#aang deserved better

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

I believe Aang was right to end the war by sparing Ozai. But the only (imho) valid reason some people say he should have done it is because they wanted Aang to realize that pacifism is flawed.

I'm gonna disagree with you here, because a lot of the flaws fans talk about pacism and how ATLA in particular handles it as a concept are 99%:

1 - People being ignorant/racist and not knowing the difference between pacifist monks and "make love, not war" hippies.

2 - People being ignorant/racist and refusing to understand that there are different kinds of pacifism, even within the same cultures/people groups.

Aang is very clearly not the type of pacifist to go "You can NEVER react with ANY kind of violence towards someone else, even if it's to defend yourself/someone else" (which does exist, both IRL and in the show, just look at the owl spirit in "The Library").

We see him fight, and even be quite aggressive in said fights, in a lot of episodes. We also see he has no issues with invading the Fire Nation. More importantly, for the longest time the Avatar State was a result of him being pissed off enough at some kind of injustice that it makes him lose control, meaning he is very clearly affected by the horrors of war to the point of RAGE.

What makes him a pacifist is the way in which he doesn't WANT to lose control, doens't WANT go from aggressive to full on cruel, and, yes, wants to defeat his enemies, but not kill them.

And as I keep repeating, the show DOES make him question that last boundary he set for himself. He gets told by a past Avatar, who was also an air-nomad before anything, that, when there is such a large threat to everyone's life, including his own, he has to put aside his own spiritual needs and take a life - provided there isn't another option. But there was, so Aang took that, even after he decided that, yes, if there was no other way, he WOULD kill Ozai.

What people don't like is that Avatar, although questioning some types of pacifism, is far more interested in questioning the way people are WAY too eager to use violence to solve their issues, and, more importantly, expect someone else to get their hands bloody.

Fire Lord Sozin starts the war because he, according to himself at least, wants what's best for everyone and would like to share the Fire Nation's glory and great life with the other nations. He tries to do by invading foreign territories, killing his best friend, and commiting genocide. The fucker even has the dragons, an obvious Fire Nation symbol, to be hunted to extintion.

When Jet is angry at the Gaang for ruining his plan to free a village from the Fire Nation's control by blowing up a dam, Sokka asks "Who would be free? Everyone would be dead."

Zuko is banished because he spoke out against a Fire Nation higher-up's plan to use soldiers as fresh meat to bait the enemy into a more vulnerable position, thus assuring the nation's victory in that battle. He openly says "These men love and defend our nation, how can you betray them?"

When Zhao wants to kill the moon spirit, Iroh tries to stop him by pointing out that the Fire Nation needs the moon too (seriously, if it wasn't for Yue's sacrifice and Zhao's death, the Fire Nation would have had to create a word for "Big-ass wave that wrecks everything and kills people" like Japan did).

When Aang is deliberately trying to trigger the Avatar State because he doesn't want anyone else to die in the war, Katara, who had her life ruined by said war, is against it because while she opposes the Fire Nation, she cares about Aang and, in her own words, seeing him in so much pain and rage hurts her too. When Aang can't force himself to go nuclear, an Earth Kingdom ruler attacks Katara and makes both her and Aang, two very traumatized child soldiers, think he is going to kill her.

More importantly, when Ozai wants to burn down Earth Kingdom cities, he says "A new world will rise from the ashes, and I'll be supreme ruler of everything", to which Zuko concludes that, if they don't save the world before his dad takes over, there won't be a world to save.

And what does he say to Aang when he is about to kill him? "You're weak, just like your people. They didn't deserve to live in world, in my world."

Avatar does questions pacifism, and is critical of it on ocasion (again, watch "The Library"). But it's biggest theme is being critical of VIOLENCE, of resorting to it immediately without considering any other option and acting like it doesn't have long-lasting negative consequences, both to the person suffering it to the person inflicting it (see Azula's breakdown, Zuko's angry outburts only making him more miserable, Jeong Jeong growing to resent being a firebender, Zhao accidentally burning his own ships, etc)

The show is constantly highlighting that, yes, sacrifices need to be made for the greater good - but that CAN'T be normalized because it inevitably leads to a never-ending cicle of cruelty, as well as suffering to the one who has to do the dirty job (because lets not forget there's a big difference in how a soldier that is constantly in battle sees the war and how a king that just gives the orders but never goes into the actual combat sees the war).

The show embraces pacifism, despite knowing some versions of it are flawed, because the narratives themes are:

1 - EVERYONE is capable of great good and great evil

2 - No group has the right to impose it's own lifestyle onto others

3 - If everyone is either dead, mentally (and physically) scarred for life, or preparing to kill someone as revenge, then being killed by someone who wants to avenge that person, who will themselves be killed for revenge later, then the "greater good" you're sacrificing everything for doesn't actually exist because NO ONE will have a good life in a world that is stuck in the cicle of violence.

#pro aang #aang defense squad #aang deserved better #respect aang or die by my sword

[sapphic-agent]

Rewriting the Gaang in LOK

Basically how I would have written the adult Gaang. Pretend the comics as they are don't exist.

Katara: Breaks up with Aang sometime post-finale to do some soul-searching. Travels the world on her own and sees how people are struggling after the war. After talking (beating) some sense into a few government officials, she realizes that the best way to help people post-war is through politics. She becomes an (unofficial) ambassador, helping and negotiating aid for small villages that tend to get overlooked and does this for a number of years. She joins up with Zuko and Aang after they found the United Republic of Nations and becomes Councilwoman Katara, representative of the Southern Water Tribe. She eventually gets voted chairwoman due to her passion to improve the lives of the citizens (and because her fellow council members are too scared to vote against her). She heals on the side when she needs to, but only out of obligation since she can't stand to see people suffer; she puts much more effort into getting raising funds for a hospital full of healers. A few years later, Haru moves to Republic City and is just as awestruck by her as he was the day they met (the pornstache has been removed by divine intervention). They meet up a couple of times; for drinks after work, walks around the city, and they even attend a few galas together. They eventually start dating and get married two years later. They have their first daughter Kya (who's an earthbender), a son- Tyro (who's a nonbender), and another daughter Suma (who's a waterbender). They live a happy, peaceful (if you could call Katara stopping the occasional criminal before the police peaceful) life together where their children are well-loved and as part of the Southern Water Tribe as they are the Earth Kingdom. Aang's death hits their family hard, but they all come together and support each other. Katara personally mentors Korra, even convincing her family move to Republic City so that the Avatar knows the people she's meant to protect (the White Lotus protests, they fail❤️). She teaches Korra Waterbending, but also teaches her empathy and appreciation for other cultures (and that sometimes, selfish world leaders need a good punch to the face, a lesson Korra took to heart even though she absolutely wasn't supposed to see it).

Aang: Is torn up after Katara breaks up with him. He's hurt and confused and doesn't know what to do with himself. He retreats to Ba Sing Se where he talks with Iroh and learns that he unfairly pushed his feelings onto Katara. Wracked with guilt at hurting someone he cares about so much, Aang realizes that he has a lot of growing up to do. He focuses on his job as the Avatar, working closely with Zuko, Kuei, and the other leaders to heal the world after the war. The first time he sees Katara again is when she arrives to help with the United Republic of Nations. He apologizes to her and Katara forgives him, promising they'll always be best friends. His role in Republic City is more or less the same, though at some point he develops feelings for Toph. But he fears doing to her what he had done to Katara, so he tries to ignore them. But Toph, never one to beat around the bush, point-blank asks him if he's ever gonna man-up and confess to her. They start dating, and Lin comes a few months later as a surprise. They have their hiccups- Aang especially needing to reconcile with the fact that there's a chance she might not be an Airbender- but they manage to resolve them. Lin is an Earthender, of course, but Aang loves his little girl to pieces (which is good, because Toph would kill him if she suspected otherwise). Tenzin is born three years later, an Airbender, and Su Yin is born two years after that as an Earthbender. Lastly there's Bumi, a nonbender. There's always the urge to favor Tenzin, but Aang knows he can't. They're all his children and they deserve to be treated as such. So he teaches them all about their culture, takes them all on trips. The kids fight, but Aang is always quick to help resolve it (as it turns out, getting Lin and Su to stop fighting is a lot harder than getting the four nations to get along, go figure). Aang loves his wife and kids and wouldn't trade any of them for the world. He dies peacefully at age 66, surrounded by his children and the love of his life.

Sokka: Fucking hates politics. He'll leave the negotiating and speeches to his sister, thank you very much. If the room of government officials isn't a war room, he wants no part in it. After the war, he spends most of his time in the Southern Water Tribe. He works with his father to rebuild and relearn their culture, and writes frequent letters to his sister. Though, something about his life in the south is unfulfilling. Maybe he misses Suki, but there's something about inventing that calls to him. He can't do much of that in the south pole, so he leaves for the Earth Kingdom, helping villages struggling with heat, agriculture, transportation, etc. In the United Republic of Nations, he becomes lead engineer of the city, utilizing bending to make quick technological advances. He and Suki reunite in Republic City where Suki becomes the police chief. They get back together and have a daughter, Lian. The three of them live a simple life together, until Suki gets gravely injured in the line of duty when Lian is twenty. They decide to retire to the Southern Water Tribe where Sokka takes over for Hakoda as chief and prepares Lian to take over for him.

Toph: When Toph hears that Twinkle Toes and Sparky finally started that fancy new city, she thinks it's the perfect opportunity to cause a little chaos. Closing her metalbending school, she decides to relive her days as the Blind Bandit by founding pro-bending (thanks @ecoterrorist-katara for the idea!). Zuko's a hater and tries to shut it down because "safety," but finds no help in Aang who really, really loves the idea. He goes to every one of her matches and Toph feels both smug pride and... Something else. But she tells herself it would never happen, Twinkle Toes likes girls like Sugar Queen and she was the furthest thing from that. But she isn't totally oblivious, she can feel his heartbeat pick up when he's around her and how he's started to stutter when he's talking to her. So she bites the bullet and they start happily dating. But the arrival of Lin uncovers issues she didn't even know were there. Lin cries loudly and for Toph who relies heavily on her sense of hearing, it's hell. She was also unprepared for how much her body would change. She finds herself not wanting to be around her daughter. But Aang realizes this and urges her to talk to someone. After some arguing, she does. Aang is attentive, so Toph can take breaks when she needs to and Katara and Suki are always ready to get her out of the house when she's overwhelmed. Things with Lin get better and when Tenzin comes around she doesn't suffer nearly as much. Su Yin is similar. It's hard with Bumi because she's older, but Aang and her friends are there to support her. Toph can be distant with her children- her closely monitored childhood always present in her mind- but sees how Aang can be doting and allow their kids freedom. She follows by his example, trying to find a balance between hovering and absence. Aang's death is the worst day of her life- she was there, she felt his heart stop- and she retreats into the swamp for a while to grieve. But she returns to Republic City when Katara begins to mentor the new Avatar. Not to be outdone by Sugar Queen, she becomes Korra's second teacher. It's hard to be around Korra sometimes, but she likes the girl's spunk and attitude, even if she is a brat.

Zuko: Zuko struggles after the war. The obligations of the Fire Lord are crushing and daunting and the fear of turning into his father feels like it's constantly looming over his head. Mai doesn't understand why he's struggling so much and he can't figure out how to explain it to her, so they break up. She goes to Kyoshi Island to spend time with Ty Lee and figure out what she wants in life. Stressed, burnt-out, and heartbroken, Zuko asks Aang to kill him if he ever starts to act like Ozai, but Aang steadfastly refuses, berating him for even suggesting it. Aang assures him that he'll never turn into his father and that he has his friends to rely on. He follows after Aang to Ba Sing Se, working in his uncle's tea shop as a much needed break. He opens up to Iroh about his fears and Iroh affirms that even having these worries proves that he'll never be Ozai. He spends time in Ba Sing Se working in the tea shop and negotiating with the Earth King when he meets Jin again. She's as carefree as she was back then and Zuko is both envious and in awe of it. But he knows he can't have a relationship with her, he can't burden her with his problems. But Jin is gently persistent, lending an ear when he needs one and assuring him that he isn't burdening her. When she asks him if he wants to be with her, he confesses that he does- more than anything- but also admits that he has no idea how it'll work. She tells him that if they want to be together no one should stop them. A year later, they're married and she's crowned Fire Lady Jin. There are some protests to their relationship from traditionalists, but Ambassador Katara (Zuko is so sure that she was never actually given that title, but he can't prove it) is quick to shut them down citing that the Fire Lord marrying an Earth Kingdom girl is a sign of unity. They have their daughter, Izumi, and she's Zuko's entire world. Zuko's greatest fear is that his children will end up like him and Azula, so he refrains from having more kids. Jin respects this, but urges him to talk to Azula. So he does; his sister curses him out, but seems to enjoy his company in her own way. They'll never have a good relationship, but Zuko doesn't want her to feel alone so he makes time at least once a week. It's shortly after Aang's death that Zuko relinquishes the title of Fire Lord to Izumi, his grief over his lifetime friend far too painful. Eventually, though, Katara and Toph bully him into training the new Avatar. It's not a role for a retired Fire Lord, but Zuko knows that the world needs Korra to be strong and it's his responsibility to make that happen as much as he can. And so, he becomes Avatar Korra's third teacher (if you told him 60 years ago that he'd become the Avatar's most sane instructor, he'd think you were high on cactus juice. But with Katara punching dictators in the face and Toph breaking every rule ever written, someone has to be a good influence).

Occupations if you missed them:

Katara: (Unofficial/Self-proclaimed) Ambassador of the Southern Water Tribe, United Republic of Nations Councilwoman and later Chairwoman, Healer (on the side), Waterbending Master to the Avatar

Aang: Avatar, United Republic of Nations Councilman

Sokka: Engineer and Inventor, Chief of the Southern Water Tribe

Toph: Pro-Bender, Manager of the Pro-Bending Arena, Earthbending Master to the Avatar

Zuko: Fire Lord, Firebending Master to the Avatar

Suki: Police Chief of Republic City (I'm sorry I didn't make a detailed background for her I got lazy, I promise I don't love her any less😭)

Defending my ship choices:

Harutara: Come on, y'all know what I'm about at this point. They're my everything, how could I not have them together? Plus, there's something really poetic about Haru falling for her as an adult the way he did as a teenager: watching her inspire those around her. I headcanon that he's enamoured with the sound of her voice because it's the voice that liberated him and his people and he attends all her speeches

Taang: I actually wasn't sure about this one. I'm not an active Taang shipper, but I do think they'd really balance each other out. Toph is the hard ass Aang needs to challenge him and Aang would bring out the softer side in her. Toph would never let Aang favor one kid over the other and Aang wouldn't let Toph neglect their kids. So looking at it like that, I felt them being together would be best for the story

Sukka: It's not as perfect in canon as people make it out to be, but I still love them. I wouldn't want any different for them

Jinko: This one actually made more sense than I would have thought. Jin is very different from Mai, so I can really see her being what Zuko needs considering where he would be mentally. I like Mai, but I feel Maiko really made her way more one dimensional so her living with Ty Lee and finding herself feels like a better end for her (and if they start dating, that's no one's business). And we've already seen Zuko go out of his way to make Jin happy so it's not like we're getting another Kataang situation. I'm happy with this for them

The Kids:

Yes, I purposely made Kya an Earthbender. And yes, Katara still gives her her mother's necklace. Because that's her firstborn daughter no matter what element she does (or doesn't) bend. One thing I hate is that Bryke made the Kataang kids primarily part of the culture that they bend. That's such a slap in the face to biracial kids, not to mention poor Bumi who doesn't seem to belong to either for some reason until he ends up an Airbender. So yeah, all of the Harutara kids are part of the EK and SWT. Suma is a name I made up because it sounded pretty

I know it's weird to think of Lin and Tenzin as siblings, I felt so odd writing it. But I love them both so I couldn't just not write them. I made Bumi the youngest so he could be spoiled because he deserved better in canon. Su and Lin have a better relationship, but they still butt heads because they feel the need to one-up each other due to them both being Earthbenders (and later Metalbenders). Lin still becomes a cop, but their big fight never happened because Su was never neglected to the point of becoming a criminal. All four kids are taught Air Nomad culture and traditions and taken on trips because Aang is a decent father

I named Lian partly after Yue, since Yuèliàng means moon in Chinese. One of my gripes with LOK is that Katara and Sokka's family are meant to be the leaders of the SWT. Kya or Bumi should be the chief in canon, but Bryke just... Didn't do that for some reason. So fuck it, Sokka's daughter is chief now

Nothing really changes about Izumi, although I'd say she's a little friendlier. I contemplated giving Zuko more kids, but I actually think his decision not to have more kids was one of Bryke's better choices. It makes sense, so I didn't feel the need to change it

Other notes:

The Gaang teaching/helping raise baby Korra is something I live for

The Red Lotus is swiftly dealt with by Katara, Toph, Zuko, Suki, and Sokka when Korra is a kid. They never stood a chance. I was actually going to have Sokka still die during the attack in the SWT and Suki kill Zaheer in revenge, but eh I decided not to off Sokka

The Civil War still happens, but differently. I don't have the patience to go into that, just know that Katara is HEAVILY involved

Welp, that's everything in my brain

#katara of the southern watertribe #avatar aang #sokka of the southern water tribe #toph beifong #fire lord zuko #lok rewrite #lok critical #ambassador katara #councilwoman katara #master katara #engineer sokka #pro bender toph #master toph #master zuko #police chief suki #aang critical #harutara #taang #sukka #jinko #anti kataang #anti maiko #katara deserved better #aang deserved better #bumi deserved better #everyone deserves better #avatar korra #tw ppd #tw depression #atla au

[empressofthesunslittlecorner]

A rant about Aang and Byrke

WARNING NOT KATAANG FRIENDLY

CONTINUE WITH PRECAUTION

Hello my loves!

Here I'm with a new blog entry.

This time we will talk about Kataang, Aang and Byrke.

Since I'm writing a FanFic where Aang is paired with an OC, I thought I could tell you why I prefer Aang with OCs instead of Katara.

Just to be clear.

I like Aang.

I love Katara and would for this girl sell my liver.

But them together as a pair...please no!

Kataang is one of my NOTPs.

In my Let's Talk about Zutara post I pretty much said why I can't stand this pairing.

One is the age and maturity gap.

What does a 14-year-old want with a 12-year-old? It's just creepy, no matter the gender and it would have been better if they got together at like 22 and 20.

Even if I think Zutara is superior, I could grimly accept Kataang.

Second Aang and Katara are the worst version of their self together.

I haven't read the comics, but what I saw on Tumblr and on Legend of Korra was enough to make me angry.

Katara was reduce to Aang price, girlfriend, housewife and mother of his children.

The warrior girl we all loved, who never turned her back on people who needed her, became in the name of love (and Byrke) a shadow of herself.

Our real Katara would smack this wishy-washy version of herself to kingdom come!

Then we have Aang. The boy clearly turns into a Nice GuyTM when it's about Katara.

He kissed her TWICE, TWICE, without her consent and never said sorry for this.

He thinks he deserves her love because he is the Avatar (the hero) and that's how it be.

Till Season 2 Aang wasn't that worse about Katara, a lot of plotpoints pointed out that Aang obsession, I'm not calling it love, on Katara was not good.

He replaced the love for his people with Katara.

Erm, that's not healthy at all.

What Aang expierendec was traumatic, he is the sole suriver of a genocide, but he can't shove all his love for his people to Katara.

How can only one person hold this standards?

It's impossible.

Katara is a bandaid on a ripped arm.

A bandaid isn't going to fix Aang trauma.

He needed to really face it and accept it and let Katara go.

Guru Pathik told him he to let Katara go, but I don't think it was meant to say, don't love that girl anymore.

No, it was more like: you clearly are obsessed with her and think if she loves you all your hurt will go away, but this isn't the case!

Aang could still love Katara, he just needed to stop to put her on a pestal!

Then we know what happens, he let's her go, seems to get the Avatar State, but turn it down because Katara is in danger and he must save her.

Alright, we all would run to our loved one if they are in danger, but Aang, you are the Avatar.

The Avatar is the peacekeeper of this world.

Sadly he can't put his own desires forward, he has do to what was for the world right!

In the Crystal Catabombs he realizes this.

So he let's go of Katara to get the Avatar State and then gets shot down by Azula.

Then when the first episode of season 3 rolls around, you get the feeling that Aang learnend his lesson.

Because he was selfish, he lost his greatest eapan.

He needed to be better.

Only...after the first episode season 3 was really...bad.

I can't say it better.

If you compare it to the other two seasons...season 3 has mayor problems.

A lot of plotpoints get forgotten, Aang didn't learn from his mistakes, he acts entitled for Katara love and he gets his Avatar State back thanks to Deus-Ex-Machine Rock and even finds a way to handle Ozai thanks to Deus-Ex-Machine Lion Turtle.

How, HOW, did the creators look at this and want a golly what an awesome final?

It was not!

It was rushend and not earnend!

Because Aang is a selfinsert from Bryek.

They statet once in an interview that Kataang was reflection how they had a crush on their babysitter, who of course didn't wanted them and would go out with the "bad boy".

The bad boy here in question is Zuko, which is hilarious since Zuko is the most awkward dork.

So they wanted to create a story were the young hero gets the hot older girl.

No normal 14-year-old girl would date a 12-year-old and if she did call the police on her ass!

Avatar was only amazing because of writers like Aaron Ehasz, who turned Toph, who was supposed to be a boy and a love rival for Aang, into this badass girl who didn't let her disabilty stop her to become the greatest earthbender and inventer of metalbening in the world.

They truned Iroh into thee loveable and wise uncle and not like Byrke wanted into a spy for Ozai.

Also Azula was supposed to be a boy too, but she became the female villain we all loved and wish we would see in other media's too!

A lot of writer wanted also Zutara to happen and not Kataang.

If I remember right season 3 was so rushed and lacking because the movie-who-shall-not-be-named was in production and Bryke wanted the series to end before it.

A lot of concept were thrown out the window for it.

The writers wanted to make even a season 4, where Aang would even find other airbenders, but noooooooooooooooo we can't give Aang the healing he deserves, we must live out a fantasy trough this boy.

Looking at you Bryke.

Anyways we got, what we got and I'm so not happy about it.

Zutara should be canon and Aang should have found a girl who loved really, who was his equal and who didn't needed to be a broodmare for the air nomads, becasue there where still air nomads around.

Here we get back to my preference to ship Aang with OCs. Since I'm a big fan of the theoretical season four we would have gotten, it's only naturel to imagine own characters, since no canon characters exist for it.

I would have loved to see Aang with a descendant of Air Nomads. She learning from him, he learning from her, cute!

But let's be real if Aang is writing good he could work with a lot of characters.

Even canon ones like On Ji. I found her really cute with him.

The only thing I want for Aang partner is that the girl doesn't get reduced to a broodmare.

So the airbenders have always to come back/stop from hiding.

IT'S NOT THE COMPLICATED!

BUT WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS!

WE LIVE IN THE DARK TIMELINE!

AVATAR COULD HAVE BEEN THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY CARTOON EVER, BUT NOOOOOO TWO MEN HAD TO MAKE THEIR WEIRD FANTASY REALITY AND DIDN'T LISTEN TO THEIR TEAM OF WRITER WHO WERE LIKE, FAM THAT'S NARRAVTIVLY SPEACKING HUGE STEPS BACKWARDS!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!

Yeah, I think you all guessed how much I hate Bryke.

Fricking pricks!

Also, people who make fun of their own fans because they ship a pairing themselves not like are the worst!

That shows have much respect they have for their fans.

Zero.

They just wanted to live out their fantasy and be done.

Again, fricking pricks!

So for now, that's from me, I needed to get it out of my chest.

Till next time my loves!

#avatar the last airbender #anti kataang #anti bryke #katara deserved better #aang deserved better #zuko deserved better #the whole gaang deserved better #bryke critical #avatar the last airbender season 3 was a trainwreck #zutara

[tachiha3]

🤓 : "Literally no one hates Aang ya'll are just making things up to be mad about."

'Aang bashing' is literally a tag on ao3 😐

#and the “oh no zuko is actually more hated the aang hate is just because the zuko stans were tired of the hat-” GO TF AWAY #atla #avatar the last airbender #aang #aang defense squad #aang deserved better #my post #aanglove

[hello-nichya-here]

Quickly reaching a point in which I can’t follow ANYONE who talks shit about Aang. All of the “hot takes” are always the dumbest fucking thing in the world. I just had to see with my own two eyes that “Aang foced Zuko to care for his abuser by refusing to kill Ozai”

Zuko is the Fire Lord. He has full legal authority over what happens on the Fire Nation. Aang is basically a religious figure - important, sure, but he doesn’t call the shots in their world. 

If Zuko wanted to, he could banish Ozai, or execute him. And in the show, when he does visit the fucker, it is very clear it is with the goal to get INFORMATION. Not to “take care” of him. He can just order someone to do that for him, IF he wants Ozai to be cared for, but, understandably, doesn’t want to ever see him or even think about him again.

Zuko’s abuser is still breathing once Aang isn’t around BECAUSE ZUKO UNDERSTOOD AANG’S REASONING, AND AGREED WITH HIM. They want to build a new world, where kindness and mercy are the rule. By sparing even Ozai, while still making sure he can never hurt anyone ever again, they are BOTH being true to what they believe (and preventing people from turning Ozai into a martyr)

Aang was the protagonist for a reason - he’s right. He is what the world needed to finally move on from a hundred years of war, violence, and death. And no amount of being bitter that Avatar isn’t Game Of Thrones, or that Zuko wasn’t the protagonist, or that Zutara didn’t happen, or whatever the fuck it was that made you people so fucking incapable of understanding things the show fucking spelled out is going to change that. 

#aang defense squad #pro aang #aang deserved better #respect aang or die by my sword

[fanfic-lover-girl]

Aang vs Zack Martin

I mentioned the Zack/Maddie relationship in a previous post and now my Suite Life nostalgia is coming back.

Bryke should have given Aang the same kind of development Zack Martin got.

Katara is Aang's Maddie. She's the pretty older girl whom Zack gets a huge crush on when he first sees her. Like Katara, she plays a nurturing role for Zack by being his babysitter. Like Kataang, we see Zack/Maddie have sweet moments together. Maddie's 16th birthday episode is still one of the cutest episodes ever. But like Katara, Maddie shows interest in boys her age or older.

Meng is Aang's Max. The girl Aang's age or younger who has an unreciprocated crush on him. This girl is not conventionally attractive due to not hitting puberty yet, being a tomboy, lacking confidence etc. The girl ultimately learns to move on from her crush.

Aang needed a Maya. Someone who he needed to prove himself to. Someone who would not put him on a pedestal for being the avatar. Someone to challenge him and motivate him to become a worthy man. Someone who would become more than just a dream girl but a partner to compromise with.

Aang's Maya could have been Toph. Maybe a new character would be needed. But Katara could not be Aang's Maya. Katara is Maddie, the boyhood crush, who is idealized and pined over. The girl who coddles him and tries to spare his feelings. Part of Aang's journey in becoming a young man, like Zack's, should have been to let go of that crush. Sadly, this never happened for Aang and Bryke has shown us in the comics and LOK what a total disaster this was.

#anti kataang #zack martin #aang #atla #suite life of zack and cody #suite life on deck #zack/maddie vs kataang #maya bennett #katara #meng atla #max suite life #anti bryke #aang critical #aang deserved better #wait all three love interest names start with M! #The 3Ms to a boy's relationship development #maddie fitzpatrick #parrallels #not a suite life shipper but gosh did maya make zack a better boyfriend! so cute

[kittenfangirl20]

#notp #poll #anti kataang #anti eremika #attack on titan #aot #avatar the last airbender #atla #i don’t like either ship #katara deserved better #aang deserved better #eren deserved better #mikasa deserved better #not anti aang #not anti mikasa #not anti katara #not anti eren

[stardust948]

In any of your fandoms what character(s) do you think deserved better? What should have happened instead?

Oh boy this is gonna be a long one.

Aang and Katara from Avatar the Last Airbender.

Aang should have gotten a growth arc. He should have been given the opportunity to mourn the genocide of the Air Nomads and learn how to let go of his attachment to Katara. Book 2 hinted at that but Book 3 completely reconned it.

My rewrite for Aang is that Sozin's Comet mirrors The Crossroads of Density. Ozai doesn't blast him with lighting right away. Aang still covers himself with rocks as Ozai attacks. There, Aang lets go of Katara and goes into the Avatar State. This is when Ozai shoots lighting at him. But unlike COD, Aang redirects the lighting. He still spares Ozai and the rest of the fight plays out like in cannon. The finale balcony Kata*ng kiss is replaced with Aang apologizing to Katara for his mistreatment of her. Katara forgives him and says she meant it when she said they would be Aang's family. They embrace and the rest of the Gaang come onto the balcony and join the hug. This would mirror the group hug at the end of the first episode of Book 3, thus coming full cycle.

Also, Katara from Avatar the Last Airbender deserved to have her trauma treated seriously and not shoved aside to become a trophy girlfriend/wife.

I would mainly have Katara and Sokka talk things out after the events of The Southern Raiders. They would realize that grief is different for each person and that's okay. Also, I would have someone stand up for Katara during The Ember Island Players. She was clearly disturbed by her portrayal and instead of her friends understanding or sympathizing with her, they agreed with the play. In fact, I would change the whole tone of the EIP episode by having it focus on propaganda and stereotypes. I would also have Zutara crumbs, but they won't confirm anything at the end of the series. I think the ending works better with a group hug.

2. Azula from Avatar the Last Airbender comics

They did her so dirty in the comics. They turned her into a literal psychopath who hallucinates and has to be restrained. To make matters worse, they replace her with a random half-sister who is perfect in every way.

I'm not sure how to fix this without rewriting the entire ATLA comics story, but the gist of it would be Azula working through her trauma and coming to terms with it.

3. Starscream and Knockout from Transformers Prime.

For most of the series, Starscream had been straight up abused by Megatron, Leader of the Decepticons. So when Starscream decided he'd had enough and left, I was rooting for him. He went rouge for a couple of episodes and was a threat to both the Autobots and Decepticons. But then he returned to Megatron??? And pledged his loyalty??? Then mourned his death??????

That made no sense! When Starscream returned to Megatron, I honestly thought he was going to try to dethrone him again but he just submitted. Last time he did that, Megatron tried to kill him in cold blood.

Hated it. Hated it. Hated it. Toxic relationship all day long.

Starscream should have stayed rouge for the entire series. That was when he was at his peak.

Knockout was the Decepticon's medic who joined the Autobots at the end of the show. I love Knockout. I loved that he switched sides. But I hate how they did it. It was so shoehorned. The Autobots had the upper hand and Knockout joined them to avoid going to prison. And they let him no questions asked despite all the trauma he caused them.

I would have had KO questioning his loyalties throughout the show. KO is treated like trash by Megatron (though not half as bad as Starscream) and is constantly looked over. The death of his lab assistant and friend, Breakdown, would have impacted him more especially since Megatron merely brushed it off. Starscream leaving also would have affected him. The final straw for Knockout would be when Dreadwing is murdered.

In the show, Dreadwing questions the honor of the Decepticons and they hint at him joining the Autobots. But he seeks out Starscream for revenge of the death of his twin brother and Megatron kills him. In this rewrite, Dreadwing shares his thoughts of honor with Knockout. He too is upset by the treatment of Breakdown's death because he was with him when he was murdered. Knockout is hesitant but Dreadwing has made up his mind about switching sides. When he goes to talk to Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, this is when Megatron kills him. Left alone with Megatron's abuse, Knockout is essentially locked in the ship. Later when Ratchet, the Autobot's medic, is kidnapped and forced to work for the Decepticons, he helps him escape. Ratchet notices KO's change and invites him to come along. KO finally takes the chance and switch sides for good. He proves his sincerity by exposing Megatron's Earth terraforming plans to the Bots.

4. Lotor and Allura from Voltron: Legendary Defenders

Lotor was basically Space Zuko. He hunted down team Voltron in the beginning but later joined them to stop his dictator father. It was also revealed that the father (I forgot his name) abused Lotor and forced him into villainy.

But then, the writers decided to recon all of that by saying Lotor was secretly using Team Voltron and draining the life form from a race of people thought to be wiped out by his father (that his is half of mind you). Team Voltron readily believes this despite fighting beside him for seemingly months and banish him to a different dimension where he MELTED. They actually showed his melted corpse!!! To make matters worse, they gave Haggar, his mother, a redemption! She abandoned Lotor as a child, sat by and watched his father abuse him, tried to destroy the multiverse, and only got a slap on the wrist!!!!

Honestly, I would have ended the show after Lotor and Team Voltron team up to stop the dictator. Maybe have them fight Haggar too? But Lotor definitely would have been part of the team and help rebuild the universe and marry Princess Allura.

Princess Allura pretty much brought the team together and was the heart of Voltron. She was killed off at the end to restore the universes Haggar destroyed. I'm not sure how it went down because I stopped watching the show after Season 7 but from what I read, it didn't make sense. They also forced Allura together with Lance who she has had no interest in beforehand.

I would have the Voltron lions sacrifice themselves to restore the universe. It would symbolize that their work is done and are no longer needed. Allura lives and continues to explore and help rebuild with her friends and marries Lotor.

5. Mikasa from Attack on Titan

I love Mikasa. And I love Eren x Mikasa. But I do not like how it was handled. Without getting into spoilers, Mikasa evolved her entire life around Eren despite the warnings of living solely for others that are placed throughout the manga/show.

I would have had Mikasa discover that she can love Eren but also live for herself. That it's okay to be a little selfish. She learns how to enjoy life and live to the fullest despite all the heartache and pain. In a sense, she fulfills Eren's dream of being free.

6. Chole from Miraculous Ladybug

Chole was the typical mean girl bullying the protagonist Marinette. It was later revealed that her actions stem from the emotional abuse she receives from her mother. The show flirted with the idea of giving Chole a redemption arc but then reconned it so hard and replaced her with her random half-sister. (What is it with half-sister clones?)

I would rewrite it by Chole not revealing her superhero identity to the public for fame. She does try to milk the position but gradually learns how to become a better person with the help of Ladybug and Team Miraculous.

7. Glitter from Hooves of Death

This is a webtoon about a ragtag team of unicorns and other mythical creatures trying to stop the zombie apocalypse. It's pretty good except for the weird love triangle between Sprinkles, Glitter, and Blaze. Sprinkles acts more like a father figure to Glitter, and Blaze is a freaking incel.

Glitter has made it clear, time and time again, that she's not interested in romance because they're in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Sprinkles had the decency to respect that, but Blaze kept pushing. He sulked and acted petty literally half of the series because Glitter wasn't responding the way he wanted. In one of the recent updates, Sprinkles is comforting Glitter because she has some heavy decisions to make and Blazes yells at them then storms off. So then Glitter goes after him and he yells about caring for her so much, but she never notices him. Typical Nice Guy TM stuff. Then Glitter apologizes to him and agrees to date after the apocalypse.

Um what?

I was so close to dropping the webtoon. Honestly. That was disgusting.

I would rewrite Hooves of Death by having Sprinkles, Glitter, and Blaze act as a found family with Sprinkles as the dad and the others as siblings. This is because at the beginning of the apocalypse, Glitter lost her entire family to the zombies. In this rewrite, she's hesitant to get close to anyone again in fear of losing them but warms up to them over time. I know it's cliche, but it's loads better than this gross love triangle.

Thanks for the ask ❤

#long post #anon #anon asks #fandoms #atla #atla critical #aang critical #aang deserved better #katara deserved better #anti atla comics #azula deserved better #transformers prime #starscream #tfp starscream #tfp knockout #voltron #voltron legendary defender #lotor #vld lotor #vld salt #lotor deserved better #attack on titan #mikasa #eremika #eremika critical #miraculous ladybug #chole #chole deserved better #hooves of death #webtoon

[icyhotfirelord]

Soo...

I just ran across an argument for kat*ang.

It basically says that kat*ang had to happen because otherwise the whole plot with the Guru and the Avatar state wouldn't make any sense.

Why?

Because the Avatar chose love over power.

But he was about to choose power over the so called love in the catacombs, just before he was struck by Azula's lightning. Like ??

It doesn't make sense. In that moment he was about to sacrifice his "love" for power to fulfill his destiny.

Cause the whole point of the Avatar is to bring harmony to the world and be a bridge between the human and the spirit world.

If the Avatar chooses love over power than cool, great, wonderful.

But this particular power was necessary for him to keep harmony. This particular power was necessary for him to fulfill his destiny. This particular power was to control the Avatar state which is absolutely desastrous and dangerous if not under proper control.

He didn't choose love over power. He chose selfishness over power.

He wanted the girl so he didn't let go of his attachment to her.

He wanted to keep his faith and beliefs so he threw a tantrum when they were discussing killing Ozai.

He wanted to keep Sokka and Katara around and feared losing them so he hid Hakoda's letter.

He wanted to not be the Avatar so he ran away and froze himself in an ice ball while being in the Avatar state that he couldn't control.

When did he ever choose love over power?

The power being selfish and for his personal gain not the power he needed to save the world and keep it save.

Never.

He chose his own desires over the possible fate of the world.

He took it so far that he didn't want to learn fire bending for a long time. And why? Because he burnt Katara. Why did this happen? Because he was too impatient and decided that he wanted to get straight to the fun part of fire bending, even though JeongJeong told him how dangerous fire can be if it runs loose.

When did he do something as noble as choosing love over power?

He didn't choose the power he needed - not wanted, NEEDED - because of his own selfishness and was ready to screw the world for his own wellbeing and beliefs.

And don't get me wrong. The bald kid is great and I like him pre season three. But they made him so unlikeable in the third season. His actions had no real consequences and he basically got everything he wanted after being an entitled brat.

He never had to make a choice between love and power. He had to make a choice between being selfish and fulfilling his destiny. He chose his selfishness and was rewarded for it.

#anti bryke #anti aang #anti kataang #bryke are clowns #bryke critical #aang critical #atla critical #kataang critical #aang is selfish #no character development for aang i guess #katara is not some price to be won or a reward #aang did not fulfill his destiny #selfish aang #i dont hate him #but still #aang deserved better #like seriously bryke you just had to sit down and think for a minute... #they massacred my boy aang #with great power there must also come great responsibility - not if you're the Avatar i guess...

[balsa-margarita]

After seeing more good posts about why it wouldn't be in character for Aang to strip Azula of her bending - and more posts about how much pressure he might be under to do so - I have realized something. Something I literally can't believe I didn't think of before.

Why wouldn't Aang just... fake it?

(That would be a really amusing conversation between him and Azula, too.)

#azula #aang #aang deserved better #balsa says #I don't know what this idea is but I like it? maybe?

[wingsfreedom]

Alright, we have a movie about Avatar Korra, a movie about Avatar Kyoshi and a movie about Avatar Aang- uh I mean Fire Lord Zuko.

#90% is azula-related anxiety while 10% is saltiness on aang's behalf 😂 #aang deserved better

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

this is such a tired and done take done by z*tara shippers so i'm not exactly asking for your thoughts cos you've probably seen this shit before but god. I need validation why are these people so fucking stupid it's pissing me off so bad like you can't understand a 2005 KIDS CARTOON???

https://www.tumblr.com/ladyemberswrites/741266860189892608/for-a-guy-thats-supposed-to-be-sympathetic-and?source=share

"For a guy is SUPPOSED to understand what's like to have your loved ones taken"

He does. He literally said "How you do you think I felt about the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people? Or about the sandbenders when they stole Appa?"

Aang understands rage born from grief. He also knows it can lead to some horrible mistakes that cannot be taken back - for fuck's sake, Katara had to help him snap out of the Avatar State more than once because in, her own words, SEEING SOMEONE SHE CARES ABOUT IN SO MUCH RAGE AND PAIN HURTS HER TOO. He's just trying to be there for her like she was there for him.

"Even Sokka is ambivalent"

God forbid he doesn't want his 14-year-old little sister to kill people. CLEARLY that's the same as not caring that his mother is dead.

"She probably even saw her mother's body! Aang could never understand that!"

Gyatso's corpse that we know for a fact Aang saw and completely shattered his world: Am I a joke to you?

"He even says he's proud of Katara for supposedly forgiving that guy"

And he is still proud when she says she actually didn't. Because what mattered to him was Katara HEALING. In her own words, confronting the man who killed her mother, letting her anger out, and then letting it go, so it wouldn't consume and destroy her.

Literally the only valid criticism of Aang in that episode would be that Katara COULD refuse revenge AND forgiveness at the same time - which he canonically realized and fully accepted by the end of the episode.

Anything else is pure bullshit.

#anti zutara #aang deserved better #aang defense squad #pro kataang #pro aang

[dreamchasernina]

Why waste 3 seasons building up the parallels between your protagonist and antagonist, slowly showing how they’re very much alike and their destinies are connected, foreshadowing them eventually working together…when you can just say “I just realized Zuko and I have a lot on our shoulders” in your seventh episode.

Silly writers and their character development…THIS is how it’s done.

#I hate it here #at this point I don’t want to hear you defend this show #this is where they completely lost me #Zuko deserved better #I can’t believe they completely butchered his character #atla #natla #aang #Zuko #avatar: the last airbender #avatar the last airbender #Netflix #atla Netflix #Netflix atla

[longing-for-rain]

Katara and Mutuality in Relationships

There are lots of conflicting opinions about which characters Katara felt attraction towards, which characters she didn’t, and how long she felt that attraction. I see in most cases, people point to quick clips of her faintly blushing or kissing another character on the cheek as evidence, but I think these kind of takes miss the nuance of the purpose attraction serves in a story.

Most importantly, I see these characters treated as if they are actually people capable of making their own decisions. It’s important to remember that these are fictional characters. They don’t make their own choices; the writers make their choices for them for the purpose of telling a story. From that standpoint, it’s more valuable to examine how a character’s story and narrative themes tie into their relationships with other characters. Animators can shove in a kiss or a blush wherever they want, but it’s harder to demonstrate through storytelling how and why two characters might feel attraction towards one another, and how a relationship between them would develop both characters and contribute to the overarching themes of the story.

In other words, when discussing which characters Katara is “attracted” to, I’m discussing which relationships and actions within the narrative build on her established story and arc. Romance is always integrated into a story for a reason, and considering that reason is important.

Unfortunately, ATLA is very much a product of its time in this way. It’s easy to see what romance adds to the arcs of the male characters—but not so much with the female characters. All three canon relationships (kataang, sukka, and maiko) follow this trend to some degree. The primary purpose of the woman in this narrative is to act as a prize for the man for performing some good deed. Once they’re together, she ceases having her own motivations and becomes an extension of the male character she’s dating. This is pretty blatant with Suki—she barely had a personality in that later seasons; she is there to be Sokka’s girlfriend. Similarly, Katara becomes a completely different character—she’s even animated differently—when the narrative pushes her into romantic scenes with Aang. Her character is flattened.

So what is Katara’s arc, and how do the romantic interactions she has throughout the series contribute to this?

Well, that could be a whole other essay itself, but to put it simply, Katara’s arc is one of a young girl devastated by grief at a young age clinging to hope that she has the power to fight and change the world for the better. Which she does as she gains power and confidence throughout the series—culminating in her defeating Azula in the finale.

But the part I want to focus on here is how Katara connects with other characters. She connects with them over shared experiences of grief and loss.

Take Haru, for instance.

Haru: After the attack, they rounded up my father and every other earthbender, and took them away. We haven't seen them since.

Katara: So that's why you hide your earthbending.

Haru: Yeah. Problem is…the only way I can feel close to my father now is when I practice my bending. He taught me everything I know.

Katara: See this necklace? My mother gave it to me.

Haru: It’s beautiful.

Katara: I lost my mother in a Fire Nation raid. This necklace is all I have left of her.

Haru: It’s not enough, is it?

Katara: No.

This isn’t just a throwaway moment; it’s an important character moment that leads up to growth and the progression of Katara’s overall story, both in this individual episode and in the whole series.

Katara finds her power in the connections she’s able to make with other characters. It’s a powerful driving force for her that makes her a strong character even before her bending abilities develop. Imprisoned was such an important episode to establish who Katara is and what her power is, and adds so much to her arc.

But there is one line in particular from the above exchange that also stands out: Haru says “it’s not enough, is it?” and Katara agrees. Even this early in the series, we’re establishing the fact that despite her drive and hopeful outlook, Katara feels deeply hurt, she feels a deep sense of loss that she opens up about to other characters in moments like these. But unlike Haru…Katara can’t go rescue her mother. Her mother is dead, and we see her grapple with that grief throughout the series.

Another character she reaches out to like this is Jet.

Jet: Longshot over there? His town got burned down by the Fire Nation. And we found The Duke trying to steal our food. I don't think he ever really had a home.

Katara: What about you?

Jet: The Fire Nation killed my parents. I was only eight years old. That day changed me forever.

Katara: Sokka and I lost our mother to the Fire Nation.

Jet: I’m so sorry, Katara.

Another important note about Jet is that there are explicit romantic feelings from Katara in this episode. Again, Katara empathizes with another character through a shared sense of loss. Sadly, in this case, Jet manipulated her feelings and tricked her into helping in his plot to flood the village…but those feelings were undeniably there.

That was the tragedy in this episode, but it also gives the audience so much information about Katara as a character: what motivates her, and what she wants. Katara is established as a character who wants someone who will connect with her and empathize with her over her loss—her greatest sense of trauma. She wants to help others but also receive support in return. The reason why she was smitten with Jet, beyond just initial attraction, is because he gave her a sense of that before Katara realized his true motivations.

A lot of people make the claim that Aang is good for Katara because he also feels a sense of great loss and trauma. And while on paper that’s true…does he really demonstrate that? I just gave two examples of characters Katara connected with this way, and both responded with deep empathy to what she said. Very early on in the show—the third episode—Katara attempts to connect with Aang the same way. How does he respond?

Katara: Aang, before we get to the temple, I want to talk to you about the airbenders.

Aang: What about 'em?

Katara: Well, I just want you to be prepared for what you might see. The Fire Nation is ruthless. They killed my mother, and they could have done the same to your people.

Aang: Just because no one has seen an airbender, doesn't mean the Fire Nation killed them all. They probably escaped!

Just compare this exchange to Haru and Jet. No effort to empathize, not even a “sorry for your loss” or anything. It’s a stark contrast, and the reason for that is because this narrative entirely centers Aang. Katara’s narrative always seems to be secondary to his when they’re together—which is exactly my point when I say this relationship has a fundamental lack of mutuality. It’s built that way from the beginning of the series. It does not add to Katara’s arc nor establish what about this dynamic would attract her.

And, look, before someone jumps down my throat about this…I’m not saying Aang is a horrible person for this response. I think it’s a sign that he’s immature and has a fundamentally different approach to problems than Katara. Katara is a character who has been forced to take on responsibilities beyond her years due to being a child of a war-torn world. Aang’s approach to problems is avoidance while Katara never had that luxury. It doesn’t mesh well.

This is all in Book 1. I honestly could have gotten on board with Kataang if the series meaningfully addressed these issues…but it didn’t. In fact, they actually got worse in some ways.

Back to Katara’s mother. We’ve established that this is a core part of Katara’s character and like in the scene with Haru, she indicates that this is an unresolved issue that pains her. But then, in Book 3, Katara actually does get a chance to confront this pain.

This would have been a powerful moment. Surely the character who is meant to be her partner, her equal, would have been there for her. Surely he would have understood and supported her, fulfilling her narrative and adding to her story.

But Aang didn’t do that. I won’t go into details because there are a million analyses out there on The Southern Raiders, but Aang’s response to Katara was the opposite of understanding. He got angry with her, insinuated that she was a monster for wanting revenge, and tried to dictate her behavior according to his own moral values. And importantly, from a narrative standpoint, he did not go with Katara. One of the most important events in her arc, and Aang didn’t support her—he actually tried stopping her. He didn’t contribute to her growth and development.

Also noteworthy:

Katara: But I didn’t forgive him. I’ll never forgive him.

Even at the end of the episode, Aang clearly doesn’t understand at all what Katara is feeling. This line demonstrates it perfectly. He thinks she forgave him when that wasn’t the case at all…but of course, he didn’t even accompany her, so he didn’t see what actually took place. His worldview is fundamentally different from hers, and he’s consistently too rigid in his morality and immature to center Katara’s feelings.

Throughout Katara’s whole arc, her most significant character moments, Aang’s character just doesn’t come through the way Katara’s constantly does for him. Their narrative lacks mutuality. When Katara and Aang are together, she becomes an accessory to him. The ending scene is a perfect demonstration of this.

Now, to address the elephant in the room.

Which character does actually add to Katara’s narrative and support her growth as a character?

Correct! I just talked about how important The Southern Raiders is to Katara’s character and story, how it’s a chance for her to finally address the grief she’s been carrying since Book 1. And who stood by her side throughout this pivotal moment? Right—Zuko did.

You can talk all you want about how he’s a “colonizer” while Aang’s people suffered genocide, but you’re forgetting that “show, don’t tell” is one of the most basic aspects of storytelling. The fact is, despite how it looks on paper, Zuko was the one there for Katara at her critical moments. Zuko empathized with Katara more than Aang ever did—as demonstrated in this episode. Zuko never once brought up his own cultural values. Zuko never once told Katara what to do. Zuko’s position was that Katara should be the one to decide, and that he would support any choice she made. He supported her decision to spare Yon Rha, but he would have also supported her if she decided to kill him. I actually found this episode to be a satisfying reversal to what is typically seen in TV—for once, the female character is centered while her male counterpart takes the backseat and becomes a supporting role to her narrative.

Even before this, Zuko is shown to empathize with Katara.

Zuko: I’m sorry. That’s something we have in common.

I think what gets me about this scene is the fact that he’s still Katara’s enemy, and she was just yelling about how she hates him and his people. But despite that, Zuko still empathizes with Katara. She is fundamentally human to him, and he expresses that to her in a way that allows them to connect. Zuko stands to gain nothing from this. It’s true that Azula entered the picture and twisted things around—but in this moment, Zuko’s compassion is genuine. His instinct was to respond to her grief with empathy, just like she consistently does for other characters.

And finally, how else does Zuko add to Katara’s arc?

I don’t think there is any more perfect of an example than the finale itself—the culmination of the arcs and development of all characters.

Zuko and Katara fight together. In a heartbeat, Zuko asks Katara to fight by his side against Azula, because he trusts her strength. She’s his equal—both in his mind, and in a narrative sense.

Then, this:

Both of their roles are so critical in this fight. They both save each other. The scene has such raw emotion to it. These characters were together at the conclusion of their respective arcs for a reason.

This is the perfect conclusion to Katara’s arc. She just played a critical role in ending the war that has caused her trauma her whole life. She just demonstrated her mastery of waterbending (another thing she’s dreamed of throughout the series) by defeating the world’s most powerful firebender during Sozin’s Comet. Even though she had help as all characters do, these are victories that belong to her and demonstrate the growth and power of her character. And to top it all off? She was able to save Zuko’s life. She didn’t have to endure the pain of feeling helpless to do anything while someone else died for her; this time, she had an active role, she changed her fate, and she prevailed. Zuko plays an important role in Katara’s story without dominating it. They perfectly represent mutuality. They add to each other’s stories. Their narratives become stronger when they’re together, without one diminishing or sidelining the other.

So, from that standpoint, that’s why I always see the attraction between Zuko and Katara and why I see it lacking between Aang and Katara. Zuko and Katara’s story doesn’t need some cheap little throwaway moments to shine. It’s integral to both characters’ stories. We are shown not told of the way these characters feel about each other. Given everything we know about Katara, her goals, her values, her past loves…absolutely everything points to Zuko being the true subject of her feelings.

Because let’s be honest. The ending I just described is so much more powerful and so much more Katara than seeing her being relegated back to a doe-eyed love interest for Aang to kiss. It hardly even made sense—Katara played no role at all at the culmination of Aang’s arc. She was relegated back to a love interest, rather than the powerful figure we saw fight alongside Zuko.

#zutara #katara #zuko #atla #anti kataang #canon critical #jet #haru #katara deserved better #aang critical #meta #analysis

[tachiha3]

Making a show called "avatar : the last airbender" and then not caring about the avatar who's the last airbender is crazy.

#and the most infuriating part is #they wrote zuko so GOOD #so they can write good characters #they just don't fucking CARE #atla #avatar the last airbender #my post #vent #aang #aang deserved better #anti natla #< just to be safe

[hello-nichya-here]

You know what, fuck it, I'm just gonna say it.

A ton of the hate Aang gets comes from the fact that fans believe this bullshit of "Avatar is totally not a kids show" and that characters dying/killing people makes a show more "adult."

No, the 12-year-old who was raised to be a pacifist doesn't want to kill anyone. No, the fact that some of his friends were willing to do so depending on the "target" doesn't make them better written characters.

Avatar has some heavy, complicated themes in it, yes. But at the end of the day it is a story about how love, friendship and mercy save the day, and it never promised to be more than that. So naturally, the protagonist enbodies that lesson, and wants to spare even the big bad - and Aang even had a moment when he was willing to kill Ozai because he thought, incorrectly, that there was no other way.

If you want fantasy politics with people dying left and right, go read stuff like A Song Of Ice And Fire. It's fine. But if you're watching a Nickelodeon show aimed at 7-year-ols, don't be surprised that the hero is not going to murder his enemies.

#pro aang #aang deserved better #avatar is not game of thrones