#ember island time

[mayskalih]

#zutara #ember island time #zuko #prince zuko #katara #zuko x katara #atla #avatar #avatar the last airbender #atla fanart #sasha arts

[smilindesperado]

#out of context natla spoilers #I SCREAMED #this is truly the ember island players of our time #natla spoilers #netflix avatar #avatar the last airbender #momo

[biboomerangboi]

It’s canon that like the gaang is really bad at forgetting Toph can’t see and didn’t really update her on all the stories so sometimes I amuse myself wondering what she actually knows. Like does she know Aangs bald? Or that he has tattoos? Does she know the kyoshi warriors have sick ass makeup? Does she know Katara has hair loopies? Does she ever learn that Aang was almost boiled alive in oil? At what point does Sokka tell her he’s in love with the moon?

#I think toph has like half the information at all times and has embraced a just roll with it attitude #she believes like most of ember island stories are true because she has no other info #toph beifong #toph #toph atla #the gaang #atla #avatar the last air bender

[cienie-isengardu]

Zuko & Azula and the importance of Ember Island

As I’m not done with talking about ATLA: The Beach episode, so here comes additional observations about Zuko and Azula and how important Ember Island is to their relationship.

There are three major episodes that explore Zuko’s background and his relationship with family.

“The Storm”, told from Iroh’s point of view, focuses on physical and emotional damage done by abusive father

“Zuko Alone” gives us better insight into Royal Family’s dynamic, with a great focus on loving and supporting mother that one night disappeared from Zuko’s life 

while “The Beach” is primarily about Zuko and Azula on the rare occasion when they are far away from Ozai and aren’t forced to fight against each other.

The Beach is also the episode that introduces us to Ember Island, a place that Zuko fondly remembers as a time when his family was truly happy.

In the same episode, after he got in an argument with Mai at the party, Zuko is seen walking toward his family’s old vacation house. The first memory that comes to his mind?

Him and Azula running together, while we can hear children laughing in the background. There is an adult figure seen a few steps behind the happy children, but the shape is not detailed, so it could be Ozai or someone else. 

This is an interesting choice on creators' part, to make the first memory not about Ursa, the undoubtedly source of comfort and love in Zuko’s life, but about Azula with whom he currently has a complicated relationship due to father’s abuse and favoritism that shattered their childhood bond. What is even more interesting, this is not the first time we see young Azula and Zuko happily chasing each other, as such a memory was already shown in “Zuko Alone”.  

And mind you, this memory was presented after flashback how Azula asked Zuko to play with her, Ty Lee and Mai so she could make fun of her older brother. What implies that despite how annoying she could be, Azula and Zuko still enjoyed each other's company and genuinely liked spending time together.

Let's back to "The Beach" episode and the scene when Azula sought Zuko, figuring out the old vacation home is where he would come to calm down.

Azula: I thought I'd find you here. Zuko: 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. 

This is one of three moments in the same episode, when Azula allowed himself to openly admit being emotional and/or upset about something. The house (past) is depressing. She is jealous how Ty Lee is liked by all boys while she has no clue how to interact with them. Her own mother thought she was a monster and how it still hurts. 

Azula’s way to talk with Zuko is much more direct and less confusing than how she talks with him in the palace. There is no Zuzu nor dum-dum nickname, no making fun of his scar, no sentences that in theory answers his questions but in reality does not set him at ease. Here Azula invited him to go with her to the beach because she doesn’t want to be close to their summer house (the place where they were happy once but none visited for years).

Both Zuko and Azula are influenced by the past and this is a rare moment when they allow each other to be vulnerable in a way they can’t be around Ozai and themselves at the palace. In a way they won't be around the campfire (for example, during Zuko's rant about his anger because he doesn't know anymore what is good and what is bad, Azula will call him pathetic. Here there is no insult, no anger, just some sort of understanding between siblings).

A supplement book, The Legacy of Fire Nation adds another layer to the importance of Ember Island. I won’t lie, I’m disappointed that Iroh did not provide that much insight into Zuko’s family and how little there was about Azula, besides some few remarks about how difficult it was for Zuko to grow up in the shadow of younger sister. In contrast, Zuko’s memories about Ember Island are, again, directly connected to Azula first and foremost. In his list to Iroh (who already passed away many years ago), an old Zuko wrote:

Dearest Uncle Iroh, Do you remember when I used to write you letters? It must be this place, having its effect on me, but here on Ember Island, I find myself introspective and thinking back about my life. I think I used to write to you to buy me presents. Such a cheeky child. I’ve retired now, given up my throne for the peace of this place, to be warmed by the sun and my own memories. I think of you often here. My good memories wash over the bad ones like waves on the shore, clearing the old sand and resetting. I remember summers on the beach, playing with Azula. We didn’t want to kill each other then, though sometimes we acted like it. But the island brought us together. It did that again, one time, in our teens. It was a golden time. One I never felt again until Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph and I had finished our journey and had a moment to enjoy each other’s company. [...]

I can't stress enough: Old Zuko compared his short stay with Azula at Ember Island to the joy he felt when war was officially over and he spent time with his best, beloved friends. A golden time indeed.

We sadly have limited insight into Azula's mind, even less the older version of her, and how she felt about summers spent on the beach with her brother or the one vacation presented on screen. In the episode, she clearly enjoyed some things, like winning the game (with such nice teamwork between Azula and Zuko) or devastating Chen's house where the fateful party took place. Here, on Ember Island, Azula bonded with his brother and admitted to being hurt because mother thought she was a monster, something she internalized as a truth (“My own mother thought I was a monster. She was right, of course, but it still hurt.”). But above everything else, the fact she finds the summer house - where she and Zuko were happy once but her family does not visit anymore - a depressing place implies Azula was no less affected by the past than Zuko.

Similar impression comes from "Azula in the Spirit Temple" comics, in which runaway Azula imagined all her family together, chilling on Ember Island:

The vision of a happy family is not just about Azula, Ursa, Ozai and Zuko but was extended to Iroh and grandfather Azulan and great-grandfather Sozin(?) - a people she wasn't that close to in the first place. It speaks a lot about Azula that her idea of a happy family, because it is connected to her childhood memories, not the Fire Lord's Palace that in itself representing the Royal Family's status and power. So I dare to say that Ember Island holds a special place in Azula's mind, the same as it does for Zuko.

All of the above makes me think that when Zuko talks about Ember Island, how once his family was happy here, he specifically means his relationship with Azula, before Ozai’s abuse shattered their bond.

#atla #avatar: the last airbender #prince zukof #fire lord zuko #zuko #zuko and azula #they are such a tragic siblings #but i hope one day they will reunite somehow #instead in asylum the comics should put azula on ember island the only ground she and zuko can share and be supportive of each other #look i have a lot feelings about those two okay? #and the beach episode does not help me at all #also the beach's flashback are for a change not trauma related #but nostalgia for the better times when things were easier

[theolddivorcedzukka]

zuko and sokka are not divorced (didn’t even make it past that failed proposal) but i don’t think that should stop them from referring to their breakup as their “divorce.” i don’t think that should stop them from calling each other “my bitch ex-husband” for the first couple of months after their breakup. i think it would be funny

#katara is losing her mind with sokka cause ‘wtf sokka u were married to zuko this whole time and told no one and NOW YOURE DIVORCED?!?!’ #and he’s like ‘nah we never got married. but ‘divorce’ just sounds better doesn’t it?’ #meanwhile mai is going through the same thing but ten times more irritated did u come to ember island to complain about your divorce zuko? #‘so you were married.’ ‘*deep zuko sigh* no….but break-up doesn’t fit what i feel right now’ ‘okay.’ #vee keep talking #divorced zukka

[incorrect-hs-quotes]

Eridan: so wwhat's it gonna be feferi? your people, or a life of treachery?

Vriska: Choose treachery! It's more fun!

#homestuck #incorrect homestuck quotes #eridan ampora #vriska serket #feferi peixes #source: avatar the last airbender #been rewatching avatar lately and the ember island players kills me every time

[comradekatara]

the gaang and associates + their most niche interests?

i love the use of the word associates. their business partners. colleagues, if you will

aang: is "being an air nomad" too out of pocket? ok im gonna go with "noodle portraiture"

katara: ecoterrorism <3

sokka: rhyming haikus (but let's be real, when it comes to "niche interests," the world's his oyster)

toph: i mean........ metalbending

zuko: reading sontag's notes on camp from cover to cover

suki: being so passionate about consuming bad art ironically that it ultimately just circles back around to being sincere

ty lee: does chi-blocking count if she (probably) invented it

mai: well she has exactly one interest and it is knives. so knives

azula: memorizing esoteric knowledge about military history to bust out at parties

#imadisasterwalking #asks #the gaang and #this is within the time frame of the show bc i already answered an ask abt 'weird' interests of theirs which is pretty similar #so i decided to limit this one to canon #which means that i must clarify now that the notes on camp thing isnt literal its a reference to zuko being the blue spirit #and the suki one is both a reference to the ember island players #but also i like to think that the reason she loves chongs band is bc she started liking it ironically to annoy sokka #but ended up just actually becoming a fan #also i like to think aang made that ozai noodle portrait on his own and it wasnt actually a school assignment #he just did it for fun during lunchtime #makes more sense than the idea that the FN school would ask students to do that..... its way too fun and creative and silly for them! #anyway .

[stargirl-judooz]

#zutara #zuko #katara #juldooz art #zutara fanart #on ember island #soft ember island times #sweet prince #bamf katara #midnight chats

[thatssroughbuddy]

ever since i found out about zuko being good at tsungi horn as a youngster i need band nerd theatre kid zuko au so badly. high school musical but azula is sharpay.

no bc this is canonically and factually correct (to me) zuko is a theater kid but in the way like. Sinjin from victorious is a theater kid like that boy was never on a stage (in his household? not a chance) BUT he does lurk in the rafters and have Very Strong Opinions about how things should be done and he literally can’t even try to play it cool when it comes to artistic direction

#re: ember island players #do u see the vision #I know u do #also sorry this took me so long to answer I’ve been very tired but if y’all want to send me more zuko takes I’m On My Phone #tea time

[cooking-with-hailstones]

Azula is so autistic you cannot convince me otherwise

#atla #i say this with so much love #girlie is in no way neurotypicals #like come on #the Ember Island party scene #girl follows RULES #girlie must be IN CONTROL of her environment at ALL TIMES

[trashfactorysstuff]

Ember Island.

I’m just gonna sit and pretend my tumblr is not been exploiting these days, so I’m gonna feed y’all and probably take some rest. Thanks y’all again for the love 🫶❤️

#bro wtf #BEEN POSTING FOR ALMOST 3 DAYS STRAIGHT???? #that’s what I call inspiration #but with genuinely love I appreciate the support I’ve been receiving and I think is the reason I’ve been posting #cause I was in a point to delete with tumblr acc #IM SORRY BUT I LOVE RICHU SO PROBABLY YOU GONNA SEE HER OFTEN IN MY ZHAYU DRAWINGS #again #I draw Yue as an adult and not with the usual canon hairstyle cause I think she would change it during time??? #anyways #all my Yue/Zhao drawings would be with Yue being 19 or 20 #def love a Yue being in ember island and being so thrilled about it #either for the weather or the fact that she can wear a bodysuit lol #zhayu

[midnightmooon]

im watching new avatar show and imagining the original animated characters like they’re reacting to the ember island players

#not in a bad way..I think #avatar the last airbender #avatar netflix #sokka would not think new sokka is funny enough #started when new karata said hope like three times in a scene reminded me of ember island

[arbitrarycategories]

Early maiko is so fucking funnyyyyyyy they are so fucking awkward. I love them. Literally can’t stop touching but also every conversation they have is a DISASTER

#they sound like they hate each other but EVERY time someone interrupts them they’re like. #excuse you? cant you see we are in the middle of making out? #and they literally are fighting even though they are sitting in each other’s laps #atla #maiko #zuko #mai #yes I’m rewatching ember island what about it

[happylandfill23]

typical ember behaviour

#i'm very normal about this band #if you couldn't tell #13 hours only of my gorillaz playlist this doesn't include my first listen to cracker island + any other listens outside of this playlist #especially bc my mom put the album on a lot and we listened to it together quite a few times #gorillaz #cracker island #music #ember core #(i'm ember if you somehow didn't know)

[waywardsalt]

ciela?

she's neat

#asks #anon #loz #legend of zelda #phantom hourglass #ciela #idk she's def a character i dont have any really complicated thoughts on her #shes a silly little fairy who bullies linebeck a little more than is reasonable but i bet shes a good friend to link #when you get to ember island for the first time linebeck asks for compliments on his helmsmanship and ciela yells at him cuz #he didn't even know where the island was while link was the one who wrote the route and this HAUNTS me because like #by definition helmsmanship is the literal ability to steer a ship it doesnt have anything to really do with knowing where you're going #ciela just has it out for linebeck from the start and comes off like she's looking for an excuse in these specific instance lol #i feel like when i write her im a bit harsh since i favor linebeck. when i get a chance to really have her as a major fic character i'll #make sure to actually give her some time to do something that isn't hating linebeck #salty talks #also sorry if the words in the colored squares are hard to read i can redo it if it's a bit hard to read

[hersterical]

I’m not expecting much from the live action ATLA series. All I want is for them to handle The Great Divide episode in the exact same way the Ember Island Players did.

Aang: Look! It’s the Great Divide, the biggest canyon in the Earth Kingdom!

Sokka: Eh, let’s fly over it.

If they do this, I can forgive them for the age changes.

#atla #avatar the last air bender #sokka #aang #that time the ember island players made a better storytelling decision than the writers of ATLA #gaang