10 Favorite Characters Tag

I was tagged by Sarah at How to Watch a Movie. Thanks for tagging me! Sorry this is so late, by the way.

Sarah made an awesome list for this tag, by the way, so go check it out if you haven't!

Instructions: For this quick, fun blog hop, you just name your 10 favorite characters from movies or TV, then tag 10 friends (if you can) to do the same!

I've decided to list my favorite characters in no particular order, to make it easier for myself.

1)  Elizabeth Bennet

I'm going to start with Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice.  I have always admired Elizabeth's fiery personality.  I love that she speaks her mind and expresses her opinions.  She doesn't let the limitations placed on women in the Regency Era get her down.  I love her intelligence and her witty comments and observations.

2)  Zuko

Hello, Zuko here.

Avatar the Last Airbender is my favorite animated TV show, and if I had to pick a favorite character, it would be Zuko.  Zuko undergoes an incredible amount of growth as a character.  If I were to use a character for an example of amazing character development, it would be Zuko.  His character development is the best I've ever seen.  I could write a 30 page essay on it.  If you've seen Avatar the Last Airbender, you'll know what I mean.

Character development aside, Zuko is absolutely adorable.  He has so much personality.  At first, he comes off as intimidating and hot tempered, but throughout the show, other sides to him are revealed, and you grow to love him more and more.

3)  Wonder Woman

Not from a particular film or TV show, but I just really love Wonder Woman in general.  I've loved her since I was little.  Female super heroes seem far too rare, or at least, they don't get represented very much in film.  I have been hoping for years that she would get a proper movie, and recently, I've heard she is getting one.  I just hope it's good.  It worries me, however, that the director was changed, because I can't help but feel that's a sign the film making isn't going very smoothly.  I remember the new director is female, which makes me happy.

4)  Gandalf

I love Ian McKellen.  He's one of my favorite actors.  I think Gandalf was the first role I saw him in, and he did an amazing job of playing that character.  He captured the charm of Gandalf's character, and he quickly became my favorite character in the Lord of the Rings series, although Sam would be a close second.  I remember loving Gandalf as a kid, and my love for his character was revived when I went to see The Hobbit.

5)  Violet (Dowager Countess of Grantham)

I used to love Downton Abbey, but sadly I don't really watch it anymore.  I stopped enjoying it as much when both of my OTPs were ruined.  *glares at season 3*

However, I will always love Violet's character.  I absolutely adore Maggie Smith, and she does a fantastic job of making Violet snarky, lovable, and hilarious.

I'm just going to leave this video here because why not.

6)  Haku (spoilers for Spirited Away)

Spirited Away is my favorite Studio Ghibli film.  I love many of the characters in Spirited Away, and Haku is quite possibly my favorite.

Haku is a River Spirit that is able to transform into a dragon, although, this is not revealed right away.  He seems to be shrouded in mystery throughout the movie, and at first, you might not be sure you can trust him.  Chihiro, the main character, becomes doubtful of Haku, but she puts her trust in him and he helps her find her way home in the end.  And in return, Chihiro helps Haku find himself, and gives him his identity and freedom back by telling him his name and reminding him who he really is.  I like characters that are mysterious and questionable, and characters that are trustworthy, caring, and protective.  Haku is all of these things and more, and proves to be an intriguing and memorable character.  Plus he's really cool.  So there's that.

7)  Mulan

Let's get down to business, to defeat, the Huns!

Mulan was my favorite movie as a kid for a lot of reasons, one of them being Mulan's character.  I will admit I looked up to Mulan quite a lot, and I wanted to be like her.  It was inspiring for me to see a female character be capable of fighting and saving the world.  I loved, and still love, her personality as well.  She is definitely one of my most favorite female Disney characters.

8)  Levi Ackerman

Levi is my favorite character in the anime Attack on Titan.  When I first began to love his character, it was mostly for his personality.  Some fans of Attack on Titan view him as cold and gruff, and perhaps he is a little gruff.  But there are so many more sides to him than that.  He tends to express himself through body language rather than words, and although he may seem impassive, it's clear through his actions that he cares deeply for other people.

In the latest manga updates for Attack on Titan, more of Levi's backstory was revealed, to do with his childhood, and what happened to his mother.  It was heartbreaking and provided a lot of insight for his character, but I'll leave it at that.

9)  Marceline

There are a lot of things I like about Marceline from Adventure Time.  I love her singing voice and her personality.

I enjoy episodes with Marceline the most, and my favorite Adventure Time episodes are both to do with her backstory.  I'll admit, those episodes got me a little emotional.

10)  Roy Mustang

There are so many great characters in Fullmetal Alchemist:  Brotherhood, and so many to choose from, but I think I'm going to go with Roy Mustang for this list.  One of the things I love about Roy is how he can be light hearted and humorous one moment, and serious the next.

He can be very intimidating when he wants to be, and he's not above getting revenge for the sake of a friend.  Oh, and he's a flame alchemist, which is pretty cool.

And that's my list!  This was fun to do. :D

Legend of Korra Finale

Before I talk about the Legend of Korra finale, I want to talk about Avatar the Last Airbender a little bit, since that's where it all began.  I also feel that the book 4 finale wasn't just the end of Korra, but the end of Avatar as well, since they are connected.  Oh, and another thing, this will not be spoiler free.  If you have not seen these shows in their entirety, you may not want to read this, just in case.  You definitely should not be reading this if you have not seen the Legend of Korra finale.

Avatar the Last Airbender is my favorite animated TV show.  I remember turning on the TV when I was a kid, and watching Aang and Katara's cave scene from the second episode of book 2, "The Cave of Two Lovers".  I watched other bits and pieces from book 2 as a kid, but it wasn't until some years later that I watched all four books and fell in love with it.

I have never loved a show more deeply than I have Avatar the Last Airbender.  The world the characters live in is so enriched and well developed, it feels real to me.  The characters feel like family to me, the animation is beautiful, the music is wonderfully atmospheric, and there are many complex themes that bring a lot of maturity to the show.  There are so many great elements, like the influence of Eastern culture and philosophies, Zuko's incredible character development, and Iroh's wisdom.  Avatar the Last Airbender balances humor and emotion effortlessly.  The emotionally heavy scenes have a strong impact on me every time I watch them.

All in all, Avatar the Last Airbender is life changing, and has benefited many people's lives, including mine.

When the sequel series to Avatar began in 2012, titled The Legend of Korra, naturally I was interested in watching it.  It took a while for me to warm up to it, since it didn't feel the same as Avatar in many ways.  I had also just finished watching Avatar, so I was deeply saddened by the absence of the old characters.

However, I grew to like The Legend of Korra more and more as I watched it.  I found that book 1 was very creative and intriguing (the development of the Avatar universe, all of the world building that went into it, and the new character designs especially), with an absolutely fantastic villain.

Amon, a villain after my own heart.

Getting to meet Toph's daughter, Lin, and Aang's son and grandchildren, was enough to keep me watching, and I was always on the lookout for references to Avatar.  Overall, I thought it was pretty good, even if it wasn't quite as good as Avatar the Last Airbender was.

While book 1 was very solid, book 2 was more of a mixed bag.  I hated all of the drama between Korra, Mako, and Asami.  I didn't particularly like the romance between Korra and Mako in book 1, but that was tolerable compared to all of the drama in book 2.  I hated Mako for not being able to make up his mind, going from one girl to the other, and mistreating them both.  To summarize, I thought Mako was a character with a lot of wasted potential, and thoroughly disliked how he neglected to take full responsibility for his actions.  Thankfully, his character improved vastly once he was no longer in a relationship with anyone, and I grew to like him in book 3 and 4.

Although book 2 was messy at times, Beginnings part 1 and 2 were phenomenal, and the finale was amazing as well.  I loved that book 2 focused on spirituality, since that was one of the elements of Avatar the Last Airbender that I enjoyed the most.  It was the final episodes of book 2 that made me fall in love with The Legend of Korra.

Book 3 and 4 blew me away with their high quality.  They are the reason I now love Korra almost as much as I love Avatar, which is saying a lot.  The Legend of Korra is now one of my favorite shows, and I firmly believe it is one of the best animated shows ever made.

(It should be noted that the creators of The Legend of Korra thought book 1 was all there was going to be, but Nickelodeon changed their mind.  I think the reason there seems to be a smoother transition between book 3 and 4, is because the creators had more time to plan ahead.  If Nickelodeon didn't mistreat The Legend of Korra as much as they did, a lot of issues could have been avoided.)

After becoming so emotionally attached to The Legend of Korra, I was dreading the book 4 finale, because I knew there wouldn't be any more Korra after that.  I was in denial for a while after it ended.

However, I find that I've finally come to terms with Korra ending, and am now ready to reflect on it.

So, without further ado, here are some of my thoughts on the Legend of Korra finale.

At first, I was not completely satisfied with how it ended.  Due to some false rumors, I had thought that the Fire Nation would be featured in book 4, as well as Zuko and his daughter, Izumi.  So I was disappointed (and still am) that Zuko and Izumi only had a few short appearances.

There were also rumors that Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee would be returning, which obviously did not happen.  If I hadn't believed these rumors (which were a little unrealistic now that I think about it), I may have felt more satisfied with how things ended.  But it's difficult not to be disappointed when something you hoped would happen doesn't happen.

I was also disappointed with the lack of Kai in book 4, since I really liked him in book 3, and would have liked to see his relationship with Jinora developed further.  Kai mentions to Opal in one scene that his long distance relationship with Jinora is going well, but they are never seen interacting.  They are shown standing next to each other in a few scenes, but that's it.

Despite my complaints, I love the finale overall.  Kuvira proved to be an excellent villain, with an understandable motivation, and in the end, she was a character I could sympathize with.  None of the antagonists in Legend of Korra are evil for the sake of being evil; they are all three dimensional characters.  Zelda Williams does an outstanding job of making Kuvira sound determined and threatening, while also revealing her vulnerability beneath her cold and seemingly collected exterior.

The action scenes in the finale are incredible.  I could feel the weight of the giant mecha suit Kuvira was controlling, and how much everyone struggled to take it down.  I thought it was really cool how the mecha suit mirrored all of Kuvira's movements.

I am so proud of how much Korra, Mako, and Bolin have grown.  They have all changed so much since book 1.

I love that Korra saw herself in Kuvira, and the parallels made between them really made me think.  Korra risked her life saving Kuvira without hesitation, which I think is an incredibly selfless and admirable act.  Korra had her flaws in book 1, but I believe they were necessary for her character growth in book 3 and 4.  She pulled through all of her hardships, which makes her a big inspiration in my eyes.

Mako also displayed an act of selflessness in the finale, which is one of my favorite scenes.  This scene gave me very strong Zuko vibes, and I was reminded of Zuko and Azula's Agni Kai in the book 3 finale of Avatar.

I was worried for a moment that Mako wouldn't make it, but thankfully he did.  I'm not sure I'd be able to handle it if he actually died.  Asami's father, on the other hand, was not so fortunate.  His death was sad, but I feel it redeemed him.  I don't know why, but I really love this particular moment:

I love that this moment is shown in slow motion.  You can almost mark the exact moment she realizes what is happening.  Speaking of the animation, the visuals in the last few episodes are breathtaking.  Just look at all the vivid colors displayed here:

I've heard some complaints about Varrick having so much focus placed on him in the finale, but I absolutely love Varrick and could not be more happy that he and Zhu Li finally did the thing and got married.  I mean, just look at how adorable they are.  I would have been really disappointed if they didn't get married.  I could hardly believe it when Varrick proposed (I pretty much freaked out).

And the soundtrack, thanks to Jeremy Zuckerman, was beautiful as always, and captured the emotions perfectly.  The music playing during the very last scene is especially emotional and beautiful.  But the ending scene is something I am going to discuss in a separate post, since I have a lot to say about it.

Well, those are a few of my thoughts on the finale.  I wanted to make this my last post in 2014, so here it is.  Happy New Year's!

My Favorite Fictional Couples

I am really sorry for not posting in such a long time.  The last time I posted anything was in December, and now it's February.  It bothers me that this blog has been left abandoned for so long.  From now on, I will try to post more frequently.

Anyway, since it was Valentine's Day yesterday, I made a list of my favorite fictional couples (they are not listed in any particular order).  Since there are so many, I tried to narrow it down.  Even so, it's still really long.  I have left out any couples from Period Dramas, to help shorten the list.  I am going to make a separate list on my Period Drama blog for all of my favorite Period couples.

Feel free to agree or disagree with any of my choices and express why in the comments.  I am very interested in other people's opinions, so you're more than welcome to share your thoughts.  I listed every couple by their ship name, or the pairing if there isn't a ship name for them (or I was just not aware of one).

- Everlark (Katniss and Peeta)

I read The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins a few years ago.  I remember from the very first instance Katniss and Peeta interacted, I shipped them.  I thought the romance between them was done pretty well in the books, but not quite as well in the movies (however I think it improved in Catching Fire).  I still like the movies a lot too, though.  I thought the first movie was pretty good, but Catching Fire was a major improvement in many areas.

I really love the relationship that develops between these two.  They balance each other out - Katniss is strong in some ways, and Peeta is strong in others.  They build a strong emotional bond and trust each other.  They help each other heal from the damage they experience.  I think Katniss needs Peeta.  One of my favorite quotes from Mockingjay expresses this perfectly:  "That what I need to survive is not Gale's fire, kindled with rage and hatred.  I have plenty of fire myself.  What I need is the dandelion in the spring.  The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction.  The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses.  That it can be good again.  And only Peeta can give me that."

- Captain Swan (Hook and Emma)

I didn't ship Captain Swan right away, in fact I don't remember when I started shipping them.  It was a gradual process.  I don't recall exactly which episode, but early on in season three, I realized I had shipped them all along and it was too late to turn back.  Whether I liked it or not I had become a hardcore CS shipper.  I never thought Captain Swan would actually happen, but so far, in season three, things are definitely looking up.  The fact this ship is developing so well makes me so happy.  It's like a dream come true, especially considering I never thought this ship would have a chance.

I could write a whole essay on why this pairing is so great, but I'll leave all that for another day.  Instead, have this video showing all the awesome parallels between Captain Swan and Snowing (Snow and Charming):

Knowing two of my OTPs parallel each other this well makes me very very very happy. :D

- Eleven and River Song

I don't know why, but there's just something about River Song and the eleventh Doctor's relationship that I absolutely love.  River seems to love the Doctor so much, it breaks my heart to think about it sometimes.  I don't even know what to say about Eleven and River, I just really love them together.

- Rogue and Gambit

Gambit (left) and Rogue (right) from X-Men (1992 - 1997).

Rogue (left) and Gambit (right) from X-Men:  Evolution.

Rogue and Gambit are my favorite couple from The X-Men.  My favorite version of these characters are from the T.V. series X-Men (1992 - 1997).  Although I also love Gambit and Rogue in X-Men:  Evolution, one of my favorite animated T.V. shows, they never got a chance to develop their relationship very much, since the show never continued after season four.  X-Men:  Evolution had so much potential for a fifth season.  I am very disappointed they didn't continue.

- Sherlolly  (Sherlock and Molly)

Molly and Sherlock talking in The Empty Hearse.

Although I also ship Adlock (Sherlock and Irene Adler), I ship Sherlolly the most.  It is my favorite pairing in Sherlock.  I can't really explain why, they just feel right together.  Molly humanizes Sherlock and keeps him in check.  I don't think she will ever get over him, no matter how hard she tries.  Both characters have grown so much in series three.  After watching His Last Vow, I ship them even more than before.

- Iris and Gilbert

Iris and Gilbert are from my favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie, The Lady Vanishes.  They had great chemistry and their bantering back and forth was hilarious.  I watched The Lady Vanishes (it was one of my first Alfred Hitchcock movies, along with The 39 Steps) when I was little, and I'm pretty sure I shipped them without even knowing it.

- Belle and the Beast

I love a lot of Disney characters, but I've realized that when I was little, the only Disney characters I loved together, that made me care whether they ended up together or not, were Belle and Adam/the Beast.  For example, I love Aladdin, but I never really cared if he and Jasmine got together (although A Whole New World was a great song).  Belle and Adam are definitely my favorite Disney couple, and were the only ones I truly shipped, at least before Tangled and Frozen came along...

- Amy Pond and Rory Williams

The boy and girl who waited...they waited a lot.

Amy and Rory are my favorite companions in Doctor Who.  I loved their relationship, and shipped them from the very start.  There seemed to be some sort of attraction on Amy's part towards the Doctor , but I never bought it.  Rory was always the one for her.  Honestly I hated the idea of Amy and Eleven being romantically involved, and found it rather strange and unnecessary.  Thankfully that whole thing didn't last for too long.  Rory loved Amy no matter what.  I mean, he waited two thousand years for her.  They loved each other no matter how long they had to wait.

- Snowing (Snow and Charming)

Snowing was my OTP when I first started watching Once Upon a Time, and it still is.  No matter what happens, they will always find each other.  I don't have much else to say.  This couple is simply perfection.

- Goliath and Elisa

Gargoyles (1994 - 1996) is one of my favorite animated shows.  One thing about it that makes it so great is the relationship between Goliath and Elisa.  Both characters have a deep respect for the other and seem to have an understanding of one another.  Their relationship grows beautifully throughout the show.

- Rumbelle (Rumplestiltskin and Belle)

Rumbelle, like Snowing, is another one of my OTPs from Once Upon a Time.  I loved their relationship from the start, and loved watching them grow together and learn from each other.  Belle brings out the best in Rumpel, and loves him despite his dark side, something Rumpel has not found in anyone before.

- Chihiro and Haku

Spirited Away was my second Studio Ghibli film (Kiki's Delivery Service was my first).  The first time I watched it I was pretty young.  My grandma had bought it for me, unaware of the frightening scenes in it and not knowing it would scare me.  I made it up to the scene that the parents turned into pigs.  When I saw that, I turned the T.V. off.  For that whole day I was too afraid to eat anything, because I thought it would turn me into a pig.  When I was older, I tried watching it again, this time making it to the end.  I loved it.  Spirited Away has been one of my favorite movies ever since.  I have always loved Chihiro and Haku, and the bond they have.  They definitely deserve a spot on this list.

- Rapunzel and Eugene

Words cannot express the extent to which I love Tangled.  This film is perfect in every way, and so is the romance between Rapunzel and Eugene.  In my opinion, it is the most romantic romance Disney has ever done.  Well, along with a certain other Disney couple from a movie that starts with F...

- Kristanna (Kristoff and Anna)

AAAAAHHHHH.  I.  Love.  Frozen.  So.  So.  So.  Soooo much.  Everything about it is refreshing, including the romance.  I love that they crushed the idea of falling in love at first sight with the perfect prince, and took a more realistic and refreshing route.

- Sean Thornton and Mary Kate

This couple is from one of my favorite Irish movies, The Quiet Man.  John Wayne had great chemistry with Maureen O'Hara, and they made an unforgettable pair as Thornton and Mary Kate.  What I love most about their relationship is how they are completely equal with one another (which is why they remind me of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice).  Equality between romantic partners is a quality I especially appreciate, since this movie was made in the 1950's, a time that was not very equal in all sorts of socio-economic areas. 

- Kataang (Katara and Aang)

Kataang is my favorite ship from Avatar:  The Last Airbender.  Both Katara and Aang understand each other deeply and share an unbreakable connection.  From the very beginning, it was meant to be.  Katara brought Aang back to life when she found him in the iceberg, and from then on, Aang grew to love her more and more.  I think it took Katara longer to become fully aware of her love for Aang in return, but it was always there.

- Irohsami (Iroh II and Asami Sato)

Yeah, I know Irohsami isn't canon.  I shall cry internally for all time because of this.  The potential the Legend of Korra writers are missing by not making this ship canon just hurts me to think about.  However, I still hold onto hope that some day, perhaps in book three or four, Irohsami's ship will sail.  And it will sail beautifully.

I know I sound really over-dramatic right now but it honestly hurts that this ship is not canon.  They would be the most classy couple to ever walk the earth.  Trust me.

- Tonraq and Senna

I have always liked the relationship between Korra's parents in The Legend of Korra.  They seem to love each other a lot.  It makes me so happy that they were featured more in book two. 


- Fiolee  (Fionna and Marshall Lee)

I was very wary of watching Adventure Time, since it seemed like such a weird and crazy show.  But over time, it has definitely grown on me.  My favorite pairing from this show is Fionna and Marshall Lee.  They feel very natural together and I can't help but love them to bits. 

- Jelsa (Jack Frost and Elsa)

I rarely ship crossover couples, but Jelsa is definitely one of my OTPs.  The reason I ship Elsa (from Frozen by Disney) and Jack Frost (from Rise of the Guardians by Dreamworks) is not because they share similar powers, although that is a bonus.  I can easily see them getting along and their personalities just really seem to compliment each other.  I can easily imagine them interacting in my head.  My headcanon is that Jack would encourage Elsa's powers.  Even if she wasn't romantically interested in him, she would definitely find a friend in him.

- Linzin (Tenzin and Lin Beifong)

I've always shipped Tenzin with Lin, from The Legend of Korra.  Despite their claims of having moved on, I think they still have feelings for one another.  They seem to fit each other perfectly.

- Armin and Annie

"Do I look like such a good person to you?" 

The only thing I don't like about Attack on Titan, something which frustrates me a lot, is how some pairings are hinted at or start being established, then are completely ignored afterwards, for example Mikasa and Jean.  In my opinion, the only relationship that gets some thorough development is the one between Eren and Mikasa, and their friend, Armin.  Eren and Mikasa have a really well developed brother and sister relationship, although some fans ship them romantically.  Out of the romantic pairings I like (Mikasa and Jean, Levi and Hanji, and Armin and Annie), Armin and Annie seem to have the most development.  Annie seems concerned with how Armin thinks of her, and in one scene asks what being a good person meant to him.  Their relationship interests me a lot, and I hope it continues to develop in the future, although the ending of season one left a lot of questions and I am unsure of what will happen next. 

- Amorra (Amon and Korra)

Amorra is one of my top OTPs.  Although it never had a chance of becoming canon, I will ship it till the end of time (and then keep on shipping it after that).  Other than being enemies, Korra and Amon have a very intriguing relationship, that leads to a lot of potential.  Both have different political views, but underneath their differences, they are actually similar in many ways.  Although Korra at first fears Amon, she later grows stronger and finds her bravery.  Both have their strengths and meet each other on an equal playing field.  They test each other to see what the other will do.  In addition to all of this, Amon and Korra seem to have a subtle attraction towards each other and a chemistry that can't be denied, whether you interpret it romantically or not.  There were more Amorra shippers during book 1 of The Legend of Korra, but some have hung on and continued to ship it, including me.