Vid: Bloodbenders Build a Levee

[attackfish]

Disclaimer: The music for this vid is Natalie Merchant's "Build a Levee", as performed live in San Diago on March 30, 2002. The footage in this vid comes from Avatar: the Last Airbender, and The Legend of Korra, which belong to Nickelodeon, as well as to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.

Summary: To bloodbend is to take back control.

Warning: Spoilers for all of Korra, Book 1, and all of Airbender Book 3.  Also *Spoiler, highlight to read* canon violence, canon murder-suicide, canon child abuse, canon animal cruelty, bloodbenders bending blood, just general creepiness.

Creator Commentary: Happy Halloween!  And happy early birthday to me!


Bloodbenders Build a Levee

Comments

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

...why is there no like!button I can mash?

I love how it's so simple, just letting the images and the moments flow by with the slow, steady music- that real quiet, but strong words about scary things so bad that you have to keep it low and subdued to let it out.

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Well, it's posted to AO3, so if you really need to give kudos...

I thought about this while making this vid, bloodbending in both shows is all about being stripped of control, not just for the bloodbendee, but also for the bloodbender. Every single time we are shown bloodbending being learned, it's by force. I'm sure in the avatarverse, there are bloodbenders who sought out the technique and learned it willingly, possibly including Yakone, who we've met, but in the show itself, the only time we see it learned is through a violation. Hama is forced to invent it in the Fire Nation prisons, and then forces Katara to learn it in turn. Then Yakone forces Noatak and Tarrlok to bloodbend each other.