How The Dragon Prince Captures the Spirit of ATLA
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ต.ค. 2024
- I've spent a long time looking for a show to fill the void left by Avatar: The Last Airbender. The Dragon Prince on Netflix finally did it. Here's how.
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In the depths of his Mother's Basement, Geoff Thew creates videos analyzing the storytelling techniques of anime and video games. He has been named the number one Worst TH-cam Anime Reviewer by The Top Tens.
It seems the voice actor for Sokka and Callum has a type. He really likes Moon women.
thebeav PercabethFTW And Warrior Women
@Dasan. I guess Rayla is kind of a combination of both.
thebeav PercabethFTW if you and everyone else who has said that has doomed Rayla...
@Ani. Well, to be fair, I did say she is kind of a combination of Yue and Suki. The moon aspect and the warrior woman aspect, but that doesn't necessarily she's exactly like either. I'm just saying Sokka and Callum's voice actor has a type. And moon-themed women and warrior women seem to be it. As far as we know Suki didn't die early in her life like Yue did.
thebeav PercabethFTW I agree that Rayla is 100% a combo of Suki and Yue but I’m still scared she might die young bc I really like her character.
I like how the show deals with it's humour. When they make a childish joke, the characters react like how more mature audiences would. They cringe, make sarcastic remarks, etc, making the show enjoyable and comfortable for more mature audiences while also giving the younger audiences something to laugh at
this is just a brilliant formula
The only poorly executed reaction from the characters was when they were making puns of the cursed caldera and were all laughing until Callum made the, objectively, best one and they all cringed.
Just gonna say I was never a fan of the humor it does get better though
Cgi was choppy in season 1 and wasnt the greatest but later season deffinetly get better and it's a great watch
I agree
Human Rayla is hilarious, and Callum pays her back with Elf Callum.
Callum: My girlfriend gets her power from the moon
Zuko: This is the wrong show buddy
Sokka: angered screaming
The girlfriends are opposite, Yue gives power, Rayla gets power wOooooooowwwwwww
Oh I just realize that
Lol
IDK MAN - yes
"One does not simply walk into Xadia"
Loved that deeply...
IKR
One doesn't just pop in before the earth king
@@samuelrajasingh506 exactly!! same vibes
Yes! The Dragon Prince knows his memes... XD
Also the "Why does it always have to be soul-snakes"
I love the part in book three where he said, "boomerang?!" ATLA reference.
And the fact he falls for ANOTHER moon lady that happens to be a kind hearted warrior? I think he may have a bit of a preference lol
I just gasped and went like omg
Also in the credits of one of the episode, don't Rember which one, there's a reference to cactus juice.
@@squidbro6635 Not to mention in the boomerang episode's credits, he's holding Sokka's boomerang.
Thats the only episode I've seen and I love it XD
Actually hearing the crack of soren's back when he was thrown against the rock and his body becoming immobilized hit me hard about how real this show was going to get and was the turning point for me to being a fan of it
I laughed when that happened, literally thinking "Quite the sound effect for the little scrape he's going to have later."
My heart sank when he was crying for help.
when soren got thrown on the rock i was happy?
I love these new cartoons that start off cute as hell but then get more serious until the end where it's as epic as Lord of the Rings.
I know this is off topic but I am your 420 like yay
@@brendanrisney2449 he made jokes the whole time so I never took it seriously
I love the fact that I feel there are no villains in this show, just good people doing bad things with good intentions.
At first I thought Claudia was going to be a villain and that her care for Callum and Ezran was fake, but I was very wrong.
Then I thought Soren was going to be some sort of villain because of how naive he is, but the way he dealt with being paralyzed and how he was glad he wouldn't have to carry his father's orders was surprising and made me love him.
Of course, I also thought Viren only cared about power but he cares about the kingdom, and I can't help but agree the King was very naive in many occasions, so to some degree I can understand his actions.
It is a fantastic show and I highly recommend it too. Without knowing who were the writers of ATLA (hence not making the connection at first) I kept constantly thinking "the good characters, good story and this goofy humor reminds me of ATLA". Now I know why.
I'm really looking forward to the next season and I hope we get more episodes!
ikr. Literally I think these lines encapture the similaries.
"One does not simply walk into Xadia"
"One doesn't just pop in on the earth king"
My mans Soren literally just wanted to make bad poetry
@@crystalcollision5432 Aaron Ehasz has said that in season 4 Soren will do stand up comedy. So that's one to look out for.
I think I’m disappointed because I wanted it to be like game of thrones but it ended up being like the hobbit.
@@winstonbritto2789 hold up let me just **starts signing adoption papers**
Callum in season 3 exclaiming ,”Boomerang?” Was a great Sokka call back
I loved that reference!
i was shocked when that went on, i wasnt expecting it at all to happen, i litterally just stood there with my mouth open shocked with joy cause i missed avatar so much
And in the credits he’s holding the boomerang and in another one drinking cactus juice
I loved that flipping reference!
best ATLA reference ever
“It seems... familiar....
Boomerang?”
;-; i loved that so much, i miss avatar man
callum honey be careful your sokka's showing
*It always comes back*
i just finished the 3rd season. Man, this show is so good. The story is interesting, the characters are loveable, the magic system is cool. Honestly i didnt even realise that the framerate in the 1st season was lower than in the other seasons. My only problem with this show is that it's way too short. It deserves at least 20 episode/season. Lookin forward to season 4.
I agree! The show is really good, and to be honest it kind of feels like the first 3 seasons are one combined season, with a proper season finale and resolution of most of the character arcs. Obviously we're getting more after this, but for the first time in the series we're at a place where we don't know where the characters need to go next. they've made it to Xadia, Zim is safe and his mom is awake, elves and humans are finally working together; where do we go from here?
anyway, my point about the first 3 seasons is that we get some really good character development and well-written arcs, but a lot of things kinda came out of nowhere in the 3rd season, and I only noticed the setup for them when I went back and rewatched the series, mostly because so many details get lost in the background with all the different plotlines going on at once.
Well I read that there are 4 more seasons coming which would be about the same amout of episodes as avatar and I probably like it this way more, having 7 seasons, because then we don't have to wait as long for a new season even if that season doesn't have a lot of episodes.
@@mr.f716 Well every book is a element, so they should at least be 6 seasons in total or Seven, depending if Darkness is included
Wait is season 3 released?!!
@@salahelhaddad4872 yes
Only thing I dislike so far about dragon prince is that it's only 9 episodes a season
and here I was thinking 13 episodes/season was short enough already.... netflix couldn't help, but prove me wrong xD
Well considering its a similar seasonal structure to ATLA, than I presume its going to be 5-6 seasons so 45-54 episodes at least. Not too bad for what direction they might be going for
The worst thing about Dragon prince is that I've caught up on it and now I have to wait another ten months for more.
@@newsystembad the first 2 seasons were only 2 months apart
@@xoreign Well, not quite. The first season came out in September, the second came out last month. That's a bit more than two months.
I immediately got over the animation as I was watching season 1 because the *STORY* was *SO GOOD*
I just watched the first episode an the animation is really good
@@kjbclassics9949 yeah, i get that it's subjective, but from what i've seen only from this video, i quite like the animation
xx2ripped4Steph I’m on the second season 7th episode an I’d have to say when I finished the first season I didn’t even realize an made it to the third episode of the second season before I noticed I was on a new season. The show is aight not better then avatar but I’m enjoying the second season more the last episode I Just watched was prob the best one yet
The first like three episodes were a bit difficult to watch cause of the animation, but I got over it QUICKLY once the story got going
I ducking love the Dragon Prince almost as much as avatar
My favorite character in ATLA hands down is Iroh. I loved that moment as a kid when you were watching the show and realized oh this funny old man is a badass.
IROH IS BEST!!
"This is tea is nothing more then hot leaf juice.."
"uncle,thats what all tea is."
"how could a member of my own family say something SO horrible!?"
Iroh is my 2nd favorite, sokka is #1 cuz of his golden comedy😂
Rest in peace, Mako
Does Dragon Prince have an iroh? Does the late king count?
Zuko for me. Dude has a mental breakdown.. In a kids show. Twice.
Sokka: "I'm just a guy with a boomarang, I didn't ask for all this flying... and MAGIC!"
Callum: "IM A MAGE!!"
Sakura_Otaku who can now fly with magic haha
Sokka: "Last time I checked... humans can't fly!
Callum: *mage wings activated* "You were saying?"
Sokka: "The universe just loves proving me wrong doesn't it?"
Noooooobody likes a loud mage
@@randomfandomcreator2376 Callum/Ezran/Alayn: You make it too easy.
"also hits the same careful balance between goofy immature humor-"
*shows the unbreakable baguette*
Weapons grade
Why didn't they use it to destroy rayla's binding ;)
Me: gets ptsd from when ever bread gets stale
@@CreeperDude-cm1wv
I know this is a year late, but shet, you're right.
@@krugerofcause9048
Yeah. Also, they call it weapons grade in the show. In real life, weapons grade is a term applied to nuclear materials meaning it's viable for nuclear ordnance.
This would imply that the baguette can be used to create a nuke.
Big fan of both shows; I thought you hit all the right points about what makes them great.
Another thing I like about Dragon Prince is its casual attitude towards inclusion. A high ranking general who's deaf, a royal couple who are both women, etc., things like this are never commented on and their existence is simply taken for granted. Of course we can have two queens. Of course you can be deaf and still be a badass. Why would you even ask?
Yep, they don't make it a big deal. They have these characters prove themselves to us viewers, instead of telling us to respect them.
I didn't even know Amaya was deaf until they mentioned it. I assumed she was merely mute. But that makes her fending off an ambush even more impressive. The two queens? They, along with Sarai, gave their lives to save 100 thousand people from starvation. That deserves respect in my book.
then why are people saying it sucks ? i love "avatar" and "korra" a lot , so naturally i wanted to start watching TDP , then i read the reviews ( the negative ones) ... from trusted source, and it was bad . it saddened me .
@@liliks14 So...you read only the negative reviews and now you think it's bad?
@@Illjwamh I read all the reviews , which includes the negative ones .
@@RevelationsPrimo I recall about 50 people dying on that mission, including the titan. It wasn't just the queens who died.
One of my favorite things about Dragon Prince season 2 is that they were able to launch off the foundations laid in the first season to bring in a grander narrative and lore, and further explore smaller-scale character arcs like Callum learning magic and Claudia sinking deeper into the dark side of her practices (the scene where they explore the archives and she talks about dark magic to him while giddily playing with the moths is as funny as it is disturbing).
I couldn't agree more. One thing that has continuously impressed me about this show is the sheer humanity of all its characters, on all sides. Even Aaravos, who at first glance appears to be a clear Satan-esque antagonist ("the REAL bad guy!")--especially since he manifests as a literal earworm whispering dark thoughts into Lord Viren's head--shows some redeemable, human qualities. He's clearly manipulative and wrathful, but I doubt that he is wholly evil.
It has been a very long time since a show has so beautifully subverted all of my expectations and all the standard character archetypes as regularly as the Dragon Prince does. This show is a gem and I cannot wait for the next season.
To me Aaravos at first seemed more like a subdued Loki. Smart, manipulative in telling people what they want/need to hear to get them to do things, and yet you never really see the full picture of what their goal is until it is practically too late...
Aaravos isn't evil for the sake of being evil. I think his motivations are to simply release himself from the prison the Dragon King put him in. I always wondered during seasons 1-3 why they didn't reveal any real motivation for Aaravos "helping" Viren. I think he is using him to escape his prison.
I think you forgot that Aaravos desire revenge for being emprisonned; hence his insistance to invade and conquer Xadia when Viren first did not see the need for that. But I do think he's using him to set himself free to; after all he may be free in Season 4 (in a certain way)since the end of s3 showed a kind of cucoon with an Aaravos-like body inside (or at least something which looked like an elf)
Aaravos was responsible for saving Humans from Elarion ,the city that Sol Regem threatened to burn down to Ziard, when it was indeed burned.
There are theories that 1) He gave Ziard his staff and maybe the original creator of dark magic
2) Either he or an elven leader's daughter persuaded Luna Tenebris not to kill all the humans but to exile them
3) He was the one that convinced Unicorns to aid humanity (after all, both are connected to stars).
Let me get this straight: Aaravos is the kind of bad guy you know should die, but you still hope he isn't killed, because you're just too curious what will he do
"I wanted to talk to you about life..." hurt me.
One of the things I like about The Dragon Prince is it's a Mainstream Media Property that finally does the thing everyone keeps asking for - you have nonwhite characters, you have General Amira signing and the show not only has her sign at her sister's memorial when no one is around to interpret them, it's comfortable enough to introduce a deaf character and not even stating out loud she's deaf until well into season two! And there's no backstory given, no special reason a character who's hard of hearing has to exist, she just is! I really hope that there's kids out there that see Amira and feel how I did seeing the queens in season 2, even if they are doomed by backstory. It felt so good just having characters say out loud "queens" or "my mothers" like it was no big deal. Like it was perfectly normal for them. It's... good.
@@arianagondal3809 Pretty sure Amaya can read lips, she's definitely deaf. But I love the fact they used an ASL character in the series from the beginning, then affirming she's deaf and speaks to her sister in a secret language to make fun of people and share secrets was amazing. Made me want to learn ASL. Plus, she insulted the person who captured her, getting a big gasp from her translator. I didn't need a translator to know what she said. XD
And get you a commander that hears you like Gwen does Amaya. He's top notch, even when he was imprisoned.
@@Shadowfur Amaya and Gwen had better development. He was so devoted to her. Amaya being with the sunfire elf felt like fan service
In episode 1 season 1 12:22 a girl is reading love amongst the dragons. A play that Zukos family used to see every year
wow good catch!
Dude these references are EVERYWHERE I LOVE THEM
I recently binge watched all 3 seasons in a whole day and I can't believe how good it is. I keep going back to certain episodes and finding all the little things that sort of foreshadowed the following episodes and I love it. I can't stop
Same. I just couldn’t stop watching it. And then BOOM end of season 3. Now I got to wait four season 4 to come out
@@dhdkkdbjsnns5358 Nov. 4
@@dhdkkdbjsnns5358 lol damn same for me too. I honestly thought the series was over until the last few episodes in season 3. I was a bit dissapointed In season 3 because the final battle was not what I expected but it's still great
And I like how season three has an ending rather than a cliffhanger with obvious loose threads. If the show hadn’t gotten renewed then it could believably had ended on that point. We know more seasons are coming, but it still works as the end of the first arc.
Heitor The Idiot However the main plot about getting Zym to Xadia was done. It still functions as a resolution while providing storylines to explore if given the chance like Callum learning the arcanums Avatar style.
Finally a dragon prince review that talks about it beyond "F R A M E R A T E B A D"
Agreed.
Animation, for me, isn’t the end all, be all. The original Berserk series is not great animation, but made up for it with an engrossing story and complex characters (the newer one is... not my cup of tea, for reasons beyond the animation).
IKR, It's super annoying when people judge an ENTIRE SHOW by the first look and REFUSING to look at the good side. I had to literally write an entire list of good aspects to make my mom even consider watch TDP. AND SHE STILL IS RELUCTANT.
EDIT: I had to the same to a lot of other people as well :/
The framerate thing bothered me a bit, as well. I chose to ignore it and check out what was going on, under the surface. Quite glad I did.
And that's only a temporary issue. Its still there but now, its not so easy to notice.
The truth is many thought the same about the Spider-man: into the spiderverse. From the trailers it had similar issues with framerate, but DAMN is it good!
When the bird lady said “anyway, here’s the wonderwall”, my soul physically left my body. I had to go eat a sandwich then come back to finish watching the episode.
hahhahahaha
I heard that and couldn’t breathe for a minute
easily the best joke made in the series.
Made me sooo happy.. wayyy too happy
And they were Going to an Oasis!!
My favorite part of The Dragon Prince is how Queen Aanya single-handedly raised the rating of the show with only three arrows, lol.
General Anaya is my favorite character In the dragon prince because she can hold herself in battle while being deaf much like toph in avatar like if you fave character in dragon price is general Anaya comment if your fave is rayla
@@ellianachavez6568 Anya is the queen, you are thinking of aunt Amya who has the giant shield.
How so?
@@ellianachavez6568 she isn't deaf she's dumb \ mute toph is blind....
@@Lotus3.2.2. nvm i stand corrected
The Last Airbender was a master of taking even the most self contained episodes (bar The Great Divide) and making them feel essential to the overall narrative. Even in episodes where "nothing happens" you get to watch these characters grow and develop, enjoying their goofy antics while learning more about them and the world. It's a slow burn of complex themes with easy-to-digest lessons told through the lenses of some of the most lovable characters and fantastically imaginative world ever put to television.
Alex Worman Kinda like Fairy Tail...
@@sheriffaboubakar9720 No, in FT everything is reset once the next arc starts. Or sometimes the learnt things are even forgotten within the same arc.
Progression in FT stopped after the first 40 episodes or so.
Caruniom Well, after the first season (48 episodes) yea progression did stop.
I disagree with avatar having an imaginative world, it's pretty lacking in the creativity department.
and the world feels like an archipelago of islands rather than an actual planet.
still a good a show though but you don't have to overrate everything it does.
It dose it so well that I have a hard time watching similar shows. Most road trip anime are unbearable to me cause I would rather just watch avatar. That was the feeling I had watching stardust crusaders. It felt like the first season of avatar with no Zuko.
I've concisevely heard the same thing everywhere...
Except for the S1 animation, everyone loves the show
PS Human Reyla is the best part of the show
I'm hoping we get "Elf Callum" in season three......
@@StormgemThunder Ok that's the best thing ever.
Noel Having seen season three now, this is hilarious
@@Anna-tk7ui Trees to meet you!
ah yes human reyla and her NOT AT ALL suspicious TOTALLY normal five fingers
Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Golden show of my childhood.
The Dragon Prince: The Golden show of my 20's
I finished The Dragon Prince in 3 days (but only because I paced myself)
I finsihed it in 2 days and 23 hours😜
This sounds like a record that needs broken.
“Paced myself” mmhm
Pathetic. I did it in. 1 day and 10 hours.
“All of you are... pathetic”
I love how Netflix and TH-cam are spying on me.
I literally just finished the first season of The Dragon Prince today and then this video from over half a year ago pops into my recommended.
Lucky fer you season 3 came out last month too.
you joke but
For me that's basically just my fault. The moment I find some new show on Netflix or somewhere else I always end up with a question that I need to find out, ask google, find youtube video, and then it knows I've found something new.
My absolute favorite thing about the Dragon Prince is the characters. They feel so real and well-rounded, and I love it.
That is honestly the only thing I dislike about the show, I think the art and comedy is what saves it.
same! no one is made out to be truly evil!
I hate when these characters try to do humor though
@@DefinetelyNotAnAlien no one is made out to be truly evil because they are all played off as comic relief. every single bloody character is the same cringey joke making clown
@@DefinetelyNotAnAlien We'll have to see about the Archmage (Vanara? The moon elf from the mirror). That seemed like the evilest character from the start.
Avatar and The Dragon Prince also did something:
*made me fall in love for cruel enemies aka Azula and Aaravos*
*idk sounds pretty bi to me*
Aravos could turn people gay with his voice
@maiko waves I completly agree about the aaravos part, but I never understood why people love her Azula. I like Aavaros because he is calm and listens other he is kinda curious but you know he has others plans that now one knows about (plus his voice lol). Azula thinks that she is so great and everyone loves her but it's not true at all, everyone betrays her and his father never loved her. So to me she is that kind of person that thinks that she is super amazing in everything but she ain't, therefore she is a fool.
PS sorry about my english, I'm learning
although for completely different reasons, azula is a child whos father forged her into a weapon, aaravos is Too f ricking hot.
Nah I’m definitely in love with rayla
I wish Giancarlo Volpe got some love too when talking about the crew behind this show. He's the story editor in this, was a director in Avatar: The Last Airbender, and also was the showrunner on the brilliant and underrated Green Lantern: The Animated Series.
I actually got to see GL:TAS... I got hooked! Damn Cartoon Network for killing it!
@@cazar4 and it comic book accurate will the most comic book accurate for Green lantern i ever saw
GL was awesome
FINALLY someone is talking about this show, it is being slept on so hard
People are talking about it but it’s all "waahhh the animation is literally the worst animation ever done and it’s not going to be as good as atla which means it’s not worth watching"
Eh, not really. It's mildly popular compared to a lot of Netflix or streaming cartoons that ARE being slept on.
@@cartooncrazy9883 The animation actually made my eyes hurt. Season 1 was literally a drag to watch, and at the time I got to season 2 I didn't connect with anything.
AirMasterParker thanks for proving my point
@@cartooncrazy9883 heavens forbid that they want to watch something of quality. What is good on dragon prince doesnt excuse its failings.
The Dragon Prince was already in my view due to one of the characters being a badass knight while also being deaf. My mother is hard of hearing and even though I'm not the one being represented, it still makes me feel good to see someone like that knight be portrayed in a way that makes them more than just their disability.
But honestly hearing you sing its praises has definitely got me curious, especially since A:tLA had quite possibly the best redemption arc in any work of fiction I've ever seen. I'll definitely be sure to give it a watch when I've got time.
Yo, did it happen with 2020 raging?
Wait, she was deaf? I thought she had hearing, but just didn’t talk? I assumed because she never made any audible grunts during combat.
@@likesecondnaturetome3061 Never thought of that. But other characters sign back to her.
Exactly why I like both these shows and why toph and general are my faves
the "avatar absence void" describes my life. I liked the dragon prince too, and it did help. I even binged it
Some people move on, but not us.
NOT US.
You might think this weird but if you want to scratch that itch I recommend The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Do the audio book.
@@lordrevan4864 I'll look into it. I'm currently re watching the hole show (again) and I'm going to watch Korra after (never finished it)
You've probably already seen it, but Fullmetal Alchemist is what scratched that itch for me.
@@hoodiesticks I did, and I love it
I think it's interesting how both magic systems from Avatar and Dragon Prince are essentially binary.
Avatar
Fire and Air=Energy
Water and Earth=Matter
Dragon Prince
Sun, Moon, and Star= Celestial
Earth, Sky, and Ocean= Terrestrial
It's not fully binary though, considering in avatar, Fire and Water were both connected to the sun and moon
Air is also matter (the fact that it's fluid, compressible, and mostly transparent notwithstanding). Fire is a bit more complicated since it's more of a process than a kind of stuff, but it's still matter.
yes but the difference is that in TDP there is a magic that is bad. Not like subjectively bad or being used for evil, like fire but actually bad in its existence.
@@arajczewski9253 We haven't seen any evidence that dark magic is "actually bad in its existence" - superstition and anti-human prejudice notwithstanding. We do, however, know that Primal Magic has been used for evil.
@@dylandarnell3657 Ummm... Yes we have been shown its bad. You have to kill a living creature to perform the magic. Meaning the more powerful the spell the more powerful the sacrifice must be. Using Dark Magic even inflicts your soul as the Sun Elves showed and the Dragons with their ability to "smell death" Its very clear DARK magic is evil innately. Magic can be used for wrong things but that doesnt make the Primal Magic innately bad because the source of the power is yourself not the life of some poor creature.
Let's hope the dragon prince succeeds where voltron failed😐.
Not a high bar to clear, seeing that VLD failed in... well, everything.
@@Teachan I think we can all say that about its finale season and the ones that came before it but those earlier seasons were really great.
@@markburns4837 season 3 did wonders for Keith, lance and allures characters but they fucked it
Mark Burns it already did
@@TurkeyTamer Klance not being a thing also helped ruin the show
I was iffy on The Dragon Prince after season one, though I enjoyed it decently, but season two absolutely blew me away, and it's one of the shows I'm most excited to see more of going forward.
I've also been thinking about the show's perspectives on history and inevitability therein, which is a theme I don't see often enough and really enjoy.
Tolvan Yh season 2 was fantastic and we got a great character aarvos can’t wait to se who he is
@@avacado1235 I adore him. He's the exact type of asshole I play in D&D whenever I get the chance.
@@shademonki13 You and my fellow D&D player Romin would make good friends.
My response to Season 1 was "This is a good show!" My response to season 2 was "Wow this is a really amazing show!"
The Dragon Prince really grew the beard this second season.
I really want Callum to grow a beard.
@@LimeyLassen Maybe he should get a robe, amulet and a point hat while he's at it.
That was a joke referring to both his ability to use magic and a joke made in the later half of the first season
‘Let me know what you think of the dragon prince and avatar’
Me: inhales heavenly
same
The first season of The Dragon Prince was passable. There was a lot I liked, but also a bunch of stuff I didn't (the choppy animation being forefront to that). Book 2 on the other hand completely shifted by opinion towards the positive. It's a really good show now, and I'm anxious for future developments.
@dianna k Who? You mean sparkly evil elf man? He's alright, but I'm gay for Rayla and she was half the reason I liked S1.
@Rafael Lopez I mean, when Soren spilled the beans about his secret mission, he already explained why - he desperately needs approval from his cold ol' dad and he felt like he'd finally get it if he could just swallow his friendship. He probably has a very fragile ego, considering how far he goes to prop it up like when he very rashly decided to pick a fight with a dragon - he wasn't thinking clearly and I believe he even said he was trying to take his mind off of his conflicting feelings by acting that way. His poor relationship with his only father figure put him in a situation where he felt like he'd lose what little of it was left if he didn't do the job.
It's only appropriate that Virien was forcing his son to do the dirty work. He was trying to have his cake and eat it from the very start of the show - when he said that anyone in the room would give their life for Harrow, he couldn't answer when Harrow asked if he could give his own life. Like Geoff said, Viren was only interested in single-mindedly taking every shortcut for convenience. He tried everything but wasn't swallowing the tough pills so as he faced greater obstacles, he had to dip deeper into dark magic as an escape. He definitely didn't become an evil wizard at the start but was already sliding down the slippery slope since before the show started, even if it didn't seem that way to anyone - not even himself.
Really? In my opinion, I thought Season 1 was solid but Season 2 was mediocrity at its finest. The characters and their progression in the first few episodes of Season 2 were just atrocious, not to mention how predictable plot lines were and yet how long we had to continue acting as if they weren't going to happen. Actually, I think that's the biggest problem with The Dragon Prince. There's a clear goal in mind that they're going to reach each season, yet we have to create false drama, as if the characters are actually in any sort of danger when we know they'll make it out alive. The difference between The Dragon Prince in comparison to other cartoons is that at least with other cartoons that may be predictable, they have GOOD characters and good writing, while The Dragon Prince doesn't really have much going for it aside from having the Avatar name backing it up.
I totally agree, first season I was like meh, it's ok. Second season happened and now I love the show. It kinda reminds me of avatar, for me the first season was good but not that great, but season 2 is where I really felt it shine
im not sure if someone else has mentioned this, but Zym's full name is directly correlated w pharoah Ramses, who actually managed to unite northern and southern Egypt
oh my god that's so cool. I had no idea! I must share this information with everyone I know now.
cool info
That's a fun little nod to his importance and ultimate purpose.
... you know how Ozymandais ended up right?
@@austinsmith538 I think id actually die of heartbreak if one of the main cast died
i don’t understand how people don’t like the art style, its freaking awesome
I agree with this sentiment 100%. It's so pretty
It’s not the art style, it’s the animation. The animation is definitely an acquired taste, and until they improved it in season two, it actually gave me a headache to watch for too long. I love this show, but that was a major hurdle for me getting into it in the first place.
@@rock21611 Well, thankfully it's gotten better and it will hopefully continue to
I personally love how it addresses the topic of war, it doesn't present one side as in the right or in the wrong. Humans created Dark Magic. The Elves exiled them from Xadia. Humans killed the Titan. Thunder killed three Queens. The Humans killed Thunder. The Elves kill King Harrow. It's interesting and nuanced, showing both good and bad people on both sides of the conflict.
Meanwhile it is the young people on both sides trying to prevent all out war. They pushed past their differences and their perceived assumptions of each other to truly make a difference. It's showing the power younger generations can hold. I feel that King Harrow's letter also plays into this idea, specifically the lines "free yourself from history." For all we know, humans and elves could have been in conflict for centuries. King Harrow wants Callum and Ezran to live free from the shackles of history. To truly make a difference in the world.
This comment 👏
Nah, the elves are definitely in the wrong there. Exiling the humans is about as justifiable and morally complex as the Trail of Tears.
@@dylandarnell3657 May I remind you that several of the highest ranking humans are what could be described as genocidal murderous fuckheads who want to watch animals die.
@@crocuslament9680 ah-thank-you
@@crocuslament9680 Do you have an expanded reasoning for that, or did I just find an elf?
Geoff praises an ongoing show?
Guess it’ll drop in quality next season. Thanks Geoff
Why... I actually like it...
@@spookster3384 r/wooosh
Or in the middle of this season (Darling in the Franxx)
@@LOgomon20 Dude, I don´t think you get it
Too late. It already did.
During this quarantine, I watched the show. It did have a rocky start, but it definitely took off. I watched all three seasons in just a day since there are only nine episodes each season. The pacing of it is great. The love between Rayla and Callum didn't drag out. Hell, there was a reference about the familiarity of a boomerang during that show since Callum is voiced by Jack De Sena, who did the voice for Sokka. I laughed at that scene. There is great character development throughout the three seasons which ATLA had. It was enjoyable to watch and can't wait for season four to be released.
I specially love that flashback where king Harrow talks to his wife about his views on being a king and the social structure. He talks about responsibility and about being a truly fair ruler. I wish that the real worlds politicians had half the good character he has...
Until someone pointed it out to me, I never even noticed how low the framerate was
you dont notice when it comes to enjoyment value which the series has x10
I felt something was off in s1 but didn't bother because the story was so fucking interesting
Yeah well thank you 🖕🏻
Yeah I admit some scenes in season 1 the frame rate was really bad like when Harrow gives Callum the letter and they hug, Callum was moving so slowly I thought my computer was glitching XD But now it's a lot better
Woah woah woah!
Avatar did deliver on the subject of death.
Two names: Monk Gyatsu and Lu Ten, son of Iroh.
those characters were all already dead before the show took place. the people close to them had, for the most part, at least; already dealt with their loss.
Jet was the only character that 'died' on-screen and none of the other characters (including his closest friends) had to deal with his death for more than a few minutes.
@@doot1doo1 they werent exactly THAT close...
And Yue
@@mariaa.2845 I suppose, yea. They probably played it safe because in the end it was supoosed to be a kids show but they definitly could've touched on it more.
As well as Jet's implied death
One of my favourite scenes from season 1 and what actually made me go from thinking TDP to be good to great was Amaya at Sarai’s grave marker. Not only is Amaya’s facial expressions impactful, but up until this point her signing has been translated for us by Gren. Yet, this is one of the only times he doesn’t translate - because narratively it makes no sense. The writers could have tried to find a way around it but they were so confident in us - the viewers - either getting the impression by her facial expression or us looking it up later that they decided to keep it as it was.
This and similar scenes in season 2 - reveal that other soldiers in Amaya’s group can understand sign language and a guard even used it to warn them of an ambush - really make me happy to know they are paying attention to the narrative.
I think the creators would be happy to hear that cause in an interview they said that they trust their audience to be smart enough to pick up on the emotions/visuals enough to understand what's going on without having to tell us. Some have issues with Amaya's parts being untranslated but I really enjoy and appreciate it.
I enjoy it immensely as well, the creators are brave to represent such a variety of different people within the show.
Honestly when people complain about not being able to understand Amaya, I just want to ask those people how they would act when face to face with a deaf person IRL. Would they really get frustrated with them over something they can't change?
I think it was brilliantly done. Because hearing people so often have things theyd don’t transcribe or subtitle, and deaf people are left out. The person I watched the season with said that they wished there were subtitles. But no, the whole point was to experience what it was like to be left out of the loop. So it definetly did its job.
The creators aren’t using ability or race or sexuality as a bait, as an accessory to hand characters so the show can fulfill its divesirty quota (unlike say voltron -__-), but they understand that you can’t utilize differences and wave away the experiences of them in a, ”Oh we’re passed race/sexuality, so everyone is the same,” which is a piss poor excuse for a writer wanting diversity points but wanting to treat their characters as white, abled, het, cis. Minorities don’t want ”colorblind,” we want our race acknowledge and accepted BECAUSE OF, not in spite of.
So tdp really leaning into Amaya’s sign language, as not just a one-off, shiny veneer to grab points, but something integral to her character AND the story is great writing. And also shows *genuine* allyship and respect of diversity.
I mean they full out acknowledged race in Harrow’s speech about skin color and the like. Which was great. They let the audience know they’re aware that portraying minorities is important and there’s history there and you can’t use minority status like an after-thought accessory. In a way, it was a contract to the viewer, ”We see you. We’re letting you know that we know. So we can’t just lay down and play ignorance or Oopsies if we mess up. So we’re doing our best to not mess up.” (Unlike Voltron *COUGH COUGH*
Yes, the CGI is a little weird at first - but you will get use to it & once you do, you are in for a GREAT show. You can definitely tell this show was made by Aaron Ehasz, it feels soo much like Avatar: The Last Airbender, you end up getting lost in the show. A MUST WATCH for any fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender
I just watched the “boomerang?” Clip from TDP Season 3 episode 4 and now that I’ve watched ATLA I finally get it and I flipped
It's not necessarily Viren's fault that 3 human queens died, it's the fault of whoever decided to send all the rulers on a super dangerous misson with such a small force.
I was looking for your comment. I agree with you. This is usually the reason why kingdoms have special forces, or adventurers and mercenaries. Sending kings and queens to battle without a huge army is generally a bad idea. But to be honest it looks more like a character flaw on said king and queen than bad writing in this case.
@@gabriel300010 well they do try and set up in the same episode that both King Harrow and Queen Sarai are skilled fighters, but thats still no excuse to personally lead a misson that they know and acknowledge is extremely dangerous. Much less invite the neighboring Queens to come join in the monster hunting quest. Sending Amaya makes sense because even though she's the Queen's sister she is still a general. Viren even makes sense to send as well, even though he's the one needed to make the spell that everyone is trying to cast, I can imagine needing some dark magic when fighting a golem.
@@gamerguy19981Their goal was to steal the heart while not being caught by the Dragon King. An overly large force would have been cumbersome. They took as many soldiers as they could under the circumstances. Not that it mattered, since the Thunder learned of their actions anyway, but you see their intent.
@@Ninja07Keaton I understand why they couldn't march thousands of men into a land filled with dragons and all kinds of other creatures, but why they sent the all the leaders of two separate kingdoms is where the head scratching bit comes in. I know why they have it in there as both a story and character reason. But logically it rasies a few eyebrows.
@@gamerguy19981 Yeah, like, I get that the leaders are responsible for their kingdoms, but that's exactly why they _shouldn't_ just go on such dangerous missions by themselves. They have their people to lead.
Aaron Ehasz plays a big part in why both ATLA and TDP are great shows
And his absence played a big part in why Korra wasn't up to the same standard.
@@Hiiiiii74 Well said.
@Arigato Senpai I agree. After watching both ATLA and Ehasz's other show (The Dragon Prince) you can clearly see that he played a big part in bringing the heart, warmth, and life lessons to ATLA that allowed it to become so beloved. He's also the one who came up with some of ATLA's best character choices, like making Toph a blind girl, while Bryke initially wanted to make her a buff guy who would vie with Aang for Katara's affection (and we all know how Bryke's love triangle worked out in LoK without Ehasz there to turn that one around too..). I'm not a fan of live action adaptations of perfectly good animated shows/movies anyways, but I'm not getting my hopes up for this show. I'll give it a chance (who knows? there's a possibility it'll be good), but I'm not as excited about it as other ATLA fans might be.
@@Hiiiiii74 well damn why did the trio break up. Seem Aron was the brain of the group.
You overrate him too much atla was a collaborative effort. Hell aaron even stole his best ideas from his wife for atla lol he has trouble writing a story alone
I remember the dragon princes animation absolutely stunned me the first time I saw it because I had never seen that style of cgi before, I just was to focused on the cgi I didn't see the choppyness
I watched the dragon Prince out of curiosity and it felt so avatar. And now watching others feel the same is very exciting
I watched and it only felt like a cringe version of Avatar
Eh. I dont really see what makes this show cringe but to each their own
Alright, I'll take you at your word and watch it. See you in a week.
More like see you in an evening. Book 1 and 2 just blew by for me. So good.
Me too, I didn't watched because the bad CGI but I loved ATLA with all my soul so, see you all later!
After you've watched it. Please come back here and answer me:
What's the verdict? Was it worth watching?
Very enjoyable show you won't regret it!
I approve
Something I don't see this show get talked about enough is Soren and his reformation in the show. I like how he goes from someone trying to please his father and just trying to make his father proud to someone who finds himself standing against an abuser and fighting for what he knows is right, I really liked his story by the end of season 3.
i’m saying!!
Bruh, Soren is literally Zuko. Siren was on the enemy team then betrayed them to join the good guys like Zuko.
What made this show feel so fresh for me is how it handles the maturity of its characters.
An all too common trope I have observed not just in children's shows, but in adult shows as well, is that many mid-season episodes will follow a formula of:
1. Open episode on character flaw or character conflict among the MC group that has not been seriously addressed yet
2. MCs encounter an obstacle that highlights the issue and brings it to a breaking point
3. MCs overcome the obstacle, learning a valuable lesson, and the character weakness never has to be seriously addressed again.
Even ATLA had episodes like this. These kinds of episodes often take likeable, relatable characters and force them to spend most of an episode being whiney and immature, while making selfish or mind-bogglingly foolish decisions that are counter-productive, out of character, and seem only to be there to create plot through frustrating drama. This, even though real people rarely resolve deep-seated habits or patterns over the course of one incident, so they never have to deal with it again.
In The Dragon Prince, they take a different approach. It may be due to season length limitations that don't leave room for any filler or fluff, but I choose to think it is intentional. These characters don't portray a bullet-point list of character flaws to be checked off and forgotten one episode at a time. Instead, they are just young people with their individual personalities, quirks, and organic-feeling weaknesses. Rather than learn a specific lesson with each plot point, they seem to develop fluidly over the course of events.
And here is how I think the writers pull that off. They often learn lessons and grow BEFORE an event that tests their maturity. Instead of replacing our likeable heroes with insufferable children for an episode, the show uses conflicts to pay off development that has already happened organically.
When Rayla tries to convince Callum that Soren and Claudia are not their allies, we don't get an episode of Callum getting mad at her, shutting her out, and blatantly ignoring obvious signs, only to learn the important lesson at the end that he should trust Rayla. Instead, we have seen them grow to trust each other more and more over the journey, so he is conflicted because has some trust for both sides. He is understanding of Rayla's distrust, but is uncertain how to reconcile that with his own trust for Soren and Claudia. So despite Claudia's manipulation, when Rayla proposes they set up a trick to draw out their true intentions, Callum accepts that as a reasonable solution to his dilemma. Less annoying, more rewarding, and makes Callum appear capable of maturity and critical thought in a tough situation, rather than him just being a cliche for an episode
When Ezran finds out about his father's death, he doesn't need some episodic event flag centered entirely around teaching him a lesson about grief. He goes off to reflect, helps move the plot forward for other characters, comes to terms with his loss, and makes the responsible and baller move to give his people a king, rather than prioritize his adventure with friends. And his process to reach this decision is mostly off screen because the advice and wisdom he needed was already provided in earlier episodes. He would have been justified to mope for a few episodes like the little boy he is, but by composing himself and deciding on his own to return to his kingdom, (which comes across as growth rather than inconsistency) you can actually buy that he may have what it takes to be a strong noble king some day.
These are just some examples. I think this philosophy permeates much more of the show, but it may be more subtle because it is not so formulaic.
I absolutely loved Dragon Prince. For it to be the best of all time, at some point Callum needs to get hit with a boomerang, or spit a sweet haiku.
Actually, most of us would have killed the baby deer in that situation.
Ah yes, dont save your brother from a lifetime of despair in this medieval world and leave the deer to be shot down and eaten by a hunter the next day. Thats a shortcut and will not solve your problem.
Mothers Basement---Makes a lot of sense until he doesnt
@@steps8140 you know, it's not meant to be taken at face logical value. It's a narrative.
@@firmanimad with one tiny hole that we are free to point out
bruh every omnivore who wouldnt do it would be such a hypocrite
true
The magic system is exactly why I love dragon prince. (Why is it only 9 episodes in a season?) It underlying theme of “predestination take great effort to overcome” and “introspection” is great.
But I really think the treating “dark magic” as a “non magic” is going to be a twist later that shows there isn’t really evil it’s just how it’s used troupe. And I think it will ultimately end with dark magic being a stand in for death and how to accept it. I think this mainly because death is such a massive theme in the show. Just like in FMA the “many and the one” life cycle episodes. Death happens and there it is an important aspect of us being able to survive and thrive.
What I’m waiting on though is a character that can do Iroh justice. Like seriously can we just do an episode of absolutely how amazing, complex and deep Iroh is? He is literally the kind of person I hope I can become in my old age. When a fictional character is one of your top role models THATS saying something.
And it’s my hope that dragon prince will have someone like that eventually.
I'm hoping they can do much more cooler, deeper stuff with Dark magic. As much as I agree with MB's take on how the magic system works and how Dark magic doesn't work like the rest of them, it also kinda feels like the whole "hard work will get you everything you need in life amd everyone gets what they deserve" talk, and I for one think meritocracy is bullshit.
RaiOfSunshine I think it’s a balance between opportunities and abilities. There are absolutely things outside our control but there are times where we’re presented an opportunity but only if we’ve put enough hard work into that ability to cease that moment. Otherwise “we’re just flowing down the river without a paddle to steer.”
Choice maters but with every choice is a consequence but there are definitely times where destiny gets a say and that I think is the point of the show.
I guess a different way to say it is we don’t always have a say it what happens but you should prepared for the times you do.
I mean... what they're using is essentially Necromancy, if you have to compare it to other things that have the same sort of magic. Necromancy is neither good nor evil, but it does depend on how the person uses it. The way Viren and Claudia have learned how to use it is for not-so-good things. Killing a Titan to fix something that could've been fixed in more conventional ways? Consequences came in the form of 3 queens dying, leading to the death of the dragon king thunder, then to callum and ezran's father death. Viren's magic lead them to this current point.
Claudia is going to see consequences of her healing of her brother later on as well, if par four the course.
@@BrokensoulRider The series tries to let " kill a baby deer, to heal your paralysed brother " look like something evil. But is it ? Killing a deer, because it taste good is a far worse reason. But nowbody would say " this evil must be punished !" ( ok in Bamby maybe) This deer died for a far better reason. I think a Blackmagican that uses his powers only if he needs to and understands the value of the lifes he takes, would be a good addition to the Cast. Most of the Time the black Magic uses insekts. How many Insekts are killed for no reason at all ? Just because there are annoying.
@@Spinnenfan1 You obviously didn't read the rest of what I said. Regardless, she still took a life to help someone else. Dark magic has a stronger consequence than other magics because of that simple fact. Taking a life = bad. But using the energy from that death to help someone else? It helps the balance a little. By no means is Claudia evil. But she will be seeing a distasteful consequence later in the show, hopefully, because of that. Plus, he didn't want her to do that to begin with - he was happy that he could no longer do what his father wanted.
I got reccomended this show when someone said its a great successor to ATLA. I didnt really mind the animation at all actually. The story was what got me invested. Very excited for season 4. 10/10
Viren is SUCH a good villain and I can't stop gushing about him. He reminds me strongly of Thanos because he's not doing evil things for the lulz. He genuinely believes in this Xadian threat across the border and is frustrated that nobody else does. There are moments where he fails like when he returns home from the Pentarchy without their support and reacts with real sadness. Putting the cloak back over Aaravos' mirror genuinely surprised me because, momentarily, he wasn't going to predictably fall under his manipulation. He genuinely cares for Claudia, King Harrow, or the people he cares about. I don't believe that I, or the viewer, is supposed to believe or agree with his fears, but it doesn't matter: because I believe that HE believes it and that strong conviction is what makes him a really compelling villain and lifts the show up so much.
This show changed me life, never did I thought I needed romanace. Love every character, especially Rayla and Callum.
Honestly, it's one of my favorite cartoons now that I've started watching it.
It's just soooo gooood.
It’s a great show so hyped for season 3
@@RYZE_Reborn Luckily they recently gave us the release date for it. November 22
Could you make this a seasonal thing? I mean season 3 is out and it's amazing, and I think you'll like how they continue it. The underlying tones you discussed are still there, and it's amazing to see how your video holds up even now. Or rather, how it expands on what you're saying. There are some amazing character arcs, and most of this season has been driven by character dynamic. Hell, there's a romance that was completely unplanned by the creators that was grounded in character dynamic entirely.
"Viren's actions had three queens dead, and Harrow on long-term."
Well thats a bit more complicated than that. It is strongly implied than Harrow blames Viren for Saraï's death, and without Viren entirely realizing it. But in my opinion, it was Harrow's decision to provoque a famine in his kingdom and the will of solving the problem by himself rather than sending a bigger bunch of soldiers.
Okay, if Viren hadn't came up with this solution, the three queens wouldn't have been dead. But if Viren hadn't proposed this solution to Harrow's blind idealism, 100 000 people would have been dead.
But. The queens's death was an accident, but it doesn't mean Viren feels completely innocent in the matter. Look at the scene where he yells at the mirror : "You are powerless, useless. You were supposed to be special, I thought you were important !" but realizes that this also applies to himself. He was supposed to be important, to be powerful, but he wasn't even able to save nor the queens, nor Harrow.
Madou Mimosa I believe Harrow blames Viren for the death of the queen for 2 reasons: 1. The queen told him dark Magic was a shortcut and those have prices (or something along those lines) and 2. Because Viren went to help the queens when he was the only one who could do the speed thus making the queen go after him.
The point of Harrow being guilty of everything its made by the show in the fact that he choose to embrace the fact that he was going to die I die fighting as a way to atone for his mistakes, and that final scene with viren is to show that the king understood that he was to blame for hearing Virens ideas, ideas that always came with prices.
Finally I believe Viren believes he is a good person and believes to be doing things for the greater good, when in reality is getting addicted to power after Harrow forced him to kneel and remind him that he wasn’t in power.
I could be wrong...
@@Kathyyyta
This analysis is spot on
Such a great scene that I cannot believe wasn't mentioned.
I love Avatar with so much of my heart and when I finished it, The Dragon Prince filled that hole. (Korra is a great show, but Dragon Prince is better)
true
I came here for an actual reply that I could react to and I got a “true” -.- (I do realize my own comment will cause this problem for other people.
@@BoredImmortal I got you. The overall themes and the way the world is built is very different between Korra and The Dragon prince. As far as animated "for all ages" shows go, I think Korra does the best job it could have done with its development cycle. I do think that that although showrunners Bryan and Mike are great, I do think that the absence of Aaron Ehasz left something to be desired on the character front. And I think that while The Dragon Prince has characters on par (or a little lower) as ATLA, I don't quiet feel the world is as interesting as Korra (although it is significantly more vibrant and alive). Really, I just want to see what else they are capable of as a group.
I really like The Dragon Prince. It really reminded me of ATLA and I think that’s why I enjoyed it. But overall the story is pretty interesting. I do like TLOK, but like you said before it doesn’t really capture the spirit of ATLA. I think that’s why i prefer The Dragon Prince over TLOK.
(Yes, I know TLOK is supposed to be a different story from ATLA, but it still doesn’t capture the feel of it IMO.)
Callum trying to tell Ezran that his dad died the same way Harrow tells callum his mom is dead breaks my heart
I was so mad that callum couldn't tell his dad.
Ah, dragon prince was EXCELLENT and I'm so ready for a new season
And a soul eater video!!! Yes!!!
Dragon Prince season 3 hype!!!
Eeeeeeh....
I didn't like it
@@airmasterparker2495 It is your opinion, I guess...
Same
Another season can’t come quick enough
@Bob Bobbertson Just because you don't like it doesn't mean that everyone that does and whoever made it is wrong and has a "sub 80 IQ." It's just your opinion.
In terms of thought provoking and difficult conversations, I love how they address that the humans didn't just screw everything up on their own. Xadia before the humans split off is established to have been far from perfect, with both elves and dragons seeing them as second class citizens and leaving them to suffer without magic as many humans in our own world did before modern technology and medicine. They even hoarded it to such a great degree and for so long that it was believed humans could not perform primal magic, and yet Callum was able to learn it in, what, a few weeks maybe? It indicates it was a deliberate decision.
And when Dark Magic entered the picture, Sol Regem - the Dragon King at the time - did not explain why it was so wrong or dangerous. He just said "Stop or die." And he straight up said "You are lesser beings." All before trying to murder tens of thousands just to prove a point. It really gives strength to the argument that Dark Magic is not actually evil and is likely even misnamed. Sacrificial Magic would be more apt. But I am also eager to learn more of 'Dark Magic' to see why it had the dragons so worried, and how it corrupts those who use it.
okay so i just binged watched it and i completely agree with this title. also I cant wait for Sokka, i mean Callum to to date Rayla. Surprisingly her accent really sticks to you after the first episode.
Watched season 3, I’m so happy that they actually have chemistry woooo their just an amazing couple.
One of my favorite things about Dragon prince is how it sets you up expecting a cliche just to flip your whole world upside down when it takes a radically different and far more interesting turn.
Some of my favorite examples would be the Father's death secret and that Viren isn't your typical evil bad man who tricked the king to satisfy his ambitions.
Sokka: GF turned into moon
Callum: GF is moon elf
Coincidence? I THINK NOT!
You nailed it, thanks for the great review of the underlying themes, it has painted a picture of where the show can go. I'm even more excited for season 3 now.
Well, I'm afraid by the themes he pointed out, that Zym will die in the series. Getting redemption if you have done something wrong sounds like the existence the king of all dragons to seperate magical creatures and humans won't be necessary. It also points out another aspect of the story: peace is not the opposite of war. Harmony is. Because of the seperation enforced by the dragon king, there was peace, but no harmony.
For the record-
I can’t be the only person okay with killing a deer to let my sibling walk again. I mean- come on.
Come *ON*
Dark magic also seems to have high price because people hair turns white or ages with each major us. It takes will, dedication, hard work and sacrifice all around to use. Unlike some kid who lucked into supreme lightening sky sorcery.
@@thegooddinggleberry
Yes, but it does not need wisdom or understanding or even respect for the living being you are using.
It teaches you, that everything is a means to an end and that you don't have to make tough decisions or don't have to sacrafice something. Yes, Claudia got a white hair strand, but I think that was, because she did not want to kill more baby dears than she had to, and made the lack of their life energy up with her own.
Like Sarai said, they were taking the easy way out by only seeing the titan as a monster, not as a being that perhaps had just as much right to live as those humans or that was perhaps important for his habitat and the other being living there.
If you want to sacrifice something without their consent for your own gain, you should at least have the fortitude, not to hind behind the excuse that you are just killing some monster for the greater good.
Standing by your decisions takes a lot of character, but dark magic users don't seem to do that. At least Viren seems to think, he can solve all his problems by paying with someone else's life and that is a childish belief to have.
Power without wisdom is just a catastrophe waiting to happen. Viren, for example, has the problem of 100.000 people potentially dying and finds a solution by murdering one giant. He does not even consider, asking for help.
There were other human kingdoms around, that perhaps had domething to spare or they could have even asked the Xadians. The great decide was some time ago and humanity was only banished and left in peace after that, so it is likely, that they did not want them dead before the Dragon King fiasco. Perhaps they would not have gotten help, but he completely ignored that possibility.
He also ignored that just taking one specific, highly magical part of a being screams dark magic and with that, humanity. The Dragon King didn't even have to catch them to know ,who was responsible.
This lead to a war, that probably claimed those 100.000 lives anyway. Then he steals the egg, when returning it could have served as a peace offering.
Then he wants to solve his assassin problem by once again fleeing the consequences by using dark magic. As if the elves wouldn't notice that the King was still alive once he takes over ruling again.
Then he once again wants to get away from his failure at the summit by terrorising the other kingdoms. At least he bothered asking his fellow humans first, before taking. But this is a consideration he only gives to humans.
Do you see what I mean? He creates problems by using dark magic that he than tries to solve by using dark magic, which creates more problems.
Don't get me wrong, I actually like Viren. They have really made a very relatable, complex villain.
And you are right, the decisions they make are very complex and understandable, which makes the show this good. You can understand both sides. It is unfair, that humans are not born with the same capabilities magical beings are born with, something that the show showed well, but just taking it, is not earning it either. At the end of the day there was a better way, if you were willing to walk that extra mile, but most humans were not, because they were distracted by this wonderful, obvious, direct way just there. And why should you look for the more difficult alternative, if the obvious way is right there in front of you?
@@XX-dz5kc Claudia doesn't give a thought about the lives of small creatures. She was willing to capture the dragon knowing full well what her father was probably going to do with it. So dark magic does have a price like everything human do, because she wouldn't have bated an eye sacrificing the field of deer. Animals hunt and eat all the time, doesn't make anyone evil for taking what they need. Just because something is balanced doesn't mean it's fair.
You don't know if the other human kingdoms would have helped. They have to be threatened with the treat of mutual destruction at the hands of elves. They won't even move to aid kingdoms they're indebted to. As world leaders, you are not concerned about avoiding the future wars but making sure that your people survive long enough to have chance to fight if the time comes. The old king saw this as all kings see in time. Human are humans.
To use dark magic isn't as simple as you it is. The prince suffered from just the one use because it requires knowledge, training and wisdom to wield it.
I like this series but it really insults all the hard work it to for this one of the first men to learn and master magic when nothing is there to give magic. I feel the prince mad the magic connection through the dragon, but It was activated by the dark magic. He still needed to take a life to get his power. That's truth, that's dark magic.
@@thegooddinggleberry
I agree that knowledge is needed to wield dark magic, but wisdom is not.
And I am pretty sure Callum would have unlocked the arcana without Dark Magic as well, though I guess that his guilt over using it helped him stay strong in the face of temptation. I still think dark magic is the easy way out. You want something, so you take it and damn the consequences or lives taken. Like you said, that is nature, but than the humans should not be surprised if the other side retaliates, when they kill one of their own.
And I am not sure that it really was a human, who first developped dark magic. Aaravos seems to be a master of it and there must have been a reason that they sealed him in a mirror. The Xadians seem to have a penchant for sealing or banishing away individuals they are scared of.
We cannot be sure that the other kingdoms would not help. The Queens' kingdom seems to be the most fertile, so it is likely that they usually control the most food. Let me put it like this. Would you say no if someone who usually lends you money asks for money? Probably not, because it is very likely that you may need their money in the future. But they did not even think of that. Instead they went off to kill a giant and start a war.
I understand the choice, but once again, it is the philosophy of take first and ask later that seems to be so closely linked to Dark Magic.
As for Claudia, I understand her reasoning. I would probably do the same thing and it is pretty awesome, but I think you misunderstood me. It is not Dark Magic itself that I don't like. When I cook and eat my meat, I don't spend too much thought on the animal, which had to die for it or if I take my medication than I don't spent hours agonizing over the mice it was tested on. I am aware of the fact that they existed and I feel sorry, but all in all, I am willing to accept it. The thing I don't like is the beliefs it seems to bread. I already mentioned those. If we want to stay in the Avatar comparisons, it is a little like the Fire Nations belief that all the Earth is just there to bask in their glory and make them greater. That is a very human concept, but like I said, they should not wonder if that philosophy comes back to bite their behind.
I mean people kill animals for fun anyway, but you're thinking of it in the context of the real world, while in the context of this show (Especially with Ezran) animals are like people and basically says that if there was some way to get magical essence from humans (like let's say humans have magic as toddlers, but lose it as they get older) she'd probably end up doing that eventually too
you can't really say that TDP has bad CGI other than the fps drops on the 1st season. everything else's on point
I really admire Avatar and Dragon Prince. It's interesting to see animated shows with complex stories and a good sense of fun
Ryan Carless You said it like if animation hasn’t done that already a bunch of times. Anime by itself has done that a bunch of times.
@@Wallie33. True. They're probably talking about cartoons then, I think most people still have episodic/non-overarching stories in mind when it comes to Western animated shows although there's been various exceptions (TDP is one of them, having a story that builds on what happened in episodes before and a character-driven story with dimensional villains from what I've seen so far).
Julia Yeah exactly. But it is true that most cartoons have no real plot so it is understandable for them to think that. I think most people think this show is a masterpiece as well just cause people that are into only cartoons aren’t used to seeing a cartoon that has an actual plot so they get impressed more easily.
I would recommend the French series Wakfu, which is still on Netflix last I checked -- do yourself a favor and watched the subtitled version though. The dub is... yikes. The animation quality is a little rough at the start but it vastly improves over time.
If you end up liking that, there's also the Dofus series that acts as a prequel of sorts, with the Julith movie being an absolute visual treat. The Treasures of Kerubim shorts might be hard to find, but the Wakfu OVAs are/were on Steam. Some of the stuff ended up on VRV too.
It isn't so much complex but it is a fun adventure romp with nice visuals. Nox was a pretty neat villain though.
@@Wallie33. You're giving anime too much credit. Good anime shows are just as rare as good cartoons. It's not like you can to to an anime website, click on the first thing that comes up, and expect to enjoy yourself.
The only reason we easily get the wrong impression, is because we have more anime reviewers to filter all the crap for us, so we don't even experience most of the bad anime.
The Dragon Prince is amazing imo for the exact reasons you talked about. My friend wouldn't watch it because of the CGI, but I've really grown to enjoy it over the second season in particular. It has a very unique style that can lend itself well to the story it presents.
Am I the only person who thinks TDP art style is beautiful?
Nope!
It’s beautiful in its own way
Not at all! The art style was the entire reason I wanted to watch the show, and I was actually really surprised when I learned how many people don't like it.
@@elegantandefficient1653 It's so weird how people don't like it! Why is it so hard to like stuff that's different??
Nope! I think it's great! The style is so new and fresh I love it! I don't understand how some people dislike it, it's awesome!
I'm drawn to both of them because of the amazing sense of humour balanced with serious material as well! It makes it seem more realistic because people naturally turn to laughter in times of distress.
They both have a lot of heart too! So glad to have another show that has the spirit of avatar while being it's own unique property.
*_Avatar The Last One Punch Man_*
....Seriously?
I don't get it
This video made me check out The Dragon Prince a few days ago. Just knowing that you talked about the series made me want to sit down and watch it after seeing a random GIF set on Tumblr... And I loved it. It really feels like a more Western Fantasy version of ATLA and it's such a delight.
Also I hope that eventually you might return to The Dragon Prince to discuss it a bit more, especially given the developments of the third season.
Just watched the show. It's really good, I liked it a lot.... It's a love letter to ATLA, it keeps the same energy, but it's different emough to not be considered a copy, very underrated show, would recommend it
Are you telling me... there's an anime that is just as good as the anime that got me into anime?
THIS IS AMAZING.
Polish Filipino I’d say it’s not as good but it is great though and most importantly what’s good about it is the same qualities that made Avatar good!
Unfortunately it has a bit too much referential humour and relies a bit too much on fantasy tropes where Avatar was completely original.
But it is worth watching. Very much so.
@@swetheutte I would say it's not as good yet. It definitely has the potential of being just as great or even greater, but it isn't at that point just yet.
I see what you are doing, and I'm surprised your first response wasn't someone taking the bait.
It might end up even better.
It’s more of a shallow imitation tbh.
Callum: My girlfriend is a moonshadow elf.
That's rough buddy
Love how people still make videos on avatar in 2019 never been so happy
I don't think the "Claudia killing a baby deer to get Soren to walk again" plot point worked as well as they wanted it to because if our heroes killed a baby deer to eat we would take it as a necesity, while what Claudia did had a much more permanent and positive outcome for the same price. Maybe if it had been something with a higher sentience or that wasn't a common food item (like a dog) it would have had a the impact they were going for?
I guess what I am saying is fuck Bambi, he had it comming.
Same here, i think is more about advance dark magic that it start with just a deer and end up in genocide, but yes just one deer for your brother legs is a good exchange
"You don't shoot Bambi, jackass.
You shoot Bambi's mother."
I agree. What they should have done was skew the balance more. One deer for one healing spell? That's balanced, and while disturbing, can be justified.
But multiple deer for a single life? That's harder to excuse. That's not balanced anymore. That's a much more negative price to pay and would have made a stronger point.
Also, I wanna know where they're gonna go with Sparkle Sparkle Princess Aaravos! They've implied he's the one who helped humans develop Dark magic, and he's obviously jailed in the mirror, and was considered a big enough threat the the Dragon King was guarding him!
What made the deer scene so poignant was the fact that Claudia used/manipulated Ezren to find the deer. If Ezren knew what her true intentions were he’d be horrified. She knew it was wrong but did it anyway.
I don't think the point was to the immorality of killing a fawn, but instead the showing of the beginning of what Dark Magic can do to you and the consequences it has. Claudia herself even told Callum that he needs to be careful, it can be dangerous. Then he suffered extreme backlash from simply squishing a tentacle. Claudia is obviously stronger and more experienced in the field, but defying and HEALING paralysis is a LOT and we see a part of the backlash with the change in her literal anatomy - the whitening of her hair.
And look at Viren, he relies on lively butterflies to replenish his ... human, appearance.
Anyway, what I'm trying to get at is I don't think the show has actually addressed that Dark Magic has consequences more than just it seeming to be an evil thing to do. We are beginning to see that it is Take and be Taken From, the law of equivalent exchange. It's a slow introduction, but I think that's what the focus was supposed to be. Claudia sacrificed herself TWICE for Soren, both choosing him over the egg, and then using an extreme and jarring amount of Dark Magic. THAT'S what's supposed to be taken from that, in my opinion.
This video is the reason I watched The Dragon Prince a year ago, and you helped me process some of the deeper meaning and importance of the story. You did a really good job explaining it. Thank you.
my childhood was shook when I found the dragon prince on netflix because of how much it reminded me of atla.
It doesnt help that Callum sounds like Sokka.
MrBlindsight1 same voice actor, not kidding
yah lol I assumed it was but wasn't sure his voice is pretty unique.
@@dear_cassandra9653 crap sorry I could have sworn it came out in 2010, oops. I am horrible at remembering when my favorite childhood shows came out.
Also, Aaron Ehasz, the writer for dragon prince, wrote many atla episodes as well. Most of them, I think
Viren is probably one of my favorite villains ever. He still shows humanity even as he descends down that downward spiral he's in, and there are a ton of moments where you can see the internal turmoil. My favorite Viren moment is when he gets angry at the mirror and yells at it - and in turn, his own reflection - that it was supposed to be special and important, followed by him processing that he just described himself, intentionally or not.
Aaravos is my absolute favorite type of villain. He's like Hades from Kid Icarus Uprising. He's charming, sassy, -hot voice,- and has a fun personality, while still being powerful, clever, and truly threating, sometimes at the same time.
Also, General Amaya kinda makes me want to learn sign language just so I can know what she's saying.
I absolutely love this show and I'm really sad it doesn't get enough recognition
And than everything changed when season 4 attacked.
If it captures the "spirit of Avatar" as you say then I cant wait to see E;R sink his teeth into this.
the show is good he would like it for sure
I did something I rarely do with your videos for this one. I paused, watched the show and then came back here. I loved it. It brings back that feeling I got with Avatar but it's not a derivative of it. The characters made choices that suprised me but felt true to who they were, things were earned and choices, hard ones, had weight to them. I can't wait for season 4. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us and introducing things to people like myself who ignored them on their netflix recommendations for 3 years😅👍
All it needs now is the best villain redemption arc of all time to feel like Avatar.
They've already set up a redemption with Soren and Claudia. Viren's potential is unclear.
Yes Claudia could be the next Zuko in terms of complex yet redeemable characters
Oh, that's definitely reserved for that Peanut Butter Dark Magic girl (whatever her name was, daughter of the antagonist).
@@garrettlee9511 Yesss let the gang go on life changing journeys with her
@@garrettlee9511 i don't think Claudia was ever evil. To the best of her knowledge she was bringing the kidnapped princes back home as well as a very dangerous artifact. People view her negatively for using dark magic but if you're using it for self defense or for healing how is that worse than say, hunting for food or medicine?
If i could save my brother from a life of terrible disability a deer's life sounds like a perfectly reasonable price.
You know, funny enough, the first show after Avatar that got me that ATLA feel was actually Green Lantern the Animated Series. Of course, a lot of the staff from ATLA (and also Dragon Prince) was involved with this one too so maybe they're just good at bringing that feels to what they work on.
I would just like to point out that every time I see an episode like this it digs deep and puts a whole new understanding to some shows for me. The way he analyzes the plot, characters, and meanings behind scenes really builds upon my love for the show. I have a hard time explaining this sort of thing to other people in my own words because I get caught up in excitement when talking about shows, but you do a fantastic job of putting words in my mouth. Whenever you make episodes about shows that you enjoy and have an emotional attachment to it makes my love for the show and respect for the work you do go up. You don't just go in and look at it objectively. You put your personal feelings in every episode. Keep doing what you're doing. I'm looking forward to future works.
TDP is fantastic! Definitely fills the ATLA hole in my life.