#yang chen

If in exchange for becoming the Top 10, Pomelo stops being his fan.

That after making his sister cry and no longer hold justice and courage in his heart...

Here is part 1

Even though it is just the beginning of Yang cheng's story, the theme of disposability within a flawed society seems to strengthen within the story.

Episode 5 begins with the death of Yang cheng's parents and the plan for them to quite literally sell him. To buy something implies to later dispose of it later on when it's out of use or when it becomes obsolete and we see this language being used towards a literal human child.

On a visual note, you can also interpret this scene as Yang cheng's parents, who are now dead, symbolising that they are obsolete with a small Yang cheng whom still holds value alive and next to them.

When Yang cheng grows up and becomes an E-soul actor, he is now in his prime use and has to differentiate himself from the other E-souls. In a world of a million actors, you can easily be disposed of over and over because another actor can replace you and play the role you serve to society. This is best seen in the E-soul actor competition with all of these actors playing the role of E-soul any of them can be him and become him physically speaking however, no one will ever fully know or understand the true E-soul and his motives and no one will fully discard of their core to become a blank slate.

The battle between the two E-souls and the publics reaction it is really interesting, and I think hammers down on this theme. Even with Original E-soul serving the people for 34 years, he can be easily disposable in the publics eyes simply because they find the younger E-soul much more reliable, attractive, and a breath of fresh air. As long as there is someone with the hero name of E-soul who is eye candy and does what the public wants the people will hold them to a favourable standard until they grow old, tarnished and lose their uniqueness being replaced by another copy of them in the grand capitalist machine.

Yang chengs story ends with him becoming a puppet to Uncle rocks wishes and replacing the original E-soul. The public doesn't care, it was live and broadcasted that one of the E-souls lost their lives and that their trust values merged but as long as there was the concept and abstract idea of a quick electricity hero named E-soul the people will dehumanise and worship the hero even if he killed another man on live television.

While the battle of two E-souls and Yang chengs story is one way the story illustrates the theme of disposability another way the story does this is through the two nameless characters that uncle Rock uses as puppets to inact his plan.

I don't remember the show ever disclosing these two names, and I think that adds a lot to how the show refuses to humanise them in a way. The same goes for Yang chengs parents they are nameless people who lived lives and were killed. They were puppets in a capitalist system that only benefits the elites. We are introduced to these two, and right from the get-go, we are shown that they have money problems and will do anything for money even if it means kidnapping someone. They might sound repulsed at the idea, but they're willing to do anything for survival, and we see this happening multiple times, whether that be them kidnapping little pomelo or killing shang chao they're willing to be puppets and play the role that society has given them if it means there is a chance at an escape or survival.

I think this is why it's so distressing when we find out that they were essentially puppets there to further push along and benefit Uncle Rock, who needed them for Yang chengs story and when they become obsolete they suffer the same twisted fate as Yang chengs parents : death by drowning in cement.

Two people killed, no one cares for them, no one will look for them and no one will know the truth because while they might have their names in prison on paper they were killed trying to escape a system that immediately discards of useless powerless cogs.

Avatar: The Last Airbender/It Crossover Story.

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Chapter 5: A Storm Brewing

Rated: M

Summary: Zuko stays in Avatar Aang's home for the night. Later on, though, Aang has a frightening dream...

Ships: Zutara, Taang, Sukka.

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My friends have a theory: any long enough conversation with me will eventually devolve into my complaining about the Legend of Korra.

I have come to the conclusion that the story of the Avatar should never be about a physical fight. By nature of what they are and the power system of the verse, the Avatar should not be able to lose a one-on-one fight. 

What I mean by this is that bending is more about technique than anything else; it’s like fighting in the real world, there is a benefit to being stronger but there’s only so strong you can physically get. The inclusion of elemental abilities even negates that to a point because, at a certain point, it doesn’t matter how big the rock you get hit by is. The Avatar is the amalgamation of thousands of benders, their techniques and strength all rolled into one. Every avatar is, by nature, stronger than the avatar before them because they have that previous avatar’s knowledge and strength. And if there is somehow a reason they can’t figure something out, they can just bring forth that avatar to fight on their behalf. My point is, there is not a single bender alive that can fight an avatar and win.

The journey of the avatar is a philosophical one. They are, at the end of the day, human, and are prone to mistakes and they are given a job so massive that it takes more than one lifetime to accomplish: balance the world. 

Aang’s story was simple. He existed in a time of war and so his job was unequivocally to stop the genocidal maniac leading the Fire Nation. Throughout his series we see hints at a subtler, more difficult thread of conflict that requires his attention (warring Earth Kingdom clans, indoctrination of the Fire Nation youth, sexism in the Water Tribe, etc) but because Ozai has always been the big threat, that’s what he focused on and no one could blame him. About half way through though, it kind of stopped being about whether or not he could beat Ozai, but whether or not he could do it without killing him. The Avatar State is a tactical nuke in the shape of a person, it’s what people were trying to draw out of him at the start of book 2 and, in truth, the moment it came out, it stopped being a fight and started being an asswhooping of truly cosmic proportions. 

So what’s my point? My point is that Korra’s series started out the right way but devolved into fights she should have easily won. 

Book 1 and half of book 2 of the Legend of Korra are amazing because they aren’t quite focused on whether or not Korra can beat the villain, but whether or not she can win the people. The nonbender revolution is honestly one of the best bits of either series because it’s a really good point that people without powers are at a HUGE disadvantage against people with powers (in fights and in just normal everyday living) and how they feel about their spiritual leader being a bender. Korra’s first statement to a group of nonbenders complaining about the disparity in society is that bending is cool so they should be quiet. It’s an interesting thing to explore. They we have book 2 where the Northern and Southern Water Tribes are at war and Korra has to pick a side. Whatever side she picks 1) is going to win, she’s, as I said before, way too powerful, and 2) going to send a message that the spirits favour them. It was really good stuff!

Then they turned it into a question of whether or not Korra could beat Unalaq. Yes, yes she could, there was no reason for her to have lost that fight. Unalaq might have been a better waterbender than her, but she was a much better firebender than him. And earthbender and airbender. As well, he might eclipse Korra herself in waterbending, but he’s not better than Aang or Roku or Kyoshi and spirits forbid Kuruk. In a 1v1 with her having full access to the avatar state, Unalaq should have lost even after he acquired Vaatu. 

It’s not that I think Korra is weak, it’s that she shouldn’t be weak. Losing to any of the mediocre benders in her story was unacceptable the from the moment she unlocked the avatar state. I will make a special consideration of Kuvira as fighting against metalbending is hard on a good day and against Kuvira’s particular creative use of metalbanding, it’s a chore. She should have demolished Zaheer and his cronies though.