How did they even survive that journey? (OC fanart + discussion)
While preparing some texts and illustrations for a chapter of my documentary-style fanfic about Southern Water Tribe, featuring the story of Sokka and Katara, I compared their book 1 journey to the North with challenges that irl inhabitants of arctic historically had to face when travelling south. And I came to a conclusion:
Sokka and Katara were so incredibly lucky to even make it to the North Pole alive.
Disclaimer: yes, I do realize that ATLA is a kids show written for Nickelodeon a therefore does not take certain things into consideration. I'm not suggesting that it should, nor I'm complaining about lack of these dark realities in a kids media. This post is NOT a rant about ATLA writing, but a mere contemplation about how things would be if this journey happened in real life. Also please excuse any spelling mistakes, english is not my first language and sometimes I keep misspelling words.
After leaving South Pole, the siblings would have to face harsh changes in their everyday life, such as:
DISEASES - In real life, arctic populations (Inuit, Iñupiat etc.) were very much protected from a lot of otherwise very common diseases thanks to both low temperatures and isolation from other societies. After European colonization, diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria or smallpox, carried by the Europeans, impacted native populations heavily, not just due to lack of medical care and resources, but also due to the native population being way less immune to these exotic viruses and bacterias.
Sokka and Katara even fall sick during book 1, and while this event doesn't seem to leave any long-term consequences, realistically, they should be prone to falling lethally sick with any minor infection that the other nations are immune to.
FOOD POISONING AND STARVATION - After many thousands of years of evolution, arctic populations are adapted to a very specific diet. In the arctic, Water Tribe's died consists almost solely of meat and seafood, and then perhaps kelp and berries growing during the short summer. Their diet lacks sugar, therefore they must use animal fat as their primary source of energy. Meat from arctic animals, especially pinnipeds and cetaceans, have very specific nutritional values that these people need for survival. The freezing temperatures also prevent kill from rotting away , making even raw meat safe for consumption for a long time.
After leaving South Pole, the siblings' nutrition must've totally collapsed. They're most likely allergic to various plant-based foods, such as nuts. What's safe and healthy for Aang and other people, is undigestible at best and dangerous at worst for these two. Safe foods like rice are just plain energy, as their stomach isn't built for extracting nutrients from plants. They also can't differenciate edible plants from poisonous ones.Animals they normally hunt don't live there, and the ones that do don't meet their nutritional needs. The animals are full of parasites and bacteria, and every kill starts rotting immediately in warm climate, and they don't know how to effectively preserve it. Considering that they spend a lot of time travelling on Appa, there's no much time for cooking it using open fire. Their hunting techniques liekly don't work there either. While the warm climate seems to be full of food, water tribe siblings were likely starving daily.
INSECT INFESTATION - There are no fleas and other parasites in cold arctic. But in warmer climate, their parkas start very quickly be attacked by various external parasites. Thanks to the lack of rain in freezing climate, their parkas are kept dry and in good condition, but due to the humidity in warmer climate, these parkas become dirty, heavy, permanently soaked and don't protect them from cold anymore, as the humid air finds its way under their clothing, paradoxly making them more cold and uncomfortable than they were back home.
All this while being actively hunted by Zuko and Fire Nation. Poor kids.
What do you think? Could this scenario be possible if ATLA took these conditions into consideration?
About the illustration:
Name: "Homesick". The stone structure is INUKSUK, a landmark built by Inuit in canadian arctic as a way to mark an important waypoint, to give directions to migrating hunters, or to warn travellers agains potential danger. The Inuksuk is also being featured on an official flag of Nunavut, Canada.
When far away from home, fighting a daily battle for survival, a tiny cultural artefact built from river stones provides a little bit of comfort. The only reminder of home in a foreign land.