Feeling sort of ambivalent about the Avatar sequel series.
And when I say ambivalent, I don't mean apathetic. I am interested. I am also, however, torn.
On the one hand, it hits some of my particular pings pretty hard. Female lead, steampunk setting, genderbending reincarnation--and having enjoyed Avatar pretty well, it's nice to get more from the creative team behind it. (I assume it's the same creative team? That's been my impression.)
At the same time, I kind of find it troubling when it seems like artists are too devoted to one work to move on. I realize that the first series had some plot threads that could be explored further and mysteries which never entirely found closure. I don't really want more Aang. I don't want more Katara. I don't want more Sokka or Zuko or Toph. (I know, not even Toph.) It's not that I don't like them. I was just satisfied with what there already was. I like the feeling that they went on to have many more adventures and full lives and family and what have you--but I don't need to see it. I tend to enjoy stories left open ended so it feels like more comes after. I tend not to like all the loose ends tied off too neatly; it strains my disbelief, it feels very convenient, and it's just... not me. It is other people, and I do respect that, but not me. So it affects my interest. It's also a situation that invites temptation to indulge in old characters and plotlines rather than focusing in more. The fandom reaction so far has really crystallized, for me, the fact that many fans do hope it will be just that. Now, fans wanting something doesn't mean they'll get it... but it does really draw out just what I don't really want.
Especially in this kind of continuation, that sort of indulgence feels sort of... twee? I'm trying to think of a way to say this that doesn't make it sound like I'm butthurt about Katara/Aang being canon (I know there's already been wank about that--and it is hilarious), because honestly I don't ship anything in Avatar. And maybe that's the problem. I'm all OLD and shit now, so the idea of a bunch of teenagers all being confirmed to live happily ever after with people they crushed on so young skeeves me a little. If it were just Katara/Aang, while I don't love it, it wouldn't fuss me much. Sure, it might happen from time to time. But if it's like... Katara and Aang, and Zuko and Mai, and Sokka and Suki... okay, there's that kneejerk plz no. It at once skeeves me, and kind of makes me gag with the cute romantic-ness, which I realize is to be expected from a show with this demographic, but I am self-indulgently talking about my own interest in the series, not its quality, or appropriateness for its target demographic, which are two completely different topics. And beyond that, I don't need confirmation Toph is a badass old woman. I know she is, thanks. The winkwink she's doing X now, theoretically, turns me off a bit.
Maybe I'm missing something entirely, but I don't see what loose ends were so pressing and universal to the cast that it would warrant a sequel series. Maybe I'm wrong, and the new story will not only be EPIC, but also meld seamlessly with the old series, in which case I will be the first to rejoice!
I probably will check it out. As I said before, it's not that I'm not pinged. It's more that... I feel like maybe this would be more my thing if I heard that the creative team were starting a separate original project with strong teenage girl, who is the reincarnation of an important dude, going off to have steampunk adventures in a city of metal. Because dude, that's hot. And if it were revisiting the same world, which does still have potential, I would still probably like it more if it were two hundred years later or something--long enough that it didn't feel so tied to the first series.
/self-indulgence, except not, since this is my own LJ, so there will be more coming before long doubtlessly.
On the one hand, it hits some of my particular pings pretty hard. Female lead, steampunk setting, genderbending reincarnation--and having enjoyed Avatar pretty well, it's nice to get more from the creative team behind it. (I assume it's the same creative team? That's been my impression.)
At the same time, I kind of find it troubling when it seems like artists are too devoted to one work to move on. I realize that the first series had some plot threads that could be explored further and mysteries which never entirely found closure. I don't really want more Aang. I don't want more Katara. I don't want more Sokka or Zuko or Toph. (I know, not even Toph.) It's not that I don't like them. I was just satisfied with what there already was. I like the feeling that they went on to have many more adventures and full lives and family and what have you--but I don't need to see it. I tend to enjoy stories left open ended so it feels like more comes after. I tend not to like all the loose ends tied off too neatly; it strains my disbelief, it feels very convenient, and it's just... not me. It is other people, and I do respect that, but not me. So it affects my interest. It's also a situation that invites temptation to indulge in old characters and plotlines rather than focusing in more. The fandom reaction so far has really crystallized, for me, the fact that many fans do hope it will be just that. Now, fans wanting something doesn't mean they'll get it... but it does really draw out just what I don't really want.
Especially in this kind of continuation, that sort of indulgence feels sort of... twee? I'm trying to think of a way to say this that doesn't make it sound like I'm butthurt about Katara/Aang being canon (I know there's already been wank about that--and it is hilarious), because honestly I don't ship anything in Avatar. And maybe that's the problem. I'm all OLD and shit now, so the idea of a bunch of teenagers all being confirmed to live happily ever after with people they crushed on so young skeeves me a little. If it were just Katara/Aang, while I don't love it, it wouldn't fuss me much. Sure, it might happen from time to time. But if it's like... Katara and Aang, and Zuko and Mai, and Sokka and Suki... okay, there's that kneejerk plz no. It at once skeeves me, and kind of makes me gag with the cute romantic-ness, which I realize is to be expected from a show with this demographic, but I am self-indulgently talking about my own interest in the series, not its quality, or appropriateness for its target demographic, which are two completely different topics. And beyond that, I don't need confirmation Toph is a badass old woman. I know she is, thanks. The winkwink she's doing X now, theoretically, turns me off a bit.
Maybe I'm missing something entirely, but I don't see what loose ends were so pressing and universal to the cast that it would warrant a sequel series. Maybe I'm wrong, and the new story will not only be EPIC, but also meld seamlessly with the old series, in which case I will be the first to rejoice!
I probably will check it out. As I said before, it's not that I'm not pinged. It's more that... I feel like maybe this would be more my thing if I heard that the creative team were starting a separate original project with strong teenage girl, who is the reincarnation of an important dude, going off to have steampunk adventures in a city of metal. Because dude, that's hot. And if it were revisiting the same world, which does still have potential, I would still probably like it more if it were two hundred years later or something--long enough that it didn't feel so tied to the first series.
/self-indulgence, except not, since this is my own LJ, so there will be more coming before long doubtlessly.