The Imperial Roofs of the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom
Both, the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom have golden- red roofs. They follow the Chinese architectural feature of yellow roof tiles/roofs indicating an imperial building.
Note how both, Caldera and Upper Ring in Ba Sing Se have yellow/red roofs, and the Lower and Middle Ring do not. While all buildings in the Fire Nation seem to be Ozai’s buildings (but for the Painted Lady village, they have thatched roofs.) and I do think this is intentional, another reminder how strong the FN government is, how far its reach is into everyday life.
As I have mentioned before, the flame ornaments and steeply upturned roofs, especially of the Caldera and Ember Island, resemble traditional Thai architecture (compare the Royal Palace in Bankok).
Please also compare the Royal Palace in Tokyo, which does not feature yellow or red roofs.
Thai History: Click me
The Dai Li and Rank: Mandarin Square
The two main ways to show rank in Imperial China was the buzi, the Mandarin square, and the adornments of the hat/the hat itself.
The Dai Li all have the Earth Kingdom symbol, imitating the Mandarin Square, on the front of their robes as a sign of them being a member i.e. their rank as Dai Li agents.
I do not remember us ever meeting any other high ranking officials, but for Longfeng, so sadly there are no other official Mandarin Squares in the show.
The real ones are awesome enough on their own (see picture).
A Mandarin square 補子also known as a rank badge, was a large embroidered badge sewn onto the surcoat of an official in Imperial China. It was embroidered with detailed, colourful animal or bird insignia indicating the rank of the official wearing it.
It’ll probably be a while before she starts to actually learn airbending.
Morning Fog, by chocosweete.
Mako’s always on Korra’s back… She doesn’t deserve this BS.
Korra, by Sam.
Avatar Withdrawal Syndrome
two weeks before a new episode
TWO WEEKS BEFORE A NEW EPISODE
WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE WE HAD TO GO TWO MONTHS
IN THE SNOW
AND/OR THE DEAD HEAT OF SUMMER
IF WE WERE LUCKY
I REMEMBER THE GREAT A.W.S.* OUTBREAK OF ‘08. DARK TIMES, YOUNGSTERS. WHY WE HAD TO GO NINE MONTHS UNTIL WE FOUND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO AANG AFTER COD
AND WE DIDN’T HAVE NONE OF THIS FANCY KORRA-CREW-ON-TUMBLR STUFF
WE HAD SCREENCAPS FROM CONS AND DVD COVERS AND WE WERE DAMN HAPPY WITH THEM.
DAMN KIDS GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*Avatar Withdrawal Syndrome. Yes I am being serious. That was a real term that was actually used.
ARGH THAT FUCKING OUTBREAK HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER I GOT INTO THE SHOW.
Precious babies. <3
Fire Ferrets, by Jasric.
How does bending work?
One more time:
A) Bending is not based on real world science, it works how the creators say it works. It is not gravity.
B) It is genetic as in that humans can do it, just like badgermoles and dragons and sky-bisons can, but rabbaroos cannot.
The creators point out multiple times that it is linked to spirituality and learning/developing it. Everyone has the spark, it is up to ‘you’ to develop it. It is important to them that it cannot be lineage.
BK: Mike and I just got new puppies. They’re brothers. They have the same mother and father. Same litter. Mike’s dog can just sit in a crate and be happy as a clam. My dog just loses all control…everything. Who knows why these things happen? They’re beyond our full understanding.
MDD: Yeah, Katara’s mom and dad weren’t benders. Maybe it’s a recessive gene. I’ve always seen it as more spiritual connections, though. A little bit mysterious…
BK: I mean we’ve definitely talked about it. I think, again, sometimes we might not know…it’s more of what we don’t want it to be. We didn’t want it to be like there is a lineage…a royal family or something…and these people can bend and then there’s everyone else as non-bending, people who never will. Some sort of caste system. Mike and I are more attracted to more of the flux type universe. The only constant is change, variation, that sorta thing. I’m sure it’s a bunch of factors.
***Interviewers note: About 20 mins after the interview, Bryan came back to me and we spoke a little more about the basis of bending off recorder. He described bending as more of a talent. You have some genetic basis for potential, but you could go your whole life without developing the talent into ability. Some people have more inherent talent than others, while others with minimal inherent talent can still develop it through hard work and practice. He reiterated a connection to the spiritual energies is the underlying basis. How it manifests is based on upbringing and experience.
So, bending is related to spirituality i.e. anyone can theoretically learn how to bend. And yes, I think this is important and will potentially be the solution to the Amon issue.
Avataraang has a nice little list:
HOW DOES BENDING WORK? — Three important things to know about bending, first it’s not genetic, second spirituality is key and third you must have parents from the nation that element is native to. Also only the Avatar can bend 4 elements, and no, Aang’s children can’t inherit that.
1) Bending is not genetic as it is shown in 1x14 that two identical twins (i.e. share the same genetic code) do not both bend. One can Earthbend, the other cannot. This eliminates the genetic factor.
2) The key factor is spirituality. The Air Nomads had a 100% bending rate because their culture was so steeped in spirituality.
3) You must have parents from that nation. While I said it’s not genetic, you must obviously have the parents from a particular nation to be able to bend the element. Aang and Katara could never have a firebending kid because neither of them are from the Firenation.
4) Children from a multicultural family can bend different elements. Aang and Katara’s children could be Airbenders, Waterbenders or non-benders. Mako and Bolin are brothers, but bend different elements.
Fire Nation Origins – What does canon show us?
The misconception that the Fire Nation is mainly based on Japan, and that Fire Nation Japanese elements make up the majority of the Fire Nation culture, has been around for a while. Since I get asked about this topic several times a week, I have decided to make this a feature. Please note that this post is not about what you do in you fanfic or fanart, which is your own choice, but about what we see in the show.
We are going to take a closer look at the Fire Nation’s language, clothing and armor, geography, political system, architecture, food, hairstyles, names, festivals, traditions, weapons and last, but not least, real world parallels.
Armor
Note: I am not an armor expert, if I am using the wrong terminology, please let me know, I am happy to correct it.
On first glance Fire Nation armor does look influenced by Japanese Samurai armor. Said style, though, does not originate in Japan, but in China’s Tang Dynasty.
Let us compare the two styles of armor against the Fire Nation armor.
First: Features that both styles share (blue).
Both styles feature scary face masks, helmet flaps, shoulder guards, wide thigh guards and arm guards.
Now, what differs:
Fire Nation armor elements taken solely from Samurai armor (green):
Some of the soldiers wear helmets with horn-like decorations. This style element is taken from Samurai armor.
Fire Nation armor elements taken solely from Tang Dynasty armor (pink):
The high collar, the pentagonal chest armor, style of the knee-high boots, the leg armor and the triangular front armor/guard are all style elements taken from Tang armor.
Note how Tang armor, like Zuko’s armor, has the chest outline and a three piece waist/thigh guard, with a pointed/triangular-ish front. Also note how the Tang shoes feature the same upturned toe we see on Fire Nation shoes and then please compare that against the Samurai shoes on the right hand lower corner, which feature a style never seen in ATLA.
Conclusion: In direct comparison, (1 vs. 5) it becomes clear that Fire Nation armor features more elements borrowed from Tang Dynasty armor than from Samurai armor.
I am aware that the creators, at one point had planned to make the Fire Nation more Japanese, but if you take a look at what we actually see in the show, it becomes clear that they changed their mind. People do that. (See Toph and Azula NOT being boys)
Why does Tang Dynasty armor look so similar to Samurai armor:
The Tang Dynasty 618 to 907 CE is widely considered to be the most glorious, prosperous and influential time in the history of Imperial China. It’s influence stretched far and long, through trade via the Silk Road and across the ocean to Korea and Japan and can still be seen today. (See above). Many aspects of Korean and Japanese tradition -from clothes to art- originated in the fashions and style of that dynasty.
