#ATLA Anniversary

[maifandom]

Fifteen Years Later...

15 years ago today, ATLA's finale aired. In commemoration, I dredged up my initial reaction to the finale, which I posted in the shipping thread of ye olde AvatarSpirit.net's forum. Consequently it's very shipping-focused and includes a billion portmanteaus. But it's the closest thing I have to a liveblog for ATLA, and I love nostalgia.

A little context, first. I found Avatar through Zutara fanart at the end of 2007 and caught up on all the existing episodes in probably January 2008? Disappointed that Kataang was so obvious, I turned to Sokka ships and decided I liked Tokka best. I lurked in the fandom for a few months, joined the forum shortly before everyone found out that the Boiling Rock was going to get a DVD release on May 6, two months before it actually aired on TV. I spent a lot of downtime debating the merits of Tokka and making predictions about the show based on random commercials and then the finale trailer. On the shipping side of things, my reaction was kinda negative. I was increasingly disappointed leading up to the finale. Don't worry, it gets better.

Brackets indicate present day edits or comments.

[Begin finale reaction]

OH MAN, WHERE TO START? [...] I guess I'll start from the beginning.

Zumo! ♥

Harutara, ahahahaha.

Nylappa! ♥♥♥ (Ahahaha.)

Irko reunion! ;_; Oh man, I cried. xD

Maiko reunion. xD Seriously, Zuko's eyes. Zudorko. ♥

Okay, I guess it's time for Sutokka stuff, right?

Sukka... were practically glued together. Seriously. And I'm sorry, much as I try to be unbiased, I just really didn't like it. D: There were moments. Mere moments, like back before I had a particular bias. I don't truly dislike it, but when it's so constant and final it's hard to ignore.

It made Tokka moments hard to come by. Or in fact, many other character interactions. Sokka was seriously obsessed. @_@

Did anyone else notice the only time we got Tokka moments was when they were separated from Suki? Dx Aside from the Tokka hand-leading seconds previous. I dunno. I suppose I should be thankful that they made a point of including Tokka. But much as I ADORE this scene:

[Image - probably Sokka covering Toph from debris]

*Insert fangirl scream that gets cut off*

...well it didn't really lead to anything else. ;_;

See, I wanted angst! And drama! And depth! And at least someone acknowledging it. ANYONE.

Frankly, I hated the apparent Toph x everyone-ness. [Zuko, The Duke, and...?] I'm fine with those ships. In fact, I ship more than one of them. But when they're all there? That just says Toph is fickle or childish, to me. D:

I would have liked it better if Tokka was never a romantic ship. Or if we were shown Toph was boy-crazy from the beginning -- with Taang, or some random one-shot character. Why did they save it all for the finale?

But I don't think that's necessarily what's happening. (Reminder to self: don't listen to every conclusion the fandom comes to. >.>) In which case, we still have Tokka disappearing as if it never happened, and Toph doesn't care one iota.

Apparently I came in at just the right time to stew in all the Tokkaness, come to all these conclusions, and then have pretty much everything I ever thought about Tokka or Sutokka be completely undermined. :P

I get the sense that M & B were looking over my shoulder at the things I listed that I didn't want to happen with Tokka, and thought it was a recommendation. :P

However, much as I must seem to be ranting, I'm far more apathetic than angry. Some of that fan depression I had after I watched EIP -- I got this sense I lost my favorite characters, because what I thought was there no longer was. D: [Particularly the way Sokka is characterized, since he's my favorite.]

So, oddly enough, the Sutokka plotline was probably the one I was least interested in, except in with glimmers of hope that those characters I loved might come back. (And they did. Some.)

But, oh man, you should have heard my breathing when Toph got in her metal armor. :P Sutokka got some of the best action EVER.

Wait a second. Pretty much EVERY moment in the finale that had action in it was better than everything else in the whole series. Where can I begin?

[I rambled about staying on topic.]

Except... Crazula? Seriously, I can't say enough how astdirl,dtbmortsnehjAMAZING Crazula was. AZULA, where did you GO? ;_;

And the Kazuko [platonic Zutara] was better. :D

Okay, I'm still not done.

Kataang?

Yeah, it's okay. (Best in EIP.) [Eh???]

Remember the Kataang commercial?

"I won't let him fight alone?" :P

I find it highly ironic that Katara was on ANOTHER CONTINENT THE WHOLE TIME.

Heh. Oh, well. I'll just pretend there's a little extra Kataang in there more along the lines of EIP. ^_^ And then I might be able to say I officially like Kataang, or something.

[End finale reaction]

Years later, I'm rather bemused by some of my thoughts. My disappointment in Tokka makes sense, since they would be so awesome. :P During ATLA, I assumed that shipping details were done very purposefully and would lead somewhere, even if it was just a character arc. After watching LOK, I came to understand better how the writers used shipping more for fun, especially with secondary characters. Part of the magic of shipping or just being in a fandom in general is the fans' imagination. I've been (more or less) happy to continue Tokka using my imagination. I can even imagine contradictory scenarios - angsty, happily ever after, silly, serious - so it really doesn't matter what happened in canon after ATLA.

I don't think Toph was boy crazy, but I do think Sokka will forever care about her well-being. Nowadays Sokka, Suki, and Toph's side plot might be my favorite plotline in the last two episodes, but it's really hard to choose. The Agni Kai is beautiful, the Old Masters are powerful, and Aang's battle against Ozai is intense and important.

My original thoughts on Kataang are really weird to me now. I think I finally warmed up to them a couple years later. I'm not sure what I thought was so good about them in EIP - maybe the fact they actually talked a bit about their relationship? But watching Aang kiss her prematurely is so cringy to me now, and like many I would have liked some sort of interaction before they kissed in the final moments. But I can enjoy it now!

I might dredge up more old posts from the days of great debates, or try to find my first impressions of a few more episodes. (I know I've always loved the Boiling Rock.) Let me know if that's of interest!

In other news, Kataang week is next week, and I am plotting to participate for once.

Now... back to drawing!

#ATLA #Avatar #Tokka #Kataang #ATLA Anniversary #ATLA finale #AvatarSpirit.net #me #nostalgia

[zachhh]

HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY

<3 not much sorry

#chell #wheatley #portal #portal 2 #glados #atlas #pbody #zachhh #ahhh happy late anniversary for portal2!

[awwyeah107]

I made this because today has been a whirlwind of fandom news for me (except for the still needing to watch the last 2 episodes of the most recent Loki season...I simply was reminded of that, lol) and this meme was the perfect way to express the overwhelm XD

#zack and cody #doctor who 60th anniversary #percy jackson #pjo series #shadow and bone #grishaverse #six of crows #avatar the last airbender #atla live action #loki season 2 #fandom #multifandom meme #fandom meme #doctor who #loki series

[fanfic-gremlin-ft-trauma]

I HAVE BEEN INFORMED VERY LATE THAT IT IS THE PRINCE AND THE FOOL ANNIVERSARY. (school has been kicking my ass I am a bit behind 😭) how people saw this and STILL think zukka is an ‘out of the ass’ and ‘nonsensical’ ship is amazing to me

anyway is that all you and sokka were, or were to one another?

no, i think not

iroh said:

#atla #zukka #zuko x sokka #zukka fanart #atla fanart #the prince and the fool #AHHHH HAPPY ANNIVERSARY HELLO #did two goofy sketches for this so enjoy #that exact letter fuelled my zukka drive before I had tumblr #like. #come on that’s soooooo ‘and they were roomates’ ‘historians will say’ ‘they’re really good friends’ #tell me I’m wrong I’m not

[longerbee]

#smellershot #longshot #smellerbee #today is my smellershot anniversary #freedom fighters #avatar the last airbender #atla

[avatar-news]

ATLA just turned 18!

Avatar: The Last Airbender Book One: Water Chapter One: The Boy in the Iceberg and Chapter Two: The Avatar Returns first premiered on this day 18 years ago, February 21st, 2005!

#anniversary #atla

[grimsonchin]

As Korrasami Day comes to an end, here’s the first part of our AU comic with @sapphicctwt ! Each part expected to come out every week! Enjoy! ✏️💥💥

#art crap #tlok #the legend of korra #legend of korra #tlok comics #tlok korra #tlok asami #korrasami au #korrasami fanart #korrasami #korra x asami #asami sato #avatar korra #atla #please enjoy some cute content #korrasami 8 year anniversary #hiroshi sato #senna #chief tonraq #tlok AU #avatar the last airbender #lgbtqia

[vlackevil]

Today is the 16th anniversary of the Aang and Katara real kiss in the invasion

🥳🥳🥳

#kataang #aang and katara #katara and aang #avatar the last airbender #atla #otp #aang x katara #avatar #pro kataang #kiss #kataang anniversary

[picnicbitchsokka]

zuko & sokka learn from each other in the best way possible - and here’s why

here’s the last paragraph from the famous “the prince and the fool” page iroh wrote to zuko talking about sokka

“Your experience with failure and your refusal to give up helped Sokka when he needed it most.”

sokka’s father, hakoda left him to protect his village, his gran gran, and katara

we know sokka can be really hard on himself wanting to prove to his father he’s worthy and this caused him to be brave and the protector

but he has also struggled dealing with failure at the same time

he hates letting the ones closest to him down. even at the day of black sun, he felt like he failed and let everyone down especially his father

sooo when zuko (mr. fail lord) comes along, in boiling rock, he tells sokka you’ll fail a lot in life. and it’s okay to fail over and over again before things work out

and sokka knows zuko never gives up. he listens to him cause he knows the words he’s saying are real and he’s not just rambling like he did about the silver sandwiches

post canon, i feel like when sokka was in certain situations where he knew there was a possibility of failure, he didn’t shy away from the idea as much

his bravery allowed him to take risks even though there’s a chance he might fail

sokka being sokka, he’s of course gonna want to succeed and win all the time…it’s just zuko who taught him that winning isn’t the only option. there’s failure too.

i’m literally praying this all makes sense

ok now for zuko, “And maybe you needed a bit of his foolhardy spirit to remind you that you are human too and trying to do the honarable thing doesn’t always mean doing the right thing.”

while zuko taught sokka how to deal with failure, sokka taught zuko to not be so serious all the time

notice how before boiling rock, zuko never really made…jokes

the only one he made was irohs and it didn’t really land as much as he thought it would sry zuko

it was after boiling rock is when we see him become more close and comfortable with the gaang, and—start making jokes and being sarcastic

hmmm who also makes jokes and is mr. sarcastic in the gaang??🤔 hmmmmm i wonder

he literally made a joke and the gaang laughed?????the gaang laughed. well except katara

zuko is learning he’s “human too” at the same time sokka’s learning that “being brave can mean failing”

they both bring out each others weaknesses and learn together how to grow within those weaknesses

now this is what i call balance

iroh does not miss.

#god this took a while #please feel free to add more if case i forgot something and i hope to god this actually made sense #sokka #zuko #zukka #atla #a good end to the 3rd anniversary of the prince and the fool #see u next year ;D

[reaperjoshua]

Happy Anniversary, Splatoon 3!!

#splatoon 3 #splatoon fanart #squid sisters #splatoon art #splatoon #octoling #inkling #neo agent 3 (atlantis) #captain/agent 3 (atlas) #return of the mammalians #splatoon 3 anniversary #my art #reaper art

[ponytailzuko]

i hope in the atla live action that comes out that they make zuko aroace and theres an overwhelming discussion of if thats considered canon or not that grinds zuko being the fanbase’s shipping bicycle for 15+ years to a grinding halt. 

#cal.ibrations #saying this as someone who is ace. queer? idk my label anymore ace is in there though. #it would be. Really funny. #other than that im praying that bryan or mike just say zuko aroace on twitter on atlas 20th anniversary

[synthshenanigans]

…do u run the daily cj account /gen

Shockingly, despite the many CJ related accounts I have & as much as I've thought about doing one, I do not run the daily CJ account

...however if anyone were to want one for tumblr, I wouldn't mind making one at least :}

[Edit: I just realized you're prolly talking about the new one here & not twitter lol. Still I'm not the one that runs that one tho! Maaaaybe will still do a photo a day but i don't wanna steal the other persons thing]

#og tags> #i assume you're talking about the one on twitter at least #i *think* there used to be one here? im not good at remembering things so im not 100% sure #but i have a shit ton of photos for art references & I like sharing them so that others can have those references as well #so if its smth ppl want then i don't mind #i run the incorrect quotes. lyrics & headcanons blogs tho which are also daily #then there's the anniversary & updates accounts too #why not add a 30th cj related account to my pile pft #chonny jash #main tagging for a bit just to see of anyone actually wants this #[atlas asks]

[natlacentral]

thalia__tran feeling so honored to be here celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Joy Luck Club with these AAPI powerhouses!! thank you to all these fiercely talented women for paving the way, and a special thank you to @thetamlyntomita for being such an inspiration not only on the screen but also in real life 💗

#natla #atla #netflix avatar #netflix atla #avatar netflix #atla netflix #avatar the last airbender #thalia tran #tamlyn tomita #maria zhang #joy luck club anniversary #cast social #instagram

[forget-about-me2]

#doctor who #doctor who 60th anniversary #doctor who spoilers #14th doctor #tenteeth #Donna Noble #rose temple noble #dw spoilers #catherine tate #meme #avatar the last airbender #atla #atla meme #Look I was going to write a theory for how this scene happened #instead I ended up spending two hours editing this abomination

[evienyx]

Fractures, Chapter Thirty-Eight: Cold Stone and Colder Eyes

'Sometimes, the only thing that can be done is to push through. There's not much more than that.'

- - -

It's short, I'm well aware. Take it anyway, you hungry, hungry children. The next one is already 2k words in, so we can pray, but, as usual, I make no promises.

Anyway, enjoy!

#fractures atla #story update #fractures chapter 38 #fractures update #this is so exciting tho #also at the time of writing this at least it's the 4th anniversary of fractures (8/1/23) #how wonderful indeed #look how far weve come #ok go read it go go go

[commehter]

“You did well, Little Dragon” by malistaticy

Submission for The Spirit Tale of Fire Lord Ozai Art Contest.

The inspiration is from chapter 13, the scene where Zu-Ozai tugs on lil’ baby Azula’s bangs. So cute. I was trying to ape the style of the show, can’t say I totally succeeded. Had an enormous amount of fun though. Spot the turtleducks!

Back to SToFLO on AO3 or RR.

#guest post #competition entry #art #avatar the last airbender #atla #the spirit tale of fire lord ozai #2023 anniversary art contest #ozai #zu-ozai #azula #fire nation #submission