Yeah Momo was the ONLY character in the episode who acted like Appa even existed...and also no Dai Li were visible...but I'm betting they're always there...I wonder what's the full??story on Jin...

Yah.

Go to my tribute to Mako thread.?? http://www.tv.com/avatar-the-last-airbender/show/28841/a-tribute-to-mako/topic/13281-518586/msgs.html&msg_id=4809663

Heh.

Um, for all of you who are wondering why Zuko went "it's complicated", lets add up all the factors pls.

1. HE'S FIRENATION
2. HE'S the PRINCE of previously said nation
3. He's of the mindset that he doesn't WANT to make a home where he is, there therefore he wants as little attachments as possible.
4. Think about how her life would be with him...
5. He's only told her a zillion lies, starting with his name...

so yeah, it's complicated.

though she is awesome >_>

Amen to that- still, he and Jin are so cute!!! Even Zuko needs love!!!

A complex tapestry of interlocking tales this is not. Instead it is a still life of the normalcy that is born from complacency. A little ill times given the grim and orwellian revelations of 'City of Walls and Secrets' but still a worthy goal. The true failing was not in the placement of the epidsode or its choice of style, but in the execution and tone. The tales each have a kernel to them that had the possibilty to bloom into something significant, only half of them truely bloomed. In other words Its the fact that not enough weight was added to the tales that causes the episode to fall below standard.

In the first Tale, of Toph and Katara has the core of Tophs tough devil may care exterior masking a person who in her heart really does care. She doesn't extend herself beyond her barriers because if one plays the game they can lose, which to one as confrontational and aggressive as Toph is a painful sensation, so she doesn't try. When Katara coaxes her out of her shell it leaves her very vulnerable and this is the kernell of the story that matters. Now the fact that this only comes out in the final moments and at the hands of Hollywood Cliche 23 (three mean rich girls) weakens the story, as does the rather flippant nature of a day spa. Now I am not going to complain about 'strong feminist characters' submitting to 'pampering' because frankly I think suki said it best, 'I am a warrior but I am also a girl' there is no crime in wanting to feel feminine just as its no crime to want to feel masculine.

The second Tale of Iroh is the best in my mind and by a quick glance through the reviews, most everyone elses. It almost singlehandedly supports the episode, and I am sure is responsible for the rather silly quantity of 10 reviews. Iroh's tale works for three reasons,it retasks us to the pain underneath all of Iroh 'wise old man' parables and thus refreshes why his relationship with Zuko is very important to him. Second because he has no creepy revelations about the Dai Li to worry about there is no cognitive dissonance concerning 'why are they at a day spa in Minitrue?'. Third and finally it gives us a good look at Lu Ten which means that the relationship with the viewer is not only rehashed but expanded. Of course the fact that it is an incredibly well done piece of voice acting pacing and animation also helps. The bookending of the vignette with the 'Brave Soldier Boy' was marevelous.

The Third Tale is an example of a seed that didn't bloom at all. Aangs tale is fun and all, I never winced watching it, but if the connection had been better forged as to why aang was in the zoo in the first place the impact would have been FAR greater. The kernel of Aang looking for Appa and thus feeling compelled to help other suffering animals is the emotional core, but the happiness and lack of bleak counterpoints to the happiness of children and animals blights the vine.

The tale of Sokka, Fourth, similarly fails, even shorter and completely frivoulous it would be excuseable if they had played the Yue note a little harder or had done better with the other stories. Grief needs a counterpoint of hummor and if the rest had held more weight then this would have been a perfect breather.

The fifth tale is a very good an important one. Zuko has long been a very interesting character who has grown by hairs each episode. What matters is the fact he takes the step no matter how tiny as he is a character unique in that he never backslides with his developement. Furthermore his tale is once again untainted by the whole orwell vibe. His humanization is good and his awkward lies and yet genuine desire to connect are fun counterpoints. The 'its complicated' line reinterates that nothing is every quick or easy for him, unlike Aang he just can't see a baby born or get a peck from a pretty girl and have it all be better. His scars both literal and figurative run deep. Extra points go to his firebending prowess, and another reviewer noted that Zuko can only do for the girl a good deed with her eyes closed, and she likewise him, illustrating the difficulty of coming clean and pride (which as Iroh noted in bitter work is the source of much of Zuko's turmoil).

Finally momo's tale has some good depth and provides a leaping off point for the next episode. I can't really comment much on this other than its an animal sequence which I don't really care about because animal characterizations fall so easily into cliche and lack verbal interaction which is a hallmark of pretty much everything good. I liked it, don't get me wrong, and it reflected the tone of the episode well.

Overall its a mixed bag.

You really like long post don't you
Wasn't mend in a bad way

Anyway i hope enjoy reading it as much as I did with your reviews etc.

Yes, yes I do like long posts. My record is 3.5K words. Though technically It had to be split into 3 posts.