1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Anny and Samantha and welcome to Steffan 2 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: Never Told You production of iHeart Radio. And welcome to 3 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: another sub subsub subsub segment Fictional women around the World. 4 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: And this was a listener suggestion from Taylor. Thank you. Taylor. 5 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: Taylor is our unofficial Olympic correspondent who's written in before. 6 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 1: So hopefully we'll be hearing from Taylor soon about something. 7 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 1: How do we meet her official? Oh, that's true. We 8 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:44,520 Speaker 1: need to discuss this, We need to what is the initiation? 9 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 1: So today we are talking about Tough from Avatar, The 10 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: Last Airbender and Legend of Korra. Disclaimer, I have not 11 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: seen these shows. I have seen episodes, but I haven't 12 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: seen the whole thing so well. As always, I always 13 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 1: kind of fill out of my depth when I do 14 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:08,839 Speaker 1: one about someone I don't know personally. Nothing about this, yeah, oh, 15 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: my goodness is very popular. But let me know if 16 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,479 Speaker 1: I get anything wrong. But we're gonna I think we're 17 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: gonna give a good background because this character is beloved Samantha. 18 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: So Tough Beifong is a fictional character from the animated 19 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 1: shows The Last Airbender and the Legend of Korra. She 20 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 1: was first introduced in the two thousand and six episode 21 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: of The Last Airbender, The Blind Bandit, and at the 22 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 1: time she was a twelve year old girl. But yes, 23 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: if you have no idea what we're talking about. Avatar 24 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: The Last Airbender is an animated series set in a fictional, 25 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: largely Asian inspired world. It ran from two thousand and 26 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: five to two thousand and eight and was followed by 27 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: the Legend of Cora, which ran from twenty twelve to 28 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: twenty fourteen. In this universe, some people have the ability 29 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: to tell aetically control the four elements fire, earth, water, 30 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: and air, and this is called bending. The Avatar is 31 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: the only being who can bend all four elements. The 32 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: story largely follows Aang, the last survivor of his kind, Avatar, 33 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:23,079 Speaker 1: and his friends, including Tough. It has won So So 34 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: So So So many awards and is viewed by many 35 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: as one of the best animated shows of all time. 36 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:33,799 Speaker 1: It touches on things like genocide, war, politics, imperialism, sexism, discrimination, 37 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: and choice. Those are just a few. There was a 38 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:40,640 Speaker 1: live action movie and Night Shyamalan did, but it was 39 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: generally panned and accused of whitewashing. I would say rightfully so. 40 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: There is also a live action series as of this 41 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: year on Netflix which I haven't seen. It has gotten 42 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:53,919 Speaker 1: mixed reviews, but I believe they are doing a season 43 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: two and they're casting Tough now. There are games and comics, 44 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 1: all kinds of media surrounding this, but all right back 45 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: to our character. Tough was born blind and because of 46 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,799 Speaker 1: that has had limitations placed on her by others since 47 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,519 Speaker 1: she was very young. She is an earth bender, which 48 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: basically means she can telekinetically manipulate and control sand, dirt 49 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 1: stone and eventually metle. However, because of her blindness her 50 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: extremely overprotective parents, they limited her to basic earth bending 51 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 1: like they wouldn't really let her explore it. But Tough 52 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:35,119 Speaker 1: gets around this after she meets some badger moles through 53 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: blind animals who naturally earthbend, and through their teaching, she 54 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 1: learns to quote see through vibrations. Through her training, she 55 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: earned herself the alias the Blind Bandit. She won a 56 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 1: lot of underground earth bending tournaments. Frequently she ran away 57 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: from her her parents, trying to escape them and learn 58 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: more about her abilities. She eventually decided to travel with 59 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: a and the others, including an earth bending teacher again. 60 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: She's twelve years old. Tough argued with some of the 61 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 1: other team members in the beginning, even temporarily leaving the 62 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: team before returning to teach Aang about earth bending. Tough 63 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: skills proved essential to the team, and she brought them 64 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:23,280 Speaker 1: closer together. After Tough receives a letter from her mother 65 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:27,679 Speaker 1: claiming that she is in the city, she understands Tough now, 66 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: Tough goes to see her, but on her way is 67 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: captured and put into cage. Her frustration and determination to 68 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: escape led to her becoming the first metal bender in 69 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: earth bending history. Basically, she was able to see that 70 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: earth in the medals through seismic actions like banging her 71 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: hands against it. She freed herself and rendezvous with Aang 72 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: and others soon after. She used her new found abilities 73 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: to free herself and her companions. Tough's metal bending ability 74 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: proved in value when they were low on funds. She 75 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 1: used it to cheat in gambling, which did end in prison, 76 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: but she escaped. Later. She used her truth seeing ability 77 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: to know that their believed enemy, Prince Zuko, was being 78 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: truthful when he had a change of heart and he 79 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: was willing to teach Aang fire bending after they are attacked, 80 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: the team settled on Imber Island, were Tough enjoyed a 81 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: portrayal of her in a play depicting their journeys. Aang 82 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: disappears after that, and the remaining crew travels to the 83 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: Earth Kingdom. They're able to save that kingdom, and ag returns. 84 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: Tough goes on to found a metal bending school, first 85 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 1: with three students. The school gets caught up in a 86 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: conflict and Tough almost gives it up, but her students 87 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: are able to meddle bend for the first time and 88 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 1: they fight and they went. Tough reunites with Team Avatar 89 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 1: for a festival, where she runs into her father, who 90 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: does not speak up to say she is his daughter 91 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: and has her escorted off the premises of the refinery 92 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: that he co owns. Later, she confronted him and he 93 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 1: all but disowns her. He does not recognize any of 94 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: her accomplishments. When the mind starts to collapse, Tough uses 95 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 1: her ability to stop it and save the workers, her father, 96 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: her friend, and herself, but she collapses from the exhaustion 97 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: of that soon after help arrives. She convinces Aang not 98 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: to destroy the factory, so basically, he is like, this 99 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:33,360 Speaker 1: is bad for the earth. Tough was like, well, not necessarily, 100 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 1: and she convinced him not to destroy it. Her school 101 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:41,919 Speaker 1: grows and her first students are now able to teach. 102 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: Despite the success, Tough is bored. Her interest in teaching 103 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:50,799 Speaker 1: is reinvigorated, though, when she agreed to teach a lava 104 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:55,600 Speaker 1: bender named Son. Over time, she acted as a diplomat, 105 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 1: a warrior, a spy, participated in a political skirmish with 106 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:02,840 Speaker 1: benders Premises, who are basically people that believe venders are 107 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 1: better than everybody else. Was Republic City's first chief of police, 108 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 1: had two daughters that both went on to become earth 109 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: bending masters. Helped guide her friend Cora, and ran for governor. 110 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: She failed, but then was asked run again and refused 111 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:21,239 Speaker 1: because she was like politics are bearable, and I'm like, okay, 112 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 1: I see you. She was seen as a hero and 113 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: a competent teacher. I believe there's a statue of her 114 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 1: in Republic City. This character is independent, stubborn, brash, sarcastic, 115 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: and very blunts. Due to her upbringing, she was eager 116 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 1: to prove herself and excelled at earth bending. She wasn't 117 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: worried about her appearance, and she was usually covered in 118 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: a quote healthy coating of dirt. She was generally barefoot, 119 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: sometimes purposely uncouth to rebel against her aristocratic upbringing, like 120 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: she would burp and spit and all those things. She 121 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: was very comfortable with her blindness, sometimes joking about it 122 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 1: or calling it out when people would hand her pieces 123 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: of writing or posters. As she grew older, she did 124 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: become more cynical, and her relationship with her daughters grew strained, 125 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 1: but she still kept in touch with those that she 126 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:31,239 Speaker 1: cared about. And here's just a quote to illustrate this character. 127 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:34,559 Speaker 1: So one of the characters says, it's so dark down here, 128 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 1: I can't see a thing, and she says, very sarcastically, 129 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: oh no, what a nightmare. Her skill and earth bending 130 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: was also unique because she'd been taught more about the 131 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: nature of it outside of rigid teachings of a lot 132 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 1: of others, so she kind of learned it outside of structures. 133 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 1: I guess her style was derived from Southern praying amantis, 134 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: which is a type of kung fu. She was weak 135 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 1: to air attacks and didn't like traveling by air subs 136 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: that she couldn't feel the earth beneath her feet. She 137 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 1: went on to learn sand bending too, and of course yes, 138 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 1: metal bending. So there are a lot of reasons this 139 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: show is interesting, but the show creators consulted with professional 140 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: martial artist for the show's fighting styles. A big one 141 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: for Tough is called neutral jing. Essentially, this involves listening, reacting, 142 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: balancing attacks and defense, and predicting an opponent's next move. 143 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 1: Some behind the scenes stuff. This character was originally designed 144 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:46,439 Speaker 1: as a sixteen year old male jock type. It was 145 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: very muscular in foul mouthed. I believe in the original 146 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: pilot he's in it, but they redid the pilot so 147 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: it's not the one we saw, but he was in 148 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:59,679 Speaker 1: like the one. They were showing networks and stuff. As 149 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: the show got closer to airing, the idea was pitched 150 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:04,440 Speaker 1: that they should change it to a young girl, in 151 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 1: part for humor, because they thought it would be kind of funny. 152 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: They have this like girl who's spitting and all this stuff. 153 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 1: I don't know. Some have said it was refreshing and 154 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 1: feminist have a character have two children with two different 155 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: men and never be questioned about it, although some lamented 156 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 1: that her relationship with her daughters tarnished her legacy. However, 157 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 1: others argue that that is from the POV of her daughters, 158 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: so you're not kind of getting her whole side of 159 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: that story. But I did think that was interesting. I 160 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:40,559 Speaker 1: wasn't expecting that when I was reading this from my 161 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: experience with the show, I didn't know that there was 162 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 1: all this other like comics and all this other stuff 163 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 1: that explores what happens when they get older. And I 164 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 1: didn't know she had two daughters, two different dudes, And 165 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 1: was like, that was it? Nobody cared? I like it. 166 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah, this is a really fascinating character. I 167 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 1: had a lot of fun researching her, and she's a 168 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 1: fan favorite. People love her. The creators were saying, you know, 169 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 1: they kind of fought. Some of them weren't on board 170 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: with changing her to a young girl, and now they're like, 171 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: this is my favorite character. I'm so glad that we 172 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: did this. And I ain't. The original jock dude that 173 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:29,960 Speaker 1: was going to be her is in an episode, so 174 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: if you love Easter Eggs, they did include him. So yeah, yeah, 175 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: but I yeah, thank you so much Taylor for the suggestion. Again, 176 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 1: if I got anything wrong, please let me know. If 177 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 1: you have any thoughts about this, please let us know. 178 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: You can email us at Stephania mom Stuff at iHeartMedia 179 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: dot com. You can find us on Twitter at mom 180 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 1: Stuff podcast, or on Instagram and TikTok at stuff One 181 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:57,960 Speaker 1: Never Told You. We have a YouTube page, we have 182 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:00,120 Speaker 1: a tea public store, and we have a book you 183 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 1: can get wherever you get your books. Thanks as always 184 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 1: to a super producer Christina or executive producer Maya and 185 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 1: your contributor Joey. Thank you and thanks to you for listening. 186 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 1: Stuff I Never Told You is a production by Heart Radio. 187 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from my heart Radio, you can check 188 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 1: out the heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 189 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:14,079 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.