#badass katara

[geothewriter]

Dark Revelations

A raucous cacophony crashed overhead as near-constant lightning flashes illuminated the rain-streaked palace windows she left behind. The panes shook with every thunderous rumble. Her entire being relished the energy of the skies as she walked through the downpour.

On any other night, she may have stopped the water from soaking her through. Not tonight. Not at the midnight hour. Torrential as it was, she let the storm in. It made her feel alive. She felt the crackle of the storm’s power, but more; beyond the tempest, above the clouds, the moon hung full, brimming with power just begging to be set free. Who was she to deny it that want?

She entered the massive stone prison fortress with little resistance. The guards who recognized her bowed and immediately stepped aside, while those who didn’t were decidedly dealt with. Not harmed. Not permanently anyway. None would stop her from reaching her goal.

His cell was dark, dingy, and dismal, a desolate place for a man who once sat at the precipice of ruling the world. A fitting place for him to rot. The walls were thick with moisture, seeping in from the storm above. 

Perfect but unnecessary.

The guards posted to this prisoner’s cell were summarily dismissed. She felt their presence would only complicate the matter. This was personal. 

Standing in the barren hall, she felt the latent energy of the full moon still reaching out, still begging to be used, and she did intend to use it, but not just yet. He lay in the cot on the opposite wall, a pathetic example of what he once was, of what he represented. She shook her head, shunting away the tiniest pity that rose within. 

She bowed her head, a mockery of her own position and her own morals, but she wanted this to feel perfect as she softly spoke, “Fire Lord Ozai?”

A shuffle of clothing signaled his consciousness, and she could see in the shadows that he had sat up, eyes of amber shining through the dark. 

He returned her inquiry with graveled words, a sign that he rarely spoke. “You are bold to use such a title here. State your business.”

Pathetic how he thinks he yet holds any power here. He rose from the cot and approached the bars opposite her. 

She keeps her tone even, controlled, and if she were honest, almost dark. “I have learned an interesting tale regarding your son, the former Prince Zuko, and I would know its truth.” 

He seethes through the bars. “You speak from a place of knowledge. It is dangerous for a woman to come alone here and seek its origin; Unless of course, you seek power.” 

Anger roiled and growled within her, but it was not yet the time. She would play with her prey a while longer. “What power could you possibly offer from in there?”

She could feel his eyes narrow from within the cell, the twin coals of amber becoming mere pinpricks. “Who are you that dares disturb the only true Fire Lord of this land?”

She suppresses a smile as she responds, venom seeping from her words, “Tell me, Ozai. Does he visit you? Has your daughter seen the pitiful state you exist in? Do you hear any news in this dismal place?” A pause. “Do you ever see the sun?” 

Silence, broken only by the periodic crash of thunder and the shuddering of the rock walls stretches for minutes. As she stands, a puddle of water has formed at her feet, still dripping from her soaked clothing. 

He scoffed “A waste of my time. You’re nothing. A nobody! Not worth anything.” 

As he turned toward his bed, she replied in a near-whisper laced with conviction, “Is that what you think?”

It was enough to give him pause.

“Three years.” She begins darkly, “Three years ago a young woman came to this land. She learned the customs, the traditions, and forged her path forward. She was named ambassador for her work. The Fire Lord recognized her long before she gained the title. She and your son are now betrothed.” A beat. “Tell me, Ozai. Your son. Fire Lord Zuko. Are you proud of him?” Thunder crashes, shaking the chamber, as if to punctuate her question.

He whipped around and grasped the bars, eyes pressed to the opening, attempting to gain knowledge about the speaker before answering, disgust dripping from his every syllable, “Proud? I’d be proud if he were dead. So what if he tricked some weak simpleton to be his bride. It changes nothing.” 

Bile surged into her throat as she witnessed firsthand his complete disdain for his own son, but they were nearing the end of this conversation. It would not matter much longer how he felt. 

“Your son will be making a waterbender his wife in two months. A waterbender, the Fire Lady.” 

She could see his hands shake against the bars, clenching with what strength he had available. The whites of his teeth shone in the dim light as he gritted them together, then to her surprise, a sickening laugh peeled out from the cell. 

A moment later, the laughter subsided, and he spoke with unexpected joviality. “The news you have for me of my son, is that he picked a weakling pathetic water tribe peasant to be his wife? To rule my nation? You’re joking. The elite will tear him to shreds. What could he possibly see in such an inferior being?” He laughed once more then continued, “They will hang her in the streets and come crawling back to–” 

She interrupts with a fake sweetness in her voice. “Tell me, Ozai, why do you think he belongs to her?”

A glint of light poured through his eyes as realization struck him and he growled, “You… It’s you! You’re her? I should have known he would choose a stupid peasant girl not fit for rule! You're just a cheap whore who doesn't know–”

She smiled as her hands began to curl, “He did not choose me.”

The moon’s power flowed within her, and when she reached for it with impossibly flexed fingers, the liquid in him answered her command. He was frozen in place, unable to speak, unable to move, and for the first time in years, fear welled within him.

“Your son is marrying a waterbender.” She spoke with a scarily even tone. “He is noble, compassionate, and righteous. He is right for our nation.” 

She waited, pausing for a response she knew would not arrive, before continuing, “His bride is like him. She is driven, loving, and cares very deeply for both he and their nation, but I chose to accept his proposal.” 

Lightning flashed once more as he spoke with great effort sputtering through gritted teeth, “Your tricks will not save you. I–”

“I am marrying your son in two months. And tonight, I learned something about his past.” 

Ozai spat toward her, showing his contempt.

She gripped the moisture in the air as it flew toward her, froze it, and smashed it into his chest, leaving a bloody welt in its wake, and the former Fire Lord grimacing in pain. The blow sent him reeling backward, and through an expression of shocked terror sputtered, “What– What are you?!”

She straightened her back and the water that once coated her lifted free of her clothing, levitating in the air before her. The storm crashed with a crescendo of lightning flashes, clearing the air for her to speak. 

“I am retribution.” She paused, letting the water around her swirl momentarily before continuing with all the hatred in her heart. “And I know what you did to him!”

Her fingers curled sickeningly, and his body was suddenly lifted, held aloft in his cell. Wide-eyed, he realized all too late, that he could not scream. 

“My future husband may not forgive it, but he is willing to put what you did to him aside…”

His fingers continued to grasp the bars, even as his body was pulled away, lifted by invisible strings, and suspended in the middle of the cell. 

“I am not so compassionate for those who hurt my loved ones.”

Her hands twitched, and he involuntarily released his hold on the bars. In a moment, his arms were pinned to his sides, and once again, he was brought back before her, but now entirely tensed, unable to move.

“You say my people are weak. When you were powerful, you showed your son just how to treat the weak.” Barely containing her anger, her words seethed through clenched teeth. “You burned him! Permanently scarred him! To what end?!”

A moment passed and she found her calm voice once more, dark and calculated, and no more than a whisper, “I will teach you in the way you taught him. I don't care that you won’t learn, but if power is all that you recognize…Then witness mine.” A few murky laughs escaped her before she continued, “Where there is water, I have all the power in the world, and in your blood, I can feel the water churning. It calls to me.”

The power of the moon rushed through her, pulling his blood through the rivers it flowed, and the now-distant thunderclaps echoed his heartbeat. She gripped at the tendrils of power and twisted.

A deafening scream issued from the cell, heard only by her, so intense was the cacophony of thunder that the sky raised at that very moment. His howls faded into a whimper, and when she was finished, her voice hauntingly whispered into his cell.

“No matter who you tell, it will not matter.” She cooed at the bloodstained former Fire Lord as he lay broken on the cold cell floor. “There will be no trace.” 

At her word, the broken skin began to heal, wounds stitching themselves back together, bones mending, and mangled flesh reforming. In no time, her lesson was no more than a memory. 

His form shuddered at her final words, “There will be more lessons. I have much to teach you about respect.”

As she walked back to the palace, the sky released another torrent of rain. She did nothing to stop its impact; yet this time, the drops dared not touch her.

[purrincesskittens]

Wip for a new fic, probably will just add it to my misc fic full of one chapter stories. Blue Spirit Zuko has gained some new spirit friends, and FN soldier Ren isn't having a good day. He would like to go home now.

The Southern Huntress Katara is from @muffinlance Salvage. I gave her the wolf paint like Sokka wears in battle and the face mask she wears in the Southern Raiders episode of the show. My OC Atka is the Wolf Lion Hunter spirit, while the twins Koji and Anja, whom I've mentioned in my other fics, are the Azure Dragon and Golden Dragon Spirits.

[darkcrowprincess]

Future zuko watching this fondly:

had to draw that kiawentiio clip cause she literally IS KATARA

[sad-endings-suck]

Traditionally “Feminine” Female Characters

THAT person: We need more traditionally feminine female characters again!

Me: Oh… okay. What exactly makes a female character “traditionally feminine” in your opinion?

THAT person: Traditionally feminine female characters are kind! They are soft, peaceful, express their emotions all the time no matter what, and maybe they are also smart idk, but they are NOT warriors that are tough and “badass” just for the sake of it.

Me: Well, it sounds like you are voicing frustration about two dimensional female characters that so happen to be tough and “badass”. What I DON’T understand, is why that’s a problem when the character is a woman/femme, but not when said character is a man. Especially when, historically speaking, one dimensional male characters tend to be reduced to “just badass and strong and unemotional” and nothing else way more often than AFAB characters ever have. Whereas women have largely been reduced to “soft and emotional and weak” for the better part of western written history.

That person: Because men are supposed to be strong and tough and women are supposed to be soft and kind and weak—

Me: Oops! There it is.

[yourhighness6]

Every so often I am struck by how truly wonderful the zutara ship is. Unreal chemistry? Check. Mutual support? Double check. Fits so many great tropes my head is going to explode while also somehow being completely unique? Check times a million.

[noperopesaredope]

You know, despite the new live-action ATLA absolutely slaughtering Katara's character, there is one upside, and that is the many video essays explaining why the OG Katara was amazing actually and why all her flaws and "annoying" aspects actually made her a great character.

Like, thank god we're all acknowledging that Katara's angry and even bitchy moments are part of what made her so complex, and we're all appreciating just how amazing and interesting she is.

[ap-kinda-lit]

Best plot twist ever

Toph: I know exactly what we should do: light their cars on fire. Sokka: Spirits, Toph, what the fuck is wrong with you? Toph: Alright, fine. We'll light one car on fire. One car and they'll all take the hint. Aang: Toph, lighting someone's car on fire is something Azula would do. Toph: Exactly! We'll literally be fighting fire with fire! Katara: No, Toph, that doesn't solve anything. I mean, what would YOU do if Azula lit your car on fire? Toph: I'd punch her in the face. One, for lighting my car on fire, and, two, for stealing my idea.

[lavender-0-menace]

it’s always “oh we need more complex female characters!” okay?? y’all couldn’t handle any of the atla women without immediately reducing them to a one note stereotype

[hotpinkrathian]

I will never get over the Suyin playing cupid trope and if you can't either than you should go read chapter 11 of A United Front

Still not convinced here's an excerpt of Lin and Kya rizzing each other up

I've posted about 1/2 of the complete story on AO3 now and I think yall deserve a special shout out your comments and theories are so inspiring and I hope I can post the rest of it soon. I'm up to 90K words now and I PROMISE those of you waiting for angst, it is coming.

But for now, enjoy these two awkward gays trying to flirt with each other

“Lin call me crazy but I think you enjoyed yourself, even if you did slip a bit of work in at the end.” 

“Having someone to fight other than my sister helped.” Lin said plainly. 

“I see,” Kya said, “so in summary, you like having me around.” 

Lin watched her family walk inside, busied by their own chatter and reflections of the evening. Suyin offered pointers and Bataar offered his excitement and encouragement. 

When they were inside, she turned back to Kya, who was watching her a little too intently. 

The sky had darkened significantly, Lin hadn't noticed before, but the stars were out. The sky wasn't quite black, but rather a stark shade of navy. The moon was almost full, a few more days and the fox-wolves would be audible from inside the dome. 

“Maybe I do,” Lin replied. “Would that be so bad?”

Kya seemed surprised, looking from Lin, to the house, to the sky before her eyes landed back on her. 

Lin's stomach tumulted in nervousness, or excitement, or both. 

You're not exactly subtle. 

Suyin was right, she wasn't subtle. She never had been. When she was angry she made it obvious. When she was frustrated she was expressive. She had held a grudge for twenty years because of how un-subtle she was. 

“Not at all,” Kya answered, her eyes darting back and forth with nervousness. 

There was a knock on the glass, so Lin looked to see her niece waving her over. 

“That can't be good,” Lin said, looking back to Kya. 

“Always the pessimist.” Kya laughed, brushing past her. Her shoulder nearly made Lin stumble with the impact. Kya's face turned at just the right angle that Lin could see a grin form when she thought Lin couldn't see. 

Lin sighed contently before following the others inside. 

She watched Kya in front of her, hoping the waterbender wouldn't turn around and catch her smile. 

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

You got any examples of stuff Glimmer has done that people demonize her for but let Catra get away with?

of course i do. someone else may have already made this post but if not, it needed to be made.

in the span of the series, glimmer made two major mistakes that catra also did. let's start with the worst one:

1. jeopardizing the safety of etheria:

glimmer used the black garnet to enhance the princesses' powers to save etheria. was she still at fault for being stubborn and reckless? absolutely. but her intentions were pure and she was really in a tight spot.

“I'm the queen who's going to save Etheria.”

i think we've all been in a situation where we were backed into a corner and had to resort to a bad decision. glimmer was misguided but she was trying to do the right thing.

“We both want to save the people we love.”

she still loved her friends and she cared about her people. of course, it's not an excuse for what she did. but you really can't blame her when she was forced into being a queen at such a young age, because of catra. i swear, people completely forget the fact that none of this would have happened if catra didn't open the portal.

not to mention, glimmer's reaction when she realizes that she was wrong:

she immediately admits it. she doesn't try to justify herself, she doesn't shift the blame onto anyone else. glimmer may be stubborn, but she's humble enough to acknowledge her own mistakes. contrast that to catra's reaction to realizing that the portal was about to kill everyone:

that's right. she doesn't care. first off, she was not forced into opening the portal. she wanted to do it to spite adora. sure, she was in a very emotional low at the time, because of the whole "shadow weaver choosing adora" thing. i get it. but her intentions weren't good, they weren't even neutral. she actively wanted to end the world, as long as adora died with it. her reaction to being told that adora was right was this:

“Adora is right. (laughs) Adora gets everything she wants. But not this time. This time, I am going to win. I don't care what it takes. We are opening that portal now.”

also, of course she shifts the blame to adora.

instead of at least acknowledging that this was her choice, she refuses to take responsibility for it and instead guilt trips adora.

2. hurting adora

this is probably the reason why glimmer gets the most hate from the fandom. because, in a moment of grief and frustration, she says something hurtful:

of course, it was wrong. it wasn't adora's fault that angella died. but glimmer's anger was understandable, it was just misdirected. she was going through a lot (reminder: because of catra) and she wasn't even given enough time to grieve. she had to put that aside to focus on being a queen. also, unlike catra, glimmer shows immediate guilt and regret after saying that.

she immediately tries to apologize. no one needed to tell her that what she did was wrong, she realized it instantly. and again, i think this is something we all do. frustration and stress gets the best of us sometimes and causes us to say or do something we can't take back. what matters is if we acknowledge it immediately and try not to do it again.

which glimmer does. she tries to apologize to adora again, but adora is (reasonably) upset and hurt. glimmer is shown to be guilty throughout, and apologizes properly as soon as she is rescued from horde prime.

again, compare that with catra constantly mocking, belittling, insulting and guilt tripping adora.

she's doing this on purpose. some of it can be chalked down to her being upset in a moment of distress, but most of it is catra deliberately saying anything that could and would break adora's self-esteem. she even prides herself in knowing adora well enough to know what to say in order to really get to her. if you want instances of catra hurting adora, there are going to be thousands across the series, and that's not counting all the physical abuse and attempted murder.

meanwhile, people still hate glimmer for one (1) thing she said out of frustration, and holds her accountable even after she apologized and never repeated it. the double standards are really double standarding.

not to mention, glimmer has to face the consequences of her actions. bow is allowed to stay mad at her and only forgives her after she starts crying, admits her mistake and says that she doesn't expect his forgiveness.

but catra? little catgirl got rescued and lashed out at adora immediately after. the bfs risked their lives to save her, but she never even thanks them. instead she crawls into the room afterwards acting all cute and sad, so all is forgiven. glimmer, who blamed adora for the death of her mom, is suddenly besties with the very person who killed said mom. bow gushes over how cute catra is, completely forgetting everything she did in the previous seasons.

it's so clear that not only do the fans hate glimmer, but even the show seems to. the writers seem to hate every character except catra. and honestly? their favoritism towards catra only ruined her character. she could have been a great villain or heck, she could have even gotten a good redemption arc. flawed characters don't mean shit if they are treated like victims instead of having actual character development.

[geothewriter]

Vermillion Seas Cardinal Skies: Chapter 23 - Time for Tea

Aang now has to face his friends after performing the death-defying, incredibly dangerous move of saving one of his biggest enemies. Then he learns a bit more about himself and gains an (old) ally. Meanwhile, Zuko and Katara make final preparations for a trip in a southern direction.

---

Good day readers! It's my Birthday! Which makes posting day even better!

That last chapter had quite possibly the most intense scene I've ever written! Oh Aang, why do you gotta be so good? I wonder if there will be long-term consequences for that act.

Now, most importantly, THANK YOU to achillmango for her incredible patience in beta reading/editing my chapters.

Without further adieu, please enjoy a snippet from Chapter 23 - Time for Tea

With shaking hands, Aang stows his glider in the saddle and takes back his seat on Appa’s head. His fingers clench the reins and he can feel his heart pounding relentlessly in his chest. A cacophonous orchestra of drums readying him for what’s to come. The airships haven’t started firing yet, but the men on board look as though they’re waiting for a signal. Then, he's surprised to see them drop their stances. One even nods toward him. He swallows roughly, nods back, and mutters three quiet words to Appa.  Let’s go, buddy.  It was the right thing to do, he tells himself again. He saved Azula. Him. The boy she killed. He could have died. Again. Doomed the rest of the world to fall to the Fire Nation. All because he can’t let go of the idea that he cannot take a life. And he’s going to have to make that impossible choice, for real, and soon. The comet is coming and it isn’t going to wait for him to debate ethics. He cradles his head in his hands and tries to focus on something else - anything else. Sokka’s voice starts softly, but quickly builds in intensity and volume as he speaks. “Aang, I really don’t like swearing around you, but I think this situation calls for it. Just, WHAT THE FUCK  WAS THAT? WHY DID YOU SAVE AZULA?” Not that. “Language Sokka!” Suki scolds. He shakes his head and with a quiver in his voice replies to the older boy. “Not now, Sokka.” He’s still asking himself the same question. Why did he do it? It’s the right thing to do? He can’t handle standing idle anymore? The answer isn’t clear even to him. “Now’s a pretty good time! What could you possibly have been thinking?!” “Sokka–” His voice breaks and he clenches his eyes shut. The world is full of choices we alone must make. His words are caught, struggling between keeping down tears and screaming in anger. Why is everything so difficult? Did he make the right call? Suki’s stern voice interrupts his thoughts and effectively silences the older boy. “Sokka, let it be.” “No.” He forces his voice to sound brave but keeps his gaze forward. “No. No– You all deserve an explanation.”  Keep flying straight, buddy.  He turns to address the grave expressions of his friends. Katara is holding tightly onto Zuko, Sokka is with Suki, and Toph is clinging to her other side. He’s alone up here. Alone. Momo chitters as he climbs into Aang’s lap. At least he’s not totally alone. Their eyes are all on him, waiting for him to speak. “Okay. So. I uh.” A sigh, and a deep breath. “I realized something.” He turns to Katara and Sokka. “Your dad gave me some advice back during the invasion, and I followed it. He told me that I need to do what I need to do, whatever that is. Even if it means making things harder in the short term. And, he said that the world is full of difficult choices that we alone must make. So–” “Dad said that?” Sokka quietly asks. “When?” “When we were flying on Appa toward the battlements. I told him I didn’t know if I could kill Ozai. Sokka, I don’t want to kill anyone. I know it's messed up, but you didn’t grow up the way I did. My people didn’t–”  A biting edge accompanies Katara’s voice as she speaks, “Aang, you didn’t live through what the Fire Nation’s campaign has done to the rest of the world. Not for the past hundred years. You’ve seen what it does now.” Her voice breaks and he can hear the pain in it. “How could you save Azula? She killed you Aang. YOU WEREN’T BREATHING! I spent weeks making sure you could wake up!” 

Continue Reading on AO3!

[paragonrobits]

i have to admit one of the most genuinely unsettling developments in fandom recently has been fans reading a book where Gyatso muses about spreading their teachings to other nations and immediately assuming they mean in exactly the same way as colonial proselyting rather than simply... well, spreading their teachings without it being the same thing as imposing their culture on others

and, for that matter, saying that Gyatso is as bad as Sozin for thinking that inspiring others to embrace pacifism would be a good idea.

That Gyatso is as bad as Sozin.

That a wise monk is as bad as the genocidal warmonger and conquering imperialist who wiped out Gyatso's people and began a hundred year war of conquest and cultural destruction.

That Gyatso was as bad as the person who outright genocided Gyatso's people. And the worst part about it is that this seems to be largely a negative response from people in fandom who are getting very quick to excuse the Fire Nation as not 'really' being fascist or colonizing or demonize the Air Nomads (again, the civilization of pacifist monks that were genocided to such a degree that its the whole reason the original series is called 'The Last Airbender', because the others are all dead) or accuse the Air Nomads as deserving to be wiped out, or conclude that teaching others if they are receptive to it is the same thing as explicitly stamping out cultural practices and ways of life (which, again, the Fire Nation is explicitly doing), or insisting that the Air Nomads are outright racist while claiming the Fire Nation is neither racist or classist (despite a standard insult from Zuko and Azula at their most antagonistic is constantly demeaning Katara or Sokka as 'peasants', or other Fire Nation characters referring to the Water Tribes as 'barbarians' and 'savages', or referring to Earthbending in equally demeaning terms)

Its largely from parts of fandom that has been increasingly growing more insular and saying things like this for a while, growing defensive of the Fire Nation (my guess is because they're often based in shipping arguments that have increasingly come to focus on their cultures and were already favoring the Fire Nation for its sense of power and luxury, which is constantly emphasized in the most common ship dynamics by some groups), and I think that its just kept escalating until we're now at the position where you're getting people saying "the Fire Nation was right to genocide the Air Nomads' and its horrifying to hear, but also unsurprising. Some of these particularly extreme aspects of fandom have already been in this base for a while.

It's unsettling to see them mask off so violently, but its not surprising. Acting like Gyatso is more evil than the genocidal warmonger who winds up killing him because of his dislike for the Fire Nation's racist views (established in other stuff as far predating the Hundred Year War, and leading up to it) and contemplating teaching people in other nations is exactly the same thing as coercive missionaries with colonial intentions.

It's honestly come full circle from the canon of the series being that the Air Nomads were a tragic first victim of the Fire Nation's war and Aang, their last survivor, must end that war, to these outspoken fandom people insisting the Fire Nation did nothing wrong, that they were justified in burning all the Air Nomads alive, and that Aang is the true villain of the setting, largely because of dislike of him from shipping purposes or being angry that the series didn't abruptly detour at the last second into a 'killing everyone who gets in your way is moral and never has long-term consequences' story that is antithetical to the series' big emphasis on harmony, long-term consequences, and that doing things spiritually is more important than getting them done quicker.

[writer-rider-flirty-thirties]

I reread The Black Games trilogy and I realized I never truly finished the last two chapters of the third installment (despite reading the whole triology at least five times) and y'all...

It rocked me emotionally.

Anyways, I love the trilogy so much and I'm so happy I finally got to finish it!

(also, it has my favorite OCs ever!!!)

[beifong-brainrot]

Yeah I know people like to talk about Katara "not being as respected as the rest of the Gaang" in tlok, but like. Homegirl is collecting injured rebels left and right, fixing them up, and has been implied to have been doing so since the beginning of the hostilities. There's no way the North don't know about this and they have proven more than willing to attack civilians under suspicion of being conspirators. But they just let her do her thing apparently.

Let's be honest with ourselves when we say that while she wasn't fighting directly, Katara was still a huge part of the civil war.

[cabbageslost]

Happy International Women's Day

From the badass women of AtLA

[eponastory]

Yeah... don't make Katara angry...

Seriously... don't. And then she has Zuko to back her up on this too.

Sokka is like 'wait who is this woman?'

Toph is probably smiling like an insane person

Suki is slightly in shock, but not because she knows what Katara is capable of...

And Zuko is just letting it happen in front of all his advisors like 'yeah, don't cross my girl she can handle herself'