#azula would also already know

[sporadictimetravelgarden]

jet and zuko are the type of people to never admit they are together. like no wtf him ew no way after theyve been together for two years. theyre in their thirties and live together and its like what, us? dating? ha, thats crazy man, like they aren't basically married, and then no one finds out until someone accidentally find an official document that they actually are married, they did it while blackout drunk when they were nineteen and just never annulled it and kind of just stayed together

[myimaginationplain]

AU where Katara & Toph both set up premier waterbending & earthbending academies in Republic City; the two schools are dedicated to teaching holistic, unified forms of their respective elements, bringing together previously disparate styles. Katara's school teaches Southern style, Northern style, & Foggy Swamp style waterbending, without any gender-based segregation between self-defense or healing classes (no, bloodbending wouldn't be taught because Katara don't like that shit). Toph's school teaches her personal seismic style of earthbending, metalbending, & more classical forms of earthbending. Katara's academy is on the coast of Yue Bay, in sight of both Aang's memorial statue & Air Temple Island; Toph's academy is far inland, to the east.

Rather than Toph, Suki is the one who establishes a police/security force. Suki's police academy could have a special program with Toph's, so you'd still get those cool metalbending officers. But the school prioritizes non-bending combat first & foremost. Ty Lee's chi-blocking technique is taught there as a required course.

[demigirlravenqueen]

while I’m talking about Apple White discourse I think I’m going to elaborate on what I said in my previous post and say that (in the most respectful way possible) I also think that Apple antis are equally shit at arguing their point sometimes.

For example, I partly agree if someone says that Apple’s redemption arch didn’t land for them, or that you think it should have gone much further, especially the latter point (although I would argue that’s down to inherent limitations of the medium). And there’s probably some valid points that I passionately disagree with as well. That’s the beauty of agreeing to disagree.

but all to often (and to be fair maybe it’s just poorly worded) I find myself reading posts that don’t seem to understand what a redemption arch is, or more annoyingly that a character being slow to come around and going back and forth is the sign of one being well written.

[puppyeared]

Atla live action 😐

[ssreeder]

IF JET DOESN'T LEARN HIS LESSON THAT THE FIRE NATION IS FULL OF NORMAL PPL TOO THE FUCK THE ASSHOLE, KILL HIM IMMEDIATELY

About How, yeah ok i trust him. For now. But I'm too busy suffering bc that zukka reunion better include both of them being conscious and codependent or I'll jump off a tree. Not a high one, bc idk how to climb trees, but I'll jump

And talking about zukka... Author. Author of my heart. Author of my heart and life. DON'T FUCKING TELL ME AZULA IS TAKING ZUKO TO THE FIRE NATION. HELLO???? I trust azula will have at least a very tiny care for zuko, bc she's not inherently evil like her dad, but like... Zuko won't fucking survive that much, c'mon. You've put that bou through the ringer, what else do yiu want to do to him. C'mon. COME ON

-Fragile heart

Jet gets a free pass to do whatever he wants soooooo *sticks out tongue*

Zukka reunion will be dramatic because everything in LIAB is dramatic because it’s just a dramatic fanfic & I like it that way… & long so TWO PART reunion yippie. (I can’t promise conscience but I can assure you codependent)

You make it sound like azula would WANT to take Zuko back to the FN…. like wha would she do with him? “Here father here is the brother you tried to kill but is somehow still alive and now slightly unhinged? I hope you didn’t have plans to be the phoenix king or anything because you gotta deal with this first?”

Ozai doesn’t wanna see Zuko he already killed him once, or ummm he let zhao do it which obviously worked out greattttt

FHA you’re hilarious but also it would be funnnnnyyyyy. (& dramatic)

[winter-tospring]

The Agni Kai between Ozai and Zuko was one of the smartest, best additions to the show. I see people complaining about Zuko "fighting back", as though that's a bad thing or takes away the victimhood of his situation.

Zuko is prepared to fight someone else. Then his dad steps in. There's already a ton of pressure, and now confusion overwhelms, because wth why would he fight his dad and HOW. He doesn't want to fight him. But this Agni Kai's point is for honor, to prove himself to him, and a) he is firstly DEFENDING himself from his dad who is the one who starts fighting him hard. (throwing fire at him?? Hello??? Is he just supposed to take it??) b) don't you think Ozai would think worse of him if he didn't do anything at all? And don't you think Zuko takes that in consideration pretty quickly as his dad attacks him?

It's clear Ozai will fight. Now Zuko looks confused and scared during the fight, rightfully so, and he tries to figure out how far this will go. My wife keeps saying that he is sparring (and that y'all don't know about sparring, lol), and that doesn't mean you have to hurt your opponent, not the way Ozai intends. Zuko engages defensively, and then fights his father, hoping that's enough to show him that's he's good at this, that he's skilled. It doesn't have to go as far as Ozai takes it, it COULD just be sparring. Zuko COULD jusy try to show him what he's learned and hope his dad is pleased enough. Isn't that what he keeps trying to do anyway? Get his approval? Both he and Azula. Unfortunately, we know that's impossible.

The unfolding of this Agni Kai drives home the cruelty of Ozai in an even more intense way to me. Because no matter how well Zuko fights, it's not about skills, it's about how far he's willing to go, that's what Ozai is judging. The mentality behind it. Zuko isn't willing to hurt his father when he could, he holds back! That is his "weakness". And the way Ozai punishes this by doing what Zuko refused to do - burning Zuko where Zuko could've burned Ozai - that is a horrible reminder of this "failure" to go far enough, and the consequences it entails.

Zuko's scar now isn't just random placement, it has meaning behind it beyond the basic cruelty of Ozai hurting his child. It directly references Zuko's "weakness". Ozai showing him how it's done directly on his face, serving as a constant reminder that he couldn't be the strong one, so he got hurt by the one who was willing to be.

The sequence of Zuko holding back and Ozai NOT holding back but purposefully pausing and choosing to punish him this way was mind-blowing. Such a powerful, terrifying moment that makes Ozai feel even crueler than in the OG.

I don't think Zuko not engaging in the OG is bad at all, it virtually gets the same result; but I also don't think it's bad for him to decide to engage. It doesn't take away anything from the point, for me, the way it plays out in the live action takes it further. It examplifies Zuko and Ozai's relationship and Zuko's efforts - never enough - perfectly.

[ittsybittsybunny]

ATLA Live Action Series Review:

The Good

Aesthetically this show felt right. Sure sometimes the outfits didn't quite feel lived in, but I always felt like I was watching a fantasy world with decent effects and interesting design. Also, I really enjoyed the sets!

Bending: Yes some of the fights feel very quick, but the bending looks cool. It is certainly better than 10 benders lifting one big rock. I can honestly say the opening bending fight scene gave me so much hope for this show.

Kyoshi Warriors: I loved seeing them in live action, and I thought Suki's performance was great!

Omashu: I think the mashup of the mechanist made sense since that is an important character overall and I would hate to see him cut. However, both Jet & the secret tunnels felt sloppily thrown in.

Northern Water Tribe: I really loved the way it looked, and appreciated the two episodes we spent here. I think Yue gained more agency in this interpretation, and why shouldn't the moon spirit be a waterbender. Also, episode seven felt the most in tune with the original show's spirit.

Zuko: I think he was one of the most fleshed-out and best parts of the show! Dallas Liu really captured Zuko's spirit, and the scene between him and Aang in episode 6 was wonderful!

Soundtrack: Hearing the original soundtrack bits is always great, and when I first heard the ending music I was so excited.

Is the show perfect, no - but I wouldn't mind a season 2.

The Bad

Pacing: Turning 20 episodes into 8 was bound to lead to some cuts...but oftentimes times things felt too quick or disjointed. I think there were editing problems contributing to this for sure, but sometimes things skipped around too much without a clear purpose as to why. Also, why bring in plots from later seasons when you barely have enough time already?

Writing: This show definitely suffered from exposition dumping, though it did get better as time went on. I think the biggest example of this is actually opening in the past rather than the present. We do not get to learn along with Aang that the world has changed, instead, we get to learn that 100 years have passed....which doesn't hold the same tension or worldbuilding.

Clunky Dialogue: Along with exposition, clunky dialogue is another example of bad writing. I think sometimes I felt like the acting was kind of meh in the beginning, but then over time I began to realize it had far more to do with the lines characters were trying to deliver. The actors themselves are not bad, just cursed with awkward writing and lines that feel out of touch with the setting they're in.

Main Trio: I don't entirely know that I believe Katara, Sokka, and Aang are friends as opposed to 3 people stuck together to save the world. Aang feels a little too somber for a young kid running away from his responsibilities, Sokka is protective, but not exactly the heart of the team, and Katara is sort of just there until the last two episodes. Where is her struggle, her desire to learn so strong she steals from pirates? Also, while Gordon Cormier did a great job, Aang does zero waterbending on his own, is overly serious, and tells Katara not to fight. Where is his desperation to protect his friends? It feels like they all lost emotional depth.

Tension: Bringing Ozai, Azula, and Zhao out in the beginning immediately causes us to lose the realization there is an even bigger bad. Part of why Ozai is so terrifying is he is a primarily silent villain until the third season when we finally see the face of the "big bad evil guy" behind it all. Yes, they add to Zuko's backstory, but again, they are revealing the villains too early. Azula is the antagonist of season 2 and one of my favorite characters, so I hope they do more with her in the future. Finally, Zhao is supposed to be an example of the uncontrollable nature of fire unrestrained, instead, he comes off as vaguely threatening with the supposed true power being Azula.

Characterization: While all characters are bound to lose something in a shorter show, it still felt like certain characters were more mutilated than others. I am sure there are 100 different opinions on who, but I think the biggest victim was Katara.

Katara: Katara manages to go from a complete novice to a bending master in what feels like a matter of days. The journey feels short, and that makes the results feel largely unearned. Katara is one of the strongest personalities in the show, determined, kind, and fiery. In many ways, she is the unpredictability of water - equally dangerous as it is necessary to live. She is the child of a war who lost her mother, forced to grow up too soon, and even raised her older brother. Yes, Katara often gets stereotyped as the mom friend, but overall she feels underutilized in this show. We really don't see enough of her journey until the very end.

Iroh: Iroh was always comedic but most importantly wise. Even when Zuko is trying to give himself advice, he mimics Iroh. Instead, he seems to be used more as comedic relief without the underlying experience. He just doesn't feel right. Also, he kills Zhao instead of Zhao getting himself killed - which is less about Iroh and more about the writing than anything.

Ozai is weirdly a little too nice. Yes, he burned Zuko and pits his kids against each other, but he feels toned down in a show claiming to be more mature than the original cartoon.

Azula is perhaps more realistically worried about losing her status as the golden child, but she is also missing the cruelty she and her father share. I understand worrying about making your character cartoonishly evil, but the Fire Nation is currently a deeply nationalistic empire trying to control the world. Where is the deep-seated belief that they are better than other people, not just trying to bring balance to the world? There is a line between creating complexity and toning down the very real evil inherent in this plan.

Roku: I can only say what the fuck was that. He was barely there, and not the serious master to Aang's youthful exuberance.

The Ugly

Show, Don't Tell: The show's single biggest issue seems to be speeding through story parts by simply stating things. Instead of allowing the audience to discover, trusting that we are smart enough to understand, let's just blatantly say things like Zuko is the only reason the 41st division is alive to their faces. Even though in the context of the story Ozai literally already said that.... it's the division, the division for Zuko, Zuko's division.

Thematic Misunderstandings: I think this show makes several minor changes with major implications, such as airbenders actively fighting the firebenders, when airbenders are known for their pacifist nature and the lie of an Airbender fighting force is actively propaganda. Similarly, Aang very quickly accepts his role as the avatar and doesn't even run away in the beginning. Without this conflict between his desire to be a carefree child and the fact that the world needs him - the show loses a key aspect of Aang's character. Also, the obsession with downplaying the avatar state as something dangerous feels like a disservice to the tradition, connection, and strength of the avatar, which can be permanently destroyed as the trade-off for that kind of power. It's dangerous for the balance of the entire world, not just because it's powerful!

The Agni Kai: Zuko's fight against his father is one of the defining moments of Ozai's cruelty, not just because he is willing to fight his child, but because Zuko tried to do everything right. Zuko shows deference to his father, apologizes, and most importantly refuses to fight! The determination not to upset his father and still be grievously injured and banished is a hugely important theme for the fire nation and Zuko's life as a whole. He tries to do everything he is supposed to and only regains his father's acceptance after he "kills" Aang. Zuko's struggle between moral vs. social right and wrong in contrast to his family is hugely important to his character.

-----

TLDR: ATLA was a fantastical animated television show that was never afraid to show character development and flaws. When you turn 20 episodes into 8, you are bound to lose something. You hollowed out the middle, leaving the shell of important moments and events without ever wondering if all the times in between formed the true spirit of the show.

Rating: 6.5/10 It's perfectly fine and worth a watch. Not a disaster, but certainly falls flat of the original.

[yandere-avatar]

My Jealousy, Jealousy Started Following Me

Characters: Avatar Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Zuko, Toph Beifong, Ty Lee, Avatar Korra, Asami Sato, Tenzin, Kya II, Lin Beifong, Suyin Beifong, Opal Beifong [Might do another with Azula, Mako, Bolin, and Kuvira if yall want] Had this in the drafts for a while. Just had to finish it up. Holy shit this took forever. Kept debating if it was worth it...

Avatar Aang

Aang likes to think he doesn't get jealous

He's calm and collective

But that all changed when one of the girls at Toph's Metal Bending Academy tried hitting you up

He likes to give them the benefit of the doubt and thinks maybe they don't know you're both dating

"Hey Babe! Come look at this sculpture Toph made!" [He'll call you nonchantly, hoping they'll get the hint]

But when the other person also walks over, still flirting with you, that's when he gets angry

He'd want to confront them, but honestly he's to nice for that

He might ask Katara for help

Katara will tell you how Aang feels

You'll confront Aang, but he'll pretend he doesn't know what you're talking about

"You know, you can tell me, Aang. You trust me, right?"

He'll sigh and admit and you'll comfort him, even confiding in him that sometimes you get jealous when people hit on him

Katara

HAHAHAHA

Oh, I really feel bad for whoever is flirting with you

Katara is a very jealous woman

She doesn't like people taking what's hers

She might lightly bend them, but she'll do it nonchalantly

She'll justify it by saying that it's not a big deal and you're blowing it out of proportions

She gets really frustrated with herself, because she hates this feeling

She's very powerful, so she's not someone you want to mess with

She gets irritated and will roll her eyes as someone tries to flirt with you

Very passive aggressive

You better be prepared for a fight

Sokka

He's so confused

Did that person not know you were taken?

He already has insecurities, so this doesn't help

He knows you're great, one of the MANY things he likes about you, so of course people would want your attention, but the point still stands

He'll probably do something stupid to get your attention

It's rather ridiculous

You'll look away from the person flirting with you to see your boyfriend about to get hurt

"Hey, I have to leave, my boyfriend is about to get himself killed"

Suki

She's very confident, so she's not worried about this person at all

Though, she is annoyed, because who did that person think they were?

She will probably call your attention to her and do something to impress you, so you focus on her

She smiles when seeing you turn your attention away from them [Flirter]

It's a huge win for her

There is a slight part of her that is insecure because she sees you as incredible and she knows other people see it too

What if you end up leaving her? It really bothers her

So she's always doing crazy stuff to impress you so you never leave

Zuko

Probably the easiest to anger and get jealous

He has no control over his emotions what so ever

He WILL start a fight with the guy hitting on you

He does NOT care who they are or what was say, he's going to put them in their place

But before he does that, he'll express to you that he's upset, but you think it's nothing

He tries to win your affection by beating that guy up

You're just annoyed because you think he overreacted. He says he didn't [He did]

Will gaslight you, saying it's your fault

"Why were you even talking to him!?"

He's so angry and he'll break the closest thing to him

He wants to control his anger, but you really bring out this side of him. He makes sure you know it too, because he tells you

So, when he's done throwing this temper tantrum, you both leave the party; Mad af

You're mad that the party and good vibe was ruined and he's mad that you're mad, because he was just trying to get that dude away from you

Toph Beifong

She can feel the other person's heart beat pick up as they continue to hit on you

She's annoyed, but doesn't know how to express it healthily

She might use her bending to push that person away from you

She'll give them a show, so that they can have something to talk about

Might even crush them

The thought makes her smirk

She'll send little earthquakes to the person

Treated thems like a ball and and bounces them with the earth, without making it obvious

She'll forget about it when you come over to her and talk to her

Ty Lee

She's the least likely to get jealous because she's also a player

Though she does get upset when seeing that you're uncomfortable

She'll glare and excuse herself from whatever conversation she's in, even if it's with Azula, and walks over to where you are

Her tactic is to come in hot, just like the person flirting with you

She'll aggressively flirt with them to try and make them uncomfortable

But if that doesn't work, she'll be very direct and say that you're together and that they need to stop

They'll think it's a joke but Ty Lee is dead serious

She's willing to fight them if it comes to that

She might also grab your hand and drag you away, if you ask her not to make a scene

She'll keep an eye on you for the rest of the night

Avatar Korra

Korra gets extremely jealous

If someone even LOOKS at you in a way she doesn't like, she'll get angry

She's possessive over the things that are hers

Anyone approaches her and they are pushed into the wall

She's pissed and can't control her bending

She'll apologize to the person she hurt, but she doesn't really mean it. She's still focused on you

You're HERs, so why are they talking to you

Everyone knows you belong to the Avatar, so why even try?

She's thinking of all the ways she could kill them

It kind of makes her feel a little better, but not much

She is slightly insecure though, because what if you do like them better than her? No, you can't... You just can't like them more

Asami Sato

She'll roll her eyes and glare at them

They've got some balls talking to you, everyone knows you have a girlfriend, so why is that person flirting w/ you ??

She'll come strutting over & flip her hair

"Who's this babe?"

She's smiling, but anyone with eyes can see that's not true

Man if looks could kill

You tell her that they were telling you about some acomplishment they achieved

"Oh, did you tell them how we work with the Avatar and have saved the world?"

She's deadass going to shove her accomplishments in their face

She's so pretty too so she knows that they don't stand a chance

She's already won this fight, so they might as well give up

Tenzin

Haha? Him? Jealous? No of course not-

Okay, he's extremely jealous, but it doesn't show at all

He has mad stern resting face- No emotions

But inside he's steaming

You probably have a little bit of an age gap, so he's worried you'll leave him for someone your age

[But you've liked Tenzin for a long time, so you weren't letting him go anytime soon]

He's trying to preoccupy his attention

Though, it's not working

He can't get it off his mind

Will definitely start a fight over it later

Kya

She's confused. Why is someone flirting with you?

She's not insecure, just annoyed

Because who the hell did they think they were? Did they not know you were taken. No, they had to have known

She's pretty easygoing, so she won't act irrationally

Instead, she'll continue doing her thing and allowing you to do your own thing, because you're your own human being

She'll probably bring it up, like... offhandly, so you don't get suspicious

"Hey, who was the person you were talking to? You know, the one who had talked to Tenzin?"

You don't even think about it and are like "Oh! Yeah, they were so annoying. I think they were trying to hit on me."

She laughs it off, but she's not happy

Thankfully, you complain about it, annoyed af

Lin Beifong

We know how she acts when she's broken up with [Hence her destroying ATI]

Try her and see what happens

She's a cop and she's willing to play dirty and arrest the person or frame them for a crime

She's going to ruin their life

And she doesn't even care if it destroys that person

The only person she cares about is you

She wants to hurt them

And she will stop at no means necessary to make sure it doesn't ever happen again

Suyin Beifong

She, like her daughter, is passive aggressive

She'll glare and crush whatever is in her hand

She'll fantasize about all the ways she would kill the person flirting with you

She wants for it not to bother her, but it really does

Maybe because there is a part of her that is scared you'll leave her [Like Tenzin did to her sister]

She'll take a deep breath, before smiling, and approaching you

She'll try and join the conversation, but the person who was hitting on you cuts them off and pushes her out of the conversation

She gets pissed

How dare they do that to her

She wants to throw hands with them, but holds herself together

She'll grab your hand, capturing your attention

"Yeah?"

She then tells you she wants to go back home

Opal Beifong

She feels very strongly about you and doesn't know what to feel when seeing someone flirt with you so openly

She knows it's not your fault, but god does she hate watching it

Though with her outgoing nature, she'd walk up and join the conversation, switching it to what she wants

She's easy going, so she doesn't really exhibit jealousy, because she goes with the flow

Though if you look closely, you can see her eye twitch and her mouth frown ever so lightly

She's quite passive aggressive and can be quite mean with her words

[wilcze-kudly]

Aang is great because almost every ship you can put him in instantly becomes top-tier.

Like:

Kataang- they literally make me cry every single time I think of them. Their love story is wonderful and genuinely heartwarming. It symbolises healing and peace for both of them and the literal world. He showed her the world and he's her biggest supporter and she always defends him and they find solace in each other because they understand what it's like to be the last of their respective kind. And they're each other's hope and just... ahhh. They're so much more than the vanilla hero gets the girl ship people paint it as. Haters stay mad or smth.

Zukaang- the symbolism? They're the actual Ying and Yang of the show! The Rozin parallels? Them standing in a vortex of rainbow fire as two dragons (the blue one like Aang's tatoos facing zuko and the other one, red like Zuko's general colour scheme facing Aang) forming a heart shape around them? Zuko was literally searching for Aang and found his redemption in Aang and Aang made him a better person and Aang is literally the only person who genuinely experienced Fire Nation culture before the war and he clearly values it and he's helping Zuko bring peace to the world and the nation...

Taang- The og tomboy x soft boy dynamic. He's literally the person that helped her free herself from her parents and Air is the element of freedom? And she teaches him when to stand firm like the Earth? And I love when they do synchronised earthbending it's so satisfying and they work so well together. Toph having lost her face in one of Aang's nightmares is also a nice parallel to Ummi and Kuruk. (One caveat though: i hate taang being used as a "get Aang out of the way" side ship to Zutara)

Sokaang- they kinda come out of left field for me but the more I think about them the more obsessed I become. It's all about a teenage boy who has been forced into a role that demanded way too much of him finally learning to trust and rely on others. It's about Sokka finally living out the childhood that he was forced to grow out of. Sokka also has such a cute bond with Momo and more importantly, Appa, Aang's animal soulmate. The fics write themselves.

Sukaang- ok, I know Suki and Aang barely interacted in the show but like Hear me out.Suki is so connected to one of Aang's past lives. And she saved Appa, which would totally bond her and Aang (genuinely distressed that this was never discussed in canon). And they both value a sense of community so much, and Aang was one of the people who inspired Suki to leave Kyoshi to help others. Plus, there could be some amazing Rangshi parallels if Suki became Aang's bodyguard instead of Zuko's, which could be very plausible.

Azulaang- I adore this ship because I genuinely think Aang could really help Azula find her redemption. Hell, he was so nice to her in The Search and she literally killed him. Plus I've already laughed about how it would absolutely kill Ozai. The mental crisis Azula would go through due to fallingin love with Aang would be hilarious, and also the guilt over everything she's done, as Aang's kindness makes her realsie she was on the wrong side this whole time. He's one of the only people who can beat her at her prime and he doesn't seem to fear her at all, which is rare for her. Aang could give her the unconditional love she so desperately craves and needs.

Maiaang- genuinely adorable to me. Other than the obvious grumpy x sunshine trope, Maiaang has a lot of potential. Mai seems to genuinely like Aang in the comics, which is really cute. I also think Aang would be able to help Mai express her more positive emotions, other than just anger. Also something about the girl who was forced to remain silent and passive her whole life learning to finally let go and allow herself to just live with the help of probably one of the most active and expressive characters of the show has me by the throat. Plus, he got along great with her lil bro!

Tyaang- They're so similar and cute and bubbly! They'd have tons of fun together and I just know Ty Lee would teach Aang some gymnastics and he really enjoy it! I think he can also find Ty Lee's chiblocking very cool, since it is essentially a great way to deal with a conflict without causing permanent damage. Very airbendery. Speaking of which, Ty Lee is also very airbendry herself. I can genuinely see her finding herself in Air Nomad culture and be excited to help revive it.

Onjaang- i just find this ship so funny because imagine being a random schoolgirl in the fire nation and not only rizzing up a demigod but rizzing that demigod up successfully. This ship can also go so many ways depending on On Ji's reaction to that random cute guy who threw a cool dance party is actually the Avatar, so it's certainly interesting.

Yuaang- the ultimate cinnamon roll x cinnamon roll ship. But more than that, there's of course the Yue becoming the Moon Spirit and Aang getting lowkey possessed by the grieving Ocean Spirit. There's Yue appearing when Aang needed her most, while he's stranded in the middle of the ocean and helping him. They both understand sacrifice and responsibility, and maybe they could comfort each other through it. Also Aang being the bridge between the spirit worlds and Yue being a Spirit could lead to a very interesting romance, depending on how much the Avatar could interact with the Moon Spirit.

Jetaang- ok, Aang was just as infatuated with Jet as Katara was, right? And I think Aang was heavily affected by Jet's actions and behaviour. Also Aang really not wanting to hurt Jet while fighting him (twice!) was really cute. And Aang helping Jet snap out of the Dai Li brainwashing could be a really cool ship moment the more you think anout it.

Teoaang- Honestly their little one sided rivalry at the beginning of the episode was really cute. And I think there could be some interesting symbolism between them. Aang symbolising the old and Teo symbolising the new. They compliment each other like that. Teo comforting Aang by showing him that the critters of the temple are still alive and well is also sweet. And Aang admitting that Teo has the spirit of an airbender is so sweet.

Kuzaang- they're adorable. I loved the comic about them. Aang calling Kuzon "Hotman" is really funny. Aang helping Kuzon make a bigger flame with airbending is also really sweet. I especially like this ship in combination with Zukaang. It's such tasty symbolism.

Aang may just be the most shippable charater of this franchise, argue with the wall. He's so filled with love I have no choice but to multiship.

[sokkastyles]

I think a lot of people don't understand that Azula turning against everyone in her life who isn't Ozai is literally a symptom of Ozai's grooming. It is NOT a sign that "everyone failed her," especially when we do see people trying to reach out to her. But people who groom children work to be the only person in that child's life that they feel they can trust, because it's easier for them to then exploit that trust.

And do you know what? The grooming process does not stop with the child victim. It usually involves other adults in the child's life as well, as the abuser both gains the trust of their victim's trusted adults while also working to further that rift and isolate the victim.

Ursa is actually a really good example of this, because she was also being groomed by Ozai to the point where she was forced into a situation where the only way she could help her children would put her out of their lives forever, and by that time Ozai had already created enough of a rift between Ursa and Azula that Ursa's attempts to teach Azula kindness just increased that rift.

To look at this situation and say that Ursa, or Iroh, or Zuko, or anyone other than Ozai is at fault is to buy into Ozai's manipupativeness.

Btw, Ursa saying in the comics to both her children that she "didn't love them enough" and blaming herself for the things Ozai did to all three of them is also a symptom of being groomed by Ozai, not an objective admission of guilt, smh.

[zukosdualdao]

i know some people take the moment of azula speaking up in the flashback to the war meeting in sozin's comet as azula trying to "protect zuko" after he starts (while carefully choosing his words) disagreeing with ozai, but i really can't see it that way.

even aside from the fact that i don't think we should ever argue that her advocating for genocide here was a good thing, based on everything else about their relationship, i can't see this moment as anything but her once again trying to establish dominance and superiority over zuko. it actually reminds me of a different scene, all the way back from the flashbacks in zuko alone.

in both situations, ozai is testing his children in a way, and when zuko can't or won't give the "right answer", azula interjects and is able to say exactly what he wants to hear.

in zuko alone, of course, ozai is asking them questions that seem to be related to whatever (heavily inundated with propaganda, clearly) schooling they get. something that i find really interesting is that zuko doesn't seem to only struggle with firebending, but with his schooling as well. which isn't exactly surprising: abused kids often have trouble in school, and that seems particularly likely when ozai is already treating zuko like he is weak, incompetent, and unworthy in other areas. it's a self-fulling prophecy, on ozai's part: he demeans zuko for not being good at firebending (and perhaps for not being good in school), and, because kids are very naturally going to clam up and not get better at something when they're treated as worthless for any perceived flaw, it affects his ability to build his skills or performance in school.

but i think there's also a way in which zuko probably struggles to keep up in school because he's receptive to the values ursa tries to instill in him from a young age. he probably doesn't realize the things they are learning are things that are morally wrong, but there's a way, at this point, in which he can't relate to them, can't understand the motives of why it would be considered a good thing to defeat an enemy in such a brutal way when it runs so counter to the values of kindness ursa is trying to instill in her children, be it by explaining that throwing bread at turtleducks is not nice or that we shouldn't wish death on other family members.

by contrast, the emphasis on azula here is that she's clearly fully bought into the propaganda, that she respects and admires the brutality of the tactics. (also, is it just me, or does she sound a little like she's reciting a textbook, albeit with a lot of glee?) and notably, at the end, when she gets the answer 'right', she side-eyes zuko with a smug smirk. just like she does in sozin's comet as she's told she's right.

just for comparison's sake:

the situation in the sozin's comet flashback is different, of course, because they're not being quizzed on their schoolwork so much as they are being asked to put what they've learned about war and tactics into practice. zuko has a lot more understanding now than he did as a much younger child of the realities of war because he's seen it up close. and because of that, not only can he not condone or suggest any of the brutal and egregious tactics that are clearly expected of him, but he actually says something in defense of the earth kingdom, albeit trying to choose his words carefully, and with ozai (quite possibly willfully?) misinterpretating them.

to suggest that azula is protecting zuko here is its own form of a willful misinterpretation. you have to ignore the entire context of their relationship, azula's established motivations, and the tone of the scene itself to come to that conclusion. she does not interrupt zuko to keep him from saying something that will get him hurt, but because she wants to prove once again that she's better, that she's right and he's wrong, that he’ll never catch up. but zuko is starting to realize that he doesn’t and shouldn’t want to.

[supremechancellorrex]

Avatar in my head and I was thinking about Maiko and Mai.

Now, Mai's character arc in Avatar, from my interpretation, is rediscovering herself and her wants and personhood that has been stripped from her as a noblewoman part of a family that submitted to the Fire Nation Imperialist structure and Ozai. We see in Book 2 set up for this. Mai in early Book 2 does not resist Azula's will aside from brief sparks of rebellion where she isn't present. "Of course not, Princess Azula" she notes formally and apathetically when Azula asks if she "minds", knowing she has no choice as Azula 'just' ponders if Mai's hostage brother is worth an Earth King like Bumi. Mai is always aware that Azula, as Princess in an authoritarian nation where the Fire Lord is God, can have her executed and her family punished. The unequal power dynamic is surprisingly consistent in the show.

Mai can't even insult Azula back in Zuko Alone as a child. She just lets Azula put an apple on her head (as Ty Lee loyally sniggers along), set it on fire, and when Zuko pushes her into the fountain to put it out, Mai, drenched, glares and says "You two are such… ugh". We know Mai can have an acid tongue, yet her fear of Azula prevents her from using it. Her most rebellious act in Book 2 is when she says "She can shoot all the lightning she wants at me. I am not getting in that wall sludge juice". Mai actually has self-respect, but she can't express it in the presence of greater threats, meanwhile Ty Lee merely says "Come on! Azula said we have to follow them", because Ty Lee follows Azula's will even when she isn't there.

Even when Mai gets with Zuko, she falls into a subservient role. When Azula interrupts Maiko's smooching, lazily dismissing Mai with "Oh Mai, Ty Lee needs help untangling her braid" Mai responds quickly "Sounds pretty serious" with only a touch of dryness and leaves, only able to muster throwing Azula a dirty look a split second after passing her. However, this little ember of rebellion will grow.

Mai has continued difficulty understanding Zuko's anger and reactiveness, or how to even function in a relationship. She initially tries to joke in a dismissive fashion, as if saying 'ugh, feelings are lame, right?', but that would only work with Azula logically. The Beach episode is a key Mai episode. She continues to be emotionally repressed, to the point Zuko, Ty Lee and Azula comment on it. However, Zuko's insecurity at her talking to Ruon-Jian to the point he physically removes him from her presence, and his accusative comments like "You like him, don't you?", also makes Mai feel a little boxed in, controlled, and that does irritated her given her history. However, at the Beach's emotional narrative climax, Mai is able to finally express herself at the rest of the group (Azula included) for the first time, telling them to "Leave her alone" and that she's "still mad". After Zuko explosively reveals the extent of his pain and confusion, we see a 'smoothing' effect on her attitude. She realises her and Zuko are dealing with pain in different ways and his way is understandable.

Mai says softly, "I know one thing I care about, I care about you". This is the one thing Mai can grasp in the confusion. This is where Mai betraying Azula becomes inevitable. We see Mai continue to be more supportive with Zuko, more actively trying to cheer him up in Nightmares and Daydreams with big smiles and jokes while Zuko remains shut down over the War meeting and is acting irritated and repressed due to his family trauma. When Zuko later leaves and joins the Avatar, Mai is hurt and angry, which shows in the Boiling Rock, saying "All I get is a letter? You could have at least looked me in the eye when you ripped out my heart". They have a tense conversation, but it's their most honest one. I actually think Mai already made up her mind in this scene to support Zuko over Azula, and she doesn't quite realise it. "Save it? You're betraying your country" she accuses, to which Zuko replies, resolute, "That's not how I see it", and in response Mai just folds her arms and turns her head away in an almost defeat.

I find it very telling she doesn't respond. It's because she realises Zuko is more passionate and resolute about his mission than she is hers. It's because she knows the Fire Nation under its current authority is not exactly great. Sometimes in life we fall into a box and we need someone to give us that little push so we can realise we can climb out of it, that the toxic space we're in isn't normal, and we don't have to tolerate it. I like to think Mai was thinking in that moment where Zuko locked her in the cell and he and she gazed into each others' eyes, what she was really thinking about was what life she actually wanted to live. She was thinking of Azula and being under her thumb, and she was thinking of all those moments with Zuko, like when they were lounging on the sofa together, smiling and joking in Nightmares & Daydreams, and she realised how ridiculous it was to be afraid of Azula killing her when the real fear should be being Azula's servant until her dying days, decades of repression and misery.

After all, what does Mai have left to fight for? Fear of Azula? Hah, what a joke. She remembers "I know one thing I care about. I care about you" and when she sees Zuko about to die she has to intervene.

"I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you" Mai says to an increasingly-enraged Azula's speak of 'consequences', because Mai did fear Azula, but now in her love for Zuko she has found a purpose she has been lacking, her feelings and wants over Azula's will. Zuko being true to himself is contagious. Iroh's love for Zuko puts him on the right path, and in turn the love Mai has for Zuko saves her. As a consequence Ty Lee chooses Mai and their friendship over Azula's toxic, fear-based one and even later bonds with former enemies like the Kyoshi Warriors. Like Zuko says to Ozai, "an era of peace and kindness" will replace an "era of fear". In the face of fear, love and empathy win.

[gladerwolfstarkimagines]

Imagine having to hide your relationship with Zuko to secure his reign but him growing more and more tired not being able to announce your relationship

You and Zuko had been dating for around 9 months. It all started when he came to the water tribe and Sokka introduced the two of you. Sokka claims he knew the two of you would hit it off but you both knew that was a blatant lie. For you, it was how endearingly awkward Zuko was for royalty, not to mention the armour and hair were very pleasing to the eye. For Zuko he liked how refreshing your personality was and how strong a waterbender you were. He saw you smash a drunken guy who was trying to grab you into a snow pile and knew he wanted to get to know you more. The rest was history and the two of you were very happy together. 

However Zuko’s rule hadn’t been quite as easy. Many citizens were angry when he took the throne and wanted Ozai back. The upper classes in particular didn’t like Zuko’s forward-thinking policies and saw the equality he was aiming for as a loss for them rather than a gain for everyone else. Then Azula broke out of her facility and started a rebellion. She timed it perfectly and stepped right into the unrest, promptly making it worse. Zuko was already the youngest Firelord in history and also one of the most controversial. That’s why it was decided your relationship had to be a secret. As you were from the Water Tribe, Fire Nation citizens would undoubtedly see your relationship as a threat to the throne, not even taking into account how your own tribe would react. While some now liked Zuko many still didn’t trust the fire nation, so to “lose” one of their own to the Firelord himself...it could cause trouble to say the least. 

The reactions of both your nations could be the thing that toppled Zuko from the throne and you wanted no part of that. So, it was agreed, until the nation stabilised and Zuko had been on the throne for a while longer you’d keep it between the two of you. Of course your close friends and family knew but other than that it was top secret.

The secret routine you developed worked rather well. The Fire Nation was big on privacy so you could sneak around fairly easily and once you were within the palace you were safe from prying eyes. For yourself, you hung around with Aang anyway so going away to the Fire Nation every month didn’t seem odd. It would have been perfect if you were just two individuals not expected to make formal public appearances but you weren’t. Zuko was the Firelord and you a prominent member of your tribe. You both had expectations on your shoulders and at formal events you were expected to be in attendance. 

Zuko’s POV

The Fire Nation threw a lot of parties but apparently more were needed. It was suggested Zuko throw one to mark the anniversary of his coronation a year ago to show strength and unquestionable leadership in the face of the ever-prevalent rebellions. It made sense so Zuko agreed. The upside was he could invite all his friends and you. The downside was he couldn’t admit you were more than that. He’d have to watch all night as other people got to talk to you and more annoyingly as other men tried their luck with you. The few times you’d been here officially before, you’d had quite a bit of attention and Zuko hadn’t coped very well with that (he may or may not have fired a general he saw checking you out inappropriately). Zuko figured it would be better this time as all your tribe was coming too so you should stand out less. Still Zuko wanted to ensure there would be a barrier between any Fire Nation men and yourself, so he asked Sokka to bring you to the ball. Better a friend he trusted than some nobel likely to propose before dinner was even finished. 

It wasn’t that Zuko didn’t trust you to fend off any and all proposals it was more he was worried you’d see the attraction in a straightforward relationship as opposed to your current chess level strategy based relationship. Zuko felt he was always cancelling plans due to a disaster or rearranging you to fit into his life as opposed to making time for you. He worried you’d see the non-complicated options available to you and leave him. So he tried desperately to use his power and influence to keep this from happening and luckily Sokka was game to help. 

Sokka had agreed to go to the party with you and to aid the two of you in gaining some alone time. Zuko thought it was a rather brilliant plan and your entrance boosted his already high mood. You looked beautiful and always took Zuko’s breath away when he first saw you. You were wearing a formal water tribe dress that matched your bluey green eyes perfectly. Your long dark hair hung loose and it seemed to shine in the firelight. It took Zuko a few seconds to realise Sokka was beside you but when he did, it didn’t feel great. Through planning or accident the two of you were perfectly matching. You looked like a water tribe couple and Zuko’s eyes drifted from your entwined arms to the other people in the room. It seems he’d overlooked a problem. You and Sokka were of similar ages, from the same tribe, had a close relationship and looked very good beside one another. The oversight began to dawn on Zuko and panic began to blossom in his head. Would this be interpreted as more than a friendship? Zuko searched the room and sure enough others were watching the two of you. Zuko noticed members of the Water Tribe in particular staring. Many of them smiling widely and whispering to one another, no doubt expecting the two of you were finally dating. Zuko even saw several people giving Hakoda knowing smiles and whispering congratulations to him. Hakoda tried to get to stop it from being so obvious, brushing away their comments but their meaning was painfully clear, everyone thought the two of you were a couple and they were thrilled. Zuko felt his temper nipping at him and had to look away from the scene.

It wasn’t that he was possessive and wanted everyone to know you were ”his”, it was more the opposite. He wanted everyone to know you, y/n of the water tribe liked him. Zuko had never been good at the whole flirting thing and he was still amazed he’d managed to ask you out and somehow end up dating you. He was very proud of that victory and wanted everyone to know you thought he was good enough. Of all the men you could’ve dated you chose him. Zuko. But he wasn’t just Zuko, he was also the Firelord which is why the pesky secrecy was needed. His country had to come first. 

Sighing Zuko disappeared behind a curtain where he knew he could hide for a while before Suki came to find him. As Firelord he could have small absences but nothing big, still he took every five-minute break when he could and he had a feeling he’d need them after tonight. He was brooding for only a few minutes when he was discovered but not by who he expected. 

"Are you okay?" a voice asked and Zuko needed no time distinguishing whose it was, he’d know your voice anywhere. You must have noticed him storm away and followed, discreetly of course. You’d gotten good at sneaking around and following him into corners but now Zuko was annoyed that you had to do that. He wanted everyone to see you two together, to recognise you were one another's. "Zuko?" you asked concerned when he didn’t answer and he sighed "i’m fine". He turned to see your worried expression and felt guilty. "Are you sure?" you asked "because if not you can tell me". "I just hate this" he admitted "it’s not fair to have to act like this”. You nodded "i know it must be hard being nice to the people you know helped Azula. But don’t worry you just need a bit more influence and then you won’t have to rely on them as much...". Zuko paused at your misunderstanding. You thought Zuko meant the brewing rebellion. In this situation the rebellion was almost comical to him, he was far more concerned with losing you than his crown. "I wasn’t talking about that i meant us" he said and saw your worry grow "us?". "I know it was my idea but i don’t like Sokka attending this with you, seeing you enter with him, stay by his side while your whole tribe grins like it’s christmas....I so want to show them it’s not true, to just announce how you’re not dating Sokka but me! I’m the lucky one not him! I’m the one who you'll be leaving with not him! But i can’t" he sighed. "I’ll be leaving with you will i?" you asked trying to ease the mood but even your smile couldn’t take Zuko’s mind off his frustrations. You realised and frowned "Zuko...it’s okay". "No it’s not" he told you "it’s not fair on you". "It is" you said softly "i get you’re the Firelord Zuko i went into this with that abundantly clear" you smiled "so i get that while your rule is still precarious we have to be careful, i’d never want you to lose all this just because we were careless, i can wait as long as you need me to" you finished and patted his arm softly before heading back to Sokka so your absence wouldn’t be noted. Zuko let out the sigh he’d been holding. He knew you were perfect, your response was exactly what he should’ve wanted, it should have relaxed him hearing you say that but it didn’t. Zuko didn’t want you to have to make do. He didn’t want to sneak moments with you and hide away. He wanted everyone to know the greatest woman in the Water Tribe was dating him. He was beyond caring about the Fire Nation at this point so Zuko decided to do something about it. Tomorrow night would not be like this. 

The next night

Zuko had officially been Firelord a year today but that wasn’t his proudest achievement. That was reserved for having you on his arm. 

You entered the ballroom together and the event was in full swing. Zuko saw lots of people do double-takes to see you beside one another and he struggled to stop a smug smile from appearing on his face. He knew he should always act dignified but the reality was he was grinning like an idiot. Your tribesmen stared and Zuko couldn’t tell if it was because you were with him or because of what you were both wearing. For one night only you’d traded your nation’s colours which was fairly unheard of but the results were excellent in Zuko’s opinion. He wasn’t too sure about the blue on him but the traditional Fire Nation red made your dark skin so warm and inviting, the red looked so at home on you and Zuko had to keep reminding himself not to stare. 

You reached the bottom of the staircase and the whole room seemed to be holding its breath. Several of your friends smiled and Zuko nodded to them all, other people jumped away from his gaze when he caught them staring. Zuko saw you looking down unsure how to act and glanced at you. "Would you like to dance?" he asked. You looked at him surprised "but you hate dancing". "I’m the Firelord i think they expect me to, plus it’s something we can get away with as a formality". You smiled and nodded “lead the way”. Zuko took your hand smiling like the happiest man in the world. 

Your POV

You could see people watching you, hear them whispering and tried to ignore them and just focus on Zuko. It was hard at first but then you got caught in the enjoyment of it with Zuko and when the set ended you were disappointed. Zuko led you away from the floor and the mutters followed. People looked away as you approached but you could feel their eyes on you the second you passed. Zuko led you towards Aang and the others and Sokka appeared beside you "you're aware you guys are the centre of attention, right?". Zuko swallowed but nodded “yes”. You could hear the anxiety in his voice and gave him a worried look. He'd seemed so confident but of course he had to act like that even when he wasn't. "Was it really bad?" you asked and Sokka frowned. "No of course it wasn’t" Katara smiled "you both look lovely and you were just dancing!". "Yeah screw everyone else" Toph cried and you laughed. "I have to leave my advisor is calling me over" Zuko sighed "i’ll be back" he told you and moved away.

You watched Zuko go feeling rather anxious and tried to breathe. You hadn’t done anything wrong and the world wasn’t going to end. Everything would be okay! Then you noticed a tribe elder making a beeline for you and Sokka. You tried to make a break for it but Sokka caught your arm “no come on, if you get through this then that will be the worst of it”. You tried to fight him off but Sokka had an iron grip and swung you round to come face to face with the elder. 

In your tribe a lot of emphasis was put on elders meaning whoever was older than you, regardless of if they were actually a good person, “deserved” your respect and could talk to you however they wanted without any repercussions.  So you smiled thinly and nodded your head to them. “Sarnaq” Sokka smiled “how are you enjoying the party?”. The man smiled at Sokka “very well thank you or atleast I was” and he turned to you. "I must say, your actions tonight were not good young lady" Sarnaq said in place of a greeting and despite the fact you and Zuko were both legally adults. That was another annoying elder tradition, everyone younger than them or just not married was still a child in their eyes. "You have gotten cocky haven’t you, woman always do" Sarnaq muttered to himself. "Cocky?" you asked a slight edge to your voice. The man narrowed his eyes "yes, just because you are of value in our tribe does not mean we will excuse scandalous behaviour, even if he is with the Firelord. Your loyalty is to your own people first, you would do well to remember that". "I was just dancing with Firelord Zuko" you retorted and Sarnaq glared. "Don’t talk back, I am trying to teach you the wisdom you clearly lack. You have nobody to blame but yourself for your bad behaviour, what did you expect wearing a fire nation dress? You were purposefully encouraging the Firelord and so his behaviour can be explained, yours on the otherhand cannot be". Sokka could see you slipping and frowned. "So by me wearing red i was inviting Fire Nation men to me?" you asked angrily "that’s what me choosing a colour means?". "It’s their colour" the man said partronisingly "of course covering yourself in it gives them ideas". You scoffed "well maybe you should all stop imagining everything i do is to send a message to men, maybe i just wanted to wear red". The man rolled his eyes "don’t be naive you know men pick up these signals in a woman, there’s no use denying you wore that dress to entice the firelord". You temper burst.  "i did not!” you cried “I do not have to entice the Firelord because he already likes me!" you snapped. Sokka grabbed your arm eyes wide but you didn’t care. The man only shook his head "it’s worse than i thought. I’m sure he tells you that but he doesn’t care about you, why would he? Now the only way to correct this is to go change, clean up the mess you’ve made and stay in your place from now on. I won’t hear any arguments" and with that Sarnaq walked away. You went to go follow him when Sokka grabbed you "no y/n don’t, he's not worth it!". Sokka dragged you outside where you could yell and you did. A lot of it.

How dare this man talk to you like that. He had no idea about your relationship with Zuko and who was he to give you orders. “What a sexist old fashioned sack of wrinkles” you cried “I hate how wrong our tribe is. The Fire Nation basically had a dictator for a hundred years and still they’re more progressive than us! No wonder I like Zuko, he treats me like a person not a little woman to be bossed around”. Sokka nodded unsure what to say and just a tad scared you’d direct your anger at him. “I’d love to leave and just see all their faces, they think they can tell me what to do and boss me around? They’ve got another thing coming. I don’t have to take it and I won’t. I’m going to show them all!”. Sokka frowned “wait y/n what are you planning?”. You smiled “wait and see” and marched back into the room. 

You scanned the party and spotted Sarnaq actually talking with Zuko. You glared to see him clearly sucking up to the man he’d just bad mouthed. Your anger rose again and you thought about what Zuko had said earlier and strode towards him. Sarnaq spotted your approach and frowned. "Y/n" he said stiffly "i assume you’re here to apologise, we can do that later". "Actually i’m not here for you" you said pointedly "my business is with the Firelord". The man seemed panicked "Firelord please excuse her rudeness she is just infatuated with you". You rolled your eyes "you have no idea" and yanked Zuko to you, kissing him in front of the whole ballroom. 

You heard everyone go quiet as they noticed and some people even gasped. Zuko was of course shocked but kissed you back instinctively and seemed to understand you wanted a show so he happily obliged. When you finally separated you smirked to see Sarnaq with his jaw wide open. "Firelord...see what i mean? She is desperate, i am so sorry you are not to blame". "No i am" Zuko said loudly "because i was the one who asked Y/n out 9 months ago and we’ve been dating ever since" he said loudly "Y/n and I are together so she will be spending a lot more time in the Fire nation with me". Your heart skipped at that and you grinned as Zuko took your hand. "But she’s a member of the Water Tribe...." Sarnaq babbled and Zuko nodded "yes she’s a member not a slave, so you cannot control her or tell her what to do, understand?". Zuko took a step closer to the man who paled rapidly. "Yes Firelord i am sorry". "Apologise to her" Zuko barked and Sarnaq turned to you "i am sorry Y/n". You nodded and stared at Zuko in awe. "Good" Zuko said coldly "now leave us". The man scurried away and you tried not to grin as Zuko kept his angry face on for the room. "I hope it was okay i did that" he said and you smiled "are you kidding? That was the hottest thing i’ve ever seen" you laughed your smile turning into a smirk. "I will definitely need you to act it out again for me". Zuko blushed and a small smile made it onto his angry face "well he disrespected you it had to be done...as for a repeat i am more than happy to cooperate". You grinned and tried to calm yourself. "So everyone knows" you said sobering up "i’m sorry for just kissing you but i was so sick of it". "No i’m glad you did" Zuko smiled raised your hands to his chest "this feels amazing, being here with you". "But aren’t you worried about what your people will say?" you asked not quite ready to celebrate but Zuko just smirked. "They’re angry at me no matter what i do, atleast this way i’ll be happy because you’re with me and i don’t have to hide it, that will make it all worth it". You blushed and let Zuko pull you into his arms. After a while he seperated “now...are you ready to make you debut? I want to introduce you to everyone. I mean what I said, you’ll be here as often as you like so they should get used to seeing your face”. You blushed but nodded taking his hand “let’s do this”. 

[leocchisart]

OKAY; We need to talk about this TyZula scene:

this scene has been talked about a LOT. specifically by anti-tyzula/azula fans. but for this "rant" im looking at it through the lens of just azulas character.

it is DETRIMENTAL to azula as a character. this will be a slightly indepth review i guess. im sure someone already talked about this and what im going to say, but i just want to bring it to light considering some of the anti-azula/tyzula stuff i've been seeing recently

Part 1: Azulas reaction to the way Ty Lee approaches her

the way ty lee approached azula is really important here. you might just think, "oh leo it's just Azula being jealous!" but when ty lee walks up to azula saying, "thank goodness you're here!" (i didn't get this part in the clip cuz im a fool and didn't record it on time but whatever go watch the clip on youtube) this qoute is really impactful. it possibly made azula feel less than ty lee. here is the qoute again, "Thank goodness you're here", i feel like azula would take this very personally.

even just the single first sentence. "Thank goodness" is obviously ty lee thanking azula, but for what? you might say, "well yeah for being there" but i genuinely believe azula would interpret this along the lines of, "she only wants me when she needs me" or something like that.

Part 2: Azula's jealously towards Ty Lee

i think a lot of people solely think she's jealous over the boys liking ty lee more than her. but it's not just that. i genuinely find that azula is not only jealous of the boys, but also social interaction in general. specifically with ty lee having that skill and her not.

we don't have much information as to mai, ty lee, and azulas experience in the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, but im assuming azula didn't need much social skills to succeed there. she had two close friends to deal with people speaking to her, and was literally a crown princess of the FIRE NATION. if she couldn't get what she wanted whether mai or ty lee were there- she could always use her royalty as her advantage. i also can see her threatening those in school who opposed her (without using her royalty as a reason). there is a key moment we see during a flashback where azula and ty lee are playing. azula did her best to preform a cartwheel and failed while ty lee succeeded. because of this azula actually pushes ty lee down!

keep in mind that this is one of azulas closest friends other than mai. we can only IMAGINE what azula would do to a student who got in the way of something she wanted.

so yes; azula is jealous of ty lee getting attention from boys, but it's not solely that. it's her social skills that she's also jealous of.

Part 3: The Conflict

azula gets defensive after her reaction to the previous plot point. she verbally attacks ty lee because of it. azula says to ty lee, "those boys only like you because you make it so easy for them! you're not a challenge, you're a tease."

yes azula is "critiquing" the "way" ty lee attracts men. azula is saying she'd do the exact opposite. but the opposite is all she knows. she grew up learning the power of being the best, being perfect, and fear mongering. she genuinely sees that as the way to handle ANY social situation.

as far as, "it's not like they actually care who you are." qoute goes; azula sees this as another flaw in her interactions with men.

example is when she tries to convince chan to to maybe (?) have a relationship or farther; she uses (not exactly royality) but her skills as a skilled bender for a reason to stay with her. considering she has no social skills, her only option (in her mind) is to use her higher power. ty lee doesn't use her high rank in nobility (along with her chi blocking abilities) to what azula would call an advantage.

im not defending azulas verbal assault on ty lee. im solely explaining (imo) the feelings behind it.

Part 4: Ty Lee's reaction

This one is simple. ty lee is hurt by azulas words. obviously.

Part 5: Azula's redemption for this scene

it already baffles me when people say azula is (pure evil) just based on her actions between others. but this scene shows a side of azula we haven't been able to see so far through the series. an apology. not only did she apologize to ty lee but admitted her mistake and explained why she said what she did. i think it's insane that people solely walk past this scene and only see it as azula bullying ty lee. if anything it's the opposite. yes she makes a rude remark, but after seeing ty lee's reaction she IMMEDIATELY takes her comment back an apologizes.

this is so human and shows a side we hardly ever got to see. especially when it's specifically between her and ty lee. their relationship is so important as far as azulas character goes. (not to get too deep into it but,) even in "Azula and the Spirit Temple" ty lee is one of the illusions that the spirit attempts to make her happy with. azula obviously has a strong connection to ty lee in a loving and caring way that most people look past. whether it's from these scene or that specific comic. obviously their relationship has unhealthy flaws but what relationship doesn't?

Part 6: A quick resolution

so there you go. basically an essay on a single 36 second clip i just wanted to give azula some light because people ALWAYS paint her as "crazy" or "evil" but that's simply not true. same goes for TyZula. yes there is a power imbalance, but azula does admit her mistakes and apologizes for hurting ty lee's feelings.

Anyway thanks for reading!!

[blluespirit]

i wish that there was more time between the day of black sun and sozin's comet bc zuko's official desertion from the fire nation would have the most insane ripple effects (and it would be nice to see the gaang interacting a bit more than we got but hey i'll take what i can get)

zuko's desertion would have been essentially impossible for the fire nation to bury since it was such a big deal that he returned at all. so i imagine the smear campaign against zuko would have been craaazy. i think it would have been interesting for the gaang to try and deal with that when navigating the FN. zuko would be very recognisable i think at this point, and it would have made staying hidden much harder. would they still have chosen ember island? maybe the kids didn't recognise zuko and azula during The Beach , but with the prince of the fire nation committing treason would there be more wanted posters? would there be more talk around the island? would zuko have to remain hidden while the rest go out and get food?

i wonder if zuko deserting and very meaningly committing his loyalty to the avatar influenced other soldiers in the FN to also desert? or would it have had the opposite effect and made people feel more patriotic since zuko was banished, returned under the guise of having killed the avatar, and then left when aang announced his survival to world during the failed invasion?

SPEAKING OF THAT!! the rumours around this would be INSANE. we know what really happened, but the public don't. did zuko and the avatar plan this so that there would be an inside man during the invasion and then zuko used that chaos to escape? what really happened in ba sing se if zuko didn't kill aang, but azula thought that he did? (again: we, the audience know the truth, but the general public don't). if zuko and the avatar where working together... for how long? was iroh involved somehow since he also disappeared the same time that zuko did? did iroh get captured on purpose to be close to zuko to possibly help him if needed? did zuko break iroh out of jail or did one of the guards or was iroh alone? you could spiral on this as just an average person in the avatar world for years like. if youtube existed in atla imagine the video essays breaking down all the conspiracies

its a kids show so obviously Nothing Bad Happened BUT in the Boiling Rock, zuko getting found out as not only an imposter (already, a very bad situation), a traitor (extremely bad), AND the traitorous (ex) prince of the fire nation (devastatingly terrible) would have been... incredibly dangerous for zuko. in zuko and iroh's original wanted poster, the official translation says “Permission is granted to kill them on sight” and this was before zuko has gone right ahead and committed Treason On Purpose. the warden is not going to be nice. when the warden visits zuko in his cell he literally tells him "If these criminals found out who you are, the traitor prince who let his nation down, why they'd tear you to shreds." the boiling rock would be hell trying to survive. it also puts a lot more weight on zuko refusing to leave sokka in their first escape attempt. also ozai obviously knew that he has his son was in prison bc he... broke in to the prison bc azula was there but then zuko manages to escape with sokka (another imposter) and suki and hakoda (POWs) and chit sang (a prisoner) and two of azula's trusted friends end up in prison for treason as well i just. that is literally insane for the average person to hear about. again, THE CONSPIRACIES!!

when zuko eventually does take the throne there's a lot of conjecture around what zuko did while he was banished and moreso, what he did the second time he left, this time voluntarily. i think zuko's loyalty would be questioned a lot; by other world leaders who are understandably wary about the fire nation and its motivations, but also by its own people - some who believe that zuko is a traitor to his country and is trying to sabotage it since he helped end the war.

idk these are all just me rambling but it would been so interesting to explore the implications of zuko leaving the fire nation and how that would have impacted the gaang and how they interacted with others in their travels. there are so many fic where zuko joins the gaang early, but neither myself with the aus that I have written, nor many that ive read have explored this very much or at all.

[weepingchronicles]

yan!azula (atla) getting back reader 🙏🏻 (headcanons, or one shot please!)

yandere azula x airbender reader (part 2) platonic or romantic tw/cw: yandere, choking, death threats, verbal abuse, possessive behavior a/n: erm guys.. it's getting kinda scary  😰 😰 (part 1)

being with aang and the others was unlike anything you've ever experienced.

when you first met everyone you were scared- but they all welcomed you with open arms. katara emphasized with you, having her mother also die at the hands of the fire nation. sokka tried to flirt with you, which you were oblivious to, until aang and katara told him to knock it off. after that, you became like katara to him, like a younger sibling who'd he protect.

you were so naive to the world, never stepping foot outside of the fire nation before.

when aang had told you his story, how he was in a iceberg for 100 years and was the avatar, but more importantly one of the last airbenders- you could hardly believe it.

the more the gang told you their stories, the clear it became that the fire nation had took away your parents, your culture and your freedom. you knew azula was evil, but you still believed you had no other choice but follow her.

you told aang that you had no airbending ability, you thought you'd be discarded away, just for being useless

but aang did no such thing, just offering a smile and saying he's just glad he has someone from home.

and you did feel at home.

You woke up to shaking, and your eyes immediately lit up. For a minute, you were back in the palace. Azula waking you up so she could sleep beside you. It was when we were in our younger years and Azula would wake you up at odd hours of night, slipping with you under your blanket. You assumed it was because she had nightmares, you did too, but you never dared ask her about it, fearing you'd end up with a scar like Zuko's.

You woke up from your flashbacks and took in to the actual scene in front of you. It's Aang.

"What's wrong?" "It's someone. They're following, come on, we need to get onto Appa."

You all pack your sleeping bags and ride on Appa. It's still the middle of the night, and the cooling wind blowing past your hair is not making your exhaustion any better.

Finally you all spot a place to settle down, it's in a middle of a forest which will be hard for anyone to navigate through

You lay out your tents and sleeping bags again to finally rest. You find yourself somewhat missing Azula, when she would be nice for once and fall asleep beside each other until morning. You push back those thoughts, remembering how she treated you. If she really cared she'd let you go and be happy.

With all these thoughts swirling in your head, you don't notice yourself start falling asleep.

You feel a hand on your mouth causing you to snap your eyes open. There she is, Azula. It's only been a week and she's already found you. Your eyes look to where the rest of the gang were sleeping but instead they're gone!

"Aw, don't look so surprised. You really thought I wouldn't go looking for my favorite pet?" The nickname made you cringe and Azula removes her hand from over your mouth, but both her knees restrain your arms to the ground.

"Where's Aang, Katara and Sokka!?" You spit out, but you instantly regret when you see Azula's sly smirk turn to an expression of jealous rage.

"Really? I could kill you right now but you're more worried about your friends!?" Before you could reply, her hand slapped over your neck, squeezing around your throat. Perfect manicured nails dug into your flesh, practically leaching the breath you had left in your lungs out of you. Azula's eyes leaked of fiery rage, pure fuel and the truth is you've never seen her like this. She's dangerous, more dangerous than ever before but she is not as calculated. You knew that Mai and Ty Lee couldn't defeat the Avatar on their own so she must know that, but instead she came for you.

Still, your heart ached for your friends, the only true ones you've made all your life. You yourself felt a fire deep inside you, not as fiery as Azula's, but it was ignited when you first met Aang.

"Please.. don't hurt them." was all you could manage out before you start turning purple. Azula's face turned shocked, like she couldn't believe you care more about your friends than her. She dropped her claw-like grip on your throat, you let out a gasp of air before rolling to your side and coughing.

While you were coughing, Azula let go of your arms and stood. "(Y/N), they don't truly care for you. At least not like I do, look at what I have done for you! You really think a pesky water tribe girl, a non-bender and a 12 year old Avatar really care for you? Tell me, do you really think the Avatar would save you if you weren't from the Air Nation?"

You were on your side, refusing Azula to see your face. Was she right? It's true that Aang came for me because we are both air but Aang is a good person! He would definitely rescue me even if I were someone else.. right?

You felt Azula's hand cup your cheek and turn your gaze towards her. Her eyes now are half-lidded and the fire was just warmth now.

"(Y/N), please, come home now and we can forget about this. This is silly." She tucked a piece of hair away from your face, which would have been loving but all it made you feel was owned. Like you were a pet, something to leash and expect obedience from. You wanted to show her you were nothing like her, and she did not own you.

Without even thinking you smack her hand away, a surge of strength powering you as you stand up. You moved to shove away Azula but as you did so, a gust of wind flew her back more than 8 feet away from you.

What?

You look down at your hands and back at Azula wobblily getting up, pure shock but also confusion on her face.

You turn around, hearing a familiar girls voice calling you.

"Katara!" You yell, running back to her. "Come on, we have to go! This girl somehow took away my bending." The girl Katara was saying about sounded Ty Lee but you knew you had to get out before Azula fully recovers. You finally made it back with the others and flew away safely on Appa. You look down as fly away, Azula's form getting smaller and smaller by distance. Aang speaks, finally pulling you you of your daze.

"(Y/N), are you okay? How did you manage to fight off Azula?"

"I.. I don't know." The group looks at you with confusion but you're more confused than they are.

You were safe from Azula for now but you knew she'd be back for the Avatar, especially now since he wasn't the only Airbender..

And that's a wrap! Sorry it took so long, I got really busy and I couldn't figure out an ending I liked. Comment or request whether you'd like reader to fully escape Azula or not, or something completely different!