#same for people who don't like suki mai katara

[ultfreakme]

I don’t trust you if you hate Aang. How? Genuinely, how? Why?

#same for people who don't like suki mai katara #and jet

[rboooks]

The Shadow Nation

Zuko will admit that his time as Fire Lord has been a rough adjustment. Many oppose his rise to power, scream for a more prolonged war, and still support Ozai over the banished prince turned tratior (In their eyes at least).

He has dealt with many assassination attempts throughout his two-year rule. Suki and her warriors were working nonstop to keep him safe, but even they couldn't be everywhere at once. So it came to no surpise that one managed to sneak through every now and then.

Ussually, Zuko is able to fight them off. What many people of the fire nation don't realize is that the stories of his bending and combat being weaker then his sister and father are in the past. He has plentely of front line combant experince, has re-shaped his whole fire bending tenchine and has even trained the Avatar.

Zuko, to this day, is much more deadly with his swords than with his flames. The fact his people consider none-bending as a none-threaten is a sadundervalue of his combat abilitiess. The assasins are always so suprise when they learned just how ready he is for them.

They spent the rest of their days in a prision cell, stweing in rage that the Fire Lord contuines to call back troops, return colines and some may say worst of all, welcome the Mixed Blood into the nation.

Mixed Blood are children who resulted from Fire Nation soldiers letting off some stress in conquered areas with other Nations. They were not seen as equals, for Fire stood above all, and those children were servents at best, dirty secerts at worse.

This was a notion that all four elements shared. They disagreed with intermingling with the wrong element. The Mixed were not welcomed anywhere, less if they shared Fire in their veins. There was some tolerance for Water and Earth mixing but only some and only in trading ports that were far out of sight. (Or the pleasure district where all the Mixed eventually ended up)

It saddens Aang; he claimed a hundred years ago that mixed was common, and it's another thing this wretched war ruined.

Mostly, it angered Zuko. He knew what it was like to be an unwanted child, knew the confusion, the anger, the pain of wondering why his birth was such a sin.

He met some mixed children while on the run from the Fire Nation - he suspected Jet was one of them, but he never dared voice his opinion. Being outed as mixed in some places was as good as a death sentence. Ba Sing Se was one of those places.

He decided that the if Fire Nation would heal everything they have done then they needed to make admends for such children. They needed to help them find love and a home. With the help of his friends, he sent out a world wide notice welcoming any Mixed Blood and promising a life where they did not need to hide who they were.

Zuko, will admit that this eagerness to welcome those children may have blinded him from how lowly his people saw the Mixed. His assassination attempts tripled since herds and herds of badly washed, weary eyes, and tired individuals started arriving in the fire nation.

It, apparently, didn't help that Cheif Hakoda did the same after much encouragement from Katara and Sokka. The Fire Nation for the past three generations grew up with nothing but tales on how they should never be like the rest of the world.

Agreeing to shelter Mixed like the Southern Water Tribe has many calling for a coup.

Zuko knew this. But he would not stop in his effort to right the many wrongs of his bloodline. He expected the assumptions, he expected the barely hidden insults of his advisors, he expected the resentment from some of his more patriotic people.

What he wasn't expecting was his people trying to rid of him using spirits.

Zuko doesn't know much about the spirits or the spirit world. Aang never really talked about his trips there, and Uncle would only warn him to respect the beings at all costs.

He knew enough to follow, honor them, give them prayers, and how to avoid them but nothing else. So he really isn't prepared for his latest assassin to be an old woman with a spirit trapped in a cursed pot.

Apparently, her family had sealed it away years ago, and in exchange for its freedom, the spirit is tasked with ridding the world of Fire Lord Zuko. The old hag waits until Aang, Uncle, and Sokka- who also surprisingly has some encounters with spirits- depart before attempting her plan.

She rushes into the Gand Courtroom, throwing her pot with a loud release spell on her lips. Zuko is in the middle of a peace summit, so his first instinct is to protect the visiting diplomatics, less the other Nations call war again.

The old woman is quickly taken down by the Kypshi warrior, but the deed is already over.

The pot shatters, and out bursts a blue burning flame that forms into a howling wolf. There are chains along the wolf neck, and no amount of thrashing can break them. The wolf looks up, straight into Zuko's eyes, ignoreing the swords and flames of his guards trying to protect him before it bows it head.

I'm sorry. It seems to say. This is the only way.

He leaps at Zukom by passing every attempt to stop it, before it digs it's teeth into the Fire Lord's neck. Everyone is left watching in horror as the young king screams in agony, blue flames licking all over his body as he truns to dust.

The wolf's chains shatter as the last of the ashes that were once the man who brought peace to the world fall. The old woman laughs, even though the wolf spirit now turns it rage filled eyes on her and her kin.

She did what she needed to do. The Fire Nation will rise.

She is unaware that her actions cause the Fire Nation to burn. The wolf spirit was the nation's original spirit of mercy, and her family was the ones responsible for sealing it away on the order of thelate Fire Lord Sozin.

She is unaware her ancestors were all but wiped out once they successfully put the wolf away, for fear that they would turn on the nation.

There is nothing more dangerous than a spirit that no longer holds mercy. The Fire Nation seems to vanish overnight. It breaks Avatar Aang's heart but world prepares for a second war. A war against the spirits.

But that is the fate of this timeline. Fire Lord Zuko would never know the fate of his people as he was sent far away by Mercy to fulfill another destiny.

It's the least the spirit can do for having to take his human life in part of a deal.

Zuko wakes to find the Blue Spirit Mask attached to his face, laying on his back in what could only be Fire Nation colonies within the Earth Kingdom.

His trusted duel swords tied to his back., his utterly black outfit with only hints of blue undertones, and the most startling feature of all, his now unscared skin.

Zuko has no idea what is going onas he studies his face in a river, tracing his smooth skin with a near-hysterical glee. He's never considered himself overly goodlooking, but for some reason his relection is pretty.

No, not pretty, gorgeous. Unnaturally so, as if he traded his humanity for features as perfect as these.

What in the world-

A scream breaks through the air. High pitch, laced with fear and sp obviously young, Zuko is donning his mask breaking into a sprint before he even process what he is doing.

He does not notice the small flickers of ember he leaves in his wake, multiple colors as his dragon flames, nor does he see that the speed he travels is impossible unless he, too, is an Airbender.

When he breaks through the treeline, he finds himself in a ruined camp. A crowd of Earth Kingdom soldiers surrounds two small children, who look no older than ten, while a third, probably twelve, is desperately trying to free himself from a large boulder that seems to have crushed his legs.

There is blood everywhere, and Zuko burns with rage.

"Mixed Blood isn't welcome here," A soldier spits, kicking the thrashing twelve-year-old. The gut-curling screams the poor thing releases don't seem to affect the soldiers besides a few taunting smirks.

"Spirits help us!" One of the smaller kids cries out and a near by soulder kicks her in the stomech.

"The spirits don't answer to the likes of-" His words are lost as blue flames overtake the small opening, placing a barrier between the children and the adults.

Zuko walks through the flames, a strange sense of calmness washing over him. Deep within, he knows that he will protect these children from the world and burn everything in his path that tries to stop him.

"A spirit," One of the soldiers gasps. "Why is a spirit here?!"

"You attacked children." Zuko's voice is his own but not. It sounds like it's coming from a deep cave, as if the echoing flickers in and out like a candle flame. Somehow, it sounds far worse than Aang whenever his past lives speak through him.

It would have chilled him to the bone if he was in the right state of mind.

"You attacked children." He repeats when he does not get the responses he wants from the soldiers. They are not groveling before the children in regret. They are not freeing the boy from his pain. They are not moving.

"These are not children. These are Mixed- abominations! We were only trying to Agggh No, please. Mercy! No no! Please," One of the soldiers starts, but his words are cut off by the blue flames that suddenly grab hold of him, shaping him into chains and dragging him into the shadows that have formed around Zuko.

Shadows that hold loud screaming voices all being for death for that would be a mercy.

His screams echo alongside the voices within Zuko's shadow as he tilts his head to the remaining soliders.

"You attacked children. Leave" He whispers and at once the screams stop, the shadows draw back into his own human shaped one and his flames blow out. The Earth Kingdom soldier remains on the floor, eyes seeingless, and skin blue.

Dead.

The rest of the Soldiers don't linger, rushing to leave the angry spirits sight. Zuko watches them leave from behind his mask wondering where such rage had come from. And why he felt numb to the life he just took. Why he felt so unhuman and not be bothered by the thought.

He reaches up to trace the Blue Spirit Mask, feeling dancing flames along his fignertips.

Well done. Our children are safe. A voice whispers in his mind. It's Zuko, but it's also not. It's something more.

He hears a small whimper that snaps his out of whatever hold the mask has over him snaps. He turns his attention to the three children. The two are trying to push the bolder off of the eldest, their features scream Fire Nation but their eyes and coloring belie their Earth Kingdom.

Zuko stride over, waves a hand and the rock butns to dust harmlessly. The younger children cower and the oldest is too daze with pain to do anything else but sob.

His legs are comepletly smashed.

The cold burning rage returns.

Our children. Heal them. Zuko hears, and he wonders if he's gone mad. It's his own voice, but it belongs to the Blue Spirit.

I can't. I'm not a waterbender. He tells it

We can. We heal with green flames. Heal. It insits

Zuko traces the jaw of his mask before he raises a hand and sure enough green flames lick his fingers. The children start to sob, but he heads their fear no mind as he brings the green fire down on the boy's broken body, willing it to warm, fix heal.

Bones, muscles and skin slowly repair one by one, taking whatever scars once decorated the child's skin and leaving smooth almost too perefect sking behind.

Once done the flames jump onto the other children, fixing the broken bones, the bruises and the many scars other less kind humans have given them.

The three gape up at the spirit who holds out a hand.

"Would you like to come live in my nation?"

"The spirit world?" One whispers wondering if they had not been rescued after all. If that had all pasted to the next world.

The spirit tilts its head before removing its mask and revealing a face so beautiful it could rival the stars and sun. "No, dear child. My nation. My name is Zuko."

A fifth nation is born. The Shadow Nation moves from place to place but can never be taken as the spirits themselves protect the civilians.

Not that Zuko realizes it. He's just trying to get back to the Fire Nation, and if he impulsively stops every time a child is in pain and said child follows behind him like a lost puppy, well, that's no one's business but his own.

The legend of the Blue Spirit, protector of all children, inspires so many before Avatar Aang is found in the Southern Water tribe three years later.

A fire wolf watches from a far and smiles.

#avatar the last airbender #time travel #Zuko is the blue Spirit #I've been reading a lot of ATLA fanfiction #I love the idea of Zuko being confused for a spirit #Zuko has no idea what's going on #tw: child abuse #Tw: some racism?

[marymary-diva17]

A marriage of peace and political (3)

zuko x reader x male mai

The daughter that had been gone for many years had finally come home, arriving back at the nation of her birth. It had been so many years she had laid eyes on her people and they had laid eyes on her. She was no longer the young woman that had been married off for peace, she was a woman,wife, and mother, lady or fire nation and southern water tribe. She had become that is respect and trusted by all of the nation, she had master her skills in bending and ruling a nation as well.

Y/n " ......."

Sokka " there have been reports of former fir nation prisoners being released in numbers"

y/n " well yes it had been discussed those how didn't commit crimes that are very bad and make them a danger to the public, have been released and allowed to start over"

sokka " oh"

y/n " yes most of them have started brand new lives in earth kingdom"

katara " you seem to know alot about this"

y/n " I was the on who made the idea and spoke about to the fire nation council, and they have approved of it"

aang " that a wonderful idea y/n giving other a chance in life again"

y/n " yes"

earth king " lady y/n I will like to ask you about trade between the earth kingdom and fire nation, as my nation will like to use more metal in our stuff"

y/n " well your majesty you are in luck there are some companies that will, love to do with you company with a great deal in to them as well"

earth king " we can make that happen"

bato " it seems like thing have been going well for you in the fire nation, four sons and the title of lady y/n"

y/n " yes after the war had ended change had to come it was not easy, and slow at first but we are getting there"

hakoda " if you don't mind me asking how has the former fire lord been after that fight between him and the avatar" there had been uprising because of ozai which ended bad for him in the end, and good for everyone else.

sokka " yes the fire nation had taken him away"

y/n " he been placed under arrest in the nation watched closely, he can no longer bending after aang had taken it away"

aang " sorry about that"

y/n " it okay zuko and azula rule together as one"

toph " wow you think they will be fighting for the crown and title"

y/n " they haven't it seems like they came to terms that their father had used them"

katara " that good"

hakoda " has he meet the boys"

y/n " yes he has under the watch of zuko,azula, and iroh they don't trust him and either do I"

noble man " so the evil fire lord got to see the grandchildren before her own father"

y/n " my dear sir will you like to say that louder"

noble man " oh no I didn't mean it like ..."

y/n " I know how you meant it dear sir"

sokka " sister sorry about that"

y/n " it okay"

squire " excuse me the kyohsi warriors have arrived"

hakoda " that kyohis warriors"

squire " yes chef they ar the guards of your daughter and grandchildren"

sokka " that means suki with them let them in please" soon the door open and soon walked in suki and some of her warriors.

y/n " suki welcome I'm guessing my husbands sent you to come"

suki " y/n hello and yes I and some of the women came to, see you and my nephews where are they"

y/n " being their usual selves like always"

sokka " sukki welcome"

suki " sokka it good to see you are doing well" sukki had given sokka a cold glare.

hakoda " welcome ladies you will be our guests while you are all here guarding my daughter and grandson, I have warriors here if you need help"

kyohsi warrior " where has been for the last couple years oh yes here"

suki " I and my warriors are honored to be here and if we need help we will ask"

sokka " well I think we can call the meeting of day one to an end"

hakoda " yes I hope to have discussions with the fire lords and other fire nation officials"

y/n " you will father I will make sure of it" you had looked at your father and bowed your head in respect to the room and they did the same as well. You soon left the room with the kyoshi warriors following you as well.

suki " we have thought you will need some support against them"

y/n " thank you it going to be a very long time here"

y/n " let go find the boys" you soon started walking down the steps towards the village center.

????? " hey y/n wait up" you had heard your name getting called your siblings and their friends soon showed up, they race to meet you on the finally step.

katara " we were wondering if we can come with you"

y/n " oh"

sokka " well we haven't been with you in so many years we missed so much in your life"

toph " yes snow princess and it seems like sugar queen and boomerang boy have been dying to get to know their nephews, a bit more"

aang " yes we will love to get to now them knowing that I might be their uncle in the future"

katara " yes aang speaks the truth"

suki " i don't thin that a good idea...."

y/n " it okay suki you all can come with us to find the boys" you soon stepped off the finally step along with everyone else, you were trying to see the boys.

kid " hey come on we have to go see this match"

kid 2 " I'm coming I'm coming"

kid 3 " this will be so cool"

sokka " hey what going on here"

kid 4 " there this battle going to take place between some of boys here and some boys that arrived here for the event" you right away knew the other boys are your sons.

katara " we should go see what this is all about"

y/n " I have a feeling" the group of adults made their way to see what was the matter, and soon saw your four boys across from some other kids.

sokka " what going on here"

teen " just a friendly match that all we have been doing it all day while the adults are talking"

sokka " oh my spirts"

hakoda " what with all the chaos here"

sokka " dad it seems like the kids have found a way to keep themselves entertained by some matches"

hakoda " you all wish to battle these boys form fire nation"

crowd " fire nation boys"

hakoda " yes these boys are from very high rank family"

teen 2 " so they are nobility"

Muko " well yes and no"

hakoda " are you boys sure about this match this is way different here as it being snow, you might not be used to the environment"

izo " well I think we will do well"

uze " it seems like a good match as we been watching the rest and study"

man " study my boys here are good benders from our family they can take on anyone"

hakoda " boys are you sure about this"

muko,izo, and uze " yes" the three boys looked at their mother brother who seem, not to care that much about this whole situation.

zoja " I don't care it will be fun to knock down egotistical people down a bit"

teen 3 " you think you are going to beat us"

zoja " maybe"

muko " maybe we enter the battle sir as this is your tribe" hakoda looked at you as you nodded your head.

hakoda " sure"

y/n " boys remember what you father, aunt, uncles, and mother have helped you learn"

the boys " yes lady y/n"

suki " this is going to be interesting" everyone had taken their seats and started watching the battle began.

teen " we will go easy on you four"

zoja " oh we will make sure to go easy on you not wishing to humiliate you all front of everyone watching"

teen " huh ... ahhh" the first teen had soon been pinned against a ice wall by some draggers. These draggers belong to uze who was now smiling at the boy.

izo " lets go" izo and muko soon went after two of the fire bending at them, making the boys lost thier balance and soon fall down a small hole.

zoja " now are you going to give up or do we have to fight"

teen 4 " I will never back down" zoji had tossed some draggers at the boy but he missed it, which was part of zoja plan as the man had ran at him soon hitting his legs soon sending the boy falling to the ground.

teen 4 " hey I can't move what did you do"

zoja " found your pressure points dont worry I will fix it" zoji had undone what he did, the boy could move his legs again but had soon been pinned down a dragger in his shirt sleeve.

muko " mother did we make your proud" everyone was looking at you as the boys looked at you.

y/n " good job"

katara " that was amazing they moved so fast like it was nothing"

sokka " wait so muko and izo can bend fire while uze and zoja are no bender but fight like Mao and ...."

suki " ty lee had taught all the boys here skills of taking down enemies"

katara " those were some water bending moves"

y/n " yes I taught them that"

aang " that amazing"

hakoda " that was amazing boys"

y/n " yes I proud of you all and it seems like iroh has helped you all learn some new moves as well"

zoja " yes and over some tea and wisdom" the boys soon help the other boys up and free from their traps.

muko " good match maybe in our rematch you can beat us"

teen " you have a deal and you taught us a good lesson thank you"

uze " your welcome"

suki "good jobs it seems like you are taking our lessons well"

the boys " aunt suki" the boys had ran to go greet thier aunt happy to see she was here.

sokka " wait so you knew of them this whole time"

suki ' yes as guard to the royal family I got to be there for your sister and them, when you were here helping the world"

uze " aunt suki had helped us learn some combat skills, wait so you are the guy she meet many years ago that was being rude and mad at women had beat him in combat"

sokka " oh you kids have bene told about that"

zoja " yes we have heard many things about you all from our mother and others"

katara " I hope they were all good things"

Muko " oh yes some good thing here and there"

y/n " come on children there is some place I wish to take you all" the kids had nodded their heads, and soon followed you outside form the village and towards some grave sites.

y/n " hello mother and gran gran I have come home it has been so long, since I was here but I haven't come alone I have brought my children as well .... I have a wonderful marriage and wonderful family as well" you had bowed your head toward the two graves and the kids had done the same as well.

katara " mom will be so proud of you sister she will be proud of us all"

y/n " yes she will be proud"

hakoda " yes she will be proud of our family and now we have four new members to add to the family" the boys had looked at each other and soon back at hakoda.

katara " dinner will be served later today will you and the children care to join us"

y/n " kids do you feel like having a family dinner"

muko " we will love that mom"

y/n " well then it agreed on we will love to come"

aang " good there will be meat options and vegetation as well, so there will be many cheese"

izo " thank you for telling us that avatar aang"

aang " you can call me aang boys" the boys had nodded their heads later on family dinner had been served, the boys seem to be having a good time.

katara " y/n are you really happy in your relationship with zuko and Mao, you did marry them after all that happened between the avatar team and them"

y/n " yes I'm happy with them katara and I was there as well during some of the moments of war, I have learned to forgive them and see them in good light"

katara " oh"

y/n " so when we will be expecting another but for you and aang this time around"

katara " we have been talking about marriage but the question hasn't been asked yet"

y/n " don't worry he will ask soon and I know your marriage will be good"

katara " thank you sister and when I get married I will love you and your family to be there as well, and maybe the boys will have cousins to play with in the future"

y/n " yes that will be wonderful"

katara " are you planning to have another kid or this four enough"

y/n " well yes I will love one more kid to added to my family and I have a feeling this time it will be water bender"

katara " that will be amazing to see my sister"

y/n " yes it will be" you had smiled while driving some tea and keeping up conversation with your sister and the others. It was easy to tell there was some unspoken tension between suki and sokka. The feast had come to end and everyone was heading back to their rooms they will be staying.

Hakoda " y/n I'm really happy you came home it has been to long, since you were here"

y/n " yes it has father"

sokka " maybe when you are here to we can see if you can talk you into staying here a bit longer"

Izo " staying here"

y/n " thank you brother but I will need to have that discussion with my husbands and the kids, before think about a matter of moving and them being the heirs of nation will not be easy"

sokka " yes we understand sister"

suki " we will be taking you back to where you are staying and it not far from us as well"

y/n " thank you good night everyone" you soon bowed your head toward your family and the rest of avatar team, as you had been escorted to where you will be staying with the kids. The boys had bene helped out of their clothes by the servants and soon went off to bed.

suki " what are you doing"

y/n " writing a letter to my husbands, my sister in law, and Iroh giving them an update of what happen today and hoping one of them will come a day sooner"

suki " that a good idea"

y/n " so you and sokka is that still a close scroll or no"

suki " i don't know things didn't end well between me and him, and I still haven't found a way to forgive him"

y/n " I understand suki but thank you for coming here"

suki " anything for my friend I will be retiring for the night but not far away, I also made a route for the guards to switch shifts tonight ... but we also have water tribe guards as well"

y/n " thank you suiki sleep well" suki soon left you had gotten done with the letters and rolled them up, as you walked towards the message hawk and place the rolled up letters into it hold.

y/n " be safe flying back home friend to the fire nation palace" the hawk soon took off into the air leaving the southern water tribe and the freezing north. You had soon got dressed for bed and laid in the bed, praying the rest of the time here will be good. There had been some news you had kept from everyone, that was meant to be shared later on but that might not go to plan after all. Right now your duty was to keep the peace for the two nation, and make sure you children stay safe as well. Just maybe you will be able to rebuild your relationship with your family and tribe, and everything will be god juts mayeb indeed.

#avatar #avatar x y/n #avatar x reader #alta #alta x you #alta x reader #the last airbender #sokka avatar the last airbender #avatar last airbender #prince zuko #zuko x y/n #zuko x reader #katara and sokka #katara and aang #the gaang #hakoda #zuko #alta zuko #atla suki #katara #sokka #sokka and katara #avatar aang #aang #aang x katara

[zuko-always-lies]

Imagine if Post-war Kuei and the rest of the Earth Kingdom (and maybe the Water Tribes) had demanded the arrest and trial of Iroh for his actions during the war and the Seige of BSS. How do you think the Gaang would react to Iroh facing a war crimes tribunal?

Honestly, Aang, Katara, Sokka, and especially Suki don't really know Iroh that well or care about him that much. He spent a lot of time helping Zuko hunt them down, then he ended up helping them, and Zuko won't shut up about him (but Zuko clearly hasn't been receiving the best moral instruction). I think they wouldn't care all that much about Iroh and might be shocked as they learn more about who precisely he is and what he spent most of his life doing. Still, Aang would probably be trying to mediate the situation.

Toph would probably be livid, she likes Iroh. And it's not like she cares much about all the abstract people who he killed. Toph doesn't think in those terms.

Zuko would be in full "I'm about to restart the 100 years war" mode.

Ty Lee would maybe be vaguely sad (she thinks kooky Iroh is funny) but wouldn't really care.

Mai would be indifferent at best and perhaps be a little satisfied. What has Iroh ever done for her or Azula or Ty Lee, other than create problems and ignore them because they're girls? What has he done for Zuko, other than helping screw him up and enabling him to do extremely reckless things? Why the hell should the Fire Nation care about protecting someone who abandoned them, someone with zero sense of responsibility?

Azula would be cackling at the irony of it, while at the same time being very worried what would happen to her and Mai and Ty Lee.

#Iroh #iroh critical #Zuko #The Gaang #Mai #Ty Lee #Azula #Aang #Katara #Sokka #Toph

[oneatlatime]

Journey to Ba Sing Se, Part 1: The Serpent's Pass

Alternate title: Gimme Appa Back, Take Two.

Bit of a mouthful for a title. I will definitely be watching this apparent two parter as two single episodes. There's commentary too, but that'll wait for a rewatch.

The previously on segment seems to point to Suki making an appearance. I didn't like her in her original episode, so this bodes ill.

That was incredibly ominous title card music.

Explain this to someone who's never seen the show. Also, air mattress made of ice is a very efficient way to get hypothermia.

Sokka saying "no more distractions' actually summoned a distraction. He should look into harnessing that power.

This brings up a point I've been thinking about. So the Earth Kingdom are smart enough to house refugee transportation underground, presumably because they've figured out that fire can't dig. So why didn't the entire population of the Earth Kingdom just become mole people at the first sign of fire nation attack?

Get yourself Iroh's brand of chill. It's dearly bought in his case, but he has such a good way of looking at life. Also, half of Zuko's face is like an inch higher than the other half, and that haircut is not doing him any favours.

Oh god it's fuckboy. I'd take a million Sukis over fuckboy. Nice to see that the majority of his posse seems to have come to their senses and deserted him though.

CABBAGE GUY!!! HI CABBAGE GUY!!! I MISSED YOU!!!

She's got a point about destruction of the ecosystem, but unless there was woodworm in that cart, that platypus bear is guilty of needless destruction of cabbage guy's possessions.

I loved this. The double punch of getting stymied by bureaucracy and undermined by cosplayers. There are some wacky ideas in this episode.

Aang! You may have lost Appa but you still have your glider! You don't need a passport or a ticket! Just fly to Ba Sing Se and make puppy dog eyes at the Earth King to make him send a boat to collect your friends!

You know that part in Harry Potter where Ron and Harry miss the train and decide the only logical course of action is to steal a flying car rather than, I don't know, wait for a responsible adult? I have a feeling this show is going to do the same type of thing with the whole Serpent's Pass. And I have to say, it's a brilliantly accurate way to do a plot that involves pre-teens, because they will often reach for the most out-there, illogical course of action no matter their intelligence. Curse those still-developing neural pathways. It also makes perfect sense in a kids' show, where the audience mostly wouldn't be caught dead turning down an adventure in favour of asking a responsible party (or a bureaucracy) for help.

"It is your pleasure" Get wrecked bitch!

I love seeing Toph weaponise that which previously kept her caged. I love to see Toph winning at life. Actually, I love to see Toph.

Get yourself some friends who'll commit to the bit no questions asked like these guys.

Get yourself a man who says your name the way Sokka says SUKI!!!:D Get yourself a girl who's so into you, she'll flirt with you in front of your entire found family.

Momo knows what's up. He's a good judge of character.

It's rare for me to advocate for criminal behaviour on this show, but after that bureaucracy lady denied them any sort of solution for the refugees who got their tickets stolen, I was kind of hoping that Katara would just say 'fuck it' and steal one of those ferries. Or even smuggle people on to them. They've got two waterbenders; they could make ice boats to take them out to the ferry, or even across the whole lake presumably. Plot dictates they go face this serpent thing, because this appears to be a monster of the week episode, but boy did that ferry lady need smacking.

Sokka's acting funky.

Is corniness one of the side effects of pregnancy?

No one in their right minds thinks that a pass called "the SERPENT'S Pass" in a universe like this one is named for its aesthetic qualities. Nice try at misdirection, but there will be a Sneky Boy in that water.

Aang's kind of right about the whole 'hope is a distraction' thing. Hope can too easily go from fuel to crutch.

It didn't occur to anyone to hide from the Fire Nation ship until it passed?

Toph's just saving everyone's bacon today huh?

Am I sensing some post-Yue trauma?

I would love to know the context behind Zuko knowing this very niche skill.

Jet has this fascinating ability to do objectively good deeds in such a sleezy way that you end up siding with the greedy oppressors. Weird.

This makes so much sense. Aang zipped into the Avatar State so hard and fast in the desert that he probably scared himself, so now he's keeping a lid on things so hard that he's scaring everyone else with his newfound apathy. He's 12, and this episode he feels 12. This is probably the first time he's met emotions this big; of course he doesn't quite know what to do with them.

You know, Katara doesn't get paid enough to put up with this.

Suki. Honey. I'm pretty sure there's a girl code about not flirting with a guy in front of his ex.

Has Suki been filled in on the whole moon thing? Or is she just really confused right now?

You know, Smellerbee is just as unusual a name for a girl.

Jet talks the talk, but I don't believe he'll be able to walk the walk, despite second chances being one of the big themes of this show. Something about him still feels off.

Hope you guys can swim!

Katara to the rescue again. I'm liking this new level-headed action-oriented Katara that appeared in The Desert, and I'm glad she wasn't just a one-episode character.

Momo here fulfilling one of my childhood dreams. There was an aquarium room at my local zoo that had a tunnel you could walk through. Seven year old me would have sold my soul to be able to glorp through the glass and swim with the fishes like this.

Once again, Toph saves the day. She's doing a lot of heavy lifting this episode.

Big Sneky Boy has the colour palette of an exercise video from the 80s aerobics phase. Kind of detracts from the terror when he's wearing a leotard.

Number one sign of irresponsible pet ownership: sacrificing your lemur to Cthulhu.

Aang just bitchslapped Big Sneky Boy.

Why didn't they go with a big ice bridge in the first place?

Yeah that's a problem. Could she make rock skate blades and attach them to her feet maybe? Would that help her see?

Guys. Just. Send someone out there for her. The ice doesn't have handrails. Come on.

Suki can swim in like half a tonne of armour. I bet they have swimming with armour on drills on Kyoshi Island.

"You can go ahead and let me drown now." That is EXACTLY my sense of humour.

Unlike goldfish, Big Sneky Boys can be flushed down the toilet.

"Now it's nothing but smooth sailing to Ba Sing Se." *Something immediately goes wrong* Has Sokka thought about harnessing his ability to speak things into existence?

Tragically, it makes perfect sense that Katara knows exactly how to deliver real human things.

"You know, as soon as I saw your scar I knew exactly who you were." Jet's little speech here got the biggest laugh out of me yet. I had to pause so I wouldn't miss dialogue. He's so deliciously wrong.

This episode's Beat Up Sokka quota is fulfilled by a baby that has yet to be born.

"I want our daughter's name to be unique" TAKE COVER FOLKS! UNNECESSARY VOWELS INCOMING!

Didn't you guys just nearly get killled by a pass that told you to abandon Hope? Are you sure about that name?

Ok it isn't pregnancy that makes you corny. It's being a character in this episode. While I'm glad to see the back of Stoic Aang, this is getting to be a bit on the cheesy side.

Hell yeah Katara deserves that cry. And that hug.

I'm watching this at my mom's house and I need to report that when Sokka said "You came along, to protect me?" my mom audibly went "awww!"

On a more serious note, this is exactly what Sokka needs after the Yue situation. A badass girlfriend who not only can and does take care of herself, but who also can and does take care of Sokka. Boy needs some pampering.

That is one hell of a wall.

That is one hell of a Big Sneky Boy.

"Appa's gonna have to wait" hit like a tonne of bricks. Another step in the journey to turn Aang from carefree monk to repsonsible Avatar. Appa having to wait is a genius story beat, but I want Appa NOW.

Final Thoughts

I had to check out my window for flying pigs before I started typing this section, because Zuko was consistently the most reasonable character in the B plot, perhaps in the whole episode. Apparently the 'make Zuko decent' project is finally seeing results. Have we turned over a new leaf? Dare I hope? It helps that he was juxtaposed with one of the single most batshit crazy characters from season one, but still.

I also need to issue a formal apology to Suki and all of her fans. I didn't like her in The Warriors of Kyoshi, and while I'm still not overly fond of that episode, I love what they've done with her character here. A good standalone character with her own strengths, goals, and responsibilities, and a good match for Sokka. I'd go so far as to say she's a better match for Sokka than Yue was, for all that both ladies have a startling amount in common: a position of responsibility, devotion to those who regard them as a leader, good taste in water tribe ass, etc.

I'm also going to hypothesise that Sokka is, in universe, the hottest member of the Gang. He's now had four girls expressing their interest: Suki, then Yue, then Azula's pokey pink friend whose name currently escapes me, and now Toph too! And she can't even see him, so his hotness is more than skin deep.

This episode was another stealth character episode in the style of The Blue Spirit. You think it's an action episode but it's actually character work with some fights for spice. It's got: -payoff for Katara's new-found levelheadedness -the other side of the coin on Aang's desert freakout -Toph doing just ALL the heavy lifting in the absence of Appa (seriously, teach her to fly and you won't need Appa as anything but a friendly couch) -Toph also getting an incredibly logical weakness that she learns she can rely on her friends to surmount -Sokka getting some Yue resolution from a frankly ironic source -Zuko getting what I'm sure is going to turn into a dark mirror

Speaking of fuckboy, there was nothing in this episode that hinted that Jet's turn to good was anything but genuine, but something about him still really makes my teeth itch. So I'm calling it now: based not on any evidence, but entirely on my own feelings, Jet's turn to good isn't going to stick.

There was some corny stuff in this episode, but it's a kids' show. It gets way more allowance for corny than an adult show does. I'll let it slide, so long as it doesn't become a habit.

This was part one of a two part episode, but it certainly didn't feel that way. There was the Big Metal Sneky Boy plot hook at the very end, but other than that it was a self-contained story.

I had predicted last episode that the rest of season two would be spent getting to Ba Sing Se, and they did it in one episode. So I'd like to announce my retirement from predicting the future because I am not good at it. I have no idea where we're going beyond next episode. I guess I'll have fun finding out!

#atla #avatar: the last airbender #avatar the last airbender #the serpent's pass

[comradekatara]

You've mentioned Zuko's "inability to kill" before, so could I ask you to elaborate on that?

sure. zuko is banished for, essentially, committing treason. he says to ozai that he was banished for "speaking out of turn," but simply speaking out of turn is not actually why ozai banished him. zuko said that people shoudn't have to die for the sake of further empowering the fire nation, and that goes against their nation's entire ethos. zuko lacks, as azula puts it, that "killer instinct that is just so fire nation."

while zuko does set fire to suki's village in his quest to capture aang, and you could argue that he may have committed other such acts offscreen, we never actually see him outright kill anyone. unlike zhao, who kills the moon, and azula, who kills aang in a manner that would have ended the entire avatar line had katara not revived him, zuko threatens and intimidates and harms, but when it comes down to it, he does not actually kill, because he simply cannot.

he threatens to kill zhao, and if he had killed zhao, no one in the audience would fault him for it. zuko does not even burn him upon winning their agni kai, going against custom; zhao calls him a coward for it. zhao tries to kill zuko on multiple occasions, including when he blows up zuko's entire ship. but, when the ocean spirit is dragging zhao under, zuko still extends his hand in a futile attempt to save zhao. contrast this scene with sokka arguing to leave zuko for dead in the same episode. he legitimately does not have a problem with letting zuko die, because, as he says, zuko would do the same thing to them (at least, sokka seems to think so).

sokka kills combustion man, toph kills yu and xin fu, and neither of them have any regrets. conversely, katara cannot kill yon rha, and aang cannot kill ozai. like sokka and toph, they are justified in killing these men, perhaps even more so (since yin and xin fu did not actually attempt to kill toph, "only" kidnap her), but they ultimately choose mercy. like zuko on kyoshi island, aang and katara's actions, such as blowing up the factory in jang hui, may have had indirect casualties (i don't count aang being merged with the ocean spirit because he was not truly in control), but they are never able to kill directly, because when faced with another human being, regardless of how much they may hate them, their pathos prevents them from delivering that killing blow.

zuko, as a foil to aang and katara and the deuteragonist of the narrative, is also someone whose instincts prevent him from being the cold-blooded killer his nation expects of him. it is why, unlike the rest of his family (including iroh), he is unable to produce lightning; he is too sensitive to become the perfect weapon his father wants him to be, which is why azula's reveal is so thrilling and terrifying to the audience, because she is what ozai wants in a protege, unlike zuko, who try as he might, fails at embodying the fire nation values of ruthlessness and power at any cost.

#some caveats before anyone misinterprets me: #1) zuko has still done awful things. i am not saying that he is 'inherently good' or that because he has 'good inside him' that makes it ok #just as i am not saying that azula is 'inherently evil' for having that killer instinct. morality is far more complicated than that #this isn't a 'zuko smol bean uwu' post. i'm just stating facts from the show #just because he never directly killed anyone and just because he was abused into believing he was doing the right thing #does not mean that he did not do bad things (burning suki's village being the most tangible harm we see him cause iirc) #he just cannot kill people directly which is crucial to understanding his character esp as he relates to aang and katara #2) i am not faulting sokka and toph for killing people! and anyone who thinks that i am saying that is a dumbass. ok bye #asks #zuzuthelord #analysis #zuko #not tagging everyone else

[lilbagdermole]

Toph's Characterization, ATLA Comics - A Dissertation

Chapter One - The Rift (Part One)

I'm going to start with the third entry of the 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Comic Series because Toph's characterization isn't too off-putting in 'The Promise' (though it still had many infuriating panels that I'll get to in the future) and she isn't present in 'The Search'. So, we'll start off with 'The Rift' - the first and only Toph-centric comic, despite being a fan favorite character and one of the main characters of the show.

And, the very first panel with our favorite Earthbender is a slap to the face to Toph's character arc as well as her personality:

Toph Beifong is questioning whether or not Earth Kingdom citizens can united alongside Fire Nation citizens.

This is coming from the first member of the Gaang that warmed up to Zuko when he presents himself in the Western Air Temple (and willingly went to speak to him, despite everyone's disapproval).

This is coming from the same person who willingly sat down for a cup of tea with Uncle Iroh. And even after discovering he was a member of the Fire Nation Royal Family, she still thought and spoke highly of his character (Aang does state that Toph mentions that Iroh gives great tea and advice).

This is coming from the same person who travelled across the Fire Nation, observed how their is good in evil; fought beside the Fire Nation Prince to stop the war and even reassured him that HE WAS GOOD when he doubted himself during the Ember Island Play!

Obviously, Toph may have her doubts and concerns given they're discussing the government of a Fire Nation Colony - territory that once pertained to the Earth Kingdom. And yes, hostility and dissatisfaction may be a legitimate concern. However, it's the way she phrases her sentence that irks me. It almost seems as though Toph is doubting the possibility of genuine unanimity forging between the two different Nations. And it's really off-putting because Toph had never ONCE, during her screen time on ATLA, questioned the possibility of blossoming friendships with people of the Fire Nation.

It's also a lesson Aang teaches her in 'The Avatar and The Firelord':

Toph: It's like these people are born bad

Aang: No, that's wrong. I don't think that was the point of what Roku showed me at all (...) Roku was just as much Fire Nation as Sozin was, right? If anything, their story proves anyone's capable of great good and great evil.

And now, we commence my substantial hatred for the portrayal of Toph's manners:

Yes, in the original series Toph does have a few scenes (that I can recall, three) where she does something that is generally un-ladylike and bad-mannered. But, I cannot understand what it is with Bryke and their obsession of depicting Toph being rude and gross in almost every other scene.

In 'The Promise' we had a few other scenes and 'The Rift', not fifteen pages in, and we get these two scenes almost back-to-back. And, it no longer correlates to Toph's want to disconnect from her pompous upbringing. This is how Bryke choose to write their "tomboy" coded characters, and it's disrespectful.

We don't see any other female character do these types of actions. Not Katara, not Suki, not Ty Lee, not Mai, not Azula. Toph is exclusively the only character that acts this way. And it really leaves a bad taste in my mouth once you come to terms that Byrke associate "tomboy female characters" with unhygienic, gross and rude behavior. You can write Toph desiring to abandon her rigorous upbringing and be less traditionally feminine without portraying her this way. It's just perpetuating a very nasty stereotype that's already been constructed with this type of media.

And don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with depicting female characters doing things that are considered unladylike (example: burping, picking their teeth, etc.). But, how come no other female character acts this way? We never see none of the other traditionally feminine characters, such as Katara or Mai, act this way. Like I said, it's feeding into a very weird and harmful stereotype.

Oh boy.

So, we enter the central conflict between Aang and Toph.

To contextualize this, whilst Aang is explaining the Air Nomad Traditions to the air acolytes, he ends up saying "That's just how it's done." and it triggers Toph's past childhood trauma growing up secluded and misunderstood by emotionally neglectful parents. I actually really enjoy that we're exploring Toph's past and her own traumatic experiences; it makes her a more compelling, relatable and human character and gives her personality a lot more depth.

However, it's what comes next that infuriates me to my core (and the reason why I wanted to write this monstrosity of an analysis). Toph becomes arrogant, rude, insensitive and disrespectful to Aang and to his culture.

It's just odd we never explore this trauma beyond this. The trauma that Toph has, while interesting and a great set-up for some internal character work, it's utilized solely to progress the conflict (and once it's resolved, Toph's inner struggles are abandoned). And it's odd that this traumatic event in her childhood is the setup for her sudden and spontaneous love for the future and her avoidance of her past.

It's even odder when you remember that in the original series, Toph never wanted to flee her past. She loved her parents and felt remorse for leaving them. She just wanted them to understand that she was a capable fighter and see her beyond her blindness.

For you to understand my disappointment in this particular characterization, we first have to analyze Toph during ATLA. Throughout the two seasons where she is present, Toph had never once disrespected Aang's culture or his spirituality. On the contrary, she seemed amazed with the Western Air Temple the moment she sensed it's architecture beneath the cliffs: "Wow ... it's amazing!"

Aang reassured her that friendships carry on throughout lifetimes (and it comforts her);

When he's meditating, she's the only one remaining quiet:

Season 3, Episode 6: The Avatar and The Fire Lord

Katara: Do they have bathrooms in the Spirit World?

Sokka: As a matter of fact, they do not.

She's always showed nothing but respect for Aang, his culture and his duties as the Avatar and last airbender, yet, now, for some reason she is characterized in such an unflattering and antagonistic light. And it's crazy to me that Toph is suddenly someone who resents the past and is all about the future... since when has this been one of her defining character traits?

It just... keeps going... And it's so sad to see. This just makes Toph so unlikeable and this just isn't the same Toph we got to see in the animated series. And it what world would Toph Beifong choose a random dude she just met over her friends, especially her FIRST FRIEND (Aang)?

AND NOW SHE IS LYING TO PROTECT THIS RANDO BECAUSE HE ADMIRES HER?

In what world would Toph do this? And don't tell me this is because Toph is enamored with Satoru. Toph, canonically had a crush on Sokka, yet she never did anything stupid nor disrespectful for Sokka; she never compromised her morals or beliefs to protect Sokka.

And I cannot fathom Toph being this unbothered by the pollution. True, she was never a big environmentalist in the main series; however, I would like to believe that Toph would advocate for the protection of her element, especially given she is so in tune with nature: Badgermoles taught her how to bend, she sees through earth, her element is centered around nature... I just can't rationalize Toph being this indifferent to the lack of care for the environment.

Sigh... Here's a little montage of Aang's ability to maintain inner peace:

Season Two, Episode Eight 'The Chase': Aang lashing out on Toph despite Toph being the only one to justify how Azula, Ty Lee and Mai kept finding them.

Season Two, Episode Eleven 'The Desert': Yelling at Toph and blaming her for Appa's kidnapping, despite Toph being unable to see nor protect Appa, because she was protecting her friends.

Season Three, Episode One 'The Awakening': Aang being so frustrated that the world thinks he's dead that he flies away at sea, during a storm.

Season Three, Episode Seventeen 'The Ember Island Players': Literally get's so infuriated with an unreal depiction of his relationship with Katara that he forcibly kisses her, because immaturely possessive and quote: 'Overreacting? If I hadn't blocked my chakra, I'd probably be in the Avatar State right now!?

'The Promise' - Part One: After Katara is held by Zuko and he enters the Avatar State.

Yes, Aang sure is in tune with his inner peace.

It's also hilarious that they really think Toph is the one provoking the earthquakes when she's the best earthbender alive and is more in tune with her bending then any other bender there. I mean, I get it we have to shove the "everyone loves and defends Aang" but not even Sokka came to Toph's defense? Katara?

Another thing that really rubs me the wrong way is that Toph was literally pushed into Aang's life because she "waits and listens" - yet, here, Toph is anything but patient. She's explosive and reactive. During ATLA, whenever she fights, she always has a moment afterwards where she listens to the other person. The best examples are with Katara in 'The Runaway'. She's actually considerably patient if you actually analyze her character throughout the series and isn't as hotheaded as she's portrayed here.

Not everything in this first part is horrendous. I do enjoy that we get confirmation (that unlike a certain canon couple) Aang and Toph are able to have their squabbles and then talk things out to understand one another's perspective.

We also get to see them work together despite being at odds. And, just like in the animated series, they work in really great harmony and comprehend the other without saying many words. I really enjoy that we get to see them put their differences and disagreements aside and work like a unite when it's called for. That is something that I really enjoy about Taang and their dynamic.

We also get a lot of cute panels with Toph and Aang - and man they are a really good looking couple. In a later analysis, I'll get more into depth on their relationship in this comic (and her relationship with her friends), but for this initial part it wasn't too badly butchered.

And's that's it for the first part of this analysis.

#toph beifong #toph #anti bryke #anti atla comics #critical #long post #toph analysis #I just love my girl and it's so sad what they've reduced her too #she was one of the most incredible and inspirational female characters in animation and now she's just a stereotype and man it's sad to see

[impossiblycolorfulpanda]

An alternate scene of mine about the debate of Ozai's fate if Aang was separated from the gaang and was held captive by the FN right after being revived in Ba Sing Se until Zuko delivers him back to the gaang as he tries joining.

Suki: But he looks so sweet and innocent.

Zuko: Well that sweet kid grew up to be a monster and the worst father in the history of fathers.

Aang: But he's still your father none the less.

Zuko: You're going to defend him?

Aang: No. I know he's done horrible deeds and I know that I had to take lives at the North Temple and the North Pole to protect innocent people and Gyatso resorted to taking lives when he tried to save himself. But I don't think I can destroy the fire lord this time.

Sokka: Sure you can. You're the Avatar. If it's in the name of keeping balance, I'm pretty sure the universe will forgive you.

Aang: Would the fire nation feel the same way?

Sokka: Yeah...?

Aang: Regardless of what he is, the fire nation idolize him. They appreciate him as their ruler, not to mention Sozin has been spreading lies about me and other nations for generations. Everyone was indoctrinated, including Ozai and Azula. We need to show them that we're the good guys.

Zuko: An admirable idea, but it's not possible. My father finds the very concepts of mercy and peace to be laughable weaknesses. Indoctrinated or not he's not gonna stop doing horrible things.

Aang: Not everyone in the fire nation feel the same way. I believe if we showed mercy to the fire lord, they'll appreciate it, Azula included, even if he doesn't.

Katara: Azula?

Aang: She's not as ruthless as her father is. She tries to be only because she loves her father. He has to live, for Azula's sake if nothing else.

Zuko: My father's a bad influence on Azula, she'll be better off with him dead.

Aang: How do you know she won't become worse than ever in the process of trying to avenge him? Can he at least live long enough until she and the others are shown the truth and reject his policies like you?

Sokka: Buddy, Azula shot you with lightning, right after Katara healed you, she held you, Suki, and my dad prisoner, she's a good enough of a liar to fool even Toph, and she was the one who inspired the fire lord to commit the same genocide as the air nomads in the first place. She's clearly evil in her own right.

Aang: She could've taken my life again in the worst of ways. She could've done the same to Suki and your dad. She could've placed me in the boiling rock next to them. But she didn't. She promised to be civil if I was civil first and she delivered. I got to spend the most time with her and I know there is good in her. I can feel it. She can be saved. She can be turned to the good side, but not if I kill her father.

Toph: Azula brainwashed you the same way Long Feng brainwashed Jet, didn't she.

Aang: No.

Zuko: I get where you're coming from. She was the one who overturned my banishment and kept quiet about my secret conversations with our uncle. She even asked me to go to the beach with her. But we may have to prepare to put her out of the way as well if she becomes a big enough problem.

Aang: You can't seriously mean that! She's your sister, she wouldn't have done any of those things if she wasn't capable of love!

Katara: Aang, we understand what your saying it's just...

Aang: Just what, Katara? What?

Katara: We're trying to help!

Aang: Then, when you figure out a way for me to save the Fire Lord, the Fire Nation, and Azula from themselves and restore their internal balance, I'd love to hear it! (Walks away.)

Katara: Aang, don't walk away from this! (Walks toward Aang.)

Zuko: (Puts a hand on Katara's shoulder to stop her.) Let him go. He needs time to sort it out by himself.

Suki: He and Azula didn't have a thing, did they?

Zuko: I don't know. But they did seem close and friendliest to each other until the war meeting, they even danced together at a party that was not too far from here before he helped us burn it all down.

#atla #atla au #azulaang #sort of #ozai #aang #azula

[thebluemallet]

A look at my first thoughts on the trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender

IT'S SOZIN'S COMET!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are we going to see the attacks on the Air Temples???

That iceberg already looks better than the one from the movie that shall not be named. Just that one shot of the iceberg and I'm fucking sold on the art direction of this show.

SPOT ON casting for Katara as far as looks go. She even has the same face shape.

The parkas on both Sokka and Katara look amazing. Again, much better than what they had in the movie that shall not be named. I love the details in the designs on them.

THEY HAVE OMASHU! O-MA-SHU! WE'RE GETTING OMASHU!

Zuko has a SCAR. He has an actual SCAR. Not just something that looks kind of like a rash.

I've only had Netflix Uncle Iroh for a day and half. But if anything happens to him, I will hurt everyone in this room and then myself.

The Fire Nation throne room looks SICK with the flames cropping up.

It's the Fire Lord! I wondered if we would see him or not. But keeping him in shadows for two seasons won't work as well in a live-action show so I'm fine with it.

(Daniel Dae Kim voiced an Earth Kingdom General in the original series and now he's the Fire Lord!)

SUKI!!!

Honestly, showing Suki and the Kyoshi warriors in the trailer felt like a direct message from the show to fans of the original series that said, "Yes, they will be included and not cut out from the final product, unlike that other project."

Seriously, for those who don't remember, people in 2010 were getting their hopes up that the movie that shall not be named would be a) good despite the whitewashing and b) still include the Kyoshi warriors despite them not being in the trailers.

IT'S THE CRESCENT ISLAND WITH THE TEMPLE WITH THE FIRE SAGES WHERE AANG WILL GET TO TALK TO ROKU! HOLY SHIT!

Okay, I'll admit it. I may have gotten a little choked up when I first saw Aang flying through with his staff.

AANG!!!!!!!! Looking like a badass emerging from the mist.

THE MUSIC! THE MUSIC!

That shot of Aang in the burned forest looks exactly like the shot in the original show! Holy shit!

AGNI KAI!!! I have conflicting emotions about this! I'm excited it's in here but I'm not ready to see Zuko in that much pain.

ZUKO AND IROH FIGHTING TOGETHER!!!! Is this when Iroh got captured by the Earth Kingdom???

Also the animation on the firebending looks incredible and it looks reminiscent of the martial arts style they used for firebending in the show.

AZULA!

It looks like the fire is glowing in her eyes.

Sokka and Katara in the Southern Air Temple maybe?

AND CAN WE JUST APPRECIATE THAT SOKKA AND KATARA BOTH HAVE THE SAME NECKLACES THEY HAD IN THE ORIGINAL SHOW?!!!!!

The tattoos GLOW.

Is this Zuko attacking Kyoshi Island?!

The whole trailer I was chanting Show me Appa! Show me Appa!

AND I TEARED UP WHEN THEY FINALLY SHOWED APPA!

AND THAT MUSIC SWELL!!!! AHHHHH!

I'VE ONLY HAD NETFLIX APPA AND MOMO FOR A DAY AND A HALF. BUT IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO THEM, I WILL HURT EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AND THEN MYSELF!

WATER, EARTH, FIRE, AIR!

Oh, but I'm probably gonna have to wait a while before I get to see this, right?

FEBRUARY 22ND?! THAT'S REALLY NOT THAT LONG! I WAS EXPECTING TO HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER SIX MONTHS!

So yeah, I'm excited for this.

Also, not in the trailer, but the Cabbage Merchant is supposed to be in the show.

#avatar the last airbender #atla #aang #sokka #katara #zuko #uncle iroh #fire lord ozai #azula #appa #momo

[phoukanamedpookie]

I know fandom likes to joke about Azula or Katara being homophobic, but let's take it seriously for a moment.

Based on what the show has them actually say and do, which characters are most likely to be homophobic?

To be fair, none of the characters says anything overtly homophobic. ATLA is a TV-Y7 show that aired on Nickelodeon in 2005-2008, so any kind of queer content was not gonna happen, and talking about queer people and their relationships was extremely unlikely.

The only thing we have to go on are what the characters say about what is normal or appropriate for specific genders as well as how they interact with characters of specific genders. Again, none of the characters say anything overtly transphobic or misogynistic because this is a TV-Y7 show. But some characters say and do things that suggest a... less enlightened understanding of gender, which is directly linked to homophobic beliefs and attitudes.

So who would that be? Of the named characters, we have...

Pakku. 'Nuff said.

Sokka had a whole episode about him unlearning his toxic gender bullshit. Thank you, Suki.

Iroh is the man who sent Azula a fucking doll as a gift, misgendered Smellerbee before "complimenting" her by calling her a lovely young lady, and sings a song that waxed poetically about nameless girls of Ba Sing Se who exist just to be pretty. And then we see him getting handsy with June...

Zuko actually came out his mouth with, "I saw it, and I thought it was pretty. Don't girls like stuff like this?" to Mai, whose hobbies include giving zero fucks and throwing knives at people.

Now, this doesn't mean these characters would be homophobic in the vein of Westboro Baptist Church. I honestly think the homophobia they express would mostly benignly ignorant than outright malicious, like:

Telling a queer person they know that they're not queer, just confused

Asking or assuming who "the man" or "the woman" is in same-sex relationships

Saying that a queer person they know doesn't look queer or is too [insert normative gender trait] to be queer

Except for Pakku, who's more likely to openly ask what the queer person's parents did wrong.

(Why are they all male?)

#Azula #katara #homophobia #tags to be safe #anti iroh #anti zuko #anti sokka #anti pakku

[quietmonologues]

I haven't finished the show yet (just need to watch the last episode) but so far, I'll give the live action adaptation of ATLA a 7/10.

Long post.

To start with what I like about it...

I think the VFX is spectacular. Omashu, the Water Tribes, the Fire Nation palace, all the bending effects and fights are stunning.

Seeing all the characters come to life. The Gaang, but also the past avatars, the mechanist and Teo, the freedom fighters, Bumi, Zuko and the family, even Mai and Ty Lee. Aesthetically, everyone fit really well.

I enjoy (most) of the acting, but especially Zuko. I feel like Dallas captures the character incredibly well and his scenes with Paul as Iroh have been very fun to watch. I enjoy seeing more of Azula and getting into her psyche early on, and seeing more of Ozai has been enjoyable as well. Daniel Dae Kim is great. Ian and Gordan also do a great job of playing Sokka and Aang, respectively.

Merging the Jet stuff with the Mechanist stuff is an interesting way to cram as much of the story as possible without being too convoluted. The re-interpretation of The Cave of Two Lovers episode was a change I was iffy about but I grew to appreciate it. Instead of focusing on a romantic love, I liked that it was about familial love (between Sokka and Katara). I wouldn't be surprised if people didn't like that change, and I understand, but I didn't mind it. It didn't feel like the live action was hinting at Aang's crush on Katara anyways (correct me if I'm wrong).

Love the emotional aspects. Iroh and Zuko, Aang and Gyatso...it can definitely get the waterworks going.

In terms of what I don't like....

Something feels missing in this adaptation, and I think it's the tone. There's still funny moments but it's definitely a bit more somber than the cartoon. On the one hand, the original show does deal with heavy themes and it makes sense for the live action to emphasize that seriousness. Like, it made sense for a cartoon geared towards children to have a "lightness" to it, to have moments of goofiness and sillyness. But on the other hand, that lightness being interspersed between all the serious moments made the story of ATLA what it was, and I do feel that that is missing in the live action. I guess that's the downside to limiting a 20+ episode season into just....8 episodes. But the live action did the best it could.

I feel the same about the characters. The Gaang seem a bit more serious. But it's not completely bad, Aang still feels like Aang and Sokka still feels like Sokka. Katara is the one who sticks out to me like a sore thumb because she just...doesn't feel like Katara. No idea if it's Kiawentiio's acting or how she's written, but whenever I watch her, she just feels really flat and demure. Katara is a kind and compassionate character, but I do remember her being a bit more fierce. We do get that fierceness near the end but...I don't know, it comes off as stiff. And that's why I think Dallas as Zuko is my favourite, because Zuko was always a serious and somber character in the cartoon, so his performance in the more serious live action adaptation fits really well (it still would've fit perfectly if the adaptation was more goofy of course).

The pacing at times is bumpy. I felt this especially in episode 4. There was just...way too many things going on and they decided to throw in a couple flashbacks too. Like I said before, I liked that we got more Azula, but I felt like some of her scenes didn't flow well with the rest of the episode (episode 6 i think). We were following a straightforward plot, and then we just have a scene or two of Azula doing her trials and shooting lightning. It just made the overall episode feel choppy and disconnected.

I don't remember how the whole Suki/Sokka/Yue thing went in the cartoon, but yes I do think it's very weird that Sokka and Suki kissed in episode 2, and then he's kissing Yue in episode 7. Maybe in the cartoon it wouldn't be "that deep" but in a live action, it's kinda strange to me lol. I don't know, that's a bit of a minor nitpick I guess.

To me, Book 1 of the original show is the weakest season and my least favourite (it's still good). But if Netflix renews this, then I'm hoping Book 2 (and Book 3) will be much better!

Okay that's it, off to watch the last episode.

(also I do think you're lying if you say the movie was better)

#just my thoughts and opinions #avatar the last airbender #atla #atla live action #atla spoilers #atla netflix #my posts

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

I don’t ship either Zutara or Zukka (Kataang shipper) so this is just my observation as an outsider. But from what I’ve seen in the Zutara fandom, the headcanons are like, Zuko and Katara cheat on Aang behind his back, Kya and Bumi are secretly Zuko’s children, Katara hates Aang, Katara treats the Gaang like her children, Mai and Aang are trying to keep Zutara apart, etc. whereas the Zukka headcanons are mostly Zukka raising Izumi, Mai and Ty Lee are a couple, Suki is supportive of their relationship, Kataang are good parents, etc. And most of them ship Sukka too. So I don’t really get how the Zukka fandom is worse than the Zutara fandom? Like I only really see intense hatred for canon in Zutara spaces.

There were was a really annoying period right after Avatar got to Netflix that brought on a ton of new fans - and in mist of it, some people started liking Zukka, which wasn't a problem until they started trying to argue that the ship was canon and that anyone who didn't agree was homophobic.

It was literally the same BS of Zutara shippers who say if you don't like Zutara, you hate women. A ton of the content made had both Sokka and Zuko being REALLY out of character, and sometimes went into some very racist - and ironically enough, homophobic - shit.

Thankfully, it's a trend that seems to be dying out more and more each day, with only the people who actually understand the characters and know how to have fun with fanon, stuck around, but it's not that hard to find one of the bad apples - I usually find them in the anti-zutara tag of all places, because they have the nerve to say shit like "Zutara will never be as canon as Zukka" like their ship isn't just as fanon.

It's just that finding the bad apples in the Zutara fandom requires exactly zero work, because these motherfuckers are still on the "harrass everyone" mode after nearly two decades.

I've seen some people say that most of the bad Zukka shippers are just fans of the ship Klance in Voltron, who jumped to another show to find a new ship to latch onto when their OTP didn't happen (which would explain why Sokka and Zuko are so out of character in their fics), but that particular hellhole is outside of my department, so I can't really confirm if that is true.

#anti zutara #anti zukka

[drachenfalter]

So almost done with the live action, I thought it was time to just collect some of my thoughts:

The first twenty minutes were great, helping to flesh out the airbenders a bit and introducing the world.

The bending and sets are both great.

Sadly, then we get Exposition Gran Gran,

Gran Gran "Oh, wait, did we do the intro already? Well, just in case, I'd better recite the whole thing word for word again."

(They did a version of the intro, and they did it better.)

Gran Gran "Oh, of course I know that he is the Avatar! How do I know this? Beats me, but I'd better tell my granddaughter in case he forgot to mention it."

Sadly, this overexposition is not the only incident, though it isn't quite as bad in later episodes.

Aang is different, but not bad as a character, though he's a lot less optimistic

Which is not surprising, considering her spends half the season listening to adults that blame him for his disappearance or tell him he needs to become some loner warrior without any close friends.

(Really, that BS is almost feeling like they're tryring to "Man of Steel" Aang here? Which is bizarre because at another point, Katara tells us point blank that his true strength lies in connecting to people.

Also, why does Aang not even try to waterbend until they've reached the NWT? If he's so determined, you'd think he'd get on that as soon as he can, not the other way around.

Sokka is probably the closest, though they put more focus on his inventor side (we see his contraptions in the first episode) and it seems they want to put that into conflict with the expectation of being a warrior.

Also, Sokka apparently flirted with a (female) fire nation soldier off-screen?

...And why is his worst memory about his dad being disappointed because he nearly failed his ice-dodging challenge? Is he not Katara's brother anymore?

Suki and Sokka were cute, I guess

Zuko's actor is great, and has some fantastic scenes here.

But I don't like how they portray him as someone who would attack a downed opponent or burn down a village because they didn't help him - that goes against one of the core traits of cartoon zuko, who had a code of honor even in Book 1.

(Yes, there is a scene in the Agni Kai that might connect to that scene with Katara, but it still doesn't work for me.)

BUT

I love the idea that Zuko accidentally becomes Aang's best teacher, the guy who "wrote the book" on being the Avatar.

Now for Katara...

Look, I'm gonna put the blame on the writers and directors here, but as other's have noted, we really lost Katara's anger here.

Worse, they don't go the north because she wants to learn waterbending. Instead, that is just a "hey, if we're already going there" thing.

They also decide to start her out with being barely able to bend, and then after one talk with Aang, she suddenly can bend and even is the one stopping Zuko's fireball at the end of the episode.

The bigger problem is though that they completely removed the prison break and the pirate scene, which in the OG help show Katara's skill and will to fight and master waterbending.

Which is probably why the "I want to fight" talk in the north falls flat - well, or maybe it's because she says it to Yagoda, not Pakku.

Worse, they removed the few weeks of training between Katara challenging Pakku and the Siege of the North.

-> Maybe they'll do something interesting in the last episode, but I'm not holding out hope.

A few other things:

What did they do to ZHAO?

Right now, it feels like they've nerfed Zhao to justify Azula's inclusion - I haven't seen the siege yet, but with how he was portrayed so far, I wouldn't be surprised if they changed it so she came up with the whole "killing the moon" plan.

Mai and Ty Lee feel like "extras" right now. That is, without the context of the original show, you'd think they are just sycophantic nobodies only there to cheer up Azula.

I don't think Mai even touched a knife at this point.

(Like, they have Azula doing archery. They could have easily had Mai do the same, hinting at her marksmanship.)

Ty Lee's actress is clearly trying her best to be Ty Lee, but they aren't giving her anything to work with either.

There are some nice scenes fleshing out the Zuko and Iroh relationship, I'll give them that.

But also

WHAT DID THEY DO TO BUMI?

Is he supposed to be suicidal here? Trying to force Aang to crush him under a ton of rocks? Because it didn't feel like a trick.

Koh feels - less menacing, somehow? Just letting his prisoners go the moment Aang does something nice for him.

Oh, and I did not expect water bending witch sorry, priestress Yue who is living half of her live as a fox-spirit in the spirit world.

Yue feels like a completely different character so far, but I assume they'll still make her die to revive the moon spirit.

I guess the escape from Pohuai was great and so was Aang fanboying over Zuko's writing.

Uh, I'm sure I'll come up with more, but I'll end this ramble for now.

But in conclusion, I have to think of those characters as different charactes with no relation to the OG versions.

Also, I would say it's better if you don't know the original series, but they leave so much out I'm not sure you can understand this one without doing so.

#natla #natla spoilers #atla live action

[zuko-always-lies]

What exactly were everyone's character arcs supposed to be?

This is an interesting question for ATLA, and one sometimes without a clear answer. Some characters have reasonably complete character arcs, and others simply don't, to a degree which is often not acknowledged today. A few are in-between. This not necessarily a function of screen time. Jet and Yue have reasonably complete character arcs despite only briefly appearing, while others with far more screen time do not.

Without further ado, I'll go through the characters one by one and try to give an answer:

Yue, as I said, has a story which feels complete with a beginning, middle, and end. She's a very duty bound person committed a political marriage to help her tribe, a person who was saved by the holy symbols of it in the first place. Then she falls in love with Sokka but refuses to break off her engagement out of duty. And finally she sacrifices her life out of duty to save everyone.

Jet also feels like he has an arc. You can take issue with how it was written and how it plays out, since he really got the short straw, but it's an arc. From being orphaned by the Iroh-aligned Rough Rhinos, to fighting the Fire Nation and going "too far," to trying to make a new start in Ba Sing Se, to correctly getting suspicious about Zuko and Iroh, to being brainwashed by the Dai Li, to dying fighting against Long Feng. It's not nearly as coherent as Yue's arc, but it's something.

Suki, by contrast, doesn't have much of an arc. I've heard before the concept of "character arc" being defined as "either the character changes or the audience's perception of them changes." Neither of those things ever happen with Suki. She remains unchanged, and we learn nothing really about her. The only meaningful character change which happens is that she and Sokka fall in love.

Aang quite obviously has an arc: grow into the position of Avatar, defeat the Firelord, befriend Zuko, and the end the war. And, of course, get together with Katara.

Zuko also has an arc, which the show probably spends more time on than with anyone else: change sides, become friends with the Gaang(although that bit was very poorly written), and reject his abusive father and instead start worshipping his uncle. And I suppose grow strong enough to beat the crap out of his sister, like he's always wanted to do.

Iroh, by contrast, couldn't have less of an arc. Any attempt to read an arc into the mess of extremely incoherent writing he was would require extreme charity. In the end, we're supposed to both accept he "changed" offscreen before the show(that his arc was already mostly complete?) but also that he was "always good" anyways.

Toph doesn't have an arc. 90% of her character development, such as it was, is confined to her first two appearances. After that, she's merely a hanger on to the Gaang. As much as people love her, there is so little to her story. Her character is better defined than Suki, but her story isn't.

Azula is supposed to have an arc. It's supposed to be about falling apart, going insane, and being lain low. But it was extremely rushed and shoved unconvincingly into the last few episodes, and the writers were uninterested in explaining what actually happened to make her fall apart, so I struggle to say she has anything resembling a coherent arc.

Ty Lee also doesn't have an arc. Her arc, such as it was imagined, was supposed to "betray Azula." Yet none of the character development she gets over the series leads in that direction, and we have every reason to believe she would have acted the same at the beginning of the series as she did at the end. And of course there was no "redemption" aside from switching sides for her.

Mai has slightly more of an arc than Ty Lee, but that's only because it involves her getting together with Zuko and eventually sacrificing herself to protect him. Otherwise, it's about as coherent as Ty Lee's arc.

Sokka's arc is an interesting one. I would say that there are four things they experiment with as the basis for his arc. First, there is his distrust for Aang, which is rapidly resolved. Second is his sexism, which is equally rapidly resolved. Third is unease over being a nonbender, but that's only rarely referenced over the course of the series, and is fully "resolved" in the truly awful episode "Sokka's Master" early in Book 3. Finally, there is the issue of his daddy issues and his desire to prove himself as a warrior. That is something his story keeps coming back to over and over again. However, it is almost entirely resolved in the Day of Black Sun episodes, where Sokka leads the SWT in battle, despite a couple weird later references in the Boiling Rock episodes. Thus, I would Sokka has an arc, but it's resolved well before the series ends.

Finally, we reach Katara. I don't think Katara really has much of a coherent arc in the series. In Book 1, it was all about her trying to become a master waterbender, but she achieves that by the end of the Book. After that, her character lacks clear direction. What's her story supposed to be about after that? Getting together with Aang? "Forgiving Zuko"? The daddy issues which show up for exactly one episode? The conflict with Toph which shows up for two? "Accepting that ordinary Fire Nation people are people too," even though she was always shown to be compassionate to ordinary Fire Nation people not actively engaged in genocide? The "mommy issues" which she often brings up but which are rarely taken seriously by the show, and are ultimately used to get her to forgive Zuko (two separate times!)? All of these seem completely unworthy of hanging her arc on, and I have to say, I don't think Katara has much of a coherent arc past Book 1.

If we had to order these characters in terms of coherence of arc from most to least, it would probably go something like: Aang, Zuko, Yue, Jet, Sokka, Katara, Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, Iroh, Toph, Suki.

#Katara #Zuko #Iroh #Aang #Azula #Mai #Ty Lee #Suki #Toph #Jet #Yue #Sokka #Katara meta #Zuko meta #Iroh meta #Aang meta #Azula meta #Mai meta #Ty Lee meta #Suki meta #Toph meta #Jet meta #Yue meta #Sokka meta #ATLA #ATLA meta

[comradekatara]

NOT the one direction take that is SO correct. I am desperate to know what the opinions of all of the gaang are on 1d - the only personal headcanon I have on that is that Sokka gets really really mad whenever Katara tells him that one direction are as influential as the beatles. also I think Ty Lee might be a larry

ok full disclaimer i was firmly a 1D hater in their heyday and i still hate everything about them except for that tweet that's like "niall should petrol bomb you." i love that tweet.

aang doesn't seek out their music or anything about them but has a lot of secondhand information on zayn via katara and has listened to some of their music (once again, via katara) but he personally thinks that niall seems like the best one and this makes katara super angry.

katara loves zayn and thinks the other ones are interchangeable, except for harry styles, who she hates specifically because she thinks he's taking attention from away from zayn. she'll grumble about how the only people who like harry styles anyway are white girls and fags and sokka's just like "....as opposed to people who enjoy...... the other members of this terrible manufactured boyband?" and she screams at him about how he doesn't understand ANYTHING, at which point he immediately leaves the room. she probably also has really strong opinions on which of their albums / songs are the best, but i don't know any of their songs except for the one that's like na nana na so idk.

sokka would be fully neutral on 1D if not for katara. because of her he hates them, but he does also think that zayn is hot and harry styles sucks (he's making gnc bi guys look bad) so at least they can agree on that. also he loves that tweet that's like "niall should petrol bomb you" katara showed it to him because it made her crack up and ever since they say it to each other constantly.

toph loves telling katara that she thinks zayn is ugly just to see how long it will take once katara starts going off about how "shes such a stupid dyke she'll never understand his beauty" for her to be like. "oh....... right. well fuck you anyway toph."

zuko gets into a really big fight with katara over whether or not harry styles is "actually gay". zukos like "sure he can wear an ugly little outfit but has he ever sucked a dick" and kataras like "well he could be a gay virgin. you of all people should know what that's like." and they get into a screaming match that ends in tears. and the whole time it was over the most pointless subject ever because there is no good answer and both of them dislike him.

suki only listens to women singing. her ears are literally unable to register male vocals. all the boys in that band look like blobs to her. katara knows better than to broach the subject with her. suki lives in carefully-curated ignorance of any and all boybands. she is free.

azula's go-to response any time she hears anyone talking about them is to just say "i hope they die in a fire." she's absolutely furious, though, when she says that in sokka's vicinity and he has the audacity to laugh. he's not allowed to agree with her!!!!

ty lee doesn't actually like them but she knows how much it annoys azula so sometimes she'll pretend to like them and then act like she couldn't hear azula when she said her de facto line until azula is screaming "I SAID. I HOPE THEY DIE IN A FIRE!!!! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME TY LEE!!!!!!!!" at which point ty lee calmly looks up at her from where azula's standing on the table like "yeah girl. we all heard you the first time."

when mai is hanging out with both azula and ty lee she'll take ty lee's side by doing the bit with her, but when she's alone with either one of them or with anyone else she's just like "i hope they get compressed in an industrial molding machine." "i hope they all drown in a really big puddle." "i hope they disappear in the bermuda triangle." "i hope they all fall over at the same time and hit their heads on one another's heads." "i hope they get petrol bombed." etc.

#daisiesflower #asks #the gaang and #synthesis #modern au #presumably #i really hope mina sees this post (and approves)

[juana-the-iguana]

Sometimes I wish Avatar was more like Naruto

If Katara HAD to be primarily a healer after the A:tLA show, then I wish she would have turned out more like Sakura.

Yes, Sakura is a healer, but she's not afraid to fight. She uses her healing abilities not only to help others, but to make herself stronger, as her mentor did before her.

She was also still politically active and championed healthcare, both by running the hospital, sharing her medical knowledge and creating a children's mental health ward.

She is respected for her healing ability, as is her mentor, Tsunade, who was the Hokage. That's probably because, in general, healing is a respected profession in the Naruto world and it just happens to be a female-dominated field. It also empower's people and makes them able to fight proficiently later in life (don't give me that "she's 80 so she's too frail to take a days boat ride to see her granddaughter's Air Bending Master ceremony. She helped resurrect people and already lives in one of the most inhospitable places on earth.) We also get to see Sakura successfully heal multiple people throughout the sequel series.

Sakura's husband is absent for large stretches of time, leaving her to raise her child (who thinks, because of her father's prolonged absence, that he doesn't love her or her mother), and while doing this, Sakura still protects her daughters, maintains an active role in her community and has a known social life.

In her older age Sakura comes off as less aggressive than she was as a teen, but she still has that spunk and she loses her temper when she's pushed too far. She is humanized character with wants, desires and flaws. Having flaws does not negate her ability to provide emotional support nor play an active role in her children's lives, and vice versa. Her development doesn't negate who she was by the end of the first series, nor make her completely unrecognizable.

Although the physical differences between Sakura and Sasuke are not as pronounced as the ones between Katara and Aang (at least not with skin color, the hair is pretty noticeable), they still exist. Sarada has Sasuke's eyes and hair, but Sakura's skin color, facial and body structure. There was care put into her design, and when you see the Haruno-Uchiha family together, it is clear how Sarada resembles both of her parents.

Both the Avatar and Naruto worlds place a lot of emphasis on how great it is for people to learn how to fight using different styles, and Sakura's child actually does that. This not only shows that she respects Sakura, but that Sakura had an active role in teaching her child how to fight, despite the fact that Sarada's fighting style and training would later focus on how to master and utilize the Sharingan, it also shows that Sarada kind of sucks at healing, or at least does not have the same propensity to heal as her mother did, because she is not a carbon copy of her parents' abilities.

If Suki and Sokka HAD to break up, I wish Suki became more like Tenten.

Tenten is a single woman, and as far as we know, childless, by the time that the Boruto series starts, but she is still respected by her community. She is renowned for her knowledge of weapons, which are her primary weapon in combat, despite that fact that most of the ninjas we know use a lot of flashy elemental jutsus.

We never learn much about her background, and as time goes on she may become more distant from the cast of characters who were the protagonists for the majority of the original series, but she is still an unquestionable badass. We don't see her much, but whenever she comes on screen, her character shines.

If Toph HAD to join law enforcement, I wish she was more like Ino.

Ino is respected. Ino is feared. Ino is tough and believes in tough love. Ino isn't corrupt.

She is the daughter of a very powerful man and the heir to a very powerful clan. When her community needed her, she stepped up to the plate, she cared, she didn't run away.

She doesn't end up with the man she originally has a crush on, not because she's deficient in any way or not feminine enough or not pretty, just because he liked someone else and that happens. Ino moved on and formed a meaningful romantic relationship with someone else.

If Pema HAD to be a housewife, I wish she was more like Hinata.

There's no shame in loving someone who has romantic feelings for someone else, and expressing those feelings. In fact, it takes a lot of courage to do so. Both Hinata and Pema have that in common.

Even though Hinata is a housewife and the wife of a man from a dying clan who is also a major political leader, she is not a pushover and she is not defined by her husband. In fact, it's actually really great that she is a housewife, because she shows that housewives — and mothers — have agency and respect in-universe. This is also a nice glimpse into the domestic life of people in the Naruto universe. The two main characters of Naruto, him and Sasuke, were orphans, as were most of the supporting cast. Many of the families we do see are abusive.

Hinata shows that parents can be involved in their children's lives and their children turn out to be good people, interesting people worthy of watching a show about, even if their home lives aren't tragic.

Even though she is soft spoken, Hinata has a say in how her family is run, she lets her husband know what's up when he steps too far out of line, and she knows her children well and takes an active role in their lives. Boruto and Himawari are also close with Hinata's family and their Hyuga heritage is a major role in both their fighting style and their identities, even though they are also Uzumakis.

Also, like with Sakura and Sarada, Hinata's children actually resemble her, once again proving that they are neither carbon copies of a parent, nor completely unaffected by their mother.

No, Hinata is not the Hokage, but is still a valued member of her community. She maintains relationships with friends from her pre-marriage and pre-mother years, and we get to see those relationships on screen. This alone shows that she exists outside of her house.

#katara #sakura #suki #tenten #toph #ino #pema #hinata #i can't believe i thought Naruto was the sexist show as a kid and a:tla was the progressive one #actually I can completely believe that #but somehow the Naruto verse ended up with really good female characters and the Avatar verse had some serious problems with theirs #korra is cool #so is asami #and lin #a:tla #naruto #boruto