You submitted this literally 5 seconds before I did.

Damn, lookink foreword to this even more than "The Promise"

Hopefully people will finally stop bitching about Ursa.

On the other hand, I fear Yang's writing.

I'm running out of yes gifs!

Real excited to hear this. I was worried they would try to shoehorn the search for Zuko's mom into everything that's happening in The Promise Part 3. Glad to see this is getting it's own focus.

Also, yay Azula!

Ursa's narrative purpose ended when she killed Azulon and I'll never understand why so many people give a shit and think the mommy of the worst character in the show is a more important mystery to solve than Energybending or what the fuck was with the lion turtle.

>>106418

It's more about closure for Zuko and Azula.

>>106418

Why and how are either of those things better sequel hooks than an actual plot point revolving around one of the main characters?

>>106418

I could actually care less about the MILF, I'm just glad we're getting more Azula. That beong said, if they go the redemption route with Azula (and that's a big "if"), I can see Ursa's involvement being of particular importance. M&B even said (I can't remember if it was an interview or comic panel) that one of Azula's biggest issues is that she honestly believes her mother didn't love her.

Never cared about Ursa, but I think Azula deserved an animated closure.
Oh well.

>>106418
I wouldn't call her the worst character in the show.. but definitely this. Why do people want to see what happened to her this badly? Where's the mystery? Why does the retarded majority of this fanbase need everything spoon fed to them like they're idiots? And what's worse -- the creators actually encourage and reward them for it.

Ursa was an ambiguous background character who was shrouded in a lot of mystery to the point that not even her children know much about her. It's hinted she did something unspeakable to protect her son, and even that was never elaborated on. That's it. Why do we need to see a tear-jerking reunion between her and Zuko? "OMG ZUKO I KILLED AZULON TO PROTECT YOU QQ FORGIVE ME!" I'm glad it gives them an excuse to dust out Azula from her closet, but this is just not needed whatsoever.
It's like the whole mystery and intrigue behind "the force" in the original Star Wars movie. It's ambiguous things best left to personal interpretations to fill in the blanks rather than MIDICHLORIANS IN YOUR BLOOD! A magic parasite gives you powers!

I never really cared about Ursa.

Never thought we really needed to see the closure on her and Zuko's story.

On the other hand, I like the idea of redeeming Azula.

So in this context, Ursa does become more important.

>>106416
What the fuck, man, do you hate Ursa and Azula or something?

>>106430

I think you do.

Hopefully the sj crowd will stop saying Ursa was a case of fridgestuffing now.

>>106430
If it sucks you can always pretend it doesn't exist.

I just know she's going to be calling someone sickening pet names (other than Zuzu). God I am not looking forward to this at all. Why couldn't they just get somebody else? Anybody else.

>yfw Ursa calls Zuko sweetie

Still, this has been the story that I've been waiting for and as much as I don't like the Promise, I still don't think that Yang is that bad of a writer. Maybe he'll work better with a more concentrated story like this one will (hopefully) be.

>Season 1 finale was one of my favorite sequences in the series. We didn't really do much supernatural in "The Promise" since that story was focused on the political ramifications of the War's end. But I'm happy to say, writing "The Search" is giving me the chance to explore that side of Aang and his world.
In b4 Koh stole Ursa's face.

It's a Gene Yang-written story that will almost certainly be centered mostly around Zuko.

We've seen how Gene writes Zuko.

>>106436
I'll take it over sixty pages of meaningless Toph/Sokka stuff.

>>106436
I actually really like how Zuko's been written. If anything his side of the story has been the best so far in the Promise.

>>106438
Tokka shippers have enjoyed it.

>>106442
I don't blame them, at this point they'll take anything they can get. And it wasn't even that bad, but most of those pages were just useless.

>>106442

THEY ARE SCUM.

So are we still going to see Azula in the promise part 3?

>>106449
I don't see why not

Am I the only one who prefers the Ursa mystery unresolved? I liked that it was a dangling end.

>>106456
If you took the time to actually read through the thread you're posting on, you'd have your answer.

>>106455
Because she has nothing to offer to the plot and her placement would be as meaningful as Iroh's in Korra? ie. total fanservice

>>106440
Once again, Zuko is the highlight of Avatar.

>>106467
How do you know?
It could help Zuko to evalute Ozai and his advices to Zuko.

Can I just mention how glad I am that Azula isn't a batshit loony in this promo?

I always felt like too many fanfic went overboard with Azula's mental decline.

>>106480
>In "The Search," we'll see what a prolonged stay in a Fire Nation mental institution does to a person.
That doesn't sound too promising.

>>106482

It sounds ominous, but he could be trying to mislead us.

>"The Search" focuses on Zuko and Azula. Aang, Katara and Sokka will be there, of course, but the Fire Nation royal siblings are really the drivers of the action.

YES.

>Well, like Ozai said, "Zuko was lucky to be born." That struggle is who he is.

YES!

>In "The Search," we'll see what a prolonged stay in a Fire Nation mental institution does to a person.

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSS

>the Fire Nation Royal Family [...] that is one messed up family. They need all the panel-time they can get.

YESYEYSYESYESYESYESYEYSYEYSEYSYEYSYSYEYSYEYSYYESYES

>>106436

>We've seen how Gene writes Zuko.

He makes idiotic choices.

So he is spot on.

>>106486
There's stupid and there's retarded. What happened to "Iroh's been my real father"?

>>106491

Iroh's never actually been Fire Lord.

And he's kind of all the way in Ba Sing Se.

>>106480
I totally agree.

>>106491
My father is not the only person I take advice from. And seeing as he's not experienced in my career, I rarely ask him for career advice.

The fact that Zuko is asking Ozai for advice is not in and of itself stupid. Blindly following Ozai's advice would be, but if anything it's wise of him to get the perspective of someone whose politics he disagrees with to challenge his own assumptions and help him arrive at something closer to the best perspective.

http://paper-crane.tumblr.com/post/25885223832/right-by-the-way-zuzu-dear-thats-the-third

>>106411

Azula's outfit in that cover image is interesting. It reminds me of a modest, more expensive take on Kori's clothes from "The Promise." Not very Princess-y either, what with the lack of gold trim or military aesthetic that she favored in the original series.

>>106414
I like Yang's writing.

 Say something negative, come on! 

>>106510
I know he's suffered so much, through all three seasons and beyond. But Zuko suffering never fails to entertain. It's in that so sad it's funny kind of cycles.

>>106518
Oh man, that last panel just kills me!

>>106518
They went to the other side and fucked polarbeardoggy style riiight after this while he put his fingers in his ears and cried

>>106511
Hopefully, these two Fire Nation patriots will meet each other, if not in canon, then at least in fanfiction.

>>106520
>>106521
And despite all that, Ozai and Ursa were steering the ship all the while.

>>106530
Maybe Azulon wears giant nametags on his clothes so he doesn't forget who he is.

Guys.

Guys.

Guys, can I just emphasize.

This comic series is supposed to be focusing entirely on the Fire siblings. The brother and sister with the most interesting and fucked up dynamic ever. Every scene where are together is fucking gold and now we're getting a whole comic series dedicated to them, how amazing is that? This is really like a dream come true.

>>106536
I know! I can't wait to see this comic, and I want it right now so very badly.

Also, I hate how Gurihiru draws Zuko so handsome... I feel so guilty lusting over a fictional character. Hngh.

I've been putting off reading "The Promise" for a while now, as I had a lot of misgivings from the previews and from what other people were saying. Well, I just finished reading both parts, and it turned out to be a mixed bag. There are things that I liked and things I REALLY disliked. The main chunk of the plot and the ideas behind it are good, but there are a number of other issues that have been irritating me.

For starters, the titular "promise" Aang made to Zuko, and the moment in which he nearly carried it out, was a complete wreck. I understand we're supposed to be seeing Zuko start to cave in under the pressures of leadership and the conflictions between loyalty to his people and keeping balance in the world, but it felt very out of character to see him start shooting fireballs at Aang so quickly. Not to mention his decision to seek advice from Ozai, even if he finally has started to realize on his own that it wasn't such a good idea.

Also, 90% of the dialog with Toph's Metalbending students was just awful. The characters themselves were super one-dimensional and annoying. Gene Yang once again shows his affinity for repeating certain words/phrases to death. "Doom" was mentioned more times (and less humorously) than an Invader Zim episode, shoes were mentioned more often than they were in that Kelly song, and don't even get me started on "The Dark One". Felt like Mr. Yang was trying to make a dull, humorless knockoff of Mai combined with every stereotypical goth teenager in existence, but with even less personality. Sokka and Toph's lines were pretty good (minus the constant "lily livers"), but I couldn't stand those three.

Speaking of dialog, the fangirls that Aang and Katara were staying with were written in your typical ditzy valleygirl fashion. Ugh. But the thing that bugs me the most is the stupid decision to make Mai leave. Yes, I know the author is a Zutarian, but if he can deal with Kataang, he can deal with Maiko too. Breaking them up again was completely pointless and it better be fixed by the time this is over.

So, all that said, I'm apprehensive that this is how they're going to finally show us what happened to Ursa and Azula. I'm worried that this long-awaited moment could turn out to be a disaster. Mr. Yang had better not screw this one up.

>>106511
It looks like her season 2 outfit to me.

>>106511
>>106551

It's indeed her season 2 outfit, albeit slightly modified(one pauldron instead of two, and a vertical dark red stripe in her torso)

>>106511
>>106551

It's indeed her season 2 outfit, albeit slightly modified(one pauldron instead of two, and a vertical dark red stripe in her torso)

Poor Grey Delisle will be upset she's not going to voice her favorite character's resolution.

>>106585
We should ask her to do it anyways.

Imagine if The Search was one of those "Press-For-Sound!" books except just with Azula's lines.

It would be glorious.

So guys...

If Avatar comics manage to become popular enough to warrant a standalone story, what would you like to see?

Is it wrong of me to be joyful that this story can always continue through comics while hoping for a grand finale to The Legend of Korra after season three?

>>106653

I don't understand your post...

>>106651

>>106653
It depends on how well the comics are done.

>>106585
Just wait for the anime-ted adaption.

Bad mental institution -> "One Flies Over the Cuckoo's Nest" -> lobotomy? Perhaps Avatar equivalent of... -> Doctor experimenting in artificially removing bending -> Inspiration for Amon?

>>107518
Stop trying to Lucas everything.

I fear they will ruin Azula even more ;___;

>>107549

"Ruin" how?

>>107550
By giving her gimmicky things to say/do or a catchphrase

>>107551
I WILL DESTROY YOU SWEETIE

>>107549
"Even more"? This indicates Azula was somehow ruined in the first place. Please explain?

>>107554
Many people continue to express displeasure with the resolution of the last Agni Kai between Zuko and Katara; that Katara shouldn't have even been involved; and that it was illogical for even an Azula having a psychotic break with reality to attack Katara so that the series would end on a universally high note.

>>107555
Many are dumb.

>>106511
It's possible that Zuko and Azula are trying to travel as normal Fire Nation citizens, rather than members of the Royal family. This would explain why both are wearing clothes worn by normal people, rather than soldiers or nobility. This would indicate that Ursa is either in the Fire Nation or the Colonies (if she was in the Earth Kingdom they'd be wearing Earth Kingdom clothes so they'd blend in).

>>107554
>>This indicates Azula was somehow ruined in the first place. Please explain?

The whole mental breakdown thing in the finale was a totally unrealistic from a psychological or psychiatrical point of view, and a cheap way to deprive her character of a resolution.

I'm OK with Katara getting in the fight against her and everything, but I'm one of those dumb people who think they mistreated Azula's character with some arbitrary choices of writing.

>The whole mental breakdown thing in the finale was a totally unrealistic from a psychological or psychiatrical point of view
It was. Completely. People who say this are completely clueless about mental illness.

I don't know why people think Azula's break came out of nowhere; I pegged on stuff being off the moment she spoke in the Southern Raiders. If you go back and listen to how she talks in it I'm sure you'll agree she's not right.

>>107581
She was already messed up during the series, if you can't see it coming its more your own fault, everyone else saw the signs.

>>107582
>>People who say this are completely clueless about mental illness.

Yeah I suppose I don't know nothing about something I've personally had experience with.

>>107584
>>if you can't see it coming its more your own fault, everyone else saw the signs.

I'm just saying, human psychology and behaviour disorders
don't work like that at all.

>>107582
>>People who say this are completely clueless about mental illness.

Yeah I suppose I know nothing about something from personal experience.

>>107584
>>if you can't see it coming its more your own fault, everyone else saw the signs.

I'm just saying, human psychology and behaviour disorders
don't work like that at all.

>>107585

Well you can say that, but don't think we'll believe you.

I mean, it's clear to see the chain of events that leads to her breakdown, and the emotions that follow from it.

>Thinks of herself as a monster (the beach), and thus unlovable, but kept people close through fear and that's good enough, or 'like' love.
>Fear falls through, leaving her alone and wondering how it could fail- and somewhat realizing it's through 'love', something she doesn't let herself believe. Bigs up her bluster to hide this
>Realizes Ozai, who she might have considered having affection for her, does not. More lonliness
>Gets rid of the people closest to her so she's not further emotionally injured as her break with Mai and Ty Lee was, but also isolates herself more, and shown (via styling her hair) how much she needs other people.
>The mother vision tormenting her due to not wanting to accept the love she...prrrobably actually knows her Mother had for her.
>At the end, starts to crack, cracks completely when she sees that Zuko has a friend who cares about him, and that she's all alone.

Now of course this might not be completely accurate, but I think most people can agree on this particular arc of character, and that the basis of her breakdown is about her making things worse for herself after her previous belief system her persona was based around is shown to have an unsteady foundation.

>>107586
>Yeah I suppose I know nothing about something from personal experience.

Yes, because that's how mental disorders work. There's only one and everyone reacts to it in the exact same way.

So we're just straight up ignoring Iroh calling her insane almost as soon as she showed up?

>>107593

For some reason I don't think Iroh is especially understanding of Azula, which is why it's usually ignored.

He's right of course, but...I dunno. It might be something to do with his relationship with his brother, which we don't get to see at all, or how it developed.

>>107593
>>So we're just straight up ignoring Iroh calling her insane almost as soon as she showed up?

"I won't fight my evil younger brother because that would be wrong, but you please do me a favor and go kill your teenage sister because that is OK"

Yeah DAT IROH.

>>107593
>>So we're just straight up ignoring Iroh calling her insane almost as soon as she showed up?

"I won't fight my evil younger brother because that would be wrong, but you please do me a favor and go kill your teenage sister because that is OK"

Yeah DAT IROH.

>>107589
>At the end, starts to crack, cracks completely when she sees that Zuko has a friend who cares about him, and that she's all alone.

I've been living alone, working at home and haven't had a single friend relationship in 10 years and I see people having friends all the time.

Yet I haven't had a single hallucination with a mother figure, haven't had a single mental breakdown, haven't banished anyone from my palace, and I am not taking any kind of medication. Because having a crappy life does not equal becoming a psycopath.

So I hope you understand, and I am sorry if I don't believe you on how Azula must be asylum-crazy because she had a bit of teen drama with her BFFs and daddy.

People complain about Lionturtle being DEM? Well, I wish that was the only DEM in the finale.

>>107604
Sounds like you're taking Azula's psychotic breakdown pretty personally there Chief

>>107604
You're projecting. That's a very bad habit.

>>107604
And you're not Azula.

>>107604

Forgive me, but I don't believe you had the exact same upbringing as Azula did, the same priorities, the same ailments or the same pressures affecting your development as a person.

As such, using your personal situation as a benchmark seems unwise to me...for these things you have to realize there is more to the world than your own experiences/feelings that might inform a character's actions.

>>107604
>Azula must be asylum-crazy because she had a bit of teen drama with her BFFs and daddy.

There's so much more to it than that, didn't you pay attention during Zuko Alone? And I'm getting so tired of people saying Azula's meltdown wasn't realistic. Your experiences =/= everyone else's. Meltdowns don't have an agenda they're supposed to stick to, they can literally happen within a day and they can be over nearly anything, depending on the person.

>>107599

In order for balance to be restored to the world it had to be the Avatar that stopped the Fire lord. Not Iroh, not Zuko. The Avatar. Not only is it sort of his job, but it's symbolic of the world being restored to balance. This is Iroh's exact line of dialogue;

>The only way for this war to end peacefully is
for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord.

That's why Iroh didn't fight him. Stop making shit up that didn't happen.

As as for Iroh telling Zuko to "kill" Azula, here's the conversation verbatim...

>Iroh: Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order. But Azula will be there, waiting for you.

>Zuko: I can handle Azula.

>Iroh: Not alone. You'll need help.

>Zuko: You're right. Katara, how would you like to help me put Azula in her place

>Katara: It would be my pleasure.

>>107593
I've always thought it was uncharacteristically callous for him to be so dismissive of Azula when he did nothing but hold Zuko's hand for three god damn years without even judging him. Does he hate her just because she's a girl or something? They were both psychologically damaged by Ozai but he writes Azula off like she's beyond hope.

>>107619

>Does he hate her just because she's a girl or something?

In a nation where your National Guard is full of women and women train your Firebenders?

>They were both psychologically damaged by Ozai but he writes Azula off like she's beyond hope.

Hey, remember how she burned a doll he got her? Let's play fair, maybe he didn't hear about that, was away for a few years.

How about how he stood right next to her as Ozai burned his own son's face, probably saw the look on her face after Zuko cried out in agony, then probably saw her walk off, laughing to herself?

Soon after he went on his journey with Zuko to find the Avatar. The next time he saw Azula, three years later, she tried to kill Zuko with lightning after failing to capture them. Then she blasted him in the chest with a fireball and almost killed him.

That's his experience with his niece, right there.

>>107619

To be fair, he never tries to justify his brother either or reach an understanding with him.

I think that perhaps Iroh is not as all-encompassingly understanding or kind when it comes to members of his own family. He probably saw that Azula was a little more like his brother than Zuko from casual contact and...gave up on her.

Which is peculiar, as he was the one who said good and evil are warring inside Zuko due to his heritage...but that same heritage is inside Azula. So where's the difference on that level?

>>107621
Maybe he just associates her with Ozai too much to think of her as her own person.

I kind of thought it was because he was trying to continue parenting Zuko after losing Lu Ten--he seemed like he put all of his energy into fathering his nephew to make up for 'failing' Lu Ten, by somehow not preparing him for the war, because if he'd been properly prepared, he wouldn't have died. So basics, basics, basics for Zuko, and up-close fathering, and lots of attention, especially after getting banished. Which... Azula never wanted or needed, as far as he likely could have seen. Azula had her father's constant attention, and Iroh couldn't very well take time away from Ozai spending time brainwashing his daughter without risking his little brother's wrath. ...Of course, that's all conjecture and sounds kind of headcanon-y, but. I don't think Iroh was really in a place to take Azula under his wing before Zuko was banished, and then he just had one-on-one time with Zuko for three years.

>>107621
Azula embraced it and was a scheming bully even at 8 (?) years old. She was a firebending prodigy and obviously Ozai's preferred child. Iroh would have seen her grow up, Lu Ten would have played with his younger cousins before Ba Sing Se; they would have known what she was like, that she was a bad egg. I don't imagine she would have been very courteous to him when he came back home either. Plus she might simply remind him of Ozai as a child, and he clearly has no love for his brother, while Zuko took after his mother instead.

It's also possible that she made up Azulon's demand for Ozai to kill his son (Azula always lies, remember) since she was the only one who supposedly heard it and the one who Ursa interrogated. If that's true, whether or not she meant for things to fall into place as they did, it means she manipulated her own mother into killing Azulon and then fleeing into self-exile, allowed for Ozai to usurp Iroh's throne, and ruined Zuko's life all in one fell swoop. She also used Iroh's deep grief over the loss of his son as a wedge; the "you must know Iroh's pain" part was not in the actual Ozai-Azulon dialogue, it was something relayed to Zuko by Azula, and it doesn't fit very well with the dialogue we DID see.

There are a LOT of reasons Iroh has to distrust Azula especially if he suspects she was involved with or instigated the coup.

>>107624
Are you on CRACK? We saw Azulon threaten to punish Ozai with suffering equivalent to Iroh's loss of his firstborn son. Do you actually believe Ursa didn't run that by Ozai to confirm it before she killed the old man?

I hope in The Search Azula doesn't just accept Zuko as Firelord. It would ruin her character since she's the type of person who takes anything she wants. Perhaps Zuko will bribe her with an important role.

It would be interesting if Azula is confronted with a situation where she can save Zuko, or let him die and become Firelord. This would show whether she'll accept him as Firelord or not.

>>107620
Iroh also said Azula was crazy and needed to be taken down. I guess he couldn't kill his own brother but didn't object to Azula being killed.

>>107632
Because "she needs to be taken down" = "kill da bitch"?

She's crazy, and she needed to be taken down. And she was taken down. And look at that, she was taken down but not killed, whaddayaknow!

>>107632
>It would ruin her character since she's the type of person who takes anything she wants.

Her character has room for a hell of a lot more complexity than you make out. She was not simply a "strong capable confident intelligent young woman that took what she wanted". She was also, y'know, very clearly mentally ill. VERY mentally ill. This could go in any number of directions, but it would be perfectly valid for them to take the stand that her meltdown had been was a long time coming, and that after everything went wrong and she finally completely cracked up "all the Fire Lord's horses and all the Fire Lord's men, couldn't put Azula's brain back together again."