#certified-bi-fangirl-disaster
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the official zutara dissertation: conclusion
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
This dissertation set out to prove that Zutara, rather than Kat.aang and Mai.ko, should have been the endgame ship of Avatar: The Last Airbender. It has discussed why Zuko and Katara would make a good couple within the text, how the narrative was setting them up for a relationship and why a Zutara endgame would have served the themes and messages of the show, as well as the arcs of all the characters involved, better than the canon relationships did.
Many have argued that Zutara is too complicated, too deep, too much for a kids’ show - that much of the subtext and narrative and analysis that really makes Zutara brilliant cannot be easily understood by children. But the reason that Avatar: The Last Airbender still stands the test of time today is because it did care about those very things, because it took difficult, complex issues and still managed to make them meaningful, nuanced and understandable. If ATLA could depict imperialism, colonialism, redemption, genocide and war, I see no reason why it could not have pulled off an enemies-to-lovers ship literally coded in the DNA of the show.
In conclusion, Zutara should have been canon because it would have fixed almost all of the narrative, thematic and character problems I have discussed over the course of this dissertation, and elevated the show to near perfection. The choice to deny Zutara of the ending they rightfully deserved is thus undoubtedly one of ATLA’s biggest flaws and its greatest loss.
But as Dante Basco, Prince Zuko himself and captain of the Zutara ship, put it: “Sometimes the feeling of what could have been is stronger than what actually happened, because the memory of perfection lasts longer.”
Though Zuko and Katara’s story ends in tragedy, it is this very tragedy that still makes them so fascinating all of these years later ‐ because the final element of Zutara’s brilliance is the idea of what might have been, in what has been left solely to our imaginations. In the greatest of ironies, therefore, it was only by leaving the story of Zuko and Katara unfinished that it was able to become the beautiful tale it is today ‐ more powerful and compelling, perhaps, than it could ever have been in canon.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Araeph, 2017. Araeph’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 2. https://at.tumblr.com/burst-of-iridescent/araephs-greatest-hits-vol-2/zfcozrmeby19
Certified Bi Fangirl Disaster, 2020. The Cave of Two Lovers foreshadows the Zutara interactions in the Crossroads of Destiny. https://at.tumblr.com/theotterpenguin/645662327005478912/p30gsur9gexe
DevilDogDemon et. al, 2021. The Effect of Kataang on Aang’s Character Arc. https://at.tumblr.com/burst-of-iridescent/devildogdemon-juldooz-atla-negromouthandafro/hs2r37t0uipp
FunFanFin, 2017. How Zutara Fulfills The Show’s Key Themes. https://at.tumblr.com/funfanfin/dentist-open-up-me-wellokay-so-not-only-does/pnwuyp5pxxc4
Marsreds, 2017. It’s called the Cave of Two Lovers, not the Cave of Two “Treasured/Close/Platonic Friends”. https://at.tumblr.com/marsreds/its-called-the-cave-of-two-lovers-not-the-cave/njy7bj7qkoko
My Bated Breath, 2020. Wants vs Need - A Comparison Between Kataang, Taang, and Zutara. https://at.tumblr.com/my-bated-breath/wants-vs-need-a-comparison-between-kataang/vvhl7irrdk69
RoyalTeaLovingKookiness, 2019. The Romantic Framing of Zutara. https://at.tumblr.com/royaltealovingkookiness/i-think-the-anon-who-sent-the-zuko-lost-azula-in/rpfdg8oxfmfq
SneezyPeasy, 2021. Get in losers, we’re stanning Zutara. https://at.tumblr.com/sneezypeasy/get-in-losers-were-stanning-zutara/0x2mbtmsp3xu
SneezyPeasy, 2021. Why Aang’s Lines Sound Preachy in The Southern Raiders. https://at.tumblr.com/sneezypeasy/why-aangs-lines-sound-preachy-in-the-southern/q78urhuqp6lm
SunMoonTurtleDuck, 2021. Why Zuko Had To Take Azula’s Lightning for Katara. https://at.tumblr.com/theotterpenguin/its-true-zuko-would-have-taken-the-lightning-for/ki6rg04v45h2
TheMomentofDavyPrentiss, 2017. Why I Believe Katara Canonically Had Romantic Feelings for Zuko. https://at.tumblr.com/themomentofdavyprentiss/why-i-believe-katara-canonically-had-romantic/m7a6x8a521n8
TheOtterPenguin, 2022. A Counter Argument to “Zuko Would Have Taken The Lightning for Anyone!” https://at.tumblr.com/theotterpenguin/why-is-zuko-would-have-taken-the-lightning-for/amyfkr6oaz45
#zutara#zutara meta#the official zutara dissertation#and we're done!!!#this series has been so fun to write and seeing everyone's reactions made me so happy#i hope this was as enjoyable to read as it was to make <33#and also shoutout to all these amazing metas and sneezy's god tier zutara video#anti kataang#anti maiko#ana out *drops mic*
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tagged by the wonderful @bioerin 💖 thanks for sending this to me! i think i’ve done this one before but music tag games are my favorite so i wanna make another 🥰
rules: list 10 songs that you really like, each by a different artist
valentine by laufey
505 by arctic monkeys
campus by vampire weekend
playground love by someone
safe & sound by taylor swift
lemon boy by cavetown
despair by leo
we’ll never have sex by leith ross
i wish i never met you by babygirl
should’ve been me by mitski
tagging: (only if you’d like to!) @hishoukoku @revyourharleyquinn @theheartconstellation @certified-bi-fangirl-disaster @hualianaddict + whoever sees this and would like to add on 💖
#tag game#if i’ve mentioned valentine like 3 times already don’t worry about it. i like that song a normal amount 💖#also#i can’t make one of these without including mitski or arctic monkeys SOMEWHERE
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Top 5 smartass!Xie Lian moments <3
5. The time Xie Lian figured out who Hua Cheng was and still only said it at the very end with a smug look on his face:
4. The time he was making fun of poor San Lang for his writing (there's more than one instance but this is my favorite):
3. The time he was adorably poking fun at tiny San Lang:
2. The time he knew Huahua was 'Lang Ying' but went on teasing him for ages:
1. The time he tried to scold Hua Cheng for taking a hit, but it backfired on him and resulted in Hualian domestic 'fight':
Hahaahh ofc it ended up being HuaLian centric. These are the first that came to my mind, hope you like them <3
From this Ask game ~~ Top 5 anything
#certified-bi-fangirl-disaster#ishidareplies#ask game#xie lian#hua cheng#hua lian#tgcf#heaven official's blessing
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You seem really nice and friendly so I'd say 2 <33
🥺🥺thank you!<3<3<3
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Picrew Tag thingy
So I somehow found a really cool picrew and the courage to start a post so lol here you go
Here’s mine!
Tags: @booksandbeanbags @heccccccccc @oreosndscones @abraxos-is-toothless @jostenlovesminyard @princeofexy @koholania @applesandbannas747 @certified-bi-fangirl-disaster @b00kworm @emilyfairchild @andrewfrickingminyard and of course, whoever sees this!
#picrew#picrew tag thingy#idk what im supposed to put as tags#but i like her#yeah okay imma head out
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On a Subject That Never Seems To Die
Reposted, because Tumblr won’t let the original post onto the tags for some reason (?)
Fortunately (or unfortunately), @certified-bi-fangirl-disaster has already covered Zutara’s Oma and Shu parallels extensively in her meta here -- she refutes many of the Ka/taang arguments that are usually overlooked by Oma/Shu metas as well as accouting for all aspects of the Oma/Shu tale to form a more cohesive claim rather than one dependent on convenient screenshots. Of course, that’s not to say all the previous Oma/Shu metas are bad, it’s just that I’m biased and I think her meta is the best haha
On those points specifically, your friend seems to be reaching a little bit. There’s many ways to be “divided by war” but in Oma and Shu’s case, they were on opposite sides of the war, so they were not only divided by its presence and destruction, but by ingrained resentment, prejudice, and (maybe?) nationalism. Katara and Aang had been on the same side of the war from the beginning, and even when they were separated it lasted for only a day or two -- there’s no ideological or philosophical separation in any sense. Also, not wanting to start a relationship in the middle of the war and being “divided by the war” are quite different? They’re still friends after all, maintaining a steady and supportive platonic relationship, so it would be more fitting to say that the war... stopped something between them that never even started? I’m not sure, but “divided” is definitely not the correct context here.
Now, because I’m incapable of answering these questions in chronological order, Katara did exercise her strength to end the fight in the Crystal Catacombs, but she did just the same with Azula. However, Katara also proved her strength in the Final Agni Kai after Zuko took the lightning for her, and at that time her fighting skills were much more heavily emphasized -- it was her intelligence then that truly ended the war, and not just the battle. Additionally, the Final Agni Kai was much more decisive in bringing about peace and proving that the warring nations could reconcile. After all, it’s tragic but expected for Katara to fight for a fallen friend from her side of the war, but it’s bold and revolutionary for Katara to fight for a former enemy who came from a nation she once hated, who came from a nation she now believes can one day be redeemed too.
#atla#zutara#zutara meta#anti kataang#anti kataang meta#my bated breath's posts#my bated breath analyzes#ask#anonymous
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Tummy Worship
In the Fellow Junkies chat we’re always losing our minds over the fact that Andrew totally has little bit of tummy chub and Neil is head over heels in love. If you don’t love soft Andreil then don’t read this lols ((: Also I might do a linked fic about Neil and being Demi as it’s only briefly discussed here?
A/N: I tried to keep them in character but I don’t think it worked and they’re also written in the way I personally want them to heal.
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It had been two years since whatever it was that they were had started. Andrew would never admit it, not even to Neil, but he was probably the happiest he’d ever been in his life. He didn’t think he’d felt this happy with Cass either, just Neil. The blue eyed, too pretty for his own good, Exy junkie.
They were currently lying in their bed in Columbia, Neil in nothing but his underwear because the freak somehow always overheated at night, and Andrew was in a pair of soft sweats but his chest was left bare because most days he was comfortable with that now. Neil was lying on his side and had his head on his shoulder, an arm around his waist, while Andrew was sort of sat propped up against the head board. It had taken them a long time to get to the point where Andrew was okay with cuddling but after a few times, he realised he quite liked the feeling of closeness to his junkie, like wrapping himself around him at night to prove that he really wasn't a hallucination. That Neil had stayed. Neither of them had spoken in what felt like hours but when the silence was broken it was by Neil’s soft and hesitant voice.
“Drew? Yes or no?”
They didn’t need to use that as much as they did in the beginning but if Neil was using it now, Andrew assumed it was for something new.
“To what, Abram? I don’t mind when you ask, you know that.” The tip of Neil’s nose always went red first when he started to blush, something that was so incredibly adorable it made a warm feeling bubble inside of his chest. Bee would call it healing, but Andrew just thought it was a lack of self-preservation skills. Neil rarely got nervous and even rarer, he never got nervous to ask Andrew for something, he always just asked (Andrew hated him for that). So instead of just kissing him to stop the words like he wanted, he remained quiet and waited for his junkie to finish talking.
“I want to lay with my head on your stomach, yes or no?”
Now it was Andrew’s turn to blush. He tried his hardest to stop it, but he could feel his face heat up and he knew for a fact that the tips of his ears were turning pink. Goddamn it Josten. His percentage was going up and he was buying Andrew at least two pints of ice cream. To give himself a moment to think he simply asked “Why?” Because there’s simply no way he could want that right?
“Because I’ve always liked it, Drew. I just really want to know if it’s as soft as it looks.”
“You’re joking right? I’ve got a layer of chub whereas you’re all muscle and abs, how could you possibly like what I have?” Andrew was glaring at his belly by the time he had finished speaking. Yes, he may play a lot of Exy –unwillingly yes- but because of the amount of junk food he ate, it left him with a little layer of chub over the muscles underneath. Sometimes he couldn’t help comparing what he looked like to Neil and trying to figure out how Neil actually liked what he saw when Andrew would allow him to look. He looked back up after a few minutes, realising that his idiot had yet to speak which made him slightly self-conscious. However, when he did, said idiot was biting his lip the way that always made Andrew want to bite it himself and he was just staring at his belly like it was the greatest thing he had ever seen. He finally managed to tear his eyes away when he spoke again, a quiet whisper between them.
“How can you say that? You know that my attraction and feelings towards you isn’t about your looks, I mean yeah, you’re beautiful and you’ve always been beautiful to me but we’ve talked about this. It’s always just been you and the connection we have, emotionally. It’s never been like this for me before, people were just people, but then I met you and after a while everything that felt missing in me just felt whole, you know?”
Andrew couldn’t breathe, it was like he had forgotten how to. His idiot had called him beautiful; no one had ever talked about him that way, but of course Neil would be the first. Yes they had had this talk only a few months ago, Neil had found him up on the roof of the Tower and had spent the evening talking about things Nicky had shown him online and that they had finally figured out why he only felt that way about Andrew of all people. Demisexual, they had finally concluded felt right to Neil. Made him realise why he didn’t work the way everyone else did when it came to being attracted to someone. He had to have an emotional bond before he felt anything sexual towards a person. And somehow, for some unknown reason, the idiot picked him. Wanted him. God, he hated that the gorgeous junkie made him feel this way, but knowing what he did made Andrew brave enough to say “Yes.” And when Neil looked at him as if to ask if he was sure he said it again with more strengths behind it, “Yes, Abram. It’s a yes.”
Neil moved slowly over him, trying to find a position that would be comfortable for himself while also being cautious of the few boundaries Andrew was still working on being able to let go of. Once he was where he wanted to be, he laid his right hand on one thigh and held onto one of Andrew’s after placing his free one into his own mop of red curls for Andrew to tangle his fingers in. After receiving permission and waiting for the body under his to relax again, he started placing soft, barely there kisses across Andrew’s lower belly. His breaths were gradually becoming heavy pants, loud in the quiet room when he finally let those small pecks become open mouthed, causing shivers down his spine. He watched Neil throughout, noticing the heated glances he’d occasionally send his way and the not so secret looks of fascination as they roamed over the expanse of bare skin before him. Eventually, the onslaught of overwhelming feelings became too much for Andrew so his hand that was tangled with the other’s tightened a fraction in warning.
This time when Neil looked at up at him, chin resting on the squishiest part just blow his belly button, he spoke the words that Andrew realised he didn’t think he’d ever deserve but had always wanted to hear. The words that were his undoing, that made him want to hold onto the idiot between his legs and never let go.
“I love you for who you are, Andrew Joseph Minyard. I’ll only ever love you. Always.”
He had never believed in having an ‘always’ but staring into those bright blue eyes, Andrew thought he just might get to have it.
——————
If you hate it then I’m sorry but it’s done now:) I know it was short too I’m sorry:( I have more aftg stuff in the world so if you’re a fan and want to be tagged in the future just let me know!💓
Tags: @bryaxisthefaceofnightmares @junkiejosten10 @jostenlovesminyard @oreosndscones @koholania @dollymangwani @certified-bi-fangirl-disaster @hannahoftheinternet @imstupidremember @stop-breathing-its-annoying @fancyclodpaintercookie
#all for the game#all for the gay#neil josten#andrew minyard#andrew joseph minyard#neil abram josten#neil and andrew#neil x andrew#they say i love you in my world#soft boys#tummy love#andrew has a lil bit of chub#the foxhole court#the raven king#the kings men#aftg
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@firelxdykatara @heavensweetheart @fournationsmeta @thewhiitelotus @certified-bi-fangirl-disaster @ anyone who i talked to on this platform:
do you guys have five minutes to talk about teen titans ships? i'm falling into a rabbithole.
i am completely deceased.
#the end#about me#i need help#WHY DO I LIKE NONCANON SHIPS SO MUCH#THEY HAVE A BOND YOUR HONOR#robrae#yes i know a big chunk of the fandom ships robstar but... but... idk#made me ship them since i was five and that"#*that is the hill i'm dying on#sorry not sorry#if one of my tumblr friends ships something different i'm also sorry#but that's just how it is#i mean-
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Thank you @babytreehugger and @elysian-silk for the tags!!! I love both of your blogs sm and would love to talk sometime 🥰
Three ships (I have a ton of ships for every fandom I’m in oops 🙈):
Zutara (ATLA) (I also ship sukka mailee korrasami and wuko!!)
Jonsa (GoT) (along with braime and gendrya)
Jily (HP) (but I also love wolfstar, drarry, linny, and dramione)
Last song: striptease by carwash - the vibes are ✨immaculate✨
Last movie: Honestly school has been kicking my ass recently so I’ve been rewatching Pride & Prejudice (2005) over and over again whenever the stress gets too bad bc it’s my comfort movie and has never failed to make me feel better
Currently craving: A mug of hot chocolate then a very very very long nap. And a hug maybe 🥺
Currently reading: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - absolutely devastating, but one everyone should read
Okay, I’m gonna be honest and say that I don’t interact with too many people on here and I hope it’s not super weird if I tag you; I’m just gonna tag a few blogs I’d love to get to know better and/or ones that produce content that I absolutely adore and admire with all my heart. Please don’t feel obligated to do this!!! Just know that whenever you guys pop up on my dash it gives me sm serotonin 😭🙈💘
@sorryevie @persephonnes @historfantasy @tinyhistory @mostly-got @thefreshprinceofdragonstone @firelxdykatara @owedbetter @certified-bi-fangirl-disaster
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ZK Fanwork Appreciation Week Day 7: My Rec List
@zkfanworkweek
I don’t know where to start because there so many wonderful and talented artists, fanfiction and meta writers out there. Some of them I have admired for many years and some I only became aware of this year. I’m sure I am going to miss someone (and I’m so sorry) because all of you are so talented.
fanwork artists:
nymre
beanaroony
wishlaced
elithien
te al latte
hayleynfoster
matereya
fanvid artists:
crayolasaurus (“peace” and “I found” are so beautiful...love your editing)
gtgrandom (“Zutara // Mine Again” on youtube is one of the best edits out there)
fanfic writers:
fictionissocialinquiry (”Rumour Has It” and “Rumour Has It: The Festival of the Molten Sun” are perfect)
ifyouwereamelodymeg (”The Great Western Current and the Southern Lights” is one of the saddest but poetic and most beautiful oneshots I’ve ever read)
my-bated-breath (I love your metas, too)
rideboldlyride
senlinyu
And I can highly recommend “ATLA Book 4: Ashes” by elayne_cypher and “such selfish prayers” by andromeda3116 on AO3.
meta writers:
beyond-far-horizons
soopersara (I love your fanfics, too)
antarcticasx
certified-bi-fangirl-disaster
firelxdykatara
sunmoonturtleduck
I know there are so many more (headcanon creators, meme makers, gif creators etc.) and I adore you and your work, as well. All you guys are so amazing, important and an enrichment to the Zutara fandom. I can’t thank all of you enough. You have made my life so much more bearable this year!
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Tag Game
Rules: Bold the one you prefer, like a this or that game. Tagged by @revyourharleyquinn thanks for sending this my way 😊!!
pumpkin or apple // cocoa or cider // halloween or thanksgiving // leaf piles or apple picking // hay ride or corn maze // wooly sweater or furry slippers // pumpkin carving or knitting // squash or sweet potato // black cat or bat // skeletons or witches // fake blood or fake spiders // mashed potatoes or stuffing // orange or black // apple pie or maple donuts // marshmallows or candy corn // vampire or werewolf // fireplace or cozy nook // spiced wine or craft beer // candied apples or s'mores // big scarf or oversize hoodie
I love big scarves and orversized hoodies equally! The end of October’s always pretty cold for me so I’m gonna start digging out my giant sweaters soon 💖
Tagging (only if you would like to! feel free to ignore if you’d rather not or have already been tagged :) @fuckingspacequeen @punk-weiwuxian @minniedlucca @certified-bi-fangirl-disaster @conjinkies + anyone else who sees this and would like to add on 💖
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13 for the MDZS donghua!!
13. Fanciest Character Design
Ahhh this is so hard to pick, because the donghua's art is absolutely gorgeous and stunning and everyone looks so fancy.
To no one's surprise, I'll pick Wei Wuxian:
EVERY WEI WUXIAN FRAME IS GORGEOUS, but allow me a few examples:
- tiny Gusu Lan WWX:
- Yi City arc babie:
- not to mention Yiling Laozu era, with the flowy hair and his new robes:
- the RED EYES + literally every scene of him using Modao is stunning and the attention to details in the way they animate his expressions, hair and clothing is astonishing.
(and that's it for tumblr's pic limit, but you get it, I'm in love)
from this: MDZS ask game.
#certified-bi-fangirl-disaster#ishidareplies#ask game#wei wuxian#mdzs#grandmaster of demonic cultivation#ty for the ask<333
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Tregrephacard but it's the rest of them always reminding Alucard of how beautiful and lovely he is and how much they love him in their own ways and Alucard gladly accepting all of it with a shy smile
YASSDSKSFJDFJ <33
Baby has been through so much and he deserves all the love from them! I love to see how it puts that gorgeous smile on his face when they're all there for him. ❤❤
#ishidareplies#certified-bi-fangirl-disaster#HCs request#tregrephacard#alucard#greta#trevor#sypha#castlevania#ty againnnn aaaaaaaaaahhhhh
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Fengqing for the ask game xD
Fengqing is that one ship that sits on the back of my mind the whole time, and yet I cannot find the time to invest in fanon content due to HUALIAN taking over my life and soul.
But I love them together. they're dumb disasters in denial just like me, very #relatable.
#ishidareplies#certified-bi-fangirl-disaster#fengqing#if only mxtx didnt try to deny that they're canon#then i wouldnt have had to PICK i need it to be canon#anyway they've grown on me for whatever reason#tgcf
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Xie Lian kissing all over Hua Cheng's face when he goes all pouty because Xie Lian is so so so weak for adorable Hua Cheng. And meanwhile Hua Cheng is. trying not to pass out. from the overload of affection. (Self inserting as xl for a hot sec bc I wanna kiss all over hc's pretty face)
ohmygooood I am: weak & also trying not to pass out rn. this is so precious. ❤❤❤😭😭
Hua Cheng deserves ALL the soft affection, love and appreciation from Dianxia and Xie Lian loves to give it.
I mean look at him:
I wanna kiss his face too and give him a long squishy hug.
#ishida replies#HCs request#certified-bi-fangirl-disaster#tyyyyyy ily <3#tgcf#hualian#xie lian#hua cheng#precious babies#i love them and i love this headcanon sm
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You've probably already seen me talking about this on the tl but Dazai pulling in Chuuya for a kiss by his choker skdjnsjs
YASSSSSSSS and that's canon alongside Chuuya grabbing Dazai's neck just to have a regular convo with him! They just can't help themselves.
DKFDLSFKDF🔥
#ishidareplies#HCs request#certified-bi-fangirl-disaster#TY FOR PLATING THIS IMAGE IN MY BRAIN#but fr#is there any other reason he wears that choker#except that he's an edgy AND kinky hoe#soukoku#dazai#chuuya#nsfw?
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