Avatar: The Last Airbender

My idea, if you don't mind me telling you, was going to be about space travel being invented in the Avatar world. Long story short, the Moon Spirit is not happy with a strip mine being built on the moon.

Edited by ElSquibbonator on Feb 24th 2021 at 11:26:42 AM

Write it anyway. AU it up.

I take it you're interested in that idea?

Yeah, no real reason not to write it.

It's a good concept. And how many fanfics wouldn't even exist if they let canon get in the way, right?

Oh, don't worry — the franchise already has Zepplins, Powered Armor and actual spirits running around by the end of Korra, so there's no way a "modern times" Avatar world would really much resemble our modern times.

Korra is already ahead of our time in a way - as mentioned, they've got Mini-Mecha and even a Humongous Mecha. And the Mini-Mecha don't even rely on Bending power.

They've also got Wave-Motion Gun weaponry thanks to the Spirit Vines.

Edited by M84 on Feb 25th 2021 at 1:58:08 AM

I can see a post-Korra future being straight up Solar Punk, actually, given the emphasis on harmony.

I've mentioned this before, but my idea for the next Avatar story would be a bit like Jojo part 4, or Persona 4 — a Quirky Town filled with Benders and Spirits, featuring a kid who, in direct contrast to Aang and Korra, has no idea he's the Avatar, has no real talent for bending, but a powerful spiritual connection, and must investigate the town's deep, dark secrets.

The Kyoshi novels already do the "Avatar has no idea they're the Avatar" thing. There's even someone else who everyone, including Kyoshi, believes is the Avatar.

I do like the Quirky Town idea, though. Maybe take it a step farther—the kid is the only human in town, raised by spirits, and has no idea what the Avatar is. They just don't see anything odd about being able to bend four elements, because they've never met another human to prove that it's weird.

Of course, then one would have to question why the Spirits wouldn't tell the kid about this - Spirits do know what the Avatar is, since it is after all a fusion of one of their own with a mortal.

Speaking of which, future antagonists could include mortals who have realized after seeing the Dark Avatar and another antagonist in the comics who was mutated and empowered by contact with a Spirit that fusing with Spirits could empower them as well.

Heck, the Kyoshi novels have an antagonist who fits this as well, being a Bender who absorbed the power of a Spirit to become an extremely dangerous foe.

Edited by M84 on Feb 25th 2021 at 2:46:31 AM

Honestly, that should have been Amon's origin rather than him just being a power-hungry waterbender.

Amon's actually the opposite of being power-hungry. Word of God is that he genuinely thinks the world would be better off without Bending. He'd probably have removed his own Bending if it were possible...but since his method uses Bending to do it, that wouldn't have worked.

This a random thought that I've been mulling over but something where the Avatar has this rivalry with an antagonist that they have to team up with & the antagonist is at least majorly motivated by an inferiority complex towards the Avatar.

And right at the end after defeating the major evil, the antag initiates the final battle despite both parties being completely exhausted they believe in that state they are both equalized finally. Says a line along the lines, "This is the only chance I have, before I'm put away forever."

Its kinda like the end of Samurai Champloo where Mugen and Jin have their final dual despite both having immediately fought intense battles before. Figured it could be a fun idea.

Edited by slimcoder on Feb 25th 2021 at 1:44:37 AM

Though in Samurai Champloo, both of them had already come to believe that their rivalry no longer had any meaning and more or less only did it because they didn't want to break their vows. They are notably happy with both of their swords being broken in the duel, since it gives them an out.

In this case its more a last hurrah for the villain as they are aware that afterwards they'll either be permanently locked up or executed so they initiate the confrontation to finally answer the one question thats always plagued them, is the Avatar really that strong a Bender without the extra elements.

Of course the Avatar beats them but out of respect they give a final touching line similar to what Byakuya said to Renji after beating him in Bleach (I happened to be reading the manga when this thought popped into my head) "Your fangs did reach me in the end".

Personally I'd have it end with the Avatar pretending to be all respectful but later confide to their friends that they think the rival was a fucking belligerent idiot, given that the rival tried to kill them even after everything they'd been through.

The situation you described vs. the battle between Byakuya and Renji are different enough that it'd frankly make no sense for the Avatar to feel respect towards someone trying to kill them in those circumstances.

"Y'know, I really thought they had changed. I really hoped for a moment that we could have been allies or even friends. But no - even after all that they still wanted to kill me to prove something. So...fuck them."

Edited by M84 on Feb 25th 2021 at 6:00:00 PM

Yeah heh I only have that specific ending thought out, not the actual events leading up to it or the exact nature of their relationship.

Its both supposed to be like a sad moment because the villain is only engaging this out of the sad realization that their life is over and I figured it be funny to have the Avatar agree to a pointless no holds bare brawl out of a rare moment of warrior pride/honor or most likely just the adrenaline still coursing through their body.

Even better if all their friends call out how stupid the whole thing is and they respond "I know this is dumb, I know this is completely pointless, but heh we got a score to settle so I might as well live a little."

Edited by slimcoder on Feb 25th 2021 at 2:09:34 AM

And if you're going for a real Downer Ending, have it end in a Mutual Kill. It'd really send a message to not engage in petty pissing contests.

I'm currently thinking of the ending of the Captain Marvel movie. Specifically the part where Yon-Rogg tries to goad Carol into a fistfight to prove herself to him...only for her to casually blast him and say that she has nothing to prove to him.

Edited by M84 on Feb 25th 2021 at 6:10:51 PM

Well it doesn't have to end in a death match. I was thinking the fight ends nonlethally with the Avatar simply making it clear had they took that last move, it would have ended in their death.

The villain even laughs it off, not caring that they lost, simply satisfied they finally resolved their rivalry with the 2 parting ways with a final respect for each other.

I just like those warrior rivalries, there's a great satisfaction to watching a well-done worthy opponent relationship between the hero and the villain.

Edited by slimcoder on Feb 25th 2021 at 2:17:30 AM

Eh, I'm not really sure a Goku vs. Vegeta dynamic would really work out in a non-shonen work. Heck, it barely works outside of Dragonball itself - it works in large part due to Goku's own love for a fight. And even Goku got fed up with Vegeta when he jeopardized the mission to stop Buu from being released by becoming a Majin just so he could have another fight with Goku.

There just doesn't seem to be much reason for the Avatar to respect someone who is constantly picking fights with them while they're busy trying to save the world due to a stupid inferiority complex.

Edited by M84 on Feb 25th 2021 at 6:22:44 PM

Yeah its fun to think about. Need to work on the nuances on the relationship to make it work in why an Avatar would respect such a person to indulge what is essentially a petty feud. Thats why I have the fight immediately after defeating the Big Bad. At that point literally everything is done so they go "Okay lets finish this now since we got the chance."

Edited by slimcoder on Feb 25th 2021 at 2:30:43 AM

The Avatar would have even less reason to respect this rival if they've done enough legitimately bad shit to warrant execution or life imprisonment.

Confession: I kind of hate The Rival character. They usually have way too much Plot Armor and get away with horrible things without any real accountability like Vegeta, Sasuke, or Kaiba.

That being said, the Kyoshi novels have a pretty great character similar to the one being described. Yun is a Fallen Hero and Kyoshi’s best friend who constantly picks a fight with her. Not only due to his Inferiority Complex, but also as a nod to what the fanbase has interpreted Kyoshi to be—a blood hungry, stone-cold ruthless killer.

If you want nuance, it’s definitely there.

Edited by deuteragonist on Feb 25th 2021 at 5:13:51 AM

And he notably doesn't have Plot Armor. He gets killed off by Kyoshi when she realizes he's not going to stop otherwise.