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melzula · 6 months

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The Search

part three

pairing: Zuko x Princess!reader

notes: we finally made it to the end of the search! hope you guys enjoy :) and as always i suggest reading the comics to better understand the series

summary: Zuko finally finds his mother, and the Princess is faced with complicated feelings for Azula

~ part of the fire lilies series ~

Your heart pounds rapidly in your chest as you will your legs to continue their sprint for as long as they can. The sun is beginning to set and the valley is growing darker, and you desperately hope Misu’s shortcut will get you to Noren’s soon before you’re too late.

So much had happened since your arrival to Forgetful Valley. From meeting the water tribe siblings Rafa and Misu to the Mother of Faces, it seemed your group was one step closer to finding Zuko’s mom. But after Azula had used the Mother’s one favor to uncover Ursa’s whereabouts, things had gone awry. She’d ruined Misu’s only chance of helping her brother and run off to confront Noriko, whose true identity had been revealed to be none other than the missing Fire Lady.

Now, you and Sokka found yourselves accompanying Zuko as your trio rushed to Hira’a in hopes you’d reach Noren’s house before his malevolent sister could.

“I can’t believe your mom was right under our noses this entire time,” Sokka says breathlessly.

“We couldn’t have known,” you reply from beside him. “All that matters now is getting to her first before Azula does.”

“We should be there soon,” your boyfriend assures you both. “I just hope we’re not too late.”

“We won’t be,” you comfort him with a reassuring smile, “you’re going to be with your mother again, Zuko. Sokka and I will help you see this through.”

“We’ve got your back, buddy.”

He flashes you a grateful smile, but he doesn’t have time to say much else as your trio finally reaches Noren’s house. The surrounding area is dark save for the warm light that floods out from the windows, and you cautiously approach the home with your guards up in case Azula is inside.

“It’s so quiet,” Sokka notes, club in hand and at the ready.

“Too quiet,” Zuko agrees before pressing himself against the wall of the home and peering into the open window.

“Do you see anything?” You whisper to the fire bender as you position yourself beside him.

“What’s going on in there?” Sokka presses. “Noren’s family… don’t tell me Azula-“

“No, they’re fine,” he breathes out in relief, “they’re eating dinner.”

“Thank spirits,” you exhale, the tension in your nerves immediately leaving your body once you know they’re safe. You were especially worried about Kiyi, so it relieved you to know no harm had come to her or her family. “It looks like Misu was right about that shortcut.”

The three of you peer in at the family who share smiles and food in the comfort of their home. They looked so normal, it was almost hard to believe that the woman inside was the lost Fire Lady.

“I’m going inside. Can you two keep an eye out for Azula?” Zuko asks.

“Sure, anything you need, Zuko” Sokka happily obliges.

You gently grab hold of his hand to halt his movements as he passes and give it a comforting squeeze. “Are you going to be okay?”

“I will be,” he says. “Will you?”

“Don’t worry about us, Sokka and I can handle Azula easily.”

“I know you can, Princess” he replies with a fond smile, gifting you an affectionate kunik before releasing your hand and heading inside.

“Good luck, my love,” you murmur quietly, turning your attention to the empty fields before you once the door is shut.

“How’re you holding up, Chief?” Sokka asks while surveying the area in search of any danger. “I overheard that nasty argument you had with Azula last night.”

“I know better than to let her get to me,” you reply thoughtfully, “but that doesn’t make her words any less hurtful. I’ve been dealing with Azula’s wrath since I was four, and it hasn’t gotten any easier.”

“I bet, but you’re one of the strongest people I know. If anyone can stand up to Azula, it’s you.”

“I’m not sure if I agree with that,” you sigh, and Sokka doesn’t miss the way your eyes fall scrutinizingly to the scars on your hands. Though the pain has faded and the physical damage has healed, you’ll never be able to forget what she’s done to you.

“Hey, you’re doing your best,” your friend consoles. “You’ve been nothing but supportive for Zuko this whole trip, that counts for something.”

“Thank you, Sokka,” you say with a meager smile. “I guess you’re right.”

“I always am,” he agrees proudly. “Besides, now that Zuko’s found his mother this whole thing will be over soon and we’ll never have to deal with Azula again.”

“Are you sure about that, peasant?” A mocking voice chimes, catching you and Sokka off guard. You’d been so engrossed in your conversation that you hadn’t even noticed the fire bender’s looming presence, and now there Azula stood before the two of you with a crazed look in her eyes and an itch to take you both down.

“You’re not hurting that family, Azula,” you warn her with a glower to which she merely chuckles slyly in response. “Leave them be.”

“Don’t you remember what happened the last time you fought me, Princess?” She mocks while gesturing to her hands. “Zuzu isn’t here to protect you, and Mother won’t be able to stop me from fulfilling my destiny, but I’m willing to show you water rats mercy if you get out of my way.”

“Fat chance,” Sokka retaliates, “you’re going down!”

“Suit yourself,” the Fire Princess hums with a meager shrug. “It’s more fun for me this way anyhow.”

A blast of flames is immediately shot in your direction, forcing Sokka and yourself to drop and roll out of the way to avoid being burned by her strike. Pushing yourself up off the ground, you spot a well in Noren’s backyard and quickly begin a sprint towards the water source. “Sokka, cover me!”

“I’ve got you covered, y/n!” the Water Tribe boy calls as he hurtles his boomerang unsuccessfully towards Azula. In the meantime, you peer inside the well to ensure it’s full of water before pulling out a long stream from within. With Azula’s back turned and her focus on Sokka, you use a water whip to sweep the girl off her feet so that she lands on the ground with a harsh thud.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” you utter desperately, sincerity clear in your tone as you stand over her. Despite the hateful scowl on her face, you urge, “Let us help you, Azula. I know there must be some ounce of goodness in your heart, you can change!”

“Whatever you and Mother are planning against me won’t work. I will not be fooled!” She cries indignantly before kicking her feet out to send a burst of flames towards you. “Zuko may be foolish enough to fall for your tricks but I’m not.”

“Princess!” Sokka exclaims, rushing towards you and tackling you to the ground to prevent her flames from hitting you. “Are you crazy?! Why are you trying to reason with that psycho? You could have gotten yourself hurt.”

“I had to try,” you murmur to yourself, “I had to see for myself if there was any chance of redemption left for her.”

“We don’t have time for that now,” he urges while helping you up off the ground. “We have to stop her before she gets inside!”

Spotting her figure on the roof, you quickly create a blast of snow to propel Sokka and yourself onto the top of the house with her. Your sudden presence startles her, but she quickly regains her composure and begins to form a strike of lightening to hurtle at you both. However, before she can complete the move you send a blast of water across the roof that quickly freezes over into ice and traps her feet to the surface. Sokka promptly hurries over to the fire bender and grabs hold of her hands before maneuvering them behind her back so she can’t try to strike you.

“Let go of me, peasant!” She growls, thrashing violently in his grasp in an attempt to break free. With her feet stuck to the ice and her hands restricted Azula’s attempts at freedom are futile.

“He’s not a peasant,” you correct her firmly, “and you’re not getting out of this. I’ve done all I can to help you, to try and understand you, but it never seems to matter what I do. You’ve never liked me, even though for Zuko’s sake I hoped that one day you might.”

“Mother sent you to distract Zuko, to take my brother from me,” she remarks adamantly. “Everything was perfect after Ba Sing Se, but you made him weak!”

“I still don’t know what you’re talking about!” You exclaim in exasperation. Ever since your trip had started she’d thrown strange accusations your way that you couldn’t comprehend, and you didn’t understand why she perceived you as someone who was out to get her. If anything, you had always felt it was the opposite when it came to your relationship with Zuko’s sister.

“I should have finished the job when I had the chance,” she utters lowly, and as her eyes begin to hone in on your scarred hands a shiver of fear crawls down your spine. “I won’t make that same mistake again.”

A breath of fire blasts from her mouth straight towards you, and when you use the ice to form a barrier to block her attack she takes the opportunity to release herself from Sokka’s grip now that her feet are free. She shoves the boy backwards, and with lightening jolting between her fingertips she strikes a hole through the roof that causes the entire structure to cave in.

“Sokka!” You cry out, falling through the broken roof along with Azula. In a last ditch effort you send a blast of snow in his direction to break his fall, but you aren’t left with enough time to do the same for yourself. You slam onto the ground below you with a loud thud that has both Sokka and Zuko wincing. Your head hits the wood on impact and you’re knocked out cold, prompting Zuko to rush towards you only for Azula to send him flying across the room.

“I said get out of my way!”

“Check on y/n!” Sokka demands while helping the Fire Lord up from the floor. “I’ll deal with Azula.”

Disoriented from his sister’s attack, the boy stumbles over to your unconscious form and carefully pulls you out of the rubble. A small trickle of blood rolls down the side of your head as Zuko scoops you up into his arms and holds you carefully against his chest, making sure to be mindful of any possible injuries you may have from your fall.

“This is all my fault,” he murmurs quietly into your hair as he presses a careful kiss to the top of your head, “I shouldn’t have brought you into this.”

“Zuko!” Sokka calls, rushing over and carefully taking your sleeping figure from his friend’s arms. “I’ve got her, you take care of your mom.”

“Keep her safe,” he pleads, watching as Sokka rushes Noren and Kiyi out of the house.

Your still face is the last thing he sees before your group disappears into the cover of the night, and it’s what urges him to finally face off to his sister once and for all.

~~~

The waves that crash against the shores of Ember Island bring a sense of peace to the woman who stands with her feet in the sand and her eyes focused on the endless expanse of water. A quiet coo pulls her attention away from the sea and back to the newborn girl who lies nestled in her arms. Her beautiful golden irises stare up at her in awe, and the woman smiles warmly in response.

“Are you enjoying the family beach house, little fire ferret?” She hums, watching fondly as the child grabs onto her outstretched finger.

“Azula!” A voice calls from the balcony, and now her attention is fixed on the water bender who peers down at her from above. “Dinner is ready, won’t you come inside?”

“Of course, sister,” she smiles sincerely at the girl she had once hated with her entire being. “Elza needs to be put down for her nap anyhow.”

“She always sleeps better in her Aunt Azula’s arms,” her sister-in-law notes fondly. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

“As am I, y/n.”

“Azula,” you gasp the moment you wake from your dream, sitting up in bed only to immediately trigger a pounding ache in your head.

“It’s alright,” a voice shushes you as gentle arms carefully push you back down into bed, “you must be careful now. You took quite a fall.”

“Is Sokka alright?” You ask quietly, noting the dryness of your throat. “Zuko?”

“They’re both fine,” she comforts as you begin to adjust to your surroundings. The sunlight that shines through the windows doesn’t ease the ache you feel in your head, and it takes a moment for your eyes to focus on the person in front of you. “Zuko’s asleep, but he hasn’t left this room since we brought you in here.”

“Fire Lady Ursa?” You murmur as your eyes finally take in the sight of a woman’s gentle smile and kind features. “It’s really you, isn’t it?”

“It is,” she replies thoughtfully, but the look in her eyes seems to suggest that she isn’t sure of her own answer. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Zuko has told me so much about you.”

“Same here,” you reply with a meager smile. “It’s nice to finally put a face to the name I’ve heard in all those stories.”

“I can’t begin to express how grateful I am for all you’ve done for my son,” Ursa expresses earnestly while gently pushing back the hair from your face. “Thank you for taking care of him when I couldn’t.”

“You don’t have to thank me for that. I love your son more than anything, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Zuko.”

“He’s very lucky to have you,” she notes with a gentle smile, and once you’re able to carefully sit yourself up in bed she offers you a cup of water that you greedily finish in a matter of seconds. “I’ll fetch you some more water, but in the meantime you rest. You don’t want to hurt yourself any further.”

You watch with a careful smile as Ursa leaves the room, but a quiet call of your name has you turning to look at the chair across from you. You’d been too engrossed and in awe of Ursa’s presence to notice Zuko at first, but it’s hard to miss him now that he’s at your bedside quickly checking you over for any wounds or injuries.

“Are you hurt?”

“I have a bit of a headache and my limbs feel a bit sore, but I’m alright,” you assure him. Sighing, he carefully allows his forehead to fall gently against yours in search of comfort and reassurance that you’re really okay.

“It’s my fault this happened to you,” he utters dejectedly. “So far every time I’ve asked you to help me deal with my sister it hasn’t ended well. I shouldn’t have stopped you from returning home and asked you to come to Hira’a.”

“Zuko, this isn’t your fault in the slightest,” you argue with a frown as you gently take his face in your hands and prompt him to look at you. “I came with you to Hira’a because it’s my job as your girlfriend to support you. You’re my other half, and when you need my help I’m supposed to be there for you. Your sister is unpredictable, but I knew the risk I was taking when I agreed to travel with her, and what happened to me was just one of those risks come to fruition.”

“I just hate seeing you get hurt,” he laments quietly before carefully pulling you into a hug.

“I know, but I’ll be okay as long as you’re there to look after me.”

“I always will be,” he promises, nothing but pure love and adoration in his eyes as he looks upon your tired face.

“So what happened while I was out? Where’s Azula?”

“She ran away. Sokka, Aang, and Katara searched Forgetful Valley for hours while I watched over you but there’s no sign of her. We’ll just have to keep looking.”

“And your mother? How did she get her face back?”

“The Mother of Faces returned it to her and restored all of her old memories. I told her she didn’t have to, she had a peaceful life here as Noriko, but she did it anyway.”

“Well I’m sure Azula will turn up at some point or another. I don’t think she’d give up that easily,” you say thoughtfully. “As for Ursa, I’m glad you finally have your mother back Zuko. I know how much this all means to you, and I know how much more peaceful life will be for you now that you’ve found her.”

“Thank you, but I couldn’t have found her without your support,” he expresses earnestly before leaning in to give you a loving kiss.

~~~

“Please, please, please do it again, y/n!” Kiyi pleads while tugging at the skirt of your dress. With delighted laughter spilling past your lips, you can’t help but relent to the little girl’s pleas.

“Alright, just for you,” you tell her before taking the cup of water she eagerly hands you and concentrating on your next move. Drinking the water from the cup, you take your time swishing the liquid around in your mouth for dramatic effect before using the coolness of your breath to transform it into snow and blow out a flurry of snowflakes into the air. Kiyi’s shrieks of delight fill the atmosphere as she runs around trying to catch the snow, and from the shade under the tree Zuko and Ursa watch the scene with matching smiles on their faces.

“She’s wonderful, Zuko,” Ursa compliments, a small laugh leaving her at the sight of Kiyi and yourself catching snowflakes on your tongues.

“She is,” he agrees with a fond smile.

You’d never been able to get along with Azula no matter how hard you or Zuko tried to force it, so it was a nice change of pace to see you get along with his other little sister. He finally felt that sense of family he’d been searching for all this time since becoming Fire Lord, and he was grateful to have you as a part of it. He only hoped that with time you could grow your family together.

“It warms my heart to see you’ve found your other half. I hope you’re able to cherish your love forever.”

“I will,” he says earnestly, and it’s a promise he makes to himself and to his Princess.

You are his other half, and your love will stand the tests of time forever.

| zuko tag list: @thebluelcdy @royahllty @the-firebender-girl @coldlilheart @ilovespideyyy @yiyibetch @eridanuswave @lammello @a-monsters-love @knaite-solo @taeeemin

| fire lilies taglist: @titaniafire @emberislandplayers @kikaninchen-2 @music-geek19 @thia-aep @thyunnamed @haylaansmi @nataliahaslosthershit @idkdude776 @aangsupremacy @thirstyforsometea @ihaveaproblem98 @brown-eyed-thang @xapham @misnmatchedsox @chewymoustachio @that-bucket-hat-gal @chilifrylizard2 @kyomihann @kaylove12 @kiwihoee @freggietale @moon-spirit-yue @bubblegum-bee-otch

| atla taglist: @sirkekselord @chronic-daydreamer-blog

#fire lilies #the search #zuko #zuko x reader #zuko imagine #prince zuko x reader #prince zuko imagine #prince zuko #zuko x princess!reader #atla #atla x reader #atla imagine

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theerurishipper · 1 year

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Zuko Did Not Abuse Azula in the Comics.

I'm gonna do it. After a lifetime of never posting any of my own posts in the ATLA fandom, I am gonna talk about this. "This" is the arguments sprung forth that Zuko abused Azula in the comics, more specifically The Search. Now, I don't think the comics are well-written, but what they don't do in any capacity is paint a picture of Zuko abusing Azula. And despite this, I've seen several claims about how Zuko did in fact, treat Azula cruelly and horribly and let the Gaang abuse her happily. And I might not like the comics, but that's just flat out wrong. So, I'm writing a rebuttal to all the arguments I've seen on the topic, at least, as many as I can remember. What I'll do is quote an argument and use evidence from the comic to rebut it, and hopefully people will stop claiming that the abuse victim treated his abusive sister the way she treated him all their lives. So yeah.

To be clear, I'm not making this post to hate on Azula's character or something. I'm not making this to start a fight, or to make people angry. I mostly made this to express my own frustrations about some things I've seen.

And it's probably a bit too late for this, but if you think Zuko did abuse Azula or whatever, you're entitled to your opinion, but please don't interact with this post. I've tagged the anti tags and placed my text under a read more, so y'all don't have to read it.

This gets long, so under the cut it is. Let's go.

Argument: "Azula is protesting being treated cruelly and Ty Lee chi-blocks her for no reason at all! And Zuko doesn't protest this cruel treatment of his sister! He's abusing her!"

Ty Lee chi-blocked Azula after Azula attacked Zuko and displayed violent behavior. On top of being Zuko's bodyguard and therefor responsible for protecting him, Ty Lee also has a great fear of Azula because of how Azula treated her in their past. Zuko tries to be kind to his sister by bringing her tea and she attacks him. Furthermore, Zuko also protests her being chi-blocked even after she does so. He tries to treat her with dignity and be kind to her but Azula herself is the one to sneer at his efforts.

Argument: "Zuko is awful for leaving Azula alone with her abuser! He doesn't care about her well-being!"

I agree that Azula shouldn't be allowed to talk to Ozai. Ozai abused Azula as well, and contact with him would only cause her more problems. However, Zuko doesn't know this. He himself is an abuse victim, and all he's seen his whole life is that Ozai favored Azula over him. And Azula used this to place herself in a position of power over him. She's always tried to drive it into his head that their father liked her better than him and that he was worthless in Ozai's eyes. Naturally, Zuko assumes (incorrectly) that Azula has some kind of special relationship with Ozai that he doesn't. He knows Azula has not had a perfect and healthy life, but he is not privy to the details. He doesn't know what's going on in her head. This is because he is not a mind reader, and she refuses to let herself be vulnerable in front of him because she believes she is better than him and that vulnerability is a weakness.

Even in the comic, she expresses no hatred or fear of her father, and doesn't indicate to Zuko that she does not want to be alone with him. She shouldn't have contact with him, of course, but she refuses to admit that her father is responsible for how she is now and that he has hurt her. She blames her mother, she blames Zuko and his friends, she blames Mai and Ty Lee, but she refuses to blame herself and most importantly, she refuses to blame Ozai. She's still behaving the way he wants, attacking Zuko and, if I may bring up Smoke and Shadow even if it pains me, she's trying to get Zuko to be like Ozai. She herself expresses the desire to speak with Ozai in the panels above, so if she herself hasn't acknowledged the way Ozai has hurt her or how he has abused her, and if she is still under the belief that he loves her, how is Zuko supposed to know any better? He's not doing anything he thinks might hurt her because she hasn't expressed that it hurts her, because she herself doesn't believe it does. And yes, it does hurt her, but it's not Zuko's fault for not being able to magically comprehend that, especially since she has spent her life driving the opposite message into his head, that Ozai favors her and not him.

Argument: "Zuko threw his little sister in an institution! He didn't care for her or for what became of her! He just left her in there to rot!"

What should he have done then? How should he have dealt with her? Azula may be traumatized and in need of help, but Zuko isn't the one to give that to her. He doesn't owe that to her after everything she's done to him, and he doesn't have the capability to help her himself. Azula has always expressed hatred for her brother and has been very clear about the fact that she considers him weak. He tries to help her and she rebuffs him continuously, choosing to attack him instead. She still wants him dead, and she has still not expressed any opposition to the things she learnt from Ozai. She still considers her brother a failure, she still hasn't mentioned that she thinks genocide is wrong, and she certainly doesn't think she's to blame for anything.

Given free reign, she attacks Zuko and manipulates him, and she is obviously too dangerous to let loose. The most Zuko can do is get her the help she needs, which is what he tried to do. I find the whole way these comics deal with mental health distasteful, especially with regard to Azula, but that's a flaw in the writing, not the characters. Zuko could have thrown her in prison like Ozai, since she was complicit in his war efforts. But he recognized that she needed help and tried to provide it for her. I wonder what anyone who criticizes Zuko for this would suggest he should do instead. Keep in mind that Azula is an imperialist and staunch supporter of Ozai's quest to take over the world. She also attempted to kill Zuko multiple times and has expressed no remorse for it.

And also, there is the argument that the institution is abusive and that Azula was mistreated in there. And where is the evidence of that? No, seriously, I went and looked through the comics, and I didn't see any evidence that Azula was abused in there. It seems to be a headcanon. Of course Azula resents being put in an institution, especially when she believes nothing is wrong with her and since she so adamantly refuses to let anyone help her. But nowhere does she mention that she hates it because the people there hurt her or something. And where else could she get help for her problems? Should Zuko take on a second job as her therapist? Should Iroh leave his life in Ba Sing Se behind to come and help a niece who has only ever hated him and wanted him dead? People say that the straitjacket is proof of her being abused, and I don't really like it either, but considering that she is eagerly awaiting the opportunity to attack Zuko, the straitjacket is probably a precaution to make sure she doesn't hurt anyone. Not that it stops her.

And when Zuko does try to help her some other way by offering for her to stay in the palace instead to make her more comfortable, she attacks him. So.

Also, these comics totally forgot how lightning-bending works.

Argument: "Zuko violently coerced his mentally ill sister to come with him on a mission to find his mother!"

She's also Azula's mother, actually. And he didn't coerce her. She blackmailed him and forced herself onto the trip. It was entirely her own decision to come with them and it was not Zuko who forced her to do anything.

Argument: "The Gaang attack Azula for no reason! They're threatening her violently!"

I mean, considering everything she's done to them and still hasn't given up on wanting to do, it's expected that they would be wary of her and perceive her as a threat. Remember when the Gaang pulled their weapons on Zuko, and only didn't attack him because he tried talking to them? Azula here is still antagonizing them and is still calling them derogatory terms like "peasant," so she still hasn't given up her beliefs of superiority. Which obviously doesn't give them a very positive impression.

Argument: "Iroh always expresses ill will and hatred towards Azula and thinks she's a lost cause! He encourages Zuko to hurt her because he thinks she's irredeemable!"

Iroh expresses the wish for Azula to find peace the way he believes Zuko will.

Argument: "The Gaang treated Azula cruelly and threatened her for no reason! They started abusing her the moment they got the chance to, when Azula was defenseless and unable to protect herself at all!"

Here we have exhibit A, where Aang cruelly laughs in Azula's face and greets her mockingly, while Azula is respectful of the people she has hurt many times over.

Oh wait. He greets her cheerfully and kindly, and she starts ordering the Gaang around like they're her servants.

Argument: "Sokka threatened Azula violently for no reason and Azula was just defending herself!"

Sokka didn't even do anything to her. He waves his boomerang near her and tells her not to try anything. And yet the way some people will use this scene is to suggest that he was outright attacking her when she was vulnerable or something. And yet she is well off enough to shoot lightning at him unprovoked. Considering all of Azula's actions, they are well within their rights to keep her in control. Would you say Katara was unjustified for threatening Zuko with death right after he joined them? Was she abusing Zuko then? The answer is no.

Azula has been well known for committing many acts of violence against them, including but not limited to pursuing them relentlessly, attacking them, taking over Ba Sing Se, trying to kill them, actually killing Aang, almost killing Zuko, and she is complicit in the crimes of the Fire Nation. She has done nothing to prove that she's changed her ways and that she is now not interested in killing them, and we later learn that she still does want to attack them. Sokka is well within his rights to threaten her since she has inflicted so much harm on his friends and might still do so. But Azula has no such right. The only reason she has so much free reign is because of Zuko's compassion. The Gaang are right to be suspicious and wary of her after everything she's done and she has no right to be disdainful about that. Do you think if Zuko showed up to join the Gaang and shot sparks at them when he got irritated, that they would not be in the right for perceiving it as a threat? Would you say that Zuko should be allowed to act violently with the Gaang in that situation?

She is here because she manipulated her brother and the fact that she is being allowed on this trip unbound is much more than what she realistically deserves. And she proves Sokka right by attacking him. Sokka merely waved a boomerang in her face (he wasn't even that close to her, actually, and he certainly wasn't in her face) and warned her not to try anything, and she tried something instantly. Just before this when Zuko was with her, she attacked him. No matter her mental state or her age, Azula is dangerous and deadly, and she has not changed. They have no reason to trust her. They have the right to be distrustful of her and to warn her not to step out of line. I know people like to ignore the fact that Azula is still an Ozai sympathizer and an imperialist who partook gleefully in the war efforts and like to only see her as a mentally ill 14-year-old girl, but that's not what the show says, and neither do the comics, so.

I'm guessing it's wrong of the Gaang to react when someone who has previously proved to be more than ready to hurt them and kill them tries to hurt one of their friends. Sure, Azula wasn't going to hurt him severely, but she sure did hurt him enough for him to yell out and fall down. And considering everything else, the Gaang are right to try to protect themselves from someone they perceive as a threat. Sokka wasn't even close to her, damn it. Azula has no right at all to be making demands of the Gaang, and they don't have an obligation to treat her the way she wants to be, like they are her servants and like they are inferior to her.

Argument: "Zuko threatens Azula for no reason and abuses her!"

Azula is someone who has proven to be a threat time and again, and here she is yelling strange things and inching closer with an angry look in her eye. For people like Zuko, it is understandable that this looks like a threatening situation. We know what Azula is talking about, but all they can see is her behaving in a way that could be threatening.

She yells accusatory things and looks angry, and she is moving closer to the rest of the Gaang, almost like she is ready to attack them for something. And so Zuko tells her that that's enough. And he releases some... steam, I guess? He doesn't even bend a flame. And yet he's abusing her somehow. And then she makes it sound like he's overreacting. If someone you knew was dangerous started coming closer to you while yelling with a strange look in their eyes, would you try to wonder why exactly they're behaving like this and if they're alright, or would you prepare to defend yourself?

And here we also see Azula blaming the Gaang for ruining her life and not, you know, her abuser Ozai. So sure, of course she'd accept Zuko's help when she thinks he's to blame for her misfortune and not her own actions and Ozai's abuse.

I too wish Toph was here.

Argument: "The Gaang abused a defenseless Azula, Part 2."

Defenseless Azula breaks the deal she forced Zuko to make with her and jumps off Appa when they're too high.

Aang saves her and she blasts him.

Now, we know in this scene that Azula is having visions of her mother and that she's hearing things. We know that she's not exactly of sound mind when she goes on rampages. But the Gaang doesn't know that. Zuko doesn't know that, and he has no way of knowing because she won't tell him. Even when he asks her who she is talking to, she just yells at him and rebuffs him.

Look at Zuko, saying that he doesn't want to fight Azula with a sad expression. How abusive!

Azula throws the first blow here. She isn't seeing things when she attacks Zuko, she just used him to get here and now she wants to get rid of him. And Zuko is doing what he said he'd do, keeping her in line. And don't say he should have just let Azula go. He wouldn't be a very good Fire Lord if he let the lightning bending imperialist go off on her own.

And then the Gaang takes her down after she attacked them first. So if that's abuse, then I don't know what to say.

Argument: "Zuko abusing his sister, Part 3."

Very abusive, yes.

Oh, and he finds a secret she's been keeping from him! That's so abusive!

Argument: "Zuko abusing his mentally ill sister, Part 4."

She attacks him first. You could make the argument that it's because she's having visions of her mother, and yeah, she is. But Zuko doesn't know all this because she won't tell him. And also, as it should be obvious to everyone, that's not an excuse.

Then there's a fight scene.

Argument: "Zuko cruelly held Azula off a cliff to threaten her and hurt her! He's abusing her while she is clearly not well!"

Ah, this infamous scene. Where Zuko holds his weak and defenseless sister off a cliff and laughs maniacally at her suffering while she pleads with him to spare her- oh wait.

Obviously, he dragged her to a cliff just so he could hold her off it. It's not like they were fighting in that environment. It's not like she just fell near the cliff's edge and he picked her up.

I honestly don't see anything wrong with what he did. He's clearly defending himself from her, and holds her over the cliff so that she won't attack him again, and so that he can make her listen to him after she has acted out again and again in a violent and dangerous way. She was attacking him, and this was the only way he could get her to listen to him. If you think he was considering dropping her, you don't know Zuko at all.

Anyway, this is actually one of the few scenes from any of these comics that actually made me feel something. It's an expression of the tragedy of their relationship from Zuko, and also him standing up to another abuser in his life. Yes, Azula abused Zuko, that much is not up for debate. Here, Zuko is finally confronting Azula on the horrible was she's treated him their whole life. I don't begrudge him that. And him saying "since the day you were born," is obviously not literal. Like, I can't believe I have to say this unironically. If people say "I must have walked a thousand miles," do we take it literally or do we understand that it is an exaggerated way of expressing that someone has walked a long way? It's the same thing here. Just because Zuko exaggerates his speech does not mean that the sentiment he is expressing is untrue. This is such a stupid line to get hung up over, but gotta take every inch you get when the whole text is against you, I guess.

Argument: "The Gaang abusing Azula, Part 5."

Where the Gaang verbally abuse Azula who is clearly hurt by their cruel words- hold on.

Ah, yes. Call the people who are somehow still putting up with you "louts," Azula. I am sure that is a very good and proper way to treat people who have every right to throw you back in jail and be on their way. They don't even say anything back to her. The Gaang has the patience of saints, honestly.

Thank you Sokka for being the one with common sense. I suppose he's also a villain now for saying "she's tried to kill us twelve times" when that's not true, it was only about two times. Which clearly makes it better.

Argument: "Zuko abusing Azula, Part 6."

Azula antagonizes a child, Zuko tells her to knock it off.

He's being so cruel to her.

Argument: "The Gaang abusing Azula, Part 7."

She attacked them. They defended themselves. It doesn't matter if she saw her mother in a vision. That's not an excuse and it's not the Gaang's problem. It's not Zuko's obligation to help his abuser, especially since she doesn't want his help anyway.

Gee, all these arguments are starting to sound awfully similar. It's almost like Azula always instigates fights and the Gaang defend themselves. Hmm.

Argument: "Zuko abusing Azula, Part 8."

She attacked first. Again.

This time she even attacked two actually defenseless people.

Argument: "Zuko gave the Gaang permission to attack Azula for no reason at all! The used their position to abuse her!"

No, he gave them permission to take her down because she went too far and attacked innocent people who did nothing to her.

Honestly, Zuko should have done this a lot sooner. She's tried to kill them four times already. She hasn't listened to them when they tell her not to do something and she's endangered all of them many times. She's being granted more than she deserves by the Gaang, and yet she goes on to do things they explicitly tell her not to do because it might hurt the forest or other people. She's proven that she is not concerned about who she hurts as long as she gets what she wants, and it took until she attacked people who weren't the Gaang for Zuko to suggest taking her down. The fact that he didn't give the okay for this the first time she tried to kill them is honestly a testament to his character.

Azula had this coming. No amount of the excuse of mental illness is enough to justify her actions. Even if she has a mental illness, it doesn't give her the right to attack others. And Zuko has all the right to defend himself and realize that working with Azula is impossible. He doesn't look happy to be doing this. He looks quite sad, in fact. I joked around a little in this post but seriously, anyone who says Zuko is the one abusing Azula is interpreting the text in very bad faith. I know people like it when Azula is a victim so that they can justify her hurting others, but Zuko and the Gaang had every right to retaliate throughout this comic whenever Azula attacked them or hurt someone else. These two siblings aren't even the last non-Gaang people Azula hurts in this comic.

Argument: "Zuko abusing Azula, Part 9."

Wherein Azula attacks her mother who doesn't remember her and her defenseless family with the intent to kill.

Now I'm not heartless. I feel for Azula here, I really do. That panel of her with tears in her eyes truly makes me feel sad. She definitely didn't deserve what happened to her throughout her life at Ozai's hands. She didn't deserve to feel unloved and feel like her mother thought she was a monster. She didn't deserve to be abused by Ozai. Azula deserves to heal, she deserves to be loved, she deserves to be treated well and she deserves better.

None of this gives her the right to hurt other people. Innocent people. She may feel her mother has wronged her, but it's not true. And she doesn't get to attack her mother, who doesn't even remember her, out of hatred and anger. She doesn't get to kill this innocent woman and attack her family. And Zuko is not in the wrong for stopping her. Zuko is not the wrong for protecting his mother and her family. Zuko is not abusive for defending other people and himself from Azula. Because even if Azula is hurt, she is taking it out on other people who have done nothing to deserve it.

Zuko redirecting her lightning back at her doesn't kill her, and I'm sure Zuko knows that it wouldn't. He doesn't want her dead. He doesn't want to hurt her. He wouldn't have thrown her over the cliff for that very reason. Despite everything, Zuko loves Azula. He cares about her. He wants to have a good relationship with her. He's very affected by the knowledge that their relationship is so bad. He truly wants to help her. But it is Azula who is resistant to that help. It is Azula who thinks her brother is weak and deserves to be hurt. It is Azula who despite wanting love, chooses to push people away and hurt them over and over again.

He's saddened at her running away, he chases her and pleads with her to let him help. But it is Azula who refuses him, who rebuffs him and attacks him at every turn. It is Azula who is always the aggressor, it is Azula who is at fault in their relationship, all because she believes that everyone is to blame for her mistakes but herself. And the only way she can heal is if she realizes who the blame truly lies with, Ozai, and rejects everything he's taught her, that love is weakness and to rule with fear. She needs help, but Zuko is not obligated to provide it to her. And yet he does, out of the kindness and compassion in his heart, and the love he has for his sister.

Argument: "He abused her in the show, then! Since this post only talks about the comics!"

That's because it should be obvious to anyone watching that Zuko didn't abuse Azula. If anyone thinks Zuko abused Azula, I invite them to watch a show called Avatar: The Last Airbender. It's really quite good.

So I feel like I've covered most arguments I've seen. But I do want to talk some more about why exactly I wrote all this, why I wasted two hours of my life on this.

Anyone who goes through the ATLA tag on my blog will probably reach the correct conclusion that Zuko is my favorite character, and that he and his arc mean a lot to me. And so, it's honestly not great to see people undermine all of the suffering Zuko has gone through in his life, all to justify Azula's abusive behaviors. It's not wrong to like Azula and love her character. She's a complex character that many find relatable, and that's not wrong. But to accuse another character, her actual victim in the series and one whom many can relate to as well, of being her abuser and denying her abuse of him... it's not a great look. It reeks of victim blaming and abuse apologism. And it's not true. Azula is an example of how victims of abuse can become abusers themselves. This is what she represents in the show. And it is not wrong for people to call out Azula and not Zuko, because Zuko got called out in universe, called himself out and he changed. Zuko redeemed himself and became a good person.

Azula has not done that. She hasn't changed, she hasn't acknowledged that she is wrong, and therefore people are allowed to criticize her and dislike her, and they are allowed to call out her abuse and her other actions. People call out Zuko for his bad actions as well, but the fact of the matter is that he changed, and people don't feel the need to call him out anymore because he's done it himself. Zuko doesn't need the same criticism Azula does because he grew and she didn't, that's it. So all the talking points about how people don't call out Zuko as much as Azula or that they don't criticize his bad actions are moot because of his very widely acknowledged and celebrated redemption arc. Because he realized his mistakes and worked hard to fix them. So, there is really no point in criticizing him anymore the way there is for Azula, since she hasn't changed. And it is not "hate" for people to understand that despite Azula's abuse at Ozai's hands, she dealt the same thing to her brother for years. And it is not wrong for people to criticize her for it.

All this talk about how Azula is always being hurt and betrayed by everyone, and all this talk about how Zuko is weak unlike Azula is the exact same reasoning Azula uses that enables her to abuse others within the story, the reasoning that Ozai instilled in her. It is quite literally the parroting of Ozai's beliefs, that Zuko is weak and soft, and that Azula is strong and powerful and yet she's a victim of everybody. She believes that others deserve to be hurt because they are too weak or because they are responsible for her suffering, and not her or Ozai. In the end, it wasn't Zuko who drove away her friends Mai and Ty Lee, and Mai and Ty Lee did not "betray" her. It was Azula's cruel treatment of them because she controlled them through fear that drove them away from her, and when push came to shove they stood up for the people the loved and for themselves. It wasn't Zuko who drove away their mother, it was Ozai. It wasn't Iroh who hated Azula and wanted her dead, it was Azula who hated Iroh and wanted him dead, and these are all things she learnt from Ozai. She can only ever grow if she realizes her mistakes and accepts the blame for her own actions, and if she stops blaming her victims for her suffering and starts blaming her abuser.

Blaming Zuko for defending himself from her and calling that abuse is victim blaming. Whether you like it or not, Azula did abuse Zuko. She had power over him, she targeted his insecurities constantly, she lied to him multiple times and made him doubt his own perceptions, she manipulated and gaslit him and made him feel unsafe in his home. She supported Ozai's abuse of Zuko and participated in it and took pleasure in it. Zuko never did anything of the sort to her. He reacted to her abuse in a way he never did with Ozai until the end, but that does not mean he wasn't affected by it or that it didn't happen, because it did, and even though he fought back with her, he was often defeated and Azula always managed to manipulate and terrify him. For fuck's sake, he literally had a chant, "Azula always lies," so that he could comfort himself after she terrorized him, something that he's been saying to himself for years according to Zuko Alone. People will point to Zuko challenging Azula as him abusing her back, but what defines abuse is the power dynamics. There is no such thing as mutual abuse. Abuse is all about one party having power over the other, and in Azula and Zuko's relationship, she had all the power over him because she was the favored child. Of course, this was also damaging for her, very much so, but it means that she had power over him, and he didn't.

Azula is a tragic character and her life is a sad one. But that doesn't make her any less of a bad person, and it doesn't mean she is not a toxic individual. Her actions have hurt other in many ways, and she does not feel remorse. She finds pleasure in the pain of others, especially her brother, at whom she smiled in glee when he was being maimed by their father. She took over a city and killed someone and did it with a smile on her face. She tried to kill her brother and laughed about it. She gleefully suggested genocide, and wanted to take part in it. And she hasn't changed, so people are allowed to dislike her and call her out for it. Personally, I believe that Azula has the capacity to change and to redeem herself. I don't think she's too far gone or is irredeemable. She is not as bad as Ozai, and it's not too late for her.

No one deserves a redemption. It has to be something you actively work for, something you do and it is something that you have to work for. Azula can change if she truly wants to. She has people who are willing to help her if she so chooses, like Zuko for better or worse for him. But that means admitting to her mistakes, acknowledging that she is wrong and has hurt people, and making the effort to change, which so far she has not done. And Zuko is not obligated to forgive her or help her in any way, and neither are the Gaang or Iroh.

You can like a villainous character. You can like a character who is a bad person. It's not wrong. What is wrong is to paint another character in a bad light, in a false light, to justify your love for another character. And especially in this case since Azula is Zuko's abuser, turning the tables and calling him her abuser for defending himself against her all because you want to excuse Azula's actions and want her to be a victim is really not great. Accusing Iroh and Ursa of being responsible for her downfall is not great. All this is directing blame away from the real abuser, Ozai. And it veers into victim blaming and abuse apologism, like I said.

Being a fan of Azula doesn't mean you can handwave away her less than savory traits or cherry-pick the ones you like. She is a victim, but she's also an abuser. And it is not "bashing" or misogyny for people to call her out. Calling out Zuko is also okay and allowed, but it is honestly less productive since he changed himself already. I understand that people don't like when their favorite characters are criticized or hated, but that doesn't mean characters who do bad things are exempt from being called out. And it doesn't give anyone the excuse to start misrepresenting other characters and hating on them to prop up their fave. Fans of characters who are villainous should understand that. And in this case, anyone who is a fan of Azula should understand that.

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