#but he’s also just SOOOOO CUTE

[comradekatara]

i feel like the reason aang isn’t as adored and beloved as he should be is because he’s the protagonist but he’s also not an archetypal western classical hero. i don’t agree with the entirety of that “avatar aang: feminist icon” essay because i think the role of patriarchy and gender in atla is more complex than what that essay posits, but he definitely complicates the masculine ideal of heroism and generally does not conform to patriarchal notions of masculinity. which is very deliberate, especially as contrasted with sokka and zuko’s explicit struggles with the imperialist/colonial standards of an aggressive, militaristic, and chauvinistic masculinity. aang is subversive because he represents an absence of war in a world ravaged by it. through his link to a (somewhat more) peaceful and harmonious past, he represents a better possible future. as katara would say, he brings people hope.

but people don’t like that he’s not visibly edgy or tormented like zuko is (even though he’s a far more tragic character than zuko is, just fyi), that he isn’t “cool” (even though he’s literally the coolest kid ever, just fyi), that he “gets the girl” (even though if anything, she gets him) despite being twelve and bald and nice (the horror!). katara is the more classical hero of the narrative, as its narrator and its catalyst, the adventurous revolutionary who gradually learns to control and use her powers and eventually becoming a force to be reckoned with. zuko is the classical anti-hero of the narrative, his “redemption arc” constantly hailed as one of the greatest character arcs in television. so people expect katara and zuko, as very obvious narrative foils who parallel each other every step of the way, to be the obvious couple, because based on every romance narrative we’ve been inundated with throughout our lives, within our patriarchal society, they “just make sense together.”

but as much as katara is a protagonist in her own right, aang is the show. the title quite literally represents the central thematic tension of the entire narrative, the colon illustrating the implicit divide between his duties to this brave new world in desperate need of justice and balance, or his duties to his extirpated culture as the last true voice among them. aang is the central figure because this tension represents the crucial ideological battle happening across the entire show. aang is the avatar because he is the only person in the entire world whose values have not been shaped by war.

people constantly laud zuko, in particular, for being the most interesting, complex character in avatar. but i personally don’t even think that’s true. which isn’t to say that zuko isn’t fascinating in his own right, of course, but rather that he’s certainly not the only complex character this show has to offer. he just happens to monologue about his anguish constantly. but aang wasn’t raised as an imperial prince, and so he approaches the world, and his own pain, in a very different manner. the reason he immediately goes to ride giant koi on kyoshi island, mailchutes in omashu, and otherwise goofs around after learning of the shocking ramifications of his people’s genocide is because that’s how he copes with his pain. unlike zuko, who never stops talking about his aches and yearnings, aang represses his trauma and hides his tears behind a mask of upbeat cheerful goofy twelve year old antics.

until he can’t anymore. until he snaps. both katara and zuko wear their hearts on their sleeves, and that includes their rage. but aang’s rage is dangerous specifically because it represents that he has been pushed past his limits, that the conditions of this world in which he is a perpetual stranger, temporally displaced and dispossessed, are intolerable. that peaceful reconciliation is impossible. and the fact that he persists beyond that breaking point, over and over again, to firmly and resoundingly establish his ideals even as they conflict with everything he has learned about this world, a world that is not his own even as he can never return to the world he once knew, is what makes him so unique, so powerful, so beautiful.

i know that aang isn’t the typical hero, neither narratively nor aesthetically, but really, that’s the entire point. the world, our world, needs something other than what we have now. we need someone who will not succumb to the ideals of domination and victory through violence to assert themselves. we need someone who stands firm in refusing to kill the firelord, even as everyone he knows tells him otherwise. we need someone who knows that darkness cannot be vanquished through more darkness, but can only truly yield to purifying light.

and sure, aang is a child, and often acts childishly. sure, he’s not conventionally handsome and alluring. but one thing i will never understand is how that somehow negates his appeal to the masses. because even if you don’t appreciate how crucial he is to the themes of this narrative you all seem to love so much, how can you not love his adorable little face? his precious little laugh, his zest for life, the infinite well of love and kindness he holds in his heart? people who hate aang are crazy to me. because you are, quite literally, hating the world’s most precious baby boy.

#aang #katara #zuko #analysis #hot takes #sorry this one is kind of all over the place #very stream of consciousness bc it’s loving aang hours #and he’s not only meaningful narratively #but he’s also just SOOOOO CUTE #I would literally pay money to babysit him #which I think defeats the point of babysitting but whatever #he’s just. so precious 😭😭😭 #also fwiw I don’t really fw kataang either but like. it does make more narrative sense than the alternative #and if it had been executed better . well. who can say

[huidol]

happy valentines 👍 day

#figayda #fig x ayda #fig faeth #figueroth faeth #ayda augefort #fantasy high #dimension 20 #d20 #putting this up on top rest of the tags are just me talking ok #shout out to fig for being the only bad kid to stay together with their girlfriend post-fhsy. DESERVED. #scribbling poltergeist #junior's magic paintbrush #alt verison of the text couldve been want to be my crab queen but I only just thought of that now and I'm not changing it. SAD! #had sooooo many ideas for this drawing I had very cute sketch Hi everyone whos new to my blog btw I talk a lot in tags anyways I had a cute #sketch that was like. a card that Ayda was sitting at the top and fig was at the bottom and in the middle was a heart with clock hands and #shit. and ayda was sending down a uhhhh a heart that as it went down the page it aged. and fig caught it. bc ayda sending love letters #through time is my favorite thing in the whoooole world. #also had an idea because i just finished that season to have a traditional valentines card with cody that was like #“are you satan bc ive been waiting for you my whole life” bc he says that in the uh. first ep I think. anyways that be a great card I just #didnt haev the time. sad! i started drawing this on the 12th i had Zero time for anything else #wow i talked a lot tee hee ^_^ its ok because im special.

[wodimewoahtime]

OMG WHAT THESE ARE SOOO CUTE EHAT

#AND THE SANDWICHES LOOK SO TASTY #BUT THE ART!!!!! THE ART!!!!!! #TILL IS FREAKING OUT (NORMAL) #AND IVAN IS TRYING TO MELT INTO TILL (NORMAL) #BUT WHATS LUKA DOING?????? #IS HE PATTING THEIR HEADS????? #ALSO HE HAS TILLS HAIR IN HIS MOUTH #between this and qmengs maid till art...... isn't tills yaoi mc protag power too strong??????? #ALSO DONT THINK I DONT SEE SUA LOOKING LIKE SHES NUZZLING INTO HYUNAS ARM GAYASS #DONT ACT SO BASHFUL I KNOW THIS IS YOUR YURI DREAM #SUA HIMEJOSHI SELF INSERT ASS #THISS COLLAB IS JUST SOOOOO CUTE #alnst mizi #sua alnst #alnst ivan #alnst till #hyuna alnst #luka alnst #alnst #alien stage #cafe collab #mizisua #ivantill #food #alnst official art

[todayisafridaynight]

#rgg #ryu ga gotoku #ryu ga gotoku 7 #yakuza like a dragon #yakuza 7 #masato arakawa #snap sketches #//ear-rupturing yelling// MY TOXIC GIRLFRIEND #i called him my wife on my twit priv and that was just illegal.. hes not wife material... just toxic girlfriend material.... #emo week ig this is the spiritual pair to the da|go i drew. whenever i drew that. lol... #i miss drawing him sooooo much..... i draw aoki all the time (hasnt drawn him in weeks) but i never draw masato #highkey this was just an excuse to draw him shirtless...... but that sketch will never see the light of day so i made one for public viewin #anyway sorryyyyyyyyyy he still makes me unwellll </3 #aesthetic goals Sorry x2 </3 #i like how i draw masato with eyelashes but not aoki. as if aoki doesnt also have cute lil lashes #i just wanna accentuate the fact i know masato definitely wore mascara </3 i know it to be true.. #i shouldve been workin but i just needed to draw somethin for myself or id go insane just doin comm stuff this week #this BASIC AS HELL ik but i just needed to draw somethin..... #im almost done so soon ill be free. Until Next Week but i just needed a Fun Lil Thing as a refresher #ok bye

[silverview]

🥜

#charlie kelly #iasip #cd #fc #'a good episode' means there's a scene where charlie's munching on a little snack for no particular reason #it's cute and it makes the world feel more real #and he needs to keep his energy up for hijinks! and soak up the booze! and he's my little guy and he deserves it!!! #also the weird little condescending shrug he gives the twins is so funny #eats a peanut at you (derogatory) #also the way he's just letting the debris pile up on the bar like an animal is sooooo

[shararan]

my hands arent cooperative today but at least i managed a sweet sunshine boy......

#svsss #scum villains self saving system #scum villain #gongyi xiao #my art #i miss him so much you have no idea #i did also start a zzl but ill continue later when hands are willing KJSKJDGKJSDG #i love gx's english design hes sooooo cute and fluffy i just wanna dote on him

[kaleigh-color]

you are the queen of underboob

😮‍💨

Thank you as the title holder enjoy some Mexico photos where I thought my hair looked nice

#me #my face #selfie #ask #asked #answered #anon #I was excited my hair was glowing #they gave me free shots that matched my hair which was sooooo cute #a man also said sorry because he was in the woman’s restroom and the worker told me to just piss in the men’s #they were single stalls I didn’t care but it was so funny #I also asked if the Aztec gods would like my underboob #because I went to an old temple #they apparently did because I got so many drinks for free

[linning04]

Rider……stick!!

one of my favourite episodes because 1. Taki’s outfit and 2. Taki throwing Ichimonji a stick and beating Kuragedarl with it

#plus dokugander is just cute design….. #kamen rider #kr ichigo #ichimonji hayato #kamen rider 1971 #kamen rider taki #shocker #linning04 #also why is taki sooooo sexy he is everything

[azaisya]

This campaign ended in May, but I still think about them! The fire genasi was our druid, Eddy, and he got to become king and marry the love of his life.

#the love of his life is my wizard's sister and he's sooooo grumpy about it #(not really ofc he thinks theyre cute but he's legally required to pretend to be annoyed) #dnd art #dnd pc #fire genasi #dnd druid #candlesart #campaign k #eddy blaze #cyretha ayren #and then there were dragons #also i literally just swapped to the new post editor and hey that's how you add image IDs #catchall wizard tag

[itsbrucey]

Sorry for posting this again but…… it blows me away how good he looks once I slap on color.

#bells or chains……bellllllllsssss or chaiinsssssss….. #Krampus often is depicted with cuffs n chains but BELLS ARE SOOOOO CUTE #Also he’s gonna have a harness that I’m probably gonna make red for contrast…. #soooooooo……maybe bells? for that flair? #giggling and twirling my hair over my own designs IM SORRY. Dilf of the century. argue with the wall #I just had. an insane idea for a Krampus Glenn fic…….. #an insanely indulgent fic…. ooooooh…..o……oh my. #MIGHT KEEP THE BELLS BC OF MY JDEA BUT CHAINS ALSO WORK #sorry Brucey rambles

[comradekatara]

ily king on god we’re gonna get u a razor

#id in alt text #avatar the last airbender #atla #HARU #art #mart #underrated king…. #just shave that mustache & he’s perfect #i definitely disregarded him for way too long (for unfortunate facial hair decisions i must say) #but he’s literally awesome and so cute w katara <33 and brown <33 #also yes i am now obsessed w this watercolor painting technique and i will probably draw everything in this style for the foreseeable future #until i inevitably get sick of it of course #but rn in my mind im like wow this looks sooooo good #and it’s so easy #thank u procreate pocket watercolor & calligraphy brush u guys are my best friends <3 #friendship ended w wet acrylic etc etc #anyway. i love him he’s so wretched of the earth core. literally #also his hair is so fun to draw #his beautiful luscious locks #if haru has ten fans i am one of them if haru has zero fans i am dead etc etc etc

[wyvernquill]

Matthew gives Dream a gift - inspired by this post by @themirokai, who writes excellent emotional-support-raven!Matthew content!

(Image ID under the cut)

Image ID:

digital art kept mostly in black-and-white greyscale, featuring Matthew the raven and Dream of the Endless from The Sandman.

Matthew is standing on the table, wings folded against his body and gazing slightly up, holding a necklace with a large sapphire pendant in his beak, which he is offering to Dream. The blue of the sapphire is the only colour in the picture.

Dream is seated next to the table, arms folded, holding a closed book in one hand. He has unruly black hair, very pale skin, and black eyes with a white, star-shaped pupil. He is also very thin and skeletal, and wearing a flowing black robe that leaves his neck, lower arms, and part of his midriff bare, and is held together by a pin on one shoulder.

He is leaning slightly down towards Matthew and has a small smile on his face, seemingly pleased with his gift.

#WyDraws #the sandman #dream of the endless #matthew the raven #image id #go read the ficlet in themirokai's post it's so cute! #maybe i'll draw matthew on dream's lap too #but this one was more urgent #i saw the post and just KNEW i would have to draw this #matthew's such a good boy he just wants to show dream he cares #also this is the first time i've drawn dream properly #as you might be able to tell i'm favouring the style of the comics (even though i haven't read them) #i just think the star eyes are neat #surprised i managed to draw a decent raven actually #i'm not usually this good with animals #ALSO please imagine dream giving a little gift back to show his gratitude #a little collar or necklace or one of those rings that go around a bird's leg #and matthew is sooooo proud of it and shows it off to everyone #he's not vain and doesn't care that much about the bling BUT it's a present from the Boss #hence infinitely valuable

[lyekisses]

i love you ❤️

#i didn’t see anyone post the video lol i just want it on my blog #he’s sooooo silly cute #his proud little smile at the end 🥹 #also cameo by strongest woman in the world dale wentz <3 #pw #mj #pete wentz

[todayisafridaynight]

sorry that im obsessed with him <- is not sorry

#snap chats #this is my favorite cutscene in the game it has everything i want and need #i love that first screenshot so much......... top ten frames of ryo aoki ever #i want an aoki photocard of it wahhh hes so cute and pookie </3 #i also like the hand detail we see int he second one....... very nice.... #i love this cutscene cause he gets deadnamed live and thats still the funniest thing to ever happen in rgg to me #'sir youre trending theyre beating your ass in the qrts' DO NOT CARE THAT I MADE THAT JOKE ALREADY. I WAS REAL FOR IT #anyway hes sooooo cuute sorryyy thats my truth #he just looks like a little lad <- hes 43. or wouldve been (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`) #every time i remember the game being like 'ryo aoki is young as hell to be doing this bullshit' i cakcle #maybe he just /looks/ too young yk... round faces be damned you will never look older than fifteen #i still stand that he constantly looks lke he got a frog in his mouth #oh but. Genuine Appreciation Time it is very cute how this cutscene starts with him lit so well and then just. Dark LOL #VERY OBVIOUS AND EASY SYMOBLISM BUT I DONT CAAARRREEE i always live for it #anyway he cutie patootie awwww i wanna pinch his cheeks and then shove him back into a locker

[soupernatural]

this fic has my favorite still-an-angel au cas and some of my favorite deanisms i’ve written. here! have some solo hunter dean flirting with ghost (1990) references and cas flirting by mind reading.

#i think about going back and editing some of my old fics and this is one of them but i just semi reread it and it’s cute still #this cas is sooooo autistic 2 me personally and this fic is my favorite flirty banter i’ve written too #it feels like dean 2 me but i wrote him so big shrugs #also dean loved ghost he’s just posturing #zo.txt #dc posting #zo.dbr #zo.au

[cinna-bunnie]

so like..

is the idea that as a compromise to only having to toggle off tumblr live once a month, you now have this permanent tumblr live icon regardless of ur setting choice stuck to the bottom in the middle of everything in the hopes that i click on it accidentally anyways even though it's clear i don't want it or? where is the NO 100% STOP GIVING ME THIS SHIT I DON'T ACCEPT YOUR POLICIES AND LITERALLY COULD NOT CARE LESS ABOUT TUMBLR LIVE AND WILL NEVER BE INTERESTED IN THIS TYPE OF FEATURE OR FORMAT.

@zingring @photomatt @humans idk how many feedback requests people have to cut tumblr for "no" to just be a valid response here. ppl aren't dumb and see u inching over the line trying to force this on them despite the snooze choice.

what, are there so many ppl snoozing and such a low adoption rate that you know you need to trick users into using it so you can "make number go up" or? 🙄

#snoozing tumblr live for a month but perpetually having a big centered button that will take you there immediately at all #times while also inherently meaning that you've accepted the privacy policies and TOS for using a third party service #tumblr is so fucking annoying is2g i should just pester my mutuals repeatedly about getting onto cohost and being active instead #of talking to a fucking brick wall because obviously NO ONE at tumblr gives a shit that NO ONE wants to use their shitty third #party live stream feature. for the millionth time leave me alooooone #my patience and grace for this site is almost entirely spent y'all ngl (⁠´⁠-⁠﹏⁠-⁠`⁠；⁠) tumblr is like one or two annoying updates away from #me bugging y'all to get on cohost. was hoping there'd be a few more good updates before we got back to the annoying enraging ones. #like.. seeing if ppl r mutuals or followers on mobile? 👍 snoozing going from 7 to 30 days? 👍 live being there despite snoozing? 👎🔫 #I'm STILL not over this whole twitter UI too in the browser too. tumblr's trying sooo hard to be a blogging platform in a twitter trenchcoat #u ARE a blogging platform and are functionally different than a typical social media site in multiple key ways. why r u downgrading urself #it's bc matt thinks elon's sooooo cute and wants to kiss him so bad he'd do anything to get his attention #even crash the popularity of his site and burn his good grace he had w the platforms community. #y'all rich mf need some hobbies i swear to god (⁠´⁠-⁠﹏⁠-⁠`⁠；⁠) y'all get bored or divorced n start tryna fix shit that ain't broken. pests. #now it's everyone else's problem too 🙄