The end of season three was actually really fucking good, even better than the end of season one. It also feels like it'll have a very similar feel for season four in comparison to TLA

Yeah, basically it stopped (to me) being a joke. I was really disappointed with season two so season three saved a lot of face for me. Though I did still have a lot of problems with it (water-arms… WATER. ARMS.) though I can allow for some dislikes as long as the end result is enjoyable.

How on earth did you have a problem with Ming-Hua's water arms? It's one of the more creative bending applications I've seen on the show.

Hank said
How on earth did you have a problem with Ming-Hua's water arms? It's one of the more creative bending applications I've seen on the show.

^ This. It's probably one of the best applications of waterbending I've ever seen, second only to bloodbending. And honestly? I think all four of those Red Lotus benders had pretty sweet designs, as well as awesome uses for bending. I love the proper introduction lava bending got, as well. I think it was very loosely alluded to in the original series, but we really haven't seen it at all since, nor do I think it ever had a real name associated with it. It's a really cool ability though. I mean, it's a type of earthbending, but it has the fluidity of waterbending and the heat of firebending, which is a pretty sweet combination. Also, Combustion Woman. Yes.

But yeah, season 3 was pretty kickass. I mean, season 2 sort of sucked (with the exception of the very end), but that's sort of understandable since the writers didn't have very much time to plan it and didn't really know what they were doing. The majority of it felt like filler that they tossed down so that they could at least focus on creating a good ending. By the time season 3 happened, though, it felt like they'd finally found their groove, and it really shows.

The first couple episodes of season 4 are out now as well, by the way, and it's kind of an awesome start to the series. o.o

Most people didn't like season 2 especially because of the ending. It's interesting that you see it as a redeeming factor.

Hank said
Most people didn't like season 2 especially because of the ending. It's interesting that you see it as a redeeming factor.

:/ Well I certainly fail to see how the backstory about the first avatar, all done in that gorgeous, Miyazaki-esque animation style, along with all that about Rava and Vaatu, followed up by that epic final battle that ended in a huge change regarding the real world's relation to the spirit world was in any way a downgrade from ~10 episodes of really stupid love triangles, Korra's increasingly unlikable personality, Mako's uninteresting cop side-plots which I don't even remember most of (I guess because I was so bored), Lin being uncharacteristically dense, Bolin's typical brand of Sokka Lite humor in that "mover" side-plot that felt like it really dragged and wasn't as entertaining as it should've been, a villain who was way too obvious for Avatar's standards, and an overwhelming lack of spirits in a season which was misleadingly titled "Spirits".

Honestly the only other decently good part of season 2 was the first couple episodes, which was kind of intriguing with all the spirit stuff that was going on, even if it was hardly focused on for most of the episodes that followed, until the final few episodes finally gave us what the season title, the setup from the first couple episodes and the majority of Nick's advertising promised.

...Also, the twins. I did really like those waterbender twins. And Varrik, if I'm spelling his name right - or even thinking of the right guy in general. The eccentric guy who hid in that hollowed-out bear that one time - that guy.

But yeah I feel like most of season 2 was filler and it was kind of hard to get through. The only parts I really enjoyed were the first couple and final couple episodes - the latter of which blew the former out of the water.

The Avatar Wan episodes are almost universally hailed as the best to come out of season 2, but the general consensus on other LoK forums (like the /r/thelastairbender subreddit) is that the Godzilla-esque final fight and the deus ex machina Jinora spirit bomb were stupid and out of place. I'm not saying that's my opinion, but that's what a lot of people think.

Hank said
How on earth did you have a problem with Ming-Hua's water arms? It's one of the more creative bending applications I've seen on the show.

They were absolutely stupid. sure they were creative in a way but I felt they were a stupid novelty to make the character seem wacky and cool. Not to mention I always felt that part of waterbending was motion with the integral pieces of the body she was missing to keep a fluid martial form, so her existing kind of undermines the bending form and rules. You can't be fluid with your arms if you have none. To give her some credit I like her way more as a character than combustion girl who was about as one dimensional as a brick. But I still hate those water arms, they were as I said stupid and I didn't like them. Props to those who enjoyed them, though, definitely not my taste.

Also, Sozin and Roku (as well as a previous bender) showed lavabending options as firebenders so turning it into an earthbending form didn't make much sense to me. But that's a small gripe.

Gowi said
They were absolutely . sure they were creative in a way but I felt they were a novelty to make the character seem wacky and . Not to mention I always felt that part of waterbending was motion with the integral pieces of the body she was missing to keep a fluid martial form, so her existing kind of undermines the bending form and rules. You can't be fluid with your arms if you have none. To give her some credit I like her way more as a character than combustion girl. But I still hate those water arms, they were as I said stupid and I didn't like them. Props to those who enjoyed them, though, definitely not my taste.

Wasn't she bending with her shoulders and spine? I don't see how a character overcoming their major disability and still be a formidable fighter is stupid.

Larfleeze said
Wasn't she bending with her shoulders and spine? I don't see how a character overcoming their major disability and still be a formidable fighter is stupid.

Which given how waterbending form is shown mechanically to work made little sense to me. There's a lot of bending of the elbows and wrists to bend water in the martial form if you remember. It's not "overcoming a disability" that I dislike, it's changing the fundamental mechanics of how bending works to make a villain seem "badass and cool".

Gowi said Also, Sozin and Roku (as well as a previous bender) showed lavabending options as so turning it into an earthbending form didn't make much sense to me. But that's a small gripe.

Actually all Sozin did was redirect pure heat from a volcano via firebending, which makes sense since Firebenders have been shown to manipulate steam and so on. The only bender shown to actually manipulate lava before Ghazan and Bolin was an Avatar in a flashback who made a trio of volcanoes erupt. To me, it seemed to be a clear example of "Only the Avatar can do that." since lava came across as a mixture of both Earth and Fire. Granted, waterbenders have been able to control all phases of the element (ice, mist, etc.) so Earthbenders doing something similar isn't horrible (IE: Sandbenders, if that counts at all) I just didn't enjoy what I interpreted as "Avatar only bending" being given to a villain and thrown at a mediocre character because "Well apparently he can't metalbend."

Sloth said
Actually all Sozin did was redirect pure heat from a volcano via firebending, which makes sense since Firebenders have been shown to manipulate steam and so on. The only bender shown to actually manipulate lava before Ghazan and Bolin was an Avatar in a flashback who made a trio of volcanoes erupt. To me, it seemed to be a clear example of "Only the Avatar can do that." since lava came across as a mixture of both Earth and Fire. Granted, waterbenders have been able to control all phases of the element (ice, mist, etc.) so Earthbenders doing something similar isn't horrible (IE: Sandbenders, if that counts at all) I just didn't enjoy what I interpreted as "Avatar only bending" being given to a villain and thrown at a mediocre character because "Well apparently he can't metalbend."

Right, I was thinking about the Pre-Roku Avatar, though I could've sworn Sozin had some control over it but I'll have to rewatch Series 1 to see why I'm remembering it like that. But yeah, the problem I had with Ghazan's lavabending (which was more magmabending if you ask me) was how does an Earthbender heat up Earth to turn it into that? What are the fundamental mechanics behind it? Earthbenders don't deal with temperature but mineral content. Again I think it was poor hindsight on the writers part with them making characters powerful enough to fight the Avatar (and win) but without explanation of their ability.

Gowi said
Right, I was thinking about the Pre-Roku Avatar, though I could've sworn Sozin had some control over it but I'll have to rewatch Series 1 to see why I'm remembering it like that. But yeah, the problem I had with Ghazan's lavabending (which was more magmabending if you ask me) was how does an Earthbender heat up Earth to turn it into that? What are the fundamental mechanics behind it? Earthbenders don't deal with temperature but mineral content. Again I think it was poor hindsight on the writers part with them making characters powerful enough to fight the Avatar (and win) but without explanation of their ability.

Waterbenders can turn water into ice or heat it up into steam. There's no reason earthbenders shouldn't be able to do the same to their respective element. The fundamental mechanics behind it are magic, because that's what it is.

Hank said
Waterbenders can turn water into ice or heat it up into steam. There's no reason earthbenders shouldn't be able to do the same to their respective element. The fundamental mechanics behind it are , because that's what it is.

Magic and Martial Arts; but yeah, you're right on that point.

Sloth said
I just didn't enjoy what I interpreted as " only bending" being given to a villain and thrown at a mediocre character because "Well apparently he can't metalbend."

I'm pretty sure Bolin was only capable of lavabending because he had both fire nation and earth kingdom parents. Maybe it's genetic in some way as well as spiritual.

Gowi said
The problem I had with Ghazan's lavabending (which was more magmabending if you ask me) was how does an Earthbender heat up Earth to turn it into that? What are the fundamental mechanics behind it? Earthbenders don't deal with temperature but mineral content.

It's likely that Ghazan was using friction to melt the rocks into lava, I imagine it would work like rubbing you legs to warm them up or rubbing two sticks together to produce a fire. Except instead of two sticks you are rubbing every individual ''rock particle'' in the targeted area together in order to generate massive amounts of heat; the result of which melts the rock into lava.

Larfleeze said I'm pretty sure Bolin was only capable of lavabending because he had both fire nation and earth kingdom parents. Maybe it's genetic in some way as well as spiritual.

I'm not a big fan of "Mixed heritage = More powers" in general. I can put up with it and it's a viable option for various power ups, but at that point why wouldn't Aang and Katara's kids have some funky Air + Water mash-up power? I preferred it when it was just "Mako got firebending, Bolin got Earthbending". Not to mention you then have to wonder "Well, who were Ghazan's parents then?"

K-97 said It's likely that Ghazan was using friction to melt the rocks into lava, I imagine it would work like rubbing you legs to warm them up or rubbing two sticks together to produce a fire. Except instead of two sticks you are rubbing every individual ''rock particle'' in the targeted area together in order to generate massive amounts of heat; the result of which melts the rock into lava.

That sounds a little too complicated for someone to just pull off randomly. Ghazan had the benefit of (presumably) years of training, unless he was in prison for about half his life, but Bolin just sort of did it out of pure desperation. To me it just comes off as something it'd take years to even grasp the basics of, let alone use it in a combat situation. Then again Toph could do crap like turn sand into solid rock at the age of twelve so....screw it.

K-97 said
It's likely that Ghazan was using friction to melt the rocks into lava, I imagine it would work like rubbing you legs to warm them up or rubbing two sticks together to produce a fire. Except instead of two sticks you are rubbing every individual ''rock particle'' in the targeted area together in order to generate massive amounts of heat; the result of which melts the rock into lava.

That's a point I hadn't really thought about, I actually like this theory a lot. Though, as Sloth said that doesn't explain Bolin, but that's a whole other mess of "why". As far as Larfleeze's concept of genetics goes: I've always liked the idea, but I haven't seen much of it made sense of in the continuity. I mean that would've made Kya have an entirely unique style of waterbending if 1+1=2 but then again maybe it's not always a 100% hybrid bending gene or whatever? I don't know, it's a mess.

I still don't like waterarms or combustion girl in any form.

Hank said
Waterbenders can turn water into ice or heat it up into steam. There's no reason earthbenders shouldn't be able to do the same to their respective element. The fundamental mechanics behind it are , because that's what it is.

I think it makes sense because the atoms of each controlled element can be excited with friction to change form.

Inb4 the writers make a plasma bender out of the air benders.

Sole said
I think it makes sense because the atoms of each controlled element can be excited with friction to change form.Inb4 the writers make a plasma bender out of the air benders.

Plasma would be the next step from lightning, if you ask me.