#zuko's protection squad

[littleweowmeow]

I just love people who shout about the villainous deeds of Zuko that he committed sometime before our era (as if this cancels his redemption arc and the fact that he is a hero in the end lol). And they do it with such pathos of great enlighteners, the only ones who see the truth while the "gray mass" is blinded by their love for the "colonizer". It is impossible to look at this without laughing. It's like smart thoughts were chasing people, but people were faster.

Like I always say that Zuko is a villain at the beginning of his journey and that's what makes his arc so impressive. He has the potential to become like Ozai or Azula and he is already on the way to it. But he stops and doesn't do the same thing. Although he may also thinked, namely, "well, if it hurt me, then I have the right to hurt others," and I do not claim that he has never resorted to such rhetoric. He fucking stopped and went in the exact opposite direction and damn it it's so important! It's as if we're talking about a character who turned away from an entire political system that brainwashed people and from his disgusting family, which drove him into a psychological trap for a long time and breaks the cycle of violence because he doesn't grow into an abuser. The plot itself holds him accountable both for his actions and for what was done by his ancestors. He wanders around the Earth Kingdom and feels all the damage done to the world by his country on his own skin, he cannot escape from his past and the past of his people, so despite the fact that he saves the villagers, they drive him away with horror and hatred. In the finale, Zuko literally becomes the Fire Lord, pledging to atone for the sins of his entire people over a hundred years of war. But come on. What if Zuko was the one who didn't want to continue the violence from the very beginning?

Agni Kai with Admiral Zhao. Zuko, in a position of power, can do whatever he wants with his opponent. An opponent who smiled when his face was burned, an opponent who reveled in power over him right before the duel, an opponent who would definitely not show mercy. And what does Zuko do? Shows mercy. Although he remembers exactly what Ozai did when Zuko himself ended up on the floor. He refuses to act like his main tyrant when he can do it but doesn't. It is also interesting that Zhao calls Zuko a coward for showing mercy and then, when the duel is over, hits him in the back. Yes, Zuko is definitely definitely an evil and incorrigible guy.

And now my favorite:

Anon : You understand that the Blue Spirit literally robbed people, the same refugees because in his opinion these people owe him? He's still a disgusting racist and colonizer!

I'm : I am aware of this and I do not shut myself off from the inconvenient truth. And in the subsequent series, he literally saves the village of such "peasants" from people who abuse power over peaceful and defenseless residents, although he was more than inclined not to do so. Oh yes, no one tells him what to do, there is no one around and Zuko is alone. He chooses what to do and his choice is to save the inhabitants of the enemy village from the oppressors. (A very villainous act of a real colonizer) Zuko does not get mad at the inhabitants when they drive him away because he did not save them in order to get laurels. He just walks away. Not taking revenge for ingratitude or anything else. (Very villainous, but okay).

Anon : ...

I'm : ...This is called personal growth.

Anon : * piss with boiling water *

I don't even need to do brain gymnastics to justify him. He changes himself and accepts responsibility for his actions, faces their consequences. Zuko doesn't make excuses for himself and the plot doesn't do the same for him. Unlike many, he has a real redemption arc. There is a group of fans in the fandom who justify the villain in every possible way and humiliate other characters so that they seem worse against the background of their "poor meow meow", these are those people who cannot stand criticism of their favorite and want their favorite not to face the consequences of his actions. Oh yes, this character does not have a redemption arc. I didn't mention their names, but you all know who I mean. Zuko stans doesn't need to babysit him and justify everything he does. Because Zuko accepts responsibility himself. Because Zuko is no longer a villain. Cope with it.

[bluespiritshonour]

Mai has two hands...

[thetraumaking]

Accursed Crown: ATLA x Reader

Child soldier program within the Fire Nation. Princess Ursa will be having the first grandchild of fire lord Azulon, and as a gift, he sends his son, prince Ozai, to find an appropriate bodyguard for the mother of the nation.

After prince Zuko was born, princess Ursa became pregnant once more.

When she gave birth to her second. Not only did she suffer from a burn from the newborn, she didn't feel the motherly love she felt for her firstborn to her second. She couldn't hold her or even look at her. But she's not a cruel woman, so she found a wet nurse and let the other woman raise her. Well, that was the plan until for a whole day straight the baby girl wouldn't and couldn't stop crying. Even Ozai heard it and came to yell at Ursa for failing as a mother.

When the child had finally shutten up, Ozai turned to see the young guard gently holding the baby.

From that day onward, you, who was nothing but a child soldier, became the guard, the nursemaid, and mentor for the new princess.

NOT for the faint of heart!!!

Chapter 2: Old Child Chapter 3: Her Touch

Chapter 1: Prologue

Within a quiet little village, in the eastmost part of the fire nation, with a single torch illuminating a small hut, a new mother came to be. Her eyes filled with love and adoration as she lay next to her newborn.

‘You are my sunshine

My only sunshine

You make me happy

When skies are gray

You’ll never know, dear

How much I love you‘

Her voice lulled the child to sleep as her hand rubbed small circles on the baby's belly.

‘Please don’t take

My sunshine away’

Once Fire Lord Azulon assented to the throne, he passed down a “Nation's Calling.”

The Fire Nation child soldier program.

Children from unsavoury backgrounds or children from the slums were forcibly taken by the ‘collectors.’ To be trained in the art of combat and strategy.

For the greater good of the nation, those of the middle class and higher are more than accepting of the small sacrifice their people must make.

Your breath came out ragged as you dodged another punch to the face. The sudden movement makes you lose your balance as it provides an opportunity for your instructor to strike.

His foot landed hard on your stomach, you could taste your evening rations in your mouth.

Wheezing for air, you roll to the side. For every five of your strikes only two lands. And for every two, one of your instructor’s attacks lands a hit.

��Not bad, but you need to be faster than that to get your next badge, trainee number 076.” His grip on your arm is as tight as a vice. Pulling you off of the training ground for the next group to start their training. “For your age group, you’re not half bad.”

His praise meant nothing to you.

Throughout your years within the camp, it has been drilled into your and your peers’ heads that you along with the instructors are nothing but tools. A tool that must be sharpened and refined, only to be replaced and thrown away once they outlived their use.

You yourself have gone through a couple of instructors this past six years.

The earliest memory you have is being branded by your identification number. Trainee Number 076 from the first battalion second training company fourth squad. That is what you are, nothing more and nothing less. A child soldier groomed to serve the royal family. You are to serve and protect the great Fire Nation and those who rule it.

Failure is not an option.

“076,” your attention was brought back up to the older male, “I want you to focus more on your footwork. You can stay calm under pressure, that’s good, but your reaction is a bit off.” He explained.

The room he brought you to looked like an empty basement. Metal flooring, no windows, and nothing flammable in sight. “But don’t worry, we’ll work on it now.”

Before you could ask him anything, he shot a fireball at you. You felt the heat graze your cheek.

The blast illuminated the room just a bit before it went dark once more. The smell of burning hair lingered as he got into an offensive stance. His eyes glistened with something that made your skin crawl.

Taking a deep breath, you readied yourself for yet another rocky night.

It was a couple of months shy of a full year since the union of Prince Ozai and Princess Ursa when wonderful news fell upon the Fire nation.

The princess is with child.

Pleased with the news, Fire Lord Azulon looked back to the report he had been receiving on the progression of his camp. Collecting the scroll for the top nine candidates, he ordered his son, Prince Ozai, to go and take his pick for his wife.

The last assignment for the children to finish their training was to take out their prospective mentors once they had earned all their badges. Their accomplishments will be announced through a gold phoenix pendant that will be displayed on their chests. Depending on how detailed the phoenix is, the higher the ranking and skilled the soldier is.

Adored by your pendant, you stand by along with eight others. Each with differently defined pendants, only one that had the same details as yours. Red ruby eyes, each feather of the firebird carefully crafted and soldered, its beak shined and polished, talons sharpened and refined.

As you all filed in attention, the prince of your proud nation stood. Eyes sharp, carefully inspecting each and every one of you. He points at you and the one next to you. Ordering that the two of you to duel, to once and for all, know who exactly is deserving of the golden phoenix.

The next time you saw the prince and your supposed opponent was at the arena. The prince with his advisors and guards sat atop of the stadium.

Once the bell had been rung, the duel began.

Blow after blow, you masterfully evaded all of his strikes. Outside of the roaring flames and the occasional grunts and pants, the arena was in complete silence.

Nausea, fatigue, muscle ache, and overuse of your bending. Your wrists and arms sore from sporadic movements, legs aching as you drag each knee over hard molten rocks to evade and block. Bringing your fist forward, you shoot a blast of flames right past his nose.

And in a single moment of his panic, you took advantage, bringing your foot up, you slam it against his chin. You feel a crunch under your boot as you see his jaw move to the side at an unnatural angle. With a swollen chin and bleeding gums with missing teeth, your opponent now lay unconscious on the ground.

A pool of blood with bits of pearly whites was the only thing your eyes could focus on. The scent of iron and burnt flesh fills the air as the sounds of the roaring flames are now replaced with those of the roaring crowd.

With a sigh, you raise your fist in the air. Scarred, worn, burnt hands, stained with years' worth of blood and shame. Bright red blood cascaded down your forearm, the sticky liquid became your only source of warmth in the cold autumn air.

Like the warm-colored leaves falling from their trees, your own warmth drips down, one by one to the ground.

As your reward, you were taken to the palace. Rewarded by the honor of being the guard of the nation’s mother. Protecting her from any harm that may threaten her wellbeing.

076, the number that was branded onto your face, the number that serves you as your name, was now painted onto the black vale you wore over your face. Dressed in your new uniform, you stand in front of her Highness, Princess Ursa.

“I have prepared a gift for you.“ With a smirk, the prince places a hand on your shoulder, and immediately, you salute. Your vale brushes against the tips of your fingers as you bow to the princess. “Since you are carrying my heir, we have decided it would be best to give you a guard.” He looks down on you as he continues, “076 here has been under training since the age of three. I have personally seen her capabilities so I know that she will do a fine job.”

Not a word left the woman’s mouth, she didn’t even look up to see either you or the prince. Quietly, she nodded a thanks to the prince.

There was only one word to describe the princess, pitiful. She was utterly pitiful. Something that a queen of a powerful nation such as yours should never be close to.

For the past month you have been with her, ready to be at her beck and call, you noticed how beautifully pathetic she is. You know you shouldn’t be thinking such blasphemous things but how can you not when those forbidden thoughts are taking form right in front of you?

As you stand on guard by her Highness’s chambers, watching as the maids attend to her, you clench your fist.

No matter how many jewels they decorated her with or how expensive or how high-quality silk she may wear, the blatant sadness in her eyes was like a bucket of waste splattered on a canvas. Yet no one, like you, has spoken a word about it. The closest thing to joy was whenever she was alone in her room when her hand gently patted her own pregnant belly. Something close to a smile would be present on her lips as she hummed a tune.

The tune itself was slower than the one you know.

The maids left once they finished attending to the lady. Now, it was just you and the princess. You noted that there wasn’t a tense silence in the room.

“6, sit down for a bit. You’ve been standing there for five hours now.” Fortunately, the month you spent with her wasn’t for naught. You could tell that she has been slowly getting accustomed to your presence in her everyday life.

You nod and walk up to her. She looks up at you from her vanity chair, her eyes once weary now more at peace.

Kneeling, you sat on the floor. Hands neatly folded on your thighs as you hang your head low, awaiting for any more instructions.

You feel warm fingers on your jaw as it guides you to look up. As she slowly peels your veil off, for the first time, you let out a sigh as a cool breeze hits your face.

You watch her as her eyes take in your face. Her thumb runs on the branded number on your cheek as a dull ache spreads from every heartbeat in your chest.

She furrows her brows, and the scarred tissue on your face makes her heartache. What horrors have you faced at that camp? What tortures have you gone through for the sake of this accursed nation? And what poor souls have gotten their dear child stolen from them?

She felt pity for you, sorrow that you were robbed of love. Pain from the countless scars and burns on your young skin. Guilt for the empty eyes that are staring up at her.

And happiness that she has you by her side.

[yandere-avatar]

Hello!, I hope your day/night is going well!, I thought of something to request and just wanted to shoot my shot lol!

- How about some headcanons of possessive yandere ty Lee?

- // oh and I just wanted to ask this in case your comfy with writing team up yandere scenario's if not I totally understand!-//

-Maybe a scenario where the fire nation squad/ zuko, Azula, mei and ty Lee are all yandere for the reader?

/ I totally understand if you don't vibe with these requests! No pressure to do them just wanted to stress that hgbgb, anyways have a lovely day/night :) /

I write Polygamous stuff, but I don't know if it's the best, but I can always try. This has been in the drafts since: July 14, 2022 [Almost a full year... I'm so sorry. You've probably forgot you requested this because it's been so long] (3rd oldest draft and oldest ask)

[Possessive] Ty Lee

She doesn't understand why you get so mad that she only wants you to pay attention to her

Granted multiple people flirt with her, but she always shuts them down

She watches you and uses her abilities to get to high places to see you

If you're a bender, she uses her Chi Block on you

She's very giddy and loves being with you

She loves partying w/ you and taking you places

She doesn't want you to meet her sisters, in fear of you comparing them to each other

She wants to be herself with you

She's ecstatic and always energized

She always defends you when someone tries to make you look dumb

Unlike Mai, she would trade the other nations if they kidnapped you, because she loves you more than anything else in the world

Though, she is like Mai in the sense she'll betray Azula, because she loves you more than she fears her

Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, and Zuko

You were at first with Ty Lee

Though, you two were never official

You two just bonded better than the rest of them

Zuko and Mai became protective over you, seeing you repeatedly get hurt

Azula just saw you as stupid and she liked humiliating you

Zuko saw himself in you and wanted to protect you from Azula

^Mai was jealous at first, but soon realized you weren't enemies, but friends. You deserved to be protected from the monster that is Azula

You love Azula, because you've realized that she's never really had love in her life [It's more out of pity]

You go with them everywhere, though this gets you a lot hurt

They always get you, but then Azula becomes a little more anxious about letting you come

Azula would never tell you, but she loves you more than anything in the world and that scares her

Ty Lee just thinks your fun, but she doesn't really form a complex feeling for you. She just likes that you're fun

Mai and Zuko see themselves as your protector, especially against Azula. They kind of act like your parents, but they're both distant emotionally, but you definitely open them up

The GAang [Katara, Sokka, Aang, and Toph]

Katara was the first to fall for you, but not the first to tell you her feelings

It's probably Sokka who tells you

But you don't take it seriously, because he's a flirter

Toph is mean to you and is kind of like a big bully

Aang is nice and treats you like he's known you forever

You both just click so well

When Toph and Katara fight, you are brought into their fights, because they want you to be on their side

"I think Sokka is calling me-"

You don't want to catch that smoke

You're probably the most scared of Katara, she reminds you of a scary mother, but don't tell her, because she wants you to see her as a lover not a mother

It took you the longest to get close to Toph, because she has walls up and it's hard to get them down

You bring up her being blind and she get super angry and you quickly blush in embarrassment

^ You do try and watch it and be more considerate of her, but she also doesn't want you to treat her different. Just treat her like the rest. Once you do, she'll let you in

Aang and Sokka make fools themselves in front of you, because they're not good with crushes, no matter how smooth Sokka is

Though you do all get along better than the relationship with the fire nation group [Ty Lee, Azula, Zuko, and Mai]

You're very close and it's hard to break you apart

[the-director]

My Tav Calder! He is a half drow bard.

Bonus info specifically: (contain spoilers for the endings and epilogues.)

Gale: when I started playing Calder (he is my second playthrough) I had the intention of romancing Gale. So I pursued him hard. And then... oh and then karlach came onto me. And I fell. Hard. Had to break up with gale. I think that. In the story of this playthrough, this breakup is the reason why I wasn't able to convince him to give up the crown.

Lae'zel: despite being a bard, Calder does enjoy a good fight as I picked college of swords for him. But that is not the reason why they are friends, they are friends because they relate to their pasts. Calder does have a noble background, but he was also sold into slavery (long story short he is in a bit of a zuko situation. But instead of finding the avatar, he got sold and is told to "work to earn his place among his family") so. They both understand the weight of high expectations. But also I like their dynamic due to what lae'zel says to you in the epilogue if she goes with Orpheus. That you taught her diplomacy, and I think that's very fitting for her and Calder (or rlly with her and a bard/high charisma/pacifist tav)

Shadowheart: honestly I feel like shadowheart is so... older sister? The way that she tries to be above everyone, the way she is so sparky to you, but also becomes loyal and trusting of you. Idk it reminds me of older sisters in like early 2000s movies. As a result, when I'm not romancing her. I tend to view her and my tav as feeling a kinship to eachother. I think this is also because of both of them being half elves.

Wyll: I actually have a lot of thoughts about Calder and wyll, specifically because of Calder growing up in this rich upperclass family, they probably met eachother while they were younger, or at least both of them are aware of their families (I'm still deciding how old I want Calder to be, and how long he was a slave) so there's like. Both of them know eachothers childhoods, but then both have to wonder "what happened to you for you to wind up here" I imagine they have a heart to heart with wyll talking about the pact and getting sent away by his father, and Calder talking about his wild magic that got him rejected by his family and then further being betrayed by them.

Another component of this relationship is the "karlach protection squad" I feel like it's basically canon that wyll and karlach, whether or not they romance eachother, will be very close and have a friendship together. And so especially with karlachs infernal engine, they both feel this need to protect her, to find a way to save her life. Which is just. So neat yknow? This strong durable character who is yet so vulnerable due to this replacement for a heart she has, something imposed against her. That she tried to make work for her, and it did, for a bit. Until when she finally thinks she can get her life back. She instead finds she's a dead girl walking.

Anyways. Both wyll and Calder are devoted to her in this way. And so even though they're kind of in that space of "so similar to eachother that we hate eachother since we can see every fault and flaw that we hate about ourselves in the other" they put aside their similarities and work towards this goal.

Astarion: Calder is, ngl, highly morally dubious. He is. Incredibly two-faced, or more precisely 6 faced. He's very much a people pleaser, a liar one may call him. He breaks every law for his own gain. Which astarion can get behind. Calder reads astarion like a book moreso than anyone else, which is why Calder trusts him. Astarion may be seen as "untrustworthy" but Calder trusts because he knows what he does, he can rely on that. I'm thinking this is especially in the early game. Where Calder might not have been too sure about the other ones and their true intentions.

I think, perhaps this trust is also due to their shared background. Of course I made calders backstory specifically so that it could parallel everyone else's and deal with the similar themes of "lack of autonomy" and "authority" and so on. But I think other than wyll, calders background is the most like astarions. And so since he is familiar to this. Desperation and fear for safety that astarion feels all the time. That is why he *knows*

Halsin: Remember how there was that glitch where gales approval was super easy to get, and as a result he would hit on every single tav regardless of how much you talked to him and as a result he came off as a huge creep and people hated him? That's how I feel about halsin.

Jaheira: similar to shadowheart, but in this one I JUST. LOOK AT JAHEIRA AND I HEAR MY MIND GO. "PLEASE ADOPT ME" if she adopted me everything would be right with the world (it wouldn't but) my mommy issues. Just. (I have three moms, which one would think would mean I have no mommy issues. No I just have three different types of mommy issues)

Anyways. Seriously. I think that at first Calder would kind of have the karlach fangirl moment, he wouldn't externalize it. But it would definitely happen. Overtime though they develop the bond of cub and crow. And I think. The definitive good ending for Calder is one where he joins the harpers. (I'm just now realizing that then he would be Chris pines character in dnd and karlach would be that one barbarian lady)

Karlach: she snuck into my heart, and I think she snuck her way into calders too. I think at first, it starts with passion, it starts with warmth and comfort in eeachothers arms. Then it evolves into late-night talks around the campfire. Of him singing her favorite songs, telling her favorite tales. Maybe they do it together. Him on his lute and just her singing. Or them acting scenes together. I imagine them fighting together, him inspiring her, healing her maybe, her defending him and beating anything that hurts him into a pulp. I imagine them entering the city together. He took the tadpole, she is so worried for him. She tries not to let it show. His ego is bruised. He's hurting inside. They open up though, they find solace in eachothers arms again. That one scene happens, they talk about the future they'll never get. The cabin, with the goat. Oh how he wished he could perform for her forever.

I finished the game before patch 5, before going to hell meant finding a cure. And even then, I think Calder wouldn't force her to go. I think Calder always gets wyll out of the contract and wyll decides to be Duke. And so she dies. On the docks.

And Calder is ruined.

But he develops a plan. Undo timeline.

[akiizayoi4869]

I just saw a confession on Atla-confessions that raised a good point, why were the Kyoshi warriors Zuko's bodyguards, why weren't they Aangs. Now I cant stop imagining Suki creating the Aang Protection Squad, penguin sledding is a mandatory rite of initiation.

That is a very good point. Would be interesting too. If they had to be someone's bodyguards you would think that the last person on that list was the guy who burned down their village.

.... And now I'm imagining the whole "penguin sledding rite of initiation" scenario and I can't get it out of my head😂

[franklanqdon]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....Thanks....

This is the hardest question ever but okay in no particular order:

Lorelai Gilmore ; I identify with her so bad cause my relationship w my mom sucks lorelai protection squad for life

Dean Winchester ; eldest daughter bisexual leather jacket wearing pathetic ass

Arthur pendragon ; the man the myth the legend. I grew up on Arthurian legends cause my grandma lives walking distance from tintagel castle

Jennifer jareau ; mother. Need I say more

Nick Nelson ; my tiny little baby man I just love him so softly like a baby bird

Zuko ; I feel like I don’t have to explain him

Cinderella but specifically Danielle in ever after ; recently found out I’m a Cinderella girl but Danielle means the world to me. Women rising out of their situations and ruling the world

Alanna the lioness ; I wanted to be her so bad bro she was my Percy Jackson she was eleven I was eleven I grew up with her and she had a SWORD

James potter ; I honestly couldn’t even explain this cause he has like zero real backstory but the James potter that lives in my head is so important

Andrew minyard ; I love evil men

[thedawningofthehour]

Tbh I just love how Deep In The Shit Draxum and Galois are at this point with whatever the outcome of all of this is. I think, in a lot of stories where a main character is brainwashed and joins the bad guys, they always pull their punches in how long it lasts and what they do while they've switched sides. But here, not only has Draxum gotten Donnie/Galois to do some Heinous Shit (not only to his family once he figures all that shit out, but like. Yknow. War) but also??? The genuine emotional bond.

Like. In terms of long term damage and pain, the genuine care and rapport Draxum and Galois have is probably my favorite* part of DOTH because how do you 1) resolve the idea of someone who you think loves and cares about you and you have more in common with than almost anybody doing THAT to you and 2) how do you process that part of your life where things were undeniably good (and in some ways better) with the fact that it only came from pain and led you to do horrible things?? Every single twist in this story has me on the edge of my emotional seat Donnie is going to have psychological issues beyond comprehension when this is all done

*this is technically a lie because my real favorite thing about DOTH is your fantastic hidden city worldbuilding. Its become canon to me and also I could hear about how yokai society works forever. You really make it feel real in a way that really makes the story click. I also lump Draxums family under here bc they are legit fantastic break Bella out of jail so i may propose marriage

I very much dislike it when authors so clearly try to keep their precious darlings from doing anything problematic. Especially when they're trying to portray them as being morally grey or in the wrong, or even just showing poor judgement.

Katniss kills a civilian woman without hesitation to protect her squad. Zuko burns down Kyoshi village searching for the Avatar. Daenerys throws an entire region into chaos in her noble but naïve attempt to wipe out slavery. These are all characters we're supposed to like, that we generally do still like in spite of their problematic actions. (unless you're a Dany hater, in which case get off my blog and learn some reading comprehension) Their misdeeds give them depth, places to improve themselves and mature. That's what characters should be doing. If your protagonist keeps their hands clean the entire time, not only do they end up passive observers in their own story but it gives them no opportunity for growth. Daenerys learning from her ignorance and sculpting herself into a better ruler is not only a major component of her own story, but it's what sets her apart from the five kings. Avatar wouldn't be half of what it is without Zuko's redemption arc. And Katniss had to be that merciless, fatalistic Mockingjay to kill Coin-and killing Coin changes the meaning of the entire story.

The fucking world-building. I just watched a video today on world-building tips, and the guy doing the video essay used a Rubic's Cube as a metaphor for putting together all the different parts that make up a living, interesting fictional world and making them work together, with the disclaimer of DO NOT BUILD YOUR ENTIRE GODDAMN WORLD IN FULL DETAIL FOR THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE YOU WILL DIE. And I felt that on an emotional level. I've been re-reading ASOIAF lately, and I'm starting to develop more sympathy for Germ taking 'checks notes' twelve years so far to write the next book. I think he's legit weighed down by Worldbuilder's Disease and now the story is too big for him to hold up. I very much enjoy the world-building, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't. But oh my god it is a well with no bottom and I am pressing my feet and shoulders against the side trying not to fall.

[littleweowmeow]

I see you repost a lot of pro zuko post in the last weeks and I wanted to ask, have you notice how much more anti zuko post have been posted in the last months ? I don’t usually mind zuko metas but the last ones I’ve seen are sooooo full of bullshit, they’ll claim things that didn’t happen in the series or misinterpreting things, to make him appear more villainous or more unredeemable ? kind of weird.

i do understand that the sudden rise of zuko’s hate comes from fanon zuko who’s basically a whole ass new character and certainly not canon zuko, but it’s seriously annoying. like I feel that this happens also with Aang. he also gets shit on by soooo many people for the wrong reasons, always citing things that didn’t really happen (or at least not like it’s usually cited) and… is the atla fandom seriously regressing ? how is it possible to misinterpret things like that in a children show. ofc atla is pretty mature for a children show, but it’s also not some Faustian bible with hours long needed interpretation to understand something.

Oh, of course I noticed. Actually, I used to be a fan of reading canon/fanon Zuko comparison posts, but then I realized something. The people writing such posts (mainly Azula Stans) just took advantage of the hype around canon/fanon Zuko, and the one they call the "canon" Zuko is actually not Zuko from the series at all. Seriously, Zuko is much cooler than all this. In fact, this is just a covered-up hatred in order to expose their favorite (Azula) better than she really is, because of incorrect characteristics and other bullshit addressed to Zuko. In general, the tag "anti Zuko" is blocked because I will not tolerate this diarrhea in my feed, but it continues to appear. This is not a criticism or discussion at all, so it's not worth paying attention to.

It seems to me that Atla fandom has sunk to the point that when I see a person saying the right and ironically obvious things, I almost idolize that person because damn it, is there really a person with brains here. What is happening in the fandom is either a special incitement to hatred for God knows what reasons, or people are really degrading at the speed of light. I know that a lot of hatred for Zuko stems from the ship wars (it's just ridiculous), but there is another point. Due to Zuko, it is easier to put your favorite in a more favorable light (it does not matter what specific example we are talking about) For example, this idea that Zuko is a bad firebender is a lie hammered into his head by his abusive father and the show actively refutes this idea. Some people just benefit from picking it up, it's something like "woooo Zuko is a prince and he's had the best teachers all his life and he's still worse than the "character name". Although this is a complete discrediting of the facts and not a desire to take into account the fact that Zuko's mental problems had a strong effect on his bending. And of course this nonsense about him being bad because he's not a child prodigy. There are many such examples, some of them have become considered canon. For example, that he is bad at firebending and stupider than the rest. Now there is really a lot of mischaracterization and humiliation of Zuko, but this is nothing more than a pathetic attempt to make their favorite seem better. It's just not worth a drop of time.

About Aang, I don't often see content with him, but my God, the reason for almost all of Aang hate is the ship wars. I may be wrong, because I have never participated in ship wars, so this is just a look from the outside. I'm sure that Aang hate reasons are almost the same as what I said about Zuko.

[boss-the-goofball]

AU Ask Game

1.) Fire Nation Airbender!Izuku. How does Izuku handle the finding out about the sheer depth of the lying propaganda he has been fed? Specifically, seeing warcrimes the Fire Nation commits firsthand (a la Zuko Alone). Especially if his father was a Fire Nation

2.) Aizuku AU. Is Shirakumo a Soul Reaper, and if so, how’s he handling things? Especially if he ends up around Aizawa and Hizashi.

3.) Homeroom Teacher Nighteye. If Izuku isn’t transferred out of Nighteye’s class and thus decides to join Shiggy, how does that ultimately go? Does anyone in 1-A join him? How does Bakugo react? Does All Might blame Nighteye?

4.) Midoriya Tenko. How does the media react to the revelation of who this universe’s Shigaraki is? Does Endeavor remain a hero, or is he forced to resign in scandal? And where’s Dabi during all of this?

I have to do them all because they're so good

Airbender Izuku AU

In this verse he grew up in the capital and even went to one of the Fire Nation schools, so he was deep in it; especially when it came to the history of the Air Nomad Genocide and that it was Sozin who had no choice but to take out the Air Nation's Armies. So when he discovers his bending and is forced to run away, he is devastated when he realizes just how wrong it was.

Because Izuku was revealed to be an airbender and ran away instead of facing justice for his "crimes" his parents were made to face the crimes in his stead. Hisashi was executed while Inko was sent to a work camp. Whether she survives to the end of the war or not depends, it's very likely that she will be rescued.

Out of everyone in his squad, Bakugou was the one taken completely off-guard. Here they thought Izuku was just a non-bender, destined to remain as a foot soldier while Bakugou would go on to become a general or even an admiral. Now he gets pulled into a team dedicated to hunting Izuku, until he eventually gets recruited by Azula herself when Izuku inevitably joins Team Avatar.

Aang is super excited when he meets Izuku. He talks about everything he can teach. Just because Aang is still, in his mind, twelve doesn't mean he won't use his actual age to declare seniority over his new student. This amuses Katara while Sokka is a little wary, because Izuku did grow up in the heart of the Fire Nation.

Things get extra awkward when Zuko joins the team.

Aizuku AU

Yes, Shirakumo is a Soul Reaper here. It's actually funny, he technically became a Soul Reaper far faster than an ordinary Plus as it only took him about a year after his death to become a Soul Reaper. It was his drive to protect those he cares about, the ones he bound his Chain of Fate to, that allowed him to become one when his chain inevitably broke.

Ironically, Shirakumo was actually brought into the Fifth Division of the Gotei 13, under Captain Hirako Shinji. He hopes to one day master Hollowification and become a Visored like his Captain.

For a few years he was actually handling things pretty well. Even got the chance to go down in secret to see how his old friends were doing, though he sometimes regrets dying the way he did with how Aizawa handled it. Sometimes he curses at his old (boy)friend for being unnecessarily harsh on his students.

Unfortunately whenever he's in the Living World, he feels a tug on his soul. This is how he found out what happened to his body, and he is not happy with this at all. Unfortunately, he is not allowed to attack those of the Living World, only Hollows.

However, he soon finds a loophole on what to do with All for One~

Homeroom Teacher Nighteye AU; Bad Ending Edition

It goes absolutely horribly, for all except Tomura and Izuku.

All Might definitely blames Nighteye, but he also blames himself. In this verse, he would have regretted not fighting to get Nighteye out of UA sooner. He regrets not communicating with his successor better, regrets not seeing the signs. In a twist of fate, All Might himself decides to leave UA completely to find his student and either bring him to a better school...or join him.

Bakugou physically attacked Nighteye. For most of his time he held himself back because he figured Izuku would have found a way to brush off Nighteye's words, or that someone would step in. He knew it wouldn't be appropriate if he himself stepped in, because of his complicated history with Izuku. He doesn't care if he gets expelled for punching out a teacher, the bastard had it coming.

Kirishima, Mina, Kaminari, Momo, and Tokoyami all follow Izuku. At that point, after seeing first-hand how horrible Nighteye could be, they lost all faith in UA and vowed to help Izuku in whatever way they can.

Just like in the planned ending for the actual fic, Nighteye gets fired and Tomura gets his hands on him. On the bright side- Tomura does not get the AfO Quirk because Izuku flat out says "Hey, this seems like a bad idea."

Midoriya Tenko

The media are appalled, to the point where they demand Endeavor resign. They don't care what everyone else says, this man drove his own child into villainy!

Dabi is in complete shock at that dramatic reveal. He did not know who Shigaraki really was, and now that he knows who it is...he actually does a fucking heel-face-turn and joins the Heroes because "Surely this means Dad will know his mistake and want me back!"

Endeavor stays a Hero, though he is on thin ice with the public. It's to the point where he only appears to take down villains and doesn't bother with interacting with anyone else. He even buys a small apartment for himself so people will quit going to his house to harass his family.

Tenko and Izuku both come to Endeavor's defense, hoping to remind the people of his actions as a Hero and how his personal life should not impact his work. Especially with all the lives he has saved, and all the ways he helped them both.

All for One is very pleased with how this reveal went down, even while stuck in Tartarus.

[browneyesandhair]

Hey! It's ya girl! April Edition

I got no chill and a large obsession with a lot of things. So this year, I'm tracking it! Okay, so this year, is the year of recs! (you may have seen some of my posts, but I also have an extensive queue, so maybe not (check out the #recs on my page)). Running a little behind (it's already June, oops!)

Anyways, I've created a collection for this year overall and then also for each month! Let's check out April's stats -

Works read (&finished): 112

Fandoms (top 8):

1 - Bridgerton: 33

2 - Harry Potter: 28

3 - The Vampire Diaries: 16

4 - Young Justice: 15

5 - Les Miserables: 13

6 - Criminal Minds: 2

7 - Percy Jackson and the Olympians: 1

8- Merlin: 1

The rest didn't make the first drop down section of AO3, so oh well! Let's check in on relationships (top 8):

1 - Polin: 33

2 - Klaroline: 16

3 - Spitfire: 14

4- Enjolras/Eponine: 13

5 - Harmony: 9

6 - Hinny: 5

7 - Roy Harper/Jade Nguyen: 4

8 - Dick Grayson/Zatanna Zatara: 2

Quite a few recs that were reread/added to the list this month:

Harry Potter:

The Changeling by Annerb

Summary:

Ginny is sorted into Slytherin. It takes her seven years to figure out why.

Sequels also read: pick it up, pick it all up and start again, we can still be, who we said we were, and in my head we do everything right

Six Pomegranate Seeds by Seselt

Summary:

At the end, something happened. Hermione clutches at one fraying thread, uncertain whether she is Arachne or Persephone. What she does know is that she will keep fighting to protect her friends even if she must walk a dark path.

Sequels also read: Bouquet of Asphodels

Forever Means Forever by cocoartist

Summary:

If she ever saw Unspeakable Number 37 again she would kill him with her bare hands: Hermione's research into the Veil has an unexpected side-effect. COMPLETE.

Les Mis:

It Is Not a Word Spoken by CrazyAce_n_PokerFace

Summary:

*…I don't understand. You can't possibly be suggesting you were seriously trying to sext me.* She stares at his words and exhales slowly before typing, *And if I was…?* É/E Modern AU. The long-awaited sexting fic. Very NSFW. Dedicated to the wonderful samthenardier as a birthday gift. Title taken from the lovely poem "It Is Not a Word" by Sara Teasdale.

Merlin:

Radioman by Footloose

Summary:

The reason SAS Captain Arthur Pendragon can't keep a communications specialist in Team Excalibur because none of them are good enough. And then Lieutenant Merlin Emrys gets assigned to his squad, and Arthur does everything he can to prove that Merlin isn't good enough, either. Except he is.

Atla:

Returned for a Better Try (to Make a Better Time) by atypicalhypocrite

Summary:

The Fire Lord’s blast is sharp and thorough. Still on his knees before his father, a thirteen year old dies instantly. Another Zuko, once teacher to the avatar and a Fire Lord himself, jolts into being in his place, and deals with the consequences. Timeline preservation nothing, he’s going to be a better Fire Lord this time, and start sooner.

Star Trek:

Ten Degrees Below Zero by kianspo

Summary:

After a serious incident aboard a starship, Commander Spock is demoted and transferred to a remote base where he must now serve with other "undesirables." He adjusts to his new rank and duties, and, while the future does look bleak, he is not ready to give up on himself or Starfleet yet. There is work to be done and hope to be found, especially as he begins to get to know his new colleagues, particularly one intriguing engineering officer James Kirk...

The Vampire Diaries:

At Horizon's Edge by Cupcakemolotov

Summary:

Sometimes when a girl goes on a shopping trip to pick up a new pair of boots at the local, and somewhat hostile, human space station, she accidentally aids and abets a prison break instead. What happens in the black really doesn't stay in the black.

The Umbrella Academy:

broken still you breathe (breathe, breathe, just breathe) by Eternal_Peace_is_Overrated

Summary:

“He’s not coming,” Luther says impatiently. “Let's just get this over with.” “Who’s not coming?” The voice sounds behind them suddenly, and all of them startle and whip around in synchronization. “Klaus,” Luther hears himself say distantly. “You’re…here.” Four tilts his head, bringing his hand to his lips and inhaling deeply around the cigarette dangling between his fingers. When he exhales, the smoke curls around his head like a halo before drifting into the air. “Yeah, well, I would’ve gotten here sooner,” Four says around the cigarette. “But I just really didn’t want to.” *** Number Four shows up to the funeral three hours late with an iced latte in one hand and a cigarette dangling from the other. Or; Klaus fled the Academy the day they turned eighteen. He never looked back. Ten years later, their father dies. Number Four returns. And none of them quite know what to do with this new version of their black sheep brother. AKA: Klaus single-handedly stops the apocalypse. It really wasn't that hard, so if everyone could stop looking at him like that, that would be great, thanks.

Bridgerton:

Plenty Far To Fall by useyourtelescope

Summary:

When financial troubles mean third-son Colin Bridgerton must cease his yearly travels and find employment instead, he has difficulty finding something suitable. Until he learns of a unique position being offered by the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown.

Alright, that's all folks (mostly), for fun, here are the top 8 additional tags from the stories that I read in April:

AU - Modern Setting: 24

AU: 16

Smut: 14

Fluff: 10

Friends to Lovers: 10

AU - Canon Divergence: 9

Angst: 8

Explicit Sexual Content: 7

And, that's all folks (for real this time)!

[a-man-named-shang]

Characters that Inspire Shang:

Zuko - particularly this drive for duty/honor. I think this will be especially more relevant when Shang finds out more about his father and that situation and correlate some with Book Three Zuko somewhat. I'm thinking especially with the messed up family and wanting to fix things and that strong care for other people. Also since canon Shang sings about all the force of a raging fire, so why couldn't Shang be linked to a badass fire bender (this is what I'll imagine for him in an ATLA au). See me possibly prepping some ATLA aesthetics soon to celebrate og Avatar (idk how to feel about this new show still). Also the awkward side of Zuko? Yeah I think there's that awkward to Shang in there too.

Charles from The Brothers Sun - Laur brought this guy to my attention and once I watched the show I thought yes 10000/10. He is Shang inspo. He's the older sibling, he's responsible, he feels like he has to do everything. His motto is protect the family. He prioritizes this over his own needs and interests. Charles fights and fights even though he has these soft good things he likes, like churros and perfecting a recipe and all that. And Shang too he focuses on his responsibility and his family's needs, his company's needs. He hasn't really let himself dwell on the things he might actually need.

Takashi "Mori" Morinozuka from Ouran High School Host Club - This is going to probably seem like an odd take, but hear me out. He's the more stoic character type in a very chaotic and crazy vibe of a squad. He comes from a family that has lived to serve another family for generations. There's that duty that's ingrained in him and that's something ingrained in Shang. He's serious and Shang is serious, and I think Shang if faced with someone with that sort of bright optimism and softness like Mori with Honey would also be protective and want to defend them with his life.

Zoro from One Piece - you have to have the more straight/serious guy opposite of the goofball like Zoro is to Luffy. It's a similar situation as Mori and Honey to me. He's a swordsman, and Shang canonically uses a sword of course. Swyn Shang is a fencer, but to me it is the right sort of feel. I think if Shang didn't have duties to his family, or responsibilities that he had to hold onto, maybe he would have a dream like Zoro. Being the best fencer in the world or something like it. I think he would probably admire a character like Zoro and want to embody some of him.

Tuxedo Mask - You all know I talked about doing that personality quiz to see what inspo I could find? Most of them were all serious leaders, which fair yeah, people like T'Challa and Mufasa and George Washington in Hamilton and all that. But Tuxedo Mask was also on the list and at first I thought that was pretty funny, but then I thought about it a bit and you know what? Yeah. That's a vibe. That can give me some inspo. It's the protector energy, which is so deeply rooted in my Shang muse. Also the roses? I know it sort of grew from Regency there, but I am thinking Swyn reality Shang also really has a love for roses. And so the rose connection and Tuxedo Mask using them as a weapon is a nice touch. I like that link. It's also doing everything in one's ability to protect the person you love, and Shang would do that for the people he cares deeply about.

Captain America - I used to write a Captain America/Steve Rogers muse. That energy is in there somewhere still I think and it does seep into my strong responsible muses. I think some of that energy was in Arthur, and some is in Shang too. Plus a bit more sass like Steve Rogers has. lol. If Arthur was Captain America, he would have been the fresh out of ice (or out of the grave lol) just wanting to fight for the town and protect everyone as he knows it, then Shang is the Winter Soldier era Cap and on, with some social awareness and interest and settling into himself. Still very responsible and putting that before his mental health, but willing to do some other things. Shang is also willing to do other things, he just won't prioritize them. But he will try dating and things like that which Arthur wouldn't have done. Yeah this turned a little into an Arthur vs. Shang comparison within the inspo but I can't help it. They are similar muses, but also different as I said.

So yeah, those are my character inspo things for Shang right now. Fun journey. Next i'll probably want to do aesthetics. Who knows.

[discordiansamba]

The next few days were, perhaps, the most awkward in Sokka's life.

It was the kind of awkward he'd expected to happen back when Zuko first allied himself with them in the North Pole to protect the moon spirit from Zhao's insane plan- except that hadn't happened. He'd slotted in with them like he was an old friend, despite chasing them all across the Earth Kingdom. Except it turned out that:

a.) Except for the first time, that had actually been Suki.

b.) Zuko had been a part of their group the entire time without them knowing. They'd just thought he was Suki.

Now that they were keenly aware of Suki and Zuko's... unique situation, he'd like to say it was impossible to forget it. Except it kind of wasn't- especially since the two people in question carried on as if life were normal. Which, he guessed to them it kind of was. Suki helped Katara prep meals and helped him brush up on his Kyoshi Warrior lessons. Zuko taught Aang firebending, and sparred with him in his free time.

Except no, that wasn't correct. Because Zuko was Suki, and Suki was Zuko. Suki was teaching Aang firebending ("I'm not a firebender right now," the actual Zuko had said, "-besides, Suki's just as good as me.") and Zuko was the one helping him run Kyoshi Warrior drills ("He needs something to keep him busy," the actual Suki had said, "-and he's almost as good at it as I am.")

(Sometimes they sparred with each other, and wasn't that a sight to behold.)

The only one who seemed unbothered by this development was Toph, who had just shrugged and inducted Suki on an honorary basis into the blind squad. Suki had had taken it as a great honor, bowing deeply- Fire Nation style.

("Habit," she'd said, "-it's ingrained into this body."

"Yeah," Zuko agreed, "-I can't not do it Earth Kingdom style in this body.")

...and then, against all odds, things became normal again.

It made sense when Sokka stopped to actually think about it. They hadn't known it, but this was the arrangement they'd always had whenever both Suki and Zuko were part of the group. The only thing that had changed was that they knew the truth now. The person using Zuko's body was Suki, and the person using Suki's body was Zuko.

It was weird, but it wasn't anything... new, he guessed?

("But seriously," Sokka leaned over the table towards Suki, "-every time Zuko was chasing us- that was you?"

"Not every time," Suki said, "-the first time was all him. Zuko's the one who hired that bounty hunter, though."

"Hey!" Zuko glared at them from across the room- something that was a lot less effective when he didn't have his signature scar. "I thought Uncle wasn't cool with treason back then. Give me a break!"

Suki just used Zuko's body to make a rude gesture at its owner. Zuko rolled Suki's eyes and promptly chucked the nearest object at his body. They took it outside immediately afterwards. In hindsight, Sokka had no idea how no one had noticed these two were childhood friends sooner.

Just of a really, really weird sort.)

Suki and Zuko have been acting weird ever since they arrived at the Fire Lord's beach house.

(Which no matter what Zuko says, is absolutely insane and he's sticking to that.)

They keep pulling the other off to the side and discussing something in quiet whispers. Whenever someone butts in, they immediately shut up. If Sokka didn't know any better, it looks kind of like they're arguing- but that can't be right. Suki and Zuko never argue. They get along so well it's almost scary. Then one morning, they gather everyone together for a group meeting. Whatever it is, it must be serious, because they make sure they're all sitting down first.

"We have something we need to tell everyone," Zuko says.

"-its kind of important," Suki finishes.

They exchange a glance, and then they both point at themselves.

"I'm Zuko," Suki says.

"-and I'm Suki," Zuko finishes.

Toph's feet slam on the floor. Everyone else stares at them in silence. The pair exchange another awkward look, loudly stage-whispering 'what now' and 'I don't know' to each other. Toph helpfully breaks the silence and says that they're either the best actors she's ever met, or they're telling the truth.

"You're- what?" Sokka squawks.

"We swapped bodies," they both reply in unison, "-uh. We just thought we should probably tell you guys."

"What!?" Sokka sputters. "When!?"

"...back at the Boiling Rock?" Zuko who is apparently actually Suki says.

What. Sokka racks his brain, trying to figure out when it happened. He hadn't noticed a single thing! Wouldn't they have said something? Wait. Was it before or after he'd tried to kiss Suki in her cell. It had to have been after, right?

"I don't understand," Katara frowns, "-you two haven't been acting any different since you came back."

"Oh," Suki who is apparently actually Zuko frowns, "-yeah. I guess we should probably drop the act, huh?"

And then, in the blink of an eye, their posture just shifts. Suki folds her arms, taking up a stance they're more familiar with from Zuko. Zuko's entire stance grows looser and more relaxed. Sokka looks at his sister, who looks at Aang, who looks at Toph, who doesn't look at anyone because she never does and-

"Okay," Sokka says, "-now I'm really confused."

"Why were you pretending to be each other?" Aang asks. "I mean, I know we're kind of busy trying to defeat the Fire Lord, but I am the bridge between worlds. I'm pretty sure I can figure out a way to fix this."

"-and why were you so good at it?" Toph asks. "I couldn't even tell."

"Yeah, this doesn't really need fixing." Su-Zuko admits. "Suki and I just do this sometimes."

What.

He must have said that out loud, because a smile that's all Suki flashes across Zuko's face. "We've been doing it all our lives. We just never really saw a reason to bring it up before now. Sorry."

What.

Actually. Wait. Hang on.

"If you two swapped at the Boiling Rock," Sokka began, "-then when I tried to invite Suki to my tent-"

"-oh," Suki's face twists into the kind of awkward expression he'd expect to see on Zuko, "-uh. Yeah. That was me."

"Sorry," Zu-Suki presses his (her?) hands together in apology, "-Zuko and I are going to be like this awhile. We always swap bodies when we're close to each other."

"Kind of annoying, actually," Su-Zuko remarks, "-but if you two want to spend time together, don't stop on my account. Just don't expect me to reciprocate."

"Are you sure?" Zu-Suki frowns.

"Sure," Zu-Suki shrugs, "-I mean, you did help me patch things up with Mai. I didn't even ask you to do that."

Sokka lets his head hit the table. It was official. The spirits hated him. His second girlfriend had turned into Zuko.

(...and why was he considering it?)

[1-8oo-wtfbro]

i love that in every alta u read toph is always zuko’s #1 protector bc she doesn’t see him as the evil dude who chased her friends around the world she just sees him as zuko- the awkward teenager who tries so hard to connect with everyone and feels so guilty about literally everything.

[blinday]

Meanwhile, in tumblr..:

Nobody:

Literally nobody:

Tumblr: *exists*

Me: hey I love my pals.

Or

Tumblr: *existing*

Nichya: *breathes*

Blinday and Sign: NICHYA IS SO COOL!!!

And, finally:

Tumblr: *exists*

Blinday and Sign:

@signlessacolyte

[quantifiableme]

A big part of this argument is talking about the difference between your *main* character and your *favorite* character.

Like Zuko can be your favorite character. Hell, he can even be the more interesting character. However, the main character’s goal and overall arc also reflects the major theme of the story, which in Avatar is about Balance and Responsibility. Zuko understands both of these things inherently, but is shamed out of them by his Father who wants him to be Nationalistic and selfish. Zuko’s arc is to trust the things he already knows to be true IN SPITE of his upbringing.

It’s an awesome character, but the show isn’t about learning to trust yourself. The show is about responsibility.

Aang trusts himself too much, and he skirts out of responsibility. His arc is about embracing his role as the Avatar, and bringing balance to the world. THAT is why he is the main character.

Now let’s talk about Voltron. What is the main theme of Voltron? It’w a giant robot that needs to be manned by five people. It very easily can be a show about working together, cooperation, and the good of the community > the good for the individual.

At the start of the show, Shiro knows this inherently. That’s why he’s the leader, and must teach everyone else.

Keith also knows this, but to an unhealthy degree. He’ll starve himself for the people he is loyal to; easily giving up everything to find Shiro. This is also why the BOM arc is so perfect for him, because it’s essentially a sucicide squad of people who ONLY care about the mission. And they are WRONG. Because the show isn’t about mission > individual. It’s about COMMUNITY > individual, which includes the individual. You can’t help the community when you die, because that is killing a part of the community.

So Keith’s arc is about learning he is apart of something. And to protect that community, he must also take care of and protect himself. Again, this is a great message ESPECIALLY for kids.

But the theme of the show is about learning to put the community above the wants of the individual. Keith is a great foil for this message, but he cannot be the main character because he doesn’t learn this lesson.

You know who does?? LANCE.

Lance’s whole arc is about humility. He is the first to get a Lion because he asks “What if you just knocked”? He is friendly and social, and (like I said before) is the only character with a genuine and individual banter with ALL of the other characters. He’s best friends with Hunk, he’s like a big brother to Pidge, he’s rivals with Keith. Shiro is his role-model, but there are so many funny moments between the two in the beginning still. Even with Coran and Allura, who easily could be pushed to the side, Lance as a character works to bring them back into every scene.

Lance CREATES the community. As the comic relief, he creates opportunities for the other characters to react, and we as the audience get to see them more as people. (Note: this is as a study as a character as a tool in the scene. Lance is an effective tool.)

Lance’s arc as a character is about learning to let his ego go, and become a good second in command to Keith. YES, Keith is still the leader in this story, that’s important to Lance’s character development. Lance needs to humble himself and do what’s good for the team, which is NOT being the Black Paladin.

(Now, I do think a better ending would be to make Lance the Black Paladin later, when it is no longer something cool or fun. Instead, Lance becomes the Black Paladin out of necessity, out of responsibility. When he does not want to, but had to.)

Lance should not date Allura. Allura should reject Lance, and Lance should have to come to terms with that. Allura should not die!! Self-sacrifice is a bad message to teach children!! THAT’S WHY KEITH’S ARC WAS SO COOL!! (Shiro can die, but more as a metaphor that he is no longer needed in the narrative. He is a teacher, and they do not need to be taught. (Also this wouldn’t be “killing your gays” because we make Keith gay (don’t even have to rewrite it) and his whole arc if “You are a part of a community” becomes all that more relevant.)

Anyway, Lance being the main character makes the story better because it *focuses your theme*. Instead the story doesn’t make sense.

as a retrospective, it is a kind of tame cruelty what the writers did with Lance as a character

because I have, and will, talk again about they set him up as the perfect protagonist in the first episode. after the prologue, he’s the first character we hear speak, which is a good writing technique to imply his importance in the story. they perfectly establish his arrogance (main character flaw), and how it effects his actions. (They fail the mission because, although he had the skills to lead the team, he gets cocky and crashes the plane.) after they crash, the drill sargent guy IMMEDIATELY chews him out and brings up how Lance was only there because Keith dropped out.

i’m not saying he has to be your favorite character, but the first five minutes of the episode are like a crash course in how to write a complex protagonist. He’s charming, he’s arrogant but IMMEDIATELY faces the consequences for it, and he’s only arrogant because he’s trying to prove himself to the people around him. That’s nuance! That’s good writing! And all of it is done through Lance’s actions and the consequences of those actions.

(We could also talk about how he is the only character who has a genuine and unique relationship with ALL the other cast members, which also makes him a perfect POV character for an *ensemble show*. That’s why Zuko is the FOIL for Aang, but Aang is the main character.)

On top of this, it worked! Audiences LOVED Lance, and they related to him. He’s insecure and want’s to prove himself, which is a goal a lot more relatable than anyone else’s. The popularity of Langst, or fics where Lance was put through extreme situations to test his perserverence, or have other characters appreciate him more, is a good signal that audiences want more from this character. It’s like the kid that imagines his own funeral to think about how people would miss him. It’s fucked up, but its something a lot of teenagers who feel ignored or under appreciated do. (It’s STRONG EMOTIONS)

So, with the knowledge that this is the audience that relates to this character: teenagers who struggle with identity and validation. Teenagers who feel like they always have to help others, but feel abandoned in the process. Teenagers who struggle with insecurity, but are ultimately ambitious, even though no one sees them as capable. What do you do with this character?

You take away all of his lines, give him a love story with a character who spends the entire show making fun of him, kill her, and then make him a hermit.