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burntsecrets · 1 month ago

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Start of Something New

Pairing: Zuko x Katara

Word Count: 2,113

Prompt: Crest for Zutara Week 2024 @zutaraweek

Summary: At the crest of the moon, Katara and Zuko share a quiet moment, weighed down by the past yet holding on to a fragile hope for the future they might create together.

Warnings: Violence, battle aftermath, mentions of injuries, emotional vulnerability, themes of redemption, mild romantic tension, mention of past trauma

The air was heavy with the acrid tang of smoke and the fading echoes of Azula’s manic laughter. The sun, just beginning to set, painted the wreckage of the palace courtyard in fiery reds and oranges that mirrored the flames still licking at the distant rooftops. Katara stood at the edge of the courtyard, shoulders heaving, as the last ripple of her waterbending subsided into the cracked earth beneath her feet.

She was drenched, her hair clinging to her face and neck, her hands trembling from exertion. But it was over. Azula was bound, her wild golden eyes still burning with fury as the Dai Li dragged her away. The sound of her restraints clinking echoed through the courtyard like a ghostly reminder of how close they had come to losing everything.

“Katara,” Zuko’s voice broke through the haze, low and edged with something she couldn’t name.

She turned to him, her breath catching at the sight. He looked as battered as she felt, his tunic scorched, soot smudged across the sharp planes of his face. The jagged scar over his eye seemed to deepen in the fading light, a mark of the battles he’d already fought—and the one they’d just survived together.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The courtyard felt vast, a chasm of space and unspoken words stretching between them. Then, slowly, Zuko crossed it, his steps uneven but purposeful.

“You okay?” His voice was hoarse, and the way his gaze swept over her—searching for injuries, for signs of pain—made her stomach twist.

Katara nodded, though the tightness in her chest said otherwise. “I’m fine,” she said, the words clipped, her voice steadier than she felt. She forced her hands to still, clasping them in front of her as if she could hold herself together through sheer will. “What about you?”

He gave a slight shrug, though the movement made him wince. “I’ve been worse.”

The corner of her mouth twitched, almost a smile. Almost.

“You were incredible,” he added, his tone softer now, reverent. “The way you—” He gestured vaguely to the place where Azula had been defeated, where water and ice had triumphed over fire. “I’ve never seen anyone fight like that.”

Katara looked away, the compliment settling awkwardly on her shoulders. She didn’t feel incredible. She felt hollow, every bone in her body heavy with the weight of what she’d done—and what she’d almost lost. “It wasn’t just me,” she said quietly. “We fought her together.”

Zuko’s expression shifted, something flickering in his eyes that Katara couldn’t quite place. He stepped closer, hesitant until they were barely a foot apart.

“You led the fight,” he said firmly, his voice like steel wrapped in silk. “And you saved me. Again.”

Her gaze snapped back to his, the intensity in his voice drawing her out of the storm in her mind. His eyes burned like molten gold, but there was no anger there, no defensiveness. Just gratitude. And something else—something warmer, deeper, that made her chest tighten all over again.

“I couldn’t let her—” Katara started, but her voice caught. She swallowed, shaking her head. “I couldn’t let her win.”

Zuko nodded, understanding without her needing to say more. The silence stretched between them again, but this time, it wasn’t empty. It was charged, the air humming with things unsaid.

Zuko lifted a hand, hesitating just for a moment before brushing a strand of damp hair away from her face. His touch was light, barely there, but it sent a ripple through her like the first wave cresting before a storm.

“Katara,” he said her name like it was something precious, something fragile.

She blinked up at him, her heart pounding in her ears. She wanted to say something—anything—but the words stuck in her throat. Instead, she took a half step closer, the space between them shrinking until it was almost nothing.

His fingers lingered by her cheek, warm against the cool dampness of her skin. “I don’t know if I deserve your trust,” he admitted, his voice barely more than a whisper. “But I’ll do everything I can to earn it. I swear.”

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, all she could see was the boy who had hunted them, the scarred prince whose name had once been synonymous with danger. But that boy was gone. In his place stood a man who had fought beside her, who had chosen the hard path of redemption and stood willing to burn for it.

“You’ve already started,” she said softly, her voice steady now, sure. “And you don’t have to do it alone.”

For the first time in what felt like forever, Zuko smiled. It was small and tentative, but it lit up his face in a way that made her chest ache.

The sunset blazed around them, painting the world in fire and light as the chaos of the battle faded into memory. Together, they stood on the cusp of something new, something fragile but unbreakable.

And for the first time, Katara thought, they might actually be okay.

The days after the battle passed in a blur of activity, rebuilding, and restless nights. The scars left behind by Azula’s fire raged in the form of blackened walls and charred memories, but amidst the destruction, there was a tentative sense of hope. The palace began to fill with whispers of change, murmurs of a new era poised to crest on the horizon.

Katara found herself drawn to the courtyard again and again. It was quieter now, the once-shattered tiles patched but not yet polished. The water in the fountain rippled softly, reflecting the pale glow of the moon as it hung high above. She stood at the edge of the water, barefoot, letting the coolness seep into her skin. The soft hum of her bending stirred the fountain’s surface, the gentle waves mimicking the rhythm of her thoughts.

“You always come here at night.”

She turned at the sound of Zuko’s voice, her lips curving in a faint smile despite the weariness that clung to her. He stood just outside the shadows, his posture as guarded as ever. His royal robes were gone, replaced with a simple tunic and loose trousers, but the weight on his shoulders hadn’t lessened.

“Maybe I just like the view,” she teased lightly, though her voice carried a softness that didn’t quite match the words.

Zuko stepped closer, his boots whispering against the stone. “It’s a little… ruined, don’t you think?”

Katara shook her head. “Not ruined. Just… changing.” She looked back at the fountain, the water glowing faintly in the moonlight. “Water can shape stone over time, no matter how stubborn it is. This place will heal, just like everything else.”

Zuko paused beside her, his gaze tracing the same ripples she had created. “I don’t know if everything can heal,” he murmured, his voice so quiet it was almost lost to the night.

Katara tilted her head to look at him. The moonlight softened his sharp features, but it couldn’t erase the shadows in his eyes. She wanted to reach out, to touch his hand, but the weight of their shared history held her back. Instead, she let the silence between them settle, waiting for him to fill it.

“When I was a kid,” Zuko began, his voice hesitant, “I used to dream about being Fire Lord. I thought it would mean power, honor… respect.” He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “But now, standing on the edge of it, I’m not sure I’m ready. The Fire Nation’s done so much damage. How do I undo that? How do I prove I can be… better?”

Katara watched him carefully, her heart aching at the vulnerability in his words. “You don’t have to do it all at once,” she said gently. “Change doesn’t come with a single wave, Zuko. It comes with a crest, a moment when things start to shift. And you’ve already started that.”

Zuko’s gaze snapped to hers, surprise flickering across his face. “You really think I can do this?”

Katara’s gaze drifted upward to where the moon hung high and bright, its edges perfectly curved like a crest ready to break over an unseen shore. The silver light spilled across the courtyard, softening the jagged edges of destruction, casting the fountain and its rippling waters in an otherworldly glow. It felt like the universe was holding its breath, watching, waiting for them to take the next step.

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured, her eyes fixed on the sky.

Zuko followed her gaze, his expression thoughtful. “The moon?”

She nodded, her fingers absently trailing the water at her feet. “It’s always been a guide, you know? For sailors, for travelers… even for waterbenders. It’s constant, even when everything else feels impossible. It reminds me that there’s always another tide, another chance.”

Zuko’s brow furrowed slightly, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. “I’ve always thought of the sun,” he admitted, his voice quiet. “It’s the center of everything for the Fire Nation—bright, powerful, unrelenting. But the moon… it’s softer, calmer. And it changes, doesn’t it? Growing and shrinking, but always returning.”

Katara turned to him, surprised at the insight in his words. “Exactly. It’s a reminder that nothing stays the same forever. Even in the darkest moments, the light always comes back.”

For a moment, Zuko said nothing, his gaze fixed on the moon’s crest as if seeing it for the first time. When he spoke again, his voice was low, steady. “Maybe that’s what I have to be. Not just the sun—something constant and unyielding—but something that can change. That can adapt, like the moon.”

Katara smiled, the warmth in her chest growing. “You already are,” she said softly. “The Fire Nation doesn’t need someone who can shine the brightest. It needs someone who can rise and fall with the people, who can weather the storms and still guide them forward.”

His eyes met hers, and for a moment, they held there, caught between the crest of the moon above and the future stretching out before them.

“The crest of the future,” Zuko said suddenly, his voice distant as if the words had slipped out unbidden. He gave a small, almost self-deprecating chuckle. “That’s what this feels like. Like we’re right on the edge of something. It’s terrifying.”

“And exciting,” Katara added, her voice barely above a whisper. She grabbed his hand, “You want to know if I think you can do this?”

Zuko nodded, his fingers tightening around hers. Katara smiled, the kind of smile that reached her eyes and softened the tension in her shoulders. “You’ve already done more than you realize. You chose to stand with us. You chose to fight for what’s right, even when it wasn’t easy. That’s the kind of leader the world needs. It’s not just the end of the war, Zuko. It’s the start of something better. Something we get to shape. Together.”

For a moment, Zuko said nothing. His jaw tightened, his gaze distant, but then he looked at her, his golden eyes catching the moonlight in a way that made her breath hitch.

“Do you think…” He hesitated, his voice faltering before he pushed on. “Do you think you’ll stay? After this is over, I mean.”

Katara’s lips parted, but the words didn’t come immediately. She had thought about it—what life would look like after the war, where she would go, what she would do. The thought of leaving him behind had lingered at the edges of her mind, sharp and unwelcome.

“I don’t know,” she admitted softly, her voice almost swallowed by the night. “But I know I want to see what kind of Fire Lord you’ll become.”

His lips quirked into a small, almost shy smile, and for the first time in days, the tension in his shoulders seemed to ease. “No pressure, right?”

Katara laughed, the sound light and free, like a breeze rippling across the water. “None at all.”

They stood there for a while longer, side by side, as the moon climbed higher and the world around them grew quiet. The faint rustle of wind carried with it a promise—of change, of hope, of something new.

As the first light of dawn began to crest over the horizon, bathing the courtyard in soft golds and pinks, Katara looked at Zuko and felt the stirrings of something she couldn’t quite name. Something fragile but unyielding, like water meeting fire.

It would have to wait. Tomorrow, Zuko would take the throne, and everything would change. But for now, they stood together, balanced on the edge of the future, waiting for the tide to carry them forward.

Dividers by @samspenandsword

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rifari2037 · 11 months ago

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I did falling in love with Zutara and I probably always love them!

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valariecomet · 7 months ago

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So, it's this is my last piece for Zutara month! It's been real. So I've fallen back into my Uzumaki obsession again and when I was reading the prompts I saw the prompt time loop for day 30, and when I thought loop I thought spiral, when I thought spiral I thought Uzumaki so I thought that this sorta redraw of that one Uzumaki artwork would be cool. Anyways, have a nice day. Hope you enjoy the rest of your zutara month!

(Also! Just as a general warning, if you haven't read Uzumaki, while I highly recommend it, the manga does contain many different types of horror, such as body horror, psychological horror and gore, so please don't look it up if that stuff is triggering to you.)

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the-zk-directory · 2 years ago

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Zutara Probably Would Have Been Canon in Season 4 – The Masterpost

| [Intro.] |

If you’ve been around or within the Avatar fandom for any period of time you have probably, one way or another, become aware of one of the most intense shipping wars not just of any children’s show, but possibly just in general, one that is well over a decade old by now, approaching two.

Katara and Aang (Kataang), though canon, are often criticized for being one-sided, bad for each of the characters, and rushed. The creators of Avatar though – Mike & Bryan (collectively known as the entity ‘Bryke’) – have stated in the past that Kataang “was in the DNA of the [show] from the start.” (x)

Statements like the above are one of the reasons Zuko and Katara (Zutara) fans have been labelled ‘conspiracy theorists’ when they claim things that contradict Bryke: namely, that Zutara as a pairing was not only a serious consideration during the show’s run, but the likely outcome if the show had continued on for another season, which it seems it almost did.

(This hypothetical ‘Book 4’ was, for a long time, considered a Zutarian conspiracy theory in itself.)

But let’s back up.

How did these so-called conspiracy theories start?

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| [Intro. To The Rumours + Who Is Aaron Ehasz?] |

For a long time, the only thing that Zutara fans could latch onto were rumours. People who claimed to have worked at Nickelodeon, worked in the artistic community and knew things, met a writer in person, etc. This may not sound promising on its face, but the thing is, most of these rumours were consistent. Most of their content concerned the one-time possibility of season 4, and one man in particular: Avatar’s head writer Aaron Ehasz.

We’ll go into those rumours in depth in a second. For right now, here's a little teaser: (x)

But first, who is Aaron Ehasz (& ex-wife Elizabeth Welch) and what were his contributions to the development of Avatar?

[Who Are the Ehaszs, and Why Does Everyone Bring Them Up?] -- (x)(x)

Bonus: (x) (Note that the poster is Giancarlo Volpe btw, another writer on Avatar.)

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| [The Main Rumour Sources – Tumblr Blogs ‘Kataraandzuko’ & ‘Zephyrita’] |

Now we can get to the rumours themselves. The two main sources are both now-deactivated tumblr blogs. ‘Kataraandzuko’ is the first one we’re going to talk about. This person claimed to be an assistant writer/intern on Avatar Books 2/3 with inside knowledge of what went on behind the scenes in the writer’s room.

Meet ‘Kataraandzuko’: (x)

Zephyrita, similarly, claimed to be someone who interned and studied at Nickelodeon Studios in 2007 as an animation color stylist (according to (x)). It seems significant to mention that Zephyrita also claimed to not actually be a Zutara shipper.

(Besides reblogs, a good amount of her original posts can be found on the Wayback Machine. I took screenshots of a few of them and posted them to my blog individually with the links to the rest underneath.)

Meet ‘Zephyrita’: (x)

By the way, while I don’t know when the blogs were first started or when the first rumours concerning season 4 were posted, they seem to have been around since at least late 2015-2016. It’s hard to tell with the blogs and original posts being deactivated, but that’s the earliest I’ve seen. (If anyone sees anything earlier, let me know.) This will become important later.

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| [Controversy: (A conversation I had with…)] |

Now, I said we were going to talk about Kataraandzuko first and the post that we’re going to talk about specifically is this one: (x)

In it, Kataraandzuko claims to have had a conversation with Aaron Ehasz in Philadelphia. Why they were both in Philadelphia is not stated in the post. According to what Kataraandzuko wrote, Aaron seems to strongly imply that he had wanted to explore a romantic relationship between Zuko and Katara. This supposed conversation was turned into a tumblr post and written down in a style reminiscent of an interviewer and interviewee.

Being the only well-known rumour post to be written this way meant it, kataraandzuko themselves, and all the rumours generally would come under a lot of fire when Everything changed when Aaron Ehasz attacked Aaron Ehasz himself came out and said this: (x) in September, 2018.

With Aaron himself basically shooting down the idea that a season 4 (and, by proxy, Zutara) was ever seriously considered or planned, people who had viewed Zutara fans’ theories as nothing more than wild, imaginative conspiracies by desperate shippers felt like they had been proved right: (x)

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| [Other Rumours] |

And yet, rumours persisted.

[This (x) for the record, is kataraandzuko’s follow-up post to their ‘Conversation I had with Aaron Ehasz in Philadelphia’ post. I’ve reblogged a number of their other posts too. But fine, Aaron said the interview was fake, so let’s disregard everything ‘kataraandzuko’ said for now.]

Here’s someone who claims to have been present at a class that Aaron gave a lecture at at UC Berkeley: (x)(x)

(this class seems to have been real – here’s a link to people talking about it 12 years ago; the link on the page appears to have changed though: (x) )

Here’s another post concerning that class, though I’m not sure if the person they’re talking about who attended is actually the same person as above. (x)

Other posts from Reddit, 4chan, & Deviantart: (x)(x)(x)

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| [Evidence Against Kataang] |

[Series Bible] Of course, rumours aren’t really ‘evidence.’ And, while it’s hard to find evidence for something that never happened, it’s not hard to take a look at Avatar’s original series bible, or series outline by Bryke, and see that, though indeed, the series bibles only outlines three seasons, it also doesn’t outline endgame Kataang or suggest it being anywhere near ‘the DNA of the show.’ In fact, Aang and Katara & Sokka separate at the end of this version, with the latter two returning home and Aang going off to search for airbenders. (x)

[“A 50/50 Chance”] Off the record, Bryke even seemed to admit themselves that there might have been a back and forth regarding who exactly was going to end up with who. See here (x) an account of a Kataang fan who thanked Bryke at a comic con, only to be told: “Well, it was a 50/50 chance.“

[M. Night Interview] This was confirmed by a third party as well. ~Certain~ movies he’s made may not have lived up to their expectations but I see no reason why M. Night Shyamalan would lie when he says that at the time he talked to Mike and Bryan regarding a potential live action movie, there were a lot of things that hadn’t been figured out yet, including “who Katara was going to end up with.” (x)

And so, with or without a direct confirmation of season 4 by Aaron (when the world needed him most, he vanished), it seemed there had still been wiggle-room at some point in time for the potential of ~certain things~ to have, indeed, been under consideration, fourth season or not.

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| [Aaron Confirms on Twitter] |

BUT THEN.

100 Years passed and my brot—

On April 1, 2019, Aaron emerged, as if from an iceberg, to share some thoughts on an Azula redemption arc (x), confirm this was not an April Fool’s joke, and to state the following: “Yes, I always believed there would be a 4th season.” (x)

Zutara fans, realizing they had been right about this, and wondering what other strongly associated theory they might have been right about, rejoiced: (x)

One half of the infamous Bryke, Bryan Konietzko, did not. And, in fact, indirectly called Aaron a liar: (x)

And, It is worth mentioning, in the interest of giving everyone the full picture, that Bryan is not the only one to question Aaron recently. In late 2019, allegations came out of Aaron creating a sexist and toxic work environment. (x)

(Personally, I think your mileage may very on how serious or substantial you may find these claims.)

But with regards to the topic at hand, the Season 4 claims, someone on a Reddit thread here (x) recounts: “Also I wasn't really sure where to put this but Jean Paul Bondy, an artist who worked on ATLA, jumped in AE's twitter thread to say ‘I don’t remember this at all. Obviously I wasn’t party to discussion you three had. But I was always under the impression we were only doing the three.’”

Just recently, in 2023, Jack De Sena (Sokka’s VA) also answered a question about season 4 at a con: ((x) -- 27:30)

“I’ve heard subsequently that there was like, conversations about season 4 and stuff, but, at the time, it definitely felt like we were only doing three. Like, I was being told at the time like, they had conceived of this like, closed arc, three season… thing. So, while they were planting some seeds for like, here’s other story elements that we could explore in other areas when we have the time, it definitely felt like, ‘okay, this is, this is the journey we’re going on together, it has reached a logical conclusion.’ So, it did feel, to us while recording it, quite final and complete.”

“I was always told it was a set three,” confirms Zachary Tyler Eisen (Aang’s VA)

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| [Discussion] |

So, in a sense, we’re back where we started. Though, I would question how much, exactly, artists and voice actors, who I would assume typically only start working on scripts that have already been decided on long beforehand, would really know about any behind the scenes discussions among the writers about potential trajectories and arcs for the show as a whole (and how long those would take to play out).

And Jack did mention that he’s heard now that there were “conversations about season 4” – I’m assuming he’s heard that from more trustworthy sources than internet rumours. And, if he did, then that directly contradicts Bryan seemingly saying he never had the slightest interest in making a fourth season and was always firm on that.

After looking at everything, it seems clear to me that, to the direct contradiction of a few rumours on my blog, Avatar was probably NOT pitched as a 4 (or more) season show. I do think it was probably pitched as three. But I also think, after the show was greenlit or as it was going on, Aaron saw the potential for more seasons and pushed for them. Maybe those discussions didn’t make it very far out of the writer’s room. Maybe there was a point in time where Aaron felt he had been successful in convincing Bryke to go for a fourth season. Or maybe he always felt like he’d be able to get them there eventually. Maybe the movie finally put an end to any of Aaron’s hopes. I don’t know.

But, it’s kind of irrelevant. If the ‘conspiracy’ is that Aaron was setting up the show for a Zutara ending in season 4, then it doesn’t matter how close, in reality, we were to a fourth season. What really matters is whether or not Aaron thought there’d be one.

“Yes, I always believed there would be a 4th season”

And it seems he did.

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| [‘Zephyrita’, ’Tizuyan’ & the Smoking Gun] |

Now, you may have noticed that there was someone mentioned before that we never talked about: Zephyrita. I waited because I’ve noticed something that I’ve never seen anybody else talk about, and decided it needed its own section.

Zephyrita was, of course, one of the two main bloggers that claimed to have worked/interned on Avatar back in the day and posted things they supposedly remembered from behind the scenes, things that all supported the Season 4/Zutara theory.

Given that Aaron indirectly called out the other main blog as a fraud, causing us to have to disregard them for now, you may wonder why anyone should view Zephyrita’s credibility as any different. Here’s actually a post of someone arguing with her about this and Zephyrita’s response: (x)

“’You can’t prove you worked at Nick!!’

What type of proof do you need? Why do I have to prove something as insignificant as this anyway? Like, working there isn’t some exclusive club and I didn’t write an entire episode, I just interned and studied there but I did get to talk a lot with the staff. I wanted to intern at CN but I ended up with Nick in the end. This was all back in 2007 and I’ve been working in advertising since then. You want me to just ring up Tim Hendricks and ask him how he is after almost 10 years? […] I would post my studio pass as ‘proof’ but that contains confidential info.”

So let’s get into why I believe Zephyrita.

(x) – This is a post where Zephyrita is asked what some of Aaron’s ideas were that didn’t make it into the show. Most of her response has to deal with Zuko and Katara, but it also includes this little tidbit about Aang at the end:

“Aang would leave on a self-searching journey after feeling the consequences of energybending and getting jealous over how close Zuko and Katara had become.”

In another post (x), she shares “my friend yan no longer has tumblr because people on this site are RIDICULOUS but she told she wanted to put in some extra info about the ideas that ehasz had:”

‘Yan’ I’m thinking is another deactivated user – ‘Tizuyan’ – who also used to post about the unexplored ideas Aaron had. (Admittedly, I’m not sure how they claimed to know any of it.)

But Zephyrita shares the ideas that ‘Yan’ supposedly gave her, including this one: “zuko and katara develop an understanding and bond that the other characters can not comprehend. they grow very close and sokka starts to suspect there is something going on between them. aang starts feeling jealous but tries to hide these feelings (ehasz said he would start feeling “weird” lmao). this would play a part of his growing darkness.”

In yet another post (x), Tizuyan herself writes “They would have fit very well within the possible Book 4 where Aang became “dark” and traveled back to the Air Temples for solace (where he examines himself, and finds a bunch of flying bison + winged lemur)”

So, to summarize, there would have been consequences to energy bending that would have caused a growing darkness in Aang. And as said before, all these posts are from around 2015-2016, if you go back and look at their earliest, still-existing notes.

Why is this significant?

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It is significant because in 2019, after confirming he always thought there’d be a fourth season on twitter, Aaron Ehasz did an interview (x) where he talked a little bit more about what his ideas were for Season 4, beyond an Azula redemption arc. Obviously, there’s nothing in this interview about Zutara. But. But. There is this:

“Ehasz reaffirmed his earlier stated plans for a longer arc for Azula but also divulged additional details. One plotline would have followed up on Aang taking away Fire Lord Ozai’s bending at the end of the third season.

‘My feeling about that was like there’s always a cost, right? There’s always some balance. You can’t just be like I’m the Avatar, taking your powers away. It’s a great power, but part of it is you just took all this evil into you. To take it away from someone else you’re holding onto it to protect the world.’

For Aang that would have been an incredible burden and something Ehasz would have wanted to see him deal with.

‘The story I wanted to tell with Aang was about him struggling with taking some of that inside and probably a considerable amount of anger and guilt and big feelings. By the way, guess who would be the best person to have a mini vacation with? It’s Zuko! Someone who’s processed a lot of anger on his own, right?’”

So… basically… there would have been consequences to energy bending that would have caused a growing darkness in Aang.

It matches up perfectly.

And not only that, but you’ll notice in the interview he also mentions wanting to focus on Iroh and his spiritual transformation, and mentions something relating to the potential for existing airbenders. This also matches up well with other things that were written in the latter two tumblr posts linked above.

So, what are the possible explanations? Liars/delusional shippers on tumblr who were falsely claiming to have insider knowledge on Avatar just so happening to have hit on some of the exact same season 4 plot points as the head writer, 3-4 years before season 4 was even a thing that had been acknowledged publicly? Aaron Ehasz trolling the internet and coming across these theories and then repeating them as if they had been his own ideas for… some purpose?

Or that maybe some of these blogs had been telling the truth?

This is why I called this section ‘the smoking gun’ – I believe that Aang can save t- that DenofGeek interview, along with those old rumour posts give credence to everything else Zephyrita/Tizuyan had to say. (And we’ll get back to ‘kataraandzuko’ later.)

Link to Zephyrita’s posts and comments: (x). The only other post of mine that I know Tizuyan appears on is this one: (x)

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| [Zutara Evidence – External and Textual] |

And there’s more concrete evidence than just rumours. We’ve already gone over the ‘hard’ evidence against the idea that Kataang was planned from the start, but up until now we haven’t gone over the evidence that exists to support Zutara specifically.

First, here’s just a post (x) showing, besides what we’ve already gone over, how Zutara was teased in some of the promotional materials, as well as some comments (including the ‘Avatar Extras’) made by some other writers on the show, further confirming what Bryke once privately acknowledged to a fan – I’m not sure if the chance was exactly 50%, but it seems it was definitively higher than 0.

And, it seems, high enough that little bits of foreshadowing (or…potentially, a major amount of foreshadowing, depending on your view) did make it into the show itself.

Much has been made of the parallels that exist between the ‘Cave of Two Lovers’/’Crossroads of Destiny’ episodes, namely the two lovers with a red and blue color scheme from opposite sides of a war that come together in a cave of glowing crystals… and the two characters with a red and blue color scheme from opposite sides of a war… that come together in a cave of glowing crystals.

Here’s a few posts that break this down in depth: (x) (x) (x)

And here’s just another little piece of external evidence, another comment by a writer – and actually the writer of ‘The Cave of Two Lovers’: (x)

(I noticed he also mentions the series bible saying Zuko and Katara were supposed to end up together??? Yeah, I don’t know what that’s about. Make of it what you will.)

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| [Bryke Being Nasty to Zutarians] |

^^Is it necessary for me to write this section? No.

But, in a way, it’s what led to my interest in this. I’ve said before that if Mike and Bryan had just been normal adults about all this, said that Zutara was a thing that was considered, that could have happened but didn’t, respected their friendship/bond in canon, and just said to all the Zutara fans, “sorry it didn’t go your way this time; hope you can still enjoy the ending anyway!” we wouldn’t have a problem. I would have just thought it was a shame and missed opportunity, and then moved on with my life and not really thought about it ever again.

It's the apparent lying and immaturity and seeming… mean-spirited-ness (?) that gets me. I don’t understand it.

In a rumour from Tizuyan ((x) - this is the second tizuyan post that I linked at the end of the second to last section) she writes: “Bryke despise Zutara.”

This would certainly explain why Zuko and Katara hardly ever seem to have positive interactions in any of the material beyond Avatar’s original series, that is if they even interact at all.

(See Bryan’s out-of-nowhere response to the neutral question, “Can we expect a reunion for the returning characters from The Last Airbender [in Legend of Korra]?” which was:

“As far as a date night between Katara and Zuko, I think you are going to have to stick to the fan art for that." (x) (Not sure if there was any more to this answer or not; I can’t find the original interview, though I know I remember seeing it way back when.)

It would also explain the contents of this rumour (courtesy of Zephyrita) (x) regarding the writing, or re-writing, of ‘The Southern Raiders’ episode.

And it would explain Bryan’s infamous, “Come on kids! ‘Zutara’ never would have lasted! It was just dark and intriguing” comment. (x)

What it wouldn’t explain is the even more infamous video that Bryke debuted at 2008 San Diego Comic Con, and which Bryan (who really seems to be the main instigator in all of this, apparently) has since reposted to his own tumblr account: (x)

You know, the one where Bryke mock Zutara fans with their own fanart and say that “Women who think that Zuko and Katara should be together will forever have doomed relationships.” Yeah.

I have no further comments on it other than what’s already been written in the reblogs linked above.

(And all this is all the more frustrating when Bryan himself seems to have had a slight change of heart when it comes to the ‘DNA of the show’ and writes in late 2014 in a post on The Legend of Korra: “Personally, at that point I didn’t want Korra to have to end up with someone at the end of series. We obviously did it in Avatar, but even that felt a bit forced to me.” (x) (Like, HUH?! Since when?!)

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| [Aaron Ehasz Again + Final Thoughts On The Kataraandzuko “Interview”] |

Meanwhile, Aaron himself painstakingly tends to avoid discussing Zutara, unless it’s brought up to him directly, in which case he usually just gives a wishy-washy answer about how he tries not to actively ship any characters. Though, we will go into an interview that’s slightly more interesting than this in a little bit.

First, I must bring to everyone’s attention a video that it seems no one else has noticed, as the post only had 4 notes on it at the time of writing this. (x)

Here is Aaron Ehasz at a comic con in 2006, which I believe would be sometime before season 2 had finished airing, showing the audience various ships from the show (most of them ridiculous) before at the end getting to Maiko (called Maizu), Kataang, and lastly (which I feel is significant)… Zutara.

This really appears to me to be Aaron showing the audience the ‘serious ships’ under the guise of this being just some funny game, and using the strength of the cheers from the crowd as a way to gauge interest for a potential endgame ship. Either for his own purposes… or for the purpose of possibly convincing someone else. I interpreted this video this way even before I just re-watched it while writing this post and realized that Aaron actually says this directly:

“We really want to hear what you have to say. I want you to know you have a lot of influence and power right now… ‘cause your, your cheers or boos will really… affect it.”

And I think it might make sense to combine this with the rumours here (x) about the supposed lecture at Berkeley where Aaron once flippantly remarked that Zutara couldn’t happen because it “would have made the six year olds cry” and the rumours by jhenne-bean herself, the one who claimed to have been at that lecture, who gives more context here (x):

“GURL IT WAS TOTALLY 50/50 even during the last season.

Actually, Nick execs pushed Kataang.

Because without it (according to one of the head writers that came and spoke to my class last semester) the “six year olds would cry.” Obviously that’s not the sole reasoning behind their decisions, but the intended demographic did sway the final outcome.”

(So, based on all this, I’m thinking that Aaron was probably a little disappointed in that video above when the Zutara cheers didn’t overpower the Kataang ones. [So am I, Aaron. So am I.])

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Now, the only actual filmed interview with Aaron Ehasz about Avatar that I know of is this one: (x) in 2019, where he’s asked questions by fans. Yes, Zutara is brought up, though the surprising part is it’s seemingly at Aaron’s own prompting. For that reason and others I find this interview to be very interesting; I actually did a breakdown of it here (x), which I encourage everyone to consider.

If you’ve read through that breakdown, or just watched the video in question, you will have seen that the “fake” interview from before (x) was once again brought up. I put the word ‘fake’ in quotes because that’s how Aaron appeared to refer to it in the interview – with air quotes. And so now it’s time for my speculation on this “fake” interview:

I think it’s fairly clear that Aaron does not want (or, for some reason feels unable to (?)) speak freely regarding his opinions on how the relationships of Avatar did (or did not) play out. I think it’s safe to say he has avoided saying anything ‘on the books’ that would place him at odds with Bryke (though that post about M Night wanting to focus on season 4 and Bryke wanting to focus on the movie cut it pretty close) or put him on a definitive side of the shipping war, one way or another.

That’s why it makes sense to me that a rumour on the internet that wasn’t just any rumour, but was written in such a way so that it looked like an official *interview*, with Aaron’s name appearing before statements supposedly attributable to him and everything, would be something he’d want to make sure everyone knew was not actually official. If that conversation between kataraandzuko and Aaron actually happened, he would have believed it to be, at the time, a private conversation. He never would have intended for the person he was talking to to post their conversation and make it look like he said these things on the official record.

So, yeah, despite Aaron calling that post out specifically, I think it’s still plausible that that conversation could have actually happened and that kataraandzuko wasn’t lying. Her (?) original tags even say to take it with a grain of salt since it was written from memory.

And notice the line, “I wanted Aang to defeat Ozai and go through some emotional turmoil after taking the Fire Lord's bending.” Sound familiar?

Here’s another variation of one of kataraandzuko’s posts from before (x) where they talk more in depth about being an intern at Nick and what they saw behind the scenes of Avatar, even admitting, “Haha, it’s not hard getting an internship at Nickelodeon. They’re not strict and they accepted me on my first attempt. You just have to be a university student with a lot of motivation.”

(And witness at the end of the post another defensive-Bryke-Bryan example.)

Could all their posts be lies? Sure. But they always seemed credible enough to me. And given everything else we’ve gone over, can you really say anything they posted sounds all that crazy?

So, for your consideration, here’s my tag of all ‘kataraandzuko’s posts: (x)

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| [Summary of All Rumours] |

Also, for your consideration, now that we’ve got all the context behind us, is this post which lists every major piece of gossip about what season 4 would have included had Bryke the universe allowed it to exist: (x)

And a post which I think perfectly encapsulates everything here and my final stance on it: (x)

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...And so. We should be all caught up now.

I hope this post will be useful to anyone who’s confused about the little bits and pieces of things you might have come across or heard regarding season 4 or zutara or Aaron Ehasz or supposed conspiracies. (Or to anyone who just got tired of seeing everyone else, confused, talking about it this way, without the full context.)

If there’s anything major that you feel I missed here, feel free to let me know and I’ll consider adding it in. Otherwise, enjoy the show, enjoy your ship, and I hope you enjoyed reading. Goodbye, everybody! 😊

#Zutara #zukoxkatara #Zuko x Katara #Avatar #Avatar: The Last Airbender #the masterpost #I can't believe I missed posting this in time for Zutara month by two days #I say 'goodbye' at the end of this because now that I've posted it I'm kind of done with this blog #so don't bother following this account I probably won't post anything else beyond today #I've said all I really wanted to say on the topic; though we'll see what happens in a year or so when that adult Gaang movie comes out

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sklives · 9 months ago

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SORRY?

No hate btw... 💁🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

#zutara #zukoxkatara #zuko x katara #atla zuko #prince zuko #zuko #katara of the southern water tribe #kataraxzuko #katara #atla #avatar: the last airbender #avatar #avatar the last airbender

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tacotimewriter · 1 year ago

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Temperature - Chapter 1

Hi everyone! It's been a slow process to return to writing. Chapter 1 of 2 of #zutara fic is now up: https://archiveofourown.org/works/51244972/chapters/129485035

#atla fanfic #ao3 #zutara #zukoxkatara

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beealexageek · 1 year ago

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💜🎨💜🎨💜 Hiiiiii... ✌️😬 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 5 YEARS! ✓ Asleep ✓ Hungry ✓ Horny ✨ ALWAYS! #artvsartist #artvsartist2023 #artchallenge #artistoninstagram #drawing #illustration #digitalart #digitaldrawing #digitalillustration #myart #mystyle #mywork #myartstyle #myartwork #zutara #zukoxkatara #zukoandkatara #zuko #katara #firelordzuko #masterkatara #avatarthelastairbender #atla #fanart https://www.instagram.com/p/C0U2zslvIUw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

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do0hwa · 1 year ago

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I just realized I left out the watermark🫠 Here's a close up image!

Free to use for header/pfp/wallpaper

Merry Christmas !!🎄

I just wanted to draw Zuko with long hair :)

It’s just a quick doodle so there’s not much of a back story to it :D

just thought it’d be fun to draw Firelord Zuko catching ambassador Katara from falling or them dancing together and getting close

Idk it’s something in between 🙃 It’s been so long since I drew something so I kind of zoned out and scribbled this to get used to drawing again

Hope everyone enjoys a great holiday :)!! 🥰

#zutara #atla #zuko #katara #art #artists on tumblr #zukoxkatara #atla fanart

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starlight-bread-blog · 6 months ago

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One of the most common protests to Zutara is that Katara hates Zuko and I agree. Really it's such a shame the show was cancelled after The Boiling Rock and Katara didn't get to forgive Zuko...

Or give him a hug...

Or show her concern for him...

Or cheer him up when he needs it...

Or recklessly run to heal him...

Or thank him in tears...

They are vicious rivals up until the very last second of the show. As you can see.

#zutara #pro zutara #anti anti zutara #anti kataang #anti maiko #anti bryke #zutara meta #zutara analysis #zutara evidence #zutara forever #zutara nation #zutarian #zutara was robbed #zutara supremacy #zuko x katara #katara x zuko #zukoxkatara #kataraxzuko

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calderacitylovers · 1 year ago

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Zutara SlowBurn FanFiction: Personal Favs, part II

· DESTINY IS A FUNNY THING by Megara Pike | Published: 2020-08-21 | 198K Words | 45 Chapters

ATLA Season 3 rewrite, fills in a lot of blanks between canon scenes. From the Southern Raiders to Sozin's Comet through coronation and aftermath. Growing friendships, bonding, being there for each other, a carnival & a cave, epic spirits' appearance on the Ember island, sparring, nightmares, assassination attempts, political ruses, and covert operations. Lovely, sweet. Exciting plot.

· ATLA Book 4: Ashes by elayne_cypher | Published: 2018-10-27 | 306K words | 34 Chapters

This action-packed story picks up right after Ember Island Players and continues well after the war. Zuko is facing many challenges as a new Fire Lord. Romance, tough decisions, rebels, traitors, out-of-body experiences, secret headquarters, angst, teamwork, fire jets. The story has a bunch of OCs.

· Refraction by caroes3725 | Published: 2020-09-09 | 215K Words | 37 Chapters

After breaking up with Aang, Katara needs to figure out her place and role in the patriarchal world. As determined Katara stubbornly bulldozes her way through Fire Nation political scene, her feelings for Zuko grow. Diplomatic visits, Gaang reunion, bonding with Kanna, insights into the life of Caldera city, stuffy politicians, cute correspondence, tropical storm, women supporting women, assassination attempts, personal boundaries. A sweet well-written coming-of-age story with a healthy measure of slow-burn and mutual pining. Katara and Zuko are both POVs, but the story mostly follows Katara. Bonus: Mai is NOT a clingy resentful idiot, but a smart person and a good friend. Some explicit language here and there, a bit of mild smut.

· I Asked You First by halfhoursonearth | Published: 2020-10-03 | 142K words | 22/? Chapters

Ongoing, incomplete. Post Southern Raiders ATLAS3 rewrite. Mostly canon-compliant with blanks filled in between familiar scenes. Zuko and Katara develop a close friendship built on trust and sharing each other’s fears and hopes. Includes mentions of implied child abuse, Lu Ten’s diaries, exploring Avatar Roku’s legacy, sharing a balcony, heart-to-hearts, a hot spring under the stars, an actual date, and artbending. It’s incomplete, but what we have is bliss. Slowburn, mutual pining. Zutara-centric, but also explores the personalities of Team Avatar and their relationships.

· Katara Alone by cablesscutie | Published: 2020-05-31 | 21K words

Katara is not an “unnecessary accessory to a more powerful man”. After the war, she is willing to forge her own path as she turns to people who need her the most on her journey of self-discovery. Features character exploration, correspondence, exploring outback villages of Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom, sweet reunions, and new firebending skills.

· THE PHOENIX AND THE DRAGON - THE COMPLETE SERIES by JasmineTeaLatte | Published: 2021-06-11 | 100K words | 31 Chapters

This story picks up after The Ember Island Players. Zuko and Katara get to know each other during a late-night conversation by the campfire. In this story, you will find healthy boundaries, protective Sokka, a dash of Taang, sparring, funny banter & lots of flirting.

· HESITATE by tiffaniesblews | Published: 2020-07-11 | 22K Words | 12 Chapters

This story picks up right after Zuko's coronation and spans two years afterwards. Zuko & Katara talk, share a few beautiful moments, write to each other, and reunite for the 2nd anniversary of the war ending. Very sweet, fluffy story about two sweethearts figuring out their feelings for each other.

· LIKE WE'RE MADE OF STARLIGHT by Naladot | Published: 2021-11-28 | 5K Words

Katara leaves her post as the ambassador to the Fire Nation to take up a new one as the ambassador to the Northern Water Tribe. Her absence makes Zuko realize that he's got an unfortunate crush, which he is determined to keep secret. Unfortunately for him, subtly has never been one of his strengths��especially when he arrives in the Northern Water Tribe and she keeps taking him on what seem to be dates.

· FIGURE IT OUT by clearascountryair | Published: 2021-12-20 | 35K words | 13 Chapters

After choosing not to kill Yon Rha, Katara rethinks her sense of self and others' perceptions of her. Or, In which Katara learns that there’s a really big difference between being kissed when you don’t want to be and being kissed when you do. Aged-up 3B/Ember Island AU.

- I FOUND YOU by that_turtleduck | Published: 2020-11-01 Completed: 2024-02-24 Words: 157,541 Chapters: 28/28

After divorcing Aang, Katara uproots her family and travels to Caldera. There she finds comfort, kindness and support from an old friend. Katara tries to find her footing as an independent political figure. Great story & relationship dynamic of Momtara & Dadko in their early 30s (Ember island, diplomatic meeting, dancing, turtleduck pond, letters). Delicious slow burn with rewarding spicy resolution in the end (explicit open door). Titters on the side of Anti-Aang.

Here’s a link to Part I of my personal favorites.

Here’s a link to Wholesome Zutara Short Stories.

#zukoxkatara #Katara x Zuko #zutara #zutara fanfiction #zutara fic

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burntsecrets · 29 days ago

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Market Mischief

Pairing: Zuko x Katara Word Count: 820 Prompt: For Zutara Week 2024 | Day 6: Sweet @zutaraweek Warnings: Mild language, lighthearted teasing, humor, food-related themes, playful banter, minor romantic undertones

The marketplace buzzed with activity as vendors hawked their wares, carts rattled, and children darted through the throngs like mischievous sparrows. Katara weaved through the crowd with practiced ease, her arms laden with an assortment of ingredients for dinner. Zuko followed behind, his expression tight as he kept glancing over his shoulder, as though expecting a surprise ambush from a cabbage merchant.

“I still don’t get why we’re here,” he muttered, adjusting the hood of his cloak to better conceal his face. “We could’ve just—”

“Don’t even finish that sentence,” Katara interrupted, shooting him a pointed glare over her shoulder. “If you think I’m letting you ‘firebend’ our dinner together, you’ve lost your mind.”

Zuko grumbled something under his breath, but his steps quickened to keep up with her. “I’m not bad at cooking.”

“You burned rice.”

“It was one time.”

“And toast.”

“It was...extra crispy.”

“And that pot of tea.”

“Okay, fine!” He threw his hands up. “But it’s not like you’re perfect either. You made soup that was so salty Sokka said he could see through time.”

Katara froze mid-step and spun to face him, a saccharine smile that promised retribution spreading across her face. “Oh, really? That’s how you want to play this?”

Zuko immediately backpedaled. “I’m just saying—”

“I’ll show you ‘just saying,’” she quipped, grabbing a bright red fruit from a nearby stand and shoving it into his hands. “Here. Let’s see if you can even pick a decent lychee.”

He stared at the fruit like it was a bomb about to go off. “What’s wrong with this one?”

“Too mushy. Try again.” She crossed her arms, one eyebrow raised.

Zuko frowned, muttering something suspiciously like, “It’s just fruit,” before exchanging the lychee for another. Katara didn’t even bother inspecting it before shaking her head.

“Still wrong.”

“Are you making this up?” His voice pitched slightly, somewhere between incredulous and irritated.

“Are you seriously questioning my superior market skills?” Katara smirked, taking the fruit from him and swapping it for one from a different pile. “This one’s ripe.”

Zuko squinted at her. “How do you even know that?”

She tapped the side of her head. “Water Tribe instincts.”

“Oh, so now it’s instincts?”

Katara turned on her heel, heading toward the next stall, but Zuko caught the faintest grin tugging at her lips. He scowled, speeding up to walk beside her again. “Fine. Since you’re so good at this, what’s next?”

She didn’t answer, distracted by a stand overflowing with delicate jars of candy. The vendor—a cheerful, round-faced woman—beamed at them as they approached. “Looking for something sweet, young lady?”

Katara nodded politely, her eyes scanning the colorful array. “Just browsing.”

Zuko, however, narrowed his eyes at the jars like they owed him money. “Isn’t this kind of a waste?”

“Excuse me?” Katara looked up sharply.

“I mean,” Zuko said, flailing slightly under her glare, “we’re here for dinner ingredients. Why bother with candy?”

“Why bother with candy?” Katara repeated, her tone somewhere between disbelief and the ominous calm before a tidal wave.

The vendor wisely stepped aside.

“Let me tell you something, Sparky.” Katara plucked a jar off the shelf, full of little sugar flowers, and held it under his nose. “Candy is joy in edible form. It’s a reward after a hard day. It’s the perfect combination of ‘I deserve this’ and ‘Don’t judge me.’ And you, Prince Pessimism, could use some joy in your life.”

Zuko blinked, momentarily stunned. Then his lips twitched, threatening to curve upward. “So…you’re saying I need to eat candy to be less miserable?”

“Exactly!” She thrust the jar into his hands. “Consider it therapy.”

He snorted, a sound so uncharacteristic Katara almost dropped the bag of rice she was holding. “Fine,” he said, unscrewing the jar and popping a sugar flower into his mouth. His expression immediately shifted to one of wide-eyed horror. “This is…this is…”

“Sweet?” Katara offered, biting back a laugh.

“No,” he croaked, clutching his throat dramatically. “This is…too much.” He doubled over, mock-gagging. “I’m dying.”

Katara finally let her laugh burst free, the sound ringing out above the chatter of the marketplace. “You’re such a baby. It’s sugar, Zuko.”

“It’s poison,” he deadpanned, though the corner of his mouth twitched again.

Katara grabbed a flower from the jar and popped it into her mouth. “Mmm. Delicious. Guess I’ll have to finish the whole jar myself.”

Zuko straightened, his eyes narrowing. “Not if I get to it first.” He swiped another candy, tossing it into his mouth with a smirk.

And just like that, the competition began. By the time they left the marketplace, the jar was empty, Katara was triumphantly clutching the last flower, and Zuko—now suspiciously energized—kept insisting he wasn’t going to help clean up the “disaster kitchen.”

“Sweet, huh?” he said, nudging her with his elbow as they headed back toward camp.

Katara rolled her eyes but smiled. “Yeah. Sweet.”

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