#Zuko makes my brain hurt but I love him

[dragonloreranger]

HELLO FRIENDS!

I LIVE!

Im sorry I havent posted in awhile. I just started high school (gross) and Im going on a trip soon. Im also still unaware of what to do with this blog. Im currently coming up with idea's for my Fanfics but until then I dont really know. Ummm...

Anyone here watch Avatar The last Airbender? I jus got onto season 3. How about Epic The Musical? Should I countinue on Wings Of Fire for now? You decide!

Enjoy snail

[ssreeder]

I RESENT THAT "NO LONGER GIVES A FUCK" STATUS, I DO GIVE A FUCK, MANY FUCKS, TOO MUCH FUCK, WHICH IS PRECISELY WHY I'M HAPPY WITH JETS SUFFERING

Hold on. Ok

The way i see it, Just t *owes* me his suffering for what he did to Zuko and accidentally killing Shen. I'm fragioe with MY babies. Jet is the bastard that hurt them, so i want to see him writhe in pain

After his suffering he can apply to become my dear baby but only if he stops trying to get zuko killed (bc I'm not sure he'll backtrack all his dying progress when he realizes zuko didn't actually die and sokka is still happily with his boyfriend lol). Alternately, even if he's still awful but powerless against zuko, AND he starts the domino effect towards zuko and sokka being able to openly be together? I can forgive his entire existence

So you see, I'm very soft and malleable. I just require a bit of suffering to forgive

-An absolute Fragile Heart

TSK TSK

Jet felt like he was backed into a corner, and you never corner a wild animal. (Yes we could argue he is a human not an animal but Jet doesn’t always live up to the human being standard so wild animal it is)

He reacted from his own trauma and did what he thought was best, no it wasn’t good, but he tried. In all fairness he didn’t think through the fallout of his letter… oh well, you are correct Shen did die & Zuko was delivered almost dead so yeah you’re right.

Oh Jet is suffering haha & will continue to suffer but it’s hard to say what his reaction to Zuko being a live will be lol. We’ll see…. :D

[vidduality]

SPOILERS for Episode 6 of the Avatar Live Action series

AKA why this episode makes me SO grateful for this adaptation (re: the Zuko flashbacks and the Agni Kai).

----

Wow.

I admit, I was really worried at the idea that Zuko might potentially fight back in the Agni Kai against his father in the live action. I expected to HATE it, and it's certainly a bold change, but it fits in SO WELL with why Zuko is the way that he is (and why he works so hard to push down his empathy whenever Aang tries to reason with him).

The Agni Kai - Zuko obviously did NOT want to fight his father. He still tried to apologize and beg for mercy, but in the end he was just too terrified of his father to disobey a direct order.

But when Ozai left him an opening to see what he'd do with it, Zuko couldn't bring himself to actually land a blow that might burn him. Making his lack of ruthlessness the weakness that Ozai ends up mutilating him for - even straight up telling Zuko that compassion is weakness and then demonstrating by holding his own child down and lighting him on fire - adds a layer of depth that only enhances the original scene (and in another stroke of genius, we see Ozai nearly in tears himself. He's convincing himself of this lesson as well as Zuko, which was likely passed down to him by his own father). Honestly, this to me is even more heartbreaking than Ozai burning him for refusing to stand and fight. Zuko did everything his father asked and he still failed, because his family has distorted what it means to be honorable and believes Zuko's capacity for mercy to be a shameful weakness unbecoming of an heir to the throne.

The 41st Division - And here come the waterworks. Assigning the very people Zuko was hurt so severely for trying to save to his ship as it's being cast out of the fire nation (presumably forever, with the Avatar not having been seen in 100 years) is SUCH a brilliant addition. His crew resents Zuko for being stuck on this impossible mission with this bratty, angry child. And Zuko is too ashamed of his "weakness" to explain why they were assigned to him.

I can totally see Zuko's hurt at their lack of respect making him even more angry (especially after everything he went through to save them from being sacrificed), and his seemingly irrational anger at them just continuing to make them resent him more in a neverending feedback loop of anger and disrespect that's been growing and festering for 3 years.

Which makes the scene at the end when Zuko's crew finally learns about how he saved their lives (as well as why he's obsessed with the avatar, why he's banished, what his scar means and why he's trying so very hard to rid himself of empathy, even if he can never quite manage it when it counts) so much more impactful. I SOBBED when the 41st Division stood at attention and showed him their utmost respect and loyalty, possibly for the first time since they've been on that ship. Zuko's soft "what's going on?" at finally being honored by his crew is just imprinted on my brain.

The seed of the idea that his compassion may NOT actually be what was shameful about his banishment afterall can finally begin to take root.

I just, damn, I love this episode so much.

[thefandomthings]

Okay HEAR ME OUT BUTTTT what about zuko betrayal part 2 with the prompt “you own my heart” 👀

Betrayal

Fluff Prompt #30: "You own my heart."

Pairing: Zuko x F/Gn!reader

Warnings: Angst, Fluff, Terrible writing, happy ending? ¡¡SPOILERS!!, Takes place in Book 3. Ep. 11. It doesn't follow the script in the episode.

Notes: I'm so sorry I haven't been writing, I work in agriculture and summer and fall are my busiest times of the year and I lost motivation in the process 😭. But, hopefully I'm back. Thank you for your patience.

Part 1 Part 2 Prompt Event

Who knew betrayal could hurt so much. Chest heavy, heart heavier. Why did he do it? Does he think everything will be okay once he got back? Maybe Azula manipulated him? No. He did it willingly.

It's been weeks since the incident, a few months actually. You dont know what to do with yourself. Everything has been so emotionally hard. The long term depression grasping you in a chokehold.

The gaang has been there for you. Aang suffering from his own mid childhood crisis, the weight of the world literally on his shoulders. Katara tires to help as much as she could, but she is also dealing with things of her own. Sokka....was just Sokka.

After the invasion, you retreated to the western air temple. It was definitely a sight for sore eyes. The architecture was incredible. The Air Nation really outdid themselves.

"Y/n? Why don't you come eat dinner with us?" Katara leaned against the door frame of the room you are currently residing in. You look over at her gave her a small smile, one that didn't quite reach your eyes.

Katara didn't exactly like Zuko, having felt being betrayed as well. She has a lot of not nice things to say about the young prince, but for the sake of your ears she kept them to herself.

She grabs your arm pulling you up from your bed. You reluctantly follow her, head resting on her shoulder.

Today was a rough day. It Started out with a dream of you and him dancing in the temple. Oh so in love. Hands intertwined with each others. Whispering small nothings, butterflies occupying your chest and tummy. You woke up as if it was a nightmare, your brain toying with you like a yoyo.

Katara holds you gently, her hand laying on your head as if you were a child. At this moment you felt as if you were. Needing someone to comfort your aching heart.

"What are you doing here?!"

"Please just hear me out..." You immediately recognize that voice. It was him.

Zuko.

"Why should we? Huh?!" Sokka crosses his arms defensively. Katara flicks the lid on the water pouch on her hip, bending the water out.

You heart is hammering against your chest. His eyes immediately are drawn towards you. Zuko feels himself choke up. The sight of you made his chest hurt. The dullness you held in your eyes was unbearable to look at.

"Y/n...."

"She doesn't want to talk to you." Katara says, she moved to stand in front of you. Her body is blocking his sight of you. Zuko wants to reach for you, to grovel at your feet, to beg for forgiveness. Even if it hurts his pride, or his reputation. Which wasn't much good anyway. He had to make it right with you.

You are his everything.

"It's okay Katara." You give her a reassuring smile, it wasn't very convincing to anyone who knew you.

"What're you doing here?" You inquire and step next to Katara. Your eyes boring into his, he looked...Sad. Regret swimming in his honey irises.

"I've changed-" You feel yourself moving on its own. You hold your hand up, and he stopped talking.

"That's what you said under Ba Sing Se, then you left. Betraying everyone who cared about you. Especially Uncle Iroh."

That struck a nerve, his face hardens and he looks away slightly, eyebrows furrowed. His tongue darts out and wets his dry and cracked lips, his golden eyes looking back up at you. He steps closer, his hands clenching and unclenching by his side.

Zuko wants to hold you...Needs to feel you against him. To kiss you, to be with you. He needs you like he needs air, without you he's nothing, just a shell of the man he was before he lost you.

"Y/n, please...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Zukos voice cracks slightly.

You purse your lips together tightly.

It's so very tempting to close the gap between the two of you, forgiving him just felt right. Maybe it was just the your heart talking over logic. Your headspace is messed up severely, the wound is still fresh in your brain and heart.

"Zuko-"

Katara stops you, stepping in front of you.

"Leave. You've done enough, you are not welcome here."

"Y/n...please." It was strange seeing him so weak for once, pleading you. Practically on his knees for forgiveness.

"You own my heart."

It hurt you to watch him get treated so badly. He deserved it, mostly. Everyone has the right to be angry with him. Chasing Aang across the globe, trying to kill you then after everything at Ba sing se. It was almost unforgivable. Almost.

•°•°•°•

Taglist: @etherjen @xlatinaaxx @youngladysakura @m4rlvky @kitt38 @monysakura @kenqki @rdpiano @mikemakesartt @thigh-o-saur @chi-ara @kookiegirl444 @snixx2088 @zacatecanaaaa

[sumaneun-stars]

'Birds Nest'

Pairing. Sunghoon x Fem!reader

Genre. Established relationship, fluff

Warnings. None!

Synopsis. Just a normal day with the love of your life, Sunghoon. He had come back from football, all sweaty and tired- and he got mad that you refused to hug him. But he can't resist those warm hugs you give him as an apology, so he had no choice but to forgive you!<3

A/n. Just a lil drabble because I needed comfort:> (tmi: Zuko is from 'Avatar: the Last Airbender')

Sunghoon had just come back from the football court with the boys. To be honest, you didn't feel empty without him because gosh, he was so dramatic before he left. He kept clinging on to you and whining that he'd miss you, and you found it adorable yet annoying.

So you opened the front door, only to find 7 boys greeting you as if they were drunk. They stayed for a while, had tea and all that stuff. As soon as they went, you saw your boyfriend, spreading his arms- waiting for a hug. As you ran towards him, you stopped midway.

"Oh my gosh- Sunghoon you smell!" You said, backing away.

"But- I want a hug" he pouted.

"Go shower and then I'll hug you"

"But-"

"Go go go" you gestured him towards the bathroom.

You knew Sunghoon got mad for the most unreasonable reasons (which you found entertaining), so you predicted he'd throw the ball he was holding at you. You chuckled as he turned to see if you were alright- only to see his girlfriend raising an eyebrow at him with the ball in her hands.

— — — — — — — — — — — — —

You decided to make ramen for him because- why not? He was your boy so you had to spoil him.

As you washed the dishes, you felt two arms sneaking around your waist. You gave him a peck on his ear as he rested his chin on your shoulder. You reached your hand to caress his hair, but then you found his hair wet.

"Sunghoon, your hair is wet!" You yelled, making his head shoot up in shock.

"Where's the hairdryer?"

"Sunoo borrowed it"

You sighed as you made your way to the bedroom, to take a towel.

"Oh no" he mumbled to himself, looking at you stomping towards him with a towel in your hands.

"Sit" you said. He did, and then you took the towel and started aggressively wiping his hair.

"Ouchhh" he whined.

"My brain is vibrating, it hurts!"

"I don't care if it hurts, I don't want you getting sick"

"That's a myth" he tried convincing you.

"I'm not taking any chances- also, I made ramen for you" His face lightened up as he found his way out of your grasp and ran to the dining table, where his ramen awaited him.

You sat next to him, and asked him about his day.

You looked at him with heart eyes as he explained in detail.

Once he was done, he then remembered that he was supposed to be mad at you. He turned away from you, crossing his arms. You were confused at his sudden action.

"Hoon- what-"

He tilted his head away from you even more; pouting. You chuckled as you gave him the hug he wanted.

"Happy?" you asked once you wrapped your arms around him.

He adjusted himself to make you sit on his lap, his head snuggling into your neck. You two stayed like that for a while, until you felt him yawn in your grasp.

"Are you sleepy?" You asked softly.

"Tired," he mumbled.

"Why don't you get some rest hm?"

"Hm"

You led him to the bedroom and tucked him in, giving him a kiss on the forehead as if he was a child. He gave you a soft smile as you left the room.

— — — — — — — — — — — — —

4 hours passed, and you were watching your all time favorite show when you were a child.

You thought Sunghoon was still sleeping until a figure, hugging a pillow, with a hairbrush in his hand, stood in front of you.

You burst into laughter. He furrowed his eyebrows, confused.

"Y-your hair! It's like a bird's nest!" You said as you gasped for breath.

He rolled his eyes as he placed the pillow on your lap. He lay on the couch, resting his head on the pillow, watching tv as his girlfriend brushed his hair. It was peaceful- until,

"Holy sh- oh my god Zuko!" You screamed in a high pitched voice as the villain of the show appeared on the screen. Your sudden action made Sunghoon flinch in shock.

"Calm down, woman," he said.

"How? Look at him, he's so damn hot!" You replied.

You were too immersed that you didn't realize that you stopped brushing his hair. He sighed as he turned the other way, his head buried in between the pillow and the oversized hoodie you were wearing.

He groaned, in hopes that you would continue brushing his hair. He couldn't believe he was jealous over an anime character. He got an idea though.

He sneaked his hands under your hoodie, raising it a little. He gave you a peck on the abdomen. He knew how weak in the knees you got for this.

You flinched.

He smirked.

"Did I make you nervous?" He asked, his voice now deeper than ever.

"I-"

End.

[sokkastyles]

Hi.... If you don't mind, can I ask your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters from Aang : The Legend of Airbender? And why you loved them? And your top 5 favorite moments from the series? Sorry if you've answered this before.....

Top five characters:

Zuko - the short answer is that he has the most complex arc of any character in the series, and there are so many things to say about Zuko, a lot of which I have already said on my blog.

Katara - Katara is such a complex character, her arc is more subtle than Zuko's, and what drew me to her initially was that a lot of people were Wrong About Her. She's such a wild card because she gets idealized for her soft traits but this girl also has opinions about everything and will tell you so.

Iroh - there's this tweet that said "when I was a kid, I was a Zuko, but now that I'm grown, I'm an Iroh. And yeah.

Sokka - I've seen a lot of discussion of how unique Katara was as a brown skinned girl who got to be vocally and explicitly feminist onscreen in a children's cartoon in the early 2000s. I feel like less people talk about how rare Sokka is as a brown boy who gets to be smart without being a token character, whose narrative deals so much with identity and toxic masculinity. I don't talk about Sokka enough on this blog, but I love him.

Toph - a disabled girl whose narrative is explicitly about how her disability interacts with her femininity, who still gets to be a badass. Toph means a lot to me for a lot of personal reasons.

Top five moments (in no particular order and these are just the ones I couod think of off the top of my head because there are so many and I love them for different reasons):

The final agni kai - the choreography, the music, the heightened emotion and tragedy of it, and the shock when Zuko took the lightning for Katara and then Katara defeated Azula. The narrative symmetry. Perfection.

Katara offers to heal Zuko's scar - the unexpected common ground between enemies, the unfulfilled potential. Also I'm a huge sucker for hurt/comfort. This was my zutara awakening before I knew that zutara was a thing.

"I was the first person to trust you!" - I know, I know, another zutara moment, but the emotional complexity of that scene, when Zuko realizes why Katara is so angry at him, the way that Katara's anger is really about caring for someone she wanted to be a friend, and perhaps she didn't even realize it until that moment. Honorable mention also goes to when Katara makes the water dome around herself, Zuko and Yon Rah but then lowers her hand and lets it wash away.

Sokka figures out when the eclipse will happen in the library - in this house we love engineer brain Sokka.

Zuko apologizes to Iroh - just the culmination of Zuko and Iroh's arc, both of them getting to really feel what they mean to each other after a long journey, Zuko finally getting the love and forgiveness from a father figure that he'd needed and being comfortable with himself enough to accept it.

[drpoisonoaky]

Therapy homework, fire siblings edition

Azula and Zuko have to share moments from their childhood in order to heal their relationship (therapy homework), even as they are there for each other.

In my own personal Azula’s redemption arc, Zuko is there helping her sister in the same way he got help.

So they talk about everything because they’re healing and they need to do it.

[Turtle ducks]

Zuko: I think those two are playing together.

Azula: Or they’re fighting to decide who will become the Turtle Lord.

Zuko: Don’t project your trauma onto turtle ducks. 

Azula: I was not. It’s a very real and possible situation in the turtle duck world.

Zuko: I am going to ignore that because I was wondering why you hate them.

Azula: I don’t hate them.

Zuko: You threw rocks at them every time we were here.

Azula:

Zuko: What?

Azula: That we never included me, you know? It was more like “Mom and Zuko and, oh, Azula is here”.

Azula: So I guess I want my mother to give me attention, and my child brain said “Let’s make chaos”.

Zuko: Oh… I’m sorry I…I never thought about it that way.

Azula: Don’t punish yourself Zuzu. We were children. It wasn’t your job.

Zuko: But now we can feed them together, right? No rocks, only bread.

Azula: You really are a softie. It’s annoying.

Zuko: Let’s take the bread.

[Children]

Zuko: Do you want kids?

Azula: Not really. You do?

Zuko: One. Only one.

Azula: Did I traumatize you Zuzu?

Zuko: Yes, but no. If I had a kid, I want to focus on them, giving them all of my love and support. Being the Firelord and doing that for more than one child it’s impossible.

Azula: Oh, you really think about this… I hate to say it, but you would be a great dad.

Zuko: Thanks. I appreciate it. Why don't you?

Azula: First of all, it would have to be adopted, so the kid comes with baggage. And with my baggage, I probably couldn’t be there as much as the kid needs. It’s not fair to them. I can’t put the happiness of some child behind my own selfishness.

Zuko: Cool aunt?

Azula: I’m going to spoil your child so much that they’ll be as insufferable as you are.

Zuko: Of course you will.

[Fire resistance]

Katara: Hey firebenders, I have a question. Do you really resist fire better by nature or…?

Azula: Yes and no. 

Zuko: I mean, look at my face. 

Katara: That’s why I’m asking. Why do you resist less than ‘Zula? I swear she could be on fire and not notice.

Azula: We didn’t have the same training. Mother stopped Ozai a lot for the both of us. But when she was gone…

Zuko: I was banished when he started his fire resistance methods…

Katara: but ‘Zula don’t.

Azula: I was burned every day in every place except the face. Well, you saw the marks.

Sokka: Why not the face?

Suki: Don’t be rude.

Azula: It was because I was a princess after all, and you know we had to be pretty and perfect.

Katara: And how do you get high pain tolerance from that?

Azula: I guess some nerves died along the way or maybe my brain learned to ignore that kind of pain…I don’t know. 

Azula: I hate him, but in battle it’s really useful. But yeah, don’t try it at home, kids.

Sokka: So if we try to burn your fac-

Katara: Don’t you dare, asshole.

[Crying]

Katara: Did they cry much when they were babies?

Azula: I bet Zuzu was insufferable.

Zuko: I was a pretty nice baby.

Ursa: You were nice, but you cried a lot.

Azula: See.

Ursa: And you weren't nice at all, young lady. But truth to be told, she didn’t cry.

Zuko: Lack of emotions, I see.

Azula: Not dumbass, it was for the balance between you and me.

Katara: She didn’t cry at all? What would happen if she was hungry or hurt herself?

Ursa: She just waited.

Azula: Of course I did that, crying change nothing. Plus, it wasn’t allowed.

Zuko: What do you mean?

Azula: Oh right, that was one of the points of our “educational differences”.

Ursa: Azula?

Azula:

Katara: Azula?

Azula: Fine.

Azula: Father didn’t really like the tears. He said that water isn’t something that should exist around a firebender. So I didn’t cry.

Katara: …but what if you did by any chance?

Azula, smiling sadly: He turned into my personal dryer. Goodbye tears.

Ursa: *gasp* But when you were a child he neve-

Azula: Don’t worry mother… It's not your fault.

Zuko: We should try to cry together anytime you want. As a therapy exercise, of course.

Azula: I-…thanks Zuzu.

Katara: And I hope he knows that you are around water all the time and he can’t do shit.

Azula: Of course master Katara, best master water bender of all times.

Zuko: Mom, we should go. They had started their own weird flirting thing.

Katara:

Azula: 

Katara: What are you waiting for? Keep going.

[Compliments]

Aang: I know It’s none of my business, but I was wondering why some compliments make you look awkward but on the opposite sides. *Points at Azula and Zuko*

Zuko: What do you mean?

Aang: Like Azula takes it so well when we say something nice about her bending or her looks but she’s weird when it’s not about that. And you get so weird when we compliment your looks or your bending. Like a yin and yang kinda thing.

Azula: Easy. I was praised for everything Zuko isn’t.

Aang: What do you mean?

Azula: I’m a prodigy and a princess. Being an excellent firebender and looking pretty at the same time is or was my job. Zuzu is a mediocre firebender, under Father’s eyes, and he burned half of his face. 

Zuko: And ‘Zula never was praised for being anything else. 

Aang: But that’s awful.

Azula: I didn’t need to be anything apart from that, Zuko was banished. That’s life.

Sokka: No, it’s not. Your father it’s a piece of shit.

Katara: And I hope we never see him again. No offense.

Azula and Zuko: None taken.

[Giving Affection]

Katara, fidgeting with the hem of her tunic: I don’t know if it’s awkward to ask you that.

Zuko: …Go on.

Katara: Okay, so when you get out of the fire nation. Do you flinch?

Zuko: …Did I flinch?

Katara: General affection. 

Zuko: Not really. My mother used to hug me a lot and you know Iroh. 

Katara: …and who hugged Azula?

Zuko: Mom before disappearing, I guess? Me on some special days. I don’t know if our father ever did that.

Azula: Neither of them. Did you go to Zuzu to get information about me? 

Katara: I want to know “your background” from another point of view.

Azula: I hate that that is a logical move. But to answer that, maybe Ty Lee was the only one. And you know Mai.

Zuko: Didn’t Mom hug you?

Azula: Do you remember that little detail that mother hated me? 

Zuko: She didn’t ha-

Azula: Don’t. Please. We already passed that point.

Katara: So it’s decided.

Azula: What?

Katara: I’m now your personal koala, whether you want it or not. Come here.

Azula: But you do more things…

Zuko: And that’s my cue to get out of here.

[Education]

Aang: Wait, really, you know it all?

Azula: Of course, it was part of my education. I need to know history, especially anything related to war, but knowledge is knowledge.

Aang: But Zuko didn’t know anything about the Air Nomads' history.

Azula: We didn’t have the same education.

Zuko: Basically because Azula is a nerd.

Azula: Excuse me.

Zuko: After you did your homework, you started to read about everything, especially history. That’s why.

Aang: So she's more prepared than you.

Azula: I am. While Zuzu cried, I trained or focused on my studies. Time is gold in war.

Katara: You didn’t rest?

Azula: Not really, but sometimes I needed to rest in order to continue. 

Zuko: No you don’t. You can’t count that as resting. 

Aang: What, why?

Zuko: It’s not my call. Sorry. But you should explain it ‘Zula.

Katara: Azula?

Azula: What Zuzu means is that the “rest days” weren’t really optional.

Aang: Oh, they force you to rest?

Azula: Not exactly…I have to rest because I couldn’t move. Training wasn’t always…educational.

Zuko: Call it what it was. That shitty excuse of man made us fight against him and beat us until we faint.

Aang: Spirits.

Zuko: And I guess me being gone didn’t make him less reckless…

Azula: Quite the opposite…that’s why learning was fun. 

Azula: But anyways Zuzu you should learn that so from now on I’m going to teach you history, physics and math. Be aware.

Zuko: Only if we take rest days. Real ones.

Azula: Don’t be lazy.

[Wake up time]

Katara: I can’t beat Azula.

Sokka: But you did remember…Oh, spirits, don’t tell me is a dirty-

Katara: NO. 

Katara: Also not in that way, dummy. I can’t get up earlier than her. It's like every time I wake up early and say “Wow, today I really got up early” she’s already awake and meditating or something. 

Ty lee: I tried for a week. Then I got tired.

Mai: It’s a losing battle. You can’t beat them.

Katara: Wait, does Zuko also wake up early?

Mai: Every day, like if he makes the sun or something.

Azula, arriving from sparring with Zuko: Talking behind my back isn’t new, but still hurts a little. 

Zuko: Same.

Katara: Why do you wake up so early? Both of you.

Azula, raising an eyebrow: Why do you ask?

Zuko: Why do you wake up so late? 

Katara: Don’t answer a question with a question. Both of you don’t know the concept of oversleeping or even slacking. Why?

Zuko: What are you ta-…Oh. 

Zuko: Lala, do you remember the “If you wake up after the sun…

Azula: …how do you pretend to use his flames”. 

Katara: Oh no.

Mai:

Ty lee: That jerk.

Zuko: So we have to stop.

Azula: I’m going to knock myself out every morning, I swear. 

Zuko: Same.

Katara: Or instead of me waking up next to my unconscious girlfriend, you could try not getting out of bed.

Zuko: You mean stay in bed until the sun is up so we can train later?

Katara: I mean yeah. At least until you wake up like a regular human being.

Sokka: But that would imply they are regular human beings and we-AH STOP.

Azula, shooting little lightning at him: Sorry what?

Zuko, burning his butt: We are having difficulties hearing you.

Sokka: KATARA HELP YOU BROTHER.

Katara, ignoring Sokka and talking to Mai and Ty lee: So you two also like to wake up late?

Sokka: KATARA.

Ty lee: Yes, but it doesn’t fit the Kyoshi Warriors’ lifestyle. And that makes Suki angry with me, a lot.

[sidecharactersdomatter]

Thoughts I had during TGCF S2 Ep 6

Previously on TGCF…

This is gonna be epic!!!

Cw: Past homicide

-That’s Yong’An in its heyday 

-Sparrows

-Fang Xin

-It’s Qianqiu’s assistant from Eps 1-2!

-Young Qianqiu is literally me in my Freshman year of High School during the first semester

-His butterfly shaped mask

-Writing the Laozi 10 times has the energy of making a kid stay in class and write a sentence over and over on the chalkboard till they’ve learned their lesson (Literally every Simpsons opening)

-He doubled it

-Imagine if Piandao talked to Sokka like that when beginning his sword training

-Man wonder who voices Young!Qianqiu?

-I mean the move could also get you hurt if you’re careless

-This is the Ancient Chinese version of the trolley problem, same analogy though

-I like to think this advice was taught to Zuko and Sokka when they were learning swordsmanship

-See, trolley problem esque

-Good advice to not intervene

-More dead bodies

-Oh no and that was his Dad

-That’s when the survivor’s guilt set in

-I can see why Xie Lian and Hua Cheng are perfect for each other, they both have a freaking high kill count

-Just like when Bruce Wayne lost his parents

-What did he say?

-He’s not a monster

-That was during his second ascenscion

-That’s gonna be a bad outcome

-“I wish to be stripped of my divinity” Literally every fangirl’s brain drifted to something else when he said that.  Just look at Kictor and Stitch

-Doesn’t seem like he earned it at all

-He just wants to get out of the drama

-If there was a modern AU, you know Shi Qingxuan would make an awesome and wealthy defense attorney

-There’s the Amongus quote

-Dang no answer

-There’s Prosecutor Pei Ming, that’s a good nickname.

-He made a solid point

-That’s the result of the Fang Xin trial with XL on house arrest and a restraining order from Taihua

-He made another enemy

-Aaaa pickle jar, better believe it Qingxuan

-How is she going to get air???

-That upset Qingxuan, Feng Xin, and Mu Qing

-The interior looks hollow in Xie Lian’s palace

-That’s coming out of Qingxuan’s pockets

-He deserves the apology hun

-He’s doing it, he’s doing the iconic old time Put your head between your arms against a flat surface like a Disney Princess!

-He still has the dice

-It’s snake eyes!

-Hi Mu Qing

-Stick it to Jun Wu, Mu Qing

-I know right, it did NOT seem like a healing spell at all

-Wonder if I can conceptualize a similar healing potion for TOH MTC…?

-You just had to ask him that didn’t you?

-Hi Feng Xin

-A guest who invited himself inside

-Welp he really was honest

-Seriously, Mu Qing you couldn’t have felt bad for his house arrest

-Xie Lian’s trying to mediate again

-Mu Qing’s response had bite to it

-One Punch!!!

-Fist Fight!  Fist Fight!

-“You’re a hypocrite, you’ve always looked down on me, but you’re not better than I am!!!”  Oh my gods, Lucien Dodge freaking delivered!!!

-“Enough…” Oh man, Xie Lian’s emotions

-The Junior Officials witnessing the Generals fisticuffs:

Feng Xin!  Feng Xin!  Feng Xin!

Mu Qing!  Mu Qing!  Mu Qing!

-“Did it really have to come to violence?” Yeah it pretty much did. - Iroh, dragon of the West, the Waterbending scroll

-Mu Qing: Fine I’ll break your face

Feng Xin: Not if I break yours first!  It’s too late to beg for mercy!  

That’s what I translated to the best of my skills during Xie Lian’s internal monologue

-He’s like a parent that’s disappointed with his two kids constantly at odd

-Don’t worry, hon what’s really gonna help them is Couples’ therapy, and I’d hate to be that therapist

-A dramatic sound effect!

-I can’t wait to write the Gaang’s reaction to the Wraith Butterflies

-That was a cool shield spell

-I love how the butterflies are easily dodging Xie Lian, but are charging toward Mu Qing and Feng Xin to scare the sh*t outta them

-He’s gonna hold one of the butterflies, he’s holding one of the butterflies, yeah too late man AND HE’S NUZZLING THE WINGTIPS WITH HIS NOSE Cue keyboard smash! WAE TESDHGFYFJ. RYGJ GUFTDRSSDFAEGRRESVGTGTRS DFGSTRWG EIEEEIIIIIIIEEEEEE!!! I always love this joke, no matter how old it’s gonna get in my reaction posts.

-Yeah he’s just going

-The real reason this episode took so long to air last year was that the animators had to get the waist snatch scene past censorship to spite their censor companies for not having Xie Lian fall into Hua Cheng’s lap in Eps 4-5.

-Xie Lian: Hello Again, Literally me: HAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! (This is the same noise Eleanor Shellstrop made when she was gifted a Shrimp Dispenser in The Good Place)

-They’re just backing up

-You two had one job!  Looking at you Feng Xin and Mu Qing!  I see ya

-He’s just tugging his sleeve as they’re walking

-Man, it’s like Hua Cheng took Little John’s advice from Robin Hood 1973 to “Climb the palace walls.  *Tosses out Gross Carrot* Sweep him off his feet, carry him off in style.” - Little John, Disney Robin Hood (1973) (Best Disney film hands down, freaking fight me if you dare)

-That must’ve hurt his ears

-Y’all had one job

-Feng Xin is just worried

-*Hua Cheng has entered the chat*  Like a goat!

-The subtle eye contact and expression he shared with Xie Lian!

-Some of the 33 gods he defeated are also in the chat

-That shook the veils

-Won’t that be pain in his mind?

-Looks like he saved you yeah

-A flashback from Ep 5!

-Touchstarved!  Touchstarved!  (Try prying this headcanon from my cold dead grip!)

-And here you’re about to see Howard Wang’s best performance in the series so far

-Best apology I’ve ever heard in media

-It healed that fast

-Petition to have James Cheek voice an iconic lead character in a Shakespeare play?

-Aw, they were actually both at fault for what happened

-You can actually feel Hua Cheng’s Shame

-E Ming: Noooo…. You hurt him!  I hurt him!  We hurt him! AAAHHH!  *sobs*

Season 2 has fed us once more!  I’m still busy with writing the Scrap Immortal and the Avatar.  For writing inspiration, I’ll be busy rewatching Avatar:  The Last Airbender

[littleweowmeow]

I just love people who shout about the villainous deeds of Zuko that he committed sometime before our era (as if this cancels his redemption arc and the fact that he is a hero in the end lol). And they do it with such pathos of great enlighteners, the only ones who see the truth while the "gray mass" is blinded by their love for the "colonizer". It is impossible to look at this without laughing. It's like smart thoughts were chasing people, but people were faster.

Like I always say that Zuko is a villain at the beginning of his journey and that's what makes his arc so impressive. He has the potential to become like Ozai or Azula and he is already on the way to it. But he stops and doesn't do the same thing. Although he may also thinked, namely, "well, if it hurt me, then I have the right to hurt others," and I do not claim that he has never resorted to such rhetoric. He fucking stopped and went in the exact opposite direction and damn it it's so important! It's as if we're talking about a character who turned away from an entire political system that brainwashed people and from his disgusting family, which drove him into a psychological trap for a long time and breaks the cycle of violence because he doesn't grow into an abuser. The plot itself holds him accountable both for his actions and for what was done by his ancestors. He wanders around the Earth Kingdom and feels all the damage done to the world by his country on his own skin, he cannot escape from his past and the past of his people, so despite the fact that he saves the villagers, they drive him away with horror and hatred. In the finale, Zuko literally becomes the Fire Lord, pledging to atone for the sins of his entire people over a hundred years of war. But come on. What if Zuko was the one who didn't want to continue the violence from the very beginning?

Agni Kai with Admiral Zhao. Zuko, in a position of power, can do whatever he wants with his opponent. An opponent who smiled when his face was burned, an opponent who reveled in power over him right before the duel, an opponent who would definitely not show mercy. And what does Zuko do? Shows mercy. Although he remembers exactly what Ozai did when Zuko himself ended up on the floor. He refuses to act like his main tyrant when he can do it but doesn't. It is also interesting that Zhao calls Zuko a coward for showing mercy and then, when the duel is over, hits him in the back. Yes, Zuko is definitely definitely an evil and incorrigible guy.

And now my favorite:

Anon : You understand that the Blue Spirit literally robbed people, the same refugees because in his opinion these people owe him? He's still a disgusting racist and colonizer!

I'm : I am aware of this and I do not shut myself off from the inconvenient truth. And in the subsequent series, he literally saves the village of such "peasants" from people who abuse power over peaceful and defenseless residents, although he was more than inclined not to do so. Oh yes, no one tells him what to do, there is no one around and Zuko is alone. He chooses what to do and his choice is to save the inhabitants of the enemy village from the oppressors. (A very villainous act of a real colonizer) Zuko does not get mad at the inhabitants when they drive him away because he did not save them in order to get laurels. He just walks away. Not taking revenge for ingratitude or anything else. (Very villainous, but okay).

Anon : ...

I'm : ...This is called personal growth.

Anon : * piss with boiling water *

I don't even need to do brain gymnastics to justify him. He changes himself and accepts responsibility for his actions, faces their consequences. Zuko doesn't make excuses for himself and the plot doesn't do the same for him. Unlike many, he has a real redemption arc. There is a group of fans in the fandom who justify the villain in every possible way and humiliate other characters so that they seem worse against the background of their "poor meow meow", these are those people who cannot stand criticism of their favorite and want their favorite not to face the consequences of his actions. Oh yes, this character does not have a redemption arc. I didn't mention their names, but you all know who I mean. Zuko stans doesn't need to babysit him and justify everything he does. Because Zuko accepts responsibility himself. Because Zuko is no longer a villain. Cope with it.

[mikodrawnnarratives]

Okay I finished the BOOK

YAYYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYYA

God I need fanfics of Molly living with Giovanni now like T-T

AHGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH JUS

JU- AHHAHHSHHSHAHDJXBJBSKSJKZBSJS

Everything I ever WANTED

AND NOW THAT IVE FINISHED

My verdict on Lorelai:

I'm glad that whatever growth she may go through, Molly won't be suffering when she inevitably backtracks along the way. It'd be nice to see the two mend their relationship but it is definitely for the better that they've been separated.

I wanna see Lorelai struggle and grow but she shouldn't get anymore opportunities to hurt Molly, much less for the sake of her learning a lesson. So it's better this way imo

And now that Molly isn't there, Lorelai's gonna have to run the shop and learn her lesson through CUSTOMER SERVICE joining zuko and others in the redemption arc trend of becoming redeemed by dealing with bitchy people

I very much don't mind rotating Lorelai in my brain a lil more cuz I don't hate her. I want to bunt her across the room when she hurts Molly ofc, I will not retract my statements, but I hate HER FATHER more than her

Cuz her father has no excuse to be the way he is. I'll get back to Lorelai in a moment cause she is definitely NOT faultless, but HIM?? He enabled all of this. He never checked in with his daughters and was always so inconsiderate of them. AND HES A GROWN MAN! It's telling that Giovanni goes off on him more than he does Lorelai cause in the end, he did nothing.

Back to Lorelai, she feels like a very intentionally immature character. Immature and selfish in a way that contrasts with Molly when Molly is the actual kid. I mean, Lorelai is 17 and all but by that age you can fairly expect someone to grasp not leaving your 12 yr old sibling to suffer under responsibilities your supposed to share.

And Lorelai being immature I think is added to by her fear that she's the reason her mother died. And the grief in all that. I think it's a good enough reason to feel sympathetic for how she's spiraled into this unhealthy coping mechanism and separates her from her father when it comes to being a rotten person.

By the end of the book it still felt like she hadn't grasped WHY what she did was bad to me and I'm kinda hoping that was an intentional writing decision. The book shows how she doesn't grasp some things like what makes someone a genuinely horrible person and so for her to still not quite see how what she did was bad, feels fitting.

By the end of seemed to me like, she KNEW what she did wasnt okay because Giovanni told her off and she was confronted with the truth that, she wasn't the good guy. Yet knowing that didn't make her understand what her actions specifically caused. Despite. Molly telling her.

I want to look up shenanigans between Molly and Giovanni in fics but I also kinda want to see Naven and Lorelai's relationship with the steps she'll make to become a better person

So def a ways away from growing significantly but I like that Naven has stuck around offering his help should she accept it. I mean Giovanni did that too but Naven's role in her story hits HARD

[EDIT: God I'm embarrassed Naven only pointed out Giovanni's card he left behind, ONLY GIOVANNI reached out if she wanted to work on herself to be better BUT I STILL LIKE TO THINK SHE AND NAVEN KEPT IN CONTACT SHUSH he could like give her some tough love]

Speaking of relationships, idk about Giovanni x Lorelai

I mean I still think it could be cute, Lorelai's crushing scenes are hilarious as much as they are sad and envoke feelings of "I just want good things for Lorelai". I def don't think she deserves him rn but I do think that, since Giovanni hasn't shut down her becoming his minion in THE FUTUREE, when she learns to be good at being bad, she has a shot.

Though, it's still a little lost on me if Giovanni has figured out she has been crushing on him HARD. Like, he picked up on her cheating and bullying but did he pick up on any of the signs for her affection?? Makes me think she's gonna have a hard time in the friendzone if she became a minion. Not sure what Giovanni with a crush would look like either tho so.

I have a bit of a hard time seeing Giovanni crushing on her but I still think their dynamic is cute enough! Just dragged down by how awful she's been to everyone and HIS NUMBER 1 MINIONNN

but the more I think about it, I think it'd be great to see them as just friends. Like, getting on the level of best buds and Lorelai loses her crush on him. Both still maintaining the dynamic they had in that last fight with all the bantering cuz they are pretty similar

If they ever became romantic though. Like. Molly and Lorelai's relationship NEEDS to be healed and I think healed for a WHILE. I just can't see it working out otherwise. This would probably need to ring true if they were to become best friends too but EVEN MORE SO if they got mushy (as in the failed baking trials that would compromise 40% of the time they would hang out. Love language quality time)

Anyway

Ngl I already got my own angsty ideas for Lorelai because self hatred + not wanting to be the bad guy is such a delicious combination of traits that contradict each other yet still exist never the less

I wonder how Lorelai reacted the morning she realized Molly was gone and gone for good. I'm betting she at first believed she'd be hanging out with her friends and would be back. Then a day passes. Then another. And another. She asks her father if he's seen Molly and is reminded he doesn't care. I wonder if she confronted Naven about where Molly was, if she'd at first lash out when he doesn't tell her, and that reminds her why this happened.

She probably couldn't wallow in self pity for very long since she'd be working now, but still vry interesting how it'll play out

[azulas-daddy-kink]

Sorry if it's been asked, but thoughts on Kiyi (and Ursa)?

My thoughts on Ursa are... complicated.

Kiyi though, I simply like to pretend she doesn't exist. She's just a stupid character, Yang's little Mary Sue OC who is there purely to serve his bizarre Anti-Azula agenda. She has no reason to exist, other than to tell the audience he thinks Azula is a terrible daughter and little sister who isn't worth her mother and brother's time, and should just be replaced. The fact that she ALSO calls Zuko "Zuzu" is particularly egregious... it's actually disgusting.

Now back to Ursa, where it gets dicey is that show Ursa and comics Ursa essentially aren't even the same character, and unfortunately the comics version is a lot more fleshed out. If I'm being honest, she has basically zero redeeming qualities, and not only that, Yang tried way too hard to make her the "one true victim TM".... and failed spectacularly. She just comes off petty, spiteful, selfish, and even kind of stupid.

Yes, it was selfish of her to FUCKING FORGET HER OWN KIDS.

Yes, it was petty, spiteful, and stupid of her to write that incriminating letter which states that Zuko is not Ozai's son. Stupid in the sense that it can be (and was) later used to threaten Zuko's position and discredit any claim he may have to the throne. Petty and spiteful in the sense that this was done purely to hurt Ozai's feelings BY HER OWN ADMISSION. Girl, what???? What the actual fuck were you thinking?!

Though, I do concede that Ursa was in a difficult situation, and is a victim of Ozai's abuse (possibly even a victim of marital rape as well). And this applies to both the comics and the OG cartoon - yes, anybody with half a brain can infer that Ozai treated his wife like shit, just as he treats everyone else around him like shit. So even if we disregard the comics, I am comfortable calling Ursa a victim of domestic abuse....

HOWEVER

...this DOES NOT excuse her abuse (yes, I said it!) of Azula, nor her blatant favoritism of Zuko. Favoring one child over another is emotional abuse. Neglect is emotional abuse. Emotional abuse is indeed "real" abuse. This is not an opinion, it is a fact.

"Ozai abused Ursa" and "Ursa abused Azula" are two extremely true statements that can and should coexist.

All of this being said, I am also comfortable calling Ursa a less than ideal (even bad) mother. Bottom line, if your kid grows up thinking you don't love them, you fucked up somewhere.

[thegaybluejay]

Okay hi I’m back with another ramble-y ATLA character analysis since this is low key my brand on here lmao-

Today I want to talk about Zuko from the lens of someone who also had to deconstruct. This will be long, but please bear with me!

I was raised in a very white conservative evangelical Christian bubble where literally EVERYONE I knew for the majority of my childhood and teenage years thought mostly the same way. There was a lot of othering and shaming of anyone who thought too differently. Even if it was sometimes said more passively than cruelly, there was always that underlying tone. “The others/the people outside of our group/the worldly ones are lost and need our help because we’re better than them!”

While I strived to not be cruel, my beliefs were still harmful. I lost a few friends when I got to my mid-late teenage years because I didn’t yet know how to challenge what I’d been taught.

I see so much of myself in Zuko.

Zuko was surrounded by propaganda his entire life. He was steeped in it - steeped in the blood of those that the system he supported/represented had hurt and killed.

Anger is a huge part of all of this. While my anger was never quite as outward as Zuko’s (I hid it fairly well and was always known as the “pretty good kid”), I can still so heavily relate to his anger. His anger at always falling just short of being good enough or perfect enough. His later anger at himself for not understanding how fucked up the system was sooner. His anger at the people that failed and hurt him. His anger at realizing how he failed and hurt other people. All of it.

I also understand his backslides in Book 2 and early Book 3. When you begin tackling the first layers of harmful shit you’ve been taught, it can quickly become so tempting to just call it quits and go back. You almost start to romanticize the simplicity of life before you began this journey. The rules and goals were so straightforward back then, and deconstructing is messy as hell. Even if you were deeply hurting in your old life, at least you weren’t so damn confused. You used to know your next steps, but now everything is in disarray and you don’t have a direction to rebuild in yet. Going back almost feels like it would be a survival tactic, a way to have a sense of control again. Zuko definitely 100% needed to atone for what he did in Ba Sing Se because it hurt others, and while I’d like to think I would’ve made a different choice in his shoes, I also get it on some level. The confusion stage sucks, and it’s not always linear either.

But then.

One day, something just clicks. You eventually deconstruct enough that you truly come to full terms with how fucked up it all is. And you realize that you don’t belong there anymore, and the version of you that DID belong was just a facade. The blinders fully come off, they’re never going back on, and a spark lights in you that prompts you to make a big change. The deeper you go, the more urgent this deconstruction becomes in your mind because holy fuck I have to do something about this. I want this shit out of my brain for good and I want to help make things better. I want to learn who I am and finally live that out.

THAT is one of the most pivotal points in the journey, and I loved seeing it within Zuko’s arc when he comes to this realization after the war meeting in Book 3 and leaves to join the Gaang. I also loved that they didn’t trust him the first time he came to them - both he as an individual and the system that he had once supported/represented had hurt these people, and it took some real apologies and some time to build up trust. It also wasn’t done with half assed centrism either - it was “I acknowledge that this system is completely broken and wrong and I will do everything in my power to help gut it from the top-down and restore it with love”.

This leads to another pivotal point in the journey - instead of being motivated by fear like you were when you were deep in the indoctrination or by the raw anger you first felt as you initially left, you start to be motivated by love. And it’s the most freeing thing.

It was so cool to see Zuko learn that, while his anger was a helpful tool (ie: the confrontation with his father and his overall anger at the corruption he saw in his nation), he couldn’t be fueled by it any longer. He had to find another motivation to keep going, and he was then taught by the Sun Warriors and the dragons how to be motivated by light and life and love and also how to use those alongside an anger that was finally righteous.

And with this, he was ready to fight. To fight for a cause he knew to be good. To fight arm in arm with his newly acquired family. To fight to fix what his nation had done to the world and to itself. To fight for love and peace instead of division and hate and destruction.

And wow is it a beautiful journey.

TL;DR - Zuko’s story is so powerful to those who are deconstructing and I love him so much! I also just enjoy doing character analysis hehe.

(I really love talking about ATLA, so if y’all want me to analyze other characters or even plotlines through a specific lens, feel free to submit an Ask and I will happily do so!!!)

(Also, quick ending note - this is just my personal experience with deconstruction! Other people’s retelling of their own deconstructions may be different from mine, and that’s totally okay!!)

[fiber-optic-alligator]

I don’t even know that much about atla but

Give me your giant zuko thoughts 👀

(Only if you’re comfortable with sharing ofc!)

OH I’VE BEEN WAITING TO YAP ABOUT THIS

Don’t worry, I’m completely comfortable with sharing! I love sharing G/T thoughts about characters, I don’t mind at all! Thank you for asking though!

Okay okay, so I’m going to be assuming you know the basics of Zuko’s story, but long story short, he goes from being a typical antagonist for the heroes to having one of the best written redemption arcs in entertainment history (in my opinion). So I feel things would go differently based on which version of Zuko you’re dealing with.

Something to keep in mind though is that a prime quality of Zuko’s character that sticks with him through the entire series is that he isn’t cruel. Yes he has a temper, and yes he can be violent, but it has always been shown that he is an extremely empathetic person with a good heart.

Book One Zuko might be a handful to deal with. He's angry, he has a one-track mind, and his temper is at the highest it will ever be. If you're a tiny under his care, I'd say steer clear of him when possible and don't ever try to get him mad. That being said, I fully believe he'd never hurt you. Book One Zuko cares A LOT about honor, and he'd probably see harming someone that's so much smaller than him as an act of cowardice. That doesn't mean he'll be very gentle with you. He'll rough you up a bit and you definitely will at times be fearing for your life, but he knows limits and he'd never put you in serious danger (Possible vore scenarios are spiraling in my brain). So basically, LOTS of fearplay and dealing with an angsty teenager with daddy issues.

Book Two Zuko would be...better. He's a banished prince traveling the Earth Kingdom with severe identity issues, but in doing so, he's learning more about himself and who he is meant to be. His gentler side comes out more during these travels, so you'd be exposed to less anger and more awkwardness. I don't think he'd know what to do with a tiny during this time in his life because this softer side of him really starts to show itself and he'd probably be terrified of scaring you. He doesn't want to scare people anymore; he doesn't even know what he wants for himself. I'd say that if you're dealing with Book Two Zuko, you'll get a better experience than Book One, but he'll be more disinterested because of what he is going through. He'll probably hand you off to Uncle Iroh or someone he trusts.

Book Three Zuko would arguably be the best to encounter. He's really mellowed out and is more in tune with where he wants his future to go, and his time with Team Avatar really allows him to fall back into a more gentle, empathetic temperament. If he were to find a tiny, he'd probably be very awkward and flustered at first, but then he'd immediately get onto your level and try to talk to you. If your scared of him, he expects it, and he'll try his best to calm you down. I can definitely see him being as soft as possible with his tone and words. If it takes quite a while to reassure you though, his short temper will show through, and he might grow frustrated and snap at you. Of course, he'd feel awful about it afterward. If this is the case, he'd spend as much time as possible trying to gain your trust. There's no way you're leaving his mind, and he'd keep making small gradual advancements until he can convince you he won't hurt you and your safe with him. After that, I think he'd be VERY protective. I could see him wanting to shelter you a lot, whether by holding you, letting you ride on his shoulder, or even allowing you to sit atop his head. He'd fight fiercely to keep you safe, but if you are fully capable of defending yourself, he won't smother you. Zuko is protective, but not clingy. He'd recognize that you are a person worthy of your own autonomy and independence, and he's not going to infringe on that (Again, so many possible vore scenarios here).

I could say so so much more, but then this would be an insufferably long post lol. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to write my brainrot about this silly guy down. Zuko is one of my all-time favorite characters, and I really want to write a g/t story with him. I know I'm primarily a Transformers blog, but there are so many other characters from different franchises I'd love to write about too! Maybe I'll make a generic g/t side blog for that kind of stuff :)

[ilikepjo24]

For the character thing, can you do Mai?

It took me so long to find the last time I did this game to find the questions 😭

Sexually headcanon

Zukoromantic lesbian.

(Dates girls and Zuko)

Otp

Maiko!! They are soulmates in my mind, I absolutely adore them!!

Notp

I can't say I really have a notp for Mai. For me, notp means a ship o actively dislike and if I found it in the tags of a fic, it'd be a deal breaker and I wouldn't read that fic. For Mai, while there are a lot of ships I'm indifferent to, I can't say there are any I actively dislike and would ruin a fic for me.

First headcanon that pops into my brain

Mai and Azula shared a summer thing together while Zuko was banished. They were each other's gay awakening, and Azula is one of the only people Mai can talk about her feelings to, because the princess makes her feel comfortable.

Favourite line from this character

The line itself. The delivery. The attitude. Calling Zuko a jerk. Saving Zuko despite him being a jerk because their love is so strong. Everything about this was chef's kiss. 🤌

One way in which I relate to this character

Knife collection!

Thing that gives me second hand embarassment about this character.

Dating that Justin Bieber looking bitch, Kei Lo. Like I believe their break up was necessary and that Zuko needed a reality check on all the ways you can't treat your girlfriend, Kei Lo's design is blander than vanilla.

Cinnamon roll or problematic fave

I have to say problematic fave. She was willing to go on a manhunt and hurt people only out of sheer boredom.

[the-genius-az]

I apologize for how long this one gets!

A couple of details about The Boiling Rock: it doesn't change at all in the "death by heartbreak AU", but in the "Maizula endgame", the betrayal is even worse. It's kinda clear that Azula is not even aiming at Mai, she's aiming at her feet to scare her. Like canon, Azula didn't expect any conflict, so she's not in battle mode. She's angry that Mai is choosing Zuko over her.

(If I age them up and make it a situation where Mai's pregnant, Azula is just threatening her, she has aim good enough to shoot close but not close enough to hurt.

If it's a situation like that, Azula's reaction is much more feral.)

Azula doesn't know that Mai's goal is to slow her down, distract her long enough so she doesn't kill her own brother. In canon, Azula's mental breakdown starts to build up when Mai & Ty Lee betray her, in here it starts when Zuko betrays her by leaving – it comes back to platonic mates. It comes back to her doing everything she can, going out of her way and putting her own life at risk, to bring him home and keep him safe. Then he just leaves. He leaves again and now Azula is older, her connections and her reactions are stronger. The little pack, in her alpha brain, is her, Mai, Ty Lee and Zuko. A member leaving means the alpha will be hurt.

So. Azula's clearly not fine, she has her issues, of course she interprets Mai's action as breaking the pack apart even further. And when Mai says the "I love him more than I feat you" (without noticing that maybe that's the last thing she should tell Azula), Azula partially ignores her instinct to never, never harm her omega.

Still, Azula wouldn't hurt her, not really. But then there's Ty Lee right there and she can smell so, so much anger and ferocity. She can't smell the distress underneath because it's too subtle. She reacts on impulse to chi-block Azula.

It's that, taking away Azula's bending – even temporarily – that breaks the pack. That breaks Azula.

Later, post-war and healing, it's a happy ending but not perfect. Azula was betrayed and abandoned by way too many people, hurt way too many times. She can marry, mate Mai, have a kid or two – she refuses to have that litter of pups she dreamed of as a kid. But a pack? No.

Part of her doesn't even fully claim Mai, because what if she does and Mai chooses someone else over her again?

Her bond with Zuko and Ty Lee is permanently broken, she can be civil, even friendly, to them, but nothing more. She might be kind of friends with the Gaang, after being redeemed/healed, they want to include her but she rejects the bond.

Azula feels safer as a lone wolf, no pack. A mate with a half bond, a kid or two, because if she ever feel a bond break again, she knows she won't make it.

Both Mai and Ty Lee will regret for the rest of their lives. Mai thinks a lot about what she should have done differently, said differently to slow Azula down but not hurt her this much. Ty Lee thinks a lot about the way that maybe, just maybe, chi-blocking Azula wasn't the right choice.

I just made The Boiling Rock much more heartbreaking, I think.

- Ash 🔥🍌

Thanks for this, Ash!

She's angry that Mai is choosing Zuko over her.

Annoyed? No, she is sad and hurt because her Omega chooses someone who is not her.

If I age them up and make it a situation where Mai's pregnant.

Oh gods! Do you want to kill Azula?! Why do you seem to hate her, Ash! 😭

She's not only losing her entire pack and her Omega, but her cub too!

And when Mai says the "I love him more than I feat you" (without noticing that maybe that's the last thing she should tell Azula).

Obviously he shouldn't have said that! It seems like everyone hates Azula! Does Mai really love Azula? or do you just use it?

It's that, taking away Azula's bending even temporarily - that breaks the pack. That breaks Azula.

Ash, that destroys anyone, even me! And I know that one day the vipers in my house will leave me!

post-war and healing, it's a happy ending but not perfect.

No, that's not a happy ending, just for the others but not for Azula.

They basically subject Azula to living with an Omega who doesn't even love her and living with people who break her again and again.

Part of her doesn't even fully claim Mai, because what if she does and Mai chooses someone else over her again?

I literally feel a tightening in my heart, you understand, Ash? You hurt me.

He married Mai and has two children, but he will never have his mark, seems ALMOST fair to me.

I wonder what Mai's reaction was when Azula denied claiming her completely, even when she asked her to.

Her bond with Zuko and Ty Lee is permanently broken, she can be civil, even friendly, to them, but nothing more.

I understand getting along with Ty Lee, or at least having a civil relationship, but Zuko? He is literally the person who took everything from his life, and he has to live with the torture of all the traumas that were caused to him.

He's even inside his house forever and doesn't see anyone except his kids and Mai is a mercy.

She might be kind of friends with the Gaang, after being redeemed/ healed, they want to include her but she rejects the bond.

I can already imagine the reaction.

Gaang: Do you want to be part of our pack?

Azula: NO, NEVER, EVER. 🏃‍♀️

Mai:...

Ty Lee:...

Zuko:...

It's obvious to the Gaang that Azula is completely traumatized by the entire packs and bonds.

I hope Mai, Ty Lee and Zuko are ashamed of that.

Azula feels safer as a lone wolf, no pack. A mate with a half bond, a kid or two, because if she ever feel a bond break again, she knows she won't make it.

I won't make it if you keep this up, Ash. 😭

Both Mai and Ty Lee will regret for the rest of their lives.

I'm glad, I just hope Zuko dies slowly and painfully.

Does Zuko regret ruining his Sister's life?

I just made The Boiling Rock much more heartbreaking, I think.

You just put a rope around my neck, you'll be happy, Ash.

JUST DO IT, ASH. 😭😭

[pinkrabit]

ATLA LA Episode 4 Into the Dark

The glowing rock candy 🤤🤤

Iroh and Aang bonding in prison.

"I'm really starting to see what kind of person his is." "I doubt that."

Sokka yelling at Sai like you yell at your father's mistakes

Love how active the fantasy racism is.

DONT GUILT SOKKA, SAI

Sokka is still so proud of Hakoda. He's so proud to be his son, "My father would never do what you did."

Zuko sneaking in??? We've seen numerous times in the OG his stealth capabilities when he tries. So, I'm excited.

BABY BUMI ! BABY (hes still a baby) AANG !

"I like the parts of Omashu that aren't so depressing :D"

SECRET TUNNEL

Great touch to openly address labor camps and POWs with the real world terms

"It's time to stop fighting. It's time to fight."

The Flopsy statue needs more recognition.

BUMI

Even Aang looks at Bumi like he's insane

Bumi, I know he's your friend, but you shouldn't out Aang like that

"Throw him.... a feast!" Aang looking terrified as if his old friend would EVER hurt him because the world has changed so much since he was last in it breaks me.

"Not everyone out there is the enemy"

"If you stand against us, you are."

"You're fighting because of hate. Just like the Fire Benders"

YES KATARA FIGHT BACK

KATARA THUGGIN AFTER SAYING "Goodbye, Jet"

I love how awful a liar Zuko is in every universe. LEARN TO FIB MY BOY

Aang at the table, like, "did my bsf friend forget I'm a vegetarian???"

Bumi being passively aggressive toward Aang, and Aang serving back "It was a tragedy!"

"Don't you care?" Aang, Bumi has a point when he yells at you. I like this Bumi a lot. His anger feels genuine. However irrational it may be.

THE HIPPIES IN THE MOUNTAIN

Sokka slowly vibing is OOC but still appreciated.

"We're doing what we're doing." They're all high. They gotta be.

Are Oma and Shu...? The gay??

I love how women are often portrayed as ending a war or unintentionally starting it, and then there's Azula.

Thanks for the backstory hippie man, wish you had a map though.

Two lovers, forbidden from one another~

SECRET TUNNEL (×2) THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN

"They're doomed 🤠"

Prisoner cruelty!! I know Uncle War Crimes but what about the Geneva Convention?

"The direct path is not always the best path." Paralleled with Aang wanting to find a way to end the war without killing Ozai.

I hate how they took out Kataang in the LA (i understand it'd be weird to allude to making aang's actor kiss kataras, though), but I like "love" in the tunnels being familial instead of romantic. And I like Sokka using his brain to figure stuff out.

"He was 19.. Was it worth it?" "We were at war.. I was a soldier." Such is the awful reality of war. When it comes to soldiers, it's not personal. It's a job, its dehumanizing to yourself and the rest of the world. It's a politcal game. "You (Iroh) know nothing of loss." And then showing his grief.

Iroh didn't want his son to die a war hero, he wanted Lu Ten to be his son.

!!! This was such an important conversation to put into the show. !!!

Zuko having something from Lu Ten 🥺🥺

I want a separate series with just Lu Ten

Leave from the Vine playing 🥺🥺

Bumi ragging on Aang for wanting to be a kid, AS A TWELVE YEAR OLD, makes me so mad.

Yes, he thinks about fun and games. A boy shouldn't be as bitter as an old man.

Zuko showing up to kick ass for his Uncle because that's HIS FUCKING UNCLE. He's still strong enough to break metal WITHOUT BENDING. SHOWING HIS COMPENTENCY.

"We've all seen enough death."

Zuko showing concern for Iroh's Injury to demonstrate his "true" nature of being sensitive and compassionate. Which is why he was banished in the first place.

The WT Siblings just hold each other before their perceived death feels so important to me.

And I feel like we can and should read into the badgermole/ "Love is brightest in the dark" scene.

"Great, how do you think they respond to verbal commands." Sokka can you be Sappy for like 5 minutes please.

"Some of us have to fight, even if we don't want to. That's what it means to he in a WAR!" This show is delivering so many lines and comments about war and its complexities for everybody involved. Just like the original. Y'all wanna sleep on it because of minor character changes????

I have yet to see a character, Suki has come the closest, that has been so awfully OOC that I've had to stop.

Aang asking for help, "one that requires you to make impossible choices" Bumi is a little misguided here but he means well in sharing his knowledge of leading to his friend.

"Learn what it means to be the Avatar!" "No!" Aang will never give up who he is based on others expectations. And the idea that he doesn't have to do things on his own, "like a child" is going to be what wins the war.

Aangs refusal to kill or hurt isn't bad, he's going to make a difference. He's going to save people. He's going to be the Avatar, but he will be an airbender first!

SAI OUTING THE FIRE NATION IS REDEMPTION

Iroh left to be with his nephew 🥺🥺

He won't let this boy be without a father

LEAVES ON THE VINE

"Everything I need is on this boat"

This episode felt a little rushed, and felt like it lacked a little in terms of the Gaang. But in terms of Zuko, it served. Zuko's story felt stronger here. Especially, after seeing Appa fly away, but he chose instead to prioritize his Uncle.