#aang would also NEVER agree to take the bending from and defeated enemy

[prodogg]

"The avatar should take Azula’s bending because that somehow makes her good and healthy"

No, thanks

[bleached-socks]

I would like to hear your plot ideas! 😊

Okay so, here it is. I’m going to put it under a read more since it’s pretty long

(Also, as a note, I did not include any ships, mainly because I was mainly going for friendships and character interaction and I didn’t want to try to build a relationship only for it to feel forced)

Ichigo and Chad are earthbenders who live in a village in the mountains, secluded enough that they don’t have to worry about the fire nation

They go to a snowy mountain to spar. They are earthbending (Ichigo doesn’t know he can lava bend yet) and they move a rock that has a glowing light behind it. They follow that light, which reveals Orihime, who wakes up in much the same way Aang does in canon.

(I know you said Orihime was either a waterbender or airbender, but I’m going to go with waterbender)

Orihime, finding out the truth, is saddened. She is from the northern water tribe, so she wants to go there. Ichigo and Chad of course agree to take her

As a note, because Orihime is from the northern water tribe, she only knows healing. She can theoretically attack with waterbending, but she’s not very good

On the journey, they start to teach her earthbending

They don’t have a flying bison so they’re walking everywhere

They eventually come across a town being occupied by the fire nation and, due to their inability to not help everyone they see, they decide to do something. They try to liberate the town, only to find it already being liberated??? By some guy with a bow???

They meet Uryu, who tells them they are incompetent and tells them to leave (they don’t)

His backstory is that he lived in a small earth kingdom village with friendly relations with the fire nation so that they didn’t get invaded. As a token of good will, they send Uryu to the fire nation to become a Yuyan Archer. He trains with them and becomes the best of the bunch. He works with them until they are assigned to wipe out his own village. Horrified that the fire nation would attack them, he turns against them to try to save his village, but cannot defend against the entire rest of the Yuyan Archers. He tries to at least save him family, but fails to do even that, watching his grandfather die before his eyes (Ryuken’s not dead though, he’s off running a hospital in the middle of nowhere). From then on, he vows to take down the fire nation so this will never happen again (how he plans to take out a whole nation by himself, I have no idea, but he’s dramatic enough that he’ll try anyway). He also wears all white now because his Yuyan Archer uniform was black.

Back to the present, Uryu tries to liberate the town by himself, but gets captured because they were expecting the attack and set up a trap.

Team Avatar hears all this and they’re like “huh, guess we gotta go save this funky little archer now”

They end up rescuing Uryu, but in the process, they accidentally reveal that Orihime’s the Avatar to both Uryu and the enemy. I’m thinking that this is also when Ichigo learns he can lavabend

When they escape, Uryu is like “the avatar probably has the best chance at defeating the fire lord, and since I have clearly demonstrated that I cannot liberate a nation on my own, despite my best efforts to do so, I suppose it would be best if we joined forces” and team avatar is like “yes, funky little archer a q u i r e d”

Then they go through the fire nation as they go further north (they’re traveling on land since they don’t have a flying bison) and they meet this noble fire nation girl who wants to bring justice to the world, and knows that the fire nation won’t do that.

So she goes with them. Team Avatar is all excited, cause they’re all “we finally found someone to teach the avatar firebending!”

Only for Rukia to go “yeah, so, I’m actually a waterbender… not a firebender”

The story behind Rukia is that firebender noble Byakyua married waterbender Hisana, and they both hid the fact that she was a waterbender. Byakyua’s rule is actually extraordinary good in relation to the rest of the fire nation. When Hisana died, Byakyua took in his sister. Byakyua assumed that Rukia had no bending and therefore never talked about Hisana’s bending. Rukia, who believed that her sister was a nonbender because that’s what she’d been told, was unsure if her new brother would still trust her if he found out she was a waterbender. So there’s a clear rift between them that they both contributed to (it’s a catch 22, because Byakyua never told Rukia about Hisana’s bending, Rukia never told Byakyua about her bending; and because Rukia never told Byakyua about her bending, Byakyua never told Rukia about Hisana’s bending. A lot could have been avoided if they’d been just a bit more open with each other).

Also, Renji was a military officer stationed in the city where the Kuchiki’s lived, so that’s how Rukia and Renji meet. Renji is the only one who knows she’s a waterbender, and is prepared to take that secret to the grave.

Speaking of Renji, in present time, Byakyua sends Renji to find Rukia after she disappears with the gang.

They spend a while avoiding Renji, with Rukia teaching Orihime waterbending attacks instead of just healing (Rukia’s from the southern water tribe so she only knows attacks, not healing. Orihime tries to teach her healing but she never really picks it up

Eventually Byakyua himself shows up to help bring Rukia back. In the fight, Rukia reveals her waterbending. When Byakyua sees it, he instantly surrenders. He then tells her the truth about Hisana and they make up.

Rukia then explains their goal and Byakyua approves of it. He’s always thought there were problems with the fire nation, but didn’t have the ability to do anything about it. So he gives Rukia his blessing, promising to help them with their goal if they should need it.

Renji hears about all this and is like “sign me up too, I grew up dirt poor in the fire nation and I’m cool with getting rid of the government that caused that, plus I can catch up with Rukia, who I haven’t spoken to in a while, apart from taunting as I tried to capture her.” The gang agrees and they finally have a firebender to teach Orihime firebending.

They finally get to the North Pole and learn some history and maybe prevent an invasion or something idk

When they leave and get back to the mainland, they find Ulquiorra and Grimmjow waiting. (Maybe Hallibel and Starrk too). They lose badly to them and Orihime gets kidnapped

(This next section is entirely self-indulgent I’m so sorry)

The rest of the gang is beat up and injured. Uryu leads them all to a hospital in the middle of nowhere, run by his dad. Uryu’s been there before, but the whole point of the secret hospital is that it is a neutral place for healing. Uryu doesnt embody that very well, so Ryuken told him not to come back

Ryuken heals them anyway, but has them pick up supplies for him as payment. The supplies had been stolen by bandits, so he needs fighters, but still wants to remain neutral.

Ichigo, who was the most injured of the group and is still healing, has to stay behind while the other four go, giving them their whole “we don’t need the avatar or Ichigo to fight”

(Uryu also doesn’t have a bow at this point because it got broken in the fight with the Espada, so he’s using knives that he has)

They fight the bandits like the badasses they are and get what they need and go back

Ryuken gives Uryu a bow that had belonged to his mother that she’d left for him (that Ryuken never gave him). He also advises them to stop for some candy on their way to the fire nation, which confuses them, but the accept it.

They go in their way to the fire nation so that they can get on a boat to go to the fire nation capital (where they think Orihime will be).

The issue is that all of the entrances to the fire nation are heavily guarded

They travel through a dense forest. While they’re traveling they find stall selling candy in the middle of literally nowhere.

At the stall is Urahara, who will help smuggle them into the fire nation, as long as they pretend to work for them, leading to a gag where they all pretend to work at this candy stall and having to avoid the suspicion of the guards in the city, who are trying to get them for health code violations

They finish the day as candy salesmen in a city in the fire nation, before the shop closes up for the day. The stall them mysteriously disappeared and leaves them behind.

They are able to buy themselves a ticket to the fire nation capital and are on their way.

Meanwhile, Orihime is imprisoned. She meets Aizen, who reveals that he can airbend??? For some reason??? Why can the Fire Lord airbend???

Orihime is rightfully shocked. Aizen tells her he will teach her how to airbend in order to prove that even the fully powered avatar cannot defeat him.

Aizen tells her that Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, Starrk, and Hallibel are his “children,” and each of them is a different kind of bender.

Ulquiorra (waterbender) is placed as her warden. He looks after her and forms a bond with her.

Grimmjow (airbender) becomes her sparring partner, and tries to kill her during their first spar, only to be stopped by Aizen. He was impressed by Ichigo’s lavabending and wants to meet him again.

Hallibel (firebender, and yes I know she’s literally a waterbender in canon, but I’ve decided to switch it up a bit) and Starrk (earthbender) are assigned to track down Karakura Crew and bring arrest them

Hallibel is the heir to the fire nation, and Starrk doesn’t really care about any of it.

Grimmjow is jealous that they get to go find Ichigo and goes to find them himself.

Grimmjow finds them first and challenges Ichigo to a one-on-one duel. Ichigo, the idiot, accepts.

They go out to some mountains outside the capital but still on the island and duel. Ichigo wins, but gets beat up pretty badly.

Then Hallibel and Starrk find them and attack. They escape to the capital, aided by Grimmjow, who leads them to a bar owned by Shawlong, who lets them hide out there.

A patron at the bar, the assassin Nnoitra, tells them about a secret passage to the palace. But he warns them to be careful, as he couldn’t even scratch Aizen, while had taken out Nnoitra’s eye in an instant.

They go into the secret tunnel.

Back in Aizen-Land, Grimmjow is gone, so Ulquiorra is Orihime’s sparring partner.

Ulquiorra, who finds himself caring about Orihime, tells her that Aizen conned the lion turtle into giving him energy bending to have all of the elements.

He tells her to attack him with the intent of killing him, saying if she can’t even beat him, then she will never be able to be able to stop Aizen.

She manages to defeat him. He tells her that her friends broke in not long before their fight started, and that they were probably fighting Aizen.

Ulquiorra goes to die, but Orihime heals him with a technique he taught her. “You’re my friend too. I won’t let any of my friends die, that’s a promise.”

She then goes to find her friends, leaving Ulquiorra behind because he’s still not fully recovered (but at the point where he can heal himself without needing her)

Meanwhile the infiltration gang makes it inside. They first run into Hallibel. Grimmjow decides to stay behind and fight her, to allow the others to find Orihime. He wins but ends up severely injured (again)

Next, the gang runs into Starrk, who doesn’t even really fight them.

Then Aizen shows up and immediately kicks their asses (while gloating).

Orihime shows up and tries to save them, but she’s tired from her fight with Ulquiorra and also severely outclassed.

She panics and enters the avatar state and sends her crew to the spirit realm.

(During this, Ulquiorra finishes healing, finds Grimmjow, and they escape)

I’m the spirit realm, the gang finds the previous avatars (the captains) and try to come up with a solution.

The past avatars basically tell her that she can’t win against what is basically another avatar but with more experience, but the big twist that the gang comes up with is that maybe she can’t, but they can.

Teamwork! I’ll probably work the “six hearts” bit in there somewhere

So they leave the spirit realm and go back to fight Aizen and they work together to kick his butt.

During the fight, Grimmjow and Ulquiorra, soon joined by Hallibel and Starrk as well, work together to protect the citizens. Urahara is also there helping out, much to the arrancar gang’s confusion

The big thing with the Aizen fight is that they all have fighting methods that differ from the standards of each element. Orihime is obviously the avatar, but she specializes in making shields and defending. Ichigo can lavabend, something that sets him apart from Aizen, Chad is able to earthbend a huge amount of earth at a time, Uryu is an extremely skilled nonbender, Renji is a firebender who has mastered using fire with his sword at the same time, and Rukia is a waterbender who has learned how to incorporate other bending styles into he bending

Aizen loses to the power of teamwork and friendship and they all win. Idk what happens next, I think they’re done doing plot stuff, now they do the “hang around, check on your allies, maybe do some end-of-the-story reflection”

But no more plot stuff, that’s over

I have no idea if I’m ever gonna write this but I might try

[is-that-another-soulmate-au]

Zuko says fuck all of you, this war is stupid, your bending elitism is stupid, I'm gonna end your stupid existence with sheer spite and teenage angst

>If He Used His Strength<

"Maybe you'd like one to match!" Zuko snapped at Zhao

"Is that a challenge?" The irritating older man sounded all too cocky

"An Agni Kai, at sunset" he glared daggers at the man who just so happened to agree to the duel

Once Zuko used a move outside of his firebending the match was over quickly. He easily broke Zhao's root, kicking flames only at his feet until he fell back. He stood over him with a dark stare. He was tired of this. Tired of running around. Tired of chasing a twelve year old boy. Tired of tirelessly searching for the love of a terrible father. Tired of the war. He was done with it. And he had the power to end it. Not the fire power per say. But the ability to fight against and overpower multiple benders without ever lighting a spark himself

"DO IT!" Zhao spat at him

Zuko let out a loud growled shout and punched the ground right next to Zhao's head with a bright flame exploding from it. "This war is over. I beat you. And I'll beat him. I dont need fire to take you down."

"Wha-"

"So far your biggest enemies have been a twelve year old monk and a sixteen year old boy with trauma. So save your questions for your prison cell you cocky piece of trash" and with that he spit in his face and made a flip off of him and to Iroh. "Lets go"

"What do you plan to do prince Zuko?" Iroh asked in a confused tone

"Im going to end the war"

And with that they were off leaving Zhao to stand up and look down at the indent in the ground from where Zuko punched. A dent in the solid ground. "Send a warning to the firelord. He has company coming, and its not going to be petty" Zhao said as he came to the realization that if Zuko had actually landed that punch on his head he would have died on impact.

About two days later he was stopped in a small port town to grab some supplies and he ran into Aang who rightfully went into defense mode but he held up his hand "I'm only here to restock before I go fight my dad"

"What"

"Im done trying to please the bastard, he's terrible and this war is terrible, everyone in the firenation thinks fire is the best but it just sucks." Zuko shrugged "so I'm gonna go fight him and take the throne so I can end this stupid war"

"Oh... are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious, who do you think burnt my face? Of course I wanna fight him" Zuko waved to Iroh who was coming up to the pair with a bag of rations

"Oh, hello Avatar, sorry to run into you again" he apologized with a bow "Zuko came to some realizations and-"

"He already told me, hey, if you want to fight the firelord and you're serious about it, I can go talk to my friends about it and we can give you a lift on Appa and you'll get their quicker"

"Alright, we'll be on the port until sunset, if you come before then to get me then I'll come with you, if not, I'm sailing there"

Meanwhile the gaang were camped out when Aang came running in with what seemed to be confused excitement "guys, Zuko's gonna end the war"

Katara and Sokka looked up from the map that Sokka was holding "what thats insane, We're going to end the war, that's why you're training. Besides Zuko is our enemy and part of the firenation. Why would he end the war? And how would he even?"

"Okay, maybe I should have been more clear. Zuko is fed up with the war, and he's on his way to fist fight dad and end the war"

"Okay.. this... this I gotta see, we should find him and give him a lift."

"Funny you say that, he's in town and I offered him a ride"

After Aang went to go get Zuko and Iroh they made a walk towards the camp where the group started asking him questions to be certain he wasn't just trying to trick them and also to figure out how in the hell he hopes to do this.

"So. You want to go... fist fight your dad?"

"Uh, well, that's not exactly how I'd word it"

"Why not use your fire bending?"

Zuko let out a long sigh "alright, let me give you guys a run down on the fire nation okay? First of all, firebending is seen as the only form of actual power. Any non benders or late benders are seen as weaker and often times are. But they hold bending on such a high pedestal that most benders never take the time to master anything else. They don't practice any other form of fighting, let alone any other sort of strength training.

"I was a late bender so my bending is weaker than most. But I've taken the time to train with swords and multiple different fighting styles. I can easily break a solid steel chain with my foot in a shoe and I can break solid wood with my bare feet." He took a second to look around at the group "while I havent attempted it, I could probably crush someone's skull as well if we're taking into account of the two other things I know for a fact that I can break"

The group looked at eachother with terrified expressions "Zuko holy shit, you could have killed me at the south pole"

"Yeah, but I have control over the amount of force in each kick, and I wasnt trying to kill you... you were just in my way"

"Alright, well, I'm convinced, lets go"

And with that they were off, Zuko agreeing to have the group help him if he needed it. Iroh decided to teach Zuko how to redirect lightning on their journey incase he needed it.. When they landed Ozai was already outside prepared, having gotten the letter a day before and hearing that the bison had been spotted.

Jumping off of Appa Zuko and Ozai stared eachother down "Zuko"

"Father," Zuko narrowed his eyes "I challenge you to an Agni Kai. But. By your honor and mine. You and I are only able to use fire once during the battle. If you can defeat me with only one fire attack, then you can keep up with your stupid war. But. If I defeat you with the same limits then I take the throne" motioning his hand forward he continued "do we have a deal"

Ozai gave him a cold glare "you truly are pathetic," glancing at the avatar on the bison he gave in "deal"

The fight didn't last long, Ozai had already used fire within the first few seconds and Zuko took the low ground beneath it as a means of attacking. Running low and sliding between the older man's legs only to come up behind him and land a quick kick against his side. Sending him to the ground where Zuko took his advantage point to lift his leg up and slam it down directly on the man's chest.

A loud crack could be heard throughout the courtyard. A few broken ribs and probably some fatal internal bleeding kept Ozai on the ground. Zuko turned to the firenation officials who came to witness the fight. "This war is over. Go cry a river if you oppose its end."

"That was a cheat!" Someone in the crowd shouted

"How so?" He mocked back "it was a duel, I used only what I have and no extra weapons, I set a single extra rule and followed it to the extreme." Tilting his head he gave an irritated grin "would you like to fight against me with the same rules? I'm more than happy to give another show if you'd like"

The crowd had no other objections after that. Funny how that happened. Azula came bounding out into the courtyard, probably ready to see Zuko down but was instead met by the scene of Zuko standing over Ozai victorious.

"You- actually won?"

"I didnt use fire Azula, wanna try your hand?" He made a move to get into a fighting stance but instead was met by her running up to him with her arms open for a... hug? He didnt hug back for a moment, confused, but heard a few muffled apologies and returned the hug.

"So, you're gonna be firelord huh?" She asked as they separated, he nodded "And you're ending the war?"

"Exactly"

"Lame" she groaned out

"Everything I do is lame to you isn't it?"

"Not everything, but most things"

And with that Zuko ended the war, got himself and his sister some much needed therapy, Aang left to train around the world while it was healing from the war, only coming back to the firenation to train under Iroh and Zuko. Sokka managed to go to master Piando with Zuko's recommendation(though Sokka didn't know he'd been recommended). Katara managed to dismantle the sexism in the north pole after training with the swamp benders and whooping Pakku's ass.

Ozai is fckn dead, rest in fckn hell dude.

[secretlyatargaryen]

I’ve read a lot of analysis of Zuko’s fever dream and the blue dragon/red dragon dichotomy, mostly focusing on how these represent Zuko’s internal conflict with his own morality, but I think there’s another interesting interpretation.

This dream is, in part, a “what could be” scenario for Zuko, with him on the throne, torn between good and bad, represented by Iroh and Azula, respectively, because those are the two people who most prominently represent these things in his life. It’s not entirely that, and the fact that Zuko is without his scar in the dream shows us that this is a future that can never be. In that case it’s a “what could have been” and a symbol of Zuko’s own desperate desire to fix what he thinks his problems are, and a hint that what Zuko is trying to regain, his place by his father’s side as the beloved crown prince, never really existed in the first place. This also shows us that this is a future that Zuko cannot quite believe in himself. I’ve written before about Zuko’s seemingly contradictory feelings towards his birthright and how I don’t think he ever really saw himself on the throne, and I think this is another hint that this is the case. In this dream, Zuko is sitting on the throne, but the reality we see is one that isn’t quite real.

The fact that he imagines Azula, and not Ozai, as the blue dragon shows the audience what a powerful influence Azula has over him (and also foreshadows Azula’s influence in leading him to betray Iroh underneath Ba Sing Se). It’s interesting because we might think the blue dragon would be Ozai, especially when contrasted with Iroh, as the two father figures in Zuko’s life, but it’s Azula who is contrasted with Iroh here. This does not mean Azula is a more powerful influence than Ozai, but rather it shows that Azula’s influence is different, more direct and tangible in Zuko’s mind. I do think that this is evidence that Zuko sees Azula as both someone who has power over him and someone he is afraid of. This is, after all, a nightmare, and the blue dragon’s appearance here is very dark and threatening. But his fear of her is very different from his fear of Ozai. Whereas Zuko views Azula as an antagonist, represented here as a negative and threatening presence vs Iroh’s positive and nurturing presence, Zuko doesn’t view his father as an antagonist. And interestingly, once Zuko does realize his father’s abuse towards him, he views Ozai as Aang’s antagonist. His standing up to Ozai is focusing on how he believes that it is Aang’s destiny to defeat his father. I actually think that Zuko is so afraid of Ozai that he can’t perceive of him as an enemy that he can face alone, even on the Day of Black Sun. Zuko is perfectly capable of facing Azula in battle (even though Azula is also abusive to Zuko) but the one time he faced Ozai in battle, he was so terrified that he couldn’t fight back. He does redirect lightning at his father when he finally stands up to him, and the fact that he brought his swords with him, and carefully planned to confront Ozai on a day when he knew Ozai would not be able to use his bending, shows that Zuko was prepared to fight back if he had to, but I think this was something he wanted to avoid and something he wasn’t confident that he could win. At the end of book 2, Zuko is certainly not capable of confronting his father even in a psychic fever dream.

In Zuko’s dream, both Azula and Iroh seem to represent what Zuko could become if he were on the throne. Azula is the abused child who never got free of her father’s toxic influence and become totally indoctrinated in the Fire Nation’s imperialistic worldview, while Iroh represents the freedom to choose good. But the threat that Azula poses in this dream is more than just an existential one. I also think that Azula here could represent a possible future for Zuko, were he to inherit his father’s throne.

Blue dragon: [In Azula's voice.] It's getting late. Are you planning to retire soon, my lord?

Zuko: I'm not tired.

Blue dragon: [Into Zuko's ear.] Relax, Fire Lord Zuko. Just let go. Give in to it. Shut your eyes for a while.

Zuko slowly starts to shut his eyes but widely opens them upon hearing the other dragon.

Red dragon: [In Iroh's voice.] No, Fire Lord Zuko! Do not listen to the blue dragon. You should get out of here right now. Go! Before it's too late! [Both dragons are poised to either side of Zuko.]

Blue dragon: Sleep now, Fire Lord Zuko.

The dragons disappear, and the room they're in, as well as the guards watching Zuko, crumble to nothing. The blue dragon reappears in front of him. Two golden eyes appear, followed by the face of the blue dragon, which closes rapidly.

Blue dragon: Sleep. [Voice grows louder and more hostile as it continues talking.] Just like mother!

The blue dragon in the dream behaves similarly to the way Azula does. She is manipulative, offering temptation with an implicit threat behind it which becomes more explicit by the end of the dream, while the red dragon with Iroh’s voice urges Zuko not to listen, just as Iroh urges Zuko not to listen to Azula when Zuko is awake.

I’ve read analysis of this scene that suggest that it show’s Zuko’s fears about what might have happened to his mother and that he believes on some level that she is dead, which I agree with, but I also think it represents a fear of what he thinks might happen to him if he were to take the throne. This also answers the question of why neither Ozai or Azula seem particularly bothered by the fact that Zuko is the heir to the throne, despite their obvious disdain for him, and why neither of them are bothered by him being reinstated as heir in book 3. There are two possibilities here.

1) Zuko takes the throne but is weak and easily manipulated by Azula, who becomes the true influence on the throne, represented by the blue dragon whispering in his ear and telling him not to worry and just “give in,” which Zuko does not want to do.

2) Zuko takes the throne but is killed by Azula, who takes the throne for herself, or Azula kills him before he can inherit the throne, or Azula usurps him in a similar way to what Ozai did with Iroh. This also goes with the idea that Zuko believes that his mother is dead, especially since his mother disappeared at the same time that Ozai took control of the throne, and the fact that at the end of the dream, the blue dragon tells him to “sleep, like mother” seems to imply that Zuko believes that what happened to his mother will also happen to him.

This is an interesting interpretation because it shows that the threat here is not just one against Zuko’s soul (although there is that, too) but that he believes on some level that his future as the crown prince is literally a threat to his life.

I also think it’s interesting that although the red dragon is portrayed as a positive and protective influence, telling him to go before it’s too late, it also appears vaguely threatening. This is because believing Iroh, and embracing the destiny that Iroh wants him to embrace, is a threat to the carefully constructed psyche that Zuko has built in order to cope with his situation. If it were easy, then it wouldn’t be a crossroads of destiny. This is also why it is ultimately important for Zuko to choose good for himself, and not because Iroh is pushing him to, which also is related to Zuko’s fears of being controlled even from a seeming position of power.

[maxgrayarchived]

Learning How to Write a Redemption Arc from Avatar: The Last Airbender

    Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender is a legend in redemption arcs, and the first example many people think of. He went from being the Avatar’s enemy, his biggest goal being to capture the Avatar and deliver him directly to the Fire Nation’s most vile tyrant, to being the Avatar’s good friend and ally. He makes plenty of mistakes along the way, but he atones to them and becomes a better person. 

    Today we’re going to be talking about Zuko, and what makes his redemption arc so effective. 

    For those who don’t know anything about the series, the show’s intro for the first episode tells you all you need to know: 

    “Water. Earth. Fire. Air. My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days, a time of peace, when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads- But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, only he could stop the ruthless fire benders, but when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years have passed and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and that the cycle is broken, but I haven’t lost hope. I still believe that somehow, the Avatar will return to save the world.” 

    The show follows Avatar Aang and his two friends, Katara and Sokka, as he learns the four styles of bending to defeat Fire Lord Ozai. Let’s break down Zuko’s general demeanor in each book (season) to get an overview of what his arc looks like.

Zuko, Book One

    In Book One, Zuko is, irrefutably, our enemy. We may have some sympathy for him at times, but it doesn’t change the fact that his goal is to capture the Avatar, and ours is to keep him free and kicking so he can save the world.

    He doesn’t have much hope for redemption in this book. He’s a total asshole, he doesn’t treat his crew well, and he’s selfish. However, we have his uncle Iroh, a man who is impossible not to love and happens to love Zuko very much.

Zuko, Book Two

    This is the main part of Zuko’s struggle. He’s faced with many hard decisions, and tends to go back and forth with his morality. He makes tons of mistakes and takes several steps backwards, and he’s drowning in anger and confusion. It’s the most critical part of his arc.

Zuko, Book Three

    Book Three is our payoff, and the peak of Zuko’s redemption. He finally knows what he really wants in life, and has faith in his destiny- His real destiny, the one he chose for himself. He joins the Avatar and his group, and earns their forgiveness and trust.

Motivations

    Zuko’s main motivation, and more importantly, why, was clear from almost episode one. Yes, he wanted to capture the Avatar, but the why was something we could sympathize with. When a child thinks the reason their parents don't love them is their fault, especially when they think they did once have their parents’ unconditional love, they will put themselves through hell to get it back. 

    Avatar gave us all the ugly details, as well. When Zuko stands up and speaks against a plan that would end up with the intentional deaths of new Fire Nation soldiers that he believes to be innocent, his father demands Zuko to an agni kai, or a firebending duel. Zuko originally misunderstands and agrees to fight the general he disrespected, only to be faced with his own father. He refuses to fight, dropping to his knees in respect and pleading for his father’s forgiveness, only for Ozai to severely burn the left side of his face and banish him from the Fire Nation. He told Zuko that he could only return home if he returned with the Avatar, something that was thought to be impossible by almost everyone in the Four Nations.

    To make it even harder to watch, his Uncle Iroh is the one telling this story, and as Zuko screams in agony while his father burns him, Iroh is so distraught that he has to look away. (There’s another thing to be said about how Iroh, a respected war general, drops everything to go with Zuko when he himself could remain safe and free in the Fire Nation, but that’s a different topic). 

    Afterwards, one of Zuko’s crewmembers says, 

    “So that’s why he’s so obsessed. Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal.” 

    His motivations don’t justify all the shitty things he does, not by a longshot, but the simple, humanizing act of saying exactly why he does what he does goes a long way. He’s not just an angry kid being needlessly cruel. He’s not an evil person, and we knew that from the beginning. 

Mistakes

    Mistakes are one of the most important parts of a redemption arc, because they’re what humanizes everything and makes the transformation believable. It’s impossible for a person to get better in a straight line. They will make mistakes, and they’ll backtrack. 

    But be careful: There are some things you can’t come back from. Don’t overdo it. 

    In the Crystal Catacombs in Book Two, Zuko makes a HUGE mistake. He has to choose between Azula (his sister), his father, and his nation… And his uncle. He chooses Azula, and attacks the Avatar (directly after trying to convince Katara that he’s changed lmaoooo). He’s so caught up in the idea of getting his father’s love ‘back’ and regaining his title that he ignores how much his uncle loves him and all that he’s done for Zuko. 

    There was also an episode, way early in Book Two, where Zuko splits up from Iroh entirely, because they had “nothing left to gain from traveling together.” He hurts Iroh’s feelings and makes himself more vulnerable for… What? Some teen angst? That’s the kind of shit I did in high school, and still sometimes now but come on. 

    He made a lot of mistakes with Iroh, in fact. He was constantly mean to him and taking out his anger on him. In “The Storm,” one of Zuko’s crewmembers says this, 

    “What do you know about respect? The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard-working crew, to your esteemed uncle, shows you know NOTHING about respect! You don’t care about anyone but yourself! Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince?” 

    He made the mistake of trusting Azula MULTIPLE times! When Azula comes to Zuko after two years of his banishment, in the beginning of Book Two, she claims that Ozai had changed his mind and wanted Zuko home. He believes her, even though there’s not a single trustworthy thing about her. After she leaves them to talk it over, Iroh and Zuko have this conversation: 

“He cares about me!”

“I care about you! And if Ozai wants you back, well, I think it may not be for the reasons you imagine.”

“You don’t know how my father feels about me. You don’t know ANYTHING!”

“Zuko, I only meant that in our family, things are not always what they seem.”

“I think you are EXACTLY what you seem: A lazy, mistrustful, SHALLOW old man who’s always been jealous of your brother!”

Finally, the last one that bears mentioning, happens at the start of Book Three. Zuko goes up to the Gaang and tries to convince them that he’s a good person now and should teach Aang firebending. They yell at him and tell him to leave, but after he does, Toph insists that Zuko is right and they should try to get along. She sneaks out later to talk to him, but she came in the dead of the night and Zuko is now an enemy to pretty much all four nations, so when he hears someone moving, he makes an intimidating ring of fire around his camp. However, Toph is blind, and she accidentally steps back onto the fire.

Zuko shouts apologies and tries to help her, but she’s panicking and hurries back home. 

This is part of one of Zuko’s main arcs: Him learning how to control his firebending enough to not hurt innocent people. 

Significant Steps 

    Like I mentioned: Don’t overdo it. Characters undergoing a redemption arc need to take positive steps in the right direction, but a lot of writers (me) get caught up in the mistakes part and lose all the redemption. 

Among the many little hints and glimpses of hope you have, there should be a couple of major decisions that show your character’s progress- And the decision part is important. 

In the first season, Zuko has a choice between saving his kidnapped uncle, and chasing the Avatar. He chooses his uncle, and good thing, too, because if he was mere seconds later, Iroh would have lost his hands. This also happens in a later episode, “The Storm,” when Zuko and his crew are caught in a typhoon. Zuko sees Appa, Aang’s bison, flying overhead and the crewmember who previously disrespected him and politely asked what Zuko wants to do. 

He hesitates, before saying, “Let him go. We need to get this ship to safety.” He also apologizes to his uncle, who immediately accepts it. 

Zuko is given the option several times to put his search for the Avatar over the safety of his family and crew, and he never takes it. Moments like this keep him from being completely irredeemable. 

There’s another scene, at the beginning of the phenomenal episode “Zuko Alone,” where we see Zuko barely conscious, stumbling along on his ostrich-horse, presumably days without food. He passes a couple who’s cooking food on the road. He reaches for his broadswords to indulge in his newfound kleptomania, but stops as he realizes the girl is pregnant. 

There’s also the very critical moment in Book Two, after the Gaang had been separated from Appa and were frantically looking for him. Zuko finds Appa, ends up letting him go, and evens drops his vigilante “Blue Spirit” mask into Lake Laogai, renouncing his search for Avatar. Iroh finds him, about to steal Appa, and yells at him, saying that it’s time for him to look in and ask himself the big questions- “Who are you, and what do you want?”

Dropping his search for the Avatar means abandoning a destiny that had been forced on him for two or three years (which is a long time for a 16 year old). It’s so scary and uncomfortable at first that he falls into a harsh sickness, but when he comes out of it, he feels much better. We see him smile for maybe the first time in the entire show! 

There are also the moments that solidify his redemption, during and after the Gaang accepts him as one of their own. He goes with Sokka to The Boiling Rock to try and rescue his father, a prison where no one has ever escaped from, and goes with Katara to confront the man who killed her and Sokka’s mother. During the final battle, he sacrifices himself to save Katara and almost dies! It’s impossible to still hate him after that. 

Sympathy & Humility 

    We should care about these characters the moment you start their arc, starting slowly and building as their redemption does. 

    Avatar starts early, with Commander Zhao. We definitely don’t like Zuko at this point, but we meet him and then we meet Zhao and they’re enemies and Zhao is so much more of an asshole that we find ourselves rooting for Zuko. After Zhao, a grown ass man, demeans Zuko, insults him, and pokes at his banishment- little reminder that Zuko is fucking sixteen years old -Zuko challenges Zhao to an agni kai. Zuko wins this, but as he’s walking away, Zhao attacks him from behind! Iroh steps him and says this: 

    “So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honourable than you.” 

    And he’s got a point. 

    Zhao ends up going from a minor headache to a big fucking problem in that book, and even though we know if Zuko wins, he’ll have a chance to capture the Avatar, we’d rather take our chances there than have Zhao around one moment longer. I mean, he tried to kill the moon, for fuck’s sake. 

When we meet Azula for the first time and she tells Zuko that Ozia regretted his banishment, an important but understated part of that scene is how goddamn happy Zuko is. We see all his excitement and relief, and then all his pain and anger surge back up when it’s revealed that Azula was taking them home as prisoners. 

After Zhao died and Zuko was huddling in a cave during a snowstorm with a captured Aang, he talks about his homelife, specifically mentioning something his father said: That Azula was born lucky, and Zuko was lucky to be born. We see countless flashbacks, especially in “Zuko Alone,” of Zuko as a little boy just trying to win his father’s approval. 

We root for Zuko countless times in that episode, actually, and this is before his redemption. “Zuko Alone” is such an important episode because it’s Zuko’s very first, real look at the war and what it does to people. After Zuko finds out that the family he is staying with has a son fighting in the war with a very real chance of dying soon, he makes a decision that he had purely good intentions with, but he’s so ignorant and naive to how the war works that he almost causes their only other child to be put in the war as well, and has to go rescue him. 

In the episode “Crossroads of Destiny,” Zuko and Katara have a moment in the Crystal Catacombs of old Ba Sing Se, and it’s, like “Zuko Alone,” one of the first times he can actually put a face and a name to the victories of The Fire Nation- When Katara tells him about her mom. He doesn’t have any excuses here, and is forced to admit that the Fire Nation hurt him, too.

In “The Ember Island Players,” when the Gaang is watching a play that… Kind of, tells the story so far, Zuko says this: 

“It takes every mistake I’ve ever made in my life and shoves them back in my face.”

He talks about his greatest regret- Betraying Iroh -and his he’s afraid he’ll never get to redeem himself. Later, Zuko and Iroh reunite, and Iroh says that he was never angry, he was just sad because he thought Zuko had lost his way. Zuko admits that he did lose his way, but he found it again.

We see Zuko struggle so much throughout the show with his morality and making the right decisions, so when he finally does, it’s a huge relief. He makes mistake after mistake, but nobody wants him to fail, not because we want another good guy, but because we see that he has good in him and we see how much Iroh believes in him.

Glimpses into the Future 

    It’s important that we have an idea of where this character is going to end up. We want something to look forward to so that we can push through the annoying stuff. 

    In the episode “The Blue Spirit,” the first time we see Zuko in his anonymous vigilante alter ego, we see what a great team he and Aang make when he rescues Aang from Zhao. They have a great battle chemistry and communicate well without Zuko needing to speak, then after Zuko is knocked out and Aang finds out his identity, he saves Zuko because Zuko saved him. 

    In “The Storm,” when Iroh is telling the crew how he got his scar and the conditions of his banishment, Iroh tells us, the audience, exactly what’s going to happen later in the series. 

When the crew member says that Zuko finding the Avatar is the only chance he has for things returning to normal, Iroh says, 

    “Things will never return to normal. But the important thing is: The Avatar gives Zuko hope.”

    Iroh recognizes that the kind of love Ozai would give him, if any, isn’t the kind that Zuko craves. Zuko only realizes this himself in Book Three, when he's back in the palace, back with his girlfriend Mai, and he’s won his father’s and people’s respect back. He admits to both Azula and Mai that something is wrong and he’s still not happy. 

A Good Mentor

    Most of the show, we see Iroh and his infinite patience trying to guide Zuko away from the same mistakes he made when he was younger. Before the start of the show, Iroh was a greatly respected, and feared, war general. This is referenced countless times throughout the series. He was so successful and respected that even leaving the Fire Nation to follow the banished prince couldn’t tarnish his reputation. Iroh had fallen into the same trap most of the Fire Nation did, that to be a man meant you had to be powerful, to be hurtful, and angry, and violent. He lost his only son to this ideology and was terrified of losing Zuko to it as well. At the end of Book One, before he and Zuko split up, Iroh’s begging him to be careful and admits that ever since he lost Lu Ten, he sees Zuko as a son of his own. 

    After Zuko’s betrayal in Ba Sing Se, Iroh leaves Zuko and forces him to make his own choices, which is when Zuko finally steps up (after some struggle). 

Iroh made it very easy to care about Zuko, alongside Zuko’s moments of humility and glimpses of hope.

Summary

In short, Zuko is such a legendary character because he was well-rounded, and humanized. He never overstepped to the point where he couldn’t be redeemed, and even when he was at his worst, we knew who he could be, and that he does have good in him. 

[laadychat]

A Little Like Love

An ATLA Zutara Fic, cause I have no control.

-

The sun was near setting, illuminating the sea and those basking its warmth in orange and red. The war was finally over, and here they were, relaxing at Ember beach.

The adults had all but forced them to take at least a week to relax, for this war shouldn't have been so reliant on mere kids. The world will be there for their return but for now, a week of quiet and laughter was necessary. A little bit of fresh air before diving into their roles.

Katara was all for relaxing. It was just two years ago when she found Aang in that iceberg, and the war came to end just a handful of days ago. It still felt so surreal, not having to look over her shoulder, fearing the possibility of an attack. Sitting on the harbor, she let her feet tangle, toes dipping into the seawater. Hearing the laughter of her friends, she smiled. This was nice and she would definitely miss this as she makes her journey home.

Hearing the gentle footsteps approaching her, Katara tilted her head slightly towards the sound. She already knew who it was before they sat down right next to her.

They sat there, side-by-side, in peaceful silence and she felt herself relax further. Something about his presence made her feel... safe.

"Katara?" he asked, voice soft.

Her lips curled and looked down at the water. "Yeah?"

She knew her friend - well enough to understand what he was going to talk about before he even mentioned it. Besides, there was something about it she wanted to ask.

"I know you said you forgive me and all but..." His voice faded out before he cleared his throat. "I want to say I'm sorry again."

"Zuko, it's alright." She smiled as she finally turned to face him, resting her head on her raised knee, taking in the sight of him. How was it that he seemed even more breathtaking now?

"It's not-"

"Hey," she muttered, resting a hand on his arm and she straightened up. "Zuko, ever since you started the journey to find the Avatar, you just wanted to go home. And Azula offered you that. I understand why you would choose her."

"Katara..." he whispered, his eyes locked with hers, displaying the sorrow that he felt deep in his soul. He still is so ever grateful that this girl decided he was worth a second chance - a chance to be next to her once again.

Steading his shallow breathing, he left her gaze, sweeping is across the vast sea. He never told her about the main reason behind his journey to find the Avatar - not entirely. And taking in this view, plus the knowledge that he was able to help stop the war created by his forefather, it gave him the courage to share. To share what he kept inside, wishing for it to all wash away.

"I wasn't actually the best firebender when I was younger." He started, training his eyes to a certain point in front of him. "Azula was a prodigy, the beloved child of Ozai. Even though I was to inherit the throne, Ozai made it clear that he didn't think I had it in me. I mean, I couldn't even bend right." He muttered, placing his hands behind him as he tilted his head towards the sky, closing his eyes. "When I was thirteen, I beg Uncle to let me join in on the war meeting. It was then that I had a taste of how much of a psychopath Ozai is.

"Buijing was the High General at the time. He came up with this plan to defeat the earthbenders. Have the newly sworn-in soldiers fight at the frontline while the experience soldiers infiltrate from the back." He let out a shaky breath, the images of the meeting clear in his mind as if it happened merely yesterday.

He heard a sharp intake of breath and turned his face towards the waterbender next to him. When he opened his eyes, he noticed the horror-stricken expression and sighed. "He said they were the best bait to use and I couldn't stand to listen to any more of it. I spoke up, telling Ozai that using them like, like that," he snarled, feeling the anger rise once again. Knowing that the man who was his father was capable of such cruelty filled him with so much rage. "was a betrayal of their patriotism and honor."

"Oh, Zuko," came her quiet voice and instantly, the anger he felt washed away into a dull ache, throbbing in his chest. Despite wanting nothing to do with that man anymore, it still pained him to realize just how little he cared for him, his only son. "I just wanted his love, Katara.

"When I spoke out, this was seen as something highly disrespectful. I disrespected the High General and so I was told I will be participating in Agni Kai." He muttered, moving to slouch forward, arms now on his lap. "I agreed, thinking I would be going against Buijing, since it was his idea. Imagine my surprise when the man across the arena turned around and it was Ozai." He said bitterly, hunching in on himself further when she heard Katara strangled gasp. At this point, the emotions of that day were catching up to him, squeezing his throat, denying him any chance to continue down this path he started.

It was when Katara placed her hand against his arm that he was able to fill his lung with oxygen again. He gave her a small smile but it grew grim. "I begged to be spared, Katara. There was no way I could go against him. He found it dishonorable and called me pathetic." He chuckled, the sound so dry and humorless, his hand reaching for the scar covering his left face.

"He then scarred me, burned my face as a reminder of what I've done and banished me to roam around the world, with my only chance of coming back home requiring the capture of the Avatar." He finished, voice barely a whisper at this point, thick with the emotions he's tried to cover since that fateful day. "If I brought the Avatar home then maybe my father would love me."

He felt hands cup his cheeks and turn his head, his eyes landing on Katara. There was sorrow in her bright blue eyes, with anger lingering around the rims. But besides all that, he found understanding and acceptance of him and his breath knocked from him just then. He gulped, finishing what he started. "When I returned, it was nothing like how I wanted. My father welcomed me home and he allowed me to join in on the war meetings. But I couldn't stand him after he spoke about his plan to completely obliterate the Earth Kingdoms."

A soft sigh escaped the girl next to him as she shifted closer. "Zuko, you are the most honorable man I've ever had the pleasure of meeting." She muttered, her thumb gently brushing against the edge of his scar and he closed his eyes, relishing in the caress. "This scar is proof of that."

He let out a breath he wasn't even aware of holding as the words washed over him feeling him with such admiration for this amazing woman in front of him. "I've accepted it. I got it because I stood up for my people."

As he stared in her eyes, he saw the realization spark in them. "The Avatar hasn't been seen in a hundred then..." The realization turned into shock, which quickly morphed into anger and Agni, did this girl captivate him.

"He didn't want me back." He voiced the conclusion she was beginning to understand.

"I will kill him."

He laughed, a genuine, short one. "Please don't, he isn't worth your time." He smiled, lopsided as he placed his hands on hers, moving them away from his face intertwined their fingers. "I want to thank you, Katara."

Not having expected this, Katara blinked at him. She was still plotting ways to make the previous Fire Lord's death an accident. "For what?"

"When I went back with Azula, I realized how wrong everything still was. I was home, but I was far from happy. I was more content as a tea server in Ba Sing Se," he shook his head, mildly surprised by this detail himself. "The whole time I was back, all I could think of was you. You were the first person, besides Uncle, who believed in me."

"I was invited to another one of my father's war meeting and it was then that I also realized he had to be stopped. This war needed to stop. On the day of the Black Sun, I confronted him. It was that day he tried to shoot lightning at me." He grinned at her horrified face, rubbing his thumb against her hands. "It was also that day I told him I vowed to help Aang defeat him."

"How'd you protect yourself from the lightning?" Katara asked, her eyes searching his for some clue. He squeezed her hands then dropped them, one side of lips twitching as he stood up.

"Like this," he demonstrated, moving his left index and middle finger against his right arm, creating a trail from there until he was pointing them in the opposite direction.

Her surprised gasp was all he needed before he plopped back down, a proud smile grazing his lips.

"That's a waterbending move," Katara mentioned, her eyes lingering on his face in awe.

"Uncle showed me. It's a way to redirect lightening. I used it on Ozai before I left."

There was a brief silence between them before Katara broke it. "I'm gonna kill him."

Shaking his head in amusment, Zuko was amazed with this woman next to him. "He can no longer have any control of me and now I'm the Fire Lord, the best firebender, while he's rottening in a jail without any bending abilities. The justice bestowed on him is a sweet one."

"Thank you, Katara. For showing me that compassion, even when I was just an enemy to you. Thank you for being someone who's so important to me." He finished, grabbing her hands, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

Back at Ba Sing Se, and at the Western Air Temple, she had him wanting to be best he could be. Whenever he was with her, he wasn't Prince Zuko, or the Enemy, but just Zuko - a boy who had just as rough of a past as them all.

"Zuko," her voice wavered and his grin widens as a wave of adoration for her washed through him.

He brought her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss there before speaking once again. "You've inspired me to fight for peace and harmony, you've broken Aang out of that iceberg, and you've kept this whole gang together. We might have all fought and won the war together but Katara, it's all because of you. We were able to take down Ozai because of you. Thank you."

Looking back up at her, he smiled once again as he brought his hands up to cup her face, wiping away the tears escaping her eyes.

Katara stared at this man in front of her, her heart beating wildly as the emotions in her stormed violently. La, how was he even more perfect right now? Those words he said... she knew how genuine he was, could feel it with every sentence that escaped her lips. He really believed her so fiercely, she couldn't stop the tears as they trailed down her cheeks. Her shaky hands rested against his, as she looked at him, following the waves of her emotions. And when he kept looking at her like that...

Tui and La, help her.

"Zuko," her voice sounded like she was very much whining but her heart warmed, watching as his subtle smile turned into a full blown grin.

He let his eyes wandered across her face, taking his time to drink in how beautiful she is. Even back when their journey began, with them being on opposing side, he always felt something tug him towards her. Zuko didn't understand, didn't want to understand what it was then but now? As his gaze fell on her parted lips, he understands.

His eyes seemed to be tracing her face and Katara felt herself flush under his intense gaze. Here was the man who kept invading her thoughts, even back when she thought she hated him. She only realizes why the incident in Ba Sing Se hurt her as much as it did. And when he looked at her lips, the longing in his eyes is what sealed the deal for her.

Tilting her chin up, she captured his lips with hers and they finally understood what this yearning for each other was.

 It seemed a little like love.

[seyaryminamoto]

I've seen A LOT of people thinks Azula is one of the best villains created ever. Can you please list the reasons why? I'm interested.

Well, I’d think it’s kind of obvious, but if you would like to know…

Azula is a really successful character, and that makes her an even better villain. She defies a lot of typical villainous tropes because of many reasons I’ll explain later, but first of all I will insist on one thing: she is a CHARACTER, and not simply a villain. She’s not written merely as a foil in the way of the protagonists, even if she indeed serves as a foil. But she has her own goals, her own strengths and flaws, and as the story progresses you discover the complexities of her character that make her, by far, the best villain in the Avatar franchise. Yes, some people might say she’s not the best villain of all time, I’m not going to force you to agree on that if you like anyone else better, but the reasons why she stands out so much begin right here.

So, first off, she’s a character. She’s not omnipotent, she’s not undefeatable, she’s someone with a mission and who stops at nothing to achieve it (stubbornness of this kind is usually seen as positive traits in main characters, but it’s seen as terrifying in villains). She sets herself up for failure in some ways, as she has unstable and unequal relationships with her friends and everyone else around her, and she has unresolved issues with her mother and her father, not to mention a tumultuous relationship with her brother. So with both her strengths and flaws in mind, Azula feels like a villain who fits in the world we’ve seen so far. Nothing about her is particularly over the top, her bending skills are above and beyond everyone else’s because that makes her a bigger threat, yet Iroh can bend lightning too, for instance. It’s not presented as something unthinkable, even if she is extraordinary for it. She doesn’t really disrupt the rules of the Avatarverse for having blue fire, or for bending lightning, so she’s basically perfectly plausible in this universe.

Azula raises the stakes. Azula gives both Aang and Zuko a brand new villain they both struggle against in their own ways. Azula is out to capture them both, and she will do whatever it takes to succeed, so with her arrival into the show, the characters are somewhat split into three groups in Book 2: the common factor is that she’s always their enemy. A girl who only travels with two other girls can fight and chase both your show’s protagonists and keep them on their toes all along. Have you thought about how awesome that is?

Now, why do I say she defies villainous tropes? Well, I only just reblogged a fun post where they pointed out that Azula strikes Aang down when he’s in the middle of his Avatar State transformation. How many times have you watched shows where this happens? I watched plenty of magical girls shows as a kid, and I am a known Digimon fan: how many times didn’t I joke about how villains should just take out the good guys when they’re wasting 15 seconds of screen time, more or less, by transforming and acquiring all their powers? If you were anything like me, these tropes take you to a point where you have to knowingly suspend your disbelief and simply accept the lack of logic in the matter.

But no, Azula strikes. She sees Aang is floating up there, all extraordinary with his Avatar State mojo, and she decides there’s no point in fighting evenly when he’s in full power. She decides to take out this threat in whatever way she can, regardless of how underhanded and morally wrong it may be. But isn’t that the kind of behaviour you’d expect in a villain? The kind of thing that suits a bad guy, the thing that makes them a serious threat?

A huge thing that makes Azula absolutely extraordinary in my eyes, and it makes me think of Iago from Othello often: Azula plans and succeeds, at least in Book 2 and half of Book 3. She works hard, she doesn’t always win, things go wrong at times and yet? At the very moment where it mattered, Azula got what she wanted, just as Iago got what he wanted. No kidding, Iago gets caught, but not before he destroys Othello in the exact way he intended to. And THAT is what makes a villain worthwhile. The villain’s goal can be something as simple as stealing candy from a child, but if he succeeds and gets away with causing exactly the effect he intended to, regardless of what it costed, that villain is miles better than your average “I want to destroy the world because the writers were giving the hero something to fight against” villain.

So, Azula’s biggest scary factor is that she can be successful. And she’s NOT a big hazy bad guy, like her father, or all other Fire Lords: she’s out in the field, fighting her own battles, planning her strategies and making everything fall into place if she can.

As I said before, she CAN fail. She does, lots of times. But the show does something LOK, for instance, never really did: Azula wins in Book 2. In LOK Amon’s cause allegedly helps fix the bending privilege problem, and Unalaq gets to bring the spirits back, and Zaheer nearly makes Korra disappear forever, and Kuvira somehow gets to fix the Earth Kingdom in her own way. But… they’re all defeated. Zaheer and Kuvira end up in jail, Amon and Unalaq even DIE. None of these bad guys got to actually succeed, their causes apparently did, in roundabout ways, but not them as individuals. 

Azula, on the other hand, succeeds in every level. Azula succeeds where so many others failed, even being the only character who ever came remotely close to killing Aang. She takes over Ba Sing Se with a plan that comes into place right in front of the viewer, and if you love her you relish in this (as I did), if you hate her you are horrified by how EVERYTHING IS GOING HER WAY. It’s not merely her cause that succeeds, the show doesn’t try to tell you that Azula’s victory is good in some roundabout way. Azula is portrayed in a bad light, as a villain, as a real threat to the heroes, and to the values the show is presenting. And she doesn’t wait around for others to fulfill her orders: she goes out to take care of things herself, even fighting without her bending if that’s is how she can protect her nation and father.

As a comparison: how many times in Book 1 did any of us ever really think Zuko was going to succeed at capturing Aang? I, personally, never really thought he was going to do it, not only because of spoilers but because Zuko didn’t feel nearly as threatening as Azula did. Was it because of his temper? Was it because of humorous situations written around him? I don’t really know, but Zuko, as annoying and persistent as he was, and as often as he showed up in pursuit of Aang, never seemed likely to get what he wanted. And he didn’t, despite he had a few chances for it. The writing always frustrated his attempts to capture Aang, or to set traps for him… basically, Zuko always failed when it mattered most.

And Azula failed, plenty. But she didn’t simply fail: she changed her tactics, found new ways to handle the problem, and eventually when Book 2′s ending arrives you’re left with the feeling that this girl simply cannot be stopped. She’s not like Zuko, who worked hard but it never paid off. She’s not like Zhao either, who also made his efforts and found new resources but still failed more often than not. She’s not simply a bending powerhouse like Combustion Man, nor was she like Long Feng, who, yes, was successful for most his life but we only get to meet him when things start to go wrong for him. And she’s also not like Ozai, who was indeed the ominous final boss waiting to show himself at the very end of the story.

So, Azula manages to be a character while being a villain, something rare in mainstream media (seriously, this is the problem of every single Marvel film except for the original Thor. This is why none of their villains are truly memorable or meaningful). And she also manages to be a successful villain, rather than another of those “scary” ones who really seemed to be about to succeed but were stopped at the very last minute: no, she gets what she wants, kills the Avatar as far as she knows, captures her uncle, brings her brother home, and takes over Ba Sing Se. She hits the jackpot, pretty much, but it wasn’t a matter of luck: it was a matter of skill, of adapting to the circumstances and working hard for the sake of her mission.

And that’s just Book 2. In Book 3 she keeps up the efficiency until the betrayal, foiling the brilliant Invasion plans and succeeding at stopping the heroes yet again. By the time her breakdown happens, it’s source really goes back to Azula’s own flaws and problems, to character issues that, although present, were yet to be explored. Yes, it’s terribly convenient for Zuko that his sister would lose her mind exactly when he needed her to, but even then, Azula’s downfall serves to enhance her character’s complexity. It could have been handled better, but as it was, it allowed the viewers to see how damaged she truly is, deep down, and that, again, is what makes her a character and not simply a villain.

That’s more or less the gist of it, but there’s other reasons too, no doubt. All the same, Azula sets a hard bar to match for many villains in mainstream media, and only a handful of them have reached it (if they have, I don’t know how many have overcome it). And that would be why saying she’s the greatest villain of all time has become such a popular thing to do as of late :’)

[artofalexfields]

The Next Avatar... Reblog With Your Own Ideas and Art!

So I’m a huge fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra and I’ve been thinking about who the next Avatar should be. So here are my thoughts...

What kind of bender should the next Avatar be?

Since the Avatar cycle goes Earth-Fire-Air-Water and the last Avatar, Korra was a water bender, we can expect that the next Avatar is going to be an Earthbender.

What gender should the next Avatar be?

If you look at the pattern of sexes for the Avatar, it varies from male>male>female>male>female>male>male>female. Although the patter calls for the next Avatar to a male, it appears that there are not enough female Avatars. In my opinion, to change this pattern, the next Avatar should be female. It would be great to have a female Avatar who could be mentored by Korra. Where should the next Avatar come from?

When we look at where the other Avatars have came from, it appears as if most of them came from small remote villages. Korra was born in the Southern Water Tribe in a small village. Aang was born in the Southern Air Temple which is isolated from the rest of the world. The exception is Roku, who was born in the Fire Nation Capital. I think that the next Avatar should be from Republic City. 

What should her backstory be?

Most of the Avatars have been surrounded by people who are supportive of them being the Avatar. Korra’s parents were proud when they discovered that she was the next Avatar and Korra, unlike Aang was confident about her new responsibility. Every Avatar has had to make difficult decisions because of the threats surrounding them. Avatar Kuruk was mostly laid back and only actively confronted any dangerous when his girlfriend was taken away from him by Koh, the Face Stealer, Avatar Kyoshi killed Chin The Conquerer when he invaded her village and she was forced to separate her village from him and his army, Avatar Roku was forced to sever ties with his best friend when he decided that the Fire Nation should take over the world and Aang, who practices non-violence was forced to accept help from Zuko, his initial enemy, to learn to embrace aggression through firebending and to disappear to find a way to defeat Firelord Ozai without killing him.

My idea for the avatar who proceeds Korra is named Yin. She comes from a family of earthbenders in Republic City. Her father, an RCPD officer was murdered by the leader of the Agni Kais after her father killed his son. Ever since, the Agni Kais have put out a hit on Yin. Her struggling mother kept her confined to their small home. As the rising gang violence and ramped up terrorism from gangs began taking over Republic City, the leadership of the city had spent 17 years seeking out the next avatar to help mitigate and end the violence. Little did they know the child of their fallen hero was the avatar and her family was keeping her hidden from the world the entire time.

An RCPD officer discovered Yin by chance metal and lightning bending to create a generator to use for her family before they set out on an exodus to the countryside to escape threats from the Agni Kais. The officer was able to gain Yin's trust after going out in plainclothes and becoming her friend. She then witnessed her save a small earthbending town from a black-out caused by a storm. When the secret was out that Yin was the avatar, she agreed to return to Republic City to take up the mantle of the avatar. 

Since Yin has had to hide her abilities from the rest of the world but use them to help out her family, she has learned to control her impulses and only use her bending when needed. Like Aang, she prefers to negotiate before going on the offensive. However, Yin has a dark side to her. Since her father was murdered, she's harbored deep disdain for society and its criminals. Her well controlled anger has made it easy for her to master firebending and earthbending. However, she has yet to master air and waterbending. After learning about blood and energybending, she has become hellbent on mastering both so that she can exact revenge against the Agni Kais.  Facts about Yin:

-Like Aang, Yin never wanted to be the Avatar. She wants to become an engineer and help build things for people like her older brother who have disabilities. She also doesn’t like fighting or getting into confrontations but when she does have to, she doesn’t hold back. 

-Yin’s has an older and a younger brother. The older brother is an earthbender. He became paralyzed in an earthbending accident while training for a pro-bending tournament and lost his ability to walk. Ever since she’s been working on a special wheelchair for him that will allow him to participate in the sport.

-Yin has a very dry sense of humor seeing as though she’s had to take everything in her life very seriously. She rarely laughs or smiles. Her personality is comparable to that of Avatar Kyoshi.  -Although prompted by Jinora and her other mentors, she refuses to tap into the Avatar state because she’s afraid that she’ll lose control of herself like a lot of the avatars before her. And losing control is one of her biggest fears.

-She’s also afraid of tapping into the spirit world because she’s uncomfortable with the idea of death and spirits. She also doesn’t want to talk Korra for fear that she’s going to be disappointed that she’s not as proactive and gung-ho as she was. 

-Yin struggles with air and waterbending because they don’t work well with her brute force all or nothing approach to fighting. However, she eventually learns through both bending styles that it takes a lot of self-assurance and control to master both and to go into the avatar state. 

-When her mother found out that she’s the avatar, she disowned her for fear of losing another loved one and knowing that she can no longer protect her. Her brother, who fully supports her is her best friend. She also forms a deep bond with the RCPD officer who discovered her because she provided a way for her to leave her confined prison-like life. The officer often tells her that after discovering her, she’s felt as though for the first time in her life, she feels as though she’s had hope for the future. Eventually, their relationship becomes romantic. 

Reblog with your own ideas! You can copy this format or not.

[kusunokihime-a]

OKAY. This might seem a bit random, but this is something I’ve been meaning to do xD So over on my drabble sideblog, I’ve done a series of oneshots that are a crossover with the world of Avatar: the Last Airbender. And I was just wondering if anyone would like to try either a thread, or some kind of...group thread based around that? Admittedly, I’ve only ever done one thread with more than two people, so...I dunno how they work very well xD But I love the lore of AtLA, and the crossover has been so fun to write and develop over the course of the drabbles, so...I thought maybe people would like to try making threads out of it! I’ll put more details of what @scxrlctiisms and I have done so far below a cut, but there’s a lot we can still build and develop! I think there’s good potential there, and I’d love to give it a try n_n I guess if you’re interested, IM me, and we can try to plot? Idk, I’ve never done anything like this before xD I just really, REALLY like what we’ve built, and I’d love to do more than just a series of drabbles, so I can write with others! You can find a list of the drabbles in order here on the index page under Healing Waters and Scorching Flames if you want to catch up! I’ll try to summarize a bit below, too~

OKAY so what we have so far revolves mostly around our two OCs, Ryū and Rei. Ryū is a healing-only waterbender from the Southern tribes, kidnapped by the Fire Nation with her homeland as blackmail for her cooperation. She’s brought to the capital to heal the Fire Lord’s elder son, Itachi, who is very ill. 

His younger brother Sasuke has slowly been devolving into depravity between the power his father is giving him, and a torn feeling between loving his brother and wishing for his health...and yet also wanting to take the throne for himself.

Rei is a combustion bender whose bending is highly unstable. Due to this, she’s assigned as Ryū’s guard to keep her out of the way. The two slowly become what one could call friends...but for a reason. Rei knows her bending is bound to lead to disaster, and when it does, she uses Ryū as both a means of escape, and as a healer for her own injuries. Together, they manage to escape on a small Fire Nation vessel to the Earth Kingdom.

But their freedom doesn’t last long. Sasuke is sent to retrieve them, and scouts in the area are already on the lookout when they land. They scuffle with a small patrol group, and Ryū kills one of the soldiers with newly-discovered blood bending - something she’s known of in theory due to her study of the body, but also what she has never wanted to use.

Eventually, the pair are ambushed by none other than Sasuke and his crew. Believing Rei to have gotten away, Ryū stalls for time to give her a head start. But she agrees to return to the Fire Nation...having little choice, but also feeling guilt for abandoning Itachi. During their months as patient and healer, a kind of understanding has grown between them. Ryū has told him about the world beyond the capital, and the hardships of the Fire Nation rule...something Itachi has a highly-biased view of due to never leaving the capital with the restrictions of his health.

Shisui, a commander under Sasuke’s lead, takes Ryū aboard only to begin strangely questioning her, eventually revealing that he is one of a group who wish to convince Itachi to end the war and restore peace. He tells Ryū to use her position as an outsider to open Itachi’s eyes to the corruption of his father, whom he idealizes...and to keep him alive in order to keep the throne out of Sasuke’s reach. He then stays in the Earth Kingdom to continue to search for Rei.

As the ship casts off, a soldier enters Ryū’s quarters on the ship only to reveal herself as Rei, donned in stolen armor from a defeated enemy. She tries to convince Ryū to jump ship and use her bending to free them, but Ryū refuses, insisting she must try to get through to Itachi...and that she can’t leave him, knowing he will die if she does, which will guarantee Sasuke’s place on the throne.

Upon their arrival back in the Fire Nation capital, Sasuke presents Ryū to Itachi, seeking his praise before announcing he plans to return to the Earth Kingdom in search of Rei.

Putting her trust in Itachi, Ryū reveals that Rei is actually with her, offering to try to find a way to remove Rei’s bending and thus the danger of her instability. Itachi agrees, insisting Rei remain hidden until she finds a way to do so, thus eliminating her threat and saving her from execution orders.

Nagisa, another of Alec’s OCs, made an introduction in the last drabble. Desperate to find his friend, Rei, he corners Ryū only for Rei to reveal herself. Skeptical of their plan, he promises to help how he can, only for Ryū to be summoned by Itachi for an ache in his back. But when he removes his shirt for healing, she finds him riddled with burns and cuts from an apparent spar he had with Sasuke before he left - a spar he obviously lost, and that Sasuke took to far too gladly.

Ryū tries to argue with him to let her heal him, but he refuses in the name of honor, claiming he must survive the wounds on his own as repentance for his loss. When Ryū makes a remark against Sasuke, Itachi strikes her and orders her to leave.

Distraught, she flees only to run into Nagisa for a second time, who tells her more about Sasuke’s devolving nature before Rei finds her, and takes her back to her quarters.

And so far...that’s all we’ve got! The only things we’ve talked about beyond that are having Hyūga as chi blockers, and likely having Naruto (as both a protagonist and air user) to take the place of Aang as Avatar. Especially with Sasuke, in a sense, taking the role of Azula.

I dunno, I just think it’d be a neat crossover to expand on! It’d be open to anyone so long as you can think of a way to get your character to fit into the AtLA lore (which I will admit I’m not an expert in. I’ve seen the show, and Korra, several times each, but haven’t read any comics or read too much into the lore beyond the show).

Again, if you’d like to try plotting a thread in this crossover, please let me know! I think it’d be tons of fun to try. I love writing the drabbles, and I bet threads would be even better with input from partners n_n