#both zutara and kataang are FINE

[honeyxmonkey]

Gets mildly back into the ATLA fandom

Scrolls the tags

Sees shipping discourse

Sincerely I thought I'd managed to escape Zutara vs Kataang because I didn't actually join the fandom until well after the series came out (because I was like seven)

Some of the posts I've seen are... concerning

Like, even if you don't like a ship, the words aimed at specific characters and other REAL PEOPLE is uh... well, I've spent too long embroiled in fandom drama to address it seriously. Especially since I just got here

But

Uh

Yeah

Good luck I guess??? Gonna be over here in my Zukka corner and contemplate an extremely complicated ToA crossover???

[the-badger-mole]

But FWIENDSHIP!!!! 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[sapphic-agent]

So. I finally read this fuckass comic that's been talked about again recently. I'd only ever heard about it before so I decided to check it out. I'm gonna go through some of the pages and give my two cents because why not?

I'm not gonna lie to you guys, I don't get how Katara is "out of character" here. This is very reminiscent of Book 1 Katara, who was playful and teasing and immature and acted like, y'know, a kid. I know Bryke might have you thinking otherwise, but she shouldn't baby Aang all the time.

Especially because he is supposed to be practicing and just... isn't doing it. This was her way of lightheartedly trying to motivate him, which I think is pretty on brand for her.

You could make the argument that Katara is being dismissive here, but honestly? The subject clearly makes her uncomfortable. She was kissed (without consent) before a major battle by someone she saw as a friend. Of course she was uncomfortable. She has every right to not want to talk about or acknowledge it.

Calling that out of character is not doing Kataang shippers any favors when the most common criticism against them is their tendency to brush aside Katara's autonomy.

(At first when I saw this panel, I thought maybe she was being a little abrasive towards him. But... She's the same way with Toph in The Runaway. This isn't behavior that came out of nowhere. Why is it that it's only a problem when it comes to Aang?)

I guess a better question here is, is Aang out of character? For me, it's actually yes and no.

I think they made him overly mopey. Like yes, he's had his moments in the show, but drawing hearts in the dirt? What kind of shit is this??

Not to mention his weird little monologue inside the rock ("Who's really playing games here, Katara?" Are you actually serious, Bryke? Idc what anyone says, those words would never leave Aang's mouth). It feels like a bid to make him more sympathetic so that the reader feels bad for him. I'm fine labeling that OOC.

However...

Do I think Aang would purposely physically hurt Katara? No. Do I think Aang would get so caught up in his emotions that he stops being mindful of himself and his surroundings? Well.

Both times you could label an accident. But both times resulted from Aang being careless and being unable to regulate himself. Now, you could make the argument that this is OOC because Aang learned and developed past this point. And I would agree, if we were talking about Book 2 Aang or even mid to late Book 1 Aang.

But honestly, character regression is very on point for Book 3 Aang. Especially post DOBS. Most of you already know about my beef with Book 3 Aang, so I won't get into that.

Now, I do think that Aang would be a little more apologetic and guilty considering how regretful he was in Book 1. But him prioritizing his own feelings instead of how he affected her? Completely on-brand. In EIP he was upset about how he messed up his chances with Katara, not that he kissed her without consent and upset her.

But even if this couldn't fit Katara and Aang as characters, even if they were outlandishly OOC and completely different from the characters we knew, that doesn't really matter. This comic is official and canon. Just like the comics where Aang ignores her in favor of his weird fanclub and she swallows her hurt and puts up with it. Just like LOK where Aang is a neglectful father and Katara is a mild mannered housewife.

You can dislike this comic and criticize its portrayals all you want. But it's still canon. You can't ignore canon, especially when your main argument for Kataang being better than Zutara is that it's canon

[longing-for-rain]

https://www.tumblr.com/atla-confessions/759438562978562048/zutara-and-azutara-both-agree-katara-would-have?source=share

Do a post on this please I don't have the energy

I see this sentiment a lot lately, and yes, it is frustrating. But I’m going to talk about it because it perfectly illustrates the way (kataang) fans take power away from Katara’s narrative and reduce her complexity as a result.

For those too tired to look at the OP (understandable) it’s an anon saying that both Zutara and Kazula would be problematic and harmful to Katara because the Fire Nation would never accept her, and that she and her family would always be in danger yada yada blah blah.

And honestly? I agree with that. It would be dangerous for Katara. But if you think that would stop Katara, you fundamentally don’t understand her character.

Do you really think Katara is some poor little damsel who needs to be protected at all costs and sent away to live a quiet life in the countryside? No; that’s never been Katara. Katara wants to fight and she has never backed down from a challenge. It’s who she is.

Katara is the girl who left her home to travel across a war-torn world to chase even a chance that she could play a part in ending the war. She’s constantly putting herself in dangerous situations because she follows her heart, she does what’s right even if it’s a risk to her safety. The Katara we know from ATLA is not some demure, unassuming girl who would be happy to sit back and become known for her healing above all else while her friends fought in her place. Katara would have hated to see her future as it was written. She is loud. She is proud. She is a fighter.

Katara not only accepts a challenge; she’s eager for it. She’s strong, she knows it, and she isn’t afraid to use her power for good.

I know someone is going to jump in the comments and accuse me of “shaming” Katara for her “choices” (nevermind the fact that she’s a fictional character so every choice she makes isn’t her own; it’s a narrative chosen for her by the male writers) but I’m not even saying that being a healer is inherently weak or bad. I’m saying it’s not Katara.

It’s a shame that so many people are willing to overlook the butchering of her story just because they’re so protective over canon and are completely unwilling to engage with it critically.

This sentiment reflects the issues many fans have with canon kataang, because it’s a very common misogynistic trope in media. A female character can be strong, but it’s only temporary. We can see her fight and triumph, but at the end she’s expected to give that up for marriage and motherhood after the war. Her identity is reduced to her relation to a man. She isn’t expected to retain her strength; she is expected to accept a quiet recognition while the world sings the man’s praises.

That was the fate of Katara in canon. And it is a disservice to her character. Katara would have wanted to continue to fight, because the fight wasn’t over. Anon’s recognition that Fire Nation nobility would have an issue with her holding power shows they understand that too. So why do you think Katara would be fine with sitting back and letting that happen? Why do you think she’d let that scare her away? Not my Katara.

Especially when love enters the picture. Let’s say Katara did canonically love Zuko, or Azula, or anyone outside of her nation for that matter. Yes, it would be more difficult for her. But do you really think Katara would back down for that reason?

In fact, do you realize how insulting it is to imply that she should to anyone in an interracial relationship? Or a same sex relationship? Yes, societal pressure and bigotry make them more difficult. But it doesn’t make them wrong. And the idea that it’s selfish or wrong because it’s endangering the family is insulting.

Especially in the case of Kazula. The Fire Nation is canonically homophobic. There would be danger and backlash for any same sex relationship, especially involving a member of the royal family like Azula. So…what then. Are gay people supposed to stop existing? Is Azula supposed to just never date or marry because it would be too dangerous?

Yeah, no. 0/10, trash take, do better.

(This part is mostly a joke but I also want to point it out)

The anon also implies that Katara’s canon relationship (with the Avatar) wouldn’t also carry the same risks. Which it would, probably even more so. Katara could be used as leverage against Aang by people trying to get to him. I mean, it already happened in canon.

And quite frankly, Aang was pretty useless at protecting Katara in that situation. Look at his face. Literal baby goo-goo-ga-ga shit. She’s lucky Fong wasn’t willing to actually kill her and that she was safely underground when Aang had his Spirit Tantrum because she would have been dead meat. So if your argument is that poor helpless little Katara would be sooooo much safer with Aang, I’m really not convinced.

If you’re going to decide who to ship Katara with based on who can protect her from danger the best, well…

I’m just saying 🤷🏻‍♀️🍵

[starlight-bread-blog]

Kataang on Balance and Rage

There's a common protest to Zutara especially that typically goes like this:

"If Zuko and Katara ever got together they would spiral into endless fights, since both are hot-headed. Because of these traits, they need someone who is calm. Like Aang and Mai. They balance them out".

I already adressed how Zuko and Katara seem to balace themselves out just fine, and that Katara isn't actually that hot-headed. There's a lot to be said about Maiko, and I will in another time. But for now, I'd like to focus on Kataang. This argument doesn't quite work for me because Aang is repeatedly proven to be unable to effect Katara's rage.

THE WATERBENDING MASTER

When Katara challenged Pakku to a duel, Aang tied to put up the fire. Telling Pakku she didn't mean that, and telling her she doesn't have to do this for him. Due to his peace seeking nature, he wants to pprevent the duel and is communicating this to Katara.

(1th) Aang: I'm sure she didn't mean that.

(2th) Aang: You don't have to do this for me, I can find another teacher.

Did it work? Well,

THE CHASE

The entire Gaang is sleep deprived. Katara and Toph get into a heated argument about unpacking camp. Aang tried to stop the argument, and once again it didn't work.

THE SOUTHERN RAIDERS

This is an extremely controversial episode. I'm not gonna get into who's right and who's wrong. I'm just here to make an observation.

Katara decided to seek justice/revenge on the man who killed her mother. Aang, being a pacifit, encourages her to forgive him. He tells her a story about the monks, that revenge wouldn't help her. As you know, Katara still goes on the quest.

Later when she spares Yon Rha, she highlights to Aang that she did not, and will not, forgive him.

IN CONCLUSION: Aang tries to calm Katara down, but that doesn't seem to work. To suggest that Katara should be with Aang because he can balance her out would be a mischaracterization of their dynamic. He can't do that.

[blackbullet99]

Why (as a Kataang shipper and in general) I don’t like Zutara shippers.

(I promise it’s NOT a Pro-Zutara post and it’s NOT an Anti-Kataang post).

LONG POST INCOMING, but if you have the time, please read. 😁

I’ve been thinking. I don’t hate Zutara.

No, I’m not being held hostage, and I know this kinda goes against my rather vitriolic and brutal response to Zutara shippers, but the ship itself is fine and I’m sure 95% of the shippers are decent people.

I really love Zuko and Katara’s friendship, it’s one of the most interesting unique dynamics of the show. It’s annoying when people say, they’re toxic, or they’re barely friends, or it’s a colonizer ship. Zuko and Katara weren’t toxic by the end of the show, they have a great relationship at the end, they were absolutely close friends, ready to lay down their lives for each other. Zuko WAS a colonizer, but he learned this line of thinking was wrong and actively sought to make the world a better place and save The Earth Kingdom.

That being said, Kataang is definitely indisputably the superior “ship”. We see the two start of a close friends from the get-go, they both have a lot of admiration and respect for one another, they grow to love each other dearly despite their flaws, they support each other constantly. And it’s abundantly clear that not only does Aang love Katara, but Katara loves Aang, some may it’s one-sided, but that’s objectively false, it’s painfully obvious they mean the world to each other, we see their bond get stronger, but they have a strong friendship and bond first and foremost and their romantic feelings comfortably exist within.

When I say Zutara shippers are annoying, entitled, toxic idiots, I’m specifically referring to the very vocal minority of people that seem to dominate ZK shipping discussions on Tumblr.

People like…

the-badger-mole who villainizes Aang and hates a fictional 12 year old to a ridiculous degree. Not to mention has so many objectively wrong takes.

longing-for-rain who villainizes Aang, downplaying his trauma, and is unempathetic to his emotions, but will excuses all of Zuko’s anger and outbursts cuz “muh enemies to lovers”.

eponastory who straight up downplays the very serious effects of genocide and the trauma it causes.

sokkastyles who actually thinks an imperialist play reflects the real Katara, (and yes they think the Zutara means “Zutara should’ve been canon, waah”).

zutarawasrobbed who straight up compared Aang to Ozai.

burst-of-iridescent who invalidates Katara trauma from bloodbending cuz she did it in front of Zuko once, but the evil Aang must’ve forced Katara to stop. 🙄

linnoya-writes who straight up infantizes Aang and adulifies Katara, and then that’s the audacity to put their garbage in the Kataang tag.

miss-sweetea-pie who makes mindless assumptions about people who like Aang, as though people ignore Aang’s faults and he never learns because he’s cute. Which is not only untrue, but completely ignores the fact people ignore and romanticize Zuko’s faults because to them he’s hot.

araeph who not only lies about interviewing Aaron Ehasz, but also says borderline racist stuff like this just to pathetically validate their non-canon ship (this is apparently what Sokka would gain from Zutara becoming a couple).

This idiot who acts like Aang forced Katara to comfort him and Katara apparently never treated Aang as an equal. Not to mention weirdly villainizing Zuko and Mai, because Mai didn’t coddle Zuko (like they claim Katara did to Aang) and Zuko became Fire Lord?

This hateful idiot, who is a straight up genocide denier.

And this racist weirdo who straight up writes slave fanfics about Katara being owned by Zuko. Ew.

It’s these types of people who suck. They’re the most delusional entitled moronic idiots who are fake A:TLA fans with no media-literacy who only care about a middle school ship, so they pathetically mischaracterize Aang, Katara, Zuko and Mai, and whine about Bryke not giving into their desires like the little bitches they are. Screw these guys.

That being said the ship itself isn’t bad, it’s just the vocal minority who ruin it for me. I love Zuko and Katara’s friendship, and I wish the great characters in this great series would stop being mischaracterized.

To anyone who reads this, have a nice day.

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

Your blog is my guilty pleasure lol, it's so validating to read your very matter of fact rebuttals after years of being talked over & down to in the fandom. Being in the fan space & hearing the way people talked about how much more "female gaze coded" Z/tara was made me feel like I was betraying other women by not liking Zuko or Zutara the way "real mature" women did.

Funniest thing is, when i watched the show as a kid as an older sister, someone with talent/skills that nobody else understood, a girl who felt she had to be mature all the time, Kataang instantly became my otp. Katara was living my dream of a fun, cute boy sweeping me off my feet, telling me I was special and going on a magical journey with me-- I had the HUGEST crush on Aang as a little girl. It was so lame growing older and hearing near constantly from the fandom how stupid and unbelievable the idea that Katara actually had feelings for Aang was, and how it's a "male" (aka: bad) fantasy, when honestly Zuko's angsty ass was far from dream boyfriend material in my opinion it made me feel gaslit fjhdidjskj.

Genuine Z/tara fans are fine, I totally get the appeal of the red/blue enemies to lovers sparks fly ship, but the meanest and loudest of your crewmates and the way they act like their tastes are the Correct ones has been just. ridiculous for many years. And why do those types always feel the need to start the conversation by bashing Kataang every single time?? I started with a positive opinion of their ship when I entered the fandom as a teen, even liked a few arts and whatnot as a "what-if," but all the nonsense has left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

So yeah, thanks for this space to complain about the experiences we've had lol. I've had one too many conversations about ATLA & how good it is interrupted with the other person going "well except for the Main Romance, that was shit and Z/tara should have been endgame" not to be Worn Out. Like if in their opinion the show is *perfect* except that One thing.... maybe the problem lies elsewhere?

Yup, that's definitely a pattern I noticed: zutarians are SO many and SO loud, that even though a pretty large part of the fandom disagrees with their takes (regardless of enjoying the canon ships or not) most of them just... didn't talk about it because they didn't want to be harrassed or talked down to or be hit with the "well, we are the majority therefore we're right" argument.

It's part of why I was innitially shocked at how much support this blog got. I thought I just gonna be in my own little bubble of the fandom, but nope, I got sooooo many messages of "FINALLY! Somebody said it!"

And looking back, I should've noticed something was off. There's a reason ATLA's ending was not one of these disasters that basically nukes and kills 90% of the fandom and live in infamy as one of the worst falls from grace ever, How I Met Your Mother style, even though both shows had the fan favorite ship not end together.

It wasn't just that one was well-written and the other wasn't (though that clearly affected the audience and critical reception of these endings, both at the time and through the decades).

HIMYM was a case of "The actual endgame ship was loathed by nearly everyone while the rival pairings were almost universally beloved."

ATLA was a case of "70% of the fandom likes this ship - of these fans, 25% are multishipers that also like the canon ships, 25% only like the ship in fanfic but don't actually want it to be a thing, 25% loves it but can accept it not being canon at point because they acknowledge it'd be rushed, and the 25% are the ones that would burn down Bryke's house if they could, so in reality only a fraction of the fandom didn't accept the Kataang/Maiko endgame, while the overwhelming majority was either happy about it or indifferent to it"

And that's without taking into account that Avatar got new popularity boosts through the years that lead to plenty of people that had Zutara being hyped up for years being disappointed when they realized "Oh, it was popular because of fanon shit, not because it actually would have made sense story-wise" or people who reached that same conclusion after rewatching the show.

I think that's why Zutarians have such a victim complex and want to pretend Bryke and Kataang/Maiko fans are "oppressing" them - they've been dominating the conversation for years, and not only got no results out of it, they're now losing that "leverage" too. They're no longer in an echo-chamber, they need to use actual arguments that make sense if they want their opinion to be almost universal and they just can't do it because their ship was never that good to begin with.

[mal3vol3nt]

This is kinda a long read. But I wanna ask your opinion on this. I see this one post saying Zutara is a purely female fantasy and that’s why so many people hate it. Basically saying it was made for girls, by girls, it has everything a girl wants in a relationship and “When people attack the idea of Zutara, this is fundamentally what they're attacking-women and girls wanting better for themselves in a relationship.”

Now I am just a man. But I think this argument especially the latter part is such a reach and a cope. I don’t see how shipping a fanon ship is some big feminist thing. There are women I know who love Kataang (and if you ask me most of what they’re describing Zutara is actually Kataang in disguise) and there are some guys who like Zutara (which is perfectly fine as long as you don’t write a slave-fic about it like this one guy.

Call me insensitive, but it seems like this guy has some weird victim complex.

Here’s the link BTW:

https://www.tumblr.com/longing-for-rain/753424994905800704/this-isnt-a-question-about-whether-or-not-zutara?source=share

i agree with you anon. i think it’s very silly that these people think a fandom ship is the peak of activism/feminism. such a claim, dare i say, reeks of white feminism, especially when you take into account that the ship they’re claiming is “so feminist” is a relationship between a canonical colonizer and a victim of genocide

the things the op of that zutara post listed are all very westernized “issues” that they claim shipping zutara is supposedly fighting against while also praising western standards, such as saying that zutara is for the girls who want to be with a man they’re attracted to, directly saying that aang is unattractive because he doesn’t fit western beauty standards whereas zuko does. as well as saying zutara is for the girls who want passion in their relationships, directly saying that zuko’s hot-headedness and western masculine qualities are hotter than aang’s pacifism and him being a monk. this claim is also pretty on par with how zutaras sexualize the relationship between zuko and katara, which i don’t even want to get into for obvious reasons. needless to say, i think all of these claims are very very stupid and so obviously come from someone who gravitates towards the racism of the show. sorry not sorry

these claims also come from someone who twists aang’s character so that they feel more justified in hating him, and who twist katara and zuko’s characters so their ship works better. because at no point in the show does it ever feel like katara is changing herself to be with aang, as if she would ever do that (i can tell this is a southern raiders argument—i swear these people misread and latch onto everything). at no point in the show does it ever feel like katara is unattracted to aang, especially since she’s the one who initiates both the first and the last kiss between them, is constantly touching him, and gives him kisses on the cheek in a way she doesn’t do with any one else (she also audibly gasps when she first sees his tattoos in episode 1, which could be read as just her being shocked because she’s never seen airbender tattoos before, but considering the fact her crush on him develops quickly by the beginning of book 2 and she marries him, i wouldn’t be surprised if she also liked the way they looked). all claims that fall back on katara forcing herself to be with aang for whatever reason are projection because 1) katara would never do that. she is not the kind of girl to force herself into any position that doesn’t make her happy, and we see her actively set boundaries with aang in canon, so she is obviously comfortable making her wants known, and 2) katara clearly doesn’t see things through the same lens as her so-called fans. just because you had a crush on zuko doesn’t mean that katara should too, and just because aang isn’t your type doesn’t mean he can’t be her type. yall are projecting onto her

the whole “zutara is for the girls” and “kataang is the male gaze” is so stupid because no, that’s not how that shit works and is a take that is so very american/western that i fail to take it seriously. and yes, i know atla is a western-created show with a western-intended audience, but the characters in the show aren’t and i feel it’s important to acknowledge that

now, i’m a girl (or a woman i should say, 19 years old lmao). and i live in a very patriarchal society and have dealt with sexist standards being forced onto me from my latino culture and family my whole life. it didn’t, however, take long for me to realize that i was unhappy with that way of life and have actively detached myself from it, instead gravitating towards fighting for and recognizing my freedom to choose. this is a freedom i believe all women should have, and i have dedicated myself to learning of the injustices women go through all over the world and do my best to fight against them from where i live. i detest the patriarchy and all things created that demean women or force them into any one role. i am also a lesbian who hardly ever thinks of men lmao. yet miraculously, i am a kataang shipper. according to these zutara stans, im a misogynist who prioritizes male pleasure and happiness. yet from what i know of myself, that’s not at all true. i couldn’t give less of a fuck about patriarchal standards and actively avoid them in the media i consume as much as i can. but i think kataang is cute and i turn away from the thought of zutara, so either one of two things are true:

kataang is for the girls and zutara is the male-gaze

or fictional character shipping has fuck all to do with activism and the kind of person you are in real life

i’m gonna go out on a limb and say number 2 is correct. whether you’re a zutara shipper or a kataang shipper, i don’t think that’s an instant tell of the kind of person you are in your real life. it’s not an actual tell of what you value and yall look ridiculous trying to paint one ship as better than the other on an innate moral level

at the end of the day, this is fandom shipping. you can be a horrible person who engages in shipping content and still be a horrible person at the end of the day regardless of which ship suits your fancy. cause it doesn’t fucking matter. neither of the ships are morally superior to the other in any way that has importance in the real world. yall need to get offline i swear

now personally, i think kataang is an infinitely better ship than zutara for many reasons that i have discussed before, so yall will never catch me saying kataang and zutara are equal in any other context but this one lmao

also saying any colonizer x colonized ship is superior will never be taken seriously by me. you can enjoy those kind of ships all you want, but they’ll never be my cup of tea and that doesn’t make me or anyone else anti-feminist or whatever the fuck insult zks throw out. i just prefer my ships to be between people who haven’t wiped out the other person’s race

[dragons-i-guess]

So I've noticed in the past couple weeks that the Zutara vs Kataang ship war seems to have intensified in the last few weeks, likely as a result of the live action ATLA coming out on Netflix. I've been mostly experiencing it from the Zutara side since I follow #zutara but not #kataang. That being said though, I'm really sad about the number of attacks coming from both sides. I've actually seen a lot more Zutara attacks on Kataang than vice versa (again probably because of which tags I follow), but I've seen a lot of Zutara people talking about the attacks they've fielded on their Zutara posts from pro-Kataang people. And this just really makes me sad. Why can't we enjoy both? Why can't we acknowledge the beauty in both? Why does one have to be "right" and one "wrong?" You don't have to put others down in order to enjoy what you enjoy.

I know there's people who see problematic aspects in Kataang, and similarly there's also people who see problematic aspects in Zutara. I'm not saying they're not there. I'm not saying you aren't valid for disliking one or both ships because of said problems. But no need to rain on other people's parades, yeah? It's perfectly valid if you can't overlook the flaws in certain characters or character dynamics, especially if they're close to your heart and your lived experience, but that doesn't mean the people who can look past them are evil or villainous or morally corrupt. Just because something has flaws doesn't mean the people who enjoy it are enjoying it because of the flaws. It's perfectly fine to call out and discuss the issues in Kataang like Aang kissing her without consent. It's perfectly find to call out and discuss the issues with Zutara, like Katara's people having been effectively genocided by Zuko's. But calling people morally corrupt for enjoying what they enjoy is completely uncalled for.

I hope we can all learn to appreciate the fact that not everyone has the same tastes as us, and that's okay. In fact, it's more than okay, it's wonderful that we all see things differently and find joy in different things. Let's celebrate all of the wonderful fan art and fan fics and what-not that come out of both Zutara and Kataang instead of trying to prove that one is "better" than the other.

[my-hi-universe]

With the new atla series out I'm seeing a lot of zutara and kataang beef again annnnnnd aghhhh.

As someone who thinks both are fine, here are how I see both sides.

For kataang antis...I think you guys call them that? Idk, but for them, they say Aang is like a little kid and they mention the age gap all the time. But in the original show, Zuko and Katara have the same age gap so frankly that just doesn't work 😭 not to totally disregard that take though because I know fourteen year old me would not date a twelve year old, but I think some of y'all are pushing it. ESPECIALLY when y'all start mentioning the family dynamics like, "Aww a big sister and a little brother," liiike....now y'all are being annoying 😭😭

But some zutara antis are saying they feel that zutara is a self insert and....no, like I'm sorry but that's just a cop out 😭 like if you don't like the ship then just say that but this is a stupid reason for that, because it's just not true😭.

As someone who shipped byler when I was like eleven, I know how it feels to be called delusional 💀 but one thing I just won't stand behind is see y'all call zutara shippers delusional like everything for that ship wasn't there. Red and blue, zuko getting struck by lighting, the enemies to lovers. Everything was there! I think the downside of that is some zutara shippers are saying that that's proof for the ship which it obviously isn't.

But at the end of the day it's whoever Katara chooses, which in this case was Aang. I just don't see how this became a whole war....again, like? Be normal??

Edit:

I know I kinda said this up above with the Katara is a self insert, but I think I need to get more in depth because now I keep seeing it.

Because it is actually pissing me off when kataangs say, "people just ship zutara because they wanna live their fantasies out through Katara,".....ummm no?? 😭😭 Like maybe people ship zutara because Zuko and Katara are cute together?? Especially since kataang was supposedly an insert ship 😭😭?? The call is coming from inside the house💀 but even if that was the case wouldn't they just ship the cannon ship zumai...?

But it makes me mad because it totally disregards Katara as a character and just dumbing her down to a self insert, y/n type girl when nooo she is her own character.

One last thing is I was alwayyyys a sokka girl. I don't know why, I just liked the goofy blue type. Kinda like Voltron, everyone liked Keith but I was rocking with lance😭 the only time I like the red character over the blue was in TMNT 2012 version but anyways. What I'm saying is I never saw a zutara fan art and went,"sigh, I wish that was me🥺🥺" umm no💀

[olderthannetfic]

Just as irritating as "Katara/Aang is bad because he's 2 years younger than her and the show staff are normalizing grooming" is "Katara/Zuko is bad because he's 2 years older than her and that normalizes abuse".

To be clear, I'm a third option shipper so I don't have a preference in this ship war when I say this: TWO YEARS IS NOT THE ISSUE. If you want to talk about Kataang being your ship, Aang's attachment to her being overly clingy and her not seeming into it much will do just fine. If you want to talk about not being into Zutara, the trust issues and trauma both of them have works.

I try not to pick on Gen Z but every time I see this I think to myself, "This is why other generations make fun of you. Just say you don't like it and ship something else!" Why is it so impossible to say you prefer these two fictional characters smooching over those two and call it a day?

--

[midnightanxietytm]

Can i be real for a second?

A big reason as to why i don’t often interact with Kataang content is because of Zutara antis.

I am a multi shipper, i enjoy both, I just happen to like Zutara more, but I stil like Kataang, they are a cute couple.

Then im seeng a cute kataang comic compilation and at the end there's a note from op saying "zutarians keep getting humiliated" like.... plz don’t

Can we not pick fights and just enjoy what we have? Kataang mains can be happy their stuff is cannon, zutara fans can be happy they have amazing fics and art.

Like plz just be normal and don’t try to make ppl feel bad for ships that are completly fine?? Like i guet there are ppl on both "sides" who are assholes but can we just block and move on instead of just spreding more and more hate?

[queerest-fanboy]

It's so interesting engaging with the ATLA fandom as someone who doesn't rly like zutara or kataang. Bc zutara shippers who are against kataang will be like "Katara and Aang have a mother/son relationship!!" but then kataang shippers who hate zutara sometimes pull "Well Katara is a foil of Zuko's sister! Their dynamic is sibling-like!!" etc. etc.

Each side tries to moralize it for themselves and it's just like....y'all are shipping silly fictional characters with each other. And they both have the exact same age gap. As much as I have a severe distaste for one of them, I promise you it is not a moral failing to ship one or the other 😭😭😭 Interpret relationships as you like when they aren't explicit! It's fine, I promise you're allowed to do it! One side is not inherently better than the other!!

[linnoya-writes]

Zutara v. Kataang “what should’ve occurred post-Sozin’s Comet” canon divergent AU.

After the AgniKai, and Azula’s arrest by the FireSages, Zuko finally lets Katara thoroughly address the wound.  

���I’m alright— errgh!” 

A hand covers the center of his bare chest as they walk, but one thing Zuko’s quickly learned about Katara is to not question her concerned eyes or her tenacious stamina.  

“Let me see...” she stops them both in that grand echoing corridor on their way to meet the high-Sage.  She shoves Zuko’s hand reluctantly aside to see the lightning mark still bruising raw just below the area to his heart.  

The wound is a deep purple -- branching out like tiny veins --  and the girl’s eyes widen.

Katara had been holding so tightly to this relief that her very brief and impromptu healing session had gotten Zuko out of the worst possible outcome... but the truth was it had barely healed the wound.  His chest rises and falls uncomfortably as she studies the mark further with her ear, and hearing Zuko’s ragged breaths underneath all of that piled-up strength almost brings her to tears.  

How in the world can you be walking right now? she thinks, unable to imagine the young prince’s tolerance for pain.  

Katara looks up at him, the stern golden eyes returning her gaze and trying to convince her that he’s fine.  He was not.  She had used that excuse one too many times herself to know enough.

She summons a handful of water to soothe his wound while she speaks. 

“Azula mentioned a ‘family physician’— back when she was—“ Katara looks away, searching for the right words, but then decides against it and with a more determined face. “Where would the healing quarters be?” 

“It’s a medical wing,” he rasps. “It’s not far.” 

His head turns forward, to the right direction, and while Zuko can manage walking on his own... Katara quietly insists on having him lean on her. He doesn’t protest.  

Their walk involves very few words, and Katara finds comfort in Zuko’s breathing next to her.  

The medical wing is grand, pristine and decorative with regal drapery of gold and red everywhere. To Katara, it feels too clean and sterile to think that anyone injured would’ve ever set foot there.  Zuko, however, seems to know the place well enough, as he makes his way around the cabinets and drawers to find bottles of liquids, washcloths, rolls of bandages and a cutting knife.  He sits himself down with a grunt on the nearest bed— not a cot, but an actual bed— and seems to forget Katara is there while he proceeds to clean the wound himself with his hyper-focused eyes.  

Katara watches, mesmerized.  This place, these tools… they all feel so sophisticated to her, but it’s listening to Zuko’s ragged breaths that finally gets her to approach him.  

“Let me try my hand at it again, please.”  

“It’s not that serious, Katara— she just grazed it.” 

“’Just grazed it’!? Zuko… this is your heart! ��If we don’t take a look at every possible area of damage now, you might get seriously hurt.”  

“I’ve dealt with injuries before— I know when it’s bad.” 

“Oh, so that makes you the expert on how to treat lighting injuries?” 

Zuko winces up at her, then, seeing her arms crossed and her blue eyes glistening angrily.  They hold him in place.  

“I’m sorry,” he rasps.  

She drops her hands and gives a deep sigh.  

“Can you just… please just let me help you?”  

He nods, not looking away.  

“Lay down,” she commands, and brings in the closest footstool to use as a makeshift seat while Zuko clears away the bandages and ointments from the bed.   Zuko lays his head carefully on the pillow, grunting under his breath, and. Katara makes note of where that came from. 

“Sounds like she may have grazed some abdominal muscles, too.”  

Zuko looks away from her, annoyed, but he lets out a small chuckle.  

It catches her off-guard, but Katara proceeds to hold her hair back and leans an ear to his chest.  His heartbeat is normal, thank the spirits, but his breathing is still muffled, and when she places two fingertips over the bruising mark, Zuko lets out his very first real bellow of pain.  It echoes the walls of the wing.  Katara flinches back in her seat, watching his body shiver in response, his eyes shut tightly, his chest heaving.   

“Whatever that was…” he rasps as his head hits the pillow, “…don’t do it again.”  

“Zuko— I think the lightning hit one of your ribs,” Katara brings herself closer.

“There’s a brace…” Zuko points with his nose, “in that cabinet over there.” 

Katara glances over at where he’s gesturing, and then looks to him— to the scar on his face, and to the many unseen injuries that must’ve dressed this body once upon a time.  Her eyes fight a glimmer. 

Quietly, Katara goes over to the cabinet and pulls out a mint-condition rhino-elephant boned chest brace.  The weight of it is surprising in her arms.  When she returns to her stool, she sees a bit of dampness in Zuko’s forehead.  His lips are parched.  

For a moment, she forgets how to breathe.

“Zuko... how bad does it hurt?” She approaches his face, worried. “Tell me.”  

His eyes are shut, as if he were trying to concentrate on deep breaths and nothing else. 

“I can’t.” His weak, broken rasps almost break her.  

“Yes, you can!  Zuko, you can tell me. I… I’m not going to hurt you, okay?  I never meant to hurt you, and I’m sorry I made you think I’d ever do something so horrible to you…  but I’m going to make you better.  I promise!”  Her voice is quivering and she’s wiping tears from her eyes.  She has no idea when her other hand decided to find Zuko’s closest wrist, but there it is, and there it stays.  “But we have to work together—do you understand?  I can’t… I can’t do this all by myself.  I need you to trust me.” 

“I trust you.“ 

“What?” She was too preoccupied with her tears, she didn’t hear him clearly.

“I trust you, Katara.” 

His eyes are glistening, moving in a gold that is curiosity and faithful assurance. 

All at once, Katara feels at ease, shy, lost for words... unsure where else to look if not for his eyes.  

Zuko shifts his eyes towards the wound:  “I just meant that... I can’t let anyone see me like this. Especially the Head Sage. They might contest my ability to rule.” 

“Why?” She says this almost too loudly. “You already won that stupid duel. What else do you have to prove to them?”

“It doesn’t matter— I was a banished prince. Most of the court doesn’t believe I deserve to be here, much less with a crown.” 

Katara stares at Zuko, appalled, moving her eyes to the small FireNation sigil that’s clipped on the draping canopy of this bed.  

“No offense, Zuko,” she returns to address the wound, summoning more water from her pouch, “but right  now your country is ruled by a bunch of sour old idiots.”  

“I know,” he says with a hint of teenage sarcasm only Katara could catch. She wonders how much of Sokka’s personality had rubbed off on him. “Hopefully we’ll change that.” 

“We?” She glances to him, oddly. 

“Yeah.” He glances back to her, just as oddly. “I meant… you, me, Aang— the avatar— everyone?” 

“Oh. Right.” 

Katara feels too ashamed to admit that she hadn’t even thought about Aang since before the Agni Kai.  She focuses sternly on the wound. 

“Wait—”  Zuko edges his face to her from the pillow.  “What did you think I meant?” 

“Nothing!  It’s fine.” 

“Are-- are you serious!? You just asked me to trust you and now, you’re refusing to be open and honest with me?” 

Katara throws a glare at him, meeting Zuko’s very practiced glare and immediately knowing he’s right.  Still, she says nothing, and it’s a staring contest that Zuko does not have the energy to play. He scoffs.

“Forget it. Girls are crazy...” He quips, his head hitting the pillow again, his eyes looking at ceiling.  

“Fine! I’ll tell you—but it’s going to sound really really stupid so you can’t laugh.” Zuko turns to meet her pointed finger, both amused and disgusted. “You have to promise me you won’t laugh.” 

“Okay.”

“Promise!” She urges, sounding more and more bossy by the second.  

“Okay! Ugh—“ Zuko grunts under Katara’s healing water.  “I promise, alright?”  

“Good,” Katara takes a small breath, feeling her cheeks go warm.  “I— um, I thought you were talking about me… and you.”  

She’s too embarrassed to look Zuko in the eyes, particularly because she feels that warmth in her cheeks flood through her entire body.  

“...That’s what you imagined?” his raspy voice comes out shyly, and when Katara meets his eyes, she realizes he’s blushing too.  

She isn’t afraid to nod to him.  His eyes made her feel so at ease, so curious… and yet so vulnerable.   She wasn’t used to this.  

Katara breaks the eye contact to look at the water she’s bending for the healing session.  “Yeah. Like I said… stupid, right?”  

“I wouldn’t call it that, exactly...” Zuko returns to look at the ceiling, his voice coming in a thoughtful husk. “I just don’t know how it would work.”  

Katara laughs musically, avoiding his eyes.  “Yeah.  I don’t think I’m what anyone would consider Fire-Lady material... and I’m pretty sure we’d be at each others’ throats most of the time.  How would anything ever get done?”  

“We’d probably fight all the time.”  

“I mean, we were just fighting two seconds ago!”

“Right. We’re better off as allies.”  

Katara can feel the blush fading from her cheeks then, turning her gaze to him. 

“I think we’re a little more than that, though— I mean, with what happened back there.”  

Zuko meets her gaze again, curious.  “What would you call us, then?”  

Katara takes a moment.  

“We’re friends, Zuko.” She smiles, hopefully, returning to concentrate on the wound. “Friends who almost died trying to save one another.”  

“Friends.”  Zuko muses toward the ceiling. “It feels nice to say that.” 

“It does.” 

There’s a blush that passes over the two of them, but neither of them acknowledge it.  Instead, they talk about other things, letting the hours pass late into the night and early morning.  

***

By the time Sokka and Suki and Toph land over the Agni Kai arena on a commandeered Fire Nation airship, Katara knows that could only mean good news.  One look at Sokka’s limping leg in place of his missing sword and boomerang tells her enough, that her brother had given everything of himself to make sure mission to stop Ozai’s invasion had been successful...  and she quickly springs to action to get him and the girls to the medical wing.  

“Sparky!  You won!”  Toph runs immediately over to where she can hear Zuko’s breathing and laughter, throwing herself to her with an awkward side hug.  Sokka is too busy limping towards the opposite bed and close his eyes to say anything other than ‘We did good, buddy.’  It’s Suki who notices the brace and bandages over Zuko’s chest, the ointments and two cups of tea on his nightstand, the extra blankets and resting pillow at the foot of his bed... the warm, shy smile on his face as he’s listens to Toph talk about her ironclad suit on the airship.  It’s a kind of sweet, nurturing wholesomeness Suki had no idea existed in this usually-stern young man.  

When Katara’s voice pops up behind her, Suki flinches back to reality. 

“He took a pretty hard hit from Azula near the end...” Katara says quietly to her, holding some blankets intended for Sokka.  “...but he’s gonna be okay.”

Suki, like any girl her age, can sense from Katara’s voice that she’s choosing to leave out a major detail of what had happened during the Agni Kai... but the girl doesn’t pry.  

Only because she has something else to tell Katara.

“Aang’s on his way over.”

Katara stumbles in her words and almost drops her blankets.  Her eyes widen.  “....Aang?”

“Yeah.  He had to meet with the White Lotus and arrest Ozai.  But he should be on his glider heading this way.”

“He came back.  He actually came back.”  Katara muses, clutching the blankets tightly to her frame.  She’s so happy, so relieved by this news; she can’t wait to see Aang again.  But when she glances over at Zuko’s tender smile, talking about the Agni Kai with Toph... Katara doesn’t know why there’s suddenly a heaviness in the pit of her stomach at the thought about seeing Aang’s face. They hadn’t exactly left things in the best terms before the battle… or rather… even before that. She thinks about their moment on the balcony of Ember Island, and shuts her eyes tightly. And breathes.

***

She sees him gracefully landing on on his glider outside the arena.

“Aang!”

His name is effortless and joyful when she says it, running to him and hugging him without waiting for any approval.  Katara can feel the extra inches of height on him, the young muscles of his arms hugging her back just as tightly.  You saved the world, she thinks, just as I knew you would.

“Are you okay?” is the second thing she says to him.

“I got the Avatar State back.”

“You did!?”

They’re still hugging.  Their answers come in muffled voices against their shoulders.  

“Yeah. It helped me defeat the FireLord.” 

“That’s wonderful!”  Katara lifts her head and kisses Aang on the cheek while they hug.  “I knew you could do it.”  

When Katara tries to part from him, then, Aang remains holding onto her close.  Her smile is still dressed on her face.

“And, well… that means the war is finally over!”  

Aang announces this so proudly, with such an indiscreet coat of anticipation and giddiness… it makes Katara want to crawl under her own skin as her smile feels all of a sudden fraudulent.  It’s only when Aang moves his face closer to hers that she finally, finally snaps out of it, and pushes herself fully out of his hug.  Her arms fold over her frame, and she still manages to look at him. 

“Katara?”

His voice quickly goes quiet and confused — and sad — and it takes every ounce of strength for Katara to not comfort him as she usually does, but also not look away in shame.

“Aang, I… I think we need to talk— no!  Please don’t run away.  Please.” 

She sees Aang stepping back and she hears her voice turning firm, and it kills her.  She knows it’s Aang’s turn to feel completely out of his own skin, feeling unexpectedly cornered, ready to take off on his glider the moment this person he trusted more than anyone is about to tell him something he doesn’t want to hear.  

“It’s — it’s okay,” Aang attempts, and she can hear the effort; how much he’s trying to sound like a man.  “We don’t have to talk about it now.  There’s still a lot we have to do. It can wait.”  

And Katara puts a hand over her eyes and groans.  Of course he would pull that, and she doesn’t blame him.  

“Aang— I’m trying to talk to you,” she coaxes. “Could you please listen to me?”

Aang carefully chooses his words, his innocent, childish lilt returning. 

“What do you want to talk about?” 

“About... this!”  Katara gestures wildly between herself and Aang multiple times. “About us… not sharing our feelings, and not being able to be open and honest with each other.”  

“What are you talking about? I’ve always been honest with you!” He freezes and then cowers sadly, rubbing his neck. “Actually— no. That’s not true. I never told about what happened when I met the Guru at the Eastern Air Temple.”  

“What do you mean?”

“Well— promise me you won’t get mad?” 

“Aang,” Katara’s voice lowers, concerned. “What happened?”  

He takes a breath, looking at the ground.

“I was about to open the last chakra and gain full control of the Avatar State, and then the Guru told me I had to let go of all my earthly attachments.  And that meant letting go of you. I couldn’t do it.  I almost did but then I had a vision of you in trouble.  So I ran away.” 

“You what?”  Katara gathers her words. “Wait— so you refused to gain control of the Avatar State…. because you thought I was in danger?”  

His eyes begin glisten nervously, but his stance turns defensive at her.  

“Yes. Yes Katara, I did!  I wasn’t gonna just stand by and not do anything if I saw you were in trouble.“  

“So, you were willing...” Katara could feel the rage rising in her throat, her words quivering, “to put the entire world as risk, and lose this war… ... all because of me?” 

“I— I didn’t see it that way.”  

“Aang, that’s exactly what you did!”  Her eyes are a deep, exasperated blue and her hair moves wildly with every flail of her arms.  “You refused to control that power!  Thank the spirits I still had that water from the spirit oasis, to save you when Azula shot you, right? And thank the spirits that I can still get you out of that state whenever you get too emotional.  Thank your lucky stars that I’m still here... to get you out of any mess you can’t handle on your own.”

It hurts to almost look at him in that instant.  She feels herself speaking both to him and to herself.  

“Katara… no.”  Aang tries to ease her nerves, like a zookeeper trying to tame a wild moose-lion. “That’s not how I see us!  What I mean is… I was willing to put you first before anything that comes with being the Avatar. That’s the truth!”

She shakes her head. She wasn’t expecting the ‘us,’ but she can’t blame him for trying.

“That might be the truth for you, Aang, but you’re still the Avatar.  It’s your destiny, and kind of power is so… delicate… you have to put that first.”  

The few feet between them suddenly feels like miles and miles.  Aang brings a hand to his neck again, looking at the ground.

“I’m sorry— I didn’t mean to get you upset.” 

Katara sighs.  “I know Aang.  But... why would you choose me over your destiny like that?  That was so irresponsible.”

Deep down, she already knows the answer he’s going to give.  She needs to hear it anyway. 

“I did it because… “ Aang scrunches his face, his jaw shaking in nerves.  He didn’t want it to be like this, but she is asking it from him.  “... because I love you, and I thought…” 

“You thought what?” 

Her voice is firm, and quiet.  She already knows what he’s going to say, and she takes a deep breath to prepare for it. Her eyes are glistening. Deep down, she knows she’s responsible for the sad, desperate look in his eyes.

Aang can feel the moment slipping by, and he tries to not sound like a kid.

“I thought you loved me back--- I was so sure of it!  Ever since you found me, I had this feeling we were always meant to be together.”  

There’s am uncomfortable weight holding down her shoulders, and Katara closes her eyes. How can she not feel like this was her fault?  Katara shakes her head, wiping a tear from her eye.

“Aang... we never even talked about it.  And, even if we did... you can’t run from your destiny.  Do you understand what I’m saying? You’re the Avatar.”  

He couldn’t find anything else to say.  The moment was now completely gone.

“I-- I’m sorry.”  

“It’s okay. I haven’t really been that honest with you either.  The truth is… I… for a while now, I wanted to believe I could feel exactly what you felt.  And I thought I did.” 

“Katara...” 

“I want you to know I tried, okay?  You’re my friend…”  

“No.” Aang shakes his head, looking elsewhere, anywhere besides her.

“…and I did everything I could to see you as more than that, because you really are an amazing person, and you make me laugh, and you’re so sweet.”  

Small, childish sniffles come from his nose, and Aang holds a wrist over his eyes to grab the tears.  He hears everything, and yet they sound like they’re coming from someone other than Katara.  It cannot be real.  But when he looks at the girl in front of her, Aang notices she’s wiping tears as well.  And it’s real.

“Then... what’s the problem?” 

He can’t help but sound upset in that hopelessness, but Katara knows he doesn’t mean it.

She instead looks elsewhere for a moment, and shakes her head, shrugs her shoulders.

“I’m not sure if there even is a problem, Aang,” she gathers. “I mean… I’m not exactly an expert… but those kinds of feelings, they just—happen— you know?  You can’t force them into someone.” 

“So, why did you--” but Aang stops, and reconsiders his words.  “Why didn’t you ever tell me?” 

Katara sighs, exasperated, upset at herself that she hadn’t come up with these revelations sooner, but doing her absolute best to explain herself.

“I don’t know, Aang.  Maybe I was scared— that you’d get angry, and disappear again… and the world would be hopeless?” 

As crazy as it sounds, the possibility and accuracy of that makes Aang chuckle.

“Yeah. You’re probably right,” he says, wiping his tears again.

“And the last thing I wanted to do was hurt you, you know?” she adds. “You were my friend.”  

Aang rubs one of his elbow with a hand, awkardly, suddenly feeling so cold.

“Can I…um… can we still be friends?”  

Katara blinks.  “Of course! You’ll always be my friend, Aang. That won’t change.”  

“Okay. I can try and live with that.” 

“Good.”

It’s quiet again for a few moments.  They can hear the birds chirping around the ruined Agni Kai arena.  Aang looks around, trying to build the courage to look at Katara again, but feeling like it will hurt more.

“I should, um, see what Momo is up to.”  He turns on his heel to leave.

“Aang?” 

“Yeah?” 

“There’s still time,” she assures him, carefully, with a smile. “Focus on the important things. I know it doesn’t feel hopeful right now, but I promise… someday, you’ll find someone who’s going to change your world more than I ever could.”

A brave smile passes him.  “Thanks, Katara.”  

And he takes off on his glider.  

Katara smiles at that, just as bravely.  There is a knot of disappointment forming in her gut, at the fact that Aang leaves without saying “same to you.” But she doesn’t let it get to her.  Aang is still a kid... with his own innocent, twisted agenda... and she couldn’t blame him.  Letting go was a process.  She knew.  She could feel it happening with her, too.  

[thebeeskeys]

This is me pressing you to elaborate on why zutara is the superior ship please

I mean, if you feel like it. No pressure. But yeah I would genuinely love to hear your thoughts

No worries! This is super exciting because this is my first ask. So excuse me for being nervous!

So to give some context, I was 6 when ATLA came out for the first time. As a 6 year old, I didn't really care about shipping yet, but I wanted Zuko for myself, lmao. I rewatched the series right when Nickelodeon rereleased ATLA with the little info cards at the bottom. I believe I was a biut older then, maybe like 9? 10? Anyway, as I rewatched the show, I noticed that Kataang didn't really have as much chemistry imo. Don't get me wrong, there are some really cute Kataang moments and if Zuko wasn't right there I'd be happy. BUT! I always saw Katara as mothering Aang, which, is fine because that's the role she has been for her entire life. But there didn't seem to be much more to it. To me, it read like, a little boy having a crush on his babysitter and his babysitter finding it cute/adorable.

I originally started shipping Zutara because "Oh she's water and he's fire! thats cute!" But they are so complimentary in the best ways. Like, he's Tui to her La. They are seemingly forever in a song and dance, tip toeing around each other but never merging, not quite. And that suspense, that sense of passion that both drive them, is engaging for me. They both love their people, and want to do what's right. Even if Zuko's right, at least in the beginning, is wrong.

Plus they're the grumpy sunshine and gloomy cloud partners trope, how could I not love that lol

[usernamesuggestionsarefunny]

As much as I hate Kataang (for personal, subjective reasons, no hate to those who ship it) and as much as I love Zutara and would love for it to be canon in the live-action Netflix TV show, I don't think the child and nanny-like, disturbing, initial visuals of Katara and Aang together will be much of an obstacle for it to be canon in the live-action as well.

1 The fandom is forgetting how often Hollywood makes child actors (Both boys and girls) kiss adult co-stars (I know, gross, wish I could strangle those producers/writers/whoever makes those decisions, I am not even comfortable with child actors kissing fellow child actors for a good story of it can be avoided).

2 Teenagers grow tall FAST once they hit that growth spurt, and filming takes time, longer than the atla timeline (Roughly 1 year). Assuming each book takes about 1 year to film, the Aang actor will be at least 15 by the time they finish filming and the kiss might not be as weird (only visually speaking).

3 Just look at the Arya and Gendry sex scene. When they first began acting together she was a child and any love scene between them would have been ultra yikes, but after years of filming, a love scene with her as a 20-year-old playing an 18-year-old was only disturbing to some. Here it will only be a kiss scene at most so… yeah. I am honestly not confident at all that Kataang won't be endgame here too, but that is fine. The zutara fandom is talented enough to make up for it lol