Going Through Avatar: The Last Airbender Part Six

Oh hey, more talk of The Last Airbender!  Jimmy and Tom must be moving through that series at a good pace.

This time around, they chatted up the episodes “The Great Divide” and “The Storm.”

“The Great Divide”

Aang has to try to bring peace to two feuding villages as they cross a dangerous gorge together.

jimmy:  If it’s only like a day’s walk, I’m sure Appa could have made a few trips and gotten everyone across eventually.

tomk:  Appa has to eat. He has, like, five stomachs. And then the tribes would have never made peace.

jimmy:  He should just start eating the tribes until they agree to work together.

tomk:  I don’t think Appa is a carnivore.

jimmy:  See, this may be why I didn’t get a second interview when I applied for Avatar.

tomk:  You wanted your animal companion to eat people?

jimmy:  It would get those tribes in line quick enough…but that’s a very different show.

tomk:  Yes. There shouldn’t be any food inside the gorge.

jimmy:  But you can take food if you think your enemy is going to take food because they think you took food so you might as well take it anyway.

tomk:  I…don’t think that’s right, Jimmy.

jimmy:  Did we watch the same episode?

tomk:  I mean morally, Jimmy.

Both groups are dirty liars who lie.

jimmy:  Ah yes, you’re right there.  I blame Odo.

tomk:  I was going to blame Teen Titans Robin.

jimmy:  I didn’t notice him.

tomk:  He was the first guy who stopped talking early on.

jimmy:  I didn’t notice. But now that you mention it, he did have a lot to say for someone that didn’t speak again the entire episode.

tomk:  Someone has to set up the plot.

jimmy:  That he did.

tomk:  Besides, I think the important point here is both clans thought the rules didn’t apply to them.

jimmy:  Neither would pass the Jerk Test.

tomk:  Each would scoff at the notion that the other group wasn’t made up of jerks.

jimmy:  And they’d be wrong.

tomk:  Not everyone can be as wise as…I dunno, Aang?

jimmy:  He got the job done.

tomk:  Someone had to follow the rules.

jimmy:  Even the siblings ate when it came down to it.

tomk:  Aang just wanted some custard.

jimmy:  There was a great custard place on the other side of the gorge.

tomk:  There better be. As long as the Crawlers never find it.

jimmy:  Apparently they can’t get out of the gorge.

tomk:  Or they can but went right back in again for some custard.

jimmy:  Couldn’t they just ask passers by nicely for some food?

tomk:  They don’t seem to talk.

jimmy:  Sign language?  A well placed billboard?

tomk:  I mostly wonder why they only eat human food and not humans.

jimmy:  That was my next question.  

tomk:  Sokka could have just fed them Momo.

jimmy:  Oh, and I’m the disturbed one for suggesting Appa start eating people…

tomk:  Appa is not a predator and Sokka doesn’t generally like Momo.

jimmy:  Still, I don’t think the others would have been happy with him.  Especially Momo.

tomk:  Well, even Momo ate in the gorge. Aang was the only one who listens.

jimmy:  That’s why he’s the Avatar.

tomk:  You probably would have brought chips, claimed it was OK because the bag was airtight.

jimmy:  As long as you didn’t open them, I imagine that would be fine?

tomk:  I suppose. Can you resist opening a bag of chips for 24 hours?

jimmy:  If it was the only food I had…probably not.

tomk:  Huh. Maybe it’s a good thing you aren’t the Avatar.

jimmy:  One of many reasons.

tomk:  Also, your magical land looks more like Canada.

jimmy:  Looks like or is?

tomk:  Is Canada magical?

jimmy:  Well, we got rocks and trees.  And water.  Need I say more?

tomk:  You’re the magical man from Happyland in a gumdrop house on Lollipop Lane?

jimmy:  I said magical not imaginary.

tomk:  At least you weren’t being sarcastic.

jimmy:  I’m never sarcastic, Tom.

tomk:  True. That’s one of your better Avatar-ish traits.

jimmy:  I also don’t smuggle food.

tomk:  You eat it too fast.

jimmy:  Good point.

tomk:  I mean, what happened to that apple pie I left out to cool?

jimmy:

tomk:  I made that for Watson. It was full of laxative.

jimmy:  Good thing I gave it to him then.

tomk:  Or it would have been if I had remembered to add it.

jimmy:  Grrr.

tomk:  But you never smuggle food. That’s the important part.

jimmy:  It keeps me alive whenever I walk a dangerous gorge.

tomk:  Does that happen often?

jimmy:  No. But when it does…

tomk:  Jimmy, I get the impression your life is occasionally chaotic.

jimmy:  Occasionally.

tomk:  Avatars are about balance too. How good are you at keeping things level and fair?

jimmy:  Ok I guess.

tomk:  So next time you’ll share the pizza?

jimmy:  Maybe.  Is it stuffed crust?

tomk:  Does it matter when the balance of the cosmos is on the line?

jimmy:  …

No?

tomk:  Good answer!  And to show you understand balance, here’s your stuffed crust pineapple pizza.

jimmy:  I will share it with everyone in the office.  Especially Watson.

tomk:  That’s the spirit!

jimmy:  I placed Watson’s slices in that gorge across the street.

tomk:  …

What makes you think he’ll cross a gorge for them?

jimmy:  Hmm.  Good point.  I’ll leave $100 there as well.

tomk:  Canadian dollars?

jimmy:  D’oh!

tomk:  That’s a lot of money to leave out for the guy who goes everywhere by rocketpack.

jimmy:  Rocketpack.  Now, that would have helped in this situation.

tomk:  Too bad this world doesn’t have that sort of technology.

jimmy:  Indeed.  Aang’s an airbender, couldn’t he whip up a tornado or something to carry them across?

tomk:  Probably not safely.

jimmy:  After their behavior, I’m not so worried about that.

tomk:  But then they can’t make peace after a pack of lies.

jimmy:  All’s well that ends well?

tomk:  I suppose. They’re all friends now.

jimmy:  Well, our work here is done!

tomk:  What do you mean your work here is done?  You didn’t do anything.

jimmy:  Oh.  Maybe next time.

tomk:  Oh, you want to see what happens next time now?

jimmy:  Oh, whenever we finish our gorge talk.

tomk:  You are all about gorging sometimes.

jimmy:  I dealt the hand I’m played. Or something.

tomk:  Right.  Want some of this custard?

jimmy:  Sure do.

tomk:  It’s on the other side of the gorge with Watson’s stuffed crust pineapple pizza and $100 Canadian.

jimmy:  I’ll get my jet pack!

tomk:  Before you take off, would you like to learn a bit more about two major characters on this show?

jimmy:  Appa and Momo?

tomk:  Well, would you like to know why Aang was in an iceberg and how Zuko got that scar over one eye?

jimmy:  That would probably be more interesting.

tomk:  You might even hear a voice you know.

jimmy:  Please don’t be Watson’s.

tomk:  It’s not.

jimmy:  Phew.

tomk:  It’s actually an actor you know and presumably like.

jimmy:  Presumably?

tomk:  I prefer not to assume.

jimmy:  Smrt.

tomk:  Would you like to find out who?

jimmy:  I would.

tomk:  Then get your rain slicker ready.

“The Storm”

Aang and Zuko’s secrets revealed!

jimmy:  You were right. I do like James Hong.

tomk:  And Mark Hamill?

jimmy:  Oh yeah. Him too.

tomk:  Zuko’s voice actor compared the duel scene to Empire Strikes Back.  Only, you know, Hamill was Vader this time.

jimmy:  And, you know, there was no duel.

tomk:  Only because Zuko wouldn’t fight his father.

jimmy:  Would you?

tomk:  His father or my father?

jimmy:  Either.

tomk:  Can I bring a gun to fight the Fire Lord?

jimmy:  No. Only a packet of matches with the name “Sirus” and the number “81” written on the inside.

tomk:  That sounds like a reference I should get.

But I don’t think I can take the Fire Lord.

My own father is nearly 80, so that seems more likely that I would win, but he doesn’t send untrained soldiers off as an expendable distraction, so I probably wouldn’t try.

jimmy:  Strategy wise it makes sense, but that’s cold.

tomk:  If my father was sending young men off to die in an evil war, shouldn’t I try?

I mean, I am sure you didn’t just stand by while Papa Impossible was ruthlessly conquering Nova Scotia.

jimmy:  That was different.

“We’re taking this land now. Get out.”

“Okay, sorry. We’re going.”

tomk:  I will never understand your country.

jimmy:  It’s a complicated country and no one understands it but it’s women.

tomk:  So that’s why Canadian Malin Ackerman put a restraining order on you?

jimmy:  Mayhaps.

tomk:  Well, that sounds like a hell of a story. Too bad it has nothing to do with Aang or Zuko.

jimmy:  Makes you feel bad for the both of them.

tomk:  Mission accomplished. You now know more about both of them.

jimmy:  And that the Fire Nation are bigger jerks than you thought.

tomk:  I just want to note that my second viewing picked up something. The moment during the duel when Iroh turned away, there’s a girl standing in front of him who hasn’t been introduced yet but becomes very important later. And Zhao is standing behind him.

jimmy:  The girl that seemed quite thrilled with Zuko’s scarring?

tomk:  Yes. That one.

jimmy:  She stood out to me on first watch.

tomk:  Just make a mental note of what she looks like and keep an eye out for her.

jimmy:  Sounds like it will be pretty obvious who she is at some point.

tomk:  That’s right. She’s the cleaning lady.

jimmy:  Important job in the Fire Nation. A lot of soot around.

tomk:  It’s why she looks so nasty. Zuko is a slob.

jimmy:  He is a teenager.

tomk:  But now you know why he’s exiled.

jimmy:  Because he was brave. And Aang was scared

tomk:  That’s a good summary. Aang seems less scared now. Zuko is still brave.

jimmy:  Aang is definitely less scared.  And it really hasn’t been that long for him.

tomk:  He’s too young for this.

jimmy:  Also true.

tomk:  Unless you are Roger Murtaugh.

jimmy:  He’s also not the avatar.

tomk:  Probably a good thing.

jimmy:  He fought a Predator, he couldn’t handle being the avatar?

tomk:  Jimmy, he’s too old for that.

jimmy:  Apparently.

tomk:  Being the Avatar is (at first) a young person’s game.

jimmy:  So, you can be the Avatar when you’re old…but you can’t start off that way.

tomk:  You learn you are the Avatar normally at 16 but probably begin training long before that. Aang learned early. So will his successor Korra for very different reasons.

jimmy:  Spoilers????

tomk:  For the first five seconds of Korra’s first episode?

jimmy:  Well, since I haven’t seen that or knew it existed…

tomk:  I’ve mentioned it before…

jimmy:  And you think I’ll remember that?

tomk:  If you don’t, you’ll forget what I just told you.

jimmy:  Probably.

tomk:  True. Have a cheeseburger, a beer, and a side of fries.

jimmy:  Excellent.

tomk:  And no cabbage.

jimmy:  Excellent.

tomk:  So, Aang wasn’t allowed to play with the other kids.

jimmy:  Like Rudolph.

tomk:  When his arrow shines so bright, he can guide Santa’s sleigh that night.

jimmy:  Something like that.

tomk:  So, let me ask you this:  did what you saw here change how you see either Aang or Zuko?

jimmy:  Not overly. Maybe a bit more sympathetic to Zuko but we already knew he was wronged by his father.

tomk:  Yeah, but did you know his father gave him that scar?

jimmy:  No, but I kinda suspected.

tomk:  And Iroh seems to know even if Zuko succeeds in his quest, he still can’t get back to where he was.

jimmy:  He’ll probably never please his father.

tomk:  Then he should probably figure that out.

jimmy:  Figure out that he’ll never please his father?

tomk:  Yes.

Iroh knows, and Iroh can bend lightning.

jimmy:  Iroh is much older and experienced.

tomk:  Kinda like you at the Impossible Family Reunion.

jimmy:  Thanks?

tomk:  Well, you are certainly older and wiser than all those Impossible Kids like your various nieces, nephews, and clones the Moose made when you weren’t looking.

jimmy:  I guess that is true. Wait, clones?

tomk:  Yeah, those guys. Moving on, how about the comedy stylings of the fisherman and his wife?

AANG:  I’m going to rescue Sokka!
KATARA:  I’m going too!
OLD WOMAN:  I’m staying here!

or

SOKKA:  I’m too young to die!
FISHERMAN:  I’m not, but I don’t wanna!

jimmy:  That fisherman sounded awfully familiar.

tomk:  Is he a guy who owed you money?

jimmy:  I don’t think so.

tomk:  Ok, so, not Malcolm McDowell.

jimmy:  Nope.

tomk:  Well, it sounded like Ed Asner, but it wasn’t Ed Asner.

jimmy:  Maybe that was it. Familiar but off.

tomk:  Like Canadian bacon.

jimmy:  Aka ham.

tomk:  But not what most people would call bacon.

jimmy:  Certainly not.

tomk:  And you can’t catch any by fishing.

jimmy:  Wouldn’t that be glorious?

tomk:  That you can go fishing for bacon?

jimmy:  If you could.

tomk:  Sure, if you could find the elusive sea-pig.

jimmy:  We’d need a pig bender for that.

tomk:  Keep Iroh around to bend some lightning to cook it.

jimmy:  Now you’re getting it.

tomk:  I’m getting it?  You’re the newcomer here.

jimmy:  Right.  At least I didn’t end up frozen in ice or hideously scarred in a flashback.

tomk:  You also didn’t end up with a flying bison or an Uncle Iroh.

jimmy:  Man, I can’t catch a break.

tomk:  You also don’t have a Momo or an Uncle Ben.

jimmy:  Not a Momo anyway.

tomk:  You lost a beloved uncle after you failed to stop a thief?

jimmy:  Well, no. I thought you meant specifically an Uncle named Ben.

tomk:  You have an Uncle Ben Impossible?

jimmy:  Well, no.

tomk:  You have an Uncle Ben on your mother’s side with a different last name?

jimmy:  No. But I could have!

tomk:  …

Jimmy, were you recently lost at sea in a storm or something?

jimmy:  Recently?

tomk:  Jimmy, you need help.

jimmy:  It’s been a long week.

tomk:  Clearly. Have a beer.

jimmy:  Really?  It’s 11:15AM.

tomk:  It’s a root beer.

jimmy:  Ah.  Makes sense.

tomk:  Getting drunk in the office will only make things worse.

jimmy:  Like not listening to old timers’ arthritis predicting a storm?

tomk:  Or going fishing in a storm.

jimmy:  One follows on from the other.

tomk:  At least Sokka got one fish out of it.

jimmy:  Hey, it’s better than I’d do.

tomk:  Don’t you routinely get snacks and awards during chats?

jimmy:  Yes, but I don’t have to catch them.

tomk:  You just have to be charming and clever.

jimmy:  I try.

tomk:  Would you like to try the next episode then, or do you have more to say about this one?

jimmy:  Not really. Only just that even if you don’t give Zuko a break he’ll still save your ass.

tomk:  Funny you should say that…

jimmy:  Yeah?

tomk:  You’ll see…if you want to.

jimmy:  Of course.

tomk:  Then it might be time for some kind of silent ninja superhero type to help out.

jimmy:  Ohhh. Ninjas!

tomk:  Now you’re excited.  Ready?

jimmy:  Ready.

tomk:  You got it.

NEXT TIME:  Tom and Jimmy will return soon with more Last Airbender chat.  Be back soon for their thoughts on the episodes “The Blue Spirit” and “The Fortuneteller.”