#toph is mentioned

[lilith-91]

Imo, atla has a bittersweet ending

Aang is sitting alone and wearing the air nomads clothes, his culture clothes, a necklace similar to GYATSO's necklace. I can't even imagine the emptiness and sadness he was feeling here

There are no airbenders in the crowd

All nation gathered..... except the air nomads.

No one else in the crowd wearing orange or yellow.

Aang won the war, but his people are still gone.

Yes, he has the Gaang, he has Katara, he has Momo and Appa. But he's still the last airbender.

This is so heartbreaking.

[crimson-constellations]

Spend the last week obsessing over moon spirit Sokka aus and ALSO working on my own designs cuz that’s just how I have fun soo LOOK AT MY BABY

+ some other doodles

[zukosbangtan]

one thing that really makes my eye twitch is when people pretend like suki isn't part of the gaang!! likeee we saw her early on in season 1 for the first time and she was a recurring character until she became a permanent and integral member of team avatar later on!! it's so sad when she's basically reduced to nothing but sokkas gf and ppl don't deem her important enough of a member and just exclude her from the group. and it's so weird bc not only was she already part of the group even before zuko, she also played a huge part in ending the war together with the gaang but people keep disregarding her and everything she's done which pisses me off so bad like omg.

what i'm trying to say is PUT SOME RESPECT ON MY GIRL SUKIS NAME!!!

[yourhighness6]

It's funny to me when people insist that "ATLA was really feminist" as if there wasn't really only one feminist message which was the very generic "girls can fight too" spiel that every 2000s show had going on whenever they briefly tried to jump on the feminism bandwagon or whatever

[demaparbat-hp]

I didn't know Katara also had silver marks on the Kintsugi AU. How did you come up with that idea? Is it an in-universe cultural thing? If it is, is it exactly the same as Zuko's or does the Water Tribe have their own beliefs around it?

Sorry if I'm asking too many questions, I just really love how your mind works when it comes to these AUs 💖

Hello, and thanks for asking!

Initially, Kintsugi was a strictly Fire Nation tradition. Something to hold over the rest of the nations, and deepen their own belief of cultural superiority. Zuko hiding his scars played into that idea, since having gold inlaid in your body is a clear sign of Fire Nation blood—furthermore, High Fire Nation blood.

That being said, one lovely anon gave the suggestion that perhaps the other nations also have their own kinds of Kintsugi, and I fell in love with the idea. @ican-fixitbooks went even deeper into the particular philosophies of each nation regarding Kintsugi. I'll be using some quotes from them—watch for the italics.

It was during said brainstorming session that I thought of Katara having a silver Kintsugi scar, and how could it be used to enhance the themes of ATLA, Katara's arc, and this AU as a whole.

But a little background is necessary, I believe.

Kintsugi is a tradition practiced worldwide, with minor differences in philosophy/technique according to each nation.

The Earth Kingdom seal their scars with a substance that resembles bronze, as the mentality of breaking yourself down to build yourself back up better than you were is very central to their culture. It is used as a way to celebrate one's victories, made all the better if damage was taken to achieve it.

The elite have rather different views on this practice. They believe themselves to be above such things. That which is broken must be hidden away, which has interesting connotations when thinking about a certain blind earthbender.

The Air Nomad philosophy leans towards a naturalist approach. Anything natural doesn't need to be "improved" in their eyes. If a scar is there, it is there. Let it be there as a part of you, no different than any other, no need to be "made better", but in fact better to just "be".

Kintsugi is a cultural practice meant to celebrate making something beautiful out of something broken, arguably even making it better than it was. During Sozin's reign and forward, Kintsugi became a way to show the Fire Nation's superiority. Especially as that is essentially their philosophy for war: "Breaking the rest of the world so it can be reforged in fire, made a better, more perfect place."

As for the Water Tribes, there's the healing factor to take into account. The Northern Water Tribe isolated itself from the rest of the world once the war began, so they hold tight to their traditions and beliefs. If something is not broken, then why attempt to fix it? Kintsugi is scoffed at in the North—it is a foreign practice, one that is not necessary when all your wounds can be healed with bending.

However, the Southern Water Tribe has been exposed to the world. They have seen war. They have lived through it. They have suffered, but they are also free because of it, if only in spirit. The South is strong and proud and bold, so it comes as no surprise that silver Kintsugi becomes the mark of their warriors, their hunters, their people.

Katara was wounded during the last Southern Raid. After losing Kya in such a terrible way, Hakoda made sure to seal Katara's wound with the silver of their warriors, so that she would always remember that despite having been broken, she is still strong, beautiful, and proud.

The scar itself is long and thin, going from her right shoulder up to her jaw. It loosely resembles lightning.

And despite how she got it, despite all the things she lost on that day, despite it being a constant reminder of her mother's death—Katara loves her scar.

It grounds her. It pushes her forward. You are a warrior, it tells her. You are a survivor.

When Katara arrives at the North, her scar becomes yet another thing the Northerners hold against her. They use it to demean her, just as they do her gender and out-spoken personality.

The North believes a lot of things that Katara always considered natural to be a problem. What does it matter that she is a woman? What is wrong about being passionate? Why should having a scar mean she's broken?

This scar is something they cannot touch. The Northerners try to use it to demean her. To make her small. Self-conscious. Worthless.

They're scoffing at her mother's death.

Her strength.

Her beauty.

Her pride.

Her story.

And she will not allow it.

[an-theduckin]

Women in atla save me....save me atla women........

[reverentwormpriest]

why are the official atla comics just zuko killing the vibe for 20 minutes straight . are you alright man

[light-miracles]

Toph was everyone's favorite when she was born and hence the feeling of: We have to take care of her.

(Spoiler ends badly because she doesn't like it lol)

Lin becomes the grandparents' favorite, the feeling of protection returns stronger because what do people mean when she is a bastard? she is a Beifong and she is perfect, thank you very much.

Then Toph has Suyin and Oh, the feelings: The firstborn would have been the Beifong daughter, but you, Suyin, shall be mine.

I have so many headcanons about how they handled the whole 'Lin is a bastard' situation (after the very, very tense conversation of 'alright don't freak out but I'm pregnant no no dad you will *not* send any jerk after the father because I'm NOT marrying him and-DAD STOP SCREAMING YOU'RE MAKING ME SCREAM and c'mon mom you need to BREATH) (someday I'll write that one-shot, I've wanting to do it for years, it's apocalypticly dramatic) but in short: Lao and Toph, who rarely agree on anything beyond economic theory without a long and tense debate, agree immediately on legitimize the baby, otherwise the child will be bullied for life and it could even bring her or him legal problems once Lao passes away. After all, it's probably the only grandchild they're ever getting, none of them is getting any younger :p

(Then OH SURPRISE Lin is the CUTEST FREAKIN BABY her grandparents have ever seen and the baby fever starts)

I leave the topic of either Suyin being also illegitimate or not out in the air on purpose because, at least for me, she *not* being illegitimate makes more sense, because Toph is 38 when she's born and I assume that at that age she would save herself the trouble and plan things beforehand (plus, to me the dad is Satoru). It also adds some delicious drama between the sisters. Lin, the oldest, feels like an accident, thinking Suyin was the wanted child. I'd prefer to be optimistic and believe Toph never talked to them about their fathers because she didn't want to accidentally cause a rift between them (it doesn't work, but I have to work with what I have if I don't want to contradict canon).

"You, Suyin, shall be mine"- Grandma Poppy realizing there's One (1) baby girl in her life that likes dresses and jewelry.

*Cut to Toph and Lao explaining little Lin why taxation is a thief*

[joodeegemstone]

sokka CANNOT introduce zuko to people normally. literally every time he sees anyone, he introduces zuko as "my smokin' hot beefcake husband, zuko."

it doesn't matter if they're a high-ranking official. it doesn't matter if they've known them both for years. sokka will literally see aang and katara for the first time in a month and introduce his smokin' hot beefcake husband.

[sentienceoverload-29]

Listen i think the best way to describe sokka is that he's an engineering major and all of his friends (sans zuko and toph) are like philosophy/psychology/theology majors and he has no idea what the FUCK they're talking about. He doesn't know what a confucianism is but by god does he fucking hate it

[sleepyselkiesketches]

Thank you so much to @funandexploring for commissioning this!! I've somehow never drawn anyone from ATLA before, so this was great!

Outfit meme by @troloyunu

[isthei]

motivational doodles for finals week

[julietwiskey1]

If ATLA had a fourth season, what do you think would have been the plotline of Book 4 and what would likely have been the good and bad parts of it?

If we keep the original three then I think it would have gone into Book Four: Air. Likely seeing Aang work to restore the Air Nation and searching for traces of any survivors. Perhaps he sees that culturally they are dead but their are still people who can bend air. Now Aang’s role in the previous three seasons is flipped upside down, he is no longer the student but the master.

We also probably see Zuko, Azula and the gaang search for Ursa. It would serve primarily as Azula’s redemption and growth arc. Let her heal and find love with Zuko and Ursa, maybe even forgiveness by the gaang. Zuko’s story focusing more on his growth as a leader and facing the problems that beset his people that it’s his job to fix. Not just punching the lone corrupt official but making actual changes to his government.

I think to keep it on theme we would see Sokka and Katara try to find parts of their culture stolen. Perhaps even look for water benders like Hama who still know the southern tradition. Though I see this being the most likely to be cut.

The best part of the season would be its emotional beats. Focusing on healing, coming together and love. It would nail down the hope Aang always inspires. Show him and Zuko leading everyone into that new world of peace and harmony they promise.

I think something like this would struggle to keep everyone together. All of these character naturally want to do their own thing now. So why Zuko and Azula need to search with the gaang would be in question. Why aren’t Katara and Sokka going home to heal their tribe? Shouldn’t Aang be heading off on his own now?

That’s what I think is most likely.

Though I personally think if the show knew they would have a fourth season it would have been better to split season three into two. Season one takes place up until the day of black sun. Have it take place in the colonies. Focus more on Ozai and his role leading the war and the struggles Zuko and Azula face at home. Show him as a villain by showing how two of our previous villains who love him still fear him. The gaang runs into a lot more stories like the headband and Hama. Show the oppression of the colonies and how the Fire Nation exploits the land.

Then with the season four show Zuko earning his way with the gaang as they hide in the Fire Nation Islands (not colonies but Fire Nation proper). Show him slowly earning their trust. But most importantly let him interact with the Fire Nation and learning what has to change about his nation. But I think he needs to also serve as a supporting character in several episodes. Where he’s not the focus, but rather holds up or steps out of the spot light for Katara, Sokka, Toph and Aang to shine.

Aang could also be discovering energy bending or another Ozai solution. Make the reveal of energy bending at the end feel like an earned discovery and not a deus ex machina.

During this fourth season Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee take the secondary story plots. Show the fracture of the friend group. How Azula is struggling under Ozai expectations and how it forces her to act contrary to a teenager with her friends. Give her breakdown time to fester and grow. But also show a girl who is deserving of redemption. Who quite simply currently does not feel or does not see any way out or can fully see what is wrong. Her side story can pair with Zuko’s. When Zuko finds a problem and fixes it give it to Azula and show how constrained she is.

And most importantly show Ozai being the villain beyond Azula and Zuko. Let him personally hurt and burn people. Maybe even give an episode where the gaang nearly runs into him and show how he can take them. Make him a terrifying enemy before the final fight.

[kittenmoth]

Did I mention Jet lives in this AU?

[crimson-constellations]

Quietly hoping to meet sm obsessed w the same shit as me irl cuz right now i be like I

WANNA KNOW UR THOUGHTS OVER [insert obsession hc here] !!!

and they just go like

uhhhhhhhhh

bitch I know u haven’t thought about this for months but it’s the only thing in my brain for the past fuckin decade can u plz collaborate w me here???

[mycomfortblanket]

No Title Yet, something will come to me

Nada

"You and Aang really slept together... like went all the way? As in sex?" Katara says, leaning forward.

Katara, Suki, and Toph are sitting around a small table in one of the many gardens enjoying some tea. After Suki and Toph had left Aang's room, Toph insisted on finding Katara so that she wouldn't have to recount the story twice.

"Yes, Sugar Queen. How has that not gotten through your head?" Toph says slightly annoyed. She leans back against one of the pillars that is next to the table before sipping her tea. Iroh must have made it because the herbs are mixed just right so that it's calming and soothing her stomach. Suki is insisting she tell every detail of the night, which, remembering the alcohol that had played such a major hand in the night, has made her want to vomit everywhere.

"I just really didn't expect you guys to become... intimate like that," Katara says, hesitating on the word 'intimate'.

"Really? Even Sokka saw that coming. He was actually the one to point it out to me, now that I think about it..." Suki trails off on that last thought. "The only thing I'm having trouble with is how rough he was. That doesn't sound like Aang at all."

"I know, that part surprised me, too. But, I actually really liked it," Toph says, muffling the last part of the sentence behind her cup.

"Was he like that with you?" Suki asks Katara.

Katara chokes a little on the tea she is sipping. She really hadn't thought that the subject would have ever found its way back to her and Aang's past relationship. It was such a forgotten event in the groups timeline that no one ever really brought it up.

"Uh, no. No. We weren't ever... like that... with each other," she says, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"Wait, did you guys not ever have sex?" Suki questions, her eyes wide and disbelieving.

"I didn't say that! We just weren't like that."

"Liar," Toph coughs out.

Katara sends a glare towards her, "Fine! We never did it. We never actually got around to it. I mean, sheesh, he was only 15 when we broke up."

"And you were 17," Suki unhelpfully points out.

"So?"

"Sooo. I'm just saying, a woman has her needs," Suki finishes with a shrug.

"Well, she did get with Zuko right after the break up, so you know they went at it," Toph says with a sly grin before a thought occurs to her. "Wait! If you and Twinkletoes never had sex... but there's no fucking way he was a virgin before last night. No one is just that good their first time."

All three girls remain silent as this new thought floats out in the open. Toph begins to slightly panic for an unknown reason. Her and Aang weren't ever a couple, he could have easily slept with someone in the years since him and Katara called the quits.

The thought of someone else seeing Aang intimate like that though makes her blood boil. The teacup in her hands shatter in her firm grip.

"Hey, calm down, Toph. You did say you guys went at it at least four times last night, right? That's a lot of chances to fix errors. Plus, you weren't exactly a virgin before last night either," Suki says in a matter of fact tone.

"What?" Katara asks, a wrinkle in her brow.

"Spirits, shut up, Suki," Toph grumbles.

"I'm just saying. You can't be upset with him for something you also did." She does have a point, but Toph is still fuming. She crosses her arms over her chest and huffs out a breath. "All I'm saying is don't get too upset when your hands aren't clean either," Suki mumbles.

"Wait, wait, wait. Back up. Toph, you slept with someone? And I'm just now finding out about this? How come Suki knew before me? Who was it? Was it any good? Oh my spirits, it wasn't Haru, was it?" A shudder is seen going through Katara's body.

"No, no. It was with Teo, like two years after everything," Toph says with a wave of her hand. She stands up, brushing the shattered teacup off of her shirt and pants, and earthbends a small reclining chair. She needs a little room from the girls, their questions are starting to feel suffocating.

"The kid in the wheelchair from the Western Air Temple? Not to be rude or anything... but was he even able to ... you know... preform?"

Both Suki and Toph send Katara dirty looks. "He's paralyzed, not dead. There's still blood flow down there. You think that being a healer, you would know that kind of thing," Toph says in a justifiably rude manner. Katara at least has the decency to look ashamed.

"Well, that still doesn't answer the question of why Suki knew before me and if it was any good," she says with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest.

Toph groans and stares up towards the sky. She really just wanted to announce that her and Aang were a thing and be done with it. Why they wanted the explicit details of the night and her previous encounter was beyond her.

"It was fine and Suki only knew because she walked in on it."

Katara whips her head in Suki's direction, eyes wide and a massive smile on her lips, "No way."

"You guys were in mine and Sokka's room! What were you expecting?" A burst of laughter comes from Katara. She holds her stomach as tears leak out of the corners of her eyes.

"Oh my fucking Spirits! Can we please change the subject? Like any other subject, please?" Toph yells, her hands encasing her ears, trying to block out Katara's laughter and Suki's snickers.

"Fine. Fine," Katara says, breathing heavily. Her face is beet red from laughing so hard and she is sure her stomach is going to be sore tomorrow. "Give us the dirty details on you and Aang from last night."

Groaning, Toph sinks lower on her chair.

---------

Once the girls were out of sight and Aang had put his shirt back on, Sokka laid himself on his stomach at the foot of the bed. His chin is cradled by the palms of his hands and his feet are kicking the air behind him.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what the fuck happened last night. I mean, why the hell were you sneaking out of her room so early? You guys were practically fucking when I walked in just a moment ago."

Aang groans and lays back on the bed rubbing his face with his hands. How did they end up in this situation? He never liked his personal business being known by everyone, but here they were, half the palace knowing that him and Toph did the deed.

Letting his hands fall to his sides, he stares up at the ceiling, "I don't know, Sokka. What do you want me to say? We came back last night, both of us having way too much to drink, and it just kind of happened."

"So nothing led up to it?" Sokka says, a knowing smirk on his face.

Aang looks over at him and rolls his eyes, "Suki told you didn't she? You two really are worse than gossiping sisters. Fine. We kissed at the bar. We were dancing and then one of those slow songs came on and she suggested that we sat that one out, but... I don't know. I still wanted her close to me. And I knew that if we went and sat down, that we wouldn't get to that position again. I mean, this thing between us, it has been building since Katara and I split. That dance was just the tipping point.

Sokka rolls over onto his back so that his head is perpendicular to Aang's. "So, you're telling me that all this sexual tension has been accumulating for years and you guys just had sex the one time last night?" He continues mumbling but Aang isn't able to make out what is being said.

"Well, it wasn't just one time last night... it was more like... five times," he says sheepishly.

Sokka shoots off the bed, a bewildered look on his face, "Five fucking times, Aang?! How the holy hell did you manage to pull that off? How did you even get the energy to pull that off? I understand two times, three if you're lucky. But five?! Spirits fuck. If Suki hears that you managed to go that long, I'm never going to live that shit down!"

Aang pulls a pillow over his head, hoping to drown out Sokka's exasperated rant. After a few moments, he has calmed down and fallen back onto the bed. Both men are quiet as they stare up at the ceiling.

"Hey, where is Zuko? I haven't seen much of him this past weekend," Aang says. He does miss his old firebending teacher, but he is glad that he is absent from the current conversation. Zuko and Toph had gotten weirdly close and shared a weird sibling-type bond. Recalling details of how he took Toph last night to protective-older-brother-Zuko was not exactly something that was at the top of Aang's list.

"Eh, he's got some Firelord duties. Something about trade deals falling through because of a petty affair going on between Nobles," Sokka says with a wave of his hand.

Aang just grunts in response, glad that he at least doesn't have to face him just yet.

"Well, tell me about the weird, kinky shit you guys did," Sokka says, propping himself up on his elbow.

Taken by surprise, Aang jerks back hard enough to pop his neck, "Excuse me? What makes you think it was kinky?"

"Because it's Toph," he says as if that clears up everything.