The beach is absolutely a fan favorite for the diversion in the main story by allowing us to see how our hyper competent villain group is incapable of functioning in normal society and of the deeper revelations we get for their characters
The episode definitely humanized Azula tho. You see more facets of her. She has insecurities, she struggles with the perception her mother had of her and she feels Zuko waa the favorite. You also gotta remember that without Iroh, Zuko would be very different and we know Azula doesnt have a good mentor.
I think the intended meaning of the beach scene was the characters talking about their feelings when they normally do not. Its important for them to put it into words instead of just feeling their feelings. I guess it could have been structured differently so it does not feel too preachy, the rest of the episode mainly satirises the standard anime beach episode where it may be used for fanservice, as a bit of a break to relax. Tai Lee atracting all the guys, Mai and Zuko relationship problems, Azula trying to pick up boys. But the catch is our group is so intense and stands out, they basically end up ruining a party and burning the house.
For me at least, the campfire scene hits hard because it's the first time Zuko verbalizes his feelings. It's like a dramatic irony situation where of course the audience already knows why Zuko is feeling frustrated, but this is the moment where he finally puts his mental state into words and can start figuring out what he wants to do about it. I think it could also be an important lesson as well - usually the first step towards working through your emotions is to actually be able to express them with language.
I think it was necessary for zuko to voice his feelings. Since he hasnt ever said he was mad at himself. He has always deflected the anger to outside people. His father. The avatar. Even iroh and azula he blames. He has never actually voiced i am mad at how i have handled things.
I know that this show is usually written with a lot of subtly but it is still written fir kids and as some who watched these as a kid as they came out, the lack of subtly didn't bother me and the fire revelations scene always stood out as powerful including ty'lee's portion. Yes she can be vacuous but her talking about how her lack of identity as a child and how to led to her current personality still landed
Yeah, I can definitely see how this would be one of those moments that really stood out, and then rewatching as an adult, you’d probably feel appreciation for how much they foreshadowed everything, whereas I’m coming to the situation as an adult and being like…yeah, I know! 😂 I think I struggle with saying, “Well, it is a show for kids,” because that so often is spoken when diminishing a show, which I don’t want to do, but I think I can be better about learning how to express that without allowing it to come off as an insult, and simply an acknowledgment of the intended demographic ❤️
I believe the Beach is well liked. Beach episodes are also a big anime trope, usually its the chill, filler, fanservice episode, but ATLA puts a fair amount of character development into it. Also I think Azula saying that her own mother hated her and that she was right is an important moment. That scene still sparks discussions. Did Ursa (Zuko/Azula's mother) really fear/hate Azula? If she did why? Does Azula convinces herself that she's fine with the situation? I get what you mean with the lack subtlety, maybe thats one of the few times where the show's age rating hurts a bit. It was made for 7y.o+
Yeah, completely agree. I like the way they tweaked what we usually see with beach episodes-I mentioned to someone else that maybe I just in general dislike those kinds of set ups, even though I can appreciate this one for doing something different with them 😄
I don't agree with your point that everything we get from Zuko in The Beach episode is what we get in a single look in episode 1, or even in all of his development in the first 4 episodes. I think that feeling an emotion is very different from being able to identify that emotion and accept that yes, that is what you are feeling. In the first few episodes, we see clearly what Zuko feels. He feels doubt about whether he made the right choice, guilt when he becomes more certain that he's made the wrong one, disappointment as he realizes that his concept of "restoring honor" isn't what he thought it would be, and anger that he directs toward his uncle while trying to defend his actions (which he is slowly realizing are indefensible). However, he has not yet been able to sort out any of these emotions. He knows he feels bad, but that has no bearing on whether or not he actually understands how he feels and why. His anger toward his uncle is also clearly misplaced. This is why I think that the beach episode is actually very important to his development. Throughout the episode, we see that he is angry, but he is searching for the source of his anger, and while it might be very obvious to us viewers, it isn't to him, and it's a journey he needs to go through. I personally feel a sense of relief when he finally gets there and realizes that he's not angry at Iroh or Mai or Ozai or Azula but actually himself. And when he finally admits out loud that he's unsure of the difference between right and wrong, I view that as a step in the right direction because he finally has a new goal: Discerning right from wrong and then doing what's right, as opposed to his previous mission which was to "restore honor" at all costs regardless of right or wrong. So, while I agree that it wasn’t the most subtle in that episode, I don't think it needs to be. I view it as the equivalent of the season 2 moment where Iroh puts all subtlety aside and bluntly hits Zuko with the "Who are you and what do YOU want?", except this time, it's Zuko being blunt with himself (and by extension, the viewers).
I agree that the moment needed to happen! I think the way in with it was set up frustrated me, though not the moment itself, if that makes sense. I tried to express that in the video, but it might’ve gotten lost a bit there ❤️
The beach episode works for me because it’s a reminder that that the fire nation squad has also been negatively impacted by the war. Azula is so busy pleasing her father she can’t talk to other kids. Ty Lee can’t avoid boys without resorting to violence (though in her defense they cornered her.) And the volley ball game shows how Azula can’t turn off the war strategist in her. I also like scene where Azula finds Zuko at their old house. When she says this place is depressing I think it might be the only truthful thing she says to Zuko the entire series. But the bonfire is lame. And since they ended on that I can see why you dislike it so much.
Hahaha, you know, I appreciate that you so well expressed both love and annoyance at this-I think the very nature of the episode is sorta meant to evoke both, but kinda in a meta way? It definitely stands out, that’s for sure 😂
Yes, the beach episode is a fan favorite! Beach episode done right. I will save more indepth comments for later, but I want to point out that this is the first you remembered the names of Tylee and Mai. You have complained they were kinda bland by the end of last season, so maybe look into the episode thinking not only about Zuko, but in Azula's group as a whole. :)
Some of the episodes in the show are better on rewatch and The Beach is definitely one of them for me. I didn’t connect with it on first rewatch but now it’s in my top episodes for sure. When it comes to Ep 3, and this is a consistent theme in season 3, it’s showing that poor/working class Fire Nation citizens are not cared for by the Fire Nation and that is a theme I enjoy personally. I’m excited for your next batch of episodes! You should watch 6 episodes for next week as 10 and 11 are a two parter
I think one of the things I love most about The Beach episode is the contrast between the characters nad the enviroment they are in. If you think about it, those four teens were suppose to be having that life, they should be going to normal parties with people their age, playing sports, having fun, but NO they just cameback from sucessfully conquering the capital from the Earth Kingdom, something the Fire Nation was trying to do for a 100 years. It's insane. So, I do like the bonfire scene because in that moment exploding their feelings feels very much their age of 14-16 years, and that they're not just high efficient soldiers, and therefore how messed up it is for them to be in the position they were put in by the adults.
I think that this season, especially the first half, is trying to demonstrate that the fire nation (the leaders more specifically) don't care about harming their own people any more than they do about harming other peoples. On that note, even though The Painted Lady hit some similar beats, it's significant that these are fire nation people that are not only being harmed but are "deserving" of Katara's (and the others') help.
Agree! Even though I’ve expressed frustration at Jet in the past, I think if he were somehow still around, it would’ve been really interesting for him to see these sorts of situations 🤔
To answer your question, HELL YEAH, the Beach is a fan favourite and is one of my favourite episodes in all of AtLAB. It's fine if it didn't jive with you. I personally hate Appa's Lost Days, so it goes to show that one person's favourite can be another persons pet peeve.
I loved the beach episode as it was not only a fun episode in general but made me realize that there honestly isnt a single wasted episode in tla. Even if an episode doesnt advance the plot it gives either important world building or character development.
32:15 YESSSS!! I remember in when I was in Kindergarden, I had finished work early so the teach said "turn your sheet over and count numbers, write them down" So I did that, I got ALLLL the way to like 103 and i ran out of room. So come to find out, my friend was at like 300. And the teacher was praising her and I was just so envoius for some reason lol. Like I coulda did that too! I ran out of room". ahh so childish 😊
Hahahaha, nooo! Let me go find my husband and rant to him about it then 😂 I’m kidding, I’m kidding. It’s a little nerve wracking coming to a beloved series and not feeling the same about something, but I’m very grateful the fandom is as nice and welcoming as it is. It’s been great to see other perspectives :)
I definitely agree with you on the beach scene. The only thing I'll say is as a kid I know I definitely needed the help piecing everything together 😅 But the show isn't just meant for kids and as something that stands on it's own it can 100% be frustrating to be so heavy handed for sure
Well thanks for saying that! I think it’s difficult to balance having kids as the intended audience but also making the themes stand out for all ages, as it can result in the occasional moment that I don’t love in execution, even though I appreciate in theory, but they’ve truly done a phenomenal job throughout the series. I think this might be one of those times that the demographic was maybe more…obvious? Not that that’s bad by any means. Just a thing for me to keep in mind :)
Aw, that’s really nice of you to say! I’m sorry if anything I said was a little annoying to hear-I know how it can be when you really love something-but I really appreciate the kindness and respect for different takes ❤️❤️❤️
@@fullmetaanalysisAll good! It’s not my favorite episode by any means, but honestly it’s so interesting seeing that some scenes don’t resonate the same way with different people. I do definitely agree that it’s very much a “let’s sit around the fire and literally spell out to the audience how we feel” type of episode, but I actually feel like it’s almost dumbed down by design to contrast how awkward and strange it is to hear from the villains POV. But of course that may just be my opinion. I will say that you made some very keen observations and predictions and I’m like “this is a surprise tool that will come in handy later”. No spoilers though!
I do agree The Painted Lady is just a re-hash of Imprisioned with an environmental spin on top. Fortunately Katara gets a few more good episodes later, but they also make this episode even more unnecessary at the same time.
I was thinking it showed that the regular people of the fire nation are being harmed by this war too. And in terms of Katara, I think this is where it starts. The "I'll never turn my back on people who need me!" kinda solidified her resolve to help people EVEN if they are fire nation. 🤷🏾♂ But im just a Katara defender so also that line was a "speak the words moment" for me at least 😅
@boomarcus22 Yeah, I was thinking that too. Like yes it's a parallel, but it's poignant because it's easy to go into the series thinking the earth and water are good and fire bad, and then get hit by oh, the fire nation is suffering too (meanwhile Ba Sing Se is Ba Sing Se so there's that too 😅)
I have issues with this season too. I just did a rewatch when the live action show was the big topic. I'll let you know later on in your your review videos. It'll be interesting to see what you think about the rest. I will say that I really enjoyed The Beach episode. I liked how we got to see them just relax (or try to) and also see more of the other guys and not focus on Aang and co. It also seemed like it was a take on the filler beach episodes from anime of old.
In my opinion The Beach episode is one of the most important ones because we get to see and learn more about who these four teenagers are. Yes, it might seem superficial for some but you really need to open your mind when watching it. Let’s talk about Ty Lee. She is shown to us as a bubbly, happy girl who seems to have no problems in her life but here we get to learn more about her and why she behaves that way. First, she didn’t say she wants to stand out and that is not what she meant either. When she talks about her sister she says that it is hard to be part of a set. She wants to be her own self. She wants to have her own personality. That is why she joins the circus because she’s looking for her place in the word. She wants her individuality. In Azula’s case, it’s not that she is not being humanized but that she can’t be humanized. What I mean is she is the daughter of the Firelord. She is a prodigy, she is perfect. She is not allowed to have any weakness let alone show them. When she says that her mother thought of her as a monster but that she doesn’t care she doesn’t really mean it. She does care and it hurts her but she’s just not allowed to show it because that’s what is expected of her. Because her father is like that. He is the Firelord and he doesn’t have weaknesses, he’s ruthless and “perfect” in her eyes and she wants to be like him because in her mind he’s the only parent that’s ever cared for her. She wants him to be proud of her. Now Zuko. Yes, we can tell just by looking at him that he regrets what he did, that he has conflicting feelings about being back in the Fire Nation. But that is the point. He has been keeping all those feelings to himself and he doesn’t have anyone to talk about them. His uncle is not there because he betrayed him. His feelings and thoughts are bottling up and this is what finally causes him to explode and get out all those conflicting feelings out. Now, the fact that the episode takes place in the beach might be kind of cliche but let’s not forget that they are teenagers but they haven’t had many opportunities to act way. They were born and raised in war. They are expected to behave a certain way. To be warriors, to be leaders, to prepare for war. But this episode brings out a part of them that may have been denied before. At the end of the day they are teenagers who want to have fun, want to flirt, want to party. But the problem is that they don’t know how to do that because they have not been given that chance, especially Zuko and Azula.
The Beach is generally loved among the fanbase. A lot of iconic memes and character moments are birthed from it. But it has also been one of the most heavily criticized episodes as well. I think it still works as a funny and insightful way to humanize the main antagonists. But as Full Meta pointed out, the writing can also be very clunky and overly melodramatic, especially with that camp fire scene. The episode in general feels kinda "off". Still a very entertaining for what it is though.
I agree with you when you say basically “it’s the third season, let’s not waste time”, no repeats. But I’m sorry to say there’s still an episode coming that feels like a complete waste of time. The jokes do not carry it through. It’s a little bump but this series’s still one of the best.
To receive the complete answer to your prediction about Azula and the depth of her character from episode 5, you would need to read the comics. I would recommend read up until north and south arc. Reading the comics is not needed, but there are some unanswered questions that makes viewers think, some want closure others find it satisfying. The comics also performs a good job of enhancing the overall story , exploring themes, and raising questions within the world.
Hey, binged most of your Avatar content today and enjoyed it! I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the rest of the show. I did want to raise some thoughts on the Beach episode. I get why just the premise of this episode or some of the setup (the vacation theme, the party, etc) may not be that engaging and won't argue that. I think there are a couple points regarding the campfire scene, and Azula's characterization, that merit some thought. First the campfire scene. I honestly don't think this scene is really written for the viewers, if you will. The characters aren't telling you why they act as they do - they're telling each other, the socially inept peers they're sharing space with, sometime not entirely willingly. Ty Lee and Mai explain themselves as a defense when they feel attacked by people who don't understand, as Zuko doesn't, or who don't care, as Azula doesn't. The scene lacks subtlety because those It's intended for - their cohorts - wouldn't get it. Understanding that the tell-all isn't really about trusting the viewers, but rather showing that the characters themselves can't understand, helps IMO. There's also more subtlety in tone and expression here than is often noticed on first watching. When Ty Lee, who is admittedly not the brightest, brings up stress being bad for your skin, her expression changes the instant she says it. You see her immediately realize she said it to Zuko, and regret it / fear his retaliation. You can see Azula look guilty, just for a second, after laughing at the 'circus freak comment - and she composes herself when Ty Lee turns her way. There are little things that can br picked up on which aren't stated plainly. Last is Azula herself, sorry for the wall of text. While everyone but Ty Lee seems to lack some social skills, Azula is the most interesting. You can see that without her title and power, she doesn't know anything about socializing. She admits being jealous of Ty Lee after making her cry. She frightens away anyone she begins actually interacting with, rather than following Ty Lee's advice. You can also see that her social inability irritates her by her expressions. The only thing she seems to understand is how to manipulate people and emotions, rather than connect with them. This makes her part of the campfire scene important, because rather than a friend or therapist, she comes off as a superior, almost a judge. She states that what the others said and did were 'performances', as though inauthentic. She simply states what she sees as facts correlating everyone's pasts with how they behave. She calls Zuko's outburst and inability to explain his anger pathetic. When it's her turn to be scrutinized, she talks about her mother believing Azula was a monster, and tries to joke it off, but that's the first glimpse we get that it DID hurt. It didn't add a lot of backstory to Azula, but to me it gave her character a little more depth. It showed that she does sometimes feel bad for her friends and she does have struggles, that being bad at something irritates her. It also shows that she won't show any of those things to anyone, except in the very briefest of moments, because she has to be the perfect, dominant Azula everyone sees her as. Rant over, time to un-pause and enjoy the rest of the video.
Haha, no worries about the wall of text! Obviously if I’d written out my thoughts, they’d basically be a dissertation 😂 I don’t necessarily disagree with a lot of the things you mentioned by any means-Azula looking guilty for a moment, Ty Lee realizing what she’d said right as she’d said it, Mai replying almost in defense, etc-and I noticed all of those things as well, though I might lean toward still finding the whole thing a bit heavy handed, mostly when comparing it to how we’ve seen other parts done with Azula and Zuko thus far. Hmm…I think part of it is that I saw (at least as much to my knowledge I did; there’s always a chance something is foreshadowed that I won’t know until later) what they were doing, and just genuinely didn’t like how they went about it. I definitely think important things happened for the characters, though I think the way in which those things occurred was simply not to my liking 😅 Which is sort of in line with what you said initially about the set up of all of it. I also have no problem admitting that there’s always a chance that after watching further, I’ll feel differently! Some things are appreciated more in hindsight, so hopefully that’ll be the case with this. Also, if it wasn’t clear, I really appreciate getting to see your perspective, and I especially appreciate how respectfully you articulated your thoughts :)
I think a lot of the appeal of The Beach for me is the catharsis I felt having people just come out and say what was going on with them. I don't really like the setting or execution, Azula feels particularly out of character to me. She would have felt more accurate if she seemed calculating about extracting what they were all going througy on rather than caring, but that's just my opinion. I can see your qualms with it. It's a mixed bag for me.
From what I’m gathering looking at other comments, it seems pretty loved-I think you feeling mixed on it might be one of the first times I’m seeing that expressed!
Judging by this comment section, I am in the minority, but The Beach is my least favorite episode of the entire show. I always feel like the dialogue is cringy - and the part where Zuko is getting jealous of other guys talking to his girlfriend? Ugh! I get that it's supposed to show that even though these characters have a lot of responsibility tied to their actions and a lot at stake, they are still teenagers - but even when I was a teenager I didn't like teenagers... so... 🙃
I've seen a lot of videos about the beach episode and why it's so great, but when I watch the episode myself I'm just not that interested in it and indeed don't feel like it tells us a lot of things we couldn't infer from the previous episodes.
So when I first watched the series as it was airing. I didn't like the beach very much. It seemed like a weird filler episode to me. I kind of felt awkward or uncomfortable watching it the first time. So the next time I rewatched the series I didn't really want to watch the beach episode again. But today having rewatched the series many times over the years I don't dislike the episode the same way I did back then. I can appreciate what it means for zuko's development. I don't mind the episode now but I don't think I would call it a favorite either. I could attempt to go deeper into why I disliked the episode personally. But I don't know if that is necessary nor do I think I could adequately articulate the nuances of my personal experiences.
I think the campfire scene in the beach, on its own is a weak scene, they knew they had to wrap everything up this season, and had to sort of cram in some development. I think it does, however, contextualize the episodes that came before it, like, if you rewatch the series, with the character stuff from the beach in mind, I think the way you read these characters in earlier seasons is changed
I enjoyed the beach. I don't think it was a betrayal of the subtle nuanced previous writing. It seems you may be taking more seriously than it takes itself as an episode.
I can see the points a lot of other comments have made, but it’s such an odd episode in the grand scheme of the show. It’s hard to NOT have opinions about it I think 😂
@@fullmetaanalysis yes ! I’m really glad people love it and it seems to be an iconic episode, but I just love it leas than others. I’m glad people are being so nice about it in the comments and not being too harsh with you ! So excited for the next episode reviews !
The Beach baffled me so bad the first time I watched the show. It still does, to be honest. I think you are spot on with what makes it difficult. That said… I think I quote the old servants shouting “TO THE PARTY!” more than anything else from this show. I think it was a cringey line, but it sticks with me. Even just going to the store to buy groceries, I’ll sometimes shout to my partner, “TO THE PARTY!”
I honestly only watch your videos to see how wrong your opinions are. I don't care if people like this show or not, I personally love it. But to hear how misguided your take on this show is, it's very entertaining. The Beach is a great episode because it is a therapy type episode for Zuko and the others. They need to get confronted with the truth from someone else. The director was at no point "trying to hold anyone's hand." Like you really have no clue what you're talking about.
Holy smokes, my guy. Are you this rude and unpleasant to people face-to-face? Or is it just behind a screen that you feel comfortable acting so emotional and trying to belittle others like this?
The beach is absolutely a fan favorite for the diversion in the main story by allowing us to see how our hyper competent villain group is incapable of functioning in normal society and of the deeper revelations we get for their characters
❤l❤😂😂😊😊😊
The episode definitely humanized Azula tho. You see more facets of her. She has insecurities, she struggles with the perception her mother had of her and she feels Zuko waa the favorite.
You also gotta remember that without Iroh, Zuko would be very different and we know Azula doesnt have a good mentor.
Haha, I do remember all of that
I think the intended meaning of the beach scene was the characters talking about their feelings when they normally do not. Its important for them to put it into words instead of just feeling their feelings. I guess it could have been structured differently so it does not feel too preachy, the rest of the episode mainly satirises the standard anime beach episode where it may be used for fanservice, as a bit of a break to relax. Tai Lee atracting all the guys, Mai and Zuko relationship problems, Azula trying to pick up boys. But the catch is our group is so intense and stands out, they basically end up ruining a party and burning the house.
Haha, I do remember the beach episode from Sailor Moon, and also thinking…what’re we doing? Maybe I just hate the beach 😂
For me at least, the campfire scene hits hard because it's the first time Zuko verbalizes his feelings. It's like a dramatic irony situation where of course the audience already knows why Zuko is feeling frustrated, but this is the moment where he finally puts his mental state into words and can start figuring out what he wants to do about it. I think it could also be an important lesson as well - usually the first step towards working through your emotions is to actually be able to express them with language.
Expressing our feelings is definitely super important! Completely agree ❤️❤️❤️
WHAT? You didn't like the beach? I cannot believe it that's some people's best episode😅
Hahaha, oh nooo, I hope I haven’t upset anyone 😅😅😅
@@fullmetaanalysis I think those ppl love the drama in that episode but my favorite episode is episode 6, I'm curious to see what you'd say
I think it was necessary for zuko to voice his feelings. Since he hasnt ever said he was mad at himself. He has always deflected the anger to outside people. His father. The avatar. Even iroh and azula he blames. He has never actually voiced i am mad at how i have handled things.
I know that this show is usually written with a lot of subtly but it is still written fir kids and as some who watched these as a kid as they came out, the lack of subtly didn't bother me and the fire revelations scene always stood out as powerful including ty'lee's portion. Yes she can be vacuous but her talking about how her lack of identity as a child and how to led to her current personality still landed
Yeah, I can definitely see how this would be one of those moments that really stood out, and then rewatching as an adult, you’d probably feel appreciation for how much they foreshadowed everything, whereas I’m coming to the situation as an adult and being like…yeah, I know! 😂 I think I struggle with saying, “Well, it is a show for kids,” because that so often is spoken when diminishing a show, which I don’t want to do, but I think I can be better about learning how to express that without allowing it to come off as an insult, and simply an acknowledgment of the intended demographic ❤️
I believe the Beach is well liked. Beach episodes are also a big anime trope, usually its the chill, filler, fanservice episode, but ATLA puts a fair amount of character development into it.
Also I think Azula saying that her own mother hated her and that she was right is an important moment. That scene still sparks discussions. Did Ursa (Zuko/Azula's mother) really fear/hate Azula? If she did why? Does Azula convinces herself that she's fine with the situation?
I get what you mean with the lack subtlety, maybe thats one of the few times where the show's age rating hurts a bit. It was made for 7y.o+
Yeah, completely agree. I like the way they tweaked what we usually see with beach episodes-I mentioned to someone else that maybe I just in general dislike those kinds of set ups, even though I can appreciate this one for doing something different with them 😄
I don't agree with your point that everything we get from Zuko in The Beach episode is what we get in a single look in episode 1, or even in all of his development in the first 4 episodes. I think that feeling an emotion is very different from being able to identify that emotion and accept that yes, that is what you are feeling. In the first few episodes, we see clearly what Zuko feels. He feels doubt about whether he made the right choice, guilt when he becomes more certain that he's made the wrong one, disappointment as he realizes that his concept of "restoring honor" isn't what he thought it would be, and anger that he directs toward his uncle while trying to defend his actions (which he is slowly realizing are indefensible). However, he has not yet been able to sort out any of these emotions. He knows he feels bad, but that has no bearing on whether or not he actually understands how he feels and why. His anger toward his uncle is also clearly misplaced. This is why I think that the beach episode is actually very important to his development. Throughout the episode, we see that he is angry, but he is searching for the source of his anger, and while it might be very obvious to us viewers, it isn't to him, and it's a journey he needs to go through. I personally feel a sense of relief when he finally gets there and realizes that he's not angry at Iroh or Mai or Ozai or Azula but actually himself. And when he finally admits out loud that he's unsure of the difference between right and wrong, I view that as a step in the right direction because he finally has a new goal: Discerning right from wrong and then doing what's right, as opposed to his previous mission which was to "restore honor" at all costs regardless of right or wrong. So, while I agree that it wasn’t the most subtle in that episode, I don't think it needs to be. I view it as the equivalent of the season 2 moment where Iroh puts all subtlety aside and bluntly hits Zuko with the "Who are you and what do YOU want?", except this time, it's Zuko being blunt with himself (and by extension, the viewers).
I agree that the moment needed to happen! I think the way in with it was set up frustrated me, though not the moment itself, if that makes sense. I tried to express that in the video, but it might’ve gotten lost a bit there ❤️
The beach episode works for me because it’s a reminder that that the fire nation squad has also been negatively impacted by the war. Azula is so busy pleasing her father she can’t talk to other kids. Ty Lee can’t avoid boys without resorting to violence (though in her defense they cornered her.) And the volley ball game shows how Azula can’t turn off the war strategist in her. I also like scene where Azula finds Zuko at their old house. When she says this place is depressing I think it might be the only truthful thing she says to Zuko the entire series. But the bonfire is lame. And since they ended on that I can see why you dislike it so much.
Hahaha, you know, I appreciate that you so well expressed both love and annoyance at this-I think the very nature of the episode is sorta meant to evoke both, but kinda in a meta way? It definitely stands out, that’s for sure 😂
Yes, the beach episode is a fan favorite! Beach episode done right. I will save more indepth comments for later, but I want to point out that this is the first you remembered the names of Tylee and Mai. You have complained they were kinda bland by the end of last season, so maybe look into the episode thinking not only about Zuko, but in Azula's group as a whole. :)
Haha, I did finally know their names! Excited for those saved thoughts-can’t wait to see what the rest of the show has in store ❤️
As Sokka calls the mind guy - Sparky Sparky Boom Man!
Some of the episodes in the show are better on rewatch and The Beach is definitely one of them for me. I didn’t connect with it on first rewatch but now it’s in my top episodes for sure. When it comes to Ep 3, and this is a consistent theme in season 3, it’s showing that poor/working class Fire Nation citizens are not cared for by the Fire Nation and that is a theme I enjoy personally. I’m excited for your next batch of episodes! You should watch 6 episodes for next week as 10 and 11 are a two parter
I already broke it up, but ugh, I hate having to wait!!! 😆
I think one of the things I love most about The Beach episode is the contrast between the characters nad the enviroment they are in. If you think about it, those four teens were suppose to be having that life, they should be going to normal parties with people their age, playing sports, having fun, but NO they just cameback from sucessfully conquering the capital from the Earth Kingdom, something the Fire Nation was trying to do for a 100 years. It's insane. So, I do like the bonfire scene because in that moment exploding their feelings feels very much their age of 14-16 years, and that they're not just high efficient soldiers, and therefore how messed up it is for them to be in the position they were put in by the adults.
I think that this season, especially the first half, is trying to demonstrate that the fire nation (the leaders more specifically) don't care about harming their own people any more than they do about harming other peoples. On that note, even though The Painted Lady hit some similar beats, it's significant that these are fire nation people that are not only being harmed but are "deserving" of Katara's (and the others') help.
Agree! Even though I’ve expressed frustration at Jet in the past, I think if he were somehow still around, it would’ve been really interesting for him to see these sorts of situations 🤔
To answer your question, HELL YEAH, the Beach is a fan favourite and is one of my favourite episodes in all of AtLAB. It's fine if it didn't jive with you. I personally hate Appa's Lost Days, so it goes to show that one person's favourite can be another persons pet peeve.
What about Azula's horrible pickup line? That's a fan fav quote. Didn't even get a mention and it's so funny 😋
Hahaha, I’m sorry! 😂
Oh, my goodness. That shot with all the politicians eating ice cream made me crack up. I never realized they did that so much. LOL.
the beach ep hits different on re watch
I loved the beach episode as it was not only a fun episode in general but made me realize that there honestly isnt a single wasted episode in tla. Even if an episode doesnt advance the plot it gives either important world building or character development.
32:15 YESSSS!! I remember in when I was in Kindergarden, I had finished work early so the teach said "turn your sheet over and count numbers, write them down" So I did that, I got ALLLL the way to like 103 and i ran out of room. So come to find out, my friend was at like 300. And the teacher was praising her and I was just so envoius for some reason lol. Like I coulda did that too! I ran out of room". ahh so childish 😊
I absolutely love the beach episode. Your the first person ive seen that hates it
Hahahaha, nooo! Let me go find my husband and rant to him about it then 😂 I’m kidding, I’m kidding. It’s a little nerve wracking coming to a beloved series and not feeling the same about something, but I’m very grateful the fandom is as nice and welcoming as it is. It’s been great to see other perspectives :)
@@fullmetaanalysis Its totally fine. But if you hate a certain upcoming episode I wont spoil..Then well have to disown you...jkjk:)
I definitely agree with you on the beach scene. The only thing I'll say is as a kid I know I definitely needed the help piecing everything together 😅 But the show isn't just meant for kids and as something that stands on it's own it can 100% be frustrating to be so heavy handed for sure
Well thanks for saying that! I think it’s difficult to balance having kids as the intended audience but also making the themes stand out for all ages, as it can result in the occasional moment that I don’t love in execution, even though I appreciate in theory, but they’ve truly done a phenomenal job throughout the series. I think this might be one of those times that the demographic was maybe more…obvious? Not that that’s bad by any means. Just a thing for me to keep in mind :)
Wow you disliking the beach episode is a super hot take! Love to see it honestly. I disagree but you actually made such a great point
Aw, that’s really nice of you to say! I’m sorry if anything I said was a little annoying to hear-I know how it can be when you really love something-but I really appreciate the kindness and respect for different takes ❤️❤️❤️
@@fullmetaanalysisAll good! It’s not my favorite episode by any means, but honestly it’s so interesting seeing that some scenes don’t resonate the same way with different people. I do definitely agree that it’s very much a “let’s sit around the fire and literally spell out to the audience how we feel” type of episode, but I actually feel like it’s almost dumbed down by design to contrast how awkward and strange it is to hear from the villains POV. But of course that may just be my opinion.
I will say that you made some very keen observations and predictions and I’m like “this is a surprise tool that will come in handy later”. No spoilers though!
I do agree The Painted Lady is just a re-hash of Imprisioned with an environmental spin on top. Fortunately Katara gets a few more good episodes later, but they also make this episode even more unnecessary at the same time.
Episode 8, yes?
I was thinking it showed that the regular people of the fire nation are being harmed by this war too. And in terms of Katara, I think this is where it starts. The "I'll never turn my back on people who need me!" kinda solidified her resolve to help people EVEN if they are fire nation. 🤷🏾♂ But im just a Katara defender so
also that line was a "speak the words moment" for me at least
😅
@boomarcus22 Yeah, I was thinking that too. Like yes it's a parallel, but it's poignant because it's easy to go into the series thinking the earth and water are good and fire bad, and then get hit by oh, the fire nation is suffering too (meanwhile Ba Sing Se is Ba Sing Se so there's that too 😅)
I have issues with this season too. I just did a rewatch when the live action show was the big topic. I'll let you know later on in your your review videos. It'll be interesting to see what you think about the rest. I will say that I really enjoyed The Beach episode. I liked how we got to see them just relax (or try to) and also see more of the other guys and not focus on Aang and co. It also seemed like it was a take on the filler beach episodes from anime of old.
Ohh, can’t wait to know what thoughts you have to keep to yourself currently!
In my opinion The Beach episode is one of the most important ones because we get to see and learn more about who these four teenagers are. Yes, it might seem superficial for some but you really need to open your mind when watching it. Let’s talk about Ty Lee. She is shown to us as a bubbly, happy girl who seems to have no problems in her life but here we get to learn more about her and why she behaves that way. First, she didn’t say she wants to stand out and that is not what she meant either. When she talks about her sister she says that it is hard to be part of a set. She wants to be her own self. She wants to have her own personality. That is why she joins the circus because she’s looking for her place in the word. She wants her individuality.
In Azula’s case, it’s not that she is not being humanized but that she can’t be humanized. What I mean is she is the daughter of the Firelord. She is a prodigy, she is perfect. She is not allowed to have any weakness let alone show them. When she says that her mother thought of her as a monster but that she doesn’t care she doesn’t really mean it. She does care and it hurts her but she’s just not allowed to show it because that’s what is expected of her. Because her father is like that. He is the Firelord and he doesn’t have weaknesses, he’s ruthless and “perfect” in her eyes and she wants to be like him because in her mind he’s the only parent that’s ever cared for her. She wants him to be proud of her.
Now Zuko. Yes, we can tell just by looking at him that he regrets what he did, that he has conflicting feelings about being back in the Fire Nation. But that is the point. He has been keeping all those feelings to himself and he doesn’t have anyone to talk about them. His uncle is not there because he betrayed him. His feelings and thoughts are bottling up and this is what finally causes him to explode and get out all those conflicting feelings out.
Now, the fact that the episode takes place in the beach might be kind of cliche but let’s not forget that they are teenagers but they haven’t had many opportunities to act way. They were born and raised in war. They are expected to behave a certain way. To be warriors, to be leaders, to prepare for war. But this episode brings out a part of them that may have been denied before. At the end of the day they are teenagers who want to have fun, want to flirt, want to party. But the problem is that they don’t know how to do that because they have not been given that chance, especially Zuko and Azula.
You've actually heard Ozai's voice before, twice in season 1 and also in the Zuko Alone episode.
Mark Hamill!
Yes, but just barely! Though I suppose we barely hear it here as well
The Beach is definitely a fish out of water type of episode, you either hate it or think it's one of the best episodes.😅
The Beach is generally loved among the fanbase. A lot of iconic memes and character moments are birthed from it. But it has also been one of the most heavily criticized episodes as well.
I think it still works as a funny and insightful way to humanize the main antagonists. But as Full Meta pointed out, the writing can also be very clunky and overly melodramatic, especially with that camp fire scene. The episode in general feels kinda "off".
Still a very entertaining for what it is though.
I look forward to eventually being able to use these memes at my husband and friends 😂
I agree with you when you say basically “it’s the third season, let’s not waste time”, no repeats. But I’m sorry to say there’s still an episode coming that feels like a complete waste of time. The jokes do not carry it through. It’s a little bump but this series’s still one of the best.
Oh wow she went deep into that beach episode 😹😹
To receive the complete answer to your prediction about Azula and the depth of her character from episode 5, you would need to read the comics. I would recommend read up until north and south arc. Reading the comics is not needed, but there are some unanswered questions that makes viewers think, some want closure others find it satisfying. The comics also performs a good job of enhancing the overall story , exploring themes, and raising questions within the world.
Hey, binged most of your Avatar content today and enjoyed it! I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the rest of the show.
I did want to raise some thoughts on the Beach episode. I get why just the premise of this episode or some of the setup (the vacation theme, the party, etc) may not be that engaging and won't argue that. I think there are a couple points regarding the campfire scene, and Azula's characterization, that merit some thought.
First the campfire scene. I honestly don't think this scene is really written for the viewers, if you will. The characters aren't telling you why they act as they do - they're telling each other, the socially inept peers they're sharing space with, sometime not entirely willingly. Ty Lee and Mai explain themselves as a defense when they feel attacked by people who don't understand, as Zuko doesn't, or who don't care, as Azula doesn't. The scene lacks subtlety because those It's intended for - their cohorts - wouldn't get it. Understanding that the tell-all isn't really about trusting the viewers, but rather showing that the characters themselves can't understand, helps IMO.
There's also more subtlety in tone and expression here than is often noticed on first watching. When Ty Lee, who is admittedly not the brightest, brings up stress being bad for your skin, her expression changes the instant she says it. You see her immediately realize she said it to Zuko, and regret it / fear his retaliation. You can see Azula look guilty, just for a second, after laughing at the 'circus freak comment - and she composes herself when Ty Lee turns her way. There are little things that can br picked up on which aren't stated plainly.
Last is Azula herself, sorry for the wall of text. While everyone but Ty Lee seems to lack some social skills, Azula is the most interesting. You can see that without her title and power, she doesn't know anything about socializing. She admits being jealous of Ty Lee after making her cry. She frightens away anyone she begins actually interacting with, rather than following Ty Lee's advice. You can also see that her social inability irritates her by her expressions. The only thing she seems to understand is how to manipulate people and emotions, rather than connect with them.
This makes her part of the campfire scene important, because rather than a friend or therapist, she comes off as a superior, almost a judge. She states that what the others said and did were 'performances', as though inauthentic. She simply states what she sees as facts correlating everyone's pasts with how they behave. She calls Zuko's outburst and inability to explain his anger pathetic. When it's her turn to be scrutinized, she talks about her mother believing Azula was a monster, and tries to joke it off, but that's the first glimpse we get that it DID hurt.
It didn't add a lot of backstory to Azula, but to me it gave her character a little more depth. It showed that she does sometimes feel bad for her friends and she does have struggles, that being bad at something irritates her. It also shows that she won't show any of those things to anyone, except in the very briefest of moments, because she has to be the perfect, dominant Azula everyone sees her as.
Rant over, time to un-pause and enjoy the rest of the video.
Haha, no worries about the wall of text! Obviously if I’d written out my thoughts, they’d basically be a dissertation 😂
I don’t necessarily disagree with a lot of the things you mentioned by any means-Azula looking guilty for a moment, Ty Lee realizing what she’d said right as she’d said it, Mai replying almost in defense, etc-and I noticed all of those things as well, though I might lean toward still finding the whole thing a bit heavy handed, mostly when comparing it to how we’ve seen other parts done with Azula and Zuko thus far. Hmm…I think part of it is that I saw (at least as much to my knowledge I did; there’s always a chance something is foreshadowed that I won’t know until later) what they were doing, and just genuinely didn’t like how they went about it. I definitely think important things happened for the characters, though I think the way in which those things occurred was simply not to my liking 😅 Which is sort of in line with what you said initially about the set up of all of it.
I also have no problem admitting that there’s always a chance that after watching further, I’ll feel differently! Some things are appreciated more in hindsight, so hopefully that’ll be the case with this. Also, if it wasn’t clear, I really appreciate getting to see your perspective, and I especially appreciate how respectfully you articulated your thoughts :)
I think a lot of the appeal of The Beach for me is the catharsis I felt having people just come out and say what was going on with them. I don't really like the setting or execution, Azula feels particularly out of character to me. She would have felt more accurate if she seemed calculating about extracting what they were all going througy on rather than caring, but that's just my opinion. I can see your qualms with it. It's a mixed bag for me.
From what I’m gathering looking at other comments, it seems pretty loved-I think you feeling mixed on it might be one of the first times I’m seeing that expressed!
Judging by this comment section, I am in the minority, but The Beach is my least favorite episode of the entire show. I always feel like the dialogue is cringy - and the part where Zuko is getting jealous of other guys talking to his girlfriend? Ugh! I get that it's supposed to show that even though these characters have a lot of responsibility tied to their actions and a lot at stake, they are still teenagers - but even when I was a teenager I didn't like teenagers... so... 🙃
I've seen a lot of videos about the beach episode and why it's so great, but when I watch the episode myself I'm just not that interested in it and indeed don't feel like it tells us a lot of things we couldn't infer from the previous episodes.
Honestly, disliking The Beach is way more common than not hating The Painted Lady lol.
Really? I wouldn’t have guessed that!
Not the hamburger vs hotdog fold-I feel seen 😂
Hahaha, I’m not alone! 🤣
Not sure if you watch The Boys or not, but if you do, I'd love to see you cover Season 4! Maybe some House of the Dragon too 👀
32:27 sidebar; anyone ever realize they are the character they hate? lol
35:33 you mean we saw him for the first time, cause we definetely heard him before in 1x12 and 2x7 obviously.
Yes, correct!
So when I first watched the series as it was airing. I didn't like the beach very much. It seemed like a weird filler episode to me. I kind of felt awkward or uncomfortable watching it the first time. So the next time I rewatched the series I didn't really want to watch the beach episode again. But today having rewatched the series many times over the years I don't dislike the episode the same way I did back then. I can appreciate what it means for zuko's development. I don't mind the episode now but I don't think I would call it a favorite either.
I could attempt to go deeper into why I disliked the episode personally. But I don't know if that is necessary nor do I think I could adequately articulate the nuances of my personal experiences.
I think the campfire scene in the beach, on its own is a weak scene, they knew they had to wrap everything up this season, and had to sort of cram in some development. I think it does, however, contextualize the episodes that came before it, like, if you rewatch the series, with the character stuff from the beach in mind, I think the way you read these characters in earlier seasons is changed
I do appreciate that! Someday when I rewatch it, I’ll definitely be looking forward to that factor-that’s a great thing to point out 😄
I enjoyed the beach. I don't think it was a betrayal of the subtle nuanced previous writing. It seems you may be taking more seriously than it takes itself as an episode.
Hahahaha, I think perhaps that’s a fair statement 😂
Lowkeyyyyyyyyyy I didnt really like the beach episode that much either. It feels very fanficky
I can see the points a lot of other comments have made, but it’s such an odd episode in the grand scheme of the show. It’s hard to NOT have opinions about it I think 😂
@@fullmetaanalysis yes ! I’m really glad people love it and it seems to be an iconic episode, but I just love it leas than others. I’m glad people are being so nice about it in the comments and not being too harsh with you ! So excited for the next episode reviews !
The Beach baffled me so bad the first time I watched the show. It still does, to be honest. I think you are spot on with what makes it difficult.
That said… I think I quote the old servants shouting “TO THE PARTY!” more than anything else from this show. I think it was a cringey line, but it sticks with me.
Even just going to the store to buy groceries, I’ll sometimes shout to my partner, “TO THE PARTY!”
Hahaha, I’ll have to shout that for all menial tasks now 😂😂😂
I honestly only watch your videos to see how wrong your opinions are. I don't care if people like this show or not, I personally love it. But to hear how misguided your take on this show is, it's very entertaining. The Beach is a great episode because it is a therapy type episode for Zuko and the others. They need to get confronted with the truth from someone else. The director was at no point "trying to hold anyone's hand." Like you really have no clue what you're talking about.
Holy smokes, my guy. Are you this rude and unpleasant to people face-to-face? Or is it just behind a screen that you feel comfortable acting so emotional and trying to belittle others like this?