“the desert” is katara’s most quietly admirable episode; she manages to guide and protect the rest of the gaang while they are in precarious states under unimaginable pressure and with very few resources. katara’s tireless endurance this episode culminates in her bravery as she risks her own safety to comfort aang in the avatar state.
for an audience upon first viewing, her ability to thrive under pressure here may seem like a surprising departure from the impulsive, reactive, sensitive girl we’ve been accustomed to over the past 1.5 seasons. but sokka’s admission in “the runaway” reframes katara’s behavior in this episode.
we know that while the rest of her family was a mess, katara stepped up and gave them hope. she refused to sink into her grief—to abandon the site of her trauma like hakoda did, to give up like kanna did, or to repress and depersonalize like sokka did. she may have a temper and she may not always think things through, but she is able to communicate her emotions and refuses to cut herself off from feeling and processing her grief and rage, which is more than can be said for her brother.
and upon learning this piece of her history, you realize that her indefatigable, relentless hope and care that she displays in “the desert” is actually a pattern of behavior for her that is being repeated. when all hope seems lost and everyone in her life has abandoned faith, katara finds purpose and meaning in being the glue that holds everyone together, even when she is as grief-stricken and exhausted as the rest of them.
in moments of abject despair, katara guides her loved ones and herself out of there desert, both literally and metaphorically. and that is why she is the narrator and the catalyst and the hero of this story of a revolution that successfully destabilizes an oppressive paradigm in the eleventh hour, because she represents the power and importance of organized resistance when all hope is lost, of refusing to give into despair, of continuing to believe in love even in the bleakest, most desperate circumstances, and envisioning a brighter future even (especially) when no one else can.
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will one day accidentally calls hop 'pop', like totally by accident. not even in the way of calling ur teacher dad, but because hop sounds like pop and will got his words mixed around.
and hopper just. pauses mid sip of his coffee. will is frozen in his spot because it does not escape him what he basically just did and he kind of wants to cry cause he does see hopper as a father figure but didn't want to, like, make things awkward.
but it's all okay. because hopper just shrugs and says: "i mean, i'd prefer something like dad. or old man. but whatever works for you, kid." and he has to hide his smile behind his mug, and will has to cover his with his hand after he recovers from the shock. (neither works)
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sonic get hug dot ms paint
[full transcript under the cut]
Page 1:
Sonic and Knuckles stand on a hill overlooking Angel Island.
Knuckles folds his arms and leans back.
Knuckles: Y'know. You never told any of us what it felt like in your cybercage.
Sonic: What!! Man, you can't just ask a guy what his cybercage is like!
K: Well we all told you about ours. It's only fair.
S: Yeah but--!
K: Plus I'm worried about you. It's not good to keep these things bottled up.
S: What's this? I thought Amy was supposed to be the emotionally mature one. Don't tell me you've been paying attention to what she tells you?
K: Maybe I have been! I can be emotionally mature too, y'know. If you talk about what's bothering you, it can help you deal with it better. And you seem pretty bothered by what happened in cyberspace.
Knuckles playfully punches Sonic on the arm.
Sonic looks down in thought, scratching his chin.
K: So TALK, YOU!!
S: haha, Okay, okay!
Knuckles looks frustrated by this answer.
S: Hmm... It was kind of like what Amy described--numb, disorienting. Everything was fragmented and dreamy. But it mostly felt empty. Huge and empty. Freaked me out (haha...). Felt like I was in danger for some whatever reason. Just like a bad dream is all.
And I was completely alone.
Wasn't too bad, all things considered. Your experience definitely sounded worse.
Page 2:
Knuckles grabs a startled Sonic by the upper arms.
K: Listen to me, Sonic.
A wide shot of the two of them on the hill as Knuckles speaks.
Knuckles holds Sonic in eye contact.
K: I've spent most of my life alone. Sure, I had the island. The chao, the animals make a difference. But I know what it's like to be alone. And I probably would have stayed that way if you and Eggman had never showed up.
I know what you went through was awful. But I also know that's something you saved me from. And it's not something I'll let happen to you.
K: You were the first friend I ever had. Not counting Eggman, obviously. You are my first friend. And my best friend. I'm not going anywhere.
Sonic shakes and holds back tears. He turns away sniffing and coughing to wipe his eyes.
Page 3:
K: S-shit! Sorry, I wasn't trying to upset you, I was---!
S: No, no. It's cool man. I appreciate it.
Sonic calms down, still facing away.
S: heh...
Sonic whirls around pulls Knuckles into a hug.
S: Thanks, Knux. It's not that I didn't already know that. It's just nice to hear aloud I guess.
Sonic pushes Knuckles away.
Sonic turns away and stretches his arms behind his head.
K: Is that... something I should be saying more often?
S: Nah, once is enough for me.
S: Anyway! That's enough emotional vulnerability for one day. Want to hit each other with sticks?
Sonic races off down the hill as Knuckles enthusiastically grabs a big branch off the ground.
K: Hah! You say that like you could handle a single hit from me!
S: You'll have to catch me first, knucklehead!
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