Avatar Symbolism

my favorite parallel in the show:

and then they both realize that they do have a choice:

[ID: Two matching gifs of Katara and Aang from “The Southern Raiders” and “Sozin’s Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang,” respectively. They are making the same circular motion to attack Yon Rha and Ozai as their opponents cower in fear. Their attack then liquefies as they choose to hold back, drenching Yon Rha and Ozai in water. Katara and Aang then move backwards simultaneously as they relax their fighting stances. End ID]

[x]

Happy New Year! Starting the year with a Zuko sketch that got out of hand.

Y'all ever think about how Zuko was so intense about Aang's training because he was literally preparing him to face the man of his nightmares? His actual abuser? The man who burned his face without a hint of remorse? And he's sending this bright, goofy, endlessly kind little kid - this kid who forgave him, who wanted to be his friend - to fight that man alone?

Y'all ever think about how Aang is about the same age Zuko was when he was banished?

water tribe out.

i made this with the prompt “redemption”, i like to imagine that a good jet redemption arc would include him getting closure with both of the water tribe sibilings, but mostly katara.

(also please dont tag as j-tara!!! this is not ship art lol)

The boulder feels conflicted about fighting a blind, young girl

Avatar: The Last Airbender | 2.19 “The Guru”

Seeing the gifs, I like how you can tell this might actually be a ruse just because of all the identifiers which include Ty Lee specifically mentioning Princess Azula when she rarely calls her that, and two uses of the words "Fire Nation," including one instance where Mai makes sure she identifies them as being Fire Nation.

That said, I have to wonder how long they had to converse before the Dai Li even had the chance to eavesdrop on them. We're they just sitting there all day in the hopes that the Dai Li would catch them in the act?

@maikoweek

Day 2: Izumi

Izumi's first steps

based on this fic by @beepboopbitch

[Image ID: Image is a digital drawing of Zuko, Izumi and Mai. Zuko is shown at the left crouching on one knee with his arms extended and wearing full fire lord regalia. He is smiling and viewed from the side. Mai is shown at the left also crouching on her knees and holding onto baby Izumi who is facing her father and tentatively trying to walk. The scene takes place in a closed courtyard with yellow fans on the walls. End ID](image ID by @bluberry-spicehead )

For the record while ATLA is an excellent show and Zukos redemption arc was perfectly paced, I would kill to have had Zuko join the Gaang at the end of book two, because the first half of book three would have been the funniest thing on the planet. Like. Just picture it. A bunch of unsupervised teenagers travelling undercover through enemy territory, trying to blend in… and the only people who have even been there before are 1. A guy who hasnt been there in a century, and 2. The former crown prince who has literally never spoken to a fire nation citizen who wasnt nobility, military, or one of his servants.

Like. Neither of them have any idea what they’re doing, or how normal fire nation citizens act, but they’re pretty sure the other one is wrong. Rest of the gaang knows even less. No adults. Zuko and Aang getting into a shouting debate over the finer points of fire nation culture is a nightly event. They are both so wrong, and so, so awkward

Zuko, for the fifth and probably not last time: FOR THE LAST TIME, NOBODY USES THE PHRASE ‘FLAMEO HOTMAN’!

Aang, aware of that fact but in too deep to back out now: OH YEAH? THEN WHAT DO THEY SAY!?

Zuko, clueless and bluffing: …Something about glory to the Fire Lord?

Toph, well aware that both are lying through their teeth and have no idea what they’re talking about, and fucking loving every second of this train wreck: Clearly the only solution is for both of you to go into town tomorrow and test your theories out.

And the side taking, oh my god the side taking from the other three. Katara sides with Aang every single time. Does she honestly believe that the people of the Fire Nation greet each other with ‘Flame on, my em-brother’? Hell no. Would she rather die than say that Zuko’s correct? Yes.

Sokka usually sides with Zuko, unless he comes up with something astoundingly stupid. Zuko’s thoughts, while usually wrong, sound a lot more plausible then Aangs, and fuck it he’s willing to take a gamble.

Toph is the closest thing to a neutral party they have, in that she knows damn well they’re all full of shit, and has chosen to instead egg them on to make it worse. She’s an agent of chaos, and this is free nightly entertainment. She’s having the time of her life right now.

The debate takes a brief pause once they stop going undercover and get to the business of actually saving the world, but holy shit. once things have settled down? it’s back on with a vengeance. Except now Aang and Zuko aren’t the two most wanted people in the Fire Nation, they’re the two most influential people in the world. They are trendsetters. They can make slang become a thing.

When Zuko first hears the phrase ‘flameo, hotman’ being thrown around casually, it takes a lot of deep breathing exercises to not immediately return to his previous occupation of hunting the Avatar.

Iroh: I’m so proud of the way you’ve been ruling, nephew. Flameo, hotman!

Zuko, in tears: How could you say that

Here’s how I envision a grown-up Mai! I wanted to keep with her dark color scheme, but as the Fire Lady (she and Zuko totally got married, forget the comics, Maiko deserves better), she’d obviously have to have some fancy gold accents. I tried to balance the two by using dark red and black alongside the gold, which made for some nice contrast.⁠ (also idk what’s with the background either don’t ask)⁠

tehRaincoat made the cutest art of Zuko and Izumi <3 Thanks for the commission! 

Classic Hollywood Suki (Atla)

Ref: Margaret Sullavan