Zuko, at the time both he and Azula were learning firebending, wasn't in any state of "inner turmoil." At least not in the way he is now. He was grumpy, and didn't seem to have any friends to speak of, but he wasn't severely mentally and emotionally scarred. I'd imagine that came after his father burned his face and exiled him. He seems equally determined as his sister (especially with the past sibling rivalry), but his sister was a proclaimed prodigy, grasping the element much more quickly. (Notice, however, that it was still probably around three or four years before she came to the level she is now? About the same level as Katara, who isn't a proclaimed prodigy nor an experienced student.)
Pakku told her Aang possessed the natural talent for water bending, not her. She acknowledged it when angry that Aang was "naturally gifted" (as the Avatar) and not herself. She had the "determination" to apparently do what takes YEARS for others probably just as determined as her. If bending is like a martial art in the Avatar world, then, through SHEER FORCE OF WILL, Katara turned herself from a yellow/orange belt to a black belt in a few months. Screw the rules, she has will. If all it took to be a master was a few months and some "serious determination" then ANYONE who can bend has the potential to be a master by the time they've reached puberty. Azula would have been a true master by the time she was twelve, considering she's naturally gifted AND is one determined bi...chick. My entire point is just that the entire thing is simply unbelievable BS concocted to make Katara look super strong willed and determined, more so than apparently EVERYONE IN THE WORLD, so that the viewers would have another reason to love her forever.
Also, she's the one who's supposed to be teaching the Avatar (because she's just so special), which implies that she knows more than Aang. You can't teach something to a student, then learn what you just taught by watching the student. That makes no sense, unless you have no short-term memory. And, if Aang was able to grasp aspects faster that in turn she learned, then he wouldn't have needed a teacher. So, then, she is apparently better than...the Avatar.
| adidaZuko wrote: |
Her unrealistic mastery of waterbending aside, what bugs me about Katara is her "emotional range". Katara is the caring one in the group, she's also the responsible one, but she knows how to have fun. She's also strong and determined, but sweet and amiable, she's got a temper but she's empathetic. She's sarcastic but sincere, she's a leader but can follow. She's composed, she's feminine, she's brave and independent. She's an idealist, but not to the point that she loses touch on reality. She's proud and competitive, but humble and collaborative. She's confident and self-assured. She's also shown to be highly intelligent despite not having formal education and wise beyond her years.
Her personality has the consistency of crude oil. She can adjust to any situation in the show. Really the only traits she doesn't seem to have are either traits that would be morally questionable, such as being manipulative or deceitful; or any kind of gross or immature habit.
Group all that together, throw in the fact that she's pretty and the hero's love interest (so she's guaranteed to have the most glamour shots), and her half-baked mastery of waterbending and you get the ultimate canon Mary Sue, i.e. Katara. |
I agree with this. Don't forget the tragic past that she's constantly reiterating, mostly to all four of her love interests and anyone that requires some sort of bonding (because there's nothing like sharing the tale of losing a parent to make complete strangers feel closer) AND her super special healing abilities that she so quickly mastered all by her lonesome (if it were "instinct" they wouldn't have to teach it in the North Pole...unless she's, like always, just special). She does have all of the makings of a Sue.
