☼ ☼ ☼

Actually, the second drawing dealt me emotional damage now that I look at it

i don’t think i’ve rewatched atla since becoming a committed pacifist and i just finished what was probably my tenth rewatch and i have never loved aang more. i've seen it so many times but i still came away with a new appreciation for the way the end of the story was handled. aang is the only survivor of a genocide and he is clinging to the last remnants of his culture and religion, and everyone is telling him the only way to save the world is to kill the dictator whose regime is responsible for the genocide, but to do so would abandon the deeply held beliefs of his people. if aang goes against his beliefs and kills ozai, his people's way of life dies completely and sozin wins.

aang knows it would be wrong but he can't see another way out so he prays for an answer, and the universe hears him and the spirits send out the lion turtle, and the creator answers him. and here's the thing that i never put together before today: aang would not have been able to energybend ozai if he had given in and wanted to kill him. the lion turtle tells aang that only the incorruptible can bend another’s energy, or else they will become corrupted themselves. and i think that aang, because of his love for the fire nation as he had once known it, was never corrupted by personal hatred for the fire lord or the fire nation. he was able to expertly hold two conflicting beliefs in harmony better than any adult could, the belief that ozai is a horrible person and the world would be better off without him and that he's still a human being with a life that is sacred.

and i don't think it's a matter of selfishness like some people make it out to be. aang is not some immature little kid who doesn't want to kill because killing is for bad guys. he's an incredibly wise and spiritual person who was shaped by airbender beliefs and upholds airbender beliefs, and he can see beyond the scope of this war. the balance of the world depends on the existence of the four nations, and aang does not just represent the air nomads, he IS the air nomads. he's all that's left.

despite many people’s interpretation of the four past avatars’ advice, none of the past avatars outright tell him to kill ozai. they tell him to be decisive, to bring justice, to be proactive, to be sacrificial. but none of them tells him definitively to kill him. he doesn't disobey or ignore their advice, he follows their ancient wisdom while still staying true to his beliefs. yangchen actually comes the closest to outright telling him to kill ozai (even more than kiyoshi, surprisingly) but what she fails to account for is that aang is not just the avatar, he is the last airbender, and being the last airbender is far greater a burden than being the avatar. no matter what happens, once he dies, there will always be another avatar. but if he is not careful to preserve the airbender way of life, there will be no more airbenders. yangchen could sacrifice her air nomad way of life for the sake of her duty to the world because there were thousands of other air nomads to continue their traditions. aang has no such privilege.

and it's not that he doesn't want to kill, it's that he actually doesn't think he can do it -- both that he won't be able to emotionally bring himself to kili someone, and, prodigy that he is, he doesn't have the raw bending skill to overcome a comet-powered master firebender. and then it turns from 'i don't think i can do it' into ‘i can’t do it.’ and when the avatar state gives him enough power to actually do it, he changes the answer to ‘i won’t do it.’ he overcomes all the combined power of his past lives to say no, i have found another answer and i will remain incorruptible. to kill is to maintain the power struggle of the fire nation and to reject air nomad wisdom and without airbenders the world CANNOT be brought into balance.

the only thing ozai cares about is power, and that's what the entire fight with ozai is about, physically and ideologically, because ozai only sees power in terms of force, fear, threats, and violence. to ozai, aang (and his entire people) are weak and undeserving of life because they are largely pacifists, but he fails to see the magnificent power that the airbenders do hold, spiritual wisdom and mastery of the self and contentment and joy and harmony and a deep understanding of the world that a man like ozai could never obtain. to kill ozai would ratify ozai’s worldview that power as he defines it is the most important pursuit in the world and the only way to assert one's right to be in the world is to be cruel and violent like him. i think to ozai, becoming powerless might be worse than being dead. he wants power, or he wants death, and aang gives him neither. it upends everything he believed in. aang, the avatar, but more importantly, the last airbender, armed by his past lives' power and his people's love and the spirit world's blessing and the lion turtle's omniscience (and toph's mastery of true sight through neutral jing), ends the war 100 years to the day after the air nomad genocide, in the way that his people taught him, with power that goes beyond force and violence, with spiritual wisdom, with an incorruptible soul, with mercy -- mercy that is not weakness, mercy that brings justice.

Holy absolute fuck, this is probably my favorite analysis of Aang’s final battle with Ozai I’ve ever read in my life.

I wonder if Ozai heard that the Avatar was back and was just like, Shit! Now there’s potential for my son to complete that impossible task I assigned him

Zuko literally is that idiot in a fairy tale who doesn’t realize the task he’s been handed is supposed to be impossible, so he just goes out and fucking does it.

Saving this for later

Okay, I’m back.

I love this, but I have to add… Zuko is not that idiot in a fairytale who doesn’t realise capturing the Avatar is supposed to be impossible.

The second Ozai gives the order and the banishment is official, everyone knows. Nobody has seen the Avatar in a hundred years. Either he’s dead, or he’s an old master that a fourteen year old punk could never hope to beat.

Iroh knows. That’s why he keeps trying to distract Zuko with his little diversions. The crew knows. And they are wondering who exactly they pissed off to get this assignment?

And Zuko knows. Of course he knows. How could he not? But he doesn’t let himself believe it. He lies to himself. Every day. He convinces himself that the Avatar is out there and that one day, if Zuko just tries hard enough, he’ll find him. And he’ll bring him to his father.

Because if it really is impossible? Then that means that Zuko’s father never loved him. Then that means that Zuko can never go home. Then that means that maybe Azula was right and Ozai really was going to kill him the night that his grandfather died and his mother disappeared.

And it is so much easier to believe in the impossible than it is to believe that your father is a monster.

Not only is this perfect, but it’s almost explicitly validated by the canon. Zuko’s redemption arc has a lot to do with him recognizing that his father was a monster who never had any honor in the first place, while Zuko himself is blessed with an abundance of it.

AtLA Book Three + The Onion Headlines (Book Two)

Ozai is so pathetic, like that “take his bending away haha he’s harmless now” trick would never have worked on Zuko, if you took his bending away he’d just grab his swords and come at you twice as hard, Azula doesn’t have swords or anything but she’s pretty good at hand to hand and amazing at talking her way out of problems, Iroh bust himself out of prison with no bending at all, meanwhile Ozai? Gets his bending taken away and then just collapses, doesn’t even try anymore, then just sits in prison and tries to get into Zuko’s head some more, he could have trained up and tried to break out too! But no! Bet he can’t break steel bars with his bare hands. Bet he can’t kick a steel lever in two. Bet he can’t even do a flip.

Also we never really see him do any really impressive firebending apart from when he has magic comet power, I guesss he shoots some lightning at Zuko, but that’s it and Azula is still better at the lightning thing. Azula has blue flames. Zuko can do firebreakdancing and bend with his swords. Does Ozai, who is not 14 years old, have blue flames? No he doesn’t.

He didn’t even do his coup himself, Ursa had to kill Azulon for him! Could have just challenged Iroh to an Agni Kai for the throne but he didn’t bc he knew he’d lose.

And then he only ruled for like 6 years! He lost a war that had been going on for 100 years bc of a bunch of kids.

Loserlord indeed

would zuko give the blue spirit a full pardon after the war is over or do you think he would mess with everyone and raise the bounty even higher

zukka au where aunt wu looks straight at sokka and instead of telling him that his future is full of pain and anguish caused by his own hand, she tells him that he’s going to marry the fire lord and sokka is like “EXCUSE ME?”

sokka, whispering to himself: omg my ability to making royalty fall in love with me has come too far

sokka, immediately writing a letter: dear firelord ozai, I am flattered, but since you are pretty old and super evil, I-

Sokka, while yelling insults at s1 Zuko: And tell your dad I'm not interested in having a jerk like you as a step-son!!

I need a whole plotline of Sokka wondering who this fire lord person is going to be

Season 2

Aang: I wish that Iroh guy was the Fire Lord, he seems pretty nice

Sokka: Yeah the Fire Nation would probably be better off with him as Fire Lord, but he’s so old and more of an uncle figure, you know? Not really my type.

Aang: What

Early season 3

Sokka, waking up in cold sweat: Oh no. What if... Azula is the future Fire Lord

Late season 3

Katara: Sokka what should we do? The invasion failed, we’ve been hiding in this temple for weeks and Sozin’s comet is almost here

Sokka, mumbling to himself: I hope Zuko becomes Fire Lord he’s pretty cool

Katara: what?

Sokka: I said we need to defeat the Fire Lord soon

Sokka internally having a Firelord tier list during the series is something that I never knew I wanted.

*when zuko and katara arrive right before azula's coronation during sozin's comet*

Zuko: Sorry. But you're not going to be the one marrying Sokka.

Azula: What.

Trans Zuko is so funny to me. I’m not saying this to try and make fun of people who headcanon him as trans - trans headcanons are great and I support them. It’s just wild because it implies Ozai was out here like:

[Image description: a white woman with blonde hair is saying:

‘I can excuse burning a kid’s face, but I draw the line at misgendering’.

The words ‘burning a kid’s face’ and ‘misgendering’ have been edited in.

End description]

Possible explanations I just pulled out of my arse:

They pulled the old switcheroo

[Image description: tags from Tumblr user danvssomethingorother which read:

‘I love the idea that ozai just doesn’t pay that much attention. ok but both his kids are trans now and he doesn’t even know’

End description]

He knew he had a son and a daughter, but he couldn’t remember which came first

Imagine how the show would have changed if Gyatso ended up in the ice with Aang. Like they have a whole ass adult and he and Iroh enjoy playing Pai Sho while the kids fight.

Gyatso @ Aang: This is very exciting, pupil. We are entering the Northern Water Tribe. Now, we must remember that we are guests here. The ways of the Northern Water Tribe are not our ways. We must be respectful to our hosts and their customs. Some of their beliefs might be strange to us, but some of our beliefs will be strange to them. We must go in with open minds and humble hearts. As long as we are not asked to do anything that violates our beliefs, we should be respectful and silent on any topic that unsettles us.

Aang: Yes, Sifu.

Pakku: *exists*

Gyatso: Well, this is very unfortunate.

I like this, I really really like this, but the only thing I can think of is what Gyatso would do about Loser lord Ozai? Because we have seen that Gyatso would kill to defend people but he wouldn't encourage Aang to kill so what would happen? Would he just go instead of Aang and try to kill Ozai?

Zuko: *Joins the Gaang.*

Gyatso: This is a wonderful reminder that no one is inherently good or evil. If the young Fire Prince can be enlightened, perhaps Ozai can as well. Zuko, perhaps you can tell us some things about your father, so we can better understand him as a person.

Zuko: Um.... Okay. What do you want to know?

Gyatso: What does he value most?

Zuko: Power, I think. I mean, he forced my mom to murder his dad by threatening to kill me so he could become Firelord. Power is a big thing for him.

Gyatso: Nevermind. Fuck that guy.

Zuko: He also gave me this scar on my face because I disrespected him.

Gyatso: I gotta go. Be back later.

*** later ***

Gyatso: Good news! Ozai is dead. Anyone want a fruit pie?

@rynnaaurelia​ You’ll love this.

Okay, I see all of this, I respect all of this, but I raise you: Gyatso in Omashu, knowing damn well who Bumi is, but standing there like:

because he knows it'll be a good prank lesson for Aang.

The gaang learns how Zuko got his scar, it doesn’t bode well for Ozai

Ok so I was looking at this pic again and realized something

Is Katara….

……carrying Zuko?

Guys

So in the episode “The Storm” Zuko’s men are complaining about how Zuko treats them, and Iroh enters asking if they “really want to know” the story behind Zuko’s banishment. And it shocks ALL of them. Meaning not one man on that ship knew the reason their commander and prince had been banished from home.

Fast forward to “Zuko Alone”. After Zuko reveals who he is, a single random townsman shouts out “Hey I heard of him. His own father burned and disowned him!” And Zuko is cast out of the town, hated.

So Zuko’s own men didn’t know the story of his banishment, but a civilian in a small struggling Earth Kingdom village did. My guess: the Fire Nation actually kept the story tightly controlled. It could reflect poorly on Ozai, how and why he disowned Zuko. The public probably only ever heard that Zuko behaved with, say, extreme disrespect and hatred toward his father, and so deserved his banishment.

Not abroad though. Abroad, the people and leaders would cling to any story that portrayed Ozai as a monster, and as such, Zuko’s story probably spread like wild fire. The village people hated Zuko as a Fire Nation prince, but I’ll bet there were people out there who sympathized with him as a victim of Ozai’s cruelty.

I’ll bet, while he was banished, Zuko had more sympathetic supporters outside the Fire Nation than in it.

Did Aang and the others ever find out that Ruko was Zuko’s great grandfather thus technically making Aang Zuko’s great grandfather? Or was that something that Zuko just kept to himself. Like... could you imagine everyone’s reaction to that.

The Gaang: *chilling just talking about whatever*

Aang: *mentions something about Roku*

Zuko: oh yeah, that dude was my great grandfather btw

Literally everyone:

WHAT’S EVEN BETTER is that technically this makes Aang Ozai’s grandfather and imagining the final showdown as a grandfather “I didn’t raise u like this” lecture is hilarious

Okay, so I’m absolutely howling at the mental image of barely 5ft Aang lecturing Ozai.

But I can’t help but point out the fallacy in that Roku is from Zuko’s mother’s side. So the “I didn’t raise you like this” doesn’t hold as well.

However let me present to you: Battle of the In-laws

That makes it EVEN BETTER

Now we can have the cold

“Who raised you? I can’t believe you have the audacity to treat my granddaughter, your family, the whole country, and the rest of the world like this”

In law grandfather lecture is even stronger energy than grandfather lecture energy

woosh

at this point i may as well call myself a complete and utter aang stan

#zuko at ozai during day of black sun

can you imagine how the whole energybending scene must have looked to Sokka and Suki

Sokka: “ohmygod, I think aang’s losing!”

Suki: “you dont know that, maybe red is aang’s color”

Sokka: “you think the motherfucker who was planning to genocide the entire world with fire has a *blue aura*??”

Toph: “what the FUCK are you guys TALKING about”

Sokka: it's the same color as his tattoos, of COURSE Aang is blue.

Toph: Aang has tattoos?

thinking about the line in sozin’s diary “i know he’s out there, the fire nation’s greatest threat, the last airbender” as an example of both the obsessive character of imperialist violence as well as the human investment in someone you’ve greatly wronged. like, on the one hand you see the absolute limitless scope of imperialist violence - they’ve wiped out all the air nomad temples and presumably hunted down any survivors; in fact sozin has no reason to believe the avatar escaped. by all reasonable counts, he should be dead. and yet sozin keeps searching, because he’s obsessed with the idea that one of them might have escaped, even haunted by it. because no matter the extent to which these imperial powers wipe out their victims, they remain obsessed with the idea that it wasn’t enough - one of them might have survived, they might return and kill us all, they’ll visit on us what we’ve visited on them - and so they keep hunting, because even genocide doesn’t rob them of their fear of their victims.

the other layer, is that sozin loved roku, and was no doubt haunted by his death (in which he played a part). so, the death of his beloved is mapped on to the genocide of the air nomads, both of which haunt him with the possibility of karmic retribution. a third and deeper layer, and one that speaks to the show’s overarching theme of people, even people like the avatar, being subject to forces greater than they can understand (the lion turtle, the spirits, etc) is that sozin in his own way believed in the avatar, and kept that belief alive until his death. despite all seeming evidence to the contrary - the air temples destroyed, all the children killed, the survivors captured and killed - he ironically never believed the avatar was gone. and his great, great grandson, zuko, inherited both that obsession and that hope, both the hatred and love of the avatar, and ultimately found balance, and in so doing healed that ancestral karmic debt. it’s significant that ozai’s lack of belief in the avatar is what drove him to send zuko on a seemingly impossible mission, a mission that zuko fulfilled in ways that ozai never imagined, precisely because zuko, like sozin, believed the avatar would return, that there were greater forces the fire nation would have to one day answer to.