char - lie/-lot

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Risking It All

This is the second part of LIAB so if you haven’t read this READ IT NOW

War Crimes

Book one ends with two major diffrences: 1. Sokka went on the mission with Hahn (it did not go well) 2. Zhao survives the North Pole and that proves unfortunate for everybody (except Zhao, obviously)

Imprisoned on Zhao’s war ship, Sokka and Zuko have to work together to survive. They are not very enthusiastic about this prospect.

And they argue.

A lot.

The Art of Burning

Zuko is kidnapped by the southern water tribe and an accidental found family is formed. then torn apart. And angst and zukka.

National Treasure

Zuko was never banished from the fire nation, he tried to fight the agni kai, he got burned, but he was never banished. only for the fact that he was considered a national treasure for his kindness and compassion to the people. When the gaang finds this out, they hatch a plot hoping to end the war once and for all,spoilers, nothing goes according to plan.

Ozymandias, King of Kings

After that fateful Agni Kai, Ozai makes a different call. Branded as a traitor and banished to a prison camp, Zuko learns how cruel the Fire Nation can be to its citizens. Three years, a water tribe raid, and an unexpected meeting with a gang of over-enthusiastic idealistic children puts Zuko back in the spotlight. The revolution is coming and it wants another poster boy, but Zuko is not willing to lend his face to the cause.

Unpathed Waters, Undreamed Shores

Sokka is a sea-walker and when he finds himself pulled onto a Fire Nation ship, he chooses to stay aboard as their would-be "captive" rather than reveal the Water Tribe's secrets. He forms an unlikely bond with the exiled prince of the Fire Nation. there are still secrets and conflicts that can't be erased, and it's up to each of them to decide if they'll choose the worlds they're used to or fight for a new world where they can be together.

Mountains and Badgermolehills

NOT ZUKKA⚠️

It’s good but sadly they are straight

After the Blue Spirit frees the Avatar from the Pohuai Stronghold, Admiral Zhao captures Prince Zuko under suspicion of treason. Isolated from his Uncle and his crew, Zuko has only one ally: the chatty prisoner one cell over.

Feel free to recommend some in the comments

The gang at Eden's Twilight 🍸🪩

(R.I.P. Kevin 😔✌🏼)

Both Andrew and Neil see it. Instead of pretending they can be enough for each other, they both work to help the other stand alone. Andrew helps Neil stand his ground and stop running. Neil helps Andrew accept his brother and the importance of other people. They help each other find answers that aren’t just themselves. (Although I would argue Andrew had this intention while Neil more or less saw himself as insufficient -- 'nothing' -- and therefore not enough to depend upon; but that's a whole other thing for a whole other post)

I think Andrew has a much deeper understanding of trauma responses and recovery than he lets on (he had so many sessions with Bee). He sees the signs of Neil growing dependent on him. He knows Neil is prone to dependency after his mother; he knows he himself is prone to controlling people and situations. They are the perfect recipe for toxic reliance. Knowing this, he tries to push Neil away. When he figures out he can’t, he tries to change the trajectory their past and their trauma has them set on. Everyone emphasizes how much Andrew focuses on not becoming his past via his ‘yes or no’, but he also focuses heavily on letting his family stand alone. In more ways than one, Andrew actively aspires to be better.

There’s a quote from a book I read recently (Notes of a Crocodile by Qiu Miaojin): “Only healthy people are capable of being in love. Using love to treat an illness just makes the illness worse.” So many stories romanticize love bringing people back from the dark. Andrew and Neil don’t drag each other out of dug graves. Instead, they hand each other a shovel and start digging themselves.