#and I was just reminded of my suffering guy Agni

[thesillyexpresser]

Honestly Queen Battlewinner (from the hit book series, Wings of Fire) and Agni (from the hit acid trip, Fire Punch) have mechanic that are similar yet parallel to each other in a way I can’t explain.

Like a character who has to constantly be in fire to counter an ice in the throat that freezing forever?? And they’re in fucking misery?? A character who constantly has to regenerate to counter being on fire 24/7?? And they’re in fucking misery?? What’s next?? A character who has to constantly be frozen to counter a cancerous growth?? And they’re in fucking misery??

[whentheynameyoujoy]

Yup, Sure Was a Finale

I had an epiphany. The reason why I never re-watched the final two parts of Sozin’s Comet even though I’ve popped in episodes at random many times over the years isn’t that I can’t bear the sadness of seeing one of the best, most engaging narratives out there come to an end.

It’s simply that the finale isn’t all that good.

Some honorable mentions of what was enjoyable.

(+) This

Just this.

(+) The Church of Zutara has another convert

“Are you sure they don’t get together?” Hubster, 2020

(+) The tragedy of Azula

And the fact that it’s acknowledged as such. I hope Zuko will do his best to get her help and have a relationship with her…

(+) Sokka being a big bro

And the whole airship sequence in general. It’s wonderfully paced and plotted, with moments of humor, real stakes, Toph being both badass and a scared crying kid, Sokka strategizing and protecting, Suki saving the day, and non-benders being instrumental in thwarting the bad guy firebender’s plans. Would be shame if Bryke never portrayed them this capable ever again…

And now for the main course.

(-) Blink and its over

The wrap-up feels too quick (hashtag Needs More ROtK-style False Endings). A part of this is due to how fast the story goes from the thick of the action to hastily tying up a bunch of loose ends, but the larger issue is how Book 3’s uneven pacing comes home to roost. After spending half a season on filler episodes that at best subtly flesh out established characters while dancing around a huge lionturtle-shaped hole, and at worst contradict the theme of “no one is born bad” with “you’re a hot mess because your great-grandfathers didn’t get along too well”, the frantic “go go go” rush of the second half screeches to a halt with “they won and everyone was happy because now the right people have power and it will be all good from now on yup nothing more to deal with baiiiii”.

Yes, I know, it’s a kids’ show. But goddamn, this particular kids’ show has proven so many times it can do better than the expected tropiness. Showing the characters in their roles as builders of a new world was the least that could have been done.

Oh well!

(-) Ursa

We’ll never know. There will never be a story that delves into this. Yup. Shall forever remain but an intriguing mystery. Is good, though. Mystery is better than a story where Ursa shares her son’s penchant for forgetfulness. Imagine how embarrassing that would be. Speaking of which…

(-) What does Mai see in this jerkbender?

Look, I like to harp a lot on the mess of inconsistent writing that’s Mai but let’s unpack this scene from her perspective, shall we?

Zuko forgot about her! It totally slipped his mind that the one person who prioritized the safety of his dumb ass was rotting in the worst prison in the Fire Nation—because of him! And she was rotting there long enough after the final Agni Kai for the news of Zuko’s upcoming coronation to spread and her uncle to feel sufficiently secure to release her. But then the coronation scene is attended by every single member of Gaang & Friends that was imprisoned?

So what this tells me is that either a) the invasion force had the ability to break themselves out the whole time and for some reason decided not to exercise it until after the war was over, b) Zuko forgot about them as well and no one thought to remind him there were prisons full of POWs until Mai arrived, or, and that’s even better, c) Zuko took care to free every single resistance fighter while making sure Mai would be the one to stay behind bars.

Never thought I’d say this but Mai? Honey? You deserve so much better.

(-) “What does Katara want?”

Asked no one in the writers’ room ever, apparently.

This is not so much anti Cataang as anti romance stories that pay attention to the needs, opinions, and wants of only one partner in general. Over the previous 60 episodes, Katara actively expressed romantic interest in Aang exactly, wait for it,

Once.

And it got retconned out of relevance by the following two interactions where the possibility of a romantic relationship came up, making the Headband dance pretty easy to reclassify as just one of those examples where Aang “teaches” Katara to have fun (as if one of the main obstacles to her having fun wasn’t him constantly fooling around and offloading his duties). And because the writers not only didn’t succeed in portraying Katara’s internal state of mind, but also failed to root her reluctance to pursue a relationship in outside circumstances that could change, her sudden state of unconfused once Aang steps into the spotlight has a single canonical explanation that as much as approaches coherency.

The fact is, though, that trying to interpret canon Cataang from a Watsonian perspective is an exercise in foolishness. Because there is no Watsonian justification for the ship and never has been. Bryke simply conceived of Katara as nothing but a tropey prize for Aang, never saw her as anything beyond that, and were perfectly happy to go on and immortalize her as a passive broodmare for the rest of her life.

And I fully intend to die mad about it.

(-) Iroh dips

OK, it’s been long apparent that the show doesn’t intend to do anything about Iroh’s complicity in AzulOzai’s regime in any meaningful way, and that his sole motivation for doing anything whatsoever is Zuko whom he views as a replacement son which is supposed to be good for some reason. But the finale has him abandon even that, and instead turns him full-on YOLO, idgaf anymore. It really throws Iroh’s supposed love for Zuko into doubt when his last act in the entire show is to take a half-educated 16-year old with no political savvy or an heir to secure a dynastic continuity and plomp him on the throne of a war-mongering imperialist regime where the entirety of the militarist and ruling class is guaranteed to fight him tooth and nail for power.

(I sure hope Mai’s ready to start popping out babies by tea-time otherwise the whole country is fukd in about a week)

Christ, how hard would it be to have Iroh keep the throne warm for a few years while Zuko is getting ready to succeed him? Not only would it make the whole FN reformation bit quite likelier to occur, it would require Iroh’s hedonistic ass to actually sacrifice something for once. And not having Zuko ascend to power, instead spending some time bettering and educating himself first, would be a wonderful message that no matter what you endured and overcame, you never stop growing. A kids’ show, remember?

(-) The conquering of Ba Sing Se

Gee, I feel so blessed to have my attention diverted from battlefields which actually matter to an old dude vanity project I would have been perfectly happy to assume resolved itself off-screen.

The White Lotus in general just bugs me. I was fine with the individual characters and their overall passivity when they were portrayed as lone dissenters living under circumstances where it wasn’t really possible for any single person to mount a meaningful resistance. But as members of a far-reaching shadowy organization that’s left the real fight to a bunch of kids for 59 episodes straight and didn’t turn up until a perfect opportunity presented itself to take control of the largest city in the world and bask in the spotlight?

Yeah, no.

Similarly to the lionturtle-ex-machina, the White Lotus represents a huge missed opportunity for a season-long storytelling. Here’s just a brief list of what they could have been doing throughout Book 3:

orchestrating a Fire Nation uprising;

gathering those directly persecuted by AzulOzai’s regime to help Zuko keep his hold on power once he’s crowned;

establishing themselves as a viable alternative to Ozai;

sabotaging Fire Nation’s war efforts from the inside;

countering Fire Nation propaganda (Asha Greyjoy’s pinecones, anyone?);

running a supply network to alleviate the suffering of Earth Kingdom citizens.

Instead, they sit on their asses until the time comes to claim personal glory.

You know what, good on Bryke for making me conclude that in comparison, the Freedom Fighters were perfectly unproblematic, actually.

(-) Fire Lord Dead-by-Dawn

Yes, a kids’ show, I know! But ffs, this is the same kids’ show that came up with Long Feng and portrayed courtly intrigue, kingly puppets, secret police, spy networks, and information wars. Was it really too much of me to expect something other than “enlightened despot solves everything”? Especially if said enlightened despot has persisting anger issues, no personal support system, no base of followers, and no political experience whatsoever?

If Zuko’s actually serious about regaining the Fire Nation’s honor (i.e. by dismantling the country’s military machine, decolonizing the Earth Kingdom, paying reparations to everyone and their lemur, and funding any and all cultural restoration projects Aang and the SWT come up with), then there is no way, no way in the universe that he doesn’t face a civil war, deposing, and execution within a month.

One reason why his future as a Fire Lord seems rather bleak is that little’s been shown about the actual subjects of AzulOzai’s regime. While we get a vague reassurance that “no Toph, they’re not born bad” (le shockings), they largely remain a voiceless uniform mass of brainwashed clapping seals. What is their view on the Fire Nation’s crimes? Do they associate their condition with their country’s war-mongering? How will they react when Zuko starts dismantling the country piece by piece to rebuild it, bringing it to economic ruin? What will they do when noble Ozai loyalists come out of the woodwork and begin rounding them up under the banner of “Make the Fire Nation Great Again?”

I have no idea, and Zuko doesn’t either because he’s unironically more qualified to rule the Earth Kingdom than his own people.

You know what would have been better? Fire Lord Iroh, White Lotus pulling the strings to maintain the regime, and Crown Prince/People’s Champion Zuko travelling the Fire Nation with Aang and an army of tutors to promote the new boss, only to realize that absolute monarchy is kinda crap for the people he’s one day supposed to rule and gaining their support by ceding some power to them.

I’d laser holes into my TV due to how much I’d enjoy watching that.

(-) All hail Avatar Rock

Literally and metaphorically. Aang doesn’t sacrifice anything, gets everything, and the clever solution of going about getting said everything is handed to him on a silver platter, requiring no active participation on his part whatsoever.

He doesn’t work to unblock his chakras, spiritually or physically.

He only speaks to his past lives to get a pat on the back and a bow-tied solution he could mindlessly follow.

Energy-bending doesn’t require any sacrifice from him, leaves no lasting marks, and only serves for the narrative to praise him as the rare individual that’s unbendable and thus so very very special.

The most infuriating thing is, however, that Aang is clearly shown as being able to beat Ozai without either the Avatar state, or energy-bending.

And he chooses not to. From this moment on, Aang no longer fights to save the world. He fights to preserve his beliefs, going directly against the instructions of his past lives and effectively reneging on his duties as the Avatar.

Again.

It’s not like you can’t portray Aang’s faithfulness to his spiritual beliefs as the key to beating Ozai and saving the world. But that’s not what the show did. There is no link between Aang sparing Ozai and securing a better future, quite to the contrary—Ozai’s survival ends up being a massive problem for the continuation of Zuko’s rule, and consequently a threat to the world at large. His survival benefits Aang and no one else.

Aang’s spiritual purity and his status as a savior of the world are allowed to coexist only due to a deliberate stroke of a writer’s pen.

And I hate it.

Welp, nothing to do about it now except to bury myself up to my tits in fix-it fics I guess.

[cablesscutie]

Oh could you do 3 or 17 for the zutara fluff prompt please?☺️

I love both of these- thank you! I'm going to save #17 for a little later, so here's #3: “You’re everything I could’ve wanted and more.”

PART 1 // PART 2 // PART 3

Zuko flips down the visor in his car to fuss with his hair one last time. Mai and Ty Lee had insisted that he pull part of it up to keep him from hiding behind his hair like he was wont to do when he got nervous. In this particular situation, Zuko found that it made him extra nervous to know that he didn’t have that security blanket, scar on full display. This was why he didn’t do blind dates. This poor girl was already suffering through the awkwardness of an ex’s wedding, and now she was going to have to do it while pretending to be vaguely attracted to him.

Her text the previous night had included a reminder of the time and address, as well as an apologetic note that, hey I’m sorry to heap more awkward on this, but apparently this ex is friends with another of my ex’s and it ended Badly...and I might’ve implied that you were a little more significant to me than a blind date? Really I’m so so sorry and I can tell them you have food poisoning or something if this is too awkward, but really all you have to do is not mention that we’re strangers. Sorry!! He’d had absolutely zero clue how to appropriately respond to that message. His first impulse had been to think that of course he didn’t want to pretend to be her boyfriend in front of not one, but two of her ex’s. But Mai probably wouldn’t see this as too much for the favor he owed her. Then his brain had flitted unwillingly to the Instagram account Ty Lee had showed him, and before he could stop himself, his fingers were tapping out That’s fine - see you then.

“Okay,” Zuko sighs, gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles go white. He closes his eyes and pulls in a deep breath, holds it, and on the exhale unclenches his hands and forces himself out of the car. The temple rises up before him in a series of spires and exterior staircases, terraced gardens overflowing with practical plants rising up around all of it. He follows the trickle of people who seem like they know where they’re going, glancing about idly for a familiar face.

She finds him first, which he probably should’ve expected given that his face stands out pretty clearly. She’s also more petite than he’d expected. If she weren’t wearing heels, the top of her head would probably tuck easily under his chin. Zuko shakes his head quickly to erase the thought before it can take hold properly, which unfortunately comes at the same instant that she asks, “Zuko?” and leaves her blinking at him in utter confusion. “Oh. I, uh.”

“I mean yes!” he rushes to correct, reaching out to grab her elbow as she starts to turn away. “Zuko. Me. I mean.” Fuck, he’s such a moron. He clears his throat and holds out his hand to shake. “Hi, Zuko here.” There’s a familiar and terrible heat in his cheeks and spilling down his neck, and he wishes to Agni not for the first time that he could be anyone but Zuko right now.

Katara laughs at him, as she should, but it is a kind laughter, all dimpled cheeks and sparkling eyes. The pictures hadn’t done her justice. “Hi Zuko,” she says, taking his hand and shaking it. “Katara here.” He can’t help but return her smile, goofy as it probably comes across. “Thank you again so much for coming to this shitshow,” she tells him as she drops his hand. “We should probably head inside - it’s starting soon.”

Zuko offers her his arm to be escorted up the stairs of the temple. It’s an old-fashioned gesture that has always gotten mixed reception, but Uncle has drilled manners into him so relentlessly that he always falls back on them reflexively when in a panic. Luckily, she slips her hand into the crook of his elbow with a smile, and his shoulders settle as he guides them both. Along the way, she catches him focusing on the planters, and asks, “do you like gardening?”

“My mother did,” he says reflexively, and he turns to her in time to catch the very moment she registers the past tense. He wants to kick himself for setting up pity or prying questions, but she just gives his arm a slight squeeze and says,

“So did mine. The flowers blooming every summer was her favorite part of the year.”

Usually, he is precious with his memories, but hearing the echo of his own grief in her wistful tone makes him actually want to share his mother with her. “She came from a family of traditional healers, and wanted to keep up the knowledge, so she grew all kinds of herbs and wildflowers that were used in old cures.”

She hums, and they walk along in silence for another moment before she says, “Did she teach you anything?”

“She started to.” It’s bittersweet, his mother’s unfinished legacy. “I have her books though, so maybe someday I’ll finish studying them.” Katara smiles at him, part sympathy, part understanding. Zuko’s heart pounds. When her eyes meet his, he almost wants to hide because it feels like she can see too much.

“Did you learn any cures for nerves?” Katara asks, the sardonic dip of her voice a gift to lighten the mood. Zuko smiles back, starting to laugh off the heavy conversation, but a flash of something catches his attention.

Katara’s eyes go wide as he lets go of her to crouch down and carefully pick a purple blossom. He does it just the way his mother had shown him, finding the right joint in the stem to make sure it will grow back, and with a gentle bend and twist, it breaks between his fingers. The fragrance follows him as he rises and offers the sprig of lavender to Katara. In trying to indicate that she should smell it, he almost shoves it up her nose when she leans towards it, but she giggles and wrinkles her nose adorably. Her fingers fold around his as she slips the stem out of his grasp.

“Thank you.

“Mom used to put a little vase of lavender in me and my sister’s rooms to help us sleep,” Zuko explained.

“I feel better already.” She sniffs the flower again as she slips her arm through his again to properly enter the ceremony space, her eyes fluttering closed for a fraction of a second that steals his breath away. This is actually going well, he thinks in utter astonishment. I keep tripping over my tongue like a moron, but for some reason she seems to like it. A voice in the back of his head that sounds uncomfortably like his teenage self sneers, Wow, she must be really desperate not to look single. Must be some impressive ex’s. Zuko’s heart stutters and slows back to normal. Right. This is a favor. He needs to focus.

Not least because his distraction causes him to walk right into the man who appears in front of Katara. “Sorry,” he says reflexively, stumbling back. Katara’s grip on his arm has tightened, keeping him from dragging both of them off balance. Despite her small stature, she is rooted firmly, anchoring them both. He realizes why as soon as the guy pretends to dust off his sport coat (which is not particularly neat to begin with) and purrs, “So Kat, this is the new guy?” as though Zuko isn’t even there. So this is the other ex.

“Zuko,” he and Katara say at the same time, in the same steely tone.

The ex looks briefly startled, but recovers enough to shake Zuko’s hand. “The name’s Jet.”

Zuko has never met Jet before, and yet he knows from the curl of his smile that he has made out with several Jets at various parties in college. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Jet squeezes Zuko’s hand a little harder, just to the edge of macho discomfort. “Pleasure’s all mine.”

Katara scoffs - almost inaudibly, but it’s there - and Zuko can’t help but look to her and say, “It would be, wouldn’t it?” It’s the kind of snarky remark he and Mai used to share under their breath at their parents’ insufferable dinner parties back in high school. The two women are nothing alike, but there is something similar to the ease he feels with his best friend as he stands beside her. She bites her lip, and her eyes glitter with silent laughter, and Zuko feels a much gentler heat kindling under his skin. Jet manages to look confused and dismissive in one twitch of his ridiculous eyebrows, but returns his attention to Katara undeterred. His eyes linger as they trace obviously over the v of her dress’s neckline and admittedly tempting curves draped in navy satin before he flashes her a pair of puppy dog eyes and asks, “Save me a dance?” When she doesn’t immediately respond, he tilts his head and entreats, “For old times’ sake?”

Zuko is irritated to once again be entirely ignored, and the possessive part of him wants to snap at Jet that all of Katara’s dances are already reserved for him. Hard-earned self control wins out though, and Zuko manages to remind himself that despite his attraction and the ruse he is meant to be perpetuating, he is not actually Katara’s boyfriend. There is no real reason for him to be upset if she chooses to dance with Jet. There are several reasons for the flutter in his chest when her expressive face hardens to stone.

There is no excuse or cutting joke, just one word, a complete sentence: “No.” She gives him nothing to play off of, no buttons to push or entreaties to make, and he backs down quickly.

“Oh. Uh. Okay, I guess I’ll just...see you at the reception?”

“Yeah, you’ll see us there,” Zuko cuts in, mouth stumbling ahead without him. He puts too much significance on the word us, but seems to bother Jet, and Katara leans into his side, so he figures it’s okay. Jet lifts his chin in a parting nod to him. Zuko just meets his eyes evenly as the other man turns away to find his seat. Shaking his head as he watches the guy go, Zuko says, “Pft. If your friend invited that guy, I think you need better friends,” because he has no filter. And then he remembers yet again that he doesn’t know Katara, much less her friends, and he is overstepping all over this situation. His free hand comes up to smack himself in the face. “Shit. Sorry I’m probably screwing this up so bad; I’m the worst blind date in history.”

A small, warm hand closes around his wrist and tugs his hand away. Katara shifts to stand in front of him, blocking the rest of the wedding full of strangers from his view as his attention narrows only to the bounce of her hair and the crescent of her smile.

“You’re everything I could’ve wanted and more.”

Here's the prompt list!

[storydays]

Season 1, ep3, p2

"Your best friend is a.....polar bear dog." Mako started wearily, before smiling fondly at Neo, who grunted. "Somehow that makes perfect sense, considering." "I'll take that as a compliment, city boy." A few minutes later, they arrived to town square, looking around and didn't see a sign of you or Bolin. Neo stopped near Firelord Zuko's statue from his early days, looked up and barked. "Well, this is Bo's normal hang out spot, and Neo seems to have missed (Y/-" Mako was cut off by Neo running over to the kids playing nearby, licking one of the boys. 

Laughing, the kids crowded around him and Naga, who followed her brother, ignoring the two approaching figures behind the two animals. "You guys seen my brother around here today?" Mako called, as the oldest turned towards them. "Perhaps. My memory's a little...foggy. Maybe you can help clear it up." The child sniffed, before holding his hand out. "You're good, Skoochy. A real pro." Mako chuckled, before handing the child a few coins. "Yeah, I've seen him." "When?" demanded the firebender. "About noon." "What was he doing?" A frown came onto Skoochy's face, as he recalled the earlier event. "He was performing some kind of monkey-rat circus, and then..." Turning, the kid held his hand out for more. 

Skoochy yelped as a giant water hand picked him up, and brought him face to face with an unimpressed you. Chuckling sheepishly, he grinned at your raised eyebrow. "H-Hey, (Y/F/N)! How you doing?" "Skoochy, take the kids back to the Rosario, and do not come out without Mika." You said sternly, placing the child down and watching them run off. "Hey, come back here!" Mako called, before glaring up at a casual you, Korra laughing at you shrugging carelessly. 

"I got a lead on where Bolin is," you jumped down in front of the two, sliding your glider into your holster on your back. "The Triple Threats, the Red Monsoons, the Agni Kais..all the triads are muscling up for something big..." "Meaning there's a turf war brewing, and Bolin's about to get caught right in the middle of it." Mako frowned, rubbing his forehead. "Yup, follow me. I managed to track him down, but it wouldn't hurt to have some backup; let's go."

Hopping onto Neo, you told him to go to the Triad's hideout, waited for Mako to get on, and the three of you take off on the Water Tribe animals, and cross the river, when Naga stopped and starting chasing a small animal. "Wait, Naga!" "That's Pabu!" Korra and Mako said at the same time. "No, Naga, Pabu is a friend, not food." Korra said sternly, as the two bumped noses and Pabu crawled onto Mako's shoulder. "We gotta hurry." reminded the firebender. 

*At the  hideout*

"Something's not right..there are usually thugs posted out front. We need to be--" Mako trailed off as Korra kicked the door in. Mako deadpanned as you strolled in, hands behind your head,  looking around curiously at the trashed hideout. "Bolin? You here?" Mako called, looking around. You sensed Bolin's presence outside, and hurried outside, with water skin arms forming around your arms. You called out to the other two. "I've got visual on them! Let's go!" You realized that following them in plain view wasn't the best idea. "Neo, help Korra and Mako! I'm going solo!" 

You veered right heading towards the rooftops, keeping an eye on the van and your surroundings. Mako fired a blast of fire towards the bikes, Korra used her earthbending but the kidnapper jumped over the earth, and another fired two ball traps toward the polar bear dogs, making the animals trip and send the Avatar and firebender to the ground. "Oh man." You stopped chasing Bolin and jumped down to protect Korra and Mako from the incoming enemy. 

It was three on one with Korra getting neutralized early in the fight followed by Mako getting knocked down. You stood in front of them protectively, before using your waterbending to make a ice barrier, making the enemies send out canisters of gas and got back on their bikes zooming off. 

Korra groaned, Naga helping her stand up, before trying to firebend. "Ugh! I can't bend! I can't bend!" She panicked. "Calm down, Korra." You stated, helping Mako up before Neo cuddled into your back. "It'll wear off. Those guys were chi blockers. They're Amon's henchmen." continued Mako stretched his arm out, as Korra did the same. "Amon? That anti-bending guy with the mask?"

You sat down on Neo's back cross-legged, closed your eyes and began searching for Bolin's spirit. "Yeah, he's the leader of the Equalists." "But what do they want with the Triple Threats?" wondered the Water Tribe girl.  "Whatever it is..it can't be good. I can't believe Bolin got himself into this mess. " Mako pinched the bridge of his nose, and sighed in annoyed concern. "Mako, we're going to save your brother, I promise you that."  Korra and Mako stared into each other's eyes.

Neither noticed (e/c) eyes staring at them, before their owner smirked. You grabbed Neo's reigns, and coughed. They turned to him. "If you two are done with your romantic stare down.."They sputtered at him as he continued breezily. "I've found Bo again, but we need to go." Mako cleared his throat and hopped onto Neo's back. "Neo, let's go." You urge, heading towards the other side of town. 

*timeskip*

You let Neo, Naga and Pabu rest near the warehouse, and threw clothes at Korra and Mako. "Hey, what are these for (Y/N)?" Korra asked, just as Mako asked, "How'd you get our measurements?" You scoff, tying your hair back, and pulling a headband on to hide your arrow. "Please, have you guys met hyper active airbenders? Instead of chasing them,  I learned how to take measurements discretely. Anyway, we need those to get in to where they're keeping Bolin." They shrugged and went to go get change. 

"You guys go first, and wait for me near the entrance. I'll enter after you guys." You watched as Korra wrapped her arm around Mako. You starred at them, looked at Neo, before laughing at the scene in front of you, your polar bear dog laughing aside you. "O-Okay," you snickered before sobering up. "Wait here for me boy, we'll be back." Neo nudged you, as you adjusted your coat, and heading towards the entrance. 

"This is a private event, no one gets in without a invitation." The guard crossed his arm before you showed him a flyer you grabbed from the man in the park. "The revelation is upon us my brother. Enjoy." He stepped aside and let you in. You walked towards Korra and Mako and gasped at the insane of amount of people gathered. 

"I knew a lot of people hated benders but I've never seen so many in one place." Mako mumbled. "Okay, Korra, you know what to do. Mako and I will go into the crowd and watch for Bolin. Stay safe." You all nodded, before splitting up.  "And now, please welcome your hero, your savior, Amon!" an announcer called out, as said figure rose up from below the stage. You felt tremors running down your back seeing the masked man again. 

'I'm not afraid of him. I'm prepared for him this time.'  "My quest for equality began many many years ago. When I was a boy, my family and I lived on a small farm. We weren't rich, and none of us were benders. This made us very easy targets for the firebender who extorted my father. One day, my father confronted this man, but when he did, that firebender took my family from me, then he took my face." 

Amon turned towards the crowd in front of him. "I've been forced to hide behind a mask, ever since. As you know, the Avatar has recently arrived in Republic City." Suddenly everyone began booing and jeering at the mention of Korra. "And if she were here, she would tell you that bending brings balance to the world, but she is wrong. The only thing bending has brought to the world is suffering." 

You clenched your fists at this accusation. "It has been the cause of every war in every era, but that is about to change.I know you've been wondering what this whole 'revelation?' You are about to get your answer." You and Mako looked at each other in concern, before turning back to the stage. "Since the beginning of time, the spirits have acted as guardians of our world, and they haven spoken to me." 'Pfft, what a load of bison crap.' You snickered to yourself. 

"They say the Avatar has failed humanity, that's why the spirits have chosen me to usher a new era of balance. They have granted me a power that will make equality a reality--The power to take away a person's bending away.....permanently." You couldn't help but gasp along with the crowd. "T-That's imp-possible. T-This guy is insane!" Mako raised an eyebrow at your stuttering, and wrapped an arm around your shoulders in comfort, like he does with Bolin. 

"Now for a demonstration. Please welcome, "Lightning Bolt" Zolt leader of the Triple Triad, and one of the most notorious criminals in Republic City." You watch as said criminal scowled at the crowd. The normals began booing him which resulted him saying back, "Ah, boo yourself!" You laugh at his sarcastic attitude. You watched as other members of the Triple Triad and Bolin be forced to kneel. "There's Bolin." You muttered to Mako. "What's taking Korra so long?" Mako muttered. 

"Zolt has amassed a fortune by extorting and abusing non-benders but his reign of terror is about to come to an end. However, in the interest of fairness, I will give Zolt the chance to fight to keep his bending." The two backed up to give each other space, for a proper battle. "You're going to regret doing that, pal." Zolt smirked before they began fighting back and forth with Zolt getting more and more frustrated and finally began shooting lighting at Amon who moved quickly. 

Amon grabbed Zolt by the back of his neck, and began doing something to him, you started shivering under Mako's arm. The lightning died down, and a burst of flame came from Zolt's hand, before he collapsed. ' W-what  was that?' you thought as Zolt staggered to his feet. "What did you do to me?" he demanded. "Your firebending is gone...forever." Amon turned to the crowd and said strongly: "The era of bending is over. A new era of equality has begun." He raised his fist as the crowd around you begun shifting uncomfortably. "Not yet, (Y/N). We need to wait for Korra." Mako whispered, grabbing your hand stopping you from exposing yourselves. "B-But I can't just sit here and watch these other benders lose--" "I know, but unfortunately we have no choice,"  he hissed, mentally cursing your need to help others at this moment. 

It was at that moment that steam entered the room, causing people to freak out. "Let's go." whispered Mako before you took to the stage, making icicles pop up entrapping Amon and his guards in place. Mako grabbed Bolin while Amon called to you, "You can try and resist all you want (Y/N) but I assure you, you will see things my way." You didn't reply but bended the steam to hide your escape. 

You all run into the alleyway, discarding your clothes. But then heard Neo howling in pain and growling aggravation at the Equalists trying to tame him. You were torn between helping your friends, and helping your animal buddy. Then an Equalist slashed Neo with a knife and that was when you made your decision. You used nearby water to push yourself into the air and used the momentum to kick the enemies away and encased them into ice before sending them into the empty building nearby, effectively knocking him out. You exhaled sharply before turning to Neo's whimpering form, and your friends approaching you, from atop of Naga. You pulled water from you emergency pouch and began moving it across the wound. 

Neo whinned in annoyance and you hummed in acknowledgement. "Sorry boy, I'm almost done. Are you guys okay?" You asked, not allowing yourself to stop healing. "Yes, we're fine. These two are a little fried but otherwise we're good." Neo licked you and stood up, stretching his leg carefully. Naga nudged him with snout before the two were ready to go. "Bo, you can ride with me." You offered a hand to the weary Earthbender. "Thanks for finding me (Y/N)." he mumbled sleepily, as you all escaped. 

*Timeskip*

You walked wearily behind Korra, shaken from what you witnessed. "Thank goodness, I was just about to send out a search party. Are you two all right?" He placed a hand on both of your shoulders. "Mm-mm." "N-No Uncle." You looked over the ledge before jumping down, using the water to soften your fall, and running off to your mother's tree, exhaling heavily. You didn't blink when you felt the air move behind you. 

"Uncle, when Amon took away the other's bendings, I felt their pain, surprise, and their sorrow, like nothing I've felt before." You turned around and sunk to your knees, feeling small. He sat next to you, draping his cloak over you. "That is because you are an empath, like your mother. She was connected with the spirits in a similar manner. Perhaps it's best if you talk to your gran-gran about this, try and get your mind back in the right place." You peek at him from under your bangs as Nevermore landed near you, and tilted her head curiously.

"Yeah, maybe."

[flameo-hotman]

Zuko snapped his fingers like a zippo lighter and holds it for sokka while he blazes

Blaze It Hotman

It was Sokka’s idea for Zuko to try pot. The Water Tribe Warrior Zuko seemed more stressed than usual and needed to chill out for once in his unbelievably stressed-out existence. So here they were, sitting in the royal gardens with Sokka rolling the plant inside of a piece of brown paper, while his guards Kenzo and Lee stood watch.

His great grandfather Sozin had tried and failed to eradicate the plant from the Fire Nation. One of his less noted failures.

Sokka held the joint up with a smile and said one of the most baffling things that Zuko had ever heard come out of a mouth that wasn’t Aang or his uncle, “Blaze it!”

“What?” If Sokka hadn’t been the one to say it, Zuko would have been sure that Aang was once again making up more prewar Fire Nation speak. Flameo and hotman were most assuredly not things anyone other than the air bender had ever said. He refused to ask his uncle if he was correct in his assumptions.

“Something I picked up from Aang” Zuko was right. “Use your jerk bending to light the joint.”

“Oh.” And Zuko complied, snapping his right thumb and middle finger together to create a single small flame. Sokka proceeded to happily light the joint with before bringing it to his lips and taking a drag off of it, with a happy sigh. The scent reminded Zuko of Jet, which brought up some mixed and mostly negative emotions. He felt like it was his fault the guy had possibly died. 

When the joint was handed to Zuko, he took in a lungful of the stuff and promptly suffered a small coughing fit. His boyfriend proceeded to laugh his ass off at this.

“I thought you said this was relaxing?” He coughed out. “This doesn’t feel very relaxing.”

“You’ve really never gotten high before? Have you?” Sokka laughed as he wiped tears of joy from his eyes. Zuko glared, despite finding the sight endearing.

Sokka was still giggling to himself when he took the joint back and said, “Okay, new plan. When I breathe out my next hit, you breathe it in. Got it?” Zuko gave a single silent nod before Sokka took another drag off of the joint and pulled Zuko into his lap suddenly. The fire bender hadn’t been expecting. The hand that rested itself on his hip calmed him, however. And when Sokka let out a cloud of the smoke, Zuko breathed it in slowly.

He didn’t feel any different, but Sokka did seem somewhat more loose and relaxed. So he took a few more hits this way until finally, he felt something happen. It didn’t happen all at once, but when Sokka let him take a few more hits from the joint itself, this time Zuko didn’t cough quite as much, he felt himself beginning to relax as his worries faded away from his mind.

“My dad would be angry if he knew I was doing this,” Zuko said plainly.

“Yeah, and the guy would be angry about you doing a ton of other perfectly normal things. Trash Lord Ozai is not really the best judge of right and wrong.” Sokka pointed out with a smile.

“I never said he was,” Zuko said with a smirk. “Only that knowing would upset him.”

“Well, he is your dad and has a right to know if you’re smoking pot.” Sokka agreed in an exaggerated voice of the utmost seriousness. “But let’s enjoy this first.”

Sokka’s petting of his silk-clad hip felt nice, as did the rest of the silk that covered him. Everything felt soft and wonderful, as he began to slip into a dreamlike haze. Sokka made no move to take the blunt back from Zuko, as he threaded his free hand into Zuko’s hair and verbally marveled at its softness.

“I mean seriously.” The Water Tribe Warrior groaned. “Have you ever felt your hair? I need to know what hair products the royal hair washers use on it because it feels amazing.”

“I mean it’s my hair, Sokka. Of course, I’ve felt it.” Zuko rolled his eyes. “And uh… I think its coconut? I’m not sure. I just had a hair treatment yesterday, so maybe if you asked Shi Lin, she might be able to-” 

But whatever he was about to say was lost forever, when he full-on moaned at the tug Sokka gave his hair.

He hadn’t thought something like that could feel good, let alone as amazing as it had.

Sokka let go of his hair to take away the joint, eyes going wide, and grinding it into the ground.

“Spirits…”, Sokka swallowed before growling, “Zuko, honey, I want to try something, but I need to know if you want me to…”

“Yes, Sokka. Anything you want.” Zuko was pretty sure he knew what his boyfriend had in mind, and while normally he wouldn’t be open to doing that kind of thing somewhere so public, he was the Fire Lord and these were his royal gardens.

Zuko undid the sash of his robes, but Sokka took it from him and shook his head.

“Your clothes are staying on Fire Lord.” But the twinkle of desire was still in his eyes as he ordered, “Put your hands behind you back, darling.” And Zuko did.

Sokka had Zuko twist around to give him a clear view of his wrist so he could tie them together behind his back with the sash before he ran his hands down Zuko’s sides dragging the silk of his robes against them, and Zuko shuddered at the feeling. He was beginning to understand what was happening.

“You make the most beautiful sounds, Zuko.” Sokka rasped, his mouth suddenly sounding dry to Zuko. “I want to hear every single one of those gorgeous sounds.”

Lee and Kenzo, his guards, shifted awkwardly where they were keeping watch. Zuko had forgotten them, until now. Suddenly he thought about everything the guards that stood watch outside his bedroom must hear at night and he flushed. He had never even thought about that until right now. What did they think of their Fire Lord’s bedroom activities?

But those thoughts were cut short when Sokka gave his hair another tug.

The sound that he made was filthy, and he could see the way that the two guards tensed at it.

“Don’t look at them,” Sokka snarled. “I want you to look at me. They can look at you and listen to you, but only I get to touch you. Am I understood?”

“Agni, yes, Sokka, yes.” Zuko loved it when Sokka was possessive.

“Good.” And then Sokka bit him. It wasn’t hard enough to break the skin, but it was hard enough that Zuko shouted and bucked his hips. It hurt but just like when Sokka pulled his hair, it felt good. Later Zuko might be horrified by how much he enjoyed it, but right now he was shamelessly begging for more.

A thumb rubbed the silk of his robes against a nipple and he pressed himself into the touch, gasping at the feeling.

“That’s a good Fire Lord.” Sokka praised. “Keep making those pretty little sounds, beautiful.”

Zuko’s wrists strained against their silk bindings, as he rutted against Sokka’s lap. It was rapidly becoming too much, and Sokka had only just started. Zuko was going to demand that they do this again.

Sokka rolled his hips against Zuko’s own finally, as he licked a stripe up the fire benders throat. 

The hot breath against the rapidly cooling damp was what set Zuko off.

He came crying out Sokka’s name.

Sokka didn’t stop, however, now chasing his own completion. He jerked his hips against Zuko mashing his lips against Zuko’s own. Once more, twice more, and finally on the third jerk, he followed the fire bender into completion.

They were both gasping for breath, as they slowly came down from not one but two highs.

“I don’t think we should tell your dad about this part.”

Zuko wanted to smack his boyfriend, groaning, “Way to ruin the moment.”

“So… You want to do this again?”

“Yeah, I do, you idiot.”

“I love you to, Babe.”

“Love you to, Sokka.”, Zuko sighed back. “Now could you please untie my arms?”

Sokka laughed, as he maneuvered Zuko off of his lap and obeyed.

Zuko rewarded Sokka with a kiss.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22462120/chapters/54193087

[miss-nerd-alert]

Why Does Zuko’s Character Arc Work So Well?

I’ve recently been getting my Dad to watch Avatar: the Last Airbender with me, and I’ve really been focusing on Zuko this time around. The quality of Avatar’s writing is legendary by now, but so many characters in other works are getting redemption arcs-successfully done or otherwise-and I think I’ve finally gotten a solid answer as to why they all pale in comparison to Zuko’s: they laid the foundations for his path from antagonist to hero right from the start, and they built on those foundations throughout the series. Just focusing on Season 1 here, Season 2 will probably get it’s own post.

Right off the bat, Zuko is clearly established as an antagonist; we’ve just gotten past Katara’s opening exposition, and Zuko is very clearly Fire Nation. As the audience has just been told, Fire Nation = Bad Guys. Zuko is Fire Nation, therefore Zuko = Bad Guy. However, also from the get go, it’s established that Zuko’s motives are entirely personal. “Their honor didn’t hinge on the Avatar’s capture; mine does.”

This immediately tells the audience that Zuko personally will suffer consequences if he fails. We don’t know what those consequences are, and Zuko’s backstory hasn’t been established yet, but it’s made clear that something happened to this character to make him hunt the Avatar so zealously, and something worse will happen if he fails. Continuing in Episode 2, the audience is told that Zuko is in fact still a minor.

Zuko has just mentioned that he’s spent years training for this moment, which informs the audience that Zuko has likely had his views on the Avatar drilled into him by others, rather than coming to such a conclusion on his own. Aang’s response builds on that by informing us that Zuko may be older than the trio, but he is still just as much a child as Aang, Katara, and Sokka. This small exchange tells viewers that Zuko has been trained to hate and fight since he was a small child, and that his views have been shaped by those with power over him.

Episode 3 is when the audience is convinced to root for Zuko, at least in his own storyline. We get to see how he interacts with others in the Fire Nation, and how unwelcome he is among his own people. Sure he’s banished, but Zuko and Iroh are still members of the Royal Family, that should earn them some kind of respect, right? Wrong.

From the moment he’s introduced, Zhao is set up as both the season’s main villain and a rival for Zuko. He goes behind Zuko’s back to get information (which Zuko’s own men willingly give, which denotes their lack of respect for him), and as soon as he learns about Aang, Zhao decides to capture him himself. Immediately, many viewers come to the decision that if anyone is going to capture Aang, they DON��T want it to be this guy. The audience is HAPPY for Zuko when he beats Zhao in their agni kai, and pleased when Iroh chides Zhao for lashing out after he loses.

From then on, Zuko becomes a secondary antagonist. Sure, he still causes trouble for the Gaang more often, but Zhao is clearly painted as the bigger threat. Zuko continues to win people over in Episode 7, when he puts tracking Aang on hold to find and rescue his uncle Iroh, who has up to this point been the only person from the Fire Nation that seems nice. Their interactions this episode show that Zuko does reciprocate Iroh’s genuine affection for him (which on its own makes the audience think “the nice old man like this kid, so there must be something good about him”).

Episode 8 ramps up the rivalry between Zuko and Zhao again, with Zhao deciding to capture Zuko, his own countryman, as well as Aang. We also learn that Zuko isn’t even allowed in Fire Nation waters, which reminds the audience that this is a young man who isn’t allowed to go home.

It isn’t until Episode 12 that we get Zuko’s backstory, but it retroactively explains his behavior up to this point. A 13 year old boy-shown to actually care about the wellbeing of his country and its people-is brutalized and exiled by his own father (who we earlier learned was the series main villain) for speaking out against a plan to pointlessly sacrifice their own men.

Furthermore, the only person who seems distressed by this is Iroh, while everyone else seems to relish the sight of a child being abused by their parent. Immediately, we can deduce that Zuko was raised in a highly toxic environment, with only his uncle as an example of a positive role model. We also get a glimpse of not only the kind of person Zuko used to be, but who he could be again, as the episode ends with him unlearning some of what Ozai’s abuse taught him as he saves a crewman from death and lets Aang go for the sake of protecting his men.

Episode 13 introduces the Blue Spirit, and shows that not only will Zuko go against his own countrymen to get to Aang first, but also how good of a team they would actually make if they fought together. Zuko is shown to be a bigger threat to Aang’s enemies than to Aang himself, because if the Avatar dies, they’ll just be reincarnated and he’d have to start his search all over again.

This episode is also the first time the writers blatantly signal that Zuko could become a good guy. When Aang offers his friendship, it means he’s actually thinking about befriending an enemy; that he hasn’t bought into the ‘Fire Nation bad’ idea that nearly everyone else in the world has, that Zuko could actually become a hero. And even though Zuko rejects it for now, that idea has already taken root in the minds of viewers.

By Episode 16, Iroh and Jeong Jeong are the only real “good guy” firebenders we see; Zuko’s edging towards it, but he’s not there yet. As a character, Jeong Jeong actually serves a lot of purposes. He’s a foil for his former student Zhao, he and Iroh are the only firebenders we’ve seen who have become disillusioned by the war, and he also reminds viewers that Aang will have to learn how to firebend. His very existence points out that Aang will have to find a firebender who will agree to help him take down the Fire Lord.

Jeong Jeong also serves as a glimpse into Zuko’s future (even if the audience doesn’t realize that yet) as both a Fire Nation citizen who knows their war is wrong, and as Aang’s firebending teacher. Some people watching for the first time might realize this, but many didn’t.

When Zhao hires the pirates to kill Zuko later, we actually worry about him, and are glad to see him alive on Zhao’s ship. When Iroh worries over Zuko going off alone to sneak into the Water Tribe, we’re delighted to see that at least one person actually cares about Zuko and his wellbeing.

We continue to develop sympathy for him during the Siege of the Northern Water Tribe, when Zuko talks to an unconscious Aang about his father’s abusive treatment and blatant favoritism for Zuko’s sister. When the Ocean Spirit grabs Zhao to punish him for killing the Moon Spirit, Zuko actually pulls a hero move by attempting to save his rival, who had long since passed from Total Dick to Irredeemable Asshole.

By the end of Season 1, Zuko and Iroh are on their own, with few supplies, no real plan besides ‘leave enemy territory’, and with an unknown threat about to be unleashed on them, as viewers watch Ozai call Iroh a traitor and Zuko a failure to the newly established villain of Season 2: Zuko’s sister Azula. All of this clues the audience in to the reality that while Zuko was undoubtedly a villain for this season, that may well change in the next one.

[batknightofshadows]

Okay you guys, so I’m awful at making questions, really. 

So I was tagged to that 11 questions meme two times, so what I’m gonna do is answer to the questions asked to me but I won’t make any of my own and tag other people since I literally cannot come up with something I consider “good”.

Onto @meiyanaalexia ‘s questions! (Thank you so much for the tag and I’m sorry again that I literally cannot come up with anything.)

1 – Do you cry easily?

-Well, I cry quite allot. The thing is, I don’t let other people see it. Anything that is slightly emotional can get me in tears though, so, yeah.

2 – Are you easily influenced by other people?

-Not really. I like to gather my facts myself and then I decide whatever I want to do. In fact, when people press me to do something I tend to want to do the opposite just to go against them. xD I’m a rebel at heart.

3 – What did you do of you summer?

-What did I do this summer? The usual stuff. I cussed at how hot it is. I cussed at the fucking mosquitos. I don’t do anything useful with my life, I just seat here... xD I did nothing!

4 – What’s your favorite weather?

-Cold and rainy! It’s so relaxing and inspiring. 

5 – What’s your favorite instrument?

Probably the piano. 

6 – Who’s your closest in real life (or internet) friend?

-I don’t have any close friends. I’m an hermit. I swear... xD

7 – What does it takes to make you angry?

-Not much. I’ve got a quick temper, and whenever I see/hear something annoying I lose my shit. I don’t get too agressive though, I just get grumpy. 

8 – Have any song you hate?

-SO MANY. Some because of the way they sound but others because of the awful message. I can’t remember of any right now though.

9 – What’s your favorite pun?

-I do like puns, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t really have a favourite? I guess I just don’t make a great deal out of them.

10 – Are you an artistic person?

-I did study arts so I think so. xD I’m also a writter and I do consider myself to be at least a bit creative so, yeah. I am also those kind of people that just stare at a view, a sunset or a night sky filled with stars and just contemplate, you know? Our existance, the meaning of everything, etc... I basically think allot about the damned existential crisis. xD Is that artistic or just emo? I cannot tell.

11 – Favorite OST of all time? (or an OST that you can’t stop listening to currently)

-OST is like a soundtrack right? Of movies and tv shows?

Correct me if I’m wrong but I’ve got a few:

Light of the seven - Game of thrones;

House Stark Theme (Or “The North Remembers”) - Game of thrones;

Forbidden Friendship - How to Train Your Dragon;

The Last Agni Kai - Avatar The Last Airbender;

Agni Kai - Avatar The Last Airbender;

Now onto @mikulek04 ‘s questions! (Thanks for the tag as well!)

 1.       do you have any pets? show. me. the. pics. (◕◡◕✿) 

- I do. I have a dog, a black lab, and I’ve already showed you a pic. xD

2.       what is your favourite, most frequently used emoji/emoticon?

- Does “xD” count? As you can see I use it ALLOT. I don’t like those yellow emojis though, I find them annoying as hell.

3.       what food you could never be bored of?

- Hum. Hum... I do get bored of things often. If I keep eating it on a daily basis or something I will for sure get bored of it. However, my mom’s roasts are pretty good, I have one every Sunday.

4.       what’s your fav type of music? convince me with one song how cool it is.

- Ehh. I like almost everything. xD Here’s one of the style of music I’ve been listening to currently: Starset - Monster. (I’d say Let It Die but you’ve already looked it up due to the other question meme.)

5.       do you like tag games? would you like to be tagged in the future?

- YAS BUT I’M AWFUL AT COMING UP WITH QUESTION OF MY OWN I’M SO SORRY.

6.       how many plushies do you have? is any of them really special to you?

- I have some from my childhood but they’re not really that important to me? I guess my favourite is one that my godfather (and uncle, he’s also my uncle) gave me when I was a child. It’s a husky. Reminds me of my old dog, who meant quite allot to me. 

7.       at what subject you were the best in school?

- Arts and Science.

8.       what do you treasure?

- Kindness, good morals. It’s what I treasure. It’s the most valuable thing in the world: Good people with good morals and beliefs. We lack of that, sadly.

9.       if you could arrange your room however you want, how would it look like? in other words, what is your dream room?

- WELL. *cracks my hands*. I love modern styled rooms. I also love the city, so it would have to be in an apartment. I’d like to have nice big window panels, that go from the ceiling to the floor. Then A bed, a morden one, maybe a regular wooden headboard? And black bed covers. A black rug on the side. White walls, wood floor, some plants to give some life to it. Basically an atmospheric place so I can brood. xD

10.   what is your biggest dream?

- Oh man, I don’t have much dreams. They’ve all been crushed by the sad, cruel reality. xD  I do have a huge one but I’d rather not talk about it here since it’s kinda private?

11.   what could you talk about all day?

V O L T R O N. Also about K/ance. (I don’t want this post to be on the ship’s tag though, that’s why I used the / xD) Someone save me from this show and this damned amazing ship that is my current biggest OTP of all time. I suffer because of it every day. xD

Thanks again! And also sorry!

[seyaryminamoto]

While I agree that I would've loved to see Zuko and Azula get along more, and I still do want that, but honestly, I don't think that anyone will disagree that Azula's behavior was far worse when she got older. This isn't me ripping on her, because I really do love her, but Ozai corrupted almost any good that she had in her. At that point in time, I agreed with Iroh. She needed to go down. I still have some hope for her redemption, but she was a danger, and needed to be stopped at that time.

PSA: THIS IS A RANT THAT CRITICIZES FANDOM BELOVED CHARACTERS. NOT BECAUSE I’M RANTING ABOUT IT DOES IT MEAN YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO LOVE THEM. THIS IS NOT A BLOG FOR PROMOTION OF NON-PROBLEMATIC CONTENT, NEVER HAS BEEN NEVER WILL BE. I AM NOT PRETENDING MY FAVES ARE BETTER HUMAN BEINGS THAN YOURS. OKAY? OKAY. CARRY ON.

… Actually, I think literally everyone I know disagrees? o_O

I mean, it’s 11-year-old Azula who celebrates Zuko getting burned (for whatever her reasons, it’s very debated, as you might know). 14-year-old Azula doesn’t thrive in Zuko’s pain until her breakdown, which I THINK everyone acknowledges as her not-normal status, where she basically wants revenge for Zuko “stealing” everything she thought was rightfully hers. So, in regards of “basking in suffering”? There’s literally no solid evidence for it when she’s older, which is why everyone uses the Agni Kai as evidence to call her a sadist and then have no other examples for it. Azula has lots of chances to put people through worlds of pain if she feels like it, but she never takes them. Even after taking Zuko captive in the Crossroads of Destiny, she inflicts ZERO damage on him. So? Is she really worse at 14 than she was at 11?

Throughout Book 2 she tries to capture Zuko and Iroh, never kill them. Back when she was 9, she was amused by the idea of Zuko getting adopted by an Earth Kingdom family while at 14 she’s offering him the chance to come home. I’d think there’s a difference, and not quite a negative one. Even if “the redemption she offered was not for him”, it’s still Azula giving Zuko a chance to return to his family and homeland, as fucked-up a family as it may be, instead of thinking it’s hella fun for Zuko to live like a peasant and be cut off from his family and everything he knows. Again, I don’t see how she’s worse at 14.

Though I’ll say, just in case, that if you’re one of those people who think she could see the future and somehow predicted that Aang wouldn’t die because Katara had magic water (for the billionth time, she had no realistic way of knowing this, and this is the only reason why she could have suspected Aang would survive because it’s the only reason why Zuko suspected it in the first place), if you think that she planned everything ahead long before the turtle-duck pond scene, then I don’t think we’ll see eye to eye in many regards, if any at all…

If you’re also thinking about how she burns Iroh in The Chase, as most her actions in Books 2 and 3, she was doing it for a purpose. She needed to escape, Iroh’s the one that got distracted. If anyone else had been distracted instead, she would have gone for them instead, I’m sure of it.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, BECAUSE I JUST KNOW IT WENT FORGOTTEN:

Iroh escaped violently too back in Book 1 from a group of Earth Kingdom soldiers who had rightfully taken him prisoner when he had his guard down. I don’t see the difference between either situation. If Iroh and Zuko get to team up, burn and crush five Earth Kingdom men (who may just have had good reasons to despise Iroh for his siege to Ba Sing Se, just like Iroh and Zuko had good reasons to run away from Azula), why the heck is it such a horrible crime when Azula did it? Is it because she did it to a named, beloved character but when Iroh did it, it was to a random Earth Kingdom soldier?

Just to remind you, since this is an old episode people tend to forget, at one point Iroh even set up a trap so a soldier would “tighten his shackles”, overheated his left shackle and burned the guy’s hand, AND KEPT HIS HAND PRESSED TO THE SHACKLE, BTW, to make sure he got burned! Afterwards, shoots a lot of fire at an ostrich horse so he can cause a distraction and escape, but he fails anyways and that’s when the soldiers decide he’s too dangerous as he is. Now, how is his course of action any different from what Azula did to him and to the Gaang? How aren’t we having discussions on how awful Iroh’s actions are, but this is ALWAYS an argument people bring up to say Azula is awful…?

My opinion? We should start measuring characters with the same scale, same measure tape. If this is something we forgive of Iroh’s, then it makes no sense for it to be something we can’t forgive of Azula’s. All it really means is people are less willing to forgive her than they are to forgive him.

After all this evidence, I don’t think she got any worse with age, nor do I think that at 14 she’s a worse person than a lot of people the Gaang met. I mean, I really don’t know where you’re getting that idea about her being worse when she’s older… I mean, what, she’s better at manipulation? She’s more efficient about the things she does? She’s more goal-oriented? 9yo Azula literally talks about her grandfather and uncle dying as casually as can be, I see no such behavior in 14yo Azula until her breakdown, which is the only point where she starts wanting Zuko dead (given how frustrated Zuko is when Azula doesn’t plummet to death, though, I don’t think she’s the only one who wanted to be an only child).

Long story short, Anon, I see no excuse for Iroh’s comment. Especially when you see him dismissing and treating Azula as less important than Zuko from as early as in picking out presents for his niece and nephew. I see no excuse for Iroh trying to spare his own potentially conflicted feelings when it comes to fighting his own brother, who is WORSE than Azula, while having groomed Zuko perfectly into being ready to fight his sister 24/7. 

She was a hazard and needs to be stopped is an argument I’ve seen used countless times to justify Iroh and Zuko being merciless towards her, btw. May I remind you, though… both Zuko and Iroh end up as her prisoners at different points in time. Then she takes them home, mission accomplished. That’s it. That’s what she did to them at the time. That’s what her threat amounted to. Zuko goes unharmed altogether. Iroh gets treated worse by the creep-ass Warden than he does by Azula. So, she was a hazard? She was a problem? She needed to be stopped? Uh, let me translate that: she was their foil, she was on a mission that they needed to keep her from fulfilling. Just as Azula was a danger to them, Zuko was a danger to Aang in Book 1 (and still part of Book 2). Why doesn’t anyone ever claim he needs to be stopped, that he’s a menace, that he’s a terrible person for all that? It doesn’t happen in-story, ever. When Katara is being super distrustful of him in Book 3, she’s framed as in the wrong about him and takes aaaaaaaaaaall of it back before long. So, why the double standard? Is it because Zuko’s not as effective as his sister? Because his persistence is apparently a good trait, but in Azula it’s the mark of evil?

Really, stop to look at Azula’s POV for a while. Watch the show from where she’s standing. Literally, her every action from Book 2 to 3 (until her breakdown) has a reason, she doesn’t do anything for free. Even her threat to Ty Lee, horrible as it was, came from her deciding to change her tactics and settling on Ty Lee and Mai as her new companions. It proves she’s not going to stop at anything, yes, but she had a purpose. Ty Lee would have stayed happy, unthreatened, in her circus, if only Ozai didn’t tell Azula to find and bring Iroh and Zuko home. It’s because of her mission that Azula drags her out of there. EVERYTHING she does is because of the mission in Book 2. By Book 3, it’s about keeping the Fire Nation on top, and about defeating the threats against it. She literally lets the Gaang get away when she could have chased after them on that blimp she was on at the end of the episode, maybe attacked them from it (especially since Appa was carrying too many people and wouldn’t fly too far like that). She chooses not to, because the battle is over. She won. Why would she need to do anything else? 

Also, literally none of the adults who were taken prisoners look harmed, so the Fire Nation didn’t treat them poorly. Hell, Hakoda is HEALED from his injury when we see him again in the Boiling Rock. Sooooo, how damn horrible it is to lose against Azula, isn’t it? Who has EVER seen a more dangerous villain?!?!?! I mean, ffs, let’s be objective here, shall we? Zhao was way worse to Zuko and to his prisoners than Azula was. Long Feng was a literal brainwasher. By violence measurements and cruelty, she’s a n00b compared to them.

Long story short, if the problem is Azula is too effective a villain without that much violence, and that’s why she has to stop, well, it ain’t her fault her enemies aren’t as competent as she is. I don’t see how she’s morally worse than anyone else they fought, tbh she’s not, because she does offer Zuko kindness plenty of times. Yet she gets treated like the biggest problem ever by the characters and fandom alike.

And really, I think we both got extremely sidetracked from the point of the post that caused you to send this ask. Point is, Iroh doesn’t want Zuko and Azula getting along. Iroh doesn’t ever consider that maybe he can guide Azula into a better path if it was possible with Zuko. Iroh doesn’t ever think that maybe he can help her get out of Ozai’s influence. To him, she’s a lost case, and worse than that, she’s barely family (NEVER does he refer to her as such). To him, she’s the biggest rival he ever faces in the show because, as the show proved, Azula can make Zuko drift away from him. So, Mr. Nice Wise Guy never tried to get along with his niece and basically marked her as unforgivable for as long as she was a threat to his influence on Zuko. Ursa was a nasty mother to Azula and we literally have no proof of her loving Azula, but she didn’t want her children to be enemies. Ozai and Iroh literally turn Azula and Zuko against each other. Can we just accept that Iroh isn’t all that blameless? Why do we need to excuse him and pretend he had every right to behave like this 14yo girl was Vaatu incarnate when the show itself proves she’s NOT?

Seriously though. Iroh is not perfect. What’s so hard about admitting this? Why can’t we accept that he’s not all wisdom? That he never tried to help Azula? That he never wanted Zuko and Azula to get along? That he literally was counting on breaking Zuko away from his other relatives so he’d come to him, and him alone? I’m not saying that Azula and Ozai were good influences on Zuko, because they weren’t, but Zuko used to care about his father. He used to think he should get along with his sister. 

Wouldn’t it be EXTRA meaningful if Zuko had still felt that it was somehow wrong to fight his family, even though he knew it was the only thing he could do, instead of being murder-happy towards Aang while telling him his father HAD TO DIE? Wouldn’t it be better if Iroh had actually tried to reach Azula, but she just swatted him off because she’s not interested in what he’s selling? Wouldn’t it mean something huge for his character if Zuko’s attempt to reconnect with the good in his family had actually meant reconnecting his family to GOODNESS, instead of just worrying about his personal needs during The Search, WHICH IS ALL HE DID???

No. Instead, we get both Zuko and Iroh concluding that their respective siblings need to be ended. If you find nothing worth complaining about in those regards, that’s your problem, but I don’t have to like it. And I don’t have to think they’re heroic or right to think the way they do. Azula is no angel, neither are they. Zuko would be a far more moving character for me if he actually had shown he gave a damn about his sister, but he NEVER DID. 

Because really, every single time you see those asks going around? It’s “Do you guys REALLY think Azula cared about Zuko?” Ask yourself if Big Brother Zuzu cared about Azula instead, for a change. And FYI, if you conclude that he didn’t love her at all, that doesn’t mean you can’t love him. You can. Just, be aware of the fact that he’s no beacon of perfect goodness, that he’s got a lot of areas to improve on, and just like him, Iroh does. I find it beyond unfair that a man who literally redeemed himself at well past 50 years of age decided that his teenage niece is beyond saving. 

So, anon, be objective, don’t look at things from Iroh’s POV but from a neutral one, by understanding everyone’s motivations, and tell me that Iroh wouldn’t look like a way better human being if he just gave a shit about the family members he’s estranged from, while they don’t care about him at all. Literally, it’d be the perfect way to show why Iroh is the morally correct one. You want me to tell you the hard truth as to why this is so hard to accept for most fans? It’s only because of how morally incorrect his behavior is that people keep refusing to admit Iroh was wrong in how he handled Azula and her relationship with Zuko.