#Line Beifong

[hoshinaxcx]

All of huan beifongs voicelines 🥹🫶🏾

Poor boy didn't even get a whole minute to speak

[stars4krios]

The idea of when the GAang is grown up and they all have little mini-me's running around, they still hang out a lot so their kids are all friends.

Like imagine all of them running around the Fire Nation royal palace giggling as they play tag and none of them are scared of getting in trouble for hiding in closets or behind tapestries or running circles around their parents as they try to get away from whoever's it, or them having snow ball fights that always end with them under a giant pipe of furs while in the South Pole.

I saw this tiktok of a little boy hiding under his mothers dress to get away from his dad or something, and I can't stop thinking of Izumi running to Fire Lord Zuko and hiding under his robes just before Kya (who just got tagged) runs into the room and asks Zuko if he's seen Izumi and he just shrugs and says "I think she went that way" as his daughter holds back giggles.

Also, Tenzin is the kid that cried when he got out first in a game.

[beedok]

Thinking about how people are always outraged that Toph became a cop, and I think it's clear Toph was too. What she set out to be was a super hero. Then got talked into training a whole team.

And then realised she had been tricked into being a cop, tried to make it work somehow for a while. And then gave up in the end and stormed off.

[dartalias]

Toph would join the Flying Opera Company

I'll not be hearing arguments otherwise

[roseeycreates-blog]

was thinking about the smog in the city vs the country side where lin is from and her on the phone with tenzin… “The stars sure are beautiful tonight, too bad you can’t see them Ten”

Hi, anon~

Sorry for the late replyyyy~ I've been thinking about this :3

Ring, ring, ring.

“Tenzin, it’s Lin,” Kya called out.

“Alright, thanks!” Tenzin replied, taking the call. He quickly told Lin to hold the line while he transferred the call to the phone in his room—he didn’t want to ask Kya to do it for him, classic Tenzin.

He dashed to his room, grabbed the phone, and settled in. They exchanged stories about their day. Tenzin talked about meditating, training with Aang, and spending time in the library, while Lin shared her day on the farm and how she watched a baby turtle duck hatch. Then she mentioned the view she was enjoying.

“The stars sure are beautiful tonight. Too bad you can’t see them, Ten.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” Tenzin replied with a smile. “But the only star I want to see tonight is you.”

On the other end, Lin snorted and burst into laughter. But before Tenzin could savor the moment, he heard more laughter… coming from downstairs.

He peeked down and saw his siblings, along with their mom, eavesdropping through the phone! His face turned as red as a tomato. Embarrassed, Tenzin stormed off to cool his head, but then thought, “Heck, I should go see my beautiful star in person.”

[beifong-brainrot]

This line in The Terror Within:

Bolin: Mako, metalbending is extremely difficult. No one gets it right away, if they can get it at all! It's not normal! 

I could go on and on about this line. Whether it be in relation to Bolin, metalbending itself, Toph and more broadly the Beifongs or Weilin. The silly little ideas my deranged gay little brain can cook up...

[blackflash9]

Many more need to recognize in fictional works that just because something refuses to give you the answer, that doesn't mean that there isn't an answer.

[atlaculture]

Cultural Cuisine: Dinner with the Beifongs

I've been wanting to analyze the dishes the Beifong were offering for years now, but procrastinated because I knew it would be time-consuming. After much research, I'm pretty satisfied with the headcanon I've created!

My theory? The Beifongs did not want Aang to feel welcome in their home, even before he started bickering with Toph. Allow me to provide the evidence.

Red Braised Spare Ribs

Red-Braised Spare Ribs or Hong Shao Pai Gu (红烧排骨) is a popular Chinese pork dish characterized by its sweet and savory flavor profile. This is achieved through the red-braising method: Cooking the ribs in a mixture of light & dark soy sauce, rock sugar, Shaoxing wine, and other aromatics like ginger & star anise.

While I've had this style of ribs before, this has to be the most decadent plating of the dish I have ever seen. Not only is there a giant pile of the spare ribs, but they literally lined the bowl with extra slices of marrow-filled bone. As delicious as that looks to a meat-eater, don't you think it's a bit tasteless to display all of that in front of a monk?

Sweet and Sour Fish

Sweet and Sour Fish or Tang​ Cu ​Yu (糖醋鱼) is a beloved Chinese dish composed of a battered & fried fish covered in pineapple, red bell pepper, and the ever-iconic sweet & sour sauce.

However, it seems like the chef skimped a little on the sauce and toppings, calling even more attention to the dead fish on a plate...

Pan Fried Pork Buns

Pan-Fried Pork Buns, also known as Sheng Jian Bao (生煎包) or Sheng Jian Mantou (生煎馒头), are a popular Chinese specialty. They're beloved for their contrast in textures and flavors: They combine a soft, fluffy top with a crispy, golden-brown bottom and juicy pork filling.

Not much to say, other than the Beifongs are pretty much serving up the entire pig at this point.

Steamed Lobster Tail

I'm guessing the Steamed Lobster Tails (蒸龍蝦尾) were served to ensure they had equal-parts seafood and pork dishes on the table. When I think of Chinese lobster dishes, I always think of the Cantonese-style lobster tails served at the fancy sit-down restaurants in California.

Compared to the previous ATLA meals I've covered, the meat-content of this dinner is kind of ridiculous.

Fried Rice

A staple of every Chinese restaurant, from mom-n-pop takeout joints to the most bourgeois of banquet halls. Fried rice can be vegetarian, but I'm pretty certain that the Beifongs' version had meat in it, since there wasn't any on Aang's plate.

So what exactly did Aang get to eat during this decadent feast?

Aang's Meal

Tea. Soup. Scallion Fried Rice. Giant Pile of Plain Rice.

And that's it.

They had one of the most important people in the world as their honored guest and the Beifongs served him the kind of meal that a broke college student might think to make. Admittedly, the scallion fried rice looks tasty but it's still just rice and green onion.

You expect me to believe that the richest family in the Earth Kingdom could only provide the Avatar with rice and soup? When there's plenty of vegetarian options within Earth Kingdom cuisine?

No, this was a very passive-aggressive way of telling Aang that he can go eff right off. Why did they not want him there? Probably because they knew his presence in their house meant he needed their help with the war effort, and they are just too wealthy to bother caring about anything outside their rich person bubble.

[hotpinkrathian]

It is times like these I wish I could draw because this is not a want bit a NEED

Is there any video on TikTok of "Good Luck, Babe!" about Kyalin? And if it's not, can someone make one?

Imagine Kya singing this to Lin because she was with Tenzin.

I need it please.

[supreme-leader-stoat]

Somewhere out there in the cloud of probabilities, there's a set of ATLA AUs where the Fire Nation decides to concentrate their efforts on the poles, and so the Earth Kingdom front of the war ends a few years early, complete the the various political marriages to help cement the ceasefire and smooth over the division of contested zones in the colonies.

Within this set of AUs, there is a smaller subset of probabilities where the Beifongs are in an advantageous enough political position to secure the promise of a high-ranking marriage for their young daughter to a Fire Nation nobleman of approximately her same age. Of this subset, there exists at least one AU where Toph gets betrothed to Fire Lord Azulon's grandson, Zuko. I can think of a few possible justifications for this. You could have a prophecy thing going on to parallel Ursa and Ozai. Zuko could still wind up running afoul of Ozai's honor and getting burned, but now he's shuffled off into an advantageous marriage with an Earth Kingdom noble family to get him out of the way. It's even possible that all this goes down before Lu Ten dies so Zuko isn't directly in line for the throne.

I say this less out of any particular desire to ship Zuko/Toph (though it's not the worst combo I can think of), and more because I want to see the absolute hijinks that would ensue from tying Toph "Blind Bandit" Beifong to the Fire Nation imperial family in general and Zuko specifically.

[rightwheretheyleftme]

TLOK and the design of older women

Scrolling through the TLOK tag, I see so many posts saying “Thanks to The Legend of Korra, now I’m attracted to older women” and then they attach pictures of Lin, Suyin and Kya. Those posts always get a good chuckle out of me, but I’ve decided to be a party popper and analyze, why are the elderly women of TLOK so attractive?

And the answer is because they aren’t drawn like actual women in their 50s. They are drawn like 30 year old women and then they add the grey hair to convey that they are old. Let’s see the evidence:

Here is Tenzin, he is 51 years old in the 1st season. This is how he looks:

He has bags under his eyes, wrinkles, messy facial hair, and crow’s feet. These are all realistic signs of aging that we normally see in men above 50.

Now let’s see Lin Beifong. She is 50 years old.

Her face is completely smooth. There are no wrinkles, smile lines, or any signs of aging besides her gray hair.

And those are just the examples that I used to prove my point. This disparity applies to all of the middle aged men and women in this show. Let’s keep going:

Kya and Bumi are both in their mid-late 50s. Bumi has wrinkles, under eye bags, and forehead creases. Kya has 0 physical signs of aging besides her hair.

Here are some more examples:

Again, I’m sorry to be a complete party popper, but the reason why everyone is so attracted to the elderly women of Korra is because these are not elderly women- they are 30 year olds with grey hair. Only men are allowed to age naturally in this show.

[gail-v-gail]

Kya lifted the cigarette to her lips, softly pulling the fire into her lungs. She strolled through the streets, finding her way back home, taking the time to take in all the sights and sounds of the city she had been away from for the past four years. So much had changed since the day she left air temple island. Her eyes drifted across the landscape, watching people enjoy food from the various vendors, and noting all the different storefront signs. She lifted the cig to her lips again, lost in thought, when she heard a voice call out from behind her, “Kya?”

She turned her head around to find a familiar face staring back at her in disbelief. It was Lin, she was standing in a queue at one of the food stalls, a shy smile replaced the shocked expression on her face as she stepped out of line towards her old friend, “What are you doing here?”

“Lin!” Kya exclaimed, her heart fluttered at the sight of those bright green eyes. Kya rushed forward and closed the space between them, throwing her arms around the smaller woman. Lin chuckled and returned a small squeeze before Kya pulled back, holding Lin by her shoulders, “I just moved back! I’m so fuckin excited to see you, what the hell have you been up to?” Kya was brimming with excitement.

“Oh, you know,” Lin shrugged, “working hard to clean up the city.” She gestured to the RCPD duffle bag in her hand. Kyas hands dropped back to her sides, her fingertips grazing along Lin’s toned arms as she glanced down at the bag she hadn’t noticed a moment ago. 

“Detective Beifong, working as hard as ever.” Kya replied, taking a beat to look Lin over and make note of other things she hadn’t noticed a moment ago; the way her tight white tank top had ridden up ever so slightly revealing her soft pale belly, her toned shoulders that glistened with a light sheen of sweat, her dark hair curling in around her strong jaw, and two new pink scars that her mother had written her about.

“Sergeant, actually.” Lin stated, pulling Kyas attention back to those mischievous green eyes, “I was promoted about a month ago.” Lin’s eyes were still fiercely locked onto Kya, a shiver ran up her spine. 

“Well, look at you.” Kya playfully replied, once again raising the cigarette to her lips to take a drag. Kya kept her eyes fixed on Lin as she turned her face slightly to blow the smoke out of the side of her mouth. Lin broke her gaze to nervously glance around at the street vendors, beginning to squirm under the intent observation.

“Are you doing anything? I just got off work and was about to grab something to eat. I would love it if you joined me.” Despite Lin’s casual tone, Kya noticed her now slightly flushed cheeks. Kya fought the smile that tugged at the corner of her mouth.

“That sounds great.” She replied, stepping forward and pivoting to stand next to her friend, casually draping her arm over Lin’s shoulders, “So, what’s good around here?” Kya asked as she scanned the landscape. 

“I’ll tell you, but it’s going to cost ya.” Lin teased.

“Ha!” Kya huffed, and she lifted the hand that was draped over Lin so that she could take a hit of the cigarette that rested between her fingers. A warm sensation washed over Kya as she watched Lin lean in and focus on taking a drag. She thought fondly of the last time they had shared a cigarette, sitting close, out on the dock of air temple island. Their feet grazed the cool water as they looked at the moon through the haze of smoke in the air, the evening before she had left four years ago.

“Let’s see,” Lin exhaled the smoke through her nose, staring out into the street, “Your favorite noodle place closed a while back, but I think I know someplace you’ll like better.” Lin looked at Kya and grinned at her.

So much had changed in the past four years, Kya thought to herself, but at least this was still the same. 

--

yall liked this one so much, so i thought id give color a go. tried to mimic the style of the show. i had fun dreaming up a lil scene for this pose, hope you enjoyed it :3

[nerdycanible1]

Heyo

It has been quite a long time since I've posted on here, mostly because I've been lazy and I deleted Tumblr 💀

But I did post like once or twice on my insta but that don't mean nothing. I forgot to share this darn photo I drew a couple months back!

So here is our esteemed "Chief Crankypants"! I hope you like her as much as I do!

This is sadly one of the last things I've actually "finished" because I was extremely lazy! 😂 Anyways, read below the line for cute little hcs that I came up with for this particular drawing UwU

So my hc is that when the newbies graduate from the Academy, Toph and all the veterans take a picture of them with their name on the board, and take a photo of them.

"This will be the one and only time I want a photo of you! You are police officers, not some thug on the streets! And if I dare hear that any single one of you is arrested, I will be pinning your face everywhere in these halls, offices and entrances. Am I understood!" Toph would yell at the brief and everyone immediately says, "Yes ma'am!"

The rookies all shaking in fear while Lin just smirks and crosses her arms. Thinking that she wouldn't have to do it. "And you Beifong, you're the first up!" Toph would point at her.

"But-" Lin would stutter out.

"No buts missy! Get moving!"

"But chief-" Lin would growl through clenched teeth. "I don't plan to get arrested-"

"Cool it hot stuff, if Kya and Bumi get arrested, it's only a matter of time before you do."

Lin just sighing, walking up to her while they hand her the board with her last name on it.

Toph bragging to everyone that Lin got arrested and starts showing off her photo to everyone and it makes Lin embarrassed but she at least feels loved. Bumi and Kya would cat whistle and compliment her only making her cheeks redder.

But after Tenzin breaks up with her, Lin gets "arrested" and true to their words, Lin's mug shot was all over the place and Lin has never wanted to collapse a building faster 😂

•°•°•

Also smol update, I currently do not have a working iPad so drawings aren't going to happen until repairs! But feel free to send me asks about Lin Beifong and send me ideas for hcs! I want to get back into the game! >w<

All art is mine, of reposted please credit! UwU

[ilovelin]

Thank you for adding to the Linkuo lore

14 & 29 for lin x zekou maybe 🥺👉🏾👈🏾

i miss my babies 👶

Aw, I miss them too! I have incorporated both the prompts.

Thank you for thinking about Zekou!

This occurs somewhere between book 2 and book 3.

Lin threw a couple of ice cubes on, and wrangled the piece cloth together before rushing out of the kitchen.

This was the last time, she swore- just as she had sworn the previous countless times.

She entered the living room to see those two hooligans laughing their stupid United Forces coats away. She rolled her eyes and walked up to them.

"Here," she whispered, handing the makeshift ice pack to the touch more sensible of the two clowns.

"Thanks, Lin," he replied, taking it from her.

Despite being in her own house, Lin felt ill at ease. The two of them, on the other hand, were right at home. At least her and Bumi had known each other their whole life. Zekou, injured and vulnerable feeling comfortable, in her- a stranger's home was wild. But to think, this was Bumi's first time in Lin's home. And, thankfully, he wasn't making a fuss about it. They had known each other their whole lives after all, and Bumi being Bumi would be comfortable in a dragon's nostril on the south pole. Zekou was probably just trying to fit in- that Bumi being comfortable meant that he too could be comfortable too. Zekou wasn't cocky- she knew him enough to draw that conclusion.

"Lin, have a seat. Consider it your own home."

But Bumi sure was cocky.

Lin scoffed and took a seat on the chaise beside Bumi.

"Ow!" Zek winced.

Instantaneously, Bumi placed his palms on her knees. "Should we call a healer?" he asked, those bloodshot eyes piercing into hers.

"I'm fine, Bumi. I just bumped it. It's just a swelling," Zekou interjected.

She looked over Bumi at her injured guest and asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, don't worry. It doesn't hurt all that much."

"That's because you're drunk. It's going to hurt a lot more tomorrow," Lin offered.

"Then I'll see a healer tomorrow," he replied with a smile.

She had done her part, but she still worried. Head injuries had a way of appearing benign only to turn out serious. She decided she would follow up with him the next day. The swelling on his temple seemed to be easing up with the ice.

Nevertheless, this was the last time she went out drinking with the two of them. Their shenanigans were but a foot step away from landing them in jail- and to think she would probably arrested as an accessory by one of her rookies.

At that point, she'd rather listen to Pema talk about her kids.

"Anyway, I got to take a fat piss now. Lin, bathroom?"

Lin shook herself back to the present and replied, "Yeah, down the hall."

Within seconds Bumi had vanished, leaving an empty seat between Lin and Zek; alone for the second time in all their friendship. Bumi had this way of being omnipresent so when he wasn't physically around, there was a lull- although, in their case, it was still comfortable.

"Is the pain any better?" she asked, moving to the cushion next to his.

"Who knows," he replied with a chuckle. "My head is cold, my hands are cold- everything is numb... And cold."

"Do I have to remind you that you're a firebender?"

Zek snorted. "Won't that melt the ice and make a mess on your expensive couch?"

Lin rolled her eyes. She reached for the ice pack and Zek allowed her to relieve his chilled hands. He winced when the cloth pressed against his forehead and Lin promptly adjusted her grip to rest the ice pack lightly against him.

"No need to be gentle."

"I'm not being gentle," she retorted.

"You are gentle. You like to come across all rough and tumble but you're really just soft, gentle and caring."

Lin scoffed, pressing the ice against him with just enough pressure to make him wince again. "You clearly don't know me."

"I don't," he confessed. "We've been drinking together for weeks on end and I still only know of you what Bumi told has me."

"That's good enough."

"Oh, come on, Lin," he said, clasping her wrists and bringing the her arm down to the couch. Lin placed the ice pack on the coffee table and folded her arms in front of her chest. He continued, "Tell me something about you that I don't know."

"I don't know what you don't know."

"Okay, fair."

He stroked his beard in thought as he studied her sitting in front of him. "Have you and Bumi ever—"

"Nope. Never happened, never will."

Zekou laughed. "I was going to ask if you and Bumi ever had a heart-to-heart. But, it's funny how your mind went there."

"You obviously meant to ask me that."

"You think if you two had ever kissed- let alone had sex, Bumi wouldn't have told me? Or brought it up every time we hung out?"

Knowing Bumi, that would probably be part of the introductory package.

"Fine. Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes, we've had one heart-to-heart conversation. But something tells me you already knew this."

"I did. I asked Bumi if you'd ever opened up to him and he told me you did once."

"And you wanted to waste your question on something you already knew," she deadpanned.

"You know, you tell me that Bumi and I are basically the same person. I think, you and Bumi are extremely alike- different sides to the same coin."

"You don't actually believe that!" she said rather defensively.

"He's just as avoidant as you when it comes to sharing personal things or talking about your feelings and dreams, trauma—"

"Oh come on, don't tell me you've been psychoanalyzing—"

Ignoring that, Zek continued. "So, my question to you is: what was that conversation about?"

"Mmmm," she hummed in thought. "I guess I'm just liquored up enough to answer that."

"Enlighten me." He crossed his legs and turned towards her, smile flashing across his face.

"Well, I'm sure you know I was involved with Bumi's brother."

"Yes, the last airbender."

"Right," she swallowed. "It was the night of his wedding. I had a moment of weakness, and Bumi was there. I realized I was going to be all alone- that his wedding meant there was no going back- and I began spiraling. My mother was gone, my sister was pretty much exiled and I had nobody and nothing but my badge left. That's when Bumi arrived with a bottle of champagne. He tried making me feel better by telling me how miserable Tenzin was," Lin let out a grim laugh, "but I knew he was just saying that to make me feel better. We ended up talking all night. About our lives, our jobs, parents and found that we really had a lot more in common than we thought,"

"I was right!" Zek interrupted.

She gave him a slight nod.

"And we realized we weren't actually alone. That him and I will always have our broken legacies tying us together and that's something that would never change. And then acceptance came around. Bumi is never going to be an airbender and the person I once truly loved is never going to be by my side. It was okay to be ourselves and bring enrichment to our lives the way we liked. We didn't need to fit into some mold of expectations. Whatever we're looking for will come find us when the time's right."

"Wow," Zekou said, touched. He placed one hand on hers, knowing she would likely reject the gesture. But her hand stayed under his, especially once he brought some heat to it since it was also cold from the ice pack. "That's- that is sweet. Profound."

"Didn't think I'd spill that much, did you?" she smirked.

"Well, you did outdrink me tonight," he quipped back.

"Do you know me enough now?"

His hand continued to loiter over hers. She was easing up in a way he had never seen before. So when she asked him that, he felt something warm in his chest. So much so that his thumb slowly meandered into her palm and he squeezed her hand softly.

"No," he said with a laugh. "There's still so much I want to learn about you."

Lin rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything, Bumi appeared in front of them. Zekou noticed how quickly she pulled her hand away from his- he was certain Bumi couldn't have seen it.

"I actually passed out in there! How long has it been?"

Lin stood up, hands on her hips. "Long enough. I think it's time to call it a night."

"Aw, really?" Bumi said. "What'd I miss here?"

"Nothing—"

"-seeing if Lin was interested in meeting a swarthy man the next time we go out drinking," Zekou spoke over Lin while giving her a mischievous look.

"No—"

"I think that's a great idea!" Bumi exclaimed. "Lin, pick out your best panties, we're going to get you laid next week!"

"Nope, not happening," the Earthbender called. She grabbed Zekou by the ear and led him over to Bumi, whom she yanked by the collar, and then dragged them both to her main door.

"I'm done with both you of now. Leave," she said.

Both the men laughed. After Bumi's failed attempt at giving her a hug of sorts, she opened the door for him, and Zek followed him out wordlessly.

"Good night, Chief!" they both said together.

"Good night, Commander and a good night to you too, Captain."

Zek decided to leave her with a little wink in return.

Five word prompts from here

[roseeycreates-blog]

Toph: I know I haven't been a good mother. You are the most responsible, the strongest, the most independent daughter. I've always thought you can handle everything. I admit that sometimes I forget about you. That's because I thought you didn't need me anymore. Lin: I'm not strong. But I tried to be because I had to. I have no one else.

(Lines from a Filo Drama called "Can't Buy Me Love")

Imagine this in a Lin Beifong Villain AU, where Toph tries to stop Lin's revenge plans. The lines fit perfectly 💯

"Look what you made me do"

[mintjuliee]

Lin and Suyin - On Why Sometimes Love Means Saying "No"

In cases where you are raising a child, caring about them can often mean saying "no" or presenting as the opposition. This is particularly true when the child in question is displaying harmful behaviors.

The most blatant example of this between the Beifong sisters is the flashback in Old Wounds, wherein you see Suyin skipping school with a couple of other kids— a bag of items that they have likely stolen spilling over on a coffee table.

Teenage Lin confronts Suyin with a blatant look of disproval. Her inquires are met with:

"Oh no, are you going to tell mom? It's not like she is going to care."

ERRRT. Back up. What is really going on here?

A cry for attention.

It is not normal for a twelve year-old child to say that their mom is not going to care about them engaging in dangerous behaviors. I would even argue that the most important sentiment behind that statement is "she isn't going to care."

And what we see in the next flashback a few years later proves that Suyin was and is, in fact, testing the waters. She is now driving a getaway vehicle after a robbery. Her behavior is doomed to escalate, because it is not being met with any parental opposition.

How far can I take it? When will it matter?

This is the part where a parent should be stepping in to intervene. They should be trying to figure out what is lacking in the child's life or what they are seeking. However, what we witness instead is that this burden/role has fallen to Lin.

Mind you, in the first flashback Lin herself is a teenager. She lacks the experience or maturity to be dealing with a child displaying these behaviors, which is shown when she escalates the situation by insulting the two boys. And yet, she still tells Suyin :

"Su stop. You have so much potential. You're ruining your life."

In the second flashback, her words are:

"I'm not letting you get away with this." "So, once again, Su gets to do whatever she wants, and there are no consequences."

Lin is acting as a psuedo-parent in the absence of Toph. She cares about her younger sister and is attempting to show this by drawing a line. Suyin is lashing out against Lin like she would an authority figure.

Toph in this situation, I believe, would not be that concerned with Suyin's behavior, because she herself engaged in rebellious behavior as a kid. The key difference— and what I think Toph failed to realize in raising Suyin— is that she herself grew up with extremely strict parents from the get go. In Toph's case, breaking away from them and finding her independence was key to her growth. It was a good thing.

This is completely different from a kid being raised and allowed to do what they want from the beginning like Suyin. The lack of parental guidance and attention as a foundation produced an entirely different issue than what Toph faced.

"We didn't have a normal childhood. Neither of us knew our fathers, and Toph was always busy being Chief of Police. Because mom grew up in such a strict house, she gave us all the freedom in the world, hoping we'd figure out our own paths."

"That sounds like a good thing."

"And in a way, it was. But we both ended up fighting for mom's attention. Lin followed in her footsteps and became a cop. I was more of a rebel."

Bingo. Here we have Suyin admitting her rebellious behavior was attention-seeking towards her mom. Unfortunately, due to Toph being often absent due to her job, it would seem this behavior often went most noticed by Lin.

An older/younger sibling tale as old as time.

Lin and Suyin were both acting in accordance with the hands they were dealt. They were young. Mistakes were made. Lin should never have had to act as an opposition to her sister's behavior as a teenager; she should have been able to act like a kid herself. Suyin should not have been left to her own devices to the point where she is acting out to seek attention.

So, what do we arrive at? Compelling backstory for two middle-aged women, who present as awesome, strong characters 😎 Something rare in media, animation being more scarce. I love them so much. Almost as much as they love each other.