#why is sokka the epitome of that | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bard-llama · 9 months

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3. Is there a trope you wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole?

7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

12. Is there an episode above all others that inspires you just a little bit more?

Oooh, good questions! Thanks for asking!

Hmmm. For 3 - I have this pattern where I think I'll never write a trope and then end up taking it as a challenge to write it my way. So... not sure there's actually one I wouldn't touch - but also, feel free to send me trope ideas and I'll see if I can spin them to my liking lol

7 is haaaaaard, so I'll do 12 next XD Honestly... I guess The Blue Spirit episode just for the potential of what it gives us? Like, the realization that this antagonist character who is loud and shouty and fiery can also be this sneaky, stealthy person who HELPS the protagonist... I mean, I'm also an enemies to friends/lovers fan, so this episode gives that some juice. But in general, I enjoy s1 AUs and playing with how things could go differently

(One of) My Favorite Piece(s) of Prose

Okay, so my memory is fleeting and I have a LOT of writing out there (like... 470 published fics between my accounts + a billion WiPs), but an atla fic that I keep coming back to is Wan Shi Tong's Uninvited Guests and I think it's 'cause there's still potential for more even though it's done. But I really like this scene (kind of long, so under a cut) and I think it's because like... it's really the epitome of who Aang is, to want to befriend everyone and bring peace and joy to the world. And also, I love Zuko's dubiousness over the frozen frogs as medicine lol

(oh my god, I despise tumblr and their stupid editor that they force you to use now and I can't make this idented without losing ALL the spacing so.... sorry)

Aang pulled back slightly, not releasing him. “Do you remember when I asked if we could’ve been friends a hundred years ago?”

Zuko was vaguely aware of the Avatar’s friends startling, but all he could do was nod, still baffled by it.

“I meant it,” Aang said. “It’s not a hundred years ago, but we’re friends now. I’ve decided.”

Zuko stared. “I… don’t think that’s how it works?” He wasn’t actually sure, given the only real friend he’d ever had before had been his cousin, Lu Ten. Even Mai and Ty Lee were Azula’s friends before they were his.

“No, it is,” Aang said, not an ounce of uncertainty in his voice. “You’re mine now.”

Sputtering, Zuko tried to find words, but there really were none.

“Aang,” Sokka groaned, slapping a hand against his face. “You are not supposed to adopt the guy trying to capture you.”

“Why not?” Aang asked, genuine. Sokka appeared no more capable than Zuko was of finding the words to explain the absurdity that was the Avatar deciding to befriend Zuko.

There was something kind of flattering about that, but Zuko didn’t understand why. Why would the Avatar care about him!?

“Because I can,” Aang said simply, grey eyes meeting his gaze directly. “Because you deserve to have friends and I want to be one. Because I think you’re interesting and I like you and I want to get to know you.” Aang shrugged, smiling slightly as he concluded, “because you’re Zuko.”

Zuko… had no fucking clue how to react to that, so he kind of just froze.

Aang’s smile widened and the arms around Zuko’s torso tightened. “It’s okay if you’re not ready to respond yet,” Aang said quietly, looking so ridiculously earnest, “but I’m gonna show you what it means to have a friend.”

“You – what – why?”

“Because someone should and I want it to be me,” Aang said.

Zuko blinked rapidly, trying to process that. “...you do remember the part where I chased you all over the world, right?”

“I do,” Aang nodded. “I also remember the part where you saved me.”

“Wait,” Katara and Sokka shared a look, “what!?”

Zuko flushed. “I was helping myself,” he mumbled, embarrassed.

“So?” Aang shrugged. “You still saved me. Even if you do the right thing for the wrong reason, you’re still doing the right thing. That matters.”

“What the fuck are you talking about, Twinkletoes?” the new earthbender girl said. Uncle had said her name was… Tough? That didn’t seem quite right.

“It was before we went to the North Pole,” Aang said, not releasing Zuko. “I got captured by Zhao, and Zuko saved me.”

“What!?” Katara sounded worried, but Sokka looked more angry. “Where were we!?”

“You were sick!” Aang said into Zuko’s chest. It was kind of weird to have someone clinging to him who was talking to someone else, but for some reason, Zuko wasn’t struggling to get free. “I had to get frozen frogs for you to suck on to cure you!”

There was a moment’s silence as they all processed that and then Zuko’s face scrunched up in disgust. “Is that what the frogs were about!?”

“Yeah!” Aang nodded vigorously. “They were medicine!”

“...are you sure about that?” Zuko couldn’t help the dubiousness in his voice, but that sounded seriously sketch.

Aang laughed, squeezing his arms around Zuko’s torso for a final time before stepping back. He was smiling brightly and Zuko really didn’t understand why.

“So…” Sokka drawled, “what happens now?”

Zuko sighed heavily, rubbing his face. That was the question, wasn’t it?

He glanced at Aang, but Aang just looked back with a smile, as though totally confident in what Zuko would pick. Why!?

Part of Zuko wanted to attack just to prove him wrong… but really, what was the point? His Father had declared him a traitor and had sent his sister after him to bring him home in chains. Did the terms of his banishment even matter anymore?

And – and if they were right and Father really was wrong… then how could Zuko bring this child who declared friendship with his enemy to the man who would burn him without remorse?

He sighed again. He’d always been a disappointment to his Father, and that wasn’t likely to change soon. But he’d told his Uncle he’d be back, and he tried not to disappoint Uncle. He wasn’t very successful, but…

He had to try. Uncle was all he had left in this world, and he had to try.

“I left my Uncle in the Misty Palms Oasis,” Zuko said quietly, not quite looking at them. The unspoken admission that he was letting them go was heavy in the air between them.

“Okay,” Aang said. “Do you want a ride?”

Zuko blinked and the Avatar’s companions yelped his name. “What?”

“Do you want a ride?” Aang asked. “I guess we could walk, but Appa would be much faster.”

“...what?”

Aang smiled slightly. “I told you. You’re mine now. You’re not getting rid of me.”

Why did that sound vaguely threatening?

“So,” Aang continued, “do you wanna ride on Appa?”

Honestly, he did. He really, really did. But he couldn’t give in that easily.

“Don’t you have Avatar stuff to be doing?” he asked.

“Spreading peace and joy and love,” Aang grinned, “that’s Avatar stuff!”

Zuko had no idea what to say to that.

“C’mon, come try riding Appa!” Aang encouraged, tugging on the rope that still bound them.

Zuko sputtered, feeling like he should protest. But… he didn’t really want to walk across the desert when there was an alternative. And the alternative involved flying.

So he was maybe a little bit excited when he gave in and let Aang drag him up into the saddle.

“Yip yip,” Aang said even though no one was actually steering the bison. Appa lifted from the sand and as they rose upwards, the air around them seemed to cool slightly. The wind blew through Zuko’s hair and he could see around for miles, and while there was nothing to actually see, it was still incredible.

This entire day had been like sailing through a tsunami, but even though Zuko didn’t know what would happen next, it was somehow easy to let himself lean into the wind and allow the tension to uncoil from his spine.

#ask #atla

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chitsangenthusiast · 1 year

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oh!!! 🗣️ or ❔ for the wip ask? 👀💕💕

🗣️Talk about your favourite WIP come when you want!!!!!! not to talk about it again but it's the epitome why write if you're not going to write for yourself!!!! the 5+1 that's meant to just be nsfw but also covers the span of zkka's relationship, and the title comes from my poor attempt at giving it the tiniest bit of plot, which is: if there's an event with a set start time, then zkka are gonna show up just-barely-fashionably late due to fooling around

(subplot: sokka pwetty)

❔Choose a random WIP and talk about it. marine biologist/mortician auuuu. i still need to figure out the back half of the plot bc i'm trying to add in some major supernatural elements that requires me doing research on spirits, but i keep getting more and more ideas lately and thus excitement! half of this stems from the fact that i'm blending some scenes from the piece i wrote for zkka novels 2022 (there's like three scenes that didn't make the cut for that ficlet due to word count lol), which i think just makes it more fun!!

a cranky mortician and a thoroughly unimpressed marine biologist being forced together to figure out this supernatural conundrum? featuring many spirits (including my favorite, koh!) that they have no business meeting and the weirdest looking fish that is actually [redacted]? a BLAST

(for reference: work in progress, but make it good ask game)

#rip these are all like a month old but i still want to answer them so i decided to group them together #fun fact: the mortician/marine bio au's setting is bascially just the bob's burgers setting #i needed a pier town and that's the first one that zoomed to mind. and thus: it stuck lol #ask

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nothing-more-than-hot-leaf-juice · 4 years

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As a kid I kinda just went along with my older(mostly male) sibling and cousins and I didnt understand why playing with them was never fun. Then Katara blew up at Sokka, then Suki kicked Soka's butt, then Katara threw hands with Pakku and I figured out I was angry at the sexism i was facing, and my mom was never there to teach me what to do, but Katara and Suki(as well as other characters down the road) were. And it breaks my heart when people treat Katara the way the Ember Island Players did

TOP TEN TIMES ATLA TAUGHT US HOW TO DEMAND RESPECT

in which the catalyst for this whole series was Katara calling out her brother on his sexist bs

the correct response to someone devaluing your abilities because of your gender is to threaten to feed them to a giant sea beast

Aang said “respect my fucking culture, people died here”

In which every young girl who watched this show learned that you do not, in fact, have to put up with sexist bullshit from anyone. Even if they’re an authority figure or an adult, they are in the wrong and you don’t deserve to be devalued because of your gender.

Hahn: is classist and devalues Sokka, disregarding the fact that the SWT had been reduced to a small village over the last century, Sokka’s family had been separated by the war, and the waterbenders of his tribe were systematically taken and killed by the Fire Nation

Sokka: just fucking decks this punk ass bitch

Zuko said “fuck corrupt cops”

Smellerbee said “respect my pronouns or face my wrath”

these assholes: make fun of Toph, who looks very cute after her self-care day

Toph and Katara: exemplify the epitome of Women Supporting Women with some bending action (and leave a giant hole in this bridge, oops)

If we can be real for a second, this moment is so important for kids to watch. It is always important for kids to see how to establish boundaries in a relationship and that just because your partner is hurting doesn’t mean that it’s okay for them to mistreat you.

Child Abusers Can Choke

#so what we learned is if we could control the elements irl and all had swords we could shut down bigotry in five seconds #and we can't control the elements #so maybe we should start investing in swords #and of course it's more complicated than that #but this show had so many good examples of characters standing up to sexism and classim #and abuse and so on #and we got to see good fucking examples of shutting that shit down #katara #zuko #suki #aang #toph #sokka #smellerbee #mai #avatar the last airbender #atla #hot leaf content #the babes are asking

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bisexuallsokka · 3 years

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Ok but like why is Sokka the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome?

--zuko, completely unprompted, at any given moment

#queue #ask me stuff #Anonymous

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alextir-creates · 3 years

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Sukka Fankids by Tigrette-of-Fire

Hey everyone! After a month of debugging my computer so I could access Paint Tool SAI again, I am finally back! This time with more fankids. Alex Tir, chronic OC maker, strikes again.

Sokka and Suki were my favorite canon AtLA ship, so I always felt it was a shame they broke up post-canon. In classical fandom fashion, I have decided to disregard that entirely. In any case, meet Taiyin and Arnaaluk, Sokka and Suki’s twin daughters. They were a treat to design, honestly, and I want to touch on a few design notes before moving onto character backstories. (Cont. Under the cut!)

Taiyin’s hair is not in a Fire Nation style topknot, but is rather based off of an Inuit hairstyle (referenced here). Because I’m basic, Taiyin’s name is also a subtle homage to Yue, because I feel like Sokka and Suki would probably be open and honest with each other about that. (Also, bonus points if you can figure out how it’s a homage). As for Arnaaluk, the headband she’s wearing is a nod to her mother’s culture, given that her hairstyle is distinctly Southern Water Tribe. As a mixed raced, multi-ethnic person myself, it’s important to me when designing mixed OCs to have them celebrate all the pieces of their heritage. (Am I bitter about how Bryke handled that in LoK? You bet I am.) The clothing on Kyoshi Island (or, at least, the civilian clothing – I can’t say definitively for the Kyoshi Warrior outfits) is inspired by Ainu cultural dress. So, I did some research and did my best to design Arnaaluk an Ainu-inspired headband.

Taiyin and Arnaaluk are both waterbenders, though they ultimately choose different specialties. Arnaaluk specializes in healing (though she’s certainly capable of defending herself). She’s the epitome of “[this lady does] not start fights, but [she] can finish them,” and generally claims to be the twin in possession of the braincell, though she secretly enjoys shenanigans just as much as Taiyin. Taiyin is a combat waterbender (with waterbending first-aid training, of course). Studying under both her Aunt Katara and her mother, Taiyin fights with a fusion style of Southern waterbending, Northern waterbending, and classical Kyoshi Warrior martial arts (two words: ice fans).

Where their stories continue from there, however, is largely up in the air. Theoretically, I could just make the necessary modifications to fit Taiyin and Arnaaluk into the Legend of Korra timeline. And while I’m not adverse, to that, per say, the problem is that my feelings about LoK are overwhelmingly negative. Like, on a bad day when I’m being particularly uncharitable, the endgame Korrasami and what that did for lgbtq+ representation in cartoons is the only thing that justifies LoK’s existence to me. Before anyone comes at me – no, this is not about shipping, it’s about racism. While AtLA itself was by no means perfect (there’s some excellent meta outlining what AtLA did wrong by Hindu, South Asian, Central Asian, and Southeast Asian fans – I highly recommend checking it out), but the way Lok treated its cultural inspirations – more than one of which are cultures I belong to - was actually hard for me to stomach. I have no issues with other people loving the series – I get why it’s important – it’s just also not for me. So, the long story short is we’ll see if there’s a particular verse that’ll grow around these gals (admittedly, I would really love to have Arnaaluk succeed Sokka as Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, but that’s for another day).

Art © Me

Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra © Mike DeMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon

Image ID: Neck up headshots of two teenage girls. The girl on the left, labelled “Taiyin” in writing below the headshot, has a bob of reddish-brown hair with the upper half of her hair tied into a bun. She also has two looped braids starting at her temples that tuck back into the bun. She has light-to-medium brown skin, and pale blue eyes (the same color as her father’s). She’s grinning in such a way that her teeth are visable, with the left side of her mouth (viewer’s right) pulling higher than the other.

The girl on the right, labelled “Arnaaluk” in writing above the headshot, has darker reddish-brown hair pulled into two long braids at either side of her head. The braids are each tied off with a blue wrap with white trim. Like her sister, she also has light-to-medium brown skin, though her eyes are dark blue (the same color as her mother’s). She has “hair loopies” (like those worn by Katara), though hers tuck into the beginnings of her braids behind her ears. She is also wearing a medium blue headband with a light blue pattern of geometric whirls and points.

Underneath the headshot of Taiyin are logo-style renditions of Avatar Kyoshi’s headband (in bronze) and the Southern Water Tribe crest (in blue). Kiyoshi’s headband is tilted, and slightly above and to the left of the SWT crest.

The entirety of the image is bounded by a teal square “frame.”

End ID.

#atla #fanart #digital art #captioned #my art #cartooning #original character #fandom ocs #my ocs #fanchildren #let me know if I should tag as lok critical

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that-was-anticlimactic · 2 years

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top 5 ships! ♥️

F E E L I N G S

1. rarijack

okay so. rarijack was like. my first real introduction to gay was via ninjago fanfiction i accidentally stumbled upon, but it wasn't a great fic so i didn't think much of it. then, i found myself shipping rarity and applejack even tho they were both girls. i didn't know why, and for awhile, i just. didn't think about it and simply shipped them. but this has been a comfort ship since 2013. it fills me with great joy and makes me all giddy and flappy hands and like. it's the epitome of opposites attract and being able to love someone... somepony despite being so different, learning to love what they love simply because your partner loves it. it's understanding someone on such a deep level that you can say "honestly, i don't know why you're giving me your frowny eyebrows". like. f r o w n y e y e b r o w s. to know someone so well that you can tell the different moods by their eyebrows. it's being willing to give up what you want for love, wanting the one you love to take care of themself. putting their happiness above your own until they make you take care of yourself... i just. i love rarijack so much. they are everything to me. my internet friend beth made me two rarijack stickers on redbubble and they're my favorite stickers on my laptop.

2. zukka

is anyone surprised? they mean so much to me. i love them so much. they're so important to me. sometimes, i self-project onto sokka so much that it reminds me that i'm worth loving, if that makes sense? there's so much good in zukka, so much learning and self-discovery and recovery and pure love and just. okiuhgyfdgyhuijop. my brain isn't working great right now, so that's all imma say for now, but i have so much more that i can say. brain just says no :/

3. renga

is anyone surprised? to be honest, renga is a lot of self-projection??? like. i want a langa in my life. ftgyuhioiuygfg as dumb and selfish as that may sound, i just love the way that they love each other. it's so passionate, but so natural. they love eachother and naturally as they breathe. they both brought each other happiness and meaning. reki gave langa the spark of life he was missing and langa gave reki someone who genuinely cares about what he has to say... there's just so much good and pureness in it. i love them. so much.

4. jetru

oops. jetru came out of nowhere and stole my heart. just. the potential that they have is so good. i love writing for them and i love thinking about them. they always give me this warm glow in my chest. i love this dynamic and how they would both love each other so passionately and just. ahhhhh i am so excited to write you happened verse jetru edition when i have the time because i have Ideas <3

5. jack & goldilocks

so, they're from my favorite book series, the land of stories ! i love them so much. goldilocks is a very important character to me, and her love story with jack is just so sweet and wholesome. i don't really have too much to say here because i just genuinely love them so much.

i'm doing six cause i wanna sorry

6. kiane / howzer & gilthunder

so, i don't think you know them, but kiane is king and diane from the anime seven deadly sins and howzer & gilthunder are as well! kiane is canon, the other is not but it always makes me so happy and giddy! kiane makes me feel so many good feelings! it's falling in love all over again and loving each other even when they're so far apart. they're just so pure and mean so much to me. and i headcanon howzer as gay but suffering from internalized homophobia / a maybe homophobic father and he figures it out around like s3 of the show, and gil is bi and i just love their chemistry and the way they interact and ahhhhhh wish they were canon:/

#brooke tag #but thank you for indulging me <333 #this was fun!#i love talking about rarijack so freaking much!#some honorable mentions are: yueki / lavashipping / glaciershipping / djwifi / julerose / mcnozzo (don't judge me iuygfttgyui--i hyper #-fixated on them when i was going through it lol) / pins and patches from b #*bmc aka jake and michael / troyson from kipo #aaaaaand i'll stop there cause i need to shower haha #thank you for letting me scream about rarijack !#<3 #corey rambles:)

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thinkingisadangerouspastime · 3 years

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hi! random question that you’re not obligated to answer (i just love your ka metas): do you think that aang acted like he was entitled to katara’s affection? sorry for the bother if this is a question you’ve gotten before, i’m just curious about your thoughts

Hi anon! It’s always lovely to hear people like my metas 💛 And you’re in luck - I have not gotten this specific question before, though I have answered similar questions, and as such I will probably link those posts throughout.

Forewarning: I use the general you very liberally in this post, so like. It’s not directed at you, anon djhskdjsajs I don’t want you think my sarcasm is in response to your ask (your ask was very lovely!! 💕)

Okay. Let’s get started! The funniest thing about the (nonsensical) claim that Aang acted “entitled” to Katara’s affection is that there is no canon evidence to support it. Opponents more often than not can only bring up one (1) episode as an example of supposed “entitlement” because no other Kataang interactions in the series demonstrate entitlement from either end! Like, wow. Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel. And I’m sure we all know what episode opponents love to propagate, don’t we?

Yep, you guessed it: “The Ember Island Players.”

From the get-go, the fact that people who vigorously oppose Kataang essentially only appeal to the contents of one episode for Aang’s supposed “entitlement” is a major indicator that, in fact, the entitlement is not truly there, and that those opponents are actually misconstruing the entire episode. I mean, if you are trying to make an argument about something but you only have one piece of “evidence” to support your claim, then a) any half-decent teacher/professor would fail you, rip and b) that’s a sign that maybe your claim doesn’t hold water. If you can’t find evidence to support it, then you’re probably looking at your case from the wrong angle. Analysis 101.

As such, I find the “entitlement” claim particularly ridiculous because opponents repeat the same faulty rhetoric over and over! The only people that might be convinced are those with confirmation bias. I’m sure that’s their audience, of course, but it’s still hilarious dfjaksdasks.

Anyways. Here’s the excerpt from the EIP transcript that opponents l o v e to spotlight with their “entitlement” claims:

Aang: Katara, did you really mean what you said in there?

Katara: In where? What are you talking about?

Aang: On stage, when you said I was just like a… brother to you, and you didn’t have feelings for me.

Katara: I didn’t say that. An actor said that.

Aang: But it’s true, isn’t it? We kissed at the Invasion, and I thought we were gonna be together. But we’re not.

Katara: Aang, I don’t know.

Aang: Why don’t you know?

Katara: Because, we’re in the middle of a war, and we have other things to worry about. This isn’t the right time.

Aang: Well, when is the right time?

Katara: Aang, I’m sorry, but right now I’m just a little confused.

Aang tries to kiss Katara.

Katara: I just said I was confused! I’m going inside. [Exits the balcony.]

Aang: Ugh, I’m such an idiot! [Puts down his head on the balcony railing.]

Opponents claim Aang’s behavior is “entitled” here for two reasons:

1) He asks Katara several questions about their relationship status.

2) He kisses her.

Before I get too far into this, we have to consider the context of the episode. Katara and Aang have this conversation after just watching 95% of “The Boy in the Iceberg,” aka Fire Nation propaganda. I have talked about the specifics of the play being imperialist propaganda here, but the gist of it is that this play is meant to demean the Gaang, to portray them as lesser and weaker than the Fire Nation. The fact that the play ends with Ozai’s victory is a stark reminder of this mentality. So: Katara and Aang have just watched this play that preys upon their insecurities and paints them as awful caricatures of their true selves. It is only natural that they would be more tense than usual. The reason I bring this up is solely to inform their conversation on the balcony, however; I don’t think their frustration solely defines what they say/do, but it’s worth keeping in mind, “Hey, they’re stressed and upset, of course this conversation might not go perfectly.”

Now, I have talked about the infamous EIP kiss before and approached all the rhetoric surrounding it like Snopes Fact Checker in this post, lmao. I did discuss in there why the kiss is wrong, which no one has ever argued against, but also why the kiss is simply a mistake: not sexual assault, not entitlement, not an unforgivable decision. I’ve copied and pasted specifically my notes on the “entitlement” claim below regarding the kiss, but if you have time, I definitely recommend the whole post jksdhjasdka (I’m quite proud of it). Anyways! Here’s the excerpt:

Claim: Aang acted entitled to Katara and her affection.

Status: False.

I’ve briefly addressed this already, but Aang backing off when Katara pushed him away is the exact opposite of entitlement. An impromptu kiss is not always indicative of entitlement. It can be, especially if the person being kissed has never expressed any interest in the person kissing them, but Katara and Aang were mutually interested in each other. They’d mutually kissed twice already by that point: in CoTL and during DoBS. The EIP kiss was inappropriate. NO ONE HAS EVER SUGGESTED OTHERWISE. But when you’re 12 and you’re already kind of in this semi-relationship with a girl you’ve been through hell and high water with (who has kissed you twice on the lips and on the cheek multiple times, not to mention it is only you she ever expresses such affection towards), it is not fucking “entitlement” to make a move on her, even when the timing is off. IT’S JUST A MISTAKE. A POOR DECISION. NOT ENTITLEMENT. NOT MANIPULATION. NOT SEXUAL ASSAULT. Full stop.

Also, these EIP people love to call Aang entitled for this kiss, but there isn’t a single peep heard from them about Zuko’s line in TSR where he demands to know what’s “wrong” with Katara, since she hasn’t forgiven him yet when everyone else has. And look. I think Zuko was just frustrated here, and that he, too, made a mistake and is obviously not irredeemable for it, but. If you’re going to argue that Aang was entitled in EIP, you’d better be ready to acknowledge the argument that Zuko was acting entitled in TSR, too. And hell, let’s take it a step further! Call Aang entitled for EIP. Call Zuko entitled for TSR. Call Sokka entitled for choosing to stay at Boiling Rock on the off chance his father would arrive, thus making Suki and Zuko feel obligated to stay behind with him, effectively putting all of them in danger. What an entitled decision, risking his friends’ lives on the 0.01% chance Hakoda would be one of the many, many possible war prisoners arriving at Boiling Rock!

Damn. That sounds ridiculous as fuck, doesn’t it?

And guess what. That’s exactly how the “Aang was entitled” arguments come across. Hate to break it to you. Trust me when I say to do yourself a favor and stop perpetuating that faulty rhetoric!

So that is what I have already assessed, lol.

To be frank, the most frustrating thing I see perpetuated is that the EIP kiss somehow ruined Aang and Katara’s relationship. But when it comes to assessing weighty issues like the notion of “entitlement” in a relationship, the fact of the matter is that you have to look at both the relationship as a whole and the context in which it is situated. Opponents never want to do that, because doing so debunks their entire (baseless) argument, lmao. Katara and Aang are best friends. And by EIP, they have both expressed romantic interest in each other multiple times. (Here is a post explaining the development of Katara’s feelings for Aang, just to put out that fire before anyone sets it lmao.)

So why, why do opponents think Katara would never find it in herself to forgive Aang for a mistaken kiss? Katara is shown over and over again throughout the series to have one of the biggest hearts. She wants to see the good in people. That’s why she gives Jet a second chance (even though a person could argue he did not “deserve” one); that’s why she helps the Fire Nation village in “The Painted Lady”; that’s why she forgives Pakku (once she sees he’s willing to change); that’s why she is the second person in the entire show (excluding Iroh) to offer Zuko a hand of kindness (in CoD)! That’s why she eventually forgives Zuko, even after all he has done to the Gaang (e.g. sending an assassin after them, being complicit in Aang’s death, attacking her and kidnapping Aang at the NWT, manipulating her with her mother’s necklace, to name a few, lmao. bless his heart, but like Jet, someone could easily argue Zuko doesn’t “deserve” another chance - and yet Katara still gave him [and Jet] one. in fact, she gave Zuko multiple).

In other words, Katara is almost always willing to extend friendship and compassion and forgiveness to others - why would she revoke that privilege from Aang after a single error that is comparatively lesser to all the other horrible things she’s experienced in the war? Again, I’m not downplaying how terrible of a decision Aang made. It’s inexcusable. But it’s not the end of the world, and considering the context of the show (e.g. Aang and Katara liked each other and they both knew it), it’s… not some heinous crime. Compared to, oh, how about attempted murder? lmaoo

Even beyond Katara’s innate kindness, Aang is Katara’s best friend. She loves him. The show portrays it as romantic through the seasons, but even if someone isn’t into shipping (which is super valid), Katara and Aang’s connection is one of the primary lynchpins of the show! (The other being Aang and Zuko, the greatest foils of all time.) Katara and Aang epitomize several of A:TLA’s thematics (and aesthetics) because they are complementary: yin and yang, push and pull, Tui and La, moon and ocean, blue and orange, water and air. This gifset and related commentary beautifully demonstrate how even when Katara and Aang disagree, they respect the other’s the decision. So after 60~ episodes depicting Aang and Katara as having mutual respect and love for each other in every form as well as emphasizing Katara’s natural inclination towards kindness/giving people the benefit of the doubt, opponents still think Katara wouldn’t forgive Aang because of one mistimed, inappropriate kiss? What?? Make it make sense, lmao.

In sum, the kiss was a mistake, not an act of entitlement, and it’s absurd to think Katara would hold that against Aang for the rest of his life.

To backtrack a bit, opponents also love to use the fact that Aang asked Katara several questions about their relationship status as examples of his “entitlement.” Just typing that out highlights the ridiculous nature of this assertion, lmao! Let me rephrase it for maximum hilarity:

“Aang was unsure about where their relationship stood? Well, how dare he ask numerous questions to resolve his confusion!”

Like, what was the alternative jskfajksdas if you are in relationship limbo with someone, it is far better to ask them ‘too many’ questions for clarification than to simply assume one way or the other! Kissing Katara was wrong, flat-out, but asking her questions to better understand where they were in their relationship was like. exactly the right decision, lmao. I genuinely don’t see how that could be indicative of entitlement? Especially because, once again, Aang and Katara both like each other and they both know that by this point in the show. That’s why Aang doesn’t ask if Katara likes him - he knows she does. That’s why Katara doesn’t negate her feelings - she knows she’s interested in him, and the blockade between them is not a lack of reciprocation, but the fact that they’re “in the middle of a war” and consequently it’s not “the right time” for them to begin a relationship. Katara has seen Aang die before! She knows he’s facing a near-impossible victory! I can’t blame her for not wanting to start a relationship with him at that point. It would hurt twice as much to lose him again if they were together in a romantic fashion (amatonormativity, am I right?). Again, Aang’s kiss was entirely inappropriate, but him asking her questions about their relationship is a) an example of fostering healthy communication and b) what any therapist would encourage, lol.

Oh, but I’m “forgetting” something, aren’t I? Right. This line:

Katara: Aang, I’m sorry, but right now I’m just a little confused.

If we want to talk about parallels, which I know the A:TLA fandom adores, this line sounds suspiciously like:

Yue: … but I like you [Sokka] too much and it’s too confusing to be around you.

Yue and Katara are actually in similar situations here. Outside forces are interfering with their relationships; for Yue, there is her arranged marriage, and for Katara, it’s the life-or-death nature of the war itself. They aren’t confused about their feelings, as Yue knows she likes Sokka and Katara knows she likes Aang, but they are confused about how to reconcile those feelings with their external circumstances. And can you blame them for that? They are facing impossible decisions (the fate of their nation and the fate of the world respectively). I would be confused, too! So Katara’s response isn’t a reaction to any so-called “entitlement” from Aang; she is experiencing genuine confusion about how to approach her own feelings for him in the midst of a war.

In sum, Aang asking questions about their relationship was a logical step to take resolving his confusion and is in no way related to “entitlement.” Katara’s confusion was not “letting Aang down easy” and interpreting it as such requires disregarding every preceding line of the conversation and its context.

As you can see, Aang’s actions in EIP are not at all “entitled.” His questions were understandable. While his kiss was inappropriate and inexcusable, it was also a mistake, and there is no canon evidence to support the conclusion Katara would never be able to forgive him (her literal best friend!) for it.

Before I end, I’ll touch briefly upon the DotBS kiss, because it is also occasionally used as an example of Aang’s “entitlement” towards Katara’s feelings. Whether you like the trope or not, this moment falls under what is called the “Now or Never Kiss.” TV Tropes actually lists Kataang/DotBS as an example under the Western Animation tab:

“Avatar: The Last Airbender: The fact that he’s finally going to face the dreaded Firelord, and possibility that he might not come back alive from that battle, gives Aang enough motivation to kiss Katara.”

Again, whether you like the trope or not, it involves reciprocation from both parties:

“The Not-A-Couple [i.e. both parties] don’t want to go out without revealing how they [i.e. both parties] really feel. It’s now or never. They kiss.”

Katara and Aang both like each other. When Aang initiates the DotBS kiss, Katara kisses him back. Her lips are still puckered when he pulls away. Furthermore, Katara had initiated a kiss with Aang prior to this incident, in CoTL. Katara was also the one to initiate every cheek kiss with Aang (who is the only character she ever demonstrated such affection towards). So Aang kissing Katara during DotBS follows an established precedent of Katara initiating different kisses, romantically inclined, with Aang. It’s not entitlement; it’s him knowing they mutually like each other and him realizing this might be the last time he ever sees her. Again, you can hate the trope, but don’t blatantly misconstrue its meaning. You’ll sound like Fire Nation propaganda, lmao. (For clarification, jic: the general you. not anon!)

Here is a fantastic post by @imreallyhereforkataang explaining the DotBS kiss in more detail as well as discussing why Kataang’s progression in the second half of Book 3 was, in fact, well-developed, and how Katara and Aang are best friends above all else and know that (which was the core of their relationship from the start).

And a bonus fun fact: in the original storyboard (link takes you to storyboarder Giancarlo Volpe’s DeviantArt with said storyboard), it is noted that Katara smiles after Aang kisses her. Why? Because she likes him as much as he likes her! It was changed by a “higher authority,” according to Volpe, probably to add more realism to the romance (i.e. Katara likes Aang, yes, but as she herself points out in EIP - there’s a war going on, and love is always terrifying to reconcile with war).

(Seriously, though, do read Volpe’s description on the storyboard. Takes you a second to scroll down and maybe a minute to read. Short yet informative, discussing how you can see on the storyboard itself that someone revised the image so Katara isn’t smiling after the kiss.)

Anyways! Opponents’ argument that Katara wasn’t interested in Aang therefore is and has always been entirely inapplicable.

To conclude: the entitlement assertion is laughable. There is no canon evidence to support it. As such, I encourage you to laugh whenever you see it! Pull an Azula, for that matter:

[ID: Gif from “The Beach” episode of A:TLA. Ty Lee, mimicking a guy, asks Azula, “Hey there sweet sugar cakes. How ya likin’ this party?” Azula proceeds to burst into exaggerated laughter, earning stares from everyone else at the party. End ID.]

Thank you for the great ask, anon! Hopefully my response was satisfactory 💛

#surprise friends!! a kataang analysis!! i probably will not write any others until may 💀#kataang #kataangtag #aang #katara #atla #avatar the last airbender #atla meta #amy answers #anon #amy analyzes

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my-bated-breath · 4 years

Text

Research Shows that Zutara Would Have Been the Ideal Friends to Lovers Dynamic

(featured below: a very self-indulgent Zutara post that uses Facts and Evidence to be self-indulgent)

When I joined the ATLA fandom, a common trend I've seen used to discredit Zutara was the belief that upon transitioning from a platonic relationship to a romantic one, Zuko and Katara would immediately become The Worst (TM) for each other. It's quite the stretch, and the Zutara fandom nearly unanimously recognizes that. Still, since the attacks have yet to cease even 15 years after the show’s first release, I'd like to add my two-cents on the subject, along with a reference to actual research that is much harder to dismiss.

The reason why Zutara is framed as a “toxic and unhealthy” relationship is that their romance would be a classic example of the enemies-to-lovers trope, a trope which modern media has not been particularly kind to. However, when executed correctly, enemies-to-lovers can produce a healthy and loving relationship, frequently relying on friendship as an intermediate between the “enemy” and “lover” stages in the most well-executed versions of this trope. Meanwhile, the trope of friends-to-lovers is just as popular as enemies-to-lovers, though the specific dynamic required between two individuals to achieve this transition is not well-known. Recognizing this, Laura K. Guerrero and Paul A. Mongeau, both of whom are involved in relationship-related research as professors at Arizona State University, wrote a research paper on how friendships may transition into romantic relationships.

While “On Becoming ‘More Than Friends: The Transition From Friendship to Romantic Relationship” covers a variety of aspects regarding how friends may approach a budding romantic relationship, this meta will focus on the section titled “The Trajectory from Platonic Friendship to Romantic Relationship,” which describes stages of intimacy that are in common between platonic and romantic relationships.

(I am only using this one source for my meta because as much as I love research and argumentative writing, I can only give myself so much more school work before I break. If you wish to see more sources that corroborate the argument from above, refer to the end of this meta at the “Works Cited.”)

According to Guerrero and Mongeau, “...scholars have argued that intimacy is located in different types of interactions, ranging from sexual activity and physical contact to warm, cozy interactions that can occur between friends, family members, and lovers…” Guerrero and Mongeau then reference a relationship model where the initial stages (i.e. perceiving similarities, achieving rapport, and inducing self-disclosure) reflect platonic/romantic intimacy through communication while the latter stages (i.e. role-taking, achieving interpersonal role fit, and achieving dyadic crystallization) often see both individuals as achieving a higher level of intimacy that involves more self-awareness.

Definitions, because some terminology in this quote is field-specific:

_____

Perception of similarity: (similar in background, values, etc.) which contributes to pair rapport

Pair rapport: produces positive emotional and behavioral responses to the partner, promotes effective communication and instills feelings of self-validation

Self-disclosure: a process of communication by which one person reveals information about themselves to another. The information can be descriptive or evaluative and can include thoughts, feelings, aspirations, goals, failures, successes, fears, and dreams, as well as one's likes, dislikes, and favorites.

Role-taking: ability to understand the partner's perspective and empathize with his/her role in the interaction and the relationship

Role-fit: partners assess the extent of their similarities in personality, needs, and roles

Dyadic crystallization: partners become increasingly involved with each other and committed to the relationship and they form an identity as a committed couple

_____

(Source: Quizlet -- not the most reliable source, I know, but once again field-specific terms tend to be ubiquitous in their definitions, and I doubt that this Quizlet can be that inaccurate)

(Additional note: only the first three definitions will be relevant to this meta, but the other definitions are left in for all of you who want to speculate what the next part of this meta, which may or may not be published the following week, will be about.)

Let’s apply what we just learned back to the real Zuko-Katara relationship we see throughout the show. What attributes of healthy and natural friends-to-lovers dynamics may they check off?

Perceiving similarities:

Zuko and Katara share an astounding number of parallels in background and character throughout the show. Both their mothers had sacrificed their lives to save them, and then there are many deliberate parallels drawn between Zuko and Katara’s confrontations in the Day of Black Sun and The Southern Raiders, respectively. Of course, there are more, but since I do not have much to add to this subject, I’ll say that perceiving these similarities helps contribute to…

Pair rapport:

We see three standout examples of this from the show in which Zuko and Katara “make positive emotional and behavioral responses” towards each other: In the Crossroads of Destiny, the Southern Raiders, and Sozin's Comet, Part 2: The Old Masters.

(1) Crossroads of Destiny. Zuko and Katara bond over the loss of their mothers in the Crystal Catacombs, allowing themselves to truly see the other for the first time as well as for them to speak civilly and intimately (is this self-disclosure I see?) with each other. Of course, their conversation (on-screen or off-screen) is meaningful enough for Katara to offer to use the Spirit Oasis water to heal Zuko’s scar.

(2) The Southern Raiders. The journey Zuko and Katara take for her to achieve closure (which is something Zuko himself knew was necessary to heal and grow) is the catalyst for Katara forgiving Zuko. Though there is no true “rapport” in the scene where Katara forgives him, all other banter/conversations (in the Ember Island Players and the ATLA finale) between Katara and Zuko are reliant on the moment she forgives him.

(3) Sozin's Comet, Part 2: The Old Masters. In the finale, Zuko experiences a moment of uncertainty before just before he faces his uncle -- his uncle who had always been there for him since the days of his banishment, his uncle had loved him unconditionally even when Zuko did not know that such love was possible, his uncle who loved him like his own son, his uncle who he betrayed in the Crystal Catacombs, his uncle who turned away when he was encased in crystal, too disappointed to look him in the eye. He tells this to Katara -- and what does Katara say to Zuko in response?

“Then he'll forgive you. He will.”

The dialogue speaks for itself. The positive emotional response, the open communication, and the (rightful) encouragement Katara provides, all without invalidating Zuko’s self-doubt, demonstrates the epitome of pair rapport. Further elaboration would simply be me gushing over their dynamic.

Self-disclosure:

Self-disclosure involves revealing intimate feelings. We’re revisiting the same three episodes that we covered up above since they all include self-disclosure.

(1) The Crossroads of Destiny. When he reaches out in the Crystal Catacombs, Zuko reveals something to Katara that he has never told anyone before, perhaps something he didn’t even want to admit to himself -- in response to “the Fire Nation took my mother away from me” he says “that's something we have in common.” And to say that out loud, to say it to himself and Katara when for three whole years he’s been trying to convince himself that the Fire Nation is good and that his father loves him -- there are no words to describe it. It’s both awe-inspiring and heartbreaking to see that Zuko and Katara’s shared pain is what allowed them to see each other as more than the “face of the enemy,” and it’s something so poignant that it forms an immediately profound connection between the two.

(2) The Southern Raiders. On their way to the Fire Nation communications tower on Whale Tail Island, Katara tells the story of her mother’s death, a story that has haunted her memories for years, looming over her as a ghost, a wound that festers into fear to grief to anger. This was the moment that divided Katara’s life into the Before and the After, the one that forced her to abandon childhood and to become a mother to her own brother (as implied by Sokka in his conversation with Toph in the Runaway). And yet this is the first time we see her tell someone her story in the show, full and vivid as if it happened yesterday. Because even though she mentioned her mother before to Aang, Haru, and Jet in order to sympathize with them -- it’s just that. Sympathizing. This time she tells Zuko about her mother’s death for her own sake rather than for another’s. And it’s an incredibly intimate moment, one that is made even more fragile, wrenching, and beautiful by Zuko’s response -- “Your mother was a brave woman.”

(3) Sozin's Comet, Part 2: The Old Masters. Throughout the second half of season 3, Zuko shares his love and insecurities regarding Iroh to every member of the GAang.

In the Firebending Masters, he mentions to Aang offhandedly -- and perhaps too offhandedly, as if he didn’t want to believe it himself -- that Iroh, Dragon of the West, received his honorary title for killing the last dragon.

An episode later in part one of the Boiling Rock, Zuko talks about his uncle with near constancy. He brews tea for the GAang and (endearingly) tries retelling “Uncle’s favorite tea joke.” He tells Sokka, “Hey, hold on. Not everyone in my family is like that… I meant my uncle. He was more of a father to me. And I really let him down.” He (fails at, adorably) giving advice to Sokka when the rescue mission to the Boiling Rock has begun to look helpless, asking himself “what would Uncle say?” before completely floundering away.

Then, in the Ember Island Players, he shares a sweet moment with Toph, bitterly spitting out that

“...for me, [the play] takes all the mistakes I've made in my life, and shoves them back in my face. My uncle, he's always been on my side, even when things were bad. He was there for me, he taught me so much, and how do I repay him? With a knife in his back. It's my greatest regret, and I may never get to redeem myself.”

Toph, in turn, reveals the thoughtful side to her character, the side that is almost always hidden, telling Zuko that “you have redeemed yourself to your uncle. You don't realize it, but you already have.”

And every one of these moments matter, because we see Zuko’s inner conflict (though this inner conflict does not exist to the extent at which it did at the first half of season 3) and its evolution. First, with Aang, he remains skeptical and disillusioned. Second, with Sokka, his longing for Iroh’s love and presence manifests itself in him imitating his uncle as well as he can. Third, with Toph, he finally admits everything he had been afraid of ever since he saw Iroh’s empty prison cell during the eclipse -- that Iroh is disappointed in him. That Iroh hates him. That Iroh will never accept him again.

And for a moment, with Toph’s encouraging response and Zuko’s resulting little smile, it appears as though Zuko’s internal conflict arc is concluded. But we are wrong -- because in the finale of the show, we are given the true climax and resolution to Zuko’s insecurities, fears, and self-loathing. And who is it that he shares this moment with?

It speaks volumes about Zuko and Katara’s relationship that Katara is the one to comfort Zuko in this scene, in that last moment of hesitation right before he steps inside his uncle’s tent, preparing himself to see his uncle as a completely changed person. As a person who now knows humility and unconditional love. And remember -- selecting Katara to be in this scene is a deliberate narrative choice because ATLA was written by a team of producers and writers, and perhaps even if it wasn’t, it becomes a powerful moment in which Zuko’s arc with Iroh reaches its peak.

Simply having Katara there in this scene already has such a great narrative impact, but then the show gives us some of the most intimate dialogue that Zuko, a naturally closed-off person, delivers (although his emotional outbursts may suggest otherwise, Zuko tends to hide most of his internally conflicting feelings to himself. Hence, he is always able to dramatically monologue about his honor, his country, and his throne -- because he’s trying to convince himself to play a part. But that’s another meta for another day).

Let’s begin by comparing Toph and Zuko’s dialogue with Katara and Zuko’s dialogue because both see the other party validating Zuko’s feelings.

(Warning: the following section plunges deep into the realm of speculation and overanalyzing dialogue. Regarding literature or any media, there are countless ways to interpret the source material, and this is simply one way it could be done.)

_____

Ember Island Players Dialogue:

Toph: Geez, everyone's getting so upset about their characters. Even you seem more down than usual, and that's saying something!

Zuko: You don't get it, it's different for you. You get a muscly version of yourself, taking down ten bad guys at once, and making sassy remarks.

Toph: Yeah, that's pretty great!

Zuko: But for me, it takes all the mistakes I've made in my life, and shoves them back in my face. My uncle, he's always been on my side, even when things were bad. He was there for me, he taught me so much, and how do I repay him? With a knife in his back. It's my greatest regret, and I may never get to redeem myself.

_____

Although Toph and Zuko’s dynamic is one of the most innocent and understanding throughout the show, the conversation begins with Toph joking with a negative connotation -- that “even [Zuko seemed] more down than usual, and that’s saying something!” Thus, the conversation opener is not one that allows for Zuko to easily be emotionally vulnerable, and so he responds bitterly and angrily -- “You don’t get it, it’s different for you” and “...and how do I repay him? With a knife in his back.” By stating that their portrayals in the shows were different, Zuko mentally places a wall between himself and Toph, saying that “[Toph doesn’t] get it.” Then, the rhetorical question Zuko asks himself and the shortness with which he answers the question showcases a forceful and biting tone, indicating that he is covering up his inner turmoil with vehemence. This tendency is something we’ve seen Zuko default to before, whenever he had shouted the oft-mocked “I must restore my honor!” lines in response to a few introspective questions Iroh had asked (though once again, that’s another meta for another day). Now, let’s examine the remainder of their conversation.

_____

Ember Island Players Dialogue Continued:

Toph: You have redeemed yourself to your uncle. You don't realize it, but you already have.

Zuko: How do you know?

Toph: Because I once had a long conversation with the guy, and all he would talk about was you.

Zuko: Really?

Toph: Yeah, and it was kind of annoying.

Zuko: Oh, sorry.

_____

Here we see Toph and Zuko’s conversation take a more serious turn as Toph becomes more sincere. Zuko, however, is still full of self-doubt as he is constantly questioning Toph with “how do you know?” and “really” and “oh, sorry.”

(featured up above: Zuko looking dejected and doubtful.)

Still, the conversation ends on a sweet and inspiring note:

_____

Ember Island Players Dialogue Continued:

Toph: But it was also very sweet. All your uncle wanted was for you to find your own path, and see the light. Now you're here with us. He'd be proud.

_____

Hence, though Zuko and Toph’s conversation displays a heartening and hopeful dynamic, Zuko is ultimately still guarded for the majority of their conversation. Now, let’s look at how Katara approaches Zuko in the Sozin’s Comet, Part 2: The Old Masters.

_____

Sozin’s Comet, Part 2: The Old Masters Dialogue:

Katara: Are you okay?

Zuko: No, I'm not okay. My uncle hates me, I know it. He loved and supported me in every way he could, and I still turned against him. How can I even face him?

Katara: Zuko, you're sorry for what you did, right?

Zuko: More sorry than I've been about anything in my entire life.

_____

In direct contrast to the conversation opener with Toph, Katara begins to engage Zuko with an openly concerned question. And even though Katara never disappointed an Iroh-figure in her life in the way Zuko has, Zuko immediately doesn’t close himself off from her, he doesn’t create a wall that prevents him from revealing his deepest fears to her. During this scene, he neither sounds bitter or angry -- he sounds lost, doubtful, and afraid (perhaps even afraid to hope). This shift in tone is blatant in his voice (thanks to Dante Basco’s line delivery) but even with nothing but the written dialogue, we can note the difference in which he describes his turmoil to Toph and as compared to Katara:

With Toph: “But for me, it takes all the mistakes I've made in my life, and shoves them back in my face. My uncle, he's always been on my side, even when things were bad. He was there for me, he taught me so much, and how do I repay him? With a knife in his back. It's my greatest regret, and I may never get to redeem myself.”

With Katara: “No, I'm not okay. My uncle hates me, I know it. He loved and supported me in every way he could, and I still turned against him. How can I even face him?”

With Katara, the underlying bitterness from his conversation with Toph is toned down to the point of nonexistence, though a part of it is still there. With Toph, Zuko says, “it takes all the mistakes I’ve made in my life, and shoves them back in my face,” which is a rather incensed statement. Meanwhile, by saying, “no, I'm not okay. My uncle hates me, I know it,” Zuko directly addresses his self-loathing without the use of language such as “shoves them back in my face,” the latter of which is reminiscent of how individuals may unthinkingly reveal information in a sudden emotional outburst.

Then, when Katara asks him if he’s sorry for what he did, the words come easily to Zuko, the most easily he admits to his own mistakes after three years of not admitting anything truthful to himself: “More sorry than I've been about anything in my entire life.”

And Katara, just as Toph did, says with the utmost confidence and sincerity, “Then he'll forgive you. He will.”

This moment of affirmation that runs parallel between both dialogues is where Zuko’s responses begin to diverge. Whereas Zuko reacts to Toph with disbelief and doubt, this is how he reacts once he hears Katara’s words:

He takes Katara’s words to heart and accepts them. Because out of all the GAang, Katara is the one who knows the most about forgiving him, who most keenly feels the change he underwent since his betrayal in the catacombs. And so he stands, still nervous but no longer afraid, facing forward towards the future instead of back into his past.

Iroh and Zuko’s relationship is one of the most important ones throughout the entire show, so to see Katara play a pivotal role in a critical point in their dynamic shows just how important Katara’s character is to Zuko (and vice versa, though in here I do touch upon the former in more detail).

Although my analysis on the self-disclosure between Zuko and Katara may have run away from me a bit (due to my love for far-too-in-depth critical analysis), these all show an undeniable bond between Zuko and Katara, displaying a profound friendship rooted in narrative parallels, mutual understanding, and interwoven character arcs. Ultimately, their fulfillment of perceived similarities, pair rapport, and (the one I rambled most on) self-disclosure is what establishes Zuko and Katara as not just a strong platonic bond -- but one that has the potential to transition into a romantic one.

Thus concludes my essay on Zutara’s friendship and its connection with the initial stages of intimacy that are shared between both platonic and romantic bonds. After all that analysis, it would be remiss to simply dismiss the Zutara dynamic as one that would instantly become toxic should they pursue a romantic relationship.

That being said, I will explore the possibility of a romantic relationship between Zuko and Katara and how this connects to the latter stages of intimacy -- role-taking, interpersonal role fit, and dyadic crystallization -- in part 2 of this meta-analysis. Click on the link if you want to read it!

Part 2

Works Cited

(only partially in MLA 8 format because I want to live a little)

Close Relationships: A Sourcebook. By Clyde A. Hendrick & Susan S. Hendrick. Link

“Nonverbal behavior in intimate interactions and intimate relationships.” By P.A Andersen, Laura K. Guerrero, & Susanne M. Jones. Link

“On Becoming ‘More Than Friends’: The Transition From Friendship to Romantic Relationship.” By Laura K. Guerrero & Paul A. Mongeau. Link

The Psychology of Intimacy (The Guilford Series on Personal Relationships). By Karen J. Prager. Link

(If you check some of these links, you may note a few of these sources have been cited quite a few times. With just a bit more research, it appears possible to find a plethora of other sources to corroborate the theory of shared platonic-romantic intimacies.)

Thank you all for reading!

#atla #atla meta #zutara #zutara meta #my bated breath analyzes #research on relationship intimacy #influenced by academic writing #i have more metas coming soon #but until then you can find that i do other writing as well #like fanfiction #check out my fanfiction on the My Writing tab on my blog #please like and reblog to prove Zutara with Facts and Evidence everyone #my bated breath's posts

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eulaties · 4 years

Text

how i view each a:tla character

hoo boy this is a long one

sokka:

- highkey smartest guy on team avatar

- but with aang they're like the equivalent of the my two braincells meme

- boomerang, ponytail, and space sword guy

- comes up with the best nicknames and jokes

- best friends with aang

- his sexism literally saved the world

- but dw he drinks gallons of respect women juice a day now

- has the baddest gf suki who could kick his ass at any given moment

- wanted momo for a week (why??)

- sokka walked so eboys could run

- roasts zuko constantly

- officially known as mr wang fire

toph:

- baddest bitch don't mess with her

- small but will not hesitate to kill you

- I AM MELON LORD

- I emit a super sonic wave from my mouth in order to see

- AHHHHHHHHHHHH

- let toph say fuck

- secretly misses her parents

- her way of showing affection is beating you up

- "do you think friendships can transcend lifetimes?"

- literally so badass she invented a new form of bending

- the greatest earthbender alive

zuko:

- zuko, you're gonna get a kick out of this... YOUR HONOR WAS IN MY SLEEVE THIS WHOLE TIME

- undergoes the best character redemption arc of all time change my mind

- his scar is on the wrong side

- WHY AM I SO BAD AT BEING GOOD

- lowkey emo

- "im never happy"

- hes always happy around his goth gf mai tho

- got his life ruined by ozai, fuck him

- uncle iroh is now his dad, ozai who?

- bad at making jokes but he tries his best

- once his anger got stripped away he just became a socially awkward person

- awkward legend

- hello, z u k o here

- gets accepted into the gaang™ and gets a new family :)

- his friendship with aang is everything

- pretends to be annoyed by aang but secretly treasures their friendship

aang:

- powerful af and can literally take your bending away

- but honestly hed rather everyone be happy

- epitome of a cinnamon roll

- he deserves the world

- mentally strong af as well, i mean he had to cope with a GENOCIDE in the third episode

- "some friendships are so strong they can transcend lifetimes"

- unashamedly so in LOVE with katara

- gushes about her all the time

- peppy

- in touch with his ~feminine~ side

- his smiles and laughs are contagious

- so freaking friendly its impossible to hate him, i mean how could you

- hes so friendly he seems like hes flirting but hes not, thats just how he is

- has the best eyebrows

- friends with everyone

- showers appa and momo with the affection they deserve

- best friends with sokka

katara:

- the mom friend™

- absolutely WHIPPED for aang god she loves him so much

- everyone looks up to her. literally was the only thing keeping the group together at some points

- has a big af temper tho

- will cut a bitch

- when shes pissed off shes pissed OFF

- dont fucking hurt the people she loves or she will COME for you

- her power crawl is everything

- can literally bloodbend or heal you, your choice

- denies any relation to sokka whenever hes being stupid

- her outfit in the fire nation SLAPPED

- regularly schedules sleepovers with suki and toph (although she has to drag toph to the sleepover)

- what if we kissed? 😳 in the cave of oma and shu 👉👈 haha jk jk... unless

suki:

- sexism is no more

- takes down sokka's sexist ass easily

- strong af dont underestimate her

- sweetest gf tho

- loved the atrocious sand sculpture sokka made of her

- kidnapped a prison warden all by herself

- honestly underrated

- appa likes her

- singlehandedly saved sokkas and tophs lives

- in kyoshi we stan

iroh:

- the wisest character ever

- guides zuko into the right direction

- "i was just worried that you lost your way"

- zuko and irohs reunion made me SOB

- makes the best tea and owns a successful business, the jasmine dragon

- LEAVES FROM THE VINE FALLJNG SO SLOWLY

- IM NOT CRYING YOURE CRYING

- r.i.p mako 💔

ursa:

- went to get some milk 9 years ago and never came back

azula:

- the prodigy kid that all parents compare you to

- got groomed by ozai from an early age

- favorite child

- loves power and intimidating others

- top of the food chain

- can absolutely BREAK you with a snap of her fingers

- badass but not in a good way

- dont play beach volleyball with her she'll absolutely destroy your career

- wow, your outfit is so... sharp. careful, it could puncture the hull of an empire ship and leave hundreds of soldiers to drown at sea! because... its so sharp.

- mental health slipping after she gets betrayed by her two best friends

- got that quarantine bangs haircut

- honestly the last agni kai was really sad

- just wanted to be loved by ursa

- certified insane

ozai:

- ruined zuko's and azula's life

- career literally got ended by aang

- nothing else to say fuck this guy

ty lee:

- an absolute ray of sunshine

- her aura has never been pinker

- got the happy ending she deserved with the kyoshi warriors

mai:

- deadpan snark

- goth

- will cut a bitch from afar with her throwing knives

- you miscalculated

- I LOVE ZUKO MORE THAN I FEAR YOU

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shifuaang · 4 years

Note

Why people Say Kataang was one sided? Can You Say a argument prove otherwise, and why zutarians can t accept the reality?

I’m just going to cut and paste directly from the video essay script I wrote about Kataang (that I’ll hopefully finish one day). Apologies for the long response, but I want to hit every point I’ve seen made by the fandom over the years.

There are many things that Aang brings to Katara’s life that make their relationship balanced and healthy rather than one-sided as people like to claim. It’s quite obvious to most viewers why he would develop feelings for her - Katara is smart, beautiful, talented, generous, and an all around kind and good person. She cares for him and always looks out for his best interests. So what does Aang bring to the table?

Firstly, he offers her unwavering support and validation. If there’s one thing that Katara values and is proud of, it’s her bending and her heritage. Within moments of meeting her, Aang offers to fly Katara to the North Pole so that she can find a master to study under. In The Waterbending Scroll when she is feeling inferior and insecure about her bending, he reassures her and restores her confidence. In The Waterbending Master, he voices his frustration with Pakku not wanting to train Katara and then teaches her what he’s learned in secret because he knows how important mastering bending is to her. He throws all of his energy into helping her when he finds out she’s been masquerading as the Painted Lady knowing how passionate she is about saving the local village.

Katara is self-sufficient and is the caretaker of the group. While she allows herself to be vulnerable with her emotions, she often relies on herself for support and is a rock for the people closest to her. Aang is the one person who can act as a caretaker for Katara, however, as he isn’t overbearing. Katara doesn’t need someone to be her constant guardian or protector because she is so strong-willed. This is exactly why Aang’s subtle and gentle reassurance is so welcomed by her.

Secondly, he understands her and empathizes with her. There’s an argument tossed around about how Aang only fell for an idealized version of Katara and doesn’t recognize her flaws, which is a gross mischaracterization on fandom’s part. Aang is there for every mistake Katara makes, every grudge she holds, and every breakdown she has. They disagree about how to approach things on several occasions but always come to a healthy and respectful consensus, even if they don’t see eye to eye.

A prime example of this would be The Southern Raiders, an episode that Zutara shippers tend to exalt as the epitome of why Zuko and Katara should be together as Zuko supports her on her quest to find her mother’s killer while Aang does not. In actuality this episode proves a better case for Kataang. Aang gently tries to persuade Katara not to do something he fears she will regret. He concedes despite disagreeing with her. He acknowledges that it’s something she has to do to find closure. Even after confronting Yon Rha, Zuko admits to Aang that he was right about what Katara needed and that violence wasn’t the answer.

(Sidenote: It’s a bit baffling to me that people are alright with Katara stopping Aang from going into the Avatar State and unleashing his anger on the sandbenders who stole Appa, but they can’t understand why Aang would want to stop Katara from unleashing her anger on Yon Rha.)

Katara lost her mother and is the only bender of her tribe at the story’s start. Aang lost his father figure, his entire race, and is the only bender of his tribe as well. To say they have a profound understanding of one another’s pain and anger is almost underselling their connection. This, of course, doesn’t minimize the tragedies and suffering that other characters experience throughout the series, but it’s Aang and Katara who go on a journey of healing and discovery together. (I recommend reading this amazing meta about their relationship here.)

It’s also simply not true that Aang is obsessed or possessive. His crush on Katara gradually and organically develops; he doesn’t start to show romantic feelings towards her until well into season one during The Fortune Teller. When he does seek out her attention in The Warriors of Kyoshi, he admits later in the episode that he was being a jerk and apologizes for his behavior. He lets her go in Bato of the Water Tribe after realizing his mistake and doesn’t attempt to chase after her. He isn’t jealous nor does he try to prevent her obvious crush on Jet. Many argue that his course during The Crossroads of Destiny is selfish in that he isn’t willing to give up Katara to open all of his chakras, but he wouldn’t have left Guru Pathik if he didn’t have a vision of Katara being in danger. At the end of the episode he concludes that he has to relinquish all of his earthly possessions and does successfully enter the Avatar State.

Katara is the first to declare out loud that she loves Aang in a platonic way in the first episode of season two and is outwardly offended by him not wanting to kiss her in The Cave of Two Lovers. She feels deeply saddened by his pain. She is moved by him telling her how profound his feelings are towards her. She is openly affectionate with him.

All of this could simply mean that Katara cares for Aang like a brother, but luckily we have Sokka to compare and see how monumentally different her relationship is with the two men she’s closest to.

While it’s true that Katara often treats Aang in a motherly fashion, she does so with everyone in their group of friends and even total strangers. Maternal instinct is deeply embedded in her nature, and Zuko isn’t exempt from this once he becomes part of the Gaang.

Katara isn’t incredibly affectionate with Sokka. They hug on occasion and will sometimes offer physical comfort to one another, just like Katara and Zuko. She’s very much touchy/feely with Aang, however, kissing him on the cheek, fixing his clothing, dancing with him, and cradling him close.

She’s also very sarcastic and teasing when it comes to her relationship with her brother. She knows she can poke fun at him and pick fights with him, and once she and Zuko become friends, she treats him in the same manner. Katara becomes offended or even enraged if anyone dares to insult or joke about Aang.

She and Zuko both express their disgust at the idea of being romantically involved, both when the Ember Island Players imply that they had a thing and when June calls them boyfriend and girlfriend. When she hears Sokka point out that Aang is a powerful bender after Aunt Wu’s prediction, she shows no signs of distaste in realizing that Aang could potentially be the man she marries one day.

#kataang #anti zutara #atla meta #aang defense squad #aang #katara #atla #sizzlinghumansuitcasetaco

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