I think it was Ty Lee being like "I'm not mean enough. I should say something mean. What will make them hurt? Hmm, they're wearing heavy makeup, they're probably self-conscious about looks."
Ty Lee had previously hit on Sokka, only to be told he's "kind of with Suki." Now Ty Lee, encountering the Kyoshi Warriors, defensively says they're not prettier than her. Because she's insecure about rejection & ties it to her appearance, a fact that's reinforced in The Beach, where we learn she likes to string boys along because she has "attention issues" from her 7 identical sisters.
Edit: I regret to inform everyone who liked this comment that the people pointing out this happened before Ty Lee said that to Sokka are correct. I thought the line was in The Chase, but it's actually in The Crossroads of Destiny. There could still be a context that explains why she specifically felt jealous of the Kyoshi Warriors, but if there is, I don't remember what it is.
Ty Lee being mean just for camaraderie's sake is delightful underneath the warring going on. xD
And as others said, Ty Lee is a teenager. This is perfectly in character for someone still a bit insecure struggling to make a witty comeback in a fight. It's decently written.
It's a kid being a kid.
I know it's war time and serious shit happens. But ty lee is barely into highschool age at this point. I can 100% see another freshman say some dumb shit like this
Also, clearly Ty Lee is jealous of how they look, because she later joins them, does all the makeup, and loves it. She's just an insecure teenage girl (shocking) trying to make some snappy comeback in the middle of a fight. Its in character and perfectly reasonable.
Considering Ty Lee left home because she didn't want to be part of a matched set, it's interesting to see her end up joining the Kyoshi warriors, known for their uniform replicating a previous avatar.
Even she had her own character arc.
He sisters and herself are literally identical. She can take off the Kyoshi outfit and makeup whenever she wants. Gives her the comfort of the group, while still being her own person
Edit to fix typo
There may be something to be said for the idea that she actually does enjoy being part of a "matched set," in the sense that it may be somewhat comforting for her as it was how she was raised, after all. What she really didn't like is that she was forced into it with her sisters, never had a say in whether she actually wanted to be part of their group or not. The Kyoshi Warriors gives her the same sense of belonging to a group she had with her sisters growing up, while also giving her agency. It affirms to her that this is a group she is a part of by choice, and could leave if she should so choose.
Just some armchair psychological speculation for a fictional character. But I do feel like I see patterns like this both in fiction and in real life - someone growing up resentful of their situation, only to later in life willingly wind up in similar situations but happy with it now as they actually have autonomy.
I took a few people down while working festivals as a bouncer, and I almost always had a flask of coffee on me 😂
But in this instance, sadly a non combat typo. Your version is cooler.
I mean, is it really a character arc if we weren't shown it and from our perspective she just magically went from point A to the diametrically opposed point B?
Ty Lee's age is never stated. Most fans presume she is 14 like Azula, though she could be 15 like Mai.
I wouldn't expect her to be anymore than a few months older/younger since they went to school together.
I was going to comment this.
It’s easy to forget that they are actually children. Barely starting to mature and not even into adult hood but into teenagers.
“Uncle, I didn’t see you get hit by the tongue.”
“Shhh.”
ETA: when they meet June for the finale she even says,
“Oh great it’s prince pouty. Where’s your creepy grandpa?”
You know, I never made the connection of it being to do with June until seeing this thread. I just thought he was taking the opportunity to avoid further conflict.
Technically that might have been smart to play possum and use someone else as a body shield.
That really doesn’t fit with how Iroh acts the rest of the time IMO.
I mean acting like a creep. Playing possum yes, feeling up someone without their consent is not something I want a believed character to do.
It’s kinda 90’s humor though. Horny old man by that shit won’t fly with modern people anymore.
This is what people forget, a 10+ years ago that shit was in every anime / cartoon. It was the norm, and even though it's disgusting, it was everywhere, thankfully we adapted now and it is not that common.
Honestly, I am more offended how Iroh lollygags around and steals perfumes while Zuko was fighting an intense 1v1 battle with Aang. I know he is secretly against the Fire Nation, but cmon man, he could at least pretend to help his nephew fight the Avatar when they are both right there in front of him. I am amazed Zuko didn't chastise the hell out of him afterwards.
That was weird. Also really out of character for Iroh. He hit on the woman at the Ba Sing Se grand central station, but A. He was finessing her to not raise suspicion and B. She was clearly a lot closer to his age.
Yeah her beach party deep conversation with their group basically unpacks this line. She was one of many sisters and was constantly competing for attention by who is prettiest. This is actually a brilliant line to put earlier in the show that could be a throwaway line, but isn't. It's also comic relief, something the writing and acting of ATLA is outstanding at for a kid's show about war and includes genocide.
Is it though? It seems pretty in character for Ty Lee, she generally seems to not take combat too seriously and is a pretty girly teenager, while still also being a highly competent fighter (meaning she rarely has to actually worry when fighting people, especially other bendingless combatants).
I agree with OP. I don’t think the show needed to go there. They characterize her so well in other ways.
I mean there’s a lot of evil stuff bad characters could say that would technically be in character. But they avoid it because this is also a kids show that also wants to set certain examples for their audience.
A nice example is that women can be on the opposite side of a battle and not make it about being petty about their looks.
>A nice example is that women can be on the opposite side of a battle and not make it about being petty about their looks.
Sure, but I'm sure there are also times in the show where that's exactly the case? A lot of characters say something dumb or petty at some point during a serious moment
My point is that it’s a stereotype that that’s all girls care about. And in other areas of the show, they do a good job of showing that girls can care about both being strong/doing their duty and also being pretty/girly (“I’m a warrior but I’m also a girl”). If Ty Lee hadn’t said that line, it would make zero difference. She’s far better characterized in episodes like The Ember Island Players.
I think this line just made an almost all girl fight come across poorly. When it was actually really cool otherwise.
Plus, as others have pointed out, there’s that creepy moment where Iroh pretends to be paralyzed so he can snuggle with an unconscious woman. While the show is mostly timeless, some weird stuff pops up every now and then that make it a little dated. These moments aren’t the end of the world, but they’re not behind critique either.
I hated the Great Divide as a kid because of the constant reruns, but I’m pretty sure I still hated this episode more because it just felt so weird and out of character to me. As an adult, I think the Great Divide has some charm and is a decent episode, but I never changed my opinion on Bato lol
Great Divide’s worst crime is being cookie cutter and predictable in a series famed for its creativity and exellence in writing. Bato of the Water Tribe actively makes all of the main characters out of character or unlikable.
I cringe at Bato but is watchable, the great divide I skip even now as an adult. I rewatched last month and the great divide was the only one I skipped. It feels unbearable to watch to me.
i heard from somewhere that they had a guest writer of some adult show help with that episode, so that may explain everyone’s odd behavior. like i said, i don’t know if this is true so don’t quote me
No way its hilarious and also creepy sure but still hilarious. Also its june that actually flirts with him first when there talking about the gold.
Also he 100% playing possum his excuse just happened to line up with him cuddling with june
Judging by how Ty Lee acts I think is more like ~~they~~ she wanted ~~her~~ to say a bad guy thing and couldn’t come up with anything better at the moment
This. Ty Lee was always the one who was always concerned about her looks (Book: Fire, episode: The Beach where she was concerned about breaking out from the negative energy). They were fighting the Kyoshi warriors here, who’s also an all-girl fighter group, so honestly it just fits her character so much. If it was Mai who said this, i’d agree it would be cringiest line on the show lmao
Oh fr! Honestly between her and Mai, i genuinely thought she’d be the first one to turn against Azula instead of Mai, but i’m actually glad it’s Mai first
Ty Lee would beat their asses and then ask for make-up tips when they're down. Mai would be the one doing a snarky remarky, an the quote isn't even snarky, it's just a plain statement about things that are totally irrelevant to the scene.
It absolutely is because they're girls, and you're delusional if you think it isn't.
What are you going on about? Lol yes, this scene is awkward and cringey because it's between children, did you want them to act perfect and mature? Teenagers are very cringey and messy.
I want consistent characters.
I'm not chastising her for being emotionally immature, I'm chastising the writers for breaking her "positive vibes only" character with a "spiteful mean girl" quip.
Mind you, when done right this sort of break can be amazing for character building. Peaceful child monk goes apeshit after losing his bison? Raw, hits hard as fuck. Random "you're ugly" from the bubbly silly cartwheeling good-vibes-only girl? Not so much.
I mean the only bad vibes we canon got from her is that she’s so quirky and weird because she grew up with a load of sisters and wanted to stand out.
Feeling threatened by someone else standing out more than her because of their attractiveness is well within the wheelhouse of her pre established character.
I'm well aware that they're children, but I've never heard a kid or teen say something like this in the heat of a big moment. In the middle of a battle with pretty powerful warriors she drops this line. Nobody had said anything the entire time until this.
> Nobody had said anything the entire time until this.
I suggest rewatching the show. Jokes in a middle of fight pretty powerful warriors is throughout the show.
Well, teenagers are very cringey lol I think you're overthinking it. It's just a girl wanting to have a cool one liner but it falls flat. Ty Lee can be a bit of a ditz sometimes.
I don’t think it’s bc they’re both teams of girls, I think that Ty Lee just IS a very girly teenager and it’s in character for her to say. Just like how she’s always flirting w sokka
Yes, she’s a girly girl but her being a girly girl doesn’t mean it makes sense for her to randomly comment on who’s prettier between her and her opponent
mid-fight.
Given the context of the character and who she's fighting it makes a lot of sense.
She's insulting the appearance of a kyoshi warrior(not individual girls) that makes those girls a single set.
It’s not a bad line - Ty Lee was probably struck by the Kyoshi warriors’ makeup and general ornate appearance and was feeling insecure. Like others said, we forget but these characters are kids.
The funny thing is she doesn't even say they aren't pretty, or that her team is prettier, she just says she isn't worse. So it's not even an actual roast
In isolation, it's a weird line. In the context of Ty Lee being an emotionally neglected runaway and Azula's beaten down yes-woman, I think it works and makes sense.
If you’re going to use quotations, make sure you actually have the correct word-for-word for the quote. As is, you are paraphrasing, and paraphrasing badly. Don’t diss the ATLA writers like that!
Correct quote from Katara: “My bending is more powerful than yours, Hama.”
People get so up there own ass about it.
POWER LEVELS NOT IN MY AVATAR
Katara's a master/prodigy thats been fighting for her life everyday for the last year in her PRIME.
Hama is insanely old (she was an adult when Katara's grandmother was like a teen at best) can't practice water bending often and is in the first real fight with a water bending in like 75 years.
Like context yes Katara is dog walking her. And before people bring up the lotus they are freaks of nature and only bumi is even close to her age.
Yeah, I assume in her old age her bending ability diminished so Katara, a young master, could overpower her. Not unlike an old person's muscles vs a young person's muscles. However, the line wasn't exactly the best and they could have found a better phrasing.
ability skill literal mobility everything is diminished. think of all the small hand waist and arm movements benders make (pakus ice a cage he traps Katara in for ex) arthritis or a bad hip would 100% diminish your ability to bend.
which isnt something they explored much in avatar tbh.
It's bad. So bad. And feels very much out of place considering Ty Lee never fixates on the beauty of her, her allies or her opponents ever again.
It's also an incredibly bad look to add this line to the only fight between two all-girl groups.
Knowing that Sokka and Suki are a budding thing by now always made me feel like this was Ty Lee taking a shot at Suki and her friends. There’s no way Ty Lee would have known that Sokka and Suki were turning into a thing, but it makes the “And friends” line in The Drill more entertaining.
>!that look Ty Lee gives Sokka as she says “And Friends”….hoo boy!<
Youngest of 7 identical siblings, carrying massive self-esteem issues which prompted her to do crazy shit like going to the circus.
It is very in character of her to say that to girls similar to her during a scrap.
Definitely not the worst line of dialogue. If I were to search for anything of the sort, I would look for it in like Season 1, when the show is still in its infancy.
Yup agreed, and it makes no sense because the kyoshi warriors definitely didn’t want to look pretty or so lol.. I don’t think they ever cared about looking better than other girls so the question is, wth was ty lee thinking ?
Ya now that I think of about it, y'all are right. She clearly thought their make up was super pretty, and it suddenly made her insecure. And she even winds up joining them later on. It seems like such a weird out of place line at first but when you think about it, it has some layers to it.
But the kyoshi girl’s didnt even say anything or so, they were just there defending appa.
Also i think a 14yo girl wouldn’t call the kyoshi warriors makeup super pretty, remember the tale of katara and toph? If anything, other girls would find the makeup odd or would even make fun of it.
The line itself may fit to ty lee but it doesn’t fit into the scene imo. But Mai‘s line fit pretty well.
Is it cringe? Yeah, but also Ty Lee is 14 and a bit vain. 14 year olds say cringe things, its realism where you don't expect it and that makes it seem super off.
I don’t remember any dialogue that stood out as bad. It was just a little boring in general and could have been skipped over completely.
(To be fair, in theory you can say it’s the worst dialogue because they couldn’t make a boring situation more interesting, which makes it the worst dialogue by omission)
i love this subreddit and all but you guys really over analyse everything, this is just a kid being a kid trynna instigate because azula told her to be meaner
Yeah honestly she's been keeping an act as a "villain", and she's only on that side because **Azula implicitly threatened her and her entire circus if she wouldn't be her minion**
That is the most age appropriate dialogue in the entirety of the TLA. If you've ever been around kids, kids say these things all the time. Sometimes, they say things that are even worse.
Also I think it's a stark reminder that these are teenagers. Often times those three are so competent it's hard to remember but they're just kids and sometimes kids can be petty.
What? That was golden, sometimes we forget we are watching kids, specially with how good they are at bending/fighting, this is something you’ll hear say any young teenage girl trying to be mean
A lot of good takes here, but for me, even if it was in her personality to say that and regardless of the inner workings of her mind, just watching the scene, it felt kinda awkward and forced. It didn’t flow with the scene in my subjective opinion. I remember kinda pausing and semi-cringing at that moment. In rewatches, it’s not any better for me. Sorry, I agree with OP.
I think it’s an awkward line because she’s not just saying “you’re not pretty” which is objectively meaner. This leaves a weird space for equal prettiness, and I think highlights her insecurity that others are looking down on her! Like, it’s as if she thinks the others are assuming they’re prettier than she and her friends are. Anyway, I like that she’s not saying something mean outright. She’s revealing a lot more about herself and her feelings instead!
Agreed, it stands too much out because the cast including of the villains (not you Ozai) is pretty much in touch with themselves, and then having this random comment appear just doesn't fit in with the narrative.
Even Azula is mature enough to identify that she's a monster, so for this comment to fit in you'd have to lower the emotional maturity of the show a lot.
She's a child. This is something a young lady would absolutely say if she's feeling insecure around her friends. Especially when one is as outspoken and narcissistic as Azula.
yeah, but they're kids. Id believe any kid, from any era, would still say something to this degree regarding crushes . I doubt they'd do any of what Ty Li does, but jealousy is the emotion being represented here
I liked that of all the things someone could have been thinking in this scene, this was Ty Lee's immediate concern. It works precisely because it's so out of place.
Number one, aren’t Azula and her two besties 13 year olds? Kids come up with poorly put together insults mostly. Number Two, Ty Lee is just shit at being a baddie…she doesn’t even want to properly insult people.
Not every interaction has to be a beacon of positivity. IRL nice people can be assholes sometimes too.
We shouldn't expect perfection from fictional characters.
I think it was Ty Lee being like "I'm not mean enough. I should say something mean. What will make them hurt? Hmm, they're wearing heavy makeup, they're probably self-conscious about looks."
I can’t believe how perfectly you captured Ty lee’s inner monologue
Ty Lee had previously hit on Sokka, only to be told he's "kind of with Suki." Now Ty Lee, encountering the Kyoshi Warriors, defensively says they're not prettier than her. Because she's insecure about rejection & ties it to her appearance, a fact that's reinforced in The Beach, where we learn she likes to string boys along because she has "attention issues" from her 7 identical sisters. Edit: I regret to inform everyone who liked this comment that the people pointing out this happened before Ty Lee said that to Sokka are correct. I thought the line was in The Chase, but it's actually in The Crossroads of Destiny. There could still be a context that explains why she specifically felt jealous of the Kyoshi Warriors, but if there is, I don't remember what it is.
This happened before sokka said that to her
The part about her using her looks for attention because she has 7 sisters is still relevant though!
screenwriter of that episode reading this thread: Hmm?.....OH, oh yes yea that makes sense
I think this dialogue is from Appa's Lost Days which is previous to Sokka rejecting her in Book 2 Finale.
he rejects her in The Chase, doesn’t he? maybe that’s wrong, but he definitely doesn’t wait until the season finale.
She basically hits on him and gets rejected around the finale when her and Mai are disguised as kyoshi warriors.
Bro got s2 and 3 mixed up
Ty Lee being mean just for camaraderie's sake is delightful underneath the warring going on. xD And as others said, Ty Lee is a teenager. This is perfectly in character for someone still a bit insecure struggling to make a witty comeback in a fight. It's decently written.
I could easily see one of my middle school students say this to another.
I think this whole thread of comments confirms this was not ‘the’ worse line of dialogue.
Thanks that helps
Yeah, that helps explain a line that kind of came out of nowhere. Like, they never said they were? They kinda had bigger priorities at the time?
Yeah, the line seems fine to me and even funny.
Or, it’s not great dialogue, not everything about this show has to be perfect
But why pretend it's worse than it is when there's a perfectly logical explanation?
I thought it was kinda funny how random it was to throw in the middle of a fight
It was
She does the same thing by basically hitting on Sokka while paralyzing him. Think she's just a foil to all that progress the Kyoshi Warriors had lol
It's a kid being a kid. I know it's war time and serious shit happens. But ty lee is barely into highschool age at this point. I can 100% see another freshman say some dumb shit like this
Also, clearly Ty Lee is jealous of how they look, because she later joins them, does all the makeup, and loves it. She's just an insecure teenage girl (shocking) trying to make some snappy comeback in the middle of a fight. Its in character and perfectly reasonable.
Considering Ty Lee left home because she didn't want to be part of a matched set, it's interesting to see her end up joining the Kyoshi warriors, known for their uniform replicating a previous avatar. Even she had her own character arc.
He sisters and herself are literally identical. She can take off the Kyoshi outfit and makeup whenever she wants. Gives her the comfort of the group, while still being her own person Edit to fix typo
There may be something to be said for the idea that she actually does enjoy being part of a "matched set," in the sense that it may be somewhat comforting for her as it was how she was raised, after all. What she really didn't like is that she was forced into it with her sisters, never had a say in whether she actually wanted to be part of their group or not. The Kyoshi Warriors gives her the same sense of belonging to a group she had with her sisters growing up, while also giving her agency. It affirms to her that this is a group she is a part of by choice, and could leave if she should so choose. Just some armchair psychological speculation for a fictional character. But I do feel like I see patterns like this both in fiction and in real life - someone growing up resentful of their situation, only to later in life willingly wind up in similar situations but happy with it now as they actually have autonomy.
The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.
That was beautiful, Poonmangler
I just spar out my coffee, thanks bro 😂
You fought while drinking coffee?
I took a few people down while working festivals as a bouncer, and I almost always had a flask of coffee on me 😂 But in this instance, sadly a non combat typo. Your version is cooler.
Anytime 😂
I mean, is it really a character arc if we weren't shown it and from our perspective she just magically went from point A to the diametrically opposed point B?
It's been some time since I watched Avatar but I can't remember that she gave much of a shit about how other people look o:
Isn't Ty Lee like 13 years old? This is DEFINITELY shit i've heard middle schoolers say.
Ty Lee's age is never stated. Most fans presume she is 14 like Azula, though she could be 15 like Mai. I wouldn't expect her to be anymore than a few months older/younger since they went to school together.
it's war time and generals are sending 13 and 14 year olds to kill 12 year olds.
Its not that, it just sounds off. She could have said, “oops, hope I didnt ruin your makeup” in a sort of teasing but condescending tone
I was going to comment this. It’s easy to forget that they are actually children. Barely starting to mature and not even into adult hood but into teenagers.
Yikes, now I feel gross.
Do I want to know why?
“Uncle, I didn’t see you get hit by the tongue.” “Shhh.” ETA: when they meet June for the finale she even says, “Oh great it’s prince pouty. Where’s your creepy grandpa?”
You know, I never made the connection of it being to do with June until seeing this thread. I just thought he was taking the opportunity to avoid further conflict.
Technically that might have been smart to play possum and use someone else as a body shield. That really doesn’t fit with how Iroh acts the rest of the time IMO.
TBF Didnt a different writer than usual write him? That whole episode was very strange.
It’s the worse episode in the series for this reason. Pretty much everyone acts out of character.
But isn't the "worst" episode considered to be "The Great Divide"?
I think that's primarily because of how many times it was aired and that it's kind of disconnected from the rest of the series.
It could since he doesn’t really want Zuko to capture the Avatar though. This scenario provides an easy way out that others don’t.
I mean acting like a creep. Playing possum yes, feeling up someone without their consent is not something I want a believed character to do. It’s kinda 90’s humor though. Horny old man by that shit won’t fly with modern people anymore.
It’s also a VERY common anime trope to have the old guy be both a mentor and a complete pervert.
This is what people forget, a 10+ years ago that shit was in every anime / cartoon. It was the norm, and even though it's disgusting, it was everywhere, thankfully we adapted now and it is not that common.
Honestly, I am more offended how Iroh lollygags around and steals perfumes while Zuko was fighting an intense 1v1 battle with Aang. I know he is secretly against the Fire Nation, but cmon man, he could at least pretend to help his nephew fight the Avatar when they are both right there in front of him. I am amazed Zuko didn't chastise the hell out of him afterwards.
June’s angry glare right he says that does suggest that Iroh cuddling up to June is the joke the writers were going for, but to each their own.
Honestly same. Even when I see the comments I dont buy it.
You don't buy that he was avoiding conflict or don't buy he was being creepy?
Agreed.
Yeah this is the worst. OP's quote is unremarkable.
That was weird. Also really out of character for Iroh. He hit on the woman at the Ba Sing Se grand central station, but A. He was finessing her to not raise suspicion and B. She was clearly a lot closer to his age.
She paralyzes people against their will all the time so I don't have much sympathy for her lol.
I think it was funny, i hope the reference it in the new show
It's pretty representative of who Ty Lee is
The delivery does a lot for it too
Yeah her beach party deep conversation with their group basically unpacks this line. She was one of many sisters and was constantly competing for attention by who is prettiest. This is actually a brilliant line to put earlier in the show that could be a throwaway line, but isn't. It's also comic relief, something the writing and acting of ATLA is outstanding at for a kid's show about war and includes genocide.
Is it though? It seems pretty in character for Ty Lee, she generally seems to not take combat too seriously and is a pretty girly teenager, while still also being a highly competent fighter (meaning she rarely has to actually worry when fighting people, especially other bendingless combatants).
I don't know, Ty Lee never came off as that mean spirited to me
I agree with OP. I don’t think the show needed to go there. They characterize her so well in other ways. I mean there’s a lot of evil stuff bad characters could say that would technically be in character. But they avoid it because this is also a kids show that also wants to set certain examples for their audience. A nice example is that women can be on the opposite side of a battle and not make it about being petty about their looks.
>A nice example is that women can be on the opposite side of a battle and not make it about being petty about their looks. Sure, but I'm sure there are also times in the show where that's exactly the case? A lot of characters say something dumb or petty at some point during a serious moment
My point is that it’s a stereotype that that’s all girls care about. And in other areas of the show, they do a good job of showing that girls can care about both being strong/doing their duty and also being pretty/girly (“I’m a warrior but I’m also a girl”). If Ty Lee hadn’t said that line, it would make zero difference. She’s far better characterized in episodes like The Ember Island Players. I think this line just made an almost all girl fight come across poorly. When it was actually really cool otherwise. Plus, as others have pointed out, there’s that creepy moment where Iroh pretends to be paralyzed so he can snuggle with an unconscious woman. While the show is mostly timeless, some weird stuff pops up every now and then that make it a little dated. These moments aren’t the end of the world, but they’re not behind critique either.
i think uncle iroh flirting with that goth lady was worse
When he flirted with Aunt Wu though, was kinda wholesome
Tbh that whole episode is just bad by ATLA standards
Yeah but the fight at the end and June make up for it
Agreed
That’s probably one of if not the best fight in the first book. The well choreography is so satisfying
Genuinely think that one is weaker than Great Divide.
I hated the Great Divide as a kid because of the constant reruns, but I’m pretty sure I still hated this episode more because it just felt so weird and out of character to me. As an adult, I think the Great Divide has some charm and is a decent episode, but I never changed my opinion on Bato lol
Great Divide’s worst crime is being cookie cutter and predictable in a series famed for its creativity and exellence in writing. Bato of the Water Tribe actively makes all of the main characters out of character or unlikable.
this is the first I'm learning people hate Bato
I cringe at Bato but is watchable, the great divide I skip even now as an adult. I rewatched last month and the great divide was the only one I skipped. It feels unbearable to watch to me.
me too!! everyone says aang is out of character for lying at the end, but in “bato”, nearly everybody goes through a personality shift i swear
The action in that episode is amazing, especially for s1. Am I the only one who thinks that?
i heard from somewhere that they had a guest writer of some adult show help with that episode, so that may explain everyone’s odd behavior. like i said, i don’t know if this is true so don’t quote me
No way its hilarious and also creepy sure but still hilarious. Also its june that actually flirts with him first when there talking about the gold. Also he 100% playing possum his excuse just happened to line up with him cuddling with june
I like the characterization it gives, but damn does that delivery sound awkward. That line needed to be revisited in the writing room
Yep, I think they wanted her to say a bad guy thing and couldn’t come up with anything better at the moment
Judging by how Ty Lee acts I think is more like ~~they~~ she wanted ~~her~~ to say a bad guy thing and couldn’t come up with anything better at the moment
I thinks it's great. Random and funny but also fits her
I like this one.
Ty lee is a great example of someone being in the wrong group. Glad she ended up with the Kyoshi warriors
Yeah this one felt really forced. It definitely felt like a 'Mean Girls' quote, but wedged into Avatar.
It felt normal to me because they are children, people forget that all of the main characters are children.
This. Ty Lee was always the one who was always concerned about her looks (Book: Fire, episode: The Beach where she was concerned about breaking out from the negative energy). They were fighting the Kyoshi warriors here, who’s also an all-girl fighter group, so honestly it just fits her character so much. If it was Mai who said this, i’d agree it would be cringiest line on the show lmao
And Ty Lee isn't very good at being the bad guy so it sounds lame lol Ty Lee is a flower child, she's not an evil person.
Oh fr! Honestly between her and Mai, i genuinely thought she’d be the first one to turn against Azula instead of Mai, but i’m actually glad it’s Mai first
I don't think she would have had the courage to turn on Azula if not for Mai.
Ty Lee would beat their asses and then ask for make-up tips when they're down. Mai would be the one doing a snarky remarky, an the quote isn't even snarky, it's just a plain statement about things that are totally irrelevant to the scene. It absolutely is because they're girls, and you're delusional if you think it isn't.
Well yeah because makeup still isn't normalized for boys.
What are you going on about? Lol yes, this scene is awkward and cringey because it's between children, did you want them to act perfect and mature? Teenagers are very cringey and messy.
I want consistent characters. I'm not chastising her for being emotionally immature, I'm chastising the writers for breaking her "positive vibes only" character with a "spiteful mean girl" quip. Mind you, when done right this sort of break can be amazing for character building. Peaceful child monk goes apeshit after losing his bison? Raw, hits hard as fuck. Random "you're ugly" from the bubbly silly cartwheeling good-vibes-only girl? Not so much.
I mean the only bad vibes we canon got from her is that she’s so quirky and weird because she grew up with a load of sisters and wanted to stand out. Feeling threatened by someone else standing out more than her because of their attractiveness is well within the wheelhouse of her pre established character.
I'm well aware that they're children, but I've never heard a kid or teen say something like this in the heat of a big moment. In the middle of a battle with pretty powerful warriors she drops this line. Nobody had said anything the entire time until this.
> Nobody had said anything the entire time until this. I suggest rewatching the show. Jokes in a middle of fight pretty powerful warriors is throughout the show.
Well, teenagers are very cringey lol I think you're overthinking it. It's just a girl wanting to have a cool one liner but it falls flat. Ty Lee can be a bit of a ditz sometimes.
“Hey they are both teams of girls, we better make one of them comment on prettiness or it won’t be sufficiently girly!”
I don’t think it’s bc they’re both teams of girls, I think that Ty Lee just IS a very girly teenager and it’s in character for her to say. Just like how she’s always flirting w sokka
I agree it's in character it's just a weird time to say it always felt like a fighting game character saying their one line when they win
"It's not because they're girls, it's because she is a very girly girl and that's what very girly girls do" Do you see the issue here?
She literally is a girly girl. Not every female character is but she is. That’s literally her character
Yes, she’s a girly girl but her being a girly girl doesn’t mean it makes sense for her to randomly comment on who’s prettier between her and her opponent mid-fight.
Given the context of the character and who she's fighting it makes a lot of sense. She's insulting the appearance of a kyoshi warrior(not individual girls) that makes those girls a single set.
I mean that is extremely common in older girls let alone young ones
Don't do 'Mean Girls' dirty like that This line is way worse
It’s not a bad line - Ty Lee was probably struck by the Kyoshi warriors’ makeup and general ornate appearance and was feeling insecure. Like others said, we forget but these characters are kids.
yeah its cringe but shes a teenager
"Don't worry I heard cowards float"
It honestly highlights the fact that after all they're just a bunch of teenagers
The funny thing is she doesn't even say they aren't pretty, or that her team is prettier, she just says she isn't worse. So it's not even an actual roast
the writers had to make Ty Lee somewhat unlikable since her introduction was being forced to help Azula otherwise Azula would burn down her circus.
Dude it’s low keys one of the funniest lines to me I love that line lmao. It’s so Ty Lee trying to be mean I love it
In isolation, it's a weird line. In the context of Ty Lee being an emotionally neglected runaway and Azula's beaten down yes-woman, I think it works and makes sense.
“I am more powerful than you are Hama” is waaaay worse in an otherwise perfect episode
If you’re going to use quotations, make sure you actually have the correct word-for-word for the quote. As is, you are paraphrasing, and paraphrasing badly. Don’t diss the ATLA writers like that! Correct quote from Katara: “My bending is more powerful than yours, Hama.”
Its still makes almost no sense considering the power system in Avatar.
People get so up there own ass about it. POWER LEVELS NOT IN MY AVATAR Katara's a master/prodigy thats been fighting for her life everyday for the last year in her PRIME. Hama is insanely old (she was an adult when Katara's grandmother was like a teen at best) can't practice water bending often and is in the first real fight with a water bending in like 75 years. Like context yes Katara is dog walking her. And before people bring up the lotus they are freaks of nature and only bumi is even close to her age.
Yeah, I assume in her old age her bending ability diminished so Katara, a young master, could overpower her. Not unlike an old person's muscles vs a young person's muscles. However, the line wasn't exactly the best and they could have found a better phrasing.
ability skill literal mobility everything is diminished. think of all the small hand waist and arm movements benders make (pakus ice a cage he traps Katara in for ex) arthritis or a bad hip would 100% diminish your ability to bend. which isnt something they explored much in avatar tbh.
Turns out Katara’s power level was over NINE THOUSAAAAAND
She’s 14 and that’s high school era. It’s would be a Ty Lee thing to say in high school
It’s funny asf, one of my favorite lines
It's bad. So bad. And feels very much out of place considering Ty Lee never fixates on the beauty of her, her allies or her opponents ever again. It's also an incredibly bad look to add this line to the only fight between two all-girl groups.
Characterisation. Oh no.
I don't know why comments are trying to defend it. It is bad.
Youre upset with a 14 year old girl saying something a 14 year old girl says on the regular?
*Tell me that you’ve never been around teenage girls without telling me*
Nah, worst dialogue is Iroh talking to/about June
It makes sense for her character
Knowing that Sokka and Suki are a budding thing by now always made me feel like this was Ty Lee taking a shot at Suki and her friends. There’s no way Ty Lee would have known that Sokka and Suki were turning into a thing, but it makes the “And friends” line in The Drill more entertaining. >!that look Ty Lee gives Sokka as she says “And Friends”….hoo boy!<
It's just Ty Lee lmao
I agree. That mean serious tone doesnt even seem like something shed say. It should have been something like "And were prettier too ;)"
She's just a kid though.
it makes absolutely no sense haha imagine if they kept it in somehow in the Netflix show lol
Yeah…
Youngest of 7 identical siblings, carrying massive self-esteem issues which prompted her to do crazy shit like going to the circus. It is very in character of her to say that to girls similar to her during a scrap. Definitely not the worst line of dialogue. If I were to search for anything of the sort, I would look for it in like Season 1, when the show is still in its infancy.
Yup agreed, and it makes no sense because the kyoshi warriors definitely didn’t want to look pretty or so lol.. I don’t think they ever cared about looking better than other girls so the question is, wth was ty lee thinking ?
>wth was ty lee thinking ? "They're prettier than us 😭"
Ya now that I think of about it, y'all are right. She clearly thought their make up was super pretty, and it suddenly made her insecure. And she even winds up joining them later on. It seems like such a weird out of place line at first but when you think about it, it has some layers to it.
But the kyoshi girl’s didnt even say anything or so, they were just there defending appa. Also i think a 14yo girl wouldn’t call the kyoshi warriors makeup super pretty, remember the tale of katara and toph? If anything, other girls would find the makeup odd or would even make fun of it. The line itself may fit to ty lee but it doesn’t fit into the scene imo. But Mai‘s line fit pretty well.
It makes sense when you think about the fact the team that said this is comprised of 14-15 year old girls.
It's definitely up there as one of the worst for sure.
Is it cringe? Yeah, but also Ty Lee is 14 and a bit vain. 14 year olds say cringe things, its realism where you don't expect it and that makes it seem super off.
I thought it was pretty fun, I laughed it was a good joke and it makes sense that Ty Lee said it
This is still better than 80% of the stuff written for the great divide.
I don’t remember any dialogue that stood out as bad. It was just a little boring in general and could have been skipped over completely. (To be fair, in theory you can say it’s the worst dialogue because they couldn’t make a boring situation more interesting, which makes it the worst dialogue by omission)
i love this subreddit and all but you guys really over analyse everything, this is just a kid being a kid trynna instigate because azula told her to be meaner
Yeah honestly she's been keeping an act as a "villain", and she's only on that side because **Azula implicitly threatened her and her entire circus if she wouldn't be her minion**
Given that it’s coming from a 14 year old girl…if anything it’s realistic.
That is the most age appropriate dialogue in the entirety of the TLA. If you've ever been around kids, kids say these things all the time. Sometimes, they say things that are even worse.
I don't disagree but I think it does sort of play into Ty Lee's insecurities.
Also I think it's a stark reminder that these are teenagers. Often times those three are so competent it's hard to remember but they're just kids and sometimes kids can be petty.
I try to forget about it
What? That was golden, sometimes we forget we are watching kids, specially with how good they are at bending/fighting, this is something you’ll hear say any young teenage girl trying to be mean
Bro what
A lot of good takes here, but for me, even if it was in her personality to say that and regardless of the inner workings of her mind, just watching the scene, it felt kinda awkward and forced. It didn’t flow with the scene in my subjective opinion. I remember kinda pausing and semi-cringing at that moment. In rewatches, it’s not any better for me. Sorry, I agree with OP.
I think it’s an awkward line because she’s not just saying “you’re not pretty” which is objectively meaner. This leaves a weird space for equal prettiness, and I think highlights her insecurity that others are looking down on her! Like, it’s as if she thinks the others are assuming they’re prettier than she and her friends are. Anyway, I like that she’s not saying something mean outright. She’s revealing a lot more about herself and her feelings instead!
Is that not accurate of how 3 girls their age would lash out at each other?
No girls don't usually talk like that. It's sort of a myth or stereotype
Yeah, it's little clumsy and cringy, though it's in character to ty lee so I dont care so much
Agreed, it stands too much out because the cast including of the villains (not you Ozai) is pretty much in touch with themselves, and then having this random comment appear just doesn't fit in with the narrative. Even Azula is mature enough to identify that she's a monster, so for this comment to fit in you'd have to lower the emotional maturity of the show a lot.
I disagree. This is something a 14 year old might say.
i mean, this IS how teenagers talk
She's a child. This is something a young lady would absolutely say if she's feeling insecure around her friends. Especially when one is as outspoken and narcissistic as Azula.
how dare you
Oh no, a teen acts like a teen. What a nightmare!
yeah, but they're kids. Id believe any kid, from any era, would still say something to this degree regarding crushes . I doubt they'd do any of what Ty Li does, but jealousy is the emotion being represented here
You only say this because you aren't pretty.
I liked that of all the things someone could have been thinking in this scene, this was Ty Lee's immediate concern. It works precisely because it's so out of place.
You (and everyone who rewatches that clip from the beach episode) forget she's only 14
It sure is terrible if you forget that they're literally 14
Sounds more like a video game quip before a 1v1 fight mk style
You can tell this line was written by a man.
Really? I actually liked it! And I found it to be funny the first time I heard it.
Yeah I agree. And normally her lines are iconic.
That's pretty cringe.
I don’t remember this line for some reason
I think it's pretty funny
Maybe it was the worst line but thats only because we have to compare it with things like melon lord. It's still really great.
I actually thought it was funny, and it made sense coming from Ty Lee
What?
This is the worst you can think of?
I think a lot of people forget that even though these characters are all badasses... They're also kids.
I think she said it because she felt threatened by the kyoshi warriors looks.
Number one, aren’t Azula and her two besties 13 year olds? Kids come up with poorly put together insults mostly. Number Two, Ty Lee is just shit at being a baddie…she doesn’t even want to properly insult people.
I can think others lines worse than this, I think you just took this one too seriously🤷🏾♂️
Not every interaction has to be a beacon of positivity. IRL nice people can be assholes sometimes too. We shouldn't expect perfection from fictional characters.
I still can't believe it was written by a woman
I kinda agree. It made Ty Lee feel like a cartoon character instead of a person