I suppose one thing that is misunderstood about the OG Zutara shippers is our passionate dislike for Bryke. It's not because our ship wasn't canon in the end, it's because we were teased!
I was 16 in 2005 (Zuko's age). When I started watching the show, Aang's initial infatuation for Katara was passed off in my mind as admiration and wonder. He's 12. Kids are whimsical, and he woke up with her hovering over him.. When Zuko's story started to develop more in season one, I was totally thinking enemies to lovers, Beauty and the Beast, totally cliche but I dig it! So I guess that was my dumb fault for just expecting it.
But you know what fueled these thoughts and made us actually believe this would happen?
The previews for next week's episode!
They teased it all the time!
It's why LJ and AvatarSpirit.net hosted legendary debates for Kataang vs. Zutara.
When Toph was introduced, I was convinced Taang would be a thing (that is until it was revealed she had a crush on Sokka, but girls like older guys).
Girls like older guys (look, I'm 33 now, my husband is 38)!
I did say I was 16 when this came out. One year older than Katara -- it made sense I wouldn't consider the 12 year old as a viable love interest lol. I myself wasn't thinking, "Yo, that 12 year old boy is looking fine!"
But as the show carried on into season 2, I started thinking maybe there would be a love triangle between them? Aang is getting serious with this crush, but look, Zuko is on his way to redemption!
Like after Zuko Alone, it was all but confirmed in my mind he'd be on the good side in the end. Which meant Zutara possibilities!
...do you all remember the preview for the S2 finale?
Pure fucking ship baiting my friends!! Zutara was teased! We were teased! It was dangled in our face!
Then Aang was presented with the duty of giving Katara up in exchange of mastering the Avatar State (or something like that, it's been a hot minute since I've watched the entire show all the way through), and I thought for sure, "Here we go!"
And then CoD events happened and I was disappointed in Zuko. Okay, he wasn't ready. Next season will be this huge climax for his character... okay, okay.
Then Comic Con again mother fucka!
All ships were teased! We had a Maiko kiss that came out of seemingly nowhere, a Zutara hug (could it be?), Kataang...it was just all over! But besides all the banging action and kick ass trailer music, once again, the shippers were baited.
Going into S3, I was starting to have my doubts, but the fan content was amazing while in-between seasons and episodes.
You'll notice a huge difference in a lot of earlier fanfics -- these were somethings directly influenced by theories of "what if xyz and then abc". It was a huge thing back then! It's what kept the love and passion for the ship strong.
And then S3 had this severely under developed Maiko, and, tbh, in my opinion, that whole relationship did not do Zuko justice. He's such a 3 dimensional character, and Mai was still very 2. Some may argue her redemption point at BR makes up for it, but let's face it, she wasn't very well developed, and her bland personality combined with her insensitivity towards Zuko, the servants, was just one big turn off after another. I kept thinking, "why is this a thing? Is this also helping Zuko see the light? Oh! Maybe! Yeah, add to his misery and regret, Mai!"
But then she was suddenly good in the end I guess that's okay because people can have a change of heart, but...okay. Mai is just okay. Suitable for Zuko's grand character arc? Debatable.
And then there's just S3 Kataang that also didn't feel right. It was kinda forced with 2 surprise kisses, and Katara at the end is okay with all this? Aang had some duex ex machina in his battle against Ozai. What about giving up his earthly attachments? He still gets the girl, after continually running away from things and being a pouty child during Ember Island Players? Excuse me, what happened? What are we teaching kids? That just because you like someone, they have to like you back? Alrighty then!!
Don't get me wrong, I do like Aang, but his perception of "hero getting the girl no matter what" kind of threw me. I know it happened, but I would have preferred it to be handled better. Instead, it was very much a 12 year old, who perceives the world very much like a child would, getting everything he wants magically in the end. I mean, they didn't even talk about anything at the end. Just kissed. Okay...15 year old Katara would totally do that lol.
Now, by the time Zuko did join in S3, there would not have been proper development time either for romance. However, I would have preferred it to all have been open ended.
Also, rewind, let's not forget the preview for TSR, like there was any hope at the time, but they still rubbed it in our face!
They ended the series as good friends, and I love their closeness after TSR, but then it's like none of that happened as soon as we enter the shitty comics. I mean...what?!
Bryke built a beautiful world, full of rich and fun characters, and then tarnished said characters with shitty romance arcs, all the while laughing at their fans and enjoying teasing the fuck out of us.
This is why I threw myself into fandom. A lot of fics write romance better than Bryke, probably because their goal isn't to tease the fandom lol.