grosscoldtea

[grosscoldtea]

Here’s the Tea: Why Taako, Kravitz, and Taakitz are Both Overrated and Toxic af

Look, I like TAZ just as much as the next person, but the fandom needs to calm down with the dynamic between Taako and Kravitz. 

For those who are fortunate enough not to be aware of how the fandom portrays the fandom, I’ll give you some background. Because of his past, the fandom shows the wizard Taako as a meek, weak, broken man who feels nothing but anxiety and depression, lamenting his terrible past with (who the fandom claims is) an abusive ex-boyfriend Sazed. Kravitz, on the other hand, is a strong, unbreakable, man with a will and mental health as strong as carbon steel. You can see already how they fandom likes to pair these two up, obviously. Taako is the tiny bunny, cowering in the corner and Kravitz is the therapy machine with hot cocoa and a blanket in hand to attend to Taako’s every need.

Please don’t get me wrong -- I’m not saying that Taakitz is all bad. Nor is it only about Taako and his mental illness(es). But the majority of the fandom constantly floods this relationship with Taako’s problems, like it’s something to be proud of. Just go on AO3 or wattpad or wherever else and you’ll see what I’m talking about. The trope is so overused and romanticized and glamorized and twisted in such a way that makes Taako’s problems the only focus on the relationship.

 I wish I could say I liked Taakitz like every other TAZ fan. But I just can’t. The two characters were only showcased a couple times, with very little chemistry, mind you, and just because they’re a MLM couple, the fandom falls head over heels for them. Carey x Killian and Sloane x Hurley, both WLW ships with great chemistry and interesting stories, never got the same large reception as Taakiz did. And I relate that to the large population of “fujoshis,” or yaoi fans, in the TAZ fandom. It’s so much easier to fetishize and thus “love” MLM ships than it is to love WLW ships. Because if this fetishization of their gay relationship, Taakitz became the brand baby for TAZ and all the others fell into oblivion, much to my and many others’ dismay. 

Now you’re probably wondering “where the toxicity is in all this?” Don’t worry, it’s there. I’m going to take a sidetrack to discuss “kinning.” Many people in the TAZ community “kin,” or largely relate to, one or more of the characters as a way to cope with things, or maybe just for fun. I’m not saying kinning is bad. It’s really interesting and imo a great coping mechanism. The problem is, however, that some fans kin as Taako, because they relate to how the fandom portrays him, as I discussed earlier. It’s a slippery slope of merely relating to him, to replicating all his problems because one feels they have to, to truly kin with him. If the fandom portrayed taako in a more recovery-centric light, there would be no problem at all. But he is the poster child for mental illness -- eating disorders, self harm, suicidal ideation, PTSD, OCD, BPD, depression, anxiety, just to name a few of the mental illnesses the fandom speculates Taako has. 

One with PTSD may kin as him. If Taako actually showed recovery, that’d be great! However, so many fanfictions, fanart, and headcannons show Taako getting worse and worse, which in turn glamorizes his illnesses. That person who kins as Taako may then see that glamour attributed to Taako’s illnesses as a glamour of their own and thus follow the downward spiral so many in the fandom love to fetishize.

Now that I’ve covered kinning with Taako alone, I can get to how this connects to Taakitz, itself. As I’ve said, Taako is portrayed as meek and mentally ill. But what about Kravitz? He’s strong, the polar opposite of Taako. He’s big and protective and can save Taako from everything, even his mental illness. He’s busy and has a “job,” yet if Taako is having a panic attack or a flashback, he can leave and be there for Taako at the drop of a hat (especially since he has those ultra convenient portal abilities). He is patient and tolerates Taako at his worst, even if he hits and slaps him. At first this seems great! I have depression and anxiety and I know if someone was like that, who could take away all my problems, I’d love that! But unfortunately, NO ONE CAN TAKE AWAY YOUR MENTAL ILLNESS. 

The portrayal of Kravitz in this relationship is shown less as a significant other and more of a tool Taako uses to “cure” himself of all his problems. Kravitz is a tool. A therapist. He’s prescription medication that the psychiatrist, Dr. Kravitz, prescribes to Taako to take to feel better. Not only does this grossly exaggerate the tasks that significant others have, it sets unreasonable expectations for those who relate to Taako. Rather than expecting to fight the battle yourself with the SUPPORT of Kravitz, you may expect to have Kravitz fight the battle for you, which is no less than an impossible feat. And the consequences of these exaggerated expectations can be fatal. Say someone who kins as Taako has a significant other (who relates to Kravitz). The “Taako” of relationship may increasingly rely on the “Kravitz,” expecting more and more unrealistic and fanciful things. And what if their Kravitz retaliates? Says “I can’t do this” or “This is too much for me?” The Taako may feel disillusioned if their “Kravitz” can’t save them from their mental illness; rather than trying to recover through therapy or counceling, they rely solely on the role of their significant other as “Kravitz” to cure them. This is a dictionary example of a toxic and codependent relationship.

You can say that Taako also gets help from the Tres Horny Boys, or maybe has a therapist and psychiatrist he sees on the side. But the fandom never shows this. Just as he’s the face of mental illness in the TAZ fandom, he can’t recover or he’ll lose that title. So Taako is only shown to rely on Kravitz. It’s not just for the illusion that Taako’s illnesses are romantic or tragically beautiful, but the Taakitz ship floats almost solely on the base of Care-Taker-Kravitz, and Poor Broken Taako. If the fandom were to make Taako go to anyone else for help and support, the fandom would lose most of the basis of the Taakitz relationship, and thus, they don’t show that. The ship Taakitz is already pretty shallow so why lose the one thing that makes it seemingly substantial?

If Taakitz was portrayed in a more recovery-centric light, if Taako was shown to be focused on his recovery and on interpersonal relationships outside of just Kravitz, if Kravitz was shown as an equal to Taako rather than just a tool, this ship would not be so dangerous. However, because of the fandom’s portrayal of it, it’s toxic. If this is how the fandom will continue to show the dynamic between Taako and Kravitz, no one should attempt to replicate it. It’s unhealth and downright dangerous for either party involved. 

If you can relate to what I said about Taako, please get help. There’s more to life than just mental illness and as difficult as recovery is, it’s so much better than whatever you’re currently dealing with.

If you relate to Kravitz, you’re more than just a tool for someone else’s recovery. You don’t deserve to be put in such a codependent situation. If you are in a relationship like that, please talk to your partner. You are there to help them, not carry the burden on your own. And you deserve support, too. 

#taakitz #taako #kravitz #taz kravitz #the adventure zone #taz #taz taako #taz taakitz #the zone cast #yes this is a serious post #please dont be like this #unpopular opinion