u/Any-Heron-4677

This is going to be some word spaghetti so please bear with me but I hate the double standard between the two characters. Zuko is everything Aang isn't, in The Storm it was revealed that Aang ran away from his duties, Zuko on the other hand was willing to fight in the Agni Kai, he only stopped when he realized it was his father and the poor boy didn't want to hurt him. However in the end of that episode, Aang gets comfort from the others and by extension the narrative. Zuko does not get anything besides the warm feeling of prioritizing the safety of his crew.

This keeps happening, Aang hurts someone or screws up and the narrative bends over backwards to comfort him. He burned Katara, Katara heals herself and comforts him. Aang nearly kills everyone in the Desert, Katara comforts him. He doesn't master the Avatar State, Iroh comforts him. He runs away again in the opening of season three, the gaang find him and comfort him. He doesn't do his job and the invasion fails, Katara comforts him again (though I don't blame the Invasion mistake on him).

Every. Single. Time. He gets his wounds soothed over by other characters, the narrative and by extension the fans.

Meanwhile, Zuko never gets anyone in the series who tells him that his father was wrong. He never tells anyone and its not because he is some "edgy, teen who bottles up his feelings". Does The Beach not exist? Its ridiculous, he gets raked over the coals for his mistakes, rightfully so by Katara but once she forgives him, its like the narrative doesn't allow him any comfort, any attention, anything.

I mean its the reason why the popular headcanon of Zuko telling Katara about his scar is so beloved by Zutara fans, its him finally in safe enough company to be vulnerable again. Katara after the Southern Raiders would never hurt him again and hearing that he has been carrying this for three years. It would shatter her, she'd want to kill Ozai herself.

But no, she can't be allowed to hear Zuko's plight, nobody is, no Zuko has to suffer silently, meanwhile Aang can get responsibility removed from any and every little screw-up that occurs under his scope. The final episode is so infuriating because of this, the narrative bends over backwards to alleviate Aang of his destiny and on top of that the issues that Katara and him had are swept under the rug all for the sake of a garbage relationship with no buildup and less charisma.

The show would have benefited from Aang gets raked over the coals. He should have gotten more anger from Sokka for Katara getting burned. He should have gotten more flak from the others for his loss of control in the desert. He should have attracted the ire of Sokka, Toph and most of all Katara if they found out that he gave up the Avatar State for Katara. Most of all he should have gotten an earful from everyone when he ran away the day of the comet.

Zuko should have gotten a cathartic hug, personally from Katara but if other people ship him with other characters they would suffice. Alternatively, the found family could comfort their friend and assure him that he didn't deserve that torment and that he is unequivocally safe with them.

This has extended to the fans who let Aang off the hook for everything and still call Zuko a "colonizer". Despite him literally fighting to dismantle that oppressive regime, not to mention that if Zuko was caught by Ozai or Azula after he turned on them, he would have been imprisoned or worst, killed.

It sucks because he is my favorite character but the narrative doesn't want to give him anything besides torment and no, that one scene with Iroh, while lovely, was not enough. He needed more comfort and Aang needed more accountability.

I know that there is a four year age gap, but that doesn't matter, Zuko was only a year older when he was burned, by the end of the war, Azula was a couple years older than Aang when she was dethroned and presumably imprisoned. (Though I personally throw canon out with the bath water and think that after some time, Zuko helped her recover and the two got on good terms with each other).

What are your thoughts? Am I just a bitter Zuko/Zutara/Azula-Redemption-Arc person?

Basically the title, how do you head canon her finding out about her sons partner. She'd be thrilled no way about it but how do you think she'd react?

Would she have any reservations about Katara or would she take an immediate liking to her?

What are some of your unpopular married Zutara headcanons? We all know the popular ones, them having a water bender as a first born, having daughters, etc. But what are some that you have that you think are unpopular?

Here is mine, they planned on naming their first born after Kya but after the child was born both didn't think the name fit. Katara is also so exhausted after labor and rests, Zuko thinks of names and comes to Izumi, named not in honor of her grandmother but her mother. Zuko's natural spring, his beloved water bender.

I wanted to see who you'd get to help in this situation, here is the run down. It is the night of Aang and Katara's engagement. Katara never broke off with Aang after the war ended and everyone assumed that she would get together with Aang. She didn't break off things because she wanted to give him a chance but she has realized that she doesn't love him that way.

The Southern Water Tribe took the news of Aang and Katara's engagement with pride, elderly members saw this as a blessing from the spirits. The ones who survived the war see this as another way that they will be protected from any future conflict.

However, Katara is miserable and she is found sitting by the shoreline looking out to the sea. Her eyes betray the fact that while she really likes Aang, he is a wonderful friend, he isn't the person she is in love with. The issue is she will not be "selfish" and think of herself for once, who do you think would be best equipped to deal with this knowledge and help her with it. (Also everyone except Zuko is present for the engagement (for obvious reasons he isn't here)).

(Also I got the trigger that said I could be violating rule nine, for the mods, this is just a hypothetical scenario, we all know who she loves in this situation).

So I don't know if this has any merits but I heard that there are indications that NATLA will go for Kataang. Honestly that doesn't concern me too much but I am concerned that once again people are going to act like idiots when the season drops.

I am new to the ship baiting with this series, would you recommend just staying offline when the season airs? Cause I am not looking forward to the "discourse" surrounding that.

So I know this is a Zutara sub and not just a place to complain about Kataang. However, I was thinking about something, so the Southern Water Tribe seems to sustain themselves on meat, it makes sense I mean what plants are gonna survive such harsh conditions. So its safe to say that Hakkoda, Kanna, Sokka, Katara and Pakku (unfortunately, lol) would be avid meat consumers.

Isn't that a large cultural incompatibility with Kataang? Its implied that the Air Nomads are vegan, so if Kataang happens, is Aang going to force Katara to adapt to a vegan lifestyle? Forget that, in the show there is a recurring gag where Aang for some reason finds Water Tribe food to be disgusting. Which is an interesting choice when you consider that Katara is the one who does all the cooking for the group (seriously nobody helps her, like Sokka what the actual heck?).

So when she was cooking for the group, did she have to keep herself from making Water Tribe food, so that Toph and Aang could eat as well? They ate meat on their journeys that was made apparent in the footloose ripoff. I guess my question is, have you ever considered this when writing Kataang breakups in your fics (I know people often head canon that Katara's partner has to take part in a hunt with the men, another thing that Aang wouldn't be able to do.)

Also, what other cultural issues does Kataang happen to have? Did I misinterpret this and its a non-issue?

ALSO: This isn't meant to be a dig at vegans in real life, you guys eat however you want, I am not here to start some dietary war (is that even the term?) Its just a discussion about a fictional pairing (one ship that should have remained in port).

ALSO: For the mods, this is pro Zutara its meant to point out that there are cultural and lifestyle issues with Kataang. I would never slander Zutara.

EDIT: FindingOk pointed out that the Air Nomads are vegetarian, not vegan. I forgot about the custards (or pastries)? Whatever was made in the flashback with Gyatso, that has to involve some animal product.

So I have been struggling with the perception of Lu Ten in the fandom. Its something that I usually write off but for some reason when reading Zutara fics which feature a Lu Ten that is more in tune with Season 3 Zuko, it bugs me. I always thought that Lu Ten was more like Azulon and Zhao prior to his death but that isn't something that the fandom, especially the Zutara fandom seem to agree with. So why do you guys think Lu Ten was more like season three Zuko? I personally feel like he is more like Yon Rha, I mean if the Rough Rhinos attacked citizens, Lu Ten most likely did. Feel free to disagree, maybe there is something I am missing.

So I wanted your guys opinion, do you like oc's in fics? Am currently writing a fic and am making heavy use of oc's. I am trying to keep the point of views written from the characters in the show, however I am curious whether or not people would read fics if it contained pov's of oc's that interact with fics.

So in another post, someone asked for more serious Zutara fic recs. This was after they read "These Tides Do Turn" I am not sure if anyone recommended this fic but I was curious what the general consensus was.

I am not the author btw, I am just asking. I read this fic recently on AO3 and was curious what others thought of it.

Basically the title, in your fics do you use Kiyi? Or do you just avoid anything from the comics?

Currently working on a fic and I have no idea whether to use her or not. She is kind of just boring, maybe that is the Azula fan in me speaking (don't worry, I am not one of those who defend her actions towards the others, lol). I always thought she is good answer to the question about Ursa being a good parent. Although I really don't like Ikem, so I head canon her as just being Ozai's daughter who thankfully never interacted with him.

So in Zutara fanfics the default idea is that the Fire Nation would be the ones to oppose a union between Zuko and Katara. It makes sense, the Fire Nation would consider Katara to be "unworthy" of Zuko. I was thinking, it would be more interesting if it was the Southern Water Tribe circle of elders who opposed the marriage. It makes sense to me, the tribe has been besieged for seventy years by the Fire Nation, the elders would have watched their friends and family get taken from their home. They would absolutely hold it against the Fire Nation and by extension Zuko.

Kanna is the perfect candidate for this, when she last saw Zuko he had taken Aang as prisoner, not to mention that Zuko fire bent at the tribe and manhandled Kanna herself. Now there is the fact that Pakku and Hakkoda would vouch for Zuko, I mean Pakku knows that Zuko fought with the gaang on the comet day and Hakkoda was freed from the Boiling Rock by Zuko. It still makes sense to me that Kanna wouldn't take their words for it, I mean Pakku lived most of his life in the Northern Water Tribe, he didn't watch his kin get torn apart by violent imperialists. Hakkoda is harder for Kanna to ignore but she did personally get manhandled by Zuko.

TLDR: I personally feel like there is more story telling opportunity for the opposition to Katara and Zuko's marriage to stem from the Southern Water Tribe, not the Fire Nation. It would be even better if it was spear-headed by Kanna herself, it could also serve as a moment where Kanna stops treating Katara and Sokka like children and sees them as warriors. What do you think?

So I have an issue with the episodes following The Southern Raiders. I know that ultimately this is a show for kids but I kind of wish we had another slow episode between the Southern Raiders and The Ember Island Players. I mean the show was building up the idea of Katara's mother being killed since the first episode. We finally got a payoff for that but it feels hollow, I guess. I wish we had a slow episode where it focuses on Katara only (with a little bit of Zuko as well), where she would just be sorting through her emotions. Maybe a Zuko alone style episode where we get more of her thoughts about the recent confrontation with Yoh Rha, her thoughts towards Zuko and most importantly because we are Zutara fans, we could have finally gotten her view towards Aang. Does she actually see him the same way he sees her, or is he loving the idea of her not the real her.

IDK feel free to disagree if what I am saying makes no sense at all.