#of zuko letting katara touch his scar | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

theotterpenguin · 5 months

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thinking about how katara is the only person zuko tells about his mother, the only member of the gaang who zuko opens up to about his scar, the only person he let touch his scar, the person that zuko gained another scar for in order to protect. thinking about how all the terrible memories wound up in zuko's scars are also now intimately connected to katara's kindness. thinking about how katara is the first person zuko trusted, how she offered to heal his scar out of the goodness of her heart, how much he values that trust she placed in him and so he cares the most about rebuilding that connection with her - more than anyone else - after his betrayal. thinking about katara always being so in tune with zuko's feelings, how she understands the importance of zuko and iroh's relationship and is concerned about zuko during the eip, and how in return zuko chooses to open up to her when he's worried about his uncle forgiving him. thinking about how only katara has truly witnessed the complicated relationship between zuko and azula, how she's seen azula's manipulation of her brother but has also seen how zuko still cares for her and stands by him even when he's grieving the defeat of his sister. and how for all these reasons it only makes sense that zuko would want katara with him for the most difficult fight he's ever had to face, and it only makes sense that azula realizes killing katara will hurt zuko the most.

thinking about how zuko is so in tune with katara's feelings, how even when they were enemies the crystal catacombs he reaches out to her when he realizes she's upset, how he never invalidates her negative feelings towards him, but instead only asks what he can do for her. thinking about how zuko is the only person in the show that katara ever reveals the full story of her mother's death to, and how zuko is empathetic and kind and apologizes to her, despite not being responsible for it. thinking about how zuko is the one who recognizes that katara still has her own story to resolve, separate from aang's, and helps her overcome the most traumatic event of her life. thinking about how zuko understands the strength in katara and trusts her to make her own choices, never questioning katara's personal moral choice not to kill but also not to forgive. thinking about how zuko is the only person in the show that ever looks after katara's wellbeing while she's so busy caring for everyone else, how he asks katara to rest, how he realizes that katara needs to face her past to heal emotionally, how he takes katara to ember island for some alone time to process what has happened, how he is always shown helping out with house chores without being asked. how for once katara gets to be cared for instead of the caretaker. thinking about how zuko never makes his forgiveness a requirement of helping her, and yet, for all of these reasons, it only makes sense that katara chooses to forgive him. and it only makes sense that zuko is the person that katara ends up trusting the most deeply, the person she is willing to run into an agni kai arena for and risk her life because she cares for him and doesn't want him to get hurt.

just thinking about the way that katara and zuko share a relationship that is so unique from any other dynamics in the show, and how they share the most complicated, emotionally intimate connection in the gaang.

and it's no wonder that they always gravitate towards each other the most in the second half of book 3 - because they understand each other the most out of everyone else. they never leave each other's sides in tsr, go out of their way to be near each other in subsequent episodes, and are together in almost every scene in the finale.

#zutara #zuko x katara #katara #zuko #we love mature and healthy relationships #that work through conflict in healthy ways #this is kind of rambly but i just have a lot of feelings about them okay #my post #atla

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wilcze-kudly · 24 hours

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I do find it annoying how a lot of Zutara fans tweak the character's stories, personalities and even the timelines to suit their own needs.

Once again, there's nothing wrong with fanon and headcanons, however if looking through the lense of canon, you're objectively wrong.

I ended up stumbling on a post from a Zutara shipper. (At this point I'm regretfully considering not following the tags for Zuko or Katara because I get way too much Zutara content lol) I'm not replying directly to her because I don't want this to turn into an argument, and I know she doesn't take criticism very well.

Ok, So let's break this down.

The character who was first out of the group to trust Zuko?

I'm quite sure this is referring to the scene in Ba Sing Se's caves. And yes, that is a very important scene. I think it's a very important scene preceeding Zuko's 'relapse'. It shows how he's matured during his time in Ba Sing Se and therefore it serves to add to our dismay when he joins Azula. I adore the fact that Zuko's journey to redemption is not linear, it certainly adds a lot to the character and shows us how his trauma affected him.

It's also a horrific moment for Katara. To have her worldview on Zuko and firebenders as a whole challenged, and then for it to go blowing up in her face. It rips open old wounds of her childhood. It refreshes her resentment of Zuko and the Fire Nation as a whole. It parallels the death of her mother when Aang dies due to Azula's lighting and she is unable to do anything about it. It places her back in that spot of helplessness. Even though she's grown up, even though she's a master waterbender, she still comes a hair's breadth to losing one of the most important people in her life.

No wonder she hated Zuko so much after this.

It's an important moment for both characters, but I wouldn't say it is that in a romantic sense. It's a sweet, hopeful moment that then turns absolutely horrific and visceral for both parties.

I could argue that there are other characters who could be given the title of 'first to trust Zuko'. Funnily, Appa being one of them lol.

But other characters trusting Zuko dovetails nicely into the next point.

The character who emotionally connects to Zuko?

Well, technically, I'd argue that most members of the Gaang connect emotionally on one level or another with him?

But I'd argue that Aang is the person Zuko connected with the most. Aang is Zuko's parallel. Aang is the first person to reach out to Zuko. Aang is the person who showed mercy to Zuko, multiple times. Aang is the person who valued Zuko's life, the life of someone whose whole life goal is to capture him.

This was also an incredibly important moment to Zuko. This is the thing he brings up when trying to convince the Gaang to let him join.

Zuko: Why aren't you saying anything? You once said you thought we could be friends. You know I have good in me.

The character Zuko feels safest letting his guard down around?

It's Mai. Love her or hate her, her relationship with Zuko is incredibly important to him. Maiko isn't my favourite Zuko ship, in full honesty. But even platonically, Mai and Zuko are one another's reprieve from their respective shitty lives.

People often talk about Katara touching Zuko's scar while discussing healing his scar, however one could argue that she did so as a medical examination. Mai touching Zuko's scar is a casual thing, neither of them really make a big deal of it and that's the beauty of it.

I'm mainly talking out of my own personal experience, as someone with a huge amount of burn scars, but there is a world of difference between someone inspecting my scars like Katara did and simply accepting them as a part of me, like Mai does for Zuko.

With Mai, Zuko isn't the scarred banished prince, Ozai's son or Azula's brother. He's just Zuko. And they speak freely with one another, arguing like real people do. Often, being comfortable having arguments is actually a sign of being comfortable with one another.

The character who helps Zuko heal from his trauma?

Once again, this is a bit of a flawed question. By the end of the show, Zuko isn't even fully healed, in my opinion. He has made leaps and bounds on the road to recovery, but when he will truly heal if ever is yet to be seen.

Zuko's journey to recovery includes plenty of people. This includes Iroh, Aang, Song and Jin. People who show him the error of his coping mechanism. Who challenge his worldview, who coax him out of the his shell of pain and anger.

The character known for showing most compassion to others?

Yes, Katara's compassion is a huge part of her character. Her need to help and protect those who cannot do that for themselves cannot be understated.

But Aang's compassion for others and all beings is just as great, if not greater than Katara's. Compassion and nonviolence are huge parts of his culture and his own philosophy.

Aang: Wait, we can't just leave him here. Sokka: Sure we can. Let's go. Aang :No, if we leave him he'll die. Aang airbends himself off Appa and retrieves Zuko, bringing him to Appa. Sokka: [Sarcastically.] Yeah, this makes a lot of sense. Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us.

Friendly reminder that Aang could've absolutely wrecked Ozai, but held back because his own moral compass was so powerful. Hell, he was friendly and nice to Azula, the woman who literally killed him.

This is why Aang and Katara work so well together. They're both incredibly compassionate people who will immediately jump in to help others in need. Like they did during the Painted Lady, destroying the factiry together.

The character who primarily bears the burden of having to step up into a parental role?

I think "parental role" is an incredibly vague term. There's a lot of things that go into a "parental role". Katara plays a stereotypically "maternal" role, while someone who plays a "paternal" one would probably be Sokka.

Katara deals with very "homemaking" tasks like sewing and cooking, etc. And Sokka often takes on the role of leader, hunter, gatherer and also protector, despite being a nonbender.

This coincides nicely with their core childhood traumas. The loss of Katara's mother impacted her greatly, leading her to have to step up into a motherly role. While Sokka was clearly heavily traumatised by his father departing and the crushing responsibility of having to care for his entire village.

Sexism also probably played a part in this dichotomy.

The character who represses their emotions to be strong for others?

I'd argue that this could apply to all the members of the Gaang in some capacity.

Aang's pain is something most of us will never experience and cannot hope to understand. The complete horrific destruction of his culture and home followed him through the entire show. He was entitled to his grief and rage, yet he supressed it. We see during Appa's kidnapping, how easy it would be for Aang to rage, to let himself be destructive. And yet, he wakes up every day and chooses to smile and goof off, because his friends need someone to remind them how to be children.

Sokka puts on a very impressive bravado, despite having a lot of insecurities. However, as the oldest member of the Gaang (pre Zuko) he puts on a facade of the confident and unbothered older brother. Even if he's the butt of almost every joke, he still keeps that demeanour up, letting it slip only a few times.

I'd actually argue that Toph is the person whom this label fits best. While we know Toph as witty, callous and strong, we have to remember that she kept up the facade of her parents' good, helpless little blind girl for no reason other than her mother and father's comfort. She actually hides a lot of her hurt, covering it up with a prickly exterior.

I want to do longer think pieces about Toph and Katara so apologies if this isn't complete.

I'm actually baffled by the idea of Katara repressing her emotions. She's actually quite straightforward and open about her feelings. She yells and feels a lot of emotions and lets them be heard. She gets angry and sad. She's actually kinda bitchy sometimes and that's honestly why I love her so much.

The whole inciting incident of the show was her getting so pissed off she somehow pulls a giant iceberg from the bottom of the sea.

She is anything but repressed.

She is angry.

She's angry at the fire nation, at Sokka, at her father, at men, and with good right to be so.

This is what makes her an amazing character and one who broke the mould of a lot of female characters at the time. Her anger and unrestrained emotions rang true with a lot of watchers at the time. I'm not sure why this is being taken away from her rather than celebrated.

I reiterate the point I made at the beginning of this post: there is nothing wrong with headcanons and fanon interpretations for one's enjoyment. I do find it a bit odd when it changes a character too much (because then, why not just create an oc?) but it's all in good fun. However, you shouldn't push that onto other people and how they perceive canon and you certainly shouldn't use it to take away from other characters. It's a very unfair way of entering discourse.

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ecoterrorist-katara · 1 month

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I love fics where the Gaang finds out about the story behind Zuko’s scar. That said, I still think Zuko and Katara’s interaction in Crossroads of Destiny is the most powerful scar scene possible, precisely because Katara does not get his backstory, yet treats him with compassion anyway.

From The Storm onwards, Zuko’s scar becomes a symbol to the audience. Zuko’s scar is inextricable from his inherent goodness, which is constantly warring with his desire to please his cruel father. I think that’s why fans are so eager to see the Gaang find out the story behind his scar — so that the Gaang can see Zuko the way we’ve seen Zuko since season 1, so that they can understand the full tragedy of his story, and so that Zuko can get the comfort he really, really needs and deserves.

But Katara doesn’t offer to heal his scar because he’s good, or because she’s appalled that his father was abusive and awful. She offers to heal his scar because she sees that he’s hurting, and she wants to make that hurt go away. Knowing his backstory would not have made her act any differently, because she had already offered the full extent of her compassion. Katara knows firsthand what he’s capable of. She’s seen him at his very lowest. Yet she chooses to comfort him anyway.

And Zuko — Zuko, for whom pain is about as natural as breathing, who doesn’t care if he lives or dies, whose list of “people who have seen the worst of him and care about him anyway” starts and ends with his uncle, who knows full well that Katara travels with both the literal hope of the world and her own brother…no wonder he lets her touch his scar. No wonder he wants her forgiveness so badly. No wonder he jumps in front of lightning for her and reaches for her while he’s literally dying. Because Katara didn’t see the good in him: she saw the human in him. Because to a girl defined by her compassion, they were the same thing. And to a boy who had been desperately trying to bury his own humanity, it was everything.

#this ship makes me so fucking feral I swear #like regardless of whether you’re looking at it from katara’s pov or zuko’s pov they just offer each other THE thing they need #katara’s compassion in the context of zuko’s trauma just means so much to me…she takes his pain so seriously #and who else does that? not his canon gf #zutara #zutara meta #pro zutara #My meta

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rifari2037 · 1 month

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Zutara moments in the show :

Zuko : (grabbed Katara's wrist) I'll save you from the pirates! Also Zuko : (Making a gesture like putting a betrothal necklace on Katara)

In crystal catacombs similar to the cave of two lovers with romantic back sound. Zuko : (For the very first time willingly let someone touched his scar) Katara : (Willingly to gave him a spirit oasis water she had saved for something important and touched his face with compassion)

Sokka : What's on your mind? Zuko : Your sister. She hates me and I don't know why, but I do care what she thinks of me. Also Zuko : (Waited Katara all night in front of her tent)

Zuko : (Dramatically sacrifice himself and took Azula's lightning to saved Katara) Noo!!!!! Katara : (Recklessly saved Zuko when Azula could directing lightning to her anytime)

Characters in the show saw Zutara :

June : What happened? Your girlfriend run out of you? Also June : I see you worked things out with your girlfriend.

Zuko Player : Wait! I thought you were the avatar's girl. Katara Player : Ha ha ha, the avatar? Why, he's like a little brother to me. I certainly don't think him in romantic way. Beside, how can he ever find out about this...

Zuko Arc :

Trying to earn his honor and love from his father, also never showed he wanted to seek a perfect sister.

Antis : That's definitely siblings coded. Katara was sister Zuko always wanted.

Me in the corner : Okay, I will imagine it was Azula in those scenes no matter how cringe it would be as long as you are happy 😭😭

#pro zutara #zutara #anti anti zutara #zuko x katara #zuko and katara #atla zutara #anti kataang #anti bryke

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weepynymph · 1 year

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I gotta talk about this moment even though it's been discussed a million times

Zuko, opening up to someone about his scar for the first time (from what we’ve seen in the show at least, but we can reasonably assume he hasn’t spoken about it like this since he got it) and explicitly stating that whilst he's always associated it with with failures ('the mark of the banished prince'), he's finally ready to take control and change his life for the better. And whilst he has accepted that he can never change his scar, it’s ok because he still has the power to change his destiny.

And despite this assurance, Katara, the healer, still jumps in and offers to heal it anyway, understanding that this is still a burden she could lift from him - 'What if you could be free of it?'

She knows it won't change his life in the same way taking control of his own destiny will, but still, it's like she can't help but try to ease his pain. Even if it's a pain that's long since become a permanent part of him, something that might seem surface level or cosmetic to others - 'It's a scar, it can't be healed.'

And then we have this

'I've been saving it for something important.'

This. Healing Zuko's scar. A wound that has, for all intents and purposes already healed and is not longer a threat to his life, but still burdens him emotionally. That has come to represent all of his trauma. This Katara considers important enough to use her limited and precious supply of spirit oasis water. In the middle of a war. In the middle of a dangerous journey to save the world in which she and her friends might be seriously injured at any time (including in this scene, where Ba sing se is literally under attack as they speak).

And if that weren't enough

'I don't know if it would work'

Now, I don't know the mechanics of spirit water in the atla universe, but it seems to be pretty heavily implied later in the episode when she uses the water to heal Aang, and for a moment thinks that it hasn't worked, that it's sort of a one-time deal.

Which means that she's willing to potentially waste the spirit water just on the off-chance that it might remove the scar. Which in the context of the wider story seems utterly insane.

But Katara thinks it's worth the risk.

And presented with this opportunity, this beautiful, selfless offer to ease his suffering, even on a purely physical, surface level, Zuko wordlessly submits, and lets her touch his scar.

Now, Katara doesn't know quite how significant this touch is (although she's very emotionally intuitive so I'm sure she has some inkling of the gravity of this action) but we do. We know that Zuko doesn't let anyone touch his scar, ever. So what this communicates to us as an audience is that Zuko is allowing himself, for the first time, to put his complete trust in someone. To be completely, 100% vulnerable with them.

And the moment of touch is all the more significant because, in many ways, it isn't even strictly necessary.

Katara's hands are empty, she isn't putting the spirit water to his face, to attempting to heal it here. And while I'd argue this touch could be a practical one - assessing the damage of the scar with her hands to see how to proceed before she uses the water - the moment after, right before they are interrupted, isn't one of practical, medical assessment, but of intimacy.

The way Zuko waits, patiently, eyes closed, and the way Katara pauses, just for a moment, doing what I can only describe as gazing at him, and that slow blink in the middle- Again, not examining his scar or reaching for the spirit water to begin, but just taking it all in.

It's so breathtakingly intimate and vulnerable - a point of connection between these two people who are supposedly so completely different but are, here, somehow so alike in their openness and understanding of one another.

That Katara offers to heal Zuko's scar even when he's said moments before that he's made his peace with the fact that he's never be free of it. And the way he accepts her offer without words because she's right, part of him does want to be free of it.

It's just an absolute masterclass in creating an immediate and powerful connection and bond between two characters in an incredibly short space of time from a start point of complete opposition without rushing it or making it seem implausible.

#I don't know how to end this is just needed to talk about this scene #they really send me into a feral frenzy #because how could this not be endgame when this scene exists???#anyway #zutara #Zuko x Katara #zutara meta #zutara analysis #my meta #atla #avatar the last airbender #my gifs

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fanfic-gremlin-ft-trauma · 6 months

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A (slightly angsty) domestic zukka hc I’ve been thinking abt a lot: I think Zuko would have a sort of knee-jerk flinching reaction when anybody touches his scar (with katara he looks like he’s bracing himself and with mai his whole upper body is sort of being held in place by her) (which i definitely think mai did on purpose to make him feel more comfortable but anyways) I think Sokka would after the first time figure out Zuko flinches hard even when he sees it coming and he’s The Plan Guy so I think he would secretly experiment and find out Zuko doesn’t flinch when sokka drags his hand from a different part of him (like his hair) onto his face. So he just starts doing that and it takes Zuko a stupid long amount of time to realize “hey Sokka touches my face a lot and it doesn’t suck. I wonder why🤨” until one day he figures it out like Sokka you sneaky shit you were nice to me and I didn’t notice

Bc the whole “zuko lets Sokka touch his scar bc he trusts him and he’s super normal abt it” is nice but it doesn’t feel realistic? You can trust someone a whole lot and still have instinctive trauma reactions. I think it’s much sweeter if Sokka notices and figures out a way to make it better without being asked.

Oh….. I’m….. this is a nice one 👍🏼

#ARREGEHSJKASJDASHJDKHGSADJHGSJHGSDMGHASDMHGSAGHMDSAHMGDMHGSAMHGDSGHMADGHMDMHGASMHDAGHMSDJHGDSSJGHSEJHDDSEDSE #?????????#hey anon????#you didn’t think u could get away with this right????#like this isn’t absolutely devastating in the best way possible???? RIGHT #??????#I’m ROLLING AROUND CRYINF SCREAMING WAILING THROWING UP BANGING MY FISTS ON THE WALL???#THIS IS ACTUALLY THE MOST TENDER SWEET ANGSTY THING IVE EVER READDDDD HOW COULD #HOW COULD YOU #HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO MEEEEEEE #ANON IM PUNCHING YOU IN THE FACE AND KISSING U ON THE KNUCKLES #DASHIUDUKHSADKUHDAKHSUKHUAD #NEVER RECOVERINF BRB 👍🏼#(thank you for your contribution this is beautiful and I’m going to think about this for the rest of my life)#atla #zukka #zuko x sokka #asks #my asks

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five-flavor-soup · 3 months

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A (perhaps incomplete) List of Zutara Moments we Are (allegedly?) Delusional About:

i’ll save you from the pirates

The Betrothal Necklace Tied Around The Wrist For Some Fucking Reason Zuko I Swear—

i can see why your girlfriend left, she’s way too pretty for you

that’s so sweet of zuko! give him a kiss for me [mwah]

you rise with the moon i rise with the sun…

aren’t you a big girl now?

The Scar Touch

The Last Glance

I THOUGHT YOU CHANGED

you make one step backward, one slip-up, give me one reason to think you might hurt aang, and you won’t have to worry about your destiny anymore—because i’ll make sure your destiny ends, right then and there there. permanently.

Katara’s “Let’s Tease The Shit Out Of Zuko Because I Don’t Trust Him”-initiative at the Western Air Temple

your sister! she hates me, and i don’t know why, but i do care what she thinks of me

but i’m ready to forgive you

The Hug following the last point

what’s the big deal just sit next to me

The Anxious Hair Playing right after

The Awkward & Suspicious Scooting Away after the Theatre Smooch

The Calming & Supportive Shoulder Touch

(S)HE’S NOT MY [BOY/GIRL]FRIEND

NOOO [slow motion jump] [bad lightning redirection] [dramatic collapse] ZUKO!!!

The Calming & Supportive Shoulder Touch Part 2: Electric Boogaloo

Loving Coronation Gaze

The Pink Flower in Katara’s Hair in the last scene, ft. that official Zuko art in his Ba Sing Se get-up

With credit to the crusties for helping me make it more complete ♥️

+ Bonus LA Moments:

That Fucking Scarf Scene

you found a master, haven’t you?

#zutara #i am delusional? maybe. but i’m also a literature major so make of that what you will #atla

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starlight-bread-blog · 2 months

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"Katara Just Needed To Heal Zuko's Scar"

I understand why this argument is being made. After all, she offered to heal Zuko, and so she does. So why are the shippers trying to paint it as some romantic moment? It's a reasonable question. But I'm gonna try to answer it.

Zuko and Katara weren't in love in this scene for two reasons: Firstly, it's their first conversation, making any romantic development feel rushed and unnatural. Secondly, as fictional characters, they don't possess hidden feelings, unless the writers have confirmed otherwise.

So what argument is being made? The argument is that this moment is an example of ship baiting and could have served as romantic build up if the writers decided to go down that route, and I'll explain why.

1# Just because an action was necessary, doesn't mean it can't be seen as romantic

I know how this sounds, but hear me out. Let us take a look at another show, where you'd least expect to see a romantic connection, and the action was completely necessary. I want to discuss Rick and Morty's Beth x Beth.

Beth is the last person who'd have tension with Beth, clearly it's disgusting. And she really did have to install that chip. But the thought did cross your mind, they did get together, and this scene was romantic build up, despite not being romantic in-universe.

Now that we've looked at the most extreme example ever, it's time to look at a classic: Aladdin. One of the most iconic moments in the movie is when Aladdin simply offers his hand to Jasmine so she'd get on the flying carpet, asking "Do you trust me"?

Aladdin isn't asking if Jasmine trusts him because they're deeply bonded, he asks that because she's scared to get on the flying carpet. And he isn't reaching for her hand because he wants to hold her hand, he reaches because she'd needhelp getting on it. And yet, it's universally recognized as an incredibly romantic moment.

Very often writers use the mundane necessities like casual touch to set up romantic tension. This narrative approach allows for the gradual planting of the idea in the audience's mind, even in situations where intimacy may not be overtly present, adding nuance and depth to romantic storylines. And in fiction, it's everywhere.

2# The set up wasn't just necessity, it was an intimate moment

In this section I won't try to prove the gesture was romantic, I simply think it's crucial to understand the scene before analyzing it. Katara offering to heal Zuko's scar wasn't a necessity, the touch was the necessity after she already made the offer. This leaves us with a scene that begins with Katara thinking of Zuko as "the face of the enemy", and ends with Katara attempting to heal Zuko's scar.

The moment became intimate the second Katara brought up her mother, and Zuko, who doesn't normally share his emotions, make and effort to connect. Thus, they began to view the other differently, as someone similar to them.

Still, this is their first conversation. And Katara is under no obligation to be even somewhat nice to him. But she decides to use her spirit water on him, and if she had, Aang would have died. That's how important the spirit water is. Saying she "just needed to heal is scar" is quite reductant in my opinion. Choosing to heal him in and of itself is a radical and intimate decision.

Still, non of what I said so far is indicative of romantic build up. Nor is giving other examples from fiction of necessities being romantic indicative of this one being too. So, it's time to finally talk about the touch.

3# The action wasn't actually necessary, to the point where it makes very little sense

Let's remember how Katara did heal using the spirit water:

She bends the water straight on Aang's back and starts bending it. I repeat: She bends the water straight on the injury.

So writers, please do tell me, if Katara wanted to heal Zuko's scar, where is the water?

No water and no healing, becsuse it wouldn't look as intimate/shippy with water. Instead, what we got is two shots highlighting the pysical touch between them with soft violin sounds in the background.

In literature, what isn't in text isn't important and should be disregarded. Here, on paper Katara is healing Zuko's scar, but in practice there is no water and all of the focus is on the touching. Therefore, it's signaling the viewers that even though she just needs to cure him, it isn't important. With Katara's thumb on Zuko's lips, with a close up shot on the contact, the only thing that matters is, apparently, their pysical touch.

Additonally, they were interrupted before Katara could do actually anything anyway. In a universe where this scene wasn't ship teasing, Katara would take out the water, almost lay them on Zuko's scar, and then Aang and Iroh would break them out of the cave. Logically, Katara's hand shouldn't have gone anywhere near Zuko, and if it did, it should have looked incredibly unappealing.

But it didn't. In this already very intimate moment, the show puts all the focus on the pysicality of the healing, rather than the healing, and breaking its own logic to do so. Thus, they made it look a lot less like a simple necessity, but rather an act of pure intimacy, as often done in fiction when portraying romantic tension. And that's why this scene was ship baiting.

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burst-of-iridescent · 11 months

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Zuko is peaceful when he sleeps.

Katara doesn’t get many opportunities to see him like this so she takes her chance now, tracing the line of his jaw, the pall of his eyelashes against his cheekbones, the way the skin turns from ivory to rusted crimson just beyond the bridge of his nose. The early morning light softens the harsh edges of his scar, the furrow of his eyebrows; he is more a child now than he has ever been, ensconced in her arms.

She can stay here a little while longer, Katara decides, can let herself have this before the duties of a lifetime of war draw her away once more. Besides, she can’t bear to wake Zuko when he looks like this, content and undisturbed as he rarely is in life. He must be more tired than she thought, to sleep so far past the sunrise that calls to the fire in his blood.

The first rays of dawn wreathe his hair like Agni himself has come to crown him, the golden prince who reclaimed his kingdom, and he looks so very young suddenly that her entire being aches with the need to protect, to love, to pour in through his skin all that he’s ever lost so no hurt can ever touch him again.

He’ll wake any moment now, she knows. Blink at her with those sleep-dazed golden eyes and give her that lopsided half-smile that’s tender and disbelieving all at once, like he still can’t quite believe any of this is real.

(She hates herself for that, hates the girl of misplaced rage and caustic grief who pushed him away, hates that he always flinched like he expected a mortal blow. She’ll spend a lifetime in penance.)

But that’s okay, she thinks. Everything is okay now, because she has a lifetime to change that, to love him, to live. They have time, so much time that she doesn’t quite know what to do with all of it, but they’ll figure it out together.

Katara curls closer to Zuko, looping her arms around his neck and waist, and closes her eyes.

He’s still warm, the way he was when she first hugged him with the sunset at her back and the waves beneath her feet. Still warm, still burning, still here.

Her brilliant, beautiful firebender.

A hand settles on her shoulder.

“Katara?”

The word comes to her across a great distance, as though Sokka is still back in the South Pole instead of right beside her. Or maybe she’s the one who’s far away, gone somewhere he cannot follow.

She blinks, and watches the final, fading trail of the comet recede into the blue, blue horizon. Blue for new beginnings, blue for peace, blue for the crack of Azula’s lightning.

“Katara,” Sokka says again, and now there’s something terrible in his voice, something she’s heard only once, almost seven years ago. “Please.”

At Zuko’s side, his uncle weeps. He’s bent to press his forehead to Zuko’s hand, murmuring words of guilt and love and sorrow.

There’s no need, she wants to say. Can’t you see? He’s right here.

She brushes the hair off Zuko’s face and gently kisses his scarred cheek.

“Katara.” There is no joking Sugar Queen, no teasing in Toph’s trembling voice. “You have to let him go.”

Katara shakes her head mutely, and curls her body around his.They’re partners, her and Zuko – them against the Southern Raiders, against Azula, against the world.

She’ll always have his back.

(Later, they’ll tell the stories of how the last Southern waterbender held the crown prince’s body through the night. Later, they’ll whisper about how she had to be dragged kicking and screaming from his side, how every bit of water in the courtyard rose to cover the fallen prince with a shield of ice, how they had to knock her unconscious to keep her from flooding the palace.)

Later, Sokka will not meet her eyes when she wakes.

Katara goes where he tells her to, in the days that come after. Follows him to a garden of white silk and ash, to the shaky beginnings of a new world, to a ship that carries her across the element that failed her.

She stands on deck and watches the long-hated land of her childhood fade into the distance until it is nothing more than a faint speck on the endless expanse of the sea. She thinks of a smoke-singed courtyard, the beat of a ruined heart; thinks of a beautiful boy lit in lightning and the sobbing girl he died to save and the story that died with him, forever unfinished, forever frozen.

“It’’ll be okay,” Sokka tells her gently, when a faintly familiar land of ice and snow forms in the distance. “Let’s go home.”

(She doesn’t, though. Not really. Not ever.

She never goes home again.)

#zutara #zutara fanfiction #author's recommendation: listen to right where you left me by taylor swift for Maximum Impact

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broadwaybalogna · 8 days

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So I was think of pining Katara I desperately need more pining Katara fics. So the prompt is pining Katara in Ember Island being just a tennager trying to make sense of a pretty boy

Hey Anon! When you said “ember island” I’m sure you meant during the ember island players. HOWEVER, I think the headcanon that Zuko dropped Katara off at Ember Island after TSR and her realizing her feelings THEN would also be hella cute!

Enjoy~

“You sure you’ll be alright by yourself?”

“Yeah, I just need some time alone.”

“Alright… I’ll be back with the others by sundown.”

Zuko began to walk back to Appa, who had just groggily woken up.

“Zuko?” Katara called, once he was secured on the flying bison. She didn’t turn to him, she barely even acknowledged him. But she still called out to him.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

“Of course,” and with that, Katara could hear the sound of Appa leaving the ground and flying away. Now, she was by herself, alone with only her thoughts. She had at least twelve hours to herself before Zuko came back with the rest of their friends.

Hours one and two:

Katara decided to spend the first two hours or so walking along the beach of ember island. The sun was still rising in the horizon, which was able to give Katara some sense of calm. She continued to walk until her feet started to hurt, then she walked all the way back to camp.

Hour three:

Katara sat at the edge of the dock massaging her feet and stretching her legs. She hummed an old hymn her mother used to sing to her when she was little.

Then she remembered Yon Rha. And after hours upon hours of her night already thinking about him and what she could’ve done, she cried.

She cried louder than she had ever let herself. No one was around to hear or judge her, so she cried even louder. She cried until her eyes were as sore as her feet, and then, when she finally gained control of her body again, she cried some more.

So many emotions that she had left under wraps for years came bubbling up and exploded, and she couldn’t stop. She couldn’t stop to the point where it physically hurt to continue. Even more, she couldn’t stop because it felt so good to let it out.

Katara came to the conclusion that she was an ugly crier.

Hour four:

Once Katara had finally calmed down, she walked into a nearby lake to wash herself off. The ocean was too salty for her to feel like she was properly cleaning herself, so she found an abandoned lake to lay in. She sunk under the water until she was only breathing out of her nose and closed her eyes.

An image of Zuko flashes across her mind, if only for a second, and Katara shot up. Why would she think about him now of all times?

She scowled and got out of the lake, it had been ruined now anyway.

Hour five:

Katara decided to make herself lunch by the beach. She caught a fish and used Sokka’s fire starting technique to cook it. She thought about how much easier it would be to cook if she had Zuko’s fire.

Hour six:

She just couldn’t get Zuko out of her mind! What was wrong with her!?

Maybe it was because he actually encouraged her to face her mother’s attacker instead of telling her to just forgive him. Maybe it was that he empathized with her pain instead of separating himself from it. Or maybe it’s just that he was there when she needed someone to be.

Hour seven:

She felt really bad about what she said to Sokka, she needed to apologize to him when they got back.

Hour eight:

She can’t stop thinking about that one time she grazed Zuko’s lips while in the catacombs. How she had laid her hand on his scar in sympathy and grace, and how her thumb had just lightly touched his lips, and how soft they felt.

Hour nine:

She wonders what Zuko might’ve looked like had he been in the lake with her washing off.

Hour ten:

She stares up at the sky and the changing of the tides by the beach. She smiles.

Hour eleven:

She thinks about confronting Aang and Sokka when they get back. Also Zuko, maybe a little bit too much Zuko.

The more she thinks about it all, the more her face hardens. She wonders if Aang and Sokka will understand. She wonders if they’ll listen.

She goes to the end of the dock and holds her arm in her hand.

Hour twelve:

Zuko, Toph, Aang, and Sokka all arrive not long after the twelfth hour has passed. Aang goes up to her and tells her he’s proud she chose forgiveness.

“You’re wrong. I didn’t forgive him, and I don’t think I ever will.” She pushes past Aang who stands alone and climbs up Appa. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Zuko walk up to Aang.

“You were right-“

She turns her head around and blocks their conversation out.

She can’t cry now.

#atla #zutara #atla katara #atla zuko #avatar the last airbender #katara #zuko #fanfiction #katara x zuko #zuko x katara #fanfic #the southern raiders #s03e16

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elitesheepi · 2 months

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It's always canon-age Zutara or old people Zutara, what about middle-aged Zutara huh?

Mid-40s Zutara reconnecting with each other again after both of their kids had left the house and Zuko. Katara traveling the world again and finding herself in the company of her old friend she's spent too long not seeing.

His hair's gotten longer, she aged gracefully while having a cute wrinkle to her smile.

He's planning to abdicate the throne soon, so he's way more relaxed than she's seen him be in years. He's still hot-headed and awkward, she's still picks at him to eat and sleep properly. She tells him to not fuss over her, he tells her she looks just as beautiful as he last remembered.

Her hair is turning grey, his beard already has plenty of greys. She teases him and calls him a silver fox-wolf. He tells her she resembles a pearl.

There's a full moon and she's dragging him to dance with her near the turtleduck pond. She hasn't danced like this in years, he hasn't danced at all. "Too busy being with...fire lord...duties" he lies. Fire lord duties that involved galas and many times she saw him standing to the side like the awkward turtleduck he was. Many times she wanted to grab his hands and pull him with her to the center of the room and guide him in a dance. Wouldn't be a good look for the Avatar's wife to do that though, wouldn't it? She regretted the many years she spent not doing it. Hopefully tonight makes up for it.

His hands are rough and firm, decades if writing documents and firebending left their mark. Her's are smooth like a stone left in a river, all hard edges smoothed away with him. Dedication to being a healer will do that. Any knicks from cooking or remnants of raising a ramboncious child gone in the second she touched water. Here, there fingers curl within each others and hold onto each other tight--what are they so afraid of? Nothing can make them let go.

They dance in small circles as the moon highlight every wrinkled smile and crow's feet on their faces. Despite her jokes about the white in his hairs from raising a indignant and stubborn Izumi, he's just as handsom as she remebered. Even more handsome actually. She tucks the loose hair from his face and tries not to blush as he kisses her palm. What is she, a teenager? A teenage girl standing in the kitchen with him on Ember Island and trying not to let his prescence alone stop her from cutting the mangos he got from the market. That fails when she knicks her finger and he grasps her hand to kiss away the crimson blood flowing bubbling from the little cut.

The squeak she let out at the time was hilariously embarassing. Her hand was yanked away and she shoved it into the collected water in the sink. In seconds, the cut was gone. His face matched his shirt, she kept her eyes firming on the fruit and hoped he couldn't see how she kept looking at him from the corner of her eye.

Later that night, she smothered her face in the pillow as her traitorous brain forced her to remeber the feel of his lips on her skin. (Finger skin, but skin nonetheless.)

"I panicked," he explains, refusing to look her in the eye, and raspy voiced sounding pained with self-cringe, "I didn't think--I hoped you wouldn't remeber that."

She laughs and lets go of his firm, hard hand to hold his face. Her thumb touches the edges of the scar. Katara feels the chills of the crystal catacombs all over again. She pushes that away though. That was decades ago. This is now.

"I did," Katara replies with a smile. The tips of her feet allow her only so much height. Curse the sands of time for allowing him to grow even taller while she remained only a couple of inches away from the height of her teenage self.

"Are you feeling panicky now?" She asks once she finds her balance with her arms slung around her neck and his hands keeping her steady on her waist.

That golden colored eye widens before narrowing down as he bore deep into her sapphire eyes. Like before, he said nothing as he leaned down and kissed away. His lips on her's, her hand tangled in his long hair, only Yue is their witness to their clandestine reunion.

30 years. It took 30 years, two marriages, a couple children before they found each other again.

#zutara #where's aang? idk pick your poison in that regard #this quickly got away from me idk how #katara #zuko

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zvtara-was-never-canon · 8 months

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Katara comforts Aang when he found gyasto dead and lost appa =momtara /emotional labor aang is obviously an abuser

Mai not comforting Zuko in awakening in a way that makes him happy =abusive girlfriend she should have comforted zuko better, because she can totally get rid of his guilt over iroh and katara could do it better.. despite us its toxic how she has she to comfort aang

Zutaras: having logic and not having double standards , not possible

And don't forget:

Katara always speaking her mind even when people think she's wrong/obnoxious/stupid for it, going against Pakku for saying what she can or cannot be, and not letting Zuko get away with being a dick to her or others: Girlboss! Feminist icon! Deserved so much better than the (perfectly happy) ending she got in canon!

Mai always speaking her mind even people think she's wrong/obnoxious/stupid for it, resenting her parents and Azula for saying what she can or cannot be, and not letting Zuko get away with being a dick to her or others: What a selfish, petty, self-centered, ignorant, cold-hearted, sociopathic bitch! Can't believe the show let her get away with this shit!

Katara showing compassion and empathy for Zuko and offering to heal his scar even after he spent months chasing her and her friends around the world, with the explicit intention of capturing one of said friends and keep him hostage forever/kill him, and to help his nation continue to oppress the rest of the world: Such a kind, wise character! Such a lovely, meaningful moment!

Mai saving Zuko's life even after he broke up with her through a letter because he was one of the few people that liked her for who she was/would not abuse his power over her like Azula does: God, what a pathetic loser that throws her whole life away for a guy.

Kataang and Maiko PDA: Obnoxious, forced and stupid.

Zuko tying Katara to a tree/Katara touching Zuko's scar with the explicit intention of healing it, nothing more than that: such a hot/tender, intimate moments that show how much chemistry these two characters have!

Zuko getting violent and snapping at Mai because some guy she did not even pay attention to seemed to be into her, then trying to make a move on her after she literally shouted "LEAVE ME ALONE!": How dare MAI be such a bad girlfriend! Zuko deserves better!

Aang kissing Katara after she said she isn't sure how she feels, immediately regreting it: What an entitled, abusive creep!

Zuko nearly dying to save Katara's life: The most romantic thing in the world!

Aang giving up absolute power because he had a vision of Katara being captured: Why is he so OBSESSED? This is not romantic!

Zuko choosing to support his imperialist, racist nation that he just heard deeply traumatized Katara by killing her mother: He is madly in love with Katara and fiercely protective of her. Sourse "trust me, bro."

Aang temporarely letting go of Katara because if he doesn't they're all gonna die: See? He doesn't actually care about her! It's all there in the canon!

Katara healing Zuko, saving his life, and him being very grateful to her for it: How beautiful! Best scene of the entire show!

Katara healing Aang, bringing him back from the dead, and him being very greateful to her for it: She's not your personal doctor, you asshole! What an abusive, unequal dynamic!

Zuko not seeming to remember Katara's existence outside of "girl that travels with the Avatar" for 5/6 of the show: Totally doesn't mean he is not in love with her! Why do people call this ship fanon?

Zuko breaking up with Mai because he'll be going on a dangerous mission he felt would not be fair to drag her into, and smiling like a dork just because he got a chance to talk about her: He CLEARLY doesn't love her! Why does anyone like them as a couple?

Zuko needing emotional support very frequently because he is a victim of verbal, psychological and physical abuse: Poor thing! He deserves someone who loves and understands him!

Aang needing emotional support very frequently because nearly everyone he knew and loved died suddenly, he is struggling with survivor's guilt, and now shoulders the burden of needing to save the whole world despite being just a kid: God, what a baby, grow up!

Zuko being an imperialist prince for most of his life and betraying Katara in Ba Sing Se, leading to the death of one of her friends: He is a completely innocent child that indoctrinated into thinking these things were fine! The adults are to blame! Katara really can't hold any of this against him!

Sozin choosing to kill every air-nomad and start a war, and Azulon then choosing to order the raids on the Southern Water Tribes: Does this mean Kya's death was Aang's fault? It think it does. If only this 12-year-old that was not even a fully powered Avatar yet had not freaked out after nearly everyone around him disregarded his wants and needs completely! Such a selfish, awful character that never faces any consequences for anything! How could Katara ever be friends with him, let alone date him?

#anti zutara #pro kataang #pro maiko #pro aang #pro mai

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kidnappedbycartoons · 11 months

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Returning to Tumblr solely because I'm back on my Zutara shit. That moment in the catacombs was such a perfect setup, let me break it down.

Zuko being the one to reach out first

At this point, Zuko had been moving towards a more positive lifestyle and it shows in his reaction. Even though he is frustrated when Katara yells at him, he doesn't lash out or use his firebending. Season one Zuko wouldn't have been able to do this, look at that growth. Instead, he apologizes to her and attempts to connect with her by bringing up his mother as well.

Up until this point, the only people that Katara could talk to about the Fire Nation taken away her mother were other victims of the Fire Nation. On top of that, Zuko has been chasing down Aang for a hot minute. Who would've thought that the son of the Fire Lord also experienced the pain of losing his mother? Would've been able to understand that pain and loss? Would've been able to bond with her through that?

Katara offering to heal him with the water from the Spirit Oasis

Once again, I don't think people realize how impactful this is. This is water from the Spirit Oasis. She literally says that she has been saving it for something important. And as we all know, she only had enough for one use which ended up being healing Aang. But Katara offered to heal ZUKO'S scar with it. On top of that, let's look back.

Katara apologizes to him for yelling and feels comfortable enough with him to tell him that whenever she thought of the enemy, she thought of him. Mind you, she's using past tense. Clearly, after the two of them managed to open up to each other, she started to see him as the person he is and not just the enemy. And Zuko feels comfortable enough to tell her how he views the scar Ozai gave him and his recent revelations. These two have been on opposite sides for months, but it only took a few minutes or hours at most, for them to reach this level of comfortability with each other. Don't think so?

Zuko lets Katara touch the scar

Zuko has been very self-conscious of his scar whenever someone brought it up or drew attention to it. So for him to allow Katara to get close enough and place her hand on the physical representation of his trauma and pain just shows how safe he feels with her in this moment. And not just him, but for Katara to feel safe enough to even get that close to him without worrying if he was going to lash out and she would have to put him in his place. Do y'all not see the material? They trusted each other in this moment.

Of course, we get cut off by Aang and Iron pulling up which leads to the next point.

The looks

When Katara and Aang hug, Zuko glares at Aang. Now, it is highly possible that this is because a part of him still feels the need to catch the Avatar, but coming after that scene, doesn't it read like jealousy?

And as Katara leaves, she looks back at Zuko who is looking away with a sad expression. In that moment, in those catacombs, she felt something. As Katara will tell Zuko before their field trip, she trusted him. It's the emotional intimacy for me.

#atla #avatar: the last airbender #zutara #prince zuko #atla katara #katara

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impossiblycolorfulpanda · 7 months

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Zuko and Mai were equally terrible to each other.

We shouldn't make excuses for Zuko on the dysfunction of Maiko but we shouldn't make excuses for Mai either.

The pro-Maiko side bring some valid points to light about how Zuko was acting clingy, entitled, and distant, and Mai calls Zuko out for them but they place the blame all on Zuko, they don't list any of Mai's faults. They treat Mai like she's a helpless wilting flower. No accountability whatsoever. The same can be said about Zuko, though.

You know who else calls Zuko out for his stupidity? Katara. And you know what else? Zuko actually listens, takes her criticisms as facts, and always tries to make things right with her, whereas, with Mai, he either doesn't listen or tries twisting the blame all on Mai. Even as enemies, Zuko is not as vicious to Katara as he is to the others, their fights are slower and more held back. He doesn't yell back at Katara, he lets her be the first to touch his scar, unlike Mai, and is willing to open up about his experiences in a calm demeanor.

Speaking of Katara, she rightly threatens Zuko's life if he so much as looks only mildly suspicious and will keep a close eye on him, and yet pays no mind to Zuko bringing both Aang and Sokka to potentially life-threatening adventures beyond Katara's supervision which last multiple days. She doesn't even accuse Zuko of being responsible for Azula conveniently finding their hiding place.

Zuko did try to treat Mai right, but she did not appreciate it. He tried to be more open to her about his concerns and experiences, only for her to shut him down. He tried explaining to her, both in a note and in person, why he had to turn against the FN, how he couldn't risk putting her in danger but was doing for her, she did not care.

There's been no sign of Mai questioning the FN regime like Zuko and learning to believe in his new cause, she just defected because she's just incapable of letting go of her attraction to him. All Zuko wanted from Mai was to be more open about her emotions, Azula pushed her to be that way too. Mai refused and came back at them both with a yelly attitude.

By the time the war was over, she decided now as the best time to hook up with Zuko again, she intimidates Zuko into never leaving her but decided to do the breaking up herself. The reason? Because he wouldn't open to her about his problems and stress, which is a bit contradictory considering she refuses to do that herself and when he first tried she didn't even want to hear any of it.

We also tend to forget that Mai willingly through her own brother under the bus. Sure, it was Azula's idea but I don't wanna hear any of that "Mai feared Azula" crap because there's been no sign, hint, or evidence that she ever was afraid of Azula.

I like Mai enough to picture her joining team avatar along with Zuko, Ty Lee and Azula, but if she and Zuko have any hope on having a truly healthy romance, they both need to better themselves, not just one of them, both of them.

#atla #anti maiko #pro zutara

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