Oh my god,

Spoiler

How the hell can Tarloq blood bend on a crescent? Did I just see Adult!Sokka Toph AND Aang? was Aang trying to blood bend or just really pissed? Why is Toph so hot? Who was her husband anyways? Is Tarloq related to any older characters?

 

Good episode. Korra and Ikki have the best reaction faces, I must say. And Bolin is still turning out of to be one of the most likeable characters on the show. The car chase and the final fight were both aptly executed, gripping and exciting in equal portions.

On a semi-unrelated note, Asami does have great hair, lol.

 

As a huge Azula/Zuko shipper, I think Asami/Mako tops it.

Am I correct that Asami is descended from Earth Nationals?

 

The fuck?


/10char

 

This is DLP, friend.

 

For the uninitiated, the following is required reading for all DLPers: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2963321/1/Oedipus_Flower

 

I dunno, Oedipus Flower is to DLP as Shakespeare or Dante is to classic literature. Or so it seems to me.

Anyway, back on topic, I really liked the Team Avatar aspects in the episode, especially getting to see Asami kick some more ass.

 

They put a lot into this episode, but I don't think it felt that rushed.

Amon is badass of the year.

And I was wrong about energybending before. They either retconned the lightshow, or the lightshow was a visual metaphor for the audience in the first place.

 

Must've retconned it. Or it was an Avatar thing. Sokka and Suki commented on it iirc.

 

It could have been because the Fire Lord's willpower was so strong that Aang was using a hell of a lot of energy to overcome him, and that had side-effects to demonstrate the sheer OPness of it. They couldn't have closed the show with a tap to the forehead, either, tbh.

Amon beating down scared quivering thugs ain't no thang. No fight, no light.

 

Fixed that for you.

 

Got all caught up and called up my friend who also watches this.

Came up with some points together:

POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED EPISODE 9

- This show can't seem to decide who its villain is supposed to be. Tarrlok, while bad, quite literally outlived his usefulness and was dealt with pretty handily. Amon, on the other hand, was thrust into the position of primary antagonist yet doesn't seem truly evil.

- Amon, for the most part, seems to be a man of principles. He apparently fights for equality, he didn't lobotomize Korra when he had the chance (whether out of a sense of cruelty, shock value, or psychological warfare), and during his speech in the Pro Bending arena he made a point of criticizing the people for praising cheaters and their blatant dishonesty.

- Amon speculation: Is he even a bad guy? Could he exist solely to prop up the Avatar? It's entirely likely that he has some connection to the Spirit Realm, so shouldn't he be interested in backing up the Avatar and preserving the balance?

- Asami is going to snap. There's really no two ways about it. Since there's been so much forshadowing, it'll be more surprising if she manages to reconcile her issues with Korra and remain a part of the group. I'd like to think she'll stick around, but my friend remains skeptical.

We came up with some more, but I don't feel like typing it all out. The call lasted like 45 minutes.

 

Loved this episode. It deals nicely with the subplot of Tarrlok, and goddamit, listening to the old Gaang again was fantastic. Sure, I like the Krew, but Sokka, Aang, and Toph evoke a certain nostalgic quality. Regarding those three, some people are speculating that their early deaths perhaps coincide with Bloodbending damage? We know that Zuko and Katara are still alive and kicking, so we'll see.

Mako/Korra reminds me a lot of Aang and Katara's dynamic. Which was a good thing. Asami is bound to react, though, and perhaps not in the best way.

Season Finale is coming soon. Ten bucks that when Korra opens her eyes again

Spoiler

she'll be in the Avatar State.

Trailer for Season Finale: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LmMjBdBuHSI

 

Where are people getting the info that Zuko is alive and that Suki and Toph are dead? As far as I've seen, only Katara is confirmed alive due to being seen, and Aang has to be dead in order for Korra to exist. The series only takes place 70 years after the main series ended, and we've seen people (King Bumi) live to be over 100, though that may just have been Bumi's awesomeness. The only confirmed Team Avatar character deaths so far are Sokka and Aang, and some other people from the War, and depending on how loosely Katara defined friends, that could be anyone from Toph to Ty Lee to Slim the Swamp-bender. I'm personally still rooting for Toph to show up and show that old people can still kick ass.

 

Toph is definitely alive. But I've got to burst your brief bubble of joy. She's gone blind from old age and can't kick ass anymore. =(

 

The website confirmed Zuko as being alive at 87, after having abdicating the throne to his daughter. He apparently now does "ambassadorial" work, probably along the same lines as Katara. Toph, I'm not sure, but I think it was Word-of-God stated. We have no information on Suki, however. She may be dead or alive at this point.

Also, spoiler, but:

Spoiler

Zuko and Mai broke up in the interlude comics. He and Suki also grew mysteriously closer together, which raises big questions about the mother of the current Fire Nation monarch. Some of these questions will probably be addressed in the Dante Basco episode, Skeleton in the Closet, I think.

If Suki ended up having a little fire action during her stint with the Kyoshi Warriors, when they were protecting Zuko, I'll be disappointed on Sokka's behalf. Because I actually liked Zuko and Sokka bromance in the first series. =/

 

Um, blind as in she's old and can't Earthbend, or were you making a blind joke at her expense? Kinda not a new condition for her. And last I had heard for Toph, she was wandering the countryside teaching Metalbending as she goes.