Location: The Jasmine Dragon

A:TLA universe sideblog. Aang and Beifongs stan account. Ao3 @ acommontater

[comradekatara]

“comics about what happened to zuko’s mother! atla live action movie! avatar show about what happened to the avatar after aang! atla live action netflix show! adult gaang movie! avatar show about what happened to the avatar after korra!”

[wileycap]

Ohh yeah no this one I HAVE to post sorry I don't know if somebody else has said this i hope not i desperately want to be original oh whoops the post is starting

The bending techniques in ATLA are martial arts, yes? The strikes are strikes, throws are throws, blocks are blocks, etc. There's a lot of stage combat mixed in, right? But the strikes are strikes and if somebody does a blocking motion, there's usually a blocking action that happens as a result.

I promise I am getting there.

Toph holds up a building. She has a specific technique she uses to do that. I bet you're thinking: "oh ok, she can do that" and "duh, do you have a technique for holding up a box?" and "no need to overexplain this in a tumblr post", but alas, you are on tumblr and this is a post. And baby I am an accomplished overexplainer. And also the version of an abstract you that I just made up in my head for that bit was pretty rude, so maybe work on that? Ok good. No i don't need to talk to the therapist about projecting my negative self talk onto others i'm literally fine ugh

It'd be more interesting if that was a pro brestling move (sorry for calling it that) that she repurposed in the moment - holding big things up is part and parcel of wrestling for sure.

But! There is another!

There is only one scenario in which fighters hold each other for an extended period of time! It's. Well they're called holds. Grap- grappling holds. Sorry, I massively overplayed the drama of my set-up, especially since I literally mentioned wrestling and holding in the previous paragraph. And since fighters often hold each other tenderly in the small hours, or so I've been told. Though it can't be comfortable sleeping in so much body oil, I've always wondered.

And FINALLY I get to say it: I think Toph gets the Library in a hold and is trying to manouver it so she can submit it.

I repeat. I think. That Toph is trying to, metaphorically, flip the building on its front so she can get it in a metaphorical chokehold. And. I'm not trying to start anything here. BUT. I think it should be pointed out that technically, the library did, by virtue of going into the Spirit World, run away.

[lizardlicks]

i would say a face lock rather than a choke hold.

wan shi tong def tapped tho

[the-red-one-394]

I have always thought that Zuko's scar was positioned weirdly, if it is a handprint why is it perfectly sideways across one eye? It almost seems too perfect and conveniently placed, realisticly it would be more at an angle - a more natural hand placement for the position Zuko was in compared to Ozai.

Surely Zuko would have naturally flinched away from the pain, his body trying to escape in a knee jerk reaction - causing the scar to be less recognisable as a hand and more off center. I always just assumed this was convenient character design, allowing for easier animation whatever.

However, the placement makes perfect sense if Zuko was lying on his side. Ozai set his sons face on fire and held him in place, pinned to the ground to ensure he could not escape until the damage was permenant. I am now obsessed with Zuko struggling with regular sleeping positions because lying against a cold surface always makes his nightmares and flashbacks worse.

Iroh begging a thirteen year old Zuko to please try and sleep because he hasn't for three days and his fever from the infection won't go down. Zuko learning to sleep sat up instead of lying down, the gaang always picking fun at him for being 'paranoid', not understanding. On especially cold nights the gaang all sleeping slightly closer to Zuko, keeping him warmer and safer after finding out about his scar and trauma.

Toph sitting up with him on nights where he cannot close his eyes without seeing flames, the earthbender being able to sense his uncontrollable heartbeat during a panic attack. Sokka beginning to insist that he is too hot at night, giving Zuko extra blankets to lie on as to not feel the cold stone underneath him. Katara watching over him as he sleeps, because even though she despises him her motherly instincts kick in as she watches him wake up from the fifth night terror that night.

Aang noticing that Zuko always seems to be calmer around animals, making up excuses so that Zuko always has Momo near or on him during the night. Zuko waking up after the agni kai with Azula, surrounded by his friends all dog piled on top of him and realising that he has slept without fear on his side for the first time in three years.

[lilaclupin]

[oyuna-art]

A bit of flare:]

[atlaculture]

Cultural Practices: Fire Nation School Instruments

I'm honestly surprised I didn't get around to do this sooner.

The instruments played at the Fire Nation school in "The Headband" (Book 3, Episode 2) are mostly Chinese, with the exception of the Mongolian horsehead fiddle. If you click on the name of each instrument, it'll link to a YouTube video showcasing their sound.

Zhongruan

The zhongruan (中阮) is a Chinese plucked string instrument. The zhongruan has a straight neck with 24 frets on the fingerboard and 4 strings. Its strings were traditionally made from silk, with the number of strands of silk determining the thickness of each string. As you can imagine, this gave the zhongruan an aristocratic association, historically. This makes it a very appropriate instrument to play in an elite Fire Nation school.

Xiao Tanggu

The xiao tanggu (堂鼓), meaning "small chamber drum" is a traditional Chinese drum meant to be played vertically with two small drumsticks. The membrane of the drum is traditionally made from buffalo hide. The xiao tanggu is used to produce more higher pitched sounds than its full-sized counterpart, the da tanggu (大鼓) or "large chamber drum".

Dizi

The dizi (笛子) is a Chinese transverse flute. It is traditionally made from bamboo. One aspect of the dizi that makes it unique from other wooden flutes is the existence of the mo kong (膜孔). The mo kong is a special covered hole that lies between the between the embouchure and finger-holes on the flute. The cover of the hole, called the dimo (笛膜), is made from the tissue-like membrane of bamboo, which gives the dizi a buzzing-sounding timbre.

Pipa

I've wrote at length about the pipa before, so I'll just quote from that post. The pipa (琵琶) is a traditional Chinese lute. The teardrop-shaped, four-stringed pipa is quite an old instrument, being over a thousand years old. The Fire Nation school children play their pipas in the very traditional, millennium-old style.

Morin Khuur

I've also written at length about the Mongolian horsehead fiddle or morin khuur (ᠮᠣᠷᠢᠨ ᠬᠣᠭᠣᠷ), so I'll be quoting that post as well. The notable characteristics of the horsehead fiddle are its trapeziform sound box and its carved horsehead scroll. Both the string of its bow and the two strings of the instrument are made from horsehair, with one string being stallion tail hair and the other string being mare tail hair.

[i115ve]

iloveher

[holyurtadamn]

Katara fights in internet with everyone who speaks badly about her baby boy

[ladylucitor]

The avatar who loves

[permanent-detention]

they’re on time for the meeting, everyone else is late

[edelwary]

ophelia but make it the best waterbender

[velnna]

doodled Aang for an ATLA stamp rally at MCM London ✨

(more details here)

[solo-walker]

Among the various foods from different cultures that we see incorporated in ATLA (albeit with a fantasy twist), may I humbly suggest the fire paan? It's basically your usual south/south-east asian paan (aka betel leaves, areca nut, slaked lime, assorted spices etc.) except...

IT'S LITERALLY ON FIRE.

yeah, the seller sets it on fire after making it, and you fold and pop it into your mouth while it's still aflame. no, it doesn't burn your palate because it extinguishes once it's inside your mouth. and no, i haven't had the fortune of personally trying it, despite it being a popular and thrilling street food here.

so yeah, i don't know what 'fireflakes' are but this thing seems like something you'd find in a FN fairground or marketplace stall.

[aisatsaa]

if only Gyatso had run away with Aang

[xiaq]

One of the best things about being a writer is thinking of something small you can add to your work that’s just. Devastating. Like you’re sitting there going. Oh. That would be diabolical. People would get really riled up about that. Exquisite. Let’s do it.

[aboutiroh]

I don’t think Iroh is the type of person to second-guess himself, but I’d like to imagine his smug smile at the end of his talk with Aang was nevertheless preceded by the slightest hint of doubt.

[dukeofdelirium]

ISN’T IT A BIT U N E T H I C A L ?

[bastart13]

I've been needing a holiday, so I was looking for something fun to do right in my art comfort zone

That and looking back at the Avatar novels... well, what's more in my comfort zone than a bunch of busts?

I absolutely adore designing big sprawling families and figuring out the resemblances. The Avatar style is one of the biggest inspirations for my art style so it's fun trying to turn it back around

Generation versions below because tumblr's absolutely going to eat the quality of this