#jaigrayson

Why I like them: I think the appeal of Zuko's character lies strongly in his conflict (for me, at least). From the beginning it's clear there is both light and dark in him and that he could go down either path (and he actually goes down both of them mceudhygj). That conflict, that ambiguity is excellent. And it's interesting to witness his journey, to see how his experiences, good and bad, shape and change him. To see him grow and learn and make mistakes and ultimately prevail as his truest self. The fact that he's a fucking badass doesn't hurt either.

Why I don't: Zuko in the latter half of Book Three doesn't interest me as much as he did in previous episodes, probably because by that time the conflict has at last been resolved and replaced by a genuine desire to teach the Avatar firebending, restore the Fire Nation's name (honour) and just generally...be good. Which are noble goals to be sure, but I still find Zuko by that time a lot less interesting than before. Funnier, but less interesting. Of course I still root for him and am happy to see him succeed because I know it was heavily earned, but I just don't enjoy his character as much as before.

Favourite episode: I'm gonna be totally predictable and say Zuko Alone.

Favourite season: I really love Book Two Zuko, but Book One is still my favourite for him.

Favourite line: „My father says she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born. I don't need luck, though. I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am.”

Favourite outfit: Hm. He's had so many. Maybe the one he wore at the very end of the series. The greenish-brown one. It's similar to the one he wore at the end of Book Two, which is also excellent.

OTP: Jinko. They're my favourite ATLA couple. I know they only appeared together for a few minutes, but the impact they had in that time? Gigantic. It's the only time ATLA portrayed a romance successfully, imo.

BROTP: Don't have one, but he and Iroh are my favourite platonic relationship of his. My favourite relationship in the Avatar universe overall, in fact, platonic or romantic.

Headcanon: I'd like to think he went back and visited some of the people he met in exile, like Song (he owes her an ostrich horse, after all), Lee and Jin.

Unpopular opinion: I'm pretty sure what I said about Zuko in the latter half of Book Three above counts for this too. For another unpopular opinion: I don't like his long hair in Book Three. Die mad about it.

A wish: This is gonna sound crazy, but I lowkey wish Zuko and Iroh had stayed in the Earth Kingdom. Okay, for the sake of the Fire Nation, maybe not, but in some canon divergence or an AU or something. I totally think they could have carved out a normal, happy life for themselves in Ba Sing Se; we saw the beginning of that towards the end of Book Two before Azula showed up. I guess I just wish that we had gotten to see them in Ba Sing Se a little longer than we did, because they honestly peaked during that time, imo. Remember how happy Zuko was? God tier.

An oh-god-please-don't-ever-happen: Since ATLA concluded so long ago, this doesn't really apply here, unless the Netflix series fucks him up in some way.

5 words to best describe them: Hot-headed, tortured, impulsive, conflicted and, wait for it...honourable.

Why I like them: Y'all, that kid is so smart, he's SO smart. I mean, he straight up invented hot air balloons and submarines in the Avatar universe. At the age of fucking fifteen. I love that he relies on logic, instead of abstract concepts or superstitious crap. He feels so protective over the people he loves and he puts so much pressure on himself to keep them safe at all costs, especially after Yue's sacrifice, but even in the very first episode he was willing to die for his tribe. The way he did everything in his power to protect Toph in the finale, including giving up his boomerang and meteor sword and shielding her from fire, is just?? so good?? He's a great warrior too, and he goes out of his way to be better (no doubt in part due to patriarchal values, but also in order to be more capable of protecting the people he loves and to be more useful to the war effort), training with the Kyoshi warriors and Piandao, culminating in him leading the invasion on the Day of Black Sun. He's just so much more than „a guy with a boomerang”.

Why I don't: His sexism in the early episodes was Not It, Chief.

Favourite episode: It's hard to pick one because Sokka is so often sidelined in favour of other characters that he doesn't get many episodes centered on just him. I do really like Sokka's role in Jet, The Siege of the North and The Library.

Favourite season: Probably Book One.

Favourite line: „No, Jet. You became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people.”

Favourite outfit: Sokka in Kyoshi warrior getup was INSPIRED.

OTP: Yukka. Obviously, they fall into the star-crossed lover trope, which I can never resist. They were just so sweet and so tragic and I just can't with them. I've legit been crying over them for five years. Their last scene together is so powerful in so many ways. And the impact her death had on him was enormous. I don't think he ever quite got over her death, if Yue Bay is anything to go by. Speaking of which, Yue Bay. YUE BAY, YOU GUYS.

BROTP: Sokka and Aang. I love Sokka and Toph too, but Sokka and Aang are best friends, and I feel like the fandom tends to forgets that.

Headcanon: I know this completely contradicts canon, but I headcanon Sokka as Lin's dad 🤷🏻‍♀️ I really don't give a fuck who her dad is, but if it has to be anyone, I want it to be Sokka rather than Whoever Whicheverson.

Unpopular opinion: Z*kka...is not a good ship, y'all. Sokka as Zuko's consort is especially bad. Sokka does not deserve to be constantly reminded of the trauma he faced at the hands of the Fire Nation (and yes, he did have trauma, I'm sick and tired of people glossing over that) just so y'all can have your gay ship. Also, they don't even have much chemistry. Not platonic or romantic.

A wish: I wish the writers had made some different choices re: Sokka. Mainly the whole Sokka seeing Katara in place of his mother thing, which is my least favourite aspect of the entire series. If I could delete one thing from the show, this would be it. Fact is, it might be beneficial to Katara's character, but it's degrading to Sokka's. Firstly, he's a year older than Katara, so her remembering their mother while he does not doesn't even make sense. Secondly, the implication that he didn't love her as much as Katara did is so ugly and offensive it makes me want to tear my hair out. And thirdly, Sokka should be allowed to remember his mother. Plain and simple. I don't care what point you're trying to make about Katara's nature, don't deprive Sokka of his mother to make it. I also don't like how the writers were constantly making him the butt of the joke. I get that he was supposed to be the comic relief, but there are better ways to go about that. And I wish that he had found his space sword and that Hawky had come back, because jeez, at least let him have that. I know he got a new boomerang in the comics, so at least that's something.

An oh-god-please-don't-ever-happen: They already made him white and humourless in The Last Airbender movie and killed him in Legend of Korra. What more could they possibly do to him? Don't test me, Netflix series...

5 words to best describe them: Intelligent, responsible, sarcastic, protective, proud.

Uhh, I'm gonna give them an E. Obviously I'm not a Dickbabs shipper, although I used to be and I still think their relationship is fine in BTAS and SubZero, even if it's obvious Dick's more invested in their relationship than Barbara is, but TNBA and BB kinda ruined it, and Barbara, imo. Of course, that was just Bruce Timm being an asshole, but whatcha gonna do.

I think I'm much more tolerant of Dickbabs in the DCAU than in the comics because Barbara wasn't de-aged in order for it to happen, nor were any other pairings erased or glossed over in favor of it.

B. I think they're cute. They were my second obsession in the Batman mythos back in the day, just after Dick. I think Ivy is Harley's healthiest relationship (that's not to say Harlivy is always healthy, but it's far less toxic than, say, her relationship with the Joker) and I think Harley is by far the person Ivy cares most about.

Jai, I literally love you.

A+ bitches. Kiara and Kovu are not only my second favorite Disney couple, but one of my favorite couples of all time. Like, they'd make the top five.

D. Even though I remember lowkey shipping it for like...a week when I first got into comics, I'm pretty neutral on them having a romantic relationship now. I think a lot of that just has to do with the fact that a majority of their interactions were badly written (*cough* Devin Grayson *cough*). The way Marv explained it in New Titans #63 is probably my favorite handling of their relationship. Not to say that they couldn't have given their relationship another shot, but I don't think they're a forever deal in a romantic sense.