#or the day Iroh and Zuko have to leave the FN

[shifuaang]

vehemently against NATLA existing 😤 but wildly protective over and incredibly charmed by Gordon, Kiawentiio, and Dallas ❤️

[blluespirit]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[stardust948]

Counting Stars

Expanded Guardian Lu Ten AU

Lu Ten is called into the guidance office and informed his uncle has been sent to jail for fraud and his cousins need a new guardian. He’s the only available option since Iroh is deployed and Ursa’s missing and deemed dead at this point. The counselor stresses he won’t be able to return to school because the position will be given to someone else. Lu Ten insists he has to do this or his cousins would be separated and sent to foster care.

He thinks it will be like babysitting the siblings again until he gets to the FN. Zuko’s face bandaged up and Azula’s hair is chopped up. Both look worse for wear. Lu Ten is deeply concerned but tries to lighten the mood. It doesn’t go over well, and he starts to think he’s in over his head.

Lu Ten take the siblings to Republic City. He tries to bond with them but they aren’t 6 and 4 anymore and there’s a huge disconnect. Azula’s silent and withdrawn. Zuko keeps getting into fights at school. Both keep asking to see Ozai. Lu Ten suspects Ozai abused them, so he keeps denying their request. He holds out that Iroh will return home from his military duties soon.

Lu Ten tries to act like the cool cousin and burns through his funds saved for military school. They downsize to a smaller apartment. Their neighbor, Kanna, offers to help out but Lu Ten brushes her off saying he’s an adult and can handle it.

But everything takes a downhill turn. Lu Ten’s new office job is stressful, the bills are stacking up, and he can’t stop Zuko and Azula’s constant fights and self-harming. The breaking point is finding out Iroh died on duty. After the funeral the cousins get into a big fight. Afterwards, Lu Ten cries in apartment stairwell. Kanna finds and comforts him. She tells him it’s okay to not know what to do and he doesn’t have to be alone. Lu Ten’s ready to accept help.

He stops trying to act like the substitute dad and just be himself with the siblings. Stays up with Azula who’s scared to go to sleep at night. Cuts his own hair in solidary with Zuko who has to keep it short while his wound heals. Kanna drops by with homemade meals and brings her grandchildren over who befriend Zuko and Azula. There are still mental health issues and Lu Ten is saving up for therapy for the kids (and himself as Kanna suggested) but it’s slowly getting better. Eventually the group becomes a closer family and start having fun again.

A few years later, right before Azula starts high school, Ozai is released early due to some strings pulled and demands kids back. Lu Ten fights to keep them but is denied. He promises to always be there for them and to call anytime. After a tearful goodbye, Lu Ten goes back to empty apartment. He’s beside himself with worry as are Kanna, Katara, Sokka, and the rest of their school friends.

A few weeks later the siblings are back. They ran away and made it all the way back to Republic City by themselves. Lu Ten’s overjoyed to be reunited with them but it also confirms his suspicion of Ozai’s abuse. Especially as time pass and there has been no missing report filed or cops at the door.

Lu Ten leaves to confront Ozai. He goes ahead and sign the paperwork making Lu Ten their legal guardian. Ozai doesn’t want the kids back because Lu Ten made them "useless like their mother”. Lu Ten punches Ozai. He’s then thrown into a holding cell for a couple of days for assault.

After Lu Ten’s released, he immediately heads home. Kanna’s been looking after the siblings during that time. They cry when Lu Ten returned, thinking he abandoned them also. Lu Ten promised he would never and tells them he’s officially their guardian. They never have to go back to Ozai ever again.

[garfield-milk]

pspspsps. transfem zuko headcanons? im all ears please tell me

you have no idea how much I've waited for the day someone asks me about this...

ok so I want to start about how I think her childhood was like. pretty much everything happened the same as in canon but!!! ursa realized that there was something going on with zuko (she was showing her feminity) she didn't know exactly what, but she neither wanted to dig too deep. she just went "oh wow my kid is a queer, I personally don't care but I don't want to see him get hurt" so she let zuko try some jewelry and do femenine things with her but letting her know that it was seen as something "bad". HC that zuko secretly loves (both in canon and in this au) when azula calls her zuzu bc it's not a masculine nickname. anyways stuff happen, zuko started hiding that part of herself and then Ursa leaves and the agni Kai happens and she had to cut her hair (ouch). she didn't let it grow back or have it united bc she felt ashamed about everything about her !!!!! (I know I'm making this up myself but IM GOING TO CRY UGHHHH). there's more under the cut, I just don't want to make this too long lmao

ok so 3 years go by she gets really depressed and angry and blah blah blah your average zuko angry but with more flavour. then she a iroh have to flee from de FN and she cuts her hair!!!!! and lets it grow longer (it grows really fast ok?) which feels great for her and when they get to BBS and trans stuff start to happen. I have this idea (idk if this works well with canon but idc) that, meanwhile in the FN lee is a masc name in the EK the only name similar is Li (a femenine name) so one time iroh is talking to a costumer and calls "lee" to help him and the consumer just says something like "oh I didn't know you had a daughter" and iroh doesn't correct them (old man suspects a few things) and neither does zuko so iroh looks at her with that knowing smile but let's it be hehehehehe.

also I have a feeling that in BBS they arent really lgbt friendly but they let queer people live their lifes freely bc they want everyone to be "happy", so there's a ton of LGBT paces. zuko just happens to stumble in one and there's a lot of queer people and when zuko tells them that her name is Li they share a look and go "li girl come here, let us give you a makeover" and they dress her and put make up and jewelry on her. zuko starts coming over and meets a bunch of trans people and realizes that there's nothing wrong with her (after this is by the time she catches that 'im becoming good' fever, because she's also redeeming herself). she doesn't tell iron but!! she start wearing a bit more femenine clothes and some jewelry and pretty much everyone in the tea shop calls her iroh's niece/daughter so...

oh!!!! and zuko and jet have a thing bc jet didn't realize that she was a firebender until after the ferry. so one time zuko takes the courage to tell him that she's a girl (first person she actually came out to) and jet is completely fine with it bc why wouldn't he?? and then he finds out she's a firebender and tries to kill her (jet is a dumbass, he doesn't die and 5 years later they find each other and jet sees her and is like wow I shouldn't have tried to kill her but Zuko doesn't want to know anything about jet bc #girl boss). also the blue spirit is believed to be a girl and when zuko first heard someone say "oh wow do you not know about the blue spirit? she's like the coolest folk hero ever..." she got really fucking happy but attached it to the fact that that way people wouldn't associate the blue spirit with her (lie).

and this is without going too much into what would happen after she joins the gang (not really sure when that would happen, if in the bbs catacombs or like in canon after going to the FN) but she and Katara would be absolutely besties after the firsts weeks and Katara would be GLAD, even if she tries to not show it, to finally have someone to be girls with (no, she insists that toph doesn't count because she's just as nasty, if not more, as the boys) and Katara would say stuff like omg im going to teach you how to be the perfect girl, and even though it might sound weird bc katara wtym perfect girl, but they are both excited asf and loving the concept so it doesn't matter (they are doing each others hair while shit talking about people)

i would love to know your opinions about what would she change her name to bc, yeah she prefers li over zuko but it's still very much a masculine name to her fire nation ears. so I have a few opinion but in not really sure witch one I like the best: suzume, sao, sakda or kuniko. but I'm open to hear any suggestions tho! and about head canons too, and pretty much anything related to transfem zuko!!!!!

[waterfire1848]

Au. Azula wins the agni Kai. Not reckless, far more calculating cunning & smarter. Shoots a powerful beam of bolt lightning, stronger, controlled, free, ( does actually in the real life speed of lightning), to both zuko & katara, zuko can't didn't manage to catch, can't redirect it. (Both died). Azula still revives both of them (she invented fire & lightning healing) then said I can, could and would for real actually kill both of you if ever you repeat this. (Also shoots lightning on iroh that he can't even redirect it as revenge, for ignoring her and calling her monster & crazy) Banished both zuko & iroh and strip off their titles and honor forever, permanently, without chance of regaining them. Along with Mai and ty lee. Also the gaang, would be killed on sight if ever seen on any parts of FN.

Hello, @lala-ann-11!!!

Although Azula is suffering from a hallucinations and a mental breakdown, she is still a child soldier. When she gets into a fight, especially an intense on, her muscle memory kicks in and keeps her afloat. Even if her mind isn't in the right place, she knows what to do. Because of this, she's able to fight against Zuko and actually stay on her feet, thinking back on previous lessons she'd done and how to best counter his attacks. Eventually, she uses lightning and aims it directly at Zuko and Katara and fires. And, since Zuko is not faster than lightning here, he gets hit and so does Katara, who tried to use her waterbending to protect herself but ends up getting electrocuted. Azula, trained in every use of her firebending, heals them. (Zuko: You won't kill us. Azula: No. Live. Live, knowing you only do because I let you.) (Yeah, I stole this from Hazbin Hotel but it just fits so well)

Appa returns a few hours later with a defeated Ozai and triumphant Gaang. When they arrive, Zuko and Katara tell them what happened and, at first they don’t believe them because (1) they don’t think they would lose to Azula and (2) they don’t believe Azula would let them live if she did win. However, Azula does arrive at the courtyard and demands that they all leave the Fire Nation and not return. The Gaang objects, arguing that since Ozai is taken down now Azula has to step down as well but Azula refuses. She has the right to the throne and she just defeated Zuko and Katara, she’s the winner in this case, but, of course, the Gaang want to fight. (Azula: Fine. Let’s fight. Sokka: You sure you want that? You’re fighting all of us without Sozin’s Comet. Azula: I don’t need Sozin’s Comet to beat you. You really think over a decade of training was just for show? *Grin*). The fight is not an easy one. Both Azula and the Gaang are tired, but she manages to defeat them and exiles all of them, saying that if they return she will kill them.

A couple days later, after Azula has gotten a lot of sleep and rest, Iroh arrives to challenge her for the throne. (Azula: Now you want to step in and be Fire Lord? What? You didn't feel like it when father was in charge? Didn't feel like actually helping? Iroh: I regret not taking the throne sooner. Maybe then I could have protected it and this nation from you. Azula: Protect the Fire Nation from me? I've done everyone for the Fire Nation and for my father! EVERYTHING! You abandoned this nation and your brother and niece the second you found a way out. Iroh: It's a shame, niece. I think you could have been a good ruler, but it appears as though Ozai has gotten to you. He has turned you into the same monster he is. Azula: Monster? Iroh: Yes. Though it pains me to say it, niece, you need to go down. Azula: I don't think I'll be the one leaving this fight defeated.) Azula is faster and more cunning than Iroh, but Iroh throws bigger punches. One of his fireballs straight at Azula would be enough to throw her to the ground and Iroh has more experience under his belt. That being said, Azula know show to maneuver around him unlike anything Iroh has seen. While Iroh is distracted, Azula moves under him and sent a blast of lightning straight at him. One Iroh can't redirect in time. He's not killed but he's out of the fight. That night, Azula makes a declaration to the nation that Zuko and Iroh are banished and stripped of their honor, giving them no way to get it back.

Ozai is pretty pleased to say the least. True, he wasn't the one who banished Zuko (this time) or got to defeat his brother, but he can always change that in the history books. (Azula has done a good job though, she can get a footnote). However, more and more time goes on and he remains in prison. The guards make no move to talk to him or let him out or anything to that affect, they just stay at their post and don't move. Ozai grows angry, demanding that the Fire Lord's orders be recognized and they'd all be killed for their treason. (Guard: We are following the Fire Lord's orders. Fire Lord Azula has ordered that you are to remain here.) Ozai is shocked and angered. He constantly makes threats to Azula and yells (as if she can hear him) that she'd be nothing without him. Finally, Azula arrives and stands in front of her father's cell. Bottom line, she tells him that she is in charge now and he is an embarrassment for losing to the Avatar during Sozin's Comet and, without his bending, he's nothing to her. (Azula: The only reason you are still alive is because mother's nagging voice is already in my head. I don't need yours as well. But, make one more threat against me and I will come down here and finish the job.).

Azula continues the war and wins it. The Fire Nation was about to win during Sozin's Comet, but since they lost it they didn't win on that day. Instead, it takes longer and the Gaang remains a thorn in Azula's side but they eventually do win a few years later. By that point, the Fire Nation is ruling over the world. The only place left is the North Pole which Azula doesn't care enough about to try and attack. (Azula: It's taken 110 years, but the Fire Nation has won this war). The Gaang continues to fight, to try and preserve whatever hope they can so that maybe the next generation can defeat the Fire Nation. Azula remains on the throne until she passes away after a long, long life.

[hello-nichya-here]

I really want Mai to have more depth than "I only changed because of my bf" but we don't see her ever go through the realization that imperialism is bad and what the FN are doing is wrong, so why did she change if it wasn't for Zuko? It definitely wasn't a political/moral decision and I don't think it was because of hatred towards Azula, because we don't really see her mistreat Mai when she fails missions or disobeys orders or being disrespectful. If anything, we still see them vent to each other and playing wing(wo)man for each other, so they seem to be close friends.

So of it wasn't about being against imperialism/racism, and it wasn't about hating Azula and it wasn't about Zuko with, what was it about?

1 - Mai's decision to change sides not being about "I realized imperialism is bad" doesn't mean it was all about Zuko. She clearly didn't like being told what to do, it is not that hard to assume she'd one day realize she was ALWAYS gonna end up being bossed around, by her parents, by Azula, by anyone with more power, in a system like the one she lived under.

2 - Mai doesn't hate Azula. That doesn't mean there was nothing wrong with how their dynamic worked. When refusing to follow Azula's orders in "The Drill", Mai says "She can shoot all the lightning she wants at me." It doesn't matter that, either out of a rare moment of mercy or just because she was too focused on other things, Azula didn't do anything about it - knowing that there's always a very real possibility your friend will hurt or KILL YOU if you don't do what they want you to is more than enough reason to decide "I really shouldn't be friends with this person."

3 - Mai loved Zuko and she wanted to make sure he would survive. Where's the sin in that? Zuko and Iroh saved each other a billion times, including after fights (see Iroh helping in "The Chase"). Same for the Gaang. Why is "I don't really agree with you, but I care about you so I won't let anyone hurt you" only a bad thing when Mai does it?

Why is Mai, who had an entire season of characterization in which Zuko is only mention twice and VERY briefly, reduced to "lives solely for her boyfriend" when she saves him, but he doesn't get the same treatment when he says "I left my girlfriend behind even though I really didn't want to, because leaving Ozai put a target on my back and I couldn't drag her into this mess"?

Sounds like yet another case of this fandom being VERY sexist. Male character does a nice thing for his love interest? That's just seen as one side of character. Female does the exact same thing? She's "defined/held back by romance and has nothing going on outside of it" - again, even though we spent an entire season watching Mai doing her thing, with Zuko rarely coming up.

Hell, even if Mai HAD been defined by her relationship with a guy, that wouldn't automatically mean she was a bad character. Azula's every action revolves around what would or would not please her father, to the point of destroying her friendships with Ty Lee and Mai, with ocasional moments of her trying to salvage her sibling bond with Zuko, and she immediately gets absolutely jealous and resentful towards Ty Lee because she's the one getting all the attention from random boys Azula doesn't care about, yet she still wants their praise more than she wants the praise of her female friend.

We saw where that need to be "perfect", the absolute best at everything, and please a man that did not hesitate to ditch her on what was supposed to be THEIR glory day and even gave her the title she always wanted - only now it was completely hollow, since he greated a higher ranking position for himself anyway - led her, and it was not pretty.

"Character needs to reconsider their priorities" does not always translate to "This character was poorly written." And like I already said, "boyfriend obsessed" doesn't even apply to Mai in the first place.

She ditched her parents and ran around traveling with Azula because it would offer her more freedom than she had in Omashu. But she was not Azula's equal, so when she had to choose between her and Zuko, the flawed but loving boyfriend that never tried to abuse his status as a prince to control her and was trying to get his shit together, it really is no wonder Mai chose the obviously better alternative.

If anyone want to see me rant about how this fandom should PUT SOME RESPECT ON MAI'S NAME ALREADY, here's the thing:

[random-fandom142]

Alright I have decided that ALTA is my current hyperfixation after seeing so many videos on TikTok and Twitter (will NEVER call it X). Therefore, I drafted an entire timeline for the show with aged-up characters and Zutara endgame. Without further ado here is my idea:

Zuko – 16 (original) => 18/22

Sokka – 15 (original) => 17/21

Katara – 14 (original) => 16/20

Aang – 12 (original) => 14/18

Toph – 12 (original) => 14/18,

Suki – 15 (original) => 17/21

Azula – 14 (original) => 16/20

Winter Solstice (1st half of S1) – characters two years older

Same start as the show, Aang is told of Sozins Comet by Roku, of the power it holds and the destruction it left the last time it was over the world.

Norther Water Tribe (2nd half of S1)

This might take a little longer than in the show mainly bc the group stays in the NWT longer; they stay closer to eight months allowing Katara to surpass Pakku in waterbending (misogyny is still there). Sokka also is able to flex his brain muslces a bit more in military tactics by being part of the planning of dealing with the FN and how the NWT is gonna help (he gets them to send benders to where their father might be). Princess Yue still becomes the moon spirit…she in fact helps out Katara and Aang later on in the series. Zuko and Iroh have the same storylines happening, however, they might have a small head start being fugitives within the Earth Kingdom, Zuko starts some of his journey as the trio is still in the NWT.

Timeline is a year.

Earthbender Teacher (1st half of S2) – characters three years older (takes place over six months)

Same concept as the show, might have prolonged the moves around the Earth Kingdom closer six months. Think of them spending a few weeks in each location that they can with the added benefit of Azula/Ty Lee/Mai hunting them down. During the Anti-Avatar Day doesn’t get solved in a day but over a few weeks, the villagers are mad and they wish to be assholes. Plus they chase our Sokka and Katara after they arrest Aang, this forces the siblings to have a heart-to-heart about what they are doing. Once they get Aang back, they continue on like normal and meet Toph who is still the Blind Bandit, she is 13 when they meet. The talk with her family is a bit more uptight and formal, think nobility that thinks they are royalty and not just rich merchants (add an additional month onto this). Still run into Zuko/Iroh/Azula and have the BEST scene ever. Appa being taken still happens, Katara has to stop Aang in the Avatar State…the solar eclipse they discover takes place in a year.

Journey to Ba Sing Se (2nd half of S2) – takes place over eight months

Glaring difference is that Toph discovers Iroh and Zuko in the Lower Ring with their tea shop. She is unsure about what to do until Iroh sits down with her for some tea and explains things to her. From there everything else happens at a much slower pace, the King will still not see them, the Dai Li are still an evil organization, Azula still takes over Ba Sing Se, Zuko still betrays Katara in the catacombs, Aang is still killed, and Iroh is still taken prisoner.

Timeline is a year.

Road to Invasion (1st half of S3) – take places over a year

Aang is out for five months after being shot with lightning, the group hides in with the FN population. Katara becomes the Painted Lady, however, none of the group learns of her activities and she maintains the persona well after. She runs into the Blue Spirit along their stint across the FN. Zuko was brought back as a hero and then sent on a tour of some of the colonies closest to the FN where he maintains his Blue Spirit persona. Tour isn’t super long but during that time he learns this isn’t what he wants, Mai also is understanding and leaves with Ty Lee during the Day of the Black Sun arc. He also knows the Avatar is still alive (boy isn’t that stupid but he is still angsty). Katara still learns bloodbending, she is more harden in this version and she promises Aang not to do it anymore BUT she also takes a moment to think things over at night.

Sozin’s Comet (2nd half of S3) – takes place over a year

Same start to this arc. Zuko isn’t as awkward, but he still has trouble explaining what he means (boy is GUILTY). Katara still threatens to kill him. Instead of Combustion Man, FN soldiers find them bc Ozai told them to trail Zuko when he left to kill him. He saves the Gaang and starts to become his teacher. Boiling Rock happens bc of course it does but it takes place over an entire month, only this time Azula doesn’t have Mai and Ty Lee with her, she just had soldiers to help catch them. Zuko starts to see his sister slipping a bit (we still getting the Angi Kai though, Azula will just be a little more unstable). Southern Raiders happens and Katara kills the man bc he wasn’t that weak and defenseless as the show made it. Ember Island takes place over six months. Aang leaves soon after the Ember Island Players, for the first time (give it two weeks where he starts to work through his emotional intelligence). Aang with leave again, a month before the Comet which will have everything happen as it should. Ozai defeated, Azula defeated, Ba Sing Se reclaimed.

Timeline is two years.

Total timeline is four years.

Fifth Peace Summit – takes place over three weeks

Zuko – Fire Lord, 27

Sokka – Future Cheif of Southern Water Tribe, 26

Katara – Master Waterbender, Mater Healer, Ambassador for the Southern Water Tribe, 25

Suki – Head of Fire Lord Zuko’s Security Detail, Kyoshi Warrior Captain, 26

Toph – Beifong heiress, Master Earthbender, Master Metalbender, Creator of Beifong Metalbending Academy, 23

Aang – Avatar, Peacekeeper, Ambassador for the Air Nomads, 23

Azula – Fire Nation Princess, 25

Ursa – Fire Lady, age unknown

Iroh – Retired General, Fire Nation Councilman, Tea Shop Owner, age unknown

Zuko and Katara had a moment at Ember Island but once the war ended, they decided to work on their nations, to help bring about peace. They have not seen each other besides at the summits for the last four years, during the first year Katara stayed at the palace for six months healing Zuko’s new scar but left soon after to go back to the SWT to bridge the gap between the NWT. They have spoken via letters, spoke about their frustrations, dreams, and desires that they have for the new world. Their unspoken desire for each other has not faltered over the years and in fact was flamed via their written correspondence. While no one knew about their moment on Ember Island, their friends and family were not blind to what was going on between them.

[tinky-dinky]

I think people are too harsh on Iroh and assume too much.

I just saw someone say that Iroh allowed Zuko and Azula to be abused. Which is ridiculous.

(This person also criticised Hakoda for ‘fucking off’ and leaving his children, and, uh, do they not know he went to fight the Fire Nation? He didn’t go on a pleasure cruise! Do they think he should have just sat in the South Pole and done nothing to fight the Fire Nation?)

So let’s break down why saying Iroh allowed Zuko and Azula to be abused is a ridiculous claim.

First of all, Iroh likely wasn’t involved in Zuko and Azula’s lives to any big extent until after Lu Ten’s death. Before that, he was leading the FN Army in the Earth Kingdom and likely wasn’t often in the Fire Nation. Then Lu Ten died, and Iroh spent a year or so travelling and trying to enter the Spirit World to find Lu Ten.

So, Iroh was in the Fire Nation with Zuko and Azula for at most a couple of years. But this is under Fire Lord Ozai, who does not strike me as the kind of guy to take his brother interfering in his parenting well. What exactly is Iroh supposed to do?

We have no idea what Iroh did with Azula and very little of what he did with Zuko in this time period. We know he allowed Zuko into the war council, so he was maybe mentoring Zuko then. Which makes sense, seeing as Iroh knows that Zuko will be Fire Lord one day and wants to guide him to be a better Fire Lord than Ozai, Azulon and Sozin.

I think it’s possible that Iroh may have been reluctant to involve himself too much with his niece and nephew, due to his guilt over Lu Ten’s death. In Tales of Ba Sing Se, Iroh says he failed Lu Ten. I think he blames himself for Lu Ten’s death and probably doesn’t have much faith in his parenting skills, because he probably encouraged Lu Ten to join the Army and that led to his death.

Until, of course, Zuko is banished and Iroh cannot let his 13 year old nephew be sent off into the world, the world that hates the Fire Nation, and especially firebenders and the fire nation royal family, by himself. So Iroh decides to join him and mentor him.

It’s only now, away from Ozai, that Iroh can fully parent Zuko properly.

TLDR: Iroh did not allow Zuko and Azula to be abused. He did the best he could considering he couldn’t go against Ozai and he was grieving his son.

[bard-llama]

WiP Wednesday: Zuko does the Time Warp

@serenefig sent me an ask about tropes I’d want to write and time loops instantly came to mind (which is kinda funny bc I don’t usually like time loops that much. Except for when I REALLY do lol).

I don’t have much of this fic written yet, so this is just gonna be like... the planning for it.

So first question is, of course: when? And sure, Zuko almost dies a few times in canon, but a lot of them have been done enough times that they didn’t really interest me, so we’re going with S1E18 The Waterbending Master with the slight adjustment that the Gaang doesn’t actually reach the North Pole until the end of that episode. 

What happened in that episode? Zhao stole Zuko’s crew, spotted the swords that he’d last seen the Blue Spirit using, and hired pirates to blow up Zuko’s ship... while he was on it. He didn’t actually die in canon - but eh, that’s canon.

The goal of s1!Zuko’s time loop obviously needs to be to fast track his redemption and work together with his family, so I think Day 1 goes something like:

Zuko wakes up to a crewman pounding on his door, announcing that they’ve spotted the Avatar

Zuko orders the ship in pursuit, but ultimately loses them when Katara manages to free a wave at just the right moment

So Zuko’s already in a wonderful mood when they sail into port at the northernmost FN colony

He’s sulking in his room when Zhao interrupts Music Night - and Iroh brings Zhao to Zuko’s room because Zhao is stealing Zuko’s crew

Zhao gloats and is his typical asshole self and Iroh has to stop Zuko from attacking Zhao - and then Zhao sees the swords. The ones the Blue Spirit held to the Avatar’s neck to force Zhao to stand down at Pohuai Stronghold. 

He knows. So naturally he hires pirates to blow up Zuko’s ship. And because he’s stealing Zuko’s crew, only the Princes are on board to be blown up. (I don’t think Zhao would be disappointed if Iroh ‘happened’ to get caught in the crossfire)

Iroh says goodbye to the crew and delivers their regards to Zuko, who is again sulking in his room. Iroh tries to get his nephew to go for a walk, but Zuko is stubborn and broody, so Iroh leaves him to it. Which means Zuko is the only one onboard when the pirates sneak around and set up blasting jelly. 

Zuko hears something and goes to investigate. On the bridge, he sees the pirates’ iguana-parrot and knows what’s coming a second before it happens. BOOM!

Then he wakes up again to his crewman pounding on the door, telling him they’ve spotted the Avatar.

I think it takes him a while to figure it out. He assumes he just had a weird dream about Zhao stealing his crew - but when it happens again, he has to question it. 

Not sure if Day 2 actually goes that much different from Day 1. Zuko realizes it kind of late to try to change things much - but when he wakes up AGAIN to Crewman Saizu knocking on his door bc they’ve spotted the Avatar, he definitely clues in. 

So Day 3 would probably start with trying to change things. Maybe first he doesn’t chase the Avatar? and the crew’s just like “are you sure, sir???”

They still have to head to the FN colony bc they need supplies, but Zuko determinedly stays out on deck, even if it means enduring Music Night. Zhao hired the pirates bc he discovered the Blue Spirit. So if he didn’t, then it would be fine... right?

Wrong. 

Next time, he tries again. Maybe this time he chases the Avatar so determinedly and for so long that they run right into Zhao’s fleet - and when Zhao opens fire on the Avatar, one of the catapults hits Zuko’s ship and BOOM!

So he’s like okay, this isn’t working. He doesn’t know what to do - so he goes to Uncle for help. Iroh is surprised, but believes him. So maybe this time, they try not being on the ship when it blows. Iroh smuggles him off the ship at port - but they get caught by Zhao, who can now arrest Zuko for violating the terms of his banishment. Iroh almost comes to blows with him over it, but Zuko talks him down, figuring that even if he’s in jail, as long as he’s not on the ship, he’ll be fine.

He is not fine. Zhao sets the jail on fire himself.

So next time he doesn’t talk his Uncle down - and they both die in a fiery explosion while fighting Zhao’s troops. 

So instead of telling Uncle, next time Zuko just decides to Blue Spirit off the ship and avoid Zhao’s men.

He ends up running directly into the pirates. They fight - and the blasting jelly catches. BOOM!

So he changes it up, tries different things.

Just not making port? No good, the crew revolts when they run out of supplies.

Fighting Zhao?

Turns out, attacking an admiral in front of his men is a bad way to go about it.

So is convincing his crew to revolt and not be stolen. That time, they come so close - but when they’re already out at sea, the boiler goes into meltdown and BOOM!

There is definitely a day (or more) where he just straight up gives up. One time he lays in his bed all day, waiting for death to come (much to the concern of his Uncle and his crew). Another time, he goes a little manic and announces to Zhao that he’s the Blue Spirit. That doesn’t end so well. 

He lives through this day so many times, and no matter what he tries, he can’t seem to fix it. So he goes through each decision and he’s tried literally everything - except, it eventually occurs to him, for reaching out to his enemies. He’d tried telling Uncle and the crew and it rarely made a difference - but though he flipflopped between chasing the Avatar and not chasing them, he’s never actually like... talked to them.

So he figures what the fuck, may as well try it, right? When Crewman Saizu wakes him up, he rushes out on deck still wearing his sleep clothes and idk punches fire writing into the air or something that’s basically a white flag.

Much to Katara and Sokka’s discontent, Aang decides to see what’s up, so Appa banks around and actually comes to them. And Iroh and the crew are very ???, but Zuko’s like, “okay, hear me out.” And he tells all of them. He tells them about Zhao stealing his crew and killing him. He tells them about the invasion Zhao uses as his excuse. He tells them about everything he can think of that would make a difference. And probably people are dubious at first, but like, Zuko’s desperation and just pure exhaustion are palpable. He cannot survive going through this day too many more times.

Fortunately, he doesn’t have to! Not entirely sure what it looks like in practice, but Zuko asking the Gaang for help is the key to ending the repeat and that night, he goes to sleep somewhere not his room on the ship (is he traveling with the Gaang? On deck?? idk) and when he actually wakes up there, he definitely cries. 

(For the rest of his life, he always feels that fear before falling asleep, wondering if he’ll wake up in the same day again) 

[ninacytosis]

For the time lost

Summary: Zuko wants to erase every reminder of his past mistakes, and Katara will take him on a journey to, quite literally, heal both of their scarrings.

Contains: Angst, Fluff, Katara has burns scars from Aang's first attempts to firebend, Katara tries to get over her resentment towards the FN, Zuko doesn't hate Azula.

Dear reader: I hope you enjoy it! <3 Let me know if you want me to continue posting

Find chapter one here and chapter three here.

┊┊┊┊☆┊*🌙*┊☆┊┊┊┊

Chapter Two

Katara thought about her students while folding clothes. A decent amount of people decided to move to the Southern Water Tribe after the war ended, and she knew a lot of families took this as a chance to start over. For now, she was in charge of nurturing the minds of the young benders that arrived. Even though she loved this new job, it was time for her to take a break.

“Hey, what’s with the sunglasses?” her dad asked, taking them off the nightstand and putting them on. “I know it’s summer but we’re still in the South Pole, kid”

Katara smiled. “I’m just packing them for tomorrow”.

His dad offered to help her, but she was almost done when he arrived, so she thought of two plans for her trip instead. Plan A, she would eat at the first rotisserie that appeared on her way to Zuko’s fancy royal mansion/palace/casa. Then, she would go to his house and even though she insisted on staying in a hotel nearby, she would eventually agree to stay. She would get a Fire Nation royalty-style spa day, Zuko’s treat (it’s important to clarify that, at least half of this plan was stolen on Toph’s visits to the Fire Nation. Though it is quite obvious). After all of that, she would ask him (preferably during a beach day) why he is visiting the North Tribe so much. And right before leaving, she would spend a day at Iroh’s shop.

However, it seemed like she had to go with plan B. Sure, it wasn’t a bad plan B, but it definitely involved fewer massages and face masks than the original, and Katara was just a girl who wanted a little self-care. Can anyone blame her?

“I like what you’ve done to the place” Katara stared at the wooden panels on the wall. She was too shy to confess her feelings about fire hazards, she didn’t even know if it was offensive for him.

“I tried to make it a bit retro, you know?” Iroh explained. “Everything is changing so fast, I’m afraid the world forgets its roots. But I guess that’s not a big preoccupation for younger folks”.

The words of Iroh resonated in her head on most occasions, especially since she was aware that he was Azulon’s firstborn. Even if he had spent more than a decade fixing his past actions, it was still weird for her to share the same table as a guy he had resented from the moment she gained consciousness. It’s hard to get used to this new era, and it’s probably the reason she barely went to the Fire Nation, even if it meant fewer hangouts with Zuko. In the last months, Aang helped her a lot to channel her antipathy into different, less draining emotions. Today’s emotion is: curiosity.

“I think I know why you are here, Katara” he offered her a cup.

“Well, we both needed a vacation”, she said. ”Zuko’s told me how busy these last weeks have been for him… plus I missed swimming without the risk of dying of hypothermia”.

“Then you’re certainly going to love the beaches down on Chaisee’s island” Iroh gave her a warm laugh. “Oh, the times I had there when I was your age!”

Katara took a sip on the cup and smiled.

“But be careful, Zuko’s skin might be sensitive after last week”, Katara cautiously nodded, “as a water bender yourself, you know how the healing procedures work”.

Healing procedures? Katara nodded again. Could Iroh tell she was nervous?

“Yeah…. I totally forgot. It’s such a sensitive procedure!” she said, having no idea about this healing thing. “And I wouldn’t want to hurt a Fire Lord, they have a history of heated arguments don’t they?” Apparently, it was impossible for Katara to shut her mouth. “Anyways, promise I won’t interfere in the treatment. Don’t know how I forgot, Zuko told me all about it on my way here… I mean, on a letter of course. He wasn’t on the ship. I guess you know that” shut up shut up shut up.

Iroh widened his eyes and made a frown that immediately told Katara that her attempts to sound unbothered and casual failed, as usual.

“Did I say something I shouldn’t?” Iroh covered his mouth his hand.

Katara tried to comfort him. “Well, he technically told me about his trips to the North Tribe, so it was a matter of time until I figured out what was going on”, honestly, she never even considered the idea of him wanting to get rid of his scar. He hadn't mentioned since he was sixteen. “I have a few questions now, though”

“Maybe you should ask him directly, I’m sure you’re going to notice the change once he arrives. A healing process is slow, and you know Zuko: he wants everything fast”, Iroh sighed, “but in his last letter he told me that this healing session was quite intense”.

He poured the water into two cups.

“The thing is,” he cleared his voice, “Zuko doesn’t understand that there are some parts of a wound that can only be healed by him.”

[number1villainstan]

AtLA Analysis Rewatch: S1E8: Winter Solstice Part 2, Avatar Roku

Intro: I've given up on trying to do this specific episode, at least, all in one day. I'll probably lose some of the overarching plot stuff this way but at least I'll actually do it.

Lot of spiritual, Avatar-specific stuff in the Previously section--talking about the Avatar's past lives, and how to connect with them. Also some crucial details about Crescent Island. Perfectly natural for this episode. I expect to pick out a lot of details about the Fire Sages and religion. (Did you know that Agni is a fanon deity, not a canon one?)

Opening scene is Aang trying to drag Appa into flying, without Sokka or Katara. Stubbornness and a sense of protectiveness over his friends; but also, in the same breath, a feeling of invincibility. Although he considers the possibility of his friends dying, he doesn't seem to understand that he could also die. Katara's line "The world can't afford to lose you to the Fire Nation. Neither can I." might foreshadow their later romance, but it also might be taken as purely platonic here.

Mayor (?) guy from last episode says that it's a "long journey to Crescent Island." a) How does he know that? b) How fast can Appa fly? c) How tiring would the journey be for Appa? The geography/pacing of these episodes are weird. Speed of plot and all. I also wonder exactly what's in the pack Mayor gives Aang, and why it's got a stick on top. What fabric is it using and where did they get it from? Is it just big leaves? But where did they get the leaves? Why is it tied like that?

Why was Zuko just...waiting outside Mayor guy's house? Why did he think shoving him back inside would be a good idea?? Also, he jumped straight from "Having trouble sleeping?" to "Seen the Avatar lately?" That's hardly impactful dialogue. Your mother would be so disappointed that you can't even think up proper villainous dialogue. ...Also, naked Iroh riding a Komodo rhino to the side. I had to go back to last episode's analysis to remember the context of that. :P Zuko's shove, I noticed, looks similar to a firebending move, with him drawing his arms back and placing his hands so that the palms face the 'opponent' (using that word pretty loosely here) and the fingers point up and down. Firebending training showing up here?

The sun seems to rise real quick in the Avatar world. Much quicker than in our own. It also seems to come with an already day-blue sky, rather than the red/orange/pink colors that come with sunrises and sunsets in our world. ...yet another case of astronomical inaccuracy.

Iroh actually gets mad at Zuko for daring to sail in FN waters--enough to raise his voice to a yell when he reminds Zuko that "the Fire Lord" banished him. Why is Iroh talking about his brother so impersonally? (I know why, but that's the Doylist explanation. I want the in-universe one, the Watsonian one.) I also believe that this is the first time in the series that someone has said that Zuko was outright banished, and not just dishonored. Right after Iroh yells, he softens his voice and indirectly asks about Zuko's welfare--"What if you're caught?" Zuko says he has no choice (he does, he could plan/strategize and try to predict where the Gaang would exit FN waters without actually entering them, this is just his impulsivity) and that his father will understand. (Zuko, you poor naive little boy.) (Iroh agrees with me here in this scene.) Iroh also refers to Ozai as 'my brother,' and I can't remember if this is another first time or not.

Fire Lord Ozai casts a large shadow over these two characters, even as he hasn't shown up in the show yet in any real capacity, not even as the shadowy figure of the Big Bad Villain. (I checked the wiki; apparently his first appearance is in this episode.) He casts a large shadow on the whole show. But we don't get a lot of canon characterization for him beyond Big Bad Villain, and what we do get we have to infer and debate based on tiny scenes and scraps.

So, Zuko is at the telescope himself during this talk, trying to look for the Avatar. Lack of trust in his crew? Self-initiative? A combo of both, probably, knowing both Zuko's bull-in-a-china-shop character and his royal (classist) upbringing.

So, the flaming ammo for that catapult. And the catapult itself. Are all FN ships outfitted with one? It came up from under the deck--where is it stored? How is it maintained? Who maintains it? Also, for the ammo--we know that the gray flammable gunk smells bad, thanks to Iroh (does he not know how this works, with his preference for 'something more fragrant'?) and we know that the brown fabric-tied stuff underneath is also flammable, but what's in the bundle? And what's the gray gunk supposed to be, oil or something? (Also, on another note, what sort of cultural details can we glean from Iroh using a fan, even a plain red one? I thought that was a feminine thing in Japanese or Chinese cultures, although I may be wrong.

It looks like the smell/fumes of that 'hot stinker,' as Katara calls it, are also a part of the attack. I wonder if the Gaang's eyes are watering?

What's up with the blockade? Why there? Is it specifically around Crescent Island? How much manpower is it using? I wonder what life is like for the soldiers on that blockade.

So, both the Gaang and Zuko decide to run the blockade. How late in the day is it? How far away is Crescent Island? How long would that detour to the North have taken?

And Zhao's back, in all his oily, awful glory. What is he doing on/at the blockade, though? The captain(?) he's talking to is concerned about Zuko's ship, although he doesn't seem to realize that it's Zuko's. Also, why is Zhao calling Zuko a traitor? Is it because he's about to run a FN blockade, or does it relate to The Scar Backstory? (What even was the official public explanation for that? Who even knows about that?? What kind of gossip is going around about Zuko while he's gone?)

(Okay, going to go through the blockade scene and then stop for the night.)

Zhao's ships, which look to be the blockade itself (again, what is he doing there? Inspections? Trying to guess where Aang's going? Does he know about the solstice and Avatar cycles and Crescent Island and whatnot? He does seem to mess with the spirits a lot.) seem to have more than one catapult per ship (three, it seems?); an upgrade to weaponry in the years Zuko's been gone?

Appa's real good at dodging those hot stinkers. (Also, I wonder how much of Appa's grunts Aang can understand, and how much of Aang's commands Appa can understand.)

Zuko's warned by an engineer(? Could just be an experienced crewmember, he looks pretty old) that they need to stop because the engines are damaged, and he still says "Do not stop this ship." Makes me think of Azula's "Do the tides command this ship?" Maybe it's a royal thing, being entitled jackasses even in the face of uncircumventable realities. Also, if the engines are damaged, shouldn't they be slowing down or stopping or turning?

Appa pulled off some serious speed skills to save Sokka. Also, Aang seems to be trying to 'drive' Appa the same way someone would drive a car; dude, Appa's an animal. He can see that Flaming Balls Bad. Appa can dodge on his own.

So, when Aang burst apart that flaming ball it broke into chunks. No fabric, and it looked like dirt? Dirt's not flammable. Although maybe it doesn't need to be? But where are they getting dirt in the middle of the ocean? (Unless...it's not dirt? Solid human waste isn't exactly in short supply. Gross, though.)

Okay, so Zhao's not on the blockade because he knows Aang's headed to Crescent Island.

So it did look like Zuko's engines were stalling, or his ship was slowing down. Although just cutting the engines for Zhao's ships wouldn't immediately stop the ship, would it? I can only imagine what's going through Zuko's head as he's looking up at Zhao. (Zuko's ship is a whole lot smaller than other FN ships, yet again.)

Finished blockade scene. Got 8 min 21 seconds in. Current word count, including this paragraph, is 1458 words. Jesus, this is going to be another long one.

Starting this again, a few days later. I hope I'll finish the rest of it today. That's probably not going to happen, though.

So, it seems the passage of time is being measured by the tint of the sky, not too bad of a choice, and Appa seems to grow more tired--head and legs hanging down. How many hours was that? Where was the blockade supposed to be? What the hell is AtLA geography, anyways?

"I was talking to Appa." "Well I was talking to Momo." God, they're such siblings. Also, does Momo's reaction mean that he can recognize his own name?

That's a long way up. Also, was that balcony constructed? Why? Also, if FN officials knew the Avatar was back, why didn't they put any guards at the temple?

Why specifically five fire sages? I know that Chinese(?) mythology held 5 elements, but this world has four elements and this is a temple dedicated to one element. Also, how exactly did they know that Aang was the Avatar? Did they get a drawing? Did they have some sort of vision during that scene when all of the temples lit up when Aang went into the Avatar state for the first time in the show?

Only three of the sages threw fireballs (too large a chance of hurting another sage if the two in the back fired?) and Aang is apparently so fast in escaping that neither the sages nor the viewer see him go. Impressive.

What on earth is the floor plan for the temple? Because it looks like it's a grid pattern but also a massive maze?? And the walls are made out of metal like it's a military construction?? Or is it wood/paper/actual building materials that I can't tell because the animation didn't put those details in??? Probably the second one tbh

"Firebenders aren't our friends." It's kind of an odd/simplistic way to phrase that, since potentially nonbenders from the Fire Nation/loyal to the Fire Nation cause would also not be their friends--indicative of a simplistic worldview from living in the South Pole and having little contact with the rest of the world?

Okay, the walls sound like metal. Also, how does the mechanism for that secret door work? And why does it lead into the mountain? Again, what is the floor plan here??

The sage says his grandfather knew Avatar Roku, and that he formed passages out of the magma, and that he once called the temple his home. But if Roku was a traitor to the Fire Nation, why would a temple be built on his home? Unless it wasn't? Questions for S3. Also, what was the grandfather's relationship with Roku? Because I'm not sure the timeline works if they were the same age. Also, why did Roku make those magma passages? But if 'many generations of Fire Sages' attended to the temple, that would mean that the temple was built before Roku, so it must have been that Roku lived in the temple for at least some period of time?? And then what about Sozin? There's no way this sage was alive when Sozin declared war on the Air Nomads. NOTHING ABOUT THIS MAN'S TIMELINE MAKES ANY GODDAMN SENSE. FUCK.

How long did they spend inside the temple? It feels like it has to be after sunset by now, but maybe that's just me pausing and unpausing to write this.

Is there any other way into the chamber than the secret passage (or the windows)? IIRC later in the episode Zuko and Zhao will both get into the chamber outside Roku's chamber, likely through other entrances.

Okay, so Friendly Sage's name is Shaiyu. (I think that's how it's spelled? Shy-you, if we're using words.)

"The sanctuary doors! They're closed!" Uh...duh? Why would they be open?

Ended at 12:55, through finding out the sanctuary doors are closed. Not including this paragraph, word count is 2079 words. And I'm only a little over halfway done with this episode.

What's up with those pillars in the background, with the dragons? I mean, I know what's up, they're there for structural support and probably decoration, but who put them there, how did they think up the design, etc etc.

What's the design/functionality of that firebending lock? Also, is there really no firebender powerful enough to create five separate fire blasts? Two feet, two arms and a mouth, that seems enough to me. Would hardly be a dignified move, but if you're alone and/or desperate, it could probably work. Unless a regular firebender couldn't make all five fire blasts powerful enough? (What's the trigger for the locking mechanism dependent on?)

...I bet Ozai could unlock the door alone. Or Azula, with a bit of practice/more and specific training.

The little 'ding' and the zoom out to the lantern above Sokka's head was hilarious. Loved it.

Speaking of lanterns, how did it get that red glow? Probably just through red paper, but what's inside? Is it just a candle flame? Wouldn't that snuff out after a while? Because that lantern looks pretty airtight.

Okay, so I thought Zuko was just being stupid when he decided to let Zhao follow his smoke trail, but no, apparently he's got an actual decent plan. Where did that mini boat come from? What's its capabilities? Is it supposed to be a life boat, a tug boat, a boarding boat? Probably the third, given that this is a military ship. When did the crew find the time to put in the upkeep for that ship?

Lamp oil in an animal skin. It's a good idea (and probably what the lamp shot was referencing before), but I think if they want the fire to go into the lock it's facing the wrong way--it should have the opening going into the hole. Although maybe then the fire wouldn't get enough air?

Would lamp oil really explode like that? (At least now we know how the lamps work.) Seems dangerous for a lamp to have exploding oil. Also, would the twin/rope they tied the bags with really have that sparkler effect? I know they're supposed to be bombs, but the components seem wrong for that.

"Did the definition of genius change in the last hundred years?" lol

I saw from one of the shots that Crescent Island is legit basically erupting. Lava flowing, smoke pouring out. That's...that's not how real volcanoes work, is it? I'm pretty sure we went over that in our geography unit. Generally lava is supposed to stop flowing once an eruption has stopped, since an eruption is from the buildup of pressure in the magma. Like one of Earth's pimples. Anyways.

Aang's tantrum here is...interesting. I don't think we often see Aang angry in the show, but he still reacts with yelling and throwing blasts of air at a door (although, thankfully, not at any person). Clear frustration, one of the few times we see it from Aang in the show iirc.

Sokka is the one to come up with the fake firebending idea, but Katara's the one that realizes what effect the fake firebending's effects on the lock would have. So it's not just Sokka that has ideas. But also, does this imply a difference between the way they both think? Sokka with engineering and things, Katara with people?

...Seriously, with all of those moving parts--how the hell does that lock work??

"Crawled through the pipes?" There are pipes connecting the chamber to the outside, where the doors are?

Those Sages are agile for a bunch of (presumably) old men. Also, how and where did Zuko get in? Is he familiar with the temple and its layout? He'd presumably have the right to be, but it's been three years since he was in the Fire Nation and had access to the temple, and to a sixteen-year-old three years is a long fucking time. When did he arrive on the island? He had to have had time to navigate the temple and get to the chamber.

...speaking of time, when the fuck is the sun going to set? I swear the AtLA planet is rotating at the speed of plot.

So, the Sages are helping Zuko? The banished and disgraced prince? Why? What motivation do they have for that? They're probably pretty high up, socially speaking, unless Ozai and Azulon and Sozin all started discrediting them, as part of the propaganda FN citizens are put through as part of schooling. Even so, why would they not hear about Zuko being banished and disgraced? On the surface, you could say it's because he's a royal, but like...Zhao's actively competing with him, and he gets promoted. What's going on inside their heads? Also, when did they even talk to each other?

Patience, Aang, the sun is (finally) setting. Just wait for a few seconds for the light to match up. Although--why sunset, and why on the solstice (winter, I'm guessing)? As well as the murals on the floor--where are those from, and what do they symbolize? On the other hand, there's kind of the question of why there's a temple at all, much less such a massive and ornate room dedicated specifically to Avatar Roku, when Roku was, what, declared a traitor to the FN by Sozin for not being gay back saying that he couldn't do an imperialism? Possibly it was at first to keep the Avatar sympathizers/more spiritual side of the nation calm, and then possibly it was forgotten about? God only knows.

So, Shaiyu invokes duty as a moral, as in the duty of the Fire Sages. Part of me wants to pick that morality apart and compare it to Zuko's honor. And then Zhao comes in, having somehow spotted and followed Zuko's tiny tugboat, and applauds the guy for his 'heartfelt speech' (that was two sentences long, that's not a speech!). So Zhao at least professes a plan to take Shaiyu to Fire Lord Ozai (although who really knows what's going on in that conniving head of his). Shyu, actually, I looked it up.

I remember one of the character pages a friend shared on a discord saying something about Zhao having the feel of a slimy sycophantic corporate ladder-climber, and...yea. His 'two traitors in one day, the Fire Lord will be pleased' bit really plays into that.

"Sooner or later he has to come out." a) So Zhao is patient when he wants/needs to be in order to achieve his goals. b) There are so many gay jokes you could make with this.

Why the mountainous and foggy setting for the vision? Why that specifically? Is it because it's familiar/like home to Aang?

Oh! Yes! This is the very first appearance of Ozai in the series! Shadowed face, surrounded by fire (even if the lighting would realistically let us see his face), and shirtless. Why is your waist so small, Ozai? So that other men (Zhao and also Hakoda) can grab it? Gayboy. And a drama queen with that mouth fire blast. Now we know where Zuko got it from (if it isn't like...the entire nation).

"Finish the war once and for all" is really fucking vague, my dude.

So Roku outright warns him that if Ozai succeeds (in using the comet) balance will be un-restorable, and yet I remember that at the beginning of the finale the Gaang minus Zuko decide to just wait until after the comet. So did Aang forget that warning? Did he never tell the others?

I believe this is the episode where the time limit is set (summer's end, when Sozin's Comet comes). Also, that (mastering all four elements) is a hell of a task to ask of a twelve-year-old.

I wonder what the choir-chant music is supposed to be (scene switching back to Zhao awaiting Aang outside the door). Zhao commands his soldiers to go full throttle--does he anticipate the Avatar State? More importantly, why do I ask questions that I know will be answered if I just hit play and wait a couple seconds?

Damn, Zuko got chained up too? Rip. Also, spikes on the door. Ouch. On the other hand, with the light, Zuko looks away and I think so do many others, but Zhao doesn't, and the soldiers don't. Wouldn't that hurt their eyes?

Okay, so the chamber is at the top of the temple. And the wall was fucking destroyed apparently. Also, how did Roku heat up those chains without burning anyone severely?

Katara refuses to leave without Aang. I think Aang's going to be fine...although it would be disheartening if he woke up and was alone.

Oh dang, Katara was right to be worried. Also. How the fuck is no one fainting from heat stroke? Did anyone get caught in the lava? This should have a lot more casualties than it does.

Okay, so apparently I was wrong before about the Sages having a high social status, if a commander (which is canonically lower than an admiral) can arrest all of them so easily and with such confidence.

And that's all! Final word count, including this paragraph, is 3,684 words.

[atlaculture]

Hey I just realised that in the Fire Nation brides wear white on their wedding day, but white is also the mourning colour worn to funerals. Obviously white was chosen for brides so Western viewers would understand the event depicted was a wedding, but what do you think the in universe explanation for this link between the two events would be?

@ljf613 has a pretty great post about their own headcanon regarding the Fire Nation’s white wedding dress custom here, which I also added to. This is basically my FN wedding dress headcanon:

The East Asian (Fire Nation) family structure is traditionally patrilocal. This means that, when a couple weds, the wife is expected to move in with her husband’s family. For nobility and royalty, this would essentially be like losing your old family, since you’d be moving into someone else’s far off estate. Any Fire Nation woman who “marries well” could be wearing white to mourn the loss of her childhood home.

Since most wedding traditions tend to trickle down from the wealthy to the masses, this also became the norm amongst commoners, even if the childhood home being “mourned” is literally right next door.

I think this headcanon is very in-line with East Asian attitudes towards parent-child relationships. Children are generally expected to make very ceremonial displays of love and loyalty for their parents during major life events, like weddings or funerals. I know there are a couple of Asian cultures where daughters are expected to have a sort of “crying party” with their family before the actual wedding, to show how sad they are about leaving their parents.

This attitude of intense parental devotion, known as “filial piety” in English-language academia, is also the root of both Zuko and Toph’s internal conflicts. If you grow up in a culture that believes good people must be loyal to their parents, how do you remain a good person when your parents turn out to be not-good people? The series provides some pretty interesting answers for both characters. In Zuko’s case, the answer is “find a new parent” (Iroh). In Toph’s case, she basically pulls a Mulan: Save a whole nation and be so undeniably awesome that your parents have to at least acknowledge that your actions were in everyone’s best interests.

That was bit of a tangent, but just think of it as a preview for when I eventually sit down and post a full-on thesis paper on the Fire Nation’s “honor culture”.

Like what I’m doing? Tips always appreciated, never expected. ^_^

https://ko-fi.com/atlaculture

[electronswrites]

I saw your Lu Ten hates Zuko AU and I was wondering if you could elaborate? Just some more fun details? No pressure but I love the idea!

I live to cause pain, so sure!

If Lu Ten has been a captive of the Dai Li, Zuko probably finds him when he sneaks into Lake Laogi. Perhaps, while down there, he also finds letters between Long Feng and PRINCE Ozai, offering information that could help the EK fight off the FN seige in exchange for killing one Prince Lu Ten of the Fire Nation. This increases Zuko's guilt and Lu Ten's hatred.

We have to remember that, other than the scar, Zuko looks a LOT like Ozai. This makes it even easier for Lu Ten to classify Zuko as simply an extension of Ozai. He looks at Zuko and sees his treacherous uncle that tried to kill him, not the little kid that once worshipped him.

Lu Ten has been a captive for six(?) years, and that will mess with anyone's head. So if he's a little gruff, a little short, as far as Iroh is concerned, that's normal. He's not used to socializing with people. He just needs time.

The more Iroh asks Zuko to be patient with Lu Ten, the more convinced Zuko becomes that rather than Iroh being oblivious to the mistreatment, Iroh condones it. The abuse starts out subtle, just nasty comments and insults. Zuko may have rescued Lu Ten, but that doesn't erase all the years Lu Ten spent locked up because of Zuko's father.

Zuko's first solution is to avoid the apartment where Lu Ten is convalescing. He gets up early to go down to the tea shop and prepare for the day. He stays late to finish cleaning up. Iroh thinks Zuko is just trying to give him time alone with his long lost son and tries to reassure him that he deserves time to reacquaint with Lu Ten as well. Iroh encourages Zuko to spend time with Lu Ten while Iroh oversees the shop.

When they're alone, the comments turn to diatribes. Lu Ten lays into Zuko, telling him over and over what a disgrace he is, how worthless he is, that he's so disloyal even a traitor didn't have use for him. Lu Ten mocks his banishment, his scar, his failure to find the Avatar.

Zuko keeps quiet for as long as he can, but soon all of his feelings bubble over. He tells Lu Ten that he's wrong, that Uncle said he's a good man, that he's proud of him and thinks of him like a son. Lu Ten just laughs. His father was lonely and mourning. Now that his "real" son is back, he doesn't need Zuko anymore.

Zuko tries not to believe that, but it fits so neatly with his own perception of himself. He feels overwhelmed. He thinks he might cry. He doesn't want to break down in front of Lu Ten, so he tries to leave, but Lu Ten isn't done.

Lu Ten grabs Zuko by the arms and holds him in place. Zuko feels the fabric of his robe start to burn and tries to get away, but he doesn't fight back. He won't risk hurting his cousin and "betraying" his family worse than he already has.

Things can go a few different ways after that. Either Zuko runs away, he, Lu Ten and Iroh end up rounded up by Azula or they continue with anonymity in Ba Sing Se after the coup. That last one would be the worst for Zuko. If Iroh ever does see any of his new burns, he'd assume they were from the new FN patrols in the lower ring. His response would be to treat the burns while scolding Zuko to be more careful.

[blinday]

Au where:

Zuko sides with Katara and Aang, but Azula still wins. Zuko is left behind to try and gain time for them and is captured. He is brought to the FN as a prisioner, but we get a scene where Azula forbids anyone from talking about what happened in the cavern. Zuko is put in his prince room and is confused when people come to dress him in royal robes. He is summoned by his father and Azula is there with a grin, and proceeds to tell Ozai how without Zuko she would never have mortally striked the avatar, and how he handled the multiple benders well. Ozai praises both of them and says he expects more of this heroic behaviour from his children.

Zuko confronts Azula and she pins him to tell the deal. He steps out of line, she snitches on him, and he would have to be with her at all times. He would never make it out with her intense security. She takes him to the spa, to the theater, to the music restaurant, and they even have fun in a festival. Zuko is gradually confused because Azula is not being mean or treating him as a prisioner. He finds out that she also has no security on him and almost chuckles as he mutters 'Azula always lies, after all'.

Then the beach episode happens and since he's seen so many more sides of his sister, he speaks up and tells her she is not a monster. This formally ties their bond.

Meanwhile the gaang is freaking out bc they gotta make sure Aang survives but also how tf are they gonna save Zuko oh gosh he must be suffering si much. Lol.

It's only after talking to Azula that Zuko goes to see uncle Iroh, who is surprised to know Azula is helping Zuko see him (yeah I didn't want him to be the asshole in this one) but you know, whatever. They find out about Sozin and Roku's secret together and have a heart to heart where Zuko convinces Azula to come with him help the avatar.

In the day of the black sun they escape but not without Ozai berating them. Zuko stands his ground while Azula is petrified in terror and shown as a victim of abuse being *surprise* abused. Zuko deffends her, and when Ozai shoots him, Zuko has to phisically keep Azula away because she literally tried to jump in front of him.

Azula is injured, but they manage to escape. Katara and Sokka find them on their way to escape after the faillure and Azula reveals secret passages that can help, wich has Aang 100% trusting her.

If in canon Katara is mad at Zuko, here she is absolutely nuts with Azula. It takes some hard convincing and harsh words in order to get her to bond with the fire siblings. Azula is either way too shy or way too oversharing and still struggles with the whole 'leaving abuser behing' thing. The one to go after them in The Boilling Rock is Mai, who is furious with both but ends up letting them go.

Both siblings help Katara in TSR ep, and Toph absolutely adores Azula. Azula is so confused by this.

In the final Agni Kai episode, the tone changes because Ozai is still there when they arrive in the palace, and manipulates Azula into helping him. He says harsh things and convinces her that Zuko is just using her to usurp the throne. She falls for it and cries the entire battle. When she loses and Katara finishes making sure Zuko isnt in *dead* state she runs over to Azula and hugs her. Zuko limps towards them and joins in.

Also we get Azula shooting lightning at Zuko and Zuko redirecting at her, then she redirects it at him and so on so on untill she just, y'know, dodges and shoots him a new one.

In the end she is there with the gaang drinking tea and looking sheepish. Sokka jokes about her semi-betrayal and gets slapped by Zuko, Katara and Toph. They all hug in the end and no kisses happen. The end. Oh, and the fire siblings rule together with the title of Dragon Throne.

[mugentakeda]

like first of all we all saw how zuko robbed people of trinkets and food for iroh and then was giving mai more dumb little trinkets. i feel like when he has izumi hes the dad that hears you liked this one snack you had the other day so he goes and gets you a whole bulk box of that one snack. the gaang visits him in the fn for a holiday and they have a feast together everyday and then he forces them to take more leftovers than they even know what to do with. and sneaks sweets in their pockets when they leave. like if your nana was an angsty teenager

i feel like whenever the gaang or iroh visits zuko in the fn they leave spoiled as hell

[ssreeder]

Hi ssreeder!!!

As always I’ll begin with telling you how much I’m in love with LIAB and RIA!!! Those two are so perfect I wouldn’t change ANYTHING. Because I think if they got even better than they are now I’d really die or the pleasure of reading them. I’m sorry I don’t gather the willpower and courage to comment often enough. I’m not super literate or eloquent while or after reading a chapter and I never know what to say about it when I think about it. I’m just always impatient to see the next chapter and whichever length it is, it always will take top priority on my mind’s reading queue. Whatever I plan to read next or I am currently reading, the new chapter will always get in first place! (Should it even be a +50k words chapter!!!) You inspire me to draw so much! And your comments about them are always so enormously generous and sweet. Thank you so much!!! I can’t stress it enough.

Anyway, I’d be delighted to have a little sneak peek of #5 Blue Spirit Alone, if you will.

Thank you once again and have a wonderful day!!!!

AWWWWW I LOVE YOU

Listen here! you could leave a comment that is just you rubbing your face across the keyboard and I’d love it!! No pressure though I love chatting with you in the discord & seeing your AMAZING art.

I would eat it with a spoon and fork it’s so amazing, if I had half your talent I’d be drawing angsty art all over the place lol.

Ughhhhh you ask me about WIP??? Haha (when I say WIP I mean random ass notes that have no real structure behind them yet…)

So Blue spirit alone is an angsty idea I had that I will probably never actually write but…

Iroh dies after getting struck by azulas lightning which pretty much sends Zuko into a self destructive spiral and he uses his BS persona to wreck havoc on the FN because he is so angry.

He meets Jet as the BS, and of course Jet is like let’s be besties and come with me to BSS & somehow Zuko ends up going with him and that’s where they run into Sokka and it’s just a mess and lots of Dai Ali creepy vibes and miscommunication and angst and three boys that can’t figure it out and maybe someone dies but maybe someone doesn’t and yeah.

Like I said it’s an idea I haven’t given MUCH thought but it’s in my notes and I like writing Jet & I like angst so there you go.

Thanks for asking!! Which I was better at explaining things hahaha