Avatar: The Last Airbender

[Aanchir]

Best--episode--yet.Tarrlok is a bloodbender. Tarrlok is a bloodbender. And not just during the full moon. I feel inclined to laugh in a few faces now; but I won't because I confess I had no logical basis for my outré theory, it was just one of those random guesses I'm inclined to make that turn out to be true. But I can't believe the blaring fact you're all overlooking. Everything Tarrlok is doing is exactly what Amon would want. Korra said it herself that he was playing right into Amon's hands! He actually is oppressing the non-benders! Unless Tarrlok's just an all-around cool dude, which I might have called him up until the end of this episode, he must be working with Amon. His plan did nothing but boost Equalist support. What's he really up to? Is he Amon? I don't know. But I think there's a lot more to him than there seems, even now.So the flashback. Who was that losing their bending? I thought it was that Tarrlok-looking guy, but then he bloodbent in the next scene of the flashback. I want to see something more material! What's going on here? One thing's for sure . . . we have a lot to look forward to, when Aang finally talks to Korra.Oh, and it looks like Tarrlok's taking Korra away from Republic City. Yes.Also, the Avatarmobile? Awesome.

On another note, I watched The Last Airbender the other day. You know, the live-action film. It was pretty good. I had rock-bottom expectations, having heard awful things about it; and I always have low expectations when it comes to film adaptations of anything. There were some major changes and plot-holes--for example, why in the world didn't those earthbending prisoners kick the butts of those three miserable guards?--but I didn't mind them all that much. To be honest, I thought the Ember Island Players did a better job of casting, Aang alone an exception. But there were only three things that really irked me.First, character. Primarily, Sokka was hardly funny. Okay, serious live-action movie, I get it. But they could have done a better job with him than that. But Aang was also far too somber. And as for Katara . . . again, the Ember Island Players did better. And where were her hair-loopies? DXSecond, no cabbage merchant? That would have been the movie's single saving grace. . . .Third, pronunciation. Good grief, every time they spoke Ong's name, I wanted to cry.And Ee-row? It was enough to Sokka horse (as they pronounced it!). Every time they said a name, I wished they would put a Sokka 'n it (as it's meant to be pronounced!). And they couldn't even pronounce real words . . . comm-"ahn"-der, "Yin and Yong," Ah-vatar. In those cases, it was accent; okay, I can accept that. But Ong? Is he the Avatar or a bell? I was surprised they didn't call the Fire Lord Ozzie. . . .On the plus side, there was some epic action. They skipped Zuko's awesome duel with Zhao and Aang didn't crush the Fire Nation armada, but the scene where Aang and the Blue Spirit fought Zhao's soldiers was spectacular, as was the scene when they later found one another. The bending wasn't very good, but there was some excellent hand-to-hand combat, which was always something I wanted to see more of in the series--and something that, to be gratification, we've seen a lot more of in Legend of Korra with the Equalists.So, as a film, it was okay. As an adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender . . . ugh.

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

I mostly agree with your thoughts about the movie. I found it enjoyable and thought that in some respects it was well-thought-out (they did manage to get some of the most important parts of Book 1 in there). At the same time, a lot of aspects were poorly carried-out-- it didn't have the same impact as the series it was based on, the effects and choreography were rather shoddy at parts for a movie where martial arts is a major source of the action, and the characters had far less humor and personality than they had in the show. So my general attitude towards it is around the same as yours: it was an OK movie, but it definitely wasn't the movie the franchise deserved.I should mention one thing, though-- The pronunciation of "yin and yang" in the movie is a more authentic and accepted pronuncation these days, and in fact the same pronunciation is used in the animated series itself (when Aang is speaking with Koh the Face Stealer). In most cases the pronunciations didn't bother me-- the only place where it was really jarring for me was "Agni-Ki", where the pronunciation was incompatible with the spelling used in the show.Anyway, latest Korra episode.

So most of the main characters are captured. This is a Bad Thing. But I think it could potentially set up for an epic escape for at least some of the main characters. After all, it should be observed that one of those not locked up, Lin Bei-Fong, has already expressed her willingness to work outside the law, and chances are she's more than a match for the police force she used to lead.I don't at all think Amon and Tarrlok are working together, because I think that would be a bit too Star Wars for what's otherwise been a very original saga. However, that doesn't mean that they're not going to be using each other for their own benefit-- after all, Tarrlok has already used Amon as an excuse to build his own political influence, and Amon surely won't hesitate to take advantage of the anti-bender sentiments that Tarrlok is creating with his unjust infringement of non-benders' rights.I think it's amazing, though, how quickly the direction of the story was able to change. Tarrlok wasn't trustworthy before this episode, but he didn't seem like a huge threat. Amon, on the other hand, had proven himself a terrifying adversary. In this episode, however, Tarrlok used his previously-displayed power to muscle a law through the council, but this time to create an obviously unjust and risky law. He then did not hesitate to threaten the Avatar. When she didn't respond to his threats, he held her friends hostage. And when even that failed to compel her to acknowledge his authority, he attacked her, subdued her, and locked her up as well.It goes without saying that at this point in the story, Tarrlok is more obviously dangerous than Amon is. Even if Amon doesn't really believe in his ideals and is just trying to game the system, Tarrlok is one step ahead of him-- because he already has.How Tarrlok can use bloodbending without a full moon remains a mystery, and one which might be connected with Korra's visions. So that's a plot point that still needs to be resolved. Furthermore, Korra still needs to learn Airbending and connect with her past lives-- not to mention, perhaps, explore the spirit world and investigate whether Amon's story about being granted his power by the spirits has any truth to it.But we can add to that list that Amon and Tarrlok will need to confront each other head-to-head. Not only would this probably be a dramatic battle, but both the battle and the outcome could potentially offer some insight into whether Amon's ideals are authentic and whether they're any match for Tarrlok's ruthless pragmatism.

[Visaru]

Okay, my question is what will book two be called? We've had books named after all four elements now, and Korra, if she masters air bending by the end of book 1 (which, book one being called 'air', I assume she will) won't need to learn any more bending arts. Or will she...?So ah, relevant and plot changing questions here. Oh, the mystery!(also, I might almost like Korra more that ATLA. I don't know why.)

[Alex Humva]

I will give a fan girl squee if book two is Book: Energy.Korra, atm, is on par with Book: Fire for me, though it's rapidly progressing past it. It's darker, it's grittier, and yet it still has that perfectly placed humor of the old series. It's more mature and grittier while staying true to what made TLA a hit in the first place.

Edited June 4, 2012 by Programmer Alex Humva

[Dorek]

I still say book 2 should be METAL.

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

Book 2: Bloodbending

[Lyichir]

Book 2: Bloodbending

I doubt it. For one thing, Bloodbending probably wouldn't be difficult for Korra to learn at all, since it's really just an extension of waterbending. It'd be more likely to be metalbending than that. But I do think that one of the most likely ones for it to be is Energy/Spirit. That could be quite a challenge for Korra to master, especially if she has to learn it herself instead of having it bestowed upon her by a Lion Turtle.

[Dorek]

I think he was joking =PI don't think I'd quite like it to be energybending. I mean, it was already gimmicky enough at the end of the last series. That'd be too much of "hey guys, we know this was a deus ex machina... but here's why it WASN'T!" *jazz hands*Besides, what proper applicability would that have for her? It seems counterintuitive to what she's actually trying to accomplish (actual equality) vs the apparent discord it creates when Amon does something similar in the name of extremes. And it's not like Amon or the Equalists have bending anyway.

[Trevsky]

I have also been hoping for Book 2 to be Energy... Ever since the series finale, I've always wanted to more about the time before the Avatar, and I've always been clamoring to know more about the mythology of the show, which was one of my favorite parts of the original series and something that I would like to see more of in Legend of Korra. It's been hinted in the DVD commentary, where either Bryan or Mike said "You can bet that we have some ideas about that." Not to mention, with Amon knowing energybending, it's an area that we need to explore, and would be a logical step forward for the series.Now for me, bloodbending always walked a thin line between 'completely lame plot point that breaks the fiction' and 'totally awesome new tenet of the mythology that opens the path for dark character development and plot lines.' I'm glad they're developing it past the point where it seems like a cheap idea invented for the sake of a halfbaked Halloween episode, but if they overuse it they are in horrible danger of losing what it makes it cool, in that it is a esoteric form only masterable by the best waterbenders in the world, and in rare circumstances. Would Korra learn it easily? I doubt it, but it doesn't really matter because it simply isn't an interesting direction for the series to go.While Metalbending is unquestionably awesome, it suffers the same problem in that it really just isn't interesting or necessary in terms of plot.

[Alex Humva]

Book: Metal just wouldn't fit IMO. Toph, while she was a pretty epic earthbender, learned it rather quickly. Korra's already adept at earthbending; it'd be a simple task for her to master metalbending, seeing as metalbending relies on brute force, not spiritual intouchness. It wouldn't make as compelling a story as air is, as air is Korra's opposite, the hardest for her.Energy, though... energy would be amazing, and I'm sure the TLA writer duo can pull it off, as Leada said, they have ideas in place for it, and it makes it less of a deus ex machina if we can explore it more.

[Trevsky]

the fact of the matter is that there is no reason for Korra to learn metalbending other then the fact that it is cool and we need a name for Book 2.and I'm pretty there is more to energybending then just taking away bending and sharing knowledge. It be pretty strange if the original form of bending was only useful for taking away people's ability to take other people's abilities away (remember, there was a time when there were only energybenders) Also, technically speaking it is not deus ex machina, because the writers' planed it from the start, but they gave it so little explication that I can see why some people see it that way. either way, I want answers about energybending.

[Bfahome]

I can see potential for Korra learning the elements this season, then working on the spiritual connection in the next season. So Book Two: Spirit would be my guess.

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

I think he was joking =P

Le gasp! YOU'RE A PSYCHIC BENDER! THE END IS... Hmm... something...

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

Personally I haven't given the title of Book 2 much thought. Unless we're introduced to a fifth element, which seems incredibly unlikely, it will probably pertain to one of the other lessons facing Korra; perhaps hand-to-hand or energybending, or spirit as Bfahome suggested. Maybe we'll even get something dramatic but vague, like Destiny or Endgame.

All of this talk of Amon and Tarlock and Tarlock and Amon. We're missing the most important bits of episode discussion!

"Asami, did you know that Korra likes Mako?"BEST. VISUAL. EVER. Not to mention Iki's follow up was just wonderful. I wouldn't want to get on her bad side. Ever. XDD

 

I'm sorry, the coding must have eaten the rest of your post, because you clearly left out the far superior exchange between Bolin and Ikki, which was the best scene either character have had in the show thus far. Leave it to Ikki to count the trees . . . and to Bolin to ask!

Also, a fun fact in response to your earlier fun fact: I watched The Blind Bandit again the other day, and guess what I saw? A domesticated Badger Mole! So, with the exception of the waterbenders (and count upon it that they'll be the first to fly to the moon!), all elements have domesticated their original benders. Just not on as large a scale as the airbenders.

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

Edited June 5, 2012 by Nuile: The Daft Wordbender

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

I'm sorry, the coding must have eaten the rest of your post, because you clearly left out the far superior exchange between Bolin and Ikki, which was the best scene either character have had in the show thus far. Leave it to Ikki to count the trees . . . and to Bolin to ask!

Also, a fun fact in response to your earlier fun fact: I watched The Blind Bandit again the other day, and guess what I saw? A domesticated Badger Mole! So, with the exception of the waterbenders (and count upon it that they'll be the first to fly to the moon!), all elements have domesticated their original benders. Just not on as large a scale as the airbenders.

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

XD, true, that was a good part as well. Gotta admit, the creators are making the show better and better with each passing episode (or at least they are in my opinion anyway). ... Oh dear. You re-watched all of book two just to prove me wrong, didn't you? D= PLEASE TELL ME YOU GOT SOME SLEEP, NUILE! -sob-And fine. But there's no way to prove Badger Moles are anywhere near as mainstream as Sky Bison with respect to the corresponding element... ALSO AMON IS NOT HOPE! I can totally prove it! Totally. XP

[PowerMiner]

Why the heck would anyone think Amon is Hope? Wasn't Hope a girl? =PI don't see any-way for her to be Amon, seeing as he has a man's voice. And for what reason would she disguise her voice? I could be wrong, but I really just don't see it. The Avatar saved her life. What motive would she have against benders? Unless his story was true.. But he's a man so..

[Lyichir]

Why the heck would anyone think Amon is Hope? Wasn't Hope a girl? =PI don't see any-way for her to be Amon, seeing as he has a man's voice. And for what reason would she disguise her voice? I could be wrong, but I really just don't see it. The Avatar saved her life. What motive would she have against benders? Unless his story was true.. But he's a man so..

Also, if Amon were Hope "he'd" be like 70 years old. He doesn't have the right physique for that, and even the awesome old people in the last series were unmistakeably OLD. Really, the only evidence that Amon could be Hope is that her parents were non-benders and she probably lived until now.

[Trevsky]

if I hear another "Amon is..." theory I'm going to bash my head against a concrete block repeatedly.

[BioGio]

Why the heck would anyone think Amon is Hope?

Nobody does. It's a crack theory perpetuated in response to the many "Amon is [X]" theories. Similarly, there is no rational human being who believes that HOWL would be romantically involved with any character. There is literally no reason to trust any Amon identity theories--not that they aren't fun to acknowledge and laugh about. (The Hope theory is mostly interesting because everyone would love to see that sort of continuity even though it has no reason to happen.)~ BioGio Edited June 7, 2012 by BioGio

[Visaru]

As for Amon, I also believe his backstory- I don't think he's any character we've met yet, and I think he is trying to do the right thing. That's what makes him a far better villain than Ozai. I don't think Amon is energy bending either-no flashy lights like with Aang. the source of his powers is an intriguing mystery.Also, along the lines of book 2, does anybody know if they'll change enemies? Or will Amon's equalist uprising be the antagonists for the rest of the show?I'm not really sure where that thought came from. Must have been something I read.

[Lyichir]

As for Amon, I also believe his backstory- I don't think he's any character we've met yet, and I think he is trying to do the right thing. That's what makes him a far better villain than Ozai. I don't think Amon is energy bending either-no flashy lights like with Aang. the source of his powers is an intriguing mystery.Also, along the lines of book 2, does anybody know if they'll change enemies? Or will Amon's equalist uprising be the antagonists for the rest of the show?I'm not really sure where that thought came from. Must have been something I read.

Part of me thinks he may continue to be the villain for Book 2, and the rest of Book 1 will refocus on stopping Tarrlok. Amon may even help Team Avatar to take down Tarrlok, depending on whether it becomes more important to Amon to eliminate that "threat" to non-benders immediately, or if he sees it as more pragmatic to let Tarrlok continue his oppression in order to sway public opinion in the Equalists' favor.Of course, there's also the possibility that Tarrlok will be dealt with as early as this Saturday's episode, in which case Amon would remain public enemy #1 and will have to be dealt with at the end of this season.

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

I looked up Amon's name to find out it's meaning, and apparently it translates in one language or another to something along the lines of "hidden man." Brilliance.

XD, true, that was a good part as well. Gotta admit, the creators are making the show better and better with each passing episode (or at least they are in my opinion anyway). ... Oh dear. You re-watched all of book two just to prove me wrong, didn't you? D= PLEASE TELL ME YOU GOT SOME SLEEP, NUILE! -sob-And fine. But there's no way to prove Badger Moles are anywhere near as mainstream as Sky Bison with respect to the corresponding element... ALSO AMON IS NOT HOPE! I can totally prove it! Totally. XP

I have to agree with you. Bolin, for instance, has certainly been growing on me. And the plot--how could last week's not be the most awesome yet? XDMy, my, you have such a suspicious mind. Just because you re-watched Southern Raiders to prove my bloodbending theory wrong doesn't mean I would stoop to that level. WE SHALL SEE! *Korra's visual from the last episode accompanied by a devious grin and evil laughter*

As for Amon, I also believe his backstory- I don't think he's any character we've met yet, and I think he is trying to do the right thing. That's what makes him a far better villain than Ozai. I don't think Amon is energy bending either-no flashy lights like with Aang. the source of his powers is an intriguing mystery.Also, along the lines of book 2, does anybody know if they'll change enemies? Or will Amon's equalist uprising be the antagonists for the rest of the show?I'm not really sure where that thought came from. Must have been something I read.

Personally I will be extremely disappointed if Amon's someone we've never met. I hate it when the murderer turns out to be the janitor who was mentioned all of but once, or someone we never met at all. This would be the equivalent. So I sincerely hope Amon is someone we've seen in the show. Who knows? Maybe it's Lin. She was there when Amon attack the arena, you say. She has a twin sister, clearly.I'm suddenly curious. Who did Toph marry? And did Sokka and Suki have any kids? Possibly things we'll find out this Saturday.EDIT: Oh, I'm sorry, the proper term would be "Sukka," wouldn't it? Or Soki?

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

Edited June 8, 2012 by Nuile: The Daft Wordbender

[Bfahome]

I don't see why Amon has to be another person in a mask, especially a character that was introduced a while ago. I think he's his own person and we'll probably get some information on his backstory as the show progresses.If anything, I feel having him be another character that gets a lot of focus on their own would kind of cheapen it.

[Trevsky]

It's been confirmed in an interview with Mike DiMartino that each book has its separate story and subsequent resolution, and that Amon is only sticking around for the first season.and yeah, Amon shouldn't be somebody we already seen. That type of plot twist doesn't suit this show well and would come across as either extremely contrived or horribly predictable, despite the fact that the show is being helmed by some of the best writers in television. when I first watched the show, I wasn't thinking of who could behind that mask, doing so simply ignores the more interesting things that personify the character and his intentions.

[Alex Humva]

I'd like to say but one thing about the new episode.

HAH. I knew Tarrlock wasn't Amon. : D

I'll give more enlightened commentary when I stop reading spoilers and actually watch the episode

[Mr. Fluffy]

Holy cow! What an episode! I'm curious as to how Amon was mostly unaffected by Tarlokk's blood bending.

[dotcom]

Great episode. At last, all Amon=Tarrlok theories are dispersed, and Amon shows he's even stronger than we anticipated.Doesn't really explain how Tarrlok was born though.Also, good to see the flashy lights in energybending were more likely symbolic in TLA. This means Amon could in all likelyhood be an energybender. (But probably not maybe?)And Sokka. He seems pretty cool even at 42ish.

[Alex Humva]

Ok, watched the episode. I'll pull it out on a few points that stood out to me.~VOICED FLASHBACKS. Took them long enough.~Old Aang's voice is... ok, but offputting. We knew him as that kid all these years, it's hard to adjust.~More proof that the light show that Aang did was more for the viewer than anything else. And since Aang's tattoo lights up whenever he does anything spiritual, Amon not lighting up doesn't mean much, not to mention he's kinda concealed.~General epicness. Everytime I get a new favorite episode they best it.~Amon can stop Tarrlock's bloodbending, a feat that Aang was unable to do without the Avatar state? Either he's a hypocrite and a very, very, powerful water bender, or he's just that awesome. I lean to the latter, but how is a question.Then there was the finale preview. Oh god that was amazing.~BOMBER PLANES. BOMBER PLANES. I need not say more.~Republic City is now truly at war.~Korra seems to be in some sort of naval battle?~You know how much metal Amon would of needed for that mask he put on Aang's statue? xD~What is this, exposed flesh from Amon? Seems a bit old, but it fits in my "Amon is in his fifties" theory.~Mako chiblocked and Korra about to have her bending removed? le gaspWhich brings me to my new theory; Amon will actually win. Think about it; these are the writers of TLA, the guys who have expertly crafted stories and kept us on our toes all this time. It'd be the ultimate twist, Amon succeeding in his plan and ridding the world of bending. It'd also support my idea that Book: 2 is Book: Energy. Korra has her bending removed, and is forced to seek out what happened in the days before the Avatar, as said by the Lion Turtle, when people bended not the elements but the energy within themselves. Korra would either eventually learn energy bending, not just to take one's powers away but the other things energybenders must of been able to do. This could end two ways; Korra teaching the world energy bending, and starting the age of energy bending anew, or restoring bending to the world. I like the first better, myself.

Edited June 9, 2012 by Programmer Alex Humva

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

I'd like to say but one thing about the new episode.

HAH. I knew Tarrlock wasn't Amon. : D

I'll give more enlightened commentary when I stop reading spoilers and actually watch the episode

HAH. I knew Tarrlok's father was Yakon. : DAs for Tarrlok's exchange with Amon, my brother believes the whole thing was faked. We never saw Tarrlok lose his bending. They conveniently skipped that scene. He screamed, yes, but so did Korra when she was being "electrocuted." Amon's men were unconscious; they would have had no idea whether Amon really took his bending or not. My brother says I don't believe that Tarrlok is Amon, but I do think Tarrlok still has his bending and that he's working with Amon. I think that Amon . . . is Yakon. Yeah, yeah, everyone's going to bite my head off about it and say I'm lunatic. But no, this is a theory in which I truly believe, and I'll stand or fall by it.Some might say Yakon would be too old. I say look at Boomie. I also stand by the theory that whoever Amon is, he saw someone lose their bending or he lost his own bending--as Yakon did. Okay, Amon doesn't get the technique quite right, but it works, and that's what matters.Theorization aside--this episode was awesome. We got to see and hear aged Aang and Toph, as well as Councilman Sokka (whose voice was perfect!). Lots of fleshing out of Tarrlok's secrets, and at last we understand these visions. And next the Equalists are going to wage all-out war? This--will--be--epic.

Which brings me to my new theory; Amon will actually win. Think about it; these are the writers of TLA, the guys who have expertly crafted stories and kept us on our toes all this time. It'd be the ultimate twist, Amon succeeding in his plan and ridding the world of bending. It'd also support my idea that Book: 2 is Book: Energy. Korra has her bending removed, and is forced to seek out what happened in the days before the Avatar, as said by the Lion Turtle, when people bended not the elements but the energy within themselves. Korra would either eventually learn energy bending, not just to take one's powers away but the other things energybenders must of been able to do. This could end two ways; Korra teaching the world energy bending, and starting the age of energy bending anew, or restoring bending to the world. I like the first better, myself.

That . . . would . . . be . . . truly spectacular. And that would fit in with an idea I already had, that Korra has to find a way to get people's bending back. And maybe even give it to . . . non-benders?Whatever the writers have in store for us, as you say, these are the writers of TLA. We have something phenomenal to look forward to, indubitably.

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

Edited June 9, 2012 by Nuile: The Daft Wordbender

[Alex Humva]

Lunatic? Nah, you've passed lunacy and gone straight into crazy town Bumi, while being 112 years old, was also an earthbender for crying out loud. We've seen that they're a lot more muscular than other benders, due to the nature of their element, and likely are a lot hardier. I find it hard to believe that even a 100 year old water bender could be as agile as Amon is, not to mention have the form. Even with Bumi it was clear he was old. Amon, Amon looks like someone in his prime.We'll need to agree to disagree though I still believe that Amon believes in his cause and that he is doing exactly what he says.I doubt the whole 'give it to nonbenders' part though. The writers have clearly stated that energy bending cannot give your bending back. In this case, Korra might be able to do it because Amon isn't doing it the right way.Also, to your Yakone is Amon theory; why would Amon fake that he can get through Tarrlock's bloodbending? Korra couldn't see him, and it'd be simple enough to simply act as if he had ambushed Tarrlock. If Yakone is Amon and Yakone and Tarrlock are working together, faking that scene where Amon breaks through his blood bending grip would be pointless, as it achieves nothing because Korra doesn't no the wiser. Tarrlock could of simply said "no, impossible!" while Korra was locked up and she would of gotten the exact same thing. Point being, if they're working together... it'd be pointless, seeing as you said, Amon's men were taken out.

Edited June 9, 2012 by Programmer Alex Humva

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH!New... EPISODE!

Tarlock isn't Amon, Tarlock isn't A man~ Ah, I could sing it all day. ^^ (But he's still not Hope. XP)His bending was taken away. LOVE IT!And oh my gosh. Amon, are you human? I thought he might be a spirit at first, but... then he started to actually resist the bending, meaning he had to have a physical form.Flashbacks were excellent. Toph, you have changed only in size and voice. Aang wanted to be taken seriously by his earthbending teacher. Adorable <3Wait... Toph and Aang were the same age, right? ... Toph was 40 in that? O.eKorra, you're brilliant. They underestimated her. Oh, that was beautiful.I'm feeling kinda bad for Asami, though. I mean, when she was first introduced, I was craving the moment when her still-beating heart would be ripped right out of her chest to the point where she lost the ability to cry... But now that it's actually being put into motion, I'm actually starting to feel this soft weight in my chest. Feel odd. Probably indigestion. XP Cough, totally lying, I'm weeping inside like a child! MAKO, HOW COULD YOU BE SO CRUEL?! -sob-And you guys said you hated the shipping episode. HA! HAHAHAHA! It was a brilliant move and you all know it! HAHAHAHA! Oh, I haven't laughed this hard since that Voya Nui matoran fell into that volcano. =') Still, that was a pretty swift defeat for Tarlock. Not that I'm disappointed (the reveal was quite epic and I loved every bit of it), but I thought there might be a bit more to that reveal. Then again, perhaps the important part was Korra finally making a spiritual connection to Aang. In terms of entertainment, what better way to do that than adding in an insane bloodbender or two? I freaking love these writers.

My, my, you have such a suspicious mind. Just because you re-watched Southern Raiders to prove my bloodbending theory wrong doesn't mean I would stoop to that level.

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

Hah, don't flatter yourself. That episode is my all-time favorite. I memorized that fact long before you were born, Mr. Three-year-old. XP And I know you're going to say that it hasn't been three years since the first season. What you didn't count on is my ability to time travel. That vahi in my avatar isn't just for show, you know. ^^ Edited June 10, 2012 by Tekulo: Toa of the Breeze

[Alex Humva]

So has anyone seen the preview for the finale on the 23rd? As I pointed out in my secon to last post, it's looking to be a pretty epic conclusion to the series, and helps my Amon wins theory out.

Edited June 10, 2012 by Programmer Alex Humva

[The Lord Of Wednesday]

Here is an interesting thing to ponder. Does anyone know how old Tarrlok is? We see his dad lose his bending yet Tarrlok seems unaffected. So let us hypothetically assume that Tarrlok was conceived after he lost it. Maybe those who lost their bending can still have kids who can bend. It is only a an interesting thing to think about and I am not sure how much water it holds, if any, but it is interesting to think about.

What if Amon is actually a spirit? After all he could resist the blood bending, and I doubt it is something you can resist out of determination alone. Perhaps it is because he may devoid of blood? He struggled somewhat but mostly seemed fine. Perhaps he is a spirit, or for sake or more awesomeness maybe he is a spirit or zombie. That would be sweet.

[Alex Humva]

In the preview of the finale, we see Amon's exposed hand; it's a bit old, but it's definitely alive and definitely human.

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

Lunatic? Nah, you've passed lunacy and gone straight into crazy town Bumi, while being 112 years old, was also an earthbender for crying out loud. We've seen that they're a lot more muscular than other benders, due to the nature of their element, and likely are a lot hardier. I find it hard to believe that even a 100 year old water bender could be as agile as Amon is, not to mention have the form. Even with Bumi it was clear he was old. Amon, Amon looks like someone in his prime.We'll need to agree to disagree though I still believe that Amon believes in his cause and that he is doing exactly what he says.I doubt the whole 'give it to nonbenders' part though. The writers have clearly stated that energy bending cannot give your bending back. In this case, Korra might be able to do it because Amon isn't doing it the right way.Also, to your Yakone is Amon theory; why would Amon fake that he can get through Tarrlock's bloodbending? Korra couldn't see him, and it'd be simple enough to simply act as if he had ambushed Tarrlock. If Yakone is Amon and Yakone and Tarrlock are working together, faking that scene where Amon breaks through his blood bending grip would be pointless, as it achieves nothing because Korra doesn't no the wiser. Tarrlock could of simply said "no, impossible!" while Korra was locked up and she would of gotten the exact same thing. Point being, if they're working together... it'd be pointless, seeing as you said, Amon's men were taken out.

Flatter will get you nowhere. But neither Aang nor Toph, if you ask me, looked as old as they should have at 40. You justify it by saying Boomie's an earthbender; I justify it by saying people age more slowly in the Avatar universe. Call it the atmosphere. We can agree, as you say, to disagree. XP Where do people get all these "the writers have stated" things, anyway?I have two alternate explanations for that, and I can't say which, if either, is true. One is that the act was for the benefit of Amon's men; I doubt highly if they are privy to what I think are his true plans. They were, after all, semiconscious. Maybe not conscious enough to see whether Amon actually took Tarrlok's bending or not, but since he's the only one who knows the technique, he probably could have faked it before their very eyes anyway. My second explanation is that Tarrlok has no idea who Amon is, in which case, he's not intentionally working with Amon. We don't know much about those who have lost their bending. Maybe even now Yakone has a connection to his element that allowed him to resist.

OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH!New... EPISODE!

Tarlock isn't Amon, Tarlock isn't A man~ Ah, I could sing it all day. ^^ (But he's still not Hope. XP)His bending was taken away. LOVE IT!And oh my gosh. Amon, are you human? I thought he might be a spirit at first, but... then he started to actually resist the bending, meaning he had to have a physical form.Flashbacks were excellent. Toph, you have changed only in size and voice. Aang wanted to be taken seriously by his earthbending teacher. Adorable <3Wait... Toph and Aang were the same age, right? ... Toph was 40 in that? O.eKorra, you're brilliant. They underestimated her. Oh, that was beautiful.I'm feeling kinda bad for Asami, though. I mean, when she was first introduced, I was craving the moment when her still-beating heart would be ripped right out of her chest to the point where she lost the ability to cry... But now that it's actually being put into motion, I'm actually starting to feel this soft weight in my chest. Feel odd. Probably indigestion. XP Cough, totally lying, I'm weeping inside like a child! MAKO, HOW COULD YOU BE SO CRUEL?! -sob-And you guys said you hated the shipping episode. HA! HAHAHAHA! It was a brilliant move and you all know it! HAHAHAHA! Oh, I haven't laughed this hard since that Voya Nui matoran fell into that volcano. =') Still, that was a pretty swift defeat for Tarlock. Not that I'm disappointed (the reveal was quite epic and I loved every bit of it), but I thought there might be a bit more to that reveal. Then again, perhaps the important part was Korra finally making a spiritual connection to Aang. In terms of entertainment, what better way to do that than adding in an insane bloodbender or two? I freaking love these writers.

Hah, don't flatter yourself. That episode is my all-time favorite. I memorized that fact long before you were born, Mr. Three-year-old. XP And I know you're going to say that it hasn't been three years since the first season. What you didn't count on is my ability to time travel. That vahi in my avatar isn't just for show, you know. ^^

Still waiting for the reveal. At the end of the finale, after Amon's defeated Korra (if Humva's prediction proves prophetic), he will announce to the people watching his blimp drift across the sky: "Equalists, we have hidden in shame from the benders for too long. The Avatar is defeated! Republic City is ours! The benders have fallen! No longer must we hide! No longer will I conceal my true identity! Republic City, my name is not Amon. My name is what I am for this new city"--and "he" will tear the mask from his face--"Hope!"I already said this, but I agree. Neither Toph nor Aang looked their age. Nor did Sokka. Clearly in the Avatar universe, people age more slowly than real humans do.

Three-year-old. Pah! The only reason I changed my age to one year was because I couldn't edit my profile after I reached three digits.

Here is an interesting thing to ponder. Does anyone know how old Tarrlok is? We see his dad lose his bending yet Tarrlok seems unaffected. So let us hypothetically assume that Tarrlok was conceived after he lost it. Maybe those who lost their bending can still have kids who can bend. It is only a an interesting thing to think about and I am not sure how much water it holds, if any, but it is interesting to think about.

What if Amon is actually a spirit? After all he could resist the blood bending, and I doubt it is something you can resist out of determination alone. Perhaps it is because he may devoid of blood? He struggled somewhat but mostly seemed fine. Perhaps he is a spirit, or for sake or more awesomeness maybe he is a spirit or zombie. That would be sweet.

Neither of Katara's parents were benders, but she was. Therefore, I would say it's entirely plausible that Tarrlok was born after Yakone lost his bending.

Katara resisted out of determination alone. Yes, Katara was a waterbender . . . and so was Yakone. But moreover, if Amon was a spirit, he would have had nothing to resist. He clearly fought against the bloodbending. If he was a spirit or zombie, he would have had no blood to be bent.

A final thought that occurred to me: What if, when it comes down to the final battle, and Amon takes Korra's bending as we saw . . . she fights back? Remember how Ozai nearly defeated Aang that way? Through power of will Aang won. What if Korra resists like Ozai and, being the Avatar, succeeds?

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

[Bfahome]

And you guys said you hated the shipping episode. HA! HAHAHAHA! It was a brilliant move and you all know it! HAHAHAHA!

Calm down. No, we repeatedly clarified that we didn't hate it, just had problems with it. I stand by my position that I think it was far too early to try and develop significant relationship conflict between the characters.I'm kind of bothered by how this episode handled it, too. Mako was way to clingy, which left the rest of the characters seeming almost unconcerned a lot of times. When they met up with Korra at the end they were seeing if she was okay and then Mako was like "give her some space" and then picked her up, and then everyone just sort of stood around like "yep, just found our important friend that had been abducted by a manipulative bloodbending maniac, nbd". No interaction from Tenzin, the guy who she's known for far longer and is her mentor.I wouldn't mind the relationship stuff if it didn't overshadow what should be more important aspects of the story.But anyway, cool episode. More of Lin being an awesome metalbender (seriously she's like Iron Man with that suiting up sequence), more of Equalists being tough but stupid, and more "what-the-heck"-ness about Amon.

~More proof that the light show that Aang did was more for the viewer than anything else. And since Aang's tattoo lights up whenever he does anything spiritual, Amon not lighting up doesn't mean much, not to mention he's kinda concealed.

Indeed, it appears that the Ozai bending was more of a "finale" thing than a necessary thing. Or it could be that Aang hadn't refined the technique. But either way, the lack of glowing means what Amon's doing isn't what Aang was doing. It's not just the tattoos that light up, it's his eyes too (think of all the avatars who weren't airbenders). A mask like Amon's would only emphasize that effect, so the lack of any visible glow shows the difference (not to mention the hand position thing).

But I'm starting to worry that that "spoiler" picture about Amon is actually real, in which case it's a real bummer and kinda contrived.

But what are the chanced of Yakone having a second son, and that person being Amon? Unlikely, but being a crime lord isn't exactly a ringing endorsement of your trustworthiness. Amon could very well be a bloodbender angry at how his father was thwarted, and have the same motivation as Tarrlok, but once again a different method. It's a really out-there theory but I find it an interesting concept. Like the fighting-Equalists-without-bending thing. Probably not gonna happen, but I like the idea.

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

And you guys said you hated the shipping episode. HA! HAHAHAHA! It was a brilliant move and you all know it! HAHAHAHA!

Calm down. No, we repeatedly clarified that we didn't hate it, just had problems with it. I stand by my position that I think it was far too early to try and develop significant relationship conflict between the characters.I'm kind of bothered by how this episode handled it, too. Mako was way to clingy, which left the rest of the characters seeming almost unconcerned a lot of times. When they met up with Korra at the end they were seeing if she was okay and then Mako was like "give her some space" and then picked her up, and then everyone just sort of stood around like "yep, just found our important friend that had been abducted by a manipulative bloodbending maniac, nbd". No interaction from Tenzin, the guy who she's known for far longer and is her mentor.I wouldn't mind the relationship stuff if it didn't overshadow what should be more important aspects of the story.

hehehe... heHEhEHeHEHEHEHEHEHEAHAHAHAHAHA! I'm totally calm, bro. @u@But in all seriousness (and yes, the added laughter previously was more for goofy-ness than seriousness. It's a trait of mine when I talk about children's cartoons or a discontinued toy line on a site about a discontinued toy line. Sorry for the confusion, I honestly don't mean anything serious. ^^'Anyway, I do see where you're coming from with the romantic stuff getting in the way. It did annoy me a bit too with Bolin and Asami."Mako seems pretty worried about Korra""Yeah, we all are. Whistles non-nonchalantly while looking for a dear friend that for all they know is dead and continues to talk about teenaged drama"Especially with Asami; she seemed more concerned about Mako than Korra's well-being. I'm not going to say I don't like where they're headed with the romance, but I do agree that those moments did appear out-of-place to put it lightly.

[Trevsky]

The Legend of Korra, in a fashion not unlike its predecessor, has continually disproved my theory of Critical Mass Within Fictional Mediums. The idea is that, once a franchise or a story hits a certain level of awesome, it must either plateau, decline, or end, because it simply cannot maintain the momentum as there is no room for it to get better. I thought that this series couldn't top itself twice now, and I have been proven wrong both times.

That twist they introduced in this episode has precipitated an interest in Amon's identity that was not present at any time prior. I'm typically not one to endorse convoluted theories , but I'd like to point out that when Yakone was bloodbending Aang, when he triggered the Avatar state, he became immune to the effects of the bloodbending. This struck me as particularly perplexing, and as possibly connected to the similar ability that Amon clearly possess. Now, the Avatar State has been defined by Roku as a "defense mechanism, designed to empower you with the skills and knowledge of all the past Avatars." Now, I don't know what knowledge could resist an outside force that would otherwise have complete control of the very blood in your body (however, in a word with spiritual concepts such as jing and chakras, it remains a viable plausibility) so I am a bit doubtful that's what gave Aang the immunity, mainly because of the immediate way he assumed a rigid position. No I think the derivative is more likely caused by, as Roku said, "the combination of all your past lives focusing their energy through your body". There's the key word, energy. As I stated previously, it is highly improbable that the two forms of energy that we have seen are the only forms. Perhaps Amon has learned how to control the very energy in his own body, and as such has more sovereignty then that of a bloodbender. I also believe that it may be possible that it may have spiritual aid that gave Amon the ability to defy Tarlock's attempts to control him, however I have little evidence to substantiate such a claim, other than an assumption of the validity of Amon's previous statements pertaining to spirits. All in all, that twist was a brilliant way to escalate the greatest mystery we have seen thus far in the Avatar world. (On a bit of a tangent here, but in response to Nuile I doubt that Amon’s will is stronger then Toph’s, seeing as she invented a new form of bending by punching metal until it bent. No I suspect that Katara resisted, because as she said, her bending was stronger than Hama’s ) Now this creates a segue to discuss another point of discussion that has been perpetrating in this topic and other parts of the internet. Is Amon energybending in the first place? I believe he is. It is has been brought up by the great Bfahome and as well as by others that what Amon does is different in form that what Aang has previously done. I beg to differ. Granted, each instance of energy bending has it's variables, but they are united by one common denominator, the thumb is on the space in between the eyebrows (there's likely a name for that, but it alludes me). I would wager my life that the only required prerequisite for the physical side of bending is the proper placement of the thumb. In fact, the only real difference Amon's and Aang's technique is the lack of glowing, the fact that Aang uses two hands, and that Amon's soul seems to be unbendable (unlike, what almost happened to Aang when he first tried it). Oh, and the glowing is easy to explain as well. The first example was simply a visible representation of the conflict between the souls of Aang and Ozai, the second was Aang in the Avatar State, which Amon would have to be the Avatar to mimic. There's another thing I can't help but mention (other then the fact that Lin busted three 'criminals' out of prison unquestioned) is that I don't fully understand how Amon knew where Tarlock's hideout was. Is it because Amon followed Tarlock as he fled the city? I feel like that would have been explicated by dialogue. I have begun to suspect that perhaps the conspiracy theories are true, and Tarlock and Amon were once working together, and Tarlock was simply a pawn of Amon, which he decided to remove once the time was right. A possibility I am willing to consider. Yakone being Amon, however, is a possibility that I am not willing to consider, for a multitude of reasons. Another theory I am compelled to discuss is Humva's. I believe it’s quite viable, especially considering how dark ‘Crossroads of Destiny’ was as a Season finale, and how it showed how low the writers are willing to bring these characters. Aang being on the verge of death, Zuko betraying Iroh, and the city of Ba-Sing-Se being conquered by the Fire Nation is comparable to Korra losing her bending. My previous statements pertaining to energybending as expressed in this post also substantiate my faith in the plausibility of this theory. However, there are three things that I believe are in conflict of it. The first of which is the statements by Mike DiMartino that that I have previously mentioned. Second, is the fact that they showed the actual clip, which would be a major spoiler if that theory is correct and huge disappointment for me personally. The final thing is a tiny detail in the clip itself. Notice that her eyes close. In every other clip we’ve seen of someone having their bending taken away, the eyes do not close. It is my hypothesis that is tiny detail is imperative, and that her closing her eyes could mean that is about to enter the Avatar State, or otherwise fight back as Nuile suggested. Just a theory, of course.

Those are my two cents, which I’m sure nobody actually cares about. Unfortunately for you guys, I have another rant cooking in the back of my mind, but that will have to wait.

[Mr. Fluffy]

Amon is a very fit-for-his-age Sokka. Remember how he lamented his powerlessness compared to the rest of the gang in that Last Airbender episode with the sword master? Consider this series his retribution.

Edited June 14, 2012 by Mr. Fluffy

[Bfahome]

Now this creates a segue to discuss another point of discussion that has been perpetrating in this topic and other parts of the internet. Is Amon energybending in the first place? I believe he is. It is has been brought up by the great Bfahome and as well as by others that what Amon does is different in form that what Aang has previously done. I beg to differ. Granted, each instance of energy bending has it's variables, but they are united by one common denominator, the thumb is on the space in between the eyebrows (there's likely a name for that, but it alludes me). I would wager my life that the only required prerequisite for the physical side of bending is the proper placement of the thumb. In fact, the only real difference Amon's and Aang's technique is the lack of glowing, the fact that Aang uses two hands, and that Amon's soul seems to be unbendable (unlike, what almost happened to Aang when he first tried it). Oh, and the glowing is easy to explain as well. The first example was simply a visible representation of the conflict between the souls of Aang and Ozai, the second was Aang in the Avatar State, which Amon would have to be the Avatar to mimic.

However, Amon's use of only one hand is kind of a big difference. While the physical and spiritual sides of bending may not me entirely concrete, I think how the physical world affects the spiritual aspect is rather strict. Aang's last chakra got locked when he was killed by Azula, and was only unlocked when a rock hit him in the exact same spot. I wouldn't think a person's energy could be bent without touching the necessary points. Reposting image for relevance.I still think Amon may have some sort of "energy" power, but is simply using it to scramble other people's chi flow so they can't bend, similar to paralysis.

[Toa Zaz]

So the reason Tarrlok can inexplicably bloodbend without the full moon... is because he's the son of another guy who can also inexplicably bloodbend without the full moon.