Once again Avatar posting because I've never seen it pointed out how in S1E15 when they go ice dodging and they're going up against some rocks that they can't sail through (not without difficulty), Bato tells them to turn around and find another way, that Sokka (and the rest) have already proven themselves, that due to the attempted genocide (and successful cultural genocide) of the south Bato has likely never seen their ships how they could have traditionally been.
Noone can remember a time where the southern tribe had benders, where they had an actual bending culture. Where the hunts and the fishing trips and the foraging in the tundra and literally everything was accompanied by waterbenders. Throwing up snow or ice to block the route of an animal, gathering up fish and safely navigating sudden rapids, clearing and creating paths to local flora and strengthening ice sheets so noone fell in.
Sokka is the first of the Southern Water Tribe to relearn how to sail with a bender, to trust that they can navigate far beyond the capabilities of a rudder should they need to.
Katara brought bending back to the South, and Sokka matched it every step of the way (well,,,,, every step of the way post Kyoshi lmao) and I'm so,,,
I forgot just how autistic I am about this damn show