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return of those earth kingdom dudes ig

AU where Sokka’s high-on-cactus-juice encounter with the giant mushroom takes a dark turn. (Also he has a gun)

based on this beautiful tumblr post

bonus:

Aang: I better hide my identity while I’m at the theatre

Also Aang: puts on a monk’s hat

In all seriousness, the hat that Aang wears in “The Ember Island Players” and the hats that the Fire Sages wear are inspired by Tibetan monks’ hats known as Pandita hats. Pandita hats tend to be tall and taper upwards into a conical shape. They also possess a subtle v-shaped trim along the forehead area. The Fire Sage hats even possess the distinctive lappets (ear covers) of Pandita hats, albeit much shorter ones.

That Aang is wearing a predominantly yellow Pandita hat might also be significant as well. Yellow hats are a symbol of Gelug Buddhism, the newest and currently most dominant sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The color yellow is meant to represent a desire to bring back pure ethical discipline to the monasteries.

Season 2

Aang: I wish that Iroh guy was the Fire Lord, he seems pretty nice

Sokka: Yeah the Fire Nation would probably be better off with him as Fire Lord, but he’s so old and more of an uncle figure, you know? Not really my type.

Aang: What

Early season 3

Sokka, waking up in cold sweat: Oh no. What if... Azula is the future Fire Lord

Late season 3

Katara: Sokka what should we do? The invasion failed, we’ve been hiding in this temple for weeks and Sozin’s comet is almost here

Sokka, mumbling to himself: I hope Zuko becomes Fire Lord he’s pretty cool

Katara: what?

Zuko: Sorry. But you're not going to be the one marrying Sokka.

Then a few years later Zuko's the firelord and they're dating but right when Zuko proposes Sokka Remembers and has an existential crisis then and there

Zuko: Sokka, will you marry me?

Sokka, remembering Wu's prophecy: motherfucker

Zuko, very confused but still hopeful: is that a yes?

the shoulders of his tunic are just a little too broad to fit him perfectly.  the sleeves are just a little bit too long and often fall over his hands.  the cut of his tunic is just a little loose and the extra fabric bunches up over his waistband.  the collar of his tunic comes up just a little too high on his neck.  his hair is just a little too long and has begun to fall in his eyes.

it’s quite a contrast to zuko’s book one look, where he wore the same military uniform as his fire nation crew and looked like an adult.  someone else pointed out that his time in ba sing se is the only time zuko looks like he’s eating well.  his face has lost some of gauntness it had during his wandering through the earth kingdom and his cheeks are rounded out from having regular access to food.  

this:

compared to THIS:

and the fullness of his face, in addition to these slightly-too-big clothes, really emphasizes how young - and vulnerable - zuko really is.  for all his swordfighting and firebending skills, he’s not much older than aang and the rest of the gaang, but we don’t really get to see that side of him until ba sing se.  and there, suddenly zuko’s no longer a prince on a mission - he’s just a chastened teenager struggling to fit in.  

Zuko’s Broadswords

The broadswords that Zuko uses are niuweidao (牛尾刀) or “oxtail sabers”. Niuweidao are characterized by their flat and wide blades, flared tips, rounded cutting sections, and noticeably bent hilt; all characteristics present in Zuko’s swords.

The niuweidao actually has a rather unique history compared to other Chinese weapons. Whereas most Chinese weapons were adapted to be used by the imperial troops, the niuweidao was created and used exclusively by civilians. The primary reason for this was that their design was optimized to efficiently cut through flesh rather than harder surfaces; making them impractical for slashing through armored soldiers on the battlefield but perfect for petty robbery and common street violence. Unsurprisingly, these 19th-century swords came to be associated with rebels and criminals.

That Zuko chooses to wield niuweidao as the Blue Spirit is yet another example of his intelligence. After all, no one would expect the Prince of the Fire Nation, with a ship full of military-grade tools at his disposal, to utilize a weapon wielded by the lowest levels of society.

The niuweidao being the weapon of thugs also explains why that one Earth Kingdom jerk had a pair on him as well. In fact, you’ll notice that Zuko only ever uses his broadswords when he’s behaving criminally or rebelliously. Even his dual-wielding breaks from typical sword-fighting convention. The swords are the embodiment of his innate brashness.

This also provides a unique foil to Sokka and his sword. Sokka is often dismissed as a “peasant” and many characters simply write him off as dimwitted goofball. Yet his sword, the jian, is an ancient weapon dating back to 500 BC and is considered to be the weapon of scholars and gentlemen. Sokka’s sword embodies all of his most overlooked qualities: His intelligence, creativity, and honorable nature.

Zuko, by contrast, was seen as the elitist prince obsessed with honor and maintaining the Fire Nation’s imperial legacy. Yet his swords of choice, the niuweidao, are a relatively new kind of weapon from the fringes of society. Their entire purpose is to undermine the established power structure. Zuko’s swords embodies all of his most overlooked qualities: His boldness, his cunning, and his willingness to break from tradition.

Like what I’m doing? Tips always appreciated, never expected. ^_^

A slight twist on my usual “Chinese History and…” series.

The Order of the White Lotus is likely inspired by the China’s real-life White Lotus Society.

The White Lotus Society (白蓮敎) originated as a hybrid religion of Buddhism and Manichaeism that centered on the worship of the goddess Wusheng Laomu (無生老母), also called Wujimu (無極母). However, what the White Lotus is most remembered for was its tendency to constantly foment revolutions, uprisings, and all other forms of dynasty-shaking upheaval throughout Chinese history. Examples of the White Lotus’ many rebellions:

White Lotus monk Peng Yingyu organized rebellions in the 1330s to protest the Mongol’s rule over China (the Yuan Dynasty).

White Lotus monk  Zhu Yuanzhang leads another revolutionary army against Mongol rule in 1352. He wins over the Chinese masses by forbidding his soldiers from pillaging in observance of White Lotus religious beliefs. By 1355, the rebellion spreads throughout much of China. By 1387, the White Lotus finally liberates China from Mongol-rule.

In 1774, White Lotus herbalist and martial artist Wang Jun leads an uprising that captures three small cities and lays siege to the larger city of Linqing. After initial success, he was outnumbered and defeated by Qing troops.

In 1794, the White Lotus leads another rebellion in central China to protest unfair taxes. In 1804, the Qing dynasty finally puts an end to the revolution after 10 years of warfare and suppression.

In 1812, White Lotus leader Lin Qing declares that he is the reincarnation of Gautama Buddha and is destined to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. In 1813, he leads an attack on the Forbidden City that comes to be known as the Eight Trigrams Uprising of 1813. By the time the government suppressed the revolt, more than 20,000 Eight Trigrams members had been killed. It is estimated that 70,000 were killed in total during the period of disorder.

When you consider that the final episodes of Avatar involve a secret society of spiritual old men driving out a foreign occupying government from a Chinese-inspired city and also giving their full support to a divinely-chosen monk, is it any wonder why the creators chose to name this group after The White Lotus?

Like what I’m doing? Tips always appreciated, never expected. ^_^

I believe Yue’s gown is a deel, the traditional dress of the Mongolian people. Although designs of deel vary greatly between different Mongolic groups, I have noticed a few commonalities:

Instead of buttoning together in the middle, Deel have flaps that are pulled against the wearer’s body. The right flap remains close to the body while the left flap goes over the right, as is typical in Asian culture. The sleeves tend be looser fitting, but secured at the wrists with fitted cuffs. Finally, the deel is secured at the waist by a belt or sash.

“Okay so our main character experienced the genocide of his entire culture and is constantly running from the pain of it, and he’s traveling with two siblings still grieving the loss of their mother, who was killed during a colonial raid.”

“Sure…but how do we convey that the Big Bad antagonist is Evil for our 9-15 year old audience demographic?

“I know! We’ll have him horrifically burn off half the face of his young son for telling him that he should not kill child soldiers.”

“And how do we raise the stakes from that later in the show?”

“He’ll um…attempt mass ethnic genocide again while he psychologically torments his other young child to the point of insanity?”

Zuko: I would roundhouse kick you in the face for free.

Sokka: Savag-

Sokka: Wait..

Sokka: WAIT-