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From the Editor: Happy Oogie Day! |
Valentine's Day is here! And yes, it's still here no matter what the date on your screen might say. Whether you're single and ready to mingle, foreveralone, or madly in love with Zuko (or another significant other), give the BSST a read today to warm your inner romantic spirit! ...And if you're allergic to romance, just bear with the pink hearts everywhere, our content is still good! Besides, you like Avatar, and Avatar has oogies. Therefore, you like oogies by extension. Right? Anyway, we have tons of stuff to show you guys today, and it was a lot of epic-ness to put together in one issue. I'm excited to stop distracting you up here so you can move onto the juicy stuff below!
Happy Reading!
It's now been over four years since The Promise Part One was first released, and comic writer Gene Luen Yang continues to expand the universe of the world that Avatar is set through the medium of graphic novels. Just under two months from now we will have the final installment in the Smoke and Shadow trilogy. Given that the first two parts of this current trilogy were quite worthy of praise, expectations are running high for the third part. With it's revitalizing mojo, unexpected plot twists which furthered the story and left readers at the edges of their seats and a myriad of lighthearted moments - because it just wouldn't feel like Avatar if it lacked those appeals - the Smoke and Shadow series thusfar has been executed much like a lost or all-new episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender, from the nonexistent Book Four. So...where to begin?
Well, since it is Valentine's Day after all, we might as well begin on the romantic side of the coin. For starters, there was a short released on Free Comic Book Day, Rebound, which showed Mai interacting with her family and getting over her breakup with Zuko. It also introduces the New Ozai movement, which new love interest Kei Lo has joined up with. Awkward moments have ensued with them and ex-boyfriend Zuko. On the other hand, Mai says that she is seeing Kei Lo because of his connection to the New Ozai Society and the possibility of this proving helpful. Ty Lee doesn't like this, but whoa, come on! It's often understandable when people steal or commit worse crimes for the sake of their family. It may be shady, but I think that leading someone on is at least understandable, if Mai is doing it for her nation and perhaps her family on some level. To rewind a bit, Maiko first split up back in The Promise Part Two when Mai was upset that Zuko was keeping secrets from her. Even if Zuko and Mai did get back together, presumably that prior argument would have to be resolved somehow. Does it resolve in Zuko's favor? Maybe as the Fire Lord and a head of state, Zuko will have things that he has to keep secret from everyone from time to time, even her. And Mai has to live with that, sometimes for her own safety. Does it resolve in Mai's favor? Zuko bears the burden of the crown alone, but that doesn't necessarily mean he has to be alone when he does so. From now on, he shares everything with her, and they face whatever lies ahead together. Of course, Gene Yang could go another route and instead of having them get back together just keep Mai and Kei Lo together, proving to us that just because people are together one day doesn't mean they're destined to stay together, especially from such a young age (making Aang and Katara a stand-out exception to this). A life lesson for the readers, delivered in a brutal way for many fans, and well, a gutsy move on Yang's part. Let's also take the cover which will show on the upcoming comic book. The fact that Zuko is front and center leads me to believe that the story will continue to be more about Zuko than about other characters, such as Aang, who is more in the background. Makes sense, as this story arc so far has been very much a test for the young Fire Lord. Of course, it's also very much about Mai, but that's a given even without her on the cover. It's been eight years, but we're spending a lot more quality time with the collection of characters in Team Fire Nation that opened up to us in The Beach. Speaking of which, we got a subtle, not-so-subtle hint on who else might be coming back. Does she have a role with the Kemurikage impostors? With the eery tone in the background, I'm hoping we see a little more of the real Kemurikage too. I think that we will, if the precedent set with the Mother of Faces in The Search and the giant spirits in The Rift is followed. With all the events of The Promise, The Search and The Rift in mind, there's at least one thing that's fairly certain to come from the final part of Smoke and Shadow. The ending will bring resolution to all the subplots at once, combining some or every one of them at once. This includes the missing kids, their parents, the Kemurikage (real or fake) Mai and Zuko and the former's father. It was also nice in part 2 to see more of the noble history of the past in the Fire Nation. Not much was known before of the Fire Nation before Sozin, and it seems the characters didn't know much else of it either. Whatever happens, we'll find out on April 12th, 3 days before Tax Day in the US, as though we needed another reminder of that.
For this issue of the Ba Sing Se Times, I’m switching gears from my usual critical self in order to focus on why I believe that Avatar: The Last Airbender is worthy of all of the praise that it gets. I’ve been critical of its sequel, The Legend of Korra, but now I want to extoll the virtues of one of what I believe to be the best animated television shows. Period.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is a truly masterful work of animation, music, story, and characters that comes together to craft something truly extraordinary, something that has grown a massive fanbase that includes members of all ages. But how did it do this? Or, better yet, why is it so beloved by so many? What about this animated television show has many people watching and rewatching it? How does it all come together? That can be explained through what is, in my opinion, one of the best scenes in the show: the final Agni Kai. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCXHi0kFucc This scene is something that encompasses every element that I cited above, and I intend to explain how this works and how it applies to the series as a whole. This scene, in my mind, embodies the peak of the Avatar franchise. It is the pinnacle of Avatar: The Last Airbender, as a work of art. The first element I want to discuss is the animation. This fight features some of the best in the series, with every movement and gesture indicating both the severity and subtle nuances of the fight. The fire in particular feels like it’s at its most deadly, with blasts pushing Zuko back in subtle, small ways to indicate power. The heat wafts from the flames themselves with intensity that make the fire, both orange and blue, seem real in that moment. To compliment that, the facial expressions of both fighters are beautifully animated, as well. Zuko displays intense focus, while Azula’s face twitches and displays the mannerisms of a person whose world is unraveling. In every respect, the animation brings the violent, desperate moment to life. But what is a dramatic, animated moment without the proper musical accompaniment? From the “Agni Kai” score to the opening credits, Avatar: The Last Airbender has never been short on epic, powerful tracks that properly capture the mood. So what epic, pounding score do they decide to use for one of the biggest single fights in the series? A dark, slow, somber affair that seems, at first, to be utterly unfit for a grandiose battle…until you realize what this actually is: siblings dueling to the death for the throne of a nation, as both have come to the end of their respective arcs. The music is not meant to pump you up or get your adrenaline going. It’s meant to evoke sadness; it’s meant to recognize that this is not a moment to be celebrated. Rather, it’s two characters who were driven apart by the darkness in their familial line, and it’s their conflict coming to a violent close. That’s where the story and characters come in. Animation and music are all fine and good; if it looks and sounds great, it has the makings to be great. However, if it lacks the combined power of great storytelling and characters, it simply becomes a style over substance affair, like I feel much of the bending and fight scenes in The Legend of Korra are. They lack the same emotional power because the characters and story are deficient. Not here. Here, as I mentioned, we are offered a crazy family dynamic that we’ve actually come to care about, due in no small part to the effort that the series puts into making most of the villains feel like actual human beings. Watching Zuko struggle through three seasons to find his place in the world and regain his honor brings him here, and Azula’s desire to impress her father because of the lack of attention she felt her mother gave come to a head, as well. This duel is the product of three seasons of development for people who weren’t even the protagonist, something The Legend of Korra should’ve learned from. Every time the two firebenders clash, we feel the weight of their respective plights, and the two arcs simultaneously come to a satisfying, if bittersweet, close. The reason I use this as an example of Avatar as art is simple: it showcases all of the best elements of the series in one harrowing, awe-inspiring moment. The animation, music, story, and characters come together in perfect execution, giving us a cathartic battle sequence that is so much more than what is happening at the surface level. To put it simply: this sequence is one of the best, if not the best, sequences in the entirety of the franchise, and it does something important. In order to get it in full, it requires that you spend time with the characters involved and get to know their personalities and struggles. It requires that you experience the series in its entirety; it encourages you to do so. And when you get there? Well, it’s pretty damn impressive. |
We asked for 'em, and you sent 'em! We're quite impressed with all this love in the air! Users, beware... You never know who sent you a valentine. Or who responded. Find out if you have a secret admirer below!
Hello, community! If you didn't already know, Gene Luen Yang - author of The Promise, The Search, and The Rift - is one of the kindest, most gracious people to reach out to. This wonderful author has answered our fan questions for almost all his Avatar comics before, and he's coming back to enlighten us about Smoke and Shadow next month! He's agreed to let me be the interviewer this time around, and I'd like to take a moment to emphasize how grateful I am for his generosity. As you fire away with your questions, remember to thank him, too!
With that said, I'm most definitely taking suggestions! We'll be focusing on the Smoke and Shadow trilogy for this questionnaire, although any inquiries about Avatar technicalities (age, timeline, inspirations, etc.) are fair game. I'll be watching for the most common topics you guys bring up in your suggestions to base the questions off of, and I'll also try to make sure that none of them have already been answered before in some shape or form. Don't hesitate to voice your curiosity; you might not be the only one who wants to know! This interview will be featured exclusively in the March 2016 issue of The Ba Sing Se Times, so you're in the right place. The answers will all be gathered right before publish day (mid-March), so keep in mind that this means the final installment of Smoke and Shadow will be released around two weeks later, maybe less. Please try not to ask "what will happen in Part 3" type questions if you can, since you'd be finding out quite soon. So! What do you want to know about Smoke and Shadow? Any loose ends in the Avatarverse you'd like to clarify? Let the editor know in the comments below!
Ship of the Week is finally back, now in the form of Ship of the Issue! For this issue, I am going to be talking about Bakoda, which is the ship between Bato and Hakoda. It is alternatively known as “Water Tribe Husbands.”
Bato and Hakoda have been best friends for a long time. Their friendship goes all the way back to their childhood as they played pranks on people, including Hakoda’s mother Kanna. Hakoda did marry a woman named Kya at one point and had two children with her but she was eventually murdered. It is unknown if Bato ever was ever married. The two are still great friends even well into adulthood. They are seen fighting side by side throughout the series. Bato also mentions that Sokka is just like Hakoda. I did not ship Bakoda for a long time because I found it to be overrated and I preferred the canon pairing Hakya. However, I eventually remembered that Kya is dead and that remarriage after being widowed has already happened in the Avatar universe. If Kanna is allowed to get remarried, then Hakoda should be allowed to love again as well. I do like Bakoda now but I can also see them just being friends. We don’t even know if either of them are even attracted to men. While I personally would like to see them together, I don’t see any evidence pointing at them being together romantically. Pros: • Bato and Hakoda are very close and enjoy being around each other. Cons: • The two have never shown signs of a romantic attraction to each other. • Hakoda ended up with Kya and had two children, even if she is now deceased. While I ship Bakoda, I admit that there is nothing to suggest romance between them as they seem to just be close friends and nothing more.
Anyone familiar with my Avatar Colosseum would know that this is the first battle I wrote. I'm curious as to your opinions.
Azula is the fierce firebending daughter of Fire Lord Ozai and rival of her brother, Zuko. Kuvira was raised and trained by Suyin Beifong before going rogue. They are two of the only people to take down the Avatar in combat - Azula in the Crystal Catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se and Kuvira outside the gates of Zaofu. Azula is a powerful firebender, perhaps the only one to ever use blue fire. She is a deadly and precise lightning bender. She is very agile and nimble, being able to avoid most of even the Avatar's quickest attacks. She is a natural leader, being able to inspire and terrify her men (and women) into following her. Although being a formidable opponent, she often relies on her friends to help her out of precarious situations. In Book 3, Azula wears metal armour, while she does not wear any armour in Book 2. Kuvira is a powerful earthbender, skilled in metalbending. Unlike that of a typical earthbender, her bending is precise and calculated. She uses whips and shards of metal with which she can bind people and lift them as though she were a bloodbender. Kuvira controls a massive army but is often a more independent fighter, owing to a different upbringing. Kuvira is clad in metal on her shoulders and back. She too is a brilliant leader. Having persuaded the Zaofu security force to embark on a journey to stabilise the Earth Kingdom, she restored order to Ba Sing Se and all of the Kingdom in but three years. In a battle between them, Azula's superior agility would give her a slight edge in the battle but Kuvira's use of neutral jing and perfect timing may overcome this. While Kuvira's armour may be a lightning rod, Azula's armour would also make her extremely vulnerable to the metalbender's attacks; all the same, Azula doesn't always wear the armour. I think that Kuvira's superior brute strength and her use of a more versatile sub-element would make her win, considering she is accustomed to fighting fast foes while Azula is only experienced with slower earthbenders. This can be seen when Aang and Zuko easily out-paced and defeated her. If you wish to share your opinion, please write in the comment section below. I should very much love to see a healthy discussion based on it. |
Hello there! Bomochu the bombchu here with his first ever BSST article! Hurrah! *Throws confetti*
Anyway, as you may have guessed from the lame title of this piece, I thought it would be cool to write a short article about the genre of fanfiction known as ‘OC’, or ‘Original Character’ fanfiction. So before I came to this wikia (and I still do this now) I always found myself coming up with new characters for whatever series I was watching. From Avatar to The Walking Dead, I would enjoy coming up with original characters, wondering how they would interact with the others and what direction the story would take. And so after a while I decided to try my hand at writing my very own OC fanon. But after reading a bit on FanFiction.net, it became apparent that in some fandoms OC was not a popular genre. Actually, in many fandoms it was unpopular. I even recall reading one story where there was a warning saying “Warning; this fanfiction is OC,” almost as if it were an equivalent warning to “Warning: Rated M contains mature content and offensive language.”! So why does OC have such a bad rep in some places to the point that authors have to warn readers that their story is OC? Especially when OC can be a really fun genre to write for and to read? Well, I am still fairly new to the world of fanfiction, though after doing a bit of searching and including some of my own thoughts here are four points which perhaps begin to answer this question of why OC fanfiction can be unpopular, and these are also some things to consider when writing your own OC fanon: 1. The Mary-Sue/Gary-Stu effect Any author who has written OC probably loves their characters. I mean, it’s like creating a whole new person and watching them grow; the character starts as a faceless individual, though slowly as you work with them and create them you soon find they become your best friend. That’s why it can be hard sometimes to create a character who is flawed, or has some area of their character that they need to grow in. We like our characters so much we just want them to be perfect. But the fact is that perfect OC’s are boring OC’s. And annoying. Remember that one kid in class who wasn’t just a brain-box but could run fast, paint beautifully, and sing like an angel? Well, this is why the ‘Mary-Sue/Gary-Stu’ effect can occur in OC fanon; a perfect but bland OC who is unrealistic, the best at everything and immediately worshipped by all the canon characters. So when writing OC, make sure your character has some sort of depth to them or struggle to work through, not that they have to be a blubbering mess over something wrong with themselves each chapter, but maybe just make them not the best at everything. Maybe they aren’t the best firebender? Or maybe they are because they’ve spent years training and neglecting their relationships with others to do so? With OC, it’s all about being realistic, so make sure your character isn’t just the best thing to ever walk the earth and steal the spotlight from the other canon characters. 2. And... Who are you? When writing for canon characters the main issue is keeping them in character. But with OC’s the reader really knows nothing about them. That’s why it is important to know who your characters are and introduce them in a way that is relatable. You don’t want to have your readers trying to feel sad when your OC is weeping because they lost their pet jackalope. But that will happen if your readers know nothing about your character and can’t really care about what happens to them. So give your OC enough of a backstory so that readers will know who they are. You want your OC to be liked, and this can partly be done by giving the readers enough information about them. Your readers need to know who your OC really is before they can actually care what happens to them. 3. Like Oil and Water One of the fun things about OC fanon is seeing how the new character fits in with everyone else. However, like the Mary-Sue issue this can be one of the biggest problems with OC, especially when it comes to romance. Don’t have a new female character fall in love with Sokka at first sight because she loves boomerangs, devours meat like a tigerdillo, and lives for witty sarcastic comments. I don’t know about you, but if I met someone exactly like me I would be rather creeped out. But also don’t have Sokka fall in love with an OC air acolyte, and then suddenly he becomes a vegetarian and never utters a syllable of sarcasm again. The idea with either OC/canon romance and the OC’s interactions with all of the canon characters is to make them relate realistically. Don’t change a canon character’s personality to fit with the OC’s. We know who the canon characters are, and as readers we just want to know how the OC will mix with the others. That doesn’t mean they all have to get along straight away either. It could even be more realistic say if your OC really gets on well with Asami but argues with Mako every five seconds. Just don’t have your OC descend from the clouds in bright light with everyone bowing to them, nor have all of Team Avatar hurl stones at them and tie them to a post to be burned. Find a middle ground. Maybe people are distrusting at first? Perhaps your OC is really likable until someone gets too close and finds out something dark about them? Not every canon character has to like your OC, but your aim should be for every reader to like them, and having your OC interact realistically will help with this. 4. The Plot Thickens Another thing to consider when introducing an OC is how they will contribute to the ‘big picture’. Your character will be far more likable not only if they interact with the other canon characters believably, but also have some sort of part to play in the grand scheme of things. A useless character is like an extra leg growing from your knee cap; while it may look interesting at first in reality it is really cumbersome, and simply gets in the way of any real movement. In the same way, a useless OC who contributes nothing to the main plot will hinder any exciting story, so make sure your OC has a better reason for being in your fanon besides ‘#YOLO’. So there you have it; four things to consider when writing an OC fanon. Again, I am no expert on writing OC and I’m sure there are many more things to keep in mind when introducing an OC to a story. Though it may seem daunting creating a whole new character, the most important thing is to have fun with it! I suppose the key is just to make sure above all else that your OC is realistic in who they are, how they are introduced, how they relate to others, and why they are there. OC is a really cool variety of fanon, and I hope that even though the Legend of Korra TV series has ended, there will be many eager authors out there who will be able to create their very own characters to keep Avatar alive. :)
Hey, portal dwellers! Though you probably didn't notice (or feel like answering, sure) the little note at the bottom of this blog, I'd asked the fanon portal as a whole for any authors who were willing to share a little of what's going on with their stories in terms of romance. There's hearts everywhere on this page, for crying out loud! Made me wonder how many of you guys actually incorporate love into your fanons. So how does the average author see it? What are they up to?
The universal question asked was: "What is the current state of your fanon protagonist's love life? Does s/he have one, and if not, why?"
AvatarAang7, "Asami's love life is... difficult. After she found out that her last girlfriend was only using her for her money, they promptly broke up. This event four years ago has had a catastrophic effect on her trust, though. She always forces herself to second-guess people who get close to her romantically, and Korra is no exception. In fact, Korra has it even more difficult than most, given the nature of her profession... As a prostitute." AvatarRokusGhost, "Ratana's tried for a long time to be a loner, but it hasn't worked out for her. Now, she's fallen for a forbidden love interest who is part of the enemy army threatening everything she holds dear. Thus, her love life is eating her from the inside out like quicksand in that it gets worse as she struggles against it." Bomochu, "Miki's love life? Hah. Given her reputation and her shy nature she hasn't exactly made much progress. Her sister Saskha on the other hand has dabbled in romance, particularly with her childhood sweet-heart, Kesuk. Being the sons and daughters of councilmen there's always been talk of an arranged marriage..." Katrinasforest and Raptorrowan, "In Hidden Powers (Book 2 of Powers Saga), Bolin's love life isn't going so well. When Opal says she never wants to see his face again, that's a pretty sure sign that it's over. He really shouldn't be getting involved with anyone again so soon... especially a combustionbender who may or may not be planning to assassinate the Firelord." Lady Lostris, "Seraphine will hate me. And Lostris already does. Oh, and then there is Taita who loved Amanra, who loved Tamose more, but then he died ... and then later she died ... so yeah, there's that. Oeps." Mageddon725, "Yoriko doesn't really think about romantic love at all. Apart from being adopted by a single woman after a spirit killed her parents, she also needs to be focused on mastering the elements in preparation for things to come. Additionally, she's focused on trying to find a way to cleanse the Avatar Spirit, who has been corrupted. She has a lot to deal with, in essence, and the last thing she needs is romance." Omashu Rocks, "Well, Nalia's love life is virtually nonexistent, for the moment at least. I suppose that's what happens when lovers become nemeses. To paraphrase a line from everyone's favorite tea-loving uncle, 'Hmmm, old [boy]friends that aren't trying to kill me....'" SaeryenKatten, "Elsi and Mihoshi have been friends since they were very young, and have loved each other since then, though they didn't really realize it was love until they were both trapped in Aira's fortress. Though, I think they subconsciously knew of their feelings for one another, as Elsi had this feeling of not wanting to let Mihoshi down, and they've always been protective of each other (Elsi especially, she's protective of everyone she cares about).'" Let's hear it for these epic authors! Truly a variety of romance we have here in our fanon community. And though I may not be able to represent the entire fanon collection in this article, you can be sure that those above happen to be among the good ones ;) *NOTE: There are new submissions pending for this article, because the editor was a fail in the invitation blog and used a faulty email form. Be sure to stick around to hear from the incoming romantic authors! |
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the second installment of Avatar Wiki's This is a live battle between two original characters from the beloved works of our fanon portal. Each OC is written authentically by his or her respective author, no differently than how you would encounter them in their fanons. The parent authors have taken turns responding to each other's literary attacks, adapting and adjusting to strike back with anything their writer's imaginations can come up with! It's an epic war, a clash of authorship and swag! And today, we present: The Ghostly AvatarRokusGhost vs. Omashu Rocks the Politician As you read on, keep track of who's writing by following their ID color! (AvatarRokusGhost writes in green, and Omashu Rocks red... Also, a certain host is in purple.)
Based on the fanon series Dragons, Sieges and Volcanoes by AvatarRokusGhost, and Crossfire by Omashu Rocks
Happy Valentine's Day fellow Avatar Wikians! I hope you all have a special someone to celebrate the day with, but chances are that's not the case if you're wasting your time on the internet. Regardless, the rest of us Speaking of the Super Bowl, I also hope everyone had a fun-filled Sunday watching American hero Peyton Manning, who has never been in seen in the same room as the Batman, end his career on a championship win all thanks to Papa Johns, Nationwide, and Budweiser. Nothing's wrong with advertisement, folks, just like there's no harm in the free publicity of my now-regular On My Radar installments. This issue, we will be traveling to the North Pole, a place with an average temperature of -40 degrees Farenheight (also -40 degrees Celsius) but yet somehow warm enough for Aang to war his normal monk clothes and not freeze to death. There, the story of a well-meaning young bloodbender girl named Miki unfolds, thanks to author and serial Zelda weapon misspell-er Bomochu. Miki has the misfortune of being born in a time long before the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and also before the rare skill of bloodbending was understood or even known. After a tragic incident results in Miki discovering her newfound abilities, her villagers determine she has been cursed by a spirit and cast her and her family out of their once-honorable position in society. Wanting something more for her life than to waste away in her family's sad state of affairs, Miki sets off for the journey of a lifetime and a quest for independence, knowledge, and purpose. Friends, this fanon has everything. For starters, this plot is entirely original. It's hard to come by unique stories nowadays, but I've never seen any concept quite like this developed in this way. To add depth to an already-promising storyline, the author fleshes out character development quite skillfully, with enough strong character moments in just the first few chapters to get readers attached. I genuinely found myself rooting for Miki, and rooting for her family to dig themselves out of their sorry situation. Minor characters are also enjoyable from the start, notably a lovable librarian by the name of Junetsu. Improving upon the strong emotional attachment invoked by the interactions of these people is a backstory that Bomochu introduces early on in the story that forces readers to become fully invested in Miki's future. The fanon even has a truly wonderful animal character in the form of Ulva, Miki's wolf friend. The aforementioned elements are always key to the creation of an entertaining and captivating fanfiction, but they are merely the backbone of this soon-to-be titan. What brings the tale to life is the "old school" adventure feel that gives Spirit of the North such character. The writing brought me back to the days of ATLA, when I watched the characters I loved grow, struggle, and overcome monumental obstacles on their unbelievable journey. This fanon may only be eighteen chapters deep thus far, but it has the makings of another legend, and it is clear to me that the author has a detailed plan in his mind to finish what he started. Have you subscribed yet, or is the page still loading because you're on Internet Explorer for some reason? Seriously, add your username under the list of subscribers before Miki comes to your house and compels you to do it via bloodbending. It will be just like the time she used her ungodly powers to force me to rob that bank. At least, that's what I told the Forsyth County police department. If you want more twists and turns than the 2016 American presidential election primary season, start reading Spirit of the North today! To borrow a phrase from a certain egotistical real estate mogul, it's gonna be huuuuuuuuge!
Greetings again everyone! It's a new year and we've all got new resolutions. Mine is to be more productive and spend my time better, nice and simple. Today I bring you the BSST edition of your friendly neighborhood ghost review, and I will be taking a look at Avatar: A New Age, by Sokkafan99. Water. Fire. Earth. Air. Long ago my predecessor, Avatar Korra, stopped Amon and the Equalists. Amon may have died but his cause did not. A large exodus of nonbenders fled to the new country of the People's Democracy. Eventually, the days where benders and nonbenders lived together was nothing but a memory. The people's democracy thrived and isolated themselves from the bending world. Many citizens believe the old tales of bending and the Avatar to be just that, stories. Meanwhile in the bending world, Avatar Korra ruled with an iron fist and kept the peace in the nations until she died peacefully at 115. Then I, Avatar Suki, was born, and I was a failure. Due to my favoritism to my own nation, the world plunged into chaos. Because of this, the spirits split the Avatar into four people, one from each element, and all of them were born in the People's Democracy. Avatar Korra gave me a world of peace which I made a world of chaos. Now I give these four new Avatars a world of chaos which I hope they will turn into a world of peace. So this is one of a growing number of "distant future" fanon stories, and has a modern feel one might find within a dystopian novel, coupled with no small amount of action. How well does this work here? Let's check it out!
SCORE: 6.35 Constructive Criticism: Expand the scenes and details significantly enough that it is not rushed. Also, work on your description so that you're showing what you want the readers to see instead of merely telling. Other scores, like proper writing for instance, should increase naturally as you pay more attention to detail. To whom I would recommend: Someone looking for a quick read with a fresh cast of original characters.
Hi.
My name is BlackMonkey. In the spring of 2011, I joined the Avatar Wiki and was very active in the community. I wrote and completed a fanon called The Avatar Rhythm, served as a rollback user, and was involved with a handful of different groups and projects. It was a really fun time. Some older users may remember me, however the majority of you won’t. Pretty quickly after I finished Rhythm at the end of 2012 I fell out around here. I tried to come back a few times the next year but didn’t have it in me. Since that point I have been thoroughly inactive and continued with my life. Click here to keep reading! Nowadays I’m looking towards college and have inevitably become nostalgic about my teenage years, which in retrospect I understand were synonymous with this site. The other day on my computer I stumbled upon the Avatar Wiki and felt strangely compelled to look back at my past contributions and the current state of the wiki. I spent hours reading fanon chapters, blog posts, user pages, etc and what I found most striking was realizing the sheer amount of time and effort I deposited here. I have no recollection of ever writing the majority of the things I found and know I only scratched the surface of all my contributions. To me, it’s better not to remember everything, I don’t need to. But I did disappear from the wiki pretty suddenly and never had the chance to do this place, or more importantly, the people here, the justice they deserve for having been such a significant chapter of my adolescence. Hopefully this column serves as some sort of testament to what the Avatar Wiki has done for me. First off, I need to rightly honor The Avatar Rhythm, which I still hold as the largest creative accomplishment of my life. The fact that I legit wrote a book as a teenager is pretty crazy. I reread a lot of chapters the other day, which was really fun, nostalgic, and at certain points embarrassing. :) Aside from occasionally deplorable grammar it still holds up well. Looking back, that project was such a huge learning experience for me, both in my growth as a writer and as an all-around ambitious person. I don’t really care if people read it now, at this point that isn’t really too important to me. In general, I’m just proud that I had the drive to begin a project, come through and actually finish it. I was involved in a lot of things outside of my own story as well. I was a rollback, a Fanonbender, ranted a lot on the forums and pretty sure on a Fanon Awards Council at one point. For some period of time I was actually a Deputy Editor of the BSST, which is kind of cool. If you look through the records I actually posted one of the issues, which if I remember correctly 888 was none too pleased about… Hahahaha. Perhaps my biggest accomplishment here was starting the Fanon Review Squad. I founded the FRS on a whim back in the day, so it was a pleasant surprise to see they are still pumping out reviews. In fact, I suppose I pioneered the whole idea of a user group with members’ schedules to sign up on, the format that I believe the Fact Finders and the illustrator group later took up. Good to know I made some lasting contribution here. (because my fanon sure didn’t, hahaha) Lastly, I have to mention the community. I spent a ton of time on the IRC, blogs and comments and still value the wiki friends I made in my days here. The community was really booming back in my most active days and it was just a really fun group to be a part of. Shoutout to Rhythm readers. I lost a bunch towards the end due to long hiatuses between my last chapters, but for a time I had a solid group of the best fans in the world. Thanks to everyone here for being so awesome. I hope the new guys today can have the same sort of experience. This April will be my five year anniversary of joining. I guess you could call me an Avatar Wiki veteran, but as I look back, I think a more appropriate term would be an Avatar Wiki alumni. I put in a lot of time here, valued the experience, and continued on with my life. I have no intention to become active here again. I have far moved on. However, I feel the need to honor this place for being such an instrumental part of my youth. And to thank all the people here. I wasn’t planning on posting this in the context of Valentine’s Day, but I suppose it’s appropriate. *blushes* I love you guys. |