Avatar and Redemption

I finally got the complete third season of Avatar on DVD, and am anxiously awaiting Thanksgiving break when I can watch the dramatic conclusion. Avatar is the most intelligent show I’ve seen, beautifully animated and superbly written. Two characters in particular are almost Dickensian in nature: Uncle Iroh and Prince Zuko. Iroh could have been created by Charles Dickens: a wise, eccentric old man with a wry wit, a passion for tea, and a silver tounge. Both Iroh and Zuko are deep, three-dimensional characters. The compelling story of Zuko’s transformation from an angry, selfish malefactor to a strong, virtuous hero is as dramatic as the miraculous redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Though the writers may or may not be Christians, the story of Zuko’s growth is particularly poignant to me because I know that, in the real world, such a change can only be effected by the healing power of Christ’s love.

The picture shown above is my own drawing of Iroh in a style called "Mega D." I believe the Japanese call characters who are ridiculously small and cute "chibis," so this is a "Chibi Iroh!"