gdp's Comments

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Thu, 14 May 2015 02:19:54 +0000

I'm not sure how I'm being rude? I'm not being confrontational or condescending (I hope) in this discussion, I'm just trying to amiably express an opinion that happens to differ from other commenters here. At this point though, like I said in another comment, it's best that I drop the subject. I'll just agree to disagree, since further discussion about this would potentially not be pleasant, and I understand that you want to avoid that. And again, I cannot emphasize enough: Big fan! Your episode reviews are sooooo entertaining, and so are your watching videos. I would never want to do anything that would cause me to be banned and excluded from your community. It would break my heart.

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 23:37:42 +0000

"You're a firebender. Heat it yourself." That's passive-aggressive hostility. I will admit that Mako erred in not being transparent with Asami that Korra had kissed him. But Asami? She wasn't behaving in a mature way, either. They had time to sit around, a nice respite from the imminent Equalist threat...so why did Asami feel it appropriate to muck that up by asking about Mako's feelings for Korra and -- here's the key part -- acting indignant that Mako didn't want to talk about it *right* in the middle of everything that was going on?

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 23:31:50 +0000

I certainly understand if you have a bone disease that literally makes it painful to type. So it's not hasty that you want to excuse yourself from this specific discussion. What's hasty is passing judgement on me specifically as a person and deciding to not reply to me at all on future comments before trying to work things out with me to get to a point where it's *not* painful for you to discuss things with me. Which I'm totally willing to do! Anyways, I don't expect any response to this, go relax and try to recover! <3

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 23:25:18 +0000

I don't think Mako's behavior toward Korra about her suspicions of Hiroshi were as much about Korra as they were about Hiroshi. Again, at that point Mako had every reason to be trusting and loyal to Hiroshi. The man had shared inspiring anecdotes with Mako, financially supported him in pursuing his dream, apparently given his blessing in dating his daughter. The man was all but stepping into a mentor role to Mako. Mako hadn't known Korra much longer than he had known Hiroshi. At the time, it was reasonable for Mako to value his relationship with Hiroshi more than his relationship with Korra. That's not to say that he didn't also value his relationship with Korra, but that Korra's actions pushed a button for him that he saw as risking their friendship from *Korra's* side. (And can I say that Hiroshi doing all of this just to use Mako while actually despising him for being a bender was really, really shitty of Hiroshi?) I'll save discussion of what you ciphered there for when Mark gets there. ;)

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 23:10:57 +0000

I apologize for coming across as rude and condescending, that certainly wasn't my intention. I haven't taken issue with anyone else about using capslock, because as far as I've seen, no one else *does* use capslock as much as you did. I wasn't trying to be rude, it's just that reading through a post with so much in caps was legitimately draining to me. I hope you can understand the feeling? But I should have phrased the request better, saying please would have been a good way to start. So again, I apologize for that. If I may, your reaction to me seems a bit...hasty? This is the first day I've ever commented. I understand why you feel damaged by debating with me, and I will promise that I will make the tone of my posts less harsh. I just don't want to be locked out of discussing anything with you at all. It's through discussion and the exchange of ideas, even ones we disagree with, that we become smarter and wiser, after all.

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 22:48:12 +0000

Mako actually *is* kind of like Katara, ironically enough. He's the more mature of two siblings, and he took care of Bolin when their parents died much like how Katara stepped up into the role of mother in their family when her mom died. He's generally levelheaded to counterbalance Korra's hotheadedness, such as when Korra wanted to charge back in and knock some heads in 111 and Mako was there to talk her out of it. That sort of mirrors how Katara's responsible but headstrong nature balanced out Aang's more mischievous and diplomatic nature. As for smart characters to figure stuff out, it's ironic you say that. Znxb vf gur bar jub svtherf bhg Ineevpx vf oruvaq fgrnyvat Nfnzv'f rdhvczrag va pbzvat rcvfbqrf. Probably should preface this paragraph with a trigger warning for suicide... Mako's useful for fighting, helping take down a mecha-tank back in 110 and getting a hit on Amon in 112, leading to Korra's moment of unlocking airbending (which was an interesting inversion, with Korra unlocking power to save Mako rather than a male character unlocking power to save a female character in distress). As I said, he's the more levelheaded of the group. And he *tries* to be supportive of Korra. His statement in 112 "I don't care if you're the Avatar or not" was incredibly supportive, and pretty important to Korra's development if you go with the interpretation that she was contemplating *suicide* over losing her bending and effectively not being the Avatar anymore.

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 22:21:01 +0000

I watched it. Mako leans in slightly. Nothing I'd interpret as going in for a kiss.

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 22:20:20 +0000

Ok, so I watched the Blu-ray with the audio commentary, and I can confirm that neither Mike nor Bryan said anything to the effect that Mako was going to kiss Korra in that scene. So yeah, I'd chalk this up to either misinformation or jumping to conclusions about a small lean Mako makes during that scene. That's all it is, a small lean. He doesn't close the space with Korra or anything. It's really reaching to interpret that as Mako going in for a kiss, and it really only makes sense if you're already biased against Mako (which I'm not).

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 22:11:22 +0000

Asami was adding stress to an already stressful situation. It may have been reasonable for Asami to ask the question (though Asami did it in a rather passive-aggressive way), but it was also reasonable for Mako to ask that they not talk about it until after things calmed down. Asami's petulant response was what was unreasonable.

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 22:09:02 +0000

Ok, I understand the reasons why it would have been good for Mako to tell Asami about the kiss (but not why he would have been *obligated* to tell Asami). Try to see it from Mako's perspective, though. Why would he not want to tell Asami? Because it would cause conflict amongst the three of them, conflict he would rather avoid. *That* is Mako's core flaw when it comes to relationships. Not being manipulative, not lying, not cheating -- it's avoidance. It's certainly a flaw, but it doesn't make him abusive or a bad person any more than Korra's temper makes Korra a bad person (and really, some of Korra's behavior in Book 2 is more abusive than Mako's behavior). Mako was rude and judgemental toward Korra for, like, the first episode. That pretty much disappeared once Mako actually spent time with her and got to know her.

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 19:43:43 +0000

Yeah, I get that it wasn't *positive* attention. I hope Mark can see that I don't find abuse itself funny. I understand Mark's background with regards to that (like I said, longtime reader), so it's probably best if I just drop the subject.

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 19:33:11 +0000

It's the "Springtime for Hitler" scene from the movie "The Producers". Make of that what you will.

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 19:31:23 +0000

OMG it's Mark! I didn't think I would get a comment from him the very first day I commented. Though I wish it was for a more positive reason. Anways, big fan! like I said, I've been reading since you first watched ATLA, just started commenting today. ^.^ I should be clear that I don't think the abuse itself is funny. As Bolin and Eska's relationship goes on, it gets less and less funny, but it's still sort of funny to see Bolin's expressions about it I guess, and the disturbing element isn't enough to detract completely from that, for me? PJ Byrne can make virtually any line reading humorous.

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 19:24:08 +0000

"Some things should not be joked about" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmYIo7bcUw All's fair in love and humor. :P

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 19:15:37 +0000

I don't think that it denies that the relationship is abusive and unhealthy, that's part of the point. Humor is sort of subjective, if it disturbs you enough that you don't find it funny that doesn't mean other people shouldn't be allowed to find it funny.

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 19:08:42 +0000

Understood about the spoiler policy. I'm a longtime reader of Mark Watches, started way back when he was first watching ATLA, but this is the first time I've decided to jump into the comments. ^.^" I think it *starts out* as a joke with regards to the "royal thinks boyfriends are the same as servants" bit, but with the "unwilling to let go" part it develops into something that's humorous but also acknowledged to be kind of awful. Part of why it comes across as humorous is because Bolin is, well, Bolin...

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 19:04:10 +0000

Ok, point taken. I'm a longtime reader of Mark Watches (started back when he was first watching ATLA) but this is the first time I've decided to jump in and start commenting. ^_^"

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 19:02:59 +0000

I'm not seeing why this needs to be addressed in the first place. Katara isn't present to give her perspective on the matter, the issue is Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi's perspectives. It's an interaction between siblings, not a parent-children interaction.

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 18:57:50 +0000

Hmm. I'm going to check the commentary myself when I get home today. If it's not in the commentary, then as far as I'm concerned it's just misinformation you picked up somewhere. But we'll see.

Mark Watches : Mark Watches 'The Legend of Korra': S02E03 - Civil Wars, Part I

Wed, 13 May 2015 18:52:10 +0000

First, can you ease off the capslock? It makes your comment a bit of an eyesore. If you want to emphasize something, it's a bit nicer to put it in asterisks: ** Now then, I disagree that Mako had some sort of obligation to tell Asami that Korra kissed him. How would that have helped anything? He wasn't responsible for that. Mentioning it to Asami would have just served to drive a wedge between Korra and Asami. If anything, I think Bolin was in the wrong for letting it slip to Asami that Korra and Mako kissed. Regarding "Out of the Past" onward. Mako was confused about his feelings. Is that such a bad thing? Korra was his friend, and he was worried about her. Is that such a bad thing? Is he not allowed to show worry for Korra simply because he's in a relationship with Asami? As for Asami being "incredibly sensitive". She tries to talk to Mako about their relationship *as the city is falling under attack*. Kind of not a good time to talk about relationship issues, you know? Mako's request to work out their relationship problems later was entirely reasonable considering the circumstances, and Asami's response "maybe there won't *be* any relationship later" was far from sensitive. As I said above, I'm not buying that Mako tried to kiss Korra before he broke up with Asami, and even if he did, he broke up with Asami shortly after that. You need reasons for Mako to admire Korra? She's a great athlete and teammate, he acknowledged this when talking about her in 105. Korra was there to help search for Bolin and save him in 103. There's lot of room and reason there for attraction to take seed. About Mako defending Hiroshi...think about it. Hiroshi had been nothing but supportive of Mako, up to that point. When Mako met Hiroshi, Hiroshi shared an heartfelt anecdote about coming from nothing, specifically empathizing with Mako. Hiroshi was sponsored the Fire Ferrets and was the reason they even had a shot at the tournament to begin with. And, yes, at the time Mako was dating Hiroshi's daughter. At that point, Hiroshi had earned Mako's trust, and I think Mako's hostility toward Korra's suspicion of Hiroshi was reasonable. For me, I don't think it's a question of cutting Mako slack for shitty behavior, because I don't think Mako's behavior is that shitty to begin with.