I just love the moments when Zuko acts younger than his age due to his severely stunted social skills. like when he’s acting like a bratty preschooler while being gently bossed around by iroh in ba sing se or when he’s trying to socialize with the gaang for the first time.
I mean, let’s be real: Zuko has been starving for the attention of his peers for years, and once he gets his first dose of social approval and acceptance on his field trip with aang, he ends up going a bit off the rails chasing the high of Friendship. like he’s trying SO HARD to be Just A Normal Guy here, but he waaaaay overshoots his mark and ends up going all the way back around to “something’s a litttttle off about this dude” again.
I can’t get over how Zuko, when confronted with the mystifying quandary of how to make friends for the first time in his socially-deprived adolescent life, draws an absolute blank and, with no actual hands-on experience to draw from, simply defaults to “imitate Uncle.”
Zuko’s thought process immediately after joining the gaang was clearly: “I really want these people to like me. Uncle would say that I should just be myself and show them the real me. but that will never work!! I’m not likable!!! …but Uncle is. everyone likes Uncle. obvious solution: just be Uncle and everything will be Fine,” and then proceeded to give his best imitation of iroh down to the tea and bad jokes.
Zuko after possibly the world’s worst punchline delivery: “This is great! I’m going to get a good grade in Being Uncle, a thing that is normal to want and possible to achieve!”
“nailed it”
Eda: Listen, kid…
Luz: Oh, you can call me Luz
Eda: I’d rather not. If I named you I’d get attached.
June 9: Role Swap (Firelord Roku/Avatar Sozin)
As you can see, the avatar's powers are only being used responsibly
Defiantly not used to be taller then your bf
like teacher, like student
a lil appreciation post for music teachers, including my own :”) featuring cellist zuko and teacher piandao
happy pride :)
Being surrounded by 'none biological family but might as well be' trope has me in choke hold, and honestly ima enjoy myself. Dialogue and prompt mix!
Card!
Cradling the crying child that is not theirs in their arms after being either invalidated or abused by their actual parent/s, wiping away at their tears, and whispering gentle promises in their ear.
Fighting for the custody/adoption of a said child from incapable parents.
"WE MAY NOT BE RELATED BY BLOOD! BUT THEY ARE MINE, lay a single finder on them I will personally drag your ass to hell!"
"Where were you when the kids needed you? and NOW you want to be present?"
"No baby, I swear to you, they will not lay a single hand on you ok? go up to your room, we'll just talk, it'll be quick ok? pick the book you wanna read"
Rocking the kid back and forth after having a panic attack, both doing the breathing exercise they found online when they first witnessed their kid have their first panic attack.
Fighting and legalizing for the kid's custody or adoption because their parents aren't fit for the parental role.
"I fought for you, you're not getting rid of me that easily whether you hate me or not because I love you no matter how ugly things get"
Breaking down after arguing with the kid and hearing them scream how much they hate them and wish they were anywhere but near them.
Fighting and pushing for their kid's justice when the authorities turned a blind eye.
Serving their kid's justice themselves no matter how bloody and ugly it gets.
"Oh sweety, we didn't sacrifice everything just to build you up for someone to just bring you down. come on. I'll make sure they regret every tear that you cried"
"You don't deserve this wonderful kid! you don't see the mess you're putting them in!" "And you think you're deserving eno-" "AT LEAST I'M BETTER THAN YOU'LL EVER BE!"
"Tell me, how come they don't ever call? they're so ungrateful, after all I've done for them?" "Maybe a self-check would humble you, at least before I do"
Sunday routines of ice creams and park visits!
Fun sleepovers because they can stay past their bedtime with stories of their parent's earlier years.
Being accidentally called mom/dad while in the moment.
School visits and pickups when their actual parents can't! And they can get food on the way!
Being the kid's scapegoat when the kids sneak out of the house doing kids' stuff and they totally got the kid's back
"oh come on! Let the kids live a little! Not like you weren't their age once! You were far worst! Don't deny it!
Taking the kids shopping to spite their killjoy parents.
Wearing the kids creation with pride, clothes, jewelry or anything the kids gave them and countless pictures.
Parading around the streets with matching kids fashion, large sunglasses, tutus, skirts, bangles and dangly necklaces, and matching tiaras and fairy wings.
Running errands with or for the kids when they need anything.
"Oh come on kiddo, cheer up, you know you're mom can be a bit too much, I can assure you she means well"
They're practically on speed dial on every occasion there is.
Doing mani pedies with the closeted child and creating their safe environment for them and being their comfort if their parents show homophobia.
"NO! drop it! Don't put it in your mouth!!!"
"Where did you get that?! didn't I tell you not to snoop around where you shouldn't be snooping at?" "But come on! it's so cool! it's a self-destructive rocket ship! it's vibrating and all!"
Playing in the playground with the kids, screw being a grown-up, and sitting on the bench, if they can fit and slide in the kiddie slide they will join the kids.
Bumping every kid on-site in bump car rides, they are surrounding the kids and targeting any suspected enemy.
Dressing up as chickens taunting the kids' bullies' parents after having a meeting about it and the bullies' parents get away scot-free, they came dressing up as chickens and clucking out of the bullies' house before throwing hands.
"Geez! when I told you to hurry up I didn't want to slingshot yourself out the door." "It's effective though!" "KID YOU HAAVE A BROKEN NOSE!"
"I swear you are the reason I don't want kids!" "You love me though right?"
Picking the kids up in the middle of the day when they're requesting a pickup after cutting classes.
Playing tea parties with the kids with actual food and experiment/concoctions the kids made and they would eat that shit like it's bussin bussin.
Using their kids as partner magnets on play dates but utterly fails when said kids either pull them away or cause some type of chaos to get them home.
Egging bully houses and TPing their yards.
Camping out in the woods to try to live both of your fantasies of being fairies and or witches in the woods only to be attacked by mosquitos, bugs and no proper bathrooms
Zutara Month 2022
Day 7: Soft Kisses
I love that point in the relationship where Katara just can’t handle Zuko being all suave and soft, probably without him even meaning to be.
(I saw a similar 2-panel thing a while ago on Instagram and needed to draw it with Zutara!)
Ty Lee keeps a drawing that Zuko made of them playing with turtleducks together. Zuko keeps a sparkly bead bracelet with a little golden flower charm Ty Lee made for him when he mentioned it was his favorite color. They gave these things to each other when they were little, and they mean the world to them - even acting as comfort items despite their initial friendship having faded away and not having seen each other in years.
some Ty Lukos for the soul
First Jetkotara fanart ever and I'm really proud of it 💕
[ID: Looking at the image from left to right: Jet, Zuko and Katara are on a couch relaxing together. Zuko and Jet are sitting close, looking at a copy of Love Amongst the Dragons that Zuko is reading aloud. Katara is lying down looking up at Zuko, with her head on his legs. All of them are wearing a pair of dark trousers in different shades (burgundy, dark brown, dark purple) and a shirt. Katara and Zuko have long untied hair. Jet has his left arm around Zuko's shoulder, his hand on top of Katara's, that is holding Zuko's hand. End ID]
Hey, I wanna talk about a piece of fridge brilliance (pun intended) in The Boiling Rock.
Specifically, about the Coolers. And about Zuko.
The Coolers are, first and foremost, a means of firebender suppression. They are invoked as a punishment against unsanctioned firebending. They are designed, specifically, to shut down firebenders who have toed out of line. Like the metal prison in Imprisoned, like the suspended cages in The Puppet Master, these are prison facilities designed with a specific sort of bender in mind.
So then - Zuko.
Why throw Zuko in the Cooler as part of the escape plan? He should be EXACTLY the sort of person the Cooler is designed to work most devastatingly against. It would almost make more sense to try to get Sokka thrown into the cooler - he’s from the South Pole at least. Or maybe Suki, who’s not a bender at all. But they choose Zuko. And he’s successful. Subjected to the most severe form of firebender suppression in the Fire Nation’s most high-profile prison, Zuko is able to dismantle the Cooler and walk away smiling.
Why?
I want to walk you through some facts:
In a tidbit of behind-the-scenes trivia, it was revealed that airbenders can regulate their body temperature with their breath alone. This is why Aang is so weirdly comfortable traveling around the South and North Pole (and really any climate in the series) in his normal monk garb. Everyone else changes outfits to reflect the changing climate, but not Aang, his breath has that covered.
It would be quite useful if a technique like that could be adapted to another style of bending. The same way that a waterbender’s redirection of their opponent’s energy could be adapted to the redirection of a firebender’s lightning. I bet the man who invented lightning redirection by studying waterbending would have some brilliant insight into using the breath for warmth by studying airbending.
In fact, that exact man tells Zuko “Remember your breath of fire. It could save your life out there.” back in Siege of the North. We see Zuko use his breath to warm himself that very episode, per his uncle’s instructions.
And we see Zuko use his breath of fire in one other case:
To endure the cooler.
I’m willing to bet - Breath of Fire, as a means to keep oneself warm, is not a native firebending technique. If it was, the whole concept of the Cooler would be laughable. Any prisoner would just Breath-o-Fire himself warm in there, and the prison guards would all collectively say “oh wow, the Cooler was a stupid idea, time for a new plan.”
But we know a traditional firebender would be sapped so cold in the Cooler that his firebending becomes unusable. If Zuko were relying on traditional firebending techniques, the same would happen to him. But he’s not.
Zuko’s Breath of Fire is an airbending technique.
One that Iroh taught him. One the Fire Nation has no precedent for. One which lets Zuko ward off the freezing effects of the Cooler like it’s nothing, and allows him to dismantle it from the inside and come away smiling, unhindered, unaffected, warm to his core.
It’s another case of Iroh’s brilliance. And I’m betting he and Zuko may be the only two firebenders in the world who could pull this off.