#like from here they really are friends. shes there for him when he faces iroh and when he confronts azula... its literally perfect

[blluespirit]

I was thinking about the southern raiders again and i think one of the reasons i love it so much, is that despite not being in the group for very long, zuko immediately understands what katara needs to do more than anyone else in the group and takes it upon himself to give it to her - peace and to earn her forgiveness.

it's not really about revenge, its about confronting her trauma head on. ripping the monster from under the bed so it can no longer haunt her.

i like that zuko never puts an idea for what she has to do. it's actually aang who brings up revenge. zuko never says that's what she must do, and when she snaps back at Aang that hell, maybe revenge is what she needs, zuko doesn't shut her down either. its absolutely up to her.

the argument between aang, katara, zuko and sokka is telling - aang, while well meaning, can't understand katara's perspective. aang's pain is vast and deep and he has processed/is processing that in his own way, but what works for him, will not work for everyone. zuko sees katara's anger and it resonates with him - that is something he can understand.

I just love that zuko offers to find the man, and then goes all out defending katara's need to confront him. she needs this.

Here's the argument:

KATARA: We're going to find the man who took my mother from me. ZUKO: Sokka told me the story of what happened. I know who did it and I know how to find him. AANG: Um ... and what exactly do you think this will accomplish? KATARA: [shakes her head in dismay] Ugh, I knew you wouldn't understand. [begins to walk away] AANG: Wait! Stop! I do understand. You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do think I felt about the sandbenders when they stole Appa? How do you think I felt about the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people? ZUKO: She needs this, Aang. This is about getting closure and justice.' AANG: I don't think so. I think it's about getting revenge. KATARA: [angrily] Fine, maybe it is! Maybe that's what I need! Maybe that's what he deserves! AANG: Katara, you sound like Jet. KATARA: It's not the same! Jet attacked the innocent. This man, he's a monster. SOKKA: Katara, she was my mother, too, but I think Aang might be right. KATARA: Then you didn't love her the way I did! SOKKA: [hurt] Katara! AANG: The monks used to say that revenge is like a two-headed rat viper. While you watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself. ZUKO: That's cute, but this isn't air temple preschool. It's the real world. KATARA: Now that I know he's out there ... now that I know we can find him, I feel like I have no choice. AANG: Katara, you do have a choice: forgiveness. ZUKO: That's the same as doing nothing! AANG: No, it's not. It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive. KATARA: It's not just hard, it's impossible.

but I also love that because none of this happens without zuko's knowledge.

zuko is just the means to an end, and he's okay with that. What katara ultimately decides to do is up to her;

but zuko is going make damn sure he's there to make sure she's able to make that decision:

they make it to the southern raiders and zuko charges in, deflects the commanders fire and when he asks them who they are, zuko responds perfectly. he's angry for her. he never tries to make it about himself and his actions confronting the Southern Raiders Commander and Yon Rah reflect this:

COMMANDER: Who are you? ZUKO: You don't remember her? You will soon, trust me. [katara starts bloodbending him. zuko looks shocked for a moment, before quickly returning his attention back to the commander] ZUKO: Think back. Think back to your last raid on the Southern Water Tribe. COMMANDER: I don't know what you're talking about. Please, I don't know! ZUKO: [bending down closer to the commander] Don't lie! You look her in the eye and you tell me you don't remember what you did. [katara realises he's not the man, says as much and begins to walk away. zuko realises he still has a role to play to help katara] ZUKO: [grabs the weak commander and pins him to the wall] If you're not the man we're looking for, who is? COMMANDER: You must be looking for Yon Rha. He retired four years ago.

He does it again when they confront Yon Rah:

[Yon Rha is walking. he stops and turns around once more] Nobody sneaks up on me without getting burned! [drops basket of vegetables and firebends at a nearby bush] sensing no one, he picks up the fallen vegetables and continues on his way. He unknowingly steps on a thin wire, causing him to fall into the mud. He tries to get up only to see a fire blast coming his way which he quickly avoids. Zuko appears before him. ZUKO: We weren't behind the bush. [zuko takes a step forward to threaten him] And I wouldn't try firebending again!

After this, zuko steps back and lets katara handle it in the way she sees fit.

even its inferred that zuko thought it was violence that katara needed by what he says to aang at the end of the episode;

ZUKO: You were right about what Katara needed. Violence wasn't the answer.

the point is he never says it to her and he keeps that largely to himself and when she decides to spare his life, while visibly shocked and hangs back a moment to glare at yon rah, he respects katara's decision and sees that's what she needed:

basically what im saying is that whether you ship them or see them as friends, their dynamic is immediately compelling, interesting and respectful.

[lokigodofmyheart]

DATE

MASTERLIST

Pairing: Zuko x Female Reader.

Words: 2.910

Summary: After escaping the Fire Nation and deciding to go to Ba Sing Se, Zuko, Iroh and Y/N found themselves working on a tea shop. Y/N and Zuko had been friends for a long time, and when he was banished, she followed him in his hunt for the Avatar. One day, while they were working, a girl that was a costumer of the shop, asked Zuko out on a date and his uncle made him say yes

Warning/Content: fluff, smut, friends to lovers.

A/N: Zuko and reader are both 18.

Zuko looked at himself in the mirror, while Y/N was sitting on the bed, reading a book “How do I look?” 

She forces a smile “You look...” 

“Like an idiot.” He finished. 

“I was gonna say good.” She chuckles. “Maybe just...” Y/N got up and messed his hair “Now, it’s perfect.” 

“Hey, uncle took his time doing my hair.” Zuko complained, making her smiles. 

“It's better now. Really. You’re looking good.”  

He smiles at her, feeling just a little more confident “Thank you. I hope she likes me.” 

“She will. She would be an idiot not to like you” Y/N says before sitting back and look at her book. 

Zuko nods, taking a deep breath as he looks at himself one more time “Alright, let’s do this.” 

“Wait.” She called him. 

“What is it?” Zuko turns to look at Y/N. 

“Don’t forget the flowers.”  

He chuckles softly, realizing he had forgotten “Right, of course. Thank you for reminding me.” 

She forces another smile “Have fun.” Zuko nods at her, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness wash over him. Y/N stays back, alone. Even Iroh had gone out that night to play with some new friends. 

His date with this girl was nice. She liked the flowers that Y/N had chosen for him to give her. She complimented him and after dinner, they went to a walk and talked. As they did, she tries to touch his face, more precisely his scar, but he grabs her wrist stopping the girl. He never let anyone touch his scar...anyone but Y/N. Zuko accompanied the girl back to her home. She kissed him a goodbye, and he step back as soon as her lips touched his. 

“I’m sorry, I...” Zuko started. 

“It’s okay. I understand.” The girl smiled “She’s beautiful by the way.” 

“Huh?” 

“The girl you like...the one you’re work with.” The girl says, making Zuko blushing as he returns home. 

After a couple of hours he had left, he was already back on the apartment, making Y/N, that was now sitting on the couch, confused “You’re back already?” 

“Yes, I...I don’t think it’s going to work out with her.” He sighed and sit down by her side, looking a bit tired. 

“I’m sorry. But hey, there are more girls on the city. I’m sure you’ll find someone.” 

“I know, it’s just...this whole situation we are is kind of messed up” Zuko sighs again and leans back into the couch, closing his eyes for a moment. 

“Everything in our lives is messed up right now.” She chuckles. “But I think we can make this new life work for us.” 

“Yeah...” Zuko replied. 

“We should sleep. We have to work early tomorrow.” She gave him a soft smile. 

“Yeah, you’re right. Good night, Y/N.” He smiled at her and stood up from the couch, heading towards their bedroom. 

“Good night, Zuko.” She stays on the couch for a few more minutes, before she heads to their shared room. Y/N tossed and turned through the night, her mind consumed by jealous and confusion about her feelings towards Zuko. 

The next day was a normal day at work. A lot of tea, costumers say how good it was Iroh’s tea, girls giggling at Zuko and making Y/N rolls her eyes. 

“You’re getting famous around the girls here.” Y/N said, teasing him. 

Zuko just rolls his eyes, trying to hide his blush, before turning to her with a smirk “Don’t worry, Y/N. I won’t forget who my real friend is.” 

She just rolls her eyes at him. As the day goes by, Zuko started noticing she was a bit distant and somewhat annoyed. When they shift finished and they went back to their new home, Y/N went to take a shower and get dressed. She was wearing a cute dress. 

Zuko was sitting on the couch, his uncle had got the play again, and he waited there, eager to talk to Y/N about what was bothering her. When she finally emerged from the room, he couldn’t help but gasp at how beatiful she looked in that dress. 

She made a small turn “So, how do I look?” 

“You’re stunning, Y/N. Absolutely stunning.” He couldn’t take his eyes off her. 

“Thanks.” She smiled at him and looked at herself in the mirror one last time. 

“Is there somewhere you wanted to go?” He asked her, trying no to sound too hopeful. 

“Actually, I have a date tonight.” She replied. 

“A date?” Zuko’s heart sunk at the news. He tried no to show it on his face, but he couldn’t help feeling a twinge of jealous. 

“Yeah. One onf the costumers always asked me out and today I thought I would give it a try.” 

Zuko forced a smile “Have fun, Y/N.” He turned away, going to the room. 

“Thanks.” She smiles softly before she left. As he hears the door close, he sunk onto his bed. 

After only an hour, Y/N was already back home. Hearing the door opening, Zuko sit on the bed and forced another smile on his face “Did you have a good time?” 

“No.” She sits on her bed. “That was the worse date ever.” 

“Oh,r eally? What happened?” Zuko felt relief that the date hadn’t gone well. 

“That guy only knew how to talk about himself and didn’t even let me talk about anything. How “amazing” he was, how “rich” he was.” She rolls her eyes remembering “He didn’t even got me any flowers.” 

Zuko chuckled at Y/N describtion of her date. “I’m sorry, Y/N/N. You deserve better than that.” 

“Yeah, I do...” She looks down. 

There was a small pause, before he took a deep breath and finally says what has been on his mind for so long “Y/N, there’s something I need to tell you...” 

“Can we talk tomorrow? I’m not in the mood do to anything but sleep.” She looks at him, she was still angry with her date. 

Zuko frowns, a bit disappointed that he won’t be able to confess his feelings. “I understand. Tomorrow then.” 

“Good night, Zuko.” She says before laying down on her bed. 

“Good night, Y/N. Sleep well.” 

The next day they did it all again. Woke up early, went to work and served tea all day. At night, when they were done, they were all tired. But tonight, Zuko had a plan. He asked his uncle to leave for the night. He then got back at the living room, looking at Y/N that was sat down on the couch “Do you want to go out and grab a dinner?” 

“Sure.” She smiles, getting uo. 

“Why don’t you put that nice dress you used yesterday?” Zuko smiled. 

“Why?” Y/N asked confused. 

“Oh, I just thought it would be nice to dress up a bit.” He tried no to sound too nervous. 

“Okay.” Y/N got the dress and went to the bathroom to take a shower and get changed. When she got back to the living room, Zuko was wearing the same clothes he used on the date with that girl. “I’m ready.” 

Zuko smiled at her, trying to hide his nervousness as he took her hand and led her out of the apartment “Shall we?” 

She smiles and nods at him. Zuko took her to a nice place to dinner and after that they walked to a fountain. He looked around and they were alone, so he used his firebend to lit all the lights. Y/N got too distract admiring the beauty of that place to notices when Zuko got a single red rose. He smiled and handles her the flower, his heart racing slightly “Here you go. This is for you.” 

“Thank you.” Her face lights up “You’re such a gentleman.” 

Zuko blushes slightly at her words, feeling even more nervous. He took a deep breath before leaning in closer to her “Y/N, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you...” 

“What is it?” She asked him. 

“I think...I think I might be falling for you.” He says. 

“...what?” Y/N asked in a whisper. 

Zuko swallows hard, his heart pounding in his chest as he looks in her eyes “I...I think, no, I know. I want to be with you, Y/N. More than just friends.” 

“That doesn’t make any sense. If you like me, why would you go on that date?” She asked looking at him. 

He sighs, he knew that date was a mistake, and he should have told her sooner. He took her hands in his and looked in her eyes “I only went on that date because uncle insisted.” Y/N just looks at him, with no reply this time. Zuko felt a knot forming in his stomach as the silence stretched out between them. He knew he messed up, but he still wanted to fix things with her. “I never meant to lie or hurt you, Y/N, I just-”  

She stops him with a quick kiss, making him froze for a moment, his eyes widening in surprise as she kisses him “You talk too much sometimes. You know, I just went to that awful date to try to make you jealous.” 

Zuko’s heart skipped a beat at her confession. He pulled her closer, his hands resting on her his as he kissed her this time “You didn’t have to do that.” 

“Well, it worked, right?” She chuckled before kissing him one more time. Zuko held onto Y/N tightly, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief wash over him. “We should go home.”  

He just nods, still a little breathless from their kiss. He took Y/N's hand and started leading her back to their home. As soon as they entered, she called for Iroh, but had no response. 

“Uncle went out today...again.” Zuko said. 

“Oh, that’s...good.” She smiled at him. They were alone. Y/Nkissed him again and soon they sit on the couch. Zuko eagerly returned Y/N's kiss, feeling his heart race while he presses his body closer to hers. His hand found her thigh, going further as he caressed her inner thigh under her dress. He could feel himself growing harder underneath his pants. 

Y/N could feel herself getting wetter with Zuko’s touch, to she decided to break the kiss. “Zuko...we need to stop.” He pulled back, panting slightly as he looked into Y/N's eyes. “Is not that I don’t want this. I do. But I want you to be sure you want it too.” She says, her hand caressing his face. 

Zuko nodded, understanding her concern. He took a deep breath to calm himself “I do want this, Y/N. More than anything.” His hand moved to her cheek, tracing her jawline gently. 

“Are you sure?” She asks him. 

His eyes locked into hers, his heart beating rapidly in his chest “Yes, I’m sure.” 

“Okay.” Y/N stands up, holding his hand “Come.” 

Zuko followed Y/N to their room, both their heart racing with anticipation. She closed the door behind her, before she smiles at him and opening slowly his clothes. He just watches as she undid his top, revealing his chest. 

Y/N smiled at him shirtless. Not that it was any news to her, while they were on the ship, Zuko used to train shirtless “ I don’t know how many times I’ve seen you like this” She chuckles. 

He chuckled too, looking at her “More than you know.” 

Her hands caressed his face, this time on the side of his scar. Unlike when the girl he went on a date, he let her do it. He had always been self-conscious about it, but with Y/N it felt different. 

Y/N smiled before she guides his hands to the back of her dress. He hesitates only for a second before opening the zipper and pulling it down, revealing her body. Her hands reached the button of his pants “You’re sure about this?” 

Zuko nodded, his heart racing feeling her hands so close to his groin “Yes, I’m sure.” Y/N nods at him, before opening his pants and pulling down with his underwear, making Zuko gasp as she finally free his erection. “Y/N...” His voice was filled with desire. 

“Relax.” She whispers in his ear, as her hand reached for his cock and started to stroke him slowly. Zuko close his eyes, feeling her touch. She kept doing it, speeding up just a little, making him moan softly as his hips starts to move involuntarily. After a few more seconds, she stops smiling at him “Sit on the bed.” 

He opened his eyes, panting slightly from the pleasure, but he nodded and did what she said. Y/N kneeled on the ground between his legs, stroking him a few times before she put him on her mouth. That made Zuko groans, feeling an intense wave of pleasure as she began to suck him. She did it slowly at first, her eyes never leaving his face. Zuko’s head rolled back, his hand was gripping the sheets tightly. When Y/N notices, she took one of his hands and guided to her hair, so he could be in control. He guides her deeper, as his cock hit the back of her throat as his hips bucked off the bed, making Y/N moans. Zuko felt his climax approaching, so he pulled Y/N off him. 

She smirked at him “Did you like that?” 

Zuko looks in her eyes, his breath heavy as he nods with his cheek red with embarrassment “I...yes...It was amazing.” 

She chuckles at how cute he was like that, and she sits on his lap “What do you want to do now?” 

He was still trying to catch his breath “I want this.” 

“What exactly?” She asked while she guided his hand to her wetness. 

Zuko felt his face flush as he slowly dipped his fingers into Y/N's wetness. He gently circled her clit, making her moan “I want to make you feel good too.” 

“Do you want me to lay down?” She asks him. 

He nods “Yeah, that would be good.”  

She left his lap and lay down on the bed, spreading her legs to him. Zuko took a deep breath, still nervous about what he was about to do. He leaned down and kissed her inner thigh, gently moving forward until his tongue found her wetness. He then slowly entered her with one finger. Y/N moans when he did that. Zuko smiled as he felt her body respond to his touch when he begun to move his finger in and out of her, carefully watching her reaction “Does this feel good?” 

“So good...” She says between her moans.  

Encourage by that, Zuko added a second finger, slowly stretching her “You’re so tight...” Y/N doesn’t answer, she just moans. He kept pleasuring her with his fingers, watching her body tremble with each touch “I want to taste you.” 

“Please.” She nods. 

Zuko leaned down tasting the sweetness of her nectar. He then slowly inserted his tongue in her wetness, exploring every inch of her. 

“Oh gods...” She moans. 

He continued to lick and kiss her, listening to her soft moans that filled the air “More?” 

“Please...”  

Zuko smiled at her answer, as he pushed her legs up to her chest, exposing her fully to him “Beautiful...” Y/N moans loudly, and she was thankful they were alone. Zuko was driving her crazy. 

He smiled devilishly as he continued to pleasure her with his mouth. He could feel her walls trembling around his fingers as he added a third, pushing her to the brink of ecstasy “Are you close?” 

“Yes...” She moans, her walls clenching around his fingers. 

Zuko picked up the pace, his tongue flicking against her sensitive clit as he felt her body tensing up. Just as she was about to climax, he pulled away, leaving her gasping “Not yet.” 

She whines desperately “Please, Zuko.” He just smiled and goes on top of her, kissing her neck. She bucked her hips against his to get some relief “Just fuck me...” 

Zuko chuckles feeling in control as he enters her with one stroke, making them both moan. He starts thrusting slowly in and out of her, feeling her walls clenching around him and loving the feeling.  

“Faster...” She whispered. 

Zuko quickened his pace, thrusting into her with more force. Y/N cried out in pleasure as he pounded into her. 

“I’m so close....” She says. That made Zuko picked up the pace even more, his hips slamming against hers as he goes deeper inside of her. His hands gripped her hips tightly as he felt himself getting closer too. With one final thrust, Zuko’s body tensed up and he let out a long moan of pleasure. His hips bucked against Y/N's, feeling her completely as he released himself inside of her. That made her climax as well. Zuko’s body trembled from the intensity of that. 

She smiles at him, laughing softly. He smiled back at her. “You were amazing.” 

Zuko blushed slightly as he kissed her cheek. They lay together on the bed, Zuko pulling the blanked on them and soon they sleep peacefully in each other’s arms. 

Iroh got back to the apartment later and had no answer when called for his nephew or Y/N. As he opens the door of their shared room, he was meet with the image of them sleeping together under the blanked and their clothes all around the room. He closed the door quietly to not wake them “Finally...” 

[loveamongdragons]

Hey!! Im sorry, this is a really weird question and you really don't have to answer but I love your atla posts sm and they really make me think. Love your fics too. Here's the thing... I actually just know atla via fandom osmosis so I have no clue what you're talking about in this post:

https://www.tumblr.com/loveamongdragons/774408895286460416/hey-can-we-talk-about-this-as-apposed-to-this?source=share

Could you please elaborate? Thank you! I hope you're doing well, take care and stay hydrated! <3

Hey there! So happy you like my stuff ^^ it's not weird to ask at all, welcome aboard.

So, I concede that I might be grasping at straws here, but at the same time: the thought had randomly occurred to me and then dug its claws into my brain with no warning whatsoever.

My point is that the scenes at hand are quite similar: one person shoots an arch/circle of fire, and Katara is on the receiving end. Her reactions though differ significantly.

I find it intriguing, shall we say, that she shows zero fear when Zuko, "the face of the enemy", the guy that had spent the entirety of the show up until then hunting them, casts the fire in anger, but is petrified when Aang, her friend and love interest, casts fire in his chipper way. Like, isn't that curious?

In that same vein, it is curious how Zuko is the only person whom she ever shows the depth of her anger. You'd think that hurling all sorts of accusations at a person who you perceive to be your enemy, and whom you perhaps even believe to be evil at heart, might scare you a little bit? Or maybe you'd at least expect to deal with retaliation or something. Instead, Katara is perfectly comfortable with her anger around Zuko, up to the point where she turns her back on him in the Crystal Catacombs and starts to cry. With Aang though, she is consistently walking on eggshells and trying to stay amiable and motherly.

At the same time, she seems to be perfectly fine with Zuko's anger, too. For heavens' sake, she looks concerned and confused, and not scared in the slightest when Zuko shoots fire at them in the second gif. In regards to Aang, we get this line from Katara though: "I'm not saying the Avatar State doesn't have incredible and helpful power … but you have to understand … for the people who love you, watching you be in that much rage and pain is really scary."

Yeah, so it's as if Aang's bottled up feelings of pain and rage have always been more scary than Zuko's explicit pain and rage. And it's just curious how in those two scenes Katara has less trust in Aang's ability to control himself than when she encounters a pretty emotionally distraught Zuko - who both do the same damn thing, with VERY different consequences, of course.

Now, you could say: hey, it's just because Zuko was a proficient firebender, and Aang wasn't, and Katara thus knew she couldn't rely on Aang's abilities, but she could rely on Zuko's (and... girl... the way this alone sounds!). Which, I fully accept that this might be the case. But it still wouldn't take away from the fact that it's curious as hell that Katara did not show any sort of fear in that scene with Zuko, and the argument becomes interesting again when you imply that she even at this point had enough trust in Zuko that she didn't even perceive him as a threat.

I must say: I adore this scene! I love this encounter between Zuko and Katara because I think it's the first real emotional exchange they have. Katara offers to heal Iroh! She is concerned! He pushes her the fuck away. (Mirrors their later encounter beneath Ba Sing Se, too). Did Zuko spend the next days thinking about her offer? Did he wonder in secret late at night if he should have accepted? Did he find himself feeling cozy, warm, sad feelings towards her, and then pushing them away? Did he think about it when he met her again in the Catacombs, and then later at the Gaang's camp? Did she?

[oneatlatime]

The Crossroads of Destiny

Strap in folks it's finally finale time!

I'm getting a bad feeling from the 'previously on' segment.

*gasp* Song's bird horse!?!?!

Toph gets some serious speed with that earth tongue walking.

Ty Lee's flattery gets less and less subtle. I get the feeling that a lot of Azula's more worrying tendencies could have been curtailed if someone had stuck her on stage as a child.

Is Zuko taller?

The cuts between these scenes are getting ridiculous. Some of these scenes are maybe 15 seconds long.

Zuko knows what's up. He and Iroh have teamed up on that particular fire breathing party trick before.

"It's time I face Azula." Buddy. No.

"You're so dramatic." POT. KETTLE. BLACK.

The last time Iroh and the Aang Gang teamed up, it was also against Azula. She has a way of uniting enemies.

The longer I stare at this the more I giggle.

"Good inside him isn't enough. Why don't you come back when it's outside him too, ok?" Congratulations to Sokka for articulating one of the fundamental human truths. Intentions can go take a hike when all that's visible are actions.

I love that! Iroh says he brought someone along in a tone that very much implies that he asked for help from a friend! Then you go outside and see he kidnapped a dude! And then they just leave him there!

I see your fake meditation. No one as rotten inside as this guy actually meditates properly.

The Dai Li be like

Katara? Why are you ripping into Zuko? Why is Season one bitchy Katara back? I don't want season 1 bitchy Katara to come back.

"No offence." "None taken." Iroh loves his nephew, but Iroh knows his nephew.

The one time Iroh's advice is explicitly solicited is the one time his advice is corny crap. That sucks.

Ba Sing Se is a tel? That's neat.

Hey Toph? Now would be a great time for that new metal bending trick of yours.

Avatar inadvertently validating my fear of subway grates.

I know this is life or death serious and all, but isn't the Sokka and Ty Lee dynamic cute?

MOMO!

This episode's thesis statement boils down to "what happens when you cancel arts programs and theatre kids don't get a chance to monologue in controlled conditions."

Honest question: Is Azula actually so deluded to believe that Divine Right of Kings crap she just spouted, or is she saying what the Dai Li needs to hear to side with her? Usually I think everything out of Azula's mouth is a calculated statement for manipulating others, but the way the show framed that monologue makes me think she actually believes what she's saying.

This conversation between Katara and Zuko, aside from showing that Katara is as capable as Sokka at sticking her foot in her mouth, is actually showing Zuko's growth well. So many of the things that he waves away with an "it's ok" are things that would have made him explode back in season one. It's about time he redefined that scar of his too.

"Aang! I knew you'd come!" "Uncle! The fuck?" Zuko truly has a way with words.

Hey Iroh maybe save your heart to heart until after you've exited the prison?

Wait so this episode is named after Zuko's arc? It's Zuko's destiny this finale is dealing with? Poor Aang's not even the main character in his eponymous show's season finale? Dang.

What was I saying about waiting to chat until you're outside the prison?

So every word out of Azula's mouth here is definitely a lie. She doesn't need Zuko at all. She's got a whole army and already has possession of the throne. What does she need with someone she considers to be an inferior firebender?

Father's love? That guy who burns off faces? The audacity.

"You are free to choose." Is it really freedom of choice if choosing the answer Azula doesn't want to hear ends with Zuko in a crystal cage?

Gotta say I'm intrigued by how quiet Zuko's being for this whole episode. Compare it to the volume of his confrontation with Azula at the Spa place at the beginning of the season.

This is so awful. This is so skin crawly. This is so going to end badly.

Toph can turn doors into ping pong balls. I like that. And what does she need Sokka scouting for Dai Li agents for? She can sense people for miles.

I love the line read on the "I'm not leaving without Bosco!" But does this guy really think he's in a position to make demands, after all the stuff he's ruined in the last, what, two days?

This is a cool move. Full body air bitchslap.

Katara cut her hair! That's kind of like what she did to Pakku with the ice disks.

How has no one been knocked out yet? Everyone in this fight should have at least 5 concussions by now.

I don't know what to make of it, but when Zuko says "I have changed" he sounds more calm and confident than he has all season.

I love the dynamic between Sokka & Toph and Mai & Ty Lee. Everyone involved knows they're second string and no one's really that invested. So they're all kind of chill.

I don't know what's going on in this fight, but Zuko is far too talented and Katara and Aang are both going down too easily.

And this right here is why this fight is only going to end badly for Aang. As soon as Azula's tired of playing, she'll call in reinforcements. Aang doesn't have those.

I hate Azula so much, which means I'm very annoyed to say that she and Zuko actually make a good fighting team. Did they practice drills together or something back in the day? They way they tag out and back in, and exchange fights, flows so well.

Jesus

Crap ok

She nerfed him in the power up sequence! That's not allowed!

So help me god if the writers hook these two up after pulling this crap I will riot.

Iroh could have been helpful if he'd been there earlier. Guess it takes a while to break out of crystals. Although I do like the detail that he stops fighting as soon as Aang and Katara are out & safe.

I was wondering why the magic water was randomly brought up earlier after disappearing for the entire season. I figured it had been lost in the desert with the rest of the stuff on Appa's saddle.

I'm so sorry, but the way Aang's arrow flashes once to confirm that Katara's saved him makes him look like an external USB device confirming successful connection.

I'm loving how immediate the regret from Zuko is. Proof that he has learned over the last two seasons.

"The Earth Kingdom... has fallen." AND WHOSE FAULT IS THAT? This King rubs me the wrong way. Consistently.

I'm fascinated by the fact that they managed to securely transport a bear on Appa's back.

Final Thoughts

Poor Aang has been demoted to secondary character in his own show. This finale was all Fire Nation.

Well done Azula. No matter which way you look at it, she won. If Azula was the main character, this episode would be the crowning glory series finale.

Sokka and Toph spent the whole episode running around putting out fires, only for five more to spring up in their place. I honestly don't know how they and Appa reconnected with the rest of the Gaang to fly out at the end. There's this feeling the whole episode of being consistently one too many steps behind, and I think it's most obvious in their incessant side quests.

Poor Katara went through about seventy billion emotions this episode. I take back my anger at her bitchiness. She deserved a vent session, although I don't think Zuko quite deserved to be the recipient of it. But he took it well.

Congratulations to Zuko for falling backwards into the only right choice for all the wrong reasons. This episode was only going to end with Azula victorious. She recruited an army and successfully executed a coup without breaking a sweat - that is not a level of enemy that Aang and friends has ever faced before, and not one they can realistically win against. Like with Long Feng, this is not a threat you can hit. You can't bend at ideologies and loyalties.

Zuko was going to end this episode siding with the Fire Nation as a free man, or in Fire Nation custody. This way, someone with an actual semi-functioning conscience now has access to the upper levels of the Fire Nation. This could be really interesting.

To be clear, I fully believe that Zuko chose to side with Azula because he swallowed her offer hook, line & sinker. For the guy who invented "Azula always lies" he sure does fall for her lies a lot, especially when she's saying exactly what he wants to hear. I believe Zuko believed her about getting his honour back bla bla bla, chose to follow her because of that belief, and has already realised at least some of what she said was lies by the end of the episode. Which is promising! It looks like there's potential for a Zuko mole next season!

I'm worried for Iroh. Firelords who burn their children's faces off with no shame don't strike me as the type to shy away from executing their brothers.

The Aang fakeout death at the end was not remotely believable unfortunately, mostly because kids' cartoons don't ever pull a Psycho and kill the nominal main character half way through. It probably would have freaked me out if I'd seen this episode as a kid though.

Azula hitting Aang during his power up sequence was inspired. A very well done subversion of expectations, which finally validates my frustrations with the concept of power up sequences in general. Few things bug me more than the mooks politely waiting their turn while the good guy does a quick wardrobe change.

So... is the war over? The Earth Kingdom's fallen, the Southern Water Tribe have been functionally out of the game for a while now. There's only the Northern Water Tribe left, which are only still standing because of a Hail Mary that I very much doubt Aang can pull off twice. So is next season's focus going to be defending the Northern Water Tribe from a final Fire Nation push? I think that's the only place that isn't conquered by the Fire Nation in name at least. On the bright side, this means the Gaang won't be returning to Ba Sing Se. Good riddance. I hate that place.

I've never seen a show with a finale that focuses so intensely on the conflict of someone other than the main character. I don't really know what to make of this episode. I think I liked the one before it better. To be clear, everything that happened made sense - characters were in character, events unfolded as expected (if you handwave an elite force of earthbenders preferring a 14 year old over their seasoned leader), but something about this episode is just a bit boring to me. Maybe they telegraphed it too hard in the previous episodes? I don't know. I'll have to chew on this one a bit.

[discordiansamba]

thinking about the bad end variation of the lee from the tea shop au again. thinking about how iroh has long since resigned himself to the fact that his nephew is likely dead. he held out hope for as long as he could, but he is certain that if his nephew were alive, someone would have found him by now. azula likely knows what happened to him, but she refuses to talk.

then he receives a letter from sokka, telling him to come to ba sing se.

iroh makes the trek. he does not know what to expect when he gets there. what he gets is a grim-faced sokka, holding a pair of logbooks. he tells him he's found a lead on zuko, and that he needs to read this. he warns him that it's not going to be an easy read- and that he's sorry.

he's right. they are not an easy read.

iroh is an old man now. he was old when he took the throne, but he is older still now. but reading the logbook still stokes a fire in the old man's heart- a simmering rage that makes him want to return to his old ways as a general and burn this wretched city to the ground.

he does not do that, of course.

"the person who did this is dead," sokka says, "-if that's any comfort."

it is not. iroh would have liked to do it himself.

"...i know where to find him," sokka also tells him, "-if you... if you want to meet lee."

iroh does. very much so. sokka directs him to a tea shop called the lotus blossom, in the middle ring. lee runs it. iroh removes his crown headpiece and dons humble robes of earth kingdom brown, styling his hair in earth kingdom fashion. it is enough to disguise him. the tea shop is a modest one- not as fancy as the jasmine dragon had been, but certainly an improvement over pao's.

he is greeted by a young woman with braided hair and a sleeping infant swaddled on her back and is guided to a seat. he asks for the owner's favorite blend- and one of these scrumptious looking fruit tarts, if you do not mind. she returns with them, and iroh drinks deep the scent of jasmine tea.

he always hoped zuko would drink more of it.

there are two young girls sitting at an empty table near him. the eldest is reading a book. the younger is kicking her feet impatiently. iroh can see the fire nation in them, plain as day- as well as in the sleeping infant. he asks the young woman if he might have a chance to speak to the owner. the tea is delicious. he would like to pay his compliments.

she smiles, and tells him she'll fetch her husband right away.

iroh tries very hard not to stare when his nephew emerges from the kitchen. he wears his hair long and braided, concealing his scar with his bangs. he wears the green robes of an earth kingdom man of modest income, and a starched white apron over that. he is taller than he remembers, and carries himself in a different manner entirely.

"dad!" the youngest of the two girls rushes him. "i'm bored. can I go play with my friends?"

his nephew laughs and ruffles her hair. he tells her she can, and asks the eldest- izumi- if she doesn't mind walking her to her friend's place. izumi sighs, but she soon leaves with her younger sister, holding her hand. iroh would place them at around ten and six, if he had to guess.

his nephew greets him with a smile. there is no recognition in his eyes. iroh had anticipated it, but it still hits him like a hard blow. he shows none of this on his face, instead complimenting him on his tea. his nephew thanks him, but is soon pulled away by another customer. iroh watches him out of the corner of his eye.

...it's true. his nephew is a different person now.

but he is alive. he is alive, and he is happy. he has his own family. a successful tea shop. given how long he has resigned himself to zuko being dead, this seems a kinder outcome. iroh lingers in the lotus blossom until closing, simply watching his nephew. he contemplates his next step. sokka has told z- lee the truth, so he could reveal himself.

he could also leave without saying anything.

his nephew has a happy life here. does he really have the right to complicate it even further? and yet... iroh cannot help himself. he has mourned zuko many times over these past two decades. he must speak with lee, or he does not think he can ever let zuko rest.

he lingers past closing time. he knows it is rude behavior, but lee is patient in a way zuko never was. once he is the last person left in the store, iroh stands up and asks lee if he might speak with him again. he removes the five-pronged crown from where he has hidden it, and slides it into his top knot.

"i am told," iroh says, "-that this is where I might find the man who was once my nephew."

[prying-pandora666]

“The Search” Rewrites, Book 4: Air, Leaks, and A Call for Help from the Fandom

I’ve talked a little about the Book 4: Air restoration project @book4air. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out! Three full episodes are already out and episode 4 is going to cover Zuko’s early days right after his banishment, exploring his relationship with Iroh and the world as Zuko understands it as a lost boy rapidly coming into manhood.

Wait until you hear the VA’s performance with music and everything! It’ll break your heart.

But I want to talk a little bit about what comes after these next few episodes: our adaptation of “The Search”.

If you’ve seen our adaptation of “The Promise”, you’ll know it was quite faithful. This won’t be the case for “The Search”. For the purposes of the overarching story we are telling, this story is getting overhauled. (Please still support the original release if you’d like to see the canon version).

The biggest change that’s been announced is the addition of Toph. The team felt that a story about family, identity, and faces could benefit from including Toph’s perspective as she comes from a unique but toxic family situation, has a strong conflict between the performance expected of her versus who she really is, and is completely blind and so faces don’t even register for her.

Here is the sample scene we released:

But I want to talk a little bit about what we are changing about Zuko and Azula’s roles in the story. While the set up is virtually unchanged, there is one small alteration that makes a big difference.

(Sorry for the poor quality, this is technically unreleased content and I’m being kinda risky leaking it.)

Ursa’s letters are now a diary. This means that rather than get random flashbacks, the narrative framing now becomes Zuko and Azula reading these entries together. As a result, they get to discuss their discoveries about their family, and even share each other’s perspectives.

What that means is that when things like Zuko dangling Azula over the cliff happen, now we actually are forced to address it. The characters have to talk about how they treat each other and the reasons why. They have to confront the toxic family dynamic they’ve been forced and groomed into since childhood. Zuko has to realize his mentally ill little sister isn’t the monster here and in fact he’s the one with all the power now, and Azula has to realize that Zuko can be trusted if she can let go of her fear long enough to talk to him about her vulnerabilities.

We also address issues like this:

Many people criticize this for being OOC, but I think there’s a way this could easily not be. Sokka has been known to be juvenile and reactionary as a first response, the difference is that he always eventually apologizes and learns from his mistakes. Without even needing to be asked.

Threatening a mentally ill person who has just been removed from an asylum—even as a joke—is not okay. It would be questionable even if they’d been friends before this, but considering their prior relationship it really does seem like an boneheaded lack of awareness or compassion for how triggering this could be.

So rather than remove this interaction, we addressed it. And I am really taking a risk posting this here, but here is a brand new script page:

Sokka isn’t just comic relief. Sokka is smart, Sokka is compassionate, Sokka is brave, and Sokka knows when it’s time to apologize and reach out versus when it’s time to fight.

Safe to say, there are several things that stay the same and we tried to keep faithful to the spirit of the story, but there’s a lot we wanted to do for the Gaang and for the Fire Sibs, and I hope you’ll join us on this adventure, whether you’re a diehard fan of the comics and just looking for a fun AU, or you hate the comics and would like a rewrite, or even if you’ve never read them and would just love to return to the world of ATLA.

The only trouble is, we can’t do it alone. The project is very expensive and time consuming to produce. Our team pays for everything out of pocket and some of us don’t even have reliable housing, so it’s been a hard time.

If you can help in any way, even only by spreading the word so YouTube will stop burying us in the algorithm, that would be huge!

If you can afford to help, we have a Patreon where you can get all sorts of early goodies.

Reblogs and comments greatly appreciated! As the head writer and voice of Azula, this project is very near and dear to me. Avatar was my first pro-writing gig when I was just a homeless 19 year old, and it’s here for me again as I struggle to rebuild my life and health that COVID destroyed.

I love this series and the community that has helped me through the hardest times in my life. I can’t wait to make something beautiful with you all!

[sokkastyles]

ATLA Live Action Ep 1 Thoughts:

When the writers meant they wanted it to be like game of thrones, clearly they meant "we want the battles to happen in complete darkness so nobody can see what is going on," and not, you know, the sex stuff.

Idk why this never occurred to me until now but ostrich horse is chocobo.

They are clearly going for a darker, more grittier feel here, but it clashes with the attempt to keep things true to the animated origin. Like, the earth kingdom OC looks straight out of some more realistic Adult fantasy show, whereas Sozin's character design makes him look like evil Santa.

So firebenders are able to do that to bodies, which I appreciate from a fanfic perspective and also confirms what people have been theorizing about the agni kai, that Ozai put his hand on his son's face. Not sure it was necessary to see it, though. The original does a good job of horrifying us with implied violence and the adults already get it, while showing it makes it less accessible to a younger audience. This is hardly a problem unique to this show, though.

Air nomads actually riding sky bison!

I like having more background with the air nomads and Aang's actor is great but front-loading the flashbacks doesn't work great for the pacing.

One thing I do really like is the emphasis on how the war damaged the harmony of the nations in more than just a spiritual way. No one has friends from other nations now. Zuko comes seeking "someone who does not belong" with the (false) promise that no one will get hurt if everyone keeps to themselves, keeps the status quo. The air nomads are a complete anomaly in a world of division. We are introduced to Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Zuko, and all are isolated in their own way by the war at the beginning of the story.

Overall there is something just weird about the pacing. Characters keep pausing at vital moments of action to deliver exposition or meaningful monologues. It just feels off.

Zuko so desperate for "glory" that he accepts Sokka's proposal to fight one on one (nice foil to the final agni kai by the way). Then his surprise when Aang shows himself reveals that Zuko himself did not know whether he would really find the Avatar in this village he's suddenly shown up to terrorize. God, it just emphasizes how low Zuko is at this point. This is probably his first real high stakes fight and he might have killed Sokka over absolutely nothing out of a false sense that he had something to prove. It's just...sad.

The scene at the Southern Air Temple looked great and had me in tears. I actually saw some criticism of this to the effect of them "ruining Aang's arc" because he comes out of the Avatar state himself, but first of all, let's be real and admit that if mastering the Avatar State was Aang's arc, he never completed it. Second, just because he could bring himself out does not mean he can control it, and he's still letting his emotions control him which is a learning curve for handling that power, it's just that he was able to control his anger in that moment by remembering the people he loved. Which is not that different from how the scene plays out in the original, only he isn't using Katara as a crutch. Which is a good thing, actually. It's much more fitting and poignant that he thinks about Gyatso here.

I don't think there was any mention of Katara wanting to go north. She has a few lines about wanting to help more and Aang teaches her about balance so she can bend now, apparently, but where is her drive? It feels like they're attributing her accomplishments to Aang and that bothers me. Maybe it'll be mentioned in the next episode, since they haven't talked about Aang learning waterbending yet, either. But I do miss the Katara who was ready to banish herself from the village the moment she met Aang not just because it was the right thing to do, but because of her own desire for independence and autonomy.

Liked the scene between Aang and Iroh. It gives us a glimpse of an Iroh who is stuck as to what to do and so he just gives Aang the Zuko treatment by offering him tea. I'd be excited if this means we get to see more development for Iroh.

[mysticwolfshadows]

Taken - Zutara - Part 11

First / Previous / Next / Masterpost

Katara listens as Zuko explains the events that led to him nearly having his gut ripped out by a catgator, and feels a bit hollow.

If the Avatar was alive, she hoped that he would end the war. She didn't care how, not really. If Ozai suffered, she wouldn't be opposed. Azula may be the same age as her, but the girl was cruel and insane. The majority of the Fire Nation generals and governors were racist and elitist.

But if the Avatar brought his wrath down on the Fire Nation, others would surely be caught in the crossfire. She knew that Iroh had been a general laying siege to Ba Sing Se, and Zuko was their Prince, trained with Fire Nation propaganda, but they weren't like the rest. They cared about the people, they cared about servants and little Water Tribe girls. And the civilians. The maids, once they discovered that Katara wasn't a blood thirsty savage, had been friendly and kind. The soldiers, once they weren't looking at her skin color, respected her talents as a bender.

She wondered, briefly, if the Avatar would kill Zuko if it came to that. Shuddering, she pushed the thought away, and got up.

"I won't try and stop you from leaving," she said, pulling her coat on. "But I'll ask that you at least stay the night. I spent a lot of time healing you, and with your luck, you'd get attacked by a whale-squid as you're leaving." Pausing, she glanced at him. "And I've missed my friend."

Zuko agreed, a pinched expression on his face.

She didn't bring up the Avatar again. Instead, she led Zuko back into the village. The soldiers were more open this time, chatting and trying to make conversation with the tribe. Her father and Iroh were having a few boxes taken into the village. Bolts of fabric, a few boxes of spices, and bags of rice.

Katara showed Zuko her new healers hut, where Sokka was lurking. She thought her brother was being stupid, as older brothers tend to be. Sokka kept asking questions, clearly making Zuko uncomfortable and a bit angry.

"What's with the ponytail? What are you doing here? How do you get into the palace? Are there any secret tunnels in the FIre Nation?"

"Zuko, this is my brother," Katara said, glowering at her brother. "He's a bit of an idiot."

Zuko seemed to be making an effort to hold back his temper, at least trying to get along. Her father was pulled aside by Iroh, learning how to play Pai Sho.

As morning waned, and evening descended, they had another feast. Her mother came to sit with them, shooing Sokka off to ask her own questions. Katara did her best to stay close, but her mother didn't seem to agitate Zuko nearly as much as Sokka had. They are, Zuko growing more and more comfortable amongst the Tribe.

Katara stayed up as long as she could, watching the moon as it rose higher and higher. The night chill would normally be unbearable, but the throng of fire benders so close kept the bonfire burning and the village warm. Finally, she started to droop, and Zuko walked her to her hut.

"Will you be here in the morning?" she asked, an uneasy feeling in her gut. Would he leave without saying goodbye again?

"The plan is to leave at dawn," he confesses. "There's a few places that I need to... revisit. But... But I'll try and wait for you. To say goodbye before I leave. And... I'll be back, in a few months."

Katara nodded, at ease to know, at least, that Zuko had told her when he was leaving. When she lay in her sleeping roll, looking up at the ceiling of her hut, sleep found her easily. Even if she wasn't up in time to see him, he would return. Zuko, no matter what he may be doing, would keep his word.

First / Previous / Next / Masterpost

[azure-firecracker]

ATLA Live Action Stream of Consciousness (Episode 6, Part 1).

ZUKO FLASHBACK?!

Is this the storm?

I still think it’s funny that Dallas Liu is here for 13 year old Zuko.

Iroh and Zuko continue to be sweet.

Okay that was a great transition from sweet past Zuko to angsty present Zuko

What is Zhao doing in this scene? Are any acting choices being made? At all?

See this is the downside of softer Zuko because these scenes where he has to yell are sliiightly less effective (but I love how moralistic he’s being that’s in character).

This actor playing the guy on Zuko’s crew is really good.

Roku’s volcano looks great! So does the inside of the temple.

Aang why did you think talking to the fire sages was a good idea?

June continues to be hot

“I will hold them off for as long as I can” says random fire sage that will not go well.

One if the good things about this Ozai is that I buy people thinking he will unite the world.

What are the audio effects on Roku’s voice? They are not working.

Another exposition dump?

Koh longs for family yeah him and everyone else in this show.

Not the destiny versus friends dilemma again. It’s so tired.

My dad predicted Koh’s totem being in the cabinet lol

June I love you (but I don’t like that she was flirting with Iroh).

Zuko’s swinging ponytail was a paid actor.

Okay that transition into Zuko’s backstory (with Aang’s dialogue) was a little heavy handed there.

Baby Zuko is so nervous it’s sweet. It’s a different take on the character but I think it still works (especially contrasted with later Zuko).

Can I date all of the Yuyan archers please?

Biggest tragedy in the show is Iroh getting his hair bun shot off /j

Zhao why would you tell Zuko where you’re keeping the Avatar.

I love that they’re letting Zuko yell more.

I miss animation when Aang was hanging in the air.

Aang is being so naive in this episode it’s sad to watch.

“It’s not my future I’m worried about” AANG JUST BREAK ME WHY DON’T YOU!

What are Zhao’s acting choices? I liked him until this episode but he seems like an office worker who’s kind of evil.

BLUE SPIRIT YAY!! (They did a good job adapting the mask to 3D)

My dad is begging me to remind him who the Blue Spirit is and I’m not telling him:)

Fire Nation guards are idiots what else is new?

Oooh nice dual swordsmanship!

Gordon’s face when he sees the Blue Spirit: perfection.

[hyacinths-in-a-storm]

Museum Visits and Past Lives

Tyzula Week: Day 5 Reincarnation/Soulmates

You can read it here on archive of our own as well

A/N: I don't know how to flirt, which I feel is clearly communicated through this fic

For Azula’s senior thesis, she had gone with the topic of love.

Of course if she told her professors that they would laugh in her face. There were so many types of love and so many different ways of interpreting it that it would take an eternity to formulate and write it all. She had so many examples from just from her own life to draw upon.

She could talk about her parents who met under unsavory conditions to say the least, and yet stayed together through the hardest of times, raising a family with the gentlest hand. She could talk about the persistent love between her brother and his boyfriend. They had dated in high school, broke up and found each other again at some obscure bar, now they were planning their wedding.

Of course there were types of love that had nothing to do with romance. The type of love between her and Zuzu. One second they were fighting like dogs, Azula making some snide comment about the birth-mark that covered a good portion of his face, Zuko responding with kicking her knees in, and the next second Zuko was asking what Azula wanted from McDonalds on his way home from work. Then there was the relationship between her father and his brother. There was a tenseness, courtesy of their father who had kept them at each other's throats for years. Yet when Uncle Iroh called just before dinnertime on a warm summer day, crying that his wife had finally succumbed to stage 4 breast cancer, Father promptly closed his computer, got up, and drove one and half hours to comfort him.

The point Azula is trying to make was that there were a lot of different types of love, and if she had to spend one more hour trying to come up with a thesis statement about it, she was going to explode. Which is why she was here today sitting down on a bench in the Republic National Museum of History, at the Post-War Era exhibit.

She was staring at an ink painting. It was uncharacteristically calm compared to the other paintings which depicted either gory battles or assassinations. This painting showed a calm pond with five people, even the lines in the painting seemed slightly blurred, further adding to the softness of the picture. There was a man with a cup of tea in the background, he seemed to be motioning at the painter to join them, two kids, both girls, chased each other around the duck pond. But what caught Azula’s attention was the last two women, who were leaning against each other. One of them was dipping her head while the other whispered in her ear. According to the plaque they were “General Azula, and her companion Kyoshi Warrior Ty Lee” the purposeful vagueness of the phrasing piqued her interest. She would have to make sure she researched it when she got home.

Azula’s thoughts were interrupted by a clearing throat. She turns to see a girl standing next to her.

“Hi, can I sit here next to you?” she asks,

“Oh of course, go ahead.” she says making space for her, and the girl settles down next to her,

“It’s a rather pretty painting.” she says, motioning to painting,

“It is.” Azula agrees, there’s no one else around in this exhibit, and the silence stretches out between them,

“Did you know that there is significant evidence to show that those two women over there, General Azula and Kyoshi Warrior Ty Lee, were lovers.” the stranger said, pointing at the two women,

“Really? What was the evidence?” Azula was intrigued now,

“Well for starters, General Azula gifted Ty Lee the head piece of royal consort.” she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement,

“What a good friend.” Azula snickered,

“Exactly, supposedly they even shared the same chambers, just like close friends do.” Azula had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing,

“That was my response when I first heard about it too. Well, that and the fact I shared a name with the Kyoshi Warrior.”

“Your name is Ty Lee?” Azula asked,

“Yep, my mom was a Kyoshi warrior so she wanted her daughter to have a name that reflected that.”

“That’s so strange, my name is Azula.”

“Really?” Ty Lee looked at her in surprise,

“Yeah, my mom is a historian, she specializes in Fire Nation history, specifically the 100-Year-War Era, and the Era of Peace. Her senior thesis was on General Azula I think, and she liked the name so much she named me Azula.” Azula told her, “What a coincidence right?”

“It really is.” Ty Lee paused for a second as if weighing two options, “So, do you come here often?” she finally asked,

“I used to, when I was kid, my mom worked as a curator here for ten years so we get free entry whenever we want. I haven’t been able to come here as often because of college.” Azula sighed,

“Oh that’s cool, what major?” Ty lee propped her chin up with her hand, staring intently her,

“Psychology.” Azula’s heart started to beat a little harder, when she noticed the extra attention,

“Really? So do I! I study developmental psychology, what about you?” she asked,

“Mental illnesses mostly, things like anxiety and depression and how they can affect a person physically and emotionally. We’re just full of coincidences today, aren’t we?” Ty lee laughed at that, which brought me a sense of joy four years of psychology couldn’t explain, so I just nodded, biting the inside of my cheek to stop me from smiling like an idiot,

Ty Lee’s phone rang, interrupting the moment. She looked at the screen sighing,

“Well that’s my cue to leave, but it was nice talking to you Azula.” she said with a slight bow,

“It was nice talking to you as well.” Azula responded, hoping that her blush wasn’t as obvious as thought it was,

“Oh, and before I leave, could I have your number?”

“Hmm? Oh of course-” she rattled of the numbers in a slight haze, Ty Lee nodded and waved, as she watched her leave she heard her phone ring,

“Hello Azula? You left your books-” her mother said, the second she picked up the phone,

“Mom this is going sound weird, but I need to thank you for naming me Azula.” she interrupted first,

“Oh- ok, that's great sweetheart?” her mother asked, perplexed, Azula cast one last glance at the painting, before walking away.

A/N: No, I'm in fact not immune to the trope of meeting your reincarnated lover in a museum exhibit dedicated to your past life

[sokkathebluewolf]

Hi, Seyari! First of all, I really want to compliment you for all your work with Gladiator. It is incredible to find, for free, such a long, good written, immersive story. Few are the novels (for I think Gladiator can only be regarded as such) that have moved me as this one has, due to the way you portray the characters and their feelings and make them evolve. How have you planned the whole story? It really must be difficult to lay out a plot that large from the beggining. How did you do it?

Hello there! Thanks for the ask and the compliment! :D So glad you've been so moved by the story and the characters <3 it's really flattering and delightful to learn that Gladiator has touched people's hearts.

Honestly... I would like to pretend that I had all the answers all along but Gladiator has been a labor of love for 13 years now. Yeah. Labor is the big word there, haha.

The truth is, I didn't fully know where we were going within the first year of writing Gladiator. I had some ideas and I put them down in an old document that I still keep around, some ideas were discarded, others were systematically implemented wherever I found the right place for them. Some people who were here from the start may remember the early days when I would receive lots of asks suggesting gladiators or general ideas. For instance, some magical anon out there (never knew who it was!) ought to be very proud to this day for having been the one who proposed the Pairs Tournament concept to me. A pretty popular and beloved arc, and no kidding, it really came from a random asker!

But those were the early days, and as I progressed with my writing, I knew I had to start building up a destination. While Gladiator sounded like the most fun project of all time, where I could make basically all my ATLA dreams come true, I had to think about what I really was going for with the story altogether.

I think I've mentioned in the past that I developed three specific story beats REALLY early on: I wanted Sokka and Toph to be rivals so that Azula and Iroh, as sponsors, would also be rivals.

First beat? They'd have one fight (in this configuration) where Sokka would be defeated, discouraged, and it would result in the consumation of our leads' dorks relationship!

Second beat was that they'd defeat Toph and Iroh eventually, and this most likely would cause Iroh to reveal their relationship to Ozai after being a peeping tom :'D the most infamous of his worst deeds, yes...

And the third beat was that Sokka would defeat Combustion Man with his incendiary bombs. Yes, this I knew since the start, which is why the very early chapter 2 dialogue between Azula and Sokka featured Azula saying that he would only beat her if he could break a firebender's control over their flames :'DDDD a very blatant foreshadowing of Sokka's defeat of Combustion Man, PROBABLY too in your face while simultaneously too early on to do the job? xD Either way, it serves me as evidence that I did plan that nowadays, so there you go! xD

But I was pretty much adrift as to what would happen afterwards. And I spent around a year throwing ideas at the wall, many of which were TERRIBLE and utterly underwhelming, until my friend @jordanalane, no longer active on Tumblr, managed to push her Zuki agenda so far that it actually reconfigured my entire view of where the story would go next. Something I will always thank her for, of course!

In short, she wanted Zuko and Suki to go off on their own and I was fine with that. I had wanted Zuko to go south, though, because I wanted him to meet Aang and train him (and of course have the whole "do I turn him in or do I rebel fully against my father?!?!" dilemma). She came up with some ways to do it, I eventually reframed it, she wanted Suki to get knocked up, not so hard to arrange xD and when Kino as well turned up as an OC that could dynamize the Southern Water Tribe gang? Things felt a lot better! So, at that point... it just seemed logical/natural that, eventually, Sokka would end up there, too... which, of course, resulted in the train of thought that led me to the horrible, no good, terrible, depressing Part 2 finale! :'D

Sokka and Azula, torn apart! It's unfortunately a VERY common trope of mine, I blame Philip Pullman because this guy ruined my childhood with His Dark Materials, where basically every important romantic pairing is not allowed to be together and either broke up or circumstance tore them apart. I don't know how long it took me to realize that I keep doing this with my main couples in stories and... I do blame him xD taught me the worst kind of romantic angst when I was very young.

So from there, it was a slow but steady climb towards getting our characters to a place where I could bring them back together. Sokka's journey was a lot more obvious: he'd become a leader, take charge of a rebel army and slowly but surely unravel Fire Nation control over the Earth Kingdom until he was ready to hit the Fire Nation and rescue Azula. As for her, at first I didn't know how active Azula would be, which meant her story would be INSANELY boring if she was just waiting to be rescued. This caused me to include a character like Renkai, introduced midway through Part 2 EXCLUSIVELY so he could have a major role in Part 3 as Azula's new protector, once Rui Shi was out of the picture. Rei was a bit of a wild card too, because I did introduce her as a character early on and considered making her Zhao's daughter all along... for a while I backtracked on it, thinking it'd be an unnecessary complication. And then I pondered what her role would be in Part 3, should she be Zhao's daughter... and the world kind of expanded for me by then, of course, and I clung to her like there was no tomorrow.

Along with this? Hotaru was always meant to be a thing, of course. The moment of conception was always a bit of an evil twisted joke for me, yes, the darkest, lowest point of Part 2, Sokka in prison... worst possible place for a dignified princess to make a baby xD but yeah, the idea was always that at that point Azula would wind up pregnant and that, too, was going to slow things down for our main girl once they were apart. But as Sokka's story came together (I was TERRIFIED of all the big battles I had to write :'DDD you have no idea how much I researched and how much brainstorming I had to do to draft the logic of each of those battles...), Azula's did as well as I started to ponder that they could become enemies anew, even if very unwillingly, even if just because her circumstances forced her into that role. Somehow, their two stories ended up complementing each other really, really well and it became a lot easier to write Part 3 because of that.

And of course, there was Ozai. I always wanted to explore his past, particularly his marriage to Ursa, and more than anything, I wanted to EXPLAIN what the hell happened during the blanks left behind by canon in Zuko Alone. We aren't quite there yet... but we're like 10 chapters away from the big, final flashback :'D I had to build up Ozai as a complex villain too, not so hard to do when Azula is your main character, considering how Ozai very clearly favors her while also being a fundamentally shitty human being. It was very interesting to draft what I'd do with this bastard in theory, because honestly? If I hadn't had a set course for him, I might have been even more vidinctive after he did every awful thing he did in Part 2's finale. I never imagined that writing those moments would make me hate him as much as I did :'D but he pulled that off, for sure. Afterwards, developing him throughout Part 3 so he could actually have a compelling conclusion was one of my biggest challenges and while I'm sure some people were rejoicing in his death, I also have seen that others were quite affected by it, especially as he had finally accepted the very obvious truth that MAYBE he was wrong. You know. About all the things ever :'D But of course, Ozai's process throughout Part 3 complemented Azula's, his story is weaved into hers, so that dynamized the whole structure quite some more.

At any rate, I think the bulk of crafting Gladiator's plot ended up centered around these characters and their physical or emotional journeys: Sokka, Azula and Ozai. Everything that sprung around them was gradually woven in to complement and bolster their stories, as well as, of course, tying any remaining loose ends and not neglecting the arcs of other characters who may have been on journeys of their own. But the structure of the story, as well as the plot itself, was absolutely centered around those three and their clashes, their connections, and the unique dynamics between all three of them. With those things in mind, the plotting and scheming towards the ultimate outcome (Fire Lord Azula, General-Gladiator Sokka, a world finally on its way to peace) became clearer to me!

The ultimate secret to building all this, of course, is time. Sometimes things just weren't working. Sometimes I had ideas that were very cool in my head for like 5 minutes and then I realized they looked like a trash heap. It's not easy to tell what's worth keeping and what needs to be disposed of, and of course, definitely not easy keeping track of everything you need to address in your story. I had a big document where I used to put the main things I didn't want to forget, as well as the core arcs... but when Part 3 came around, I legitimately had to build an entire, 100+ pages long document split in two columns detailing Azula and Sokka's stories per arcs so that I could keep up with them, more or less organize who comes first, what goes where, which chapter features each element I needed to write about...! It was complicated, but that document absolutely made things a lot smoother when it came to writing the last chunk of the story. Oh! And I can't forget the OTHER helpful addition: the TIMELINE DOCUMENT! :'D I only started doing this in Part 3 for the very unexpected reason of... keeping track of Azula's pregnancy. Literally kept track of which pregnancy week she was on so I could find what symptoms she should be facing and write them out whenever possible or reasonable :'D Also to keep in mind how active or inactive she could be, depending on how far along she was.

Sooooo... yeah. If you wanna write a story this big one day? Plot it across 8-ish years, and work on it continuously all along! Totally feasible, I'm sure XD ngl, if I ever write anything as big as Gladiator again, I will be shocked. The experience has been invaluable, but it's not easy to come up with a story concept, let alone setting and characters, that sustain such a long-term, dynamic tale. I'm very, very lucky that Gladiator held up, against all odds that I would falter halfway through, and really happy that people like you appreciate what I've woven with this story <3

Thank you for the ask!

[karlachgale95]

Hearts of the Multiverse-Chapter Six: Join the Party

              “Miiiiles. Miiiiiiiiiiiiiles.”

              “It didn’t work the first seven times, why do you think it would work on the eighth?”

              “Actually Seto, I think he’s starting to wake up.”

              Miles cracked his eyes open. It was hard. He felt so sluggish and groggy. He didn’t know what time it was, or where he was. It wasn’t the park, and it wasn’t the shrine. The room was warm and yellow. Paintings of dragons decorated the wall. In the adjacent room visible just beyond the transparent door were a bunch of dining tables and green booths and chairs.

              He was jolted awake by a bone-crushing hug. “Miles! It’s good to see you again, bro!”

              Pavitr Prabhakar was a surprising face to see. Miles didn’t know if he was in league with Miguel. He really hoped he wasn’t. He didn’t seem like he’d be. He wasn’t even there when Gwen and Peter betrayed him. But Hobie hadn’t. He helped him. Pav and Hobie were best friends. That had to mean something, right?

              He glanced up to see Seto, Robin, Connie, and Giorno had taken a seat at a nearby table. It was a foot away at most.

              As if sensing the discomfort or being blissfully unaware of any tension, Pav continued. “Gwen, Hobie, and I have been looking for you everywhere!”

              “Gwen?” Miles questioned. He could feel his face twitch into a scowl.

              “Something wrong, Miles?” Giorno asked.

              “Who’s Gwen?” Robin asked.

              “Not a friend,” Miles answered.

              Pav shook his head. “You’ve got it all wrong, Miles. She wants to help you! We all do! Look, for the record, I had no idea…or…well, I didn’t pay attention to what Miguel said about you being an anomaly, but Gwen filled me in. That’s why you’re running from him now, right? We plan on helping you with that! And a few others. There’s me, Gwen, Hobie, Peter, Spider-Noir, Peni, Spider-Byte, and even Spider-Ham!”

              “You know some interesting people, Miles,” Giorno noted. He sat up straight. His face darkened. “Still, it’s your decision. Tell me what you want to do.”

              Miles, still groggy, in shock, and unsure of exactly what he was feeling, rubbed his face. “I don’t know. I-I need to think about all this.”

              “Why not think it over some tea?”

              Miles glanced up to see an older man with long gray hair and beard. He kind of had that friendly grandpa energy going on. But looks could be deceiving. Beside him was a girl with blonde hair, school uniform, and curls that were similar but shorter than Usagi’s curls.

              “Hello Iroh! Hello Mami!” Connie spoke up. “Is the tea shop doing well?”

              “You guys know each other?” Miles asked.

              “Yeah! They helped us—!” Connie started. Seto cut her off.

              “Maheswaran, I’m sure no one needs to learn every detail of our situation.”

              “Why? You don’t want to admit that Iroh, Pav, and Mami helped our group of people beat the monsters invading your corporation?”

              “It was no big deal, Mr. Kaiba,” Iroh spoke up with a gentle smile. “We just happened to be at the wrong place at the right time.”

              Iroh turned to Miles, “Now, it seems like you’ve got a lot on your mind, why don’t you settle down with some nice relaxing ginseng tea? It’ll help clear your mind.”

              Miles was speechless at the moment. He couldn’t think of anything to say. Who in the hell was genuine in this room? Crazily enough, the person he trusted the most right now was the guy who made a deal with a demon.

              “Pav,” Iroh said. “Can you help me make some tea for our new friends here? I think they may need a minute.”

              Pav was quiet for a moment. It seemed like the gravity of the situation was dawning on him now. “Oh. Yeah. I should…go do that.”

              The two entered the room a little further back. The blonde girl sat down with them, placing empty teacups in front of them. Giorno inched a little closer.

              “So…Pav is interesting.”

              Miles stayed silent.

              “Do we need to leave?”

              Miles thought for a moment and shook his head. “Nah. Pav is…honest. I don’t think he’d double-cross me. But…it’s all that other stuff he said. The stuff he said about Gwen wanting to help me. She…”

              “Broke your heart?” Seto asked off-handedly.

              “You know, being subtle would do you some good, Mr. Kaiba,” the girl, Mami commented. She sat down at their table. “I have a team I help back home. There can be a lot of trust issues. It leads to a lot of problems. I don’t think Pav is trying to pull the wool over your eyes.”

              “But they all did!” Miles protested. “They all knew. They all knew how their little Spider Society viewed me, and they told me nothing! They would’ve let my dad die!”

              All his anger came rushing to the forefront. Why did he have to be calm? Why did he have to be clear-headed? Gwen knew! Peter knew! They tried to stop him from saving Inspector Singh just to preserve the sacred canon, which wasn’t even proven to be the issue of the problems in the multiverse. They trusted Miguel O’Hara more than they trusted him. They wouldn’t see him because of some damned, arbitrary rule. They didn’t care. They didn’t!

              Peter’s words echoed in his brain: “You’re the reason I had her!”

              Damn it.

              He remembered how Peter had been reaching out in that moment. He was trying. He didn’t know Miguel was tracking him. But it still hurt. And Gwen. Gwen upset him the most. He thought he meant something to her.

              But Pav. Pav hadn’t even known he couldn’t save both Inspector Singh and the bus full of people. It was Miles who had interrupted that canon event. Who’s to say he knew his dad would have to die…at least according to Miguel?

              “Miles.”

              Pav stood in the doorway. He looked genuinely upset. “I swear. I didn’t know. If I’d have known, I would’ve helped you sooner. I swear.”

              Miles took a deep breath in. “I believe you.”

              Pav smiled. “I’m glad.”

              “But I don’t believe Gwen!” Miles snapped. “I don’t know if I can ever trust her again.”

              “This Gwen you’re talking about isn’t Gwen Stacy, is it?” Seto asked.

              Miles nodded. “Why? You know her.”

              “I’m starting to regret it, yes. Is she really unreliable?”

              “I’d say so,” Giorno said. “Miles hasn’t lied yet. I trust his judgement.”

              And then there was a twinge of guilt. He was lying—to Giorno. He’d had that run in with his father. But his father seemed off. It might be best to keep it from him. Was…was he a hypocrite? No. He wasn’t going to let his friend get hurt. Maybe after all this was said and done, he and Giorno could hang out in his universe. He’d be able to prove to his Mama and Dad that he did, in fact, have friends.

              “The tea is ready!”

              …

              “Alastor thinks it’s a good idea!” Charlie Morningstar argued.

              “And Alastor is up to something,” Vaggie argued. “Look, I know it sounds like a good idea on paper, but our business is really more suited to hell—not people who need therapy.”

              As much as Vaggie loved her girlfriend Charlie, there were a lot of sinners in the living world. And combining a whole fuck-ton of them was going to be a nightmare. And Charlie only had one human so far since she literally found him dying on the street. Vaggie did admire that, though. Her girlfriend did love strays.

              “But we can help rehab people before they even end up in Hell. It’s such a good idea, Vaggie! The angels will have no excuses but to accept a human who turns their life around. We’ve already got a guest, too!”

              “He murdered a woman in cold blood and drinks coffee all day. That’s not exactly grade-A material we’ve been given.”

              “I dunno, he’s kinda hot,” Angel Dust spoke up.

              “No one was talking to you,” Vaggie snapped.

              “Well, Dad’s already supplied the renovations for the earth hotel. He thinks it’s a good idea, too.”

              “Maldita mierda,” Vaggie muttered under her breath.

              “I agree with Angel on this one,” Cherri Bomb said, draping herself on the couch near Angel. “He’s pretty hot.”

              “I don’t know,” Husk spoke up. “I’ve never trusted lawyers. They’re the biggest hagglers of all time. And they’re only fifty/fifty at gambling. Odds are no way he’s reforming.”

              Out of the shadows, Alastor appeared in the room, a smug smile on his face. Though, that could’ve just been Vaggie’s distrust for Alastor.

              “And he was a lawyer. He’s halfway to hell already. Unless our Charlie is allowed to rehab him.”

              Fuck you, Alastor. He knew exactly what buttons to press to make Charlie agree with him.

              It was quiet for a moment. Before said Prosecutor Godot spoke up. “So…do you all just talk about people in front of them all the time, or…?”

              “Sorry about them,” Charlie apologized. “It’s just always exciting for us to get a new member here!”

              Godot took another sip of coffee. “It’s…fine. Glad to know I’m hot, just like a perfectly blended brew of black coffee.”

              “And he’s a poet,” Angel said with a small smirk. “That’s how they get ya.”

              “Kinda just sounds like he’s full of himself,” Husk muttered.

              “Question,” Godot spoke up. “Do you guys know how redemption actually works or are we going blind here?”

              “Well, we have an idea of what it takes to get into heaven,” Charlie assured him. “Though, the qualifications might look a little ridiculous.”

              She handed him a sheet of paper with Adam’s three listed requirements. Godot quickly read through it and chuckled. “Stick it to the man? What demon wrote this?”

              “Actually, it was that asshole, Adam,” Angel said. “You know, first man, Adam. He was an angel.”

              “Hell yeah, was,” Cherri said, giving him a high-five.

              “Did…did you guys kill the first man? Like from the Bible first man?”

              “To be fair, he deserved it,” Vaggie said.

              “I was always taught Adam and Eve went to purgatory. Guess Catholicism got that wrong,” Godot said, taking another sip. “Though, I’m not surprised.”

              “I’m sorry if this is a bit overwhelming,” Charlie said. “I promise, we’ll do our best to get you into heaven.”

              “I’m not so sure if I’m interested in that. I’m just someone looking to do better. You seem like you want to help, so consider me at your service.”

              Charlie smiled, her eyes watering. “That is so sweet! Thank you! I can tell this will be easy! You’ll get to heaven in no time, I promise! Or at least meet their standards—not that you want to die right now!”

              Vaggie chuckled. Her girlfriend was a goof, but she was a goof with a good heart. If she believed in this guy, she’d help her to help him.

              …

              “You want us to do what now?” Hop asked, raising an eyebrow.

              Wally knew this wasn’t going to go over well, but Toph still seemed confident in the plan. Hop openly frowned and scoffed at the idea. They were in a diner, driving the poor, young waitress crazy. Miss Eda seemed only a little surprised they’d managed to go back to talk to Mr. Wright and found them trying to keep a Drifloon away from the playground equipment in the park. Wally had to chase it away with his Magnezone.

              “Think about it,” Toph said. “We could repay Mr. Wright if we help him out with this case.”

              “I guess that makes sense,” Hop conceded. “But how’re you going to convince those two to even talk to us? They’re big mad.”

              “Then you’ll have to apologize,” Hau said with a slight shrug.

              “Wha—? No way! Anyway, you made them mad, too!”

              “And I’ll apologize.”

              “That victory was rightfully earned. We shouldn’t have to apologize for it.”

              “C’mon,” BB spoke up reassuringly. “Just think of it as for the mission. Me and Cy did stuff for missions all the time.”

              “I just don’t understand,” Hop whined, rubbing his forehead. “Why did it have to be that pain in the neck?”

              “Hey, it’s not like we’re looking forward to it,” Toph argued.

              “Can’t you guys go easy on the kid?” Eda asked. “Doesn’t seem like he’s had it that great.”

              “Seriously,” Shauna agreed. “You guys are being real jerks right now.”

              “Hey! I didn’t do anything!” Gus retorted.

              “I wasn’t talking about you, Gus.”

              “Oh. Carry on, then.”

              The TV in the café flashed to another program, almost like an emergency broadcast. All they could see was a red house crest run through by a blue sword.

              Then a familiar voice said, “Leon, I think you’re too close to the camera.”

              Hop’s expression fell into one of surprise and delight, “Lee?!”

              Said former champion backed away from the camera and rubbed the back of his head, “Heh. Sorry, Steven. These cameras are weird.”

              “You’re welcome,” Mr. Meta spoke in a huffy voice off-camera.

              “Not that I’m not grateful!” Leon added quickly.

              The camera backed away, revealing more people with him: Champion Steven (being the voice Wally had undoubtedly recognized), Champion Wallace, Champion Lance, Champion Diantha, Champion Geeta, Champion Iris, Champion Alder, Champion Kukui, and Champion Cynthia. They were all there! Seeing them, undoubtedly, sparked a little bit of hope that maybe they could figure out a way of getting everyone home. The champions were strong. They made things safer, usually.

              Leon cleared his throat. “My name is Leon. I’m the champion of the Galar region. Behind me are the champions from the other regions: Lance the champion of both Kanto and Johto, both Steven Stone and Wallace the champions of Hoenn, Cynthia the champion of Sinnoh, both Alder and Iris are champions of Unova, Diantha the champion of Kalos, Professor Kukui who is both champion and Pokémon professor of Alola, me, and Geeta who is the champion of the Paldea region.”

              He turned to the crowd, “Did I miss anyone?”

              Lance shook his head. “No. We’re all accounted for.”

              Leon gave him a thumbs up. “Great!”

              He turned back to face the camera. “We’re here today to announce our own defense and protection system for those who have come here, unaware, and gotten lost along this interdimensional journey.”

              “We’ve worked together with professors from all regions,” Diantha cut in. “We’ve designed an app that allows for better social interaction via the Pokenav system.”

              “And meanwhile,” Cynthia interjected. “We all will be on the search for Pokémon who can help set the world to right.”

              That’s right. There were supposedly some legendary Pokemon in Sinnoh who could control all of space and time. They might help them get everyone home, depending upon how keen they felt on helping humans…or in Gus and Eda’s cases, witches.

              Someone flipped the TV to another station. An older man running the diner said, “Good. We’ll finally be rid of all these nuisances.”

              Wally hadn’t given much thought to how the locals might’ve perceived them. It appeared they did not appreciate them—not at all. But who could blame them? It was a little crazy: they brought monsters, villains, and weird heroes. It couldn’t have been good for their local events and environment. If anyone knew anything about how important it was to have a healthy environment, it was Wally. As it stood, the air here wasn’t very good. He felt sicker than usual, but he was afraid to complain. In some aspects, he might’ve still been that meek boy from Petalburg. In others, he would do anything to make sure, even strangers, stayed safe.

              “Lee…” Hop murmured. “I wonder where he is.”

              “We’ll help you find him,” Shauna said.

              “Yeah! Should be a piece of cake! I mean, look at that cape he’s got!” Gus agreed. “He should stick out.”

              Hop frowned. “And he’s a hero with a good heart…”

              Everyone froze with the realization that those monsters were still out there. Sure, they hadn’t seen them since Mr. Bucciarati, Miss Eda, Gus, Toph, and BB helped fend those things off of them, but there was no guarantee anyone was safe from them, especially if they put themselves out there like the champions were doing.

              “Don’t worry, kid,” Miss Eda said. “We won’t let anything bad happen to your brother, alright?”

              Hop nodded. “Th-thanks. Though I’m still worried. Lee is pants with directions. He might just get lost and run into one of those things.”

              The TV started to crackle again. And it opened with a man speaking about some sort of Vox-tech that would 100% keep monsters from attacking anyone. Wally wondered if that was entirely truthful. Although he’d only seen these monsters once, once was enough.

              …

              Miles, now holding a cup of Ginseng (to which Pav’s suggestion of Chai had been overruled), felt so incredibly tired. It’s like he hadn’t slept in days. To Iroh’s credit, the tea did help. Mami had turned on the TV. He, albeit a bit embarrassedly, recognized some of the Pokémon region champions had gathered to make their own task force. Good for them! If they weren’t mixed in with Miguel, then that might be good for him, too. Maybe he could meet with Cynthia and tell her about his plan with Dialga and Palkia. Might be worth a shot, so long as she didn’t speak to Miguel first.

              Then another broadcast came on. It was labeled as Vox Tech. The screen went blue, and the soothing, calm voice droned on how it was going to make tech to defend against the daimon running rampant. However, as the voice carried on, Miles found his mind slipping. He couldn’t look away, not even to check on his friends. And no one called for him. It was as though he had no control over his own movements.

              “You’re one of the ones Alastor is interested in making a deal with?” the voice asked, somehow separating itself from the continuing broadcast. “And what luck, your friend is one of the ones he already made a deal with. I’ll just put a stop to it now. Really, it’s for the best for both of you, and well, mainly for me, but it’s just good business.”

              A long hand shot out from the TV screen, aiming straight for Miles and someone behind him, no doubt Giorno, if he was understanding correctly. He couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. Couldn’t hear movement or even sound around him. His mission would be cut short before he had time to fix anything!

              The kitchen door opened and shut. Miles felt his face heat up as a bolt of fire traced itself over the arm, causing it to shrink back, but not disappear entirely.

              “Get out of my shop! Leave these kids alone!” He heard Iroh say.

              The voice laughed. “Look old man, your fire isn’t gonna do much to me. I’ve felt much worse. That, and there’s no way I’m letting that damn radio demon gain any more power. I’ll be the only demon running this show! Step aside, and I won’t kill you.”

              Before Iroh could say anything, the front door to the tea shop rang open. A familiar voice spoke up. “And the Blade will take care of any demons who search to harm the innocent! DOLOR!”

              “Don’t take all the glory, Wyll. Gale, pretty sure you and our new friends could help out.”

              “With pleasure. IGNIS!”

              “Sparkling wide pressure!”

              Something Miles couldn’t see and a bolt of lightning, and flame bolt struck the hand, causing the voice to yelp and jerk its hand back through the screen. The TV shut itself off.

              “What in the hell was that?” Giorno asked. “Who was that?”

              Miles looked ahead. Standing in the doorway was none other than Gale of Waterdeep, Karlach, Makoto, Ami, and the Blade of Frontiers (Wyll Ravengard) sitting down at a table near their group.

              “Iroh,” Karlach exclaimed. “Good to see you, soldier! How are you?”

              “I’ve been well,” Iroh said, a somewhat troubled smile on his face. “I see you’ve made new friends.”

              “Ah yes, well, they’re secret heroes. Strong ones, too,” Karlach said with a grin. “We got caught up in a monster incident. Any word on if you’ve seen Astarion, Shadowheart, Tav, Halsin, or Lae’zel?”

              The two carried on their private conversation while Gale, Wyll, Ami, and Makoto joined them.

              “Who’s been making deals with demons? It’s a bit of a foolish errand, you know?” Gale asked. Wyll gave him a look. “No offense.”

              “What I think Gale is fumbling to say,” Wyll said with a small smirk, “Is that making such deals with demons, especially at your age is a rather unwise thing to do. You have no idea what they can take from you. Whatever they’ve asked of you, it’s not worth it. Trust me, I know from experience.”

              “You’ve made a deal with a demon?” Ami asked, a little shocked.

              “Unfortunately, yes,” Wyll said with a slight frown. “If it hadn’t been for our dear friend, Tav, I may not have ever gotten out. And getting out is sometimes near impossible.”

              Miles glanced at Giorno. His face was almost unreadable. But all this talk about demons and deals had to be getting to him.

              “Wait a minute,” Miles said, sensing Giorno’s discomfort around this topic. He turned to Makoto and Ami. “How’d you two get mixed up with the Baldur’s Gate gang?”

              “The Baldur’s Gate gang,” Gale mused. “Now that’s a title I never thought to call our little band.”

              “Probably because it sounds ridiculous,” Seto remarked.

              “Back to the point,” Giorno said. “How did you two end up meeting…these people?”

              “Well,” Makoto began. There was a glint of admiration in her eyes. “A monster attacked the shrine last night. And Karlach just happened to notice. She came in, and tore the daimon the shreds, like it was nothing!”

              “Awe, thanks, soldier. It was nothing, really. You’d think the damned thing was made of paper.”

              “Anyways, we decided we’d all celebrate with some tea,” Makoto explained. “I got a ‘critical hit’ on one of those monsters who almost got Hunter.”

              “They’re obsessive,” Giorno said, shaking his head.

              “Who are we talking about?” Connie asked.

              “Our friend,” Miles explained. “They won’t leave him alone until they see what his heart looks like.”

              “Sounds bad,” Robin said. “Maybe we can help you guys out?”

              “We’ve got other places to be,” Seto spoke harshly and quickly.

              “After Miles saved you, you think you’d be a bit more compassionate,” Connie argued.

              “It’ll be more helpful to all of us when I find out the true thief behind my programming.”

              “You built a way home, didn’t you?” Giorno asked with a smirk.

              “Not yet,” Seto shot back. “Wipe that smug look off your face. You remind me of that bonkotsu los—.”

              Giorno slammed his hands on the table, “Don’t you ever call me that. You’ll have respect when you talk about me!”

              It was almost scary to see Giorno become so uncomposed. His face was dark, and his eyes were dead set on Seto, a ‘I’m going to murder you’ glare on his face.

              Seto leaned in, “What’s there to respect? Clearly, you’re just some street rat who—!”

              “That’s enough!” Mami’s voice cut through. “If you want to act like children, take it outside. You’re not going to act like that here. Not in Mr. Iroh’s shop. He’s truly the respectable one here. And if you cause any damage to this place with some stupid scuffle, I will throw both of you out immediately. Are we understood?”

              Giorno said nothing, but he gave Mami a courteous nod. Seto grumbled something and settled back down in his seat. Gale decided to speak up. “Perhaps a little gratefulness wouldn’t hurt. Now, I’m just a simple scholar of all things magic, but even I know not to bite the hand that feeds.”

              Ami, seeming encouraged by Gale’s words, spoke up. “Mr. Gale has a point. If Miles and Giorno helped you yesterday, it would be rude to do the same, especially if you’re in the position to be able to do so. And it’s incredibly rude to insult Giorno!”

              Seto frowned. “Fine. We’ll help you—once. And no more than that.”

              He took Miles’s phone off the table, typing something in. “There, if you need us, YOU call us. You were the one who saved us.”

              He smirked. “And didn’t make a deal with a weird deer demon.”

              “Sei così morto,” Giorno muttered.

              “You know I can understand Italian, right?”

              “And?”

              “I’ll give you this,” Seto said. “You’re either really dumb or really powerful to threaten me.”

              “I’m also not terribly cliché. Do you realize how many times I’ve heard that from people? People who I’ve beat?” Giorno asked, the anger tinged his voice.

              “So, you ARE a common thug.”

              “Shut up!” Miles found himself saying. “If it hadn’t been for Giorno, we all would’ve died out there. Look, we don’t even need your help. We’ll do this ourselves.”

              Miles got up but Robin called back, “Wait! We owe you, whether Kaiba wants to admit it or not. HE owes you.”

              Again, there was silence around the table.

              “I’m not taking back what I said,” Seto said, crossing his arms. “But I hate owing people things; I will help you—for now.”

              “And we’re so grateful,” Giorno murmured.

              “Cut the crap guys,” Makoto said. “Geez, you’re worse than a bunch of girls in our grade. And they can be super petty.”

              It was quiet for a minute.

              “Yay! Everyone’s happy now!” Pav cheered. “Now, let’s get to work!”

              …

              “Neither of them came back,” Luz said as she peered out the window. “Even Mako and Ami have been gone for a few hours.”

              First Miles had gone out late last night, then Giorno had went to check on him, then that monster had tried to attack them while they were at the park looking for the two, and now Makoto and Ami were missing, too.

              Zuko was sure something terrible had happened. He, Nemona, and Adora were going to go check it out while the others stayed behind to make sure everyone else remained safe. It was a plan he, Sokka, and Katara had come up with, and it was probably the best course of action.

              As he slipped on a coat Yuichiro lent him, Nemona paced around the room. She’d just seen the broadcast of all the champions. “Maaaaaan, this is sooo exciting! Champion Geeta is actually going to be working with the STRONGEST champion of all!”

              “Who’s that?” Adora asked.

              “Champion Leon,” Arven answered with a small grin. “Nemona’s got posters of him, Cynthia, and Geeta all over her dorm-room.”

              Nemona blushed. “Oyé! Shut it!”

              Suddenly, footsteps echoed up the tall steps of the shrine.

              “Hey, it’s the others,” Josuke said. “Looks like they found Miles and Giorno…and a few other stragglers.”

              “Oh no,” Rei whined. “Our poor grocery bill!”

              “To be fair, Lillie did the grocery shopping yesterday,” Sokka said.

              Said girl gave Rei a weak smile. “I didn’t want you to worry.”

              Rei smiled back. “That was very sweet, Lillie. Thank you. Much more considerate than the noodle-haired girl who keeps coming over and eating all of the food I buy for guests!”

              Usagi gasped and then chuckled. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Rei. It must be all the boys you have over. Boys eat a lot, right?”

              “Not Mamoru. Not with your cooking skills,” Rei shot back.

              “Hey!”

              Zuko looked to the crowd. None of them looked particularly happy: Miles seemed almost ready to collapse, Giorno, while composed, seemed upset by something, the tall brunette guy looked more than mad and annoyed, the black-haired guy was harder to read with the mask, kind of reminded him of Mamoru, and the girl who looked confident but annoyed, nonetheless. Miles and Giorno must not have a made a good impression.

              “Friend Robin!” Starfire shouted happily. She quickly flew over to the masked kid.

              He looked genuinely surprised to see her. “Star!”

              They were cute. To be fair to the newcomers’ sense of distrust, Zuko didn’t exactly trust Giorno. He didn’t know what to make of Miles. Miles was nicer and more sociable, but Admiral Zhou had been sociable. His sister was sociable. It didn’t make them good people…or what they said nice. He and Sokka both agreed it was for the best to keep an eye out for them. Katara thought they were overreacting, but there was really something off about Giorno. Zuko couldn’t put his finger on it, but he was hiding a dangerous secret. He knew that much…maybe from personal experience.

              Zuko shook his head. He was a different person now.

              And maybe Katara was right. Maybe they were being too judgmental…too hypocritical. But he only wanted to keep everyone safe. He needed to find everyone. He needed to make sure they were safe. It was his duty, no, his new mission.

              No one here was going to get hurt again. He’d be sure of it.

              …

              Seeing a seventeen-year-old degenerate watching over an eleven-year-old anthropomorphic, poison dark frog, a ten-year-old monster kid with no arms, and a psychic eight-year-old with the ability to channel the dead gave Alastor a bit of a chuckle. When the kids got tuckered out from all their play, their ‘guardian’ finally took a rest outside. He lit up a cigarette.

            “Tut tut,” Alastor began, throwing the bulky boy off. “Those things will kill you; ya know?”

              The boy was quiet for a minute. “Yare yare. You want a fight or something?”

              “Or something,” Alastor said. “Tell me Mr. Kujo, did you envision yourself becoming a babysitter?”

              “Fuck off.”

              “Now, now, there’s no reason for the hostility!” Alastor said. “I’m here to make you a deal!”

              “And I told you to fuck off,” the boy said. “I know your type. Egocentric maniac all about power and screwing people over when they take your deals. I killed a guy like you before, and I can do it again.”

              “Hmph. If you do insist that you’re not in need of my services, I’ll leave you be…for now.” Alastor grinned. “Kurain Village isn’t doing you many favors, Mr. Kujo. Your friends are out there—looking for you. I can help you find them or forget all about them! Whichever you desire. Everyone you ever knew can be a big, pink, fuzzy memory.”

              The boy was silent for a minute. “You mean gramps?”

              “Much more than him,” Alastor grinned. “I’ll tell you, for a price.”

              The boy scoffed. “Right. I’ll pass. I can find them on my own.”

              “Oh, but do tell me if you tire of that.” Alastor said. “I suppose I should get back to my hotelier business. I’ll be around. Be sure to call if you reconsider!”

              “Not likely. Get out of here. This place doesn’t need an asshole like you running around.”

              Alastor continued to smile, even if on the inside this brat was pissing him off. Of course, he’d remain cool and collected. The most stubborn of people always struck a deal in the end. He’d up the ante if he had to. It was pure luck he happened upon Giorno Giovanna in such a weak state. Jotaro Kujo would make a deal with him no matter what he had to do.

Please be sure to read and review! Let me know what you think in the comments!

[tinky-dinky]

Sokka: [Sarcastically.] Yeah, this makes a lot of sense. Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us.

Friendly reminder that Sokka as early as Book 1 believed Zuko to be a constant threat on their survival, yet they become "best friends" just fine.

My point here is the hypocrisy when some people claim that Azula can't be friends with Gaang because she "tried to kill them". Yeah, true. But I wish this "realism" appeals to Zuko and Iroh first.

Fanon: The Gaang thinks “Zuko never tried to kill us, and Azula is much more evil than he is since she tried to kill us”

Canon: 

Zuko: (Cut to a close up of his face) Look, I admit I've done some awful things. I was wrong (lowers his head down and presses a palm against his temple) to try to capture you, and I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe. (Camera pans across the Gaang who are still not pleased with his presence) And I never should've sent that Fire Nation assassin after you. (Sokka and Toph widen their eyes in shock) I'm gonna try to stop him.

Sokka: (interrupts) Wait, you sent (unsheathes his boomerang and holds it towards Zuko) Combustion Man after us?

Zuko: (Cut back to a slightly panicking Zuko) Well, that's not his name, but...

Sokka: (off screen) Oh, sorry. (Cut back to a frontal shot of Toph and Sokka as he remains in a defensive position) I didn't mean to insult your friend.

Zuko: (raising his voice) He's not my friend!

Toph (Cut to a visibly angry Toph) That guy (points an accusing finger at Zuko) locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us (swipes her hand down audibly) all up.

and

Katara: (Cut to a close up side view of Katara who looks down sorely) Haha.

Sokka: (Cut to Sokka and he raises his cup) To Zuko. Who knew after all those times he tried to snuff us out, today, he be our hero. (Cut to Sokka's point of view as the rest except Katara raise their cups)

Honestly, Zuko comes far closer to wiping out the entire Gaang(via Combustion Man) than Azula ever does.

Ursa can’t control how Ozai treats Zuko and Azula, but she can control how she treats them. If she instills toxic, imperialist values in them, that’s on her. If she neglects Azula and never shows her love in a way she can understand, that’s on Ursa. If her behavior convinces Azula that she hates Azula and thinks she is a monster, that’s on Ursa

Just because Ozai is an awful parent doesn’t mean Ursa gets off the hook for the damage her parenting caused her children.

Where does the notion that “Azula loves Zuko but hides it well”/”cares about him in her own way” come from? Azula is extremely obvious about deeply loving Zuko(just watch “The Beach”). Zuko is not the same way in the other direction.

I also find the emphasis on Azula taking responsibility to be odd, because of what other characters do not do. Zuko never takes responsibility for at least half of the bad things he does, while Iroh only ever takes real responsibility for Lu Ten's death and never really for anything else. Mai and Ty Lee are never shown "taking responsibility" for the bad things they do, and like Zuko their role in conquering Ba Sing Se remains unmarked on. I think the narrative treated Jet poorly, but I don't think he ever clearly takes responsibility for the bad things he did, like manipulating Katara. Singling Azula out seems very odd.

Fuck. Off. I am not interested in your bullshit. I do not care about whatever nonsense you’ve made up. Go away.

[oneatlatime]

The Guru

Happy 2024 everyone and welcome to the first time I managed to type 2024 without first typing 2023! Oh and also a write up of The Guru. That too.

Me too Iroh. Me too.

So Zuko is riding high on that post-crisis 'time to get my life together' buzz that, similar to 3 am life plans, should absolutely not be listened to. Wonder how long before he crashes and burns? There's literally 2 episodes left, so I'm guessing one and a half?

Poor Sokka. My boy's got anxiety.

I don't know if it's a monk thing, an airbender thing, an Avatar thing, or an Aang thing, but I envy his complete lack of nerves.

How is Appa ok with them splitting up for a week after JUST getting them back?

I paused in a funny place. Have bonk-eyed Appa.

I love them comparing heights. What do you want to bet that that guy on the right was one of the youngest allowed to go fight, and Sokka made a big deal about how they're almost the same age and surely that means he can go too, right?

A lot of these Southern Water Tribe people have dreads or braids. That's neat.

Bato's arm is still messed up. That's some good continuity.

I've found the source of Katara's cheek bones. I guess Sokka takes after his mum.

Ok I know this is a really emotional moment (and it is! Sokka's spent two seasons earning this!) but my brain fixated on the furs and briefly thought they were sky bison pelts.

"It's been a difficult week for me." This guy thinks the Kyoshi Warriors are there to provide him therapy. Someone please just crown the bear instead.

He just gave away literally every relevant plot point AND outlined how to make sure all these plot points don't succeed. Crown. The. Bear.

Maybe if these generals spent less time playing with their giant model Earth Kingdom and more time general-ing, the war wouldn't suck so much?

Pretty.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the designs, the colour palette, the music, the sound design of this air temple. I love everything about it. If I had the chance to live anywhere in the Avatar universe, it would be here. Even in its ruined state it's such a refreshing contrast to the claustrophobia of Ba Sing Se. I can feel the freshness of the breeze through the screen.

"A spiritual brother of your people" an adult perspective on a near extinct culture! What a resource!

"and a personal friend of Monk Gyatso" an old as balls perspective. He's got to be at least 130.

Anthropology cul de sac time: this guy is so valuable as a resource on the Air Nomads. There's probably parts of Air Nomad culture that Aang can't ever accurately talk about, because he was a kid when he left, and there was almost certainly stuff that the adults kept to themselves, or only shared with the older Air Nomads. This Guru doesn't seem to be an Air Nomad himself, but there's a good chance that there is knowledge that he has, that Aang doesn't. Aang should be nerding out more about this. I'll do the nerding out for him.

Aang just breezes right by that Gyatso name drop like it's nothing. Huh.

Oh hey Toph. I'd forgotten she was in a box. Tweedle dum and Tweedle dumber really are quite the pair. What's their plan for keeping her fed and watered? Actually, these guys apparently don't know that maps exist, so it's probably never occurred to them that humans need sustenance. They'll rock up to the Bei Fong estate with corpse Toph and wonder why they aren't getting the reward money.

Mai gets called out in-universe for shopping at Hot Topic.

Ty Lee's buttering up of Azula is getting less and less subtle as the season progresses. It's a testament to Azula's lack of awareness that she's hasn't noticed that, and that Ty Lee can get away with it.

Azula's right that it's an extraordinary opportunity. The King gave them quite literally every piece of info required to overthrow his kingdom in a 25 second conversation. I can't blame her for taking advantage of such an easy win.

That's a very effective unimpressed face. And a very impressive beard.

It's funny to see a spiritual concept from the real world pop up in a show that includes things like bending and giant fish possession. The mention of Chakras kind of sticks out. They couldn't invent a Avatar universe version?

"Once you begin this process, you cannot stop until all seven are open." Well that doesn't feel like foreshadowing at all.

This episode should be called "Aang's self-care Journey." It's about time the kid had a me day that wasn't avoidance-based.

Fear: Losing Katara - makes sense. Losing control of his powers via fish possession - makes sense. The Fire Lord - makes sense. But the Blue Spirit? He helped. Doesn't make sense.

Guilt: Running away - makes sense, although I thought he'd worked through that with Katara in the storm. Nuking that idiot General's base - makes sense, but boy did he quite literally ask for it.

This guru is saying some wonderfully accurate, and realistic, things. I love that he's not taking the Katara route of denying anything is wrong. He's going for the acknowledge, then heal route. And yes, it's unfair of me to compare the emotional maturity of Katara to a century+ old spiritual expert.

I'm going to ruin the immersion here and point out that Sokka's dad's voice actor voiced a bunch of characters in season 1. He's doing an excellent job, but couldn't they get a unique voice for a character that's so important (albeit offscreen) to Sokka?

That's an incredibly roundabout way of avoiding pointing out that the Southern Water Tribe are active participants in a bloody war. Sure, we can show multiple characters with visible scarring from horrific burns, but heaven forbid we imply that the Southern Water Tribe sinks ships. The parameters for what is and isn't appropriate on this show sometimes make no sense.

"Aren't you listening? I said the rest of you men get ready for battle." He hasn't seen his boy in two years, but fifteen minutes in his company and he knows exactly what needs to be said and how. That's some top tier parenting. Dad of the year. Dad of the century. Only decent Dad in this show that isn't technically an uncle.

"Follow your passion Zuko, and life will reward you." Great advice for your eight year old audience. Also a great way to end up unemployed.

Positive Sokka creeped me out a few episodes ago. Now positive Zuko is freaking me out too.

Pretty.

Back to Chakras! Shame: Burning Katara - makes sense. But that's it? To have the inner peace of mind of a twelve year old who's somehow only ever done one thing that he's ashamed of.

Is there anyone in the earth kingdom who isn't stupid? Once again wondering at the network's standards. Visible burn injuries are fine, but Mai can't say 'Shut up." It's got to be Shush up. Although I do seem to recall of brief time in the early 2000s when Shut Up was treated as a curse on par with Shit or Fuck. Maybe that was just at my school.

Chakras again! Even for a show that often has an A, B, and C plot, this narrative is ping ponging around a bit much.

Grief: nothing major, just a whole nation. Makes a horrific amount of sense. but I don't buy that he can get over grieving the whole world as he knew it by thinking about his crush. That's way too high a pedestal for Katara to be placed on.

Lies: Not accepting he's the Avatar. Interesting that not accepting that he's the Avatar and not accepting that he's a firebender are two different problems.

I see you reusing the opening credits footage. Your blue filters can't fool me.

PRETTY

Illusion: So we're relearning what we learned in The Swamp. Aang's probably the person currently alive least likely to believe in the rigid separation of the nations anyway. This doesn't feel like an illusion he's subject to?

The way this episode dances between its narrative threads is so great. It's all woven in so beautifully. And this makes perfect sense! Toph's spent her life secretly doing things excellently that everyone says are completely beyond her capabilities. Life has taught her that the statement "you are not able to" doesn't apply. Of course immutable laws of bending physics are treated with the same respect as an adult telling the champion of the Earth Rumble that she's can't earthbend beyond breathing exercises. If you told her that humans can't fly, she'd figure out how within the week.

Plot collision incoming.

Interesting that Katara initially recognises Zuko by his voice rather than his scar.

I'm pretty sure that Zuko and Iroh don't know about the whole brainwashing thing, but wouldn't it be hilarious if Zuko introduced himself to Katara as Joo Dee, and his uncle Joo Dee, welcome to the Jasmine Dragon, can I take your order? That would throw Katara into one hell of a moral quandary.

Katara being framed as the solution for Chakra number four comes back to bite Aang, as she's the problem in Chakra number seven. I knew that pedestal was too high.

I've changed my mind. This episode should actually be called "Half a dozen reasons why everyone should just learn to keep their goddamn mouths shut already."

So is anyone going to let Zuko and Iroh know that they're now in immediate danger and need to leave, like, yesterday?

I think the Guru is going for the whole 'if you love them, let them go, and they'll come back to you' thing. Don't cling, in other words. But for the sake of the plot he's suddenly lost his ability to explain Chakras in a way that makes them seem like the logical thing to do. The only clunky bit of this episode so far.

May I introduce you to our Lord and Saviour Toph?

"I am the greatest earthbender in the world." Yes. Yep. Yeah. That's now a quantifiable fact, and it's correct. Look on ye mighty and despair. She's even got Bumi beat.

Earth Tongue Running is a bit wonky looking but it covers a crazy amount of distance.

What's the range on Toph's earth sense? Can she sense what direction Ba Sing Se is?

I hope those two idiots' horse bird is ok.

"You don't know how much this means to me dad." He does. Very much so.

Every word out of this guy's mouth is precision engineered to make Sokka feel like a million bucks and I for one think it's about time someone built him up. Also, seeing this makes me realise how few good parents there are in this show. It's a trope of kids' adventure shows that the parents fundamentally can't be there, but I also think it's a commentary on yet another thing that this war has messed up.

Hey look! Being a man is knowing where you're needed the most, and right now that's in Ba Sing Se, protecting your sister! I love narratives that tie their themes up with a pretty bow on top.

This is Azula laying a trap, right? Which means that Katara squealed to someone about the exact location of Iroh and Zuko's tea shop. Don't like the implications of that.

Photos taken seconds before disaster.

Final Thoughts

This episode was a lot! I mean that in a good way! But I felt a bit like the Maxell Blown Away Guy, the way I kept getting assaulted by yet another plot thread. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a criticism. I think the switching between plot threads and the amount of info in this episode worked 99% of the time. But I'm kind of in awe at the balancing act the writers pulled off and I'm sort of sitting here blinking a bit trying to fit all this stuff in my head. I'm probably going to forget half the stuff I wanted to talk about in this write up, so here goes nothing.

Given the Azula reveal in at the end of last episode, I thought that this would be the episode where the shit hits the fan. I was wrong. I'm glad I was wrong. An episode of set up is required and is nice breathing room, even an episode as busy as this. And I got to leave Ba Sing Se! But this does mean that next episode is going to be calamity after calamity.

Aang and his Chakras: I'm fascinated by this guru. I hope he comes back. That brings the total number of people who were alive before the war started up to three: Aang, Bumi, Guru Patik.

I'm impressed that the run through of the Chakras rarely felt like an info dump. The onion and banana juice thing didn't work for me, but I'm sure it worked for people in the target age bracket. Kids love burp jokes.

So many shows sprinkle in tragic backstories for flavour and then never have them influence the character in the present. It was a nice contrast to see a show take a whole episode to tell Aang "yeah all that sucked. It's ok to feel down about it. Here's how you move forward."

Sokka and his dad: Love it. Love it so much. I love seeing Sokka built up, and he definitely deserves it, but I wonder if this is the reward for a character arc well done, or the set up for a character arc that's about to start? Is his dad's praise his prize for crossing the finish line, or is it so he's built up with farther to fall?

I loved seeing more of the Southern Water Tribe. I loved the fashion. There's a lot of variety in accessories and variations on a few basic elements like those knee guard things. I loved their hairstyles. I loved how cozy and communal that command tent felt. I loved their ships. I wonder how often these guys work out, that they can make loading ramps that are presumably deployed and stashed out of the way frequently, out of whole logs rather than planks. I have a bone to pick with the child-friendly sea mine. But it provides a good set up for a dad joke, so I'll let it slide.

Zuko and Iroh: Of course the one time Zuko is allowed to be in a good place, it's so that he and Iroh both have farther to fall when the inevitable happens. Poor guy just can't catch a break. I'd be mad at Azula for the party crashing that I'm assuming she'll do next episode, but it's been established that Zuko has all nice things taken away from him as soon as he gets them, and I can't blame Azula for being a tool of the universe.

Azula & Long Feng: Azula's acting in Long Feng's prison cell was miles ahead of what Long Feng was doing in front of the Earth King, so I'm wondering if Long Feng has bitten off more than he can chew. Also: conspiring with the enemy to bring down your own city just so you can reinstall yourself as the power behind the throne that will presumably cease to exist as soon as the Fire Nation takes control? That is both treasonous beyond description and an incredible case of shooting yourself in the foot. What's Long Feng's plan here?

Toph and the Dunderheads: it says something about the consistency of Toph's characterisation from her introduction onwards that she breaks the universe this episode and my reaction was "that's neat." It's obviously a huge moment, but of course Toph can do that. Toph can do anything. More importantly, Toph knows that Toph can do anything, so Toph routinely does do anything, especially things she shouldn't be able to do. If you had asked me a few episodes back which character would be most likely to fundamentally redefine bending, I would have said Toph, since she's already fundamentally redefined bending with her earth sense sonar vision.

Also Toph just breaks stuff. Things that come into contact with her cease to function as intended and instead function as Toph requires. Look at the two idiots: both successful business owners, one also a successful hoodwinker of the richest family around. But they come into contact with Toph and their brains take an extended vacation.

Katara & the Generals: this plot was more like an extension of Azula's plot than its own standalone thing. You can't blame her for spilling the news about Zuko and Iroh to someone she honestly thought was Suki. Not much else to say about it, although it's cute that she asks for a table for two at the tea shop. Momo gets a chair!

I like that there's a theme this episode of things going wrong despite the best intentions. No one's acting maliciously here apart from the Antagonists. The Earth King is having an honest chat with people he thought were friends. Sokka vouched for people he honestly thought were the Kyoshi Warriors. Katara shares information about a presumed threat with people she honestly thought were her allies. You can quibble with the wisdom of some of these decisions, but there were all done with good intentions. The best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry and all that. It brings to mind that Star Trek quote about how you can do everything right and still lose. And this set up is going to hit harder when whatever goes wrong next episode happens. And something will go wrong. A few months ago I figured that the Season 2 finale would be a triumph, but all signs are pointing towards a tragedy instead.

This episode was visually stunning, the soundtrack in the Air Temple sections especially was very evocative, and I applaud the minds that could juggle that many plot threads at once without dropping any. This one is definitely going on my rewatch list.

[muffinlance]

Zuko, banished, no crew, no uncle, no quest for the avatar. Says "fuck this" aka, if I can get back to caldera maybe I can convince my dad to take me back. Horribly wounded thirteen year old finds dragons, starts a civil war by accident

Zuko didn’t think he was still delirious. The Sun Warrior’s healer hadn’t wanted him to leave yet, but—

But he’s standing here, back in the throne room, and the room is set up again for another war meeting so maybe he should have waited before coming in. But the guards hadn’t even asked him—or anyone inside—before they’d thrown the double doors open, so. He’d thought father wasn’t busy.

The general he thought he was going to fight at the Agni Kai is here, and so are all the others, even uncle. And father, at the head of the table, standing.

Father is the only one standing. Everyone else is... They’re kneeling. 

When he’d come back to the palace, the servants in the courtyard he’d landed in had hurried to open the doors for him, all the way here. And the guards had let him in. And now the whole room is kneeling except for father who—

He doesn’t look like he did on the Agni Kai field. Father had been… he’d been so calm, then. He’d been doing what he had to do, to instruct Zuko, to correct him. 

Now he just looks angry. 

So. So Zuko is screwing this up, too. He practiced his speech the whole way home, it was a good speech, he’d based it on the one the Stone Prince made to his father the Mountain Emperor when he’d come home to beg forgiveness, bringing the treasures of the Ice Spirit with him as tribute. But Zuko doesn’t remember how he was going to start. And the flames behind father are getting higher, and hotter, and Zuko is okay now with flames that flicker with purples and golds and greens, but red flame is—

It’s so hot against his face—

“Father,” he croaks. “Father, I’ve returned. With dragons.” 

He is so, so stupid. Ran and Shaw have flanked him from the courtyard, have wound through hallways paralleling his path, are snaking between the pillars of the room until coils of red and blue dwarf everything here. Ran breathes her own flames out, and the fires before the throne shift from Ozai’s reds to the shimmering rainbow-sparks of dragonfire.

“A sign from Agni,” Uncle Iroh says. He’s bowed like the rest, but Zuko can see his eyes, and there’s the same glimmer there that father and Azula get before they do something Zuko should have seen coming.

“You dare,” father says, and Zuko isn’t sure if it’s him or uncle he’s talking to. But when he takes a step forward it’s towards Zuko and when he raises a fist it’s towards Zuko and when he makes the fire it’s towards Zuko and—

(And Zuko cowered the first time the dragons tried to show him their flames. It was all around him, swirling, and he hit his knees and shoved his face against his arms because he’d learned better than to look up. 

The fire stopped, and a whiskered nose nudged him, and then there was a huge scaly coil loosely wound around him until he was done crying, so at least the Sun Warriors below hadn’t seen how pathetic he was.

After that, it was… they made it a game. Little puffs of flames, the kind of sparks he used to make to keep Azula from getting fussy in her crib, until she was old enough to climb out and go exploring with him instead. 

He flinched at first, a lot, but they didn’t hurt. Didn’t even hit him. And then it really was a game, where he would spin their colors in with his own flames, and send them back, and they’d keep playing as the flames got bigger and bigger but somehow they never got scary again. 

When he’d stopped flinching at all, when he wasn’t a coward around his own element, he knew he was ready to return home. Grandfather had once welcomed uncle home with honors for killing dragons. So father would accept his apologies if he brought home two live dragons, right? Making friends with dragons had to be harder than killing them.)

Father’s flames were… they were just red. Zuko didn’t realize what he was doing until the war ministers were gasping. By then he was already spinning father’s flames with his own, mixing in all the colors father’s had lacked, and.

And sending them back.

(Batting fire around with dragons had not given Zuko a realistic grasp on the heat tolerance of the average abusive father.)

Uncle was not the first to bow, when Zuko had first entered. This time, he is.

“Fire Lord Zuko,” he says.

The war ministers are not prepared to countermand the Dragon of the West. Or literal dragons. They never left their knees, and they don’t start now. Foreheads touch the ground.

Zuko… Fire Lord Zuko’s first order is to take his father to the healers. He’ll let him stay there, longer than Ozai let Zuko.

(You can read this and other prompts at AO3. And longer stories, too. <3)

[sokkastyles]

I saw some Azula fans saying that Mai and Ty Lee were not afraid of Azula. About the scene where Ty Lee tries to stay with the circus and refuse Azula, they also added:

"The fact that Ty Lee tried to refuse at all shows us that she isn’t just 24/7 terrified of Azula.They’re genuinely friends. Azula would still be scary regardless because she’s their princess in a highly militarized society.Zuko does this too, threatening people including his Uncle to get his way constantly. It’s clearly a common thread between them and not at all unique to Azula.Yet no one accuses Iroh of only supporting Zuko out of fear."

I'm just here thinking that the power dynamics between Iroh and Zuko are very different from the dynamics between Azula and her two friends. I'm sure you've probably talked about this topic before, but what do you think about the idea that Azula and Zuko threatening people to get their way is a "common thread between them"?

There's multiple things I want to address here.

First of all, you are absolutely right that the power dynamics are different. There IS a commonality between Azula threatening people and Zuko threatening people, and it's that both have learned that same entitlement that comes with being royalty of an imperialistic nation and both were raised by Ozai.

But one of the major differences is that we know that Zuko's natural inclinations are towards empathy, and we see him as a more empathetic child in contrast to Azula. His behavior towards Iroh and his men at the beginning of the series is a direct result of being burned and banished, and feels like he's trying to imitate what he's supposed to be, just like he imitated Azula at the turtleduck pond when he was little.

Zuko's threats are also never taken seriously, which is another reason why it feels like imitation rather than something he would really carry out. Iroh is not cowed at all when Zuko threatens him, his men call him out, and Zhao laughs in his face. Zuko technically outranks all of them and could use his authority against them, but he has neither the will to do that nor really the desire, whereas Azula's quick readiness to deliver threats plus the way people much older than her react to her with fear shows that she is ready to carry those threats out at a moment's notice.

I'd also point out, with Ty Lee, that being afraid or someone doesn't mean you never say no to them ever, and I find it extremely hypocritical that people deny the obvious fear Azula's victims show of her and say they weren't abused because they weren't quaking in their boots 24/7, and then turn around and insist that Azula was terrified of Ozai offscreen, even though she never shows fear of him ever, lies to him, and screams at him that he "can't treat her like Zuko." Yes, Azula and Ty Lee were friends, but you can still be abused by someone you care about. Azuls stans, in particular, should know this, since they love to talk about how Azula was abused by Ozai. And I'm not denying that she was, just saying that if you are going to talk about abuse, you need to recognize how Azula abuses others as well and not apply double standards to her victims.