Episode A05 - Vanished Mothers and Absent Fathers

Talking Star Wars

This episode explores a specific variance in the way that parental figures are portrayed in the Avatar world: one where this is a complex and distant father with a fraught relationship with his children; and where the mother is dead or otherwise entirely absent from the story, and characterized more by her absence than her ongoing agency. The hosts explore why this trope might exist, the ways in which parental roles evolve between Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, and what role gender roles play in this difference between how motherhood and fatherhood are portrayed. From the heinous and abusive Fire Lord Ozai compared to his vanished wife Ursa, to the tragically slain Kya (mother of Katara and Sokka) and off-at-war Hakoda, this episode dives into all maternal and paternal figures, how they are depicted, and explores why this dichotomy might exist.

Discussed content includes potential spoilers from the items listed below.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Spoilers

ATLA seasons 1 through 3, The Legend of Korra seasons 1 through 4, The Search, Imbalance, and Patterns in Time.

Star Wars Spoilers

Episodes I through VI

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