#zutara is giving my life purpose

[styx-x]

[theotterpenguin]

the performative accusation that shipping zutara (and occasionally this criticism is levied at jinko/zukka) is colonialist apologism has been addressed in some excellent posts, explaining the inaccuracies and problematic implications of this logic far better than i ever could - like this post and this one and this one and this one and this one.

and i know this topic has been talked about to death, but if you could indulge my contribution for a moment, i just find it interesting how this sentiment results from the cognitive dissonance of atla fans being unable to reconcile with the idea of their favorite show's political beliefs not lining up with their own.

atla is a largely philosophical children's show that at its core deals with themes of love, redemption, and destiny vs. free-will. atla examines these themes through an anti-colonalist, anti-imperalist lens that deconstructs the idea of racial divisiveness and the idea that people of different ethnicities are inherently different. this is message is pretty explicitly stated by guru pathik:

Guru Pathik: "The greatest illusion of this world is the illusion of separation. Things you think are separate and different are actually one and the same." Aang: "Like the four nations?" Guru Pathik: "Yes. We are all one people. But we live as if divided."

and also by uncle iroh:

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements and the other nations will help you become whole."

this theme is developed across three full seasons, with the crux of this message culminating in zuko's friendships with the gaang - despite coming from different nationalities and different backgrounds, they have all had their own experiences being hurt by the fire nation and work together to take down the oppressive fire nation government. the question of destiny vs. free will is also explored through zuko's character - despite starting off as an antagonist, he develops into a symbolic representation of how the fire nation's oppression hurts its own citizens. he unlearns the fire nation's imperialist propaganda while simultaneously unlearning his father's abuse. rather than following misguided beliefs of what he thought his destiny was as the heir to the throne, instead he forges his own path.

thus, to claim that zuko can never form a deep and meaningful relationship with any of the gaang because of his nationality goes unequivocally against the themes of the show. and a major part of this is because these are fictional characters being used to analyze different theoretical questions within the show and in some cases, are used as symbolic representations of different philosophical ideas - their friendships and their character arcs serve a purpose within the text that cannot be easily transcribed onto real-life dynamics between people.

it's illogical to criticize fans who are choosing to understand atla at the level of the themes that are presented by the text - who are interested in exploring similar philosophical questions brought up by the show through the context of relationships.

if you don't like the themes of forgiveness and redemption that atla explores, your criticism should be aimed at the writing of the show itself rather than other fans. because you are giving far more thought to the "implications" of a close friendship or romantic relationship between someone from an imperalist nation and someone from an oppressed nation than the writers ever did. (and if you fall in this camp of people, i would hope you wouldn't be reblogging fanart of zuko and the gaang together while simultaneously claiming zuko could can never escape the sins of his ancestors and can never form a deep relationship based on trust and intimacy with katara or sokka or jin - because that would just be hypocritical).

and as a side note, people seem to apply this flawed logic to zutara far more than other ships solely because the show spends the most time exploring the complicated nature of fire nation imperalism in the interactions between zuko and katara in the latter half of b3. this is because they've been juxtapositioned against each other and paralleled with aang since the beginning of the show in ways that toph, sokka, and suki are not, who have mostly been used to examine different themes. there simply isn't enough time to explore these complicated themes with all the other characters, even if they theoretically exist in zuko’s dynamics with these characters, so the writers focus the most on zuko's relationships with katara and aang, and these relationships are given far more narrative weight, so have more content to criticize. but zuko and katara also canonically become friends by the end of the show. if you want to discount the existence of their friendship, claiming that it will always be tainted by the fire nation's oppression regardless of what is shown in the text, then you also have to discount zuko's friendships with aang, suki, toph, and sokka - because even if this isn't shown as a permanent barrier to their friendships in the show, it’s also not shown as a permanent barrier to his friendship with katara. if your logic is solely based on the idea that a person's identity in a relationship as a colonizer or a victim is fixed and unchanging regardless of character development, this would apply to zuko's friendships with everyone else as well.

[the-badger-mole]

Writer ask: 2, 9, 15? For “All the Things That Are and Will Be”

2: What scene did you first put down?

One of the first scenes I wrote was one that didn't actually make it into this fic. At least not as I originally wrote it. It was based on one of the first episodes of Golden Girls, and Aang shows up at Toph's place (it was Zuko's place originally). Aang had come to complain about how Emiko doesn't do the things that Katara did (cook, clean, organize his life, etc), and telling her that he regrets their divorce. Katara lights into him, having had time to really process her married life with him and how much he took her for granted. She tells him that the worst insult was that he didn't even tell her to her face that their marriage was over, instead having a lawyer deliver the news, and how much it hurt that it was a stranger telling her that her life as she knew it was over. Then she says she's glad he's there because now she gets to have something that he tried to take from her- the opportunity to say goodbye. Obviously, A version of this scene exists in the story, but not this specific one.

9: Were there any alternate versions of this fic?

Yes, aside from the scene outlined above, a few things were going to be different originally. First of all, the decision to kill of Sokka came after I'd begun outlining this story. I didn't want to do it at first, but having him gone fit my purposes better. (Plus I was able to include that nod to Rose and Charlie). Second, Sochiro was going to propose to Katara, and the back end of the story would've been completely different. I never got around to actually writing that version, though. When I started plotting it, I didn't love where it was heading, and I decided I'd rather give Katara a good, mature mutual parting than have Zuko burst into the wedding ceremony to declare his love. Finally, I had originally intended to have Su-Yin and Izumi make appearances in person, but at that point, I had so many characters to keep track of and nothing really for the two of them to do.

15: What did you learn from writing this fic?

There is an audience for Older!Zutara. Down the Road is surprisingly (to me, at least) my most popular fic. I hope that if nothing else, it'll inspire other writers to consider writing more fics with Katara and Zuko older than their 30s.

Send me more asks

[stitch1830]

Hey Stitch!

Writer's Ask Game: #2, 6, 13, 15, & 17 please. ^.^

Ronin hello! Always nice to see your name in my inbox :)

2. What was the first story you've ever written?

The first story I've written and published would be Taang One Shots, a collection of stories that are all connected in some form or fashion, and I wrote a story a week!

The first story I've written but never have and never will publish is what first got me into writing, so I keep it for sentimental reasons lol. But basically, it's a canon compliant, Toph centric fic of her life in between ATLA and LOK. I think the bones of it are fine, but I actually made a ton of OCs and had them basically be best friends with Toph and it's like... kind of weird LOL. The OCs, that is. But it was a good exercise to learn how to make characters and give them purpose and depth lol.

6. What topic would you love to explore in your writing?

Hmmm, good question! I've never really been one to actually make a full-on story with my ideas. Like, it's either a moment that I want to capture in writing or character development. I guess I should say it's not a huge focus of mine to make sure that the plot of the story is fleshed out before I begin writing. Often, I write a story, I like the premise or other people like it, and I decide to continue it.

So, I think if I were to explore anything with writing moving forward, it would be outlining a plot with all that lovely conflict/resolution and character development that we love to read about hehe :)

13. What feedback did you receive for your writing that stuck with you?

Not sure it was feedback on my writing in particular, but I asked some moots about how to write multi-chapter stories, and one of them talked about the exercises they do to make sure that the story is concise and important to tell the story. Like, why should I write this story? What is the story I want to tell?

Boiling it down to a purpose is something I try to think about when I write multi-chapter stories moving forward. It's hard work, but I think that's where I can grow the most :)

15. What is your current writing habit?

I have about 11 or so WIPs that I rotate through by rolling a computer die haha!

Whenever I write, I roll the dice, pull up that WIP, read over what I have, and then write for that story for a specific word count or a specific time. It allows me to try and touch base with all my current and new WIPs so that I've got some words down for every story! It's probably not too efficient, but sometimes I just need to rotate through stories until one pulls me in again.

17. Tell us a fun fact about your current WIP.

I've got a couple fics I'm excited about, and one of them is a Zutara/Kantoph story!

So Kantoph are getting married, and it's a story about Zutara coming to terms with their own feelings for each other, because they're both single lol.

I'm excited to explore Zuko and Katara getting together, and how they navigate a few aggravating conversations between one another. Hopefully it's out soon and you all can enjoy it :)

.......

Okay! I think that answers the questions. Thanks again for the ask, Ronin! Always great hearing from you, and I hope you have a fantastic day!

Send me asks about writing!

[weepingpeachdragon]

I tried showing my mom the masterpiece that is avatar. Slowly, SLOWLY, we progressed through the episodes. But once we got to the bumi episode, I gave up. I waited eagerly for the emotional reveal and observed her face. Completely empty eyes. I asked her if she knew who that was, she said no, should I? I showed her the start of the episode. She went, I’M EXPECTED TO REMEMBER SOMETHING FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE EPISODE!?

Just, sigh.... I give up.

I finally realize why reality shows exists.

Some people just can’t appreciate good stories.

[lovebecomeshim]

hello! your zutara posting today has finally motivated me to ask this question because I came to atla very late(last year, to be specific) and I Love It Very Much but am 1000% out of the loop as far as why what remains of fandom (at least that I've seen among my friends) is so very strongly zutara. I'm not opposed to it per se I just don't really know what has driven it to apparently be such a popular ship? can you help me understand and maybe convert me a little bit?

Hey!! Your ICON! :D I can try but I’m not sure how coherent I’ll be; however I AM sure someone a lot more competent will be willing to add to this. Either way, I’m glad you asked because my plan was to drag down as many people as possible with me.

*smacks the hood of zutara* this baby can fit so much mutual love and support!

This got so long, I’m so sorry. I don’t know how to put it under a cut on mobile and it already got deleted once so I’m scared to mess with it lol. Moving on.

I’m gonna start this with a disclaimer that im on mobile so formatting is tricky and I’m also really new to atla in that I only completed my first watch through in like 2019??? So some of my info is all just based on what I’ve picked up from Discourse 👀 so anyway the sparknotes version: zutara was wildly popular from the beginning. To the point where the atla crew internally disagreed on which ship should be endgame. (Ex. Bryke [showrunners] asked the writers to rewrite The Southern Raiders to make Zuko seem less ideal for Katara than Aang [which failed, depending on who you ask]; the animation team purposefully created a visual parrallel between Oma and Shu in the Cave of Two Lovers and Zuko and Katara in the catacombs under Ba Sing Se in the Crossroads of Destiny; etc.)

The ship was popular enough that Bryke actually chose to display zk fanart at a con for the sole purpose of mocking the fans, but that’s neither here nor there. The entire episode Ember Island Players, while a love letter to/parody of the whole show, was an opportunity to address zutara’s viability as a canon pairing (while, again, mocking zutaras for romanticizing that catacombs scene). Point is! It’s always been popular but with it not being endgame, there’s got to be something that’s given it staying power.

And that’s honestly got to do with three things: their dynamic, thematic cohesion, and potential.

(You know what... you know what, it’s four things. The fourth is they’re so aesthetically pleasing together and individually. Like, they’re just good looking people [specifically when they’re grown but they’re also cute kids] and that absolutely doesn’t hurt) (but it’s not the Point, it’s just nice to point out sometimes)

The dynamic is hard to get into without also looking at the canon pairings, but I think I can do that without unnecessary bashing. It’s just that part of the magic of zutara is really highlighted by what they give to each other that their other relationships don’t.

First off, it’s classic enemies to (would be) lovers. The absolute truest form of it. It’s not too different from how CS started out: a rogue antagonist with a job to do—but no personal vendetta against the future love interest—who is deeply and emotionally invested in his personal storyline (revenge/redemption) with little regard for how it effects other people after his entire life and genuine good nature are marred by suffering, and a fierce warrior girl with a strong moral compass and her own personal investment in stopping him (protect her family and save the world doing it). Obviously frustration and animosity grew between them by the nature of them being on opposing sides, but that just lends itself to the sweetness of their later reconciliation.

The thing is that while they’re wildly different on the surface (he’s a hot-headed prince of a fascist regime who is trying to capture the Avatar to please his father; she’s a nurturing daughter of the chief who is trying to protect and train the Avatar in order to topple his father’s throne) they find out that they have so much more in common both in their experiences and their personalities.

(What follows is an excessive use of the word “both” and I’m sorry about that)(I can edit it. I can do that. That IS an option............)

They both have an innate sense of justice that they are determined to see done (zuko, at the war meeting, sticking up for the Earth Kingdom kid when the guards torment his family, choosing not to steal from the pregnant couple despite his circumstances, abiding by his word to leave the SWT should Aang come willingly, etc.; katara, literally.... at any point). They both have pretty one-track minds at accomplishing certain goals once they’ve put their mind to it, regardless of a lack of support in that endeavor (it goes without saying I guess, but zuko’s entire hunt; katara’s determination to get the earth benders to fight back, her determination to absolutely destroy Pakku until he agrees to teach her, etc.). They both lost their mothers at young ages. Their worlds are war-torn and traumatizing to them both, if in different ways, but that ultimately forces them to grow up too quickly to be wholly independent individuals. They both have issues with their fathers (for WILDLY different reasons, but). They both hold extreme prejudices that they need to learn to overcome (which ties into thematic cohesion)(bit like Lizzie and Darcy in that way but magnified by a million). They’re both extremely emotional and empathetic—which can and often does result in loud outbursts. Katara’s a bit better adjusted and can temper her anger for longer than S1 Zuko can, but they both feel that anger deeply and have no compunctions expressing it (Katara is, usually, more justified, particularly in S1. Again, S1 Zuko is severely maladjusted but at the point when they could’ve feasibly become a couple, he’s so much better off with the way he carries himself). They both struggle with feelings of inferiority in their bending abilities when confronted with prodigal benders like Aang and Azula, but have the work ethic required to double down and become two of the most powerful benders in the three remaining nations. This is a little more minor but it is a parrallel that appeals to some shippers that they both have these alter egos in the Painted Lady (notably fire nation coded) and the Blue Spirit (water tribe coded) that are pretty different from who they are day-to-day and are useful in accomplishing a purpose that they as themselves cannot.

(I’m.... I just realized that this could potentially get very long. Should I have made a slide show with bullet points??????)

Anyway, similar. I know there’s more but there’s literally so much to love about zutara that I’ll drive myself a little crazy trying to compile all the ways they’re similar. (Just gonna say that at this exact moment I went back to add more similarities.... so okay then)

Once they’ve reconciled, we see how all of these things only lend themselves to a deeper intimacy together than they share with literally anyone else. There’s a steady partnership that positions them as the mom/dad of the gaang, while also providing the support necessary to allow the other to not have to carry so much responsibility. A lot of zutaras will point out how zuko is actually depicted doing the more domestic chores that are normally relegated to Katara once he joins the gaang, since the others in the group are two 12-year-olds and sokka. The one that sticks out the most is how he makes tea for the group and then serves them, while Katara is able to just relax with her friends around the fire. Fanon expands upon this a lot to Zuko helping with the laundry or the cooking or whatever else needs doing since he, as a once-refugee, is used to doing his own domestic tasks. Before Zuko joined, Katara was the one mothering everyone, sewing for them, cooking for them, etc. She’s always tending to the needs of the group, and that includes emotionally. She does the emotional labor for the gaang 99% of the time, but when she’s the one falling apart, she’s usually doing it alone and without the comfort that she normally provides for others. Until Zuko. And that’s before they’re even friends.

Which is WHY people romanticize the catacombs of Ba Sing Se so much. Katara is verbally attacking Zuko out of her own righteous anger but also her own prejudice when Zuko, surprisingly, chooses to be vulnerable with her. He’s been on a journey that’s opened his eyes a bit, but he’s never actively chosen to expose the rawest parts of his past to anyone. But for some reason he chooses to do that with Katara of all people. While she’s yelling at him. He sees her humanity, and for once can look past his prejudice and empathize with her. And this time, when she breaks down, she gets to be comforted. Katara normally talks about her mother when she’s trying to explain to someone else that she sees and understands they’re pain, as a form of comfort to them. Here, Zuko uses the exact same tactic. He sees her and he understands. And for zuko? He’s not being shut down. He’s allowed to articulate his pain regarding his mother without being ignored and made to internalize it, and he’s allowed to process how he feels about his scar out loud without being told that he deserved it. And then he lets her touch his scar, something we’ve seen him actively avoid before. He’s completely open to her and she’s completely open to him and all it took was one five minute conversation. She was about to use the little bit of Spirit water that she had, that she was saving for something Important, to heal the scar that still daily causes him pain just because they had, somehow, connected.

Plus there’s the whole parallel to the star-crossed lovers forbidden from one another, a war divides their people—

And then zuko messes up, he regresses, he gets what he wants and he HATES it. And the sense of justice he had as a child has been restored to him against his will and he can’t think of anything he wants to do more than the Right Thing, so he joins team avatar. Before he does that though, we get to see his relationship with Mai, which is where comparison really comes in. And what we see is Zuko, fresh off of his encounter with Katara in the catacombs, trying to be emotionally honest with Mai... and getting shut down and dismissed. Which is just how Mai is and it’s fine, but not for Zuko. Still, he keeps trying, and he keeps getting ignored or scoffed at or yelled at. Which is really a larger symbol for how he doesn’t fit in his old life anymore, but again that’s about thematic cohesion. He tries to articulate his anxieties about returning home, he tries to make romantic gestures, he tries to explain how morally conflicted he’s feeling—and Mai diverts to some kind of physical affection to shut him up and a parting comment that is pretty much always, in essence, “I don’t wanna talk about this.” So they don’t. On the other hand, once zuko and Katara are friends, we see him again emotionally distraught and caught up in his anxieties about facing Iroh, and it’s Katara who comes to him and listens to him and comforts and encourages him.

Similarly, we have Aang clamming up and getting uncomfortable whenever Katara shows any negative emotion, usually resulting in him making excuses or running away. Or, in the case of the Southern Raiders, lecturing her on how she needs to just let go of her anger about her mother’s murder. People have talked this episode to death and usually better than I ever could, so imma... keep it brief. There’s a serious disconnect between Aang and Katara in his ability to empathize with Katara and her needs that has her tamping down her vulnerability and amping up her anger. He tells her that he was able to forgive his people’s genocide and appa’s kidnapping (petnapping? Theft??), which is blatantly not true but also not an entirely equal parrallel to Katara’s situation, and continues making these little remarks throughout the episode. But it’s Zuko that Katara opens up to. It’s with him that she’s able to talk about the most traumatic day of her life, and it’s with him that she’s able to get the closure she needs, cementing their bond as friends and partners. This disagreement between Aang and Katara is then... never resolved. They just never bring it up and hear what the other is saying.

There’s a fic called The Portraits of Ember Island that has a line that so completely sums up the heart of the matter for why people love their dynamic. For context, zuko has woken up early to help Katara with the cooking and they spend the whole time just letting one another talk, and zuko stops to ask why she always just lets him talk. And so she stops to ask why he’s always helping, and it goes as follows:

There’s just... so much mutual support! Trust! Intimacy!! And it just continues like that from the Southern Raiders on, listening to each other, advising each other, watching each other’s backs! And then! Literally saving each other’s lives!! I will never be over the last Agni kai. Not ever. Zuko may have been willing to jump in front of lightning for anyone, but he actually did it for Katara. And in a show, that’s the thing that really matters. It’s a fulfilled trope usually exclusively applied to romantic pairings, and it ended up applying to Zuko and Katara. And then she ran out into the middle of a fight with tunnel vision just to get to him.

Also!! Also Zuko pushing Katara out of the way of the falling rocks at the Western Air Temple!! And Katara catching him as he fell from the war balloon that he fought Azula on!! Before they’re even getting along, they’re the ones reaching for each other. They come to this place of equal ground, as partners, who watch each other’s backs, call each other out but still listen attentively and understand, and provide the support that the other has been sorely lacking up until they knew each other (whether that be from lack of effort or lack of understanding from others, or an unwillingness to accept it for themselves).

Then, trailing along under the surface of this, we see the themes of the show totally embodied by Zuko and Katara as individuals and in their relationship to one another. There’s a YouTuber, sneezyreviews, who has a, like, 2-hour explanation on why she not only loves zutara but also believes that their endgame would’ve actually elevated the writing of atla to new levels particularly because of thematic cohesion and resolved character arcs. It’s the zutara dissertation I never knew I needed, and it’s funny and eloquent and effective, so I’m just going to sum up her section on thematic cohesion to the best of my abilities and then link it for whenever you have the time. And I HIGHLY recommend it, especially if you want a full understanding of what makes zutara so great and gives it such longevity.

Guru pathik has a line that goes something like this: separation is an illusion; things that seem different are just two parts of the same whole. Iroh also tells Zuko something similar: balance and strength are achieved when the different nations come together and influence one another and celebrate what makes them each unique. And this lesson is a massive central arc that both Zuko and Katara go through, moving past a black-and-white, good guys-vs-bad guys, us-vs-them mentality and into a greyer, more nuanced view of the world. Zuko sees the fire nation from an entirely new perspective and while he still loves and hopes for his nations future, he surrenders his blind loyalty to them in exchange for an unflinching loyalty to peace and love. Katara too had to come to terms with the fact that cruel people exist in the earth kingdom and water tribes, while some fire nation citizens are just regular, kind people who also need and deserve to have someone speak on their behalf. And this is honed in directly on how they view each other. They grow in their individual journeys to be open to the humanity in the other and then, once they’ve found that, they’re able to grow more in compassion for others in a beautiful feedback loop. And this is all matched in the symbolism repeatedly and intentionally associated with them in canon: sun and moon, fire and water, yin and yang, Oma and Shu who found love despite their warring nations. Their individual arcs are completed in each other and complement the themes of atla beautifully.

The canon pairs... just don’t. Which, again, is fine. But the very things that give atla longevity and popularity are anchored in zutara. Kat@ang doesn’t accomplish this. They’re... nice. Sweet. Especially when you erase a good portion of their interactions in S3. It could’ve been just a sweet love story. (Personally, the dynamic between toph and aang accomplish the same thing that zutara does, with complementary personalities that fulfill the theme of opposites blending in harmony) M@iko, on the other hand, is less sweet but I think wasn’t even supposed to last. Zuko’s relationship with Mai seems to represent his relationship with his old life as a whole. He can’t be emotionally vulnerable, he’s goaded into abusing his privileges, his agency and opinions aren’t respected. They just don’t have common ground with which to discuss anything that matters, so they don’t. As far as themes, the relationship doesn’t fit with atla. It’s zuko returning to and sticking with what is (on the surface) like him, what’s expected. Fire nation with fire nation. Fluid water bender with the flexible air bender. Like with like, separated from what is different and challenging and complementary.

And all of these things combined of course lead to the potential for the ship. I don’t know how familiar you are with the post-atla canon but... well, miss “I will never turn my back on people who need me”, miss “I don’t want to heal! I want to fight!” ends up living quietly in the SWT as a designated healer who turns a blind eye to the water tribe civil war happening right outside her front door. Which can be fine! People change! Some people just wanna stay inside. I just wanna stay inside! But the potential future for zutara is so much more satisfying, with Katara becoming the most unconventional Fire Lady the uppity old cads who are stuck on the old ways have ever seen. Fanon has her serving as a voice for the other nations within a kingdom at the point of its biggest political upheaval, as a confidante to Zuko who can actually help him while he’s trying to figure out how to move forward and make reparations. They have the opportunity, together, to accomplish what they both have set on their hearts to fight for: positive change that lends itself to harmony and balance. And the steambabies! A popular headcanon is that their firstborn daughter, the crown princess, is actually a waterbender, which causes such an uproar among the people who are adamantly clinging to the old ways. It’s just a future full of potential to be forces for good together, full of trust, intimacy, joy. The exact era of peace and love and balance that zuko announces that he intends to ring in with the start of his reign as Fire Lord is, again, magnified by the very personal zutara relationship. And we love to see it.

tl;dr zutara isn’t for everyone. Some people just don’t vibe with it. Some are nostalgic. Some love the canon they grew up with. Some have been disappointed for years. Some just see themselves in other characters and want their happiness instead. Whatever the reason, that’s fine. But for me, I love the way these two, from the moment they give each other a fair chance, are able to lower their walls and prejudices to see the other for the kindred spirits they are. They see each other’s humanity, and their response is to pour out love and support and compassion. I love that they’re a power couple in battle. I love the symbolism and, honestly, soulmatism that colors their every interaction. I love that they embody the whole storyline of atla in their relationship and how it develops, which is notably why their seasonal arcs always culminate in each finale with how they relate to one another. I love that zuko adopting a waterbending move is what actually saves his life and then katara’s. I love the chemistry! And I love the future they could’ve had, instead of the ones they were given.

So, in conclusion: I just think they’re neat and I hope you do too, at least a little bit. Even if it’s just respectfully from a disinterested distance cause you do you. And now here is the video I mentioned. I’m sorry this post got so long and then I gave you an even longer homework assignment, but I can’t recommend it enough. She says it all better than I can.

[halfpint55]

I’ve been trying to put my finger on why it makes me really uncomfortable when I see Zutara shippers using the claim that by ending up with Aang, Katara became a trophy wife, to support the idea that she should’ve ended with Zuko and I think I’ve figured it out

Firstly to me it’s such bullshit that a relationship with Zuko wouldn’t also be prone to falling into a power husband/trophy wife dynamic when you think of all the things that Aang and Zuko have in common:

Both have massively, globally significant leadership roles

Both believe those roles to be linked to their destinies and the core of their purpose in this life

Both roles would’ve drawn them away from their families in either distance or time or both, leaving their spouses with childcare

Both feel unwaveringly bound to their duty in these roles and would ultimately place them before most other things

Both come from cultures vastly different to Katara’s (which I’ve seen given as reasoning for Aang to become distant from her, as if Zuko’s culture couldn’t be any more disimilar).

But I digress, this isn’t what makes me uncomfortable.

Now by all means please, critique Katara’s character development throughout the comics and LoK if you believe she was done dirty and lost agency, power, and dimension, or that she became second-to her love interest but do me two favours here:

1) don’t for a moment pretend that a Zutara dynamic would’ve been any different

2) and this is the big one. stop framing the discussion of her character post-war, in the context of “who she ended up with”, because she is so more than that. But more importantly, piggybacking off a legitimate critique of what could be considered sexist writing of a female character JUST to support your ship without actually addressing or engaging in the issue behind the critique AT ALL just tells me that you don’t give two shits that she ended up being written as a trophy wife, you just believe she ended up a trophy wife to the wrong man.

[firelxdykatara]

Katara hated Zuko. It was a plot point. Sokka never did--and their "friendship" in the show was close to becoming something more--so they were on equal footing and had hinted romance. Zutara is misogynistic--why are you forcing Katara into a relationship with someone she hates? Choose Toph or Suki if you really believe Zuko isn't gay.

there’s so much to unpack here, and i know i should really throw out the whole suitcase, but i just can’t help myself

and please, i beg of you, picture someone laughing so hard that tears are streaming down their face because that’s me right now, reading this ask. i about choked on my eggnog, so thanks for that!

point the first: sokka hated zuko every bit as much as katara did in the first two books. it was a plot point. sokka wanted to leave zuko to die because saving him wouldn’t have been worth the trouble--he was pragmatic and deeply distrustful of anyone who wasn’t in his immediate circle, and that went especially hard for anyone from the fire nation. including the birds!

point the first part two: sokka’s easy acceptance of zuko into the gaang had less to do with any budding friendship or caring for him (since there was none to speak of until the boiling rock episodes), and more to do with a lack of any personal grudge. aka: there was no tension there. nothing to really dig into--no true development of feelings. because aang needed a firebending teacher, zuko was around and willing to take on that role, and also he was a prime roasting target, so sokka was happy enough to let bygones be after he helped them take down combustion man.

which, of course, isn’t to say shipping them isn’t valid. there are plenty of ships that have little to no canon basis but a lot of fandom support, and that’s usually fine....until the fans start getting uppity about it and insisting that there Is Canon Basis Really, and then insisting that the ‘rival’ ship is misogynistic when their alleged ‘canon basis’ requires stripping everything meaningful from the girl’s relationship to the boy and giving it to her brother instead. which is exactly what you’re doing here, but i digress.

point the second: how on earth was sokka and zuko’s ‘friendship’ in the show (and why the scare quotes? were they not actually friends? are you really sitting in my inbox right now devaluing their platonic relationship because you don’t think it exists outside of your belief that they really wanted to fuck the whole time, despite sokka being in a happy relationship with someone else?) ‘close to becoming something more’? when did they ever have a single, solitary conversation that hinted at any ‘deeper’ feelings? sokka spent most of their buddy cop adventure to boiling rock mooning over his girlfriend (heh, get it? mooning? because he- oh, you get the point), to the point where he had literal hearteyes the instant he saw her--and zuko’s purpose there wasn’t to deepen his relationship with sokka so much as it was to reunite sokka and katara with their father, and to see an example of what a healthy paternal relationship actually looks like.

(one of my favorite shots in the show is zuko’s soft smile when sokka and katara are hugging hakoda)

so already your claim that they ‘had hinted romance’ falls incredibly flat, because there was absolutely nothing in the show that was ‘hinting’ they had romantic feelings for one another--in universe or out of it. sokka was happily in love with suki, and even the one scene that i can imagine might make shippers scream--when zuko popped into sokka’s tent late at night--sokka was about to have sex with his girlfriend, and when he asked zuko ‘what’s on your mind’, the first words out of his mouth were your sister.

(and then, as soon as zuko left, sokka was calling for suki again. the next morning, he was making a flower necklace--or a lei. because he got lei’d. it’s amazing the things you pick up when you rewatch the show as an adult lmfao.)

point the third (and this one is really where your argument blows up in your face): your insistence that zutara requires ‘forcing katara into a relationship with someone she hates’ reveals your own ignorance, because it’s demonstrably not true--unless you’re trying to argue that katara hated zuko all the way through to the end of the show, which??? i suppose makes it make more sense that you think zuko and sokka had a hinted romance in the text, because viewing comprehension clearly isn’t your strongsuit.

why are yall so quick to dismiss katara’s own feelings in the name of calling a fictional, noncanon ship ‘misogynistic’? because katara said, in the text, ‘but I am ready to forgive you’--and then she hugged zuko, called him into a group hug with the gaang later, joked (and even flirted) with him on ember island, helped talk him through his anxiety about facing his uncle, and happily agreed to go with him to face his sister, where she saved his life after watching him take a literal bolt of lightning to save hers.

if any of that had happened with sokka, yall would be calling it demonstrable evidence that zuko and sokka are in love. and yet when we use that canonical buildup and the deep bond of friendship and trust zuko and katara have by the end of the series to imagine them getting into a romantic relationship because of feelings developed during these events......you call us misogynistic? really? because we’re ‘forcing’ her into a relationship with someone she ‘hates’....except she didn’t hate him by the end of the series, they were very close friends and had gotten over and had closure from their personal baggage, and that’s the kind of stuff that provides excellent fuel for envisioning a romantic relationship developing!

so what was your argument again?

ETA: i was so busy deconstructing the bulk of your argument that i forgot to address that laughable last line--toph or suki? who had much, MUCH less relationship development with zuko than katara did?? ‘if you really believe zuko isn’t gay’???? im sorry that you can’t recognize a whole bisexual when you see one, but as a bi myself, i know that zuko’s dual-wielding ass couldn’t ‘pick a side’ if his life depended on it. and he had more romantic coding with both jet and katara than he ever had with sokka--that’s just a fact. sorry if the truth hurts, anon!

[thirteenfortythreeforty]

zutara hcs that live rent free in my head

1. after yon rha, they had a long heart to heart on the beaches of ember island (zuko told katara about ozai and ursa, katara talked about all of her feelings over the past year and aang :/) then he went to get everyone else because he knew she couldn’t see everyone just yet.

2. uhhhh extensive healing sessions after the agni kai? you know she would not let anyone try to tend to him. she wouldnt even sleep in her own room; shes always sleeping in a chair or on the floor until zuko realizes and makes her sleep in bed with him if she really refuses to leave.

3. during one of those sessions, they have a conversation about what happened. and zuko is so confident in his words (which he otherwise would not be) and says something like “i would do anything if it meant you got to live another day.” 

4. i saw a drawing of this the other day and it made me emotional. it doesn’t completely make total sense within the canon (i guess thats kind of the purpose of a hc) but it was mai and zuko kissing in that big room during the finale with katara standing by the doorway crying. pining katara fills me with angst. 

5. zuko fell first kinda back on ember island, katara thought about it but it wasnt until she went back home after the war that she realized how much she truly missed him...but, she wont admit it to herself or anyone else. toph visits and figures it out immediately after she asks katara “soooo...anyone new?” and kataras like “nope! not at all...” 

6. letters! letters! letters! they dont talk for a while after the war until katara receives a miraculous letter from the fire nation and its a long letter from zuko updating her on the random things in his life (and how scared he was to reach out). they start a correspondence and whenever they recieve each others letters, they stop everything to read and reply. and a couple months later katara visits...

7. her visits include knocks at 1am after nightmares that lead to tea and running through the palace, plus sharing a bed !! and stargazing !! (basically all the tropey stuff that works so well with them because i think they both pretty giving romantic people, but its more discreet? if that makes any sense.)

8. zuko awkwardly asking her to “have dinner” and she says “well zuko we have dinner together every night?” and hes like “well i- i mean alone...without my uncle...” and katara is still just oblivious (because again shes convinced herself that he would jump in front of lightning for any member of the gaang, you know something normal). 

[heavensenthearty]

Just because I’m a PoC doesn’t give me the authority to make baseless claims about racism. I can’t go around labeling everything under the sun as racist just because it’s not to my personal liking. If I want to make that claim I need real logic and evidence to back that up. Others would do well to learn that. (Yes this is directed at Anti Zutaras for claiming internalized racism if any PoC isn’t up in arms over it). Ps there have been no real argument against it. It all ignores the full context.

Oh, you said it, A. Frankly, I'm getting tired of repeating this: It's not even that anti Zutaras believe in anti racism, or that this "performative activism" comes from the goodness of their hearts. They know full well (perhaps a little too well) that they are racist, they are doing it on purpose.

They are using anti racism to pass their bigotry as "socially acceptable", and the worst part is that they are accomplishing that goal. People nowadays has a two-track mind: paint POCs as helpless victims, and white people as the evil "rulers of the world" — apparently 🙄

You know what makes me the angriest as a Venezuelan watching this? It's not even that they care about oppression, or that they want to achieve equality, it is literally that they have nothing better to do!

Like the rich kid who wishes their gated community was like a dangerous neighborhood, they are so bored with their lives that they need to come up with imaginary issues instead of taking care of the real ones — (you know, like the fact that almost nobody listens to actual POCs) — to feel better about themselves.

That's why they don't have any real arguments, their thought process is like:

Imagine being so privileged that you know you don't have real problems so you have to mess with the lives of the people who has, but make it only problems cool enough to tweet about. Like this series that's just got to Netflix, for example. People being killed in real life by oppressive governments? Ew, that doesn't make it to a lot of likes.

So, yeah, go take a hike antis. I'll play you Attention by Charlie Puth in your way out:

🎶 You just want attention, I knew from the start 🎶

[aquariusshadow]

My thoughts about the 'age thing' being announced for the Netflix Live Action ATLA: as a Zutara shipper.

First I want to discuss Katara being 16 and Sokka being 14 (without any talks of any ships. No Zutara talk, no Zukka talk, no Kataang talk) and how I feel it could potentially scuff with their character developments.

Katara being 14 in the original series and the younger sister makes the 'growing up too fast too young' part in her character more impactful. In the OG Katara was already seen as the mom friend (among other badass character traits she also showed. Yes, I recognize Katara was more than the mom-friend. She's my favorite ATLA character because of how diverse she is) and it affected her character more because she's still a kid. A kid that desperately needs to let loose and have fun and that’s what the Gaang can provide for her. Her being 14 emphasizes that part of her personality.

Her being 16, while still conveys that same purpose of her being the mom-friend...instead of it being one aspect of her character she can learn and grow from, there's a risk of her becoming just the mom-friend and we lose all the stuff in the OG that reminded the viewer that 'yes, Katara is still a kid.'

That being said. I can still see the writers not keeping Katara as "just the mom-friend" despite her being aged up. But because she is older, and I don't trust the Netflix writers (I mainly don't trust any sort of reboot writing as I personally haven't seen any successful reboots??? but I degress...) to keep Katara as complex of a character as she was/is in the OG. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt but remain skeptical.

I'll be completely honest here. I wouldn't have too much of an issue with Katara being 16...if Sokka wasn't aged down. In my opinion, that's where the decision to change the ages is scuffed the worst.

Sokka being the younger brother changes the entire dynamic he has with the Gaang as well as his own character growth. An in turn, ultimately messes with Katara's dynamic with him and the concerns I mentioned above with her being reduced to "just the mom-friend." Sokka's arc is the protective older brother figure of the group and a lot of that stems from how he wanted to step up and be the man of his village, and in turn, Katara. Sokka being younger than Katara changes that because, while he would still want to be the 'man of the group' (and the village) that same desire to step up for Katara wouldn't be there in the same way??? Yes, he would still be the older-brother figure to Aang and Toph, but ultimately, Katara would be the one taking care of him completely.

Because of that, Sokka and Katara's relationship would ultimately be different from the OG and Sokka's character is more at risk of being potentially unrecognizable or simply reduced to comic relief.

Now, onto the part I think everyone cares about the most. The shipping.

This is where I think I'm about to be really controversial.

Basically, I think aging up Katara screws up the legitimate arguments Zutarians have when criticizing Kataang. I've seen pretty much every argument against Kataang and I've agreed with most of them. But aging up Katara to "show" that Kataang doesn't work because of the age thing (and whatever else) delegitimizes the legitimate claim that Katara being 14 and Aang being 12 is still a problem by itself for their relationship.

Katara being 14 and mothering 12 year old Aang, etc etc, has so much merit for conversation and claim as to why Kataang isn't a good pairing. Especially since a 14 year old girl and a 12 year old boy are so different in maturity and you add in Katara's "having to grow up too fast" character development just further adds to the argument of the 2 year age difference being a legitimate critique. It's impactful. It has merit.

Especially since throughout the seasons...we lost the whole "Aang lets Katara be a kid" theme that the show was trying to show in early season 1. Again, this is just my observations from watching the show many many many times throughout my life since I was like 8 to now 21. That theme was lost because we see more scenes of Katara mothing Aang than Aang and Katara treating each other like equals.

Aging up Katara to 16 takes that away. It more or less says "well we want to prove that the age difference is an issue so lets age up Katara more" when, in my opinion, the show does a good job showing why the 14 and 12 year old age difference is already an issue.

I don't think aging up Katara hurts the Zutara pairing at all. It just hurts the legitimate critiques people had against the Kataang pairing...which leads me to my third and final point.

Should Zutara be canon...and Katara is aged up to 16. The fandom is going to attack anyone that does ship Zutara even more than I've seen the past year or two since being more active on social media sites. On tumblr you have your set tags that you keep to when having discussions. I personally haven't seen a lot of zutarians on tumblr go into the kataang tag and shit on kataang for the hell of it. Sure there might be strays but its not the overwhelming majority of Zutara shippers, from what I have seen.

My point is, there's going to be a lot more hate and anyone who ships Zutara is probably gonna be immediately discredited in the fandom because of the toxicity. This isn't a fandom where all opinions and thoughts are treated with respect. If it was, then I wouldn't be making this post.

Furthermore, I also don't trust the writers to write Zutara properly. Yes, I did see that the new head writer is known for well-written enemies-to-lovers which does give Zutara a chance at being canon on screen so I'm a tiny bit hopeful? That being said, because of the changes already being made, the likelihood of it being good seems 50/50. If they do Zutara the justice it deserves then I wouldn't be as concerned about the toxicity I mentioned above. But. If they scuff the Zutara pairing in the live action. Then. Re:toxicity.

When people want a reboot/live action of something, they don't want the core fundamentals of the story changed. If there is significant change then theres extra pressure to do it right. If it's not done right then all hell breaks loose.

My point, as a Zutara shipper, I'm concerned that the aging changes + Zutara being canon would divide the fandom even more and Zutara shippers getting the brunt of a lot of hate that is unjustified.

I don't speak for all Zutara shippers. For all I know they probably aren't concerned about any of the points I presented and honestly? Good on them lmao. I'm proud if that's the case. I guess, I'm trying to look out for a fandom and a community I am very fond of and plays a huge role in my life.

[quarantineddreamer]

Self-love can be extremely challenging so to everyone doing self-promo for @zkfanworkweek I see you, I am inspired by you, and I can’t wait to check out all the fanfics. (This to-read list is going to take me awhile!!)

In the past it has been the opposite of self-love that has kept me from writing. I allowed myself to listen to and take to heart the opinions of a few people (one of whom was a teacher I really admired) and it completely destroyed my confidence as a writer. I went from someone writing novels in my free time to someone crippled by self-doubt.

Enter 2020... I found this wonderful fandom and I was inspired to try again after years of only writing for academic purposes. I won’t lie though, this week has been hard in some ways! Seeing all the talent in the fandom on full display can be extremely intimidating -and seeing your own work go unacknowledged can be discouraging. I’m not the person I was though, and I’m going to keep trying to expand my audience and put myself out there!

So, this is super super scary for me (like heart-pounding-what-are-you-doing-scary), but here goes nothing...The growing works of a Quarantineddreamer (aka zukos-calming-tea):

In the Catacombs of Ba Sing Se 

This is the first thing I ever wrote for this fandom and my first time sharing my writing publicly in over a decade. It’s a retelling of the classic crystal catacombs scene we love so much told from the perspectives of Zuko and Katara. 

“He wanted her hand to stay there forever. He felt as long as he could work to deserve her touch, this girl, who was standing there, offering him a second chance he did not think he had yet earned, offering him a goal, something obtainable, despite everything he had done... He had always been chasing the Avatar, an impossible dream, slipping through his fingers. This is what uncle saw. He could be good. He could feel this way… He could give and receive kindness... just as he had before, so long ago he had almost forgotten…“

Of Lanterns and Turtle Ducks 

The fluffiest proposal fic you’ll ever read -literally, baby turtleduck levels of fluff. I’m proud of the imagery in this and I think it’s a fairly unique Zutara proposal! I’ve had precisely two people tell me it’s a comfort read and solely because of that I think it’s my favorite thing I’ve written so far (so thank you so much lovely readers for that encouragement). 

“A small smile tugged at his lips. I think you’d really, really like her Mom. I hope you’re here tonight..I think you are. He could feel her now, as he often did in this spot, an aura that wrapped itself around him like a blanket, whispering comfort, security, encouragement, love.

He opened his eyes and it was as though he were looking at the stars themselves. The lanterns danced in lazy circles as the light breeze propelled them across the still surface of the water. Their reflections rippled and sparkled. Fire and water united performed this most beautiful scene.”

I’ll Save You

A piece for my first ever Zutara week based on the prompt Reunion. I just couldn’t shake this idea...

“I’ll save you from the pirates,” she whispered.

The Element of Change

If you read anything from this list please read this! It’s my first attempt at a long-form fanfic and I have sooo much planned (and already posted) that I really do think makes it a unique and enjoyable read. The process is both challenging, intimidating, and fun all in one and for those of you may have already read it and keep me fueled with comments/kudos -words are really not enough to express my appreciation for you, but thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Summary: When Katara, Aang, and Sokka leave the Earth Kingdom Military Base they stumble upon a desperate Iroh who is watching Zuko fight for his life. What follows is a canon-divergent adventure... Or Azula’s lightning finds Zuko earlier than Book 3 -and so does the Gaang. 

I’m sorry if this is a really long post, but huge thank you again to @hinaoyamas for creating this amazing platform to collaborate, get inspired, and share Zutara works! I’m so sad the week flew by so fast! 

Thanks to this fandom for bringing writing back to me after all these years and a quick shoutout to any other artists or writers that felt like they might have missed out this year: I appreciate all of you every day and I’d love to collaborate and get to know more people, my inbox is always open (for self-promos too!) <3 

[zukoshotleafjuice]

The funniest thing about june teasing katara and zuko about being a couple is that she just sees a pretty girl and an attractive guy, both looking almost the same age which immediately makes her go "you two must be a couple" and it just reminds me of zvtara shippers, you know what i mean? I'm convinced one of the reasons a lot of ppl ship them is bc of their looks. katara being the female protagonist and also a pretty, smart and powerful girl & zuko, despite not being the male protagonist, being the most attractive guy in the gaang. Boom, a "bomb ass ship". It is worth to recall that "people ship zutara bc they projected onto katara and had a crush on zuko". And if they say they don't ship them for that reason, then it's bc they read too much between the lines in every interaction they have. So, back to june, she didn't even care if they had chemistry or if they were friends or anything, she just straight up teased them about being a couple lmao. Because in all honesty zvtara can be an appealing ship in anyone's eyes but THAT'S IT, it doesn't go further than that. I can be testimony of that😅Before even watching the show i was like june, one day i saw a zk fanart and was like "wow aren't those zuko and katara from atla? They look so good, she's gorgeous and he's hot" i already knew kataang was endgame and that mai was zuko's love interest but seeing zuko and katara together was pleasing to my eyes. However once i watched the show for the first time (2 months ago i think) i realized there was really no romantic chemistry between them, nothing, literally nothing, i mean, i wasn't even waiting for the zvtara content in the show that made ppl ship them so much, i was actually very neutral about ships, i couldn't care less about them, but i still realized nothing was happenig between them and that it was obvious since book 1 ep 1 that kataang was endgame. Zuko and katara were two teenagers from opposite sides of a war that tried to kill each other multiple times and when zuko changed sides they developed a completely platonic relationship. As i said, people either ship them because it's an appealing and aesthetically pleasing ship (water/fire, enemies to lovers, opposites attract, the common red & blue ship) or they just love reading too much between the lines, OR BOTH, because they were so thirsty about it they ended up convincing themselves there was romantic tension between them, that they liked each other and that zvtara was scrapped when it was never planned in the first place. Not to mention the reasons why they claim zvtara should've been endgame are based only on symbolism and things they have in common that are just so ??? Random. e.g. (i saw these on a post on facebook and the comment section was hilarious, it was full of ppl being sarcastic about it & making fun of it) saying they should've been canon bc:

1. "They both lost their mothers at a young age" (?)

2. "katara was good but had rage in her heart and zuko was bad but had good in his heart so it was like yin and yang, and that was the main purpose/topic of the show" (?)

3. "they both had alter egos (painted lady and blue spirit)" (???) this one sounds like saying maiko was canon bc zuko worked in a tea shop and mai worked in a flower shop😂

4. "Zuko was the only one who supported katara in taking revenge on her mom's assassin" (?) if you ask me, that just proves zuko is not right for katara, he led her to do something she was gonna regret later (not trying to hate on zuko, i love him, and since i love him i acknowledge his flaws. I understand why he thought it was the best thing to do, he's an impulsive and resentful boy (he would've done the same if it was his mom) and he noticed how thirsty katara was for revenge, ofc he wanted to help her + he wanted her to accept him and thought it was the right thing to do in order to gain her trust, but it wasn't) unlike zuko, aang tried to make katara come to her senses and do the thing that was best for her: forgive and let go, and it was basically what she did at the end. She didn't do what zuko expected her to do. She did what aang expected her to do. She didn't forgive her mom's assassin, but she forgave zuko, and she didn't do THAT thing she (and aang) knew would regret later. Aang knew katara and what was the best thing for her to do.

5. and the most ridiculous one, "they both saved each other's lives in the final agni kai"(???????) and the funniest part is that it was followed by "WHAT MORE PROOFS DO YOU WANT???". Honestly wtf did ppl expect? Did they expect zuko to stand there and watch katara die? Did they expect katara to just stand there and watch zuko lay on the floor & die? And this has been said a million times and i am going to join and say it once again: zuko would've done that for ANYONE from the gaang, he would've done the same for toph, sokka, suki and aang. Because he learned to care about them. As for katara, she would've done that for anyone too wtf she healed aang once too and even brought him back to life. (I wouldn't be surprised if zk shippers used that as a parallel for romantic zvtara proof bc they're just like that💀)

There were more "reasons" but they're just so stupid and taken out of context like "they care for each other" & "katara was the one who encouraged him to talk to his uncle" like yeah that's what friends do. Basically all zvtara shippers do is REACH.

Also, i just can't see it happening. I like the enemies to lovers trope, maybe if the writers really intended to make it canon, i would have been down for the ship, it would've been interesting to see how it developed, but,, they didn't, and later i came to the realization that if it would've really happened, it would've been so... weird. Time to bring up the "colonized and colonizer ship" and how some ppl feel uncomfortable about it. Besides the fact that a relationship between zuko and katara wouldn't have worked (they're incompatible af, katara is a girl with a strong character and zuko is a guy with anger issues that takes everything personal, they'd be at each other's throats 99% of the time) it's just weird to think that katara would choose to marry a man from the fire nation, the nation that caused a big war that traumatized her, the nation that took her mother away from her. Imagine katara ruling along with zuko a nation she despised for years. Fire lady katara doesn't sit right with me, and i'm sure it doesn't sit right with a lot of ppl as well. I don't see katara doing that, and yes, i know she forgave zuko, but still, she would've never done that 🤦🏽‍♀️ i think it would've been so OOC tbh.

Another thing i laugh my ass off at is when they say "zuko should've chosen katara instead of mai" as if they were ever in a relationship for zuko to say "ok imma choose katara i wanna be with her". As if katara was EVER an option for him. They never showed interest in each other, what's not clicking?????? And zuko only had eyes for mai, not to mention that despite zuko and mai had a rough relationship, no girl would've dealed with zuko's bs better than mai. Can you imagine katara dealing with zuko blowing up over everything? Because i can't. Also people saying things like "zuko deserves someone who is always there for him and listens to him" (and ofc they're talking about katara) like, ok, you hate that katara is aang's "therapist" but you want her to be zuko's therapist. Logic? Where? And I do remember mai being a supportive gf and trying to cheer him up multiple times. Did they watch the same show as me?

Zvtarians try to play the victims about how they were "robbed" bc some voice actors shipped them and from what i've read people who worked for the show suggested to go for zk, but that's stupid, it doesn't count as "they planned it but scrapped it, we were robbed". The only word that counts are the creators' voice and they have stated they were always rooting for kataang, so no, you were not robbed.

People are just so in love with the idea of zuko and katara together they really convinced themselves it was likely to happen. Honestly zvtara it's a fine ship as fanon but ppl ruined it for me and what i hate the most is when they ship it and hate on aang and mai at the same time and make them look SO bad to invalidate kataang and maiko. Saying aang is abusive and mai is toxic is complete ✨bullshit✨ and lastly, it's ridiculous when they say the creators were cowards for not making it canon. They're cowards for not fulfilling your greatest childhood wish? Something they never planned? It is THEIR show. If you hate sm how things turned out then quit atla once and for all and go find another show that you know is gonna give you what you expect,,, it's tiring that they've been crying about it for 15 yrs , like, i joined the fandom recently but i can imagine how tired old atla fans must be of this.

OK so I have a lot of thoughts about this and firstly,,,anon I appreciate the dedication that it took for you to write  this, and I agree with many of your points. However, the attitude I have on this blog towards Avatar ships is far more neutral than what you’re saying.

Ultimately, romance is not and never was the focus of Avatar. Romantic development was always secondary or tertiary plot, and the entire show was far more focused on platonic relationship development. My attitude towards shippers on here - including Zutara shippers - is that people can ship what they want, as long as they’re respectful of each other and of the other characters that “interfere” with their ship. End of the day, shipping is irrelevant to the core of the show. 

People shipping something because they find it aesthetically appealing is honestly,,,fine. Personally, I think it’s reductionist, but I don’t care if you do because everyone has the right to enjoy media however they want to. 

That being said, we absolutely should call out racist or problematic tropes that we see, including ‘fire lady katara”. I also agree that it’s upsetting when people bash other characters in order to further their ship, as much of the bashing is also pretty racist and/or misogynistic. Calling that out, however, is separate from calling out every single person who happens to enjoy certain ships. 

“She didn't do what zuko expected her to do. She did what aang expected her to do. She didn't forgive her mom's assassin, but she forgave zuko, and she didn't do THAT thing she (and aang) knew would regret later. Aang knew katara and what was the best thing for her to do.”

I understand where you’re coming from, but I honestly disagree with this take. Both Aang and Zuko were approaching the situations from their own life experiences, but Katara didn’t do what either of the boys wanted. She chose her own path, by both sparing Yon Rha’s life but also refusing to forgive him. The episode is about Katara and her personal trauma and its focus should not be on her relationships with either Zuko or Aang. 

When I make posts such as this, it’s less about hating Z*tara and more about how this fandom focuses all its attention on romance and shipping, to the point where if you acknowledge a relationship’s importance it’s assumed you pair the two romantically. I don’t read Zuko and Katara’s relationship as romantic (for reasons that it would take too long to explain here), but their relationship development is extremely important, the two of them share tons of parallels and the final Agni Kai marks the culmination of both of their character arcs. Yes, Zuko would have taken the lightning for any of the characters, but it’s thematically important that it was Katara. None of this inherently means it’s romantic, but refusing to acknowledge the significance of the relationship between them is equally reductionist. 

This isn’t an attack on you, anon, and you’re 100% allowed to have negative feelings about a ship. But at the end of the day, it’s not worth getting this worked up over. If I were you I’d focus more on creating/consuming content for a ship you like than bashing ships you don’t!

[kittenshift-17]

ooooh and I forgot .... what do you think about mai and zuko? I know I know :)) I have a contrary opinion on them, too, because I love zutara with all my heart lol, but I want to know your opinion more broadly .... once again, love u

I think Mai and Zuko were a plot tool used by the writers who saw the planned Zutara some of the others were angling for and threw that out as an alternative because they’re from the “Hero-gets-the-girl” crowd and thought Aang needed Katara for himself. Which actually angles into a whole spiel about how Toph was also a lovely option that Aang could’ve fallen for/been rewarded with, one who was more age-appropriate, but for all the representation she brings, evidently the writers were ablists and couldn’t saddle Aang with a girl who wasn’t “whole” (seriously, don’t even get me started on this). 

I also think Mai and Zuko was a plot device designed to have someone betray Azula to bring her unhinged because if Mai hadn’t done it first, TyLee never would’ve betrayed her either. She was too willing to go-along-to-get-along as long as Mai also appeared to be in support of Azula. The writers needed a way to bring this insanely powerful psychopath they’d written undone and having the Mai and Zuko “love story” as a means for Mai’s defection was convenient.

On its face, I can understand the Mai/Zuko pairing insofar as a couple before he was exiled - she was a senator’s daughter and prime Fire Lord’s wife material, practically trained for just such a role. BUT I think that once Zuko was exiled and he learned so many hard life lessons outside of being heir apparent, they were no longer matched. I even think that the two of them getting back together when Zuko betrays Iroh and they return to the Fire Nation was designed to compound upon that very fact. 

Mai was SUPPOSED to be the perfect girl for him, but he went out and learned a bunch of stuff, and when he comes home, she no longer fits who he has become. It’s another plot tool designed to drive home Zuko’s redemption arc and character growth. He and Mai aren’t well-matched once he returns, as shown by her attitude that tends to rankle him, and his willingness to break up with her and serve a greater purpose. Even the person he became when he’s with her - that jealous asshole we see on Ember Island - is indicative of how they’re no longer well-matched. They’re all things designed to show us how much Zuko has changed from the spoiled, entitled, unsympathetic prick he was, and how in many ways, Mai is still the girl to match such a man, but how Zuko is no longer that man.

On the whole, my Zutara shipping heart tends to automatically recoil from the very idea of Maiko, but the older I get and the more I comprehend of plot devices and character arc creation, the more I can see that the Maiko relationship we’re shown in the series is necessary. That it becomes canon end-game is just a result of lazy writing, if you ask me, and I think that’s why Maiko and Kataang versus Zutara is still so controversial so many years after the series conclusion.  Everything up until the end suggests that neither canon coupling is well-thought-out and is even shown as reasons for additional character growth. i.e., Zuko and Mai no longer meshing, his willingness to leave her, their clashing ideals, alongside Aang’s need to give up his love for Katara in order to serve a greater purpose as the Avatar. We literally see him set aside his love for her so that he can enter the avatar state at will, and yet we’re supposed to believe after all that, he still loves her and everything’s going to be hunky-dory? 

Lazy writing. 

No groundwork was laid for Aang with another girl (except that cutie with the pigtails in the fortune-teller episode, I forget her name), and I think that was deliberate. Not in the sense that it had to be Katara and no one but Katara for Aang, but that no one else was on his radar because to serve his purpose as Avatar, as a monk, and as the bridge between the spirit and human worlds, Aang is supposed to be above such fickle and unnecessary things as love. In that vein, the resulting Aang-has-to-get-the-girl theme we end on, I believe, is born from the western-washing of the main writers. The nature of the series is supposed to be more eastern-based, where ideals like love, marriage and children are not necessarily the end-game of the populace, particularly for monks. But to please the ingrained ideologies of the writers and a large portion of the western audience, that’s what we’re given even when it’s not what we wanted.

[waytoomanyinterests]

Southern waterbending

You know what upsets me the most when it comes to war?

All the knowledge that’s just quietly destroyed, with no way of ever being recovered.

This makes me so damn sad and upset, and the example that comes to the forefront of my mind (and also what I’m going to discuss) is from the universe of Avatar the Last Airbender;

Southern-style waterbending.

Since the only ones who’ll read this are people that’s part of this fandom I don’t have to explain all that much.

But we all know Firelord Azulon ordered for the capturing of the Southern water tribe’s waterbenders, and as of the beginning of season 1 the only waterbender in the entire South Pole is Katara.

Since there are no master waterbenders in the South Pole, Katara has to go to the North Pole in order to learn and master waterbending.

This is all made clear in the show itself and I didn’t reflect on it cause duh, of course she has to go the place that actually have waterbenders.

The thing is that she learns the Northern style of waterbending, not Southern. (for obvious reasons but just wanted to make it clear)

That isn’t made as clear in the show, and I know I didn’t give it a second thought until S2E10 (the Library) and Wan Shi Tong delivers this line;

“Your waterbending won’t do you much good here. I’ve studied Northern waterstyle, Southern waterstyle, even Foggyswamp style”

Sokka immediately after is hilarious but not the point

Now this, this, is when I first went “woah, hold up - how the fuck is anyone supposed to learn Southern waterstyle bending?? All the benders are gone!”

And I mean this became a legit concern for me - I don’t want Southern waterbending to just disappear, but there isn’t anyone around who knows it anymore so what the frick is gonna happen.

Then comes S3E8 - The Puppeteer.

The minute everything is out in the open Hama offers to teach Katara what she knows and Katara is thrilled to learn more about her heritage.

I am too, because yay the Southern style won’t just disappear it’s party time!!!

And then it’s here! We’re at the edge of our seats, ready to learn all about another side of waterbending and-

She doesn’t bring up the Southern style. at. all.

Like yes okay, knowing how to survive in a foreign country is important but that’s not the heritage lesson I was expecting! (whining) I was expecting Southern waterbending!!

And it just frustrates me to no end that because Hama’s gone so is any chance of Southern waterstyle existing for the rest time!!

But then the solution came to me! (two actually, and I did get some inspo from different posts around the fandom for the Zuko one, but I haven’t seen the Aang one anywhere so Imma just take credit for it as of now lolol)

Solution 1:

- Zuko is looking through the vaults where most of the loot from the war is kept in search of something (don’t know exactly what)

- he’s doing it himself, cause frankly he’s in need of a break from his duties and he doesn’t really trust anyone else to do this

- after hours of fruitless searching he’s become quite irritated and is more forceful than he was when he began

- huffing, he tears open an ordinary looking chest and finds it filled to the brim with scrolls upon scrolls

- he groans as he knows he’s going to have to read each one, and after a few seconds of finding strength and resolve he begins the tedious work

- muttering under his breath he rolls out the first scrolls and to his surprise they’re filled with waterbending forms

- a bit more alert and curious he looks through more of the scrolls, and each one is filled with waterbending forms

- after thinking it through for a few seconds he shrugs and decides to give them to Katara, they don’t exactly do much use here and she will probably appreciate them

- a few weeks passes by before he has an opportunity to hand them over

- Katara rises an eyebrow at the chest he puts down by her feet, but he only gestures for her to look

- so she does

- the first scroll she picks up shows forms she’s never seen before and she teasingly congratulates Zuko on managing to find her waterbending forms she hasn’t known existed (“Very impressive, since I’ve at least seen practically every waterbending form out there”)

- she hasn’t seen any of the forms on the second scroll either, and she kind of starts to knit her eyebrows together in confusion

- nor has she seen any of the forms from the third scroll

- or the fourth

- or fifth

- or sixth

- by now she’s majorly confused and kind of scared cause what the fuck is this because she should have recognized at least one form by now, but nothing rings a bell

- knowing she probably won’t recognize any of the others either she decides to send one of the scrolls to Pakku to see if he recognizes them

- Pakku is at first just as confused as Katara and is examining the scroll when one of the elders walks by and throws a look at it over his shoulder

- “Oh, I remember watching the waterbenders perform the annual Solstice performance with these forms when I was just a little girl! It was magical”

- Pakku. just. freezes

- “Wait are you- are you saying that these are Southern style waterbending forms?!”

- the elder looks confused

- “There’s a difference between Northern and Southern waterbending? But yes, I especially remember that one -“ (points at a random form) “- it was a sight to behold when performed right, I can tell you that!”

- the elder then walks on with a small smile on her face, stuck in her memories

- Pakku on the other hand is just shellchocked at this discovery and unable to move

- when he does wake up from his trance he scrambles after a quill and some parchment to write back to Katara about this, knowing how important it will be to her since she’s the only Southern Waterbender left

- Katara gets the letter a few days after and practically collapses

- Zuko, whom was conveniently passing by the room Katara’s staying in at the palace, hears a lot of crashing from inside

- thinking an assasination in undercurrent he bursts into the room, fists flaming, only to find Katara on her knees with a letter in hand and the furniture in the room knocked down on the floor

- immediately putting out the fire on his hands he scrambles to console her which he does very awkwardly cause he’s still new to this but he’s trying and he’s just adorable

- when he can’t get a response from Katara he gently takes the letter and reads it himself

- and is left just as speechless

- but when he looks at Katara again, he panics

- cause tears are rolling slowly down her face, and he has no freaking idea what do to

- but as the tears roll faster and faster, and sobs racks her body she solves the problem herself by throwing her arms around Zuko

- he stiffens, unsure of what exactly to do but eventually wraps his own arms around her

- they stay like that for awhile, not talking but rather just calming down

- the silence is broken when Katara starts to chuckle

- chuckle

- Zuko is flabbergasted and very confused because she was just crying and now she’s chuckling but still crying and oh god what’s going on

- “Are- are you okay, Katara?”

- “I’m more than okay Zuko! Thanks to you the Southern waterstyle won’t die, it will live on”

- Zuko’s mouth forms an ‘O’-shape and Katara chuckles a bit more at his cute expression

- “Just this shows how different you are to your father - he would have burned them, but you saved them, gave them to me and now I can learn about my heritage! The Southern waterstyle bending will live on and it’s all thanks to you!”

- “I wouldn’t sell you too short either”

- then they just smile at each other

(alternatively Zuko was looking for Southern waterbending scrolls from the beginning as a present to Katara and knows what they are when he founds them)

(and Zutara is definitely canon)

Scenario 2:

- This time instead of Zuko wanting to find a present for Katara, it’s Aang who wants to

- he wants the perfect gift and is willing to go to any lengths to find it

- even if it means putting himself at danger

- he knows how disappointed Katara was when Hama didn’t really teach her anything of the Southern waterstyle bending

- so he decides to venture into the Spirit World

- more exactly to Wan Shi Tong’s library

- his goal is to convince the spirit to allow him to take the scrolls featuring Southern waterstyle bending

- which he knows will be probably impossible because Wan Shi Tong hates him after last time

- but he does it anyway, because Katara deserves to know about her heritage and this is the only solution as to how

- he stands outside the library a few seconds too much, trying to scrape up whatever courage he can find

- it’s barely anything

- knowing he can’t stall much longer without someone realizing he’s gone he enters the library

- immediately Wan Shi Tong is there, staring down at him with hard, unforgiving eyes

- “I haven’t the faintest clue why you’re even here Avatar - I thought I made it clear that you nor any human for that matter is welcome to my library”

- Aand bows to the ground, pressing his forehead to the floor

- “Honorable knowledge spirit, I know and understand I misused the trust you so graciously put in me and my friends last time we entered your library. I however beg of you to just let me go and collect the scrolls you have on Southern waterstyle bending - as of now there is not a single person in the living world who knows that style of bending, but I know the perfect person to bring the knowledge forward”

- “And just who would that be?”

- “Katara of the Southern Water tribe”

- “Ah, one of your little friends”

- “Yes, but she is from the South Pole and I know that it would mean the world to her if she could learn of her heritage. She would not misuse its power, but rather use it for the greater good. And besides, if knowledge isn’t shared then what is its purpose? Let the Southern waterstyle come to life again oh great spirit, don’t let it waste away here where it has no use”

- “Please?” (cue the puppy eyes)

- Wan Shi Tong is silent for a long time, scrutinizing and analyzing the young Avatar, trying to find what his real purpose of the knowledge is

- he finds nothing but honesty, sincerity and a want to make someone happy

- so against his better judgement he lets Avatar Aang collect the scrolls he has on the topic

- Aand beams up at this gigantic spirit as if it was an old friend and happily skips along

- “Oh, do you wish to come with me? So that you can see that I only collect the right scrolls? Besides, the faster I find them the faster I’ll be out of your hair!”

- Wan Shi Tong blinks once

- twice

- thrice

- “That’s quite alright Avatar, I’ll just send one of my foxes with you. But I appreciate your willingness to prove yourself”

- a fox appears and Wan Shi Tong disappears into the depths of the library, his silhouette the last Aang ever sees of him

- Aang quickly befriends the little fox who’s been assigned to him and they play while walking towards the waterbending section

- they quickly collect every scroll and book and scrap of paper they can find on Southern Waterbending before Aang takes his leave after hugging the fox

- before leaving he whispers a thank you into the library, and bows as well as he can with everything he’s carrying

- he doesn’t get an answer but he feels a lot lighter leaving then arriving, a sense of truce coming over him

- the fox watches the Avatar leave with droopy ears since his playmate has to go - he hasn’t had that much fun in a long time! - but also feels the satisfaction of a job well done as the Avatar seems happy

- the fox still wishes he could have stayed though, but he’s used to people arriving only to leave

- Aang on the other hand quickly makes sure he gets back to his body and the material world, feeling incredibly happy with the weight in his arms

- a week later it’s time to give Katara the present and Aang nervously bites his nails as she opens it, snickering at how nervous he his

- “Relax Aang, I’ll love it no matter what!”

- she finally opens one of the scrolls and throws a look at it

- “Ohh, waterbending scrolls! Neat, thanks Aang!”

- “Uhm, they’re eh, actually they’re not regular waterbending scrolls per se but rather, uhm, waterbending scrolls that show Southern waterstyle forms”

- he sheepishly rub his neck while Katara gapes at him

- “They’re- but how?- where?-“

- “Uhm, I kind of, maybe, sorta went into the spirit world and entered Wan Shi Tongs library and managed to convince him to give me the information he had on Southern waterbending and we became buddies or not really buddies more like we formed a truce but I did find a friend in one of the foxes and-“

- “You went into Wan Shi Tongs library?!”

- Katara punches him for that because “goddammit are you stupid Aang, you could have died and not even this is worth to pay the price of you dying!”

- she immediately hugs him afterwards though, long and tight because this idiotic little goofball did it for her and she couldn’t be more grateful or happy

- Aang happily returns it, having enough sense to pretend Katara isn’t sniffling cause he knows she trie to hide it

- Afterwards they immediately start to practice and it turns into a routine; they learn some new forms, discuss what differs the most from Northern waterstyle and also similarities

- they both enjoy it very much and has a lot of fun while practicing

Yeah so here Kataang is canon

(Psst, the good thing is that in either of those you can just pretend that they aren’t together if you don’t ship it)

Alright so that’s my take on it!

What do you think, is it possible? Good? Could it happen?

Also, Zutara or Kataang?

Hope you liked it, now bye bye!

(This took so long to write god damn I’m finished)

[everythingisawayoflife]

The Wrath and The Dawn Zutara AU: Chapter 1-The Wedding

A/N: This is based off a book I absolutely adore called The Wrath and The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh. I recommended this book (and it’s sequel) in my post called Books You Should Read (find that post on my blog cause I can’t add a link). I was reading the web comic on webtoons that goes along with the story and after reading a comment that said the deuteroganist reminded them of Zuko, I couldn’t help myself and inspiration hit. So, without further ado, here’s my new fanfiction. Likes, comments, and reblogs are heavily appreciated!

The maids whirled around her in swirls of Fire Nation reds and yellows. Her wedding was today. Everything ran through her mind, her mysterious fiance, at the forefront. Katara watched in her mirror as her maids combed her messy brown hair into something neat and silky that cascaded down her back. One maid, a meek and tiny girl, bundled up Katara’s hair into a top knot to match that of Firelord Zuko. 

“Thank you,” Katara acknowledged the girl. The girl stiffened, her pale face becoming flushed with color. It became clear that these maids went unappreciated and that no one truly appreciated their hard work and special talents. 

“Y-You’re welcome,” The girl stammered, giving a quick and awkward bow. 

A gentle smile crossed Katara’s face as she dismissed the girl out of her chambers. The other maids stayed to paint Katara’s face in traditional Fire Nation makeup, or as Katara privately called it, clown makeup. Other than that smile she offered to the shy maid just a few seconds earlier, she had no reason to smile in this palace. This was a place she had no intention of being, but was willing to stay in this prison after the turmoil of last week. Last week was what drove Katara to the steps of the Firelord’s home. It had been an impossibly long journey from the Southern Water Tribe to the Fire Nation by herself, but she made it. Jia would’ve been so proud. 

Jia had been a lively character, more reckless than Katara could describe. Risk was Jia’s middle name. It was always Jia who would be out penguin sledding from dusk til dawn. When Jia had said a sorrowful goodbye to Katara last week, Katara had no idea that her lifelong friend would be gone forever. The screaming of Jia’s parents when they discovered what happened to their daughter still haunted Katara. Jia was the Firelord’s seventieth bride. Word had reached all corners of the world just how dangerous it was to be married to Firelord Zuko. It just hadn’t reached their tiny corner in time. Katara couldn’t bear the thought of Jia’s precious body being rudely discarded after her murder. It had only been a day. Katara forced back tears as a maid painted a smooth brushstroke of black eyeliner over her eyelid.

No one knew why Zuko had a continuous murder streak that concerned her new brides. No one outside of the palace walls knew. There were whispers of why but just thinking about it seemed illegal. Katara trapped herself with Zuko to find out why. When she first locked eyes with the Firelord, she greeted him with an icy glare, cold enough to pierce through the skin. His glare was just as cold. Katara found that odd considering his eyes were a warm and welcome honey color. When she told him she volunteered to be his next wife, his face was as rock hard as stone. His courtesans, however, were far from it. Some looked on at her with eyes saying she was insane and some just shook their heads sadly, not knowing she was aware of the cost. It was strange having another Southern Water Tribe girl come waltzing into the palace asking for a hand in death. The whispers and rumors on the streets never broke her. 

Katara refocused herself, studying her reflection in the mirror. Her icy blue eyes hadn’t melted with the warmth of the Fire Nation. Her eyes greatly contrasted with the Fire Nation garments she’d been heavily adorned with. The maids must’ve heard she was Water Tribe because she found some subtle references to her home woven in the silk. She was even provided with a betrothal necklace, carved with the Fire Nation insignia. It was a meaningless piece of jewelry, considering it came from a murderer. He probably didn’t even carve it himself, she thought. Regardless of whether it was his handiwork or not, the necklace meant nothing coming from him. She wanted to tear it and smash the intricately carved rock with her foot but she held it together for her family. Oh, her poor family. As if losing her mother wasn’t enough. Kya’s death took an extreme toll on her father, brother, grandmother, and herself. If her mother were here now, she wouldn’t know what to say to her. Katara’s maids had obviously finished decorating her for the upcoming ceremony, so she quickly dismissed them.

She continued to stare deeply into her soul. Every decision she had ever made in her life led her to this prison. She was here with a purpose. She was here for herself. She was here for Jia. She was here for every other girl who died at the hands of Firelord Zuko. She was determined to make it to the next sunrise, and the one after that. She was here to end the madness once and for all. She was here to kill the Firelord. 

“I’m so sorry Dad,” She whispered to herself. “I disobeyed you but I had to. Jia’s death shall not be in vain. She and every other girl will get the justice they deserve. I hope you can find in it your heart to forgive me.” 

If only her father could hear her apology. She wished Sokka could hear it too. She missed her brother’s jokes and laughter in her ear. The deafening silence of the room spoke tremendous volumes. With the exception of the rumbling crowd forming outside of the palace, all was quiet and still in her Queen Suite. She felt disgusted to say it, let alone think it. She’d only be Fire Lady for so long. When she executed her plan and him, she could live out the rest of her life knowing justice had been served. His death would end everyone’s internal suffering and she’d feel closure for Jia. She wasn’t just here for Water Tribe. Earth Kingdom, Air Nomad, and Fire Nation girls had lost their innocent lives because the monster that is Firelord Zuko. 

Shaking her out of her thoughts, a guard knocked on Katara’s door. She stood and held a regal position, attempting to maintain a certain air of dominance over this measly guard. 

“Enter,” She responded.

The heavy doors opened to reveal a tall, broad shouldered guard, obviously there to subdue her in case she tried anything. However, unlike those she had see so far, his similarly colored eyes to Zuko’s, were warm and kind. He looked sympathetic, almost. 

“My lady,” The guard said. “It is time. Are you ready?” The guard offered her an arm to walk her to the wedding hall. 

Katara elegantly reached for him and slid her arm through his. She patted his hand, smiling vaguely at him. 

“More than you’ll ever know.”

. . .

A/N: I’m still working out who’s character I want to be who because there are more characters going to be introduced that I’m not still sure who all is gonna be included. Please read the books because they are so good and highly entertaining! Lmk if you’ve read the books or what you think of the story! Again, likes, comments, and reblogs are GREATLY appreciated.