Avatar the Last Airbender reaction Season 3 Episode 5 | The Beach

[@lhhOriginalGrey]

Azula trying to be normal is hilarious and terrifying

[@mx9226]

It’s also sad since it shows she is completely inept for a normal life.

[@Skynet5885]

​@@mx9226 It does show that she has marks left by their upbringing, same as Zuko, except her's are all about being in any situation her dad didn't train her for. Even she thinks she's bad, which even if played off as a joke, might kind of speaks volumes about how she feels about his training and teachings. Sad really that she never got a redemption of any kind, but maybe that's because she's supposed to be too far gone.

[@dklounge7082]

The idea behind the firebending mercenary's form of bending is that he focuses his chi in his stomach into the 3rd eye of his forehead to fire the explosive beam. He has metal prosthetic limbs because of the trial and error of perfecting his bending and gained his reputation through a long winning streak of short Agni Kai's

[@ghostpants7930]

It actually took me too long to realise that his metal limbs were because he blew off his limbs learning his technique.

[@SKRRTCOBAIN00]

@@ghostpants7930same

[@filipvadas7602]

Even though this episode is a nice change of pace that lets us spend more time with the antagonists, its also a GENIUS way to characterise them by showing us that they literally *can't function* in normal society. They are so awkward that it goes from comedic to borderline cringe inducing, which is entirely intentional. Ty Lee is a social butterfly who can get along with almost anyone, I grant you, but she's also clearly *deeply insecure* which makes her question herself a lot, Mai is antisocial to say the least due to simply not caring anymore, Zuko has spent so long as either banished or as a criminal to both sides of the conflict that I don't think he actually *knows* how to interact with people, let alone be in a relationship. And, man, Azula has it *the worst.* Keep in mind she is the younger sibling of the two, being about 14 whereas Zuko is 16, and she literally acts like she's twice her age, but at the cost of not knowing how to form genuine relationships outside of dominating/controlling people with cunning or brute force. A natural consequence of Ozai molding her into a *weapon of war* As great of a villain as Azula is, the brief heart to heart she has with Zuko makes you realise this girl never had a *chance* to be much more than what she is because of what the war, and Ozai, molded her to be. Sure, you could argue she was ALWAYS a little twisted, but despite how she shrugs it off she clearly does have *inklings* of existential dread. The idea that her own mother thought she was a monster and that she was *right* clearly cuts deeper than she wants to admit.

[@TSNeph]

Ah, Azula. Desperate for connection and unconditional love but living in mortal terror of being vulnerable enough to actually reach out for it. Fire Lord parenting is the best parenting.

[@Geffi01]

Some people find this episode weird, I love it. So much character insight especially into Azula.

[@Arkayjiya]

Yeah this is the episode that finally rounds out Azula.

[@DefinitelyNotDefinitive2]

It’s weird in the best possible way 😂😁

[@courirnorte8137]

its weird but realistic in some sort of way, at the end of the day, all of the main cast are kids/teens fighting a war, so when they are thrown into regular social moments, its gonna end up being awkward and it exposes them who they really are

[@thefiendish186]

Isnt this one of the episode at least in the conversation of one of the best in the show? For 90% at least I see praises for this episode. Especially that they turned the expectation of the "beach episode" on its head and made something actually plot relevant.

[@jamesalexander5559]

I always have to remind myself that Azula is the *younger* sibling here being two years younger than Zuko who is 16. She behaves like she's twice her actual age.

[@DefinitelyNotDefinitive2]

Yep

[@dragonsvideos6737]

28?

[@darknessunknown4384]

We got a rare look at Azula's vulnerable side. The sad thing is that she actually does care about Zuko, Mai, Ty lee, but because of the way she was brought up, she's unable to truly connect with them; and will readily discard or betray them if it works to her advantage. In the end, Azula's just as much of a victim of Ozai (and the Fire Nation) as Zuko; if not more so.

[@Kickinthescience]

Azula is a natural scene stealer

[@DefinitelyNotDefinitive2]

Yep

[@wesgillhamii_pde]

Ahhh the beach episode. This one was the awakening for young teenagers everywhere. Welcome to Ember Island, home to the best theater troupe in the Fire Nation 🔥

[@mori1bund]

"the best theater troupe in the Fire Nation"? Seriously, have you forgotten how they butchered "Love amongst the dragons"?

[@ryanakers1372]

Azula trying to be normal is hilarious and kinda heartbreaking. In this episode, she clearly wanted to make connections with people, but because she was raised by her father to be a weapon, she doesn't have the skills to interact with others in a way that isn't her trying to dominate them.

[@hellowhat890]

10:54 I always have the biggest laugh when I see Ty Lee's grin. I know she's considered a villain but come on... the cuteness is real. XD

[@DefinitelyNotDefinitive2]

True she is adorable 😊

[@nathanielreik6617]

So they mention that Chan's father is an admiral...he's actually the one that Hakoda and Bato tried to pretend they were under orders from but got caught because he had been on leave at Ember Island.

[@Kraftium]

Proof that Avatar is an anime It has a random beach episode

[@GreenOfFields]

This episode has always been a quiet favorite of mine: the introduction of Combustion Man, the tiny snapshots of the heart Azula was taught to keep buried, Zuko finally admitting how angry he is with himself, the Fire Nation girls in swimsuits! Also Combustion Man was designed to be something of a foil to Aang, both are bald, tattooed Benders with powers that shake up the setting

[@HellYeahGaming]

Combustion Man? Who is that? I only saw Sparky Sparky Boom Man on screen.

[@SakuraAvalon]

@@HellYeahGaming His twin brother.

[@faithrabbit4330]

The insight on the characters in this episode! Azula stand out yet again. She has no idea how to form bonds outside of ruler and subject. "My own mother thought I was a monster". And poor Zuko DOES NOT KNOW how to realtionship

[@DefinitelyNotDefinitive2]

She was right of course 😜

[@illyahrthebard3303]

The guy Zuko tasked with hunting the Gaang is what is known as a Combustion Bender. It requires an incredible amount of concentration and focus, which is what they use the tattoo eye on their foreheads for. They concentrate the energy at the tattoo and fire it off, where it explodes on impact

[@thebadger4040]

I gotta say. Aang parrying a point-blank explosion at 7:55 is my fav feat of airbending in the series. I like the insight into Azula here, it makes me feel bad for her, sure she's a sociopath, but even sociopaths can learn how to live healthy, peaceful lives if they are brought up in supportive circumstances.

[@gatr2897]

Not that Ken is like a super stoic guy or anything but I've never seen something make him laugh as much as this episode lol, definently right up his alley. The slice of life parts of this episode are so interesting cuz we've only ever really seen these characters, Azula especially, in more action adventure-y scenerios. Also I recall that ages ago, Beth called out that Zuko was angry at himself and it made me so excited for y'all to get with this episode. That part of the campfire scene is so good, it's really *the* turning point for Zuko. He finally acknowledged exactly what was wrong. Explodey forehead guy (man if only there were some better names for him...) has such a good introduction in this episode. Him burning the letter to the Fire Lord with his mind goes hard, and there's just something so brutal and visceral about the scene where he starts firing at team Avatar. No music accompanies the first shot, it's just a pitter patter of sparks as the projectile travels and then a HUGE explosion. Seriously a force to be reckoned with, and such a cool power.

[@VampTwinkie]

I just love how its visibly evident this was one of his favorite episodes! I dont think I've ever heard him laugh this much in an upload lol

[@DefinitelyNotDefinitive2]

🤗 it was a fantastic episode 😁

[@KdeeBUBBLES444]

Normally i wait until monday to watch both ATLA uploads together but i love this episode so much i literally couldn't wait

[@av718]

Lady slowly looks to her left with a funny face all the time

[@somecallmetim2112]

Awkward Azula is so great. This episode humanizes the villains just a touch in a nice, compact way, without dragging it out too much. Great comedy tightly woven with intense personal introspection. I LOVE this episode. FYI, Admiral Chan is the Admiral of the Eastern Fleet mentioned in Episode 3x1, "The Awakening". The crewman from the other Fire Navy ship says, "Sir, Admiral Chan has been on vacation on Ember Island for 2 months..." Admiral Chan's house just got REKT.

[@lolkaverr]

2:38 two VERY different reactions 😂

[@unicornunicorn3249]

Hi there😏

[@enoobis8651]

The way Azula relates everything to war is equal parts hilarious and tragic 😂. Violence and destruction is literally all she knows.

[@wowahhlan]

Just found this channel and I love your reactions!! About to binge all the Avatar videos!!

[@ahedjehad8514]

ah, the beach episode... filled with beach antics, destroying a house, and fireplace confessions, to top it off, Azula is amazingly terrifying and hilarious, or as i call it: hilarifying. :) also, i find it awesome that Azula is also voiced by Catwoman from Injustice 2. :)

[@nathanielreik6617]

The assassins powers aren't fully explained in the show itself. He uses an advanced type of firebending called combustion bending. He's basically able to focus his chi through his forehead into a beam of explosive energy that then detonates on impact with anything. Actually the reason why he has some metal limbs was from accidents he had when he first discovered he had the ability but couldn't really control it well.

[@Bardic_Knowledge]

Fun Fact: during Zuko's reminiscing flashback bit, he's not thinking of time with Ozai. He's thinking of time spent with Iroh.

[@Menno0183]

True! It’s Iroh and the two children are Lu Ten and Zuko

[@dragonsvideos6737]

The mercenary’s power is called combustion bending, its a very rare form of firebending

[@A_Eye-29]

I really like the spirituality theory for the firebender that blows stuff up with his mind! So the lore behind combustion benders is explored in official novels about another avatar. Since it won't be touched on in ATLA, I'll say minor spoilers ahead: It's a subset of bending that is bred. Combustion benders were basically tortured into developing this skillset to be used as weapons. They're hidden well in the Avatar world since a. they're unethically made and b. they're extremely powerful so only people with wealth and a thirst for power use them to gain control. At a range they're almost unstoppable, yet having an explosive power makes them the most vulnerable type of bending. Imagine a fleet of combustion bender during sozin's comet... it would be nuclear levels of destruction. It requires the bender to exert a ton of energy (the breathing in before the explosion) to create a spark so they must take breaks and refuel before attacking again.

[@SplendidFactor]

Ah yes, the obligatory animated beach episode.

[@impoweredpotato8629]

7:19 triclops would fit better however bro is no Tien

[@christopherwichman7968]

Probably the most "anime" episode of Atla lol.

[@Fancy_Raptor]

Every anime needs a beach episode Avatar confirmed true anime

[@Golems_victory]

This episode was one of ,y favorites and just hilarious imo XD

[@cm4n63]

16:00 azula and zuko didn't have a great childhood. they were turned into war machines, and this episode does a pretty good job of showing it. (for azula: overly competitive, literally telling a war joke as a pickup line, etc)

[@jaczimmerman2734]

Welcome to another sub bending form of fire. Combustion bending.

[@AeroWraith901]

Azula trying to be a normal girl is the funniest thing lmao. Waaaaay too tense for people to try to be in a relationship with LOL

[@nathanielreik6617]

16:53 yeah kind of a reminder that Azula is 14 and the same age as Katara.

[@Menno0183]

I fully agree with Ken, I would love to see a show of Azula just doing normal day to day stuff living life like a normal girl who isn’t known for being the fire nation princess! 😂

[@DefinitelyNotDefinitive2]

That show would make billions 😜

[@YumaNanami]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Bending Specialists, Just like how Toph is a Metal Bender an Earth Bender Specialty, this guy is a 'Combustion' Bender, which is a Fire Specialty. This does get more explained and shown in Korra.

[@digitalcabbage910]

Mai and Zuko are all the Emo.

[@doug3691]

Azula is a volatile mix, but such a Fun episode!

[@andrewthompson9619]

Ty Lee deserves better friends!

[@slescoe]

The third eye guy is a fire bender. It is another for of sub bending like Lightning and Metal Bending. Their are some other forms of sub bending but major spoilers for this series and Kora. This sub bending is known as combustion bending.

[@kierontemnov2452]

BETHANY happy "Marishka - Day"! 🍁🍂

[@samuelclayhills3298]

Le beach episode lets goo. Just to get it out of the way we don't get any actual info on teh assassin witch isn't a spoiler. Man is just a mountain who blows shit upp with his mind very easy to comprehend. There is like some lore overall on the bending in some book that was released probably almost decades later but who really cares about that. The 2 rando soldiers really lucked out and probably think they helped win the war. Good for them honestly. Zuko of course is a complete mess because of everything and we clearly get to hear that as bad as his past was and as much as it has made him who he is it still doesent justify him being a jackass to others. We do see that he really is just breaking down in basically every way. The only good thing he has left is Mai who at least actually cares for him. Iroh as well but well hes in prison and they arent really talking right now so I won't count that now. Mai reinforced her relationship with Zuko as much as both sre lowenergy for the most part we see that the care between both is more genuine after Zuko opend upp about his feelings. Ty lee is just having a good time for the most part until her break down. Azula while clearly not being capabel of functioning as a normal human and having the rizz of a rock still clearly doesent care enough about any deeper feeling to actually want to better herself. While it is to a degree sad that Ozai turned her into this to a degree her actions go far beyond what can be exused by bad parenting. Even Iroh clearly sees her as a lost cause. Chan kind of a tool and even while following the old addage of don't stick your dick in crazy he still payd for it. Roun-joun or however you write it just completley lost. If you get effortlessly one inch punched across the room then you need a better comback than loser boi to not be seen as a complete pleb. Sadly he did not have anything better and got owned. Well nothing more to say than maiko supremacy will always win. Also Azula was probably the only one incapable of attracting anyone for any long amount of time and the only she got she scared away. Of the Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee and Azula group Azula is the only one who is truly without any game at all. Probably her biggest L so far.

[@dachathwei]

If by the end of the season you wanna learn more about Azula, I could highly encourage you watching a video called: The Psychology of Azula, by Hello Future Me. It's an amazing video diving deep into who Azula is, and why.

[@merlijnbal221]

that is combustion man he uses a arare form of fire bending called indeed combustion bending in his child hood it went wrong so that why he has a metal arm and leg

[@Murad0325]

One of my favorite episodes!

[@DefinitelyNotDefinitive2]

Agreed 🤩

[@rickyhilder1514]

In the next episode you find out more about zuko and why he's complicated

[@corgiluver9718]

Love this episode, great reaction. Azula tries to project a cool perfection but inwardly she's kind of a hot mess. The writer of this episode also wrote the Tale of Zuko mini-episode back in the Tales of Ba Sing Se. Both capture the cringe & awkwardness so well.

[@joelsasmad]

Just saying, if that guy didn't chicken out whenAzula showed her true nature he could have become royalty.

[@EmeraldKing6987]

The three eyes guy has combustion bending, a sub class of fire

[@sagnorm1863]

Avatar The Last Airbender is my second favorite series. I am very happy you are reacting to it. But my favorite series is Berserk. Will you watch Berserk 1997 on your channel please? It's a very deep and well written anime. Normally I would say watch the Japanese version with English subtitles but this show is better translated in the English dub. So watch it in English. Here is a summary. It's about an orphan named Guts who gets raised by a mercenary group. They teach Guts nothing except how to fight. As a result, Guts has no life purpose, no goals, no dreams. He just earns money as a mercenary for survival. Guts ends up becoming good friends with a man named Griffith who is his opposite. Griffith knows exactly what he wants in life and is very ambitious and working hard for his dream. I think you can tell just from this summary that it's a deep show.

[@crimsonknight7011]

Now that you finished Fallout you should check out the fan film “Nuka Break” Part 1 and 2. It’s pretty fun

[@Gxcvcbncgbc]

Disliking the way you called ty lee stupid, She is the love of my life

[@Raptor213]

When the series is done, there's a youtube video called"The psychology of Azula". Is a very fascinating watch. You should do a reaction.

[@your_princess_azula]

If you look at body language there is more said during the campfire scene than meets the eye.

[@drageras]

I'd love for you guys to watch fullmetal alchemist after this show. Very similar vibes, also 10/10 show

[@andrewthompson9619]

Remember when you said Zuko was bad a dating back in Ba Sing Se? Do we think Azula's better or worse? 😄

[@jasonwinterboer5232]

SSBM fans unite!! 💥💥💥

[@heykrazy5436]

Best characters in avatar.......Chan And Ron John

[@michaelmavis731]

Getting tattooed with the mark of an Airbending Master was a poor choice? (boggle)

[@baron7755]

Have you watched Andor?

[@Hawk_of_Battle]

The assassin is basically doing what all fire benders do, in that he causes combustion. The main difference is he does it at extreme range rather than emitting it as flames directly from one of his limbs. Think of it as another sub-style of firebending, like lightningbending.

[@thefiendish186]

SPOILER WALL for anybody who doesnt want to know more about this style of bending yet: Thats not entirely true, lightning bending can be learned, what we know so far from ATLA and LOK is that you are most likely born with this ability, looking at both known combustion benders have this weird eye on their forhead. So while it is a sub-style of firebending its not realy comparable to lightning bending.

[@LaCrypteDesJeux]

helluva boss pls

[@DefinitelyNotDefinitive2]

Working on it 😅

[@MrMeddyman]

Combustionbending is a sub-type of telekinetic firebending, Avatar is using Tao Chi rules like DBZ and Naruto, where the energy comes from the stomach it gets explained a bit more in Korra (though not really), but we never knew the roots until the Avatar Yangchen novels came out fairly recently where we see how they are made.

[@DefinitelyNotDefinitive2]

😎👍🙂

[@ALPHAANDOMEGA1998]

Please dont forget to react to the new helluva boss episode

[@daisyu.58]

React to the movie Saint Seiya - Legend of the Sanctuary

[@lighttheshadowreaper5102]

Ngl, this is one of my least favorite episodes. And it's all because of Azula. I find the attempts at socialization VERY uncomfortable and forced. I get that's the point, but it makes for an episode that I find myself not wanting to revisit a whole lot. The campfire scene helps make things up for it, but that middle is ROUGH. So about the fun parts: "Combustion Man" uses a skill called Psychic Firebending. According to the Avatar Extras bonus features, the leading rumor is he was a normal soldier that was injured in the war and healed with experimental techniques. Psychic Bending is something further explored in the sequel series, but it requires INTENSE concentration. Hence why he blows himself up if disoriented while he's focused. (And that's why he has metal limbs. Practice makes perfect!) Second Fun Fact: That overly-animated shot of Shirtless Zuko with the doves? The creators are on record saying that it was an homage to John Woo. And next we get to an amazing highlight episode of the season!

[@derfritz4550]

Surprise for People scared of hinter everything Evil is a Reason lol. Its sad taht people like you cant get behind the deeper sense of Episodes like that.

[@lighttheshadowreaper5102]

@@derfritz4550 I can get behind the deeper sense. But I am very sensitive to secondhand embarrassment and that's the reason I tend to skip over the beach and party scenes when I do decide to rewatch this ep. The campfire moment is one of my favorite parts of the first half of this season.

[@frenchynoob]

The party scene is the peak of comedy for this season, maybe even the whole show