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Description
I'd already planned on doing a movie "review" and since everyone else seems to be doing it as well its all the more reason for me to as well.

So I'll start off by saying that my state of mind going into the movie was pretty damn anxious. See, I had my brother's wedding shower yesterday but the thing ended at six. My grandmother was with us and the party was outside and since it was summer in Atlanta it was pretty damn hot/humid so my parents took my her back to the hotel to clean up and then they were going to meet us at my brother and sister's apartment after my sister and I cleaned up with the rest of the party guests. Well, I won't get into it but things got all screwed up and my sister and I didn't even leave from where the party moved to until after eight and it took us about an hour to get back. Luckily the movie was recorded but my grandmother, being the crazy somewhat selfish person that she is, insisted we watch a movie and then half way into it said "it sucked" and demanded to be taken back to the hotel. Ahh, family love. So after my parents and grandmother left I finally got to start my movie.

I was anxious, nervous, and excited to watch it. I had a lot of expectations; I know a lot of us did. I thought the story, as a whole, was pretty good. Playing with the classic hero story (we've seen it repeated from Greek mythology to Star Wars and every Disney movie in between) is a risky game to play. You have to be able play with the classic themes but be original at the same time without crossing the line to cliché. I thought the writers did that pretty well, especially in the way that they were able to switch the focus enough throughout the two hours. I thought Azula's decent into madness was great. She became almost childlike in a sense and there was a bit of pity for her, but only a bit. Her character isn’t made to be sympathized but at the same time it takes a pretty cold person not to feel a twinge of sadness over the fact that she made herself so unhappy. And that’s the thing that takes away from her pity factor; she was the one that caused her unhappiness, no one else. She was purely self destructive. I'd always theorized about her mother issues but they came to light in a great way.

The little bits of comedy, the action, and the serious moments all balanced themselves out nicely throughout the two hours and kept things interesting and intense.

The ending, the very end, kinda disappointed me though. I mean, I know I shouldn't criticize but I expected a little bit more on the realistic side and maybe if the series continues in anyway we'll see the turmoil that surely would occur with the forming of a new world, even if it is a return to the old world.

On the side of animation, the effects were freaking unbelievable for a TV show. I was really impressed actually. I thought the fight between Zuko and Azula was a huge highlight, and of course the battle at Ba Sing Sai with the order of the White Lotus, Toph, Sokka, and Suki's fight on the airships, and Aang and Ozai's fight- all of it was choreographed amazingly.

And who else thought Katara freezing her and Azula was just really, really cool and inventive? I was expecting her to blood blend personally after I saw her do it in "The Southern Raiders" and because Azula was clearly nuts.

Ok, now for some relationship interaction notes (and I mean all types of relationships)

Aang and the group as a whole:
I knew that Aang wouldn't let them go, there were all these ominous signs that he'd have to choose between at least one of them, if not all of them, and saving the world. The last Air Avatar before Aang's advice was what I thought he needed to hear all along: the air monks taught respect for all life, and a disconnect from the world was the path to spiritual enlightenment but the avatar cannot afford that luxury. I'm so glad Aang got to hear that, even if he didn’t full accept it.

Aang and Katara:
I know anyone who is a Kataang fan probably will just say that I'm using this in defense of Zutara but I'm not, this is my honest observation of the couple. There were moments when I’d watch the series and think that Katara might like Aang, this was mostly up until the start of the third season. The majority of the time I thought that Katara saw Aang more as a brother or even a son. It was obvious that Aang liked her but lets remember something important about Katara, she’s basically been isolated most of her life. Her father and all the other eligible males went off to fight the war leaving Katara pretty much inexperienced and uneducated in terms of men (outside of her brother), especially men remotely her own age. We saw her immediate pull to Haru and Jet, do you think she was a bit curious maybe?
When the third series rolled around my Zutara radar was still abuzz from the cave scenes but for the first half the season I was obviously left with pretty much nothing but there was plenty of opportunity for Kataang growth and I honestly didn’t see much beyond what I’d already seen. All of their interaction still seemed kinda platonic to me, more family oriented. Even their hug at the end of the movie before they kissed didn’t seem like a ‘lovers’ embrace to me. They certainly aren’t old enough to be lovers but still….I don’t know, Kataang still just doesn’t compute to me, I’m sorry for everyone who does see it. That’s my personal feelings and opinions gathered from my observations of the series as I’ve watched it.

Suki and Sokka:
Super cute, can’t say more than that ^_^

Toph and Sokka:
Toph continues to be one of my favorite characters and I think she continued to be awesome throughout last night and Sokka has continued to grow on me the whole series. Last night when he didn’t even hesitate to throw his sword and boomerang to save Toph and held onto her, even with his leg busted….it was priceless. I always thought they’d be cute together but I never really held out any hope for their couple (I actually have bit of a soft spot for Taang). But Sokka has really matured to me, all the while maintaining a goofy side- Aang could learn from him in that regard.

Toph and Zuko:
Who didn’t burst out laughing or smiling when Toph latched onto Zuko for the search? Since “The Western Air Temple” their relationship and friendship has made me smile. The way they communicate and act with one another, I think it’s really cute and Toph must have some sort of crush going on there but she won’t give it too much thought at such an important time. And Zuko obviously trusts and respects Toph’s opinions, I think it says a lot about Zuko’s character and how he’s evolved. Toph has always been a character who can seem to observe and judge without bias. She could have ended up extremely different given her upbringing but she’s managed to be able to evolve into a pretty unique character and last night she continued to impress me.

Zuko and Katara:
Now we get to the part I can really sink my teeth into. I’ll get this out right now if you haven’t already guessed it, I’m a Zutara fan, have been from the start and one of the first episodes I saw was “The Waterbending Scroll” and I thought, “hmm, there is something going on here between these two” but I didn’t really get into the show until later but I still held a flame for Zutara. The first half of season three didn’t give me whole lot of hope for the couple, what with Maiko jumping to life- I knew Mai had a crush on him but still, can anyone else agree that that couple came completely out of nowhere?
However, with the coming of the new episodes, my hope renewed. And this movie really, really, really built it up, at least for me. However, one of my favorite theories in literary theory and criticism is, in the most basic explanation, is that you get what you want out of something. When you read, if you expect to find an underlying message about feminism than that is what you will find. I think the same applies to most media including things like music and TV shows/movies. So maybe I just wanted to see Zutara last night but honestly, how could you not? (The part with Jun and the girlfriend comment was priceless)
Even in “The Ember Island Players” there was Zutara where I didn’t expect it. Katara and Zuko have one of the most interesting relationships in the show and I wished that we could have seen more of the “behind the scenes” if you will, of how they continued to develop and grow after “The Southern Raiders”.
I could go through and nitpick each moment I saw as Zutara but I won’t, instead I’ll focus on the battle with Azula. Zuko asking her to come and Katara not hesitating for an instant was significant to me. She knew that Aang would not be in the Fire Kingdom but still she went with Zuko. Zuko could have very easily asked Toph or someone else within the White Lotus camp who was a firebender and probably had a better chance against Azula or even insisted he go alone but he asked her and Katara went willingly, even eagerly. And the concern he showed her about not getting hurt because it would only be he and Azula in Agni Kai was so sweet and so selfless, it really warmed my heart. When he jumped in front of the lightning, I think everyone, Zutara fan or not, felt their hearts clench.
Katara’s concern for him afterwards, I’ll even call it desperate concern, told a lot about their relationship as well. Katara has always been an extremely caring and protective person but she can also hold a grudge, as we’ve seen with Jet, Zuko, and even Pakku, but she can also forgive. But, as we saw with the man that killed her mother, she also can be incapable of forgiving. Zuko hurt her worse than anyone else in the series- why? That’s an in-depth analysis for another day but I think you can all see, or at least guess why. There is a connection there, even though it is still new, there is a deep connection there and always will be.
I really, really, really thought we’d get a kiss, at least on the cheek, between those two after Katara had healed him. I felt for the movie was leading us in this direction, I thought it until the moment Mai came onto the scene. I mean, literally appeared on the screen. I thought it would be Katara…wished it would be Katara.

Alright, the end of the movie. Again. I know I am not in a position where I have the right to criticize and I struggle hard to endings with my own stories. I think they’re incredibly hard to pull off, I’ve found myself extending stories to avoid them but endings are inevitable. I’ll admit, but into the last maybe five minutes I was more than pleased with the movie. I thought the story line was really well done, the character movements and emotions were really well planned and represented, the animation was top notch for a TV series, and all in all there were surprises and predictability that was needed in a story like this. But the ending kinda went a bit cliché for me.
I knew that Aang would find a way to defeat the Fire Lord without killing him and that Azula would be her own demise. I honestly thought one of the “good guys” would be killed but at the same time this is a Nickelodeon show so I guess I couldn’t expect much. Sokka getting hurt was something I wish I had seen in other characters (not that I wanted them hurt). The fact that most made it out, pretty much unscathed kinda bothered me. But again, this is a Nick show.

Everyone gathered in Iroh’s tea shop at the end also bordered on odd, out of place, and something I would have expected to see out of fanfiction. But, like with Harry Potter ending, the creators obviously wanted to bring this to a definitive end, but they didn’t, at least not for me.
I’ve heard rumors that there will be continued stories in the Avatar world, maybe not with the group we know and love, but I hope they will- why? Because I want to see this story continue in a ‘realistic sense’, but once again, it’s a Nick show so I’m not sure what to expect if it dose continue. I certainly don’t see Nick letting a money maker like this die just yet, I really hope that creators Mike and Bryan would use this to their advantage and demand more artistic freedom and to be able to take the story in the way they seem to want to. The show took a much more serious turn in the third season, and if it was allowed to grow I think it could become even more epic, reaching out to an even broader audience.

Why do I think the series will continue and why I want to see it go on with its serious and realistic tone? Well, because there are going to be obvious growing pains for the world. One hundred plus years of war ends and the world will not just settle. People of the Earth Kingdom and the North and South Poles are probably going to want reparations in one way or another and you can bet that people of the Fire Nation aren’t all going to sit and be happy over the change in policy. The people have been indoctrinated for a century with certain ideas and ideals that aren’t going to go quietly into the night. There will be resistance, there will be rebellion, and there will be strife and struggle. The war is not over, it may be in the sense of the Fire Nation trying to conquer the world, but the world is certainly not at rest or peace. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are multiple attempts to overthrow Zuko and who knows what’s going to happen with the Earth Kingdom? Where is the Earth King? Will he even want to continue on being king now that he is a free wandering nomad?

We saw no reconciliation between Toph and her parents either.

And what about the burning questions regarding Zuko’s mother?
We are left that hanging question when Zuko visited his father in the prison but we never get a definitive answer. And what about Azula? Where was she stowed away, and how long can she possibly be kept there? She may be mad, she may be broken down but who knows if that will last. And even in madness she is a powerful bender, can you imagine her if she were out of control? If she had no sense of self preservation, she could be unstoppable.

There are still a lot of unanswered questions and with rumors of a continuation or another mini movie coming out eventually I think we can all rest assure that this isn’t over just yet.

Now, to the very last moments with Aang and Katara’s embrace and kiss.
Again, anyone who is a hardcore Kataang shipper is going to jump all over me, please don’t. These are simply my opinions and observations.
The final hug once again seemed very platonic to me, the position of the arms, and I’m no body language analyzer, just wasn’t one of real intimacy to me. I was actually kinda surprised they kissed afterward. I still don’t really see those two as a couple but maybe I’m missing something, I don’t know, but from what I’ve seen I still see this as affection, at least on Katara’s side, not love in the romantic sense.

So these are my opinions and observations of the show’s finale.
Overall, pretty damn awesome, some things didn’t live up to my hype/expectations but I’m still thoroughly, thoroughly satisfied for the most part.
Did some parts not measure up? Yes.
Did some exceed what I ever hoped for? Certainly.
Am I disappointed that Zutara didn’t become canon? You bet your ass I am.
Am I convinced that, if the show continues in someway, that it will never become canon? No, in fact I’m still confident that down the road, if the road does continue, that Zutara will happen.
It’s not that I don’t want Aang to be happy and with the one he loves, I’m just not convinced that Katara loves him in the same way. Despite what he’s done, what he’s learned, and how he’s grown over the short period of a year is pretty damn incredible but still has a lot more growing to do, emotionally and mentally. He still has a lot of childlike qualities that probably helped enable him to do what he had to do in the end. If he hadn’t held onto so desperately to things of his past, an action many of us contribute to a childlike state of mind, and maintained a level of innocence only a child can have than he probably would not have been able to find a way to take the Fire Lord’s firebending from him.
The ending would have been dramatically different and Aang would have changed in a way none would like, he would carry the burden of taking a life with him forever (not that he hasn’t already done that- anyone remember the season one finale? Aang in the Avatar state took out Admiral Zhao). If Aang wasn’t still a child in many important ways he would probably have not help so tightly to his ideals and would have killed Ozai, dramatically changing everything.

Now that the show is at an end, for now at least, I think it’s a good time for people to reflect on the show’s messages, not to add fuel to the shipping wars. I’d heard rumors that people were boycotting the show because they’d heard that their ship of choice wasn’t going to happen. I find it silly. The show’s finale has been completed for months; nothing could change by this last minute block of some fans. If you can’t enjoy the show just because your couple hasn’t occurred then that is a sad state of affairs. I have to admit that I didn’t get into the show until late into the game, so maybe I don’t know as well as others but seriously, with the state of the world, internet wars over couples is something people are going to get into a huff about? It’s just damn silly to me. Take advice from the show you just watched and focus on similarities instead of differences, thinking the opposite way gets people into ugly situations.

I’m sad that the series is over (for now at least) and I’m upset that my couple of choice isn’t canon (yet) but I’m happy that I got a chance to watch this show, to see it through to this apparent end. The series as a whole and the movie last night were both well written, developed, and obviously loved since people can get so passionate about it. Let’s say we focus on the highs instead of the lows and if we must be upset about something, let it fuel us to do something. I personally will continue to make tribute videos to this show and hope to expand into fanfiction as well. My love for my couple of choice has not died, and who knows, I might still see it on the screen in the future. Shows that have ended in the past have made successful comebacks. I say we all focus our energies into making sure this show lives on.

Description
I'd already planned on doing a movie "review" and since everyone else seems to be doing it as well its all the more reason for me to as well.

So I'll start off by saying that my state of mind going into the movie was pretty damn anxious. See, I had my brother's wedding shower yesterday but the thing ended at six. My grandmother was with us and the party was outside and since it was summer in Atlanta it was pretty damn hot/humid so my parents took my her back to the hotel to clean up and then they were going to meet us at my brother and sister's apartment after my sister and I cleaned up with the rest of the party guests. Well, I won't get into it but things got all screwed up and my sister and I didn't even leave from where the party moved to until after eight and it took us about an hour to get back. Luckily the movie was recorded but my grandmother, being the crazy somewhat selfish person that she is, insisted we watch a movie and then half way into it said "it sucked" and demanded to be taken back to the hotel. Ahh, family love. So after my parents and grandmother left I finally got to start my movie.

I was anxious, nervous, and excited to watch it. I had a lot of expectations; I know a lot of us did. I thought the story, as a whole, was pretty good. Playing with the classic hero story (we've seen it repeated from Greek mythology to Star Wars and every Disney movie in between) is a risky game to play. You have to be able play with the classic themes but be original at the same time without crossing the line to cliché. I thought the writers did that pretty well, especially in the way that they were able to switch the focus enough throughout the two hours. I thought Azula's decent into madness was great. She became almost childlike in a sense and there was a bit of pity for her, but only a bit. Her character isn’t made to be sympathized but at the same time it takes a pretty cold person not to feel a twinge of sadness over the fact that she made herself so unhappy. And that’s the thing that takes away from her pity factor; she was the one that caused her unhappiness, no one else. She was purely self destructive. I'd always theorized about her mother issues but they came to light in a great way.

The little bits of comedy, the action, and the serious moments all balanced themselves out nicely throughout the two hours and kept things interesting and intense.

The ending, the very end, kinda disappointed me though. I mean, I know I shouldn't criticize but I expected a little bit more on the realistic side and maybe if the series continues in anyway we'll see the turmoil that surely would occur with the forming of a new world, even if it is a return to the old world.

On the side of animation, the effects were freaking unbelievable for a TV show. I was really impressed actually. I thought the fight between Zuko and Azula was a huge highlight, and of course the battle at Ba Sing Sai with the order of the White Lotus, Toph, Sokka, and Suki's fight on the airships, and Aang and Ozai's fight- all of it was choreographed amazingly.

And who else thought Katara freezing her and Azula was just really, really cool and inventive? I was expecting her to blood blend personally after I saw her do it in "The Southern Raiders" and because Azula was clearly nuts.

Ok, now for some relationship interaction notes (and I mean all types of relationships)

Aang and the group as a whole:
I knew that Aang wouldn't let them go, there were all these ominous signs that he'd have to choose between at least one of them, if not all of them, and saving the world. The last Air Avatar before Aang's advice was what I thought he needed to hear all along: the air monks taught respect for all life, and a disconnect from the world was the path to spiritual enlightenment but the avatar cannot afford that luxury. I'm so glad Aang got to hear that, even if he didn’t full accept it.

Aang and Katara:
I know anyone who is a Kataang fan probably will just say that I'm using this in defense of Zutara but I'm not, this is my honest observation of the couple. There were moments when I’d watch the series and think that Katara might like Aang, this was mostly up until the start of the third season. The majority of the time I thought that Katara saw Aang more as a brother or even a son. It was obvious that Aang liked her but lets remember something important about Katara, she’s basically been isolated most of her life. Her father and all the other eligible males went off to fight the war leaving Katara pretty much inexperienced and uneducated in terms of men (outside of her brother), especially men remotely her own age. We saw her immediate pull to Haru and Jet, do you think she was a bit curious maybe?
When the third series rolled around my Zutara radar was still abuzz from the cave scenes but for the first half the season I was obviously left with pretty much nothing but there was plenty of opportunity for Kataang growth and I honestly didn’t see much beyond what I’d already seen. All of their interaction still seemed kinda platonic to me, more family oriented. Even their hug at the end of the movie before they kissed didn’t seem like a ‘lovers’ embrace to me. They certainly aren’t old enough to be lovers but still….I don’t know, Kataang still just doesn’t compute to me, I’m sorry for everyone who does see it. That’s my personal feelings and opinions gathered from my observations of the series as I’ve watched it.

Suki and Sokka:
Super cute, can’t say more than that ^_^

Toph and Sokka:
Toph continues to be one of my favorite characters and I think she continued to be awesome throughout last night and Sokka has continued to grow on me the whole series. Last night when he didn’t even hesitate to throw his sword and boomerang to save Toph and held onto her, even with his leg busted….it was priceless. I always thought they’d be cute together but I never really held out any hope for their couple (I actually have bit of a soft spot for Taang). But Sokka has really matured to me, all the while maintaining a goofy side- Aang could learn from him in that regard.

Toph and Zuko:
Who didn’t burst out laughing or smiling when Toph latched onto Zuko for the search? Since “The Western Air Temple” their relationship and friendship has made me smile. The way they communicate and act with one another, I think it’s really cute and Toph must have some sort of crush going on there but she won’t give it too much thought at such an important time. And Zuko obviously trusts and respects Toph’s opinions, I think it says a lot about Zuko’s character and how he’s evolved. Toph has always been a character who can seem to observe and judge without bias. She could have ended up extremely different given her upbringing but she’s managed to be able to evolve into a pretty unique character and last night she continued to impress me.

Zuko and Katara:
Now we get to the part I can really sink my teeth into. I’ll get this out right now if you haven’t already guessed it, I’m a Zutara fan, have been from the start and one of the first episodes I saw was “The Waterbending Scroll” and I thought, “hmm, there is something going on here between these two” but I didn’t really get into the show until later but I still held a flame for Zutara. The first half of season three didn’t give me whole lot of hope for the couple, what with Maiko jumping to life- I knew Mai had a crush on him but still, can anyone else agree that that couple came completely out of nowhere?
However, with the coming of the new episodes, my hope renewed. And this movie really, really, really built it up, at least for me. However, one of my favorite theories in literary theory and criticism is, in the most basic explanation, is that you get what you want out of something. When you read, if you expect to find an underlying message about feminism than that is what you will find. I think the same applies to most media including things like music and TV shows/movies. So maybe I just wanted to see Zutara last night but honestly, how could you not? (The part with Jun and the girlfriend comment was priceless)
Even in “The Ember Island Players” there was Zutara where I didn’t expect it. Katara and Zuko have one of the most interesting relationships in the show and I wished that we could have seen more of the “behind the scenes” if you will, of how they continued to develop and grow after “The Southern Raiders”.
I could go through and nitpick each moment I saw as Zutara but I won’t, instead I’ll focus on the battle with Azula. Zuko asking her to come and Katara not hesitating for an instant was significant to me. She knew that Aang would not be in the Fire Kingdom but still she went with Zuko. Zuko could have very easily asked Toph or someone else within the White Lotus camp who was a firebender and probably had a better chance against Azula or even insisted he go alone but he asked her and Katara went willingly, even eagerly. And the concern he showed her about not getting hurt because it would only be he and Azula in Agni Kai was so sweet and so selfless, it really warmed my heart. When he jumped in front of the lightning, I think everyone, Zutara fan or not, felt their hearts clench.
Katara’s concern for him afterwards, I’ll even call it desperate concern, told a lot about their relationship as well. Katara has always been an extremely caring and protective person but she can also hold a grudge, as we’ve seen with Jet, Zuko, and even Pakku, but she can also forgive. But, as we saw with the man that killed her mother, she also can be incapable of forgiving. Zuko hurt her worse than anyone else in the series- why? That’s an in-depth analysis for another day but I think you can all see, or at least guess why. There is a connection there, even though it is still new, there is a deep connection there and always will be.
I really, really, really thought we’d get a kiss, at least on the cheek, between those two after Katara had healed him. I felt for the movie was leading us in this direction, I thought it until the moment Mai came onto the scene. I mean, literally appeared on the screen. I thought it would be Katara…wished it would be Katara.

Alright, the end of the movie. Again. I know I am not in a position where I have the right to criticize and I struggle hard to endings with my own stories. I think they’re incredibly hard to pull off, I’ve found myself extending stories to avoid them but endings are inevitable. I’ll admit, but into the last maybe five minutes I was more than pleased with the movie. I thought the story line was really well done, the character movements and emotions were really well planned and represented, the animation was top notch for a TV series, and all in all there were surprises and predictability that was needed in a story like this. But the ending kinda went a bit cliché for me.
I knew that Aang would find a way to defeat the Fire Lord without killing him and that Azula would be her own demise. I honestly thought one of the “good guys” would be killed but at the same time this is a Nickelodeon show so I guess I couldn’t expect much. Sokka getting hurt was something I wish I had seen in other characters (not that I wanted them hurt). The fact that most made it out, pretty much unscathed kinda bothered me. But again, this is a Nick show.

Everyone gathered in Iroh’s tea shop at the end also bordered on odd, out of place, and something I would have expected to see out of fanfiction. But, like with Harry Potter ending, the creators obviously wanted to bring this to a definitive end, but they didn’t, at least not for me.
I’ve heard rumors that there will be continued stories in the Avatar world, maybe not with the group we know and love, but I hope they will- why? Because I want to see this story continue in a ‘realistic sense’, but once again, it’s a Nick show so I’m not sure what to expect if it dose continue. I certainly don’t see Nick letting a money maker like this die just yet, I really hope that creators Mike and Bryan would use this to their advantage and demand more artistic freedom and to be able to take the story in the way they seem to want to. The show took a much more serious turn in the third season, and if it was allowed to grow I think it could become even more epic, reaching out to an even broader audience.

Why do I think the series will continue and why I want to see it go on with its serious and realistic tone? Well, because there are going to be obvious growing pains for the world. One hundred plus years of war ends and the world will not just settle. People of the Earth Kingdom and the North and South Poles are probably going to want reparations in one way or another and you can bet that people of the Fire Nation aren’t all going to sit and be happy over the change in policy. The people have been indoctrinated for a century with certain ideas and ideals that aren’t going to go quietly into the night. There will be resistance, there will be rebellion, and there will be strife and struggle. The war is not over, it may be in the sense of the Fire Nation trying to conquer the world, but the world is certainly not at rest or peace. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are multiple attempts to overthrow Zuko and who knows what’s going to happen with the Earth Kingdom? Where is the Earth King? Will he even want to continue on being king now that he is a free wandering nomad?

We saw no reconciliation between Toph and her parents either.

And what about the burning questions regarding Zuko’s mother?
We are left that hanging question when Zuko visited his father in the prison but we never get a definitive answer. And what about Azula? Where was she stowed away, and how long can she possibly be kept there? She may be mad, she may be broken down but who knows if that will last. And even in madness she is a powerful bender, can you imagine her if she were out of control? If she had no sense of self preservation, she could be unstoppable.

There are still a lot of unanswered questions and with rumors of a continuation or another mini movie coming out eventually I think we can all rest assure that this isn’t over just yet.

Now, to the very last moments with Aang and Katara’s embrace and kiss.
Again, anyone who is a hardcore Kataang shipper is going to jump all over me, please don’t. These are simply my opinions and observations.
The final hug once again seemed very platonic to me, the position of the arms, and I’m no body language analyzer, just wasn’t one of real intimacy to me. I was actually kinda surprised they kissed afterward. I still don’t really see those two as a couple but maybe I’m missing something, I don’t know, but from what I’ve seen I still see this as affection, at least on Katara’s side, not love in the romantic sense.

So these are my opinions and observations of the show’s finale.
Overall, pretty damn awesome, some things didn’t live up to my hype/expectations but I’m still thoroughly, thoroughly satisfied for the most part.
Did some parts not measure up? Yes.
Did some exceed what I ever hoped for? Certainly.
Am I disappointed that Zutara didn’t become canon? You bet your ass I am.
Am I convinced that, if the show continues in someway, that it will never become canon? No, in fact I’m still confident that down the road, if the road does continue, that Zutara will happen.
It’s not that I don’t want Aang to be happy and with the one he loves, I’m just not convinced that Katara loves him in the same way. Despite what he’s done, what he’s learned, and how he’s grown over the short period of a year is pretty damn incredible but still has a lot more growing to do, emotionally and mentally. He still has a lot of childlike qualities that probably helped enable him to do what he had to do in the end. If he hadn’t held onto so desperately to things of his past, an action many of us contribute to a childlike state of mind, and maintained a level of innocence only a child can have than he probably would not have been able to find a way to take the Fire Lord’s firebending from him.
The ending would have been dramatically different and Aang would have changed in a way none would like, he would carry the burden of taking a life with him forever (not that he hasn’t already done that- anyone remember the season one finale? Aang in the Avatar state took out Admiral Zhao). If Aang wasn’t still a child in many important ways he would probably have not help so tightly to his ideals and would have killed Ozai, dramatically changing everything.

Now that the show is at an end, for now at least, I think it’s a good time for people to reflect on the show’s messages, not to add fuel to the shipping wars. I’d heard rumors that people were boycotting the show because they’d heard that their ship of choice wasn’t going to happen. I find it silly. The show’s finale has been completed for months; nothing could change by this last minute block of some fans. If you can’t enjoy the show just because your couple hasn’t occurred then that is a sad state of affairs. I have to admit that I didn’t get into the show until late into the game, so maybe I don’t know as well as others but seriously, with the state of the world, internet wars over couples is something people are going to get into a huff about? It’s just damn silly to me. Take advice from the show you just watched and focus on similarities instead of differences, thinking the opposite way gets people into ugly situations.

I’m sad that the series is over (for now at least) and I’m upset that my couple of choice isn’t canon (yet) but I’m happy that I got a chance to watch this show, to see it through to this apparent end. The series as a whole and the movie last night were both well written, developed, and obviously loved since people can get so passionate about it. Let’s say we focus on the highs instead of the lows and if we must be upset about something, let it fuel us to do something. I personally will continue to make tribute videos to this show and hope to expand into fanfiction as well. My love for my couple of choice has not died, and who knows, I might still see it on the screen in the future. Shows that have ended in the past have made successful comebacks. I say we all focus our energies into making sure this show lives on.