you know what, I don’t like seeing ppl call katara “selfless.” it feels like such a misreading of her character in such a fundamental way. yes, katara will do anything she can to help others, but she has never once put herself second. everything she does is in her own interest first and foremost, including when she is actively being compassionate. being kind and helpful is not inherently a selfless act!

katara has never in the show chosen to make a sacrifice for the sake of the greater good. the closest she gets is telling aang that his training under pakku is more important than protesting the north’s traditions, and even then that lasts all of half a day before she snaps. and the thing is, katara shouldn’t be expected to be selfless. katara should not feel the need to give up more than has already been taken from her.

it is well within her right to act in her own best interest at all times. she’s literally a genocide survivor. so is aang. they should be putting themselves first. so maybe it was “selfish” of aang to not kill ozai. so what? is that somehow a bad thing? they deserve to be selfish.

katara is not selfless, and you know what? good for her. her brother is selfless to the point that he can’t even conceive of himself having worth or deserving to live if he is not serving his role of helping others, and you’re telling me that’s healthy??? that anyone who grew up around such a hollow shell of a boy would ever want to emulate that??? fuck no!!!!!!!!

katara knows her worth, and that is fundamental to what makes her so amazing and admirable, what makes her such a great role model to both viewers and the characters within the show, such as aang, who see themselves in her, and learn from her never to compromise who they are in the process of being a hero.