From: zimzat	Date: January 24th, 2011 09:49 pm (UTC)		(Link)

The entire series lacks a certain amount of finality when it comes to people being killed. Very few characters end up dead despite how overwhelming an attack may be, yet it's a single lightning bolt strike that "kills" the Avatar. Both sides would have greatly benefited if they had just killed people and been done with it. It is a kids show, though... *shrug* It did live up to its promise of finding an alternate solution to ending the war than simply killing the fire lord, though, and I thought that was a nice touch.

Sure, I could always use a few more connections in the Seattle area. I plan on giving myself a birthday present of spending a week there in July.

	From: legolastn	Date: January 24th, 2011 11:20 pm (UTC)		(Link)

At least it pokes a little fun at itself in regard to the deaths since there's the scene in the episode where the play is recounting their adventures where it says:
"Did ______ just... die?"
"You know, it was really unclear."

You are right, though, when people die off is clearly driven by narrative rather than magnitude of the attack/damage.

I found the testudines ex machina (and the back bump induction of state) to be a bit annoying since I think there were other ways those issues could have been handled, but the actual alternate solution was satisfying. I just wish there was another way he could have figured it out.