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nothing-more-than-hot-leaf-juice · 4 years

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Zutara. My otp since I first watched as a 10 year old in 2005. Hopefully you'll be kind to them 😉 I'm convinced they'll be cannon in the live action 😅

Alright... *starts digging grave*, I think Katara and Zuko have a wonderful platonic relationship and for them to have a romantic relationship would (1) undermine Zuko’s redemption arc and (2) undermine the found family aspect of their friendship. I don’t have an issue with anyone who ships Zutara and I do not engage in shipping drama, but I think their platonic relationship is too damn important to favor a romantic relationship I don't really think has chemistry.

Personally, I have never gotten romantic vibes from them like... at all? I think the progression of their friendship was important in terms of the show’s themes of forgiving those who deserve it and finding support in people you least expect, but I just don’t get chemistry from them. I’ve always been a Kataang fan but how I feel about Zutara has nothing to do with that. Avatar is one of those shows where I would have been totally fine with it ending with no romantic pairings because the found family aspect of it is so much more powerful.

If anyone has spent 5 seconds on my blog, you know that Zuko is my favorite character and I think he deserves nothing but love and support after all the shit he went through. But a big aspect of why I care about him as a character is that he put the work in to make amends. He didn’t just show up one day saying “I’ve seen the error of my ways, sorry for all the stuff I did, I’m good now” and that was that. He had to work for forgiveness and he did it because he realized the fire nation was wrong, his father was wrong, and he was wrong. His decision to switch sides had nothing to do with any connection with the gaang because he didn’t really know them. His decision to switch sides stemmed from 3 very important things:

(1) He felt guilty not for betraying Aang and Katara in Ba Sing Se, but Iroh. He realized his uncle was the person who had given him unconditional love while Azula and Ozai’s “love” for him was entirely dependent on his ability to provide them results. From this guilt, he was able to realize that his uncle had made the right decision in siding with the Avatar and more importantly, that Ozai was wrong and that all the abuse he endured under him was undeserved.

(2) His experiences in the Earth Kingdom as a refugee. This post explains it really well, but Zuko’s realization that everything he’s believed about the Fire Nation has been wrong is rooted in his moment of empathy with Song and her matching burn scar, his empathy with Lee who lost his brother like Zuko lost Lu Ten, his empathy with Jet who lost his way going to extremes for a cause, and, yes, his empathy with Katara who’s mother was taken from her by the Fire Nation like his was. The reason he switches sides is because after all of those experiences, he can no longer be callous or unfeeling towards the Earth Kingdom like his father or sister. The people of the Earth Kingdom either empathized with him for the pain he went through and appreciated him for his desire to help the helpless (Song, Lee, Jet) or feared and hated him for being part of a country that caused their suffering (Lee, Lee’s mom, Jet, Katara). Throughout season 2, Zuko realized the extent of what the war meant for the other side.

(3) The realization of the extents his father would go to and the truth about Ozai’s amorality. This point is kind of just the culmination of everything in the last two points, but all that set up comes to fruition when Zuko attends the war meeting where Ozai decides to use Sozin’s Comet to commit genocide. By this point he’s racked with guilt over what he did to Iroh, he’s empathized with people who have suffered and is coming to terms with the fact that it’s not only the people of the earth kingdom that have unnecessarily suffered because of Ozai, but him as well. In that meeting, he expresses adoration for the Earth Kingdom being proud and strong and Ozai’s response is to burn it to the ground. It’s the same treatment he gave Zuko at the Agni Kai when he stuck to his morals and refused to fight and was met with abject cruelty. At that meeting, Zuko realizes that his father is wrong and that he was always wrong. He realizes that millions of people will suffer at the hands of this man who is so incredibly wrong and lacking in empathy.

SO, keeping all that in mind. His redemption arc doesn’t stop when he switches sides, it keeps going as he makes individual amends with Aang, Sokka, and Katara. It keeps going as he learns from the dragons, as he chooses what he believes in over his girlfriend, as he risks his life to protect the gaang from Azula, and as he tries to help Aang, Sokka, and Katara find emotional closure in different aspects. He helps Aang overcome his fear of firebending. He helps Sokka regain his honor. And he helps Katara address her grief regarding her mother’s death. These four episodes are some of the best in the series because it’s not just Zuko working to make amends because he wants them to trust him, but it’s him empathizing with their trauma, their guilt, and their fear of failure because he’s been there.

Alright, that’s a whole essay regarding why Zuko’s redemption arc works, now what does this have to do with Zutara? Here’s the deal: if any aspect of Zuko’s decisions for his redemption were influenced by romantic attraction to Katara, it would undermine the meaning of his choices for him. He made the choices to be better because he empathized with a nation of people who needlessly suffered. He made the choices to be better because he learned to cut himself off from the need to please his abusive father and accept the unconditional love of his uncle. His choice to help Katara find her mother’s murderer stemmed from empathy and his desire to be better than the people who hurt him and hurt others. The reason Katara’s resentment towards him hurt him so much was because he was trying so hard to be better than the people that were feared and hated. Katara treated him like Lee’s mom and Jet did when they realized he was a firebender (that being said, Katara was justified since Zuko’s decision to side with Azula resulted in the fall of Ba Sing Se and nearly resulted in Aang’s death), and he didn’t want to be that person. He didn’t want to be hated or feared anymore and he was willing to do anything to move past being viewed like that. So Katara’s decision to finally forgive him? It’s the point where she realizes he’s able to empathize with her over his mother’s death where her mother’s killer could not. She realized that he was different and had changed because he put the work in. And that’s huge for his redemption, not for any kind of forming relationship because that’s not the point.

Now, concerning the whole found-family aspect I love so much? Zutara as a romantic pairing would undermine the beauty of Zuko’s ability to find a loving, supportive group of people that he was missing his entire life. Katara does not work as a romantic partner for Zuko because she works as his replacement sister. The fact is that Zuko’s actual family experience was founded on fear and not love, but the idea of “usefulness”. Zuko and Azula were only valued by Ozai so much as they were useful to him, which is why he favored (not loved) Azula, she was useful to him and Zuko wasn’t until he “slayed the Avatar”. Iroh (and Ursa for a time) was the only person who showed him unconditional love and support, but that wasn’t enough to snap him out of the need to please Ozai. Zuko rooted his entire self worth in what his family thought of him and engaged in very self-destructive behavior throughout season 1 to prove himself because he “didn’t want [his] father to think [he was] worthless”. Even throughout season 3, he still thinks that his uncle’s love for him is conditional (”my uncle hates me I I know it”) until he’s proven otherwise because that’s what he’s been taught. So him joining the gaang, that’s the first time in his life he’s really met with the concept of people liking him for himself, not for his ability to be useful (his family, Jet) or because they think he’s someone he’s not (Song, Lee, Jin). He’s met with friendship: people making fun of him in a playful way instead of tearing down his insecurities and vulnerabilities (”mind if I watch you too jerks do your jerkbending?” “so all we need to do is make Zuko angry, that should be easy enough”, “look, it’s baby Zuko!”, “actually I think [the play portrayal] is pretty spot-on”), people trying to help him fix his problems (”you need to go back to the original source”) instead of making him feel weak for not being able to solve those problems in the first place, and showing him express appreciation and encouragement (”you’re pretty smart”, “to Zuko, who knew after all the times he tried to snuff us out, today he’d be our hero”, “I’m going with Zuko!”). And that’s so. Damn. Important for his ability to heal after how he was treated for his entire life. He’s introduced to the idea that people want him to be around and they want to include him in their circle for being him. Up until the finale, he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to reconcile with Iroh or if Iroh will accept his forgiveness, but these people have given him a home in their group and he’s not afraid or insecure around a group of people for the first time in his life.

And that’s why Katara has to be the one to defeat Azula: because Azula couldn’t be the sister Zuko had and Katara could be. It’s a tragedy that Zuko and Azula were driven apart by Ozai pitting them against each other, the corruption of firebending throughout the ages so it’s regarded for its power rather than its energy, and Azula’s own insecurities and fears of losing power because, like Zuko once did, she only considers herself to be worth anything so long as she’s better than him. The abuse he endured had an effect on her to because so long as she saw that Ozai’s “love” for Zuko was conditional, that meant that his “love” for her was conditional as well (”you can’t treat me like Zuko!”). Zuko and Azula could never support each other and they could never trust each other in the way that Sokka and Katara could. They wouldn’t sacrifice anything for each other because they were conditioned to survive, to leave behind the lesser sibling in order to get ahead. But at the Agni Kai, Zuko jumps in front of the lighting for Katara because unlike Azula, she has supported him since she forgave him and is there to back him up. She thinks he can be Firelord and she thought his uncle could forgive him in a way that Azula just never could. And that’s why Katara has to be the one to defeat Azula. Not because of any romantic attraction for Zuko, but because he’s protected Aang and Sokka and her and Toph and their little found family. It’s because he’s one of them. So in that moment where Azula is defeated, screaming and sobbing because she’s lost and that means that she’s the weaker sibling, she’s gone and it’s tragic. Zuko looks upon her and he wishes it didn’t have to be like this, but it is and it’s tragic. It didn’t have to be how it was but it did and it was awful and Azula is left broken, hating her brother with murderous fury. But he’s not alone.

He has a new sister who will protect him and fight for him when he’s lost his own.

(addition: I want to make it clear that this does not mean I think Azula is irredeemable. Her actions and outlook are 100% a product of Ozai’s abuse, as I explained. I do not think that’s she’s beyond redemption, but by the finale she was still a villain and her goal was still to kill her brother so she could be Firelord. That’s not to say that she couldn’t have eventually healed and been able to reconcile with him, but by the final Agni Kai that’s not where their relationship was. The fact that she and Zuko had a toxic relationship was not her fault, but they still had a toxic relationship built on distrust and competition where Zuko and Katara’s friendship was built on support and protection. I am entirely sympathetic towards Azula, but just because she was redeemable doesn’t mean she was redeemed and just because there was potential for her and Zuko to eventually have a better relationship doesn’t mean that they did by the end of the series.)

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kikiscastleinthesky · 4 years

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THE SOKKASM ZUTARA

I’ve seen a lot of tumblr blogs that ship zutara and I decided that is time for me to open mine too. So, yes, I’m a zutara shipper. And for the time being, my posts are going to be dedicated principally to analyze the ships in ATLA.

Disclaimer alert: I’m not forcing anyone to ship zutara. And I won’t accept hate because I (and many others) may have a different opinion, If you are one of those persons I invite you to leave, don’t waste my time and yours, because I’m not even going to reply. Everyone has the right to ship whatever they like and want, without been mocked, harrassed and humiliated.

Well... now that everything is settled: 3...2...1 go!

I’m starting with this small analysis, because every zutara shipper has been attacked on why zutara and zutara is horrible yada yada but, this ocassion I’m gonna use all the attacks we get and defend it.

I. Zutara is way the worst toxic relationship:

You call Zuko the abuser, the toxic and the bad tempered? Then you didn’t get a clue of his redemption arc.

You call zutara toxic for:

a) giving your mother’s closure and final acceptance into the group?

b) saving each other’s life?

c) being the “leading co-parenting” of the group?

d) support you when you’re about to beg for his uncle forgiveness?

II. The cave scene didn’t mean anything, and just think about it, they would never ever get along well:•

Of course, I misunderstood Zuko confessing his own grief, probably he just hates her.

When Katara opens to her mother sorrow like she never did with anyone was like no big deal.

That part when she offers to heal his scar with SACRED water was totally illogical.

And being the first person who he let touch his scar really said to me that they were absolutely toxic.

Yes, he betrayed her initial trust. And it hurt, but guess who betrayed worst? The man who for three years was his father. But nope, Iroh, should never forgive Zuko, for what he did. (Right? Katara was betrayed and she should bever have interest in him, so Iroh would never forgive his abuser, right?)

III. Zutara is about getting in love with your abuser:

The abuser love? When did Zuko abused Katara? When did he forced to do something she didn’t want? Did he ever physically abused her or sexually assaulted her? Even if he tied her to a tree, he never humiliated her, he never hurt her or overpass against her. Or are you trying to make up his whole plot to eliminate all his attacks towards team avatar only rest in the female character? (Have you forgot how he betrayed his uncle? Or even himself?)

IV. Zutara is an age gap, it would be underage thing. “You don’t like Aang because he is a child and still pair Zuko, being a minor.” You want to hypersexualize two kids (Aang and Katara) into having sexual interest.

Katara would have been dating an underage guy too. She would have been 18 and Aang 16. I know! Age gap only matter when the man’s older. Both Katara and Zuko had gone through puberty, and both were in adolescence, both shared the same maturity level. Yes dude, there a huge difference in being a CHILD and being a TEENAGER, yes, still minor, But with puberty hit already.

Actually, I still believe even being 11-12 you can get like a… spark… a hint. Even if its not a relationship whatsoever, and not having sexual interest of any kind. If you really want to see what closest we get to a “real” attraction and potential between kiddos that age, you get S1Mike and Eleven (stranger things) / you get Chihiro and Haku (Spirited away) / you get Pazu and Sheeta. (The castle in the sky) –Wooo, that really changes things right?

But yet there are people that believe shipping zutara is “pedophile” I thought in seriously not replying to this stupidities but, here I am, dismantling their theories.

So, this is real life. An adult person trying to sleep with a prepubescent kid. So… there is no support on this. Because a ship is about two fictional characters in a fictional story.

What about fictional pedophilia? Well, we can change that: Fictional pedophilia is a psychosexual disorder when you ship an adult fictional character (+18) to have a sexual interest in a fictional prepubescent child (-12) and / or attempt to engage both characters in sexual acts.

So step one… are either Zuko or Katara either an adult or prepubescent child? As you can see in the image at the right, both have gone through puberty. Step two, are you trying to a couple of minors to get sexually involved? No, this is a love story, not porn. And before you yell at me for the porn zutara comics/fics on the web, I guess you should see the porn Kataang /fics comics on the web too.

But I don’t hate any ship. So, technically, neither Kataang, nor Sukka, nor Yukka, nor Jetara, nor Maiko is pedophilia.

Ok, yeah yeah its not pedo, but is statutory rape, so yet it’s illegal.

Oh yes, if we state that 18 is the age where you are considered an adult (at least in my country) both are minors, your term is partially correct. But guess what would be statutory rape too?

Sukka (15) and Maiko (16-17), both implied to have sex relationships and canon during the series.

The episode "The Southern Raiders" became (in)famous among the fandom for what is a truly epic instance of this trope. Zuko bumps into a very flustered Suki on the way to Sokka's tent, and she hurriedly excuses herself. He walks into Sokka's tent to ask him a question and finds him pants-less and surrounded by flowers and candles. He even greets Zuko with a suggestive "Well helloooo..." before he realizes who itis. After a short talk, he rushes Zuko out and sticks his head out to call for Suki. And if there was any doubt, Sokka is shown the next morning fiddling with a flower necklace for no apparent reason... except to indicate that maybe Suki had been “deflowered”.

And yet, if Kataang had sex, it would be statutory sex at some point too: 16 and 18 -Conclusions: Statutory sex takes all ships equally.

V. Poor Aang he would be devastated.

Kid, he’s 12, in the comics he’s 13-14. Or what? Haven’t you guys had a broken heart ever? Your high school sweetie? Or Aang’s so frail to not be able to find love? To close himself for a better opportunity? Seeking your own happiness in not selfish. What is selfish is seeking your own happiness at the other expenses.

And even that, we all know what would Aang do if Katara starts a relationship with Zuko. (Even if it wasn’t Zuko, I highly doubt he would like Katara dating someone else) He would go on avatar rampage. That is NOT healthy, that is NOT romantic. That is extremely possessive and selfish to do. It’s psychotic. Because Aang cares more about himself than Katara’s feelings, even if she would be happier without him.

VI. Zutara is all about sex interest.

Well once more you mistake chemistry with sexual needs. Wanting me to sleep with my husband means I only use him for sex relief? If I find myself sexually attracted to anyone probably means I just want to sleep with that person and nothing else.

VII. A hug is all zutarians have to acknowledge zutara:

We have a complete extended analysis in all the small details, but we like to use that forgiveness hug because in that hug you have more potential that all the kataang scenes all together. We have thousands of complete analyses, pages dedicated exclusively zutara.

VIII. Katara “fell in love with Aang” and it’s not one sided.

Uh... Nope, just because two persons are good friends it doesn’t mean they are a good couple. Yes, the way the both of them interact is absolutely beautiful, But not romantically.

Do we see Katara’s view on romantically being drawn towards Aang? Yes, we see it, and yes, unfortunately, is one sided.

How Kataangers complete this:

· The fortune-teller: I didn’t see like “Wow omg the avatar is going to be my future husband!” But… was like “uh… really?… well, I guess it’s him” Zutarians and Aunt Wu are the base for many backs up theories. ;) Aang is not the only powerful bender you know? And actually, that episode is way trying too hard to demonstrate the crush Meng has for Aang and Aang has to Katara. How is even healthy to accept that sometimes persons don’t like you back and it’s not the end of the world.

· The cave scene: I forgot that Katara is telling him to be her boyfriend and they will live happily ever after. And really, it all gets us to a real Oma and Shu theory. Not to mention that they were “forced” to kiss because their kids innocence believed if they kissed, they wouldn’t die, and that Aang messed up things as well. But if you see it beneath, if she was truly interested, she would have told Aang: “wow omg we kissed, ok. let’s give him a clue…” nothing, she goes back in treating him same as always.

· The headband dance: Well that’s a fair point yes. Actually, I felt something different…unfortunately Katara later had to tell him not to kiss her.

IX. Zutara is because you projected on Katara and had a crush on Zuko, because Katara and Zuko were your favourite characters and because is the bad boy style romance.

My crush was Jet <3, and zutara was the most logical endgame for girls. Ask any girl, ANY 14 yo who would like to date: A high school, nice and handsome guy or a 7th grader that had potential to be her best friend. (See the logic)

And nope is not like “Insert fav characters of the opposite sex to ship them” You need to see real development.

I don’t know why they stereotype Zuko as the “bad boy” – relationship archetype. Zuko is never seen to be the classic fuck boy who treats girls like shit and suddenly there comes a lady to change him. Maybe he is a “bad boy” (confused though) in S1 and S2, but his redemption arc is literally the answer of why he is not “bad boy” anymore.

If Katara was truly and really romantically interested then she wouldn’t have friendzoned Aang. Once? Nope 4 times. And also… are we forgetting kind of imagery…

Friendzoned

When Aang fixes her a small necklace with the fishing thread.

When he kissed her at the invasion. She didn’t reciprocate it. (I’m not even mentioning the mommy proud speech)

When he wanted to talk about the kiss in the western air temple (Comic love is a battlefield)

When he kissed her at the play and she had to told him to back off.

Strange imagery

She was June Pippinpaddleopsokopolis (Aang’s granddaughter)

When Aang got shot, she held his body in her arms in the exact way Mary held Jesus in Pieta’s sculpture.

She was Sapphire Fire. (Aang’s pregnant mother)

After they got married, in the book legacy, she said she enjoyed most seeing Aang becoming a man. (Honestly ladies if I got a BF the least I want is seeing how the kid transforms into a man)

I’m looking forward to watch you grow into manhood as I did to your father (Katara’s letter to Tenzin)

I’m really trying to deny Oedipus complex here.

Still hard for me to track Katara’s love interest for little Aang since all we see is more a relationship mom/sister or Harry/Hermione. I have heard rumours that Bryke wanted to give the ship “mystery” and “expectation” but I think they really messed up, I didn’t see expectation or mystery, I saw a child insisting to a girl that didn’t reciprocate. It wasn’t even like she didn’t have much of a chance, because her love interests:

Was killed by Long Feng

Gave him a hideous mustache and disappeared him after Azula’s attack in the western air temple.

Forced to be attached to a toxic relationship.

Apart that all those points I’ve mentioned, Kataang is not a relationship for me. Staying in a formal relationship with the first person they met of the opposite sex at 14 -12 (guys not even Disney does that, jeez not even studio Ghibli) and not having any chance to experience any other relationship. Never experiencing a broken heart, or someone better. I think that it gives the wrong idea, telling guys that no matter how long they are placed in friendzone, eventually the girl will fall for them. They just have to keep insisting.

You could say, but what a hypocrite! Snow White was 14 years old when she went to live with that prince! Many princesses are 16! And not to mention that many men were the first they met! Like Aurora, Rapunzel, and Cinderella. Well, you are right at one point. But ... the interaction of these characters changes radically, mainly because they never "give cute kisses" to their future husbands, nor do they treat them like their brothers or their children and ... the men were never friendzoned, except for Naveen at the beginning. You see the real attraction of teenage girls with an older boy. And I'm not saying that they should never be friends or support each other. Mulan and Chang were allies, friends, they supported each other, they saved their lives. But at no time was there the kind of interaction Katara and Aang had.

If Kataang was to be endgame, we would see Katara’s reaction to Jet, totally different, THAT kind of reaction was what I was waiting. (That kind of reaction is what every princess do, at least one time)

The same chemistry we saw in Yukka / Sukka. Honestly, I saw more chemistry between Haru and Katara.

Or at least give us some character development like: Aang, I know my feelings where not as you wanted but now I decided I want to be with you because (list everything here except he being the avatar), I really like you, perhaps we can give it a shot. Or like several things that could clue us that she is interested (come on people, two persons can kiss/hug/ have sex and that doesn’t imply they will be together in a formal relationship) But all we got was: Oh, right, he’s the avatar... suddenly I fell for him and I’m gonna kiss him fully in the mouth and that’s how I’ll tell him and that all my confusion has magically disappeared.

X. I’ve never saw that kind of spark between them. Again, it was “Just a hug”

Yes! That’s initially the whole point of it, a friendship hug, the truth of why we don’t need silly blushes. Because that forgiveness hug shows their initial relationship, they are friends! All their love needs to come first from a truthful friendship, by the contrary of calling the “immediate falling” like Aang did for Katara, it shows us that friendship love can evolve into something more beautiful, and that’s why we like the ship, because all zutara shippers know Zuko and Katara wouldn’t fall in love like that all of the sudden, they have to create the romantic relationship, and that’s what we portray in the fics.

What makes Zutara exceptional is that he, sees her, he hears her, he listens what she had to do, at anytime he forced her to do something she didn’t. And before a “teenager adolescence ship” he sees her as a human, with feelings with own ideals and goals.

And there is a complete and extremely well based analysis in: The crossroads of destiny + The southern raiders + The lighting saving.

XI. The comics show us how toxic they really where.

Their interaction in the comics was something I like to call: destroying a character. Not only Katara, who turned to be that awesome badass to the submissive girlfriend. From how I see it in the series to the comics there’s all I have to say: That’s not my girl.

XII. How Katara could be queen of a country that almost aniquilates her tribe and killed her mother? It would be a betrayal.

I think this argument is out. Not valid. Is like saying a Jew can’t date a German because of the holocaust. (German doesn’t mean nazi, just as Zuko, who was from the Fire Nation and didn’t order Katara’s mother assassination, and not every citizen of the fire nation means a ruthless killer). Is like saying that a Japanese can’t date a us citizen because of the bombs in WW2. And even if we see it “political”, is like… an aphrodescendant can’t rule a country that is racist, then Mr. Obama would have never reached the presidency.

Two persons can unify them, because they can demonstrate that being from different country that initally has not good terms can reach peace. The union between those countries represents the power of maturity, of overcoming adversities and the power of forgiveness. *Our lands now connected by love* And I want her to be queen, I want her to rule, I want her in charge, I want her in power. Imagine all the potential she could have (politics, business, negotiations, rebuilding, restoration, education, public health!! ***faints***) Not only for the fire Nation but for the whole world! Imagine that once Zuko abdicated they left to the south pole and she opened a fighting school and a healing school of her own (like master Pakku, but now her students are given a medical license that acknowledges them as professional healers) And this is just an idea. Like these ideas are hundreds. It would have been the perfect feminist role model!

XIII. Since the beginning, Katara was always interested in Aang and she always supported him and was for him when he needed her. That’s proof they were meant to each other.

If a girl expresses faith in your abilities, she loves you, she hugs you, and she supports you clearly she’s completely into you. Because obviously female best friends don’t exist.

#zutara #ATLA #Zutaradefense #Ifyoudon'tlikeitscrollaway #Noreplytohaters #Katarandzuko #Dismantlingtheattacks

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anxiousandrogynousartist · 4 years

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Man I rewatched ATLA and I'm stuck between who to ship,,

Like I love Kataang it's such a sweet wholesome ship <3🥺and I appreciate it being canon. However, I felt it's too rushed, in my eyes Aang still puts Katara up on a pedastal and she still sees Aang as a little kid sometimes. Yes they bloomed a beautiful friendship but the process of going to friends to lovers didn't sit right. I still feel like they should be together but it to happen later on as they both fully explore their feelings. Although, there is some moments in the show where we do see their relationship expanding to a more romantic one.

Right Zutara you're next,,

Ngl this is a ship I wanted to happen I loved it, I felt these two characters connected in an emotional way; on a deep level.

Especially when they were both in ba sing se and in the cave, they started to open up in a way. And in a way they both helped each other. Zuko helped in a way for Katara when it came to overcoming the anger she felt and Katara being the first to properly trust Zuko.

It seemed they had good chemistry but maybe they could occur. Yet how I see it maybe possibly not for long. Katara and Zuko both have quite fiery personalities which can easily clash a lot. So in a way the chance they would date would still be beautiful and I feel they would help each other grow a lot. Then in turn they would grow to have a very strong friendship with each other.

Now Zukka,,

I never picked up on how much I liked this ship when I was younger but now I'm here like I want this to happen. Maybe because the dynamic of Sokka and Zuko reminded me so much of Keith and Lance from voltron. I get many people are like oh they're just friends,, yet the constant remarks between these two and Sokka consistently calling him a jerk bender. Like they are so set on making it clear that they don't like each other. But how they go out of their way to try and say "of course I don't like jerk face, it's not like he's hot or anything". That's the vibe I get from those two and I love that. And when Sokka decides to watch Aang and Zuko practice fire bending. Before Sokka showed no interest at all when Toph or Katara were teaching Aang so why suddenly be interested. Maybe it's because he's fascinated by it or because he just wants to watch Zuko. Yes he still picks on Zuko but I feel like it's teasing. And gahhh the boiling rock episode where I feel they really connected. Overall, yes it's a friendship forming but you can start to see them slowly warming up to each other.

Oml and Sukka this ship ahhhh. Suki is a absolute bad ass and teaches Sokka how to be more respectful towards women. They are such a cute ship and I love how it blossomed. I'm also happy this was canon its cute and it's just wholesome and adorable. I don't really have problems with this ship although I still feel at the beginning of this ship Sokka ain't over Yue which is understandble. But Suki still respects that and I love her for that.

Overall, these ships all co-exist in my head and sort of fit a timeline of how they could possibly play out. I gotta admit my favourite is probably Zukka ngl :').

I think I liked Zutara so much when I was younger as I felt I related to Katara in a way maybe. But now I do appreciate Kataang a lot more.

#atla #kataang #sukka #zukka #zutara

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zutara-sokki-taang · 4 years

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Kataang VS Zutara: My thoughts

Kataang: There. That’s literally all I have to say about it. I have nothing negative to say about them, but I also have nothing positive to say. It is there, it is canon, and it exists in a place I just don’t care about. Maybe the actors in the live action will have more chemistry for me to be interested, but for now it’s just meh for. The show is long over so I’m only concerned with fanon. The only thing I take issue with is people with condescending views about Kataang being better and “what even is a zutara?” One ship doesn’t have to be more valid than the other, it all comes down to personal preference.

Zutara: Given my user name it’s clearly my fave. I loved them from the moment he started hunting them down with her necklace. Of course, this also gave way to Zukaang and the blue spirit episode really got me. I love how they parallel each other, but my main is still Zutara because I’m a big fan of opposites attract and enemies to lovers. Plus weirdly they aren’t complete opposites.

They both had to grow up too quick and as such have dry senses of humor. They both have simmering anger that comes out in outbursts. And they both have issues with killing i.e never being able to give the final blow for the sake of revenge. And even more weirdly, both express their feelings, Zuko obviously being more dramatic and leans more toward anger while Katara cares with an intensity that clouds her judgment at times. Obviously she’s the more emotionally mature, but even she at times doesn’t understand her feelings which is basically baseline for Zuko.

Where they differ? Well that’s clearly a big draw for me which is probably why I finding their similarities so much fun. The obvious water vs fire, calm vs impulsive, good vs evil. She’s very secure in who she is while he has a constant struggle (this is true for Aang as well due to him paralleling Zuko). But I think what makes me ship them the most is Katara’s unrelenting compassion that Zuko needs in his life whether or not they’re romantic.

She can calm when he is impulsively wrapped up in anger, but I think what that episode where he takes Katara to kill the man who murdered her mom is that he can be calm when she’s wrapped up in impulsive anger. Zuko using water bending techniques to reflect lightning was a big one for me because I thought about all the ways they could learn from each other. For me, they are a great yin and yang couple, not complete opposites, but with a little bit of the other in each other to work, balance, which is the entire theme of the show. It’s also why I’m big on Taang. I’ve seen people say they don’t understand how they could work, that they’re too different, I honestly think that’s why they work.

That all said I would be remissed if I didn’t mention the condescension of Zutara fans on Kataang which I also take issue with. Although I will admit I get the “he’s too young” arguments mainly because if things were reversed I feel the same conclusions would be met. A 2 year difference means less and less the older you get,mbut when you’re younger it’s a big gap in development. However where this argument for me crumbles is that both Katara and Aang will get older and as they age will become “equals” which to me points out the biggest issue with shipping in this fandom in general, they’re all kids.

At the end of the day this is a kids show most noted by kids doing extraordinary things that are way outside the maturity of someone actually this age. ATLA is way more thought out than most shows in general let alone a kids, and as such at least has the explanation of it being set in a past era in a war torn world, but at the end of the day both of these ships don’t work, scratch that, aren’t sustainable at their current ages. In my past post I mentioned Zuko and Mai being peak high school romance and there being value in that, but in no way, shape, or form do I think they’d last in adulthood. And I think the same would be true of Zutara and Kataang at the ages they were when the series ended.

#zutara #kataang #zuko #katara #aang #atla #avatar: the last airbender #my opinion #don't @ me

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lokgifsandmusings · 7 years

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I just read your articles about Kataang and Zutara. I agree that they should've shown more of Katara's POV, but I don't think Zuko would be a better choice for her than Aang? Okay, when it comes to chemistry, maybe, because they do have a lot in common. But look at "The Beach". What does Zuko do when he sees Mai simply talking to another guy? He gets jealous and tries to isolate her. Compare that to Katara befriending Jet or Haru. Aang has a crush for Katara since the pilot, but does he...

… Try to isolate her from them too? No. In the play, however, he’s being portrayed by a girl and he’s being directly told he and Katara are just friends. It’s understandable that he’ll get upset. Besides, yes, kissing Katara when she said she was confused was wrong, but he did realize it was. Did Zuko realize he didn’t act properly with Mai? What makes you think he wouldn’t have similar issues with the more outgoing Katara? Now, I love Zuko, I just wanted to point out that he’s shown…

To be more entitled than Aang. I honestly can’t recall a single moment Aang feels upset that Katara doesn’t fit his mold of “perfect girl” like it’s stated in the post. Their relationship was built by friendship (though it probably should’ve stayed that way by the end of ATLA, I agree), he knows her and vice versa. In many ways, Aang isn’t traditionally masculine and I think he’s a precursor to, say, Steven Universe (rickthanieltumblrcom/post/162225640707/avatar-aang-feminist-icon)

I don’t ship Kataang or Zutara, but I think you guys are undervaluing Aang and I don’t think it’s fair to say he caused Katara to do less because she was overshadowed by him. That’s completely the writers’ fault, because they could’ve shown Katara be more proactive between ATLA and LOK and during LOK the way she was in ATLA.One last thing: while Zuko was the one who went alongside Katara to find the man who killed her mother, this doesn’t detract from what Aang tried to tell her. If you remember previous episodes, how’d Katara act if Aang got mad and/or entered the Avatar State? She’d try to calm him down, exactly like how he tried to do with her. Also notice that he lets her go, because he realizes she needs to confront her demons and he shouldn’t interfere. I really love your work, don’t get me wrong, I just…

Looks like your last thing cut off, but that’s okay, cause I do understand the view where you’re coming from.

First of all, I hope I haven’t mis-stated my own stance, but while I do find Zuko and Katara to be a more compelling romantic match in a general sense, I don’t ship them as they’re portrayed in the show proper. Them having a make-out sesh in the finale would have also not been free of issues, and felt a bit jarring, though I’m assuming if that had been the planned end-point, we would have gotten a bit more to their dynamic.

For that reason, I’m not sure we can really compare behaviors. Zuko’s jealousy at the beach was showing him in an incredibly unhealthy mindset in general (taking on the mantle of Prince of the Fire Nation wasn’t going so well, which the end of that episode showed), and Mai immediately told him he was being an ass and called him out for that. It was addressed in canon, and we outright saw his behavior change, especially when he left the situation that was causing him so much inner turmoil anyway. Could jealousy have still been an issue? I mean…maybe? But it’s rather moot, especially given Zuko’s continued growth in the comics in this department and how he handles his emotions in general.

Aang’s entitlement wasn’t addressed at all, and accidentally continued into the comics. Sure, he called himself an “idiot” for forcing a kiss on Katara at the end of Book 3, but then that entire scene may as well have not happened when the ending didn’t even involve a conversation between the two. I can’t make any sense of why “Ember Island Players” was scripted the way it was.

This is getting long…

I think in a larger sense though, this isn’t a matter of “either/or.” I have issues with Katara and Aang as a pairing because I have issues with Katara and Aang as a pairing, and the way they’re portrayed in canon, I don’t see it leading to a super happy life together. Which…LoK canonized, and that’s why I’m saying I love it, because it didn’t shy away from a damn thing.

Aang balking at Katara not being his idealized image was most easily on display in “Southern Raiders.” I understand it landed for you as Aang just trying to calm Katara, but to me, it came across as overly patronizing, and the genders at play in that situation really didn’t make it more appealing. Let’s not even touch the horrifying reaction he had at the idea that she might not have reciprocated his feelings. And we also do see canonical jealousy from him, at multiple points, such as when they hug in “Crossroads of Destiny.” Like…this reaction right here betrays, fundamentally, his entitlement, and it should be disturbing:

I know I used it in my piece, and I will continue to use it and shove it in everyone’s face because that’s how bad it is for me. This is not a healthy way to approach a relationship at all. I have large issues with the Nice Guy trope, probably because I dated one for 4 years, so this is a very subjective reaction on my part. Everything I’m writing is just to explain where I’m coming from.

We may just have to agree to disagree. Depending on experience and personal taste, I’m sure Katara and Aang’s lack of the whole “you drive me crazy” thing that’s shoved into a lot of TV ships was incredibly refreshing. And yeah, Aang is not a traditionally masculine guy. I do love that! Fuck, that’s my taste in men. He’s a good protagonist and it’s really cool to see a pacifistic series lead that’s also the victim of genocide and comfortable enough to make jewelry; it is refreshing. I just am not going to get to a place where I find his early romantic relationship with Katara compelling at all, though I love the implications that we ended up with.

#aang #anonymous #asks #musings

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