#avatar 2 move aside

[cococookiedraws]

OK HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE GONE TO SEE THIS IN THEATRES BECAUSE I'VE SEEN AT LEAST 10 PEOPLE EXPLICITLY SAY IT

BC I DID TOO

Maybe I’m just a furry with anxiety, but y’all Puss in Boots 2?

The animation?

The story?

The themes?

Death?

Puss having an ACTUAL panic attack that isn’t mocked or played for laughs?

PERRITO AND HIS TRAGIC AF BACKSTORY THAT SOMEHOW DOESNT DAMPEN HIS KINDNESS??

JOHN MULANY AS A VILLIAN WHO IS SO DAMN EVIL EVEN JIMMY CRICKET GIVES UP?????

I’ve seen this movie twice in theaters and will not hesitate to do so again. Avatar 2 (which was meh plot wise) can’t even TOUCH the Last Wish.

[itsagrimm]

Neytiri should have filed for na'vi divorce about 10 minutes into Avatar 2.

[graceshouldwrite]

Writing Compelling Side Characters

**NOTE: Some of these tips don't really apply to ensemble casts, where there are multiple Main Characters (plural).

1) Agency - motivations, actions, effects

Technically, they ARE side characters in your MC's story, but don't base your writing on that fact.

Side characters need:

Their own REASONS for joining the story (because they want to, not because the PLOT wanted them to) Example: In Arcane, Caitlyn inadvertently gets involved with Vi due to her compassion and desire to help the undercity, not because the plot needs a love interest

A GOAL, on which they act INDEPENDENT of the plot, and actually affects your MC/the main plot (not the other way around) Example: In Loki, Sylvie's independent goal is to take down the TVA, and her actions reveal the TVA's corruption to Loki, influencing him to join her in fighting against the TVA instead of working for them

A STAKE in how things end (e.g. someone getting paid after agreeing to join a heist); they aren't just in it to be a "comic relief" or a "damsel in distress" Example: In Breaking Bad, Jesse joins Walt in cooking meth because he makes BANK from selling drugs, not because Walt needed a funny and traumatized sidekick

Their own RELATIONSHIPS with other characters, aside from the MC—they have their own friends, enemies, love interests, etc., and these relationships can completely change the plot Example: In the original Percy Jackson series, all of the side characters (e.g. Annabeth, Nico, Thalia, Luke, etc.) have their own relationships with each other that greatly affect the plot. Check it out: Annabeth's attachment to Luke, even after he became evil, completely changed the plot in several ways: kickstarting a journey to save her from Luke in The Titan's Curse, revealing his true evil identity as a vessel for Kronos (big bad!) in The Battle of the Labyrinth, and mainly contributing towards Luke's reversion away from evil in the last book due to him remembering his promise to take care of her a long time ago, etc.

Their own PAST that affects how they act, move forward, and how they treat the MC Example: In Avatar: The Last Airbender, Azula's pressure on herself and desire for perfection is greatly driven by her father's expectations of her as the fire-bending prodigy, resulting in a childhood of earning parental love and care AFTER she proves her worth to him. This created a mentality ceaselessly focused on her goals—which are usually her father's missions—causing her to be deadly, manipulative, and constantly causing problems for the main character.

The side character is not an extension or byproduct of the MC's plot; their own story happens to collide and intertwine with your MC's plot, but is ultimately independently driven.

2) Affecting the ending

The story can't have reached the same ending regardless of the side characters' existence. They must be necessary to the MC in helping them reach their goal faster, more prepared, etc. For example, in Avatar, Aang would not have been able to reach his goal of defeating the fire lord without the help of his friends, who each taught him valuable life lessons as well as combat skills.

Each character must have an independent impact on the MC—don't treat them like a group (e.g. "the side characters," who are one individual collective). Arcane does a great job with this, as each side character has a completely different impact on the MCs (e.g. Silco, Ekko, Caitlyn, and Vi—not a side character but for the purpose of this analysis, bear with me—all have a different impact on Jinx). It isn't just a literal impact. It's what the MC learns, and the theme of the story. They should help the MC realize things about themselves, and contextualize the MC by showing them in different situations with different people.

3) Avoid stereotypes Don't create characters from moulds and conform 100% to the trope: e.g. the "comic relief" can also be "the outlaw/rebel" or the "love interest," the "brooding antihero" can also be the "caregiver" or the "wise one," the "seductive girl" can also be the "science nerd" or the "broken optimist," etc. Mix and match. Everyone has more than 1 personality trait in real life, and probably fulfils more than 1 role to the other people in their lives. Give them intersecting personality traits to flesh them out.

4) Theme and Arc Especially compelling side characters have their own arc and embody their own theme.

Example 1: Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice is more than the brooding love interest—he develops by being less arrogant and learning to see people beyond their social status, and opens up to new ideas, people, and situations.

Example 2: Nico di Angelo from the Percy Jackson series goes on a journey of self-acceptance and embracing his identity, instead of just being the stereotypical emo kid who is constantly in a state of angst.

Example 3: In Arcane, Silco goes from a ruthless crime lord who believes that attachment is weakness, to someone who genuinely cares about his adoptive daughter, so much so that he can't give her up even in exchange for his lifelong dream.

∘₊✧────── ☾☼☽ ──────✧₊∘

instagram: @ grace_should_write

Hope this was helpful, and let me know if you have any questions by commenting, re-blogging, or DMing me on IG. Any and all engagement is appreciated :)

Happy writing, and have a great day!

- grace <3

[mandomaterial]

Yo I got something! How ea tonowari x reader x Ronal? Let's saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay after 1-2 years after the war, a human goes to visit the sully family (for whatever reason) and the leaders saw her being covered in tattoos but are vastly different and are immediately intrigued by her. I'm going through a viking phase and I saw theirs tattoo designs and I'm like AAAAAAAAAHHH THEY LOOK SEXY!!!

Familiar Markings

Ask and you shall receive, boo~ I got a little carried away here… it’s 2.6k… but that’s fine! :3

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

- It had been all too long. You were there every step of the way and you missed them dearly. What were their lives like now? Were they all okay? Those were the questions you asked yourself almost daily. So you made up your mind and decided to visit them. You were a pilot, so transportation posed no problem but still, you asked Norm what he thought about your idea. After all, you couldn’t just show up there out of the blue (pun intended).

- Norm was a little hesitant at first but saw no big problem with visiting, so the two of you decided to give Jake a heads up to not cause a mass panic when you arrived. And then you were on your way.

- You got in your trusty old helicopter and off you were! It was a pretty long flight, so you had enough time to think about what to do when you got there. The only exciting news that you had was your new tattoo. You got it done a few months ago, on your left upper arm, a nice addition to the little collection you’d accumulated over the years.

- You’d always wanted to get tattoos but you never felt like you had a real reason to. To you, it was more than just body art, it was more of a sign of accomplishment or life-changing events. So when you joined the avatar program you decided that was the perfect occasion for your first tattoo. With the help of Grace and her team, you chose a relatively simple design of an Atokarina. You’d seen one in real life when you accompanied Grace to her school and accidentally got lost. It led you back and you were in total awe.

- This time around you chose a runic design. Back on earth, you were a real fan of the complex runic language and you tried your best to learn it. If you hadn’t ultimately decided to join the Pandora project, you probably would have studied them for the rest of your life. Sadly, over the years you lost touch with your love for runes, and most of your knowledge of them faded into a blur. It made you quite sad because you felt like you lost a piece of yourself, so you decided that you’d get something of your passion engraved on your body.

- Soon enough, the islands that formed Awa'atlu came into view and you shoved your thoughts aside, preparing for landing. There were already Na’vi gathering around your planned landing spot, so you had to be extra careful. You stuck the landing with ease and as soon as you stepped foot out of the aircraft, you spotted familiar figures. The little Sully’s! Well maybe not that little anymore, even Tuk was taller than you now. “Auntieee!” the young girl yelled as she rushed to tackle you.

- you could barely keep yourself on your feet as she wrapped her arms around you and gave you a bear hug. Of course, you hugged her back but as you looked over her shoulder, you saw two new faces approach. The others moved aside for them so you assumed that was the leader and the Tsahìk. You gently wiggled out of Tuk’s grip and got ready to face them.

- At first no one said anything, all of them staring at you with blown wide, turquoise eyes. You assumed that it was just because you were a human, significantly smaller, and even a different color! But that wasn’t it, they were staring at the markings on your skin. They seemed way too unnatural to just be born with, they’d never seen a human with markings similar to their people’s tattoos. So of course they were intrigued.

- after only a few seconds of motionless silence Ronal, the Tsahìk stepped forward and started to circle you. She wanted to take a closer look at these newfound markings, were these similar to her own? You just stood still and let her do her thing, avoiding eye contact with the chilling Tsahìk of the Metkayina. To be honest, you were a little afraid, Norm had told you that she was very protective of her people and was very unwelcoming towards outsiders, so when she suddenly grabbed your arm, you winced and visibly shrunk together, trying to make ourself seem even less threatening even if they didn’t even consider you being something even close to a threat.

- Ronal pulled your arm up, almost lifting you, to inspect the strange marks. As she traced them with her hand you wondered what she thought of them. Did she with ink they were weird. Did she like them? Why was she looking for so long? Didn’t her people also have tattoos? Your thoughts were cut short abruptly as she ran her fingers over your new tattoo, even if it seemed healed, it wasn’t and you almost doubled over at the pain if she weren’t holding you by your arm.

- Of course the well-trained Tsahìk noticed this and instantly a small wave of regret and guilt washed over her. She hadn’t meant to physically hurt you, maybe intimidate you a little but not like this. She saw your eyes water a little, as you tried to calm down and not let yourself cry in front of the crowd. She gently loosened her grip on you, making sure that you were stable on your feet before ultimately letting go. Right after you gently rubbed over your arm, trying to make the pain go away but it only helped a little.

- in Ronal’s mind she had hurt you, so it was her responsibility to make you feel better again. She crouched down a little, making eye contact with you before she asked “Do you understand our language?” Of course, you understood, but you were still a little shaky so the only thing you could muster was a timid nod. The tall woman let out a little huff as she gently placed her large hand between your shoulders and gave you a little nudge. You didn’t know what was going on so you just took a step forward, your attention shifted to the little crowd that was still lingering around you. The chief seemed to be looking at his mate, making a few facial expressions. It was as if they were communicating just by looking at each other. Before they even finished, you felt the hand gently push you along, guiding you along the path that the people cleared for the two of you.

- soon enough you understood that the Tsahìk was leading you somewhere, you were quite curious and it was just the two of you so you asked: “Where are we going?” Ronal almost seemed surprised when you spoke in her language, she understood every word and you were very fluent, albeit you had a bit of an accent. It took her a moment to reply but she explained that the was taking you to her hut, but she didn’t explain why. All in all, she was a little embarrassed so she chose not to share the reason.

- Once you finally reached the large tent she carefully held open the flap and motioned for you to get in. You followed her instructions and awkwardly stood in the middle of it, waiting for her to do or say something. And do something she did. She strode over to a few baskets in a corner, kneeled down in front of them, and started looking through them. Soon enough she pulled out a little packet that was trapped in a large dried leaf.

- “Come closer” she murmured. You shuffled over and stood in front of her. Even then she was taller than you. “Sit” came out of her mouth as she stared at you with wide glossy eyes. You shifted your body into a kneeling position but kept your eyes fixed on hers. She let out a little hum and started unwrapping the packet. Inside was a generous amount of powder that shimmered and glimmered, setting it down she turned around again grabbing something from a different basket. It was a little mortar and pestle made out of what seemed like shaved-down corrals. She put a small amount of the powder into the mortar before she added a light blue liquid that she took out along with the powder. She mixed the two together for a good minute and then looked at you again.

- For a second you just blankly stared at each other before she quietly questioned “Your arm?” Whilst tilting her head a little. “Oh..” you replied while warmth flushed your cheeks. You didn’t quite know why you were embarrassed, maybe it was that there was this gorgeous tall blue woman in front of you, or that you’d never been treated like this before. Normally everyone was a little intimidated by because of your tattoos and chose to avoid you instead of getting to know you.

- Embarrassed you lifted your arm and shifted so that she faced your side and had better access to your upper arm. Seeing this, Ronal had to crack a smile, you were so good at following instructions, not at all Ike the other humans she encountered, she liked you, you were okay, she thought while she started spreading the paste over the inflamed area of your arm. You winced a little any time her fringes brushed over your skin, so she tried to be as gentle as possible, so as not to make you feel more pain than you had to.

- just then someone entered the tenant, you were curious, you sneakily turned your head and saw that the Olo’eyktan had entered. Of course, you wanted to show respect, so you started standing up but Ronal had something other in mind. She gave your lower arm a little tug that pulled you back to the floor instantly “I said sit.“ you were utterly surprised and your head whipped around between the two, not knowing what to do, he was the leader so you had to show him respect but his wife who was also a leader wouldn’t let you? You started getting dizzy and hyperventilating a little before Tonowari took a couple of steps forward and lowered himself to one knee saying “Mawey” with a stern tone, staring directly at your eyes.

- While you were distracted by Tonowari, Ronal quickly finished bandaging your arm, thinking about your markings. Why did you have them? How did you get them? To say it simply she was just too curious so she gave you a light tap on the shoulder pulling your attention to her. “Why do you have these markings?” She asked motioning to your arm.

- you were a little surprised but cleared your throat and said “I got them when I accomplished something. I think that it’s similar to why you get tattoos…” Ronal let out a little hum, satisfied with your response. Soon enough she let you go and sent her mate to show you where you’d be staying. Conveniently, you were staying in a hut that was close to theirs. Tonowari knew from just watching his mate interact with you, that she had a special interest in you and to be honest he couldn’t quite shake the feeling that there was something special about you. So he decided to keep an eye on you, just to see what you’d do here in his village.

- The next day, you decided to go see what the Sully’s were doing, after all, that was the actual reason that you came. As soon as you entered their home, you were tackled by Tuk again. “AUNNTTTIIEEE” she yelled in a high-pitched voice. You giggled and hugged her back. The other members of the Family all stopped doing whatever it was that they were doing to come and greet you.

- Jake offered you his hand to pull you up from the floor and you gladly grasped it, giving him a bro hug right after. “How are you Jakie?“ you jokingly asked with a grin on your face. “Well- I'm doing ‘aight.” He replied while giving you a head pat. When he was still part of the avatar program you were like the whole department’s kid. You were a highly skilled pilot and that with just being barely an adult, so everyone mostly treated you like a little sibling once they got to know you. More often than not, Jake had to physically hold you back from doing something dangerous or stupid, like testing the new flying gear by doing aerial stunts. The two of you had grown close over time and he saw you as his little sister, so he was more than ecstatic when he heard that you were going to come over for a visit.

- Next you walked over to Neytiri and gave her a loose hug “Hey, where are my other niece and the two troublemakers?” you questioned jokingly. “It’s good to see you as well.” she smiled “I think they’re out in the reef.” As soon as those words left her mouth Tuk yelled “Oh- I can take you to them! C’mon!” she started jumping around, motioning for you to follow her “I'll show you my Ilu!!” You laughed a little before stepping out and following the young girl.

- Soon enough you were out in the reef playing and hanging out with your nieces and nephews and just a short while after a few other kids show up as well. They’re all interested in you, they don’t seem to be afraid at all! Even the adults of the clan didn’t seem to be reserved about you. Maybe it was that you also had tattoos? You knew that these people had to earn their tattoos and that it was how they earned their respect in the clan. Maybe that’s why they respected you.

- what you didn’t know though, was that two pairs of eyes were fixated on you. The two stood near the shore and watched you play and interact with the young clan members, not a worry in their minds, they were clearly both intrigued and they both knew it. The two shared a look, making their intentions clear to one another, they liked you and wanted you around. They just didn’t know how to get you to stay.

- That’s how it started. Soon you were a regular visitor and almost even a honorary clan member. Every time your visits got longer and longer and the time you weren’t there shorter and shorter.

- one time, Tonowari asked you if you wanted to try riding an Ilu, and of course, you said yes! So the two of you trotted to the beach and he called for one. It was a pretty Ilu and very friendly. It came close and snuggled its face to yours as you giggled. Tonowari could barely hold it together cause of your cuteness! He gently held the Ilu and bonded with it, getting on and offering you his hand. You placed your hand in his as he pulled you in front of him, securing you on the Ilu.

- The Ilu began swimming and you felt the water rush past your legs as they dangled off the sides. You dipped your fingertips in the water and couldn’t stop your smile from growing as a bit of sea foam got stuck. Tonowari was utterly happy when he got to share time with you, so he made sure to give you lots of rides, even on his tsurak!

- the two of them enjoyed spending time with you and showing you their ways and it filled them with nothing but happiness when you showed so much interest in their way of life. You even had your own hut that they kept neat for whenever you came to visit, it was your home away from home but lately, it seemed that it was the other way around, that the Forrest was your second home and the sea your first, along with the people you treasured most.

[starlight-bread-blog]

Why I No Longer Ship Zvtara

Warning: This is a very anti zvtara & pro kataang post. This is your chance to leave.

As some of you may know, I am (or rather was), a Zvtara shipper. But lately I've been shying away from the ship. A lot of the arguments I used to believe in, for me, don't hold water anymore. And given how vocal I was about shipping Zvtara, I feel like I owe you an explanation. In this post I will go through common pro Zvtara & anti kataang arguments and unpack why I can no longer support them in good faith. (I will kinda burn through them though, it's just that feel like I owe you this).

"Zvko and Katara's character arcs & characters are parallels"

This is interesting because I wrote an essay on this very subject, and I still stand by everything I said in the essay, but only as a platonic reading of it. See, A:TLA is full of parallels and symbolism. Zuko also has parallels with Aang, Katara has parallels with Azula, etc. In a show like this, the parallels between Zuko and Katara don't carry enough weight to justify some specialness. They have a great, incredibly well written relationship, but in my opinion, the extent of it can remain platonic without standing out.

"Tui and La represent Zvtara"

Tui and La are The Ocean and the Moon spirits and very explicitly represent Yin and Yang. I can't see Yin and Yang as Zutara for two reasons:

1) Yin is the moon, feminine and shade. The moon & feminine, that's Katara. But Yin is characterized by dark, wetness, cold, passivity, disintegration etc). Katara might have an edge, but she is not dark. Not to mention passive. And disintegration seems like the opposite of a waterbender. Katara fundamentally is not a Yin.

2) Yin and Yang is a dynamic. A self perpetuating dynamic of two opposites creating and controlling each other. Katara and Zuko never created each other. While you can argue that they control each other by being "capturing the avatar" vs "protecting the avatar", the only time this conflict of interest ever turned into a dynamic was in the north pole, and by then Zuko would go on a season long journey far away from Katara.

"Making Zvtara canon would be thematically cohesive"

I also wrote an essay on this subject, and just like my other essay, I still stand by a platonic reading of it. I even went back and edited it to make that reading more prominent. The thematic cohesion is already achieved through their platonic bond. In any show, naturally the relationships between characters are going to reflect the themes, that's just how writing works. It doesn't mean the relationship should be romantic. They already have a thematically cohesive relationship, making it a romantic one doesn't add anything.

"Aang idealizes Katara"

For context, there are some instances where Aang is dismissing Katara's anger. For example, in The Chase:

Toph: You're blaming me for this?

Katara tosses aside her sleeping bag and gestures with her hands, challenging Toph to move closer. Aang jumps in between the two.

Aang[Desperately.]: No! No, she's not blaming you.

Katara[Angrily.]: No, I'm blaming her!

Rather these instances reflect of idealization, or merely of Aang's peace seeking nature that's trying to de escalate the situation, is up to interpretation. I choose to interpret them as the latter, because of The Southern Raiders.

Katara: We're going to find the man who took my mother from me.

Sokka pauses and stands up, surprised.

Zuko: Sokka told me the story of what happened. I know who did it and I know how to find him.

Aang: Um ... and what exactly do you think this will accomplish?

A really common talking point in the Zvtara fandom is that Aang just assumes that Katara is going to murder her mother's killer, instead of simply confronting him. Either way, he knows\thinks she's talking about murder. If he'd idealized her, he'd make a different assumption.

"Kataang harms Aang's character arc"

This is referring to the dilemma presented to Aang in The Guru. He had to let go of his attachment to Katara in order to master the Avatar State. The assumption is that his chakra was blocked, therefore he didn't let go. I disagree. We see him open his seventh chakra right before Azula shoots lightning at him.

One might argue that nothing changed about Aang's relationship to Katara, so the dilemma rings hollow. But something did change, Aang was romantically braver than he was before. He got more confident. Compare his flirting from The Headbend (b3) to The Fortuneteller (b1). It's night and day. And if you ask me, this is the natural consequence of feeling less attached.

Furthermore, when he explains to the GAang why he couldn't master the Avatar State, he cites Azula's lightning as the reason:

Toph: So, what's your strategy for taking him down? Gonna get your glow on and hit him with a little Avatar State action? Aang: I can't. When Azula shot me with lightning, my seventh chakra was locked, cutting off my connection to all the cosmic energy in the universe.

He couldn't master the Avatar State because of Azula's lightning, not because of his attachment to Katara. (I heard some people say this was confirmed that Aang was still attached, but I'm a big believer in Death of the Author so I don't really care if it's true).

"Kataang was one sided"

The general consensus in the Zvtara fandom is that Kataang is framed from Aang's perspective, and while the show teases us about Katara's feelings to create a "will they get together or won't they" tension. But can all of these hints really be contextualized that way? Some can, others, not so much. For example, Katara is show to be jealous of Aang in The Headbend when he dances with On Ji, and when they dance she gives him a loving look; in The Cave of Two Lovers, Katara smiles when she suggested they should kiss, and she blushes at the end of the episode. All of these moments cannot be swept under the rug in favor of a reveal that Katara didn't love Aang.

"Katara passing herself as Aang's mom is maternal"

I never really understood this argument, if I'm being completely honest. For two reasons:

1) In Howl's Moving Castle, Sophie works as Howl assistant and falls in love with him, but she's cursed, looking like an old lady. There's a scene where she too has to pretend to be his mom, and it turns into her realizing her feelings towards him. She becomes young again, a girl Howl's age. It's a beautiful confession, while pretending to be his mom. No one criticized that, becuase pretending to be someone's mom for the sake of a mission isn't maternal.

2) Sokka is also there. I don't think it's controversial to say Sokka isn't at all a parental figure to Aang. That's because the point of this joke isn't that Katara actually is motherly towards Aang, it's that they aren't actually similar to [Aang]'s supposed parents and this entire situaton is very silly. The implication behind this joke isn't that Katara is maternal towards Aang, but that she isn't.

SO! That's all I'm covering. Now, I hope I can put this subject to rest and discuss the many other great aspects of A:TLA.

[byunpum]

They caught us | Part 3 |

Pairing: Neteyam x human reader

Tags: teasing, crushes, Smut and some dom-neteyam, Semi public, Size differents.

Warning: Pure smut, the characters have 20's

AVATAR MASTERLIST | Part 1 , Part 2, Part 3 | Part 4

And yes, Norm had kept his promise. He had tried to keep you two apart for at least the last week, but that was impossible. How was he going to keep you two from meeting, he had things to do in the lab, and you weren't little kids, you had to control yourselves. So he trusted that you would obey. But he was wrong.

It was mid-day, you didn't have much to do, so you decided to visit Kiri at the Mo'at hut. You stayed with the women for a while until you heard the voices of loak and neteyam. They had returned from a routine checkup. As you enter the hut neteyam notices your presence, and he smiles a little. The boy couldn't control his need to get his hands off you. So in one quick movement, he sits down behind you, and pulls you onto his lap. The boys didn't react, they knew you and neteyam had a relationship. Even mo'at, the woman was not interested in the act. Everyone went on talking and doing their business. You had some herbs in your hands, ready to mix them. When you feel neteyam come up to you and kiss the back of your neck. "Easy" you say with a smile on your face.

Neteyam knows you don't bother with the gesture, and keeps planting kisses on your neck. You just laugh, until you turn your head to confront him. "What do you think you're doing?" you look at him, and you can see his face. He had this face of excited, his eyes were dilated and fatigued. "Let's go to another area sweetheart" says neteyam in a low voice, close to your ear. "But I'm working here" you try to distract him. " Y/n I need you… I need to be inside you" he whispers, you are surprised by his words making some of your mixture spill out. You give him another look and stand up offering him your hand. "Mo'at we're going to get something… we'll be back quickly" you say, as you leave the hut. Neteyam's tail wagged back and forth.

You walk a bit, going to an area of the cave where there were no people. It was a place they used to store things. "Here… hey you can't say those things, and more so if there are people around" you say, being surprised when neteyam kneels down in front of you, taking your hips and turns you around to bend over one of the weapon box that was in the place. Leaving your ass in the air, neteyam lined up on your ass to rub his growing erection. "I can smell how wet you are…I imagine loak could smell it too. He looked very very eager" hearing neteyam's words cause you to move your hips back. Neteyam laughs a little, he knows about loak's little crush on you. And knowing that he is the only one who can have you fills him with pride.

"Why don't we take these things off" neteyam makes quick work of your pants, you had more comfortable clothes and even a navi outfit that kiri had prepared for you. But you knew that if you wore it, neteyam would be fucking you all around, so it was better to use your regular clothes. The pants went quickly down your legs to your heels, you two had to be quick… so neteyam decided to leave your panties on. The boy moves his erection closer to your clothed wetness and moves his hips, playing with you. "Nete… go ahead" you moan, following the movements of his hips.

He moves aside your panties, to play with your folds running his long finger along your already wet pussy. "You are so wet, how long have you been like this?" neteyam says as he inserts a finger and watches your walls close around it. "All morning" you cry out, the movements of neteyam's fingers filling you was overwhelming. It always was. "Wow…you are so ready" Even though you weren't seeing it, you could imagine the smile he had on his face. You felt neteyam pull away from you, you feel your panties try to adjust to your wetness and the chill of the wind hit you, making your arousal grow.

You listen as he is taking off his loincloth, it always amazed you how that tiny thing could hold his cock. And boy, it was no ordinary cock. You could feel it when he put it just above your lower back, it was hard and already had pre-semen coming out of its tip. " If you could see how far it goes… you are so small ma Y/N" neteyam's words sounded more like a moan, as he moved his hands around your waist and leaned back a little on top of you. Placing his hands just below your belly button. "Here…right here is going to make a big bulge mmm you're going to look beautiful" the more he talk the more he pushed you over the edge. "Just…" your words cut off, as you feel neteyam move your panties to the side and settle his cock at your entrance, Playing a little with the tip of his cock in your folds.

"If you don't get it inside now…." You scream, causing neteyam to give your ass a squeeze. "Or else what… you won't do anything" neteyam gives you a kiss on your back, as he starts to move in you. You gasp, This man starts at 14 inches. And it was never easy for you to take it. "Relax…easy. Let him enter" neteyam compliments you, gently caressing your hips as he continues to move forward. Slowly but surely. You're whimpering on the wooden box, some tears pooling on your face, it's a feeling of pain and pleasure.

When he finally gets to where his cock reaches inside you, he's only about some inches away from being all the way inside you, and just the thought of being able to get further inside you turns him on even more. They stay in this position for a while, until you move a little on his cock as a signal for him to start moving. Neteyam catches on quickly, and starts to slowly grind on you. He likes to watch his cock go in and out of your little pussy. Your moans, as he is filling you drive him crazy. One of his hands moves down to your lower stomach, rubbing the bump that was forming in your belly.

"Do you feel this?" says neteyam, in a husky tone. "Y-yes" you groan, you feel neteyam squeeze the bump, just as it was entering you. "Ahhh neteyam… stop…." You moan, it felt so good. " My little Y/N…you look so beautiful" he speaks in moans, he couldn't help but feel the build up of excitement in his own body. Neteyam still moving, but now at a faster and more constant rhythm. You were a sea of moans and low cries. You didn't want anyone to hear, you were in an empty area, but still several people came here looking for things.

Out of nowhere you heard some voices, this made you nervous. Making you try to stand up. But neteyam's hand stopped you and squeezed you on the wood. "Stay quiet" said neteyam, while continuing to fuck you from behind, you could hear the dirty noises that your cunt made when it hit neteyam's cock. The boy didn't stop, standing up a little to see who was coming. He could see from a distance how two people were standing near some boxes.

Neteyam bent down fast, and lay on your back, but never stopped fucking you. Even the simple idea of them watching him fuck his pretty girlfriend was pushing him over the edge. His thrusts were harder and faster. You placed your hand over your mouth, to prevent them from hearing your moans. But the noise caused by the wetness of both of you was inevitable.

"Do you hear something?" says one of the men, he was close but quite far away from you. " mmm I don't think so" says the other, taking several cans of food from one of the boxes. "Yeah, it's something like…you know" the man laughs nervously. "You're imagining it. …. Let's get out of here" the other man starts walking back, but the other is not convinced. He knows he's hearing something. So he decides to investigate a bit. "Dude…let's go" says the man at the exit. As he watches his friend walk back into the cave.

As the man was getting closer, there was neteyam all over you…fucking you like an animal in heat. He was biting your shoulder, to keep him from moaning. You knew you were going to be bruised the next day but you didn't care. The pleasure was pure ecstasy, you were about to come and you could feel neteyam coming because his thrusts were sloppy and changed rhythm. The man followed the noise and came closer to you, the adrenaline of being discovered took over your bodies, because just when the man was only 6 feet away from discovering you, Neteyam releases his cum in your pussy and you could feel it.

Neteyam released his cum inside you, pumping a little more, so that you would reach your orgasm and you did, your hips moved in sync with Neteyam's as you both came down from your heights. The man heard no more noise, and stopped. He looked around the area some more and decided to turn back to his friend.

"I told you it was nothing," says the man, as he watches his friend walk over. They both walk away and leave the cave alone. But there you were, feeling his cum run down your inner thighs, and neteyam's soft cock was inside you. Neteyam was lying on your back, making sure no one was in the area. "Next time, I want to do it in my family hut," neteyam says, kissing your shoulder.

I hope you like this part. I'm not very good at writing smut, but I do my best. This would be the last part, but I will be writing more about neteyam, and other characters. Remember that the message box is open, so if you have any ideas, all of them are welcome.

Neteyam's wives: @heesoftiefreak @vviviivvivivivvivivivi @grierpilots @lucero-ksb-blog @lanadetails @inutheangel @sirywiliams @nuttyrebelflower @dollyplayhouse @dallyanywww0 @xoxobabe @slut4sluttybooks

[midnight1199]

Fated To Meet You

PAIRING: Jake Sully x Reader

WARNINGS: slight!angst, avatar!reader, fem!reader, can't think of any more rn, AU, happy!ending hopefully, not beta read

NOTES: Hello dear readers, this is my first time posting a multichapter fic on any platform so crossing my fingers that I do justice to your expectations. I'm not a native English speaker and English is my second language so please let me know where I can improve my writing skills. Moving on, please enjoy the story!

SUMMARY: The first time you saw him, you felt pity for him—Jake. Maybe that was the spark that would lead to the inferno of feelings you would hold until your last breath on Pandora.

Chapter 2

Chapter 1

Uprooting your current life and moving to an entirely different planet for a new beginning came as a surprisingly easy decision for you to make. Your fascination at your grandma’s storytelling of the lush green forests surrounded by trees as tall as the grim concrete skyscrapers, the sounds of life of the various creatures of the forest almost as prominent as the grinding of the metal machinery on Earth was what drew you to sign an application on a piece of paper which basically would sign your life away for the next 18 years to an organization called RDA.

Getting selected for the Avatar program as a xenobotanist was not something you expected. So you spent the next year and a half learning about the native flora and fauna life of the alien moon, Pandora. The week before your team was supposed to board the ISV Venture Star, you came to know of the death of your friend and colleague, Tom Sully. Killed for the few papers in his wallet. That is when you also learn of the RDA’s plans to send Jake, Tommy’s twin brother, in his stead to Pandora to prevent the monetary loss of losing an Avatar driver and subsequently wasting an asset.

You had only met Jake once when Tommy had brought him to the Training camp for a tour, and aside from greeting each other, there had not been any further interaction between you two. So, to say that seeing Tommy’s identical copy roll into the port almost gave you whiplash would be an understatement. Meeting eyes from a distance, you could only nod and wave at him before being hurriedly ushered by the staff toward the med bay for a final checkup before being put into cryosleep.

A dry mouth and blurry eyes were the first things that you noticed before your ears picked up on the med tech staff announcement. “You’ve been in cryo for five years nine months and twenty-two days. You will be hungry; you will be weak. If you feel nausea, please use the…” His voice fades to the background as you float to your assigned locker, you vaguely notice another hand reaching to the locker next to yours. You follow the hand to a familiar face – Jake. Jake barely looks at you before he grabs a bottle of water from his locker and floats away to his assigned seat to prepare to land. “They did not even have the courtesy to rename his locker,” you mumble. You brush a hand over the embossed ‘Sully. T.’. “See you on the other side, friend” you whisper before grabbing your items and floating off to your seat. The entry into the Pandoran atmosphere goes by in a blur. The dystopian dull grey of Hell’s Gate sticks out like a sore thumb between the beauty of the lush greens and emeralds around you.

You are rushed out of the Valkyrie shuttlecraft, breathing mask secured on your head, and the RDA militia screaming at you to hurry along. Carrying your knapsack, you make your way to the mess to watch Colonel Quaritch’s speech in silence. You can’t deny that the man has a flair for dramatics. “You're not in Kansas anymore. You're on Pandora, ladies and gentlemen. Respect that fact every second of every day.” You watch from the corner of your eye as Jake rolls in on his wheelchair, meeting your eyes for a split moment before redirecting his attention to the man’s speech. “If there is a Hell, you might want to go there for some R & R, after a tour on Pandora. Out there beyond that fence, every living thing that crawls, flies, or squats in the mud wants to kill you and eat your eyes for jujubes. We have an indigenous population of humanoids called the Na'vi. They're fond of arrows dipped in a neurotoxin that'll stop your heart in one minute. And they have bones reinforced with naturally occurring carbon fiber. They are very hard to kill. As head of security, it is my job to keep you alive.” He glances around. “I will not succeed. Not with all of you. If you wish to survive, you need to cultivate a strong, mental attitude. You got to obey the rules: Pandora rules!”

You zone out as the man starts listing the rules you needed to obey. You wonder if the others standing in the room with you realize the hypocrisy of the Colonel’s speech. Reading between the man’s words was easy and the message was clear – Kill or be killed. The RDA was expecting you to follow their orders without question and you would be damned before you let a few military goons browbeat you into submission.

Post briefing, you head out towards the labs as instructed. “Jake!” A loud shout rang through the hallway. Norm Spellman, a fellow Avatar Driver, rushed past you towards a clearly taken aback Jake. Internally sighing, you quickened your pace to catch up with both of them, wincing slightly at hearing the end of Norm’s introduction, “…Wow! You look just like him. I’m-” “Norm Spellman”, you cut in, “and I’m Y/N. Nice to meet you, Jake. We went through Avatar Training with Tom.”

“Yeah, he mentioned your names—both, uh, both your names. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Why don’t we explore a bit? Check out our Avatars?”, smiling you nudge Norm to walk ahead. He petulantly calls you a bully but ambles on ahead. Snickering, you head behind Jake and push his wheelchair ahead. “Hey, I’m sorry about Norm. He’s a bit awkward with introductions, subtlety isn’t his strong suit”, grimacing slightly you continue, “the guy is all brains and no grace but he’s good at heart…”. Jake shrugs and glances back at you. “It’s alright, no harm done.”

 Following Norm, you find yourselves in the bio-lab. “That’s your avatar right there.” You point Jake towards an incubated blue form in a large blue tube-like structure. A similar female figure in another tube grabs your attention and you head towards it. Your Avatar looks exactly like you except leaner, taller, and very very blue. She’s curled up in a fetal position, twitching occasionally, as if dreaming. You press a hand on the glass. This was what your training had led you to. A step away from your dreams. A step away from Grandma’s stories.

The meeting with Grace had gone as one would expect an open can of milk sitting in the most humid part of the house for a week to smell, that is to say, bad—Grace Augustine; xenobotanist, xenoanthropologist, and Head of the Avatar Program on Pandora. You had known of Grace through her books on the Pandoran flora, so when Dr. Patel—a scientist for the Avatar Program—introduces you to Grace, you’re sure you’re about to faint.

“Grace, I’d like you to meet Norm Spellman, Y/N, and Jake Sully.”

The woman turns around, puffing the cigarette smoke out, and walks towards you. “Norm, I hear good things about you. How’s your Na’vi?” “Awvea ultxari ohengeyä, Nawma Sa'nok lrrtok siveiyi”, the man responds. You and Jake watch as they continue conversing, with you catching bits and pieces of the conversation. Admittedly, your year and a half of training did not center around the necessity of learning the language. You’re still better off than Jake, who you see is lost and zoning out.

“Uh, Grace? This is Y/N”, Dr. Patel adds pointing at you, “and Jake”. You step forward to shake hands with the older woman, “Ma’am. It is an honor to work with you! Your books on Pandoran botany were the materials we used at the Academy.” You lean in closer and continue, “I can’t wait to explore in person!” Grace nods once and drops your hand. Your smile drops along with that clear dismissal. She turns to Jake and you see him move to offer his hand. “Ma’am-”

“Yeah, yeah. I know who you are, and I don't need you. I need your brother”, she turns to Dr. Patel, “You know, the PhD who trained for three years for this mission-”

“He’s dead.” Jake lowers his arm, “I know it’s a big inconvenience for everyone.”

Grace stays silent as she stares back at Jake. You want to step in before the conversation escalates but are too nervous to slice through the mounting tension. The silence lingers between the five of you before it is broken by a furious Grace storming off. Your shoulders slump, all tension leaking out before exhaustion hits you. The emotional rollercoaster of the day completely drained the energy out of you.

Dr. Patel sighs and turns towards Jake, “Here tomorrow, 0800. Try and use bigwords.”

He leaves you staring after him as he follows after Grace. “That went well…”, you hear Norm mutter. “Let’s just head to the dorm, guys”, you say as you move towards the said dorms, “and don’t forget to video log your experience. Don’t need the Wicked Witch of the West on our asses for that.” Jake and you share a laugh while Norm huffs and stomps his way toward the dorms. You turn to follow after him but a hand grabbing your arm stops you. “I saw you trying to step in y’know, earlier”, Jake murmurs, “Thanks for caring about Tommy, he had a good friend in you.” It’s the complete exhaustion and defeat in his voice that makes your heart pang with grief. A week—that was all RDA had given to the man before you to grieve his dead brother. His dead twin brother, someone whom he had once shared a womb with. You smile softly at Jake and take his hand in yours. “I didn’t do it for Tommy”, squeezing his hand you continue, “I did it for you, Marine. Figured somebody needed to give you a break.” A hurried staff rushing past you snaps you out of the moment and you clear your throat while pulling your hand away from Jake’s.

“Let’s head to the dorms, shall we?”, without waiting for a reply you hurry ahead. Jake following after you after a short moment of silence.

[afkhowstrange]

My Merlin’s lore and afkj headcanons

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!!!

English isn’t my first language, i can’t write a decent story so i’m gonna yap the hell out of her lore:

- She goes by Rose since it was the only thing remained in her head the moment she woke up with severe memory loss or rather wiped.

- Thank god Merlin aka the not-yet-amnesiac-Rose left her a note filled with rules:

Dura’s orders and these following rules are the utmost things you should obey

1. If encounter a hypofiend, kill on sight

2. Keep moving forward, there’s no point of looking at your past

3. Help those who are in need if possible

4. Enjoy your new life, live to your heart’s content

5. Treat those you consider friends generously

6. Be well prepared for what’s to come, believe in yourself

Supreme Magister Merlin, Rose.

Rose was very skeptical of this note but later on, no one seemed to understand the language written on the note so it’s real legit she thinks.

- Merlin also left her infinite scroll filled with spells, incantations, hexes, jinxes and curses in alphabetical order, in a language only she could read of course. The only difficulty was to learn them all over again.

- The time when Rose goes into avatar state was actually Dura protecting her.

- Hammie helped Rose a lot with how to use magic. The little familiars were shocked and uneased that their master lost her memories all of a sudden, but as time goes by, they got used to the new magister eventually. The fact that the iconic traits of their master is still there, helped them feel at ease.

- Can’t say the same with Rose though, girl got existential crisis and impostor syndrome after finding out her magic (aside from the spells that Dura blessed her) is weak as hell compared to the great magister Merlin that Hogan and Mirael knew.

- She burned her ass out later on, learing spells, training in combat with Chippy, trying to reach people’s expectations of the great Merlin, if people find out their protector, Dura’s chosen one is a wimp, they’ll lose their faith.

Now, onto my headcanons of afkj’s lore

These multiple people holding out to the swords isn’t Merlin, they’re the fallen god’s Chosen ones.

I think these lines explained it well. Gosh i love Waves of intrigue.

Multiple heroes wielding swords, only one holding a torch, that’s our Magister Merlin!

If you’re sad that our Merlin doesn’t have a sword, worry not, they got a pretty sick one right here 👇 keep in mind that Phraesto is 205cm tall and this sword is longggg

And that’s it, thank you for reading, there’s more about Rose and her past rocking in the Inmortal war but that’s for another day, my phone is lagging as i was writing these words :,(

Here have some art! …yeah i isekai-ed my oc to Esperia to be Merlin so that’s why she got that hairstyle.

[dyslexicmammon]

Unwanted

Characters: Lucifer (Obey me!), Solomon (Obey me!) [not together]

CW// SFW, Angst ig? Yelling, Implied Lucifer x Mc, Implied Solomon x Mc, Nightbringer MC/attendant MC, You/Your pronouns used

A/N: Hiii~ I haven't written something in ages and I literally cannot remember how this drabble came about but, here you go. I couldn't find a way to end it because for me, Solomon is very hard to write for/about. The ending is open to add onto if you would like! uhhh idk what else to add. I'm gonna try and write more of my ideas since I'm having a hard time with art atm. Again this is just a short drabble lol

Chapter 2 / Ao3 / Divider Credit

“Here's some food Lucifer, you haven’t eaten all day and I’m worried- '' You were cut off by a groan. Lucifer rubbed his brow and with disdain in his voice “If I was hungry I would have come down to eat at the agreed times. I don’t need you out of all people to worry about me. Leave.” He touches his tongue with his gloved hand then goes to turn the page of the documents he’s currently working on, not daring to look up from his work. 

Tears well up in your eyes as you place the well-prepared food you had made for the ungrateful Avatar of Pride down on his desk. On your way out you accidentally slam his study door behind you. You suddenly get a ping on your D.D.D, with its familiar and expected buzz you knew it was Solomon “I’m waiting outside ❤ ️”. You begin to move away from Lucifer's study, sighing and clutching your D.D.D to your chest. You hear a faint call of your name from behind the door. Ignoring it, you begin to make your exit. 

The tears are having a hard time staying in as they desperately roll down your cheeks. In the main hall you spot Mammon and Beel who were talking about dinner. Desperately trying to go unrecognised by them you begin to walk further to the left of the hall you were now sharing. “Where do ya think you’re going mc??” Mammon reaches out to grab your arm. Without thinking you pull away, only sniffling in response. “Yeah we haven’t had dinner yet” Beel says with a sympathetic half smile. Wiping your tears aside and in a shaky voice you apologise to the hungry demon. Looking at him, hoping to see that compassionate smile you once knew from your long nights hanging out and eating snacks. Only to be met with a faint smile from the gluttonous demon.

Mammon laughs nervously, feeling the tension in the air then announces “It's okay Beel! We don’t need some attendant taking care of us! We got this!” and giving his brother a slap on the back. Feeling unwelcome from the 2 oldest brothers' attitude you pick up your pace once again and head straight for the front door. A couple moments pass or faint grumbles from both demons until you hear the Avatar of Greed as he runs and reaches for your hand “Hey! You haven’t had dinner yet either!”. Unable to hold back the tears anymore, a steady stream begins to trail down your face as you start crying uncontrollably. “You said it yourself! You can cook yourself and your brother's dinner just fine. You can also clean up after yourself. You don’t need me! so let go Mammon!” You had never raised your voice at any of them before. After pulling yourself free from his grasp, you exclaim “Solomon is taking me out to dinner & I have to go. Not that you people care if I’m here or not. Oh and don’t bother cooking for Lucifer either.” Suddenly looking up at the banister, like he had control over your body you noticed the demon himself. Trying to hide the panic in your eyes you wipe away your tears and swiftly begin your descent upon the front door once more, ready to brace the elements. “Have a nice night.” you say, your voice cracking a little before slamming the door behind you. 

With the tension seemingly broken by the wooden door now between you and the avatars the tears flow harder than ever before and the air becomes heavy in your lungs. That's when you hear light human footsteps rushing towards you. Solomon was now staring in shock. With his face merely inches away from your own. He quickly but gently wraps his arms around you and holds the back of your head. “Oh my, Mc what's happened? Why are you upset?” Responding to his touch, your arms snake around his chest as you wail into his shoulder. Hearing the demons on the other side fast approaching, he picks you up and casts a shield spell to protect you and silence the yells of a certain white haired demon.  

“Let's get you out of here my love, our date can wait” he quickly begins to escort you away from the HOL. You can hear faint yells from what you assume to be the brothers calling your name...

[jettingtothemoon]

Daughter of the Spirits; chapter 14

➳ pairing: zuko x f!reader ➳ genre: a retelling of the show from season 2 onwards with a heavy focus and expansion on zuko’s story (canon divergent) ➳ warnings: violence, swearing, smut (underaged if your age of consent is above 16), spoilers for anyone who hasn’t seen the show ➳ word count: 2840 ➳ rating: 18+ ➳ summary: In which y/n comes across the fire nation prince during her stay in Ba Sing Se. ➳ tags: @harmlessoffering @lammello @hannahdinse8 @ok-boke @stranger-chan @nekee-lilac02 @inutheangel @kalea-gooch @meiraloves2dmen @cozy-fantasy-corner @urmomlikeslinotoo @brain-has-left @iluvme547 @nadlx33333 @savannah0111 @browneyedgirl22 @swoon-for-joon @vyliie (i’m sorry if i’m forgetting anyone, lmk if i am or if you want to be added)

Chapters: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,

Inner Conflict

The very next day Zuko set out to teach Aang. He asked you to take part, nervous to teach the Avatar on his own, but you reminded him that this was something he and Aang needed to do alone. At least, until they had some time to bond. You weren’t sure if or when that would happen but you wanted more than anything for the pair to truly reconcile and put old grudges behind them.

So while he taught the Avatar, you decided to spend your time getting to know the others in the group better. You wandered through the camp and found Toph sitting on a rock, casually bending small rocks into intricate shapes to pass the time. You admired her skill and approached her with a friendly smile.

"Hey, Toph. Mind if I join you?" you asked.

The young girl shrugged. "Sure, if you can keep up."

You sat down next to her and tried to mimic her movements, but your rocks crumbled to dust. Toph laughed, and you joined in, enjoying the moment of camaraderie.

“It’s your Waterbender energy, you need to stop following the flow and stiffen up. Throwing boulders and making walls is one thing but something smaller,” she rock in front of her began to take shape, morphing into a small figurine of the Avatar’s flying bison, “requires more thought and precision.”

For someone so young, she was insanely skilled. A more than worthy companion of the avatar. You could learn a lot from her, just as you knew you could learn a lot from everyone, if they just gave you and Zuko a chance.

You both chatted for a while, talking about your journeys and experiences. You spoke of your home back in Omashu and of your parents, whom you missed so dearly, and she told you a little of her upbringing and how she left her parents behind to join the avatar on his journey. Toph was tough but honest, and you found her perspective refreshing.

After some time, you noticed Sokka nearby, practising with his boomerang. Toph nudged you, urging you to go and speak to the boy, and you realised she was helping you. You needed to prove that you were on their side, that you were more than Zuko’s girlfriend. That you wanted to be a part of this team. "Looks like Sokka could use some company. Go on, give him a hand."

You walked over to Sokka, who was deeply focused on his drills. "Hey, Sokka, need a sparring partner?"

Sokka paused and looked at you, a bit surprised but then grinned. "Why not? Just don't go easy on me."

The two of you moved to a more open space and readied your stances, preparing for hand-to-hand combat. Sokka grinned as he twirled his boomerang before tossing it aside. "Alright y/n, let's see what you've got."

You both started slowly, testing each other's reflexes. Sokka was the first to throw a punch, which you blocked with ease and responded with a blow of your own that he quickly dodged. The match was intense as you each gave as good as you got but trying to fight without your bending felt almost foreign now, even after so many years of hiding what you could really do. Sokka, despite his appearance and light-hearted demeanour, was a skilled fighter. His strategic mind shined through in his every move, always a step ahead as he predicted your actions and countered them with precision.

"You've got to be faster," Sokka teased, ducking under your strike and tapping your shoulder lightly as he rolled away. "Imagine you're facing a Fire Nation soldier, not a friend."

You grinned back, trying to keep up with his quick movements. "I think I can handle a few soldiers, Sokka."

The fight escalated, your strikes becoming more powerful and focused. You threw a series of punches, each aimed with intent, but Sokka blocked them with surprising ease. Before you knew what was happening, he swept your legs out from under you, and you hit the ground with a thud. Your chest rose and fell in haste as you regained your breath and soon, Sokka was there to offer you a hand in getting back up.

"You're relying too much on your bending," he said, helping you to your feet. "You need to learn how to fight without it. Our enemies have a chi-blocker, and if you can't bend, you'll be vulnerable."

You dusted yourself off, nodding thoughtfully. "I know Ty Lee. We were friends before we left. I hope we don't find ourselves against each other on the battlefield."

Sokka's expression softened for a moment. "I hope so too. But just in case, you need to be prepared. Chi-blockers are no joke."

You sighed, the weight of the situation settling over you. "You're right. I can't rely solely on my bending. I'll train harder."

Sokka clapped you on the shoulder. "That's the spirit. And don't worry, we've got each other's backs out there."

You chatted together as you headed back to the camp, laughing and joking as you walked along. You felt closer now, which was a relief. But opening up to you was one thing, putting their faith in Zuko was another entirely.

Just as you made your way back into camp, Katara came wandering over with a look in her eye that told you she had something she wanted to say. "Can I talk to you?" she asked, her tone leaving little room for refusal.

You nodded, sensing that this conversation had been a long time coming. You and Katara walked a little away from the others, finding a quiet spot near the river, and you couldn’t quell your nerves.

"I need to understand something," Katara began, her voice tense. "Why are you still with Zuko? After everything he's done, how can you still stand by his side?"

You took a deep breath, choosing your words carefully. "I know Zuko has made mistakes, Katara. But I've seen the light inside him. He's trying to change, really. I've seen him struggle with this for so long, always questioning his choices, wondering if he’s doing the right thing. He’s trying to be better, to be good. That's why he’s here, to finally make the right choice."

Katara's eyes flashed with anger. "But he's hurt so many people! He betrayed us, tried to capture Aang so many times. How can you trust him after all that?"

"I understand your anger, Katara," you replied softly. "I really do. But people can change. I know you've seen it too. Zuko's not the same person he was. He finally wants to do some good and sees the damage the Fire Nation has done. Do you know how hard it was for him to leave everything he’s ever known behind? To turn his back on his own nation? His friends? His family? He needs our support, Katara, not our hatred. Everyone deserves a second chance."

Katara crossed her arms, her expression softening slightly but still guarded. "It's not as simple as that. Even if I wanted to believe in him, it's hard to forget everything he's done."

"Please, just give him a chance to prove himself," you urged. "I believe in him, and I think, deep down, you do too. So please, help me help him become the person he wants to be."

Katara looked down, her resolve wavering. "Maybe you're right, but I can’t so easily trust him. I’ve been betrayed by him enough times, we all have. He can’t keep changing his mind, what’s to say he won’t do so again? I don’t think I’ll ever be able to trust, not after everything he’s done."

"That's fair," you agreed. "I know right now you can only see what he has done and not what he wants to do going forward. If you can’t trust him, then trust in me. He won’t turn his back on any of us again. Please, give him a chance."

Katara nodded slowly. "I'll try. For Aang's sake, and for yours. But he better not mess this up."

You smiled, feeling a sense of relief. "Thank you, Katara. It means a lot."

As you returned to the camp, you felt hopeful. The path to reconciliation was never easy, but with patience and understanding, you believed that Zuko could truly become a valued member of the team.

When the sun began its descent from the sky, Zuko came to pull you aside. Without a word you followed him, allowing him to quietly lead you along with in hand wrapped snugly around your own.

“I can’t teach him,” he said when you finally reached your room, a place away from prying eyes and ears.

You frowned. “You can’t teach Aang? Why?”

Zuko sighed and slumped down onto the bed. “It’s my bending… It’s gone. How am I supposed to teach the avatar, or even fight, when I can only muster a small flame?”

Moving to sit beside him, you took his hand again. For the first time since you’d known him, he felt cold. The tips of his fingers chilled you to touch, even as you encased them with your own warmth.

“Maybe I can help with that…”

He raised an eyebrow as you turned towards him, resting a gentle hand to his cheek as your lips met. He followed your lead as you climbed over him, deepening your kiss, and only pulled away when your hands started to tug at his clothes.

“Look,” he spoke softly, “it’s not that I’m not enjoying this, but how will it help bring my bending back?”

You kissed his cheek softly, letting your lips linger for a moment before trailing them down to his jawline, each kiss deliberate and tender. As your lips brushed against the curve of his neck, you felt his pulse quicken beneath the surface. Smiling against his skin, you murmured, "Maybe a little bit of passion will reignite your fire."

Zuko chuckled and hummed, signalling that there would be no protest from him. His arms moved to hold you, one of his hands slipping into your hair as he kissed you again. It was a silly idea and you both knew it but, if anything, a distraction might be exactly what he needed.

You shifted slightly, pressing your body closer to his as your lips met once more. This kiss was slower, deeper, and filled with all the reassurance and affection you could muster. Zuko's initial hesitancy melted away as he responded, his lips moving in sync with yours. His hand slid down to your waist, pulling you even closer.

You could feel the tension in his body slowly easing away and hoped more than anything to soothe him in this moment of uncertainty. He let out a contented sigh, the warmth between you gradually spreading.

Zuko's fingers threaded through your hair, his touch both gentle and urgent. He tilted his head back slightly, giving you better access as you continued to kiss along his neck and collarbone. Your hands slid beneath his robes, sliding it free of his shoulders and your lips followed the path of untouched skin. The feeling of your lips against him seemed to bring a faint, reassuring warmth back into him.

He rolled over, guiding you beneath him, his lips finding yours again in a series of passionate, lingering kisses. You wrapped your arms around his neck, holding him close to savour the closeness and comfort it brought.

“I love you,” you spoke as you began to slip free of your own clothes, feeling your skin bare against his own. “I love you so much.”

He grinned into your kiss, his hands too working to rid you of the fabric that kept you from him. He seemed more confident than he had before, as though your words made him feel like he could take on the world so long as you were at his side.

“I…” he muttered, “I don’t know what to do.”

You could feel the flush of his cheeks in your hands as you kissed him again, offering a gentle smile against his lips. "It's alright," you whispered, your voice a soothing balm. "We don't need to rush this."

His uncertainty melted away bit by bit as your hands traced the contours of his face, guiding him with patient tenderness. He followed your lead, his touches growing more assured as he explored the warmth and comfort you offered.

His hands roamed over your skin, each caress imbued with a newfound confidence. He marvelled at the way your bodies fit together, the way your breath mingled as your kisses deepened. The room seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you enveloped in a cocoon of shared heat and intimacy.

“I want to…” his breath was hot against your lips, his forehead gently learning against your own. “I really want to… but this,” your kisses grew languid and his brows furrowed, frustration seeping back in, and before you knew what was happening he was pulling away, “...this isn’t working.”

Although you understood his annoyance with himself, you couldn’t help but feel the ache in your heart as Zuko pulled away, his words hanging heavily in the air. The warmth that had been building between you dissipated, leaving a cold chill in its wake. His kiss he pressed to your cheek felt more like a farewell as he swiftly pulled his robes back on.

Silence settled in the room, broken only by the rustle of fabric and the sound of Zuko pacing restlessly while he thought, now possibly more frustrated than he was before. Slowly, you sat up and wrapped your arms around yourself, all of a sudden feeling exposed and vulnerable. The intimacy shared between you moments ago already felt like a distant memory, replaced by the reality of Zuko's frustration and the conflict within himself.

"I... I'm sorry," you whispered, the words catching in your throat. You wanted to reach out to him, to comfort him and hold him and make all his worries go away, but you knew he needed space.

Zuko ran a hand through his dishevelled hair, his back turned to you. "It's not your fault," he said quietly, his voice soft and fatigued. "I appreciate what you were trying to do. But... I can't... I need my bending, y/n. What use am I to the avatar without it?"

You pulled the blankets around you, disappointed that things hadn’t gone further and acutely aware of the ache that was left behind in the remnants of his touch. “It’ll be alright, I promise.”

With a deep breath, Zuko turned to look at you. His eyes were soft, conveying all the love and gratitude he had for you, but within them lingered a persistent trace of doubt. Not in you, but in himself. "I need time to figure things out," he admitted, his voice vulnerably raw. "Alone."

You nodded again, knowing there was nothing else you could say to comfort him now. You had done your part and it hadn’t helped. It was up to him now to figure this out. You wanted to be strong for him, to show him that you could support him even in moments like this, but you didn’t know what to do. How could you sit by and watch him suffer through something knowing there was nothing you could do to help?

Zuko approached you cautiously, placing a gentle kiss on your forehead. His touch was tender but fleeting, both a silent apology and farewell. "I... I'll be back," he promised softly, though the uncertainty in his eyes mirrored the ache in your heart.

And then he was gone, leaving you alone in the quiet room. Your arms tightened around yourself, trying to hold onto the warmth that had left with him, and you smiled. Not because you were happy but because he was trying. He wanted to do the right thing and maybe his issues with his bending had something to do with that. Whatever it was, you were certain he would figure it out.

The room felt emptier now, colder despite the lingering heat of your shared intimacy. You buried your face in your hands, letting the weight of the moment wash over you. All you could do now was wait and hope that Zuko would find solace in the stars if he could not find it in you.

It was then that you realised just how deeply your love for him had carved into your beating heart because when he was suffering, nothing else mattered. Not the war, not the constant void of being so far from your home and family. None of it mattered because he was in pain. What a dangerous love that is, to love someone so completely that they become all that matters to you in the world. You’d bring down the very sky for him if it would make him smile and you hoped that someday he would do the same for you.

Chapters: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,

[waterfire1848]

AU where Ozai wins the spirit battle against Aang during Sozin Comet and becomes the new Avatar.

Hello, @stardust948 !!! (This could have been a lot darker but I’m in a comedy mood)

1. When Aang loses, no one knows that he’s now not the Avatar. They just know he’s lost and was forced to flee with Sokka, Suki and Toph. Katara, Zuko and Azula are still at the palace and know something is wrong. They try to flee without Azula but she actually asks to go with them because she was beaten and she really doesn’t want to be alone to face Ozai (she doesn’t know why but she has a feeling he won). They get on Appa and fly to where Sokka, Suki and Toph were supposed to be and get the four. Since Aang is tapped out, they’re forced to fly off and regroup. They decide to head back to Ember Island for the time being so they can think over what to do. In this time, everyone tends to their wounds, Azula stays pretty much on her own, and Aang grows angry about how he failed. Katara, trying to help, offers a waterbending training sessions which Aang agrees to. When they try to bend a simple waterball back and forth, Aang finds that he can’t. In fact, he can’t bend anything aside from air. (Aang: What happened?! Katara: You’re sure you can’t bend anything besides air? Aang: Positive! It’s like the other three forms just disappeared! Katara: Well, if you’re not the Avatar anymore…then who is?)

2. Ozai is weakened very much by the Avatar’s attack and his airships have been damaged. He tells those who remain to stay put (cause he can’t be there and he’d die if he wasn’t center stage during Sozin’s Comet). It’s a set back but they’ll destroy the Earth Kingdom later. Ozai is brought aboard one of the ships for a medical examination and nothing is found to be wrong but Ozai, internally, feels off. He tells everyone to leave and remains in the room by himself, eventually falling asleep until they return to the palace. He receives word that Azula is gone but just takes the title back himself and is Fire Lord and Phoenix King at the same time. That night, he’s meditating when he decides to get some water. Getting up, he accidentally trips and waterbends. (Ozai is like 99% sure he’s not a waterbender). He tries firebending, but he also takes a wack at waterbending, earthbending and airbending and can do all of them. Ozai doesn’t know how but he’s the Avatar now. (Not only that, but there are a lot of angry voices in his head. He can’t explain it but once sounds like a very pissed off Earth Kingdom woman and the other a very, very pissed off Air Nomad woman).

3. The Gaang is trying to understand how Aang isn’t the Avatar anymore. Does this mean there’s a new Avatar? Who is it? Is there some new baby in the South Pole? Did Aang somehow start all over with his bending progress? While everyone else is freaking out and trying to find a solution, Sokka is trying to decide what they should do since Sozin’s Comet wasn’t the victory or defeat any of them suspected. They heard that Ozai didn’t continue with the attack so BSS is still standing but that doesn’t make any sense to them at all. (Sokka: He had the perfect opportunity to get rid of the city, why not do it? Aang: Maybe he realized he could choose another path? Everyone:… Sokka: Normally, I wouldn’t consider that but that might be a possible scenario here. Azula, off to the side: Ha! My father would sooner give up his bending than not use Sozin’s Comet. Katara: Then why is Ba Sing Se still standing? Azula:… Suki: Could something have happened to Ozai during that big light beam show? Aang….Huh?)

4. Ozai can hardly move without bending another element and, of course, he doesn’t want anyone to know he somehow can bend all four elements. Under normal circumstances, he’d be very proud to show off his new power but anytime he even considers using his bending in that way, Kyoshi is on him. (He’s 70% sure she can read his thoughts and it’s so annoying). This being said, I kinda want a Roku & Ozai friendship. Roku knew Azulon, a younger version but still, and Ozai has no fond memories of his father. (Kyoshi: Ah, daddy issues. Why does everyone in this family have daddy issues? Yangchen: Says mommy issues. Kyoshi: I do not have- Yangchen: Let’s not go back and forth right now….but you totally do. Kuruk: And it’s not everyone in the Royal Family who has daddy issues, Azula’s got mommy issues. Kyoshi: Oh, yeah, I forgot about her. Szeto: You and the comics). Roku and Ozai talk frequently after everything that happens. They develop kind of an older brother & younger brother relationship with Roku trying to give Ozai good life advice and Ozai saying “I’m gonna do the opposite of that.”

5. The Gaang decides to leave Ember Island and try to regroup with the White Lotus. While heading to the EK, they’re captured by FN soldiers and brought to the capital (without the Avatar and being tired from the comet both physically and mentally they aren’t on their best game). Everyone is put in prison, including Azula who is internally having a heart attack, when Ozai comes and demands to see Aang. Everyone, minus Azula, starts going crazy because they think Ozai is about to kill Aang. Instead, Ozai takes him to a private room and just starts yelling at him (Ozai: What did you do to me?!? Aang: What do you mean what did I do to you?! Ozai: I didn’t know being the Avatar was contagious!) Aang learning that Ozai is the Avatar now would probably make him both laugh, cry and nervously be like ‘what spirits in the spirit world okayed tbis’. (Aang: What do you want me to do? Ozai: I want you to teach me how to keep these other inferior bending forms under control. I can’t move my wrist without throwing water at something. Aang: Why should I help you? You were just trying to kill me a week ago. Ozai: I won’t let all your friends die. Aang: But then I really won’t help you and you’re back at where you started but now three masters down. Ozai:…What do you want?) Spoiler Alert: Aang wants his friends to be free but they find the knowledge that Ozai is the new Avatar way too terrifying and hilarious to just leave. Which is how Ozai gets Katara, Toph and Aang as his new teachers and maybe a “not as big a jerk as you could have been” award.

[lastoneout]

As someone who's curious about star trek: where would you recommend I start? It's a lil overwhelming, but yall seem to be having fun!

Oh lord that is the question isn't it. Honestly the real answer is anywhere, while all of the shows take place in the same universe aside from Picard and Lower Decks they don't really require a huge amount of knowledge about any other series(and hell if you don't mind not getting some references and enjoy raunchy comedy with a heart of gold shining within it Lower Decks is a really fun time), they really do all stand on their own and even ones that are prequels or continuations like Prodigy and Strange New Worlds are pretty self contained.

Personally though(and people will likely kill me for this but whatever) I started with the 2009 Star Trek film and I legit do think it does a really good job of getting a new audience the info they need on how the universe works and who some of the big characters in The Original Series are while also being fun and accessible and, crucially, not a huge time sink. I think a LOT of people get intimidated out of Trek because most of the shows are long as fuck and while I say this with love...not all of them hit the ground running. So yeah, it's snappy, it's exciting, it preserves whats important, and it's basically designed as an entry point, so it's worth a watch. And I'm just a huge sucker for Chris Pine, his Kirk is a bit more openly feral than the original and I honestly love that for him <3

However!! I would NOT recommend watching the other two films, Into Darkness and Beyond, right away. Star Trek '09 is essentially an AU of the Original Series so the story is unique, but Into Darkness is just a remix of The Wrath of Khan and NOT A GOOD ONE at that! Plus it's just...kinda dark and miserable and deviates heavily from the established feel of Star Trek that every other show managed to hold onto, which sucks. If you really wanna watch Beyond you can, and you genuinely should at some point regardless, it also is an original story that stands on it's own and to be honest is the best film of the trilogy and one of my favorite Star Trek anythings ever. It's got all the good Trek energy from the original shows while still keeping it's own identity and that's a joy to watch. So yeah, if you start with '09 I would recommend diving into a show before continuing. And maybe just not watching Into Darkness at all. It's bad.

Now, if you are a fan of animated shows for older kids like Avatar The Last Airbender, Star Trek Prodigy is genuinely a GREAT entry point. It is technically a sequel to Voyager but it is also it's own story with new main characters and it's legit meant as a way to get kids into Star Trek for the first time so it's very accessible while still being engaging and unique, and they explain stuff very clearly in a way that never feels patronizing or like it's talking down to the viewers. I legit got tear-y eyed watching the scene where they explain Starfleet just because I'm so glad it exists to welcom people in to a world I love so dearly. That and it's also SO good like I cannot stress enough this show fucking rules. It even has a nonbinary character in the main cast who I adore!! I love the animation and the whole cast and the story and just ough 100/10 for sure. I would even say for people who prefer ATLA style shows over big sci-fi/action films this is the better start than '09, so it's up to you.

Moving on, as much as I love it I'm not entirely sure if I'd recommend The Next Generation as a starting point, if only because the first two seasons are REALLY rough. Like they def have some good episodes, one of my faves of the whole series is in season 2, but it's clear the show needed a couple of seasons to figure itself out before it really took off. I personally did watch TNG after Star Trek '09, but I have a very high threshold for...weird and kinda bad sci-fi so idk, take that as you will. I was willing to buckle down and get through the weird because I knew how good it was going to get, but that's just me. However, I will say once TNG gets it's legs under it there is no looking back, it gets SO good that basically all Trek shows that came after it up until very recently have been living in it's shadow for better or worse. It does ofc have some issues with racism and misogyny and other isms that are clearly due to it coming out in the 80s, but it's also incredibly progressive for not only it's time but often times ours, and overall it's a phenomenal show that is absolutely worth watching and was a lot of people's introductions to Star Trek, so it's a decent start if you don't mind dealing with some weird energy at the start.

As for Voyager, I won't lie, I fucking love it! It's also fairly self-contained, it doesn't even take place in the same part of the universe as the rest of the shows aside from Prodigy and so you don't need a lot of series knowledge to follow it. It is one of the...campier shows, def gets weird as hell at some points but it's got this wonderful spirit at the core of it that imo it always seems to find it's way back to. It is sadly a product of it's time, however, and the first officer Chakotay, while certainly not the worst Native American rep I've seen, certainly isn't the best either. I've heard Prodigy does a very good job at correcting this, but Prodigy came out like 25 years after Voyager so yeah, it is something to keep in mind if that's gonna be a deal-breaker for you. The show does at least let him be a person outside of The Problematic Bit and I appreciate that, it gives him room to shine without the baggage of writers who have no clue what they're doing weighing him down and thus he's genuinely a really great character and probably one of the best first officers in all of Trek, and again I have seen FAR worse bad rep.

Aside from that while it does get weird in it's own bad sci-fi way, all of Trek is weird in that way sometimes, and anyone who says otherwise has no clue what they're talking about. I really enjoyed Voyager, I like it more than The Next Generation for sure and is a better jumping on point than it as well. It does reference a lot of stuff from TNG though and some characters do make a reappearance, but again it's really not that hard to get the gist as the show is more than willing to explain itself. Also it had the first female captain and truly Janeway is peak I would die for her, and the opening theme makes me feel shrimp emotions.

As much as I love Lower Decks I would not recommend it as a starter show, it's very referential and it has some Pretty Bad Episodes, the end of season 2 is dead to me, and it's also an adult comedy so if that's not your vibe you won't enjoy it. I do think it's a wonderful show but yeah, def targeted at adult fans who like some vulgarity(Trek isn't exactly a kids show but it does try to stay away from swearing and sex jokes and the like) and already enjoy Star Trek. Great show, got some rocky bits for sure, and maybe not the best start for someone new. Interestingly tho I do think out of the shows I've seen it does have the BEST first season of any Trek show. It really hits the ground running and the finale is like up there with Holes in terms of a perfectly tied together narrative. Def great to see!

As for the other shows....I sadly can't say because I haven't watched them yet. I know Deep Space Nine is regarded as one of the best Trek shows overall for too many reasons to list, The Original Series has been one of the longest lasting active fandoms in all of history and is beloved by most fans(I'm really excited to watch it) for both it's depth and it's campy nonsense as well as the insane gay energy going on between Kirk and Spock and you should watch it at some point, I hear Discovery had it's own rocky start but has had fans going to bat for it for years, and Enterprise has a rep for being mid but also to this day has fans who swear more people would love it if they were willing to give it a fair shot(plus Beyond pulls from it heavily which is awesome!), and while I've heard mixed things about Strange New Worlds it also seems to be a pretty well regarded entry point and a lot of people genuinely adore it, and it's nice to see some attention get paid to TOS inspired stuff rather than everything being oops all TNG for so long.

And Picard exists. For better or worse. Maybe worse I've heard. Im not interested in watching it because I genuinely do think Trek needs to get OUT of the shadow of TNG for it's own good at this point but that's just me. Def one that should be watched AFTER The Next Generation though as it's a direct sequel and you probably won't get anything that's going on without that context.

Anyway sorry for the essay it is now 3am and I am an idiot I just LOVE Star Trek more than I could possibly ever say and overall aside from Lower Decks and Picard(and Into Darkness I am sorry I truly hate that film to an perhaps unhealthy degree) you really cannot go wrong with your starter. Also I fully welcome anyone who has seen the other shows to chime in here! I wish I could speak to them but there really is so much Star Trek and only so many hours in a day. I hope this helped though, and I wish you luck!!

(Also sorry if I dissed on anyone's faves this is my opinion ofc everyone is going to like different things and I know plenty of people enjoy the stuff I can't stand. There's a show for everyone in here and we won't always agree, but overall I think it's best to just live and let live, especially given the rare but vocal assholes who swear anything made after DS9 is bad. They are idiots and I will attack them on sight.)

[anthroposeen]

tmagp 22 relisten notes

tmagp 22 spoilers below the cut! proceed with caution! this is a longer one!

scene:

this is a continuation of the night of episode 20 and 21, judged by gwen and lena's conversation and sam's confrontation of alice

celia:

- she repeatedly throws hooks at sam to get him more interested in the magnus institute, the opposite of alice's approach to this. rather than encouraging ignorance, celia pushes sam towards curiosity.

- "i might have come across some important names ... jonathan sims and martin blackwood." girl you literally met them! aside from the obvious implications (that celia is from the TMA universe and is referring to the people she met in that dimension) she could also be referring to the tmagp-verse jon and martin. so far, we dont know anything about them, so they coukd have been involved with the institute (though this may be unlikely, considering their ages would be different to that of tma)

sam:

- he noticed that someone edited his caseload, and confronts alice about it

- "youre trying to control me, again" -> interesting because it gives us insight to their past relationship, and why they might have broken up

- "im done trying to placate a jealous ex" sam seems to be interpreting alice's actions as purely made out of controlling and jealousy. from his perspective, she cant get over him, and has been disrupting his work to regain a place in his life.

- sam is a person whos been heavily controlled in his past, we know that his parents shaped his education and career paths and we can infer that his relationship w alice ended poorly bc of her controlling behaviors. it makes sense that hes not willing to sacrifice freedom once he has it

- "im in. all the way.", this is the first time since the series started that sam has thrown himself fully into this investigation. every other time he was confronted with it, he would claim to be moving on or uninterested. but now, hes accepting that hes involved with it.

alice:

- she admits to sam that she edited his caseload, and that she believes the computer is intentionally giving him cases related to the magnus institute

- she says that shes stuck around the OIAR because its easy money if you can ignore the bad qualities, and she enjoys having the seniority. shes been the only steady employee for a long time, and has the most experience, so she has a place of value in this job and she enjoys that trust and authority. she thought that by training sam, she could teach him how to ignore the creepy stuff like her, and she would be less alone

- she also comes off as upset that sam is choosing to continue his investigation with celia, both ignoring alice's advice and choosing celia over her

lena:

- she appears upset that gwen ran away from both ink5oul and [error]. she refers to [error] as "the watching figure", but thats based on gwen's description of the entity. i dont think lena actually knows about the entity (after all, its very new to the scene), she was just using gwen's description as its title for now

- "you didnt get any contact details from them?" this referring to [error], not ink5oul, further showing that lena isn't familiar with them

- gwen's behavior has convinced lena that she cant be trusted to interact with the externals and keep the situation calm. so far, she's been prone to instigating more conflict with them and has now actually harmed a civilian in the process (the man that ink5oul ripped apart).

- she claims that she doesnt want gwen to die, but her death would be simpler to manage than a dead bystander and 2 "uncontrolled" externals. here, she refers to both ink5oul and [error] as externals, despite them not working for the OIAR. this might be the tmagp-verse equivalent of avatars. she also puts emphasis on them being uncontrolled, implying that under the management of the OIAR, externals exhibit different behaviors, or are less likely to be disruptive. (im betting that externals without management are more likely to tip the balance of things)

- she doesnt seem concerned about gwen's blackmail, so either gwen doesnt have that evidence anymore, or lena doesnt think that gwen will go through with her threat

- she removes gwen from her duties as externals liaison, but allows her to still have the title, but also offere her the opportunity to quit. this is the first time quitting is brought up in this episode, still under the guise that it is possible, yet gwen denies the offer.

- references a "ministerial visit", so we'll finally be meeting lena's boss, potentially the man who colin would mention (the man who wants the OIAR to have a functional app, and colin suspects him of also supervising them)

- lena is married! (to me)

gwen:

- "i see what you're doing. you wont get rid of me that easily." she seems dead set on holding on to this position despite hating it and continuously complaining about it. i dont think she cares about the work that they do, shes moreso focused on climbing the ranks to earn respect, and not having respect from the externals or lena is deeply upsetting her

- instead of fighting harder to keep her role, gwen accepts her demotion (though she seems upset about it) and goes so far as to almost be polite to lena, "of course, mrs. kelley" after this interaction it feels like gwen might be intimidated by lena

incident:

narrated by augustus at sam's terminal

- letter from dr. berger detailing the results and descriptions of his recent experiments with the human mind and consciousness

- he was experimenting on a man with a skull deformity, which allowed him to measure pressure, cognition, and electricity shifts within the brain. he was inserting wires directly into the man's skull to take measurements

- after feedback from a fellow dr, he switched to using silver wires in the subject's skull. he measured the electrical output of the subject and received encouraging results.

- dr. berger read on the concept of the hemispherical bridge and the center of self, a collection of fibres near the middle of the grain, which can separate the left and right sphere and create differing consciousness within one body

- he inserted the silver wires directly into the subject's brain, positioned to find the hemispherical bridge.

- the subject was asked questions about himself, such as who he was and what he wants. this disrupted the normal electrical readings, though the subject seemed undisturbed.

- dr. berger experiences a dream where below him is a deep ocean full of "dark secrets", where above him flew radio signals that were "unknowable". he laments that these two things will never meet, emphasizing a separation and balance in their natures

- the dr created a new device to read the electrical signals from the subject's brain, which resulted in the telegraph mechanism clicking. each time he asked a question, the clicking would increase, though his verbal answers didn't change.

- while he was playing with the telegraph waiting for the rest of the equipment to be set up, he started asking the questions again. this time, there was a pause of silence before the clicking began again. the clicking responses increased in intensity

- his wife and assistant, ursula, dropped equipment and looked scared, asking if he could hear 'the sound'

- after this, the subject began to seize and scream in agony as the telegraph increased in intensity. the moment the subject died, the telegraph stopped

- upon reviewing the tapes and records of his experiment, discovering the ominous answers of the subjects split consciousness

- upon asking what the subject wants, it says "help, need, help out, we out" and as this response continues, augustus's narration rises in intensity.

glitches/lies:

- "its probably the horrendous porn you've been downloading." - alice, lying to sam about why his computer must be messed up

- "i can look after myself." -sam

extra comments:

- the biggest takeaway from this episode for me, is that jmj are likely conscious inside of the computer system, and are experiencing this consciousness in a disjointed and painful way. they seem to be speaking to the OIAR employees and audience with the answers to dr. berger's questions, pleading to be helped and let out.

- this statement also goes to support a small theory im working on, that most of the incidents we've heard pertain to balance and separation of self. excepting the incidents that resemble tma statements or provide character information, many of the cases we've heard revolve around forces finding balance or there being a separation of forces at play. i think this will tie in to the grand ritual that the magnus institute attempted, and how the ties to alchemy will be expressed, since finding balance seems to be the center of many operations within the tmagp universe.

- i fear that im biased, since ive kinda disliked celia from the beginning (and i do mean the very beginning, i never liked lynne hammond) but i feel like she's intentionally dragging sam into the investigation without considering if thats beneficial for him. and i dont trust her motives. i dont think this makes her evil or an unsympathetic character- shes been put into a very complicated situation where there likely isnt a simple good solution. but i dont trust her to be involving sam for any 'good' reasons, especially since we know shes hiding information from both him and the audience (im not referring to her being from a differebt universe, i mean that she knows more about the institute and alchemy than shes letting on).

- i think that the ministerial visit that lena references will be the major event in the season finale. it would make sense for there to be an incident during the visit that results in some sort of conflict (im betting that it will involve either colin interfering with the computers, an external that has poor relations with the OIAR (ink5oul, [error]), or gwen's blackmail coming to fruition)

- i also think that we may see/meet tmagp-verse jon and martin before the season ends (assuming they're alive), this would normally feel rushed, but this series has been decently fast paced in terms of revealing leads, so we may be getting a tease for that

[sokkastyles]

Zutara Month Day 2: Diary/Journal

And since there is no end and no beginning / You will run, you will run, you will run

- Lost Girls, Tilly and the Wall

It had been a long day of combing through the palace vaults, one of which was filled to the brim with old scrolls and leather-bound books, all of them spoils of war taken by the Fire Nation. So much knowledge locked away, Katara thought. Of course one of the ways to destroy a people was to take away their knowledge, to deny them their history, but what surprised her was that it hadn't been destroyed. Rather, left to rot in the dust and the dark, which was almost worse.

"Some of these were used," Zuko said, his voice a quiet rasp, "to find out how best to conquer the other nations. I was here once, after my banishment had been decreed, grabbing what I could find about the Avatar and the Air Nomads to take with me." Katara saw him flinch at the memory. There were cobwebs in his hair, nesting in the loose topknot at the top of his head. He didn't wear the hairpiece today, and he looked like any other young man in loose dark-colored clothes with small red and gold embellishments. "But most of it's just been sitting here. It should go back to the people it belongs to."

What was salvageable would go back, Katara thought, but she didn't say that aloud. Zuko tried, he really did, but there was so much damage that couldn't be undone, so much destruction that had been caused by simple carelessness if not outright maliciousness. It made her sad, and angry, but still she persevered, eager to do what she could.

She had been unfurling what appeared to be a cracked and soiled earthbending scroll when she heard Zuko call her name, his tone rigid with urgency. "Katara. Look at this."

He was holding a thin bundle of yellowed pages held together by rotting animal hide, peering at the faded, looping script.

"What is it," she asked, but he simply looked up at her and said nothing. Wordlessly, and with an expression she couldn't read, he held the book out to her.

Katara took the old thing from his hand, holding it carefully for fear that she might damage it. She looked at the page that Zuko had held open, and began to read:

Well, this is the first entry in what I believe will be a long journey. Tomorrow, I will leave the Northern Water Tribe, with nothing but the clothes on my back, a few rations that will see me to the nearest Earth Kingdom port, and the necklace my betrothed made for me, to symbolize a union that will never be. I will never forget you, Pakku, but I cannot marry you. I hope that one day you will see that. My love for you is not enough to change who you are, I understand that now. I always have, but today I make my decision. Perhaps one day you will read these words, and know, too, of what I have done for love.

There was more, the words so faded and stained that they were difficult to make out, and Katara realized she could read no more for the tears that filled her eyes.

Gently, Zuko shoved aside a stack of scrolls and moved closer, placing an arm around her shoulders. Katara could not bite back the sob that escaped her, echoing in the empty vault. Her hand reached for him as he held her, fingers curling in the cloth of his shoulder as his own fingers gently combed the dust from her hair.

[disciple-of-owen]

In Defence of Katara’s Immaturity

Katara is an amazing character: an empowered, three-dimensional indigenous fantasy heroine that inspired a generation of creative minds. She is the idol of millions, and rightly so.

The problem is that, when a character is admired (even rightly), certain fandom echo chambers tend to distort said character’s canon nature. Their flaws, failings, and moments of general unpleasantness are ignored or rationalised until they disappear altogether, which leads to these same echo chambers asking, “Why isn’t this character we’ve created allowed to be imperfect? It must be the fault of the characters we don’t like!”

In the case of Katara, one of the most common manifestations of this phenomenon is the ‘Momtara’ trope. In this trope, Katara is portrayed as a tragic, Cinderella-esque figure: a girl burdened with the responsibility of being her friends’ supportive mother figure. Advocates of this trope insist that Katara is the character least allowed to have faults or act her age, and that she constantly has to set aside her own wants and needs for the sake of the people around her. To this take, I have a simple rebuttal.

Horseshit.

One of the great things about Katara’s portrayal in ATLA is that she is FLAWED. She makes mistakes. She puts her friends in danger. She expresses jealousy, pettiness, selfishness, and many of the other wonderful faults that make characters rich. As evidence, I’d like to touch on a few of Katara’s less flattering moments throughout he series, along with a bit of analysis. Note, this is NOT by any means an exhaustive list.

Moment 1: The Kyoshi Warriors

God, I love how REAL this episode is when it comes to the childish disagreements that happen between young teens. When the people of Kyoshi Island begin showering Aang with gifts and adulation, he lets the attention go to his head and wastes hours showboating for a fawning audience. Katara, who had monopolised Aang’s attention up to this point, becomes increasingly jealous. This leads to the following gem of an argument between them.

“You’re not gonna stop me?”

“Nope. Have fun.”

“I will.”

“Great.”

“I know it’s great.”

“I’m glad you know!”

“I’m glad you’re glad!”

“Good!”

“Fine!”

How anyone can say Katara acted like Aang’s mom when this exchange exists is beyond me. Both of them are being ridiculous and petty and ABSOLUTELY acting their age here.

Moment 2: The Great Divide

While many people would rather forget this episode (it is by far the series’s weakest) there is a wonderful moment in the beginning during the Gaang’s camp setup. Katara tells Sokka that he should set up their tent’s rain tarp, a suggestion Sokka dismisses. It’s the dry season, he claims; work smarter, not harder! This escalates into a full-blown argument involving thrown sticks, collapsed tents, and name calling from both sides that is only resolved when Aang steps in. Once again, Katara is being immature. Once again, this immaturity is 100% consistent with her age and personality.

Moment 3: The Waterbending Scroll

I honestly don’t see how someone could argue that Katara is not incredibly irresponsible and self-centred in this episode. First, she steals a scroll from pirates, knowingly putting her group in the crosshairs of dangerous men for her own ambitions. Then, when Aang commits the crime of mastering one of its moves before her, she completely blows her stack at him (almost bringing him to tears). Finally, on top of all that, she lies about being over the scroll and then sneaks off on her own to train, leading to her, Aang, and Sokka all being captured. These are not the actions of a mom, or even a ‘mom-friend’; these are the actions of a child desperate to recover a part of their culture that was lost to colonialism. To adultify Katara robs her of this opportunity.

Moment 4: The Avatar State

Honestly, I feel like this episode (and Katara’s behaviour in it) isn’t talked about nearly enough. When Aang is offered the opportunity to end the war early by bypassing his training and mastering the Avatar State, he takes it. His position is understandable; he’s already late to the war, and wants to do whatever possible to minimise the loss of life. Katara disagrees with his decision, feeling that he should continue his training in the traditional way. The problem is that when Aang tries to explain his reasoning, she calls him a meathead and storms off. While there is nothing inherently wrong with her viewpoint, her reaction to it being challenged is childish and hurtful. Because guess what? 14 year olds are childish and hurtful sometimes. Moments like these are part of what make Katara such a believable character.

Just to reiterate, this is not at all an anti-Katara post. I love Katara. She is one of my favourite fictional characters. And it is because she is one of my favourite fictional characters that I don’t want people to reduce her to ‘the Gaang’s mom’ or a Strong Woman TM. Yes, Katara is a wonderful person; she is brave, passionate, kind, and yes, nurturing. But she is also a child, and has all the flaws, contradictions, and inconsistencies that come with that. As lovers of storytelling, we should celebrate all these facets of her character, not just pick and choose the ones that are easily digestible.

[kingwuko]

Also I've made a post about this before but aside from Airbender Wu I'm obsessed with the idea that canon nonbender Wu has the potential to be a competent badass like Asami but different, in his own style.

And I actually got this idea during the clip show episode and the wuko segments, when it occurred to me that Mako is probably training him to fight the way Mako himself learned to fight.

And I don't think that fighting style fits Wu's mindset, temperament, build, anything really, it's a style informed by street fighting and firebending, two things Wu could not be further removed from.

He's an earth kingdom prince used to fine silks and jewelry, expertly moving about the world with the grace and balance of a dancer even when confronted with physical aggression...

Say, doesn't that sound familiar to anyone else?

I'm just saying, he could be the earth kingdom royal to denounce the Dai Li and bring the Kyoshi Warriors to the forefront of their culture.

By becoming one himself.

When it comes to Wu learning to defend himself and fight, I have two favorite hc.

1. Yes yes yes to Wu training with Kyoshi Warriors. I will say that I'm hesitant to have him become a Kyoshi Warrior, because Kyoshi Warriors are women. (Though if people have hc about Wu's gender being different, that's certainly worth exploring!) But much like Sokka was permitted to train with them, I see no reason why Wu couldn't learn from them as well! I think if given the opportunity, Wu would pick up the fighting style quite well. The method of fighting practiced by the Kyoshi warriors, and originally taught to them by Rangi herself, is focused on turning your enemy's strength against them. Seems like an excellent style for Wu, as he's built much more slender. I think he'd be into the overall aesthetics, too. I also love the idea of some Kyoshi warriors becoming his royal guard and replacing the role of the Dai Li.

2. Training with Asami. Asami has taken formal self defense lessons since she was a child. She has the technical know how of self defense and since she learned it formally, I think she would be excellent at teaching it formally. To further my Asami-teaching-Wu propaganda, check out the description of Asami as a teacher from the Avatar Legends Wan Shi Tong's Adventure Guide:

As a teacher, Asami is encouraging and supportive—she prizes an individual’s own inventiveness when channeled appropriately, far more than her own ideas. When it comes to the overall tone and style of mastery conditions set to PCs, Asami will emphasize thought over force, clever ideas over direct results. Asami wants those who learn from her to see how problems can be solved in many ways, and there’s nearly always a better way, in addition to seeing how they can help others and don’t always have to solve the problem on their own.

I just feel like Asami would make a good, patient teacher, I think her formal training would translate well into teaching skills, I think she might actually appreciate Wu's creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, AND I think her foundation in self defense would be ideal for Wu to learn. I don't see him needing to be a fighter in the thick of battle right alongside the rest of Team Avatar, but he should certainly learn to hold his own to protect his own life and limb.

Regardless of how Wu learns self defense and/or martial arts, we can all agree on one thing, I'm sure. Mako is a terrible person to be teaching him. He was literally the worst teacher in Remembrances lol like what was he even doing. And you're right, his style of fighting does not match the kind of fighting that Wu should learn or that he would be able to master.

That's ok. Mako can cheer him on from the sidelines!