okay if we’re doing aged up!atla, hear me out:
eighteen year old katara is betrothed. he’s a nice enough boy, friend’s with sokka, and she knows soon enough he’ll be off to war with the other men of her tribe. she’s transitioning into a matriarchical role in her gran-gran’s footsteps, learning how to take care of their dying little village, because one day sokka and her betrothed will be gone and so will gran-gran but katara will still be there. she’ll help out with the chores and raising the children (a community effort, at this point) and making the decisions while her father, the chief, is gone.
(she tries not to think about the likelihood of him never coming back, of none of the men returning - her father, her brother, her betrothed.)
she’s never really explored her water bending because she doesn’t have the time to. she wishes she did. in another life, she does, and she’s strong. but in this one, she has to put her village first, and in those few minutes she gets to herself, she just wants to rest.
and imagine her discovering aang, and the fun she has! penguin sledding! exploring forbidden places! but most of all, he’s hope. he’s the avatar, back to save them all and she wants to help him. (no, she needs to, that’s how strong the call is.) and he offers her the chance of the lifetime: to go to the northern tribe and learn to master the element she’s been given. and it’s all the parts of herself that have been crushed down since she was a child, he reignites in her.
and she wants to go- so badly. but she has a duty to her people. doesn’t she have to take care of them? and what about her betrothed?
and she goes to her gran-gran, hesitant and scared and tells her the avatar offered to take her away but she’s not going to go. she’s needed here. her people need her here.
and her gran-gran takes a minute, and thinks of a girl many years ago who ran from north to south, who left behind everyone and everything (including a man who loved her) to find more.
so she tells katara, who has the chance to save the world and find herself all at once, three words. “go with him.”
and so katara leaves, sokka aboard. before she goes, she takes off her betrothal necklace. she doesn’t know what anything will look like, ever again. she can’t promise she’ll ever be back. and instead, she takes her mother’s out of the box - the one that hasn’t been touched in twelve years - and gingerly places it on her own neck.
and with that, she leaves.
