#as well as characters because dear lord what they did to Katara-

[lolabearwrites]

Half way through the live action and I have to say, there is a lot of potential in this. The actors are pretty good, the effects as well. There are genuinely funny/sad moments. You can tell they are actually trying to bring Avatar to life.

I think the biggest problem this show has is telling instead of showing. And clunky dialogue. If they tweak stuff I feel like this show could go from mediocre to genuinely decent.

[avatarstories]

izumi’s birthday pt 1: bad memories

AN: I had to split Izumi’s birthday up a bit. trying to fit it all in one chapter would have been just stupidly long. I will say this starts sad, and the second chapter is also sad, though more angsty than sad, but part three will be much happier and have a good resolution. 

TW: character death in childbirth (in past, but mentioned), noblewomen being sucky to Izumi. 

Izumi was never particularly excited to celebrate her birthday. It was a day of mixed emotions knowing that while her family celebrated her coming into this world, they were reminded of the sharp pang of losing her mother on that day as well. Nonetheless, her grandfather Iroh had insisted on throwing a party to celebrate her 17th birthday. Nobles from the outlying islands, diplomats from the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes, and of course her father’s friends and their families who were essentially her extended family. The palace, usually quiet and peaceful (as she and her father preferred) was bustling with guests. Her father had been so busy  greeting guests and addressing some Republic City business with Sokka and Aang that she had barely seen him that day. So, she decided to take a walk to his office after she knew he had finished meeting with Sokka and Avatar Aang. 

As she walked down the hallway, she overheard two of the noblewomen, a governor’s wife and her daughter, visiting for her birthday festivities talking with each other in the portrait gallery. 

“I just hope she won’t be like her forefathers, with the Fire Lady curse,” the mother says. 

“Fire Lady curse?” the daughter questions. 

“Haven’t you noticed, dear, that all of the Fire Ladies who gave birth to bad Fire Lords have died in childbirth,” the mother answers. “Fire Lord Sozin’s mother died when he was born, as did Azulon’s. Lady Ilah died when she gave birth to Ozai. General Iroh’s wife died when Prince Lu Ten came. Princess Ursa barely made it through Princess Azula’s birth, and of course you know that Lady Mai died when the Crown Princess was born.” 

“It seems the spirits had it out for the Fire Ladies that brought bad men into the world,” the daughter replies. 

“Indeed,” the mother says “For our sake, let’s pray it’s not an omen about our next Fire Lord.” 

Izumi’s breath hitches. The mother turns and sees her. Izumi recognizes her as Lady Niko and her daughter Ichika. 

“Your highness, I hope you are well,” Lady Niko says with a bow. Izumi clenches her fists. What an asshole she thinks to herself.

“Good evening,” she says bitterly. 

“We were just off to retire,” Lady Niko states.  If she has any suspicion that Izumi overheard their conversation, she does not show it. Izumi says nothing. “Well, good evening then.” The women bow again before walking down the hallway. 

Izumi is left alone in the portrait gallery. Her father had the portraits of the imperial Fire Lords removed long ago, before she was born. Instead, they were replaced with paintings of more favorable parts of Fire Nation history. There was one of Avatar Roku, one of her grandfather taking back Ba Sing Se, of her father redirecting lightning, and most recently of her Aunt Azula discovering the true nature of fire and being gifted a dragon egg. Even still, there were not enough new paintings to replace the old, and black curtains hung in their place. 

Izumi finds herself reaching out to touch the heavy dark fabric and remembers the first time asking about them when she was maybe 8 years old.

"Why are there dark curtains on the walls in the portrait gallery?” Izumi had asked at dinner

“There used to be paintings there, but I had them taken down,” Zuko explained.

“Why were they taken down?” Izumi asked. 

“They were of bad men, and I did not want them on display,” Zuko explained. “I didn’t need the reminder of their poor examples. And I did not need them setting an example for you to aspire to,” he answered. 

“Well, I will not be bad. Girls are not bad like boys are,” Izumi said cheerfully. 

“Girls can be bad, Izumi,” Azula says. 

“But I’m a girl and I’m not bad. And so are Aunt Kiyi, and Aunt Katara. They are all very nice,” Izumi states, somewhat defensively. “You are not bad.” 

“I used to be bad, very bad,” Azula responds. 

Zuko looks at her across the table. “You don’t have to now-”

“She’s going to have to know sooner or later” Azula cuts him off. Azula didn’t talk much about her past, and for Izumi, Azula had always been one to chastise her for being mean. Izumi could not imagine Azula as anything other her stern and wise aunt. 

Azula and Zuko are having a conversation with just looks, like only people with secrets can. Izumi looks between the two of them. “Know what?”

“Izumi, I know we have not taught you much about the war yet, but during the war, I was a bad person,” Azula starts. “I hunted down your father and grandfather to try to bring them back to the Fire Nation as prisoners,  I chased Bumi and Kya’s mom and dad, Sokka, and Toph across the earth kingdom, I burned Uncle, I put Suki in prison, I tried to drill a whole in the walls of Ba Sing Se, then I actually took over Ba Sing Se, I killed the Avatar, well briefly, I had your mom and Ty Lee locked in the Boiling Rock, and then when my dad tried to take over the world and told me I could be Fire Lord, I tried to kill Zuko and your Aunt Katara when they tried to stop me. Even before the war, I was never nice,” Azula finishes. She sighs “Don’t believe anything is the way it is about you because you’re a girl, Izumi. Anyone is capable of destruction.” 

Izumi is quiet. She looks at her aunt, her fire bending teacher, her fiercest protector, the woman who walks her home from school every day, who brushes her hair every morning, who tucks her in at night when her dad has too much paperwork to do, who is the closet thing this motherless child has to a mother. She cannot reconcile Azula’s confession. 

“Dad is that true?” Izumi asks. 

“Izumi, where else would he have gotten the scar on his chest? That was from when I tried to kill him,” Azula responds before Zuko can.

Izumi does not want to believe these things about Azula. “Well, if you were so bad, then how did the family pass the People’s Approval every year?” 

“We did not have People’s Approval before me. That was something I created,” Zuko explains. 

“So there used to just be uncontrollably bad Fire Lords and Fire Families?”

“Yes” Azula and Zuko say in unison. 

“But we’re different, we learned from their misdeeds,” Zuko finishes. Izumi pulls her hand back from dark velvet.  A door opening down the hall pulls her from her thoughts, and she starts towards her father’s office. As she walks down the hallway, she cannot shake the thought that she might be predestined for destruction. 

“Is he with anyone?” She asks the guard at the door when she arrives. 

“No, your highness. Master Katara, Councilman Sokka, and Avatar Aang just left. Would you like me to announce you?” 

“Thank you, but no need. It’s just me,” she tells him. 

“Of course, your highness,” he says with a polite nod.

When she walks in her father is staring, with a wistful but melancholic look, at a small ink portrait of himself and Mai that was commissioned shortly after they were married. Her entrance pulls him from whatever thought or memory he was lost in. The thought of him sitting in here alone and thinking of her mother only augments her anger and unease, and it quickly settles in her as sadness.  

“Hey, turtleduck,” he says softly and with a smile when he sees her. 

“Hi,” she replies, her voice barely above a whisper. 

“Sorry, I missed dinner. Sokka, Aang, and I were working on something. And then Katara came in here to tell us off for working too late.” 

“That’s ok,” she says, trying to cover the sadness in her tone but Zuko notices.  

“What’s wrong, turtleduck?” he says walking over to her. 

“I’m almost 17, don’t you think I’m a little old for that?” 

“I don’t care how old you are, you’ll always be my little turtleduck.” 

Izumi smiles softly. Zuko was sweet father. “You were looking at that painting of mom when I walked in.” 

“I was, yes.” He pauses, "I was thinking about what I would tell her about you if I could.” 

“What would you tell her?” a few tears well up in Izumi’s eyes, and she tries hard to keep them in. 

“Well, I think she’d be happy to know you look just like her,” he starts. “And that you like to read and learn, and there’s nothing that you can’t teach yourself how to do. She’d be amazed that you can make your Aunt Azula laugh. And,” he says tipping her chin up so that she has to look into his eyes, “she’d want me to tell you that you could confide in your father with anything just like she did.” 

“I don’t want to celebrate my birthday,” she whispers. A tear rolls down her cheek, and Zuko wipes it away. 

“Why not?” 

“It makes me feel guilty,” she barely manages to get out.  She leans forward, and Zuko pulls her into an embrace. 

“Zumi, sweetheart, we’ve talked about this. You have nothing to feel guilty about.” 

“What if I just haven’t done the thing I’ll feel guilty about yet?” she strains. 

“What’s that supposed to mean, Zumi?” 

She doesn’t want to talk about what the noblewomen were discussing in the portrait gallery, and she diverts from her last question. 

“I took your wife from you. You’ve been lonely for a long time because I came into the world.” 

He holds her tighter against him. “That’s not true, Izumi,” he says firmly. 

“Yes, it is.” 

“Sit down, Izumi.” He guides her to the red and gold couch in his office and kneels in front of her. He takes one of her hands in her lap between his own, her gaze fixed downwards. 

“Look at me,” he says softly. 

She swallows and looks up, a tear rolls down her cheek.  

“It has been, and still is, the greatest privilege of my life to be your father. The first time I ever saw you, I didn’t think I could ever love anyone more. I would have rather died than see you get hurt.” He pauses and wipes a tear off his cheek with his sleeve, and then does the same for Izumi. “And you’re right, I am lonely sometimes, but it’s not your fault, Izumi. In fact, when I see you smile or do something that brings you joy, I wonder how I could ever have wanted anything else. So don’t you ever think that you took anything away from me because you are the greatest joy of my life.” 

She cannot stop the tears at his admission. She wraps her arms around his neck and he hugs her tightly to him. He doesn’t seem to mind that his robes are getting wet from her tears. Let’s pray it’s not an omen about our next Fire Lord plays again in her mind, and now with her father’s words, she only cries harder. He had so much faith in her, and she hadn’t proven anything yet about her ability to lead. 

A few minutes later when she had stopped crying, Zuko loosens his embrace. 

“I hate when my little girl is upset. You know Azula used to laugh at me because I’d cry when you got hurt or when you were sick. Then one time while I was in a meeting and Azula interrupted it clearly distraught because she found out someone had picked on you at school and she wanted the swiftest punishment imaginable, and I told her, 'now you know how it feels.'” 

Izumi lets out a little laugh against his robes. 

“Thanks, Dad.” 

“Want me to make some tea?”

“You’re turning into grandfather,” she quips, pulling out of the hug. 

“I’d consider that a very nice compliment, Zumi,” Zuko jokes. 

A short while later they are in the kitchens, each with a cup of tea in hand, but a darkness still sits heavy in Izumi’s heart. She knows she won’t be able to shake it off anytime soon.

AN: I love soft Dadko and protective Aunt Azula. I think it’s cool to explore Izumi’s understanding of her family and their past, especially in a way that it mixes with her own insecurities and fears. Next chapter, we get Bumi (who is actually of my favorite of the Gaang Kids, even though I tend to harp on Izumi.)

[foryoumyheroes]

Dekusquad reacts to ATLA

Izuku Midoriya: 

He loves this show. Loves it so much. It’s so near and dear to his heart, and it has such great messages and as he sees the characters progress, improve their bending, and mature from being just regular teenagers; the Gaang just screams “I am here!” to him. 

He has cried more than once. 

Favorite characters: Toph, Iroh, and Aang 

Toph is so inspirational to him in the way that she’s blind, but is so incredibly strong and has that power and confidence that he looks up to and sees in Kacchan. 

And his favorite color is green. 

Iroh kind of reminds him of his mom, because Iroh is easily one of the strongest characters in the series (and his mom is the strongest person he knows! Even over All Might!) and is gentle and kind like her. 

He wasn’t a major fan of Aang (but still liked him a lot!) in the beginning because he “didn’t want to be the Avatar” and Izuku didn’t understand that very much. 

But later on in the series, Aang becomes more mature and Izuku really came to love Aang when he refused to kill the Fire Lord. 

A person that values peace and well-being over all is a true hero to Izuku. 

Favorite Scene: the last one where everyone is happy and laughing at Sokka’s picture. 

Least Favorite Scenes: when Appa was kidnapped, and when Azula was chained to the grate. 

That scene shook him to the core, because while he never liked her it kinda made him realize that she was a human too. 

And when he found out that she was fourteen to sixteen like he was? He was so heartbroken for her even if she was a bad person. 

Todoroki Shouto: 

He’s never watched a lot of cartoons when he was younger, but when all of Class 1-A started to binge it during their free periods and classes, he watched it with them. 

Favorite Character: Katara 

Everyone wants him to like Zuko the most, and he does admire the Fire Prince in a way that they’re so similar: the scar, the parents, the fire abilities. He was just really turned off from Zuko’s character in the beginning. 

He didn’t like how Zuko went to such lengths just to get his honor back and to please the dad that scarred him, and he doesn’t like how Zuko treated Iroh on multiple occasions. 

They way Zuko is easily riled up and yells a lot makes him better for someone like Bakugou. 

He likes Katara because she values her mother, and is a strong character, and he can at least relate to her through her water/ice ability. 

He also admires how she uses her water ability to heal, and he wonders if he could use his Quirk to heal too. 

He likes Iroh, but doesn’t get the man’s silliness or jokes. 

Favorite Scene: Iroh’s Leaves From The Vine or Katara’s Painted Lady moments 

Least Favorite Scene: When Aang attempted to show off his new firebending and ended up hurting Katara. 

That’s the absolute worst thing that Aang did, Todoroki believes. 

After Class 1-A finishes watching it Kaminari and Mina occasionally tell Todoroki that his “scar is on the wrong side.” 

“I get that reference.” 

Uraraka Ochako 

Was OBSESSED with it as a child. 

Watched it ever since it was originally aired on TV. If an episode was playing, she wouldn’t be doing what she’s supposed to do and just watched ATLA. 

The type that woke up super early or stayed up super late when Nick was doing the reruns years later after the series finished. 

Definitely has an old Aang costume somewhere in her closet from her childhood. 

Pretended to be an airbender and an earthbender with her Quirk more than once. 

I headcanon that even though her parents are working hard and busy, they used to watch ATLA together on the couch and bonded over that, so it has a lot of good memories. 

Favorite characters: The entire Gaang, but especially Sokka and she likes Ty Lee and Suki. 

She loves how funny and silly Sokka is and his antics just bring a smile to her face. She also admires how talented and intelligent he is. Sokka’s the type that attempted to do everything for his family and the Southern Water Tribe, and she definitely some of herself in him. Uraraka wants to support her family too!! 

And she thinks Sokka >>>> Zuko 

Suki and Ty Lee are just so incredibly powerful and determined without losing their femininity. They’re incredible role models! 

Yes, when she was in elementary school and had to write down what she wanted to be when she grew up she put down Kiyoshi Warrior and cried when the teacher told her that it didn’t exist. 

Yes, being a Pro Hero was her second choice. 

Yes, she tried to do some of Ty Lee’s flips and handstands when she saw it for the first time and still has scars from it. 

Yes, when she was interning under Gunhead she got to finally live out her dreams. 

Favorite Scene: when Mai and Ty Lee betray Azula. It was an incredible moment of realization of what they truly wanted and what they valued. Also the cinematography and choreography was great. It was POWERFUL. 

And she loves every scene with the cabbage man in it. 

Also the Ember Island Play. She is one of the students that jokingly tell Todoroki that his scar’s on the wrong side. 

Least Favorite Scene: Every scene where Appa is struggling when he was kidnapped and when Aang yelled at Toph when she “lost” him. 

It wasn’t so much the actual scene where Appa was being taken away, but the aftermath of how hurt everyone was from his loss that go to her. 

And yes, the two longer strands of hair on the sides of her face are inspired by the ATLA girls’ hairstyles. She got to the hair salon and was like, you know Azula from Avatar? 

Iida Tenya 

Has never heard of it before he watched it with the rest of Class 1-A, but he has heard of the term “waterbender,” “firebender,” “earthbender,” and “airbender” before. 

Thought of the blue people if you said “Avatar.” 

Didn’t think much of it until later in the series, around the time when things got more serious like the scenes with Haru and the Northern Water Tribe. 

At first he watched it with his classmates because they chose it, but soon enough he was shushing everyone so that he could watch it. 

Favorite characters: Zuko and Haru. 

Haru was who originally got him hooked into the series and his story of finally standing up against the people who put him in prison is something that he admires. Even though Haru was scared to save the old man, he did it in the end because it was the right thing to do, even if the repercussions weren’t right. 

I headcanon that Iida secretly likes the more wild characters. People expect him to like the more strict, uptight characters, but I think that since this man was willing to just throw everything to go after his brother’s almost-killer to get his revenge, Iida likes the characters who freely do what they want if that is what they believe is right. 

He hated Zuko when the series started, but loved his long and tiring story of doing the right thing until he finally reached redemption. The scene where Zuko decided to spare the pregnant woman when he was out on his own just stuck with him. 

Favorite Scene: The scene where Iroh escapes from prison and accepts Zuko back after he left. 

The Day of the Black Sun was just a well-done arc that showed the intricacies of warfare and thinking out battles and the importance of planning things out. 

He also loves the scene when Iroh opens the Jasmine Dragon.  

Least Favorite Scenes: when Aang discovers that his people all died in a genocide, whenever Azula abuses her power, and especially when she struck Aang down with lighting. 

He was so stressed when he first saw the scene when it happened he stood up immediately and screamed, “WHAT?!” at the TV. Continually asks Uraraka if Aang’s going to live, if the Avatar line ends here, etc. when he’s going to know in a couple of minutes. 

He also hates Zuko’s origin and the story of how he got the scar. He got so enraged at Fire Lord Ozai for fighting and scarring his own son that you’ve thought that he was a real person. 

Before he watched ATLA, he thought that the line, “There’s no war in Ba Sing Se,” was a powerful piece of old Chinese Literature. Legit used it in one of his essays back in Soumei Junior High. 

[red-winters]

*Batfam fic-recs

*Some are Tim Drake Centric

**Some links are not working in mobile (and ONLY mobile) for some reason? And some titles that were bolded in the original post are ALSO not displaying on mobile correctly. Idk what to do about that, but you can still look up the fic, I guess.

The Bat’s Crest - livierambles

Note: I will always keep recommending this fic. It’s epic, thrilling, and hilarious and sometimes angsty. Also, everyone is confused, including the ones doing the confusing. Maybe especially the ones doing the confusing. Also, some Tim and Damian bonding, which is always nice.

Summary: Tragedy strikes the hero community when Bruce Wayne commits a crime so heinous even the best start asking for blood. However, as the heroes try to recover from the hit and carry out justice for their friends, a random assortment of people start acting oddly, including the current Speedy Tim Drake, a child hostage in Gotham, and a young man from an unremarkable circus amongst others. All of them seem intent on saving Bruce Wayne from the grasp of the Justice League for no apparent reason, going as far as betraying their previous allegiances.

Unknown to the Justice League, these people are equally confused. Clearly they're stuck in another dimension, but how do they get back? How did they even get here? Who else is stuck in this world? And how long will Tim's patience last? Back home, the Bat was a planetary symbol that struck fear in the hearts of criminals. In this new world, it has no meaning, save for the handful of stranded souls.

In the Shadows - Kieron_ODuibhir

(shortened) Summary:

“I’m not like you.”

The cowl still looked like something he was wearing, but Clark knew it was not. It flexed like skin when Batman narrowed his blank white eyes and said, “I can see you know that.” 

Chirp - AmariT

Summary: Every piece of the signal Tim unlocked revealed more locks, and by the time he broke through the last one, he was already mentally rehearsing his many upcoming talk show appearances. 'Yes,' he told the interviewer, 'it was difficult for me, a ten-year-old genius, to break open the worldwide alien conspiracy. That's why it took a whole hour.'

When the crackling audio started, he expected some weird alien language. Maybe squawks and high-pitched squeals mixed with musical woofs. Maybe they wouldn't talk at all, and images would beam directly into his mind. Maybe they'd talk in practiced English with a Midwestern drawl like their other resident alien.

Instead he heard a low, guttural voice growling out of his computer speakers. "Robin," it said. "Are you in position?"

A Better Cage - Mangaluva

Note: I was absolutely DELIGHTED to see a Young Justice Crossover with the Justice Lords (Earth-50) from the animated Justice League series, which is near and dear to my heart. I admit I haven’t really had much time to hunker down and read this, but even skimming, it’s an intriguing piece of work. Also, Justice Lords.

Summary: Wally's grateful to have woken up at all, really. He just doesn't know what to make of the world he's woken up in. At least they want to find a way to his world as much as he does, if not exactly for the same reasons...

Common People - AmariT

Note: The Bat boys are all Bruce’s blood sons, but it still feels very much like a found family. I haven’t really read everything in this series, but I feel the author has an amazing grip on all the characters. Lovely and heartwarming.

Summary: His whole life, Jason’s mom had told him his dad was Bruce Wayne, but he’d never been dumb enough to actually believe it. They lived in a rundown, one-room apartment in the worst part of town, and in every single picture he’d ever seen of that rich bastard he was wearing a suit or sipping champagne worth more than everything they’d ever owned.

But if he wasn’t Bruce Wayne’s kid, then what the hell was he doing sitting outside the man’s office in Wayne Towers?

Red Robin and the Hood - momoejaku

Note: Haven’t read this in a while, but it made an impression. Though it’s a fic set during the Red Robin arc, it very much is about both Tim and Jason. Plus, it fleshes out the Pru and Z a bit more, too.

Summary: Bruce Wayne is dead. Superman brought back his body, and the family mourned him, holding a quiet funeral in secret so that the legacy of Batman could live on. But not everyone has been able to put him to rest.

Reeling from the loss of Bruce, his identity as Robin and his trust in his family, Tim Drake sets out on a personal quest that will take him across the world to prove what he knows in his heart: that Bruce Wayne is alive.

Though intending to make his way alone, Tim reluctantly accepts help from his predecessor, Jason Todd, who knows from personal experience that death is not always as final as it seems.

Together, they are Red Robin and the Hood.

Liminal Spaces - Calamityjim

Note: Skimmed this only since I’ve been busy, BUT it does look well-written, and I’m always a sucker for alternate dimension/dimension travel intervention-type of fix-its. It’s a very specific trope.

Summary:

Bruce's habit of collecting strays is not limited by dimension.

Or

When Young Justice Batman comes across an angsty, seemingly abandoned by his Batman Tim Drake, he decides to step up to the plate and parent the crap out of him.

Little Bird’s Vengeance - KatHarkness-Katara

Note: Crossover with Avengers. Awesome fic with Tim and Jason and some Outsider POV (via the Avengers) of these dimensional stragglers. I think Tim’s team shows up in the later chapters, too. If you’re reading on mobile, it’s still very much worth reading despite FF.net’s horrible format and abundance of advertisements in the mobile version.

Summary: Why is life never simple? Red Robin's ended up worlds away from home once again, and now what's he to do? What do the Avengers want from him; do SHIELD have another agenda; and is there any way back? Pre-New 52. No slash. Rated for inevitable language/violent themes.

A Displaced Red Robin - dragonprincess1988

Note: Worth reading despite FF.net’s horrible format and abundance of advertisements in the mobile version. Well-written fic! EMOTIONS! I love them. Younger Dick Grayson is adorable, Tim is a competent fixer-upper for other people but not so much himself. He’s kind of angsty and making YJ Dick want to keep him (and YJ Bruce, too, if you read between the lines). On the plus side, seems like he’s making good friends with Young Justice Roy. This fic was written before certain episodes of YJ came out, though, and the fic reflects/will continue to reflect that. Still, I give it five stars.

Author’s Summary: Tim gets transported to the cartoon Young Justice world, and he's not sure he knows how to deal with it. Attention: If you want to know about Artemis or people from Tim's world the final note on my profile is for you. Also, a special thank you to angel-gidget over at Tumblr, who made the wonderful cover art for this story.

The Till-then From the Ever Since - Keiron O_Duibhir

Note: Fandom classic. Definitely a must-read for Batfam fans, in my humble opinion.

Summary: It began, or seemed to begin, with Jason.

Usually that would have meant something in the order of fire and explosion and probably at least one gunshot wound, but for once (as Tim said, sourly), it wasn't actually Jason's fault.

The Wayne Family Ghost - pupeez4eva

Note: Please read this. Especially if you’re sad or anxious or just have time. I couldn’t stop laughing. It’s my go-to cheer-up fic. Absolutely hysterical.

Summary: In which Bruce realizes that having a legally dead son, who regularly hangs around the family, might be slightly problematic. 

Bloodline - chibi_nightowl

Note: Complicated family dynamics, this time centering around Tim, Selina, Bruce and, surprisingly, Damian. Jason and Dick make an appearance as supportive big bros, too. It works. Take a read, it isn’t that long.

Summary:

“Mr. Drake, I can’t think of a better way to say this, so I’ll just be blunt. This file is for your first adoption. By the Drakes.”

Tim blinked. “My what?”

“You were adopted as a newborn by Jack and Janet Drake.”

“Excuse me, but what the fuck are you talking about?”

Talon!Tim AU Series by keeptogethernow

Note: Found family, from a different angle. Cool fic and well-written.

Summary of Tso’ape Mumbichi, first in the series: Ten years ago, two people made a deal with the devil--unlimited funds in exchange for their child. And now it's time to pay up. But there's no way to ensure that the child will cooperate.

Shutterbug Series by goldkirk

Note: Exactly what it says on the tin! Found family.

Summary:

Tim Drake is thirteen, runs the famous BatWatch blog that has spiraled hilariously out of control, has absentee parents that suit his purposes just fine, is training himself to run the streets at night, and is doing absolutely peachy, thank you.

Alfred and Jason disagree, and get Dick and Bruce involved in figuring out their weird next door neighbor kid’s life. Everything goes uphill from there.

Thursday’s Child - anthalogia

Note: Well-written and has found family and Tiny!Tim? Automatic win.

Summary:

He’s not the first child with nowhere else to go that Bruce Wayne has taken in. Dick Grayson was the first and the most high-profile – because no one would have thought Bruce Wayne was interested in ever raising a child, let alone the orphaned son of circus performers – but Jason was maybe just as much of a shock to society for being a street kid who came out of seemingly nowhere. Tim Drake is ordinary by comparison – his parents died in a plane accident. He can’t think of anything very special about him except that he met Bruce a few times when his parents hosted parties to keep in touch with Gotham society.

Or, tiny Tim Drake is adopted by the Waynes a little earlier than scheduled.

We’re Not Driving (How did we get here?) - TimTheToaster

Note: Short and sweet, a little angsty, and then very sweet.

Summary:

Tim stared at his phone, as if that would change what was on the screen.

Dick Grayson @FlyingDGrayson

It took some doing, and in some cases a little blackmail, but we've finally got the whole family together for a movie night! #WayneManor #movienight #familytime #schedulingisanightmare

15 minutes ago

Take It Back Now Y’all - TimTheToaster

Note: And Tiny!Jason has made his appearance. Also, Tim, I am begging you to please take care of yourself—ah, Bruce has made his appearance. Interesting. Also, I gotta say this author is good.

Summary:

There was absolutely no way this sunshine was from Gotham in April.

Not possible.

Which meant, Tim was no longer in Gotham, in April.

(In which Tim finds himself in the past, and tries to do the right thing. It's more complicated than he'd like.)

Takes a Little Time, Takes a Lotta Twine (To Get Us Back Together) - TimTheToaster

Note: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, beginning of reconciliation, and brotherhood. A satisfying, cathartic moment during the Red Robin arc to soothe your heart.

Summary:

Tim was in Gotham.

Tim had pretty specifically been avoiding thinking about Dick as much as possible for the last few weeks.

For the last year, really. No need to open that can of carnivorous worms.

Dick had other plans.

Everybody’s Heard (Bird is the Word) - TimTheToaster

Red Robin Era ANGST, but like, deliciously well-written. Also, protective Dad Bruce is always epic. Light bashing of Green Arrow and BC, though. But considering the situation (in this fic), kind of warranted.

Summary:

5 times Batman heard other heroes talking about his wayward brother,

And 1 time they were talking about his son.

A Choice to Make - scorbusfics

Note: fresh and interesting premise! Cool world building, too.

Summary: They have to choose. Dick and Bruce have to choose one person each to save, and one to disappear through the door.

“Send one of us,” Dick says fiercely, not for the first time. His face is dark and angry and desperate, eyes flicking from brother to brother. “Send one of us instead. I won’t choose.”

“Neither will I,” Bruce says.

But Tim knows.

Secret Places - RenaRoo

It’s ANGST, but the author knows how to use it well. Also, Jason’s line at the end killed me. Damn.

Summary: Tim Drake goes missing. The search to find him begins.

[royaltealovingkookiness]

I’ve been rewatching the end of ATLA, and it’s infuriating how rushed the last 10 minutes feel. There are just so many missed opportunities. I mean we get these awesome / perfect fight sequences with a lot of attention to detail, and then as if they ran out of patience, the rest of the writing hardly makes any sense. (There is salt under the cut, be warned...)

1. The Mai/Zuko scene

Now regardless what you think about the ship - their conversation just doesn’t make sense.

Zuko: Mai! You're ok. They let you out of prison?

Mai: My uncle pulled some strings, and it doesn't hurt when the new Fire Lord is your boyfriend.

Like, I’m sorry, but wasn’t Zuko in charge for the last however-many hours? Didn’t he let all the war prisoners out? (I mean they are all standing around at the square -  the Mechanist, the Boulder, the Kyoshi-warriors-who-are-not-Suki, Ty Lee - they are all there). So did Mai’s uncle pull some strings for all of them? With whom exactly did he pull those strings? And if Zuko let the others out, why wouldn’t he be able to get Mai out too? Or he forgot about her, but she’s his girlfriend? Either write a proper romance, or preferably don’t write a romance, but certainly don’t write this word-salad... My brain just scrambles... Why are we wasting time with this nonsense when these are the last precious minutes of the show?

2. The pre-Coronation crowd

So like I said - everyone (the Boulder, the  swamp benders, the Kyoshi warriors, Bato, Hakoda + his crew) is there. You know who is decidedly not there? Iroh. I mean I get the visual they were aiming for in the teashop (and I can massage the reasons why he’s not there), but still, having Zuko’s moment of triumph without the person who helped him the most to get there is just a bit sad.

I mean look at all these dudes who are at the coronation. Do I care? No. The person he’s closest to in the world is not there.

Also, no lines for Toph (who was done particularly dirty in the finale) and Katara (apart from “Dad!”) - boo! boo! - but we get a whole lot of Ty Lee? Ok?

3. The Coronation speech

The Aang-Zuko hug is perfect and I love it. Also, the little visual where Zuko motions Aang to follow him with the exact same movement he used as the Blue Spirit when he first freed him. Those were really well done, and give a nice framing of their journey together.

For me though the part where Zuko says “Please, the real hero is the Avatar.” is just...I don’t know... too on the nose? Because sure, the entire series is called Avatar: the Last Airbender, so we know. Aang’s the Avatar. He’s great. I mean it. I love the kid. Also, rain is wet, grass is green, “Awesome hero” is on his birth certificate.

But I always thought that what the real message of the show was something like, the Avatar is a great hero, the chosen one, with super powers and a destiny he’s born with AND You know who else is a great hero?

These two kids from some Spirit-forsaken, frozen corner of the world who go with him and help him, stand up for him, save him again and again with initially pathetic waterbending and nothing more than a boomerang and some wits, who accept him to their family and who become awesome and fearless warriors by the end, learning to be the hope and change they want in the world, playing a decisive role in the final battle... Plus there is the girl with fans who dedicated herself to defending her home, but realized her responsibility is also to the world, and steps up and goes out of her island to the big scary world, helps refugees, gets beaten down and imprisoned, and it just makes her more determined to train harder, and become better and do the right thing even if all she has is her fighting spirit...  And have we talked about the little blind girl who is the greatest Earthbender (who is forgotten by the last 10 minutes that she’s a freaking main character) who thought she never needed anybody, but once she had friends she’d walk through fire for them or fly through the air or really do anything?.... Oh, yeah, and let’s not forget the angry jerk with a pony-tail from Book 1, who had to let go of everything he ever held dear, unlearn everything he’d ever been taught about honor and loyalty, had to leave behind and turn against his family and his country to save it, and who had to get up after failing too many times to count and try again to do the right thing - and against all odds, he does.

They are all real heroes of this story (or are you telling me they were the fake heroes?), and their friendship is what saves the world, because no one gets there alone, not even the Avatar, but together they are more than the sum of their parts. To me, the real hero is the Gaang. This ragtag team of children of the war, who succeed in building bridges among themselves, to overcome a century’s worth of violence and hatred and build a family that transcends the war. They find balance. And somehow that should have been acknowledged here.

See? It’s not particularly difficult.

(Also, Zuko’s real speech is also just lame. He has two kinds of speech - horribly awkward (aka “Zuko, here”) or on the point kickass (aka his confrontation with Ozai) - the one at the end was neither here nor there).

4. Ships

There has been many, many metas written about how the ships were rushed together in the end and how it made no sense at all how Maiko and KatAang was written in these last few minutes (while notice, the only decently developed ship - Sukka - was not even given much of a romantic context, it didn’t need any) so I’m not going to repeat the arguments. I will only say this: there should have been no romantic pairings in the finale, and that’s the hill I’ll die on. You can’t make “shockers” and “twists” out of romance, that’s just horrible writing, you have to put the work into developing them.

(Plus if they didn’t push the ships together so hastily, they could have kept the teashop scene [which was close to perfection] just the Gaang + Iroh, without having to add suddenly Mai to the group - I mean I like Mai, I really do, but if her, why not Ty Lee? - but also that scene simply should have been just the Gaang. Punto.)

And sadly, we don’t have a single frame with just the Gaang all together, which makes this the last time they are all together in a single frame:

That’s right. The last time we have the Gaang all together in one frame is when Aang is walking away from them in a huff.

I mean, I guess this is the attempt to have that:

But yeah, Mai is there, Iroh is there, we can’t see anyone’s faces, other than Aang’s and oh yeah, look, he’s walking away.

I mean the Gaang deserved better. The rushed ships took the focus away from the Gaang, when they should have been front and center

Sorry. Rant over. I feel better.

tl;dr: While the visuals of the last 10 minutes of the final episode are mostly good, the writing is just incredibly lazy, with so many missed opportunities and not enough focus on the real hero, the Gaang.

[hermitknut]

A:TLA watch, part 12

All of my posts on this are here.

Not sure how many episodes I’m gonna do today, but I need to watch something while I have my soup :)

I am less on edge since having the filler episodes – not that any of these episodes are really filler as they’re always relevant at least in character ways, but you know what I mean. Still can’t wait to see what comes next though!

The Avatar and the Firelord

Just by the title I’d say we’re back to the main plot…

Oooo backstory time!!

Did Zuko get functionally the same message??

I love how when aang dreams the version of himself is back to bald and in the yellow-and-orange, it’s a nice reminder that how he looks right now isn’t how he sees himself

Ooo secret heat writing

The question is, who sent the message? Because if it was azula, zuko’s in shit. Maybe the white lotus?

Awww they were friends originally

Oh man I’d forgotten that the other avatars didn’t find out until they were sixteen. Hell of a shock.

I love seeing the four elements in use together.

This wedding conversation is ominous

Oh boy, it’s a bit more than ominous

I’m not sure I trust him to help him with the volcano…

…oh look, I was right

“should be renamed the history most people already know” lolll zuko XD

“your mother’s grandfather was avatar roku” WHAT (does this mean aang is technically sort of zuko’s great grandfather because that’s funny)

Damn I like the speech from Iroh, it’s great. I don’t think zuko liked it much though.

“Sokka just hold hands” XD

  The Runaway

Ooo are we finally gonna get a proper end to the Toph storyline??

Oooo what an opener!! I’m assuming Toph and Katara are play-acting here, but I’m not 100% sure

Yesss three days earlier, I love this kind of set up – like at the end of B99 s1.

Katara and Toph still struggling to get on. Hm.

I’m enjoying Toph vs the find-the-lady game XD

LOL AND THE SCAMS CONTINUE. This is such a great montage.

Omg the dead-toph one XD jesus kids

Katara you’re probably right but maybe don’t analyse AT toph I don’t think she appreciates it

Yowch, that’s a heck of a fight

Sokka that’s a terrible idea XD

Ahhhh the overhearing actually goes right for once, that’s lovely

“the ultimate scam” lollll sokka and aang in the background XD

Oh no, wooden cell! IT’S A TRAAAAAAAP

OH NO IT’S LASER HEAD

“appa’s in charge” hahaha

“if nothing else you’re at least fun to argue with” bless

“a sweaty stinky genius!” yesss

Oo did they manage to damage laserhead’s forehead eye?

  The Puppetmaster

Ooo this previously on is VERY previously…

Lol ghost stories XD

Ooo katara’s one is actually pretty creepy

“hello children” I proper jumped at that lol

People have been disappearing??

Well this has all the makings of a horror story doesn’t it

The little old lady is definitely in on it, whatever it is

I’m with Sokka, even though he’s being rude lol

She’s from the southern water tribe!!!

Ooo backstory

This is a great backstory but I’m still suspicious of her, honestly

“there’s water in places you never think about” OH I’M THINKING ABOUT THEM and also I have like. A faint memory about what this might be. But I’m not 100% sure so we’ll see.

LOL sokka’s rant about the moon lady

“and like all plants and all living things, they’re filled with water” YOU MEAN PEOPLE DON’T YOU I SEE THIS I SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING

“I thought people had been disappearing around here during the full moon” YOU’RE RIGHT AND YOU SHOULD SAY IT

Bloodbending YIKES

The fight sequence is really creeeeepy

I think that’s one of the most genuinely terrifying villains we’ve had, honestly

Brrrr. Yes, I actually remember reading some meta about blood-bending. I wasn’t totally sure if it was this or Korra, so I was still kind of surprised!

  Nightmares and Daydreams

Jesus we’re at the invasion already??? If we’re hitting it half way through the season I can only assume I was right in thinking it’s not going to go well :/

Aang’s hair is getting adorably fluffy

LOL look at how long and dramatic his hair is in the dream XD aang you’re so cute

“not even wearing pants” oh boy XD

Damn, very pampered zuko lol

Omg he’s got a fanbase now

Aw aang. Katara’s right, you should… probably get some actual rest.

Ooo he’s fancier in this dream!!

Math test oh dear

“stupid avatar, stupid cliff, stupid dream” lol sokka

“BECAUSE OF YOUR TINY BLADDER” AANG

Awwww I love this. Yoga. Now therapy. They’re trying so hard!

Hm zuko and the war meeting :/

Jesus that nightmare was horrible

“I’m going to stay awake straight through to the invasion” that is…not your best plan, aang.

Omgggg I got so taken in by the daydream of him and katara XD XD

Zuko was invited. Hmmm.

HE STILL HAS THE PICTURE OF THE FIRELORD MADE OF NOODLES

Sokka’s making armour for appa XD

Talking momo oh my god

APPA TALKING jesus I pulled away from the computer XD XD

God this is hilarious but also someone please knock aang safely unconscious

“but I wasn’t me” yesssss zuko. I stand by what I said at some point, which is that zuko breaking with his father is more meaningful if HE instigates it…

They made him a bedddd!!

Uh oh another nightmare

PANTSLESS FIRE LORD aang you’re adorable XD

So I’m stopping there because I can see that the next episode is a two-parter (OH GOD HERE WE GO).

For now, farewell – catch you next time, when I probably die of sheer excitement because IT’S INVASION DAY

H

[lokgifsandmusings]

Definitive Ranking of Book 4 Episodes, #1/13

1. 4x02 Korra Alone

Non-linear all around perfect episode that explores Korra’s struggles with PTSD and I can’t even be funny about this. Oh and Toph.

This is a post that’s taken me some time to write, because addressing the perfection of this particular episode is a daunting task. I mean it. It’s not just the best episode of Book 4, it’s the best episode of the franchise. The most daring as well.

For a little bit of context, there’s an incredibly popular episode from Avatar: the Last Airbender called “Zuko Alone.” It picks up after he leaves Iroh in “Avatar Day,” because his uncle kind of pointed out that the hunt for the Avatar might be a tad on the futile side. His brain can’t reconcile this, so the episode instead shows him trying to blindly stick to this task, while feeling as though he has no place in the world, and being rejected by anyone who finds out who he really is. He struggles with inner darkness, inner pain, and the whole time his story is punctuated by flashbacks of his relationship to his sister, his mother’s disappearance, and his father’s ascension to Fire Lord.

I’m not sure I’d call it the high point of ATLA (“Crossroads of Destiny” gets that honor), but it is kind of everything with regards to Zuko, easily one of the strongest characters Bryke have ever written. Also it did a great job of not endorsing his self-destructive tendencies or making excuses for him.

“Korra Alone” was announced (and screened) at the 2014 New York Comic Con, and when Bryke first said the episode title, the audience screamed. Smugly, from the comfort of my couch, I shook my head at the livestream and declared that there was no way this could measure up.

Well, color me dead wrong. I forgot that it was starring Korra, and she not only measures up, she creates a new goddamned reality the world didn’t know it needed.

Just thinking about the episode for first-time viewers, it does exactly what it needs to do. It’s impactful coming off the [mostly] Korra-less “After All These Years” to not just see her, but feel what she’s going through and feel that isolation, even when she’s surrounded by her parents and other loved ones. Though it somewhat takes on the travel+flashbacks format of “Zuko Alone,” even Korra’s present-day plot isn’t strictly sequential—most notably with us learning the real reason she entered the earthbending cage-match, with the flashes moving faster to get her to the swamp. It gives the entire episode a very ungrounded feel, which for the viewer does two things:

You desperately begin to want Korra to connect and be stabilized, because there is an inherent discomfort from the loose form for your brain (not a bad thing...an effective discomfort)

It REALLY gives the impression that time is passing in this episode

The second point is especially striking when you consider the scope. We’ve got in one “plotline” (for lack of a better term): Korra underground fighting, following a ‘dog’, and getting sucked into the swamp where she meets Toph. This alone covers significant ground. Then we have her flashbacks of leaving Republic City, not improving in her home and Senna begging her to go to Katara, Katara’s first healing session, the letters from friends that paint time as passing, Katara’s ‘wiggle your toe’ session, Tenzin visiting, Korra’s narrated letter to Asami while she meditates and trains, her leaving the SWT, her failing to apprehend the thieves, turning from Yue Bay, cutting her hair and donning new clothes, the tree of time scene, then traversing every possible landscape.

HOW WAS THIS ALL IN A 22 MINUTE EPISODE?

Yeah. This is three years, no question about it. It’s visually stunning, but there’s also this extreme sense of loss that the viewer is clued into, and the aimlessness that is heavily felt. Korra’s physical appearance changing was the external manifestation of this, and the symbolism surrounding it was as clear as when Iroh and Zuko did the same nearly 8 years prior. Toph popping out at the end is the one bit of relief, and it *really* shines, especially given her voice actor being perfect and sounding instantly familiar to us (did Philece Sampler just watch hours and hours of Jessie Flower footage or something??).

I can’t see this not landing for someone the first time through, to be perfectly honest. It sets up Korra’s journey for the season, and with her still out of touch from Raava and still away from friends and family, there’s a lot that needs resolving, and that the audience should definitely want to see resolved.

Placing “Korra Alone” in the context of the entire season, and the series at that (or even the franchise) is a different ballgame. Not a worse one, but it certainly means that you can consider this in Korra’s healing arc as a whole.

I’ll fully admit I was not 100% on-board with Dark!Korra being the representation for PTSD at first, even though this is, at the end of the day, a Y7 show that needs to break down these concepts to children. However, it worked within this episode, and given how the whole thing was resolved through mindful meditation (plus how the little bit of metal Korra extracted didn’t end up being a cure-all), I think it justified itself in a general sense.

In the case of “Korra Alone” alone (lol), it worked in a sort of 3rd person omniscient way, to quickly convey Korra reliving this moment and having a ton of anxiety each time it occurred. What had the potential for being a bit of a cheap visual metaphor instead mostly landed, giving us a kind of visceral understanding of that anxiety (and as someone who’s had to explain what that feels like to people who’ve never experienced it, that’s really no easy task).

When it comes to Korra’s healing arc as a whole, I’m going to have to be an asshole and tell you that Gretchen ( @theonewithpurplehair ) and I are planning on writing something about it when she gets back from South Africa. It will be lengthy and emotional and talk about THEMES and how important this is. We do that.

But even in advance of it, I think there’s a point to be made about Bryke choosing to have a healing arc in the first place. They didn’t have to, you know. And for some, especially in light of the indelicately worded “I needed to suffer” quote from the final episode, having two white men use a bisexual indigenous woman to explore a story about recovering from extensive trauma is uncomfortable, which is absolutely a valid tension.

However, something I think @glamourweaver highlighted best back when fandom dialogue was more...heightened, was that like it or not, Korra’s gone through major traumas throughout the show. In Book 1, she lost most of her bending and was so affected there was not-subtle-at-all suicide imagery included. Then Aang’s magic touch fixed her depression! Yay!

In Book 2, she had Raava ripped out of her and lost her (admittedly newfound) connection to her past lives, calling into question her very identity as the Avatar. The whole astral-projection thing she did? That was just Korra’s strength of soul, separate from anything to do with reincarnated powers. So yeah, reconnecting with Raava and becoming the first Avatar of a new spiritual age would totally be healing, but the idea that there’s no trauma she’d need to explore? Book 3 is near and dear to me, but in many ways it almost feels like a new show, complete with not bothering to tap into implications of the first 2 seasons. Whoops!

It’s yeah, not great how much she was put through the wringer when you get down to it. But Bryke are conscientious and tend to fix their mistakes. In a lot of ways, Korra being given PTSD—like...realistic PTSD—and an ensuing healing arc in Book 4 was the direct answer to everything previously glossed over.

The result? To that, I’ll just go ahead and quote @beccatoria’s essay (seriously, read it), because it lays out the meaning so well:

“This brings us to the final part of my argument: forming new meanings. The therapies I have mentioned so far focus on the physiological issues. The brain blows a fuse and can't process what it has experienced, so if you fix the fuse, you fix the processing problem. This still leaves a person who has been through an extremely traumatic event. PTSD almost always presents alongside issues such as depression and can lead to feelings of isolation and guilt. Individuals may either feel emotionally disconnected or emotionally out of control and have often internalised damaging messages as a result of their trauma. There is often a focus on creating new meanings as these memories are re-examined. We see this in Korra's evolving attitude to her own experiences.

Zaheer asserts that her power is limitless. She should never have been able to survive the poison. He offers her an opportunity to recontextualise her survival as evidence of her enormous resilience and strength rather than as a failure because she did not survive unscathed. While she is recovering, Katara tells her about Aang and how he chose to find meaning in his suffering. “What will I find?” Korra wonders. “Won't it be interesting to find out?” Katara asks. The answer comes in her final conversation with Tenzin. Korra chooses to form new meanings for her experiences, and chooses to find a message of compassion and empathy.”

Yes, the landing was not 100% perfect, but the recontextualization of her suffering and subsequent empowerment through that was clear. Korra ended the series hopeful about the future, and more at peace than we had seen her—certainly more at peace than that flailing teenager who was more willing to demand a duel with Amon than admit fear. She had grown and found ways to reconcile what happened into how she wanted to lead her life.

Do you mind if I get personal for three seconds? I have general anxiety, as well as a very specific (and admittedly mild) trauma associated with driving, and though I’ll never equate my experience to Korra’s brutalization (seriously, mine just involves a hangover, a large cup of coffee, pizza, and a bridge), there is something about that terror of being out-of-control I identify with, and it features so strongly in Korra’s arc. I also know what it’s like to want to will something away and fight against everything that’s happening. Why can’t my stupid brain just STOP?

But the thing is, like beccatoria said, it’s about contextualizing it. Anxiety never goes away, and it certainly can’t be willed out of the forefront. But you can choose to look at things with a new point of view. To be able to sit with a feeling and recognize what it is, even if it’s massively uncomfortable or puts your body in flight-or-fright mode. Personally, I’ve come to look at my anxiety/intrusive thoughts as a very badly behaved cat. The cat is weirdly trying to protect me, and truly thinks this is what will help keep me safe, but well...it’s an idiot:

Still, it’s *my* idiot, damnit, and now when I drive, I can just picture her in the passenger seat chewing on the emergency brake. She’s also the survival mechanism my brain came up with to shield me from more chaotic forces in my life, and that’s kind of neato, when you get down to it.

*Kind of*, okay? (I still need to replace this chair, though Trystane Nymeros has done more damage to it with his many toes).

The point is, Korra’s story is powerful and salubrious because she just...goes through hell and back, she really does. But she not only finds meaning in it, she finds positivity and hope. She is at her MOST secure when she flings herself in front of that spirit gun, and then talks down the season antagonist with a few words. It’s uplifting, without pulling *any* punches on how ugly and terrifying and isolating PTSD can be.

There were punches thrown outside of “Korra Alone” too, but that was the episode that waded in most deeply, and somehow did it in an appropriate fashion for a Y7 show. I can’t sing its praises enough, truly.

Having laid this all out, it seems almost trite to mention the Korrasami aspects of the episode. It didn’t escape the fandom that Korra telling Tonraq and Senna she wanted to go back home read like a coming out conversation, and the “Dear Asami” sequence is without question the most stunning of the episode. Though @queertoonqueertoons lays out why there’s other reasons for that as well. But like, what can be said? Korra lets herself be vulnerable around Asami in a way she won’t with others, and Asami asks for very little in return. It was a nice, continuing thread, but it never became a focal point of the episode, or the series, so shame on me if I buck the trend.

I can give overall thoughts on Book 4 when I pull together the final post for this ranking, but like Korra, I think I’m ending on a pensive and positive note. “Korra Alone” will do that for you, even though it may be the darkest episode of the franchise. What a masterpiece.

#13: 4x08 “Remembrances”

#12: 4x11 “Kuvira’s Gambit”

#11: 4x09 “Beyond the Wilds”

#10: 4x07 “Reunion”

#9: 4x06 The “Battle of Zaofu”

#8. 4x12 “Day of Colossus”

#7 4x01 “After All These Years”

#6 4x03 “The Coronation”

#5 4x04 “The Calling”

#4 4x05 “Enemy at the Gates”

#3 4x10 “Operation Beifong”

#2 4x13 “The Last Stand”

Book 2 ranking/essays found here

[faithandfairies]

I Ship It

Okay, I officially love Zuko, especially how he is with Aang.

And with that if I was in charge of pairing everyone up romantically the pairings would pretty much all be gay. Well, except for Sokka’s.

The pairings would be:

Aang-Zuko

Katara-Toph

Sokka-Suki

I also love that this pairs everyone up and leaves no one living secluded in a swamp. I’m looking at you Toph. Forever miffed that Toph didn’t get a love that lasted.

I love the pairing of Aang and Katara to be honest. They are great together. And I also love the children and grandchildren they had. And part of me thinks that that is why the characters were paired up the way they were. While the pairings I made might work better emotionally and romantically, not to mention would leave everyone paired up, almost everyone involved in them needed to procreate. And wouldn’t have been able to do that through the pairings I made. Both Aang and Katara were the last of their kind, Aang the last airbender and Katara the last waterbender of her tribe. And the most powerful one alive. Then there was Zuko who was the first young firebender in a long time who knew true firebending which his heritage allowed him to be. Aang especially couldn’t afford not to procreate. And the old-fashioned way was the only way back then I imagine. Katara’s situation was the next dire one. Both she and Aang needed to pass on their genes. So did Toph, being the strongest earthbender and first metalbender ever. And Zuko being the combination of Avatar Roku’s and the fire lord’s genes one could argue that goes for him too. Although possibly less so. Again, Aang’s situation was the most dire one since he was the last of his kind and so the air nation would have died out with him had he chosen not to continue it himself. Back then he couldn’t have known that the airbenders would re-surface through Korra’s work. And Katara couldn’t have foreseen that a disgraced future northern watertribe chief would have been thrown out of his tribe and become southern watertribe, producing Korra, a southern watertribe waterbender and the next Avatar.

I also realized that I don’t really lie how Zuko is with girls. I had high hopes for him and that ratsniffer girl. Then I had high hopes for him and that first earthbender girl. Then I just gave up.

And I’m not talking about the awkwardness either. That’s pretty normal. It’s the lack of interest in girls altogether and in really getting to know one beyond feeling like he had to. The only one he truly showed a bit of an interest in was that first earthbender girl. And I liked that they both had firebender scars.

Mai he was with by default, because she basically claimed him and he didn’t really protest. Just went along with it in my opinion. Because at least it was someone from the fire nation that wasn’t disgraced that liked him.

On top of that, Zuko kind of has a one track mind. And the only thing he’s focused on throughout the show, is Aang. Aang literally lit his fire ;D, gave him purpose and hope. And there’s a thin line between love and hate.

For Aang, I think Katara was love at first sight that he never really strayed from. But that doesn’t always work out so well. I think Aang saw Katara and made up his mind that she was it for him and didn’t really look anywhere else for romance after that. Lucky for him they get along swimmingly. But from Katara’s side it took her quite a while to return the feeling. In fact, it was only when Aunt Woo told her she would be with a powerful bender and Sokka described Aang the same way that Katara truly began to focus on Aang as a possible love interest. Probably in part because he was younger than her. But to be fair, Toph fits that description perfectly as well.

So outside of all that procreating stuff and the fact that Aang and Katara do love each other and get along I’m starting to think Aang-Zuko could be an even better pairing than Aang-Katara. And I’ve been convinced for a while that Toph is actually in love with Katara and is only remotely interested in Sokka because he’s basically a male and therefore as a love interest more acceptable version of Katara.

Katara is the first person we saw Toph be even remotely kind to. She made Katara believe her optimistic advice in training Aang was helping where she could have easily hurt her instead. She simply chose not to. Possibly because she might have initially just thought Katara too kind and compassionate to feel the need to hurt her.

Later we also saw her be sincere with Katara first. And we saw Katara see her and basically hold a mirror in front of her. One that basically told her she was loved.

Katara on her end is the mothering, caretaking one. She’s usually calm and collected. But Toph was the first person that got under her skin just by being and didn’t just blindly follow her instruction. 

Now that I think about it I’m not sure how well they would work romantically considering ho often they fight. But I am convinced they love each other.

I think it’s more that Katara would be a calming, stabilizing presence in Toph’s life. One that would understand her and love her without hurting her. She makes Toph want to be a better person, well, kinder and more compassionate and has succeeded. I think that’s what makes me think Katara is good for Toph. Because Toph needs and wants that in her life and that’s who she is herself, she just covers it up with this hard veneer of toughness and sarcasm and while it’s a part of her, one that I love so much, it’s also armor that protects the deeper, more vulnerable parts of her.

I think that Toph could be good for Katara in that she brings out the fire in her. Katara is always calm and reasonable and with Aang she’s his rock, his solid ground. He would often literally fall apart without her. But I feel like she has made taking care of Aang her personal responsibility in a way that is more than just...than the way Asami is with Korra. It worries me that Katara maybe sees it as a 24/7 job to protect Aang, from himself, from people that want to exploit his kindness and want to hurt him. And about the toll that might have taken on her. And whether Aang was able to return the favor. Whereas Katara doesn’t have to be calm, responsible, reasonable and on guard all the time when with Toph. She’s still protective of Toph but it’s a bit different. And they don’t always fight, just when Toph is trying to hold onto her armor for dear life in front of Katara and Katara and Katara won’t let her. That is what their fights are about. About the fact that Katara sees her and she’s terrified of anyone seeing her.

That is also why I love Zuko and Aang. Because where Katara and Aang are both calm, responsible, reasonable people Katara is still the stabilizing force there.

Whereas Zuko and Aang stabilize each other. Zuko is the impatient hothead, but just like Katara he is older than Aang, maybe not in years but in mental development, growth and life experience. Aang may be 112 but he has only actually lived for 12 of them. Although he has definitely experienced more in those 12 years than some people do in an entire lifetime.

Still, Aang has the mind of the young boy he is. Zuko is older in that. And he is happy to guide Aang when needed but he doesn’t try to fight his battles for him. He fights them with him. 

Aang is also Zuko’s stabilizing force. He’s infuriatingly optimistic and God knows Zuko needs that. He’s also more forgiving than anyone I’ve ever seen and a symbol of hope and has so much love to give. Not to mention playful where Zuko is serious. All of which Zuko needs in his life. 

At the same time Zuko has a determination that Aang usually draws from his friends’ belief in him. Zuko is basically all of that determination balled up in one person. Aang is a runner. Well, his first instinct is to be afraid and run but the stakes are always too high for that. Aang stays because his love for his friends and the importance of their safety, of his role always outweigh his fear. But Zuko could teach him to be determined without the need for high stakes in the moment.

Inner motivation, instead of outer motivation for doing things. Which is what Zuko’s story is all about. Looking within to find his path, not outward. Zuko is the embodiment of Aang facing his fears and overcoming them. The evil spirit turning out to be a lovable panda. 

Zuko and Aang are yin and yang. Whereas Katara and Aang are a bit more Yin Yin. And as was said on Castle. Yin Yang is harmony. Yin Yin is a name for a panda.

Who is left?

Ah, Sokka.

The thing with Sokka is that he had certain beliefs. Beliefs on what girls were and were meant to be. Meant to be saved and protected. Damsels in distress, not warriors. Then Katara, his sister, and Suki happened and blew those beliefs right out of the water.

Sokka started out as not someone who was willing to listen to anything a girl had to say, let alone learn from them.

Suki changed his mind. She surprised him. She showed him a warrior, herself, and then made him one. And in turn he inspired her to be even more than she already was. 

He learned that girls could be warriors and leaders without it taking away from their femininity. They emphasized that by having both Katara and Suki kick ass in dresses. Suki even in  dress, a full face of makeup and using fans as weapons.

And she learned that a boy could be taught and actually learn.

I have my doubts whether Sokka truly loved Suki though. Even though he respected her. She certainly loved him, willing to follow him into danger so he would have her by his side helping him. 

The thing is that when Katara was in danger Sokka dropped everything to go and find her. It wouldn’t matter if the world was ending or where the enemy took his sister, Sokka would always be there for his sister. If she was lost he (and Aang) would always find her. Sokka didn’t seem to truly care about much, sometimes entirely unable to show sincere compassion, but he loved Katara. 

Yet it never occurred to him to find Suki when he knew she wasn’t safe. Even when it was brought to his attention that she was a prisoner of the fire nation and that she believed he would come for her. There were so many other things that had greater priority to him than she did. In the end he did end up rescuing her but not because that’s what he was there for. Whcih kind of makes me sad. 

There’s also the fact that it seemed their chosen destinies never aligned. Suki was a Kyoshi warrior. Sokka was one of team Avatar. They had entirely different priorities, not just when it came to how high of importance they ranked each other’s safety. Although I do think Suki would have dropped everything to find and save him if she knew he was in danger. Which is why she expected the same from him.

But what I love about this show though is that they’ve included beautiful heartfelt moments for almost every pairing, so you could pair almost any two people in the group (including Zuko) up romantically and it would make sense.

Sokka-Toph could make sense, if you don’t consider the possibility that Toph is gay. Which I have. 

Zuko-Sokka could make sense. Aang-Sokka could also make sense. And so could Katara-Zuko. Possibly even Toph-Zuko. Although those two hotheads together might end up in them killing each other. Maybe. (Yeeah, I take it back. I don’t think Toph-Zuo would work. Zuko treats Toph about the way he treated Mai. He doesn’t care about her problems. And n Toph’s case he can’t even make himself care.) And Suki-Toph. The only person we actually saw Toph kissing (on the cheek).

In the end in my opinion Aang and Katara ended up together simply because they chose each other. And that is beautiful. But they were not each other’s only option that had potential.

I just realized that there are children who’s parents haven’t been confirmed. So just for fun I’ll speculate.

There’s Zuko’s daughter. Looking at her face shape I’d have to say that she could definitely be Mai’s daughter. Probably all the women on the show have pointy chins, but Mai is the only one with a long face that about matches Zuko’s daughter’s.

As for Toph’s children, we know Lin’s father is a man named Kanto, if Toph didn’t make that up on the spot to hide the true identity of Lin’s father. Either way we definitely don’t know who Suyin’s father is. It’s interesting because Lin has about Toph’s coloring so a dad is harder to pinpoint. It could be someone with a darker complexion than Toph. Or not. But Suyin is a bit darker than Toph.  And her hair is wavy, almost curly.

The moment I saw her to be honest when all I knew was The Legend of Korra, I considered her father might be watertribe, although I didn’t know whom it could be.

I mean anything else is possible but I immediately connected her appearance to that of Korra at the time and considered the fact that Toph is a lot lighter and a child with a watertribe person and her could turn out lighter than said watertribe person. 

Knowing what I know now it’s possible that that watertribe person is Sokka. If that’s true it’s also possible he never knew.

[enberlight]

20 Questions ok sure

I was tagged by @seasonofthegeek ♡ soooo prepare for my dorkness. There’s a lot of it. And some geeking. Look out.

Rules: Answer the twenty questions then tag twenty followers you want to get to know better

Name: Crystal (I really don’t use it online, lol)

Nicknames: Enber, Dawn (Skye), HuntressLight, Kemi, Kitz, LadyHawke Eve, Ookami Juujin, Ginkaze, and a pile of lesser known character names I’ve used on various sites. But those are the ones people recall.

Zodiac sign: Pisces

Height: 5′4″ (roughly one Season, apparently!)

Orientation: Panromantic grey-asexual, and nonbinary. I present femme and you can address me as such, but I’m more of a Neither.  I don’t tend to get attracted in the physical sense but I get feels crushes from time to time and gender doesn’t matter to me there. ^×^

Ethnicity: Marshmallow Potato! I am a carb based lifeform. :3 (Okay, okay…) Over 75% Irish from both sides, plus German on one and Scottish & British (unadmitted) on the other. I’m only third gen in the States (both sides) and we have extensive cousins overseas because. Irish. BONUS INFO: I’m the only person in my family who does not enjoy alcohol. No one knows how that happened.

Favorite fruit: Pie (what. It’s the best fruit conveyance.)

Favorite season: Fall

Favorite book: Oh wow. Hmm. The list is LONG but one I could forever go back to is “Incident at Hawk’s Hill,” by Alan W. Eckert. I read it a few times as a kid and again as an adult more than once and. It has really stuck with me visually and emotionally. It’s about a 6-year-old boy who shelters in a badger den, and they form a reciprocal bond. The events were tense and awe inspiring to my young mind. And the rest stuck with my heart. The boy, who is mute, reads as autistic to me. The author did a vivid job portraying the kid’s awkwardness around people versus his ease around and raport with animals, as well as the love and frustration of his family who adore him but sometimes just don’t know what to DO or how to reach this intelligent but unspeaking child.

Favorite flower: Tiger Lilies

Favorite scent: Apples and sandalwood

Favorite color: (schemes) Rich fiery autumns, or peacock blues and greens, and brown.

Favorite animal: Hmmm. Foxes and bats ♡

Coffee, tea, or hot cocoa?: I take coffee in my sugar, no sugar in my hot tea and gimme that sweet tea (especially iced honey green tea), and hot cocoa all year (I actually dose my work coffee with chocolate Carnation drink powder. VITAMINS N CAFFEINE)

Average sleep hours: Six on weeknights, plus half of Saturday and Sunday. #Sloth

Cat or dog person?: Both. I’ve been adopted by cats a couple times, they tend to adore me. I grew up with dogs though and have one now. They also tend to luff me bunches and I’d end up with a train of them behind me at family things. My current pupper is a dooooork ♡

Favorite fictional character: Zula in Conan the Destroyer because HOLY SHIT GRACE JONES OMG SHE FLOORED LITTLE ME. Storm (X-Men) as a close second, bc of her poise and sheer grace despite turmoil (and dear lord when she loses it). Katara and Toph and Korra because DUH. And eternal crushes and just plain Goals Michiru and Haruka (Neptune & Uranus). Can’t make up my mind on swooning for or being them. There may be a trend here.

How many blankets do I sleep with?: 1-3 depending on time of year.

Dream trip: Touring remote temples of Japan

When did I make this blog?: About five days ago.

I low-pressure tag everyone who reads this bc Season already tagged pretty much everyone who’s met me in the last few weeks XD