Hello, ATLA Here

Aka: The Episode of So Many Conversations—wait, Ten Thousand Conversations. Yes. That's its real name lol.

Literally. This was, like, a study in telling and not showing lmao

Liked seeing Toph get to talk to Iroh, ofc, but way less impactful than OG, like why is she just throwing this out there, and why doesn't Iroh recognize her? Like, he should totally have recognized her. Toph is a very memorable gal.

The one with Zuko was a bit odd in that Iroh was all like nope you're totally right for blaming me for everything bad in your life like pls do at least accept his apology because it was also kinda mean regardless of whether there was any basis of truth in that or not

Jet joining the Gaang in the spirit world for adventures?? I'm not opposed entirely, interesting to see him get more, yet they also...kinda...butchered his character? At no point did OG Jet go through this cowardly, hopeless phase? But ig they're trying to add stuff.

ALSO WOW THEY REALLY JUST KILLED OFF THE DUKE OFF SCREEN OKAY. Not like he was totally at the Western Air Temple in S3 or anything iirc. But also—it was at this precise moment that the conversations became too much and the trauma dumping just like one convo too many. At this point, it's a full-on pattern. We are not shown anything. We are spoon/force fed it via clunky, dramatic dialogue delivered in like B-ish acting level delivery. Like, come on, guys, you gotta EARN these kinds of conversations; they gotta be like breakthroughs or something, not a dime a dozen. They lose all potency and meaning and;lkjadfljk;dsfajkl sometimes you don't even NEED to say it. Sometimes you can just SHOW it, you know? (No, they don't). I will say tho that Jet's actor did a p good job and all with it, regardless. This is def a writer problem, primarily (tho some conversations have had better acting than others).

Since we're also keeping a meaningless convo tally going, there's also the ones with Yangchen and Aang, and Toph and Kyoshi. Which—Kyoshi and Toph getting to talk, I'd so be like heck yeah? Except it's weird with the Beifong's inflated importance and Kyoshi not liking it and I mean the convo wasn't actually that bad, I think I'm just like if OG Toph and Kyoshi had a convo it might be cool, but these are just the knockoff brands ads;lfjk so less cool. And at this point I was also just getting so much conversation fatigue, like will ANYTHING else happen in this ep????

One thing I did like was Sokka's bit about meeting the spirit fox library assistant guy and thinking of Yue and all cause in this version they made her a spirit fox thing in the spirit world (which was def not in the OG but since they put it in here that was a nice tie in and actually made sense to do and helped explain why he'd follow the fox)

Yayyyy we get Zuko's angst coma brought on by a good decision! A key plot point, that is 😂

Dang bruh they really just killed professor Zei...like brutally. Also so knew he was going to tattle on them a;dlkjf

Oh wow okay wait I see—this is where they kill off Jet, too. Huh. Okay, then. Def a much more heroic ending than in canon. Still don't like what they did with his character. Like, abandons his friends and hope and then has to be reminded by Katara to blame the Fire Nation? Like, son, if there is a single person who doesn't need to be reminded to blame the Fire Nation for something bad that happened, it's Jet. And then his "everyone would be better off without me thing" already reading suicidal and you just gave him a way to do it. Not as satisfying as seeing someone live to right genuine wrongs. ANYWHO.

11. Okay wait I actually really kinda dug that convo with Zuko and the Fire Nation guy hiding in the Earth Kingdom?? Mostly because it was a scene with Zuko in it, plus new content that wasn't just an adapted scene, but also cause it showed his concern for his people, and also cause he totally would go and try to warn and it also totally would be ineffective. The catching-the-moon-peach-with-a-firebending-form thing was a bit of a stretch ngl as was the dude's almost villainy attaining levels of histrionics, and his dialogue bordered on downright campy, but I am willing to forgive it because ZUKO! (I say, as an entirely impartial viewer a;lsdfkj 😂 you all know who I'm really here for ahaha) oh my gosh. Wait. I’m an idiot. It’s Jeong Jeong. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I’m like 99% certain now. The scar. The hair. Okay nevermind, everything makes sense now. He is indeed that dramatic and anti-Fire Nation yet also Fire Nation. Got it 😂😭 (also p cool in that case that we get to see him interact with both Zuko and later Jef, a fascinating sort of constellation we def didn’t get in the OG)

12. Oh wait, something I forgot to mention earlier—that scene with Sokka and the knowledge guy (tbh forgot his name) was like...pathetically sad. Like that actor. Who I shall not grace with even double-checking his character's name. It was almost comically bad. 😂 The worst at oh, lemme tell you this secret/warn you but oh no I've said too much trope—like, no. That is the exact wrong execution. Can somebody say over the top, much?

13. Wait okay I gotta admit I chuckled at Sokka: "We need intelligence" Katara: "Sokka most of all" like YAS. DIALOGUE WIN!

14. I AM CACKLING OKAY ACTUALLY IT WAS FUNNY. It was indeed funny with the whole is-Aang-aboutta-tell-Katara-how-he-feels-about-her and it's just a super awkward nope, the worst and most unsecretive "the spy is behind me in a hat!" communicative piece ever lmaooo

15. Ok, distracting Joo Dee with the cabbage man is genius. Not because it's genius, it was just satisfying to see that duo. And ok, yes, I did enjoy the "my cabbages!"

16. Dang, there be some talented artist out here doing murals of the Painted Lady—ALSO WAIT DOES THIS MEAN KATARA GONNA RUN INTO JET AND EITHER "LI" OR THE BLUE SPIRIT AS THE PAINTED LADY??? IS THIS WHAT I'M GONNA SEEE?????

17. The Dai Li hats look way less cool ngl in this. It's like...not even a sad fedora. Idk what kind of hat that is but it's a sad looking felt type black one and not at all the intimidating OG ones. Maybe it's supposed to be 'undercover/plainclothes cop' type vibes but it just ain't doin' it for me, man

18. LOLLL upgrading the poetry thing to a rap battle I mean...haiku off? Okay wait it was actually kinda cute how they had that lil heart to heart (in front of everyone lol in the form of haiku). I dig. I give pass.

19. Side note tho it does indeed make sense that the Beifongs were selling weapons to the Fire Nation. Like I and you and everybody called that a mile away. Kinda obvious.

20. ;LASDKFJ;LKJDSAFLJK;DSFALJK;DSAFLJKSLJ;KDAF BLUE SPIRIT AND PAINTED LADY CONTENT OMG????????!?!??!?!? AAAAAAAAAAAA??????????????????????!!!!!!! Katara, Jet, and Zuko all in one scene?????? Idk why but I love it so much???? Maybe cause the fans have been drawing parallels for ages but we never actually saw the Blue Spirit and Painted Lady together, or these three all in one frame

21. Aaaahhhhh, I see, it wasn't the Dai Li with the stupid felt hat, it was a knockoff outer wall guard tryna be circumspect. Welp, failed spectacularly at that, but you did get me, I'll admit it, I did think it was Dai Li.

22. Side note, who else thinks those massive person-sized jars of "wine" from that "proposal" are actually somehow...idk housing actual spies on them or something. Some kind of eavesdropping sneakiness going on? Or that they'll empty the jars out and use them to infiltrate the palace or something to finally get an audience with the Earth King? Like water bend it so they're like hiding on the bottom in an air bubble while it still appears to be wine on top till they get in?

Not sure if splitting this into two parts was the best way to go lol but at least it's not as long looking? 🤷 Anywho, am interested to see where this goes/how it adapts everything else 👀

Ngl I dug that opening montage—BLUE SPIRIT AND PAINTED LADY PARALLELS, HELLO! Although I also find it hilarious he does, like, one good thing, which is also arguably also a bad thing/involved setting fire to a guy's stuff and robbing him lol, and then like the montage of Katara going out and helping people is like 80xs that. Like I just gotta chuckle at the encapsulation of their characters—Zuko does one good thing which is also somewhat bad, Katara does like 50 good things like day and night. The emphasis on eating tho was kinda weird. Like ig they're just showing much time passing, but it just felt odd. And like not even the first time of them chowing down while Aang is out carrying boulders did Katara protest? And Aang's not being flighty about it? And Toph's not being a drill sergeant out there with him? Excuse me? Not how I'd have written it? But it's whatever, this is why I'm writing ATLA fanfic lmao.

Also wait why would Sokka legit leave that many notes for Sai without...idk, doing any more asking around?

WOWWW real Sheev Palpatine vibes coming from Long Feng but like...not as good? Idk for a moment I was like wait is he trying to discredit Toph...but then it was kinda a flop, or maybe I just didn't get it cause he's like trust your heart. But maybe it's cause he's tryna be like you trust me, right, cause I've ingratiated myself to you, so def trust me, trust that, your heart, which is naively trusting me rn. Idk lol

I RECOGNIZE THAT TREE. WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT TREE. YOUR MOM'S SISTER'S BOYFRIEND'S PET ROCK RECOGNIZED THAT TREE.

Ngl the chemistry between Zuko and the teashop girl was kinda nonexistent. Or maybe it was just on her end that it wasn't happening. Zuko was appropriately awkward and shy lol. Maybe a bit too scared on that end of things but eh—ALSO THO CAN WE TALK ABOUT JET SHOWING UP RIGHT AFTER. CACKLING. Also appreciate them having a 'reformed Fire Nation district' or whatever cause I don't remember that in the OG but it makes sense it'd exist. Also realizing how stupid Zuko was for starting a fire even indirectly while in his Blue Spirit getup like my guy. Why. Now you the reason these ppl in trouble (which is ofc why he'll go with Jet to the thing I'm sure)

Also, hold on—"I'm done with them?!" Excuse you?! Misunderstanding more of MY ATLA characters??? If they stuck with Jet through all his previous questionable decisions, what makes you think NOW they'd leave him or he them? And I cannot see him explaining it away in that kind of a brushing off dismissive way. Ugh. More character assassination. On the other hand—any Jet and Zuko interaction is good content imo (can you tell I rue the unexplored possibilities of these two in cahoots and like the oodles of drama we were deprived of despite the fair amount we still got al;sdfkj)

Also, hold up—there's no WAY Zuko wouldn't know what day it was/why Uncle took a break. Hello? Am I misremembering? Did he also not know in the show? Also so sad he doesn't have his proper coffee tea shop AU era and that it's been replaced by shoveling the same pile of hay every day. But I can see the case for that cause it's not like he has his uncle's tea-making skills.

Kind of a cool memorial thing they did—except what the heck everyone has almost the exact same facial scar Zuko does??? Like two people in that tiny crowd?? On the same side of the face????? The heck???? Interesting/kinda nice to see Iroh have a bit of a moment there facing the effects of the siege he led

I'M DEFINITELY NOT FOLLOWING YOU TO A SECONDARY LOCATION I'M SCREEEEAAAAMMMMIIIINNNGGGG in other words it actually startled a laugh from me. A little anachronistic but it made me think of John Mulaney and street smarts lmao so I approve

WAIT I'M ALSO SCREAMING CACKLING AT "I'll have to pick the lock" *chops chains off with Boomerang* DEAD.

Yes, I continue to share my unasked-for thoughts lol

Zuko in the OG: ramrod-straight posture, attentively listening to Iroh explain the four elemental philosophies, calmly (almost out of character calmly lol) asking why he's telling him these things/that it sounds like Avatar stuff—Zuko in NATLA: prowling around anxiously, does not give Iroh the time of day, has to be shouted into compliance. And Zuko at this point is indeed still somewhat a prowly, angry, anxious boi at this time (less so than season 1, it should be), but this irritated me. Probably also because of how Iroh comes off? Idk man.

In other news, though—JET. YES. THE FERRYYYYYYYY THEY REMEMBERED THE FERRY A;LSDKFJA;LSDFJKL;KSAJDF you guys don't understand I vibed so hard for like the 2.5 seconds in canon when these two interacted and kinda got along and went on vigilante adventures together. VIBED. SO HARD. THE DELICIOUS MISUNDERSTANDING OF ZUKO'S PAST AND IMPLICIT ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHO HE IS. So anywho, I was just a fan they included this interaction at all, although they deffo changed a lot.

Like, interesting choice to have Zuko not join in the plan for the OG reasons but for medicine for Iroh. Also makes you wonder why this Jet wanted Zuko in on the plan/was trying to convince him so much since, like, he didn't know how much of a help he'd be and in this version just spent the whole time looking for stuff other than what the Freedom Fighters were interested in aka food? Am sorely sad Jet didn't get to see "Lee" use his little expert dual dao skills to stack a bunch of bowls with swords, but ig it's hard to translate to live action lol also am annoyed where's my blatant bonding and extension of an invite to join the Freedom Fighters (which, if you recall, in like The Serpent's Pass episode, it kinda sounded like Zuko was gonna take up with all that talk about being alone maybe not being the best path)—like fr, gimme my Jet and Zuko content lol

Am ridiculously relieved that they didn't have Iroh stupidly give away his bending status by heating his tea this time a;lsdkfj

Dang, I would not want to be in an Earth Kingdom cell; those things were TINY. Claustrophobic omg

Long Feng with suspicious gifts—also, how the heck did Aang know where that nondescript rock came from? Is it a special kind of rock that's only found up there by the temple? Like wat?

Wow, that party really gave Hunger Games Capitol vibes. So much.

Toph's affecting of high society behavior is a bit...ok like it comes off as just her hating it and you and everyone with the thinnest, most sheer veil ever known to man a;sdfljk and is slightly annoying. Idk my OG Toph did it better.

The Joo Dee worked, tho. Did her part well lol

I actually did kinda like their party outfits tho ngl

Am not sure how I feel about the way they did Aang's breakthrough with earth-bending lol but eh whatever

Why did they put the cactus juice here? I mean, I GUESS I get it if you're not gonna go through the Si Wong Desert and whatnot and you know ppl like and quote those "quenchiest" and "friendly mushroom" bits, but still. Like, it felt like fan service, but I am a fan and was not serviced by it lol like you maintain THOSE lines but not the "You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher" line from the Agni Kai, which is objectively more important to character development? (Still not over the first season butchering of the Agni Kai scene askskksks) but to be fair, this time it actually did work better than Sokka's earlier "Water Tribe" ✌️ thing

I! Do not know! How I feel! About this Long Feng being SOOOOO buddy buddy with Aang. It is giving the wrong kind of creeps. IDK MAN IDK. Prob cause we all already know he's up to exactly zero to negative amounts of good. But still, thought it was interesting they had that bonding moment with Aang—I suppose it'll make it feel like more of a betrayal when he's revealed to be up to the zero to negative good he's been up to.

So the party scene with Sokka panic-attacking and the subsequent convo with Katara has solidified my opinion that this adaptation is someone's high-budget fanfic come alive (I don't have an issue with his character going through it! But that writing was like my 6th-grade fanfic writing level of writing...okay, it wasn't the WORST thing ever, but the vibes were VERY ficcy, like I could have seen myself writing that and thinking it slightly campy but going with it for angst purposes cause it's fic and no one cares if you're a bit campy and idk I just feel like the standard should be higher than moi who is definitely not a paid writer al;sdfjka;lsdfjk ANYWAY—ok maybe I'm being too harsh on it. I dug him frustrated wondering what was wrong with him. I just also had a massive amount of fic deja vu when he said that line. IDK MAN.

Apparently the conclusion of this episode is "idk man" lmao. Anywho, look at me! Under twenty thoughts this time! (Wow it sounds so sad when I put it that way a;lsdfjksld;f) but it's prob cause it's actually been several days since I actually watched this ep so it's a bit fuzzier.

15. Oh! One last thought! The city did indeed also look great, def felt the massive feel of it (and again, those earthbender prisons, like dang ads;fljk seeing them do it live action style makes me like earthbenders are actually scary, like you could just get buried alive in a second and die a horrible death)

SO. More thoughts. Mostly about Zuko lolll but about everything in general too. Ok, in no particular order:

ZUKO ALONE MASHUP???? YES???

Loved all the stuff with Fei. Fei is great. Interesting they had the kid named Peng this time instead of Lee (Li?).

Also wait can we go back to Zuko stealing from the pregnant lady and guy? Like. Shot for shot they had the same scene in the OG show (only difference being lack of a campfire cooking food tbh and instead having the bag) except he DIDN'T steal from them? Like, why do that? Why align that perfectly and have him make the exact opposite decision? Like, yes he does steal the ostrich horse, and other stuff too iirc so I'm not saying he wouldn't steal, but WHY USE an EXACT example in the show and do the opposite???? Like that whole bit in the OG was showing he did in fact have lines he wasn't willing to cross and instead we get him defending Peng bc he reminded him of himself as a kid, which...is a lot more self-serving? Like it's less of a moral boundary and more an extension of him caring about himself. Whatever, anywho

Okay, also—I would SO NOT have written Suki's line as being "I'm never careful" or whatever it was bc like ???? Hello??? That is so not as badass as whatever writer who wrote it thought it was?? Suki is in fact much more practical?? I could have written a better quip in my sleep??

I did appreciate the way they played the whole her pressing Sokka on it and him being like wait they talked to you about the North what did they say and her being like that look and the just their own experiences/what they went through and obviouslyyyyy is asking what happened to you and he doesn't answer because YAY DELICIOUS ANGST AND I ACTUALLY APPRECIATED THAT EXECUTION even if logically Sokka's kinda being unnecessarily cagey/evasive about this but eh I mean he kinda was in canon too but it doesn't necessarily seem proportional...idk still fun angst tho

LOVEEEEE how they did Zuko screaming "leave" like YAS THEY KEPT THAT IN and it was done so well

Also going to take time to appreciate Zuko full on acting and behaving like a wild cornered angry animal in general like that whole fight and the screaming like ah yes my deeply scarred and traumatized firebender lashing out in anger and a heap of unexamined and un-worked-through feelings, there he is

Relatedly, though, it was kinda bizarre the way they went with Azula making her pitch for him to come back then in the town and him still insisting on capturing the Avatar. Idk I legit cocked my head at the screen like "I don't understand your motivations rn ma boi" cause obviously OG Zuko jumped at that chance bc what he really wanted was his dad to love him/his approval and his home back, but here he's like "the Avatar is a threat to the Fire Nation and needs to be captured" so I'm likeeeeee.....????

I appreciate that Katara negotiation scene thing bc that felt very in character (the bending their will joke, less so)

Also they did the "Water Tribeee" Sokka thing but it was quite...subpar compared to the original lol some things just don't look as good irl ig or it just wasn't executed to its full potential (unlike the "LEAVE" thing cause that was great, 10/10 remake of it even if it wasn't exact the little subtle change of it being a strike more of drawing a line in the dirt did indeed work better than actually throwing a flame wave out since they were physically closer and it did convey him just trying to make them go away without actually trying to attack them)

Toph's character voice actually sounds quite similar to the OG actresses so I loved that—also the writing in the tile thing was super cool, can't actually recall if that was in the OG, p sure it wasn't cause I feel like I'd have remembered that

You know whose voice was also great? The Boulder's. Like first line of dialogue when he said "The Boulder" I was like DANG, bro got that inflection DOWN PAT RIGHT THERE. Course he looks different, but it worked, I think. Not as much of a fan of him being the one sent after Toph to kidnap her back tho.

Also the way they showed Toph's earth sense thing was cool! Also her character design (ig that's more like the actress + costume design lol) was great.

Also so what exactly is going on with what they changed about Ursa leaving???? Now it's like?? Not the implication she offed Azulon and then left in secret and/or was killed for it like the show had but more like she was trying to secret her children away outta there and got caught by Ozai? So confused??? But ig now Zuko has something a little bit more in common with Katara lol tho it's still unclear if she was just taken prisoner or if something worse happened to her.

Anywho the giving of the swords and ring was nice, I'm ok with that new change. Shows she does care for Azula, too, tho it also had the vibes of the OG show where Azula got a doll and Zuko a knife from Iroh, but eh. Makes his dual dao more meaningful, tho it didn't have to be cause obviously we got the Blue Spirit stuff. Also interesting to get their canon version of the story around the Blue Spirit, it doth maketh me more interested to see where they go with that 👀

Liked the way they showed Ty Lee's chi-blocking stuff, and the "cutie" and stuff was quite in character. Especially the whole "huh" wonderings of her and Sokka when they saw each other lol

Also wait can we talk about how the first and last shots of this episode were of Zuko? Because I'm here for that. I'd be here for a show only of that. I am not biased in the slightest. I have the most completely objective and factual opinions ever and this is the character we all want to see more of. xD yes. Anyway it IS interesting tho how they ended the first ep with Zuko leaving Iroh and this one ended with Iroh finding Zuko/catching up with him again

Ngl the way Zuko got outed as a firebender this time was, like, not as great as the show version, tho I get they were combining like multiple episodes into one. But like, in the OG, he was just defending Lee, and then stupidly kinda announces his identity to the whole town. But like that's actually way better than the whole town seeing him attack the Avatar. Cause like, the first version gets across the fact that him just being him is what caused Lee to hate him, whereas this version it's like yeah, whether or not he was a firebender, dude is attacking the Avatar, and as previously stated, acting entirely unhinged lol and raging. So like the impact is lessened? Tho ig the kid was like 'get out of here firebender' but still.

Also rip I was once again being like aw man, Fei. Would'a been great if Zuko/Li (Lee?) could have stayed longer

I DID like seeing how he jumped at the chance to help out however, and have no issues with them not showing him messing up the rooftop tiles lol I'll take his year as an Earth Kingdom refugee and run with it (it was cute tho, him jumping to help out with the dishes and roof and farming)—oooooooohhh also scar talk yas. Loved his emotional breakdown. Interesting choice they chose to have him, like...dissociate and beat up a whole bunch of guys and only be bleeding because he's clenching his fists that hard like dang bro cut your nails or something. Kinda wish we got to see the fight but I'm intrigued by this choice. Slightly concerned for his mental health if he legit flew into a rage and doesn't realize what he did until after as the cutting of the scene implies. But it's the kind of concerning mental health issues I can get invested in lol. All this boi's mental and emotional turmoil >:)

Appa continues to be the GOAT. Momo has been downgraded to sad examples of Aang's mournful longing for higher earthbending goals

Think they did p good with the whole Azula fight thing, it felt/looked very Azula like acrobatics when she was fighting. Also Zuko and his breakdancing kicks were great xD (well I guess it wasn't the actual breakdancing one but those spinning kicks felt close enough)

OML I really do have way too many thoughts. In conclusion, Zuko continues to be my primary focus lmao in my entirely justified fixation on this character. Side note glad they showed him rattled by that rattle (lol couldn't help myself with that one/pun) like yep there's the regret, and ofc also his over compensating to make up for it with the chores. Really do gotta be concerned about his like mood swings tho cause that Zuko felt more book 3 Zuko and the one in the fight with Azula felt way more book 1 Zuko so ;laskdfjf;lj I mean I suppose they just split the difference cause this is book 2? 😂 ANYWHO

WAIT ONE MORE THING—the fight scene was actually so great? Like with everyone? Like when I was watching it there was just a certain point I was like omg bending looks so cool in a 'live action' way like dang they done did a good job on that (fully was half expecting a wall to fall on Zuko again but eyy he made it out with an ungraceful fall after getting blasted out of the air ads;lkfj wow what a mercy compared to canon aka the OG) ok now I'm actually done