#Honestly think I’ve also been guilty of sanding the corners off Zuko sadly

[bluewithpurplepolkadots]

Zuko being racist or having racist instincts makes sense given his background. When Ozai in the finale declares that Aang and his people were ‘weak’ and didn’t deserve to live in ‘his world’ we see exactly why Zuko would say the sludge he threw out at him during Southern Raiders.

On a personal one to one level I suppose it could show Zuko is comfortable enough that Aang won’t throw him off a cliff unlike the rest of the gaang if he tried the same shit to them. It’s almost like when he was screaming at Iroh during his banishment and all. (He’s comfortable enough to complain on Appa from the beginning unlike with the WT siblings about things on their field trips). But he’s still being a racist shitbag.

It’s interesting in the sense that it points to the very real fact that even when you consciously make a turn around you’re going to still subconsciously have these actions and feelings you were raised with. It’s actually extremely realistic for Zuko to be this way. The show just didn’t have time I suppose to dip into it more or shake it out of him (he’s already the second most important character he doesn’t need more screen time) and the comics didn’t, from what I hear, utilise it well or had its own issues. (I’m sorry but with the whole ‘kill me if I become Ozai’ whingebag thing it also means Aang and his culture gets disrespected, again).

But a lot of his biggest and loudest fans like the idea of shaving the edges off of Zuko because it makes them uncomfortable.

No, Zuko is not in fact going to be a master of international diplomacy just because he was banished and will somehow know all about some earth kingdom towns favourite dish or best import. For the most part before season two he didn’t venture much past his own ship and crew of FN servants. They even bring him his food. There’s like two degrees of separation between Zuko and the average not Fire Nation person at least 99 percent of the time (see him being served a cook fish and you’ll realise he’s not talking to these people. Hell, for all we know all of them from the fish seller up are colonists anyway). Before the gaang turn up Zuko isn’t interacting with people not FN unless he has to. Maybe to bark orders at. Like the pirates in the water bending scroll would not surprise me if they were the first instance of him working with anyone not his nation in three years.

He will still struggle with his bigoted upbringing and will need to be kept in check. And his upbringing will fester within him unless active action is taken by him to recognise and control it. Hell, it’s possible someone will have to step in since maybe Aang’s a bit too likely to let things slide, who knows. Though maybe Aang after standing up for his culture and not killing Ozai will in fact be one of many to do it.

Zuko will however unlike Ozai be more likely to listen (obviously) but he will lneed help with international interactions. Like a lot. And not just from the gaang. For a very very long time. And he might need it spelled out to him quite slowly that the shit he’s saying with Aang is not remotely acceptable and why. (Even though it’s incredibly obvious why).

There could be some interesting post canon stories exploring this but it doesn’t really happen much.

.....okay but funny how katara, sokka, toph, and etc, all manage to argue or disagree with aang's viewpoints without taking shots at his culture unlike zuko whenever he opens his mouth