shysurvivor

[shysurvivor]

Out of curiosity, what was the reception to Azula’s character in Book 2 and 3 way back then

Oh, thank you for this ask, anon.

To really encompass the (online) reception is to consider opinions across various fan sites and forums from that era (not only for Avatar specifically but also animation communities in general), the fanfiction of the era, and the livejournal community.

For my part, I’ll state up front my limitations regarding this topic: I really only flit in and out of a couple of forums during book 3, and stuck around some after the finale. My experiences reading ATLA fics of that era were in the wake of the finale. And my experiences with livejournal never centered around Avatar. I can supplement this with reading I did of Azula discussions on an old Avatar forum recently.

I’ll also tag @captain-azoren if he wants to add his input, and leave this open to anyone else who has more firsthand experience with that era.

That said, here’s what I can say from a mix of what I remember from back then and read more more recently:

fairly early on, people kept being surprised that Azula is only 14; people confusing her for Zuko’s older sister has always been a thing

There were a couple of people who picked up on the possibility of Azula feeling neglected by Ursa, but this wasn’t a common observation 

In the build up to book 3, a theory that Azula supplant Ozai is the main antagonist cropped up.

“The Beach” was a turning point in some ways. It was divisive, with some wanting to throw it out/ignore it for Azula “appearing too out of character” while others appreciated for humanizing her some. A fair bit of surprise at depicting Azula as something other than heartless. (Of course, others just laughed regardless.)

The finale, while largely praised for Grey Delisle’s performance and The Last Agni Kai, was divisive in regards to what Azula’s fate likely was and should’ve been. 

A lot of claims of Azula being a sociopath flying around throughout all of this. (So many…)

As to the direct question, overall I’d say some appreciation of her as a villain, and some strong dislike/demonization. And just saying the latter doesn’t quite encapsulate the intensity of that demonization, or the insistence that other people also agreed. For that, I’ll just drop some selected quotes from forum posts made in 2007:

Well she was loved or admired greatly by her father and grandfather. She is soooo evil though its like she is not even human. No compassion what so ever. — a poster on Azula

Real intimacy is completely outside the scope of Azula's understanding. I've had this image in my head for a long time of laying next to Azula, having done the deed -- and her turning into a preying mantis and biting my head off. — a poster regarding Azula after “The Beach” aired

I really do think that Azula would throw away Ty Lee and Mai without a second thought. She Doesnt even have a friendship to keep her normal like Sozin did. Shes more like her father, has no emotional attatchment to any one not even her family. She only looks out for herself. — a poster speculating about the second half of book 3 during the seven month hiatus

Azula is truly the descendant of Sozin and Ozai. A Roku/Ursa side is virtually nonexistent, unlike with Zuko. — a poster regarding Azula after “The Avatar and The Fire Lord” aired

So what we're saying is that she wasn't MADE evil by some outside force. She became wicked all on her lonesome. So, you could say that she WAS born evil in a sense. Ever since she's been physically capable of complex thought, she's been a bad person. — a poster regarding Azula on what “Zuko Alone” said about her

I’ll also point out that most of these statements got some pushback at the time. But nonetheless, these are some pretty wild takes.

Anyway, I don’t feel comfortable trying to put ratios to that reception, but I do think overall there are more people sympathetic to Azula now than back in 2005-2008, as well as looking at her character through different lenses.

[shysurvivor]

daily affirmations:

i am kind

i am in control of my emotions

it does not bother me when someone is in the kitchen while i was planning to be in there alone

everyone in the house has the right to be in the kitchen

i am kind and in control of my emotions even when someone is in the kitchen while i was planning to be in there alone

[shysurvivor]

Major human pastimes:

frying dough

classifying things and then arguing about the classifications

[shysurvivor]

you will only ever lose the people who were wrong for you. the right people will stay.

[shysurvivor]

[shysurvivor]

these are KILLING me

[shysurvivor]

I wish Americans fucked with more foreign music. You don’t have to know the language to appreciate a good record. Folks in other countries listen to our music and don’t speak a lick of english. Music needs no translator

[shysurvivor]

Okay you guys.

IF YOU PRIMARILY DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH reply with what you mentally call it, if you have a nickname for it or something

[shysurvivor]

the sweet and humble sudoku: here’s some numbers to get you started :) please enjoy my puzzle <3

the nefarious minesweeper: why don’t you just Guess. fucking Guess.

[shysurvivor]

The way to fix a disturbing number of problems is "Cultivate good habits, and then do them consistently." I do not like this. 😠

[shysurvivor]

Today a very friendly Golden Retriever came up to me and I said "hey buddy :D" and the owner asked "do you know each other?" like his dog had a social life he didn't know about

[shysurvivor]

i’m not an itachi hater btw this tweet just really spoke to me

[shysurvivor]

[shysurvivor]

okay okay i can close some tabs i don't need this google image search of "pear trees"....well you never know actually

[shysurvivor]

you dont have to be a parent to understand the horror of walking into a room to discover that the baby crawled out of his crib and onto that pottery wheel you forgot to turn off, and while the baby is spinning around and around, the dog is sitting there all calm, like a person, gently using his paws to fashion the babys soft cartilage head into something a little more modern.  it might be the classic tale of bad parenting, but lets see where the dog is going with this

[shysurvivor]

Not only queer identities but all identities btw.

viewing queer identities as “this is the label that makes me happy and feels most accurate now” rather than “this is who I am, was, and always will be” will definitely take the pressure off, friends. changing your mind is proof that you have one.

[shysurvivor]

I am a huge fan of retiring to my quarters