#zukka critical

[atla-confessions]

I lowkey hate the way so many Zukka shippers mention and acknowledge Zuko’s mental health issues and trauma and such, but don’t even spare a glance at Sokka’s issues and are quick to categorize Zuko as a struggling person who always needs comfort and Sokka as the one who’s got everything together all the time. I love seeing Sokka comfort Zuko, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes I’d just like to see Sokka being comforted for once. I wish more Zukka writers would at the very least acknowledge Sokka’s issues as well, it’s just tiring seeing Sokka always regarded as the calm, always-happy one.

Obviously there will be times when Zuko’s trauma is the sole focus of a story due to the plot, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m just talking about how so many Zukka shippers fail to recognize any of Sokka’s trauma, both in and out of fics/plot. It’s just a little sad to me, I guess.

They’re both big and little spoons, your honor. They both have major trauma to unpack!! Stop recognizing one and forgetting about the other!!! :(((

X

[dragynkeep]

Zuko/Sokka ship bingo

i used to like them a lot more but zukka's shippers misogyny against zutara, while transplanting all of katara's traits onto sokka instead of building the ship on their already established dynamic turned me away from it tbh. the fanart is still mega cute though.

[theweeklydiscourse]

It’s a bit of a self-own to express pride that the Zukka shipping base doesn’t produce many essays or meta analysis on the ship. That kind of content and engagement with the text is arguably one of the best things a fandom can do when it comes to shipping. Of course, not everything has to include in-depth analysis because sometimes you just want to ship something based on vibes and a dynamic you like. But…it is kinda odd to see this be touted as some amazing quality to the Zukka crowd (particularly when it’s a not-so-subtle dig at Zutara shippers).

To me, it reads as them trying to prove themselves as “humble” shippers by constantly trying to prove how unseriously they take it. But like…you can take it seriously? I don’t ship Zukka, but I see the appeal and can understand why that dynamic appeals to people, so it puzzles me that a bunch of Zukka shippers pride themselves on this front. Maybe they should consider channeling their energy into writing metas instead of constantly trying to prove that they’re above Zutara shippers lol

[edgyh3dgy]

ohmygod I was going to post some of my art and i get all ready to do a massive doodle dump AND THEN THE QUALITY IS SOOOO BADDD

I didnt know my resolution on clip studio had to be so HIGH in order to get decent quality 😭

anyways im just gonna put this zukka drawing here…even tho its like 420hp 💀

HELPP ITS SOO BAD IM CAKCLINF

[ecoterrorist-katara]

Idk about you, but there was a period of ATLA fans trying their damn hardest to convince me that Katara didn't get any hate. And then when I counted that yes, she did (I didn't make up all of 2020 and 2021 ffs), they told me to calm down?? Like, am I the only one who's experienced this?

The people who are so "neutral" in this fandom are actually the worst ones istg

IT’S SO WEIRD! It’s not even just revisionist history, it literally still happens today. Reddit is overrun with “haha Katara dead mom” jokes. Redditors really show their asses with their simultaneous contempt for Katara and their fervent defense of Ka/taang.

On Tumblr I blame the Zu/kka shippers lmao (who also tend to be the ones who claim to be neutral multishippers, as if multishipping wasn’t the norm in this fandom, yes even amongst the ZKs). Some m/m shippers really want to get rid of the female character in the way of their m/m ship. Which, hey, shipping is supposed to be fun, and if you put Katara with Aang or Azula or Haru or Suki or whoever with zero development for the purpose of your Zu/kka, there’s nothing wrong with that! They do that with Mai and Ty Lee, no drama, bc Mai is not so well developed as a character.

It’s just that…instead of admitting they want to get rid of Katara so that they can enjoy their Zu/kka, they emphasize how she’s so mean to their woobie Zuko, or to their woobie Sokka. Then you get absolutely wild mental gymnastics that are just Katara slander with more steps, like the baffling “homophobic Katara” headcanon (as if Katara, who allowed a fortuneteller to dictate her breakfast and spent the entire show waffling over whether she likes a boy, is any less likely to be queer). People on Tumblr don’t hate on Katara directly anymore because they know it’s misogynistic, so instead we are subjected to a wide variety of random ass takes. The latest form of Katara slander is “just let her be a kid” and assigning her qualities to Sokka, which I categorically refuse to read, because it pisses me off. People are so weird about Katara.

I think this must be something specific to Zu/kka, not m/m ships in general. My first major ship was Klaine and female character slander was not an issue at all. Anyway I ship all variations of Fire Sib x Water Sib (except the incest ones, which apparently requires clarifying nowadays), but Zu/kka is becoming my least fave of the bunch due to fandom shenanigans.

[celestialhouses]

love when the brainrot hits in the early hours of the morning and I have the Urge to reblog 932867 things to make sure people know I like this particular piece of media

[sapphic-agent]

The ATLA Renaissance was actually so unhinged.

What do you mean Zutara's a colonizer ship and Zukka somehow isn't? What do you mean Katara's the worst member of the Gaang? What do you mean Aang was right in TSR? What do you mean Sokka's the most developed character??

I, for one, do not miss this era of the fandom

[don-quixotine]

AVATAR NATION HOW ARE WE FEELING

[atla-confessions]

Fandom especially Zuko stans love to coddle zuko and minimize every other characters trauma to elivate his. And as much as I love the Zukka ship they are a major culprit of this. because I am tired of where Sokka is played as furthering Zuko's trauma with his callousness and can't he see that Zuko is fragile. Alot of fans take one of the greatest things about Zuko his fire and his rage In the pursuit of making him the perfect whumpy victim and it's just sooo sad. like I know of the gang Sokka and Toph have the least talked about trauma but they are still traumatized.

Also Zuko is not unconfrontational with the exception of Katara he is probably the most confrontational people in the series.

X

[azulas-daddy-kink]

Z*kka is a very good example I like to use when I talk about how trend, timing and tropes effect fandoms that you don't see happen in older fandoms

The ATLA renaissance happened during the same time the Voltron trainwreck happened. At the same time, certain tropes like opposites attract, blue/red gays etc are insanely popular. Almost every big thing falls into this easy category of who fits who in their incorrect quotes or popular tropes and ship dynamic.

And Z*kka fits the bill. Silly/Serious? Check. Conventionally attractive guys? Check. Blue/Red? Check. On paper, they sound like any other popular ships that technically speaking would make at least a decent ship.

Except they don't. Because they're from a 3 seasons show where they canonically don't have that much meaningful interaction, barely any acknowledgement of each other, and they just don't have chemistry. They DON'T. Just because they LOOK like they fit on the surface level doesn't mean they actually do. Sometimes opposites don't attract. Sometimes the characters who fall easily into a ship dynamic aren't actually compatible.

The ship is solid proof that modern fandoms these days prioritize surface level things over what canon actually gives them. I UNDERSTAND why some people like z*kka, but it DOES NOT deserve the level of popularity it receives! And the fact it became one of the most popular ships in ATLA because the voltron fans project kl*nce into the ship is IMO disheartening. They already choose what they wish to see instead of appreciating what these characters got and who they actually connect with in canon.

I know I sound pretentious, but I really can't stand these kinds of fans because of how much they REFUSE to engage in canon. Tropes are nice. Having preferences is not a crime. But actively forcing your own vision into canon just because they fit your tastes in the most shallow way possible is just sad. Why bother engage in any new media then? Why not actually pick up something that actively fits your taste?

You said it all, Anon!

I seriously had no idea where Zukka even came from until recently.

It wasn't a thing when the show was airing and then suddenly it just exploded out of nowhere. I was so baffled. I was like "why this?" Of all the slash ships people could have latched onto. Jetko is right there. Hell, even Zukaang and Sokka/Aang make way more sense.

You're so right, people just base everything off """vibes""" or aesthetics, or just jump on the bandwagon when a ship/headcanon gets popular without giving it any real thought. And because Zukka is just a copy+paste version of Klance, they just wind up wildly ooc and it's like they're two entirely different characters. I have to ask myself if these people even like Zuko or Sokka independently...

And for the record, I don't think you sound shallow at all. The enforcement of popular headcanons as canon is a problem in all fandoms, but it's especially bad in this one.

If it sounds like I'm pointing the finger solely at Zukka shippers, I'm not. Zutara shippers are just as bad, if not worse. As are those who shove the idea of lesbian Azula down everyone's throats.

It's just fucking exhausting.

Ship whatever you want. Headcanon whatever you want. Just stop torturing all of us with it.

[ssreeder]

I started reading this like 4 days ago, time has blurred together. I have not slept over 5 and a half hours of sleep in that time, I had to get up at 6 for something and was going 'just one more chapter' several times until it was 2am. The only thing that I can think about is LIAB, I am quickly losing my sanity to Zukka and the prison camp. I came here for a fun time, a good time and the sheer amount of angst that I had heard this had. And, I was certainly not lied to.

I am the type of person to read hard core angst. Impaling, torture , doesn't even phase me anymore (bit concerning but ignore that), I have taken to the blank word document to get that sinking, queasy feeling when the angst gets really hard core. First few chapters of this had me captivated and then Zuko came into it, *Chefs kiss*

I can't read long fics because I don't have the attention span, but for this I make an exception, also if you read it all in like 4 days the attention span doesn't have time to run out! I am on the 3 part, chapter 2 and I actively plan to binge read it tonight. Do I have school in the morning? Yes. Am I still going to stay up until 1 in the morning reading this and make up for my lack of sleep with caffeine? Also yes.

I really hope that Jet dies in this, I hope that he has a really anti-climatic death as well, like he falls off a slightly too high ledge. NO ONE and I mean NO ONE gets to separate MY GAYS LIKE THAT BECAUSE HE JUST HAD TO TELL FONG THAT ZUKO WAS AT THE BLOODY CAMP!

and the Forest Lesbians, may they live forever in the local folk lore about two witches that lived the forest and used the power of being gay to cure people.

thank you for writing this, it has really made me happy reading this even though my favourite gays are getting traumatised (more traumatised than usual for Zuko). I have only been reading this, my friends are concerned about me since I don't think I have willingly left the house in... *looks down at fingers, realises I don't have enough fingers to count this* umm... too long!

*holds your hands* how are you doing friend??

your ask had me both nervous and excited haha & the greatest thing about responding to this a few days late is that you’ve probably finished it by now haha. I feel sorry for your sleep schedule but I also don’t feel bad haha <3

I’m glad LIAB met your expectations in the angst, it’s probably one of the more angsty/ darker zukka fics & it’s probably going to get worse lol. (Not for zukka specifically, everyone gets to join this time) But you’ll see… if I can hold your attention until the end haha.

as for your Jet thoughts I’m sure you found out what happened to him by now ;) <3

thanks for this amazing ask seriously you’re great & you deserve to get yourself a treat for taking the time to send me this haha YOURE AWESOMEEEEEE

[theweeklydiscourse]

It’s just interesting to observe the differences in how people treat Zukka vs how they treat Zutara. Because I searched Zutara on TikTok to look for some edits and the comments were filled to the brim with people saying “But Katara belonged with Aang 🥺” or “How can you ship Zuko with her after Mai said such a romantic line?” Or perhaps the most insufferable of all “Maturing is realizing that Zuko would’ve thrown himself in from of lightning for ANYONE” as if that’s some revolutionary reading of the text. It’s so irritating how this kind of behaviour is…accepted by the fandom.

But you don’t get that with Zukka, instead you see people gushing over how sweet they are together, hailing it as a wholesome and unproblematic ship, praising artworks of it with positivity and appreciation. It’s difficult to find much negativity under Zukka posts, you won’t see people saying “But Sokka belongs with Suki 🥺” or boldly going on a tangent about how another ship is SO much better. I saw one person praise Zukka as the most unproblematic ATLA ship because of how little conflict there was about it, that you wouldn’t see the same hostility among that fandom as you might with Zutara.

But there’s a reason for that which has less to do with Zutara shippers themselves, and more to do with the harassment and hostility they face on all sides of the fandom. Fans will go out of their way to antagonize Zutara shippers, they’ll feel brazen enough to leave backhanded or outright hostile comments under Zutara posts and art, they’ll interject their shipping opinions in spaces where nobody asked and condescend Zutara shippers by framing them as shallow or delusional for shipping it.

I think Zukka is admittedly cute, and they definitely have their haters, but the difference between it and Zutara is astounding. It’s incredibly frustrating to watch this phenomenon play out, especially when these shippers carry themselves with a kind of false moral superiority that can only be found in shipping discourse.

[heartofkandrakarz]

i hate how huge the atla problem has with villianizing borwn and queer ppl that ship zutara— its a serious problem thats been going on for years and when ever someone speaks out we’re labeled as dramatic and attention seeking. it’s draining and it sucks how these issues are always dwindled down to ‘ship wars’ instead of racism and bigotry

[avatarfandompolice]

You can tell how boring Klance and Zukka are as ships by the fact that literally all fan content for them is interchangeable

[umbralwaves]

the ATLA fandom is the most racist one I have ever encountered and it needs to be acknowledged for the monstrosity it is.

[waterbenderkat]

@firebenderfrankie and I have a theory that they’re going to make Zukka canon in the live action.

And let’s just say I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s why Br*ke left. It’s either this, or Sukka is the only romance. Kataang would just be creepy with how they’ve casted it, as would Zutara and Maiko.