#jintara

At the moment my favorite is probably Kazula, I think the dynamic would be so interesting. Azula and Katara have more in common than they know and I think if they were forced to team up for some reason they’d gain a respect for each other.

Yuetara is great for the aesthetic alone; the true Yin and Yang ship with ocean and moon parallels. I would also love to explore the idea of Yue learning to stand up to some of the cultural norms forced on her with Katara as inspiration.

Jintara just because it’s a cute idea.

Sukitara because I wish they interacted more and because I think the idea of all of Sokka’s crushes being more interested in his sister is kinda hilarious.

1 Jiangtara, give Katara pirate gf ffs, shoutout to the three of us btw

1 (also because I'm an indecisive lil bitch) Zutara, they make me so happy you don't understand

2 Yuetara, also amazing, I like the sun and moon stuff, perfect no notes

3 Harutara, it's just really comfy and stuff so I like it

4 Jin x Katara (Jintara?), this is a crack ship but I love it

5 Jetara, I used to hate this but I think I get it now

5 (again because I hate decisions) Azutara, same as Jetara honestly, I get it now

i forgot to do this on time lol

it's still Halloween somewhere tho, and I'm like 95% sure I haven't posted any of this before

When Jin sees the flying bison in the sky, heading toward Ba Sing Se, she turns on her heel, heading to the center of the city instead of her job. She's finding her way through what used to be the Upper Ring when the bison flies over her head in the direction of the palace.

Her steps quicken till she's running, almost sprinting toward the place where the bison disappeared behind the houses. She doesn't slow till the palace is visible ahead of her, and then not by much. She follows the palace wall around to the massive plaza where the bison probably landed. As she gets close, she hears chatter and a bison's bellow.

Before she rounds the corner, she stops, suddenly nervous. What if Katara doesn't remember her? What if she doesn't want to see her? What if she's seeing someone else? What if when she sees Jin, she frowns and turns away, saying 'I told you not to wait for me. I didn't wait for you'?

No. Even if Katara doesn't care about her anymore, she won't be cruel about it. At the very least, Jin can say hello and finally see her again, hear her voice, know how she's been doing. Not knowing is worse.

With her resolve thus steeled, Jin steps out of her hiding place. Katara is facing away from her, but even the sight of her back brings a small smile to Jin's face.

Sokka sees her first. Jin is close enough now to see his eyes widen and hear him quietly say Katara's name as he points over her shoulder at Jin.

"What is it?" Katara asks, turning, and she's even more beautiful than Jin remembered.

"Hey, Katara," Jin says, letting her smile fill her whole face.

Katara gasps when she sees Jin, freezing in place for a single agonizing moment. It lasts almost long enough to cause Jin's smile to waver. Then her eyes light up, and the corners of her lips begin to curl upward, and then she's beaming, dashing toward Jin, calling Jin's name and flinging her arms around her.

Jin hugs her back, pulling her as close as she can. She's here, she's alive, she's here, she's okay, and she's here, she's here in my arms, she's alright.

Katara is slightly thinner than she was, but more solid, all wiry muscle. The angles of her face are sharper, her arms stronger around Jin’s body. Her hair is loose now, tickling Jin's cheek and brushing her shoulders, but it smells the same when Jin buries her face in her shoulder and breathes deep.

“Miss me?” she asks, and her voice has a new edge to it, a hint of raspiness, but the fondness in her tone is the same.

"So much.” Jin holds her even closer. “More than anything.”

“I missed you too.” Katara pulls away slightly, enough to tuck a lock of hair behind Jin’s ear, cup her face, and lean down the two inches to her lips.

Oh, my gosh!! A, thank you so, so, so, so, so much for this ask!!

You know, I live for talking about my girl, Katara!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

How I feel about Katara?

She motivates me to try my best, because even if I breakdown, other people do too. I'm not alone in those feelings and it isn't a bad thing if they ever get to me. Allowing myself to feel the anger is also something that I need to do in order to let it go. She teaches me that not everything is black and white, and that the healthiest thing is to keep on living my life without letting anything stop me from fully experiencing it. She teaches me that hope is not just childish dreams, too. And most importantly, she teaches me to be proud of who I am.

Any/All the people I ship her romantically with?

Well, I feel this is as good of a moment to come clean...

Zuko: Obviously! They're a match made in Heaven!

They connect and reassure each other so well. They remind me that true love is when someone inspires you to be the most yourself as you can be. I love how Zuko makes Katara feel so supported, not only through words but also actions. I love how he is so selfless for her, I love how he involves himself with all her family.

I love how Katara inspires Zuko to let his guard down and believe in the goodness of people, that there can be hope even after everything seems lost. I love how she makes him feel so safe that talking comes so easily. I love that she listens to him and cares and lets him know that she does.

I love how they console each other. And I love how they'd sacrifice anything for one another, even if neither of them want someone they care so much sacrifice themselves like that 🥺

And now, for proving I am a new person...

Aang: I know, I know, this... VERY different from who I used to be, but I realized everything in canon can be more of a guideline than something set into stone. I never minded the concept of Kataang as a ship, it was the execution that didn't do it for me, so I figured I might as well build the ship up from zero.

There's also the fact that Kataang shippers made it very clear they didn't like me for being an LGBTQIA ally and for being latina, so I didn't want to be in their space. But if I let bigots dictate what I can or cannot enjoy, I probably wouldn't do anything at all in life.

The way I see it, Katara taught Aang many valuable lessons about love even while she didn't return his feelings: sometimes you have to give the person you love some space, sometimes your love won't be reciprocated, but life will go on and you'll be okay. Sometimes love doesn't mean romantic love, it can mean friendship and respect.

I don't think canon!Aang grasped those lessons, but they were there.

And even platonically, Aang was someone very special for Katara, and I feel that, had Aang matured in matters of relationships, they could have been one of those stories where friends eventually grow to love each other romantically.

Jin: It might seem a bit odd that I mention a rarepair right after two popular ships, but I just love Jintara so much!! 😍😍 I think they would be the sweetest couple around and they would have so much in common, it'd be one of those "Where have you been all my life?" moments — and also one of those "Just kiss already!" moments 🤭.

I think Katara would inspire Jin and show her she doesn't have to bear Ba Sing Se's awful and neglectful government. And I think Jin would be the perfect person to distract Katara and make her loosen up whenever she is too stressed with diplomatic and political tasks.

Jiang: I really loved how Jiang pushed but also guided Katara outside of her comfort zone during their brief time together, and how they taught her the wrong in judging by appearances. Besides, Jiang is a very forward person, and they would straight up tell their intentions to Katara because relationships don't always have to be so complicated.

Jet: Jet is a character with so much unused potential and I think that had things been different, the two of them could have been an actual good couple. I think his interest in Katara was genuine, and I also know he understimated her when they first met. I feel like, had he stayed in the series, maybe a few years down the road, they would have left the past behind them and start over.

Yue: I think that had Yue spend a bit more time with Katara, she would have fallen for her instead of Sokka.

Harutara: They were so good together and Haru was ultimate boyfriend material!! I really wanted them to stay together for longer!! 🥺🥺🥺

Suki: This is more like "a couple that eventually decided they were better off as friends". They still care a lot about one another, but not in that way anymore.

My unpopular opinion about Katara?

Okay, you don't mind if I add a few more than necessary, right?

Katara is one of the darkest characters in the series. When you look a little into her backstory, you realize there are many awful implications and there is space for many awful things that could have happened to her that simply weren't mentioned in the show. With the lack of resources in the Southern Water Tribe, she could have suffered from malnourishment for giving away her own food so the rest of the tribe would eat. She has been wearing her mother's necklace since she was eight, it must have become too small to fit right and by now it's constantly choking and cutting her neck, but she still won't let go of it. Mentioning her mother's death is actually very arduous for her but she feels it is a proof of trust, and she wants to believe putting that much trust in someone means they won't leave her like her parents did.

At the same time, she is also very humorous and just as sarcastic as Sokka.

This is a pet-peeve of mine, and I know all the characters have the colors of their respective nation as a signature color, but I feel that with two Water Tribe main characters, Katara and Sokka could have had different colors to represent them and accentuate their differences. Maybe they would wear different shades of blue, or Sokka would wear blue and Katara purple.

One thing I wish would have happened to her in canon?

As much as I love Jiang, I wish instead of Katara's Pirate Adventure, we have had a comic of Katara inscribing in Ba Sing Se's university to study medicine. Or building up her own medicine school in the Southern Water Tribe.

Favorite friendship for Katara?

Jin!!

I already mentioned why I love shipping them romantically, but I also love to imagine Katara just having a girly friend, that they would brace each other when the boys caused a disaster, that there would be this sort of tension because they both have a crush on Zuko but deciding friends don't fight over boys, them complimenting each other and Jin being Katara's model when she is making new clothes or practicing makeup.

My crossover ship?

Mmmmmm... In a time-travelling fic but within the same universe? Young Katara and Mako from TLOK.

Amongst other fandoms... Maybe Katara and King Kieran from The Dark Artifices. I can see Mark and Cristina falling for her too and then it would be "Hot Fairy Foursome" 😍. ("Hot Fairy and Mermaid Foursome"? 🤔 "Hot Fairy and Nixie Foursome"?) (I'm working on the name.)

Or... Katara and Keith Kogane from Voltron. (Huh, maybe I'll get to this one later 😏)

I loved this ask, A! Thank you!!

— 💋

Kal thanks so much for sending me a character! ☺️

ships i like with this character:

Z U T A R A: my main ship for katara! their relationship development was so compelling and realistic (i.e. not just taking words at face value, but actually putting effort into actions to show the other person that you're remorseful.) i love how it is handled with such respect for katara's autonomy and her feelings. how not once is katara guilt-tripped or given excuses. how they were there for each other in their most critical moments and provided non-judgmental support. how they trust each other with their literal lives and were willing to die for each other. how katara trusts and believes in his goodness with such conviction, that she ultimately wins him the throne. i'm gonna cut it off here before i go into zk brainrot lol.

jintara: i like this ship because i think her and katara have a lot of similarities wrt their personalities. i also really like them as an ot3 with zuko (jinkotara) because they both canonically love tea, so why not throw in their tea-serving bf? also i see both of their loves languages as physical touch, so i can see them having fun teasing zuko, and doing gestures like jin did when she ruffled his hair.

maitara: i like the contrast of this ship. katara is openly warm and affectionate, whereas mai is a bit more reserved. in a post-war setting, i could see katara encouraging mai to be more assertive and expressive, kind of challenging the things she learned growing up. and i think mai would remind katara to take time to actually relax and have fun. i also like maikotara, but not in a fully romantic way. more like.... mai is katara's gf and zuko is katara's bf. and maiko are ... just friends that are here for the vibe, you know?

harutara: ok their sunset convo was kinda romantic ... or was it just me? i love how katara even tho he doesn't know her, is able to inspire him to push back against the "no earth bending" rule (even if it backfired because of that snitching old man.) katara is really humble and she doesn't really take credit for all that she does. i love haru's line "it wasn't the coal, it was you, katara." i thought it was cute when he asked katara to come back with them. and then, the next time haru sees the gaang, he again talks about how katara inspired him. i love a good ship where the boy is in complete awe of the girl.

jiangtara: gay people.

yuetara: the moon/ocean imagery just does it for me. i love the spiciness and potential drama of katara realizing that she likes girls when she falls for her brother's girlfriend. and the angst of her feeling that lost love once yue becomes the moon, having never told her how she felt (for obvious reasons.)

Katara is somehow dating Jin, who is dating Zuko, somehow. She thinks. She's not really sure what's going on anymore.