hlo / soren

Claiming that Zuko never cries or that he is a huge asshole with no compassion or whatever is both inaccurate and insulting, but if your Zuko is crying every scene that isn’t very accurate either.

Insisting that Zuko is stupid is both hurtful and insensitive because he was frequently told that by his abusers, but it’s not wrong to point out that he has a habit of making reckless and ill-advised decisions. Most of his ideas are a mix of “smart” and “dumb”—take the turtleseal tunnels as an example. It was smart of him to realize that the turtleseals needed to come up for air, but it was reckless of him to not consider that turtleseals might be able to hold their breath for longer than humans. Iroh tells him “you never think things through” and Aang tells him “actually you’re pretty smart” and both of these are statements that can coexist.

People who sand the edges off of Zuko’s temper are annoying, yes, but if you’re writing Book 3 Zuko he shouldn’t be lashing out physically or assaulting anyone. (For everyone thinking about what happened in the finale—that was a completely rational reaction to the rest of the team goofing off and not symptomic of Zuko’s everyday behavior.)

Zuko isn’t a “dark mysterious bad boy”—he shared his woes in front of unconscious Aang and a frog, after all!—but he probably won’t be spilling every detail of his abuse unprompted, especially if your Zuko is pre-Book 3.

My name is Abdulmajid.

I got married one month before the war. Those were beautiful days — full of hope, love, and simple dreams. I dreamed of a small home, a quiet family, and a baby girl I could hold without fear.

But the war came… Suddenly. Brutally.

My mother was killed. My brother was killed. Children in my family were taken by the bombs. My home was destroyed. And my work stopped completely.

Then… in the middle of this nightmare, my baby girl was born. A tiny soul, innocent, unaware of the war. She cries from hunger, from cold, from the sounds of bombs shaking what’s left of our walls.

Today, I’m a father with almost nothing… Fighting every day to find flour, milk, or even a small meal to feed my child.

Prices are sky-high — a single 25kg bag of flour can cost $800. There is no work. No income. No safety. No stability.

I write this from under siege, hoping my heart will reach yours.

Even $1 can make a difference. It can feed a child, buy milk, or bring a moment of peace. Be the heart that reaches Gaza. Be the hand that saves.

I got the urge to draw them again, it’s honestly so much fun!