#Then when he masters it he can handle ozai the way he wants
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rosencrantzsguildenstern · 1 year ago
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i think this has been said but aang absolutely knew he killed people
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millionsknives · 1 year ago
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i don’t think i’ve rewatched atla since becoming a committed pacifist and i just finished what was probably my tenth rewatch and i have never loved aang more. i've seen it so many times but i still came away with a new appreciation for the way the end of the story was handled. aang is the only survivor of a genocide and he is clinging to the last remnants of his culture and religion, and everyone is telling him the only way to save the world is to kill the dictator whose regime is responsible for the genocide, but to do so would abandon the deeply held beliefs of his people. if aang goes against his beliefs and kills ozai, his people's way of life dies completely and sozin wins.
aang knows it would be wrong but he can't see another way out so he prays for an answer, and the universe hears him and the spirits send out the lion turtle, and the creator answers him. and here's the thing that i never put together before today: aang would not have been able to energybend ozai if he had given in and wanted to kill him. the lion turtle tells aang that only the incorruptible can bend another’s energy, or else they will become corrupted themselves. and i think that aang, because of his love for the fire nation as he had once known it, was never corrupted by personal hatred for the fire lord or the fire nation. he was able to expertly hold two conflicting beliefs in harmony better than any adult could, the belief that ozai is a horrible person and the world would be better off without him and that he's still a human being with a life that is sacred.
and i don't think it's a matter of selfishness like some people make it out to be. aang is not some immature little kid who doesn't want to kill because killing is for bad guys. he's an incredibly wise and spiritual person who was shaped by airbender beliefs and upholds airbender beliefs, and he can see beyond the scope of this war. the balance of the world depends on the existence of the four nations, and aang does not just represent the air nomads, he IS the air nomads. he's all that's left.
despite many people’s interpretation of the four past avatars’ advice, none of the past avatars outright tell him to kill ozai. they tell him to be decisive, to bring justice, to be proactive, to be sacrificial. but none of them tells him definitively to kill him. he doesn't disobey or ignore their advice, he follows their ancient wisdom while still staying true to his beliefs. yangchen actually comes the closest to outright telling him to kill ozai (even more than kiyoshi, surprisingly) but what she fails to account for is that aang is not just the avatar, he is the last airbender, and being the last airbender is far greater a burden than being the avatar. no matter what happens, once he dies, there will always be another avatar. but if he is not careful to preserve the airbender way of life, there will be no more airbenders. yangchen could sacrifice her air nomad way of life for the sake of her duty to the world because there were thousands of other air nomads to continue their traditions. aang has no such privilege.
and it's not that he doesn't want to kill, it's that he actually doesn't think he can do it -- both that he won't be able to emotionally bring himself to kili someone, and, prodigy that he is, he doesn't have the raw bending skill to overcome a comet-powered master firebender. and then it turns from 'i don't think i can do it' into ‘i can’t do it.’ and when the avatar state gives him enough power to actually do it, he changes the answer to ‘i won’t do it.’ he overcomes all the combined power of his past lives to say no, i have found another answer and i will remain incorruptible. to kill is to maintain the power struggle of the fire nation and to reject air nomad wisdom and without airbenders the world CANNOT be brought into balance.
the only thing ozai cares about is power, and that's what the entire fight with ozai is about, physically and ideologically, because ozai only sees power in terms of force, fear, threats, and violence. to ozai, aang (and his entire people) are weak and undeserving of life because they are largely pacifists, but he fails to see the magnificent power that the airbenders do hold, spiritual wisdom and mastery of the self and contentment and joy and harmony and a deep understanding of the world that a man like ozai could never obtain. to kill ozai would ratify ozai’s worldview that power as he defines it is the most important pursuit in the world and the only way to assert one's right to be in the world is to be cruel and violent like him. i think to ozai, becoming powerless might be worse than being dead. he wants power, or he wants death, and aang gives him neither. it upends everything he believed in. aang, the avatar, but more importantly, the last airbender, armed by his past lives' power and his people's love and the spirit world's blessing and the lion turtle's omniscience (and toph's mastery of true sight through neutral jing), ends the war 100 years to the day after the air nomad genocide, in the way that his people taught him, with power that goes beyond force and violence, with spiritual wisdom, with an incorruptible soul, with mercy -- mercy that is not weakness, mercy that brings justice.
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sokkastyles · 10 months ago
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ATLA Live Action Ep 1 Thoughts:
When the writers meant they wanted it to be like game of thrones, clearly they meant "we want the battles to happen in complete darkness so nobody can see what is going on," and not, you know, the sex stuff.
Idk why this never occurred to me until now but ostrich horse is chocobo.
They are clearly going for a darker, more grittier feel here, but it clashes with the attempt to keep things true to the animated origin. Like, the earth kingdom OC looks straight out of some more realistic Adult fantasy show, whereas Sozin's character design makes him look like evil Santa.
So firebenders are able to do that to bodies, which I appreciate from a fanfic perspective and also confirms what people have been theorizing about the agni kai, that Ozai put his hand on his son's face. Not sure it was necessary to see it, though. The original does a good job of horrifying us with implied violence and the adults already get it, while showing it makes it less accessible to a younger audience. This is hardly a problem unique to this show, though.
Air nomads actually riding sky bison!
I like having more background with the air nomads and Aang's actor is great but front-loading the flashbacks doesn't work great for the pacing.
One thing I do really like is the emphasis on how the war damaged the harmony of the nations in more than just a spiritual way. No one has friends from other nations now. Zuko comes seeking "someone who does not belong" with the (false) promise that no one will get hurt if everyone keeps to themselves, keeps the status quo. The air nomads are a complete anomaly in a world of division. We are introduced to Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Zuko, and all are isolated in their own way by the war at the beginning of the story.
Overall there is something just weird about the pacing. Characters keep pausing at vital moments of action to deliver exposition or meaningful monologues. It just feels off.
Zuko so desperate for "glory" that he accepts Sokka's proposal to fight one on one (nice foil to the final agni kai by the way). Then his surprise when Aang shows himself reveals that Zuko himself did not know whether he would really find the Avatar in this village he's suddenly shown up to terrorize. God, it just emphasizes how low Zuko is at this point. This is probably his first real high stakes fight and he might have killed Sokka over absolutely nothing out of a false sense that he had something to prove. It's just...sad.
The scene at the Southern Air Temple looked great and had me in tears. I actually saw some criticism of this to the effect of them "ruining Aang's arc" because he comes out of the Avatar state himself, but first of all, let's be real and admit that if mastering the Avatar State was Aang's arc, he never completed it. Second, just because he could bring himself out does not mean he can control it, and he's still letting his emotions control him which is a learning curve for handling that power, it's just that he was able to control his anger in that moment by remembering the people he loved. Which is not that different from how the scene plays out in the original, only he isn't using Katara as a crutch. Which is a good thing, actually. It's much more fitting and poignant that he thinks about Gyatso here.
I don't think there was any mention of Katara wanting to go north. She has a few lines about wanting to help more and Aang teaches her about balance so she can bend now, apparently, but where is her drive? It feels like they're attributing her accomplishments to Aang and that bothers me. Maybe it'll be mentioned in the next episode, since they haven't talked about Aang learning waterbending yet, either. But I do miss the Katara who was ready to banish herself from the village the moment she met Aang not just because it was the right thing to do, but because of her own desire for independence and autonomy.
Liked the scene between Aang and Iroh. It gives us a glimpse of an Iroh who is stuck as to what to do and so he just gives Aang the Zuko treatment by offering him tea. I'd be excited if this means we get to see more development for Iroh.
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waterfire1848 · 12 hours ago
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AU where Hama tries a different strategy where instead of torturing the worst targets and wasting time she tries to go big for Azulon himself, but can't just run at him for obvious reasons so she tries infiltrating and posing as a concubine to get and ideally kill him when in a good position by trying to get him to trust her first to not make it obvious.
Hello, @deadlyangelofpurity !!!
Once Hama escapes from prison, she realizes that she has a power no one in the four nations knows exists and she's in the very nation that is continuing this war. What does she do? Sneaks into the Fire Lord's place to kill him of course. If she can kill him, she can end the war and go back home and, with bloodbending, it really shouldn't be that difficult. She makes her way to the palace, posing first as a peasant then guard then servant until she gets inside the palace. However, upon getting entry she quickly realizes that Azulon is both heavily guarded and is a master firebender, so just walking up to him and killing him isn't exactly an option. That's when she overhears some of the concubine's talking. (Concubine #1: I spent at least 5 hours with him. Concubine #2: No, you didn't. I was there yesterday. Concubine #1: Not all day. Concubine #2: You're an idiot. Concubine #1: An idiot who is going to keep her job and gets quality time with the Fire Lord.) That's when Hama gets an idea.
She takes one of the girl's clothing while she's in the shower, dresses herself and then gets in the same group as all the others. Being a concubine is very much a competitive thing because everyone is competing for Azulon's favor and those who aren't really liked by Azulon will end up out on the streets. So when Hama joins she's quickly viewed as competition by the other girls and mocked and ridiculed as the newcomer, especially for her lack of knowledge on Fire Nation customs. Hama bites her lip, willing herself not to also invent bloodbending during the day, and focuses on her mission. Although it is made far harder by the other women making life a living hell for her. (Hama may or may not waterbend at them a tad during lunch and dinner to ruin their makeup and outfits).
When she does meet Azulon, she knows that she can't outright kill him because everyone would instantly know it was her and she'd be killed. Plus someone else would just take Azulon's place and all her work would have been for nothing, so killing him on the first night is not an option. Rather, she keeps quiet and tries to learn as much about Azulon as she can so that she can eventually get on his good side and kill him with no one suspecting her. Bloodbending would allow her to get the job done quickly and effortlessly, but the problem is that the full moon isn't for another two weeks so she must wait. Hama hates her role but she bites her tongue and continues on, careful not to say anything that would either give her away as Water Tribe or that would give away her plan. In this time, Hama meets Azulon's young son: Iroh, who's about 11 at the time, and meets his infant son, Ozai. (Hama: He's adorable. Iroh: Dad says he's not that strong, but I think he's going to grow up to be a great Fire Prince! Hama: You do? Iroh: Mmhmm! You'll see! He'll grow up into one of the best Fire Prince's in the nation! Hama, leaning over the cradle: We shall see I suppose). Hama has no problem with Iroh or Ozai but if Iroh gets in her way then she can handle him and Ozai will grow up nicely in the South Pole. (She knows Kanna had been wanting a son before she left).
Quickly, the night of the full moon arrives and Hama is ready to exact her revenge. Like clockwork, she remains in Azulon's room, ready for him to arrive and to kill him. Only, he never arrives. Hama leaves him room to see what is going on and finds that he had a war meeting that kept him all night. Hama is beyond pissed not only that she lost her chance to kill Azulon but that she can't even try again for another month, meaning she's stuck here for another month. Still, there isn't much she can do so she decides to wait. In that time, she starts to get to know Azulon, Iroh and Ozai. She sees how much he pushes Iroh, despite his young age, and his dislike for Ozai, despite the infant desperately wanting any kind of parental love. (Hama: You should lighten up on Iroh and give Ozai some attention. Azulon: Since when are you their mother? Hama: I'm just saying that those boys are supposed to succeed you and become Firelord and crown prince one day- Azulon: Ozai will never be crown prince or Fire Lord. Hama: You never know. All I'm saying is that maybe it's smarter to create a family where people don't want to betray each other every day. Azulon: Hmmp. I'll think it over. Hama: That's all I ask.)
Over the next month, Hama and Azulon continue to talk and get together more and more to do things that aren’t related to being a concubine. They talk about plays, food, Iroh and Ozai, homes, etc. Despite their growing closer and closer, Hama is still dead set on killing Azulon. When the night of the full moon comes again, Hama is ready and she acts. Azulon isn’t ready to defend against a bloodbending attack but he’s also not completely weak either. Hama hasn’t had the years to master her skill so her hold isn’t as strong and Azulon is able to break free. They got back and forth for a while with Hama holding him and then Azulon breaking free and trying to attack but then being captured again. Eventually, Azulon grabs Hama’s throat and Hama gets an ice dagger to his throat. It’s a stand off between the two. (Azulon: You’re a waterbender. Hama: The last one from the South Pole. Azulon: I should have guessed only Water Tribesmen have eyes that blue. Hama: And I should have killed you before. Azulon: And you didn’t. Hama: And now you can’t kill me without dying yourself. And do you really think Iroh is ready to lead the nation or do you think people will be more likely to take advantage of the new Fire Lord not even being 14 yet? Personally, I think it’s the latter. Azulon: What do you want?) With her plan failed, Hama demands to be allowed to leave and not be followed. Azulon allows this. Hama flees into the countryside and watches from a distance as Azulon’s reign continues, but she continues to use her bloodbending against the people of the Fire Nation just not the Royal Family. At least, not yet.
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attackfish · 1 year ago
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the “shifting quagmire of rising and falling states” au (Aang died in the iceberg, but at his canon age.) to zoom in a bit, did katara ever learn water bending and if so who taught her? Alternatively, how did Iroh and zuko’s travels go?
Continued from: [Link].
I don't think Katara remaining perminantly without waterbending training is a tenable situation. She is going to go north at some point. And this becomes even more urgent when she finds out, as we know from the comics, that there are other waterbending children, much younger than she is, in the south, who will also need to learn waterbending. And I think that her journey north will coincide with her reaching adulthood.
Unfortunately, she doesn't know about the swampbenders, so her goal will in fact be the Northern Water Tribe. And once she gets there, especially because there are other young waterbenders in her tribe, and she's going to feel that profound need that she's going to have to teach them, she is going to feel that she has to be all kinds of waterbender to all kinds of people. Just learning healing isn't going to cut it. And the Northern Water Tribe and Master Pakku still aren't any more willing to teach her any other kind of bending than healing. So she goes to a former student of Pakku's and weasles training out of him. They're caught, Pakku wants her kicked out, she fights him, he sees her necklace, he agrees to train her. She becomes the first of the new waterbenders at the South Pole.
Before I talk about Zuko, let's talk about Azula, because Azula is dealing with the reality that no matter what she does, at some point, her father is going to stop seeing her as his favorite child, and start seeing her as a threat. This is true because at some point, hes going to notice that she's separate person from him, with her own opinions, and he is not going to be able to cope with that. But it's all the more so because he, after all, is a man who came to this throne by killing his own father.
And by considering her a threat, and treating her as such, he, of course, makes himself a very real threat to her. This is going to be incredibly painful for her and hard and nasty, and it will shatter her illusions and make her feel scared and alone and miserable, and eventually she will figure out that she needs to deal with him as a threat, and I'm putting my money on Azula, because she is a lot smarter than her father.
So Azula takes the throne the same way her father did, through murdering her own father. But Ozai is not an old man on the verge of death, so Azula has to be that much more careful. She slips a small amount of slow acting poison into something he drinks every day, something he keeps in his room: his tea. Because Ozai might have mocked his brother for decades over his fussy tea drinking ways, but he drinks almost as much tea, and is almost as fussy about it. And Azula slips in the poison right before leaving for a year long tour of duty handling insurgents in the Earth Kingdom.
It takes almost three weeks for Ozai to even begin to feel the effects, and another month to become seriously ill. Azula is called home as she knows she would have been, and as she relied on, because after a certain point, he was going to get too sick to make himself tea. But once she's home, she can keep making it for him.
Azula carefully researched the poison she used, to find one that would mimic the symptoms of a natural intestinal issue, and the physicians are none the wiser, nor is her father. As he grows weaker and weaker, as he lays dying, they reconcile. Hes scared, and he wants his golden child there again, who adores him and believes in him. And it's all very sweet and heartfelt, and Azula feeds him his last dose of poison before he slips away.
Almost as soon as he's dead, she sends for her brother. But who is the Zuko Azula sends for?
Already at sixteen, Zuko is perceptive enough and brave enough to tell Zhao that his father is a fool if he thinks rest of the world will follow him willingly. He's drowning in a whole lot of fear, pain, anger, and self deception, but it's not like he's incapable of perceiving the harm the Fire Nation is doing, and how the rest of the world feels about it. Without the Avatar, and going back to the Fire Nation, and the series of events that happened in canon, it takes him longer to realize what a shit his dad is, and how his dad doesn't love him, or want him home, or think he can find the Avatar, and how about he, Zuko, didn't deserve the way his dad treated him, and how the best thing he can do for the world is work against his father and the Fire Nation's imperialism, but he gets there. He is in fact there for about a decade before his father dies.
His exile is boring. That's the thing, whatever internal changes he has come to, he spends most of his time sailing around, on a perpetual journey, designed to keep him away from his father and the court. Once he comes to the realization that he was never really supposed to find the Avatar, he's left adrift with little purpose. It's almost a blessing that his ancient ship is pretty much always falling to pieces around him, especially after the first five years, and he and his crew are chronically underfunded, so he is forced to find ways to make up the shortfall. At first, this mostly means running errands for various naval officials, but especially after the fall of Ba Sing Se, it means smuggling.
Zuko and his crew actually ran his sister's blockade around some of the cities she is besieging, because they were harboring insurgents, to bring food and supplies, and she was none the wiser.
So when she calls him home, she expects him to be biddable, scared, angry, but desperate for acceptance, love, and family connection. And yeah, when he first comes home, he is pretty biddable. He and Mai, uh, renew their acquantance, (Mai was waiting for Zuko, but not altogether willingly. Once Azula decided that her brother was going to be doing the whole. Making heirs thing instead of her, she quickly decided on Mai as his future wife. When Mai attempted to date a guy when she was nineteen and recently returned from Omashu, Azula shut that down fast, and made it clear to Mai that it would not happen again) and Azula basically ignores him and their uncle while she starts ruling the country.
And here is the part where Azula's pragmatism versus her father's self-aggrandizing stubbornness come to the forefront, because Azula, as mentioned in the previous post, is capable of realizing that she can't hold onto all of the Earth Kingdom. As much time as she has spent in the field, trying to deal with insurgency, she's very well aware of this, but she also has no intention of losing all of the Earth Kingdom colonies, just the ones she has to, just the ones that are much more expensive to keep than they could ever get out of them.
But just because she is being pragmatic, and doing what is the most self-interested thing the Fire Nation can do, that doesn't mean that there aren't people who are going to lose here, or who are afraid they are going to lose here, and the most dangerous time for any autocratic regime is when it's trying to reform. All it takes is one colonial governor afraid that he is about to lose his position, or people who used to live in the new colonies, coming home to the Fire Nation, unhappy about it, for someone to plot and assassination, and Azula might be very good in combat, but there's not a lot she can do about a bomb thrown at her palinquin.
And just like that, a few years into his sister's reign, Zuko, newly married and with the kid his sister wanted to be her heir on the way, takes the throne in the wake of his sister's grisly assassination. Azula is remembered as a martyr for the deconnization that her brother would forge ahead with, much further and faster than she ever would have. Certainly not a fate she ever would have chosen for herself.
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botherkupo · 10 months ago
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Woo finished all 8 episodes of atla live action show. So here are my final thoughts:
Show had its weaknesses but overall was very enjoyable. Would watch again
I loved everything they did with Zuko, Azula, and Ozai. I’ve rambled about this a few times now so won’t add anything more. Just want to emphasize that all extra scenes/changes etc were very satisfying for me and made me excited for the future seasons
I wasn’t sold on Iroh in that first episode but he grew on me quickly and the use of Leaves From the Vine still makes me heart ache. Perfect emotional touch. (Also Zuko saying Lu Ten would be proud to have Iroh as a father before the NWT battle was so sweet)
Aang was wonderful. Some parts with the Avatars being like” bro get your act together” felt repetitive at times, but I also like we got to see all the last 3 avatars. (Also Kuruk focusing on spirit battles was cool. Thank you for giving him more substance and explaining why Koh may have targeted him through Umi)
One thing I really appreciate about Aang here is that yes he didn’t technically “run away” and get trapped in the iceberg. He left to calm down because he was feeling so overwhelmed, then all that stuff happens, and then 100 years passes and he’s stuck not knowing how to be the Avatar — especially in a world so different from his own. The part where he said he didn’t belong in the world was just 😭😭😭đŸ„șđŸ„șđŸ„ș
Anyway I like that Aang is trying even though he’s so uncertain and lost. He has his flaws and he has his strengths and at the end of the day his role will be to fight for peace and try bring back the world he knew — when ppl could have fun and be friends with other nations. Also yeah the whole direction they went with the Ocean Spirit was awesome. Aang knew what was going to happen but he did it anyway because he thought that was all he could do, even if it meant he would be lost. I was very emotional lol
In terms of Sokka and Katara, this show definitely feels like it has placed Zuko and Aang as the leads. So yeah, in some ways Katara has stepped back a bit this season compared to what we saw in the cartoon. I honestly wasn’t happy with all the ways she was handled but overall I am still happy with her in the show. Her fight with Pakku was awesome, I love she rounded up the female waterbenders to fight, and I cried when she was calling out to Aang as he was lost to the Ocean Spirit. I think she will be even better in season 2, since her story in this season was about overcoming her trauma and not holding herself back for anyone
On that note, the 8 episode limit definitely made the show suffer in terms of pacing for those last few episodes. I would have loved to have seen Katara do more to fully accept she IS a master. I also didn’t feel much for Sokka and Yue since I felt he had better chemistry with Suki. They definitely could have done with more episodes to build that relationship up. I did like Yue though and how her sacrifice felt less like a destined thing the Moon Soieit had always intended her to do and more like something she chose to do freely.
Also can I just say the horrified screech I made when Momo got hit. I was going noooo momo the whole time until he got healed. (Show needed more Momo. Also Appa. Budget probably made their appearances few snd far between but still. Momo is my fav and I missed him)
It was interesting how they completely changed Hahn but also quite refreshing. One of things I do like about this live action (and I’m probably in the minority) is that they made complete changes sometimes. We all know the story, but it was cool to see unexpected stuff, especially since I could appreciate the changes. Like Yue actively choosing not to marry Hahn (even more so because natla Hahn is not a dickhead) is more satisfying to me than her feeling all sad about a betrothal she doesn’t want. (Also meant we got to see Katara earn Pakku’s strength all on her own instead of because he used to have the hots for Gran Gran)
I thought the show also did well combining omashu, Jet stuff, and Mechanist together. I’m actually happy we didn’t have to deal with The temple being taken over by the mechanist etc because it never sat well with me anyway. Also the episode limit meant they had to focus on ways to condense season 1 into a satisfying story — I think they did good with what they had. We have to remember the cartoon had heaps of episodes to work with, and animation is a different medium with a lot of strengths when it comes to fantasy etc
Anyway, this is getting super long. I will wrap it up by again saying the live action is not perfect but it is a good show that hits all the right emotional beats. I really hope it will get renewed and we’ll get the full story
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theatrevelyan · 10 months ago
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Ok, I’ve binged the new ATLA live action and I have feelings about it so here are my incoherent thoughts! (SPOILERS btw!!)
I’m a fan of the original show and I approached this show with low expectations (namely the only expectation I had was “this can’t be worse than the movie, right??”) but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised!!
I mean sure some details have been changed to flow better in this rendition of the story but I’m fine with that so long as the heart that made the original special is still there and I know some people didn’t felt like it did but I had the feeling that it was.
Do I love absolutely everything about the show?
Nope.
I have some issues with the first episode being too stiff and some shots were outright weird?? Like the tilted camera when Grangran was speaking was a really odd choice??? Was it to signal that the world changed when the fire nation attacked? If so it missed the mark, it just felt weird
 to be honest Grangran in general felt weird. Idk man, she felt like an exposition dump made flesh. Also I did like it better when it was Katara’s unchecked emotions that led them to Aang.
In general, the dialogues were
 uhm, how to put it
? Too rigid? Not the acting mind you, but the actual script felt a bit stilted, I felt it more in the first few episodes but to me, the first episode is by far the weakest of the season in this regard which is odd since it’s your hook and most of the time you want to make sure the hook is if not the best at least a really solid opening.
I did not like Bumi, like at all. He was never a favorite of mine even in the original but still I found him annoying in this version and the fight in that episode was not the best to say the least but the rest of Omashu was good even if they changed it to include both Sai’s and Jet’s storylines. Too bad they didn’t include the loss of culture subplot for Aang but I get there was no time/place for it in this version of events and the rest was handled well
 except for Bumi lol
On the more serious complaints
 they butchered my boi HeiBai!!! That episode was all over the place in sense of scripting. I didn’t mind putting Koh and the owl there but we just forgot about the HeiBai plot along the way and we never got a resolution about it???? Like just two lines about healing the forest would have been enough, not good mind you, but enough.
Also I did not get why they changed the motivation for going to the North Pole from going there to train to go there bc of Kyoshi weird premonition thing or why Roku didn’t tell Aang about the comet????
Like ok the Kyoshi thing I can just wave it away like a minor change to flow better with the new structure of the episodes but I can’t ignore the fucking comet!!! That’s like a really important timeframe for the gaang to follow and maybe they will get to it next season since it was addressed on Ozai’s side of things but it felt still like a weird change.
Oh and why didn’t Aang learn water bending??? I mean I guess they probably wanted to elevate Katara’s skill level and have her be recognized as a master before she started teaching him besides him having still to come to terms with having to accept that he is the avatar and that he has to fight sometimes something that he doesn’t really do until the season finale and I can get behind that, I really can
 but man
 let him water bend just a little. Maybe in just one scene to show that he is picking up something from Katara even if she’s not his teacher yet. To show that despite all the doubts he’s actually trying to do what he’s supposed to. I guess this is a “wait and see” kind of change though so I’ll let it go
 for now.
All that said, do I think the show is a good adaptation of the original?
Fucking yes.
It has its flaws for sure but there is also a lot of good things in it.
Sokka was the highlight for me. I really liked him in the original but i feel like he’s been elevated in this version of the story and the actor did a really remarkable job with him, despite my worry with the changes in his initial story arch they managed to give him another layer that I liked.
Actually all the actors did a very good job! Aang was spot on and Zuko had a lot more humanity in him from the start without losing his rough edges. And while I stand by that Sokka’s actor is the one that surprised me the most, Zuko’s was the one I had more fun watching. A really great performance in my opinion.
Iroh was a fucking delight and an emotional gut punch as always and while he was a bit more somber I really liked this version of the character.
They did Azula and Ozai justice showing how cunningly terrifying and utterly toxic they can be and I really liked that we got to see more of them in season 1.
Hell, even Zhao felt the right balance of unhinged cartoony villain and actual threat for the pov characters.
Katara was more of mixed bag for me. She’s my favorite character in the original (with Zuko being a close second) so I have higher standards for her and overall all she still feels like the Katara that I know and love but idk sometimes she felt too poised?? It’s more evident in the first few episodes to be fair and I don’t think it was the acting, the actress was great! Maybe it was the direction or the writing?? Idk man I still loved her, mind you, but in the original, Katara, while being kind and loving, was still a force of nature that you do not want to anger exactly like a raging river that can both be a source of life or a force of destruction. In this it felt like they softened her edges a bit too much. That might be a me problem though, as I said she’s my favorite so I have higher standards for her.
Ti be honest though, it seems that they softened everyone’s less palatable traits. Zuko isn’t as ruthless, Sokka isn’t sexist at the start of the season, Aang isn’t as goofy and so on. I didn’t mind it actually and most of the time it works really well in showing us new sides of these characters without losing who the are but idk man
 while I still loved Katara it felt like she was missing something. And same with Suki! She looked fantastic and she was fierce as I expected her to be but she also felt more naive and love struck that she should have. Nothing terrible but enough to notice.
The bending was fantastic and it really felt
 well real. Especially air bending! Appa and Momo were really well animated too! Big win for the VFX team!
The music too! It just felt right. And I’m still not over those scenes when you faintly hear leaves from the vines play in the background. Curse you and your great choices that made me actually cry my eyes out like a baby!
In the end I’d give it a solid 7/10. It was a nice watch and it brought me back to my childhood and I can see it’s potential to be something special on its own.
Mind you, this could still turn into a dumpster fire along the way. It wouldn’t be the first time it happened to a really promising Netflix show (I’m looking at you Voltron and the Witcher) but I have to say, I’m gladly surprised and mildly optimistic about this show!
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prying-pandora666 · 2 years ago
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My Azula Diagnosis Analysis Part 7: CPTSD
As the master post I wrote was too long, I’ve divided it into parts. Find them all here.
Sick of bad armchair diagnosis for Azula? Me too! So in this thread let’s discuss Azula’s most commonly “diagnosed” illnesses and disorders, and find out what she actually meets the criteria for, if any.
Does Azula have complex post traumatic stress disorder?
Unlike PTSD, which is caused by a singular traumatic event or experience, CPTSD is caused by a repeated or even routine trauma.
Although oversimplified, an easy way to think of it is the difference between being traumatized by a car accident or mugging versus traumatized by an entire childhood of abuse in the home.
As such, CPTSD is a more complicated and less understood phenomenon, as the abuse and the sufferer’s reactions may have become so normalized to them, they may not even fully realize what is their traumatic response to past abuse versus what is their actual personality.
CPTSD Claims
—Azula clearly has trauma regarding her upbringing, seen both in her breakdown and failure to socialize normally
—Azula can’t regulate her emotions when she’s rejected
—Azula is desperate for love and familial approval and will go to insane lengths to get it
So Does Azula Have CPTSD?
CPTSD can present in a number of ways. People are all different. But diagnostically significant symptoms include:
—Lack of emotional regulation: Azula normally keeps her emotions very firmly in check to an obsessive degree. So firmly that she can lie to Toph or stare death in the face without flinching. However, after her breakdown she loses the capacity to regulate herself at all, lashing out at her brother homicidally for betraying her, and sobbing in front of a mirror she smashed herself. Azula’s tight control of her feelings therefor seems to be a coping mechanism to deal with intense feelings she can’t process, and the moment rejection makes her mask slip, Azula falls apart. Even years later in the comics, she is yet to regain full control.
—Changes in consciousness: This can include forgetting the traumatic event or feeling detached from your emotions or body aka disassociation. Azula constantly dismisses her own trauma and flippantly jokes about it to avoid showing vulnerability. As such, she is completely unprepared when the emotions finally catch up to her. At her worst, she shows no concern for her own physical well being, taking several suicidally dangerous risks, and even choosing to use painful chi-blocking to slip out of a straitjacket without a care for what she is putting her body through.
—Negative self-perception: Azula has internalized that she is a monster. She believes fear to be the only way to control and keep relationships, as she fears she is unloveable.
—Difficulty with relationships: Mai said it best. “I love Zuko more than I fear you”. Azula’s worst, most sensitive trauma, and Mai hit that weak point like the expert marksman she is. Azula truly couldn’t handle it when Zuko and her friends all turned on her, and it’s clear she has no idea how to resolve any of it despite desperately wanting their love just like she wanted her mother and father’s. Azula also hides vulnerability from others out of fear of showing weakness, which makes it hard to connect. She also struggles to relate to kids her own age in a normal way, despite being a highly charismatic leader when it comes to war.
—Distorted perception of abuser This includes becoming preoccupied with the relationship between you and your abuser. Azula lives only to be Ozai’s perfect weapon because this is the only way she knows to stay in his good graces and get any validation at all. She doesn’t realize until he discards her that he was never going to love her no matter what she did.
—Loss of systems of meanings: Systems of meaning refer to your beliefs about the world. Azula clearly loses faith in the Fire Nation’s crusade to conquer the world, and later on she loses complete interest in the throne as well, even saying that she found relief from her symptoms only once she accepted it wasn’t her destiny to be Fire Lord.
—Overaroused somatic system: Azula perceives rejection as a threat, and overreacts as her brain sets alarm bells off in her nervous system, leading to psychotic episodes and violent outbursts. This explains her impaired motor function when she’s at her lowest, as well as her reacting to Zuko’s rejection as if she has to kill him. His betrayal is taken so hard and personally because her body misinterprets this emotional pain as a physical threat. This is an extremely common response amongst child victims of abuse, and Zuko also shows shades of this with his anger issues.
Conclusion: Azula does suffer from CPTSD.
Out of everything else on this list—except Golden Child Syndrome which is canonically confirmed—this is the most likely diagnosis for Azula.
The enmeshment with her abuser, the coping mechanisms, the emotional responses, the repressed feelings, even the way her motor skills and rationality deteriorate during periods of intense stress.
Several personality disorders, notably Borderline Personality Disorder, can have overlapping symptoms. Considering Azula’s circumstances, it is my opinion that she more likely has CPTSD masquerading as BPD, but this is open to individual interpretation.
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gloomybadger4life · 30 days ago
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Azula inadvertently begins a working class revolution because she challenges all suitors to an agni kai and raises the stakes.
Zuko is running out of nobles and disgruntled common folk take that as an opportunity to rise up and take over some provinces.
Half the cabinet wants to send in the army but they also know how bad it's gonna look, you know, internationally.
Azula catches on and thinks it's hilarious. She issues challenges to any and all firebending nobles.
Even if she loses Zuzu is fucked and she has the last laugh.
Zuko changes the law so that Katara can fight her and stop her. He does not realize the implication.
Katara and Azula have a masterful and impressive duel that goes on for hours. They both end up exhausted but refuse to call it a draw.
So they fight the next day, and every day after because neither is giving ground.
By the 12th match Zuko is like: just bloodbend her.
Katara: i tried but she can shoot lightning from her mouth and I can't get a grip.
Azula, now with growing respect towards Katara: In all fairness if the duel was at night, she might win.
So they agree and they fight at midnight.
Katara wins, barely and not without half her body being stunned by electricity.
Azula just asks her when she should propose.
Katara has the realization that Zuko neglected to mention that fact. She goes off on Zuko.
Azula laughs the hardest she has in years. She asks Katara to talk.
Azula: So I wanna apologize to you, for the whole trying to kill you to force Zuzu into a corner. And the whole war thing. I should have practiced this.
Katara: wait what?
Azula: Is it one big apology or does it need to be itemized?
Katara: ...
Azula: I'm also sorry for killing the avatar.
Katara: So you're actually sorry. Like for real regret it.
Azula: Yes.
Katara: why?
Azula: Because the war made no sense. I believed in it when i was younger. I was taught to. It was rewarded. Iroh lost a son. Zuzu got banished. One way or another something pushed them away from the nation's influence. I didn't have anything like that.
Katara, shooketh: What are you trying to say?
Azula: that I am what Zuzu was supposed to be. What any of us would have become if we were raised that way. I didn't begin to question it until i was defeated.
Katara: So, what now?
Azula: Don't worry about the marriage thing, I'll handle it. Not in any bad way... Do I always sound like I'm threatening someone?
Katara: Uh yeah, all the time. Last night you grabbed a tray of mochis and told them you were going to consume them.
Azula: You give sea prunes the same look.
Katara: Okay fair, but back to you not being all evil anymore...
Azula: I'll help Zuzu tidy up, make sure he gets the glory. He's gonna need the public's approval, half the nobles have disgraced heirs, the other half are scared.
Katara: and all of this because you didn't want to marry some guy you could have easily killed after.
Azula: I didn't wanna marry a guy, first of all. And secondly, assasination like that is such a hassle. Plus poisons were my mother's thing...
Katara: wait what?
Azula: Zuzu didn't tell you, she poisoned Azulon because Ozai tried to skip over Iroh when he lost my cousin. Azulon ordered Zuko's death.
Katara: Is your whole family this fucked up?
Azula: Yes. I thought that was established.
So they actually start to bond while Zuko goes on a tour to garner public goodwill.
Aang comes in. Azula apologizes awkwardly.
Toph finds the whole thing hilarious and asks Katara if she likes Azula.
Katara is like, I mean she's really weird but it makes sense and she's making a lot of progress not being evil. Cue an hour of gushing.
Azula meanwhile realizes that if she gives up her title the whole marriage thing goes away. She abdicates the title and tells Katara.
Toph: So you didn't wanna marry Katara?
Azula: Not like this.
Azula realizes what she just blurted that out and runs off. She runs face first into Katara and apologizes. Katara is all weirded out bc this isn't regular Azula behavior.
They do have a conversation about her abdicating. Katara is surprised and opens up more. Azula asks her how she doesn't have vengeful feelings about the fire nation.
They have a heart to heart and end up talking all day.
Eventually Katara and Toph head home and Azula asks if she can send Katara letters...
What if Zuko tried putting Azula in an arranged marriage? What would be his motivation and her reaction?
I can easily see his motive being getting her out of the line of succession if he doesn't trust her at all. Now as far as Azula's reaction goes, she'd more than likely be pissed off and would try to find a way out of it.
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crellanstein · 5 years ago
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Prodigious
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I find it odd how the fandom focuses so much on Aang’s childhood being ruined when he learned he was the Avatar at 12, but there’s very little talk about how discovering she was the Avatar as a toddler affected Korra’s life and how she was raised.
But we’ll circle back to that...
Because this is a good starting point to talk about one of the most prevalent themes in the story, which the mainstream discussion of tends to only focus on a few characters -- That is the Child Prodigy. 
We’ll start with the two most obvious. The ones we always talk about.
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Azula.
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The clearest example of your typical child prodigy (if there is anything typical about a prodigy). Azula showed early mastery of very advanced Fire-Bending techniques, and is the only Fire-Bender to use blue flames, which was intended to make her stand out amongst the other villains but is also indicative that her Fire-Bending is more pure and powerful (blue flame is produced when burning pure O2 or fuel without contaminant at a very high temperature). 
All this lead to her being praised and favored by Ozai as a child, but as double-edged swords go, this also meant she had a lot of pressure on her shoulders to never fail, and she rarely did. Her ego matched her talent, and let’s be honest she was the baddest bitch the show had ever seen. Conquering Ba Sing Se, defeating the Avatar in combat, and dropping some of the most devastating lines of dialogue in villain history; she was a force nobody wanted to reckon with. 
And that become a problem for one asshole in particular...
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Being jealous of his own child is just one item on a laundry list of reasons why this guy is the worst father in the history of fathers. Azula had begun to outshine him with her victories, and Ozai’s maniacal ego couldn’t handle that, so he left her behind to babysit the Fire Nation while he went out to burn/conquer the world, which also was her idea.
And while this wasn’t the only thing that aided in her demise, it certainly was the final straw which sent her spiraling down into this...
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In the end Azula is a sad example of how certain unfair expectations are placed upon talented children, and the more they succeed, the more these expectations grow and weigh on the them until they either disappoint those looking down on them or surpass and embarrass their elders.
It is a lose-lose situation which inevitably destroys them.
There is a similar example of the child prodigy, but his story goes a little different.
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Aang.
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Even as a twelve/thirteen year-old boy Aang by far has the most impressive stats among any character in the Avatar universe.
Basically mastering 3 of the 4 Elements in less than a year, after mastering Air by the time he is twelve (not to mention inventing his own Air-bending move, the Air scooter). 
Aang is an example of a child prodigy who had too much thrust onto him at too young an age because of the talent he showed; because of this he panicked and ran away, and the world was worse off for it. 
Aang/Sokka/Katara’s story is all about how in times of War, responsibilities normally handled by adults are pushed onto kids who then have to grow up very fast in order to deal with it all.
The message is clear. War robs the young of their childhoods. 
Now, let’s talk about a different kind of child prodigy.
The Unacknowledged. 
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Yes, of course I’m talking about Toph, the greatest Earth-Bender to ever live.
Because of her blindness, Toph’s family tried to keep her sheltered and safe by hiding her from the world. Refusing to believe she could ever be more than helpless. Anyone who has seen the show knows that is far from the truth.
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But because her potential went unseen, there were some negative effects to her personality. Initially, she resented her parents, and rebelled; which established a certain level of independence, a bad attitude, and a hot-headed streak. Over time spent with the Gaang these behaviors subsided because she finally had friends and they accepted her for who she was. By the end of the series she was fully willing to accept aid from them when she needed it, like holding on to Sokka’s arm in environment where her bending couldn’t help her “see”. 
Toph’s story is a foil to Azula’s, both showed immense talent and badassery, but while recognition of Azula lead to ever-mounting pressure for her to succeed; the lack of recognition for Toph created a need for her to be acknowledged and set an undercurrent of frustration which leads to her acting out in the ways she does.
The lesson to take from Toph’s story is not to shelter your kid from the world out of fear for their safety, and to be open to recognizing their talents, not shun them.
Next are two more Unacknowledged.
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Katara and Sokka.       
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Their story, and the reason behind their circumstances, is one of the more complicated and nuanced ones in the series, so here we’ll focus on how it fits into the subject of discussion.
Because of the War, Katara was robbed not only of her mother but also of any Southern Masters to train her, and any role models Sokka could have looked up to left with his father to fight. Because of this Katara’s potential and Sokka’s genius went unacknowledged not due to neglect but rather due to circumstance. (Yes, I think Sokka is a genius, how many 15 yr olds do you know that can plan an invasion, design submarines, and spit poetry off the cuff?).
This is a further example of how War robs kids of necessary childhood experiences, and these two robberies had particular effects on both Katara and Sokka’s character developments.
Sokka had the responsibility of protecting his home put upon him at a young age. The men of his tribe leaving prevented him from completing his rite of manhood until the Gaang ran into Bato of the Water Tribe, and early on Sokka was constantly trying to prove himself as a man and a leader. Sokka is one of the smarter characters of the series, but he rarely got credit for it until the third season. Not to mention that because he wasn’t a bender he often seemed less useful than the others. The circumstances of war made his talent go unnoticed and because of that he often was unsure of himself and overcompensated to prove something.
Speaking of talent going unnoticed.
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Katara is definitely one of the more talented benders of the series. After training herself for years with little progress, she essentially mastered Water-Bending in a few weeks under Master Pakku. While her anger towards the Fire-Nation mostly centers around the loss of her mother, it can’t be ignored that the delay in her training was a direct result of the Fire-Nations’ actions.  Toph’s anger and frustration vented itself as rebellion. However, the same frustration and anger is within Katara, but because she wasn’t as natural a bender as Toph she sought to learn and be respected, and when that was denied to her is when that anger bubbled to the surface in some terrifying ways. 
While Toph’s talent went unnoticed because of her families neglect, Katara and Sokka’s wasn’t acknowledged because there was nobody to acknowledge it. Because of that both brother and sister wanted to prove themselves to the world.
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And then there is Zuko.
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I know what you’re thinking. Zuko wasn’t a prodigy, his Fire-Bending skill didn’t catch up with Azula’s until the finale and he never mastered Lightning-Bending, but this section is about the Unacknowledged.
Zuko had many other talents besides Fire-Bending, he was a master swordsmen, and was able to successfully break into every secure facility he attempted in the show (which was almost every secure facility the show featured).  Unfortunately, these talents were never recognized, because the only thing the royal family cared about was bending ability (It’s possible the reason he learned the sword was because he lacked skill in Fire-Bending). 
As per usual with Zuko, this part of his tale is quite sad. Many can relate to being outshined by a sibling, and when it becomes all too clear that one cannot match another’s talent it’s quite understandable to focus on what they do excel at, but even then there is no promise of recognition for their own talent. Zuko was even mocked by his father during the solar eclipse when Ozai tried baiting him into attacking with his swords. 
This lack of recognition is one of many sad aspects of Zuko’s early life, but it is a definitive example of one of the hardest unacknowledged prodigy’s cross to bear. The Outshone prodigy, one whose talents are never noticed because a bigger and brighter star stands in the way of such recognition, and arguably the most frustrating type mentioned here. Toph/Sokka/Katara all came from situations were there was no recognition being given to them or anyone, but Zuko had to bear watching massive amounts of praise be piled on to his sister while he and his accomplishments went by the way side.
Ozai summed up the situation best.
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“Azula was born lucky, Zuko was lucky to be born”
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Alright now where have I been going with all this?
So, far we’ve covered a lot of wrong ways to treat a child, whether they show talent or not, and how the circumstances of war can also take many things from children.
But what happened to Korra?
(Before we get into to this I should state that I like Korra, and the purpose of this is not to bash her as a character or her arc, but rather to give a little of my insight into it.)
It’s well established that Aang was told of his heritage too young, and that was a detriment on his development into an adult, but what would have happened if he realized his powers himself not long after he could walk? We’ll never know, but we do get to see the effects it had on Korra. 
When she revealed herself as the Avatar, Korra set her entire life in a new direction, and because Aang tasked the White Lotus with finding and training her that direction was out of her control. There are two key differences between Korras’ and other Avatars’ lives.
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1. She grew up in isolation on a White Lotus compound.
Every Avatar before Korra we know of spent a portion of their early lives traveling the world in order to master the elements; along this journey they not only learned how to bend the other 3 elements, buy also many things about the 3 other nations and the world they are tasked to protect as a whole. By confining Korra in safety and bringing the masters to her the White Lotus deprived Korra of this opportunity to learn and grow and understand the world and the people within in. It also deprived her of learning modern bending styles until she reached Republic City.
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While this might have kept Korra safe from the Red Lotus, it grew within her a naiveté about how the world worked, and because of this when she actually did venture out into the world she was terribly unprepared for it.
2.  She was trained and mastered 3 of the elements by the time she was 16.
Most Avatars don’t know they have this power until they reach 16 and then they spend several years learning to control it. Korra’s natural talent in the bending lead to her training being expedited not by necessity like Aang’s, but due to her talent and eagerness. Korra excelled at the physical part of being the Avatar and because of this by the time she reached maturity she had become over-confident in her abilities and true to what her Fire-Bending master said in Ep.1 she lacked restraint.
I’m not saying her bending isn’t great, but rather because it is so great it’s her go-to solution to anything, and she enjoys that so she uses it with enthusiastic gusto and not a lot of thinking before striking.
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This overconfidence coupled with her naiveté of the world is what lead to many of her rash decisions and actions, most of which had negative consequences, and I believe are the reason behind some fan are dissatisfied with her. Aang had been almost the complete opposite, even by the age of twelve he was an experienced world traveler and an incredibly humble guy. 
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Some may have been dissatisfied by these character decisions, but they served a purpose, they are only the beginning of her arc. The internal challenge Korra must overcome through 4 seasons is to humble herself before the world, and learn from it. This was finally achieved in the 4th season when the metal poisoning in her body forces her to face others in the world as equals, only then had she completed her journey.
And why did it all go this way?
Because she is a very unique child prodigy, what she demonstrates in the first episode of LOK would be akin to a toddler playing the violin or hitting a three-pointer; she could bend 3 elements close to just after learning to walk. That is the kind of prodigious talent rarely seen because it is mostly impossible. How does a rational person handle a child like that? 
It’s a tough question, and something this essay has been circling around the whole time. Each example here is the wrong way to handle talented and different children, but what is the right way?
As always look to Iroh.
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Who treated his surrogate son Zuko with both respect and compassion. 
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Unlike Toph’s parents, Iroh worried over Zuko’s well being, but also allowed him to be independent, make his own decisions, and take his own risks.
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Unlike the Nomad Leaders, he didn’t want Zuko weighed down by his position in the world and the responsibility that came with, and always encouraged him relax and take advantage of the moment.
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Unlike Ozai, Iroh would always be there to support Zuko in his victories and his failures. Iroh shows him the right path but does not force him down it.
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And even after Zuko betrayed and abandoned him.
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Iroh was never angry with him, and embraced him upon his return.
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He wanted Zuko to grow and be a better man. Even if Zuko wasn’t a prodigy like his sister. 
And that is the answer here. The way to raise a prodigy is the same way anyone should raise any child. Love, Support, a Guiding Hand rather than a Forceful Shove, Recognition of What Makes Them Unique, and Forgiveness When They Falter. The problem comes along when you start treating children differently because you see them as different or special. All children are different, all children are special.
Kids are kids, and they all deserve a proper childhood.  
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jello-in-my-bello · 5 years ago
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It’s time that we had a real conversation about Aang...
For the main character of a television series, Aang somehow almost always finds himself under-rated and dismissed in fans’ posts. You see all these posts and, when they do reference him, it’s usually accompanied by the phrases “immature” and “12-year-old boy.” I mean honestly, in some ATLA fans posts, it seems as if Aang’s name is almost synonymous with the word immaturity--and it’s been that way for years. I’ve always wondered why people discredited him. Was it because they saw his age and immediately ruled him out? Is it an excuse for Katara and Aang to have never happened? Was calling him the most immature character a way to bring up their favorite characters? Or did they simply get conditioned to think Aang was immature because everyone just... said he was? Well, I think Aang’s the most mature character (from start to finish) on the show, and Imma tell you why. 
I think that Book 1 Aang is the Aang that everyone has stuck in their head. We get introduced to Aang in a strange way: he’s a boy frozen in an iceberg, and the first thing he asks is to go penguin sledding. Then he boldly explores a fire navy ship after being told it might not be a great idea. This kid’s kinda stupid, we think. Why does he care about penguin sledding? Why does he explore something he is told not to? Then he stops at Kyoshi Island to ride the Unagi, then he stops at Omashu to ride the delivery service, and then he lets the gang stop at other locations—having mini adventures—without worrying about learning waterbending on any sort of timeline. Why does he choose to explore all these different places at first rather than master the four elements? Doesn’t he even care about being the Avatar? Ah... that’s right. He’s only 12. 
Except surmising his entire maturity (or lack thereof) to the fact that he stops for these adventures means that you are ignoring one glaring detail of the show: Airbender and nomad culture. Aang asking Katara to go penguin sledding instead of what year it was and taking his friends to all those random stops in B1 so that he can explore can not be chalked up to immaturity. Because then you are ignoring an entire culture. We don’t get to see a lot of airbenders, and I think that plays into the problem, but from what we do know, we learn that a critical part of their culture is that they travel. A lot. And experience different cultures. A lot. Think about all the different places he’s referenced going to 100 years ago in the series. Then think about all the friends he’s talked about having in these obscure places—and it always sounded like he visited them more than once. Traveling, experiencing different cities, and meeting new people was a part of him and a part of his culture. He wasn’t being a 12-year-old when he stopped to ride the Unagi or the delivery shoots in Omashu, he was being an air nomad
On a similar note, one of Aang’s most notable traits is saying, “Hey, check this out,” excitedly while doing some air bending trick that seems juvenile--like spinning marbles around or doing an air scooter.  People look at him doing this and his previously mentioned traits and go, “Oh, what a kid.” But here’s the thing: we can’t roll our eyes at his persistent need to show people marbles floating in the air or his air scooter. In the episode “Southern Air Temple,” we see Monk Gyatso—an extremely old, wise air bender—throwing cakes on other monks’ heads, and then we’re told throughout the series that Airbenders were known for their playful nature. Airbenders didn’t use their bending the same way other benders do. For example, Waterbenders might show off their skills by creating a giant wave and being like, “Look how cool!” (See: Katara, like every time she learns a new move.) We know Airbenders have some pretty powerful moves--we’ve seen the tornado Aang created, the air body imprint of Aang that slammed Zuko back--but they don’t show off those moves because they’re so combative and not so fun. They show off the good-natured side of air bending (ex: Gyasto’s staff surfing when he was a child).  So those marble/air scooter tricks can’t be watered down to 12-year-old immaturity. Because he’s not being a kid when he does those things, he’s being an Airbender. People also tend to look over the fact that he is a survivor of a genocide. You need to keep in mind that he is a living relic and the only example left of what his race was. So even later in the series when he continues to show people those tricks, he’s showing them not just for fun, but to keep his culture alive. And what do you think he’s going to show them: a tornado with random objects flying around in it or two marbles flying in his hands? Which is a better representation of Airbender culture?
Also, do not forget that Aang earned his arrows. Airbenders are not just regular benders; they are known for being especially enlightened. You don’t just need to be a master at airbending to get your arrows—you also need to be a master at their culture. Aang was an enlightened boi. Look at all the speeches that he gave as the series continued. He didn’t just magically become wise in the course of a few months because he had to fight the Firelord, he just tapped into what was always there and never showed. The maturity was always there, and the receipts are in the arrows. 
So, I’ve gone over why he’s not as immature as everyone thinks, but why do I think he’s the most mature on the show? It’s because his emotional maturity is freaking through the roof. He’s part of a genocide, his culture is mocked, the few things—his clothing and glider—that he had left from his home were completely destroyed, and he had to do something that severely went against what he believes in. And he almost never loses his shit. In fact, we only ever see him get actually upset (we’re not counting the Avatar state cause that’s a whole different thing) 3 times in the series: when he was telling Katara about how the monks wanted to take him away from Gyatso, the episode when Appa was stolen, and when he was explaining that no one understands the position he is in (in terms of killing Ozai). Think about how much we saw everyone else freak out over the course of the show? About even smaller things.
Katara and Zuko are generally accepted as the two most mature characters of the series. But why? Zuko is continuously snapping at everyone, and, yes, he matured. But he is not completely there yet. He still somewhat believes in revenge (See: Southern Raiders), and it’s only at the last episode of the series that he understands violence is not the answer. And Katara? She acts very mature towards everyone else, but when it comes to her own emotions? She’s a whole basket full of mess. (See: Southern Raiders, again. Or anytime she uses anger as her way to show she’s “passionate.”) A good way to showcase the difference between Aang and these two is realizing that all of them lost a parent from the war and analyzing at how they handled it. (For Zuko let’s focus on the idea that he never really had a father) Katara lost her mother, Zuko his father, and Aang his father, Gyatso. Throughout the series, losing their parent was a huge topic point for both Katara and Zuko so much so that it was as if they thought no one else had ever suffered. (Katara, we see you telling Sokka that he didn’t love your mom the same). Aang, however, acknowledges his pain, tells stories of Gyatso and uses him as an example of what he wants to live up to— eventually coming full circle at the end wearing Gyatso’s beads and an identical outfit. I can’t imagine a more mature way to handle what happened than that.
Basically, what I’m trying to say is, maturity isn’t based on how you have fun, it’s based on how you react to hard situations. And nobody, nobody reacted better in those situations than Aang. So if you watched Avatar and thought it was a story about a young boy maturing, then you misjudged. It wasn’t a story about an immature boy growing up. It was a story of an Airbender becoming an avatar. 
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impossiblycolorfulpanda · 2 years ago
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Zuko: Uncle, you're the only person other than the Avatar who can possibly defeat the Father Lord.
Toph: You mean the Fire Lord.
Zuko: That's what I just said! We need you to come with us!
Iroh: No, Zuko, it won't turn out well.
Zuko: You can beat him! And we'll be there to help.
Iroh: Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don't know that I could, it would be the wrong way to end the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence, a brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord.
Zuko: And then...then you would come and take your rightful place on the throne?
Iroh: No. Someone new must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor. It has to be you, Prince Zuko.
Zuko: Unquestionable honor? But I've made so many mistakes.
Iroh: Yes, you have. You've struggled; you've suffered, but you have always followed your own path. You restored your own honor, and only you can restore the honor of the Fire Nation.
Zuko: I’ll try uncle.
Iroh: Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation, so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order. But Azula will be there, waiting for you.
Zuko: I can handle Azula.
Iroh: Not alone. You’ll need help.
Zuko: You're right. Katara, how would you like to help me put Azula in her place?
Katara: It would be my pleasure.
Sokka: Woah, woah, woah. Just hold on a sec. I thought you said two siblings fighting each other for the throne was a bad thing.
Iroh: Um...When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now do I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation, so the Earth Kingdom can be free again.
Sokka: That didn’t answer my question and could I also ask where this destiny came from. Why is that something you’re just talking about now?
Iroh: All will be revealed in time. After I re-conquer Ba Sing Se, I'm going to re-conquer my tea shop, and I'm going to play Pai Sho every day.
Sokka: Are you even listening to me? So, it’s ok for Zuko and Azula to try and kill each other over being the new fire lord and if Zuko wins, he’ll be accepted and admired, but when it comes to you and the fire lord, everyone would get at mad at you for it?
Iroh: Well...
Sokka: You see that? I just poked a hole in you’re sense of logic. Ya know, Zuko talked very highly of you and so far I’m not impressed.
Suki: Hmmm, come to think of it. This order has the most top notch bender and non-benders in the world hiding in the shadows, some of them have infiltrated parts of the fire nation.
Sokka: Yeah, yeah and when Azula took over ba sing se, she did so using the same infiltration tactics and without spilling a single drop of blood.
Zuko: Hmmm, I was told to go into the dragon catacombs by a mysterious figure but it was forbidden, the penalty for trespassing was death. No exceptions. I found secrets in there that would have damaged the fire lord reputation. The mystery man could be apart of the white lotus, which means, with them this deep in the shadows, your order have exposed these secrets and prove to the world that the war was a lie.
Iroh: Very impressive. Well done. I can’t believe I never thought of that. Goes to show, even I’m not always right.
Zuko: Uncle, what’s the real reason why you won’t fight my father?
Toph: And why exactly is it Aang’s job to do it, even after a tone of hard core masters who are more then equipped to take him on?
Iroh: Because you are wrong about me. We can’t fight him, even if we wanted to. It’s not because of the moral laws or customs and propaganda as I foolishly said. It’s because we would all lose. Do you have any idea the powers my brother possess? With just his firebending, he can take down any bender, even me, if he had all elements like the avatar, he could bring down the entire world.
Zuko: Is he really so tough? I redirected his lightning and threw it back at him, it hit the ground instead of him. I could’ve killed him.
Iroh: My father, fire lord Azulon, once shot lightning at Ozai and he walked off with barely a scratch. I was a prodigy, like Azula, where as Ozai is not. which means he got to become more powerful then me by sheer force of will and dedication. His rule may be the shortest, but he’s proven to be very competent and diligent and he’s kept the kingdom well organized. In contrast to me whom I wasted and sickened myself in glory, women, food, and wealth. I would have driven the fire nation to the ground for my childish irresponsibility and ego. I fear I still might, which is why I cannot be fire lord. The years of knowing him, I saw nothing left. No reason, no conscience, no understanding; even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, good or evil, right or wrong. Even as a child, he had this blank, pale, emotionless face, and the blackest eyes, the devil's eyes. I once cut his face with a knife, he had no reaction and it almost seemed like his cut...healed instantly. I realized what was living behind that boy's eyes was something else. Something purely and simply...evil.
Zuko: Why didn’t you just be straight with me for once.
Iroh: I know I should’ve but I could never figure out how. Azula painfully reminds me of myself. Arrogant, irresponsible and a prodigy and I realize now, I might just be punishing her for my own mistakes. But my brother is not even human, to see my niece be blindly loyal to such abomination always made my skin crawl. I don’t know what he truly is, but various spirits tell me that his mere presence destroys balance and the avatar is the only one who can stop him. I don’t fully know why they insisted that but after learning their ways and listening to my gut, I no longer asked.
Sokka: It’s like this guy gets creepier and creepier every time I learn more about him.
Iroh: Sozin's Comet is arriving, and our destinies are upon us. Aang will face the Fire Lord and stop him. He’s the only one who can.
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catie-does-things · 4 years ago
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There’s a certain pushback against the common criticism of how Aang’s character arc was handled in AtLA - the criticism that he doesn’t have to actually learn anything or grow in any way in the story’s resolution - that goes along the lines of: Well, he shouldn’t have to grow up any more, because the war has already forced him to grow up too soon, and holding on to his childhood innocence in the face of that is a powerful message.
But...that’s not how stories work.
Aang is the protagonist of the show. You can’t tell a compelling story where the protagonist doesn’t change. If your hero comes out the other end of his journey with all the same wisdom, values, and maturity that he started with, then he hasn’t really gone on a successful journey, in the narrative sense. To be sure, not every character has to go through radical growth over the course of the story - but the protagonist has to. Otherwise, they shouldn’t be the protagonist.
And the problem with “holding on to childhood innocence” as Aang’s heroic boon is - it’s temporary at best. He’s not some sort of Peter Pan character who can stay a child forever. (And incidentally, you know who is the protagonist of the original Peter Pan story? Wendy, who at the end of the story grows up.) At some point, Aang will have to grow up, as we all do. And growing up is not something negative, but something good and natural that should happen in every child’s life.
Even when you have a character who has been forced to grow up too soon by their circumstances, this is no exception. You can’t redress that wrong by regressing the character or keeping them stagnant. Children of war still have to become adults. Moving forward is still the only option. And in terms of what message we want this show to send, showing how to grow and mature in a healthy way even with the trauma you have suffered would be a lot more powerful than simply saying you don’t have to grow up after all. 
And with other major characters in AtLA, the writers clearly understood this. Katara, Sokka, and Zuko have all been forced to grow up too soon just as much as Aang has, if not more, but they all continue to mature over the course of the series and get to actually resolve the traumas and insecurities that the war has left them with. Aang gets this in partial and temporary ways in certain one-off episodes, but his overall arc does the opposite. In the final resolution of the story, the only lesson he has learned is that everything he believed and wanted was right all along. For him, character growth is treated as unnecessary, even though as the protagonist of the story it is actually more necessary for him than for anyone else.
And this actually ties in to another common counter-argument, that Aang is preserving the culture of his people by maintaining their pacifist ways. Because Aang, as a twelve-year-old, can not possibly have a fully mature understanding of his own culture - no twelve-year-old does. There’s even ample evidence in the show that this is not the case - from the implication that Gyatso killed many of the Fire Nation soldiers who attacked him, to the advice Yangchen gives Aang in the finale. Allowing Aang to cling to a simplistic, childish understanding of Air Nomad values does not in fact preserve their culture - but having him reach a more nuanced, mature understanding of those same values would.
All that said, I will add my usual caveat that I don’t think Aang necessarily should have killed Ozai, from a narrative perspective, but the way that he gets out of having to do it still should have required him to mature in some way, rather than simply being handed to him the way it was. And of course there was a perfect set up for this in the book two finale - mastering the Avatar state (which he evidently needs in order to use his energybending ability) requires him to let go of his attachments. Making that sacrifice would in theory bring him more in line with the Air Nomad philosophy. But then that entire plot point got dropped like a hot rock and completely forgotten about in favor of a deus ex machina.
And as a final final caveat - I don’t hate Aang. I don’t say these things because I think Aang is somehow a bad person or bad character. I just think the writing on the show had some serious flaws regarding his character arc specifically. And these flaws are ultimately a disservice to Aang himself, who would have gotten so much more out of his own story if the writers had allowed him to have real growth.
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writebecauseyoucannotbreathe · 3 years ago
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Ultimate Ship Meme: Azulaang
Rate the Ship -  
Awful | Ew | No pics pls | I’m not comfortable | Alright | I like it! | Got Pics? | Let’s do it! | Why is this not getting more attention?! | The OTP to rule all other OTPs
How long will they last? - Until I say so. I can see them being together after death as spirits.
How quickly did/will they fall in love? - Ooooh boy. Azula struggles to understand friendship. I think she'd fall in love fast and hard but take the longest to realize. Aang wouldn't let himself get attached at first because Azula is unapologetic and one of the things I like about Azulaang is how it would push Aang to deals with the nitty gritty gray, not in a The Fire Nation was right all along way but in how even Kyoshi and Roku's conflict resolution let to disagreements. I think it would take Aang longer to fall in but once they reach a semblance of common ground he'd be well aware he's falling in love and would enjoy the ride.
How was their first kiss? - Let's see my fanfics. In Blue it was awkward. In Weightless it was sweet. In Smut it was horny and hate filled. In canon I think their first kiss would be very passionate and then they snap back to reality and Aang would evade while Azula denies so they wouldn't talk about it but they'd for sure be thinking about the kiss.
Wedding:
Who proposed? - Technically Azula. As soon as Aang hears about a Fire Nation wedding, either his friends or he learns about Ozai and Ursa's wedding, his mind would be set on a wedding. He wouldn't say anything but he'd squirrel away relevant wedding information like he'd hear a song and go "I want that instrument to play at my wedding." But Azula would have her life planned out by other people and there'd be a set date where Ozai now Zuko are supposed to comb through suitor requests (it was probably Ursa's role. If she's there she'd talk to Azula directly instead of Lo and Li. I don't think Lo and Li are high enough rank to determine the suitor but I think it would be customary/expected for their input to be asked). Azula would tell Aang something along the lines of "I should be wed." and he'd agree and then Azula will spend an abnormally long time wondering if he married her because he liked her or because it's his duty until she asks him while he's discussing potential baby room colors pre wedding.
Who is the best man/men? - Sokka and Toph. Azula was going to pick Momo but he made a better flower girl. Yes she did this to annoy Zuko (and because Toph didnt want to wear the bridesmaid outfit) it's okay though Fire Lord Zuko was the guest of honor.
Who is the braid’s maid(s)? - Katara, Suki, Mai, Ty Lee. Mai pretends she hates the outfit but she's secretly pleased.
Who did the most planning? - Aang did the most thinking but Azula did the most planning.
Who stressed the most? - Externally Aang. Internally Azula.
How fancy was the ceremony? -
Back of a pickup truck | 2 | 3 | 4 | Normal Church Wedding | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Kate and William wish they were this big.
100% Azula's fault. Aang has no clue what Fire Nation weddings are supposed to be like.
Aang: Wow I can't believe all weddings in your Nation are this big.
Azula: They're not. It's because I'm Royalty and you're the Avatar.
Though I hc that Aang wants to get married in all the different Nations and Azula secretly wants to experience a small wedding so they get married 3 more times with one of them being a very small Air Nation wedding.
Who was specifically not invited to the wedding? - Hmmm I'm not sure. On one hand, Ozai redemption. On the other hand, Ozai death.
Sex:
Who is on top? - Aang. Azula thinks she wants to be on top but she'd rather be pampered and Aang is more comfortable communicating and attending to needs. Aang has no strong preference either way and they do switch but this is their usual dynamic.
Who is the one to instigate things? - Azula but she denies it.
How healthy is their sex life? -
Barely touch themselves let alone each other | 2 | 3 | 4 | Once a couple weeks, nothing overboard | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They are humping each other on the couch right now
I think it's up to the reader's preference but I can see them being very private (Azula) and naturally talented (Aang) to the point where they assume every couple has sex daily. Hc that Aang and Suki talk about sex freely (ex: When I do __ should I __ or do girls prefer ___? I can never tell with Azula. Why do guys do ___ after ____ ? I've tried asking Sokka but he doesn't give me a straight answer.) Much to the fear of Sokka and Azula.
How kinky are they? -
Straight missionary with the lights off | 2 | 3 | 4 | Might try some butt stuff and toys | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Don’t go into the sex dungeon without a horse’s head
Again up to the reader. They both like learning new things and are prodigies so I think they'd end up reading about things to try in bed (Azula) and would try things out to see what they like (Aang) until they learn what they and each other generally like/dislike.
How long do they normally last? - 
Does the Avatar State remove your refractory period? >;3c
Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms? - No. Aang likes overstimulating.
How rough are they in bed? -
Softer than a butterfly on the back of a bunny | 2 | 3 | 4 | The bed’s shaking and squeaking every time | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Their dirty talk is so vulgar it’d make Dwayne Johnson blush. Also, the wall’s so weak it could collapse the next time they do it.
Neither can dirty talk. Azula is rougher. Aang likes to take it slow. She sets the pace in the beginning but he decides when it ends.
How much cuddling/snuggling do they do? -
No touching after sex | 2 | 3 | 4 | A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They snuggle and kiss more often than a teen couple on their fifth date to a pillow factory.
Azula refuses to cuddle in public but in return they cuddle all night.
Children:
How many children will they have naturally? - hc them having twin boys at first with one firebender and one airbender because poetry. But Azula really wants a girl so they have a third child she is an airbender with Aang's charm and knack for getting in trouble and Azula's ruthlessness. Amon kidnaps her and instead of easily escaping (Aang's genes) she instead viciously mocks him the way only a preteen can (Azula's genes.) It's traumatic enough for Amon even before the parents show up. Then Aang wants another one and Azula wants another firebender so they do the do and surprise triplets! (maybe it has to do with ejaculatimg in the Avatar State lol) So 6 in total and lets say its 3 boys 3 girls with 3 airbenders 3 firebenders.
How many children will they adopt? - None. Azula is wary of motherhood and I know people like to hc Aang as adopting and while I can see him acting as a father figure to several kids I think he'd greatly prefer biological kids especially airbenders. It's a flaw that was barely touched upon and def not handled well in Legend of Korra.
Who gets stuck with the most diapers? - Servants or Aang. After a kid or two Azula would be comfortable enough to change the diapers but it would still be mostly Aang.
Who is the stricter parent? - Depends on the kid. Aang is more lenient with airbenders and Azula with firebenders or girls. I can see Azula being strict with training & studies but not with sharing whereas Aang would have less rules but they'd be more heavily enforced (ex: no airgliding without supervision until you've mastered the safety course)
Who stops the kid(s) from doing dangerous stunts after school? - Azula. She's pretty lenient with the term dangerous esp. when it comes to firebending as long as basic safety measures are applied (ex: you can pracrice lightning as long as it's not pointed towards yourself aka dont be Zuzu) but Aang is of the mindset "How are you gonna learn airbending without dangerous stunts?" And after the first few incidents she started stepping in.
Who remembers to pack the lunch(es)? - Azula but Aang cooks them.
Who is the more loved parent? - Appa
Who is more likely to attend the PTA meetings? Azula. When Aang attends the teachers shower him and his kids with compliments ("You're doing so well teaching your kids the values of the Air Nomads. It must be so hard being The Last Airbender"). They do the same with Azula but unlike Aang she sees through it and manages to get an accurate assessment of how their kids are doing.
Who cried the most at graduation? - Aang was more happy than sad. Azula cried before and after.
Who is more likely to bail the child(ren) out of trouble with the law? - Aang. He is a notorious lawbreaker. Azula would bail the kids and she could do so quicker than Aang in a few cases because of her connections but she'd be mad so their kids would rather call Aang or break themselves out.
Cooking: 
Who does the most cooking? - Tied. Aang at first but then Azula wants to learn and after Aang teaches her since she has less experience she finds more enjoyment in cooking.
Who is the most picky in their food choice? - 
Technically Aang since he's a vegetarian. Azula hasn't tried as many foods and she's used to not making a fuss at the family dinner table to the point of which Aang notices.
Who does the grocery shopping? - Both. Aang has a better eye for vegetables/fruits and Azula is better with prices (it's not about the cost it's about the value).
How often do they bake desserts? - Aang bakes them when he can/weekly. They're fruit based so if Azula doesn't want dessert he gives it to Momo or flings it at a target.
Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater? - Gee I wonder. Aang eats salad Azula eats meat.
Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner? - Aang but Azula tends to figures it out. Azula is more likely to plan a dinner but she wouldn't make it a surprise.
Who is more likely to suggest going out? - Aang but Azula is a close second. It would be a tie if it wasn't for the bathhouse.
Who is more likely to burn the house down accidently while cooking? - Accidentally? Aang. On purpose? Azula.
Who cleans the room? - Servants or Aang.
Chores: 
Who is really against chores? - Azula hates cleaning up but she's neater.
Who cleans up after the pets? - Aang.
Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug? - Aang.
Who stresses the most when guests are coming over? - Azula.
Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning? - Aang.
Who takes the longer showers/baths? - Azula. In the Fire Nation Palace Aang has taken to chatting with Azula in the Royal Spa while he feeds her (and mostly himself) cherries.
Misc:
Who takes the dog Appa out for a walk? - Aang
How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays? - Never. Once they like the room they like the room. If its an event they'll go to a different location for it or leave the Air Temple as is.
What are their goals for the relationship? -
To stay together.
Who is most likely to sleep till noon? -
Aang slept for a hundred years so I'll give it to him.
Who plays the most pranks? - Tie. They've both pulled elaborate pranks as kids.
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waterfire1848 · 3 months ago
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As far as Aang goes, I think it's pretty likely that Azula would be more in line for shooting him with firebending. Since she can't talk and has lost her ability to manipulate people with her words which would make her fall back on firebending more when she's scared or confronted with something she doesn't know. Aang is so confused about who this girl is but Azula is ready to fight him and keep him from getting to the village.
However, firebending alerts the villagers and Katara and Sokka run over to see what's going on.
Katara: I'm Katara. This is my brother, Sokka.
Aang: Nice to meet you!
Sokka: Uh-huh.
Katara: And this is Azula. Our local firebender.
Azula:....
Aang: Did I do something?
Sokka: Azula can't talk.
Azula, signing: Don't tell the enemy that!
Sokka, signing: It's fine. Don't worry.
Azula, signing: Idiot.
Sokka, signing: Paranoid.
Azula, signing: I'M the paranoid one?
Aang: They know we don't understand them, right?
Katara: They get lost in their own conversation.
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I think I would go with Azula being kicked out right after the Ursa and Azulon stuff happens which rules out the potential for the assassination timeline. I think that, with Azula gone and presumed dead or MIA, Zuko is trained to be the perfect heir and he does become more and more like Azula but also because he was told that his little sister is killed or being held hostage by the South Pole.
When reports of the Avatar start popping up, Zuko is sent to capture the Avatar and bring Azula back because Azula is still a prodigy and Ozai still wants her back. Zuko is more like Azula in this version but Ozai is thinking that he could now get the best of both world: a warrior son who can slip through the night and kill an entire group of generals if he orders it and a daughter who's a master firebending and lightning bender before she's done with her teenage years.
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In any of the routes Zuko’s search for the Avatar isn’t as big a thing, but when he finds out his sister is with them he starts chasing them down for kidnapping (and potentially “brainwashing” if he’s super patriotic).
👆
Zuko sees Azula getting love and care and someone taking the time to communicate with her in a way that makes her comfortable and he instantly cries "brainwashing!!"
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"Jumping back to Aangs first day if they get attacked by raiders I see him still leaving since a captured air benderis super valuable and they’re willing to not risk a fight in exchange for a guaranteed capture. Katara wants to go after him, Azula wants to stay back but with Katara leaving Sokka tags along (I imagine him a bit more protective of his sister and less of the tribe after seeing Azula’s treatment for so many years) and Azula can’t let them go get themselves killed like that (I imagine Azula has some fun PTSD regarding the fire nation after a couple years of distance to gain perspective). From there things continue as canon for a bit, minus Zuko tracking them until he hears rumors/orders."
Azula wants no part in going back to the Southern Raiders. They were horrible to her and she doesn't want to go anywhere near them again. Sokka was there for more than one nightmare she had where she wanted to scream but physically couldn't. Going back to them is a lot for Azula but it also allows news to spread that the Avatar is back (Azula remains hidden)
From there, Zhao hears about the Avatar and decides to track him down himself and handle it. Ozai allows Zhao to try while Zuko remains at the palace and trains but when Zhao fails and they get confirmation that Azula is alive and with them, Ozai sends Zuko to handle Aang and bring Azula back. Azula has changed her look a bit (with short hair, water tribe clothes and a constant scarf over her throat) but Zuko is able to pick her out without another look. He knows Azula was struggling to talk but to know that even years later she still can't say a word is a shock.
Zuko: Azula, what are you doing? It's time to come back.
Azula:...
Zuko: Come on. You know you can't stay here. You're the princess! Not some commoner.
Azula: aaaa....aaa *removes her scarf and reveals her horrible burn*
Zuko: He didn't mean it. Father wants you back, Azula. You can come home and be the princess again.
Azula:...
Zuko: Let's go-
Sokka: She doesn't have to go anywhere with you!
Zuko: Listen, you Water Tribe rat-
[ Azula firebends at Zuko. ]
Azula, signing: Stay the hell away from him!
Sokka, signing: Azula, get Aang and Katara!
[ Azula runs off. ]
Zuko: You've brainwashed her!!
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Ba Sing Se would be incredibly interesting here because (stealing from another idea of mine) I think it would be cool to have Azula as a double agent with returning to the Fire Nation but secretly helping out the Gaang.
AU - Azula is horribly burned by Ozai in the throat and loses her ability to speak. She’s not sent to capture the Avatar but, instead, sent to the Southern Raiders who regard her as nothing more than a discarded princess and treat her as much. During a raid on the South Pole, Azula is injured and unable to call to the raiders. She’s found by a familiar nonbender with a boomerang.
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the-badger-mole · 3 years ago
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I really like your stories, but I notice in a lot of them, Aang comes off as a villain. Or pretty close to it. Why do you write Aang that way? Not trying to be disrespectful, btw. It's your right to not like Aang, I'm just curious
I really hate Aang, and I think the canon justifies it. Aang is not a good Avatar. He takes the easy way out more often than not (The Great Divide), he's thin skinned (Avatar Day), he's short-sighted (pretty much everything leading up to his sudden reluctance to kill Ozai), and he's way way too invested in people liking him. In the comics, he does so little work on himself and mastering his powers, that it falls to Katara to make sure he doesn't hurt people in the Avatar State. He flirts with segregation and anti-miscegenation because it's easier than solving the actual problems people are facing in the post-war world. That's even before we get to how he treats Katara.
Aang seems to think that Katara is something he's entitled to without even asking her how she feels about him. There are two times in canon he even broaches the subject that I can recall, and both times he centers himself and reacts violently when he doesn't get the answer he wants. The (technical) first time is in the comic Love is a Battlefield (could Brkye have been any more hack with that name?) where Katara is trying very hard not to discuss a romance between them, and Aang opens a lava fissure in her face. It's a miracle she didn't get hurt, because it's clear that Aang wasn't thinking about her safety when he did that. The second time was at the play where Aang admits to being so jealous about Katara choosing Zuko in a play that he would be in the Avatar State if he could access it. Then when Katara still doesn't give him the answer he wants, he forces himself on her to change her mind.
I think I'm too easy on Aang in my stories, if you want the honest, honest truth. I don't think Aang is evil, per se. He's a selfish brat who doesn't know how to handle things not going his way, and yes, that leads him into some villainy adjacent moments. He would absolutely cross the line in some way.
I don't know that he would ever physically hurt Katara or his children on purpose, but they could be collateral damage in one of his tantrums. I also have no doubt he would cheat on Katara. He would probably not try to take over the world like Ozai, but he in canon has a cult devoted to him. He would probably not say he was disappointed with Kya and Bumi, but he spoke so little about them that his cult didn't know they even existed. He was so withholding of his love and pride that Bumi thought he had to be an airbender to finally be worthy of being Aang's son. Aang is not a very nice person. But people mistake his cheerful bubbliness for kindness and empathy for some reason.
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