getting bullied at art school is the worst bc not only are you getting picked on by people who post voltron discourse but every mean thing they say to you is verbatim lifted from a text post you’ve already seen and that has damaged my self respect in a way that nothing else ever could
knowing i am lower on the college food chain than 20 year olds who say “weird flex but okay” and “sure jan” in real life has done irreparable psychological damage
I can’t wrap my head around art school bullies
i said i hate anime and now they want me dead
Oh I thought they were just being mean you didn’t tell me you provoked them
When Zuko apologized to uncle Iroh in the tent cause he was so
ashamed of his actions and what he’d done to the only person who
unconditionally believed in his ability to do good >>>>>
So okay, I’ve given this rant before but this is another good time for it.
Structurally speaking, ATLA did something important with Zuko that, in a purely mechanistic sense of narrative development, I think a lot of people don’t notice immediately, and that even fewer people who want to emulate what was done with him get.
Which is Zuko is made a protagonist VERY early, and the show goes out of its way to continually place Zuko into situations where the audience empathizes and roots for him.
This happens in literally the second episode of the series, if we count the two-part premiere as a single episode, which I think we should. The A-plot of that episode, “The Southern Air Temple,” is Aang reckoning with the genocide of his people… but the B-plot?
The B-plot is the introduction of Zhao, and more specifically, his introduction in a way that is calculate to shift the audience, whose introduction to Zuko did NOT engender a ton of sympathy to him, directly and forcefully onto his side. They want Zuko to kick Zhao’s ass.
This continues all through book one and book two. Remember, Zuko is never, ever the main villain of this series. That’s initially Zhao, followed by Azula and Ozai. (Plus various temporary players like Long Feng.) Whenever Zuko isn’t placed into direct conflict with the other protagonists, he’s always written and presented in a way that is careful, VERY VERY careful, not to make him too monstrous, and to make us root for him. He’s placed right next to Iroh, who is designed for people to like, and that reflects back onto Zuko; we want Zuko to be better than he is because we want Iroh to have good things.
Put aside for the moment whether any specific character, including Zuko, deserves their redemption. If you’ve decided you’re going to do that, you have to erect the proper narrative scaffolding around them, and it extends to far more things than “did this person not do things that were too horrible” and “is this person genuinely sorry and is working really hard to atone.” There’s a difference between protagonist and white hat, but if you want someone to eventually wear that white hat, you REALLY need to establish them as a plausible protagonist early on.
They especially shows Zuko showing empathy for others. To start with, some of his more negative actions are against things instead of people. Even though he does terrible things like set Kyoshi on fire, there’s wiggle room. He doesn’t aim for people and only at buildings. (Since said buildings are small, they can be escaped from). He kidnaps Katara but probably was telling the truth that he’d let her go if Aang surrendered.
Then it progresses from being a not-the-worst villain to being a better person. With Song, Even though he takes the ostrich horse in the end, seeing her burn scars shook him. He and Jet steal food from the captain of the ship and give it to the other refugees (instead of just keeping it for themselves). He lights up the lanterns to make Jin happy. He frees Appa. He’s kind to Lee and fights the mercenaries terrorizing his town. And so on and so on.
By the end of the second season he’s ALMOST ready to become a good person but he relapses at the chance to head home and regain his father’s love. Then he does something terrible (hire Combustion Man and put a hit on Aang) to KEEP it. He also doesn’t argue against his father wanting to commit genocide, something he was later ashamed of but a result of being ABUSED into compliance by being maimed the last time he spoke out.
But even when he has what he wants, he struggles with himself because he can’t forget everything he saw, his understanding how evil his father is, or forget how human his supposed enemies are.
In the confrontation with his father we SEE that he truly does understand, he talks about the fire nation terrorizing the world and how them claiming they were bringing greatness to it is a lie, we see him wanting to stop the suffering it caused. He apologized to the Gaang, even offering to give himself up as a prisoner if that’s the only way they’ll let him teach Aang - willing to give up his freedom and pride to do the right thing if that’s what it takes. He helps Aang loyally, with 0 shady stuff or relapses in behavior.
But most tellingly of all, I think, is the action that gets Zuko exiled when he’s 13: speaking out because his father’s general treated soldiers that only wanted to serve their country like they were nothing but pawns, even calling them “fresh meat.” His exile, what was supposed to be the source of his greatest shame, was a direct result of empathy for his subjects and countrymen and valuing their lives in a way his father and his general didn’t. It made sense that this “weakness” would spread to the rest of the world after he had close exposure to it while disguised.
For some reason, the revelation that Brooke and Nina have kissed several times, really threw me for a loop. I mean did I assume they had history?? Yeah. Did I think they were ever gonna acknowledged that?? Absolutely not. I am properly shooketh. To my absolute core. I would like to say A) thats hot and B) It’s unfair that Brooke consistantly beds cuties. Also jealous Vanessa™️ is very fuckin funny.
