One of the messages driven home by the first series, is that Aang's pacifist ideology is what's needed most in a time of war. He entertains, educates, and elucidates non-compliance, and resistance. And that resistance can be as loose as a gentle breeze or a powerful gale. The airbenders primarily are dodging and using their opponents movement against them, and Aang tries very hard to be a gentle soul, and he only accesses the Avatar State in moments of a) great peril, b) the need for overwhelming force. Aang learns to be more mature as the weight of the responsibility sets in, without fully losing himself in the journey. He is not a grimdark hero, and it is what's such a beautiful thing about the show. Even the cop-out at the end, with Spiritual Bending, instead of killing Ozai. He tried really hard to find an alternative to a moment of violence that would have continued repercussions (as every other moment of violent does, in this show).
Of course the continued comics, kinda kill that idea. And they take a more "political" approach in the formation of republic city; but damn, it was a good message for a kid's show.
I'm still going to watch it but this. The changing of Sokka's character. Not making Katara a nurturer; it is this exact juxtaposition that Katara is both a care taker, a healer, and one of the most powerful water benders to ever exist, that is more feminist, than making her a girlboss type. You are not selling out feminism when you celebrate "feminized" traits like nurture, while still making the character a powerful individual.
Oh my god, this is really gonna suck.
One of the messages driven home by the first series, is that Aang's pacifist ideology is what's needed most in a time of war. He entertains, educates, and elucidates non-compliance, and resistance. And that resistance can be as loose as a gentle breeze or a powerful gale. The airbenders primarily are dodging and using their opponents movement against them, and Aang tries very hard to be a gentle soul, and he only accesses the Avatar State in moments of a) great peril, b) the need for overwhelming force. Aang learns to be more mature as the weight of the responsibility sets in, without fully losing himself in the journey. He is not a grimdark hero, and it is what's such a beautiful thing about the show. Even the cop-out at the end, with Spiritual Bending, instead of killing Ozai. He tried really hard to find an alternative to a moment of violence that would have continued repercussions (as every other moment of violent does, in this show).
Of course the continued comics, kinda kill that idea. And they take a more "political" approach in the formation of republic city; but damn, it was a good message for a kid's show.
I'm still going to watch it but this. The changing of Sokka's character. Not making Katara a nurturer; it is this exact juxtaposition that Katara is both a care taker, a healer, and one of the most powerful water benders to ever exist, that is more feminist, than making her a girlboss type. You are not selling out feminism when you celebrate "feminized" traits like nurture, while still making the character a powerful individual.