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  • 08/21/12 - Poll ended; /cod/ split off as a new board from /pco/.

File 134064912160.jpg - (110.44KB , 600x878 , 1340634179.jpg )
106411 No. 106411
EXCLUSIVE: Yang Continues "Avatar: The Last Airbender" in "The Search"

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=39354
Expand all images
>> No. 106412
You submitted this literally 5 seconds before I did.

Damn, lookink foreword to this even more than "The Promise"
>> No. 106414
Hopefully people will finally stop bitching about Ursa.

On the other hand, I fear Yang's writing.
>> No. 106416
File 134065118247.gif - (1.96MB , 300x170 , FYq7M.gif )
106416
I'm running out of yes gifs!
>> No. 106417
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!
>> No. 106418
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.
>> No. 106419
>>106418

It's more about closure for Zuko and Azula.
>> No. 106420
>>106418

Why and how are either of those things better sequel hooks than an actual plot point revolving around one of the main characters?
>> No. 106421
>>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.
>> No. 106424
Never cared about Ursa, but I think Azula deserved an animated closure.
Oh well.
>> No. 106427
>>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!
>> No. 106428
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.
>> No. 106430
>>106416
What the fuck, man, do you hate Ursa and Azula or something?
>> No. 106431
>>106430

I think you do.
>> No. 106432
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.
>> No. 106433
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.
>> No. 106434
>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.
>> No. 106435
>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.
>> No. 106436
It's a Gene Yang-written story that will almost certainly be centered mostly around Zuko.

We've seen how Gene writes Zuko.
>> No. 106438
>>106436
I'll take it over sixty pages of meaningless Toph/Sokka stuff.
>> No. 106440
>>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.
>> No. 106442
>>106438
Tokka shippers have enjoyed it.
>> No. 106446
>>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.
>> No. 106447
>>106442

THEY ARE SCUM.
>> No. 106449
So are we still going to see Azula in the promise part 3?
>> No. 106455
>>106449
I don't see why not
>> No. 106456
Am I the only one who prefers the Ursa mystery unresolved? I liked that it was a dangling end.
>> No. 106458
>>106456
If you took the time to actually read through the thread you're posting on, you'd have your answer.
>> No. 106467
>>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
>> No. 106478
>>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.
>> No. 106480
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.
>> No. 106482
>>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.
>> No. 106483
>>106482

It sounds ominous, but he could be trying to mislead us.
>> No. 106485
File 134066648535.gif - (47.37KB , 260x350 , 1328313854092.gif )
106485
>"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
>> No. 106486
>>106436

>We've seen how Gene writes Zuko.

He makes idiotic choices.

So he is spot on.
>> No. 106491
>>106486
There's stupid and there's retarded. What happened to "Iroh's been my real father"?
>> No. 106493
>>106491

Iroh's never actually been Fire Lord.

And he's kind of all the way in Ba Sing Se.
>> No. 106495
>>106480
I totally agree.
>> No. 106497
>>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.
>> No. 106510
File 134067269344.png - (349.29KB , 626x1000 , tumblr_m674frAnpi1qa0bo2o1_1280.png )
106510
http://paper-crane.tumblr.com/post/25885223832/right-by-the-way-zuzu-dear-thats-the-third
>> No. 106511
>>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.
>> No. 106517
>>106414
I like Yang's writing.

 Say something negative, come on! 
>> No. 106518
File 134067656619.png - (1.92MB , 1500x3205 , The_Ride_Back_by_Booter_Freak.png )
106518
>>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.
>> No. 106520
File 134067879910.png - (163.34KB , 348x362 , 129939114241.png )
106520
>>106518
Oh man, that last panel just kills me!
>> No. 106521
>>106518
They went to the other side and fucked polarbeardoggy style riiight after this while he put his fingers in his ears and cried
>> No. 106529
>>106511
Hopefully, these two Fire Nation patriots will meet each other, if not in canon, then at least in fanfiction.
>> No. 106530
File 134069202960.jpg - (222.19KB , 600x1987 , Avatar___Marriage_by_Dailan.jpg )
106530
>>106520
>>106521
And despite all that, Ozai and Ursa were steering the ship all the while.
>> No. 106532
>>106530
Maybe Azulon wears giant nametags on his clothes so he doesn't forget who he is.
>> No. 106536
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.
>> No. 106543
>>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.
>> No. 106550
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.
>> No. 106551
>>106511
It looks like her season 2 outfit to me.
>> No. 106555
>>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)
>> No. 106556
>>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)
>> No. 106585
Poor Grey Delisle will be upset she's not going to voice her favorite character's resolution.
>> No. 106620
>>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.
>> No. 106651
So guys...

If Avatar comics manage to become popular enough to warrant a standalone story, what would you like to see?
>> No. 106653
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?
>> No. 106656
>>106653

I don't understand your post...
>> No. 106672
File 134076848616.png - (106.62KB , 420x309 , 124883838416.png )
106672
>>106651
>> No. 106703
>>106653
It depends on how well the comics are done.
>> No. 106715
>>106585
Just wait for the anime-ted adaption.
>> No. 107518
Bad mental institution -> "One Flies Over the Cuckoo's Nest" -> lobotomy? Perhaps Avatar equivalent of... -> Doctor experimenting in artificially removing bending -> Inspiration for Amon?
>> No. 107520
>>107518
Stop trying to Lucas everything.
>> No. 107549
I fear they will ruin Azula even more ;___;
>> No. 107550
>>107549

"Ruin" how?
>> No. 107551
>>107550
By giving her gimmicky things to say/do or a catchphrase
>> No. 107552
>>107551
I WILL DESTROY YOU SWEETIE
>> No. 107554
>>107549
"Even more"? This indicates Azula was somehow ruined in the first place. Please explain?
>> No. 107555
>>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.
>> No. 107568
>>107555
Many are dumb.
>> No. 107571
>>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).
>> No. 107581
>>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.
>> No. 107582
>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.
>> No. 107583
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.
>> No. 107584
>>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.
>> No. 107585
>>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.
>> No. 107586
>>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.
>> No. 107589
>>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.
>> No. 107591
>>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.
>> No. 107593
So we're just straight up ignoring Iroh calling her insane almost as soon as she showed up?
>> No. 107596
>>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.
>> No. 107599
>>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.
>> No. 107602
>>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.
>> No. 107604
>>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.
>> No. 107605
>>107604
Sounds like you're taking Azula's psychotic breakdown pretty personally there Chief
>> No. 107606
>>107604
You're projecting. That's a very bad habit.
>> No. 107607
File 134168217150.png - (386.84KB , 720x480 , ep21-368[1].png )
107607
>>107604
And you're not Azula.
>> No. 107608
>>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.
>> No. 107609
>>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.
>> No. 107610
>>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.
>> No. 107619
>>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.
>> No. 107620
>>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.
>> No. 107621
>>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?
>> No. 107622
>>107621
Maybe he just associates her with Ozai too much to think of her as her own person.
>> No. 107623
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.
>> No. 107624
>>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.
>> No. 107625
>>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?
>> No. 107632
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.
>> No. 107634
>>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."
>> No. 107635
>>107609
>>Zuko Alone

Zuko alone didn't make sense.

>>107625
>>We saw Azulon threaten to punish Ozai with suffering equivalent to Iroh's loss of his firstborn son.

OK THIS
Yet when Azula told Zuko about it, she was accused of "
lying".
>> No. 107636
>>107635

That's what Zuko was telling himself. To make himself feel better.
>> No. 107637
>>107635
>Zuko alone didn't make sense.

You're whole post doesn't make any sense. Seriously, WTF are you getting at with any of this?
>> No. 107638
>>107635
I get the feeling you have no idea what the phrase "taken down" means.

If you take someone down, you have removed them from a position where they could continue doing the shit they were doing. That's all.

You can take someone down using lethal force, you can take someone down using nonlethal force. If the student council President in a bad 80s movie is being a bitch abusing her power and treating uncool kids like crap, they can declare "she needs to be taken down!" before they implement a complicated plan that results in her losing her popularity and position as student council president.

And a ganglord can be taken down in a hail of bullets.

>Zuko alone didn't make sense.

Maybe it didn't make sense to you, but it made sense to plenty of others.

>Yet when Azula told Zuko about it, she was accused of "lying".

Heavens! It's almost like she had a history of lying, did it so casually that she could fool a human lie detector, and was telling him something he really didn't want to hear, making him want to believe more than usual that she was just lying again!
>> No. 107640
>>107624

>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.

It was confirmed to have happened by Ozai himself in Day of Black Sun part II...

>Zuko: What happened that night

>Fire Lord Ozai: My father, Fire Lord Azulon, had commanded me to do the unthinkable to you, my own son. And I was going to do it. Your Mother had found out and swore she would protect you at any cost. She knew I wanted the throne and she proposed a plan. A plan in which I would become Fire Lord and your life would be spared.


Interestingly enough, it's was Azula's initial actions that saved Zuko. Without her going to his room to taunt him, Ursa would have never found out.
>> No. 107641
I wonder about this fandom sometimes.
Between the speculation in this thread that's still going on about the Fire Nation Royal Family and nitpicking at things that went on in Korra, it's like people watch this show with blindfolds and ear plugs.
If you pay attention, damn near everything is spelled out for you. The writing on both shows is that solid.
Deal with it.
>> No. 107644
>>107641
>If you pay attention, damn near everything is spelled out for you.

Explain the bear.

You can't, can you? CAN YOU?
>> No. 107645
>>107638
>>did it so casually that she could fool a human lie detector

Y'know, that's funny. I think that was the only time she ever lied.

Ah, and that time she lied to his father so he'd forgive Zuko and restore his honor.

Every other time she pretty much said the truth.
>> No. 107646
>>107645
There is also the time where she lied to Zuko telling him that Ozai wanted him back, where this was a trap to capture him and brought him back in the Fire Nation in chains!

Face it, she lies pretty often to reach her goals, it's part of her character and one of the reason she's so effective as a villain!
>> No. 107647
>>107645
>Y'know, that's funny. I think that was the only time she ever lied.

Off the top of my head?

Her lies to get Ty Lee to go with her. Her lies to Zuko and Iroh when she first met them ("yeah family is suddenly very important and Dad wants you both back so he can give you big hugs!")

Her lie when she was just a kid about just wanting Zuko to play a game with her. Yeah right, she didn't want to play a game, she wanted to make a fool of him and Mai.

>that time she lied to his father so he'd forgive Zuko and restore his honor.

HA! She didn't do it so "he'd forgive Zuko". She did it so that when Aang showed up alive it'd be Zuko's ass in a sling.
>> No. 107653
My God, I just realized why this anon goes to such lengths to bullshit about Azula.

She's his ex-waifu.
>> No. 107654
Hey, look at Momo's face. I bet he knows something about Ursa's whereabouts. Maybe he knew all along.
>> No. 107657
>>107653
Quick! Check if he's got a Latverian IP address!
>> No. 107658
File 134170894285.jpg - (67.31KB , 396x600 , Doom Online.jpg )
107658
>> No. 107659
Wouldn't it be crazy if it turns out Ursa wasn't always so kind and gentle? What if she used to be an incredibly capable warrior like Mai and after she had children she realized life has more meaning than fighting and then settled down.

I'd really love to see her have a dark past and not this super nice gentle mother she's always been depicted as. I'd love to see Iroh telling Zuko about some untold backstory of how Ozai and Ursa met.
>> No. 107660
>>107644
It was explained that the bear was inexplicable.
>> No. 107661
>>107659
Yes. Batshit crazy. The Code Geass jokes would never stop.
>> No. 107695
>>107659
Wasn't it a combined marriage?
>> No. 107696
>>107695
You mean arranged marriage? That was never stated; though I do seem to remember scuttlebutt on early season 3 concepts having some kind of arranged marriage for Azula - anybody else remember that?
>> No. 107699
>>107696
I'm almost positive you hallucinated that... most likely while arguing with your mothers incorporeal visage occupying the space in a mirror where your reflection should be.
>> No. 107700
>>107696
I remember that too. I wonder what kind of role Azula's fiance would have played.
>> No. 107701
>>107647
>>Her lies to get Ty Lee to go with her. Her lies to Zuko and Iroh when she first met them ("yeah family is suddenly very important and Dad wants you both back so he can give you big hugs!")

>>Her lie when she was just a kid about just wanting Zuko to play a game with her. Yeah right, she didn't want to play a game, she wanted to make a fool of him and Mai.

So basically anything anyone tells you which is not absolute truth is a lie to you now? How do you deal with, I dunno, daily stuff?
>> No. 107702
>>107701
At this point, I'm calling troll (or Latverian, as brought up above): how can you deal with daily stuff if you can't recognize that an intentionally set up disparity between the spoken "dad is accepting you back" and the actual "dad wants you as a prisoner" is a flat-out lie?
>> No. 107707
>>107647
>>Her lies to get Ty Lee to go with her.
She tells her the absolute truth, that she was on a mission to capture Zuko and Iroh and that she's recruiting Ty Lee to assist her, when did she lies?

>>Her lies to Zuko and Iroh when she first met them ("yeah family is suddenly very important and Dad wants you both back so he can give you big hugs!")
That one is right

>>Her lie when she was just a kid about just wanting Zuko to play a game with her. Yeah right, she didn't want to play a game, she wanted to make a fool of him and Mai.
Not exactly : she TRULY wanted to play a game, only her definition of a game isn't the same as Zuko and Mai. And may I recall you that Ty Lee was accomplice with Azula in this prank,("See, I told you it would work.") that she actually laughed with Azula at Zuko's and Mai's expense, ("Aw, they're so cute together."), and that Afterward Zuko complained of both of them?("You two are such... ugh!")
>> No. 107708
>>107707

Regarding Ty Lee, something I see a lot of people miss in fanfics when they write her is that little cruel streak she has. It doesn't crop up often, but you can see it when she fights, and she always seems to have fun going along with Azula's pranks. Sure she's flighty and maybe naive, but she's not *quite* as innocent as people make her out to be, in my opinion.
>> No. 107709
File 134177213762.jpg - (33.18KB , 719x479 , tylee-smirkingdevilishlyDVD.jpg )
107709
>>107708
Definitively. There must be a reason why Azula got along with Ty Lee better than with Mai!
The main difference is that Ty Lee stop her antics when it come close to the line of sadism, Azula crossed this line systematically and with delight.
>> No. 107712
>>107707
>She tells her the absolute truth, that she was on a mission to capture Zuko and Iroh and that she's recruiting Ty Lee to assist her, when did she lies?

"Oh! Well if you don't want to come with me I understand perfectly, and won't push you. I'm just going to stay and watch the show."

That was a lie. Because she wasn't okay with Ty Lee's decision, and she wasn't planning on just "watching the show" she was trying to think of ways to manipulate Ty Lee into leaving with her.

>Not exactly : she TRULY wanted to play a game

Only a sick individual that delights in twisting the truth into knots and going "well it wasn't PRECISELY a lie..." would call what she had in mind "just playing a game". Don't follow in her footsteps.
>> No. 107715
>>107708
Can you state some concrete examples of this stuff, or episodes that I should rewatch? I never noticed Ty Lee having any kind of cruel streak. She just seemed bubbly, naive and fairly oblivious to me.
>> No. 107719
>>107715
>>107708
I think "cruel" might've been the wrong word. Devilish, impish, or mischievous, sure. She was capable of guile, but the worst she seemed to do to people (outside of fighting wartime enemies--and even with those she was far gentler than Azula and had less deadly intent than Mai despite probably being the most effective of Ozai's Angels at countering the heroes) was put them in situations that could be embarrassing. So she's not Pure and Innocent by any means, but "cruel" makes it sound worse than it is.
>> No. 107725
>>107712
>"Oh! Well if you don't want to come with me I understand perfectly, and won't push you. I'm just going to stay and watch the show."

>That was a lie. Because she wasn't okay with Ty Lee's decision, and she wasn't planning on just "watching the show" she was trying to think of ways to manipulate Ty Lee into leaving with her.
It was a barely covered threat, and Ty Lee got it immediately, just look at her face when Azula told her that she's going to watch the show. Azula was sarcastic, not lying.

>Only a sick individual that delights in twisting the truth into knots and going "well it wasn't PRECISELY a lie..." would call what she had in mind "just playing a game". Don't follow in her footsteps.
It was a prank, a prank in which TY LEE was accomplice, Azula TOLD HER exactly what she was going to do(put the tip of the apple in Mai's head on fire so that Zuko would jump and both ends in the fountain), and Ty Lee was totally OK for it, so don't say that she was a monster scheming an abominable fate for her brother if even Ty Lee was having a good time with this prank! It was a mean prank yes, but just a prank.
>> No. 107728
>>107725
Not even that mean of a prank if she was trying to get her brother and Mai together.
>> No. 107730
>>107725
>Azula was sarcastic not lying

Uh huh.

>It was a prank!

"If I just use weasel words, and leave out information, and look for loopholes and double meanings, I can piss in the Fountain of Truth all I want!"

>>107728
She wasn't.
>> No. 107731
Azula was a bully who Ty Lee stuck around with because she didn't really have anyone else, and she didn't want to make Azula angry because she would get hurt or cast out. Ship how you want but in canon it was pretty fucking abusive. That's why it was so awesome when she disobeyed Azula and chi-blocked her to save Mai in The Boiling Rock; she'd finally stepped out from under Azula's heel and did what she thought was right, Azula's opinion be damned.

She might be mischevious to a degree but Ty Lee isn't mean-spirited by nature. The bad shit she did was stuff Azula told her to do. And she went with it all out of fear and a misplaced sense of loyalty.
>> No. 107736
>>107731
You've basically just completely fabricated motivations, thought processes and opinions for Ty Lee and called it canon.

I hope you're happy with yourself.
>> No. 107738
>>107699
Nope, found it
http://www.avatarspirit.net/interviews.php?id=19
>> No. 107739
>>107731
Well, Ty Lee had no qualms about trashing (burning down?) a teenager's beach house with a huge smile on her face, or taking over a city. She seems to have a good time with the fire kids.
>> No. 107740
>>107738
Oh great, now I'm hallucinating it too.
>> No. 107743
>>107731
I didn't say she was at the same level of cruelty and sadism than Azula(honestly, only Ozai could be crueler than her!), only that she have a little mischievous streak that Mai don't, and that's may be why Azula seems to be a little more closer of Ty Lee than Mai.
>> No. 107745
>>107736
So are you saying Azula didn't bully or push her around, that she left the circus of her own volition, and that scenes like Azula shoving her to the ground because Ty Lee could do better cartwheels or telling her directly that no boys actually care who she is and they only go after her because she was easy are totally isolated incidents that are totally not representative of their relationship as a whole?

Don't you remember any nice kid in middle school who inexplicably hung around almost exclusively with a bigger, meaner person who treated them like shit? Ty Lee is that kid. Yeah they can genuinely like each other, but it's obviously a very dysfunctional friendship. Azula is jealous as hell of her whenever Ty Lee demonstrates that she can do something Azula can't because Azula wants and needs to be the stronger one, the one in control. Ty Lee gets threatened when she doesn't want to comply, and is belittled and insulted several times onscreen. I think Azula probably did care about her a lot and The Boiling Rock incident may have been the first hit that led to her breakdown, but she was just incapable of showing affection and had serious control and jealousy issues combined with a complete lack of tact.

The Beach might have showcased just how socially crippled Azula really is but it was pretty evident before that in her interactions with other characters, particularly Zuko and Ty Lee.
>> No. 107775
>>107745
Azula and Ty Lee definitely had an abusive relationship, but not nearly as bad as you're trying to make it out to be.

In a completely one-sided relationship, Azula would not have apologized to Ty Lee or even admitted her jealousy.

As is the worst things that Azula has done to Ty Lee was taking her from the circus and pushing her after she did a better cartwheel.

You can't assume that Ty Lee hates Azula for that simply because you CAN'T know what kind of mentality Ty Lee actually has since Ty Lee barely gets any screentime. At the very least, Ty Lee didn't look vindictive when she betrayed Azula, honestly she looked surprised with herself which could mean any number of things. We just don't know.
>> No. 107780
>>107775
What? I never said Ty Lee hated Azula. Actually I said the opposite:

> Yeah they can genuinely like each other, but it's obviously a very dysfunctional friendship
>> No. 107782
>>107780
Oh well, then yeah.
>> No. 107809
File 13418735302.jpg - (106.00KB , 542x844 , Kiss_meme__Azula_x_Sokka_by_psychoe.jpg )
107809
>>107745
As long as Azula has had her firebending taken away, and as long as she’s on some kind of tranquilizer, I can see her living a normal life.
>> No. 107810
>>107809
Azula woud prefer dying.
And so would I.
>> No. 107811
>>107809
Seeing as neither of those took place, I suppose she's doomed.
>> No. 107813
>>107809
I wouldn't call being (spiritually) crippled and reduced to a med-induced doll a "normal life".
>> No. 107814
File 134187712971.jpg - (29.57KB , 400x297 , clockwork-orange.jpg )
107814
>>107809
Not extreme enough.
>> No. 107816
It's impossible to figure out what Azula would be like post-breakdown. Her entire life was built around being Daddy's Perfect Little Tyrant-in-the-making. Well she failed at being perfect, Daddy's not what he was, and the "tyrant" part is pretty much a pipedream at this point. There's no "right" answer for what she'd be like after losing everything. Anything from catatonic to delusionally acting like she won is possible.
>> No. 107817
>>107816
It's even possible that after hitting rock bottom, she's on the road to recovery and developing into a (relatively) stable individual.
>> No. 107820
>>107817
I express skepticism. If she's on the road to recovery it's going to be one long-ass road, because where she was when we last saw her, she couldn't even see "recovery" with a telescope and something tall to stand on.
>> No. 107821
File 134188275891.jpg - (25.39KB , 230x430 , Twenty_seven_hours_to_go_by_swan_swan.jpg )
107821
>>107813
It seems extreme, but I’d prefer a doped-up Azula over a vengeful Azula.
>> No. 107827
What about a bitter and jaded Azula?
>> No. 107831
I say Azula has tons of potential to be reformed to an extent. In the beach episode she personally went to retrieve Zuko from their old vacation home and spoke to him an a much softer manner. She, like Zuko, is just an incredibly driven character who had her purpose in life robbed from her after she lost her two only friends. I think one fact people always forget is the fact that she is a 14 year old girl with huge emotional problems. She needs time to mature with good people around her. Zuko had Iroh to teach him wisdom but Azula had no one. Give her time and she can grow up. Just look up your old forum names and see if you can find any old posts you made. Or if you've had facebook for a long time go see what your first comments are. Most people would see their old posts and realize they've changed dramatically over the years.
>> No. 107847
>>107831
IAW this guy. Haunted and contrite Azula could be awesome. A harrowing descent through emotional turmoil, emerging out the other side only once she realizes that inspiring fear and exercising control over others is what ruined her to begin with, and the only people who genuinely care about her are here enemies.

But yeah, I dunno where Yangles is gonna run with this.
>> No. 107849
>>107847
Yeah, it's an interesting idea. I definitely don't want to see her entirely contrite and goody-goody at any point ever. But seeing her starting to realize how bad she got, and trying to fight her demons and learn to be a healthy human being could actually be a really interesting and enjoyable story. Especially given how much work it's going to be for her to get there.
>> No. 107850
File 134197815490.png - (85.37KB , 250x300 , kyokaax3.png )
107850
azula is not a bully she is a pure maiden just like this girl
>> No. 107852
>>107831
No thanks from me. I've seen reformed!Azula done terribly too many times to trust Yang to do it.
>> No. 107855
>>107850
Oh you.
>> No. 107861
>thread descends into the same bitching arguments that got the last one locked
>nope

Oh well. I had an Avatar dream a while back that involved Azula on the loose and going nuts with me thinking the only way to stop her was to either kill her or get her bending taken away. Was interesting.
>> No. 107863
>>107861
That could be an interesting story as it's something Azula would do if she wanted to overthrow Zuko and become Firelord. I would also be more believable than the Fire Nation nobility suddenly supporting Zuko, even though they were benefiting from the continued war.
>> No. 107869
>>107863
>Fire Nation nobility suddenly supporting Zuko

Zuko's had so many attempts on his life that he can't sleep. That doesn't sound like they're throwing all their support behind him.
>> No. 107945
>>107869
I thought those were because he was trying to dismantle the colonies in the Earth Kingdom. Also other than the assassination attempts Zuko doesn't seem to have any problems ruling the Fire Nation. After all he never asks his father how he should hand the nobles or mentions that they're rebelling against him.
>> No. 107947
I haven't been paying close attention--does the Fire Nation even have nobility, beyond the Fire Lord and his immediate family? They never referred to Iroh as a Duke or anything, and Mai's father was appointed as a Governor, not the Liege Lord. Have we actually established that the Fire Nation is feudal?
>> No. 107953
>>107947
The Avatar and The Fire Lord suggests that it was kind of a closed society within the Palace walls.
>> No. 107958
>>107945

You think colonists are the only ones with objections to that? Hint hint, colonialism makes money for the aristocracy. That's why it's always been so popular with the aristocracy.
>> No. 107969
>>107947
I don't think the Fire Nation is (was?) "feudal", but more of an absolutist monarchy a la Louis XIV. Hence there is one royal family and a vast bureaucracy of appointed administrators. Just like the system Louis XIV established, however, I imagine that the system was meritocratic on paper but effectively became hereditary in practice as the years went on, with prominent families lobbying for "offices" regardless of their suitability for the task.
>> No. 107971
>>107969
I don't know, there did seem to be some genuine meritocracy going on in the Fire Nation, even if parts of it were only nominal. Zhao rose to his position in the military based on his performance, it would seem, for example, and no one batted an eye at Azula assembling a team of civilian commoners as her "special forces" for capturing the Avatar. Admittedly, Mai's family might have connections, but Ty Lee seems to be common--if not by birth then by choice when she ran away to join the circus.

Add to that their willingness to use females as common soldiers, which none of the other nations seemed to do much of--that indicates a certain degree of determinism that the other nations didn't have.

Honestly, a lot about the Fire Nation really did seem genuinely a few centuries ahead of the rest of the world, and not just technologically. Their war of conquest was boneheaded and their leaders were psychopathic, and there certainly seemed to be a strong element of oppression in how commoners were treated, but they weren't an evil empire that had no good points. I don't find it at all hard to believe that in spite of oppressing people, they were willing to make use of those who excelled.
>> No. 107972
>>107971
You forget that Azula, Ty Lee and Mai all went to the ROYAL Fire Academy for Girls.
>> No. 107983
>>107972
And if I, as an Australian, decided to join the military I would attend the Royal Defence Force Academy, what's your point?
>> No. 107985
>>107971
>Ty Lee seems to be common--if not by birth then by choice when she ran away to join the circus

That's...I...sigh.
>> No. 107990
Mai was obviously a noble. Her father was put in chargeof one of he larger Earth Kingdom cities, and as far as Ty Lee goes...

>Azula: Tell me, what is the daughter of a nobleman doing here?

Azula specificly states she's a noble in the first ten seconds of her screentime. You kids nowadays with your ADD, I swear.
>> No. 108005
>>107983
Because Australian military schools for adults is the exact same as a royal academy for girls in the Firenation

Not all cultures are the same bro
>> No. 108022
>>108005
I think his point was just that "The fact that it has 'Royal' in the name doesn't necessarily mean anything." Were the Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen associated with the King of Canada?
>> No. 108073
File 134221698038.jpg - (27.26KB , 320x400 , queenelizabethii.jpg )
108073
>>108022
>>the King of Canada

That would be my father, George IV
>> No. 108078
>>108073
No, no, Dave Foley very specifically said that Canada has a Boy King with magic powers, "who we all love."
>> No. 108874
More info about the comics :

>@MarkTweedale @DarkHorseComics Yep! It will be three books, just like The Promise. Same length, too.
So the format of The Search will be the same as for The Promise

>@MarkTweedale @darkhorsecomics @avatardp That’s not how Azula looks in the story itself, though— just on the cover. That second one is from about a month ago, but I did not have clarification on that. I’m guessing the cover’s going to change (so they can fix Ursa’s crown, too).
The actual cover seems to be a draft and a "decoy" then, Azula will never look like that in the story, maybe it would spoil how she is after the year she spent in the asylum.
And for information, Ursa's crown is actually reversed compared to how it looked in the main series.
>> No. 108875
>>108874
The source :
http://swan2swan.tumblr.com/post/27918970976/some-information-on-the-search-from-gene-yangs
>> No. 108876
>>108874
>So the format of The Search will be the same as for The Promise
I just there won't be something as time wasting as Toph metalbending's school.
>> No. 108880
I just realized, but in OP's pic, Azula looks like she's making guns with her fingers as if she's imagining herself in a John Woo shoot-em up movie.

All she needs now is the sunglasses and the white suit.
>> No. 108893
>>108880
I'm kinda imagining Azula throwing out tons of tiny lightning bolts through her fingertips in a rapidfire gunfire kind of way as she dives to the side with birds flying everywhere. Unfortunately half the birds get caught in the crossfire and end up fried.

This now makes me think of Avatar as a Shoenen manga where all the characters go out of their way to develop specialty and signature moves.

If I had artistic skill I would make Avatar the manga..
>> No. 108930
>>108876
Metal-bending school was the best part of The Promise, though.
>> No. 108934
>>108930
I would have been better if she bothered to actually teach them the way she learned how to metalbend herself. She never did any seismic sense training on them or any real earthbending training at all. They just had coins thrown around and later got scared by a giant metal monster. Suddenly they spontaneously learn how to metalbend without any real training, its like Toph forgot how to teach Earthbending after after she taught Aang.
>> No. 108937
>>108934
>I would have been better if she bothered to actually teach them the way she learned how to metalbend herself.
Toph went in two minutes from not knowing metalbending to manipulating it like it was paper. Metalbending has always been somewhat contrived. I just enjoyed seeing Toph and Sokka bro it out and Team Beifong being cool.
>> No. 108944
>>108937
>Metalbending has always been somewhat contrived

Did you even watch the episode where she learned? She used seismic sense to feel the impurities in the metal and move those. Thats how it works, they even say in the episode that metal is just refined earth.

The teaching part in the promise made no sense whatsoever.
>> No. 108948
>>108944
>Did you even watch the episode where she learned? She used seismic sense to feel the impurities in the metal and move those. Thats how it works
But it's silly, since she figures it out really quickly. That's why I don't really have a problem with how metalbending was shown in the comics. Toph didn't have to meditate and didn't have a learning curve (or had a really short one at least) to break out of her cage.
>> No. 108950
>>108948
I don't know. Toph's control over metal seemed very brute force and inelegant at first, and even by the end of the series it didn't seem to have the fine control that Lin and the metalbending cops exhibited. She had a lot of power, but I don't think they really demonstrated her having a lot of expertise, which would make sense--she was already a hugely powerful Earthbender, so once she figured out how to bend metal, she would be able to move a lot of it really well. But we didn't see her whipping metal wires around with any sort of precision--the best we saw her do precision-wise was the Iron Toph armor in the finale. Up till then it was all basically just breaking metal objects or throwing metal junk at things.

I would imagine precision to be a much bigger mark of skill in metalbending than how much of it you could move at once.
>> No. 108952
>>108950
That's true, but I think my point still stands. Metalbending bended to the rule of cool or the whims of the plot - and that's okay. I'm willing to let the implausibility of the metalbending school plot slide because it was well-written in other ways (imo), and this criticism applies to the original series.
>> No. 108954
>>108944
Yep. And since seismic sense can be learned (Aang did), the coin stuff was just dumb.
>> No. 108955
>>108948
>since she figures it out really quickly
Judging from how far away they were from the city she must have been inside that cage for several hours. Just because you saw it for a couple minutes doesn't mean she was in the cage for a couple minutes.
>> No. 108977
>>108955
Just because you saw them metalbend coins doesn't mean they didn't start with seismic sense.
>> No. 108982
>>108955
Given that metalbending didn't exist for hundreds, if not thousands of years before then, a couple of hours is still pretty quick.
>> No. 108986
Well, I think Metalbending was something that needed just the right conditions to be discovered.

There can't have been too many blind earthbenders taught by badgermoles. Even rarer would be an earthbender with Toph's incredible skill. So how many blind, insanely talented earthbenders would have been kidnapped and put in a metal cage?

The odds are pretty decent that that was the first time all those variables came together. It was a unique situation: an earthbender with the strength and (most importantly) ability to "see" the metal was trapped in metal.
>> No. 108988
>>108977
Except no hint was given at all that they had any sort of training of that sort. Hell, they don't even know how to Earthbend in the comic, they just complain all day then spontaneously start metalbending.

Sorry, but the Metalbending part in the comic is just dumb, no more excuses.
>> No. 108989
>>108988
>My opinion is fact, and if you disagree you're wrong.
>> No. 108992
>>108989
They still didn't know how to do good earthbending.
>> No. 108995
>>108992
Whats an example of good earthbending?
>> No. 108998
>>108989
He's right. You can go "that's your opinion, man" all you want. It's not consistent with how the technique was established in the show. In AtlA, metalbending was established as something Toph learned to do because she was the best Earthbender alive and had become better than any human bender in history at sensing rock and sensing through rock. In LoK it's still a rare skill for elite benders, a small group of people whose skill is so rare they're able to be the elite police force in the city.

In the book, Toph teaches random mooks that are frankly written like a bunch of weirdos that showed up not because they had any real aptitude and drive but rather because they had nothing better to do.

If you like it, well, horses for courses I guess, but it's not consistent with what's in the cartoons, and it makes the skill that was meant to be the absolute peak of her style look like it's not a big deal at all.
>> No. 108999
>>108988
>>108998
>Except no hint was given at all that they had any sort of training of that sort.
No hint was given at all that it took Toph more than 5 minutes to break out of that cage. In fact, she went from not being able to sense the impurities in the metal, to punching a big dent in it, in one scene.
>> No. 109002
>>108999
Technically Toph had been stuck in that metal cage for nearly a whole day. She had probably been kicking it and feeling it out the whole time.
>> No. 109003
Why are we assuming metalbending some coins is the equivalent of Toph's or the Metalbending Police's skills?
>> No. 109004
>>108999
>No hint was given at all that it took Toph more than 5 minutes to break out of that cage. In fact, she went from not being able to sense the impurities in the metal, to punching a big dent in it, in one scene.

Because metalbending is the ultimate extension of what she was the very best at - using her earthbending to "see". She had to push the skill further than ever in order to see the impurities, but once she found them she could use them to bend. The hard part was the thing that she'd been practicing at pretty much her entire life: using earthbending as a sixth sense.
>> No. 109008
>>109002
Probably, but there still wasn't any learning curve.

>>109004
My point is that metalbending has never been portrayed realistically (except maybe Lin's police force), and it's kind of silly to criticize The Promise for that when it's always been an issue with the franchise.
>> No. 109009
>>108999

You know, nothing except for the fact that it took Toph from the end of the previous episode until Aang had opened six of seven chakras to do so. By which time fucking night had fallen. Only an imbecile would fail to recognize that time had passed.
>> No. 109012
Toph learned earthbending from badgermoles. We never saw any other earthbender using seismic sense, even Bumi. Might explain why Toph was the first to discover metalbending.
>> No. 109013
>>109009
But she's able to bend the metal like it's paper immediately after she detects the impurities.
>> No. 109014
>>109009
But she's able to bend the metal like it's paper immediately after she detects the impurities.
>> No. 109019
>>109013

You clearly don't remember that scene at all. She punched it and dented it, and then shook out her hand like it hurt. Then there was a scene cut. And then, an unspecified amount of time later, we get the bit with her busting out and trapping Dumb and Dumber in it. It wasn't instant.
>> No. 109021
>>109019
The scene showed Toph putting serious effort and concentration into bending that metal.
"Come on, metal! BUDGE!"
>Dumb and Dumber
Heh, nice.
>> No. 109022
>>109019
While it's unknown how far Toph was from Ba Sing Se she did use her earthbending to travel back until Sokka and Aang met up with her. So she was outside the city but probably not outside the outer wall.
>> No. 109024
>>109019
While it's unknown how far Toph was from Ba Sing Se she did use her earthbending to travel back until Sokka and Aang met up with her. So she was outside the city but probably not outside the outer wall.
>> No. 109052
>>109019
The point still remains that she didn't have to meditate or do anything like that as it was presented on-screen. We weren't shown any sort of learning curve. Based on that, I don't think it's fair to say metalbending was portrayed unrealistically in The Promise, because we simply don't know how it works. Anything you say about it can also apply to The Guru as well.
>> No. 109053
>>109052
Just stop.

You clearly don't know what you're talking about.
>> No. 109054
>>109052
For. The. Billionth. Time.

The key element of metalbending is sensing impurities.

You need to use your Earthbending to sense.

And you need to be REALLY good at it.

Toph didn't need an extended training montage because she'd spent her whole life becoming better at sensing-through-earthbending than anyone that ever lived. She'd been training to be a metalbender her whole life, without knowing it. Even then she had to push her ability further than ever before.

The mooks in the comic HAVEN'T been pushing themselves to the limits of sensing-through-earthbending.

Metalbending was portrayed unrealistically in The Promise. It was shit-tier writing contradicting what was already there in the show, and it treated the all-time greatest accomplishment of any Earthbender as no big deal, something you could learn to do one afternoon over some tea. No. Just fucking no.
>> No. 109072
>>109054
See also: Lightning in The Legend of Korra. Really I think it's just petty the way Bryke is taking a shit all over Aaron Ehasz's writing to satisfy their demands that everything be as childish and stupid as possible.
>> No. 109073
>>109072
Yep, it's not like they did anything in Avatar or kept praising Ehasz's work in every interview/article/artbook.
God, what a whiny brat.
>> No. 109075
>>109073
You can compare what they SAY to what they DO and tell me which actually means more because I was just watching Bitter Work again yesterday and it struck me just how specifically they had gone to a lot of trouble to demonstrate just how much Mako's lightning bending is a total subversion and refutation of everything Iroh said about it.
>> No. 109076
>>109075

Sokka stuck in a hole for 15 minutes, stuff for real grown ups.
Gosh anon, nevermind objectivity and actual facts, it's all about your feelings, and adults act just like people in your high school.
Nevermind the fact that Azula using lightning in the finale while being an emotional wreck already proved Iroh wrong.
Nevermind the fact that, unlike metalbending in the Promise, it's beeen 70 years since we saw anyone bend lightning.

Bryke making a previously elite technique more common, easier but weaker in a fight = OMG dumbed down for console kiddies!!!111they mad at Aaron!!11
>> No. 109078
>>109076
Fuck your apologist rationalizations.
>> No. 109085
Man that one guy who has a real bug up his ass about lightning sure is really annoying.

Yes, I'm talking to you, That One Guy.
>> No. 109099
>>109075
>Mako's lightning bending is a total subversion and refutation of everything Iroh said about it.

I don't see them as incompatible. I would argue that Iroh is right for when you're just beginning to learn how to bend lightning, but with sufficient time and practice it becomes easier. It's a bit of a cheat so that they can have electric devices stemming from bending the way they once had steam-engines powered by firebenders, but you have to give writers a little flexibility.
>> No. 109105
>>109072

The only problem I have with the use of lightning in LOK is that it is just another damn way for Mako to be the most amazing best dude at everything ever, which just makes me want to punch him in the face. Other than that it's not horrible considering the modern world allows for better access to information and better understanding of electricity itself.

The kids in the metalbending school was bullshit though. That crap about people with metalbending potential bending Toph's bracelet with emotional outbursts while showing absolutely no actual earthbending talent in the comic. . . what the hell? Toph was pissed off while trapped in that box, but she only figured out metalbending when she calmed down, listened to the earth, and actively searched the metal for earth particles.

That and her students were wholly unlikable and 1 dimensional, which is the main reason that storyline sucked. I'm not sure why we were supposed to root for those annoying brats who lucked into ability rather than the fire nation kids who'd been training for ages (and their abilities showed it). Underdog stories only work when the underdog earns it.

I guess ultimately it comes down to the characters on whether or not this type of stuff is alright or not. The psychic bloodbending stuff was pretty bullshit too, but Amon, Tarrlok, and Yakone were interesting enough characters that it was alright.
>> No. 109107
>>109105
Yakone and his kids were basically a bunch of freaks, like Combustion Man. They didn't really address it beyond "well, sometimes weird shit like these guys happens". It's a bit of a copout, sure, but different from the metalbending kids who are apparently completely normal earthbenders that just "raw emotion"ed their way into metal bending because fuck everything we saw about how metalbending works. We got no explanation beyond "I dunno, makes no sense to us people IN the universe either" for Yakone's family, whereas we GOT an explanation for the metalbending kids, and it was garbage. They're not held up to be freaks, nobody's going "wait that doesn't gel with what we've seen before" it's treated as if it's completely consistent with what we already know, and it's not.

By far the worst thing in the book.
>> No. 109423
File 134431163836.jpg - (780.39KB , 821x1177 , 1344311278058.jpg )
109423
O what do we have here?
>> No. 109424
>>109423
Two thoughts occur:

1.) This should be fun, and I'm excited.
2.) Even AZULA gets an adventure with Zuko before Toph!
>> No. 109425
>>109423
I hope Ty Lee and Mai tag a long
>> No. 109426
You know I'm going to have to echo some of the earlier complaints about Iroh. Where the HELL has he been, not just regarding Azula but throughout all of The Promise? If he's at his tea shop in Ba Sing Se he surely started to notice things going bad between the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. Zuko could desperately use his advice right now, but he's nowhere in sight.
>> No. 109427
Where are the leaks coming from?
>> No. 109428
>>109427
No idea, found it on /co/.
>> No. 109429
File 134431400297.jpg - (235.96KB , 764x419 , Pic of Aang.jpg )
109429
Got this from redwood's tumblr, i assume he got it from /co/

The Promise part 3 preview

According to source this is what the person who took the picture stated.

5) Zuko stops whining and starts growing a pair (albeit late in the game)
4) Toph and Suki take out a fleet of tanks.
3) Aang finally acknowledges that it’s okay to kill people.
2) Aang makes a permanent break from Avatar Roku as his spiritual adviser.
1) Azula finally appears (and in a straight jacket)

>>109426
Gasp! Iroh isn't perfect.
>> No. 109430
File 134431466433.jpg - (46.89KB , 719x720 , Consider this.jpg )
109430
>>109426

He is in his deathbed.

And he has hidden it from Zuko because he doesn't want to add his sickness to all his other problems.
>> No. 109431
>>109423
oh lord the sjws are already rallying around this image

like i'm not totally comfortable about it either, but i don't think zuko is necessarily an awful person because a year later azula is still in an asylum. nobody KNOWS about azula's problems except azula herself, so to everyone around her -- and i'm going to wager mental illness isn't something that's well understood in avatar -- she might just seem incurable. until more images come out i'm going to assume zuko actually did try to help her out (but also remember he's the ruler of a country that has caused a 100 year long war, so he's going to have a lot of shit on his plate as seen in the comic and he might not be able to give azula the attention she deserves). and i'm not blaming azula for not having made any progress either. it's just a really unfortunate situation overall, and i doubt zuko is thrilled that his little sister has to be locked up in an asylum and i doubt ty lee and mai feel the same way.

azula definitely was a victim of mental abuse by ozai, but does anyone really realize that? ozai sure as hell wouldn't, azula probably wouldn't admit to it until she reached a breakthrough and zuko might not have seen it either. i didn't necessarily agree with iroh's, "she's crazy" line but i think it showed that azula's situation isn't really known. nobody knew she relied on fear and her father so much, not even did she until mai betrayed her.
>> No. 109432
>>109429
Could have fooled me.
>> No. 109433
>>109423

That chair is SO anachronistic.
>> No. 109434
File 134431695511.gif - (1.77MB , 640x360 , noooooooo.gif )
109434
>>109429

3) Aang finally acknowledges that it’s okay to kill people.

>mfw

Please PLEASE let this be BS. This doesn't even match up with Korra!Aang.
>> No. 109435
>>109433

Yeah, but the Mechanist had tires on his truck thing during the invasion in DOBS, so I guess it works. They could have put some sweet flame rims on it or something at least.
>> No. 109436
>>109434
Oh god, yeah, I really don't want to see Aang suddenly toss out his entire moral code. At the end of the day, whether or not I agree with how Aang has chosen to solve conflict (because look where that got Republic City with Yakone and his legacy), I have admired and respected the fact that Aang was staying true to his beliefs his entire life. If 14 year old Aang turns his back on all of that I might have to cut Gene.

Anyway, maybe it's just the quality of the picture, but it actually looks kind of... fake? Amateur? I dunno, the art just feels off.
>> No. 109437
File 134432380424.png - (161.17KB , 637x671 , lolinternet.png )
109437
>>109434
>>109436

Welp, SURPRISE! Turns out that whole 'spoiler' was bullshit. The racebending tumblr set that straight.

Inspredwood needs to calm down and stop posting shit that an anon on /co/ said in an effort to get the tumblr scoop.
>> No. 109438
I have a feeling that any changes in Aang's beliefs will probably be readjusted in the Search storyline.

It's not like Aang's gotten depressed and tried to make changes to his personality that he went back on later. Like when he decided that he'd NEVER firebend again in Season One after burning Katara, the time he tried to detach himself from emotion when Appa got kidnapped, when he went all Zuko and had to "reclaim his honour" in the Season Three opener...

Just because he says he'll do something here doesn't mean that it'll stick with Aang, especially since a sequel as already been announced.
>> No. 109439
File 134433575419.png - (50.57KB , 150x154 , u27fQ.png )
109439
>>109436
>>109434
I don't see character development (challenging your beliefs and growing as a person) as a bad thing, and there's a big difference between killing Fire Lord Zuko if necessary and not killing Yakone who was just a two-bit thug with superpowers.

>>109437
Racebending gets a preview comic? What the fuck why why
>> No. 109441
File 134433728857.gif - (258.45KB , 525x1523 , Airbender-Comic2.gif )
109441
>>109439
Gene Yang was all over the racebending before it was cool. See the cartoon attached, it was how he entered Bryke's radar.
>> No. 109443
>>109441
I thought it was some sort of official thing sent by Nick or Dark Horse itself. Anyway, that's a lot more reasonable than some racebenders I've seen.
>> No. 109449
>>109423
ABLEISM!
>> No. 109450
>>109429
Yeah, #2 & #3 really set my bullshit-sense tingling.
I'm still going to read it, though.
>> No. 109451
>>109433
>>That chair is SO anachronistic.

It's a bit much, yes. It's the rubber wheels that do it for me. The rest? I can buy. After a hundred years worth of war, it'd be odd if the Fire Nation hadn't developed and refined tech like wheelchairs and artificial limbs (like Combustion Man's) for its wounded veterans. That Azula's asylum looks so posh might suggest, if it isn't a place built especially for the princess, that there's a degree of humanity with which the FN treats people with metal problems. Some sort of reform/humanitarian movement, perhaps originally oriented towards veterans with metal issues, makes sense to me given the sheer length of conflict in AtLA's backstory.

I've seen some posts on tumblr of people complaining about Azula's straightjacket, but there's good reason for it. She's a powerful firebender with extensive combat training put in the same room with the Fire Lord, a man she has a violent past history with and also personally despises. Restraints of some sort seems like a basic safety precaution.
>> No. 109452
>>109437
A part of me sympathizes with whatever person that wanted to see tumblr lose its shit over a completely unsubstantiated rumor.

I mostly want to slap them, though.
>> No. 109454
>>109451
>Some sort of reform/humanitarian movement, perhaps originally oriented towards veterans with metal issues, makes sense to me given the sheer length of conflict in AtLA's backstory.
What if it happened before the end of the war? It'd be cool to see some of Azulon's positive reforms.
>> No. 109455
Review up of Part 3:

http://speakgeekytome.com/2012/08/avatar-the-last-airbender-the-promise-part-3-comic-review/

>>The Promise, as I said, doesn’t wrap up all the plot points of The Last Airbender, or even all the plot points from The Promise. While we do get to see Toph’s new Metalbenders a fair bit, we never get a conclusion to their story. Of course, the dangling plots left out might just be a means to connect The Promise to next year’s new Avatar: The Last Airbender comic series, The Search. But what is placed in the epilogue-esque conclusion of Part 3 is amazing. Fans will get to see the foundation of Republic City, the first appearance of a certain group of acolytes, and Iroh inventing a rather “unique” new drink. Oh, and most importantly, the final page shows us the fate of a very important character from the cartoon series that some fans will have been dying to learn.
>> No. 109456
>>109455
> Oh, and most importantly, the final page shows us the fate of a very important character from the cartoon series that some fans will have been dying to learn.
She had better be on more than one page.
>> No. 109458
http://swan2swan.tumblr.com/post/28926911115/guys-its-not-even-the-thing-about-aang-and-killing
Wait, wasn't the killing stuff proven to be misinformation?
>> No. 109460
I'm really enjoying watching the internet lose it's mind over out-of-context panels and bullshit rumors, I have to say.
>> No. 109461
>>109456
Judging by the dialogue I'd say she has at least three but we don't fully see her until the last page.
>> No. 109462
>>109461
I'm waiting for a cosplayer to dress up as Azula in a straitjacket.
>> No. 109463
>>109460
Geez, no kidding!
One thing that for me sticks out like a sore thumb, is the whole alleged Maiko break-up. Everyone's reacting like it's going to be a permanent thing but everyone seems to be forgetting that Mai has already dumped Zuko at least once. During the season 3 episode "The Beach" Mai reacts to Zuko's jerkish behavior (to be fair he's being jerkish because she's being a cranky bitch) by saying "It's over Zuko, we're through.". While it's true that they made up a few hours later, I don't put it past Mai to do something like this again. For me it is completely believable that an angsty sourpuss teenage girl like Mai would do this to her boyfriend.
tl;dr
Mai was probably just over reacting and they're probably not permanently broken up.
>> No. 109464
>>109463

She wasn't overreacting at all. Zuko was keeping secrets from her and being a douche after she sacrificed herself at the boiling rock to save his ass. I'd leave his ass too.

But other than that, you're spot on. So much of the fanbase just does not seem to want or understand conflict in stories. Not that everything The Promise is fantastic, but it's not at all terrible like the internet is making it out to be.

It's the same with them bitching about Azula's condition in these leaks. Sorry, dudes, but Azula popping up fully healed and recovered after a year off screen is no where near as interesting a story as watching her struggle to overcome (or further succumb to) her demons.
>> No. 109473
>>109423
OK now this is just plain sick and bad taste.
They ruined Azula for me with this. I'm done with this ****.
>> No. 109474
>>109473
Are you the same or different from the ex-waifu guy? Serious question; I want to know if you have actual points or are that one guy whining that his projection character of choice wasn't perfect.
>> No. 109475
>Fans looking to see more on the fate of Zuko’s love life will probably have to wait until The Search comes out next year.
god dammit Gene, why did you have to mess with that. I really wish there wasn't so much romance issues in this.
>> No. 109477
>Fans looking to see more on the fate of Zuko’s love life will probably have to wait until The Search comes out next year.

Oh boy
Zuko and Azula get it onyoutube thumb
>> No. 109478
>>109473
Uh, well, can you say exactly how you pictured Azula to be a year after suffering a total mental meltdown? Having her just magically recover behind the scenes would have been an insult not only to the fans, but Azula as well.
>> No. 109479
Wait, so Sukka is safe... for now.
>> No. 109480
>>109479
There was never any sign of Sukka being in danger. Suki being concerned for a friend's well-being =/= she wants to fuck him.
>> No. 109482
>>109475

Somewhat sad :(
>> No. 109483
File 134445184461.jpg - (64.79KB , 600x800 , 123911140932.jpg )
109483
2008
>why so serious lololol so cool crazula's so cool
2012
>omg how dare you show her like this fucking ableist scum this is offentive to women and chairs
>> No. 109485
>>109483
To be fair I'm pretty sure the Joker!Azula idea came from /co/ and that tumblr as a whole wouldn't have liked that analogy.
>> No. 109491
File 134446273372.jpg - (349.77KB , 900x636 , azula__the_promise_spoiler_by_green_makakas-d5agmo.jpg )
109491
>>109462
Well, look at that, someone actually did it!

http://green-makakas.deviantart.com/art/Azula-The-Promise-Spoiler-319902932
>> No. 109492
>>109464
Azula would have to have partially recovered if she was going to be accompanying the Fire Lord on a journey to look for their mother. Seriously sending an insane and very powerful firebender with the one person she has to kill in order to become Fire Lord is a recipe for disaster.

I hope they at least address that it's in Azula's interests to betray Zuko and that if Azula is meant to be insane that it's shown effecting her judgement. It would be a major cop-out if upon leaving the mental hospital Azula is completely rational and has no ambitions beyond talking to her mother.
>> No. 109493
Why the jolly green mung bean would Azula NOT be in a straight-jacket? Are you effing kidding me?! SHE SHOOTS LIGHTING AND BREATHES FIRE!!1 She is become death, destroyer of whoever she can get her hands on!

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-
>> No. 109497
>>109492
>I hope they at least address that it's in Azula's interests to betray Zuko and that if Azula is meant to be insane that it's shown effecting her judgement. It would be a major cop-out if upon leaving the mental hospital Azula is completely rational and has no ambitions beyond talking to her mother.
I think she wants to talk to her mother in part because she's been shown to have some resentment for how her mother considered Zuko her favorite, or at least that was how Azula took it. She's probably planning to confront Ursa, rather than having a happy family moment with her, and maybe she's willing to work with Zuko because it gives her a chance to do exactly that.

Now maybe it's possible that in their journey, they'll start mending fences and Azula will actually start to want to have a family again, and that will be the thing that gets her to really start on the path of redemption. If I had my druthers, she still wouldn't be "released" in the end, but the last scene would be Zuko or Ursa visiting her in the facility and her actually getting along with the orderlies and getting better. With the message basically being that she will get better, she's just not there yet.
>> No. 109503
>>109497

Sorry, but that just sounds really boring. Having Zuko and Azula actively searching together will allow for some interesting personal conflict that would be absent from Zuko going off on his own. I'm much more interesting in their post war relationship and seeing them have to grudgingly work together for a common goal than in them finding Ursa. That's important too, but with stories, usually the journey is far more interesting than the conclusion. Plus, if this is a redemption story ,or the beginning of, for Azula, it's thematically important for her to actually make the journey.
>> No. 109505
>>109503
Huh? That's exactly what I was talking about. When I said she wasn't released, I didn't mean "not allowed to go on the trip," but that she would go back to the facility after the trip. As in her growth during the trip is what lead to her being ready to start actually recovering when she goes back at the end of it.

Maybe she's even initially planning to ditch before being sent back there, but goes back of her own free will in the end.
>> No. 109507
>>109505

Ah. Sorry about that, I totally misread your post. Actually I agree with you there. However, it'd work better if she just agrees to meet with a therapist on a regular schedule and take medication, but lives outside the hospital. Getting patients back out into the world is the goal of mental health care, so if she does well enough out, they'd probably want her in out patient care.

You know, a good ultimate redemption goal for Azula could be her revolutionizing the FN's mental health care system, or possibly just their healthcare in general. A bunch of fanfics always have her redeemed by fighting for Zuko's reign or taking on a military advisor post, but considering her sins come from that, it'd be a more fitting redemption if she decides to help people instead (while still being a bitch of course).
>> No. 109508
>>109507

And by revolutionizing their healthcare, I mean administratively and/or through research. Unless she becomes the Dr. House of the Avatar world (I'd watch that ngl)
>> No. 109510
>>109497
I think her objective is very simple in fact : her goal is probably still getting the throne, and for that she will have to destroy Zuko(and Aang), but in her current state she can't win even against Zuko alone(as Sozin's Comet proved it).
To do so she needs to bring back her mind in one piece, and for that she primarily needs to make stop her hallucniations(if they are hallucinations), and the key for that is to find Ursa.
Zuko want her to tag along? The better : she will be able to found Ursa, confront her, get rid of the hallucination and glue back her mind and thus destroy Zuko, all in one swipe!

At least, that what I think will be her plan at first, maybe her views and her objectives will change during the journey...
>> No. 109511
>>109510
I don't think they are hallucinations. She isn't literally seeing or hearing her mother, it's just a visual representation of her inner demons and her guilt/confusion/uncertainty. Or at least, that's what I hope. Hallucinations would be stupid.
>> No. 109512
>>109511
Why? Its not like she hasn't had them.
>> No. 109513
>>109512
I'm willing to take the scene in which she sees her mother in the mirror and smashes it as brief reactive psychosis brought on by stress. To literally see it over and over and over again after that episode though is weird if there's no underlying disorder that would cause it (schizophrenia, bipolar, major depression, severe sleep deprivation, drugs, to name the most likely offenders). Azula fits the bill of none of those psychiatric disorders, she wouldn't be on any hallucinogenic drugs, and she's probably not repeatedly sleep deprived.

It makes more sense if she is just constantly revisiting the mirror scene in her mind, and her subsequent defeat and dethroning. If it is a literal hallucination, that just means the writer did a shit job of portraying mental illness.
>> No. 109514
>>109513
To clarify, I mean the comic's writer. What happened to Azula in the show was fine, and sad, and understandable.
>> No. 109515
>>109511
When I was talking about "hallucinations that aren't hallucinations", I was refeering to the theory some people have that in fact the visions REALLY are Ursa, or rather her spirit and that Azula can somehow see it thanks to her Avatar ancestry and because she reached her lowest point(mirroring what Aang said during the finale of Korra Season 1)

Or maybe the Ursa we saw in the leaked page is just a representation of her obsession about Ursa for us readers, and in universe she isn't litteraly seeing her everytime she looks in a miror.

Or maybe she's just fucking crazy...
>> No. 109516
>>109513
>if there's no underlying disorder that would cause it (schizophrenia, bipolar, major depression, severe sleep deprivation, drugs, to name the most likely offenders).

She lost the throne, her mind, her friend, and no one in the world loves her, so I think there is a good chance that she's severly depressed, judging by the dark circles under her eyes, during the finale and in the leaked page, I think it's safe to assume she don't get much sleep, and drugs? There is a good chance that the asylum uses it to keep her calm.
And I'm not even dwelling in the possible quirks in her mind she could have before her breakdown, so even if I wouldn't like it, the continous hallucination is still a possiblity.

If she was constantly hallucinating Ursa during this pas year, it's no wonder she's ready even to work with Zuko to find her.
>> No. 109531
>>109478
>>Uh, well, can you say exactly how you pictured Azula to be a year after suffering a total mental meltdown? Having her just magically recover behind the scenes would have been an insult not only to the fans, but Azula as well.

I totally agree on that, but... Uh, well, can you say exactly how it makes sense to turn a teenage tantrum into a total mental meltdown? Having her just magically become crazy on-screen so they didn't have to write an appropiate ending to her story would have been an insult not only to the fans, but Azula as well.
>> No. 109532
FFS she probably gets electroconvulsive shocks in that hell of an asylum her loving brother has kept her in "for her own good".

Whatever they are doing to her obviously is not working and you don't think a 14 years old kid deserves such a pointless ordeal.
>> No. 109533
>hell of an asylum

Hang on there, cowboy. How do YOU know what the asylum has been like?! Have you read the fucking comic already? We can all make assumptions and conjectures but none of us REALLY knows for sure what the hell has gone on until we all read the comic!
>> No. 109534
>>109532

The alternative being what, exactly?
>> No. 109535
>>109531

Teenage tantrums include hallucinations nowadays?
>> No. 109562
I expect the Search will feature some flashbacks of Azula and Zuko as children.

>>109516
I guess Azula wanting to find her mother in the hope that this will help her recover makes sense.

Though the premise is fine this comic will be difficult to end because if Azula gets better then there's the question "What is she going to do with her life?". Will she side with Zuko or oppose him? Does Zuko want her to help him rule the Fire Nation or represent the Fire Nation in the United Republic?

Personally I feel the ending will be lame if Azula decides to relinquish all claim to the throne and goes to live with Ursa.
>> No. 109563
File 134469667392.jpg - (55.42KB , 720x480 , 491.jpg )
109563
>>109535
>> Teenage tantrums include hallucinations nowadays?

One fanwanky way to excuse Azula's hallucinations, and a potential quick turnaround to full health in "The Search," could be to tie it into her duel Sozin/Roku heritage. Remember how Zuko broke out in fever and hallucinated after he gave up chasing the Avatar in S2? In hindsight, maybe the unnatural illness (as Iroh called it) was due to Zuko's initial break from his Sozinist heritage. But where Zuko could push through the fever and come out the other side because he had chosen an alternative path in life, Azula is trapped in the unnatural illness because she rejects an alternative life, one that doesn't rely on controlling others through fear, but knows her current lifestyle is untenable.

So there's a weird bit of magic due to Zuko and Azula having rival great-grandfathers, with a dash of "blood is magic" to it. Sozin gives them the blood of kings, and Roku gives them the blood of a god.
>> No. 109603
>>109535
Obviously not. The hallucination BS was totally unnecessary.
>> No. 109604
>>109533
>>How do YOU know what the asylum has been like?!

Well she now looks mentally, physically and emotionally crippled: tied to a wheelchair with a straightjacket. Her situation hasn't improved at all and she even looks worse.

2+2=?
>> No. 109606
>>109604

We've only got one page to determine that from, and that page happens to be the last page of the book leading into the next series. They're going to want this shit to be as dramatic and exciting as possible.

She definitely could have regressed in a terrible asylum, but that's not necessarily the case. Mental patients have good and bad days, so this could just be a bad day. Her dialogue is off, but she's able to form coherent thoughts, so she's not too crazy there. She seems to realize that her hallucination isn't real, so she's not entirely delusional. There's no actually evidence that she's physically crippled. Binding her up in a straight jacket (I'm assuming it's made of fireproof fabric or she's taking bending-suppressing drugs or something) is likely safety protocol for the asylum when visitors come, and she obviously can't walk if her legs are bound. I mean, she's meeting Zuko who 1) is the Fire Lord and 2) she has a violent past with. She might not be in it all that often otherwise.

You could be totally right and I could be totally wrong, but I hate how this fandom jumps on every leaked release from these comics to bitch on it without waiting for the full context.
>> No. 109607
>>109532
>>109604
You know recovery is a two way street, right?
>> No. 109608
I just find it amusing how everyone treats Azula like she was goddamned Gogo Yubari and therefore she deserves all the poor writing and cruel treatment from the writers.
>> No. 109611
>>109608
Your waifu's not real.
>> No. 109613
>>109608
If anything I think Azula is worse than Gogo because she came up with the idea of basically burning down an entire country and was pissed that she wasn't going to be there to see it.

And what do you mean by poor writing? Azula was one of the best written characters in the entire show, and she's only given one page in The Promise. The LAST page even. It's meant to be dramatic and shocking. People are supposed to react to it.
>> No. 109615
>>109608

Cruel treatment from the writers? Dude, they could have easily just left her to rot in the asylum if they wanted to. She's got awesome story potential, but ultimately she's not a necessary player past her concluded role as a villain. The fact that they're actually giving her a part in this story show's they actually care about her as a character.

There's really two ways they can take her as a character. She either grows, recovers, and redeems herself, or she ends up falling further into madness and evil. Both of these stories would be horribly boring if she starts out fine and dandy. What's the point of telling a cathartic redemption story where she manages to overcome her demons if she's already done that? And what's the point of telling a tragic tale at this point if we don't see her grow, but ultimately fail despite all her efforts?
>> No. 109627
>>109615
>The fact that they're actually giving her a part in this story show's they actually care about her as a character.

Or, as is more likely the case, that they know she's a popular draw and will rake in the buyers.
>> No. 109628
>>109627
Boy you're a cynic.
>> No. 109638
>>109627
Well if worked with Boba Fett.
>> No. 109640
>>109627
The two aren't exclusive : Azula is an interesting character so they give her a part the the oncoming comics, and for bonus she's quite popular among the fandom, so profits!
>> No. 109641
>>109615
>>109611
Why don't you stop trolling? I'm not whiteknighting. I'm just saying "hey I don't like what they are doing with this comic" just as I expressed the points I didn't like from LOK and you didn't reply to me saying "Mako is your ex-waifu" or "Pro-bending is not real", or whatever.

>>She's got awesome story potential
Tied to a wheelchair in a straightjacket so... Not anymore!

>>109627
THIS.
>> No. 109643
>>109641
>using the word whiteknighting
>thinking that Azula is going to be in a straitjacket and wheelchair the whole time
>thinking Azula would only be used because she's popular and not because she's an interesting character
>using two arrows to greentext
It's amazing how you can concentrate that much DUMB in one post.
>> No. 109645
>>109641
You're implying she's going to be in a wheelchair and straitjacket the entirety of The Search.
>> No. 109647
>>109645
Hey, chair + firebending boost = fun
>> No. 109650
>>109647
Maybe she is the inspiration for the satomobile...
>> No. 109656
>in b4 "hot wheels"
>> No. 109660
>>109641

She is tied to a wheelchair on ONE PAGE. Wow guys did you see that episode where Aang get's captured by Zhao and is left in chains. That totally meant he was chained up for the whole series, and his character was wasted. What a shitty idea amirite?
>> No. 109666
File 134502917012.jpg - (77.82KB , 781x779 , 1338643813865.jpg )
109666
>>109656
I will never stop loving her.
>> No. 109667
File 134503954886.jpg - (50.71KB , 600x569 , 450767294.jpg )
109667
>>109666
Fast Wheels X Hot Wheels is my OTP
>> No. 109676
>>109645
No. I am saying it was poor taste. You are the only one implying random stuff.
>> No. 109677
>>109676
Azula is a girl who advocated the genocide of the Earth Kingdom, was okay with the idea of her brother and a group of people falling into a lake willed with boiling water, nearly killed the spirit of the planet in human form, and was one of the strongest people on the entire planet by the end of the series. Not only that, but she has some deeply rooted issues that nobody -- not even herself, probably -- are aware of what the causes are (and if Azula does know she doesn't want to admit to it). She is a DANGEROUS PERSON who has not made any improvements in terms of her mental health, and she's meeting with the Fire Lord who she had nearly killed on several occasions already.

Is it shocking, horrifying, saddening? Yes. I don't think anyone thinks, "WOO YEAH AZULA IN A STRAITJACKET AND WHEEL CHAIR", and I think people like you who are convinced that the writers are doing this because they hate Azula are blinded by how much you worship her.
>> No. 109682
>>109455
>and some brilliant exchanges between Aang and Katara.
Please, no more sweeties!!!
>> No. 109683
>>109676
Classic "no u" comeback.
>> No. 110557
http://avatarthelastairbenderonline.com/the-search-part-1-release-date-announced-march-20th-2012/

Zuko asks the rest of the gang to come with searching after he finds a clue

yeah that's about all I got
>> No. 110561
>>110557
Eh, I'm looking forward to the second part most. That's when most of Zuko's back stabbing will take place, which should prove endlessly entertaining. For the fandom reaction, if nothing else.
>> No. 110578
>>110561
>>Zuko inevitably backstabbing his friends

"Buy WHY?"

"I'm sorry, Sokka, but my mother says you're an unwashed barbarian who has no place in our people's glorious future."

"That's crazy talk! I wash practically every other day!"
>> No. 110583
"Yes, but you keep using dirty, barbarian water."
>> No. 110584
>>110583
"Don't underestimate the capabilities of Fire Nation plumbing, Sokka."
>> No. 110589
>>110584
JustFuckAlready.jpg
>> No. 110749
File 135483534513.jpg - (511.31KB , 600x923 , fcbd13avatar.jpg )
110749
>And the smash hit Avatar: The Last Airbender follows Mai as she deals with her broken heart . . . Dark Horse offers up the best of the very best for next year’s Free Comic Book Day, taking place exclusively at your local comic shop on May 4, 2013!

http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/1208/free-comic-book-day-2013
>> No. 110750
>>110749
I know they're just laughing at us.

>People: Stop shipping/canon pairings!

>Bryke: But we thought you wanted shipping/canon pairings?
>> No. 110751
>>110749

WANANANANANA
>> No. 110752
File 135484074211.png - (61.04KB , 136x162 , prepareyourarrow.png )
110752
>>110749
>> No. 110753
>>110749

>Ty Lee is probably going to give her relationship advice.

Don't fuck this up.
>> No. 110755
File 135485470341.png - (288.05KB , 385x392 , azulaknowsitall.png )
110755
>>110753
>Mai realizes betraying Azula for Zuko was a mistake
>goes to Azula
>> No. 110756
>>110755
i don't think mai dislikes zuko that much
>> No. 110757
Finally got around to reading the third part of the Promise, thought that it was a definite improvement over the second part, which felt a little flat to me.

The resolution to the conflict actually worked in context, which I thought was pretty good.

Amusing that Aang's relationship with Roku seemed less him rejecting a teacher over ideological differences, and more Aang realising that an elderly relative he liked was actually kind of a huge racist.

Plus there's that Catch 22 Roku was leading himself into, it being that he wanted the nations of the world to be segregated in order to maintain peace and balance... but since Aang is the only Air Nomad left then if he was to stop his relationship with Katara on the grounds Roku suggested, then he would literally be the Last Airbender, and thus the balance would be out of whack due to one of the four nations being extinct.

Peace and national cultures must be preserved by enforced segregation, Roku said... even if that means there would be no more Air Nomads after Aang.
>> No. 110759
>>110757
How is Roku a racist? I think you missed the point of The Promise if you thought Gene was endorsing one point of view or the other.
>> No. 110760
>>110757
I wouldn't say he was racist so much as he didn't trust the four nations of being capable of living together in one place, like eventually one group would just get the idea to conquer the other groups.
>> No. 110761
>>110760
> so much as he didn't trust the four nations of being capable of living together in one place, like eventually one group would just get the idea to conquer the other groups.

Sozin got the idea even when they were divided. Living together would only make it the four nations plus those guys. Aang >>110759 and by extension Bryke working through Gene show that the nations coming together under one banner can work.

'Work' like how some countries in our world get along. Unless Book 2 finally has the spirits actually getting off their asses and saying: "There's just suppose to be 4 of you things" which would make them slowpoke hypocrites since they didn't mind it being 3 nations when Sozin was doing his version of Pax Romana.
>> No. 110762
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
>> No. 110763
>>110761
The nations aren't united under one banner, Aang created a new nation.
>> No. 110764
>>110763
A subset of the peoples of all four nations are being united under one banner.
>> No. 110766
>>110763
A new nation designed to be a place where people from all of the other nations could peacefully coexist, a nation that is governed by the other nations via the council, and don't forget that he has also created a single united military for all of the nations.
>> No. 110767
>>110766
>and don't forget that he has also created a single united military for all of the nations

I don't think that's how it works.
>> No. 110768
>>110767
Well I don't think that the heir to the throne of the Fire Nation would be a citizen of the United Republic, so you tell me how it works.
>> No. 110769
>>110768

It works if the United Forces are just a UN Peacekeepers analogue.

>>110757
>>Peace and national cultures must be preserved by enforced segregation, Roku said... even if that means there would be no more Air Nomads after Aang.

Ugggghh... Gene Yang and his goal post shifting. The Promise has such a weird tonal shift to it over the course of the trilogy. In Part 1, the Fire Nation Colonies get presented as a grey-on-grey issue, with Zuko arguing for respecting the achievements of the colonists while Aang and Katara call the colonies as out for their racial inequalities. By Part 3, the whole thing morphs into a debate about generic multiculturalism, with all the issues brought up in Part 1 forgotten.

But then this is the same writer who made Zuko think his Father was a good source of advice, and that Aang would ever seriously consider killing someone when he repeatedly refused to kill Ozai.
>> No. 110770
>>110769
But that doesn't make any sense, if the United Forces are equivalent to the UN Peacekeepers then that would mean that the United Republic would have their own national military, and if that were the case; why didn't Tenzin call on them before the United Forces? Not only does it make more sense within the narrative of LOK that the United Forces are a single multinational military force and that the individual nations are no longer allowed to have their own militaries, but it is also exactly the type of thing that Aang would institute.
>> No. 110771
>>110770

You're making a couple of big leaps there. What about the possibility that the United Forces are a UN analogue, and serve as the de facto armed forces for the United Republic? Remember, the URN was born out of the situation where the Fire Nation wouldn't give up its oldest colonies but the Earth Kingdom wouldn't allow those colonies to remain part of the Fire Nation. A multinational army and navy would ensure the URN, especially in its early days when it was just a rebranded version of the FN Colonies, wouldn't becomes an extension of the FN.

That doesn't necessarily mean individual countries would give up their own armies and navies. In fact, I find it really hard to see that happening, given the Avatar world just had a century-long war where one nation tried to enforce a global empire. I think the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes would be INCREDIBLY leery about giving up an aspect of the independent sovereignty they fought to keep.

Basically, I'm saying you should think of the United Republic as a sort of UN Mandate. It only has limited sovereignty -- native police, but not even its own national guard. How much home rule it possess is still ambiguous; we don't know if the council is appointed, elected, or a mixture of both.

Or to put it another way, the URN is *still* essentially a colony, only now it's a colony for the whole world rather than just the Fire Nation.
>> No. 110772
>>110771
Perhaps, but knowing Aang's disposition, I find it much more likely that he would have pushed for all of the nations to disarm (and given that the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom almost set off World War II just over a year after the last one ended, I'd say he'd have a pretty good case).
>> No. 110776
>>110770
>>110771
>>110772
There is absolutely no reason to believe this crap. The navy is probably just the republic nation's army. There's no way Zuko would disband the fire navy willingly. Peace is one thing but disarmament, I don't think so.
>> No. 110777
>>110776
That's impossible, Iroh Jnr isn't just a member of the Fire Nation royal family, he's the heir to the throne, how could he possibly be a citizen of the United Republic.
>> No. 110778
>>110777

Is he? What if he's not the oldest? What if his father/mother isn't the oldest? How do we know?

Maybe he has dual citizenship? Mike and Bryan said he's kind of a swashbuckler at heart, maybe he left home to join the Navy for the adventure, since the throne isn't waiting for him. We saw him for all but two episodes and learned almost nothing about him.
>> No. 110779
He doesn't have to be a dual citizen, he could just be a Fire Nation citizen who fights in a different army. I feel like that's not necessarily unrealistic considering the world's unique politics.
>> No. 110786
I think the simplest explanation is that the various nations may not be unified, but they're certainly allied and at peace, and as a soldier who is expected to be an elite, as well as a person who is meant to have political duties that might include diplomacy as part of his responsibilities (whether or not he's the Heir Apparent), Iroh-2 (and presumably other elite soldiers/future politicos) spend time training with other nations' militaries in addition to their own to both expand the breadth of military tradition they're exposed to, and to form relationships with people from other nations so that when he's the Fire Lord (or some sort of Duke or something, if he's not the oldest), he won't be some provincial "Everything's about the Fire Nation!" type.
>> No. 110792
>>110786
I think this is true. He's probably not the oldest Fire Nation prince/princess, so he joined another nation's military part for excitement and part of diplomacy.

I hope they touch on the fact that he's incompetent as a leader and he wonders how many free chances he got because of his heritage, then we get to see him do something legitimately awesome on his own.
>> No. 110803
>>110792
Iroh-2, still would be oldest fire nation prince with the youngest voice.

I just really can't get over them giving him Zuko's voice, not even really disguised or altered or anything it was just teen-Zuko speaking through this man.
It was just a horrible decision voiceacting-wise, doesn't suit the chap's design.
>> No. 110830
>>110803
Everything about Iroh-2's character existed purely for fanservice. From his name to his voice actor to his relevance to the plot.
>> No. 110847
Free Comic Book Day 2013 will be May 4th 2013
Dark Horse’s description of this free comic says this,
And the smash hit Avatar: The Last Airbender follows Mai as she deals with her broken heart . . .
>> No. 110848
Ah damn hiccupping internet!

http://fav.me/d5nx095

Personally I'm looking forward to this, Mai kind of needs a bit more character expansion, no?
>> No. 110851
>>110848
It looks interesting but I fucking hope it doesn't get blown out of proportion.
>> No. 110852
>>110851

Ahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa good luck with that.
>> No. 110859
File 135594684531.jpg - (234.36KB , 600x878 , enhanced-buzz-19678-1355933387-0.jpg )
110859
The preview of the Search is up over at Buzzfeed,
http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/avatar-the-last-airbender-the-search-part-1
>> No. 110860
>>110859

I'm looking forward to Azula not wanting Aang being nice around her.
>> No. 110861
>>110859
To Sokka's credit, "Bad Decision Lord" while not pithy, is pretty much a perfect description of Zuko.
>> No. 110862
File 135596004739.jpg - (196.07KB , 600x878 , enhanced-buzz-26061-1355933393-0.jpg )
110862
>>110859

Zuko Zuko Zuko... how the hell do you end up keeping your throne for the next sixty odd years? Also, I hope we haven't seen the last of Azula's hallucinations.
>> No. 110863
I actually have to defend Zuko on this one. If he'd decided to go off on this little quest by his lonesome with Azula, then yes, that would have been a terrible decision. However, deciding to bring the entire Gaang along with him to help keep her in check is actually a pretty good idea.

It also shows that Zuko has come along as a character, since one of his biggest flaws is always trying to do everything himself. The boys learning.
>> No. 110864
>>110860

I hope they have meaninful interaction. Fuel to my Azulaang steamship.

>>110863

Yeah, I agree. Letting Azula go like that is one of his bad decisions, but bringing the Gaang along is one of his good ones.
>> No. 110866
I'd say it's a pretty good idea to bring Azula along unchained if she has to come along at all; makes her just a tad less rankled. And always good for relations.
>> No. 110867
>>110862

http://www.vocaltwit.com/4943

Yessss, YESSSS thank you based Grey
>> No. 110868
>>110867
too sexy

i'm getting her to say something else too, i hope it hasn't already been done
>> No. 110869
>>110867
I really do love this woman.
>> No. 110875
>>110867

She should have been online during the HIBY dramatic readings.
>> No. 110876
>>110870
>>110871
>>110872
>>110874
>>110875

Jesus, I think I set some kind of record here.
>> No. 110877
I'd say it's a pretty good idea to bring Azula along unchained if she has to come along at all; makes her just a tad less rankled. And always good for relations.
>> No. 110878
>>110876

You can delete posts, you just tick the box in the top left next to them and go all the way down to the 'delete' button in the bottom right of the screen.
>> No. 110879
>>110876

Just do what TDL said, posting on +4 is touch-and-go these days anyway, double and triple posts aren't out of the question.
>> No. 110880
For future reference, just click reply once and wait, no matter how long it takes, trust me it's working.
>> No. 110881
>>110878
Thanks, dude.

>>110880
I actually clicked reply once both times. I guess I just didn't wait long enough between the two; must have been at least 5 minutes or something.
>> No. 110883
http://alreadyread.net/audio/collected/azulahipsmovingonown.mp3

here's some more azula-related goodness from the voice actress herself (as was requested by yours truly)
>> No. 110884
File 135611555354.jpg - (12.56KB , 400x230 , ill-be-in-my-bunk.jpg )
110884
>>110883
>> No. 110886
File 135669249476.jpg - (180.83KB , 511x342 , dont-fuck-with-me.jpg )
110886
>> No. 110887
>>110859
This is just going to degenerate into one giant mass of betrayal isn't it?
>> No. 110888
>>110886
It seems that Azula is able to use her lightening and dodge, so her combat abilities seem to be functional. Unclear if she's back to full strength.
>> No. 110889
I guess one bender is always going to watch Azula because this will give Aang, Katara, and Zuko a chance to talk to her.
>> No. 110893
>>110886
This is pedantic but Azula can''t shoot lightning like that, it takes a buildup

>>110888
Leaving her with her bending seems like an oversight on Aang's part, no?

Then again her teaming up with the is 'fanservice' no? Just like Admiral Iroh speaking with Zuko's voice.
>> No. 110894
>>110893
Take away her bending?
Zuko wants her to get better, not worse.
>> No. 110895
>>110893
>This is pedantic but Azula can''t shoot lightning like that, it takes a buildup
Well it's for a joke so on the basis of cartoon logic I'm willing to accept it. Moreover, if we had not seen the disgusting abomination that was Mako doing the same thing, I don't think anyone would have a particular problem with Azula doing this; she's brimming with firebending energy. She should be allowed to do this even if no one else can.
>> No. 110897
>>110893
>Aang trying to remove Azula's firebending

He has no cause to at this point - that's Part 2.
>> No. 110898
File 13569795812.jpg - (92.26KB , 576x184 , azula-taunts-sokka.jpg )
110898
>> No. 110913
>>110895
Yeah, and there's precedent in the original series--Toph morphing that piece of Space Rock that Sokka had left over after making his sword without moving any part of her body, even though Bending appears to be controlled entirely through somatic commands, otherwise. There's obviously wiggle room, at least when it's for a visual gag or other sort of non-plot-sensitive action.
>> No. 110914
>>110913
Maybe her lightening isn't as powerful it she doesn't charge it up.
>> No. 110915
The physics of bending itself isn't always clear, I wouldn't expect any hard and fast rules other than "this is a simple technique and this is an advanced technique"
>> No. 110944
>>110915
I'm just fine with that. It gives them the leeway to do cool stuff and define or clarify the rules later without violating the lore of the universe.
>> No. 110966
>>110944
Or maybe it's a foreshadoing that somehow she managed to get even stronger à lightningbending during her year at the asylum, I mean just take a look at the cover illustration : she's generating a double lightning, something only Ozai was able to do!
>> No. 110967
>>110944
Or maybe it's a foreshadoing that somehow she managed to get even stronger à lightningbending during her year at the asylum, I mean just take a look at the cover illustration : she's generating a double lightning, something only Ozai was able to do!
>> No. 110969
>>110967
I'm sure Azula will be able to do all sorts of nonsense in the name of fanservice
>> No. 110974
File 135848818158.jpg - (58.33KB , 282x282 , ep40-538.jpg )
110974
>>110969
Just as it should be!
>> No. 111070
Bit of a shitstorm brewing over on /co/: http://boards.4chan.org/co/res/45858548

Think this guy's for real?
>> No. 111071
>>111070
Can you post what they say and any potential image? I don't don't have access to 4chan.
>> No. 111072
File 136005301128.jpg - (204.81KB , 400x575 , 1360037342011.jpg )
111072
>>111071
Zuko may not actually be Ozai's son.
>> No. 111073
>>111072
WHAT. THE. FUCK.

Azula's career opportunity suddenly skyrockets! If she learns that it will be really hard to not make her try to kill Zuko!
>> No. 111074
File 136005499422.jpg - (68.64KB , 363x485 , real.jpg )
111074
>>111073
What if this is a misdirection and the Shyamalan-esque TWEEST is that Azula isn't Ozai's daughter? Remember: the point here is to demolish Ehasz's story.
>> No. 111075
>>111072
>Zuko may not actually be Ozai's son.

that is such bullshit, this is the zuki thing all over again. if anything this guy just provides a future for ursa since she probably isn't going to go back to to ozai any time soon.

>>111074
stop that.
>> No. 111076
>>111072
>Zuko may not actually be Ozai's son.

that is such bullshit, this is the zuki thing all over again. if anything this guy just provides a future for ursa since she probably isn't going to go back to to ozai any time soon.

>>111074
stop that.
>> No. 111077
File 136005697531.jpg - (121.06KB , 262x627 , tumblr_mhqe2xT1xF1qln4oso1_500.jpg )
111077
>>111076
The man wom Ursa says goodbye to is Ursa's first love(read : "probably her one and only true love"), named Ikem, and that she had to abandon the love of her life because Ozai asked for her hand.
I think that what it's supposed to imply is that Ursa learned she was pregnant soon after this scene, so it's possible that Zuko is Ikem's son, not Ozai's.

But then it would be strange that Zuko looks some much like his father(Ozai was designed as an "older and unscarred Zuko"), will Ikem don't look at all like him.
>> No. 111078
If that's true, then that makes Zuko (just) Roku's great grandson. Which btw still makes Zukaang hilarious.
>> No. 111079
>>111074
>>What if this is a misdirection and the Shyamalan-esque TWEEST is that Azula isn't Ozai's daughter?

Agreed. Zuko not being Ozai's son demolishes too much of his character arc's symbolism. Azula not being his daughter is still stupid, but it undermines the character a little less.
>> No. 111080
I'm sorry, I'm lost: Who is this guy?
https://plus4chan.org/b/a/src/136005697531.jpg
It can't be the dude Ursa is talking to (Ikem?) because of the heavy mustache that you don't see in the dialogue sequence.
>> No. 111081
>>111080
I'm guessing that one is part of a flashback sequence and the other is set in the present.
>> No. 111082
>>111080

The spoiler anon said that Ikem became a hermit who goes around with a blue animal (wolf?). Can't remember exactly what he said.
>> No. 111083
>Ursa loves Zuko more because he is the son of his true love.

and the stupid drama award goes to...
>> No. 111084
>>111080

The spoiler anon said that Ikem became a hermit who goes around with a blue animal (wolf?). Can't remember exactly what he said.
>> No. 111085
Spoiler anon? from what? is that thread still up?
Also, blue wolf gives me spirit worldly vibes (since a lot of spirit world stuff was blue)
In addition, I doubt this guy could be Zuko's father. IDK if this was mentioned, but there was a whole episode in Book 3 dedicated to how Zuko was the great-grandson of both Avatar Roku (Ursa's grandfather) AND Fire Lord Sozin (Ozai's grandfather). However, Iroh told Zuko that, and maybe he wasn't in on this whole thing...
>> No. 111086
>>111082
Spoiler anon? from what? is that thread still up?
Also, blue wolf gives me spirit worldly vibes (since a lot of spirit world stuff was blue)
In addition, I doubt this guy could be Zuko's father. IDK if this was mentioned, but there was a whole episode in Book 3 dedicated to how Zuko was the great-grandson of both Avatar Roku (Ursa's grandfather) AND Fire Lord Sozin (Ozai's grandfather). However, Iroh told Zuko that, and maybe he wasn't in on this whole thing...
>> No. 111087
Spoiler anon? from what? is that thread still up?
Also, blue wolf gives me spirit worldly vibes (since a lot of spirit world stuff was blue)
In addition, I doubt this guy could be Zuko's father. IDK if this was mentioned, but there was a whole episode in Book 3 dedicated to how Zuko was the great-grandson of both Avatar Roku (Ursa's grandfather) AND Fire Lord Sozin (Ozai's grandfather). However, Iroh told Zuko that, and maybe he wasn't in on this whole thing...
>> No. 111088
>>111082
Spoiler anon? from what? is that thread still up?
Also, blue wolf gives me spirit worldly vibes (since a lot of spirit world stuff was blue)
In addition, I doubt this guy could be Zuko's father. IDK if this was mentioned, but there was a whole episode in Book 3 dedicated to how Zuko was the great-grandson of both Avatar Roku (Ursa's grandfather) AND Fire Lord Sozin (Ozai's grandfather). However, Iroh told Zuko that, and maybe he wasn't in on this whole thing...
>> No. 111089
Spoiler anon? from what? is that thread still up?
Also, blue wolf gives me spirit worldly vibes (since a lot of spirit world stuff was blue)
In addition, I doubt this guy could be Zuko's father. IDK if this was mentioned, but there was a whole episode in Book 3 dedicated to how Zuko was the great-grandson of both Avatar Roku (Ursa's grandfather) AND Fire Lord Sozin (Ozai's grandfather). However, Iroh told Zuko that, and maybe he wasn't in on this whole thing...
>> No. 111090
Spoiler anon? from what? is that thread still up?
Also, blue wolf gives me spirit worldly vibes (since a lot of spirit world stuff was blue)
In addition, I doubt this guy could be Zuko's father. IDK if this was mentioned, but there was a whole episode in Book 3 dedicated to how Zuko was the great-grandson of both Avatar Roku (Ursa's grandfather) AND Fire Lord Sozin (Ozai's grandfather). However, Iroh told Zuko that, and maybe he wasn't in on this whole thing...
>> No. 111094
>>111070
I sincerely hope the spoiler anon is just screwing with us. He might actually have an advance copy, but that doesn't mean he isn't fucking with us.
>> No. 111095
That's why I'm 50/50. Last time there were spoilers from the Promise Part 3, the whole Aang 'breaking up' with Roku and whatnot, and the Azula pages from the end, people thought the spoilers were fake when they weren't. Besides, someone on Tumblr said that many bloggers were given copies of The Search in advance by darkhorse, so someone has to know the truth somewhere.
Also, I accidentally posted something multiple times and I'm trying to delete them and I cannot seem to. Help?
>> No. 111096
They could use it as a plot point. Like someone else said, Ursa got preggers pretty soon after hooking up with Ozai so she's not entirely sure he's not Ikems son, but in the end it turns out he's not.

In fact, he really couldn't be for two big reasons. One, it sorta destroys the whole "you're at war with yourself because you carry both Sozin and Roku's legacy" thing. I don't know, maybe Ikems grandfather was a super dick also, and that's what Roku's spirit juice has against or something. Whatever, either way, if true it sorta ruins all that.

Two, and a much bigger issue, is that Zuko has no claim to the throne. None whatsoever. Meaning Azula's the rightful Fire Lord, and no one can say spit about it. Iroh maybe, but Yang seems to have forgotten he exists.
>> No. 111097
Take these 'spoilers' with a indiana jones sized boulder of salt!

http://jedifreac.tumblr.com/post/42338050099/puzzlegirlsandpoprocks-chongthenomad

>Y’know, when Dark Horse distributed preview copies of “The Search” to us they specifically asked that people NOT share spoilers out of context like this.
>But yeah, but all means, read this stuff out of context and then lob a whole bunch of profanities at Gene Yang even though he developed this story with the creators of the series.

Jedifreac is one of the folks that ran People Against Racebending. Dark Horse has been sending them preview copies of the comics throughout their development.
>> No. 111098
>>111097
i am just so shocked that the fandom is actually falling for this.
>> No. 111099
>>111097
i am just so shocked that the fandom is actually falling for this.
>> No. 111100
>>111099
I think a large part of the acceptance of this rumor is driven by Korra-haters who are either convinced that Bryke are totally incompetent (never mind that they didn't even write the damned comic), or are cynically spreading the rumor to kill enthusiasm for the franchise as a whole (because when you are disappointed by how a series turns out, surely a scorched-earth campaign against any and all of the franchise's fans is the only way to go).
>> No. 111102
>>111097
at this point...whatever man.
>> No. 111103
File 136010111077.gif - (2.66MB , 384x288 , let's do this whole fuckin' village.gif )
111103
>>111100
I agree.
LET'S DO THIS WHOLE FUCKIN' VILLAGE!
>> No. 111104
If it turns out Ozai isn't Zuko's father (which he totally is, by the way) it would be a pretty interesting story arc for Azula to learn about it and actually decide to keep his secret because they end up bonding on the trip.
>> No. 111105
>>111104
she and zuko would have to do a hell of a lot of bonding for her to be ok with giving up the throne to a bastard

then again azula never showed much interest in it so who knows
>> No. 111106
>>111100

I get that feeling too. Tumblr is all about spreading as much information around as many people as possible without needing to back anything up. This is the exact same shitstorm that hit tumblr for the Promise when they'd all convinced themselves of Zuko hooking up with Suki, Aang deciding that it's ok to kill people, that Azula was going to be stuck in a straightjacket all through The Search, and a bunch of other false or overexaggerated bullshit.

Anyway, about Ikem. It's possible he's just there to tell us Ursa's backstory, but I'm suspecting he's got a larger role. I wonder if he helped her escape. Also, at the end of this, maybe he'll end up as Zuko and Azula's super nice stepdad. He'll take them fishing and bake them birthday cakes :3
>> No. 111107
>>111105
I assumed from the beginning that half the point of this story was to give Azula a Redemption Arc. She probably won't be fully 100% good guy by the end of things, but I suspect they'll be on civil terms and be willing to spend time together on Annual Winter Gift-Exchange Day.
>> No. 111108
>>111107
People never mention it but Azula is just as much Roku's grandchild as Zuko and has the same basic potential for goodness within her.
>> No. 111109
>>111108
i'm kind of disappointed that for all the time he spent trying to put zuko on the right path iroh never tried to reach out to azula.

on the other hand it's totally possible he tried and she actively pushed him away, i don't know. fuck i really wish we got an iroh flashback episode.
>> No. 111110
>>111109
He didn't start working on Zuko until he'd been banished. There was never a chance for Azula to get some solid mentoring from anyone except Lo and Li and they were doing Ozai's bidding.
>> No. 111111
>>111110
I don't think so. Flashbacks show that Iroh's been a strong presence in Zuko's life since he was small. Sure, they probably became a lot closer during the banishment, but I feel like Zuko probably considered Iroh his favourite relative (who isn't his mom).
>> No. 111112
Would it have been difficult at the end for Zuko to at least try to reason with Azula? They never even suggested it. It was always a question of crushing her. Does that seem like something a good character would do?
>> No. 111113
>>111112
This is a person who's manipulated, lied, and bullied him his entire life. Including, on more than one occasion, has outright tried to kill him. So what reason would or could Zuko possibly have to believe that Azula would in any way be open to rational discourse? There is seriously not a single scene or instance of interaction between these two that suggests that Zuko has any reason to even think it a possibility.

In fact, given his track record of actually buying her bullshit when he should have realized it was obvious bullshit, kind of suggests that letting her talk and get into his head would have been the absolute worse course of action his dumb ass could have taken. There's a reason Loki was gagged at the end of Avengers.
>> No. 111114
File 13601312487.jpg - (58.80KB , 600x448 , 1346657960921.jpg )
111114
>>111113
It's just the absolutely jarring logical dissonance between how what Iroh says about a brother killing a brother to grab power and then "Oh but go beat that bitchy sister of yours into the dirt". Like, nobody in this series is for Azula: they're not concerned about her; they don't want to acknowledge that she could be something other than Ozai's trusty sidearm; and this is her family.
>> No. 111115
>>111114
i'm willing to agree that for the kind of person iroh is it is bizarre that he seemed so nonchalant about throwing azula under the bus. but as >>111113 pointed out i think zuko still has some pretty good reasons to not exactly shower trust and acceptance down on azula. basically this entire family needs one big therapy session.
>> No. 111116
>>111114
Well to be fair, Iroh didn't tell Zuko to fight Azula, he told him to go to the capital and assert his claim to the throne, and that he had to be prepared to fight Azula if she challenged him.
>> No. 111118
File 136014774092.jpg?spoiler - (206.24KB , 1254x900 , fire_nation_speculative_family_tree.jpg?spoiler )
111118
I made a speculative family tree of the Fire Nation's royal family because trying to keep who's related to who in my head without a mental image has always been challenging for me. I posted this over on 4chan and I thought plus4chan might appreciate it too.

We Downton Game of Thrones now.
>> No. 111119
>>111113

Well, to give a direct example: The scene where she actually warns Zuko to be careful about visiting his Uncle and doesn't hold it over his head.

But really you're just going to believe what you believe so I'm not going to argue past that.
>> No. 111120
>>111114

Time is everything.

Azula may have the chance to redeem herself, but it was impossible with the timeframe at hand.
>> No. 111121
>>111118

Iroh and Ozai's mother's name was Illah.
>> No. 111122
Iroh and Ozai's mother was named Ilah/Illah, and in the Zuko Alone episode during Azulon's funeral, it is mentioned that she had died before those events. (And Iroh's wife? I've always wondered about her...)
The math regarding Roku/Roku's child/Ursa is really twisted. Has anyone really thought about it? I had written it all out, and by the means of it, Ursa had to be related to Roku through her father, and he had to be pretty old. I don't think they thought the math of that through too well, but as far as I remember, with some crazy circumstances, it does match up. I wish we had a definate age for Ursa though. In Zuko alone she looked somewhere in her fourties.
Also re: Azula not getting attention, she got the most attention from those who 'mattered most': Ozai and, when alive, Azulon. They were the true symbols of power, and their attention probably mattered a lot more to Azula then Iroh.
>> No. 111123
Iroh and Ozai's mother was named Ilah/Illah, and in the Zuko Alone episode during Azulon's funeral, it is mentioned that she had died before those events. (And Iroh's wife? I've always wondered about her...)
The math regarding Roku/Roku's child/Ursa is really twisted. Has anyone really thought about it? I had written it all out, and by the means of it, Ursa had to be related to Roku through her father, and he had to be pretty old. I don't think they thought the math of that through too well, but as far as I remember, with some crazy circumstances, it does match up. I wish we had a definate age for Ursa though. In Zuko alone she looked somewhere in her fourties.
Also re: Azula not getting attention, she got the most attention from those who 'mattered most': Ozai and, when alive, Azulon. They were the true symbols of power, and their attention probably mattered a lot more to Azula then Iroh.
>> No. 111124
Eh, kinda brings the whole conceit of Ozai marrying Ursa into focus now that we know that he CHOOSE her.

You'd think he'd go for someone who was less wishy-washy. I mean, yeah, she was pretty and probably good in the sack but pretty women are a dime a dozen in the Avatar-verse. Was it the Roku thing? Do you think Ozai knew about that? Because the Fire Nation doesn't seem particularly fond of the Avatar. And if it was just about the sex then that's what concubine's are for.

And don't give me any of that Fire Nation is a Feminist Haven crap. The Fire Lord probably had concubines or geishas or whatever.
>> No. 111125
File 136018844888.jpg - (636.48KB , 600x900 , The-Search-Part-2.jpg )
111125
http://avatarthelastairbenderonline.com/korra-book-1-art-book-confirmed-and-the-search-part-2-cover-description/

Zuko's left eye has achieved MAXIMUM ASIAN!
>> No. 111126
>>111125
>supposed to be about azula and zuko
>let's put her way in the back
>> No. 111127
>>111125

>huge fucking wolf spirit

WE PRINCESS MONONOKE NOW
>> No. 111128
File 136019497867.jpg?spoiler - (158.06KB , 680x1071 , spoilers.jpg?spoiler )
111128
>>111125
Huh. Apparently the leak person was telling the truth at least about a blue wolf appearing in the comic.
>> No. 111129
>>111125

>giant fucking wolf spirit

WE PRINCESS MONONOKE NOW
>> No. 111130
>>111128
Is that thread still up? Anything else from there?
>> No. 111131
>>111125

I love how everyone else is all serious or freaking out and Azula is just not impressed.
>> No. 111132
>>111131
Azula is what things in the dark are afraid of finding when they go out at night.
>> No. 111138
File 13602143164.jpg - (214.05KB , 1484x1433 , whatisloveohbabydonthurtme.jpg )
111138
>>111121
>>111122

Thanks for catching that - the speculative family tree has been updated accordingly and augmented with 200% more forbidden love.
>> No. 111142
>>111123
>>Ursa had to be related to Roku through her father, and he had to be pretty old

Not...necessarily. Roku may have had a daughter, who may have had more than one child. There's a pretty substantial age gap between Ozai and Iroh; maybe Ursa's parents also had one one child and then then a substantial period of time passed before Ursa was conceived.
>> No. 111143
File 136025260174.png - (446.24KB , 720x480 , 13599609603.png )
111143
Ok so I'm reading Avatar: The Promise Part 1 for the first time. Is this story apposed to be symbolic of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

Fire Nation = Isrealis
Earth Kingdom = Palestinians
Fire Nation colonies - Israeli occupied West Bank
>> No. 111144
Well, Roku died at 70. Aang as born, and he lived for 12 years, then that 100 years in the iceberg happened. So there is a about a 105ish year gap between Roku's death and Ursa's last time seen in Zuko Alone. (has anyone reached a general consensus about how old Ursa is?) That means that Ursa could not have been born when Roku was alive, and therefore, she never met her grandfather Roku, or else she'd be over 100+ years old. (With Fire Lord Sozin, the math makes sense because he died at a much later age.)

So it's safe to assume that Roku, at the time of his death, had young children, who at least, were in their early 20's. To have Ursa's age making sense, I'm thinking a Tenzin-esque situation would have happened: One of Roku's kids (probably a son, because a woman's child bearing is limited after a certain age) fathered Ursa at a late age, like Tenzin. Since we don't know how old exactly Ursa is, it's hard to pinpoint that, but it has to be at least somewhere in the 50's. That's why I infer that Ursa was related to Roku through her father. (Besides, that'd make the Sozin/Roku parallel more poignant: Sozin is Zuko's paternal grandfather through Azulon, Roku is Zuko's maternal grandfather through an unnamed son of Roku.)
>> No. 111145
>>111143
Before you post 1 more screencap from piandao.org for the love of god resize them to the correct aspect ratio. It's 640x480. Everything is stretched out horizontally.
>> No. 111146
>>111144
Whenever you try to do math with this show something goes dreadfully wrong; like Kyoshi being Avatar for 230 years because in The Kyoshi Warriors they said it was 400 years since the island was founded and nobody had bothered to do the math on how long ago that meant she was born before Roku, or Oma and Shu being entombed up to 100,000 years ago, things like that.
>> No. 111152
>>111146
Kyoshi Island was founded 300 years before the show takes place.
>> No. 111153
>>111152
The point is they hadn't considered the actual Avatar lineage when writing that because they didn't intend Kyoshi to be supernaturally old; in The Southern Air Temple she didn't even exist yet. Another one is the actual math on just how long Sozin was Firelord, because he was 82 when the war started but Azulon was only Firelord for 28 years, and Ozai was only Firelord for six years, meaning Sozin lived as Firelord for 78 years AFTER Roku died.
>> No. 111155
Then there's this snippet from Bryan in an interview they did with ASN six years ago..

"I [Bryan] checked the timeline, and without giving too much away, here's a breakdown: Sozin actually ruled for about 20 years after he started the war, so he was about 82 when he started the war. Azulon (born shortly after the comet came) ruled for about 75 years and died at the age of 95. Ozai has ruled for only 5 years. Those are the main milestones.)"

http://www.avatarspirit.net/interviews.php?id=19 <-- Check near the middle of the page.
>> No. 111156
>>111153

There is this snippet from Bryan in an interview they did with ASN six years ago..

"I [Bryan] checked the timeline, and without giving too much away, here's a breakdown: Sozin actually ruled for about 20 years after he started the war, so he was about 82 when he started the war. Azulon (born shortly after the comet came) ruled for about 75 years and died at the age of 95. Ozai has ruled for only 5 years. Those are the main milestones.)"

http://www.avatarspirit.net/interviews.php?id=19 <-- Check near the middle of the page.
>> No. 111157
>>111156
That would be fine if they hadn't said he was only firelord for 28 years in Zuko Alone.
>> No. 111165
>>111122
I think some calculated that Roku's child would have needed to be older than Azulon because Azulon was born shortly before/after Souzin died and Roku died before this. The child would also have needed to be male (old men have children more easily than old women) and have had a child very late on life (like Azulon) for Ursa and Ozai to be similar in age.
>> No. 111166
>>111165

People in the avatar world have longer life spans than we do, so maybe they stay fertile longer. The math for this family is ridiculous though; I just try to ignore it.
>> No. 111169
>>111166
was that ever actually confirmed or did people take bumi and kyoshi (since they're both earthbenders i could believe they have longer lifespans, hence the term "old as dirt") and just run with the theory? i mean by this logic at least sokka or toph should still be alive in korra's time.
>> No. 111170
>>111169
People live for a long time when the plot demands it.
>> No. 111174
>>111157
Have they ever given hard numbers for how long the Fire Lord's reigned? I don't recall any specifics being given about the length of Azulon's reign.

As for any discrepancies between how long Sozin ruled and Azulon did can be handwaved away by explaining that Azulon had an elder sibling who reigned for a while, but unfortunately bore no children - hence their younger brother inherited it upon their death.
>> No. 111175
>>111174
His portrait isn't in the gallery in The Avatar and the Firelord
>> No. 111178
>>111174
Or that Souzin was underaged and had a reagent rule for him. If he was busy fighting the Earth Kingdom he may have had this regent rule even after he was an adult. So he could have ruled for 75 years but only ruled directly for the last 28 years.
>> No. 111183
>>111178
Sozin was already Fire Lord by the time Roku returned to the Fire Nation, and he didn't start fighting the Erth Kingdom until a few years (possibly decades) later. So that's unlikely to be the case.
>> No. 111184
Well Azula did say he died in his sleep as an ancient man; he'd be what, 150 or so?
>> No. 111185
>>111138

Zuko's daughter? Wherever was it stated Zuko had a daughter?

>>111184

150 is not possible, especially for a world and time the likes of which he lived in. In Sozin's day, people probably croaked at like 50 or less, maybe 60 or 70 if they were nobility/royalty. 150 is like a decent Avatar lifespan.
>> No. 111186
>>111185
The LoK site had a small bit about Zuko, basically telling us he's still alive (somehow) by the time LoK had rolled around, and that 3 years prior to the show's start Zuko had retired and the throne had been taken by his daughter.
>> No. 111187
>>111185
*cough*Bumi*cough*
>> No. 111188
>>111187
bumi was 112 and probably lived long enough to see bumi 2 be born which would probably put him at in his 120s
>> No. 111190
>>111185
It was suggested that Sozin's comet was what granted him such an unusually long lifespan.
>> No. 111226
>>111125
Zuko and a blue spirit of some description? I sincerely hope that gets mentioned at some point, because I'd be interested in knowing how Azula would react to knowing that.
>> No. 111227
>>111226
Why would she in any capacity give a single solitary shit about Zuko's blue spirit persona? At best, that knowledge would register complete and utter indifference.

"Am I supposed to find this interesting? My brother running around like an imbecile wearing some stupid mask and being overly dramatic... Except for the mask, I call that Tuesday.
>> No. 111232
>>111178
I meant Azulon, not Souzin. So it should be:

Or that Azulon was underaged and had a reagent rule for him. If he was busy fighting the Earth Kingdom he may have had this regent rule even after he was an adult. So he could have ruled for 75 years but only ruled directly for the last 28 years.
>> No. 111233
>>111186
Zuko was about 16 in Avatar and LoK is set 75 years later so if Zuko is still alive he'd be 91. So while Zuko is old he's not ridiculously old.

Though ruling until you're 89 would be difficult.
>> No. 111235
>>111233
Korra is set 70 years later, not 75. That's make Zuko 86 years old, and he ruled until his 83 years. It's not that uncommon.
>> No. 111254
>>111233
>Though ruling until you're 89 would be difficult.
Queen Liz'll be there in three years.
>> No. 111256
It's a shame Zuko couldn't have ruled for over a 1,000 years like the kings' reigns listed in those Sumerian tablets.
>> No. 111257
>>111254
Yeah, but she doesn't have a habit of pissing deadly people off, unlike Zuko. Also, she never got hit b lightning, which should reduce anybody's lifespan, even if they did survive the initial strike.
>> No. 111258
So the reviews are out, and Zuko really isn't Ozai's son at all, which completely demolishes his entire character arc, reducing it from cosmic karma to a meaningless coincidence, and all for no reason but to sell a comic book.

Do you still want to disagree with me that they're maliciously destroying everything the team on the original series did to be "distinctive" just like Lucas?
>> No. 111259
>>111258
>Zuko isn't Ozai's son!

Says who, in-story? Azula? Ozai? Because they totally have no reason at all to screw with Zuko, or to undermine his claim to the throne.

Unless it's Ursa herself delivering this revelation, the real Ursa and not Azula's hallucination, then I'm not taking it at face value.
>> No. 111261
>>111258

lolnope
>> No. 111264
>>111259

I wouldn't even take it from Ikem.
>> No. 111265
>>111258
i'm pretty the sure the 'inner struggle due to your lineage' was something bryke thought up, stop acting like someone was always around to smack their hands when they tried to make a creative decision on their own.

and anyway for all we know both ikem and ursa are wrong. zuko literally looks nothing like either of them.
>> No. 111266
>>111129

And that's bad... how exactly?

Fuck, PM even works within the Avatarverse with little tweaking anyway. Only less guns and more bending, which would arguably remove a big chunk of the story.
>> No. 111267
File 136380445382.jpg - (29.70KB , 720x480 , ozzu.jpg )
111267
Well, even though he ended up doing a really, shitty job, at least he tried to love and raise Zuko even though the boy was a symbol of how undesirable and foolish Ozai was.

Not even his own fiancé/wife wanted him; he was second best even in that regard
>> No. 111268
File 136380512972.png - (5.38MB , 975x7845 , Avatar ozai_comic____for_me___by_booter_freak-d1qe.png )
111268
The Mountain Goats - No Childrenyoutube thumb
>> No. 111269
>>111265
They didn't write The Avatar and the Firelord. They didn't even come up with Zuko. They are pathetic half-wits meddling with characters they had no part in creating; they are Lucasian incompetents.

(USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST)
>> No. 111270
>>111269
firelo plz
>> No. 111271
Reading through the summary, it seems more that Ursa just had a life before Ozai that she may have returned to after he'd banished her, opposed to Zuko being her previous fiance's kid.

Doesn't necessarily contradict what was previously established, such as Ursa and Ozai's marriage being an arranged one, though I'm sure I read somewhere that it was actually a happy one between them and their kids before Ozai started to go off the deep end.

Also there's an implication that Azulon arranged the marriage specifically because he wanted Roku's bloodline merged with his... whether it's for politics, loyalty to his father's friend or some kind of eugenics thing I don't know.
>> No. 111272
>>111269

Quit being a shit.
>> No. 111273
>>111270
>firelo plz

Fuck me! He comes here too? God Dammit!
>> No. 111326
>>111273
He's been banned in the past, I think, so if he still comes here it's probably as an Anon. But yeah, he used to come here from time to time and generally be unlikable in most regards.
>> No. 111331
>>111273

Nowhere is safe
>> No. 111332
>>111143

No.

---

In other news, I'm actually enjoying the search so far. Can't believe the amount of people who think Zuko is actually illegitimate, but hey, that's fandom's for you.

Also, it might be interesting to think that one of the main reasons Ozai treated Zuko so very shittily is because he too thought he wasn't his own kid. Maybe that isn't the case, but I think it might be nice.

Also I liked when Suki was all 'I- *We* missed you with Zuko. They need to bonkaronk before Mai gets back.
>> No. 111337
>>111332

I don't really like the idea that Ozai thought Zuko wasn't his kid and treated him poorly. I like the idea that Zuko was a reminder of Ursa and himself as a boy, two things he inwardly hated.


As far as Suki goes, everything in The Promise with her could have pretty much been hand waved without that little correction of hers, even that bit about Zuko being lonely. But if she is startin to crave Big Z, it doesn't feel like Zuko is interested in her at all.
>> No. 111340
This thing with Zuko and Suki seems pointless and completly out of nowhere, really what the hell.
>> No. 111343
>>111340
What 'thing'? Most of it can be explained as Suki being concerned for a friend, and the rest of the awkwardness can be explained as a result of Suki remembering that the last time she tried to help him he got dumped.
>> No. 111347
>>111340

If they are building up to something, they're doing a pretty good job of...you know, building up to it, so it's not really out of nowhere.

Maybe we're actually seeing a case of an Avatar character actually progressing from the thinking of "just my friend/colleague," to something more, which...actually has never happened in Avatar before.

Most of the characters in Avatar fall head over heels for another character upon first meeting.
>> No. 111348
File 136386078729.jpg?spoiler - (22.51KB , 400x302 , 10.jpg?spoiler )
111348
>>111347
Sokka getting NTR'd by Zuko?
<-
>> No. 111349
File 136386123621.png - (207.34KB , 541x187 , royalty.png )
111349
>>111348

Like father, like son.

except Suki wants it
>> No. 111350
I would prefer if Sokka did not become Asami.

At least he'll never be Bolin though,
>> No. 111351
>>111340

I think that she was just concerned for him as a friend, considering she kept making out with Sokka everytime they met up.

Though this was interpreted as her wanting to bone him, because apparently guys can't have girl friends... which probably explains why people have shipped Toph with all three of the male protagonists, regardless of whether they displayed any interest in her or vice versa within the actual show.
>> No. 111353
>>111351
That "I...WE care about you" style fumble isn't usually used platonically.
>> No. 111354
>>111351

I think it's more of just how all the stuff in the Promise was presented. It really has little to do with anything Suki ever said or did.

Nothing Suki did was anything that a friend wouldn't do for a friend, but the way the comic focused on her and her gestures left the impression of "Remember this, class, cause it's gonna be on the test."

That grammar correction though is funny cause here she's about to say "I'm glad" but switches it at the last minute. Before, she had no problem saying "I'm worried about you."
>> No. 111356
>>111353

Also this
>> No. 111358
>>111350
Asami's busy being Zuko, so it's unlikely Sokka will become Asami.

Unless Zuko becomes Sokka to balance everything out. Then maybe.

>>111353
>>111354
I always saw the grammar thing as Suki trying to distance herself a bit - you know, trying to represent all of the Kyoshi Warriors (who I kind want to see how Zuko gets along with) and because she doesn't want to pear to close to him to stop nasty rumours about Zuko and Mai's break up.

The only real thing to support the idea of romantic attraction on Suki's part is how it's framed in the narrative, which I saw more as a way of showing Zuko's disconnect from the other Gaang members.

Not that this will stop me from cracking Zuki jokes, though.
>> No. 111360
>>111358

Pretty much this, saw it more as her trying to present a bit of professional distance considering she was meant to be, technically, his employee despite being on friendly terms.
>> No. 111370
>>111358
>>111360

The issue is how it's framed in the narrative and it does seem to foreshadow something at least. Whether Suki will eventually come out and say she wants to be with Zuko is far too early to say.


But what we do know is that Suki appears to be developing a personal fondness for Zuko that even she kinda knows doesn't exactly sound like just "professional concern," and maybe she's a little shy about that. I think it's more that people can just see it developing into a romantic attraction on her part at this point.

If that does happen, Suki actually GROWING a romantic interest in Zuko gradually over time and then going into denial about it would be a good change of pace as far as Avatar romances are concerned, at least in my opinion.
>> No. 111375
>>111370
While it would not be a poor form of development for such a plotline mechanically I don't think Avatar really needs another romance triangle amongst the main characters like that....
>> No. 111377
>>111375

The necessity or lack of necessity of a romance has never stopped Bryke.

With Suki, I think there's just the potential for a new dynamic. The only other character who actually grew to like another character "in that way," slowly over time was Katara. But if they're going to go with Suki crushing on Zuko, they would need to do something different to avoid just another typical love triangle or square like we've already seen.
>> No. 111378
File 136391664865.png - (421.87KB , 483x476 , 1363915824814.png )
111378
>>111377
Zuko will marry Suki and this inter-elemental union will bring peace to the two nations.

Sokka will cry because the Fire Nation took another girlfriend from him.

Mai will come back with her older brother and try to kill everyone until Suki kills her with blood bending
>> No. 111379
File 136391690485.jpg - (86.45KB , 700x825 , 1362065440042.jpg )
111379
>>111378

Jackie Diaz plz
>> No. 111380
>>111378
>Sokka will cry because the Fire Nation took another girlfriend from him.

Unless of course Sokka get's a Fire Nation significant other as well...
>> No. 111381
>>111380

please stop right there.
>> No. 111382
>>111381
I'm joking, I'm joking.
>> No. 111384
>>111382

Some people thought this last comic was gonna be loaded with Sokkla
>> No. 111385
File 136393305617.gif - (2.58MB , 200x150 , 1360051142643.gif )
111385
>Zuki getting bandied about in this thread

Still a better ship than Zutara!
>> No. 111386
>>111385

Of course it is cause Zuki will be canon
>> No. 111478
i really like the theory that the spirit wolf helped Ikem into seeing Ursa again, and in that fateful reunion, Azula was concieved

basing on that, maybe what Ozai said was '"impossible" is that Azula was the one Ursa was referring to in the letter.

but why would Ozai still keep Azula if that were the case?

maybe because he doesn't want to be known as the unfortunate, dishonored cuckolded Prince of the Fire Nation, especially by his father, who painstakingly hunted down Roku's descendants for him to mate with. and besides, he already has his firstborn son, so his succession requirements is clear enough (i am aware that in the time period of Ozai finding out about the letter, Zuko and Azula were still too young to display their firebending talents)

and once Azula grew to be the prodigy that she is, Ozai excused her being a 'bastard' and adopted her as his own because her firebending prowess would bring glory and honor to his name; not to mention evidence to Azulon that his eugenics experiment worked, AND to ensure a loyal and powerful weapon to use against his enemies. brilliant!

But if he adopted Azula as his own, wouldn't he be concerned that he is breaking his family's dynasty? that's where my theory goes; Ozai doesn't really love Azula; he sees her as a weapon, and only adopted and tolerated her bastardity because of that. once all his enemies are vanquished, and his path to victory already clear, he would off Azula, like some disposable spoon and fork, and have new kids with another woman.

why not Zuko? well, he did try to kill Zuko in Day of Black Sun, and even though Zuko is his true heir, Zuko sucks so bad and is probably a reminder of his suck-ish genes. he strikes me as someone who would try his luck again with another kid and hopefully that kid won't suck as much as Zuko.

but why would the letter say "our son" instead of "our daughter" if this theory is true? simple forgery my friend. the rest of the message were the original written by Ursa, except for the phrase "our son", "his" , and "Zuko". my theory is that, for a time, that letter sat unedited in the chest containing the rest, but once Ozai saw that Zuko sucked and Azula became a skilled prodigy, following with my theory above, he edited the letter in case the inevitable happens that Zuko will take over him. or maybe he forged the letter after Zuko told him he is joining the avatar to help defeat him so he edited it to kick Zuko off his throne when the opportunity comes.

what does this mean for Azula? i think you guys already discussed this in previous posts. if Azula found out that she isn't Ozai's child it could mean that:
a. she would no longer be tied to Ozai anymore; she doesn't have any obligations for him anymore.
b. it could set her on a new path in life; rethink her course in life
c. it could change her values and how she views family
Etc, etc, etc.

not to mention that the Roku/Sozin bloodlines would go to a whole new level in this one: Zuko turned out honorable and ended the war, when he has both Roku and Sozin's blood in himself, whereas Azula would be of pure Avatar ancestry yet she turned out the way she is because of upbringing and being too much in the influence of Ozai. it's like nature vs. nurture revamped or something wow....idk guys my head is about to explode!
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