What's so special about Zuko and Katara in the Crossroads of Destiny episode is the fact that both of them have reached a breaking point in their current lives.
Katara is no longer an anonymous waterbender but a master waterbender and is becoming more active in the war efforts.
Zuko is no longer a banished prince but a fugitive of his own country.
Both of them no longer have their usual defense around them when they are in prison together in the catacombs.
They are both torn away from everyone they can hide behind.
Zuko doesn't have Uncle.
Katara doesn't have her brother, Toph and Aang.
So they are both at their breaking point and rather than attack each other or hurt each other, they try to understand each other and why and how this war has both impacted them.
After all this time, it's just a really tender and vulnerable moment for both of them, and they were both able to see that they were both teenagers forced to grow up too fast.
A couple scenes from Kpop demon hunters reminded me of Zutara.
Especially the catacombs scene and how close Katara was to emotionally breaking down.
She was literally about to go into a panic attack in front of Zuko, and he helped her get through it instead of attack her.
Watching this scene as a kid, I didn't know the signs, but as an adult, I could see them.
Katara was hugging herself, the slight shaking, and trying not to cry.
She's alone.
Everyone is gone.
At that moment, it's just her by herself in this situation.
It's just her at one of her most vulnerable moments, and Zuko chose to help her instead of making it worse.
I don't think anyone really realizes how much that can impact a person.
Kpop demon hunters reminded me of this.
That's why Katara had a very hard time with letting herself be seen like that again around him.
That's why her walls were up so high for so long.
That's why Zuko fought so hard to get her trust back. They understand each other. They helped each other, and when the time comes, they'll be there for each other again and again.
