#Fire imperialism

[zuko-always-lies]

The sad thing is that all the really weird discourse around “Zuko Alone” (and particularly the fucking doll) means that people have systematically ignored how the episode is a great depiction of how Zuko and Azula were indoctrinated into imperialist ideology by the adults around them, particularly Ursa and Iroh. We see:

1. Ursa read aloud to Zuko and Azula a letter from the war front, intimately connecting the children to the imperialist war.

2. In it, Iroh jokes about burning Ba Sing Se to the ground, and Ursa smiles at the joke as the children laugh, normalizing to them the violent and destructive conquest of the Earth Kingdom.

3. Iroh literally sends his niece and nephew the spoils of the conquest as gifts, with Zuko’s knife in particular explicitly being taken from a surrender Earth Kingdom general. Ursa of course actively participates in this gift giving, further normalizing it.

4. Ursa repeatedly reinforces to her children that they should show the utmost respect to the Firelord and to the line of succession(i.e. the core of the Fire Nation’s imperialist regime).

5. Ozai expects his children to show detailed knowledge of Firelord Sozin’s conquests to impress him, reinforcing the importance of this knowledge to them.

6. Zuko and Azula see Ozai deride Iroh’s withdrawal,  reinforcing the idea that imperialist conquests should be fought through to their conclusion, no matter the cost.

7. At Azulon’s funeral, he’s praised for his conquests and success in battle.

Edit: 8. Ozai has Azula demonstrate her firebending skill in front of Azulon, thus emphasizing the importance of firebending ability to the children.

#Ursa #Ozai #Ozai's A+ parenting #Azulon #Iroh #Zuko #Azula #fire siblings #Fire imperialism

[totallynotcensorship]

#free gaza #israeli terrorism #israel is evil #jerusalem #gaza #palestine #free palestine #gaza under genocide #gaza under fire #israel #gaza under bombardment #gaza under attack #gaza under siege #israel is committing genocide #israel is a terrorist state #ethnic cleansing #i stand with palestine #current events #tel aviv #news on gaza #palestine news #yemen #support palestine #ramadan #social justice #gaza strip #colonialism #imperialism

[wh40kartwork]

Spoils Of War

by Ricardo Alvarado

#fun #tau #imperial guard #adepta sororitas #battle sister #fire caste #warhammer #warhammer 40k #warhammer 40000 #40k #ricardo alvarado #imperium

[intersectionalpraxis]

Hi! Can you help share this petition about the Zionist 🤡 professor at Columbia?

https://twitter.com/itslaylas/status/1778067513886015569?t=mHBqEDXzqu6OnKyqmlTZAg&s=19

"Since a video of Columbia Business School Assistant Professor Shai Davidai delivering a speech accusing Columbia students of being “pro-terror” went viral on October 18, 2023, he has been using his newfound social media platform to bully pro-Palestine students of color with complete impunity despite being untenured. Under the guise of fighting antisemitism, he uses his Twitter and Instagram accounts to incite harassment and violence against these students."  "Shai’s usage of his social media platform to harass students is a clear violation of university policy and an abuse of power from a faculty member. Shai has claimed that any opposition towards him is “antisemitism”. The issue is not with Shai’s individual political beliefs, the issue is how he uses personal social media accounts to target, harass, and bully students, including Palestinian students who have lost family members in Gaza."

Ya'll PLEASE share and sign this petition -they are close to their 5K goal. When you click on the link, it lists what this zionist Columbia University Professor has done. I know I've spoken about him before and to emphasize again, this man is a DANGER to Palestinian/Arab/Muslim students.

Thank you for alerting me to this petition.

SHAI DAVIDAI MUST BE FIRED.

#feminist #social justice #free palestine #palestine #free gaza #current events #columbia university #shai davidai #fire shai davidai #zionist occupation #united states #us imperialism #western imperialism #islamophobia #university #petition #change.org #signal boost #us politics

[enjymemink]

Hunger games in real life

People of Palestine failing to get proper water supply vs Settlers living in occupied west bank lavishly, using the water they stole.

Palestinian people can't even produce food due to I*raeli terrorists destroying their wells, meanwhile settlers are living lavishly.

Palestinian people getting searched whereas those so called oppressed settlers are walking around with guns in their hands.

This is the kind of thing you read in dystopian books or see in dystopian movies . This is the real hunger games.

I*rael always played the victim card and vilified Palestine.

I've never seen a group of "oppressed" people living so lavishly whereas their so called oppressors living so poorly.

#free gaza #free palestine #gaza #palestine #palestine resources #social justice #gaza genocide #gaza strip #imperialism #israel is a terrorist state #west bank #colonialism #the hunger games #history #dystopia #dystopian #hunger games #catching fire #mockingjay

[rebel-moons]

I think it can be easy to overlook in the midst of all the other stuff Snyder tackles in his movies, but I love the way he writes romantic relationships.

Kora seeing kindness as a virtue worth dying for, and Gunnar being shown to be kind above all.

Kora resisting a deeper relationship with Den - who is described with attributes the villagers admire such as the best hunter and a loyal friend. Gunnar is shown to be just a simple farmer, trusting and honest to a fault, but it is him she wants is drawn to.

Kora believes she is incapable of loving and being loved. But it’s Gunnar’s love for Kora that saves her in the end.

#rebel moon #rebel moon spoilers #a child of fire #kora x gunnar #the way look at each other. man oh man. #there’s something about the imperial army encouraging soldiers to take a lover #so they’d have something to fight for when the ‘ideals of expansion’ became too broad or w.e #and something something fighting for vengeance vs for honor #idk i’m too high to parse it out right now but I am THINKING #also rights to couple where the woman is the attack dog and the guy is the pretty sweet one everyone fights over

[phoenix-king-ozai]

Why the Live Action Netflix ATLA shouldn’t had Zuko fight back in the Agni Kai duel!

Apparently, the Live Action Netflix Adaptation had decided to have Zuko accept and fight back during the Agni duel between father and son. This I believe was a major narrative mistake that shouldn’t have been changed from the original animated version.

Ozai became infuriated that Zuko was a “coward” that would not defend his honor and pride in front of his father and the entire royal court. Which is why Ozai demanded Zuko to get up and fight him or he would be “taught” respect. This is also connected to other “macho” bushido beliefs and attitudes that firebending men and boys are encouraged and expected to fulfill in the Fire Nation’s violent, authoritarian, fascistic militarized society and culture corrupted by Sozin’s militarism and imperialistic ideology. We see this with Zhao when he insults Zuko for sparing his life and calling him a coward. “ Your father raised a coward!” Commander Zhao B1 E3 The Southern Air Temple.

Zhao would rather get burned, scarred, deformed and possibly killed than have his face and possibly life be spared by Zuko’s compassionate actions. Both Ozai and Zhao were disgusted and disappointed by Zuko’s belief and attitudes toward empathy, mercy, and surrendering. This also explains why Zhao refused Zuko’s help during the fight with Tui and La Avatar State empowered Aang! Fighting a glorious battle to the death even when outmatched and showing no mercy but ruthless is honored and praised in Elite Fire Nation society and culture.

The point that I’m trying to get at is! Zuko not agreeing to the Agni Kai and kneeling infuriated Ozai which led to Zuko’s scarring and banishment because of Ozai’s dissatisfaction, disappointment, and disgust in Zuko’s fear, terror, and unwillingness to duel his father aka a member of his family. Zuko’s terror and desire to not fight his father also conflicted him in the Agni Kai causing him not to act against Ozai. This is the main reason Zuko’s fight with Azula was so impactful. Zuko didn’t want to fight his family yet had no choice regarding his father and sister.

I glad that despite Zuko fighting back in the Agni Kai in Episode 6: Mask of NATLA. That the showrunners stayed true to the characters: Ozai and Zuko along with the themes of the Agni Kai. I’m also glad that they didn't make Ozai have a favored child. Ozai wants Zuko and Azula to both prove themselves. Ozai doesn't favor Zuko or Azula. It is about which child will succeed Sozin, Azulon, and his legacy as future Fire Lord. In fact, Ozai doesn't want Zuko or Azula to think that they are the “favorite” child. He wants Azula and Zuko to improve through competition. Because of “steel sharpen steel” mentality. Ozai has the mentality of an imperialist warlord. I think Ozai, Zuko, Iroh and Azula’s characterization were well done and faithful! Iroh being confronted over Ba Sing Se was amazing as well and tied to his grief of Lu Ten’s death.

#atla #avatar #ozai #azula #zuko #zhao #avatar the last airbender #fire nation royal family #the final agni kai #agni kai duel #fire family #fire fam #fire nation society #fire nation imperialism #fire nation warrior culture

[nemainofthewater]

Best Character surnamed: Xiao

Come and vote for the best characters with the same surname!*

What does best mean? It's up to you! Whether you love them, are intrigued by their characters, love to hate them, or they're your '2 second blorbos whose personality you made up wholesale', these are all reasons for you to vote for your favs!

*note, the surnames are not exactly the same in all the cases, as often there will be a different character. I am, however, grouping them all together otherwise things got more complicated.

Propaganda is very welcome! If I’ve forgot anyone, let me know in the notes.

This is part of a larger series of ‘best character with X surname’ polls’. The overview with ongoing polls, winners, and future polls can be found here

#poll #nirvana in fire #the untamed #the blood of youth #reset #love like the galaxy #ancient detective #till the end of the mooon #the king's avatar #imperial coroner #miss s #blood of youth

[winters-secret-star-wars-blog]

Omega: "Want to know a secret? I escaped from this mountain before. Know what else?"

#look at this chaotic child #she's ready to seriously fuck some imperial shit up #you cannot tell me she wasn't thinking “count your days hoelock” after explaining her escape plan #i want her to beat him to death with a fire extinguisher #all grown up off to destroy people #the bad batch #tbb omega #the bad batch season 3 #tbb s3 #tbb memes #the bad batch memes #tbb spoilers

[starlight-bread-blog]

The Good & the Bad: On Aang (Not) Killing the Fire Lord

I recived this asks forever ago, trurly sorry anon, but I'll keep my apologises for the end. I'd love to answer that!

If you're asking me, this is way better than """killing him""". Case closed.

Getting this cleared up: The show didn't say that Aang is morally superior for this. It was solely about staying true to himself. Not a moral high ground.

So when I hear people say it's problematic because it implies that sparing imperialistic dictators has some intrinsic goodness to it, (Ahem-Lily Orchard), I just can't agree. It was never about universal ethics, it was about Aang's culture and values.

Why Is This a Good Thing?

Aang loves his culture, and takes a lot of pride in it and its values. (See: in The Southern Raiders his first go-to to convince Katara to spare Yon Rah is his culture, rather than what such act would do Katara herself). He would have been ashamed if he had broken them. But right now they clash with his Avatar duties, with god-knows how many lives at stake. He needs to let go of his pride & shame, and become humble.

Just like Zuko humbling himself to the GAang before they accept him, or Sokka humbling himself to the Kyoshi warriors and Master Piandao, Aang could only speak to the the lion turtle after he'd given up, after he was humbled.

Even beyond Aang, it enhances the show's themes at large. A theme in A:TLA is paving your own path, and that you can do what you want despite the pressure. Your true destiny will come, you might be surprised by it, but it's yours and you're free to carve it.

You just have to keep going, to continue to do the right thing, and your destiny will find you. Things have a way of working out in the end, eventually.

Sparing Ozai serves the theme, thus the show overall. Everyone told him it's his destiny to kill the Fire Lord and end the war. But he didn't agree, paving his own path, his own destiny, and all was well. The pieces fell in their place.

It is s amplified by the fact that if you read between the lines, he actually did follow all the previous Avatars' wisdom besides Yangchen's.

Aang knew what he wanted from the start. He isn't going to kill the Fire Lord. People (rightfully) tried to pressure him, but in the end, he stuck to his decision.

Justice was served. Aang took his bending away and put him to rot in prison for the rest of his life. There's more than one way to execute justice.

"... and the destiny of the world". That's exactly what Aang did. He followed his own path (staying true to himself) while saving the world (ending Ozai regime).

So that leaves us with Yangchen's advice. The one he didn't follow:

This opens another layer to this. Why doesn't Aang take the advice of a fellow Air Nomad? The one he should relate to the most? Because despite both being Avatars and Airbenders, Aang is the last. They're not the same. Yangchen is speaking from a place of privilege. She can carry the weight of the Avatar and not worry about the Air Nomads. Notice the wording: "spiritual needs". But it's deeper than that. In her time, they were there, they'll preserve their culture and values. Aang doesn't have that.

He's Avatar: The Last Airbender. He has both weights to carry. The decision to spare the Fire Lord, while protecting the rest of the world, is embedded in the show's title.

There's also something so incredibly powerful in Ozai being defeated specifically with Air Nomad values. A 100 years ago, during Sozin's Comet, the Fire Nation started the war by genociding them. When it comes back, the Avatar, the last Air Nomad, ends the war and stops the next genocide while preserving their values. The Fire Nation isn't going to push him to taint (one of) the last living aspacts of the Air Nomads, and Aang is shouting it – in the very same day the disaster occurred.

(Additionally I view this as a land mark of his character development since Siege of the North. He used spirit powers for murder, now he's using them for mercy).

(A:TLA is also a show made with kids in mind. They may not be able to make Aang kill Ozai. He got his bending stolen and sentenced to prison for the rest of his life. That's a more than serviceable punishment for a show aimed at kids).

(Ps: If Ozai had died Zuko would never have found out where his mother is).

The concept is fantastic. Nothing wrong there. But now, it's time for the critisism.

What's the problem then?

Despite looking in internet forums, it's entirely possible that I missed some things. With that being said, the Lion Turtles could have been foreshadowed better. As I stated, I don't mind it. But as far as I recall, it was foreshadowed once in The Library, and that's it. (Edit: It's also foreshadowed in Sokka's Master, but the point still stands).

The Lion Turtle is a twist, it subverted expectations, but that doesn't mean it has to be a deus ex machina. That's what foreshadowing is for. It's the literary device to making a plot twist feel believable. The result is many fans, including me, feeling as though it came out of no where, even though it didn't.

Overall, I love that Aang spared Ozai. It ties into the themes of the show and Aang's role as the last airbender. It makes perfect sense, it's rather beautiful. However, I do wish the foreshadowing was better.

And for Anon, to apologize for the wait, I dedicate you this meme:

#tw genocide #aang #avatar aang #lion turtle #ozai #fire lord ozai #atla meta #avatar meta #aang meta #atla ending #atla finale #avatar: the last airbender #avatar the last airbender #air nomads #yangchen #kyoshi #roku #kuruk #avatar yangchen #avatar kyoshi #avatar roku #avatar kuruk #tw imperialism #avatar the last airbender meta #atla analysis #aang analysis #atla aang #atla critisism #iroh #uncle iroh

[malmagmafr]

Snagged the little dude again to slap this art on him 👀 He will be back up on Fire AH shortly!

#flight rising #dragon #dragons #imperial fr #fire flight #FR fire flight

[zuko-always-lies]

I do think there’s an interesting disconnect between how Katara and Sokka on one hand and Jet and his Freedom Fighters view Fire Nation civilians which is best explained by the different policies of imperialism the Fire Nation pursued in the Southern Water Tribe and the Earth Kingdom.

You see, the Fire Nation didn’t see the Southern Water Tribe as occupying desirable economic territory. Their genocidal attacks against the SWT are motivated due to fear of its power and contempt and hatred toward waterbending, but the Fire Nation has no interest in territorially occuppying the Antarctic, made particularly care by the fact they seem to lose most of their interest once the power of the SWT has been “broken.”  As a result, there is no policy of occupation or building permanent settlements, while the campaigns themselves are almost solely carried out by uniformed soldiers and sailors. Fire Nation civilians are critical to the campaigns through their support for the war effort, but the SWT victims of the Fire Nation’s raids almost never see them, instead almost solely being exposed to soldiers and sailors. As a result, Katara and Sokka regard Fire Nation soldiers to be intensely threatening, but don’t regard Fire Nation civilians to be threats and are often even sympathetic to them. They make no commentary on the Fire Nation policies of settler-colonialism when they encounter them in the Earth Kingdom.

By contrast, the Fire Nation is intensely interested in the Earth Kingdom’s land and resources.  It pursues a policy of settler-colonialism there, aiming to exert imperial control while seizing land and resources.  “Civilian” settlers are a tool and weapon of imperial control and domination, critical for establishing power. Thus, Jet and his friends, as victims of settler-colonialism, perceive Fire Nation civilians as intensively threatening and as engaging in acts of aggression through their mere presence.

Thoughts? It all makes me feel like we really needed to have Jet join the Gaang.

#Katara #Sokka #Jet #Jet meta #Sokka meta #Katara meta #fire imperialism #southern water tribe #water siblings #water tribe #Earth Kingdom #settler colonialism #ATLA #Avatar The Last Airbender

[empressofmankind]

Magic mirror on the wall,

Who's the fairest one of the worst of them all?

#comeliest of Quellons sons #this isnt even a contest #Euron wins this by such a landslide #it isnt even funny #the smoll pirate husband #euron greyjoy #euron crowseye #euron #house greyjoy #greyjoys #asoiaf art #asoiaf fanart #fanart #traditional art #a song of ice and fire #asoiaf #game of thrones #game of thrones fanart #imperial art farts #a saga of bears & lions

[wh40kartwork]

Hide And Seek

by Ivan Espinoza

#imperium #tau #imperial guard #fire caste #drone #warhammer #warhammer 40k #warhammer 40000 #40k #ivan espinoza

[comradekatara]

chan and ruon-jian are such good characters because they’re literally just these privileged teenagers living in the imperial core, summering in their beach houses, sheltered from the realities of the atrocities being committed by their own fathers. they know that their fathers are a big deal due to their military rank, but they are disturbed and off-put by even the most distant allusion to the realities of the war because they can only imagine the war in abstract terms of prestige and glory. they are two dimensional caricatures of the popular jock archetype—a white, suburban, american construction. they are completely hollow characters, lacking any substance beyond what they materially represent to azula and zuko. and isn’t that just so apt?

#[jason from us voice] it’s us #<- by which he means the american bourgeoisie. if you somehow haven’t seen the movie #NEVER FORGET THAT ATLA IS A BUSH ERA TEXT #chan and ruon jian #live in the CHZ. azula and zuko are too close to the imperial core & so they get burned #while the working class in the fire nation & the rest of the world are too far away #but they’re just the right distance from the ‘core’/star so they’re in that sweet spot #forgive me for the extremely nerdy analogy #(oh also CHZ = circumstellar habitable zone. lol)

[petraevesplace]

Queen Erinys commission from Sua!

She’s my favorite playable first gen character, the serious, gentle hearted knight who’s a bit too trusting and sincere for her own good. I was hoping I’d have finished my fic on her and Misha by now but that should be coming soon!

#fe4 #fire emblem genealogy of the holy war #erinys #thank you to my friend for introducing me to Russian imperial court gowns #she looks so ethereal as she deserves