#lightning redirection

Season 2 ep 9

So you know I get my zutara crumbs when I can, but I think Zuko's expression doesn't really have to do with Katara. At least, not in a romantic sense. But thematically I do think you can connect it to their relationship

When Iroh tells Zuko he learned the technique by studying waterbenders, Zuko looks initially surprised, because he has a hard time accepting what his uncle is describing, what he says is "Avatar stuff." Things he can't imagine needing to learn because it's so different from what he's been taught is important, fed on a steady diet of Fire Nation superiority. The idea that Iroh could become a better firebender, could teach Zuko how to be a better firebender, by studying waterbenders, is so counter to that. It's also very close to treason, because the idea that we should learn from others threatens everything the Fire Nation has built their empire on.

But Zuko accepts it because Iroh tells him it's something not even Azula knows. He's not yet at the understanding that he needs to learn from others, but he's realizing that Iroh is teaching him something that will give him an advantage over Azula, who would never think to learn from others. That's why Zuko's expression becomes determined.

It's not all that much of a stretch to think he also thought of Katara, because she is the waterbender he has fought before, and she beat him. As hesitant as he might be to learn from enemy nations, he knows that waterbenders are powerful, and identified Katara as a powerful threat and his opposite. He also starts learning from Katara and the others, and his uncle's lesson about learning from the other nations probably had a hand in that.

And, of course, the lightning redirection will be key in the final battle with Katara. So while he is not necessarily smiling because of Katara, he is smiling at the realization that he now has a tool he can use, and he's subconsciously learning from Katara even while she is his enemy, and learns a technique that he will eventually use to save her life.

And, of course, thematically, Zutara is all about learning from others, and is directly contrasted with what Azula represents, particularly to Zuko, which is what he could become if he never learned from others, if he never let go of his pride or atoned for his actions, if he never learned to care about others.

Like two hours later:

Zuko: okay I’m ready to try it for real

Iroh: wtf?! No! Are you crazy?!

Zuko: why not?

Iroh: because I’m not going to shoot lightning at you! That’s way too dangerous, this was only a just one case meathod, I’m hoping you never have to use it

If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it. You must create a pathway from your fingertips up your arm to the shoulder, then down into the stomach. The stomach is the source of energy in your body; it is called the sea of chi. From your stomach you direct it up again and out the other arm. The stomach detour is critical; you must not let the lightning pass through your heart, or the damage could be deadly.

I don’t know if this has been pointed out before, I’m sure that it has because the atla fandom is astute af, but the first healing/chi lesson that Katara learns also happens to follow the exact same path of energy that lightning redirection follows. When you consider that Iroh learned how to redirect lightning by studying waterbenders it actually makes perfect sense. Katara is an amazing healer, but I wonder if she would have been able to save Zuko if she hadn’t learned this lesson from Yugoda. Either way it was a slick piece of foreshadowing. I said it before and I’ll say it again It’s the cleverly thought out moments like this that makes Avatar such a great show.  

Magic is supposed to be well, magic. Sure there’s Disney style magic. You know turn someone into a frog, turn a pumpkin into a carriage. That kind of stuff. That’s barely scratching the surface of what magic can truly be in fiction.

On the upper end there are mages who can warp reality, bend the laws of space and time to their will. Someone who comes to mind when I think of this level of magic is Doctor Strange and his contemporaries. They can control time itself, warp the fabric of reality and other things that boggle the human mind. Another example is Star Wars where some are capable of using the force (Star Wars magic) to yank a ship out of orbit or even to create life itself.

There are incredibly creative magic users too. Doctor Strange is a good example of this too. He is often faced with mighty enemies and cosmic horrors that can’t be bested with magical might so he finds ways to use magic to outwit or outsmart them. Another example is Avatar the Last Airbender. There’s your classic 4 elements, Fire earth water and air. Each is a form of magic powered by martial arts. However there are unique sub sects in many of them. Like the terrifying bloodbending water bending technique that uses the water in an enemy’s body to control them. Or metal bending which relies on the idea of metal being refined earth which allows a select few earth benders to bend it. Or lightning magic, a sub sect of fire. And the related lightning redirection which channels lightning back at the attacker. These examples are very novel in how they use deep understanding of the core elements to create new and unique powers.

Then there is full, weak, and uninspired magic. It’s makes Disney magic look like reality warping. We’re talking a Harry Potter levels of bad. What can they do with magic? Lift a feather? Summon an object from a distance. It’s pretty weak. And don’t get me started on attack spells. Shoot a cloud of fog? Shoot a bolt of colored light out of a stick? The worst they have is a spell that kills, weak mind control, and pain infliction. Heck even a regular gun would be better than the killing spell. Faster to fire, faster projectile, and you don’t have to yell your attack first giving the foe time to react. Mind control could be equated to blackmail or threats. And pain, well let’s just say humans have been torturing each other without magic for millennia. The magic is weak and uninspired. They don’t use magic creatively or in unconventional ways. And they most certainly lack the power to warp reality or destroy planets.