This isn’t related to anything and definitely not directed at you but I wanted to vent and I love your blog. I wish there was deeper love for Sokka in the fandom :( I feel like he usually just gets treated as a hot beefcake who’s just there to comfort and/or top Zuko, rather than being a complex character with his own emotional baggage and insecurities he’s still growing through. I think he grew up too soon having to take care of everyone and I think he needs someone to care for him too.
You’re right and you should say it anon!!! This is a Sokka stan account. Okay but like Sokka is such a wonderful and amazing character. Like you said he has emotional baggage and insecurities. The boy is traumatized. And like he’s funny-that’s for sure but he is not just comedic relief.
Sokka lost his mother too. And then his father went off to war. Sokka had to assume the role of a leader far before any child should have to even think about it.
I think Sokka’s trauma manifested in protective behavior. With Katara, there is so much anger, especially relating to the fact that her mother died protecting her. But with Sokka, his mother was killed because she was thought to be the last waterbender in the SWT- but it’s really his sister. And Katara is in innate danger just by existing. At some level, Sokka has to be aware of this at all times.
And I don’t think Katara gets this. In the first episode, she says
Ever since mom died, [Points to herself.] I've been doing all the work around camp while you've been off playing soldier!
Even from this line, we establish up front that Sokka has assumed the role of the protector. He’s 15. He’s so young. So young. And like as the series progresses, we understand why we unlock his tragic back story so to speak and it’s just- he loves his friends and family so much and everything he does is to keep them safe. Like the library? get more info on the fire nation to keep his friends safe from them.
And like Sokka works so hard and he’s so good at everything he does. And he’s so smart and loving and caring and all he wants to do is keep the people around him safe. And like then he meets Yue and falls in love with her and then she turns into the freaking moon. Like oh my god?? The trauma??? Therapy, please!!!!
And we don’t see that effect Sokka that much. In fact, the first major time we see how it holds him back is with his relationship with Suki and it’s this moment where we have to realize that Sokka is moving forward for everyone else sake- they don’t think about the events that happened at the NWT the way he does, it’s just another thing he’ll have to carry by himself.
Yeah, Sokka man. He’s so great. He’s so well-written and we need to give him more love because he is amazing.