(no subject)
Subject Line: Avatar: The Last Airbender/ZukoxKatara
Title: Burning in Water; Drowning in Flame
Author: CherryWolfChan _cherrywolf_
Spoilers: Some Season Two spoilers
Burning in Water; Drowning in Flame
A Zuko/Katara Manifesto
When I first thought about doing this, I thought to myself… everyone was doing it, why not me? I also realized there were no Avatar entries in the memories so I decided I would be the first to write up a Zuko/Katara Manifesto and maybe inspire other Avatar lovers to do the same with other shippings, because lord knows I’d love to read them. So let’s get started, huh?
About a Boy
Zuko
When we first meet Zuko, most people probably thought “wow, what a jerk.” He was hell bent on getting the Avatar and returning home. For a little while we were unaware of why Zuko wants the Avatar, but it was revealed that he needs Aang to restore his honor and his place on the thrown as a crowned prince, not a prince in exile. That(the exile) would probably explain the small fleet and the older ship he has. Zuko didn’t start out so bad, but he never really felt that much of family love, other than from his mother. In order to spare the lives of a battalion *unit?* of green recruits he challenged a general to an “agni kai,” a battle of honor between two firebenders, but on the date of the battle he discovered he would be facing his father instead. He begged for mercy, but his father branded him with a scar on the left side of his face and exiled him in disgrace. Throughout all of this, it seems likely that the poor boy would have lost his sanity, but Zuko was very lucky when he was banished: his uncle Iroh went with him. A devoted uncle to Zuko, it appears that Uncle Iroh is what keeps the prince together through out the first season of Avatar. Now in Season Two, it is unknown if Zuko still wants to restore his honor or if he has accepted his place and the things that have happened to him and the fact that his father is never going to accept him. Lately, it seems Zuko has definitely mellowed out from the self-centered prince he once was.
About a Girl
Katara
Katara was one of the first people we actually see when the series opens up. Katara was the one who got the gears moving; without her and her temper, who’s to say when the Avatar would have woken from his icy tomb? Katara grew up in the Southern Water Tribe. The Tribe itself was small since it was hit much harder during the war than its sister tribe, the Northern Water Tribe. Her mother was killed by the Fire Nation, and her father left to help in the war against it. She became a motherly-like figure in her village, helping out the other women with almost all the chores. She is understanding and sweet, but there are times were she lets her temper get the best of her. Usually this happens with her brother Sokka, or any sexist males that automatically demote women as weak and unable to fight for themselves. Katara is vehemently bent on mastering water bending, even running off with the scroll to learn all by herself, eventually going so far as challenging the Master Waterbender at the North Pole to a battle in order to convince him to teach her. She has become a great bender, with a blend of good fighting skills and healing abilities. It makes her a tough opponent. Her personality helps everyone else in the team as well; she calms people down most of the time and pulls them in together. She is the motherly figure of the group, watching over them and making sure they’re all right, but she also is an independent, determined young woman with strong leadership skills.
When Worlds Collide
I’ll save you from the pirates.
Upon discovering the Avatar world, many people will encounter various and sundry (and oftimes cracky, too) shippings, and they will be encouraged to take up a ship’s flag as their own. Zuko/Katara, known as Zutara in the A:TLA fandom, is one of the biggest ones (alongside Kataang) for a Katara romance. But why? What is attractive about Zuko and Katara being together when they “obviously” don’t like each other?
I’m not too sure who came up with the whole ‘opposites attract’ [1] statement, but when they created it, I don’t think they realize how many people would be using it to defend their favorite pairing in a certain cartoon series. But it does apply to Zuko and Katara, in more ways than one.
Zuko is a Firebender, and Katara is a Waterbender. In the Avatar world, these are opposing elements. As opposing elements, the two would naturally clash. Water is a soothing element; it’s flowing and full of life. Fire brings destruction and death. Just that alone would make them extremely different. Their differences go on… Zuko is a prince to the Fire Nation; Katara is just a member of the Southern Water Tribe. Zuko has been taught the ways of royalty, while Katara has only been a commoner all her life. Zuko viewed Katara as a peasant throughout the first season and as we are in the second season, we see Zuko dressing like a peasant himself, maybe it will humble him a bit. Unfortunately, the differences don’t stop there… Katara has been surrounded by loved ones all her life. She had lost one, but she has always had someone by her side that has loved her dearly. Zuko has not. Zuko’s father, and assuming grandfather, both didn’t see much in him, they favored Azula, Zuko’s sister, who was a prodigy at fire bending. Ozai, Zuko and Azula’s father, even said that Azula was born lucky and Zuko was lucky to have even been born. The only two people in Zuko’s life that had ever really cared about him was his mom, Ursa, and his Uncle Iroh. No one knows where Ursa is, or if she’s even still alive. But Iroh has stayed by Zuko so far.
Am I saying that Zuko and Katara would be a flop if they ever got in a relationship? No. Though Zuko and Katara are opposites on some levels, they also have many similarities as well. They are both stubborn, both passionate when they have a goal, and they are both hotheaded. If they both want to be together, being stubborn, they would do it eventually, and being passionate when they want to, they would definitely fight for their stance together.
Though the similarities aren’t all necessarily good, the opposite affects they would have on each other, would be pleasantly surprising. Katara’s motherly concern and ‘healing’ attributes could help calm Zuko’s roughness and his temper, moderate his angst and anger, but she will also keep the flame alive. Katara’s personality wouldn’t bore him either-she’s strong-willed and has a temper to match his. Zuko has the capacity to be a great man; he needs a woman to support him and also challenge him to be one. Katara needs a guy that will not just worship her and let her do whatever she wants. She would more than likely benefit from a man that can handle her and her temper, able to match her move for move. Katara is a strong woman; she’ll need a strong man. This plays into another important concept of the show: yin and yang. The differences and similarities in Zuko and Katara’s personalities balance each other.
Another dimension to Zutara that is interesting is the theory that their love wouldn’t be accepted at first, especially as of right now. The Souzen War is going on, pitting the Fire Nation and Water Tribes against each other. If Katara were to fall in love with Zuko, many people on both sides would frown upon the relationship. The forbidden feeling of that kind of relationship seductive and adds a level of angst. Although during this period the romance would be frowned upon, when the war ends, it could also bring peace. It could seal peace treaties between the nations if Zuko assumed the throne and married Katara. During the current Avatar, the "gaang" probably wouldn’t approve of the relationship, and even after the war ended, ancient prejudices would ensure that many disapproved. They’d have to fight for their relationship, which only makes it stronger.
To Prove You Wrong, and Scare You Away
Let me help you…
Now that we know a little bit about Zuko, Katara, and the possibilities of Zutara, we must ask: are there any hints in the series at all that this is a possibility? Well, first off I’d like to remind everyone that Katara’s romance is still up in the air. Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Aaron Ehasz all have noticed the shippings and have noticed the Zutara community, but in terms of the outcome, we’ll just have to wait and see.
But other then the staff taking notice, are there any hints within the series that Zutara could be a possibility? I’d have to answer Yes--- and no. The biggest “hint” the Avatar crew has sent us was in episode nine, The Waterbending Scroll. Zuko acted quite suave around Katara, offering the return of her mother’s necklace (which we later on learn is a “wedding proposal necklace, Culture Clash fic by Rashka). Although Zuko was using bribery, it was enough to stir minds and think "What if…" Then the almighty episode nineteen, Siege of the North Pt. 1. Siege of the North Pt. 1 had the awesome Zuko vs. Katara fight. It showed that Katara had learned a lot from Master Pakku and it showed that some bending gets weaker or stronger with natural accruing events, and (in the esteemed tradition of Zutaran (Zutaran? Zutarian?) symbology), made for fantastic symbolic sex/whatever…nevermind the fact that who knows how many hours they spent there?...alone… .
You rise with the moon… I rise with the sun
Season Two… A lot of Zutarians were threatened by the "Kataangness" of The Cave of Two Lovers and the introduction of Song, which was no surprise. The number one Zutara scene was in The Chase, when Katara offered to help Iroh, showing that she is willing to overcome prejudices and fear in order to help someone. Of course, if he weren’t so stubborn, Iroh would have been healed faster, but Zuko’s stubbornness wins. The other very subliminal hint was during Bitter Work. Iroh is telling Zuko about the elements and nations. When he mentions the Water Tribe, it’s the only time we see Zuko’s face contort in a weird emotional way. His face does the same twist when Iroh tell him that he learned a move to deflect lightening by studying the Water Benders. The episode The Library brought up the yin-yang theory once more when they were in the mechanical planetarium. It seems to me that the concept of yin and yang are present throughout the series and Zutara could be a good example of yin and yang… hmm… makes you think, doesn’t? Finally, season two still has around six episodes left…anything can happen!
Although not specifically "canon," the Avatar magazine had plenty of Zutara hints: the quotation used for Zuko ("you rise with the moon, I rise with the sun" going back to the yin-yang theory), Katara’s destiny taking a possible "fiery" turn, and most of all, the word association game.
Finally, the winning entry for the Secret of the Fire Nation create-a-scene. It had Zutara in it… even if it may have been making fun of Zutara, the fact remains that it had a "Zutaraness" in it. They were giving the Zutara fans something to squee about, or maybe they were foreshadowing future episodes. It is all unclear at this moment. There is a discrepancy among the Zutar(i)an community as to whether or not this scene should be counted as evidence in Zutara’s favor, due to the mocking content of the secret scene.
Who Can Say Where The Road Goes…
In conclusion, Zuko and Katara make an interesting couple, regardless of it being canon or not. The two elements that govern them are opposites, but they share enough similar personality traits that it creates a good balance between them. There are slight hints at the couple, but only if you really look and use an open mind and notice things that seem a bit symbolic. Zutara… is it in the future of Avatar? Who knows… we’ll just have to wait and see.
What the Fans Have Said…
The fun thing about Zuko/Katara is that it's a pairing that has gained massive online support within the fandom when it's based on pure principle more than anything else. The principle that here are two characters, and if they could spend more than three minutes in each other's presense they'd be really freakin' great. And look how much fanwork has come out of that! Canon be damned. Whether they have a future or not, the pairing is fun on its own, in the series, in our imaginations. -rashaka
In fandom, Zutara is really all about potential. I think our fandom has proven MANY times how awesome this coupling could be, but even though it would be satisfying to see the pairing fulfilled in canon... it's not necessary. Not anymore, now that the fandom is so huge and so alive. Kataang is on the edge of canon, yes, but I still DON'T find it appealing ((unless it gets angsty and tragic... Star Wars, anyone?)). So hopefully your enjoyment of Zutara won't diminish because of its lack of canon support; unless canon warps their already-established personalities, Zutara's appeal won't change. -rasielle
We see their faces inches apart, their bodies even closer - Zutara Essay Pimpage by littlebrat
Notes:
Thank you to the following-
Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and the rest of the crew, for creating Avatar
Nickelodeon, for airing Avatar
Avatar Spirit, for the images and some research.
jade_sabre_301, for being a beta reader for this
katara_zuko, for all the inspirational fanfics, helpful quotes, and just being an awesome community with awesome people in it.
HIM and Enya, for the lyrics I used from each of their songs Under the Rose(HIM) and Only Time(Enya) respectively.
[1] I placed a number by this cause I was really unsure if the person who made this up was even talking about relationships at all. I think the person, whoever you are, was talking about magnets and scientific stuff… it just happened to apply to relationships a little bit and people took it that way.
This was done for my own entertainment and those of the Zutara fandom's. I don't expect you to feel like you are under obligation to change your OTP because I posted this. I was just merely making a small essay to observe the Zutara fandom and the small, delicate hints that people catch... either by blatantly being out there or actually have to think outside of the box and not having it thrown right us. Also, if you are not a Zutara shipper, and read this, I'm sorry if I have somehow offended you. If you post a manifesto on any other Avatar relationship, I'd love to read it.
This was also done before the airing of Tales of Ba Sing Se, I was going to include Jin in this, but I thought it may mess with what I’ve already written, so I will speak a little about Jin now… many of us Zutara fans did not find Jin a threat. We actually liked her for the most part and it opened up a side of Zuko that was interesting to see on the television and a good step for him in the emotional department. Also, the kiss scene is good for manips.
Another small note... I would have added the time where Katara defends Zuko's ponytail, but I didn't see it fitting in anywhere else but the notes. She defends his ponytail when Sokka calls says something about him being 'a crazy teenager with ponytail', or something like that.
Thank you for reading.
Title: Burning in Water; Drowning in Flame
Author: CherryWolfChan _cherrywolf_
Spoilers: Some Season Two spoilers
Burning in Water; Drowning in Flame
A Zuko/Katara Manifesto
When I first thought about doing this, I thought to myself… everyone was doing it, why not me? I also realized there were no Avatar entries in the memories so I decided I would be the first to write up a Zuko/Katara Manifesto and maybe inspire other Avatar lovers to do the same with other shippings, because lord knows I’d love to read them. So let’s get started, huh?
About a Boy
Zuko
When we first meet Zuko, most people probably thought “wow, what a jerk.” He was hell bent on getting the Avatar and returning home. For a little while we were unaware of why Zuko wants the Avatar, but it was revealed that he needs Aang to restore his honor and his place on the thrown as a crowned prince, not a prince in exile. That(the exile) would probably explain the small fleet and the older ship he has. Zuko didn’t start out so bad, but he never really felt that much of family love, other than from his mother. In order to spare the lives of a battalion *unit?* of green recruits he challenged a general to an “agni kai,” a battle of honor between two firebenders, but on the date of the battle he discovered he would be facing his father instead. He begged for mercy, but his father branded him with a scar on the left side of his face and exiled him in disgrace. Throughout all of this, it seems likely that the poor boy would have lost his sanity, but Zuko was very lucky when he was banished: his uncle Iroh went with him. A devoted uncle to Zuko, it appears that Uncle Iroh is what keeps the prince together through out the first season of Avatar. Now in Season Two, it is unknown if Zuko still wants to restore his honor or if he has accepted his place and the things that have happened to him and the fact that his father is never going to accept him. Lately, it seems Zuko has definitely mellowed out from the self-centered prince he once was.
About a Girl
Katara
Katara was one of the first people we actually see when the series opens up. Katara was the one who got the gears moving; without her and her temper, who’s to say when the Avatar would have woken from his icy tomb? Katara grew up in the Southern Water Tribe. The Tribe itself was small since it was hit much harder during the war than its sister tribe, the Northern Water Tribe. Her mother was killed by the Fire Nation, and her father left to help in the war against it. She became a motherly-like figure in her village, helping out the other women with almost all the chores. She is understanding and sweet, but there are times were she lets her temper get the best of her. Usually this happens with her brother Sokka, or any sexist males that automatically demote women as weak and unable to fight for themselves. Katara is vehemently bent on mastering water bending, even running off with the scroll to learn all by herself, eventually going so far as challenging the Master Waterbender at the North Pole to a battle in order to convince him to teach her. She has become a great bender, with a blend of good fighting skills and healing abilities. It makes her a tough opponent. Her personality helps everyone else in the team as well; she calms people down most of the time and pulls them in together. She is the motherly figure of the group, watching over them and making sure they’re all right, but she also is an independent, determined young woman with strong leadership skills.
When Worlds Collide
I’ll save you from the pirates.
Upon discovering the Avatar world, many people will encounter various and sundry (and oftimes cracky, too) shippings, and they will be encouraged to take up a ship’s flag as their own. Zuko/Katara, known as Zutara in the A:TLA fandom, is one of the biggest ones (alongside Kataang) for a Katara romance. But why? What is attractive about Zuko and Katara being together when they “obviously” don’t like each other?
I’m not too sure who came up with the whole ‘opposites attract’ [1] statement, but when they created it, I don’t think they realize how many people would be using it to defend their favorite pairing in a certain cartoon series. But it does apply to Zuko and Katara, in more ways than one.
Zuko is a Firebender, and Katara is a Waterbender. In the Avatar world, these are opposing elements. As opposing elements, the two would naturally clash. Water is a soothing element; it’s flowing and full of life. Fire brings destruction and death. Just that alone would make them extremely different. Their differences go on… Zuko is a prince to the Fire Nation; Katara is just a member of the Southern Water Tribe. Zuko has been taught the ways of royalty, while Katara has only been a commoner all her life. Zuko viewed Katara as a peasant throughout the first season and as we are in the second season, we see Zuko dressing like a peasant himself, maybe it will humble him a bit. Unfortunately, the differences don’t stop there… Katara has been surrounded by loved ones all her life. She had lost one, but she has always had someone by her side that has loved her dearly. Zuko has not. Zuko’s father, and assuming grandfather, both didn’t see much in him, they favored Azula, Zuko’s sister, who was a prodigy at fire bending. Ozai, Zuko and Azula’s father, even said that Azula was born lucky and Zuko was lucky to have even been born. The only two people in Zuko’s life that had ever really cared about him was his mom, Ursa, and his Uncle Iroh. No one knows where Ursa is, or if she’s even still alive. But Iroh has stayed by Zuko so far.
Am I saying that Zuko and Katara would be a flop if they ever got in a relationship? No. Though Zuko and Katara are opposites on some levels, they also have many similarities as well. They are both stubborn, both passionate when they have a goal, and they are both hotheaded. If they both want to be together, being stubborn, they would do it eventually, and being passionate when they want to, they would definitely fight for their stance together.
Though the similarities aren’t all necessarily good, the opposite affects they would have on each other, would be pleasantly surprising. Katara’s motherly concern and ‘healing’ attributes could help calm Zuko’s roughness and his temper, moderate his angst and anger, but she will also keep the flame alive. Katara’s personality wouldn’t bore him either-she’s strong-willed and has a temper to match his. Zuko has the capacity to be a great man; he needs a woman to support him and also challenge him to be one. Katara needs a guy that will not just worship her and let her do whatever she wants. She would more than likely benefit from a man that can handle her and her temper, able to match her move for move. Katara is a strong woman; she’ll need a strong man. This plays into another important concept of the show: yin and yang. The differences and similarities in Zuko and Katara’s personalities balance each other.
Another dimension to Zutara that is interesting is the theory that their love wouldn’t be accepted at first, especially as of right now. The Souzen War is going on, pitting the Fire Nation and Water Tribes against each other. If Katara were to fall in love with Zuko, many people on both sides would frown upon the relationship. The forbidden feeling of that kind of relationship seductive and adds a level of angst. Although during this period the romance would be frowned upon, when the war ends, it could also bring peace. It could seal peace treaties between the nations if Zuko assumed the throne and married Katara. During the current Avatar, the "gaang" probably wouldn’t approve of the relationship, and even after the war ended, ancient prejudices would ensure that many disapproved. They’d have to fight for their relationship, which only makes it stronger.
To Prove You Wrong, and Scare You Away
Let me help you…
Now that we know a little bit about Zuko, Katara, and the possibilities of Zutara, we must ask: are there any hints in the series at all that this is a possibility? Well, first off I’d like to remind everyone that Katara’s romance is still up in the air. Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Aaron Ehasz all have noticed the shippings and have noticed the Zutara community, but in terms of the outcome, we’ll just have to wait and see.
But other then the staff taking notice, are there any hints within the series that Zutara could be a possibility? I’d have to answer Yes--- and no. The biggest “hint” the Avatar crew has sent us was in episode nine, The Waterbending Scroll. Zuko acted quite suave around Katara, offering the return of her mother’s necklace (which we later on learn is a “wedding proposal necklace, Culture Clash fic by Rashka). Although Zuko was using bribery, it was enough to stir minds and think "What if…" Then the almighty episode nineteen, Siege of the North Pt. 1. Siege of the North Pt. 1 had the awesome Zuko vs. Katara fight. It showed that Katara had learned a lot from Master Pakku and it showed that some bending gets weaker or stronger with natural accruing events, and (in the esteemed tradition of Zutaran (Zutaran? Zutarian?) symbology), made for fantastic symbolic sex/whatever…nevermind the fact that who knows how many hours they spent there?...alone… .
You rise with the moon… I rise with the sun
Season Two… A lot of Zutarians were threatened by the "Kataangness" of The Cave of Two Lovers and the introduction of Song, which was no surprise. The number one Zutara scene was in The Chase, when Katara offered to help Iroh, showing that she is willing to overcome prejudices and fear in order to help someone. Of course, if he weren’t so stubborn, Iroh would have been healed faster, but Zuko’s stubbornness wins. The other very subliminal hint was during Bitter Work. Iroh is telling Zuko about the elements and nations. When he mentions the Water Tribe, it’s the only time we see Zuko’s face contort in a weird emotional way. His face does the same twist when Iroh tell him that he learned a move to deflect lightening by studying the Water Benders. The episode The Library brought up the yin-yang theory once more when they were in the mechanical planetarium. It seems to me that the concept of yin and yang are present throughout the series and Zutara could be a good example of yin and yang… hmm… makes you think, doesn’t? Finally, season two still has around six episodes left…anything can happen!
Although not specifically "canon," the Avatar magazine had plenty of Zutara hints: the quotation used for Zuko ("you rise with the moon, I rise with the sun" going back to the yin-yang theory), Katara’s destiny taking a possible "fiery" turn, and most of all, the word association game.
Finally, the winning entry for the Secret of the Fire Nation create-a-scene. It had Zutara in it… even if it may have been making fun of Zutara, the fact remains that it had a "Zutaraness" in it. They were giving the Zutara fans something to squee about, or maybe they were foreshadowing future episodes. It is all unclear at this moment. There is a discrepancy among the Zutar(i)an community as to whether or not this scene should be counted as evidence in Zutara’s favor, due to the mocking content of the secret scene.
Who Can Say Where The Road Goes…
In conclusion, Zuko and Katara make an interesting couple, regardless of it being canon or not. The two elements that govern them are opposites, but they share enough similar personality traits that it creates a good balance between them. There are slight hints at the couple, but only if you really look and use an open mind and notice things that seem a bit symbolic. Zutara… is it in the future of Avatar? Who knows… we’ll just have to wait and see.
What the Fans Have Said…
The fun thing about Zuko/Katara is that it's a pairing that has gained massive online support within the fandom when it's based on pure principle more than anything else. The principle that here are two characters, and if they could spend more than three minutes in each other's presense they'd be really freakin' great. And look how much fanwork has come out of that! Canon be damned. Whether they have a future or not, the pairing is fun on its own, in the series, in our imaginations. -rashaka
In fandom, Zutara is really all about potential. I think our fandom has proven MANY times how awesome this coupling could be, but even though it would be satisfying to see the pairing fulfilled in canon... it's not necessary. Not anymore, now that the fandom is so huge and so alive. Kataang is on the edge of canon, yes, but I still DON'T find it appealing ((unless it gets angsty and tragic... Star Wars, anyone?)). So hopefully your enjoyment of Zutara won't diminish because of its lack of canon support; unless canon warps their already-established personalities, Zutara's appeal won't change. -rasielle
We see their faces inches apart, their bodies even closer - Zutara Essay Pimpage by littlebrat
Notes:
Thank you to the following-
Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and the rest of the crew, for creating Avatar
Nickelodeon, for airing Avatar
Avatar Spirit, for the images and some research.
jade_sabre_301, for being a beta reader for this
katara_zuko, for all the inspirational fanfics, helpful quotes, and just being an awesome community with awesome people in it.
HIM and Enya, for the lyrics I used from each of their songs Under the Rose(HIM) and Only Time(Enya) respectively.
[1] I placed a number by this cause I was really unsure if the person who made this up was even talking about relationships at all. I think the person, whoever you are, was talking about magnets and scientific stuff… it just happened to apply to relationships a little bit and people took it that way.
This was done for my own entertainment and those of the Zutara fandom's. I don't expect you to feel like you are under obligation to change your OTP because I posted this. I was just merely making a small essay to observe the Zutara fandom and the small, delicate hints that people catch... either by blatantly being out there or actually have to think outside of the box and not having it thrown right us. Also, if you are not a Zutara shipper, and read this, I'm sorry if I have somehow offended you. If you post a manifesto on any other Avatar relationship, I'd love to read it.
This was also done before the airing of Tales of Ba Sing Se, I was going to include Jin in this, but I thought it may mess with what I’ve already written, so I will speak a little about Jin now… many of us Zutara fans did not find Jin a threat. We actually liked her for the most part and it opened up a side of Zuko that was interesting to see on the television and a good step for him in the emotional department. Also, the kiss scene is good for manips.
Another small note... I would have added the time where Katara defends Zuko's ponytail, but I didn't see it fitting in anywhere else but the notes. She defends his ponytail when Sokka calls says something about him being 'a crazy teenager with ponytail', or something like that.
Thank you for reading.