Is the ship really “toxic” or is one or both of them just traumatized and not necessarily able to show love and affection in a healthy way but still trying to be a better version of themself and always supporting and protecting the other?
Mai and Zuko: The Ultimate Goth Girlfriend and Emo Boyfriend (Video Essay)
I published a video essay earlier this month going through the reasons I think Mai and Zuko make a good couple as well as counter arguments to regular (bad faith) criticism of the ship.
I've added chapters to the description to make it easier to navigate if you don't want to watch 18 minutes of me talking, and there's a full bibliography there as well.
Give it a watch if you're interested and let me know what you think.
I want to clear up a mistake people make with Azula and Ursa.
Ursa didn’t play favorites.
Ursa didn’t think Azula was a monster.
Ursa simply, unequivocally, just didn’t enable Azula’s worst traits like Ozai did.
Ozai’s favorite child was Azula, but Ursa still loved her more.
Because enabling isn’t love.
What did Ozai’s enabling do? It made Azula into the type of person to never have any loyal friends. It made the type of person that Mai and Tai Lee would betray at the risk of their own lives.
Ursa pushed Azula to be with her friends. To be with Zuko. Ozai pushed Ursa away, and both kids suffered for it. Azula became a sadist, enjoying seeing her brother get burned—while Zuko was pushed away because he cared for his people.
Azula thought her mom hated her because her mom was the only one who cared enough to tell her no.
The world needs more Yue and Zuko friendship, I squeal just thinking abt the parallels. They deserve a life changing field trip together and if u have abt ideas I’m all ears 👀
Hiii anon this ask fermented in my inbox and in my brain for so long,, so take this??? Post canon yue lives/no war au arts?? Anyway aside from the Parallels and their political position & their duty before hoes grindset I think they could learn a lot from each other. With zuko learning the gift of patience & diplomacy from yue & Yue learning that allowing yourself to feel anger and speaking up can actually be Good.
anyway hypothetical life changing trip outcome: zuko takes an intro gender studies class and yue says fuck