This is an episode of 'Avatar' that I certainly didn't expect, or know that I needed. Here, the writers take the time to flesh out the intricacies of our beloved antagonist trio, as well as Zuko. Azula struggles with her inability to connect with guys, primarily due to her domineering and intimidating persona that seems to be a result of her strict upbringing in a ruthless family. She seems to be a product more directly of her father, whereas Zuko is in some ways more gentle, reflecting his lost mother. Ty Lee conforms to the flirtatious and bubbly teenage girl archetype, however this does not infringe upon her character so much as develop the relationship between the trio. Mai certainly influences Zuko as he dejects from his previously reformed and humble state with Iroh and reflects her nihilistic and 'goth-like' aura. After their psychoanalytic beach-side chat, they return to their antagonistic tendencies and trash a house, an odd catharsis that while these characters have been developed, they're the same destructive quartet they always have been. I hope that these our revels are not yet ended, and we get to learn more about these four, as they match our protagonists in depth and intrigue. This one, while perhaps not traditional, was a delight.
Review of The Beach
