#shipping pole: arc 1

[krakenshaped]

Okay so!

Poll numero uno for the yurilings who are reading the idol au fic!

Since the fic and the Judai shipping is going to be more or less completely decided by the audience because I have a chronic case of multishipping, Here is the first ship related poll of the au!

Ladies and gentleman I must ask!

You have a day to vote! Good luck yurilings!!

NOTE: THIS WILL NOT IMPACT THE ENDGAME PAIRING AT ALL

[starlight-bread-blog]

Why I No Longer Ship Zvtara

Warning: This is a very anti zvtara & pro kataang post. This is your chance to leave.

As some of you may know, I am (or rather was), a Zvtara shipper. But lately I've been shying away from the ship. A lot of the arguments I used to believe in, for me, don't hold water anymore. And given how vocal I was about shipping Zvtara, I feel like I owe you an explanation. In this post I will go through common pro Zvtara & anti kataang arguments and unpack why I can no longer support them in good faith. (I will kinda burn through them though, it's just that feel like I owe you this).

"Zvko and Katara's character arcs & characters are parallels"

This is interesting because I wrote an essay on this very subject, and I still stand by everything I said in the essay, but only as a platonic reading of it. See, A:TLA is full of parallels and symbolism. Zuko also has parallels with Aang, Katara has parallels with Azula, etc. In a show like this, the parallels between Zuko and Katara don't carry enough weight to justify some specialness. They have a great, incredibly well written relationship, but in my opinion, the extent of it can remain platonic without standing out.

"Tui and La represent Zvtara"

Tui and La are The Ocean and the Moon spirits and very explicitly represent Yin and Yang. I can't see Yin and Yang as Zutara for two reasons:

1) Yin is the moon, feminine and shade. The moon & feminine, that's Katara. But Yin is characterized by dark, wetness, cold, passivity, disintegration etc). Katara might have an edge, but she is not dark. Not to mention passive. And disintegration seems like the opposite of a waterbender. Katara fundamentally is not a Yin.

2) Yin and Yang is a dynamic. A self perpetuating dynamic of two opposites creating and controlling each other. Katara and Zuko never created each other. While you can argue that they control each other by being "capturing the avatar" vs "protecting the avatar", the only time this conflict of interest ever turned into a dynamic was in the north pole, and by then Zuko would go on a season long journey far away from Katara.

"Making Zvtara canon would be thematically cohesive"

I also wrote an essay on this subject, and just like my other essay, I still stand by a platonic reading of it. I even went back and edited it to make that reading more prominent. The thematic cohesion is already achieved through their platonic bond. In any show, naturally the relationships between characters are going to reflect the themes, that's just how writing works. It doesn't mean the relationship should be romantic. They already have a thematically cohesive relationship, making it a romantic one doesn't add anything.

"Aang idealizes Katara"

For context, there are some instances where Aang is dismissing Katara's anger. For example, in The Chase:

Toph: You're blaming me for this?

Katara tosses aside her sleeping bag and gestures with her hands, challenging Toph to move closer. Aang jumps in between the two.

Aang[Desperately.]: No! No, she's not blaming you.

Katara[Angrily.]: No, I'm blaming her!

Rather these instances reflect of idealization, or merely of Aang's peace seeking nature that's trying to de escalate the situation, is up to interpretation. I choose to interpret them as the latter, because of The Southern Raiders.

Katara: We're going to find the man who took my mother from me.

Sokka pauses and stands up, surprised.

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?

A really common talking point in the Zvtara fandom is that Aang just assumes that Katara is going to murder her mother's killer, instead of simply confronting him. Either way, he knows\thinks she's talking about murder. If he'd idealized her, he'd make a different assumption.

"Kataang harms Aang's character arc"

This is referring to the dilemma presented to Aang in The Guru. He had to let go of his attachment to Katara in order to master the Avatar State. The assumption is that his chakra was blocked, therefore he didn't let go. I disagree. We see him open his seventh chakra right before Azula shoots lightning at him.

One might argue that nothing changed about Aang's relationship to Katara, so the dilemma rings hollow. But something did change, Aang was romantically braver than he was before. He got more confident. Compare his flirting from The Headbend (b3) to The Fortuneteller (b1). It's night and day. And if you ask me, this is the natural consequence of feeling less attached.

Furthermore, when he explains to the GAang why he couldn't master the Avatar State, he cites Azula's lightning as the reason:

Toph: So, what's your strategy for taking him down? Gonna get your glow on and hit him with a little Avatar State action? Aang: I can't. When Azula shot me with lightning, my seventh chakra was locked, cutting off my connection to all the cosmic energy in the universe.

He couldn't master the Avatar State because of Azula's lightning, not because of his attachment to Katara. (I heard some people say this was confirmed that Aang was still attached, but I'm a big believer in Death of the Author so I don't really care if it's true).

"Kataang was one sided"

The general consensus in the Zvtara fandom is that Kataang is framed from Aang's perspective, and while the show teases us about Katara's feelings to create a "will they get together or won't they" tension. But can all of these hints really be contextualized that way? Some can, others, not so much. For example, Katara is show to be jealous of Aang in The Headbend when he dances with On Ji, and when they dance she gives him a loving look; in The Cave of Two Lovers, Katara smiles when she suggested they should kiss, and she blushes at the end of the episode. All of these moments cannot be swept under the rug in favor of a reveal that Katara didn't love Aang.

"Katara passing herself as Aang's mom is maternal"

I never really understood this argument, if I'm being completely honest. For two reasons:

1) In Howl's Moving Castle, Sophie works as Howl assistant and falls in love with him, but she's cursed, looking like an old lady. There's a scene where she too has to pretend to be his mom, and it turns into her realizing her feelings towards him. She becomes young again, a girl Howl's age. It's a beautiful confession, while pretending to be his mom. No one criticized that, becuase pretending to be someone's mom for the sake of a mission isn't maternal.

2) Sokka is also there. I don't think it's controversial to say Sokka isn't at all a parental figure to Aang. That's because the point of this joke isn't that Katara actually is motherly towards Aang, it's that they aren't actually similar to [Aang]'s supposed parents and this entire situaton is very silly. The implication behind this joke isn't that Katara is maternal towards Aang, but that she isn't.

SO! That's all I'm covering. Now, I hope I can put this subject to rest and discuss the many other great aspects of A:TLA.

[lady-menrva]

PJO Meta (1 of ??)

DISCLAIMER: I don't mean to offend anyone. I am a ship and let ship person. Please note that criticism =/= hate. Lastly, if you're a solangelo shipper who doesn't wish to hear any criticism regarding their ship, please scroll away.

Ever since it's first appearance, solangelo has been a massive fan favourite. I, however, don't have a favourable opinion of the ship. Here is a brief explanation of my reasons for the same. (I apologise for my inarticulation)

Characterization:-

Nico-

Honestly Nico's writing in the trials of Apollo was terrible even by the usual character assassination standards- in the hidden oracle, he legitimately read as a gag charater who served no purpose apart from being "Will Solace's Goth/Emo Boyfriend". Things were hardly better in Tower of Nero, where he was basically just "Will Solace's traumatized Goth/Emo Boyfriend" who happens to be lazy PTSD rep.

Will Solace-

Can't say much. He was never a character of his own, and probably never will be. His substance as a character is comparable to the quantitative mass of an electron in Kilograms (9.11x 1/10³¹) i.e, negligible.

Nico's Healing Arc (or lack of the same )-

After what was essentially two series worth of fanfic-esque trauma bombing, Nico should have received a proper healing arc. Unfortunately, there was no such arc for him (courtesy of solangelo), because Rick has this earth-shattering, inspired-by-Disney idea that relationships can fix everything. So guess what? Nico's years' worth of emotional baggage, pain and trauma simply volatalize into oblivion .

Some shippers may argue "Oh but he got better off page"-but that it is bad writing per se; Nico's struggles, grief, fears, unhealthy coping mechanisms etc. are more pivotal and relevant to his character than a nascent, one dimensional relationship with an insignificant side character. He is much more than just his sexuality, after all.

Cliché and one dimensional:-

Solangelo is firmly rooted in the "opposites attract" trope, which is simply unrealistic in nature.

Also, newsflash: "Opposites attract" is a law specific to physics and chemistry; It's all fun and games till people who are poles apart sit down to take serious decisions, or share opinions. Friction between them can be rather intense.

(Oh! wait... I think Nico was described to be a Nitride anion {or was he Azide? No, I think he was Nitride} and Will was a Tungsten cation. So, they are basically Tungsten Nitride... Boy! They have so much chemistry between them/s)

Anyways, I totally understand why people prefer jasico, valdangelo, percico, nicobaster etc...

[rosekasa]

20 questions for fic writers!

thank u @jattendschaton for tagging me 🥺 i love these questions

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

i have 107 on maketea, but with my um. two other accounts i have 128

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

on maketea i have 293,935, but with at least one of my other accounts (one of them is for ml and one of them for another fandom, the latter of which i cant be bothered to log in to rn shdjsk) the total is 313,681!!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

miraculous ladybug mainly! but i have also written for owari no seraph. ive written for other fandoms but im not counting it if i literally only have one work to my name for them HSJAJA with ons at least i have 3 on maketea and 12 on my other account

THEORETICALLY. i also write for sailor moon. i have a substantial amount in my google docs. they just havent manifested themselves into existence yet

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

apology gifts, like poles of a magnet, new marinette, a nine-year old (fhfjsj), and i'll marry you! ive actually had kudos/hits/comments stats hidden on ao3 since 2021 so i have no clue how many kudos any of these have which is very funny to me

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

i try to but i always get distracted midway through going through my inbox which is totally on me fjdkka. i always decide to do it when im literally in the middle of class for whatever fuckin reason HAHAHA. i also always feel bad because im like 'oh i havent replied to this in literally two years im too embarrassed to reply now'

i also want to reply with more than just 'thank you' because comments mean SO MUCH TO ME but i think i psych myself out of replying because im too scared i won't be able to express it properly

im trying to resolve to get better at it!

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

ehemememem. ya'aburnee.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

ooh, id say new marinette! in terms of like. the emotional arc or whatever

i was gonna say lpoam, but i think there's still a bit of lingering Sad there

8. Do you get hate on fics?

nope!

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

i want to say no. but ive been writing fics for ten years now and i feel like i mustve done Something weird when i was younger

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not to my knowledge!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

yep, for an old fandom on wattpad!

shdkska this is really funny, but back then i made a playlist for the fic, and i remember the person who translated it wrote in their translation of that chapter 'i wouldve done it differently but it's okay' that still makes me laugh

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

yep, i did one for owari no seraph and one for ml! i have some others in the works tho hehe

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

guess

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

oh hmm. i think i am delusional and believe all my wips will someday be finished HDJFJSJS so im changing this question to 'doubt you will in the near future'. for that, id say maybeeee my amnesia adrien fic. 40k words in the doc and babe is still marinating

16. What are your writing strengths?

hmm. i think im quite good at writing interactions! i mean, i like the way i write them at least. i love capturing the feeling of being with people and i think i do it well!

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

there's something that feels kind of hesitant when i read my docs sometimes? it feels like im worried to hit the point of the plot head-on and skirting around what i actually want to say. i think what i'm trying to do to improve is to be a bit more direct in my narration style and focus on being descriptive only when it's needed.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

ive done it before!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

oh i dont want to answer this. one direction

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

like poles of a magnet <3

tagging @destiny-with-you , @mozzygan , @asukiess , @ladyofthenoodle , and whoever else wants to do this!!! just say i tagged u when u do it hehe

[salty-protagonist]

Determining Star Lords with Astrology (Part 2)

This post references back to Part 1 and includes the analysis for Polaris and Canopus.

Polaris ****

Polaris is the most common blood type in the series. But what makes it special is the fact that we actually met Lord Polaris (with his identity concealed)!

I assume that Lord Polaris is male because he is/was a butler and it is traditionally a masculine role.

Polaris is the “Pole Star” that moves around very slightly compared to the average star movement has has been used as a guide to determine the direction of north over many centuries. It’s part of the Ursa Minor (Little Bear) constellation.

Polaris is known for being a trusty guidepost that leads people with a purpose. These qualities are shared with his identities as butler.

The second thing we know about Lord Polaris is that he is dead. When did he die? Was he always dead? Well, according to the fan translation I’m putting here, he was alive until very recently. (If anyone has the official copies, it would be great if you’d share your wisdom because the English translations are not sold in my region and I have no means to look for one at the moment)

Blue stars are the hottest stars (simply due to the electron jumps in their atomic levels). Here, I’m guessing it’s either to talk about Lord Sirius because he is more powerful compared to the other Lords, or to talk about Lord Sirius because it is associated with the Phantomhives who’s trademark colour is blue. (Ciel means sky in French as you all know, which is blue). A third possibility would be to talk about Lord Sirius, since it’s a white-blue star (sourced from the internet).

I would like to elaborate more on this but I will do so regarding chapter 169 in the future when Polaris becomes relevant again. I was busy at the time 169 came out so I couldn’t directly comment on it at the time.

Moving on, the reason why I mentioned the official translation is because how I understand the panel above is as he wasn’t dead at the time. So I want to make sure the meaning is as close to that as possible. Nevertheless, something has happened between RC reveal and ch169 for Polaris to have died. Perhaps when RC stopped being Lord Sirius, it also meant the fall of the Blue Star that led Polaris to sacrifice himself in a cultish way? Or RC needed an organ and Undertaker took it from Polaris?

Still, I don’t think we can create solid connections between any butler character we already know and Lord Polaris. Many new characters were introduced during the last few years so it would be safe to assume he hasn’t been seen in the story before this.

(Disclaimer: Most if this is regarding ch 169, so if any of this has been mentioned by someone else before, original credits are directed to them)

Canopus** (Doll)

This is where the theories for the orphanage arc start

I will be connecting Canopus to the dog orphanage because all the other Lord seem to have connections to one of the new settings. Although orphanage is the only one left (process of elimination), there are still some connections between Canopus and Lord Canopus who I think is Doll.

Canopus is the second brightest star in the sky (1st is obviously Sirius) and it is a part of the Carina constellation, which stands for the lower part of a ship. Carina used to be a part of the Argo Navis ex-constellation until it was divided into 3 others. Argo Navis means Argo Ship. It is the ship used for the quest for the Golden Fleece. Carina doesn’t have a legend for itself so it ties with the myth for Argo Navis. Other 2 constellations that were a part of Argo Navis are Vela and Puppis, whose names also stand for parts of a ship.

How ships and sailors tie in with Doll is through the circus which was named “Noah’s Ark Circus”. To summarize, Noah had a boat (Ark) which carried 2 of each species on Earth to conserve life after God flooded everything else.

If we consider Argo Navis as Noah’s Ark Circus, we can relate Carina, Vela and Puppis to the 3 pieces of the circus. Carina is Doll, Snake is Vela and the deceased circus members are Puppis (meaning back of the ship therefore making it seem like they’re left behind in a roundabout way).

We already know that Doll is a bizarre doll and a newer model too. So, it corresponds with the other confirmed Lord Polaris, and relates to Layla as Vega. It would make sense for Undertaker to have revived someone without any family to look for them and to have given them command over a blood collection operation.

Let’s look at the Canopus bedroom in Sphere Music Hall blood experiments wing.

Compared to the rooms of all the other star lords, it doesn’t have any personal decoration or belonging of any kind. Much like a hospital or a hotel room, it seems to be for temporary residence. A logical explanation regarding Doll would be that she was only kept here until she was able to move on her own. The bandages could be from the injuries Sebastian gave her.

The lack of any personal belonging could be because Doll is used to frequently moving around rooms in the circus. She didn’t do anything special to settle in with OC when they were roommates too.

The placement of the stool doesn’t match either object in the room. It’s too far back for anyone to have looked into the mirror (for makeup or sth you know) or for someone to have helped whoever was on the bed to take of the bandages in the orientation shown above. Maybe it was pushed away as Doll went up to the mirror and saw that Undertaker fixed her eye after ripping off her bandages by herself. (This is very deep speculation without any concrete proof)

The speech bubble belonging to Lord Canopus is impatient, wanting to begin the plan for bringing back RC. This could be about Doll wanting to take revenge on OC as soon as possible.

I would also like imagine Doll’s real name is Carina, because it’s a great name with a beautiful meaning. It peaked in the era that she is living in as well.

——————————

Thank you for reading!

[god-usopps-preacher]

Thank you for the honesty of the 5% on the cat pole, you've been spared with a read more 🙏🏼

Now for the other 95%, here's my AU on One Piece where half the characters are cats.

My favourite hobby over the last 2 years has been making AU's for stories I like where the characters are cats either in a Modern world cat cafe or their own world, and with my One Piece phase coming back into full swing let me tell you I am having a blast making this cat version of One Piece.

And an additional rule for this AU, if something here doesn't seem logical for cats to do just don't think about it too much. It's like how Zoro can be human but lift 10x his weight, just don't think about it and have fun.

Here are the main story points and history so far:

- The Strawcat Pirates are a group of cats that live and travel on a pirate ship belonging to Captain Merry. In this AU, Merry is a human and the Captain of a pirate crew, and each of her crewmates is a personified version of a different part of the og ship.

- Cats in this world were worshipped immensely and even seen as Gods in old times in this world (like real life tbh), and at some point around the time of the WG coming into power these beliefs died down.

- Gol D.Roger is a big cat, who was the 'pet' of the most wealthy, famed and powerful pirate crew of the time. To set an example and to lure out the crew members by using him as bait, they set up a public execution for him (unknown to them, this big cat was actually the captain of that crew).

- Haki in this world also sometimes has the ability to allow cats to communicate with humans in various ways. Mostly in a telepathic sense. Gol D. Roger had this ability, and in his final speech he used it to make sure the people could hear his last words alongside the cats. Believing a devil fruit was being used, the marines were ordered to go forth with the execution instead of keeping the animal as bait, since keeping him alive was becoming dangerous.

- The cats that gathered by the execution stand where the first to race away en masse, understanding Rogers final words immediately. The people didn't move at first, unsure where what they heard came from and if they really heard it. After the first few people started dashing to the ships upon realisation and not risking losing this chance to being skeptical, the rest of the crowd followed and the golden age of piracy began.

- Because of the incident at Logue Town, and based on some old history in this world, a lot of pirates believe that cats are the key to finding where the One Piece is buried. So, a lot of pirates searching for the great treasure will have a few determined cats on board in order to aid their search. Some pirates believe any cat will do, but the pirates that do the best know it takes a determined cat with a great passion for Adventure.

- While a lot of pirates are sailing in search of the One Piece, it's mostly cats that make up the most determined of the searchers. So finding a few cats for your ship isn't as hard, but it can be tricky to convince them to join since its the cat that chooses the ship/crew that it wants to aid them in their own journey.

- The Pirate cats and Pirate people are co-dependant on eachother. The cats wanting to sail as pirates to find the One Piece/accomplish their dreams but being unable to do a lot of ship maintenance and sailing because of their cat bodies, the people wanting to find the One Piece/explore the grandline but needing the luck and mysterious qualities that Cats uniquely have in this world to aid them on their journey.

So that's the history. Not every character in this AU will be a cat either. Most main characters will be cats and all of the strawhats will be cats, but I'm mainly deciding the species based on:

1) What I think would fit with the new changes for this version of One Piece

2) What I find funny

I'm gonna make a post each on the arcs and how they go in the catverse, so far the next post is gonna be on the Romance Dawn trio so it'll be about them from the start up until just before Syrup village. Let's see how many arcs I can get through.

[phoebosacerales]

Do you know anything about the fixed star Dubhe?

I know a little about the Ursa Major, Dubhe's constellation of the great bear. It's a funny thing that it has a tail. Real bears don't. But greco-roman mythology explains that by saying it was Jupiter/Zeus by picking her up and streching her, that gave her a tail. It has a very important relationship with the constellations around it, especially Ursa Minor and Bootes, which I've talked about before, and you can't understand one without the other.

Dhube is the alpha of the Great Bear, known as a circumpolar constellation in the northern hemisphere. It's really high on the northern celestial pole, making a lot of its stars never set on the horizon, and so here in Brazil for example we never see the bears entirely. I've never seen them. The proximity to the northern axis makes the Great Bear always look as if she's going in circles around Polaris, the star that's placed in the exact spot of the northern axis and never moves while everything revolves around it, making it look like we're all in a centrifuge.

"Now where heaven reaches its culmination in the shining Bears, which from the zenith of the sky look down on all the stars and know no setting and, shifting their opposed stations about the same high point, set sky and stars in rotation, from there an insubstantial axis runs down through the wintry air and controls the universe, keeping it pivoted at opposite poles: it forms the middle about which the starry sphere revolves and wheels its heavenly flight, but is itself without motion and, drawn straight through the empty spaces of the great sky to the two Bears and through the very globe of the Earth, stands fixed. Yet the axis is not solid with the hardness of matter, nor does it possess massive weight such as to bear the burden of the lofty firmament; but since the entire atmosphere ever revolves in a circle, and every part of the whole rotates to the place from which it once began, that which is in the middle, about which all moves, so insubstantial that it cannot turn round upon itself or even submit to motion or spin in circular fashion, this men have called the axis, since, motionless itself, it yet sees everything spinning about it." (Manilius, Astronomica. 1st century AD. Book I p. 27)

Manilius saw a different sky than this in the 1st century, Polaris wasn't as close to the pole as it is today, but the Bears still had this movement. The Great Bear was also called by astrologers as Bootes' carriages. It's hard to understand its thing if you see them just as bears, but the idea is that Bootes (aka the bearward or Icarius) is driving them like a team of plowing oxen, because Icarius is a shepherd who keeps the rotation of the heavens. So, the bears have to do with plowing, planting, agriculture, cars, carriages and driving or carrying etc.

The top of the axis is occupied by constellations well known to hapless mariners, guiding them over the measureless deep in their search for gain. Helice, the greater, describes the greater arc; it is marked by seven stars which vie with each other under its guidance the ships of Greece set sail to cross the seas. Cynosura [Ursa Minor] is small and wheels round in a narrow circle, less in brightness as it is in size, but in the judgment of the Tyrians it excels the larger bear. Carthaginians count it the surer-guide when at sea they make for unseen shores. They are not set face to face: each with its muzzle points at the other’s tail and follows one that follows it. Sprawling between them and embracing each the Dragon separates and surrounds them with its glowing stars lest they ever meet or leave their stations.” (Manilius, Astronomica. 1st century AD. Book 1 p.27, 29).

Ptolemy says the constellation is like Mars in its effects, which makes sense with plowing. But looking at my post about Bootes will help you see a bigger picture and get the movie reference I made here. On there I left out the fact that Cooper is also a pilot besides a farmer, later I realized that the spacecraft could also be seen as the bears in the story, as well as his agricultural machinery that starts showing anomalies in the beginning of the film. Movies are the best help in understanding astrological symbolism, it's amazing. And when you see it you can't unsee it.

[theladyghost]

Gladiator 300th Chapter Celebration

Thank you @kigozula for organizing this event to mark the 300th chapter of this amazing fic!

Favorite…:

1. OC: Shoji, he’s a sweetheart!

2. Guard: Haoren, just for the way he roasted Fei Li in the Spirit Library arc (sorry Fei Li)

3. Gladiator: Sokka and Toph aside? Rhenzi.

4. Sponsor: Azula aside? Yang. He’s a riot.

5. Pair/Couple: Kori and Sneers

6. Friendship: Azula and Song

7. Villain/Antagonist/Opponent: Rhone. His story was quite interesting.

8. Suitor for Azula: Aonu

9. Place: Northern Air Temple

10. Event: Azula’s birthday (took place in part 1, but I guess it still counts)

Favorite Top Three…:

Kisses (in Part 2):

1. Fire Nation Festival #2 arc 7 (when they thought Zhao knew the truth)

2. Fire Nation Festivals #2 arc 7 (after they they learn that Zhao got the wrong idea)

3. Firelord for a week arc 4 (before facing Rhone)

Lovemaking:

1. Fire Nation Festivals #2 arc 2 (The Palanquin)

2. Return to Shu Jing arc 6 (the hot springs cove)

3. Gladiator and Sponsor Race arc 9 (Oma and Shu’s tomb)

This or That:

1. Part 2 or Part 3: Part 2, mainly because Part 3 is not finished yet.

2. Zuki family or Mai Jian family: Mai Jian family. Yuudai is hilarious. My inner 3 year old related to him a lot at Ty Lee and Haru’s wedding. And Ruon Jian and Mai are cute together.

3.Fire Nation Festivals arc or Anniversary arc: I can’t possibly choose, I’m sorry.

4. Captain Rui Shi or Captain Fei Li: Captain Rui Shi (again, I’m sorry Fei Li)

5. Ozai or Zhao: Zhao

6. Scavenger Hunt, Pairs Tournament, Gladiator Brawn or Sponsor Race: Damn, this one is so hard… I’m going with the Gladiator and Sponsor Race.

7. Appa or Xin Long: Xin Long

8. Sokka’s Squad or Azula’s Squad: Azula’s Squad

9. Mai or Ty Lee: Ty Lee <3

10. Shoji or Kino: Shoji

11. Haru or Ruon Jian: Ruon Jian

Others:

1. Place I’d like to visit: Ember Island

2. If I’d could give the Part 2 a title what it would be: True Home. Because in Part 2 they find their place of belonging near each other. Corny I know.

3. What I most look forward to: Sokka and Ozai’s confrontation/Azula meeting Hakoda and Gran-Gran

5. Fave artwork for Part 2: I love several, but the one that comes to my mind right now is the one where Sokka and Azula take part in the Spicy Ramen Challenge. Imo Seyary Minamoto writing really shines in the most humorous moments of the narrative. And Sokka and Azula being their ridiculously competitive selves over something like an absurd eating contest? What’s not to love?

Guessing Time:

1. Future ship: Soooo, sometime ago someone went to seyary’s inbox to ask her about Sokka and Yue’s future interactions in Gladiator and she answered that while they’ll form a friednship, there’s no room for a romance between them in this story. Then she implied that Yue will find love with someone else, so I sent my guess to Seyary’s inbox and going by her answer to kigozula’s post, I think I might be onto something. However, revealing my suspections might be spoilery, so I refrain from doing so.

2. When will Azula and Zhao get a divorce: I think that Ozai has to be dealt with first. But maybe the spirit oasis thing will be Zhao’s downfall.

3. Hakoda’s first meeting with Azula and Hotaru: Hakoda and Azula will have a very difficult conversation about Azula’s capturing Sokka and taking him alway from home. But after hearing Sokka’s version of the story, Hakoda will be able to forgive Azula. And he will be super emotional upon meeting his granddaughter

4. Ozai and Ursa reunion: Ozai might flip his shit

5. What Ozai’s future looks like: Hard to tell. I’m not sure if he’s going to die or have his bending removed like it happened in canon.

6. When Azula visits the South Pole for the first time: I hope to see her interacting with Gran-Gran, who’ll tell her all sorts of embarrassing stories about Sokka’s childhood. Azula will get lots of ammunition to make fun of him, he’ll state his so called manliness once again, and she’ll think it’s adorable

7. First thing Sokka and Azula will do upon reuniting: The two of them are horny as hell, so… Just kidding! Seyary posted that artwork where they reunite in a battle and make out, but I trust them to have a full conversation before jumping each other’s bones. There’ll be crying involved.

Quiz:

1. First Gladiator Sokka faced: The Spawn of the Volcano, I think…

2. How long they’ve been together: 3 years

3. First person to find out about Sokkla’s relationship: Rui Shi (If we’re taking that day in Shu Jing as the starting point of their relationship)

4. Who was onto them from the start: Song

5. Ozai’s first love: I don’t remember. In my defense, I still have some arcs left to read and I don’t exactly read them in order…

6. First event The Princess and The Blue Wolf participated in: Scavenger Hunt

7. How many times the Blue Wolf fought in the Slate:Twice

8. Which Azula’s suitor got closer to being crown prince: Out of all Azula’s suitors? Kuan, I guess…

9. How old were Aang when he was frozen in the Iceberg: I’ll just say 18, but I really can’t remember *hides in utter shame and humiliation*

Words for the author @seyaryminamoto

Dear Seyary Minamoto: I already told you most things I wanted to by sending some anon messages to your blog askbox. Well, now you know it was me. But I think it doesn’t hurt to repeat myself: I started reading Gladiator recently and I’m almost done with it, cause it’s addictive. It’s crazy to think you’ve been writing this story for so many years. Your dedication it’s really appreciated by your readers. I mean, it’s such a long fic and I’m amazed by your attention to every little detail, at how every aspect of the plot seems to be crafted well in advance. Like Azula telling Sokka about the bloodlust spear for the first time in chapter 46 when their partnership was just beginning, only for it to be brought up again years later at chapter 206! Or Sokka writing his haiku on chapter 37 and the very same words causing a powerful emotional reaction in Azula on chapter 276! I look back to the beginning of the journey and think about everything these characters have been through and how much they’ve grown ever since… it’s overwhelming! Can’t even imagine how it must feel for you. The characters and their universe might’ve been created by Bryke, but just by changing a small detail from canon you brought to life something that feels entirely new. Honestly, I wish I could read it all for the first time again, because I already reread my favorite bits so many times that I know them by heart now. Can’t wait to see what you have planned for the future chapters!

[magicofthepen]

shipping ask game: [immediately forgets every ship ever whoops]

how about Korrasami?

ship it/don’t ship it ask game

Korrasami - Ship It

What made you ship it?

oh this takes me back! how has it been almost nine years since I first watched Legend of Korra, oh my god the passage of time.

I never liked the love triangles of early Legend of Korra - especially in the context of, I was a teenager, so many stories aimed at teenagers had love triangles, and I was deeply rolling my eyes by that point. The rapid romantic development of Korra and Mako in season 1 also didn’t click with me, which especially makes sense in hindsight, because romantic attraction developing really quickly after meeting someone is never an experience I’ve had. Certainly not at the time.

But the subtle hints of something building between Korra and Asami? The established friendship shifting over time? That was my preferred kind of romantic storytelling, and it struck a cord, in a way I was only just beginning to consciously process. And the idea of two former romantic rivals falling for each other was also extremely compelling, given how much I disliked the love triangles.

2. What are your favorite things about the ship?

on an out-of-universe level: this ship made me realize I was queer. this story, the way it spoke to me, the way the writers confirmed that yes, there was something there. their friends to lovers arc resonated enough that my brain finally went oh. I came out to myself because of this ship, and I’ll always be grateful for that.

on an in-universe level: okay I did an A:TLA rewatch within the past year, but I got distracted a season into Korra (slash possibly I stalled out in season 2 because, well. season 2). so the later parts of the show are not that fresh in my mind, so this is going to be fairly vague.

but I love the friendship they have even early on, when they’re romantic rivals. how they come from very different backgrounds (learning to bend most of the elements in the South Pole vs. having a technology-centric life in Republic City), although both with some Expectation of Importance (Korra raised knowing she’s the Avatar, Asami growing up as the heir to Sato Industries), and how they respect each others’ strengths, even early on.

and the relationship we see them build in the later seasons is just so lovely - we see them hanging out and having fun together! fighting together! looking out for and protecting each other! confiding in each other! I know that there are downsides to the romance being so understated, but at the same time, I genuinely appreciate seeing a romance build in a series of moments stacked on top of each other - not flashy and impulsive and dramatic. and yeah, impulsive and dramatic is what we’ve seen from Korra especially before, but I like that it’s atypical for her? it feels like the sort of romance that crept up on her, too.

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

I don’t know what opinions are popular or unpopular these days about Korra and Asami’s place in The History of Queer Characters in Cartoons, but where I’m at is:

yeah, it really was more subtext than text in the show. even the ending. the intentions were there, and I’m glad they made it overt in the comics, but these days I don’t think the ending was as Obvious as I thought it was at the time.

but! that doesn’t mean it wasn’t important. Legend of Korra did help move the needle forward, and on a personal level, it was The show that did it for me. the representation thing of seeing yourself reflected in the show and coming to accept yourself more because of it. I was in my mid-teens, Legend of Korra was aimed at my age group, that subtextual representation (and how much the creators stood behind it as canonical) clearly made a difference to one queer teenager. and that matters.

and I’m so glad that Legend of Korra’s queer story looks lackluster in comparison to later cartoons. it means we have moved forward! not enough, queer cartoons are still getting screwed over by networks, but still. look at the stories that have been told since.

(I realize a lot of this is me talking about Korrasami’s place in media history and not their storyline itself, but 1. again, haven’t rewatched recently, a lot of the details are fuzzy, and 2. it’s place in media history was hugely important to me personally, of course I’m gonna talk about it.)

[ameleco05]

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[scienter]

Couldn't contain myself from sending this ask since I saw your other anon mention Plec's interview about Caroline being picked first.This instantly brought back memories.When I first read the interview, it had made me angry because the last thing I wanted was for Caroline to be picked passively.Caroline's character arc should have been about becoming a woman who would not only,actively,find 'The One' for herself but also would be the active decider,picker and chooser of whether she wanted to pursue a relationship with 'the one' that is good for her wellbeing.While this was achieved to an extent(because it's TVD & especially Steroline so expectations had to be kept low) in SC's narrative, Caroline was still reduced to having no voice at all in the finale via plot contrivance and Aldrich hinted at KlArOlInE ,with his voiceover ,that is often weaponized by the Carolaus-ers as a sign of Epic,True *insert other existing tvd jargon* Love.Basically,the point of this rant is that Caroline's narrative never had anything to do with KC which is why I think(I might be wrong though) an interview like that wasn't necessarily meant for Caroline's arc on TVD.It was rather a nod to a certain belief that the KC-ers wanted to hold on to( since Caroline was their favourite self-projection & still remains so) that eventually materialised in the form of the KC acknowledgement in the series finale of TVD i.e

3 billion dollar+However Long.... = Picked FIRST.

By the way,serious question.How do you think Caroline celebrates this true love of hers for Kloos?Does she carry the metal pole/lamp,on her shoulder, that he impaled her with, to his memorial site ?She must have had it engraved with "You are not the villain of my story". You know Nostalgia and all that!

*pony neighs in the distance*

Hey, anon! I agree that JP was indulging in Klaroline fandom with that interview because she had to hype up the audience to keep them tuning in. To be fair, she did it with all the ships. It’s just part of promoting the show.

Anyway, I think your assessment of Caroline's arc is accurate because so much time was spent on building Caroline’s confidence and sense of self-worth. While Caroline looked for external validation during season 1, by the end of the show Caroline’s belief in herself was one of her defining characteristics.

3 billion dollar+However Long.... = Picked FIRST. By the way, serious question. How do you think Caroline celebrates this true love of hers for Kloos? Does she carry the metal pole/lamp, on her shoulder, that he impaled her with, to his memorial site? She must have had it engraved with "You are not the villain of my story". You know Nostalgia and all that! *pony neighs in the distance*

[rms10]

"Why is zuko's arc so good? Because it exists separately from aang"

Not only did Aang save Zuko's ass many a time to even allow him his arc, Zuko's arc just doesn't exist without Aang. Their evolving relationship throughout the show is one of the central pillars the entire thing is built on.

For anyone who misses it throughout the first couple of books, it's spelled out in detail in the third book. Aang and Zuko in a continuum through their past lives have a relationship that is a direct parallel for the war. The healing of their personal rift is a necessary component for restoring balance and achieving world peace.

Yes, Aang reaching out to Zuko in the Blue Spirit, leads directly to Zuko's first sign of doubt about his desire to continue with the Fire Nation's current course. We get an outright symbol of this when Zuko turns away from the Fire Nation symbol in his ship that evening. (Note: it is Aang, not Uncle Iroh, that draws this out of Zuko.) Zuko isn't ready at this point, but it's a small chip into his worldview.

Every time in the first book that Aang shows great courage (starting in EP2 when he surrenders to save the SWT village), or shows that he's after more than a straight up fight (Katara's necklace), or saves Zuko outright from a well-earned death/capture (North Pole and Blue Spirit) provide this constant and consistent demonstration to Zuko that everything he's been taught might just be wrong. Zuko's arc is heavily dependent upon that. It's what allows such a great narrative for Zuko in that it builds constantly, and he retreats from it a bit - 2 steps forward, 1 step back - but moves him steadily along that arc until Zuko and Aang finally come back together again and work directly together late in the third season.

https://www.tumblr.com/sokkastyles/737634460051406848/if-this-is-how-you-talk-openly-you-have-no

Your thoughts?

HOLY SHIT. I've seen bad takes in my life, specially from this dumbass, but WOW.

"The sole survivor of a genocide who, thanks to the war, lost nearly everyone he loved, has no home, and is being hunted down by the very nation that killed his people, so he can, canonically as Zhao explained, be kept alive BUT JUST BARELY, has only experienced 'local' conflicts, not the true horrors of war."

This is the kind of stuff that, if I heard in person, I'd slap the bitch who said it. Imagine being so ignorant. What's next "Katara and Sokka didn't truly experience the horrors of war since they 'just' had to grow up without a mom and being 'safe' in their destroyed tribe, wondering if they were gonna starve before the Fire Nation army came back to kill them all"? Or maybe "Toph doesn't know what controlling parents are, after all hers 'just' canonically hid her existence from the rest of the world so she'd only rely on them, wanted her guarded 24/7, and then paid two guys to abduct her"? Even better: "Zuko doesn't understand the pain of being an abused child, after all, his father JUST disfigured him and kicked him out not just of the house, but of the country"?

Also HOW THE FUCK is "fighting the FIRE LORD" a "local" problem, instead of a full escale war thing? He is the leader of the nation that is imposing said war on the world. They had to invade his nation to try to stop him. Aang had to face him in A BATTLE THAT WOULD DETERMINE THE FATE OF THE WORLD!

And here I was thinking I was a petty bitch just because I love talking shit about the worst people of the fandom in two separete blogs. Silly me. Motherfuckers be like "Aang needing to single-handedly end a war entire armies falled to end is actually just a smaller, isolated conflict, not him experiencing the consequences of the war" just because Aang kissed Katara when they were rooting for Zutara.

Fuck these morons and fuck their shitty "takes." I've seen toddlers throw less pathetic tantrums over cartoons.

[19thsentry-blog]

ML Fanworks

An archive my Miraculous Ladybug fanfics, because 1) I like pretty things, 2) I'm just That Kinda Guy, 3) "it is always morally correct to bump your own content", and 4) one post is easier to keep track of than 63894.

Caught (AO3 Link)

Rated M | Complete: Oneshot | 13K Words

Prominent Ships: FeLuka (Endgame), Lukanette (Friendship)

*S5 Emotion Spoilers*

Luka grins widely, hand catching a street pole just to swing around it. Satisfaction blooms in his chest when Félix stops to appraise him with a raised eyebrow and a sly smile. Luka reaches out with his other hand, tapping a finger on the hard cover wrapped in leather and stamped with gold leaf. "Sure does have a much prettier cover."

Félix lifts it a bit higher, nearer to his shoulder. "And deadly--don't forget," he says with half-predatory delight, almost like a threat.

A teasing threat, Luka hopes, one meant to elicit his carefree laugh rather than something very real--something that might beat him over the head if he doesn’t move out of the way fast enough.

The Pirate Queen's Son (AO3 Link)

Rated M | Ongoing: Latest Chapter | 8.6K Words

Prominent Ships: FeLuka (Endgame)

Félix doesn't need to further clarify which one she's referencing. Of course it's him, the one dressed in a black leather jacket accented with dark scales, the snake bravely emblazoned on the back (the cherry on top of what had given Luka away). Cerulean eyes hiding behind dark azure hair scan the crowd as he leaves the stage, inspecting everything and seeing nothing. He's in a world of his own.

Luka Couffaine, son of the Pirate Queen and the most trusted of her secret band of criminals, is the one person with a Miraculous that might stop Félix from getting what he wants. None of the rest are as clever, as vexing, as the man disappearing out of sight.

See This Chance (AO3 Link)

Rated G | Complete | 4K Words

Prominent Ships: FeLuka (Endgame)

Luka died in 2016. Yep. Crushed by the Arc de Triumph when Mayura’s Robustus slammed into it. It was kind of a big deal, but once you’re dead, you’re dead—especially when there’s no Lucky Charm to bring you back.

Luka’s been dealing with it in the typical ways.

Sunset Palette (AO3 Link)

Rated G | Complete: Oneshot | 5K Words

Prominent Ships: FeLuka (Endgame)

Félix straightened, denying Luka any further honest investigation with the guile of a charismatic banker. "A trade," he said, "if you are truly looking to get the Miraculous back, it's one you'll take me up on." He lifted his hand from the tabletop, frowning at the sawdust and grime that returned while he tried to rub it away between his fingers. Félix looked up at him after, still framed by that picture window and blindingly bright golden butterscotch leaves, one eyebrow arched. "An identity for a jewel."

In The Shadows (AO3 Link)

Rated T | Complete: Boomer!Luka Series | 120K Words

Prominent Ships: Lukanette (Endgame, fluffy), FeLuka (Not endgame in this work, one-sided and angsty)

It starts sweet. Blue eyes draw me in like a siren’s call, soft lips speak my name and it sounds like there’s a ring to it even when my lungs are burning and I’m left drowning. There’s a song in your body, it moves like shadows and sunlight, Eros and Apollo laboring in tandem for one holy purpose, to mold your body and soul and make it soft and hard in all the right places, till I’m left gasping for you.

World's Not Our Own (AO3 Link)

Rated T | Complete: Boomer!Luka Series | 88K Words

Prominent Ships: FeLuka (Not endgame, moving toward friendship, still one-sided and angsty), Luka & Alix (Friendship), Lukanette (Endgame, fluffy)

It is now, standing in the pit made from the maw of the monster in his arms, that he can finally accept what has been happening to him these past few months without hating it. It is much like twilight, something that should signify an end, but for whatever reason, feels more like acceptance and rebirth than dawn ever did. He is changing, growing, expanding beyond his limits, and every minute is a new picture, all of his contradictions spilling out next to each other, shifting across the sky like one might mix paint. The same night never comes twice, and when he looks up, he sees thousands of stars, all the light from all the suns that feel like eyes in the sky, watching him to see what he'll do. 

New Beat (AO3 Link)

Rated T | Complete: Boomer!Luka Series | 42K Words

Prominent Ships: Adrinette (Friendship), Aligami (Friendship/It's Complicated But Delicious), Adrien & OC (Friendship/Eventual Pairing)

Marinette sat beside him on the rooftop, staring out into the night sky. He didn't know what to say, so he said nothing at all. Marinette was the first to speak. 

"I guess I never really knew you," she said softly, staring at her hands curled in her lap. 

Those words were the ones that cut him the most. How many times had he wanted her to know exactly who he was? To see the real him, the one beneath the surface? But Ladybug had never loved Chat Noir. She had loved Adrien, the façade he put on. "No," he said, no malice in his voice, "I guess not."

The Way I Love You (AO3 Link)

Rated T | Complete: Boomer!Luka Series | 3K Words

Prominent Ships: FeLuka

Because Luka is a friend. No. He truly is a friend. He has to be. The alternative is that Luka is nothing to him, and Félix can't bear that. He'll take this instead. However he can belong to Luka, he'll take it—Félix is horrifically selfish and knows it; he's a ball of contradictions wound so tightly together they all run into each other, where want and need and fear and loathing and longing all mingle at home in his head and heart, and Luka simply…holds out his hands. Accepts it.

The Night We Met (AO3 Link)

Rated M | Complete: Boomer!Luka Series | 15K Words

Prominent Ships: FeLuka (Endgame), Luka & Alix (Friendship)

Félix was still a Pandora's box of contradictions.

"I haven't forgotten," Luka said, tilting his head to fruitlessly try to steal back Félix's eyes, to draw them back to his face. It didn't work, but he kept talking anyway. "What you asked me--the night we fought."

It had been impossible to forget, because the question had constantly hunted him, always looming in the back of Luka's mind. He could have recited it by heart, but by the deliberately blank stare on Félix's face and the way he clenched his fists, he knew Félix remembered too.

Anarka, Meet Jagged (AO3 Link)

Rated M | Complete: Oneshot | 1K Words

Prominent Ships: Anarka/Jagged (We all know how that ended up)

"I mean, there's always the Raincomprix kid, right?" Fester's feet were straight in the air, resting against the back of the ratty ass couch in his garage; his mohawk grazed the concrete from where his head was hung off the seat. He had a jar of imported cheese puffs in hand, shoveling them in his mouth with big handfuls, and a couple fell out between his fingers and rolled underneath the drum set that they had somehow managed to make fit around Fester's dad's golf kit and tool chests.

Anarka stared at him, mouth agape. "…Are you fucking kidding me?"

Patient (AO3 Link)

Rated G | Complete: Oneshot | 2K Words

Prominent Ships: Lukanette

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," Ladybug said softly. She'd pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on her forearms. The reminders of her failure to Paris were everywhere she looked; rubble on the sides of the roads, knocked-over buildings, and, more importantly—the people who had gotten hurt in the crossfire. Seeing it when she got back had hit her like a ton of bricks. Finding out that Luka was one of the people that had been hurt? That had hit her worse.

[peony-pearl]

I know it’s been said that Iroh’s character becomes inconsistent through the series, which, yeah, I’m sad there are things about his season 1 iteration that didn’t last - but I’ve always sort of felt like he changed because that was another part of his own sort of arc in being on the run with Zuko.

For 3 years he’d stuck with Zuko after looking away from his scarring; but he has always been sort of in the backseat; suggesting to zuko ‘have some calming tea’, or ‘come soak in these hot springs (take a minute sweetheart you need to count to ten and just breathe; you’re too young for this stress poor kid)’. Iroh just remains kind of placid while also getting Zuko to calm down while he’s on a wild goose chase. (however, Zuko NEEDS a calm sounding board, something Iroh obviously already knows; but his placid nature also isn’t helping anything in the grand scheme except in keeping things calm(ish) aboard the ship. I have so many more ideas about Iroh’s behaviors and tying them all together through the series but I have work soon and trying to pick at my ideas is like grabbing bubbles in a tornado lmao)

Personally, I feel like Iroh’s feelings about Zuko as a son become realized when the pirates blow up the ship. Iroh is then active in stowing Zuko away, and he ensures their safe exit from the North Pole.

Iroh could have turned away again when Azula came to ‘take Zuko home’ to their father. He could have ran with his instincts and let Zuko get captured, he could have said ‘lmao see ya I know a trap’. In the end, Iroh knew what was going on, and if he didn’t go with Zuko, then they would have been separated - and they didn’t really stand a chance against Azula and her crew without each other. If Zuko was captured first, then they would have come for Iroh, and he would have been alone. He could have very well taken the soldiers, but Azula? She’s just as clever as he is, and she would do him in quickly.

But he can’t look away because it is Zuko - it’s his boy. Who isn’t his boy, but... he is, more so than he is Ozai’s. To look away again? To watch him back in his father’s clutches? Iroh can’t bear to do that again.

Thus begins their life as wanted men, running through the Earth Kingdom, a place where they’re absolutely not wanted at all. The irony of being wanted back home - but only in chains.

Iroh spent three years on that ship, most likely a time that was an extension of his depression after losing Lu Ten. It’s only been 6 years since he lost his son and his worldviews changed, but he is no longer the Dragon of the West. In so many ways. Change can come unexpectedly and with time - and Iroh feels so disjointed from the man that ravaged Ba Sing Se, mentally and physically.

I’ve felt that a lot of his advice to Zuko is advice he’s giving himself as well, because he’s starting to be able to actually verbalize it to someone he loves more than he probably cares about himself. And he won’t look away again, no matter how bad the circumstances. He’ll do anything to ensure Zuko’s survival, not only to make things count for losing Lu Ten, but to also make things count for Zuko, who deserves so much better than everything he’s had on his plate.

Is Iroh perfect about it? No. The constant positivity he tries to maintain is both something needed for Zuko, and yet, very stifling for a very, very angry boy. At the very least, he is trying to make sure Zuko knows he has a choice in becoming who and what he wants to be - a choice Zuko does eventually make because he’s known what he’s wanted ever since day one.

He wants to be home.

While Iroh’s view of home is now dangerous, choking, stifling. ‘Home’ turned Iroh into the man that led his son to an early grave.

‘Home’ to Iroh is now the place he turned into a refuge to keep his abused nephew safe. Where he watched Zuko take his first steps at being a real teenager during his date with Jin, where they seemed to be accepting a new course in their lives, possibly having their first bit of peace in years, not sleeping in the steel walls of a ship on uncomfortable cots; and not around soldiers or royals, but around regular people - the people that they, as royalty, were supposed to be serving and leading and guiding.

Iroh, for everything he could offer, was now thrust into the stone walls of a jail cell.

His original crime?

Fighting the Fire Nation against the murder of the Moon Spirit - something that would have doomed the entire world.

Season 3 is where there’s the most conflict about Iroh’s writing. I won’t lie and say it’s perfect; there could have been more going on - ultimately, however, it served it’s purpose as part of Zuko’s story, and the overall story (because Iroh is not the focus, during S3 he’s pretty much just a support character. He doesn’t have nearly the presence he had during S2, but S3 is where most of the climactic action happens and focuses on the Gaang and the ultimate story wrapup)

What would I change? I might actually have made him be a bit more bitter in his jail cell, a bit angrier, but show him actively combating that because he still loves Zuko. He sees a boy led astray, and partially by him. Zuko has NOTHING to apologize for to Iroh because he did JUST as Iroh told him to do. He made a choice. I would love to see Zuko watch Iroh actively stave off anger and bite his tongue.

Let Zuko ask, ultimately, why Iroh is still giving him advice when he’s obviously so angry at him - when the last time Zuko angered his father, it resulted in his scar.

Let Iroh look Zuko in the eye and say ‘because a father never gives up on his son’.

Let Zuko respond ‘But I’m not your son.’

Let Iroh then smile, tears in his eyes and say ‘then it’s because you are my Zuko. That’s why.’

Let us watch Iroh use his wisdom in his times of weakness; let’s see him use his own lessons in his lowest points.

I would have changed that, after his escape, Iroh did more with his White Lotus buddies to liberate prisoners/villages. The story culminated with and ended with Ba Sing Se being liberated, which is great, but what about other places? Smaller places along the way TO Ba Sing Se. IDK small potatoes in the writing room I guess, they already had enough to convey with the time given. (I’m a bit more lenient when it comes to storytelling bc there’s more to tell than Iroh’s side; we have to get Aang in there and his crew and remember this IS a kid’s show with very specific themes and buildups)

I do wish I’d gotten to see Iroh bust up Ozai; I REALLY do. But Ba SIng Se was his story. He was there to break the chains of his own family against the place he’d once ravaged - a place that was once a safe haven for the Earth Kingdom (or so it was believed to be until we learned about Long Feng).

So; yeah, I’m personally not against the peaceful man Iroh became - but I really would love to see all of this work culminate into something other than ‘running the Jasmine Dragon’. Azula now needs care, and the world is healing. If he’s going to remain in one place, then let the Jasmine Dragon be more than a tea shop.

It needs to be a place of healing and wisdom and care for those who need it. It needs to be a sanctuary, run by the former Dragon of the West, who is there to care for weary people who have lost their homes to the madness; or for the simple traveler. Let his wisdom and learnings and knowledge of all of the nations come together in one place where others can learn about the spiritual and material worlds in harmony.

He needs to be active in rebuilding the world around him, and active in helping Zuko as the new Fire Lord, but there are so many issues in him being back at the Fire Nation, such as the world seeing the former Dragon either be crowned or aiding the new Fire Lord, but I would suspect that maybe the Avatar could vouch for him??? But that still wouldn’t placate years of harm.

However, there’s still a lot to be unpacked for both Iroh and Zuko, and then Azula and the family and the world. There’s so much more story that could be told if they were allowed to break out of the moulds built by the finale.

[juniperhillpatient]

Okay, takeaways from "The Avatar Returns" :)

-The scene showing Sokka putting on warpaint paired with Zuko getting on his Fire Nation armor is fun :) Zukka rights

-I forgot that Sokka...wasn't that good at fighting when the show started lol. Seeing him get kicked down by Zuko was an oof moment. But then seeing Zuko get bonked by the boomerang & immediately after that knocked down by Aang was pretty funny xD

-That said...Sokka just STANDING there & not moving as this big ass ship comes toward him is honestly heartbreaking. He probably had a lot of guilt over how the last raid went. You're just sitting there as the audience & begging him to move & he won't, he's just standing there, trying to protect his village :(

-I also like how Sokka asking Katara if she's willing to choose Aang over her people is the thing that gets Katara to turn back. This episode drills in that Sokka & Katara have a lot of loyalty to their people & to each other.

-Zuko yelling at Aang that's he just a child & Aang responding "you're just a teenager" & Aang saying "have you ever tried?" when Sokka tells him they can't fight the Fire Nation with fun & Aang coming up with a list of fun stops for them on their journey the North Pole....<3 <3 <3 <3 Aang's persistent reactions to everything as a CHILD & determination to always find the fun <3 The way he recognizes even his enemy as "just a teenager" <3

-Gran Gran telling Katara that she gave her hope & telling Sokka to "be nice to his sister" as her parting words before their journey is a really interesting moment. It's sweet & both siblings hug their grandmother & she's showing support for their mission to save Aang. It's a nice moment, I don't want to undermine that but it also poses an interesting setup where we see that Katara is considered special because of her water bending & Sokka is constantly subtly (though NOT purposefully) put down because of it. The insecurity over Katara's bending & powers that Sokka feels is something that's prevalent throughout the entire show. Despite this inherent competitive nature to their relationship & the jealousy, Sokka feels toward his sister, their loyalty to each other shines through & they work together to go & save Aang. I'm sure there are no parallels any of us can draw there or anything, just an observation :)

-APPA FLYING <3 That is all. I just really love that moment. I love Sokka flipping his shit & then seeing Katara smirk & trying to play it cool. Love it so much <3

-I like the parallel that Aang plans to "go home to look for the other Airbenders" not even remotely having processed the news that they're extinct & Zuko is talking about how this is his chance to "go home" & we'll later learn that home is a dysfunctional & toxic mess for Zuko. Aang/Zuko parallels my beloved <3

-Speaking of Zuzu - Villain! Zuko my beloved <3 I think the show does a great job making Zuko & Iroh intimidating & scary but also funny & relatable. It's really good writing & I just love when shows do this with their villains, tbh whether a redemption arc is in the books or not it's just fun & improves the story.

-Aang gets his first "oh shit he's so cool" moment in this episode. In episode 1 he's sweet & endearing sure & I like him right away but in episode 2 we get to see badass! Aang make his debut. "I guess you guys have never fought an Airbender" followed by Aang just kicking the shit out of Zuko's crew is so satisfying. Plus I love how it's true - Aang uses it to his advantage that these guys have never met an Airbender & completely shocks them with his powers & it's so fun to watch. Also, the first Aang Vs. Zuko fight is a lot of fun.

-Avatar State! Aang!!!! I fucking loved Aang just BLASTING out of the water & scaring the shit out of Zuko lmao :D

-Iroh going "oh this is great the avatar is just a kid" at the end & Zuko having to point out that Aang wrecked their shit & most of the crew is frozen or unconscious....Okay Iroh...

Anyway another fun episode :)

[bookishdiary]

Five incredible memoirs to add to your tbr

These books have thought me more about life and human relationships than anything else, they are of universal importance.

- Trigger Warning (Themes of sexual and psychological abuse)

1. Instrumental by James Rhodes

In this thought provoking and eye opening story James Rhodes, now a famous concert pianist, reflects on the sexual abuse he had to endure as a child and how classical music safed him from his severe depression and drug addiction. A must read if you want to understand the harsh reality and consequences of sexual abuse, but also a touching manifestation about the powers and meaning of classical music. "This is a memoir like no other: unapologetically candid, boldly outspoken and surprisingly funny".

2. The last expedition by Robert Scott

"In November 1910, a ship called Terra Nova left New Zealand on its way south to Antarctica. On board was an international team of explorers led by Robert Falcon Scott, a man determined to be the first to reach the South Pole. A year and a half later, Scott and three members of his team died during a brutal blizzard.Even in his final hours, Scott found the strength to continue the journal he'd started at the beginning of his adventures; the diary was found beside his frozen body."

3. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

A heartwrenching memoir about the troubles writer Jeanette Walls had to face growing up with an alcohol-dependent father: "When sober, Jeannette’s brilliant and charismatic father captured his children’s imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn’t want the responsibility of raising a family." 4. The blinding abscence of light by Tahar Ben Jelloun

This technically isn't a memoir but I included it because it was highly based on real life events: "Ben Jelloun reveals the horrific story of the desert concentration camps in which King Hassan II of Morocco held his political enemies in underground cells with no light and only enough food and water to keep them lingering on the edge of death. He delivers a shocking novel that explores both the limitlessness of inhumanity and the impossible endurance of the human will."

5. In the dream house by Carmen Maria Machado

"In the Dream House is Carmen Maria Machado's engrossing and wildly innovative account of a relationship gone bad. Tracing the full arc of a harrowing experience with a charismatic but volatile woman, this is a bold dissection of the mechanisms and cultural representations of psychological abuse."