#I didn't know if Ten Ten was a firebender or not at first but the thought of him being a literal spitfire won me over.

[camcat1320]

Good opportunity for me to brainstorm for my fanfic.

I'm going to expand on Iroh's and Ozai's childhood. Ozai is 10 years younger so his brother casts a large shadow. With Iroh being the first born and a prodigy firebender, Ozai has a lot of competition. Iroh was very different in his younger years. He was ruthless and a jerk older brother. Ozai struggled at firebending, the pressure on him weighing him down. But he wanted to earn his father's love and attention, the same love Iroh had. He trained night and day, working hard to become the best firebender. However, he was still looked over, his older brother favored simply because he was the first born.

When Ozai had his children, he made it a point to not do what his father had done to him. His (conditional) love for his children would not be simply given based on order of birth, but rather by their skill and loyalty. So when Zuko struggled with firebending, Ozai saw himself in Zuko. From Ozai's raising, he learned the best thing to push Zuko to become a better firebender is tough love. Ozai disliked Ursa coddling Zuko, going into direct conflict with Ozai's parenting strategy.

Ozai didn't want to ever kill Zuko. When Ozai asked for Iroh's birthright on the count of Lu Ten's death (Ozai ordered the hit), Azulon became enraged. For the throne, Ozai must kill his first born. Chasing and catching up to Iroh has made him power hungry, willing to do anything. So killing Zuko was just another task he must do to achieve his goals. I'll skip over my analysis of Azula and her actions for another post. Ursa pleads for Zuko and the two make a deal. She will assassinate Azulon in exchange for Zuko's life, but will also result in her banishment so she could not assassinate Ozai. They agreed and parted ways.

The comics show that Ursa gave the poison to Ozai and so he did it. However, in my rendition, it'd be Ursa who pours the evening tea with an assassin's tea pot. She will be the one to kill Azulon personally. This will add complexity to her character, doing morally bad things but having justified reasons for it. This aligns with the philosophy of yin and yang, or at least my understanding. The wheel turns, there will always be times of peace and war. There is no progress without struggle. Good things stem from the bad, but so do bad things stem from the good. Morality isn't as simple as altruistic pure good and villainous pure evil as Bryke writes in the comics and Legend of Korra.

Anyways, after Ursa leaves, Ozai now has no external pressure to kill Zuko. Ozai now gives Zuko chances to prove his skills and loyalty, something that Ozai was not afforded with his own father. When Zuko speaks out of turn at the war meeting, Ozai views it as dishonorable and disrespectful. Again, Ozai believes the key to unlocking Zuko's potential is tough love. Burning his son's face, banishing and sending Zuko on a hunt for the Avatar was his version of tough love, but still an opportunity. Ozai will not banish his son with nothing, assigning a small crew, ship and money.

As someone who has a narcissistic father, I know he uses vehicles and money as a means to keep puppet strings on me. If I were to stand up against him, that so-called "help" will be taken away from me. The same applies to Ozai and Zuko.

Ozai views himself as merciful and does this to show his "love", but it is conditional, coming with strings attached. After the siege of the north fails and the blame is placed on Iroh and Zuko, Ozai sends Azula to arrest the two. This is Ozai pulling on those strings, taking away the support he had given, deeming his son and brother as traitors.

It isn't until Zuko returns, supposedly having killed the Avatar and arrested Iroh, does Ozai restore his "love" and support for Zuko. Only when Zuko's loyalty was tested and proved to be in Ozai's favor did Zuko earn his father's "love".

During the Day of Black Sun, Zuko stands up against his father, something narcissists detest. By doing so, Ozai had his final straw, losing all conditional love for his son in an instant. He was done with giving Zuko chances.

With this, Ozai gives Azula permission to kill Zuko. This could also be a test for Azula to prove her loyalty to her father. Azula then tries to kill Zuko 3 times in the last half of Book 3, none of which were successful due to Zuko's friends. Zuko falling off the airship, saved by his friends. Boiling rock, saved by Mai. The Agni Kai, saved by Katara. But Azula is alone, only relying on herself.

That's my analysis and interpretation on why Ozai didn't kill Zuko after Ursa was banished. Not some semblance of having love for Ursa and keeping a promise because they had a good relationship at one point. Rather, it's a narcissist parent seeing himself in his son and giving his son opportunities which he himself was not granted with his own father. Narcissists only think of themselves so Ozai not killing Zuko had to come from a place of selfishness, not a place of genuine love.

Thanks for reading!

Taking those awful comics into account, I have zero clue why Ozai simply didn't kill Zuko after Ursa left. It's clear at this point Zuko is a 'disappointment' and Azula is passing expectations with flying colors. If anything Ozai should've been looking at Zuko sideways when he realized Zuko isn't catching up like he wants and trying to get rid of him so Azula can take his spot as she is more useful. Just wait a few months when Azulon's death dies down, let Zuko have a totally not staged 'accident' and boom, Azula is heir, problem child out of the way, Ozai gets what he wants with zero drawback.

Yeah, it doesn't make sense for a comics Ozai to keep Zuko alive, other than that Ozai probably still wanted to keep his only male heir.

In the show, though, there are more explanations to this.

The thing is, this would be a logical thing to do IF Ozai wanted to get rid of Zuko. Interestingly, though, in the show, Ozai actually wanted to make Zuko his heir. Yes, Zuko didn't meet his expectations, but when Ozai found out that Zuko supposedly killed the avatar and helped Azula take Ba Sing Se, he immediately accepted him as his heir and during the meeting, Zuko was at Ozai's right hand.

Ozai hated Zuko, because he wasn't a capable heir in his eyes, but deep down, he wanted Zuko to be one. And as soon as Zuko "became" the prince Ozai would approve of, Ozai instantly gave him his approval and support, even if it was purely conditional.

Azula was likely a last resort for Ozai, if Zuko would prove himself as completely untrustworthy. And it shows, given that he named Azula Fire Lord only after Zuko betrayed the FN and Azula herself is rather surprised that Ozai gave her this title.

Also, another reason why I think Ozai didn't kill Zuko in the show, is that it was hinted that Ursa and Ozai had a good early relationship. He didn't kill Zuko after she left, bacause he had likely promised Ursa that Zuko won't die and maybe he kept this promise out of some feelings he still had left for Ursa.

[demaparbat-hp]

Progression (and digressions).

The first post of the year belongs to the one, the only, the boy you've had for less than a month but if anything happens to him you'll murder me slowly and painfully: Lu Ten II.

His travels through the Earth Kingdom with Zuko are some of my favorite moments in the Spitfire AU! We get to see their dynamic truly flourish and deepen before they're reunited with the rest of their family.

But then the Gaang is forced to take care of Ten Ten as they move through the Fire Nation.

Spitfire grows a lot during the course of the story—and not just in height! He's the hope for a better future and the kindness needed to go through the present. I love him dearly, and I hope so do you.

[floatyflowers]

Dark Platonic! Fire Nation Royal Family x Non-bender Reader

Part 2

With Ozai:

At first he didn't accept the fact that you, his youngest child, is a non-bender, and ignored your existence.

That was until he noticed how his older brother, Iroh, spends time with you, Ozai got extremely jealous.

And decided to spend time with you, only to realize that you are his favorite child, and felt like an actual father.

Yes, you can't firebend nor do you even have the ability to protect yourself.

But why would you need to protect yourself when your father is going to be the Phoenix king of the fire nation?

Ozai will burn down the world for you.

"You, my sweet child, will grow up in the presence of a very powerful father"

With Ursa:

When Ursa found out that you couldn't bend, she became overprotective of you to the point of paranoia.

Since childhood, she refused to allow you to play with anyone except Zuko.

One time, one of her handmaidens scolded you harshly for playing outside without your mother's permission which resulted in you bursting into tears.

The next day, that handmaiden was fired and Ursa made sure that she gets no other jobs.

While thinking of escaping, she thought to take you with her.

However, Ozai has forbidden that from happening.

"When you find out the truth, promise to come find me"

With Azulon

While still alive, he made sure you had the best education and guards.

Azulon also made sure to have you believe that the fire nation is without mistakes or faults.

He tried manipulating you into believing that just your loyalty to your people is enough duty.

However, you are kind, too kind.

Yet, he Azulon didn't hate you for it even if he considered a weak trait to have in the royal family.

He also still has the flower crown you made him stored away safely so it doesn't rot.

It is rumored that the last word he muttered was your name.

With Iroh

Uncle Iroh isn't really as possessive as the other characters, but he focuses on advising you from time to time.

You enjoy drinking tea with him and gossiping about everything.

Even though, Ozai has forbidden him from speaking with you, you would sneak behind your father's back to drink tea with him.

After the loss of his son in the war, Lu Ten, Iroh felt depressed.

Yet you managed to comfort him with your cheerfulness and playful attitude.

It reminded him of his son.

"The best quality in a princess is her kindness, something which your sister clearly lacks"

With Zuko

Zuko thought you would be like Azula but you have proven him wrong.

You are kind, gentle, and nurturing just like your and his mother.

That's why Zuko always found himself by your side, being your playmate...being your protecter.

His mother told him that it's his duty to protect you from danger considering that he is your older brother.

Even though Azula has never hurt you, but Zuko was always wary of her, especially after his mother disappeared.

When Ozai challenged him to an Agni Kai, you were the first to cry out and plead with him to let Zuko off, but Ozai felt jealous of your relationship with Zuko and was determined to teach his son a lesson.

However when your brother got banished, Zuko took you with him in secret not wanting you to be left with Azula.

"I know the journey will take long but once I restore my honor we can return home together"

With Azula

Azula was extremely jealous when you were born, thinking that you will take all the attention from her.

But she realized that you deserve all the attention.

You didn't treat her like a monster, you weren't scared of her.

Instead you showed her love and called her 'big sister'

You would cling to her as a toddler, whenever there was lightning, you would secretly sneak to her room and sleep beside her.

"How can you be scared of lightning, we control it, silly"

Mai and Ty Lee saw how Azula softens whenever you are around.

And when Azula discovered that you have left with Zuko, she destroyed everything in her way and burned a few servants.

"She's mine, and only MINE"

[overtail]

hi!! can i req a toph x fem!reader with “you came….”, “you called.” (is it also fine if r is a firebender?) thank youu!! :))

OMG THIS IS MY FIRST REQUEST YOU DONT KNOW HOW EXCITED I AM???

I'd love to do that for you! hehe

Sorry if there are typos i was on a road trip 😔

...

"you came.." "you called."

Toph x Fem!Reader

⛰️🔥

Summary: After Toph's childhood best friend is banished from Gaoling along with her family, she finds out that all she needed to do was ask her to come back to her.

Trigger Warning: Implied Abuse, smooching

Reader Info: Female intended, Firebender, Lesbian,

Extra: Toph is aged up to 16! The story of Avatar takes longer in this AU

...

The letters were the only thing Toph had of her. She was the only person outside of her family that bothered to learn how to write braille, so it had more meaning that anyone else realized.

(Y/N) was the type of person you could never let go. She was kind, considerate, and still had the ability to be playful and hilarious. She never minded that Toph was blind, and supported her through all of the things she wanted to accomplish -- like being the blind bandit. She was like a fire, burning the passion in Toph's heart.

Toph met (Y/N) in school, before Toph was homeschooled. They were both seven, and the whole class was practicing their writing. Toph sat there quietly, listening to the snickers of her taunting classmates.

"We're going to practice our letters."

The teacher's voice was old, and Toph could sense that she didn't want to deal with the rowdy kids. A boy giggled beside her, before Toph heard the shuffling of his clothes, raising his hand.

"How is she supposed to write?"

The boy pointed to Toph, and the class laughed. Toph frowned, crossing her arms and scrunching her eyes closed. She felt her face become hot with embarrassment.

"Oh shut up Ying!"

A girl said aggressively, scoffing at the boy's remark.

Toph heard stomping growing louder and louder, until Ying was shoved roughly against the wooden floors of the classroom. Small gasps were heard from around, causing Toph to smile slightly.

"Ms (L/N)!"

The teacher yelled, running over to check up or Ying.

The boy held the back of his head, tears rolling down his chubby cheeks. (Y/N) frowned, crossing her small arms and looking at the roof.

"Do not push people!"

(Y/N) groaned, crouching down so she was eye level with Toph.

She heard (Y/N)'s feet pivoting on the floor, causing her to turn her head in the direction of the noise.

"Don't worry -- i won't let them bully you."

Toph stopped writing her after her parents told her to, 'not write that evil girl'. It was only eight months after their family was sent away from Gaoling, but it felt like an eternity to Toph.

Toph didn't think she was evil.

The day was so unexpected, so sudden. Toph was the only person in the village that knew about (Y/N)"s family and their origin, who they were.

Two generations before (Y/N), her family arrived in Gaoling as refugees from the fire nation. Her grandfather, an ex-general, was sent away for treason. He took his people with him, ending up in Toph's village after a year of travel.

(Y/N) was born a firebender. Her family always encouraged her to hide the power, to act as a non-bender. It was easy, at first, since she had no one to teach her -- until Toph.

Even though Toph wasn't a firebender, she still told (Y/N) fighting tactics to be a bender from her classes. In secret, (Y/N) would practice. She would practice long and hard because she thought she might need it someday.

That was her demise.

"When's your next match?"

(Y/N) asked in the darkness of the cave, a small fire blooming from her palm. Toph thought for a moment, her fighting stand loosening. (Y/N) tossed the flame between her palm, the warm light reflecting on her face.

They were both ten years old. Toph was the youngest fighter in the secret earthbending matches, and (Y/N) attended all of them. She was the Blind Bandit's biggest fan.

"Tomorrow evening, i think."

(Y/N) hummed, leaning back on the rock she was sitting on. She winced as her left arm grazed against the rock, still raw from her injury.

"How does it feel?"

Toph asked, causing (Y/N) to look up.

"What?"

"The burn, how bad does it hurt?"

(Y/N) let out a small, 'oh', before looking down to her arm. It was bandaged up with a white cloth gauze, hiding the evidence of her parents anger.

She shrugged, flipping her arm over to inspect the bandages.

"I mean, it's fine. Doesn't hurt as bad as it did when mom got mad."

Toph nodded solemnly, huffing out an exasperated breath.

"You should really tell someone, y'know."

She was only greeted with a groan, knowing that meant no.

"I can't -- they'll wonder how she burnt me. It's kind of hard to lie when it's the shape of a handprint.."

(Y/N) laughed weakly, leaning back carefully so to not bump the scar. She sighed, closing her eyes and dropping the flame.

Toph dropped the rock she was levitating in front of her, hitting the ground with a 'thump!'. She turned her feet, walking over to where (Y/N) laid.

"You don't need to comfort me."

(Y/N) didn't need to open her eyes to see what Toph was doing. She would lay next to her, hold (Y/N) close. There was always something between them, something unidentifiable, something that normal friends didn't have.

They never really recognized this 'feeling', only letting it happen. Even if they did like eachother, their family would approve.

But they don't.

Right?

"Oh come on, you know you need it."

Toph crawled onto the flat boulder scrambling over to where (Y/N) was. She reached her hand over her torso, wrapping her hand around (Y/N)'s waist.

Even though she said she didn't want it, (Y/N) leaned in. Toph was significantly smaller than her, but she still placed her forehead on her collar.

"See. Toph is always right."

(Y/N) scoffed, roller her eyes under her eyelids. She sighed, thinking about what to say next.

Her face was horribly hot, and she was actually thankful that Toph was blind for once. Despite her 'luck', Toph could still hear her heart beating at a surprisingly fast speed.

"Hey, why's your hear-"

"Wanna hear about a new trick i learned?!"

(Y/N) quickly interrupted Toph, wanting to avoid the question. She removed herself from Toph's grasp, scooting off the boulder. She stood up, dusting off her uniform and clearing her throat.

Toph shifted, sitting fully. She felt a stab in het heart, confused as to why (Y/N) was so sudden to leave.

"Sure..?"

(Y/N) shifted awkwardly, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Okay so.."

As she described the move to Toph, rolling a ball of fire from the top of her hands across her arms and over her shoulders, making its way to her other hand, a rumbling feeling settled in Toph's stomach

She tried to listen to (Y/N), but every few seconds she swore she heard footsteps echo in the floor.

"Hey (Y/N)-"

"See, you gotta move your hair so you don't catch fire."

Toph was now sure that the sounds were footsteps. Her stomach sank.

"(Y/N) hold on-"

(Y/N) was too focused on trying to not catch fire to listen to Toph's worried plea. Toph stood up, walking quickly over to the firebender.

"Wait, stop for a moment-"

"Ms. Beifong?"

Oh spirits.

Toph turned to the voice, her face going pale. She grew sick at the voice, recognizing as one of her bodyguards.

(Y/N) let the fire fade out, also looking at the bodyguard. He looked at (Y/N), stepping back.

He looked back to Toph, beckoning her over to him.

"Ms. Beifong, step away from her."

Toph shook her head quickly, running a few steps forward to the bodyguard.

"Listen, shes-"

"She's a firebender!"

The bodyguard grasped Toph's wrists, shoving her behind him. She almost fell back out of the entrance of the cave, but caught herself.

She reached out, shooting up. a wall of rock from the floor in front of the bodyguard. He stopped in his tracks, turning around to look at Toph.

(Y/N) cowered, breaking a sweat. She was caught.

...

Toph sat on a log around the campfire, holding five pieces of paper in her thin hands.

She rubbed her thumb over the bumpy text, sighing softly.

A week ago, while the Gaang was stopping off in Ba Sing Se for a quick bite, Toph had an idea. It had been four years since she left her family behind, but this whole time, she never wrote a letter to (Y/N).

She thought it'd be stupid -- surely she wouldn't even remember who Toph was. There was a possibility that she also left her family, or, the worst outcome, she hated Toph for never speaking to her.

Toph had injured her ankle after hopping off Appa earlier that day, and Katara said that she should stay at camp instead of going out to find food with the rest of her friends. She was, of course, very angry by this, but it was four vs. one.

So, she listened to the crackling of the fire, petting a sleeping Momo softly and reading the letters. It was her guilty pleasure.

As she read the last letter she ever received from (Y/N), she heard a stick break in the woods. Both her and Momo looked up, ears perking at the noise.

Toph jumped up, limping over to where Aang left his staff. Momo chirped behind her hopping over to her hurt ankle and holding onto it.

"Momo, shut up."

She hissed, grabbing the wooden staff. Toph turned her head to hear all of her surroundings, trying to find where the noise came from.

Ruffling of leaves to her left.

She turned and limped towards the campfire, going around it and facing a cluster of trees.

"I can hear you! Give up."

She yelled, getting into a fighting stance. She hissed, her hurt ankle not used to the pressure.

The crunching of leaves turned into soft footsteps, growing louder and louder until Toph swung the staff in front of her.

Then it came to a sudden stop.

A hand had caught it in its motion, stopping before Toph could hit the perpetrator. She let out a few curses, taking a step back.

She reached her hand out, lifting a few rocks to the side of the figure. Before she could launch the rocks at them, a cold palm graced their cheek.

She stopped in her tracks, startled by the feeling.

"What the-"

"Toph."

She swatted the hand from her face, surprised at the fact they knew her name.

"Who are you?"

"Toph."

And then she realized.

She opened her eyes wide, a small gasp choking out of her throat. The voice was deeper than she remembered, more mature and aged. Toph tilted her head, trying to process what was really going on.

Toph reached up, touching the tips of her fingers to their cheekbone. She slid it down her cheek, touching her jawline and holding the knob of her chin. Her fingers graced her soft lips, touching the tip of her nose and sliding up to run her fingers though the taller's hair.

She felt a sob in her throat, realizing who it was. Everything felt so familiar all of a sudden, like she was a little kid playing in the sun again.

"(Y/N)."

It was one word, just a simple utter of a name, but it held so much meaning to both of them. Toph hadn't said that name since she was eleven, not even bothering to speak of her to anyone.

She launched forward, bringing (Y/N) in for a tight hug. She was much taller now, towering over Toph's small figure. Her hair was longer, and she had the body of a woman -- not like the ten year old Toph remembered.

"Y-You got my letter?"

Toph felt so weird talking so weakly like this, but life felt so simple with (Y/N) there.

"Yeah, I did."

Toph could sense the smile through her words, only hugging (Y/N) tighter. She hugged back, holding the back of Toph's head with her hand. Her other landed on Toph's waist, bringing the shorter against her.

When sending the letter, she asked (Y/N) to come to Ba Sing Se. Toph never believed that she would actually come, let alone find her way miles out from the kingdom to find her.

"You came.."

(Y/N) pushed Toph back gently, looking down at the girl below. She smiled kindly, leaning down.

"You called."

Before Toph could think, (Y/N)'s lips grazed hers, a soft kiss planted on her lips. She pulled back too quickly, and Toph already missed the contact. She grabbed (Y/N)'s face, bringing her back down and kissing her again.

...

BONUS!!

"Who the hell is that?"

Sokka said, looking to Toph and (Y/N) as they laid cuddled up in her tent. The morning sun peeked behind Sokka and Katara as they looked curiously.

"I have.. no idea."

[yourhighness6]

NATLA Episode 1 Debrief (by yours truly)

Hello my lovlies! There are so many opinions swirling around right now in the fandom and I wanted to give my own opinions a quick (this is not going to be quick but whatever) post of their own. I'm probably going to do this with all of the episodes, just an fyi

First of all, Sozin can fuck all the way off. I don't think I really have to explain that one but goddammit they really made me hate him (and I love to hate the villain)

I LOVE the detail of seeing the flames reflected in his eyes whenever he kills someone, as a symbol of fire's natural brutality consuming him from within. Kudos to whoever added that detail because it is absolutely perfect. I look forward to seeing more of this monster in future flashbacks.

The firebending itself was absolutely brutal. Watching the cartoon, you don't really think about how painful and horrific being burned alive is, and the live action explored that element in a way the previous show could not.

I know this is controversial, but actually really like how they devoted a good ten minutes to establishing some background with the Air Nomads before we dove in. In my opinion, it gave more depth to the Air Nomads besides just what we see through Aang's eyes, which I think helps the viewer connect with him more and sympathize in ways the cartoon didn't. One detail from this part that was absolutely heartbreaking was the Comet Festival.

Something about the way a time of joy was turned into a time of pain and misery was absolutely awful (this was the first time I cried [I cried three times]). The fact that all of the Air Nomads were in one place kind of filled in why there was no evidence of the FN ever having been to the Western Air Temple in s3 of the cartoon. It also adds another layer of awfulness to the whole thing. I can't really put into words why I feel that way, it's just a sort of vibe.

I also liked the way they established Aang's character flaws right off the bat:

The episode was named after him, so it only makes sense to show all aspects of his character almost immediately. This also gives me hope that they might address these flaws later a little more than the cartoon did.

Super glad they included a female Airbender on the counsel (or whatever that was). She was also fighting later and she looked super badass.

Now, onto the Water Tribe.

I can't express how glad I am that they included both boys and girls in Sokka's little warrior pack. People have talked about this before, but the gender roles in the SWT didn't make a lot of sense. Perfect little detail to fill a plot hole.

I am also over the moon that they decided to expand on the differences between the Water Tribe sibling's outlooks on the world. Katara was raised as both a beacon of hope and a liability, whereas Sokka was raised as a warrior and a protector. It gives insight into their characters and also symbolizes the way the war shaped them. The pressure within a society to adapt to the times even as traditional values are abandoned and culture is devastated is something that the original show laid the groundwork for, so I really hope we see the live action build on it further. There's also this:

Gives the perfect insight into the ways their parents leaving affected them both differently and expands on their different mindsets. 10/10 for the sibling dynamic.

I'm not sure if I liked the changes to this scene. Katara was characterized pretty well, in my opinion, and it does make sense with the "toning down" of Sokka's sexism that she didn't explode on him, but it's still an iconic moment I would have liked to see translated to the live action. I also found the fact that Appa wasn't included at all just plain weird. He should have been there, and even if he was established differently later, again, I'm not sure I liked the way Aang was introduced to the siblings. (At least they didn't include any romantic Kat@ang moments. Platonic besties for the win)

Zuko's introduction was just kind of... there, in my opinion, but I did love the detail of the icons on the shelf glowing. There were several homages made to Zuko's search for the avatar that I really appreciated, from the early establishment of his antagonism towards Lieutenant Jee to his pages of research, which I really appreciated. There were also several moments that implied that Zuko had a more spiritual journey throughout his banishment to find the avatar, which was partially a little bit of worldbuilding and partially a play into the idea that he will legitimately try everything possible to find the avatar that was another nice detail. Sadly, Dallas didn't really make a huge impression on me. This might be because of lack of screentime or the fact that this is THE Zuko, but I was kind of expecting more. Still, I don't think it was an irredeemable portrayal by any means, and I look forward to seeing more.

This is sort of random, but I just need to say that I'm glad they included more evidence of Katara's PTSD. It was already pretty established in the cartoon that she did have PTSD, but the live action allows exploration of that in a more mature way, which I appreciate. It made the kat@ang conversation hit that much harder, and gives more depth to Katara's character.

The fight at the gates was also just perfect. Zuko acting on impulse out of a need to prove himself:

Katara's speech and Sokka's change of heart:

And this line:

Sokka kind of fell flat to me a bit in this episode, and I feel like Katara was the MVP in all of their interactions, but I loved this line. I just have a feeling he really needed to hear this.

There's also this moment that I thought was really significant where it looked like Zuko was actually going to kill Sokka:

My heart legit stopped at this part. Like, I knew it made no logical sense for it to happen, but I still got scared for a moment. I know it was just another one of those moments to show how Zuko's anger gets the best of him, ect, ect. but this was overkill. I don't think they took it too far by any means, but it was still just so unexpected.

I also noticed they removed the zukka parallel of the two of them getting ready for battle at the same time, which I really disliked. It plays more into the warrior mindset for the both of them, and even though we had that established in other ways, I would have still liked to see it.

Aang's sacrifice is the same, but I appreciated his little conversation with Iroh. When Iroh showed up, I half expected him to just let Aang go, but I guess that wouldn't really be in character for season 1 Iroh. Either way, that was some good stuff.

The framing also sort of reminds me of the season 3 conversation between Zuko and Iroh when Iroh is in prison back in the FN. Both shots give the impression that it is not actually the one behind bars who is in prison. This makes me think that they might give Iroh more of an arc in season 1, which I would kind of like to see, but at the same time, I'm not sure about. I think it was important in the cartoon that Iroh had already completed his journey and was doing his best to guide Zuko through a similar one.

I am disappointed that they removed the fight scene between Zuko and Aang inside the ship, but there was another huge moment this allowed for that I REALLY LOVED:

I LOVE that they let Katara have her hero moment I LOVE that they let her discover her bending a bit more in this episode I LOVE that Aang helped her I LOVE IT ALL. Katara gaining more confidence in her abilities is the season 1 Katara arc I want to see and they legit made me fangirl over this moment so much I squealed. There's also something about her blocking a fire blast from Zuko after being powerless to stop him from killing/seriously hurting her brother in the earlier fight that's just... chefs kiss. (also maybe establishing that ZK yin and yang concept early... I'm reading way too much into this but the way Katara's arms are positioned kind of looks like the yin symbol a little bit...)

And finally, we have the air temple scene. The whole thing was so incredibly sad, and I actually didn't mind that it was part of the first episode. It makes everything go full circle, in my opinion.

I also thought that Gyatso's voice instead of Katara's being the one to calm Aang down was a really good choice. Aang coming to terms with his death should be about his memories with his past mentor, not about Katara comforting him. I loved the hug though. Perfectly devastating:

Also, the last parallel at the end was just SO perfect:

Something about how tradgedies in their lives forced them both to become dedicated and adapt to a new world beyond their control. Aang and Zuko parallels always wonderful.

Overall, I really enjoyed it! I would give this episode an 8.5/10. Not perfect, but definitely not bad. It surpassed my expectations and I'm so excited to see more!

[mysticwolfshadows]

Taken - Zutara - Part 35

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When Aang and Toph start Earhtbening training, Katara, Zuko, and Sokka give Appa a bath in the river by their camp. The shed fur clogs the stream by a beaver dam, and soon, the training yard is flooded and turned into a mud pit. Toph seems to find it hilarious, slinging mud at anyone who enters her domain. When Katara steps in, they have a battle of their own, which ends in everyone needing a bath.

Their days fall into a slow and dull routine, wondering around at the edge of the desert, giving Aang time to settle into his Earthbending training. They try to hold off on crossing the desert, as the sand renders her seismic sense nearly useless.

But Zuko seemed interested in something in the desert.

"Its something Zhao said to Uncle," he explained as they were eating one night. "When he thought I was dead. He talked about some weird library, where he found out about the ocean and moon spirits."

"Do you think the library could have more information?" Katara asked, frowning. "About the comet?"

"Or secret Fire Nation maps?" Sokka suggests.

Zuko eyed Sokka, but nodded. "I don't know all the secret passages in the Fire Nation. It's been years since I was there... So knowing all the potential entrances or exits and when exactly the comet will arrive will be crucial."

"We could look," Aang agrees. "Shouldn't be to hard to find a big fancy library in the desert. Think you're up for some flying and walking through sand, Toph?"

"Ugh, fine..."

They fly for hours over open sand, without any sign of anything.

"I'm all for secret library's," Sokka groaned, "but are we sure Zhao wasn't just crazy?"

There were a few jokes from Toph, the blind Earthbender pointing in a random direction and shouting with excitement. Only, the third time, she pointed and shouted and suddenly, Sokka was shouting too.

"Down there! What's that?!"

They spiral down, Appa landing next to what appears to be a tower. Katara frowned at the structure, looking up at the window high above them. A creature, orange and bushy tailed, darted past them, leaping up to dive through the window.

"Toph?" Zuko called, studying the window. "Could you check it for us? With your Earthbending, I mean."

Toph shuffled through the sand, hand reaching out in open air until it met the side of the tower. Immediately, she gasped. "This is definitely it! It's huge! And intact!"

As Aang takes rope up to the window for them to get inside, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko discuss who will go inside and who will stay outside. Toph already planned to stay behind, since she had little interest in books. Zuko offered to stay behind, since they didn't know what creatures or people would find them, but they needed Zuko to be able to recognize information on the Fire Nation. Katara understood the concerns, and as much as she wanted to go in, it might be better for her to stay behind.

And like that, it suddenly became a boys mission. Zuko was left with Aang and Sokka, climbing up into the library. As they slide down the rope, Zuko stiffens, quickly grabbing the two other boys and pulling them behind an ornate pillar.

An absolutely massive owl, at least twice as tall as Zuko, strode across the bridge in the center of the room. It peered at the rope hanging from the window, then turned its head completely around to look at their hiding spot.

"I know you're there," it said. "You should leave the way you came."

The three boys share a look, before slowly creeping out from their hiding spot. Sokka moved forward first.

"Did you make this library?"

"Indeed," the owl said, puffing up for a moment. "I am Wan Shi Tong, 'He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things'. And you are clearly humans, which are no longer permitted in my study."

Zuko felt a chill run down his spine. He had a bad feeling about this. "Because of a Firebender named Zhao?"

"And others like him. He came to this place years ago, looking for a way to destroy his enemies." The owl leaned down, its big black eyes seeming to stare into Zuko's very soul. "So, tell me. Who are you trying to destroy?"

"W-What?" Sokka gasps. "No-no... No destroy-"

"Sokka," Zuko said, elbowing the younger boy. He glanced at Aang, who looked as nervous as he was. Taking a deep breath, Zuko bowed to the owl. "Great Wan Shi Tong, we came to this library to search for knowledge about my homeland, the Fire Nation. We intend to use it to protect people from the Fire Nation. Sozin's Comet is making a return trip, and we have reason to believe they will use its power to eradicate another people, as they did with the Air Nomads." He glanced at Sokka and Aang, who were gaping at him. "If you insist, we will leave in peace, and not return."

Quickly, Aang stepped forward. "Please, Wan Shi Tong. I'm the Avatar, and I need this information to keep the balance of the world."

There was a pause, before the spirit relents. "Very well. I will allow you to peruse my library. But the information you gleen must be used only to defend, not in an assault against your foes. Now, do you have an offering of knowledge?"

Zuko and Aang bowed their thanks, and Zuko pulled Sokka down with them. When they stood, they quickly began to search their pockets. Aang had, of all things, a wanted poster of himself. The owl took it, though was somewhat annoyed. Sokka offered a knot made from a bit of the rope, while Zuko had... nothing. He had to leave so much behind when Zhao tried to have him killed. All he had left was...

Knowledge from his lessons.

"Great Spirit," Zuko said, trying to keep himself as humble as possible. "May I offer a quote from a Great Fire Sage that was never taken into any public record?"

The owl tilted its head. "Very well..."

Taking a breath, Zuko tried not to sweat. "'Sometimes you must do the right thing, even if it hurts you. Action reify ideals. We must never stop striving to do good, to protect the weak and the powerless. This is the charge to all men of learning.' Fire Sage Lito. These were her last words, before she was executed by Fire Lord Sozin for high treason."

The head tilted to the other side. "And I suppose this quote is relevant to your current plight. Or perhaps simply a way to insult me, for my abhorrence of human violence." The spirit straightens. "I will allow it."

Zuko bowed deeply, as Wan Shi Tong took flight and vanished into the library. When he stood up straight, he released to sharp breath he hadn't been aware he had been holding.

"Damn," Sokka said, slapping him on the back. "For a second, I thought you'd be bird food."

Shuddering, Zuko sighed. "You and me both."

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[hadesisqueer]

Hey so, one thought about the Beach that gets more painful when you know how Azula's story ends in the finale: She ALMOST opens up to the others, but then IMMEDIATELY puts her metaphorical mask back on the second she realizes this.

She very clearly DESIRES a genuine bond with her companions, but thanks to Ozai, she has no idea HOW to function like a normal person!

It's HEARTBREAKING to see her so clearly aware that there's SOMETHING wrong with her, but having no idea how to actually RESOLVE that. So she just defaults to appeasing her father. To being the monster people expect her to be.

Azula is such a tragic character because in another environment she could have been great. She was a firebending prodigy and her father favored her because of that, enabling her worst traits instead of trying to correct them so she could turn out to be just like him. Since Zuko wasn't as favored, her mother in turn paid more attention to him so he wouldn't feel left out, and you can see in the novels that she tried to get Ursa to also pay attention to her by doing the same things Ozai would usually praise her for, which caused Ursa to reasonably scold her; however, Ursa usually didn't scold her in the same way she scolded Zuko sometimes, by guiding him into doing the right thing. Instead, she scolded Azula by shutting her down, which caused Azula to rely more on Ozai than Ursa, thinking her mother didn't love her and showed favoritism for her brother, which isn't entirely wrong (although Ursa did love her; she simply connected more with Zuko because he reminder her of her first love, while subsconciously Azula reminded her more of Ozai).

Iroh seemed to have a similar relationship with them when they were kids, sending them both presents, although he seemed to get along more with Zuko, partly because he reminded Iroh of Lu Ten and partly because again, Azula relied a lot on her father who openly disliked Iroh. Then, Zuko was banished, and obviously, Iroh went with him; Zuko was a 13yo broken hearted child with half of his face burnt and sent away from home on his own to complete an impossible task. His abuse was more apparent and Iroh went with him because at the time, it seemed like he had it the worst (and also, again, because he was closer to him). I do think that if that had been Azula sent away, though—if she had somehow offended Ozai enough for him to burn her and banish her—Iroh would have probably tried to go with her regardless of how bad their relationship would have been, trying to show her the same guidance he showed Zuko. Damn, maybe even Zuko would have chosen to go with her, since that's his younger sister (and because he would have prefered going with his uncle and his younger sister who he doesn't get along with rather than staying completely alone with his father, maybe). Maybe it'd have worked, spending years in a different environment with someone who tried to help her and didn't treat her like a living weapon who could easily be disposed of whenever she no longer was useful to him. Zuko himself said that the best thing Ozai did for him was banishing him. Maybe it would have been the best thing for Azula too.

[sokkastyles]

Just wanted to ask you your thoughts on Zuko being motivated by empathy and compassion. Seems like so many people want to deny it these days lol.

I think a lot of people forget that the Zuko we see at the beginning of the series is a Zuko who is trying his hardest to deny his compassionate nature, to fit in with what he thinks he is supposed to be.

I'm not saying that Zuko was "good all along" or that he didn't need a redemption arc, but a big part of his redemption arc was returning to the person he was in his childhood and learning that there wasn't anything wrong with that child, that it was his father and nation who were wrong.

We're shown that Zuko as a child is someone who is sensitive and cares about living things, but who is feeling pressure to live up to a standard set by his father, which is why he emulates his sister in being cruel to the turtleducks, but is shocked by the harm his actions cause. Before the mother duck bites him and he gets defensive, to which his mother has to explain to him that the mother was only protecting her children, he has this look on his face when he sees that he hurt the turtleduck:

We also see him try to appeal to Azula's empathy.

And we see Azula use his empathy against him, first by using his feelings of obligation towards her because they're brother and sister (an idea Zuko will later repeat in the present timeline) to get him to join the game so she can play a trick on him, and also knowing that he would try to save Mai from the burning apple.

We haven't gotten any hints that Zuko has a crush on Mai, and he didn't even notice that she feels that way about him. He just saw that she was in distress and wanted to help her. And Zuko jumping in front of danger to help others - to his detriment - is something we see him do over and over in the series. More on that later.

We're shown all these scenes of Zuko as a child because they're important to establish who Zuko was before he was burned, before we see him trying desperately to be what he thinks he should be. And these scenes specifically are meant to mirror what happens in the present timeline in "Zuko Alone," in which we see him protect children and women from soldiers taking advantage of the town, for no other reason other than that it's the right thing to do. But also because these are things he couldn't do when he was a kid.

The two kids he protects from the soldiers at the beginning mirror Azula and Zuko as children

Being menaced by a tyrannical adult male presence.

Zuko calls out the group of soldiers for the bullies that they are in a way that he could not call out his father as a child.

And also protects the family when the older son is forced onto the front lines, mirroring both Lu Ten's death and the sacrifice of the soldiers Zuko tried to speak up against in the war meeting.

Zuko teaches the boy how to use his dao, the way Zuko had to find an alternate means of defending himself when he couldn't rely on firebending -

And gives the boy a knife to mirror how his knife was taken away -

And reclaims his mother's name because she was taken away. All of these can be read as not only Zuko reclaiming a part of himself that was lost, but being able to indulge in the side of himself that is motivated by compassion for others.

And he gets no credit for these things. Once he reveals himself as the Fire Nation prince, he is chased out of the town. And Zuko could have told himself that these people were just ungrateful, but he doesn't, because he didn't do it for their gratitude, but because it was the right thing to do. "Zuko Alone," as an episode is meant to show us what Zuko is when he's on his own, without the pressure to be what his father wants him to be, and we see someone who is haunted by his past but also motivated to help others.

This episode is so interesting because it shows us such a different side of Zuko but it's never brought up again. Zuko doesn't bring it up when Iroh is pushing him to do the right thing, nor when he's trying to get the gaang on his side. It's something only Zuko and the audience know that shows us that Zuko already knew what doing the right thing was.

Of course, the big example of Zuko's compassion as a child that I only briefly touched on is when he objects to the treatment of the soldiers in the war meeting. I'd also argue that Zuko's refusal to fight his father was also motivated by his sense of kindness and goodness. Of course, he is also motivated by fear of and loyalty to his father, but I think he also just won't do it because it's his father and there are supposed to be those bonds of love there. Zuko has a deep capacity for love and his father betrayed that love horrifically, and Zuko doesn't even see it as a betrayal because he is blinded by love for his father. There is an irony in Zuko speaking up for soldiers he doesn't even know, speaking about love, how those soldiers love a nation that is willing to betray them, and then he himself is betrayed, has his love betrayed, and doesn't even see it until the end of the story.

Of course, "the Storm," as well as being the episode that tells us about how Zuko stood up for the soldiers and was scarred, also shows Zuko's compassion in his willingness to admit that he was wrong and protect his own men. Zuko also apologizes to Iroh in this episode for trying to drive the men into the storm. This is meant to show us that, although Zuko is trying to deny that part of himself that feels an obligation towards others, he still has that inclination towards kindness and empathy. This is also highlighted by the contrast with Azula giving her men dangerous orders and threatening them when they question her.

There's also Zuko's compassion for Iroh, that Zuko threatens to leave Iroh behind but then goes after him when he is captured, indulges Iroh on a wild lotus tile chase, goes on a date and works in a tea shop and throws down his swords just because it will make Iroh happy.

There's his refusal to burn Zhao and attempt to save him at the North Pole. All the other examples above are Zuko showing empathy for his family or innocents, but Zhao was not only Zuko's enemy, but someone who tried to kill him. And Zuko still doesn't want to see this man suffer.

I could talk about Zuko's field trips and his pep talks with the gaang, how he boosts Aang's confidence - someone who was, for a long time, his rival - how he won't let Sokka go to a maximum security prison and risk his life alone (and at first tries to protect Sokka from the knowledge of where his father is), how he gets to the bottom of Katara's grief and gives her closure with her mother, how he is torn up about burning Toph's feet, how he attempts to break Iroh out of prison, how he jumps in front of Azula to protect the gaang, how he tries to jump in front of a fire whip for Chit Sang, how he jumps in front of lightning for Katara. How he stands in front of representatives from all nations and talks about creating an era of peace and love.

How he doesn't win through beating an opponent into submission, but through teaching, and learning, and apologizing, and growing, and sacrificing himself for others.

[somewhereincairparavel]

todays most memorable episode as a first time watcher, is probably "the tales of ba sing se" and "the guru".

I decided not to watch the season 2 finale today, I'm saving the best for tomorrow because a part of me feels like "the crossroads of destiny" is a very impactful episode.

Alright, I CRIED when iroh sang the vines song to Lu Ten's picture :( it was so sad. Zuko being such an awkward date with Jin was so cute?? Like he never used firebending as he came to ba sing se but then used it for the first time to make jin happy :(💖

Now, im actually impressed with the way the plot is progressing?? I really thought team avatar has had a head start because of the solar eclipse invasion but now Azula found out about it?? But tbh when the gaurds told the earth King that "three kyoshi warriors" had arrived at ba sing se, I kinda guessed it was them. But still a great continuation regardless. Also, not from this episode, but Jet's death was super shocking to me??? I wasn't expecting that to happen, it was so random, I didn't like him much but I did feel sad with how his life ended.

Can I just say that I'm super happy with how Zuko was content with his tea shop life with iroh?? He looked so happy and peaceful for the first time, and was super cheery :( but I do know it won't stay that way for long so that's sad.

[ghanjrho]

How A:tLA should have ended, Pt. 2

Part 1 is here

I promised you Fire Family and Steambabies, have your Fire Family and Steambabies. We'll start with oldest and move down in age, as of roughly AG 115. For timeline purposes, the royal wedding was in AG 105, when Zuko was 21 and Katara 19.

Uncle Iroh: Iroh retires from his role as Regent the day Zuko and Katara have their Fire Nation wedding. Now he moves back to Ba Sing Se and his tea shop, though he still makes it back to Caldera for a couple weeks a year. It's a good system, obviously removing the Dragon of the West from the levers of power, while also putting enough physical separation between him and Zuko that a coup is unlikely to target both at once. The Steambabies call him Grampa Iroh.

Ozai: Is dead. Handed over to the Earth Kingdom a year or so after the war ended, an international tribunal called for his execution. In desperation, he offered up all the information he had on Ursa. All it bought him was being executed like a member of the Fire Lord's family, as opposed to a peasant. Aang refuses to vote for death on principle, but has grown enough to understand that not everyone can live by his personal code of ethics.

Ursa: Was found. The basic arc of The Search is maintained, with the exception that Ursa didn't lose her memories. Why didn't she go back? She was going to. But Ursa was Noriko now, and Noriko was going to have to work hard to convince her son that she was his mother; at the time she didn't know that the Mother of Faces could undo a gift and make her Ursa again. Not to mention that at the time of The Search, the family simply didn't have the money to travel to the Capitol and stay there for the amount of time it would take for her to get access to Zuko without running afoul of her banishment.

Zuko: Is the Fire Lord, and a devoted father. He thinks the second is more important. Had some serious nerves about parenthood, but bowed to the reality of needing an heir and a spare. Winds up having more than that.

Katara: Is the Fire Lady, and a handful of other titles besides. Her travels through the Fire Nation hinterlands give her a surprising wealth of connections to the Fire Nation's peasantry, which she freely uses to keep abreast of what's going on in her adopted land. She and Zuko are that married couple that can't keep there hands off each other.

Azula: Instead of letting Azula be a crutch villain, Azula gets better. Ursa's return and Zuko's persistent attention helped her unwind a lot of the emotional abuse that Ozai inflicted on her. Not all the way better, she has a medicated tea that she takes daily, and her moral compass is still worryingly external. That said, Zuko is her frame of reference instead of Ozai, so everyone is willing to call it good enough. On her 18th birthday, Zuko (and Iroh) named her the Hand of Fire, making her the Fire Lord's go-to problem solver.

Kiyi: is adorable. Yes, Mommy looks different now, but Kiyi has cool older siblings now! Azula had very complicated feelings about "her replacement" for a while. A lot of talks with Ursa helped; finding out Zuzu would fold in the face of Kiyi's pout did too. Early morning Fire Sibling meditation is essential bonding time. For Kiyi's age, I'm putting her 10 years younger than Azula, or 12 years younger than Zuko; in AG 115 she's 19 and a skilled firebender.

Izumi: Steambaby the first. Izumi was born on her parents' first anniversary, almost to the hour. Like her aunt, she's an extremely talented firebender, using blue fire and learning lightning generation. Unlike her aunt, her mother isn't trying to protect a more vulnerable sibling, and her father isn't emotionally abusing her to turn her into a living weapon/vessel for his will.

Kya: Steambaby the second. Followed her older sister by a year and a half, being born in mid-winter. Like her mother, she's a waterbender with the healing gift.

Lu Ten/Noriko: Twins that followed Kya by 3 years and a bit; spring birth. Neither has shown signs of bending yet, but there's still time.

Rei/Kallik: Boys, newborn.

Bonus:

Sokka/Suki: The brother-in-law and co-sister-in-law of the Fire Lord. Have 3 of their own and are working on a fourth. Suki and Azula are in a low-key competition to be the favorite aunt. Their work mainly keeps them in the new United Republic's territory,

[the-genius-az]

About Mai's love for Azula: this is basically a defense of Mai.

Mai and Ty Lee are the only people that love Azula unconditionally (and Azula loves them, Zuko, Ozai and Ursa unconditionally, perhaps she loved Lu Ten too). Azula can burn the world down, Mai won't stop loving her.

But Mai is 15. She's 15 and spent the last year or so away from Azula, and Azula acted the same way, Mai didn't see what changed (what broke) in Azula in this period of time when Azula was all alone with Ozai. She's 15 and not an alpha, she doesn't understand how deeply, how intensely everything is for Azula. And she doesn't have the same experience with abandonment, with insecurity, she doesn't have the emotional maturity to see that she and Ty Lee are the people that can break what was left of Azula at that point.

Even if she did, her choice was between potentially breaking something in their relationship and definitely breaking Azula. She chose potential ("you miscalculated", and Azula was right. There's a chance the consequences of killing Zuko would lead to less trauma, less pain than fully breaking Azula's lack).

Loving someone doesn't mean you'll never hurt then. For all of Mai's love for Azula, she has so much power over Azula that it's almost impossible for Mai to not hurt her.

It's because Mai loves her that after the war, Mai's the second person to start constantly visiting her. (Aang's the first, he's the first to forgive her, and the first to listen to her, Aang's the first to see Azula the hurt child instead of Azula the "crazy" firebender.)

It's because Mai's love is unconditional that she keeps coming, and that she gives Azula space when it's too much. Mai's willing to take whatever Azula gives her, even if it's a "I don't want you in my life".

It's all a painful process. Mai's healing too (and with we go with an AU where there's a pup involved, Mai's also taking care of a child without her alpha. The Gaang helps, but none of them is what she needs – and as much as she wants to find a way of breaking Azula out and running away, she knows it'll only hurt Azula even more).

So, yes, Mai loves Azula. She's just another kid in the middle of a war making impossible choices.

- Ash 🔥🍌

About Mai's love for Azula: this is basically a defense of Mai.

Continue...☕

Mai and Ty Lee are the only people that love Azula unconditionally.

It's sad how the only people who love Azula unconditionally leave her, it's kind of... ironic.

Azula has consequences while Zuko doesn't.

(if we ignore the scar).

she doesn't have the emotional maturity to see that she and Ty Lee are the people that can break what was left of Azula at that point.

No one is mature enough not to break someone who was about to break.

Loving someone doesn't mean you'll never hurt then. For all of Mai's love for Azula, she has so much power over Azula that it's almost impossible for Mai to not hurt her.

You're so mature, Ash. 🚬

Having someone like Azula at your feet, who could literally burn the world down... is very dangerous, for the world or for her.

It's because Mai's love is unconditional that she keeps coming, and that she gives Azula space when it's too much.

What is it like when Mai visits you for the first time? I would like to read that.

Mai's also taking care of a child without her alpha.

Did you have your baby without your Alpha around? That must have been devastating, especially since she was so young (Regardless of the fact that she is...eighteen?), Mai must have felt very sad for Azula, especially since she has no idea what will happen to her puppy.

I bet Azula fell deeper into her depression when she had the instinct/thought that her cub was born, she thought she would never meet him...

and as much as she wants to find a way of breaking Azula out and running away, she knows it'll only hurt Azula even more.

What would have happened if I had? Run away with your Alpha and cub away from everyone.

I know that would ruin Azula because she needs medical help, and Mai just did a desperate thing and didn't think it through, and ran away with her family.

So, yes, Mai loves Azula. She's just another kid in the middle of a war making impossible choices.

Thanks, Ash.

Now I want to post something happy where Azula accidentally gets Mai pregnant and they live HAPPY, do you understand that, Ash? "Happiness" is a human thing, do you want me to explain it to you so you can stop putting a noose around my neck?

[cienie-isengardu]

What if Lu Ten wasn't a firebender?

Lu Ten’s death is the turning point in history of Iroh, his relationship with Zuko and Ozai’s rise to power while we barely knows anything about him as a character. Including whether he was firebender or not and I admit, it bugs me a lot, because Lu Ten being a non-bender could add a lot to the conflict between brothers but also explain Iroh’s fondness for his nephew.

We know that as a son of Iroh, Lu Ten was the second-in-line to the throne and that he fought at war in Ba Sing Sai. His death broke Iroh and saddened Ursa and little Zuko, however Azulon himself never said anything suggesting he loved his grandson (and heir) in any special way. When Ozai asked to be named the Crown Prince, Azulon only talked about Iroh - his first-born (beloved) son and Iroh’s pain, never saying how he personally, if ever, was affected by Lu Ten’s death.

Azulon: Say what it is you want! Ozai: Father, revoke Iroh's birthright. I am your humble servant, here to serve you and our nation. Use me. Azulon: You dare suggest I betray Iroh? My first born? Directly after the demise of his only beloved son? I think Iroh has suffered enough! But you ... your punishment has scarcely begun!

What Ozai did was not only foolish for pragmatic reasons - especially if Azulon always favored Iroh, but also very tactless, showing how little he cared for Lu Ten, his nephew or Iroh, his older brother. Through Zuko’s memories we could see that Azula already thought their “dad would make a much better Fire Lord than His Royal Tea-Loving Kookiness [Zuko Alone]”. Considering how Ursa and Zuko are fond of Iroh and Lu Ten, it is logical to think Azula’s opinion is rooted in Ozai’s ambitions and disdain for Iroh.

Additionally, Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search comics provided us some insight into Zuko’s childhood: Ozai wanted to get rid of his son because he thought the baby “lacked a spark” and having a non-bender for a first born was embarrassing for Prince of Fire Nation.

When you were born, we weren't sure if you were bender at all. You didn't have that spark in your eyes. I planned to cast you from the palace. How embrassing for a prince of the Fire Nation to have a nonbender as his firstborn! [The Search, part II]

As the story explained, Ozai on purpose emotionally abused and humiliated Zuko, as a revenge against Ursa, so we should ask if what he said was a widely accepted truth or just him taking another chance to make his son (and wife)’s life a living hell. However if Ozai’s words are true, then if Lu Ten was born as non-bender he would be considered an embarrassment to Iroh’s bloodline. Yet since Azulon accepted him as his grandson and thus put in line of succession, especially if Azulon did it solely out for love for his firstborn, then it makes sense for Ozai to resent Iroh (the favored son) and Lu Ten (the non-bender nephew Ozai would be forced to serve in future).

Interestingly, child Azula provided another detail to ponder more about the idea of non-bender Lu Ten:

Young Azula: If Uncle doesn't make it back from war, then Dad will be next in line for Fire Lord, wouldn't he? Ursa: Azula, we don't speak that way. It would be awful if Uncle Iroh didn't return. And besides, Fire Lord Azulon is a picture of health. Young Zuko: How would you like it if cousin Lu Ten wanted Dad to die? Young Azula: I still think our dad would make a much better Fire Lord than His Royal Tea-Loving Kookiness.

If Iroh didn’t make it back from war, logically thinking the title of next Fire Lord should be bestowed on his son. However Azula wholly ignored her cousin’s existence and this scene took place before news of Lu Ten’s death. Surprisingly, Ursa does not correct Azula about the line of succession and like her daughter, she omits Lu Ten. Understandably, Ursa was taken aback by such a question, but still no one from the Royal Family presented here seems to consider Iroh’s son to be next in line.  

Zuko is literally the only one person who remembers about Lu Ten’s existence but like the rest of his family, not in the context of the succession line. Which I admit, confuse me a lot, because in the same episode Ozai specifically ask for Iroh’s birthright arguing his older brother lost his heir, while Ozai’s children are alive (and Azula presented as amazing firebender at such young age).

Ozai: Father, you must have realized as I have, that with Lu Ten gone, Iroh's bloodline has ended. After his son's death, my brother abandoned the siege at Ba Sing Se, and who knows when he will return home. But I am here, Father, and my children are alive. 

To my knowledge, here is little solid data about Lu Ten but… if Lu Ten was born as non-bender - the shame to Royal Family - but was still put by Azulon before Ozai in the line of succession, it adds a lot to Ozai’s frustration and resentment for Iroh, the clearly favored son, and fuels the competition between brothers for Azulon’s favor. To the point Ozai will push hard his own children to their limits and beyond, because of the need to prove his heirs are better than Iroh’s. And with Azula, the second child being the prodigy firebender, while Iroh’s own can’t bend a fire for sure comes a great deal of satisfaction and most likely Ozai’s arrogance rubbed on little Azula toward her cousin. Which could meant Ozai didn’t pit his own kids against each other, but also pit Azula against Lu Ten.

On the other hand, Zuko and Lu Ten were implied to have a good relationship. We saw Iroh, baby Zuko and little Lu Ten playing together on the beach or that Zuko was genuinely sad about his cousin’s death and fact Iroh lost his only kid. We also know Zuko struggled a lot with firebending and father’s high exceptions (though we have no idea how good a firebender he was compared to other children his age. We only know he was bad compared to firebending prodigal Azula). If Lu Ten was the “embarrassment” for being non-bender and Zuko the “failure” compared to younger sister, their bond could be based on similar hardship they were forced to endure. Beside Iroh, from all family members, within the context of presented flashbacks and little bits here and there, Zuko seemed to have the closest relationship with his older cousin. The moment Lu Ten is dead, Ozai is already trying to get the throne.  Azula barely cared for Lu Ten and mocked Iroh for being broken by son’s death (no doubt Ozai’s influences). Ursa was upset about the news of Lu Ten’s death, but she barely mentions him beside that one moment. Azulon has never openly said he is upset by his grandson's death or that it is a great loss to Fire Nation - he only cared for Iroh’s pain. 

So if Zuko and Lu Ten (non-bender) had any resemblance of normal family relationship, I think it would naturally make Iroh like the boy despite the bitter brotherhood with Ozai, especially if his nephew did not look down on Lu Ten’s lack of firebending. What most likely would just add another reason for Ozai to resent Zuko (and maybe for Iroh to not be fond his niece?)

Which is why I like the idea of Lu Ten being non-bender - it mess even more already messed up Royal Family relationship. 

[goldenavenger02]

brave soldier boy

For @badthingshappenbingo. Prompt: wiping the other's tears away

"You don't need to be like uncle Ozai or Azula," Lu Ten finally said, watching as Zuko tried his hardest to blink back tears, "because you can be like aunt Ursa, or my father or me. You don't have to be rageful."

"I wish I was going with you."

Lu Ten couldn't help but smile as he watched his cousins firebend in the training yard.

Azula was a marvel, a firebending prodigy at just nine years old, who would grow up to do great things for the Fire Nation; her flames burned bright blue with heat whenever she lost her temper, but he had confidence that she would conquer that temper like she did with every challenge that came her way.

He wasn't the first person who had stood back to watch her calculated, timed movements and knowing that regardless of what position she would hold in the Fire Nation, she would hold it with both fury and grace.

Zuko was very good for an eleven year old in his own right; his flames had come in later than Azula's, but he made up for it with his wit and quick actions in the training yard even if that meant that his foot was pointed the wrong way or his flames didn't hit the target exactly where they were supposed to.

Regardless of how long it took, Zuko would always complete the task given to him.

He only waited to walk up with his hands clasped together after the last of the flames had gone out, knowing better than to sneak up on a pair of firebenders, "when I get back from Ba Sing Se, you two are gonna be better at this then Avatar Roku himself."

"You were finally sent for? By the soldiers?" Azula's eyes shone bright with the fire she had just been wielding as the pair ran up to him.

"Myself, as well as my father. They are about to break through the outer wall, which means it's time for all hands on deck," Lu Ten explained while crouching down to their level, "we leave in the morning."

"I wish I could go with you."

"As much as I think you would be an excellent warrior on the frontlines, Azula," Lu Ten stopped for a moment, hoping that this war would be over before Zuko was the age of enlistment, let alone Azula, "your duty is here, to the people. You have to keep their morale up, so they don't think that this is a waste of time."

"They would be stupid to think that." Azula shook her head with a smile before walking away, presumably to go play with her friends, Ty Lee and Mai.

"You don't have to lie to me, about my firebending," Zuko said once she had walked away while putting away his helmet, "I'm never going to be as good as Azula."

"Hey, I can't firebend at all, remember? All of this is impressive to me no matter what," Lu Ten argued before leaning on one of the training dummies, "and who said you had to be as good as Azula?"

"Uncle Iroh is the "Dragon of the West", you were first in all of your classes, Azula is a prodigy and I'm…" he sighed, sitting down on the grass, "I'm just Zuko."

"You're right. You are "just Zuko"," Lu Ten nodded as he sat down beside him on the grass, holding his arm out to invite his cousin to lean against him, "I don't know about you, but "just Zuko" can be pretty great too."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. Because you are quick on your feet, you always get the job done no matter how long it takes, and you are so kind. I know that if you ever become the Fire Lord, that you will rule our people with a strong but gentle hand."

"Father doesn't want me to be gentle," Zuko muttered, pulling his knees to his chest, "he says I need to be tough, like Azula."

Lu Ten had to bite his tongue before he said something distasteful about his uncle Ozai. Despite his father being next in line for the throne, he was also a general and if his father died on enemy lines, the crown would go to his uncle.

And despite never having been on the receiving end of uncle Ozai's wrath, he knew that if he said something out of line, the punishment would be severe.

"You don't need to be like uncle Ozai or Azula," Lu Ten finally said, watching as Zuko tried his hardest to blink back tears, "because you can be like aunt Ursa, or my father or me. You don't have to be rageful."

"I wish I was going with you."

Unlike his sister, Lu Ten knew that it wasn't because Zuko wanted to fight or to help the Fire Nation but that, even if he didn't know it himself, he was looking for an escape.

Instead of saying that, however, he leaned forward and used his thumb to wipe away the tears on his face before whispering so quietly that he wasn't sure if his cousin even heard him, "I wish I was staying."

When he received no reaction, he knew that he was in the clear and reached into his pocket to pull out the medallion. It had been one of his many achievements in school, finishing first in his officer class. It shined in the golden sun, proudly displaying the goal he had completed.

"You should have this," Lu Ten spoke, setting the medallion in Zuko's palm and wrapping his fingers around it.

"But this is important to you." Zuko protested, but he hadn't pushed it back towards him in retaliation.

"It should belong to someone who is destined to do great things and despite what others might say, you are destined to do great things, Zuko."

He held his cousin tightly in his arms when he sprang up to hug him, feeling the tears soak into his hair and his clothes, "shhh…"

"I'm gonna miss you."

Lu Ten rested his hand on the back of Zuko's head and pulled him in as close as possible, fighting back his own tears as he muttered, "I'm gonna miss you too."

When Zuko finally pulled away, Lu Ten wondered if firebending felt like the pure rage that was cycling through him when he saw where his sleeves had rolled up to his elbows.

And the five pink, fingerprint shaped splotches in his little cousin's skin.

...

He took his time packing.

Realistically, Lu Ten knew that he did not need much. Weapons and armor would be provided, so he took with him what he always took. Night clothes, paper and ink for letters, clothes for under his armor, hair ties and his notebook.

In most cases, the rage making its way through his bones would be written down in that notebook before he ripped the page out and tossed it in the fireplace. A technique that his own father used when his own rage grew to be too much.

But this was more severe than an argument with a fellow recruit; someone had burned Zuko with their bare hand and he had no idea who he could safely confide in.

'Grandfather may see it as an acceptable form of discipline. Father would question everyone in sight and put the two of us in danger. Uncle Ozai...he might have done it himself, he has always been so hard on Azula and Zuko to succeed and if he didn't do it, he allowed one of their teachers to do it.'

Which only left him with one choice, the safest choice.

He made his way to the greenhouse on the eastern side of the palace, the servants side of the palace, and opened the door, unsurprised to see exactly who he was looking for, carefully studying the different plants and separating them out between medicinal and edible.

"Aunt Ursa?"

"Hello, Lu Ten. I heard the news," she put down the stem she was holding into one of the glass jars before turning, her head held high with a small smile like always despite her constant underlying sadness that he could always feel radiating from his aunt, "your grandfather must be proud."

"Can I speak to you? Privately?"

"Of course," she insisted, nodding at the lone gardener who bowed before exiting the greenhouse, "is something wrong?"

"If..." He swallowed, knowing that his next words could be considered in a number of ways, "if someone was hurting one of the heirs to the throne, what would be the best course of action?"

"Treat any wounds, and then make sure that the person who had done it never stepped foot in the palace again. All of the nations, regardless of differences, frown on child abuse." She explained, her voice remaining steady as her hand shook around the stem she was holding, "did someone hurt you, Lu Ten?"

"No, no, I'm fine," he assured her, watching her movements still as she plucked the green and blue leaves from the plant she was holding, "I was speaking to Zuko and Azula earlier, letting them know that my father and I are leaving in the morning and...Zuko had these burns on his wrist."

"As much and as hard as he practices, that is inevitable."

"They looked like fingerprints, Aunt Ursa."

She dropped the plant she was holding and looked directly into his eyes, "Lu Ten, are you sure?"

"I swear on Agni itself."

She nodded, brushing a few loose hairs behind her ear before sealing the jars and turning back to him, "please send him to me. You should be getting ready, I will speak to him."

"Okay."

"And Lu Ten?" She added, forcing him to turn back to look her in the eyes again, "make sure that Azula and Ozai do not hear anything about this."

...

He had been too busy to follow Zuko to where his mother had been waiting for him in the infirmary. He still had to confirm location and tactics with both his father as well as the othet soldiers, even if he wished to take out all of his weapons training on the person who had done this to his cousin.

But, just as he was following his father to the travel cart that would take them to their boat in the first rays of sunlight, he couldn't help but watch as one of Azula and Zuko's firebending teachers left with his luggage all while Ursa watched from the entrance with a glare that put fear into his heart.

His aunt Ursa was terrifying in her own right, but as he tossed his luggage into the cart and sat next to his father, he couldn't help but wonder if Zuko had been telling the truth about the marks.

After all, despite how much abuse was frowned upon in the Fire Nation, disrespecting your elders was even more frowned upon; and with the way uncle Ozai always kept a strong hand on Zuko's shoulder, he couldn't help but wonder if the real enemy had been ousted.

[lonewolfel]

Fictober 2023 Day 4

Read on AO3 Fandom: Avatar: the Last Airbender Prompt: 29 - "That's all? Easy." Rating: Gen Characters: Zuko, Azula, Ozai, Ursa, (Iroh and Lu Ten mentioned) Ship: N/A Warnings: implied child abuse, mentions of a child character committing murders Notes: AU where Zuko is trained to be a spy and assassin for Ozai.

Many within the Fire Nation would say Zuko and Azula were like night and day; which was very much the truth. 

Azula was well known to be the golden child, the light of the Fire Nation. She was a firebending protegee who became the youngest person to create blue flames at the age of 10. She was also considered to be a tactical genius. 

Zuko on the other hand was seen as Ozai's disappointment heir. He was not a strong firebender and to the point, the young prince will never be seen firebending in public. He was considered too emotional to be good at strategy or war. Zuko was often considered to be hidden in the shadows of his younger sister; little did they know that that was how he liked it. 

It all started when the boy was 10.

Zuko was sitting by the turtleduck pond while he read a theater scroll.

"What are you doing, dum-dum?" Azula asked. 

Zuko startled at the voice and dropped his theater scroll.

"Leave me alone," Zuko snapped. He leaned down to pick up the scroll. 

"Are you reading one of those stupid scrolls that Mom gets you?" Azula asked knowing full well the answer. 

Zuko blushed and protectively pulled the scroll into his chest. He knew that his younger sister was more than willing to burn it if she got her hands on it. 

"None of your business, Azula," Zuko snapped.

Azula let out a sigh that only an 8-year-old who thought they knew everything could.

"Maybe if you spent as much time as you do reading theator scrolls you would actually be good at something," Azula said.

"I'm good at stuff," Zuko protested. 

"Really like what?" Azula asked.

Zuko froze. He was good with the sword according to Master Piando but he couldn't say that. If he told Azula then it would make its way to their father and Father would be so mad.

"Sneaking around," Zuko finally shot back. 

It was true as growing up with Azula and Father had ensured that he knew how to not be seen or heard. 

"I bet you can't sneak into Dad's office," Azula said.

Zuko knew exactly what his sister was doing. She was setting him up so that he would get in big trouble with their father. None of them were allowed in that room. However, the 10-year-old's pride didn't allow him to back down.

"That's all? Easy," Zuko said. 

A wide smile of a predator appeared on Azula's face. He knew at that instance that he had played into her hand, but Zuko wouldn't take back the words. 

"Great then go do it," Azula said. 

"I will," Zuko shot back. The boy stormed off to go do it with his heart in his stomach.

~~~

Ozai did a quick scan of his office before he sat down at his desk. He could never be too careful as he planned how to usurp his brother while he was at Ba Sing Se.

Ozai then began to work on his plans and the actual work the Fire Lord had assigned him. 

It was towards sunset close to the time that they would eat dinner when he heard the noise. 

It sounded like a bang and a whimper. 

Ozai walked over to the cabinet (that he swore he looked at when he first arrived in his office) with a flame in his hand ready to burn whatever decided to sneak into his office. When he opened it he was met with a surprise.

Instead of some animal or small assassin, his oldest child looked at him with gold eyes wide in horror at being caught with his hand frozen on his elbow likely rubbing where he bumped it. 

Anger rose in Ozai. He had told his children that they weren't allowed to be in his office. Of course, his failure of a son wouldn't listen to direct orders. 

"How long have you been in here?" Ozai demanded. He hadn't heard the boy enter the room but he also couldn't have been in here before him.

Zuko flinched back as far as he could go.

"I don't know before you came in here," Zuko said.

"Liar," Ozai snarled. There was no way that the boy could have hidden from his search.

Zuko shrunk back.

"Honest, there is a small gap between the cabinets and the ceiling. After you sat down I hid in the cabinet in case you looked up," Zuko pleaded.

Ozai looked up at the mentioned gap and saw it. Ozai had dismissed it as a security threat as it was too small for an assassin to hide in and too high for a hole to be cut into to listen to him or see what he was doing. Clearly, he underestimated it like his son.

His son remained hidden for hours and likely hours more if he wasn't so clumsy. 

Zuko was an awful firebender. He wasn't in any way smart. He was brash, impulsive, and far too sensitive to really be worth anything, but perhaps his talents could lie elsewhere.

If Zuko was so silent and sneaky he would make a good assassin. It would be shameful if word got out but the boy could be just the tool he would need against Iroh. After all his brother and his nephew adored the boy and they likely wouldn't think twice about telling their secrets to him which would get back to Ozai.

Yes, this boy will actually be of use to him.

"Follow me," Ozai said.

Zuko shot his father a confused look. Ozai paid it no mind. He walked through the halls with his son following behind. 

Ozai then barged into the room that his wife was in. She seemed to be reading some scroll. She looked up in confusion and concern.

"Ozai..." Ursa began.

"You will teach him everything you know about poison," Ozai said. He left no room for arguments He left his wife and son staring after him in confusion.

~~~ Book 2: Earth Kingdom

Zuko knelt down in front of his father. 

"You wished to see me," Zuko said.

"Your uncle is a traitor," Fire Lord Ozai said.

Perhaps that should have surprised Zuko but it doesn't. He knew that his uncle didn't like the war anymore nor did he care for Ozai. Iroh had always attempted to get close to the siblings after he returned 1 year after the failed siege. Azula had never given the man the time of day. Zuko had once wanted to but between the amount of classes he was taking and the inability to talk about them, Zuko ended up pushing his uncle away. Then two years later Iroh agreed to search for the Avatar like his father before him and that was the last he had seen of the old man. 

"I want you to kill him and make it seem like it was the Earth Kingdom," Ozai continued.

Perhaps the order should have filled him with horror and pain, but it didn't. Zuko just felt numb. His uncle was like any other life he had taken just related to him and considering how little they knew about each other it might as well just be a stranger.

"It will be done, My Lord," Zuko said. 

Ozai waved his hand to dismiss his assassin son.

[aspiringwarriorlibrarian]

Random post-shower thought:

I feel like people who say that Iroh from AtlA had no issues overlooked a possibility that a lot of the friction between him and Zuko stemmed from Iroh's own character weaknesses coming into conflict with Zuko's.

Namely, he tended to treat the situation as a game, had a lot of subconscious privilege, and his tendency to (at least in my opinion) project his dead son Lu Ten's personality traits onto his nephew.

A large chunk of Iroh's character stems from him essentially being a very privileged person. Crown Prince and beloved by his nation until the failure of Ba Sing Se. Even then, he treated war like it was a game, even if he was much more affable and nice compared to the other Fire Nation commanders we've seen.

And he basically didn't really start opposing the war until he lost his own son, and realized that this wasn't a game for them...

But even after gaining wisdom, enough to become a White Lotus member who opposed his nation's war, it was pretty clear that his "it's all a game" mentality and privilege were very problematic views that collided hard with his nephew's view of the world.

Zuko had basically lost everything in his eyes (even if he still had some privileges for the first Season), and here was his well meaning uncle seemingly not taking things seriously.

And it makes sense, because Iroh wasn't exiled along with Zuko; he CHOSE to go with Zuko, which while certainly heartwarming, also meant that he didn't really have to take the situation as seriously as his nephew, because (at least until the beginning of Season 2), he could basically return home if he wished. And this privilege subconsciously affected his judgment, caused him to basically not take things as seriously as he should have until it was no longer an option to do so.

His blunders with the poison tea and his rather preposterously lax behavior at Ba Sing Se (being a renowned war general taking refuge in the very city he tried to conquer, literally taking MASSIVE risks by firebending his own tea in the middle of a refugee crisis where ANYONE who was paying attention could see him, being interested in having a tea shop IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEALTHIEST AND MOST LIKELY FILLED WITH MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO MIGHT RECOGNIZE HIM AND SERVING THE EARTH KING) only further highlight the sheer disconnect he has as a result of his privilege as a prince, and it really bites them in the ass.

And to be honest, I think he also had a tendency to project his dead son's traits onto Zuko. While Lu Ten didn't get any significant characterization, I think it's fair to say that he was probably a lot like Iroh, if younger and probably more inclined to follow and want his father's approval.

And I think we see this consistently in Iroh's tendency to try to treat things like a game around Zuko, despite Zuko clearly being someone who takes things extremely seriously, and being emotionally more intense about things in general. And this well-meaning but not entirely correct love ends up being as much of a problem as it was a benefit, because while Zuko DID need Iroh's wisdom, it was also clear that Iroh's wisdom only worked when Zuko didn't have any better options or was thinking clearly, but fell apart for situations when Zuko needed much more profound emotional support for his psychological scars.

And this is especially evident for the bit where Iroh believed that Zuko would want to spend the rest of his life as a tea shop assistant, despite knowing the kind of person Zuko was. Because Iroh was, once again, projecting his own desires and what his son might have accepted onto a very prideful and emotionally wounded young man, and it cost both of them immensely.

And yet, I think this was also the moment when Iroh finally realized the issue, because distancing himself from Zuko, while no doubt painful, was probably necessary for both of them. Because Iroh recognized that he needed to get his own head out of his ass in regards to how he treated the situation, and to also let Zuko be his own man and figure things out his own way, rather than trying to think of Zuko as Lu Ten 2.0.

I should note that this isn't an indictment of Iroh; if anything it just shows that Iroh, as good of a mentor as he may be, was far more complex and had his own character arc to go through.

...This got way longer than I thought it would.

No, it was just the right length to illustrate that he did very much have flaws and character growth. He had a lot of things figured out but he also had a bit farther to go before he could be the parental figure Zuko needed.

[orangepanic]

Orange, I don’t know if you’ve already done this but director’s cut of “How I Always Loved You” please. I absolutely adore it. What inspired it ?

I'm so glad you asked about this! One of my favorites.

In short, this is what we call in the fanfic world a "spite fic."

The true origin of How I Always Loved You goes back to a tumblr post I can't find where someone was asking for any headcanons about Yasuko Sato. In the show, all we get of Asami's mother is a photograph, a method of death, and Hiroshi Sato's passion for her memory. This leaves her wide open to interpretation - which you've probably realized by now is my favorite type of character. Just enough canon to chew on and then take off running. So. The first thing I noticed about Yasuko is that the photograph we get of her is black and white. Yeah, she looks a lot like Asami. Everyone assumes then that Asami got her green eyes from her mom. And my contrary brain went BUT WHAT IF SHE DIDN'T??

That sent me down a whole "wouldn't it be cool if?" speculative direction about Yasuko Sato being an ex-Agni Kai firebender, and that the "robbery" we hear about in the show was actually a hit, or an extortion gone wrong. How much more powerful would Hiroshi's hate of firebenders be if it was his wife's past as a firebender that really got her killed? This was mostly me dicking around having fun. Why not? No one cared about Yasuko Sato.

Enter, comics.

I, for the most part, hate the Avatar comics with a passion. So when I heard there was going to be a comic about Asami and her mom I was prepared for it to be the most boring milquetoast rage-inducing interpretation of Yasuko Sato imaginable about to become canon. Asami is bright and well-off and green-eyed and an engineer. Guess what? Her mom is also going to be bright and well-off and green-eyed and an engineer! Because it's not enough for Asami to look like her mom, she basically has to be her mom. Lame. I hated it.

With the comic about to be released I decided I wanted to explore my version of Yasuko before it was officially wrong. That prompted me to think more about what kind of person Hiroshi Sato would fall so desperately in love with that he'd fund a revolution ten years later. Clearly her death wrecked him to the core. And that made me want to explore Hiroshi more as well - not just as a villain, but as a person with a history and personality and motivations. What was he like as a young man before his grief?

I think their personalities fell into place long before I had a plot. Hiroshi Sato as a poor man with big dreams and buckets of confidence, a relentless optimist and extroverted opportunist unwilling to take no for an answer. Yasuko, a quick street-smart compliment to Hiroshi's intellectualism, full of laughter and dancing and always ready for a good time in spite of her circumstances. What a pair they would have made! Talking their way out of trouble. Painting the town red until dawn. Pitching Hiroshi's ideas to the shadiest of investors with a lot less fear than they should. It took exactly that long for me to fall head-over-heels in love with them.

And from there the story basically wrote itself.