S03.E06: Old Wounds

[PinkRibbons]

Thought I'd start a discussion thread here. I believe we've gotten through all the leaked episodes, but please, make full use of the spoiler tag if you know something and feel the need to bring it up.

 

 

The origin of Lin and Su's falling out is revealed and why they lived different lives. Korra and Bolin try their hand at metalbending.

 

[VCRTracking]

Lin apologized to Opal(as she should) and Su Yin apologized to Lin for how she was a teenager(as she should).

[Eegah]

Given the way some people have been going on about this one from the leaked version, I was expecting the show to act like Lin was somehow the only one who needed to apologize. Glad to see that wasn't the case, and they're portrayed as equally responsible.

 

Though I really have to ask: are Mike and Bryan deliberately trying to make the whole Gaang into bad parents? I shudder to think how screwed up Sokka and Suki's kids will be at this rate.

[steelyis]

Given the way some people have been going on about this one from the leaked version, I was expecting the show to act like Lin was somehow the only one who needed to apologize. Glad to see that wasn't the case, and they're portrayed as equally responsible.

 

Lin was in no way responsible for how the Bei Fongs split apart. Su is the one who committed armed robbery and assaulted a police officer while resisting lawful arrest. Scarring her sister's face! And you know what the real kicker is? It turns out Toph would have let Su go free anyway!

 

Su never had to answer for her crimes and she never will now that the only person who held her accountable let her off the hook. While Lin who did no wrong to Su at all gets treated like the devil because she has integrity, and then has to apologize for it! Man, this show has some fucked up morals, yo.

[Brn2bwild]

Btw, did the voice actress who did Azula also voice young Lin?

[Donny Ketchum]

I don't think Lin needs to apologize for what happened when Su was a teenager at all.  But she did need to apologize for how she handled things with her family in the aftermath.

 

I wish Korra and the others would just meet these new villains, though, and get on with it!

[steelyis]

I don't think Lin needs to apologize for what happened when Su was a teenager at all.  But she did need to apologize for how she handled things with her family in the aftermath.

 

I'd be more or less inclined to agree if Lin hadn't been demonized throughout the two-parter as though having a bad attitude and shouting at Miss Sweetness and Light was anywhere near as bad as what Su did. Lin arguably owed Opal an apology, but Lin owed Su nothing of the sort. It also would have been nice if Lin had been allowed to deal with her pain on her own terms and in her own time and not everyone else's.

 

Frankly, I saw Lin as the wronged party and how the show treated her was appalling and borderline victim blaming.

[patchwork]

I find Su very off putting, everything she said sounded smug and superior, when she spoke to Lin there was always this underlining 'JFC get over it already' tone, even when she was apologising it was there. 

 

Past!Lin was uptight and a bit of a tool but she wasn't in the wrong Toph and Lin were. I wouldn't want to deal with my family any more after that scene in the Toph's office either. If this was ATLA I'd hope that Lin was going to met up with Toph and her side of the story puts things in a different light. That there was a big picture thing going on that made it so Toph had let Su get away with her crimes but as this is LOK I'm just going to add it to the pile of storylines I didn't like.   

 

 

Though I really have to ask: are Mike and Bryan deliberately trying to make the whole Gaang into bad parents? I shudder to think how screwed up Sokka and Suki's kids will be at this rate.

 

With only Zuko as the exception lol. I am really curious about where Sokka/Suki's kids are. Surely we would have met them by now if they were with the water tribes or in Capital City. Kyoshi perhaps? We are doing a tour of the Earth Kingdom.  

Edited July 19, 2014 by patchwork

[FAU]

I'd be more or less inclined to agree if Lin hadn't been demonized throughout the two-parter as though having a bad attitude and shouting at Miss Sweetness and Light was anywhere near as bad as what Su did. Lin arguably owed Opal an apology, but Lin owed Su nothing of the sort. It also would have been nice if Lin had been allowed to deal with her pain on her own terms and in her own time and not everyone else's.

 

Frankly, I saw Lin as the wronged party and how the show treated her was appalling and borderline victim blaming.

 

Exactly, it was very emotionally manipulative and once again Lin's character was shot to hell because of it.

 

I find Su very off putting, everything she said sounded smug and superior, when she spoke to Lin there was always this underlining 'JFC get over it already' tone, even when she was apologising it was there. 

 

Past!Lin was uptight and a bit of a tool but she wasn't in the wrong Toph and Lin were. I wouldn't want to deal with my family any more after that scene in the Toph's office either. If this was ATLA I'd hope that Lin was going to met up with Toph and her side of the story puts things in a different light. That there was a big picture thing going on that made it so Toph had let Su get away with her crimes but as this is LOK I'm just going to add it to the pile of storylines I didn't like.   

 

 

With only Zuko as the exception lol. I am really curious about where Sokka/Suki's kids are. Surely we would have met them by now if they were with the water tribes or in Capital City. Kyoshi perhaps? We are doing a tour of the Earth Kingdom.  

 

I hate how the writers are also demonizing the ATLA parents so they can continue their cheap family issue cliches.  Seriously, that scene with Toph covering things up and then also blaming Lin for doing her freaking job was painful.

Edited July 19, 2014 by FAU

[Trichromatic]

First of all, I'm sorry but I cannot get on board with the joie-de-vivre / happy-go-lucky attitude that Su has taken as regards their dispute. The writers have done a good job at showing us how irresponsible Su is - she never considers anyone else in her decisions, she is selfish and bordering on arrogant. Her behaviour resembles that of an ungrateful teenager both in the flashbacks and in present time. She never seems apologetic for the physical and emotional wounds she has inflicted on her sister. Being the responsible one is not a fun thing to be - as a child/ young adult, Lin got stuck in a thankless role, and whilst Su is frustrating as a teen, her refusal to consider Lin's position now is even more infuriating.

 

I feel like the show has sided with Su, positioning Lin as irrational, grumpy and unreasonably illogical. Lin has every right to be angry - no amount of pretty nieces (Okuna??) or naive avatars negates that. And yet, the show has Lin behaving completely out of character with that bending fight (I feel like she would have just walked away, realising that her sister is every bit as immature now as she used to be).

And then, all it takes to resolve years and years of sibling resentment, is a 16-hour sleep? Did I miss something here? Even though Lin had the good sense to tell Su to fuck off when she was offering her to be a part of the family, I thought that the whole thing would have been better resolved with a jagged ending, because honestly, the way Lin's feelings were portrayed was not leading to this family-on-the-mend outcome.
 

Though I really have to ask: are Mike and Bryan deliberately trying to make the whole Gaang into bad parents?

 

 

I actually thought that the fact that Toph would be a bad mother was pretty realistic characterisation - though it would have been even more realistic if she hadn't had any kids at all, but I digress. Toph has always been rough around the edges but the issue I have with how her parenting is displayed here is that they have reduced her to a caricature. It is too simplistic to say: Toph was suppressed, so... she gave her kids too much freedom and it fucked them up. That's not entirely how it works.  Also, once she's had her kids, do you expect me to believe she just walked off one day and never came back? Toph may be tough but she is capable of emotion!

Edited July 19, 2014 by lovedwallflower

[FAU]

First of all, I'm sorry but I cannot get on board with the joie-de-vivre / happy-go-lucky attitude that Su has taken as regards their dispute. The writers have done a good job at showing us how irresponsible Su is - she never considers anyone else in her decisions, she is selfish and bordering on arrogant. Her behaviour resembles that of an ungrateful teenager both in the flashbacks and in present time. She never seems apologetic for the physical and emotional wounds she has inflicted on her sister. Being the responsible one is not a fun thing to be - as a child/ young adult, Lin got stuck in a thankless role, and whilst Su is frustrating as a teen, her refusal to consider Lin's position now is even more infuriating.

 

I feel like the show has sided with Su, positioning Lin as irrational, grumpy and unreasonably illogical. Lin has every right to be angry - no amount of pretty nieces (Okuna??) or naive avatars negates that. And yet, the show has Lin behaving completely out of character with that bending fight (I feel like she would have just walked away, realising that her sister is every bit as immature now as she used to be).

And then, all it takes to resolve years and years of sibling resentment, is a 16-hour sleep? Did I miss something here? Even though Lin had the good sense to tell Su to fuck off when she was offering her to be a part of the family, I thought that the whole thing would have been better resolved with a jagged ending, because honestly, the way Lin's feelings were portrayed was not leading to this family-on-the-mend outcome.

 

 

I actually thought that the fact that Toph would be a bad mother was pretty realistic characterisation - though it would have been even more realistic if she hadn't had any kids at all, but I digress. Toph has always been rough around the edges but the issue I have with how her parenting is displayed here is that they have reduced her to a caricature. It is too simplistic to say: Toph was suppressed, so... she gave her kids too much freedom and it fucked them up. That's not entirely how it works.  Also, once she's had her kids, do you expect me to believe she just walked off one day and never came back? Toph may be tough but she is capable of emotion!

 

I can understand some bad parenting, but straight up covering up a crime and then not actually teaching her daughter a lesson?  Really show?

 

Lin's sudden change felt too abrupt as if the writers felt like they already milked enough drama and it was time to move on to the next subplot.  This show is too 1 sided, they did the same thing with the nonbenders' plight back in Book 1 and Book 2 when they tried to justify Korra being completely insufferable, snapping at everyone.

Edited July 19, 2014 by FAU

[Trichromatic]

Lin's sudden change felt too abrupt as if the writers felt like they already milked enough drama and it was time to move on to the next subplot.

 

 

Yes, exactly. Why couldn't she have carried a chip on her shoulder throughout the rest of the trip? Life is rarely packaged so neatly, and the unrealistic treatment jarred, considering the realistic animosity portrayed earlier. 

 

straight up covering up a crime and then not actually teaching her daughter a lesson?  Really show?

 

 

The story told here was actually believable if it had been on another show -- but so grossly out of character for Toph. Not to say that a character can't change over time, but I have a hard time seeing Toph - Defender of Justice and Peace, breaking the law for something as mundane as the shame of having a daughter in jail. 

[cambridgeguy]

 

I actually thought that the fact that Toph would be a bad mother was pretty realistic characterisation - though it would have been even more realistic if she hadn't had any kids at all, but I digress. Toph has always been rough around the edges but the issue I have with how her parenting is displayed here is that they have reduced her to a caricature. It is too simplistic to say: Toph was suppressed, so... she gave her kids too much freedom and it fucked them up. That's not entirely how it works.  Also, once she's had her kids, do you expect me to believe she just walked off one day and never came back? Toph may be tough but she is capable of emotion!

It probably didn't help that she appeared to do everything solo.  Some people can raise kids by themselves but Toph needed someone to balance her excessive freedom.  It didn't have to be the unnamed fathers but another authority figure would have helped.

 

Who knew that acupuncture was so effective?  A lot of characters could have saved themselves a great deal of grief if they had just done that.

 

So did Zuko just get on his dragon and go home?  If they know Korra is the target of the evil Fantastic Four then shouldn't all of the big guns be trying to meet up with her (covertly works as well if they're afraid of being tracked).

[FAU]

 

So did Zuko just get on his dragon and go home?  If they know Korra is the target of the evil Fantastic Four then shouldn't all of the big guns be trying to meet up with her (covertly works as well if they're afraid of being tracked).

 

They should but Korra herself doesn't seem to care so I guess the other characters followed suit.  I hope it won't be too rushed with the way things have been going, we're more than halfway into the season and there has been no interaction between Korra and the main villains of this book.

[Eegah]

Well, I should also elaborate that after the discussion last week, I was expecting Suyin to have deliberately scarred Lin's face, so seeing that it was an accident and she was immediately regretful helped a lot. Also, I didn't see anything like the supposed shot of Korra and Opal sharing a smug grin at Lin humbling herself, so what was the deal with that? I'll also note that Suyin is in fact the only one of the two who says "I'm sorry." In a kids' show, even one as sophisticated as this, that's a pretty good indication of where we're meant to see the blame lie.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Eegah

[patchwork]

Toph being a bad parent isn't OOC as it is with Katara and Aang (there's no way she'd let him get away with blatant favouritism or that Aang would carry on with it after she called him on it) but as they've already played that card with them throwing it down again with Toph does reek of cheap, manipulative and unimaginative storytelling. 

Edited July 19, 2014 by patchwork

[FAU]

Toph being a bad parent isn't OOC as it is with Katara and Aang (there's no way she'd let him get away with blatant favouritism or that Aang would carry on with it after she did) but as they've already played that card with them throwing it down again with Toph does reek of cheap, manipulative and unimaginative storytelling. 

 

It really is, I'm more upset at the contrived parental issues that Bryke keeps trotting out instead of actually doing something new for once.

[magicdog]

I have a hard time seeing Toph - Defender of Justice and Peace, breaking the law for something as mundane as the shame of having a daughter in jail.

 

 

 

Actually I can understand it.  It's one thing to put other bad guys in jail.  When it's your kid, you may feel differently.  It's normal and understandable for parents to want to protect their kids and even stick up for them even after having done something wrong.  Yes, Toph was wrong to ship Su out of town and make the case "go away";  how many other kids who are "connected" have had the same treatment?  Plenty!  What should have happened was Toph getting tough on Su right then and there;  it's possible being single and being chief of police made that difficult.    It wasn't so much as shame of having her daughter in jail, as it was her breaking her own laws and taking part in a cover up because at that moment, Su was better than any other person who would have been arrested under identical circumstances and she even attacked Lin for "doing her duty".

Edited July 19, 2014 by magicdog

[PinkRibbons]

You can count me in with being deeply disappointed with how Lin was treated here. Toph should have at least let Su spend a night or two in jail to give her some perspective, even if she could use her connections to make the charges go away eventually. One thing I've been wondering though; did Toph know the extent of the damage to Lin's face? Or was she told at all? Because we know that her "sight" cannot distinguish faces. I think she'd still be mature enough to realize how traumatizing it can be to carry a large visible scar on your face, especially for a young woman. During the station scene I kept expecting (or maybe wanting more than expecting) Lin to say, that's all she gets after what she did to my face?! Although I don't know, it might not even have been vanity with Lin. Something still should have been said about Su hurting her sister so badly. When Su apologized in the present, I really really wanted to hear her specifically apologize for that scar.

[stopeslite]

I'm really disappointed in this storyline, too. Su's apology was a "blink and you'll miss it" version, and it wasn't "I'm sorry for what I did" so much as "I was young and immature so you have to forgive me". I wanted a lot more contrition,and more of her recognizing how much that affected Lin. I would have been more than happy with them making some kind of truce but understanding that Su could never really make it up. 

 

I'm totally bored with the 4 horsemen of the bendpocalypse coming after Korra. They do such a good job of worldbuilding, they don't need that kind of cheap storyline. It could just be "Everyone tries to figure out how the world works now" and it would be interesting. Remember how in the first episode the big problem was how to deal with the spirits being there too? And how that just got dropped? I don't know if they'll even get back to it now.

[FAU]

You can count me in with being deeply disappointed with how Lin was treated here. Toph should have at least let Su spend a night or two in jail to give her some perspective, even if she could use her connections to make the charges go away eventually. One thing I've been wondering though; did Toph know the extent of the damage to Lin's face? Or was she told at all? Because we know that her "sight" cannot distinguish faces. I think she'd still be mature enough to realize how traumatizing it can be to carry a large visible scar on your face, especially for a young woman. During the station scene I kept expecting (or maybe wanting more than expecting) Lin to say, that's all she gets after what she did to my face?! Although I don't know, it might not even have been vanity with Lin. Something still should have been said about Su hurting her sister so badly. When Su apologized in the present, I really really wanted to hear her specifically apologize for that scar.

 

Exactly, Su apparently 'changed' off screen and that was that without any consequences and Lin suddenly did a 180 in the end for that contrived resolution.

I'm really disappointed in this storyline, too. Su's apology was a "blink and you'll miss it" version, and it wasn't "I'm sorry for what I did" so much as "I was young and immature so you have to forgive me". I wanted a lot more contrition,and more of her recognizing how much that affected Lin. I would have been more than happy with them making some kind of truce but understanding that Su could never really make it up. 

 

I'm totally bored with the 4 horsemen of the bendpocalypse coming after Korra. They do such a good job of worldbuilding, they don't need that kind of cheap storyline. It could just be "Everyone tries to figure out how the world works now" and it would be interesting. Remember how in the first episode the big problem was how to deal with the spirits being there too? And how that just got dropped? I don't know if they'll even get back to it now.

 

It would've been better as an open ending rather than this rushed ending.

 

The problem with the villains is that they feel out of place with what's going on with the main characters, not to mention Korra barely even caring about them going after her.

 

Book 3 feels more like a collection of subplots that the writers could find enough material to make an entire book, so they combined it together, which would explain why it feels disjointed.

[Jamoche]

Her behaviour resembles that of an ungrateful teenager both in the flashbacks and in present time. 

That just sums up pretty much all the so-called "adults" in this show. Previous season, when one of the little airbenders got lost, do the adult siblings put aside their childhood rivalries and work together to find her? Like hell. It's juvenile behavior all the way, even when it delays the search.

 

 

And yet, the show has Lin behaving completely out of character with that bending fight

Yeah. Rational adults - and one would hope that a highly-respected police chief would be a rational adult - do not get into huge physical fights to hash out their teenage problems. Lin's supposed to be the grownup here, even if her sister is still a brat - walk away, that's what grownups do.

 

 

 I think she'd still be mature enough to realize how traumatizing it can be to carry a large visible scar on your face, especially for a young woman. 

Yeah, it's not like she ever knew anyone else who got a disfiguring scar after fighting someone they ought to be able to trust... oh wait.

[VCRTracking]

 

Yeah. Rational adults - and one would hope that a highly-respected police chief would be a rational adult - do not get into huge physical fights to hash out their teenage problems. Lin's supposed to be the grownup here, even if her sister is still a brat - walk away, that's what grownups do.

Grownups also aren't supposed to their anger out on innocent people who are trying to be nice to them but people thought she was justified last week.

 

No matter who's to blame(and I think both are) Lin needed to move past it because it wasn't doing her any good

 

It would really be hilarious if Zuko turned out to be the best parent of all of them.

[steelyis]

Grownups also aren't supposed to their anger out on innocent people who are trying to be nice to them but people thought she was justified last week.

 

 

From the start Lin told everyone she wanted no part of her family. Su knew it, Korra knew it, and Opal knew it. But still they acted as though they had a right to force Lin to make nice because they wanted her to make nice, then were offended when Lin was like, 'Fuck that noise!' And that's all Opal's Pollyanna bullshit was, noise.

 

Opal has no idea why Lin was mad, because she didn't care why Lin was mad. Opal approached the feud in away that didn't deal with its underlying issues, those issues being Su's horrible criminal behavior and Su's utter refusal to take meaningful responsibility for that behavior. To Opal nothing her mother could have done could be so bad it shouldn't be forgiven. Which is natural, Su is her mother. However, that doesn't mean Lin has to placate Opal, or that Lin has to be nice to make Opal feel good.

 

No one has the right to make you to feel what you don't want feel. Not family and not friends. And it drives me nuts the show decided Lin was morally obligated to be tolerant and respect Opal's feelings when no one was tolerating or respecting hers. I mean, Jesus, the only person who seemed to care about Lin's emotional state was the fucking acupuncturist who had no skin in the game!

 

The whole storyline would have benefited greatly if someone, anyone, had been on Lin's side and offered her unconditional support. Instead, every member of Team Avatar, Lin's supposed friends, immediately took the side of a bunch of stranger bitches. What kind of friends does that irl? Or here's a better question, who would want to be friends with people who do something like that?

Edited July 20, 2014 by steelyis

[FAU]

Grownups also aren't supposed to their anger out on innocent people who are trying to be nice to them but people thought she was justified last week.

 

No matter who's to blame(and I think both are) Lin needed to move past it because it wasn't doing her any good

 

It would really be hilarious if Zuko turned out to be the best parent of all of them.

 

It was too convenient for a long standing grudge.  As for Lin she made it very clear where she stood, the show itself was manipulated to side with Opal and Su.  No one should have to be forced like what Korra did and they should mind their own business from family issues.

 

I'm just saddened that ATLA characters are just being used for cheap, contrived family issues.

[Jamoche]

I skipped the previous episode because "but you have to make nice, they're family!" is pretty much top of my angry-making list. I fast-forwarded a lot of this one too, once I'd seen enough of a scene to tell if the adults were going to act like children or not.

[Brn2bwild]

I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of Beifong family problems.  Su's past, relationship with Varrick, and her statements about the Earth Queen suggest she's headed toward a decision that won't be as easily forgiven.

[Trichromatic]

From the start Lin told everyone she wanted no part of her family. Su knew it, Korra knew it, and Opal knew it. But still they acted as though they had a right to force Lin to make nice because they wanted her to make nice, then were offended when Lin was like, 'Fuck that noise!' And that's all Opal's Pollyanna bullshit was, noise.

Opal has no idea why Lin was mad, because she didn't care why Lin was mad. Opal approached the feud in away that didn't deal with its underlying issues, those issues being Su's horrible criminal behavior and Su's utter refusal to take meaningful responsibility for that behavior. To Opal nothing her mother could have done could be so bad it shouldn't be forgiven. Which is natural, Su is her mother. However, that doesn't mean Lin has to placate Opal, or that Lin has to be nice to make Opal feel good.

No one has the right to make you to feel what you don't want feel. Not family and not friends. And it drives me nuts the show decided Lin was morally obligated to be tolerant and respect Opal's feelings when no one was tolerating or respecting hers. I mean, Jesus, the only person who seemed to care about Lin's emotional state was the fucking acupuncturist who had no skin in the game!

The whole storyline would have benefited greatly if someone, anyone, had been on Lin's side and offered her unconditional support. Instead, every member of Team Avatar, Lin's supposed friends, immediately took the side of a bunch of stranger bitches. What kind of friends does that irl? Or here's a better question, who would want to be friends with people who do something like that?

 

 

I could not agree more. Lin has every right to be mad and should have been allowed her time and space to come to terms with letting go of her past resentment - despite her sister's attitude. I'm sorry, but being young and stupid is not apt justification for all that Lin went through. Lin was not allowed to even have the opportunity to be young and stupid because of familial responsibilities, brought on mainly by Su. 

In my opinion family matters like this are very delicate and personal. If Team Avatar wanted to be a good support system, and STILL wanted to take Su's side they should have said something like  'I know you're hurt, but your anger seems to be hurting you more than anyone else.' Even then, Korra does not have the relationship that would allow for that type of upfront honesty. It was simply none of their business and they should all have known better than to intrude on something that was clearly Lin's to deal with.

 

I skipped the previous episode because "but you have to make nice, they're family!" is pretty much top of my angry-making list.

 

 

This is one of my pet-peeves in children's and young adult TV. Just because people share the same DNA does not make them a family. Yes, perhaps it is in our nature to be more forgiving - and we should definitely not seek out bending fights with them - but really, some hurts cannot be mended, no matter how stupid the precious avatar thinks you're being. At the end of they day, old habits die hard, and Old Wounds heal slowly. 

Edited July 20, 2014 by lovedwallflower

[FAU]

I could not agree more. Lin has every right to be mad and should have been allowed her time and space to come to terms with letting go of her past resentment - despite her sister's attitude. I'm sorry, but being young and stupid is not apt justification for all that Lin went through. Lin was not allowed to even have the opportunity to be young and stupid because of familial responsibilities, brought on mainly by Su. 

In my opinion family matters like this are very delicate and personal. If Team Avatar wanted to be a good support system, and STILL wanted to take Su's side they should have said something like  'I know you're hurt, but your anger seems to be hurting you more than anyone else.' Even then, Korra does not have the relationship that would allow for that type of upfront honesty. It was simply none of their business and they should all have known better than to intrude on something that was clearly Lin's to deal with.

 

 

This is one of my pet-peeves in children's and young adult TV. Just because people share the same DNA does not make them a family. Yes, perhaps it is in our nature to be more forgiving - and we should definitely not seek out bending fights with them - but really, some hurts cannot be mended, no matter how stupid the precious avatar thinks you're being. At the end of they day, old habits die hard, and Old Wounds heal slowly. 

 

Exactly, it was not Korra's place in the family matters, least of all taking sides.

 

 

I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of Beifong family problems.  Su's past, relationship with Varrick, and her statements about the Earth Queen suggest she's headed toward a decision that won't be as easily forgiven.

 

Even if it does come back, it'll still be 1 sided and there's also problems with the writers struggling to juggle other subplots while the main characters are just waiting around until the plot actually kicks in with the villain.

[PinkRibbons]

Btw, did the voice actress who did Azula also voice young Lin?

 

She did! Grey Delisle voiced Young Lin and Young Su was voiced by Jessie Flower, our very own Toph.

[Brn2bwild]

Oh no way!  That's awesome Original Toph got to voice one of her daughters.

 

ETA: On another note, am I the only one to see sinister implications in Varrick's magnets scheme?  How would the magnets be helpful to metal benders?  The only way they would be is if two metal benders were fighting each other, which isn't likely (now that Lin and Suyin have worked through their anger).  My concern is that Varrick could sell this device to the Earth Queen.

Edited July 25, 2014 by Brn2bwild

[Kris117]

I'm late to the party, but have just caught up to all the episodes. 

 

Well, I should also elaborate that after the discussion last week, I was expecting Suyin to have deliberately scarred Lin's face, so seeing that it was an accident and she was immediately regretful helped a lot. Also, I didn't see anything like the supposed shot of Korra and Opal sharing a smug grin at Lin humbling herself, so what was the deal with that? I'll also note that Suyin is in fact the only one of the two who says "I'm sorry." In a kids' show, even one as sophisticated as this, that's a pretty good indication of where we're meant to see the blame lie.

 

Yes, I didn't feel that Lin was being blamed for anything but holding on to anger for thirty-some years (and anger that really should be directed at her mother, rather than Su, in my opinion). Su was just in her teens when she did a bunch of stupid stuff, and Toph didn't deal with it until it was too late. That was thirty years ago, though—Lin was the one who let the anger and bitterness eat her up. Anger held for that long is far more destructive to the person who is angry rather than the person she is angry at. Su clearly changed her life and got herself together, and while Lin has been very successful in her career, she's been keeping others out for a long, long time. She was more hurt by her anger than Su was. 

 

Toph being a bad parent isn't OOC as it is with Katara and Aang (there's no way she'd let him get away with blatant favouritism or that Aang would carry on with it after she called him on it) but as they've already played that card with them throwing it down again with Toph does reek of cheap, manipulative and unimaginative storytelling. 

 

Maybe it's because I'm older, but I don't consider Aang and Katara to be bad parents just because Bumi and Kya came away with issues. Kids have a way of interpreting things all on their own, or being jealous of the relationship their parents have with their other siblings, regardless of the fact they are equally loved. Aang and Tenzin clearly had a special dimension to their relationship because they shared air bending, and it's natural that the older two felt left out of that. Just because Aang and Katara weren't as sensitive to that as Bumi needed them to be doesn't mean that Aang and Katara were bad parents: just that they weren't perfect. 

[FAU]

 

Yes, I didn't feel that Lin was being blamed for anything but holding on to anger for thirty-some years (and anger that really should be directed at her mother, rather than Su, in my opinion). Su was just in her teens when she did a bunch of stupid stuff, and Toph didn't deal with it until it was too late. That was thirty years ago, though—Lin was the one who let the anger and bitterness eat her up. Anger held for that long is far more destructive to the person who is angry rather than the person she is angry at. Su clearly changed her life and got herself together, and while Lin has been very successful in her career, she's been keeping others out for a long, long time. She was more hurt by her anger than Su was.

 

The problem was that it was too 1 sided with the writers using poor innocent Opal to put Lin in the wrong.  Su was an accomplice to criminals and literally scarred her sister and all the show did was have a fight scene and then have Lin do a complete 180 without the proper build up for her character to come to such an important change.

 

 

Maybe it's because I'm older, but I don't consider Aang and Katara to be bad parents just because Bumi and Kya came away with issues. Kids have a way of interpreting things all on their own, or being jealous of the relationship their parents have with their other siblings, regardless of the fact they are equally loved. Aang and Tenzin clearly had a special dimension to their relationship because they shared air bending, and it's natural that the older two felt left out of that. Just because Aang and Katara weren't as sensitive to that as Bumi needed them to be doesn't mean that Aang and Katara were bad parents: just that they weren't perfect.

 

It's more the fact that the writers used the ATLA character just to make up these family issues.  Aang/Katara was used for Tenzin and his family to fight over favoritism and now Toph was used for Lin/Su's long standing conflict that got brushed over in a manner of a few episodes.