balanceoflightanddark
Valley of the Dragons
What have I gotten myself into? *sighs* He/him. 25. Likes to ramble about characters and stuff he likes.
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Does this count as finding a walrus at your door?
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YOU THINK I’M JOKING BUT I’M DEAD SERIOUS
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I've talked pretty extensively about how horrible it is to make a child kill somebody. Even if it's the worst person imaginable, a decision like that would scar one as young as Aang. Poor kid was horrified when he took control of the Ocean Spirit and let it run rampant on the Fire Nation fleet for crying out loud.
But another thing that I feel people don't understand is the precedent Aang killing Ozai would be. He's practically the most powerful person on the planet. Executing Ozai in cold-blood would basically send a message that he'd be able to end anyone he'd like, and nobody would be able to stop him.
That's not ending an era of war. That's practically replacing one tyrant with another. What would stop Aang from doing it again and again? The series made it clear that characters like Aang and Katara do have pent up rage for what the Fire Nation has done. So deep down, he probably would've wanted Ozai dead. And maybe deep down, he wanted to make the Fire Nation pay for all the atrocities they committed.
But then...that's not justice. That's vengeance. And he'd become just a big of a monster as Ozai had been. Basically, he would've justified every bit of Fire Nation propaganda about how he and the Gaang were the bad guys. And thus, proving to them that the Avatar was something to be feared.
He would've proved the Fire Nation right by killing Ozai.
...but he didn't. Cause the bloodshed needs to stop somewhere. And the world doesn't need yet another tyrant. It needs someone to tell them that things can get better. That peace can be achieved.
They didn't need a murderer like Ozai to bring peace.
They needed somebody like Aang who knew what peace actually was.
I really don't get this fandoms obsession with Aang not killing Ozai and how it wasn't a "powerful message" to let him live. Because guess what? Aang not killing Ozai does send a powerful message.
In the beginning of the fight, Ozai belittles Aang and mocks his culture, and says that his people died because they were weak. So for Aang to not only spare Ozai's life, therefore holding onto his beliefs, the last pieces of his destroyed culture, the same culture that Ozai mocked, but also taking away his bending? It made Ozai inferior to Aang in the end. Which is exactly what Ozai wanted Aang to feel towards him. What Ozai wanted the world to feel towards him. And Aang went and said "fuck that". How is that not a powerful message?
#atla#aang#ozai#aang meta#aang actually did the right thing in not killing ozai in the end#and I will die on this hill
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…must…hug…
cant get over how incredible her acting is here
like this small scene. these facial expressions. she 130% has azula characterization nailed down.
this is azula. like. wow.
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Mai headcanon time.
I think Mai knows about the asylum Azula went to. Not necessarily the details, but enough to know that it is a very bad place. Ukano and Michi probably told her that's where she would get sent if she acted up. After all, they're the reasons she bottled up all of her emotions and was unable to express herself. So it's not that big of a stretch if the place's reputation for troubled Fire Nation girls is well known to people like Azula.
All the more reason for Mai to clam up and be as stoic as she is. After all, being quiet and sitting still is good behavior. And Azula in the Spirit Temple is pretty blatant about what happens to girls that don't show good behavior...
#mai#atla mai#fire lady mai#mai headcanon#azula#princess azula#azula in the spirit temple#atla#avatar the last airbender#atla headcanons
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The fire nation's defeat was technically Azula's fault.
Zuko and Iroh were branded traitors and failures. Azula was given specific instructions to capture them, dead or alive. Azula had them both red-handed in Ba Sing Se. Instead of doing what she was told, she asks for Zuko's help and she clears his name in return.
Now, it could be argued that without Zuko's help, she would've been pummeled into submission by Aang and Azula. Well, then after his usefulness was used up, she had a chance to pull yet another fast one and apprehend him without having to lie to Ozai.
Zuko acted suspiciously. He made Azula doubt that Aang really died and she began to think that Zuko may have had something to do with his survival. Instead of searching for proof of Aang's survival and informing her suspicions to Ozai, she puts unnecessary risk on herself and sets up a gambit that was ultimately pointless in more ways than one.
If Azula did what she was supposed to do, Zuko and Iroh would be dead or put in prison which leads to Zuko never finding out about the plans with the comet, Aang never finds a firebending sifu, the FN gains victory unopposed, and Azula can reign as Fire Lord.
In short, by choosing to lend Zuko a hand more than once, she indirectly did Team Avatar a huge favor.
Boom: Butterfly Effect.
The FN's MVP was also Team Avatar's MVP. I do enjoy the irony.
I wonder though, what would the Gaang's, Azula's Zuko's, Iroh's, Ozai's, and all of FN's reactions when realizing this epiphany?
It would break Azula.
...no seriously. It would break her.
While I think it would be a bit of a stretch to say that the defeat of the Fire Nation was her fault (cause there's no way in hell she could've seen bringing Zuko home would end up with his betrayal of Ozai), I do think she was hurting already with Zuko betraying her. If she was torn up about Mai and Ty Lee turning on her, I have no doubt she'd feel the same about Zuko regardless of what her relationship with him is right now. Add on to the fact that this is a girl that is hoisted with way too much responsibility than she is able to handle (being driven to become perfect at any cost), a revelation like this would destroy her.
And the fallout wouldn't be pretty. At all. It would probably rival her breakdown at Sozin's Comet, if not be worse. Hell, I think Zuko and Iroh would be a bit concerned for her. Zuko did seem somewhat regretful at her state after the Last Agni Kai and Iroh (while not Azula's biggest fan) probably wouldn't be that callous to brush her off.
Ozai would hate her though. Hate hate HATE her though. He puts on so much pressure for her to be perfect. What do you think the abusive piece of shit is going to do when he puts two and two together. Might even disown her on the spot, which will cause her to spiral even more. And she'd probably lose a lot of support in the Fire Nation for indirectly letting an unpopular successor on the throne, which would cause her to spiral even further.
...kind of why I don't really want to put the blame on the Fire Nation's defeat on her since the poor kid doesn't need that on top of her failures already. Besides, I think the defeat of the Fire Nation can better be laid on Ozai's feet. I mean, he was the one who banished Zuko and mistreated both him and Azula. If we want to go indirect, he set up a domino effect. And directly, he wasn't able to consolidate the Fire Nation's gains at the end of the war which led to a huge rebellion movement. And he certainly didn't seem to want to get involved with fighting Aang during the Day of the Black Sun which could've stacked the odds further against him when the firebending was turned back on. Mind you, this was before Zuko showed up. Like he was sipping tea while Azula was holding the Gaang off.
That being said, I could see him pass the buck off on Azula for the Fire Nation's defeat. Which would lead into the scenario I just outlined above.
#azula#princess azula#azula meta#zuko#iroh#ozai#fire lord ozai#ozai's grade a parenting#fire nation#atla#avatar: the last airbender#atla meta#anon ask#anon answered#ask answered#ask me anything
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Stupid sexy trenchcoat...
"Why is she wearing a trench coat?"
"My eyes are up here, Councilman..."
-Avatar: The Legend of Korra [B1E09]
Out of the Past
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Azula + Lin AU "Republic City"
Azula: This city is a cesspool.
Lin: ...what. You're not getting any arguments from me. Why do you think I wear my armor everywhere?
Azula: I mean, yeah. But I was thinking more about the architecture. It's so...odd. Like somebody decided to make everything drab and gray. And when it's not, it's garish and out of place.
Lin: It was part of that new architectural movement once Republic City started to get a lot of prominence on the world stage. Saves more money and whatever. Needless to say, none of the other nations like it.
Azula: Well that's good to hear. And the noise from these automobiles. I can't hear myself think. I swear it wasn't this loud back in the day-
[An automobile nearly runs Azula over]
Azula: EH! I'M WALKING HERE! [slams the hood of the car] I'M WALKING 'ERE!!!
[Lin just stares as the automobile drives off]
Lin: Yeah, you'll fit in just fine.
#azula#princess azula#lin beifong#lin#lin lok#avatar: the last airbender#atla#legend of korra#lok#atla au
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This is what gets me. The comics take this hard line stance between good and evil, but by doing so, validates Ozai. I'm sorry, but speaking as somebody who was scared to death about being stabbed in the back for being autistic and not "being in line", these comics were a nightmare scenario.
Because Aang, AANG, a character I respected for years, said he'd put Zuko down if he acted like Ozai. A character that I and so many others saw so much in and adored, was made to say something that validated every dark fear we ever had.
But hey. Let's say they're right. Let's say that evil people need to be killed and taken down.
So let me ask a simple question.
WHY IS OZAI STILL ALIVE?
He is alive and is actively trying to manipulate Zuko into becoming like himself. How come he gets a free pass while Azula or even Zuko are condemned for even being like him? He's family? Bullshit, the comics said it was okay for Zuko to harass and abuse Azula even though she was family. And apparently friendship means nothing if you're in danger of being evil. So let me ask again.
WHY.
IS.
OZAI.
STILL.
ALIVE?
they managed to massacre Aang's character and all the struggle and importance of his choice in the finale in a SINGLE page, and yet there are people who think the comics are good
and of course Katara's would have nothing to say on the matter, toootally in-character
Not to mention: yes, Zuko is right that a lifetime of indoctrination won't magically stop affecting him just because he's aware of it now, but the way the comics really said "If you're not perfect, you deserve to die. Not rehabilitation, not even incarceration despite it being an option, just straight to violent, lethal punishment" is horrying.
And lets not forget the blatant abuse apologism of having Zuko, the kid who was told by his abusive parent that his disfigurement and banishment was "for his own good" after he made one "mistake", turning to his closest friends and asking them to be his "safety net" by MURDERING HIM IF EVER STEPS OUT OF LINE - and said friends then agree to it.
Are you fucking kidding me? The real Aang would have double-down on the "You're NOT your father" bit, and the entire friend group would have been super concerned about Zuko because a victim of abuse saying they're as bad as their abuser thus deserve to die is one hell of a red flag as to how their mental health is going.
Speaking of mental health: I talk a lot about how Azula was constantly being abused by the supposed heroes in the comics, and how the justification of it is rooted in ableism, but this nonsense with Zuko asking to be put down like a dog is also peak victim blaming, and one of the few moments in which one can actually feel bad for comics!Zuko.
And it ties into a disturbing pattern I noticed among Avatar fans - and mainly Zuko fans. They don't truly understand that what Ozai put his children through was wrong, they simply think he chose the wrong kid as the escapegoat. They think Azula should have been the one that is constantly punished just for existing, while Zuko is the golden child that can do no wrong - or else.
This moment right here? With the people that he trusts agreeing to inflict violence on him if he ever makes a mistake? This is that "or else". This is literally the same mentality that led to Azula's breakdown because NO ONE CAN SURVIVE UNDER THAT MUCH PRESSURE.
And that leads us to the main reason why the comcis suck: Yang was using Zuko as a self-insert.
"Zuko‘s relationship with Ozai is something we – Mike, Brian, Dark Horse, Nickelodeon, and I – talked about extensively when we first started working together. There’s this strange thing that happens to people in power. The pressures of power often blur the lines between enemies. That’s part of what happens to Zuko here. Ozai is the only one who knows what it’s like to be Fire Lord, the only one who has the wisdom of experience. I also looked at my own life. I used to clash with my dad quite a bit when I was a teenager. However, as I grew up and found myself in roles that he used to have, I began to understand more and more of his decisions. My father isn't thoroughly evil, of course, but I imagine Zuko feels a little of the same pull."
Yang. My guy. My dude. The words "Ozai" and "wisdom" should NEVER be in the same sentence. Every single action of Ozai's as Fire Lord was based on him being an abusive piece of shit that finally got access to absolute power. He is not a stern dad, he is abusive. He's not misunderstood, he needed to be stopped and locked away. He is a human being with feelings and motivations, yes, but he is WRONG ABOUT LITERALLY EVERYTHING EVER. He NEVER had a point. Zuko has nothing to learn from him except what NOT to do. That's why he looks like an older, unscarred Zuko. A version of Zuko that never changed.
This is the core issue of the comics, and why it had so many moments of unintentional abuse apologism: they say Ozai is a villain, but they're going out of their way to constantly make the characters come dangerously close to saying "Maybe he had a point." That's why they have Zuko turn to Ozai for advice despite claiming he wants to avoid becoming like him - because the guy writting them couldn't understand that the bad guy was, in fact, bad and in the wrong and has no wisdom to offer to anyone.
Avatar, the series, is about the world moving past from the sick mentality people like Ozai had, and about his son realizing that he did not deserve to be abused. The Avatar Comics are about telling Zuko (and others) "Ozai isn't wrong actually, you'll understand when you're older."
No, Yang, they won't. Because there's nothing to "understand" here other than THE GUY THAT ABUSED HIS CHILDREN AND COMMITED GENOCIDE WAS WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING, YOU DUMBASS!
Saying "the villain had a point" does not make a story better unless it is true - and in Ozai's case, it simply isn't. Insisting otherwise doesn't make the story and characters more mature, it just means you couldn't understand a cartoon aimed at 7-year-olds despite being a grown-ass man.
And I won't even get into Bryke approving of this bullshit otherwise I'll start tearing my hair out in rage at how badly they seem to have lost touch with the message of their best work, so let me just use a simple statemet to make everyone understand just how much of a disaster this is:
Even M. Night Shyamalan didn't misunderstand ATLA to the point of thinking Ozai wasn't actually wrong, but Bryan, Mike and Yang did. The comics understand the show less than M. Night Shyamalan did.
I rest my fucking case.
#anti atla comics#anti yang#anti bryke#zuko#zuko deserves better#azula#azula deserves better#aang#ozai
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btw the thing she couldn’t ignore was someone calling her out for saying anti-depressants/hormone therapy are only perscribed by lazy doctors
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Make that four. Appa sure as hell doesn't know how that happened.
So me and @waterfire1848 just came up with a crack fic idea.
When Zuko and Katara arrive at the palace during the finale, instead of the agni kai happening, the three of them sit around in a circle trying to figure out how Zuko and Katara managed to cross the globe in a day to get to the Fire Nation.
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They're both squishy.
Very addicting drawing these two together idk why.
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arguing over which Avatar had the worst “failures” just shows that you do not understand the story whatsoever. the whole point of the Avatar being reborn over and over is that the work of keeping balance in the world is never done and the world needs different things at different times, and no matter what good you do there are unintended consequences which is WHY the Avatar always comes back. There is no end-all-be-all fix. I’m really so over this nonsense arguing over “who’s the worst Avatar.” every Avatar has to adapt to their time and every Avatar has successes and failures and every single Avatar leaves consequences for their successors! That’s the whole point!!!! Being the Avatar is a never-ending job because the world is always changing. What was right for one time won’t be right forever, THAT’S WHY THE AVATAR ALWAYS COMES BACK
#atla#avatar the last airbender#yangchen#aang#roku#august szeto#kyoshi#korra#kuruk#legend of korra#media literacy is dead
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Watching Kong swinging Suko around to beat the absolute shit out of the other monkey titans was peak cinema. No scene in any Kaiju film can top that, and I will die on this hill. 😂😂😂😂😂😂
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"Nonetheless, ease and peace had left this people still curiously tough. They were, if it came to it, difficult to daunt or to kill; and they were, perhaps, so unwearyingly fond of good things not least because they could, when put to it, do without them, and could survive rough handling by grief, foe, or weather in a way that astonished those who did not know them well and looked no further than their bellies and their well-fed faces. Though slow to quarrel, and for sport killing nothing that lived, they were doughty at bay, and at need could still handle arms. They shot well with the bow, for they were keen-eyed and sure at the mark. Not only with bows and arrows. If any Hobbit stooped for a stone, it was well to get quickly under cover, as all trespassing beasts knew well."
-J.R.R Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, Prologue 1. Concerning Hobbits pgs. 5-6
This paragraph fascinates me for a few reasons. Often in fiction, a long period of peace is often used for explaining why people are so slow to react to a rising threat. That prolonged prosperity dulled the senses and breeds complacency. Indeed, Frodo himself does express some exasperation and almost wishes for a dragon or some evil force to invade the Shire to shake the Hobbits out of their complacency.
Which to some level is true here. It's a known fact that Hobbits like to keep out of the affairs of the "big people". Yet at the same time, even if they want to keep themselves isolated, it doesn't mean the world won't march into the Farthings regardless of what they want. After all, there wasn't a whole lot stopping the Nazgul or Saruman from entering their borders.
Yet at the same time, the paragraph does illustrate that just because Hobbits have grown accustomed to peace, doesn't mean they're pushovers. Consider Bandobras "Bullroarer" Took and the Battle of the Green Fields. When a goblin warband led by Golfimbel descended from the Misty Mountains and broke through the Dunedain's encirclement to invade the Shire, Bullroarer charged straight at the goblin ranks. He then proceeded to knock Golfimbel's head off and shatter the morale of the warband.
The story was repeated in the Battle of Bywater when Saruman decided to set up a criminal ring in the Shire after his defeat at the hands of the Ents. Long story short, once Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin returned, the Hobbits proceeded to raise up a sizeable force and effectively kicked Saruman out of the Shire. Mind you, Saruman used to be the greatest wizard in Middle-Earth, and the Hobbits led to his final defeat. That's two accounts of invasions of the Shire going badly for the invaders.
And that's not even getting into the adventures that Bilbo, Frodo, and his friends got into during the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings respectively. Bilbo was able to save the asses of Thorin's Company multiple times, discovered Smaug's weakpoint and indirectly relayed that to Bard via the Thrush, and risked life and limb to forestall a battle between the Dwarves, Men, and Elves till Bolg showed up. Frodo and Sam were ultimately able to destroy the One Ring, while Merry and Pippin were able to rouse the Ents into attacking Isengard. That's not even counting Merry being partially responsible for the death of the infamous Witch King.
So even though the Hobbits were accustomed to peace, they weren't complacent enough to be pushovers when presented with a threat. Personally, I think part of the reason this is so is because the Hobbits never forgot the basic necessities of a good life: a comfortable home, friends, family, and basically everything needed to live simply. They never indulged too much in luxury to become lax like Smaug, nor constantly scheming to take more power like Sauron or Saruman. They were happy with living simple on the farm.
It turns out, that's what gave them their edge. They were down to earth, so they had a good sense of morality thanks to living humble lives. Safeguarding their farms from wild animals meant that some Hobbits could recognize a threat when they realized it. And their sense of community and friendship got them through some of their hardest trials, like when Frodo almost succumbed to the Ring and Sam never gave up on him. Their sense of community and toughing it out through the hardest times such as during the Long Winter when Gandalf began to really warm up to the Hobbits, seeing the value and courage in them.
So while they're not the flashiest or most "badass" of Middle-Earth's free peoples, the Hobbits are some of the hardiest and "purest" races. And how ironically, peace never dulled their senses but served to toughen them up for the dark times ahead.
#tolkien#tolkien legendarium#lord of the rings#the hobbit#hobbits#bilbo#bilbo baggins#frodo#lotr frodo#frodo baggins#samwise gamgee#lotr samwise#merry and pippin#merry brandybuck#peregrin took#pippin took#brandobras took#saruman#the shire#battle of green fields#battle of bywater#the long winter#lord of the rings meta
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