Avatar: The Last Airbender S3E6 FULL UNCUT Reaction!!

Reading through all the comments so not to repeat anything too much. First I would like to say that of all the reviewers/reactors Sean/Morgan/Dustin were among the only I've seen, after this episode, question the motivations of Sozin arranging and marrying into Roku's bloodline after his demise. Pretty dark stuff. Great catch. I wanted to also point out that Zuko is reading from the "secret/private" history of what went down between Roku and Sozin. So if you think about it, the perspective of the survivors and those that witnessed the catastrophic event of the Volcano erupting actually see Fire Lord Sozin as heroic and that he tried to help with the evacuation and aide avatar Roku. Which works as a good cover story and ultimately the launching pad to the propaganda machine of the fire nation. Silencing Roku's descendents was just as vile as waging war upon the other nations. At some point in the timeline, there is a story to be told about how this lie was unraveled and the truth was revealed to the other Nations. This is why I love revisiting this show and having these conversations with fans and new fans alike. I hope that another animated series or prequel media covering this era comes out some day.

Wesley Chapman

Roku came from a noble family of sorts, that's why he and Prince Sozin ended up as peers in the first place ( just as how Tai Lee and May are to Azula), even if he wasn't an Avatar it was quite possible that an arranged marriage between the two families could of happened for that reason also.

Tamasoalii Vitale

The comment in the garden about love being hard when you're young came directly after Roku saw the girl he'd later marry. He nervously took a few steps toward her, she walked by and didn't even notice him, then he fell back flustered in the grass. It's not a reference to the bromance.

GYRECK GAMING

The genealogy theory is right on the money. The Fire Lord's family marrying with a descendant of Roku was intended to both be symbolic and produce strong benders in the royal line. Even if no Avatars are blood related, and one can theoretically manifest in any family, the Avatar themself is always by nature a prodigious bender of maximum potential, and thus their children have a high chance to inherit their natural bending potential, just only with the native element of that Avatar. Roku was a firebender, so his line would have a good chance of producing great firebenders. The royal family is carefully bred and trained to be elite firebenders. Mix em together and you're in theory looking at better bending genes than anyone's ever seen.

1yoyoyo2

Looooong liiiiiive the Fiiiiire Lord....

Sean TankTop

yeah. Roku totally got Mufasa'd

PupApollo Bootblack

This is indeed how it works, bending skill can be genetic but it isn't necessarily genetic. Aang likely learned airbending genetically from his parents in the same way humans instinctively learn to walk, but he learned the other forms of bending from the spirit of the Avatar that was reincarnated into his body. Since it came from that spirit instead of his body's genes, it won't be passed onto his children -- but the airbending will since that did come from his genes.

Cains

The Promise Series! Yes!

Avi Chetri

Sozin's romantic feelings for Roku is head cannon for me now, thanks, Mo.

Avi Chetri

So, from what we've seen so far, it seems that the children of the Avatar can only inherit their original bending style. So for Aang's child could only inherit airbending, Roku's child would have only been able to inherit firebending, etc. Not counting their spouse's bending, if any.

Sean Silence

I think so too. I think he was first going to save him, but the opportunity was too tempting and he took it. Of course this is just what I think and theorize

LK

One of the fandoms favorite episodes and with good reason 😭 keep the "some friendships are so strong they can transcend lifetimes" line in mind, it will come into play again waaay in the future

Rodrigo Borges

not previous, but opposite. Aang picks up firebending fairly easily and quickly. Roku had trouble with waterbending, Aang struggled with earthbending because it's opposite of their birth element

FlatOutBoy

One of my favorite Avatar episodes. It definitely is the best episode for backstory. With the other great ones being The Storm and Zuko alone. I love the twist of Zuko being related to the previous Avatar. Others have already mentioned it, but you can definitely find the answers to the questions you had about the Firelord family genealogy/genetics in the comics that came out as follow up stories to this series. I think it was pretty clear that the “love is hard when you’re young” comment was about Roku being too shy to approach the girl he later married. But you’re definitely free to head canon the story how ever you want. After all that’s what fan fiction is all about!

Blackeyedlily

In the scene where young Roku and Sozin were playing in the grass, Roku trips backwards over a tree root. Sozin stops his fall, but then let's him fall over in the end. This is a direct foreshadowing of the end of the episode. Sozin came to Roku's aid during the volcano eruption, but ending up letting him "fall" in the end. The writers used very clever film techniques during the conversation between Iroh and Zuko. In every shot of Zuko, he is shown to be behind bars and in the dark, while Iroh is always shown to be in the light and free. Even though Iroh is the one in jail, Zuko is the one who is mentally trapped. Iroh explained the path to redemption.

3rd Eye Phreak

yea Roku was from the fire nation, the Avatar rebirth is cyclical, Fire>Air>Water>Earth e.g. the Avatar after Aang will be from a water tribe and the Avatar after her will be from the earth kingdom etc. The Avatar will traditionally learn the different elements following this cycle too. the element previous to their birth element is the hardest to learn.

Bowkind

That awkward moment when you're at the tailor, they ask "what side do you dress on" and you have to say "both" because of your pendulous scrote

Bowkind

Im fairly certain that Sozin went to save Roku that night. I think the Avatar writers are a bit into character nuance, and I think he really did go to save his friend. But at the last moment, when Sozin saw Roku in trouble and near death, it fully dawned on him that without Roku, all his plans could come to fruition. And if we are looking for Zuko parallels, here we see someone come to a crossroads, and then choose the side of evil. It almost makes it worse for me. Because it shows that Sozin, like most ppl, does have that inner instinct to protect those he cares for. But that instinct in the end lost out to ambition. And I've always wondered if Sozin's obsessive hunt for the next Avatar was in some ways inspired by deep guilt and regret. Some strange blend of regret and fear. I dunno, the way he described it, it sounds like he spend all his final years on that obsessive hunt. For me, thats gotta be inspired by more than just ... cold military tactics. Theres all kinds of emotions swirled into there.

Yeah, looking at it now he sorta just saw an opportunity and decided to take it. Fucking cold blooded for a Fire Lord.

Sean TankTop

Sozin you mean?

Cody Taylor

One of my favorite episodes of the series! We didn't see the ending coming either

Maggie

it's a truly staggering feat!

Sean TankTop

There's a lot of queer reading of Roku and Sozin among the fandom so you're not alone :D. I've also seen people interpreting Zuko's whole character arc as an allegory of someone coming to terms with their own sexuality.

Ruma Risto

I've always thought Ron Perlman did awesome as Ozai. Talk about a signature voice.

Dillon Mooney

"Super Sah-yawn"

Ever Borjas

I know this is off topic but i don't know if you know this but the earth bender in the opening sequence was going to originally be what toph looked like...but they changed it in the end and i'm so thankful

Grace Stockwell

Oof was waiting for this. Tbh I never got why Sozin shows up just to be like psych. They foreshadow it early on though with the tree root, and the catching him then letting him fall. Maybe it's to underscore that Sozin isn't like a vortex of evil, and he had an instinct to help his friend, but ultimately decided to choose ambition instead? Idk but interesting choice. Anyway, already can't wait for the next two, I feel like you guys will go crazy on 3x8

selina

not all.

Libby DVR

And Morgan im pretty sure a lot of the fandom does legitemately headcanon that Sozin and Roku were lovers, or Sozin had some sort of unrequited love for him so dont worry were all queering it lol

Michelle

Morgan, if you noticed, Roku wanted to talk to the girl he liked and Sozin told him to go for it and he pussied out. That's why Roku said "love is hard when you're young". Also, Sozin's son Azulon arranged the marriage between Ozai and Ursa to merge bloodlines.

Bobby Manhas

This is my favorite episode of the show.

Really great reaction!! Love watching you guys, and really love this episode as well. Season 3 is freaking awesome!

K

You guys should read some of the comics afther this.

KrissFliss

So Sozin and Roku were never related they were only friends but Zuko is related to the both of them as it was explained in the show. And they have more information in the comics on Zuko's family and everything, so if you guys are really interested i recommend checking them out! 🔥 Really great episode though!! This is one of my favorites of the season.

Crystalrose

you now know why Monk Gyatso took such a liking to Aang, and why Aang has such a connection to him. keep an eye out for the 'friendships transcend lifetimes' theme throughout the avatar universe btw

MrDeltoric

this is one of the episodes ive been lookin forward to since i subscribed. ATLA is so freakin good at managing to pack so much in just 20 minutes and not make it feel rushed..

Michelle

It’s such a great episode!

Sean TankTop

Been looking forward to this one!

Saucy boy