A Prince Exiled: A Scarred Past Fuels His Ambition

Prince Zuko’s story starts off rough. He’s the crown prince of the Fire Nation, a powerful and aggressive empire waging war on the rest of the world. His father, the ruthless Fire Lord Ozai, casts a long shadow. In a public display of humiliation, Ozai scars Zuko’s face and banishes him on a near-impossible quest: capture the Avatar and restore his honor.

This exile becomes the defining event of Zuko’s life. Fueled by shame and a desperate desire to earn his father’s approval, Prince Zukoembarks on a relentless pursuit of Aang. He’s accompanied by his gruff uncle, Iroh, a wise and enigmatic figure who serves as the voice of reason amidst Zuko’s burning ambition.

A Rocky Road to Redemption: Questioning Everything

Prince Zuko’s journey is far from smooth sailing. He faces constant setbacks, his relentless pursuit of Aang often proving fruitless. Along the way, he encounters people who challenge his worldview. He sees the suffering his nation inflicts and witnesses the strength and resilience of those they oppose. These encounters plant seeds of doubt in his mind, forcing him to question everything he’s been taught.

A Complex Relationship: The Grudging Bond with Uncle Iroh

One of the most compelling aspects of Zuko’s story is his relationship with Iroh. Despite their contrasting personalities, a bond forms between them. Iroh acts as a mentor, offering wisdom and guidance even as Prince Zuko pushes him away. Their shared meals, filled with philosophical musings and steaming cups of tea, become a highlight of the series, adding a layer of warmth and complexity to Zuko’s journey.

A Turning Point: Choosing His Own Path

As the series progresses, Zuko reaches a turning point. He’s faced with a choice: continue down the path of blind ambition set by his father, or forge his own destiny. This internal struggle is what makes Zuko such a compelling character. He’s not a villain who suddenly turns good – the change is gradual, filled with moments of doubt and relapse.

The Price of Redemption: A Hero’s Scars

Zuko’s path to redemption comes at a cost. He betrays his own nation, siding with the Avatar he once hunted. He faces the consequences of his past actions, confronting his cruel sister Azula and even his own father. The scars, both physical and emotional, become a constant reminder of his journey.

A Legacy of Growth: From Scorned Prince to Flawed Hero

By the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Zuko isn’t a perfect hero – he’s flawed, scarred, and still learning. But he’s taken ownership of his destiny, choosing to fight for what’s right even when it’s difficult. His journey from a scorned prince to a reluctant hero is one of the most engaging and emotionally resonant aspects of the series. It’s a reminder that growth and redemption are possible, even for those who begin their story shrouded in darkness.

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A World of Bending and Belonging

The first thing that grabs you in ATLA is the world. Imagine a place where people can control the elements – water, earth, fire, and air! It’s a concept that instantly sparks the imagination. Each nation, defined by its element, has a distinct culture and aesthetic. The Water Tribe warriors are as adaptable as their element, the Earth Kingdom is steeped in tradition, the Fire Nation thrives on power and aggression, and the Air Nomads, well, they were peaceful nomads who lived in harmony with nature (until a certain unfortunate event).

Aang and the Gang: A Found Family You Can Root For

The heart of ATLA lies in its characters. Our protagonist, Aang, is a twelve-year-old Air Nomad who also happens to be the Avatar, the master of all four elements and the world’s only hope for peace. Aang is the kind of hero you can easily connect with – goofy, playful, and sometimes unsure of himself. He’s not your typical brooding chosen one.

Aang’s journey is enriched by the people he meets along the way. Katara, a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe, becomes his surrogate mother figure, fierce and protective with a hidden wellspring of determination. Her brother Sokka, the sarcastic and quick-witted strategist, provides the show’s comedic relief. Their bond forms the core of the series, and their growth throughout the adventure is heartwarming to witness.

The supporting cast is equally memorable. From the wise and powerful Earth King Bumi to the conflicted Prince Zuko, whose internal struggle adds depth to the narrative, each character brings their own unique flavor to the story.

Epic Battles and Elemental Awesomeness

Let’s not forget the action! Bending battles are a highlight of the show. Waterbenders manipulate the element with graceful movements, earthbenders become living tanks, firebenders unleash destructive blasts, and airbenders (when they’re around) showcase the agility and evasiveness of their element. These battles are a feast for the eyes, showcasing the creativity and power of each element.

A Story with Heart, But Not Always Hitting the Mark

Despite its strengths, ATLA isn’t without flaws. While the overarching plot of Aang mastering the elements and stopping the Fire Nation is engaging, some individual episodes feel like filler, slowing down the overall pace. The narrative can be a bit uneven at times, with moments of genuine emotional weight juxtaposed with lighter, less consequential adventures.

A Show You Can Enjoy, But Maybe Not Obsess Over

So, is Avatar: The Last Airbender a masterpiece? Not quite. It’s a good show, a fun adventure with a captivating world and relatable characters. But the inconsistent storytelling and occasional dips in action might leave you wanting more.

Here’s the Takeaway

Think of ATLA like a comfortable pair of jeans – familiar, reliable, and perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. It’s a show you can enjoy without needing a deep philosophical discussion afterward. However, if you’re looking for an animated series with a consistently gripping narrative and groundbreaking animation, you might find yourself wanting something a little more edgy.

The Verdict: Worth a Watch, But Not a Must-See

Ultimately, whether you love Avatar: The Last Airbender or find it a decent one-time watch depends on your expectations. If you go in looking for a lighthearted adventure with some epic battles and a touch of emotional depth, you won’t be disappointed. However, if you’re expecting a flawless masterpiece, you might be setting yourself up for a minor letdown. Regardless, it’s a show with a dedicated fanbase for a reason, and it’s definitely worth checking out to see if it clicks with you.

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A Fresh Take on Zombies:

The series wasn’t just about gore and jump scares. It offered a character-driven story set against the backdrop of a zombie apocalypse. We saw the struggles of Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) as he woke up to a world gone mad, searching for his family and rebuilding a semblance of normalcy.

What Fans Loved:

• Compelling Characters: Fans connected with the diverse cast, each with their own strengths, flaws, and motivations. Rick’s leadership, Daryl Dixon’s (Norman Reedus) survival skills, and Glenn Rhee’s (Steven Yeun) resourcefulness resonated with viewers.
• Suspenseful Action: The show delivered constant threats, both from walkers and human conflicts. The fight for survival kept viewers on the edge of their seats.
• Emotional Depth: The season explored themes of loss, grief, and the importance of human connection even in a desolate world.

Critical Acclaim:

Season 1 received critical acclaim, with a score of 82 on Metacritic and 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating “universal acclaim” and “fresh” ratings.

Memorable Quotes:

• “This isn’t a democracy anymore. This is survival.” – Rick Grimes
• “We take care of our own.” – Daryl Dixon
• “You can’t go back, Rick.” – Morgan Jones

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Anyway, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is more of the same. More Jason Momoa Aquabro-isms, more Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), more Orm (Patrick Wilson), more Topo the octopus (hooray!),slightly less Mera (Amber Heard), and lots of undersea vistas full of weird technology and fish-people. It lacks the novelty of showing all of that for the first time or of Julie Andrews voicing a kaiju, but it does offer Martin Short as underwater Jabba the Hutt hanging out with the bootleg Pirates of the Caribbean.

The Way of Whatever

Part of the reason the first Aquaman did so well is that it delivered Avatar-scale spectacle and world-building in a way most of its fellow superhero films hadn’t. Warner Bros. has emphasized that connection in recent promos, pushing the 3D screenings, but this time it has to reckon with an actual Avatar sequel — dealing heavily with underwater settings, no less — now on streaming. It’s easier to play compare-contrast, and frankly, James Wan is good at what he does, but he’s no James Cameron. What Wan’s good at is bringing batshit insanity to everything he touches, in this case, going ever more bizarre with sea creatures. When he tries to shoehorn in themes and morals, he’s adrift.

The 3D, however, provides a great cover for what might otherwise look like more obvious greenscreens.

As in the recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, characters in Aquaman: the Lost Kingdom articulate the themes out loud. Boys need brothers even when they fight with them, parents are the real superheroes, and global warming as a side-effect of self-gratification is extraordinarily dangerous to everyone — these are all things that we know matter because the dialogue says so. But the story doesn’t necessarily follow through. If global warming is threatening to unleash a previously frozen kingdom full of danger, one must ask how the world functioned before said perilous place was frozen? And while the movie gives lip service to Orm’s prejudices being detrimental, the most tangible metaphor it offers is that he hasn’t tried cheeseburgers yet. Does that make vegans bigots?

Aqua-Manta

Continuing the lingering villain thread from the first film, Black Manta is still searching for Atlantis when he instead comes across the lost kingdom, also known as Necrus, which is a huge hint as to what a person might find there. Finding the sort of magical trident that seems all too common in this world, Manta picks it up and becomes possessed by the spirit of King Kordax (Pilou Asbaek), who promises him eternal power if he’ll just free the imprisoned monarch’s body from both the ice and an enchanted lock. The first part can be achieved by burning ancient Atlantean toxic waste to accelerate climate change — apparently, the undersea inhabitants were already gross polluters centuries before humans industrialized. The second requires a sample of blood from Atlantis’ royal lineage.

Meanwhile, Arthur/Aquaman finds that it’s hard out here for a king, who’s also a new father, especially when his queen, Mera, doesn’t appear to be helping that much. Though not cut from the movie, Heard does seem like she might have been absent from reshoots. So Grandpa Tom (Temuera Morrison) does a lot of babysitting but also appears to spend most of his family time drinking Guinness. Interesting product placement, that.

With Black Manta totally willing and able to cause complete ecological collapse just so he can get revenge on one person, Arthur turns to his imprisoned fascist brother Orm. The one-time Ocean Master worked with Manta last time around, so maybe he can find him again. This prospect requires covertly freeing Orm from a landlocked prison staffed by mummies and hoping he’ll turn to the side of good relatively quickly. Fortunately, Topo the octopus is there for backup, though how he survives in the desert is anybody’s guess.

Paging Dr. Evil

Black Manta’s schemes and volcano base may bring to mind, if not James Bond, some of the villains and threats from TV’s Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Man From Atlantis. It’s a total cheese-fest story-wise but visualized as expensively as humanly possible. When a final battle builds, the film becomes more like Peter Jackson’s army of the dead scenes in The Lord of the Rings — a one-time low-budget horrormeister unleashing his old instincts on a prestige project. Though the story beats are as obvious as possible, at least the eye candy is constant. Topo should be a hit with kids, as should Storm the giant seahorse, and a moment of whale vengeance is simultaneously cute and terrifying.

Yet if Wan’s visual instincts are top-notch, his audio impulses aren’t so much. Director jail might be a strong penalty, but he ought to at least do director community service for relying on “Born to Be Wild” and “Spirit in the Sky” as soundtrack needle-drops. It would be like a Masters of the Universe movie introducing Skeletor with “Bad to the Bone.” Aquaman at least deserves “Sea of Heartbreak” if we’re going for obvious oldies.

As it’s a male-bonding movie, The Lost Kingdom feels — at least to my eyes — significantly less horny than the first, in which Momoa and Heard frequently looked like they were starring in the porn parody of their own film. Fanfic shippers more into Momoa-Wilson slash, perhaps, may feel differently than I do. At any rate, babies are pretty good at killing all thoughts of romance, and the baby gets more screen time than it even needs. Viewers don’t have to bond with a particular infant in order to be upset when it’s in jeopardy.

Snyderverse out to Sea

And so, the DCEU, having begun with the ultra-serious Man of Steel, concludes with an over-the-top, feature-length version of The Little Mermaid’s “Under the Sea,” more or less. The contrast in tones couldn’t be bigger, and even the very final shot of the mid-credits scene is arguably a really subtle cinephile gag. What an incredibly strange journey it’s been, from Russell Crowe’s Jor-El flying a dragon to steal a DNA skull to Patrick Wilson…well, you’ll see.

If, like Aquaman, you enjoy your cheeseburgers extra greasy and accompanied by intoxicants, you should find The Lost Kingdom to be the cinematic equivalent of the same. Scorsese acolytes wouldn’t be wrong to call it a theme park ride, especially in 3D Imax with seats that rumble at every punch thrown, as was the case at the L.A. press screening. It’s disposable entertainment that feels at times like the world’s coolest screensaver or weirdest aquarium. Dive in, but don’t expect to get too deep.

Grade: 3/5

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom opens Dec 22 in theaters.

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16. Vulcan

Vulcan is the brother of Scott Summers and Ales Summers both mutants however unlike them he is an omega level mutant. He has the ability to manipulate all forms of energy at will and can absorbs them as well, even magic. He has fought on par with the likes of Black Bolt and has fought against the X-men, Inhumans and Starjammers simultaneously though he was overpowered. He was once the Emperor of the Shi’ar Empire but is later overthrown. He is believed to be dead but it is actually unknown.

15. Skaar

Skaar is the son of The Hulk in an alternate reality. He possesses powers

similar to his father, but greater. His physical strength is so high, that he cracked the armor of the Juggernaut and sent him into the outer atmosphere with one punch, which is something that was considered impossible and that even his father failed to do. He has survived blasts from the Power Cosmic, and falls from outer space. His healing factor is superior to the likes of both Hulk and Wolverine.

14. Odin

Odin the monarch of Asgard and the strongest of all Asgardians, even his son Thor. He can manipulate magic for a variety of effects including strength augmentation,size augmentation, various magical enchantments, fire energy blasts, and others. He also, as the monarch of Asgard, can absorb the powers of all the Asgardians into himself to greatly augment his already formidable powers. Odin is immortal and thus cannot die die by any natural means. His regular strength level is around 60 tons.

13. Hercules

Hercules is the son of Zeus, the Sky father and King of the Greek Gods and is thus an Olymian God Prince. Hercules is considered the physically strongest character in the whole marvel universe. Literally the strongest, even over characters such as Thor, Hulk, and the Destroyer. He has pulled the entire island of Manhattan which weighed 99,000,000,000 tons, he has overpowered the likes of Thor (who can shatter planets with his blows), manhandled the Hulk (who has shattered objects twice the size of the Earth), and literally held up the incalculable weight of the heavens which would make the weight of a planet literally seem as if nothing. In addition to his legendary strength, Hercules possesses durability to such a degree that blasts from the cosmic being Nova did not harm him at all and projectiles such as bullets are completely beneath his notice. He can survive in the vacuum of space unaided, and has near limitless stamina. He is virtually immortal and does not age at all (he is over 3000 years old but looks like a healthy man in his prime). In addition, Hercules possesses the adumantite mace (an indestructible mace)and the skin of the Namean Lion (which he wears upon his back) which protects him from virtually all harm. Despite their constant rivalry and fighting, Hercules is a long time and great friend to Thor who is the Prince of the Norse Gods.

12. Grandmaster

The Grandmaster is an eternal, the same race as the Runner and the Champion. He is vastly intelligent, old, and powerful. He possesses telepathy, and other psionic powers such as telekinesis to a high degree, mind alteration, mind wipe etc. He has supernatural physical characteristics as well such as being able to lift 25 tons and having faster than human movements and reflexes. Another notable power of his is the ability to completely restore the injured or ill, no matter how heavily damaged or sick they are. But he can go even beyond that and is capable of actually bringing the dead back to life. Perhaps most notable of all, is that the Grandmaster is immortal and literally can’t be killed by any means because Death itself has banished him from the land of the dead. No matter what trajectory or cunning, the Grandmaster cannot be killed. The Grandmaster also has a mania, almost a reliance of games. They amuse him emphatically and has spent much of his time playing various games over the last few thousand years.

11. Galactus

One of the strongest in the universe. Eats entire planets, possesses vast knowledge, unlimited cosmic power, and gave beings as strong as the Silver Surfer their power and is still in an entire different power league.

10. Magus

The Magus’s power is comparable to that of Galactus. His main power is unlimited shape shifting. He can become virtually any substance, any size (larger than suns), any shape, and any color. He can turn into things such as starships, cannons, etc. Potentially he could make himself into a massive cannon the size of a planet and destroy anything in space. His possibilities are limitless. He also possesses extremely powerful telepathy and can learn things such as languages in an instant.

9. Mikaboshi

Mikaboshi is an abstract being of far greater power than even the Sky father beings such as Odin or Zeus. He has defeated Zeus, the king of the Sky father and most powerful of the Greek Gods on 2 separate occasions. His powers include immortality, shape-shifting,super strength, various energy projections, etc.

8. Cyttorak

Cyttorak is possibly the single strongest magical being in all of the marvel universe. His power is so great that even Galactus, was helpless to free himself from the power of Cytorrak, who had imprisoned Galactus. He is the source of the powerful Juggernaut’s power and the elite magicians of the universe including Dr. Strange, and even Dormammu and Zom, invoke Cyttorak’s name to power their spells. Inside his own dimension, Cyttorak’s power is limitless.

7. Phoenix Force

Phoenix Force is the most feared being in the universe. Single handedly defeated Galactus himself and over powered even the mkraan crystal.

6. Franklin Richards

One of the rare omega level mutants, He has the ability to warp reality on a much more massive scale than Proteus. Though in his child form he never could completely control his immeasurable powers, however it is said that his power equals that of the Celestials. He i quite possibly the strongest mutant to ever exist.

5. Eternity

The very embodiment of time. Eternity can manipulate space, time, and reality itself as he wishes. His power is greater even than the likes of Galactus.

4. Living Tribunal

The living tribunal is considered the second strongest being in the marvel universe second only to the one above all (and later on, The Beyonder). He is so powerful that even Thanos with the infinity gauntlet making him stronger than the entire marvel universe combined did not dare to engage The Living Tribunal in combat. The living tribunal is the supreme authority in the marvel universe save The One Above All. His power is absolutely limitless.

3. Beyonder

A near omnipotent and vastly powerful mutant inhuman. He is the most powerful being in the Marvel multiverse second alone to The One Above All. He was so strong, that all the Marvel abstracts (such as Eternity, Infinity and Death), supreme cosmic beings (such as Galactus and the Stranger), and The Living Tribunal himself were left at his mercy

2. One-Above-All

One-Above-All is the most powerful being in the marvel multiverse. He alone possesses greater power than the living tribunal and Beyonder. He is believed to represent the creators of marvel (Jack Kirby and Stan Lee) And while he is technically another entity, he has taken the form of Jack Kirby to demonstrate what he really is which is the grand authority in the marvel universe.

1. Deadpool

In the storyline Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe, the X-Men sends Deadpool to a mental hospital for therapy. The doctor treating him is actually Psycho-Man in disguise, who attempts to torture and brainwash Deadpool into becoming his personal minion. The procedure fails, but leaves Deadpool even more mentally unhinged; as a result, he kills Psycho-Man and begins assassinating every superhero and supervillain in Marvel Universe (everyone listed above) one by one in an attempt (apparently) to rebel against his comic book creators. The book ends with him breaking into the ‘real’ world and confronting the Marvel writers and artists who are currently writing the book. Before he proceeds to enter he turns to the reader, promising that once he’s done with this universe, “I’ll find you soon enough.”

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