red snow Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 What, passing into the Spirit World? Its kind of a very common Hindu/Buddhist theme, and seemed a perfect fit for Iroh to me. He always seemed the perfectly detached guy to me, so him gaining the Avatar-verse equivalent of Nirvana seemed quite appropriate. Also, what retcons are we talking about? I'm cool with the idea of him getting into the spirit world I just would have rather we didn't get to see him again in that role. Plus, existing with a bunch of animals drinking tea but not spending time with his son seems off. Then again if you've achieved peace of mind I guess he could be over his son. I'm sure it's a clash of my beliefs with those of Iroh's. Several retcons were listed a few pages back. The glaring one o forgot was how different animals were supposed to have taught bending to humans as opposed to the turtle giving them away and the return of skybison with no real explanation. I think there were others too but I forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Walker Texas Ranger Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 I've been thinking about the worldbuilding of the Earth Kingdom. Ba Sing Se is the capital of the Earth Kingdom and everyone in the Earth Kingdom pays the Earth King/Queen a certain amount of deference and taxes, but while the city itself is an Orwellian police state, the rest of the Earth Kingdom seems to be more or less free from the centralized authority of the Earth Monarch and the Dai Li. In the original series this made sense because it's hard to have centralized police state with modern communications and transportation. Long Feng could have sent some agents to try and control Omashu, but he'd effectively be leaving them on their own. With no way to convey messages other than horseback messenger or possibly semaphore, Bumi could have made the Dai Li agents disappear weeks before Long Fend even gets wind that something is wrong. That's without even taking into account the risk that the local Dai Li subcommander might decide to set up his own fiefdom. The Earth Kingdom in the original Avatar was a decentralized feudal kingdom with largely autonomous sub-kingdoms paying symbolic deference and occasionally combining military efforts with Ba Sing Se. In LoK, that's changed and now they have radios along with Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. The Dai Li and Earth Queen might be trying to expand that police state and that, along with higher taxes, might be causing friction within the Earth Kingdom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metopheles Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Omashu is a free city if I remember correctly. And the Earth King had an influence on the kingdom around the impenetrable city in ATLA. In the opening of Book 2, when Aang gets to the military outpost, or in the Zuko alone episode, with the recruiters. The Dai Li may also work outside it, but with other agents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fionwe1987 Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 I'm cool with the idea of him getting into the spirit world I just would have rather we didn't get to see him again in that role. Plus, existing with a bunch of animals drinking tea but not spending time with his son seems off. Then again if you've achieved peace of mind I guess he could be over his son. I'm sure it's a clash of my beliefs with those of Iroh's. Several retcons were listed a few pages back. The glaring one o forgot was how different animals were supposed to have taught bending to humans as opposed to the turtle giving them away and the return of skybison with no real explanation. I think there were others too but I forget. I don't think it has been firmly established that the spirits of dead humans go to the Spirit World, has it? Maybe there's a part of it reserved for human spirits that can only be reached when you die. The animal thing isn't a retcon. The lion turtle in the finale of ATLA made it clear humans could energy bend before they were bending the elements, and he even demonstrates how to use it to bend someone else's energy. It isn't completely incompatible with the animals. The ability itself might have been granted by lion-turtles, but learning to use it is another matter. We see how Wan sucked as a firebender till a dragon teaches him. I think once the lion-turtle cities ended, and bending became genetic, a lot of benders probably sucked till they learned from the animals who were true masters of each element. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red snow Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 I don't think it has been firmly established that the spirits of dead humans go to the Spirit World, has it? Maybe there's a part of it reserved for human spirits that can only be reached when you die. The animal thing isn't a retcon. The lion turtle in the finale of ATLA made it clear humans could energy bend before they were bending the elements, and he even demonstrates how to use it to bend someone else's energy. It isn't completely incompatible with the animals. The ability itself might have been granted by lion-turtles, but learning to use it is another matter. We see how Wan sucked as a firebender till a dragon teaches him. I think once the lion-turtle cities ended, and bending became genetic, a lot of benders probably sucked till they learned from the animals who were true masters of each element. Yeah, I kind of made the same justification RE the animals still teaching the benders how to use their gifts. Interesting about energy bending. Does that mean the Avatar is just an energy bender eg can do the whole lot? In theory all benders should be able to bend everything with the right amount of effort. It does fit in with all the "secondary" elements we've seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AverageGuy Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Interesting about energy bending. Does that mean the Avatar is just an energy bender eg can do the whole lot?I think energy bending is different, we haven't really seen it do much except bend people's spirits. I think what the lion turtles did was energy bend people's spirits to allow them to bend an element and affect the physical world in one way, but after that, bending the spirit one way doesn't necessarily mean it can bend another. In theory all benders should be able to bend everything with the right amount of effort. I don't think so-- remember, Raava had to pass through Wan every time he got a new element, and she finally merged with him when he had all four. Maybe bending the spirit multiple ways causes too much stress for a body to handle? I know that question kind of assumes I'm right about energy vs. element bending up above, but if bending the elements is just specialized energy bending, I don't see why Wan would have had trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tellus Explorer Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Energy bending reminds me of Blood bending :cool4: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebla Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 This season continues to rock. Two character driven episodes really on par with the best of the original series. Indeed, there was a shadow of Aang when Korra gave the "It's what I do" to Tenzin when giving him advice on how to deal with Bumi. Aang said something very similar in "The Great Divide" episode of A:TLA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew_ Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Yeh another great pair of episodes that are really reminiscent of TLA. How the hell does Zaheer know Korra is with the metal clan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynamic Entry Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Bolin is freakin' hilarious. Dude makes every scene he's in great. Lin's sister is dark-skinned. Undeniable proof that Sokka is in fact the baby-daddy, no if's and's or butts 'bout it. The fight scenes are really awesome, and a lot of 'em trump most anime fight scenes. Only thing I find funny is why Zaheer and his crew were hiding from the cops and sneaking around, when they can clearly take down the entire city with ease. Thus far, no one's really been a challenge for any of the anti-avatar members; they should have nothing to fear from the meh metalbender cops. Still really interested in what Zaheer and them are all about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sci-2 Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share Posted July 19, 2014 Yeh another great pair of episodes that are really reminiscent of TLA. How the hell does Zaheer know Korra is with the metal clan? He projects his spirit the same way Jenora does. Guess that's the Air Special Power. eta: Air - Spirit Projection Water - Healing, Blood Bending Earth - Metal Bending Fire - Lightning, Mind Explosion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tellus Explorer Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 eta: Air - Spirit ProjectionWater - Healing, Blood BendingEarth - Metal BendingFire - Lightning, Mind ExplosionWhat about the lava bending? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sci-2 Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 What about the lava bending? Ah, good point. So what's the second one for Air beside Spirit Projection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tellus Explorer Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Ah, good point. So what's the second one for Air beside Spirit Projection?Energy? :dunno: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sci-2 Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 Energy? :dunno: Nah, I think that's a transcendent form of bending reserved for lion turtles and Avatars. I think it's super speed. Aang uses it a lot but none of the air benders in LoK have utilized it so far. eta: Also, the Mind Explosion might not be available to all Fire Benders. Similar to how only Hugh was able to make that Swamp Thing armor in ATLA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Mac Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 I've seen a longstanding theory (at least since the first series) that suggests soundbending as a possible "second element" for air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tellus Explorer Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 I've seen a longstanding theory (at least since the first series) that suggests soundbending as a possible "second element" for air.Why do you think "soundbending" ?Nah, I think that's a transcendent form of bending reserved for lion turtles and Avatars. I think it's super speed. Aang uses it a lot but none of the air benders in LoK have utilized it so far. eta: Also, the Mind Explosion might not be available to all Fire Benders. Similar to how only Hugh was able to make that Swamp Thing armor in ATLA.:dunno: maybeOr maybe it's a mental state..... You know, maybe it's an actual state of peace of mind :Idea: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebla Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Lost in the awesome of the two episodes...the Earth Queen ATE her father's BEAR. BOSCO...NOOOOOO!!!! :bawl: I know this is a kid's show and all but season 1 had a murder/suicide. I demand blood! :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galactus Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Well, it's just a rumour... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebla Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Well, it's just a rumour... She's been eating sky bison, too. Even baby ones! That woman is pure evil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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