| Michael Dante DiMartino | Hey, this is Mike DiMartino, co-creator of Avatar. |
|---|---|
| Joshua Hamilton | My name is Josh Hamilton, I'm the writer of this episode. |
| Giancarlo Volpe | And I'm Giancarlo Volpe, I'm the director of this episode. |
| Josh | And... and we're watching the intro. |
| Mike | [Everyone laughs.] Yeah, so this, uh, this episode's called "The Chase". Uh, I think this was kind of a... Western-y inspired episode, wasn't it, Josh? Like, kind of a... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Yeah, we watched a lot of Westerns. I think we saw The Good, Bad, and the Ugly, and, um, a show called Shane, and we were in a big-a Western mode when we wrote this. |
| Mike | Yeah, right before this was the "Zuko Alone" episode, where he's, like, wandering the plains and... desolate areas, and stuff, and this was kind of a continuation of that sort of thing. |
| Giancarlo | Is that an intentional thing? Like, are-do you research the Westerns, because you want to get that feel, or do you just happen to be watching Westerns at that point in your life? |
| Josh | Well, Aaron, uh, Aaron went in to research 'em, I guess, but, um... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Yeah, I think in this case, it was, like, we wanted that sort of feel and-so we were, like, just checking out some movies to see... how they handled it, an-and stuff like that. |
| Josh | [Refers to the shot from the recap of "Zuko Alone" where Zuko moves away from the camera toward the looming setting sun.] Ooh... |
| Giancarlo | [Interjects.] Yeah. |
| Josh | ... that's a nice shot. |
| Giancarlo | [Mike and Giancarlo laugh.] The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly comes into play especially in the third act, though, we-we'll talk about that later. |
| Josh | Shhh, not yet, not yet. [Giancarlo laughs.] |
| Mike | Yeah. This was also really, if you want to talk about it, Josh, the-kind of the-this was the first episode where we have Toph... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Yeah, as... |
| Mike | ... as part of the group, and-and how that changes the dynamic. |
| Josh | Yeah, I thought it was awesome that she was like new. I remem-you wrote 206 and, uh, and I loved her attitude, she was so like, um, just quick and-and kind of-kind of a jerk, kind of, um, Sokka's... a version of Sokka that's a girl, I don't know. [Mike affirms.] I loved-I love writing her, it was hilarious. |
| Mike | This was another great episode, uh, animated by, um, MOI Animation in Korea, and Kim Sang-Jin is the director over there. He did-added some great, hilarious touches to it. I don't know, what do you think, Giancarlo? When you-'cause you directed this episode, and then you send it off to Korea, and then-are you always surprised when you see some of this stuff that they add from-from what you've put in there, or? |
| Giancarlo | Yeah, I mean that-I think that's always kind of a... you know, a thing about... doing half the show in America, and then sending it to Korea, like, there's always going to be kind of an X-factor of-of what you're gonna expect, of what you-what comes back. But I do remember, specifically on this episode, I was really pleased with how it came back; like, I just really thought that it they really got the gist of-kind of what I was going for in-in the episode. It was-it turned out really well. |
| Josh | [Refers to Momo swooping down to give Katara some berries.] Aw, Momo. [Mike laughs.] |
| Giancarlo | There's one thing I really liked about this episode writing-wise was, um, it starts out almost... I wanna say like a filler, almost like a, uh, but I don't mean that in a bad way, [Mike laughs.] because it's kinda... |
| Josh | [Interjects. In a faux outraged tone.] What!? |
| Giancarlo | ... it's kind of a character development thing where, you see-you kind of see that Toph and Katara are-are having these problems, and you sort of just assume that, "oh, okay... they're gonna resolve it somehow by the end of the episode." But what it kinda does, for me anyways, it-is-almost kinda lets your guard down, because you don't expect it to take the crazy turns that it does, like, a lot later. And I think that that-that was really kind of my feeling when I first read the script, was that, you-you're not really sure where it's gonna go, and it-it was really-it made it a good-a good read, [Mike and Josh give affirming murmurs.] which is always a good sign, you know, when I'm starting a new episode, like, man, if this script is a page turner, then you want to-you get really excited about starting to draw it. |
| Josh | What I-what... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Have you ever had a script that wasn't a page turner? [Giancarlo laughs.] |
| Josh | [Laughs.] Uh... |
| Mike | [Interjects. Imitating Giancarlo, in a mock disappointed tone.] Were you like... |
| Giancarlo | [In the background.] Uh... |
| Mike | ... "aw, man, I gotta dire-direct this?" |
| Giancarlo | [Laughs.] Not on Avatar. [Josh laughs.] |
| Mike | [In the background.] Oh, okay, that's cool. |
| Giancarlo | [In the background.] I'll leave it at that. |
| Josh | What I like about this one, what you-like what you were saying Giancarlo, it's-but-but it's about-our characters are the only characters in it, you know, like our main cast. We don't have-they don't go to a town [Mike affirms.] that's, like, they meet someone new, it's, like, we've met all the-these characters before, and we just get to see them, like, with each other in this situation being tired, like-like they are now, and... how this affects 'em, I thought that was really fun. |
| Giancarlo | [Refers to the main cast being physically haggard from travelling awake through the night.] Yeah, they're-speaking of them being tired, I just kind of saw that we had painted these, like, dark circles under their eyes as kind of a, you know, a sign of exhaustion. [Refers to the closeup shot of Toph as she questions why she would need to help unpack Sokka's supplies.] You see that [Josh chuckles.] on Toph right there, and, uh, I was always k-I was a little worried, like, how that was gonna turn out, but it-it-it actually really works. I think it's just subtle enough, and it-it adds to the whole, like, building exhaustion that's supposed to be happening to these characters over the course of the episode. |
| Mike | Yeah, they really feel like they-they get more and more tired, which is cool. |
| Giancarlo | It's a good, like, stress builder. |
| Josh | [Refers to the scene of Katara silently fuming in anger as Toph refutes the assertion that she is being selfish and unhelpful; laughs.] I love this animation. |
| Mike | Yeah, this was some co-hilarious... funny animation. |
| Josh snickers at Katara's indignant pronunciation of "sugar queen". | |
| Mike | So who-did you come up with the sugar queen line, Josh? |
| Josh | I did. |
| Mike | Where did that come from? |
| Josh | [Josh and Mike laugh.] I don't know where it came from, [Giancarlo laughs.] but I can remember writing the line, and thinking, like, this is that line that's gonna get cut somewhere along the line, [Mike laughs.] someone's gonna have a note, and it made it past, you know, we do different versions of, you know, the-it wasn't in the outline, but the first draft, and it made it past the table draft, and it made it past through core draft, and I don't know... |
| Mike | And it... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] I like it! I like... [Laughs.] |
| Mike | ... I think, yeah, we started her... saying Twinkle Toes, and then I think we needed some alternates for people. So, [Josh affirms.] now she's-says all sorts of stuff about... insulting people. [Laughs.] |
| Josh | Um, that's really... |
| Giancarlo | [Interjects; refers to Katara mocking Toph for not being able to see the stars.] Katara just said, like, one of her meanest lines. |
| Mike | Yeah, that-that was another line, too, [Josh laughs.] I thought was going to get cut at one point [Josh affirms.] 'cause it was like, [In a mock concerned tone.] "there's no-she can't make fun of her blind, that seems too..." |
| Josh | [In the background.] Right. [Giancarlo laughs.] |
| Mike | ... [Refers to Toph, in response to Katara's insult, sending the waterbender flying through the air with her earthbending.] but I feel like it's okay 'cause Toph then kicks her butt with the earthbending. So, [Josh laughs.] they're-they're kind of equally jerky to each other. |
| Giancarlo | I also kinda feel like when-when brothers and sisters argue, which, I mean, know Katara and Toph aren't related, but it's that type of relationship, you go for the throat, [Mike and Josh laugh intermittently.] you know, you-you're not politically correct when you're trying to insult your brother or your sister, like, you-you try to find something that's wrong with them, and... [Laughs.] |
| Josh | [In the background.] That's correct. [Laughs.] |
| Giancarlo | ... really hone in on that, so. |
| Josh | Aaron must have had a great childhood, that was his line that-and, uh, yeah, that was... |
| Mike | [In the background.] Was it? [Giancarlo laughs.] |
| Josh | ... another one I thought wasn't going to make it. [Mike laughs.] Of course, now Toph jokes about her blindness all the time. |
| Mike | Yeah. [Refers to Sokka crawling like an inch-worm on the ground while inside his sleeping bag.] I like this little animation of Sokka, he's like a little worm, [Josh affirms; Giancarlo laughs.] moving over there. |
| Josh and Giancarlo snicker at Katara's snide comments on Toph's unwillingness to help set up camp. | |
| Giancarlo | I notice that, like, subconsciously working on this episode, because it was so much about them getting progressively more and more tired, I-I felt like it was kind of affecting me personally [Mike and Josh snicker.] when I was working on it. I mean, every episode does kind of wear you out by the time you're-get to the end to it-end of it, but this one especially, I was, like, man, I was just yawning a lot. [Mike and Josh laugh.] I had the little circles under my eyes. |
| Mike | Wow, that's great. |
| Josh snickers again at Katara saying that, unlike Zuko, Sokka is fun and perky. Followed by a brief pause in commentary until Sokka gives an enunciated "shush" to the rest of the group, as he tries to get some sleep. | |
| Josh | Jack's read of that line was really fun. [Giancarlo laughs.] |
| Mike | Yeah, I think it was-it was written as, just a regular "shhh". |
| Josh | [In the background.] Okay, right. |
| Mike | He, yeah, Jack DeSena who plays Sokka always comes up with [Josh affirms.] kinda funny [Laughs.] variations on things, so. |
| Josh | [Giancarlo and Josh laugh.] I believe fo-for the record, Andrea was like, "wha-wha-what is that? What did you just do?" And he's like, "sure, you know, I'm, I don't know, changing it up a little." [Mike and Josh laugh.] |
| Giancarlo | [Laughs; refers to the approaching tank train.] Someone had mentioned, at some point, in a board meeting, or something, that Lo and Li were driving the tank train. |
| Mike | Oh yeah. |
| Josh | Oh right. Yeah, they... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] That is-that is our little secret, side-idea. |
| Giancarlo | [Laughs; in a playfully devious tone.] I thought I'd divulge that. |
| Mike | Yeah. You never see 'em, but Lo and Li, Azula's teachers from, uh, the first episode... |
| Josh | [In the background.] The old ladies. |
| Mike | ... of season two, we just imagine they're in there in with their goggles, [Josh laughs.] just, like, driving the-the-the tank train, 'cause we're wondering, there's no... [Josh and Giancarlo chuckle.] we don't see anyone, how is it getting around? |
| Giancarlo | [Refers to the mongoose lizards that Azula, Mai and Ty Lee are riding.] What do-what's those lizards called? |
| Mike | We're debating what the name of these things [Mike and Giancarlo laugh.] are. We think they're mongoose lizards, or mongoose dragons. |
| Josh | Might've been some [Giancarlo affirms; Mike chuckles.] fancy name for them, I forget. |
| Giancarlo | [Refers to Azula, Mai and Ty Lee using their mongoose lizards to quickly close the distance between them and their targets.] I remember kind of, in-in a very geek fashion, like, like, daydreaming why they were riding on these instead of the rhinos, and it was, like, well, it's they're-it's they're-they're the all-terrain, um, mounts in the Fire Nation, [Josh laughs.] whereas the rhinos are kind of more like the tanks. |
| Mike | Yeah, totally, [Giancarlo affirms.] they're-they're-they're faster. |
| Josh | [Refers to the three mongoose lizards bounding over the rock pillars Toph bends up in their paths.] Look at them, leaping... |
| Giancarlo | [Interjects.] Yeah, see, there you go. |
| Josh | ... over them rocks. |
| Mike | Rhino couldn't... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] They're-they're amazing. |
| Giancarlo | Case in point, right there! [Josh laughs.] |
| Mike | ... no rhino could jump over... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] And, [Dramatically clears throat; in a mock judgmental tone.] I believe they run on water, Giancarlo. |
| Mike | Yeah. [Josh laughs.] Well that was-that was kind of the reason we needed a new creature, right? |
| Josh | Yeah. |
| Mike | That you wouldn't think would be able to run on water, but later on they-they needed to, so. |
| Josh | Yeah. |
| Giancarlo | [Laughs; brief pause.] Actually found reference for that lizard running on water stuff online, I mean, we-we actually pull a lot of reference off the Internet, but just, you know, anything from, like, a color scheme for a cloud, you-for the-for the sky or something, to, you know, animation of a-of a horse running, or something, and somehow try to turn that into a... into an Avatar animal. [Mike and Giancarlo laugh.] |
| Josh | Uh... |
| Mike | [Interjects; refers to Sokka freaking out over not getting any sleep.] I like this animation of Sokka... |
| Josh | [In the background.] This is great. |
| Mike | ... is hilarious, too. |
| Giancarlo | [Refers to how Sokka's arm drops and sways after he was pointing it toward the sun.] I like that dangle that his little arm did. [Mike chuckles.] |
| Josh | [Refers to the low angle shot of Sokka framed at a Dutch angle.] Yeah. I love the angle, too, it like... [Giancarlo laughs.] |
| Mike | [Refers to the sounds the tank train make as it moves across the landscape.] And... duh, Ben and Jeremy do the sound and music, did a great job with this episode with the-Ben did all the tank train... sounds, and stuff, and, um, Jeremy does the-the scoring, and... |
| Giancarlo | [Refers to the cut to Zuko following the train's tracks; in an enthusiastic tone.] Zuko's in this episode! |
| Mike | [In an enthusiastic tone.] Yeah, Zuko! [Josh laughs.] What's kind of funny... |
| Josh | [Interjects; in a fawning tone.] He's so handsome! |
| Mike | ... uh, oh, he is. [Josh chuckles.] I always forget, like, that this is the episode where the-the kids don't even know who Azula is yet; like, we-when we were writing it, it's like, you kinda have to remind yourself, like.. [Josh affirms intermittently.] like, you know who you-who they are, and the audience knows who she is, but, these kids have no idea who's been tracking them. |
| Brief pause in commentary until the group realizes that Appa fell asleep while in flight as Josh chuckles at their panic. | |
| Josh | [Refers to the profile shot of Appa, with Aang crawling down his face, their features fluttering as they rapidly freefall.] This shot right here, I can remember, uh, Bryan drawing on the outline. He like drew, you know, just in freehand, [Mike affirms.] and it was-I-I think I still have it. I'ma sell it on eBay. [Mike laughs.] |
| Giancarlo | [Refers to the sequence of Appa trying to fly again, sailing through the treetops, and the multiple closeup shots of the group being flung around in his saddle.] Appa falling. |
| Josh | Just kidding. [Josh and Giancarlo laugh.] |
| Mike | The-yeah, where Aang is... ju... |
| Josh | [Interjects; refers to when Aang was falling upside-down while holding onto Appa's reins during the flying bison's descent.] Upside down. |
| Mike | ... on the s-upside down on the saddle. |
| Josh | [Josh and Giancarlo laugh.] Right. Kinda drew it in... |
| Mike | [Interjects; refers to everyone's sluggish disembarking from Appa.] Yeah, all the animation of everyone being really tired is funny; [Refers to a hunched-over Sokka shuffling his body as he moves away from Appa.] like, Sokka's walk cycle here is [Laughs.] really... |
| Josh | It's great. |
| Giancarlo | [Refers to the little needles stuck in Sokka and Katara's hair.] Think they also have like little, um, fir tree [Mike affirms.] needles in their... [Josh laughs.] clothes and hair. |
| Josh | That's so funny, that... |
| Brief pause in commentary until Toph angrily asks Katara what she means by the former's "issues". | |
| Mike | Yeah, this just feels like a bunch of kids, who... just have not slept, [Laughs.] and... everyone's on edge, and [Josh affirms.] just kind of-in a way, it's very realistic, it's, like, this is what would happen when bunch of kid... running around the world together, not sleeping. [Josh and Giancarlo affirm.] They'd break, eventually. |
| Josh | [Laughs; refers to Katara confirming to Aang she blames their lack of sleep on Toph.] She's cracking. [Mike affirms.] I love how, like, she-Katara's just poking her. [Imitating Katara.] "Come on! [Mike laughs intermittently.] Bring it on!" [Brief pause.] The, uh... |
| Giancarlo | [Interjects; refers to Aang angrily defending Appa from Toph's accusations.] Aang gets very defensive of Appa. [Josh affirms.] That's his-that's his soft spot. [Mike affirms.] |
| Josh | Yeah. I think he... |
| Giancarlo | [Interjects.] You ever want to... make A-Aang mad... [Mike laughs.] |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Yeah, mention Ap... |
| Giancarlo | ... talk bad ab... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Or steal him. [Giancarlo laughs.] |
| Josh | [Refers to Azula and her comrades tracking the group by following Appa's shed fur.] The Appa-the Appa shedding, I just remembered is-is-was an idea from, like, the first season. Mike, do you remember that? |
| Mike | Oh, I think... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Like, someone came in with the idea of, like, Zuko finding them because of Appa? |
| Mike | Yeah, that was a really old id-that [Josh agrees intermittently.] may have even been... from development, like, the idea that they could-that Zuko could... |
| Josh | [In the background.] Follow... |
| Mike | ... track Appa with-'cause he's shedding, [Josh affirms.] 'cause it's hot out, and stuff. |
| Josh | Yeah, and it was great for the springtime, you know, [Mike affirms.] to show, like, the seasons changing, and [Mike affirms.] how it affects him. |
| Mike | So, there's stuff like that, ideas like that we've... have been there kinda since the beginning, or get pitched and we... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Right. |
| Mike | ... they're great ideas, but sometimes we don't have, they just don't work into the stories we're-we're doing now, so. [Josh affirms.] So, we always end up kind of finding a place for 'em eventually. |
| Josh | It's craz-it's neat how they all work together, like, the Appa shedding and then, you know, them being chased relentlessly, and they just kind of fit together like puzzle pieces, and they... [Mike affirms.] |
| Giancarlo | [Refers to Sokka drinking from a cup of water as he criticizes Aang and Katara's treatment of Toph.] I always kind of think that Sokka's drinking coffee here, [Mike laughs.] I think that was sort of the, [Josh laughs.] the-the idea. I mean, he probably isn't, but it, [Mike affirms.] it just looks [Josh and Mike chuckle.] like he's having an espresso to kind of perk him up. |
| Mike | Yeah, he's just-I think it's just water. |
| Giancarlo | Yeah. |
| Josh | [Refers to the theme playing as Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Momo wash Appa's coat.] I like this, uh, washing Appa music. [Mike and Josh chuckle; refers to Sokka getting hit by Aang's waterbending.] And Sokka gets wet. |
| Mike | Classic. [Giancarlo and Josh laugh; brief pause until the cut to a medium closeup shot of Appa's head, his fur still wet and dangly.] Yeah, I like wet Appa, too. He's been wet and droopy a couple times. [Giancarlo chuckles.] He looks cute. |
| Josh | [Refers to Appa breaking up the treetops as he flies up and away from the group's rest stop.] Uh-oh. |
| Mike | So, yeah. |
| Josh | That's trouble. |
| Mike | Appa made a big mistake, right there. They would have been fine if Appa hadn't hit the tree. [Giancarlo laughs. Brief pause.] So... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] This coming up was, uh... you know, [Refers to Toph earthbending at an unsuspecting Iroh as he stands behind a nearby boulder.] when we-she sees Uncle, they don't know each other, you know, one's on the good side, one's on the bad side, or Un-you know, Uncle's whatever, but, it was great. It was-was a perfect opportunity to like have them talk to each other, and... not know who they are. |
| Giancarlo | Yeah, that's a really nice, uh... moment in this episode coming up, when the two of them [Josh gives an affirming murmur.] share the tea. |
| Mike | Yeah, I remember reading that and just loving that scene, so then I... ended up storyboarding it... |
| Giancarlo | [In the background.] You did? |
| Mike | ... [Laughs.] 'cause I loved it so much, yeah. [Josh affirms.] |
| Giancarlo | That's a very rare o-occasion when Mike or Bryan will actually kind of request to storyboard a section, usually 'cause they're just so busy. And, uh, Mike just came into my office one day, and said, "hey, you mind if I do the, uh, [Mike chuckles.] the scene with Toph and Uncle?" And I was like, "hmm, that's less work for me." [Mike laughs.] |
| Josh | [Laughs; imitates Giancarlo.] "Mmm, alright." [Laughs.] |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Well, you-you storyboarded the whole fight in the end, which is crazy, so. |
| Josh | Oh yeah, the three-way fight. [Mike affirms.] |
| Brief pause in the commentary until the scene fades in from black, and Aang soars through the sky on his glider. | |
| Josh | [Refers to the previous scene of Mai and Ty Lee finding the right term for clumps of hair.] This scene that just passed, I remember we did a rewrite on it after we saw the animatic, and Aaron said that he wanted to put in, um, maybe you also did too, Mike, but have Mai and Ty Lee talk more. Because I don't think we've heard from them since show 203... |
| Mike | [In the background.] Sh-yeah. |
| Josh | ... which was "Return to Omashu". |
| Mike | Yeah. [Refers to the sequence of Aang walking through a deserted, ruined Earth Kingdom town.] This part's so Western-y, it's great, just, like... |
| Josh | [In the background.] That looks great. [Giancarlo affirms.] |
| Mike | ... quiet man in the deserted town. |
| Giancarlo | These are storyboards by Ian Graham, I think. [Mike affirms; refers to the shot of a house's front shutters and chimes bouncing in the wind, and a low angle shot of the torn up overhang of another house.] He did... some nice, like, atmospheric shots. |
| Mike | Yeah, I really like kind of the... contrast and the art direction that th-Bryan did, and the, um, background painters did in this episode, [Josh affirms; refers to the shadows looming off the town's buildings.] just, like, the dark shadows, and... really got that sunset-y feel. |
| Josh | [Refers to Aang sitting in the town at the end of his trail made from Appa's fur.] This is great like a western, you know, you're being chased, and now it's time to, like, now, you're ready, you're going to face 'em. [Mike affirms.] I don't-I love that, it's so great. |
| Giancarlo | [Refers to the warmer color palette on Momo and Sokka as they fly on Appa.] Nice, like, sunset colors there. |
| Mike | [Laughs.] Yeah, that's a crazy Momo screech. |
| Giancarlo | [Laughs. Imitating Katara's distress at being pursued.] "How did they find us?" [Mike and Josh laugh.] There's al-there's occasionally lines, like-like Josh was just talking about, that get added sort of later and-and, um... I had to do, like, a-a temp track, I guess, for Katara saying, "how did they find us?" And it-and I-I tried to imitate Mae, [Josh snickers.] and I always kinda feel bad that she heard that, [Mike and Josh laugh.] and-and was, you know, hugely insulted by it, or something. |
| Mike | I always enjoy your... performances, Giancarlo. [Giancarlo laughs.] |
| Josh | It is when-it's funny when you hear an animatic, and out of nowhere you hear Giancarlo's voice. [Mike and Josh laugh; in a mock surprised tone.] Oh! |
| Giancarlo | It's a little scarring, 'cause every time... |
| Mike | [Interjects. Refers to the scene of the mongoose lizards running across the river on their hind legs, while rolling their front ones in the air.] There they go! They're-they're-they're running on the water! |
| Josh | Oh yeah! |
| Mike | [Brief pause.] So they do, they really do run like that, too, don't they, [Josh affirms.] with their arms, like... |
| Giancarlo | [Interjects.] Yeah, they kind of... [Simultaneously with Mike.] flail their arms. |
| Mike | [Simultaneously with Josh.]... flailing around, like that. |
| Josh | When I was a kid and I saw those, I laughed so hard. |
| Giancarlo | [Giancarlo and Mike laugh; refers to the slicing sound effect on Katara's water disk attacks against Ty Lee.] I notice there's, like, a slight kind of scissors noise when Katara's, like, throwing those water... blasts at Ty Lee there. Make... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] I think those are, like, kinda like water disks; [Giancarlo affirms.] they're, like, sharper. |
| Josh | [Refers to the shot of Ty Lee somersaulting, jumping into the air, and then falling back into the camera.] That's awesome. |
| Giancarlo | It's a little shot that I added in. |
| Mike | [Refers to Sokka fighting Ty Lee, even as she incapacitates his limbs.] Yeah, and I love this part. [Laughs.] |
| Josh | This is great. |
| Mike | So, she's chi, [Giancarlo laughs.] chi-blocking him. [Josh laughs at Ty Lee wincing after she hits Sokka directly in the forehead.] Which, really for Sokka, that just means he loses sensation in his limbs. [Giancarlo laughs.] |
| Josh | Right. |
| Mike | Since he doesn't have any bending abilities. |
| Giancarlo | I like that-that-we're kinda seeing there's-maybe there's no chi in his head. [Mike laughs.] |
| Josh | [Laughs.] Right. |
| Mike | Or his head's just so dense. [Josh affirms.] |
| Giancarlo | [Laughs.] Yeah. |
| Josh | [Brief pause.] The fighting scenes are always really difficult to write. We usually-the-we just kinda write a generic version of it, [Mike laughs.] sometimes-sometimes not, sometimes not, but, like, you know, we didn't have that goofy arm thing, which turns out hilarious, so. |
| Mike | Yeah, there's a lot of stuff we'll work out in the storyboard meetings with the-the storyboard artists and the directors and... kinda come up with funny actions, or with Kisu [Josh affirms.] for the-for the action scenes, and stuff. |
| Giancarlo | Fights sometimes almost... kind of have a mind of their own when you're working on it, because it's-when you're working on them, 'cause you, um, you kinda get characters back into a corner or whatever, and then you're suddenly, wait, how're they gonna get out of this corner, and... they-they just-it's like this organic process. |
| Josh | I'm glad I don't have to think about that. [Everyone laughs.] |
| Mike | [Refers to Azula introducing herself to Aang by imitating and referencing her relation to Zuko, covering up her left eye and speaking of her need to capture the Avatar to restore her honor.] That was another joke, too, I didn't think we'd... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] Oh. |
| Mike | ... get-get through, but I love it, that's... when she imitates Zuko. [Laughs.] It's just, like... |
| Josh | [Interjects.] That's her first time, yeah. That's, uh... [Laughs.] |
| Mike | And that is totally like-like you were saying earlier, Giancarlo, like, that's totally the brother-sister thing, too, [Giancarlo murmurs in agreement.] like.. only she will just [Giancarlo chuckles.] make fun of his scar to his face. [Refers to Iroh sharing some of his tea with Toph by a campfire.] So, yeah, this is the-the beautiful Uncle-Toph moment, where he's making her tea. |
| Giancarlo | [Refers to Iroh holding up and offering Toph's cup of tea for her to take.] There's kind of a little-there's subtle stuff going on here, too, that may not be, um... completely obvious. He's kind of... he's kinda, like, testing to see, uh, when she ha-when he hands her that tea, [Josh murmurs in agreement.] he's testing to see, like, how aware she is, [Mike affirms; refers to the shot of Iroh looking at Toph cutting to an extreme closeup shot of Toph facing away from him.] 'cause he can s-kinda tell she's blind, but... |
| Brief pause in commentary until Toph tells Iroh she knows that people think she is weak just because she is blind. | |
| Mike | Yeah, it's always nice when we have the opportunity to have characters get together who'd normally... you don't see together [Giancarlo affirms; laughs. .] in-in the episodes, or they're the enemies 'cause they're chasing each other, and... and, yeah, that's what I-I think that's-I just-I love the-the meaning of this scene about, like, having-letting people who love you help you, and, [Josh affirms.] and-and... |
| Giancarlo | [Refers to Iroh abashedly correcting his statement to Toph about helping the people you love, clarifying he has only just met her; Giancarlo and Josh laugh.] I like that read. [Imitates Iroh's utterance.] Ohhh. |
| Mike | Yeah. Yeah, we-Mako is such a great voice actor, and this year we were sorry that he-he passed away to cancer, but, um, he was such a great-he brought so much to the role of Uncle and-and we just-we'll always remember him, and-and honor him in our... with our show. |
| Josh | [In the background.] Yeah, he was great. |
| Mike | ... with our show. Yeah. |
| Josh | [Brief pause.] Yeah, like this ha-you know, this is perfect, this is just the great opportunity to, like, before they knew who ea-you know, before the season continues and they know who each other are, they can talk to each other, just like strangers. |
| Mike | [Gives an affirming murmur; refers to Iroh saying he has been keeping up with Zuko in case he needs help.] And you get the idea, too, that, like, Uncle, even though he let Zuko go, he, like, he's still worried about him, so he's... been tracking him down, and just kinda-kinda staying on the sidelines until he needs-he needs Uncle, so. |
| Giancarlo | Yeah. He's been tracking Zuko, who's been tracking Azula, [Mike and Josh chuckles.] who's been tracking Aang and the kids. |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Everyone's... tracking everyone. |
| Giancarlo | ... [Refers to the showdown between Aang, Azula and Zuko at the town.] and it all sort of comes down to this point. |
| Mike | Yep. [Refers to Zuko dismounting from his ostrich horse as it runs between Aang and Azula.] You can't really tell, but Zuko's ostrich horse ran through really fast. [Josh and Giancarlo laugh.] And then we always, weird joke, that he and the mongoose lizard are fighting somewhere. [Everyone laughs.] |
| Giancarlo | [Refers to Zuko, Azula, and Aang all adopting fighting stances, as each of them waits for the other to make the first move.] So this is where we start the kind of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, [Josh affirms.] um, Mexican standoff, [Mike affirms.] they call it, where, uh, who's gonna shoot first? |
| Mike | [Refers to the wide shot of Aang, Zuko, and Azula, with the camera slowly panning from Aang on the right to Zuko and Azula on the left.] That's great buildup. |
| Josh | That's right. |
| Giancarlo | I-I think that this sequence was about twice as long in the original animatic, but unfortunately, it has to get... every show has to fit within twenty-two minutes, so. It was a-a little shortened, but I think it still works. [Mike affirms; refers to Azula breaking the standoff by attacking Zuko first.] And the big surprise, of course, is that Azula, given the choice between capturing the Avatar or attacking her own brother, [Mike and Giancarlo laugh; Josh affirms.] would rather go after her brother. |
| Josh | I love how she shoots him first, it's so great, [Mike affirms.] so telling. |
| Giancarlo | So, doing a three-way fight is... is not something that I look forward to... [Mike chuckles.] |
| Josh | [Laughs.] Yeah. |
| Giancarlo | ... doing again. I mean, it was very-it was exciting hearing about-or, like, reading about it, but [Mike laughs.] I-the-the kinda logistics of keeping track of the characters and everything is just-it's a lot of work. |
| Mike | Yeah, I always think... well, there's always exceptions to the rule, but usually the... the best fights are usually the one-on-one stuff, but, I don't know, you did such a great job with this I'd like, [In a mock enthusiastic tone.] let's do some more [Giancarlo laughs.] three-way fights that Giancarlo can direct. [Josh laughs; refers to Azula's firebending at the buildings Aang is jumping on, the lingering flames on the structure turning from blue to orange.] I love this little touch, too, that you added where, she shoots... |
| Josh | [In the background.] Shoots the building. |
| Mike | ... Azula shoots blue fire, but when it then catches something on fire, it turns to regular red fire. |
| Josh | Oh yeah. |
| Mike | Just a cool little touch. |
| Giancarlo | [In an enthusiastic tone.] Just trying to keep it scientific! |
| Mike | [Refers to Azula encircling the room Aang and her are in with her blue flames, that quickly change to orange hues.] Yes, and here, did it again, yeah. Like, the idea was, like, Azula's flames burn hotter or something, and then-but, you know, when it catches something on fire, it cools down [Laughs.] to regular fire temperature, I guess. [Giancarlo laughs.] Scientifically speaking. |
| Giancarlo | [Laughs; refers to Sokka stepping out of a building and ambushing Azula as she exits out of the building Katara ran out of.] Sokka, jumping around the corner. |
| Mike | [Refers to Katara, Sokka, Iroh and Toph joining the fight.] Well, now it becomes more than three-way, there's, like, eight people fighting, or something. [Laughs; Josh affirms.] |
| Giancarlo | A lot of it had to be handled by cutting away from the action... |
| Josh | [Laughs in the background; refers to Katara and Sokka running out of frame to avoid Azula's firebending.] They got away. |
| Giancarlo | ... like you-you just do it, a little shot, [Refers to the scene cutting away from Azula holding off the group in the middle of the street to a top-down shot of Aang, Katara, and Sokka advancing on Azula as she backs towards an alleyway.] like, there's a crazy one like this where you sort of see all four of them, but... it's like you gain more by what you don't see. [Mike affirms.] |
| Josh | [Refers to Toph asking Aang, Katara and Sokka if they needed some help fighting Azula.] That was Toph's way of apologizing, I think, or... [Mike laughs.] |
| Giancarlo | [Laughs; interjects.] Yeah. |
| Josh | ... [Refers to Katara thanking Toph for tripping up Azula.] sort of them apologizing to each other, just... |
| Mike | [Interjects; refers to Iroh knocking Azula off-balance by running into her with his belly.] I love, too-did you-was that the storyboard you came up with the-Uncle just bellying, hitting her with her belly-his belly? [Laughs.] |
| Giancarlo | I think that might have been a Kisu suggestion, [Mike affirms intermittently.] he always kind of thought that Uncle would fight with his belly, so. [Josh laughs.] |
| Mike | [Laughs.] That's awesome. [Refers to the point-of-view shot where Iroh focuses in on Toph, then on Katara, Aang and Sokka.] So this is... |
| Giancarlo | [Interjects.] They did... |
| Mike | ... the moment right here where he recognizes that... she's part of the group, [Refers to Azula sudden attack on Iroh with a blast of fire.] and Azula takes advantage of that moment of weakness. |
| Giancarlo | Yeah. [Refers to the shot of Zuko, Toph, Aang, Katara and Sokka attacking Azula with a simultaneous attack of firebending, earthbending, airbending, waterbending and Sokka's boomerang.] This shot right here, I've seen on the internet a thousand times, I think people really kind of liked the idea of all four elements combining to attack, you know, the forces of evil. [Mike affirms.] |
| Josh | [Refers to the shot of Zuko, ashamed and distraught, kneeling behind a fallen Iroh, as the town burns in the background.] This is my favorite shot in the episode, right here. |
| Giancarlo | Yeah, I... I remember, like, posing out the-the Zuko... I-as close as I could get to him crying [Josh affirms.] over Uncle's, you know, condition, but obviously, [Refers to Zuko angrily demanding the group get away from him and Iroh.] he doesn't-he doesn't cry, but he's having a hard time. |
| Josh | For the ending, I remember writing some ending where, like, uh, Toph and Katara are about to argue, and then they stop, [Refers to the final shot of the episode where all the protagonists are asleep on Appa's saddle.] but Aaron came up with this, they just go to sleep, [Mike affirms.] and I think it's the perfect... |
| Mike | [Interjects and laughs.] It's totally the perfect ending. [Josh affirms.] You forget that they still haven't slept that whole time. |
| Josh | Right. |
| Mike | So, thanks to everyone who did a... everyone on the crew who did a great job with this episode. [Josh affirms.] |
| Giancarlo | Yeah, my board artists Bobby Rubio, Ian Graham, and Oreste Canestrelli. |
| Josh | [Refers to the credits.] And... those people there. |
| Giancarlo | [Laughs.] Yes, and everyone else. I'll just try to read the credits as fast as I can. [Josh laughs; in a quicker tempo.] Kathy Gilmore [Giancarlo and Josh laugh.]! |
| Mike | Yeah. Thanks, guys, for doing the commentary, good times. |
| Josh | Same, thanks, Mike... |
| Giancarlo | [Interjects.] Thanks for having us. |
| Josh | ... Giancarlo... |
| Mike | Good work, people. |
| Josh | ... Ed and Freddie... for reals. |
| Giancarlo | I'm incidentally working on another Josh script as we speak. |
| Josh | I believe it also has a little, uh, Toph-Katara argument... |
| Mike | [Mike and Giancarlo laugh in the background.] Oh, yeah, that's... |
| Josh | ... here and there. |
| Giancarlo | We're just... |
| Mike | [Interjects.] Don't tell anyone, though. [Josh laughs.] |
| Giancarlo | ... just repeating ourselves. [Josh laughs.] |
| Commentary ends. |