Zutara stan I guess

She/Her | Multiracial | Bisexual | ATLA| Zutara is my OTP | I also love Sukka and MaiLee

[itshouldhavebeencanon]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Capture, Rescue, Pirates, Ba Sing Se, Protective Zuko (Avatar), Badass Katara (Avatar), The Desert, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, I'm making this up as I go, No beta I'll die alone Summary:

Katara is not the type of girl to sit back and let people take advantage of her, but when she's put in the position of protecting her friends in the desert she ends up in a less-than-ideal situation. She would have never imagined that her closest ally would become the fugitive son of the Firelord.

[itshouldhavebeencanon]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 2/? Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Capture, Rescue, Pirates, Ba Sing Se, Protective Zuko (Avatar), Badass Katara (Avatar), The Desert, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, I'm making this up as I go, No beta I'll die alone Summary:

Katara is not the type of girl to sit back and let people take advantage of her, but when she's put in the position of protecting her friends in the desert she ends up in a less-than-ideal situation. She would have never imagined that her closest ally would become the fugitive son of the Firelord.

[perfectlypanda]

Zutara Month 2023 Day 26: How I Met Your Mother

Sneaking into Zutara Month at the last minute like what. I may go back and change the ending of this sometime, I’m not thrilled with it but wanted to finish it before Zutara Month was over.

♥ Please do not repost. If you like it and want to show people, share a link to this page instead. Thank you!

[itshouldhavebeencanon]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Capture, Rescue, Pirates, Ba Sing Se, Protective Zuko (Avatar), Badass Katara (Avatar), The Desert, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, I'm making this up as I go, No beta I'll die alone Summary:

Katara is not the type of girl to sit back and let people take advantage of her, but when she's put in the position of protecting her friends in the desert she ends up in a less-than-ideal situation. She would have never imagined that her closest ally would become the fugitive son of the Firelord.

[stardust948]

Incendiary memes part 13

My predictions for the next chapter

Fanfic by @roslynwrites

Master post

⚠️Spoilers below ⚠️

[itshouldhavebeencanon]

[itshouldhavebeencanon]

Maiko and Jetara are relationships that make Zutara as a relationship even stronger. Even though these two relationships are toxic and I don’t like either of them, I like that they happened. I think these relationships played huge roles in both Zuko and Katara’s characters.

I know that Jet and Katara had a much less established relationship than Mai and Zuko but I think that there's still a lot of character development surrounding this couple. (Also there's more relationship development between Katara and Jet in the show than Katara and Aang. BAM there's your Kataang salt for this meta.)

Maiko and Jetara are different kinds of toxic relationships, Mai and Zuko both want the relationship but lack the communication to be a functional couple, Jet is a manipulator who uses Katara’s infatuation in him to further his own goals. Both of these relationships appeal to Zuko and Katara's want's at the time of entering the relationship.

Zuko wants to feel the same happiness he felt in his childhood, after returning from his banishment. Mai offers that in the form of a relationship with his childhood crush. This relationship cannot work because Mai and Zuko do not understand each other on a fundamental level. Zuko has grown and developed since leaving the fire nation, his views and opinions have changed, making it difficult for Mai to relate to him.

In Nightmares and Daydreams. Zuko looks to be uncomfortable being waited on by servants.

When he expresses his anxiety over an upcoming war meeting, Mai's suggestion to cheer him up is to order around servants for their entertainment, showing a lack of understanding of who Zuko is at this point in his life.

This can also be seen in The Boiling Rock when Mai and Zuko have their final conversation before their conclusion at the end of the finale. When Mai tells him that by leaving he has betrayed his country Zuko explicitly states that they don't see things the same way. When Mai saves Zuko, it's out of caring for him not an understanding of his goals or ideas. This would have been a great place to end their relationship, instead of messily shoving them back together in the finale.

Mai has remained in the toxic environment of the Fire Nation, causing her to form a cold exterior and makes it difficult for Zuko to communicate with her. In episodes like The Beach, Zuko tries to show affection for Mai by bringing her gifts, including the shell and ice cream. Only for her to dismiss his attempts and leads to further disconnect between the two.

After Zuko's attempts at performing acts of service for Mai are refused, he starts to act more aloof, matching Mai. At the party, Mai tells Zuko that she's hungry, he responds "so what". Zuko gives this response very defensively, likely from his genuine confusion on how to please Mai. Mai tells him he should get her food. He does so with no argument, despite his initial defensiveness when he didn't know what she wanted.

Their disconnect climaxes in their argument at the party. Mai accuses Zuko of being "hotheaded" and "blowing up over every little thing". Zuko accuses Mai of "having no passion for anything". This argument demonstrates the communication barrier between the two. Zuko has grown more hotheaded because of the constant pressure he is under and the lack of genuine relationships, manifesting into aggression. Mai has no passion because she was raised in a restrictive household and progressively became more aloof as a defense mechanism.

Katara wants validation on her trauma regarding her mother's death, she is drawn to Jet because he open's up to her about his trauma with his own parents' death. What Katara wants is justified and knowing that Jet used her vulnerability to his advantage is enraging.

She also views Jet as heroic for his quest to free the innocent from the Fire Nation. Katara's desire to defeat the Fire Nation is inherently tied to the loss of her mother and the destruction of her home. Jet becomes more attractive to her because he tells her he's defending people who lack the resources to fight back. Even though Katara may not have realized it, she likely related to the people Jet said he was defending. The Southern Water Tribe also lacked the resources needed to fight back because the Fire Nation had immobilized them by capturing the water benders. Katara admires that they have similar goals and is immediately willing to do what he asks of her until she learns his true intentions.

Jet's betrayal of Katara is so infuriating because not only did he lie, he also used the most vulnerable part of Katara as a way to destroy the town to kill everyone. Making Katara an unknowing accomplice to the murder of the people she wanted to save.

Jet and Zuko are explicitly paralleled in the show. They meet on the ferry going to Ba Sing Se after Zuko and Iroh have been named fugitives by Azula. Jet shares with Iroh and Zuko he 's done some things in his past that he's not proud of and that he's going to Ba Sing Se for a second chance, mirroring Zuko and his reasoning for going to Ba Sing Se. Iroh then acknowledges that both Zuko and Jet can have a second chance.

There is also a lot of parallels between Zuko and Jet in terms of their relationship with Katara. Jet uses Katara's empathy to trick her into aiding him with flooding the town. This is paralleled with how Katara opens up to Zuko in The Crossroads of Destiny and later feels betrayed. You can see Katara has the same rage after seeing both of them after their betrayals.

The difference between Jet and Zuko is that Zuko was genuine. Jet used Katara's empathy and that's why he acknowledges her loss. Zuko has no reason to validate Katara's emotions as he's already secured his spot as Aang's firebending master. He chooses to because he wants to rebuild the trust he destroyed with Katara. Zuko can recognize Katara's resentment stems from the pain of the Fire Nation killing her mother, just like Jet did. However, Zuko offers her a chance to actively face her trauma instead of telling her to suppress it.

When Aang and Sokka find out that Katara is planning to find her mother's killer Aang compares her to Jet. Katara refutes this by saying the Jet attacked the innocent.

This claim Aang makes is incredibly invalidating, He knows how Jet manipulated Katara, using her vulnerability to destroy the village. Comparing that to Katara trying to get closure is illogical. It demonstrates how Zuko had a better understanding of Katara's needs than Aang or Sokka.

Zuko never told her what she should do. He told her he knew how to get information and asked if she wanted to act on that information. Facing her mother's killer gives Katara closure of some kind. She is finally able to forgive Zuko. Katara was able to be vulnerable with Zuko and he acknowledged her.

Katara and Mai are not explicitly paralleled the same way Zuko and Jet are but they still have very interesting connections in the way their relationships with Zuko work. Mai is an inadequate partner for Zuko because of the disconnect between the two. In the first scene these two share, Zuko tries to open up to Mai on his fears about returning to the fire nation and Mai responds with outright dismissal.

Katara is shown to be immediately empathetic towards Zuko. This can be seen in the catacombs scene, as soon as Zuko shows vulnerability Katara is willing to listen.

Also when Zuko is worried about seeing his uncle after betraying him in Ba Sing Se, Katara takes initiative, asking him if he's okay even though he hasn't shared any explicit anxiety. She then listens to his worries and confirms to Zuko that he has earned forgiveness.

So what did we learn today kids? Zuko and Katara's relationship is absolutely supported as growth from past relationships. It would have been a really good message that not every romantic risk you take is going to benefit you. You can also end relationships on good terms the way Jet and Katara did and how Zuko and Mai should have. Having these past relationships furthers the connection between Zuko and Katara through comparison. Can you do that with Kataang? Didn't think so.

[sokkastyles]

You bring up a good point about Zuko’s “so what” when Mai says she’s hungry, and how he’s frustrated because he doesn’t know what she wants. A lot of people act like Zuko is just rude and clueless but if you think back to a few scenes earlier, Zuko brought Mai ice cream that we know from the dialogue was unprompted because he thought she would like it. It’s not either of their faults that the ice cream fell in her lap but her sarcastic response along with her constant rebuffs clearly is a factor in his escalating frustration. He doesn’t just blow up at her for no reason and he calls her on the fact that she doesn’t seem to care about anything and he’s right to do so.

I actually do think Katara and Mai are meant to be foils, as Jet and Zuko are. You can’t miss that Mai represents the choice Zuko made in opposition to the choice Katara represented, and that choosing Mai necessitated betraying Katara. And while Mai’s defining trait is that she doesn’t care, Katara cares so much, and she specifically calls Zuko on not caring what effect his actions have on the world as long as he achieves his goal of capturing Aang when they are talking in the caves.

[itshouldhavebeencanon]

Mailee :)

[stardust948]

I wasn't planning on making another Incendiary meme compilation so soon, but Chapter 20 had me shook.

Here's part 6

Fanfic by @roslynwrites

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

[itshouldhavebeencanon]

Ah such a goddess

[itshouldhavebeencanon]

Haven’t posted in a long ass time but I’m tired and angsty

[konggodzuko]

God, something about Western Air Temple Zutara just hits different.

Zuko’s been crushing on Katara for forever, but either doesn’t realize it or won’t act on it because she doesn’t like him at the moment. So he’s doing his darndest to help her out and do his best in general.

Katara swears she hates Zuko… except her traitorous eyes keep straying to his muscly arms and her traitorous ears love his voice, and he makes her feel thing when he’s the first person to help her without her asking for it. So she’s even madder at him than she would be because he’s making her head all fuzzy.

Enter, Hakoda, who’s just been rescued from jail by this upstanding young man, and sure he’s the Fire Prince, but he’s more of a big sad puppy than anything close to dangerous. Plus, he’s responsible and level-headed, and always helps out, and wouldn’t you know, Katara sure seems to stare at him a lot, so wouldn’t he be a swell son-in-law?

[burst-of-iridescent]

both zuko and katara’s instinctive reaction to being disrespected by older masters of their element was to angrily challenge them to a fight and then kick serious ass despite their total disadvantage in skill and experience, and you’re telling me they aren’t soulmates?

[momsopposed2theoccult-deactivat]

They’re so similar it’s insane.

[stargirl-judooz]

I love when the deeper you look into “opposites” ships it just gets more obvious how compatible they actually are.

[itshouldhavebeencanon]

Just a lil’ something 😊

[itshouldhavebeencanon]

I need more majorly angsty fics where Zuko or Katara get captured and there's a lot of whump and the other person rescues the person who was captured and it ends fluffy. Can somebody please link something like this? I need to fill a void in my soul.

[jetshotpants]

After messing with this for days I’ve reached the conclusion that it just ISN’T GOING TO GET ANY BETTER and I give up. This is based off a gif that I lost, oops. I’m in the process of coloring it but WOW DOES THAT SUCK so who knows if that’ll ever actually happen

So basically, all you need to take away from this is that I tried!

[janadoesstuffwrong]

Extremely minor things that live rent free in my zutara heart:

Katara being the one to bring up Zuko in the Chase and then basically defend his haircut.

"If Fire and Water are opposites, then what's the opposite of Air?" "I guess it's Earth." .... "You're working with your Natural opposite." 'Bitter Work' really said zutara/taang rights!

Katara's awkward little "I'm sorry I yelled at you" (reminder, still lifelong enemies at this point)

"I THOUGHT YOU HAD CHANGED!" "I have changed."

That little bead of sweat that fans down Zuko's face when Katara looks up at him while choosing whether he should stay or go.

We all know the little smile Zuko does when he sees Katara at his door, but let's just stop and think abt how his face just falls... One look and he knows exactly what's coming.

"You might have everyone else buying your transformation. But you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past" Gets me every time. It's so personal!

Katara's little run out of the room after she threatens Zuko. I know that run, I've run that run! That's a 'if I don't get out of this room in the next three seconds, I might show how I'm really feeling and ruin the moment' run.

And Zuko's face watching her go!! The Regret!!

The fact that Katara tells Zuko she will kill him if he is even slightly sketchy or gives the slightest impression he might try capturing the avatar again... And then when Zuko leaves, literally like a day later, headed for an unknown part of the Fire Nation, fully armed, with said Avatar!!! She's just like, 'well the man said it was for firebending lessons.' Maybe Aang isn't the one you're scared Zuko will hurt again, Katara.

Also, totally chill with him taking her brother (the only member of her family she has left at this moment) to another unknown location alone. This whole not trusting Zuko thing is really working out.

"What happened to the war balloon?" "It kinda got destroyed."

"Oh yeah, what's your little form called?" "The dancing dragon", and then "It's funnier when uncle tells it." "Maybe that's because he remembers the whole thing." The fact that Katara's the one he doesn't snap at for poking fun at him. He knows he kinda has it coming from her end. In fact these moments even seem to make Zuko feel more welcome.

Every moment when Katara's back is turned to Zuko and her angry expression is replaced by literally this emoji 🙁.

Zuko getting up and following Katara up to the cliffs while the others stay seated, all confused. The drama!

"This isn't fair." He cares so, so, so much about Katara's opinion of him. He doesn't need her trust, it certainly hasn't impeded his ability to train the Avatar or become a member of the group (Again, side-eyejng the whole 'not-trusting-zuko)

On that note: "And I don't know why, but I do care what she thinks of me." They are really hitting all the enemies to lovers stops on their way aren't they? I mean, he basically just said 'I have absolutely no idea why I care about Katara so much, but I do!'

"I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO TRUST YOU, REMEMBER! AND YOU TURNED AROUND AND BETRAYED ME." And it finally spills out. This is personal. She doesn't think he isn't to be trusted with her friends or their mission, her behaviour in the last several episodes shows that. Oh no, she just doesn't trust him with her friendship or- dare I say it- her heart. Because he's already shown he has the power to hurt both.

"Your mother was a brave woman." "I know."

When Katara sees Zuko waiting for her outside her tent, her first comment is on how he looks...

"You should rest, you'll need all your strength." "Oh don't you worry about my strength, I have plenty." Yes Zuko, you check up on her wellbeing!!

"You don't remember her, you will soon, trust me."

Katara throwing her arms around his neck, eyes closed as she rests her head on his shoulder, after approaching him with a soft smile. Then his arms immediately coming up to loop around her waist, his eyes also closed, and his face likely buried in her hair because my girl has a lot of hair!!! And then them just holding on for several seconds!!! Then the absolutely serene looks on their faces. AND THEN HE TURNS AND WATCHES HER GO! I'm sorry, but there is absolutely no platonic explanation, guys. This one hug is more beautiful and romantic than any kiss in this entire show.

Zuko wedging himself between Katara and Aang in the most obtrusive way possible. Like, hey I wonder which member of the gaang he feels most comfy with!

"You didn't really say that did you?" "I might as well have."

Katara and Zuko mutually being the de facto leaders of the group throughout the entire last episode.

Upon being told that Zuko (reminder, guy who up until recently, wanted to capture Aang) is attacking Aang, Katara's reaction is 'Zuko this is so unlike you, why would you ever want to hurt Aang?!' In case we need a recap: "You make one step backwards, one slip up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang, and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore."

Katara is the one who makes Zuko join the group hug, I repeat KATARA IS THE ONE WHO MAKES ZUKO JOIN THE GROUP HUG!!!

Katara introducing Zuko to people!

Zuko's eye sliding up to Katara on the saddle after Iroh tells him he won't be going back to the Fire Nation with him.

Katara sprinting to Zuko with that look on her face after the Agni Kai. He really was the only thing she was fighting for in that battle, wasn't he.

Katara's fingers being in Zuko's hair when she turns him over.

[burst-of-iridescent]

might i also add that katara is the one who says “sure!” (curious, friendly, not at all hostile) when zuko asks if the group wants to hear uncle’s tea joke