#it's just book 3 aang

[sapphic-agent]

Some anti Book 3 Aang memes because idk it's just that kind of night. My beef with post DOBS Aang is everlasting

[junotter]

just some designs mainly created because I wanted to draw hakama and then it spiral out from there

bald zuko under the cute

[blluespirit]

i wish that there was more time between the day of black sun and sozin's comet bc zuko's official desertion from the fire nation would have the most insane ripple effects (and it would be nice to see the gaang interacting a bit more than we got but hey i'll take what i can get)

zuko's desertion would have been essentially impossible for the fire nation to bury since it was such a big deal that he returned at all. so i imagine the smear campaign against zuko would have been craaazy. i think it would have been interesting for the gaang to try and deal with that when navigating the FN. zuko would be very recognisable i think at this point, and it would have made staying hidden much harder. would they still have chosen ember island? maybe the kids didn't recognise zuko and azula during The Beach , but with the prince of the fire nation committing treason would there be more wanted posters? would there be more talk around the island? would zuko have to remain hidden while the rest go out and get food?

i wonder if zuko deserting and very meaningly committing his loyalty to the avatar influenced other soldiers in the FN to also desert? or would it have had the opposite effect and made people feel more patriotic since zuko was banished, returned under the guise of having killed the avatar, and then left when aang announced his survival to world during the failed invasion?

SPEAKING OF THAT!! the rumours around this would be INSANE. we know what really happened, but the public don't. did zuko and the avatar plan this so that there would be an inside man during the invasion and then zuko used that chaos to escape? what really happened in ba sing se if zuko didn't kill aang, but azula thought that he did? (again: we, the audience know the truth, but the general public don't). if zuko and the avatar where working together... for how long? was iroh involved somehow since he also disappeared the same time that zuko did? did iroh get captured on purpose to be close to zuko to possibly help him if needed? did zuko break iroh out of jail or did one of the guards or was iroh alone? you could spiral on this as just an average person in the avatar world for years like. if youtube existed in atla imagine the video essays breaking down all the conspiracies

its a kids show so obviously Nothing Bad Happened BUT in the Boiling Rock, zuko getting found out as not only an imposter (already, a very bad situation), a traitor (extremely bad), AND the traitorous (ex) prince of the fire nation (devastatingly terrible) would have been... incredibly dangerous for zuko. in zuko and iroh's original wanted poster, the official translation says “Permission is granted to kill them on sight” and this was before zuko has gone right ahead and committed Treason On Purpose. the warden is not going to be nice. when the warden visits zuko in his cell he literally tells him "If these criminals found out who you are, the traitor prince who let his nation down, why they'd tear you to shreds." the boiling rock would be hell trying to survive. it also puts a lot more weight on zuko refusing to leave sokka in their first escape attempt. also ozai obviously knew that he has his son was in prison bc he... broke in to the prison bc azula was there but then zuko manages to escape with sokka (another imposter) and suki and hakoda (POWs) and chit sang (a prisoner) and two of azula's trusted friends end up in prison for treason as well i just. that is literally insane for the average person to hear about. again, THE CONSPIRACIES!!

when zuko eventually does take the throne there's a lot of conjecture around what zuko did while he was banished and moreso, what he did the second time he left, this time voluntarily. i think zuko's loyalty would be questioned a lot; by other world leaders who are understandably wary about the fire nation and its motivations, but also by its own people - some who believe that zuko is a traitor to his country and is trying to sabotage it since he helped end the war.

idk these are all just me rambling but it would been so interesting to explore the implications of zuko leaving the fire nation and how that would have impacted the gaang and how they interacted with others in their travels. there are so many fic where zuko joins the gaang early, but neither myself with the aus that I have written, nor many that ive read have explored this very much or at all.

[only-lonely-www]

So basically ATLA brain rot has hit me like a truck

[earfgoddesss]

Zukaang Week - Day 1 - Bed of Leaves

"bro what if we took turns saving each other, and then we just awkwardly talked it out, and then u open up to me, and then we become closer, and then become good friends, and then fall in love, and then-"

[billsbae]

"The truth is sometimes Katara does act motherly. But that's not always a bad thing. She's compassionate and kind, and she actually cares about me. You know the real me."

Their relationship is so important to me.

[stardust948]

On Day 3 after being resurrected from the dead, Aang gets grounded for saying a slur.

[nco05]

I need to earn my honour back 😠 *Aang's face is halved by framing*

*Cuts to Zuko who's corresponding other half of his face is framed*

Damn ya'll... if Kataang are narratively compliant, then Zukaang are narrative foils of one another to an extremely intense level

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

I don't want an episode about Aang's parents. I want an episode revealing that he's 8th cousins with Kyoshi. I want that boy sweating.

[not-aurii]

The whole Day of Black Sun thing (Avatar The Last Airbender) is by far one of the saddest parts of the whole series to me.

Everything is just so devastating.

Sokka doubting himself, when he planned the whole thing?

Aang being so desperate to regain his honor he hasn't even stopped to think about how he was gonna defeat Ozai. Which sounds obvious at first, but we know it's going to be a major dilemma for him, and yet, there he was, trying to continue with the invasion at least 5 times in desperation to not be a failure anymore.

Hakoda almost dying right at the beginning? In front of Katara and Sokka, who just got him back for the second time? I sobbed.

Aang coming back with the news and that split second that they consider retreating and I just- now that I know how it ends? it's just so devastating seeing that moment and knowing they could've all lived and left without major trouble, if only they had turned around at the right time. If only Sokka and Aang weren't doubting themselves so much that they needed to keep going to prove themselves. If only they had had the time to stop and think about how and why they knew. If only-

Azula baiting Sokka with Suki's whereabouts? We can only imagine what she went through as a "personal" prisoner from Azula, and Sokka knows that. The guilt was more than enough to keep him there.

Zuko being able to finally admit that what his dad did was cruel, that it was unwarranted, that he learned everything from the World, and not from the pain. That Iroh was his true father figure. That he was proud to be leaving the palace and joining the Avatar to bring an era of peace. That he finally knew what he had to do, and he was going to do it with honor. My boy.

And then Ozai baits him with Ursa. Finally we find out what happened to his mom, finally he finds out, but at what cost? His father not only attacks him once again, but aims two lighting bolts directly at him - when one is more than enough to kill an unprepared person. And he knew it was coming.

Then the moment they all realize it's over, something had to happen and it didn't. It was a trap.

And they fell for it.

The moment they make the kids leave on Appa? Because the kids are the future, because they're their hope, because if someone has to carry the responsibility and the blame, is the adults? I sobbed as a child and I'm sobbing writing this right now.

Haru having to be separated from his dad, who's being taken by the fire nation again?

The fact that Katara and Sokka have to leave their dad, their injured dad, to be taken prisoner by the fire nation? The way Hakoda only closes his eyes when Sokka tells him it won't be long until they meet again, like he's praying his son is right. Praying they'll both survive long enough to meet with him again. Praying he will survive long enough in prison.

The way Aang just... sobs. Because what else is there to do? He failed. Again. These people risked their lives for him and he let them down, and now they're gonna take his place in the prisons so he can stay free - so maybe he can do his duty.

[alliwantistowearcomfypants]

My feelings about kataang are complicated. On one hand I don't care about the love lives of 12 year olds, but on the other hand, I do think they're cute when they get older. The fanart of them as young adults has me giggling and kicking my feet. I kinda wish the show only hinted at them being together in the future, because for the majority of the show, it's just painful. Towards the end of book 3, it gets much better, but I feel like that speaks for how unnecessary it was before that. Aang and Katara are so different in maturity, and for a while, it's very clear that katara is kind of like aangs mom. When he grows up a little more towards the end of book 3, they are way more compatible and believable as a couple. Before that, it's like a babysitter and the kid she's watching. Again, I don't hate the ship, I just think it could have been done better. If they took a less is more kind of approach to it I think it would have been much more enjoyable, to me anyway. Cuz I do like them as a couple in the last episodes, don't get me wrong. I think what would have been better for them not to really see each other in a romantic way until aang grew up in book 3. That would have just felt more natural. Cuz before that they are not equals at all. Mentally. It would have been a nice touch cuz the majority of the show revolves around aang growing and learning to be more responsible. So if he matures and because of that, he is able to both save the world and make katara see him as an equal that would have felt much more fulfilling, I think.

[sapphic-agent]

Let's Talk About How Book 3 Ruined Aang

If you've seen any of my prior ATLA posts, you know that I don't hate Aang. In fact, I quite liked him in Books 1 and 2. He was flawed, as all characters should be, but the show didn't shy away from those flaws or justify them. He was called out for burning Katara and rushing his firebending, Sokka and Katara were rightfully upset when he hid Hakoda's letter, he willingly owns up to the fact that his actions helped drive Toph away, and his entire arc after losing Appa and finding hope again in The Serpent's Path was beautifully done.

(Hell, even in The Great Divide Katara says what Aang did was wrong and he agrees. It's played for comedy, but the show still makes the effort to point out that what he did wasn't the right thing to do. You're just meant to understand that he was fed up and acted off of that)

Those flaws and mistakes were addressed and improved upon and helped Aang to grow as a character.

But for some reason, that aspect of Aang's character was completely flipped in Book 3.

The best examples of this are in both TDBS and EIP. Both the show and the fandom are too quick to brush off that Aang kissed Katara twice without her consent, one of which after she explicitly said she was confused about her feelings.

(And yes, she is angry in response and Aang calls himself an idiot. But after this, it isn't really addressed. They go on like nothing happened for the rest of the episode. Aang's lamentation comes from screwing things up with her romantically, not that he violated boundaries)

The show never really addressed why what he did was wrong. Not only because he wasn't given consent, but also because both times he isn't thinking about what Katara wants. In both instances, Aang is only thinking about himself and his feelings. This is something that persists through a lot of the third book. And by Sozin's Comet it ultimately ruins any character development he had built up in the second book.

One thing I feel was completely disregarded was the concept of having to let go of Katara in order to master the Avatar State.

For me, the implication wasn't that he had to give up love or happiness necessarily. He was emotionally attached to and reliant on Katara, to the point where she was needed to stop him from hurting everyone around him and himself. This is obviously detrimental to his functionality as the Avatar. And the point of him "letting her go" wasn't that he had to stop caring about her, it was that his emotional dependency on her was stopping him from being the Avatar he needed to be and that was what needed to be fixed. I don't even think it's about the Avatar State itself, it's about being able to keep your emotions and duty as the Avatar separate.

(If you look at Roku, he loved and had a wife. It wasn't his love for her that messed everything up, it was his attachment to Sozin. He wasn't able to let Sozin go and not only did he lose his life for it, the world suffered for it. It's the unhealthy attachments that seem to be detrimental, not love itself)

And Aang realizes that in the catacombs, which is how he's able to easily enter the Avatar State and seemingly control it. He let Katara go.

So then why does it seem like his attachment to Katara is not only stronger, but worse in mannerism? He liked Katara in Books 1 and 2- obviously- but he was never overly jealous of Jet or Haru. He only makes one harmless comment in Book 2 when Sokka suggests Katara kiss Jet.

But suddenly he's insanely jealous of Zuko (to the point of getting frustrated with Katara over it), off the basis of the actions of actors in a clearly misrepresentative play. Katara showed a lot more interest in Jet and Aang was completely fine with it.

(Speaking of EIP, Aang's reaction to being played by a woman was interesting. He wore a flower crown in The Cave of Two Lovers. He wove Katara a flower necklace. He wore Kyoshi's clothes and makeup and made a funny girl voice. He willingly responded to Twinkle Toes and had no issue being called that. And for some reason he's genuinely upset about being played by a woman? Aang in Books 1 and 2 would have laughed and enjoyed the show like Toph did. His aversion to feminity felt vastly out of character)

I guess my point is, why did that change? Why was Aang letting go of Katara suddenly irrelevant to the Avatar State? It felt like him letting go was supposed to be a major part of his development. Why did that stop?

Myself and many others have talked about The Southern Raiders. The jist of my thought process about it is his assumption that he knew what was best for Katara. And the episode doesn't really call out why he was wrong. Maybe sparing Yon Rha was better for Katara, maybe it wasn't (the only one who's allowed to make that choice is her). Pushing forgiveness? That was wrong. But the episode has Zuko say that Aang was right when the course of action Katara took wasn't what Aang suggested.

Katara's lesson here was that killing him wouldn't bring back her mother or mend the pain she was going through and that Yon Rha wasn't worth the effort. That's what she realizes. Not that she needed to embrace forgiveness. How could she ever forgive that? The episode saying Aang was right wasn't true. Yes she forgives Zuko, but that wasn't what Aang was talking about. He was specifically talking about Yon Rha.

And that was wrong. Aang can choose the path of forgiveness, that's fine. That's his choice. But dismissing Katara's trauma in favor of his morals and upbringing wasn't okay.

I know it sounds like this is just bashing Kataang. But it's not simply because I don't like Kataang, in my opinion it brings down Aang's character too, not just Katara's. But let's steer away from Kataang and Katara for a minute.

The one thing that solidifies Aang's character being ruined in Book 3 for me is the fact that he- at the end of the story- does the same thing he did in the beginning.

He runs away when things get hard.

Aang couldn't make the choice between his duty and his morals. So he ran. Maybe it wasn't intentional, but subconsciously he wanted an out. And this is really disappointing when one of the things he was firm about in Book 2 was not running anymore. His character went backwards here and that's not even getting into the real issue in Sozin's Comet.

There's been contention about the Lion Turtle intervention. For many- including myself- it's very deus ex machina to save Aang from having to make a hard decision. And that in turn doesn't reflect kindly on his character.

Everyone- Sokka, Zuko, Roku, Kyoshi, Kuruk, and Yangchen (who was another Airbender and was raised with the same beliefs he was and would understand which was the whole point of him talking to her)- told him he had to kill Ozai. They all told him it was the only way. And he refused to listen to any of them, rotating through his past lives until he was given the answer he wanted.

And before anyone says that I'm bashing Aang for following his culture, I'm not. Ending the war peacefully, in my opinion, wasn't the problem. In a way, I think it allowed the world to heal properly. However, that doesn't make up for the fact that Aang refused to make a choice and face the consequences of that choice. Instead, he's given an out at the very last second.

Even if he couldn't kill Ozai and someone else had to deliver the final blow, that would have been better than the Lion Turtle showing up and giving him a power no one's ever had before. It would have been a good compromise, he doesn't have to have blood directly on his hands but what needs to be done needs to still get done. It would also show that being the Avatar isn't a burden he has to bear alone. That when things get hard, he can't run away but he can rely on the people closest to him to help him through hard decisions.

All these issues aren't necessarily a problem with Aang. Aang prior to Book 3 didn't have most of these problems. This is a problem with the way he was handled

[pa-pa-plasma]

okay i just marathoned the entirety of ATLA live action & i might do an actual review of it explaining my thoughts more in depth, but the TLDR version basically boils down to this:

if you want to watch Avatar: The Last Airbender, just go watch the 2005 cartoon

[lovegrowsart]

i'll be honest every time i see atla fandom defend characters' unacknowledged flaws/mistakes/underdevelopment using some comic panel or another i have to laugh, as if bryke constantly relying on extratextual material to atla and tlok to try and fix the holes they write themselves into isn't a massive indicator they're generally quite bad at writing a good and cohesive story on their own/when they insist on complete creative control 🫠

[marsconer]

i hate the ship wars. mostly bc i don’t see either of them. like katara doesn’t seem that interested in either of them. let my girl live.

[drachenfalter]

Was thinking about the A:TLA finale again.

How the writers clearly just gave up on making the travel times consistent (or even plausible) at this point.