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Jul. 19th, 2020 08:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatThe weekend flew by again. I'm kind of looking forward to doing ComicCon via Zoom next weekend though.
The Last Airbender is insanely good in S2, although S1 was good as well, but S2 jumps to a whole new level - making it possibly the BEST animated series I've ever seen.
They do one episode Zuko alone - which reminded me a lot the movie Shane, but with a twist, and a kind of subversive take on that classic Western trope
And there's a heavy theme of balance of elements, and how if you rely too much on one - you throw everything off. The Fire Element is set up as the villains, but as we move across the story arcs, it becomes apparent that each group has its issues. Water - where it insists on genders following traditional roles, and is too rigid in those roles, trying to separate moon (which is feminine and ruler of the tides or ying) from ocean (the tides, the force, the male, or yang) who circle each other. Then there is Earth, who is rigid in how it wishes to bury things, and its own head in the sand. Unable to appreciate the other elements, yet is powerless without them. Blind to wind and water and fire. And inhospitable.
Also the characters...Zuko, Soko, Katara, Ange, Tuff, the acrobat, the arrow fighter, and Zuko's sister, plus Zuko's uncle who is among my favorites.
I learn so much from this little series - it's so comforting. It's teaching me not to give in to hate. Or judgement. To see beyond my own prejudices.
That wiping out those who disagree is not the answer. That all things and people have a purpose and are part of the story, we can't erase them.
In short, I am loving it. And look forward to seeing it during the weekends.
I'll miss it when it is over. Hopefully I can find the sequel/spin-off Legend of Korra. According to Comic-Con Last Airbender panel there is more to come and they do have a comic spun off of it. Although I'm uncertain about a comic. Also, I'm only about ten episodes into S2. I have a ways to go, thankfully.
Culture Wars - I'm irritated with the racism and homophobia, sexism/gender politics and transphobia in our culture. But I've always been angry at it. I don't see it going away over night. There's a human tendency to be "Tribal" - to only surround oneself with people like oneself. What I like about Last Airbender - is the mag-tag group of people are not like one another at all. One is blind and an earthbender, from a wealthy family, two are from poor water tribe in the south, another is an ancient air bender, who is 12 and had been lost...and there's a monkey and a flying bison with six legs...
Diversity has always made me feel safer. My apartment complex couldn't be more diverse. My neighborhood and workplace are insanely diversified. No one is like me, no one looks like me. I'm surrounded by people who aren't - it's isolating perhaps...but also safe.
The Last Airbender is insanely good in S2, although S1 was good as well, but S2 jumps to a whole new level - making it possibly the BEST animated series I've ever seen.
They do one episode Zuko alone - which reminded me a lot the movie Shane, but with a twist, and a kind of subversive take on that classic Western trope
And there's a heavy theme of balance of elements, and how if you rely too much on one - you throw everything off. The Fire Element is set up as the villains, but as we move across the story arcs, it becomes apparent that each group has its issues. Water - where it insists on genders following traditional roles, and is too rigid in those roles, trying to separate moon (which is feminine and ruler of the tides or ying) from ocean (the tides, the force, the male, or yang) who circle each other. Then there is Earth, who is rigid in how it wishes to bury things, and its own head in the sand. Unable to appreciate the other elements, yet is powerless without them. Blind to wind and water and fire. And inhospitable.
Also the characters...Zuko, Soko, Katara, Ange, Tuff, the acrobat, the arrow fighter, and Zuko's sister, plus Zuko's uncle who is among my favorites.
I learn so much from this little series - it's so comforting. It's teaching me not to give in to hate. Or judgement. To see beyond my own prejudices.
That wiping out those who disagree is not the answer. That all things and people have a purpose and are part of the story, we can't erase them.
In short, I am loving it. And look forward to seeing it during the weekends.
I'll miss it when it is over. Hopefully I can find the sequel/spin-off Legend of Korra. According to Comic-Con Last Airbender panel there is more to come and they do have a comic spun off of it. Although I'm uncertain about a comic. Also, I'm only about ten episodes into S2. I have a ways to go, thankfully.
Culture Wars - I'm irritated with the racism and homophobia, sexism/gender politics and transphobia in our culture. But I've always been angry at it. I don't see it going away over night. There's a human tendency to be "Tribal" - to only surround oneself with people like oneself. What I like about Last Airbender - is the mag-tag group of people are not like one another at all. One is blind and an earthbender, from a wealthy family, two are from poor water tribe in the south, another is an ancient air bender, who is 12 and had been lost...and there's a monkey and a flying bison with six legs...
Diversity has always made me feel safer. My apartment complex couldn't be more diverse. My neighborhood and workplace are insanely diversified. No one is like me, no one looks like me. I'm surrounded by people who aren't - it's isolating perhaps...but also safe.
no subject
Date: 2020-07-20 03:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-07-20 10:39 pm (UTC)Also going to see if I can find Legend of Korra again. It used to be on Netflix, but Netflix has an annoying habit of dropping television series without warning.
no subject
Date: 2020-07-21 10:07 pm (UTC)