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simpywriter · 2 years

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Flames

Part Three

Pairing: Zuko x Reader Universe: Canon Words: 3.6k

Part I | Part II

Summary: What will happen when you meet Zuko after what happened in Ba Sing Se?

Warning: little little tiny bit of angst

‘Where is she?’ was the question that Zuko found himself to ask more often than he thought. And it was followed by images of her face, from where they were little to his exile; he always knew where she was. But these memories were now blended together with her expression when she saw him attacking Katara, protecting the same sister from whom Y/N herself saved him not long before. He remembered the tears in her eyes as he kept throwing fire balls in her direction and the way her shoulders drooped while she jumped on the Avatar’s sky bison.

‘Why didn’t you come back? We would have found a way to free you from your accusations’ He was looking at the city under the palace. He was prince, he finally regained his father’s respect but he still didn’t feel like part of the royal family at all. He couldn’t bring himself to see the city under his feet like his reign. Did Iroh feel like this? No, Iroh was just a stupid old man that refused to accept his place in the world. But… Was Y/N just a stupid little girl?

«Zuko?» Too distracted to pay attention to the surroundings he didn’t notice that Mai was now right behind him, a concerned look on her face. «Are you okay?», she asked placing a hand on his tense shoulder. His face quickly relaxed, even If his body just refused to do the same, and he gave a soft smile. «Yeah», he said encircling her waist with an arm, he placed a slow kiss on the girl's lips, savoring the warmth of a loving touch «Everything's alright»

«Hello, Zuko here» ‘Are you fucking kidding me?’

You couldn’t believe this. You just fled the Fire Nation and found a place to hide, slowly regaining your power after the solar eclipse. And there he was, Zuko, the one that betrayed you and nearly cause the Avatar’s death, asking to be part of your new family. A family that immediately threatened to attack him, even your fists sparkled with red flames. You were surprised when he just lifted his hands in surrender and ignored your team’s words, instead tried to explain himself; Appa even licked him and you saw doubt crossing Aang’s eyes.

But the others didn’t seem even slightly convinced by the flying bison’s display of affection, and even the young Avatar quickly changed his expression in a stern one. «There’s no way we can trust you after everything you’ve done», his words echoed in the temple, quickly gaining support in Katara and Sokka. The former fire prince tried to complain, his eyes set on you as for asking for help.

You weren’t looking at anyone, fingers trembling just as your breath as you vaguely heard Toph trying to intervene, interrupted by waterbender «I think the only one in charge of this decision is Y/N», she said, drawing all the attention on you. You could feel golden hues on every inch of your face, but your gaze remained fixated on the ground as you gulped down the knot stuck in your throat.

«No, you’re right. We can’t trust him». You finally looked up to see Zuko’s features twist in hurt «Please Y/N», he took a step forward and Katara was ready to attack him before you stopped her with a wave of the hand «Let me expla-». The arm raised acted almost, almost on its own accord, sending your palm to hit the boy’s cheek with maybe too much force even for him; it seemed to silence him and the entire team, with the corner of your eye you saw Sokka’s jaw almost touching the ground.

But all your attention was on the firebender in front of you, now touching his face with slight reddened cheeks. «Yeah I… kinda deserved it» «Oh you kinda deserved it??» «I totally deserved it», he punctuated «But if you’ll just let me explain…» «No! You left me in that cave! You betrayed me and broke my heart. You knew exactly what you were to me and you just threw my trust, my friendship and everything between us away to follow your insane sister! I’ve always been there for you! Even in your exile. I gave up on everything, I rejected my life to follow you and now you expect me to forget everything just because you realized that you are good now?». Your voice traveled from angry, to broken, to scornful before you were able to calm yourself, nobody uttered a word, even Toph was speechless.

«Please Zuko, you’re smarted than this. You know I can’t do it», and he heard no more from you, instead being definitively kicked out, without you seeing the pleading (and teary) looks he kept sending you. Katara was the first to approach you, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder «Are you okay» «No», you whispered, but Toph seemed too eager to speak «That was stupid, we need someone to teach Aang firebending as soon as possible and, no offense Y/N, but you’re not really doing a good job regarding the ‘speed’ part» You didn’t respond, head hanging low in shame as you were reminded how terrible you were in teaching (not that your state of mind was helping); but Katara quickly interceded «I don’t care, I don’t want Zuko here. He betrayed me, he betrayed Y/N. No matter what he says, he’s not good». You agreed.

You didn’t expect the attack of Combustion Man and even less you expected Zuko to be the one warning and saving you, risking his life in order to stop the assassin. You felt the blood in your veins completely froze when you saw him being pushed out the cliff, only to hang on a liane. It was obvious that Aang would’ve welcomed him into your group at that point, finding the agreement of all the others, and even you didn’t have to force yourself to nod when asked. The fire boy gave you a smile, but it disappeared when you didn’t return it, looking around embarrassed. But after seeing the way his expression dropped when Katara treated him with the minimum amount of respect you felt guilt creeping in your lungs. Yes, he hurt you but he also tried to make it up to all of the team; he deserved at least some words from you.

When you approached him it was evening, he was arranging his sleeping bag close enough to feel the warmth of the fire you had just lit but farther from the others; seeing him so isolated made you feel sorry, reminding you of the way he struggled to make friends in the absence of his mother when he was little. «Hey», you whispered, making his head whip around to see you standing just a few feet away from him, and the way his eyes widened sent your heart on a racing speed. «O-oh, good morni-evening, I-I mean hi, hey», his cheeks shifted from his usual pale color to a soft pink and, by the end of his awkward greeting, a bright red that made you grin in amusement. He was even shyer than five years ago. And so cute.

«Hi», you repeated, taking a step forward, as you kept fiddling with your fingers «Listen, I think you deserve a thank you, for you know… saving us». His smile was softer this time, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth when you got close enough to take a seat next to him; even if his skin was burning in shame he couldn’t stop looking at you, speaking with timid tone «It’s okay. I was the one putting you in danger in the first place, it was the bare minimum from me-» «If you’re trying to make me admit you weren’t a jerk, then it’s not working» But you were grinning and he even let out a low chuckle. And you’ve gone on and on, talking to each other and joking and laughing and smiling. You two were so invested in each other that when Sokka screamed your names for dinner neither of you heard him.

«Are you done, lovebirds?», the boy asked again, this getting your attention and all the air from your lungs at the nickname «What?!» «D-Don’t call us that!», you both stuttered at the same time, with faces set aflame. Toph snickered from right next to Sokka, having heard the smell of fools-ready-to-be-humiliated from miles away, you instantly froze when you saw her smirking lips part to speak. «Yeah? Well, tell Zuko. His heart is giving me headache» The two benders were sure they had never seen two people take two different directions in such a rush.

‘Thanks to the spirits Y/N is not here. Who knows when the teasing would end…’, Zuko thought looking down at the Boiling Rock’s prisoner uniform he was wearing. But what the girl would have paid more attention to would surely have been the furious looking ex-girlfriend in front of the firebender. He just needed the right signal from Sokka and Suki. Just the right signal… «It’s for her, isn’t it?», Mai’s voice was lower, trying to hide the hint of hurt behind, but it didn’t go unnoticed by the boy «You left me like this for her…». «I… I don’t understand. Her?» «Y/N. You started getting weird as soon as Azula brought you back, without her. Just stop lying and tell me if you betrayed your nation for another traitor».

Zuko couldn’t restrain himself, getting up with fists tightened at his sides «She’s not a traitor. And you know exactly that my decision wasn’t just impulsive». He tried to not sound too aggressive, looking at the way Mai refused to meet his eyes during this discussion; he scratched the back of his neck, going back to were he sat while she scolded him just a few minutes ago. «I’m not a stupid Mai. I really care about you, you know that», the girl couldn’t find a way to retort without feeling a pang of guilty «And you have to believe me if I say that I left because I thought that was the right thing»

«That’s not the only thing I was talking about, idiot», she muttered, rolling her eyes when she saw him open his mouth to answer back «I got it some time ago, you don’t need to make up excuses». Zuko looked at her with a frown, an expression too stupid to be of feigned confusion «Are you serious?», the girl asked raising her eyebrows after a few seconds of silence «You really don’t» «What are you talking about?» «Spirits, you’re so dumb…» «Hey! I’m not-» They were interrupted by a guard reaching for the door in a rush, voice laced with exhaustion «Ma’am, there’s a riot going on, I’m here to protect you!». ‘Here’s the right signal’

In the following days it was not uncommon for Zuko to rethink what Mai had said to him at the Boiling Rock; most of the times they were fleeting thoughts as he talked to the others or prepared some tea, but the others, the most difficult to shoo away, would pop out of nowhere during the most inopportune and embarrassing moments. Once, during training with Aang, you were getting ready to switch with him, tying your hair into a high ponytail while turning around, the movements let your crop top rise even more as the skirt fluttered around your thighs, making the arching of your back’s curve enough distracting to make Zuko freeze on the spot and get an accidental kick from Aang. Little did he know you were turned around just to spare yourself the pain of having to stare at his toned and very very very naked chest.

Another time the firebender was busy lighting the fire while Sokka and Toph were fighting over the last supply of dried meat. «Hey», you called him, struggling to keep balanced between your arms some branches «Need a recharge?» You talked to him with such a sweet tone that he almost forgot he wasn’t at the palace anymore, when you were no more than ten years ago; and he found himself contaminated by your kindness, looking down at you with the same soft gaze you always reserved for him. «Thank you», he whispered smiling, helping you to set down the branches. You didn’t know what happened, but your now free hand seemed to move on its own, and you caressed his hair the moment he knelt to stock the fire.

For Zuko, who was currently trying to hide his rosy cheeks from you and whose mind was occupied by the now omnipresent dialogue with Mai, it was the final blow. The feeling of your fingers combing his locks caused a short circuit in his head and his lips parted, letting out a low, but loud enough to be heard, sigh. You froze. He froze. Even the fire died with a puff. «I-I-I…» «Oh, well, uh-» «S-Sorry..» «No… I mean yes! I m-mean…» «It was just… You know…» «Yes of course! Just a…» «A nothing» «Yes nothing»

«Guys! We need more fooooood!» You closed your eyes in gratitude ‘Sokka my savior’ ‘Thanks the spirit for that dumb guy’, Zuko thought at the same time, hiding his expression even when you walked away, face leaning forward as he relighting the fight.

And then there was the last time. A night, right after everyone had gone to sleep, while Zuko fulfilled his guard shift you found yourself tossing and turning in bed, anguish for the upcoming fight and the stress of training prevented you from falling asleep. With a frustrated groan you pulled the covers off your body, stepping out of the tent careful not to wake Suki, gladly welcoming the cool air against your skin; you caught a glimpse of Zuko sitting on a log on your now extinguished fire. After the extremely embarrassing hair caressing session of the other day you couldn’t find the strength to be alone with him, too scared to say or do something really stupid; but you two have been separated for so long that you simply could not stop from automatically walking in his direction. The slightly damp grass creaked slightly under your feet, until it signaled your presence to the boy. If Toph had been awake she would’ve already taken the opportunity to make a few jokes about the increased rhythm of your heart as soon as you met golden eyes.

«Couldn’t sleep?», he asked, shifting a bit to the right to make space for you. ‘Spirits, he’s so damn cute’ «Yeah», you answered in a hushed tone after taking a seat next to him, scolding yourself for being victim of your own mind. «I’m just…» «Scared». You looked at him, he was playing with a small flame spiraling through his fingers, his expression serious and somewhat… sad? «I feel the same», the little flame was gone and his eyes met yours again, lips bended a sympathetic smile «I’ve never been this scared» «Zuko…» «Don’t»

Your chest tightened at the way he was clearly trying to avoid the subject, he was going to fight his sister, his father, his home. You had left these ideals behind you quite some time ago but him… he suffered more, he fought more, against others and against himself. And now he didn’t even have time to process the change that was immediately about to be thrown back into a struggle with his pat. How could you leave him like this, tormented and alone? «Maybe you should-» «Please Y/N», his tone was trembling and he gripped the log’s edge with a shaking hand «I can’t now, I can’t, I can-» «Hey, hey. Okay, it’s alright», you took his hand, squeezing it in both yours and trying to stop his quivering «We won’t talk about it now» You felt another pang in your heart when the boy murmured a faint “Thank you”, managing to respond only with a simple nod.

But neither of you could endure the silence for long, full with unspoken words. Zuko was the first to speak. «What about you? Ever been this scared?» Your grip on his hand wavered, until it slipped away from yours and the boy immediately missed your warmth, «Yes. When Azula found out about my bending», you quickly added, seeing the questioning look on his face. «That’s when you came to work at the palace…», he said, talking more with himself than to you «You were unhappy and I didn’t take care of you as I should have…» «Zuko. It’s thanks to you if I didn’t end up in the army» «It’s also thanks to me if you ended up working for my father» «Better than the army», you whispered. Your gaze remained on the ash that the breeze moved among the scorched branches.

«In that way I was with you, Iroh was also there sometimes and this will seem absurd but I never found the courage to fight back until I ended up under the eyes of the Fire Lord». His features creased in an amused smirk, eyes rolling to the side «Yeah… all that mysterious blindfolded girl stunt» «Hey! You had the Blue Spirit, I had-» «The Blindfolded-Hooded-Woman?» «Ah ah, very funny», you snorted, but his chuckle didn’t stop and you weren’t sure you wanted it to stop.

«However, while everybody knew you were the Blue Spirit no one recognized me until I came to save your ass from Azula. I also had to bandage my forearms after getting my tattoo and you seriously have no idea how uncomfortable it is to bend with gauze covering most of your arms», you two weren’t even trying to contain your burst of laughter «Maybe for noobs like you» «If you really want to, I’ll kick you and see how noob I am» «Dream as you want». Your chuckles continued for a few moments, toning down slightly only when neither of you could argue anymore.

You bit your lower lip when you met his gaze, the eyes of both did not seem willing to separate from each other; there was something that pulled you towards him, something that had really made you understand how much the child who hid behind his mother’s legs had really grown, in every sense. There had always been something, a little something, that kept you tied to him but never before had it been tangible.

But Zuko broke the contact, looking down at your forearm to steal a glance of your tattoo. You didn’t even noticed he had moved his hand in your direction until his fingertips had gently brushed against your skin, making you shiver under your breath. «I never asked you what it meant», he whispered, and luckily for you he didn’t look up, not seeing the way you blushed at the mixture of his touches and words.

But when you answered your voice was surprisingly calm, «It doesn’t have one», you said «It was just… out of rebellion. Against my father, against Ozai, against the nobles I had to protect…» Zuko knew he should’ve had listened to you, you were confiding in him after a long time and he was finally able to really understand what you were saying; but he could not help it, his conversation with Mai suddenly returned to cloud his mind. He watched you speak, smile, move, without really getting your words, but he didn’t need those.

«Y/N», he called for you, too softly for you to hear «Now that I think about it, it can also be against Azula since I finally managed to do something transgressive…» «Y/N» «And she also said that I-» «Y/N!» «What?» «I want to kiss you»

And he did. Before you could say or do something to make him regret and ask Toph to bury him alive. He did it because he didn’t miss the sparkle that passed over your surprised eyes; so he leaned forward and brought his lips on yours. Everything happened so quickly that you didn’t even had time to think about what he had just said that he was already doing it. And Spirits if you didn’t want him to stop.

His kiss was soft, a barely perceptible movement of his lips which you responded to. When he started to distance himself you immediately leaned forward, refusing to let him go already, chasing the contact. You felt him smile in the kiss as he cupped your cheek in his palm, his touch was slightly trembling from fear and excitement. It was a tender kiss, a tenderness that you knew had always been and would always be there only with him. When you parted there was no need to say anything, it came natural for both of you to just smile without a word as you leaned your head against his chest while Zuko gently stroked your shoulder. After his date with Jin it became rare for you to stop and think about what could have happened with the boy, when he chose Azula those thoughts became mere remains of anger and resentment that encouraged you to fight at Aang’s side; when he betrayed the Fire Nation instead you never really realized the turn that your relationship could finally take, as if everything had returned to the starting point between embarrassed looks and skipped heartbeats.

«You know…», you were the first to speak and he gently squeezed your shoulder, showing that he was listening «Right after the battle in the Crystal Catacombs I thought that I’ve lost you» He groaned «I’ve been such an idiot» «But you’re here now, you proved yourself what the extraordinary leader you can be. And I’m so proud of you Zuko». His smile grew and this time you leaned in at the same time. That night you slept in his tent and he didn’t linger indecisively with his hand over your hips, but he wrapped both his arms around them and held you tightly against his chest while you both drifted to sleep.

The next morning it would have been very embarrassing to explain the situation when Sokka came to wake up the firebender.

Thank you so much for reading this final part! This is the end of the story but I have some bonus chapters in mind (even little drabbles). Let me know if you would like to read them! :)

#avatar x reader #avatar zuko #zuko fanfic #zuko avatar #prince zuko #fire lord zuko #zuko x y/n #zuko x you #avatar x you #avatar aang #avatar the last airbender #atla #zuko x reader #zuko angst

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balanceoflightanddark · 11 months

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How do you think the Gaang would react if Iroh was forced to face a war crimes tribunal for his actions during the war, particularly his actions during the Siege of Ba Sing Se?

Hmmm. Now THIS is an interesting question, particularly because what the Gaang sees of Iroh might not mesh well with what the world sees of Iroh. Zuko would probably fight tooth and nail to get Iroh out. Obviously. That's-that's in the character's DNA. Aang and Toph both had a heart-to-heart with Iroh, so they might not necessarily know him all too well from his "Dragon of the West" days. As for Katara and Sokka, they'd probably be the only ones who would be on the fence initially since they didn't really have too many good experiences with Iroh personally (aside from the "always did the right thing" from Katara bullshit), but I could see them being convinced by Aang since he was mostly right about Zuko's capability to turn over a new leaf. So as a whole, they'd probably be aghast at the idea of Iroh being put on a tribunal. Probably would argue that him freeing Ba Sing Se during Sozin's Comet should speak to his character.

Here's where things would get murky. They're not gonna have a war crime tribunal unless they find people to testify against Iroh. And Iroh HAD hurt a lot of people, particularly in the grueling 600 Days at Ba Sing Se. Sieges are by their very nature, nasty conflicts. Particularly since the zone they occupied was the Agrarian ring, which would've cut off both soldiers AND civilians from food since...well, that's how a siege works. Cutting off the city's food supply. While we don't have exact details, we also know that in general, Fire Nation military leaders don't have a lot of concern for civilian livelihood and there's nothing suggesting that Iroh would've been any different from this point in his life. So I could imagine there being a slew of civilians from Ba Sing Se and beyond, as well as Earth Kingdom soldiers reading a laundry list of what Iroh pulled.

Now comes the big question: with this in mind, would the Gaang still support Iroh? Sure, maybe Aang and Zuko since they're firm believers in second chances. But what about Sokka or Katara who didn't know Iroh personally like they did, but did know how bad the war affected the Southern Water Tribe and thus could sympathize with those Iroh hurt? Toph I can see being the most torn of all since while she would acknowledge that Iroh is not some monster, she also didn't think too highly of the Fire Nation as a whole. Remember, she was the one who thought they were all evil from birth (at least initially) and advocated for Ozai's death along with the other members of the Gaang. This is a hotbed for controversy amongst them all.

The only one I haven't mentioned yet though is Suki since I'm fairly certain she'd be dead set on Iroh seeing justice. Unlike Toph, Suki never really got to know Iroh and probably would've only had Zuko to vouche for him...you know. The guy that burned down her village. Besides that, she'd probably would've heard stories about the Dragon of the West and probably saw the full brunt of what the Fire Nation was doing in the Earth Kingdom since she and the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors were helping civilians getting out of harms way. Out of all of them, she'd probably be the biggest advocate for Iroh seeing justice. Which would put her at odds with Zuko, obviously. Though it would be an interesting position for the rest of the Gaang since Suki has been a trusted ally and since she'd be the biggest spokesperson for the Earth Kingdom among the team, her position would mean they can't just rule out Iroh walking.

I think the answer will boil down to whether or not they feel that justice is or is not due. Is there justice for punishing a man who regretted his ways? Would it be fair for the people he hurt to let him walk free? These are all pertinent and interesting questions not just for Iroh, but for the Fire Nation as a whole. Where does one draw the line at reconciliation and justice? Sure, the Fire Nation as a whole aren't irredeemable, but they hurt countless lives. Particularly those who stood to gain the most from it, like Ozai, Iroh, Azulon, or Sozin (not counting Azula or Zuko since...well they were kids and neither were initially in line for the throne). Now for me personally, I don't think Iroh had done enough to justify him walking free. But I'm not a character in the series and that's ultimately for the Gaang to decide.

#iroh #uncle iroh #iroh is not a saint #gaang #team avatar #zuko #aang #katara #sokka #toph #suki #atla #atla meta #anon ask #anon answered #ask me anything

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zukos-tiny-burnt-ear · 1 year

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Here we are! My version of the older gaang!

I'm gonna detail some of my thought processes below the cut

(Original for reference)

So for Aang, I had several gripes about his older version. The first and biggest one was that he looked wayyy to angular, so I softened up his feautures. Additionally, he's supposed to be about 23 in that drawing, and I mean, I thought he looked much much older than that (being 22 I think I have a little insight), so I tried to keep him a little uounger looking as well. Next problem was his clothes. To be perfectly fair I hated just about everything about them lol. Weird long-sleeve shirt under a vest/cape under a sash? It looked. Silly. I opted to keep his clothing similar to his Book 3 outfit, as I really liked it, and added his prayer beads(?), as well as a betrothal necklace! I feel by this point he and Katara would likely be married, and I liked the idea of Katara carving a necklace for Aang

For Katara, at first glance I didn't dislike her design, but then I looked at it closer. The short-sleeved shirt with the fur, implying that its made of quite a heavy and thick fabric sounds like a sensory nightmare. She appears to be wearing a shirt underneath, but the sleeves are clearly no longer than the topshirt, which seems. Weird and unnecessary. Skirt was okay, just a little boring, and she also is wearing pants underneath? So what I did was keep the general vibe, but made the top robe longer, and keep the bottom layer as just pants, trying to be more reminiscent of her old outfits. Gave the belt a little more ✨️pizazz✨️, and also gave her back her water pouch. I liked it, wanted her to have it. The last big change I did was I read up on Inuit tattoos, and decided to give her tattoos as well (Sokka was also originally going to get tattoos, but as it turns out the practice is almost done exclusively by woken and for women, so I decided against it)

Toph. I completely hated and have always hated the notion of her being a cop. It just. Doesn't really sit in line with her as a character imo. My other big gripe is they did nothing different to her hair! Anywho. So my biggest challenge was what would Toph actually do in the future? And I landed on pro-bending! I think she would have really enjoyed it, she'd get to Earthbend for a living (one of her favorite things), kick people's asses (another favorite thing), and make hella money (another favorite thing!) So I decided to put her in a pro-bending uniform, and try to imagine what early ones would look like (I figure she'd probably be one of the first pro-benders). Not much changed to be perfectly honest, aside from some coloring differences, more green trim denoting her as an Earthbender, rather than the neutral yellow/ reddish trim on the modern ones (also I realized only now that i covered her feet. Woops lol). I also chopped her hair short. I think she deserves it (eventually I'll get around to drawing a more up close version of her face/hair)

Zuko. Umm. His outfit baffles me. I cannot make any sense of it tbh. The shirt under the shoulder armor under the outer robe. The motorcycle-esque saddle bags. The skirt over the longer skirt. It all had to go lolol. I get that they were going for him being more like, adventure-ready/battle-ready, but he has a country to run! And is also trying to move away from the heavy militaristic/imperialistic image of said country. So I gave him a more relaxed, diplomatic looking outfit. Also. Where did his crown go? I put that back. He's the oldest of the groip, but still not quite 30. He's the only one that recieved any age lines, and it's just between his eyebrows (I imagine doing paperwork and sitting in meetings would make him furrow his brow a lot). Gave him the teeniest bit of facial hair, tbh I truly think the only one to grow reliable facial hair at this age range is Sokka lol

In my personal opinion, Sokka's original design is the best one. My least favorite part is probably the compression sleeve under the arm wraps, which seems redundant somehow. But overall not too bad! Still, I said I was gonna redesign them all, and I knew I could add a lil more sparkle to it. I wanted to take inspiration from Hakoda's outfits. Sokka really looks up to his dad, so I feel like modeling some of his clothing after him isn't a stretch at all. I also just personally believe that Sokka would wesr Uggs. So I've given him shoes similar to them lolol. Also gave him some facial hair starting to become similar to his dad's as well

#atla #avatar the last airbender #my art #art #zuko #aang #sokka #katara #toph #gaang redesign #ryn rambles #i had fun with this tbh #it just took a while to get the designs set #also remembered i do designing better in traditional art so i had a couple attempts digitally before #i just drew it in my sketchbook lol

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impossiblycolorfulpanda · 10 months

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Alternate ending of ATLA if there was a book 4: air, and Ozai was actually Vaatu, the dark avatar, a one-man team avatar, and the true instigator of Sozin's war:

Aang: Azula’s plan worked. Raava is now the spirit of darkness/chaos/yin as well as light/peace/yang, the spirit of balance itself. She can now also embody and control the sources of any/all bending.

Zuko: I don’t even know what to say.

Katara: You were incredible!

Toph: You pull off the craziest stunts.

Ty Lee: The way you turned all gigantic like that, wow! Just when we were losing, a miracle happened!

Mai: There’s never gonna be a dull moment with you, is there?

Sokka: Are the elemental spirits ok? Appa? Yue? My dad?

Aang: Yes. All souls that were absorbed, including Yue, Appa, and your dad, are now free and are going in peace. But I no longer draw power from the lion turtle spirits or elemental spirits, they all draw power from me.

Sokka: OK. Good. As long as they’re ok.

Suki holds onto Sokka’s arm and rests her head on his shoulder. Cut to Aang and Azula at the northern portal.

Azula: Now that you’ve reconnected with Raava, have you also regained your past lives?

Aang: No. That link is gone forever. I am now the first Avatar in a new line of Avatars.

Azula: You don’t say. Let’s just close the portals and call it a day.

Aang: (Reaches for the portal but stops and hesitates) Maybe I shouldn’t.

Azula: What makes you say that?

Aang: I think with the spirit portals opened, it’ll restore the ancient balance between our world and that of the spirits and it’ll help eliminate the illusion of separation that divided us for so long. Appa’s physical body may be dead but I can still sense his spirit. Iroh’s spirit is here too. Everyone we’ve ever loved and lost. What do you think?

Azula: You’re the avatar, this is your type of situation, whatever your decision is, I’ll support you.

Aang looks at the portal and smiles. Cut to the rest of the gang gathering together in front of the third middle portal. They all collapse in exhaustion. Zuko and Katara held on to each other, Sokka and Suki did the same thing as well as Aang and Azula.

Zuko: I can’t believe a year ago me and my sister’s purposes in life were competing against each other and hunting you down. And now…

Aang: And now we’re all getting along.

Zuko: Yeah…we are.

Aang: I can’t believe a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice. The world’s so different now.

Zuko: Yeah…

Katara: The fight is finally over. But how long will this peace last? So much chaos and death have happened. I can’t help but feel like we’re the only ones left.

Azula: (To Aang) Hippie, what do you think? Are we the last ones alive?

Aang entered the avatar state and put his hand on the ground. After a few moments, he went back out of the avatar state.

Aang: No. Less than 50% of all living creatures in the physical world manage to survive but they’re all headless. All of their homes and establishments have been destroyed. No nations to govern them. No rulers to lead them. Every member of the white lotus and the original benders are all still dead.

Azula: That’s where we come in. We’re the only ones left alive who know the goals of the white lotus, so it’s up to us to complete them. The white lotus and the original benders shall be reborn through us. (To Aang) Any bright plans that you would like to share regarding that?

Aang: Even though we should learn from those who came before us, we must also forge our own path. So, as we rebuild, we should announce that we are bringing back the era of energybending and give everyone a choice to bend more than one element like me, I'll continue to be the avatar only because of my avatar spirit. This may blur up the avatar cycle but the avatar being able to reincarnate at all is good enough for me. The portals will also remain open, which means I will no longer be the bridge between the two worlds. Humans, spirits, benders, non-benders, nations, and elements will all learn to live together as one, with all of us leading them. Things will never be the same again, we are entering a new age.

Everyone nods and stands back up. They all look at the third portal. Pan to the sky, which is filled with spirits. All are flying and dancing in the sky.

#atla #aang #azula #zuko #katara #sokka #suki #ty lee #mai #toph #zutara #azulaang #raava #vaatu #ozai #dark avatar #atla book 4 air #energybending #team avatar

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juniperhillpatient · 2 years

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Bitter Work Re-Watch

This is a fantastic episode not just because we learn more about earth-bending, but because we learn more about all the elements through Iroh's lessons with Zuko. Toph teaching Aang earth-bending & Iroh attempting to teach Zuko lightning-bending allowed the show to continue to lean into the theme of Aang & Zuko's journeys paralleling one another. (The show said Zukaang rights yet again!)

Toph already revealed herself to be a little bratty & selfish last episode when she was unwilling to help with chores & in this episode, she showed that brash asshole side that I associate most strongly with her character. These aren't insults btw, I was delighted by the new splash of personality that Toph brought to the show on my first viewing, & I feel that way again re-watching. Toph is a very entertaining character. Her bluntness, pushiness, & delight in violence & chaos make her fun. But, if it ended there, she'd be an ultimately funny cartoon character but not a compelling or complex character among the other nuanced characters of ATLA. Luckily, it does not end there, or I don't think it does. Why does Toph behave the way she does in this episode? What's making her boss Aang around & insult him & push him to his limits? The obvious answer is to force him to face things head-on with his feet on the ground so he can become a strong earth-bender. However, I do think there's more to it.

The previous couple of episodes illustrate that Toph is always treated as weak & helpless & she hates it. In 'The Blind Bandit,' Toph's earth-bending teacher, Yu, insists on keeping her at the basic level & is shocked when she shows talent. In 'The Chase,' Toph says this to Iroh: "People see me and think I'm weak. They want to take care of me, but I can take care of myself, by myself." In 'Bitter Work,' Toph says this to Aang when he messes up: "Yeah, you are sorry! If you're not tough enough to stop the rock, then you can at least give it the pleasure of smashing you instead of jumping out of the way like a jelly-boned wimp! Now, do you have what it takes to face that rock like an earth-bender?" (I'm also convinced that later when she calls him a "pushover" that's the censored version. We all know she called him something else that starts with "pus" offscreen lol.)

What I'm trying to say is - Toph treats Aang with her own form of respect. Toph is used to being coddled & treated as weak, so teaching Aang without any of that is her way of showing him respect - I'm not saying it's nice, or that anyone would enjoy that teaching method in real life, but I don't think it comes purely from a mean-spirited place. And she did, in the end, compliment him & cheer him on. There is something to be said for people who only cheer you on & compliment you when it's truly deserved tbh, I've always thought so.

I don't have much to say about Aang or Katara in this episode because there's not much to deep-dive into or overanalyze. Aang's reasons for struggling with earth-bending are pretty obvious & self-explanatory & obviously, Katara is going to worry about her friend being mistreated. I also don't have much to say about Sokka other than that the saber-toothed-moose lion was cute but I'm tired of the "Sokka is always the butt of the joke" theme this season. Sokka got a lot of development & badass moments last season & so far he hasn't gotten to do much other than B-plot goofiness this season, which is a bit disappointing.

Iroh & Zuko's scenes in this episode were some of my favorites from them so far. Iroh saying "good" about Zuko's tea while clearly dramatically choking & Zuko's cute little smile when he said "I hope I made it the way you like it" -- that was a great scene. It was funny but also genuinely touching after their time apart. Also, I loved Iroh's discussion of the four elements.

I think that this quote right here is pretty much integral to the entire show:

Fire is the element of power. [Draws the firebending insignia in the dirt.] The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy to drive and achieve what they want. Earth is the element of substance. [Draws the earthbending insignia.] The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring. Air is the element of freedom. [Draws the airbending insignia.] The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparently had pretty good senses of humor! [Smiles broadly but returns to a more serious demeanor when Zuko doesn't react at all.] Water is the element of change. [Draws the waterbending insignia.] The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything.

I really enjoy the discussion of all the different elements & what they bring to the table.

Zuko wants to learn lightning bending in case he has to face Azula again. I can no longer find the post that I'm thinking of, but I read a meta once forever ago about how important it was thematically that Iroh actually taught Zuko to redirect lightning rather than create it in the context of his narrative journey away from the Fire Nation & his toxic family. I wish I could just find the post because it went into more detail, but I thought that was an interesting way of looking at it.

Anyway, the last thing I'll say is that Zuko running off to find lightning, in the end, is pretty depressing. The memes about how Zuko runs into a storm & yells at God to strike him down are darkly funny to a point but also in the context of the actual episode....oof. Also, ouch for Iroh. He just had a flashback about his only son who died & then the person he sees as a son in the present asked him to shoot lightning at him. That's....ow.

"You've always thrown everything you could at me! Well, I can take it, and now I can give it back! [Yelling as loud as he can at the storm.] Come on, strike me! You've never held back before!"

I don't know, that's pretty fucking sad. Zuko literally feels like the universe is out to get him, & why shouldn't he? His entire life so far has been about being abandoned & unwanted. I just....ouch.

On a lighter note.

Funny fact: I remember the first time that I watched this episode, I was super confused about what Zuko's actual goal was & I thought that he was literally looking for Azula & it was her that he was yelling at, not the universe. I was so confused about how he thought she could hear him. I have no idea why I took it so literally upon first viewing (I didn't watch this show as a kid btw, this was as an adult) but I did & I was just sitting there like "she's literally probably super far away maybe even asleep & definitely not outside in the storm, babe..." I have no idea what was wrong with me but it's still so funny to me that I thought that. I was so stuck on it afterward too & I tried to talk to my family about it & they were like "girl....I think he was yelling at God not Azula..." & I was like "what? no." It took them forever to make me realize I was being an idiot xD

Oh yes, Iconic Behavior points for this episode: Toph gets 1000 for teaching Aang earth-bending. Aang gets 500 for finally learning, even if it took him forever. Sorry but Katara & Sokka didn't get to do much this episode, so none for them. Zuko gets 1000 for yelling at God to kill him. I'm too lazy to add up points for the season right now but Toph & Zuko made some major strides toward catching up with Azula (don't worry guys, this is me, no one will even come remotely close to competing with her highness for the winner.)

#atla re watch #atla book 2 #bitter work #ids in alt text

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stars-and-darkness · 1 year

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many thanks to @garglyswoof & @morningstargirl666 for tagging me in this game. the rules are to repost an older fic, so i’m gonna share the funniest thing i ever wrote in my life:

I Choose Dare

An ode to how Aang, under the power of a mighty temptress, was forced to grow a beard.

Oh, and the birth of his first child, too, he supposes.

tagging anyone who wants in <3

What international peace summits include for most of people is a lot of arguing, too much pomp, enough politics to make one's head ache, a needless amount of balls and banquets ... the list is both endless and ever-expanding.

What international peace summits include for the six of them is finally reconvening after far too long separated, tearful hugs, and doing activities very few outsiders could imagine the people of their status and influence doing; pranking dignitaries, playing board games, sparring, or, as they were doing now--playing Truth or Dare.

It was Sokka's idea. Well, the alcohol was Toph's, after she reminded them that the reason they haven't played the game in so long was because dares like kiss x person and truths like who do you have a crush on? lost their charm when they all started dating and/or marrying each other. She thought booze might spice things up, so what, sue her!

The kids were all asleep, it was the last day of the summit, all important decisions were made. People being hungover tomorrow morning wouldn't change anything!

Her friends, being her friends, had to ruin it of course.

Fangirl failed her first. She didn't say anything, but as the night progressed, she made it perfectly clear she wasn't getting drunk.

Sweetness only had a small shot glass. She said it was because someone needed to stay sober and responsible. Boooo sobriety and responsibility!

Sparky outright refused to drink. As a reason for this travesty, he named his young twins, which was just a hit below the belt, but Toph saw right through him. He just didn't want to draw attention to the fact that he was a first class lightweight.

Only Sokka and Aang stayed in her corner.

A few rounds of the game passed with relative ease, until the bottle (a fine firewhiskey Sparky gifted her for her twenty-sixth birthday, now empty through the united efforts of Fan Girl, Sweetness, Snoozles, Twinkles and herself) landed on her ... and Aang.

Twinkles's heartbeat spiked. Toph felt great satisfaction at the fact that, in the fourteen years since they'd met, she'd trained her boyfriend well enough to have him anticipate he was about to be wrecked.

"Twinkles, my love," she said, in an unbearably sweet voice, "truth or dare?"

She felt him swallow. "Dare."

The grin that spread her lips truly was terrifying. "So you chose dare."

"I did."

"I dare you," her smile widened, "to grow a beard."

"Toph ..."

"A beard," she continued. No one else dared breathe.

Aang gulped again. "When ... when can I shave it?"

She grinned again. "Who said anything about ever?"

"Toph, please," he whispered, weak. "Please."

"All right." She wrecked her brain for an idea. Long ago, when she was a kid, her governess would read fairy tales to her every night before bed.

Inspiration struck.

When she spoke again, it was in a throaty, mystic voice. "You may free yourself of this curse with the birth of your first child," she announced. "Should you attempt to rid yourself of the beard sooner, you will have wrought upon yourself the fury of the Greatest Eartbender in the World."

No pleas would rescind her judgement. No amount of begging, groveling, scraping.

Toph Beifong was unmoved.

"Avatar Aang!" said King Chinou, the squinty-eyed monarch of a minor Earth Kingom city-state. "Your appearance is ... unexpected."

Aang wished he could say the king meant his arrival was unexpected; that would let him pretend for just a while longer. But Chinou had invited the Avatar himself, and therefore there was no confusion about what he meant.

It was Aang's physical appearance that was so off-putting. The abomination on his face has been there for months now, and everywhere he went, the reaction was the same. People stared. People laughed, and then pretended they weren't laughing, because who would dare to make fun of the Avatar, right?

Toph-monkey-feathering-Beifong, that's who!

(Spirits above, he loved her.)

He resisted the urge to scratch at his chin. The terrible thing was awful and hot and itchy. No one in their right mind would ever voluntarily have one.

He gave King Chinou a neutral look. "What is the reason you've summoned me, Majesty?"

The king snapped out of his trance soon enough, and the work began.

Three days later, after an oddly tense dispute between two rival merchants of cabbage was settled, Aang all but collapsed into bed.

He and Toph didn't exactly have a permanent address. He was a nomad, after all, and Toph wasn't particularly attached to any single space. They lived everywhere: the Air Temples, her metalbending academy, random inns all over the world, the Fire Palace, Sokka and Suki's house ... wherever they found themselves. This particular lodging was an outpost of the Beifong family.

Yeah, Aang thought, fingering the satin sheets under him, it shows.

"How was the lovely King Chinou?" Toph asked. He could hear the grin in her voice.

Chinou may or may not have banished her from his territory after she called him a spineless fuck-faced beetle-tapeworm.

The context, she'd impassionately tell him every time he tried to pull the story out of her, didn't matter.

Aang let out a long groan. Toph chuckled.

"He had me settle a dispute between two cabbage merchants. And one of then just kept giving me a side-eye, like I'd killed his mother or something!"

"Well, I have some good news for you then," she said, turning onto her side and promting him to face her.

"Oh?"

"Oh, yeah," she said. "You'll finally be allowed to shave that abomination off your chin."

"Urk?" He didn't recognize the sound he made. "So ... you changed your mind?"

"Well ... not quite yet. In nine months."

Aang frowned. "You'll ... change your mind in nine months?"

Toph rolled her eyes. Sokka taught her to do that a few years ago, and she hasn't stopped since.

"No, Twinkles, I'm fucking pregnant."

Aang sat up. "Are you messing with me, T? Because I honestly can't tell."

Toph rolled her eyes again. Her hair, silky and inky black, was unbound, spilling down the pillow. Her sleep clothes were his own clothes, so loose on her small form it seemed she would slip out of them at any moment.

She reached up and took a hold of his hand, pressing it to her abdomen.

Aang didn't hesitate to call some water to himself from the vase on his nightstand. He never had Katara's talent at healing (or any other part of waterbending, really), but as the water beneath his palm glowed and he could feel a small, impossibly small, heartbeat.

There was a baby in there.

His baby, their baby, their own baby, to cherish and love and protect.

His throat was closed up. He couldn't say a word. But then Toph's small hand squeezed his, and he knew no words were necessary.

After several hours and many death threats, most of which had been directed at Aang himself, the tiny little Gyatso Beifong came into the world.

He really was minuscule, with his Dad's steel-grey eyes and a tuft of his Mum's inky-black hair atop his otherwise bald head. He had two eyes, two ears, one nose, ten fingers and ten toes. Aang should know. He'd counted them all, over and over again.

He'd seen babies before--there was Hope, back in the Serpent's pass, a multitude of newborns and toddlers whose parents sought the Avatar's blessing, and, in the recent years, his friends' own children.

But, watching the sleeping bundle in his arms, a bundle that had been screaming relentlessly up until half an hour ago, and Aang took him into his arms and out onto the balcony, he decided he'd never really seen a baby before, because surely this absolutely flawless, perfect, tiny human being was the standard to which all other babies aspired.

Toph was asleep in the bedroom just beyond the balcony doors. All those death threats were exhausting business, after all. Oh, and childbirth too, he supposed.

"Hello, Gyatso," he whispered, tickling his finger over the baby's stomach. The giggle that burst out of his mouth melted Aang's heart. "Who's the cutest boy ever? You are!"

Gyatso didn't answer verbally; he was, after all, just a newborn.

"And I am so, so glad to finally meet you! Yes I am! Yes I am!" Truly, Gyatso's laugh must've been the purest, most perfect sound in the world. "And not only because I can now finally shave this monstrosity off."

#atla #taang #tag game #ella writes #ella originals #I Choose Dare

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kigozula · 2 years

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Where you are, there I am - Sokkla Saturdays 2022

Day 3: Anniversary

You can also read here & here

The sun was starting to set in ember island. Although the weather was pretty warm still, a soft breeze caused for pleasant chill on their skin. The beach was empty except for two royals and their friend.

"The rules are simple: Search the beach and one hundred meters around the new royal family house. Getting help isn't allowed. Look for your gifts on your own you losers!" Toph explained.

Azula and Sokka faced each other, showing their confidence through their smirks and burning looks. They couldn't wait for their search to begin.

"When you find your gifts, take them to you small beach house, meet each other there and ... whatever ... what comes later doesn’t interest me." Toph continued, trying not to think about the activities the lovers would most likely get into later.

"In honor to celebrate your first anniversary as a married couple, who keep falling and falling for each other since the day they met: Ready, set, go!"

With that, Azula and Sokka started to run. Toph throw herself to the ground and chilled on the beach.

Despite trying hard, Azula still hadn't an idea of what her gift could be. But she knew for sure where it waited for her...

Sokka was also sure that his wife hid his gift in their house. Even if the location was easy, he still needed to find which place exactly his clever lover hid his gift.

First he went to the kitchen. Azula might have joked because it is one of his favorite places. He looked everywhere but nothing in sight. An idea struck his mind suddenly.

Slightly blushing, he climbed up the stairs to their bedroom. His feet walked him to his bedside on their own accord. Opening the blanket, he saw the item. Eyes wide he took his in his hand and brushed it with his thumb. A knot formed in his throat.

Weeks before they married, he made Azula a betrothal necklace. It was a tradition of the northern water tribe, but people in the southern water tribe started following said tradition as well. Sokka made Azula one with a blue ribbon and a stone in the color of rose gold, symbolizing not only the water tribe but the fire nation as well.

She had joked that he needed one too. Now she had made him a bracelet by the same colors with her beautiful slender hands.

"Azula" he whispered. Slight tears forming in his eyes.

..........................................................................................................

This house was only made for them. It’s where they spent their first vacation. Their first time as a married couple.

And the terrace floor was one of the places where they spent a lot of time. Romantic meals, stargazing, talking, kissing, and cuddling. When they got tired Sokka carried her into their bedroom almost every day.

As she expected, a packed item was laying on the table. She smiled at that. Ripping it open, she was astonished. It was a drawing of them both and it looked exceptionally good. When did her lover became so good at drawing?

Her face wore the softest look ever.

"Do you like it?"

She turned at her husband’s voice she liked so much. He was standing behind her. Tall and strong. Handsome and just wonderful. He was admiring her dark waves of hair and bare shoulders as he often did.

His hand was wrapped around the bracelet she made for him.

Azula smiled and looked up to meet his tender eyes. This was the look he only gave her and no one else.

"It is unexpectedly good." she answered.

Sokka gave a soft chuckle.

Azula learned not to joke about his drawing skills. She saw over time how enthusiastic he was.

"I really do like it Sokka. I would even go far and say I am pretty impressed!" Azula said. "How long were you preparing this?"

"You brother is good at drawing. I didn't believe him in the beginning but then he was convinced to prove me otherwise. He helped me practicing." Sokka answered.

"Look at Zuzu" Azula said smirking.

"First I only wanted to draw you. But then I remembered: Where you are, there I am." he finished with a grand and proud smile.

Azula stood up and gave him a hug which he returned with the same enthusiasm.

"And?" she asked pulling away "Do you like your gift?"

"I love it Azula!" he answered. "It's the best idea ever!"

He opened his palm. "Will you tie it around my wrist?"

She smirked "Of course I will lover.”

After the bracelet was tied never to be removed again they shared a deep and long kiss. Lips still touching, they whispered a happy anniversary.

Sokka scooped her up in his arms without breaking the kiss.

"Wait, the picture." Azula whispered. He lowered her so that she could pick up the painting. Afterwards he climbed up the stairs with her in his strong arms and went inside the bedroom, where one more passionate night out of millions awaited them.

#sokkla #sokkla saturdays 2022 #sokka #azula #screencaps:piandao #*sighs*#just love them so much

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sinvulkt · 2 years

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Peppers and Punches by NaiyaDyani

When Zuko was young, his older cousin was his best friend. Now, years later, he runs into someone similar--a smiling face, a prankster, a kind soul.

The only problem? He's on the Avatar's team. That, and he cracks jokes worse than Uncle's.

A story in which Zuko gets sick around "Zuko Alone" time and ends up in the Gaang's care, against his will. Katara and Aang are wary. Sokka loves having a captive audience for his puns. And Toph. . . well, she's sensing something more to this angry firebender. Cue Zuko-does-not-like-the-depths-of-his-soul-being-pried-out-thank-you and eventual Ultimate Siblings. Ongoing, 14k words.

*** ** * ** ***

Chap 2:

“NOTHING!” Sokka insists, waving his arms. “What is with you guys? It’s not like I’M the one constantly getting into trouble!”

“Two fishhooks in one finger?” Katara says, raising an eyebrow.

“That was years ago!”

“Getting stuck in the ground with a mama saber-tooth moose lion after you?” Toph supplies helpfully.

“That wasn’t my fault!”

“Okay, okay,” Aang says, holding up his hands as he walks over. “No one’s saying you did anything, Sokka—”

“Actually, everyone is,” Toph interjects.

“—so why don’t you just tell us what’s going on?” Aang finishes, ignoring her.

“Well. . .” Sokka draws out the word a little too long to give Katara any sense of comfort. “You see, I might have found Prince Zuko unconscious in the bushes?”

“You WHAT?”

#atla #avatar #avatar the last airbender #zuko #atla fanfic #atla incorrect quotes #atla fic rec #incorrect atla quotes #zuko is an awkward tutleduck #fragments of imagination #ao3 #fic rec #fanfic snippet

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novaae · 8 months

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I would respect the decision to give Bumi bending if the show runners didn’t undercut a bunch of major things their characters do. A few examples being Korra fighting so hard to access her past lives only for them to be ripped out of her forever (how to progress the ATLA universe after that??? The next guy only had Korra??). Lin sacrificing everything only for the air fam to get captured Off Camera. Toph being a cop and a dirty one at that. I don’t know who had creative reins on the show but they didn’t seem like they were putting much thought into things. Just throwing ideas at a dart board sometimes.

So that to me feels like they did it just to do it. Not to progress his character or the storyline. They threw spaghetti and we got Air Bending Bumi.

I will be honest anon I kind of don't care about other characters at all. Like I'm sorry that happened to them. Or congratulations I guess.

Everything has to be about Bumi or I will literally die.

Fun fact the only character I actively draw outside of otp is Mako..... The others are drawn on requests for friends or for gifts. So yeah.

LoK is a mess of a show but I got Bumi out of it so I'm glad for that.

Also about the last part, that's how I approach the Bumi to not go insane at how whitewashed his character is. Like. The spirits and the world threw spaghetti and him and now we get airbending Bumi, and he has to cope with it.

I just enjoy him in situations.

#rei answers #bumi ii #lok #anon

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fandomshatepeoplewdisabilities · 3 years

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Disabled Representation Has Come Farther Than You Think

You've Just Been Conditioned Not to See It.

I recently got into a huge fight with an abled friend about disabled representation, in which he was completely convinced that the stance he held was that of an ally. He's a long time friend of mine and I know he really did think he was fighting for us and coming from a place of trying to help us.

And it really got me thinking about the way abled people perceive disabled people. And how that message is internalised and reinforced in so many ways.

My friend was trying to say that characters like Cyborg, Misty knight, Daredevil, Toph, Edward Elric, Bucky, Nebula, etc were not good representation. And he at first refused to listen to me (an actual disabled person) when I was like; no, we like that. we love that. we LOVE seeing badass and competent and sexy disabled people. It's validating and empowering.

His argument was that it didn't really count because nobody saw them as disabled and that it would be the same thing as saying Gamora is black representation.

While I understand where he was coming from, both of us also being black, it was hard to get him to understand how it wasn't the same thing.

Gamora is a black actress painted green to portray a green-skinned alien. She has black features, yes, but within the narrative she very much is not a black woman. She's an alien.

But a disabled character is always still a disabled character. Regardless of how high tech or SciFi or magical or fantastical the world or universe is; an amputee with a prosthesis is still an amputee. They are still disabled. Yes, even if their prosthesis shoots lasers.

And other characters, like Toph and Daredevil, who are both blind, have superpowers/superhuman abilities that allow them to overcome their disability. That does not make them less disabled.

Their blindness still impacts their everyday lives. They can't read. They can't draw. They don't know what things or people look like, or what color things are. They can't read someone's facial expressions during a conversation. They can't follow a map without assistance.

When I asked my friend for examples of what he considered good disabled representation he said Professor X, Oracle, and the Thinker. And that made me pause and I won't lie, it upset me. It felt degrading. I got kind of angry at him and it got a little heated.

Because what he was saying is: the smart one in the wheelchair that never actually joins the battle because their body is too frail? Those are the only good disabled characters? The ones who still need to be protected and treated tenderly and are physically weaker?

Do we only exist when you can view us as some subhuman lesser other that you can take pity on?

But it's not only my friend who thinks this way.

I've seen quite a few arguments online about people who don't think Edward Elric is disabled, despite being an amputee.

Who don't think Cyborg is disabled, despite the fact that his entire power set is due to a life support and mobility aid device.

And my friend was shocked that I, and many other disabled people, find these depictions of strong and confident and capable disabled people empowering. He fully expected that I would find those depictions offensive.

And that's when it really hit me.

The issue is not that characters like Bucky or Toph or Daredevil are bad representations of disabled characters.

The issue is that people don't perceive them as disabled. They've internalized this belief that disabled people have to be weak and delicate and fragile and in some way physically inferior.

They're only considered disabled if they're tragic and/or weak. Or ugly. People love to project a tragic subhuman otherness onto disabled people who are ugly.

If they're cool and badass that confuses them. That doesn't fit with the narrative that's been built in their heads.

The idea of a competent, confidant, and strong disabled character, especially a cool disabled character is just so completely foreign to them that they don't even consider it.

Now I'm not saying that depictions of disabled characters like Oracle or professor X are bad or harmful. We need representation of disabled people who aren't strong and don't have superpowers and maybe don't feel particularly empowered. That's a genuine representation of many disabled people.

It just isn't the only one.

I think the issue with disabled representation is not that it doesn't exist (as I've seen many abled people online claim in our defense) but that we need to shift the way we think of disabled people so we stop overlooking a lot of the really cool and badass and awesome disabled characters we do already have.

So if you read this far through this essay, please stop for a moment and consider the preconceptions you have about disabled people.

Have you ever overlooked a disabled character because they were strong, powerful, charismatic, or, (God forbid!) SEXY?

And if so, I'd ask you to take some time to examine in yourself why you don't think of disabled people as being able to be those things.

Mod Izzy

#ableism #disabled representation

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