Words fail me right now, as I try to rein in my chaotic thoughts to compose this. This paragraph alone took me over ten minutes to write, because I'd have to keep stopping in order to push myself back and breathe deeply in order to stop seeing red. I keep reminding myself that it would do no good to vent by pounding the keyboard to splintered plastic, nor would it serve me to punch holes through my monitor. Having to revise these lines to a semblance of civility from the original, R-Rated-for-Violence-and-Strong Language version caused delays as well.Now that I'm sufficiently calm enough, it's time to rant. And I'll endeavor to make this as simple and straightforward as possible.This is my reaction to the latest news about the movie adaptation of my favorite piece of animation, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Those who know me know I'm an uber-fan of that series. I could say a hundred things about it, but I'll summarize it by giving it the best compliment I can give: It's a wonderfully-written piece of art, and I doubt that I could have written it better.When I first heard about the live-action movie, I had qualms, since I felt that Avatar as a setting and environment was strictly best as an animation. Then I heard that M. Night Shyamalan was directing. That made me even more nervous. Shyamalan's previous works belong to a completely different genre and mood from that of Avatar, and some of his previous directing decisions have been somewhat... dubious. And then, I heard about the casting. I read that the casting criteria when seeking Aang didn't have racial parameters.Uh-oh. I then mused on a terrible scenario: That Aang's role might go to that of a Caucasian.When it comes to casting roles in adaptations, I by default insist that established racial lines be adhered to as closely as possible. When that rumor of Will Smith being considered for the role of Captain America came out, I hated the idea, not because of being biased against Will being black, or the actor himself, but simply because Captain America is white, and so he should be portrayed by a white male. It's that easy.Moving back to Avatar, I still expressed some hope that they would do the casting justice, especially in casting unknowns possessing the proper racial attributes. I mean, how could they get that wrong? One of the wonders of the Avatar setting is that it's predominantly Asian, including the characters and people. And Shymalan himself is Asian. And his daughters were mentioned to be extreme fans of the show. Surely he wouldn't make an error?I should have known that something terrible would happen when my friends and I began joking about him casting a white Sokka, or a white Mai, or a white Katara. My group of friends tends to have some degree of prophetic power when it comes to our communal jokes.It was just a few days ago that I discovered the horror.The HORROR.From what casting had been revealed, it was not a single mistake. It was a total, complete, shameful whitewash.Jackson Rathborne, for all the appropriateness of his role in Twilight, was cast as Sokka. Some white babe named Nicola Peltz was given the role of Katara. And Jesse McCartney was given the role of Zuko..........That was the sound of my soul screaming.This is the pair that discovers the Avatar in the iceberg:
And this is the guy who's chasing after him:
Who's the Avatar? Some kid named Noah Ringer. He's supposed to be practicing karate. Yay. I bet he's white too. [I hope to God I'm wrong on this, since haven't seen a pic of the dude yet, but I'm not hoping very deeply given what I've seen.]Apologies for the political reference, but I can't help but wince that I discover this after America wised up and elected their first African-American president.As I hold my head in my hands, I despair at what went wrong. This is the closest that Shyamalan could have come to a direct betrayal. This movie and story is based on so many Asian cultures. And he tosses in the whitest cast I've ever seen. Nice going. What? They were chosen for their talent? Is Shyamalan and his casting director (if he has one) saying they couldn't find a single non-white actor that could fit any of those roles? You've got no idea what you're doing, Shyamalan. What little respect I had for you is gone now. I hope your daughters crucify you for this BLASPHEMY.Meanwhile, we wait in dread for the rest of the cast announcements. I wonder which cherubesque blondie they'll cast for Toph. I'll be printing that actress's picture along with that of the rest of the cast, attaching it to Shyamalan's effigy and setting the lot on FIRE.Bah.
Make no mistake. I loved the Avatar finale, and I thoroughly enjoyed the ending. Now that I've descended from the post-Comet high, I spent some time reading what other people had to say about the ending. No surprise, most everyone loved it... Except for the Zutarans. Many of them disliked the ending to varying degrees, ranging from mild frustration, to outright hatred. Why? Well, they "lost." Katara loves Aang. Zuko loves Mei. To them, that's sacrilege. Especially after all the Zutaran hints in the final six episodes. I mean, look at Southern Raiders? That's true love right there, right? And Ember Island Players? You guessed it. Definitely a Kataang breakup. Zuko saving Katara and vice versa during the fight against Azula? We're talking MARRIAGE, baby. Of course, not all Zutarans took these signs to this extreme, nor did they all call Sozin's Comet a piece of garbage. But when so many of them criticize the finale with such fervor, with a few even declaring that they would have had the same criticisms even if Zutara won? Hmm... For the sake of argument, I took a look at some of their more sterling complaints and wondered what they're getting so worked up about. I started writing about it, but surprise, my comments about their comments were LONG. Hence the Part 1 above. Take a look with me, if you will. You may agree or disagree. Heck, I even agreed with a few. But not many...---Aang, the Last EnergybenderMain argument here is the deus ex point of the story. So what was the point of Aang learning to bend the other elements, if he was only going to go Avatar State and proceed to CHEEZ Ozai to defeat? While in the Avatar State, the Avatar can already bend all 4 elements with the greatest of ease, after all. Seems like they treated the whole learn-all-4-elements as a glorious waste of time.Well, no. It wasn't a waste of time.You must realize that before he went Avatar State, Aang DID use all 4 elements in dueling with Ozai. He’d be dead many times over if he didn’t know how to bend everything. Without the stuff he learned from his mentors, the fight would have been over much faster. Char-grilled Avatar.Yummy.The other rage-bit about this was how Aang returned to the Avatar state. After all that time spent by Pathik teaching about chakras and letting go, after the Azula strike which shorted out his connections, a little rocky bump fixes everything. Whoop. This is a criticism I agree with, especially since I considered the Azula-Zuko fight much better, but my agreement comes from a different rationale.One of the Zutaran stances about this is that if Aang re-entered the Avatar State, he must have done what Guru Pathik did and "let go" of his love for Katara, paving the way for a glorious Zutara ending.*cough*My issue is that, from a story POV, it was a major lost opportunity. Aang managing to get back into the Avatar State could have been presented in a more meaningful fashion than a lucky rocky spike. Even something as cliche as Aang desperately drawing on all his memories of his friends and the people counting on him in order to break the Chi block would have been a thousand times better than the Kharmic Rocky Bit of Amazing Fortune.Bah.More to follow.
[Warning: Spoiler images and statements follow. But at this point, I don't really care. Wahahaha!]---It's taken me this long to actually blog about Sozin's Comet for the simple reason that I've been high on the ending all the way up to this point, and now is the only time I've settled down just enough to put something down in words.This was an incredible last four episodes. It's hard to find the right words. I think it's important to say that I am a very satisfied fan. Analytically, there were some points in the ending that they could have improved upon or done better, but on an emotional happy-happy-joy-joy level, I am grinning from ear to ear and sighing happily. I also appreciate the fact that the authors gave the series closure, but not 100% closure, leaving just enough open elements for speculators to dream of the possibility of Brian and Mike venturing once again into this wondrously rich setting. Also keeps the fanfic writers happy.Cheers guys! Best series ever. It's been a wonderful ride.---
Part one of Sozin's Comet was all about fan service in some ways. We get to see Suki in swimwear for example.
Did I mention Suki in swimwear?
I know a lot of people who leered at this pic. Not often you get to see Toph in a bandeau. Yep. I do think she's turned 13 by this time. We get to see a precious hint of her future figure. She's gonna be a babe when she grows up. 
Meantime, she gets to shout to the world: "I am not Toph! I am MELON LORD!!!"
One last shot for the Zutoph shippers. Toph certainly seems happy.
Anybody who still doubts that Katara is Filipina should look at this pic. Scary.
I wish I could say this pic is for drama purposes, but it's not. A quick glimpse at the background shows Sokka, covered in drool after he slipped from Appa's mouth. Typical behavior for him, sadly.
Firelord... I mean... Phoenix King Ozai. And his ridiculously large helm. I still wonder how he got his beard to be so nicely pointy.
More fan service. One last shot of June. 
This is a geekgasm moment. The Order of the White Lotus is supposed to be filled with old guys. Well, these old guys are some of the most powerful people on the planet. And this shot doesn't even include Iroh. The five Old Masters and a few dozen other Lotus members pretty much took Ba Sing Se by themselves. 
Aang calls upon his past lives for advice. From top to bottom: Avatars Kyoshi, Kuruk, and Yangchen. I didn't bother with Avatar Roku. We've seen him enough, I think.
Remember those old guys? Well, King Bumi's among them, and on the Day of Black Sun, he took back Omashu by himself. The guy's so powerful he hurled entire buildings away from the city. Violating Ozai's statue was icing, but funny icing.
Nobody does emo better than Zuko. This is his final emo moment. After this is repentance and redemption. I'll miss the self-flagellation, but it's nice to see him grow out of it at last.
It's about damn time. 
You'd think that being appointed Firelord by her father would improve Azula's disposition. Seems like finally being on top of the world unhinged her mind completely. Can you say "paranoid schizophrenia?"
Even totally crazeeee and with her hair self-mutilated, she's still a sexy bitch, ain't she?
This was the real ultimate battle of the finale. Zuko vs Azula. Fire vs fire. Agni kai. This screenshot is only one of the many incredible action sequences in that fight. 
Leave it to the girls to ruin a good fight. Zuko sacrifices himself to save Katara from Azula's lightning. Rushing to intercept the bolt resulted in not-so-perfect form for Zuko however, leaving Katara to finish the fight she inadvertently interrupted.The Ozai-Aang fight was over-the-top, yes. But it was either Aang running from Comet-Pumped Ozai, or Ozai running from Avatar State Aang. Can't say I blame the dude. This shot proves that the Avatar can bend all 4 elements simultaneously.
Looks like Katara's gambit worked. Two girls frozen in ice, and only one can bend water. Guess who wins? I suppose it ruins the moment somewhat when you think about it and realize that they were frozen in sewer water.
One good turn deserves another. A little water healing and Zuko recovers enough to say thank you. Katara does the same. This marks the final Zutara moment of the series. 
Ozai learns here that you can't sneak up on a guy who had Toph for a teacher. Looks like Aang learned how to see through Earth-bending too.
Spiritbending the big bad. At least it doesn't kill him. This proves that bending is linked to spiritual strength. 
Okay. After all is said and done, this is the one scene I've been waiting for since I saw the awesomeness of Mei in The Boiling Rock. 
Haha. Yeah. I'm a Meiko shipper. Take that Zutarans. I could have shown them kissing, but I think this pic is better. Why? I've never seen Zuko look happier. Or Mei for that matter.
Congratulations Sokka. Now that Ty Lee's a Kyoshi Warrior, you get to have her AND Suki. You DA MAN.
I appreciate seeing the cast in casual Earth Kingdom garb again. I still prefer the Fire Nation fashion, but the green does look nice on them.
One parting gift to the canon Kataang shippers out there.
Warning: Spoiler statements and images follow. Like who cares right? Everybody's seen this, or you wouldn't even bother reading. I guess. Maybe. ---The Ember Island Players is what's known as a recap episode, which is meant to remind the audience of important facts about what previously happened in the series, lest they forget. Normally, recap episodes are done through a mixture of exposition or narration, mixed with a healthy amount of rehashed scenes from those previous eps. The average recap episode is at least 50% previously seen images and scenes.Avatar's authors did it differently, by presenting the recap in the form of a play "extensively" researched by its in-series author. When the viewer notices that the many sources of information used by the author are first-hand accounts that include pirates, soldiers and "a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage," one anticipates that the play is anything but accurate. The viewer is thus treated to an amusing satire of some of the best that Avatar had to offer during the first and second Books, offering a chance to reminisce about favorite lines and scenes rather than being forced to relive them directly. A most unique method, and one very appropriate to this wonderful series on its penultimate episode.Plus, Avatar again doesn't disappoint on the value of its "filler" episodes, adding moments of important character development. This late in the series, that's not something you'd entirely expect. We get wonderful scenes involving Aang and Katara (sorry to the Kataang shippers out there), and Zuko and Toph --- icing to an episode with many a scene that left me laughing so hard I began to tear bend.On with the show...
Couldn't resist one more for the ladies. Zuko post-workout and shirtless isn't something you see often. Not very many 16-year olds have abs like that. Hmm... shouldn't he be about 17 by now?
I am so happy to see them back in fire nation clothing, now that they're hiding away at Zuko's Ember Island vacation house. Fire nation fashion is so attractive. This pic of course has Suki in fire nation duds for the first time. Looks mighty good on her.
The play begins! And this is... Aang. Played by a girl. Aang is shocked. You can tell he's never seen Peter Pan. Then again, Peter Pan's female actors were never this well-endowed.
I'm the Avatar! The trinity of the series meets for the very first time. Water Bend! Hai-yah!
Book 1's antagonist is introduced. Uhm... I know it's supposed to be satirical, but shouldn't the Fire Nation know which side Zuko's scar is on? Oh well. Maybe it's meant to be a deliberate insult by the play's author.
Suki got a real kick out of this scene. It's a lot more amusing when you think about what really happened the first time she and Sokka met.
This pretty much exemplifies what Team Avatar did half the time. Sneaking around and running away. Giant faux water bending scroll optional.
This is the real reason why the Blue Spirit was unstoppable. That mask can stop a freight train.
Aang and Suko have a typical reaction to a chapter in their lives that they'd rather not remember. 
Jet never looked so good. The pink shirt is a nice touch.
Making out with the Yue, the Moon Spirit, was one of Sokka's crowning glories. He'd have three people in his harem if Zhao hadn't screwed everything up.
Suki is awesome. We find out here that Sokka never told her about his first girlfriend. She's taking his previous conquests in stride. Sokka's a lucky bastard.
"They call be TOPH, coz it sounds like TOUGH!" Toph should feel proud. This is the reputation she's set for herself. Can't blame the author's sources. Who wants to admit they were solidly beaten up by a 12 year old blind girl?
Our favorite earth bender does us proud. She's the only one who thinks her portrayal in the play rocks. 
Initial fan reaction to Zuko's new hairstyle back in Book 2 might have been different had he sported Fabio-level locks like these. Thankfully the authors showed some restraint.
I'm glad that the real Azula wasn't around to see this, else the play might now have gotten past this point.
The most awkward moment in the entire series, and source of the shipping wars that defined its fans. One wonders though what source the play's author got this from. Was there a hidden voyeur in that cave? If there was, he was definitely a Zutara shipper.
They make a cute couple don't they? If only Sokka would stop thinking about food so much. Hello?! Hot ass-kicking martial arts babe leaning into you! Show some appreciation!
This is where it all changed. "Choose treachery! It's more fun!"
Mai and Ty Lee... sorta. The non-smiling emoticon on Mai was one of my laugh-till-I-dropped moments.
Awwwww. She likes you Zuko! After a heart-warming conversation, Toph gives Zuko a LURVE BRUISE. One for the Zutoph minority.
Could this be... THE FUTURE? I'm not sure about the accuracy of the play's ending, but anything that makes Sokka react this way has to be worth some minor consideration.Wow.Gotta stop laughing now. The comet's up next.
