(And that alone makes me love them, because what is the obsession people have with surprise at the expense of all else sometimes? If all you've got going for you is the surprise, there's no reason to think about it later.)
Oh kudos for them. It is rather obvious from the first couple of episodes where they are going with Zuko. Within moments of meeting him, we're given his motivations for hunting the Avatar - his honour and his father's respect (which is actually love even if he doesn't out and out admit it) & we see he has honour: both in his duel with Captain-turned-Commander-turned-Admiral Jaw (:P) and his honourably keeping his word about not destroying the water tribe village in exchange for Aang. I like the fact that it was built into the story from the beginning (it could so easily have been fanservice to redeem him because he was *cool*) and that the writers saw the fans guessing and we're pleased about it and didn't feel the desperate need to retcon his arc because the fans were too smart.
My hubby was totally ticked off at him after CoD for choosing Azula & his honour & Evil over Iroh. Actually, we both were. But I understood why he did it and it fitted his character arc. Of course, he had a choice. But I don't think it's the obvious choice: fight with Azula/against the Avatar OR fight against Azula/with the Avatar but I don't think that would be correct. I think it was more like: fight with Azula or free Iroh and run. Again. There was nothing in Zuko's conditioning that would ever make him go against his father to the extent of defending the Avatar. He could only have looked the other way - as he more or less did when he freed Aang. And he was tired of running. He had said so already to Iroh. Then there was the magic words: "honour"/"father's love". Azula, who I see as the Palpatine of the story even more than her father, knew exactly what to say to push Zuko's buttons.
Then Zuko comes back home, and nightmares of the Avatar returning and making him out as a fool aside, he finds out that his dream of restored honour/father's love/respect et al was just that: a dream. He had everything he wanted but he didn't want it anymore. Sure, some people don't need to drink poison to know it's bad. But Zuko isn't one of those people. Hubby and I are still arguing over whether that makes Zuko weaker or stronger. On the one hand, it takes great strength of character to, when offered, turn your back on what you've always wanted and do the right thing. On the other hand, it also takes great strength of character to have what you've always wanted, and then turn your back on it and do the right thing.
Zuko's cool!
He certainly is. He's not been the Character to Watch for me - that's Aang, followed by Katara and Sokka* - but he's been a close fourth, enough for me not to even mind chapters like "Zuko Alone" that focus exclusively on him.
*And there I was thinking I'd never find a story again where the main characters are actually flawed and likable. Here's looking at you, Harry P.
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Date: 2008-07-08 12:15 pm (UTC)Oh kudos for them. It is rather obvious from the first couple of episodes where they are going with Zuko. Within moments of meeting him, we're given his motivations for hunting the Avatar - his honour and his father's respect (which is actually love even if he doesn't out and out admit it) & we see he has honour: both in his duel with Captain-turned-Commander-turned-Admiral Jaw (:P) and his honourably keeping his word about not destroying the water tribe village in exchange for Aang. I like the fact that it was built into the story from the beginning (it could so easily have been fanservice to redeem him because he was *cool*) and that the writers saw the fans guessing and we're pleased about it and didn't feel the desperate need to retcon his arc because the fans were too smart.
My hubby was totally ticked off at him after CoD for choosing Azula & his honour & Evil over Iroh. Actually, we both were. But I understood why he did it and it fitted his character arc. Of course, he had a choice. But I don't think it's the obvious choice: fight with Azula/against the Avatar OR fight against Azula/with the Avatar but I don't think that would be correct. I think it was more like: fight with Azula or free Iroh and run. Again. There was nothing in Zuko's conditioning that would ever make him go against his father to the extent of defending the Avatar. He could only have looked the other way - as he more or less did when he freed Aang. And he was tired of running. He had said so already to Iroh. Then there was the magic words: "honour"/"father's love". Azula, who I see as the Palpatine of the story even more than her father, knew exactly what to say to push Zuko's buttons.
Then Zuko comes back home, and nightmares of the Avatar returning and making him out as a fool aside, he finds out that his dream of restored honour/father's love/respect et al was just that: a dream. He had everything he wanted but he didn't want it anymore. Sure, some people don't need to drink poison to know it's bad. But Zuko isn't one of those people. Hubby and I are still arguing over whether that makes Zuko weaker or stronger. On the one hand, it takes great strength of character to, when offered, turn your back on what you've always wanted and do the right thing. On the other hand, it also takes great strength of character to have what you've always wanted, and then turn your back on it and do the right thing.
He certainly is. He's not been the Character to Watch for me - that's Aang, followed by Katara and Sokka* - but he's been a close fourth, enough for me not to even mind chapters like "Zuko Alone" that focus exclusively on him.
*And there I was thinking I'd never find a story again where the main characters are actually flawed and likable. Here's looking at you, Harry P.