saw bits and pieces of the first season years ago when I lived back home with two younger brothers and always wanted to watch it. So, I went to college, got a Netflix account, and a year later I decided to actually watch the show! Oh boy.

Let me start off by saying that I think this show has so much potential, and that I think the producers do a reasonably good job of fulfilling that potential. This is designed as a children's show, so they obviously can't go quite as in depth as I would have liked, but they do well. When I say that Avatar the Last Airbender has a lot of potential, I mean in the characters and the story. FOR INSTANCE!

The Bending: The idea of people being able to manipulate the elements, that they build cultures and societies around these elements, and that one special person can wield them all is fascinating. I especially liked that each element had its own bending style, such as the firebenders using a lot of sharp, punching movements that looked to me like a mix of martial arts and boxing, and the airbenders using more sweeping, arching motions. I also liked that the different elements the characters bended was reflected in their personalities--it was just cool and rang true to me.

I also liked that there was more to discover about the bending and all the different forms of bending within  an element. For instance, I loved the swamp benders and the sand benders. I also loved how Toph learns she can bend metal (something we're initially isn't supposed to be able to do) and, though scary, how Katara learns she can bend blood. Bending in itself is just cool. I mean, it's basically a super power, and who doesn't want super powers?!?

The Characters: I found the characters surprisingly well-developed. It started out rough, (the dialogue in the first few episodes killed me) but eventually the actors and writers found their groove. I felt like each characters' psychology, past, motivations, goals, weaknesses, and strengths were all laid out very well, especially for a children's show. I especially liked Zuko. He was attractive, which didn't hurt, but I liked that even from the beginning he was a bad guy we could love. He was sympathetic, his motivation and past were explained, so you didn't automatically write him off as evil, as black, as dark. The shades of gray about what is right and what is wrong in Avatar are very well done (I know I keep saying it but I'll say it again) especially for a children's show.

Katara is my least favorite character. I don't quite know why, but I didn't find her very likable. I really started not to like her the moment she stole the waterbending scroll from the pirates and chose to believe/trust Jett over Sokka. She's such a little whore too, isn't she? If George R.R. Martin wrote Avatar she'd be having sex left and right. She doesn't deserve Aang.

One of my favorite characters (besides Zuko and his uncle--I'm such a sucker for good-bad guys!) was Toph, but she also disappointed me. I felt like her character was the least developed. She had a few episodes where she was given a large emotional part to the story, but other than that she is just the sarcastic little blind girl. But I loved her! I thought she was so strong, and so talented, and I definitely thought she deserved to end up with someone--Aang, prefereably. I think they would have been good together.

The Story: My favorite season was the 2nd (Book Two, as they call it) because it was just so plotty. I love political intrigue kind of stories, so the whole spiel in Ba Sing Se with the Dai Li (spelling?) was really interesting and creepy to me. I felt like a lot was happening in this season as opposed to the third season. I felt like apart from the super long battle episodes, Book Three was pretty much all filler. Like that episode with the play--I could have done without that.

I really wish Avatar the Last Airbender was a series of books--adult books, or at least books that can bridge the gap like Harry Potter. Because, as I said, I feel like there is so much potential in the story and characters that just can't be fully realized in a children's show. I also feel like Season Two would make an awesome book--everything would be nice and spread out with lots of detail.

Now, as I said before, I've cast myself as a waterbender. Preferably to replace Katara. I chose waterbending very carefully and for several reasons.

1. I'm not strong enough for earthbending. I get scared at pretty much everything, I don't like rocks, and I definitely don't like rocks flying at me.
2. I'm not controlled enough for firebending. I wouldn't be able to handle the destructive power of firebending.
3. I want something a bit more substantial than freaking air to fight with. Also, I hate flying--all those bugs in your teeth!
4. Blue is my best color.
5. I've always wanted to go to the south pole.
6. I love the healing aspect of waterbending (fyi, if I had to pick a superpower, it'd be the regenerative power like Hayden Panatierre's on Heroes).

So there you have it! Whoo--JUST getting this in on my self-imposed Friday deadline. *pats self on back*