The official "Avatar the last airbender" speculation thread.

[Akelexre]

Update: BS Player *rocks* for having slow mo.







Yeah, that really looks like Zula to me.

Interesting. Not sure what to make of this. Not at all. Will need some time to digest...and finish my damn East Asia Military Affairs paper.

--Alexander

[Delthayre]

Yeah, that really looks like Zula to me.

I agree, but somehow I can't yet convince myself that Zula would end up training Aang. I almost suspect that Pakku being the waterbender in the opening was somewhat misleading, or that his presence has been interpreted incorrectly. They might not necessarily be the people who train Aang, rather they may merely be the most important or powerful benders of their respective elements that he will encounter.

Interesting. Not sure what to make of this. Not at all. Will need some time to digest...and finish my damn East Asia Military Affairs paper.

--Alexander

The Causative in Kaqchikel for me, but I know what you mean.

[I.R Joey]

And if they fall back on neutralizer Katara by keeping her away from a source of water, so help me I'll... well, I'll be a bit put out, but that's the extent of it. Anything more substantial would probably entail airfare to Burbank, which means that besides having to pay plenty, I'd have to go to California, and I do not want to go to California. Besides, it would be rather dull if they did that.

Well when you think about it they'll probably be heading into the central Earth kingdom during the next season. That means no oceans for Katara, or Aang, to waterbend with (though they'll likely have lakes, rivers, and other fresh water bodies of water to work with.

And I wouldn't try going to Burbank and doing anything to Nick studios. They may not have the Avatar, and the spirit world protecting them, but they have some incredibal security around their studio. Gated and everything.

Nice pictures Akelexre, it pretty much confirms what we already knew. But I think Delthayre may be right in regards to to us being mislead. Maybe those are just random benders, not neccicerily Aang's teachers (I'm still hoping that Boomie teacher Aang Earthbending).

[Waylaid]

Will the finale of the Earth cycle has Aang possessing or being possessed by an Earth Spirit? It seems to make sense considering:

Each cycle have Aang pick up benders of the respective elements, like Katara & Sokka.

Each cycle have Aang trying to find the master of the respective element, like Master Pakku, to be taught by.



My other prediction will be that the Earthbender that Aang will supposedly pick up would be a girl, and she will be Sokka's sparring partner, and of course love interest.


Speaking of Zula, this in regards to gender politics in the Fire Nation's military. If there's anything said about Zula, and women's position in the FN military, is that women aren't unallowed in the FN army; no, those who are firebending prodigies are given special positions in the army. Why? You heard of the "hell hath no fury...."?

Perhaps it says much about every Elemental Nation's attitude towards women. In some cultures in these nations, women aren't allow to Element bend not because is a man thing, because Element bending women are gol-dang more powerful than men. It's a fear thing; no man wants to be undermined by a woman that possess that much power, so they try to suppress them. Or in the FN's case, harness them.....


Then there's a matter of yin & yang: If for the Water tribe, the ocean & the moon represents yin & yang respectively, what about the other elemental nations. If the sun is the Fire Nation's yang, what is the FNs yin? If I can deduct this correctly, Earth Kingdom's yang is the earth, the soil, possibly the desert. The yin are something like the supposedly the desert of the Earth Kingdom, and the ocean of the Water Tribe, something like a huge tract of an element like mountains, skies etc.. The yang are the sun, the moon, the heavens and so forth, something that influences those large tracts of elements, and both circle each other.

[Funkatron]

I'm assuming the other spirit for the Fire nation would be lava/earth's core/geological heat

[Jex]

I'm assuming the other spirit for the Fire nation would be lava/earth's core/geological heat

IMO I think it's the comet and the sun. I mean doesn't the comet give an extra boost to FN power?

[Funkatron]

IMO I think it's the comet and the sun. I mean doesn't the comet give an extra boost to FN power?

The comet might be a third spirit/powersource. Speculation, really

[Delthayre]

Perhaps Katara's prodigal advancement in waterbending, though this is perhaps delving into fanwankish territory I'm generally uncomfortable plying, is meant to set up a particularly bitter rivalry between her and Zula, the, "firebending prodigy." It's a rough and not wholly congruous idea and if it were true it would probably set up a few too many catfight jokes (and I don't even want to think of what might lurk out of the caves where fanfiction is sometimes written), but it is conceivable.

[Quarter-Dragon]

Obviously not going to happen, but you have to laugh at the idea of Ozai summoning the power of the great comet at the big huge ol' finale to everything only to find out that comets are actually made of ICE!

[I.R Joey]

I don't know about you guys, but is anyone begining to think that Roku is helping Aang out of some sense of guilt? That somehow, someway he's trying to atone for a mistake he made that may have inadvertadly lead to the start of the war?

Because I think that may very well be possible.

[ixiah]

My other prediction will be that the Earthbender that Aang will supposedly pick up would be a girl, and she will be Sokka's sparring partner, and of course love interest.

My guess is its Haru.

I don't know about you guys, but is anyone begining to think that Roku is helping Aang out of some sense of guilt? That somehow, someway he's trying to atone for a mistake he made that may have inadvertadly lead to the start of the war?

Because I think that may very well be possible.

Nah. I think Roku (and that monk that halped out Aang) are characters being used to show the viewers that Fire Element doesn't mean "Default Evil" prior to "The Deserters".

Aang will probably eventually come across Water Bending or Earth Bending evil characters in his journey too.

[Waylaid]

Any other speculations besides mine on who would be the Earthbender to join Aang's party? Could it be a new original character or someone in the Earth Kingdom they have met?

And if Aang & co travels across the oceans in the Water Book, and possibly on the desert or some larger tract of land in Earth, where and kind of body do you the gang might walk through that'll represent Fire?


Is there a possibility that Koh might scheme an escape from the spirit world to Avatar world?

[Jex]

Is there a possibility that Koh might scheme an escape from the spirit world to Avatar world?

There is a possibility that zhao might appear in the spirit world. LOL it be funny if he he meets koh...Or Aang..

[Delthayre]

I would rather see Suki return, having found "The Warriors of Kyoshi" much better upon review, than Haru, whom I often see cited as a potential new permanent cast member, but it could as easily be someone new. For all I know it could be the Cabbage Guy.

Something else I have been considering is that for the new season the opening narration might be redone, quite possibly with Sokka providing it rather than Katara. I can't cite an example off-hand from animation, but Babylon 5 had different opening narration with each season, I could imagine A:TLA doing something similar. I suppose then at book three, with Aang's final showdown with Ozai impending (or so I would presume) would be narrated by Aang himself (or possibly even Zuko, or the new permanent character, depending upon how the story goes and will go).

Sokka reading the opening narration would tie to another theory, although it might be better called a hope, of mine that whereas book one had considerable emphasis on Katara's trying to become a waterbender, book two may shift proportionally more focus toward Sokka. To what end, I don't know, but the events of "Siege of the North part 2" almost certainly have left him deeply changed and I should hope that the writers capitalize on that.

[Akelexre]

I would rather see Suki return, having found "The Warriors of Kyoshi" much better upon review, than Haru, whom I often see cited as a potential new permanent cast member, but it could as easily be someone new.

Something else I have been considering is that for the new season the opening narration might be redone, quite possibly with Sokka providing it rather than Katara. I can't cite an example off-hand from animation, but Babylon 5 had different opening narration with each season, I could imagine A:TLA doing something similar. I suppose then at book three, with Aang's final showdown with Ozai impending (or so I would presume) would be narrated by Aang himself (or possibly even Zuko, or the new permanent character, depending upon how the story goes and will go).

Sokka reading the opening narration would tie to another theory, although it might be better called a hope, of mine that whereas book one had considerable emphasis on Katara's trying to become a waterbender, book two may shift proportionally more focus toward Sokka. To what end, I don't know, but the events of "Siege of the North part 2" almost certainly have left him deeply changed and I should hope that the writers capitalize on that.

A: The narration aspect is interesting. It *would* be cool to have Sokka read for the second book, but I think it should be changed. The current opening has a bender reading it and focuses on bending. Perhaps Sokka's narration could play up more the war element of the times.

B: Hey Deth, once when something from the distant past (ie episodes aired months ago) was brought up you mentioned you hadn't seen older episodes in a while, but in a couple of Avatar threads you've very recently been providing examples from early eps. Perhaps you've been able to go back and watch the early part of book 1? If so, any chance that once you're done we could trouble you for any notes/observations you might have?

--Alexander

[Delthayre]

A: The narration aspect is interesting. It *would* be cool to have Sokka read for the second book, but I think it should be changed. The current opening has a bender reading it and focuses on bending. Perhaps Sokka's narration could play up more the war element of the times.

Yes, I agree that the content as well as the voice should be changed.

B: Hey Delth, once when something from the distant past (ie episodes aired months ago) was brought up you mentioned you hadn't seen older episodes in a while, but in a couple of Avatar threads you've very recently been providing examples from early eps. Perhaps you've been able to go back and watch the early part of book 1? If so, any chance that once you're done we could trouble you for any notes/observations you might have?

Well "The Southern Air Temple" and "The Warriors of Kyoshi" aired at 11:30am yesterday and today, respectively. Which was good since I have been wanting to watch the earlier episodes, largely to sample contrasts.

Aside from changes to the character designs (Zuko's chin used to be awfully pointy) and voice changes, the visual style seems to have become rather more reserved with fewer wacky poses and exagerrated motions, though that is perhaps a symptom of the slowly darkening tone of the series. It also seems that the writing has become tighter since those earlier episodes.

As for observations, there isn't anything too groundbreaking. I certainly am better settled with Katara's rather dramatic, and unfortunately off-screen, advancement between "The Waterbending Master" and "Siege of the North part 1" than I first was. Katara demonstrated considerable ability with waterbending, but seemed to lack refinement.

I can't really say that I've noticed anything particularly interesting. But I did enjoy "The Warriors of Kyoshi" much more this time than I had the first time, and I'm suprised how little I had remembered of it. It seems to me that the style of fighting, which I can only guess is a variant of Aikido, is better fit to Sokka than I would have thought early in the series before he had really demonstrated his capacity for ingenuity and outright cleverness. Perhaps Suki could return on a permanent basis to not only train Sokka, perhaps leaving the way open for a parallel with Katara's training Aang (and doubtless mutual complaining about their respective taskmasters), and balance the central ensemble in terms of gender (two male, two female) and abilities (two benders, two conventional fighters). Besides, I'm somewhat curious to see how Suki might look without the make-up.

As for "The Southern Air Temple", well the most interesting thing I drew from that was a greater inclination toward theories that Momo might be more than he seems. That he appeared first in the chamber full of avatar's statues and surreptitiosly lead Aang to where Gyatso had made his last stand certainly does provide a suggestions that he might be the mortal form of a spirit or reincarnated monk, or something more than he seems to be. The nearly maternal feelings of Katara toward Aagn were noticeably manifested in her early trying to shield him from realizing the awful thing that had happened in the temple and later attempts to console and calm him.

[Waylaid]

Delthayre, may I interject that perhaps Sokka isn't the person who will narrate the opening. Since Avatar might follow the season's title of Water, Earth, & Air, it should be a certain Earthbender who would narrate. It seems logical if considering that in the Fire Book, Zuko would narrate. You said it yourself; Katara narrate the opening to symbolise her journey to become a master waterbender, it seems to be her point of view. The Fire book would be Zuko's journey to prove his worth, his POV. So in the Earth book, it should an Earthbender's POV as s/he journeys with the avatar.

As I said earlier, every Avatar has a certain pattern accordingly to each season's title. Aang & co would travel would travel across large bodies or tracts of elements such as the Ocean (Water); along the way, would add a Bender to their party according to elements of each season etc. It would be logical they might end up in a capital of every Elemental nation like the North Pole of the Water Tribe, and it would be logical that an Earthbender might be added to the party.

So we know that Katara & Sokka of Water and Zuko & Iroh (or maybe another firebender) would be part of Aang's party. The question right now for next season would be:

Who is the mystery Earthbender?

[Rasputin]

I'm not sure if this is a popular opinion or not, but while I'm of the mind that an Earthbender would join next season, I don't want it to be Haru. I don't know if it's the excessive pretty-boy-ness or sheer lack of personality, but I just REALLY don't want it to be Haru. Of course, that would mean that whoever will join next season will join completely out of the blue (or...is that green?) without any prior introductions this season...unless there's someone I missed. Remember, I haven't been able to watch the second half of this season. Maybe when I get home from University and sat in front of my parent's satellite TV. I think Avatar's been on in the UK since early November, hasn't it?

[I.R Joey]

Seeing as how book 2 is about to premeir this week. I thought it would be appropriate to bump this thread.

Things look interesting that's for sure.

According to the commercial.

-Bumi will be Aang's earthbending teacher (makes sense).
and
-Zuko and Iroh are now hunted fugitives (with Zutra on their tail).

Looks like stuff is going to get pretty intense in book 2.

[CartoonOverlord]

Well I'm guessing for sure that Zula or whatever her name is is going to be the next "Zhao" for this season, in other words major villain that is not Ozai. I'm also guessing that Zuko and Iroh would have to team up with Aang and Company now that they're wanted and all.