element-of-change:

les-baleines:

Tides of Change: Deus ex Machina in Avatar: The Extraordinary Spirituality of Avatar Aang

element-of-change:

While I was writing reviews for the last four chapters of this beautiful series I found myself defending several plot points that many Avatar fans have correctly labeled as deus ex machina, a rather prosaic plot device in which some entity swoops in to solve the unsolvable conflict.

I know what…

While I still feel like the ATLA finale involved no small element of Deus Ex Machina in order to maintain appropriateness for its younger audience, this essay is brilliant in explaining the logic of the avenue the writers chose.  From the perspective of a mature fantasy reader, I maintain that having Aang kill Ozai would have made for better writing - though that would have only had full effect in things set after the finale, like The Promise - but a lot of people have made very articulate defenses of the energybending/lionturtle elements and I will concede that they have good points.  This essay in particular is one of the best that I’ve come across, and I’m amazed that it doesn’t have more notes.

Wow, I am totally flattered by this! Thanks for the compliments!

Anyway…

If you take any joy in reading what I have to say about Avatar, this is one of my favorite and most laboriously drafted theoretical commentaries. Feel free to read through it!

Take a look! Click the link! Enjoy the read! :P

93 Notes/ Hide

  1. aerdrie reblogged this from element-of-change
  2. dreary-bird reblogged this from element-of-change and added:
    You explained my thoughts so much better than I could have. I liked your use of sources other than the series proper...
  3. bommu reblogged this from korra-scenery and added:
    I absolutely love this, and...person who wrote it.
  4. republic-city-scholars reblogged this from element-of-change
  5. thelittlestred reblogged this from ibegyourpardonmlady
  6. ibegyourpardonmlady reblogged this from element-of-change
  7. lokathor reblogged this from korra-scenery and added:
    [[MORE]]
  8. qwertyfonz reblogged this from korra-scenery
  9. dontshootthepotatoes reblogged this from korra-scenery
  10. the-legend-of-avatars reblogged this from agentsokka
  11. agentsokka reblogged this from element-of-change and added:
    Fascinating article. Never thought of the finale as deus ex machina (could have used a few more hints to the Lion...
  12. eigengrey reblogged this from korra-scenery
  13. korra-scenery reblogged this from element-of-change and added:
    This is the full post… Just for convenience purposes…
  14. kissmeviolently reblogged this from korra-scenery
  15. bryanoh reblogged this from element-of-change and added:
    Good stuffff.
  16. element-of-change reblogged this from kogiopsis and added:
    Wow, I am totally flattered by this! Thanks for the compliments! Anyway… If you take any joy in reading what I have to...
  17. kogiopsis reblogged this from komekoro and added:
    While I still feel like the ATLA finale involved no small element of Deus Ex Machina in order to maintain...