She wants to tell him he doesn't need to worry—she'll never hide her scars from him. The very idea is ridiculous. He's always let her see all of him. Why wouldn't she return the favor?
Zuko is smart. Zuko is protective. Zuko knows the pain of a burn. He'll help her heal. She knows this as surely as she knows her own name.
The burns settle in The Block's first chapter: Love is Wild (read here!). Healing comes in many ways.
I gotta stop arguing with TikTok users. They ragebait me more than ATLA twitter does. Why did someone try and tell me that if Katara ended up with Zuko, it would just reduce her to her trauma. As if their entire arc together wasn’t about mutual healing. Part of their initial connection is over losing their mothers, but a large part is also about seeing core elements of themselves (empathy, anger, justice) in the other. Finding admiration and respect for themselves and each other through rebuilding trust between each other and Katara forgiving Zuko. Their bond encompasses both of their entire beings (including their trauma because that shapes who they are but it isn’t everything that they are).
And by zuko having something to gain by switching sides (romantic love in this case) his redemption arc isnt as impactful, he had EVERYTHING to loose and nothing to gain when he joined the gaang which is why it was so effective.
this type of argument from antis is so annoying because it doesn't even make sense. katara isn't zuko's "something to gain" and it feels like a poor attempt to give zutara a similar level of "trophy" as the "hero gets the girl" trope. zuko switched sides because of his own change in heart. this is a quote from the day of Black sun:
No, I've learned everything! And I've had to learn it on my own! Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history. And somehow, the War was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an amazing lie that was. People around the world are terrified of the Fire Nation. They don't see our greatness. They hate us! And we deserve it! We've created an era of fear in the world. And if we don't want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness.
this is not "i'm joining team avatar because i think katara is attractive and i want to be with her."
zuko and katara's relationship (canonically friends) is not predicated on obligation, so this anti argument doesn't make sense. in TSR, he asks what he can do to make it up to her and she gives him an IMPOSSIBLE task -- effectively saying that she will never forgive him. He isn't "gaining" anything because he had to earn her friendship/respect; it's why he was so shocked when she hugged him at the end of TSR. although, there is a ship that does have obligation written into it canonically - (nodding at "avatar's girl for example), but we never hear y'all antis bring ts up.
a potential romantic!zutara relationship would come after his redemption arc; and it doesn't make sense to retroactively trivialize the growth that he went through to get to that place.
also these arguments always feel disingenious because you would never catch these antis saying that zukka would erase zuko's redemption arc. like, we can't even keep consistency.
Also like. It’s canon that Zuko did think about Katara when he was in the Fire Nation (first episode of s3) and part of the reason he switched is because of her (“you don’t remember her? You will soon. Trust me” and “Don’t lie! You look her in the eye and tell me you don’t remember what you did!”). It’s not romantic attraction, but it is about the morality, love, and empathy she displayed in Ba Sing Se. Zuko’s whole arc is about embracing those same traits within himself, which he has always had but tried to suppress for the sake of his father. I don’t know how anyone can say that him falling in love with someone who embodies those characteristics would go against his redemption arc when it strengthens it imo.
Wanting to earn someone’s forgiveness vs expecting someone to choose forgiveness are two different things and somehow the ATLA fandom mixes that shit up when it comes to TSR even though the difference is clearly spelled out.
Twenty One Pilots are my favorite band for more than just their music. They are the kind of artist I aspire to be, and share the kind of message few people are bold enough to deliver.
Now, all of this to say that of course I had to make a fusion AU between Avatar: The Last Airbender and TØP's lore. However, I know said lore can seem pretty obscure to people uninvolved with the Clique (the band's fanbase).
Actually, scratch that—the lore is obscure and it is messy and it will give you a headache, but the story itself is beautiful and worth the pain.
So! For the sake of clarity, I'm going to explain what the Bandito AU is about. Hopefully, by the end of this extremely long post you'll understand what I mean when I say that Zuko is literally Clancy, Ned! Aang is a must-have, and Katara as Torchbearer is a gift from the gods.
(Fun fact! My username—Dema—was taken from TØP's lore!)
Now, let us begin.
Credit where credit is due: this is a story that has been taking shape for over a decade, so putting things together can be...a little difficult. To make things simple, I'll be drawing help from this Reddit post, as well as the knowledge I've gathered after years of being an obsessive fan.
I'll also be sharing two official videos narrated by Tyler Joseph (vocalist, lyricist, Clancy), and Josh Dun (drummer, Torchbearer). You can watch them here (I Am Clancy) and here (I Am Torchbearer), in order. These videos give a general overview of the story and explain everything more clearly than I ever could.
(There are also, like, half a million videos on YouTube about the story, in case you want a deep-dive.)
Everything takes place during TØP's albums Blurryface, Trench, Scaled & Icy, Clancy, and Breach. What you'll be reading is a condensed explanation of the story delivered via the Bandito AU.
In summary: I'll be sketching out the Bandito AU with its ATLA characters, but everything I'm describing is, quite literally, what happens in Clancy's story. I'll give further information in case it diverts from the original narrative.
Within the City Walls
The City (known originally as Dema) sits on the continent of Trench. Inescapable and grim, it's surrounded by a large circular wall that, actually, kind of resembles Ba Sing Se. It is, essentially, a prison ruled by nine Bishops—who each represent a different aspect of depression.
The album Blurryface details life in Dema. The City itself is a metaphor for depression, suicidal ideation, and mental health issues.
In the Bandito AU, the Bishops that rule the City are the following characters:
Ozai as Nico: Also known as Blurryface, Ozai represents everything that's wrong with everything. He's the leader of the Bishops and the Big Bad who must be defeated at the end of the story.
In TØP's saga, Nico is the physical manifestation of Clancy's (Tyler's) own fears and insecurities, so the situation is way more complex than just Good vs Evil.
Iroh as Keons: Described as more kind and caring than the other Bishops. He conspires to help Zuko escape. Iroh is eventually found out and killed by Ozai for his betrayal, but not before starting a fire in the City. He represents fear of standing up.
Azula as Listo: The Bishop who represents fear of abandonment. Not much is known about this individual. While rather unimportant in the original lore, Azula will have a much bigger role in this AU. She'll be the one chasing after Zuko and the Banditos, instead of Ozai/Blurryface himself.
Characters such as Zhao, Long Feng, and Generally Evil or Sad People can also be depicted as Bishops. Yes, I am including Ursa on that list (Sacarver, fear of heartbreak).
Welcome to Trench
Sokka, Toph, Suki, and other characters as Banditos: The group of rebels who aim to overthrow the City. They live in camps all across the continent of Trench. Banditos wear yellow because the Bishops are unable to see that color (which is fun when you consider the exact shade of Zuko's eyes).
Katara as Torchbearer: Leader of the Banditos. Katara embodies resilience and is a guide towards freedom and redemption. Torchbearer offers strength and unwavering support, refusing to turn her back on people who need her.
Torchbearer is Josh Dun's character. He represents a constant in your life, something or someone that keeps you going and never gives up on you.
In the Bandito AU, Katara lived in the City for a short period of time after her mother's death. She has few memories of those months. Eventually, she managed to escape and reunite with her family, gaining the Banditos' respect and loyalty. The red details on her outfit are a reminder of what she's been through. This is the reason she connects so deeply with Zuko.
Aang as Ned: A cute little creature living somewhere in Trench. Overall just a tiny and overexcited...thing. His antlers can grow and be removed, allowing whoever they're gifted to the power to bend an element for a brief period of time.
Ned represents Creativity—Tyler uses creativity to fight his struggles, just as Clancy uses Ned to fight Blurryface. Originally, Ned's antlers seize control of a dead body, but this is an ATLA fusion, so...
Hello, Clancy
Clancy is the character played by Tyler Joseph, and the protagonist of the saga. Zuko will play his role because their individual character arcs parallel each other beautifully.
Zuko's backstory in this AU will be different from Clancy's, but his story will play out in pretty much the same way once he leaves the City. Though the finale should also divert from the lore...
Zuko is on his way to becoming a Bishop (probably Reisdro, who represents self-doubt), but he's...bad at it.
Really bad at it.
When he was a child, his mother told him rumours of ‘the outside’ before disappearing. Those stories fueled a shameful desire to see what lies beyond the City. He keeps it silent for years, until the day of his Naming Ceremony arrives.
He sees things. Things that finally open his eyes to what the City does to its citizens. Zuko stands up to his father—their leader—and claims that everything he's been told is a lie, that what they stand for is wrong. Their people offer devotion in exchange for—what? A neon gravestone outside the City? Imprisonment by their own misery? What kind of life is this? What kind of rule?
As punishment, Zuko is burned terribly and confined to the depths of the City. After years of trying, he manages to escape to the continent.
Zuko explores Trench for a long time. Aimless, he eventually runs into a group of Banditos led by Torchbearer. But then Azula finds him and offers him a chance to return home. He refuses and tries to flee, but is recaptured and dragged down the river. Fueled by evidence that freedom is possible, Zuko eventually escapes again on his own.
The following does not happen originally. Faithful depictions of TØP's lore continue once he reaches the camp.
Alone once again, Zuko wanders until exhaustion takes over. He's discovered by a strange little creature who's too busy fluttering around to nurse anyone back to health. Aang, it presents himself as. An Avatar, whatever that is. Luckily for Zuko (or not), Aang is accompanied by the Torchbearer he saw days earlier. The girl is named Katara, and she's younger than he'd thought.
She interrogates Zuko. Asks why he's dressed as a citizen, what he's doing outside the City, why did he run from that other Bishop, etc. He's tired, irritated, and quite a bit angry, so he does the logical thing: tells her to shut up, swears a little, and storms off.
He doesn't make it ten steps before he passes out.
When Zuko wakes up again, Katara is still there.
“I'm taking you back to our camp,” she says. “Anyone who gathers the strength to escape that place is worth my respect.”
And, well, it's not like he has anywhere to be, does he?
Zuko reluctantly allows himself to be kidnapped. The three of them travel together for a few days, eventually reaching the Bandito camp Katara is based in. Her brother Sokka and their...pet...friend...thing (Toph) greet them.
Zuko spends months with them, learning their ways, seeing the extent of the City's cruelty, finally living for the first time. He cuts his hair, wears their colors, and grows closer to their little group...
Until Azula finds them again, and he's recaptured.
Zuko is thrown into prison for months. During this time, he becomes a bit of a legend in the City. The journals he kept during his escape become common knowledge, and Azula decides to use this new development to her advantage. Zuko's influence is turned into a propaganda tool.
He becomes the perfect citizen.
One of the reasons I love Clancy's story so much is because it parallels not only Zuko's path to redemption and his struggles with realizing his own conditioning—it also parallels his backslide. The fall from grace, the return to the evil he's familiar with. The “I am fine, this is who I'm supposed to be” while everything is crumbling inside.
That's important too.
As Zuko fulfills his duty, one of the Bishops prepares to betray the others. Iroh—after seeing how living in Trench has changed his nephew—devises a plan. He helps Zuko fake his death and escape the City once more. Unfortunately, Ozai finds out and kills him.
Despite Azula's attempts to control the flow of information, news of Zuko's escape and Iroh's betrayal spread through the City, inspiring some of the citizens to begin a rebellion of their own. They wear red as a symbol: this is our color, and it's time to reclaim it.
Meanwhile, Zuko washes up on the shore of a small island he discovers to be the homeland of Aang's kind. All other Avatars grant him the knowledge of how to overthrow Ozai and free the City. Aang gives Zuko his antlers and, as a result, the ability to harness an element briefly.
He now holds a weapon to be used in the upcoming final war.
Zuko rejoins the Banditos and is reunited with Katara, who grants him the strength of will to overthrow his father. The Banditos prepare to invade the City. The final battle begins.
As an army led by Azula clashes against Katara and the Banditos outside the city walls, the rebellious citizens provide Zuko with a way up Ozai's tower. Once he faces his father, it's revealed that the Bishops had been intercepting letters between Banditos and knew of the plan against their rule.
Zuko battles Ozai, eventually wielding the antlers gifted to him by Aang. He uses fire against his own father (as was once done to him), but it does little. He's pushed over the edge... And lightning strikes down.
When Katara storms into the tower, she witnesses Zuko donning his father's—Blurryface's—red cape. It's over, in a way.
He now rules the City.
But this is a story about cycles, and Zuko has been heralded as a character for decades because he's a cycle-breaker. He knows abuse and hatred and violence, and decides that is a path he will not follow.
This is a story about cycles, so it begins again, and again, and again... Always with a new Clancy finding himself in the city of Dema, and the previous Clancy now being a new Blurryface. The fight never ends, though it gets a little bit easier each time.
So, yes, it is a cycle. And Clancy may now exist elsewhere in Trench, and Torchbearer may swear to find him and fight Blurryface all over again. But cycles are made to be broken.
the maiko account is Nacho813362 btw forgot to drop the username. they're also being rted by the person who called Izumi edit blackface + and that zumaiquotes who always acts oh so righteous
Oh, okay. I did see that tweet about the Izumi edit but I just scrolled because it’s not really my place as a non black person to get involved with that conversation.
Luxkcg5 is truly disgusting talking about ZK fucking while they are still children like she is 14-year-old and he is 16-year-old idc if they're pixels, the optics are weird. On the other hand, why is there a fucking post about MZ fucking during the atla finale with nearly 500 likes how the fuck does that work this fandom is filled with hypocrisy bye
I haven’t seen either of these posts and don’t know the context at all so I don’t feel comfortable commenting on this.
Okay, so I was talking to a KA on TikTok and they said that Aang and Katara pushed each other to experience “unweighted joy” and …? We see Katara and Aang both enjoy many things that have nothing to do with each other and the only instances I can think of them referring to are the penguin sledding and the dancing … neither of those constitute as “unweighted joy” to me. In both circumstances, there’s still a whole war hanging over their heads.
i personally really like the vision of katara and zuko (in both a romantic and platonic sense, cause ill always say that theyre best friends first and foremost) being the ones that can actually bring out each other's inner child.
with katara its more obvious, he is mature and self sufficent, he doesnt need to be parented and has shown (post redemption) that he is a reliable and trustworthy pilar to lean on when needed. so she has the space to be silly, and fun and careless and show her personality beyond a caring and nurturing figure.
on zuko's side its more about safety, she understands him and sees him beyond the "banished prince" and "enemy", she has condemned the person he was and welcomed the person he is. so he gets to be open and vulnerable, a soft and awkward teenager that doesnt feel the need to watch his back all the time.
The Legend of Aang / Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender
→ please don't use, download, or screenshot my gifs without permission or credit! these are specially made and took time to create, so please ask first!
the most inflamatory of zutaranti's mutuals staying quiet or just rting shit both-siding the situation when this is their fault like everybody literally told y'all on no uncertain terms that that girl was insensitive but no she's being a bully and harasser only towards ZKs so it's okay! Let's keep feeding into her delusions! Now look what happened
I said it on Twitter and I’ll say it here: zutaranti was comfortable making “jokes” about something so severe because a lot of people in this fandom peddled the idea that zutara shippers are racist for simply liking the ship and it’s okay to just talk to them any type of way. “Colonizer x colonized”, “spiritually Israeli” and making comparisons to a racist Disney propaganda movie that fabricated a real indigenous girl’s life story all lead to this + that user’s own anti-blackness. People were following her account and engaging with her content even as she was posting racist rhetoric equating fictional genocide to real genocide. I really hope people stop using real life atrocities as “gotchas” in a shipwar, but I doubt anything will really change.
annaxmalina
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