Oct
5
I was this close to finishing a new standalone installment of Super Viagra but just couldn’t see it through to completion just yet, so you’re getting a review of the second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, which I finished this weekend instead. What another great season! Some of you had said that the second season was even better than the first, and while I can’t really agree with that, it was definitely just as great.
The addition of Toph was a really good one. Normally I hate when they insert new characters into a group I already love, but Toph blended in really well, and was critical to the story as Aang’s blind earthbending teacher. And I bet you thought it would be in poor taste to make blind jokes, but it so isn’t. The humor injected by Toph was really fun, and her one-liners always made me laugh. I think my favorite was:
Sokka: It’s so dark in here. I can’t see a thing!
Toph: Oh no! What a nightmare!
I also really liked the addition of Princess Azula and her friends and I really like the rivalry they set up between her and Prince Zuko. As a side note, every time I think they’re not going to explain something, they always do. That was the case with Azula’s lightning power. Just when I start to think that they just threw that in there to be cool, they have an episode where Uncle Iroh (possibly one of my favorite characters) tries to teach the technique to Prince Zuko and explains the nature of it all. Well played Avatar! I shouldn’t underestimate you!
Some standout episodes this season for me were Avatar Day, which featured the return of Avatar Kyoshi. As you may remember one of my favorite parts of the series is when Aang connects with previous Avatars, so that made me really happy. The Drill was another great episode for all of it’s great action. I would have expected this to have been the season finale since it had so much really well done action, but it wasn’t. And lastly The Tales of Ba Sing Se was another great episode as it dealt with smaller stories of various characters (Uncle Iroh’s and Momo’s being the best) and it was really simple and sweet.
The one thing I have to say I was disappointed in this season was the finale. Maybe because the first season finale was so great, that I just wanted something on that scale, but we didn’t get quite there. Like I said, The Drill episode probably had some of the best action of the season, and we didn’t reach nearly that level in the finale. I think they were going for more of a Empire Strikes Back ending to the season, with betrayals and twists, which was all great, but they didn’t make it as action packed as I wanted. Maybe I’m wrong for wanting a retread of the first season finale, but I kinda wanted a culmination of earthbending the way they did with waterbending in the first season when Aang turned into the giant water spirit. But that’s just a minor quibble. All in all it was another great season and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here!
October 5th, 2009 at 8:08 am
Now you have to watch two more seasons of Buffy, THEN the final season/book of Avatar!
October 5th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Unfortunately, I don’t watch Avatar.
Generally, if it’s animated, doesn’t have penguins from an impoverished African island-nation or a football-headed boy with a potty-mouth, I tend not to watch. 
Having said that, your reviews — along with the comments from the last Avatar post — makes me want to check this out.
October 5th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Don’t listen to Enrico…GO DIRECTLY TO SEASON 3, DO NOT PASS BUFFY DO NOT COLLECT $200…
October 5th, 2009 at 8:48 am
LOL! @ Adam. Since when would I listen to Enrico?
Don’t worry Enrico, it’s just 20 half hour episodes. I’ll be done in a week.
Dave S: I really think this would be right up your alley! Check it out.
October 5th, 2009 at 10:12 am
*right up Dave’s alley* Ha!
I just can’t seem to get into anime; It’s an old person thing. I like wacky wabbits and gay hunters in big hats. And football headed boys with potty mouths.
Oh, I almost forgot, Cleveland (the show) Sucks!!!!!!
October 5th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Dave S.: I agree with Craig, I think you would enjoy it.
“The Tales of Ba Sing Se” and “The Drill” are two of my favorite episodes of the season. I loved Sokka’s story in “Tales” and definitely Momo’s.
Toph is definitely my favorite aspect of the season. She is a fantastic character and they used her really effectively. The other cast additions you mentioned I liked as well (Azula, Ty Lee and Mai). The Dai Li were great too.
October 5th, 2009 at 10:26 am
But you’re gonna forget the Buffy storylines!! Did you see “The Body” yet?!?!
October 5th, 2009 at 10:35 am
No, I’m still a few episodes away from The Body.
October 5th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Oh, and is it just me, or does Aang seem older in the header? Do they purposely make him look less like a little boy in season 2?
October 5th, 2009 at 11:41 am
The show and characters mature each season, not to the point of being physically years older but they’re definately a more serious group by season 3. They still have fun and goof off though.
I loved the season 2 finale but I just probably like things as they get darker.
October 5th, 2009 at 11:42 am
No, he looks the same in the second season as he did in the first. A lot of the promotional artwork for the show and DVD art make him and the other characters look older though. I think they do that to try and draw in an older audience.
October 5th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
One of the things I loved about this season was that they really highlighted the internal struggles of the characters, something rarely done in American animation. I still have to watch the third season myself, and now that I just got Dr. Who series four knocked off my Netflix it’s next.
Oh, and as a side note; we got the first snow of the season this past weekend. Yay! Winter is just around the corner!
October 5th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
M. Nico: You got snow?!? Totally jealous!
October 5th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
I don’t really have anything to say about this post, but is there any chance you ever watch “Brothers and Sisters”? In last night’s episode I saw an argyle pillow on Kevin and Scotty’s couch that had your name written all over it. I couldn’t even pay attention to what the scene was about, because every time I caught a glimpse of the pillow all I could think of was how much you needed to own it. I think it might have been this blue one, which happens to be on sale.
October 5th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
John:Three inches yesterday, but it is all gone now
October 5th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Yay! I’m seeing P!NK tonight!
October 5th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
I don’t watch this show so have nothing to contribute, except to say that the old Spiderman cartoon is the best. Who doesn’t love that theme song?
Have a blast Josh.
Nico: Snow *shudder* Damn, too early for snow. Dec. 24 is when I want snow, light fluffy Christmas snow which melts on Dec. 26, or maybe Jan. 2. I can be patient.
October 5th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
I don’t know nuffin ’bout no airbender, but we have a blind guy in my choir and he makes blind jokes all the time. He’s cool.
October 5th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I love Avatar Kiyoshi too! She is fierce. I wish they had showed more of her in that episode. Book 3 is definitely awesome and has some really fun moments. “The Runaway” and “The Headband” made me laugh a lot and I like “The Puppetmaster” episode too in Book 3. You won’t be disappointed Craig.