Another Avatar post

[starzki]

scribefigaro and I have just finished watching the second season.  I can safely say I'm fully in love with this series.  The characters are wonderfully complex and I'm just so overjoyed at the diversity of the show.  It also manages to call out to famous movies in interesting homages that are seamless to those who aren't familiar with them, yet wildly impressive to those of us who are.

About three quarters through this second season, I began referring it to Avatar's Empire Strikes Back (Fire Nation Strikes Back?).  There were scenes of capturing five generals in one sequence that hearkened out to the end of The Godfather, but a lot less bloody.  The themes and messages are adult, but easy enough for youngsters to get on a very basic level.  And the humor included is fantastic.  It might be that scribe and I just have very juvenile senses of humor (it's a distinct possibility), but there is usually one or two laugh out loud moments in each episode, and we're faaaaar older than the target demographic for this show.

And I have to mention that the females in this show are amazing.  Where many cartoons and games feature females, they're usually relegated to the "healers" or love interests or quiet support for the truly strong heroes (or villains).  Not in Avatar.  So far, both Aang's teachers at mastering the other elements have been females who aren't afraid of fighting and are quite good at it.  And let me tell you about the villainous ladies.  OMG.  The series started out with very masculine enemies who are defeated at every turn by the heroes.  But once a couple of kick-ass girls (led by one truly evil, military genius, beautiful, and scary princess) come into the story, the heroes get some actual competition.  It rocks my socks off.

I'm eagerly awaiting season three.