this was the best filler episode of all time.
the atla fillers were so good half the time i didn’t even realize they were fillers
they arent even filler, theres only 3 episodes in the entirety of A:TLA that could be removed without sacrificing something important
This isthe last episode before the double chapter finale. This is literally a recap of everything that has happened in the series up to that point and they managed to make it entertaining and funny.
No, see, it’s not even JUST that it’s entertaining and funny. It is, definitely, but this episode is an excellent example of juxtaposition. The play makes light of some extremely serious moments. Zuko’s betrayal of his uncle? Yue’s death? These moments are some of the most heart-wrenching in the series, and the playwrights put comedy lines in them. During the siege of Ba Sing Se, which was nerve-wracking enough to be the climax of the second book, the audience is basically falling asleep.
Also, there’s the fact that Yue’s sacrifice, which was made because of the destructive actions of a Fire Nation military leader, is written off as “important moon duties”. The Fire Nation subtly erases their involvement in the issues the characters are facing when they can, which is interesting to say the least.I think one of the things this episode does best is that it addresses the fears and regrets of the characters. The most obvious examples, of course, are Aang’s insecurity about his relationship with Katara, and Zuko’s fear that he’s hurt his relationship with his uncle beyond repair.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE. Because those first two things? Those are the blatantly obvious ones, thrown in your face, but the last five or ten minutes of the play is when things get serious. There’s a definite change in tone- the only really comedic moment in the “future” portion is this gifset, which depicts Zuko’s death. Think about that a minute.
This scene addresses lot of the fears that the Gaang are facing going into the final battle. Because guess what? The play depicts all of them dying. And the crowd cheers, because the Fire Nation has won, blah blah blah- but the Gaang, of course, is collectively horrified, because while Zuko’s death is kind of funny to us and the audience due to the play’s oversimplification of his character (“HONOOOOOR!!!11!1!!!”), his death- in a to-the-death battle with his sister, no less- is an actual thing that could happen in the next few episodes. Aang’s death, which is also depicted in the play, is also a very likely possible outcome of the final battle.
Yes, this episode was absolutely hilarious, but that’s not the only reason I have saved it on my DVR for years and years.
(via bachthestalker)
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