This is where Avatar really finds it's stride to me, and that's saying something considering how strong the show was to begin with prior to this moment. There is so much to love here, from the fantastic action sequence that opens the episode to the killer finale, this is brilliant, powerful fantasy storytelling with all of the beautiful imagery you would come to expect from the show. The animation is also a strong highlight here, particularly during the fantastic Roku sequence which is an awe-inspiring moment that allows you to finally realize the true power of an Avatar.
The monks in the temple sequence are also fascinating for how it explores what time will do to citizens of a nation. People aren't inherently good or bad, they choose to be, and that's something we see with a Firebender for the first time as he betrays his monks to help the Avatar. And the show's infighting between the groups of the Fire Nation is important in showcasing this, with Commander Zhao continuing to be an impressively imposing force in terms of his power. A fantastic episode from top to bottom.
The whole sequence at the temple is so enjoyable. I really like Shyu, the one sage who has remained faithful to the avatar all this time. I appreciate Sokka, who in these early episodes seems a little too much like empty comic relief (sorta like movie Ron Weasley) having a great, resourceful idea with the fake firebending. When it doesn't work out, & Katara suggests the group just hide & pretend it did, it comes off as a pretty believable way for them to get the door open. Zuko showing up & nearly capturing Aang is a nice tense moment too. The 3-way conflict between Zuko, Zhao, & the Aang Gang makes for an interesting dynamic, & suggests to me how the arrogance of the Fire Nation causes them to splinter among themselves & work against each other, even when they share common goals. Then the conversation w/ Roku is so dang cool, setting up Sozen's Comet. I like that, even though Aang can communicate with past avatars, there seem to be limitations/stipulations that we aren't privy to yet. It took a lot of work to get in that temple, & although Roku tells Aang they'll be able to speak again, he's very vague about how exactly that will happen. It adds up to make past avatar communication feel like a truly special event, not something Aang can do anytime he wants. Finally I like that Roku's spirit chooses to not only help Aang, but destroy the temple. I wonder if he resented it after all those lapsed avatar sages.
And so we begin the first of many major Avatar visions. First Aangs visions of the comet, then his visions of Avatar Roku in the Spirit World. Like all myth, such as Homer's Epic's when Athena appears to the hero, so Roku appears to Aang- accept in eastern tradution people worship ancestory and past lives more then the west- so nstead of a God apparing it is a past life.
At the end Avatar Roku destroys the temple to the avatar in the Fire Nation. This makes since most of the fire priests had betrayed him. It was like the Avatar as cutting off a cancer on his legacy- destroying the old age with the temple being a physical manifestation of the Old Age.
Most importantly, this episode helps forces Aang to confront his Avatar. Aang is a airbender, and as such has been content to flit about the world on vacation and run away from his duty- procrastination is a weakness of an airhead- but the Fire of the situation Aang is in will make him stop being an airbending whimp and start being an Avatar. Thank God For Hallucinations.
"I'm ready." — Aang
8/10
8/10 - my boy Appa really clutched on this one, had not been for him they wouldn’t have made it to the temple
This two parter is mainly ore and exposition but the writers managed to make it fun. Love seeing stuff like people in the firre nation loyal to the avatar plus cool action beats like Aang blasing a flaming canon with his feet.
Aang stopping that fireball is so epic. I just love cool bending, okay?
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2016-11-17T16:41:58Z
8.8/10. Maybe, just maybe, this is Avatar turning the corner. Or maybe I'm just starting get wrapped up in the awesome mythos of the show. I could be biased by Dave Filoni's involvement, but it feels like there's a lot of very positive Star Wars influence here -- the idea of a young kid with powers he doesn't understand trying to fight against an evil empire that controls the world, while attempting to recapture the powers and spirit of a lost age. I've been conditioned for that sort of thing to appeal to me, as the characters settle a bit, and I get more used to the animation style, Avatar is starting to cast its spell on me.
To the point, the opening sequence where our heroes and Prince Zuko try to run Commander Zhao's blockade is pretty much just empty action, and yet the flaming balls of fire in the sky, Appa ducking and dodging, the smoke billowing out of the back of Prince Zuko's ship, were all pretty stunning images that made for an exciting set piece. The show's started to find a balance of the cool action it's been capable of from early on and the mythos and worldbuilding that are its greatest asset.
There's also some clever writing at play once they get to crescent island. I love the notion of the once noble monks who lost hope and kowtowed the the Fire Nation, but there being one true believer who's willing to go against his brothers for the Avatar. And even the video game-esque plot obstacle of needing to open the giant door was fairly clever. The whole lamp oil plan seemed like kind of a cheat, but then using it as a fakeout to get the Fire Monks to open the door by convincing them Aang's in there and then sneaking in when they do is a very nice way to go about it. Even though the fight, including the renewed presence of Commander Zhao, is cool but a little convenient to getting Aang into the room with Roku by himself, it's a nice progression of events.
Once he gets in there and talks to Roku, things slow down a bit. There's nothing especially novel about Roku's reveals -- there's a big event coming up that will make the bad guy even stronger, it's how he got his powers immediately, and you have to get strong really fast to beat him. That's pretty standard fantasy epic stuff. But still, the comet, the Fire Lord, and the guidance of a voice from the beyond work well enough as hints toward the future, something to direct the trajectory of the series that it works. And Aang coming out as Avatar Roku and destroying the temple had a pretty epic feel in and of itself, something eventful and symbolic of the old era, the era of Roku ending, and a new era beginning.
Overall, these past two episodes have hopefully been the show finding it's groove. They've been exciting and compelling and further developed the contours of the show's world.