I...very rarely watch this episode, despite the fact that Suki and her Warriors really shine a bit in it. The cruelty against Appa is so hard to watch that I go out of my way to avoid watching it, probably because despite all of that, it really IS a well-written episode. Guru Patik is one of the most interesting characters, and his patience and endurance with Appa is just wonderful and warming to watch. We get to see Suki and her Warriors kick ass with swords and shields (before losing), and we also get to see Appa make cameos during other events.
And I still can't watch it.
Granted, some of the dialogue in this episode is really quite horrible - Azula, Mai and Ty Lee's for the best example - but even that's not what keeps me away. It really is a lovely episode, but watching Appa try and try and always lose really hurts me. So I don't watch it too often.
I agree that this is a hard episode to watch. When I saw it the first time it actually wasn't as impacting as when I rewatched it -- seeing it again made me realise how sad it actually is. I think it's actually one of the saddest entries in the series, mainly because, as you mentioned, it's Appa suffering from start to finish, and just when we are finally given a precious gleam of light, the hope of a reunion between Aang and Appa after so many episodes of waiting and so much emotional turmoil...Appa is foiled yet again. So frustrating.
When I look back on these season two episodes, they seem to feature so much more serious and emotionally impacting moments than I remember from season one...it's my favourite season in the series, but episodes like this are still ones which I'd rather not rewatch, due to the suffering the character goes through. I think Appa has always felt like a real character, an irreplaceable part of the gang (rather than the usual depiction of a dull animal only used for transportation) and this episode really hammers that home.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2011-08-25 01:53 pm (UTC)And I still can't watch it.
Granted, some of the dialogue in this episode is really quite horrible - Azula, Mai and Ty Lee's for the best example - but even that's not what keeps me away. It really is a lovely episode, but watching Appa try and try and always lose really hurts me. So I don't watch it too often.
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Date: 2011-08-31 01:52 am (UTC)When I look back on these season two episodes, they seem to feature so much more serious and emotionally impacting moments than I remember from season one...it's my favourite season in the series, but episodes like this are still ones which I'd rather not rewatch, due to the suffering the character goes through. I think Appa has always felt like a real character, an irreplaceable part of the gang (rather than the usual depiction of a dull animal only used for transportation) and this episode really hammers that home.