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gladerwolfstarkimagines · 4 years

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Zuko x female reader series: Part Three

Now aware of your feelings for Zuko the tension between you grows until Zuko is whisked away from you following a trick of Azula’s. However your time in the fire nation without Zuko is made eventful by a command from Ozai concerning you and Zuko. The tension peaks when Zuko returns to you and changes your friendship permanently.

Part One here

Part Two here

Part Four here

Part Five here

Part Six here

Tagged: @creation-magician @kaylove12 @taeeemin

Your POV

"Well what about the war general’s son?" You mother asked holding up a photo of a boy barely a man. You made a face and she sighed "y/n you can’t dismiss every suitor without even giving them a try” and you sighed. "I can try". "What was that?" your mother asked raising an eyebrow. "Nothing" you called back but she'd heard. When your father died you’d become the head of the family, the future hope for your fathers legacy. With no male heirs or uncles the burden had fallen to you to lead your mother and little sister. You’d have been more than happy to pick up your father duties in the royal navy, or even just working for the royal fleet but you were high born and a girl, that was not your place according to the fire nation. The best way to serve your family was for you to marry as soon as possible. When you married your husband would get your father’s titles and could pick up responsabilities at the navy again. The thought made you furious, you’d be undoubtedly more experienced than your husband for the role but your place would be in the home. There was nothing you could do to change the laws but that didn’t mean you had to abide by them. Your plan was to delay marriage indefinitely and so had rejected every single suitor suggested. Your mother was getting angry at you but you didn’t care. Ozai had offered you many things to pay for the loss of your father, the great General Zhao, but you only asked for one thing. The option to choose when and who you’d marry. Ozai begrudgingly complied and his word was law, your mother couldn’t force anything on you. You smirked as she packed her photos of potential suitors away, her weekly visit a failure like always, when she paused "what about Zuko?". You froze "what about him?". "Well would you accept him as a suitor?".

So many things made you uncomfortable about what your mom had said. For one thing you still hadn’t sorted out your feeling about Zuko. You knew things had changed after that night in your room and could tell Zuko felt it too but didn’t know how to proceed with the situation. You’d always just seen him as a friend and prided yourself on being able to be close with Zuko and not feel any romantic feelings but now it was all different and that made you angry at yourself. How many times had you boasted about your relationship to everyone? Sworn you were just friends and took pride in yourself for being an example of strong male/female friendship. And now you were a cliche who liked her best friend. What bothered you even more than your confused feelings though was your mother’s attitude towards Zuko. All through Zuko’ s banishment your mom hadn’t said Zuko’s name once. As soon as he was banished everyone had turned against him. Even Mai and Ty lee didn’t dare say his name, everyone acted as if he had just never existed, everyone expect you. You’d mentioned him whenever you felt the need, a past memory, a reminder Azula wasn’t the only heir, a comment about this beings Zuko’s favourite food, anything and everyone ignored you for it. Your mom would always go quiet ignoring you if it was in public but in private she’d scold you and send you away to the navy where you were less watched, where you were less of a problem. She’d turned against him and written him off and now he’d returned she was acknowledging him again. Even suggesting him as a fit for you. The audacity made you feel sick, Zuko was not a possession they could use. "No" you said firmly and your mother paused "you wouldn’t accept Zuko? Y/n he’s the prince! and you have to admit you two have always gotten along". "Ow now you remember who he is?" you asked sarcastically "weird, you didn’t recall who he was for years and now...poof, you remember" you smiled sweetly "strange how that works huh?". "Y/n..." your mom rolled her eyes but you headed for the door. "Great session mom same time next week?" and pushed the door open making it hit the wall. "You’ll have to pick someone eventually" she yelled after you and you rolled your eyes.

You went to the training rooms to try and get some of your anger at your mother out and after firebending for an hour felt better. You wiped your face with a towel before realising you’d missed a single target. You kicked your foot out and a jet of fire flew from your foot and destroyed the target. You felt better and were getting ready to go back to the world when you heard clapping. You turned to see it was Zuko and smiled instinctively. You always smiled when you saw Zuko but now, now you also got this excited feeling in your stomach, almost a nervous feeling to be around him. "I don’t know what that target did to you but you sure showed it who’s boss" Zuko smirked coming to stand behind you. "I did didn’t I?' you smiled turning around to examine your shot and Zuko nodded placing his hands on your shoulders. You pretended not to notice and realised this was happening a lot lately. To be fair the physical contact had always happened, it was normal for friends to rest against one another or link arms, but now you noticed it more and it definitely felt more deliberate. So the pattern went Zuko would initiate contact with you in some way and you’d both pretend not to notice, apart from the light blushes or lingering looks. “You okay?” Zuko asked “i heard your mom’s weekly visit was today”. You groaned and Zuko laughed “forget i asked”. You sighed “can we do something, anything apart from talk about her please?” you begged turning to face Zuko and he smiled. "fancy some food? My treat?". “Can we order in to your room?” you asked “I don’t want a run in with my mom”. Your mom had left straight after her meeting, there was no way you’d run into her, the truth was you liked being alone with Zuko. He was always less guarded in private, less aware of prying eyes but now...he wasn’t just happier in private he was...different. The only way you could think to phrase it was he was bolder now, he’d flirt with you openly in the privacy of your shared presence and you knew it was wrong considering he was taken but you enjoyed it and thought he did too. Zuko’s eyes flashed and you knew he knew your mom had left too, he knew this was an excuse to be alone but like you’d been doing he pretended not to notice. “Of course” Zuko smirked and you both managed not to blush.

Your meal devoured you flopped onto Zuko’s bed full and unable to move. “Why does it always taste better then you have someone bring it to you?” you asked and Zuko smirked looking down at you “I have no idea”. You relaxed next to one another in content silence before Zuko sighed “y/n we need to talk”. You frowned hearing the seriousness in his voice and panicked. Did he know you liked him? Did he think what you’d been doing was wrong too? Was he going to stop seeing you? He stood up pacing and you looked up at him. “What is it?” you asked and Zuko looked at you nervously. "I might be gone for a few days". "Gone?" You asked "where?". "Ember islands". "The one we went to as kids?" you asked smiling slightly at the memory "why are you going there?". "That same one” Zuko nodded smiling too before looking away “well father wants me and Azula out of the way so he can talk to his councilmen but y/n it’s not just us, Mai and Ty lee are going too". You tried not to react to the fact he was almost warning you he’d be spending time with Mai. She was his girlfriend so this didn’t bother you, you knew you had no right to feel angry, and so you smiled. "and you’re worried i’ll feel left out because your sister didn’t invite me?". Zuko frowned and you laughed coming to stand infront of him "Zuko i don’t care! If Azula wants to leave me out that is fine by me". "Are you sure you’re not upset?” Zuko asked “because if you are I can refuse to go" and you laughed. "If Azula’s way of getting back at me is not inviting me to a party i am cool with that" you smirked “I’ll be fine without you I promise”. Zuko nodded but sighed "damn i was hoping you’d forbid me from going". You chuckled "i mean everyone would believe that, i have you whipped". Zuko raised an eyebrow but didn’t deny it "yeah I suppose you do" he agreed and the tone of his voice made you blush. "Don’t you forget it" you smirked patting his chest and you saw him glance from your eyes to your lips, his eyes darker suddenly and his pupils bigger. He was so close to you he could easily lean frowards and kiss you. You didn’t think you’d pull away if he did, you knew you wouldn’t. “Y/n, I...” he trailed off as wanting to tell you something but he didn’t carry on. Tension was thick in the room and the silence didn’t help. Zuko?" You asked as he blinked shaking himself out of his daze “what were you going to say?”. Zuko looked at you before looking away rapidly “nothing, it doesn’t matter, I should probably start packing”. You nodded and turned in the direction of the door recognising that as a dismissal, but looked over your shoulder as you went to see Zuko was frowning to himself, almost as if he was having an internal struggle with something. You reached the door and Zuko paused "I don’t know how long we’ll be there but I’ll be going first thing in the morning". You nodded "well safe travels and have fun, you will be missed ow fire prince" and bowed mockingly. Zuko smirked but you also saw a blush on his cheeks "good to know" he nodded "i’ll miss you too". You couldn’t help smile as Zuko said that and saw the blush on his cheeks grow. “I’ll see you when you return” you smiled and walked out of the room, feeling his eyes burning into your back as you walked away.

Four days later

Zuko had been gone for four days now and you were embarassed at how much you missed him. You forgot how boring the palace was without him and blamed your loneliness on your new crush on the prince. If only you’d not fallen for him you’d be fine without him, enjoying some alone time but no...you were wondering when he was coming back, what he was doing, if he was doing it with Mai... You wondered about him and Mai a lot and it made you angry. You’d known the flirting with Zuko was wrong but you’d argued you’d always had a flirty relationship so that was nothing new but the being jealous of Mai was new, the protectiveness of Zuko was new, the resentment at them spending time together was new and you hated it but couldn’t seem to make it stop. You knew Azula had purposefully invited Mai and not you to get you out of the way, to give Mai and Zuko alone time. But you had no right to be angry over that! Zuko and Mai had more romantic history than you, a point you’d always made very clear, so you had no right to be jealous. They were dating for christ sake! You had absolutely no right to be territorial over Zuko. But that didn’t stop you from being.

You groaned driving the thoughts from your head when there was a knock on your door "lady y/n Firelord Ozai wishes to speak with you". "Firelord Ozai?" You asked shocked and the maid nodded "yes". "Now?" She nodded and you rushed to get ready. In all your life, even during the talks after your father’s death you’d barely been in the man’s presence let alone spoken with him privately and with no obvious reason. Confused, nervous and a little scared you followed the servant to Ozai’s council room and were let inside. "Firelord Ozai, lady y/n" a footman announced and Ozai nodded "good leave us". The man bowed and left the room. "Y/n take a seat" Ozai said gesturing to a long empty table and you took one near him but not too near, you’d never liked the Firelord. Ozai carried on writing and you frowned confused, why would Ozai send Azula and Zuko away to be left alone but request to speak to you. Finally he set his brush down and fixed his cold eyes on you. "I have summoned you here to tell you about a development concerning my son". Your heart skipped, had something happened to Zuko? Was he okay?. “Zuko...is he alright?” you asked worried and Ozai glanced at you a small smirk appearing at your tone “he is fine”. You let out a large breath of relief and noticed Ozai watching you. "y/n do you remember when your father died i promised you would be compensated for his sacrafice?". You nodded "yes Firleord Ozai". "Well today is that day" he told you "i plan on making the announcment when Zuko returns but thought I would tell you while he’s away". "Announcement?" You asked. "Yes of the engagament of you and my son" Ozai told you proudly and you gaped. "Your family has been an ally to the crown for decades, your father sacraficed himself for it and you yourself commited many years to our naval reserves. You’re a talented fire bender and i owe your father this, it is something we discussed when you were children but i will see it happen now i finally can". You were still silent staring and Ozai finally looked at you "need i even ask the insignificant formality of your acceptance?". You frowned "pardon?". "You and my son are close i assume this will be good news for you both, well especially any girl in your position but considering circumstances I trust Zuko will not object ". You blushed, Ozai was more perceptive than any of you thought "but your son is involved with another girl instead...Mai". "Ah yes Ukano’s daughter, well she is high ranking but not enough plus she’s not even a bender, that is not good enough for the throne so Zuko and her would never work, my son knows that and you need not worry the girl can be sent away as soon as the announcement is made". "No i don’t want Mai banished just...this will be hard to explain to her and Zuko, they may not be happy. Plus you promised me I would have a say in who I married when my father died". Ozai narrowed his eyes "i do not care for the girls happiness and as for Zuko’s..I think I have been very kind in choosing you for him. As for our agreement” he spat “even dead your father’s wishes outrank yours and I know he would want this” Ozai glared leaning forwards towards you. “The point remains though that marriages are alliances y/n and i expect you and Zuko to act the part of loyal firenation nobels and accept this with no resistance, refusal is not an option you will do this, do you understand?". Ozai’s word sent your blood boiling. Of course your dead father’s wishes were respected more than your own, did you really expect the Firelord, the man who burnt his son and used his daughter as a weapon, to keep his promise to you. You’d been naive but you wouldn’t be again, first things first you had to get out of this room. You swallowed and stared at him "you will make the announcement soon?". Ozai nodded "when my son returns from the Ember Islands, i will give you time to tell him first". That calmed you somewhat, you could tell Zuko and work out a plan before it went public. It would he okay. "Thank you Firelord" you said bowing and Ozai nodded dismissing you. You rushed from the room and paused thinking over everything, the intensity of what you’d just been commanded to do. The anger you felt was still raw and you cursed the Firelord. Ozai seriously wanted you and Zuko to marry? That was insane! True you liked Zuko and honestly thought he liked you but marriage...letting the scenario play out in your head you realised it’d be a good way to get what you want. The only person you could stomach having control of your navy would be Zuko, plus there was no suitor you wanted, Zuko was the only person you’d ever felt strongly about, marriage to him wouldn’t be awful, much worse matches had been made than this...but you quickly scolded yourself out of these thoughts. It would be insane for you and Zuko to agree to this, to be forced into this willingly or not. No, you’d have to work fast and tell Zuko as soon as he got back, you’d find a way to defy the Firelord over this, alone that would be difficult but with Zuko’s help...anything was possible.

1 day later

You got word Zuko and Azula were on their way back to the capital and would arrive late, likely the middle of the night. It was annoying you couldn’t see Zuko until the morning but part of you was also relieved, you still didn’t know how to tell him what Ozai had planned for you both. You’d gone over ways to tell him but the thought terrified you. There was nothing you could do about it now so prepared to go to sleep when there was a knock at your door. Annoyed you grabbed a robe incase it was someone too important to see you so under dressed and opened the door. Zuko stood there in his travelling clothes, clothes and hair disheveled but he smiled brightly at you. "Zuko" you said suprised "i didn’t expect to see you tonight i heard you'd be back late and figured you’d want to rest after the journey". Zuko shrugged "we did but i don’t want to sleep, i’m not tired so figured i’d come and find you. But if this is a bad time I can come back in the morning...". "No it’s okay" you smiled letting him into the room. Zuko hadn’t even gone back to his room to change, he'd come straight here. Something must be bothering him. "How was it?" You asked trying to subtly dig for what was worrying him. Zuko shrugged "boring, how was it here? Anything interesting happen?". Ow your father announced our engagement and i have no idea how to get out of it you wanted to say but instead you asked "have you seen your father yet?". Zuko shook his head "no why?" and you went quiet. How did you tell him? How did you make it not awkward when it was such an odd topic? When you didn’t reply Zuko frowned "y/n?". "Nothing" you said faking a smile "now i’m not letting you off that easy tell me all the details, how many boys did Ty lee ensare, how many children did Azula make cry? Every detail". Zuko seemed to know you were putting something off but smirked and complied. His story wasn’t a happy one, the holiday sounded awful, when Zuko talked about his mother and the memories there you rested a hand on his arm, wishing you could hug him but knowing he wouldn’t want to feel pitied. Zuko ended his story and sighed "so i wish i’d have stayed here with you" he concluded and you smiled. Zuko rested his hand on your leg as he said it and you paused confused but Zuko didn’t even seem to notice. You shrugged figuring it was my accident but as time passed still his hand didn’t move away. "What’s wrong?" you asked aware Zuko was still tense, he hadn’t told you everything. "Nothing" he sighed and you raised an eyebrow "i’m not dumb Zuko tell me what’s wrong". Zuko sighed deeply and you paused taking a guess, there was only one topic Zuko wouldn’t want to discuss with you. "Mai?" you asked and he nodded meeting your eye. "All we did the whole trip was argue! I got her a shell...she didn’t like it! I got her ice cream and she got annoyed i dropped it on her, i told her to open up more and she told me to leave her alone and dumped me...". You frowned managing not to feel excited as he said that "so are you two...". "No we made up i guess" Zuko sighed "but it didn’t solve anything between us! We just did it to sort it out, i didn't do it because i wanted to! I did it because everyone expects me to be all loved up with Mai but i’m not". You frowned unsure what to say, if to comfort Zuko or encourage him to give it another chance with Mai, but Zuko carried on. "Is it supposed to be so difficult?" Zuko asked you "i try and try with Mai but i don’t know what to do...what she wants me to do or even what she likes apart from me, do you think that’s right?" Zuko asked you before frowning "wait is it weird for me to ask you this?". "Why would it be weird?" you asked pretending you didn’t know and Zuko blushed "well because were close and i know you and Mai haven’t always gotten along". You rolled your eyes "i like Mai Zuko, it’s you who needs work out how you feel about her". "So you don’t think it should be difficult?" Zuko asked picking up on your tone. "I knew it!" he cried "it shouldn’t be so damn hard, it not like that with you, you’re easy". "Excuse me?" you asked and Zuko smirked "i just mean, i know you" he smiled at you "i know everything you like, love and hate, i know a thousand things we can talk about and i feel so comfortable with you" he smiled at you lazily his hand still on your leg "with you it’s just...effortless" Zuko told you and you swore internally. He was making it very hard for you not to notice how you felt when he said things like that, to remain impartial in this conversation. You couldn’t even disagree which made it worse, everything Zuko said you felt too. Every single boy you’d met in the fire nation was never like Zuko, you never had this chemistry or ease with them like you had with Zuko, none of them compared to him. None of them could make you laugh like he could, smile like he could, as comfortable as he could and it really was effortless. You knew now that wasn’t just a friendship, you wanted Zuko and it just seemed right, you just fit. As if reading your mind Zuko looked at you "if only you liked me then we'd both be sorted" with a signature royal smirk that made your heart skip. Fuck it you said in your mind and kissed him, leaning across the sofa and crashing into him in the blink of an eye. Zuko kissed you back before realising what he was doing and he pulled away "y/n what...i didn’t say that to make you kiss me". "I know but i do like you Zuko, i think I have for a while I just didn’t realise it, but when you say stupid shit like that i can’t" you sighed "i can’t hide it from myself anymore Zuko" and he nodded "then don’t" and kissed you again. You felt like you were exploding but in a good way. You’d worried kissing Zuko would feel weird considering how well you knew him but it was amazing. In fact it seemed to make it better, even more personal and meaningful and it felt so right. You could sense Zuko felt that too by how passionate the kiss was becoming. You didn’t want to break away for water, for air, for anything. Zuko drew you closer onto his lap and you complied anything to get more contact. Anything to not have to stop this. Your brain was a mess, there was a small part of you brain trying to not get so carried away with this but it lost power as Zuko’s hands started traveling up your torso. You knew you should stop this but when Zuko whispered your name while kissing your neck you felt your stomach tense and didn’t care what you should or shouldn’t do anymore. You pushed Zuko back hard making him fall onto his back on the sofa. He looked up at you confused before you leant over him and resumed kissing him just laterally now. Zuko seemed even more eager than you and as soon as you gave up some dominance Zuko grinned and flipped you suddenly so you were below him. "Y/n..." he murmered hovering above you “do you want this...I do but are you sure you want me like this?”. You leant upwards to kiss him slowly in reply, lingering and savouring every bit of it and Zuko blinked in a daze as you pulled away. “What do you think?” you asked gazing up at him. Zuko’s face grew into a smirk and he leant back into you...

----

So that’s as close to smut as i’ll get but yeah you can imagine what happened next..... 😉

Where I live 16 is the age of consent so no shady deals here. Thanks again!!

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samurithecat · 2 years

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This is originally a post I made on my blog but I wanted to hear your thoughts on it so I decided why not send it in an ask. Hope your doing well.

I believe with all my heart that Bryke are a cancer to Avatar.

They've done irreparable damage to the franchise, are fake af, are the reason we don't have Book 4 of ATLA and why the characters in Book 3 are so OOC.

Bryke assassinated the characters of Katara, Korra, Mako, Asami, Kuvira, Toph, and Ursa. Also the reason we don't have an Azula Redemption Arc (which we would've gotten in Book 4 with Zuko in the role of Iroh)

They continue to manipulate people with Korrasami and LGBT pandering for undeserved praise and most importantly to them that sweet cash with no signs of ever stopping (which is evident when you see how many characters they've made into token lgbt rep such as Kyoshi and Kya)

Do you think that if Aaron & Elizabeth Ehasz handled the Avatar Franchise that it would be saved from Bryke?

A good example is The Dragon Prince which is handled by The Ehasz. It's brilliant and it hasn't even begun to peak in terms of storytelling and potential which makes me hype and feel that childlike excitement that ATLA gave me as a child.It's the closest thing to Avatar's Living Legacy imo.

It has the spirit of Avatar while still being beautiful on its own.

TLOK is a hollow, terribly handled, absolutely awful show but it could've easily been a masterfully done show (I wanted to love it sooo much it killed me how far it fell from grace)

I am doing well, thank you.

I actually made a video on youtube about my thoughts for the next potential new avatar series that also showcases my experience with the series and I made a good point that I wish Aaron Ehasz had some involvement with Korra and try to promote The Dragon Prince.

youtube

I agree that Bryke has done damage to the franchise but they also created said franchise, which is why my last point in that video is that even if they come up with great concepts for the potential new series, they will need better writers for the series to make it good and maybe make them have open minds when it comes to shipping like 'don't make fans feel bad for not shipping Canon ships' and 'I know you guys would like this ship to be Canon but character development on a personal level needs to happen first.'

Also, I think I saw it in a SDCC recording that is lost to time now, but I remember something about how they would have brought up a reunion between Zuko and his mother in the finale, but one of the two creators of Bryke (Micheal Dante DiMartino (the one who makes us believe that Aang is his insert character because they're both bald)) decided to not include that, which not only showcases that these are two individuals with different ideas for how things go, but makes me wish we got a book 4 for the original series instead of that terrible live action movie I ranted about in my video because why not.

I can't say much about the Kyoshi books since I at least want to read them first (on my TBR pile), but I have boycotted the Legend of Korra comics in a similar way that one of my favorite reviewers boycotts spider man comics (with exceptions to FCBD giveaways). Note that this is due to how I feel like they did LGBT rep badly and their attempt just weaken the impact of how Steven Universe did it which did it right and did it better.

I'm still willing to check out the next series to see if they realize any mistakes they've made but going through it with some salt. Because unlike a certain British author I don't want to talk about too much about, they haven't express qualities of being a terf or something that would justify people canceling them. *knocks on wood*

Not to plug my video for my reply, but I touched upon some of this stuff in my video.

#lok #korra #anti bryke #avatar

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avatraang · 3 years

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#27, azulaang 😶

THIS WAS SUCH A CHALLENGE!!! I’ve never written or even thought of these two in my life. But it was such a good test, thank you!! If any of y’all want to request a prompt and pairing, it’s from this post.

Without further ado, here is your azulaang fic <3

when the sun goes down.

It’s a rainy day when Aang feels her presence. To say they are tied together is an understatement – Aang is connected to all worlds, but to her more than most. The way his scar almost stands on end, a phantom of electricity ghosting across it. He often feels such thunder in his veins when she’s nearby, the universe’s way of reminding him that he is tied to her in more ways than the norm.

Azula has been out in society for a number of years already – indeed, her in public is not what threatens to surprise him. What almost throws off his balance is that she’s at the Southern Air Temple. He’s known of her presence since he landed there early that same morning, climbing the winding peaks til he’s sitting on a crumbling balcony, mediating on his past to gain clarity on his present and future. Upon giving it some thought, Aang comes to the conclusion that it isn’t so odd that Azula is at the Southern Air Temple. Indeed, before he’d personally seen that the remains of the monks and Fire Nation soldiers had been given proper funerals, the temple gave the clearest examples of the wrath the Fire Nation could produce. Even now that the bodies are gone and the temple cleaner, charred wood and blackened walls still lend evidence to the tragedies of times past. Aang supposes that him being here, the lone airbender mediating in the empty temple of his people, serves as even more proof. Azula, from what Zuko had told Aang, left to see first hand both the horrors and wonders of the world through newly unclouded eyes. Of course she’d stop here.

What drives home that Azula’s come along way from delivering blows rivaling death, is how she reveals herself to him. Sitting up on the balcony, Aang can feel her as she climbs the broken staircase towards him. Her footsteps are as silent as they were when they were children; if Aang weren’t the voice of the wind and if he were unable to feel the earth under his toes, he would not be able to tell she was coming. But her steps are still sensed by the ground, and the wind tumbles around her, interrupted by her small frame. Stepping out into the balcony, Azula crosses the threshold and moves to settle in front of Aang, so she is in full view of him. Aang is struck, easily and almost comically, by how different an image this is compared to times past. The circle of life is funny that way.

They sit there meditating for quite some time, the cool air flowing around them, the sun rising until it’s warming Aang’s nose. Air courses through his veins and through the temple, which, even after over a hundred years, still makes a pleasant noise when the wind runs through it. It sounds like the waves against the ocean, like muted wind chimes while one watches the flying bison play, like a baby’s sleepy laughter. The monks had designed it that way, and that way it had remained. Constant as the air around them.

Finally, Aang opens his eyes. The first thing he notices is that her hair is short. Unconventionally so – it’s short on the back and sides of her head (shorter than Sokka’s). It reminds him vaguely of his days with hair, back when he was hiding in the Fire Nation. It makes her face look sharper, but more open, too. A small scar rests on the top left corner of her upper lip, and there’s a tattoo on her right wrist. Azula opens her eyes and looks back at him, soaking him in with the same open wonder in which Aang is regarding her. “Hello.” Azula says, and for all intents and purposes she sounds exactly the same but also very different. There’s no anger or malice dripping in ever letter, just an openness that can only come from someone who has gotten to know themselves. “It’s nice to see you.” She gives him a smile that is so awkward, Aang finds it easy to see the resemblance between her and Zuko.

“The pleasure is all mine.” Aang says, and he means it. “What brings you here?”

Azula’s eyes widen only fractionally, but that is the only noticeable change in her demeanor. “I came here to see, for myself.”

Aang tilts his head, “And what do you think?”

“I think it must have hurt.” She purses her lips, wringing her small (dainty, yet Aang knows the power she wields so well) hands. There’s a note in her voice that Aang registers easily as compassion. He holds it for every living thing he sees. “It still hurts.” Azula looks past him, as if reaching for something she can’t see. The scar on his back tingles again. “I’m sorry.”

With an honest smile, Aang waves away her apology. “It’s not okay, but it’s also not your fault. There is no guilt on your shoulders or blood on your hands. I forgive everyone, and my people do, too.”

With a small shake of her head, Azula continues. “Not just about your people. I’m sorry about what I did to you. And to Zuzu, to Ty Lee, to Mai, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Suki.” Azula lists names like she’s spent the past few years writing them down every day. She gives him a sardonic sort of laugh. “Caldera City. Ba Sing Se. The world.” Aang doesn’t speak. Something tells him she isn’t finished. “I am sorry for what I’ve personally done, the hand I had in inflicting conflict onto the world. I’ve come a long way, still am coming a long way. I have my own personality and views, now.” Azula throws him a smile, a real one, that showcases her sharp canines and perfect teeth. “I know my purpose, my place. And I know I shouldn’t guilt myself, but there are people I owe proper apologies to. And you are one of them.”

“What’s your purpose?” Aang’s curiosity is piqued.

“To do what little I can to help people. To travel the world without any aim other than that.” Azula shrugs, “At least, for now. For now, I just want to help. However I can.”

And well, shit. He can’t think of a nobler, brighter purpose. And her apology is so genuine it almost hurts him. For a second Aang just stares, smiling brightly at her, entire body beaming like he is reaching for the sun. Then he realizes Azula might be weirded out by this, so Aang clears his throat and stands. Reaching down, he offers his hand to her. Tentatively, Azula takes it, letting him haul her to her feet. Aang pulls her up with more force than he ended up needing (she’s much lighter than he remembers) and as a result she ends up colliding with him. With a gust of wind behind him to keep them from crashing down the stairs, the two steady themselves and then step away from each other. Neither of them blush (one ever poised and the other ever shameless), but they both busy themselves with readjusting their clothes for a good while. Finally, Aang turns and motions for Azula to follow him. As they wander down the steps, skipping over missing ledges, Aang speaks. “For what it’s worth, your mission is amazing.” He looks over his shoulder at her, “Reminds me of my people.” Almost tripping over a missing step, Aang tears his eyes away and continues. “It’s all good, Azula. You’ve undergone more of a journey than most people do in a lifetime, and are determined to keep doing it.” He takes an exit on the second floor, crossing into a room that’s surprisingly untouched compared to the others. Momo is sitting on the window ledge, Appa resting down below in the courtyard on the first floor. Kneeling, Aang picks up a mostly deteriorated Pai Sho tile and vividly remembers Gyatso gifting him the game for his eleventh birthday. “I forgive you. I’m proud of you, and I’m proud to know you.” He tosses her the tile and smiles, a charming thing that could give birth to a million stars.

Azula stares. “It’s that easy for you?”

“Of course.” Aang says.

“How?”

He shrugs. Sits down on the stone slab that’s under the windowsill Momo’s sitting on. “Because everyone deserves love and forgiveness.” Aang says it simply, because to him it is so. “Especially someone who’s actively making an effort to do better.”

Azula’s eyes are owlish. She’s running the tile across her fingers, the tips of her ears red. “Was this your room?”

Aang doesn’t stop her from changing the subject. “Yes,” he says.

Azula eyes the space next to him, and sits down next to him with the same confidence one would have if he’d himself invited her to invade his space. “Tell me.” Azula says, “If it’s not too much to ask.”

Talking about his people is never too much to ask, so Aang does one of the things he does best: Tells her stories.

Click Here To Continue Reading.

#atla #azula #aang #azulaang #azula x aang #my fanfiction #my writing #prompts #requests #Nat out here pushing boundaries #love that for us!!#fics for friends

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seperent · 3 years

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Either (or both!) of the Maizulee wips? I love them together so much

thank you for the ask!!!!! im so obsessed with maizulee sksksks <3

“maybe i like that rollercoaster maybe it keeps me high”

So this one is lowkey Mai-centric too.

Azula and Ty Lee change school and they are dating at this point. So they meet Mai and both are absolutely enthralled with her.

Mai also changed a school like a year ago because she had a bad history with her ex and her pictures. So she had to leave and is very lonely. So she’s obviously very distrustful of Azula and Ty Lee trying to talk to her.

And then they are assigned to do a project together and it’s all so so soft on the main like<3 the way she slowly starts to trust them and opens up and uh I’m so!!!!

also! both azula and ty lee leave with lu ten there, because ty lee works for dance company but doesn’t want to leave on campus.

sneak peak:

Azula stands outside of the studio Ty Lee takes classes in, waiting for her girlfriend to exit the building. She frantically looks through her bag for her lighter, but can’t find it. That must be Ty’s doing and she tries to force her irritation down.

Azula turns her head, and sees a girl, standing outside of the flower shop. She’s holding some plants in her hands and her hair is black and silky, sinisterly flowing behind her back and her eyes are deep gold, even though they are darker than the shade Azula has, surrounded by sharp dark lines making her look like some sort of wild cat. Even the way she moves is something the way a cat would move, gracious and flowing.

She’s dressed in a big black baggy shirt and has a bunch of chains around her neck and on her wrists.

The girl is talking about something Azula can’t hear, to the woman who seems to be the owner of the shop. Azula curiously observes her putting the plants on the showcase, organizing them, and she gets mesmerized for a moment by the way the girl’s hands move, long and lean.

— Hi, ‘Zula!

Ty Lee is a pink hurricane, surrounding Azula with the smell of her perfume, the clicking of her endless jewelry and the crystals she wears on her neck, and the cloud of the fluffy, soft hair. Azula breathes all of this in, enveloped by Ty’s arms.

— How was your practise?

Ty Lee considers the answer for a moment — she sees it in her eyes, and Azula realizes that something might be not that good, but Ty still smiles, so she lets it slide. They’ll discuss it later.

— Decent, but I’m very tired — want to just take a bath, then sleep and never wake up.

Azula interlaces her fingers with Ty’s, takes her bag from her, and they start walking towards their home.

— Do you want to just do nothing and sleep in before the school starts tomorrow?

Ty’s lip wobbles a little, and squeezes her hand tighter.

— Mhmm.

When Azula turns, the girl from the flower shop is already gone.

The school is boring — not the worst they can have now. Boring means safe, even though Azula hates how pathetic it sounds — settling down for something just because it could be worse.

When they walk in the school dropped off by Lu Ten, Zuko immediately leaves somewhere — he has his own classes, two years older than them, but Azula is anything but nervous. This is almost a routine by this time, and she’s more sure in herself and the ground she stands on than she ever has been.

Her shoes click — like her bag and belt, the remnants of the old life, she once had which she can’t say she doesn’t miss, but Azula has more superior things to worry about.

For example, Ty Lee whispering to her something in the ear, the continuation of the long speech she started already in the car. She’s wearing a soft pink skirt with a matching jacket and a blouse underneath, which maybe doesn’t really follow the dress code but Azula couldn’t care less — they both know this school is for less than a year. That’s also the reason they are not nervous. The other is much better — Azula doesn’t even plan to start talking to anyone. If everyone goes well, she can stick with Ty Lee and communicate when necessary.

Someone catches her eye.

Ty Lee giggles her in the ear, her breath hot on Azula’s neck and she squirms a little, though doesn’t show it — it’s the game they like to play. Ty Lee always wins.

— Do you like her?

Maybe she shouldn’t deny the obvious — the girl is pretty — the one they saw yesterday, now wearing the uniform, standing by herself, not looking at anyone. The girl stands out of the crowd, by herself, on her phone, tapping something with long black nails.

Azula smiles, baring her teeth and doesn’t even try to deny it — she does like the girl.

Ty Lee gets what she means with her wordless answer, because after all this time she reads her pathetically fast, and smiles too, in her own way, scrunching her nose, something Azula would never be able to stop loving.

— I do too.

Ty Lee slips her hand in the Azula’s pocket to intertwine their fingers, and rubs her hand with her thumb.

— Let’s settle, and then you can go say hi to her.

#atla modern au #mai atla #tyzula #maizulee #mailee #maizula #i write

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today-only-happens-once · 4 years

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May we please have the detailed reasons for your atla Sides headcanons?

Yeah sure! Though fair warning: lots of spoilers and meta for AtLA below.

Also this is LONG so I put it under a cut:

Virgil’s favorite character as Zuko: I think Virgil would connect to the way Zuko, prior to the Day of Black Sun, exists on the fringes. He’s outcast from the Fire Nation, but he’s also outcast from the “good guys” until he earns his place among them in Book 3. I don’t mean to say that Virgil’s acceptance arc is in any way a direct parallel to Zuko’s redemption arc, because I think they are fundamentally different. But that idea of loneliness and trying desperately to figure out what the right thing to do is--even if that makes you a bad guy in the broader narrative--I think is something that would resonate with Virgil. (Plus, Zuko is peak Angsty Emo Angry Teen Energy that I think Virgil would vibe with.)

Logan’s favorite character as Sokka: I think Logan would appreciate Sokka and also feel a certain level of defensiveness towards him, because Sokka is brilliant tactically and strategically, but that aspect to his character is frequently overlooked (though the AtLA renaissance has definitely embraced that element to him more). I think Logan would appreciate Sokka’s understated intelligence. At 15 years old, Sokka: invents hot air balloons, invents submarines, breaks into a high security prison and comes up with not one but TWO extraction plans, plans (and eventually leads) the invasion on the day of Black Sun, not to mention the role he played in Sozin’s Comet. And he does all of this without the “magic” of bending. Sokka’s greatest strength is his mind and the way he wields it. And I think Logan would see that and immediately jump on the Sokka Defense Squad.

Patton’s favorite character as Aang: There’s a number of reasons why I think Patton’s favorite would be Aang. One of them is that as much as Patton is the “father figure”, he’s also the “inner child”. And Aang, as a character, also walks this line of being a literal child while also carrying this tremendous weight with him. Everybody--everybody’s--hope rests on this poor kid’s shoulders, and nobody lets him forget it. And few people put more pressure on Aang regarding that all than Aang himself. But he still manages to carve out time to just... be a kid. As much as he is able when he’s been tasked with saving the world. My favorite interpretation of Patton’s character involve the idea that he chooses to see good things in the world despite knowing, intimately, just how dark it can be. And Aang is an example of that in AtLA. Aang is a symbol of hope in a very dark world, but he chooses to find and seek hope himself too. ALSO, I think Patton, as Morality, would greatly and deeply appreciate the inner conflict and struggle that becomes central for Aang’s character during the Sozin Comet arc, prior to facing off with Ozai. Aang’s struggle with not wanting to kill Ozai, the complexity that is brought to that narrative through the genocide of his people and how Aang is literally the only one left that can carry on the legacy of the Air Nomads and therefore wanting to do right by their teachings even when the entire world AND his own past lives are telling him otherwise... I think Aang finding a way to strike that balance would mean a lot to Patton and resonate with him as Morality.

Roman’s favorite character as Zuko also: So, I think Roman would also resonate with Zuko but for different reasons than Virgil. Zuko, early in the series, is obsessed with this idea of honor, and of earning his father’s love and pride. That’s what he really wants when he says he wants the Avatar. And I think Roman would understand that. I think he’d relate to this idea of wanting to make the people who matter to you proud. Roman has expressed a fear in Sanders Sides canon of letting Thomas down, and Zuko’s attempt at redemption to his father in reminiscent of a similar desire. And that never really goes away as a motivator for Zuko, even if the recipient of that desire (if you will) changes from Ozai to Iroh. After Zuko confronts Ozai on the Day of Black Sun, Zuko still expresses that desire to make the people who matter to him proud of him. Zuko doesn’t truly get that conclusion to his arc until Sozin’s Comet when he is reunited with Iroh, who affirms that feeling for him. I think that moment, and that whole dynamic to Zuko’s character arc, would feel significant to Roman.

Remus’s favorite as Bumi: Okay, we know a lot less about Remus as a character so this one is admittedly not very deep or meaningful. I tried to think of the character that radiated the most chaotic energy, and Bumi was towards the top of the list. There’s a lot of complex stuff I could say about Bumi’s character, but as for why I think he’d be Remus’s favorite? Chaos incarnate.

Janus’s favorite as Kyoshi or Azula: First, I’ll talk about Kyoshi since that is a more simple answer. I don’t know much about canon lore outside of the show, so I’m only going to address what is in the AtLA canon. But I think Janus would appreciate how Kyoshi doesn’t pull any punches in her honesty about her murder of Chin. Kyoshi, every time she shows up, is painfully honest and blunt. She tells Aang he must kill Ozai because “without justice, there is no peace”. I think Janus would appreciate that, given how hard he works (especially lately in canon) to make Thomas be more honest with himself.

When it comes to Azula, it’s almost the opposite. Azula lies left, right, and center. Zuko repeats this to himself when she tells him that his father plans to kill him (which, ironically, is actually a moment of truth from her). She deadpans that she’s a purple platypus bear just to prove to Toph how good of a liar she is. She lies and she manipulates, but Azula does this for two reasons that are interrelated: she lies to improve her standing (mostly in the eyes of her father), and she lies to survive. Given who Ozai is, those two things are not independent of each other. If she is to survive as a daughter of Ozai, she must continue to prove herself and improve her standing. Her father ruled--and therefore “secured” his safety--through fear, so Azula learns to do the same through manipulation and deceit. I don’t think Janus would argue that Azula is a “good aligned” character. But I think there are areas of gray with her (to what extent is she a victim? In what ways, if any, might the fact that she is a victim of abuse as well excuse the mistreatment she directed at Zuko? In what ways might the fact that neither Ursa nor Iroh appeared to have interceded on her behalf the way they did for Zuko inform her upbringing and therefore her way of approaching the world? Is that lack of intercession the fault of Ozai for favoring her? etc.) that Janus would find fascinating to explore and discuss.

#atla #sanders sides #headcanons #in which grae gets real deep into character analysis for both sanders sides AND atla #AT THE SAME TIME

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maxgrayarchived · 4 years

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Learning How to Write a Redemption Arc from Avatar: The Last Airbender

Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender is a legend in redemption arcs, and the first example many people think of. He went from being the Avatar’s enemy, his biggest goal being to capture the Avatar and deliver him directly to the Fire Nation’s most vile tyrant, to being the Avatar’s good friend and ally. He makes plenty of mistakes along the way, but he atones to them and becomes a better person.

Today we’re going to be talking about Zuko, and what makes his redemption arc so effective.

For those who don’t know anything about the series, the show’s intro for the first episode tells you all you need to know:

“Water. Earth. Fire. Air. My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days, a time of peace, when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads- But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, only he could stop the ruthless fire benders, but when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years have passed and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and that the cycle is broken, but I haven’t lost hope. I still believe that somehow, the Avatar will return to save the world.”

The show follows Avatar Aang and his two friends, Katara and Sokka, as he learns the four styles of bending to defeat Fire Lord Ozai. Let’s break down Zuko’s general demeanor in each book (season) to get an overview of what his arc looks like.

Zuko, Book One

In Book One, Zuko is, irrefutably, our enemy. We may have some sympathy for him at times, but it doesn’t change the fact that his goal is to capture the Avatar, and ours is to keep him free and kicking so he can save the world.

He doesn’t have much hope for redemption in this book. He’s a total asshole, he doesn’t treat his crew well, and he’s selfish. However, we have his uncle Iroh, a man who is impossible not to love and happens to love Zuko very much.

Zuko, Book Two

This is the main part of Zuko’s struggle. He’s faced with many hard decisions, and tends to go back and forth with his morality. He makes tons of mistakes and takes several steps backwards, and he’s drowning in anger and confusion. It’s the most critical part of his arc.

Zuko, Book Three

Book Three is our payoff, and the peak of Zuko’s redemption. He finally knows what he really wants in life, and has faith in his destiny- His real destiny, the one he chose for himself. He joins the Avatar and his group, and earns their forgiveness and trust.

Motivations

Zuko’s main motivation, and more importantly, why, was clear from almost episode one. Yes, he wanted to capture the Avatar, but the why was something we could sympathize with. When a child thinks the reason their parents don't love them is their fault, especially when they think they did once have their parents’ unconditional love, they will put themselves through hell to get it back.

Avatar gave us all the ugly details, as well. When Zuko stands up and speaks against a plan that would end up with the intentional deaths of new Fire Nation soldiers that he believes to be innocent, his father demands Zuko to an agni kai, or a firebending duel. Zuko originally misunderstands and agrees to fight the general he disrespected, only to be faced with his own father. He refuses to fight, dropping to his knees in respect and pleading for his father’s forgiveness, only for Ozai to severely burn the left side of his face and banish him from the Fire Nation. He told Zuko that he could only return home if he returned with the Avatar, something that was thought to be impossible by almost everyone in the Four Nations.

To make it even harder to watch, his Uncle Iroh is the one telling this story, and as Zuko screams in agony while his father burns him, Iroh is so distraught that he has to look away. (There’s another thing to be said about how Iroh, a respected war general, drops everything to go with Zuko when he himself could remain safe and free in the Fire Nation, but that’s a different topic).

Afterwards, one of Zuko’s crewmembers says,

“So that’s why he’s so obsessed. Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal.”

His motivations don’t justify all the shitty things he does, not by a longshot, but the simple, humanizing act of saying exactly why he does what he does goes a long way. He’s not just an angry kid being needlessly cruel. He’s not an evil person, and we knew that from the beginning.

Mistakes

Mistakes are one of the most important parts of a redemption arc, because they’re what humanizes everything and makes the transformation believable. It’s impossible for a person to get better in a straight line. They will make mistakes, and they’ll backtrack.

But be careful: There are some things you can’t come back from. Don’t overdo it.

In the Crystal Catacombs in Book Two, Zuko makes a HUGE mistake. He has to choose between Azula (his sister), his father, and his nation… And his uncle. He chooses Azula, and attacks the Avatar (directly after trying to convince Katara that he’s changed lmaoooo). He’s so caught up in the idea of getting his father’s love ‘back’ and regaining his title that he ignores how much his uncle loves him and all that he’s done for Zuko.

There was also an episode, way early in Book Two, where Zuko splits up from Iroh entirely, because they had “nothing left to gain from traveling together.” He hurts Iroh’s feelings and makes himself more vulnerable for… What? Some teen angst? That’s the kind of shit I did in high school, and still sometimes now but come on.

He made a lot of mistakes with Iroh, in fact. He was constantly mean to him and taking out his anger on him. In “The Storm,” one of Zuko’s crewmembers says this,

“What do you know about respect? The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard-working crew, to your esteemed uncle, shows you know NOTHING about respect! You don’t care about anyone but yourself! Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince?”

He made the mistake of trusting Azula MULTIPLE times! When Azula comes to Zuko after two years of his banishment, in the beginning of Book Two, she claims that Ozai had changed his mind and wanted Zuko home. He believes her, even though there’s not a single trustworthy thing about her. After she leaves them to talk it over, Iroh and Zuko have this conversation:

“He cares about me!”

“I care about you! And if Ozai wants you back, well, I think it may not be for the reasons you imagine.”

“You don’t know how my father feels about me. You don’t know ANYTHING!”

“Zuko, I only meant that in our family, things are not always what they seem.”

“I think you are EXACTLY what you seem: A lazy, mistrustful, SHALLOW old man who’s always been jealous of your brother!”

Finally, the last one that bears mentioning, happens at the start of Book Three. Zuko goes up to the Gaang and tries to convince them that he’s a good person now and should teach Aang firebending. They yell at him and tell him to leave, but after he does, Toph insists that Zuko is right and they should try to get along. She sneaks out later to talk to him, but she came in the dead of the night and Zuko is now an enemy to pretty much all four nations, so when he hears someone moving, he makes an intimidating ring of fire around his camp. However, Toph is blind, and she accidentally steps back onto the fire.

Zuko shouts apologies and tries to help her, but she’s panicking and hurries back home.

This is part of one of Zuko’s main arcs: Him learning how to control his firebending enough to not hurt innocent people.

Significant Steps

Like I mentioned: Don’t overdo it. Characters undergoing a redemption arc need to take positive steps in the right direction, but a lot of writers (me) get caught up in the mistakes part and lose all the redemption.

Among the many little hints and glimpses of hope you have, there should be a couple of major decisions that show your character’s progress- And the decision part is important.

In the first season, Zuko has a choice between saving his kidnapped uncle, and chasing the Avatar. He chooses his uncle, and good thing, too, because if he was mere seconds later, Iroh would have lost his hands. This also happens in a later episode, “The Storm,” when Zuko and his crew are caught in a typhoon. Zuko sees Appa, Aang’s bison, flying overhead and the crewmember who previously disrespected him and politely asked what Zuko wants to do.

He hesitates, before saying, “Let him go. We need to get this ship to safety.” He also apologizes to his uncle, who immediately accepts it.

Zuko is given the option several times to put his search for the Avatar over the safety of his family and crew, and he never takes it. Moments like this keep him from being completely irredeemable.

There’s another scene, at the beginning of the phenomenal episode “Zuko Alone,” where we see Zuko barely conscious, stumbling along on his ostrich-horse, presumably days without food. He passes a couple who’s cooking food on the road. He reaches for his broadswords to indulge in his newfound kleptomania, but stops as he realizes the girl is pregnant.

There’s also the very critical moment in Book Two, after the Gaang had been separated from Appa and were frantically looking for him. Zuko finds Appa, ends up letting him go, and evens drops his vigilante “Blue Spirit” mask into Lake Laogai, renouncing his search for Avatar. Iroh finds him, about to steal Appa, and yells at him, saying that it’s time for him to look in and ask himself the big questions- “Who are you, and what do you want?”

Dropping his search for the Avatar means abandoning a destiny that had been forced on him for two or three years (which is a long time for a 16 year old). It’s so scary and uncomfortable at first that he falls into a harsh sickness, but when he comes out of it, he feels much better. We see him smile for maybe the first time in the entire show!

There are also the moments that solidify his redemption, during and after the Gaang accepts him as one of their own. He goes with Sokka to The Boiling Rock to try and rescue his father, a prison where no one has ever escaped from, and goes with Katara to confront the man who killed her and Sokka’s mother. During the final battle, he sacrifices himself to save Katara and almost dies! It’s impossible to still hate him after that.

Sympathy & Humility

We should care about these characters the moment you start their arc, starting slowly and building as their redemption does.

Avatar starts early, with Commander Zhao. We definitely don’t like Zuko at this point, but we meet him and then we meet Zhao and they’re enemies and Zhao is so much more of an asshole that we find ourselves rooting for Zuko. After Zhao, a grown ass man, demeans Zuko, insults him, and pokes at his banishment- little reminder that Zuko is fucking sixteen years old -Zuko challenges Zhao to an agni kai. Zuko wins this, but as he’s walking away, Zhao attacks him from behind! Iroh steps him and says this:

“So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honourable than you.”

And he’s got a point.

Zhao ends up going from a minor headache to a big fucking problem in that book, and even though we know if Zuko wins, he’ll have a chance to capture the Avatar, we’d rather take our chances there than have Zhao around one moment longer. I mean, he tried to kill the moon, for fuck’s sake.

When we meet Azula for the first time and she tells Zuko that Ozia regretted his banishment, an important but understated part of that scene is how goddamn happy Zuko is. We see all his excitement and relief, and then all his pain and anger surge back up when it’s revealed that Azula was taking them home as prisoners.

After Zhao died and Zuko was huddling in a cave during a snowstorm with a captured Aang, he talks about his homelife, specifically mentioning something his father said: That Azula was born lucky, and Zuko was lucky to be born. We see countless flashbacks, especially in “Zuko Alone,” of Zuko as a little boy just trying to win his father’s approval.

We root for Zuko countless times in that episode, actually, and this is before his redemption. “Zuko Alone” is such an important episode because it’s Zuko’s very first, real look at the war and what it does to people. After Zuko finds out that the family he is staying with has a son fighting in the war with a very real chance of dying soon, he makes a decision that he had purely good intentions with, but he’s so ignorant and naive to how the war works that he almost causes their only other child to be put in the war as well, and has to go rescue him.

In the episode “Crossroads of Destiny,” Zuko and Katara have a moment in the Crystal Catacombs of old Ba Sing Se, and it’s, like “Zuko Alone,” one of the first times he can actually put a face and a name to the victories of The Fire Nation- When Katara tells him about her mom. He doesn’t have any excuses here, and is forced to admit that the Fire Nation hurt him, too.

In “The Ember Island Players,” when the Gaang is watching a play that… Kind of, tells the story so far, Zuko says this:

“It takes every mistake I’ve ever made in my life and shoves them back in my face.”

He talks about his greatest regret- Betraying Iroh -and his he’s afraid he’ll never get to redeem himself. Later, Zuko and Iroh reunite, and Iroh says that he was never angry, he was just sad because he thought Zuko had lost his way. Zuko admits that he did lose his way, but he found it again.

We see Zuko struggle so much throughout the show with his morality and making the right decisions, so when he finally does, it’s a huge relief. He makes mistake after mistake, but nobody wants him to fail, not because we want another good guy, but because we see that he has good in him and we see how much Iroh believes in him.

Glimpses into the Future

It’s important that we have an idea of where this character is going to end up. We want something to look forward to so that we can push through the annoying stuff.

In the episode “The Blue Spirit,” the first time we see Zuko in his anonymous vigilante alter ego, we see what a great team he and Aang make when he rescues Aang from Zhao. They have a great battle chemistry and communicate well without Zuko needing to speak, then after Zuko is knocked out and Aang finds out his identity, he saves Zuko because Zuko saved him.

In “The Storm,” when Iroh is telling the crew how he got his scar and the conditions of his banishment, Iroh tells us, the audience, exactly what’s going to happen later in the series.

When the crew member says that Zuko finding the Avatar is the only chance he has for things returning to normal, Iroh says,

“Things will never return to normal. But the important thing is: The Avatar gives Zuko hope.”

Iroh recognizes that the kind of love Ozai would give him, if any, isn’t the kind that Zuko craves. Zuko only realizes this himself in Book Three, when he's back in the palace, back with his girlfriend Mai, and he’s won his father’s and people’s respect back. He admits to both Azula and Mai that something is wrong and he’s still not happy.

A Good Mentor

Most of the show, we see Iroh and his infinite patience trying to guide Zuko away from the same mistakes he made when he was younger. Before the start of the show, Iroh was a greatly respected, and feared, war general. This is referenced countless times throughout the series. He was so successful and respected that even leaving the Fire Nation to follow the banished prince couldn’t tarnish his reputation. Iroh had fallen into the same trap most of the Fire Nation did, that to be a man meant you had to be powerful, to be hurtful, and angry, and violent. He lost his only son to this ideology and was terrified of losing Zuko to it as well. At the end of Book One, before he and Zuko split up, Iroh’s begging him to be careful and admits that ever since he lost Lu Ten, he sees Zuko as a son of his own.

After Zuko’s betrayal in Ba Sing Se, Iroh leaves Zuko and forces him to make his own choices, which is when Zuko finally steps up (after some struggle).

Iroh made it very easy to care about Zuko, alongside Zuko’s moments of humility and glimpses of hope.

Summary

In short, Zuko is such a legendary character because he was well-rounded, and humanized. He never overstepped to the point where he couldn’t be redeemed, and even when he was at his worst, we knew who he could be, and that he does have good in him.

#atla #avatar: the last airbender #avatar the last airbender #avatar #avatar aang #atla zuko #zuko #amwriting #writeblr #writing #i love writing #writeblr advice #writing advice #redemption arcs

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the-messenger-hawk · 3 years

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jet for the character ask thing

Why I like them -He’s smart, clever and handsome, and yet another example of a nonbender character who’s capable of some pretty significant feats. Jet is also an important symbol showing the dangers of extremism.

Why I don’t -I...wasn’t really a fan of where his story went as Ba Sing Se went on; it’s part of why his character initially soured on me. We wasted so much time on stalking Zuko, when we could have seen him come face to face with the named(!) character who cause his family’s death! Not to mention how his introductory episode established him as Sokka’s foil, but their reunion is so lackluster, only Katara’s reaction is given any attention. It just feels like Jet’s character was wasted.

Favorite episode (scene if movie) -Jet’s own named episode is probably his peak honestly, as it’s where he gets the most focus and nuance. Also includes a very good fight as a display of his abilities.

Favorite season/movie -He only appears once in Book 1, but it’s a goodie

Favorite line - I think that there’s this line: “Remember why you fight!” In his first ep really solidified why he’s doing everything he does. Jet is consumed by his trauma; it’s his guiding thought for all his fighting. And that’s pretty sad honestly.

Favorite outfit -Only has the one :( Does the Book 3 wear I designed for my AU count?

OTP -JETKA boi! They’ve got so much good redemptive arc vibes, it’s unbelievable. I also ship him with Toph and Azula a bit (also the Jet/Sokka/Azula trio is such good shit too)

Brotp -With his gang, specifically Smellerbee and Longshot, and potentially with Toph too (she would have totally joined the gang if they met early).

Head Canon -Jet actually suffers from chronic nightmares and has for years of his life after he lost his home. While most of his crew knew about this, they didn’t know how badly they affected him. Jet starts to have new ones - of drowning - after the dam incident.

Unpopular opinion -Out of all the flaws he actually has, why did the fandom jump on the “disloyal bad boyfriend” shit? I mean, I know why, but that doesn’t make it any less stupid or OOC.

A wish -That Jet secretly survived Ba Sing Se and finally got some closure and a bit of peace for once in his life.

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen -I think the worst has already happened huh.

5 words to best describe them -Charismatic, Dishonest, Wounded, Dexterous, Passionate

My nickname for them -feral punk, cause look at him

#atla jet #atla #character ask #thank you #Anonymous

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cobra-diamond · 4 years

Text

Avatar Comics Good Reads Ratings - Troubling Trends

Good Reads is a website where members can rate and review books such as Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and even the Avatar comics by Dark Horse. Good Reads says they have about 90 million registered members.

I was curious about what the results would show for the Avatar comics by Dark Horse, so I took the quantity of ratings for each installment and converted them into graphs. The quantity of ratings denotes how popular a work is on Good Reads, not necessarily its quality.

For example, Harry Potter #1 has over 6.5 million Ratings whereas The Martian ‘only’ has 750,000. That doesn’t tell you how ‘good’ either book is, just that one is more ‘popular’ than the other. Both are very different stories.

Here are the Good Reads ratings for all the Dark Horse Avatar comics (excluding Imbalance):

Assuming this data represents the fandom’s popular reception to these works (i.e. how many liked them enough to spend money), here are some interesting takeaways:

Most follow-on works don’t do as well as the first installment but The Search had more ratings for its Part 1 than The Promise’s Part 1. However, The Search also saw a much, much steeper drop in ratings than The Promise. The Promise actually held its readers pretty well until Part 3.

Half as many fans returned for The Rift than The Search but The Rift also saw a precipitous collapse in readers similar to The Search. The Rift maintaining half of The Promise’s initial readers is actually over-performing, as you will see.

Usually, you expect a ‘sequel’ to receive 2/5th as many readers as the first installment’s peak. This can be illustrated by taking Harry Potters and The Hunger Games’ Goods Reads ratings and comparing their first installment numbers to the follow-on works.

You can see how, for even cultural phenomena, the sequels never do as well as the first. This isn’t always the case but it’s a near universal trend.

Another trend is also visible: a popular work holding its readers after the first installment.

This is illustrated by a similar bar graph for Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series. It held its readers well over its run until eventually running out of steam like all series do. I’m using Mistborn as an example because it doesn’t have the ‘cultural baggage’ of Harry Potter and The Hunger Games that could potentially throw things off for those titans of contemporary literature.

You can see Mistborn held fans very well after the first installment, much better than even Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, with the 2nd and 3rd installments maintaining their popularity almost exactly. It wasn’t until Mistborn #4 that there was another drop, but even then the readers who remained mostly stayed for #5 and #6.

What do the The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and Mistborn have in common? They held their readers.

This can be further illustrated if you graph the Good Reads ratings as percentages relative to the first installments. In other words, if the first installment’s peak represents 100% of the popularity, then the next installment is 75% and the next is 50% and so on.

You can see the 2/5th drop I mentioned earlier. While Harry Potter and The Hunger Games saw big drops compared to their first installments, Mistborn didn’t reach the 2/5th drop until Book #4 and only saw a steady decline over the lifetime of the series. However, both The Hunger Games and Harry Potter maintained their followings more consistently after the first book’s drop while Mistborn held its Book #1 readers much better overall.

Converting these bar graphs to lines, you get the following ‘slopes’:

As you can see, rapid drops for The Hunger Games and Harry Potter followed by steady-state readership, while a steady decline for Mistborn with periods of steady-state readership for Books #2 and #3, and Books #5 and #6.

So what does this say about the Avatar comics? Taking the total ratings for each Avatar installment, averaging them, and adding them to the above graph, you see that the Avatar comics never held its readers until the very end, but by that point, the total readership was a mere fraction of the The Promise/Search high.

This graph is actually misleading for the Avatar comics.

Since each installment was broken up into three separate volumes, and published at different times, readers were able to ‘opt out’ of an installment if they wanted. This means turning each installment into an ‘average’ artificially props-up them up since the first parts of The Search and The Rift over-preformed compared to their second and third parts.

It’s really the first bar graph at the beginning of this article that tells the story.

I’ve added the 2/5th line to the first graph as shown below:

From this graph, with the 2/5th line added, you can see the vast under-performance of the second and third volumes of the The Search onward.

Why did this happen?

Why did the Avatar comics, when Avatar had a massive built-in fan base, never hold its readers until the end? Why did it only get in the range of 22,000 ratings for a peak when Mistborn #1 has over 360,000? Remember that the Avatar finale received over a 5.5 million viewers. Mistborn doesn’t even have a television show!

Here’s why I think this happened:

First, Avatar is supposed to be animated and epic. When fans learned that the Gaang+Zuko & Azula were continuing in mere ‘graphic novels’, especially ones that looked ‘kiddie’ in nature, they probably thought, “Really? That’s lame!” and were disappointed. No matter how well-written or mature these graphic novels were, they’d never have the same exposure as the animated spectacle; 73 pages per book for an 8-11 year old audience is simply not enough.

Secondly, the premises of both The Promise and The Search appealed to the general fan base. That’s why the ratings for both Parts 1’s are basically the same. The premise of The Promise is that it is the next story of Team Avatar. Of course that’s going to draw fans!

The premise of The Search, on the other hand, gets into the loose-threads of the franchise, namely the Zuko-Azula-Ursa family drama triangle. Both of these premises are rather distinct from one another and, technically, could have been completely separate story lines (the Gaang gets a dedicated plot line, the Fire Nation royal family gets another). This is why both had near the same amount of readers for both Part 1′s: they were addressing topics the general fan base already wanted.

However, once readers ‘got inside’ these books, in particular The Search and The Rift, they opted out and became apathetic. This apathy is why Smoke and Shadow and North and South tanked... Hard.

Even though Smoke and Shadow was supposed to continue the Fire Nation royal family triangle, Smoke and Shadow’s Part 1 rating is only 11% of The Search’s Part 1.

Yikes!

Even Mistborn #6′s ratings was 20% that of Mistborn #1, and Azula and Ursa’s relationship hadn’t even been resolved!

The specific reasons for why the comics hemorrhaged readers is anybody’s mystery. Certainly plenty has been written about it. Much can be said about the poor writing, half-baked plots, bad characterization, childish tone, etc.

What I hope these graphs give you is an idea of the ‘numbers’ behind fiction, and in particular, Avatar’s current Post-Finale comics. We don’t know what the true purpose of the comics was (Make money? Keep the fandom alive? Keep the copyright relevant? Drive away its teenage/young adult fan base?), but it’s clear they didn’t appeal to Avatar’s fan base as they should have.

Whether you like the comics or hate them, one thing is clear: they should have been a lot better.

As an aside, take a look at Gene Yang’s American Born Chinese Good Reads ratings compared to the performance of the Avatar comics. American Born Chinese is what allowed Gene Yang to be taken seriously for the Avatar comics. Also keep in mind that Avatar had a built-in fan base.

And if you compare American Born Chinese’s Google Trends results to Avatar: The Last Airbender’s, you get the following graph:

In the words of Charlie Brown: good grief.

#Avatar The Last Airbender #avatar comics #bryke

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xianglingslesbian · 4 years

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way of kings, Satsuki’s moving castle (👀), Daiki’s basketball (👀👀), oh no he’s hot, and unstoppable force/immovable object pls

ah hihi! ty for the ask!! <3 this got very long so i am putting it under a cut

the way of kings

this is basically just a knb stormlight au lmaooo. i actually dont have much yet its just a vague outline and the main character placements. i also have to work out a LOT of stuff bc. heralds. i’ll list the placements i have for now!!

kaladin - hyuuga OR aomine i really cannot decide smh. EDIT HOLY SHIT MIDORIMA IS THE PERFECT KALADIN

adolin - kise bc you cant tell me that ‘“fight me!” adolin said’ isn’t PEAK kise energy

shallan - .......izuki. puns? puns. also yay for shared insecurity complexes and refusal to address their own mental health

dalinar - kasamatsucchi <3 he has the eyebrows and the blue uniform don’t @ me

jasnah - uhh araki, solely because i didn’t wanna change au!jasnah’s gender. otherwise 100% would have been midorima

sadeas - imayoshit :) everyone flip off the manipulative bastard

renarin - kurokooooo!! okay but the idea of a person construed as weak finding their own way in the world is really similar b/w these two

sylphrena - momoi <333 syl rlly do have momoi energy tbh

i do have a couple more placements BUT idk where ur at in the series and it could be a potential spoiler so i’m gonna shut up now. tagging @serenesavagery bc i think she’d like this ily saori

satsuki’s moving castle

ok here’s an AU i actually have shit planned out for (and some chapters written) lmaooo it’s a momoi/riko howl AU!! riko = sophie + momoi = howl is rlly fun to write lol. also aomine is calcifer bc let’s be real that tiny fire demon was basically just demon!aomine. the chapter titles in this one are gold tbh i’m really proud of them -- examples are, “Do YOU Want A Charming Stranger To Sweep You Off Your Feet? [Not Clickbait]” and “Riko Aida Presents - Being Old Sucks, Part 1/? (Also, There's A Demon But That’s Not Important)”.

tiny snippet:

Riko could feel the stirrings of heat in her cheeks as Satsuki pressed against her, arm laying on her hand.

“Let me,” she said sweetly. Dazed, Riko did so, moving aside so Satsuki had better access to the food.

“Hand me a couple of eggs and some more bacon, please,” Satsuki instructed. Riko complied, doing her best to keep her composure. This was the wicked wizard Satsuki, not just any pretty girl - she had to be on her guard.

Satsuki cooked much the same way Riko did, planting a few doubts in the now-aged girl’s mind. Eggshells in the eggs, blackened bacon… perhaps her cooking really was bad.

Then again, from what she’d seen of Junpei, he did have a tendency to exaggerate.

“no its totally not gay for a girl to cook over your shoulder what do you mean” - aida riko, circa 1920 (approx. when this is set bc it follows the ghibli movie)

daiki’s basketball

yes its an aomine-kuroko roleswap yes i like torturing myself because it comes w/the bonus of inflicting this upon my readers. it’s my first multichapter, and like ewbts it’s also half posted and then i realised how shittily i’d written it so i started rewriting smh. the only redeemable bit about v1 is the summary bc it’s good for my summary standards:

tetsu had changed. tetsu was no longer his partner. but daiki saw that same spark in kagami, and even if he wasn’t one for sappy romantic stuff like tetsu, maybe this time… maybe this time the light he picked would stay with him.

im not crying you are

a small snippet:

“Well, you like painting. Maybe paint a basketball on the school wall or something?” Satsuki suggested absently, still looking at the giant chocolate fountain. It couldn’t hurt to go in and try it, right?

“Thanks, Satsuki.” Daiki’s voice had a sudden spark to it, and Satsuki’s eyes shot wide as she realised what she’d said.

“No - Dai, wait! You can’t-” But he’d already cut the call.

Oh, God save Satsuki Momoi.

(yes. he did actually. paint the fucking school wall. god save momoi indeed)

oh no he’s hot

this is an older idea but one i still love tbh! i have to work around the setting bc i wanna set it in not-america 😂 i have a summary written up which describes it well so i will plug it:

Everything was in place. Zuko would have adopted Izumi by this time tomorrow; would have met the demands of his company; would be a father, the best one that he could. He had to admit he was a little more than excited - it’s not every day that you get to be a father, and especially not to a firecracker like Izumi. Now, if only Izumi’s social worker weren’t this attractive… and if only he weren’t the same man that Zuko had been absolutely, abominably horrible to the previous week.

its a zukka modern AU in which zuko is running his dad’s company after ousting ozai, and the board pressures him to get an heir. ace gay bean zuko decides he’ll adopt instead. also azula/katara subplot with katara being an intern at azula’s hospital (NOT in charge of azula tho bc that can lead to some weird power dynamics). highkey slowburn romance tbh. zukka hate each other for only a bit, but the friendzoning is unreal lmao

immovable object meets unstoppable force

this is a set of legend of korra rewrite oneshots! basically im trying to fix all the colorism, sexism and other issues + give a better rep to korrasami bc lbr we deserved more development. also side character rights <3

i actually have posted one fic of it here so i suppose this counts as a snippet? its pema/lin hahaha yay for lesbians

thank you so much for this ask i just really ran away with it i get excited talking about my projects and wow now i have fuel for daiki’s basketball again so that might just be the one i finish soonest <3

#knb #atla #lok #ceru writes #answered #wips #edit: why the fuck did it paste the body twice fuck you tumblr #shin #food tw

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