Book Review: Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise part 2

Book: Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise part 2 by Gene Luen Yang, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

What I like the most about part 2 of The Promise is Sokka trying to help Toph with the students at her metalbending school. For some reason, the three students were having a difficult time trying to metalbend but Sokka came up with some interesting ideas.

Toph and her students also had to deal with a Firebending teacher trying to take their school. They agreed to a challenge with the winner being able to have the school.

I also enjoyed reading about Aang and Katara as they went to speak with Earth King Kuei. Before they visited the King, Aang and Katara ran into some Avatar fans. It was cute and funny seeing all the girls being total fangirls over Aang.

But once they reached the King, I found it interesting that the usual kindly King decided he was tired of being a doormat especially since Fire Lord Zuko has broken his promise to help with the Harmony Restoration Movement.

King Kuei has been taken advantage of for so long that it was slightly amusing seeing the good natured King finally deciding to stand up not just for himself but also for his Kingdome which has been invaded and conquered for years by the Fire Nation. It was time he stopped being a King in name only.

The part I really didn't get was Zuko continuing to seek advice from his father. Why wouldn't he go speak with his Uncle Iroh instead? Especially since Zuko has said that Iroh was more like a father to him than his own dad. So far, The Promise parts 1 and 2 have seemed to undo all the effort that Zuko went through to not be like his father. They have him turning into this useless puppet who can't think for himself.

Unfortunately with both King Kuei and Fire Lord Zuko being unable to figure out a solution, War is inevitable.

Something else that I noticed, is that I think Suki is up to something because I believe she knew exactly what would happen when she told Mai that Zuko had been speaking with his father. She knew they would get into an argument and possibly break-up. Until the story shows me other wise, I don't trust her. I thought Mai's reaction to Zuko seeing his father is understandable even if I think it was instigated by Suki. I really hope they don't try to work in some kind of romance between Zuko and Suki.

The second part was funny and you got to see more character development and interaction than in the first part. The Harmony Restoration Movement continues to be the underlying cause of all the tension and it give the reader a chance to think about the movement. Is it a bad idea for the Fire Nation colonies to have to leave the Earth Kingdom? Or should the Earth Kingdom finally reclaim the land that was stolen from them?

I forgot to mention the artwork which has a total feel of the animated series. They did a really good job with that.

Despite being a children's geared comic there is a lot of things to think about. And hopefully in part 3, there will be a solution to this. As well as Zuko's self doubt will no longer be a problem for him so he will start trusting himself again. There should also be more Appa he was barely shown in this story.