#yes this is talking about the crossroads of destiny

[all-inmoderation]

if aang wrong choose katara,,, why universe show katara in danger to Aang 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 unless ?? universe want aang save katara 🤔🤔🤔 universe want aang die and katara save 🤔🤔🤔 universe say aang right to choose love over power😠😠😠😠🤯🤯👊🏼

[comradekatara]

Your atla analysis is the best so I wanted to ask your opinion on something I've found the fandom fairly divided on - what did you think of Azula's ending within the show proper? Unnecessarily cruel or a necessary tragedy? Would you say that her mental breakdown was too conveniently brought about in order to 'nerf' her for the final agni kai? Also, do you think it was 'right' for Zuko to have fought with his sister at all or would it have been better for him to seek a more humane way to end the cycle of violence?

okay so im saying this as someone who loves azula to death like she has always been one of my absolute favorite characters ever since i was a kid and i’ve always vastly preferred her to zuko and found her to be extremely compelling and eminently sympathetic. i am saying this now before the azula stans come for me. i believe in their beliefs. but i also think her downfall is perfectly executed, and putting aside all the bullshit with the comics and whatever else, it’s a really powerful conclusion to her arc. obviously that isn’t to say that she wouldn’t continue to grow and develop in a postcanon scenario (i have a whole recovery arc for her mapped out in my head, like i do believe in her Healing Journey) but from a narrative perspective, her telos is in fact very thematically satisfying.

no, she wasn’t nerfed so that they could beat her in a fight. the fact that she falls apart is what makes them feel that they can confidently take her on (although i do think in a fair fight katara could win anyway), but the whole point is that it’s not about winning or losing in combat. the whole point is that zuko and azula being pitted against each other in this gratuitous ritual of violence as the culmination of their arcs is fundamentally tragic. yes it’s a bad decision to fight her, and zuko should have chosen another path, but the whole point is that he’s flawed and can only subscribe to the logic he has spent his whole life internalizing through violence and abuse.

that’s why aang’s fight against ozai, while tragic in its own way, is also a triumph for the way in which his ideals prevail in the face of genocide, while zuko and azula’s fight is very patently tragic. there is no moment of victory or triumph. even as zuko sacrifices himself in a beautiful mirroring of “the crossroads of destiny” and as katara uses the element of her people combined with techniques across other cultures to use azula’s hubris and ideology of domination against her, it’s presented as moments of personal growth occurring within a very tragic yet inevitable situation. it was inevitable because azula had always been positioned as an extension of her father, and thus to disempower ozai also means disempowering azula, his favorite site of projection, his favorite weapon.

yeah, it does rub me the wrong way when zuko asks katara whether she’d like to help him “put azula in her place.” it’s not a kind way to talk about your abused younger sister. but it’s also important to understand that zuko doesn’t really recognize his sister’s pain, despite the fact that they obviously share a father, because he’s always assumed that she was untouchable as their perfect golden child and thus never a victim. and he’s wrong. zuko and katara expect a battle of triumph and glory, noble heroes fighting valiantly so that good may prevail over evil. but as they discover here, even more so than their previous discovery two episodes prior, a battle is not a legendary event filled with bombast and beauty until after it has been historicized. often a war is simply fought between pathetic, desperate people who see no other option but to fight.

aang’s ultimate refusal to fight despite having all the power in the world is what makes him so important as the protagonist. but katara and zuko both share a more simplistic view of morality and what it means to be good. and zuko assumes that by fighting azula, he can only be punching up, because she has always been positioned as his superior, and she (in her own words!) is a “monster.” and then azula loses, and his entire worldview shatters. joking about putting her in her place makes way for the realization that behind all her posturing and lying (to herself more than anyone) and performance and cognitive dissonance, azula has always been broken, perhaps even more than he is.

azula says “im sorry it has to end this way, brother,” to which zuko replies “no you’re not.” but i think azula is truly sorry, because in her ideal world, she wouldn’t be fighting zuko. she doesn’t actually want to kill him, as much as she claims to. she’s already reached the conclusion that zuko will only truly reach once their fight is over. she lacks a support system, and she needs one, desperately. if she could somehow get her family back, do everything differently, less afraid of the consequences, she would. she’s smirking, she sounds almost facetious, but really, she is sorry. as of this moment, she really doesn’t want it to end this way. but zuko cannot accept that, because in his mind, azula is evil. azula has no soul nor feeling. azula always lies.

her breakdown doesn’t come out of nowhere, either. it’s precipitated by everyone she has ever cared about betraying her. first zuko betrays her, then mai, then ty lee, and then ozai — the person she has staked her entire identity to and to whom she has pledged her undying loyalty and obedience, become nothing more than a vessel for his whims — discards her because she had the audacity to care about someone other than him. what i don’t think zuko realizes, and perhaps will never realize, is that azula betrayed ozai by bringing zuko back home. he was not supposed to be brought back with honor and with glory. azula specifically orchestrated the fight in the catacombs to motivate him to join her, and it’s not because she’s some cruel sadistic monster who wanted to separate a poor innocent soft uwu bean from his loving uncle, it’s because she genuinely believes that she’s doing what’s best for him. she believes that their uncle is a traitor and a bad influence, and she believes that bringing zuko home with his honor “restored” is an act of love. to her it is.

yes, she claims that she was actually just manipulating him so that she wouldn’t have to take the fall if the avatar was actually alive, but also, she’s clearly just covering her own ass. she didn’t know about the spirit water, and only started improvising when zuko started showing hesitation. but even if she was only using zuko, then that was an insane risk to take, because either way she was lying directly to ozai’s face. and zuko admits it to ozai while simultaneously committing treason, so of course ozai would blame azula, his perfect golden child who tried to violate his decree by bringing zuko back home a prisoner at best and dead at worst, and instead found a way to restore his princehood with glory.

we only see ozai dismissing and discarding azula in the finale, but it’s clearly a tension that’s been bubbling since the day of black sun. and we know this because we do see azula falling apart before the finale. in “the boiling rock” she is betrayed by her only friends. in “the southern raiders” we see that this has taken a toll on her, that she is already somewhat unhinged. she and zuko tie in a one on one fight for the first time. and she takes down her hair as she uses her hairpin to secure herself against the edge of a cliff. unlike zuko, who is helped by his friends and allies, who has a support system. it’s a very precarious position; she’s literally on a cliff’s edge, alone, her hair down signifying her unraveling mental state. azula having her hair down signals to us an audience that she is in a position of vulnerability. she is able to mask this terrifying moment wherein she nearly plummets to her death with a triumphant smirk, but it should be evident to us all that her security is fragile here.

and the thing is, even though she’s always masked it with a smirk and perfect poise, her security has always been fragile. azula has never been safe. azula’s breakdown is simply the culmination of her realization that no matter how hard she tries, she will never be ozai’s perfect weapon, because she is a human being. she is a child, no less. and there is no one in her entire life who loves her for nothing. zuko has iroh, who affirms to him that he could never be angry with zuko, that all he wants is simply what is best for zuko. but azula doesn’t have unconditional support in her life. she doesn’t even have support.

everyone she ever thought she could trust has betrayed her, and so she yells that trust is for fools. because she feels like a fool. of course fear is the only way; it’s what kept her in line all these years. azula is someone who is ruled by fear, and who is broken by the recognition that fear isn’t enough. her downfall is necessarily tragic because her worldview is wrong. the imperialist logic of terror as a tool for domination is her own undoing, just as ozai’s undoing is losing the weapon he has staked his national identity to. it’s a battle of ideals. aang v ozai: pacifism v imperialism. katara and zuko v azula: love and support v fear and isolation.

zuko is unfair to azula, it’s true. he tries to fight her even as he can clearly recognize that “she’s slipping.” instead of trying to help his little sister, he uses that weakness to his advantage, tries to exploit her pain so that he can finally, for the first time ever, beat her in a fight. it’s cruel, but it’s also how siblings act. especially considering the conditions under which they were raised, and how zuko has always viewed her. and in zuko’s defense, she has tried to kill him multiple times lately, both in “the boiling rock” and in “the southern raiders.” zuko is someone who gets fixated on a goal and blocks out everything else, including recognition of his surroundings or empathy for others. so of course when he’s promised to put azula in her place he’s going to exploit her weaknesses to do so. after all, isn’t exploiting his weaknesses exactly what azula does best? so he allows himself to stoop to her level, and in fact only redeems himself through his sacrifice for katara. but it is when azula is chained to the grate and zuko and katara, leaning on each other, look down and observe the sheer extent on her pain, that zuko realizes that “putting azula in her place” isn’t actually a victory. it feels really, really bad, actually.

they’re in a similar position as they were when they faced yon rha. and now it is zuko’s turn to understand that he is not a storybook hero triumphing over evil, but rather a human being, facing another human being, in a conflict that is larger than themselves. to “put someone in their place” is to imply a logic of domination, of inherent superiority, that someone has stepped out of line and must be reordered neatly into the hierarchy. but aang disputes the notion, ozai’s notion, that humanity can be classified along these lines, that there exists an ontological superiority among some and not others. so operation: putting azula in her place was always going to be flawed, even if she was performing competency the way she always does, because they’re nonetheless subscribing to her logic.

of course they should be helping azula, of course they should be reaching out to abuse victims through support instead of more violence. but first they must recognize her victimhood. first they must come to understand that they didn’t get lucky, and they didn’t dominate her because they are more “powerful,” that they weren’t “putting her in her place.” they must understand that they are not heroes fighting villains in a glorious trial by combat. that the logic of the agni kai is flawed. that they are all victims. that they are all just scared, hurt children who are still grieving their mothers.

[reunionatdawn]

Some commentary on Aang's final chakra

The writer for The Guru set this dichotomy up as a plot point, but it never actually received any resolution in the cartoon. Before heading off to see the guru, Sokka was excited because Suki was waiting for him. And Aang chimed in about how girls were waiting for both of them. Suki was already dating Sokka. Aang was not dating Katara. But he had the expectation that he would.

After Aang lost all the Air Nomads, Katara was the first person he laid eyes on. She filled that hole in his heart when she told him that even though the monks were gone, he still had a family. So, it's only natural that he would feel an attachment to her and be confused. His love for her was a good thing. But the memories used for the final chakra are only the romantic ones from the two "shippy" episodes. Those episodes were a red herring. They were meant to set up an expectation in Aang—as well as the viewer—that he would end up with Katara. It was supposed to seem like a forgone conclusion.

The reason why Aang's relationship with Katara was his spiritual stumbling block was that he was placing all his hopes on a romance with her as a source of fulfillment. That was his motivation for saving the world. He was doing it for her. But in a selfish sense. She was supposed to be his prize for saving the world.

Yes, Aang acts possessive and jealous when it comes to Katara. This is perfectly normal adolescent behavior. Crushes are messy and we all go through these types of learning experiences. It's not a particularly egregious character flaw, LOL. Especially not for a tween who has suffered a great deal of loss. It was meant to be relatable to the audience who were primarily tweenagers. But make no mistake. This was absolutely set up as something to overcome.

Aang didn't understand what the guru was talking about. He thought he had to give up love. That's what he tried to do in The Crossroads of Destiny. He wasn't thinking about what he needed, but what Katara needed. Remember how the kundalini energy was stuck in the middle of his back? That's where the heart chakra is. Aang was willing to do whatever it took to save Katara's life, even if it meant giving up any hope of a future together as a romantic couple. But that IS love.

[sokkastyles]

Hi,

Hope you are doing well. Thank you for the response on my previous query regarding Aang and Iroh's advice.

I was actually thinking about Aang's lie to Sokka and Toph that he had mastered the Avatar State. The fact that in "The Crossroads of Destiny" he went to the Avatar State makes his lie look like truth in a way. However, do you think that his friends should have found out about this lie? Because this lie could have led to even bigger consequences for him, I feel.

Come to think of it, do you think Aang's arc in Book 3 should have been about recovering the Avatar State, and see if the effects of Azula's lightning strike on him persist for longer? Because based on his reaction in the first episode of Book 3, its clear there was some impact of it.

I would like your thoughts on this.

Yes, and yes. I've talked a lot about how it makes no sense for Aang to be able to go into the Avatar State in the catacombs, and do in two seconds with much higher stakes what he couldn't do in practice with the guru, especially after the talk he has with Iroh that reaffirms that he made the right decision to not open his Chakra. We don't get any sense of what changed in between then to have that decision make sense narratively.

But if the show did want to go the route it did, it actually would have been interesting if Katara had managed to heal the block caused by Azula's lightning, only for them to realize that Aang still cannot go into the Avatar State. He would then have to admit that he never mastered it, even if he was able to do it once in the catacombs, and then he would have to struggle with both how to fix his mistake and the fact that he lies to cover it up.

[thethiefandtheairbender]

Hiii, I really love your ATLA analyses. I'm genuinely interested, what can you say about this take? I mean, it sounds pretty logical, and I'm really interested to know what objections there might be to that view of EIP?

https://www.tumblr.com/writer-rider-dirty-thirties/744225630324965376?source=share

There's a few main things that meta like this one, I think, miss out on. That said beyond the two paragraphs I'm not really discussing their meta in particular. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but it does play into why I think EIP gets blown out of proportion while ignoring the more... grounded subtext there? Which is what the rest of the meta response here is about as follows. Please refrain from sending me specific metas in the future - discrediting other people's work is not what I'm about, even I don't necessarily think it's always well argued.

They acknowledge the Doylist perspective... and then completely ignore the actual, textual Doylist perspective they have going on. The writers' intent was to, very evidently, use Ember Island Players to acknowledge their own and fans' reactions to the show (which is why the Great Divide, an episode that the writer of EIP wrote, gets the shaft in the play) by exaggerating and making fun of their own characters and plot points. Grounded in their portrayals yes (Katara does indeed make speeches about hope) but so heavily distorted; just look at how they portray this Katara and Jet, who are completely remorseless about drowning a town ("Oh Jet, you're so bad~").

But the distortion is key. The play pretty glaringly says "Canon Katara would never like Zuko" or vice versa, "because to do so would be a great distortion of her character and characterization." Furthermore, for Katara to only see Aang "like a little brother, and that you don't have feelings for me" is also a distortion, which is why Katara outright states on the balcony, "I didn't say that. An actor said that". It's also worth noting I think that the play itself also erases Aang's romantic feelings for Katara ("I wouldn't want it any other way!"). He doesn't make his feelings plain and be rejected in the play; they just don't exist. So even the play itself isn't saying that there's a love triangle, they're saying that a distorted version of these characters would feature a Katara and Aang that don't have feelings for each other, and a Katara and Zuko that would.

Now, I don't think the play is meant to be that dismissive of fans, either. Like I said - it's meant to poke fun, and the ZK faction had always been quite large and vocal. The crossroads of destiny and its associations with Oma and Shu (which serve the basis for Kataang's love theme) are the bulk of what the ship tends to stand on, 'canon' wise. It makes sense if you're going to do a ship tease with them to do it there, and it's also the last instance you can really make actor Katara 'like' anyone.

It's also a misread to assume Aang would get this angry over jealousy, as well, given that Katara was very obvious with Jet both times, and Aang was very sparingly jealous in Book 1 and only slightly so in Book 2. EIP is one of the rare instances where Aang projects onto other people, a trait more usually seen from his friends.

What makes him upset - and we Know this, because he repeats it outright when they actually Talk about it - is this exchange between actor Katara and Zuko:

EIP!Zuko: I thought you were the Avatar's girl. EIP!Katara: [Laughs] The Avatar? Why he's like a little brother to me. I certainly don't think of him in a romantic way.

That's what makes him potentially upset, which fair enough: it can be upsetting when someone doesn't like you back, especially when Katara previously has given plenty of indications that she does. But he's not mad at her on the balcony. He doesn't take his frustrations over her not seemingly returning his feelings out on her. He's mad because Katara can't, or won't, give him a straight answer.

Aang: You said that I'm just like a brother to you, and that you didn't have feelings for me. Katara: I didn't say that. An actor said that. Aang: But it's true, isn't it? We kissed at the invasion and I thought we were going to be together, but we're not. Katara: Aang, I don't know... Aang: Why don't you know?

AKA "if you don't like me, which I just gave you a perfect out to acknowledge, can you at least confirm it for me?" And she won't even do that.

Katara is usually a very openly emotional person, which is why when it comes to whether she has feelings for him or not (and he has very good reasons to think that she does, given if you remove the Aang's POV we see, Katara is wayy more obvious with her affection than he is), it's accordingly frustrating that she won't just come out and say it. When does someone like Katara hold back? Well... normally when she's concerned about Bigger Things (i.e. not initially pushing with Pakku because Aang learning waterbending is more important to her) or when she's not sure what to do (when Aang rejects her comfort in The Serpent's Pass).

Conversely, his feelings for Katara also makes Aang more likely to stop evading or dodging and to stick his landing. He's the one who tries to confess on two different occasions. He's the one who kisses her first. And he's the one who wants to actually discuss their relationship now. (These are all reasons why I think, if they ever did break up, Aang would actually be the one with the guts to say it out loud, just FYI.)

Alternatively, if we wanna talk about Framing, let's talk about the actual balcony scene, namely Katara's dialogue, and the placement of the moon:

Not only does this balcony scene take place on a balcony like their infamous finale kiss, with parallel framing of Katara walking up behind Aang and seeking him out to talk (if Katara hadn't approached him, it's likely neither would've happened either time) but like

When Yue finds herself in a similar situation with Sokka - a young man she loves, has kissed, but finds herself unable to be with for a variety of reasons - she says almost beat for beat what Katara says here about her feelings and reasonings for wanting more distance. But like both Yue and Katara say, there's more important things going on:

I say this because everyone ignores the aspect of Katara's bond with Aang that is informed by her own trauma and fear of losing people. Aang kisses her because "What if I don't come back?" Katara literally watched him die and brought him back to life. She watched her father mourn her mother and Sokka mourn Yue (The Swamp), which the play likewise gives her an ample reminder of. She watched Jet die too. Katara has faith that Aang will be different ("I knew you'd come" from CoD and "He's gonna come back; he has to" in Sozin's Comet) but that doesn't mean she's not scared. Everyone else going on is complicating her feelings for Aang, and that's perfectly valid -- but like I said, it's a 1 for 1 with Yue.

Which is why she kisses Aang first after the war, on another balcony, because now it is the right time.

This isn't even touching on the in-universe canonical reading of EIP being Fire Nation imperialist propaganda, but that's a meta for another day.

Not to mention: EIP also teases Zukaang through Aang and the Blue Spirit, has them similarly react in distaste, you can equally read Zuko wanting to sit in between them as wanting to sit next to Aang, and Zuko and Aang's dialogue is a lot more ship teased in canon, Anyway.

June: What happened? Your girlfriend run off on you? Zuko: It's not the girl I'm after. It's the bald monk she's travelling with.

Zuko doesn't even correct June for implying a romantic connection, only who he's looking for (love you Avatar "Zuko I want you to dance with me" Aang).

I also personally think that basically any episode that has 'strong' Zuko-Katara subtext actually has far stronger Zuko-Aang subtext, but that's a meta for another day.

I do always think the ZK fandom is a fascinating example of what can happen to a fandom when they only have maybe 5 episodes to work with, nor does ship teasing make something implied canon, otherwise The Dragon Prince (also created by Aaron Ehasz) would have a very different endgame ship (to the point that every Soren/Rayla shipper I've seen also ships ZK, funnily enough, because neither of those are remotely canon).

People have gotta stop taking the bone they're thrown and acting like it's a feast.

[familyagrestefanblog]

Seriously, Trailer warning. The Trailer they just dropped is almost offensively stuffed

I'll only talk about it under "read more" because I genuinely think they just straight up gave the entire ending away. So what I'm about to point out and talk about kinda feels like leaks even though they are absolutely not. Its a damn official trailer :/

So think twice before you click read more, I did my job warning you

The trailer end with this.

That's civilian Marinette seemingly frozen right in front of civilian Gabriel while he is 100% making his wish right now.

It's pink and green, Tikki and Plagg, what else is it supposed to be?

The trailer also shows Marinette seemingly finding everything out and wearing both the Ladybug and the Black Cat miraculous' at the same time after Adrien gave it up in London, which we know because they also show Plagg flying away with the miraculous by himself

which automatically turns Marinette into a two-in-one kill if Gabriel gets her, which he apparently DID. Ladybug NEEDED Chat Noir.

And on top of that they also show that Gabriel is Nathalie's nightmare but she's too weak to stop him now. He literally SAYS it.

So unless Alya, the Resistance and Félix aren't suddenly waltzing in last second to steal Marinette's, Adrien's and Nathalie's job by defeating Gabriel for them and stopping him at THIS crossroad of destiny everything lead up to

Then we are fucked. Gabriel wins and they just revealed it all in one damn trailer.

I mean, don't get me wrong, the writing has been on the wall for the last 2 seasons - especially season 5 which was pretty much dedicated to Gabriel himself while serving as a second season 1 - so yeah, everything going to hell and Gabriel winning was pretty much the expected s5 ending now since it's been painfully obvious for quite a while already that ever since s4 we haven't been leading up to the original ending of Miraculous anymore.

Miraculous has been a global phenomenon for years on end. They have been talking about 6 season and more of story to tell since before season 2 even started airing.

As you can see, the tweet is from the 25th of September in 2016. And 2x01 "The Collector" had it's World Premiere on 21th of October in 2017. That's a whole year later!

YES, even though animated shows takes years of development in advance to get done, they absolutely had the damn time to make one more (at the very least ROUGH) concept for season 4 and 5 that follows the same story skeleton of the initial s4 and 5 while keep every episode mostly the same besides adjusting the executions of story and character arcs so it doesnt end with season 5. Meaning all that happened is that on paper there were two versions of season 4 and season 5, which would also explain what the hell is up with the leaked bible.

One s4+5 execution for the case that it stops here as it was planned and the other one for when the story is supposed to continue which is now happening. So S6 onwards can continue what these 2 seasons left out. Which is alot. A fuck ton of a lot in case you didnt notice it by now.

I figured as much about half way through season 5. The only thing that's makes me angry now is that they are giving this much away in the trailer. Since the way the trailer shows Gabriel as the main character is only continuing what all of season 4 and especially 5 have been doing all along. Leading up to Gabriel's victory and the consequences of everything our heros - and everyone else too in the show - never took care of for 5 damn seasons. Which is also a fuck ton of a LOT.

I would be more surprised if he didn't win now and S6 onwards isn't getting out of Gabriel's wish reality. That's all the show (and Ladynoir in particular) have been leading up to for quite a long time already.

[leantailean]

What moment in ATLA made you ship Toko, and what do you like the most about the ship?

Hi, thanks for the ask! Sorry for the late reply.

I think the first moment that obviously made me think: yes, these characters will/should mean a lot to each other is the meeting of Iroh and Toph in the second season. Narratively, symbolically and dramaturgically, this is really a very interesting and important moment: Iroh did not communicate so closely and personally with any other member of gaang (more precisely, he did not communicate with Sokka and Katara at all, he talked with Aang in the "The Crossroads of Destiny", but it was a faster, less personal conversation dedicated to feelings Aanga for Katara). Iroh has always been narratively inextricably linked with Zuko, and it is interesting that Toph's first acquaintance with Zuko takes place, in fact, through Iroh. In addition, Iroh talks to Toph about Zuko, and directly compares them, says how much they are similar.

I love a lot about them, but one of my favorite things is that their personalities have something in common, something that brings them closer, but at the same time each of them has something that the other lacks. 

They are both very independent, but their need to fight and always achieve everything on their own is due to the fact that their parents did not love them and it is important for them to prove themselves worthy. The parents denied and did not understand their identity and wanted to see them not as they really were. Zuko's father hated his vulnerable, compassionate side in him, and Toph's parents denied her independence and, in fact, her entire personality. Their parents were ashamed of them in front of others, which instilled in them a deep sense of shame. This is a very specific kind of trauma, and no one else in the canon is able to understand them in this regard better than they understand each other. However, Toph is in contact with his emotions and knows how to trust and open up, while Zuko really does not understand even his own emotions well and is not able to correctly understand the emotions of others. Zuko needs someone who will be uncompromisingly honest with him, and Toph needs someone who will be on equal terms with her.

________

Let's talk about TOKO!

[nono-bunny]

Thoghts from watching the ATLA live action!

Episode 4:

Holy shit Iroh and Aang are cellmates this is such a fun scenario!! Gives some strong Crossroads of Destiny vibes, ngl. Also, the crytals look cool!!!

Oh I'm genuinely so glad they didn't just... Move on from Sai working for the Fire Nation, I was genuinely doubtful they were gonna adress it tbh! Now I just need a Sokka and Jet confrontation and I'll be happy, though, that isn't likely to happen unfortunately.

I really do like what they did with Sai and Sokka though- this kinda feels like him starting a pattern of trying to look for replacement father figures tbh, which really fits with how much more visibly he's fixated on being like Hakoda here. It's sad and sweet at the same time, and I'm really interested to see how they'll write Hakoda!

Fuck yes, spy Zuko!!!

Smh kid Bumi isn't crazy enough, is it really THAT hard to find just. A completely unhinged looking kid?? Nah obviously I'm joking, he's cute haha it obviously wouldn't have been possible to have the visual similarities we see in the og so just having his unique laugh to identify him by works!

Idk what was up with Iroh's writing in the first episodes, he felt really foreign to me but over time he genuinely finally starts feeling like Iroh so I'm glad they got into the groove with his writing! He's still a bit too open which feels weird, but he uses more veiled language now while doing it so it works better. Also? I heard they used Leaves From The Vine, but damn it still got me!!

Haha YES, this was genuinely a change I always wanted: Sokka and Katara in the tunnels instead of Aang and Katara!! Not for shipping reasons, because that's gross, but because I always felt it would've been real funny haha

Wait are they fr sending Iroh to face punishment? I was sure he was next to Aang as part of a White Lotus thing or just until Bumi heard he was there!! I'm guessing he... Still doesn't know? I'm guessing this whole thing is a spin on when Iroh gets taken from the hot springs, but Bumi being directly in charge only works if it's all a ploy or if he hasn't been informed that they have the Dragon of the West in captivity- which would be wild!! Unless he's busy constructing puzzles for Aang lmao idk

So like. Given that the siblings are going to the tunnels, Aang is meeting Bumi, and Zuko is rescuing Iroh... I guess we just drop the Jet plot until next season??? Man, what a bummer. That was too short and didn't even hit all the high point of meeting him in the original. Like, they honestly could've had him try to appear and try to atone by trying to help and getting rejected and yelled at, but instead he just confirms his evil plans and is never seen again? Like, literally, what did he even do here? Despite being on screen for longer, his betrayal somehow doesn't seem as impactful because there's no time for Katara to process it last episode, like. Again, I hope to god this is a thing she has to kinda wrestle with a lot next season- I also kinda hope Sokka somehow independently meets him with Aang again and doesn't realize that the guy from the cart is the same guy Katara talked about, and that these two get to have their own Jet disappointment because again!! So far taking Sokka out of the Jet plot is genuinely the biggest issue I have with this show. Katara's arc seems to be headed to the same place albeit in a very different pace, but this is something that would be INCREDIBLY hard to fix. Like? I get it, I understand that what Sokka learns in that episode doesn't have to happen there, but. It's genuinely one of my favorite episodes because of how both of the water tribe siblings get to learn something from interacting with this charming duplicitous guy, and taking out Sokka's growth kinda just? Leaves us with Katara getting betrayed while bottling it up (likely until either they meet again or until Zuko's actions remind her of it- it'll probably also be important with Hama), it kinda just becomes "Katara gets a crush on a bad boy and gets hurt" which? Idk it feels weird, it was presented differently here and she feels much less silly and willfully blind because for the longest time no one tells her to be wary of Jet but. I still don't like how ultimately Jet was just there to disappoint Katara and interact with literally no one else. I mean!! I love Jet, of course I too had a crush on him, he's iconic and important and of course he had to be a part of this, but. Truly, they minimized the hurt he causes so much that I just kinda feel like he might as well not have appeared with how little he ultimately impacted things, at least for right now. I'm really hoping he gets an expanded role next season that helps to make up for how much his appearance was minimized, or that we see this have a tangible impact on Katara, because as it stands... It was just kind of a disappointing cameo appearance rather than something that felt like it needed to be there. Anyway this is all more about last episode but I still held out a bit of hope for it to be resolved better so. To see that Sai and Teo get to face a bit of emotional fallout set up last episode because they get to further the plot, while Jet just vanishes... It sucks, and it hurts, and I hate it. Anyway, onwards, I guess!

Teo has genuinely been changed so much he straight up isn't the same character anymore, and it's... Strange. I don't really like it too much, tbh. He's like, EXTREMELY cynical and eager to fight, and it's such a strange change from a character whose entire purpose originally was to kind of mirror Aang and help nudge him along on his journey. I genuinely can't tell if they just thought that living in a city under constant threat rather than literally amongst the clouds would mean he would kind of have to be different, or if it was an attempt to make him cooler or whatever. Regardless, I don't like it, tbh he kinda pisses me off a bit? He's SO serious and angry all the time and it just. Feels weird when he only resembles his original counterpart through his name and use of a wheelchair. Everything else about him is nowhere to be seen! If you compare his situation to Katara, it might seem similar on the surface- except, Katara is a main character who clearly still has a character arc ahead of her (and also all of her defining traits are still there), while Teo shows up like twice. It's kinda vital that he isn't too complex and keeps his original personality because he doesn't have the same leeway to grow that a main character does, otherwise he risks just becoming someone else entirely... And that's what happened. The thoughtful and cheerful boy with an interest in Air Nomad culture is all but gone, replaced with yet another angry warrior, and? While I get how it's probably more likely for him to become the latter, I also very much miss and lament the loss of the former. Sai is very much the stronger adaptational character of the two, and he's the only one of the two to get to have a real impact on one of the Gaang. It... Sucks.

Lmao Flopsy my beloved what have they done to you?? Guess they ran out of CG budget haha

Oh, this Bumi has a very strange and uncomfortable vibe, so like... Perfect! He was always gonna be hard to translate to live action, and I saw a lot of people dislike how they portray him here, and I kind of get it? He's not very likeable, he feels like kind of a bad ruler and a bit cruel... And that actually tracks? I read the showrunner said he wanted to focus a bit more on how upset Bumi is about Aang disappearing and reappearing in his life, and that underlying anger absolutely comes through. Bumi is... Kind of scary, and as someone that has a rep for being The Crazy King or whatever, I feel like that perfectly fits!

Jet!!!! He's here!! Kinda feels like it might be a dream ngl, it just has that vibe? Or maybe that's just how happy I am to see they didn't abandon him haha. He's... Still only gonna interact with Katara though, isn't he? :(

Uh? So, I'm gonna have to be filled in on when Katara learned physical self defense. It was very cool, but it felt like nothing I've ever seen her to do before. Anyway real cool moment for Katara there overall, it was great! It in particular really stands out against the cartoon in the way she manifests her anger. She's like. Definitely angry here, and it's very clear she's also just once again tempering it and moving on- no time for this, no time for Jet, no time for fighting... And at some point all of those repressed feelings are gonna have to overflow. It was a very cool scene, but it was, once again, sorely lacking Sokka's presence. More than anything, I just. Wish for these two to meet independent of Katara and get to have their own clash. Honestly? I feel like they could potentially catch two birds with one stone by having the Gaang split up earlier next season, specifically, have Suki help them get to Ba Sing Se earlier so get to meet Jet or something. Idk, the idea isn't fully formed, but it definitely feels like the most likely point for them to get to meet and it would make me really happy for everyone to have a bit more interaction with Suki before she formally joins them in the last season. Like? Maybe Jet and Sokka meeting could be Sokka's story in a Tales of Ba Sing Se sort of episode? As much as I love the haiku club... It's almost certainly getting the chop- also, I heard that the biggest and most important plotpoint of that episode already gets revealed in this first season so? It's likely just not gonna happen, or if it does it might just be like, a bonus one for fun idk. Regardless that season has a lot of "filler" that can easily be dropped, and Jet and Sokka meeting feels to important to just. Never happen, and!! I want it so badly, fuck!!

Yo ngl Zuko's helmet do be making him look like Melonlord

Lol prompting a conflicted Zuko with "well? Are you just gonna stand there? What are you gonna do?" Is fucking hysterical

Bumi is fr so pathetic, fucking no one likes his jokes but his the king and having people have to laugh this time is genuinely hilarious. It also makes everything so much more menacing!! I get why people didn't like what they did with him, but I think it's an interesting direction to go with his character and I think they handle it really well. If anything? Having to stick to some of the original characteristics and reusing the jokes really hurt his momentum imo

The Omashu story looks beautiful!! Ngl I don't really understand why they changed it to a lesbian couple? It literally changes nothing, their genders doesn't matter to the story, so I genuinely don't care one way or the other, it's just... A strange choice to make haha

The singing nomads are always fun, though in my ideal Secret Tunnel scenario they go in with Sokka and Katara and annoy the shit out of Sokka. Miss them already. Also, I do miss Dee Bradley Baker- just. In general, but also, can't help but think of him when I see these guys- it's his song after all!

Forgot to comment on Iroh taking the Lotus tile last episode, so I'm happy to see it back in action here! Do kinda wonder how June will track him in the last season without his smelly sandal though haha

Really cool scene with the rock candy!! Obviously the original way it's presented is off the table, and they instead made it into a really beautiful little action scene!

Ngl something about seeing Zuko pick up a White Lotus got me choked up a bit. The hesitation with Zuko between Aang and Iroh didn't really feel like that big a deal here given the different circumstances behind Iroh's capture, I mean? Obviously Zuko was never gonna abandon Iroh after he sacrificed himself, so not going after Aang here wasn't really that much of a sacrifice on his part in comparison, just... Basic decency to return the favor, which kinda lessened the impact and you might as well miss there was even a conflict with how little of the episode he spends thinking of Aang, but. I like it, it's sweet to see their connection here anyway. Definitely does feel like Zuko is a bit too close to redemption at all times during this season though, Iroh is being WAY too obvious about his true allegiances imo, but tbf... I doubt anyone could go into ATLA blind nowadays, and maybe making Iroh more transparent and Zuko more sympathetic is a way to later drop the shoe ever harder during Crossroads of Destiny- like, THAT'S how much of a wrong choice he makes there, it goes against his entire characterization thus far... But the bait Azula used was too alluring. Or something like that, idk, maybe it's just. Tough to write such a beloved character back into his worst version? Idk, I kinda get why people wish he was less obviously on a path to redemption but frankly? I think it's just an Iroh issue again, they really seem to struggle with writing him to appear silly or without depth as the first season kinda necessitates, and his unwavering support and pushing for sure make Zuko a lot less lost here. I wish he got to be a bit more, but again: this show was the first time in a long time, maybe ever, that ATLA managed to make me be afraid of Zuko, so. Idk. Mixed feelings- he's not all sugar here AT ALL, but he definitely still is a bit too much for this point. I genuinely do think that Iroh's ability to reach him and be straight to the point needed to be heavily nerfed tbh, I think that's the main issue with Zuko's appearing too sympathetic here

Okay, so. Genuinely not exaggerating here when I say: Sokka saying he has a hunch stole my breath away, made me choke up, and tears welled up in my eyes. Like! THAT'S how taken off guard I was with them bringing back my favorite underrated Sokka trait: his instincts. The time it took me to write this was enough for me to genuinely just start crying while thinking about it, like. Genuinely I'm so happy and relieved this managed to find its way into the show, I'm. A bit overwhelmed rn and I don't know that I can put my feelings about it into words rn so I'll be back when I have something else to say, for now: I am RIDICULOUSLY happy with this development, it means a lot to me personally.

Wait I'm immediately back: this is strange, right? The initial utter joy blinded me but this is like... The exact opposite of what Sokka initially does in this episode, this is kinda funny lmao

I think I can pretty confidently say by now that Sokka and Katara's relationship is my favorite part of this adaptation. They always bring out both the best and the worst in each other, their scenes are always bot fun and also just... Cathartic to me in a personal way because they always manage to hit everything that feels missing until they go at each other. It's genuinely perfect, I love them so much. Like? Yeah Ian Ousley is possibly a stinky liar, but he and Kiawentiio have a great rapport and work really well as the unique twists of their characters that this LA is going for. I really, really enjoy them.

Istg Sokka in the cave is just spitting out one pop culture reference after another and it's genuinely bizarre

So, Iroh was provoking that guy to let him take out his anger, right? That's genuinely the only way I can read that scene for it to make sense. Sympathizing with the guy wouldn't have helped, he wouldn't care that Iroh knows he was wrong and that he only realized it when he lost someone too, so he just let him vent by playing the bad guy ig? Idk what I think of that scene tbh- Iroh being a hated general is something that needed a bit more fleshing out for Zuko taking the throne to make sense, so I don't hate it, but. It was weird to see Iroh be so obstinate in the face of someone who was clearly hurting because of his actions. The expected Iroh move would have been some wise words any sympathy that leads to bonding and healing, and it felt SO weird that it just. Didn't happen, and yet... At the same time, I kinda got it, and I do really appreciate this scene, even if the characterization feels off in a way- which, tbh, most Iroh scenes do. It wasn't a bad one, it just felt really strange to keep expecting him to do something and for him to just... Not. Iroh is definitely both the same and yet feels really different and I just. I can't get used to him tbh.

The flashback mourning scene immediately after was also nice, although it was a bit funny how Dallas just looked exactly the same age when it should've been more than three years in the past. Once again Zuko is slightly too sympathetic too early, but at this point I kinda think that's just what they're going for- they're doubling down on showing him as misguided and wilfully blind rather than cruel, which is a realization you do come to during the first season of the original to be fair... It's just a lot less subtle about it here, with much less time where you just view Zuko as The Enemy. It's very clearly from very early on that this is also his journey, and as that gives me more Zuko... I don't even necessarily hate it lmao, it's just different. I think that so long as they keep being consistent about why Zuko is still refusing to "turn good" it can work really well, and ig with Azula coming early... They increased the pressure on him from both sides, which is actually kinda interesting and something i didn't realize until literally just now. Honestly I think half of the point of me writing these is just... To help me get my thoughts in order, to help me see the show for itself rather than just as a cut down version of the story, and honestly? So far it's actually working really well in terms of helping me come to terms and appreciating some of the weirder/bigger changes they make. Still the one unforgivable change is no Jet and Sokka confrontation- I'm glad they didn't entirely drop what Sokka learns there, but. I just love that episode so much that it being changed so severely really hurts in a way I can't reasonably reconcile. Everything they did and all the reasons for it makes sense, and it all works really well in the end but. It's still just a terrible personal loss haha

I do think that ultimately Katara was right and said something Sokka needed to hear (he's not his dad) and I don't like how it was brushed under the rug a bit but I guess he's not really ready to confront that quite yet- that'll probably come when he reunites with Hakoda, huh?

Oh my god it's happening again!!! Istg it feels like some characters just. Straight up accidentally exist in the wrong universe- Bumi and Kyoshi both chide Aang for traits he doesn't have here, and he never gets called out for the in the original. Genuinely it feels so bizarre, like these characters come from another world where what they're saying is true. More than ever this show feels like it was made by fans who loved the show so much they wanted to see it be better, and when given the opportunity they just kinda... Went ham on both fixing the flaws while also directly acknowledging and trying to fix them, except it doesn't make sense because they don't exist here. It's so disorienting and, frankly, super funny and personally validating to realize the writers also probably had screaming meltdowns over Aang being a bad main character, and feeling so strong about it that they just had to include it still. It feels like the biggest callout post possible, it's genuinely so funny, and as nonsensical as it is... I love it, and for me it makes the show feel like it was written by like mined people- I get it, y'all, I too would both fix and yell at Aang if given the opportunity! It's genuinely such a mood and so relatable of them, so even if it's kind of a mess... I love it, because I get it.

I think it's a really cute and fun twist to have the crystals not be the way, but rather, the badgermoles. It gives both aspects of the cave a chance to show up, and even though I do kinda wish we got to see a disgruntled Sokka strumming his way out of the cave... This was a really sweet resolution. Also, spending most of the time they're in the cave be in the dark and thus under the light of the crystal made for a much more visually interesting episode than it would be otherwise, while also being a nod to them originally being trapped in crystal in Aang's Bumi Adventure. Tbh THESE are two episodes that work great when separating the cast- Sokka and Katara literally did nothing in Bumi's episode, while Aang being there in Cave of Two Lovers did more harm than good in my humble opinion. As I thought I would, I like Sokka and Katara going through the cave together MUCH more- it allowed for a more organic conflict, had more potential for funny moments (that wasn't really utilized because for the most part this adaptation doesn't really do or seem to get comedy- I mean, the funny Bumi moments absolutely bombed here!), and just... Wasn't Kataang focused, which is always a plus!!

Ngl it's kinda embarrassing how much I cared about Sokka's instincts to the point that it made me THAT emotional- btw I don't like that it wasn't followed up on like originally, here it was just brought up and he turned out to be wrong which sucked a bit- unless the crystals were meant to lead them to the badgermole? Idk, wish this was a stronger through line because now he just looks like a fool- which the original episode made sure he wasn't, that was like, the whole point there!!

Genuinely WHERE was this Bumi in the original show,,,,, Anyway this Bumi fight kinda feels like the first cool earthbending we see, which. Ngl, checks out with the original lmao.

My god do I wish Katara and Sokka were able to actually do anything in the original episode with Bumi after seeing this, this was fantastic!!! I'm tearing up, genuinely, this was fantastic!! It really feels like what Aang could've become originally if he was challenged more. I really do appreciate and feel for Bumi here, and for once in a very long time.... I'm also rooting for Aang. That's genuinely not a small thing to accomplish for me! As much as I think what Bumi is saying here has merit, I also believe that this is an Aang that can learn to mediate and make the hard choices when he must- so long as he considers other perspectives, allows his friends to help him, and does the same for them in return. And for how distant Aang feels from Sokka and Katara right now? I believe they genuinely can and will grow closer to a degree they can be this for each other. This was an awesome moment and. Idk. Having genuine faith in Aang feels so foreign to me at this point, almost novel, and I hope to god they don't squander this later on. Watching this episode was actually so healing? Idk if it was just that it took me like, literal hours because I kept pausing to write a lot here so it felt like a long journey to get here, but. I'm really happy with where things ended up, generally!

Uhhh so. Zuko's lot in life is being on water, is it, Iroh? Lmao I know that's absolutely not what he meant but of course my brain IMMEDIATELY started barking "Zutara! Zutara? ZUTARA!" like a rabid dog- that is MY lot in life. Anyway I do think the two Iroh and Zuko scenes at the end here were probably the best ones of the two of them so far! And closing with Zuko having another "Aang vs Iroh" moment just to cement the message here was probably a wise choice especially given how brief the first one was. This one worked a lot better, and it was also really pretty visually!! Actually, for whatever reason I think this show generally looks the best when it's working with blue tones for whatever reason, and as this episode had a lot of them it was one I was constantly really impressed by visually! The green here was a bit hit or miss, but the blue scenes kinda always look really good!! Actually, Wolf Cove looked cool too, and it was pretty blue as well! Hmm. Something to try and pay attention to from now on and if I do a rewatch ig?

This episode honestly did a much better job at adapting two storylines simultaneously, and it was just... Overall better for the most part than the previous one. Bumi was a bit questionable in that he initally leaned too heavily on his original personality and gags rather than embrace this new version (ironically, the opposite of what they should've done with Teo), but for the most part I like the changes they made here! Iroh remains the shakiest and most immersion breaking part of this show- due to no fault of the actor, by the way, he does a good job, the writing is just really inconsistent with him- but if I ignore how uncanny and ooc at times he feels to me, I did generally like his scenes here and what they were meant to do. Genuinely don't know if Iroh is an issue for other people or if for some reason I'm just fixated on him feeling off tbh? Anyway Katara and Sokka were in top form this episode, as I came to expect from scenes that focus on their bond! It was definitely brought down a bit by having to resolve the weaker previous episode and its weird adapations of Jet, Sai and Teo right at the start but it managed to pick itself back up really well- and the Sokka and Katara fight put a nice little bow on it for now, so I'm relatively satisfied with how they wrapped it up. Still hope for a big Sokka and Jet fight though, and still don't really appreciate what they did with Teo. But the bulk of this episode was great- if not in execution, at least in the ideas it portrayed, so I'm happy enough with it tbh.

This post was, once again, a mess as it's just me writing down my thoughts as they occur to me with very minimal editing, if I bother with it at all, but. Yeah it's pretty funny that I'm constantly just lamenting how they remove something and then they still include it later haha, it's becoming kind of a pattern!

[spacecasehobbit]

I keep struggling to write up Zuko meta around the Crossroads of Destiny and after, mainly because I don't want to start up a bunch of arguments about Katara vs. Zuko and who was more wrong. And I still very much don't want that. (I love a good faith debate about fictional stories, but those good faith and fictional stories bits are key.)

There is one piece I need to toss out into the void to get it out of my head, though, because I see it all the time and disagree with it so completely.

Zuko didn't betray Katara in Ba Sing Se.

Betrayal is a violation of someone's trust, and yes Katara had started to trust Zuko. However! Zuko never promised Katara anything. Her tentative trust was based on her own lack of understanding of Zuko's situation.

Katara yells at Zuko and accuses him of working with Azula. She tells him that he's the Fire Lord's son, so "spreading violence and hatred is in [his] blood." Zuko tells her that she doesn't know what she's talking about, to which she responds by telling him that the Fire Nation had taken her mother. Zuko reaches out to Katara and shares how he lost his mother, too.

Katara apologizes to him for yelling, and then talks about how she used to picture his face as the face of the enemy. Zuko assumes that she's talking about his scar, to which she clarifies that's not what she meant. Even so, Zuko shares with her that for a long time he viewed his scar as, "the mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."

Some important things here, from Zuko's side. This is Zuko saying that he's growing to accept his scar, and to accept that it doesn't control him. He has not said that he's chosen a new side in the war, or even that he knows what destiny he will choose now that he feels free to choose.

At this point, Katara still doesn't know the whole story of Zuko's scar. What she does know, is that he saw it as the mark that cursed him to chase Aang forever. Zuko is already realizing that his scar doesn't have to control him, but it does still weigh on him. So Katara offers to heal it, thus "freeing" him of the destiny of chasing Aang.

And Zuko doesn't take her up on it immediately. He is clearly considering it, but he hasn't agreed or promised Katara anything when they are interrupted by Aang and Iroh's arrival. When Aang shows up, the moment between Katara and Zuko is shattered and Katara runs over to hug Aang in relief, while Aang glares at Zuko in distrust over her shoulder.

Katara may have thought that she was, "giving Zuko a chance," and that he betrayed her trust, but Zuko has already lampshaded the truth for us with his first line to Katara - she doesn't know him, she doesn't know the full context of his situation or motivations, and she doesn't get to tell him who he is or how he feels about the world. She has made a lot of assumptions, some kind and some less so, but the first genuine question she asks is what Zuko would do if she healed his scar. That is a question Zuko never gets to answer before they're interrupted, and thus Katara only had her assumption of what his answer would have been and what it would have meant.

(Which is in character for Katara! She's a young girl who has very strong opinions and morals and is willing to stand up for what she believes is right, but who is still in many ways lacking experience with the wider world (yes, she's traveled a lot with Aang, now, but S3 shows us that she still has things to learn, especially about the Fire Nation, and about herself and the kind of person she wants to be when she has the power to choose). She is also very compassionate, and she clearly wants people she feels any kind of sympathy for to be on her side. The flip side of those things is that she also tends to assume things about other people without confirming the truth, and then act as though her assumptions are facts.)

Katara's assumptions being wrong, however, does not constitute a betrayal on Zuko's part.

[juniperhillpatient]

The Crossroads of Destiny Re-Watch

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Definitely one of my favorite episodes of the entire series OOOH I love Crossroads of Destiny so FUCKING! MUCH! It's such a good episode.

Alright, so, shocking to no one probably, I've discussed this episode before. I'm linking a post I wrote about Azula & Zuko's dynamic in this episode because I think that it explains a lot of where I'm coming from. HERE ya go.

This is mostly a Zuko episode, honestly. So, let's talk about him. Zuko is READY to fight Azula. Like, no hesitation, dramatics & violence at the ready he is prepared to be on sight. Lucky for him, Azula doesn't really want to fight him. Otherwise, he'd probably be dead. Sorry Zuzu but it's the truth. Iroh demonstrating how he got the nickname the Dragon of the West is pretty iconic. +500 iconic behavior points. Also, +100 to Ty Lee & Sokka for their flirty banter-filled fight. I'm not gonna lie, I'm sort of starting to ship them. The mid-fight flirting is just fun, okay? Although yes, I'm aware that it's a tactic on Ty Lee's part. That doesn't mean she doesn't think he's cute also.

It's hilarious how some things never change & some things stay the same (....I sang-read that in my head...I listen to too much Frozen...anyway) from my initial reactions to this show like 2 years ago lol. I didn't get spoilers per se before watching ATLA but it's such a popular show in the public's consciousness that I did kinda know Zuko would be redeemed, & I just assumed I'd ship Zutara so I read the scene romantically & liked it for that reason.

[ID: Katara & Zuko in the crystal catacombs. She is crouching far away from him, looking tearful. end id]

I don't read the tension between Zuko & Katara that way anymore, but I see how someone could. Anyway, I wrote THIS post about Katara & why I think she acts the way she does. That said, I'm still annoyed with her for offering to use the spirit water on Zuko though because GIRL I get you but also it is a WAR lmao you don't think you might need the magic healing water? For something more important? Like, Zuko will live, he's not even in physical pain right now!

Watching Azula's devious & brilliant coup unfold is just...SO FUCKING SATISFYING GOD I LOVE AZULA SO FUCKING MUCH SHE'S SO FUCKING COOL!!! AHHH!!!!!! Okay, I'm calm. ish. I just...I just...LOVE HER SO MUCH.

[ID: Azula saying "Don't flatter yourself. You were never even a player." end id]

SHE'S SO ICONIC!!!!!! AHH!!!! Okay, I'm trying to be reasonable. +3000 iconic behavior points. I had to stop myself from giving her like 20k because like!!!!! HAVE YOU SEEN HER??? I LOVE HER.

Okay. *ahem.* Anyway. Iroh in this episode is super interesting. They lean REAL hard into the "wise old man who says proverbs" thing in this episode. And I think that's sort of the narrative pushing the audience to see Iroh as more of a perfect wise old man than an actual character in his own right, & that kinda gets on my nerves. BUT, looking at Iroh as a complex character, I do think I can get behind the idea that Iroh WAS willing to be complacent in the life he was presented with but NOW....he saw a chance to help the Avatar, & realized he had to take it. He realized that Zuko was going to go back to the home that traumatized him, & he panicked. I've seen a lot of fans criticize Iroh for never telling Zuko, "hey, maybe you should consider that the Fire Nation is evil & the Avatar is good." I think I would rather criticize the writers for not showing us more of Iroh's internal struggles though because the inconsistencies ARE interesting on a character level if you think about Iroh as a person. ✨Nuance ✨The main reason they become annoying is if you take the presentation of an "infinitely wise old man with all the answers" & run with it too hard. Not the most interesting way to look at it. So, in that way, Zuko's betrayal hurts.

But in the way that all I care about in life is the Fire Siblings.....Zuko's betrayal is the most iconic thing he's ever done actually! +2000 iconic behavior points. Obviously, I'm being hyperbolic & you guys (hopefully) know I don't actually root for the Fire Nation but I just love the Fire Siblings.

I will say though - something that hasn't changed about my perception of Zuko's betrayal - I 100% get it & I was never mad at him for it. I'm not saying I'm NEVER mad at Zuko ok, don't group me in with people who wash away all of Zuko's flaws please, I'm saying that I sympathize & get why he did what he did & I felt this way the first time that I watched too because I remember arguing (not like angry arguing, just debating) it with my family. Literally, the Fire Nation is all he knows! His SISTER is telling him to please come home. He misses his father & wants his father's approval. It's like....completely sympathetic & understandable. I'm not saying he's RIGHT I'm saying it's sympathetic. There's a huge difference. ✨Nuance✨

Oh & the fight scenes in this episode!!!!! Shocking to 0 people my favorite is Katara versus Azula. They're both incredible benders & it's a spectacular fight & ALSO NARRATIVE FOILS FIGHTING EACH OTHER!!! TWO PRODIGIOUS YOUNG BENDERS FIGHTING SIDE BY SIDE WITH THEIR BROTHERS FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS RIGHT!!! FIRE VERSUS WATER - & LIKE BLUE FIRE (THE HOTTEST KIND) VERSUS ICE!!! YEAHHH!!!!!

[ID: Azula with her bans swooshing in front of her. end id]

Katara gets +3000 iconic behavior points for CUTTING OFF PART OF AZULA'S BANGS with ice. Oh & I never noticed it until now but it sort of parallels the moment when Zuko cuts off the end of the wheat Jet has in his mind in THEIR homoerotic boss fight. I KNOW these are two of my favorite ships for good reason, if your ships can't have epic death battles nearly killing each other what is even the POINT MAN!!!

Um, anyway. And Aang dies. What is it with the final Chosen One Tm heroes dying? Buffy, Aang, Harry Potter...Sorry for bringing the Terf series into it but like....C'mon, y'all get why I did right this is a pattern in iconic coming-of-age Chosen One stories. I don't know what it means, but it means something, I'm sure of it.

Luckily, Katara still has the spirit water & she saves Aang's life, so he's fine. Yay! That is about all I have for this episode for now. I'll tally the iconic behavior points in a separate post :)

[jade-of-mourning]

hey. I’m back. you probably didn’t miss me LOL, but I saw your response to my ask and I got really excited 😭

okay so I actually sent the ask about posting to ao3 with the avatar mako concept in mind cuz I love making my non-avatar faves the avatar,,, and then I noticed you said asks about hcs and stuff are welcome so⁉️⁉️

I would love to hear more about the avatar mako au if you’re willing (that summary has me SO pumped btw)

and if it’s not too much of a bother, would you mind an ask about a little blurb idea I had but don’t really know how to write? I appreciate the word vomit response btw it makes me feel appreciated!! as you can probably tell I do a little word vomit when I get excited so. lol. love when my insanity is reciprocated :]

-🐌

welcome back anon! it's lovely to hear from you again <3

ah yes i too am a fan of reading non-avatar!avatar aus; they're so fun! also ty for enabling to talk about my au gfsjhjbhkfsdgjh i'll word vomit beneath the cut lol

and finally, yes! feel free to send it in :) i'd be happy to help if i can, though no guarantees </3

the au starts about four years prior to when book 1 takes place in lok, so mako, bolin, and asami are all aged down four years while the equalist revolution is not yet on the horizon — though i'm keeping the aid kids roughly the same age as they were, just because i want to play off their dynamic :P

in the context of Why No Avatar Korra, aang's temporary death during the crossroads of destiny led the avatar spirit to pass onto a water tribe child — until aang promptly un-died and raava returned, with a small part of her spirit left in the other to sustain their survival. (kind of playing off the avatar!yue theory and some of those theories floating around from book 1's airing lol.) so basically when aang died 54 years later, raava was unable to move on to the next avatar immediately, so she waited in a sort of suspended stasis until the not-avatar passed and the cycle returned at earth. i'm not sure how much i'll actually explore this in the fic, if at all, but yeah here's the explanation.

so mako is technically the earth avatar, but his firebending visibly pulled up first so he was just assumed to be a firebender. fast forward, dead parents & pre-canon sort of plays out as i tend to headcanon it, including lots of casual Bad Things and Horrible Trauma-Inducing Circumstances. however, as mako gets older he starts to realize that there might be a slight issue in that he can bend both fire and earth.

okayyy… okay this is fine. it's probably because his parents are from both nations. (he breaks into the library to verify that no, dual benders do not exist even in mixed families.) he doesn't know what the triple threats would do to him if they found out — would they exploit him further, or would they straight up kill him? he keeps it a secret from everyone, including bolin, because for all that he loves bolin considerably more than he loves life itself, bolin is also largely terrible at keeping secrets and this isn't something anyone can ever know. he doesn't practice any of the other elements, sticking to firebending exclusively, so aside from this added weight of such a heavy secret on his shoulders, up to fourteen it all goes the same.

(some casual Bad Things include, but are not limited to: the horrors of industrial age 1920s child homelessness, recruitment into the gang, lightningbending, and being trained specifically by zolt for intimidation factor and potential takeover. there's an unfortunate amount of child abuse and exploitation going on there.)

and then he's at a transaction with the triple threats when they get busted by the police, including lin beifong herself. mako is very much a fighter and very good at it, in that despite having not been trained properly, he's still vicious and entirely desperate due to his determination to stick around for bolin. he will bite your head off if he feels backed into a corner and will do whatever it takes to come out on the other side. his rage at the world has yet to subside after six years on the streets at age fourteen. he has zero chill and has no slowly coming sense of stability that he's on the cusp of gaining around his introduction in canon. he is both way worse and way better at repressing his feelings here than he is at eighteen, but that'll probably get explored in the fic, so i'll leave it here. anyway this is where lightning-happy mako slips up and accidentally earthbends directly at the Chief; and where most officers would've probably just let it slide under the assumption that they were going crazy, lin beifong does not do crazy.

so this is where the fic starts, as you probably read from the first draft snippet. a lot of set up that will probably never come up, at least not so explicitly like this, but it'll probably write itself in somehow. going on, we've got some air island arrival shenanigans, where mako first tries denial, realizes that it's not going to work, and outwardly verbally acquiesces with the whole fine-you-caught-me-i'll-be-the-avatar bullshit. internally, he is calculating the price of the artifacts in the room and the chances of him grabbing bolin from headquarters and the two of them bailing it out of the city with the sold-artifacts' profit.

so the question is, why would mako run when he's being offered the opportunity to have some semblance of safety and comfort for the first time in his life?

because mako, disbeliever of pacifism, is convinced that tenzin is going to kill him once he realizes that it isn't worth the effort trying to domesticate this violent street kid who's experienced an unbelievable amount of trauma and has a learned, deep-set cynicism for the world — if it's even possible at all. that tenzin will quickly come to deem that the world may as well wait another decade-plus for a better avatar. mako's selfish and even if he knows that his death would enable an actually competent avatar that would acutally help the world to be reborn, he refuses to leave bolin alone (even if a small part of him knows that if it weren't for bolin, him being so very tired so very often probably would've just allowed this path to happen). that's a major-minor plot point.

i'll leave it at that for now before i just write out my entire outline in this post :P but yeah, it'll feature mako learning to care for the world again, plus some quality mako & jinora friendship, bolin acquiring a mother figure in pema, and a peculiar mako & asami relationship after events in which, and i quote from my outline chapter summary, "Mako discovers that trying to steal from Rich Girl Asami Sato is a bad idea."

[zuko-always-lies]

How does Iroh talk about Ozai vs How does Iroh talk about Azula

Iroh only discusses his brother and his niece a few times in the series, yet I believe we can detect patterns which reveal how he feels about them. Much more under the cut.

How Iroh talks about Ozai:

“Avatar Roku”:

Zuko: I have no choice, Uncle. Iroh (angrily): Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you?!?!? (With a look of anguish and worry) What if you're caught? Zuko (turning around from the spy glass): I'm chasing the Avatar. My father will understand why I'm returning home. Iroh: You give him too much credit. My brother is not the understanding type.

“The Storm”:

Iroh: After Zuko's outburst in the meeting, the Fire Lord became very angry with him. He said that Prince Zuko's challenge of the general was an act of complete disrespect, and there was only one way to resolve this... Lieutenant Jee (horrified): Agni kai. A fire duel. Iroh: That's right. Zuko looked upon the old general he had insulted and declared that he was not afraid. But Zuko misunderstood. When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the General. Zuko had spoken out against a general's plan, but by doing so in the Fire Lord's war room, it was the Fire Lord whom he had disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father.

later:

Iroh: I looked away. (The spectators are illuminated by flame, Zuko's scream of anguish is heard in the background, and the camera zooms to a close up of Iroh. The flashback ends, but Iroh's face in the present is in the same pose as it was when Zuko was scarred. It is clearly an unpleasant memory.) Lieutenant Jee (abashed): I always thought that Prince Zuko was in a training accident... Iroh: It was no accident. After the duel, the Fire Lord said that by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return with his honor. Lieutenant Jee: So that's why he's so obsessed. Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal. Iroh: Things will never return to normal. But the important thing is, the Avatar gives Zuko hope.

It’s interesting to note that, given the story Iroh is telling here, his tone and wording is shockingly non-judgmental, mainly expressing sadness over what happened.

“The Avatar State”:

Zuko: (dejectedly) Three years ago today I was banished. I lost it all. (He looks up suddenly.) I want it back. I want the Avatar, I want my honor, I want my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless. Iroh: (with exaggerated optimism) I'm sure he doesn't! Why would he banish you if he didn't care? (Zuko gets up and walks away. Cut to Iroh's surprised face with the attendants in the background.) Iroh: (negatively to himself) Erg... that came out wrong, didn't it?

Later:

Zuko: (o.c., happily) We're going home. After three long years. It's unbelievable. (Zuko walks behind a thoughtful Iroh, carrying some folded clothing. He walks off to the right of the screen.) Iroh: (skeptically) It is unbelievable. I have never known my brother to regret anything. (Cut to a close-up of Zuko. At first he sounds surprised, and then forceful.) Zuko: Did you listen to Azula? Father's realized how important family is to him. He cares about me. Iroh: I care about you. And if Ozai wants you back... well, I think it may not be for the reasons you imagine. Zuko: (defensively, turning his back to Iroh) You don't know how my father feels about me. (He stiffens) You don't know anything. (Cut to the scarred portion of Zuko's face in the foreground with Iroh talking over his shoulder.) Iroh: (gently) Zuko, I only meant that in our family things are not always what they seem.”

Sozin’s Comet Part II:

Zuko: [Voice-over.] Uncle, you're the only person other than the Avatar who can [Side-view of Iroh with Zuko sat next to him. Toph sits to Zuko's right and Katara has her back to the camera opposite Toph.] possibly defeat the Father Lord. Toph: You mean the Fire Lord. Zuko: [Angrily.] That's what I just said! Iroh: Hmmm ... Zuko: We need you to come with us! Iroh: [Close-up.] No, Zuko, it won't turn out well. Zuko: [Aerial view of the group.] You can beat him! [Turns to the others.] And we'll be there to help. Iroh: Even if I did defeat Ozai, [Close-up.] and I don't know that I could, it would be the wrong way to end the war. [Aerial view of the group.] History would see it as just more senseless violence, a brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord.

It’s hard for me to fully capture Iroh’s words, since his tone of voice tends to be a big part in this, but he seems remarkably non-judgmental when discussing his brother. His words seemed to colored by a great deal of sadness and regret.

How Iroh talks about Azula: 

Bitter Work:

Zuko: So uncle, I've been thinking. It's only a matter of time before I run into Azula again. I'm going to need to know more advanced firebending if I want to stand a chance against her. I know what you're going to say: she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her. Iroh: No, she's crazy and she needs to go down. (Zuko nods. Iroh grunts as he stands up.) It's time to resume your training.

This goes without much comment, other than to note that Azula is “crazy” for doing things that Iroh and/or Zuko did. The only interesting thing to note is that Zuko didn’t just passively “run into Azula” the previous episode; he actively sought her out to fight her, as he does, to one degree or another, in many episodes this series. I’m not sure if Iroh totally understands that, but, if he does, it says interesting and not flattering things about him.

Later:

Iroh: Lightning is a pure expression of firebending, without aggression. It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightning the cold-blooded fire. (Iroh takes the tea kettle off the fire and pours it into another pot. He then begins to pour two cups.) It is precise and deadly, like Azula. To perform the technique requires peace of mind.

This is actually a pretty neutral comment. Interestingly, Iroh seems to almost be encouraging Zuko to at least partially adopt Azula’s mindset, or at least Azula’s mindset as Iroh understands it. Still, the way he talks about her seems almost dehumanizing.

Later: 

Iroh: I have another idea. I will teach you a firebending move that even Azula doesn't know, because I made it up myself!

Iroh actually (likely inadvertently) encourages Zuko to stake his self-worth on how his firebending compares to Azula’s firebending prowess!

“The Crossroads of Destiny”:

Azula: I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but Zuko, Prince Zuko...you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you? Zuko: Release him immediately! Azula:It's not too late for you Zuko. You can still redeem yourself. Iroh:The kind of redemption she offers is not for you. Azula: Why don't you let him decide, Uncle? I need you Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day. This glorious day in Fire Nation history. And the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have your father's love. You will have everything you want. Iroh: Zuko, I am begging you, look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want.

No real comment here, other than to note that Iroh doesn't bother addressing Azula directly in this scene.

“Sozin’s Comet, Part II”:

Iroh: Yes. [Close-up from over Zuko's shoulder.] Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation, so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order. [Extreme close-up of Zuko.] But Azula will be there, waiting for you. Zuko: I can handle Azula. Iroh: Not alone! [Frontal view of Iroh from the side of Zuko.] You'll need help. Zuko: [Extreme close-up.] You're right. Katara, [Frontal view of Katara over Zuko's shoulder.] how would you like to help me put Azula in her place? Katara: It would be my pleasure.

Let’s just say the contrast with what Iroh moments earlier said about Ozai is quite palpable.

Overall, Iroh tends to be nonjudgmental, regretful, and sorrowful when he talks about Ozai, even after what Ozai did to Zuko. You get a sense that he still deeply loves his brother and wishes things had turned out differently.

By contrast, Iroh tends to be much more hostile when he talks about Azula, and even when he’s not, he seems to discuss her as an obstacle to overcome rather than a person. There is no hint of past affection in the way he discusses her.

[losergrl25]

I think it's important to point out that although Zuko and Katara would have an amazing relationship that relationships in general aren't perfect and that they would obviously argue and disagree on things but I think they'd be very fair arguments that give both parties chances to express their grievances healthily.

Shall I elaborate:

Zuko would give Katara the space to voice her issues uninterrupted. One thing I love about their canon relationship in series is that Zuko is the only character she is allowed to be angry at judgment free because there is no expectation of niceness that holds her back from expressing her true feelings. I think it's very important in a relationship for someone to be willing and able to accept and see you at your angriest as well ass your deepest compassionate side because all of that gives you the agency to be your true self since we, as humans, aren't perfect. I love that in the crossroads of destiny we see Katara show Zuko every side of her in the matter of 30 mins or so and he accepts them all equally.

Her anger:

Her vulnerability:

And her compassion:

And my favorite thing is that he listened, waited, & gave a response when he felt like he could say something without invalidating how she feels.

Zuko would know when to chase after her when he sees she's being unlike herself

How to listen and acknowledge when he's wrong

And how to give her space when she needs it and have the patience to come and rectify his actions once he's found a solution that will benefit them both

I hate when antis say Zuko's motivation for helping Katara find her mother's killer was selfish. Although I don't agree, in relationships, whether platonic or otherwise, it is just as important to do things for others that are mutually beneficial as it is to do things selflessly. I say this because if you find yourself giving giving giving 100% of the time and you gain nothing from the relationship you will drain yourself to no end. So yes Zuko gained her forgiveness from this "field trip" but that does not diminish the closure Katara gained as well. We often see Katara not gain much from her relationship with *cough cough* someone else.

I think that it's a fair comparison to some of Katara & A/ang's disagreements in canon material:

About 90% of the time Katara & A/ang disagree on something he runs away:

Or become very unecessarily aggressive

[from a comic where a/ang wants to discuss their invasion kiss and Katara just wants him to practice his fire bending and this is his response. It's talked about here if you've never read love is a battlefield look at that post cause it gets worse, this comic single handily confirmed my anti status] and don't even get me started on EMP episode where he was so mad he would've been in the avatar state and did NOT respect that Katara needed space.

It's funny how despite Zuko being well known for his aggressive behavior, even in interations w. M/ai, where we see him being overly possessive and a hot head he's never that way when it comes to Katara (starting from their 1st personal interaction in the caves of course). And despite A/ang's loving & compassionate side that we all know & love and how he's always kind and considerate unfortunately it seems that often when it comes to conflict with Katara that goes out the window.

It's almost like who you're meant to be with brings out the best in you??? 🧐🤔🧐

[lonewolfel]

Azula always “lies”

image from @nothing-more-than-hot-leaf-juice​

As a more recent fan of ATLA I have fallen in love with Zuko’s character. One thing that has interested me spacifically is the mantra “Azula always lies”. Azula is shown to be a manipulative character, but the instances where he says it Azula doesn’t seem like she is lying. 

While I have issues with Azulon ordering Zuko’s death I want to talk about Azula telling Zuko that Ozai was going to kill him. 

Right after she says those lines and she is dragged out of the room by Ursa, Zuko says the famous lines “Azula always lies”. Yet she wasn’t. It is clear from how Ozai treats Zuko to the very reaction of Ursa that it was a very real possibility. 

That is a common thread with Azula and Zuko’s interactions. When Azula is lying Zuko thinks she is telling the truth and when she is telling the truth he think she is lying. This all comes down to a part of characterization in story telling.

The lie your character believes.

All the main characters have one. Aang’s is “that he can run away and deny his responsibilities”, Katara’s is “that the Fire Nation is evil”, Sokka’s is “women can’t fight and that he isn’t special or needed”, Toph’s is “being by herself is better than having people that care about her”, and Zuko’s is “that is father loves him and the Fire Nation is the greatest nation” (these are just their veague beliefs). 

Now I am going to take quotes from Azula and bold the lies and italicize the truths that she says. 

ATLA: Book 2 Water - The Avatar State

Azula:  Hmmm ... must be a family trait. Both of you so quick to get to the point. [Breaks the shell she was holding with her fingertips, leaving Iroh angry.] I've come with a message from home. Father's changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him. He's heard rumors of plans to overthrow him; treacherous plots. Family are the only ones you can really trust. [Pauses briefly.] Father regrets your banishment. He wants you home. [Silence.] Did you hear me? You should be happy. Excited. Grateful. I just gave you great news.

Iroh:  I'm sure your brother simply needs a moment.

Azula:  [Furiously.] Don't interrupt, Uncle! [To Zuko.] I still haven't heard my thank you. [Annoyed.] I'm not a messenger. I didn't have to come all this way.

Zuko:  [Surprised.] Father regrets? He ... wants me back?

ATLA: Book 2 Water - Zuko Alone

Azula:  [Sing-songy.] Dad's going to kill you! [Seriously.] Really, he is.

Zuko:  Ha-ha, Azula. Nice try.

ATLA: Book 2 Water - Crossroads of Destiny

Azula:  Why don't you let him decide, Uncle? [To Zuko.] I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day, [Makes a fist.] this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have Father's love. You will have everything you want.

ATLA: Book 3 Fire - The Awakening

Azula:  [Getting out of bed.] Call it a generous gesture. I wanted to thank you for your help and I was happy to share the glory.

Zuko: You're lying.

(I’m unable to tell if it is a lie or not. I think it is a mixture of both.)

ATLA: Book 3 Fire - The Beach

Azula: [Frontal view.] Well, yes, I guess you're right. I don't have sob stories like all of you. I could sit here and complain how our mom liked Zuko more than me, but I don't really care. [Gazes into the fire. Close-up view of the fire pit.] My own mother [Close-up.] thought I was a monster. [Close-up of Zuko and Mai. Close-up of Ty Lee. Side-view of campsite. After a momentary pause.] She was right, of course, but it still hurt.

ATLA: Book 3 Fire - Nightmares and Daydreams 

Azula:  What do you mean? Of course you're welcome there!

Zuko: Oh, yeah?! I guess that's why no one bothered to tell me about it!

All the moments that he call her out for lying she seems to be telling the truth. In those moments she is contradicting his world view. She tells him that Ozai doesn’t love him. That he is welcomed to a war meeting even after what happened last time. 

When Azula tells the truth she forces Zuko to see the truth. The truth that he has spent so long denying. It is why he is so easily manipulated by her and Ozai. They know that if they tell Zuko what he wants to hear that he will follow them no matter what. That he won’t question the lies that fit the world view, but will the truths that he denies. 

It is the reason that Iroh had such a hard time getting through to Zuko. Iroh had tried to get Zuko to question his world view. 

[sokkastyles]

I did not talk about the final scene in "The Promise" when Zuko goes to talk to Azula, which is obviously a lead in to the search for Ursa, because I find the portrayal of mental illness tiring and upsetting. But I want to say, because I ONLY see people talking about this in defense of Azula, often in ridiculous ways that aren't particularly sensitive towards the issues involved, that it isn't just the way the comics treat Azula as full-on crazy evil that is the problem. It's also the portrayal of the institution she is apparently in as some kind of bedlam house stereotype. I don't see people complaining about this, though, because most people who complain about ableism re: Azula are looking for an excuse to paint her as a victim, so they're perfectly fine with saying stuff like "how dare Zuko imprison her in that awful place!" Because it furthers the idea that everyone is against Azula and she isn't responsible for her own actions, instead of advocating for portrayals of mental healthcare facilities in media that don't stigmatize getting help, or thinking about what they're saying when they talk about being put in a facility as the same as being put in a prison.

Not that Azula in her current state would be open to getting help, but like, she's literally full-on hallucinating her mother while she's talking to Zuko and all the nurses around her are presumably completely unaware of this or just chill with it? Nobody told Zuko that this was going on?

This is also a symptom of how the comic treats mental health in general, which is another thing I rarely see addressed, but like, the entire plot of the Promise treats Zuko's suicidal ideation and depression and trauma from abuse - which in Zuko's case is also ongoing because he's still having conversations with his abuser where Ozai is able to manipulate him - as a sign that Zuko is turning evil or "screwy in the head." Gee, what a wonderful portrayal. Zuko keeping those conversations with Ozai secret is also literally a symptom of abuse. When Suki found out that he was still talking to Ozai, and she told Mai, it should have gotten farther than Mai just being like, "I'm breaking up with you because you're keeping secrets!" This is a problem that goes beyond Zuko's relationship with Mai, it's Zuko being groomed by his abuser who is also isolating him from everyone else in his life. Iroh should have found out that this was going on and ended it, but lol, then we wouldn't have a plot, I guess.

I've also seen criticism of Zuko for asking Azula to talk to Ozai to try and find out what happened to Ursa, and while yes, Ozai also should not be allowed to have access to Azula for the same reasons he shouldn't be allowed to have access to Zuko - as well as the fact that putting Azula and Ozai together is dangerous because Azula is still supporting Ozai - Zuko is not thinking about this in the way that an adult would. He's thinking about it from the perspective of a teenager who is looking to his sister to talk to his father for him because Azula has always had a better relationship with Ozai than he has. In the series, Zuko always relied on Azula when he wanted something from Ozai, because she had their father's approval where he didn't. For example, in "The Crossroads of Destiny" when he relies on her to convince him that he will be back in Ozai's good graces despite not killing Aang, and when he goes to her about Aang's survival or the war meeting in book three. So it's not surprising that when he wants something from Ozai, he asks her. It's the wrong way to go about things, because really neither of them should be talking to Ozai and although Zuko says he exhausted every other resource trying to find Ursa, we don't SEE that happening, and apparently Iroh is not involved in any of this (conveniently, since he's the only responsible adult), but it does make sense as a trauma response that Zuko would do this. I also think that on some level, maybe unconsciously, Zuko is still looking for some validation from Ozai/Azula, but it's obvious to us, the readers, that nothing good is going to come of this.

[fakeikemen]

Katara's Grief

(This is my first attempt at a meta post and I know that this has probably been already done but I just needed to get it off my chest and go on a little rant and it kinda got long so bear with me.)

A lot of the hate on Katara stems from the fact that she keeps on mentioning her mother's death at every chance she gets and invalidates other people's pain to assert that her suffering is the worst of the lot.

And even though everybody is entitled to their own opinions, I'm gonna point out why I think the aforesaid claims are not exactly correct.

First we'll take a look at; Katara's Backstory:

We know that Kya is killed in a fire nation raid and that Katara had been the last person to see her alive before she leaves the tent on her mother's insistence. Only to come back a few moments later and find her dead body. This, in itself is a traumatising event.

So yes, her mother died. Other people in the story go through far worse. You're not wrong when you say that.

But what is more important in Katara's story is the aftermath of her mother's death.

As Sokka says while talking to Toph in "The Runaway" in B3 Ep7:

Sokka: When our mom died, that was the hardest time in my life. Our family was a mess, but Katara? She had so much strength. She stepped up and took on so much responsibility. She helped fill the void that was left by our mom.

As an eight year old, she had to force herself to grow up to step into her mother's shoes and raise herself and her elder brother and simultaneously look after the entire village after her father left to fight in the war. She had to do all of it by herself.

In face of all her responsibilities, she never really had the chance to simply be a grieving child lamenting the loss of her mother. She habituated herself to caring more about others than herself (We see this trait in the entire series as she acts as the stand-in mom friend for the entire Gaang with an exception of Suki and Zuko). She ended up bottling her feelings of grief, resentment, guilt and rage deep within herself.

She had to give up an extensive part of her childhood where most children focus on figuring themselves out, to become a mature and responsible person who was working as the immovable pillar holding up the family and even the whole village not much later.

She put up a strong front to help others and pretended to be fine even though she was hurting inside the whole time.

She could never find any closure from the situation. She never got over it.

Moving on to the criticisms:

1. Katara keeps on mentioning her mother like a broken record:

Here are the number of times Katara mentions her mother's death (not sure if that's all of it, lmk if there are any others):

1. In her first scene with Sokka

Katara: Ever since mom died, I've been doing all the work around camp while you've been off playing soldier!

2. A short while after she meets Aang

Katara: Well, I just want you to be prepared for what you might see. The Fire Nation is ruthless. They killed my mother, and they could have done the same to your people.

3. A short while after she meets Haru

Katara: I lost my mother in a Fire Nation raid. This necklace is all I have left of her.

4. A short while after she meets Jet

Katara: Sokka and I lost our mother to the Fire Nation.

5. In the swamp after she sees a vision of her mother

Katara: I thought I saw Mom.

6. In the Crystal Catacombs with Zuko

Katara: I don't? How dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through! Me personally! The Fire Nation took my mother away from me.

7. A short while after she meets Hama

Katara: We completely understand. We lost our mother in a raid.

8. Repeated mentions in The Southern Raiders episode

(Most of the episode basically)

The first mention with Sokka is in the middle of a siblings' spat where she tells off Sokka for trying to act as if he were superior when it was obvious that in the face of the gaping hole that was left by Kya's sudden death, Katara had shouldered much more responsibility.

When she tells it to Aang, she uses it as a proof that the Fire Nation is capable of immense cruelty and destruction.

The Gaang travel all around the world and meet different people affected by the war in different ways. So when Haru, Jet and Hama narrate their own stories, Katara sympathises with them and talks about Kya's death in lieu of "I understand, the Fire Nation hurt me too."

After they got separated, Aang, Sokka and Katara each had their visions and after they get back together, they all mention their visions and so does Katara.

When left alone in catacombs with Zuko, whom she considered as the face of the Fire Nation— the same Fire Nation that had her mother killed and forced her father to leave to fight in the war, she has a meltdown where she rightfully accuses him of all the bad things he's done and then breaks down while talking about how the war has cost her i.e., by causing her mother's death.

The Southern Raiders is the episode where Katara hunts down the man responsible for her mother's death. If you think mentioning Kya repeatedly in this episode is uncalled for, then I don't know what to tell you.

In all the incidents mentioned above, Katara mentioning her mother's death is a very natural occurrence is the respective conversations. She mostly talks about Kya's death to either extend her sympathy or to use it as an example of the ruthlessness of the Fire Nation.

Another fact to be noted is that 70% of the Gaang's storyline is followed via Katara from a narrative point of view. Plus, being the mom-friend, she acts as the spokesperson. Considering that Kya's death is a major event that played a huge role in shaping Katara's life and is also the source of her severe, unresolved trauma, which acts as the driving force of her story, it is only natural that she brings up this topic whenever she is engaging in a deeper conversation.

It is us as the viewers who have seen her from the start and already know about her mother's death and we see her talking to multiple people about it. Which is why it might come across as repetitive to some people.

While, Kya's death is not necessary information that everyone needs to know, Katara talking about it never comes across as a forced or unnatural.

2. Katara invalidates others' pain because she thinks she has suffered the most:

First of all, if anything, Katara is the most empathetic person of them all. As the mom-friend of the group, not only is she their constant moral support, she also helps them untangle and sort out their own feelings. She is also able to tap into issues that aren't said out loud.

Instances of Katara helping and supporting Aang, emotionally are uncountable.

She is the first one to notice Sokka's sour mood in B3 Ep4 "Sokka's Master". And even though his insecurities seem baseless, she validates him (by saying "I'm sorry you're feeling so down" instead of something like "That's a dumb thing to say") and knows exactly what to do to cheer him up.

In B3 Ep7 "The Runaway" she has the insight to understand that Toph's unruly behaviour is caused by the mixed feelings she has about her parents even though Toph's herself never talked about it.

She even reaches out to Zuko in B2 Ep19 "Crossroads of Destiny" even though she used to think of him as the face of the enemy.

But then there's The Southern Raiders.

Ah yes, that episode where Katara is extremely OOC and a total b*tch.

Agreed that she said some things that she definitely shouldn't have said. But like, she's just 14?? And has been hurting on the inside since she was 8?? And pretended to be fine just for the sake of other people?? Like, there's a limit to how much she can have her shit under control?? And she did a real good job of Sokka's upbringing and taking care of the village and taking care of Gaang on her own?? Some people out there are really willing to forget everything she has ever done just because she was mean for 5 minutes?? A traumatised 14 yo shouldn't be villianised and called toxic because she got mad and lashed out at people that one time??

But here's my take on the scene anyway:

When Aang gets to know that she's going to go face her mother's killer:

Aang: Um ... and what exactly do you think this will accomplish?

Katara: I knew you wouldn't understand. 

Aang is a non-confrontational person who prefers running away from difficult situations as opposed to Katara who firmly stands her ground and is never afraid of confrontations. Katara had approached Aang only hoping that he would understand. But going by his dismissal, he obviously doesn't understand the burning need that she has to confront the man who had single-handedly destroyed her childhood. (Most people infer that what Katara means is that she thinks that Aang doesn't understand the pain of losing people. And so does Aang, I guess)

But things start getting even more tricky when:

Aang: Katara, you sound like Jet.

In all honesty, this is probably the most insensitive thing that she could've heard from anyone right then, let alone one of her closest friends. Hearing herself being compared to a homicidal maniac just because she wants to avenge her mother's killer. (No, I'm not justifying murder but there's a clear difference between homicide and avenging someone's death. And Aang may not be my favourite character but I do love him but this wasn't really a good thing to say either. And he wasn't even mentally distressed in the very least to be completely lacking tact or a filter.)

And then the situation escalates:

Sokka: Katara, she was my mother, too, but I think Aang might be right.

Katara: Then you didn't love her the way I did!

After 6 long years of Katara bottling in her dark feelings and letting them fester inside herself, she is finally letting them out and the first things she faces in a span of few minutes are outright rejection, invalidation of her feelings, comparison to a homicidal maniac and nothing akin to the unconditional support that she has provided to everybody. Her own brother tells her that he is siding with the boy who just compared her to a homicidal maniac.

Yes, accusing your own brother of not loving your mother enough is a very cruel thing to do. But both Sokka and Katara know that she doesn't entirely mean it.

But also, there is one very important factor in here:

In B3 Ep7 "The Runaway", Sokka says to Toph:

Sokka: I'm gonna tell you something crazy. I never told anyone this before, but honestly? I'm not sure I can remember what my mother looked like. It really seems like my whole life, Katara's been the one looking out for me. She's always been the one that's there. And now, when I try to remember my mom, Katara's is the only face I can picture. 

Katara overhears this conversation just as Sokka had meant her to.

This dialogue lets us know that Sokka's coping mechanism has made him suppress all memories of Kya and replace them with memories of Katara in order to attain a semblance of normalcy.

Both Katara and Sokka had very different ways of coping with Kya's death. Katara pressed down her feelings and tried her best to pretend to ignore them while Sokka partially succeeded in forgetting her.

When Katara first hears these words she is shown to be crying. But if she were to remember these very words while she was justifying herself infront of her own brother and a close friend for wanting to avenge her mother, it would've had a negative impact on her.

In her rage, she would've thought: "Of course he doesn't want to avenge mom. Because he doesn't think it's worth it and that's because he doesn't even remember enough of her to be mad about her death."

And for someone who has spent each day of the last 6 years trying to fill in the shoes of her mother and experiencing her absence everyday, the idea of forgetting her mother is a ridiculous concept to her.

Her thoughts would have quickly derailed to: "He didn't love her enough to remember her."

In light of these thoughts, saying "Then you didn't love her the way I did" doesn't feel out of the blue.

No, I am definitely not justifying what she said, I'm just laying out a possible explanation to why she said what she said.

Yes, she should've apologized to Sokka for this and I think that they definitely should've had a long conversation about their mother's death and how it affected them. Between Katara supressing her feelings and Sokka supressing his memories, i don't think they ever had this conversation.

But sadly we are given neither of these scenes.

Tl;dr: Everytime Katara mentions her mother, it's with good reason and I don't think it's fair to call a character toxic when they lack a mind to mouth filter for 5 minutes and say some mean things. And considering all that Katara has done for everybody, it isn't fair at all.

Peace out!