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WHO’S AFRAID OF LITTLE OL’ ME??!?!?!?

well you SHOULD BE!

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*pats embarrassingly long playlist I made for my otp*

This baby can fit so many sad new Taylor songs in it

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you know, i always see fanfics etc. being like “zuko can do hairstyles because his mother/sister taught him/made him learn” but never “zuko can do hairstyles because he had long hair himself”

like

that’s some long hair babes!

even in his bald ponytail era!

like, i know he had servants but come on! the potential!

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regarding aang becoming offended bc of his portrayal as a woman in ember island players, i think his anger was justified on that specific occassion? I mean, the fire nation was mocking his gentle nature and pacifism by portraying him as a blithering naive idiot who never took things seriously and the belittling of his culture and beliefs. This is one of the worst episodes for him, dont get me wrong, but in this case, femininity was utilized as a source of derision and weakness imo. I dont say this with bad intentions, just thought i would write this bc i also condemned aang for the same thing before

If that was what Aang was upset about I might be inclined to agree, but everything he says and does throughout that episode points to the contrary. Aang doesn’t say anything about the incorrect portrayal of his culture and personal values. Here is what he does say:

[Note: the above expression is before the actress hardly says anything so he’s clearly just mad about the fact that she’s female]

Aang: [angrily] Is that a woman playing me?

Aang: I don't do that! That's not what I'm like! And I'm not a woman!

[Note: the official script includes the emphasis; again, it’s very obvious that he’s most bothered by being played by a woman]

Then this exchange:

Toph: I don't know, you are more in touch with your feminine side than most guys.

Aang: [Standing up, angrily] Argh!

Katara: Relax, Aang. They're not accurate portrayals. It's not like I'm a preachy crybaby who can't resist giving overemotional speeches about hope all the time. [Everyone looks at her] What?

Aang: [Turns around and sits down. Sarcastically.] Yeah, that's not you at all.

You know what I love about this conversation is that is proves two things at once. Firstly, yet again, it’s clear that being portrayed by a woman is what is most upsetting to Aang. Secondly, his reaction (and, honestly, insult) to Katara’s values here shows that he’s not thinking that deeply about this. It has nothing to do with values. Aang is offended at the idea that he is being portrayed by a woman and with more “feminine” qualities, which honestly plays well with his creepy, possessive behavior with Katara later this same episode.

And I actually do like the fact that you brought up femininity being used as “a source of derision and weakness” because guess what! That’s the definition of femininity itself. Femininity doesn’t mean simply being a woman; femininity is the social behaviors and roles that women are expected to fulfill. Which is why I don’t have any sympathy for a man who is offended by being called feminine or compared to a woman because it’s reflective of a deeply misogynistic attitude on his part. If Aang thinks femininity is so degrading and weak, what does that say about the fact he expects his crush to behave that way? I mean, this is what he thinks of Katara, through his own perspective:

So yeah, that’s my question. If being compared to a woman is so insulting and humiliating to Aang, what does that say about how he intuitively views actual women? Why does he think he’s above that treatment but women aren’t? People act like I’m crazy for saying that he exhibits toxic masculinity this episode but this only furthers that point.

Oh and before someone jumps in here and acts like this goes both ways, let me point you to this:

Toph’s reaction to finding out she’s being played by a big, buff, stereotypically-masculine man. She’s thrilled! Why? Because we are products of a misogynistic society and therefore intuitively view being compared to a man as a compliment and a woman as an insult. The respective roles assigned to each are not equal. Masculinity and femininity were never equal and the system was deliberately created that way. You can see this idea ingrained in the writing of this episode because it’s a bias we all hold to some degree, including the writing and creative team here.

So I’m sorry, but considering the bias clearly present within the writing team and the way the characters behave this episode, it’s clear to me that Aang’s reaction has nothing to do with his culture and everything to do with his misogyny.

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bringing this old shot back to the TL and like,,,, how is it that this one shot has more chemistry and intensity than most canon atla ships,,, GIMME BOTH BRYKES NECK !!!!!!

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adhd moment

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7 chocolate bars would kill that tattooed golden retriever, taylor

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some doodles of best girl katara

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“I’m having his baby! No I’m not, but you should see your faces!”

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fuck it homebrew boop button. reblog this post to boop the person you reblogged from.

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How footsteps sound on Fortnite

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I've started a charity to raise money for confused or exasperated cowboys. Please consider donating to the What In Foundation

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the humble "like" is oft mocked despite what it does for us. "like, three people" is a vastly different statement from "three people". "and i was like 'what the fuck'" is vastly different from "and i said 'what the fuck'". i love you "like" and anyone who says you make people sound stupid will be killed on sight

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save me hot shower

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nice things:

the smell of lavender

oversized sweaters

dancing in the rain

musicals and plays

humming tunes

soft hearts

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Katara’s abandonment issues: Zuko comes back, A/ang doesn’t

Something I’ve just realized about Zutara vs Kat/aang is that… Zuko comes back to Katara, but Aang doesn��t.

We all know Katara has abandonment issues. After her mother was killed by Yon Rha, her father and the other men in the Southern Water Tribe left. These are literally some of the first shots in The Boy in the Iceberg (1.01).

Those abandonment issues never leave (no pun intended) Katara. She carries that weight at least up until The Awakening (3.01). These issues cause her frustration and her subsequent outburst against Hakoda.

But what does trigger Katara’s breakdown? What brings her to that breaking point, where she can’t keep it in (which would have happened eventually anyway, but it’s still important to specify why) anymore? 

A/ang has left.

And I think it’s quite telling that Hakoda and Katara have this conversation.

Katara: He left.

Hakoda: What?

Katara:  A/ang. He just took his glider and disappeared. He has this ridiculous notion that he has to save the world alone, that it’s all his responsibility.

Hakoda:  Maybe that’s his way of being brave.

Katara:  It’s not brave, it’s selfish and stupid! We could be helping him and I know the world needs him, but doesn’t he know how much we need him, too? How can he just leave us behind?

Hakoda: You’re talking about me, too, aren’t you?

Now I think it’s important that A/ang leaving is being compared to Hakoda leaving. Aang exacerbates her abandonment issues. And it’s nothing new. He left in The Storm (1.12), in The Desert (2.11), and it’s literally the reason why the Avatar has disappeared a hundred years ago. Because he ran away.

And even then, A/ang doesn’t come back. It’s always Katara (and the others) who have to go and find him.

In The Storm:

(Where Katara tells him that maybe running away from his problems wasn’t that bad, maybe it was meant to be, which is… debatable, to be honest. When the Fire Nation attacked, I’m sure the Air Nomads would have found a way to hide A/ang, the literal Avatar. And if he had been killed (which is terrible, I’m sorry) during the attack, the Avatar Cycle would have resumed and another Avatar would have been born. But that’s beside the point.)

And in The Awakening:

He only really comes back in The Desert, but if he wasn’t hopeless, exhausted and still had food/water left, I’m sure he wouldn’t even have come back. He would have kept looking for Appa. 

Besides, he never apologizes to Katara or Toph, and Katara still has to take it upon herself to do the emotional labour.

And on that note, while A/ang doesn’t run away in The Serpent’s Pass, I still think it’s important to point out that Katara has to find him to, again, be the emotional labour in their friendship.

I wouldn’t have as much of a problem about A/ang always running away from his problems. 

If he actually learned from it. 

But even during the series finale, he still runs away because he doesn’t want to kill Ozai. That’s how he finds the lionturtle. By running away and leaving the others - and Katara - to worry.

And to find him.

Now, what does that have to do with Zutara?

Well, throughout the show but especially from season 2 onwards, everything points Zuko in the Avatar’s direction. He has to find the Avatar to restore his honour. He has to come back to teach Aang firebending. He has to come back to fight the good fight. He has to come back to defeat Azula and Ozai.

And who is, of course, always following the Avatar?

Katara.

But this isn’t just about Aang. This is about how the whole show is structured in a way that brings Zuko and Katara together. And he always comes back.

To her.

They always end up together. Somehow. Someway.

As enemies:

As almost friends:

As “I’m sorry, could you allow me to be your friend again?”

As “I’m trying to right my wrongs, what can I do to make it up to you?”

(Something A/ang never did.)

And, of course, as friends:

There’s a reason why it’s always Zuko and Katara who share a moment during every season finale. Because it’s thematically important in the show.

But it’s also important to point out that while A/ang doesn’t come back to Katara and exacerbates her abandonment issues… 

Zuko comes back. Always.