#and zutara does that beautifully

[burst-of-iridescent]

people who say zutara can't be canon because "they only became friends in the last five episodes!" irritate me so much like my dude are we watching the same show? zuko and katara’s arcs mirror each other from book 1, they share parallel after parallel and have layers upon layers of symbolism, their backgrounds and personalities and morals are so similar that we the audience can see how compatible they are and how well they would understand each other even without explicit interaction between them, so that by the time the southern raiders rolls around, it simply serves as proof of what we already know about zutara.

tsr, eip and sozin's comet are, narratively speaking, the culmination of zuko and katara’s arc together, not the beginning! they're the fruit that’s borne from the seeds that were sowed since the very first season, and naturally viewers would pick up on that! of course people who love these two characters would see the connection between them and the similarities they share and the thematic significance of their relationship, and then the show itself validates this audience interpretation in the catacombs, in tsr, in the finale! that’s what zk shippers mean when we say that zuko and katara were meant to be together, because their relationship is threaded so deeply into their own personal narratives and that of the show overall that they don’t even need a lot of screentime together for the audience to know that a) they would be a good couple and b) the direction of the story was naturally leading to a romance between them.

zuko and katara’s relationship extends above and beyond their moments of direct interaction, so that their scenes together after they become friends are really just the payoff for the buildup of the past three seasons - because the narrative foundation for zutara was laid all the way back in book 1, not in the southern raiders or any of the episodes that followed.

[halfhoursonearth-writes]

Can you recommend fanfiction that you personally really like?

Yes! Love this ask. I’ve never made a Zutara fic rec list partially because I’ve read so many wonderful stories over time that I find the prospect daunting! 

But there are absolutely certain stories that I have a personal soft spot for, that I return to again and again. And that’s my criteria for what’s included below. This is a sampling of fics that I find myself coming back to, in no particular order. I may come back and add more, because this list is so far from exhaustive. A mix of ratings (marked), so keep that in mind.

Wish I Was the Moon by Like a Dove (T), post-canon: There’s so much that I love about the way this one-shot explores Katara’s character and what she faces post-canon, how she frees herself, strikes out in the world and finds her way home. Her feelings for Zuko, and her inner-conflict around them, are rendered tangibly, both through scene and subtext. A really good example of how an author can show a character’s lack of/journey to self-knowledge without breaking voice.

Refraction by caroes3725 (E), post-canon: When I started reading Zutara fanfic (for me this was in 2020), this was the fic I was looking for—a deep, realistic-to-canon, in-character exploration of how Zutara could unfold after the events of ATLA in a way that gives Katara in particular the arc she deserves. Really well-done development of the Fire Nation court world, well-developed characters, shining dialogue. An amazingly well-worth-it slow burn.

Wildfire by rainstormdragon (E), post-canon: To me this story is kind of a steamy Zutara thesis. The characters are so spot on and alive, their flaws are on full display in a way that feels realistic, and their chemistry is powered by their compatibility—matched in passion and stubbornness, and also in what they want from life. And I think it really gets Aang, too, which is something that can be hard to find in ZK fic. Also really hot, but that's only part of what makes it really shine.

Partners in Learning by evergreenonthehorizon (T), Modern AU: One of the things I love in modern AUs is watching an author weave that invisible string between these characters. Sometimes, it’s by writing narrative arcs that parallel the series, and sometimes it’s by drawing out the personality traits that make the characters both lovable to readers and such a compelling match and watching that spark bloom into flame. This beautifully written story does that so, so well in a really compelling Modern AU setting. Zuko and Katara here are so wonderfully lovable, and it’s a joy to watch them fall for one another, too.

Journeys by Smediterranea (E), Modern AU: In real life, I want to see my friends in relationships with people who can recognize why they’re so particularly amazing. That potential, I think, part of the appeal of ZK as a ship, and that’s part of the special magic of this fic. Watching these two characters get to know one another—really see one another—and fall in love deliciously sweeps the reader up. Plus, really fun, in character cameos from the rest of the Gaang along the way.

Spark, set fire by marijayne (T), Modern AU: literary fanfic, and I mean that in the best way. This story is beautiful and bittersweet, the latter is not often something I seek out in fanfic (where I hide from life), but here it’s gorgeous and worth it. The world building here is really cool—allows the author to explore some of a set of cultural issues/interactions that both echo the ATLA world and ours. The characters are so tenderly drawn (dadko especially)—and the connection between them builds beautifully and tangibly—and the longing is…chef’s kiss. 

Wrong when it's right by nire (T), Book 1 Canon Divergence: Before I read this, I couldn't imagine wanting to read a Book 1 Zutara. After, I wanted more. Bickering, bed-roll sharing, shared heat, tenderness and common ground. A delight from start to finish.

Anyway, thanks for asking and happy reading! <3 And if you want more recs, let me know.

[the-badger-mole]

But FWIENDSHIP!!!! 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

Okay, so you all know how I get when something gets stuck in my head, but yesterday I saw a post talking about how Katara and Zuko's potential romance messes with their friendship, and I don't understand how, but that's beside the point. This is an anti-Kataang post.

I will once again admit that I don't spend a ton of time in Kataang/anti-Zutara spaces (cause I'm respectful like that), but every so often, I see one of those takes pop up in my safe area (because respect isn't always a two way street, unfortunately). It's interesting to see how many times this take seems to crop up. Katara and Zuko falling in love would ruin their friendship, yet those same people fail to acknowledge that Bryke went ahead and ruined their friendship anyway out of jealousy. These same people also tend to hold Kataang as a prime example of Friends to Lovers, the only problem is, Aang isn't Katara's friend at any point.

Throughout the series, it's made very clear that Aang likes Katara, but for most of the series (until literally the last few seconds, in fact) it's also clear that Katara only sees him as a friend. This should have been an object lesson that sometimes crushes don't work out, but friendship can be stronger than temporarily disappointed feelings. However, that's not what we get. Aang doesn't care about Katara's friendship. He doesn't want Katara in his life unless it's in a romantic capacity. We see it in how he reacts when he feels romantically rejected (lava fissure, EIP). The narrative doesn't give Katara any space to say no to Aang without it permanently damaging their relationship, because they never had the relationship Katara thought they did. Katara thought she was Aang's friend, but for Aang, their 'friendship' was just a precursor to romance. In this, the year 2023, I know we all understand why this is a problem.

Aang can't even conceive of a world where Katara does turn him down. He dreams about her enthusiastic response to his declaration of love; he assumes that since they kissed he kissed her and staked his claim, they should be together, despite there never being any sort of conversation, and the fact that the one time he did try to talk about it, she changed the subject very quickly. Katara's feelings are an afterthought for Aang, which is terrible for any relationship, but particularly in a romantic one. There is never a moment where Aang puts Katara's emotional needs ahead of his own. He never puts a value on her platonic friendship. There's never a moment where he decides that despite his feelings for her, having Katara in his life as a friend is better than not having her at all. That moment should have happened regardless of whether they ended up together or not, because friendship is the most important component of the Friends to Lovers trope.

By comparison, the friendship Katara eventually forms with Zuko is much deeper, and based on a mutual respect, understanding and emotional support for each other. This is a fantastic foundation for a romance, although bafflingly, people who laud Katara and Zuko's deep friendship don't seem to agree. Them potentially falling in love doesn't cheapen their friendship because they actually were friends first. On top of that, their Enemies to Friends journey ending romantically would not only not cheapen their friendship, it would tie into the themes of the show beautifully (the illusion of separation; love being stronger than hate; learning to respect other people's differences etc).

Let's be real, what Kataang actually represents is The Hero Gets the Girl, and I think deep down we all know that, even the ones calling it Friends to Lovers. In the Hero Gets the Girl trope, the Girl in question doesn't really matter. She's less of a romantic partner and more a prize for the Hero saving the day. Her emotional journey to falling for the Hero mostly plays out off screen, even though she may not have even liked the Hero like that initially, and the hero doesn't ever show that he respects her as a person. For the most part it works (arguably) because the Girl isn't a character in her own right, she's just part of the Hero's story. The reason it doesn't work with Kataang is that Katara is a character. She does have her own journey, and as passionate and outspoken as she is in pretty much every other aspect of her life, it doesn't make sense for her journey to falling for Aang takes place largely off screen. Not unless you understand how little Katara's feelings matter to their relationship. Had Katara actually rejected Aang, their friendship would have ended because Aang was never interested in her friendship.

It's interesting to me to see people who claim to value friendship over romance spend more time complaining about a romance that isn't canon over the actual canon ship that really does cheapen the friendship. But then again, I guess that was never the problem in the first place.

[friedchickenluver]

cw: atla rant

honestly dni w me if u support/tolerate any type of zuko slander/hate/bashing and this is just an in general thing. i really hate it when i go to social media of any kind expecting to enjoy my favorite characters and end up with very distorted/biased views on him.

I love Zuko as a character, he is so complex, and beautifully written as an individual, and I could go on and on all day about him. I’m no shipper of “zukka” “maiko” “zutara” or “zukaang”, and I think it’s honestly wild at how this fanbase is so obsessed with who zuko ends up with, like it has to be some form of projection at this point.

Zuko isn’t ugly or any less attractive because of his scar. Zuko isn’t a terrible firebender, and will somehow never get better at it. Zuko gave life a second chance and proved that anyone truly can change despite their past. Zuko is interesting and valid. Zuko does love his sister, and Azula loves him. Just because he is so often advertised, doesn’t mean he’s any less valid in his abuse or his arc as an individual. Zuko does fuck up, and he always will because that’s what humans do. At the end of the day, Zuko still is just as much as a child like any of the other main characters are and doesn’t deserve to be treated like he’s a full ass adult and understands everything about and in life. Zuko is popular but not overrated.

like im so tired of trying to say this, yes atla is deep, but some opinions on here are just plain fucking stupid and delusional. people cant go one second without degrading another good character when defending a more “underrated” one. It’s a phenomenon that happens with zuko and azula, they both deserve to be happy, but some azula stans make it seem like it was zuko’s fault for everything. or they just bluntly say zuko is nothing compared to her, or how they couldn’t live as normal siblings once more when she redeems herself.

l check accounts, and if i see that u support any of this, u WILL be blocked. I’m serious about this. This blog is a safe space for atla/LOK characters of all. Except ozai.

[juniperhillpatient]

The Western Air Temple Re-watch

This section of Book 3 is possibly my favorite section of the show because we get to see Zuko as a good guy interacting with the Gaang, which sparks so much joy for me. I'm just gonna be bitter about just one thing really quick - the reason Smellberee & Longshot (some of the most interesting side characters the Gaang has interacted with) aren't there is 100% because if they were the show would have no choice but to acknowledge Jet's death. So like, fuck the writers for that one. Ok, (most of) the rest of what I have to say is positive actually!

I'm gonna say that Aang's determination to distract himself & go play with the other kids is TOTALLY understandable & it makes so much sense with his trauma around trying to learn fire-bending & the pressure he's under - he's still just a kid, of course, he's gonna wanna run & play - BUT it still gets on my nerves, personally. Just because like...Ugh, Katara ALWAYS has to be the responsible one pushing Aang to do what's right & it's really not fair to her.

Zuko's redemption arc & decision to join the Gaang continues to be impressive & it absolutely deserves to be held up as a strong example of a redemption arc & just a beautifully well-written character arc. I already made a separate post about how emo I am about Zuko in this episode but like.....I fucking love Zuko ok, he is just very special to me.

I thought that Zuko rehearsing his little speech to join the Gaang to a frog was so adorable & he says he's not good at impersonations but you know, I think he's pretty decent at them. Also, it's cute that he still says "what would Azula do?" to himself here. Even though they're enemies again, I think he still admires his sister a lot (& definitely continues to put her on an unrealistic pedestal of untouchable perfection, but that's its own rabbit hole, right now we're just talking about a cute funny moment.)

[id: Zuko smiling & holding up a hand in greeting. end id]

Yeah, tbh, my next couple of re-watch posts are.... probably mostly just going to be me gushing about how much I love Zuko, okay lol

Toph getting her feet burned was pretty sad, but I don't think either Toph or Zuko was to blame here, it was just a well-written misunderstanding/interaction, & Toph was still honest with the Gaang that it was an accident even though she had to drag herself back to camp which - oof. I loved how fast Toph was to advocate for Zuko. I think that this has to do with her not being around when he was the Big Bad but I think it's more than that. I feel like Toph is a very pragmatic & realistic character. She knows that Zuko is being honest, she knows that Aang needs a fire-bending teacher. To her, it's obvious what the solution is regardless of past hurt.

Sokka just cracked me up in this episode & his awkward interactions with Zuko were funny. Zukka rights I suppose.

Katara's scene with Zuko at the end was SO good. Katara does not fuck around at all, & her continued mistrust of Zuko is obviously 100% understandable. I also love that for Katara, this is very personal. She trusted Zuko & he betrayed HER. This isn't just about being military enemies, Katara feels personally wronged by Zuko - & she has every right to. I just loved that scene between them. And... if I was ever going to say Zutara rights, this little era of the show is when I'd say it. It's one of those "ok it's still not my thing but I get y'all" things lol - like ok, the tension of betrayal & hesitance about the new trust thing is kinda fun. For me personally, it's just as fun as the tension between 2 platonic (soon-to-be) friends though.

Anyway, this was a delightful episode & I'm very excited Zuko is now part of the Gaang - even if he has a ways to go to gain their trust! Excellent episode 10/10.

Oh, I almost forgot about iconic behavior points. Zuko gets +100 for his little impressions. Toph gets +100 for crawling on her goddamn hands back to camp & STILL advocating for Zuko. Zuko gets another +500 for helping defeat the assassin that he hired, I thought that made a lot of narrative sense & was the perfect dramatic way for him to prove himself. Katara gets +500 for her speech to Zuko at the end.

[whattheheehaw]

"Zutara is a valid ship no matter what antis say" and "If you say Zutara is fanon, you're wrong" are two entirely different statements, and I think it’s important that a distinction is made between them. Just because Zutara is fanon does not mean that it is an invalid ship. However, that does not mean Zutara is canon.

Yes, people can view fan works as canon, but they cannot force their interpretations and opinions of these fan works onto others. Behavior like this can actually end up driving some people away from fandom. Like, you hear Kataang and Maiko shippers complain about "canon Zutara shippers" and I can understand that. When you have people actively making posts about "Zutara is canon" when in reality, it is not, it does send the message that some members of the Zutara fandom are "delusional". Just because you consider fan work as canon, does not mean that Zutara—in the context of the show—is canon.

Canon does not necessarily mean that something is valid, and I think a lot of people would benefit from being reminded of that fact.

[pineapple-frenzy]

Here’s my piece for @officialzutaraminibang for the fic Hopeful Things

This is one of my favorite scenes among so many others. I hope this little comic encourages you to read the whole fic cause it really is amazing and so beautifully written! It was so fun to be a part of this project and working on this piece!

Summary: Katara grows up believing in a lot of things. She believes that the death of her grandmother does not mean the death of the last Southern waterbender. She believes the message that the red-armored soldiers bring to her doorstep: That the Fire Nation is evil.

There are other things she believes in, too. Happy things. Hopeful things. She believes that Aang will save the world and that Sokka has a braver heart than any other warrior in their tribe. She believes that she has the courage and spirit to fight and enact real change in the world. And, perhaps most flippantly, Katara believes in soulmates.

She also wholeheartedly believes that Zuko is not her soulmate––almost as wholeheartedly as he doesn’t believe in the concept at all.

[Image Description: A seven page black and white comic depicting the first scene of Part 2 from the Zutara fic Hopeful Things.]

[kaligraphy]

fun fact: I accidentally stayed up until it was almost 3 AM rebuilding my zutara sims' house again (and i didn't even finish suwhesnwhwuks)

ANYWAY since there was so much of yue trying to push zutara together from the spirit world, I wish to add on this: katara refuses to even acknowledge the festering crush she has because it absolutely does not exist and for a moment, she believes she finally got over it (maybe it was tied to her being able to forgive zuko and figure out her conflicted feelings)...

until she happens to come across zuko practicing his bending and the ethereal, cool moonlight is shining upon his skin so beautifully and his fire a complementing warm glow

katara could practically hear yue's little giggles as she ran to her new bedroom, her face burning bright red

[linnoya-writes]

Zutara- teenage butterflies and slowburn intimacy

One of the biggest reasons why I adore Zutara so much is that you get to see these two most mature kids in the show finally experience the awkwardness of  being teenagers with tiny butterflies in their stomachs as they get to know each other as friends, finding themselves becoming more attracted to the other.

Of course, there’s all that emotional baggage from their previous encounters in Book 1 and Book 2, being on opposing sides, but if we imagine Zuko and Katara after “The Southern Raiders,” after they hug (tightly!) and are able to comfortably hang out and poke fun at each other’s quirks... and also teaming up as the roles of “mom and dad” to the group... the gradual shift between two friends’ innocent teasing to downright flirtation would be so beautifully valid and credible.

Considering Zuko is the more guarded one of the two, and isn’t as vocal about his feelings or physically affectionate as Katara, the development of their intimate moments before Sozin’s Comet would be such a “slowburn” but so ridiculously heartwarming. 

Examples:

-Zuko “rises with the sun” and is already in the kitchen preparing tea when Katara shows up to prepare breakfast. It’s his way of saying that he wants to help her in all the tasks she usually does as the “mom” of the team.

-Zuko helps hang up laundry every morning, but does a poor job at it (as he’s not used to chores). Katara lets her hands brush over his while she shows him how to properly clip the fabrics onto the lining.  

-Katara asks Zuko if he could train her in dao swords, as she feels it would be useful to learn non-bending combat.  Zuko gives her his swords to practice with, and hesitates as his body stands close behind her to demonstrate the proper stance.

-When everyone decides to have a beach party on Ember Island, Zuko plays the serious adult who doesn’t have time for fun.  When Katara approaches him, Zuko admits he feels self-conscious about removing clothes, as he is only used to it in front of his sister/Mai/TyLee or for bending/training purposes.  Katara encourages him to join the fun, and it’s only when he sees her swimming and laughing that Zuko feels compelled to jump into the water.

-Sokka and Suki encourage Zuko and Katara to get the groceries in the town center for once, rather than work around the beach house.  They get the food supplies pretty quickly and spend a good amount of the afternoon walking around the market, Zuko talking about typical FN cuisine and memories of Ember Island... even extending an arm to Katara (as if they were a couple) to hold off any suspicious eyes from people around them.

-Zuko meditates in the evenings on the beach house roof and Katara is compelled to finally learn to meditate and sits right next to him... so as to have some peace and quiet before the group meets together dinner. 

-Katara waterbends out in the water late into the evening, and Zuko, despite always feeling ready to call it a night after dinner... can’t help but stick around to watch her bend.  One night he is bold enough to approach her and ask if she would like to spar, and this becomes their evening, after-dinner ritual.

-As he goes on a morning walk before breakfast, Zuko finds a seashell on the beach.  He hesitates but picks it up, and hands it to Katara when they meet to prepare breakfast.  She smiles and thanks him for the lovely gift.  Zuko blinks, and his face softens.  He ends up finding a few other seashells for her on his morning walks, and she decoratively places them along the railing of the beach house balcony.

-One day, while Aang is being trained by Toph, and Zuko is practicing his fire bending alone, Katara goes on a short hike with Sokka and Suki to talk about the Comet Battle plan and see the surrounding areas of the beach house. They stumble on some golden hibiscus flowers, and Sokka has no problem picking a few of them for Suki.  While they have a moment, Katara picks one for herself, placing it on her left ear as an accessory.  By the time they all return to the beach house, she brings the flower over to Zuko... saying she found this pretty flower that matched his eyes.  When she hands it to him, Zuko sweetly says “typically, it’s the guy who gives flowers to the girl,” and Katara shrugs, saying “well, we don’t really see flowers in the SWT, so I wouldn’t have known.” She offers it to him again, and Zuko receives it gently, and when she kisses him on the cheek, he carefully leans into it.

-On the last few days leading up to the Comet, they find themselves going on morning walks along the beach, or afternoon hikes after lunch, or doing chores together without necessarily having to do them together (but things get done faster with two people).  They talk more and more about things unrelated to the Comet Battle-- their favorite foods, embarrassing childhood stories, things they’ve seen from their world-travelling... things they’re hoping to see in the world once the war is over.  There’s a slight heaviness in the air, though, because it’s become clear that whatever they’ve started to feel is strange, and good, and beautiful, and yet dangerous in the context of the battle they’re preparing for.  Quietly, they choose to maintain their boundaries, but their eyes remain soft to one another.

-At some point in these little moments, they find their hands brushing at the fingers as they walk, and the butterflies in their stomach begin to flutter.  Whenever they part, Katara places a hand on his shoulder, but it gradually moves down to his upper arm.  Zuko doesn’t flinch, despite the nerves being there, and finally... one night, he finds the courage to lift a hand to bring one of Katara’s hair loops behind her ear.  And the butterflies take flight.  And it’s hard to pinpoint when exactly the hand-holding begins, but it does.  It just does.  And it practically becomes a second-nature to them... something they don’t even realize they’re doing until Suki notices them returning from a walk together one night, and they quickly break apart.  They blush, and Katara starts blabbering something like the cold night giving her cold hands... but Suki just grins and says nothing (for the sake of privacy).

-When Aang storms off from the group regarding the killing of the Fire Lord, Katara is compelled to go after him, but she is held back by Zuko, like “dad” telling “mom” that this kid is old enough to sort this inner conflict on his own.  It’s after that moment when they finally stand in front of the balcony railing (all the seashells still on there) and talk about Aang like he’s their son, choosing to worry about him and be afraid for him together.  Katara finds herself leaning towards Zuko’s frame as they look at the ocean, and Zuko boldly brings a hand to Katara’s shoulder.  Katara finds his other hand at the railing, and their fingers entwine as they stand there, Zuko caressing her shoulder at some point, lightly kissing her hair for comfort.  They hold each other close for the dreadful morning that’s to come with the Comet’s arrival.  

[stark-tony]

today is my 22nd birthday so i’m celebrating by reccing 22 of my favorite fics and giving my general thoughts about them.

atla

 i'm still here by owedbetter (77.7, T, zutara) "You see me."And somehow, that makes all the difference.

thoughts: One of the first zutara fics i ever read and it’s still one of my absolute favorites. The characterization of all of the characters is superb and the gradual development of zuko and katara’s relationship is amazing.

 such selfish prayers by andromeda3116 (47.6k, T, zutara)  Katara's ambition, so long set aside for the good of others, breaks free and sets fire to her soul. Or, Katara has a vision of her canon future, casts it aside, and becomes a world-changing politician instead.

thoughts: while this fic is a zutara fic, the majority of this fic is centered on katara and her helping rebuild the world after the war and it does an astounding job of portraying just that. and honestly this probably has my favorite characterization of katara i’ve ever read in a fic.

 Southern Lights by colourwhirled (501.8k, M, zutara) A world where the Avatar has disappeared from memory. Where Sozin’s Conquest was successful. Where the unsteady order of the empire is threatened as members of the royal family are picked off one by one and lines are slowly drawn in the sand.One last chance for peace forces an unlikely alliance between a homesick waterbender, a carefree Air Nomad, a runaway Earth Kingdom heiress, and the fire lord's inscrutable son. Together they must learn to shed old enmities and become the balance they seek to restore to the world.OR:The avatar has four heads.x[[Chapter 4: "And always, his eyes, cautiously watching her. Even when he thinks she isn’t looking. It drives her mad"]]

thoughts: when i say i was unable to put this fic down i genuinely mean that. like i’m pretty sure i was hooked from the very first chapter and i never looked back.

bnha

  stickers and stars by aloneintherain (1.9k, G, gen) “Aizawa, are you sure I’m the best person for this job? There are a lot more qualified people on campus. People who have been teachers for years, and—”As All Might spoke, Midoriya Izuku crawled the length of the couch, ducked under All Might’s arm, and made himself comfortable on his lap. All Might’s hands rose into the air, as though unsure of what to with his arms now that he had a toddler curled against his stomach like a cat seeking the warmth of its owner.“Um,” All Might said.

thoughts: is it not enough to say ‘baby deku’ and leave it at that?

 Butterfly by aconstantstateofbladerunner (198.8k, T, gen) The first over-night trip off campus since the training camp was supposed to be a fun break from more intense work back home. But between a bleak introduction to chaos theory, a chilly reception from the locals, and the looming threat of a villain attack, Izuku has too much on his mind to properly enjoy the fresh air. But those worries are a light breeze compared to the hurricane that accompanies what he finds on the outskirts of town.Or rather, what finds him.

thoughts: it’s incredibly well written and the horror aspect is so good. also the dad might in it is top tier.

villain eradication plan 5C: let them attack budding heroes mothers, wait appropriate time for mother to defeat them (3.4k, G, toshinko)  Targetting the civilian families of hero students should be cakewalk. Pity they decided to go with Inko first.Or the one where Inko accidentally defeats the League of Villains.

thoughts: this fic is basically inko accidentally being a badass and it’s as hilarious and awesome as it sounds

 see it all in bloom by aloneintherain (57.2k, T,  tododeku, kiribaku, momojirou, bullying) Midoriya looked over the occupants of the room with butter soft eyes. “We should do this again. Seeing everyone in one place … it’s like we’re back in school again.”Todoroki said, “It feels like a family reunion.”(Social media fic, counting down the five months to Class 1-A's ten year reunion.) 

thoughts: this series deals with social media + the lives of class 1a after they become pro heroes and it is amazing.

 remember from here on in by aloneintherain (8.1k, G, gen) Aizawa glances from All Might to Midoriya quickly. It sounds impossible—he’s never heard of a quirk that can be handed down like a family heirloom—but at the same time, it makes perfect sense. Midoriya’s inability to use his quirk at the start of the year. The strange, familial relationship between All Might and Midoriya. The slow malnourishment of All Might’s body, like his power was being siphoned away.“You’re …” Aizawa begins.“I’m All Might’s successor.” Midoriya’s proud but shaky voice rings clearly down the empty corridor.Aizawa finds out about One for All. 

thoughts: this fic deals with one for all being revealed to aizawa + midoriya getting more quirks and it is amazing

could i but teach the hundredth part by terra_incognita (5.2k, G, gen) Ito Matsu knows three things about her neighbor, Mr. Yagi: he's very skinny, he's very kind, and he has enough children to overthrow the Japanese government.Or:All Might is retired, but his former students keep coming up with reasons to visit. 

thoughts: this fic is so lovely and i adore it so much

mcu

 the talk by parkrstark (3.1k, pepperony) “Wait, man, what’re you doin’?” Rhodey asked, leaning forward.“Giving the kid his talk before he goes off to college.” Duh.Rhodey blinked. “At 3am when you’re probably too drunk to even spell your name, months before he actually has to leave?”“Yeah.”Rhodey blinked again. “Okay.”

thoughts: this fic is absolutely hilarious and poor peter is suffering throughout all of it

 call you home by Madelinedear (19k, G, pepperony) sometimes family is who you're born with.and sometimes family is a spider boy, a rich not-dad, and a kickass aunt.(or; tony, may, and peter find a place in each other's lives)

thoughts: to me, this fic is the tony may co-parenting fic. like i honestly don’t think that anything can ever top it

I Never Lived 'Til I Lived In Your Light by losingmymindtonight (38.4k, T, pepperony, character death)  As the world shifts to make space for Morgan Stark, everyone around her shifts, too. (As it turns out, this also includes Peter Parker's sleep schedule.) 

thoughts: this fic is both fluffy goodness and heartwrenching angst and it handles both beautifully.

 Lazarus, come forth by iron_spider (47.9k, T, pepperony) Tony's mind is a chaotic mess but he remembers the moment—remembers his death, remembers the red hot pain and Peter screaming, Rhodey rushing to his side. How he knew he’d never see Pepper again—but they’d fixed it. They’d fixed the world, erased the lost time, set things right—and the kid was back. The kid was crying, the kid hated him for doing what he did, but he was back. He was alive.Tony Stark was dead. But now he’s breathing again, trying to think, gasping, hands tracing the box surrounding him, covering him, suffocating him.He’s in a coffin. He’s under the ground. He’s under the fucking ground.(Tony Stark dies defeating Thanos. But then he comes back to life. He has to find out how, why, and how to live again. And how to deal with the changes in the people he's coming back to.)

thoughts: although this fic was written and finished pre-endgame but to me this fic is the fix-it fic for film.

Identity Saga by KitCat992 (400.7k, T, pepperony) An organically developed, platonic slow-burn of Avengers-fam dynamic with a heavy hand of Irondad & Spiderson. Throw in an overdose of whump, a couple of cunning villains and a big-bad hiding in the shadows, and you got yourself this hot mess.

thoughts: i just love the avengers dynamic in this series and the whump is medically accurate which is amazing.

college applications: the biggest meme by sagemb (3.3k, T, pepperony) Tony covered his face with both hands and screamed very gently. “Can I just bribe the school to let Peter in?"

thoughts: this series is absolutely hilarious and i love it

hp  

 The Changeling + Armistice Series  by Annerb (586.6k, M, hinny, rape) Ginny is sorted into Slytherin. It takes her seven years to figure out why.

thoughts: this fic is absolutely golden and i adore it so so much. the characters are so well written and the worldbuilding in this fic is fantastic and it actually has an original aspect of hogwarts (aka the parlor) that i practially consider to be canon at this point. also the depiction of slytherin house + house unity in this fic is just *chef’s kiss*

 boy with a scar by dirgewithoutmusic (208.7k, T, hinny, romione, jily)  A series of "what if" rewrites of Harry Potter, books 1-7. Cross-posted from tumblr (ink-splotch).

thoughts: every single one of these fics are exquisitely written and i wish that i could experience the beauty of this series again for the very first time.

  Hogwarts, to welcome you home by gedsparrowhawk (FaceChanger) (11.1k, G, ginny) “You understand, Professor,” Harry began, after a moment, “that I don’t have my N.E.W.T.s. I never even finished seventh year. Between everything, I never had a chance the first time around, and then afterwards there didn’t seem to be much point. Hermione argued for it, of course, but I was so tired of Britain. So technically, I am completely unqualified for the position.”“Quite a way to begin an interview, Mr. Potter,” McGonagall said, dryly.Or, three years after the war, Harry Potter becomes Hogwarts' newest Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

thoughts: this is my favorite harry as dada professor i’ve ever read. no doubt about it

 And the Unethical Binding Contract by justafandomfollower (14.6k, G, gen) AU. What if the Triwizard Tournament took place in Harry's first year, not his fourth? 

thoughts: this fic is beautifully written and i love the relationship that forms between harry, cedric, krum, and fleur.

Regulus Black and the Way Things Changed: A Not!Fic by imaginary_golux (8.8k, T, wolfstar) What if Regulus Black, and not Severus Snape, ended up being the turncoat Potions Master of Hogwarts?A not!fic written in bullet points, ignoring the Deathly Hallows entirely because they annoy me.Beta by my immensely patient Best Beloved, Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw, and by the delightful starbirdrampant.

thoughts: this fic may be ooc at some points but it’s so funny that that makes up for it

spn

 Broadway Musical by Griftings (12.5k, M, destiel) This is the day that marked the Holy and Blessed Union of Dean Winchester and Jo Harvelle.The merging of prominent bloodlines is always a grand occurrence, but breeding pedigree hunter families like Winchester and Harvelle is something to be rejoiced. It is also something to be meticulously planned, which thankfully the Host is very good at.Or, the romantic comedy where Dean Winchester and Jo Harvelle are destined to get married, Castiel is given the task of playing matchmaker and fails terribly, the entire Heavenly Host becomes a sitcom audience, God warns against male pregnancy, and Jimmy Novak is incredibly unimpressed with angels in general.

thoughts: this fic is quite possibly the single most funniest thing i have ever read. like i was straight up cackling when i was reading some of the scenes.

  Down to Agincourt by seperis (1 million+, E, destiel) There is no such thing as a guarantee when it comes to war.The outcome's known. Why try? Return your rusty sword to battered sheath, bow your head and bend your stubborn knee. Why take the field when you cannot win the war? But Harry -- he went down to Agincourt.

--Harry Takes the Field by bratfarrar (AO3 link here.)

thoughts: this fic is an absolute work of art. the characterization dean and cas and all of the ocs is astounding the world building is immaculate and the writing is so detailed and in depth. a fair warning though to the first time reader as this fic can get very confusing at times but trust me it is worth it. 

[olivieblake]

KSIGJICNRJCNEHCBD HELLO HELLO WELCOME TO THE HELL THAT IS KNOWING ZUTARA IS EVERYTHING AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN AS SUCH !!!! wow i love that you are as angry as i was (and am every rewatch? yikes) this is amazing i knew you're my favorite but yeah wow man this really. confirms it whew high five

yeah it’s pretty wild how I knew this was what happened and was already bracing for it and yet STILL got completely misled by the narrative??? MEN I tell you MEN. I’m also going to use this ask as a method to reply to some of the other commentary if you don’t mind since this seems like a good place for communal frustration (here is my original post for anyone scrolling around lost)

@meg-hemmings: I agree with all of ur thoughts and I would TOTALLY read anything you wrote for Zutara … your writing is among my absolute favorite ever and I think you would write the Zutara dynamic so beautifully!

@one-man-propaganda-machine: I am - begging - you to write it yourself.

I... am not going to make promises, but I may have to. I want something very specific and that never bodes well for me. I doubt it would be more than a one-shot, but there are multiple scenes that could have occurred between episodes that would flesh out what was there (and of course I’d cut the final 15 seconds of the show, much like another epilogue I loathe and ignore)

@deifiliaa: omg atla discourse in 2021; olivie, i’d love to see what your character tier list looks like now that you’ve finished the series 👀

I’m going to put azula at the top. not because she’s a good person obviously but she’s FULL. OF. HITS. every time she’s on the screen the narrative gets immediately more interesting. she’s savvy and self-assured and I love it. her ending depressed me although I like that it was kind of about the loss of her two best friends? if that had been more of a focus I think I would have enjoyed it more but yeah, losing mai and ty lee could have been rightfully devastating. who among us is not totally obliterated by friend breakups. I also really loved uncle iroh; if anything that’s why I wasn’t invested in zuko’s storyline until close to the end, because watching him disappoint his uncle was very difficult (I get it, he’s a teenager, he’s growing and evolving and whatnot, but also I am closer to being his uncle than to being him so like, yeah). I also hope the peter pan revenge guy (JET that’s his name, sorry pregnancy kills my brain cells) did hook up with both katara and zuko. I love that journey for all three of them. I wanted more time with mai than we got, so there wasn’t quite enough there to love... but I was very down with ty lee interfering on her behalf. what a pivotal moment

of the core characters I think I was quickest to love sokka; the episode where he apologizes to suki and asks her to train him cemented it for me. I think it’s a big deal to show boys apologizing on-screen and owning their misconceptions. I like katara a lot—she’s what a lot of people do with fanon hermione. toph is also great, and part of me feels there is a strong basis for a ship with aang that balances their opposing energy, though I also like the idea of them being platonic besties. aang is... twelve. pretty much every time he was on the screen mr blake (a teacher) was like “man, aang is such a seventh grader,” so it was nice how convincing that was for his emotional journey, but at the same time it was hard to forget he was in seventh grade. appa and momo are STARS. I am sure I have mentioned this before but mr blake really loves animals and he was devastated by appa’s kidnapping; he hugged our dog for about ten minutes after aang found appa. after he decided I was zuko, he speculated that he is closest to aang but he’s not happy about it lol. “ugh, aang and I are such boring pacifists” was I believe his take on the subject

@libbynico, who for some reason I can’t tag: so true! katara was literally something like a mother/older sister figure to aang the entire time, but whatever

yeah, I think it really sucks that katara, as the emotionally nurturing character, felt shoved into the role of love interest. it’s everything wrong with the distribution of emotional labor in male-female relationships but sure, WHATEVER, apparently nobody thought to ask me in 2008

@touslesnoms: I liked “such selfish prayers” by andromeda3116 if you ever decide to read zutara after the series; the worst prisoner by emletish is super funny too

thanks for the recs! I will take them. I do want something very specific so I will be accepting recs until I find it lol. or until I lose composure and write it (yeah this is me WITH my composure, no wonder mr blake thinks I’m zuko, “I’m never happy” indeed)

@gaeleria: THANK YOU!!! Ugh omg that “I’m confused” kiss scene made me actively hate the ending. I knew ahead of time they were endgame, so I tried to make myself accept it early on. Like, I really didn’t like the pairing, but I wasn’t going to be emotionally invested in the romance and it was just going to be like, whatevs. AND THEN THEY WROTE THAT SCENE??! 1000% no. What was even the point of that scene? If they had written it to make Aang have some introspection and realize it’s not all about him, Katara’s feelings matter too, or even apologize, or anything… but no, there was literally no point to that scene. No character growth, it was never mentioned again. Ugh.

this is in answer to both you and beloved @zabbini: yeah this was a fuck-up for sure lol. I think it may come down to editing for time; the series is very irregularly paced, what with the majority of the action taking place in the final three episodes of a 16 episode season. or maybe it’s just because MEN CAN’T BE TRUSTED TO WRITE ROMANCE but either way yeah this was a real misstep and just truly, truly reeked of a particular (white) male attitude about how women think and what they owe. had a bad day, dudes? buy a gun, kiss your forever girl, do whatever you want and it’s fine! (I’m exaggerating but barely)

in terms of what’s so angering for me: a character like katara who previously had tons of agency was robbed of it when it came to her romantic arc, which is just really upsetting. and to be fair, I was equally upset when zuko instantly agreed to the agni kai with azula because it was like okay well katara’s extremely valuable, as you know, but now you want her to just sit on the sidelines...? (more of a story flaw than a relationship flaw, but my chest sunk a little at the idea that katara was going to sit by and watch as an accessory to zuko’s story when she’s a crucial weapon in their collective fight. what a waste, right?) 

it’s also especially hard to buy into the aang thing when zuko’s method of problem-solving on katara’s behalf is there for comparison. he asks her what she needs in order to find closure and then from there, does everything necessary to get it without having to be asked twice. versus aang, who is a twelve-year-old pair of rogue lips who never wins any of his fights without the aid of phenomenal cosmic powers...? ugh I’m getting off track but in the end there’s just a complete lack of understanding what female audiences want, though again, I don’t think they were really considering that at all. which I guess is... fair, it’s not the point of the show, but then why make the ending romantic at all? to show that their brand of hero gets everything he wants, I guess

in conclusion in 2008 I’m not sure the industry was capable of doing better, which sucks but isn’t surprising. still, it does fit the components of “stuff I write fics for,” which is I enjoyed most of it but find myself enraged by slivers I compulsively need to fix—WHICH IS STILL NOT A PROMISE but ugh I can already feel myself giving in 

[jyndor]

what to say about zutara? only thats it's one of the most beautiful most powerful ships to have ever existed! theyre not simply enemies-to-lovers, because when they were enemies they were able to find common ground! katara reached out with empathy, and along other things, that changed zuko! and zuko worked so hard to be better, and he loved katara e he respected her and her boundaries without seekng anything in return but maybe forgiveness and even then in a way that respected her autonomy

Oh, the catacombs! That was the moment I fell in love with the ship back in the day. It’s just utter perfection, I mean that whole episode is perfect, but everything about the crystal catacombs is just pitch perfect.

Zuko is immediately at Katara’s mercy, on his knees in front of her. He’s vulnerable and knows it. At some point he turns away from her but he’s still kneeling, still vulnerable, and she’s so angry and just reams him - and he lets her. Yes, he does push back when she says that because he’s the Fire Lord’s son, hatred and war is in blood - he is very conflicted about that, that is a major part of his arc (coming to terms with being better than his father) but even the way he pushes back is specific to that accusation: “you don’t know what you’re talking about.” She doesn’t, not really, and she is wrong but she is well within her rights to think that given their history. And what I love about this scene is that neither really understands the other’s motivations until that moment. For Katara, she believes that Zuko is just bloodthirsty and imperialistic because of course she does.

But when she opens up about how the Fire Nation killed Kya, she is making herself as vulnerable as Zuko is - and she falls to her knees, turns away from him to cry. They are on equal footing, but facing away from each other. Until Zuko turns around and apologizes. Then he offers up his own mother’s disappearance, and Katara starts to turn around.

So they cut away and then we see them standing again, and Katara actually apologizes for shouting at him. I think that’s very big of her and is just another example of her unbelievable empathy. And when she says that he has been the face of the FN to her, he immediately thinks of his scar, his source of shame. And Katara starts to clarify but Zuko says something so important. That his scar reminds him that he is in control of his own destiny.

Her touching his scar like no one else, offering up her spirit oasis water - something from a place that the Fire Nation tried to destroy - for something as simple as aesthetics... but I think it’s very necessary for many reasons that she doesn’t get a chance to do it. And that Zuko never agrees to it.

I’m still not sure what he would have said. I believe that if she had healed him, he wouldn’t have joined up with Azula.

It ends purposefully, beautifully inconclusive, until Zuko betrays Katara (and Iroh).

But I have to disagree about one thing, anon. Katara didn’t change Zuko in that moment. Sure, she gave him a lot to think about. But Zuko was already changing. The reason I love his redemption arc so much is because it’s really just a growing up and unlearning shit arc, like Zuko is the antagonist in the first season but is never really a monstrous person (not to excuse the things he does, because he’s absolutely in the wrong), he’s just a teenager who has been taught one thing his entire life and is also dealing with significant trauma. When he gets some exposure to the world (with the help of his uncle of course) he starts unlearning these things, honestly in spite of himself.

He doesn’t mean to, and so in s2 he’s so angry and lost but episodes like Zuko Alone show him that he has contributed to the suffering of so many people and that some people aren’t ever going to forgive him (and that they don’t have to). That’s a hard pill to swallow but it’s true.

Zuko changes himself and because of that Katara forgives him.

[bidisasterforzutara]

I haven’t interacted with the ATLA fandom since after the show ended but I recently decided to check in and omg, people are so rude about zutara?? Like yeah there were shipping battles or whatever back then but people seem soooo vehement about their hate for the ship now, it’s like zutara personally stepped on their dog’s tail or something, it’s bizarre. And it is not that inconceivable of a ship I think to get all the weird hate it does. People act like it’s a taboo topic! I am appalled

It literally is just jealousy. All these antis are just butthurt that we have the most well developed, beautifully made, parallel-rich ship in all of animation with tons of content, including that of an OFFICIAL STORYBOARD ARTIST and all they’ve got are two non consensual kisses and the misogynistic creators’ support. And then they try to justify it by saying shit like “but they’re married and have three kkds1!1!” As if Zuko and Katara aren’t happily married with their steambabies rn

Thankfully the block button exists tho. I’ve learned to just ignore the haters and enjoy this wonderful couple, and that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying them either :) antis really just can’t accept the fact that we won

[fakeikemen]

Anti-Kat/aang rant:

I had some leftover doubts since I recently joined the fandom, about if Kat/aangers had any points worth mentioning about why Kat/aang is a good ship or why Zutara is a bad ship. And the YouTube comment section of the soon-to-be-premiered video of Zutara relationship progression on the official ATLA Yt channel has convinced me that— No, they don't have any points at all. They actually invent excuses to hate on Zutara. And ridiculous excuses at that:

"Katara and Zuko have no chemistry. They are like siblings. Katara is the sister that Zuko never had."

Like I would've actually considered this theory if Zuko and Katara weren't so obviously romantically framed in the scenes they shared starting from "Crossroads of Destiny".

Somebody in the comments accepted that Zutara scenes were romantically framed but that didn't mean anything.

And I'm like: ?!?

This is animation we're talking about? Like anything that happens onscreen is because it was 100% intentionally put there, because it is drawn, coloured and animated. Even for a second worth of screen time, multiple frames have to be created.

Why would they put in that much hard work into making something if nothing was to come of it? Why would they frame those scenes romantically if Zuko and Katara were supposed to be siblings?!

Argument: Null and void.

"Zutara could never happen because Katara already had A/ang loving her and because Zuko had already M/ai as a lover."

Oh so fictional characters are strictly supposed to have only one possible love interest because anything else is illegal?? That's some bullshit right there.

And while we're at it, they talk about M/ai like she was perfect for Zuko but she was not? She treated him like trash? And Zuko literally forgot about her until she showed up in the last few minutes. Yeah, that's true love right there.

Argument: Null and void.

"Katara and A/ang have always been in love with each other from the start. Katara was ready to leave her village for A/ang after 5 mins of meeting him, obviously she was whipped. She was one who suggested that they kiss in Cave of two lovers and she blushed. She kissed A/ang on his cheek many times!! It's true love!! You're blind if you don't see that!!"

I—? Like, its clearly stated in canon that she wants to go with A/ang because this is her only shot at learning waterbending? They really think Katara exists as a character only to be A/ang's love interest, huh? That's sad.

She suggested that they kiss because they were trapped in a cave with no way out. There was a sculpture of two people kissing with ominous scriptures like: "Love will lead the way in the dark" (I don't exactly remember). This was evidently a "kiss or die" situation? Like it just shows that there is no other way Katara would've thought of kissing A/ang?? Seriously this is minus points for Kat/aang Idk why they even use this argument.

And why do they think the innocent cheek kisses are proof of Katara "not keeping her hands to herself"? Ugh. And if these kisses are romantic, why are we always shown that A/ang likes it but not the other way around, i.e.: Katara blushing after kissing A/ang's cheek?

Like Kat/aang's so called development is a joke. There are no two ways about it.

Argument: Null and void.

"Katara hated Zuko for 90% of the show and was kinda okay with him for the last few episodes."

Katara definitely didn't hate Zuko in Book 1 and 2. She was angry at him, yes, but she didn't outright hate him? Like if she did she wouldn't have bothered to offer to heal Iroh. She wouldn't have reached back to Zuko in the catacombs either. And she definitely wouldn't have offered to heal his scar.Her grudge against Zuko became personal only after Zuko betrayed her in Ba Sing Se.

For which he earned forgiveness from Katara fair and square and Katara forgave him at her own volition. No one forced Katara to forgive him.

And after being forgiven, Zuko and Katara were practically glued to each other. They really act like the episodes after TSR don't exist, huh?

Argument: Null and void.

"Zuko is abusive. He hurt Katara many times. He tortured Katara and her friends and tried to kill them."

Where? Seriously, where? Definitely not in canon.

Like, the narrative takes so much time to establish the fact that Zuko doesn't hurt people fatally under any circumstances. He is a victim of abuse: not an abuser himself. When did he hurt Katara? He pretty much saved her from a much, much worse fate in "The Waterbending Scroll" i.e.; the Pirates. He only knocks her unconscious at the North Pole and Katara returns the favour the next time she sees him. Combat is not physical abuse. Where did he torture them? He barely caught hold of them long enough to even actually say anything. Zuko literally got his face burned off for trying to prevent some soldiers from dying. This character would try to kill a 12 yo and his friends? Bullshit. He never tried to kill them. Other than the time he hired Combustion Man which was sooooo evidently wildly OOC for Zuko The worst of Zuko's behaviour paints him mostly as a brat and sometimes as a rude assh*le.

Saying that he was anything more is pretty much gross mis-characterization of Zuko. Like, its literally making up things that didn't happened.

Throwing around heavy words to make the opposing ship look bad is not woke at all.

Argument: Null and void.

"Zutara never kissed on the show, Kat/aang had 4-5 kisses."

Yes this is a real argument from their side.

Like yeah man, kisses = true love; why didn't I think of that before?

This is a new low.

Their first kiss is "kiss or die", the next kiss was in a daydream, the next two kisses were non-consensual and the last kiss featured an extremely OOC Katara.

The fact that Zutara has equal, if not more shippers even without any kisses just makes Zutara more powerful.

Argument: Null and void.

"Zutara makes no sense."

Oh but it does. It makes an awful lot of sense. A lot more sense than their ship.

Like their personal character arcs are so beautifully intertwined? They literally complete each others arcs? Them getting together would reinforce the main message of the show: healing and growth? They are both so alike yet different; they balance each other so perfectly? Zuko actively works toward improving Katara's mental health? Katara offers him endless support? They are so beautiful: I cry.

Argument: Null and void.

"Kat/aang is cAnOn!!!"

Do they have a better argument: No.

Like yeah, we know. We know that Kat/aang is canon. But we also know that the Zutara fanon is much better. And they know it too. That is literally why they feel the need to attack Zutara whenever they can. They can't even state valid points in their defense? And when you state logical points, they just— ignore it? It's almost like they harp about canon to remind themselves about it.

Argument: Even the arguer doesn't believe it.

Yes these are comments I saw with my own two eyes in the comments section. Is it just me or do Kat/aang shippers chose to remain wilfully ignorant about the context of the show?

[dualdaospirits]

Do you think if they ever reboot ATLA they would make Zutara canon? Reboots have changed quite a few things(the new She-Ra is vastly different from the original) especially with all the support Zutara got post-series

Hmmm, an interesting question. It depends on many things I think, not the least of which being who the showrunners are and the tone they want to set. We may get to see our reboot soon, actually, since there’s a live action Netflix series in the works (they haven’t started production yet though, so don’t get too excited). As far as I know, Bryke is at the forefront, and while that’s great news since it means another abomination hopefully won't happen, it does mean that a Zutara relationship probably isn’t likely since they’re big fans of the Katara/Aang relationship.

That being said, I think it would be a missed opportunity if they didn’t, and I’ll explain why. (Disclaimer for any non-Zutara fans reading this, being a Zutara shipper is not my main motivation for thinking or wanting it to be canon). First things first, the audience. I don’t know if post-series Zutara support would have much of an effect on Bryke, but it’s possible that the producers or Netflix would notice and try to factor it in. However, I don’t think pandering should be the reason they include Zutara--far from it. The original audience that watched Avatar has grown up at this point. Many of us are in our twenties, give or take. We’ve matured, and it would be foolish of the showrunners for ignoring this fact. If there’s a reboot of Avatar, live action or animation, the majority of the audience will be those that grew up with the show, not kids the same age as the audience of the animation. I think that’s evident enough with the release of Avatar on Netflix (notice how many people are rewatching and falling back into their love for the show?) and the comics. Ah, the comics. Some things they did well, others...not. What they did do well is writing the storytelling more maturely than the show. I don’t mean to bash the original show as it obviously had no problems including the dark effects of a war story in bite size, easy-to-swallow chunks for kids (a good thing). However, they treat the audience more seriously, knowing that not everything needs to be spelled out. You see the same in Korra. And to me, that’s part of what makes the Zutara relationship so captivating and intriguing--it’s mature. It’s not easy, and it has faults. It’s not “hero gets the girl after saving the world”. It’s complex. 

I’ll say this now: there’s a difference between a relationship being canon and being endgame, and it’s an important difference. I definitely think Zutara should be canon, if not endgame, in any reboot they do.

Personally, I’m excited for a live action version if they ever get around to it. It brings many new factors to the table, and the majority of them have to do with adaptation. (I’ll mainly be talking about a live action version for a little bit, excuse the art student that shows). Adaptation, especially between mediums, is tricky to execute. You see many book-movie adaptations that succeed, and some that miserably fail, and others in between. This goes for other forms as well, ex: book to comic, book to animation, animation to film, etc. With any medium adaptation, the story will inherently change. You can't hear a character's inner dialogue or prose written in a book in a film, so changes have to be made or the filmmaker must write or use film language to substitute for it. With adaptation, changes must happen, that's a fact. To me, more often than not those adaptations succeed when the creator embraces that fact and uses the medium to their advantage. Sometimes this changes the story, and sometimes that change enhances it for the better. Take Game of Thrones or Harry Potter. The former deals with many characters and worldbuilding that is extremely complex, and they did an excellent job in getting you attached to those characters. However, they did have to change some things from the books, and while some weren’t as successful, others did remarkably. (Before anyone starts raging, I’m specifically talking about the seasons where they still had books to go off of). For Harry Potter, we have eight movies to analyze, which I will not be doing, but I will say that the weakest films storywise were the fifth and seventh, simply because they tried to do both too much and too little, if that makes sense.

How would this apply to a live action ATLA? Well, it wouldn’t be like the animation, most likely. It’s a medium adaptation, meaning that the approach they had in the animation won’t work the same in live action. Think about it--you don’t watch animation, especially 2d, the same way you watch live action, psychologically and subconsciously. There’s a separation there between their world and ours. It lessens with 3d animation, but it’s much much smaller when it’s live action since it looks like our world, more or less. Would GOT beheading and other violence (you know what I mean) have had the same effect if it were 2d animation? No, probably not. Yes, I know that anime has its fair share of gore that can be extremely realistic and gross, but it still doesn’t have the same impact it would if it appeared on your screen with quality vfx. Now, these are extreme examples. I really doubt that they’ll make the violence that intense or realistic in the show, as they’ll more than likely want to keep it family friendly (there’s still kids that watch the original). Another disclaimer (ik there’s a lot of them, but people can misunderstand this kind of critique as bashing, which it’s not): I am not saying that the original animation of ATLA is not impactful, absolutely not. I have no trouble getting attached to animated characters, laughing or crying with them, etc, especially if the writing is good. However, it was a kids show, and it was written with that in mind. This is apparent to me as I’m rewatching the show now. There’s some dark stuff that happens, as is the nature of a war story, and the animation handles it excellently. But think of how different it will be seeing the ruins of the Southern Air Temple, practically a garden of bones, Gyatso’s included, in live action. Show us all the nitty-gritty of the lower rings of Ba Sing Se, and the corruption up top. Let this affect the characters. Bring this moral ambiguity into light, as it was done in the show. I think that if they’re going to tackle a show in this way, not a movie or series of movies, it would be smart of them to lean into these darker themes, not shy away from them. Like I said earlier, the audience has matured, and there’s so much more to explore with these stories and themes. I’ll say with confidence that they’ll definitely do this, and possibly add a story or two. Otherwise, it will just be a rehashing of the original, word for word dialogue. Not that the original is bad (obv not), but I don’t think we should want that. There’s a lot of potential in a live action series, and I think they’ve learned lessons from the abomination that already tripped over itself. It was an example of adaptation done badly. However, you can change a story without destroying it, but it’s a delicate operation. That’s why having the original showrunners on gives me a bit more confidence. To be clear, I don’t think they’ll go full PG-13 or higher. It’s still possible to have family/kid friendly media without shying away from the darker parts. ATLA is a great example of that. If you want a live action example of a show that balances humor, heartache, and violence beautifully, look at Merlin (bbc). 

I think you bring up an interesting point with She-Ra and it’s divergence from the original. I haven’t seen the original animation, but I can say that the new one was successful in telling a new and fresh story in the same universe. The act almost as parallel stories in that universe. How To Train Your Dragon is the same way--the book and movie have very very little in common story wise, but it’s a beautiful trilogy nonetheless. Would this work with ATLA? Possibly, though I doubt they’d want to stray away from the original’s core themes. Though, you can fight me on this, Zutara does align with those themes, but that’s another post (this one is long enough). However, it’s such a complicated question because it inherently considers countless possibilities, so there’s no definite answer. It’s a beloved show that’s already been butchered once, so how much would they be willing to change?

Now, how does Zutara factor in? (getting to the point now). For many of the reasons above, I think it should be canon. Their dynamic, their rocky relationship, the journey of trust and acceptance, the connection they have, all of it is ripe for exploration, especially in a revamped, inherently more mature story. Instead of a predictable relationship where there was never any real conflict (Katara was always loyal to Aang, and their fights were never truly consequential), you have a relationship coming from a difficult, seemingly impossible place, one that requires time to establish. Like I said, it’s not an easy relationship. Part of it is strengthened by Zuko’s wonderful redemption arc. He needs to build a foundation of trust before almost any of the Gaang trust him (Aang, the angel, is willing to give him a chance almost immediately in Book 1, and though she didn’t care one way or the other at first, he did accidentally burn Toph’s feet). What would a Book 4 have brought us? Despite what Bryke say about it being a false rumor, Ehasz, a co-producer, said that it was at least discussed, plus Book 3 definitely had more to give, so I take it with several grains of salt. Anyways, even wondering about it hypothetically produces interesting theories. We see at the end of Book 2 in the cave that Katara, once she overcomes her immediate, and warrented, repulsion of Zuko, she’s able to connect and see a bit of his heart underneath the layers and layers of angst and anguish obscuring it. This scene is popular in the Zutara fandom for a reason. However, I think that making changes to characters, especially in Zuko’s case should be done extremely selectively and purposefully. His arc is one of the most fantastic accomplishments of the show, and I think very little should be changed. For example, he should still make that doomed, yet inevitable choice in that cave to join Azula, but perhaps they’ll include his mother as a more forefront character, especially when he goes back to the Fire Nation. By all means, give Ty Lee and Mai more than just a conversation to supply their backstory. Thoroughly explore the swampbenders and the Freedom Fighters. Show more of the original airbenders in Aang’s memories! There’s room for exploration without dismantling the world or characters like the M. Night film did. For Zutara, I think that expanding Book 3 and giving the characters more time with each other would be invaluable. Think of how quickly Katara and Zuko grew close, from Katara threatening to off him first time he even hinted at being a threat, to becoming one of the most instinctual and formidable teams in the Gaang, to saving each other’s lives in the final battle. That’s not even mentioning the Southern Raiders.  The conflict over the entire show as the backdrop for a relationship like that, romantic or platonic, is incredibly suitable for a reboot. If it was explored, the outcome would be so powerful. 

I said before that there’s a difference between canon and endgame relationships. This just means that a relationship can be confirmed and explored without being the outcome. If Bryke include Zutara at all, that’s most likely how they’ll do it: adding a love triangle that ends up with Katara and Aang getting together. Honestly, it would be a method of making K/A a more interesting relationship and a way to have the characters grow a bit. However, this has the awful potential of just shitting on Zutara and turning it into a toxic relationship, which I’d rather not see.

But if it wasn’t Bryke running it? Absolutely, I think Zutara would, and should, be canon. Adaptation should take risks and be willing to explore, and I think Zutara is the type of dynamic we should see.  

[moonsugar-and-spice]

Noticed you're a fellow fic writer, so first of all, kudos to you! Second, as for a question, I'm curious: what fic have you written that you're the most proud of? Your magnum opus, if you will.

Hi, and thank you! 😊

I currently don’t have a lot of fics to my name, as I tend to favor longer, novel-length stories and life leaves me with very limited free time. I do have several other WIPs that I’m excited about (and are shorter), but when I dive into a project I tend to dive deep, head first, and usually finish one before totally completing another.

That said, the work that I am most proud of to date might raise a few eyebrows at first glance. It is the Avatar the Last Airbender fic Storms of Ice and Fire in my pinned post (with monochrome-swirl’s beautiful fanart), pairing Katara and Ozai.

Understanding how that might look, I respectfully ask that people leave their assumptions at the door, at least until checking it out. This is not that kind of fic (you know, the kind you might automatically expect from a pairing like this). It’s a culmination of my love of ATLA, world- and character building, and fantasy/folklore. An enemies-to-lovers slow burn (and by slow burn, what I mean is this thing is slow-cooked in a pressure cooker for 18 hours) with a layered plot that began as just a character exploration of Ozai. (Also, allow me to clarify that the story is set three years after the show’s end, and Katara is not underage. Not to say that makes it less controversial, and I’m not out here condoning it, but it’s worth mentioning.)

It is still a WIP, about 3/4 finished, but I am immensely proud of this thing and have poured my heart and soul into the story and Ozai’s character arc. 

Out of such an amazing cast of the most beautifully complex, flawed characters, in a show that broke so many clichés, I was a bit disillusioned that ATLA’s main villain was painfully one-dimensional and just angry all the time and nothing else, for no discernible reason other than the evulz. In the episode Sozin’s Coment: Part 1, when the gang finds Ozai’s baby picture, prompting the discourse of “Ozai is still a human being,” I had hoped they were planning to follow that thread further, and was let down when it pretty much ended there. 

I’ve always been drawn to complex villains, and even as a kid, the tropey, one-note baddies always left me feeling a little dissatisfied, though I couldn’t explain why at the time. So, after watching and falling in love with ATLA in my twenties, I couldn’t help wanting to explore Ozai’s character and backstory, add some depth and some gray areas. What made him into the man he became? No one is simply born that way. Yes, he's done some pretty horrible things, and I don’t excuse it or shy away from the truth of it, but most people are not 100% good or evil, and there's usually a reason why they are the way they are. Does every villain need to be sympathetic to be a good villain? No, not necessarily, but I think the best villains are the ones who show us a glimmer of their humanity. The ones who make you stop and think, and realize how easily you could have been them if your cards had been drawn differently. 

Basically, I wanted to do something meaningful with this otherwise POS character. And Katara is kind of his perfect foil.

Storms explores trauma and its cycle, abuse and self-loathing and the armor we wear to cope, where nature ends and nurture begins, holding onto hate and anger and sipping its poison, but also second chances, about learning your walls are also trapping yourself, and the courage it takes to let go.

Do I honestly ship these two? No, not really; not outside of my fic anyway. I am a die-hard Zutara shipper for life and it is the hill I will die on (we were robbed and I’m still not over it). But I do really enjoy writing the dynamic these two have, and romantic pairing aside, I think they honestly would have had an interesting dynamic/some interesting exchanges if they'd met in canon for any length of time... after Katara thoroughly slayed his ass that is. She's a badass and a powerful character, a woman you don't want to cross, but also deeply empathetic and a natural healer, drawn to broken people, so an interesting foil to Ozai.

Anyway, just as you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you can’t always judge a fic by its pairing. And all I ask is that people keep an open mind and reserve judgment until checking it out. 🙂