I brought up Toph/The Runaway as an example of twenty minutes of character introspection that ended up being filler. So the writers/producers weren't able to establish Mai's character for want of time or space to do so.
I'm not sure why you would call Toph's arc in that episode filler just because nothing in it directly leads to the final outcome. But my point with Mai wasn't that they didn't have the time or space to do more with her if they wanted to. I think the level of attention Mai got was fine for the story and she didn't really need minute character detail. I don't think it was a bad decision to not minutely show Mai's changing feelings (especially since her character is opaque by definition). I wasn't confused by her actions at the end and didn't feel like I missed anything about her.
No, I don't think it's a redemption either. It's a transition - she's transplanting loyalty from one person to another.
Only Azula demands loyalty, though. She's broken up with Zuko when she acts on his behalf. I think her actions for Zuko represent far more of an independent action on her part than caving in to Azula.
Like you said, the Boiling Rock established that she won't be left behind after Zuko saved the world (on retrospect, that scene is actually more about Azula's and Ty Lee's character arcs' than it is about Mai's) but it would also apply if Zuko wasn't going on to save the world, but to destroy it.
I don't think it would be that dire, since as I said, I think the writers set them up enough to show that Mai is attracted to Zuko specifically--what makes him Zuko are the things that make him make the decisions that he does. She's not drawn by his charisma or his dominating personality. Her change of mind about what's right is definitely going to come from Zuko because he's the one who makes the case that what the Fire Nation is doing is wrong, but that's a legitimate way for someone to be influenced. I don't think the fact that she's going to rethink things due in part to her boyfriend's opinions automatically means her opinions are flimsy and only influenced by others. Like I said it seems to me that the writer's did tell me that this is someone who goes from not caring about anything to seeing the point in caring about something, which makes her a different person than she was earlier on. I agree it doesn't say for sure what decision she'd make in the same situation again depending on the person, but the introduction of the unknown is enough development for me.
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I'm not sure why you would call Toph's arc in that episode filler just because nothing in it directly leads to the final outcome. But my point with Mai wasn't that they didn't have the time or space to do more with her if they wanted to. I think the level of attention Mai got was fine for the story and she didn't really need minute character detail. I don't think it was a bad decision to not minutely show Mai's changing feelings (especially since her character is opaque by definition). I wasn't confused by her actions at the end and didn't feel like I missed anything about her.
No, I don't think it's a redemption either. It's a transition - she's transplanting loyalty from one person to another.
Only Azula demands loyalty, though. She's broken up with Zuko when she acts on his behalf. I think her actions for Zuko represent far more of an independent action on her part than caving in to Azula.
Like you said, the Boiling Rock established that she won't be left behind after Zuko saved the world (on retrospect, that scene is actually more about Azula's and Ty Lee's character arcs' than it is about Mai's) but it would also apply if Zuko wasn't going on to save the world, but to destroy it.
I don't think it would be that dire, since as I said, I think the writers set them up enough to show that Mai is attracted to Zuko specifically--what makes him Zuko are the things that make him make the decisions that he does. She's not drawn by his charisma or his dominating personality. Her change of mind about what's right is definitely going to come from Zuko because he's the one who makes the case that what the Fire Nation is doing is wrong, but that's a legitimate way for someone to be influenced. I don't think the fact that she's going to rethink things due in part to her boyfriend's opinions automatically means her opinions are flimsy and only influenced by others. Like I said it seems to me that the writer's did tell me that this is someone who goes from not caring about anything to seeing the point in caring about something, which makes her a different person than she was earlier on. I agree it doesn't say for sure what decision she'd make in the same situation again depending on the person, but the introduction of the unknown is enough development for me.