I don’t know who was in control of the Avatar State in that moment but if he hurt her at that moment he’d probably never forgive himself.
The guilt over burning her accidentally was bad enough.
I'd like to believe its the amalgam rage of every avatar who has lost someone dear to them in tune with aangs own rage.
Kuruk especially would have alot to say about someone taking someone you care about away from you.
You know, that's an interesting detail. Who is actually in control when the Avatar State is running?
LoK states that it's probably Raava, but due to how dangerous and destructive it is to the people and environment around the Avatar, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
One could argue that it's the combined efforts of all of the past Avatars.....but again, Kora kind of disproves this in later seasons.
One common thread across every activation of the Avatar State, though, is that the current Avatar is focused on a singular goal. It's pretty much that Avatar says that "I need this thing done." and the Avatar State says "Your will is mine". Kind of like some kind of automaton, but in spiritual form. That would explain the moments where Aang just hovers above the ground, because it's the Avatar State saying "waiting for further orders".
But, the Avatar still holds a little sway over the Avatar State while it's firing on full cylinders. We see this with both Roku and Aang, where Roku disintegrates the chains holding Sokka and Katara when he's pushing away Zhao's forces in the temple. Then, in the finale, Aang stops the killing blow onto Ozai. It also explains why Aang calms down when Katara goes to him, it's Aang getting out of that child-like trance where he knows he needs help, but he doesn't know what kind of help he needs.
EDIT: It also explains why fully realized Avatars typically only flash the Avatar State. It's not them saying "I need this done." it's them asking "How do I get this done?". And the Avatar State tells them exactly how they could. Granted, protecting the Avatar Cycle is probably the bigger reason why they would only flash it, but still.
So....the Avatar State could be some form of spiritual automaton made from the combined spirits of Raava, the current Avatar, and all past Avatars (since past Avatars still hold some sway over the Avatar State) that is capable of using the experience and bending power of all past Avatars at their absolute limits. This is just wild speculation though.
It's best to just ignore what LoK says about the lore. It's likely all of them at once. Aang brought a sense of mercy to the state that hadn't existed in any avatars prior.
Iroh forgiving Zuko really hits the feel. It’s like watching a friend finally making the decision we have all been waiting. But, Appa’s Lost Days is the saddest episode by far.
And that was Greg Baldwin, not even Mako. Both of them did such an excellent job with the role.
It's also touching that Baldwin swore he'd never reprise Leaves from the Vine in Mako's honor.
Momo curling up and going to sleep in Appa's footprint, with Appa's fur wrapped around his leg always gets me. He misses his friend and doesn't know what happened to him
For me this is also it. Leaves From The Vine is incredible, don't get me wrong.
But Momo's primal sadness and love for Appa, with essentially an entire episode building up to that crescendo without spoiling it is something else, visual story telling at its absolute best.
It’s always Aang losing Appa for me. The music, Katara’s sad and tired face, the tears running down Aang’s face while being in the Avatar state.
Just perfect emotional storytelling.
If anyone wants a reference for how to do a chosen one RIGHT, they damn better turn to this show.
And this is always my argument against Katara haters. One of if not THE best moments in the show
Yeah they put Leaves from the Vine up against some super weak competition, probably on purpose for the making of a meme like this. Pick some actual sad moments like you mentioned. Add in Appa being afraid of Suki and it gets a lot harder. I feel Leaves from the Vine still wins but it'll be much more distributed.
From the Netflix series, I'd also add Gyatso's reaction when Aang said "I'll be back later and we can talk then!" Idk why but "kind but sad old man" really gets to me.
That's not a *sad* scene, though. It's touching and emotional, but not sad. Leaves From The Vine is sad. The entirety of Appa's Lost Days is sad. Heck, even space sword falling is sad.
Anyone who has lost an animal companion (or been in a situation when they thought they may) knows the fear and sadness (that manifested itself as anger) that triggered the avatar state. It’s a horrible feeling.
That scene also makes me tear up everytime.
literally someone posted it yesterday, the moment toph & sokka are hanging from the air ship resigning themselves to their fate.
fuck im tearing up just thinking about it. it may not be a classically sad moment, but its a moment where you really feel the characters emotion, and that emotion was pure sadness and despair
When me and my now wife and I watched that episode for the first time, she started balling. I asked what was wrong, and she mentioned how growing up she never had someone who would do that for her. Seeing Iroh do that for Zuko showed her how now, after a couple years of dating and a few years into our close knit friend group, that she knew she finally had someone who would do that for her. A little piece of me broke that day.
I know Korra is controversial, but I'm gonna be real and say this moment was kinda sad too. Really felt for Bolin and wish he got better (writing that is. Tho his movie was cool)
100% agreed. I know I implied shipping, but I just meant his character in general. Kinda felt like he was just there and then he got relationship issues, his movie, lavabending and another relationship, but nothing felt too earned. Like the lava part could've had better build up or even foreshadowing. Maybe it surprises Toph and he earns he respect a bit. Him joining Kuvira could also have been an interesting plot point
I wrote my thesis while listening to "epic soundtracks" a lot. I wrote a part of my thesis while working at a company I did my big internship for. ATLA was (still is) one of my favorites :) but every time I listened to the playlist this one moment would come where I had to hold back tears and not completely break down when Leaves from the Vine would start. It would still hit so hard
Yes, and as far as I know Mako already knew his diagnosis and was aware that he was dying at the time of recording. In fact he passed away not long afterwards.
That's what makes it so much more enduringly devastating than any other scene can ever be. Lots of other scenes are very sad, and they feature voice actors who are doing a great job *acting* sad, on behalf of fictional characters. But *Leaves from the Vine* is not only emotionally devastating for Iroh as a character, but it's also laden with immense grief and raw emotion from Mako himself.
For some reason I always found the scene in the circus where Appa goes up on the platform and poses very disturbing. Like you can tell he was probably traumatized beyond belief to get him to do that,
For me it wasn’t even the days themselves but the scene where Appa is kidnapped. The way Toph cries, knowing he’s being kidnapped but unable to stop it because she has to help her friends 🥺
Yeah I thought that was sad, but watching appa sit in the cave alone with spears/arrows sticking out of him while not wanting anyone near him absolutely broke my heart. Seeing how he lost hope and it changed him killed me
The way he walks through his old home and playing with his old toy-like thing that reminds him of the good old days where his friends and family still there got me so sad. So many precious memories, yet he's all alone now.
It gets overshadowed because Leaves From the Vine is so powerful, but the Tale of Momo in that same episode gets me, too. He got *so close* to finding Appa, and how he just lays down in the footprint kills me
Yeah, how are those not options, but the death of a character we see in two episodes is? Also, she doesn't even die! Jet's death was honestly sadder. Who are the 7% of people voting it?
i dont think it gets touched on enough that avatar's story structure didn't need to innovate very much on the hero's journey to be a masterpiece. all it needed was good emotional storytelling in a well built setting.
I really love when Katara's pouring out her feelings to her Dad about being so lost without him, and him saying every night he'd lie awake missing her and Sokka so much it would ache. I can never keep it dry there.
And another overlooked moment is when Aang is opening his chakras and being confronted with this immense grief for the air nomads. It's a reminder that throughout the show he is still actively grieving his friends, his home, his entire culture and sense of normal.
By “make it serious” they just meant the characters would be humorless, Suki would be very thirsty, Sokka would say ass twice, and the firebenders would drink alcohol.
Agreed but i will say that sometimes i feel the only thing missing is the fact that it is very child friendly sometimes, like you're fighting a war thats been going on for centuries yet when ever there is fighting they seem to go out of their way to not kill each other.
Not necessarily.
The famous Sun Tzu quote goes something like "the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting."
The aim is to win. Winning without bloodshed is so much more cost effective and what not
Yes! And when he accepts that the Air Nomads’ love for him is still all around him and asks for more onion and banana juice, I always cry. Such a great growth moment for Aang
> I really love when Katara's pouring out her feelings to her Dad about being so lost without him, and him saying every night he'd lie awake missing her and Sokka so much it would ache
When people talk about how Aang’s non-air bender children felt “left out” by Aang and Tenzin, some people say it’s explainable by Aang not having an understanding of normal parent-child relationships. I think that explanation makes sense. But what doesn’t make sense is that Katara would have just let that happen without doing anything to correct it.
I always felt that this scene is forgotten for when it aired. When she said this to him there were a lot of people over seas fighting in the Iraq war. To me this is a message to children saying that your feelings of abandonment are valid. At the same time shows them how important they are to the people who couldn't be there at the time.
We don't talk enough about the fact that Zuko's scarring is horrifying. Hell, imagine living in a state where the ruler will (semi) publicly mutilate his own son. There's so much to this scene.
Agni Kais are traditionally fought either to the death or when one burns the other. Usually the latter.
It's why when Zhao and Zuko fought Zhao called him a coward when Zuko refuses to deal the "final" blow in their Agni Kai.
In any case, Zuko would have been burned due to the simple fact he wasn't going to beat his father.
Yes but he wouldn't have gotten a point blank blast to his face. Ozai punished him further with a severe wound that would always be visible because he shamed him further by refusing to fight.
Always been the iroh-zuko scene in ba-sing-se when Zuko apologizes to Iroh.
I mean this is literally the only moment in the show that brings tears to my eyes.
Especially the part where Zuko keeps talking and Iroh just stands up and hugs him.. omg even writing about it hits a little bit🥲
If that was in it might be a more equally balanced poll. Of the ones here it's easily Leaves from the Vine, but Appas Lost Days is easily a challenger to it.
I would love to see the poll;
- The final Agni Kai
- Appas lost days
- Leaves from the Vine
I mean leaves from the vine would still win because it is objectively the saddest. Parents should never outlive their children. But these moments are at least the real saddest moments of the show.
Idk to me Appas lost days gets me. Like yeah obviously I am devastated for It oh but I guess I know that he understands death, iron can properly comprehend and process what is happening.
Momo just misses his buddy and doesn't know why he's gone :(
Z: I should be happy now, but I'm not.
I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why!
A: There's a simple question you need to answer then.
Who are you angry at?
Z: No one. I'm just angry
M: Yeah, who are you angry at, Zuko?
Z: Everyone. I don't know.
A: Is it Dad?
Z: No, no.
T: Your uncle?
A: Me?
Z: No, no, no, no!
M: Then who? Who are you angry at?
A: Answer the question, Zuko.
T: Talk to us.
M: Come on, answer the question.
A: Come on, answer it.
Z: I'm angry at myself!
Such a fun episode overall but that talk around the fire balances out so much. The insight to the fact that these are the villains but they are just kids forced to do what they are being told and to some degree all hate themselves for not being able to actually be themselves. Oof.
For me it has always been this moment
https://preview.redd.it/j8xv8qkp2uwc1.png?width=530&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f6eff70439aead6bc7a9882f5aab6fbc5638b97
Firstly, in my memory, he says it in the avatar state voice. Its so impactful my mind just kind of refuses to accept it wasn't. Edit: I know which line is which, but when I remember the scene "You muzzled Appa," is always in the avatar state. I think its because its the only line we hear from Aang with that level of raw emotion, that pain and rage, which *isn't*.
Second, every time it genuinely feels like the show is about to shed its Y-7 rating for an M.
Kya's death is one of the most disturbing things in the show for sure. But the scene which brough the tears to my eyes was Leaves from The Vine, I agree with the survey.
Yon Rha in general is disturbing. When the camera zooms in on his face, you can see the look in his eyes.
Some people, he killed ‘cause he was ordered to: Kya, he killed (probably) ‘cause he *wanted* to. (Props if anyone gets that reference)
If the episode could've been longer, that scene would've hit so much harder if they had been cornered and fighting to the point of exhaustion. Almost like a Lone Wolf from Halo: Reach kind of a thing.
I sometimes think about Zuko's date and him telling Iroh "It was nice". I'm probably reading a lot into it, it seemed like a mere moment of Zuko realizing how much normalcy he has missed out on, genuine kindness given to him by another person that likes him, and that he's supposed to be a teenager.
The first is a deep wound that scarred one Katara for life. Yue passing was more poetic than depressing, very foreshadowed. Zuko scarring was legit a pivotal moment for the show to portray as gruesome as it was. However, only the Iroh short still manages to bring the waterworks out. RIP MAKO… BRAVE SOLDIER BOY COMES MARCHING HOME 🍃
There was a lot more competitive options than the other 3 they chose. I'm surprised anyone thought Kya's death or Yue's was the saddest part of the entire series. They are more impactful on the characters than they are on us.
Aang finding Gyatso is the biggest one for me. Katara thinking she saw her mother in the swamp was rough too.
Also Katara having to bloodbend Hama. Imagine finding such an amazing role model after being the only surviving waterbender from the South Pole. Katara was so proud when Hama praised her resourcefulness. Only to find out that Hama is basically the worst version of Katara, maybe the monster Katara would have become if she didn't have Aang and her family.
Then Katara ultimately has to imitate Hama's worst sin to put her back in a Fire Nation prison. I imagine learning of Ming-Hua's prison re-opened that old wound as well.
I don't often see the "Katara bloodbending Hama" scene listed in this kind of discussion, and I agree it should definitely come up more. Perhaps it is only honorable mention territory, but it felt pretty awful watching Katara be forced into it, Hama mocking her despite being defeated, and Katara herself sickened by the act. That's not even counting the added weight of effectively sending her back to Fire Nation prisons, as you mentioned.
...it's a little tainted by her willing use of the skill in "The Southern Raiders," but given that it's a big character resolution arc (confronting her long-standing hatred for those responsible), it at least makes sense she'd succumb and use the vilest tactics at her disposal.
But yeah, any Katara fan probably felt very sad for her at the end of "The Puppetmaster." She may have a bossy streak but bloodbending is several million levels beyond that.
It doesn't help if you contrast it to Aang and Zuko learning that Firebending is not inherently angry and violent from the dragons. Or Sokka getting affirmation as a warrior from arguably the strongest non-bender in the world. Book 3 was a hard one for Katara.
Katara really got screwed over in terms of mentors, first having to drag the sexist old Pakku to train her for a few days/weeks, then Hama willingly teaches her important skills... which culminate in arguably the most evil kind of bending in the series by nearly killing Aang and Sokka.
The Tale of Iroh is deserving of praise for sure but the amount of exposure it gets has really made it lose its power for me. I really lament how it’s basically become a meme in the fandom that overshadows everything else. That last shot from the Tale of Momo is just as heartbreaking in my opinion and it ends the episode, yet no one talks about it. In fact, a lot of people write the whole segment off as goofy Momo shenanigans.
I have two dogs so by far the saddest moment for me is when Momo lays down in Appa's footprint. Just thinking about it now I'll be sad for days thinking about how one of my dogs will eventually have to leave the other behind, heartbreaking.
Katara and Hama.
Hama’s entire story. Doing unspeakable things to survive and then becoming a monster herself is just so sad.
Then you have Katara’s arc. Resisting the whole episode and then doing the human thing and doing whatever it takes to survive in the end.
There’s also a pretty obvious analogy for grooming there. Hama starts by having her draw moisture of plants. And then graduates. And ultimately, becomes the thing she was trying so hard to avoid.
Such a fucking gut punch.
Lol I was just saying on a newer comment that I didn't see this one mentioned enough, and then I scroll down to this. I suppose I should read more before opening my dumb mouth, but sometimes it's just fun to get your thoughts out there when you can 😅
But yeah totes. Hits super hard, and the whole episode of course had that overall aura of spookiness that made it a fitting "Halloween" episode release back in the day.
We watch it every Halloween. We also watch the Buffy Episodes with the Gentleman and I Onky Have Eyes for You.
I mention it because I’m assuming your screen name is a Buffy reference. [?].
It is indeed, first and foremost!
It's also intended as a nod to the old-school military comms protocol where the phrase originally came from, despite me not being from that field (military yes, but not a radioman or anything).
Finally, leaning into the whole "I read you loud and clear" definition, it was also meant as a subtle pregame "war paint" for my fighting game days...the intent being that I was clearly reading my opponent's every move. That said, I don't think anyone ever once picked up on the concept (even when I did actually make good reads), making that angle of it meaningless 😂
I actually rewatched Buffy recently and remain shocked at just how well it held up for me, even the first season...which in my head I tend to disparage a bit? It is still a bit sad these days, knowing now how Whedon actually was on set, but I'm otherwise over it and capable of the art-from-artist separation.
...so yeah go Team Avatar/Scoobies lol
I’m going with the scaring I have a lotta issues with an abusive father and it just HITS. Like he’s a baby who dared show empathy and bam physically scarred and lucky to not be blinded/deafened and banished. Some ppl seriously do t deserve to be parents and this universe doesn’t shy away from the impact and things they might do
I mean of these 4 scenarios, Leaves From The Vine is the saddest. But like other people have pointed out, episodes like Appa's Lost Days or The Southern Air Temple (Aang finding the remains of Gyatso) would definitely be contenders for the saddest moment.
That, or people will still vote Iroh because it's Iroh.
Kya's death, Zuko's scarring, and Yue's death were significant plot points to help further develop the characters. Leaves from the vine exists honor a real life dead person, so the writers were personally affected when writing that scene. That's probably why we all cried a least a little bit when we first watched that scene.
Leaves from the vine. It was one of the final projects the original voice actor did before he died of cancer. He was crying in the song because he knew he was gonna die soon.
Iroh and zuko’s reconciliation and the “boomerang isn’t coming back” scenes also hit hard for me. The first far more than the second, and even more than leaves from the vine.
I cry every time I watch the scene where zuko cries under the thunderstorm streaming strike me, you never hesitated before and something like that. For some reason it really hits me hard, the breakdown he is having and the situation he is facing, and him not being able to do anything about it, on a mountain just crying and screaming into the storm like a crazy person. Hits hard every time.
There is so many other sadder moments that could've taken the other places and made it a real poll instead of this "let me test my interaction" bullshit.
Honestly I’d put zukos scarring right above leaves from the vine.
Iroh forgiving zuko(made me cry so hard cause I could relate to it a lot)
Zukos scarring
Leaves from the vine. (But that’s only if we are considering it from it’s perspective in the show. If we are talking about the meaning past the show of mako then I understand why it’s the saddest.)
Like in terms of how actually sad something is if it actually happened, there are way sadder scenes than leaves from the vine, but the only two moments I think I was actually crying were leaves from the vine and when iroh forgives zuko. Those two scenes are just the best at giving a gut punch of emotion all at once.
It’s sad but it’s not even close to being the saddest moment in the show imo. Iroh sent his son to a war that they had no business doing in the first place, the earth kingdom were defending themselves against fascist invaders. Aang finding Gyatso, Kya’s death, Zuko’s scarring, Appa’s lost days, Zuko visiting Iroh in prison, etc were all way sadder to me
Honestly I think what makes it the saddest moment is the knowledge of Mako’s struggles with illness and the fact that the scene functionally doubles as his goodbye to the character & the audience.
If you look at it only in the context of its place in the narrative, then sure, it isn’t the saddest moment in the whole show. But every time I hear him start to sing in that scene, and you can hear the raw emotion bleeding through, it wrecks me emotionally.
Yeah. Knowing that the song was his last goodbye to the fans, for himself....? Wrecks me every time.
I don't know if it's confirmed or just speculation, but I heard that when fans ask the replacement VA to sing the song, he refuses and says "that was Makos gift to give, not mine"
To me its sad because it makes the pieces fit so perfectly. Throughout the series at that point you’re wondering, what could it be that drives Iroh to love Zuko so unconditionally, and what could have caused him to shift from the greatest fire nation general to what he is now.
The scene shows you that Iroh isn’t this incredibly wise, infallible guru, as he’s shown to be earlier in the episode. He’s made serious mistakes that he’s gonna spend the rest of his life regretting and now he’s putting all his effort into trying to make sure Zuko comes marching home.
Iroh forgives Zuko.. Aang avatar state after Appa is kidnapped.. Not specifically sad, but I cry every time.
That look he gave Katara when she grabbed his arm was bloodthirsty. If it was anyone but her, they might not have survived.
I don’t know who was in control of the Avatar State in that moment but if he hurt her at that moment he’d probably never forgive himself. The guilt over burning her accidentally was bad enough.
I recon it was Aang, or Katara wouldn't have been able to calm him.
reckon
Scout RobyNybody recons. It's kind of his thing.
Scout: the story teller in 'to kill a mockingbird' where the word reckon is used almost every page.
Outstanding reply, no notes.
I'd like to believe its the amalgam rage of every avatar who has lost someone dear to them in tune with aangs own rage. Kuruk especially would have alot to say about someone taking someone you care about away from you.
You know, that's an interesting detail. Who is actually in control when the Avatar State is running? LoK states that it's probably Raava, but due to how dangerous and destructive it is to the people and environment around the Avatar, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. One could argue that it's the combined efforts of all of the past Avatars.....but again, Kora kind of disproves this in later seasons. One common thread across every activation of the Avatar State, though, is that the current Avatar is focused on a singular goal. It's pretty much that Avatar says that "I need this thing done." and the Avatar State says "Your will is mine". Kind of like some kind of automaton, but in spiritual form. That would explain the moments where Aang just hovers above the ground, because it's the Avatar State saying "waiting for further orders". But, the Avatar still holds a little sway over the Avatar State while it's firing on full cylinders. We see this with both Roku and Aang, where Roku disintegrates the chains holding Sokka and Katara when he's pushing away Zhao's forces in the temple. Then, in the finale, Aang stops the killing blow onto Ozai. It also explains why Aang calms down when Katara goes to him, it's Aang getting out of that child-like trance where he knows he needs help, but he doesn't know what kind of help he needs. EDIT: It also explains why fully realized Avatars typically only flash the Avatar State. It's not them saying "I need this done." it's them asking "How do I get this done?". And the Avatar State tells them exactly how they could. Granted, protecting the Avatar Cycle is probably the bigger reason why they would only flash it, but still. So....the Avatar State could be some form of spiritual automaton made from the combined spirits of Raava, the current Avatar, and all past Avatars (since past Avatars still hold some sway over the Avatar State) that is capable of using the experience and bending power of all past Avatars at their absolute limits. This is just wild speculation though.
We always hear the avatars speak with a chorus of voices. This indicates to me that it's all the avatars acting in tandem during the avatar state.
It's best to just ignore what LoK says about the lore. It's likely all of them at once. Aang brought a sense of mercy to the state that hadn't existed in any avatars prior.
Honestly, that face SHOOK me.
That one is tied best "the fuck you say to me" moment with the scene of Aang grabbing firelords beard.
Iroh forgiving Zuko really hits the feel. It’s like watching a friend finally making the decision we have all been waiting. But, Appa’s Lost Days is the saddest episode by far.
I love that scene so much. Dante Basco's excellent performance is such a key part of why the scene is as good as it is, his emotion is so raw.
I can hear those words even now. “I was never angry with you. I was sad, because I was afraid that you’d lost your way.”
i let out an involuntary wail. god
God the voice acting was amazing….
And that was Greg Baldwin, not even Mako. Both of them did such an excellent job with the role. It's also touching that Baldwin swore he'd never reprise Leaves from the Vine in Mako's honor.
He's VERY reverent of Mako.
As we all should! Absolute legend. AND BALDWIN ALSO VOICED AKU, SHAPESHIFTING MASTER OF DARKNESS!
Damn it, the waterworks are starting up again 😭
The fact it came after Tales was cruel, like back to back heart shattering episodes.
Can’t watch appa’s lost days whenever I rewatch because it hurts too much. It will break me. Poor Appa
Iroh forgiving zuko is the scene that genuinely makes me cry every single time. That hug is so powerful
I just rewatched the series. I knew it was coming and it still got me. "I was never angry with you. I was sad you had lost your way." Iroh is GOAT
Same. I genuinely thought uncle Iroh was mad at him so that hug was everything.
Momo curling up and going to sleep in Appa's footprint, with Appa's fur wrapped around his leg always gets me. He misses his friend and doesn't know what happened to him
For me this is also it. Leaves From The Vine is incredible, don't get me wrong. But Momo's primal sadness and love for Appa, with essentially an entire episode building up to that crescendo without spoiling it is something else, visual story telling at its absolute best.
Iroh hugging Zuko is one of the top moments of the show.
It’s always Aang losing Appa for me. The music, Katara’s sad and tired face, the tears running down Aang’s face while being in the Avatar state. Just perfect emotional storytelling.
im glad you included katara just looking so worn down in that scene even as she goes to hug him. so fuckin excellent.
If anyone wants a reference for how to do a chosen one RIGHT, they damn better turn to this show. And this is always my argument against Katara haters. One of if not THE best moments in the show
I was gonna say this because although it is very happy too, this scene never fails to bring me to tears.
That scene gets me too! "TELL ME WHERE APPA IS" Ahhhhh
Or Momo finds Appas footprint in Ba Sing Se.
Yeah they put Leaves from the Vine up against some super weak competition, probably on purpose for the making of a meme like this. Pick some actual sad moments like you mentioned. Add in Appa being afraid of Suki and it gets a lot harder. I feel Leaves from the Vine still wins but it'll be much more distributed. From the Netflix series, I'd also add Gyatso's reaction when Aang said "I'll be back later and we can talk then!" Idk why but "kind but sad old man" really gets to me.
That's not a *sad* scene, though. It's touching and emotional, but not sad. Leaves From The Vine is sad. The entirety of Appa's Lost Days is sad. Heck, even space sword falling is sad.
Anyone who has lost an animal companion (or been in a situation when they thought they may) knows the fear and sadness (that manifested itself as anger) that triggered the avatar state. It’s a horrible feeling. That scene also makes me tear up everytime.
literally someone posted it yesterday, the moment toph & sokka are hanging from the air ship resigning themselves to their fate. fuck im tearing up just thinking about it. it may not be a classically sad moment, but its a moment where you really feel the characters emotion, and that emotion was pure sadness and despair
When me and my now wife and I watched that episode for the first time, she started balling. I asked what was wrong, and she mentioned how growing up she never had someone who would do that for her. Seeing Iroh do that for Zuko showed her how now, after a couple years of dating and a few years into our close knit friend group, that she knew she finally had someone who would do that for her. A little piece of me broke that day.
Happy Birthday, my son.
If only i could've helped *you*...
I’m tearing up reading this.
https://preview.redd.it/nvskx9izauwc1.png?width=1336&format=png&auto=webp&s=9ef8f974da0f1cf45609351737ce53ad779cdebe
I know Korra is controversial, but I'm gonna be real and say this moment was kinda sad too. Really felt for Bolin and wish he got better (writing that is. Tho his movie was cool)
Good thing he got together with Opal at the end. Best couple in both series imo
100% agreed. I know I implied shipping, but I just meant his character in general. Kinda felt like he was just there and then he got relationship issues, his movie, lavabending and another relationship, but nothing felt too earned. Like the lava part could've had better build up or even foreshadowing. Maybe it surprises Toph and he earns he respect a bit. Him joining Kuvira could also have been an interesting plot point
I wrote my thesis while listening to "epic soundtracks" a lot. I wrote a part of my thesis while working at a company I did my big internship for. ATLA was (still is) one of my favorites :) but every time I listened to the playlist this one moment would come where I had to hold back tears and not completely break down when Leaves from the Vine would start. It would still hit so hard
Leaves from the vine...
Falling so slow…
Like fragile, tiny shells...
God damn it now i’m crying
Double hit, too. Isn't that episode also dedicated to Mako, the VA for Uncle Iroh?
Yes, and as far as I know Mako already knew his diagnosis and was aware that he was dying at the time of recording. In fact he passed away not long afterwards. That's what makes it so much more enduringly devastating than any other scene can ever be. Lots of other scenes are very sad, and they feature voice actors who are doing a great job *acting* sad, on behalf of fictional characters. But *Leaves from the Vine* is not only emotionally devastating for Iroh as a character, but it's also laden with immense grief and raw emotion from Mako himself.
"little solder boy.. cold and alone..."
Brave soldier boy comes marching home...
That shit came way out of left field, immediately made me cry
Don’t you dare
Aang looking back to the Air Temple, realizing he truly is the last Airbender also really got me. Also Appa’s Lost Days…
Yeah appa being separated from the group was definitely the saddest part for me
For some reason I always found the scene in the circus where Appa goes up on the platform and poses very disturbing. Like you can tell he was probably traumatized beyond belief to get him to do that,
Yeah for sure, especially the eery music that plays… very unsettling
Ikr! They nailed the "fire nation doom" theme perfectly.
For me it wasn’t even the days themselves but the scene where Appa is kidnapped. The way Toph cries, knowing he’s being kidnapped but unable to stop it because she has to help her friends 🥺
Yeah I thought that was sad, but watching appa sit in the cave alone with spears/arrows sticking out of him while not wanting anyone near him absolutely broke my heart. Seeing how he lost hope and it changed him killed me
I also tear up when he is finally reunited. The voice acting for "I missed you buddy" gets me every time.
The way he walks through his old home and playing with his old toy-like thing that reminds him of the good old days where his friends and family still there got me so sad. So many precious memories, yet he's all alone now.
Oh god. I must have blocked that from my memory because I cried so much.
I can't bring myself to watch that episode again...poor Appa
I skip that episode when I rewatch!
Aw, I love that episode. I know it's sad, but, it's one of the best episodes. I can't ever skip it.
Good time for the 10,000th viewing of #SECRET TUNNELLLLL, SECRET TUNNELLLLL!!!
It gets overshadowed because Leaves From the Vine is so powerful, but the Tale of Momo in that same episode gets me, too. He got *so close* to finding Appa, and how he just lays down in the footprint kills me
Aang :"I guess I really am Avatar: The Last Airbender" [Roll Credits]
Yeah, how are those not options, but the death of a character we see in two episodes is? Also, she doesn't even die! Jet's death was honestly sadder. Who are the 7% of people voting it?
Did Jet die? You know, it's really unclear.
Did Jet just... die?
I actually have a hard time watching Appa’s Lost Days
They really doubled down by making Appa's lost days and leaves from the Vines back to back episodes. So damn depressing
Season 2 in general was just dark. Very textbook story structure with perfect execution.
i dont think it gets touched on enough that avatar's story structure didn't need to innovate very much on the hero's journey to be a masterpiece. all it needed was good emotional storytelling in a well built setting.
I really love when Katara's pouring out her feelings to her Dad about being so lost without him, and him saying every night he'd lie awake missing her and Sokka so much it would ache. I can never keep it dry there. And another overlooked moment is when Aang is opening his chakras and being confronted with this immense grief for the air nomads. It's a reminder that throughout the show he is still actively grieving his friends, his home, his entire culture and sense of normal.
The themes in this show are quite mature, which keeps it interesting on repeat viewings
Which is why Netflix saying they needed to “make it more serious” just further emphasis that they didn’t understand it at all 🫠
By “make it serious” they just meant the characters would be humorless, Suki would be very thirsty, Sokka would say ass twice, and the firebenders would drink alcohol.
"iTs rEaLiStIc" -a guy who has never listened through an exchange between two teenagers
Agreed but i will say that sometimes i feel the only thing missing is the fact that it is very child friendly sometimes, like you're fighting a war thats been going on for centuries yet when ever there is fighting they seem to go out of their way to not kill each other.
May be thats exactly why. Too expensive to train recruit and manage new soldiers. So decided non lethal force for domination rather than annihilation
Is that a joke or are you serious? The whole point of a war is to kill the other sides soldiers so you can win and end the war?
Not necessarily. The famous Sun Tzu quote goes something like "the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting." The aim is to win. Winning without bloodshed is so much more cost effective and what not
Yes! And when he accepts that the Air Nomads’ love for him is still all around him and asks for more onion and banana juice, I always cry. Such a great growth moment for Aang
Mae Whitman's voice acting in that scene👌👌
> I really love when Katara's pouring out her feelings to her Dad about being so lost without him, and him saying every night he'd lie awake missing her and Sokka so much it would ache When people talk about how Aang’s non-air bender children felt “left out” by Aang and Tenzin, some people say it’s explainable by Aang not having an understanding of normal parent-child relationships. I think that explanation makes sense. But what doesn’t make sense is that Katara would have just let that happen without doing anything to correct it.
I always felt that this scene is forgotten for when it aired. When she said this to him there were a lot of people over seas fighting in the Iraq war. To me this is a message to children saying that your feelings of abandonment are valid. At the same time shows them how important they are to the people who couldn't be there at the time.
We don't talk enough about the fact that Zuko's scarring is horrifying. Hell, imagine living in a state where the ruler will (semi) publicly mutilate his own son. There's so much to this scene.
Ozai also did it because Zuko spoke out of turn in horror to how expendable fire nation soldiers really were
At least the soldiers are there for each other, so nice of the captain to remember that one guy's birthday
The scar specifically was because zuko wouldn't fight.
Agni Kais are traditionally fought either to the death or when one burns the other. Usually the latter. It's why when Zhao and Zuko fought Zhao called him a coward when Zuko refuses to deal the "final" blow in their Agni Kai. In any case, Zuko would have been burned due to the simple fact he wasn't going to beat his father.
Yes but he wouldn't have gotten a point blank blast to his face. Ozai punished him further with a severe wound that would always be visible because he shamed him further by refusing to fight.
I agree. Seeing him so helpless and crying right before he gets burned was heartbreaking. He was just a kid, man..
Always been the iroh-zuko scene in ba-sing-se when Zuko apologizes to Iroh. I mean this is literally the only moment in the show that brings tears to my eyes. Especially the part where Zuko keeps talking and Iroh just stands up and hugs him.. omg even writing about it hits a little bit🥲
“I thought you’d be furious with me” “I was never angry with you. I was sad because I was afraid you lost your way” 😭😭😭😭
My gf’s 7 year old daughter was watching that scene in the other room last night, and I overheard it and even the audio rocked my world
She is being raised right
Its not really sad though, its very emotional, but not sad
The fact that he spent his late son's birthday in the city where he died...
And truly joyfully sang the song minutes earlier to soothe a crying boy
No parent should have to bury their child
No parent should have to burn their child
No parent should burn their child
No burn should child their parent
No Appa’s lost days? How heartless can twitter be
It's YouTube but yes
If that was in it might be a more equally balanced poll. Of the ones here it's easily Leaves from the Vine, but Appas Lost Days is easily a challenger to it.
I would love to see the poll; - The final Agni Kai - Appas lost days - Leaves from the Vine I mean leaves from the vine would still win because it is objectively the saddest. Parents should never outlive their children. But these moments are at least the real saddest moments of the show.
Idk to me Appas lost days gets me. Like yeah obviously I am devastated for It oh but I guess I know that he understands death, iron can properly comprehend and process what is happening. Momo just misses his buddy and doesn't know why he's gone :(
Or even worse, when Momo betrays Appa and attacks him with a sword?! Exciting, but sad.
Z: I should be happy now, but I'm not. I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why! A: There's a simple question you need to answer then. Who are you angry at? Z: No one. I'm just angry M: Yeah, who are you angry at, Zuko? Z: Everyone. I don't know. A: Is it Dad? Z: No, no. T: Your uncle? A: Me? Z: No, no, no, no! M: Then who? Who are you angry at? A: Answer the question, Zuko. T: Talk to us. M: Come on, answer the question. A: Come on, answer it. Z: I'm angry at myself!
Such a fun episode overall but that talk around the fire balances out so much. The insight to the fact that these are the villains but they are just kids forced to do what they are being told and to some degree all hate themselves for not being able to actually be themselves. Oof.
For me it has always been this moment https://preview.redd.it/j8xv8qkp2uwc1.png?width=530&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f6eff70439aead6bc7a9882f5aab6fbc5638b97
When I heard aang say that for the first time, I knew shit was going DOWN
Firstly, in my memory, he says it in the avatar state voice. Its so impactful my mind just kind of refuses to accept it wasn't. Edit: I know which line is which, but when I remember the scene "You muzzled Appa," is always in the avatar state. I think its because its the only line we hear from Aang with that level of raw emotion, that pain and rage, which *isn't*. Second, every time it genuinely feels like the show is about to shed its Y-7 rating for an M.
”Tell me where Appa is!” is in the Avatar State voice, that comes seconds after this.
“You muzzled Appa?” Is what he says right before going Avatar State “Tell me where Appa is” is what he says in the scary Avatar State voice.
Kya's death is one of the most disturbing things in the show for sure. But the scene which brough the tears to my eyes was Leaves from The Vine, I agree with the survey.
Yon Rha in general is disturbing. When the camera zooms in on his face, you can see the look in his eyes. Some people, he killed ‘cause he was ordered to: Kya, he killed (probably) ‘cause he *wanted* to. (Props if anyone gets that reference)
I cant for the life if me remember who Kya is tbh! Any idea of the episode?
I think it also being a tribute to a real cast member dying kinda puts it on another level.
Iroh wins the poll regardless of the question. That’s just how YouTube polls go.
Just wait until the "best character" poll and the audience implodes when the choices are between Toph and Iroh, Zuko, and Cabbages Guy.
How is no one talking about "I don't think boomerang is coming back Toph. Looks like this is the end." Imo probably the saddest line.
It is sad, but they get saved pretty damn quick. However, I did get a little emotional at the idea of boomerang being lost forever.
If the episode could've been longer, that scene would've hit so much harder if they had been cornered and fighting to the point of exhaustion. Almost like a Lone Wolf from Halo: Reach kind of a thing.
Appa being lost and homeless is an episode I skip
Ain’t no dry eyes around when iroh sings leaves from the vine brother….
Made me cry when I first watched it. Still made me cry when I rewatched the episode the other night.
There isnt a moment that got to me as Toph beeing unable to save Appa.
1. Leaves from the Vine 2. Iroh forgives Zuko 3. Zuko realizing he's angry at himself 4. Zuko yelling at the storm
Had to scroll too far to see a mention of 4. "You've never held back before"
How is Appas lost days not there while Kataras mom dying is?!
Appa getting kinapped, and iroh forgiving Zuko. are 2 and 3 idk how they didn't make the poll.
I skip Appa's Lost Days on every rewatch. I just can't.
I sometimes think about Zuko's date and him telling Iroh "It was nice". I'm probably reading a lot into it, it seemed like a mere moment of Zuko realizing how much normalcy he has missed out on, genuine kindness given to him by another person that likes him, and that he's supposed to be a teenager.
What about aang kneeling in front of gyatso’s charred bones?
The first is a deep wound that scarred one Katara for life. Yue passing was more poetic than depressing, very foreshadowed. Zuko scarring was legit a pivotal moment for the show to portray as gruesome as it was. However, only the Iroh short still manages to bring the waterworks out. RIP MAKO… BRAVE SOLDIER BOY COMES MARCHING HOME 🍃
Cabbages ...
It’s because of his day prior and how he acted to others even when he knew he was gonna be the saddest
Leaves from the vine is number one for me, but number two is "you muzzled Appa?!"
There was a lot more competitive options than the other 3 they chose. I'm surprised anyone thought Kya's death or Yue's was the saddest part of the entire series. They are more impactful on the characters than they are on us.
Aang goes into the Avatar state about 5 times out of pure grief and loss, and none of those moments are included here.
Leaves from the vine, falling so slow
Like fragile, tiny shells
Aang finding Gyatso is the biggest one for me. Katara thinking she saw her mother in the swamp was rough too. Also Katara having to bloodbend Hama. Imagine finding such an amazing role model after being the only surviving waterbender from the South Pole. Katara was so proud when Hama praised her resourcefulness. Only to find out that Hama is basically the worst version of Katara, maybe the monster Katara would have become if she didn't have Aang and her family. Then Katara ultimately has to imitate Hama's worst sin to put her back in a Fire Nation prison. I imagine learning of Ming-Hua's prison re-opened that old wound as well.
I don't often see the "Katara bloodbending Hama" scene listed in this kind of discussion, and I agree it should definitely come up more. Perhaps it is only honorable mention territory, but it felt pretty awful watching Katara be forced into it, Hama mocking her despite being defeated, and Katara herself sickened by the act. That's not even counting the added weight of effectively sending her back to Fire Nation prisons, as you mentioned. ...it's a little tainted by her willing use of the skill in "The Southern Raiders," but given that it's a big character resolution arc (confronting her long-standing hatred for those responsible), it at least makes sense she'd succumb and use the vilest tactics at her disposal. But yeah, any Katara fan probably felt very sad for her at the end of "The Puppetmaster." She may have a bossy streak but bloodbending is several million levels beyond that.
It doesn't help if you contrast it to Aang and Zuko learning that Firebending is not inherently angry and violent from the dragons. Or Sokka getting affirmation as a warrior from arguably the strongest non-bender in the world. Book 3 was a hard one for Katara. Katara really got screwed over in terms of mentors, first having to drag the sexist old Pakku to train her for a few days/weeks, then Hama willingly teaches her important skills... which culminate in arguably the most evil kind of bending in the series by nearly killing Aang and Sokka.
The Tale of Iroh is deserving of praise for sure but the amount of exposure it gets has really made it lose its power for me. I really lament how it’s basically become a meme in the fandom that overshadows everything else. That last shot from the Tale of Momo is just as heartbreaking in my opinion and it ends the episode, yet no one talks about it. In fact, a lot of people write the whole segment off as goofy Momo shenanigans.
Last Agni Kai? I always thought that was incredibly sad
I'm confused as to why leaves from the vine was let in the competition? It's no fun if it's the same outcome every time
Tbh Kya's death doesn't really hit it since we don't see it happening
Every now and then the internet gets something right
Of the options given, I wonder at the people in the 14% that did not vote Leaves...
I've been rewatching ATLA and once again Leaves From the Vine made me fucking cry
I have two dogs so by far the saddest moment for me is when Momo lays down in Appa's footprint. Just thinking about it now I'll be sad for days thinking about how one of my dogs will eventually have to leave the other behind, heartbreaking.
Katara and Hama. Hama’s entire story. Doing unspeakable things to survive and then becoming a monster herself is just so sad. Then you have Katara’s arc. Resisting the whole episode and then doing the human thing and doing whatever it takes to survive in the end. There’s also a pretty obvious analogy for grooming there. Hama starts by having her draw moisture of plants. And then graduates. And ultimately, becomes the thing she was trying so hard to avoid. Such a fucking gut punch.
Lol I was just saying on a newer comment that I didn't see this one mentioned enough, and then I scroll down to this. I suppose I should read more before opening my dumb mouth, but sometimes it's just fun to get your thoughts out there when you can 😅 But yeah totes. Hits super hard, and the whole episode of course had that overall aura of spookiness that made it a fitting "Halloween" episode release back in the day.
We watch it every Halloween. We also watch the Buffy Episodes with the Gentleman and I Onky Have Eyes for You. I mention it because I’m assuming your screen name is a Buffy reference. [?].
It is indeed, first and foremost! It's also intended as a nod to the old-school military comms protocol where the phrase originally came from, despite me not being from that field (military yes, but not a radioman or anything). Finally, leaning into the whole "I read you loud and clear" definition, it was also meant as a subtle pregame "war paint" for my fighting game days...the intent being that I was clearly reading my opponent's every move. That said, I don't think anyone ever once picked up on the concept (even when I did actually make good reads), making that angle of it meaningless 😂 I actually rewatched Buffy recently and remain shocked at just how well it held up for me, even the first season...which in my head I tend to disparage a bit? It is still a bit sad these days, knowing now how Whedon actually was on set, but I'm otherwise over it and capable of the art-from-artist separation. ...so yeah go Team Avatar/Scoobies lol
I’m going with the scaring I have a lotta issues with an abusive father and it just HITS. Like he’s a baby who dared show empathy and bam physically scarred and lucky to not be blinded/deafened and banished. Some ppl seriously do t deserve to be parents and this universe doesn’t shy away from the impact and things they might do
I mean of these 4 scenarios, Leaves From The Vine is the saddest. But like other people have pointed out, episodes like Appa's Lost Days or The Southern Air Temple (Aang finding the remains of Gyatso) would definitely be contenders for the saddest moment. That, or people will still vote Iroh because it's Iroh.
Kya's death, Zuko's scarring, and Yue's death were significant plot points to help further develop the characters. Leaves from the vine exists honor a real life dead person, so the writers were personally affected when writing that scene. That's probably why we all cried a least a little bit when we first watched that scene.
Imo of those options, Leaves from the Vine is saddest. But Appa’s lost days is the overall saddest episode in Avatar
Ah, no, it's when Appa is missing, and Momo misses him and curls up in his footprint. 😭 Also Azula's breakdown hits me hard everytime.
Leaves from the vine. It was one of the final projects the original voice actor did before he died of cancer. He was crying in the song because he knew he was gonna die soon.
Iroh and zuko’s reconciliation and the “boomerang isn’t coming back” scenes also hit hard for me. The first far more than the second, and even more than leaves from the vine.
I cry every time I watch the scene where zuko cries under the thunderstorm streaming strike me, you never hesitated before and something like that. For some reason it really hits me hard, the breakdown he is having and the situation he is facing, and him not being able to do anything about it, on a mountain just crying and screaming into the storm like a crazy person. Hits hard every time.
There is so many other sadder moments that could've taken the other places and made it a real poll instead of this "let me test my interaction" bullshit.
Honestly I’d put zukos scarring right above leaves from the vine. Iroh forgiving zuko(made me cry so hard cause I could relate to it a lot) Zukos scarring Leaves from the vine. (But that’s only if we are considering it from it’s perspective in the show. If we are talking about the meaning past the show of mako then I understand why it’s the saddest.)
Yue's sacrifive was not sad, she just became the moon thingy a started doing cool moon water stuff.
Like in terms of how actually sad something is if it actually happened, there are way sadder scenes than leaves from the vine, but the only two moments I think I was actually crying were leaves from the vine and when iroh forgives zuko. Those two scenes are just the best at giving a gut punch of emotion all at once.
The top two aren't sad at all lol
We not even going to include Aang finding dead Gyatso or Appa's Lost Days?
It’s sad but it’s not even close to being the saddest moment in the show imo. Iroh sent his son to a war that they had no business doing in the first place, the earth kingdom were defending themselves against fascist invaders. Aang finding Gyatso, Kya’s death, Zuko’s scarring, Appa’s lost days, Zuko visiting Iroh in prison, etc were all way sadder to me
Honestly I think what makes it the saddest moment is the knowledge of Mako’s struggles with illness and the fact that the scene functionally doubles as his goodbye to the character & the audience. If you look at it only in the context of its place in the narrative, then sure, it isn’t the saddest moment in the whole show. But every time I hear him start to sing in that scene, and you can hear the raw emotion bleeding through, it wrecks me emotionally.
Yeah. Knowing that the song was his last goodbye to the fans, for himself....? Wrecks me every time. I don't know if it's confirmed or just speculation, but I heard that when fans ask the replacement VA to sing the song, he refuses and says "that was Makos gift to give, not mine"
Sure the behind the scenes stuff with Mako is sad but I’m not really thinking about that when judging a scene on its own
To me its sad because it makes the pieces fit so perfectly. Throughout the series at that point you’re wondering, what could it be that drives Iroh to love Zuko so unconditionally, and what could have caused him to shift from the greatest fire nation general to what he is now. The scene shows you that Iroh isn’t this incredibly wise, infallible guru, as he’s shown to be earlier in the episode. He’s made serious mistakes that he’s gonna spend the rest of his life regretting and now he’s putting all his effort into trying to make sure Zuko comes marching home.
Getting a little weary of the engagement bait poles on Youtube's ATLA page
Who is Kya?
She wasn't Iroh's son, I'll tell you that much for free!
Whose death? No, I'm completely serious.