| Note: The commentators recorded the commentaries for "Sozin's Comet, Parts 1-4" in one sitting. | |
| Bryan Konietzko | [In a mock dramatic tone.] Avatar: The Last Commentary. [Mike and Bryan laugh.] Sorry, we've been doing this for a while now. |
|---|---|
| Michael Dante DiMartino | Yeah, we... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Welcome to "Part 4". |
| Mike | This is Mike. |
| Bryan | This is Bryan, with the corny jokes. |
| Mike | And this is the most commentaries we've ever done in a row. If you've listened to all four in a row, I applaud you [Mike and Bryan chuckle.] for your patience. |
| Bryan | We'll try to make it entertaining. |
| Mike | Hopefully you've learned a little thing-few things about the show. |
| Bryan | [Brief pause.] I know I have, Mike. |
| Mike | [Refers to the guardian statues that Aang air scooters into during the opening sequence.] Who are-who are those guys back there? Who are those statues, Bryan? |
| Bryan | Um... |
| Mike | [In the background.] I don't even know. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | ... I'm sorry that I forgot the name, but it was an Italian artist that-a freelance guy that was helping on the, uh, main title. I'm sorr... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Oh, see, the Italians again come through with... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] You're right, I think he [Mike laughs.] was really Italian, unlike you guys. I'm sorry I forgot your name. Fabiano? No. I don't know. [Mike laughs.] He's a nice guy. |
| Mike | Fabio worked on our show? |
| Bryan | No, [Mike chuckles.] Fabiano. Something. I'm sorry, I just ran into him. |
| Mike | That's cool. |
| Bryan | But he did those guys, I thought they were cool. [Mike affirms.] We shoulda-we should've worked him into the show somewhere... |
| Mike | [In the background.] Yeah, I'm wonderin'... [Gives an affirming murmur.] |
| Bryan | ... that, or George Lucas, Avatar 2.0. |
| Mike | Yeah, they look like some Spirit World shenanin-shenanigans, [Bryan and Mike laugh.] get a lot-there. |
| Bryan | Alright, our grammar and, uh... just going out the-out the window with [Mike affirms.] commentary number four. Here we go, we can do this! |
| A brief pause in commentary until the episode fades in from the episode title card, with Ozai hitting Aang's protective sphere of earth with successive fire blasts. | |
| Bryan | So, again, everything's gotta be bad before it can get better, and, uh... and everything at its worst. [Refers to Sokka and Toph running along the top of an airship.] It was nice to have Toph and Sokka, get to have their big scenes together. |
| Mike | [Refers to Sokka holding Toph's hand as he guides her to the airship's rudder without falling off the edge.] Have them hold hands, even though it doesn't mean anything. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | [Laughs.] It means she's not gonna fall. [Refers to the sequence where Toph metalbends the airship rudder, forcing it to suddenly turn to starboard into another airship, sending the crew inside crashing against the walls.] Some more of Joaquim Dos Santos' crazy, epic storyboard here. [Brief pause.] It's always cool for me when I-I-I tended to write, uh, big action scenes on episodes that I was writing like "Blue Spirit". If Mike and I would write one together, my scenes would [Laughs.] tend to have no dialogue, or, like, [Mike chuckles intermittently.] it's usually dialogue like, [In an energetic tone.] "let's do it! Go! Get him!" You know, that kind of amazing [Mike and Bryan laugh.] writing. But, uh, you know, just really detailed, uh, action stuff, and, um, if it's something that I did the storyboard for, it was always cool 'cause it was in my head from the writing stage, but, um, it was really cool to see Joaquim's interpretation of stuff. Um, sometimes it's exactly what I was thinking, and, uh, sometimes it was cooler, so. |
| Mike | I like... |
| Bryan | [Interjects; refers to and imitates Sokka sorrowfully saying goodbye to his sword after he threw it to take out the catwalk an Imperial Firebender was standing on.] "Space sword." |
| Mike | ... little moment of... |
| Bryan | [Interjects; refers to the Imperial Firebenders readying to attack Sokka and Toph on the airship's catwalk, Toph barely holding onto Sokka's hand as she hangs in the open air, crying as Sokka tells her this is the end for them.] So, this is, uh, I li-I like this scene 'cause it-these are two jokey characters, but, you know, they're in this really dire situation together, and some real emotion. |
| A brief pause in commentary as Sokka and Toph purposefully letting go of the catwalk to drop down to another airship below them, with Sokka crying out and shifting his weight around before falling over as he breaks his leg on the impact. | |
| Mike | Love that animation of, uh, Sokka. You really feel like his leg got [Bryan affirms.] broken. |
| Bryan | [Refers to the action sequence where Aang uses the Avatar State to completely overpower Ozai, an unwaveringly enraged expression on his face.] So, Oh Seung Hyun did, uh, this whole section of the crazy, um, Aang-Ozai fight when Aang becomes the wrathful Avatar. |
| A brief pause in commentary until Ozai uses a compressed fire blast to force Aang out of his protective shield of earth, sending Aang flying back toward a rock pillar. | |
| Mike | Up to this point, uh, Aang, or since the end of season two, Aang hadn't been able to go into the Avatar State, uh, when Azula shot him with lightning. So, right here, [Refers to Aang hitting the rock pillar, the scar on his back where Azula's lightning burned him pressing against a jutted-out piece of rock.] bam, he gets hit in the same spot. [Refers to Aang seeing visions of himself and his past lives entering the Avatar State, before he enters the Avatar State in reality.] And, uh, the idea was that he's kind of-kind of this, uh, he had a big energy block in that spot, and-and being hit there again kind of unleashed that, and unlocked [Bryan affirms.] that, uh, connection with the Avatars. |
| Bryan | I think he had a-a psychological... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Well, that, too. |
| Bryan | ... thing holding him back, too. [Mike affirms.] Um, it's sort of a... it's sort of like a multi-stage thing, he nee-he releases [Laughs.] these emotions, these raw feelings of anger and... and wrath, [Refers to when Aang stops himself from killing Ozai.] and then learns to control them, and, uh, rise above them. [Refers to Avatar Aang bending five massive streams of fire, using them to break apart the rock pillars around him, and whip up the air enough that Ozai can only cower on the ground.] So, all-again, all of this stuff was just incredibly ambitious to do on a TV show. [Mike chuckles.] Uh, especially when you consider all of the things they just did on the previous episode. [Laughs.] |
| Mike | [Laughs.] Yeah. |
| Bryan | Oh, just crazy. |
| Mike | [Brief pause; refers to Aang grinding the rock pillars around him into smaller stones, and flooding the forest below, bending the water to him in a ring.] But, yeah we-obviously we wanted... cool moment of Aang in the Avatar State. And, uh, it was kinda finding that right story beat for him, uh, and in this case it was... it was him being the totally wrathful, vengeful version of the Avatar, which is... he will smite [Bryan chuckles.] the Fire Lord. |
| Bryan | [Imitates Aang; in a mock dramatic tone.] "I smite thee!" |
| Mike | But it's really not Aang, it's really this-this-this energy that's kinda taken over him, and... he's not in control at this point. [Brief pause; refers to Bumi incapacitating several Fire Nation tanks, blocking their cannons with chunks of rock.] Little more, uh, White Lotus action. [Refers to Bumi launching the tanks into the air by bending rock pillars underneath them, the tanks piling on top of each other as they land.] And this-think Ethan, uh, Spaulding did this part. [Bryan affirms.] He came up with kind of a funny, funny action beat for... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Ethan and... |
| Mike | ... for-for Bumi. |
| Bryan | ... and Bumi are a good match. [Mike affirms intermittently; refers to Iroh burning away the Fire Nation banner hanging on the Earth Kingdom Royal Palace, exposing the original emblem underneath.] And this is a nice little touching moment. 'Cause for us, it was really about not necessarily seeing Uncle do, I mean, we saw him do that huge move opening up the-the wall, but, wasn't so much about action for him, it was about his-his arc coming full circle, of-of conquering Ba Sing Se but for the right reasons. [Refers to Aang mercilessly pursuing Ozai, charging at him inside a sphere made up of the four elements, breaking apart and sending out his compressed rocks at incredible speeds.] Yeah, I think, um... back to Aang as this wrathful thing, and what we were saying e-earlier, I think in the 319 commentary, s-you know, obviously in this state, Aang could just wipe Ozai off the face of the Earth, but is that really what the world needs at this point? After they've been-everyone's been oppressed and-and fearful for a hundred years, do they really need some all-powerful being just wiping people out? You know, it's not really the remedy for the world's situation. [Refers to Azula shooting lightning at Katara, forcing her to leave Zuko on the ground as she takes cover behind a pillar.] So, back to the tragic chaos where Zuko's in a really bad way, and Katara needs to get to him to try to heal him. And, uh, this was another scene I-I remember coming up with the action. And we were in the-the writers' room, I remember. |
| Mike | [Refers to Katara freezing herself and Azula in a massive wave of ice.] Oh yeah, you totally, I mean, the-the freezing and the ice; uh, Bryan pitched it exactly how it ended up coming out. |
| Bryan | But it was a hard thing [Mike chuckles.] to animate. [Laughs.] |
| Mike | Yeah, yeah, it's... |
| Bryan | 'Cause we had a lotta notes. [Refers to the sequence of Katara bending an ice slide, surfing on it to evade Azula's massive fire blasts..] I love this! Uh, Joaquim did a great job on this. Some action, this little sequence is a great sequence of shots. [Refers to the Coronation Plaza.] Yeah, it was cool, we-this was a-a-a location we had in episode 207, "Zuko Alone". [Refers to the plaza waterways, covered by grates.] And, um, even though it was a Fire Nation courtyard, we had-we had these-these water, uh, troughs. They kinda look where we... Mike and I went to college, RISD, they have these, um... these little water things. [Refers to Katara luring Azula to the waterways, then using the water to freeze herself and Azula.] Anyways, this is a cool-they-they gave us a big body of water for Katara to use. [Refers to Azula's desperate, frozen expression, only able to move her eyes, as Katara melts and moves through the ice, binding Azula down with chains.] And I love this scene, it's just kinda creepy, [Refers to the tense ominous theme that plays and builds as Katara holds her breath in the ice while binding Azula.] and we really worked it out with Jeremy to how to have just this-this building and building of music, le-leading up to this single tense note. Kinda ice-like. [Refers to Katara completely melting the ice, tying the Azula's chains around the grates.] Again, Katara also finding peaceful means. And this, I just-I'm so proud of the end of this act. Um, you know, we didn't want to have a story that's just like, [In a mock cheerful tone.] "and everything's better, and everybody's happy." |
| Mike | [In a mock cheerful tone.] "They killed all the bad guys. Yay." |
| Bryan | [In a mock cheerful tone.] "Yay. [Mike laughs.] And everything's happy". It's like, you know what, some things are complicated and not so happy. |
| Mike | It's kinda, like, even though Zuko had to, had to fight his sister, it's, like, I don't think he wanted to kill her, [Bryan affirms.] like... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] He's not happy about it, he's not like, [Imitating Zuko in a mock tone derisive tone.] "in yo' face, Azula!" |
| Mike | [Refers to Zuko's pitying and Katara's sorrowful reaction as they see Azula break down in tears, desperately trying to get free.] And it's, like, when you see Katara and Zuko's reaction at-coming up here when-when Azula freaks out. It's just, like, you kinda just feel a little bit sad for Azula... |
| Bryan | [In the background.] Totally. It's just sad. |
| Mike | ... it's not-it's not the triumphant, like, [Bryan affirms.] hero victory, it's-it's much more realistic... |
| Bryan | [In the background.] And also... |
| Mike | ... version of what that would be like, with the... |
| Bryan | ... [Refers to Katara healing Zuko's burn, both of them thanking the other for saving their lives.] for all the Zutarians, I feel like-I know you're not happy, [Mike chuckles.] but I feel like their story is wrapped up here, [Mike affirms.] you know? They had their moment. |
| A brief pause in commentary as the scene fades to black, the commentary starting up again when the scene transitions back to Aang and Ozai's fight. | |
| Bryan | Back to the Zutarian issue. Um, [Mike chuckles.] yeah, I just feel like, you know, we-we felt like the story was really, in terms of the-the romance, you know, it was-it was all about Aang and Katara. Uh, when they first meet and they look into each other's eyes when she finds him in the iceberg, you know, for us, it was about that story culminating. Um... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Yeah, and it's-it... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Not to say that Zuko didn't mean something to her, and vice-versa, and that they, you know, they learned a lot from each other. Much like life, you know, you-you have relationships with different people and they-they teach you different things, and it-just because you're not gonna spend your whole life with someone doesn't mean that you didn't grow with them or learn from them as a, [In a hushed tone.] as a lover. [Mike chuckles.] So... |
| Mike | [In the background.] And... |
| Bryan | ... there you have it, that's our feeling on the issue. |
| Mike | And I really think it was one of those things where Aang had to mature [Bryan affirms.] for her to really, I mean, 'cause even just, you know, in, uh, in the Ember Island episode, "Ember Island Players", she was still confused about how she was feeling, and-and stuff like that, and it-it seemed like they had to all get to the end of their-their journeys to be able to kind of come together again. |
| Bryan | [Refers to the long take of Ozai and Aang flying through the rock pillar forest, Ozai weaving through them, while Aang simply rams and breaks them apart with his elemental sphere.] So, some more crazy storyboarding by Oh Seung Hyun. [Refers to Aang wrapping Ozai in a whip of water, whirling him in the air before crashing him down onto a rock pillar.] I remember we made him do a lotta this stuff, where we're, you know, just... we had to get it right. Oh, he did great stuff, but it was-it was just a certain tone we were going after. [Refers to Aang, his voice echoing with the combined presence of his past lives, mercilessly declaring to a now trapped Ozai that he will pay the ultimate price for his family's and nation's sins against the world.] So, here we come to the moment where this combined energy of all these Avatars is really... it's, like, more then Aang can handle as a... as a unmatured Avatar, and it's-it's taken over his-his human vessel. [Refers to Aang readying to chop down at Ozai, sending down a lethal blend of the four elements with the movement.] And so, kinda recognize this kung fu move he's doing, it-it's what he was having nightmares about in 201, is that he feared being this sort of a wrathful, you know, hand of the Avatar, and, um, that was that same kind of pek kwar-like chopping motion in those 201 nightmare scenes. [Refers to Aang bending Ozai's energy, glowing blue light encompassing and pouring out of Aang's body, while orange emanates out of Ozai's.] So, and then we come to this crazy thing that I, you know, Mike and Aaron were on board with, but it was-it was hard for me to, [Laughs.] I was like, "their souls flip inside-out!" [Mike chuckles.] And I remember Aaron's like, "it sounds cool. I have no idea how-what it'll look like." [Laughs.] |
| Mike | Well, it's truly a-this is what animation is for, I feel like, these kind of... you can't, if you wrote a story and had that in it, you couldn't really visualize it, I feel like. You-it has to be on the screen with the music and the... and the sound and everything, and... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Yeah. They say, you know, "a picture's worth a thousand words," and unfortunately, animation takes [Mike chuckles.] fifteen-thousand drawings, [Laughs.] but, uh, you know, this-it-it came out, uh, I did these crazy, like, rendered colored-colored storyboards, and the-the compositing effects team at JM just did an amazing job. It really came out like we had hoped. [Refers to Aang flashing back to his conversation with the lion turtle, the latter explaining that before the era of the Avatar, bending was used to manipulate the energy within people.] So, again, we're alluding to these-these things that are from before the time of the Avatar in this world. And there was a different sort of... uh, not really style, but like a different world of bending. [Refers to the theme playing in the background as Aang and Ozai's energies manifest outward, dividing the world in half with their respective colored energies.] Mike, can you hear the twenty-four note chord cluster? |
| Mike | [In the background.] Oh, totall-s-totally. |
| Bryan | The microtonal strings. [Refers to Aang and Ozai remaining completely stationary as Ozai's energy takes over and covers Aang's body, the shining blue light encompassing the world blocked out by the orange, as the corruption starts to encompass Aang's grimacing face.] So, wanted this to be very creepy, 'cause it's-it's weird, it's like it's a light battle, you know, they're e-they're energies are battling, it's-they're not really moving or anything, but still wanted to show this kind of epic struggle. |
| Mike | Yeah, and I just love the idea of-that someone's, like, Ozai's energy is just so bad that it could corrupt someone's-someone else's energy, you know, [Bryan affirms.] like, that cou-Aang could've-coulda died there. [Refers to Aang's energy bursting out, removing the corruption on his own body, and completely encompassing the orange light emanating from Ozai.] But, his energy is pure and light-filled, so. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Aang using his energybending to take away Ozai's ability to firebend.] And then what he chose to do with it. [Mike affirms intermittently.] You know, it's not like he chose to kill Ozai with it, he just rewired his chi. [Refers to Ozai futilely trying to firebend, powerlessly punching the air before collapsing to the ground.] I love that little punching animation, it came out cool. [Refers to Aang telling Ozai he will not be able to use his bending to hurt or threaten anyone ever again.] And this, you know, that's Aang's-I feel like that's his defining moment. It's why we called this episode "Avatar Aang", it's like he's, [Refers to Aang masterfully using the Avatar State, his eyes and tattoos only glowing for an instant, as he raises the water up to extinguish the fires burning the forest, then lowering the water back to its original level.] right now, he is really the Avatar. He's, um, he's finally learned to control the energy... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Yeah, we see that. |
| Bryan | ... or use-yeah, you see him just flash his eyes like-like the other Avatars had done in the flashbacks, and stuff. [Refers to Aang stopping himself from killing Ozai while in the Avatar State, saying to himself he would not let it end like this.] He's-he's controlling it, he's not letting it control him. [Refers to the long shot of the crashed Fire Nation airship, the crewmembers on top of the hull moving and huddling together as they try to avoid the rising water.] You can see the little, tiny crewmembers on-on top of that ship trying to avoid the flood. They're okay, don't worry. [Mike chuckles; refers to Aang's deliberate and relaxed waterbending form.] And then, you know, we talked about in the-in the kung fu meeting with Kisu, we were trying to think of this big move he was gonna do to put out the fire. And we were, you know, thinking the different things, and we realized, "you know what, he needs to be really slow. Powerful but very calm, peaceful," and again, that he's sort of defining his characteristic as the Avatar. |
| A brief pause in commentary as the scene fades to black, transitioning back to a shot of Sozin's Comet traveling and trailing off into the horizon. | |
| Bryan | So, here we are in act three, this was all storyboarded by Mike. [Refers to the sequence of Sokka, Toph, and Suki mocking the now powerless and beaten Ozai.] And, uh, I love this little sequence. It's great, after all that heavy action, and inside-out souls, and-it's nice to just have some goofy stuff. |
| Mike | Yeah, I got to-I got to do the easy part. [Bryan and Mike laugh.] I really feel, like, when I see all that stuff, I'm like, "that-that's crazy, how-how'd you come up with that?" |
| Bryan | Yeah, but, [Mike laughs.] but you're so fast, you're, like, the fastest storyboard artist. You did this thing so much faster than [Laughs.] any of us did, honest. |
| Mike | 'Cause I didn't have any fire in my part. |
| Bryan | Naw, [Mike laughs.] you would've-you would've done... |
| Mike | [Brief pause; refers to Ozai lying prone against a rock.] Yeah, it was fun to-fun to do, uh, Ozai all, [Bryan laughs.] all weak and... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Yeah. [Refers to Ozai defiantly saying he is the Phoenix King after Sokka calls him "The Loser Lord", right before he collapses to the ground.] Get to see um, delusional and egotistical he is here. [Laughs.] |
| Mike | Yeah, he's still trying to hold onto his-his title [Bryan and Mike laugh.] at the end. But he's pretty much, uh, useless at this point. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Ozai, face-down on the ground, exhausted and drooling, rolling his tongue out as spit pools by his face.] The little-the funny little, uh, slurping s-animation [Laughs.] there was Oh Seung Hyun's idea. [Refers to the long shot of Sozin's Comet fading into the horizon past the sea, its light fading away, the clouds and sky returning to their usual dark colors.] This shot is one of my absolute favorite shots in Avatar... |
| Mike | [In the background.] Yeah, came out... pretty. |
| Bryan | ... just this slow-this is what Mike was talking about, like, having the time to really hold on shots for a more cinematic feel. [Refers to the sombre, hopeful theme that plays as the episode reaches its resolution.] Oh, the music's just beautiful, and we didn't-we didn't-either we didn't get to or didn't allow ourselves to do that as much in the series. And, uh... we were happy we finally got around to it. |
| Mike | Yeah, and we kind of-there were still these storylines that we had to kinda wrap up and address, and put everyone back together again, so. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Zuko and Mai reuniting and rekindling their relationship.] And I, you know, I know, like, in the-in the fandom, maybe this isn't everyone's favorite couple, but, uh, to me, it's really sweet. I mean, they... they grew up together, and they've had a crush on each other since they were little kids, and, uh, really horrible stuff [Laughs.] happened to Zuko. And, you know, their country was doing some horrible things, and going through some bad stuff. |
| Mike | [Refers to The Duke hugging Toph as Team Avatar reunites with their friends and family at the Coronation Plaza.] If you'll notice, uh, The Duke and Toph have a little reunion there. |
| Bryan | They do. |
| Mike | Maybe there's another couple for you. |
| Bryan | Would you call that "Doph"? |
| Mike | "Toduke"? |
| Bryan | "Tuke"? "Toduke"? |
| Mike | "Tuke"? I don't know. |
| Bryan | Alright, it's... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] We'll let the fans figure [Laughs.] it out. |
| Bryan | [Refers to Mai saying to Zuko that she does not hate him anymore for leaving her.] But, you know, anyways, I think it's really cool that, um, once these external things were out of the way, these external conflicts, that Zuko and Mai were able to-to really finally get together. You know, when they did-when they got together earlier in the season, it was-Zuko wasn't really himself yet. He felt like he's living a lie, he was just kinda going through the motions. |
| Mike | [Refers to Ty Lee joining the Kyoshi Warriors, having bonded with the others during their time in prison.] I wanna see the Ty Lee-Kyoshi Warrior [Bryan chuckles.] prison-break, uh, movie. Can we make that please? |
| Bryan | I think they just let them out. [Laughs.] |
| Mike | [Laughs.] What-the-the episodes when they're in prison, that's what I mean. |
| Bryan | Oh, I gotcha. |
| Mike | [Laughs.] So, this... |
| Bryan | [Interjects; refers to the layered robes worn by Aang during Zuko's coronation.] So, now Aang's wearing an outfit that's a lot closer to the, like, the adult airbenders, like Monk Gyatso, and stuff. |
| Mike | [Refers to Aang and Zuko reflecting on their personal journeys over the past year, and how their relationship has changed in that time.] Yeah, and this is one of those scenes that got added, uh, later on, I believe. That we-we realized like, "oh, Aang doesn't really talk." |
| Bryan | Talk. [Laughs.] |
| Mike | [Laughs.] In the-in the last act, so it was nice to see him and Zuko reu-reunited. |
| Bryan | [Refers to the Fire Nation citizens, Earth Kingdom soldiers, Southern Water Tribe warriors, Foggy Swamp tribesmen, and assorted members of the invasion force sorted and lined up to witness Zuko's coronation.] I think it's cool that all the nations are all, like, divided by color there. [Mike affirms; refers to the gong sounding as Zuko appears, the crowd cheering in support.] Yeah. [Brief pause.] Hooray. We needed confetti, let's add some confetti. |
| Mike | [Laughs; refers to the triumphant, wistful version of the "Avatar Theme" that plays as Aang looks out at the cheering crowd, the shot cutting to and revolving around a smiling Katara.] Yeah, I love the-just the music is... great, it's the Avatar theme, come back. But I think it carries with it a new meaning now, and... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Yeah, Jeremy did a great job from the end of the-that-that end of that shot where the comet fades away. All kind of one musical theme; I mean, he-it evolves and changes, but we-we told him we wanted to tie all these scenes together, and even some of the goofy scenes because it has that, like, through line of the-the music, [In a mock emotional tone.] I get kinda-I get kinda misty. |
| Mike | Yeah, it's very emotional. |
| Bryan | It's like you feel it-you feel it ending, you feel it wrapping up. |
| Mike | [Brief pause; refers to Zuko being crowned by the Fire Sages as the new Fire Lord, after his promise that he would help Aang to bring a new era of love and peace to the world.] Yeah, it's very satisfying to see Zuko crowned as the Fire Lord, and... |
| Bryan | [Interjects.] Yeah, we always said that he had the-the biggest character arc to go through throughout the series of anyone, and it's nice to see him... see him do it. And it-and, you know, and everyone was so upset about the mistakes and the bad choices he made, it-it just... since we knew this is where he was gonna end up, and it-it makes it worth more. |
| Mike | [Refers to Zuko visiting an imprisoned Ozai to demand where his mother is.] So, here-this is another scene that we added, uh, after much discussion from me. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | I will... |
| Mike | [Interjects; refers to the scene cutting away after Zuko asks his question.] I will take full responsibility for everyone who is mad that we don't know where Zuko's mom is. |
| Bryan | Alright... |
| Mike | [In the background.] 'Cause... |
| Bryan | ... I will take full responsibility for adding this scene. [Bryan and Mike laugh.] I really-but you know what, to me, um, not only did I want Zuko to-to address that, you know, where is his mother, to me, it's not so much the information, you know, where she is, it's the fact that these-their positions are reversed now, and Zuko has control over his father. |
| Mike | Yeah. Naw, I love-I love how it turned out, and-and I like that you-you-you end up with the idea he's gonna go look for his mom. Whether he finds her or not, we do not know at this point, but [Bryan affirms.] I feel like that's a whole 'nother story that we didn't have time for, [Laughs.] to-to really do it justice, so. |
| Bryan | Seung, Joaquim, and, uh, Lauren Montgomery were gonna-were gonna [Mike chuckles.] board out the scene, they were like, [In a mock enthusiastic tone.] "we gotta, we gotta put it in over the end credits, or something." So, Mike's-Mike's answer is can't, uh, can't all get what you want. |
| Mike | Yeah. |
| Bryan | Deal with it. [Refers to Sokka waving his hand at himself and at the group, and arching his eyebrows as he stresses to Team Avatar not to move while he is painting their time together at the Jasmine Dragon.] These are some of my favorite Sokka animation. Jack did a great read. |
| Mike | [Refers to Sokka's simplistic and stylized depictions of Team Avatar, Iroh, and Mai.] I'm pretty proud that I did the Sokka painting in this scene. |
| Bryan | [Laughs.] It's awesome. |
| Mike | [Laughs.] Some of-some of my finest work on the show, I feel. |
| Bryan | [Refers to the harmonious theme that plays during the establishing shots of the liberated Ba Sing Se and Iroh's teashop.] So again, like, even though this is a pretty goofy scene, like, the music that led us into it, it is pretty emotional. |
| A brief pause in commentary until Aang heads outside onto the Jasmine Dragon's courtyard, the setting sun on Ba Sing Se's horizon turning the clouds vibrant orange and purple hues. | |
| Bryan | I'm really pleased with the way the backgrounds turned out on this, uh, sunset stuff. |
| Mike | Yeah, sky's beautiful. |
| Bryan | Yeah, Bryan Evans did a really cool... really cool take on it. [Refers to "The Avatar's Love" theme that plays as Katara joins Aang outside.] So, we hear the old kalimba theme, which was always... or very often the way we would take-take the show out to the credits if it was a happy ending. [Refers to Aang and Katara embracing.] We, uh, it's a bit of a mislead, you know, they're just-just kind of a platonic hug. Looks like it's the end, the kalimba's fading out. [Refers to the kalimba in the theme being replaced with a zither leitmotif that plays as the scene cuts to a profile view of Aang and Katara turning to face each other.] And then you hear the Cave of Two Lovers theme! And then, very important to note, [Refers to Katara leaning in to kiss Aang.] Katara kisses Aang. [Mike gives an affirming murmur.] She's finally... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Think she made up her mind. |
| Bryan | ... she's finally ready. |
| Mike | Yeah, our [Laughs.] animation director in-in Korea said, "I don't know, it seems too... |
| Bryan | [In the background.] Too deep. |
| Mike | ... too deep of a kiss," [Mike and Bryan laugh.] and we're like, "no, it's gotta be." |
| Bryan | Yeah. [Refers to the shot tilting up to the sky, the Chinese characters 劇終 for "The End" fading into the screen.] And then S. L. Lee did some beautiful calligraphy for us there, and, so. |
| Mike | Thanks for coming on this amazing journey with us. |
| Bryan | Yeah, we just wanna take a moment to thank the fans. Um, you guys were amazing, and, um, still are. I mean, just the energy we get from you guys, and-and you really help this world and characters, everything, just keep growing, and, uh, just want to thank you guys for sticking with us. |
| Mike | Yeah, and everyone who lent their talents to the-to the series. Um, from the beginning... |
| Bryan | [In the background.] Yeah, a lot of great people. |
| Mike | ... just so many people involved, and, uh, we couldn't have done it without everyone's amazing talents and-and hard work, so. |
| Bryan | And dedication. |
| Mike | Thank you, Bryan, for making this show with me. |
| Bryan | And thank you, Mike. |
| Mike | It's pretty-pretty good. [Laughs.] |
| Bryan | Yeah, onto the next. |
| Mike | Alright. |
| Commentary ends. |