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sokkastyles · 7 months

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In the night, all cats are gray

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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theglamourempress · 8 months

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The Love Witch Reminders on this moon-day! 🌙

Take what's yours! 🔪🩸

The Witch in her light is honored for her wisdom and skill, in her dark she is feared for that very knowledge, for fear it has been wielded against [others, community, the ch*rch].

I've been spending a long time researching myth, history, and film in my study of the glamour of the Witch for my next book.

In my exploration of this monstrous-feminine archetype, I am struck by the strength of her presence in the collective right now.

Is The Witch calling to you? Join my Horror Baddie Club and explore the glamour of the monstrous-feminine and women villains.

🦇 Awaken Your Vamp Glamour

If you're more drawn to the seductive magnetism of the vampire in myth, film & pop culture you can purchase my vamp glamour guide on my website or DM me VAMP to purchase directly thru venmo.🌹

#the witch #monstrous feminine #feral #rage #the love witch #witchcraft #glamour witch #glamour magic #women villains #the dark feminine #theglamourempress

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bebs-art-gallery · 14 days

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