rosettaaareads

[rosettaaareads]

weirdly specific character tropes for you to obsess over part 2: vengeful characters with sofia isella vibes who don't care how far they have to go to get what they want and belong in a shakespearean tragedy

"vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand / blood and revenge are hammering in my head" - 'titus andronicus' (act 2, scene 3), shakespeare

michael gray - peaky blinders

"the town gathers round asking what we see / i saw what's ensuing, it looked just like me" - 'I looked the future in the eyes its mine', sofia isella

frank delfino

"watched death til it's like watching the weather" - 'man made', sofia isella

darth maul - star wars (the clone wars tv show specifically)

"wincing a smile while I'm chewing on the flame / 'cause I've never been one to ruin a game" - 'hot gum', sofia isella

wanda maximoff - mcu

"I hold his throat in my pocket" - 'sex concept', sofia isella

michael corleone - the godfather trilogy (2 and 3 specifically)

"you begged for power and power responded / you got the worst thing of all - everything you fucking wanted" - 'man made', sofia isella

john winchester (look guys i hate him so much (like so so much) BUT isn't it just so tragic that he's horrified in 'the song remains the same' (s5 e13) that anyone would raise their kids like that)

"you'll be pure testosterone killed singing a war song / you will only see manhood when your sight is gone" - 'man made', sofia isella

marcus lopez-arguello

"I looked the future in the eyes, it's mine (mine, mine, mine)" - 'i looked the future in the eyes its mine', sofia isella

anakin skywalker

"he's on the ground, he's on his knees, he's a believer" - 'sex concept', sofia isella

walter white

"would you like your heart to get attacked / would that feel better than boredom in another beige n bland culdesac" - 'cacao and cocaine', sofia isella

[rosettaaareads]

weirdly specific character tropes for you to obsess over part 1: morally complex brunettes with ethel cain vibes who are doomed by the narrative and don't get nearly enough screen time

morgana pendragon - merlin

"they say, “heaven hath no fury like a woman scorned" / and baby, hell don't scare me, i’ve been times before" - 'family tree', ethel cain

rio - agatha all along

"if it's meant to be then it will be" - 'sun bleached flies', ethel cain

azula - atla

"a long cold war / with your kids at the front" - 'american teenager', ethel cain

monty finch - dead boy detectives

"am i making u feel sick" - 'strangers', ethel cain

rebecca sutter - how to get away with murder

"it wasn't pretty like the movies / it was ugly, like what they all did to me" - 'nettles', ethel cain

jane margolis - breaking bad

"i’m bad, he's worse, we're already dead" - 'inbred', ethel cain

sam winchester - supernatural

"you love blood too much / but not like i do" - 'ptolemaea', ethel cain

dallas winston (yes I know he’s blonde in the book sshhhh) - the outsiders

"good men die too, oh, I'd rather be with you" - 'crush', ethel cain

teresa - the maze runner

"from the start, they knew you were wrong / you were wrong" - 'inbred', ethel cain

bucky barnes

"red and blue / used and abused / it's still never enough / I’m unpunishable" - 'unpunishable', ethel cain

[rosettaaareads]

my fav (mostly zuko centric) ATLA fic recs

gaang finds out about the scar:

Melting Fire by Gbuggie

Summary: '"HE DOESN'T CARE!" Zuko shouted, his voice echoing around the temple. "He doesn't care that you're the Avatar, and he doesn't care that I'm his son!" His outburst seemed to stun both him and everyone listening.

Katara suddenly realized that this conversation wasn't just about war.'

---

Or: The Gaang finds out just how cruel Ozai was to Zuko, and they're thoroughly disturbed.

My review: So good, I love the super niche trope of Aang and Zuko arguing about whether to kill Ozai or not, slight zutara but blink and you miss it.

tw: abuse

The Family You Choose by TunaFishChris

Summary: Some people are born with soulmarks. Zuko has them, but his grandfather burned them off because they "make you weak."

Team Avatar has a few things to say about that.

My review: Soulmate au and probably my favourite atla fic of all time, just incredible, beautiful writing and worldbuilding, makes me cry every time, the found family is just *chef's kiss* (this is what thunderbolts almost was).

tw: abuse, war, mentioned genocide, parent death, attempted sa

let them run by lunalou

Summary: 'Toph laughs, because of course she does.

“Scar, huh?” She asks, voice as bright and teasing as it’d been throughout the play, and Zuko hates how his heart drops at the sound of it.

“Must be pretty noticeable,” Toph continues, ignorant to the shame and hurt that wells within Zuko’s chest at her words. “But I bet it looks badass!”

Which… Wait, what?'

(a missing scene from The Ember Island Players)'

My review: First gaang (Toph) finds out about Zuko's scar fic that I ever read, cemented my love for the trope, poor Zuko's thoughts I actually can't-

tw: abuse

comedy:

Toph, Zuko, That Is Not How Families Work by orphan_account

Summary: Toph and Zuko aren't sure how parents actually work. They sure as fuck aren't sure how families work. This is slightly concerning.

My review: Set in the Western air temple (my favourite little arc), deadpan Zuko + Zuko and Toph as a chaotic duo + great writing = hilarious. Also heart-wrenching depiction of not being together during the final battle.

tw: abuse

inside jokes by fancy_tuxedocat

Summary: 'The first time it happens, it's an accident.

"What happened to your face?" a little girl asks, clinging onto Zuko's pant leg, and Zuko flounders.

He swallows. "I, uh, didn't eat my vegetables."

Sokka and Toph cannot contain their laughter, and they howl with it.'

Or: Five times Zuko made a joke about the origins of his scar, and one time he told the truth.

My review: Laugh out loud... then sad, sweet and hopeful.

tw: abuse

modern au:

(i'm sorry but) i'm just thinking of the right words to say by interstellar_silence

Summary: Zuko is the last person Sokka expects to end up as his roommate when he starts college. Sokka is the last person Zuko expects to befriend when he starts his whole life over. And no one who knows a thing about their shared past expects them to end up together. Except, maybe, Toph

My review: I'm not even a zukka shipper but this is just so good it doesn't matter, beautifully written angsty modern au, part 1 of 2 and they're both amazing

tw: abuse (from Ozai and Jet), drug addiction (not a main character)

teachable moments by snowandfire

Summary: zuko hasn't had an easy life, but it helps him when he teaches kids

My review: Zuko heals himself by being an incredible teacher, interspersed with flashbacks to Zuko being taken care of by Uncle Iroh which bring me to tears everytime, part 1 of a series which the author says will eventually be zukka but also includes Zuko/Jet.

tw: abuse, scar recovery

post-canon:

bruises on the fruit by blossominribcage

Summary: Zuko's daughter has questions about his scar. The answers don't come easily.

My review: I just love Izumi fics, this is so sensitive and beautiful and about breaking the cycle of abuse.

tw: abuse

Dance to Another Tune by carnationsandrobots

Summary: A few things Mai understands better after the war. Or, how Mai learned to stop worrying and let the Avatar institute nationally mandated dance lessons.

My review: My fav Fire Nation recovery fic, I just love Mai so much she's so underrated, Mai & Zuko & Aang is such an underrated trio.

tw: mentioned genocide

For Hearth And Home by Haicrescendo 

Summary: [There’s a child underneath Fire Lord Zuko’s desk.

He doesn’t realize this until he sits down and tiny hands wrap themselves around his ankles, and Fire Lord Zuko definitely does not shriek and backpedal away at the unexpected touch.

He definitely does do that but Gou, the single guard he’s agreed to let shadow him, is kind enough not to mention it.]

Or,

In which Fire Lord Zuko is a total mess and somehow people manage to love him for it anyway.

My review: I just love the trope of Zuko being totally endearing to Fire Nation palace servants, this is one of the best examples ever.

[rosettaaareads]

"i thought i could change you for better

all i did was break you forever

i will survive but i'll never recover" - 'Franklin House', Brenn!

[rosettaaareads]

"but you should know

that i died slow

running through the halls

of your haunted home" - 'Merry Christmas, Please Don't Call', The Bleachers