#but if you don't like maiko it's not mai's fault

[bluespiritshonour]

Another thing I've been muling over: a complain I've seen about Maiko is that she keeps him from going on the right path—and... I agree.

For Mai, Zuko's well-being is her sole concern and the rest of the world could crash and burn and that's... Okay?

Realistically speaking, your support system should NOT be one person. One thing I love about ATLA is that (despite romance writing not being one of it's strong points) the lack of ships that follow the tropes.

Kataang is not an archetype. Neither is Sukka or Maiko.

Having your support system be just your romantic partner isn't healthy (for them or for you) or realistic. But most romances do that and until I watched ATLA it didn't occurred to me that that's not a good thing.

ATLA and Maiko are very realistic in that Zuko needs both the Gaang and Mai. He needs the Gaang to hold him accountable for every shitty little thing he did—and he needs Mai there to keep from spiraling and self-destruction.

Zuko and his uncle were de facto conquerors, so they had to do much more to redeem themselves than Mai and Ty Lee (mere soldiers, but NOT innocent) had to.

Zuko had to work hard to earn the Gaang's forgiveness (personal opinion: he should've grovelled more and he should've been called out on his racism against Aang) and Uncle Iroh reconquered Ba Sing Se in the name of it's people.

They both did reparations to the very people they hurt. And their crimes were much more direct and vicious compared to Mai and Ty Lee’s.

As someone not as responsible as them, Mai and Ty Lee's redeeming themselves was at the Boiling Rock.

And well, when Zuko is Firelord right after the war—he would be paying for the crimes of his ancestors. He needs the Gaang there to keep from acting like he did with Katara pre-Southern Raiders (everyone else seems to have forgiven me!) and he needs Mai to keep himself from actually spiralling into self-destruction and undeserved guilt (Sozin's and Ozai's faults aren't his even if he's paying for it and someone needs to remind him that)

So, yeah. He needs them both for different things.

As for Mai, her conflict was that she was never allowed to express herself. And loving Zuko made up for that—she finally stands up for something she believes in (not in the cause, but in Zuko) and Zuko didn't even have to do anything beside exist. He didn't “fix her.”

Although, again I do have the the complain that Mai has to do a lot of emotional labour for him and if you really are gonna shit on Maiko: it's Zuko who needs to step up, not Mai—well, Mai tried to “fix him” and she couldn't!

That's so important to me!—I’m tired of girl fixes boy narrative. And she couldn't fix him because only he could fix himself and Mai herself is used to making the best out of a situation and being selfish/passive/choosing the path of least resistance. She tried to do to Zuko what worked for her (or maybe didn't, considering she was coping)—and well—later when Zuko's Firelord it'll be Mai who keeps him from harming himself.

Zuko needs both to be balanced out.

He needs multiple people to act as support system and that's both healthy and realistic. Mai isn't everything and neither should she be.

I know what the comics did; don't bring them up here. It's not about the comics.

[impossiblycolorfulpanda]

Zuko and Mai were equally terrible to each other.

We shouldn't make excuses for Zuko on the dysfunction of Maiko but we shouldn't make excuses for Mai either.

The pro-Maiko side bring some valid points to light about how Zuko was acting clingy, entitled, and distant, and Mai calls Zuko out for them but they place the blame all on Zuko, they don't list any of Mai's faults. They treat Mai like she's a helpless wilting flower. No accountability whatsoever. The same can be said about Zuko, though.

You know who else calls Zuko out for his stupidity? Katara. And you know what else? Zuko actually listens, takes her criticisms as facts, and always tries to make things right with her, whereas, with Mai, he either doesn't listen or tries twisting the blame all on Mai. Even as enemies, Zuko is not as vicious to Katara as he is to the others, their fights are slower and more held back. He doesn't yell back at Katara, he lets her be the first to touch his scar, unlike Mai, and is willing to open up about his experiences in a calm demeanor.

Speaking of Katara, she rightly threatens Zuko's life if he so much as looks only mildly suspicious and will keep a close eye on him, and yet pays no mind to Zuko bringing both Aang and Sokka to potentially life-threatening adventures beyond Katara's supervision which last multiple days. She doesn't even accuse Zuko of being responsible for Azula conveniently finding their hiding place.

Zuko did try to treat Mai right, but she did not appreciate it. He tried to be more open to her about his concerns and experiences, only for her to shut him down. He tried explaining to her, both in a note and in person, why he had to turn against the FN, how he couldn't risk putting her in danger but was doing for her, she did not care.

There's been no sign of Mai questioning the FN regime like Zuko and learning to believe in his new cause, she just defected because she's just incapable of letting go of her attraction to him. All Zuko wanted from Mai was to be more open about her emotions, Azula pushed her to be that way too. Mai refused and came back at them both with a yelly attitude.

By the time the war was over, she decided now as the best time to hook up with Zuko again, she intimidates Zuko into never leaving her but decided to do the breaking up herself. The reason? Because he wouldn't open to her about his problems and stress, which is a bit contradictory considering she refuses to do that herself and when he first tried she didn't even want to hear any of it.

We also tend to forget that Mai willingly through her own brother under the bus. Sure, it was Azula's idea but I don't wanna hear any of that "Mai feared Azula" crap because there's been no sign, hint, or evidence that she ever was afraid of Azula.

I like Mai enough to picture her joining team avatar along with Zuko, Ty Lee and Azula, but if she and Zuko have any hope on having a truly healthy romance, they both need to better themselves, not just one of them, both of them.

[hello-nichya-here]

Let’s be real. The only reason toxic Zutarians and delusional Zukkas became so rampant is for the same reason.

Zutararians and Zukkas are two generations of the same issue.

Maiko is written so incoherently and Mai gets no development of her own. Zuko and her are a terrible match and treat each other poorly (I know the fandom can’t agree which one is at fault but I don’t think it matters).

Fans searching for a more satisfying conclusion of the fandom fav Zuko stumble into the waiting clutches of Zutarians or Zukkas who bombard them with their terrible takes, OOC writing, and admittedly beautiful fan art. Before you know it, they lose touch with actual canon.

This is all Bryke’s fault for writing Maiko terribly.

And yet people blame Zucest… nonsense!

Anon, I don't mean to be rude, but you're just wrong all around. Not only do I not think Maiko is terrible (might not be my OTP, but I am fond of it), but even if it WAS and fans had to rely on fanon for good romance, that does NOT explain or justify the way Zutarians and Zukkas not only act like their personal preference is objectively better than everyone else's but also actively lie to themselves and others about their ships totally being secretly canon but screwed over at the last second.

They do that for one reason alone: Entitlement. They're entitled, spoiled cry babies who screetch at anyone with a different preference because they take it as a personal attack.

Bryke writting Maiko any differently would not have made these people less insufferable. Hell, their ships hapenning in the exact way they wanted them to would also not do the trick, if anything it'd make them worse.

It doesn't matter what you think about Bryke as writers and people, or how you feel about the canon ships: The bad behavior of Zutara and Zukka fans is the responsibility of Zutara and Zukka fans, nobody else.

I don't like Legend Of Korra or the comics. Never sent a death threat to the people who made them. Never harassed fans of it or had them doxxed. I love Zucest to unhealthy degrees, but you won't see me claiming "There was totally a deleted scene of them kissing in the finale instead of fighting, but evil Bryke ruined it all, and if you don't believe my obvious bullshit I'll scream at you until I'm blue in the face!"

I LOATHE the ending of How I Met Your Mother with all my being, and resent the showrunners for being such dicks to fans and complaining we didn't praise their terrible writting. I would NEVER accuse them of abusing their authority over the actors and being predators just because I disagree with awful messages the finale sent - something zutarians do Kataang and Maiko fans ALL THE TIME.

It's really, really, really, really easy to not do that kind of stuff.

Be critical of Bryke and their writting, have whatever opinion you wanna have on Maiko, but let's not pretend writers/showrunners are to blame for FANS attacking people.

It'd be like going "Oh, this actress and her fans got death threats because audiences didn't like her character, clearly this is the writers fault for mishandling said character" NOPE, the blame of that kind of awful behavior ALWAYS lies solely with the people who choose to act like that.

[darklinaforever]

Mai is an apathetic character, certainly, and the only ones she seems to have any real affections for are Zuko and Ty Lee in the series. Because other than that, I get the impression that she doesn't really care about his own family. And it's not a bad thing that she is like that and that Zuko accepts her as she is. The problem is that it's clearly underdeveloped and has no real interest in the plot. To the point that once again, at the end you wonder what Zuko is still doing with her. It would have been interesting to seriously address Mai's apathy. Instead we focus mainly and quite simply on his interest in Zuko, which is... really not great. Creating an independent female character with badass characteristics and suffering from apathy, all of which to finally boil it down to her love for a guy is so inappropriate in my opinion. Especially since this love isn't even treated properly, because since Mai's mental state isn't really treated, she can clearly just be taken for a bitch. And that's how she makes me feel. This story of apathy only comes to light at the start of season 3 and is never addressed again. It's like it's just there to give a reason why Zuko would stay with her despite their very clear differences. In fashion, it's not her fault, it's because of what she went through. (Our first impression of Mai's parents doesn't even seem to be bad. So Mai's statement also feels like a backpedal...) And it might have worked somewhere, if it had been addressed correctly again instead of just once and never brought up again. Although also Zuko maybe didn't even understand the apathy thing like some viewers. Maybe he just understood that Mai had a difficult childhood which caused her to bottle up her emotions and not have a real interest in anything. If he understood just that and not Mai's apathetic aspect... Well that wouldn't really explain why he would still stay with her despite everything in the end. Especially since everyone is not going to think about apathy for Mai once again seeing how it is skimmed over and barely discussed. Mai's character has a lot of potential for me. Even in a romance with Zuko. (Seriously, they look awesome drawing together) But how am I supposed to get invested in a character that's barely covered ? How am I supposed to buy into a romance that just hinges on Mai's childhood crush on Zuko, without getting Zuko's opinion on it, a short, vexing discussion on the boat ride back to the nation of fire ending surprisingly with a kiss for no reason ?! Like... am I supposed to buy into this so-called romance ? Once again, it seemed mostly presented that this relationship was based on not much and was symbolically the epitome of everything Zuko thought he wanted but which he actually doesn't really want and especially what he doesn't need. Damn Bryke you really don't know how to write... Essentially the beginning of Maiko announces a future separation instead of a relationship that will continue. And the thing finally started to justify them staying together later at the end of the series, namely apathy, is barely skimmed over and is addressed only once, just to have done it, not coming from this fact still not made sense of the Maiko endgame. Because, even with the apathy aspect in play, it still does not justify the end of Maiko's game with the way in which their relationship began textually and symbolically speaking. If the writers wanted Maiko at the end of the game, they should have given them another start and treated Mai's character more, whether in her apathy or other aspects of her personality. Give her another fundamental trait than "loving Zuko". Which is to say, I don't like Kataang, but I still prefer this relationship to Maiko. In any case, the best romances are those experienced by Sokka, specifically with Suki.

[itsmoonpeaches]

What's the hottake 😶‍🌫️

Hello hi. This post will be very long. I'm assuming you mean my hot take(s) on fandom popular fics and why they are worse? If so you have come to the right place because I don't have any fear lol. And frankly, the fandom these fics are from lowkey kind of soured on me months ago so I got myself out of active fandom creation.

I should preface this with all opinions are my own and none of you are entitled to think the same way. I'm telling you my hot takes. You folks (Not necessarily you anon. This is a blanket statement.) however, will not, and I repeat will not come into my DMs, inbox, or other forms of contact trying to attack me after this. If you do so, you will get a big fat block.

Now we begin. I have been in many fandoms, but the fandom I have been in the longest and have been active in the longest is the Avatar: The Last Airbender/The Legend of Korra fandom. So, the two fics I mention are from there.

I am not linking these fics and I am not mentioning authors. That's for you to discover on your own.

I. Embers

The ATLA fandom has a weird obsession with putting Zuko on a pedestal and making him the end-all, be-all for well-written characters to the detriment of both his actual character and the characters around him. I attribute this weird obsession to this fic.

Embers is 700k written from 2009 to 2014 and the author started out fine. That's what makes this worse.

Zuko is a well-written character in the show. Full stop. He is a very good example of what a redemption arc should look like. So, this is not coming from a person who dislikes Zuko as a character. However, I end up disliking Zuko-centric fics because most of them end up like this one: tearing down what ATLA is and who Zuko is just to make Zuko a completely different person. He never owns up to his mistakes and he's so perfect that he might as well be worshipped. Zuko is not perfect. That's what makes him such a good character. To see Embers kind of just make him the wise old man at 16 is very strange to me. Zuko is not Iroh.

Let's start with a smaller bit even though this is a big one lol. The Mai and Zuko relationship (Maiko) is presented as incest in this fic. I mean. Ok? Sure? NO.

There's also a trend in some fics where characters can bend more than one element even when they aren't the Avatar. This started pretty early on in the ATLA fandom, I'll admit, but it became even more popularized in this one. "Dual element benders" cannot exist in the Avatar world. What would the point of the Avatar be then?

The idea that the Fire Nation was actually justified to start a world war and commit the act of genocide toward the Air Nomads can also be attributed to this fic. That's right. You read that right. According to Embers, it was also all Avatar Yangchen's (an Air Nomad) fault. She did something messed up to the big volcano spirits and Zuko as one of the super duper special "dual benders" had to fix it.

Embers is a fic that is written for apologists of imperialism and genocide. It has a lot of Aang bashing in it and it makes the Fire Nation look like the good guys for wiping out an entire race of people. Since Aang is so reduced and belittled by the fic, Zuko 'has to step in' because he's weirdly competent, even though at most he's been out of the palace for three years, and becomes the leader almost immediately. This is an assassination of Zuko's character.

Special Zuko gets redeemed early and he gets special adventures because he's the protagonist and he and his people were totally right all along and everyone else is just so stupid oh no let's murder more defenseless Air Nomad children.

What makes it worse is that these ideas stuck, even the less harmful ones like Zuko's ship being named the Wani.

This fic is the epitome of being tone-deaf, of underlying racism, of the imperial being "superior", and justifying colonialism to "save" the "other".

II. When It's All Over (WIAO)

This fic is particular to the Kataang part of the fandom. I know there are those of you out there just waiting for me to mess up here because I was/am a Kataang writer. Guess what? I don't care :)

WIAO was written during the ATLA Renaissance when ATLA was put back on Netflix while we were all twiddling our thumbs at home hoping we'd survive a global pandemic in the infamous year 2020 till 2021. Like Embers, it started out fine. Then it started devolving. I should probably cut it some slack since we were at the peak of a pandemic and all, but considering there were more fics that came out during that time, I won't give it that.

This fic falls prey to what Embers started, and that is that this version of Zuko does not at all resemble Zuko in the show. He's an amalgam of personality traits from Aang and Iroh. He's suddenly so wise and so all-knowing that the characters come to him for advice, even advice on relationships. Yeah, we're talking about the same guy who didn't even know what to give Mai as a gift, or even how to handle jealousy.

Toward the beginning of the fic, Katara goes to him for advice on Aang, and...I think I should have seen the red flag there but I was too engrossed in a multichapter fic that tackled what happened after Ember Island Players and how Katara and Aang might have felt afterward that I was blinded to the fact that Zuko would not do that. I think on some level, this is why fics like these become so popular. It's long, it's ongoing, and readers are desperate for any and all content as long as it masquerades as their ship. If anything, Katara should have been going to Suki for advice. She was right there lol.

But I digress.

Remember how I said, "readers are desperate for any and all content as long as it masquerades as their ship"? Well, let's delve into that, shall we?

WIAO is supposedly a Kataang fic and starts as that very much. However, the author got it in their mind to keep going. While that isn't necessarily bad, they started to crave the drama that Zutara as a ship has, and that doesn't belong in a fic like this.

We got a take that said, "Kataang is the best! BUT FIRST, let's show the other ships for senseless drama! Just as a treat!" Aang had a brief moment with Toph and the writing described his thoughts a little weirdly and sexually. Then he was suddenly like, "LOL JK."

Then we have Katara checking Zuko out as a "sibling." I could go off on this one. First of all, wondering what someone looks like naked is not sibling behavior. She also imagined kissing him while Zuko was still in a relationship with Mai.

Not to mention there is a whole actual storyline in which Katara doesn't trust Aang anymore when he has to go on surprise Avatar adventures (even though that's his job) and breaks up with him. Also, Aang gets trapped in the Spirit World or something and can't cross a bridge unless he has relations with someone. So. The fic ends with a strange, out-of-place, rated E scene if you catch my drift. So, he and Katara do the deed to cross a bridge and for him to unlock the Avatar State or something idk.

Then you have the Easter eggs which are the least of its problems. It's fine to nod to certain other fandoms and things you like writing, but when it's so obvious that it's jarring and it doesn't make sense in the world you created, why have it in this fic? It was really strange reading Pokemon in the Spirit World, but...that might just be a "me" thing. You be the judge.

Katara is super out of character. She is not the nuanced character from the show who trusts Aang with all her heart to come back. She literally said this in the finale by the way. She checks out Zuko for some reason even though they are "siblings."

Then you have Aang who might even be the worst interpretation of him I've seen especially in a Kataang fic. He is weak-willed, boring, and so dependent on doing what Zuko and Katara tell him to do that he might as well not be the main character.

This fic perpetuates the "Zuko is the only character basically" and became a Zuko fic even though this was supposed to be Kataang, and didn't even do Zuko justice.

And the Kataang in this fic? WOW. This is why other ships hate the Kataang fandom lol. The relationship here is toxic. Katara basically sees Aang as childish. You know how Katara doesn't trust Aang and how Aang listens to her always? That's a toxic relationship.

Katara is needy and insecure and Aang just wants to please her. Katara "fell out of love" with Aang, and that was weird already, but honestly, once they got back together in the fic, I didn't even want them to get back together at that point. I was reading it trying to see what other people saw in this fic and truthfully to this day I do not understand and I don't think I plan to.

[an-aspiring-jester]

What are your thoughts on Maiko in the comics (Smoke and Shadow) and their future? I see a lot of people paint Mai as an evil character with malicious intent, but I heavily disagree. What do you think?

First of all, thanks for the ask! <3 I'm really glad for an excuse to talk! XD

Right off the bat, I think comics have many WILDLY OOC moments. I generally like the questions they raise, there are some interesting ideas there, but the execution is not always true to the original spirit of the show. (Like, gaang leaving Zuko alone for almost a year, and then jumping straight to the blaming without talking to him first?! COME ON!) With this in mind, I do feel like show!Mai, after everything they've been through, would try a little harder to get through to Zuko before dumping him. It was just a cheap way to make him more isolated, and feed some more drama down the way.

That being said, I'm a person who loves to work around the canon and fix it, instead of just ignoring parts I don't like, so I'm 100% certain that the whole comic drama is just a passing obstacle and they still end up together afterward. (Actually, I even have a WIP fic on how exactly that happens, but I'm terrible at finishing things, so better not to hold your breath XD) Plus, realistically speaking, a chance to grow as people on their own may actually be good for them. They're still kids with LOTS on their plates.

As for the criticism - I kinda see where it might come from, the writing can get very clumsy with maiko, but it mostly boils down to what lenses you interpret the canon through. Though her being evil is a WAY too far-reaching conclusion. What I read from these comics, is that Mai is 100% still in love with Zuko, but is scared of getting her heart broken (again). And it's NOT Zuko's fault, he doesn't do anything wrong, but he HAS some self-destructive tendencies, and Mai doesn't feel equipped to help him with it at the moment. Is it selfish? Maybe a little, but we're talking about a 17-year-old girl with her own share of trauma here.

We actually have to go back to the Promise - from Mai's perspective, Zuko is growing distant, and pushing her away, dealing with his inner conflict on his own. The last time that happened, it nearly got him killed. And she's not strong enough to witness it again. (That is of course putting aside the fact that the treason was the RIGHT thing to do for Zuko, but as I've written in my previous maiko rant, I think that Mai's conformism, in this case, comes from a misguided attempt to keep Zuko safe) You can also make an argument that it hurts her that even after everything, he still doesn't trust her enough to share his problems with her. How is she supposed to be his Firelady if he doesn't TALK to her? (Again, not really Zuko's fault, and it isn't only MAI who didn't TRY reaching out to him - gaang COULD get a pass in the right circumstances, but IROH'S absence is inexcusable here. Again, comics are a MESS. It's hard to salvage the good parts without major rewrites. XD) Back on track: In Smoke and Shadows, her original reason to go out with Kei Lo was to KEEP ZUKO SAFE! And it's apparent in every panel that she is still not over him (and vice versa) - their chemistry is off the charts whenever they're together. She cares about Zuko, even though she doesn't always know what he needs.

About the malicious intent, I'm guessing it's about the political stuff. Was it wrong for her to hide her father's role in the whole thing? Probably. But it was her father, she trusted in his good intentions and a change of heart. In the end, he did do the right thing. Was he left off the hook way too easily? Definitely, but it's a kid's show we're talking about here, stuff like this gets a free pass.

Or maybe people talk about her essentially using Kei Lo (first to save Zuko, then as a distraction from her own broken heart)? In that case, yeah, it's a bad thing to do. But again, stupid teenagers in love reserve the right to do dumb stuff. In the end, she came clean and broke up with him, not to lead him on anymore, so I guess that the lesson is learned.

Mai made a lot of mistakes here, but that doesn't make her evil or selfish. She's a complex character, just like everyone in atla.

TL;DR: Mai is not evil, she and Zuko belong together, comics fail in a lot of places, but it's nothing that cannot be salvaged with a bit of creativity.

I'm not sure if what I wrote is coherent, it's mostly a stream of thoughts, but I love to chat about maiko! It's nice hearing from other fans. :) So once again, thank you for reaching out! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the comics.

[moonmeg]

Because of the "accidental" Maiko Tangled au.... here's some tangled scenes but it's maiko

Honestly no idea of the role call, as in who would be Gothel etc. I actually don't want to spend much time with this so uh if there are any creative souls feel free to create a role call ig :D

Some scenes might also be altered to fit them but uh... I've got no time for this :( also both could fit either role so you can also just turn everything around here. Although I don't know what alter ego Mai would have lol

Mai: (holding knife at him) Who else knows my location, Lee?

Lee: All right, knives.

Mai: Mai.

Lee: Gesundheit. Here's the deal. I was in a situation, gallivanting through the forest, I came across your tower and... Oh! Oh no. Where is my satchel?

Mai: I've hidden it. Somewhere you'll never find it.

Lee: (looks around) It's in that pot isn't it?

________

Mai: Something brought you here, Lee. Call it what you will. Fate, destiny...

Lee: A rhino.

Mai: So I've made the decision to trust you.

Lee: A horrible decision, really.

Mai: But trust me when I tell you this. You can tear this tower apart brick by brick, but without my help, you will never find your precious satchel.

Lee: Let me just get this straight. I take you to see the lanterns, bring you back home, and you'll give me back my satchel?

Mai: I promise.

Lee: (looks at her skeptically)

Mai: And when I promise something, I never, ever break that promise. Ever.

_________

Lee: Let's just turn around and get you home. Here's your knifes, here's your frog. I get back my satchel, you get back a mother-daughter relationship based on mutual trust and voilà! We part ways as unlikely friends.

Mai: No! I am seeing those lanterns.

Lee: Oh, come on! What is it going to take for me to get my satchel back?

Mai: (holds knife his direction) I will use this.

___________

[After The Snuggly Turleduckling]

Mai: So... Lee? Where are you from?

Lee: Whoa! Sorry, knives, I don't do back-story.

However, I am becoming very interested in yours. Now, I know I'm not supposed to mention the hair.

Mai: Nope.

Lee: Or the mother.

Mai: Uh-uh.

Lee: Frankly, I'm too scared to ask about the frog.

Mai: Dragon.

___________

Mai: Who's that?

Lee: They don't like me.

Mai: Who's that?

Lee: They don't like me either.

Mai: Who's that?

Lee: Let's just assume for the moment that everyone in here doesn't like me.

___________

[In the cave that is filling with water]

Mai: This is all my fault. She was right. I never should have done this. I'm so... I'm so sorry, Lee.

Lee: ... (sighs) Zuko

Mai: What?

Zuko: My real name is Zuko. Someone might as well know.

Mai: (chuckles softly) I have magic hair that glows when I sing.

Zuko: What?

Mai: I have... magic hair that glows when I sing!

__________

Mai: We made it.

Zuko: Her hair glows.

Mai: We're alive. I'm alive!

Zuko: I didn't see that coming.

Mai: Zuko?

Zuko: [talking to (a tiny) Druk] The hair actually glows.

Mai: Zuko.

Zuko: Why does her hair glow?

Mai: Zuko!

Zuko: What?!

Mai: It doesn't just glow.

Druk: *smirks at him*

Zuko: Why is he smiling at me?

________

Mai: No, no, no. Zuko. No! Look at me. I'm right here. Don't go. stay with me, Zuko. (holds hand to her cut (light?) hair Flower gleam and glow let your power shine make the clock reverse bring back what once was mine-

Zuko: Mai...

Mai: What?

Zuko: (weakly) You were my new dream.

Mai: and you were mine.

_________

Zuko: (exhales) Mai?

Mai: Zuko?

Zuko: Did I ever tell you I've got a thing for short/light hair?

_________

Zuko: And as for me, well, I started going by Zuko again, stopped thieving and basically turned it all around. But I know what the big question is. Did Mai and I ever get married?

Well I'm pleased to tell you that after years and years of asking and asking and asking... I finally said yes.

Mai: (scolding) Zuko.

Zuko: All right, I asked her.

[zalrb]

People like to act like Mai didn't make a 180 after the beach episode, I used to dislike Mai and feel apathetic towards Maiko, and I don't really ship them, but putting all the blame on Mai for any faults that their relationship might have is so vile. After the beach ep, mai tried really hard to be supportive and a good girlfriend, she was even ready to face off against Azula, say what you want about pre-beach ep Mai but afterwards she was the best gf one could hope for. I'll die by that.

I wrote a post about Mai and Zuko about the beach episode : https://zalrb.tumblr.com/post/183442068820/this-is-random-but-i-feel-like-maiko-and-mai

But I am going to say that Mai was not unsupportive pre-beach. People willfully take Mai and her intention out of context, like there is so much harping on this:

but she says it because Zuko is being Zuko, he’s being angsty and he’s getting himself anxious and he’s getting nervous

and she’s pointing that out, she’s trying to lighten the mood, which is why she doesn’t just walk away after saying it, she smiles and kisses him and tells him not to worry

Later on in the episode, Azula notes that Mai has been cheerful, the implication is because she’s with Zuko

The sunset scene is also pre-beach

and it’s established in Book 2 that she’s liked him since they were kids

I bring this up because while the beach was a revelatory episode for everyone about things that they all keep hidden, Mai’s attitude toward Zuko doesn’t change because there’s nothing to change, there is no 180 because she’d always felt that strongly about him. It’s not like the beach happened and because the beach happened she crossed Azula etc. etc. she’s always loved him, it’s just expressed in ways that antis don’t like.

[thinkingisadangerouspastime]

Hi, I might be off base but I really like your fics and you give straight up answers to people, so I would like your take: What is the role of mediocre non-rarepair/non-Z.utara writers in ATLA fandom? (Not saying you are! I am, and I would like some clarity). I write sukka, kataang, and sometimes maiko. None of my stories really have impact. People read them i guess because they're there. I don't get on rec list. People don't do art of my stories. People don't beg me to update. (1/3)

firstly, im glad you like my fics! 💛

and now into the more serious parts of your ask.

my thoughts on the role of non-z.utara/non-rarepair writers (or pro-canon writers i guess we might call them?) are pretty simple: they are of the utmost importance. the richness of fandom is most apparent in its diversity, when you have a million different types of fics and authors and so much more that people can jump into and out of whatever, whenever they want. fandom needs all of its writers, regardless of what pairing (or lack thereof!) they're writing about. the atla fandom would be nowhere without it's canon and fanon lovers, plain and simple.

i understand your frustration. i have been on a rec list once for an mcu fic and nothing more. i've had fanart for one of my fics - one of my least popular ones, ironically - and i've only had one or two (but very lovely!) anons asking me about my wips (without me having sparked the discussion myself). it can absolutely be frustrating when you put your heart and soul into your work and sometimes it just doesn't get as much notice. your feelings are completely valid, and i think it's good you're addressing them (for me, personally, it is near-impossible to write when im holding a lot of frustration close to my chest; this may or may not be true for you, too, but either way it's always good to process emotions). sometimes you just gotta keep your chin up. simple, yes, but much easier said than done. and yet we persevere. i promise you, people don't just read your fics solely because they're there. people read them because they are interested in the stories you have to tell.

that person was definitely... callous. now, i don't think they would read your fic just because of a regular updating schedule (i've opened some fics that update regularly and realize it's not my cup of tea, so i leave and definitely don't go back even if they are updating weekly). the fact that they are coming back every week is a sign they're enjoying what you're putting out there! again, i think they did a pretty piss-poor job of wording it and your reaction is completely understandable (and i do not at all fault you for it), but i really do think the fact that they're continuing to read your fic is a good sign. they can claim it's your update schedule, but they must have a deeper emotional investment to your fic to keep coming back.

also, having a regular updating schedule is incredible. i know i sure as hell don't have one (except with one fic and that's bc it's already written lmao). so you should be proud of that, anon!

yes, i know, fandom tastes can be frustrating. it's true that beggars can't be choosers a lot of the time when it comes to rarepairs, and the absurd amount of attention that... well, basic z.utara fics often get compared to painstakingly researched moderately-popular pairings/relationships also drives me up the wall ("make out over a ham sandwich" is a hilarious example, btw, thank you for sharing it). sometimes you just gotta take a step back and think - hey. i cannot control fandom tastes. i cannot control what fandom likes and dislikes. all i can do is produce content i enjoy, and there are people like me who will eventually find my content and enjoy it, too.

anon, you're not a placeholder. and even if you were, aren't we all? aren't we all digging our own niche, holding our own place in a massive fandom? some people get luckier than others. that's how it works. people get lucky because they ship a juggernaut ship and they write a popular trope and boom - the fic may be a phenomenal piece of work or it may not be - 10k hits, 3000 kudos, 200 comments. it's luck! it really is.

my main advice is this: fanfiction is for you. it's for you to share. for you to connect with. for you to give to people who enjoy the same dynamics as you do. it should be fun! this isn't to say it won't get frustrating, especially because human instinct is to compare ourselves to others, but at the end of the day you should be writing fic (primarily) because you love doing it. and i promise you, anon, they are people who adore your fics and sit on the edge of their seat waiting for you to update. i promise. there are. i got a comment on chapter 20-something of one of my fics where they said they'd been reading since the beginning and absolutely loved my story but had been too nervous to comment. i have no doubt you have readers like that, too. and find your people, anon! i've enjoyed atla from the beginning, but recently i've made so many new friends who enjoy the same things i do (e.g. certain canon pairings) and we're able to gush over it with each other even when our comment sections are a little lackluster. fandom becomes much more enjoyable once you have a few people to freak out with.

in a more general sense, it's always okay to take a break from fic and writing if you need it, and im pretty sure you can turn off viewing story kudos and stuff on ao3 as well if you need a visual disconnect from that side of fandom.

i wish i had more advice or a perfect solution, but all i can tell you is to keep going. your work matters - it matters to you, it matters to your readers, and it matters to fandom as a whole. we are all wooden jenga blocks in a very, very precarious pile, and if even one person leaves, fandom collapses. we need every author, every artist, every consumer. and that includes you, anon. i hope that whatever you do, you continue to create in the manner that best fits you 💛

[geimei]

I only ever see Hianyuu and other maiko in Gion Higashi wearing one or two kimono. They don't seem to have as much variety in their kimono (although don't get me wrong, the pale yellow one Hinayuu is often photographed in is absolutely stunning!). Is it because Gion Higashi is so small? Are their okiyas simply not as well off in such a small district?

Gion Higashi is definitely the least financially stable and prestigious district of Kyoto. However, it is the the responsibility of the okaasan of the okiya to have everything look flawless and only acquire new kimono, obi, hair ornaments, undergarments, furniture, art, everything of the finest quality. If this is not the case, this will show extremely badly on her and she might lose her reputation, which is absolutely crucial in the karyukai.

The Okatome Okiya, which Hinayuu belongs to is, might incidentially be the most wealthy of Gion Higashi, as it has the most members and Hinayuu is Gion Higashi’s most famous Maiko. They also had to dress Fukuharu until not too long ago, too. Hinayuu has definitely worn that yellow kimono quite often during photoshoots, but that is often because photographers want to achieve a certain look and what the Maiko will wear is often discussed beforehand.

By just looking through some pictures of Hinayuu, I’ve already found 12 different kimono she has worn in just the last few months, so don’t be worried, the okiya is doing fine.

Most okiya of Gion Higashi can probably not compare to the wealth of okiya like Tama, Nishimura, Odamoto or Komaya, but if they weren’t able to sufficently outfit a Maiko, they’d have to close, so all okiya in Gion Higashi are able to do that.

It is definitely true that Gion Higashi has problems with attracting new aspiring Maiko and Geiko, which I will explain below.

Gion Higashi has a big problem with attracting new trainees, andthen, after they have attracted a few, to get them to stay around tobecome a Geiko. Most of this has to do with prestige, or lackthereof. Gion Higashi is the least well-known and prestigioushanamachi of Kyoto. I’ve already answered questions in which Iexplained the rankings of the hanamachi and the reasons for this, butjust for reference, Gion Kobu is #1, Pontocho is #2, Kamishichiken is#3, Miyagawacho is #4 (even though they are closer in prestige as youmay think, as I recently learned) and Gion Higashi is #5.

Gion Higashi is the youngest hanamachi of Kyoto, it was formed in1886 when the big Gion Shinchi district was split into Gion Kobu andtoday’s Gion Higashi by the prefectural government to make iteasier to oversee. This means that Gion Higashi has the shortesthistory and therefore the least prestige in the eyes of many. TheTomikiku Ochaya also offers special “ozashiki-packages” tofirst-timers, which makes them look less “elite” in the eyes ofmany potential customers. Part of the allure of Geisha is that theyare so elite, but Gion Higashi had to decide to give up part of theirelite standing to survive.

Another reason why they are regarded so lowly (missmyloko told methis, actually) is because they are in the middle of one of Kyoto’sbiggest modern red-light districts. They are surrounded by clubs,bars, love hotels, and half-legal or illegal prostitution, whichcasts a very bad light on them, especially regarding the fact thateven many Japanese people still think that Geisha are high-classprostitutes. Of course that is not their fault, the red-lightdistrict was established long after they came into existence, but itstill has big consequences.

In discussions about hanamachi in Kyoto, even by insiders, GionHigashi is often completely overlooked. Many people literally don’tknow that Gion Higashi even exists, especially those new to thekaryukai, or aren’t really interested in them.

All of this has negative effects on Gion Higashi getting newapplicants: There are girls who genuinely don’t know it exists, butmany girls also just want to join a more prestigious district. Now thatthere are only about 1,200 Geisha left in Japan, the owners of okiyaare happy about any applicants and take most applicants they can get,unless things really just don’t work out between both parties. Thisis not meant to be insulting, but things just have changeddramatically: Back in the 1920s, okaasan could usually deny girlsthey didn’t think were promising based just on looks (even whenthey were still children), because they could afford it, they gottons of new applicants because so many girls wanted or had to becomeGeisha back then. There also was so much competition that,oftentimes, okaasan were forced to deny girls based on looks, becausethe ones considered less pretty had no way of completing with theothers.

Today, this has changed. If a girl considers becoming a Maiko, shewill probably want to become a Maiko in a more prestigious district,where she could also achieve greater fame. An example: GeikoToshimana is famous, highly talented, beautiful and extremely dedicated, however,her fame can’t compare to that of Satsuki, although they are ofabout the same age and are both highly talented and dedicated.Satsuki definitely deserves her fame and is an incredible talent and ahard-worker, but she probably wouldn’t have achieved the same leverof fame and prestige if she had joined Gion Higashi or any districtconsidered „lower-class“. Many girls also look for districts withmany Maiko, so they can meet many girls their age and make friendswith them, and since Gion Higashi is so tiny, it can't offer that.

Due to the fact that Gion Higashi is often overlooked, they aremore relaxed concerning many aspects, they can afford to do so. Thisis definitely sometimes that does help get them applicants; there aregirls who enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere and the family-likebonds, as everyone knows each other very well, because literallyeveryone works with each other all the time.

At the moment, it’s looking pretty good for them. Having had twoMisedashi with Masano and Kanotomo in just 7 months is a lot forthem, they usually only have about one per year and Erikae are even rarer.

Tomitae had her Erikae on the 20th of May 2016, Ryouka had her’son the 3rd of March 2015, so there they had two Erikae in the span ofa little over a year, and Geiko Masaki also had her Misedashi on the15th of March 2015, but that wasn’t an Erikae, but a Misedashi as aGeiko. Before that, of the Geiko who are still active, Miharu hadher Erikae the last, on the 1st of October 2010, just to show howcomparatively rare these events are.We also won’t see a newErikae until early next year, as the currently most senior MaikoTomitsuyu debuted on the 1st of August 2013, not even 4 years ago,and she is probably going to stay a Maiko for at least 4 and a halfyears and it’s not even sure yet if she decides to become a Geiko.

They also have at least two Shikomi right now, who are already moreprogressed, otherwise they probably wouldn’t have shown them duringthe Yoimiya Festival, if it wasn’t even sure if they’d stayaround.

So it’s lookingpretty good for them right now, even though Fukuharu’s retirementcertainly was a big loss for them, as they really need new Geiko tojoin them/stay around.