Avatar Discussion (Episode 1, TLA)

"Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming Jasmine tea?"
"I don't need any calming tea!"

Here we see the beginning of Iroh's wisdom and the foil to Zuko's determination. Zuko has been long searching for the Avatar. I want to make these discussions work with the timeline, so let's not assume we know WHY he's looking for the Avatar other than that he's attempting to regain his honor. Iroh, a seemingly worldly man, tries very hard to give Zuko a way to relax and accept his current position. We talk about this so much with the Tao and the Force. Living "in" the moment is a staple saying of new age Westerners. We like to think that staying present and grounded is a healing property for our lives as it reduces the stresses of the future and the nightmares of the past. Iroh sees Zuko troubled by both so his motivations are clear and consistent with how a Jedi Master might advise his hot headed apprentice.

Let's discuss the benefits of living Iroh's way. Relaxed, content with tea and Pai Sho http://paisho.pbworks.com/w/page/11167060/FrontPage, we can see that Iroh is well-adjusted, even in his retired status.

Little do we know, right now, the depth of Iroh's wisdom. Let's not spoil that journey yet!

Parallel to the Monomyth:

"No, I didn't know him. I mean... I knew people that knew him.."

Aang refuses the call in this episode. He spends his whole time trying to get away from his responsibilities as an Avatar. We will find out later why this is. But, for now, let's discuss what it means to refuse the call. What could Aang do right now to change his position?

Wisdom = ADD?

"But first, I need to finish my roast duck!"
"PENGUINS!!!!"

I just thought this was funny. You see it as a trope in many movies showing off "wise" characters. Oftentimes, they are silly and a little attention deficit disorder. Thoughts on why this might be?

"If you want to be a Bender, you have to let go of fear."

Connor L. wrote:

"Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming Jasmine tea?"
"I don't need any calming tea!"

Here we see the beginning of Iroh's wisdom and the foil to Zuko's determination. Zuko has been long searching for the Avatar. I want to make these discussions work with the timeline, so let's not assume we know WHY he's looking for the Avatar other than that he's attempting to regain his honor. Iroh, a seemingly worldly man, tries very hard to give Zuko a way to relax and accept his current position. We talk about this so much with the Tao and the Force. Living "in" the moment is a staple saying of new age Westerners. We like to think that staying present and grounded is a healing property for our lives as it reduces the stresses of the future and the nightmares of the past. Iroh sees Zuko troubled by both so his motivations are clear and consistent with how a Jedi Master might advise his hot headed apprentice.

Let's discuss the benefits of living Iroh's way. Relaxed, content with tea and Pai Sho http://paisho.pbworks.com/w/page/11167060/FrontPage, we can see that Iroh is well-adjusted, even in his retired status.

Little do we know, right now, the depth of Iroh's wisdom. Let's not spoil that journey yet!

Parallel to the Monomyth:

"No, I didn't know him. I mean... I knew people that knew him.."

Aang refuses the call in this episode. He spends his whole time trying to get away from his responsibilities as an Avatar. We will find out later why this is. But, for now, let's discuss what it means to refuse the call. What could Aang do right now to change his position?

Wisdom = ADD?

"But first, I need to finish my roast duck!"
"PENGUINS!!!!"

I just thought this was funny. You see it as a trope in many movies showing off "wise" characters. Oftentimes, they are silly and a little attention deficit disorder. Thoughts on why this might be?

"If you want to be a Bender, you have to let go of fear."

I love this show. I didn't start watching it until after it ended (go figure haha), and I was very impressed with the spiritual lessons and character development. I wish there were more shows like this that made kids really think. Of course there's Korra but that one just ended too

Ok, focusing specifically on the first episode of Airbender, I have heard that it is our greatness that scares us more than our shortcomings. I believe that Aang is grappling with his own potential, even if he doesn't realize it. He has some mighty big shoes to fill as the Avatar, and yet he has no idea how he's going to get there. (It also doesn't help that he's guilty over running away and that he's angry because he felt the monks were betraying him but that's all in a later episode...) To refuse this call is to leave his required position vacant. When we are not there to take on our job either someone will strain to fill the gap or no one will step up and trouble will ensue. Aang is the Avatar whether he likes it or not, there is no one to cover his shift so-to-speak. He'll only hurt people by fleeing his own responsibility. The only way to change this is to face the truth and put the work in, which can be incredibly scary. Perhaps Aang could ask for help on his difficult path? (which he does later but at the moment...) There is no shame in asking for guidance or assistance when we have a daunting task ahead of us.

Meanwhile Iroh (one of my favorite characters by the way) is relaxed and content to enjoy his tea and games of Pai Sho. Iroh very easily "goes with the flow". Unless there is an emergency he never rushes. He has a vast store of patience and is always concerned with the balance of things, especially one's internal balance. He looks to all of nature to help convey ideas of wisdom and spirituality, valuing all creatures and walks of life. Iroh's approach to life must be considerably less stressful than the "normal" way of doing things. He tackles problems by thinking them through and diligently working, but without letting his emotions get the better of him. He is also incredibly reflective, so he must grow considerably with each experience. He has strong values, but is open to new ideas. He may not need much (namely his tea) but he appears to live a very enriched life. We could all benefit from slowing down and enjoying the simple things, as Iroh does.

I suspect the "silly" wise characters could be a testament to the fact that these people are young at heart. They're not afraid to look for the fun in life. And, how interesting would a "stern, serious" wise teacher be in a story versus an eccentric, goofy sage? Such characters also have their own unusual way of looking at things, which seems bizarre to "normal" people but proves to be no less valid when solving problems. It also makes the characters question their sanity ("Is this guy the real master or just nuts?") So I'd say it's a bit of engaging plot device mixed with a more creative style of approaching problems.

One other thing I haven't seen anyone else mention yet is the scene where Iroh is training Zuko in the basic forms of fire bending. Zuko gets upset because he feels like what he is doing is fine, whereas Iroh sees a fundamental flaw in his technique. Zuko senses his own inadequacy in comparison to the Avatar and wants to be push ahead with his training despite Iroh's insistence that he is not ready.

I spend a lot of time thinking about what it means to master something. I question if I've ever mastered anything in my life, and of course I suspect that part of the problem is that I lack the patience to continuously hone my understanding of one thing until I am demonstrating it without error the majority of the time. I may have completed the IP and my Seminary studies, but have I mastered them? Have I even mastered kindergarten? I don't want to get too absurd, but you get my point right? Furthermore, as Iroh tries to tell his nephew, it is not through knowing many things in a crude fashion but through mastery of a single thing that allows you to accomplish your goal (perhaps). I play a lot of instruments, none of them very well, but I enjoy playing them. Sometimes just enjoying playing them is enough, but more times than not I regret being more intent on really learning to play these instruments. The same is true for many of the other hobbies I enjoy including whittling, knitting, camping, and drawing. How much better would I be if I had stuck to just one instrument? How much more would I get out of my hobby if I had just stuck to one?

Avatar is one of my favorite shows!

I've always thought that Iroh was kind of a contradiction, being that he seemed like a kind and wise man, though he was involved in a horrible militaristic push to rule the world. Deep down I imagine that after his son died, he didn't feel the war was necessary.

He seemed like the smartest and wisest character on the show, even though he was technically one of the bad guys.

Iroh is by far my favorite character right from the start.

Jamie Stick wrote: One other thing I haven't seen anyone else mention yet is the scene where Iroh is training Zuko in the basic forms of fire bending. Zuko gets upset because he feels like what he is doing is fine, whereas Iroh sees a fundamental flaw in his technique. Zuko senses his own inadequacy in comparison to the Avatar and wants to be push ahead with his training despite Iroh's insistence that he is not ready.

This is something I see a lot while teaching martial arts. It's especially a problem in younger people. What people in this instance don't realize is that the more advanced stuff is very much dependent on the basics. Even people who have been training their whole lives practice the most basic moves regularly to keep them sharp. I can't tell you the number of students I've had you came in looking for "the advanced stuff" and quit when I tell them that they need to do the basics better first. My father used to say that an amateur practices until they get it right, a professional practices until they can't get it wrong.

I'm not of the opinion that a person can truly "master" anything. I used to be, but then as I got older and continued to practice things that I thought I had "mastered" I learned new things about them. I might not physically do them differently, but my understanding changed and that's part of "mastery."

Aside from not being physically ready Iroh knew that Zuko also wasn't emotionally ready to progress. He wanted it for the wrong reasons and that meant that learning it would be wrong and he wouldn't do as well. I think that this was probably the biggest reason that Iroh wouldn't teach him more yet.

Throughout the series we see examples of people trying things that they were told not to and having to deal with the negative consequences.

Alright everyone,

I've spoken with Connor and he's agreed to have me take over leading discussion on this. I've been itching to move this along, mostly because I want to hear what everyone thinks about each episode.

In episode two what do we see? I noticed a lot of complicated issues of responsibility: Aang, although he is an Air bender monk, is also still a kid. His personality reminds of what the Dalai Lama said in an interview he had with Russell Brand, that when he was a young boy he didn't want to be monk. Aang admits as much when Katara asks him why he didn't tell them he was the Avatar. On some level, it's easy to sympathize with Aang because he overslept by about 100 years and it hasn't sunk in yet that everything he knew is gone. This is also the first time we've seen Aang bend something other than air (water).

What are some things we see about Katara, Sokka, Gran-gran, etc?

Jamie Stick wrote: How much better would I be if I had stuck to just one instrument? How much more would I get out of my hobby if I had just stuck to one?

I know I'm a bit late to this part of the discussion, but this is something I constantly struggle with. I can't focus on any one thing for the length of time it takes to "master" them--not at my current level of mental activity. I've always seen my polymath status as a badge of honor, but it can just as easily be a sign of impatience or a lack of discipline. Some days I'm on the fence about which one it is.

Right now I'm trying to pimp my creativity online so I can claw my way out of relative destitution, and it is so. incredibly. hard. to do that when I haven't finished a project in over two years.

*sings "I Need an Iroh!"*

steamboat28 wrote: *sings "I Need an Iroh!"*

The sound I made when I read this was quite undignified... Your reference was not lost on me.

Episode 3: The Southern Air Temple

For reference, you can review names, places, and details of the plot using the Avatar Wiki which can be found by clicking here .

Episode 3 seems to have several themes but one I want to point is loyalty. Who is loyal to whom? What drives their loyalty? In this episode we start to see the development of Katara's loyalty to Aang. What drives her loyalty? While the answer may change at a later point in the story, at the moment it is in three-fold: because she believes the Avatar can save her tribe and her family from destruction, because she believes Aang will take her to the Northern Water Tribe so she can learn waterbending, and because she sees Aang like an adorable lost puppy that needs a friend. It might be said, in regard to that last point, that her view of Aang shifts from a lost puppy to a more full human being as Katara sees him grieving for his lost teacher. In this moment Katara sees a commonality with Aang because they both lost someone they loved dearly.

As for Aang, I would argue Aang has no loyalty. Though the reality of the danger he faces is beginning to sink in as he sees the empty and dilapidated air temple, Aang has not developed a sense of a duty or allegiance to anyone in particular. Remember that part of his whole reason for going on this trip is simply because it would be fun for him (he also has "a thing" for Katara). For most of the episode, Aang still thinks this just going to be a fun adventure for him. While we don't have much context, it would appear Aang didn't have enough loyalty Gyatso or the air nation to overcome his overwhelming fear of responsibility as the avatar.

Uncle Iroh's loyalty is to his nephew (and others as we will later see). His love and concern for his nephew outweighs any loyalty to his nation, though considering he is a retired general it is reasonable to suspect he loves the fire nation (albeit a less violent fire nation). Iroh demonstrates that his patience in the face of Zuko's short temper, offering him a counter balance of caution and prudence. This is the first time we see Zuko listen obediently to Iroh's advice. Iroh reassures his nephew that he is proud of Zuko.

Zuko is loyal to his father. This may be misplaced loyalty, as we will have better vantage to say later on, but his loyalty is rooted in a need to be received by his father. He wants so desperately to be in a place of honor in his father's eyes. He is wounded, both physically and emotionally, because he was exiled from the fire nation.

Sokka is loyal to his tribe, to his sense of duty to become a warrior, and to his sister. He is not a warrior yet despite what he thinks. He has no skill, but he has the heart of one who would risk everything to save his people. It is from this heart of loyalty and a sense of duty that he will become a warrior. It is his sense of loyalty to his sister that he sticks with her even though he didn't trust Aang.

What are your thoughts? What are some themes you noticed? What lessons can be drawn from each character's sense of loyalty?

Episode 4: The Warriors of Kyoshi

I didn't realize this episode was so early on in the show. I love this episode!

The theme I'm noticing in this episode is assumptions: Katara's assumptions about Aang, Aang's assumptions about the danger he brings to Kyoshi, and of course Sokka's assumptions about the young women of Kyoshi.

Katara still sees Aang as a larger-than-life figure of Avatar. She's bifurcated him into two people: playful boy who seeks adventure and fun, then there's the Avatar. She expects him to be the Avatar when she needs him to be, but wants him to be the playful boy when it suits her. Her assumptions about Aang's character are continually shattered, leaving her disappointed in Aang when her boy-rescuer (a la Peter Pan to Wendy) starts to show off the island girls who worship his every movement.

Aang is still unwilling to fully comprehend the danger he faces. Although he was faced with the reality of being the only airbender left alive, he still sees his journey as one big opportunity to have an adventure of fun. The reality of the Fire Nation's corruption has not sunk in. The danger of what Lord Ozai and Prince Zuko represent is not on his radar. His assumption is that he is safe, that if the Fire Nation is out of sight then there is no danger. In this episode, Aang begins to see that the Fire Nation is willing to destroy entire villages in order to catch him. The innocent lives he meets are at risk simply because they met him.

And Sokka... Oh, Sokka! He deserved every ounce of embarrassment he suffered in this episode. Suki and the other warriors of Kyoshi prove that Sokka's assumption about girls and young women are false. In fact, one might argue that it is here he learns the fundamentals for his technique as a warrior. Though he has pretended to be a great warrior of the Southern Water Tribe, up until now we have yet to see that he knows anything more than how to put on the traditional Southern Water Tribe warrior make-up (see Ep. 1). It is important that he had to humble himself, admit his assumptions were wrong, and then (and only then) would Suki teach him the basics of their art.

Unfortunately we don't get much in the way of lesson from Zuko and Iroh, however I welcome someone to make a counter-argument.

This episode is very interesting to me. I think one could parallel Sokka's sexism and lack of respect as being very Yang focused. He is very much energy driven, but he lacks the Yin earthly balance he acquires later in the show (boomerang, anyone?).

The Kyoshi warriors are the epitome of Yin balance. They are earth-benders after all.

He does learn a bit of this, what I like to call, foundation. It is the backbone of a warrior, and the quality many beginning students lack. We are abundant in excitable readiness with no sense of control or focus. When we have both that alacrity and that groundedness, that's when we are a force to be reckoned with.