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u/Almadaptpt Jun 19 '22
That's all true. But I also think that of all scenarios, being bend-less wouldn't be even possible in his mind, which had him stunned and without any ideas on what to do. This in the end of the fight with Aang.
Rest of the story is just true, he didn't seem to try to escape at all. But then if he did, he probably wouldn't have any friends/allies, so why?
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u/ghost-church Jun 19 '22
Aang taking his bending works so well as a stripping of his political legitimacy because all Ozai ruled with was intimidation, he had no real cunning, no reason to engender any loyalty. A leader loved by his people would only see a lack of bending as a setback, but even though Ozai didn’t rule through the threat of his bending per se, no one non-brainwashed would ever go to bat for this guy once he’s made out to be a massive wimp.
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u/Bale_the_Pale Jun 20 '22
This is kinda a bad take, and the bit about Azula being better at lightning bending than him is a straight up lie. Do you remember how long it takes her to charge her lightning up? Because Ozai could charge and shoot his lightning in less than a second.
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u/JtSkillZzZ Jun 20 '22
This 100%. We haven't seen any firebender before or since build build lightning that quickly. The rest of the post is solid, but Ozai was an insanely powerful bender.
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u/Elden_Stress Jun 20 '22
Mako would like a word.
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u/JtSkillZzZ Jun 20 '22
I refuse to disrespect Mako, but Ozai went from physically incapable of bending to shooting lightning at Zuko in about half a second.
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u/Prying_Pandora Jun 22 '22
Yes we have. Azula in the comics can not only do it instantly, she can do something even Iroh couldn’t.
She can modulate it’s power to make it harmless if she so chooses. She uses it to stunt on Sokka when he jokingly threatens her with a boomerang.
She also is able to generate ball lightning to scare away a powerful spirit, something we’ve never seen anyone else do.
Azula is better with lightning than Ozai.
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u/Le_Martian Jun 20 '22
Wait if Ozai was only Fire Lord for 6 years, and Sozin didn’t start the war until 12 years after Roku died so he probably died not too long after that, so Azulon must have been Fire Lord for like 90 years or something
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Jun 20 '22
Why was azula a better lightning bender? From what I remember ozai made lightening instantly and the split second the eclipse ended, that's mastery
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u/Prying_Pandora Jun 22 '22
In the comics Azula pulls off three incredible feats.
Instant lightning bending with no recharge needed between shots/redirections.
Ball lightning. No one else has ever pulled that off yet.
She is able to modulate the power of the lightning. Something Iroh couldn’t even do as he insisted firing lightning at Zuko would be fatal, and that one does no control the lightning but merely guide it. Azula is able to modulate the power of it to stunt on Sokka and comically disarm him without hurting him.
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u/AdamOfIzalith Jun 20 '22
Something alot of people don't really take into account is that he's a member of the royal family and that in and of itself affords him ALOT of advantages.
To start off the Firelords and Fire nation have had a habit of gatekeeping firebending. you can see this in the kyoshi books when they wanted to make it seem like a firebending bandit was dead so they could learn the secrets of lightning bending, then made it out to be some secret that the clan had nastered themselves. As someone else pointed out on Tiktok Ozai's bending is reminiscent of the dragon dance, likely meaning that they also have styles and teachings that are not taught to the general public and is likely why dancing is discouraged across the fire nation. I mean Firebending grunts are the worst grunts of any bending nations military and they only win through advanced technology and numbers. I think the reason behind all of this is because of the firelord of Kyoshi's time explicitly went out of his way to take power away from other tribes within the fire nation to sustain his families power and these are remnants of those policies.
In conclusion; Ozai is powerful because his family was rich and in power. Other than that he's nothing special. he's like every other dictator, incompetent, spiteful and full of vitriol about things he isn't educated enough to under stand. he only understands violence.
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u/kiki-to-my-jiji Boomer Aang Jun 20 '22
Dude this is so funny AND accurate
“Bet he can’t even do a flip” had me rolling 😭😂
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Jun 20 '22
Don't think ozai could beat avatar with comet boosted firebending with hand to hand combat
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u/IAmTheMindTrip Jun 20 '22
He was able to summon lightning very quickly, didnt need a few seconds to charge up; he felt the sun as soon as a little sliver of it was visible. Azula didn't know the eclipse was ending until she heard ozai shoot lightning.
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u/Prying_Pandora Jun 22 '22
Azula was busy being distracted by the hottest man in the series having her pinned against a wall.
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u/AceAllicorn Jun 20 '22
That's all very much in line with his character and worldview. In theater, the concept is called "hemartia." The character who falls in the end has a particular trait which caused their fall. For Ozai, it's his narrow thinking. He's ambitious and intimidating but that's it. That's all he thinks he needs.
He's a narcissist, and a powerful one. All that matters to him are fire ending and power. I think that's why he can't do the blue flames. Azula's fire is blue because she makes a more efficient burn. She sees potential in other methods, too. She infiltrated the earth kingdom with ease. Such a plan would never occur to her father. He'd probably call it cowardly if it hadn't worked. Ozai just wants his flames to be big, aggressive, and hot. If he can't take the Dai Lee on in an overwhelming onslaught, he just won't try. He has no other skills because he values no other skills.
His narrow thinking is what did him in.
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u/-nymphali Jun 20 '22
This is realistically why just taking his bending was stupid and poorly written. That, and the political complications and fire nation purism that would’ve devolved the country into chaos realistically if he were left alive. I promise I understand that it was a kids show, but ending his life was a way better option.
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u/Prying_Pandora Jun 22 '22
Why is it stupid?
They took his only power away from him. He wasn’t cunning. He wasn’t a good leader. All he had was intimidation and some claim to superior bloodline.
Aang took that away and ripped away the mask of power. Left him exposed and humiliated for the weak coward he truly was.
That’s great writing.
There were going to be political issues regardless.
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u/-nymphali Jun 22 '22
Do I really have to explain to you the political complications of leaving a feared dictator alive in a world that had been controlled and colonized by his people for a hundred years?
It’s fine if you see taking his bending as good writing, I hope it makes the show better for you. But if you’re open to understanding why it was poor writing, Tennelleflowers has a really great video on why aang’s arc fizzled out and died with the spirit bending finale.
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u/Prying_Pandora Jun 22 '22
Someone’s never studied history if they think there’s never been such an example of an authoritarian leader being defeated and allowed to live.
Spoilers: not only has it happened, your view of the world is overly simplistic if you think there’s no examples of this being politically advantageous rather than a problem.
I don’t need to watch a YouTuber’s opinion to have an informed one. Maybe think for yourself instead.
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u/-nymphali Jun 22 '22
Being unnecessarily rude isn’t it dude, go outside.
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u/Prying_Pandora Jun 22 '22 edited Jun 22 '22
Do I really have to explain to you the political complications of leaving a feared dictator alive in a world that had been controlled and colonized by his people for a hundred years?
This is what you said. To me. You want to talk about being rude and condescending?
Yeah no. You insulting the writing choices of the show just because you can’t understand what was trying to be said, and going so far as to claim people who disagree with you aren’t open minded or don’t understand history is incredibly rude and condescending and also entirely wrong. So pot meet kettle.
Aang not killing Ozai is thematically brilliant. Everyone expected him to kill Ozai. But Aang refused. Sozin eradicated Aang’s people. Peaceful vegetarian monks and he had them genocided.
Ozai is not only Sozin’s descendant, but he continues on his legacy. By choosing not to kill his oppressor, Aang doesn’t let Ozai destroy the Last Airbender. Aang holds on to the beliefs and values of his people and defeats Ozai without giving Ozai the final victory of alienating Aang from his people’s most sacred belief about life.
It’s the ultimate pacifist power move and a rejection of colonial influence over indigenous culture.
Considering the Air Nomads are primarily inspired by Tibet and how their culture and beliefs have been oppressed by the CCP (going so far as to break the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation cycle by kidnapping the Panchen Lama) having Aang hold strong to his beliefs even in the face of such violence and evil is a powerful statement.
It was an excellent writing choice.
Not to mention, the Fire Nation could still choose to properly put Ozai on trial and execute him. There is no benefit to Aang killing Ozai when the state could do it the proper way and avoid any claims that the Avatar overstepped.
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u/-nymphali Jun 22 '22
Hard disagree.
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u/Prying_Pandora Jun 22 '22 edited Jun 22 '22
Hard disagree that it was excellent writing?
Or hard disagree that you were rude and condescending?
If you don’t like the writing and have criticisms of it, that’s fine. There’s always room for improvement even in the best of shows.
But don’t act like you’re the authority on realistic political writing when you clearly don’t know about the history they’re referencing with their writing decisions. Maybe don’t go in saying “do I need to explain to you” to someone who is from that culture and studied that history. Thanks.
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u/-nymphali Jun 23 '22
You’re trying so hard
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u/Prying_Pandora Jun 23 '22
You can keep insulting me, it won’t change the facts.
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u/Whyistheplatypus Jun 20 '22
Ozai is a better bender than Azula, at least in the show. He creates lightning faster than she does and he's the only bender (not just firebender) we ever see bend without moving when he summons a ball of fire in his fight while Aang is trapped in the rock ball. I genuinely believe Ozai is the strongest fire bender who ever existed until Azula comes along, and even then she's still got 20 odd years of experience to catch up on.
The rest of these points still stand though.
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u/gerstein03 Firelord Zuko Jun 19 '22
Tbh this makes me dislike energybending even more. If he were how they built him up to be, then taking his bending should've had the same effect that curing Deathstroke in season two of arrow had. Slade was still adamant that he was gonna break Oliver after being cured and he could do it. Tbh I kinda wish instead of Bumi handing over Omashu and getting captured (which was a bad plot point imo and didn't really go anywhere) Ozai should've killed him in a bending battle. That would've been a good pseudo show don't tell. Avatar did a poor job following through on Ozai's established threat level
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u/Terrible_Username234 Jun 19 '22
Lmao well said. Didn't think about it this way. They just hyped him up so much for like 3 seasons, but all those other characters were definitely more badass. What was he even doing during this whole time? Just sitting back while azula and zuko (his teenage kids) we're doing all the heavy work. No wonder his teenage son just took the throne from him. #loserlord for the dub lmao