Actually going insane thinking about the way both Katara and Zuko could be either fire or water based on Uncle Iroh's descriptions in "Bitter Work".
"Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will and the energy and drive to achieve what they want." He is talking about Zuko here, his constant determination and drive and his need to be validated by his father, but he's also talking about Katara. Katara, who, as the last southern waterbender, needed to be the best in her class in the north and had to work both for that position and a place in that class in the first place. Katara, whose enduring hope that the war could end, that Aang could save the world, is the result of sheer unadulterated willpower.
And "Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribes are capable of adapting to many things. They have a sense of community and love that holds them together through anything." He is talking about Katara here, her need to take care of her family and feel close to her culture as well as her cleverness and ingenuity in the face of danger, but he's also talking about Zuko. Zuko, who lived life by the seat of his pants and changed directions as easily as a flowing river. Zuko, who needed his family and his home so much that he was willing to do almost anything to get it back until he realized that the world was suffering for it.
Uncle Iroh is the biggest Zutara shipper and even though I do have complicated feelings about him, I do have to give him credit for that.
George Barbier, The Four Elements: Le Feu (Fire), L'Air (Air), La Terre (Earth) and L'Eau (Water), Falbalas & fanfreluches: almanach des modes présentes, passées & futures pour 1922 [-1926], 1925.
The ancient Greeks believed that there were four elements that everything was made up of: earth, water, air, and fire.
Historians believe that as early as the 8th century BCE, ancient Greek philosophers of the Archaic period began formulating theories of the four classical elements. Although the Greeks believed that the four elements were unchanging in nature, everything was made up of these elements, held together or pushed apart by forces of attraction and repulsion, causing substances to appear to change. This is similar to what really happens with elements and all molecules at an atomic level. (x)
credits: to the original creators of the ATLA universe and to the original artists of the fanarts I use
warnings: all fake, whatever coincidence that happens in my story is JUST A COINCIDENCE. whatever happens in the animated series will probably happen in the story.
masterlist
Legend has it that during the last fight of the war, the Princess of the Sun- the last surviving Alyst, most powerful firebender to ever exist -will emerge and help claim the Fire Nation throne back for it's rightful heir. This legend was laughed at by 3 generations of Fire Lords from Sozin to Ozai because she never appeared, yet.
broke: working with the four elements (⛰️🌬️🔥🌊) because you were taught they're the building blocks of the universe that make up everything
woke: not believing in such strict limitations for the universe and moving away from working with the four elements (⛰️🌬️🔥🌊) to practice something else
bespoke: working with the four elements (⛰️🌬️🔥🌊) again, not because they're the building blocks for anything, but because you've spent 10 years building a relationship with them and they want to help your magic
When I was 8 I did not understand Avatar like I do now. When the Lion Turtle says “The true mind can weather all lies and illusions without being lost. A true heart can tough the poison of hatred without being harmed” I now get the message, it means to stay true to yourself. That’s the challenge Aang faces throughout the whole show. Trust your gut and what you know to be true. Aang doesn’t think defeating violence, abusers, vengeful people works by using/adding more violence, abusive actions, vengeful behaviors to the mix; he doesn’t believe in killing, so he stays true to his beliefs. That’s why each time everybody around him says “kill Ozai” or “violence is the only way to win” he questions it bc it feels off. That’s how he learns to take trauma, abuse and suffering away from the world so people don’t have to go through that separation from themselves and each other anymore.