#elemental symbolism

[sokkastyles]

Came across a few posts about how Azula is the best firebender in the series, and that subject is probably more based on opinion than fact I guess, but still feels like saying that is antithetical to the themes of the story. What do you think?

I agree that it's antithetical to the themes of the story. Azula cannot be the best firebender because she is not working with a complete understanding of firebending, which is linked to the themes of the story and bending as a metaphor for how we engage with ourselves and others.

I recently saw a post that said the dragons would judge Azula worthy because firebending is about drive. And oh, boy, does that completely misunderstand the themes of that episode.

The whole point is that the Fire Nation's post-Sozin relationship with fire, the idea of "having the power and drive to achieve what you want" and valuing that above all else is exactly what caused the world to fall out of balance. It is this drive for power that we see corrupt people like Sozin, Zhao, Ozai, and yes, Azula.

When Zuko faces the dragons, the original firebending masters, he learns that fire is so much more than just a drive for power. Fire is life itself, it's passion, it's warmth, it's something to be both kept in check and nurtured to become healthy. Like a little heartbeat that can be snuffed out if you aren't careful, or can burn out of control if not tempered.

So many people like to say Azula only lost the final agni kai because of her mental state, but the truth is that 1) Azula was never in a healthy mental state, at any point that we saw her in the show, and 2) she does not have the wisdom to see anything beyond her own drive for power, and that is going to prevent her from having a true link to her element.

The elements themselves are inspired by different martial arts. This is well-known. But martial arts is a form that emphasizes discipline over raw power, especially Xiaolin, which firebending is based on. It's all about self control and finding balance within oneself. Which is a theme that is cited over and over again in the show.

Iroh tells Zuko at the beginning of the show that he cannot move on to advanced forms until he has mastered the basics. He is trying to teach him how to develop the control he needs to be a true firebending master. Zuko acts this way towards his element because this is what he learned from Ozai, and from watching Azula, who has no self control and no patience. We see her practice her forms, sure, but we also see her get incredibly angry when it's not perfect. Azula has some moves that she's perfected to cause the most damage, but she's not comfortable when stepping outside of that zone, cannot take criticism at all, and threatens anyone who says she is not the best. She cannot possibly be the best firebender with such a limited understanding of her element.

Which is also why she loses even with the power of the comet on her side. Because all the power in the world won't help if the spirit isn't in balance. People will act like Azula's mental breakdown only existed to "nerf" her in the finale but it's like, literally the whole point, and was something that was building since the beginning of the series.

#azula #zuko #elemental symbolism #firebending #iroh #the firebending masters

[bubbly-alchemist]

🔥 💗 🌊

Fire x Water

Fire is a symbol of love, desire, anger, power, assertiveness, and energy.

Fire is considered to be the first element to be created on earth. Fire is predominantly associated with the sun, and is a warm and dry element. It gives off light, which protects all living creatures from the shadows of night.

Water symbolizes rebirth, healing, fertility, change, dreaming, clarity, intuition.

Water is the most soothing and calming of the four elements. It’s cool and wet nature allows it to appease the mind and body. The water element can be found in oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, and springs. Life on earth would not be possible without water, and every living creature from the smallest microorganism to the largest mammal depends on it. The flowing and transformative nature of water makes it a cleanser and purifier.

—

Speaks volumes to me for this ship. They’re opposite while also being complementary at the same time.

Without water fire just rages on and without warmth, water turns to ice. They can also be mutually destructive because fire can boil water away to nothing and water can put out a flame.

Pulled from here: https://symbolsage.com/four-elements-symbolism/

#anidala #Anakin Skywalker #Padmé Amidala #Padmé Naberrie #Anakin x Padmé #fire x water #elemental symbolism #element of water #element of fire #symbolism #sw symbolism #elements of life #complicated relationships #love

[psychopathic-moves]

Going back & moving forward

(Prints)

#guess im doing things in series now #this one has the least amt of symbolism and elements but its my favourite of the 3 tbh #mob psycho 100 #mob psycho 100 season 3 #mob psycho 100 spoilers #mp100 #kageyama shigeo #reigen arakata #ive read the manga years ago but im still processing the ending. give me another series thatd be filled with such kindness #and have so much heart #im gonna miss it so much #bones give us the reigen movie we both want it #and preemptively: yes the wires are severed #myart

[yarrowdraws]

Ambrosius Saint Miro/pale apocalypse themed poster.

the images I used are Dürer's Apocalypse woodcut and St Ambrose raised to heaven line engraving by C.N. Cochin.

some closeups:

#sacred and terrible air #ambrosius saint miro #disco elysium #püha ja õudne lõhn #poster #i found these really cool free to use brutalist graphs and elements maybe i'll make another pale themed poster later #i love brutalist posters so much. the random symbols and graphs are so fun. and i can blast it with effects and textures as usual

[hanfugallery]

hanfu fashion matched with miao fashion by chinese designers

#china #hanfu #fashion #chinese fashion #miao fashion #designers call this type miaojiang style #miaojiang苗疆 is a concept originated from wuxia culture #wuxia mmorpg game usually have a martial art school called 五仙教 or 五毒教 #that is inspired by miao people #miaojiang style is influenced by character design of these mmorpg game #the animals and insects elements such as small snake #butterfly #spider etc. are related from 五毒wudu #it symbolizes the 巫蛊wugu culture of 五毒wudu in wuxia fictions and games #credit as watermark

[saltpepperbeard]

y’all i’m in both david and mark motherbaugh’s walls for this one.

i was going through bits of footage for gifs as i do, and realized that the little note progression in the alma+stede scene sounded very familiar. sure enough...

it’s the same little progression as the pre-kiss confession, just in another key. it’s the lead-in to the love theme.

something something the handling of stede’s heart in both scenes. something something love but in different ways, hence the same song but in different keys. something something love towards stede finally progressing to the intended point.

...tldr, this show is insane for its symbolism and motifs and it’s wild that we keep discovering things over a year after the first season dropped.

#OFMD #Our Flag Means Death #OFMD Vid #Revenge Rambles #Gentlebeard #Blackbonnet #Stede Bonnet #Alma Bonnet #Edward Teach #I'm just #The amount of DETAIL paid to things like this #Be it costuming or music or other symbolic elements #It drives me BANANAS (affectionate) #I love it #Because it's like a TREASURE HUNT #I love finding all the little things they put in here for us #Or even better: I love finding small details that they put in for THEM and thought we wouldn't notice #But we did because we analyze every microsecond of this show HSLKDJS

[a-candle-for-sherlock]

Booked an appointment in April for the Holmes tattoo I’ve been wanting for years! Moss rose, lavender and two bees (for the ‘we have much to hope from the flowers’ passage, queer community, and Sussex). I’m driving two hours to an artist I really like — worth it.

#two bees specifically for Holmes and Watson #I also like that a holmesian would get the symbol references immediately #while the public generally wouldn’t #the element of code pleases me #:)

[caelanglang]

Flags Week 2k22 ✨ Day Five

Coming of Age

Fireworks

“This is goodbye.”

⚠️ blood and Stormbringer spoilers

“To you who are the eternal fireworks, lighting up in the lonely night sky of my soul.”

#bsd #bungou stray dogs #stormbringer #stormbringer spoilers #nakahara chuuya #bsd iceman #bsd pianoman #bsd lippmann #bsd doc #bsd albatross #bsd nakahara chuuya #the flags #im sorry it’s angst #bsd fanart #bsd comic #angst #fireworks displays in japan are symbols of hope and contain elements of prayer - google #hope you remember them whenever you see fireworks lighting up the night sky 🫶 #i can cry for them anytime and i hope yall can too lmao #anyways how to move on from stormbringer hahahahahelpme #chuuya doesn’t wear verlaines hat whenever he visits them and i love how that was lowkey shown in the novel too welp #flags week #my art #my comic

[the--firevenus]

The embodiment of hope is a 12 year old kid

#Atla motivate me to draw again so here more aang <33 #I like to imagine him being free and happy in the air.. Part of it cuz that's his element.. Part of it just feels so right #Sometimes I think about that post which talk about him being a symbol of freedom and joy in a world that hasn't see it for a century #And he's just a kid....... Hope joy and freedom live in a body of a kid..... #firevenus art #atla fanart #fanart #avatar the last airbender #atla #aang #avatar aang

[autisticaradiamegido]

day 76

ey been a while but i got another fancytier design going. honestly didnt do a whole lot to it though, the mage fit does a pretty good job of communicating RPG Mage Class already imo

#day 76 #year 5 #sollux captor #homestuck #fancytier #i tried to carry over some elements from the maid design i already did so theyd feel cohesive #i considered giving him like.... a masquerade mask?? thing???? to incorporate the skull/gas mask shape of the doom symbol #but i couldnt get it to not look silly #i might futz with it again another time who is to say

[arkiwii]

Diamond shards in the chest

Plants watered by tears

#i was supposed to draw ifrit first before posting it but i got lazy #and my hand starts to hurt from drawing too much >:/ #anyway. i have learned that Nori's rhine lab guys are inspired by elements #and the SYMBOLICS. i love them #a heart of stone that cant understand or accept other's feelings #beautiful plants that can be so easily destroyed if neglected #i cry everyday about them #arknights #stalkiwiart #olivia silence #saria #fanart #art

[sokkastyles]

In the night, all cats are gray

The phrase comes from the French, la nuit, tous les chats sont gris, and has also been attributed to Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to a friend in which he says that appearances don't matter when it comes to attractiveness. The phrase has also been used in reference to social standing or personal accomplishments, the meaning being that all people are the same in the dark.

The idea is that darkness reveals our true selves, a theme found in many different cultures.

In the above screenshot, Zuko and Katara are both dressed in black, and under cover of night.

In the world of atla, in which color represents nationality, Zuko and Katara are not acting as arbiters of their nations. Zuko, the former prince of the Fire Nation, who willingly left his nation to join team Avatar, is shown wearing black in a previous episode to hide his appearance. While the others dress themselves in red, disguised as Fire Nation citizens, Zuko appears to have no country of origin, symbolizing his renouncement of loyalty to the Fire Nation regime, as well as his renouncement of his social status as prince (which also echoes the story of Siddhartha Buddha).

So for Zuko, wearing black already has a particular meaning and association with his redemption.

For Katara, black is the color of night, which is heavily associated with her element. Katara is most connected to water through her bending, and linked to the moon. She is like her bending, a representation of the changeability of water, the darkness of night, and burns with the passion of the full moon. Like the night and the deepest depths of the ocean that is her element, Katara also can be dangerous, and like the moon, she has a hidden shadow side that is revealed especially in this episode.

So here Zuko and Katara are, bathed in the shadow of night which transforms them as equals, two children avenging their mothers.

Water, night, and the moon are also associated with the feminine (waterbending also being based on the more feminine martial art of tai chi), so this being a quest linked to motherhood is important. This episode also heavily deals with the dark feminine, a concept used to define primal instincts and emotions. Katara avenging her mother while bathed in her element is an aspect of the dark feminine, and so is Zuko letting Katara take the reins just as his mother committed murder and treason under cover of night to save him when he was a child.

Circling back to the original phrase being about the elimination of the barriers between social class or physical appearance (something also significant for Zuko, who is physically marked by his scarred face), it's not surprising that this episode is also considered one of the big zutara episodes. The original phrase is about romance (actually, it's about sex, but we'll keep it pg here), which is also something governed by the dark feminine and its symbols, which all appear in this episode.

#zutara #the southern raiders #zuko #katara #elemental symbolism #in the night all cats are gray #atla meta #the dark feminine

[sleeping-circle-old]

The Periodic Table - Chemistry

The chemical symbols are shown in the periodic table, where all the elements are displayed in order of atomic number (the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom)

The elements in the table are arranged in columns called groups - each group contains elements with similar chemical properties

Zoom in on the image - the elements are colour-coded - you'll see which elements are metals, metalloids, non-metals and more!

#periodic table #elements #chemical symbols #chemistry #atoms #metals #non-metals #metalloids #science #study notes

[cometrose]

i’ve got two zhongli origin theories

1. he’s a fallen star or a piece of the sun that fell in teyvat or a sun god/solar chariot

2. hes a servant of celestia but was banished/demoted for disobedience

theory 1 is an old theory but i always feel he’s an astral body of some sorts “planet befall” is his burst name “stars dim light fades” is his namecard description “gold is the tears of the sun” this is what the melusines say after being handed a piece of cor lapis the fact the solar chariot crashed when rex lapis was young and then zhongli is always symbolized by the sun with gold as his signature item. All the other archons (ei, rukkha, nahida, furina etc) are represented by the moon as are many other deities or divinities (azhdaha, guizhong, xiao and ganyu) zhongli is one of the few immortals to fully embody the sun

theory 2 has more to do with his connections to celestia. while super subject to change and not at all reliable i always think about one of zhongli’s beta lines is about celestia and he speaks very fondly of it stating he hasn’t been there is a long time next is the mora he produces with the triquetra symbol associated with celestia

then in chinese it states zhongli was demoted 6000 years ago when he arrived in teyvat as opposed to the eng version of ‘descended’.

In his 5th character story prior to rukkha getting erased it stated that barbatos and morax were the only original members of the seven and now it states that they were the only two in positions of leadership but isn’t that the same thing? not to mention barbatos fell asleep the same time nahida was born so in reality of the original 7 only rex lapis was in a position of leadership and then in the same text later down it still says that “The seven seats changed and again were changed, till five of the seven at the table were all departed” but if he really forgot rukkha shouldn’t it be four not five? this section of text is the same pre and post sumeru so long story short i think he remembers rukkha to some extent so he didn’t come straight from tevyat

and then even though he states he’s eroding he is very confident in his memories likely due to his contracts so i think erosion effects him differently and then their is his connection to the heavenly principles he specifically states erosion was imposed on him by them and then he praises furina for deceiving them and then there is his contract with them that stops him from talking about the cataclysm all in all i believe he’s familiar with the heavenly principles on a deeper level like he’s playing both sides

bonus: i think it’s neat zhongli is always associated with life and creation much like celestia (and the sun), he gave azhdaha eyes and created the archaic petra flower he created whales and eagles and beasts made of stone granted the adepti illumination and a mastery over alchemy

bonus bonus: morax was alive during the age of the 3 moon sisters and there are few stories were it’s implied he mentions them directly anyway this just means he’s far older than 6000 and has lived through numerous tevyat societies so he’s got a very long lifespan not as much as an elemental being but he knows far more about this world

bonus bonus bonus: zhongli’s 6th constellation is “Chrysos, Bounty of Dominator”. Chrysos is latin but is borrowed from ancient greek meaning Gold (Khrysos). Khrysos is a daimon which are lesser divinities in greek mythology and often a personification of abstract concepts. Daimons were great and powerful figures who after their death were granted divinity and some were transformed by Zeus to guide humanity. Khrysos is son of Zeus and the personification of gold and wealth ‘that cannot be devoured by moth or rust’. Son of Zeus? Free of impurities? Tasked with guiding humanity? Very similar to the relationship to the archons and celestia and could mean zhongli has very divine origins.

anyway that’s what i got, as to what he *is* maybe he’s a celestial dragon that got demoted.

or i think about heavenly chinese immortals who, when they commit crimes, or want to grow as a person, may be sent to the human realm to go through trials and suffering that comes with living and guess what zhongli does in his free time.

May he’s a piece of the sun that crashed down in teyvat and got assigned godhood hence his dedication to the future and seeing a new day

#zhongli #zhongli headcanons #genshin impact #did you know in tcg of the character cards only paimon and zhongli’s card produce omni dice #omni dice which is associated with the 8th element and the primordial one- okay i’ll shut up #i think he was chilling in celestia and got booted and now he sits on earth calling them trash under his breath #that’s all i got #i could talk more and provide more references but that’s exhausting! #he could be just a chill adeptus at the end of day #did you know chrysoprase is a type of rock but this one is green #it’s greenish gemstone that’s pretty rare and valuable due to its unique composition and color #anyway i’m gonna stop now #you want zhongli lore? have fun reading up on the ideal chinese man immortal god while also dipping into ancient latin #why are you latin too? like he’s not just chinese he’s latin too WHY #i think he’s a meteor or piece of the sun that crashed onto earth #that’s why is on the edge of descender not descender #the only other one whose got really strong sun symbols is deshret

[aldermoth]

(they/them)

Posted using PostyBirb

#eden #dragon #furry #anthro #furry art #furry artist #fursona #digital art #light elemental #magic #elemental #nonbinary #agender #null #lore #abstract #symbolism

[kirby-the-gorb]

Advanced Boy commission for DxSurprise on twitter! (I don't think they're personally on tumblr anymore but their disability resource archive is still up at @spoonie-living!)

#kirby #request #(for filing purposes) #kofi commission #dxsurprise #knives #knife kirby #wheelchair #disability pride #queer pride #queer #they paid me double asking price gave me a bunch of elements they know I love and told me to go wild #so I did -u- #I'm very happy with this one. #although really all the commissions brought great ideas that I feel I executed well! #this is the last commission from those two days they were open btw #I am leaving the desert at the end of the month #I will evaluate after I make it home when/if I'm likely to open commissions again #also the disability pride flag is by capricorn-0mnikorn here on tumblr! #I really love the design and the symbolism associated #and there's two different color versions - this one is designed for screens and digital use #there's a more full-saturation one meant for physical objects like flags #(tbh I like the colors in the digital version best) #favorites