#unalaq only gets aroused by spirits its canon to me

[wilcze-kudly]

consider: those nwt twins mom (malina?) would basically be a cult member for unalaq turned wife, and thats the background for the twins being born

Honestly I can see that. It would explain Eska's odd relationship expectations from Bolin if she grew up with that type of power imbalance being normalised to her from a young age. Plus Unalaq totally gives off cult leader vibes let's be honest.

But personally, when I think about the twins homelife, I tend to imagine them as the result of an arranged marriage. I can see Malina as the daughter of some noble or other important figure and Unalaq wedding her, to strengthen his position (since I think there would still be many people loyal to Tonraq even after his banishment), or for some other way to benefit himself.

I can see Unalaq and Malina having a more business like relationship? There's no love between them but they work together while ruling the North. I can certainly see Malina as a bit of a scheemer, who is very well in tune with politics and is a skilled politician.

I think that due to being a woman, Malina probably would be facing a fair share of sexism in the North. I think that while Katara absolutely helped move women forward in the North, unscrewing presumed centuries of misogyny isn't gonna happen in 80 years.

So scheeming and marrying well are the only ways Malina could really get ahead in life.

Maybe she even hooked her hubby up with that corrupt judge who knows. And I can even imagine her being in correspondence with Raiko during the whole North occupying the South thing.

She knows that Unalaq is only after that Vaatussy and she's ok with that. They only ever did it once in order to sire the required heir.

That's it I'm slutshaming this middle aged evil religious twink. You're not allowed to make that facial expression at people you aren't legally wedded to you freak youre scaring the hoes. Rip Vaatu imagine being stuck in a tree and your only hope of escaping is this underfucked zealot who has probably been stuck in a lavender marriage for the last 20 years or so and he want to "fuse with you" like ok bro

I'm not sure how this would affect Malina's relationship with the twins. She could still be a caring mother, but I can also imagine her just seeing them as a means to an end. She is aware that as a woman in a rather misogynistic society, her role first and foremost is to bear children, and I just don't know if having children out of a sense of obligation us the best reason to have them.

Which may explaun why Eska and Desna are... like that.

Because growing up with a weird cult leader who cares more about your cousin than you on one side, and a woman who had you only to keep her relavancy in the eyes of the patriarchy on the other probably isn't good for your mental health or social skills.

Unalaq and Malina's transactional relationship could further enforce how Eska and Desna equate affection with being "useful". One of the first things Eska does when daring Bolin is demand prizes from him, and one of the only nice things she does for him while they're dating is offer to protect him from the Dark Spirits.

I imagine that Malina still maintains a certain level of control over the North after Unalaq's death. Hell, she might have even more control, since the twins are socially and emotionally stunted teenagers who just went through the incredibly traumatic experience of their dad becoming a hentai grade tentacle monster. Of course they'd rely on their mother. Even if it probably would be in their own... special little way.

Like if my dad did this and then promptly died with no explanation of his thought process I think it would haunt me forever

Like I know the "Desna sleeps in the tub" thing was a joke but it struck a chord in me because I personally would often lay in the empty bathtub to ward off panic attacks back whek I would have them frequently

Plus, Eska and Desna don't seem to excited about ruling a country which is understandable since they are like teenagers with no ability to process their emotions.

And that makes them somehow not knowing about the secret, super important jail P'li was in that was apparently on their lands make more sense. If Malina were the person managing corespondence/relations with the White Lotus in their stead, their lack of knowledge would make sense.

Their girlboss mom is using them as fighureheads yipee.

Also, seeing Korra's name and portrait with thw cool glowy effect next to Eska and Desna is just like:

Unalaq vision probably