#azula's redemption arc

[the-badger-mole]

What are your thoughts on Azula redemption. Like if it was done properly and she got all the help she needed. Because honestly it's hard to find good Azula redemption takes without them being stans or something

I've talked about this before (here for instance), but I don't really think Azula needs the kind of redemption people seem to want for her. I think a transformative arc would fit her better. Like, yeah, she changes, but she's not necessarily redeemed through it. First of all, I don't think she'd ever be completely sorry about what she did, and I think that's a baseline requirement for a redemption arc.

Second, in my opinion, too many of these "redemption" arcs for Azula focus on her reconciling with everyone, and I just don't think that's realistic. I see her reconciling with Zuko and maybe Iroh, but beyond that, I don't see Ty Lee coming back (I actually like to think that she found her happiness far, far away from Caldera and the messiness of court). I could see Azula not wanting Mai back. Zuko's friends don't owe Azula anything either, so it bothers me a bit when I see stories that start with Azula being best friends with everyone with no explanation or acknowledgement of how odd it is. Especially when the stories are within a year or two after the war ends. The problem here is focusing so much on the trauma Azula went through, there's no focus on the trauma she caused. And she caused a lot.

Like, A LOT.

She contributed to Zuko's years long abuse, she controls Ty Lee through intimidation and forces her into service, she pimps Mai out to get Zuko in line (although, it seemed like Mai was into it, so this might be iffy?). Then there's everything she did to the Gaang. All of this before you dig into what she was like before she joined the hunt for Aang. This is my own personal theory, and not one I necessarily expect to see in fics, but I'm 100% sure Azula did a lot of damage even before she left the Fire Nation. Intentionally or not (and tbh, it probably wasn't intentional), it's pretty heavily implied in the show that Azula has a body count off screen, and those bodies were friendly fire (i.e. Azula has killed and injured people from the Fire Nation). Beyond that, Azula seemed to enjoy what she did. I know she was victim of abuse, but she was also an abuser. Just like a bully being abused at home doesn't automatically absolve them of being a bully, Azula has a lot to answer for. None of the people she harmed are required to welcome her in with open arms.

How I would approach a transformative arc for Azula would be to tell the story over a span of years- well into her adulthood, and probably into middle age. The only one from the original show she would have a firm relationship with is Zuko, and mostly because he insists on seeing her every so often. Katara, who is obviously married to him, would tolerate Azula for Zuko's sake, but things would be cold between them, and Katara would understandably want to keep her children at a distance. Iroh would forgive her, but wouldn't be super inclined to force a connection between him and his niece. He would support Zuko's efforts, though. Azula wouldn't live in Caldera. If she doesn't end up imprisoned after the war, I think she would end up semi-exiled to one of the outer islands of the Fire Nation. There she would build a new life for herself, and rediscover her humanity. She might come to regret more of her actions, but I think ultimately she'd end up absolving herself and not really care about making amends to anyone outside of Zuko (and maybe Iroh. Maybe).

Personally, I'm not super interested in punishing Azula, but I want there to be heavy consequences for her actions. I want the validity of people not wanting her in their lives to be acknowledged. I want to see how she navigates her life post war after losing everyone and everything. I want to see her carving out a place for herself that doesn't have much, if anything, to do with her life in Caldera. If she can make amends to one or two people from her past, that's fine, but it needs to take into consideration that she hurt them, and not just be them accepting her back because she "wasn't herself", because she was herself when she hurt them. I want Azula's redemption arc to be messy and imperfect and incomplete.

Well, either that, or I want to see her go full power trip and try to take power from her brother in an epic and tragic final battle between the siblings, because who doesn't like Shakespearean drama with elemental magic, amirite?

[bluespiritshonour]

Hi, do you happen to have the thread about Azula's redemption arc?

Hey, anon!

I had this link saved somewhere, hope it still works!

[bonksoundeffect]

Pov you've been judged and found wanting

Anyways, just felt like drawing older Zuko and Azula

+

[waywardavatarenthusiast]

this is the funniest thing i’ve ever seen on atla twitter

[but-a-humble-goon]

Online media literacy be like "this teenaged girl who maybe hurt some people is irredeemable and unforgivable and deserves only to suffer forever" Meanwhile popular male redemption arc characters:

[lovegrowsart]

personally i think katara is completely within in her right to be angry at and never forgive the man that killed her mother and in turn zuko is also within his right to be angry at and never forgive his abusers who gaslit manipulated scapegoated maimed banished and tried to kill him multiple times and neither of those things would make katara and/or zuko lesser than or bad people

[ellllsia]

The best thing about zuko's redemption arc is the fact that he RELAPSED. Something that I have never seen before. It's such a good idea and it tells us so much about his character and story.

He's a confused fella who only wanted to be appreciated and get his honor back. That was his main focus.

Therfore a redemption is a hard thing to process. Especially when all you have ever been taught is how your nation deserves greatness no matter how you get it.

So he commits the unthinkable, fights alongside his sister, betrays Katara, betrays his LOVING UNCLE and goes back to his father and his "home" a hero.

But as soon as he's back, he doesn't feel fulfilled. He actually starts questioning his father's plans. He starts realising how cruel all this may be. Then finally he chooses to work out what to do next, what his real destiny might be. And boom everything falls into place. I mean yeah he gets a little nudge from his LOVING UNCLE but he still moves on his own.

He leaves to get his honor back again. Though this time it's for good and it's by DOING good. Since he also understands that no one is giving you your honor or taking it away. You alone affects it and that's just beautiful.

So yeah thank you for enjoying this Ted talk😘.

[samtamdan]

[dunnowho180125]

yes again

OK OK ok so

Zukka AU where Zuko has a tiny bit more common sense and realizes his father is batshit insane a few months after the start of his banishment so he ends up being a menace for the fire nation (especially Zhao) and NOBODY can catch him and his crew (which are loyal to him cause Iroh tells them the story of his scar earlier) and one day he has to go to Kyoshi Island to restock and also to catch up with a friend (Suki) he made while talking shit about the Firelord but when he arrives everything is on fire because Zhao, who was tasked with the mission of retrieving the Avatar after informants report the Big Avatar Beacon, is an ass so Zuko goes to help and almost gets killed by Sokka, who does not know who he is, and they all end up with very awkward presentations to do but the Gaang doesn’t rly trust Zuko at first and then Suki (who know about the scar) makes a joke about “the Firelord burning Zuko’s other eye because it worked so well the first time” and they are all like yk what after much reflection we are adopting you and Sokka is like “Aang if you don’t kill the Firelord i will” and-

[bunthebreadboy]

“The eclipse is Zutara coded” WRONG. It’s Azutara coded. It’s the final Agni Kai. It’s Katara standing in front of Azula, freezing them in water right before Azula tries to lightning bend. It’s Katara being the only character in the series who completely subdues Azula. It’s Azula, who burns hot, who becomes exhausted with heavy breaths, who begins screaming with flames coming out of her mouth. And it’s Katara, who watches with a heavy expression and Zuko at her side.

[blorboazula]

I only fully accept Azula as the short one when it's the "normal sized person x so tiny you're concerned that they weren't fed enough as a child" kind of height difference.

[the-badger-mole]

Your takes on Azula are really cool. Do you know any fics where her "redemption" arc isn't everyone treating her as a poor meow meow who deserves better just because she had a bad childhood. I'm really tired of this trope because it literally doesn't fix anything about Azula, she just one random day decides that she was wrong and then she never does anything to show that she is sorry and acts the same as before.

Anyways I really want to read a fic that actually addresses Azula's issues and doesn't force Zuko to do all the hard work for her.

Most of the redemption stories I've seen for Azula begin with her post redemption. I read a story that kind of tackles the fact that Azula wouldn't want 'redemption' immediately, and would also not have a great relationship with everyone afterwards. I thought I had bookmarked it, but of course I didn't, and I can't remember the title 🙄. I'll describe the story below and hopefully someone knows what I'm talking about. It's not exactly what I want to see in an Azula redemption, but it is the closest I've ever come across. Personally, I think it's still too easy on Azula, but it acknowledges that she did some messed up things on her own volition and doesn't make her a complete victim of circumstance. It also put her redemption on what I think is a reasonable timeline. Everyone is well into adulthood, and for most of that time, she's only interacting with Zuko, and only because she's more or less being forced to.

The story is a series of one-shots following Katara and Zuko and their growing family. Azula doesn't show up until about half-way into the series (iirc), and the catalyst for her being reintegrated into the family is that one of her nieces has the same potential in fire bending as Azula, and Zuko and Katara agree to let her train their daughter (I think Iroh is too old to handle it or something). In the first story of the series, Zuko is hesitant to have a baby, even though Katara is eager to. She ends up getting pregnant unintentionally, and the rest of the story follows the rest of her pregnancy. She gives birth at a really important Fire Nation ceremony that Zuko tried to get her to stay home from.

[queen-morgana91]

"Zuko is the only complex character" in avatar is the most boring and stupid take in this fandom

Seems people can't recognize complex/good characters if they don't have a redemption arc

[kitttttchaos]

To me, there is absolutely no question that Azula needs a redemption arc. It’s so easy to forget that she’s literally a kid, and it would be so horrible for her to go through the rest of her life where she is as of Smoke and Shadow/Azula in the Spirit Temple (whichever comes first?). Also, from the perspective of Zuko, imagine you go through all these terrible things and now you’re at the best you can be because of all the work you’ve done with yourself, and it just hurts so much to see your little sister breaking. No wonder he reached out to her in The Search. Honestly, he’s a saint.

But I think her redemption arc would be a little unconventional. First of all, I think it needs to be far away from Team Avatar (with the exception of Zuko), Mai, Ty Lee, and even Iroh. All those people have grudges against Azula, with good reason, and she has grudges against some of them, and although they could help her, I think it’s best for someone outside of her personal life to help her heal. I think something would have to push her into wanting to change, and someone would have to help her realize that she’s enough without everything she attributes herself to. Maybe it would be Zuko, but I don’t rlly think so. Then she should spend a good month with Guru Pathik. Then she should go find Ty Lee and apologize, because Ty Lee is maybe one of the only people who would listen. Then she should talk to Iroh.

[pleasantbeardonut]

Do anyone ever think that azula might or might not was a protective person if she end up get her redemption arc? I sometimes imagine that she do and secretly protective I think. Like for first time she end up having a really good thing and she don't want it to be ruined. Like maybe having good relationship with Aang and at least for first time being sister that Zuko need.

[andalon-historian]

The best part of Azula's character is that she seems to actually care about converting Zuko back to her side-- not that she cares about him, but that when she decides to try to keep him evil she actually tries. At all.

So many evil overlords berate their rebellious underlings and insult them and punish them. Only Azula is out here with a "stop doubting yourself king we love you for this."