Zutara: Exploring the VALID DEPTH of their Connection | an ATLA Analysis *Timestamped*

Exploring the depth of Zutara’s connection and why it is the superior love story, ironically enough and also in my personal opinion 🤔
Other great Zutara Videos: 😃
Zuko X Katara: Explaining Avatar's Most... PASSIONATE Ship
• Zuko X Katara: Explain...
Get in losers we're stanning Zutara (It's BACK!)
• Get in losers we're st...
The Argument for Zutara
• The Argument for Zutara
Zuko and Katara Belong Together - The Ship We Deserved (Avatar the Last Airbender)
• Zuko and Katara Belong...
Videos/Articles about why Kataang/Maiko is bleh: 🫤
Unpopular Opinion: Why Katara and Aang Don’t Work As a Couple
thecrookedpen....
Unpopular Opinion: Why Zuko and Mai Don’t Work As a Couple
thecrookedpen....
Aang X Katara: Avatar's Biggest Mistake?
• Aang X Katara: Avatar'...
How Avatar FAILED Katara | Avatar Analysis
• How Avatar FAILED Kata...
TIMESTAMPS:
General Analysis - 02:44
Counter Arguments - 15:48
Zuko's a Bad Boy Apparently - 16:01
An Oppressor/Oppressee Ship?? - 16:52
Katara Hates Zuko! - 18:00
Zuko is an "I can fix him" troupe - 19:09
Your Projecting onto Katara - 19:58
Until next time!
Cheers! ✨
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🩸DANTE’S AMA ANIMATIC SERIES 🔪
DANTE'S AMA is a psychological thriller and "romance" animatic about a jaded, but crafty girl named Ama on the hunt for her mother's killer. Just when she thought she found him, calm and soft-spoken Dante turns out to be the wrong serial killer. Now she can't shake him. Dante is determined to be in Ama's life by any means necessary. Will Ama find her mother's murderer in time and bring them to justice or will Dante's interference ruin her revenge, her life and endanger everyone she holds dear?
Playlist - • Dante's Ama - Animatic...
Episode 1 - A girl gets kidnapped. Things happen.
Episode 2 - Girl makes it back home, but not everything is rainbows and butterflies.
Episode 3 - Girl gets kidnapped again. What does the serial killer want this time?
Episode 4 - Coming Soon.
CONTENT WARNING: There will be situations with violence, mentions of death, and images with blood and mild nudity. You have been advised.
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- ♪♫ Artists' Credit & Links ♫♪ -
► Music by Stream Cafe / @streamcafemusic
Bg Track - “Meteor Shower"
► Music by Joakim Karud / joakimkarud
Intro - “Sunshine”

[@DayDayDoes]

🚨PSA🚨If it wasn’t already obvious, when I mention “Dante and Bryan” in the video, I’m talking about creators Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko, aka Bryke. Dante in my video is not to be confused for Dante Basco, Zuko’s VA, who is a cupcake and has done nothing wrong. Thank you for your time 👍🏽

[@Ironcabbit]

I do ship Zutara now (thanks, SneezyReviews!) and think that Kataang only holds Aang back from his own best pairing - a certain bubbly Fire Nation aura-reading Kiyoshi Warrior that just might have Air Nomad heritage whose chief desire is to be recognized as unique. And I say that as someone that identifies strongly with Aang and actually is under a cardinal air sign (according to the Miss Cleo types).

[@LiciaRebecca]

Can we also talk about how they both moonlighted as spirit themed vigilantes? The Painted Lady and The Blue Spirit were both things that they did independent of eachother and it MAJORLY bothered me that it never jokingly came up as this super random thing that they had in common 😅

[@DayDayDoes]

OMG THIS! So many parallels! This couple basically writes itself!

[@missy7871]

I really appreciate your depiction of Katara in your art. The facial tattoo is such a sweet touch, and a really neat way to pay respect to her indigenous heritage. I’m indigenous and really appreciate it even if it’s not from my own. ❤ Also yes Zutara has so much going for it I will die on this hill that it being endgame would have been more fulfilling.

[@DayDayDoes]

@missy7871 omg thank you for noticing! I saw an artist on Instagram do it as well and it was like my world exploded because now I can never imagine Katara or Sokka without their Inuit tribal heritage. It makes so much sense and would have added a deeper connection to Inuit culture already heavily ignored in mass media. The same should be applied to any and all tribes when depicted on the big screen or in books bc hello?? how can you not??

[@ViewerOnline101]

I couldn't agree more with everything you've said. And I’m saying this as someone who was a Kataanger all throughout the series airing, but Zutara is by far the superior ship. As a kid, I shipped Kataang, but as I got older and gained a better understanding of relationships, writing, story, and characters, I saw just how heavily flawed and incompatible Kataang was and how Zutara was vastly superior and made so much more sense, and so I jumped ships. Zuko and Katara know, understand, and relate to each other better than anyone else in the show. They stand as equals who make each other better people and help one another grow. There was chemistry between them throughout the show (which the creators said they deliberately put in there), and even though I was a Kataanger and very anti-Zutara at the times, when Katara healed Zuko after their fight with Azula, I fully expected them to kiss and was surprised they didn’t. Katara had such a better and brighter future with Zuko than with Aang. She could have gone on to do great things, help bring the nations together and establish peace, even be a symbol of unity, harmony, and balance as Fire Lady despite being Water Tribe. Even from a political standing, it made sense for them to wed. Literally everything was there and worked perfectly for them as a couple and with a great future together. I actually took a writing course, and the way Zutara plays out literally aligns with how most modern romances novels do. Plus, they look really good together. With Kataang, though, the relationship was heavily flawed, with Katara only showing 3 brief instances of any interest in Aang romantically throughout the enter series, and after they occurred, her behavior doesn’t change towards him at all, as if those moments never happened, and she continues to treat him like a son/little brother. Aang borderline stalks her and basically makes a claim on her without her consent, and constantly pressures her into returning his feelings. He even forces a kiss on her after she told him she was confused and didn’t want a relationship with everything going on with the war (that’s called sexual assault BTW). The relationship really isn’t healthy. Aang is almost dependent on her and makes so many decisions that simply revolve around having her with him; he even chose to sacrifice the world and/or innocent people on more than one occasion because he wanted her more. And sure, I’ve heard the argument that Aang is just a kid and so doesn’t understand relationships and will mature, but that’s my point, Kataang wasn’t the epic romance Kataangers pretend it is. Even in the post-series comic with them as a couple, uch, it’s horrible. Their dialogue with each other and the way they interact with each other is just… no. It’s not cute, or romantic, or attractive, or sexy, or even wholesome, it’s super cringy. And Katara becomes even more motherly and determine to please Aang in literally everything he wants and decides, even if she disagrees with him, just because she wants him to be happy. And look where she ended up. She becomes a baby-making stay at home mom/housewife whose best known for her healing (the very thing she fought Pakku against being stuck as). That’s like a woman fighting to get out of the kitchen just to turn around and go into the kitchen. She could have had so much potential, become a great master Waterbender, done so many great things, but no. Instead, she gets so little recognition that she’s the only member of the GAang that doesn’t get a statue of her, even though she was the one to defeat Azula. She deserved so much better. And all this isn’t just me bashing the ship or expressing my opinion. We SAW how dysfunctional and broken their family life was in Legend Of Korra. I’m sorry to say it, but Aang is a bad father and husband. He overly-pressured Tenzin and forced everything he wanted on him and openly favored him while completely neglecting and ignoring his other two kids to the point where they all become resentful of him and of each other and held grudges they never get over and having their family divided and estranged. This can all point back to Katara never stepping up to address Aang’s behavior since she’s always mothering him and just wants him to be happy, so now their kids suffered greatly because she never did anything about the way Aang was treating them. This just shows how incompatible they are as a couple. It was even stated that despite becoming an adult, Aang never grew up (yet they tried to push the idea that Katara found that endearing), and that’s likely due to Katara always mothering him and being the adult, so he never had to grow up. Katara doesn’t need a little boy that she’s always catering to for a partner though, she needs a man, an equal. So we saw for ourselves just how poorly Kataang worked out (there's no debate about that because it was shown) and how so much of Katara’s potential was wasted when she could have had so much more with Zuko. I don’t think that’s how the writers intended Kataang to be, but if you actually look at it, that’s what happened. While with Zutara, we saw how good they were together, and you can imagine how much better they would be together as a power couple, not just for each other, but for the nations. At the very least, any potential between for them would be better than what LoK showed became of Kataang. And no, they are not toxic, as they have only ever made each other better people, even when they were enemies. For example, so many Anti-Zutara people say that Zuko tried to kill her mother's killer when no, he didn't. He wanted her to be sure of her decision, because she NEEDED to be sure in order to movie on and conquer her inner darkness. he knew this because he understood her in a way no one else did not even Sokk or Aang, the latter of which literally just told her to get over it and compared her mother's death to his pet being stolen. Zuko wanted Katara to choose her own path and would have accepted her and her decision no matter what it was. Aang may have been right in saying that Katara needed to forgive, but she had to figure that out herself, not just be told that, and Zuko knew and understood that and helped her get that closure. So I’m sorry to all the Kataangers, but Zutara is vastly superior and makes so much more sense in literally every way. You’re free to ship Kataang all you want, power to you, but it falls way short of Zutara and what could have been, especially compared to what we saw the result of Kataang was in LoK. Kataang may have been the canon ship, but Zutara is the better one. So much potential lost for a poorly written and undeserved “hero gets girl” trope. Zutara has unlimited potential that has so many good things possible for both Katara and Zuko, while Kataang, well, we saw how problematic that ended up being. As for Maiko, that doesn't even last canonically based on the comics, so there's no point in even bringing that up outside of saying that Zuko deserved better than a gloomy borderline sociopath who is indifferent to pretty much everything in life. Rant over. BTW, despite the hate Zutara gets from the Kataangers, it's STILL the more popular ship. Since the beginning of the series, it was the most popular ship, and Kataang only briefly became more popular once it became canon, but Zutara quickly reclaimed the mantle. It's literally the face of the fan-preferred-couple trope and is arguably the most popular ship in western animation. Kataangers just can't stand that it's more popular despite Kataang being canon, which is why they hate on it so much and attack anyone who ships Zutara while ignoring he problems with Kataang and all the arguments made in favor of Zutara..

[@DayDayDoes]

Holy flip this is the best argument for Zutara ever, yes you said exactly what I was thinking and more. It’s fine if people like Kataang but that doesn’t negate the fact that Zutara was still better written. Thank you so much for this comment! I really appreciate it! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽✨

[@moon7shinev150]

One thing I keep seeing from people who don't ship Zutara say that it's bad because Zuko is the son of the people who are oppressing Katara and her people so it's bad. Completely unacknowledging the fact that Zuko himself was physically and psychologically abused into thinking that way and then he actively learns from it and goes through challenges to fix himself, also he's 16. Meanwhile they ship Sokka and Suki completely forgetting that Sokka also oppressed women and then went through lengths to learn. I will never understand how literally everyone who worked on the show shipped Zutara and not have it end up canon. Fun fact apparently Sokka's voice actor thought that Katara was a red herring and that Toph would be Aang's actual love interest. Had that happen it would've Zutara as air and earth are opposites Also if you love Zutara you should check out Broken Flames by M.K. Ahearn. She's very open about the fact that the book was inspired by Zutara

[@psychotictrash2384]

I don’t think it should’ve been Toph and Aang I really like their friendship more.

[@Teekayhuey_TK]

Sokka and Suki is far different. Sokka never attacked a group of women trying to oppress them. Neither did he gain power and royalty based on the bodies of those women. Heck Sokka's thinking process is based on sound logic FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE. Sokka is the only teen male in the North Water tribe. This is because all the men went to war. All the women were left behind from his perspective women don't fight in wars. A massive issue with Zuko and Katara is that Zuko's people almost genocided her people. This is a huge matter because this isn't just racism, this is full-on killing and murder. All Katara knew was that her father was dead killed by the fire nation in war. A group Zuko presented himself as and attacked the Water tribe as other generals did before him. Zuko completely supported the war and wanted to be a part of it. Zuko didn't switch sides because he thought the Fire Nation was bad, he switched sides because the Fire Nation was going too far.

[@ExiledPlaton]

Just because they're voice actors fornthe characters doesnt mean they knkw better than anyone else

[@stephaniewilliams6756]

Mandatory SneezyReviews mention. She has an entire hours long dissection of the very real subtext and thematic cohesion of their bond. Plus it's so funny I actually lol multiple times during it

[@somebody1234-g8j]

The reason I started to dislike Kataang is because Aang's feelings for Katara are a coping mechanism. This kid literally projected all his grief, trauma and sadness over losing the air nomads on Katara and depends emotionally on her so much to the point he develops an unhealthy attachment on her. He was set up to let go of his attachment in order to grow as a character and master the avatar state, but he gets an easy way out with a rock and a random giant lion turtle. His trauma and attachment, that were established at the end of book 2, are never explored. This is not how chakras work, it can not be fixed physically because it's energy and emotions or whatever. And this is not how character growth works either. I have many more problems with the canon ships, but it would take me forever to explain everything. "Get in losers we're stanning Zutara" video shows the writing's flaws perfectly and it explains how Kataang could be fixed, but also how Zutara would work from a writing perspective. I really recommend it. I wasn't interested in the romance or the ships of this show, but after watching her video essay I started to ship Zutara

[@somebody1234-g8j]

@UnshakenBuck Iroh doesn't know the full context. That's why he said love. Aang is never told to let go of his love for Katara or that he is not allowed to love. He is told that he has an attachment and he needs to let go of it. The concepts of attachment and chakras come from Buddhism. In Buddhism having an attachment is not good. It's seen as loving in a selfish, possessive or unhealthy way. The writers should have explored that by either making Aang let go of his attachment entirely or making him love Katara in a more mature way which would signify letting go of an idealized version of Katara. This way you can still have Kataang be canon, but also give Aang some character growth instead of him getting lucky with some deux ex machinas

[@zark-sy2uz]

This whole paragraph just shows me that you don't understand atla, the characters, the message, the plot, the story, or anything with the show. You misunderstood almost all of it which is impressive.

[@somebody1234-g8j]

@zark-sy2uz yeah, bro, cause by pointing out how dirty they did Aang with those deux ex machinas means that I didn't understand the story. Give me a break. Aang's fans are so delusional. You think that getting hit in the back or a random giant lion turtle is character growth. This is like Zuko staying the all show in the Fire Nation and in the last 4 episodes he finds down the street some random healing water from the North Pole, heals his scar (get it...solving the problem physically with a roc- I mean water instead of addressing it emotionally) and then he joins the gaang because by healing it he learned his lessons. That's what they did with Aang in the third season. And what's worse is that the attachment and chakras are taken from Buddhism. Chakra is energy. Is not solved by getting hit in the back. It's through meditation and reflecting on yourself or something like that

[@zark-sy2uz]

@@somebody1234-g8j See, you didn't pay attention, chakra's in avatar are also PHYSICAL, which is why azula's lightning was able to block it in the first place, in the first episode of season 3 we see katara say that there is pent up energy in aang's back, which blocked the chakra physically, not spiritually. He did let go of katara, ATTACHMENT does not mean you can't still love someone, it just means you have to learn to let them go when needed which aang literally DID. You do NOT understand what the show was trying to tell you and your comment proves it. You're a moron, go rewatch the show please so you can say something intelligent for once. Chakra's are pools of energy yes, so the energy from the lightning physically blocked it. Use your head.

[@haruzanfuucha]

​​​​@zark-sy2uz The irony of you lecturing someone on not paying attention to the show or claiming that they didn't understand it when you're spewing out blatantly false information about it. No, Aang never let go of his attachment to Katara. The creators confirmed this twice. He attempted to let go of his attachment to her in the Crystal Catacombs but was killed by Azula's lightning before he could achieve it, as stated on the official Nickelodeon website of the series which was written by the creators themselves. In Sozin's Comet: The Final Battle, a book that was written under the direction of the creators (it even includes an interview from them), Aang outright states that he refuses to let go of his attachment to Katara.

[@kkeomystic]

I remember when I saw the ending of ATLA i literally got so confused that Zuko and Katara didn't get together because I thought they were leading up to it. Legit I had to search up on google why they weren't canon, it really felt like they were ship baiting with them especially with how he took a lightning bolt for her? HELLO?? PS. I ain't trying to downplay the canon pairing, it's just my personal opinion that I think these two had more interesting chemistry.

[@amourtabb7859]

especially those last 4 eps where aang and katara fight twice and don't really resolve either conflict while she gets closer to Zuko. like girl so confusing😂

[@kkeomystic]

@amourtabb7859 I know.. I really found it weird that Aang kissed Katara without consent twice and they never talked about it, especially the one after the play where Aang got jealous of Zuko. It's obvious that Aang had feelings for Katara but it always looked like Katara was uncomfortable? 😅

[@detectivenora]

In my humble opinion i feel like the lightning bolt scene shouldn't be used as a valid reason to ship zutara, I mean think about it. Zuko had to learn and grow as a person, that includes developing empathy in the correct sense. If it was Sokka, Toph or Aang, Zuko would have still jumped in front of that bolt. It wasn't a gesture of romantic affection but a gesture of love in GENERAL. Thats why I think Zuko and Katara's friendship is so important. Because is a signof them BOTH getting over their past and developing a new moral compass.

[@kkeomystic]

@@detectivenora I actually agree to an extent, I don't think that the lightning bolt scene meant that Zuko had feelings for Katara or vice versa. The reason I mentioned it is because of the way it was executed, not the action of Zuko saving Katara in general. To me the way it was written made it feel like ship baiting, but that is just my interpretation of the scene while I was watching it, and I would've personally written it differently to not make viewers confused. (Not just this scene tbh, some other scenes) Either way I don't mind that they weren't canon, (if anything I feel like romance was the weak point of Avatar's writing but that's a whole different story lol 😅) I think your interpretation is really sweet though

[@zark-sy2uz]

The fact that you really thought zuko and katara were for SOME REASON going to get together is insane lmaoo. Katara hated him all the way up to the last like 4 episodes, no romantic feelings, at all. Did you forget about mai?

[@stardust948.]

So true all of this. Happy Zutara Week!

[@ThePrincessCH]

Personally, I think they should have cut out the romance altogether and focused on Aang being a displaced child in time.

[@kkeomystic]

I actually agree, I don't think the writing when it came to the romantic relatonships in Avatar was very well written altogether (in my personal opinion). Other than Aang and Katara, I thought Sokka not having moved on from Yue and getting together with Suki so quickly felt quite rushed and a bit confusing. It made Suki feel more like a fling than a genuine romantic connection

[@tamerafarly7666]

I am a huge Zutara shipper. I like the dynamic.

[@DayDayDoes]

It’s the dynamic that seduced me 😩💕

[@tamerafarly7666]

@@DayDayDoes I think that they would have been a great couple. Also, it's funny that people think that Zutara shipper are good girl x bad boy. In most Zutara fics I read, he's a sweet, awkward, Goof. The bad boy image died in the Earth Kingdom when he tried to juggle and failed. Then again with "Zuko, Here"

[@kkeomystic]

@@tamerafarly7666 me too!

[@Maimuna23458]

@@tamerafarly7666what, do you like About Zutura pairing that instead you About their Dynamic, Together.?

[@delfi__arts]

I could get into the kataang train if at any moment we were shown Katara's feelings for Aang develop before the final episode. I was 100% sold on the fact that Aang loves her romantically, but their kiss in the end felt so awkward. It was Aang being rewarded with a girlfriend because he's the hero of the story, not two characters developing feelings for each other. Katara clearly loves Aang, like she loves everyone in team avatar, but the romance was lacking on her end. And yes, how can someone not ship a fire and water opposites attract couple. I agree with you that the series would've ended a lot better if the romance was left open ended, especially because at the end of the series they are still kids, Aang especially. Sure he matured a lot until the end of the series, but not enough to be seen as a love interest by a girl 2 years his elder I don't think

[@adjadenisedoumbia9305]

I shouted "I KNOW RIGHT???!" as soon as i saw the title

[@ChesireWaltz]

One day I'll get sick of Zutara discourse. Today is not that day, let's gooooo. Totally agree with what you said, especially that Zuko let her be HER. Even the ugly parts that were blood thirsty instead of acting horrified like Aang. Nice people get angry. Kind people feel rage. And I super wasn't a fan of Aang getting to feel his rage, like when Appa got kidnapped and he at best slapped those buzzard things out of the sky, at worst killed them, and got to work out his feelings on the sand benders to the point that he needed to be held back from hurting them and was met with compassion and not a lecture, but couldn't extend much understanding to Katara on her anger. And lets not talk about all the fire nation soldiers he drowned in the North Pole. With these two as a pairing, I also appreciate that even when they were mad or disagreed, they actually hashed it out, even though it got ugly especially at the start. I re-watched the show recently and it really struck me how Aang would blow up at Katara, she would try to placate him, and he would storm off to fume, at times with no resolution, idk... the last scene they had before they kissed in the finale. The last time Aang booked it (I mean just yelling at them and leaving, don't blame him for the lion turtle thing, he was in a trance) , it felt like Zuko and Katara were parenting Aang when Zuko told her not to go after him. When Zuko felt insecure about seeing his uncle again Katara supported him. And on the day of most important battle of their lives, they saw each other through it, risking their lives for each other, tag teaming their last fight of the show, ending watching the sky at the start of a well earned peace with his head in her lap? You would need to be blind to not see that framing for Zuko and Katara's interactions at the end could have easily been romantic; After nearly dying for her? Come on now. These are all moments you would expect to go to the end couple but... it went to Zutara instead which feels odd from a writing perspective vs the canon couple's last moments in the show. When I have mentioned it felt like Katara supported Aang more than he supported her people go well he's 12...but if I point out that I do think what Aang did was reasonable for a 12 year old in the show overall, and that he's sweet and yet at the same time I also think that makes him too immature for Katara, at least at that point in their lives, I'm wrong. Which is it? I'll also say as someone who watched this show near Katara's age, Aang always felt immature to me even when I was a kid too. IRL in the US she would have been a freshman in HS and Aang would be a 7th grader. Absolutely not lol.

[@DayDayDoes]

Yes girl I completely agree, all this and more you make fantastic points

[@starchildofthesun]

Also Mai is a totally toxic lover! THEY BREAK UP TWICE!!! Once in the show and once in the comics!

[@DayDayDoes]

The comic is so stupid, I don’t know why or what they tried doing with the break up Mai scene.

[@starchildofthesun]

@@DayDayDoes Well, she literally threatened Zuko to never break up with her so it makes sense Zuko couldn't bring himself to actually break up with her

[@DayDayDoes]

@ ooh that’s a good point, honestly I’m not a fan of her speech there because she never came across as someone who cared for what he goes through, just on her problems and how it affects her and that’s fair but when your in a relationship with someone you care about, you have to care at least a little and make an effort. Which is what I feel she never does from what I’ve seen

[@starchildofthesun]

@@DayDayDoes exactly Mai could never truly care about Zuko the way he cared about her, and even though my favorite line in the series is- "You miscalculated, I love Zuko more than I fear you" It's more because it sums up the only flaw Azula ever had that she could never love anyone than anything to do with MaiXZuko

[@ExiledPlaton]

Did you guys forget the part where Zuko was literally going crazy and taking advice from Ozai

[@Meiruki]

Kataang shippers are always purposely going on pro-Zutara videos to leave toxic comments while falsely claimimg that Zutara shippers are the toxic ones.

[@missy7871]

This is a ship I won’t get over. Headcanon for the win!

[@OverlordNeon]

I'm a zk are oma and shu reincarnated truther. They've got that soulmatism about them. 💙❤️ That sneezy video is still excellent, zutara as endgame really fufills so many characters arcs more neatly. It wouldve also turned book1 zuko carrying her betrothal necklace around into some masterful foreshadowing.

[@jackcarraway4707]

Zuko + Katara = A Song of Ice and Fire

[@DayDayDoes]

OMFG I love the reference!! 😍

[@Darya-t2q]

Zutara is my Roman Empire! I completely agree with all of the points mentioned in this video. I would also like to add the confrontation of Mai and Azula. I believe it would have been more impactful and meaningful if Mai came to higher motivations for changing her mindset, such as the brutality of the war or, as you said, her personal struggles caused by the war, and not just for her ex boyfriend, whose motivations and actions don’t even make sense to her. It sounded quite shallow of Mai. I also agree that Aang should have let go of Katara to control the Avatar state and defeat Ozai. This could have been more impressive than just getting to the avatar state by “accident”. Last but not least, Zutara is synonym of balance, peace, healing, and willingness to improve in all aspects. Their chemistry is so strong. Not even to mention how much well Katara would have served as partner of the fire lord for the post-war era. (Just remember her compassion and understanding in the painted Lady episode) Great Video!

[@DayDayDoes]

Thank you very much! 🥰 and yeah, Mai needed a little bit more substance which the beach episode alone wasn't going to be enough to cover.

[@Darya-t2q]

@ thank to you !! ☺️ you’re doing a great job 👏🏽

[@rileym7337]

My general attitude is that romance within the main group was wholly unnecessary. Sokka’s romantic arcs were important for his development and a nice side story, and it would make sense for people to have crushes on each other (aang on katara, toph on sokka) but considering these are a bunch of kids who are dealing with a lot, I’m surprised that romantic relationships and shipping were that prevalent in the show and the fandom. That said, if Katara was to end up with someone at the end I think Zuko is the best option. She never had to mother him at any point unlike the rest of the group. They clearly have a connection and complement each other well. It would’ve been kinda nice to see Aang getting over Katara and them having a good friendship. But that might just be me as an aroace who is obsessed with found family

[@DayDayDoes]

@rileym7337 An ending where they end with no one would have been PERFECT. Considering the main focus was ending the war and being forced to grow up early, having some time to focus on themselves before any romance option would have been ideal (maybe except Sokka, he earns some early onscreen romance lol). Any serious romance can be developed when they’re older in comics or with other media in the avatar studio

[@rileym7337]

@@DayDayDoesI totally agree that the comics would be a great way for them to explore relationships and be kids without it seeming forced. Like having Kataang be automatic endgame at the end of the series feels wrong. I wouldn’t be entirely opposed to Kataang or Zutara if they happened years after the fact, when they’re not in constant survival mode and given time to develop outside of that. I feel like during the series they don’t have time or emotional space to show a serious romance, especially considering everyone’s age. Any romance between two members of the gang would kind of have to be serious by default because of the depth of their relationship to one another.

[@olive9097]

Personally I’m still more of a kataang shipper, but this video was definitely insightful and I can understand the appeal of zutara more and the flaws in some of the arguments against it, so thank you for opening my eyes! While I still prefer kataang, I have more respect and understanding for zutara shippers after this, which I think is important

[@medtle1]

Considering how bad of a father and husband Aang turned out to be, maybe zutara was the better option after all. [Seriously, i am noticing this trend when it comes to sequel series based on the offspring of characters from the original series. When it comes to the original characters being written worse in the sequel series, that usually means there was some behind-the-scenes crap and disputes happening that made how those characters ended up in the original series (see how studio pierrot forcing naruhina at the last minute made naruto and hinata worse in boruto and how the proud family's creators' dedication to penny torture made it difficult for them to address certain topics in the louder and prouder and why penny's friends and family stayed stagnant as examples and why penny isn't allowed to have a different set of friends). When the original characters aren't ruined in the sequel series, it usually means that they were written as expected in the original series without or with little disputes behind the scenes (see Another (the sequel series to Furuba) and tokyo mew mew a la mode for examples). [Not sure where the bleach sequel with ichigo's kid and the inuyasha sequel with kagome's kid and all of those dragonball sequels and the mermaid melody pichi pichi pitch sequel fall under. The last episode of the 2nd season of digimon that shiwed everyone in the future was a mixed bag, since there was 1 ship people didnt mind, 1 ship that had mixed feelings, and people being mad that tk and kairi didn't end up together. Chibi moon appeared in sailor moon but there was never a full series about her. There is alsobthat short-lived rurouni keshin sequel with kenshin's kid, but considering the scandals the mangaka of rurouni kenshin had, that would be really uncomfortable to rank.]

[@medtle1]

@UnshakenBuck I am guessing you are a kataang fan. There was plenty of evidence in the legend of korra series that hinted and implied that aang wasn't a good father and husband because he focused too much time and energy on reviving and leading the air tribe and didn't spend enough time with his family. You can like the ship, but the way the ship was written has plenty of issues with its execution. Even if aang didn't intend to show favoritism toward tenzin over his other kids, actions speak louder than words and that is what it looked like to them (and a lot of fans as well). [Even if you take into account that the air tribe believed in having the whole community (including random strangers in the tribe) raise their children rather than the families themselves, there wasn't much of a community available to raise aang's and katara's kids since the air tribe was demolished at the time and seems like their kids didn't interact with anyone else from the water tribe besides their mom and uncle sokka (and maybe their grandpa).]

[@medtle1]

@@UnshakenBuck Yes, aang was a busy guy and raising kids isn't easy, but he could have made the effort to spend some time with his other kids as well. Aang is the avatar, yet couldn't bother to train his other kids as well? That makes no sense. [And who said that aang and katara didn't have marriage problems? When you are a busy guy like aang married to someone like katara, they were bound to have a lot of arguments and some marriage issues. They just don't write about that or focus so much of the story on that because it's "boring" to the readers and viewers - see how people reacted to boruto complaining about his dad as an example of this.] Sibling rivalry was bound to happen regardless, but aang's older kids wouldn't have been so resentful of him if aang had just spend some quality time with them. Aang didn't have to be a perfect dad; just not a decent dad. He isn't the worst fictional dad I have seen, but I wouldn't put him on the list of good fictional dads either. If katara and sokka weren't there, tenzin and his siblings would have been worse off.

[@medtle1]

@UnshakenBuck It is possible to be a good person who hates violence and saves people and still be a bad dad and husband - see numerous male figures in history for examples. It is also common for people to be in love but still have rocky marriages and to still miss their partners even if the marriage wasn't great. You're acting like we cannot criticize aang's flaws while still acknowledging his accomplishments. Just physically being there and making money are not enough to be considered a good dad or husband. Unlike some of the other bad fictional fathers I have seen, I do think aang loves his family but like you said, he didn't have a basis on what that should look like. And since aang is a fictional character, a lot of how he is written and shown as a father and husband can be blamed on the writers, producers, execuitves, and directors. Romance has never been a strong suit of the ATLA universe, but you would expect them to at least execute the family part well. Seeing how the ATLA universe has some issues with what they consider good romantic or familial relationships, it is making me question what the ATLA directors, executives, and producers consider good relationships and bad relationships - some are clear-cut and obvious and some are intended to be ambiguous but there are a few examples in the ATLA universe that I have seen the directors, executives, and producers consider good or bad and a lot of the fans see them as the opposite.

[@medtle1]

@UnshakenBuck In short, seems like they were trying to portray Aang as a super busy father and husband who loves his kids and a powerful leader who was the avatar and trying to revive the air tribe. Aang was written great as a leader and as a powerful avatar. The way they wrote him as a father and husband was ... very mixed results overall.

[@medtle1]

@@UnshakenBuck I see. So it was confirmed that they intended to show aang that way; just probably didn't execute that as well as they could have at times. Guess they got a lot of complaints about how aang was written as a father. [To be fair though, just because kya and bumi didn't get air bending powers doesn't they cannot spread air tribe culture. Sokka is part of the water tribe yet doesn't have any powers at all, so I don't see why kya and bumi wouldn't be considered part of the air tribe. They just can't pass along any air bending powers, but they can certainly pass down air tribe culture.]

[@abigailaceves9230]

Welcome back! For me, my OTP for the Avatar universe is Korrasami (please don’t hate me), I’ve seen a lot of video essay saying how Zutara has compatible chemistry. For me I don’t feel much chemistry between Aang & Katara as I feel it’s just one sided and even I’m surprised Zutuara was originally endgame before the creator was told to changed that.

[@samehere310]

zutara was never eng game the creator has said multiple times on panel that zutara was never in the plans at all

[@DayDayDoes]

@samehere310 false. There are interviews from writers inside the writing room with Dante/Bryan who championed the idea until D/B finally got their way, but even then, it kept being brought up as S3 progressed. In the end, it didn't happen in the final episode but it was discussed. Would have preferred they made the Katang subplot more smooth and less ambiguous when it came to Katara's feelings.

[@abigailaceves9230]

@@DayDayDoes yeah I do feel like the last romance in the Avatar franchise isn’t its strong suit.

[@haruzanfuucha]

@@DayDayDoes The creators are Mike and Bryan, also known as "Bryke".

[@bkwrm]

@@DayDayDoes Dante Basco is the voice actor of Zuko and captain of the Zutara ship. Michael Di Martino and Brian Konietzko aka Bryke, are the creators of the show and the ones who mocked Zutara shippers. No Dante slander! He's still fighting the good fight along with us all these years later. :) Happy to find a new pro Zutara video!

[@williammartin4868]

I'm sorry I have a question that has nothing to do with the topic do you think that Korra and kiyoshi would have absolutely loved each other if they met in an alternate timeline

[@dante3150]

i was a kataang but just for the first time i watched the show after that something just changed

[@1i_am_u_yam1]

My only argument against Zutara is that I've never seen it as a kid and I don't see it now, plus I was always for Mai and Zuko

[@UnshakenBuck]

My only problem with Zutara is how they hate on Aang and constantly ignore his character growth so I'd like whoever's reading this to read with an open mind. 1. Aang is extremely, almost unintentionally charismatic. Pretty much everyone Aang meets immediately likes him and IRL he'd probably be very very popular with, like what happens in "The Headband." Aang isn't some socially akward or annoying optomist and everyone loves him. 2. Katara kisses Aang on the cheek three times, suggests the kiss while blushing and being timid in the cave of two lovers before they actually kiss, is jealous when Aang dances with On Ji and initiates the final kiss. Saying their relationship was one sided is purposefully ignoring what Katara does while also painting it so Katara was forced into a relationship with Aang. 3. Aang in Book 3 is so so *so* much more mature then the one in Book 1 it's crazy and saying Katara thinks he's a goofy little brother is really disrespectful to Aang's arc. She even says as much in "The Night of The Black Sun." 4. In "The Southern Raiders," Aang is actually the supportive one, not Zuko. Aang tells Katara that he believes she has to take the journey but to forgive him instead of killing him. Zuko follows Katara and does nothing while Katara is about to kill her mothers' murderer despite the fact that Katara will definitely regret killing him later on. Aang telling her to forgive is naïve, but you can tell he has her best interests in heart. Zuko is trying to help Katara do what she *wants* while Aang is trying to help Katara do what she *needs* , which is more supportive? 5. I don't think you share this opinion with more radical Zutara fans but just in case you do, Aang did *not* sexually assault Katara in the play episode. Katara also did not say she didn't like Aang, she said that she doesn't think it's the right time because they have to end the war. Aang is a twelve year old thus is bad at romance and kisses her. He immediately calls himself an idiot and he definetly didn't do it out of malice or intent to harm. Anyone who says that is a weirdo and I doubt the vast amount of Zutarians think it anyway. Edit** I am not justifying Aang kissing Katara non-consensually. I am just explaining why he did it and how he had no actual bad intentions or malice while kissing her.

[@congobar3816]

Regardless of whatever people ship, Aang definitely sexually assaulted Katara by kissing her non-consensually. You're the weirdo for trying to justify that.

[@congobar3816]

@@UnshakenBuck It's not about the "intent" of the perpetrator, it's about whether consent was given. Katara clearly didn't consent to it, so it can be considered sexual assault. You can't force kisses on other people. Katara wasn't even in a relationship with Aang but he was so possessive, even readily agreeing that she was the "Avatar's girl". He was horrible in that episode.

[@KhaoticTrojan]

​​@@congobar3816Damn bro being wrong is CRAZY ngl. You rly came in thinking you had a valid point lmfao

[@congobar3816]

@@KhaoticTrojan Oh, you're so pathetic you're commenting with your alt accounts made only months in between each other lmao.

[@UnshakenBuck]

​@@congobar3816 That's not my alt...

[@日本語へたくそガール]

Is that the official southern raiders script?? If so, the fact that they write ‘zutara-fueling synchronicity’ in the actual script and then the creators had the audacity to belittle and mock zutara fans to the point of making a mean-spirited slide show at a fan convention using actual fan art (probably mostly drawn by 13 year olds) is so so so f-ed up.

[@DayDayDoes]

Yup, you get it. It’s why I’m still a Bryke hater to this day

[@日本語へたくそガール]

@ I always thought that slideshow was distasteful, but now I’m fully on board the hate train express 🚂

[@TheComfyCouch310]

This is just my opinion, if you ship Zuko and Katara together that's perfectly fine as long as you're respectful to others who disagree with you, I personally see Zuko and Katara as just friends. Zutara sounds nice on paper but if it were to happen Zuko's character arc would have to be extremely rushed and Katara hated Zuko or at least was very hostile towards him throughout most of the show even more so after he betrayed her trust especially after opening up to him. It wasn’t until the Southern Raiders where she finally forgave him which mind you is like almost towards the end of the show, there were 5 episodes after the Southern Raiders left to finish the show, you can't possibly develop a romantic relationship in that amount of time. ATLA would had to have another season to develop Zutara.

[@dhwanishah8222]

One thing I can say about Zutara as a Zutara shipper is the Potential. It won't make sense in canon simply because for some reason Zuko still likes a girl who's emotionally distant and shuts him off and Katara likes a guy who she has to mother and coddle to the point that she doesn't tell him that he's being a bad father (which resulted in her becoming a housewife) and also also like you said it'll be rushed because they're friends for like 5 episodes. However this is like the only problem in the ship which isn't really a problem either. I just can't shake my head around the fact that Zuko and Katara as friends for a few episodes had more romantic chemistry with each other than Katara had with Aang. Like in reality, if Katara were to choose between Aang and Zuko, she'd choose Zuko, someone who she doesn't have to mother, someone who's mature, someone who can take of himself and her, someone who'll be a good father and won't end up making her a simple housewife while the other members are doing something, someone who'll accept her darkside, etc. Honestly there are too many reasons for me to ship Zutara and not Kataang. I only mentioned a few, but when I think about her future with Aang and Zuko, for me she'll be more happy with Zuko rather than Aang.

[@gaminginvirinch3339]

@dhwanishah8222 cope

[@clarissat867]

From what I know , most Zutara shipper would've been fine with an unclear ending, because indeed they weren't on good term long enough. Most ( myself included ) would've like something btw the 2 with how the world changed and how will change ever more, and maybe a hint they had some feeling, and a canonisation of their relationship later, in the comic.

[@DayDayDoes]

@clarissat867 exactly this

[@DayDayDoes]

@TheComfyCouch310 It's fine if you ship Kataang, so long as you don't belittle or get snarky with people liking Zutara still to this day. And it's funny, I actually see Aang and Katara as just friends more than Zutara. I just can't take Kataang seriously and unfortunately, LoK confirmed to me my feelings on why. Maybe I'll explain in another video. Also, as I said in the video, for Zutara to work, an open ending where Katara and Zuko are not together with anyone would have worked. A relationship like theirs takes time which could have been better explored in comics or future movies/series from the Avatar Studio.

[@leavemealone802]

Being real. I only like them because Zuko is talher and older than Katara I saw Aang and thought he fitted better to be Katara's little brother, not boyfriend I thought that is how everyone saw it too? I didn't thought it would exist assays explaining why the ship works

[@unripetheberrby6283]

*No, I just liked (mostly) seeing the story as it was at first ^^'* didn't really like zutara later on, would've early on(was prepared for ships!) if I "saw" that's where the story may go, it didn't so I didn't. Hadn't seen them having much nice chemistry either, not if I didn't put it on myself and I hadn't felt the need at the time... ironic for a big shipper.

[@DayDayDoes]

Honestly, he wasn't that good looking as a character in S1 but when the pirate episode happened and he interacted with Katara, it was like a veiled was lifted and I saw The Potential if the show went in the Zutara direction, especially because Zuko was the much more interesting character who was complex and conflicted you could see signs of him being good once he realized all the bad he was taught were just lies. The dynamic was much more delicious, it also helped that his hair helped him look amazing at the end of S2. It is what it is.

[@LoreMiuthos]

I think the main reason why Aang got Katara at the end is because of a lack of romance characters for him. We got Meng from the fortune tellers Island.... that's it. Which is ridiculous, he is 12 years old when he meets Katara and she mostly acts like an older sister/mother figure to him. At least on her end, he may have never saw it that way but she did. I think if the writers wanted us to Really be behind Aang and Katara they needed to let Aang met and connect with other females of the show. He literally only connects with Katara, Toph, Meng, and That one girl from fire Academy who was already dating someone. The later two being just single-ish episodes. I just think there would have been more support if it showed Aang seriously considering someone else but at the end of the day he picks Katara, this could have also given Katara more moments to see Aang beyond the little brother/Avatar/friend lenses and think of him in a romantic light too. But that's just me

[@ChesireWaltz]

I can see that too, at that age 14-15 puts her in high school, 12-13 puts Aang in middle school and I would have sooner tried to swim across an ocean than have any romantic interactions with a middle schooler at her age!

[@zark-sy2uz]

@@DayDayDoes So you saw zuko blackmailing katara and tied her to a tree and that was what opened up your weird zutara brain? That will always be insane to me, and its why i can never take zks seriously.

[@OrionJA]

Zutara is a very cool ship for sure, definitely my favorite fanfic pairing because both characters are so fun and dynamic. I think Maiko had an important role in the show, though: we need to see that Zuko is capable of winning the loyalty of the Fire Nation, and Mai is out stand-in for the nation as a whole here. Also I don't really see June's jokes as necessarily ship teasing, though. Her "girlfriend" jokes make sense and are funny just as a stand-alone bit. She's a tracker and bounty hunter. He asks her to help him capture a girl about his age and doesn't tell her why. What else is she supposed to think is going on? She probably does hunt down escape fiancees and concubines all the time.

[@DayDayDoes]

That’s actually a fantastic point for Maiko. I would even go so far as to say that it was a good lesson for Zuko to realize what he actually wants and why he feels sitting content in his prince lifestyle felt so wrong for him. And yeah June’s comment was teasing, I know, but it still funny to bring up lol

[@Classic_Kody]

I personally see aang with toph, so i can agree with Zutara

[@ChesireWaltz]

Same! I think they balance each other the way Zuko and Katara balance each other. I like how Toph held her ground against Aang, challenged him, and didn't let him get away with bullheadedly applying his monk training to things that may not work outside of the Air Temple or in war for no other reason than that's how he was told things should go. I love Aang as a character, not as Katara's love interest, but he constantly got his way on things and a 3rd option so he wouldn't have to make tough choices on most things... except for Toph. Because no no no, you are facing that boulder. And I think making him have to confront things and compromise instead of getting his way more would be good for him and he could help her be more flexible in his own way.

[@SpiderandMosquito]

(Rythmically bonking you with a frying pan) Me: Not the ship! Not the ship, not the ship! Not the ship! Not the ship, not the ship - You: You do that one more time, and I'm going to throw you across the room! (I stop, look at the audience, grin, then wind up for the biggest bonk) Me: Not theeeee ship! (BONK! you throw me across the room into a wall) Me: weee OOF (Pauses) Me: AGAIN! Anyone who gets that whole bit, congratulations :) P.S. this is obviously just for show

[@Iamgreat0078]

This is my opinion before the video, I feel like Zuko x Katara would have been very rushed since Katara HATED Zuko until the 3RD TO LAST EPISODE. Also they were hinting at Aang x Katara throughout THE ENTIRE SERIES! Again, it’s just my opinion so don’t attack me in the comments. It’s ok if you disagree

[@dhwanishah8222]

There were also alot of hints of Zutara Infact originally they were supposed to be a couple but 2 writers of the show decided against it because they wanted to do a babysitter fantasy, and a hero gets the girl trope and something about how they didn't get to be with their crush back in highschool, so like apparently this is the only reason Kataang happened.

[@ConstantinDOSSOU-vy1zo]

​@@dhwanishah8222this is the famous source Zutara fans use because they can't accept the ending .

[@dhwanishah8222]

@@ConstantinDOSSOU-vy1zo The writers said it dude, not me. It's not my fault that Zuko dating a girl who constantly breaks up with him, shuts him off and Katara dating a boy who doesn't have the emotional maturity to be in a relationship and where she has to coddle him and that he's not a good father to the point that their kids hate both of them and where Katara is busy taking care of the kids because of which she becomes a housewife is a good relationship according to the writers. I'm simply stating things which were said and shown

[@unripetheberrby6283]

Yeah that's what I was thinking of as a kid, like it'd just have to be a completely different story/focus and them be slightly different characters to actually work better...

[@paigeh7892]

@@dhwanishah8222 This is all false, Originally no ships were gonna happen at the end despite the fact that aang had a crush on her even in the original outline. At some point zuko was considered to be her endgame, but obviously the show doesn’t ever depict it. No tell tale signs of her being interested in a boy Romantically are ever shown with zuko. No blushes or jealousy. just pure disgust and embarrassment at the idea She would like him that way. So it couldn’t have been just been two writers, it had to be decided by the majority of people working on it. That Kataang made the most sense. Whether it’s the “hero gets the girl trope” or not doesn’t matter. That’s not exactly a reason to dislike something. That’s like not liking Superman because he ended up dating lois lane. They were friends before they got together, she showed interest before they got together. It’s just how Romance works. And if she’s coddling aang, she’s coddling zuko. She’s just a nice and compassionate person. However, katara thinks the world of aangs bravery. Wisdom, power, and maturity. And of course thinks he’s fun to be around. And honestly, he’s more mature than zuko. As shown in their field trip episode.

[@Teekayhuey_TK]

11:49 Actually Aang trusted Zuko first in the Blue Spirit episode. Katara was only the second person to trust Zuko.

[@AnnabelPitman]

fr like ppl say she trusted first but aang did more than a season before

[@DayDayDoes]

I wouldn't call it trust, more like a tentative truce and understanding the potential good in Zuko for maybe one day in the future when he's not hunting Aang down.

[@eristineforever6934]

I ship Zutara forever and always. They are my OTP and my favorite couple in ATLA. I will NEVER ship Zuko/Mai, Jet/Katara, or Aang/Katara. Never, ever.

[@borjankosarac3645]

When you say “Dante and Bryce”, I’m assuming you mean Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko, often abbreviated as “Bryke” collectively? Yeah; while I think they’re largely decent people I never gelled with their passive-aggression towards Zutara shippers and suchlike. I would like to believe they wouldn’t do that now and have matured at least, but even then it’s pretty crummy to talk about your fans that way.

[@DayDayDoes]

You are correct in your assumption. I should make a pinned comment about that lol and hopefully they matured out of such childish hurtful behavior now but until I hear a proper apology, I’m a stay like Katara before the Southern Raiders episode and be a faithful hater lmao ✌🏽

[@Sariel_reuploading]

Omg she's back

[@DayDayDoes]

Present and accounted for 🫡

[@javargriffin1771]

Yeah definitely still love this ship zutara should have been endgame it would have been interesting but the fire nation probably won't like that zuko married katara if they did married the people try to ozai back on the throne but zuko won't stand up for himself and katara would definitely speak her mind she would also have to learn to there ways and katara could also teach them about water tribes stuff

[@maggotcl4w]

Nah, you can't win me over! Mai x Zuko all the way, Mate!

[@panana6084]

sasusaku and zutara same fight different font tbh. Like how people say i must love toxic relationship irl where women suffer because i like sasusaku since i was a kid (27 now). And lately the discussion around Zutara is "if you like them you're like the people who romanticised the holocaust or colonialism" like tf?! Can i just like a pairing for their aesthetic, the angst, the fact that they do share moment that made my brain go "wow"? Why try to find a deeper meaning to ship between fictional characters? Let people enjoy ffs!

[@DayDayDoes]

SS and Zutara are NOT the same. Zuko is a good boy in the end through sheer will power and learning his lesson and doing the right thing. He gives Katara respect and support. Sasuke had to be dragged and dismembered to even give Sakura a sorry and pretty much yeeted himself out of her life after getting her pregnant. Katara would not have let that ish slide. Zuko and Sasuke may come across as cool boys but they are not the same at all. Regardless of what me and anyone says, like what you like. Just mindful the canon portrayal of the SS ship is still terrible. But that’s why fanfic exist. There’s some talented writers out there 🤌🏽

[@rebecamendez5456]

I actually think Zutara and Kataang are fine ships, but in universe Zuko and Katara did have against them the fact that she was hostile to him and Zuko was an enemy for most of the show at that point, unlike Aang who was a close friend and someone she could trust and just be with. Katara simply chose the one who was her friend and already had complicated feelings for, like, a natural proggression. But Zutara is fine too is complex and interesting, they have a lot of chemistry as friends and some similarities in personality to work. The only ship that I'm 50/50 is Mai and Zuko, just because Mai sometimes is sooo boring 😅, speciallybin contrast with everyone else, in the last chapters she feels that she doesn't belong in that friend group.

[@DayDayDoes]

You do realize that Katara forgives Zuko all that he did that made her such a hater. She literally forgave him and then proceeded to be by his side throughout the end. They can absolutely become a couple should they choose to be because there is a foundation of trust and friendship literally rebuilt brick by brick. She's not going to discard him as a suitor because he wasn't perfectly pure from the start. Humans don't work that way and she's much more compassionate and empathetic than to hold Zuko's actions against him when he did the hard work to make up for it through his actions for all parties involved. She literally forgave him, which is why the argument of Katara and Zuko wouldn't work because she hated him for so long doesn't work. Their future spouses don't have to be locked in just because someone else called dibs when they were 14.

[@pandoraarts7748]

20:03 Lol thats the reason why i wasn't angry they didn't end up together. I have this thing where I unabashedly hate my cartoon crushes partners. idk why, I cant stop it

[@ExiledPlaton]

Honestly, if Aang was hot then most Zutara fans would just ship Kataang. In the cannon, Zuko and Katara are disgusted by the idea of them being together and people just like to ship the more attractive main characters together.

[@DayDayDoes]

This argument is so completely superficial it's almost funny. Even if 12 year old Aang was hot, it still wouldn't work. There is such a thing called character chemistry and Zutara's is the most interesting and better fit. Personally of course, the creators saw themselves in Aang and wanted him to get Katara despite numerous writers throughout the seasons wanting to swing elsewhere so to each their own.

[@ExiledPlaton]

@DayDayDoes Thats funny because Zutara is literally the definiton of a self-insert. Also what chemistry do the two have?? I can remember about three wholesome moments between them and the rest are just them trying to kill each other or just hating each other.

[@KhaoticTwilight]

I kinda see where your coming from but idk. It's kinda hard to make a twelve year old boy look hot. I get your trying to say people ship Zutara because those two are good looking which probably is a bit of a reason. I think Zutara is a good ship but I just don't like when people act like its cannon or use moments out of context to justify it.

[@haruzanfuucha]

​@ExiledPlaton Kataang was literally written to be a self-insert for the creators, but you people stay pressed about the non-canon Zutara lol.

[@KhaoticTwilight]

@@haruzanfuucha Maybe it was a self-insert, but that doesn't mean both characters don't like each other and it's not a good relationship. Zutara and most other non-cannon ships are self-inserts but that doesn't make it bad.

[@izachi-chan2432]

And yet another pairing that act like siblings yet y'all think it's shippable, just like NaruSaku 💀 y'all got some sister/brother complex going on or what? Katara is literally just the positive sibling figure that Zuko lacked his whole life

[@Meiruki]

Saying this when Katara thought of Aang as a little brother and the creators even said that Katara was Aang's "babysitter" lmaoo

[@Meiruki]

@UnshakenBuck The creators can literally say Katara was Aang's babysitter and she loved him like a little brother and you people will still be saying Katara was Zuko's sister figure lmao

[@Meiruki]

@@UnshakenBuck Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko describing Aang and Katara's relationship in the series bibe: "From the moment Aang wakes up in Katara’s arms, he is smitten. However, each time Aang displays affection towards Katara, disaster erupts. If Aang takes Katara on private glider flight past a waterfall, they get soaked; and Aang’s gifts of flowers cause Katara to sneeze for days. Katara appreciates Aang’s gestures, but is not interested in romance. She dotes on him more like a kid she baby-sits rather than a potential love interest. Whatever the reason, Aang loves Katara’s attention." Bryan Konietzko describing Aang and Katara's relationship in Origins of the Avatar: "We're also cornballs, too. We like cheesy teen romance stuff-it's always fun. And just that dynamic of being the young kid and having a crush on the older girl, and she loves you, but like a babysitter or a little brother or something. Especially a kid who feels out of place in the world, and she's the first person he has that he really feels a connection with, and it's like his new family." Now where's your source of the creators saying that Katara is supposed to be Zuko's sister figure?

[@UnshakenBuck]

@@Meiruki First of all, there is no mention of that in the series bible so I don't know where you're sourcing it from can you please tell me where that quote is? Second of all, the context of that quote was what the creators were planing at the START of the series, obviously it changed since Katara had feelings for Aang since the "Cave of Two Lovers." Lastly, I don't have a source for Katara being the sister Zuko always needed, but I didn't say the creators said that. Katara is a perfect foil for Azula so since their relationship DEFINETLY isn't romantic (No blushing, kissing, marrying, having kids, etc.), the next closest thing is sibling-like which would make sense thematically for Katara and Azula being each other's foils.

[@Meiruki]

@UnshakenBuck It's in the character relationships part of the series bible. No, it's not just something from the pre-production of the series because the Origins of the Avatar feature was created two years AFTER the series had already finished and Bryke were still describing their dynamic as that. It's clear that they always wanted Kataang to be this sibling-like bond with romantic elements. Yeah, of course there's no source for Katara being like Zuko's sister because that's just something you people made up to try to invalidate people from shipping them together even though Kataang is canonically pseudo-incestuous. It makes no sense to say that because Zuko and Katara are not lovers then they must be siblings. They're just good friends. Katara is a foil to Iroh, is Katara supposed to be Aang's uncle now? Zuko is a foil to Jet AND Aang, is he supposed to be a love interest for Katara now?

[@paigeh7892]

Pretty good Video. It’s a solid argument for the potential they had. And which is better is all just preference I do think the way zuko handled the southern raiders was pretty reckless and would have hurt katara if she got what she wanted . but I understand he was just on her timing. He eventually learned a lesson like her in that episode. Which is why he didn’t pressure her to kill him. Despite clearly being willing to speak for her and mock aang for his thoughts on it, until the end. Oh and I’m confident she’d still be “motherly” towards him. She only wasn’t briefly because she didn’t like him at all. But kindness and compassion is her default. She showed this in the cave, when she offered to heal his scar, when she’s reassuring him about Iroh and aang.

[@DayDayDoes]

Nah, if Zuko had an idea that Katara would legit murder yon rah, he wouldn't have suggested that field trip, because he's seen Katara and knows she's got a deadly fierce side (she threatened him with death and he knew she was serious) but also knows her empathetic softer side is stronger than her rage and hatred. It was something Katara had to figure out on her own and come to terms with. It's why he stays back and says nothing, just supporting her and backing her up should she need him. At least that's what I think. and for sure she would exhibit motherly tendencies towards Zuko because she's just that type of person but Zuko isn't one to be smothered or coddled by it like Aang, her brother or Toph (Sokka bc he's her brother and the other two because they're 12 and still young and naive, even if she herself is a young despite being forced to grow up). Sure he'll take it here and then because its nice to be thought of and taken care of but not to the point, where he doesn't offer his own "fatherly" energy (who is young but was also forced to grow up way too soon) to balance it out.

[@paigeh7892]

@@DayDayDoes i do think that he definitely thought she was gonna do it. That’s why he comes to aang with “you were right about what katara needed”. While previously going “we will be sure to do that guru goody goody”. Tells him “this isn’t air temple pre-school” . He fully believes revenge is her justice until the end. If you still don’t subscribe to this idea no biggie. It’s not like they confirm it either way. I just think the difference in the way he’s acting before they leave and when he comes back makes it seem like he learned a lesson. As for being coddled by it, sokka and Aang balance out kataras Motherly tendencies. Sokka considers himself responsible for her well being and keeping everyone on schedule. He’ll be the first to tell katara if what she’s doing is too dangerous. And does his job as big brother. Ready to tease and protect , did most if not all the fishing and hunting for their home And aang as shown in the southern raiders episode is perfectly willing to be her voice of reason. And is someone she relies on as a source of fun and hope. And steps in when she might not be thinking things through, like when he told her not to come with him when she was ready to try banish herself with him in solidarity. and aang and kataras whole thing is that he reminds her she’s not a grown up, and allows her to have fun. Supports her journey of skill and her wish to help people Of course as part of team Avatar they all have to grow up at least a little bit. They’ve seen and dealt with a lot and are trying to save the world.

[@amourtabb7859]

@@paigeh7892 certainly killing yon ra would've hurt katara but i feel the fanbase really gives no acknowledgement that living knowing your mother's killer will never face justice will hurt her too. Killing him wouldn't have been the perfect easy answer but aang and sokka weren't even curious about her anger. That "motherly" compassion that she always gives them wasn't returned. I often think after toph joined the group, Katara was the odd man out while the others have fun around her and make her feel like a stick in the mud. When Zuko joined the group she finally had her own group.

[@issybella66]

It’s fine if like you Zutara but I’ve gotta disagree that it should’ve been endgame the ship isn’t for me I’m tired of the of whole enemies to lovers and good girl likes bad boy tropes and girl needs to fix troubled mans and that’s why I prefer the canon ships they’re a lot better than Zutara in my opinion I really like Katang it’s really sweet and I know shippers don’t like the paring and are funny about a small age gap that’s not a big deal it’s only two years it’s not like a 12 year old crushing on an 18 year old and Aang does mature from a little goofy kid who doesn’t want to take responsibility to young teen takes responsibility takes things seriously then he needs to and him and Kataras romance was set up from the beginning it was pretty that obvious that both liked each other and Katara liked Aang from the beginning she got embarrassed when Sokka say that Aang was her boyfriend and she blushed at Aang multiple times and got jealous when he talked to other girls and i also like Maiko I know people don’t and say that Mai is toxic and abusive to Zuko and emotionally distant which is a load of crap in my opinion it’s pretty that she obvious loves and cares about him she risked her life to save him and they are both happy together and Zuko speaks positivity about Mai he smiled when he brought her up to Sokka and she’s the only one who he lets touch his scar several times and not just once he moved a girls hand out the way when she tried to touch it and he lets Mai touch it because he trusts her and he opens up to her several times and she listens to him and she tried to cheer up him in one episode when he felt down

[@DayDayDoes]

It's fine if you don't like Zutara and prefer the canon ships, but that still doesn't negate the fact that narratively, the ship potential between Z and K was strong nor that previous writers tried to set them up several times before Bryke flipped out. And like I mentioned in the video, Katara doesn't fix anything for Zuko. Zuko fixes himself and then he supports Katara in her goals and respects her as her own person with her own thoughts, ideas and feelings. That's what Zutara is all about. Mutual respect and great character chemistry. Which is what they exhibited after The Souther Raiders. Also their ship isn't really enemies to lovers. It's enemies to friends to lovers.

[@starchildofthesun]

I agree, I'm on the side of Zutara because Aang, no matter how young he is PHYSICALLY, HE'S STILL 112 YEARS OLD. Katara is a 14 year old girl and Zuko is 16. The age gap there says all you need to.

[@DayDayDoes]

When it’s fantasy 112 is nothing weird, especially when Aangs mindset is a 12 yr old but for me, Aang’s needs are always centered and Katara remains relegated to the supporting role and considering they are different stage of maturity, I’d say Katara and Zuko would have fitted better naturally in the long run.

[@stephylynnpatch]

Look I'm all for Zutara, always have been always will be. Aang doesn't act like an old man, he doesn't look like an old man, his mind, behavior, life experience is that of a young boy. He's not an old man, it's not really an "age gap" Aang was in suspended animation for 100 years yes, but in all senses he is a 12 year old boy.

[@ExiledPlaton]

Hot take: Aang is more mature than Zuko mentally. Sure he has more fun, butthat doesnt mean hes immature. Iroh has lots of fun and is orobably the most mature character in the series.

[@stephylynnpatch]

@@ExiledPlaton I think when kids are young mature is like a sliding scale, he certainly is many times through the show. He is also immature too. All of them exhibit traits of maturity and immaturity

[@ExiledPlaton]

@stephylynnpatch I think people often mistake having fun for immaturity and mistake being brooding and stoic as maturity.

[@jv7ia886]

Nahh Kataang is too canonically they have childrens even them childrens have childrens bye

[@clarissat867]

Sometime I really wonder the mental sanity of people like you. Those type of video argue why it should've been canon , or why it would've made a good enough relationship to be good in canon. Saying what you say is just saying " but it's not canon " . Yes , we know, that why we argue it should be.

[@ivckrxs118]

just because they’re canon doesn’t mean it’s good. kataang was underdeveloped and felt rushed. They had the potential to be something far greater if the creators had made the finale ambiguous and left room for their relationship to blossom in the comics instead.

[@ruriva4931]

Nope nope nope. Zutara shippers almost baffle me more than Kora fans. Zuko would be such a weaker character if Zutara was a thing.

[@haruzanfuucha]

Kataang happening made no sense for Aang's arc. He was obsessed with Katara and he never wanted to be the Avatar. He had to learn how to embrace his destiny, but then he chose to keep his attachment to Katara instead of mastering the Avatar State. He even outright says the real reason he wants to save the world is because he wants Katara's love-not because it's the right thing to do. Aang literally became a fully realized Avatar with a fucking rock deus ex machina. Katara ends up with Aang after the war is over despite rejecting him for months prior. This ultimately turned Katara into a prize for Aang to win, a reward for his heroic efforts... even though Aang made no personal sacrifices and two asspulls were handed to him on a silver platter in the finale. The best option was for no ships to happen by the series finale.

[@frostbittenskater995]

​@@haruzanfuucha I agree. It honestly kinda bothers me that they stuck with aang being able to keep his attachment to katara despite needing to let her go in order grow. Their relationship could've developed and he would've become more than just a little kid with a crush. If he had let her go, he would've become a more independent character that could be on equal footing with her maturity wise. Instead they went the "you can have it all" route, and messed up their own writing in the process.

[@haruzanfuucha]

@@frostbittenskater995 Guru Pathik tells Aang that he must let go of all earthly attachments in order to master the Avatar State. Attachment in Buddhism refers to the clinging or desire for impermanent items, people, and situations under the belief that they will bring eternal happiness. This resembles the Buddhist concept of becoming detached to achieve enlightenment. However, how it works in ATLA is never made clear. Aang refuses to let go of Katara by claiming that he loves her, but in Buddhism, attachment and love are entirely separate concepts. Love is inherently good, while attachments are inherently bad and the root of suffering. From a Buddhist perspective, if Katara is Aang's attachment, it would mean that Aang's feelings for Katara are a selfish and possessive delusion rather than true love.

[@AnnabelPitman]

@@haruzanfuucha ok saying aang didnt want to save the world becuse its the right thing to do is crazy. hes known for having the most morals of anyone in the gaang. and wdym he made no personal sacrifices the kid is traumatized and lost all his people and litterly nearly died multiple times in the finale. for the last time katara was not some prize, and how is zutara any better. in canon katara and aang have a healthy and eqal relationship after the war.

[@haruzanfuucha]

@@AnnabelPitman No, I said the REAL reason why Aang wanted to save the world was because he was doing it for Katara. From Nightmares and Daydreams: Aang: Actually, staying up all night has given me some time to think. And I've realized some big things, Katara. Katara: What big things? Aang: I see everything so clearly now. What really matters. *Why I'm really doing this.* I'm doing it to save the world. *But more than that.* I'm doing it for the people I love. *I'm doing it for you, Katara.* Aang also said that he prioritized being with Katara OVER saving the world. He refuses to master the Avatar State because of his own selfish desire to retain his attachment to Katara. In Sozin's Comet: The Finale Battle, Aang straight up says: *I've sacrificed everything, even my ability to enter the Avatar state, for her.* It can't all be for nothing. Yes, I have a duty to the world. *But I love Katara.* Aang's people dying isn't a "personal sacrifice" because that was beyond his control. Aang himself admits that being with Katara is his motivation for saving the world and the safety of the world is even SECONDARY compared to his attachment to Katara. The narrative quite literally treats Katara as a prize for Aang. It is what he ultimately wants, and they end up together in the final scene of the series after he achieves his goal of saving the world. I don't ship Zutara (they didn't have enough interaction for me to care), I just think Kataang was poorly written and its fanbase is toxic as fuck. Kataang had to contradict the established rules of the setting just to happen, we barely see Katara's perspective whereas so much attention is given to Aang's side, and the ship had an imbalanced dynamic which the creators said was like a young boy crushing on his babysitter (ew). Kataangers are always gassing up their lame ship and act like people not liking Kataang is some sort of war crime. They even go seek out pro-Zutara videos like this one just to start drama and argue with people.