In case this wasn't super-obvious, Ursa is Latin for bear.

Don't ask me why I know this, but there is a comic book coming out in January that is meant to bridge the original series and Korra.  Supposedly, there will be reveals about Zuko's Mom in there.

I've gotta give it to "Zuko Alone."  "Appa's Lost Days" is a nice bit of television, but it lacks the thematic weightiness of the former episode.  I also find a couple of moment in ALD a little grating, namely (MILD SPOILERS) the sociopathic circus trainer and the cringe-worthy trash talk during the final fight scene.

What is it about Toph's openly confrontational style that just seems so refreshing at this point in the show?

The most heartbreaking moment in "Zuko Alone" for me is the look on little boy Zuko's face when looking up at his father at the funeral/coronation (AWESOME touch having them all wear white to Azulon's funeral, btw).  It's the look of a child whose world has suddenly become more dangerous and unpredictable than he can…

That is confirmed.

This is one of the plot points the show never spells out.  Sometimes they leave you to read between the lines, which is kinda cool, in my opinion.

Sorry, I should have been more specific.  I thought it the manipulation was directed at the audience or at the producers in order to get them to feature his arc more.  Or it was engineered by the producers themselves.  Any way you slice it, I'm grossed out.

Ok, I'm going to be that person.

Already commented on my least favorite BSG episodes, but apparently I scrubbed this one from my memory entirely.  I still contend that "Black Market" is just as bad.

I actually loved that episode, though I understand why it was so polarizing.  Hated the space simulator episode.

I'm still pretending The Office was cancelled after Jim and Pam had the baby.  Haven't watched a new episode since, not because that episode sucked but because the show as a whole was starting to lose steam, and that seemed like a sweet note to go out on.

I always found Cally unlikeable, though I thought she was unlikeable in an interesting way.  She was the character who got into the military in order to get financial help with school, but she wasn't particularly competent or brave, so she was in waaaaaay over her head most of the time and made really piss-poor…

I think Azula was originally supposed to be a dude as well.  Somehow, both characters are about 4000 times more awesome as girls.

The best part is the Aang actor's deadpan reading of:

La Pipe, I can totally see that.  As wonderful as the back half of the season is in terms of storytelling and psychological complexity, it probably is a little tough for younger kids to follow.

Later developments will show, however, that Avatars were prone to mistakes, sometimes disastrous ones, both of omission and commission.

I never thought about it, but I guess it is a bit ballsy for a kids show to depict running away from your controlling asshole parents as a smart move, even if the emotional fallout does stay with the character throughout the series.

All the trash talk during Earth Rumble VI slays me.

My favorite example of Toph picking on Sokka is coming soon: