I agree with you about c) not judging. I liked that we saw Zuko's reaction to the waterbending--a slight widening of his eyes--but then he took the information in, accepted it, and moved on without passing judgment on her of any kind. Aang and Sokka might agree that bloodbending is wrong (as Katara initially felt it was), but Zuko just sees it and goes forward. He would never tell her that part of her bending was evil or unjustified, not after he's known what fire and lightning can do
a) I agree with you partially about this, about him understanding how Katara feels and understanding that she needs someone to support her unquestioningly.
I disagree that it was OOC or that it was because he thought she wouldn't do it. I don't think Zuko knew what Katara planned to do any more than Aang or Sokka did. And I don't think he would have judged her whichever she chose. I think he just understood that she needed to have the chance, because he believes people who have been wronged deserve the chance to confront their abusers. Honor is still a real, tangible thing to Zuko. It's still a massive part of how he looks at the world.
I also think this was VERY much about Ursa, as well. Zuko wasn't just going along... when they broke into the ship, Zuko was fervent about it, really demanding that the man put himself in Katara's power. I think Zuko is projecting his own anger about his mother's disappearance into Katara's loss. It's probably not concscious at all, but by helping her, it's like he's indirectly getting revenge or closure for the loss of his own mother. Kaya's murderer = Ursa's tyrant husband. This wasn't expressed in the language of the episode, but going off the conversations in the camp and off the cave scene in Ba Sing Se, I feel this was implied, and strongly so.
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sarken
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-19 05:20 am (UTC)a) I agree with you partially about this, about him understanding how Katara feels and understanding that she needs someone to support her unquestioningly.
I disagree that it was OOC or that it was because he thought she wouldn't do it. I don't think Zuko knew what Katara planned to do any more than Aang or Sokka did. And I don't think he would have judged her whichever she chose. I think he just understood that she needed to have the chance, because he believes people who have been wronged deserve the chance to confront their abusers. Honor is still a real, tangible thing to Zuko. It's still a massive part of how he looks at the world.
I also think this was VERY much about Ursa, as well. Zuko wasn't just going along... when they broke into the ship, Zuko was fervent about it, really demanding that the man put himself in Katara's power. I think Zuko is projecting his own anger about his mother's disappearance into Katara's loss. It's probably not concscious at all, but by helping her, it's like he's indirectly getting revenge or closure for the loss of his own mother. Kaya's murderer = Ursa's tyrant husband. This wasn't expressed in the language of the episode, but going off the conversations in the camp and off the cave scene in Ba Sing Se, I feel this was implied, and strongly so.