zutaraheartbreak - Tumblr blog

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I just watched Avatar for the first time all the way through, and yeah, it’s great, but the one thing that surprised me was how different Katara was compared to the fandom interpretation I’d seen and internalized before watching.

Like, before you watch Avatar, you’ve seen all these memes about Katara and her mom, and based on those memes, you assume it’s one of those lines you have to get used to hearing at least once every episode. But then you watch the show and realize that she only talks about her mom maybe five or six times per season and you also realize she only brings her up when she’s trying to comfort someone or empathize with them because that’s how she processes her grief and that’s one way she connects with people.

Or you hear the infamous line, “then you didn’t love [our mother] the way I did” and you prepare yourself for one of the worst character assassinations ever only to see the scene after nearly three seasons worth of context and realize she was kinda right. She’s been the mother, the nurturer, the comforter. She’s been patient, gentle, and accommodating where everyone else has gotten to be insensible and reckless and childish, and the one moment where she allows herself to feel her grief, suddenly she’s this evil bitch and not, y’know, a 14 year old girl whose been thrusted into adulthood in a way no other character has. A 14 year old girl who should be allowed immaturity and raw emotion and anger instead of the patience and grace she’s been forced to extend to every character without even the smallest amount of gratitude or even consideration in return.

Or you see all of the clips where Katara puts Aang in the “friendzone” and you expect to have this wishy washy back and forth where Aang is putting his feelings out there only to have Katara neither commit nor express any clear reciprocation or rejection. Then you watch and realize that, as cute as the ship is initially, that there’s never a point where Aang returns any comfort or grace to Katara despite her always doing this for him to the point of coddling. That for as much as Aang says he loves her, he never seems to outgrow his perception of her so he can recognize her as someone who feels grief, anger, and pain as much as she expresses love, kindness, and maturity. And instead of having moments where he learns to see her beyond her strength or compassion, you’re instead given moments where Aang forces his feelings onto her, both romantic and non-romantic, and Katara is expected to just…shoulder those feelings the way she shoulders everyone else’s.

Katara is the most misunderstood character in the show. As much as people recognize the complexities of Zuko, Sokka, and Azula, they struggle to do the same for Katara because they see her struggles as somehow lesser, and therefore, less deserving of sympathy. They can handle her so long as she’s being endlessly patient and loving and kind, but the moment her endless love, patience, and kindness runs out, she’s suddenly this annoying bitch who can’t shut up about her mother or reciprocate Aang’s feelings. But Katara’s trauma does matter as much as anyone else’s. No, she wasn’t banished from her kingdom. No, she didn’t lose her entire community, and no, she isn’t the only one who lost her mother. But the difference between her and everyone else whose experienced loss because of the Fire Nation is that she’s never given time to process her trauma. Aang gets to lean on Katara constantly. Toph gets to express her feelings to Katara, and yeah, Sokka also lost their mother, but unlike Katara, he isn’t put in the position of being a substitute for everyone’s parent. He even admits that he sees his sister as a mother. The only characters who ever comfort Katara or allow her to vent is Zuko and her father and that’s, like, three scenes in a show where the other characters are consistently given opportunities to seek out Katara for unconditional support.

The fandom interpretation of Katara has been so bastardized that even those who haven’t watched the show know her for this fanon version and not for who she is. She’s such an interesting character beyond her fandom limitations, though. She’s brave, hot-headed, and hopeful as well as gentle and caring. She wishes to learn waterbending, not only because she wants to fight in the war, but because she wants to continue her culture’s practices because, and people often forget this, she also lost an entire subculture within her already fractured tribe. And she wants to defeat the Fire Nation both because of her deep love and empathy for other people, but also because she wants to avenge her mother. But because some of the fans have reduced Katara to a bitch who constantly whines about her mother and friendzones Aang, you wouldn’t know any of this, and it sucks because she’s the only character whose been dumbed down to such an extent.

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When I said “or two” it was for real. 

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My newest Zutara pin is complete, and I couldn't be happier with the results! 😍😍😍😍

With Beautiful art work by the lovely: @perfectlypanda !

*So Glad* she agreed to Collab with me on this! 🥰🥰🥰

For more information on the pin and how to get one of your very own, please visit my pin page at: https://instagram.com/collection.by.fantasy.pins ! 😍

Zutara Forever! 🔥❤️💧

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Zuko: Who hurt you?

Katara: What, do you want a list?

Zuko, drawing his swords: Yes.

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this time i get too excited about layer filters

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May nagbabalik. Abangan.

Art by @ecaworks

[ID: A digital painting of Zuko and Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender in a modern setting. They are angled towards the screen, as if watching the TV together. Katara has her right arm wrapped around Zuko’s shoulder while she’s holding a remote control with her left hand. She’s directly looking at the screen like she’s choosing a show to watch. Zuko holds her arm with both of his hands and is looking to the side. Katara is dressed in a blue sleeveless shirt while Zuko is wearing a red turtleneck top. End ID.]

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zuko: suki told me instead of being sad i should "go get it, girl." so i'm going to "go get it girl"

sokka: get what?

zuko: unclear. i'll get everything, just to be safe

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Sokka & Yue

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Here's some models from the avatar art book!

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Modern AU: Fire Siblings with their Fire Noodles.

They both adore their little companions.

This was vaguely inspired by lizards on leashes with wings. Shen provided cute pictures.

Commission info

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𝓓𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓯 𝓕𝓲𝓻𝓮

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the man behind the mask

mysterious and temping

art by: beanaroony

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Really pretty for a spirit! 

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jet, bursting into the tea shop and pulling a weapon on zuko and iroh: these two are FIREBENDERS they’re here to DESTROY THE CITY FROM THE INSIDE we have to STOP THEM

zuko, putting down his teapot to draw his swords, not even going to argue with jet: finally, a reason to beat up a customer

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we needed more bastard toph 

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I saw this tiktok on twitter and I just had to 😂

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Given that there’s iron in blood, do you think Toph can bloodbend?

No, I don’t think so. 

First of all, the way Toph’s metal-bending was explained, was that Toph perceived the trace amounts of "unpurified" crude earth still present in the metal, target it, and use it to bend the purified metal itself.

Second, the iron in the blood is extremely diluted, and while Toph could bend things like mud and sand, the more diluted the earth-part is, the harder it is to affect it. 

Even if she could hone into the tiny bits of iron in the blood, I don’t think it would be enough to affect the blood itself, let alone the person. 

I could much more imagine her being able to bend and break bones, focusing on the mineral content.