zutarabender

[zutarabender]

You come into my house and necro an untagged post from November in March, in a way that proves my point so thoroughly that I'm just gonna leave this here. Trying to lecture me on how diaspora Jews perceive the government "down here" (yikes)... We know far better than you or diaspora Jews ever could the burning fury you speak of, the one I've been personally feeling for over a literal decade, even when the global left would've found my deep hatred of Netanyahu radical and unfounded and based on tinfoil-hat level thinking. Keep yelling at clouds if you must but stay in your goddamn seat.

Will also clarify, in case someone else is also lacking in reading comprehension, that when I speak of "our" suffering I meant everyone who has been affected by this war and our far-right government's criminal actions, *especially* the Palestinian people, and most acutely now half a year after that post was made. But as I also said, I cannot pretend to speak for the Palestinian people, the same way randos online shouldn't pretend to speak for me and my lived experience.

To everyone else and on to the subject that brought me back to this blog - goes without saying that I'm very much not in the mood to write for Zutara Month. I'm surviving, incredibly fortunate to be safe physically as well as my loved ones, wishing for an immediate ceasefire and the return of all hostages as much as you could expect me to and even more. I hope you all have a good one.

I cannot believe I have to ask this of people (nobody here that I know of, otherwise you'd be contacted personally, but I've seen enough). Please don't trivialize this war by bringing fandom attitudes into them.

This is serious. I can speak for the Jewish Israeli side of things, that the foundations of everything everyone here ever believed are being tested in a degree unseen in our country's entire existence. I cannot tell you what I believe and what I don't anymore - this is existential to degrees I cannot compare to any event other than 9/11 and many of you are too young to remember that. This is majorly existential and life as we knew it doesn't exist anymore. I will not pretend to speak for the Palestinian people because I'm not Palestinian, but I know them to be facing horrors beyond most people's understanding, particularly in Gaza.

This is no joke, and no talking point. This is an ongoing conflict that radically challenges the status quo for every involved side; too many of the chips have yet to fall, and personally I don't believe anything I'm told beyond the barest irrefutable facts. Misinformation and propaganda are rampant on both sides, and that's an insult to the truth and each and every victim. It gets worse when people with zero stakes in the matter get involved and turn our suffering into yet another point of debate to virtue-signal and boost their ego and pretend they're better than the person they're talking to.

I've had to see people with my own two eyes treat this as a shipping war or as another partisan issue to fight with your uncle over on Christmas dinner. Attempts to "pick" aside or to "help me convince [relative]" or "how can I rebuke [point]?", basically twisting reality into knots to make it fit your Western little heads.

Major yikes. It's bizarre and invasive and borderline appropriative, to think of our issues on your terms, and try to shape cherry-pick these narratives to suit your set of morals. These are Middle Eastern peoples (check Israeli demographics and my Ashkie DNA if you think I'm pulling that out of my ass) with our own cultures and sets of beliefs, and a conflict with an incredibly unique history and reason to be.

(For example, something I wish people understood is how diametrically opposed the notions of pikuach nefesh and jihad are. Pikuach Nefesh is Judaism's most important tenet - human life comes before everything and anything and it is our duty to do whatever it takes to save a life. Jihad is, as explained to me by several Muslim people, is a pillar of Islam and encompasses the idea of martyrdom, or basically that there are things worth dying for, and things one must die for. These principles factor on how both sides deal with warfare and it's a fascinating thing to talk about - but you'd never know if you only care about this war to boost your ego).

So what I'm about to say below goes tenfold if you're from the wealthy Anglosphere or the seat of a former European empire, because the state of the Middle East is your leadership's fault and you, yes you, have been doing absolutely nothing to hold your elected officials accountable. You also benefit directly from the instability in the region your countries caused (by keeping us powerless, yours are more powerful) and you have the privilege to sleep safe and sound and know war never will come to you. So here it goes:

Bringing selfish and trivial attitudes into a very real issue that affects real people that isn't you is a complete moral wrong. If you don't have a direct stake in the issue (ie. Israeli, Palestinian, or descendent of either) and have the absolute privilege of not having experienced war yourself (ie. lived in an active war zone for real personally in unequivocal terms) please take several steps back and a goddamn seat. This is not about you, your need to virtue-signal, and your feelings.

[zutarabender]

[zutarabender]

Katara 💙

I love her so much

[zutarabender]

[ID: A digitally drawn comic of Toph and Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender talking about Zuko’s scar.

It begins with Toph approaching Zuko, who is sitting near a campfire. “You have a scar?” she asks. Zuko replies,  "Oh! Uh, yeah… You didn’t…?“ Toph cuts him off and says, “Came up in passing with the other guys.” Toph casually makes herself a seat out of rock and sits down next to him. “Must be pretty badass if everyone assumes I know it’s there, too,” she continues. Zuko looks aside awkwardly and says, “… It’s on my face.” “Ah.” Toph replies.

Zuko says, “Maybe you could… feel it?” “Huh?” says Toph. “I guess, if I concentrate hard enough.” Zuko reaches for Toph’s hand. “Uhm, just with your hand, if you want,” he says. “I don’t think I can describe it.” “… Gotcha. Guide my hand then, boss,” Toph says. Zuko does so, and there’s a pause as Toph touches his scar. The fire reflects in her eyes.

As Toph pulls her hand away, Zuko says, “…. You know, my left eye is almost blind, too.” “Seriously?!” Toph exclaims. “Why aren’t we a tag team yet?! The blind bandit and the half-blind dweeb!” “Come on…!” Zuko moans. End ID]

id by @strawberrygiorno , thank you!

i’ve had this comic sketched out for months but only decided to finish it now, it’s based on something i drew a couple years back of toph and zuko….don’t think too hard on when or how this takes place because i don’t really know either! it’s just a concept i’ve always wanted to draw

[zutarabender]

[zutarabender]

I cannot believe I have to ask this of people (nobody here that I know of, otherwise you'd be contacted personally, but I've seen enough). Please don't trivialize this war by bringing fandom attitudes into them.

This is serious. I can speak for the Jewish Israeli side of things, that the foundations of everything everyone here ever believed are being tested in a degree unseen in our country's entire existence. I cannot tell you what I believe and what I don't anymore - this is existential to degrees I cannot compare to any event other than 9/11 and many of you are too young to remember that. This is majorly existential and life as we knew it doesn't exist anymore. I will not pretend to speak for the Palestinian people because I'm not Palestinian, but I know them to be facing horrors beyond most people's understanding, particularly in Gaza.

This is no joke, and no talking point. This is an ongoing conflict that radically challenges the status quo for every involved side; too many of the chips have yet to fall, and personally I don't believe anything I'm told beyond the barest irrefutable facts. Misinformation and propaganda are rampant on both sides, and that's an insult to the truth and each and every victim. It gets worse when people with zero stakes in the matter get involved and turn our suffering into yet another point of debate to virtue-signal and boost their ego and pretend they're better than the person they're talking to.

I've had to see people with my own two eyes treat this as a shipping war or as another partisan issue to fight with your uncle over on Christmas dinner. Attempts to "pick" aside or to "help me convince [relative]" or "how can I rebuke [point]?", basically twisting reality into knots to make it fit your Western little heads.

Major yikes. It's bizarre and invasive and borderline appropriative, to think of our issues on your terms, and try to shape cherry-pick these narratives to suit your set of morals. These are Middle Eastern peoples (check Israeli demographics and my Ashkie DNA if you think I'm pulling that out of my ass) with our own cultures and sets of beliefs, and a conflict with an incredibly unique history and reason to be.

(For example, something I wish people understood is how diametrically opposed the notions of pikuach nefesh and jihad are. Pikuach Nefesh is Judaism's most important tenet - human life comes before everything and anything and it is our duty to do whatever it takes to save a life. Jihad is, as explained to me by several Muslim people, is a pillar of Islam and encompasses the idea of martyrdom, or basically that there are things worth dying for, and things one must die for. These principles factor on how both sides deal with warfare and it's a fascinating thing to talk about - but you'd never know if you only care about this war to boost your ego).

So what I'm about to say below goes tenfold if you're from the wealthy Anglosphere or the seat of a former European empire, because the state of the Middle East is your leadership's fault and you, yes you, have been doing absolutely nothing to hold your elected officials accountable. You also benefit directly from the instability in the region your countries caused (by keeping us powerless, yours are more powerful) and you have the privilege to sleep safe and sound and know war never will come to you. So here it goes:

Bringing selfish and trivial attitudes into a very real issue that affects real people that isn't you is a complete moral wrong. If you don't have a direct stake in the issue (ie. Israeli, Palestinian, or descendent of either) and have the absolute privilege of not having experienced war yourself (ie. lived in an active war zone for real personally in unequivocal terms) please take several steps back and a goddamn seat. This is not about you, your need to virtue-signal, and your feelings.

[zutarabender]

Just realized it's Zutara Week. Managed to write a few pieces before October 7, but then I guess I forgot.

To be honest, I'm not in the mood to touch anything even tangentially related to any fictional war, especially not one that is such a clear lose-lose as ATLA portrayed it. It hits too close to home. I believe in sparks of light in the dark and all that jazz, but for all of us (all of us that are being used as pawns while those on top line their pockets, all of us experiencing any sort of loss or trauma while the world outside eats their popcorn and watches like this was a shipping war to "pick a side from") it's still way too soon.

I have shared more on my personal blog but since my interaction with this fandom is mostly "post content and vanish" I felt like I needed to give a sign of life. I hope you guys have a good one.

[zutarabender]

zutara getting together and only later realizing that jet is their shared ex (and also responsible for zuko’s bi awakening) is honestly hilarious and one of my favorite headcanons ever but also. who do you think was their shared female crush and katara’s bi awakening

[zutarabender]

I try not to engage with discourse, but I gotta say something about the discussion in Zutara circles on whether Zuko is "an awkward turtleduck" or confident and self-assured.

I'm sitting here like. Why not both. I love both. Both are good. And both are true.

He's awkward when he's feeling insecure and vulnerable, especially in the face of new or unexpected situations - which is why we see this attitude in Book 3 mostly (and notably, his date with Jin in Book 2). He's been humbled and he's been forced to question a lot of things; it makes sense he doesn't always find his footing. He also had an isolated upbringing so he will often be oblivious to social cues and won't always have the "right" reactions.

He's very self-assured and decisive when he knows what he's up to and knows what is right and what he's got to do. Book 3 Zuko also knows his own mind and is very determined in shaping his own fate. Final Agni Kai Zuko is not awkward. Southern Raiders Zuko is not awkward. The Zuko that confronted Ozai? Very much not awkward.

I think fan creators can take advantage of the possibilities for the same scenario (ie. a Zuko who's made up his mind to kiss Katara, vs. a Zuko who wants it but is unsure if she does) and every preference here is valid, but I'm a bit confused as to how the meta treats it as if it has to be one or the other.

[zutarabender]

Thinking ab this pic again… why did they think they could create this image and expect me not to ship them

[zutarabender]

every time i feel like being a hater on here (which is not uncommon, ngl) i just think to myself “bitch go put your energy into the things you DO like” and it works every time

[zutarabender]

Jetara Analysis

JETARA LET’s GOOO (disclaimer: i am a little soft for this ship ngl) 

So obviously Jet is Katara’s first established ~love interest~ in the series. I know a lot of people don’t like Jet and think he’s a piece of shit (he’s always written as a womanizing douche in fics lol) but I think he sincerely reciprocated Katara’s feelings. 

Let’s take it from the top!! 

This is the very first time they see this guy. Aang is like “oop” and Sokka is just like “damn tf” but Katara is just amazed by him taking down the fire nation soldiers. 

And their first introduction awwww I don’t think I have anything to say here it’s just kind cute okay, Katara is so smitten. 

And here we have Jet telling Aang about the hideout, and Katara creeping up all googly eyed. I know people are like “he was only nice to Katara to manipulate her and use her waterbending!!” which is at least partially true yes but I want y’all to watch the way Jet’s face changes when he sees Katara. 

He just goes totally soft look at how relaxed those crazy eyebrows are. 

And then after he just lets Sokka go flying up to the hideout, he makes sure Katara is shown to the hideout like a mf lady. 

And then the whole flooding the town shebang happens and kinda kills all that buildup 

Katara liked Jet and related to him so much she couldn’t even comprehend that he could be shitty enough to flood a town because Jet might be troubled and a fighter but Katara saw the soft, caring parts of Jet that remained after his village was burned down 

And after Jet admits to what he’s done, he tries to explain. But he doesn’t look angry that Katara isn’t happy about what he’s done, he looks worried and downtrodden. His shoulders are slumped. He let down the girl he likes and he had wanted so badly for her to understand him, but she doesn’t. Jet is an angry character but he doesn’t turn that on Katara immediately like he does with everyone else. 

If Jet just wanted to accomplish his goals and didn’t care about Katara at all he wouldn’t even be trying to explain himself to her or reaching out to her. But he is. He’s gentle with Katara in this moment because he knows he ruined something good in his life 

We don’t see Jet angry towards Katara until she tells him what she thinks of him for believing in what he does

He’s trying to stick to his guns but he kinda knows he fucked up for Katara to think of him as a monster. 

Once Katara finds out Jet didn’t succeed, all of her anger towards him evaporates and she’s just sad 

And then we don’t see Jet for a while!! The NWT is attacked the Gaang traverses a desert and eventually we all wind up in Ba Sing Se. 

(I know Jet’s brainwashed here lol but it’s not about Jet it’s about Katara’s reaction to him)

She’s not angry at first when she hears his voice, she’s surprised.

and THEN it’s almost like she’s trying to look angry BUT LOOK AT THAT BLUSH

After they fight she looks at him like this when he drops his swords at her feet and says he’s changed. Like she wants to believe him. 

Now I’m going to ignore most of Jet’s presence after this point because he was brainwashed and I don’t want to put stock in those moments because he was under Dai Li influence. 

What I want to talk about the crux of my Jet really cared about Katara/Jetara argument

When Jet is fighting Aang and he tells Jet “You’re a Freedom Fighter!” he recalls his memories. His most formative, important memories. 

He sees the Freedom Fighters BUT 

He also remembers

each moment 

he shared with Katara 

to bring him back to reality. 

You wanna tell me he didn’t give a shit about Katara? She’s in more of his most IMPORTANT, BELOVED memories than any of the Freedom Fighters!

When Jet falls, Katara is as shocked and dismayed as the Freedom Fighters

And when they have to leave him to die, Jet reassures Katara 

And the relaxed smile he only ever gave Katara appears again. 

I think Katara was Jet’s first love 100%. She was one of the best things he got to experience in his short life, and that’s what this final smile says to me. He’s finally doing right by Katara by making sure they get out instead of worrying about him. 

basically Jet’s eyebrows are only normal when he looks at Katara 

[zutarabender]

@katara-week day 7: free space

i wanted to paint water 💙 so here's our fave waterbender

[zutarabender]

Katara and Zuko by Paulina Klime

[zutarabender]

Did a cosplay to appease my 13 year old self, turns out it made my 24 year old self giddy too

Photos by dondolcephotography on IG :)

my IG is Kandikalisto and zukos IG is resinfinch

[zutarabender]

Yeah, yeah, Katara is a very motherly person who is often the emotional support of the group and she’s kind and hopeful and all that. But a lot of people forget my girl is straight up FERAL for JUSTICE. She challenged a waterbending master to a duel with barely any training because she thought he sucked and his ideals sucked! She got herself captured and imprisoned just to start a revolution on a prison ship! She came across a small town suffering from polluted water and she blew up a whole factory and then scared the SHIT out of fire nation soldiers with her Painted Lady cosplay! Even outside of the Southern Raider’s episode, my girl will GLADLY come for blood and she deserves recognition for this.

[zutarabender]

Southern Water Tribe Zutara 🌊🌙