#you will learn nothing you didn't already know about the character if you're an azula stan

[likeabxrdinflight]

I have read azula in the spirit temple, because of course I did. it's like 7 bucks for the digital version and honestly? wouldn't pay much more than that.

it's...fine. it's fine. it's not offensive, it's not groundbreaking, it's just...fine. I will say I do really like the art style, it's a vast improvement over the yang-led comics. there's some great drawings and all the characters look really good.

otherwise...? I mean it just doesn't do much with its story, and I think that's kind of intentional. I strongly suspect that now that avatar studios is a thing, major story beats in the comics series are over for the time being. this very much feels like a tease of "can azula redeem herself?? we just don't know!!!" and then they very much do not commit one way or the other with it. which tells me that if any major storylines featuring azula are going to be happening in the future, they probably won't be happening in the comics, but in some future movie or animated series.

and honestly? good. I always felt comics were the wrong medium for telling stories in this universe, they have never managed to replicate the gravitas or complexity of storytelling of the animated shows. so if this comic is meant to be like...a palate cleanser, a teaser for things to come in future projects...fine. that's fine. but it does mean this particular story comes across non-committal and honestly...kinda boring.

like, every character azula interacts with outside the first couple pages is a spirit. none of it's real, the stakes are so low, and everything that happens once azula arrives at the temple is a vision from this guardian spirit, who tells azula that if she could accept what the visions were saying then this was her chance of redemption. but honestly that just feels like a cop-out and I don't really buy it, because none of it was real. and azula knows that.

what this story felt like instead was less redemption arc and more character exploration. and as a character piece it's...it's fine? like I said, it's not offensive like the search or smoke and shadow were (though it does loosely play off where smoke and shadow left off, it mostly ignores the search, so props to it for that lol). but there's nothing in here that will come as a surprise to anyone with basic reading comprehension who's watched the original show. the writing's a bit shallow but broadly inoffensive.

honestly the most surprising thing for me was azula acknowledging out loud to a vision of ursa that she's entirely aware that her father used her as a weapon, and felt that ursa failed to protect her from that fate by leaving. which is an interesting dichotomy given that much of azula's character is bound up in that identity as her father's perfect daughter in contrast to zuko being the failed son. (then again, quite a bit of time has now passed in universe since the end of the tv series, so maybe it's not overly shocking that azula has done a little introspecting in that time.)

other than that, there's some fun interactions with spirit!mai and ty lee, and then there's a final vision with spirit!zuko that comes so close to being a halfway decent climax to this little story, but none of it's a major revelation to anyone who's been paying attention to azula's character. the spirit visions all serve the same function that azula's hallucinations did in the series finale- they act as her unconscious mind telling her the truths she already knows about herself deep down.

the ending leaves azula in kind of a middle ground place, very little about her circumstances have changed except she's decided to ditch her girl gang and go run off to do something else- which is kept extremely vague. I can't help feeling that is an intentional move to set her up for a totally new story in a different medium that likely doesn't want to rely on any foundations laid in any of the comics series. and I wouldn't be shocked if that medium is one of the alleged movies that avatar studios is supposed to be producing. so this feels less like a real character arc so much as a character reset.

and from a creative, lore standpoint I don't have a problem with this. that's probably what they needed to do if they want to use azula in their future animated projects. my problem is that the story the comic tells to give us this reset is just kinda boring for someone who's been with this fandom since the original series aired.

The fact is that I've read and seen fan works that addressed these exact same issues and character beats with much more finesse and for much higher stakes. this comic gave me the feeling that the dialogue was directly addressing what fans have been saying about azula for years and putting a neon light on it. and that's...again, it's fine? but it's not groundbreaking for those of us who've been saying this shit since 2008. and I guess it's nice to see some of those character beats canonized officially, especially if there's a likelihood that we'll see animated azula again, but as far as I was concerned the fact that azula wanted her family to love her and was used as a weapon of war was already obvious, so spelling it out with another comic felt...redundant.

and I guess that's how I'd describe this. it felt redundant to me, as someone who's spent a lot of time with this character already. maybe it's good that it exists so that larger and newer swaths of the fandom can see azula in this light, but for long time fans of the character? there's truly nothing in here about her that you don't already know.

if this really is a reset button for the old comics canon/jumping off point for an animated project, then...I'm not mad about it, exactly. but as a stand alone story it's just...fine. it's fine, but little more.

[azurlily]

Hey there hope you’re doing well I don’t know if you’re still taking your requests at the moment. But if you are here’s one I would like Some head canon for Azula shocking, I know and Mai Tylee and Suki With an OC who likes to sleep topless If you’re comfortable with that or interested

I'm so sorry! I thought I posted this 3 days ago and I check my account and notice it isn't there. I checked my drafts and saw it🤦🏽‍♀️. The gif of Suki I'm using is the only one with just her(no other characters in the picture), if anyone could find more with just her I'd be so thankful!!

Also does anyone know why when I press my stuff(my posts) tumblr says it doesn't exist. Yet I'll scroll down in my acc and find it. It's confusing and I'm going to have to fix a bunch of stuff because of it.

Ozai's Angel's + Suki

When fem!reader sleeps topless.

Azula

Y'all ever sent hat shocked pikachu meme? Yeah that's Azula the first time she sees you sleep topless.

I imagine it was your first night sleeping in the same bed, and you just threw your shirt off. No hesitation. Azula turned and just stared are your bare back. You still had pants/shorts on so she assumed you were going to change. Although in front of her? Really? So bold...

Instead when you turn towards the bed to lay down, you hear the loudest little squeak! It's probably one of the only times Azula will ever act like that. It's just so surprising that you'd frivolously in front of her.

"What do you think you're doing?"

You would look over ins surprise and Azula would immediately turn around.

"Something wrong, zula?"

Azula will stomp her foot and turn back towards you, her eyes cast downwards. You didn't see anything wrong with your clothing choice seeing as you distinctly remember mentioning this to Azula multiple times before.

"You have no shirt and nothing to conceal your chest! Just what are you trying to do on our first night...disgusting!"

Of course Azula didn't mean that last part, but she said it anyway.

You just stared at her for a few moments and then laughed, if you're this far in the relationship(and it wasn't forced) you've learned Azula a lot better than most.

"I'm going to lay down, when you're comfortable: come join me?"

Just wait it out and within a few minutes you'll feel shuffling in the bed. Azula wont touch you in anyway, even to wake you up. The next few days will be her getting comfortable with sleeping next to you like this. Within a month(maybe longer if this is something that truly surprised her about you) she'll be spooning you and refusing to explain why. Don't ask either or she will stop.

Mai

The most calm about the entire situation. That doesn't mean Mai isn't surprised, she's the complete opposite in fact. Mai just doesn't show her emotions like others.

As you two were getting in bed after a long day of doing everything Azula wanted...and complaining about it when she wasn't listening. You and Mai just wanted to relax together.

It doesn't matter if it was the first time you slept together or if you simply always wore a shirt to make her comfortable. Either way Mai has to ensure she's in the right reality when you- in front of her and with no shame -begin to undress.

Mai is(despite popular belief) very awkward. Especially around the girl she's oh so in love with. Mai has, on multiple occasions, not said a single word to you for an entire day. Simply because you made her too 'flustered' to function and she was afraid that she might say something less than appropriate for the situation.

So Mai doesn't say anything. She stares, though. Her eyes don't leave you body the moment she notices what you're doing. It's already hard for her to look away when you have clothes on, but this?! You must be trying to kill her.

"Mai? Are you okay? I'm sorry should I put my shirt back on?"

That's about the only thing that will get her attention. Mai looks up at your face instead of your chest. It takes her a second to recognize your words. They turn her a slight pink, which she looks away as to not show you.

"No. It's fine. Warn me next time. . .please."

Mai has a tendency to make herself seem cold and distant for fear of hurting you. Unknowingly though, that's what ends up hurting you in the end.

You lay in the bed, turned away from Mai. You hear a slight rustle in the bed before a small voice speaks up. Not something you'd expect from her normally.

"I think you look pretty; I-I love you."

Your heart melts.

Ty Lee

A lil' NSFW

Ty Lee is the one who reacts the sweetest. I fully believe that Ty lee has seen some things from being in the circus and all. She doesn't react coldly like Mai nor is she embarrassed like Azula. Ty lee is simply happy her partner trusts her so much as to be naked around her.

You two had been sore from a long day and after bathing(separately) you headed to your room together. Ty lee sleeps in a loose shirt and shorts, she's very open with her body as long as it's her partner.

Truly, she flirts with others but you're her sun. The only person she would truly share her body with.

You take off your shirt with your back turned to Ty lee. Sometimes she wishes you would look at her when she undresses. It makes her feel better about her body, knowing her partner likes it.

Ty lee turns and sees you with no shirt. She just stares for a moment before turning back around, she assumed you were still changing and just waited a little longer.

"Uhm, are you done changing yet?"

You told her yes and she turned around. Nearly tripping over herself.

"Are you going to sleep without a shirt?!"

Ty lee barks out a bit of laughter with her words. She realized you were as soon as she said it. You smiled and simply nodded while Ty lee got a little closer to you. She enjoys your body, it's the most beautiful thing in the world to her. So it is incredibly hard for her to look away.

"You know I think you should sleep like this every night. You look. . .cute."

Ty lee pulls herself closer to you, your bodies press together. Your chests more specifically. Ty lee presses her lips to yours and you slowly lead eachother to the bed. Before you two find yourselves under the covers you hear her whisper.

"Your body's so beautiful; I'd like to see all of it."

Suki

I'm sorry if this isn't as accurate to Suki's character as you'd like!(I'm also sorry Suki's is shorter than the others)

Suki is definitely the most bashful, but in a way the least surprised. I'm more than sure she's seen her fair share of female bodies from the Kyoshi Warriors. The only difference is you're her partner, her one and only.

Suki is a very devoted lover, but(and were going off assumption) you're the first woman she's been with. So she feels safer than she would even wirh her closest friends.

As you two were heading in and getting the first bit of proper rest in a while. You didn't think about your sleeping conditions, you were just tired and uncomfortable in your own skin. As you take your shirt off you hear a loud, strangled cough behind you.

"Oh, I didn't realize you were going to change in front of me."

You laid down in the bed and turn towards Suki who looked away. She wasn't wearing her makeup, but she was still in her uniform.

"You should probably take that off. It'll be uncomfortable to sleep in."

Suki just stares at you dumbfounded, some days she wonders where her love for this idiot came from. Suki undresses, not fully knowing if you're watching or not. Her face reddening.

"Do you feel safe like that with me?"

Suki has been emotionally stunted due to her past. Many days, after meeting you, she felt like you'd find someone more devoted and leave.

That because she was a Kyoshi Warrior she wouldn't be able to fully love you.

You hum quietly, you're too tired to answer. Instead you slowly open your arms up from the bed. Suki gets in bed and snuggles into you. Her head pressing against your neck as she peppers kisses.

"I love you, you surprise me everyday."

No one in their right mind can tell me all of those girls don't have trauma. So I tried to sprinkle a little bit of that in there.