EEEE!! MAKE MORE POSTS!! *WANTS* I guess my last comment did hinge on certain things happening-- it's funny how my perspective changes (at least on Zuko) but my actual perception of the character still follows a steady arc. My favorite thing is how I always knew he *would* change, but I still got angry and frustrated with him, even if I knew, I realized if he changed when his uncle wanted him to it would've been too easy. Haha well I don't have a complex rationalization for it like you do (and it makes sense), but I still knew it would be too easy. Even so, it was aggravating, and Zuko in those days he spent at the palace was even more annoying and aggravating, to the point where I questioned whether I liked his type :P 'Cause he's so totally my type of character (I'm a sucker, what can I say), and yet I was like 'just snap out of it already, why are you such a total loser!!' hehe. I think that makes a good story!
Anyway, I so totally loved how his whole personality shifts from annoying-brat-who-takes-himself-uber-seriously to charismatic-guy-who-can-laugh-at-himself. That made me sooooo happy, since it's his taking-himself-too-seriously that was really getting on my nerves and making him seem unlikable. It's also the flaw his sister has, though not as magnified-- self-centeredness, megalomania. It's because she can't see anything but herself, and it was ridiculous to see so much of it in Zuko, 'cause I could always tell he was better than that! And yet no matter what, he was soooo self-centered! Ugh! Y'know? hehe. And then suddenly he released it, like he was holding a fist, and suddenly it was such a relief to be allowed to like the guy he actually IS! That was awesome. His little monologues to himself approach Sokka-level cuteness. Even his voice seems a little different, maybe 'cause he's not angry all the time (man, that gets tiring too). <3<3<3<3 Sokka also gets cuter all the time, but maybe that's just me. The only person who's getting less cute is Katara (she's getting all mature in a motherly way, but then the boys do need it!!).
Anyway, yeah, Zuko's how it's supposed to be done, all the way, totally. <3333 YEAH!! FINALLY! Staying in HP fandom made me ashamed of my redemptionista tendencies, man :O Not cool!!! :D Hahah earn forgiveness. But it isn't about anyone forgiving you, just like it isn't about regaining honor, because who you are is who you are, and that's what it's about. Though making new friends and finding out who your real old friends were, that's a perk. Wasn't it awesome that Mei was loyal? And then the other girl was loyal to Mei? That made me so happy. Even though I'm not sure I like him with Mei long-term, maybe, they're still cute, and anyway I'm glad she showed him good faith since so many people don't. But not as many as Zuko thinks. It's not like he ever thought his sister had good faith towards him, so it's only his dad, and his dad... well, has issues.
And yes, maturity!! SEE! SEE! I always said, ok, I always said that what I really wanted for Draco was for him to Grow Up. And not in a fake 'oh now I see the light' sort of way like 292339039 writers did it, but like, with difficulty and problems and setbacks and... believable steps, etc. Because growing up is HARD. But in the end, 'redemption' for teenagers has gotta be like that. And for adults, it's still like that, because an adult may make mistakes, but he doesn't make really stupid mistakes if he listens to both his heart and his reason, not ego or the childish grudges inside. Snape never really grew up though, so it was all muddled. He listened to his heart in a sort of stilted way. It totally wasn't satisfying at all, at least to me. But anyway, ZUKO! Hehe I'm so happy I can now think 'Zuko' and 'CUTE' in one thought. <3 He just keeps on being cool and admirable since he left. Iroh would be so proud. :D!
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Date: 2008-05-26 12:14 am (UTC)I guess my last comment did hinge on certain things happening-- it's funny how my perspective changes (at least on Zuko) but my actual perception of the character still follows a steady arc. My favorite thing is how I always knew he *would* change, but I still got angry and frustrated with him, even if I knew, I realized if he changed when his uncle wanted him to it would've been too easy. Haha well I don't have a complex rationalization for it like you do (and it makes sense), but I still knew it would be too easy. Even so, it was aggravating, and Zuko in those days he spent at the palace was even more annoying and aggravating, to the point where I questioned whether I liked his type :P 'Cause he's so totally my type of character (I'm a sucker, what can I say), and yet I was like 'just snap out of it already, why are you such a total loser!!' hehe. I think that makes a good story!
Anyway, I so totally loved how his whole personality shifts from annoying-brat-who-takes-himself-uber-seriously to charismatic-guy-who-can-laugh-at-himself. That made me sooooo happy, since it's his taking-himself-too-seriously that was really getting on my nerves and making him seem unlikable. It's also the flaw his sister has, though not as magnified-- self-centeredness, megalomania. It's because she can't see anything but herself, and it was ridiculous to see so much of it in Zuko, 'cause I could always tell he was better than that! And yet no matter what, he was soooo self-centered! Ugh! Y'know? hehe. And then suddenly he released it, like he was holding a fist, and suddenly it was such a relief to be allowed to like the guy he actually IS! That was awesome. His little monologues to himself approach Sokka-level cuteness. Even his voice seems a little different, maybe 'cause he's not angry all the time (man, that gets tiring too). <3<3<3<3 Sokka also gets cuter all the time, but maybe that's just me. The only person who's getting less cute is Katara (she's getting all mature in a motherly way, but then the boys do need it!!).
Anyway, yeah, Zuko's how it's supposed to be done, all the way, totally. <3333 YEAH!! FINALLY! Staying in HP fandom made me ashamed of my redemptionista tendencies, man :O Not cool!!! :D Hahah earn forgiveness. But it isn't about anyone forgiving you, just like it isn't about regaining honor, because who you are is who you are, and that's what it's about. Though making new friends and finding out who your real old friends were, that's a perk. Wasn't it awesome that Mei was loyal? And then the other girl was loyal to Mei? That made me so happy. Even though I'm not sure I like him with Mei long-term, maybe, they're still cute, and anyway I'm glad she showed him good faith since so many people don't. But not as many as Zuko thinks. It's not like he ever thought his sister had good faith towards him, so it's only his dad, and his dad... well, has issues.
And yes, maturity!! SEE! SEE! I always said, ok, I always said that what I really wanted for Draco was for him to Grow Up. And not in a fake 'oh now I see the light' sort of way like 292339039 writers did it, but like, with difficulty and problems and setbacks and... believable steps, etc. Because growing up is HARD. But in the end, 'redemption' for teenagers has gotta be like that. And for adults, it's still like that, because an adult may make mistakes, but he doesn't make really stupid mistakes if he listens to both his heart and his reason, not ego or the childish grudges inside. Snape never really grew up though, so it was all muddled. He listened to his heart in a sort of stilted way. It totally wasn't satisfying at all, at least to me. But anyway, ZUKO! Hehe I'm so happy I can now think 'Zuko' and 'CUTE' in one thought. <3 He just keeps on being cool and admirable since he left. Iroh would be so proud. :D!