Studlock, on 19 October 2014 - 07:31 PM, said:
Well the villain is not grey, she's basically *insert charismatic fascist leader here*. We've so far had mentions of detention camps of her dissenters, withholding humanitarian aid from a village if the didn't bow down to her, literally threatening the entire world with violence if the dare oppose her, then lie to Bolin about it, and we know this is a lie because immediately after she threatens Suyin by saying shes coming for her city, not to mention of the ridiculously brutal treatment of the bandits in the first episode (also if you pay attention one those bandits she captured turns up in the attack on the air born food supply hmmmm). The only way she could any blacker is if she literally had a Hitler mustache (that's a joke).
Sure, she's a fascist leader but so far we've not
seen much that would denote her as utterly black. She's powerful and she spent the first five minutes of episode 1 showing everyone just how powerful. Then when villages would not capitulate she walked away (REALLY despotic leaders don't do this) and said "Well, when you come around, I'll be here to protect you under my terms"...and that's what happened. It's not GOOD...but she's not forcing them to capitulate for the sake of...she's doing it because she desires power and knows how to use it...but I think we are meant to see her as a BIT sympathetic. The Earth Kingdom was ruled for YEARS by a terrible tyrant, and is now going to be ruled by a dandy obsessed with shopping. Neither of those options is GOOD for the people of the Earth Kingdom. Until she does something irredeemable, I'm seeing her as grey.
Studlock, on 19 October 2014 - 07:31 PM, said:
Look I like the villain, she's a nice contrast the proto-communists, and proto-anarchists we've had before but that doesn't mean Bolin has to fall under the influence another villain. We've been through this song and dance before (yeah remember all those frankly uncomfortable 'romantic' moments in season 2? ugh). First that's just kind of boring. Secondly I'd find it much more interesting to watch Bolin try to navigate a successful romantic relationship (something he has not been able to do) than becoming a jack-booted browncoat. I'll forgive a lot of thing from a character but becoming a Nazi despite all of the conflicting evidence is not one of them. If he does so it either means he is disgustingly stupid, terrible naive (which you'd think he wouldn't be after everything that has happened), or just a bad person. All three options leaves a lesser character and retards some character growth from the last season.
The romance in the second season was PERFECT. Because it was a bunch of teenagers fumbling around love the way real teenagers would do. Badly. It was one of the most real aspects of the show to be honest. I don't know about you, but "romance" is not something I or any of my classmates in high school EVER did well. We were a bunch of idiots full to brim with hormones and walked around making poor decisions most of the time.
Second, "nazi" and "jack-booted browncoat" are excessive. The world has had many different types of tryanny, some through royals, some through revolutionaries, and a lot through brute force or political loopholes. Not all of them are analogous with the third reich. In fact, I believe Kuvira's been penned much more as a Russian Revolutionary post WWI. Disenchanted with the archaic monarchy she seeks to establish a rule that will allow citizens across the Earth Kingdom to live happily and not in the tiered royalty system they've been under for centuries. I believe that was the point of showing the Earth Kingdom so much last season, the ringed city of rich to poor, focusing a whole section on Bolin and Mako not being able to get BACK into the upper ring after mistakenly dropping down to the poor section. Kuvira is a revolutionary, and yes a LOT of stuff has gone to her head, and she's begun to lie...but her desires for the kingdom are still seemingly altruistic, even if her chosen route there is not correct. In that vein, I think we are watching the Earth Kingdom falling to an Avatar-world communism, not death camps.
Bolin seeing that altruism and wanting his homeland to be safe, protected AND fair...doesn't make him stupid, it makes him naive, but he's always been that. I don't see it as a stepping back of his character at all. In fact, if anything, going through this, and finding out on the other side that it's not the best way forward will only make him stronger. In strict juxtaposition with his brother Mako who would never have fallen for such ideals to begin with.
Studlock, on 19 October 2014 - 07:31 PM, said:
If Mako was the one to be on the side of the devils I'd actually have less of a complaint. He's a cop, he has a healthy respect for authority, for discipline and order. He makes much more sense to be the guy following Kuvira around. I assume there going for some kind character contrast but I'm not buying it.
This makes no sense to me. Mako has never, ever been about buying into idealistic things. It's why he doesn't trust the air bending kid to begin with last season, the idea that a person could change from a thief into a good person was too much for his analytical brain to take. Such a person would never fall for the powerful utilitarian leader who seeks such widespread change. Mako likely believes that's not a possibility (at least not how Kuvira paints it) on a grand scale. His brother, is, and will always be more forgiving. Bolin WANTS to believe things can be better enough to side with morally grey political ambition...for Mako the thought never even enters his head that such a thing is possible. He's a realist, Bolin is a dreamer.
This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 20 October 2014 - 02:45 PM
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
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