Don’t get me wrong, I never saw anything wrong with Zutara, even when I was a kid watching the episodes as they premiered every Friday night. I saw the potential there and if the show went in that direction, I would have been fine with it. But let me tell you why Katara needed Aang (because so many people who criticize Kataang always act like it’s a one-sided relationship wherein Aang needed Katara and nothing more.)

See the biggest complaint about Kataang is, for some reason, the age-difference (even though the difference between Zuko (16) and Katara (14) is the same as Katara (14) and Aang (12)). Now I will completely agree that Katara is more mature than Aang. Absolutely. And if you’re a Zutara shipper and you think that her being more mature is why she needs to be with the more mature Zuko then sure, I can see that, why not?

But here’s the thing.

Katara shouldn’t be more mature than Aang.

The only reason Katara’s more mature than Aang is because she was forced to give up her childhood in order to take on the role of mothering her (older) brother and mothering/protecting/leading the rest of the Water Tribe.

She and Sokka are emotionally stunted when Aang meets them. Sokka’s forced maturity is more obvious but Katara, a fourteen-year-old girl, doesn’t even see herself as a child anymore.

Katara: I haven’t done this since I was a kid!

Aang: You still are a kid!

And do you know what they’re doing in that scene? They’re penguin sledding! Katara’s having fun for the first time in literal years!

And as the series goes on, you see that Aang is the one who is able to break through Katara’s war-built maturity and help her act like a fourteen-year-old again. He helps her see the joys of life, he helps her become a more balanced, loving, individual:

At the same time, Katara helps Aang mature and become a better person and a better Avatar:

In the end, they were both able to help each other healthily overcome their emotional barriers. Aang was able to become more mature and take on his responsibilities and Katara was able to become more freespirited and realize that she doesn’t have to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.

That’s why these two will always be my favorite ship in all of Avatar, even including Korrasami. They’re the only real dynamic wherein both sides equally contribute something that makes the other person better.

I genuinely can’t get over how unrealistic LOK made Aang and Katara’s future. Like I genuinely can’t believe that’s what the creators came up with. I literally imagine Aang and Katara having two lovely kids. 

Their first child being someone like Jinora. It would be perfect because Aang can spend time with her by training her with airbending and getting in touch with her spiritual side. However, at the same time, Aang would most likely get her to be more fun and less serious. Then Katara could hang out with her by helping her be more stronger, not take shit from anyone. At the same time take her daughter to have a girl’s day and go to the spa where they’re able to bond and talk openly about whatever’s going on with them. Honestly, when I watched LOK, I thought how much she would have been a perfect daughter for Aang and Katara. It makes a lot of sense because she is so in touch with he spiritual side but she also has the nurturing/caring side that Katara has. 

Then imagine Jinora meeting a guy like Kai and being terrified to tell her parents because she doesn’t know how they’ll react. Aang will most likely be protective at first but then Kai makes a funny joke and Aang immediately starts to love him. Katara would be protective throughout and would make sure that the boy treats her right. Like Katara’s the one who makes sure that he brings her home at 10:00 sharp after they hang out. Then asks him a lot of questions until she finally learns to trust him. 

Their second child would be a male waterbender. Katara bonds with him by teaching him waterbending and making sure he has manners growing up. She tells her stories about how women weren’t allowed to waterbend but she didn’t take their shit. Katara telling him about how to treat a girl and how Aang was someone who was so sweet to her. Then Aang would bond with him by going on these crazy adventures together and being goofy. Like imagine while Katara’s teaching Jinora how to swim, Aang and his son go riding in the backs of those big fish. Or Aang showing him funny waterbending techniques he’s made up. Aang being there for him when he needs advice about a girl and Aang telling him to trust his heart, be kind to her and be himself. 

Then imagine Jinora and her brother having a relationship like Sokka and Katara. Her brother is always trying to protect her even though he’s younger because he loves her sister so much.