#Yes iroh is his favourite

[hugglebunny]

Introduced my son to AtLA during Christmas.

Today he asked me to put his hair up just like Uncle Iroh.

[fangirlforeversthings]

Them: imagine all of your favourite fictional characters coming together in a meet up

Me:........soo.......

...four ancient spartans including a polemarkhos a king a misthios and a general, a pirate captain, two dwarfs, an elf, the King of gondor, a former assasin te*rorist, three superheroes, five witchers, two vampires, two jedi knights, a jedi master and his clone commander, a clone captain, a Senator, a mandalorian and his adoptive alien son, a firebending war general, and the devil walked into a bar....

[clown-cult]

I think my favourite thing from the new avatar show so far is that they make it unavoidably clear that Iroh is a war criminal. Yes, he was brought up to believe in the propaganda he supported and fought for, he’s suffered great personal loss, has learned from that and he’s a changed man, but he was once the scariest person in the world. A butcher, as one character says.

Whoever wrote that looked at all the Iroh worship that the comics and other material from the animated show gave us over the last few years and took personal issue with that and I love them for it.

Someone saw Azula and especially Ozai get billed as just evil from birth while the rest of the family never did anything bad ever and decided to address that by expanding on everyone’s experiences.

So, say what you will about the show, but shoutout to whoever it was that decided to remind everyone that Iroh is a beloved character because of his complexity and past flaws, and just how severe those past flaws are.

[gay-dorito-dust]

pls more modern!au zuko x reader🥹

Probably has a pet lizard that he called Iroh Jr -adorably nicknamed little dragon- because his uncle is the person who gifted him the lizard, and zuko felt it fitting to name it after the man who had practically raised him while spoiling it rotten all the time.

Has perfected your favourite drink right down to a science. He knows he’s not great a brewing tea like Iroh, despite how much his uncle tried to save his feelings after taking the first sip, Zuko didn’t need much else to tell him that his brewing abilities could use some work.

He’s a determined boy who doesn’t give up so easily. Yeah he’d naturally get annoyed and feel as though he’d have a better time giving up than go ahead with another failed attempt. However uncle Iroh saw this determination and encouraged his nephew in his endeavours and remained calm and patient when Zuko grew agitated and annoyed by the lack of progress.

Zuko did get there soon enough and now whenever you came to the tea shop, Zuko could finally make your drink a hell of a lot better than most tea shops could. He’s proud of this fact and will unironically puff his chest like a proud bird when you praised his tea brewing skills, noting just how better they’ve gotten overtime.

Another date idea would be tea brewing with his uncle, while it might not sound like a date but trust me it very much is after Iroh decides to leave Zuko to teach you how to brew tea, which ends in you two coming up with silly, stupid names for your brews that ultimately ends in tears due to how hard you’ve laughed.

Oh Zuko defiantly introduced you to Iroh jr and needless to say it’s become a running joke that you only come to his house just to see his pet lizard, who is equally as attached to you as you are to him. Zuko will pout and huff like a little child at the fact that he didn’t have your undivided attention, but loves the bond you’ve made with Iroh jr nonetheless and finds it’s adorable.

Am I insinuating that’s he got pictures of your interactions? Oh yes indeed I am.

Zuko has probably been to an arcade once and never again because he got bested by a little kid at the claw machine, who had won the plush that he wanted to win for you easily. It was hilarious to bear witness to it all, but you were stuck with a sulking Zuko, who needed a lot of praise and comfort afterwards that you were more than willing to give him.

You: you tried your best babe.

Zuko: but it wasn’t enough, you had your eye on that plush and I failed to get it.

You: it’s okay because I’ve got the perfect alternative.

Zuko: and what’s that?

*You then proceed to hug him tightly and kiss his cheek as steam practically emitted from him and smile* I’ve got you.

Zuko: o-okay!

[gorey-gorella]

People who say Ozai is Azula's parallel and Iroh is Zuko's only look at the surface level.

Both Azula and Ozai are younger siblings and big bad and a little crazy.

Iroh and Zuko are the older brothers and the good guys who wish they could help there younger siblings.

Yes, this is true, but obvious and surface level.

Ozai is literally meant to be a Zuko of a different generation. He was drawn to look like an older, scarless Zuko.

Ozai is insecure and has a little brother complex, yes, but he is the least favourite. He probably thinks Iroh has it all. He clearly isn't liked by Azulon, he, like Zuko, keeps trying to prove himself and take the throne.

When I learned that Azula actually never really wanted the throne, was content as a Princess, and simply was doing what her father wished, it made me realise more similarities to Iroh. Iroh didn't seem obsessed with being the Firelord and was content in his place, even when he was a War Lord.

A younger Ozai won't go Azula crazy. Azulon has high expectations for him, yes, but not as high as Iroh and Azulon was never proud of him anyways, so why would Ozai go Azula crazy?

Ozai, while stoic and manipulative, he never came across as the actor type of manipulator. Iroh and Azula are good actors though.

Ozai, like Zuko, is desperate for approval, not as much scared of losing their lack of approval as say, Azula. Like yes, they would worry about that too, but not as much as Azula.

If Iroh was more determined to make his father happy and didn't fall into depression and apathy, he would be like Azula, and he would continue the seige.

Ozai and Zuko want to hear, 'Yes, you are worthy, and you are worthy enough to sir on the throne and be the Firelord.'

Azula and Iroh just don't want their fathers to second guess and still want to be in there fathers graces.

Iroh could have easily become almost exactly Azula if he came back from cancelling the seige, and Azulon showed doubt in him subtlety and started letting someone else do some of Iroh's duties. Or, if in Ba Sing Se, he thought of how his father would feel and burnt down the city anyway. But Iroh doesn't have the obsession and stuff Azula has, and he most likely had more emotional support in his life.

Azula was pushed to the breaking point when her father said she would look after the Fire Nation as he will burn Ba Sing Se. While not obvious, Ozai probably felt a distrust when she lied to him about Zuko finishing off the Avatar.

In an age down AU where they are around the same age, Iroh would probably be more likely to go Azula crazy than Ozai, especially if he was just as obsessed with making his own father proud and be in his good grace, because the whole point of Azula's mental breakdown was the role of perfectionism being placed on her and everyone betraying her.

[empressofthesunwriter]

Change the Narrative

If people knew the truth, they would call her a selfish monster.

But Katara had sacrificed anything for the world, for an ungrateful husband!

This time she would always choose herself first!

Here is a little one-shot of my anger about what happened to Katara in canon.

I want to give her the end she deserves, so I hope you enjoy it!

Katara knew it was time for her to die.

She felt it in her old bones.

Alone she lay in her bed at the South Pole and watched how the snow was falling.

At least she would die seeing the beauty of her homeland.

It was a good death.

The old woman blinked tears away and tried to be positive about her nearing death.

She would see Sokka, her father, her mother and Gran-Gran again.

It was good.

She had lived a long happy life.

Something burning and unsettling spread through her chest as she thought this.

Was it a happy life?

How often did she and Aang argue over simple things?

How often did she beg him not to play favourites with Tenzin? Yes, their youngest was an airbender, but what about Bumi and Kya? They were his children too.

But no!

The Air Nomad legacy was more important than their two oldest children and their pain.

Once upon a time when she was a young girl and fantasized about the man and family one day she would have, she never would have guessed how she became the kind of mother, who didn't fight for her children.

Who didn't call out her husband for his wrongdoings?

However, she had so with Aang. Since she had met him, she always had mothered him, shielded him from things which didn't fit his narrative.

He was the Avatar, the only hope to end the war, with a track record of running away.

They couldn't lose him, so she had protected him the best she could.

And she did so to her children.

No wonder Bumi and Kya didn't even visit her and Tenzin didn't have much of a relationship with her.

Where did she go wrong in her life?

When did she become a shadow of herself in the name of love?

Why did she even choose Aang?

Was it because of Aunt Wu's prediction, she would marry a powerful bender or because she had a feeling Aang...deserved her?

He loved her and had ended the war.

Was it so bad to give him a chance?

Sadly after sacrificing her best years for him and being rewarded to die alone without her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren around her, it may have been the most stupid decision she ever made.

Spirits, was she a bad person to think that?

She loved her family, really she did, but deep down she had to admit...she wouldn't do it a second time.

Katara wouldn't sacrifice herself, her ideals, and her dreams for Aang's dream.

She had her whole life given and given and was now at the end of it rewarded with nothing.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, as she slowly closed her eyes.

Soon she would join her loved ones...

Just...

If she could...

If the spirits were so kind...

If dear Yue heard her...

She wanted a second chance.

She wanted to live a life for herself and herself alone.

Katara had given in this life all and more...was it so bad that she wished for a second chance to get it this time right?

Was she selfish?

Maybe.

Surely.

But anyone had a point in their life where they had to put themselves first.

Her only regret was that she did not realise it sooner.

Katara closed her eyes and felt the last beats of her heart.

Never noting how the moon was shining brightly down at her...

***

She felt pain in her head.

Katara hissed and touched her forehead.

Why did she get a headache?

Where was she?

She blinked to banish the shadows before her eyes.

Slowly she could see.

Ah yes.

She was outside General Iroh's tea shop in Ba Sing Se.

The waterbender had seen Aang walk out and wanted to join him.

It was high time that she gave Aang her answer about them being a couple.

She had been unsure a few days ago, but now with the war over...why shouldn't she give him a chance?

He was standing at the balustrade watching the setting sun, it was the perfect moment.

As the waterbender made her first step towards him, an avalanche of emotions and vision filled her whole being.

Katara gasped quietly, trying to make sense of this.

It was too fast and also too slow...however, she felt it in her bones...whatever she had planned kissing Aang and getting together with him...it would be the worst decision of her life!

No, she didn't want what she had seen.

How could she sell herself, her principals, and her honour for a guy?!

How could she be together with someone who would play favourites with their children?!

No, absolutely not!

Whether this was a vision from the future to save her from this faith Katara didn't know, but what she knew she wouldn't make the same mistakes twice!

So angry she walked up to Aang and tapped his shoulder.

The Avatar turned smiling towards her. He seemed so happy and hopeful and looked at her like she had hung the stars and the moon.

For a second she flatter, which only made the vision come forth again and made her anger tenfold.

Oh no!

Not with her!

"Aang.", she began. "I don't love you and I never will! Stop pestering me about us being a couple! If you don't accept my feelings I will waterwhip you do your next incarnation, do you understand me?!"

To say he was shocked was the understatement of the century. She could formally see the heartbreak in his eyes and how he tried to speak up, maybe to guilt trip her, however, she wasn't having anything of it.

"Nothing you will say and do will ever change my mind! So don't even try. I will go back with Sokka to the South Pole and rebuild my home. That's where I belong!"

Dramatically she turned around and entered the tea shop again.

The others tried their hardest to seem like they hadn't listened in, yet Katara saw through them.

She sends them all an annoyed look.

"What?!"

No one said anything for a few seconds before Toph snickered: "Oh sugar queen, I hoped you had it in you."

This makes Katara smile.

***

The next months of her life Katara rebuilt with her father and Sokka their home. 

The Nothern Watertribe had tried to turn the South into a second North, except Katara was having none of it.

As a war hero, master waterbender and daughter of the chief she used all her power to stop this chances.

She was a force of nature!

No one had a chance against her.

Her family was so proud of her and she was satisfied with herself.

Yes, this was where she belonged.

Helping people and not being the soulless, passionless arm candy of Aang!

Katara was happy.

A voice inside her told her how she deserved it.

***

A year later found Katara as ambassador for her people at the first peace summit.

She was happy seeing Zuko again, they had written to each other, yet seeing each other in person was much better.

He had become her best friend.

And her wall against Aang.

As Avatar he was at the peace summit too. Of course, he tried to talk with her. Tried to sway her, saying he missed her and wanted to be friends again.

She saw right through him. Aang still wanted her.

Thank the spirits for Zuko having her back and distracting Aang.

When they enjoyed together a cup of tea in General Iroh's tea shop she thanked him for his help.

Awkwardly he waved it away.

It was nothing.

He and Mai had broken up and the black-haired girl wasn't happy about it.

Even if she and Aang weren't exes, Zuko knew how frustrating it was to have a person follow you like a shadow and demand to be together again.

In comfort, she petted Zuko's hand and told him he did the right thing to end things with Mai.

If she couldn't accept a no was she a good girlfriend?

A little crooked smile formed on Zuko's lips, and her heart stopped for a second, as he thanked her for her words and friendships.

Then he asked her to join him in the search for his mother.

***

Being with Zuko on a life-changing field trip again was... exciting.

They still worked flawlessly together, like when they had hunted down the murder of her mother, but now they were friends.

It changed a lot of interactions.

They were playful with each other.

Zuko was the only one who ever laughed at her jokes.

They were there for each other.

In the long days when they hunted down one clue after another and Zuko seemed to lose hope, Katara reminded him to never give up.

They shared the workload.

It was amazing not mothering someone and having someone help her around camp.

They were getting closer to each other.

They shared things they never told anyone.

Zuko told her how he got his scar and Katara hugged him, wishing Aang had killed Ozai.

Wishing Ozai was before her and making him pay for hurting her best friend!

Sometimes they just stared at the stars, inventing constellations, their hands inching closer.

Something new was born between them.

Katara didn't know what it was, but she would enjoy it.

It made her feel good.

After weeks on the road, they finally found Ursa.

And also a society of hiding airbenders.

Katara couldn't help but laugh in utter glee.

***

Was it really that surprising that Katara and Zuko fell in love with each other after their journey?

When she kissed Zuko for the first time, it was like coming home. 

Warm, welcome, familair, intim.

It was the best sensation in the world.

Something inside her told her this was how it was supposed to be.

After two years of dating and being the ambassador of the Southern Water Tribe in the Fire Nation, they married.

All their friends and half of the world were invited.

Yes, even Aang.

Aang was so grateful to Katara and Zuko for having found his people and was busy with the air nomads to rebuild their society, and seemed to finally let go of Katara.

Now they really could be friends.

***

Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, master bender, war hero and Fire Lady became a living legend.

Not only the people in the Fire Nation adored her, but she used the power she wielded to make the whole world a better place.

She was the one who came up with the idea of Republic City, a place where all nations could live in harmony.

She revolutionized the art of healing with her bloodbending.

She installed fountains and aqueducts everywhere she could, so people had clean water.

Statues were built and universities, streets even neighbourhoods were named in her honour.

Katara taught new generations of waterbenders like her daughter Kya and people formally fought over to learn from the Fire Lady.

When their oldest daughter Izumi became Fire Lady, Katara and Zuko retired to Ember Island to live out their twilight years in peace.

They often had visits from their friends and families.

Their son Lu Ten, a nonbender, had married a waterbender named Mizuki and had with her five children.

So the proud grandparents helped their son and daughter-in-law raise the rascals.

It was fulfilling.

As Aang then died and was reborn as Korra from the Southern Water Tribe Katara and Zuko moved to the South to teach the new Avatar.

Korra loved Katara and Zuko like grandparents and loved hearing about their adventures.

After Korra goes to Republic City to learn airbending from one of Aang's sons he had with one of the hiding airbenders, the pair returns to Ember Island.

Zuko died a few months before her.

Katara followed him after the birth of their third great-grandchild.

Both died surrounded by their big and bustling family.

As Katara died, her oldest great-granddaughter, who was named after her held her hand, she couldn't help but feel happy.

She had lived a long and wonderful life.

Soon she would be together again with her beloved husband and her family.

And so the greatest and most beloved Fire Lady died in peace with no regrets in her heart, her story being told for thousands of years to come.

***

The Legend of Katara became a tale which young girls loved.

From a simple waterbender to a master, war hero and ruler over a nation, who changed the world only a few ever could.

It showed all girls, that they could do anything they wanted.

They could reach their goals and go even beyond.

This was Katara's legacy.

As it should have been.

If you liked this one-shot and want more Zutara, a badass OC, personal growth for Aang and the Gaang being amazing check out Yin and Yang! 

Click on my profile and leave a comment.

I hope you liked this little One-Shot!

Let’s now scream together in the comment section how Katara deserved better and if it’s not canon we will give it to her in fanon! :D

[oneatlatime]

The Tales of Ba Sing Se PART 2

The Tale of Zuko

Maybe I should make a Zuko's Stupid Faces post.

Zuko and Iroh's whole dynamic in one frame.

This girl is cute. Total girl next door type. She does have fairly horrible taste in men, but she's also very cute.

I just want to take a minute to point out a VERY important distinction. Zuko is not going out on a date. Zuko is not taking a girl out on a date. A girl is taking Zuko out on a date. She's got that arm in a death grip. Not only is that a clever reversal of the usual hetero dynamic, but I'm convinced it's the only way Zuko would ever get any action, so it's also in character.

I know Zuko's social skills are non-existent, but apart from the blow up at the waiter he is actually trying. He's failing, but I have to give him points for trying.

The way this girl's voice actress says "You juggled" made my ears very happy. And the beleaguered "yes. I juggled." is equally good.

Zuko! Tell her you did sword stuff! That's something you can actually do!

It gives me hope that someone so steeped in the most toxic parts of the Fire Nation, for so long, can STILL be so bad at lying, but it would certainly be a handy skill right about now.

I take it back. This girl does have good taste in men. Zuko's such a softie when it counts. He still sucks at being normal, but he just risked his identity because the girl he didn't even plan to go out with was a little bit sad.

This girl is the best.

Ha! He kissed her back! He Did! I saw that!

I take back what I took back. Zuko's evil again. He made my new favourite girl droop.

I love that Iroh's waiting up for him while making it look like he isn't waiting up for him. How many times on their ship, when Zuko was out Blue Spiriting, do you think Iroh found a reason to be randomly sat on the deck at 3 am?

Character development baby! Can you really call yourself loyal to the fire nation if you admit to having a good time on a date with an Earth Kingdom girl?

The Tale of Momo

Pretty.

That was a FILTHY bait and switch. For one shining moment, I had Appa back.

They should take that to June.

Not Appa.

Also not Appa.

I did not have 'Momo gets gaslit' on my Avatar Bingo card. Nor did I have 'interspecies animal friendship angst.'

Are these cat things the raccoons of the Avatar universe? Or the squirrels? Urban scroungers?

I love the idea that this guy just grabs the closest squirrel, sticks a hat on it, and expects it to dance. He got lucky with Momo.

I thought they were taking the animals to the pound, but this is very much a butcher. Which means that in Ba Sing Se, they eat varmint. Stay away from the hot dog carts.

That's very effective Simglish.

Thank god for thumbs.

Aw they're friends! This has Aristocats vibes, when O'Malley and the girl cat are getting together near the end.

And one final Fuck You, because god forbid Momo's tale ends on a happy note.

I'm guessing that's an Appa print, but couldn't it also be a platypus bear?

Something about the cats standing vigil over Momo's grief gets to me.

Final thoughts

I'll go through each of these stories individually, but first some general comments.

Last episode was kind of intense, and definitely ended on a downer (not that this one didn't), so it was a good call to at least start this episode off on something a bit gentler.

I was really impressed with the soundtrack throughout. Apart from the Tale of Momo where it's the animal noises that are front and centre, the music is doing a lot of work in every story, the strings especially. The strings are doing emotional work, plot stuff, and even humour. Seriously, next time you rewatch this episode, pay attention to the strings. These shorts are actually very light on dialogue (apart from Sokka's), but they don't feel that way because the music is doing the talking.

I'm assuming that this all took place over three days at least, since Iroh, Zuko, and Momo's tales seem to end on different evenings. So I don't think calling this episode 'day in the life' is accurate. My bad. It also occurs to me that this kind of episode format would be a great way of showing time has passed. If they had had an episode like this in the Northern Water Tribe - after Katara beat the crap out of Poophead but before the Fire Nation attacked - I would have liked the pacing of the whole finale arc better.

On to the stories!

The Tale of Toph and Katara

It might be because I didn't understand what this episode was doing yet, but this one didn't do much for me. It was good to see Toph have a moment of self-doubt, but I never would have assumed, based on her previous behaviour, that her appearance was her proverbial weak spot. Katara did a really good job at building her back up, and she was delightfully (and appropriately) understated for once. When she's reassuring Aang of something (especially in Season 1) Katara tends to got from 0 to 60 very quickly, so it was nice to see her be reassuring in a quiet, non-steamrolling way. Is this Katara character development? Apart from the fact that Toph quite literally got her eyeballs sanded, nothing much in this episode stuck out to me. Except those bitchy voices. Those were like knives in my brain.

The Tale of Iroh

So many questions! Is Lu Ten buried in Ba Sing Se? How is that grave not defaced yet? How did Iroh get a copy of his son's picture? They lost everything at the North Pole, right? Did he ask the people who got him their passports for a picture of his son too? Does Zuko know/remember that it's his cousin's birthday? If so, why isn't he there offering Iroh the world's most awkward hug? Given the fact that Iroh spent the whole day helping people, including a very misguided youth, and given that Iroh says something along the lines of "if only I could have helped you [his son]" does this imply that Lu Ten was going through a crisis at the time of his death? Was he misguided like the wannabe mugger? Is Zuko not the first Fire Nation Prince that Iroh has had to guide through an identity/existential crisis? Is Zuko going to be the first time Iroh succeeds at guiding a Fire Nation prince through an identity/existential crisis? Does Iroh live in perpetual fear of failing Zuko the way he seems to believe he failed his son? Am I reading too much into this?

To be quite honest, this story would have hit me harder if I had remembered going into it that Iroh had a son. Lu Ten takes being a textual ghost to a whole new level. Also the 'In honor of Mako' text confused me. And worried me a little.

The Tale of Aang

I liked this one! Aang can't help Appa at the moment, but he can help all the Appa stand ins who aren't fortunate enough to have an Aang to help them. Aang is a nice little boy! Of course he'd free a bunch of animals without thinking about the consequences and the epic pile of platypus bear dung he's just landed the zookeeper in with the Dai Li. I liked the animal designs. I liked the earthbending. I liked the Siamese cat representation. I loved cabbage man. I think that, if Appa could have known, he would have approved. I also think that I'm once again reading too much into this. it was nominally a fun fluff piece elaborating on a established emotional conflict (Appa missing), which gave it just enough weight to be slightly more than a fluff piece.

The Tale of Sokka

I am entirely serious when I say that 'poetry bouncer' is my favourite joke so far in the WHOLE show. I love absurdity played entirely earnestly. It's fridge funny too. The longer I contemplate the implications, the funnier it gets. What past event required a poetry bouncer be introduced? He's not there to protect the students or the teacher; he's here to reinforce the structure of the Haiku by force. Was he hired by the concept of Haiku? Is Haiku taken so seriously in Ba Sing Se that he's needed to break up cat fights between students? There is a rich well of haiku-related hijinks just hinted at by his presence, and I want to know more.

Sokka is so often his own worst enemy that it makes sense that he's taken out by his own hubris. That fortune teller lady was absolutely a crook, but she did one hell of an accurate cold read on Sokka.

The Tale of Zuko

Credits tell me that the girl's name is Jin. I would like to congratulate the creators of Avatar for managing to illustrate romantic interest so palpably without resorting to heart eyes and steam whistle noises. Nothing wrong with those; I'm just impressed by how much of Jin's interest in Zuko you can feel. Also, she'd better be more than a single episode character, because I need more of this sweetheart. She's a real contender for displacing Toph as my favourite girl in the cast.

To be fair to Zuko, he did make Jin droop (UNFORGIVABLE), but it was also the right call. He can't date her honestly. It IS complicated. And I don't think any Earth Kingdom girl (worth dating) would knowingly go out with Fire Nation royalty. Jin wanted Lee the Tea Boy. Try as he might, Zuko can't stop being Zuko. I would argue that he shouldn't stop being Zuko. His flashback mom told him not to forget who he was, so I'd also argue that the narrative doesn't want Zuko to stop being Zuko either. I guess it's a case of right girl, wrong time. It looks like she's cool with him being a firebender, but firebending and being the Fire Lord's son are not the same magnitude of hurdle to dating. Maybe when the war's over they can hook up again.

The Tale of Momo

I think this qualifies as cruelty to the audience. I got the impression that this story was crafted borderline maliciously, to make the viewers suffer angst dump after angst dump.

I liked seeing things from Momo's perspective. I loved the animal noises, which really got across a shocking amount of emotion. Those, combined with body language, were as effective as any spoken script. These cartoon people really know how to use their medium.

It absolutely kills me that Momo is missing Appa, and since he doesn't understand human speech, he can't even be comforted by knowing that his humans are actively looking for him. If you've ever seen one of your pets missing another of your pets in real life, you know there's nothing worse than the helplessness that comes with not being able to explain or magically summon their friend back from the kennel, or the vet, or the dead. All you can do is give them hugs. I'm glad that Momo got a street cat support group at the end of the episode, but the animal grief at the beginning was hard to get through. It's sweet to have confirmation that Momo sees Appa as family, but surely they could have showed that to us in a way that doesn't make me need to hug the stuffing out of my own pets?

Final Final Thoughts for real this time

This episode wrings you out a little. Fully a third of the stories are about Appa, despite him not being there. At least half are about missing someone who isn't there. At least half are bittersweet.

I liked this episode format. I hope they use it again next season. Only Toph and Katara's tale felt too short to me. The rest did such a good job at drawing me in, that when I went back to check timestamps I was surprised by how short these stories are.

I'm going to go eat too much chocolate.

[natlacentral]

Dallas Liu for Boys By Girls. More photos and interview behind the cut.

Photography ELIZABETH WEINBERG Fashion LUCA KINGSTON Interview CAT EVANS Grooming TAMMY YI for EXCLUSIVE ARTISTS using T3 MICRO Production TREVOR PERSON

The sky trickling in thick clouds yawns open, summoning rays of light to stream down into outstretched hands. Warm, welcoming. Palms rub together and friction sparks, filtering dark shadows into shimmering strands of energy. A glint of light swells into fiery radiance, and Dallas Liu is in the centre of it all, as both himself and as Zuko fromAvatar: The Last Airbender. He is setting his path aflame as he grows resilient and intrepid, and through it all, countering the dimmer parts of life with the brightest fire.

Filled with a charismatic and personable energy, Dallas leads each conversation with a contagious spark that you just can’t help but match. It could be the fact that Dallas and I have both been west coasters since adolescence, but there is a chilled, laid-back state right off the bat as he and I sit to chat. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Dallas started acting at a young age, and there is a fierce ambition and drive in him that is truly electrifying to encounter as his career begins to ignite. Having infinite support from his loved ones, Dallas has a steady head on his shoulders and a big heart that always makes space for others, but never forgets to leave room for himself as well.

Dallas instantly supplies the energy of a born leader, but he confesses his leadership skills have grown substantially over time, with the most growth happening during the filming of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Even though we’ve just met, a sense of pride for Dallas floods my system as he speaks about his role as Zuko, especially when his eyes light up as he admits Zuko was his favourite character growing up. What a childhood dream, indeed, for him to play the young firebender in the new live-action series! There is a cadence of sincerity and intellect from Dallas as he speaks of the close knit relationships created with the other cast members during filming. We talk about how Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, who plays Uncle Iroh in the series, took Dallas under his wing and allowed space for him to gain new skills and knowledge, both mentally and physically. Dallas speaks as though he has lived many different lives, leaping from one world to the other and always leading with intention and consideration.

Through sips of tea and banters about the weather, Dallas and I settle into a space that is cosy and comfortable as we set ablaze conversations around managing big transitions, representation in Hollywood, and the importance of forgiveness. Through it all, Dallas carries the duality of calm waters and kindled fire all at once - a gentle, warming spirit through and through. He is striking the match, igniting his own fire, and making home in an inferno of self-assurance and purpose.

Avatar: The Last Airbender releases February 22, 2024 on Netflix.

Dallas, hello! Looks like you might be in some chilly weather with that jacket on.  [laughs] Yeah, I’m in L.A…It’s in the sixties…really not that cold, but it is for here!

Yeah, Los Angeles must be getting a slight cold front like a lot of other places in the states have! Right! For an L.A native like myself, this is when we wear our trench coats and what not. Everyone's standing outside with their scarves and coffees and hot lattes!

Well, it’s so great to get to chat with you! How has your day been today? Good, thank you! Just hanging out, and the trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender dropped today, which is super sick. I'm feeling very excited about that! I’ve been calling everyone, seeing how they're feeling. I was just happy to finally have something out after so long. I think our teaser was released last year in November, so it's been a while, and now the show's coming out in a month exactly, so I'm just happy to finally be sharing it!

Yes! And the trailer is so great, I’m really excited. I grew up watching the animated series - I’m thrilled for the live action and to watch it now as an adult! Yeah, I think especially with the way the show is doing it where we're spreading it out, with the first season being the entirety of book one, will be really awesome! There’s just too much that goes on in that first season to really compact it into a three hour film.

For sure, I agree! Well, we’ll dig deeper into the show of course, but let me give you a warm welcome back to Boys By Girls! This is your second time sitting down with us for a conversation. Your first interview was in September 2021. How does it feel to think about the time that has passed since then? I can’t believe that much time has passed already. It’s so cool…and also frightening! It all feels like a movie in itself. It’s been a whole entire journey since the last time I talked with Boys by Girls. I had only just booked Avatar: The Last Airbender, and I hadn't even really started prepping for it at that point, because they hadn't sent us the script or anything like that. Now I'm getting to talk to you guys again and the show is coming out soon! I feel like not only have I been able to grow as an actor, but as a person as well. And I'm just excited to talk to you guys again!

We’re very excited to have you! And we’ve just transitioned into a new year. What would you say the biggest transition was that you went through in 2023?  Well, this is kind of a very basic answer, but I think a lot of people in my generation are learning to not obsess over things out of our control. As long as you've done your part or done your best in that moment, the moment has passed now. So, you know, it’s about being able to accept that. What you've done is done. It's time to move on. All you can do is be proud that the moment existed and you were able to participate in it.

How do you do with transitions and change in general? Is there anything that helps with change and staying grounded?  I am definitely someone that finds change challenging, but it's something that I enjoy as well. It means that something is happening in your life. It's proof that you are really here and living through it all. This kind of goes back to my last interview with Boys By Girls, but I can't stress enough how much my family and friends mean to me through all of this change. My family and I are so close. There's no way that they'd ever let me switch up on them or turn out to be this crazy person. And with my friends, during transitions, I think the ones who can stay will stay. The ones who can't, or choose to leave, were friends with me for the wrong reasons.

For sure. Our loved ones definitely keep us in check during transitions and change, as well.  Yeah, I feel that! As you get older those numbers of friends will decrease, and you're going to naturally start looking for more friends that feel good to spend time with and keep you grounded. However, if there is this prior knowledge of your status or career, there's always a little scepticism that exists within you. Sometimes you're not really sure whether or not to fully form that friendship and trust them. But for me, luckily I have not only some of my high school friends, but people I’ve worked with. All of us working on Avatar: The Last Airbender, except for the adults, are kind of new to the industry. We're all sort of trying to figure out how to just be our best selves as actors, but also as people. All of us on the show are constantly keeping each other in check, which is really nice. That's such a precious thing.

That is really vital. I think in any career, having those sorts of connections is so important.  That's always the best thing with co-workers. Like, there's no extreme character that you’ll sometimes see in these television shows and movies. We're all people. We’re all just normal people, right? We're on the same TikTok algorithm! [laughs] Yeah, that's when you know they're for life: getting on the same algorithm!

That’s true compatibility! And, on the subject of friendships, one of the biggest themes in Avatar: The Last Airbender is the importance of community and friendship. How was your experience with building a community and support system during the filming of the series? I'd have to say in the beginning it wasn't too difficult. I was calling my mom every day, calling my manager every day, and staying in touch. And, you know, sometimes when you're put in those specific environments with new people, you go through this struggle bonding with the other actors and actresses. We also went through a boot camp for martial arts training, and we worked on scripts for a little bit. So, I'd say in the beginning it wasn't too difficult for me to make those connections.

However, later on in the process, when we were about four or five months into shooting, that's when I really relied on Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, who plays Uncle Iroh, when I was on set. Then when I was off set, it was Ian Ousley, who plays Sokka. Him and I were actually roommates, so after months of shooting, we finally decided, yeah, let's move in together! Like, why not? Our characters rarely interact in the animated series, and when the main three were on set, I was at home, and then we'd just go back and forth. It was funny, he and I would always have some tea and just debrief the day after one of us would come home from work. It was totally like a real life couple activity!

So, you are playing Zuko in the new live-action series Avatar: The Last Airbender! What are you looking forward to most with the release of the series?  For this release, I'd have to say [I'm most looking forward to] the relationship between Zuko and Uncle Iroh. When Zuko is on his own, he's kind of this crazy, mad, angry teenager, right? He's going through a lot and he's experienced a lot. But when he's with Uncle Iroh, he seems to be more in touch with his senses and his emotions a little bit better, although he is still quite lost identity wise and in what he actually wants for himself. But I think everyone has felt that way in some part of their life, especially in their teenage years. That'll be something a lot of people can relate to - that feeling of being angry with whatever you might think is the cause of your problems, although not necessarily being fully self aware.

In the teaser, you get to see Ozai and Young Zuko fighting in their Agni Kai. I'm really excited to see people watch me play the younger version of Zuko as well. I think that'll be a fun twist, because younger Zuko is obviously, as you know, way different from bald ponytail Zuko. [laughs] I'm stoked for that. And I'm stoked for people to see Uncle Iroh in general. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee is a super talented actor that helped me grow and become a leader on set, which was really big for me, because I didn't really understand the role of a series regular. Although they have this title of a regular character, and you know they're going to be in almost every episode, I didn't know what the role was when you're not on camera, and how your mood can affect the rest of the crew. So that was really, really valuable for me.

Zuko is portrayed as an “anti-hero” in Avatar: The Last Airbender, even though, in a lot of ways, he’s just a complex character going through his own coming-of-age and personal growth. What would you say are Zuko’s greatest internal struggles?  Personally, I had to really understand Zuko. I had to know every single part of the series. Even going back and watching YouTube analysis videos of his character was so beneficial for me. You see in the animated series of the first season, he's kind of just a hothead all throughout. So what I wanted to make sure I did was give Zuko some sort of depth as a real person. Because, yes, we are living in this fantasy world - you have all these crazy animals and spirits that are involved. But at the end of the day, these characters are human beings. They eat, they sleep, and, as a plus, they can bend. And, sure, bending is the whole thing about Avatar, but I wanted to give a real performance of me, a human being, as Zuko. He's been my favourite character since I was young! I wanted to sort of dissect my childhood and my own personal relationships, even though they’re incredibly different from Zuko’s, to see if I could use any of those past memories to my advantage. Although not all of them were very useful. Imagine if I was like, yeah, I burned my face! [laughs] No, just kidding. But, yeah, I think trying to relate to Zuko is going to be hard for anyone just because the trauma that he experienced was so extreme. But I worked with what I had. I had a lot of source material and I had a few performances to look at. I used everything that I could at my disposal.

What do you cherish the most about being a part of the Avatar: The Last Airbender world? Hmm, that’s a great question. Can I ask you to answer that question for yourself first? [laughs] I need time to think!

Oh gosh, turning the tables on me! It is definitely a difficult question, because there’s so much about the world that comes to mind. As a kid, it was the escapism for me that felt super important. Also, the whole idea of bending being this certain outward form of expression, like what art is for people, that was big for me to see as a kid. It’s why I love being an artist, and I think that carries through the series beautifully.  Dang, those are some great answers. Now I don’t know what to say! [laughs] Just kidding. Yeah, I totally agree with that. I think for me, my favourite part about the whole entire series is probably the individual journeys each character goes on and the storytelling within that. The way that each character's journey sort of ties in together and brings them to that one final battle. And it’s not only just the physical battle, but it's mental for each of them as well. I'd have to say, also, I love how much the fantasy world really does relate to the real world. There's a lot of beautiful themes in the series.

That’s a really lovely answer! There are themes in Avatar: The Last Airbender that are a bit grittier, like conflict and war, disability, discrimination, and grief. How important do you find these topics to be to the series and plot? And also exposing these topics to younger generations through the series?  I think it's so important, however I don't think it's the most important thing about the series. It's of course vital to give youth some sort of exposure to those grittier topics, because it does exist in the real world. It is, in a way, preparing them for these big world issues, right? Like, you're a kid, so typically you're kept in your house, taken care of by your parents, going to school. It's this simple life, but obviously as you get older, everything just becomes more complicated. It's tough to deal with all of that tragedy and evil that exists. However, what you see during those wars and the outcome of these amazing stories is that they're all good endings, so I guess that helps out the kids quite a bit. I mean, you don't really think about the genocide and violence in the series too, too much as a kid. You're like, ah, dang, they got wiped out. As an adult, you're like, oh my Lord! But, I guess because you're a kid, you don't really think too deep into it. So I think with every darker theme in the series, there's a lot of lighter themes to combat it. And, as a kid, you want to hold on to those light themes. It certainly balances out everything. I feel like the light certainly outweighs the darkness just because it is, at the end of the day, a kid series.

The nations in Avatar: The Last Airbender are influenced by East Asian and Inuit culture, which are respectfully showcased in the fantasy world. How do you think this series is providing a stage for representation, especially as a show that is revolutionising television for younger generations specifically? I think it's doing it in the best way possible, especially our live action series with Netflix. You see these Asian and Indigenous cultures, and it's something that everyone can relate to. You're seeing that representation in the faces, in the world building, in the costumes, but deep down at heart these are characters that everyone can relate to, or have met someone that they can relate to, that has a similar nature to all of these characters. I think that's where not only Asian and Indigenous cultures would like to move forward in Hollywood, but minorities in general would like to experience that well roundedness in the characters. I guess what I'm trying to say is, it's cool we get to play ethnic characters that aren’t just only ethnic characters, but real human beings, you know? Their ethnicity isn’t the only thing about them, and not the thing that is being solely focused on. Their ethnicity is not their story.

Especially being in America, although those ethnic stories are extremely important to our story in Hollywood, it's cool we get to play these roles that don't exist in the real world, but everyone, no matter what race you are, will relate to these people. I mean, that's the whole reason I fell in love with the animated series as a kid. For me, I knew these characters were similar to me culturally, but to get to see them just live out their life in a fantasy world where none of that stuff really matters, it's just the world that they exist in, I think is so cool.

Now for a fun (and thematic) question…what natural element would you say you resonate with the most?  Hmm. This is so lame because I say the same answer every time, but it's so true. I'd have to say fire. I mean, it's a good one. And, yeah, that's just what people have said about my looks all my life. [laughs] No, no I’m joking about that! It's definitely the opposite. Definitely the opposite. But with fire, not only do I think it's the coolest, but I'm a Leo, I'm a fire sign. It just kind of all adds up.

In your previous conversation with Boys By Girls, you express your love of boba. I have to ask, what’s your go-to boba order? Ah, I think over the years it's gotten more and more simple, actually. Now I go to this place called Chicha San Chen. And boba is Taiwanese, but this place really emphasises that they're Taiwanese. For a boba shop, they're Michelin star rated or something like that. It's insane. If you're ever in LA, or I think the other location is in Vancouver, you’ve definitely got to give it a shot. It is so good. I usually always go with a black tea. At this place you can throw in cream or mousse, which is sometimes so nice with it. Then I like to get either fifty or seventy-five percent sugar, depending on the day. You can also order hot tea boba at this shop, and it's super good on chilly days… like this where it's 65 degrees [laughs] [It's for] when you're wearing your puffer jacket and beanie, and you're like, ooh, I need a little hot drink in my life. But then if I get iced, I always do less ice. Yeah, that's the order. Black milk tea, or jasmine milk tea, of course, is great as well.

If you could manifest this new year in one word, what would that word be?  I would have to say “forgiveness.” I pray for forgiveness because I think especially after coming out of COVID, people are trying to figure themselves out, and everyone needs forgiveness. Whether it's a person that has done you wrong or someone that you may have done wrong, knowing that maybe either one of you had a part in it and simply giving them that forgiveness and closure could go a very long way. Whether they're aware of whatever happened or not, I think to get that off of your own chest, or for them to get it off of theirs, is a small gesture that really can go a very long way. I think forgiveness can impact everyone very, very deeply.

That’s a stunning perspective and way to move into this new year! Thank you for the lovely chat, Dallas, it’s been such a pleasure. And I’m so excited to watch the show when it comes out!  Thank you, I appreciate it so much. This has been super fun!

[atla-confessions]

the “i love you azula, i do” was a hallucination & can’t be counted as an argument. it doesn’t matter whether or not ursa loved her daughter, azula is still a product of neglect & ursa’s parenting (& favouritism of zuko) had a negative effect on her well-being. keep in mind azula was eight when ursa left. her formative years were spent without anybody to love & nurture her. zuko had iroh, azula didn’t.

^^response to ask about people rooting their arguments in headcanon and also heavily rooted in headcanon

I don't know how to tell you this. But, what the hallucination represents and whether it represents truth or not is also a headcanon. As well as whether Azula can be considered a 100% reliable narrator when claiming her mother thought she was a monster. We do see Ursa making Zuko play with Azula (classic loving mother behavior) we don't see her treating Azula like a monster. Also, Azula said, "my mom liked Zuko more than me" not that she didn't like her. (And, the only time we see what she is doing while Zuko is having time with their mom, she is with her friends.)

In regards to the mirror scene, Ursa says many things. First she says Azula always had "beautiful hair" is this a lie? Then she says "I didn't want to miss my own daughter's coronation." Is this a lie? (the argument that this is a lie is the biggest) Then she says "I think you're confused. All your life you used fear to control people, like your friends Mai and Ty Lee." Is this a lie? Then "I love you, Azula. I do." Is this also a lie?

If you take it as all a lie than Ursa hated Azula's hair, Ursa would not have attended Azula's coronation even if she was still around, Azula didn't use fear to control people and Ursa didn't love Azula. Some of it, is definitely true. The only thing in it we can definitely confirm is true. (Using fear to control people) So people are just as right to headcanon the hallucination as true as you are to headcanon the hallucination as false. (Both are headcanons/interpretations)

"It doesn't matter if Ursa loved her daughter," the post is literally analyzing the two alternate headcanons in the fandom based on whether or not Ursa thought Azula was a monster and treated her badly because of it. Yes, whether or not Ursa loved her daughter is relevant when discussing that.

The neglect, is also a headcanon. Azula canonically had the affection and preferential treatment of their father. This might be considered worthless due to him being abusive but Azula didn't have nobody. She had a bad person loving and nurturing her. Which isn't technically neglect unless you headcanon that Ozai neglected her also.

Ursa left to save Zuko's life. Are you under the impression that Zuko's life is worth less than Azula's happiness? If a parent is arrested or otherwise forcefully separated from their children, that isn't neglect. The child can feel neglected but it isn't the parent's fault.

It is implied Ursa favored Zuko but we do not know the extent of it or if Azula's perception of it was influenced by the manipulations of Ozai or the fact she believes that she genuinely deserves better than Zuko ("You can't treat me like Zuko!"). We have no idea what Ursa did (in the show) other than likely spend more time with Zuko. The rest is headcanon.

(Also, since you mentioned Iroh. We are literally shown Azula hating Iroh in a flashback before he even comes back. While Zuko is shown liking Iroh. Now her hate is generally considered to be the result of Ozai's manipulation but is Iroh obligated to make the effort to help a child that isn't his, hates him and is liable to report his efforts to her father which would result in him being unable to help either child? Maybe. But Iroh isn't actually responsible for either child. He is responsible for the fire nation, so him targeting the child who is supposed to be the heir (albeit not in practice but by law of succession) makes logical sense if he wants to end the war and build a better fire nation.)

X

[fallingskiesandrisingseas]

I rewatched the last Agni Kai between Azula and Zuko yesterday and then read the discourse and there are a few things that I feel need to be said here.

First of all, Azula wins that fight 100% if she's mentally balanced. Yes, Zuko has incorporated other styles into his bending, yes, he's more surefooted now, yes, he's outclassing her the entire fight and isn't even out of breath while his sister is panting. Even with all that, Azula is able to use fire in a much more instinctive way. She has shown feats unmatched by other firebenders when not under the comet, like flying with fire. She also has insane command over lightning, outdrawing Zuko and even Iroh. And her fire is blue, burning a hotter temperature then regular fire. A prodigy indeed.

Second, it is interesting that Azula cheats because she can't beat Zuko with lightning. We are told that lightning is a powerful firebending form only the royal family knows, and Azula does it better ( and earlier ) than most. But doesn't it require inner peace? What if, in that exact moment, lightning would no longer come to her, her talent failing her? What if that was the end? Would have made a for powerful breakdown of Azula as well. But she conjures lightning.

And I was wondering what the lightning was even for, conceptually. It shows us that Zuko now has full mastery of the hardest technique, and Azula knows -she knows, goddamn- that he can redirect. So why use it? And then it hit me. She uses it because a) she's been outclassed in every other fire bending attack, burning through her stamina while Zuko hasn't even moved, and b) she sees it as her best ability, something Zuko cannot emulate. She wants to hurt him.

Here we see Azula's tactical brilliance and cruelty. She decides in a split second to aim her lighting at Katara, a waterbender with no way of defending herself against this deadly force. This forces Zuko to make the sacrifice play, taking one of the pieces off the board. I don't believe she truly thinks that Zuko will make it, by the way. She expects him to let her die, which will make him angry, unhinged. More of a match. And even if he doesn't, she wins by taking Zuko out. Azula's strategy of divide and conquer indeed.

But this all comes from Zuko's provocation. This provocation is a mistake.

Because what is Zuko going to do when he redirects it? Kill her with it? Aang chose to spare Ozai, and in a world where Zuko keeps his cool and doesn't provoke it like that, she'll still use it, and he'll have no choice but to kill her. There could be no other outcome in an Agni Kai, not since Sozin. If Zuko wants to win, he will have to kill her. There is no way he can subdue her with fire, and she won't quit, we know that.

The provocation is not only a tactical error on Zuko's part, but it gives the writers a way out of having one of the siblings murder the other. . It is a fight that only has losers, a fight Zuko knows needs to happen but doesn't want to have. Azula also seems to care for her brother in some way still, telling Katara that she'd much rather "have him looked after by the family physician."

The fandom also moves past the fact that Katara is able to beat the strongest firebender of their generation with wits and sewer water. You know how insane that is? Sure, Azula isn't all there, but she is still an incredibly skilled opponent. And Katara outsmarts her. One of the best minds in the fire nation beaten by a water bender.

Which brings me to my next, and most important point. Azula can breathe fire. She is no more helpless in the ice than Zuko or Iroh is, both of whom have shown to be capable of escaping from ice. And yet she lets Katara chain her to the floor without a fight.

She shouldn't go down that easily. Not if she is all there. And I think this beautifully illustrates what happens in this fight, just as much as the crying after: Azula, the prodigy, the favourite child, the heir to the throne, cannot conceive being beaten.

She's been told she was special since the day she was born, she has witnessed the scarring of her brother, she has been emotionally abused by her family. She's all alone, in the end, no friends, no allies, and she's beaten when her bending is at her most powerful ( SHOULD BE at her most powerful, more accurately ). Beaten by a puny waterbender from the Southern Watertribe.

Now we understand why she doesn't act, merely moving her eyes as Katara chains her. At the most important moment, she fails, and suddenly none of the abuse she endured, the friends she has lost, the people she has used, is worth it.

No wonder she is crying.

[quietmonologues]

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

Long post.

To start with what I like about it...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[thedvilsinthedetails]

assigning the cartoon shows that raised me to the marauders and skittles

ok so. Don’t judge me I watched a LOT of cartoons.

Pandora - Ever After High. Day and night on repeat and her favourite character was Maddie (mad hatter’s daughter for those of you that did not have this beacon of light in ur lives)

Dorcas - ok so hear me out: puss in boots. He’s so sassy she would have loved it I think

Reggie - Hilda. Ok so I only watched like a little bit of the show bc it came later but I LOVED the books. I still have some of them on my shelf just to look at the pretty art and from what I remember the show did it justice. He would have loved Hilda. It would have been his absolute comfort show.

James - Gravity Falls. Kinned Mabel always and forever and yes this is projecting but like who can’t imagine James yapping constantly about Gravity Falls??

Barty - my little pony. I will not be accepting questions. He watched it religiously because he bloody COULD and any time anyone said the show was for girl’s he probs beat the crap out of them and then skipped away singing the theme tune

Evan - Sofia the first. Just is.

Sirius - Asterix and Obelix. He would have lovedddd it idk why. Also it’s French so he’d watch it with his friends being all smug bc he’d be the only one that didn’t have to read the subtitles to understand.

Remus - Avatar the last airbender. And he had a crush on post redemption arc Zuko (I don’t make the rules I just enforce them) and looked up to Iroh as his mentor.

Lily - the powerpuff girls. She was raised on the superhero girl genre in general and would have loved this show probs even more than I did (which was a lot)

Marlene - Scooby Doo. I don’t even know how to explain this but she just would have loved scooby doo like an insane amount.

Mary - so I was stumped by Mary for a bit but I actually think this is so fitting, she would have loved Glitter force (one of the millions of iterations I can’t tell them apart in my brain they all just sort of jumbled together)

Peter - Pokémon and he would know all the lyrics to the pokérap, it’s probably his top song on Spotify wrapped and who can actually blame him it’s such a bop.

I don’t know where the inspiration hit me for this but here please enjoy my monstrous creation.

[petratherrock]

My favourite characters from atla can be categorised into

The mischief maker, the grump and finally now that I'm an adult, the sunshine

I started watching AtLA when i was 15 and it's quite telling which characters I would grow to relate to and wanted to be like (until now). Okay, let's break this up;

1. I was a teenager and I wanted to blend into the background but i also wanted to be cool so I think that's why I love Mai so much lol

Knife throwing coolness? Being expressionless most of the time? Had to manage her family's expectations? Knows where her heart stands at the end of the day? Soft for people she cares about even if she doesn't often show them? Fire nation prince as the boyfriend? Uh yes.

Not to mention her VA and Zuko's VA voices are just so ✨👌🏻 they've got such nice husky voices i love listening to them 😂

2. Who doesn't like Toph?

If my teen self related so well to Mai, the person I wanted to be like was Toph--brave, free-spirited, smart, funny, loud, daring, troublemaker and has a soft spot for people she cares about.

She has her insecurities and she's blind and she doesn't let that ever, get her down.

3. As I grew up into my twenties I realize that I'd love to be like Aang.

I still consider Mai and Toph my faves from the series (I love everyone else too I just love these two more), but now it's like

I want to be a sincere, kind patient, and genuine person like Aang. A sunshine. Someone who's been thru a lot but still is nice to everyone (I'm not saying Toph and Mai aren't nice but that's not the first adjective you'd think of when you meet them loll)

Then, while I was thinking about them, I ended up remembering the side characters that I also really liked

I see the pattern here 😆

These two are the ones that pop up immediately in my mind when I think of side characters I love.

June and Bumi --true neutral and chaotic good. I'm pretty sure Mai and Toph are of the same alignments too

June is a strong, witty, confident and cool character. My younger teen self adored her obviously. Bounty hunter lady with her pet? ADORE.

And what's not to like about chaotic Bumi? He's a maniacal mad genius. This old man lets himself get imprisoned and waited for the right moment to get the upperhand on the Fire Nation, then he earthbended out of it with HIS FACE.

And of course I love this old man Iroh. We all do. 🫂 🫂 I don't have to explain it.

He was wise, patient, kind, and witty. He loved tea too much. He lied about killing the last dragons. He basically raised Zuko to become a better person, he was the black sheep of his family and how lucky they were that he was

But I think at the end of the day I'm more like this guy

Man committed to his trade and things keep fcking up somehow-

[ozaitheestallion]

Hey so what are some of your favorite atla ships, just curious

And if you're not big on anything, what are the ones you can't stand?

Inquiring minds want to know

Hmmmm let me see!!

I like Kataang cuz who in their right mind doesn’t? Same goes for Sokka/Suki and Maiko. If anyone reading this likes Z*tara, that’s nice for you but please stay away from me.

I don’t know if I ship Toph with anyone in the OG series. I think she’s just out here living life. I like to think old lady!Toph and old lady!Katara in TLOK might have a little something. They’re retired, enjoying their peace and just doing their thing.

Zukka is actually pleasantly surprising. It works really well yet it’s still pretty recent to the fandom. Not sure why more ppl didn’t ship this back in the day actually yes I do

I don’t care for Ozai/Ursa. Ikem is Ursa’s “true love” according to the comics and I can’t agree more. He’s exactly who she deserves. You may interpret that however you wish.

MaiLee is god tier “I’d do anything for you” yuri content. Korrasami is inoffensive but not my favourite Korra ship.

Rozin is toxic old man yaoi at its finest. It’s great.

I ship Iroh with “ignoring his dark past” and Ozai with whoever’s around who can rail him in a disrespectful fashion until he can’t walk. It’s exactly what he deserves. Again, you may interpret that however you wish.

That’s an overview anyway. My views on ATLA and TLOK is that no one is straight. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re all gay though. Everyone is something under the queer label.

[analviel]

ATLA NETFLIX, some of the thoughts I wrote down while watching:

The costumes!!!!!!

Fire. Bending.

The bending in general but FIRE bending and the way it left the victims.

Gasp! Oh, oh, oh! Help was sent to the earth kingdoms, maybe not the best fighters but still a lot of them, that's why the air nomads were wiped out and the southern water was devastated while the Earth kingdom stood the strongest. I like the way they set this up.

AAAAAAANG!!!

AIR NOMADS!!!!

Monk Gyatso!!!

Kinda bummed that Katara didn't break the ice by getting angry but I'm gonna be optimistic.

Hoooooo Sokka and Zuko exceed my expectations! "His destiny". "Repeating it doesn't help".

Although, the face burn is a bit underwhelming especially with what we just saw of the previous fire victims.

Sooooo excited for all the bending!!!

THE COSTUMES! THE TATTOO, ESPECIALLY THE WAY IT'S PLACED AROUND HIS ARMS!!!

Idk why maybe bcs Katara is my favourite so I'm watching her but she feels so.... Hmmm. Quiet. What happened to her lines at the beginning, for someone who's words are the first we hear in the OG.

When Sokka said "Before you kill someone", I expected at least a "Sokka!".

I do love the actress with the lines she's been given tho. With the rant to Sokka on the Air Temple. Gets that hopeful glint Katara has.

Zuko flipping out yes! He's so... Spazzy, does that make sense?

I'm not too young, I just haven't seen the world yet- Suki

Suki and Sokka are sooooooooo awkward I LOVE IT!!! Also that Mulan make-up remover. Asians are just built different I guess.

AANG AND KYOSHI!

Katara standing in Zuko's way- I can't wait until Zuko offers to kill her mother's killer with her!

We got Azula!!! Oh I love those first lines delievered like that!

Did I mention I love how Zuko is visibly falling apart, barely able to keep himself together, because I do, I really do!

Okay I'm gonna say it, Katara feels like she's just being dragged around everywhere. No- no initiative.

I....

Do not like that.

Feels like she's not getting riled up enough by Sokka maybe.

Mai is SO Mai, you can hear it so well!

They did Jet's intro good!

My Cabbages! The most passion so far!

Ooooh! Oh I do adore the secret tunnel scene in this!!!!

The Bumi actor is so good.

A friend. A friend! The direct Aang/Zuko and Gyatso/Iroh parallels.

The Zuko redemption storyline is living up to itself so far.

As for Azula, I really wished they left the breaking down era a little bit later. Like yeah, Azula wasn't right in the head from the beginning but that was shown more in how terrifyingly aloof and unstoppable she was in the earlier episode I believe but, well.

There's already a bond between Aang and Zuko but I've yet to see anything half like OG Katara and Aang!

Hmmm, actually, regarding Azula..... Ozai is, weirdly, invested in Zuko in a way we could've said OG Ozai would never say that. Which explains Azula here.

I love the avatar state glowy effects!

The sexism against Katara doubled and coated with genuine concern and real-life reasons that makes it hard to counter argue is making me lean in, in anticipation of how it will make my Katara blow up.

...... So no plan?..... I'm working on it, Uncle.

Sokka rushing towards Katara to 'convince her'.

Azula and Katara in the same episode is foreshadowing parallels.

Excited to have Katara's bending to visibly improve, like in the OG. And by that I meant how organically her water whip evolved smoother and faster in the animation. Like, you could see it.

........ Pakku vs Katara. Love the action, the effects. It could've been so good in regards to catharsis if Katara had just raged...... I'm just. Not going to.

Getting rid of their machine controls renders the fire army sitting ducks in the middle of ocean. Which makes me think of that reverse AU where the water tribe conquers the world.

If the water benders all work together, they can just have a giant tsunami turn them all over.

Master? Master Katara?...... That's so.... It's surprising rather than something you'd anticipate and cheer when we finally gain it.

Not a single waterbending training montage with Pakku. I'm still not sure if Pakku trained her or just gave her the title.

I like that I can tell that they know what they want to do with Sokka.

Not so much with Katara.

I gasped when all the Northern Tribe female waterbenders stepped forward like that.

So. There's a lot of stuff that they removed and added that I didn't like- less 'added', and more 'rushed'. Things that should've built up gradually, that could've been revealed in little bits were just immediately shown to us- my example here is Azula. When I first saw Azula, she was terrifying, her and her group were both my dream group and incited fear and awe in younger me, I didn't think she was insecure, I didn't think she was scared, she was practically the damn terminator with that epic episode of tracking the gaang slowly but steadily and driving them to exhaustion.

Is she actually insecure and batshit insane and scared? Yes. Was that what you were supposed to be able to tell with a single glance? No.

At first I thought maybe I was just biased with Katara, but I also feel like a lot of stuff they did with Azula was just.....

They did Sokka good, which was actually who I was concerned about the most. Zuko- I really love his portrayal. My moments of doubt with Aang are actually closely tied with Katara, which makes sense because hello, their friendship and bond was very important to the whole thing. Would've been a wonderful contrast to his Past bond with Gyatso and his Future bond with Katara.

I do think it's good.

Let me marinate on this.

[ssreeder]

(if you haven't heard of these pick one that appeals to you the most)

sorry if i missed some these were the ones on top of my head