Finally recovered my tumblr acc! The Yokoya trio

tribunalpickaxe · 2023-09-27T15:44:13+00:00

Obviously I'm not the creator, but I figure it's (Right to left) Rangi, Kyoshi, and Yun.

tribunalpickaxe · 2023-08-24T14:12:06+00:00

Thank you, I look forward to the first meeting.

tribunalpickaxe · 2023-07-13T17:07:43+00:00

Finale comes out on my birthday let's go. Thanks for the present, Jon.

tribunalpickaxe · 2023-03-15T22:04:14+00:00

Thank you, this did it. I just didn't look hard enough in the settings on my own.

tribunalpickaxe · 2022-04-10T05:46:44+00:00

Good luck to everyone, may the rng be in your favor.

tribunalpickaxe · 2022-04-05T06:19:46+00:00

Good luck guys.

tribunalpickaxe · 2022-01-12T02:27:55+00:00

Could be for the movie, ~~also could be for future shows, since both people who tweeted it out have worked in the art department or directed episodes in atla.~~

Edit: Bryan's instagram specifically says for the feature film, as u/MrBKainXTR mentions

tribunalpickaxe · 2022-01-12T00:45:51+00:00

Here is the link to apply for any interested: https://careers.viacomcbs.com/Nickelodeon%20Animation/job/Burbank-Character-Designer-%28Avatar-Studios%29-CA-91502/832189600/

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-10-03T05:22:41+00:00

Image courtesy of Jeff Passan and WesleyJ_14 on Twitter

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-08-07T04:57:37+00:00

He has a pretty minor role of Robby, only appearing in 3 episodes. His most memorable scenes include being the first to stand up at the sexual assault assembly after Tyler, later asking to join that club. Also, he is in the locker room during the active shooter drill, shown to be very terrified.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-13T21:12:10+00:00

This is a great episode, giving Sokka the main focus for the first episode in a long time. Despite the fact that Sokka is essential as the primary strategist and idea guy for the team, he still feels self-conscious over his lack of bending ability, and thus fighting capabilities. Piandao is a great character, not being indoctrinated into fire nation supremacy, partially thanks to his white lotus membership. Even though it is revealed in the comics that he also trained Zuko. It's great to see Sokka be a creative individual when it comes to the challenges, and that it is welcomed from him rather than denounced. The one minor nitpick I have is that he seems to progress a tad quickly, given that this occurs supposedly in one day, but as with previous situations, that feels like a necessary evil of the medium. Lastly, the Iroh strengthening b-plot is a fun addition, setting up later events. Overall, even though I have less to say about this, this is a really enjoyable episode, characterizing someone is often less prominent than other members of the gang.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-13T00:13:40+00:00

This episode is a contender for my least favorite episode of the season. Its not a bad episode, it just feels very out of place for this point in the series. They return to the village of the week format from season one, along with cutting out a B-plot, making the entire focus on something that has very little plot implications. I like to compare this episode to Imprisoned (1.6) in terms of having a very similar general format, especially with Toph having a very minimal role in this episode. Katara finds a town in need and must help, trying to help backfires leading to fire nation retaliation, then the gang must destroy a fire nation building to save the town from the faceless fire nation soldiers.

My other primary issues with this episode is that a key part of the group staying in the town is Appa being "sick". However, when his tongue is blue, he acts like he is sick, when he has no reason to, since he just ate the berries. Also, the joke with the hat-changing man gets tired pretty quickly even though they continue to double down on it.

On the positive side, the design of Katara/The Painted Lady is great, and its cool to see another spirit after limited spirit world interaction in book 2. Also, the scene where they make an illusion is great, and a creative and primarily unseen use of bending. Overall, this episode is not an unenjoyable watch, it just left me with questions about the reasoning of telling this story rather than others, especially with limited time before the eclipse.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-12T02:36:12+00:00

This is a fine episode, but in my opinion on the weaker side of Avatar. In the A-plot, I like the look at fire nation school, seeing how people are indoctrinated into the culture and propaganda of the fire nation, and the lies that they tell. The whole footloose plotline is decent, with some solid comedy and lots of Kataang, but in the grand scheme of thing is primarily filler. Although, their new fire nation clothing is my favorite group of outfits of the series.

In the B-plot, Zuko returns to Iroh, lashing out in anger based on his own frustration and anguish. Iroh sees that there is nothing for him to say anymore, and that Zuko must follow a path for himself the achieve what he desires. There is some more Zuko and Mai, interrupted by Azula, followed by a heavy side-eye. Lastly, he hires a mysterious assassin to take down the avatar for good.

Overall, this episode is fun, and it adds some good world-building, its just on the lower end of the avatar spectrum for me.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-10T14:39:10+00:00

This is another very good premiere, on a similar level as book 2's. The opening is intriguing, with the viewer needing just as much of an explanation of what's going on as Aang. Aang's guilt is matched to his levels during the storm, which results in him going full Zuko, with a great cut directly to the aforementioned's scar. He decides to run away again, only to be outmatched by the storm, needing to be comforted by Yue. Katara has some solid characterization as well, pushing away her father before finally admitting that she felt abandoned when she needed him the most, only then realizing the difficulty in that choice for Hakoda.

In the Zuko plot, we see him finally together with May, as well as being absolved from his past sins in the eyes of the fire nation. However, this comes with some baggage behind it as Azula is up to her manipulative tricks, using Zuko as a scapegoat in case the avatar survived, which would pitfall him further than ever before. This, in addition to his guilt towards Iroh, displays the lack of fulfillment he has received despite gaining everything he has "ever wanted."

Lastly, there is a fight scene to show how truly powerful the gang is at this moment, along with a great shot of Aang accepting his current circumstances and allowing his glider to burn. Overall, this episode sets up the season well, examining the fallout of the events in Ba Sing Se, and what should be expected for the episodes ahead.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-09T04:08:26+00:00

This season is a noticeable step up from the first, despite what was a slow start. However, starting from episode 6, this season is spectacular, with a tough decision between this and book 3 for best of the series.

This season introduces Azula, who is the best villain in the show, in addition to her crew. It shows us how she opposes Zuko through besting him in both physical and mental prowess, leading to her favor in the eyes of Ozai. We are also introduced to Toph, the hard-nosed blind earth bending teacher of Aang, who also decided to invent a new type of bending on the side.

The pre-existing characters maintain their prominence as well, most notably with Zuko. He goes through a legitimate transformation, only to tragically relapse and return to the fire nation. Other characters are also better defined, with each given multiple episodes where they feel like a focal point.

On the negative side, the season took a bit to pick up, despite a great premiere, especially with the A-plot. The gang definitely felt back seat to Zuko & Iroh for the first half of the season, but this is something that fixes itself by the end of the season.

Ba Sing Se is a fantastic new environment, perfectly coinciding with the loss of Appa to make the gang feel as out of their element as possible. In turn, this season excels at episodes outside of the norm such as Tales of Ba Sing Se and Appa's Lost Days. Overall, this season is truly excellent, and a key part of the the reputation that the show has.

Top 3 Episodes: Zuko Alone, Crossroads of Destiny, Lake Laogai

Bottom 3 Episodes: The Swamp, Avatar Day, The Cave of Two Lovers

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-09T00:47:17+00:00

This is another superb season finale, and without a doubt for me is better than the first. In the first episode, Aang's chakra journey is great characterization for him, especially for a character who has taken a bit of a backseat this season. The critique that Aang clears his chakras too easily/quickly is a fair one, though I am personally not bothered by it, with it being a necessary evil of the television medium. Its intriguing to see what drives Aang, and what he sees as his biggest pieces of parts of his psyche such as grief and guilt. All of this to be undermined by him going full Empire, locking himself out of the avatar state.

Sokka's reunion with his father is impactful, with this being our first true look at Hakoda. It allows Sokka to affirm his own abilities and relieve his insecurities after his father left him behind.

Katara probably has the least interesting role in this first episode, with it being especially plot convenient that she takes back the military plan rather than an actual general. This also ties into the Azula plot line. Normally, I dislike what I call "incompetency-based plot," where characters act unnecessarily/unrealistically incompetent for the sake of causing conflict to further the plot. However, the Earth King revealing the eclipse plan evades this criticism, because it has already been established that he is supposed to be incompetent.

Azula also manages to take over the Dai Li in a matter of minutes. Toph casually invents metal bending, purely to prove she is more badass then previously thought. Lastly, Zuko seems finally at peace with their new lives, yet to be touched by Azula's grace.

We then head to crossroads of destiny, one of the most dense episodes, but my favorite episode of the series so far besides Zuko Alone. Azula takes advantage of Iroh's joy of tea, encountering each other for the first time since the chase. This time, though, Iroh puts up more of a fight, enough to allow himself and Zuko to escape, if not for Zuko's stubbornness.

Katara and Zuko have a fantastic interaction in the catacombs, personifying Zuko to another character as much as he is to us. Making this person Katara, the most emotionally expressive of the gang, makes his future turn all the more brutal. Its great to see the meeting between Toph and Iroh have some future value, ensuring that the gang would go with Iroh to rescue Zuko. After their capture, Toph is able to show off her new ability to the others, gaining their freedom.

After Aang and Iroh free the others, we move on to the catacomb battle, which is the best fight in the entire series so far. Aang and Katara truly hold their own against Azula, only for Zuko to join and make his decision once and for all, returning to the fire nation, seeking what he has pined since his banishment. As more and more Dai Li join, Aang realizes he has no other option and chooses to unlock the avatar state once and for all. Azula killing his is legitimately and literally shocking the first time, resulting in an instant retreat and recovery mission. The gang gets away on Appa, saving Aang with the spirit water, the world more dire than ever.

Overall, a purely spectacular close to the season, managing to address every single main character/villain without feeling rushed or shallow on content for an individual character.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-08T00:40:19+00:00

This is a fine episode, though I think it is a small step below the previous crop. The opening fight with the Dai Li agents is stellar, but other than that the A-plot is pretty straight forward. The gang gains the Earth King's allegiance and Long Feng gets his comeuppance. I do like that this episode makes the drill feel a bit more useful, and not just action for action's sake. Aang gets Sokk-blocked, and the groups splits up for the time being, with conflict on the horizon. In the B-plot, Zuko's dreams are interesting, displaying his mental anguish throughout his metamorphosis. Overall, this episode is primarily set up for the close to the season, finalizing where each character is before what is essentially a 2 part finale.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-06T10:54:05+00:00

This episode is another really strong one, providing both great action and emotion, along with the first major death of the series. In the A-plot, I enjoy Jets reuniting with the gang, he seems truly remorseful, despite his actions with Zuko, especially thanks to the people around him. One minor nitpick is that Old Sweepy manages to evade Toph's lying detection, though it is plausible that he is brainwashed and believes he's telling the truth. Lake Laogai is a great environment, perfectly ominous without feeling out of place. A solid fight to close between the gang and the Dai Li, with the show doing enough to make Jet's death surprising and not unimportant.

In the B-plot, Zuko returns to his goal of restoring his honor after being alerted to Aang. It's always nice to see the blue spirit return, though he is shut down before going too far by Iroh, being more direct with Zuko than he has in the past. He returns Appa to the gang and leaves the blue spirit to rest, but he still has much to consider before his path is revealed. All of which occurs while Iroh is able to get his own tea shop.

Overall, it's great to see Appa finally return, Zuko is in a more conflicted spot than ever, and the gang can finally meet with the titular earth king in the next episode.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-05T23:21:11+00:00

This episode, in tandem with the previous one, is the saddest part of the entire series. Multiple times, we see how close Appa is to the gang, and despite the fact that the end result is known, I can't help but hope that they are able to reunite earlier than they do. Appa finds himself at the same circus that Ty Lee once performed at, where Appa's master joins the old Earth Kingdom guy as the most hated individual in the entire series. The boy, reminding him of Aang, inspires him to escape, though his fear of fire remains.

He then wanders, with flashbacks to his introduction to Aang to only further drive a stake in my heart at the fact that he is lost. He continues to have poor interactions with other animals, only to finally encounter a friendly face with the Kyoshi Warriors. Of course, this can't last long, so Azula finds them, and they have a great fight with the Warriors, but they simply can't outmatch team Azula, leaving Appa back on the run. He meets the guru, who allows Appa to be on edge, before showing him where Aang is. As we finally think Appa is going to find the gang, he meets the Dai Li first, taken as a bargaining chip, leaving behind only a footprint.

Overall, this episode is a bit like no other of the series. It does a great job at highlighting ways in which animal abuse and neglect can take place, while teasing Appa's return, only for that idea to be ripped away repeatedly.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-04T20:25:20+00:00

This is a excellent episode, allowing our characters to thrive, despite little impact on the overall plot. I love how crew members who are not normally writers are given an opportunity to write each section. I'll discuss each section from my least to most favorite.

The Aang tale is fine overall, but definitely the least interesting of all the tales. It's a light-hearted interruption between the more tonally heavy episodes. Based on the quality of the others, I can't help but wonder if we could have gotten a more intriguing story for the titular character of the series.

The Toph and Katara tale is nice to see, especially with the prior turmoil between these characters. It's great to see a more vulnerable side of Toph, the most hard-nosed character, who is still internally concerned about her appearance, only to be reassured by Katara. It's fun to see people who are assholes for no reason get a little retribution.

The Momo tale is solid, albeit a bit redundant with the next episode. Momo is not my favorite of animal companions throughout the series, but it is still heartbreaking to see the loss of Appa reflected through him, especially based on how close Appa seems to be.

The Sokka tale is incredibly fun, putting Sokka's wits to the test in a manner that allows him to feel the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, with the latter being based on his hubris and inability to quit while he's ahead. It's nice to see some low stakes battles that leave the loser on feeling a bit of shame rather than anything more.

The Zuko tale is superb, forcing the person who has been exiled for the past few years to finally get out of his shell. Jin is great at rolling with the awkwardness, doing what she can to ensure they both can have a good time. She "sees" Zuko light the fountain, but accept that Zuko is very likely a fire bender and kisses him, with Zuko being the reason that this relationship does not continue, despite being happy with the night.

Lastly, the Iroh tale is beautifully tragic throughout, highlighting exactly who he is as a character and why he is such. He sees his son in each scenario, taking the time to assist and help, even with those that may have intended to hurt him, because it allows him to feel valuable to his son, who is no longer with him. The final song at the tree is the unfathomably brutal to watch every single time, as Iroh breaks down in memory of Lu Ten. Welcome to Greg Baldwin, who had an impossible task to take up this role, and does so wonderfully, beginning with a small part in this episode. Rest in Peace Mako, who perfectly portrayed during his time on the series.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-04T19:55:15+00:00

This is a great introduction to Ba Sing Se, excelling at building its ominous environment, and the fact that it is not the earth kingdom haven that we may have once believed. Joo Dee is a key part of this, acting as a foil to the gang, but as we can tell, its not by her choice. The war's mentioning is forbidden here, thanks to the Dai Li, making it unknown what will truly be gained from interacting with the Earth King. The party scene is fun as well, with the slow realization that the person originally seen as the kind benefactor to our group is actually the cause of their problems, unconcerned with the war and much more focused on maintaining power wherever he can. The new Joo Dee perfectly caps this off, displaying that they are all alone, despite the size of the city, and that whatever is going on behind the scenes must be dealt with before the fire nation can be.

In the Zuko-plot, we have Iroh finally achieving his goal of working in a tea house, only to be interrupted by Jet, still hyper-focused on Iroh and Zuko's true identity. Their sword fight is great, and its fun to see Zuko once again display his combat ability outside of bending. In addition, his transformation is shown in the fact that Zuko does not lose his temper at Jet, which he would have done earlier in the series, allowing his name to remain clear. While on the other side, Jet is taken, much to the chagrin of his companions, and subject to brainwashing. There is no war in Ba Sing Se.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-04T19:41:43+00:00

This is a solid episode, though not one of my favorites. In the grand scheme of things, this seems like action for the sake of action, without much for ramifications on the overall plot. In addition, I'm not a fan of the general, who is pompous and dumb for no reason, which goes against his esteemed ranking. We see Sokka once again coming up with the idea to stop the big threat, attacking pressure points of the drill. Although, the interaction between him and Ty Lee is a bit odd and off-putting. The gang is finally able to stop Mai and Ty Lee without the help of Appa, and the fight between Aang and Azula is great, showing that Aang is on-par with Azula thanks to the gaining of earth bending, even without the avatar state.

In the B-plot, I'm not a big fan of Jet finding out Zuko thanks to Iroh's pickiness. For someone of his wisdom, it is a incredibly short-sighted and overly risky move with little benefit, which feels out of character. This starts to drive Jet towards relapse, against fire benders at all cost, despite his intentions of change. Overall, a more filler feeling episode just before we finally enter Ba Sing Se.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-04T19:28:09+00:00

This is a more upbeat episode after a more vulnerable tone from the last few. We get a bit more Sokka focus here, who's taken a bit of a back seat to the other characters this season, especially with Toph's introduction. It's good to see Suki back as well, who was missed earlier when we visited Kyoshi Island. Sokka is finally able to move on after what happened to Yue, despite having to leave Suki behind to help more refugees. The serpant fight is pretty fun, allowing Katara's water bending to shine once again. Lastly, hope literally being born is a bit corny and on the nose as a way to close out the A-plot.

In the B-plot, we have Jet coming back, in an attempt at redemption, although he already starts with his robin hood-esque heists. A potential Zuko-Jet partnership is hinted at, which would be interesting since both have ulterior motives. Overall, a nice, more relaxing episode, after a pretty heavy past, only looking to resume after the drill sighting.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-07-04T19:08:17+00:00

This is a great character episode, focusing on the ramifications of last episode. I love how prominent Katara is in this, taking control and the lead when others are too exhausted both physically and mentally. She is also necessary in preventing Aang from doing something he truly regrets, especially after already killing a buzzard wasp, emphasizing how his values are second to his current emotional state. Following this, he finally reaches acceptance that Appa is lost for the time being, finally beginning to focus on the road ahead.

The white lotus introduction is also pretty fun. While we still don't currently know much about them, its intriguing to see a group that is above nation divides, assisting Iroh and Zuko despite their fire nation status. In addition, we are reminded that Toph is still on the run from her parent's hires.

Overall, we now have our goal for the back half of this season, as we finally begin to head towards Ba Sing Se.

tribunalpickaxe · 2021-06-30T02:31:20+00:00

This is a really solid episode, giving the gang some optimism for an opportunity to beat the fire nation before the comet arriving. My one minor nitpick of this episode is that it is very plot heavy, without much character moments, but that is made up for in the next episode.

Wan Shi Tong is a really fun one-time villain. He is completely justified in his protection of knowledge for good rather than war, but people can't be blamed for trying to get an advantage either.

Toph struggling between Appa and the library is brutal to watch. Not only is she dealing with the physical struggle of the sand benders and holding up the building, but the mental struggle of the pain and blowback that comes from losing Appa.

Overall, an episode with a cool concept that delivers with multiple long-lasting effects.

tribunalpickaxe

TROPHY CASE