The Avatar the Last Airbender Iceberg Explained

Avatar the Last Airbender was one of my favorite shows as a kid, and there is an incredible world of lore behind it. Let's dive down the iceberg.
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#iceberg #avatar #lore
Levels:
Level 1: 00:00
Level 2: 09:23
Level 3: 17:05
Level 4: 26:39
Level 5: 39:15

[@VaultLore]

Yes, I know I said Toph wrong, you don’t need to post it.

[@atomicimages3907]

And Yue

[@VaultLore]

y'all are brutal

[@chanimalice3874]

Did you really watch the show? 😂

[@VaultLore]

20 years ago

[@om8039]

Post traumatic from the mispronunciation from the M Knight Last Airbender…. Oong Oovatar, Eeeroh, Agni Key. super Sooooka 😂😂😂 thanks for pronouncing Aang correctly at least!!!

[@whitepeter619]

Atleast you didn't say "Ong" and "Soe-ka" too 😂

[@VaultLore]

Haha you’d think I committed a crime or something.

[@whitepeter619]

@@VaultLore oh you did... lol jk, I enjoyed the video bro

[@VaultLore]

Thanks for watching ;) 🥲

[@ashhole03]

Uhvatar

[@codyhughes1147]

Gawtso!! It irked me to haha.

[@rickdorsey6189]

Every time you said Toph I literally said “what the fuck”

[@VaultLore]

You sound normal and well adjusted

[@leathargy8413]

​@@VaultLoreand you sound stupid for saying toaf

[@dj.coleman]

Lavabending being only a branch of earthbending actually makes sense, as lava and/or magma is just molten rock. No fire is required just heat from compression within the earth I believe.

[@whomilloo]

i wish we saw some island-based waterbending tribes inspired by Polynesian cultures

[@VaultLore]

Oh that would be awesome, maybe if that new earth avatar in the works ever comes out?

[@lucaslubbers7711]

Another big element of the Ty Lee airbender theory is the importance of eye colour in the Avatar universe. Each nation mostly has it's own distinct colour. For fire it’s gold/amber, air is grey, water is blue, and earth is green and brown. It's even hinted at in the show. When Azula takes over Ba Sing Se, she, Ty Lee, and Mai disguise themselves as Kyoshi Warriors. Katara runs up to them to warn them of the coup, but realizes something is wrong when Azula’s Fire Nation amber eyes flash in the light. As for Ty Lee, she has grey eyes which suggest some kind of air nation lineage. What's more, Zaheer also has grey eyes and later awakens with the ability to airbend, suggesting he also was one of the air nation descendants.

[@VaultLore]

Ah yeah good point!

[@tamas9554]

And what explains Suki's purplish eyes then? Sometimes eye color really only fills an aestethic purpose, and there wasn't much thought put into it. This is why I was always skeptical about the Ty Lee theory, because these attributes are too vague to theorise on. Also, shouldn't there have been a few airbenders in their family? She has 6 twin sisters for god's sake! People in Korra also seemingly got their powers from nowhere, or at least I'd doubt there could have been that many air nomad descendants. So the eye color doesn't prove anything about Zaheer in-universe, it was probably a design choice, which is quite logical.

[@matthewmusco2581]

Personally the reason I think Bolin can lavabend is because of his fire nation genetics, and spending so much time with his fire bending brother. He probably learned to tolerate heat because of this, but didn’t learn the bending techniques required until spending time with Korra or witnessing the other lava bender

[@VaultLore]

Oh I like that, he also must have some fire bending genes in him.

[@tamas9554]

To me it made more sense the Avatar could lavabend, because it understands both fire and earth, and can use both. And the combination of these two gave way to this new technique. So I believe its not in the genetics, but rather the knowledge and understanding of the elements, which Bolin clearly lacks. I don't think lavabending was even explained well in Korra. ATLA gave a better explanation for metalbending in like, a minute or so?

[@chachacopen]

Loved the video but I’m sorry this REALLY bothered me. Lava bending is under earth bending because lava is molten ROCK, hence the earth benders using it (:

[@VaultLore]

I get it, just offering alternative ideas! Personally thing there aren’t really distinctions, it’s all different forms of energy bending.

[@chachacopen]

Ooh I like that idea ! It would make sense since like you said it would show how all the elements are ultimately connected

[@VaultLore]

Yep! Maybe a stretch but oh well

[@jadatownsend5014]

I want to point something out. In the kioshi books it is pointed out that kioshi's mother who is an Airbender, looses allot of her ability to bend when she decides to turn to a life of crime.... Air bending is very much tied to Thier spiritualily

[@VaultLore]

Oh woah didn’t know that, interesting. That seems like it would somehow contradict Zaheer, wouldn’t it? I guess he was still spiritual?

[@Xtermenator217]

@@VaultLoreimagine it’s like how zuko “lost” his firebending when he changed sides. His ambition and morals changed so he couldn’t bend without having a new drive. It’s the same thing with kyoshi’s mom. She strayed from her teaching of being spiritual and detached from the world and moved to a life of crime. Her bending wasn’t gone but rather it didn’t have the same “oomf” to it. That’s why she had fans, to strengthen her bending.

[@joaovictor_of]

Great video. I'd just like to comment about 27:30. This is a common misconception people have when talking about "Beginnings" and the origin of bending. The Lion Turtles giving humans the ability to bend does not contradict the lore of "The Last Airbender", we see exactly that with the one who gave Aang the ability to energybend. Now, having the ability to bend does not mean they have mastery over it. Early humans could bend the elements in a rudimentary way, but they honed that ability and turned it into proper martial arts by studying dragons, the moon, badgermoles and sky bison, just like we were told in ATLA. This is a fact since we see Wan doing the dancing dragon during his episode, and after that, the other firebenders talk about how he was different from them because he "used the element as an extension of himself" instead of a simple tool. In that sense, he was the first true firebender. Also, if anything, having the lion turtles in the lore explains why bending can't simply be learned by anyone, otherwise non-benders simply wouldn't exist in this world if they could just... learn how to do it.

[@tamas9554]

It kind of still does. In ATLA, we can hear legends about how people learned bending from different animals, and how badgermoles or dragons were the first benders of earth and fire. And the problem is, the lion turtle already came out of nowhere in the first show too, it was basically a "deus ex machina" so that Aang can get energybending. They were mentioned by Aang back in the library, but we haven't got to know anything about them. Its kind of a mess honestly. The first show never hints at the lion turtles giving bending to humans, and Korra doesn't do anything with the energybending part mentioned by a turtle in ATLA, as avatar Wan's story is completely devoid of it. You could argue that people just forgot about lion turtles, hence why nobody seems to know about them and why they are absent from the show, but I think it was just a writing mistake. So yes, its contradictory, and I believe it qualifies as a plot hole. Its not obvious enough

[@joaovictor_of]

@@tamas9554 Yes, the lion turtle in TLA is a deus ex machine by the book, but it doesn't really bother me as much as it does other people. I don't see any of it as a writing *mistake* tho it seems very natural for me that as humanity begun leaving the turtles to explore the world they fell in the territory of legend, with the origin of bending being more tied to the animals and spirits from which humanity learned to hone their bending abilities into the styles we are familiar with. I get why some people don't like it but I never saw it as a contradiction or a plot hole for the reasons I listed above: one version does not invalidate the other in canon. But we can disagree on how well it was set up, as we are doing now.

[@tamas9554]

@@joaovictor_of Well, your first sentence perfectly sums up the problems with your standpoint. There are flaws that don't bother me much either, but that doesn't make them less of a flaw. I can look past Zuko comprehending and literally jumping faster than the speed of lightning to save Katara, but its still nonsense. I don't see how could humans just simply forget their past culture completely along with the lion turtles. My other problem is that Korra is just overall a very inconsistent and flawed show, which makes this explanation even harder to look over. It sometimes even contradicts itself, like when in the 2nd season it says bending has to do nothing with the spirits (lion turtles aren't spirits), yet in the 3rd one people randomly gain airbending *exactly* because of the spirit realm. And thats what drives the entire plot of the 3rd season forward, a writing mistake.

[@kleinezeugs4719]

ngl topf changes was once of the best character changes. Topf got so iconic

[@VaultLore]

Agreed

[@ElectronicaAvanzada]

The fire nation is obviously imperial Japan, the earth kingdom represents china, the water nations represent the northern tribes or even alaskan tribes, and the air nation represents the tibet (In my opinion)

[@VaultLore]

Seems reasonable

[@TheGoddamnBacon]

Just listening to this now, and already I can see you're here for the roasts and are here for it. Gonna listen now, but I respect that.

[@VaultLore]

Just a couple name mispronunciations, I’ve got tougher skin than that. If people can’t move past and watch the rest of an hour long video, fine. It’s KZbin, I’m not forcing anyone to watch.

[@Xtermenator217]

For the story of wan and how bending came along I feel like there is an explanation. The original benders (dragons, sky bisons, badger moles, and the moon) were just what taught the newly gifted benders how to master the element rather than just using it all willynilly. We can even see that the fire benders in wan’s time just shoot it out like they are just throwing something. They don’t actually know how to bend but rather how to throw. The dragons taught the fire benders how to truly master and bend the element. We even see a dragon training wan in the one episode.

[@michaelmiguel6937]

If you compress something it heats up. You’d have to compress it beyond belief for it to get that hot but would make theoretical sense that if an earth bender could compress rock that hard it would also get hot

[@Distant_View]

Yeah, if waterbenders can freeze and melt water, then clearly temp control isn't limited to firebenders alone. Plus like, when Ghazan first broke out of prison with those few rocks, it did really look like he was compressing/warping the rocks between his hands, since friction causes heat as well. Eventually, it kinda just turned into lava punches that don't look different from regular earthbending, but that first scene was so damn cool.

[@hallbjornthefirebreather8376]

New head cannon-. In the original idea, the character Toph was male and his name was pronounced "Tofe" and the female is pronounced "Toph" kinda like the difference between Daniel and Danielle or Michael and Michelle. I'm with it, honestly. Great work on the iceberg dude. Love me some ATLA. I'm actually getting a lotus tile tattoo very soon for a friend of mine

[@VaultLore]

Nice! Thanks for watching!

[@MrMythul]

Ozai likely wasnt going to kill aang unless he had to. Its mentioned a few times how aware the fire nation is of the avatar cycle. Attacking the southern water tribe was part of this too as it alternates between north and south. This is why Korra was a southwrn water tribe member and why Yue couldnt have been the next potentisl avatar. I beleive ozai would have improsoned aang for the rest of his life, doing his best to ensure aang lived as long as possible.

[@VaultLore]

Ah yeah that’s actually a much worse fate, good point. I guess my point it that capturing sang would have been very, VERY bad for him.

[@MrMythul]

@@VaultLore your video was excellent. Just putting in my two cents. It definitely would have been a worst fate though!

[@VaultLore]

Thanks for watching and thanks for the 2¢!

[@seektruthnow.]

Korras blood line is of the north. Her father Tonraq is of royalty in the northern water tribe.

[@MrMythul]

@@seektruthnow. However she was born in the south. It's not your bloodline that matters it's the location born. The same is true of the air temples.

[@y.cyferfreemoney]

If the Lion Turtle was introduced in a manner of Aang discussing his cultural need to not take life in the way of seeing the Lion Turtle moving in the ocean after someone just said the defying sentence of Energy Bending, woven throughout the series, would make Aang realizing he’s on the Lion Turtle make sense.

[@VaultLore]

Yeah not sure about the lion turtles overall..

[@y.cyferfreemoney]

@@VaultLore so what are you sure about.? Didn’t have the courage to say it so it’d be hard to trust your mindset on anything.

[@avoiceacrosstheworld1943]

I thought the foreshadowing for the lion turtle was when aang saw the lion turtles on a scroll in the library

[@demonraven234]

29:07 I think, while the lion turtles activate the bending power, the benders need to learn how to properly use them other than most basics. There where the natural teachers, like dragons or tights comes in.

[@frankykdynamite6292]

Ohh last airbender iceberg! Nice :D

[@VaultLore]

Yay!

[@frankykdynamite6292]

I like ur videos dude ^^

[@VaultLore]

I appreciate it! Thanks for watching! :)

[@noahmoore2608]

One day my mom came in and saw me watching the show, and instantly tried to kick me off the TV because she thought it was just another kid show like that until toph responded no to sokka asking if she could watch where she was going and from that moment, we proceeded to have a Marathon and watch every episode Also it’s pronounced t oph. Like T OFF It’s not a hard O in her name. There’s not even a second vowel to justify that.

[@ShizuruNakatsu]

Considering the volcanoes you can see on the world map, the world is very tiny regardless of how big Ba Sing Se is. Unless this entire map shows only one continent - or the known world, and there is much more to be discovered... But that creates a problem too, since we've already got the north and south poles on there.

[@VaultLore]

Yeah the poles are an issue, could still be only half of the planet though

[@codyhughes1147]

I dont think ba sing se is actually drawn to scale on the map. Kind of like how in our world the continent's arent. I wonder if its drawn bigger because of its greatness and significance. If its actually that big the gang should have been able to fly from the north to south pole in a day or two. The gang was able to navigate from the palace to lake laogai by train pretty fast. Id like to know what the creators say because ive always thought the size was questionable.

[@codyhughes1147]

Also i think the map we see is there whole world. We see the two poles and the rest wraps around. You can see in lok during harmonic convergence. Half their earth seems to be like ours where one side is basically the pacific ocean.

[@randomgamerdude98]

Lavabending being a subset of earthbending isn’t weird at all. Lava is just molten earth. Its like how water is molten ice. Is just a phase change

[@TwiliSleepy]

I think the Air Nomad descendant Ty Lee theory is very possible. I don’t think she’s airbender, but I do genuinely believe she’s descendant of them, because her facial characteristics, specifically her eye color especially, is very much akin to the Air Nomads.

[@VaultLore]

Yeah for sure some genes passed down there.

[@regiman222]

41:50 For some reason that makes me imagine Azula with a strange mix of Aang and Ty Lee's personalities.

[@realmothchu]

47:04 or the depiction of Ba Sing Se is extremely exaggerated, as are most of the geographic landmarks on the map, something that was pretty common on old timey maps like this. or like when those maps of the US for kids have graphics of popular landmarks in each state. I think a better way to measure the world would be to guesstimate how long it takes them to travel from location to location and comparing that to real world travel times.

[@VaultLore]

Yay, I’ve seen some other people estimate it with travel speed but still found the world to be very small. I think it’s probably reading too much into a cartoon map but 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@bashdash6498]

Great video! However, I always thought that the person in the intro is Sud, the person who taught Roku earthbending.

[@VaultLore]

Possible, I may have conflated the version of toph they showed in the unaired pilot.

[@VaultLore]

Thanks for watching!

[@yosefamer4728]

It is Sud because Sud is based off the original version of toph

[@codyhughes1147]

Okay where are all these mispronunceations coming from?! It seems like youre into avatar if youre making this video, so im confused. Haha

[@VaultLore]

It’s just been a long time! I’m sorry about them, I just read more theory and want re watching episodes. I think I pronounced toph that way as a kid, so it’s how I remembered it. Lots of hate in here for an honest mistake

[@indefiniteartblock434]

​@@VaultLore It's in the fanbase's DNA to call out mispronunciations because of the movie tragedy.

[@AA-so1xs]

What is the name of that book? 49:44

[@VaultLore]

I think it’s called “the art of the animated series”

[@kh3xa]

Lavabending should only be earth. Waterbenders can heat and cool their element, firebenders can evolve their flames to burn hotter, and earthbenders can rapidly heat and cool the element they bend just like everyone else exception being air, but that doesn't mean they can't. We just haven't seen it yet. But I do like how an earthbender has to change their style to waterbending-ish movements similar to how Iroh took parts of other elements bending styles to strengthen his own. I think that's perfect in the world building, saying a lot without saying anything. But that's my rant

[@VaultLore]

I’m on board

[@live2ski550]

Fire benders have lightning.

[@kh3xa]

@@live2ski550 yes but they aren't manipulating temperatures of their element, they are just separating atmospheric energy into positive and negative but maybe they can lightning bend bc its plasma based and depending on which you ask so is fire? What do you think?

[@VaultLore]

I feel like the root of fire bending is closer to energy manipulation. Like they are actually heat bending, or like entropy bending or something.

[@seektruthnow.]

I think Bolin being of mixed race earth and fire makes it cooler that he can lava bend. It’s kinda like both elements mixed.

[@Kate_Hanami]

infrared would be even less hot you meant to say ultraviolet (a.k.a. sun bendimg)

[@brixen0623]

Lion turtles unlocked the genes to bend. The spirits/animals taught people how to harness is effectively.

[@twitterplug]

New sub

[@VaultLore]

Welcome!

[@andrewtrevino2276]

oh yeah my favorite characters “toeph” and “you”

[@VaultLore]

Thanks!

[@TheRealCardoso]

What is the name of that book with the concept art?

[@VaultLore]

I think it’s called something like “the art behind the animated series” or something like that

[@Spongebrain97]

I think it is both bloodlines and training that determines a person's bending skills. For the bloodline part Im more skeptical on because both Katara and Toph for instance came from parents who were not benders. However they could bend because they must've had some old genetic link to bender ancestors but they became powerful because they trained so much. In the lore there are characters who do believe in powerful bloodlines. In the comics it was revealed that Fire Lord Azulon arranged for his son Ozai to marry Ursa, who was the granddaughter of Avatar Roku because the Fire Sages told the firelord that his bloodline would be enhanced if it was mixed with an Avatar's. Zuko and Azula are the fruit of that union and they were both powerful benders.

[@VaultLore]

Yeah seems likely that it’s a mix of both.

[@mayrahemmerechts5867]

How are you mispronouncing toph and yue? If you’ve watched the show you’ve heard the audio and know how to pronounce it (unless you watched a dub from a different language)

[@VaultLore]

Just reading lore, been a while since I watched (when I was a kid) honest mistake

[@Yogi_Bear69]

I dunno man. I think the earthbender in the beginning sequence is a dead ringer for "Sud". I have no idea where you are getting your info about the toph concept either because that is nowhere in the unaired pilot or show. You'd have to be baked out of your gourd to think that the earthbender in the opening sequence is that.

[@rodrickngonyoku5042]

I mean lava is just molten rock so I think it might make some sense to make it a subset of earth bending. Just a guess😅

[@misterzonkier5524]

I’d like to think that there actually is a outside or new world inhabited by different cultures (European, West Asian, Polynesian, and Indian) and those cultures have been influenced by the four nations many centuries ago however the only thing somewhat remembered by them is old folktales as they’ve slowly been erased from existence in the 4 nations.

[@VaultLore]

Ah like an ancient aliens type scenario. Interesting.

[@noahrichardson9489]

ATLA My man! Hell yeah

[@VaultLore]

❤️

[@kinglokimrvegas8687]

Lava is nothing but melted rock that's why lava bending is a earth subset it doesn't have anything to do with fire really just melted rock

[@thef-phatgamer4397]

Lava is melted rock not fire just because it’s hot doesn’t mean fire and it would make less sense if lava benders where fire benders 8:38

[@madelinemulholland791]

Technically both of the bending origins are true at the same time. Someone can have the ability to bend but not master it. The lion turtles granted them the ability to bend the elements but by no means did they transfer the techniques and mastery to them. That’s where the moon, sky bison, dragons, and badgermoles come in to teach :) or in wans case raava! Basically bending was given as a gift and humans found a way to master them by watching natural masters. Wan wasn’t a master at the beginning he had to train just like everyone else!!

[@thef-phatgamer4397]

Because lava is a liquid it would definitely be closer to water bending 8:58

[@Onaterdem]

"Resemblence is uncanny" Blud Aang and Zaheer look NOTHING alike lmao

[@VaultLore]

They absolutely do

[@Onaterdem]

@@VaultLore Literally every single facial structure is different, the only similarity is that they're bald

[@VaultLore]

Don’t discriminate. You’re bald shaming now

[@indefiniteartblock434]

Yuu-weh, not Yuu.

[@stickkyfriedrice3356]

It’s tough listening when you get so many names wrong

[@VaultLore]

Literally two names

[@sashimi879]

​@@VaultLore but how do you get that wrong though?

[@VaultLore]

Because I read theories, I didn’t rewatch all of avatar

[@VaultLore]

Why are all your user names types of food

[@thedopaminestop2355]

Lava makes sense to be earth bending because lava is literally molten rock aka earth

[@VaultLore]

I know, I just want to see the extensions of other elements. We see a lot of earth in the legend of korra (metal and lava) but not much else from water, fire, or air. I guess there was combustion bending, I don’t remember where that fell, fire I think?

[@Corvusfromcentaura]

Exactly why is it just now getting so much attention?

[@T-Raw01]

Its off Taw-off not Touf

[@Omfgwhtavid]

Oi, us cool kids watched Edd Ed n’ Eddy!

[@edwolf2209]

I hope you get big ❤

[@VaultLore]

Thank you!!

[@frankykdynamite6292]

Heeyoo❤

[@VaultLore]

👋🏻

[@codyhughes1147]

Is it finally true that lava comes from having parents that are earth and fire? Because it absolutely should if not. God the arguments this topic kicked off. 🙄

[@VaultLore]

😂😂

[@danielhaley9795]

This Iceberg video has a lot of research in it and he still is pronouncing names wrong 😭😭

[@VaultLore]

Cause I was reading :)

[@CoffeeCrowgasm]

One thing I'd love to see explored in this universe is space travel. Could spirit portals be opened on other planets? It makes my mind race with possibilities.

[@VaultLore]

Space benders would be wild

[@MikeSiegert]

You had to have mispronounced names for engagement ☠️ alas, here I am contributing…

[@VaultLore]

I appreciate you watching :)

[@MrBookworm18]

TOWF!!!!???

[@VaultLore]

Yay 😀

[@Shr1nkk]

bro wtf is Toaf?

[@Shr1nkk]

Loaf?

[@Shr1nkk]

jk, I know you did that on purpose, for more comment engagement ;)

[@djdjehjj44]

The pronunciation is a big deal for me as a viewer of your channel. I dont understand how you could possibly be a fan of the show if you dont know how "Toph" and "Yue" is pronounced. Makes it seem like someone writes your videos for you, or youre uninformed on this subject. Wish you the best but please do proper research in the future. This one was a dud for me

[@VaultLore]

I spend hours and hours on these, apologies for the mispronunciation unfortunately that’s the risk with these videos. I make them for fandoms that I find interesting, I’m not going to be as knowledgeable as someone who has dedicated their life to it, but my goal is to create interesting content. It will never be 100% accurate, you either have to accept that, or move on, I won’t claim to be someone I’m not. With these mispronunciations, it’s because I watched the show as a kid a decade ago. The research is me reading tons and tons of information. As much as I’d love to rewatch the series, it’s not realistic to do that to make a video. My philosophy on life is to give people patience and leeway the same way you would hope others would give to you. If you can’t get behind that, I might not be the channel for you. I appreciate you watching, and hope you find my other content more up your alley! Thanks for taking the time to comment, I appreciate the feedback and try to improve with each video. 🍻

[@djdjehjj44]

@@VaultLore I understand that completely but my advice to you is try to not tug on the "nostalgia" card in future videos. You mentioned something along the lines of feeling like you were "back home after school on the couch watching Avatar" in one part- statements like these (among others) make it seem like you are a true fan, or at least trying to portray yourself as one. I just wouldn't act like a huge fan of the show and then butcher easy pronunciations that could've taken 2 minutes to look up. That's just lazy, especially for someone claiming to put hours upon hours into a project. Good luck man, some of your other videos seem cool.

[@VaultLore]

Appreciate the feedback, have a good day

[@emilyfitz4065]

Do content creators genuinely not watch the show or not show this analysis to another human being before posting? Genuinely curious how creators make content without basic pronunciation, seems to happen a lot

[@emilyfitz4065]

The analysis is deep but then name are pronounced wrong, kinda took me out of it :(

[@VaultLore]

I’ve responded to this several times in the comments. I just pronounce the name wrong, did a lot of reading but I can’t rewatch an entire show. I remember it the way I remember it, there are going to be mistakes that my 10 year old brain remembers incorrectly. If you don’t like it, I’m not keeping you here. Appreciate you commenting, hopefully you find a channel you’d rather watch.

[@rat6292]

this has got to be plagiarised right

[@VaultLore]

Huh? I wrote this whole script

[@skuorpi]

you mispronounced every single name, did you even watch the show man?

[@VaultLore]

Every single name, huh?

[@_booth7992]

Really enjoyable video but had to play it at 1.25 speed because you talk a bit slowly

[@VaultLore]

Totally fine! Glad you liked the video, that’s just the speed I speak :)

[@_booth7992]

@@VaultLore Absolutely, hope i didnt come off as mean! You speak very clearly and with confidence which is the most important thing!

[@VaultLore]

No worries! I’m glad KZbin has a speed button for those that want to go faster! Thanks for watching :)