#taang and their arguments

[ecoterrorist-katara]

Nothing about Ka/taang precludes Katara being Chief of the SWT…

which is why it pisses me off even more that Katara didn’t get to have a role of any political importance whatsoever. It wouldn’t change anything about LOK’s storyline, and it would be fully in line with her character.

There’s a common anti-Zutara argument that Katara wouldn’t want to be Fire Lady, because she would want to rebuild and lead her own culture. I am sympathetic to that. Based on her canon characteristics, she might want to be a United Republic Councilwoman, Chief of the SWT, or just generally the Waterbending Master / Matriarch of the her tribe, which would be easier (though not impossible) if she weren’t married to the sovereign of another nation — I get that.

but the thing is…she didn’t get to do any of that, even though “wife of the Avatar” doesn’t contradict those roles. All the things that would be difficult for her to do if she were married to Zuko, she still didn’t get to do as Aang’s wife. She didn’t get to have a career the way her husband, or her brother, or her friends did.

so it’s extra hypocritical when Ka/taang shippers are like “but being Fire Lady would disempower Katara!” when Ka/taang canonically disempowered her! And KA fans are fine with that: they bend over backwards to justify why Katara doesn’t have a statue, or why she wasn’t there to protect Korra from the Red Lotus, or why she wasn’t at Yakone’s bloodbending trial. Yeah she got to live in the SWT — eventually, I assume, because in the comics she just follows Aang around — but what else did she get to do? Fucking nothing, apparently. Because to some people, the greatest honour for a woman is to be the hero’s wife.

#Kataang fans who don’t defend Katara’s stupid post-ATLA arc are fine #but I don’t think I’ve ever met one so #Katara deserved better #anti kataang shippers #anti bryke #Zutara #pro Zutara #Chief Katara #Fire Lady Katara #my meta

[fynnlink]

Katara suffering from having to be an emotional crutch for A/ang (especially when he enters the Avatar State) is something that's consistently shown throughout the series.

While this is generally nothing new / not a new take, I specifically noticed it in this scene in Book 2's "the desert" and feel it's incredibly telling regarding Katara's emotional/mental state and stance about A/ang not being in control of his Avatar State

Katara's expression especially in the first picture just absolutely wrecked me on my latest rewatch. That is utter defeat on her face. She recognises that A/ang will lose control again and that she will be the one who has to "pull him back". This comes after she has repeatedly shown her discomfort/fear concerning his outbursts and even explicitly told him as such in episode 1 of book 2. She is also the only one who stays close to A/ang in this scene, both Sokka and Toph run away.

There's no greater point to this, the intensity of the emotion on Katara's face just caught me off guard since I hadn't watched this episode in some time. And while I see the general point/argument brought up often I don't think I've seen anyone bring up this scene and I feel it's very indicative of the way emotional labour is "shared" between Ka/taang going forward in the series and their relationship.

#katara deserved better #katara defense squad #atla critical #anti kataang #pro katara #anti aang #kinda

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

I never understood the argument that Aang had more chemistry and romantic development with On Ji, a girl who doesn't even know his real name, than with Katara whose been with him at least three seasons but then I find out that some of these so-called On Jaang shippers are just Zvtara shippers who just want Aang out of the way for their ship.

Yup, it's why I avoid most Taang content even if I think Toph and Aang could be cute together: 90% of it is just so obviously made by zutarians that want to force him to be with someone else so "Katara can be with Zuko" (like she cannot be single or with someone other than Zuko if she's not with Aang) that it completely ruins the dynamic.

#anti zutara

[coconutsaiyan]

Personally I believe Taang (if it happened) would only last as a brief fling just like Zutara (again…if that happened) would be. Tons of arguments and would never work out in the end. Take in LOK, Toph doesn’t seem to be the kind of person that can settle down with anyone.

#this is probably the only positive thing I say about zutara #but just in case #anti zutara #anti taang #Toph #Aang #Katara #Zuko #atla

[stitch1830]

Hi Stitch! Sending you another Taang ask, because we need more Taang on our lives 💚🧡

Now, my ask is more Taangst than Joy's, and I don't know if anyone sent something similar before, but what would be the reason for their first fight as a couple?

If you have already answered before, feel free to ignore it 😊

Hi Rise! Thanks for the ask! Happy to chat about Taang, because you're right, we do deserve more Taang in our lives!

That's a really good question, and I feel like it could be a number of things, depending on how they get together and what they've already talked about throughout their relationship.

For a first fight, I can see them arguing about Aang's duty as the Avatar. That seems like an issue that probably stays with Aang for most of his life is just him trying to balance his life as the Avatar, his role as the last airbender, and his own desires for his personal life. It's a delicate balance, and I can see Toph pushing him to lean toward one role over the other, trying to help him prioritize his responsibilities, and he just gets mad about it.

It's a lot of pressure, and his instinct tells him to run when he's under pressure, so Toph getting on his case about his life probably pushes him toward bursting a few times. He'd yell at her that she doesn't understand, perhaps complains that he can't handle it, stuff like that. Toph is just trying to help him, but she's so straightforward and direct with Aang that sometimes it rubs him the wrong way. And when he fights back, she digs her heels in and doubles down on her arguments. I think her instinct would be to stand her ground, to counter all of Aang's arguments until he caves, because she doesn't lose to Twinkletoes, even if she loves him. Her competitiveness gets the best of her during the fight, and she forgets the reason she's arguing with him in the first place.

Honestly though, I feel like this type of argument is one that is short lived. They both get furious quickly, but after a beat, they learn to think about the other's perspective and can get past their troubles.

Another argument could be one that is left to simmer for years but then there comes a time and things just boil over. I feel like while Aang never explicitly states that he needs to have children to repopulate the Air Nation, I think it's this cloud that hangs over them, whether they want it to or not.

Aang just wants kids because he loves kids, but of course, if Toph says that they're not having kids, he wouldn't push her. He'd be sad, but it wouldn't sway his decision to stay with Toph. Toph probably gets it in her head that Aang says he doesn't want/need kids, but that he's lying (she knows he's not, but a part of her always thinks this). She shuts him out whenever the conversation comes up, because while she's never told him that they're never having kids and that she doesn't want kids, she doesn't necessarily think that she'd be a great mother.

It's a lot of internal conflict on Toph's end that has her pushing him away and maybe even trying to break off their relationship, but Aang learned from the best about how to be stubborn like the earth. All he does during this time is try to convince her that he doesn't need kids to be happy, just her.

Eventually, they do talk about it and start to have a conversation around kids, but it just takes them a while, and the argument is prolonged simply because Toph shuts the conversation down whenever Aang brings it up for the first few years.

Okay! I think that answers the question, if not, feel free to ask more questions, Rise! Always enjoy chatting about Toph and Aang and Taang and ATLA haha ;)

Thanks again for the ask, and I hope you have a great day!

......

Send me asks about ATLA, or anything, really! :D

#taang #toph #toph beifong #aang #atla #headcanons #ask box #fluffytimearts #risemaclay #taang and their arguments #pls i feel like otherwise they're like an old grumpy couple #just complaining about random things and teasing each other #no one ever knows if they're actually fighting or if they're just talking haha

[justanotherghostwriter]

Wait so who are your ATLA ships or half ships then? I thought you were Taang?

Hi, anon! It's always so weird when somebody from the ether reminds me people actually follow this blog and see things xD

The first thing I need to clarify is a little about how I ship. I have ships, which are pairings I'm all in for. I'll seek out content for them and create content, if just in my head, because I'm personally invested in their relationship. Then I have pairings I don't like at all: these I avoid to certain degrees for whatever reasons I have. But in the middle of those two points is this vast pool of pairings that I neither like nor dislike. These are the ones I'll create content for if there's a request for it, or if it fits a scenario, or if I'm just curious about stretching my writing muscles. These are also the pairings that fit as close to "multishipping" as possible: because I'm not invested in any particular direction, I find I can appreciate and enjoy one character shipped with multiple others a lot easier than if it was a ship I really cared about and felt strongly for.

That being said, the only die-hard ship I have for ATLA is Zutara. All the other ships I enjoy fall into the middle pool of murkiness, where I definitely enjoy them, but I'll find enjoyment with any well-written/well-presented relationship.

Taang is, therefore, in this middle soup. I really, really enjoy Taang, and there is some fantastic art and fic and meta out there that really makes me enjoy them as a couple a lot. But, because I really struggle romantically pairing twelve-year-olds, the Taang I really enjoy is aged up (and/or in an AU of some kind). This means that the interpretation of how they grow and mature (together) is an important part of the relationship, for me personally. And that means that they could just be absolutely best friends. My platonic-soulmate-loving side adores this just as much. And I've also really enjoyed interpretations of growth and maturity that then leads Toph to be paired with Sokka or Kanto (shoutout to those people on Tumblr who opened my eyes to Kantoph. Y'all know who you are) or nobody at all.

And that's the same for Aang. I've seen lovely fic of him with multiple people. Depending on the interpretation of Aang maturing, I've even found some Kataang fic I've enjoyed. The shock and horror. ;P

So, in summary: yes, I do ship Taang. But I also... don't? And there's just something about Ty Laang that has always intrigued me a lot. That's an essay for another post, though. I also ship Sukka, but love Yukka and Tokka (both of those slightly less than Sukka, I'll be honest, because Sukka are just a great pairing to explore in many ways.)

At the moment, my no-ships for ATLA are Azulaang, Zukka and Maiko. I say 'at the moment', because I try to keep my mind open about differing opinions. So I read meta about things I don't necessarily agree with just to get the "other side of the argument". So we'll see how my opinions change as I engage, I guess!

And, because this is already long and I'm already oversharing and potentially inviting hate for my opinions, let me come clean: my second rarepair almost-not-quite ship that I alluded to in those tags on the Ty Laang art is Zuki. Yeah, I'd betray both Sukka and Zutara in that way. Dishonour on my cow. Blame the comics: I actually made it through quite a few of them before they became Too Much for me to continue with. (In terms of bad characterisation, not in terms of the number of comics.)

There is a very, very long answer to your ask, Anon. xD

#fandom life #rambling and calling it a reply #about me #I guess that tag counts lmao #also just because I feel like I need to say it: love Mai's potential as a character #she should have been fleshed out a whole lot more #I would have adored that #but Maiko has just always... not been my jam at all #like at all at all #I skip so much of The Beach in rewatches because I just caaaaannotttt #Personally. Definitely think those who ship them have their valid reasons but I just... #It's still a struggle xD

[zukobians]

i don’t want to generalize but sometimes it feels like the ONLY reason that some ppl like k*taang is because it is canon and they equate canon as “good” which makes them ignore all of the red flags and valid arguments against the ship

#anti kataang #anti kataang shippers #anti bryke #while i am at it lol

[the-badger-mole]

Scarecrows and Big Stones

Arguments like this kill me. First of all, not all Zutarians ship Taang. Not all Zutarians hate Aang. In fact, despite the best efforts of myself and a few other Zutara shippers, many actually still like the little snot sorry....sorry this isn't an Aang salt post. What I'm trying to say is that just because we all ship Zutara doesn't mean we have all the same opinions on any other character or ship.

Secondly, just because a lot of us the recognize abusive tendencies in Aang's canon relationship with Katara doesn't mean that when we put him in our stories or ship him with someone else we transfer those same abusive tendencies with him. Most of us when we write him are trying to fix what was wrong with him in canon. Fanfiction is transformative. That's the whole point.

Third of all, I'll bet the Venn Diagram of people who genuinely hate Aang and who ship him with Toph is pretty much two separate circles connected by a teeny tiny sliver of truly creative people. I know I certainly don't ship him with Toph. Trust me, if we want to get Aang out of the way of Zutara, we don't have to pair him with anyone at all. We just have to write Katara the way she was before Bryke decided that her whole entire world was Aang. The problem just takes care of itself from there.

#atla #atla discourse #zutara #anti aang #anti kataang #strawmen and monoliths #in case you were wondering what this title meant. #gee! it's almost as if zutarians don't share a hive mind #and we can have different opinions on different characters and ships #anti taang #just in case

[whattheheehaw]

Once upon a time, I saw someone use this scene as anti-Zutara and pro-K@taang evidence:

Katara: So let me tell you something, right now. You make one step backward, one slip-up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang, and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I'll make sure your destiny ends... right then and there. Permanently.

The person said something along the lines of: “Katara threatened to kill Zuko so that’s why Zutara is toxic. Also, this shows Katara really loves Aang because she’d do anything to protect him.” 

I have to admit that at first, I laughed. Literally every Zutarian and their mother have stated multiple times that Zuko and Katara’s friendship does not end here. Like, I guess we’re just going to ignore everything that happens past this episode. But you know what? If people can’t accept the fact that Zuko’s and Katara’s friendship blossomed into something pure and beautiful by the end of season 3, they’re a lost cause, so why bother interacting?

What I want to focus on is the fact that some people actually think this proves K@taang is a better ship.

Yes, it is true that Katara is protecting Aang in this scene. And yes, protecting someone can be a form of affection. But what kind of affection is Katara showing here? Is it romantic? I don’t think so. If anything, I think this highlights how motherly Katara is toward Aang.

Ursa: That's what moms are like. If you mess with their babies, they're gonna bite you back!

I can’t be the only one who thinks Katara’s dialogue parallels what Ursa said about motherhood. It’s almost like these epiosdes were written by the same person—oh wait.

Huh, Elizabeth Welch really is a legend.

And I get it, people are going to call me crazy because Katara and Aang kissed 2 episodes ago, so the whole “Katara is Aang’s mom” argument should get thrown out of the window by now. However, Katara’s treatment of Aang throughout The Western Air Temple only highlights Katara’s maternal nature. 

Exhibit A:

Teo: [The Western Air Temple is] so different from the Northern Air Temple. I wonder if there are any secret rooms.

Haru: Let’s go check it out!

Katara: You guys go. I think [Sokka, Toph, Aang, and I] need to talk about some things.

Aang: Why can’t I go?

Katara: We need to decide what we're gonna do now, and since you're the Avatar, maybe you should be a part of this.

Aang: Fair enough. So what’s the new plan?

Sokka: Well, if you ask me, the new plan is the old plan! You just need to master all four elements and confront the Fire Lord before the comet comes.

Aang: [Sarcastically.] Oh, yeah. That's great, no problem. I'll just do that.

Katara: Aang, no one said it's going to be easy.

Aang: Well, it's not even gonna be possible! Where am I supposed to get a firebending teacher?

Katara: We could look for Jeong Jeong!

Aang: [Shooting her idea down.] Yeah ... right. Like we'll ever run into Jeong Jeong again.

Exhibit B:

Katara: Aang, can we talk about you learning firebending now?

Aang: What? The wind is too loud in my ears! Check out this loop!

In both instances, it seems like Katara has taken the role of “mom that’s trying to get her kid to do their chores” rather than “concerned girlfriend trying to limit her boyfriend’s distractions”, and this all comes to a head at the ending scene between Zuko and Katara. Katara, who has been treating Aang like her child for the entire episode, is now shown to be protecting Aang from a possible threat in a similar way that Ursa described mothers protecting their children back in season 2. Again, I’m not saying that whenever Katara (or anyone in general) protects someone else she’s acting motherly. However, her actions towards Aang throughout this episode did carry a motherly tone and the way her dialogue mirrors what Ursa, an actual mother, said are indicative of a mother/son bond between Katara and Aang.

The ending scene of The Western Air Temple is not an anti-Zutara scene, nor is it a pro-K@taang scene.

#can you believe elizabeth welch wrote these two amazing episodes? #and also added a little connection between them? #i can #because elizabeth welch is a magnificent writer who knows what she's doing #i believe in elizabeth welch supremacy #elizabeth welch #elizabeth welch ehasz #the western air temple #atla #please excuse me if this doesn't make any sense #i wrote down my rambly thoughts at 1 am like i always do #anti kataang

[my-bated-breath]

On a Subject That Never Seems To Die

Reposted, because Tumblr won’t let the original post onto the tags for some reason (?)

Fortunately (or unfortunately), @certified-bi-fangirl-disaster​ has already covered Zutara’s Oma and Shu parallels extensively in her meta here -- she refutes many of the Ka/taang arguments that are usually overlooked by Oma/Shu metas as well as accouting for all aspects of the Oma/Shu tale to form a more cohesive claim rather than one dependent on convenient screenshots. Of course, that’s not to say all the previous Oma/Shu metas are bad, it’s just that I’m biased and I think her meta is the best haha

On those points specifically, your friend seems to be reaching a little bit. There’s many ways to be “divided by war” but in Oma and Shu’s case, they were on opposite sides of the war, so they were not only divided by its presence and destruction, but by ingrained resentment, prejudice, and (maybe?) nationalism. Katara and Aang had been on the same side of the war from the beginning, and even when they were separated it lasted for only a day or two -- there’s no ideological or philosophical separation in any sense. Also, not wanting to start a relationship in the middle of the war and being “divided by the war” are quite different? They’re still friends after all, maintaining a steady and supportive platonic relationship, so it would be more fitting to say that the war... stopped something between them that never even started? I’m not sure, but “divided” is definitely not the correct context here.

Now, because I’m incapable of answering these questions in chronological order, Katara did exercise her strength to end the fight in the Crystal Catacombs, but she did just the same with Azula. However, Katara also proved her strength in the Final Agni Kai after Zuko took the lightning for her, and at that time her fighting skills were much more heavily emphasized -- it was her intelligence then that truly ended the war, and not just the battle. Additionally, the Final Agni Kai was much more decisive in bringing about peace and proving that the warring nations could reconcile. After all, it’s tragic but expected for Katara to fight for a fallen friend from her side of the war, but it’s bold and revolutionary for Katara to fight for a former enemy who came from a nation she once hated, who came from a nation she now believes can one day be redeemed too.

#atla #zutara #zutara meta #anti kataang #anti kataang meta #my bated breath's posts #my bated breath analyzes #ask #anonymous

[authorjoydragon]

Hi Joy :)

What’s a Taang headcanon that’s been living rent free in your mind right now?

Stitch!!! My cheese buddy. 🧀

Honestly I’ve just been thinking about the Soft Looks they give each other.

Out of the blue Aang will just gaze at her with the purest look of complete adoration and devotion and Toph will just smirk and say something along the lines of, “Would you get that stupid look off your face?”

Which of course turns into a playful argument because “You can’t see my face!” And “I don’t need to see it to know you’ve got that stupid look on it again!”

Toph will flat out deny she has The Soft Look reserved for Aang alone but she knows it’s true.

#ask joy #taang #taang rambles #they are soft and so am I #💛💚 #that taang fluff 💛 #taang headcanon #rent fucking free

[dragynkeep]

i love how every argument for k/taang always centres aang. his feelings, his crush on katara, how she’s meant to be his girlfriend, not anyone elses. how this preteen boy with his first crush will be forever broken if he doesn’t get with her.

like just admit you see katara as a prize for aang, a reward for being the avatar & that her own feelings, emotions & most importantly, consent doesn’t matter. because the show’s already done all of that for you with bryke’s own words too.

#atla #kataang critical #aang critical #katara #pro katara #owl.txt #answered #q

[layzhe-06]

I refuse to acknowledge any atla comic that wasn't illustrated by Peter Wartman.

Because at least those comics have an interesting story. The Promise was so ooc on Aang's part bcs he aGREED TO KILL ZUKO??? And Zuko literally sending tROOPS, TROOPS WHEN THE WAR WOUNDS WERE STILL FRESH GOD DAMN IT-- The Search treated Azula like shit instead of actually letting her heal bcs uh, bryke hate women? North and South is fine ig except for MaLiNa (ew), I also don't rlly vibe with The Rift because... Well... To put it short, the way Lao treated Toph after all those years was so shitty jfc. Oh and the taang arguments pained me physically bcs they're my 2nd otp... And the way nO ONE CARED WHEN TOPH LITERALLY FAINTED AFTER HOLDING THE MINE UP FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG DKXKDKDKC--

Anyway, as for Imbalance, it's immaculate and amazing and like, the characters aren't that ooc anymore thank god. Oh and tophling, and the many many sukka and sUKI MOMENTS IN THE FIC WE LOVE THAT, Kataang shipping everyone lmfao and them acting like aCTUAL FRIENDS- The Pirate's Silver gave us Jiang, aka the coolest pirate I've ever seen, and then Katara's cool waterbending moments and her proving to her friends that she ISN'T crococat soft. Aang, Sokka, and Toph being an iconic trio (and my fave trio hush), i just-- wOop. Then there's Toph's Metalbending Academy, aGAIN MORE SUKI AND WE GET TO SEE HER FANGIRL SIDE YAY-- and the unlikely but absolutely valid friendship between Toph and Chong, idk the fact that they were just vibing with each other made me laugh lmfao, and Toph getting frustrated when ppl thought she was gonna bring the underground ring down as if she literally didn't do that too years ago, aND TOPH BEING COMPASSIONATE TOWARD SUN SMSKEKDKEKDK EVERYONE SAY HOORAY FOR SOFT TOPH! And we get more of the og lily-livers trio (penga, ho tun, and the dark one)! Them being appreciative of their sifu just warmed my heart.

#toph #toph beifong #aang #atla #katara #sokka #suki #zuko #azula #ty lee #mai #anti atla comics #rb if you agree #only fruity ppl will understand #imbalance is one of the only comics i can stand #bECAUSE IT'S FUKIN IMMACULATE

[stitch1830]

Feel free to save this ask for work on Monday 😂

Let’s talk more about Zutara. How’d they get together? Who confessed first?

LMAO Joy I wish I was that patient. Guess you're gonna have to think of another ask on Monday! (or is it my turn now... lmao).

Happy to talk about Zutara! Although to be honest, I'm not super familiar with common HC's or their relationship/characterization in general... I just haven't found the time to read a ton of multi-chapter fics. But I still love them together lol. ANYWAY.

Based on what I've observed and my gut feeling, I feel like it would take a while for them to fall in love/confess feelings. I'm sure after the war, Zuko said something goofy like "You, um. Fight good. Good luck rebuilding the SWT" and Katara just raises an eyebrow at him and goes, "Uh, thanks? You too... but with the FN" So they go to their respective homes to help their nations, but they correspond via letters about business/political requests and stuff. Eventually they start to spill personal anecdotes or remarks in the letters and boom. Now they're pen pals but maybe more???

They write to each other for years and know a ton about each other, but they only see each other a couple times a year at best (usually with the Gaang), so they never really have a ton of alone time to really notice anything different between them.

But then after a fun weekend at Ember Island with the group and spending more time with Katara (or something idk) Zuko starts to notice he thinks about things in reference to Katara more often. Like, "Oh Katara would love this scent." "Katara would do this. She would like that. She would yell at so and so." That kind of stuff. When he realizes that he likes her and kind of panics. Tea with Iroh helps, but he still has moments of being angry and snippy with people because that's what he falls back on when he doesn't know how to deal with feelings.

And when Katara arrives at the Fire Nation for a special/important event, Zuko just acts... different and weird around Katara and she doesn't like it. That in turn makes them have an argument right before they have to go speak with an important group of people (or something? But we love bad timing for confrontation) Katara is just like "Why are you being an annoying brat?" and Zuko is like, "Because I like you!" Cue red faces for both of them.

After, they dance around each other for the duration of the trip because WTF Zuko dropped a big ole surprise on Katara, but was his confession that surprising? She certainly loves spending time with him and she understands his wants and needs probably better than anyone at this point. Zuko is probably super angry with himself and saying "How could I be so STUPID!" thinking he ruined their friendship. And then the night before Katara leaves, they (ahem, Katara) confronts Zuko, they talk it out, and somehow, Katara finds time in her busy schedule to be back at the Fire Nation next month to help plant some flowers in the garden for the spring season. It just so happens that there's food and sake waiting for them by the turtleduck pond after they're done...

That's a long way of saying that Zuko knew first, but Katara confronted Zuko and they confessed that they both felt a spark or something. They probably date seriously for a year or two then I have them getting married in 111 AG based on my Taang Universe... Kind of young for them to get married tbh but I think since they've spent so many years getting to know each other, it doesn't take a long 'courting' period for them to know that they love each other.

So that's what I just came up with, but I would love to hear your thoughts/opinions! My Zutara and Sukka parts of my Taang Universe could use some more development. Thanks for the ask as always!! :)

#zutara #atla #zutara headcanons #zuko #katara #zuko and katara #my asks #thanks for the ask! #ask me questions #I like to ramble #as you can SEE #smh #but this was good I needed time to develop their relationship origin story #now I just gotta remember all of this

[asongofhopeandjoy]

For the ship bingo thing, how do you feel about Aang and Toph?

Okay so first we have The Swamp episode where our characters see "people they've lost, people they loved" and Huu clarifies that when Aang sees Toph in The Swamp, that means she's going to be important to him. Now this didn't have to mean that they were going to end up together, but could you imagine how IMMACULATE this episode would have been in hindsight if Aang and Toph got together? I bet there are people on the avatar team kicking themselves for not pushing for taang simply just for the clever foreshadowing.

Then we have The Blind Bandit episode and it is *chef's kiss*. It is a CRIME that more people didn't walk away shipping taang after watching that episode because their chemistry is great. As soon as we got that scene of Toph and Aang bickering at the dinner table, I was gone! My kid brain was like: "Okay, these two should kiss!"

The Blind Bandit not only does a good job of establishing a great dynamic between Aang and Toph though, the episode also showed they had a great foundation not just for friendship, but for romance too. I loved how supportive Aang was towards Toph in this episode and that when he saw that she was unhappy with her living situation, immediately invites her to join Team Avatar because he knows she'll be loved, accepted and appreciated for who she is.

I know it's in part because he needs an earthebending teacher, but you can see how much he likes being around Toph! He literally can't stand the idea of having anyone else as his teacher when they leave her home because to him there's nobody one like her. That is A+ pining material RIGHT THERE.

I could list so many things I love about this ship but basically I'll boil it down to:

1) They have great chemistry

2) They had the perfect set-up for a romantic relationship (it's the stuff of fairy tales!)

3) They have a healthy and supportive friendship which could grow into a healthy and supportive romantic relationship

4) I normally ignore the comics unless they're written by Faith Erin Hicks but I love how Toph and Aang have very constructive arguments / disagreements that eventually develop their characters / world views. Toph's not afraid to challenge Aang's belief systems and Aang listens to what she has to say and I adore that! Sometimes constructively disagreeing about important things is good for friendships and relationships actually!

5) Aang literally doesn't give a frick about Toph's disability and actually finds it to be a desirable trait of hers because it makes her awesome at bending, and as a disabled person, I just think that's really neat!

6) She calls him Twinkle Toes even when they're adults in LOK. This ship is the definition of wholesome!

#atla #taang #aang #toph #asongofhopeandjoy #speaking into the void #btw if you're an aang stan and want to argue with me about point 4 #please don't #I live in a multi-faith household and was always taught that questioning your beliefs is good and healthy #so if statement four made you mad perhaps you should reflect on why you feel that way

[firelxdykatara]

Came across a post that claimed for Zutara "a romantic relationship would undermine Zuko’s redemption arc & undermine the found family aspect of Zutara's friendship" & I'm so annoyed now. So, becoming romantically involved w someone means your redemption arc is no longer valid? & what exactly is wrong with becoming friends w someone, choosing them as your family & then falling in love w them? If anything, K@taang undermines the found family aspect of K@taang's friendship.

People who claim that romance undermines found family relationships must have a very odd view of like, families in general......like are two people who are in love and have kids w each other not each other’s family now???? It’s just really bizarre to me lmfao like, familial relationships aren’t inherently platonic bc I’ll tell you what, I wouldn’t be able to genuinely fall in love with someone I didn’t consider to be family, or close to it!

Anyway, this idea that found families must Stay Platonic otherwise their bonds are being undermined is just so fucking boring. Like, you know what the absolute best found family dynamic in television in the early 2010s was? Leverage. And guess what! Nate and Sophie fell in love and John Rogers himself said that the ot3 was made canon in the finale, a poly relationship that comprises the other three of the family. That doesn’t make them any less a found family, though???? Like, they chose each other. They found each other and then they chose each other and they kept choosing each other, and that isn’t somehow Less just because romantic love became involved in some of their relationships.

Found family is all about choosing the people you love. Choosing the people you want in your life, choosing the people you want to be around. Romantic love can be part of that, and often is! Zuko and Katara falling in love doesn’t undermine the found family of the gaang any more than Suki being part of it because she’s Sokka’s girlfriend does--because that may be where her connection to the gaang began, but not where it ended. (Or, rather, didn’t have to be where it ended--one of my gripes with the show is how little Suki is given to do with the rest of the gaang, especially Katara. They should have had a friendship on screen and I’m a little annoyed they didn’t.)

And as far as it undermining Zuko’s redemption goes, that’s actually really funny when you consider that Katara and Aang getting together in the finale actually did undermine Aang’s character arc--in a way that Zutara getting together wouldn’t have for Zuko, because his redemption itself didn’t actually hinge on his relationship with Katara. (His redemption was complete before he joined the gaang at the Western Air Temple--those life changing fieldtrips were about Zuko earning forgiveness for the things he’d done before he made the choice to do and be better, but he still would have been redeemed even if the others hadn’t chosen to forgive him.) On the other hand, Aang’s growth--and, indeed, his ability to become a fully realized avatar--explicitly hinged on his attachment to Katara. This is made explicit in the book 2 finale, where Aang is forced to make a show of ‘letting go’ of Katara in order to unblock his final chakra and enter the avatar state--and then it is promptly thrown out in book 3, where he’s allowed to double down on his possessive attachment and unlock the avatar state and defeat the firelord and get the girl at the end of it all.

Aang needed to let go of his selfish attachment to Katara--not actually his love for her, but, for example, the expectation that his romantic love needed to be returned, which is a huge part of the problem with his actions and overall arc in book 3--in order to achieve enlightenment master the avatar state, but this is completely undermined when, later on, he is... selfishly attached to Katara and practically demands she return his feelings, and then gets the avatar state back anyway, and is able to master it in order to defeat the firelord nonlethally. Aang getting absolutely everything he wanted just handed to him on a silver platter in the eleventh hour, without having to sacrifice a single thing--not even his selfish entitlement to another person’s feelings--is the definition of undermining a character arc tbh.

Meanwhile, two characters falling in love after helping each other complete their respective arcs--Zuko helped Katara finally achieve closure for her trauma and begin to heal, and Katara helped Zuko accept himself and gain the courage to face his uncle and beg forgiveness (forgiveness he never really needed, because as Iroh says, he was never angry--he was sad that his beloved nephew had lost his way, and this is something I think Katara understood even without knowing exactly what had happened between them)--would be building on and enhancing their journeys, rather than undermining them.

So yeah, I just.... do not understand that argument (except insofar as it comes from ppl with a vested interest in delegitimizing zutara, usually because they’re mad that it’s more popular or has more support than their preferred ship), because it completely misses the point of not only found family, but redemption arcs--Zuko’s in particular. (And I don’t even have an issue with redemption via romantic love--as with anything, it depends on how it’s handled--but Zuko’s very clearly wasn’t, and the fact that he was redeemed before seeking out Katara’s forgiveness means that if she did fall in love with him post-canon, it wouldn’t be undermining anything at all.)

#atla #zutara #zuko #katara #kataang salt #just covering my bases #asked #Anonymous