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Knowing that in the same comics it is established that Ursa decided to make Ozai believe that Zuko is not his son as a joke, and then dipped leaving her kids with the monster without looking back, makes it extra hilarious.

Anyway, @prying-pandora666 what do you think about changing Zuko's lament from:

to something like: "I was trying to firebend, and then everything caught on fire! My toys, my bed, my whole room! And... and Azula was there saying I can't do anything right, and just laughing at me! " for your @book4air adaptation of “The Search”?

Also, there is one thing in particular I do not agree with in your assessment. Probably because it touches an aspect of Azula's character that I can to an extent identify with.

"Maybe it’s really about, and always should’ve been about, Zuko’s own fears and anxieties because of the toxic environment he was born into, and how he blames Azula simply for being more naturally gifted than him."

Azula is not more naturally gifted than Zuko, at least not in the fire bending department. She is simply a much harder worker, who puts much more effort into things. Because as opposed to Zuko she actually had to earn everything she ever got.

And him seeing her as much more talented and "born lucky" was simply a result of Zuko wasting his impressive talent, that we could see manifest every time Zuko actually had to put his back into it. He is a definition of "talented by lazy" type. His work ethics is bad, and he gets frustrated when things don't imminently work out, clearly lacking self-discipline required for the kind of perfectionist repetition Azula demonstrates in the episode we meet her.

With the sheer amount of effort and dedication Azula put in her training, if she really was more naturally gifted she wouldn't need Zuko's help under BSS. And most definitely, she would have been able to defeat him over the Boiling Rock - making it the end of his life's journey.

And on top of everything else, reversing the trope and making the antagonist be the one who earn things through hard work added an interesting dimension to Azula's character. She is not just some high ranking henchman there to be a stand in for the big bad. You can see that she actually is the hero in her own story. Unloved child, through hard work she had earned a place that people thought would have belonged to her lazy brother. She has friends she likes, but is unsure how to express it. A father she admires and fears in equal measure.

And of course there is Zuko and their tumultuous relationship.

Mixed together they would have been a perfect child, Zuko's raw talent and drive, with Azula's hard work and shrewdness.

But instead they are two imperfect halves and that is what makes both of them so much more interesting.

@frellingstarburst @ayoalex in the show Azula's and Zuko's happy childhood and a bond that formed between them back then, despite everything that came afterwards, was an important part of both of their characters. Clearly reflected in their actions.

No idea why the comics insisted to on making Zuko a clown and Azula a one dimensional wannabe Skeletor.

Tho, the latest comic kind of reverted her character to the place it was at the beginning of the Last Agni Kai, so maybe they will do something interesting with her going forward.

Then again, keeping Azula away from Zuzu and his court is a waste of potential in itself.

For me it's crazy how Zuko was always afraid of Azula, as young as probably 4y old? While Azula was like... 2?

Azula was really born and everyone already taking their prejudice on her cuz Ozai decided that was her favorite cuz she was born with the spark while the kid was still on diapers, are you kidding me? No wonder she's the way she is 😭

No matter how badly they write her in some comics, I could never hate on that kid. Literally the entire world is against her and the fact her mental health have gone worse and NO ONE decided that maybe those institutions are bullshit makes me want for her to just go her own way and never ever again go back to her family.

Girl fuck ur family and supposed friends, get urself a cat, a nice therapist and some bad bitch as ur gf, the rest will come alone

#atla #avatar the last airbender #azula #zuko #Fire hazard sibs #avatar comics

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people tend to talk more about the doll iroh gives azula as a spoil of war that directly illustrates iroh’s attitude of colonial paternalism, but there’s something so fascinating to me about how iroh gives zuko a knife that says “made in earth kingdom” on one side and “never give up without a fight” on the other, reducing a call to action, direct resistance through any means necessary, into an abstract, inspirational quote. a weapon that symbolizes the strength of a nation of resist imperialist conquest/colonial occupation is put in the hands of a ten year old who has no way of truly understanding the implications of that slogan. of course, zuko eventually does come to understand, and he does refuse to give up without a fight, as does iroh, but at the time that iroh gives zuko the knife, he is perverting that symbol of revolutionary action & resistance into a colonial artifact, a mere child’s plaything, its blade dulled and its power denied through the act of gifting it to the sheltered prince of the nation against whom they are fighting. yes, zuko has his own fight, and must face his own struggles, and he is largely defined by his persistence, so it’s easy to forget what this knife means within its original cultural context: “made in earth kingdom” isn’t just a dismissive joke, it’s also a grave reminder of who iroh was, what his “gifts” represent, and where they came from.

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Zuko and Azula in "The Beach"

Lately I think a lot about "The Beach" episode [x], especially about this small detail of great teamwork Zuko and Azula have during the game.

Zuko is looking ahead, directly facing their rivals (who had the control of the ball at this moment) but his body is clearly lowered to the ground, left hand most likely touching the ground, legs bent and widely spaced - a clear contrast to Mai standing near and how he stood before on two separate occasions

which is why I think Zuko willingly create an opportunity for Azula, so she could jump higher - something she definitely used to their team’s advantage. If Azula simply jumped on her brother’s back when he wasn’t expecting it or wasn’t ready, he would probably just fall face down from the impact but as the scene shows, he had no such problem nor was angry about it in the following scenes.

During the game sequences there was no dialogue shown between our protagonists, so it is hard to determine if Azula in advance called Zuko to give her a “lift” or Zuko offered on his own, or did they were that much in sync they just acted without thinking. Regardless I like this few seconds long interaction, because for me it implies how they trusted each other despite all the rivalry and bitterness from previous episodes. Like Zuko trusted Azula won’t use that moment to hurt/humiliate him by overuse of force, the same as Azula trusted in Zuko’s strength and that he won’t mess up by losing his balance. It is a small thing but no less sweet to see them working well together when fighting for the same goal - what reminds me a bit their teamwork from the previous season finale.

Interestingly, it was also the second time Zuko assisted Azula in scoring against their rivals while not scoring himself any point on screen. The first time happened almost right at the beggining of the game (second from total five sequences)

while each girl have the solo sequence of winning a point:

Azula's first attack,

later Ty Lee landing on the net

and Mai kicking the ball (and presumably scoring)

while Zuko’s two actions are shared only with his younger sister while there is no sense of competition between the siblings, something contrasting a lot with some previous and later episodes.

Azula is bossy and competitive through most of the episode and her brother lets her be that without a complaint. Azula and Zuko get along pretty well and A) do not argue (with the exception of the campfire scene and then they argue not even for the whole scene itself) and B) don't get on each nerves the way they do in the palace, with Ozai's presence looming in the back of their mind. I absolutely adore this episode, as it humanizes all our Fire Nation characters by showing them as teenagers outside the war zone but also giving us a bit of insight into what Azula and Zuko could be if Ozai didn't pit them against each other. And they could be a great team!

#atla #avata #avatar: the last airbender #prince zuko #azula #mai #ty lee #zuko and azula #fire nation #fire nation siblings #avatar: the last airbender - the beach episode is such a great mini story #zuko

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Azula's basic dream for the future seems to have been "My brother, myself, and my childhood best friends rule the world together." Girl is a romantic at hurt.

#Azula #Zuko #Mai #Ty Lee #avatar: the last airbender #avatar the last airbender

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Azula's Strong Emotional Empathy Skills

Often times, people assume that Azula is bad at empathy, or at least emotional empathy. However, I would dispute that, and argue that her compassionate empathy skills in particular are actually extremely strong and off the chart, at least when it involves someone she cares about.

ATLA gives several examples of Azula showing off her empathy skills. The first comes in "The Crossroads of Destiny":

Azula: We've done it, Zuko. It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se. Zuko: I betrayed Uncle. Azula: No, he betrayed you. [She stands up from the throne.] Zuko, when you return home, Father will welcome you as a war hero. Zuko: But I don't have the Avatar. What if Father doesn't restore my honor? Azula: He doesn't need to, Zuko. [She puts a hand on Zuko's shoulder.] Today, you restored your own honor.

She notices Zuko is uneasy, and does a pretty good, if not entirely successful job trying to reassure him and make him feel better.

Next we come to "The Awakening":

[Meanwhile, back at the Fire Nation Capital, Zuko feeds turtle ducks in a lake with some bread. Azula joins him.] Azula: You seem so downcast. Has Mai gotten to you already? Though actually, Mai has been in a strangely good mood lately. Zuko: I haven't seen Dad yet. I haven't seen him in three years, since I was banished. Azula: So what? Zuko: So, I didn't capture the Avatar. Azula: Who cares? The Avatar is dead … [Zuko looks away.] unless you think he somehow miraculously survived.

It's easy to miss out on this with where the scene ends up going, but what's actually the inciting reason for the scene to happen in the first place is that Azula knows Zuko is out of sorts, and wants to reassure him. She knows exactly where he is likely to go when he's sad or anxious, the turtleduck ponds which reminds him of Ursa, and easily finds him there. However, in her attempts to reassure him, she begins to suspect that he's hiding something from her, and the scene gets derailed.

Next up is "The Beach":

Zuko: [Cut to closer view of Zuko and Mai. Angrily.] Doing nothing is a waste of time. [Rises from his seat next to Mai.] We're being sent away on a forced vacation. [Walks over and grips the railing of the boat.] I feel like a child. Azula: [Frontal view.] Lighten up. So Dad wants to meet with his advisors alone, without anyone else around. Don't take it personally.

Azula instantly tries to reassure Zuko here, although she's less skillful about it than in some other cases.

Next up is the famous "Azula apologizes to Ty Lee" scene. As I've argued elsewhere, Azula is very skillful in comforting Ty Lee there. She knows exactly what she needs to say and do to make Ty Lee feel better.

Then, after Zuko gets kicked out of the party, we get this scene

Azula: I thought I'd find you here. Zuko: [Side-view.] Those summers we spent here seem so long ago. So much has changed. Azula: Come down to the beach with me. Come on. This place is depressing.

Azula's empathy is really impressive here. She apparently not only realized that Zuko would end up in a bad funk and cared enough to do something about it, but she also knew exactly where he would go in his depressed emotional state.

We then have the famous "fireside" scene. Azula isn't always the nicest person here, but her ability to understand the emotions of others is on full display:

Zuko: [Turning around.] For so long I thought that if my dad accepted me, I'd be happy. I'm back home now, my dad talks to me. Ha! He even thinks I'm a hero. [Close-up of Azula, who smiles.] Everything should be perfect, right? [Aerial view of campsite.] I should be happy now, but I'm not. [Turning back to the others.] I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why!

Azula:[Frontal view.] There's a simple question you need to answer, then. Who are you angry at? Zuko: [Close-up.] No one. I'm just angry. Mai [Side-view of the three girls.] Yeah, who are you angry at, Zuko? Zuko: [Close-up.] Everyone. I don't know. [Becoming frustrated.] Azula: [Frontal view.] Is it Dad? Zuko: [Close-up.] No, no. Ty Lee: [Frontal view.] Your uncle? Azula: Me? Zuko: [Close-up.] No, no, n-no, no! Mai: [Close-up.] Then who? Who are you angry at? Azula: [Camera pans left, past Ty Lee, to Azula.] Answer the question, Zuko. Ty Lee: [Close-up.] Talk to us. Mai: [Extreme close-up.] Come on, answer the question. Azula: Come on, answer it.

Finally, we have this scene from Nightmares and Daydreams:

Azula: Hello, Zuzu. If you've come for a royal hair-combing, I'm afraid you'll have to wait. Zuko: So I guess there's a big war meeting coming up, huh? And apparently I'm not welcome there. Azula: What do you mean? Of course you're welcome there! Zuko: Oh, yeah?! I guess that's why no one bothered to tell me about it! Azula: Oh, Zuko. Don't be so dramatic. I'm certain Dad wants you there. You probably just weren't invited because it's so obvious you're supposed to be there. Zuko: Well, were you invited? Azula: Of course! I'm the princess. Zuko: And I'm the prince! Azula: Exactly, so stop acting like a paranoid child! Just go to the meeting. Zuko: Forget it! I'm not going!

Although Azula instantly moves to try to comfort Zuko, this is in many ways her least successful scene. She struggles to contain her frustration with Zuko's behavior.

Still, overall Azula displays an impressive record, and shows very strong compassionate empathy skills. However, it's only toward the people she's close to, as she has no reason to display them toward enemies.

#Azula #Zuko #avatar: the last airbender

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goddamnb!!

chill out man!!!

#atla #zuko atla #zuko #avatar the last airbender #the blue spirit #atla fanart

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Read "Suki, Alone". Liked it in general. But can they please, please hire someone who knows both the show's actual events and how to follow through on a character arc? Because guys. Guys. That comic is not implying about Suki what they meant it to be implying, and all because of literally one line.

So like. From a writer's standpoint:

What they meant to do: show Suki as a community-oriented person who cares for her people, and believes in everyone succeeding together.

As opposed to (spoilers): the thief girl they set her up in contrast with, who's pretty upfront and consistent on primarily looking out for herself. She betrays Suki for one (1) corn chip to improve her own life at the prison, no surprise.

But the problem is: they give Suki an inspirational line to the effect of "we're all working together and we'll all break out together"

You know

The thing she does not do in the show

So if both the show and this comic are canon, then instead of setting up a compare/contrast with the thief girl, they've just set up a comparison. One were Suki is arguably worse, because she's been leading a significant number of prisoners on with her "we'll all fight and win our freedom together!" business, only to straight up cut them out of the escape loop and abandon them, whereas the thief is only leading Suki on in the sense that Suki keeps telling her what it's morally correct to think and confuses snide replies with agreement

My dudes. My fellow writers. You people actually being paid for this. There were so many ways to fix those awful implications against our girl's character, the simplest of which would be to not include that line. Or they could have, you know, made it canon compliant with what actually happens in the show, so that this comic doesn't set Suki up as a betrayer instead of a community builder. Like... just send all her good prison buddies off to other prisons in the wake of the warden finding out they're colluding. Have it timed to be right before the next new prisoners arrive, thus setting it immediately before the Boiling Rock episodes, so Suki didn't have anyone left in the prison she'd want to take with her on a breakout. For bonus points, include a page or two of her and her Kyoshi warriors opening up the cell of one of her prison friends post-war, thus implying she's tracking down and actually fulfilling her promises. Maybe even show her doing the same with thief girl, who was established as being imprisoned on false charges anyway, and also showing that Suki is A) the bigger person, and B) willing to acknowledge her own role in mistakes (because I cannot emphasize enough how much thief girl was not hiding her own priorities, and it was Suki who approached HER with all this, not the girl ever doing anything special to weasel her way in) (this would also open up an opportunity for paralleling Suki's earlier in-comic mistake of not listening to one of her friend's very valid thoughts and feeling, which lead to the girl leaving their island alone pre-canon; a "seeing people as they are, not what you want them to be" moment)

Anyway yeah enjoyable enough for a quick read but another one for the "this can't be canon or the characters are So Much Worse than they were in the actual show" pile

At least Aang didn't promise to murder anyone in this one

#Suki Alone #Suki #atla #avatar the last airbender

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#azula #ozai #azulon #ursa #iroh #fire nation royal family #atla polls #avatar: the last airbender #avatar the last airbender

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#zucest #avatar the last airbender #atla #zuko #avatar: the last airbender #avatar #azula #prince zuko #atla zuko #zuko x azula #princess azula #atla meme #meme

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She belongs in the streets.

Thanks for the ask ^^

#atla #avatar the last airbender #zuko #azula #meme #atla meme

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Their bonding moment should have been grand theft auto

Besties in crime

#toph beifong #zuko #prince zuko #avatar the last airbender #fire lord zuko

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#azula #eclipse #solar eclipse #avatar: the last airbender

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Important day is ahead and Toph just comes to her husband so that he would do her hair.

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i heart them

#avatar the last airbender #zuko #atla #azula #fire siblings #atla azula #atla zuko

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Every girls in Avatar the Last Airbender

#avatar the last airbender #atla #atla fanart

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just finished s2 and I am SO mad at him

#prince zuko #zuko #atla #atla fanart #avatar the last airbender