Avatar Unpacked Part 2: The Fire Nation Is...Better?

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[@dwilly8408]

Better help was accused of selling customer information and sensitive healthcare info. I don’t know all the details or their validity but just an FYI for anyone who doesn’t know and wants to look more into it themselves. Great video!

[@adnanilyas6368]

To clarify, Better Help was accused BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT of systematically violating patient confidentiality.

[@fading_cinder7513]

They also treat their therapists like shit, or at least they treated my mother badly

[@samj8932]

They're doing a mass advertising campaign on youtube rn. Kinda shiddy of the youtubers to shill for da money but hey you could argue its a reformed corporation

[@AF-vk9zq]

Stop fucking with my boy’s bag

[@theatom1355]

I suggest the video done by Mack Attack

[@wglao]

I think showing zuko fighting back undermines the severity of his banishment. Its honestly more in line with the “darker tone” to have zuko refuse to fight and ozai burning him and banishing him *because* of his unwillingness to fight

[@issemayhem]

One thing I noticed was how in the live action, Aang doesnt run away from his responsibilities like in the animated one. In the animated one, Aang gets scared and runs away, thereby creating a complex, he ran away and because he did that there was 100 years of tyranny. In the Live Action, Aang just needs to get some air and take a break but its not said that he is refusing or fleeing from being the avatar, he is just shocked, so you remove that entire need for redemption for Aang

[@fangiscool1]

But then the live action also added everyone constantly repeating that Aang needs to do his difficult duty. Makes no sense

[@SpaceandGoats]

He is running away from his problems and duty though He does it through words and inaction and being passive. He does his duty to extent, but shrinks away until he absorbed needs to give 100%

[@dualblade24s]

While I agree that showing the Ozai-Zuko agni kai is an improvement, the change to make Zuko fight back is a severe downgrade. In the animated version, Zuko refuses to fight, and this is a core value of his. We learn that Zuko has a kind and loving heart that has been hardened and scarred by the brutality of his father. This makes it believable that he can redeem himself in Book 3 and find a new meaning to his firebending (life/beauty instead of anger).

[@elfinrez7299]

⁠@PeterDCruelbut Zuko puts Ozai on the back foot and actually has a chance to win. How does that show the powerful Ozai is? I think it totally discredits Ozai as a villain. Aang could probably beat Ozai with only air bending at this point. Also another change to Ozai is super weird, he burns and banishes Zuko because Zuko shows Ozai mercy when Zuko has the upper hand. Not for refusing to fight. I actually think the tone of the original is much darker in spite of being animated. It also seems like Ozai is proud of Zuko, (ie. When he’s training and talking to Azula). Again the animated version has much darker implications. I’m not sure how this change to Ozai will pan out but I’m not excited for it. I agree with OP the original shows us zuko’s personality way better.

[@violetlavi2207]

@@elfinrez7299I believe PeterDCruel is backing OP up, not disagreeing with them

[@tehronmoment1367]

​@elfinrez7299 if you watch the live action fight tho ozai is clearly toying with zuko zuko never lands on ozai this isn't a real fight it to see if zuko is ruthless which ozai sees he isn't which is why he burns him lol idk why are people actually thinking zuko had a chance ozai literally waited for zuko to strike him when he didn't it was business as usual for ozai

[@MrRatedbob]

​@@elfinrez7299 Like the other person said, ozai is barely fighting against zuko. We see ordinary soilders using better techniques than ozai in this fight. He's just here to teach him a lesson, and given the running plot point about the fire lord using misdirection to get something out of an opponent, the one chance zuko had to get a single hit in was probably one Ozai handed him as a test. Zuko held back and thus failed the test. As for Ozai sounding proud of zuko, Ozai plays his kids against each other. Zuko exists in his mind to make azusa stronger and vice versa. His job as a parent is to transform these two kids into the strongest most ruthless leaders possible and have one of them kill the other as the final victory.

[@violetlavi2207]

@@tehronmoment1367 yeah but…why? The power of that scene in the OG is that Zuko DOESN’T fight, even when Ozai demands It of him. That makes Ozai burning his face even more horrifying, because Zuko didn’t even raise a hand against him

[@morganus1360]

Them being the 41st division has to be my favorite change. Just that added little bit that both tells us about both Ozai and Zuko.

[@kjj26k]

But why would Ozai give a banished prince his own retinue of soldiers more loyal to Zuko than Ozai? That's how you get deposed.

[@ponchobosque5019]

@@kjj26k Simple, because he knows Zuko is too kind hearted and nice to go against his own father. We also know that that retinue of soldiers is inexperienced that's why they were going to be cannon fodder. And as an extra punishment it's a constant reminder to Zuko of what he did, a way to psychologically punish him every single day. That retinue of soldiers wouldn't help Zuko gain power or fight back. Also the 41st didn't know anything until Iroh said it. In both the cartoon and in the live-action. So they spent 3 years not knowing anything.

[@wombat4583]

My problem is then who did they send to die if not the 41st division? Someone else would still need to go to fulfill the plan that was unanimously agreed upon minus Zuko. Also, the way Iroh mentions them oweing their lives to Zuko and the quick 180 the crew members did throw me a little off. Like the eternal devotion/gratitude is common enough trop I can look past but it's weird and annoying to me personally.

[@Luey_Luey]

@@wombat4583its one way they couldve kept ozai just that little bit closer to his animated counterpart "since you care so much about the 41st, take them as your crew. Also i'll just send the 42nd into the meat grinder instead"

[@niisan2651]

If they did that, it would have been good. But they just made ozai good and caring when in reality he doesn't care about his kids. He literally almost killed zoko because his father told him to, only thanks to ursula did he live. ​@@Luey_Luey

[@nothisispatrick6528]

Zuko alone is from season 2 not season 1 so it makes sense that they didn’t move it up

[@matityaloran9157]

They moved a lot of things up though.

[@Lothiril]

​@@matityaloran9157 But only minor things. Zuko Alone could not have happened in season 1.

[@LuisSierra42]

Zuko alone was the very first episode I watched, I was instantly hooked

[@jorgec98]

Given the footage he showed, I assumed he meant the section when Zuko was alone in the north pole, hunting for Aang during the invasion

[@juanperret7044]

That Zuko scene where he gets the honor guard gave me literal chills

[@twocents7509]

Personally I didn’t like that they had zuko fight back, and I thought it made no sense that they implied zuko could have won the Agni Kai if he didn’t show ozai mercy. Ozai is supposed to be so powerful that aang has to master all four elements to take him on. He doesn’t seem anywhere near the same level of threatening now. The 41st division was just okay to me. I liked how in the cartoon zuko had to develop leadership skills to earn the complete respect of the crew. in the original, he chooses the safety of his crew in the storm over chasing the avatar as a way to show his development. in the live action, iroh just tells them the story and they are instantly loyal to zuko. i did like the funeral scene. that was top tier.

[@violetlavi2207]

12:14 …is it? Sure, Iroh gets to hear from the brother of one of his victims, but he says “I was just a soldier” and scolds the earthbender for wanting to hurt him as revenge. The live-action show was more interested in exploring Iroh’s past deeply, sure, but Iroh didn’t seem very keen on taking responsibility for something that supposedly haunts him so much. He can’t even do the bare minimum of an apology (even though that apology would be only words with no action behind it yet, it would be SOMETHING)

[@alyssabell-padgett8730]

Absolutely!

[@aaronshinn7651]

hate to nitpick but Zuko Alone is the middle of season 2, and I am majorly looking forward to them doing it in the live action

[@darianartman]

15:45 I have to disagree on this point, mainly because seeing Zuko’s attachment to Iroh early on will dilute his eventual betrayal. When I first saw the book 2 finale, while I was disappointed that Zuko chose to side with Azula, I was not shocked at his betrayal. It’s only after he has everything does Zuko realize even more so how much Iroh loved him and how much he loved Iroh. That’s what makes their eventual reunion so impactful. I don’t think the additional scenes with Zuko and Iroh are bad in themselves, but they could water down those future big moments

[@GAshoneybear]

While I agree for the most part that the Fire Nation parts benefitted the narrative, I REALLY don't like the Ozai/Zuko Agni Kai. It made more sense with Zuko's character that he wouldn't want to fight his dad. It held more weight that he was punished for not fighting. And it made him being hardened and jaded make more sense because he was a naturally more soft hearted person.

[@itsjocelynpadua]

I get what you're saying. I saw the live action Agni Kai more like, in that moment Zuko tried to be who is father wants him to be but ultimately failed because deep down he's not like Ozai. As much as he wants to make his father proud of him, he'll never live up to his expectations because he is a corrupt man and Zuko is destined for something else.

[@deldel5204]

@@itsjocelynpadua it also just makes Ozai look a lot weaker. The way animated show did it was much more impactful. And Ozai sending the sin he supposedly loves on a fools errand makes no sense now. In the original he sent Zuko to find the Avatar because he thought it was impossible. Why would he send his son he supposedly loves on an impossible mission in this version?

[@varden1928]

In this adaptation, Zuko says the word "honor" a total of 0 times. That should be a clear indication of how much the writers understood his character.

[@dfolz1101]

Glad to see someone highlighting the shows better aspects. It was DEEPLY flawed but it definitely had redeeming qualities. Hope they course correct in season 2.

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

lol Avatar NEVER had "pOoR PAcINg", it just took it's time and having all the heavier darker stuff for later on in the series. The pacing in Avatar was great and relatively fast paced for the MAIN central characters in the story for the most part on what they were doing at the forefront of the story's plot.

[@fangiscool1]

A couple episodes of season 1 were useless or nearly useless, like the one where Aang leads two rival groups through a canyon. Season 3 is rushed. I love Avatar, but it definitely had poor pacing at times. But I wouldn't say it was a poorly paced series.

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

@@fangiscool1 LOL What? The characters going on adventures of side quests is what MADE the characters and the show what it is. NONE of the episodes are or EVER "uSeLeSs" nor "NeARlEsS UsElEss" AT ALL as the whole point of those episodes were to build characters, we care MORE about them due to their side quests. The whole "secret tunnel" episode became ICONIC for how much fun it was and how it build a bond between Aang and Katara even more so romantic as it ADDS to their relationship. The episode of the rival groups became also a fan favorite to showcase on how Aang solves problems between two groups non-violently and he did so by lying to the groups of people for them to forgo their past. NONE of these were "uSeLesS", they were necessary build character for Aang and his group on how they interact with the world around them and the people in it. Season 3 is FAR from being "rUsHEd" LOL NOT even close as I have NO idea on how anyone can say that as that's as a really bad claim. Episodes or chapters have to exist for two reasons, to progress the plot and world-building/lore or develop character. The side quests episodes in season one where Team Avatar is handling small time problems for people help BUILD character. People got made AT the netflix show because they were going to remove Aang's fun adventure seeking nature and make him more serious when they spoke about the show before the netflix version even released, which is a problem because those side quests of Team Avatar is what makes people so attached to the show so much as you love spending so much time with the characters for the longest. These are "poor pacing aT tiMEs", this is just you BADLY not understanding the meaning and significance OF these episodes and how they work as a show from the season 1 episodes. And Season 3 is FAR from "RuHSEd" AT ALL, lol no idea on how you can say that at all.

[@Nikich133]

​@@fangiscool1 that episode is important to illustrate how different people can have different perspective on the same event, which is one of the central poi ts of the whole show

[@luccascairolli3292]

Zuko Alone is not an entry from season 1. Also, Zuko at 13 being able to even touch Ozai makes Ozai such a less threatning villain.

[@violetlavi2207]

I never quite liked the 41st Division change. In the OG, it’s implied Ozai and the general went ahead with their plan and they still died-thus, Zuko failed to save them, hammering in for him how compassion is a weakness. He failed to save them AND his father burned off his face. But here…his compassion DID end up saving the 41st Division, so it dilutes his arc. Ozai still burned off his face, but he also succeeded at saving the 41st Division, so…compassion is only SOMETIMES a weakness for him, it seems. It also…doesn’t make sense for Ozai 😂 why would he let Zuko have a win?? Why would he save the 41st Division?? He should’ve gone ahead with the plan and rubbed it in Zuko’s face to remind him that his defiance was for nothing in the end.

[@johnwolfenden7599]

Plus, they died at the north pole anyway

[@RommyRayne]

My take is that saving the 41st is insignificant to Ozai and that is why he uses them in that way. Giving them to Zuko doesn't change the general's plan, so it means that apart from a regiment of Fire Nation newbies being exiled alongside Zuko out of spite, a DIFFERENT platoon will now die as cannon fodder in their stead. He is not "saving" people, he is damning twice as many people just to punish his son.

[@violetlavi2207]

@@RommyRayne I guess, but it feels like a victory of Zuko’s because a) Ozai never mentions another group that will die in the 41st Division’s place and b) Ozai wouldn’t have done that if Zuko hadn’t spoken up, so Zuko’s actions had an effect

[@hemmojito]

Absolutely right. It's a nice sentiment but ultimately unrealistic. The more you think about it it makes no sense at all. It's still a nice scene. Don't get me wrong but it's a sign of a much greater underlying problem. It seems they flayed story strips from all around the ATLA Extended Universe and tried to mash them into a story but did a bad job at connecting them. Thus it all feels like a sequence of events. There's another problem which lies on top of the first one. The sole attention went to Fire Nation story arcs which means that there now is a stew of some good meat pieces with a whole lot of vegetables around. It's just not worth it to go digging for the meat. Kudos to the guy who made the video. He's right on many accounts pertaining to the Fire Nation story line. It's not enough though if the rest is unwatchable. I can hold out for a show I'm invested in. Which show doesn't have bad episodes or story lines or scenes? But the suspension goes only this far. And for a show that has been hyped and was so costly... it's simply not enough.

[@Missingno_Miner]

The point here is that the 41st doesn't actually matter to Ozai. He has any number of inexperienced divisions to sacrifice in the same way. He's sending the 41st with Zuko to taunt him, to remind him that even though he saved their lives(though in the grand scheme of things he only extended their lives by three years, since they were killed by the Koiju anyways), it came at a huge cost to himself, and didn't actually stop Ozai from sacrificing a division for minor gain, and they're sharing in his punishment. He doesn't view Zuko saving their lives as a win for Zuko, he views it only as a reminder of his inadequacy. That they're an army division and thus even less experienced as sailors is a bonus, it makes things harder on Zuko and ensures he doesn't need to provide Zuko with any sailors who would be of more use in the navy.

[@TheRobidog]

I'm not sure I like Iroh having more proper reasons to feel close to Zuko. Part of what made Iroh great as a character is that he pretty much unconditionally loved Zuko, hence events later on in the story. Giving him more of a reason to like him detracts from that. Iroh saw how Zuko was being treated, how his own father abused him (emotionally and eventually physically) and decided to go with him, when he was banished, because that kid needed his help. Not because he owed him anything. And that makes the betrayal at the end of book 2 all the worse. He feels he's finally managed to make Zuko turn over a new leaf, only for that trust to be betrayed and for Zuko to fall into old patterns. It's that unconditionally love animated Iroh has that means he "was never angry with you. I was sad, because I was afraid you'd lost your way", in the finale. Which is a very powerful sentiment to me. Iroh is a fucking paragon and if anything in the whole show displays that, it's that quote. I don't know if it'll work the same way, in the live action.

[@violetlavi2207]

Yep and with Iroh being more stern in the live-action, clearly those more “proper reasons” don’t seem to be affecting him much

[@RuviGaPo]

They seem to want to humanize the adults more and make them more messy, but bc they didn't do that w the kids... they just come accross as Bad Adults imo

[@danielvanoaksiii4018]

Gotta say… I missed old Zhao… he was one of my favorite things from season one. The slimy one makes me sad… he was a conqueror!!! And now he’s a worm somehow making conquerors moves… it hurts my soul

[@vismaykedilaya1318]

There's one shot in Netflix's avatar which just spoke to me. I didn't think it was possible for a shot (not scene. SHOT) to have this much, "Yes. this is me." energy. Basically, in the aftermath of the agni kai, there's a shot where after Ozai leaves, banishing Zuko, he just breaks down crying through his bandages. I loved that, because I have had that exact same reaction whenever I mess up badly enough in front of my dad and he yells at me. One time, for fathers day, I had been practicing a musical piece for him, and I made a lot of mistakes. He got absolutely PISSED, and gave me the first f-bomb i've ever heard from a family-member. I cannot express the sadness and pain I felt, and I have never felt such kinship with a fictional character until now. I wish I could give him a hug, something to ease his pain both physical and mental, and that fathers day, I wish he could've done the same for me (but i hadn't discovered avatar then so i was alone anyway). You could feel Zuko's sadness and shame, like, the real feeling of "i f*cked up. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." he felt toward Ozai (don't worry, my dad is nowhere NEAR as terrible, but that same vibe is there). It felt like that scene in Arcane when Vi strikes powder and she's just left sobbing uncontrollably, except I get Zuko here more bc he's my age. I have never felt this feeling this strongly for anything. not even Arcane. Not even from the original Avatar. As bad as the show was, that one shot more than makes up for all of it for me. My fully biased rating is 11/10. Would've been 12/10 if iroh hadn't comforted him more

[@gmaxx5478]

Bro, that feeling is so relatable. I’m so sorry you had to go through that, and I hope you’re doing better now

[@CloudMountainJuror]

I just finished the live action show and I agree with the gist of this video. I have to say though, Zhao was far-and-away my favorite part of it. He stole every scene he was in and was just tremendously fun to watch, while still being well-written and -acted pretty much the whole way through.

[@maxdavidyermolaev4164]

What i didnt like is that they removed iroh's scene when he stood beside the gang when the fish was burnted, in netflix he just ran away

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

You can have teenagers deal with very serious and dark situations and world ending events and be executed extremely well in live action WITHOUT it being animation entirely at all NOR be “tOo sIlLy” in the slightest as you have the Harry Potter movies with whimsical fun magic and adventure exploration but has progressively VERY dark and serious subject manners and takes itself VERY seriously in its threat level and it all succeeds in that completely! Same things with shows like Stranger Things and horror movies like It that has kids in VERY dark and super serious adventures that’s taken VERY seriously and executed perfectly well and fine from how well they are portrayed! Netflix’s Avatar just doesn’t do that well at all based on what’s been shown!

[@_tideaina]

Love how you didn't mention Azula because her character is completely different from the animated version. And not in a good way. She doesn't seem like a prodigy or threatening obstacle to team Avatar. She's a lot more whiny, and obviously hurt that despite chasing an elusive perfect standard, her father still loves Zuko (her banished brother) more than her. I'm not saying I hate that change. But she, Mai, and Ty Lee barely affect the story and their presence in S1 feels unnecessary.

[@brunitop4753]

Hard disagree that showing the massacre of the Air Nomads was a good decision. The scene itself adds no new information and doesn't really do a good job of selling how horrific the event was. It is emotionally weightless because it happens so quickly (even though there is a bit of setup for Aang and Gyatso's relationship, we the audience don't really have room to process the severity and scale) and doesn't really have an impact on the tone and story aside from "look how evil the fire nation is". There are ways to establish a darker tone without showing dark subjects. Sometimes, less is more, and in this case it's more beneficial to give just enough information so that the audience can fill the gaps. Anything that could be shown onscreen will be less impactful than whatever the viewer conjures up in their mind. What would be more impactful would be to show the personal impact the genocide has on the people in the future, especially Aang. They have all the building blocks already set up, but unfortunately, the writers are incapable of any subtlety and have to spell everything out without letting the audience do any thinking, from what the characters are feeling at any given moment to the gory details of a brutal genocide. Not only that, they have to make everything operate under "rule of cool" at all times, like it's somehow an improvement. Both the Agni Kai and the genocide become just another cool action sequence, which was never the point to begin with. Ironically, the kid's cartoon treats serious events with more maturity than the "serious" live-action show for adults.

[@Bipolar.Baddie]

I genuinely think the worst part about live action Zuko is that his scar is so tame. Zuko's scar is a physical representation of the consequences he faced for being merciful. It destroyed part of his ear and prevents him from opening his eye fully which i believe represents his inability to broaden his horizons in the beginning of the show

[@unclescar5616]

The darker tone of show, though inconsistent is why I loved the Bumi change. He wasn't a crazy fun loving man child like in the animation. He was a paranoid man that has been traumatized by a hundred years of war and corruption in his city. His tests aren't playful games with tricky lessons, they are projections of his cynical mental state that he now wants to impart on Aang. Sure it could have been executed better but conception itself deserves praise.

[@matityaloran9157]

I don’t love Bumi’s change.

[@krissmith9814]

​@@matityaloran9157yea im not a fan either. I think it could have worked if written better because I don't think the animated bumi would fit.

[@insipidpanda6097]

I feel like this show should have been the zuko and iroh show instead of aang and the gang.

[@zinv08]

Love the idea. It would probably never see the light of day.

[@joshdunne8792]

I just watched your video on the fight with Ozai. I think i have one solution to the lion turtle problem Savage books and other youtubers have pointed out. The Lion turtle can still exist (as it does in legend of korra) but it could be removed in ATLA by keeping Aangs conflict around the Avatar State between the general, Katara, Guru Pathik and Azula. The Guru could help Aang master the Avatar state with the price being sacrificing his feelings for Katara. In Book 2 Aang can be shown using the Avatar state maybe 2 more times, being clearly more powerful each time. Firstly slapped in the middle of Aangs meeting with Pathik and his face off with Azula and secondly in the face off with Azula. The fight where Azula strikes Aang can still play out as it does but in book 3 show Aang clearly showing PTSD and worry over 1. The choice of letting go of Katara and 2. Something going wrong in the Avatar state. Have Aang use the Avatar state maybe in the Painted Lady episode against the fire nation factory soldiers but after the fight show that Aang is weak and tired. Then again when he is training with Zuko at the beach Zuko can bring up the Avatar state. Aang can talk briefly about what Azula did, how weak he felt after the Avatar state and his own worries and insecurities about him fearing he may isolate Katara from him and his fear of Azula or even Ozai striking him again. The Gaang can convince Aang to train with Zuko in the Avatar state now with awareness that lightning is a threat. They can make a point to try and speed up the time it takes for Aang to enter the Avatar State and see if he can keep more of his own personality and awareness. After training for a few minutes (showing what looks to be progress) Aang returns to normal considerably drained and tired. This means going into the final fight with Ozai when Aang finally tries to use the Avatar state it works due to his own training and mental strength.

[@ivy2850]

while i do believe the serious tone helps the shows fire nation side i feel like one major flaw is that this story telling feels like you must know the originals shows story. it is very much piggybacking off that emotional pay off when leaves from the vine plays at lu ten’s funeral

[@Sugar3Glider]

Im glad there was some good in the remake

[@SquallNoctisGUX]

The thing I hate about the live action Agni Kai between Zuko and Ozai is they make it seem like Ozai feels somewhat bad about burning the unholy hell outta his son and that’s definitely not who Ozai is as a person and he’s definitely not a villain they should be tryna to make the audience have some kinda sympathy for (also Zuko Alone was S2 not S1)

[@Missingno_Miner]

No...? They're just leaning into his manipulative side more, he doesn't feel bad at all. It makes a lot more sense that they didn't delve too far into Ozai's manipulation in the original when you consider that now full-grown adults are falling for live action Ozai's manipulation tactics despite knowing what Ozai is like.

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

Lol what? They fire benders were NEVER shooting “orAnGe pLaY-DoH” AT ALL, the fire bending in the animated series was always serious and felt like REAL fire being shot out. What you’re saying is false about that as the fire bending always felt real and genuine. Even if we don’t see on screen anyone getting burned severely in a gruesome manner throughout, it was still real and FELT like real fire. That’s a fact right there!

[@MauroDraco]

I like ALL of Savage Books videos!

[@javiermorin3110]

Your insightful reviews are amazing. Hopefully one day I can hire you as an editor!

[@leapofthefrog]

I think, where you see added complexity, I see the front-loading/rushing of character progression and sometimes overexplaining what could be left to subtext. For instance, Lu ten's funeral is basically an earlier version of the Leaves from the Vine scene. While it might seem to deepen Iroh's character earlier, I don't think it hits as hard as Leaves from the Vine, and it probably exists at the expense of that later scene. Also I think emotional catharsis hits harder with buildup. Zuko finally recognizing what his uncle means to him is special because we've been made to wait for it, along with the rest of his redemption arc. In order to be redeemed, you have to be bad first. I worry that they're making him too sympathetic too soon.

[@eseguerito2629]

19:56 Good news! “Zuko Alone” is season 2!

[@johnwolfenden7599]

There WAS no agni kai in the original. It was a sham used to punish Zuko. There was nothing to show beyond what was already shown, unless you literally wanted to see zukos flesh crisping up and eyeball boiling.

[@anonymousmurphy]

19:33 the fuck, they made Zuko fight back against Ozai? That was practically the entire cornerstone of his character arc, i.e. the kindhearted boy who gets turned into a monster, and struggles to find his way back. It’s a huge piece of characterization and I can’t imagine how taking it out could possibly make the story better; if anything, the LA should have emphasized his refusal to fight.

[@greenteadiet]

Did you watch?

[@matityaloran9157]

I agree

[@johnwolfenden7599]

I never found young Zuko particularly kind hearted. He was sympathetic from being overshadowed by his younger sister but completely bought into the fire nation propaganda (of course, as a kid, you can't blame him). He didn't seem to stick up for the soldiers because he cared for them as people, rather because he believed the narrative that the soldiers and government care for each other. His outburst was due to his first real experience with hypocrisy from a higher power. Other than that, he's just a kinda awkward kid.

[@lancearnedo7837]

​@@johnwolfenden7599so going against the orders of the corrupt in order to avoid unnecessary deaths is not a kind-hearted act?

[@technicaldeathmetalhead]

​@@lancearnedo7837not really. Zuko himself says he sees it as a betrayal. They're loyal to the Fire Nation and for the Fire Nation to betray that loyalty and sacrifice their lives to win seems treacherous. So obvious Ozai has to show, a W is a W and he would make a sacrifice to win (like killing his own father to get the thrown instead of Iroh, exiling his wife, and fighting his son). You call out the government and imply that they might be treacherous, and well you might get burnt. In this case, literally.

[@TheNerdWithASuit]

The thing I love about stories like Avatar and She-Ra is that they examine how the antidote to a fascist society is the rejection of this belief that concentrated power mixed with the right kind of dogma is what makes societies better. Aang ultimately realizes that the only way he can truly win is to not give up his sacred belief and reject the same type of barbaric way of thinking the very person he fights against is, no matter what his past lives tell him. Then there's Adora who honors everything Mara did by giving up the whole crap the First Ones told her about and accepting the happy ending she knows she really wants with Catra. Despite the guilt complex she was raised with all her life thanks to both the bad guys and supposed good guys. And then this remake looks at stuff like that and completely misses the point because it wants to be "cool".

[@kingofcards9516]

Man just compared Avatar to She-ra

[@krissmith9814]

I agree except aang not killing ozai is replaced with that dumb deus ex. I would have no issue if he simply put ozai in prison with his bending. Keep your soul but risk the lives of others. Or sacrifice your soul for the safety of everyone. Either choice is fine by me. But they let him have his cake and eat it too

[@technicaldeathmetalhead]

​@@krissmith9814 hot take but a Deux Ex Machina actually works effectively here because the whole POINT of Aang is his spirituality is the key to his identifying. Spirituality and balance to Aang takes precedence over pragmatic political moves. Arguably the whole series implied that Aang will get spiritual help (again) to win. Spiritual help with the water spirit helped him beat the fire nation in book one. Spiritual help with the past Avatars helped him, and throughout the series. Other Airbenders put politics over their beliefs but Aang puts his spirituality first. Now I agree the Lion Turtles in particular should've been foreshadowed better but a kid with a scar on his back hitting a rock pillar would definitely dig into the scar.

[@krissmith9814]

@@technicaldeathmetalhead I definitely get why they did it, it is a kids show after all. But the ending is literally the only I hate. They took away his ability to make a decision. I don't care what the decision would have been but make one. It's a part of the original, along with the firebenders, that I believe the live action show could improve on. Especially with hindsight

[@technicaldeathmetalhead]

@@krissmith9814 but Aang DID make a decision. He had a chance to redirect lighting to kill Ozai but chose not too. He chose to keep fighting but not to betray his spirituality. Without the spiritual Avatar state or energy bending from the Lion Turtles (last minute though it may be) Aang would keep fighting or die trying. And he would die not betraying his beliefs, he'd go down as the Last Airbender, a monk who refuses to kill his beliefs even against the nation that killed his beliefs. If anything the Lion Turtles, Avatar Universe and Karma was long overdue considering how merciful Aang has been to throughout the series. If anything the Lion Turtles was an overdue Karmic paycheck that Aang finally got to cash in.

[@kingblast4467]

Imma be honest, the premise of a live action Avatar story with a darker tone would have been much better for a Kyoshi series instead of an ATLA remake

[@ponchobosque5019]

Or Kuruk or Yang Chen their lives were brutal and hardcore.

[@jxthenetwork8894]

They still wouldn’t let people be impaled like the books

[@psypsy751]

I dunno if I liked the changes for the fire nation characters. Zuko was softened to a point where I think it undermines the redemption arc (we never hate Zuko in NATLA), Iroh was softened to where he seems a lot less purposeful while also emphasizing his problematic past, and Ozai was also softened to where-instead of adding to his foundation as a villain- he comes off as some above-average bender with a lot political power. Azula was all right, though I dunno how her character will work if they put her through the same moments of insanity in the following seasons, as she seems perfectly stable here.

[@Missingno_Miner]

If you hated even S1 Zuko in the original, you missed the point. He was meant to be sympathetic and even a protagonist of the B-plot from the third episode onwards. Sokka's sexism lasted longer than Zuko being unsympathetic. This is part of what makes Zuko's redemption work so well. He's never the main villain, that's Zhao, Azula, and Ozai for the three seasons. All of whom are also antagonists to Zuko. Zhao in particular has all the flaws Zuko does, to a greater degree and without the redeeming qualities. He's an infinitely nastier version of Zuko. And importantly, we're meant to actively want Zuko to be redeemed from the moment his backstory is revealed. He's clearly and unambiguously framed as a good person who is merely angry at the world and very misguided. And Ozai isn't softened at all. If anything, he's worse, because we see more of his manipulative nature and especially of his abuse of Azula. These traits were present but not sufficiently expanded on in the original, but the Netflix version's darker tone allows them to emphasize these traits, further demonstrating Ozai being a narcissistic parent(for instance, we see him pitting Zuko and Azula against each other in a much more clear way than ever happens in the original), and the tragic side of Azula's character as someone who is completely and utterly ruined by the varying levels of abuse she suffered from every adult in her life. I have high hopes for their future handling of the fire nation royal family, its been very solid so far.

[@fangiscool1]

Disagree with most of this. It seems like the poster just has a preference for heavy-handed writing. Iroh supporting Zuko because Zuko was nice to him and they already had a strong relationship dilutes Iroh's arc. Iroh doesnt support Zuko because was already inclined to do so. He does (or should) because Zuko is a human being and worthy of grace. The Agni Kai was also horrible. They had 12 old Zuko decide to pull a punch against Ozai. A villain thay can get slapped by a 12 year old isnt very scary. Ozai just sits around bickering with his daughter. He's a trash villain so far. Zuko working with the 41st also makes no sense. They should be dead, and Zuko has no influence in the war room. The animated establishes Zuko's care for his crew much better when he risks his life for them

[@sololeveling7390]

yes 2% of the changes were good

[@ShesquatchPiney]

May the algorithm bless you in these trying times lol

[@Serratiger]

With how disappointed I was in the adaptation, I had entirely missed many of these high points of the fire nation. Thank you for sharing your insights!

[@raelynteaguewrites]

There are a number of things you mentioned I was really glad to see and that in the moment were fantastic, like the 41st Division. I agree that these were wonderful moments, but I've been starting to wonder if they're actually in the best interest of the show overall. I mean, I LOVE the 41st Division, don't get me wrong, but that's...kind of the problem. My only issue with the 41st Division is that they've gotten me so pumped for Zuko and this captain-and-his-loyal-crew trope...that I start to feel let down when I realize it's not likely to show up ever again in the series. Feels a bit like I've been fed false promises. Who knows, maybe they'll make sure to include the 41st Division in season 2 somehow, but with the other issues the show has, I'm not confident in that. And you got me thinking more about Zhao. I didn't hate the changes they made to him, but what you said about animated Zhao being willing to get his hands dirty and do things himself got me wondering... I am undecided on this at the moment, but I now wonder if they maybe should have stuck with a version of Zhao more like the animated one after all. The reason I say that is the Netflix adaptation seems to be focusing more on Aang being told he needs to do things himself but learning that the Power of Friendship™ makes him stronger. Add to that they've given Zuko Ozai's arc from the animated series ("strength/brutality versus weakness/compassion" instead of "honour/respect") in which Zuko, to prove his strength, would likely feel he needs to do things on his own. It just seems like it would be great to show the Fire Nation's ultimate weakness is that everyone's so intent on seeking power for themselves by doing everything on their own. It would be a great contrast to the heroes' strengthening bonds of friendship. Then you have Zuko who, especially if they found a way to continue the 41st Division stuff, starts to become stronger the more he bonds with and relies on his crew and on Iroh. But to my point on Zhao...I wonder if it would have been better to show him a bit more like the animated version. Where he shows no respect to Zuko because that's "weakness," and where he does get his hands dirty and does everything himself out of pride and a misconstrued sense of strength. Again, just to have all the antagonists show how that idea of strength is false and will ultimately be their downfall. I guess they still kind of get away with it with the new version of Zhao, since even though he acts like a bootlicker and cooperates with Azula, it's ultimately all an underhanded way to seek power for himself. But I do still wonder which Zhao would have better fit the focus for the Netflix series' themes. I guess we'll have to wait to see how they handle things in future seasons.

[@Nik930714]

Just one small note - Zuko Alone was from Season 2. I'm rewatching the original after i watched the Netflix series.

[@jaws1845]

Great vid! Love the constructive criticism. I did like the change about the 41st. But I have to say, I was shocked to see Zuko taking swings at his Dad. While I understand it was to setup for further character development with the changes they had made to the character. I would much rather have seen him fight Zhou to show off the awesome skills Zukos actor had on display. Just another opinion. Subscribing to see more.

[@SharpeRacing]

I feel like it would’ve been an interesting story if the live action Avatar was a spin-off that just focused on the Firebenders and the journey of Zuko and Iroh. I feel like what you’ve mentioned about how grounded the characters are in live action, gives much more gravitas and credence to the philosophy and society of the fire nation. And I think expanding on that aspect of the main story would give us much more depth to the world in which Avatar is set in.

[@Thelnquisitor]

Yeah. We’re at in interesting point with this. With some SERIOUS dialogue changes those moments between Zuko and Iroh could have been amazing. The show could have taken the tone from the movie, and ran with this being a war, but we got an odd mishmash.

[@Nikich133]

Well, Yeah, with great execution anything is great.

[@Thelnquisitor]

@@Nikich133 My point is that you can see how it could have been done well here. That isn’t always the case.

[@ikon106]

Very good balancing of thoughtful and constructive critisism with genuine praise. Another thing I thought they did really well was the music. For example "Leaves on the vine" in the background of the funeral.

[@master0fthearts894]

Wasn’t Zuko Alone from season 2? 19:48

[@soccerandtrack10]

23:20 😵‍💫😵i didnt see me not herting my family when i had weopons and chooseing not to really hert them but just hert a little bit with my hands after they hert me all the time/try TO MAKE ME FEEL GUILTY,(EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE ALL THE POWER/VICTEM BLAME ME WHEN THEY WONT LET ME DO ANYTHING.), is somehow like zuko or iroh. i noticed before my family blameing me for their flaws, i only talk about theyre flaws when they start a fight or hert me enough. =like what he said about the ship people for zuko.

[@abigfavor]

There are so many things about the live action show I thought weren't as good, I'm glad there's finally a video about some of the things that were better.

[@writethepath8354]

20:00 what did you just say?

[@lauraduarte712]

Looking forward to hearing your points 🎉

[@2centswanted113]

So Ozai said the entire Armada destroyed in the North was worth it because it was a distraction to take Omashu..... Omashu and The North are on opposites sides of the planet. Omashu is inland in the earth kingdom while the northern water tribe is in the arctic North. They don't have a military alliance. The "Gang" was already on the way to The North and the information wasn't planted by Ozai it was given in a vision. There are so many issues with this adaptation IDK where to start.

[@KittSpiken]

Those changes were strong, if only they weren't undercut in scene with clunky dialogue.

[@Nikich133]

I have to disagree with almost everything here, sadly. The contract between the silliness and the serious moment is what makes it so impactful. Us thinking that Iroh is just this goofball for a season and then realizing how much he hurt people is why it is such a gut punch. Discussing his action in the war this early just takes it away. Same thing with almost everything - showing the airbenders genocide at the start takes away from the emotionally impact of our silly little Avatar facing the fact that everyone he ever loved is dead.

[@Sugar3Glider]

Gig work Therapy, fuck if I'm going to sign up for that.

[@deafengineer]

Liking rn cause wanna show the love and saw you JUST uploaded this, but imma be back to fully appreciate this later today. Stay awesome, my man!

[@deafengineer]

I promised I'd be back!

[@roy4173]

Something that I'm coming more and more in grips with is the fact that powerful people do not naturally see the weak as worth defending. It's not naturally logical to defend the underdog if you had been born into a position of privilege and power. The ones who do so, have been in the shoes of the weak at some capacity. You cannot empathize with those lives you've never experienced. I wish it weren't the case, but it's been proven true, time and again in history. Zuko is a prime case study for this. While he was born into a position of privilege, he was always overlooked, mocked, and ignored. And this is what was the impetus for why he defended the 41st regiment. Despite being completely stranger to him, he saw himself in that division. So he defended it because he wanted to defend himself, and in a way, give himself a chance by giving the 41st a chance.

[@soccerandtrack10]

23:20 iroh is better because he forgives?/not vengence?...

[@MrEffectfilms]

Overall I'm much more positive on the Netflix series than others are, a lot of the changes don't bother me because as you said it's an adaptation. If I want the cartoon I'll watch the cartoon.

[@leigh-anjohnson]

Imagine what kind of story it would be if you did not follow Aang, Katara and Sokka; if Zuko was the protagonists. It would feel at first like a villain protagonists story...

[@technicaldeathmetalhead]

You would basically get JoJo Part 5. Where Giorno is a dualistic character who has essentially 2 dads (don't ask its JoJo) one who is honorable and one is villainous. Giorno kills and is ruthless, but he is also merciful and is against drugs being sold. Even though Giorno's squad is made up of a crew of criminals we see that they are actually the good guys and pretty nuanced.

[@mcclainleong6557]

I fully agree that the change to have Zuko fight back against Ozai was an unfortunate one, but this does explain why I really liked the live action,,, for Zuko and Iroh. The Gaang was unfortunately kind of boring in comparison.

[@rob2540]

Honestly book 1 I always skipped to the zuko scenes anyway

[@RuviGaPo]

Showing things really doesn't leave anything to the immagination tho and i kinda hate it. The reason why not showing things Works (regardless of tone) is bc it interacts w the audience in s way that generates investment!! Also, not showing the monster makes the monster Way more scary :// Like i get your Point, i just think it was done counter productively. I Wanted changes and for things to evolve with the maturity of the audience,,, they did not do that and i'm Sad An attempt was made i guess.

[@krim7]

The Ozai-Zuko agni kai is a massive downgrade. It irreparably harms Zuko's redemption arc later in the series. Zuko should not have fought back. Most of the rest of the changes to the Firebender arc was pretty solid. The show is let down by the writers', producers' & directors' inability to find a good middle ground between the silliness & seriousness of Team Avatar. Honestly, I kind of wish the show just focused on the Firebenders, leaving Aang as a Firebender boogey man until Zuko befriends Team Avatar in season 3.

[@hemmojito]

What about the *_Sauce_* Material? Amirite?✋

[@docstockandbarrel]

👍🏻

[@callmethecommentcountess9329]

Ok

[@100navat]

Iroh changed for the worse overall in my opinion. To your point about his interaction with the earthbender soldier that captured him, I think you may have misinterpreted his character in the cartoon version somewhat. In that interaction Iroh didnt play off his siege on Ba Sing Se as a joke, but Iroh is a fully realized character who has already made amends with himself and his past actions. He realizes his past self was wrong but acknowledges it is useless to dwell on the past and has made peace. The Iroh in the live action show still seems to be going through his metamorphosis and somewhat unsure of himself.

[@mechashadow]

How is a different take "worse"? Do tell.

[@100navat]

@@mechashadow I would say a worse character is one who is less intriguing or interesting. He lost a lot of the charm and originality that made the original character so iconic. This is just my opinion though, as I already stated.

[@VICTORZITOSS]

Yeaaaah Let's get this video to a lot of views in the first hour so that it gets love from youtube Algorithm bless this video which i liked even before watching it because it's that good Seriously, sometimes i end up pissed off because i can't like it again after watching it, fix that youtube Lots of words lots of engagement, yadda yadd

[@MurphyAKA]

i liked most of it tbh, but bumi just hurt me

[@solidice5660]

wrong. it was never about how crispy the firebenders could cook you, but instead how ruthless they were, and as such how zuko was different from the lot of them. The show fails from the start, when Iroh says "your skills have never been better" to Zuko.

[@Rosa01010101]

Unpopular opinion in these comments but I agree with you

[@williamfeliciano8980]

😮 A Hardcore GOT series set in the Avatar world. Now THAT's a Nerdgasm right there!!

[@LiveWire937]

to me, it felt like live action Iroh defends his actions at Ba Sing Se too much when captured by the Earth Kingdom. "it was war, I was soldier" makes it sound like he denies any wrong-doing, on behalf of himself and on behalf of the Fire Nation, or at the very least denies having the very freedom of choice for which he is literally being shunned by his family (sans Zuko) for having exercised. For the most part, I'd agree that live action Iroh benefits from the adaptation... but that scene was about as bad as live action King Bumi's attitude.

[@ast8177]

Your idea of what a remake is for is false. Making it 1 to 1 adaptation has a reason, and the reason isn't so that you can watch the same thing again, but that people that didn't watch the original can watch the same story that you saw in a different medium cause they might never watch a cartoon. you only consider your own point of view, when in reality, you shouldn't be the reason for a remake to happen, to begin with. so yes, a 1-1 adaptation has very much a reason to exist

[@mr.jeorgexiii1732]

I do agree that Zuko and Iroh were the best things of the show, and benefited positively on the changes, and the change to make his crew be the division he saved is honestly top tier. Great. But. Sorry the agni kai with his dad...I can't. I think having Zuko REFUSE to fight his dad but his dad seeing that as a sign of weakness and scarring him anyway is a much better show of the abuse he got and the life he lived than...what they did in the live action. Having zuko fight back undercuts that, and making zuko give the fire lord the idea of banishing him undercuts the idea that Ozai never cared and didn't want him in the first place. Absolute worst change in the entire show. Completely unnecessary.

[@phenomgaming3245]

Zuko and iroh being close this early is a mistake because it makes the impending betrayal for season 2 less believable. Season 2 animation used that time to create a believable buildup of their relationship with season 1 showing zuko having his priorities on the fire nation over his uncle. It ruins the context of the developments of learning to trust his uncle in season 2, who at that point is basically a proxy for a life outside of the fire nation and offers him ‘a way out’

[@Missingno_Miner]

No, it really doesn't. It makes it, and the ultimate reunion, that much more impactful, because we're seeing *why* the love between the two is so strong that regret for betraying that love was the true catalyst for Zuko's redemption. It's a matter of showing, as opposed to telling. It's a major plot point in the original that Zuko and Iroh were always that close, even if Zuko being near-constantly angry made it occasionally seem like that wasn't the case. Iroh is explict about the fact that he views Zuko as his son. We see later on that Zuko kept the sandal Iroh discarded while kidnapped with him in secret throughout the majority of the series. Season 2 isn't about him learning to trust Iroh, he's already there. It's about him learning about the horrors of war, and getting a taste of of a different life. The point of his betrayal was always about him choosing between getting everything he's ever wanted(or at least, believes he's ever wanted and has strived for for so long), or giving it up forever in order to do the right thing.

[@anotheret1064]

Zuko alone is a season 2 episode... Also, i'd 'Show Don't Tell' is more of a guideline than a rule, more important than that would be 'what' a story is conveying. This 'unpacking' spends very little time contemplating that. Dissapointing.

[@jenniferhanses]

I do agree that Zuko and Iroh get the best of the new live action Avatar. I disagree with you about the agni kai, however. In the original, Zuko refusing to fight shows his respect for his father and his devotion to his honor. It would be dishonorable to fight his father and king. Zuko bit off way more than he could chew, and at least recognized that much, and so he humbled himself. This Zuko fights and nearly beats the firelord all on his own. So now the villain isn't as scary since he nearly got beaten by a single kid who was what, 12? 14? at the time. Aang, the Avatar, the most powerful bender in the world, should totally be able to take this idiot. Possibly with one arm tied behind his back. Also, not sure if it was the directing since they seem to be determined to ruin Azula's character or a choice the actress made herself, but in the original Azula was excited and wanted her father to win,. We see that she enjoyed watching Zuko burn. In this one she' might as well be made of wood.

[@arin1211]

I don’t like it. I didn’t like it all, the live action felt so cheap from the writing to the action scenes to the weird uncomfortable acting(it felt like the actors didn’t get alot of time to flesh out their characters… my guess is that no scene work was done with these actors they were just given scripts). It smells of laziness and cash grab. It was like a cw production but worse because I actually care about this story😭

[@EV_Variety]

Good points! Love that you can find positives in writing, even if most of the show is....mid to say the least.

[@marnilicious3353]

I'm much more interested in the things live action adaptations do well than do poorly. This medium isn't going away any time soon, people should be learning to appreciate its strengths so better things can be made going forward, rather than bashing on its weaknesses.

[@fangiscool1]

Adaptations should ideally be 1-1 clones. Some things must be changed because they poorly translate to different media. Avatar just makes stupid changes for generally unjustified reasons

[@nocturnal6876]

Iroh in live action is too stiff and sucks

[@eseguerito2629]

A lot of the issues with the gaang’s scenes seaming to childish compared to Zuko/Iroh’s i think are due to season one being the goofiest season overall. Season 2 and ESPECIALLY season 3 will throw these kids into all-out war

[@because7768]

Zuko alone is not season 1. This is one of your few Ls. Completely disagree with this video

[@schmoo3309]

Unsubscribed because you're promoting BetterHelp. Homestly really disappointed and surprised you did it.