ANNE

Now this is what you call having range.

When I first watched ATLA, I didn’t know that Aang’s arrows meant that he was a master airbender. So when I watched the first episode, I thought his arrows meant that he was the avatar and was confused when Katara asked him if he knew the avatar. I was like, doesn’t his arrows scream “I’m the avatar.” I really hope that in the life action series they explain how Aang got his arrows, more background on how one gets their arrows and tell us about how Aang was the youngest one to get his arrows. Also, how his air scooter helped him get his tattoos. Aang deserves more praise for being a talented and smart boy. Like he seriously is so talented, I didn’t know that he was the youngest to get his tattoos and was a master airbending. That’s why watching it again knowing this, I loved his character even more. Like he truly is a talented kid.

These pictures of Aang warms my heart so much. He just looks so genuinely happy and at peace with himself. Like can you believe this 12 year old boy has spent the last 9-10 months with this huge pressure on him to end a 100 year war and learn three other elements in such a short amount of time. On top of having to deal with the new world he’s woken up to 100 years later and having to deal with the amount of grief he’s experienced. Seeing Aang look so at peace with himself having let go of what he can’t change and embracing the new world always just makes me feel so proud and happy for him. He deserved this moment especially while wearing a new set of clothes inspired by his people. This moment just means so much to me every time I watch the finale, I cry almost every time.

The finale really gave our Kataang x Zukaang x Maiko hearts these beautiful hugs huh. These three are my top three pairs in the show that seeing this during the finale just makes me smile so much.

That best friends to lovers built on a strong foundation of friendship, support and unconditional love for each other just hits different with these hugs.

Can we talk about this moment some more. The way that Aang knows he’s shorter but he raises his arms higher to give Zuko a big hug. The way he closes his eyes and smiles so happily. And look at the way Zuko literally hugs Aang. Like his freaking head goes on Aang’s shoulder. He literally dips his head to Aang’s shoulder. They’re best friends and became life long friends. This is the enemies to friends friendship with perfect parallels that makes my heart go so soft.

Aang is my favorite character in ATLA and I love Kataang with my whole heart and will go down with that ship, but if there’s one thing I wish that the creators could rewrite in the live action remake is their kiss in the Ember Island Players episode. Like either make it not happen and change it completely so Aang doesn’t do it. Like have him understand what Katara meant and have them talk it out maturely like they have in the past. Or have like a one minute scene where Aang goes up to Katara (either after the play or when they’re back at the beach house) and apologizes directly at her. That way he acknowledges to her directly that what he did was wrong and he’s aware of it. I’m glad that he realized that he was an idiot for what he did, didn’t kiss her forcefully, didn’t get mad her reaction, backed off, didn’t do it again and waited until Katara was ready to be with him. However, I also think that it’s important that Aang apologize directly to Katara, have Katara know that he knows what he did was wrong and say that he won’t do it again. Like what Aang did was wrong but it wasn’t irredeemable. Literally just a one minute scene where he apologizes would be a good example on the steps that should be taken when someone makes a mistake like that. Not to mention, knowing Aang, it would be completely in character for him to apologize to Katara. Like I genuinely I found it kinda strange that they didn’t have a scene where he apologized to her directly. That’s why I’m seriously hoping that the live action remake edits that scene because I just really feel like that scene discredits Aang, and Katara so much and the progress that Kataang had throughout the whole series.

Like I’m torn between wanting it taken out completely because I really hate that scene. But at the same time I’m like this is a good opportunity to set a better example of something they messed up on in the original series. But at the same time I’m also like do we really want that scene to be the last Kataang scene before their finale moment? I’m literally torn between both choices but either way works as long as they fix that scene. Like I just don’t want people calling Aang an abusive person anymore and acting like what he did was something irredeemable. I just want Aang to be better, do better and I want Katara to get the apology that she deserved from Aang.

Anyone who dislikes Aang because they felt like his arc wasn’t enough are entitled to their own opinion but it’s purely subjective to what they feel like should have happened. People can say what they want but his arc was enough to make him best boy and to make him one of the best characters ever. It’s not the creators responsibility to please everyone with what they create hence why the critism I’ve seen at his character is purely subjective and based on personal preference. Just because his character didn’t fall into someone’s personal preference, doesn’t mean his character is terrible. It just means that his character didn’t satisfy someone’s personal preferences. People like me just choose to see the abundant amount of positive light in his character and see how well developed he actually is. That’s honestly why I don’t read anymore Aang critism because I’ve come to realize how subjective their critisms are. Just as people are entitled to their own perfeneces and interpretations, I’m entitled to my own and I refuse to look at Aang’s character in a bad light based on someone else’s opinion. I said what I said and I vibe with anyone who sees the positive side of Aang’s character because I literally loose brain cells whenever I read a post criticizing the small details about Aang’s character. Aang has his own personal personality that’s his and if people don’t like it, that’s on them. I just don’t have it in me to be that nit picky about a character that has human characteristics. But I do have it in me to appreciate such a well developed and unique character.

Basically, my point is, Aang is best boy and deserves the love and praise he gets, but that’s been knew.

I will never get over how Aang was only 12 years old when he ended the 100 year war, started bending all four elements and became a fully realized avatar. Like the fact that every other avatar before him (with some excepts) didn’t start training until they were 16. Not to mention, he literally refused to take the life of someone when he had every reason to. We freaking love a pacifist king who values all life and values his people’s beliefs.

After Aang got shot with lightening from Azula, there’s this canon video from a video game or something Nickolodeon was doing that not a lot of people know about but basically, he reconnects with the past 4 avatars and his last one is Avatar Yangchen. After finding out that all Avatars have made human mistakes, and that no avatar was perfect, they have a really important discussion about why the avatar must be human instead of an all powerful spirit:

Aang: “Why is the Avatar Spirit human in every life? Wouldn’t fit be better if the Avatar was an all powerful spirit that never died?”

Yangchen: “I don’t think so. The Avatar must be compassionate towards all people and the only way to do that is to live with them. The Avatar must experience sadness, anger, joy and happiness. By feeling these emotions, it helps you understand how precious human life is so you will do anything to protect it. If you were an all powerful spirit living on the top of some mountain you wouldn’t have much in common with an ordinary person. So the avatar continues to take human rebirth and in each life, learns what it means to be human.”

Along his journey, Aang learns that by also being human, he is able to have one of the greatest strengths humans have, to love. The way that he is able to love and how others are able to love him make him human. He was able to be brought back to life because Katara loves him. Katara’s love and refusal to let him go ultimately saves Aang and bring him back to life. That’s what makes being the avatar so powerful. The fact that they don’t just have this incredible power, but because they are also able to love and be loved in return. By being human, he is able to have the strengths that humans posses.

That is why the Avatar state is only a DEFENSE MECHANISM as Avatar Roku mentioned. He isn’t supposed to be powerful all the time. He’s only supposed to use that in necessary times only. It’s also why he had to learn to control his emotions so he won’t trigger it out of anger.

Which is why the pointy rock thing, even though can count as DEM, it’s makes sense to the story in a sense that there’s a possibility that universe or the avatar’s spirits put that there for Aang so he was able to use his defense mechanism powers to help save the world. Just my thought/ theory. It may not be true but it works for me.

But can we also talk about how Avatar Yanchen also said “By feeling these emotions, it helps you understand how precious human life is so you will do anything to protect it.” Then Aang, despite feeling emotions of pain, grief and anger was still able to find balance balance between saving the world and spare Ozai’s life in the process. Aang, truly found balance between being a powerful spirit but also as a human and air nomad. Like this is why I freaking LOVE Aang as the avatar for his time period. He literally understand how precious human life is and used energy bending (which I think only the Avatar can do with their unique abilities) to save the world. Like he really used his Avatar powers to SPARE a life because he believed that ALL LIFE IS PRECIOUS. The monks taught him that and he was doing it for them too. Like he really combined his duty as the avatar and the teachings of his people who were wiped out and became Avatar Aang. He saved EVERYONE without having to do so at the expense of a single life. Which is why, Avatar Aang deserves all the freaking praise for being a freaking amazing Avatar, human and air nomad.

Not to mention, can we talk about the fact that he achieved this at TWELVE. Every Avatar before him trained to be the avatar at 16. Homeboy was only 12 and he was already out there bending all 4 elements in less than a year and became a prime example of what the avatar must to for the world. LIKE HOW CAN PEOPLE HATE HIM AND CRITIZE HIM SO MUCH. AANG IS BEST BOY <3

Kataang headcanons because I don’t 100% like LOK Kataang canon, I choose not to see.

I freaking LOVE this scene so much. Like can we just talk about how pure it is. Aang knows that Iroh is close with Zuko who has been trying to capture him and his friends. Iroh knows that his nephew is trying to capture the Avatar. Yet, despite this, they don’t hold any grudges. Aang remembers what Toph said and asks for Iroh’s advice. Then Iroh gives Aang some advice like it’s the most natural thing ever. Like they immediately bond and talk in a way that’s just so natural. Like I don’t know if this is popular in the ATLA but can you imagine Aang and Uncle Iroh hanging out. Like it would feel like Aang found someone similar to Monk Gyatso. They would play Pai Sho together, they would literally be silly together and Aang would go to Uncle Iroh sometimes for advice. Like I genuinely believe that they would be close after the series especially since Zuko and Aang are obviously close friends in the end.

Sometimes I think about this moment and how Zuko looks away for a second when Aang says “And now we’re friends.” It makes me emotional because throughout the whole series, we see Zuko having no real friends. His companion in the first two seasons is his uncle Iroh. When he goes back home he has Azula, his sister, Ty Lee (but they don’t really talk and is more Azula’s friend) and Mai, his girlfriend. Even in the flashbacks, we never see him hanging out with a friend. Like in those flashbacks, we see him hanging out with his mom while Azula hangs out with Mai and Ty Lee. So when I see him look to the side I can’t help but him think “yeah, I finally made a friend.” And then I get even more emotional when I think about the blue spirit episode where Aang asks “do you think we could have been friends.” I love their friendship so much.

Aang is best boy. He deserves the world. He is literally the most adorable and sweetest little 12 year old out there. Imagine not loving him, could never be me.

I want to know what they spoke about. Like, they were there for a quite some time before the sun warriors came:

These are some possible things that I can think about:

- Zuko venting time Aang about his Uncle that he loves to much and felt like he disappointed

- Aang telling Zuko about the fire nation slang from 100 years ago and also telling him about his friend Kuzon

-Aang telling Zuko the time that he went to fire nation school for like two days and threw them a dance party.

-Zuko telling Aang about the plays he would watch as a kid with his mom, and how he missed it. Zuko telling Aang that’s how how he came up with the Blue Spirit.

- Aang telling Zuko about Monk Gyatso his father figure and Zuko being shook that fathers treated their children with unconditional love. Then Zuko telling Aang about his experience with Ozai was that his father’s love for him was conditional.

But Iroh x Aang ...

- Iroh teaching Aang the philosophy of each element so he can learn to be a better avatar

- Aang sometimes going to Iroh for some great tea and advice when he needs it

- Iroh being the Gyatso that Aang misses

- Aang playing Pi Sho with Iroh and Aang showing him the techniques that Gyatso showed him

- Aang making sure that Zuko visits his uncle whenever he can because he knows that they miss each other

- Iroh asking Aang for jokes since he believes that Air Nomads have a good sense of humor

- Aang flying Iroh to the fire nation once in a while whenever Iroh misses Zuko and Zuko is preoccupied in the Fire Nation to come to his Tea Shop

ATLA: Nightmares and Daydreams

I know this episode is seen as a filler in Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph’s scenes, but like I can’t help appreciate how they decided to make this filler episode centered around self care,, like in the middle of a war, they still showed the importance of self care which is so wholesome! On top of that, the self care things that Aang was suggested with were yoga, therapy and a massage,, like can it not get more wholesome than that. Not to mention, showed the importance of getting enough sleep and knowing when to rest. Like ATLA creators could have done anything, but nah, they said we gotta teach these young kids that self care is important !! Literally LOVE this episode.