Welcome back for another weekly review of Avatar! This week, we visit a fire nation town and meet Jeong Jeong, the deserter. How does the episode hold up? Here are my thoughts.
1. Fire Nation Town!
We’ve gotten a few glimpses of life in the Fire Nation so far, but all of them (save the brief appearance of the villagers in “Jet”) had to do with people in positions of power: generals, royalty, temple guardians. And now for the first time, we see what life is like for ordinary residents of the Fire Nation. The festival is there for the residents to have fun and enjoy themselves, and for the most part there aren’t many red flags (no pun intended). Then, however, we see the overall focus on fire and power, and the (admittedly hilarious) pro-Fire Lord propaganda. The citizens are so caught up in the fun and the spectacle that they don’t realize the destruction they’re giving in to.
2. The Destructive Power of Fire.
The biggest theme throughout “The Deserter” is Jeong Jeong’s mantra: fire can be destructive. Firebending is less about creating something beautiful and more about controlling something potentially deadly. We see the lengths Jeong Jeong tries to make Aang go to in order to discipline himself, but Aang’s outgoing personality and lack of discipline lead to harming Katara. This all gives us a good counterpoint to what we’ve seen of most firebenders so far. When perverted, firebending can become all about exerting power. But if used with the correct control, one can harness its power for something positive.
3. The Healing Power of Water.
Speaking of Katara, we learn (along with her) that she has healing abilities. Aside from being a convenient way to get rid of her burns, it sets up fire and water as direct opposites. Fire can lead to destruction, and water can lead to healing. This also shows for the first time that bending isn’t exclusively about moving the element around. As our characters become stronger throughout this series and even throughout the sequel series, The Legend of Korra, the unique abilities benders can have related to the different elements become much more prevalent.
4. The Destructive Power of Ego.
In the final battle against Zhao, Aang takes everything he has learned from both Jeong Jeong’s teaching and his own mistake, and uses that knowledge against Zhao. Aang sticks to his offensive airbending moves and utilizes his own upbeat personality to provoke Zhao, leading to the destruction of Zhao’s entire fleet. Beyond the smart melding of Aang’s lessons with his own personal strengths, the scene is particularly memorable because Aang is going after Zhao’s ego.
It’s made clear at multiple points that Zhao was Jeong Jeong’s student who never learned control, and that completely explains Zhao’s personality. He has an incredibly fragile ego, always needing to be the best, to be respected above all else. It’s destructive in the same way his firebending is destructive, and in the end he is defeated by falling into the negative traps of both. It’s a lesson all people in power should learn before assuming their role.
5. Friends in Strange Places.
Finding Jeong Jeong was completely unexpected: a firebending master from the middle of nowhere who had no problem teaching the Avatar (aside from wanting him to master the other elements first). Aang and his crew have a tendency to find friends in strange places, and it’s a testament to the good they wish to do in the world that they’re so frequently able to. Whether they meet again or not, it pays to have allies all over the world.
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What did you think of the episode? Anything you think our society should learn from firebending theory? Let me know in the comments!
