#Zuko constantly in conflict with himself

[princecosmosanon]

Ooooh I like the idea of Zuko, while he’s supposed to be trying to find the avatar, ends up engrossed in old, barely salvageable Air Temple writings and scrolls. He starts off thinking he’ll find some clue to the avatar’s whereabouts or at least their habits, but ends up becoming more and more engaged with what he learns. How they write, the way they choose their words, the strange buoyancy that just permeates Air Nomad culture.

By the time Aang shows up Zuko has already visited each temple and is more excited about the prospect of meeting a knowledgeable Air Nomad who could tell him so much more about this lost culture… only to be disappointed that it’s Just Some Kid.

Free day of @zukaangweek and I proudly present the begining of my AU with an Air Nomad Zuko.

[venus-light]

Good Omens S2’s ending is so agonising, but I do think it’s going to make Aziraphale’s development significantly more impactful in S3! As a second act this has every painful, fascinating ingredient that made Zuko’s arc in ATLA so outstanding, and Aziraphale’s core conflict/fatal flaw draws from the heart of his character!

He loves Crowley deeply but he’s still clinging to Heaven’s brainwashing, and he’s never actually treated Crowley as an equal or sought to understand Crowley’s perspective yet.

Aziraphale still seems to believe Crowley is just a ‘lost, confused angel’, rather than recognising what Crowley is actually doing: rejecting the system entirely and trying to do good on his own terms. Aziraphale still believes the desire to be Angelic and the desire to be good to others are the same thing, therefore if Crowley is good (as he’s shown himself to be) he must be secretly want to be an Angel and is betraying that whenever he argues against Heaven.

Aziraphale still hasn’t listened when Crowley explains over and over again that he DOESN’T WANT TO BE AN ANGEL. He’s still desperate for Heaven’s validation, even after he chose to leave, and there’s a deep void in his identity! He wants so desperately to be seen as “Good” (regardless of the actual morality of his actions) that it’s used over and over again to coerce and manipulate him! He also wants desperately for Crowley to be “Good” too, because at this point Aziraphale couldn’t ever let himself trust or accept Crowley if he wasn’t.

Aziraphale’s ‘angelic superiority’ is still constantly used to prop up his own identity, and he still considers deviance from Heaven (both in himself and others) as something shameful, embarrassing and in need of being ‘Corrected’. He also still believes Crowley needs/wants to be “Forgiven” by Heaven and that angels are inherently superior to everyone else!

Aziraphale’s default response to suffering being to make it about Heavenly purity rather than empathising with others also makes him extremely blind/self-centred in some situations. He’s proven that he’s willing to adopt empathy - the force that drives Crowley to compassion and forgiveness - if it helps to do good for others, but it’s still a very undeveloped skill in him.

At the start of this season Aziraphale lets Crowley sleep in his car for God’s sake, and apparently only calls Crowley when he wants something! He takes Crowley’s devotion to him for granted, and dismisses Crowley’s feelings and perspective on Gabriel instantly! Whenever they disagree on anything Aziraphale just assumes that he is Good and Crowley is Evil, therefore Crowley’s perspective isn’t worth taking seriously. And Crowley loves Aziraphale so much and is so afraid of losing him that he just… concedes. Over and over again. And keeps on forgiving him without Aziraphale ever realising how deep he’s cutting Crowley. Even now, Aziraphale still sees everything as a dichotomy between “Good” and “Evil”, “Angelic” and “Demonic”, with no middle ground or space outside of it. A worldview that fundamentally misunderstands Crowley’s entire life, moral compass and identity.

Aziraphale does love Crowley, but he still hasn’t reckoned with Heaven’s brainwashing. He still won’t ever be able to understand Crowley’s perspective until he gets the outcome he thought would fix everything, and realises that it won’t.

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

One of the things that annoy me the most about people (mostly zutarians) trying to argue that Zuko saying he wasn't being himself in a war meeting with Ozai somehow means he doesn't want to be Fire Lord or date Mai is not just how it completely misinterprets Zuko's character and the things he has explicitly stated to want multiple times - but also because it ignores one of the most realistic portrayals of what it is like to live with an abuser that isn't on Evil Bastard mode 24/7.

During "Nightmares And Daydreams" Zuko is being treated shockingly well. He can get literally anything he wants, whenever he wants. He is being so pampered that he doesn't even have to walk anywhere if he doesn't feel like it, and everyone adores him - he is basically being treated like Azula.

Yet unlike Azula, he was not invited to the meeting. And he doesn't feel safe to ask his father about it directly or to just assume there was some communication issue and show up regardless of the "lack of" invitation. And considering what happened last time he tried, it's not hard to see why he feels that way.

But oh look! He WAS supposed to be there! And Ozai even refused to start the meeting without him! He saved Zuko a spot so he'd be at his right hand, and even wants to hear him out when discussing ideas! Surely that means he cares about Zuko and values his opinions, right?

Not quite. There's another catch. There's ALWAYS another catch. He can say what he wants... provided it is what Ozai wants to hear.

Zuko has every privilege in the world, but he doesn't have the basic to right to have his own opinions, to speak to his own parent and to not constantly fear he will suddenly be, at best, ignored, and at worst physically abused, kicked from home and cut off from everything and everyone he is familair with just because Ozai woke up in a bad mood or felt challenged/insulted in some way.

This episode was not about Zuko realising he didn't love Mai, or wanted to go back to the job he canonically hated. It's about him finally realizing that the most luxurious cage in the world is still a cage. That he will never feel safe with his abuser around, even if Ozai isn't constantly lashing out. That no matter how good his life seems to be on the surface, he will never truly have anything (from basic stuff like a roof over his head to luxuries like literal royal treatment) when there's someone that can just randomly decide to take it all away from him and not face any consequences for it because he has absolute power over everyone.

That's why in lots of frames during his conversations with Iroh, the animation makes it look like Zuko is behind bars while his uncle is free. Why Azula, the child that stuck by Ozai's side, ends the show having a breakdown and feeling worthless after being randomly abandoned by him and excluded from what was supposed to be THEIR moment. Why during the eclipse, Zuko literally says "I'm going to speak my mind and you're going to listen."

And why he confessed that entire inner conflict to Mai - yes, his girlfriend, but also someone who can RELATE to his struggles, because while her parents are not abusive, they are neglectful to the point of it being criminal and she full on says "I could get anything I wanted, as long as I behaved."

She knows what's like to feel trapped, and that's a big part of why Zuko felt comfortable enough to "take the mask off" with her instead of with anyone else.

[marley-manson]

If you're still doing the character ask game - Ray Vecchio, 1, 8, 12, and 22 <3

Yessss I am always here to talk about Ray, thank you!

1. Why do you like or dislike this character?

Idek man, I imprinted like a duckling or something. I love everything about him. Love his loud mouth, his loud clothes, the armani, the shift between the two fashions, the big nose and green eyes, love his dickishness and complaining, love his selflessness and steadfastness and how they go hand in hand with the complaining, love his family and his shitty dad backstory and his zuko backstory and his childishness with Frannie and his catholicism, love that he will always put his loved ones before anything else he cares about and Fraser gets the highest priority position, love how the show constantly seamlessly shifts from two dimensional cartoon to deep and thoughtful characterization with him as well as Fraser.

I love how he's skeptical but intrigued by Fraser anyway and always ends up convinced by him, love how he was burnt out at first but gets promoted in season 2, love how he vanishes from Fraser's life for the sake of duty, essentially, in what could be read as an ironic consequence for Fraser, love that he'll do absolutely anything for Fraser and feels unappreciated for it because Fraser doesn't prioritize him, love that they get closer and closer to resolving this issue but Ray leaves before it can fully happen.

Character of all time for me.

8. What’s something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

Ohhhhh boy. I mean I can't stand people characterizing him as Fraser's mean ex of course, but it's pretty rare that I ever saw that because I couldn't get into the season 3/4 side of fandom. Anything that characterizes him as physically abusive in general, which ime pretty squarely rests on italian stereotypes (not cop statistics when every character is a cop) since iirc he never uses violence impulsively in the show - it's always a deliberate choice he makes in the line of duty as part of the cop show format - and the show specifically contrasts him with his abusive father that way. (Though I may make an exception for very thoughtful post Vegas characterization that takes his actual depiction on the show into account.)

Even just like, eg this one Ray/Ray fic I once read where they got into a mutual physical fight kind of bugged me lol because I legit don't think Ray V would.

Among F/V shippers, I really loathe the headcanon that Ray shot Fraser on purpose either consciously or subconsciously. I can respect the attempt for more conflict and angst in theory, but I will die on the Ray V defense hill lol, and he would never. He was clearly aiming for Victoria, we saw that from his point of view in the scene itself, and Fraser deliberately took the bullet to shield Victoria. He sees where Ray's aiming, he runs faster to reach her in time, and Letting Go parallels it with Ray V taking a bullet for Fraser. He also casually protests that it was an accident when they're both over the drama in the tag, which would never happen if that wasn't the case.

12. What’s a headcanon you have for this character?

He wouldn't exactly describe himself as bisexual, but Fraser isn't the first guy he's been with. He had a thing with a bff in high school or college, and because his priority system goes: loved ones > abstract ideals, he doesn't feel guilty about it. Bff is gay, bff isn't bad or disgusting or whatever else, therefore gay sex is fine, at least with him. If asked he might still say it's a sin in general, but Ray absolutely has loopholes for people he cares about.

And if Fraser is his first then again, Fraser takes priority and Ray doesn't even have a sexuality crisis. Oh, Fraser is into men? Totally fine, it's Fraser, and he's never refused Fraser anything before so why should he start now? Especially when he looks so good in the brown uniform.

Relatedly I also envision a backstory scene where he once drove Frannie to an abortion clinic, casually bitched about it on the way accidentally triggering Frannie's guilt and making her cry, then instantly switched to pro-choice talking points that he'd always dismissed before to reassure her.

22. If you’re a fic reader, what’s something you like in fics when it comes to ths character? Something you don’t like?

I love that it's not an uncommon characterization choice to have Ray just bypass internalized homophobia because Fraser takes precedence over all that. Love fic where Ray is attracted to Fraser and knows it, however he deals with it. I love post-canon F/V fic a LOT. Give them their happy reunion and happily ever after!!!

Honestly I'm surprisingly easy for Ray V fic in general, it's pretty rare to find characterization that annoys me. Even if I disagree, I'll usually still buy in for the duration. I love fic where Ray V is there <3 Like, I'll read het fic for him. I read basically every Ray V/Stella fic out there ffs, just for Ray. That should tell you something lmao.

Something I don't like - well there's everything I complained about for question 8 lol. I don't like when fic writers buy into the bitching and moaning and miss the selfless devotion, but that's pretty rare in Ray-centric fic, it's more when he's a side character or just part of Fraser's backstory.

More commonly, I don't like when Fraser wants to get together and Ray pushes him away at first because of internalized homophobia. I'll still read it, but like, I'll be shaking my head the whole time lol.

And lastly, I don't have impassible top/bottom preferences for F/V, but I can't read anything kinky where Ray doms lol, pure personal bias there.

ask meme

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Princess Azula

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

This is one of those characters I should’ve done a long time ago, but just never got around to because I felt it was just way too obvious. I mean, come on, Avatar: The Last Airbender is considered one of the greatest works of western animation. Everyone and their mother has talked about this show at some point, so what could I even add?

Well, as it turns out, the way people talk about Azula is exactly what inspired me to write this! I have never seen a character so completely and critically misunderstood! Hell, this is a character that people like to disregard the core themes of the story to talk about! Discussion of her online made me so genuinely angry that I decided fuck it, it’s Azulain’ time! So here we go, my 200% anger-fueled analysis and review of the mentally-unstable Fire Nation princess who terrorized the Gaang!

Motivation/Goals: Azula has basically made it her life’s mission to be the ultimate tool of the Fire Nation, and specifically her father Fire Lord Ozai. To that end, she does basically whatveer he tells her to do? Kill the Avatar, conquer Ba Sing Se, take out her brother and uncle… So long as what she does has a net benefit for the imperialistic goals of her country, she’s down for it, and doubly so if she thinks it will get her even a little crumb of daddy’s attention.

Performance: Superstar voice actress Grey DeLisle of Literally Every Fucking Cartoon Ever Made fame lends her voice to the crown princess of the Fire Nation, and her smug, condescending delivery really sells Azula as a manipulative schemer who is constantly playing 4D chess to outmaneuver her opponents. I think I might even go so far as to call this one of DeLisle’s finest performances ever, for reasons pertaining to her delivery of lines in certain parts of the story that will be described below.

Final Fate: Azula’s fate is a perfect example of the show’s excellent writing because it robs us of catharsis in an extremely narratively satisfying way.

Throughout the finale, we watch as Azula’s mental health rapidly declines as literally everything in her life spirals out of her control for the first time. This is a girl who has defined herself as always being two steps ahead, always having everything firmly in her grasp, and yet her brother has run off with the heroes, her two best friends “betrayed” her, her father gives her the throne but only because he is crowning himself the Ultra Super Cool King Deluxe, and she is constantly grappling with feeling as if her mother viewed her as a monster while also subconsciously knowing that Ursa did truly love her. Keep in mind, all of this is happening to a teenage girl, so is it any wonder she completely and totally snaps?

Her final Agni Kai with Zuko during the height of Sozin’s Comet is epic, but it’s the conclusion where she is defeated by Katara and left as a sobbing, flailing mess that really knocks Azula’s character arc out of the park and cements her as the ultimate antithesis of Zuko. He had the guidance of a good, kind father figure, while she was stuck with Fire Hitler; he had a group of friends to love and support him, while she only had companions who put up with her out of fear and turned on her when they finally had enough; he was able to come to terms with his past traumas and grow to be better because of his numerous support systems, while all she had were toxic influences that led to her essentially collapsing under the weight of her internal conflict. She is what Zuko could have been if no one lent him a helping hand… and it is soul-crushingly tragic. The last we see her, she is a broken mess of a person, someone who has literally lost everything in their life, had the sole purpose of their existence stripped from them, and has just been reminded that she lost because she is a lonely, miserable, pathetic individual without any friends.

After her being on top for almost the entire show, this should feel like a triumph! But it’s not. It’s sad. It’s tragic. There’s no joy to be found. And boy oh boy, is it fucking powerful.

I’m just going to ignore what happens to her in the comics. It’s better that way.

Evilness: So here’s where things get really interesting, because while Azula does some truly evil things throughout the show, there is a tendency to exaggerate just how awful she is because most of her evil actions are just things she says she wants to do/has done. Combined with her smug, arrogant demeanor and it’s easy to believe she would do these things, but we don’t actually witness them. To wit, while she taunts Sokka about torturing Suki to the breaking point, when he finally reunites with her she sure doesn’t seem as cripplingly broken as Azula implied. I think it’s important to note that, as Azula is a massive liar, if we don’t actually see her do something (even something she’s threatening to do), it’s not really a mark against her. She’s a cunning manipulator, after all, conquering an entire city without lifting a finger.

On that note, though, she does have plenty of wicked moments under her belt. She conquered Ba Sing Se for the Fire Nation, she constantly tried to kill Aang and her brother while they were on the run in the Earth Kingdom, she had her friends locked up for defying her… Like she’s one messed up daddy’s girl. Even taking into account the inherent tragedy of her character and the fact she’s a teenage girl, she still kind of steps up to crossing the moral event horizon. She’s very much the product of grooming in an environment meant to espouse the joys of fascism and imperialism, and since she never had a strong guide like Iroh her moral compass is busted.

With all that being said, I think she’s a solid 5/10. She does some really nasty things, but at the same time a lot of what colors the perception of her is stuff she only implies. Also I’m not considering any of her pre-breakdown fights with Zuko as truly evil; this is just how siblings are. You bet your ass sibling squabbles would look just like that if they could shoot fireballs from their hands.

Best Episode: For all her badass moments, awesome schemes, incredible fights, and powerful moments… “The Beach” might be her best episode. This might sound crazy, but I stand by it; I think showing us an awkward, human side of her really helps to sell that Azula isn’t actually some unstoppable force. She’s just a teenager who has no social skills and can’t exist outside of the confines of being a royal or a warrior without looking like an absolute weirdo.

Best Quote: After outmaneuvering season 2’s arc villain Long Feng, who concedes to he rand says she’s beaten him at his own game, she flippantly replies, “Don't flatter yourself. You were never even a player.” I don’t think even Jet got so brutally murdered. It’s the sickest burn in the series aside from Zuko’s scar.

Final Thoughts & Score: The whole reason I even wrote this Psycho Analysis is because the constant and critical misunderstandings of Azula I see online constantly piss me the fuck off.

There is a subset of Avatar fans who completely and steadfastly believe that Azula is in fact an irredeemable monster, a complete sociopath with no redeeming qualities who needs to suffer and die. They reject any attempts at assessing the character in a more nuanced light, because “why can’t villains just be evil?” They treat her as if she’s some sort of pure evil being instead of an emotionally stunted child.“She’s crazy and she needs to go down” might as well be the mantra of these media illeterate Avatar fans, parroting opinions that mirror the words of Iroh after Azula almost killed him but ignoring that crucial context as well as Iroh’s entire character. Like, do these people actually pay attention to the core themes of the entire show? You know, mercy, redemption, humanity, the importance of all life? Did they miss the part of the finale where these core themes were cemented by Aang removing Ozai’s firebending with energybending, or were they too busy bitching about it being a deus ex machina to realize it’s thematically appropriate?

Like they want Azula to just be this evil, unredeemable cartoonish villain in a show that explicitly says no one is like this. There’s even a point in the final episodes where it’s pointed out that genocidal colonizer tyrant Ozai was once a sweet, cute little baby, and didn’t just spring forth as a fully formed Red-Hot Hitler. Azula is a person groomed by an unrepentantly evil father to be the Fire Nation ubermensch, the ideal tool for the conquest of the rest of the world. She was never allowed to have a normal childhood, as evident by her awkward behavior and social ineptitude when she’s actually allowed to cut loose and be around people her own age in a relaxed setting. Everything that she is—a liar, a manipulator, an attempted murderer, an egomaniac—are all the result of Ozai’s upbringing, being entrenched in the propaganda of her nation, and a lack of authority figures with a moral compass in her life. She didn’t have an Iroh to guide her, all she had was Ozai. In this sense, Azula is as much a victim as she is a victimizer.

But she is a victimizer. She is still consciously making bad decisions, she is still doing evil and sometimes appearing to enjoy it. There’s no reason to believe she couldn’t turn things around if given a helping hand like her brother was (though there would need to be a lot more effort due to her being in Ozai’s company unimpeded for way longer than Zuko), but she’s not some innocent little bean who’s being persecuted by others. Azula is still a villain, and viewing her as just a mere victim is a disservice to the character just as much as painting her as an inhuman monster. She is a very nuanced character, but she never gets the sort of POV work Zuko does to fully flesh out what’s on her mind and let us see the world through her eyes so the work done for her is more subtle, at least until her final breakdown. At that point, the show is literally beating you over the head with the fact she is an incredibly tragic character whose entire existence is pitiful and broken, and who lives as a mirror to Zuko, showing him a dark path he could have walked down if he didn’t receive love, support, and compassion.

Ultimately, Iroh wasn’t wrong when he said “She’s crazy and she needs to go down,” but I take it with emphasis on and. Azula is, in fact, crazy. She is incredibly mentally disturbed, her mind warped and molded by her father to the point she breaks if she starts to lose control even a tiny bit. And, as an antagonistic force working against the heroes, she does indeed need to go down. I’m sure he wasn’t too happy with his near-death experience, but you will not convince me that the sweet old Iroh, who himself changed and redeemed himself after being a fucking war criminal who nearly conquered Ba Sing Se, could not see the nuance in the Azula situation and genuinely saw his niece as some beast to be slaughtered.

But that’s enough with the ranting, let’s get to the actual final thoughts and score for Azula. She is one of the most engaging and magnificent villains in animation, a real firebrand (heh) whose numerous schemes are gripping to watch, building her up as someone you want to see finally get defeated only for the writers to pull the rug out from under you and remind you just what Azula really is. Avatar had no shortage of brilliant and subversive writing, but I think Azula’s ultimate arc is an unsung masterpiece among it. The character is so mired in discourse these days it’s easy to forget it, but she genuinely is a grand character.

For her score, I’m gonna say she gets a 9/10. She’s easily the best villain on the show, far outshining her rather generic father, the deliciously hammy but ultimately rather shallow Zhao, and the scheming but relatively minor Long Feng (to say nothing of the numerous minor villains that range in quality from wastes of time like Combustion Man to genuinely amazing and horrifying like Hama). I think the only thing holding her back from a perfect score is that sometimes it feels like things fall into place a little too perfectly for her, and she doesn’t face setbacks too much until the very end, but considering the immensely powerful culmination it’s nothing that ruins her. Azula is a character just as rich and deep as anyone else from the show, and I really wish more people looked at her with nuance.

I also wish the fucking comics didn’t exist. Maybe I’m asking for too much.

[enbymai]

rich people club but its zuko, yue, mai, and toph drinking tea and bitching about ppl (yue was previously very sceptical about being mean about people, especially behind their back, but after spending more time with zuko, mai, and toph she gets more comfortable with it. but is still very polite about it)

mai: babies are such bitches. i mean, he whines constantly. it's like being around zuko. just get ahold of yourself, please. it's unbearable.

toph: and i told my dad that i'm not a little girl anymore! i can handle myself, but he still treats me like a kid! i mean, i could beat anyone that decided to mess with me, and just because even sokka could whoop his arse doesn't mean i can't handle myself!

zuko: azula called my hair shaggy. i can't believe her. you've seen her hair at the moment, she cut her own fringe and it's so uneven. how can you insult someone else's hair when your own hair looks like that? and aang said my hair looked really nice and he's the avatar, so i think his opinion has a higher value than azula's. (mai: isn't the avatar bald?)

yue: hahn is just a bit... too confident. not that there's anything wrong with that, but our personalities just clashed slightly. and he was always so eager for war, but violence isn't the only way to resolve a conflict and he needed to learn that. as well as learn that he mustn't seek glory and posperity for himself, but rather for our tribe and our people (toph: yeah! what a dunderhead!)

[hello-nichya-here]

How come Katara grew to be more compassionate than Sokka?

She didn't. Sokka tends to be more CAUTIOUS than her most of the time, hence him wanting to free just Haru and his dad instead of all the earthbenders and not wanting to stay too long on that Fire Nation fishing village because they have schedule for the plans of war - but he still comes around, helps her save everyone, and clearly thinks very highly of her for doing so.

Sure, he doesn't want to save Zuko, or as he put it "The guy that is constantly trying to kill us", in the North Pole (and neither did Katara), and he kills combustion man in self-defense and would probably try killing Ozai himself if he had Aang's power, but that is all trying to protect himself and others. Desperate times, desperate measures.

The simple fact that he is very chill and non-violent when there's a smaller, less serios conflict, or when someone has a good, non-violent solution for matters of war, already shows that he IS compassionate. He would not become friends with Zuko after everyithing he did if he wasn't.

[princess-of-the-corner]

Also, I've been given conflicting reports as to how Zhao dies.

YouTubers keep complaining about Iroh murdering him, while TV Tropes claims that Zuko does it by using Zhao's own fire whip to yeet him into a frozen river at the North Pole.

Given that they COMPLETELY changed up Zhao's role in the Fire Nation (he's a glory-seeking no-name who ends up becoming so full of himself that he decides he'll overthrow Ozai and make HIMSELF Fire Lord after he conquers the Northern Water Tribe), neither option really makes much sense on a thematic level. Like, he's so lowly ranked that Zuko, the EXILE, doesn't even show him any respect in their first on screen interaction.

Which I feel kinda makes Zuko LESS sympathetic, given that the entire reason Zhao exists is to constantly put Zuko down and make him more sympathetic in comparison.

(Zhao getting an inflated ego and thinking he can dethrone Ozai after killing the Moon Spirit is a nice touch, though.)

You know this kinda actually swings back to what I was saying on the undermined the propaganda thing a few asks ago? Because yeah in original Canon, Zhao may have a hell of an ego and think he'll be greatly rewarded and given titles like 'Moon Slayer' or whatever and go down in history as incredibly important. But he never really ever thinks of overthrowing Ozai.

Like. It's in character for him to think he'd be so good as to take over as Fire Lord because of his ego. But he never does? He just thinks the Fire Lord will reward him. Which really does kinda hammer in how Above the Fire Lord is supposed to be to people.

But also! Like!

This does undermine some of Zhao as a threat to have him be very no-name insignificant? Like. In the original canon, he was incredibly competent and good at what he did. He might be an arrogant egocentric dick, but he could put his money where his mouth was. He still failed on occasion because of his hubris and his temper, which was ultimately his downfall.

And his death in the original series fit that. An Admiral who did not respect the Ocean and was quite literally taken out by it, and denied any help.

Like seriously on that last note it's a defining moment for Zuko's character in the original series of like. For all that Zhao did, Zuko still tries to save him.

[akiizayoi4869]

Zuko and Ozai in The Promise

I was rereading this comic a few weeks ago, and it is without a doubt the best one that Yang wrote. Even though the plot was poorly executed, the characters were actually in character for the most part. What I found to be most interesting about this comic, though, was Zuko's conversations with Ozai. I know that Zuko gets a lot of shit for doing this, but honestly? It wasn't entirely ooc for him to do. Think about it. Iroh, the one adult who can possibly help Zuko, is in Ba Sing Se, enjoying his retirement in full now that the war is finally over. If Azula had been available, I have no doubts that Zuko would have gone to her for advice. But since she wasn't available either, guess who that leaves Zuko with? Ozai. The only person alive who knows anything about being the Fire Lord. So naturally, Zuko goes to him for guidance. Both conversations that the two of them had were interesting, but I found the second conversation to be the most interesting.

Here, Zuko goes to Ozai because he's not sure about what to do regarding the Harmony Restoration movement. He wants to make peace with Kuei, while at the same time, he doesn't want to anger the Fire Nation citizens who live in the colonies. So he's torn about what to do. And, of course, Ozai, being Ozai, tells Zuko the right things for the wrong reasons. He's telling Zuko these things because he wants to manipulate him into being the ruler that Ozai wants him to be. What Ozai himself was. Someone who rules through fear and makes everyone else bow before him. But that doesn't mean that what Ozai was saying here is entirely wrong. Because it wasn't. He was right about the fact that since Zuko is now Fire Lord, the decision about what to do is ultimately up to him and nobody else. In the end, it doesn't really matter what Aang or the other leaders say in regards to the Fire Nation because they aren't the ones ruling it. Zuko is. Zuko has to be the kind of leader who can make decisions for his nation by himself, without influence from other people. You can't be a leader who constantly runs to other people for help when it comes to making big decisions for your nation, and I think that that's the message that Ozai was trying to convey to Zuko here, all ill intentions aside.

Ozai also wasn't wrong about Kuei either. He predicted exactly what Kuei would end up doing. What Ozai was wrong about, however, is how Zuko should resolve this conflict. He wanted Zuko to fight Kuei and his army, which is exactly what Zuko stupidly ends up doing. But that wasn't the correct answer. What Zuko needed to do was to sit down and talk things over with Kuei, not fight him. This is something that both Zuko and Kuei realize in the end.

So, all in all, this really wasn't a bad read. I think it was a realistic showing of how a post-war world would look like one year after everything is said and done. Zuko has no idea what he's doing as Fire Lord since he was never really taught how to rule, and the Gaang being naive in thinking that everything would be fine now since Ozai is defeated and Zuko is on the throne. It is completely realistic when you consider that these are all kids trying to play the adult game known as politics.

[grumpylia]

modern au's

i saw a post about this ages ago, but i can't remember the original creator and think i have my own thoughts to add too!

if you're a ff writer, and you want to / are in the process of writing an au fic i think it can sometimes be so difficult to properly translate the characters over, and i think that's for one key reason:

what a lot of people don't understand about au's is that, most of the time, a characters struggles and circumstances in the original work are part of what makes them who they are! this especially goes for fantasy works, which tend to have more specific and drastic plotlines and character relationships! for example: harry potter would not be *harry potter* without his life with the dursley's and his subsequent chosen one status! that unique position shapes harry into the person he is - sure, at the end of the day, harry in any universe is still going to be harry, but the unique character conflicts and contexts that he experiences are what makes him into the harry that we come to know.

i see this a lot in atla fics, especially with the characterisation of zuko. in canon, zuko's whole arc is realising that the fire nation - and, subsequently, his father - are not right and are not great. he realises that his father cannot take away his honour - it is something that he had had all along. i feel like a see a lot of modern au fics where zuko's whole thing is that he is disowned by the family for whatever reason (often for being gay LMAO) and - while i'm not saying there's anythingwrong with this objectively, and it all comes down to personal preference - but i think that is just a fundamental misunderstanding of zuko's character that therefore - at least for me - weakens the whole story. the best atla modern au 's that i have read have been able to capture that essence of zuko that is born through his character struggles - his family doesn't simply disown him; instead, he is constantly trying to prove himself by doing whatever task he has been set, constantly trying to prove himself to his father and his family or the world at large. that conflict between what he wants and what he needs is what makes zuko so interesting! and i think the best, most interesting fics take advantage of that conflict to tell a really profound story that echoes zuko's original (almost perfect) redemption arc!

same with harry potter au fics! or percy jackson au fics! in every universe, annabeth chase will need to prove herself and percy jackson will be loyal to those he loves, but in the best (imo) modern au's, more of the conflicts are interpolated, too. give me a modern hp au where ron still keeps his character conflicts, where he still struggles with jealousy of harry, where he still has reasons to feel inedequate next to his best friend! these conflicts are what makes your story interesting and complex! give me a modern au when remus lupin still has a modern situation that represents the conflict that his being a werewolf represents in canon! that is what makes remus remus!!

this is all, ofc, just ramblings and no one is under any pressure to take any of this seriously. i think it definitely is worth thinking abt though - modern au's can be so tricky to get right sometimes, but i feel like keeping in mind the circumstances and conflicts of the original characters makes it worlds easier to create a complex and interesting fic!

[bellatrixobsessed1]

Vicarious (Part 16)

It isn’t perfect by any stretch but it is something. He can join them for meals comfortably now, even if he keeps quiet for most of it aside from a brief greeting. Now that it is out in the open, Azula speaks openly with him and he supposes that, that does help his case–rather her case. 

He had always imagined that it would be easy to talk to the rest of the group since he doesn’t carry the resentments that Azula does for them. But he can’t stop himself from dwelling upon how he has been treated until now.

He feels like he has to ease back into liking his own friends but at least he doesn’t find himself flushing with anger upon seeing Azula interact with them. She is usually the first to invite him over. She or Aang. 

They ask him how he is doing now, if he is taking care of his injuries, and if they are healing well. They ask him if he is eating and sleeping well. They don’t question him when he says yes even if they probably should. Granted he has been sleeping a little easier these days now that the loneliness isn’t driving him half mad. Now that he has memorized Azula’s optimal pillow arrangement. 

They don’t speak about much of anything at breakfast. It is simply one of those mornings where no one seems to have slept well so everyone stays out of each other’s ways. He knows why he hasn’t slept and he has a guess or two about what is leaving Azula sleepy. He is pretty certain that he heard Mai and Zuko arguing last night–something about “you ate the last fireflakes!” That petty argument had descended into a much larger one about carelessness and a lack of respect. 

At least he isn’t the only one constantly getting shit from his lover. He wonders if anyone is truly happy with their partners. He wonders what demons Aang and Katara have. 

He turns his thoughts to the toast and eggs in front of him and tries to keep them there. Food is a safe thing to think about.

“I have good news for you.” Azula catches him after breakfast. 

He could certainly use more of that on this drab morning. “What’s that?” 

“I am taking Jin to a spa and resort.” She replies. 

His brows scrunch. “For what?”

Azula rolls her eyes. “A date, Sokka. After witnessing that whole fiasco and seeing you…help me out, she decided that, perhaps, you could be sensitive and caring after all.”

“A-a date!? We’re back together?”

Azula nods. “She said that she wanted to give you another chance so I offered to take her to the spa and let her pick out the type of massage and the scents for the aroma therapy. She was torn between the hot stone massage and this water based massage so I decided to book a second appointment at the end of the month. You will be going with her as me. It will include a manicure and…” 

He tries to listen to her lengthy description of both of the outing that she has planned but his head is once again caught in a whirlwind–a chaotic storm of conflict and confusion. He should be absolutely elated that Azula has managed to salvage his relationship. Instead he finds his tummy tickling unpleasantly. He is more thrilled to hear that she has managed to get herself a girl’s day with Jin–if they are lucky they’ll be back to themselves by then and she can have that hot stone massage firsthand. When it comes to her other supposedly good news…he forces a smile onto his face. It is the best he can muster.

And he can’t, for the life of him, place where this unease is coming from.   

“Thank you, Azula, I appreciate it.” 

Azula nods. “Sure, Sokka. You’ve helped me out, so…” she shrugs. “I’ll try to fix things with Jin for you.” 

He would wager that she did quite a bit of work helping herself from the outside but he isn’t certain that she’d like him pointing that out. Instead he asks, “when is the date?” 

“I’m going to start getting ready for it once we are through with the discussion.” She replies. “I just hope that it goes better than that last one.” 

“Well this time you aren’t set up for failure.” 

“Yes. Thank you for that one.” She grumbles. Her expression forms into something of a half pout. “I should start getting ready. Your hair is a nightmare to style.”

“You have much more hair.” He combs his fingers through the locks that fall over his shoulders. 

The look she fixes him with can only be described as one of pure dread before her expression flickers back to something more deadpan. “Which is what the servants are for. You should let them know that they have permission to do your hair too.” 

“Will this arrangement continue after we switch back.” 

“Not a chance! My servants are my servants.” Sometimes it is hard to tell when she is being serious and when she is just messing with him. Either which way, her tone is much more vibrant now. She seems happier, and it fits his body much more. 

“I’ll let you know how it went when I get back.” She places her hand on his shoulder as she passes him by. “Oh, and if you take the Avatar up on his offer to have tea, try a black tea, peppermint bled. I find that those make me feel refreshed. Enjoy your afternoon.”  He can so easily imagine how those would sound coming from her lips. He repeats them to himself after she leaves, just to know for sure. Just to hear it for himself.

He very nearly understands where his conflict about Jin comes from. Perhaps if he dwelled upon it just a little more he would know for certain. He almost does–he almost recites her words using her lips.

Aang pokes his head around the corner and asks if he is ready for tea.

He hadn’t realized that Katara would be there too. Or that they would be having it in a rock garden. He doesn’t mind the change of scenery at all. 

He hopes that Azula won’t be upset with him for taking Aang up on his offer for meditation and yoga. He can’t imagine that she will be when he tells her how much tension relief it offers her body.

.oOo.

All in all, Azula is in a good mood. She realizes that she has been lately. Coming off of years of complete and all encompassing hopelessness, this splotch of a chance has given her a weightlessness, a little lotus of light that unfolds in her mind in the spaces that were so heavily infested with dark thoughts. It makes even the slightest joys feel somewhat monumental. 

It doesn’t take all that much to snuff that light right out. 

She just thought that she would have it for a bit longer. 

The date had been going so, so well. She had come out of that water massage feeling absolutely amazing. An entire month’s worth of tension and stress had been washed away. Eucalyptus still lingers in her nostrils even hours later as she lays on the bed next to Jin.

Jin who puts her scrolls aside and traces her pointer over Azula’s bare chest in lazy spirals. Jin who slides her hand up the side of her neck and strokes Sokka’s beard. Azula’s heart pounds in Sokka’s chest. Her breathing quickens. Jin’s touch is so pleasant, it is damn near everything that Azula has been deprived of, everything that she has been craving.

But she is scared. Scared beyond what she had ever imagined that she would be. No one has ever touched her like this. Not when real emotions were involved. Jin’s hand lowers from her cheek to chest. Her fingers trace over the lines of Sokka’s pectoral muscles and then over his abs. 

She swallows hard, Sokka’s adams apple bobs. 

“W-wait.” She says as Jin lowers her head, probably to place a kiss on her chest or naval. 

“Wait?” Jin furrows her brows. “I thought that–”

She had made a mistake. She had let things get a little too romantic, let things go a little too far. She isn’t sure if Sokka wants this.Agni, she isn’t even sure if he wanted her to kiss Jin for him. 

She knows for certain that it isn’t fair to Jin. Jin who has no idea who her hands are actually caressing. Who she has actually been kissing. “We can’t. Not now.” 

“I don’t understand you, Sokka! One minute you’re so romantica and affectionate and the next you’re distant and detached.”

“Can’t a man have second thoughts?”

“Of course!”Jin exclaims. “I just wish that you’d voice them earlier. That’s the problem Sokka, you never tell me how you feel until after I did something to upset you. You bottle it up until things get weird and I get blindsided.” 

Azula swallows. “I told you beforehand this time.” She tries. 

Jin rubs her hands over her face. “Yes, and you’ve also told me before that part of the problem in our relationship is that we didn’t have more intimacy in our relationship. You were the one who has been asking for this. And now that I’m ready you’re suddenly not into it.”

“It’s not that. It’s just…this isn’t a good time.” 

“Well let me know when it is, Sokka.” Jin frowns. “Look, I’m not mad about this, if you’re not in the mood then you’re not in the mood. But I want you to figure things out before we do anything else. I’m tired of trying to navigate mixed signals and awkward situations.” 

Azula nods. 

She had been so busy trying to mend things for Sokka the way he has for her that she had forgotten to take her own comfort and Jin’s into account. She has wasted both of their time and gotten Sokka’s hopes up.

Jin sighs. “I had a nice day, Sokka.” She squeezes Azula’s hand. “Thank you.”

Azula nods but she knows when there is a ‘but’ coming.

“But I think that you’re right, this just isn’t the right time for us. Why don’t we enjoy the rest of this spa trip as friends. You can invite Azula along.” 

Inviting Azula along is precisely the problem. She is already here and she shouldn’t be. She just hopes that Sokka won’t be too disappointed when she extends the spa day invitation to him.

[heinzpilsner]

Remember how I said I see only two explanations behind Zuko's irrational jealousy? Well, it seems like I somehow managed to overlook screaming non-verbal aspect of Mai's behavior!

Ugh, non-verbal stuff, why do you do this to me

So, here's a remake of my previous "Smart and serious"™ analysis of the situation!

(Why am I so stupid at being smart? I wish I could be smart at being stupid instead.)

In short it goes like this: Zuko took Mai's annoyed facial expression after he made his antipathy towards Ruon-Jian clear as an evidence that she likes the other boy.

That's all. No spicy or dramatic deeply hidden messages.

My inner conspiracy theorist is devastated.

(Still... You can't prove something's nonexistence~)

But here goes bonus content to anyone interested!

I couldn't help but indulge myself in a long and boring psychology lecture character study that would explain how Zuko ended up in this situation in the first place - from a slightly different angle than before, that is.

I wanna talk about Zuko's personality settings in more detail - in particular, about his dependent self-worth.

Contrast between people with different types of such settings was greatly demonstrated by Zuko's and Iroh's juxtaposition in first two seasons, actually.

Iroh doesn't care whether other people respect him or not - because his self-worth is unconditionally high. He values himself no matter circumstances and opinions, so his ego doesn't need protection from negative external evaluations.

His self-esteem though is (mostly) adequate - which means it isn't fixed in a perpetually high position. It allows him to see situation clearly, accept his bad circumstances humbly and work with them efficiently. If he's currently forced to become a beggar - well, he's going to beg alright, it's not a big deal.

Zuko's self-worth, on the other hand, is heavily affected by other people's evaluations. It makes his ego extremely vulnerable, and he has to protect it - sometimes with the help of inadequately high self-esteem.

So, when he believes someone thinks poorly of him, he has to belittle them ("peasants") and/or attack them. When it's impossible because of the person's autority though (like in case of his father), he's forced to agree with their low judgment - which is extremely stressful and painful and triggers another type of psychological defenses anyway.

(I guess this is what Iroh really wanted to say with his "pride is a source of shame" speach. Well, he's a vise man, but he's not exactly a psychologist, you know.)

So, in "The Beach", Zuko couldn't just calmly accept the fact that two random dudes didn't want to see him on their party - he immediately took offense.

Even though the reasons behind the boys' reluctance to invite Zuko in particular could be numerous, actually. From most practical ("We don't want you to burn the house down") and flattering ("We don't want any other hot guys at our party") to the most subjective ("Your haircut is awful, my eyes are bleeding"!)

I couldn't help it, could I?

But Zuko's ego was battered enough by his life, apparently, so this possibility didn't even occure to him.

So, as a result, Zuko had to look down on Ruon-Jian's (Chan's as well) personality and intelligence. Basically, that's what his "He thinks he's so great" was about.

(It doesn't necessarily mean the boys are not idiots though - but Zuko simply didn't have enough data to come to such a conclusion.)

But even after using this method of protection, Zuko couldn't fully stiffle his insecurities and self-doubt - because he had reasons (both right and wrong) to doubt himself.

(Especially since it was occuring on the background of the more general inner conflict: Zuko's father deems him worthy now, but the other autority of his life doesn't even want to speak with him. So Zuko's self-worth constantly jumps from heights to lows and he feels extremely confused and destabilized.)

And in such a situation, Zuko needed to get assurance from a person who was supposed to value him high.

Basically, his "What do you think about [Ruon-Jian]?" question towards Mai can be translated as: "Please, tell me what I'm right and he's an idiot, because otherwise I can't be sure in my own worth."

But Mai was not interested in encouraging Zuko's hostility towards other guys.

She reacted at Zuko's question with annoyance and answered honestly: she doesn't think anything about Ruon-Jian.

But Zuko didn't realize that his hostility looked inadequate to people who didn't see the situation from his ego's cocoon.

So he readed Mai's annoyance as her defense of Ruon-Jian.

And why would Mai defend someone unless she liked him?

The mystery is solved! What a great detective you are, Zuko!

Not as great as me though with all my ridiculous conspiracy theories induced by lack of attention

Something like this, I guess.

Thanks for your attention?

I ignore all notifications.

(Hmm, I think before working on next 'overanalysing Maiko' parts I'll have to analyze Mai's demeanor in book 2 more thoroughly. So it will take some time. ... Goddamit, I don't even like her! How on earth I ended up in this situation?

Oh yeah, I just wanted to make a "little psychological exercise". Lol.)

[ly0nstea]

Do you hate Reiner or Zuko more and why?

Definetly Zuko, for 2 reasons.

1: Reiners arc is incredible, he is one of the best written characters in all of AOT by a wide margin, we get to see Reiner's growth and change, from his struggle with the leadership thrust upon him, to his internal conflicts, mental health issues, suicidality, etc. Reiner pre-Fall of Shiganshina, to Trost and immediately after Utgard, to back in Marley are all three fundamentally different people because of Reiner's lived experiences. Reiner doesn't want the same things at each of those three points. Pre-Fall Reiner wants to be a leader, a Warrior, in Trost and Utgard he wanted to go home to his family, and in Marley he wants to end it all, we can see Reiner's change througout the plot.

Zuko however is rather flat, or maybe more oscillating, he jumps back and forth but at the end of the day all he wants is to be firelord, and he's willing to sacrifice whatever he has to for it. There is no fundamental change in Zuko's ends, only his means. He never has a revelation that maybe theres more than the throne (similar to Reiner just wanting to go home, which fueled the desperate attempt to coerce Eren to Marley in s2), he just blindly charges towards a self-proclaimed destiny and refuses to evaluate his worldview.

2: Reiner is far more likeable, reiner is built up in s1 as an older brother, he's dependable and strong, even if Reiner himself doesn't think so (see, just after Utgard Castle where reiner chastises himself for nesrly dying twice since Trost), then he becomes a villain, and the audience builds up a hatred for him over time, but in season 4 we go back to see the consequences, we watch Reiner nearly shoot himself, we see the gun in his mouth, we watch as Reiner's life completely and utterly falls to shambles without Bertoldt, knowing he only has a few years left to live. You would have to try to feel no sympathy at all for Reiner after season 4

Zuko on the other hand refuses to change, he takes his anger out on everyone around him and rarely apologises, he constantly expects everything to be handed him by his so-called destiny, its always his throne, his destiny, him, him, him, compared to Reiner who showed genuine care throughout the show for Bertoldt, Annie, Gabi, Falco, and even Eren and Armin.

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

ok I don't like zk but it really bothers me when people use the beach episode to talk about how zuko would be an abusive boyfriend, and therefore the inferior choice to aang. like you can't get an accurate view on his chracter when he is at his lowest/most conflicted

(at the same time people who argue this are usually general zuko haters, so their opinion should be automatically discarded lmao. I just find them frustrating)

I'd say none of what Zuko did at the beach makes him abusive (although it was unnacceptable), so I agree with most of what you're saying - but seeing how someone acts at their lowest IS an accurate look at them. It's just not a COMPLETE one because he has good and not-as-shitty days instead of just bad ones. It's not the full picture, but it is a key puzzle-piece.

If we were going to consider that innacurate, we'd have to do the same to the readings made of him on his best moments, when he has his shit together, is being kind and wise and even putting himself at risk to save others. It's the same logic of "Well, he's not like this 100% the time, so lets ignore the patern here!"

Zuko IS a character that, consistently, makes a big deal out of small things, is impatient, quick to anger, and very prone to pick up fights and say shit he doesn't mean. On the other hand, he genuinely doesn't WANT to be like, is trying to control his worst impulses, and has a ton of qualities that make him a genuinely likable, and even admirable, person. He made some mistakes, but he was a genuinely good boyfriend to Mai.

But the bad side still exists and anyone that wants to be in his life needs to be aware of it - not just in a "Are you sure you can deal with that?" way but in a "You knew what you signed up for, don't treat him like he's the devil at the first screw up."

Also Zuko is an inferior choice when compared to Aang... provided the person comparing these two boys to each other is Katara. If you asked Mai, she'd have a very different answer. Katara cannot deal with, and does not WANT to deal with, a boyfriend like Zuko. Mai has no such issue. And zutarians constantly ignore that simple fact when going "Zuko is better than Aang because X,Y,Z. Katara would be better for him that Mai because X,Y,Z"

[ambriel-angstwitch]

Disloyal Order of Water Buffalos Zuko Analysis

I'm coming apart at the seams Pitching myself for leads in other people's dreams

Zuko is constantly falling apart due to his inner conflict. FOB says this lyric is about the moment you realize that you wish you were someone else, and that’s such a Zuko something. He wants to be that perfect prince or not be required to live up to those expectations. He pitched himself for a spot in his fathers dream, not his own. He lived for what his father wanted. He desired to fufill this role his father had given him in his life.

Like buzz, buzz, buzz Doc, there's a hole where something was Doc, there's a hole where something was

After Zuko is burned and banished there’s a part of him missing that he can never get back. He doesn’t have that childhood innocence anymore, and his heart which he once wore on his sleeve seems to be missing though in reality he just covers it up by lashing out because the last time he cared he got hurt.

Fell out of bed, butterfly bandage, but don't worry.

Now this could be reminiscent of how he woke up on the ship with a bandage on his face. But a butterfly bandage is used to hold together skin around a deep cut, to help it heal. It is a more makeshift solution than stitches, and generally less effective. So in context of the last line it is a reference to emotional pain, Zuko tries feeble attempts to deal with the trauma he’s been put through. He doesn’t really do anything super effective to heal because he believes he deserved it but he focuses on Avatar hunting to try to ignore it.

You'll never remember your head is far too blurry

It’s possible that when Zuko woke up on the ship with the bandage he didn’t even remember what happened as fevers (common in people with burn injuries) can cause confusion or make the head “blurry”.

Put him in the back of a squad car restrain that man He needs his head put through a cat scan

This line is a commentary on how our society often tries to treat mental disorders like any other medical problem when it often isn’t that simple. No commentary connected to Zuko on this line (Other than the fact that that could apply to him as he definitely suffers from C-PTSD)

Hey editor, I'm undeniable Hey doctor, I'm certifiable

This lines interesting because it’s the two sides of fame, needing to be put on the front page in the self-indulgent sense, and needing to be treated for mental illness in the necessary sense. Zuko needs to be Welcomed back into the Fire nation because its what he told he needs, but he needs to join the gaang because it’s what will actually improve his life.

Oh, I'm a loose bolt of a complete machine

Zuko feels as though he’s an imperfect part of a perfect Fire nation. He needs to figure out how to fit back into this perfect nation.

What a match I'm half doomed and you're semi-sweet

This is about a close relationship. I’m going to apply this to the siblings. Zuko is half-doomed, he’s “lucky to be born”, unfortunate things had happened to him all the time and he’s had to work hard for all he has. Azula on the other hand is semi-sweet, if you’ve ever had semi-sweet chocolate it’s not really sweet, she can act sweet in order to manipulate but it barely covers up her bitterness, she makes plans with little care for who she hurts. The interesting thing about this line is it also implies that neither of them are fully complete, likely due to their upbringing.

So boycott love, detox just to retox

Boycotting and detoxing are both things that require a withdrawal from something, but the narrator goes after love anyway despite seeming to know the negative effects. The “love” that Zuko receives from his family is the toxic kind but he chases it anyway.

And I'd promise you anything for another shot at life

Zuko has always been desperate for acceptance and a shot to do what’s right with his life. First he wanted another shot at being a Prince and coming home from his father. Then he wanted another opportunity to be good from the Gaang. He wanted to join their group and help them

And perfect boys with their perfect ploys nobody wants to hear you sing about tragedy

This line is a commentary on how nobody wants to hear celebrities complain. To the outside world they’re life seems perfect. This could in some ways apply to Zuko though he clearly had the burn on his face, the gaang never really stopped to consider how he got it or the possibility that the war could have hurt him as well. He grew up in a castle with tons of money. But his life was full of hurt. Though of course the gaang could be worried that any vulnerability is just a ploy, and nothing but a fake tragedy.

[sokkastyles]

A lot of the things you talk about wanting to be explored are already explored in the show. As for Zuko's treatment of Azula, I actually think he's a better brother than can be expected, and that's exactly because part of his abuse was being taught that Azula was better than him and he deserved to be belittled and treated cruelly. It is not "immaturity" that Zuko doesn't reach out to her or a lack of understanding of her situation, it's actually a sign of his maturity at the end of the show that he stops accepting the idea that Azula is somehow greater or more deserving than him. In the final agni kai, when Azula says she's "sorry it has to end this way" and Zuko says "no, you're not" that IS a sign of his maturity because he's grown from the boy who was easily manipulated and realized that he doesn't have to put up with that kind of treatment. That doesn't mean he doesn't have compassion for Azula or realize how their father has treated him, but Zuko is not obligated to "understand" Azula at that point or give her more opportunities to hurt him. He is perfectly within his right to not want anything to do with her. The fact that he does try to help her in the comics actually makes him a better brother than anything Azula herself warrants, because she keeps trying to hurt him and Zuko is under no obligations to put up with continued bad treatment from her.

Nor is Iroh. I actually agree with you that Iroh would have compassion for her, but the idea that he doesn't is a fan creation born from the fact that she hurt him, not the other way around. The idea that Zuko or Iroh must not have enough caring or understanding for Azula because they don't let someone who has only ever been cruel to them continue to get their way is also a fan invention.

Also, Azula does deserve retribution for the things she's done, and also deserves to not be allowed to do those things again. More precisely, other people deserve to be safe from her. I'm actually not sure what "continued humiliation" you are referring to in the comics, because in the comics we see like two seconds of Azula in an asylum and then the rest of the comics she is running around trying to kill people and continuing to lie to and mistreat her brother while he tries to do damage control because of her actions. I don't think the comics are good, but they aren't uniquely focused on humiliating Azula or portraying her as uniquely evil (nor do I see fans doing that.) I don't even know what you could be referring to to argue against it because it just doesn't happen. The comics very clearly show an Azula who is conflicted and unhappy, but they also show that she's continuing to harm others. And that's a good thing. And it's not dissimilar from the humiliation Zuko had to go through constantly on the show when he was repeatedly justifying harmful actions to himself and being self-destructive.

I also don't know how to respond to the idea that "Ursa must have done something" and "Azula can't be held more accountable than the adults in her life" because what is there for Ursa to be accountable for? Scolding Azula when she tells her brother gleefully that he's going to be murdered? That's not something she did wrong so of course she is not "held accountable." Azula is held accountable for being cruel to people (including other children) because those were wrong actions. We know why Azula didn't get along with her mother. We also know that it stemmed from Azula having a fundamental belief that she could and was entitled to be cruel to others, and she continues to have that belief into her teenage years and it's a central tenant of her character, so this isn't just holding her accountable for things she did as a young child, these are things she has throughout her life that lead to her enacting genocidal violence on the other nations. The idea that Azula is being punished for harmless things or that the narrative is unfair to her, and her uniquely, is nonsense.

There is no point in the narrative where it's ever been said that Azula could never come back from the place where she is or heal or get redemption, but she hasn't done that, and that's not a writing flaw because stories where characters realize the error of their ways and become better people are not the only story worth telling. Nor is the only story worth telling about familial abuse one where a victim learns to love someone who participated in their abuse. In fact, one of the things that Zuko's story does well is tell audiences that you do not have to make nice with people who mistreat you even if that person was also a victim. There are a lot of stories in atla of characters who victimize others because they were hurt and none of them get free passes. The ones that get better endings are the ones who change themselves for the better and that's a very good thing. It's fine for Azula to be a villain and fine for fans to treat her like one. What's not fine is attempting to cast blame at the writers, the fandom, and the other characters for Azula's bad actions and the fact that she didn't get a nice ending where she learned she was wrong and everyone became friends.

So much Azula redemption discourse is about bringing other characters down instead of bringing Azula up and that's my hot take, happy new year!