Okay... for those who know me, I could probably talk about this animated show for hours. Hours. But I'll spare you the never-ending praises and just talk about one subject that I believe is very crucial to a strong animated project: character development. And what is necessary for good character development? Good frickin' writing!
I didn't have too many gripes about the writing quality in "Avatar: the Last Airbender" because if you watch an episode (any episode, really) you can see that the creators valued a vivid sense of growth in their characters. They wanted to show density - to give each of their characters a past and help us as the viewers feel and understand what they were going through. The story of "Avatar" deserves praise in itself: basically you have a world that's divided into four nations: Earth, Fire, Water, Air... each one uniquely crafted by a supernatural martial art... by which they call bending. These nations are supposed to be at peace, but one day, the Fire Nation claims itself superior and starts a global invasion. The only person who can stop the Fire Nation from taking over the world is the Avatar... but before he could do that, he must master the bending of all four elements.
... Oh, and did I mention the Avatar's only a 12-year-old kid? And he's been trapped in an iceberg since before the War, and hasn't got a clue what's going on?
Yep, that's "Avatar" in a nutshell, and for roughly 2 years, I've been enamored by the writing quality of this show. You can definitely see the human condition in these characters... especially for Aang (the Avatar) as he struggles to make sense of what has happened during the last 100 years he wasn't around. He is also an Air Nomad, which makes him peaceful, care-free, and naturally fun-spirited as a kid... and you can tell he tries to avoid confrontation. He starts out very passive about his responsibilities as the Avatar, but gradually begins to realize how much the world needs him. Aang really grows up in the show, and the writers do a helluva job doing it. You gotta see it to believe it.
So going to my point about good writing (seriously, I could go forever!) I give these "Avatar" writers bonus points about keeping the bitterness between characters very strong, yet also providing the possibility of reconciliation. If you're curious to know how far a tension can develop between two people because of their past... let me introduce you to Zuko and Katara.
Zuko was the banished prince of the Fire Nation. His only ticket back home was to capture the Avatar. For the entire first season, he was chasing Aang and his friends through hell and high-water... and they hated him... which was fine, because Zuko didn't like them either. For the entire second season, Zuko is at a crossroads; he's not sure whether or not his father (the Fire Lord) is doing the right thing with the War. At the end of Season 2, it seems there's no turning back for Zuko when he chooses to fight and nearly kill Aang.
This angers one character in particular: Katara. See, she's the one who found Aang in the iceberg and basically restored the world's only hope for peace. She and her brother travelled with Aang across the world, helping him train and find the people he needed to become a master Avatar. She practically raised Aang like a son and threw her life on the line so many times for him, in dire hope that he could one day face the Fire Lord and end the War.
Now, you gotta understand... she and Zuko have had their differences since Day 1. Their bending battles (Firebending vs. Waterbending) are super intense, and yet when Zuko finally explains himself, Katara builds a small sliver of hope that Zuko could probably change and help the Avatar. Of course... when Zuko goes back to his Avatar-capturing ways, Katara sustains this ongoing hatred for Zuko. She refuses to believe him even when he admits to his mistakes and declares once and for all that he is no longer the person he used to be. He wants to help the Avatar defeat his own father! Everyone gives Zuko a chance... except for Katara. It's almost clear to say you will never think Zuko and Katara will be able to confide in each other ever again.
... and they're the ones hugging up there. =)
It's why I continue to tip my hat to the creators of "Avatar," because they found a way to demonstrate how the most opposing forces can still find a way to reconcile. I think that's why these two characters are so close to my heart.
Haha, I could go on about how much I would've loved to see Zuko and Katara together... but I won't bore you about my romatic writing tendencies. They finished as friends, and that's good enough for me! So if you're up for seeing a great, well-written animated show, watch "Avatar: the Last Airbender." Forgiveness is just one of the many good messages they cover.
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