Avatar (animated TV show) ~potential spoilers~

Post by Skreeran

To be honest, I think I like Korra more than Aang. That's not to say I like her series more, or that she's a better character--TLoK Book 1 felt rushed, in my opinion, and Aang is a great character even if I like Korra more.

I like that Korra is more headstrong and ready to fight than Aang, and I like that she's a young independent woman. More stories could stand to have them.

Post by Haxzor

Post by Skreeran

Yeah. I liked Aang and his conflict between his ideology (pacifism) and his destiny (to defeat the Firelord), but after that, I really like an Avatar that can really cut loose and kick ass. I especially like that it's a lady.

Post by Azazel

Korra - independant black woman who don't need no man

Post by Adamsm

Korra - independant Inuit woman who don't need no man
Fixed that for you.

Post by Gone

Headstrong independent women are kind of standard issue for Avatar. Katarra, Suki, Toph, Korra. On the other hand the men tend to be depicted as the stereotypically weaker ones. Aang is a pacifist, Sokka is the weakest member of the main group of heroes/villains, Zuko is constantly getting his ass stomped by his younger sister.

Post by Azazel

Aang is not weak tho, despite being a pacifist.

Post by Gone

Aang is not weak tho, despite being a pacifist.

Weak isn't the right word. None of them are really weak. Even Sokka is still a skilled warrior by the show's standards.

EDIT: Anybody ever notice Roku is the only Avatar that still shows up as an old man in his spirit form? Da fuqs up with that...

Post by Azazel

I agree with the rest tho, all the important female characters seem to be very strong in some way or another.

Post by Adamsm

And Sokka took out a guy who can make things explode with his mind with a boomerang; also, once he got his sword, he stopped getting his ass stomped so much, unless it was hilariously funny for the plot.

Honestly, strength wise, Sokka, Suki, Ty Lee and Mai were some of the more impressive ones; they took on people with phenomenal powers and managed to hold their own despite the fact their enemies could crush them like bugs, set them on fire, drown them or send them flying into the sky.

But yeah, it's nice to see strong female characters that aren't stereotypes or just there to hold the bag.

EDIT: Anybody ever notice Roku is the only Avatar that still shows up as an old man in his spirit form? Da fuqs up with that...

Could be based on when he finally died; or maybe he just feels more comfortable in that form. It's hard to figure out why spirits do what they do.

Post by Skreeran

Could be based on when he finally died; or maybe he just feels more comfortable in that form. It's hard to figure out why spirits do what they do.This.

And Sokka took out a guy who can make things explode with his mind with a boomerang; also, once he got his sword, he stopped getting his ass stomped so much, unless it was hilariously funny for the plot.And this. Really, if you watch the series finale, Sokka was kicking a major amount of ass. And that's not even to speak of Aang getting the Phoenix King to run for his life.

The White Lotus group was all male too, and they all were supreme in their arts.

Post by Gone

Honestly, strength wise, Sokka, Suki, Ty Lee and Mai were some of the more impressive ones; they took on people with phenomenal powers and managed to hold their own despite the fact their enemies could crush them like bugs, set them on fire, drown them or send them flying into the sky.

Compared with who? All the nameless Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom soldiers they've taken out? Not really that impressive... Ty Lee and Mai probably have the best feats when taking out benders. Sukki we see less of it, but she's still impressive. Sokka's best victories usually boil down to a lucky shot, like with Combustion Man, or the writers trying to give him his moment.

Like I said, he's an impressive warrior compared to all the nameless fodder the main group routinely shreds through, but he's nowhere near the level of the other main characters.

The White Lotus group was all male too, and they all were supreme in their arts.
A lot of them were also very pacifistic. I already said weak wasn't the right word, just that they aren't portrayed as headstrong or aggressive as the female characters.

Post by Skreeran

Fire Lord Ozai was though. And then there was Zuko in Season 3, who kicked everyone's ass but his sister's (and we don't know whether he could have really stood against her at the end because she cheated). And then there was Katara and Sokka's father. And Jet. And Haru.

Post by Gone

Of course you can find acceptations, I never said it was an absolute rule for every character in the series. Just a trend I noticed among the main characters.

Post by Skreeran

I just don't see the trend, though. Sure, there are a lot of Action Girls--moreso than in a lot of other series--but there are a lot of Action Guys as well. It seems more or less equal to me.

Post by Gone

I just don't see the trend, though. Sure, there are a lot of Action Girls--moreso than in a lot of other series--but there are a lot of Action Guys as well. It seems more or less equal to me.

It's not that there are a lot of action girls, it's that every main female character is an action girl.

Of the main characters the only one you could really call an "action guy" is Zuko, and he routinely get's his ass kicked throughout the series by Aang and Azula. I'm not counting side characters like Jet, or Ozai who is the obligatory villain. Most of the rest of the main male cast are either pacifists like Iroh and Aang (those two didn't get nearly enough screen time together btw), or Sokka who's is pretty firmly a third tier fighter.

Post by Skreeran

Meh. Sokka and Aang both kick ass when they need to. Same thing with the all-male Order of the White Lotus.

And with Korra it's pretty equal too. Korra and Asami on the girls team, with Mako, Bolin, and Iroh on the boys.

Post by Gone

Meh. Sokka and Aang both kick ass when they need to.

Yea, but I still wouldn't call either of them mr. action. The fact that you had to add in those last four words alone should tell you that. Aangs thing is peace and non-violence, and Sokka is comic relief. Nether of them ever look for a fight as often as Toph does, or act in the same hot headed manner as Katarra. Same applies to most of the White Lotus.

Same thing with the all-male Order of the White Lotus.

And with Korra it's pretty equal too. Korra and Asami on the girls team, with Mako, Bolin, and Iroh on the boys.

Iroh 2 is not a main character (yet), and neither are the White Lotus, with the exception of Iroh 1. Also i was mostly referring to The Last Airbender, not Legend of Korra, where things are a bit more even in the latter.

Post by Skreeran

Iroh 2 is not a main character (yet), and neither are the White Lotus, with the exception of Iroh 1. Also i was mostly referring to The Last Airbender, not Legend of Korra, where things are a bit more even in the latter.Then maybe I'm not understanding, but I don't see anything to complain about.

The Last Airbender was excellent. One of the best series/cartoons/stories I've ever witnessed. Just because there were slightly more hotheaded girls than guys doesn't take away from that experience in the slightest for me.

Avatar (animated TV show) ~potential spoilers~

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