#i feel like i'm being told 'there is no war in Ba Sing Se' and that my memory is wrong

[theconfusedartist]

Canon Information- Pieces of Eden

A Piece of Eden is a type of sophisticated technology created by the Isu which reacts with the network of neurotransmitters engineered into human brains. With the notable exception of the Shrouds of Eden, the majority of the Pieces of Eden were designed for the primary purpose of mentally and physically controlling human thoughts, emotions, and behavior. They were, therefore, the main instrument by which the Isu forced the humans to serve as slaves.

The powers of the Pieces of Eden have mystified humanity over millennia, enough for them to conflate them with "magic" throughout history. The extinction of the Isu civilization following the Great Catastrophe only reinforced this, as memories of the Isu faded into legends and myths. (now that I'm thinking about it, even if the Isu were wiped out, its very highly unlikely that humans wouldn't also be wiped out in canon. Due to the humans and Isu sharing a society, but the lore never explains this.)

Since humans lack the technological expertise to reproduce these devices, they have long been the subject of innumerable conflicts between rival humans seeking them for their own ends. In particular, they are a central obsession of the Templar Order, which has devoted much of their resources to searching and seizing these artifacts in their quest for world domination. (no mention on how the assassins have become similarly obsessed? Hm)

Description

Although most classes of Pieces of Eden, such as the Apples and Staves of Eden, were utilized as tools by which humanity could be controlled, others deviated from this purpose. The Swords of Eden are primarily weapons capable of emitting energy blasts while the Shrouds of Eden are medical in nature, designed for healing even the most mortal of wounds. The diverse functions of the devices extend further: many are capable of bending the thoughts of one or more individuals to that of the user, projecting illusions or concealing the user's presence. The Precursor boxes, powered by other Pieces of Eden, can imprint the memories of its users onto others and decode examples of Isu script, like the Voynich manuscript. (which then begs the question, if the Isu were able to manipulate DNA in order to possess humans and also able to imprint memories: WHATS THE POINT OF THE ANIMUS THEN??? WHY IS IT STILL USED OR EVEN CONSIDERED IMPORTANT TO THE STORY? Why the FUCK did the games make it such a big deal that Desmond had such a high sync rate when they can *apparently* use someone else's blood to see the memories of their ancestors?)

Other functions are more mundane relative to modern human technology, such as the projection of holograms or the Crystal Skulls which act as long-distance communication devices, but these nevertheless appeared supernatural to ancient peoples. (so would zoom to a person living in the 1950s bro)

Since the end of the Isu civilization, these devices, appearing sporadically in the hands of humans, have acquired a status as legendary relics of phenomenal properties. Greatly eclipsing the technological level of human civilization, even into modern times, the Pieces of Eden bestow tremendous power over society to those who come to possess them. (and going mad is just a fun side effect to show off at parties, I guess? Odd how that literally never comes up in the story, but it was shown to happen over and over again in previous games, but ok. Oh! And don't forget it was previously established that only certain people could use them without going insane! Because the writers sure as shit did.)

Their employment has therefore had immense impacts on human history; some of the most influential leaders such as Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Mahatma Gandhi were aided by their use of a Piece of Eden. (???? wasn't there a whole codex page about how Altaïr felt conflicted at killing Genghis Khan once he realized that humans had the potential to do great harm to each other without the PoE? Becuase he didn't? Have one when Altaïr killed him? Or was that yet another retcon later on?)

Recognizing their significance, the Pieces of Eden have been at the forefront of the Templar Order's goals for centuries as they hope that by exploiting the artifacts, they could achieve their vision of a New World Order. The contest for the Pieces of Eden between the Templars and their archenemies, the Assassins, who traditionally seek to safeguard them, has been a hallmark of their millennia long war. (hey, remember when Desmond had that badass sequence where he raids the Abstergo base to save his dad, killing people left and right with his blades and apple of Eden? And no one said anything about the fact that he, an Assassin, used a PoE the same way templars do? And treated the event like it was insignificant? This girlie does!)

Characteristics and attributes

"This... piece of silver cast out Adam and Eve. It turned staves into snakes. Parted and closed the Red Sea. Eris used it to start the Trojan War; and with it, a poor carpenter turned water into wine."

Al Mualim, speaking to Altaïr about the Apple.

(?????? Did i miss something? When did he say this? No, fr, when did he ever say this? Am I just forgetting something? Did he say this in the novels? In revelations? Like, genuinely, when did he ever have an open and honest discussion with Altaïr about the PoEs?)

Amongst the greatest tools known to man, the Apples of Eden can control the human mind by interacting with a neurotransmitter located deep in the human brain. (and yet for some reason, there are so many different PoEs that have nothing to do with mind control...)

Other Pieces of Eden are capable of warping reality, creating illusions, ensuring total obedience and healing physical injuries.[1][2] (which only makes things more confusing when the lore claims the Isu couldn't change the past) Both Templars and the Assassins believe that the Pieces of Eden were responsible for many historical tales and miracles, such as the Parting of the Red Sea, the Trojan War, the miracles enacted by Jesus Christ, and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt.[3] According to Dr. Álvaro Gramática, all Pieces of Eden are made of an unknown metal resembling gold or silver that Abstergo dubbed 'Pathorica'.[4]

Abilities of the Pieces

Some Pieces of Eden were known to interact with and change the passage of time, possibly creating paradoxes. Others were able to "speak" to those who wielded them, as was the case with Ezio Auditore, Perotto Calderon and Giovanni Borgia, who spoke with Ezio's Apple and the Shroud.[2][5]

When activated, Apples of Eden are capable of extending a pulse of energy that can drive those in the surrounding area to insanity and death. Doing so has a detrimental effect on the physical health of the wielder if they are unskilled in the Apples' use, but a capable user is not as easily afflicted.[6] Altaïr, for example, was able to use Apple #2 for a limited duration without adverse affects at age 92.[7] Using the Pieces' powers in short bursts can also minimize the negative effects dealt by the artifacts, though to what extent is unknown.[1]

Destruction of a Piece

Following the destruction of Apple of Eden #2 during an experiment at the Denver International Airport, the Templars found themselves in need of another artifact with similar properties. Seeking access to a map that indicated the location of all Pieces of Eden, Abstergo kidnapped Desmond Miles in order to view the memories of his ancestor, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. This would allow them to see the very same map that Altaïr discovered in 1191.[3]

Each of the Pieces of Eden contained a great deal of potential energy, and the destruction of one could cause an explosion on the scale of a nuclear blast. One such explosion occurred in 1908, in the region of Tunguska, Russia. The Imperial Sceptre, one of the Staves of Eden, was seemingly destroyed when Nikola Tesla fired at the Tunguska facility with his wireless electric weapon, attempting to strike a blow against the Templars.[1][3][8]

However, the blast failed to totally destroy the Staff, and at least one shard remained.[9] The Staff shard still possessed powers of mind control, as demonstrated by Grigori Rasputin. While he was in possession of the shard, he brainwashed Alexandra Feodorovna, the wife of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, as well as several disciples like Khioniya Guseva.[2]

Resistance

"I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID. I SAW HIM. HE HAD A METAL BALL. IT OPENED. THEY WENT CRAZY. SHOOTING. STABBING. TORE EACH OTHER TO PIECES. I KNOW IT WAS YOU PEOPLE. SAW THE LOGO. HEARD THE NAME. I'M GOING TO TELL. ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN. YOU'LL BE EXPOSED. THEY'LL KNOW THE TRUTH. AND THEN YOU WILL PAY. YOU CRAZY BASTARDS. YOU'LL PAY." ―An unidentified individual's e-mail to Dr. Warren Vidic.[src]

Altaïr deactivating an Apple

Although the Isu created humanity to be susceptible to the Pieces of Eden, eventual cross-breeding between them and their slaves led to the birth of a hybrid species. These new humans possessed some of the natural abilities of their creators and were free of the neurotransmitter necessary for the Pieces of Eden to control them.[1]

The first two known hybrids were Adam and Eve, who later stole one of the Apples of Eden and instigated the Human-Isu War.[1] Members of their lineage inherited these natural abilities and immunity to the Pieces, although the Pieces' ability to physically manipulate them remained.[3] These traits were passed down through generations to the likes of Altaïr, Ezio and Desmond.[1]

By the early 21st century, the Templars were aware that some humans were immune to the Pieces' mind control. On at least one occasion, Dr. Warren Vidic received an email from an individual unaffected by the Apple's power, who threatened to expose what they had seen when an Apple was used on others.[3] (this is also another thing i have issue with: is it only people who have Isu DNA that can resist? can anyone with a strong willpower resist? what makes one susceptible to them when literally anyone can use them, but some people go crazy)

Also, I want to go more into detail in a separate reblog simply because the apples of eden are the most retconned PoE with so many abilities that go against what they originally were described to be able to do.

#this is just the wiki of the pieces of eden #but i felt like it was important to have #simply becuase #so much?? #of the info??? #contradicts itself on what PoE even do???? #not the fault of the wiki but the writing itself #also peep how this wiki article claims they're an obsession of the templars but doesn't point out the same for the assassins #i probably sound really salty and its not so much me being salty #as much as its irritated disbelief #the writers literally own the series. they have the manual! they have the forbidden knowledge!!!! #why won't they use it for their own story?! #every time i learn about how the PoE were orignally used vs how they're used in lore now #i feel like i'm being told 'there is no war in Ba Sing Se' and that my memory is wrong

[oneatlatime]

City of Walls and Secrets

I am also once again saving the commentary for a rewatch.

I still think rock trains are neat but their inefficiencies hurt my brain. The friction! They should at least install dynamic braking.

That's big. This show has really confined itself to the hinterlands so far, so this is really novel. I had no clue anything this big existed in the Avatar universe.

Complete nitpick time! Given that earthbending is a thing that exists, why bother making things out of stone with individual tiles like this?

Single most threatening musical sting of the whole show so far goes to an overly smiley tour guide.

Wow! I hate this lady already!

"Oh, Ba Sing Se has many walls! There are the ones outside, protecting us, and the ones inside, protecting us from smelly poors!"

"In case someone brings home a lady friend!" Do you know your nephew AT ALL?

Both Iroh and Zuko are right. Life does happen everywhere and without your permission. But, the city is also remarkably prison-like.

He got them jobs in an afternoon. AN AFTERNOON. Stop it Iroh, you're making me feel inadequate.

Once a fuckboy, always a fuckboy. This particular leopard can't change his spots, no matter how he tries to dress up his actions in a new law-abiding veneer. I feel sorry for Smellerbee. Her faith in her leader isn't exactly being rewarded.

So... is there a law on the books that makes being a firebender illegal in Ba Sing Se? Because the head-in-the-sand vibe I'm getting from Judy makes me think that the average citizen doesn't even know there's a reason to dislike the Fire Nation. Iroh and Zuko could probably bend as openly as a waterbender or an earthbender could here.

This whole being handled thing must be dredging up some pretty nasty feelings for Toph. This is specifically what she left behind.

Speaking of precisely targeted torture, Judy is engineered to be as irritating to Sokka as possible. Man of action versus Lady of script.

What a productive use of time! What an exemplary case of turning over a new leaf!

Iroh buddy I have news for you regarding the ingredients of tea.

That's like the nicest thing a member of the Fire Nation royal family has said all year.

How to get Iroh's ass in gear: Step 1: Make insulting tea. Step 2: There is no step 2.

I thought that little thingy in the background was one of those electricity things.

The attention to detail in this show is stupid. There's a moving reflection of the carriage in the water as it goes past.

Hi forbidden city!

Ba Sing Se has a morality police?

I've already run out of patience with the city and I'm 7 minutes in. I haven't even made it to a commercial break yet!

Their house is cute but the veranda is so substantial that it's probably really dark inside. Also there's a pumpkin hood ornament on the roof.

I don't think you can stop there for a month. Have you guys forgotten the now-doubled ticking clock? Eclipse and comet?

Oh ok we're doing 1984 now. Damn. This show goes places.

I stand corrected. Everyone knows about the war and would be appropriately non-welcoming to firebending. But not openly. This could be like one of those Bugs Bunny bits where he traps someone in societal rules. If someone told a firebender not to bend, all they would have to do to get the guy off their case would be to ask why they aren't supposed to be firebending. What's the guy going to say, because there's a war on?

Shout out to Pong for doing the Gaang a solid and providing the only useful info since they've arrived.

There is something very Gollum-like about Jet, crouched in laundry on a roof in the dark, talking to his stolen spark rocks.

Sokka. Feet off the artwork.

Time for Toph to weaponise her oppressive upbringing and out-fancy the fancies in the name of ending the war.

Aang can master an element in a couple of months but a qualified expert declared manners to be beyond him.

I just realised that Sokka and Katara don't have a last name.

Sneaking into a Bear's (JUST Bear's) birthday party may be the single least violent infiltration attempt in the show so far.

Smellerbee is very articulate, and it's rare that this show spells out its themes so obviously. No metaphors, just "you're obsessed. It's not healthy." And Jet still doesn't get it. Maybe Smellerbee should have tried metaphors.

Normally glowy green stuff is bad news, but all of Ba Sing Se's green lighting is surprisingly cozy.

Sometimes, rarely but sometimes, Zuko has to put up with a lot of nonsense.

A raise? Did I miss a timeskip?

Busting in to a local business, yelling about the enemy, pulling out a lethal weapon: How to Look Sane, A Guide by Jet.

Customers, amirite?

I guess the Bei Fongs are too minor as nobles?

"You don't know what I had to do to get seats this near the bear!" but I want to.

I know this guy's voice from something.

Momo ghost plan. I want it.

Pretty funny that the busboys plan works better than the fancy ladies plan. Goes to show you should always play to your strengths.

Get de-wheated punk.

I'm not sure I've rooted for Zuko this wholeheartedly since The Storm.

Jet be like.

Judy is not good at her job. Like really not good. Her insistence on getting out of there before they cause a scene caused the scene. Nice going!

The music slowing down when Judy's face falls is really effective.

You ever get the feeling that it should be Aang who ran away to the circus rather than Ty Lee?

Actually a travelling circus would be a great way to be, and remain, an incognito airbender. Aang should have done that rather than frozen himself. Ok I'm not sure how much say he had in that, but you know what I mean.

For the first time in his life, Zuko has people take his side. It's too bad that it's based on a lie, but it must feel nice.

I would have preferred if Zuko had a clean win against Jet - they're both great with swords, but I thought Zuko was better - but an assist from the funky hat police works too.

I'm getting some funky vibes from the funky hat police.

Bye! I won't miss you!

The face on the guy on the left is the funniest part of this episode.

Now these are some funky hats.

I know this scene is supposed to be scary and tense and action-packed, but I can't get over the fact that the king just did a drive by. They carried him in one side and out the other. This concludes the King's presence at his Bear's birthday party. He's a very busy man, you see.

Long Fang's title keeps getting fancier.

Brain washing crops up quite a lot in kids' cartoons. This is not the first time I've seen this plot beat.

Forget the Fire Lord. Forget the Fire Nation. Long Fang just threatened Appa. Long Fang has to die now.

The Judys are replaceable. Given everything else this city seems ok with, they're probably disposable too. Yikes!

Final Thoughts

This episode was probably the most expository I've seen this season. Maybe even the whole show. It was a big infodump with barely any humour. Actually that's wrong; there was humour, but not to my taste.

Jet is infuriating as usual. I think the writers are going for the villainous decay trope, because smooth-talking season one Jet hasn't reappeared once.

I feel really sorry for Smellerbee and the archer guy. I wonder if they even wanted to go to Ba Sing Se in the first place.

Once again, for the third episode in a row, Zuko is one of, if not the, most reasonable character. Season one shouty Zuko is gone. Is this what I think it is? Has Zuko really turned a corner? If so, I'm liking (rather, disliking less) this new Zuko. This is good. I'm also surprised, because in my experience, if you want to domesticate someone, you don't put them in a customer-facing role. That will have the opposite effect and make them turn feral.

Iroh is having too much fun. It's good for him to have something of his own going on. I think he's been in Zuko wrangling mode 24/7 for the last two? three? years, so he definitely deserves to pursue his own interests for a bit. But I can't see Zuko being a tea boy for long before he's back to needing wrangling.

What's the long term plan though? Are Zuko and Iroh going to live the rest of their lives in Ba Sing Se? Are they waiting for something? Are Iroh and Zuko functionally dead, with Lee and Mushi taking their place?

I will give the show credit for finally coming up with and antagonistic force that Aang & company can't just bend or talk into submission. Bureaucratic tomfoolery covering for authoritarian censorship and information suppression and re-education was not something I'd ever have expected in this show, because it's a little too much like the real world, if you know what I mean.

I don't like seeing our heroes unable to triumph, so this episode was kind of uncomfortable to watch. It felt off the whole way through, which I credit to that creepy music box tune that played throughout. The soundtrack of this episode was a cut above what I usually hear in this show. I noticed it more than I usually do, and I mean that in a good way.

As someone who'd be lucky to pass as a busboy, upper class intrigue and social games stuff doesn't do it for me, so this wasn't an episode I was going to enjoy anyway. I preferred the B plot with Zuko and Iroh, for the sheer absurdity of the concept. Imagine you're in 1950s London, having barely survived the Blitz, and you come across Himmler working in a pub. It's so odd that it almost wraps back around to normal again.

I didn't find this episode very enjoyable. I don't like the forced inactivity that's been imposed on the Gaang. The humour was not to my taste. The worldbuilding was substantial, but - probably thanks to Joo Dee, whose name I've definitely been misspelling - it felt inorganic, like a lecture. Which the writers do lampshade by making Joo Dee sound like one of those audio guide things you rent from tourist attractions. But lampshading a fault does not make a fault go away.

Thanks to what happens to Jet, I know that the people of Ba Sing Se don't dare even think about the war, for their own safety. But after spending more than half a season being shown every type of refugee and victim of war in other parts of the Earth Kingdom, I could not bring myself to give a flying fuck over Pong's concern for keeping his house. The city is frustrating, the officials are frustrating, their priorities are beyond frustrating. Zuko was right when he said he didn't want to make a life there, although I did find the lower ring where Zuko and Iroh are to be far more comfortable than the high ring where the gaang is.

This episode makes me want to bite something.

And still no Appa.

#atla #avatar: the last airbender #avatar the last airbender #city of walls and secrets

[balanceoflightanddark]

Avatar the Last Airbender Netflix Episode 1- "Aang"

Well...the time has come.

My biggest question going into this series is asking why it needs to exist. I mean, from a business standpoint it makes sense. ATLA exploded in popularity overnight during the pandemic and Netflix wanted to cash in while the iron was still hot. Moreover, it's one of those "safe bet" projects. The name recognition alone is going to attract some viewers, even if just to compare it to the original. Doesn't matter if you don't like it, you still saw it. And if it boosts their numbers, it'll be a success regardless of critical reception.

No, my question stems from a creative standpoint: what are they going to do in order to make this remake seem like a necessary thing? What was so important that they needed to retell the story over again?

That's my thoughts going into the first episode. My first complaint is the structuring. It would not be a stretch to say that this episode had THREE introductions (arguably five if you count Aang and the water siblings being introduced): one by Kyoshi that gave an overview of the setting, one that set up that the Fire Nation was going to attack the Southern Air Temple during Sozin's Comet, and yet another by Gran Gran where she basically recited the original series opening. It just feels clunky, that we're being told the same information over and over again with exposition dumps.

And yeah, there's quite a few of them. Sure, some exposition is necessary to quickly relay the state of the world. But then we have stuff like Katara explaining that the Earth Kingdom is holding out in Ba Sing Se even though that's not exactly relevant to the current story? Stuff like that seems too much to throw at the viewer in too short a span of time. I'd hate to compare it to the original series where stuff like this was introduced more organically within the context of the story (Ba Sing Se was first mentioned in Iroh's siege of it, right?).

Last thing is that the acting was...hit or miss. Which to be fair I think was more direction and writing than any fault on the actors. Katara was...she was just kind of there for the most part I felt, not having any of the pent up anger of the original. And Gran Gran...yeah, her acting was bad. Really bad. Again, I'm blaming more on the writing since she felt stiff and didn't have any of the loving qualities despite her weariness of the original (didn't get a scene of her saying goodbye to Katara and Sokka for example).

Now, stuff I liked, and there was quite a few that I did like. I liked the actor who played Aang, he was a great choice. Really nailed down the balance between goofball and needing to take things more seriously. Some of the comedy beats were pretty good, like the one Southern Water Tribe member saying "He looks dead" about Aang, Sokka screaming his head off while riding on Appa, or one of the Fire Nation sailors grumbling about Zuko dragging their asses all over the place (first swear in the franchise and Zuko caused it).

There are two things I want to address here. The first change of Aang being more duty-oriented and wanting to clear his head instead of running away. I get the backlash...but I also think it's addressed here. In the original, Aang learned out in the worst way possible with nobody there to ease him into it. Which resulted in him running away. Here, Monk Gyatso broke it to him as gently as he could. It was still a bad situation, but I think a father figure being there to sort of steer him in the right path would've toned down his reaction in the original if that was allowed to happen. Plus it would've given Aang more incentive to take his duties seriously if Gyatso guided and vouched for him. Like he's doing it for his old mentor. I'd be interested to see where this goes.

Last thing: the scene between Aang and Iroh. It's simple, but effective. Aang asks why Iroh why the Fire Nation is waging the war, and the old man just gives off what sounds like Fire Nation propaganda. Aang shuts him down and Iroh...silently nods and agrees with him. It's actually pretty powerful. Aside from him realizing the implications that he just advocated the imperialistic rhetoric to a survivor of said rhetoric, it also sort of humanizes the Fire Nation a bit where an old veteran like Iroh admits that no, sometimes he and his people weren't always in the right. It's just he can't do much about it.

There. I complimented an Iroh scene and admitted he got one of the best scenes in the episode. Happy now?

All in all, it was...a solid start. I think I'm a bit more forgiving in terms of Aang's changed character since...well, I wasn't asking for a one-to-one remake of the original. There were a few things that bothered me, but I'm willing to hold the benefit of the doubt until they start becoming bigger problems down the line.

At the start of my watch, I asked whether or not a remake like this was necessary. What I got from this episode was..."maybe?" It's clear they want to do something different in terms of character, which is fine. It's just how clunky some of the dialogue and structuring choices were that holds it down a little. A shaky start, but there's room for potential.

#avatar: the last airbender #netflix avatar #atla netflix #aang #avatar aang #iroh #general iroh #atla #live action atla #avatar live action #live action avatar #monk gyatso #atla gyatso

[wendingways]

20 Questions For Writers

Thank you, @sinvulkt! I saw someone else post one of these a while ago, and it looked fun, so thanks so much for the tag! 💛💛💛

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Seven. Technically eight, but one of them is part of another and just separated for logistical reasons, so it doesn't really count.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

190,105 words

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Star Wars

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Fortune's Rule, 536 kudos

Missing Pieces No More, 142

Whispers From Tomorrow, 126

Petrichor, 42

Threadbare, 30

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Most of the time! Sometimes it takes a while because busy + tired, but I enjoy it when other authors respond to my comments, so I want to respond other people's comments. :)

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Probably Threadbare. Wouldn't say it's a full-on angsty ending, because I tend to go for angsty beginnings/middles and happy endings, but it's the closest I've got.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Whispers From Tomorrow, by virtue of it being a pre-Order-66 fix-it.

8. Do you get hate on your fic?

I've gotten a little. You know how FFN can be. There was this one kinda funny one instance where somebody was silent for like 20 chapters, and then absolutely flipped their lid in a comment after I killed off a character. Not even a main character! Oops....

9. Do you write smut?

Nope.

10. Do you write crossovers?

Not as a rule, but I did start scribbling down this weird idea for Anne Shirley, from Anne of Green Gables, ending up in the GFFA during the Clone Wars via some witchery in the Haunted Wood. What gets me is how I told my brother about it, and he promptly started nagging me to write it because he wants to read it XD

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but feel free to do so if you're interested!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic?

No.

14. What‘s your all-time favourite ship?

Meh, not really a big shipper.

15. What’s the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

WIP I will never finish? What are you talking about?

There are no unfinished WIPS in Ba Sing Se.

Seriously, though, probably my Padmé ROTS time loop fic. I had this idea for Padmé to keep looping back to some point in ROTS after she dies. I love the idea, it's roughly outlined and I've written some snippets, and there's this one scene that I'd really like to include, but I'm just not sure how to make the time loop AU work in this scenario.

16. What’s your writing strengths?

Grammar, usage, and mechanics. And maybe angst, oddly enough. Never figured myself for an angst writer, but then I started writing Fortune's Rule, and here we are.

17. What’s your writing weaknesses?

Speed. I write slowly. I also tend to end up going down research rabbit holes that suck up my time and energy. And I have a really hard time saying no to adding more characters, which adds to the whole writing-takes-a-long-time thing.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

Sure! I've enjoyed putting little bits of Mando'a and Huttese into Fortune's Rule.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Calico Captive, by Elizabeth George Speare, when I was in my early teens. Never managed to get a whole fic out of it, and what fragments I did write were terribly underdeveloped, sentimental, and shallow. But we all have to start somewhere!

20. Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

Fortune's Rule, all the way! I know it's not finished yet, but it is my precious and my problem child, and I love it to bits!

In a way, it's a very self-indulgent story, because it's got all the tropes I most adore, and it's like a puzzle, trying to figure out how to put all these different elements together in a way that's believable, and how to have characters develop to where I want them to be.

Plus, it's also given me some fun surprises, like Padmé and Ahsoka being besties, Ventress becoming Obi-Wan's confidant for a certain matter, and Piett becoming a friend/confidant/emotional support admiral for Starkiller.

And there's so much more fun stuff planned, especially as we're getting close the start of an arc I've been planning since before I started posting the fic in 2021! (There will be child hijinks. There will be pirates. There will be sand, and angst and fluff galore. And I am so kriffing excited.)

Tagging (If you're interested! I'm doing like sinvulkt and tagging some authors I've interacted with a bit on AO3; hope this isn't a nuisance to anyone! :) ) @musewrangler, @clawedandcute, @xxiamnotokay666xx

#ask game #tag game #20 questions #20 questions for fic writers #fic writing

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

I know the ZKs were mad when Mike confirmed on the podcast that there was nothing romantic between Katara and Zuko in the crossroads of destiny. That it was just empathy 😂

And it's not like we needed anyone to confirm something that obvious.

The one time they were not hostile with each other before Crossroads was when the Gaang + Zuko and Iroh teamed up against Azula. And even though Katara did something really nice when she showed compassion and offered to heal Iroh after Azula blasted fire at him, Zuko was NOT moved by her compassion, and in fact lashed out at her and her friends just for being near him and Iroh - aka the one person there he actually gave a shit about and had not been fighting side by side with just because it was convenient.

Crossroads happen, it's a nice moment - that also included Katara saying that up until that point she had pictured "the enemy's face" as Zuko's face, which makes perfect sense considering he has been trying to kidnap her best friend, and put her, her brother, their tribe, and a bunch of innocent people in danger. For fucks sake, before they both let their guards down a bit, Katara calls him a horrible person and she 100% means it. Why wouldn't she? We saw Zuko do kind things and show remorse/doubt, she did not.

And after such a meaninfull moment what does Zuko do? Immediately teams up with Azula, his sister/rival/enemy, and helps her capture Ba Sing Se for their father - who disfigured and banished him, and whom we later find out in The Day Of Black Sun that Zuko legit thought might have killed his mom. Even that guy meant more to Zuko than Katara did.

And who does Zuko repeatedly mention, visit, and eventually begs to forgive him after his betrayal? Iroh. Again.

And whose kind words of "we could have been friends" does Zuko explicitly bring up when he tries to join the Gaang? Aang. The guy his story is constantly a parallel to. The actual first person to trust him and give him a chance.

And, of course, after his "romantic moment" (according to Zutarians) with Katara, the next episode shows Zuko in a relationship with Mai. And once he is forced to leave her, yeah, he was kind of a douche by breaking up with her through a letter BUT he did feel the need to explain himself to her, to give her a proper goodbye, he even says "I'm sorry, Mai", and looks like a dumbass in love when he brings her up during a conversation with Sokka.

What was the one time he seemed to even remember Katara's existence before joining the Gaang? Oh yeah, when he remembered the water from the oasis and realizes she could have used it to save Aang - meaning Ozai would be mad at him. Even the ONE time that interaction with Katara crosses his mind without someone else mentioning it to him, it is still all about his feelings for a completely different person.

As for Katara, she also didn't bring Zuko up once. She was busy talking things out with her dad, travelling and getting into trouble with her friends, and worrying about the war - ya know, the one Zuko pretty much helped his father win, and yet she didn't mention him at all.

And when he joins the group? She naturally doesn't trust him in the slightest, and says that she will make him pay if he hurts AANG again. Pretty much stating that her anger at him is not because they had any kind of deep, meaningful bond (be it romantic or platonic) but because he was responsible for her nearly losing someone she loved - much like his nation took her mother from her, something she explicitly told him about, which must have only twisted the knife further.

Because of all of this, I wouldn't give a damn if Mike and literally everyone else involved in creating the show had said that the scene in Crossroads was meant to be romantic - the actual story and characters clearly show that was NOT the case.

Zutarians can cry about it all they want, but Zuko and Katara's bond starts in the second half of book 3, and it's clearly platonic. Any romance, or even friendship, that claim existed before that was only in their heads, not in the actual story.

#anti zutara

[impossiblycolorfulpanda]

Hi. I see you're really keen on the idea of an Azula redemption arc and I was wondering if you were willing to help me.

You see, I'm writing my own Zutara au and I wanted to give Azulas a simple but well meaning redemption arc but I don't know where to start. She is a complex character so I don't wanna go "and now she is good". Because that's also the point, I don't want to turn her into a goody-goody two-shoes, picture perfect princess. I want to keep that snarky and sarcastic side of her, mixed in with a little bit of tsundere. I want to make her an aunt to my two Zutara babies so she'll keep her caring side but more on the down low.

Anyway... Do you think you can give me some ideas? I also don't know who I want to ship her with so Azulaang ideas are welcome but not a must (nothing against the ship, i just haven't decided between Taang or Azulaang)

Thank you!!

How about this?

Due to Azula and Aang being a descendant of Aang's past life Roku. The two become spiritually connected, linked, and bonded with each other. This bond came to be right after Aang let go of Katara and embrace his last chakra, which instantly caused Aang to lose any romantic feelings he had for Katara. They can use this bond to slowly create another, more emotional and intimate bond. We don't give Aang enough credit of being sassy, sarcastic and mischievous in his own right. I'd kill to see Aang and Azula throw sass and comebacks at each other, it'll be peak entertainment.

I picture Azula's redemption being like Dante's divine comedy trilogy but it's metaphorical and psychological. She'd go through 9 circles of the burning hells, 9 earthly terraces of purgatory and 9 spheres of the high heavens. That's a total of 27 episodes.

You want an example of what a redeemed Azula looks like? Look no further than Diablo 3 reaper of souls, the female wizard: A deadpan snarker? check. Has fire and lightning powers? check. Is a prodigy? check. Her characteristics, design and clothing based on East Asia? check. Insufferable genius but can back it up? check. A one woman army? check. Is voiced by Grey DeLisle herself? check check check.

I've read a few Azulaang AUs where Aang teaches Azula how open and master her chakras. Each has there own interpretation on what's blocking each of her chakras. Here's what I have in mind.

Azula's fear is abandonment and being seen as monster, as evidence with the beach and the mirror scene.

As for her guilt, it's possible she may have some guilt over how Zuko was treated given how quick she was to overturn his banishment, she just couldn't bring herself to admit it and apologize. I than imagine Azula going through the same stuff Zuko went through in Zuko alone. Azula sees the damage her war has wrought, befriends some earth commoners but later turn against her either by finding out who she is or when she does something maniacal and unhinged which. Azula takes their rejection WAY harder than Zuko and angrily lashes out and wounds an innocent, which increases her guilt further.

Shame. Her failure to fulfil Ozai's promise to be fire lord and her humiliating defeat by Katara's hands is pretty self explanatory.

Greif. Contrary to popular belief, I think Azula loved Lu Ten and the two had close relationship. Why else would she only have her sights on Ba sing se and is dead set on bring it down? What comes in the form of new love, Azula sees Zuko and starts bawling her eyes out.

The lies she was told all came from Ozai. I picture Ozai and Azula having a similar dynamic between Anaken and Palpatine. You oughta explore more of the relationship between Ozai and Azula.

It's obvious by now she fell prey to the illusion of separation, but she also seems to be chasing after the illusion of perfection.

Her earthly attachment? It's Ozai. Hands down.

I hope any of this helps.

Btw, I'm currently trying to write a book 4: air. But the second half of season 2 of legend of korra will be shown in Aang's saga. Particularly book 4: air. Ozai is the dark avatar and he’s the most powerful firebender, earthbender, waterbender, airbender and energybender in existence after slaying the last lion turtle and absorbing its soul during Sozin's comet. But instead of Ozai fusing with Vaatu, Ozai IS Vaatu, and he was directly but secretly behind the starting of the 100-year-war. It's Aang that goes through the destruction of the original avatar cycle and heralds a new spiritual/avatar era, but this time, Raava becomes the spirit of light/peace and darkness/chaos at the same time, aka, the spirit of balance, she also embodies and controls all sources of bending.

#zutara #azulaang #spirit bond #au

[peony-pearl]

OOOOOOH I always LOVE reading your tags & if you ever decide to expand on your "what if" scenarios let me know, I'm certainly intrigued!

AHHH thank you!! ok so I might just add what I have thought out here but like

It absolutely makes sense that Zuko would be unhappy in the Fire Nation; it's poetic for his manic desire to return home. But like imagine if, probably after The Beach, he ends up warming up (hehe) to everything.

It starts with Azula talking about how she believed Ursa thought she was a monster, and that she was right - everything goes silent until Zuko says 'well maybe she was wrong'; then putting a strain on his memory of Ursa because now Azua and Ozai were all he had left. Azula is surprised, and Zuko sees how this affects her, and... things just start slowly thawing out between them.

They return to the Palace, Iroh sends the letter about 'Zuko's great-grandfather', and it goes as normal. Zuko is only feeling stressed from Iroh's 'meddling' when he's trying to give Zuko the peace of mind he thought his nephew needed, since due to his previous visits, he was so unhappy. However, after this episode, we don't see Iroh again until the finale; so imagine that Zuko finally takes Azula's advice to heart and... stops seeing him.

His relationship with Mai flourishes; Ozai even seeks him out more often for some 'father/son' time (and when Zuko finds out Azula concocted the outing, he's actually happy). He finally has a family.

But then when he goes to the War Room and he's told to talk about the Earth Kingdom... it all comes back to him. All of the faces and fellow refugees he'd once dismissed; he hears his father and sister and the soldiers laugh about the misfortune they'll eventually endure of their homes being burned to the ground, and something wells inside of Zuko. He's confused... and suddenly he's angry again. Especially when he's told that he will have nothing to do on Day of Black Sun. Ozai tells him that, as his heir, he needs to stay safe and out of danger; so he will remain in his chambers until further notice.

Later as Azula goes to see him after they get out of their armor and she tries to insist he join her in sneaking some of Li and Lo's tarts, he's back to being crabby and short with her. Azula asks him what his problem is, and all he can think about is Iroh telling him about Avatar Roku being his great-grandfather alongside Sozin. How Zuko's disdain for the idea for Sozin's Comet is fueling him to understand what his Uncle was telling him. Zuko really does have the capability to choose his own path... but at what cost? Zuko has continuously lost things that have mattered to him.

He looks at Azula, the closest they've ever been. If he left... he'd destroy everything they'd created. This was the first time they'd ever had a bond. He couldn't just throw that away. But if he took her to the Avatar... if she didn't destroy them first, then his friends would do just that to her.

Maybe he could just... look away. The Earth Kingdom wasn't his home anyway... but in a way it was. The name 'Lee' still resonated in his mind. He would hear the name in the streets and would jump. Azula would tease him and ask 'who's Lee? Was that your boyfriend in Ba Sing Se?'. A part of that Kingdom still resonated inside of his mind and his heart. They had taken him in when Azula was willing to hunt him and Iroh down (granted... the Earth Kingdom had no idea he was prince of the Fire Nation so... yeah maybe he DIDN'T owe them that much? he definitely used that to try and look away from the subject).

Either way, he tells Azula he's tired and he's going to bed early. Azula shrugs and knocks him on the head and is like 'fine, go clear your brain.' and he hates that he's missing out on spending more time with her; but... everything is suddenly turning on it's head, like it always does. He panics, sitting in his room and hyperventilating as he can't see a way out.

He's going to continue to fail someone he loves. But hasn't he done so already? To so many people. He's just a failure; but maybe he can change it; or maybe there's no point; can a failure still be loved?

So many thoughts run through his mind.

Until he has to realize... this isn't about him.

He thinks about Song and her burns. He thinks about when he used his Firebending to make Jin happy.

He thinks about Jet. What had happened to him when Azula took down the city?

If Zuko was going to be a prince, even a Fire Lord, he had to look beyond himself.

But he was thinking about Earth Kingdom subjects. But even so... hadn't he once been one of their own?

The Avatar is one of all elements. Zuko could be a ruler mindful of his fellow elements as well.

His family was going to destroy the Earth Kingdom. They'd already reduced the Air Nomads and the Water tribes to ashes. He'd laughed about their misery once. His Uncle had once led these efforts.

'You alone can cleanse the sins of our family.'

Agni, he'd already been so alone for so long. Why alone, uncle?

He thought about Azula again. He thought about telling her what he'd learned about Roku.

But every time he thought about telling her, about how she would feel about his growing idea to leave... he felt that distance again. He was falling from his sister's side.

He thought about Ursa. No, his sister wasn't a monster. But... she was so firmly attached to their father's teachings that, the moment she were to notice Zuko's waning involvement with the war, it was going to be over.

Zuko looks at his hands.

He was going to hurt them all.

Azula, Mai, Ozai...

He remembered Iroh's face when his own heart had been broken by his nephew.

Zuko's gut twists. It seems all he's good for is hurting people.

But maybe he can get to Azula before it's too late. Maybe he can work to eventually telling her about Roku; he can reveal who 'Lee' is... or was. Or is? He doesn't know anymore. His head hurts. All he knows is the horrible truth that he'll let his loved ones down.

It's going to be so hard.

But ultimately, he hears his mother alongside Iroh.

'That's who you are. Someone who keeps fighting even though it's hard.'

He knows his mind is made up. He sighs. There are still a few days until the Eclipse. Until then... all he can do is his best; maybe he can manage to get Azula to join him... until she finds out his true motive to join the Avatar and she fries him.

But he tries to keep a positive outlook (as positive as Zuko can maintain) ... after all, he'll need one for when he tries to convince Team Avatar to let him join.

#this wasn't entirely what I'd originally thought out but it's close XDD #Zuko #Azula #atla

[macabrecabra]

So, uh, you mentioned you broke ties with an old fandom you were in because the creator wasn't the best. I thiiiiiiink I know what fandom is it, so-- Could you explain what went on in it? (If you'd rather not make this public lemme know, all I can say is that I also ran tf away from that shithole lol)

Oh anon...I could write a BOOK on all the awful shit that went down and how creepy "There is no war in Ba Sing Se" it was whenever you started to get a vibe something was off. Not going into detail as the inner circles of it LOVE to shit talk just about anyone (Probably already has legends of how awful I was for not following the bullshit :I) but will give a small summary of big points: (read more for posterity reasons of not taking up the dash!)

- The exploitation of LGBTQA+ for incel pleasure - Being told non-binary people need to use "proper" pronouns -Having personal OCs rewritten constantly and any protest was seen as a personal insult - Being passively aggressively "punished" for any perceived slight and then told to just forgive the person because of their mental issues -Feeling like a cult where it is built up that if you are "good" you get art and praised, but if you are "bad" you will be punished until you do something to regain favor. Like... there were people who would share they were being put through hell....and just said "just deal with it...he doesn't really mean it. He's a friend!" -Just everything you do is somehow a "slight" when it was 100% harmless.... it made it so stressful to say or do anything. -SUPER PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE. SUPER MANIPULATIVE. Once mentioned taking new meds. Suddenly my meds are the reason I'm just 'not the same" as I was and the meds are making me depressed, clearly NOT the shitty treatment 83 Just...seriously, the more I pulled away, the more fucked up it clearly was. I was barely drawing or making things. I was crying a lot more. I was depressed and anxious, feeling pressured into things. Talking about it only made it worse as I was told to just "get over it" ... since leaving that shit hole, I've been 100% more mentally happy and positive in my life. I'm doing more. I'm active in my life more. I feel more present. And 100% it was because I left that toxic community. I no longer have to police what I say. I no longer have to wonder if what I do will please and maintain a friendship that was always one-sided. I do not have to be there to someone's constant support and be shat on in response...

All I can hope is that it is a community that eventually withers and dies under its own toxicity and doesn't get a chance to hurt others...

#Maca speaks #It was bad scoob #and I was brain rotted in it #right up until the passive aggression got to be too much and I couldn't just be nice about it #....especially after he told me my character should die #that really woke me up #sad thing is everyone I talk to who also left #has the same experiences #same horror stories #...it honestly makes me upset I didn't see it #but that's what the dependency/brainrot does... #and why I call it a cult

[littlegingermochipie]

anastasia au / アナスタシアバージョン zukaang week 2021 day four | ba sing se season 2 au / 平行宇宙

aang woke up under the control of dai li, while zuko and iroh lived in ba sing se three years after banishment. set as canon divergent version before crossroads of destiny. more of this story below the cut!

excuse my fuzzy brain for incoming plotholes maybe hehe yeah wow i love impulsiveness. anyway yeah sozin comet ain't comin until like, 120 AG-ish

zuko and iroh stopped searching for the avatar and peacefully worked under quon's patronage at ba sing se.

fortunately, due to their successful tea business, they found better access to knowledge of the avatar, as well as various air nomad's relics and textual informations. they decided to keep everything at their secret warehouse, hiring bands of thugs to keep it safe.

unbeknownst to iroh and zuko, four years before they lived as refugees, dai li was the first one to find aang in his iceberg state near eastern air temple.

hundred years ago, aang briefly fought against fire nation army at the temple alongside pathik, gyatso, the nuns, and several young monks. he was saved by pathik from dire situation by getting thrown into the ocean.

long feng planned to raise the boy as their secret weapon so earth kingdom could rise, taking down the fire nation.

upon woken up, aang was hypnotized, and could only remember that he's an orphan named liu jun, born as earthbender.

he was told that the markings on his skin was a curse since birth by angered spirits, and to never let other people see it or they'll be facing the consequences of his misfortune.

he lived like a bird in a cage under long feng's watch and the head of dai li's tutelage. for six years long, he felt horribly stressed.

one day, aang finally found a way to get out of his residence by tricking the caretakers, sneaking and riding on earth kingdom's logistic vehicles.

once he's out of the food supply cart, he found and saved momo from being sold by black market thugs in the lower ring. there, he stumbled upon zuko and iroh's secret warehouse.

zuko was mad for the intrusion, but quickly realized something about the boy's appearance. iroh, however, noticed that this liu jun has upper class upbringing, and concluded that he's one of the rebel child who wanted the taste of outer walls.

zuko just blatantly state the obvious; "kid, you really, really look like the avatar in that painting," but aang was like, "who's avatar?" and ended up being educated about hundred years war history.

aang felt shocked by the tattoos he saw on the painting. still, he quickly dismissed the idea that he might be a living airbender, since their tattoo was supposed to be a sign of mastery, not a curse like long feng said. he didn't tell this to iroh and zuko, yet.

"aish, you must be mad for ever thinking i'm the avatar. he should be an old man by now! i'm afraid of being near fire or under the water for too long, and i dislike being in cramped spaces with damp air. how am i supposed to bend those elements?" (those are also the mental issues resulted by long feng's braingwashing, ofc)

either way, he needed to hide from long feng. aang quickly sealed the deal to iroh's offer who gave him the chance to help their tea shop in the meantime. well, anything but being under dai li's supervision works.

for a week of working together, zuko had noticed a lot of strange things in aang; like how he could easily play kangling (air nomad's bone flute), how his footsteps were so light he almost can never be heard walking, and how he never want to bathe and get dressed with other people nearby.

in the hunt for aang, long feng sent royal guards to every corner of earth kingdom territory. finally, they found aang at the warehouse. chaotic pursuit ensues. iroh and zuko managed to save him—at the price of being labeled as criminals.

with the help of june, iroh and zuko found their way to their old ship and crews. they brought aang there, and asked who he actually was since he's so important for the dai li.

from zuko and iroh's research, the only living people who could confirm the avatar's identity was bumi, who's in omashu, and the temple sages. too much risk for those, ofc, so they opted to go to the empty eastern air temple for more hints.

there, they met pathik, who went, "monkey feathers! aang, is that you?" to which aang replied, "nah, i'm liu jun." and pathik's like, "but i can sense your avatar spirit! and-and your tattoos, let me look at it!" but aang was so, so afraid of showing it.

then, by nudging his inner ki, pathik managed to trigger the avatar state out of aang, causing him to remember everything, including his airbending ability.

zuko and iroh be like, "well, shit, he's really the avatar," and their journey went rather hellish from that, with both zhao's fleet and the dai li on their tail.

after being informed by pathik that he had bonded with an air bison named appa, aang wished he could find him, since appa's the only family that might remain alive with him in this world. zuko promised that they would find appa.

under the pretense of companionship, zuko secretly plotted to give aang to ozai, while he and iroh helped the boy to master four elements by travelling around the world.

feelings were hindering him on the way, though. months of travelling together did that. "i think we could be good friends, even in another lifetime, if not a hundred years ago." oof, aang.

just like dimitri and anastasia, zukaang had deep bonding session at the boat with their dancing dragon and firebending lessons. iroh did smile knowingly at them.

betrayal slapped hard when aang found out about zuko's actual plan during their fight against zhao at north pole, who revealed with, "you befriend this dishonored prince, avatar? all he wanted to do was to send you to the fire lord as a nicely wrapped gift! this was all a ploy to earn your trust, to take you down by knowing your exact blind spots! you are merely a tool for him to regain his former identity!"

ouch. they got separated from there. aang then teamed up with the eventually formed gaang at the other side of the world, while zuko getting scolded by iroh, "you don't only lose someone that you care about, but the hope of the whole world! your hope! hadn't the past three years taught you something? hunger for power only bring despair to you!"

both once separated parties then reunited with the crossroads episode. aang ended up dead, katara swore to finish the fire siblings off, and zuko went absolutely mad, drowned in grief.

it's up to zuko now, to actually fulfill his promises; from finding appa to saving the world from his father—all without knowing that katara could revive aang. angst angst angst, final boss, zukaang banging then everyone lived happily ever after ♥

the musical scores would be:

a rumour in ba sing se

once upon an agrahāyana

caldera holds the key to your heart

learn to wield it

learn to wield it (dancing dragon reprise)

in the dark of the moonless night

feels great to finally manifest this draft of zukaang anastasia au for @zukaangweek uwu

#zukaang #zukaang week 2021 #zukaang anastasia au #longer haired aang is life #yes yes shonen haircut #had too much fun with this #zuko #iroh #aang #pathik #aang fanart #zuko fanart #avatar: the last airbender

[hello-nichya-here]

You said you had issued with Iroh. I do too. I think the fandom thinks of him as this saint, did-nothing-wrong-ever, can't-be-mistaken, kind uncle/mentor when in reality he's just as flawed, just as a victim of enviroment as almost everyone in the fire nation. So can you please interpret your issues with Iroh? I'm very curious

The REAL problem with Iroh isn't even his flaws as a character, but rather the fact the writers don't seem to be aware of his flaws - for exemple...

1) Hypocricy and favoritism. Iroh calls his 14-year-old niece crazy for doing something horrible under the Fire Lord's orders - even though he did the same thing himself for DECADES, his nephew is trying to capture the last survivor of a genocide (with Iroh's help through all of book one), and his buddies are the freaking Rough Rhinos. He refuses to fight Ozai for the crown because he says history would see it as just a brother killing a brother for power... and then immediately tells Zuko to go fight Azula because apparently sisters (or Azulas) don't count.

2) Arrogance and refusal to learn. It's pretty ironic that the writers had Iroh of all people tell Zuko "Pride is not the opposite of shame, but it's source" when he indirectly caused his son's death when he tried to conquer Ba Sing Se, and then tried to conquer it - oh, I'm sorry, "liberate" it (like Zuko wasn't going to do that anyway) - again while his nephew (who he sees as his son) is fighting his sister (because he directly told him to do so) and it leads to Zuko almost dying and getting another scar, while Azula has a complete breakdown and is sobbing while literally being chains. Iroh, for the love of all that is holy, stop basing your decisions on visions that stroked your ego.

3) Azulon who? Seriously, I'm always gonna be mad that we never got to hear a word about how Iroh feels about his father, what he did to the world, and how he treated both him and Ozai. Talk about wasted potential.

4) RETCONS! Oh, did we say that he got the title "Dragon Of The West" while fighting in a battle - against the Earth Kingdom, aka the right side of the war? Sorry, we meant to say that he got while he lied to protect the last dragons. No complexity allowed here! And did you see the popular fan theory that Iroh was secretly against his nation from the very start of the series, and how that means he had been manipulating his nephew instead of changing and growing alongside him on their journey? Oh, and the show made him an important member of secret society that has been around for a while and that has done fuck all to actually help end the war before the finale! What do you mean all of that makes him look worse than if he had truly been on the wrong side and had a change of heart?

5) Denial and projecting. Remember the truly excellent scene of Iroh forcing Zuko to finally ask himself "Who are you and what do you want?" Remember the less excellent scenes of Iroh ignoring Zuko when he straight up told him he did NOT want that simple, quiet life in Ba Sing Se and of Iroh having zero issue seeing Zuko completely ignore his own personality, wants and needs to try and be his ideal son? (What's the deal with Ba Sing Se and exposing the worst of Iroh?) Remember how the show never acknowledged that in those episodes Iroh was essentially being a well-meaning Ozai? Remember how Zuko (rightfully) apologized to Iroh, but Iroh never apologized to him?

6) Out of character non-sense. Remember how, in the finale, iroh decided Zuko SHOULD be Fire Lord after all, and then fucked off to Ba Sing Se (again, this goddamn city) while his nephew had to deal with the responsibility of being a ruler AND of making sure the war really was over AND of being the legal guardian of his traumatized mentally ill little sister AND of trying to find out where his mother is? The fuck was up with that?

Anyways, Bryke and the fandom ruined their favorite character because they didn't want to accept that he was a flawed human like all the rest and I'm forever salty about it because, despite of everything, I DO like Iroh.

#asks #iroh critical #bryke critical #azula deserved better #zuko deserved better

[sokkastyles]

"You can't treat me like Zuko" is simultaneously one of Azula's most sympathetic lines for how tragic it reveals her to be and one of her most repulsive. It shows both her vulnerability and how truly terrifying it was for her living under Ozai, knowing exactly the price of failure because she was sitting there watching it with the always unspoken but ever present this could happen to you, but it also shows how complete her lack of empathy for her brother is. The worst thing she can imagine for herself is being treated like Zuko, which means of course that she psychologically can’t imagine it. Her primary way of coping with it was to believe that Zuko deserved it, and to prove over and over again that she was superior. This is what makes her go from an innocent victim to being complicit in her brother’s abuse, which of course does not mean she isn’t still a victim.

What strikes me about this scene, though, is how it does parallel the way Ozai treats Zuko.

Azula: [Pants.] Sorry I'm late, father. Good palanquin bearers are so hard to come by these days. So, is everything ready for our departure?

Ozai: [Facing the ship.] There has been a change of plans, Azula.

Azula: [Worried.] What?

Ozai: I've decided to lead the fleet of airships to Ba Sing Se alone. You will remain here in the Fire Nation.

Azula: But I thought we were going to do this together.

Ozai: My decision is final.

Azula: You ... you can't treat me like this! [Rising.] You can't treat me like Zuko!

Ozai: Azula, silence yourself.

Azula: But it was my idea to burn everything to the ground! I deserve to be by your side!

Ozai: Azula! [She bows her head.] Listen to me. I need you here to watch over the homeland. It's a very important job that I can only entrust to you.

I find it very interesting that Azula is late to meet Ozai, since not being perfectly punctual seems so very un-Azula-like. Her armor has already begun to slip here, due to the defection of first Zuko, then Mai and Ty Lee, all three people that she thought she had control over. And then of course she blames it on the palanquin bearers, because she herself has to be above blame. When she can’t exert her control over the people closest to her any more, she exerts control over her servants. And she of course cannot admit lack of control over herself. She wasn’t late. The palanquin bearers were.

But I also feel like it’s more than that. Ozai was prepared to leave without her and doesn’t even inform her until the last minute, when she shows up running to assume her place by his side, that there’s been a change of plans. This is similar to the kind of gaslighting that Ozai does with Zuko, and mirrors how Zuko was simultaneously not told about the war meeting once he was back home and yet expected to be there and chastised for being the last one there, something which I think that Ozai did purposefully. 

In the scene above, Azula is immediately put in a position where Ozai has the upper hand. It also mirrors how Zuko was so kept out of the loop even before his disgrace that he had to ask Iroh to let him in the war meeting. It’s hard to say whether this was due to Zuko being too young at thirteen, but since he brings up his duty as prince to Iroh, and since Azula seems to have been very familiar with war meetings at fourteen, I think this is due to Ozai purposefully shutting Zuko out. In contrast, this is the first time we see him do this to Azula. He’s not even looking at her as he tells her the plans have changed.

When she says that Ozai can’t treat her like Zuko, she stands up, furious. This is in contrast to Zuko falling to his hands and knees to beg for mercy once he perceives Ozai’s displeasure. Ozai tells Azula to silence herself where he once let her speak freely, and she brings up how it was her idea to burn Ba Sing Se. An idea that she brought up in the war meeting when she wasn’t even asked to speak and is interrupting. Zuko was burned for speaking up when he wasn’t supposed to and Azula was praised for talking out of turn and interrupting her brother. It’s no wonder she would be confused now, when she’s exhibiting the same behavior her father praised her for a few days before. Furthermore, it highlights what being “treated like Zuko” means for her. These are rules that are supposed to apply to Zuko, but not her.

And then he gives her an empty title and a task that’s basically meant to get her out of the way while he takes all the glory. Sound familiar?

Azula thought that playing by her abuser’s rules would keep her safe from the treatment she believed that her brother deserved. But like a lot of abusers (and like Azula herself) Ozai is a manipulator. This is actually what makes Ozai so dangerous to his children but it’s so subtly shown that a lot of fans don’t even see it, and see Azula as manipulative vs Ozai’s more straightforward violence. But Azula most definitely got it from her father, and in the end it’s used against her as well. Of course, it always was, but she was so indoctrinated into the belief that she was better than her brother that she thought it would save her, and that’s ultimately what makes her such a tragic figure.

#azula #ozai #atla meta #avatar the last airbender #zuko #abuse cw

[lovebecomeshim]

hello! your zutara posting today has finally motivated me to ask this question because I came to atla very late(last year, to be specific) and I Love It Very Much but am 1000% out of the loop as far as why what remains of fandom (at least that I've seen among my friends) is so very strongly zutara. I'm not opposed to it per se I just don't really know what has driven it to apparently be such a popular ship? can you help me understand and maybe convert me a little bit?

Hey!! Your ICON! :D I can try but I’m not sure how coherent I’ll be; however I AM sure someone a lot more competent will be willing to add to this. Either way, I’m glad you asked because my plan was to drag down as many people as possible with me.

*smacks the hood of zutara* this baby can fit so much mutual love and support!

This got so long, I’m so sorry. I don’t know how to put it under a cut on mobile and it already got deleted once so I’m scared to mess with it lol. Moving on.

I’m gonna start this with a disclaimer that im on mobile so formatting is tricky and I’m also really new to atla in that I only completed my first watch through in like 2019??? So some of my info is all just based on what I’ve picked up from Discourse 👀 so anyway the sparknotes version: zutara was wildly popular from the beginning. To the point where the atla crew internally disagreed on which ship should be endgame. (Ex. Bryke [showrunners] asked the writers to rewrite The Southern Raiders to make Zuko seem less ideal for Katara than Aang [which failed, depending on who you ask]; the animation team purposefully created a visual parrallel between Oma and Shu in the Cave of Two Lovers and Zuko and Katara in the catacombs under Ba Sing Se in the Crossroads of Destiny; etc.)

The ship was popular enough that Bryke actually chose to display zk fanart at a con for the sole purpose of mocking the fans, but that’s neither here nor there. The entire episode Ember Island Players, while a love letter to/parody of the whole show, was an opportunity to address zutara’s viability as a canon pairing (while, again, mocking zutaras for romanticizing that catacombs scene). Point is! It’s always been popular but with it not being endgame, there’s got to be something that’s given it staying power.

And that’s honestly got to do with three things: their dynamic, thematic cohesion, and potential.

(You know what... you know what, it’s four things. The fourth is they’re so aesthetically pleasing together and individually. Like, they’re just good looking people [specifically when they’re grown but they’re also cute kids] and that absolutely doesn’t hurt) (but it’s not the Point, it’s just nice to point out sometimes)

The dynamic is hard to get into without also looking at the canon pairings, but I think I can do that without unnecessary bashing. It’s just that part of the magic of zutara is really highlighted by what they give to each other that their other relationships don’t.

First off, it’s classic enemies to (would be) lovers. The absolute truest form of it. It’s not too different from how CS started out: a rogue antagonist with a job to do—but no personal vendetta against the future love interest—who is deeply and emotionally invested in his personal storyline (revenge/redemption) with little regard for how it effects other people after his entire life and genuine good nature are marred by suffering, and a fierce warrior girl with a strong moral compass and her own personal investment in stopping him (protect her family and save the world doing it). Obviously frustration and animosity grew between them by the nature of them being on opposing sides, but that just lends itself to the sweetness of their later reconciliation.

The thing is that while they’re wildly different on the surface (he’s a hot-headed prince of a fascist regime who is trying to capture the Avatar to please his father; she’s a nurturing daughter of the chief who is trying to protect and train the Avatar in order to topple his father’s throne) they find out that they have so much more in common both in their experiences and their personalities.

(What follows is an excessive use of the word “both” and I’m sorry about that)(I can edit it. I can do that. That IS an option............)

They both have an innate sense of justice that they are determined to see done (zuko, at the war meeting, sticking up for the Earth Kingdom kid when the guards torment his family, choosing not to steal from the pregnant couple despite his circumstances, abiding by his word to leave the SWT should Aang come willingly, etc.; katara, literally.... at any point). They both have pretty one-track minds at accomplishing certain goals once they’ve put their mind to it, regardless of a lack of support in that endeavor (it goes without saying I guess, but zuko’s entire hunt; katara’s determination to get the earth benders to fight back, her determination to absolutely destroy Pakku until he agrees to teach her, etc.). They both lost their mothers at young ages. Their worlds are war-torn and traumatizing to them both, if in different ways, but that ultimately forces them to grow up too quickly to be wholly independent individuals. They both have issues with their fathers (for WILDLY different reasons, but). They both hold extreme prejudices that they need to learn to overcome (which ties into thematic cohesion)(bit like Lizzie and Darcy in that way but magnified by a million). They’re both extremely emotional and empathetic—which can and often does result in loud outbursts. Katara’s a bit better adjusted and can temper her anger for longer than S1 Zuko can, but they both feel that anger deeply and have no compunctions expressing it (Katara is, usually, more justified, particularly in S1. Again, S1 Zuko is severely maladjusted but at the point when they could’ve feasibly become a couple, he’s so much better off with the way he carries himself). They both struggle with feelings of inferiority in their bending abilities when confronted with prodigal benders like Aang and Azula, but have the work ethic required to double down and become two of the most powerful benders in the three remaining nations. This is a little more minor but it is a parrallel that appeals to some shippers that they both have these alter egos in the Painted Lady (notably fire nation coded) and the Blue Spirit (water tribe coded) that are pretty different from who they are day-to-day and are useful in accomplishing a purpose that they as themselves cannot.

(I’m.... I just realized that this could potentially get very long. Should I have made a slide show with bullet points??????)

Anyway, similar. I know there’s more but there’s literally so much to love about zutara that I’ll drive myself a little crazy trying to compile all the ways they’re similar. (Just gonna say that at this exact moment I went back to add more similarities.... so okay then)

Once they’ve reconciled, we see how all of these things only lend themselves to a deeper intimacy together than they share with literally anyone else. There’s a steady partnership that positions them as the mom/dad of the gaang, while also providing the support necessary to allow the other to not have to carry so much responsibility. A lot of zutaras will point out how zuko is actually depicted doing the more domestic chores that are normally relegated to Katara once he joins the gaang, since the others in the group are two 12-year-olds and sokka. The one that sticks out the most is how he makes tea for the group and then serves them, while Katara is able to just relax with her friends around the fire. Fanon expands upon this a lot to Zuko helping with the laundry or the cooking or whatever else needs doing since he, as a once-refugee, is used to doing his own domestic tasks. Before Zuko joined, Katara was the one mothering everyone, sewing for them, cooking for them, etc. She’s always tending to the needs of the group, and that includes emotionally. She does the emotional labor for the gaang 99% of the time, but when she’s the one falling apart, she’s usually doing it alone and without the comfort that she normally provides for others. Until Zuko. And that’s before they’re even friends.

Which is WHY people romanticize the catacombs of Ba Sing Se so much. Katara is verbally attacking Zuko out of her own righteous anger but also her own prejudice when Zuko, surprisingly, chooses to be vulnerable with her. He’s been on a journey that’s opened his eyes a bit, but he’s never actively chosen to expose the rawest parts of his past to anyone. But for some reason he chooses to do that with Katara of all people. While she’s yelling at him. He sees her humanity, and for once can look past his prejudice and empathize with her. And this time, when she breaks down, she gets to be comforted. Katara normally talks about her mother when she’s trying to explain to someone else that she sees and understands they’re pain, as a form of comfort to them. Here, Zuko uses the exact same tactic. He sees her and he understands. And for zuko? He’s not being shut down. He’s allowed to articulate his pain regarding his mother without being ignored and made to internalize it, and he’s allowed to process how he feels about his scar out loud without being told that he deserved it. And then he lets her touch his scar, something we’ve seen him actively avoid before. He’s completely open to her and she’s completely open to him and all it took was one five minute conversation. She was about to use the little bit of Spirit water that she had, that she was saving for something Important, to heal the scar that still daily causes him pain just because they had, somehow, connected.

Plus there’s the whole parallel to the star-crossed lovers forbidden from one another, a war divides their people—

And then zuko messes up, he regresses, he gets what he wants and he HATES it. And the sense of justice he had as a child has been restored to him against his will and he can’t think of anything he wants to do more than the Right Thing, so he joins team avatar. Before he does that though, we get to see his relationship with Mai, which is where comparison really comes in. And what we see is Zuko, fresh off of his encounter with Katara in the catacombs, trying to be emotionally honest with Mai... and getting shut down and dismissed. Which is just how Mai is and it’s fine, but not for Zuko. Still, he keeps trying, and he keeps getting ignored or scoffed at or yelled at. Which is really a larger symbol for how he doesn’t fit in his old life anymore, but again that’s about thematic cohesion. He tries to articulate his anxieties about returning home, he tries to make romantic gestures, he tries to explain how morally conflicted he’s feeling—and Mai diverts to some kind of physical affection to shut him up and a parting comment that is pretty much always, in essence, “I don’t wanna talk about this.” So they don’t. On the other hand, once zuko and Katara are friends, we see him again emotionally distraught and caught up in his anxieties about facing Iroh, and it’s Katara who comes to him and listens to him and comforts and encourages him.

Similarly, we have Aang clamming up and getting uncomfortable whenever Katara shows any negative emotion, usually resulting in him making excuses or running away. Or, in the case of the Southern Raiders, lecturing her on how she needs to just let go of her anger about her mother’s murder. People have talked this episode to death and usually better than I ever could, so imma... keep it brief. There’s a serious disconnect between Aang and Katara in his ability to empathize with Katara and her needs that has her tamping down her vulnerability and amping up her anger. He tells her that he was able to forgive his people’s genocide and appa’s kidnapping (petnapping? Theft??), which is blatantly not true but also not an entirely equal parrallel to Katara’s situation, and continues making these little remarks throughout the episode. But it’s Zuko that Katara opens up to. It’s with him that she’s able to talk about the most traumatic day of her life, and it’s with him that she’s able to get the closure she needs, cementing their bond as friends and partners. This disagreement between Aang and Katara is then... never resolved. They just never bring it up and hear what the other is saying.

There’s a fic called The Portraits of Ember Island that has a line that so completely sums up the heart of the matter for why people love their dynamic. For context, zuko has woken up early to help Katara with the cooking and they spend the whole time just letting one another talk, and zuko stops to ask why she always just lets him talk. And so she stops to ask why he’s always helping, and it goes as follows:

There’s just... so much mutual support! Trust! Intimacy!! And it just continues like that from the Southern Raiders on, listening to each other, advising each other, watching each other’s backs! And then! Literally saving each other’s lives!! I will never be over the last Agni kai. Not ever. Zuko may have been willing to jump in front of lightning for anyone, but he actually did it for Katara. And in a show, that’s the thing that really matters. It’s a fulfilled trope usually exclusively applied to romantic pairings, and it ended up applying to Zuko and Katara. And then she ran out into the middle of a fight with tunnel vision just to get to him.

Also!! Also Zuko pushing Katara out of the way of the falling rocks at the Western Air Temple!! And Katara catching him as he fell from the war balloon that he fought Azula on!! Before they’re even getting along, they’re the ones reaching for each other. They come to this place of equal ground, as partners, who watch each other’s backs, call each other out but still listen attentively and understand, and provide the support that the other has been sorely lacking up until they knew each other (whether that be from lack of effort or lack of understanding from others, or an unwillingness to accept it for themselves).

Then, trailing along under the surface of this, we see the themes of the show totally embodied by Zuko and Katara as individuals and in their relationship to one another. There’s a YouTuber, sneezyreviews, who has a, like, 2-hour explanation on why she not only loves zutara but also believes that their endgame would’ve actually elevated the writing of atla to new levels particularly because of thematic cohesion and resolved character arcs. It’s the zutara dissertation I never knew I needed, and it’s funny and eloquent and effective, so I’m just going to sum up her section on thematic cohesion to the best of my abilities and then link it for whenever you have the time. And I HIGHLY recommend it, especially if you want a full understanding of what makes zutara so great and gives it such longevity.

Guru pathik has a line that goes something like this: separation is an illusion; things that seem different are just two parts of the same whole. Iroh also tells Zuko something similar: balance and strength are achieved when the different nations come together and influence one another and celebrate what makes them each unique. And this lesson is a massive central arc that both Zuko and Katara go through, moving past a black-and-white, good guys-vs-bad guys, us-vs-them mentality and into a greyer, more nuanced view of the world. Zuko sees the fire nation from an entirely new perspective and while he still loves and hopes for his nations future, he surrenders his blind loyalty to them in exchange for an unflinching loyalty to peace and love. Katara too had to come to terms with the fact that cruel people exist in the earth kingdom and water tribes, while some fire nation citizens are just regular, kind people who also need and deserve to have someone speak on their behalf. And this is honed in directly on how they view each other. They grow in their individual journeys to be open to the humanity in the other and then, once they’ve found that, they’re able to grow more in compassion for others in a beautiful feedback loop. And this is all matched in the symbolism repeatedly and intentionally associated with them in canon: sun and moon, fire and water, yin and yang, Oma and Shu who found love despite their warring nations. Their individual arcs are completed in each other and complement the themes of atla beautifully.

The canon pairs... just don’t. Which, again, is fine. But the very things that give atla longevity and popularity are anchored in zutara. Kat@ang doesn’t accomplish this. They’re... nice. Sweet. Especially when you erase a good portion of their interactions in S3. It could’ve been just a sweet love story. (Personally, the dynamic between toph and aang accomplish the same thing that zutara does, with complementary personalities that fulfill the theme of opposites blending in harmony) M@iko, on the other hand, is less sweet but I think wasn’t even supposed to last. Zuko’s relationship with Mai seems to represent his relationship with his old life as a whole. He can’t be emotionally vulnerable, he’s goaded into abusing his privileges, his agency and opinions aren’t respected. They just don’t have common ground with which to discuss anything that matters, so they don’t. As far as themes, the relationship doesn’t fit with atla. It’s zuko returning to and sticking with what is (on the surface) like him, what’s expected. Fire nation with fire nation. Fluid water bender with the flexible air bender. Like with like, separated from what is different and challenging and complementary.

And all of these things combined of course lead to the potential for the ship. I don’t know how familiar you are with the post-atla canon but... well, miss “I will never turn my back on people who need me”, miss “I don’t want to heal! I want to fight!” ends up living quietly in the SWT as a designated healer who turns a blind eye to the water tribe civil war happening right outside her front door. Which can be fine! People change! Some people just wanna stay inside. I just wanna stay inside! But the potential future for zutara is so much more satisfying, with Katara becoming the most unconventional Fire Lady the uppity old cads who are stuck on the old ways have ever seen. Fanon has her serving as a voice for the other nations within a kingdom at the point of its biggest political upheaval, as a confidante to Zuko who can actually help him while he’s trying to figure out how to move forward and make reparations. They have the opportunity, together, to accomplish what they both have set on their hearts to fight for: positive change that lends itself to harmony and balance. And the steambabies! A popular headcanon is that their firstborn daughter, the crown princess, is actually a waterbender, which causes such an uproar among the people who are adamantly clinging to the old ways. It’s just a future full of potential to be forces for good together, full of trust, intimacy, joy. The exact era of peace and love and balance that zuko announces that he intends to ring in with the start of his reign as Fire Lord is, again, magnified by the very personal zutara relationship. And we love to see it.

tl;dr zutara isn’t for everyone. Some people just don’t vibe with it. Some are nostalgic. Some love the canon they grew up with. Some have been disappointed for years. Some just see themselves in other characters and want their happiness instead. Whatever the reason, that’s fine. But for me, I love the way these two, from the moment they give each other a fair chance, are able to lower their walls and prejudices to see the other for the kindred spirits they are. They see each other’s humanity, and their response is to pour out love and support and compassion. I love that they’re a power couple in battle. I love the symbolism and, honestly, soulmatism that colors their every interaction. I love that they embody the whole storyline of atla in their relationship and how it develops, which is notably why their seasonal arcs always culminate in each finale with how they relate to one another. I love that zuko adopting a waterbending move is what actually saves his life and then katara’s. I love the chemistry! And I love the future they could’ve had, instead of the ones they were given.

So, in conclusion: I just think they’re neat and I hope you do too, at least a little bit. Even if it’s just respectfully from a disinterested distance cause you do you. And now here is the video I mentioned. I’m sorry this post got so long and then I gave you an even longer homework assignment, but I can’t recommend it enough. She says it all better than I can.

#zutara #atla #zutara rant #like really the way the canon relationships were written throughout s3 #it would’ve been more believable for zutara to happen #or at least be hinted at #all of the major issues presented in those relationship were dug up extensively and then... never resolved #and then they just slapped some kisses on a screen and said ‘there all better’ #and we just kinda had to say ‘oh ok guess it’s all better then’ #this got long I’m sorry #I wrote it all out and then tumblr ate 2/3 of it #which is why it took so long #and what I’ve written now doesn’t even match what I had before #because there’s too much to say about why I love zutara #and the stuff I left out the first time is what came out this time #rip to my original thoughts but this post is different #anyway that’s why this took so long #and I should’ve just made a PowerPoint... #I can do that too if you’d rather not read all of this lol #I won’t be offended #this is incoherent #Alia rambles uselessly #also hoping this doesn’t end up in any wrong tags because I don’t wanna step on toes lol #it’s not anti!! it’s just critical #in a compare/contrast way #I can pinpoint the moment when I started trying to rewrite my points from memory #because everything gets shorter and more succinct #like... I really said all that??? sounds fake and I don’t remember it anyway so here’s the condensed version #with no!! smooth!!! transitions!!!! #also why am I so lazy with proper grammar over text

[klm-zoflorr]

Why It Is Bad That We Never See Mai or Ty Lee in the Comics Deal With Their Imperialist Past

How come we never see Mai or Ty Lee deal with their imperialist past in the comics? For yeah comics!Azula is a horrible person and it is implied that Azula was never friends with Mai & Ty Lee, who where coerced subjects trying to keep their mad sovereigns (Azulon, Ozai, & Azula) happy. But I find it odd that neither no one in-universe or the narrative challenges them for their past. Like Zuko, Iroh, Piandao, Jeong Jeong, and Chey all had to confront their imperialist past before redeeming themselves despite having as good an argument, if not better, that they were being coerced or faced life threatening consequences if they didn’t comply. So what makes Mai or Ty Lee different any different? And before people say they went to prison, it was for committing treason against the Fire Nation/attacking their Princess; not for realizing the error of their ways and wanting to change.

Though in Ty Lee’s case she did say she did join the Kyoshi Warriors in order to fix a broken world in the Sisters comic so maybe Ty Lee did confront her past. But I wish we saw her time in prison so we saw her change considering she enthusiastically fought against the Kyoshi Warriors & The Gaang and mocked the Kyoshi Warriors’ style, not knowing or caring for the reason behind their makeup or dress.

However comics!Mai really hasn’t really done anything…in fact she kept from Zuko and The Gaang the fact that her father was leading the New Ozai Society until Zuko almost got killed (and was only saved by PIS and a last minute unexpected heel-face turn) and The Fire Warriors were able to kidnap around a dozen kids, including Mai’s own brother and Azula/Zuko’s half sister. And even more galling, when confronted for her treason, she has the gall tell an understandably angry Zuko that he of all people should understand how hard it is to betray your father. As if there wasn’t a difference between betraying the all powerful ruler of your country who has a cult of personality, has burned you before, can quickly fire off lethal amounts of lighting on command, and has said before he wanted to kill you versus betraying your mentally and physically weak father who rejected being integrated into the new government and seeks to put someone back in power who would likely kill you for committing treason against him.

On a sidenote, isn’t crazy that Zuko then quickly apologized and the story never brought up the topic of Mai’s treason ever again?

But getting back on track, are we being unreasonable in asking that Mai and Ty Lee confront their past or if they already did, that we actually see it on page/screen? Especially since the message sent by them not doing so is that if you turn at almost the last point possible, the people you have wronged repeatedly and the world community will instantly forgive you despite constantly engaging in imperialism (ex. fighting against the rebels in Omashu, jailing and impersonating The Kyoshi Warriors), let alone helping commit one of the biggest acts of imperialism in history (helping Azula take over Ba Sing Se)?

Also on a sidenote, I do have an on-going series where I post my thoughts on the Avatar series (this is where this post came from) so feel free to read the rest of them and comment on them.

-----------

I absolutely agree, Anon. I also think Avatar does have a huge problem with putting people into "boxes", like the Good Guys: Zuko, Aang, Katara, Iroh, Ty Lee, Mai, Ursa, even Azulon somehow who can NEVER do or ever did anything wrong (even tho anyone with even a piece of a critical mind knows they did and are flawed human beings) and the Bad Guys: Azula, Zhao, Ozai who are entirely bad and never did anything right and are basically souless emotionless demons.

"it is implied that Azula was never friends with Mai & Ty Lee"

Tbh I feel like this point was a retcon. In the show we see Azula genuinely likes them (hugging Ty Lee, apologising to her, setting Mai up with Zuko, playing with them as kids, being genuinely hurt when they betray her) and I'd be strongly tempted to say they did too. That might just be my interpretation but I feel like Mai really was awfully bored in Omashu and she was happy Azula came to give her something to do. Same for Ty Lee, she looked happy when Azula came at the circus (before she started threatening her), and when they were playing as kids. And I don't think her constant compliments were 100% genuine, of course, she's smarter than this, but I don't believe she was completely lying to her either.

Imo, they were friends, it was just so much complicated by Azula being their commander, war, and living in an imperialistic nation.

The comics (and the last episode of the show too) don't care about that, of course. The narrative they propose is just "Mai and Ty Lee always hated and feared Azula, they had to do everything she told them and so they never have to face any consequences" even tho we know Zuko, who was actually in that situation, had to face consequences for his.

Also, Mai is a perfect New Ozai Society supporter if I've ever seen one. I'm gonna start headcanoning her as a legit villain who consciously manipulated her way to avoid consequences for her actions thanks to being the Firelord's gf and her "treason", it's fun.

«The message sent is that if you turn at almost the last point possible, the people you have wronged repeatedly will instantly forgive you.»

Preach it! Ironically enough, last-minute traitors are often forgiven injustly in real-life wars even tho they might be objectively terrible people, but I don't think the comics writers were aiming to explore this particular subject xD

#atla #azula #ty lee #mai #avatar the last airbender #submission #atla analysis #analysis #klm-zoflorr #anti mai

[lalahbug]

Guidance - Zuko x Reader Chapter 6

Fandom: Avatar the Last Airbender Word Count: 3,232 My Masterlist

Warnings/disclaim: General 18+ Angst

Author’s Note: under story ___ is a blank for your name/oc/whatever you prefer Written in 3rd person Line/header is to separate paragraphs to indicate time skips, as Tumblr hates my formatting.

Story under cut, 6 of 8, Guidance Masterlist

        A few weeks had passed, ___ was healed and quickly became the new mother figure of the group. Teaching about survival, chi blocking, and helping with most of the chores. Of course, she also played with the group and lectured them like a mother as well.

        ___ and Aang were meditating together, during a sunrise, which Aang wasn’t too happy about after being up most of the night traveling. Aang peaked at her as she exhaled deeply, relaxing further, still keeping her posture. 

        “Staring at me isn’t going to help your mediating, Avatar.”

        “You didn’t even open your eyes; how did you know?” He pouted but started meditating again.

        “Your breathing went normal instead of trained.”

        “How do you do that?”

        “Do what?”

        “Hear so well, know when I’m doing something I’m not supposed to do.”

        “I’ve had heightened senses for a long time. But as for knowing when you’re doing something, we’ll chalk it up to Mother Instinct.” She chuckled softly. “You’re really not in the mood to meditate, are you?”

        “No!” Aang groaned before falling backward.

        “Okay, practice your breathing with me for a bit then I’ll let you go.”

        “Okay!” Aang agreed with a smile while sitting up. 

        Aang and Katara were practicing some waterbending, while ___ watched their movements.

        “Why don’t you come join us? Aang could use the opportunity to fend off two waterbending foes.” Katara smiled and splashed some water at Aang.

        “Thank you, but I don’t know many waterbending moves, I’d be an easy target. I can only whip water and create waves.”

        “That’s right, being from the North Pole, they never taught you. But didn’t you learn on your own?”

        “I only got the water whip and the wave, that’s all I learned on my own.”

        “Why didn’t you say anything? We could have taught you.” Aang urged.

        “I’ve never been a good waterbender, there’s no point in teaching me. I’m an average healer and I can do pretty movements with a full moon, but that’s it. My strength is chi blocking and fast reflexes.”

        “Well, I think you could be a good waterbender. Why don’t you practice with us? You can learn some new moves and there is no pressure if you can’t do it well. Because like you said, your strength is chi blocking.” Katara urged, ___ shrugged before disrobing a bit, and getting into the water with the two masters.

        One day before the invasion, The Day of Black Sun, and Aang wasn’t able to sleep. ___ was up with him, just after sunset.

        “You can’t stay awake before the invasion. You need to be rested. But I think if you’re alone, it’ll be worse. So, would you like to go over the chakras to help you with the Avatar State?”

        “I think I know them; I just can’t do the last one.”

        “Ah, you mean the Thought Chakra? Is it because of Katara?”

        Aang blushed a bit before sighing. “Yes, but also, I don’t know how to let go of Earthly attachments when I have to protect them.”

        “The Avatar is bound to this earth to protect it. You must learn to balance these or they will be your downfall. You let Katara go completely at Ba Sing Se, you were then attached to cosmic, too attached to cosmic energy. As the Avatar, you must find balance with your cosmic energy and your Earthly attachments. You can open the Thought Chakra, by learning to balance your attachments. Earthly, Avatar, cosmic, love, spirit, and even your nomad teachings.”

        “What about my nomad teachings?”

        “There will be a day where you might have to sacrifice your beliefs for the greater good, to keep balance in the world. But because of your teachings, I know you’ll find a way to balance the good with your morals.”

        “You’re talking about the Fire Lord, aren’t you?” Aang curled up and placed his weary head on his knees.

        ___ smiled at him gently, examining the bags under his eyes. “You can face him, you can beat him, we all believe in you, especially as he is powerless during the eclipse. But, what if, you can’t get to him in time. Don’t get me wrong, Sokka’s plan is amazing. Things don’t always go as planned. If you can’t get to him in time, you will have to fight him someday. How will you restrain him? Or will you have to take his life? I worry about the outcome of this plan a lot. From my talks with Roku to how devious the Fire Nation is. I just hope you know, if this fails. It’s not your fault. There will be some other factor that makes it so you can’t get to him in time. I have no doubt about you facing him, just our timing.”

        “It’s terrifying to even think of facing Ozai, but hearing the faith you have in me helps. Hearing that you don’t expect me to defeat him tomorrow, really helps. But your question haunts me. How will I restrain him?”

        She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, “I believe in you Aang, the world does. But in the end, you are just one kid, and you will need to listen to words of wisdom from your past lives. From ancient sources, and learn to bend life and energy itself if you are to defeat Ozai without taking his life.”

        “Bend life and energy? How do I do that?”

        “I’m not sure, I only read about it in the spirit library. You will have to hope that an ancient source shows you.”

        “Well, with you and the Spirit World to access, I think I’ll be able to find it if needed.”

        She smiled at him before meditating with him. She knew of the group's plan to make a bed for Aang so he could finally sleep, she was just keeping him company in the meantime.

        “___?” She hummed softly in reply, still meditating. “What if we see Zuko during the invasion? What will you do?” She opened her eyes, a sorrowful smile formed as their eyes met.

        “Depending on where he is in his journey, I’ll either have to disable him or listen to him.”

        “What do you mean?”

        “My first night in the Spirit World with Roku. He let me know of my future, to help me mentally prepare for it. He told me a beautiful tale of me falling in love, with his great-grandson. But he warned me, his great-grandson has the ability to be good or bad. As Roku and Sozin are both his great grandfathers.”

        Aang gasped, “Zuko’s mom is the granddaughter of Roku?”

        “Yes, that’s why he is at war within himself. Between his two natures. He also didn’t have the healthiest of families to help him cope with it either. His uncle, although wonderful, found his path in life a bit late. I hope Zuko will find that path one day too, but I can no longer be the one to guide him, he must find it himself. But only time will tell if he will find it soon or if he will live a long life trying to find it.”

        “Do you still love him?”

        Her eyes fell to her stomach and the bump there. “I do, but when he took another woman because I was unconscious for weeks, I feel as though maybe my love might have been blinded by the fairy tale Ruko told me. For he never mentioned a child. He only mentioned I would have to choose to forgive Zuko or not, and that it would be very difficult for me. I love him, but I'm not sure if I can forgive him just yet."

        "It must be hard, not knowing if he loves you or not, yet still having this child."

        "It hurts not knowing, but it's not too hard. I'm not worried for some reason, not when it comes to this baby."

        Aang had a flash of the small baby named Hope that Katara had helped deliver a few months back. "Babies are a beautiful thing, especially when you have someone to share it with."

        "Katara asked me to stay until the baby is born at the very minimum, so in a way I will, you guys are the closest thing I have to family right now. So, I'll share that experience with you."

        "So, I get to be an uncle?" He smiled.

        "You'll be the best uncle!" They giggled softly and she smiled at him fondly as the group approached them, ready to help Aang finally sleep. 

        After the invasion, Aang wanted nothing to do with the planning for the next steps, next attack. ___ shut herself away from the group and the others with them now. She should have been left behind with the other adults, but they wouldn’t hear her protest, since she was pregnant. 

        Walking along one of the many corridors of the Western Air Temple, she hummed softly to herself, enjoying her solitude, wanting to fix her mental state before joining everyone. No one needed a pouty pregnant woman around, all because they didn’t listen to her. They had her and the baby’s health in mind, they weren’t trying to make her feel more useless or weak. So; she needed to be alone to fix the brewing thoughts before they burnt anyone needlessly.

        She walked until she felt lost and sighed and started to head back to the group, for dinner. But when she arrived everyone was sulking and arguing about something.

        “What’s wrong?” ___ asked while getting some food after Sokka said something about not adding animal cruelty to the list.

        “I’ll tell you-” Katara started, ready to vent to someone else.

        “Wait,” Toph cut off Katara. "___ how would you feel, if Zuko came here asking for forgiveness and to teach Aang firebending?”

        She understood what had happened just from Toph’s question, her heart sped up, the broken pieces throbbing, she took a breath to reply. “Aang needs a firebending teacher, and Zuko, well he’s a good firebender. I don’t know how I feel about him asking for forgiveness, but if you thought he was sincere, Toph, I would let him stay. Because if you think he was sincere the whole time, it hopefully means he’s finally found the correct path.” She looked to Aang with a sad smile, reminding him of their conversation when he was so sleep-deprived.

        “How?” Katara asked softly. “How can you just allow him here? Forgive him and trust him? Especially after what he’s done to you?”

        “I don’t forgive him; I don’t trust him. But the options of firebending teachers are pretty limited to Aang. Only time can tell if he can earn trust and forgiveness from any of us. We have to look past ourselves. The world needs the Avatar, the world needs Aang to learn firebending. If we still can’t trust him after he’s with us and he’s taught Aang, then you can give him the boot and send him packing.”

        “I hate when mother is right,” Sokka grumbled.

        “I am not your mother,” ___ snapped. “I’m a friend. I’m tired of being treated like some soft pregnant woman with motherly love. I’m a fighter. My pregnancy doesn’t change that. I will only let motherly change take me when the world is no longer at war. I can’t soften and hold everyone’s hand through this. You’re all kids to me, but the world can’t have the Avatar, a master of waterbending, master of earthbending, and a sword master, be kids. You have to keep the goal in your mind.”

        “You’re still mad at us for making you come with us? Instead of letting you stay with the other adults, aren’t you?” Aang asked softly.

        “Yes.” She exhaled sharply before taking a deep breath. “But I know you did it because you care about me,” she rested a hand on her stomach. “About the baby. But you wanted me here, so I’m here. And I think you should listen to what Zuko has to say without emotion.”

        “All I know is that while he was talking to us, he was sincere. Maybe you’re all just letting your hurt feelings keep you from thinking clearly.” Toph said in agreement with ___.

        “Easy for you to say, you weren’t there when he had us attacked by pirates.” Katara spat.

        “Or when he burned down Kyoshi Island,” Sokka added.

        “Or when he tried to capture me at the fire temple.” Aang finished.

        “Why would you two even try to defend him?” Katara said so frustratedly she was shaking.

        “Because, Katara, you’re all ignoring one crucial fact. One ___ has already told you!” Toph stomped up to Aang and poked him in the chest. “Aang needs a firebending teacher! We can’t think of a single person in the world to do the job. Now one shows up on a silver platter and you won’t even think about it?” She shook the ground with a couple more stomps.

        “I’m not having Zuko as my teacher!” Aang walked away from ___ and Toph.

        “Aang-” ___ started before Sokka cut her off.

        “You’re darn right, you’re not buddy.” Sokka stood tall, finalizing his backup with Aang.

        “Well, I guess that’s settled,” Katara said smugly. ___ sighed before looking at Toph.

        “I’m beginning to wonder who’s really the blind one around here.” Toph stormed off, ___ followed behind her.

        Toph and ___ were walking through the forest, to find Zuko.

        “You didn’t have to come with me,” Toph sighed.

        “I know, but I would like to talk to Zuko too. I think I know him well enough to tell when he’s lying, whether you can detect it or not.”

        Toph giggled pointing to ___’s stomach, “I would hope you knew him well enough.”

        “Oh shush,” she pushed Toph playfully, but it was clear she was a bit exasperated by the comment.

        “Do you think Zuko would try to trick us all; like he did to you and Katara?”

        “Zuko didn’t trick me. I don’t think he meant to trick Katara either. I think he loved me in his own way. He was good in Ba Sing Se. But the allure of home was stronger than the good.”

        “But now that he’s here, you think the good called him back?”

        “I’m hoping that. I’m hoping he found his true destiny.”

        “I’m hoping you’re right,” Toph said with a sigh.

        While moving through the brush the women alerted Zuko.

        “Who’s there?” His voice was groggy, the sound of it stung ___’s heart. As they got closer, he yelled. “Stay back.”

        “It’s me!” Toph shouted back, but it was too late, Zuko had already lashed out fire in his fear, Toph even tried to make herself an earth shield. She fell as the flames licked the soles of her feet “Ow! You burned my feet!”

        Zuko was up and running towards her as she started to crawl away. “I’m sorry, it was a mistake!” He cried while chasing after Toph, but sudden strikes to his body made him collapse.

        “Get away, Zuko!” ___ shouted while scooping up Toph.

        “___?” He gasped, trying to sit up, she only chi blocked his right side. As she started to walk away, he called out to them. “No, please, come back! I’m sorry!” He tried to get up, but the weight of his right side would not shift and he fell back. He groaned along with his heart ache seeing ___ walk away and ignore his plea, his apology. “Why am I so bad at being good!” He cried to the sky, wishing to be able to rewind time.

        He’d go back so far if he could, but he pleaded now silently inside his head. “Please let me go back, even just 5 minutes.” He exhaled in defeat, wondering what the girls had wanted to say, but now he’d never know.

          Days passed and the threat of Combustion Man was gone, Hokada and Suki back. While sitting around the fire with everyone, Zuko served tea again, while he did so, he noticed ___ left the group. Excusing herself to go lie down. And the night where he burned Toph’s feet came to mind. She came with Toph, what did she want to say?

        After his failed joke and everyone had settled their laughter. “Does ___ leave the group often after dinner or is that because of me?” Zuko asked softly, silence rang afterward. Katara and Aang shared a soft look.

        “Before the invasion, I was restless, ___ was meditating with me. I asked how she would react if we were to run into you since, at the time, you were still an enemy, a threat.” Aang sipped his tea before continuing. “She simply said she'd either disable you or listen to you. She believed in you even then, she just wasn’t sure when you'd find your correct path in life.”

        “But when she thinks about you, hears your name, or even just briefly has a polite encounter with you. Her heart beats sickeningly. Like the broken pieces are trying to pull together.” Toph added since she was able to hear and feel ___’s heartbeat.

        “I want to explain myself, talk to her. But I want to do it alone.”

        “You should be thankful she even acknowledges you exist,” Katara spat, still angry.

        “I am, she’s always been forgiving. But I don’t know how forgiving she’ll be with me.”

        “___ still loves you,” Toph encouraged him.

        “But before we allowed you in the group, she did say only time would show if you deserved trust and forgiveness,” Sokka added, Suki elbowed him. “What? He should know the truth, the good and the bad.”

        “Thank you, that helps. Maybe she’s not ready to hear my apology, because she doesn’t forgive me or trust me yet.”

        “Make sense, you engaged her, impregnated her, broke your promise then left her for another woman because she was basically in a coma,” Katara stated with venom.

        “I never left her, but I was too cowardly to tell my father no to the arranged marriage. Scared to not be his perfect son again.”

        “Mai still seems to love you, since she helped with the prison break,” Sokka said.

        “Another heart I broke, by being a misleading person. She loves someone within me that I’m not. She doesn’t understand that I’m trying to save my country, my kingdom. The world fears and hates the Fire Nation. I need to try and heal that and help the Avatar bring balance back into the world.”

        “I think ___ just needs a little time, she was for having you here from the get-go with me,” Toph popped some more food in her mouth. “She’s just not ready to deal with you. Since she’s been having some health issues with the baby, every time we have stress, she gets sick.” Toph said sadly.

        “Well with the invasion being over, Combustion Man gone. Hopefully, things will calm down.” Katara said before standing up. “I should go check on her and the baby before we sleep.” She stood and left towards the way ___ had left earlier.

        Zuko sighed and sipped his tea. He would need to be patient a bit, wait for some alone time with his love, and keep an eye on her troubled health with the baby.

Author’s Note:

Hello, I know I’ve been gone for awhile, but I’m getting better mentally and personally. I can’t promise when the next chapter will come out, but I’m hoping by the end of May. 

I’d like to thank everyone that’s liked previous chapters and stayed with me on this. This is still my indulgence, anime fanfics, but after this series. I might go into show/movie fanfics (like Marvel and Supernatural), make a list of who I’d be willing to write for and open a for request for a bit. 

Also, for the one lovely who wanted to be added/tagged for new chapters, here you go; thank you for your love on this <3

@eridanuswave​

#guidance series #fanfic #fic #zukoxreader #zuko/reader #avatar zuko #atla fic #lalah writes #lalahbug #reader insert #xreader #self insert #fire lord zuko #firelord zuko #x reader

[lightdancer1]

Full draft scene from the Azula's House of Wonders verse Part I

Mai and Ty Lee would remember the visit to the asylum for a very, very long time to come. It was on an island, admittedly, because it was supposedly a place for the criminally insane. There was another Princess who had been incarcerated here for the brutal murder of her parents, burned alive to blackened corpses with bleached bones as she had laughed and broken down into weeping over the corpses. Rumors said there were dark things afoot in that murder, but that only occurred to them in full when they stopped on the shore.

"Was it wise to send her here?" Ty Lee would have expected it would be her who asked the question but it was Mai.

"I know she was a bad friend. I know how and why things ended, but...."

She clicked her teeth. "Putting her in a place where they put murderers? Did Zuko really think this through?"

It was a towering fortification, an imposing monument to power that predated Sozin, existing in the reign of Enzozhi, his father, who had had its foundation raised and then overseen its construction. It showed traces of pre-war architecture and remembering how they had brought the fall of Ba Sing Se, both of them looked at it. Even a moderate force from one of the weaker wartime powers would have taken it with ease. The thought did not give them comfort.

Nor did the interior, a stark and bleak and damp place, where screams echoed in the metallic setting like the wail of souls in the harsher realms of Yama. A guard in metal armor greeted them, bowing deeply to the Fire Lady and the Kyoshi Warrior.

He all but fell over in shock when Mai said "I'm here to retrieve Princess Azula for the Fire Lord."

Nodding, their ill-ease with everything grew. It was a long walk through a place that almost seemed to reek of despair and their feeling of ill-ease became increasingly anger.

"Is this a hospital or a prison?"

Ty Lee's voice echoed and the guard stopped.

"It is what Fire Lord Enzhozi made it to be, Lady Ty Lee."

She growled. "That is not an answer."

The casual shrug of the guard did not make things easier and they arrived, at last, at the cells, always set two by two. They saw someone restrained in a straitjacket in a wheelchair whose eyes went very wide with genuine fear.....and then they realized who was in the cell next door.

Seated on her bed, one leg up and curled with her arm around it, the other trailing on the ground in a prison outfit, Princess Jiren's lips curled into a savage grin.

"Why hello there, Fire Lady Mai, Lady Ty Lee. Look at you, you're all grown up." Her voice was teasing but there was a sinister core of anger in it.

"Come to retrieve dear cousin Lala, have you?"

She stood up and went to the bars.

"I think you'll find she's in a very bad way. Why she thinks her entire family, except me, have abandoned her." Her voice took on a kind of mocking sadness. "Two years of watching her lose all ability to move in those limbs, raving and ranting at things only she can see. Two years where the only voice she heard from a human being was mine."

Mai and Ty Lee froze then and looked at her with a sudden dawning horror.

"Oh yes. Your idiot husband put her right next to a murderer who enjoys murdering. So go ahead, bring her out. You will not like what you find."

With that they turned to the guard only for Ty Lee to take out a small object and unlock the door as if it were war all over again.

Azula looked at them with a face that had grown gaunt.

"You're not real," she murmured, and closed her eyes.

"Get that straitjacket off of her," Mai murmured, and Ty Lee nodded, taking out a knife, now, and cutting it away. When it fell away her hands went to her mouth and Mai's jaw dropped. Azula's arms and legs were withered things. Ty Lee saw traces of visible bruising covering her body, and tried to help her stand.

Instead Azula sprawled on the floor bonelessly as they heard Jiren shouting "I told you you would not like what you found! She can't walk, you morons! She hasn't been able to move those limbs in over a year and a half, easily. I don't know what game you're playing at, but it's not going to fucking work!"

The guard was silent, and they helped her into the wheelchair.

"Azula, I'm sorry," she said. Her friend looked at her with glassy eyes and said nothing, as they wheeled her out.

Mai stopped at Jiren's cell, as she saw the other Princess looking at her with a grin and eyes of a cold and unrelenting hate.

"You people have no idea what you've done. This is not a place of honor, this is a Hell our ancestors have made."

With those words ringing in her ear she followed Ty Lee and the two found the sailing back strange. Azula had become almost ghostly pale, and yet when Agni's light hit her she seemed to raise her head up, so she could at least move that, and let herself close her eyes and bask in the Sun's heat. Her shoulders and hips moved a bit but her limbs were as stone.

No words were said, for what could be said?

--------

Zuko paced in anticipation, and in worry. His uncle had explained to him something that left him fearful. Restraint was torture, it could destroy the ability of people's bodies to move. It was....he couldn't have, could he? The rest of his old friends were equally nervous in different ways and then Mai and Ty Lee were visible.....and Toph, before anyone else (for it would always be here even if she could not see), froze.

"Oh," she said, quietly, "This is going to be very good or very bad."

Azula's friends rounded the corner with a wheelchair and then the noise, conversations, and the sounds of Zuko's own pacing fell into silence and a sudden and appalled shock that turned silence into something deafening in its totality.

#atla aus #azula's house of wonders #draft scene #Mai and Ty Lee

[kataangerx]

I hate how people use the Invasion or the Ember Island Players episode to judge Aang or Kataang.

Let me get things straight!

This BOY was about to face one of the most powerful MAN in the world and he wasn't sure if he was going to make it or not.

Spending almost a year with his best friend, he developed feelings for her, and he knew they had a special connection.

Even though, it was mentioned in his dream, Aang was aware that there was something between him and Katara.

So he kissed her, letting her know that he loved her, he didn't know what will happen next when he will face the Firelord and Katara, she closed her eyes and kissed him back, reciprocating her feelings. Later, she also blushed and watched him go, reflecting on his words, not knowing what will happen or will she see him again?

At the Ember Island Play, being confused Aang thought that him and Katara were going to be together and eventually, after what happened during the play, he thought that Katara liked him only as a brother and that she didn't share any romantic feelings.

But Katara reassured him, she told him that she didn't mentioned any of that. Plus, the sad look on her face says it all, she was sad because Aang thought she didn't like him back.

The discussion they had there, was about the right timing to start their relationship, Katara told Aang that being in a relationship wasn't right since there was a war going on, and due to that, there were other things to focus on.

When Aang asked when was the right time to be in a relationship, Katara apologized to him and said she was confused.

"Aang, I'm sorry. But right now I'm just a little confused"

Maybe she was confused that there may be no right time for a relationship since Aang had to face the Firelord, will he survive from this war? Since he once died and being just friends, she couldn't bear this pain of losing him in Ba Sing Se, now imagine being in a relationship, how worst it will be? .

Also, maybe she was confused that this relationship might ruin their friendship? I mean, who doesn't think about it. She liked him and alot, but she also didn't want to ruin the amazing friendship they have.

She did think about it, about being with Aang and maybe since she had thought about it alot, leading to her confusion, but she wasn't confused of her feelings, she didn't mention about her feelings, she mentioned about the timing, the war and her being confused with all of that.

And THIS is the look of a boy who is confused too.

I swear to god, I HATE this kiss, that's why I don't use it in any of my edits and Aang was wrong by kissing her!

I'm NOT defending him at all, I'm trying to understand his actions, Aang was confused to the fact that she didn't reject him but why? why can't they be together if she did liked him too, he was completely confused, after everything that happened he didn't know the real reason why they can't be together, what is this confusion of hers. If Katara rejected him earlier, Aang would have never kissed her, and why did he kissed her? He kissed her out of confusion to let her know that they love each other so why? why can't they be together?

People who use this scene against Kataang need to rewatch it again and again and read in between the lines because, it is clear that they both were talking about the timing to be in a relationship, plus on the next episode, they act like nothing happened and were comfortable with each other, Aang did take some distance and gave Katara space, the space she needed and his main focus was how to end the war without killing the Firelord.

And for the people who use this scene to describe Aang as abusive or as a sexual predator are just disgusting. First of all, Avatar The Last Airbender is a cartoon show and it is primarily for KIDS , things that are associated with sexual predators or any other things sexual aren't permitted in a kid show! Kids should be provided safety and not abusive content. Second of all, how can you assume a 12 year old boy as a sexual predator, especially Aang? He was the first person to offer his friendship to Zuko, saved Zuko's life multiples of time, even though he was vegetarian, he never judge Sokka for eating meat nor forced his beliefs on him, he decided to let go the love of his life just to protect and saved her and defeated Ozai without taking his life, I'm not saying that Aang is perfect because he has his flaws like any human, but some exaggerate by saying he is abusive or a sexual predator! This is just disgusting, crazy, these people need therapy..!

#aang #katara #kataang #avatarthelastairbender #atla #anti anti aang