he/they ⊛ call me onyx ⊛ atla/lok content centric blog, meta/analyses, fanart/doodles and other fun stuff. ⊛ mutlishipper living my best life ⊛ I can talk a lot in tags (certified yapper™)
I love how by the first episode that Zuko is a full member of the gaang (The Firebending Masters) even though he's pretty clearly uncomfortable and unsure how to fit in with them partly cause he knows he hasn't yet done enough to be redeemed to them, the other characters, like Sokka namely, are already fully comfortable pissing him off on purpose and find his angry reactions funny instead of intimidating. Like they figured out immediately that he's all bark no bite with people he actually likes or wants the approval of, that you can (literally) poke the bear all you want and all he'll do is growl at you. He knows it's part of his atonement to put up with them annoying the crap out of him, and they all know that Zuko's anger is actually safe. He's a safe person to be angry with and he's a safe person to make angry.
it’s actually so funny that sokka only told two people about what happened with yue, and purely by default, zuko’s response was more sensitive and tactful. like yes, obviously “that’s rough, buddy” is a ridiculous thing to say, but at least he was technically expressing his condolences. suki didn’t even bother with a perfunctory “damn that sucks” after he told her his last girlfriend died in his arms she was just immediately like “sooooo.. that means ur single?”
”#it’s important to recognize that zuko & suki are BOTH freaks but suki has infinite dyke swag so it cancels out whereas zuko is just a loser, #‘I lost someone too. he didn’t die.’ GIRL READ THE ROOM, #she’s crazy she’s so crazy she wants sokka so bad it makes her look stupid, #at least zuko had the courtesy to be like F in the chat, #no wonder sokka didn’t tell anyone else abt yue…., #mind you toph and aang would have more tact. they’d be like wow I’m so sorry that happened. because they’re normal., #and then in the boy in the iceberg suki learns more about what happened and she’s like damn u got freakayy w wthe moon, #while sokka is clearly going thru it, #suki u can sit w complicated emotions for a single second. it won’t kill u, #she’s so fucking funny, #and perfect for sokka in every way”
yesterday I was explaining the intricacies of lok to my friend who has only seen atla, and he (like the rest of us) just couldn’t get over the fact that they made toph a cop. he was trying to figure out what about toph’s personality (you know, considering that it’s entirely antithetical to becoming someone who acts as an agent of the state to enforce systemic violence) would lead the writers to this conclusion. and it occurred to me that I do think many people, even those who vehemently denounce toph’s copness, do sort of assume that toph loves violence for the sake of violence. she is introduced as saying “I love fighting, and im really really good at it,” and she is shown committing various acts of violence against others (including her friends) with a grin on her face. but I still wouldn’t characterize toph as someone who employs violence for violence’s sake.
toph is, externally, defined by her limits. she is small, she is blind, she is young, she is a girl; she was raised to be soft and delicate and helpless. toph’s first true expression of freedom is when she learns to use her disability as a boon and uses her earthbending not as a weapon, but as an extension of herself. to toph, earthbending is a form of self-expression. it is an artform. I think people tend to forget that when toph says that she loves fighting, she’s not just saying that she loves the thrill of beating arrogant, gigantic, muscled men thrice her size (although of course there is also that), but she’s also saying that she loves practicing a martial art for artistry’s sake.
unlike the boulder, who only listens to his big muscles, toph waits, listens, innovates, creates, hones her craft. and while her earthbending is indeed a martial art, it is also a site of innovation, a visual art, and most importantly, a disability aid. the earth is an extension of herself; it is her artistic medium. yes, of course toph does love being able to exert power over others as a ragefilled tiny twelve year old blind girl who has been denied agency her entire life, but power is not her primary motivation when honing her earthbending. she cares about craft, about innovation, about being one with the earth. unlike all the other earth rumblers and dai li agents and earth kingdom soldiers, toph is a deliberate, thoughtful, considerate earthbender. fighting is an art, and toph is an artist.
Because she's a blood bender, despite her doing good and helping the avatar, they don't want to glorify someone that has taboo bending
I’m glad you asked, Anon, because I’ve thought a lot about Hama and her role in the ATLA narrative as a whole since I wrote this post abt how Hama, as the only powerful female waterbender being villainsed is discrimination against WOC.
I agree that the invasive and violent portrayal of bloodbending in The Puppetmaster and The (oh-so controversial) Southern Raiders isn’t something that should be glorified, particularly in a show w anti-war themes.
The thing is, one has to wonder why blood bending is uniquely more taboo than any other element. The narrative specifically contrives a situation wherein a token elder indigenous-coded WOC warrior is villainised. Hama makes for a very compelling antagonist, with some variation on the typical buff male earth/firebender. But she is the only elder female warrior on the entire show, and one of four old ladies in all of ATLA, the other three being Lo and Li and Kanna. Compare then with the amount of strong old men on the show (King Bumi, Pakku, Iroh, Jeong-Jeong, Roku, there are so many omg, you get the picture).
*(I’m not counting Yagoda from Siege of the North nor the elderly herbalist in The Blue Spirit, and not the nuns in Bato of the Watertribe who all have increasingly tenuous importance in the show. I’m talking a real supporting character w palpable influence. And lines.)
They framed bloodbending as somehow exceptionally dangerous, even insinuating it has some kind of addictive aspect to it (???). Conversely, they’ve never demonised another element in the same way. Firebending, especially in The Deserter, did get a bad reputation, and yet Jeong-Jeong, who used firebending unethically when he was in the army, is not demonized beyond repair in the way Hama is. He’s a wise and complicated character with his humanity intact. Asphyxiating someone with airbending, for example, giving someone mercury poisoning or even bending the iron in someone’s blood via metalbending could all be just as deadly and morally disgusting and yet again, bloodbening = only evil bending.
Note: all of these are things that explicitly happened in LOK and they never had a special episode to make a caricature out of an indigenous character. Except when they did exactly that w bloodbending throughout the second half of season one, wherein two waterbenders-turned-bloodbenders (Tarrlokk and Noatak) are the antagonists. In fact, throughout LOK a staggering majority of waterbenders turn out to be villains. I could honestly go further in how indigenous-coded characters are misrepresented in LOK (particularly with Korra herself, not to mention Katara….) but that’s another can of worms.
Back to Puppetmaster, Hama used bloodbending as a last resort to combat imprisonment and genocide. The whole message of how that was handled, with her corrupting Katara and ultimately going to prison, really, harkened back to a sort of trivialised black and white morality that says that all acts of violence are equal, dismissing the context of reactionary acts of violence used against systemic violence. It just feels disingenuous to treat Hama this way when ex-imperialists like Iroh and Jeong Jeong or sexists like Pakku are forgiven with complex arcs and grey morality.
I loved The Puppetmaster as a dark halloween episode that gave depth to Katara’s character and some perspective on the SWT genocide. And @araeph did a really good meta on how Hama represents Katara’s fate had she let her resentment overtake her and suggested the entire episode be expanded into a 3-part arc. That would’ve indeed fleshed out some of that episode’s problems, giving it the time and attention it deserved and added much needed depth. On the other hand, this might’ve also detracted from the plot (adding to the pacing mess that was Book 3) as we approached the final battles in Sozin’s Comet.
What might’ve genuinely helped was to not treat Hama as a token villain by contrasting her w a number of equally talented elder female warriors/waterbenders who aren’t evil. But as it was, a single episode with a one-off character, with relation to how it (mis)represented elder women, indigenous WOC, etc, it irked me. Hama is, for no logical reason beyond unintentional racism, singled out as inherently evil.
I mean look at them, don’t they deserve better? Doesn’t Katara deserve a mentor who won’t abuse her?
Hey there anon! Not in the strict sense of the term, no.
I do have an about where I briefly introduce myself and my general stances, including things I have little patience for as an individual behind the screen. So if you're looking for that, I'd nudge you: right this way.
I also have a planned pinned post in the works that would detail some of my stances further. (soon™)
I appreciate your question and your interest! But combined experience and age have made me take an old school approach to this kind of thing.
If you must take away something a little more concrete though: I'm queer and I'm in my 30s. I lean toward inclusivity and being mindful of others. That being said, I don't have time for dickheads and bigots nor the time to give an extensive list of my labels or what triggers me. The internet doesn't need to know every little thing about me *shrug emoji*
Ty Lee’s character: an attempt at a deeper analysis through symbolism, context clues and her place within her social circle
Foreword - why I’m writing this
To give you the full context, I’ve recently been dipping my toes back into ATLA and some of my meanderings have made me develop newfound appreciation for characters from the fire nation, most notably Ty Lee. It is meaningful, because she was one of those characters I didn’t really pay that much attention to before, as she never made a strong impression on me back in the day.
But since I’ve been exploring the character of Azula through various fanfic ideas (we’ll see if I ever get to finishing those ahem), by extension, I’ve been interested in trying to analyze how the mean girl triumvirate functions and- well. Turns out Ty Lee is kind of an underrated oddball, and my brain decided to fully latch onto her.
So here I am, trying to figure out how to best portray her for the stories I have in mind, while also trying to stay true to her character and doing it justice. And through various readings sessions of meta, something becomes clear.
Ty Lee is one of those characters that is very easy to misinterpret. She appears simple, fairly straightforward; she is capable while still retaining manners and personality traits that make her girly, cute and subservient, her having a decidedly supporting role throughout the show. With that, add the fact she is put next to characters that are either much more assertive, charismatic, or stubborn than her, and she kinda… fades in the background. She bends (ha, get it?) in a way that makes her surprisingly evasive, and as result, she is actually harder to nail down and figure out than what first meets the eye.
And something else stood out - the various metas I’ve read didn’t really spend time trying to analyze the situation and various settings she navigates. Although it is very easy to fall into that kind of oversight - I feel this is what actually informs a lot of her character. So here’s, hopefully, a perspective on her in the OG tv series (and only within that series) that is a little different and that’ll bring something new to the table.
Buckle up, this is fairly long. (More under the cut)
Starting point: audience contention regarding Ty Lee at the end of the show’s canon
Let’s start with a situation most people who’ve watched show will be familiar with, and one of the things that is at the forefront of the discussions surrounding Ty Lee: her decision to join the Kyoshi warriors. More precisely, some people would point this choice of hers as either arriving from left field and/or being OOC.
I think this perception is not illogical and perhaps even expected. But it’s mostly a consequence of the rushed finale + her being a supporting character and thus the development we see of her is bound to be smaller compared to others. Now, with that being said I’d argue her joining the Kyoshi warriors is not OOC. But’s let’s unpack that and see where that thread lead us, shall we?
Let’s start with the immediate situation and its implication.
Some people rightfully pointed out the circumstances in which Ty Lee would have bonded with the Kyoshi warriors would allow for a connection to be both authentic in nature, and go deeper than surface level. Namely, bonding in prison (a very particular kind of setting) and because she defied and stood against an important authority figure within the fire nation, short of standing to the firelord himself, and as a result, she also effectively resisted the very nation she was previously fine enforcing the rules for.
Of course, we as an audience know the reasons that enabled this choice. And these reasons aren’t motivated by idealism or a sudden understanding of her role within the larger context of the war.
She isn’t an antagonist seeing the errors of her ways and this isn’t a conscientious decision to ‘’change sides’’. She is a person who is put into a tense, grueling situation, someone that is essentially asked to choose between two friends and whose answer is to go against the one with more power over the situation (and unsurprisingly, the one that was potentially at the helm of most of the mistreatment she suffered during her time with her).
Regardless of intent, this choice is significant and holds weight.
It is courageous, and yes, I’d argue it is also noble even if it is selfish. And if Ty Lee was truthful with the Kyoshi warriors about the circumstances directly causing her to end up where she did, explaining her choice without leaving place for ambiguity (which, yknow, is up for debate, this is taking place off-screen), the Kyoshi warriors would probably still see this decision as brave, regardless of their personal opinion on Ty Lee’s motivations.
Change doesn’t happen overnight, yet, this is an action with deep ramification: Ty Lee suffers the consequences immediately and drastically. There is no ambiguity about what she did, as well as the gravity of her action, so she cannot walk that back. That creates a potential catalyst for her to adjust her perpective, something that could lead her to actually stand up to authoritarianism and injustice outside of purely interpersonal incentives. And I think the Kyoshi warriors would recognize that, first and foremost. Especially seeing their own history as an independent political entity and the founding of their order.
Now, with that part acknowledged and out of the way, there’s also several other aspects of Ty Lee’s character that makes this choice to stand against Azula logical, and yes, also the choice to join the Kyoshi warriors not so far fetched. And I’d also argue, aspects that make her overall decisions / motivations as a character much more obvious to us.
Let’s get into the meat of the analysis, shall we?
Ty Lee’s introduction scene - framing where the implicit is king
First, remember, Ty Lee is introduced in a very particular way.
We very quickly come to understand she basically said ‘’fuck this I’m outta here’’ to her old life, getting away from her family and, by extension, the social circle she also developed throughout her training at school. We can speculate how much that was a spur of the moment decision, or something she pondered on for months, if not years. We can also speculate on whether this was the result of a singular and remarkable incident, or a series of repeated events / persistent dynamics that made her situation regarding life at home feel untenable. But essentially, we as the audience are shown she ran away.
This is not neutral at all, although I insist on the fact this is shown. It is not outright stated, as Azula seems particularly avoidant regarding the exact circumstances leading Ty Lee to ditch her old life in the first place.
QUOTE: ’’Tell me what is the daughter of a noble man doing here? Certainly our parents didn’t send us to the royal fire academy for girls to end up in’’ (pregnant pause) ’’-places like this?’’ Azula — EP3, S2
So while the scene has a serious undertone, it still remains fairly light and we already have a very highly significant bit of information. But wait, there’s more. Where does she run off to again? Oh, yeah, the circus! Now this is even more interesting.
Yes, this means she can revel in the attention she would get as a performer. And of course this plays to her strengths (flexibility and agility, athleticism, showmanship, charm), which allows further recognition for her abilities as a unique individual. But I find that it’s highly meaningful that the place she chose, the place where she thinks she would belong and be appreciated, if not the place where she could be appreciated most, is the motherfucking circus of all things. Why? Well.
The circus is a highly symbolic and dramatic setting. It is a place of wonder but also of tragedy, as it centers a lot of dynamics surrounding both performances for the sake of an audience as well as social hierarchies.
Perhaps you see where I’m going with this…
The circus as a framing and foreshadowing device; a setting that informs Ty Lee’s past, her motivations and echoes her eventual role within Azula’s orbit
Now I need to specify this part is a little more speculative by nature, simply because we don’t have that much context to go off of on that aspect of Fire Nation culture as a whole - circuses and the likes I mean. But we certainly have enough to infer a few things, don’t we?
Let’s start with what is outright stated to us, the audience.
This decision? Oh, this is a decision that is both unexpected and that reflects badly on her - as far as conventions go. I mean, from Azula’s comment alone the circus is implied to be low brow entertainment, a place that is without a doubt beneath Ty Lee’s social status; she shouldn’t be there. It is also unsurprising the only affirmation she receives regarding that decision later on (as it is not judged) is coming from Mai - someone that has a few unconventional tastes and attitudes herself.
QUOTE: (Puzzled and soft voice) ’’I thought you ran off and joined the circus, you said it was your calling.’’ Mai — EP3, S2
So there’s already a not so subtle element of nonconformity from Ty Lee, as well as perceived class betrayal / class traitor behavior from Azula’s perspective taking place in that scene.
And alright, let’s play devils advocate for a hot second. Maybe it is the most convenient thing to do for Ty Lee, the most efficient, the fastest way to get away, and she doesn’t care as long it allows her to put enough distance between her and her initial situation. Maybe not. Maybe this is informed by a lot more than just practicality (we’ll get to it later). Regardless, Ty Lee still made that choice.
Now, let’s add another layer to the analysis by looking at what kind of places circuses are IRL. And more particularly by noting the specific time period that is hinted at within the show’s timeline (industrial revolution) - the direct result of the fire nation’s being a technological powerhouse.
In that era, circuses were places of popular entertainment, and most notably places where freak shows were taking place.
Now, this is perhaps another element that causes Azula to find the whole thing distasteful, perhaps not (does she know?). But with that dimension, this shifts things into something else, doesn’t it? Much more grimy aspects come into the subtext, as well as potential social commentary. Because, there comes the unavoidable dynamics inherent to entertainment as an economical sector, especially popular entertainment: exploitation and objectification, where physical differences are made into a spectacle and that are othered further through the process.
Hm. Wait, wait… doesn’t some of this sound… familiar?
Sub-section; life in the circus: potential exploitation
While Ty Lee may not be at the bottom of the barrel in the circus hierarchy for the (unknown) amount of time she spent there, she is a performer first in that particular context, and the extent of her agency probably begins and ends at her own numbers and her routine.
Now, perhaps her status as a noble could prevent her from full on blown exploitation, or at least the nastier aspects of it (if she doesn’t hide that fact from the ringmaster). But I’d say there is enough lingering ambiguity about the whole she-bang where that info could also be used against her own interests, depending on how exploitative that circus headmaster is.
If she did mention it, he’d likely deduced she ended up on his doorstep because there’s a problem in her life she can’t solve, and she likely wouldn’t have chosen THIS whole thing as a career path otherwise. A noble girl? Choosing the circus purely out of passion? Yeah, right! There must be something else going on in her life, something she is trying to escape.
If she didn’t, there’s no additional leverage she could use to even the playing field if he decided to push her boundaries, and extract as much work as he can while she is underneath his authority.
Either way, as her boss he can certainly lean into pressuring her and demand more of her, especially over time. Which… well. Since we see that same circus later on in the series with Appa’s episode, and how that same ringmaster insists one of his employee, the tamer, plays that number with the sky bison even though the guy tells him this is too soon and Appa is not ready… yknow, hm, it’s probable, at the very least.
QUOTE: ’’Too riksy? What are you talking about, this is the circus, home of fear and danger! I want the wind buffaloo playing tonight!’’ Circus Ringmaster — EP16, S2
Now while we don’t know if this happened - and it may very well not have - isn’t that interesting how we are introduced to Ty Lee primarily through her role as a performer? And how that role is directly tied to an exploitation that DOES happen in the show and which we actually see unfold? And which is also enabled through ANOTHER hierarchical dynamic?
(You could say this also introduces and reflects Azula’s role within her own nation, symbolically speaking - as she is taking over the mantle of the ringmaster in that infamous scene, dictating the performance according to what she thinks is the best way to act so her singular desire for domination is satisfied, and all with very codified and theatrical manners to boot. And well, yeah, it certainly can, food for thought! But this meta is not focusing on that. Moving on!)
With that in mind, there’s also another really iffy aspect to Ty Lee’s position as a circus performer, and what function she could potentially occupy within that specific sphere - and yes, you guessed it, also one that is actually echoed further in the show.
Sub-section; life in the circus: unavoidable objectification
If you really take the time to ponder on how Ty Lee can bend her limbs with incredible ease, how effortless she makes it look, and how consistently it is shown throughout most the show… It becomes clear - she is not just an acrobat, she is a contortionist. And with the comment Katara, but most notably Zuko, made at her expense? The circus freak insult? This only adds credence to it.
Despite this, I’d argue it’s almost a blink and you’ll miss moment.
First, her abilities are remarkable, yes, but she exists in a fictional setting where she is put next to people who 1. also are very athletic and 2. who can literally manipulate the elements on top of their physical fitness. Even if her abilities are acknowledged sporadically throughout her fight scenes, they end up coming short in comparison to the performances of the other actors, so to speak. If anything, it is her skill for chi blocking which has the most attention drawn to it (even though this feat is also incredibly understated for the potential disruptive power that it has).
So, to come back to this contortionist angle : it is there, but it is not overt, especially because it's showcased outside of battle. In other words, this is not presented as incredible. Rather, it’s introduced as mostly quirky, an odd habit of hers she likes to show off. Combine this with her easy going personality, and you can predictably end up being rather forgetful of that very specific ability of hers (this is fully intentional on part of the writing, mind you).
Second, even if you see Zuko’s treatment of her in the infamous Beach episode, and rightfully recognize it as not simply a mean comment but as prejudice, there’s a decent chance you won’t end up associating the remark to her abilities but rather to her choices. Because while Zuko insults her person, he also insults the place she ran off to. And by way of proxy he insults her ‘’lifestyle’’ and how ‘’she makes a fool out of herself’’.
(Very small tangent regarding his reaction - this is unsurprising. Zuko is blunt and emotional, doubly so in that episode, where he is in a situation (regaining his place by betraying his uncle) where he still feel conflicted (and guilty) over. Add with that he is both a prince (social class aspect), and is someone that had a lot of expectations put on his shoulders for his firebending ability, which was supposed to be demonstrated through ritualistic performances at an early age. Performances he couldn’t do properly, most of the time. As a result, you have this boiling hot pot of a man predictably acquiring shame and an inferiority complex over it. Of course, he’s gonna project his own feelings of inadequacy onto Ty Lee and feel embarrassed by proxy over anything that might resemble goofy or unabashedly quirky demonstrations.)
But even if you only have the classist / class traitor angle in mind when this scene unfolds, there’s certainly another layer of subtext there, isn’t it? It is even acknowledged directly in the same scene - as Ty Lee reclaims the insult (subtext, oh wonderful sweet subtext).
QUOTE: (Teary eyed, emotional voice) ’’At least, I'm different now. Circus freak is a compliment!’’ Ty Lee — EP5, S3
That’s where the freak shows come back into play; and that’s where the extent of Ty Lee’s potential role within the circus could have taken a darker turn, as she could have been made to be an object of both fascination and repulsion for her audience. Someone who is othered through the process of a literal show, a show made possible because of physical traits and abilities that are deemed abnormal.
And, to come back to what is actually shown to us in ATLA - isn’t that interesting how Ty Lee’s subsequent exploitation at the hands of Azula primarily takes the form of her fighting, thus demonstrating her physical skills? Putting her in situations where chi blocking - a rare ability - is made into a literal show of force, a declaration of prowess meant to be seen as intimidating, even disturbing? Using her as an actual weapon?
This is something that would, and without the added messiness of her relation with Azula thrown into the mix, understandably alienate someone’s sense of self over time - even if they were incredibly good at it and valued for it.
And especially within someone who seemed content to use said abilities within a purely non-violent context. Now that is not to say Ty Lee is a pacifist and that the fact she leaned toward a purely theatrical setting for the use of her abilities is the product of actual convictions; I’d warrant it’s a consequence of her interests / skills being valued as forms of entertainment above all else, as Ty Lee doesn’t seem to mind fighting all that much. But that theatrical setting is deeply tied to nonconformity nonetheless.
Which brings us back to her choices that leads to her introduction.
Sub-section; the circus, a place for oddballs and marginals
Ty Lee’s decision to go with the circus also hints at a something else surrounding her character. Namely, Ty Lee eventually stands out not only because she wants to, but because she needs to.
People’s perception of her social class and her gender (a noble girl), and them inferring her ‘’proper’’ place and behavior within the world in accordance to it, is what allows others to deny her agency and her sense of self. She is denied individuality by her parents because of it, as well as being denied full agency as a person by her elders and peers - with her ending up caught between various shows of deference, various rituals she HAS to go through if she wants to be acknowledged and taken seriously.
Of course, this applies to both Mai and Azula as well. But in Ty Lee’s case, not only does she knows it’s not for her benefit but for someone else’s (contrary to Azula, who acts primarily in the interest of her father and seems convinced enough of the stable nature of their bond, convinced of his recognition for her competence and legitimacy to not question him - until it comes back to bite her in the ass), but her decision to leave and go to the circus suggests she can’t find it in herself to completely shrug off the performative and transactional dynamic underneath these various relationships, even if she seems to manage it just fine, even appearing to be great at it at first glance (contrary to Mai, who knows very well what she has to deal with is bullshit and has certainly stuff to say about it, not putting up as much of a front, but who also is mostly unwilling to act in ways that would durably threaten her position and thus the status quo - until, you guessed it, it comes back to bite her in the ass).
And it’s not difficult to see how Ty Lee would develop that kind of acute yet fretful awareness - as her introduction to that facet of a noble girl life, whose family only values her for what she can be or do for them, takes place earlier in her life and in a much more overt and symbolically violent way - and that is the situation with her sisters.
QUOTE: (Teary eyed, emotional voice) ’’Do you have any idea what my home life was like, growing up with six sisters who look exactly like me? It was like, I didn't even have my own name!’’ Ty Lee — EP5, S3
I find it interesting that Ty Lee doesn’t actually use the word ‘’septuplets’’ to qualify her sisters and her in that scene. It is implied, but there’s also just enough wiggle room for us to have another way to interpret what she says - and that is even more mortifying to think about.
Ways to interpret what Ty Lee says
She is a septuplet, and her parents don’t really bother to try and tell them apart, perhaps even going so far as naming all of them with names that sound very similar. This interpretation implies various degrees of fixation on image and neglect / heavy neglect.
She is not a septuplet, and her parents are actively modeling her image so her and her sisters look identical. This interpretation implies a heavy obsession with image and psychological / emotional abuse.
Regardless of which interpretation you personally prefer, we come to learn she is indeed primarily valued through image — through what it reinforces within her familial dynamics and what it mirrors back toward her parents. In other words: Ty Lee is showed in a very unequivocal way that she is property and commodity, first and foremost, not unlike a doll would be.
This effectively makes it impossible for Ty Lee to not have cognitive dissonance about the whole thing. And in turn, makes it impossible for her to fully satisfy the norms and expectations she was born and raised with in the long run. No matter how much she tries to placate others through conformity or through compromise, no matter how much she tries to stick at it. She cannot be entirely boxed in, as being boxed in results in a deep denial of herself, therefore it is a death sentence.
And, we forget this because we are introduced to her that way - but she made plans to change her situation and she was the first amongst her friend group to take action, following through. Those were not perfect plans, mind you. But she arguably already had a little character arc on her own before the show even began. Of course there’s obvious neurodivergent / disability / queer subtext here, and it’s really, really not surprising that people see this, see her, Azula and Mai, and end up shipping them as a result.
(No it’s not only the strong and capable all girl team aspect, all of them have various subtextual degrees of nonconformity - and all the logical implications following that - sprinkled in through their characters and their dynamics. And the messiness adds realness and stakes too, I’d wager.)
But to back to her decision - Ty Lee’s choice to go with the circus could very well have been motivated by a very romantic ideal of life on the road / life as a performer, or an earnest passion for acrobatics and tricks. She is young and impulsive, and she might not be aware of everything that life entails, especially all the darker ramifications. She also may also have seen this occupation, been informed enough to know some of the sordid aspects of what a circus performer life is actually like, and found the whole prospect to be empowering enough to be worth the risk.
But, with the previous core aspects of the circus world I described (exploitation/objectification), there’s also ambiguity being introduced into her motivations.
Ty Lee’s decision to go with a traveling troupe could both look like a passion come true, an unexpected escape route for an eccentric girl, and also like something that was born out of desperation and/or deeper self-awareness/self-perception within her familial and larger social circle, an impulse that leads her to seek connection on the fringes. Her attempted reclamation of Zuko’s insult certainly seems to lean into that particular brand of subtext.
Short character study; Ty Lee - ''Not your toy''
[ She can’t help but stand out.
So, perhaps she is a freak and perhaps that’s where she truly belongs - with others that can’t help but stand out too. At least, there, people would be honest with their perception of her. At least, there, they wouldn’t seek her out without a very clear, unambiguous goal in mind. At least, there, they wouldn’t make her participate in games she wouldn’t want to play in the first place.
Yes, she would need to put on a show for them, but that would be a show she would actually enjoy doing - contrary to the show her parents wants, contrary to the show the school wants, contrary to the show Azula wants. Attention in exchange for validation. Validation in exchange for entertainment. Performance at its most basic level. Transactional still, yes. But on her own terms and out of her own volition.
Freedom always has a price anyway. And perhaps she prefers to pay that price then navigating the regimented life of a noble, prefers this to the dutiful path of servitude to higher powers, prefers this to the pampered existence of a girl made to join the ranks of pristine little dolls.
She is not made of porcelain. Even if circus life can be grimy and painful, it is thrilling. It makes her feel alive, just like eating spicy treats by the dozen and running at full speed against the wind makes her feel alive. Blood runs through her veins - so let it flow, let it flush her cheeks red and make her heart ache.
For she is not made of porcelain. ]
Conclusion - Ty Lee’s choices put into perspective: defying Azula and her decision to join the Kyoshi warriors (+ Kyoshi warrior analysis)
So, to loop back to the original starting point - what am I getting at?
Ty Lee, whether she made a fully informed decision on the basis of interest/passion, and/or something that was also brought on by rashness/desperation, entered a specific social sphere of influence (the circus).
That sphere, while also subject to performance imperatives and hierarchical dynamics, is also deeply associated with nonconformity, thus with marginalized people and queerness.
The circus also points to pre-existing traits within her as well pre-existing dynamics that were present in her life - she is abnormal in some way (contortionist/chi blocker) and ultimately doesn’t want to fit in (denial of identity and of her desires). But because she is constrained by strong societal pressures (parents, school, her friend and the royal heir Azula), she ends up performing that abnormality in a way that is available to her and in a way that is palatable to a potential audience, so she can escape the brunt of the violence directed her way. Whether that is with Azula as her friend and teammate, or with the circus as a performer.
The choice to join the circus - because it is about choice, about agency - also implies self-awareness on some extent, and a willingness to follow through. Through that decision, she is defying societal norms whether those come into play through class (noble ditching responsibilities), gender (young girl on the run), or through unusual and iconic bodily performances (making her abilities visible and undeniable, making them take center stage).
As the choice is taken away from her, yet again, she is made to go back to one of her initial social circle and routines seemingly goes back in place - business as usual. But she still has experienced enough of this temporary reprieve for it to make an impression on her, and she had succeeded in achieving her goals, if only for a time.
Her decision to defy Azula on that prison pontoon isn’t just her standing with Mai or just her standing up to Azula. Symbolically, it’s also her standing up for herself and denying the hierarchical and societal powers that have plagued her life so far (that Azula wields and embodies), and that would continue to demand her obedience and surrender of her identity if she didn’t put her foot down - because they are never really satisfied, are they?
So, her joining the Kyoshi warriors - an all women institution outside of her own nation, that is geared toward protection, toward the ideal of justice and of resistance in the face of oppression - well, it doesn’t appear that illogical in an of itself now, does it?
Although I can hear some people bring the very obvious visual aspect of the Kyoshi uniform as a potential point of contention.
And alright, yes, I can see it and it could be something that initially puts Ty Lee off, as this is an order of fighters that puts emphasis on a traditional apparel and thus a standardized presentation. But I would try to keep in mind that not all standardized presentations are made equal, and in the case of the Kyoshi warriors, it carries deeper implications than just a simple ’’uniform’’.
Here’s a few thoughts regarding that:
The Kyoshi uniform visual presentation has room for compromise, and we see it through the variety throughout hair styles, accessories and the likes. Kyoshi warriors are very much allowed to add tweaks and additions to their attire. It’s different than a purely militaristic uniform, as the unified front is there but individuality is not denied.
Kyoshi warriors value community and group cohesion. Primarily because they come from an insular community with a population that is implied to be much smaller in numbers than the big players on the chessboard. Their dress code is a representation of that cultural/communal component, a thread that unifies them on a very basic level. But it is also meant to signal who they are to outsiders and so they can assert themselves on a larger scale than just their homeland. And it goes further than simple appearances, as that cohesion also expresses itself through either shared cultural knowledge and values or/and shared goals and ideals, aimed toward protection / justice / resistance.
Their order is not ancient, but it is has history. And that history is tied to both the figure of the Avatar in general (an intercultural agent of mediation and conflict resolution, ready to act in defense of others and through force if it is deemed necessary), but also to the very individual that founded their order and which resides underneath that role, Kyoshi herself. You know, Kyoshi, a woman that basically said ‘’fuck you’’ to a conqueror (Chin) right to his face and to the whole nation he represented (Earth Kingdom)? A woman that basically denied demands for submission of her and her people, and effectively formed a society free of oppression from those same imperialistic powers, asserting herself as both an independent agent and as a leader throughout her life?
If Ty Lee made the decision to join them, even if it would understandably create friction in the very first stages, I think the Kyoshi warriors would value her identity, her inputs and her perspective. Because in their society women are not only people with agency and whose voices matter, they also are the primordial agents of societal change, and protectors of that change. Not to mention Kyoshi herself was also an Earth Kingdom citizen until she took her own path. There is probably a very prevalent understanding in their ranks that people can change their minds and take matters into their own hands, regardless of where they come from.
Also, Kyoshi the individual is long dead, and the Kyoshi warriors are not serving her or anyone who claims to speak in her name. This isn’t a group tasked to implement a singular individual’s vision or agenda onto their society or the world at large. They are honoring Kyoshi’s legacy and following in her footsteps, asserting what they want for themselves and their people while making sure they’re not trampled by outside forces looking to define their destinies in their stead.
To come back to Ty Lee and the symbolism associated with her background - dolls - the Kyoshi warriors stand in stark contrast to the metaphor unveiled there.
They are not dolls. They are taking on something that could be misconstrued as the appearance of dolls, at first glance, but they are anything but - they are not passive, they are not subservient, they aren’t made to just look pretty and to be gawked at, nor are they meant to elevate someone else’s image exclusively through their presentation or/and mere presence. Kyoshi warriors are capable, assertive, equally graceful and lethal. The attire and the artifacts they don are elements of a performance they are infusing with something greater than themselves (Kyoshi’s sense of justice) but that has space to carry something deeply personal within it as well (their conviction, their refusal to deny themselves their voice, their sense of self against adversity). The facepaint they wear is a mask that allows them to channel Kyoshi’s spirit, undeniably not to just emulate her but also to be inspired by her. To have that reassurance that yes, they have the capacity to manifest what they want into the world, just like she did.
To be a Kyoshi warrior in the ATLA setting (at least in the OG series) is occupying a position inherently tied to subversion. And to various degrees, it’s also embodying progressive values, if not outright revolutionary ones (without getting into the political organization of Kyoshi as an entity, because we don’t have that many information about it, see how Sokka instantly bonds with Suki as a result of him donning the attire, and that gendered non conformity he is embodying can also implied to be drag - a practice of radical self expression, aimed toward performance, pioneered by marginalized people? See how it echoes potential elements of Ty Lee’s character and her arc?).
Oh, and let us remember that the only equivalent we see in the canon where a woman could achieve a position of power/agency within her own society similar to what the Kyoshi warriors already have as a base line is: Azula with her firelord nomination, which turns out to be a farce, a mere symbolic gesture meant to appease her, as her title is rendered meaningless (since Ozai appoints himself to a higher position in the very same breath).
So. Yeah. Is it any wonder Ty Lee would want to join an organization that would be well suited to her talents (fighting skills + performance), while also affirming her gender, allowing her to have choice, and with a potential enormous range of action to enact change into the world?
With that, this concludes this very long post. Thanks for making it to the end, hoped you enjoyed it!
Ozai is genuinely such a coward. Like... on the Day of Black Sun he was completely okay with hiding behind his guards in a secret chamber while Azula, his daughter, who also had no bending faced Aang, Sokka and Toph. Her job was to literally distract them and protect him?
I'll remind you the only fights we've ever seen with Ozai are between him and Zuko (his SON who was 13 and wouldn't fight back) and the twelve year old Avatar who he was prepared to murder.
But isn't that the whole point of his character, or at least a major point? Ozai is the physical embodiment of the Fire Nation's ills and what a hundred years of war, colonization, and genocide has done its collective psyche: a nation that supposedly prides itself on being honorable and spreading its "glory", but in reality is a nation of monstrous, dishonorable, ignorant cowards who do nothing but spread pain and destruction and who have no respect for anything or anyone, including themselves.
Ozai being a coward who hides behind his teenage daughter and is only seen fighting a 12 and 13 year old, losing to the former at his most powerful no less, is perfectly in-line with his character. If anything, Ozai being portrayed as a courageous warrior who is seen on screen fighting and defeating component adult fighters would have defeated the point of his character.
i will NEVER understand why bryke thought that quasi-face stealer amnesia plotline in the search comic was a good idea. never till the day i die.
because here’s the thing. i’ve harped before on how fucking dumb it is to take the character whose central line in the og show was “no matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are” and have them immediately afterwards 1. actually somehow just not leave the country they were banished from, and 2. deliberately and knowingly choose to have their own memories wiped. like ???????!!?
and yeah, that then leaves the question, when it’s revealed in late s3 that she was banished and is possibly still alive: why didn’t she ever come back for her kids? why didn’t she at least seek out zuko, who was also banished and therefore at least theoretically accessible to her? why didn’t she try to intervene when she presumably learned about the agni kai and her son’s disfigurement? and if she never learned of it, how could that be without her either deliberately forgetting she had kids or choosing to actively ignore any opportunity to get information about them?
and my friends, this is where the silliest part of the whole kerfuffle is. because there was ALREADY a built-in, solid, well-explored piece of worldbuilding that could very easily have answered all of those questions in a way that wouldn’t fundamentally violate the basic foundations of her character’s nature. that piece of worldbuilding? the city of ba sing se.
As a writer, this solves so many of your problems. If Ursa ends up in ba sing se (which there’s decent reason for her to do, given that it’s entirely reasonable that she’d be worried about ozai changing his mind and deciding he needs to tie up loose ends, and that the city just repelled iroh, making it about the most secure location she could get) then once she makes it inside the walls she discovers there is no war in ba sing se. suddenly, trying to get information about anything to do with the fire nation, let alone the royal family, becomes extremely difficult and dangerous. she has a plausible reason not to know, or have very little and extremely delayed awareness of what’s happening to her children.
also, the city is fucking massive and packed to the brim with refugees. even with zuko and iroh getting all about the lower and upper ring, it’s completely plausible for her to have even still been there without amnesia and just. never happened to cross paths. big cities are like that. you could see a million people in a day that you’ll never see again and they’ll only be a tiny fraction of all the people there that you’ll never catch a glimpse of. plus, once you’re lucky enough to get in as a refugee, it’s probably not so easy to leave again, especially if you want to have a chance of being able to come back.
if you really want the amnesia plot, the dai li/joo dee worldbuilding is already set up there too! all you have to do is have ursa keep trying to find out about her kids, maybe even discover zuko’s banishment and try to either reach out or leave the city in response, and have the dai li catch her in a sting to crack down on citizens promoting awareness of the war.
badabing, badaboom, ursa gets joo dee’d and now you have an amnesia plotline without ursa deliberately abandoning even the memory of her kids.
