#then again i refuse to believe that bumi is aang & katara’s kid so…

[comradekatara]

VARRICK IS NOT SOKKA’S CHILD SUYIN IS NOT SOKKA’S CHILD THEY PROBABLY WISH THEY WERE SOKKA’S CHILDREN BUT THEY ARE NOT SOKKA’S CHILDREN SOKKA IS NOT A DEADBEAT DAAAAAAAAAD

#id in alt text #love that img #katara going apeshit <3 #varrick #suyin #sokka #see my posts abt this #i hate those theories #sokka would not fuck toph!!!!!!! that is his son!!!!!!! #and varrick probably does idolize sokka but i refuse to believe that is sokka’s kid #then again i refuse to believe that bumi is aang & katara’s kid so… #who knows. maybe they are responsible for their terrible evil spawn #who can say

[hello-nichya-here]

Can you shortly explain why you think that Aang sparing Ozai's life was the right way to 'end the conflict'? Thanks

"Shortly" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Anon, have you met me?

1) IT'S AANG - Aang tried to be friends with Zuko the very second he did something good for him FOR SELFISH REASONS and then refused to let him freeze to death right after the fucker kidnaped him, he was terrified of firebending because he accidentally lightly burned Katara and then vowed to never use it again, didn't hate Teo's dad despite the fact that he was making weapons for the Fire Nation (he kind of had no choice, but still, YIKES), hated going into the Avatar state because he wasn't in control of his own actions, tried to reason with that Earth Kingdom dude who was literally about to bury Katara alive, had a friendly conversation with Iroh and asked his advice even though the guy spent all of book one trying to help Zuko capture him, had no animosity towards the guy that tried to start a fight with him at school, still believed that Sozin had good in him just like everyone despite knowing that the guy killed his past incarnation and commited genocide against his people, befriend Zuko despite him being Ozai's son AND having tried to capture him AND having betrayed him AND sent an assassin after him, and in the Southern Raiders he explictly brought up the fact that he forgave the sandbenders for stealing Appa AND the Fire Nation for the genocide of his people when trying to talk Katara out of killing her mother's murderer. Aang being willing to try to reason with Ozai AND spare his life even after the fucker still insisted on being trash isn't a "cop-out" so the protagonist won't have to kill, it's literally just Aang being Aang.

2) Killing Ozai Would Prove Him (And Sozin) Right - During the big epic battle in the finale, Ozai stated the obvious: he doesn't believe the Air-nomads were worthy of having ever existed because they were "weak" for refusing to kill. Solving the war through pacifism essentially proves him wrong and makes it very clear that the air-nomads, their culture, their values, and their teachings were just as important to the world as all the other nations (including the Fire Nation). Sometimes violence and even taking lives is necessary, but that doesn't mean these are the ONLY solutions to everything ever - even to a literal war.

3) Aang Suffered Enough - Aang was excluded by the other kids when it was revealed that he was the Avatar, lost all of his loved ones except for Appa and Bumi (who were both kidnapped), had to deal with the trauma of knowing he was the last of his people, had to deal with the guilt of having "failed" the world and "allowed" the genocide of his people, the war, and the demise of the dragons to happen (those things were in no way his fault), had to readjust to a living in a completely different world, saw all of his friends nearly die a bunch of times, was kidnapped weekly, almost died a bunch of times, did die once, and had to deal with the pressure of being the last hope for the world even though he is just a deeply traumatized 12-year-old. Do we really need to add "Had to kill a man despite being just a kid AND having been taught/expected to be a pacifist his whole life?" (I know there's no way people didn't die on situations like when he merged with the ocean spirit, but there's a difference between "Accidentally, involuntarely caused someone's death" and "Intentionally killed someone" even if it's in self-defense/justified)

4) Killing Ozai Could Make Him A Martyr - The Fire Nation is far from being a fair society. It is built around the idea of becoming more powerful no matter the cost, and the Fire Lord is basically seen as a God that decides what is right or wrong. Pretty much everyone is collectively surrendering to the natural weakness of every firebender: letting fire consume and destroy everything. Ozai dying in battle against the Avatar of all people CAN be told as a story about a messianic figure punishing a wicked man... but it can also be "The Fire Lord that died for his nation and was so strong only the Avatar could defeat him!" Ozai being just some guy wasting away in prison takes away that image of a man that has absolute power. Which brings us to my last point...

5) Ozai Would Prefer Death Over Losing His Bending - He would especially hate being alive just because the last airbender decided to go for some cruel mercy and let him spend the rest of his life knowing his "failure" of a son "stole" his crown (add in Azula finding happiness and cutting him off from her life and I'll be able to sleep at night)

The energybending thing WAS rushed and the "doubt" of whether Aang really would kill Ozai was dragged on for too long, but Aang sparing his life is the ONLY thing that makes sense, both thematically and considering the characters involved.

#asks #aang meta #ozai meta #bitchlord ozai #energybending #avatar meta #atla meta

[the-last-cuddlebender]

The South Pole

Do you ever think of a Kataang/Kataang family hc and then cry and kinda wish you hadn’t? Well...

What if Aang was in the South Pole when he died?

What if Aang had appeared okay enough for Katara to take an urgent housecall to help an especially hard baby delivery a few huts down?

What if Aang got a little delusional as he was slipping away and was looking for Katara, but she wasn’t there?

What if Kya and Tenzin and Bumi are beside their father and speaking softly and kissing his brow and holding his hands until he calms down?

What if Kya and Tenzin and Bumi pretend to be the faces Aang’s blurry eyes, breaking voice, and shaking hands are looking for?

What if Aang looks at his daughter and feels safe because her eyes look exactly like Katara’s?

What if Aang hears Tenzin and feels comforted by Gyatso’s wise and firm but also kind voice gently talking back to him?

What if Aang feels Bumi holding his trembling hands and feels home when he squeezes back on Sokka’s rough calluses from boomerang throwing?

What if Aang tells them all about his kids and how amazing each of them are and how much he loves them?

What if Aang tells ‘Katara’ how beautiful and strong their darling daughter is?

What if Aang tells ‘Gyatso’ how kind and gentle his youngest son is?

What if Aang tells ‘Sokka’ how strong and brave his eldest son is and how so very proud he is of him?

What if Aang is absolutely appalled when his wife, mentor, and big brother tell him that he must be exaggerating and so Aang fervently goes on about how he could spend every one of his past and future lives telling his kids how much he loves them and still not have enough time to say how much his heart bleeds for them?

What if Aang weakly asks them if he was a good dad?

What if Aang tells them how scared he is that he failed his kids—his entire world—even though he tried his best because there wasn’t anyone to teach him this stuff?

What if Aang smiles bigger than Kya, Tenzin, and Bumi can ever remember him smiling as they tell him that he was a good dad?

What if Aang is too weak to cry as his eyes come into focus and he gasps happily and looks among his three amazing kids like he hadn’t seen them in a lifetime?

What if Aang’s words become jumbled as he trips over himself to tell them that he loves them even as they hush and coo and calm him and tell him that they know and that they love him more than he will ever know?

What if Aang melts into their hug and doesn’t notice their tears as they realize there is so much they wish they had told him sooner?

What if Katara feels strangely heart-warmed but heartbroken as she hands the chief’s wife her beautiful newborn daughter?

What if Katara starts crying and walking towards the hill overlooking the otterpenguins before she realizes where she’s going?

What if Katara looks up at the lights in the night sky and then in front of her and sees her mother, a monk, and her brother just as they all hug her?

What if Katara feels their arms melt into one embrace and, when she pulls away, sees a younger Aang, an amalgamation of dim lights and a million stars dressed in the robes he wore at their wedding, holding her?

What if Katara, even as she cries, laughs at her Forever Boy’s stupid smile that could make her believe that everything was going to be okay even if the world were ending?

What if Aang, much like Yue got to share one last kiss with Sokka, got to share one last dance with Katara in the spot where they first became friends?

What if Aang promises to bug Katara until he gets to see her with his own eyes again?

What if Katara hugs herself even after Aang is gone so she can cling to the feeling for just a few seconds longer?

What if, when Katara is later called back to check on the chief’s newborn daughter, little Korra wraps her arms and legs around Katara’s hand and refuses to let go?

What if Katara smiles as she rolls her eyes and returns every snowball and stuck out tongue that Korra ever gives her?

What if, when Katara is surrounded by her kids, grandkids, and great grandbabies, Katara sees Aang walk through the door and say “Hi, sweetie. I’m home,” just as his hand slips into hers?

What if Katara laughs and confuses her family as she mutters something about “Send word to the Firelord. The Avatar has returned. What took you so long?” just as she’s pulled to her feet and into a dance that no one but Jinora can see and that Katara never wants to end?

...but that’s just a headcanon, I guess.

#kataang #aang #katara #post #I need to STOP #I need a fluff-aid-kit #hc #sokka #atla #avatar the last airbender #the legend of korra #korra #kya ii #bumi ii #tenzin #Kataang family #myfanfictiontag #myhctag

[aangfanclub]

liveblog s2 ep2: the cave of two lovers

sokka has the best hair. kataang stans get rights ig

Levi, before its even started: this one looks like its about love and uhh i dont like that. Thought love was canceled ever since yue turned into the MOON

WE ARE BLESSED WITH HAIR DOWN SOKKA AGAIN

Omg we love to see fun chill times with the gang

Ohhhhhh are we getting some kataang content rn??? Oh? I can get behind it

Sis: Momo and sokka DO have the same vibes. I refuse to elaborate

That hippie is keanu reeves !! specifically as bill or ted

Zuko said i was in a bush for 5 minutes and i wanna give up on life jskdfkls

Sis: zuko needs hair advice from sokka

Ooooooh appa looking SO cute with the hippies

Sokka be roasting katara at every turn djsfkjksd

The hippies said Sokka u need to learn to vibe for real

Wait hold on isnt omashi just a city?? How is bumi a king?? IS HE JUST THE MAYOR ?

Abby: i hope they keep these flowers in their hair for the rest of the show

Okay does Katara's hairline have a slit in it? Or are they really short bangs????

[Argument abt katara’s bangs. Eventually we just agree that sokka’s the only one with good hair in this show]

Aang is so happy this is all ive ever wanted

We are danging to the song these earth nation hippies are SO valid

The guy got the chorus and levi exploded “THAT’S WHAT THIS IS FROM??? IVE HEARD THIS ON TIKTOK SO MANY TIMES”

Omg this slaps SO hard

Aang deserves a flower crown and im so glad he got one

Yes. we always only need to be doing what makes appa comfy

[to the tune of secret tunnel] BUZZCUT ZUKO! UNCLE IROH

Someone adopt zuko and iroh and feed them. They’re like college boys who dont know how to do their own laundry

Sokka congrats on being the one with the braincell this episode

I love these hippies but they are all SO stupid

YES we’re travelsers,,,, of COURSE we have names,, zuko how have you managed to look so evil for so long when youre so stupid sjdlfkskl

Mushi and junior. Im going to die

Abby: this is how i feel at six flags trying to read the map

Bro: sokka hates this tunnel bc he doesnt believe in love

When u invite a random scarred child named junior into ur house and he spends the whole time eating ur food, giving 1 word answers, and staring at the wall dramatically thinking abt his tragic backstory

WOLF BAT WHAT

Yall are NOT making appa comfortable!! Get ur priorities straight!

Bro: appa’s bouta go sicko mode on that bat for real

Sokka imagined a world in which he was stuck with hippies and SCREAMED dkjsfsjdhk imagine,,

Is zuko gonna get? Human connection????

Matching burn scars? the Romance

We are vibing SO HARD to all of these songs dsjkfjkf u have no idea

[sis: imagine being named zucchini. Bro: imagine being named abigail. Sis: STOP IT THAT WAS SO MEAN]

Thanks sokka’s instincts!

IVE HAD AN IDEA FOR LIKE AN HOUR NOW JDFKLJKSDJKLSKL ME

The power of love always so strong omg

Katara said “what if we k’d in the secret love tunnel.. Hahah just kidding ....unless.?”

SHE REALLY DID OMGGGGGG

Aang said oh uhhh,,,, I suppose we could k for the greater good

Katara is so salty ksdjjkdsjklsdkljsdkjl

ID RATHER KISS YYOU THAN DIE THATS A COMPLIMENT AANGDJKKDS THIS IS WORSE THAN DO AN ACTIVITY

Sis: man BOTH the boys in this show have top notch game ive GOTTA say

[bro:: ok but he was frozen for 100 years, sis: that has no affect on his game!!!! Bro: maybe it DOES]

Im a sucker for zuko being polite. That boy says thank u once and i believe in goodness

Zuko just stole their horse thing?? Rough

Bro are they gonna K IN THE DARK?????

Kataang stans have rights i guess

Bro those badgers can earthbend??? Can animals earthbend??????

Sokka play a love song i swear its ur time to SHINE

SOKKA DROP UR FIRST SINGLE

Absolutely they kissed. 100% they kissed. This is the sweetest purest episode

“We let love lead the way” sokka did not even bat an eye jkdsjsdkl

Keanu stop pretending to have wisdom to give djsksdj

Oh katara is SO blushy they DEFINITELY kissed in there i am losing it

Oh no oh NOOOOO omashi!!!!

Bro: what about king annoying??

We stan kataang i guess. Sokka still has the braincell tho

#liveblog

[read-write-thrive]

A:TLA Marching Band AU

Honestly this is just a way too long and complicated list of characterizations for a Marching Band AU, but I have too many WIPs to write it out fully right now, so hopefully y’all like this format!

Elements/Nations:

Air= Brass

Water= Woodwind

Earth= Percussion

Fire= Guard

Avatar= Director

Characters:

Students:

Aang= Trumpet, Freshman, has to learn all 4 elements/sections before he becomes the new assistant director, that one kid who’s always screwing around during breaks to try and impress others (cough Katara cough)/ “just have fun!!!!!”, is openly panromantic/demisexual, often brings giant dog Appa to practice because “he likes the exercise !! and the music calms him down !!!!” but also because Appa has befriended the local stray cat, whom Aang has named Momo, and Aang is too much of a softie to keep them apart

Katara= Alto Sax, Sophomore, at first timid third chair but easily gets to first once she’s properly trained, still sister of Sokka and bickers with him over how he leads the saxophones, teaches Aang woodwind whenever Pakku (woodwind staff) isn’t at practice - which is honestly most of the time after the first week or so, hates when Zuko “invades” the saxophones but eventually warms to him (especially whenever he rejoins and takes over the color guard), definitely straight but is very supportive

Sokka= Tenor Sax, Junior, was really close with Yue before she quit, section leader but is still his single-braincelled self, eventually admits to Suki that the Pit counts as marching band and only then does she agree to date him, is openly bisexual, tries to match Jet’s level of playboy-ness but honestly just needs to calm down

Toph- Quads/Tenors, Freshman, fantastic at pretty much all percussion, is legally blind but can see well enough in full light to march with the group, (legitimately) teaches Aang percussion, at first seems like a helpless little rich girl but is actually brawdy, tough, can swear like a sailor, and is definitely queer in some capacity but she sees labels as bs

Suki- Vibraphone, Junior, leader of the pit, agrees to date Sokka once he gets over Yue and calms down on the whole tough-guy act, is super fit and takes her role seriously but isn’t as anti-fun as other characters can be (cough Katara again cough), is straight and a very outspoken ally

Zuko- Guard/Baritone Saxophone, Junior, best at sabres, that one guard guy who is actually pretty good but gets judged enough for it that he’s constantly angry about it, switches to (aka is forced by Azula/father to switch to) bari sax and is taught by Piandao, fights with Katara at first but it gets better, he and Sokka suprisingly hit it off (Zukka, anyone?), he gets pretty close with the gaang, eventually takes the guard section back his senior year after complete falling out with father/sister, teaches Aang color guard techniques, is probably bi but comes from a homophobic family so just doesn’t talk about it

Azula- Guard, Sophomore, best at flags, reigning b*tch, lot of coercing and controlling, director threatens to cancel the guard bc of the drama but then she, Mai, and Ty Lee all switch to pit for a few weeks and that’s somehow even worse so director caves, is year below Zuko but forced to quit band altogether her junior year due to father’s outrage at Zuko (he is also technically forbidden, but does it anyway and has his best year there), Azula tries to rejoin her senior year but director has had enough and won’t let her get any of the glory so she quits for good, homophobic but is not against doing performative bisexuality (aka bicurious/heteroflexible) to get attention from guys

Mai- Guard, Sophomore, best at rifles, somehow rehearses in all black when everyone else is dying of heatstroke, dates Zuko on/off, Azula tries to convince her and Ty Lee that band isn’t worth it once she quits/is forced to quit but both of them agree they’d rather be in band and abandon her, her and Zuko don’t exactly work out once he graduates (Mailee anyone?), doesn’t seem to enjoy anything so everyone wonders why she’s even in band, is probably at least a little queer but she honestly doesn’t believe in soulmates/mushy stuff like that so doesn’t think much about it

Ty Lee- Guard, Sophomore, best at batons/gymnastics, often used for features (if Azula isn’t interested/needs a second, etc), becomes head guard her senior year after Azula quits and Zuko graduates, actually gets along with the pit once Azula isn’t around to keep that eternal rivalry going, is openly pan once she cuts ties with Azula

Yue- Clarinet, used to be 1st clarinet but after continued harassment from guards transfers to another school after freshman year, her and Sokka flirted and got close but couldn’t do distance, is very good at the clarinet but is too soft spoken for section leader, definitely straight, constantly has guys after her bc she’s seen as innocent (and is insanely pretty of course) but manages to hold her own 

Jet- Trombone, Senior, token hot guy but definitely a little screwed up in the head, at the very least a smoker, v big straight but still an ally (especially to childhood friend Smellerbee, who is 100% a trans girl and no one can change my mind)

Lu Ten- Drum Major, graduates right before story begins, joins military fresh out of hs

June- Electric guitarist (in the pit), Senior, known for being hot af but ruthless, mostly friends with ppl outside of band, definitely deals

Staff:

Director = Roku

Drill Writer/old Director who still helps on occasion= Kyoshi

Pakku- woodwind trainer, specifically alto sax focused, a little against Katara being section leader/giving her lessons, but she wins him over

Jeong Jeong- Guard trainer, absolutely refuses to take part in the drama as long as everyone learns their sets, constantly harassed by Ozai

Gyatso- Brass trainer, definitely takes a shine to Aang but becomes ill during the middle of the first season and doesn’t come back (Aang is obviously very sad about this, though he’s in denial about him being truly gone at first), very good at brass but doesn’t take anything seriously -including himself and life in general

Bumi- Percussion trainer, kinda crazy, isn’t always the best at actually training but is freakishly good himself, also takes a shining to Aang

Piandao- guest of the director but not an active staff member, can do a bit of everything, helps Zuko learn Bari Sax, takes a liking to Sokka

Other Adults:

Iroh- father of Lu Ten but sticks around for Zuko (no one really minds, he’s beloved by the band), usually helps with refreshments, secretly swole but loves his comfy clothes so no one expects the strength, though its very useful when hauling equipment

Ozai- father of Zuko/Azula, likes to pitch a fit whenever Roku cracks down on Azula/ treats Zuko well, tries to become board president for what would be Zuko’s senior year but is snubbed, demands Zuko/Azula quit, Zuko refuses and takes over guard while Azula obeys and eventually quits for good

Mr./Mrs. Beifong- parents to Toph, biggest financial backers of the band but aren’t actively involved, tried to get Toph all special accommodations in the pit but Toph insisted she could march so director convinced them otherwise

Hakoda- father of Sokka/Katara, usually away for work but tries to come by for the big finales, cheers the loudest in the stands and tries to embarass them both as much as possible

Gran-Gran- maternal grandmother of Sokka/Katara, primary guardian for the two but is constantly busy trying to support them so doesn’t make it to practices often, flirts with Pakku more than Katara/Sokka even know, always shows up to every performance even with packed schedule

(ask for specific characters and I can do more, but these are the ones I definitely had to do! hope you enjoy!)

#atla #avatar the last airbender #avatar #team avatar #atla gaang #au #marching band au #marching band #band #band au #aang #katara #kataang #sokka #sukka #zukka #suki #zuko #maiko #yukka #azula #ty lee #mai #mailee #yue #jetara #atla jet #lu ten #atla june #roku

[manicdean]

Taang Week Day 3: Spirit World

“i believe that i know you”

tw: major character death

@taangweek Day 3: Spirit World

In the swamp, we see visions of people we’ve lost, people we’ve loved, folks we think are gone. But the swamp tells us they’re not. We’re still connected to them. Time is an illusion and so is death.

After Aang’s death, Toph leaves Republic City and their family and friends to feel closer to him.  Takes place in 153 AG, some time after Aang’s death.

Read on AO3

[A/N: I should say here and now that in pretty much every ATLA thing I create (except for Modern AU or unless otherwise stated) has Aang/Toph at 16, Katara at 18, Suki at 19, and Zuko/Sokka at 20, because writing for/as children just makes me uncomfortable idk.

This one was frustrating but fun!  I’m a big fan of bittersweet writings so here we are.  I liked Lin/Suyin’s canon dynamic too much to not hc both of them as Taang’s kids, canon Bumi is just very Dunebaby energy to begin with, and I kinda just recreated Tenzin as Tashi for my own reasons.]

She had always thought that Avatars were supposed to live exceptionally long lives.  True, Kyoshi’s age was a great exception no one expected to ever be replicated again.  That didn’t change the fact that Toph had always assumed she would have at least another decade with Aang.  

She felt lost without him now.  Neither had ever been the most present parent to their four children, despite their best hopes and efforts.  He had his Avatar duties, she was Chief of Police.  There was constant rivalry between the kids, which she supposed they both encouraged (perhaps her a little more consciously than Aang), and there was now a large chasm between her and their children.  She knew that Bumi, their first-born, had always felt neglected and left out as the only non-bender in the family, whereas Tashi, their youngest, was the only airbender and thus was taken under Aang’s wing.

Toph’s hands were most often full with their two middle daughters, Lin and Suyin.  They were both earthbenders, both two sides of the same coin, and she supposed that—combined with her stubborn Beifong blood—was the reason they had the deepest feud within the family.  She tried to give them the freedom she longed for as a child, but it only ended with her eldest daughter all but refusing to talk to her, and Toph and Aang having to send Suyin away to live with her parents.

It had been too much for her then, almost ten years ago.  She passed the title of chief of police onto Lin and decided it was time to finally spend some time with her husband.  They traveled for a while, mostly to the Air Temples to check in on his Acolytes or the Earth Kingdom where her family was.  She was proud of her husband for finally achieving all he had wanted, grateful that he had an airbending child to pass it onto.  But she was never one to simply tag along on someone else’s adventures, not even for him.  They struggled to find balance while roaming the world endlessly, just as they had as children.  

By the time they neared their mid-sixties, they had finally settled into a routine they thought they could live with throughout their retirement.  They had a home on Air Temple Island near Republic City.  The kids all had their own lives, their own stability.  Their attention was no longer divided between young children, their careers, their city, their homelands.  It was just theirs for the rest of their lives.

She never expected “the rest of their lives” to be a mere two years.

***

“Mom, that’s ridiculous, you can’t just leave.  You just settled into your retirement!” Bumi insisted over the dinner table where the three of them sat.

Toph sighed jaggedly.  Of course it had been a bad idea to tell them she was leaving.  “No, your father and I settled into our retirement,” she snapped.  “You think I want to just sit around every day by myself?  No!  I’ve spent my whole life on the road and that’s where I belong.” 

(maybe that’s a lie maybe she had been excited about settling down maybe she hated traveling at this point)

“Mom,” Tashi interjected, trying her best to remain calmer than her brother.  “If you’re lonely, you know that Jinpa and I would be more than willing to move back home to Air Temple Island.”

“I’m not lonely,” Toph protested, slamming a fist on the table perhaps too roughly.  “I didn’t have to tell you, and I wasn’t going too, but I didn’t think you’d all be silly enough to try and fight me.” 

“Thanks for that, Mom,” Bumi grumbled.

She spent the next hour fighting off her children’s arguments.  Her mind was made up a long time ago and although she would never admit it out loud, she missed Aang too much to stay anywhere near the city they had helped create.  Every corner burned with memories of him.  Their home echoed with emptiness.  There had even been nights she had bolted up, drenched in sweat, grasping the sheets begging to find him.  She could swear that she could hear him whispering to her, just quiet enough that she couldn’t make out the words.

The only memory of him she could stand to be around now was their children.  She wished desperately to have them all together, for them to be some semblance of a real family in the wake of his death.  But they were scattered—Lin in Republic City, Suyin in Zaofu, Tashi split amongst the Air Temples, Bumi traveling constantly with the United Forces.  No matter how hard she tried, there would never be a way to be connected to all of them at once.  Not here, like this, anyway.

Eventually, Tashi and Bumi accepted that there was nothing either of them could say to keep Toph in Republic City and dejectedly said their goodbyes to her before parting ways.  She kept up the stony-faced façade she had always known best while she finished packing her things, making note for most of them to be sent to her children.  She wouldn’t need them anymore.

She had told the two of them that she was simply returning to the nomadic life she and Aang had shared after her retirement from the police force.  It would be true, for a while; she had plans to visit the Earth Kingdom again, stop in Zaofu to see her grandchildren and tell Suyin of her new search for enlightenment, maybe even see her old friends one more time.

She wouldn’t tell any of them that she was really going to the Foggy Swamp.  They would only try harder to talk her out of it, tell her the swamp was dangerous for an old woman, that she was being ridiculous and irrational.  Really, she had never felt more sure of anything in her life.  Her heart belonged with her family and with Aang gone, it felt shattered.  She was desperate to put it back together before it broke her.  She knew of only one place that could make her feel connected to all of her children and Aang at once.

***

In her mind, Toph had a clear image of what she remembered from the swamp.  She had visualized her new life there over and over.  Stepping into it now, she was blindsided by a chilling feeling she could not quite place, like a wind threatening to barrel her over.

The one possibility she hadn’t allowed herself to dream now coursed through her mind as she ventured deeper into the heart of the swamp.  

(what if he’s not here what in the name of the spirits would she do with herself) 

It was not as if she could go back to her old life.  She would have nothing left to keep her afloat, no hope of ever seeing Aang in this life again.

(maybe she shouldn’t have left maybe the hope was what kept her going) 

Eventually she reached the banyan-grove tree at the heart of the swamp.  Discouragement sinking in her stomach like a rock, she leaned her back against the tree and slid to the ground.  Toph Beifong had only cried a handful of times since her young childhood.  The only person in the entire world who had ever seen her so vulnerable had, of course, been Aang.  Somehow, even from the start, he always knew when she needed him.

(which was fortunate because she would never tell him that)

He would come find her, no matter where she was, wrap his arms around and silently hold her close to his chest until the steady beat of his heart and the warmth he radiated soothed her.   She hadn’t even cried when he died, not properly.  

Now, alone in this ancient swamp, Toph let go of her strength and let herself break.  Sobs wracked her frame.  She could picture how ridiculous she must have looked: a blind, middle-aged earthbender, sitting on a mucky floor, screaming with grief like she never had before.  

She had abandoned her children, her city, her entire life to venture into the Foggy Swamp.  It was supposed to be a Spirit Wild, supposed to be the connection between the two worlds.  But it was foolish of her to believe she would find her husband here; he was the Avatar, his spirit was reborn into a new body, surely there was no reason to find any Avatar in the Spirit World..  

As she let her anguish consume her, slowly icing her to her core, she imagined that this was it for her, the end of her line.  

A flash of warmth spread throughout her right side, a faint but familiar scent wafting around her.  At once, her tears stopped and she jumped, alarmed.  Every muscle in her body tensed as the sensation gradually transformed into reassuring arms around her shoulders.  Everything clicked in her mind as she heard the voice she dreamt of every night, simply murmuring,

“Toph.” 

“Aang?  Aang, tell me it’s you, tell me this isn’t some dark spirit playing a dirty trick,” she gasped, unwilling to trust her senses.

“It’s me.  I’ve been waiting for you.” 

At that moment, she was sixteen once more, sitting side-by-side with a young monk, and she knew that she was home.

#props if you place any of the song lyrics that make up these fic titles #ok i'll spoil it this one is fleetwood mac #taang #taang week #taang week 2020 #atla #my fics #fuck it its midnight yall take this

[justsomewritingblogg]

Avatar: TLA  (Part 14 of many)

Request:  None

Requested By:  Nobody

Pairing:  Zuko x reader

Summary:  Return to Omashu

Warnings:  None?

A/N:  Zuko’s in chapter 18, folks!

Word Count:  3K+

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I can’t believe it.  I know the war has spread far, but Omashu always seemed……untouchable.”  Aang confessed, looking to the city.

“Up until now, it was.”  Sokka informed.  “Now Ba Sing Se is the only great Earth Kingdom stronghold left.”  He commented, crossing his arms.

“This is horrible.”  Katara admitted, walking towards Aang.  “But we have to move on.”

“No.  I’m going in to find Bumi.”  Aang determined.

“Who’s Bumi?”  You asked.

“He’s a crazy earthbender king, who runs this place, or did, and knew Aang a hundred years ago.”  Sokka informed.  You blinked.

“Oh.”

“Aang, stop.  We don’t even know if Bumi’s still….”  Sokka began.

“What?  Still what?”  Aang questioned, a sharp tone to his voice.

“Around.”  Sokka finished lamely.

“I know you had your heart set on Bumi, but there are other people who can teach you earthbending.”  Katara comforted.

“This isn’t about finding a teacher.  It’s about finding a friend.”  Aang informed.  You smiled, stepping forward and placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Well, you’re not going alone.”

“Thanks.”

“Besides, you’re gonna need all the help you can get.”  You commented, taking another look at the large firenation crest on a banner over the wall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Appa had dropped everyone off on the side of the mountain, below the bridge.

“A secret passage?  Why didn’t we just use this last time?”  Sokka asked as Aang began prying at a grate with his stick.  The lid finally came off and a green substance flowed out of it.  Appa flew away, while Sokka made a horrified noise.

“Does that answer your question?”  Aang asked, climbing inside.  Katara climbed in after him, then you, followed by a hesitant Sokka.  Aang was airbending the sewer…..stuff…..out of his way, where it recollected in front of Katara.  She used waterbending to move it towards you, and you moved it as well.  You heard a bunch of noises from behind you and you turned, seeing Sokka covered with it.  Your hesitation caused Katara’s overflow to cover you, the surprise knocking you off balance.  You slid into Sokka, taking you both back down to near the entrance.  You stood.

“Forget this.”  You muttered.  You used bending to have the green liquid surround both your and Sokka’s feet.  You brought your arms up into the air.  “Hold on.”  You advised.  Sokka grabbed ahold of you.  You brought your arms down and you skyrocketed upwards, easily catching up with, and passing, Aang and Katara.  You made it to the top and instructed Sokka to lift the cover, so he could see if anyone was there.  He did, while you used bending to keep you there, and he said the coast was clear.  You shot you and Sokka out, landing on your feet, while Sokka landed on his stomach.  You used bending to get the grime and grossness off of you.  You turned to do the same to Sokka when you saw he was absolutely covered in it.  From head to toe.

You cleaned him off as well, just as Katara and Aang emerged, and you saw two pink creatures stuck to his cheeks.  Your eyes widened in confusion and alarm.  They had several eyes, and several tentacles.

“They won’t let go!”  Sokka shouted as he tried to pry them off his face.  He continued to yell.

“Stop making so much noise.  It’s just a purple pentapus.”  Aang told him.  You raised your eyebrow.  Aang tickled the creature’s head…body(?)…..and it popped off.  Sokka did the same to the one on his other cheek while Aang took care of the one on the back of his friend’s neck.

“Hey!”

You all turned, seeing three firenation guards making their way towards you.  You, Sokka and Katara had all decided to wear black cloaks, but Aang did no such thing, causing him to be pretty noticeable.  He ducked behind you three, and emerged seconds later, with a red cloth over his head, shielding his arrow from view.

“What are you kids doing out past curfew?”  One of them asked.

“Sorry.  We were just on our way home.”  Katara lied, turning and walking away.  Sokka and Aang followed in pursuit, you shortly after.

“Wait.  What’s the matter with him?”

You all stopped, and turned to look at Sokka’s marks.  The purple pentapus’ left behind little red dots.

“He has pentapox, sir.”  Katara lied again, turning her brother around to face the guard.  The man walked forward, and was about to touch the marks when Katara spoke up again.  “Um, it’s highly contagious.”

Sokka seemed to get the hint.  “Ugh, it’s so awful, I’m dying.”  He drawled out, reaching his arms towards the guard.

“And deadly.”  Katara added to her previous statement.  The man backed up.

“I think I’ve heard of pentapox before.  Didn’t your cousin, Chang, die of it?”  He asked, turning to one of his fellow guards.  “We’d better go wash our hands.”  Sokka kept approaching, coughing dramatically.  “And burn our clothes.”  They said, rushing off.

“Well they weren’t too bright, were they?”  You asked, crossing your arms.

“Thank you, sewer friend.”  Aang told the small creature, petting it.  You all jogged off, getting higher and deeper into the city.  You ducked behind a pile of beams, followed by your friends, upon seeing two guards walk by.

“Let’s find Bumi and get out of here.”  Katara whispered.

“Where would they be keeping him?”  Sokka asked.

“Somewhere he can’t earthbend.”  Aang noted, looking around.  “Somewhere made of metal.”  He suddenly ran out, forcing you, Katara and Sokka to follow.  He had begun the upwards spiral to the center of the city when he slowed to a walk.  You had made it about half-way up when you heard a rumble.  You turned to your right, and saw two large boulders rolling down.  Aang noticed it, too.  He sent a large gust of wind, knocking the boulders into a nearby wall.  A large dust cloud emitted from it.  You looked down and saw a small group of people, with most of them holding torches.

“The resistance!”  A woman shouted.  Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, a bunch of throwing knifes were shot towards you.  You, Sokka and Katara moved to the side, while Aang jumped.  You all ran off, Katara stopping to send a water-whip at the two soldiers that followed, sending them off the mountain.

You and your friends made it a little bit further, but a young woman started chasing your gaang as well.  Aang used airbending to collapse a wooden structure.  He spun his glider, the wood blocking another throwing star.  You observed the woman, trying to put her picture in your mind as a threat.

She had black hair that was partly tied up in two small buns on her head, and two small sections reaching past her shoulders.  Her eyes were narrow, filled with a scary gleam, and she wore red and black clothes.  You didn’t get to look her over for very long, because she shot some more weapons at you.  However, before they could connect, the ground swallowed you and your friends.

You landed underground, all four of you rubbing your heads.  You looked up.  You were surrounded by earthbenders.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So, is King Bumi with you guys?”  Aang asked.  You were being led through a tunnel.  The green crystals on the walls were the only sources of light.  “Is he leading the resistance?”  Everyone turned to look.

“Of course not!”  The leader answered.  “The day of the invasion, we readied ourselves for battle.”  He began.  “We were prepared to defend our city; to fight for our lives and our freedom.  But before we even had a chance, King Bumi surrendered.”  He explained.  You cocked an eyebrow.  “The day of the invasion I asked King Bumi what he wanted to do.  He looked me in the eye, and said, ‘I’m going to do…nothing.’  It doesn’t matter now.  Fighting the firenation is the only path to freedom.  And freedom is worth dying for.”

“Actually, there’s another path to freedom.”  Aang informed.  “You could leave Omashu.  You’re directing all of your energy to fight the firenation, but you’re outnumbered.  You can’t win.  Now’s the time to retreat so you can live to fight another day.”

“You don’t understand.  They’ve taken our home, and we have to fight them at any cost.”

“I don’t know, Yung.  Living to fight another day is starting to sound pretty good to me.”  Another earthbender voiced.

“Yeah, I’m with the kid.”  Another agreed.  The crowd began to murmur among themselves.

“Fine.  But there’s thousands of citizens that need to leave.  How are we gonna get them all out?”

“Suckers!”  Sokka exclaimed.  You cocked an eyebrow.

“Sokka, no need to be rude.”

“No, not those kind of suckers.  You’re all about to come down with a nasty case of pentapox.”  He clarified.  You thought it over for a moment, before a wide smile made its way onto your face.

“Sokka, you’re a genius!”  You complimented, planting a chaste kiss on his cheek.  “I’ll go find some!”  You announced, jogging off.  You re-entered the gross sewer, and spent several minutes using your bending to spread out the sewer water so you could better see.  You saw a flash of purple and walked over to the creature, picking it up.  You observed it as it began sucking your hand.

“You’re so cute.”  You told it, patting its head.  You left it on you, using your own body as a storage unit, and figuring you would need to be covered with marks as well, so win-win.  You found a couple more, placing some on your face, arms, neck and legs.  You emerged several minutes later and used bending to get the gunk off you, before you marched back to the tunnels.  You walked in and stretched out your arms.

“Line up!  Grab some and place them on yourself before passing them along!”  You instructed.  “They let go when you tickle their heads.”  You informed.  You were soon swarmed by people, who took the purple pentapus’ off of you, or most of them, anyway.  The first one you’d picked up, that had attached itself to your hand, remained there and refused to let go.  You stared at it, confused.

“Buddy, you have to let go.”  You urged.  The creature remained unmoved.  You sighed and tickled it.  It slowly detached itself, but once you tried to give it to someone it clung on to your other hand.  You frowned, looking at it.  “Why are you like this?”

“Y/n, we’re ready to go.”  Sokka informed.  You looked up at him and nodded, heading above ground.  It was day, and the sun was shining pretty bright.  The creature had moved up your arm to cling onto your shoulder.

“The marks make you look sick, but you gotta act sick, too.”  Sokka told the people.  “You gotta sell it.”  An elderly man walked by, with his cane, moaning.  Everyone watched in curiosity.  “Now that’s what I’m talking about.”  Sokka said.

“Years of practice.”  The man said, hitting his peg-leg with his cane.  Your eyes widened in alarm.

“Okay everyone, into ‘sick formation’!”  Sokka instructed.

“There’s a formation?”  You asked, crossing your arms.

“Hey, you gotta be prepared.”  He defended.

“Speaking of, you gotta get off.”  You told the pentapus.  “They can’t see you, or it’ll give it away.”  The creature let go and scurried inside your shirt, clinging to your stomach.  “Well, at least you can’t see him.”  You muttered.

“Aang, what are you doing?  Aren’t you coming with us?”  Katara asked upon seeing Aang walk away.

“No.  I’m not leaving until I find Bumi.”  He declared, Momo hopping atop his shoulder, tugging at his mouth.  Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion and alarm.  “Sorry Momo.  I’ll feed you later.”  He assured.  You raised an eyebrow.  Aang leapt into the air, disappearing behind a building.  You looked to Katara and shrugged, before both of you followed the large group.

Everyone entered a courtyard, moaning loudly and walking slowly.  The firenation soldiers were clearly alarmed.  You all got closer.

“Plague!  Plague!”  One shouted.  They all ran away while one in a tower starting hitting a warning bell.  A few moments later the gate opened.  Everyone slowly made their way to it.  So close, you thought.  And in what felt like ages, you had all made it out.  Well, except Aang.

You had set up camp some distance away, when you saw Aang walking towards the group, a giant creature walking next to him.  Your eyes shot open wide, and you began bending some water out of your canteen, when you realized Aang didn’t seem to be in peril.  You cocked an eyebrow and put the water back.  Katara and Sokka walked towards him, so you did as well.

“I looked everywhere.”  He started, voice tired.  “No Bumi.”  He declared.  Katara wrapped him up in a hug, while the creature gently pushed Sokka’s back with its nose.  Sokka turned around and hugged the creature’s face.  You watched the interaction with a heavy heart.  You hadn’t met Bumi, but you knew Aang cared about him deeply.

“We’ve got a problem.  We just did a headcount.”  Yung announced, jogging up.  Katara asked what everyone was thinking.

“Oh, no.  Did someone get left behind?”  She questioned.

“No, we have an extra.”  He said, turning and pointing to Momo.  Attached to Momo, was a child.  No older than three.  He was being drug around by the poor lemur.  You made a face.

“Oh, great.”  Sokka voiced sarcastically.

“I don’t like kids.”  You informed, watching the child skeptically.  “They’re nothing but trouble.”

~~~~~~~~~

And trouble it was.  Everyone was split up into groups, sitting around their own campfires.  Momo sat with your group, consisting of you, Sokka, Katara, Aang, Appa, and Flopsy, as you learned the creature’s name was.  So, since Momo was there, so was the child.  It reached for Sokka’s club, and began sucking on it.  Sokka pulled it out of his mouth and held it up high.

“No!  Bad fire-nation baby!”  He scolded.  The child began to wail, and Katara slapped her brother’s arm.  “Oh, alright.”  He said, defeated.  He handed his club back to the child, who stopped crying.

“Aw, you’re so cute!”  Katara told the child in a baby voice.  You winced.

“Ew, Katara.”

“Sure, it’s cute now.  But when he’s older he’ll join the fire-nation army.”  Yung announced.  “You won’t think he’s so cute, then.  He’ll be a killer.”

“Does that look like the face of a killer to you?”  Katara asked, holding the child up.

“Even the Firelord was a child, once.”  You told her, tearing your gaze away from the fire to look her in the eyes.  The group went silent.  The only noises being that of the crackling flames, and the faint voices of the other groups.  A loud noise was heard, and you all turned.  A bird landed on a rock, not very far from you.

“A messenger hawk.”  Yung observed.  Aang walked forward and opened the container on its back, rolling open the parchment.

“It’s from the fire-nation governor.”  He informed.  “He thinks we kidnapped his son.  So, he wants to make a trade.”  Aang read.  “His son, for King Bumi.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“You realize we’re probably walking right into a trap.”  Sokka told him.  It was now morning, and Aang had his head wrapped again, concealing his arrow, as he carried the child towards Appa.

“I don’t think so.”  Aang disagreed.  “I’m sure the governor wants his son back as much as we want Bumi.”

“Not all parents care for their children like ours did.”  You announced, thinking back briefly to your conversation with Zuko at the North Pole.  You wrapped your arms around yourself.  “I don’t trust it.”

“It’s a new day.  I have a good feeling about this.”  Aang said, looking at the child.  You sighed.

“I have a bad feeling about this.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Sokka held the boy, while you, Katara and Aang stood next to him.  Three women made their way closer, and you recognized the one in the front as the girl that had attacked you earlier.  On her right was a girl in pink, with her hair tied up.  On her left, wearing a crown and dressed in reds, browns and blacks, was who you assumed to be the Firelord’s daughter.  Zuko’s sister.  Again, your mind replayed the words Zuko had said when he captured Aang.

“You’re like my sister.  Everything always came easy for her.  She’s a firebending protégé.  And everyone adores her.  My father says she was born lucky.  He says I was lucky to be born.”

You immediately felt distaste as you watched her approach.  A terrible feeling settled in your stomach.

“Hi, everybody!!”  A sudden voice yelled.  You looked up and saw an old man’s face inside a coffin-shaped restraining box.  This must be Bumi.

“You brought my brother?”

“He’s here.”  Aang answered.  “We’re ready to trade.”

You resisted the urge to look at the child.  You were cautious of taking your eyes off the enemies.  They talked quietly amongst themselves before the one in front stepped forward.

“The deal’s off.”  She announced, signaling for King Bumi to be raised.

“Woah!!  See you all later!”  He shouted.

“Bumi!”  Aang yelled.  He charged forward, but the Princess stepped forward, shooting blue fire at him.  Your eyes widened and you let out a gasp.  Aang leapt into the air and pulled out his glider.  His head-wrap came off, revealing his arrow.  You looked back to the trio, and watched as the Princess ran inside.  Aang landed on the cage and began blowing on it.  You looked ahead of you, just in time to see the other two charge.

“We’ve got to get the baby out of here!”  Katara announced.

“Way ahead of ya.”  Sokka assured, taking a break from blowing into the bison-whistle.  You all ran, trying to put more distance between you.  Sokka suddenly fell, and slid to the edge of the platform.  The girl in pink jumped out of a hole in the ground before running after him.  You wrapped water around her ankle, pulling.  She fell, giving Sokka enough time to escape.  Katara dealt with the other one, while you avoided the punches.  The girl in pink flipped past you suddenly, striking Katara on the arms and back.

The ice that Katara had encased her opponent’s arm in splashed onto the ground.  Katara tried to raise it again, but it was no use.

“How are you gonna fight without your bending?”  The girl in red asked.  You glared deeply.  She didn’t have to sound so patronizing.  She pulled out a dagger, and just as you were about to bend, a boomerang hit it out of her hand.

“I seem to manage!”  Sokka shouted from his spot atop Appa.  The large bison landed and smacked his tail on the ground, sending the girls backwards.  You helped Katara into the saddle and just managed to climb in yourself before Appa took off.

“There’s Aang!”  Katara told her brother, pointing at some sort of slide.  Your brows furrowed.

“What?”  You asked yourself.

“We can catch ‘em!”  Sokka announced, brining Appa closer.  Aang shouted something, but you couldn’t make out any of it.  He threw the cage, but it went to high, and you all missed.  Aang jumped after it.

“Aang!”  You shouted, looking over the edge of the saddle.  You watched helplessly as the cage landed on the slide, and Aang atop the cage.  The princess was following them quickly in her own boat-shaped object.  Sokka groaned.

“We have to find another way around!”  He shouted, steering Appa.  The large bison flew through the city, getting lower.  He turned a corner, seeing a gap, and flew upwards, just in time to see the king going back up the slide.

“He can still earthbend!?”  You asked.  Aang jumped into the saddle.

“He said he still has something to do here.  That he has to wait for the right time.  He said I need to find an earthbending teacher that stops and listens.”  He explained.  You nodded in understanding.

A small cry was heard and you turned, seeing the baby.  You let out a groan.

“We’ll take him back once it gets dark.”  Sokka informed.  You slid to the other end of the saddle.

“That long?”  You complained.

A/n:  I’m getting back into the swing of things!  In the next one you get to find out more about Y/n!  Then, (if you’d like), you can re-read some (if not all) chapters to see where I dropped hints!  (Because I did.)

Tag List:  @pizzamelon7384, @rissa-doodles, @chewymoustachio, @book-nerd-and-a-fangirl, @exo-nova, @emo-plaidin, @dinoromp, @90skid018, @mack-n-size, @thenoblenomad, @importanttyrantruler, @poisonedinventor, @thepixelatedarcher, @hitsugayarose

#Avatar: The Last Airbender #Avatar #Avatar: TLA #A:TLA #x reader #reader #reader insert #imagine #my imagine #Mara's imagine #Mara #Mara's Works #Zuko x reader

[appavevo]

okay so listen some times you get really interested in one single thing and that’s all you think about for a long time so you develop some dumb thoughts and here are a list of mine about atla and tlok in no particular order

1. in tlok they made aang look so BORING like so COOKIE CUTTER. the only times i like how they made aang look is in the old friends poster and in the picture where he’s airbending the rolls like that’s IT like come on yall focus too much on making the hair differenet people got faces too ya know

2. TENZIN IS LIKE 16 YEARS OLDER THAN PEMA??? ISN’T THAT CRAZY??? LIKE PEMA WOULD HAVE ONLY BEEN ABOUT 20 WHEN AANG DIED. ALSO TENZIN HAD KIDS SO OLD

3. at the end of tlok bumi must be about the age (maybe a few years younger) when aang died that’s so weird bc bumi doesn’t look old i wonder how it happened with aang like maybe the last few months of his life he just physically aged like 30 years wouldn’t that be weird (and sad)

4. i mentioned this before but i’ve seen posts like “its sad to think about the fact that aang probably had to bury appa” and NO i refuse to believe that esp appa bc i thought an avatars spirit animal lives as long as the avatar? like roku’s dragon lived and died with him so that’s what happened with appa too. also momo, i’ve decided

5. kinda.............weird how learning the avatar state was like one of THE main problems in atla and aang had a hard time with it and it was considered this awesome power that we didn’t see that often and the in the legend of korra she just.......................gets it. like aang gives her her bending back and oh here’s the full power of the avatar state as well no need to learn about the chakras and meditate on life or whatever hey also have some energy bending as well why not

6. lin beifong is literally so hot 

7. also in the legend of korra, bending isn’t as cool.. like in atla bending has all the beautiful forms and its like a dance or an art like that dance aang and katara did was based on their bending moves!!! and tlok isn’t like that and they try to spin it like “oh its modern now” but that’s just lazy and  boring

8. also (that one video explained this better than i could) while it’s kind cool to see the new technology mixed with the bending at first, the legend of korra is so much more american than atla, like i can see how a city with all those cultures mixed together might be a bit culturally ambiguous but like....... idk they talk about democracy in a weird way and they literally got the statue of liberty type thing going on (although i love every reference to aang i can get) and idk how to describe it. the bending is like this too where it used to be based off of hung ga kung fu or tai chi chuan now it’s just ..........boxing. i’ve seen some people say it’s because its easier to animate but like idk

8.5 oh also the whole good and bad evil spirit thing goin on (i forgot their names i think the good one was raava?) was really like god and satan smelling even though they tried to paint it as yin and yang idk it just didn’t come off like that

9. speaking of animation while i am desperate for new material can they NOT MAKE ANOTHER LIVE ACTION VERSION like........make a NEW STORY or maybe just DON’T with how korra turned out just like.....focus on the goddamn comics bc those are kinda fun and chill

10. bolin is pretty funny but him and mako and even asami are kinda boring im sorry but they are(asami is more interesting than mako though)

11. also fucked up how like the culture that was the most accepting and peaceful and spiritual and kind is the one that we never fuckin see this isn’t really a complaint about the plot just like it fuckin sucks!!! i would have loved to see some gay and funny air nomads

12. also maybe this is just bc im a big dumb fan but i refuse to believe aang was a bad father like maybe he didn’t divide his time in the best way but hey no one’s perfect and kya esp made it clear she wasn’t interested in air nomad culture so like what was he supposed to do ALSO SORRY BUT HE HAD TO LITERALLY BUILD A WORLD OUT OF 100 YEARS OF WAR AND REBUILD HIS CULTURE OUT OF NEXT TO NOTHING LIKE SORRY HE DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO TAKE YOU FISHING OR WHATEVER 

13. i do love kya though bc lesb 

14. THAT ONE LINE IN TLOK THAT WAS LIKE “ZUKO KNEW AANG BETTER THAN ANYBODY”??????? LIKE OF COURSE THEY WERE VERY COURSE BUT KATARA IS RIGHT THERE???? HELLO???

15. bc im a big dumb stupid idiot every character i get attached too i immediately insist that they can sing bc i’ve always wanted a really good singing voice so i’ve decided that aang is just like, a great singer

16. god i just love momo

17. UHHH I’M CURRENTLY READING THE WIKI AND IT SAYS THAT KYOSHI LIVED TO BE 230??? THAT’S COOL????? 

18. i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, air nomad avatars are just cooler bc of their fuckin tattoos. when those tattoos glow? fuckin tight. korras just got her eyes and like.......where’s the drama and conflama 

19. while the spirit world can be interesting idk how i feel about the spirits in the legend of korra, like all cutesy and weird like that, like i don’t hate it, it’s just really different from atla spirit world and idk

20. i’ve always been curious about aangs tattoos like,,,, the ones on his arms go into his armpit, but like the one on his back? does that just go all the way to his ass or what? and where do the leg ones stop do they connect with the back ones or just go to the hip bones or idk

21. i wanted a detailed map and description and history of air temple island and i want it now

22. while i know that extensive and unnecessary backstory and weigh a good story down WHO ARE AANGS PARENTS, I’M JUST CURIOUS. LIKE WERE THEY EVER TOLD HE WAS THE AVATAR?

23. i will defend aang until the day i die bc he was so young and so good and even the stuff he did selfishly he has like ample reason to can u imagine being twelve and waking up and realizing that not only are you the only person left of your race and culture and history and that everyone you knew and loved, like even people you didn’t really know but the people who you would smile too sometimes, the all died pretty violent and horrible deaths while you were just stuck in some ice bc you got hit by some storm after running away can u imagine???? ALSO LIKE the world hadn’t had an avatar for a century so he had to just like make shit up as he went along of course he could talk to his past lives but like..........idk!!!! and how do you build up

24. I ALREADY SAID THIS BUT KORRA JUST..........GETS THE POWERS. LIKE WE SAW AANG NOT ONLY LEARN THE ELEMENTS BUT ALSO DEAL WITH LEARNING ABOUT THE AVATAR STATE IN DEPTH AND HOW BEING THE AVATAR WORKS AND IT WAS SPECIAL AND INTERESTING AND WE COULD HAVE SEEN KORRA WORK TO GET HER AIRBENDING POWERS AND HER SPIRITUAL SIDE AND HER AVATAR STATE BUT THEY WERE ALL JUST FUCKIN HANDED TO HER EVEN THE E N E R G Y BENDING LIKE COME ON................................................................GIRL WHOS WRITING THIS

25. real disrespectful how much sokka is neglected in tlok!!! smh

26. this is very important to me but my favorite episode (not really including the last ones bc those are just on a dif level) but my favorite episode is 3x2 The Headband which was the footloose ep if you don’t remember..........it’s just fun............he just wants to dance AND HE WAS FUCKIN MACKIN YOU SEE THAT SHIT?????????? “DON’T WORRY ABOUT THEM IT’S JUST YOU AND ME NOW” LIKE BITCH!!!! YOU’RE TWELVE YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS BEIN THAT SMOOTH also i LOOOOOOVE the fact that aang being a good dancer is literally canon....................

27. i literally never wanted to know how the avatar cycle started like don’t explain the magic like that just leave some mystery

#this is a mess but i have a lot of feelings and thots #atla #tlok #mine #uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh #i'll add to this if i think of anything #as of my first draft i have 27 points #sorry if this is literally unreadable it's late and i'm in a weird position

[hachibe]

thoughts on The Legend Of Korra season 3:

for the amount of ranting in this you wouldn’t believe this to be my favourite season ^.^

- oh look! it’s almost as if Korra decided to keep the portals open without thinking of the consequences.

- i’m gonna be upfront and say that i hate that 1) people now just can airbend 2) Bumi can airbend. about #1 i think is kind of stupid, there was no need for more people to be able to airbend (if you disregard Zaheer). and i have this whole rant about the air nomads being reduced to airBENDERS in tlok. and i’ll rant about it when the time comes. what really bothers me is #2. because the whole essence of Bumi’s story is that he thinks he is not good enough because he can’t bend, because he is a regular guy, so instead of giving him a story where he learns his value they decided to just give him bending! like, srly!!!? because people only have value if they can bend? and it’s almost like, did s1 even happened? yes, Amon was a hypocrite but the issue with the non benders were/is still real. but the narrative refuses to acknowledge this! they are all like “what, no! i don’t know her” to this whole issue.

- and i still don’t understand how the spirits prowling the world should fit (or not) with this modern world. that’s a freaking awesome story right there to be tell but the narrative just refuses to deal with it because look! there’s airbenders now so let’s focus all the season on that. and like we did with s1 let’s forget that whatever happened that season had any consequences whatsoever! Korra was just like “fuck this, let’s search more airbenders because fuck this city, who cares anyway?”

- (me from the future: yes, i agree that tlok did a disservice to the portrayal of spirits that we had in atla. instead of unknowable creatures beyond our comprehension we got fluffy cute little creatures who could be good or evil. in a very black and white christian reductionist take. and i should have talked about this in the s2 notes. BUT the spirits are still here, this is something that is happening in the time of s3 but the narrative refuses to deal with it. it shows the audience that the spirits are there, they did caused some disturbance, there are vines in the city and people’s lives are getting disturbed by it. but this is the maximum of what we get from this. (i haven’t started s4 yet, i think there is some talk about it there, i’ll revisit the subject if it’s necessary.) and not once the narrative spends time exploring the implications of living in this modern world, that is constantly changing, that sees technologies and innovations as monoliths of good. we don’t get to see the spirits having to deal with this world. nor the humans having to deal with the spirits and reconciling it with their new modern life. and we never see the consequences in the lives of these people, or of this nation as a whole; or the contrast of the life in this nation as opposed to the other ones. and atla did such an amazing job of showing the world entrenched in colonialism and it’s consequences, not only to one nation but every nation. we saw what colonialism did to the southern water tribe, but we also saw what it did the fire nation. but tlok just drops a bunch of ideas and story lines and then just go focus on other things)

- should i talk about Zaheer? I love Zaheer. s3 is my favourite one because of him. I know, i just spend 2 paragraphs complaining about it. But i think Zaheer is fascinating. To me, with all the writings shortcomings he is still the best villain tlok had. his potential, ma man? i live for that. 

- i want Mako’s job btw, i want to just call my boss and say “hey, so, i’m gonna go on a trip with ma friends, idk when i’ll be back, see ya. don’t forget to mail me the paychecks!!!” ALSO, Mako is such a COP™! Let’s threaten this 13 yo orphan kid that had to rely on a life of petty crime in order to survive. it’s not like Mako himself isn’t an orphan and hadn’t gone through basically the same thing.

- the writers might not have given the red lotus a deep and meaningful story  and a rewarding narrative arch but they look COOL AS FUCK! SRLY, all 4 of them are the coolest looking characters in this whole series.

- the kid runs away in BA SING fucking SE and they send 2 people to look for him. yes!, i’m wasting a comment on this.

- (i saw someone implying that Mako and Bolin’s grandma is that girl Zuko went on a date once. do we know that for sure? note to self: remember to check that later)

- ok, so before we meet Suyin i think i need to talk about why i don’t like this “you’re an airbender, you’re an airbender, everybody is an airbender now” story line. the only real reason for it that i see is that the narrative needs Zaheer to be a airbender. and i get it, they really need it. i guess you can’t explain why only one guy can now suddenly airbend, so a bunch of other people now can too. so i think my issue is not that opening the portals brought back airbending to the world. is more on the fact that so far the narrative acts like airbending is the essence of being an air nomad. Tenzin has lived his whole life with this HUGE burden, trying to hold the single torch of an entire culture, god knows if he only ditched Lin to be with Pema because Pema could get him kids so he had a chance of passing his blood and bending skills to a next generation.  but this is kind of stupid, man! Tenzin is the only of Aang’s kids who can airbend but Kya and Bumi still carry airbending (and air nomads) genes! Idk how genetics in the avatar world works but i think is not that different from our world. Kya and Bumi’s kids could still be air benders. Kya and Bumi are still half air nomads, in the same way that Tenzin is half air nomad. and in tlok is like the whole air nomad culture is reduced to air bending.

- like, take the water tribes for example. Sokka didn’t bend, his parents and the rest of his family aside from Katara didn’t bend. that didn’t make them less water tribe. being a water tribe was not only about water bending. Toph’s parents couldn’t earthbend either, that didn’t made them less influential citizens of the earth kingdom. Mai’s parents all normal people, still powerful fire nation politicians. each nation had their own culture and that wasn’t reduced to their specific bending. so why it is not the same with the air nomads?

- Aang had being collecting “fans” since one of the first comics (i don’t remember which one). actually, i might say he’s being collecting those fans (that later became the air acolytes) since Kyoshi’s Island episode back in atla s1. and we see in the comics how he had being teaching them the air nomads philosophies and life style. and i understand that bending is important and that air bending is in a brink of extinction but i don’t understand how all these other people (the air acolytes) can’t be considered air nomads. let’s say, i move to australia, learn the local language, eat the local food, have kids and raise them in australia, we all have the same costumes as any other australians, why can’t i be consider australian as well?

- and sure, they are not the “real” air nomads, but i wouldn’t be picky if you are all facing extinction. and to be honest Tenzin is not “real” air nomad either because he is MIXED! he is still half water tribe, he didn’t born out of Aang’s forehead! Tenzin’s kids? All not “real” air nomads either, if we are going to ignore Tenzin if half air nomad, we still need to assume Pema is earth kingdom (or is she fire nation? since her eyes are golden. her eyes are golden, right?) And not only Aang could have had his two other kids be good leaders for the air nomads, could have taught them their history, life style, culture. instead of leaving all the burden on Tenzin’s shoulder. why couldn’t Aang have choose good leaders from the air acolytes? instead all we get from them is stupid servants. Pema included. i refuse to believe that anyone who was ever interested in air nomad culture and seeked Air Temple Island (and whatever other places) were all simpletons who never had any critical thoughts on their heads. they were all taught in air nomad culture and history (we see one of them answering all of Tenzin’s questions) but they are treated as servants. as a matter of fact we see Tenzin treat them as inferiors. and i guess this is the whole non benders issue from s1 back again. 

- (me from the future here: i just watched a video essay on youtube about genetics and bending in the avatar world and they said that is mentioned that all air nomads were air benders, the reason being that they were all more connected to their spiritual side. and OKAY, but i still think that most of my points still stand. if you are breeding sky bisons for a while now and you have a bunch of people willing to connect to their spiritual side and follow air nomad culture and life style, why can’t you have them learn air bending from the original air benders, the sky bisons, again? why did it have to be given for free like that? it’s so reducing! and poor! and if you wanted Zaheer to be able to air bend have him learn from the sky bisons! have him be an air acolyte who took the teachings of a air bender Guru to an extreme)

- idk what to say man. I will admit that all this don't piss me off as much as Suyin's story line, that’s for sure.

- so let's focus on Zaheer pretending to be an innocent new airbender seeking knowledge. He is a natural! And why it is that? Because that's a guy who is interested, who learned, who likes and admires and tries to live by air nomad philosophy. a lot of people critique this season because they thought it was stupid to have this guy who never bended before be so good ans skilled in airbending. and okay sure, but it always made so much sense to me because he is a guy who admires the life and teachings of the air nomads. that’s a guy who studied, and not just studied but lives his life according to those teachings. and that makes him a beautiful foil to Tenzin, who is this nerd bookish man, who is a scholar, who knows the teachings but don’t really live by them. ii don’t want to minimize Tenzin or call him a bad air bender (or air nomad. at this point what’s the difference?). but i love to see this contrast of this guy who struggles every step of the way and this other guy, who is a natural but will never be consider a master. their fight gives me the chills.

- I can't even talk about this because Suyin is getting in the way and this whole story just makes me. 

- i don’t resent her existence. in my head she is Sokka’s child, no one can convince me otherwise. but the way they wrote her is just awful. 

- did she just said that the idea of having an Earth Queen is outdated? While she rules a city of her own? AS THEIR QUEEN? and she's harbouring Varrick! "Sure he made a few mistakes in the past but that doesn't mean he should pay for it the rest of his life" sure let's not address the fact that he is only in her house doing business with her because he has business to do (if Varrick was a poor fellow who committed a crime and escaped prison he for sure wouldn’t have the same treatment. and i’m flabbergasted that Lin didn’t arrested him right there). Let's bring in the maglev and forgive the crimes he committed and lives that were lost because of him. Capitalism don't exist in the world of Avatar. Who da fack wrote this? (Oh this particular episode was Michael Dante DiMartino, so there's that)

- i’m not even gonna talk about the disrespect that this whole story does to Lin. This woman don't deserve this . FOR REAL!

- look, I get it, I agree people shouldn't be paying for mistakes or crimes they committed and have being repenting for 30 years. But the thing is, instead of apologising to Lin for what she did she just says "oh you should get over yourself, it's been 30 years, that's why you're an old bitter lady, no wonder Tenzin broke up with you!" and everyone treats Lin like she’s in the wrong. BITCH WTF!!!!????? (Suyin later apologises but not for the right things, she says “sorry i gave you grief when we were young” and honey, that’s not it!)

- and then Lin is like "cured" having kale juice and wearing those silly Zaofu clothes. Honestly! WHO DA FACK WROTE THIS?

- the fight scenes are all bloody impressive tho. the red lotus knows how to work together and they are all amazing.

- and P'Li? I would die for that woman.

- Ming-hua and Ghazan naming the constellations and coming up with stories about the guards ❤️ Also, 2 out of 3! so which one we think is the wrong one? Of course the unspoken attraction between the two is true. So that leaves us with ‘raised by sister’ and ‘had moustache by age of 10′. Place your bets fellas!

- that thing with the Earth Queen? That thing shook people. We were shooked™️ with the s1 finale and we were unearthed when she died. I still can't hardly believe.

- wait a minute, are you telling me that Tonraq, Korra's father, fought together with Zuko and Sokka and managed to imprison all 4 members of the red lotus but never learned what they were called? You are telling me that Guru Laghima fanboy Zaheer that can't shut up about it never dropped his spiel about caos is the natural order of the world? He never mentioned to every single guard who went to feed him that they are called the red lotus? And that this never reached the ears of Tonraq?

- fuck Zaheer but I'm different

- I find it very homophobic that even uncle Iroh we get to see several times, but Sokka only once in a flashback :(

- this fight with the cloudbabies and the red lotus? I get chills every single time. And Tenzin never stopping? Never giving up? 😭

- let go of your earthly tether, enter the void, empty and become wind.

- did you think that the Earth Queen's death was horrible? I present to you P'Li’s.

- i do love the fight scene at the end. i love and it breaks my heart that Korra fights every single second of it, with the poison and with Zaheer. and in the end she remains broken. 

- i love the moment when Tenzin decides that the new air nomads will be roaming the earth trying to bring balance. even if we can later debate the morality of it, i love that he takes this decision out of his own desire to help. he finds a meaning for his people based on the needs of the world right now and not trough a guideline he learned from his father. i really love Tenzin in that moment, and Jinora’s ceremony may or may not have brought tears to my eyes.

- overall i do love this season, mostly because of Zaheer and the red lotus. the writers made a huge mistake in making Zaheer and his philosophy so hypocritical. the same happened with Amon. in order to make them the villains the writers wrote them so hypocritical that it invalidates what they were fighting for. the non benders and benders issue is still big and present, the story just refuses to talk about it. the tirany and the corruption of the systems of government are still very real and still very there in Korra’s world, but the narrative don’t discuss it, or when it does it gives the most bland simplistic take. I do love Zaheer tho, as a character, and what he represents to air nomads and air benders culture, and the role he plays in Tenzin’s arch (even if it’s in a more covert way). i also think that by the standdars of his philosophy he was justified in trying to it makes sense for him to try and kill Korra, she is somehow a world leader and afterall an authority figure. i do resent that the writers made him a bad anarchist. for all the talk he had of freeing the earth kingdom people of their tiranic ruler he did fail in giving the people the means of taking over the government. you don’t simply dismantle a system by killing a monarch. that is a very simplistic view of anarchism and social revolutions for that matter.

- (little note in the finale, that i just realised now: wasn’t the poison made of platinum or something? a metal metalbenders can’t bend? how come Suyin can just bend it out of Korra’s body? is this going on the list of countless things Suyin can do because she is PeRfEcT ? also, the guy putting the poison in Korra’s body, wasn’t him bending the poison? is he just a nameless dude who miraculously can bend a metal no one else can? or is he a waterbender and was only able to bend the poison on Korra’s body because it’s a liquid? if so, why was it Suyin the one to take the poison out and not Kya, a waterbender AND someone versed in healing bending? make it make sense tlok!!!)

#tlok #pris rewatches tlok

[twinkletoes4ever]

Smile

There is a reason that there is such a big age gap between Bumi and Kya. For kataangweek 2017 day 1. So this might not be exactly related to the prompt, but… I liked it soo here it is 😊 English is not my first language by the way and tenses are my worst nightmare so I know there are going to be mistakes in here sorry! Hope you enjoy. 

The first time had been horrible. Little did he know the worst was yet to come. He recalled the happiness and excitement that he could hear in Katara’s voice when she had announced that two years after Bumi was born she was pregnant again. How all of that had changed when after a few months they’d heard these innocent words: “I’m going to have to run some extra tests, but nothing to worry about.” said by one of the best renounced doctors in Republic city. They didn’t think much of it at first. Just a couple of more tests just to be sure right? Spirits, what had they been wrong and it hit them as soon as they saw the regretful face of the same doctor a couple of weeks later. Something had infected the placenta and the fetus had died in her abdomen. The operation to remove it would be almost painless and minimal. Her body would remain scar-free as the incisions would be healed instantly. He was right, there was no sign of the pregnancy after the operation nor scars to relate the failed pregnancy with. Not physical scars at least, but Aang had never seen Katara so broken. She wouldn’t eat nor sleep, let alone speak to anyone for days. Not until she realized she had to be there for Bumi. No matter what would happen, she’d always be there for him. That what she had promised him when he was just an infant. So she tried to get back to her normal life; taking care of Bumi, training and healing, but Aang could see that the pain never left her eyes. Until two years later she had taken him out to dinner, that was. With reluctant excitement she had told her husband that she was pregnant again, who had picked her up and swung her around in the middle of the restaurant out of pure joy. This time nothing seemed to be wrong. She had already started showing when they received the same painful news from the doctor. Again due to complications with the placenta, the fetus hadn’t survived. This time Katara’s reaction had been completely different. Instead of grief, Katara had been furious. He had only seen her like this right before she had left to find her mothers killer. Only this time she wasn’t angry at some cruel veteran, but she was angry at herself. Angry, because she had only been able to reproduce successfully once and angry because it was her fault, or at least that what how Katara interpreted it. So she spend months trying to heal herself and spending hours trying to figure out what had gone wrong those times. She changed her diet, and started working out until she would almost collapse, just because some doctor claimed that it would make her more fertile. Aang had tried to stop her, to convince her that none of this was her fault, but as stubborn as she could be sometimes, she wouldn’t listen. All her hard work seemed to be in vain until couple of weeks after Bumi turned six, she came back from the doctor with tears of joy in her eyes. She was pregnant again and this time due after all the hard work she’d put into her fertility and health, nothing could possible go wrong. And indeed, the six months that followed went by smoothly and the both of them had faith that they’d finally have another baby, until on a spring morning out of nowhere, Katara collapsed. Her eyes had been filled with tears and she was screaming in pain. Aang had brought her to the hospital as fast as possible where they were now. All that Katara could do while laying in that hospital bed was cry, and all Aang could do was lay next to her and hold her tight. Even when the nurse came in, Aang didn’t want to look up. He didn’t want to see the saddened look on the nurse’s face. “I’m so sorry.” The nurse started and Aang could feel Katara’s body shiver. “The baby didn’t make it. We’ll have to remove the it by c–section as soon as possible to be sure that it won’t harm the mother.” Aang nodded as a sign that the nurse could leave them so he could be alone with Katara, but she didn’t. “There is actually something else I need to tell you.” She said and Aang looked up a bit surprised. “We’ve ran some tests and we’ve come across a complication that will prohibit any more pregnancies.” Aang’s facial expressions turned from surprised, to confused and worried. “You’re saying Katara can’t get pregnant anymore?” he asked reluctantly. The nurse nodded. “I’m so sorry.” she said before leaving Aang alone with Katara, who was completely in shock. “Aang, I can’t get pregnant. I can’t give you anymore children, there won’t be any airbenders if I-” Before she could continue she was interrupted by Aang, who had kissed her tenderly. “Katara, this won’t mean I love you or Bumi any less, okay? I love you two more than anything else. We’ll figure something out.” He had told her while pulling her closer and in that moment Katara felt at peace for the first time in years. Sadly this feeling didn’t last long, because as soon as the news about another failed pregnancy was out in the world, everyone started to intervene in their personal lives. Many believed that the Avatar would have to reproduce with another girl to repopulate the air nation, but Aang had refused to be part in any of that. Others believed that the news was fake and that Katara actually didn’t want to have any more of Aangs kids. Even a gossip ran through republic city saying that she wanted to divorce the Avatar, making the years that followed extremely hard ones. Both of them were under extreme stress and tried to hide there pain from their son and the outside world. A morning three years later though, Aang woke up to the sound of gagging coming from the bathroom. This wasn’t out of the ordinary actually. The past weeks Katara been sick to her stomach. Aang stood up to check on her anyway to find Katara sitting on the bathroomfloor in confusion. This did worry Aang. “What’s wrong?” He asked her while trying to read her facial expressions and helping her stand up. “Aang.” She murmured, still in shock. “Could it possibly be that I’m … pregnant again?”. Sure enough, nine months later a cry filled the hospital room. Their first daughter, named Kya, was born healthy and strong. But the most beautiful part? The smile that she had given her husband after nine years of struggling, making it somehow worth it in the end. Little did he know that he’d see this smile again a couple of years later, when their third child was born. A boy they named Tenzin. And Aang? Aang couldn’t be happier.

#kataangweek #kataang week #kataang #kataangtag #aang #katara #bumi #kya #tenzin #cloudbabies #kataangst

[the-last-cuddlebender]

So you just refuse canon and bumi and Kya were lying or were just dumb not to realize what was really happening and perfect dad aang didn’t favor tenzin so much and he wasn’t the special one who got all the trips and time with him and was the favorite and every air nation person didn’t revere him and his mother didn’t adore the baby of the family who gave her grandkids and youre right I had to look it up but pema was o n l y 16 years younger and a man doesn’t leave a long term partner to hook up right away with a girl if there wasn’t something going on before even if maybe they didn’t get close to f#cking or maybe it was the worshiping from her that he liked and it was enough even if he really didn’t have anything going on with her but for you tenzin is this perfect victim who never done anything wrong like aang and who only suffered by everyone else being mean and wasn’t loved enough for your liking but this is your hc and to be fair you can have any you want. Bumi was the oldest and he was a non bender that must have been crushing but he kept being a good person and loving his family. Kya was the middle child who was gay and who probably was a bit confused and a bit lost and still was the most caring person ever to anyone and was always willing to help and who even went to stay with her elderly mother. tenzin was the miracle child who got all his parents attention, an island and grow up to expect to be special and a leader who was rigid on his teaching and rules and was also sort of a shitty teacher who also treated a girlfriend/oldest friend like crap not because of the break up but how he did it. That’s all tenzin not just poor baby defenseless never done anything wrong tenzin but if that’s what you want I’m glad he isn’t as loved as you think he should be because with the bits we got his siblings are much more interesting and even better people

(I assume you’re referring to this post about a previous ask, and I’m happy to discuss)

Hi, anon! There’s considerably more for me to unpack here, so bear with me. I’ll try to keep my response contained to a few points:

some child (< age 12) psychology

Katara and Hakoda’s relationship

some pretty dang neat-o history facts that explain more than you think (because my diploma has to be worth something lmao)

(I’m trying to be concise, so if I sound short, please know that’s not my intention. I just wanna save this from becoming a novel. I also just burnt myself with NaNoWriMo, so it may kindof ramble idk)

To start, I don’t refuse the “canon” of the Kataang family, so take that as you will. I gave my argument completely within the lines of TLOK canon because I figured that was what you were after. And I can make an argument for something while not arguing against the opposition. A good argument should be able to validate itself. I never went after Bumi or Kya, and I never would. I love their characters to bits. I was focusing on Tenzin.

Nowhere in my previous post did I say that Tenzin is a ‘perfect victim’ who never did anything wrong. I’m discussing the reasons why I think his character should be explored and appreciated more. He is an extremely complex character just like the rest of the cast. To box him in as “the favored one” is narrow-sighted at best. He’s human. There’s more to him. He didn’t ask for his lot, but he makes of himself what he can with it, just like Bumi and Kya. He by no means had a cozy time (and he has the stress-lines to show it).  

You say that Tenzin was “expect to be special and a leader.” That alone makes me want to know more about him and how he grew up with that weight on his shoulders. That kind of expectation can destroy a person. It’s very a-la the pressures of the first-born in a monarchy crumbling under the stresses of learning to rule. Tbh, I think that’s why Tenzin was written as the youngest, so that the cliché wouldn’t be as obvious.

I have NEVER said that Bumi and Kya were lying or were dumb. I was discussing kid-Tenzin and how/why kid-Bumi and kid-Kya perceived favoritism (all while remaining within the lines of TLOK canon, too). Perception isn’t a bad thing. It’s just someone’s interpretation of the world. Idk if you think there’s a negative connotation to the word, but there’s not. Person A can look at the sky and see the moon and Person B can look at the sky and see a void that makes them feel small and insignificant. It’s just a difference of perception. Just because they’re different doesn’t make one or the other inherently wrong. Different truths are more than capable of co-existing.

FIRSTLY, about Aang passing:

Kya wasn’t the only one to help Katara after Aang passed. Aang left a void in MANY ways, both as a family man and the Avatar. Bumi, being in the military, guarded the world in his stead. Tenzin took up the mantle in the City and on the island. Kya took on the emotional safety-net.

Katara was Aang’s best friend, partner, and second-in-command. She was just as renowned as him. I can imagine the world expecting her to shoulder his burdens in the wake of his passing. She was the Mighty Katara, after all.

ALL of her kids helped her through his passing, in their own way. Being a shoulder to cry on is just one facet, and all three kids helped her beautifully.

Some psychology:

I’ll explain why I think Bumi and Kya perceived favoritism (which every kid does, myself included. It’s natural and somewhat instinctive for siblings) as best as I can. I’m not a psych major by any means, but I can lay down what I know and remember from my classes.

I’m not saying favoritism doesn’t exist in families. I’m talking about family dynamics in situations where favoritism is subjective because it objectively isn’t there. (Others might define favoritism differently, I suppose. But these are my thoughts)

Children (again, I’m talking <12 here) perceive the world differently than adults. They have incredible imaginations and a pretty tame survival instinct. Give a kid one of those mind-bender jigsaw puzzles, and they’ll have a higher chance of success solving it because their minds haven’t grown enough to be constrained by reality. They’re mad geniuses who haven’t been developed enough to be closed off from the possibilities. That’s what makes childhood so precious. 

That’s why even Gyatso wanted to wait until Aang was older to learn he was the Avatar. You have to let the mind grow and fall and dust itself off before you fence it in. This doesn’t discredit or underestimate kids, either. They are extremely capable. I’m just talking about their lesser known psychology.

“Developed” is also a word that doesn’t have negative connotation here. I’m speaking clinically. Some cognitive and executive brain functions aren’t developed until 25. It doesn’t devalue ability or understanding. It’s just a word.

Kids internalize things differently than adults, especially when it comes to interpersonal relationships. Perceived favoritism among siblings (in situations where there objectively isn’t favoritism, of course) is a classic example. Kids need only be a few years apart for this to be seen. If a two-year-old gets a younger sibling, they can regress to breastfeeding because of the perceived favoritism they see being given to the youngest. Mom isn’t going to let the other kid starve, but the kid doesn’t know that. 

This isn’t just in infants, though. And as it can be seen with the Kataang kids (they were all kids when Tenzin went on the trips with Aang, and kid-Tenzin is my focus here): Bumi and Kya don’t ‘know’ that Aang is saving time for them, too, when he isn’t there. All they see is Dad gone with Tenzin and leaving them behind. And by ‘know’, I don’t mean to insult their intelligence. They comprehend why, but their instincts don’t. Siblings have a lot of strange instincts, not just Cain Instinct. Object permanence is critical until critical and abstract thinking are properly developed. Before then, it’s a “I believe what I can see” mindset (in the simplest terms...I don’t wanna wax eloquent about the nuances of it rn. I can see people taking this as me discrediting kids, but I’m not. I’m just trying to explain the Point B missing between Points A and C presented in the show).

Katara:

Children don’t start developing abstract thinking until about age 12. It’s part of their cognitive development. That’s when they start developing critical thinking (and scientific method and etc.) and the understanding of relationships between verbal and nonverbal ideas. Before then, seeing dad take their youngest sibling on field trips would 100% feel unfair, no matter how the situation would be explained to them. They literally can’t understand it.

***Katara: If you want an example, look no further than when Katara confronts Hakoda in The Awakening. Katara knew Hakoda had to go when he did (2 years before the show, by the way, making her 12). She really, really does understand, even when she’s older. But it still hurts, and she doesn’t know why. That’s because the damage has been done. She perceived his leaving differently when she was younger and it internalized differently as a result. She feels a little abandoned even though she knows Hakoda didn’t and why he had to go. Its affects don’t go away, though (as seen in the invasion). 

I never said that Kya’s and Bumi’s feelings would go away or were untrue to begin with. It was real to them, and that’s all that matters, just like Katara’s feelings being real to her is all that matters. Hakoda understands that. Aang would, too.

Is that Aang’s fault? It depends on what your definition of a good dad is and whether or not you give him room to make mistakes. Personally, I think he’s a great dad to all three of his children, even in the canon of TLOK. He just isn’t given a proper analysis in the show. 

Time spent together does not equal time spent loved. Otherwise, school teachers would be more of a parent(s) to a kid than their actual parents.

The acolytes:

The acolytes of The Southern Air Temple being all “Avatar Aang had more kids?” and completely side-lining Kya and Bumi is not in any way a testament of Aang’s or Katara’s characters. That’s the acolytes’ characters. Aang and Katara have no control over what the acolytes do/do not want to believe or think, no matter how many times they would have corrected them. They fangirl over the airbenders in the scene you’re referring to. Even the fangirls in the comics completely side-lined Katara as Aang’s “first girlfriend.” Their behavior in TLOK never surprised me.

Teacher!Tenzin:

Tenzin being a poor teacher was a good thing. It meant he could grow with his equally-poor student so they would become something better together, as mentor and pupil. I found that idea for growth to be pretty darn cool.

Devaluing the opposition:

“The bits that we got his siblings are much more interesting and even better people” objectively, sure, I could agree, but if I met an interesting and awesome person for a short window of time, I wouldn’t believe they were interesting and awesome 100% of the time. Bits of a person do not define their character. Every person has a capacity for just as much good as evil—it’s a variable that stretches equally in either direction.

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History-fun-time with the-last-cuddlebender woohoooooo

(a.k.a. I’ll address my thoughts on the “Tenzin being given the temple” and Tenzin-Pema situations, as you’ve presented them, as delicately and concisely as I can)

Importance of different generations:

If we go on the theory that TLOK mirrors more than just the industrial shifts of the real-world at the turn of the 20th c., then the age difference between Tenzin and Pema isn’t abnormal. (It wouldn’t be abnormal until even the early 1990s.) I have to use some anecdote to explain this, so bear with me:

Their age gap is strange to us because we’re used to things progressing so quickly. History as it’ll be written about the generations from the mid-90s onward will be very, very tricky. Generations now-a-days aren’t as easily defined because of the colossal leaps in technology from the past twenty or so years. 

Loosely, a generation is a group of people defined by relatively the same “changes” that happened in their lifetime (or whose effects affected their early development). There have been way too many changes in technology (which we know has a much stronger effect on a person’s early development now than ever before) in recent decades for that formula to hold up anymore, otherwise there would be a new generation every 4 years. 

An age gap like Tenzin’s and Pema’s feels so much stranger to us because our generations are so tightly layered. 4 years could mean a world’s difference when, back then (and I explain what I mean by “back then” further down), it didn’t change much on the dating scene. Life was more or less the same as they both grew up. It was far slower to change. And everyone in TLOK was growing up in the void of post-war for several decades. The technology jump didn’t (arguably) happen until just before Asami (if still holding up the comparison to modern day), so an age gap even in-universe wouldn’t be abnormal at the time they were dating.

(Even my parents got married at almost the exact same ages as Tenzin and Pema, the only difference being that my mom was 26 not 25. Most people I know are in the same boat. It’s just a generational disconnect)

Kya, Bumi, and Katara weren’t kicked out so Tenzin could be “given” the island (needs time period explanation):

I know TLOK says it got its inspiration from the 1920′s (the inspirations are there), but, if I were to date it, I would say that it’s moreso set in the mid 40′s-ish. (Kuvira ESPECIALLY reminds me of a not-as-known-as-they-should-be person from that time).

Among others, the size of the radios and Tenzin/Pema sleeping in one bed are some easy hints to me about TLOK being set in the mid-40s (if we’re using New York City as the template for Republic City). 

Even in the time of FDR’s earliest Fireside Chats, the radios were monsters that had to be kept in the corner of the living room. Towards the mid-40′s, commercial radios were becoming compact, and the radios in TLOK are pretty darn small. 

The Cathedral Radio used in TLOK wasn’t created in mass in the real world until 1933, and people didn’t have the means or money to replace their massive radios with smaller ones until (arguably) after the New Deal (1933-1939). Thus, I say the 40s.

Tenzin/Pema sleeping in the same bed also supports this time period because it wasn’t uncommon for couples to sleep in separate beds leading up into the “I Love Lucy” era of the 50s (the separate beds were for too many reasons to talk about here because they were a fad--for even medical reasons--for about a century). 

^^^setting the time period is needed to prove why I think Kya and Bumi left of their own volition, why they would do it, and why it was actually quite normal

Kya and Bumi weren’t kicked out of the temple. In real life, it was a trend up until the mid-40s for families to stay in the familial home, some even long after marriage. After that, however, multiple factors encouraged the want and fostered the need for young adults to leave their home as soon as 18. Kya and Bumi would be influenced just the same given the parallels with the time period.

Not all families did. The big (mostly industrial) cities were the first to do this. TLOK mirrors this with Bolin and Mako’s family staying together. 

Republic City, like New York City, was years ahead of these kinds of changes, so they started the one-bed shift and kids leaving the home just before the 50s. (This isn’t to disregard the cultural influences bellying the four nations. I know that familial homes are a characteristic common to Asian cultures since the US is more oft to sending elderly into nursing homes and such--and I’m having a blast learning about Asian culture since my specialty in college was medicine in Europe and the West--, but, here, I’m working on the assumption that the world in TLOK is migrating towards a Republic City standard, and the comics seemed to be hinting at that from as soon as just after the war, not to mention in TLOK.)

Again, kids leaving the home at the age of 18 is a very new thing that’s pretty specific to the US (in the time the trend first started) because of the new opportunities that were so suddenly afforded to younger people post-war. These opportunities were in all areas of life, not just economic (economic arguably being the least contributing factor imo), but that’s a historical essay for another time. 

My point is, kids leaving the familial home began as a choice in a post-war (100-year war, in TLOK’s case) world that encouraged them to do so.

Bumi and Kya were not kicked out so Tenzin could be “given” Air Temple Island. Bumi joined the military, and Kya traveled the world. They CHOSE to leave because there was opportunity to do so (that hadn’t been there for 100 years). They wanted to find their own destinies (and be the nomads they were born as...I always found it to be a great irony that Tenzin, being the poster-child to carry the legacy of the Air Nomads, never really got the chance to be a nomad. It’s sad, really, and potentially another reason why Aang took him on one-on-one trips since he knew Tenzin would be stuck with his legacy?).

Katara (again): As for Katara leaving the island, I believe that, among other reasons, Katara left Republic City because the light pollution made it difficult to see the stars she had grown up with. In real life, the Milky Way used to be visible to the naked eye everywhere in the world, and I think that change would be reflected in TLOK by default. Katara would probably find comfort in something as consistent as the stars and the Aurora lights in her old age. Plus, the city was probably too loud for her, and snow muffles sound pretty darn well.

TO BE CLEAR: This is not a justification. This is an explanation. I’m taking no “side”, here, because I’m not invalidating the opposition to validate my own. These are just my thoughts for how I see Point A becoming Point C in a way that keeps in line with TLOK canon.

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Final thoughts:

You and I “perceive” Tenzin and his family differently, anon, and that’s okay. That’s just our interpretations of the show. I’m not calling for Bumi and Kya to be torn down so Tenzin can be uplifted. I’m talking about Tenzin (kid-Tenzin) in particular. His character is his character, and his value shouldn’t have to proven by devaluing Kya and Bumi. Likewise, Kya’s and Bumi’s value shouldn’t have to be proven by devaluing Tenzin. Just because they’re “more interesting” than Tenzin doesn’t make them interesting people (meaning that line of logic is flawed. i.e. lesser evil isn’t good because it’s lesser; it’s still evil. They should be interesting if the comparison is taken away, and they absolutely are and for their own reasons). Their characters should able to stand in an isolated argument, and they absolutely do, make no mistake. I love them to pieces, and nothing I’ve said about Bumi and Kya has made them inferior. I love them to death and have written more about them than Tenzin. It wasn’t until I started thinking about Tenzin that I realized his potential.

Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi were never “given” anything, and I doubt they would ever want it to be. They all had it rough, and they all deserve love. Bumi fought for a name in the military. Kya carved out her place in the world. Tenzin dug in his roots and planted the seeds for a garden he thought he wouldn’t be alive to see grow.

Me believing Tenzin should be appreciated more does not mean I believe Kya and Bumi should be appreciated less.

...just like Aang giving Tenzin one-on-one attention does not mean he didn’t give Kya and Bumi one-on-one attention, too:)

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Again, this isn’t an attack on any character, person, or fandom! I’m not a psych expert, either, and I apologize if it sounds like I’m delegitimizing kids and their experiences. I’m trying to do the opposite. I can go more into detail about Kya and Bumi, but this post is a novel already and I'm too burnt out to add more.

I’m just trying to give Tenzin as much love as Kya and Bumi🥰 I love all the cloud babies equally (as I should😤), and I wanted to toss out my two cents for discussion because I don’t see the cloud babies being loved equally in fandom (kindof ironic)

If there is some hidden childhood!tenzin content please hmu I beg🥺

#tenzin #avatar the last airbender #the legend of korra #atla #tlok #kataang #aang #katara #cloudbabies #tenzin love #aang love #kya ii #bumi ii #history dump because I can #I think I missed a point or two but I sat and did this in one go and am too burnt out to change I I’m sorry🙏 #Katara love #bestdad!aang #Bonus history tangent because my adhd is making my mind come apart at the seams #answered #the cuddles have spoken