“the desert” is katara’s most quietly admirable episode; she manages to guide and protect the rest of the gaang while they are in precarious states under unimaginable pressure and with very few resources. katara’s tireless endurance this episode culminates in her bravery as she risks her own safety to comfort aang in the avatar state.
for an audience upon first viewing, her ability to thrive under pressure here may seem like a surprising departure from the impulsive, reactive, sensitive girl we’ve been accustomed to over the past 1.5 seasons. but sokka’s admission in “the runaway” reframes katara’s behavior in this episode.
we know that while the rest of her family was a mess, katara stepped up and gave them hope. she refused to sink into her grief—to abandon the site of her trauma like hakoda did, to give up like kanna did, or to repress and depersonalize like sokka did. she may have a temper and she may not always think things through, but she is able to communicate her emotions and refuses to cut herself off from feeling and processing her grief and rage, which is more than can be said for her brother.
and upon learning this piece of her history, you realize that her indefatigable, relentless hope and care that she displays in “the desert” is actually a pattern of behavior for her that is being repeated. when all hope seems lost and everyone in her life has abandoned faith, katara finds purpose and meaning in being the glue that holds everyone together, even when she is as grief-stricken and exhausted as the rest of them.
in moments of abject despair, katara guides her loved ones and herself out of there desert, both literally and metaphorically. and that is why she is the narrator and the catalyst and the hero of this story of a revolution that successfully destabilizes an oppressive paradigm in the eleventh hour, because she represents the power and importance of organized resistance when all hope is lost, of refusing to give into despair, of continuing to believe in love even in the bleakest, most desperate circumstances, and envisioning a brighter future even (especially) when no one else can.
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well. i can't find my original fic rec list so here's a new (updated) one!
Daily Routines by The Garden of Unusual Delights (Shadowland)
A number of people who feel depressed turn to comedy. Routines can also help. / As can having someone to care for.
4k words / oneshot / complete
- TOP fucking tier. this rewired my neurons, shifted my view of Barnaby & his relationship with Wally, and also made me Deeply emotional
How to Greet New Neighbours by The Garden of Unusual Delights (Shadowland)
He doesn't know what's happening, but he knows it isn't good.
8k words / oneshot / complete
- STELLAR. an intriguing and engaging (and heartbreaking!) take on how Wally wound up sending material to the whrp
A Matter of Care by The Garden of Unusual Delights (Shadowland)
When Julie is too sad to take proper care of her hair, Frank is happy to help out.
2.5k words / oneshot / complete
- this person always gets characterizations Just Right, don't they? this a very sweet and tender moment between the besties <3
What to call it? What to call it? by Anonymous
Wally tries to figure out what is different about the Neighborhood. But maybe there is no difference at all.
2.2k words / oneshot / complete
- a fascinating exploration / behind the scenes interpretation of the secret 14 audios. the end always has me in my feels <3
Strings Of Fate by A_Cypress_Coffin
Frank Frankly lived life by simply trudging along most days, but all of that changes when a new neighbor, quite literally, crashes into him.
27k / multichap / ongoing
- a very fun interpretation of Franklydear and how the puppets perceive / experience / handle the true nature of their reality. i Cannot recommend it enough!
To Read a Clock by TurnedWorm
Frank and Eddie try to teach Wally to read a clock. They get a bit more than they bargained for.
2.7k words / oneshot / complete
- sweet and also Haunting! a stellar combination, and an interesting take on Wally's perspective. ngl it gave me chills!
my chest is bursting with abnormality by springtrap_wiki
Wally realizes that something about him isn't as it should be.
1k words / oneshot / complete
- a little peek into Wally realizing that he's different than his others neighbors. I like how this is handled - it hits home if im being honest!
Goin’ Out of My Head by 5_24
Picking someone up from the bus station seems like an easy task. But when adding Eddie Dear to that equation and the passenger just happens to be Frank Frankly, the results may vary...
5.4k / multichap / complete
- genuinely funny, cute, and entertaining. the perfect read for a laugh!
Inside Jokes by The_PastelVoid
In which the puppets are waiting for Sally and discover that Wally apparently has a contagious laugh when Barnaby tells what is called an "inside joke".
2k / oneshot / complete
- pure fluff and laughs <3
Goodnight, Wally! by PastelDemon
... But what would happen if, one day, without any warning, Wally suddenly could sleep just like everyone else?
19.5k / oneshot / complete
- very sweet with a sprinkling of angst, and an entertaining take on what a new-to-sleep Wally might be like
Welcome Home: Fantasy AU by ImaginatorOfThings
What would happen if we took our lovable cast of puppets, and put them into a Fantasy alternate universe?
28k / series / complete
- a VERY fun fantasy au with a fascinating twist. it made me tear up, it made me feel some dread, it made me smile! what more could we ask for <3
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As much as I love fics where SY and SJ meet/"become" brothers and proceed to get along like a house on fire, I gotta admit that they're kind of unrealistic 😭 I feel like SY would be SO. PISSED. over what SJ did to Binghe. It would take some intense explaining and/or forced proximity to make him get over that I think ...
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I'm not sure if I'm an outlier here, but the sand wrestling bit in episode 5 is just heartbreaking. That "my commanding officer has some idea that you and I are similar ... I wonder if it's something more or not" is so painful. Paddy is deperately trying to find someone who understands him, who he can connect with. He's clawing so furiously at the walls of the grief and reality of his loneliness, he just wants someone who gets him, is broken like him, can see and understand his pain... and Augustin is not that man.
But the lengths Paddy will go to in order to discover that. He's desperate.
In the mess that evening, the hope is gone again. Eoin was the only one who understood Paddy the way he's depserateto have again.
idk just the loneliness of it, it really hits so damn hard
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