The Problem With AtLA's Finale (that nobody talks about)

Summary

The video script critiques inconsistencies in travel times and distances in the finale of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender.' It points out that characters traverse vast distances impossibly quickly, contradicting the show's earlier pacing. Despite these issues, the script acknowledges the finale's strong character development and emotional moments. The critique suggests that the finale's implausibility in terms of travel logistics detracts from the show's world-building.

Takeaways

• 😐 The finale of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' has been a topic of debate, with some fans questioning the plot points and character developments.
• 🤔 A particular issue with the finale that few discuss is the inconsistency in travel times and distances within the show's world.
• 🌍 The show's first season establishes a rough scale for travel times, suggesting it takes weeks to travel from the South Pole to the North Pole by Sky Bison.
• 🕒 In the second season, the gang's travel from the southern end of the Earth Kingdom to the North Pole on foot seems to take an unrealistically short time.
• 🚣‍♂️ The inconsistency in travel times is highlighted when characters manage to cover vast distances in a matter of hours or days, which contradicts earlier established travel metrics.
• 🔥 The finale's plot involving Ozai's plan to burn the Earth Kingdom with a fleet of airships seems implausible given the small number of airships shown.
• ⏱️ The laws of time and space appear to be bent in the finale, with characters traveling across the world in a timeframe that doesn't align with the show's own world-building.
• 🤷‍♂️ The script questions how such glaring inconsistencies in travel times could have been overlooked by both the writers and the fan base for over 15 years.
• 😢 The script suggests that the finale's pacing and travel inconsistencies detract from an otherwise compelling narrative and character development.
• 💡 Possible solutions to the issue include adjusting the show's timeline or splitting the team up earlier to allow for more believable travel times.

Q & A

What is the main issue the author discusses about the finale of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'?

The main issue the author discusses is the inconsistency in travel times and distances within the show's world, particularly during the finale, which contradicts the established world-building and distances from earlier seasons.

Why does the author find Azula's breakdown contentious?

The author does not elaborate on Azula's breakdown in the provided transcript, but it's mentioned as a point of contention among some viewers of the show.

What is the significance of the winter solstice in the first season of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'?

In the first season, the winter solstice is significant because it establishes Aang's deadline to master the elements and defeat the Fire Lord before Sozin's Comet returns.

How does the author use the travel time from the South Pole to the North Pole to establish a scale for the world map in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'?

The author uses the travel time from the South Pole to the North Pole, which takes weeks by Sky bison, to give a rough idea of the scale of the world map in the show.

What is the author's concern about the travel time from the southern end of the Earth Kingdom to Ba Sing Se?

The author is concerned that the travel time from the southern end of the Earth Kingdom to Ba Sing Se is inconsistent with the show's earlier established travel times and distances.

Why does the author find the fleet of airships in Ozai's plan to burn the Earth Kingdom unrealistic?

The author finds the fleet of airships unrealistic because it only consists of a dozen airships, which seems insufficient to burn an entire continent like the Earth Kingdom in a single day.

How does the author suggest the show's inconsistencies in travel times could be explained?

The author suggests that the inconsistencies could be explained by the map not being to scale or the characters under or overestimating distances and travel times.

What is the author's critique of the travel times in the third season of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'?

The author critiques that the travel times in the third season are inconsistent and unrealistic, with characters seemingly traveling vast distances in a matter of hours or days, which contradicts the show's earlier pacing.

What does the author propose as a potential solution to the travel time issue in the finale?

The author suggests that the team could have been split up earlier in the season to allow for more time to travel, or the finale itself could have taken place over a longer span of time to account for the extensive travel required.

How does the author feel about the finale of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' despite the travel time issue?

Despite the travel time issue, the author feels that the rest of the finale is legitimately great, with compelling character arcs and emotional moments.

What does the author imply about the show's fan base and the overlooked travel time issue?

The author implies that the show's fan base and writers may have overlooked the travel time issue because the show is highly regarded, and such inconsistencies might be forgiven in well-loved stories.

Outlines

00:00

🗺️ Inconsistencies in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Travel Times

The paragraph discusses the inconsistencies in travel times within the world of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'. It starts by questioning the finale's logic, particularly the unrealistic travel times and distances covered by characters. The analysis begins with the first season's timeline, noting the show's start in the South Pole during late Autumn and the establishment of Aang's deadline during the winter solstice. It highlights the travel time from the Fire Nation to the North Pole, which is weeks by sky bison, and the inconsistency with later episodes where similar distances are covered in a fraction of the time. The paragraph also points out the implausibility of the distances covered on foot compared to the initial air travel estimates, and how these inconsistencies affect the believability of the show's world-building.

05:02

🚀 Rapid Travel and Narrative Flaws in the Series Finale

This paragraph continues the critique of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' by focusing on the rapid travel times in the series finale. It questions the feasibility of the Fire Lord Ozai's plan to burn the Earth Kingdom with a small fleet of airships, given the kingdom's vast size. The critique extends to the characters' ability to travel vast distances in short periods, which contradicts the established travel times from earlier seasons. The paragraph suggests that these oversights could have been avoided with better planning or a more extended timeline for the finale. Despite these issues, the paragraph acknowledges the emotional impact and character development in the finale, but ultimately concludes that the rapid travel times undermine the narrative's logic and the show's internal consistency.

Keywords

💡Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a popular animated television series that serves as the main subject of the video script. The series is known for its unique blend of Eastern and Western storytelling and its intricate world-building. In the script, the show's finale is discussed, highlighting the contentious nature of its conclusion among fans.

💡Controversial Finale

The term 'controversial finale' refers to the divisive reception of the final episodes of a television series. In the context of the script, it is used to describe the mixed feelings fans have towards the ending of Avatar: The Last Airbender, particularly regarding certain plot developments and character resolutions.

💡Azula's Breakdown

Azula's breakdown is a significant plot point in the series' finale that has been criticized by some viewers. Azula is a complex antagonist, and her mental collapse is a pivotal moment that contributes to the series' conclusion. The script mentions this as an example of a contentious aspect of the finale.

💡Energy Bending

Energy bending is a bending technique introduced in the series' finale, which allows characters to manipulate the life force within living beings. The script points out that the introduction of energy bending was seen as sudden and out of place by some fans, impacting the perceived coherence of the show's bending system.

💡Travel Time Inconsistencies

Travel time inconsistencies refer to the perceived discrepancies in the time it takes for characters to travel between locations within the series. The script highlights this as an overlooked issue in the finale, where characters seem to traverse vast distances in unrealistically short periods, which contradicts the established world logic.

💡World Map Scale

The world map scale is a concept that relates to the geographical distances and travel times within the fictional universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The script discusses how the show's internal logic regarding distances and travel times seems to be inconsistent, especially in the finale, which affects the narrative's believability.

💡Seasonal Timeline

The seasonal timeline is a narrative device used in the script to track the progression of time within the series based on the changing seasons. It is used to establish the timeframes for certain events, such as Aang's deadline to master the elements, and to highlight the travel time inconsistencies in the finale.

💡Fire Nation Fleet

The Fire Nation fleet is a military force composed of airships, which plays a critical role in the finale's plot. The script questions the feasibility of the fleet's ability to burn the entire Earth Kingdom, given the small number of airships, thus pointing out a plot hole in the series' conclusion.

💡Character Development

Character development refers to the growth and evolution of characters throughout a narrative. The script praises the character development in the finale, particularly Aang's moral struggle and Zuko's reunion with his father, as examples of compelling storytelling despite the travel time issues.

💡Narrative Believability

Narrative believability is the extent to which a story's events and world-building are convincing and logical. The script argues that the finale's travel time inconsistencies undermine the show's narrative believability, as they contradict the established rules and distances within the Avatar universe.

💡Ludicrous Speed

Ludicrous speed is a term used in the script to describe the unrealistically fast travel times of characters in the finale. It is a humorous way to point out that the characters seem to move around the world at speeds that defy the logic established earlier in the series, which is a significant plot oversight.

Highlights

Avatar: The Last Airbender's finale has been a contentious topic among fans.

Criticism often focuses on Azula's breakdown and the introduction of energy bending.

A glaring issue with the finale's pacing and world map consistency has been overlooked.

The show's timeline suggests a start in late Autumn, based on the winter solstice and Aang's deadline.

Travel time from the South Pole to the North Pole is suggested to be weeks, indicating a large world scale.

Inconsistencies in travel time are noted from the start of the second season with the group's boat journey.

The group's travel pace in the Earth Kingdom and to Omashu suggests it is early Spring.

The Serpent's Pass travel time is inconsistent with the show's established distances for Sky bison travel.

Travel to Whale Tail Island and back seems to defy the show's previously established travel times.

Inconsistencies in travel times are even more pronounced in the third season.

Aang's ability to travel vast distances quickly by glider raises questions about the show's internal logic.

Ozai's plan to burn the Earth Kingdom with a small fleet of airships seems implausible.

The finale's rapid travel times defy the show's own world-building and established travel metrics.

The show's finale could have been improved by adjusting the pacing or the scale of the world map.

Despite travel inconsistencies, the finale's character development and moral dilemmas are praised.

The finale's pacing issues are a significant oversight that affects the believability of the story.

Transcripts

as much of a phenomenal show avatar the

Last air bender is its finale has always

been rather contentious some people take

issue with azula's breakdown and

subsequent takedown most have an issue

with energy bending and how its

implementation is so out of left field

but there's another problem with the

finale that nobody talks about a problem

so glaringly obvious that I am amazed it

has never been brought up before and

when I say nobody talks about it I mean

nobody talks about it barring a single

Reddit thread talking about this

particular plot point I have not seen a

single person talk about this in all the

years of atlet discussion and Analysis

but in order to explain what I'm talking

about we need to go all the way back to

the first season at the start of the

show it's difficult to say exactly what

time of year it is given that we're

starting in the South Pole but we know

that the show must start sometime in

Autumn likely mid to late Autumn because

the establishment of Ang's deadline for

mastering the elements takes place

during the winter solstice San's Comet

will return by the end of the summer you

must defeat the Fire Lord before the

comet arrives which was about Eight

Episodes into the season the very next

episode the water bending scroll

establishes that they are currently

weeks away from the North Pole I haven't

even started water bending and we're

still weeks away from the North Pole

this is important because it gives us a

rough idea of what sort of scale

Avatar's world map is operating with we

know that the island where Ang learned

about the end of summer deadline was in

the Fire Nation and given that the gang

are traveling from the South Pole to the

North Pole the island is most like

likely one of these smaller ones at the

end of the Fire Nation archipelago

meaning that it takes weeks by Sky bison

to travel from this collection of

islands to the North Pole now it's not

clear exactly how far away that is but

given that the mode of transportation in

question is flight it's probably quite

far and the show makes a point of

holding to vague distances at the start

of the second season the start of season

2 begins with the group in a series of

boats that are traveling back south it's

unclear where they are how far they've

gone or how long they've been traveling

indeed it's unclear just how much time

they spent up in the north pole but

given their warmer attire and their

stated destination for this part of the

Season being omashu which was the first

major city they visited in the first

season it's reasonable to assume that

they've been traveling for about a month

and it's the beginning of Spring or at

the very least that spring is

approaching and this is where things

start getting a little weird for most of

this season the gang are wandering

around the earth Kingdom first looking

for an earth bending teacher for a and

then finding places to train and take

many vacations then they go to the

library in the desert lose Opa and have

to work their way North to escape at the

start of the episode The Serpent's Pass

Saka indicates that they are in an area

south of bosing SE we just got out of

the desert so we must be around here and

we need to go to bosing se which is here

and the only way across is the titular

Serpent's Pass judging from the map Saka

is using in this scene it looks like the

gang are right about here on the world

map now if you'll recall the sert's pass

ends up taking them more than a day to

cross and there's no obvious indication

that it takes any more time than that so

what's the problem well given that they

established in season 1 that it takes

roughly a few weeks to travel from here

to Here by Sky bison you'd think that

it' take at least a few days to travel

from the southern end of the P to bosing

on foot wouldn't you in fact that's not

the only world traveling inconsistency

this season in Lake Lai the gang are led

to believe that APPA is on whale tail

Island Saka once again points out

specifically which island it is on the

map and qara says it'll take us weeks

just to get to the tip of the earth

Kingdom and then we'll need to find a

boat to get to the island which makes

even less sense than the Serpent's pass

because the distance between bosing SE

and whale taale Island isn't just

comparable to the distance between the

Fire Nation and the North Pole it's

greater possibly double the distance and

that's before you factor in that they

are traveling on foot rather than by Sky

bison don't worry on the way back we'll

be flying this trend of inconsistent

travel time is exacerbated in the third

season the start of season 3 begins with

the gang in the western half of the

Serpent's Pass Lake we crossed through

the Serpent's path a few days ago and

there's nothing wrong with that but by

the end of that episode Ang flies from

the Western half of the lake all the way

to the Fire Nation

overnight how I mean sure it's not as

big a leap as traveling on foot from

bossing state to whale tale Island in a

matter of weeks but he's just finished

traveling a distance that is comparable

to the distance between the Fire Nation

Temple and the North Pole in a matter of

hours traveling by glider you should at

least be a couple of weeks away from the

Fire Nation but okay most of these

inconsistencies could be explained by

the map simply not being to scale or the

character is simply under or

overestimating distances and travel time

that's not that big a deal in the long

run it's misleading but we're not

exactly throwing the baby out with the

bath water in terms of believability

granted it takes them about a third of

the season traveling through the Fire

Nation before they get to the capital

but that's not all that unreasonable

either when you consider that they're

keeping a low profile and not spending

too much time flying all they have to do

is make sure that they're at a given

point on a specific day so they can take

advantage of the eclipse they can afford

to take their time and then things go

completely off the rails in the finale

the first major red flag we encounter in

San's comment is ozai's plan for the

Earth Kingdom when you first hear it it

doesn't sound too absurd it is

appropriately horrific burn the entire

Earth Kingdom with the fleet of airships

but then we actually see the fleet and

it only consists of a dozen odd airships

and I don't know if you all noticed this

when looking at the world map but the

Earth kingdom is kind of a big place how

in the name of Gwen ofir's massive mommy

milkers there's a dozen airships going

to burn an entire continent to the

ground in a single day I mean yeah they

could do some serious damage but I doubt

they could burn the entire Earth Kingdom

down oh and that's just the first

problem with the finale the very laws of

time and space are being drawn quartered

here the gang fly all the way from the

Fire Nation to the Earth Kingdom in a

matter of hours which I suppose isn't

that absurd on the face of it but then

they fly all the way from the Western

end of the Earth Kingdom to bingi within

at least 24 hours Zuko and catara fly

from bosing to the fire nation capital

within a day or so and Saka team were

able to get to well okay Pi andow

doesn't say exactly where the Airship

base is on the map he just says it's a

small island just off the Earth Kingdom

Shore so that could be anywhere but he

also says that they should be able to

reach it within a Day's Journey how is

everybody getting around so fast even if

we give Zuko and qara the benefit of the

doubt in say that they went Southeast

instead of Southwest to get to the Fire

Nation and assuming that Atlas world is

completely represented on this map and

we are just seeing one hemisphere that

still should have taken them several

weeks by the rough metric established in

season 1 and Saka team should have taken

at least a week to get to wherever they

needed to go everyone's traveling with

Ludicrous

Speed

guys am I stupid am I just missing

something really obvious that counts for

all this I genuinely hope so because I

don't understand how the writers much

less an entire fan base could have

missed such an obvious oversight for

over 15 years overlooking travel time is

the kind of major up that other

shows get crucified over and I am very

disturbed by the notion that certain

stories can be held to different

standards simply because they're held in

higher regard and I do want to stress

regardless of what you think about

azula's mental breakdown or how energy

bending is implemented the rest of the

finale is legitimately great Ang

struggling with with his own moral

standards and whether he should kill the

fire lord is legitimately compelling

Sak's mission to destroy the Airship

Fleet does a phenomenal job

demonstrating just how far he's come as

a character I cry like a little

every time I watch Zuko on IU's reunion

I was never angry with

you I don't know how they could have

solved this issue maybe split the team

up earlier in the season so they have

more time to get around and do all the

things they need to do for the finale or

make the finale itself take place over a

longer span of time to account for the

need to travel so much these aren't

Perfect Solutions but I honestly think

that they would have been better than

what we got because what we got simply

doesn't make sense the finale as it is

written could never have happened

according to the show's own world

building and that is a damn shame

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