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muffinlance · 1 year

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I was wondering... Is there a Salvage headcanon where they did break Zuko's leg? If no one (including you ofc) ever did it, you can treat it as a prompt!!

So many angsty possibilities, and as much as I love and adore the original plot.... man, I'm so curious what would happen.

So what I’m hearing is that you like pain. Who am I to deny you?

(You can also read this on AO3.)

* * *

“Chief?” Aake repeated, kneeling over the still struggling boy. Pinning him down.

The prince wasn’t even fully lucid, and this was already his second escape attempt. He’d tried to firebend at Hakoda’s crew, with only his own fever to stop him. He was a child, by any reasonable standards; but a soldier, by his own nation’s, with the training to match. He was only going to get more dangerous. If the Fire Nation wanted to set the terms of this war, then be it on Ozai’s head.

“One,” Hakoda said. One leg had to be enough, to keep the young soldier down.

* * *

When Zuko’s fever broke, he had a black bruise around his wrist the size of a grown man’s hand, and a broken leg the storm hadn’t given him.

He had to get off this ship.

* * *

The prince knocked out two of Hakoda’s men. Sent another three to Healer Kustaa, with firebending that had thankfully been more concussive than blistering. Oh, and he’d managed to shove one of their tenders overboard. So now they were having to turn around to search for that, in the dark.

He’d half-way gotten himself overboard, too. It was anyone’s guess whether he’d have landed close enough to that boat to make it, with the weight of his cast dragging him down.

A moot point, as he struggled in Aake’s grip.

“I did say legs,” the man joked, humorlessly.

Hakoda tried to meet the prince’s eyes, but the soldier was too intent on battering himself against Aake’s hold. He met his crewman’s eyes, instead. Nodded.

Aake sighed. “Right. This is happening, kid. Hold still this time if you want it to be clean.”

The prince, eerily, did hold still. He didn’t scream. He hadn’t last time, either.

* * *

(Father hadn’t stopped burning him until he’d stopped screaming.)

* * *

“It’s coca-poppy, Prince Zuko,” Healer Kustaa said, from behind a re-locked door. “It will help with the pain.”

“I know what it is,” the prince shouted. “I don’t want it.”

Across the passageway, behind the door of his own cabin, Hakoda composed another ransom letter. This one ended up crumpled on his floor, too.

How did you tell a father that you’d broken both his boy’s legs? Things would be easier if—

Well. They still had that interrogation to get through, before he saw whether there’d be an if.

* * *

“She was alive when I last saw her. Your son, too. Sir.”

“...With the Avatar,” Hakoda repeated.

“Yes,” the prince said, staring up at the sickbay ceiling. “...Sir.”

Hakoda rubbed his temples. “I’ll be confirming your story. Until then: ship rules. You already know the price of escape. You have two more limbs, Prince Zuko; take more care with them. Firebend at my men again, or damage my ship, and your chances are done. You’re going to stay in here and obey every order our healer gives you, or I’ll be back in for another talk. Am I clear?”

“Yes. Sir.”

Sweat was beading on the prince’s forehead. His hands kept clenching and unclenching around his blankets. Let him be in pain, if he wanted; Kustaa had already offered him an out.

* * *

The doctor on Zuko’s ship had started him on coca-poppy before he’d known he was on a ship. Before he remembered what had happened, before his vision was clear enough to read the banishment notice for himself. Uncle had fussed over every little sound he made, and made sure Zuko drank every dose.

It took him a year and a half to get back off it.

* * *

Kustaa had prescribed at least an hour on deck each day. Firebenders and sunlight, or something. The prince sullenly allowed himself to be carried by a crewman and propped up out of the way.

Panuk watched him watching the waves. He went below deck, and came back with a plate. Set it on the deck between them, and sat himself down next to it.

“Drowning is not a pretty way to go,” he said conversationally, between bites of smoked fish the prince was pointedly not sharing.

“Is being murdered by savages any better?” the prince snapped, finally looking away from the water.

Panuk chewed. Swallowed. Used his foot to nudge the plate against the prince’s leg. Above the break, obviously.

“Are you going to eat?”

The prince looked… really confused. He looked down at the plate, then back up at Panuk, then around them, like he was looking for a net about to fall.

Which explained why he’d snubbed Toklo yesterday, when their youngest crewman had tried to have lunch with him.

“It’s common to share meals in the Southern Tribes,” Panuk said. “If someone sets a plate down next to you, it’s probably for sharing.”

“...Oh,” said the prince. He picked up a piece. Ate it, slowly, while sneaking glances over at Panuk. Ate the second a lot faster.

“We’d make it quick,” Panuk said. “If your dad doesn’t meet Hakoda’s demands, or if you screw up again. Quicker than the ocean would, at least.”

“...I don’t want the Leg Breaker to do it. Or the Chief.”

“I could volunteer. If it comes to it.”

“...Okay,” the prince said, and ate a third fish. And a fourth.

“How old are you, anyway?” Panuk asked, eyebrow raised.

Prince Zuko, fearsome prisoner of the Akhlut, was sixteen years old.

* * *

Prince Zuko, sixteen-year-old prisoner of the Akhlut, was bored.

“What?” he snapped at the healer, who’d stopped to give him that disappointed stare.

“How did you even reach that?” the man asked.

Zuko hunched over his borrowed book, and didn’t answer.

“Ask next time. I’ll help you get them down.”

Then the man went back to doing whatever it was he did in here, with all his powders and ointments. Maybe Zuko would understand, if he read far enough.

“Ask if you have questions, too,” Not-Uncle said.

…So Zuko did.

* * *

General Fong wanted the kid. General Fong wanted a lot of things he couldn’t have.

We have secured his cooperation, Hakoda wrote back. While I thank you for your offer, we do not anticipate the need for army assistance during the negotiation process—

* * *

Hakoda tried not to go into the healer’s cabin without cause. It was unpleasant, the way the boy spooked every time a crewman stepped in. The way he watched them with those wolf-hawk eyes, coiled like a pit-viper-leopard ready to spring, broken legs or no. But the door was open, and…

“Just pet him. Come on, one itty-bitty little ruffle-wuffle…” Toklo cajoled, pushing a growling isopuppy towards the prince’s face.

“No. He’s going to maul me,” the prince snapped, holding one of Kustaa’s medical texts between them like a shield.

“That was not a mauling,” said Panuk. “That was barely one itty-bitty little blood-draw. Just shove the seal jerky between his teeth when he lunges, then pet him. We’ll train him that you mean food—”

“How is that going to help with the biting?” the prince demanded.

Hakoda backed away before he could be seen.

…Apparently there were exceptions, in who the prince himself wouldn’t maul.

* * *

Apparently Hakoda’s dog was now one of those exceptions.

Fire Nation sympathizer.

* * *

Bato came back.

“So,” his second-in-command said. “Fire Prince in the sickbay, huh?”

Hakoda groaned into his hands.

* * *

“Did you name the dog?” the prince asked Bato. The kid was sitting up in his bed, propped up on pillows, draped in at least three layers of furs and an oversized coat. Which explained where Kustaa’s had gone. He was, inexplicably, holding one of Kustaa’s medicine jars between his hands.

“Interrogating the prisoner already, nephew?” Kustaa asked, setting out the last of his supplies. Then he reached for the bandages. Bato braced himself.

“Did you?” the kid said. And then, after a delay: “You are not my uncle.”

“At least wait for the torture to get started,” Bato said, through gritted teeth, as Kustaa tugged the edge of his bandage loose in what was probably the gentlest way but felt anything but.

He couldn’t have said if the prince kept pressing the matter, after that. Not until Kustaa was spreading on that miracle salve of his. In its tiny jar. Its tiny, near-empty jar.

“...Are we out of that stuff?” Bato asked, with some trepidation.

“We’re making more,” Kustaa said.

…The jar between the kid’s hands was steaming now. And he was still scowling.

“He volunteered,” the healer added, cleaning up.

Huh.

“I was making fun of Hakoda,” Bato said. “Not his son. Sokka’s a good kid.”

“So name the dog Hakoda,” the Fire Prince said, with a scowling seriousness that made the joke even better.

* * *

“Good boy, Hakoda. Who’s our Chief Woofer? Is it you? Is it you? Yes it is!”

“I hate you,” Hakoda said. “Go back to the nuns.”

The pupper thumped his tail against the deck, and barked for more jerky. Who was Bato to deny his chief?

* * *

“Wait,” Bato said, stretching his burned arm out slowly, and staring at the newest medicine pot the kid was heating. “Didn’t Hakoda order you not to bend?”

He’d never seen golden eyes that wide, or a pot boil over that fast.

* * *

“So,” Bato said, leaning against Hakoda’s doorway. “You ordered the kid not to firebend, but you also ordered him to follow Kustaa’s orders. Guess what Kustaa’s had him doing?”

“He what,” Hakoda said, standing. He marched across the hall, to where his healer was rubbing some kind of salve on their prisoner’s hands. “You have him firebending?”

Somehow, the kid’s eyes got even wider.

* * *

So. It turned out the prince needed to meditate. Badly.

* * *

The Fire Lord’s first reply arrived. Hakoda took in some meditative breaths of his own, then made sure the isopuppy followed him across to the healer’s cabin.

“Prince Zuko,” he said. Levelly. Reasonably. After his dog had jumped up into the kid’s arms. “Can you tell me why your father thinks the letter you sent him was a forgery?”

“It wasn’t,” the prince said, like that was the issue.

Hakoda pinched the bridge of his nose.

* * *

They needed proof of life. Proof they had the kid at all.

The Fire Lord’s son got a haircut.

Hakoda would have had Aake do it, but Panuk volunteered. Their second-youngest crewman and the prince had a brief stare off, before the prince lowered his head for the knife. Panuk did it in one slice; handed it off to Hakoda, without looking at him. Then he sat down behind the kid, and tidied up the cut. The prince had already been growing stubble over the rest of his scalp; it was just a matter of evening it out.

Hakoda sent the long phoenix plume with his next reply.

* * *

The Fire Lord responded with fingers.

* * *

The kid saved Kustaa’s life. Had the burns to show for it, too.

* * *

He still expected Hakoda to take his.

Maybe in some other life, Hakoda would have known how to reassure him. In this one, he stepped out of his cabin, and sent in his dog and Kustaa.

* * *

It was… unpleasant, having someone on his ship that was afraid of him. Someone who wasn’t an enemy.

The kid could walk around now, some, with the crutches their ship’s carpenter had made for him. His burns were healing well; Bato had inducted him into the Burned Arm Club, which had an elite membership of two. No, the prince insisted, the time Toklo had accidentally burned himself on a ship’s lamp didn’t count. This, despite his own protests over the club’s very existence.

He’d started yelling at the crewmen who—quote—wasted medical supplies by doing the same stupid things to themselves again—end quote.

He didn’t even avoid Aake, though the Leg Breaker name had stuck, and spread amongst the crew.

“I understand the chain of command,” the kid said, stiffly, when Hakoda had asked.

It had been Aake’s suggestion. But it had been Hakoda’s orders.

Hakoda watched the kid brought to tears over sea prunes. To laughter, when Bato figured out he was ticklish. The kid started warming up the crew’s breakfast in the mornings, because he was up anyway, and because he could.

He… wasn’t a bad kid. But he’d never be one of Hakoda’s.

* * *

General How sent a letter. It was significantly more diplomatic than the latest from Fong.

—a child of such value in an active warzone. Likewise, the prince should be continuing his tutelage in matters of state and such subjects as befit his station and future, and to build in him an appreciation for the support a joint backing by our nations could provide. You would be welcome to send with him a delegation representing Southern Water Tribe interests—

* * *

“You’re selling me to the Earth Kingdom,” the prince said, sitting across from Hakoda at the desk.

“I’m…” There would be no money exchanged in the transaction. But that didn’t change its nature. “...It’s the best circumstances I can provide for you, Prince Zuko.”

“It’s just Zuko,” the prince said. “I’m banished. And dead. Remember? Sir.”

Hakoda sighed. “Pack your things, Zuko.”

The prince looked at him a moment more, then left. It wasn’t until later that Hakoda realized the boy didn’t have anything to pack. He’d come to him with the clothes on his back, and that was how he’d leave.

* * *

The Water Tribe delegation consisted of Toklo and Panuk. Kustaa was needed on the ship.

“Look, they sent a carriage,” Toklo said, leaning over the rail. The General’s men were already waiting for them on the docks.

“Fancy,” Panuk said.

None of them mentioned the prince’s continued need for crutches, nor the impossibility of him making the trip by ostrich-horse. Hakoda was glad the general had sent a carriage, rather than a wagon. It was a relatively auspicious start.

The boy himself was sitting on a barrel, his crutches propped beside him. The isopup leaned against his legs, three hind pereopods drumming against the deck as he enjoyed a good ear scratching. It was impossible to explain to him that this was the last he’d get from firebender-warm hands. Or that when he scratched at the healer’s cabin tonight, there’d only be an empty bed inside. The boy had slept with Hakoda’s dog more in the past months than Hakoda had during this entire voyage.

Hakoda cleared his throat. The boy didn’t startle, thankfully.

“What?” he asked, eyes on the soldiers waiting for him, as their crew tied up to the pier.

“You could… take him with you,” Hakoda said. “The dog. He’s more yours than mine, these days.”

The prince’s breathing hitched. His hand stopped scratching, which led to nuzzling and play-nibbles, before he resumed.

“I can’t,” he said. “I don’t know if they’ll hurt him.”

Hakoda didn’t make any other offers.

His crew secured the boarding ramp.

“It’s your last chance,” Panuk said, giving the boy a nudge. “Go.”

And then the prince was hugging their healer, and if he was crying, that was between him and the man’s shirt. The kid was still wearing Kustaa’s oversized coat.

“You’re still not my uncle,” he said, into the man’s shoulder.

“You don’t get to choose your uncles, brat,” Kustaa said, hugging his nephew back.

* * *

The isopuppy prowled the ship all night, searching.

* * *

After the war—after the coalition of nations, after that uneasy alliance with the Dragon of the West and the sharp-toothed smiles he had specifically for Hakoda, after the peace talks and the compromises—

After.

The new Fire Lord had a council with all nations represented. Hakoda sent Bato, and Sokka. Panuk was already there. Toklo had gone home, to a sister that didn’t remember him, but was still young enough to accept him back within the week.

Katara left for the Fire Nation, too, when news reached them of the Avatar finally being found. She joined the other Southern healer in residence in managing his care. If Kustaa resented a teenager whose qualifications consisted of “magic water” stepping into his domain, Hakoda never heard of it. And he did still hear from the man, in the occasional letter home.

The Avatar, one letter read, was extremely pleased to have graduated to a cane matching his nephew’s. His nephew was less enthused.

* * *

Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe was not invited to the coronation of Fire Lord Zuko.

#Royal Physician Kustaa: *exists*#Fire Lord Zuko: I NEVER HIRED YOU #Royal Physician Kustaa: Iroh did #us uncles have to stick together #Ten Years Later: a very good dog surfaces in Caldera Harbor #capsizing multiple pleasure yachts with his tail wags #deafening the city with his barks #Zuko rushing to a palace window: CHIEF HAKODA <3<3<3 #Iroh and Kustaa: Well that’s the first time he’s been so happy to say THAT name #Salvage #Break-a-Leg Salvage #Avatar The Last Airbender #atla #ficlet #Zuko #Hakoda

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puppyeared · 1 month

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Atla live action 😐

#thats my honest reaction 😐#to be fair ive only seen 20 minutes of the s1 finale bc my parents are watching it but. mmmmm kinda mid #like. the casting is definitely an improvement since the last time they tried a live action but it feels like the writing falls flat #or maybe im being harsh bc ive only heard negative criticism on it beforehand. but fr anytime u bring up the original its already #good and not just because its the original. so much fucking detail went into it to the point of someone noticing azula wielding mai's knive #to how well thought out irohs character is used as a way of uniting the cast especially as zukos foil #i heard that sokkas sexism was toned down and i have to agree that feels like a cheap move. like i get WHY they think it would be better #but its not about how that reflects on real world its about how it affects the story. sokka starts out as a misogynistic asshole because #it makes it that much more impactful when he changes. toning that down makes it flatter and makes his character development weak #and someone pointed out they didnt even make him wear the kyoshi warrior uniform and i know it feels like such a small detail but #come on man. they did that in the original because not only does it help him really walk in their shoes - wearing 'feminine' clothing and #makeup and having suki explain its significance but it also ties in with the shows theme of harmony and intersectionality #i was also disappointed when they had the fire sages explain how the water tribe draws power from the moon because in the original it was #IROH who explained it to aang and everyone else BECAUSE we as the audience is under the impression hes with the 'bad guys'#and it builds up to how he learned from the other nations which reconciles his past as a war general and his character overall #AND its an excellent starting point for the cast and audience to understand how the nations arent as closed off as you would think #plus you would think its only fire nation doing propaganda but they expanded on that with earth kingdom censorship and it WORKS #a lot of things in the live action also feel arbitrary like. they gave momo a near death experience for 5 minutes for no reason #im firmly on the stance of bringing back filler moments instead of putting major events right after each other so that u give your #audience a sense of time passing and to really absorb the story. but i think thats more like shock value than filler and yeah its a small #thing to gripe about but those things build up and its really annoying. the thing abt avatar filler moments is that however small #its at least meaningful. hell even the beach episode emphasizes how isolated zuko and his friends are as child soldiers #i also swore to never watch the first live action since it was that bad but i really liked the stylized tattoos they used for aang #anyway. those arejust my thoughts. im not gonna watch the rest because im a ride or die for the original aftr growing up and #rewatching it at least 20 times as a kid. but theres definitely room for improvement and i wish ppl wouldnt take it as 'better' just cuz #netflix is adapting it. i wouldve killed for them to just reanimate the entire avatar series and touch NOTHING ELSE no redub #no changes to the story. just reanimate the thing and leave the rest alone and youd make easy money just the same #ALSO its very jarring not hearing jack desena and dante basco voicing sokka and zuko cause their voices were the most recognizable to me #i get that its because its live action but im allowed to feel a little sad abt that. and uncle irohs accent was really soothing #yapping

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songazula · 13 days

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imagine looking at her and say "she was born evil"

#azula is the most complex character #the hate she gets is rooted in misogyny cause zuko and iroh are never held accountable for their actions #but azula is held accountable for the things she did and even things that she NEVER DID #most atla fans lack media literacy targeted at kids #azula #atla

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blluespirit · 1 month

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i see a terrible azula take? instant block. i’m cleansing ✨

#if i see one one more of u guys say that omg azula did nothing wrong uwu here’s why zuko and iroh and ursa etc. are #all actually irredeemable and azula has never done a single thing wrong in her life #i will LOSE IT #azula is a victim and she is a villain. it’s what makes her story so compelling and tragic #she’s a villain! she hurt people and tried to kill her own family members with zero remorse lol like what the fuck are you talking abt #i love azula so fucking much… she’s an abuse victim and she’s also inflicted pain and suffering upon zuko and others bc of that.#it’s a fucking tragedy. it’s an explanation for her actions but it doesn’t excuse it.#also this NOT anti azula. this is frustration at the fandom.#jack talks #azula #main series

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hyacinths-in-a-storm · 3 months

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Genuinely what was going through Iroh’s mind as he said that fighting the Firelord was the ‘Avatar’s battle’. Yeah I understand that history will see it as a power grab, but I think we have bigger problems than that. Like, I don’t know, THE FACT THAT SOZIN’S COMET IS IN A FEW HOURS AND THE AVATAR IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.

#Bro was like I’m going to let this thirteen year old with a year of training fight my brother #who was been training longer then has been conscious for #Instead of me #someone who has dedicated his whole life to the art of bending #Not surprising coming from the guy who let his 17 year old nephew rule a war-torn nation #Just go fight your brother dude please #Iroh is a 100x funnier when you realize he’s literally the epitome of “head empty”#he just gets possessed by the spirit of idioms past every now and then #He’s literally doing what Zuko did in Ba Sing Se (saying everything was great and fine when it was clearly not)#except for a much longer period of time #he is so used to having his way that he just lives in his own world of ‘everything will work out in the end’#this makes me think Iroh and Zuko are foils honestly #Azula and Iroh on the other hand are cinematic parallels #that’s why they hate each other #to some extent they know how destructive their mindset is but will never admit it #so instead they utterly despise each other #Would this technically make Ozai and Zuko cinematic parallels as well????#because oh boy that would be ironic and messy #I don’t know why this turned into a character study of Iroh and the fire nation royal family but oh well #iroh #ozai #aang #zuko #azula #atla #avatar the last airbender

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snifekinner · 6 months

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i have a friend who told me that when she played with her friends as a kid she would stage manage them, to the point of telling them exactly where to stand and what to say while they were playing that they were at her wedding or something. and im just saying, azula.

#azula #atla #this is exactly what she would have done as a kid #she would also change rules all the time so that everything had to happen how she wanted it #zuko was more the type to push over the table if he lost #lol i just imagined him doing it with iroh multiple times and every time iroh just waits very calmly and peacefully #while zuko picks up everything in silence #and then one day zuko loses and looks at iroh who just sips his tea placidly #and zuko never turns over another game board in his life #maybe one or two okay #azula would also cheat like she didnt need to cheat against zuko but she would do it just to piss him off #and then if he complained she would just be like well you never win why would i even need to cheat?#i didnt do anything and you cant prove i did #so the choice is either quit the game bc she cheated and she'll just say it was bc you were losing #or stick it out knowing she cheated #can you tell i have siblings #they are masters of psychological torture and they know you too well at that age

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peony-pearl · 2 years

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Iroh was dismissive/cold towards Azula in The Avatar State, most likely, because of her smile during the Agni Kai (then again at his angle and what was on his mind, odds are didn’t see); but in the aftermath as everyone disassembled, and in seeing Azula’s reaction/lack of horror, yeah I can see he’d be defensive about her being around Zuko some three years later after not being in contact with him while he’s been out on a wild goose chase away from home. With that being Iroh’s last memory of her from home, and her suddenly showing up, I highly doubt he was all that thrilled to see her, thus his cold reaction, especially if it’s been in these past 3 years that Iroh has come to see Zuko as a surrogate son. Those emotions would amplify his reaction because now he wants to protect Zuko from further harm, and with Azula there as an obvious placeholder for Ozai, yeah he’s not letting his guard down for anything.

#Iroh #Zuko #Azula #yeah I'm beating a dead horse but guess what everyone else beats dead horses all the time in these metas #atla #atla meta #Azula's reaction in that short moment for us to see is meant to telephone in that that's what the other characters would have seen from her #if her expression was meant to be secret from Iroh we would not have seen it #period #if it was from Iroh's pov other reactions would not have mattered #if Iroh was an unreliable narrator we would have been shown another pov of Zuko's scarring #but it's never contested #Azula smiled #and regardless of the intentions behind that smile she still did so and at surface level #if someone in my family smiled at the scarring of another #yeah I'd probably keep my distance from them too #child or not

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ultranos · 2 years

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Does Sokka put together that Azula and Areshi are the same person from Zuko recognizing her? How does that conversation go?

Zuko glares at him. Sokka's willing to consider that it might be intimidating, if the other man wasn't currently sitting in a medical bed with fire ferret-print blanket draped over his legs. And if Sokka hadn't hauled his sorry butt ten li all the way to Areshi's doorstep.

Which is exactly his problem, as it turns out.

"How couldn't you tell me?" Zuko snaps, again, for the third time.

Sokka pinches the bridge of his nose. "I told you, multiple times even, about Areshi. I don't know what you want from me."

"Don't play stupid, you know what I mean," he growls, scowling deeply. "You kept the fact that my sister was alive from me for years!"

Sokka breathes out slowly. Patience. The man did have a concussion, and yeah, if their positions were reversed, Sokka'd be pissed too. Except their positions would never be reversed, because Sokka would have never done the shit that caused this mess in the first place. So the patience thing? Kinda difficult.

"That's because I didn't know Areshi was Azula, Zuko," he says, calm as he can manage.

Zuko opens his mouth. Sokka holds up a hand and glares, because no, he's not done yet, and he's going to say this before his friend can stick his foot in his mouth even further. (And maybe...hell, both Areshi and Zuko have been hurt enough. Maybe he can be the one to actually stop the bleeding.)

Zuko's mouth clicks shut. Huh, that's a first.

"I didn't know she was Azula, and I certainly didn't keep that fact from you. Yes, I noticed that you do look similar. Yes, I know she grew up in the Palace and had surprisingly accurate knowledge of the Fire Nation military during the war. Hell, I even knew she had an older brother. But no, I never even considered that Areshi might be Azula. Do you want to know why, Zuko?"

Not waiting for an answer, he continues, voice hard and cold. "Because I also know that when Areshi went to her older brother for help to escape, because their shithead dad wanted to see her dead because he didn't like the fact she loves women, her brother turned her away too. That he never even gave her a chance to explain that she needed his help.

"And that? Well, that certainly doesn't sound like something my friend Zuko would ever do. Even if he and his sister never really got along as kids, my friend isn't capable of that kind of complete asshole behavior, right?" Sokka folds his arms over his chest. "I never considered it, no matter how much I probably should have in retrospect, because I didn't want to be forced to think the worst of you, buddy. So tell me how I'm supposed to square this circle."

#nos answers things #Anonymous #atla #smallest nail au #the reason why sokka never connected the dots earlier #he purposefully did not want to #because he did not want the associated implications #and really does want to think the best of his friend zuko #and wants to think positively of iroh because zuko holds him in esteem #both of which become very difficult if areshi is azula because sokka knows how she made it back to eri

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raychleadele · 2 months

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Live Action ATLA Ep 4 might be my favorite so far

When the melody of “Leaves From the Vine” started playing over Lu Ten’s funeral, and again when Iroh boarded Zuko’s ship, that’s what did me in. I’m sold.

#avatar #spicy take: I like the new adaptation #*sobbing* Iroh and Zuko love each other so much 😭#Lu Ten’s funeral was shown for two reasons #first to reinforce that Iroh has experienced great loss in this war #second to show Zuko’s respect for him started early and runs deep #the melody was played the second time to show Iroh is already thinking of Zuko as his second son #Zuko is his second chance and he wants to do things right this time #he wants to care for this boy the way Zuko’s father never did and the way Lu Ten never got

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mozart-the-meerkitten · 1 year

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And now for a brief interruption on all my Wingfeather posts because I rewatched the first two episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender last night and I had some thoughts about my boy Zuko.

Probably someone has pointed this out already but that’s never stopped me before so let’s go:

So the first few episodes of a show are always very important for showing us the basics of what a character is like and Avatar does that well both subtly and overtly. It is interesting then that Zuko, who has been being set up as a villain, does something very not-villainous in episode 2.

So Zuko shows up on his warship and knocks a hole in the Southern Water tribe’s home and storms out demanding to see the Avatar. He’s trying to be intimidating and commanding.

But he doesn’t actually hurt anyone? Like, he whips fire out at the villagers but it doesn’t even singe any of them (we see Iroh do this earlier too btw, he literally shoots fire at Zuko’s face but it doesn’t touch Zuko, and the fact that Zuko doesn’t even flinch at that after what he’s been through is a whole ‘nother post). Sokka attacks him (multiple times) and Zuko doesn’t even fight him back, just defends himself by blocking/disabling all Sokka’s attacks. The only time we see him look like he’s going to attack anyone there is when Sokka’s boomerang whacks him in the head, but even then his anger is solely targeted on Sokka, who may be inept and untrained but is still a warrior and has been attacking Zuko this whole time so he’s been asking for a fight, Zuko’s just finally taking the bait. (he also never orders his soldiers to hurt anyone/search/attack)

When Aang shows up he does the same thing. He attacks Aang specifically, and while his fire flies out and scares the villagers he’s still not trying to hurt them, he just wants Aang. And when Aang asks if Zuko will leave if he goes with him Zuko nods in agreement.

And then he does it. Zuko leaves. He doesn’t go back on his word when he gets what he wants, he doesn’t burn the village to the ground, heck, he never even ransacked it looking for the Avatar! And like, I need to stress here that if Ozai or Azula had been there they would have razed the village to the ground for harboring the Avatar. From how quickly he accepts Aang’s offer, this thought never even occurs to Zuko.

To bring this back to my original point, the show is trying to tell us here that Zuko isn’t really a villain. He’s an antagonist, because he’s a source of conflict for the protagonists, but he’s not a true villain (which is why we get Zhao in the very next episode). Zuko just desperately wants to please his father and go home and he’s willing to go to extremes to accomplish that- but he’s not inherently a terrible person either. And I think it’s really important that they showed us that in episode 2.

Side note because I’m sure someone will mention it: Yes, I know Zuko attacked Kyoshi Island later and did burn it down, but it was a much bigger settlement and it had actual warriors to protect it instead of being solely comprised of women, children, elderly and two teenagers like the SWT was. It’s the difference between a battle and a massacre- Kyoshi Island was a battle, the SWT would have been a massacre.

#avatar the last airbender #avatar #zuko #its been ten years since I watched avatar and I'm back here making posts about it #I noticed a lot more things in these episodes but this stood out to me the most #the fact that zuko COULD destroy the southern water tribe- people who are his enemies- and never even THINKS about it #he takes aang and leaves #he doesn't go back the village after aang gets away and burn it down either out of anger #like yeah zuko did messed up things but he was never truly a villain like his dad and sister #and I think part of that is just how he is as a person and part of it is iroh's influence (and earlier in his life his mom's influence)

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snekdood · 2 months

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ok so i watched the new avatar show (yes obviously thats what my post earlier was about, duh,i wanted to watch it before sharing my thoughts) and it was. iight.

#spoilers ig #there were things i liked that it did vs the show. theres things i didn't like that they removed #like. aang doesnt actually learn waterbending at all #so the climax of the first chapter feels really unearned?#and i am getting barely any passion from kataras character #sokkas fine ig- not nearly as fun and sarcastic as i'd want and i rly wish they didn't take out his sexism arc bc part of what makes his #character funny is him doing something sexist and immediately getting fucked over for it lol. but ig they could always do that in other way #like with the whole 'the universe loves proving me wrong doesnt it' things hes got going on sdhbfshvg #otherwise i didn't mind the fusing of episodes much- aside from skipping aang and katara bending with eachother which i think is #part of their relationship developing. so any romance later on is gonna feel a bit unearned too.......#i dont like the whole koh thing? idk that was weird. but it was cool he saw gyatzo in the spirit world.#i also didn't mind the backstories happening in the beginning very much. though ig it would be better to have them show up later #but the problem is i think everyones expecting this to be beat for beat the same thing as the cartoon. which makes no sense i mean #if you want the cartoon. watch the cartoon. lmao. either way it felt kinda like a play version of the movie- like a good play but def #a play the way they fused stories to cut down on time. i think ppl want the avatar world to be expanded but this isnt what this is gonna #be. ya gotta read the comics for that. this is clearly gonna be more or less a bit more of a dramatic remake. and i can tell the characters #really get more comfortable in their roles as the episodes go on. i do wish that they'd stretched the episodes out more tbh.#also they never really concluded the whole thing with hai bei??? which made me :/#but i liked zukos character and i like aangs character. zhao is unhinged even more some how #i didn't like iroh as much in the beginning bc he wasnt as warm and welcoming as he was in the show #but since they seem to be going for a slightly more serious tone i think they wanted to make zukos family even more uptight #and strict n all.#also sidenote but jeez azula's actor has such a lil baby face. not that there's anything wrong with that i think it's cute but its #not how I imagine azulas live action character looking idk. i think the girl playing ty lee looks more like azula personally :0 #not a huge fan of the cgi for appa and momo but it could be way worse. yue's hair is stupidly obviously a wig-#im saying it was literally just a play version of the series. cut down and more dramatic. but they added their own original tweaks #to it too which was nice.#the whole thing with suki and sokka though was. hmm. she's really thirsty abt him huh #i also cant get over how much sokkas character just like. looks like a cartoon character vs everyone else who look like real ppl sdjhbfgshf #i like how zuko and aang talked more. i think everyones lines were a bit flat but im blaming that on them being children mostly

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tobiasdrake · 2 months

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*deep breath* Okay. Here we go.

I don't think the Netflix Avatar show likes women very much. It's a great show for fans of Aang, Sokka, Zuko, and Iroh specifically. All four of those characters get a ton of great material. In fact, it's super great for Sokka stans, because the show takes him ultra-seriously and can't go five minutes without one character or another (usually a woman) praising him.

But the way it handles its female cast is troublesome.

Katara

So, all three of the main trio got some changes made to their stories. They changed Aang's story so that he wasn't running away from his responsibilities; He was just clearing his head and somehow accidentallied himself into a tsunami. Whoopsy-dooodle. Aang did nothing wrong.

They changed Sokka's story so that him being a leader of his people and a great guardian warrior is treated with complete seriousness. Multiple times, characters stop to talk about how brave and noble Sokka is for taking on such an intense responsibility, and tell him to his face what a great warrior and a wonderful leader he is. Also his misogyny is erased.

And they changed Katara's story so that she directly got her mom killed because she sucks at waterbending.

Katara tries to waterbend to attack the Fire Nation soldier but couldn't manage it, provoking the soldier to start actively searching for her and forcing her mom to fake a waterbending attack and draw his fire. They changed Katara's story so that her bad decision making fucking got her mom killed.

This is treated with the same level of severity as "Sokka was bullied by mean kids and also his dad doesn't think he's good enough to be a leader."

"I hoped Sokka would do better but not everyone is meant to have people's lives in their hands," Sokka's dad says of him.

Yeah, you're right, that's totally comparable to watching your mom get barbecued because you tried to waterbend in a situation you shouldn't have and then failed.

In fact, they give Sokka's greatest trauma more weight because it gets examined again with Yue next episode, while Katara actively getting her mom killed isn't brought up again at all. We get traumatized glimpses of it throughout the season leading up to the reveal, but after this scene in episode 5, it never comes up again.

But to be fair, Katara was a child. An event this significant would surely have motivated her, driving her to become the great waterbender she is now, right?

No! Katara sucks at waterbending and needs men who aren't even waterbenders to teach her how to waterbend. She requires instruction from Aang in episode 1 to learn how to waterbend, then from Jet in episode 3 to learn how to waterbend better.

And unlike the show, her relationship with Aang isn't a give-and-take; Katara doesn't teach Aang a single goddamn thing. He never learns to waterbend. She is a strictly a pupil throughout the whole season. Though she at least gets officially labeled a master in episode 8, so there's that.

In any case, the whole traumatic memory thing isn't even the only time she's directly compared with Sokka. Episodes 3 and 4 see Katara and Sokka bicker over whose morally dubious side character is better. Sokka likes the Mechanist and Katara likes Jet.

Ultimately, Katara is forced to eat crow when Jet turns out to be the worst, while Sokka is vindicated when the Mechanist sees the error of his ways and reforms. But not before two separate arguments where Sokka calls Katara childish and accuses her of acting like a little girl.

Arguments ultimately resolved when Katara apologizes to Sokka for not adequately respecting his very serious and ultra important role as village protector and leader. Gives him a whole speech about how great and glorious he is. And Sokka... appreciates Katara learning to respect him properly, I guess, because he never offers any similar sentiments back to her.

The show just... They need you to know how important Sokka is, okay? It's very important that you respect Sokka.

Suki

Suki suffers tremendously from that whole "Sokka's misogyny was removed" thing. Y'know, because they need something else to do with that episode. The show is deeply aware that Suki is Sokka's love interest, so they just do that right off the bat. Suki falls madly in love with him from the moment they meet, and spends the entire episode making goo-goo eyes and trying to get him to Notice Me Senpai.

They still do the "Suki Trains Sokka" stuff. But Sokka is a serious, dignified manly man worthy of the deepest respect now, so of course they don't make him wear the Kyoshi uniform. Instead, the main purpose of his training is to allow them to flirt some more. It's less martial arts training and more an excuse to grope each other and near-kiss.

Suki's just a waifu now. She still fights real good, but all of the stuff that made her relationship with Sokka interesting has been erased.

Yue

Yue, similarly, leaps straight to shipping from the word go. They write out her fiance, Hahn, by having Yue briefly meet Sokka earlier in the season. She spends one minute talking to him in the Spirit World about Spirit World lore; In that time, she falls so desperately, madly, unfathomably in love with him that she breaks off her marriage to Hahn and devotes herself to waiting for him to one day come to her.

"Never have I known such joys as that time you let me explain the spirit bear Hei Bei to you. Truly, we are destined to be together for life."

Like with Suki, they go out of their way to have Yue and Sokka already be a ship from the word 'go' so they don't have to spend time developing any kind of meaningful attraction.

They just. They really want you to know that Sokka is the manliest and most desirable man ever to walk this earth. It is very important that you understand how great he is. Women hurl themselves into his arms with zero effort whatsoever, because he's just so goddamn irresistible.

Fortunately, Hahn is super okay with this turn of events. He's the most chill guy ever, he gets along perfectly well with Sokka, and he completely supports Yue's right to dump him! In the famously misogynistic Northern Water Tribe, no less! What a swell guy. Aren't men swell?

June

June gets hit with that "rewritten as hollow waifu" stick too, but her eyes are set on Iroh. They rewrote June to be super attracted and flirty towards the man who was her unwanted sexual harasser in the source material. So that's fun.

Also, she barely does anything. Zuko hires her to find Aang, she succeeds, and then she fucks right off out of the show - But she manages to find time to express how unbelievably sexy Iroh is twice during that time.

She seriously just dropped into the show to flirt with Iroh and leave. She is unbelievably inconsequential.

Kyoshi

And then there's Kyoshi. They really want you to hate Kyoshi. She's constantly shot from below, as if looking down on Aang and the audience. Her voice takes on a demonic echoing reverb at one point as she's screaming at Aang that "THE AVATAR MUST BE A MERCILESS WARRIOR!!!"

She despises Aang, calling him a coward for running away from his responsibilities - Which, I remind you, is no longer a plot point because they unwrote that flaw from his character. So she's just a complete and utter asshole, shot from the asshole angle, yelling violently at him with asshole sound effects. They want you to despise this woman.

Azula

Awkwardly, they do not seem to want you to despise Azula.

There's a lot to be said for how Ozai treats Azula in the original show. The way the favoritism he shows her is every bit as cruel and manipulative as the unfavoritism that he shows Zuko. Ozai does not love Azula. He loves the reflection of himself he sees in her eyes, and his encouragement urges her to polish herself to ensure his reflection always shines through.

This is not that. The show instead erases the favoritism entirely. Ozai doesn't really care one way or another about either of his kids. He plays them against each other, bragging openly to Azula about how great Zuko is and unpleasably writing Azula off as weak and useless.

They've rewritten the dynamic between abusive father and his two abused kids in order to take Azula's pride away. Reimagining her from a gifted prodigy who excels at imitating the toxic behaviors of a father who doesn't truly care for her, to a put-upon overachiever tearing herself in knots to live up to the standards of her unpleasable father.

This results in a truly wild portrayal of Azula as insecure and jealous of Ozai's seemingly love for Zuko. Here, she is simply a browbeaten child constantly complaining to her friends about how mean her father is and conspiring to get one up over Daddy's Golden Child Zuko.

Which she fails at, because she backs Zhao. Zuko deftly defeats her without even realizing they're in competition.

Conclusion

The season ends well for some of these women. It ends promising that maybe we'll see Katara teaching Aang some day. It ends with Zhao bragging that Ozai just used Zuko to train Azula so maybe we'll see the more confident and misguidedly proud Azula some day. Yue becomes the moon like she's supposed to. June's still out there so maybe she'll get to do something again some day.

Katara gets to fight Pakku and lose, but she looks pretty cool. She gets to fight Zuko and lose, but she looks pretty cool. Azula learns to lightningbend because she's just so mad about Ozai's contempt for her and favoritism for Zuko, which isn't how you lightningbend.

But promises of future content fall flat when the content that exists is so underwhelming. This season made its feelings on these characters pretty evident, and it's unwise to expect better material from creators who've disappointed you with the material they already made.

The women of Netflix Avatar simply do not get to shine, outside of superficial moments like the "Women of Northern Water Tribe demand the right to fight and then fuck off and don't do anything for the entire rest of the episode" bit.

"In the midst of battle, we demand that you stop being sexist and give us permission to fight! This is a way better idea than convincing you to teach us to fight before the battle begins."

The characters of this show feel as if they've been reimagined to glorify the boys at the expense of the girls. The boys are treated with a great amount of care. They're dignified and made important movers of the plot, with their rough edges sanded off. While the girls are molded around them.

#avatar the last airbender #drake watches netflix last airbender #kyoshi #katara #azula #suki #yue #june

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outpastthemoat · 5 months

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I cannot get over what a people-pleaser zuko is at heart. that boy did NOT want to go on that date with jin!! he ONLY went on that date because iroh wanted him to go and zuko wanted to make his uncle happy!!

listen to me. EVERYTHING about that date was zuko trying to make iroh happy. zuko went on the date (he did not want to go on the date). zuko wore the fancy earth kingdom clothes that he CLEARLY did not feel comfortable in and had not picked out for himself (he did not want to wear the fancy earth kingdom clothes). zuko allowed iroh to style his hair WITH HAIR GEL (he did not like the hair gel) and sat still for TEN WHOLE MINUTES until iroh was satisfied with his look (he did not want to sit still).

and he went on the date (he did not want to go on the date). zuko ate the noodles (he did not like the noodles) and tried his hardest to make small talk (he did not want to make small talk). and then. during the course of the date that wasn't his idea and that he didn’t want to go on. zuko firebends lights up the lanterns at the fountain, just to make jin smile, because she was sad and he couldn’t stand to see her unhappy.

and then he came home and told iroh the date was nice (it was not nice). because he knew that saying so would please iroh (he wants to make iroh happy.)

zuko wants to be a good boy SO BADLY!! and that’s what makes his attempts to please ozai so tragic. he can never make his father happy; zuko is destined to always fall short for the simple reason that there is nothing zuko can do that will ever please ozai.

and meanwhile, iroh is so ready to be thrilled and appreciative of every tiny little half-hearted step zuko makes in his direction, but what iroh really wants is for zuko to find a happiness that's his own choice, not just whatever he thinks will make iroh happy with him.

and zuko just doesn't get it; he's so often frustrated because he can't figure out what iroh wants from him. so instead he steals pastries and golden tea pots and he eats the congee with a smile and sweeps the floors and serves the tea and goes on the date and does whatever he thinks iroh will approve of, in order to earn iroh's affection (he's never had to earn it) (he's never understood that).

#zuko #iroh #jin #atla #my meta

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angelltheninth · 1 month

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Firebenders (both from ATLA and TLOK are fine) warming you up on a cold day?

There are a lot of firebenders in the two shows, I never noticed how many there were.

Pairing: Aang, Zuko, Korra, Mako, Iroh II x Reader

Tags: fluff, established relationship, kissing, teasing, being cold, warming up, cuddles, firebending, non-bender!Reader

A/N: I included Aang and Korra cause they're the Avatars, plus I'm in love with Korra.

Aang panics for a moment when he sees you're shaking and cold. Don't panic, like he is, he will warm you up right away. He takes your hands in his and lets you feel the warmth of his breath when he brings them close to his lips, not at all noticing as your cheeks warm up too at him holding your hands.

Zuko doesn't hesitate to pull you against his body and wrap his arms tightly and fully around you. He breaths out a little fire close to you, not enough to burn anything but enough to make you feel heat. Kissing could work too and he doesn't need to just keep it at your lips either, his lips are warm too after all.

Korra makes a fire all around you two so you're warm on all sides. While you lean on her shoulders you notice her stiffen for a moment, she's still a bit shy when you're so casually affectionate with her. When she's doing it it's fine but there's no time to dwell on that, you're cold so she has to hold you and warm you up.

Mako firstly makes a fire right in front of you so you can sit in front of it and he can sit behind you. Will give you his scarf if you need it, he doesn't want you to get cold from any part of your body being cold. What actually makes you shiver isn't the cold, it's him exposing a bit of your neck to kiss it.

Iroh II is very practical and knows he needs to act fast so you don't get sick. At the same time he will take this opportunity to point out how he did tell you to pack warmer clothes and you refused so you only have yourself to blame here. When you push yourself into his arms he gives you his jacket to make you even warmer.

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thefandomthings · 27 days

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Zuko x reader

"That's not what I meant, and you know it."

Betrayal

Hurt prompt #11: "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

Pairing: Zuko x Gn!reader

Warnings: Angst, No comfort, Established relationship, !!SPOILERS¡¡, Takes place in Book 2. Ep. 18

Notes: Oh boy, I have so many avatar requests, it's amazing. Thank you guys for participating in my event it makes me so happy! Tell me if y'all want a part 2.

Prompt Event

All you felt was pain, deep inside your chest. Watching your boyfriend take sides against the avatar once again was brutal. What made it even worse was Iroh was to be imprisoned, you would hold the same fate if you were captured.

You stood next to Katara and Aang, Azula and Zuko on the opposite side of the cave. Azula held the same malicious grin on her face, watching the three of you with smugness.

"My, my Y/n. You seem so down, how sad." She mocks you with a slight chuckle. Zuko gives her a glare, his eyes wandering back to you. They are full of guilt, pleading for forgiveness from you. Practically begging you to understand why he did it, to come with him.

"Leave Y/n alone, Azula." Zuko grunts, getting in a fighting stance with his sister. Azula clicks her tongue and rolls her eyes at her brother.

"They're the enemy now, Zuzu. Can't protect them forever." Azula laughs, blue fire erupting from her fists.

The blue flurries of fire woosh past you fastly. Katara quickly blocks the fire with her water. Using her octopus arms she slashes and whips at Azula, both going back and forth. The ground beneath the five of you shakes and cracks.

Aang and Zuko are going at it hand to hand. You watch out of the corner of your eye as Zuko takes a hit by Aangs wind, sending him flying back into one of the crystal pillars. Your heart stops, skipping a beat as Zuko groans.

You curse under your breath and run towards him, Aang is calling your name frantically. You slid against the rock surface and get the few rocks that landed on Zuko off. He lets out a huff of air, the weight of the rock off of his chest allowing him to breath.

He's quick to sit up, using his hands, he does a walk over away from you. Your heart felt like it was stabbed, watching as he gets in a protective stance. He knows you'd never hurt him on purpose, and he'd never hurt you.

"Why are you doing this, Zuko? Why are you so desperate to gain your honor back?" Your voice is meek, tears gathering at your waterline, blurring his figure.

"You know why I have to, Y/n. This is my chance to prove to my father I am worthy."

Zukos heart physically aches, seeing your tears making him question everything. He never wanted to hurt you, never wanted to put strain on your relationship. You're his everything, you've been with him since the beginning along with Iroh. Loving him even when he didn't love himself.

"But Zuko, when you get home and see your father, will he even except you? What if he hurts you again, or what if he tries to kill you?" You plead, knowing this isn't him. He's just confused and fighting himself.

Zuko stays quiet, thinking over your words carefully. You have a point. His father could easily do all of those things, Azula to. Does he really want to go through with this? Having Uncle imprisoned, possibly you too?

He closes his eyes tightly, fists clenched at his side. He lets out a long breath, salty tears slide down his cheeks as he looks back up at you again.

"He won't. I'm sorry Y/n. You can't change my mind. I'm going home." He lifts his fists back into a defensive stance, hands trembling.

"Please...Please forgive me."

You let out a strangled sob at his words, heart clenching and shattering. Zuko grits his teeth, holding back his own cries.

"Get out of here, before Azula realizes I haven't killed you." Without realizing it, Zuko was beside you. Taking you into his arms, he holds you as close as he can. His lips pressing multiple kisses to your head. His nose buried in your hair, taking in your shampoo scent one last time.

"Does this mean you don't love me anymore? Since you're leaving?" You asked, face hidden in his neck, tears hitting his skin like rain. Zuko squeezes you softly, kissing the apples of your cheeks.

"That not what I meant, Y/n. And you know it." He pulls away from you, taking a few steps back to create distance.

Water then wraps around his waist sending him flying. You scream his name as Katara takes you in her arms. You sob holding onto Katara as she sees you down.

"It'll be alright, Y/n. I promise." She hugs you tightly, the sound of wind echos in the cave as Aang enters the avatar state. Suddenly lighting cracks, blue electricity shoots towards Aang. Shooting into his back like a spear.

"AANG!" You and Katara race towards him, watching as he falls, his body is lifeless. Katara catches him, tears falling from her eyes. You use your bending to keep the three of you protected as Katara holds Aang and bends up the waterfall.

Zuko watches as the love of his life disappears. He lets out a sob, his fist pounding the ground.

He's sorry. So, so sorry. He never wanted to hurt you, cause you this much pain. Yet he has, and he might never, ever be able to fix it.

He hopes you're safe, and he'll come and find you when the time is right before it's to late.

#thefandomthings #avatar the last airbender x reader #zuko x reader #fire lord zuko #prince zuko #aanga x reader #sokka x reader #katara x reader #the gaang #prompt event #writing prompt #atla #legend of korra #legend of korra x reader #zuko fluff #zuko angst #zuko smut

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