Sleepy Time On The Couch

I was waiting for someone to make this distinction between Iroh and Sokka! I headcannon that Sokka is the only one of the gaang who can beet Iroh at Pai-sho

One of the things that I’m fascinated by as a concept is that Sokka and Iroh are simultaneously very similar and also total opposites in many ways. There’s an aspect where they’re very tactically minded, intelligent leaders with a history of eccentricities… But Sokka is also one of the people for whom it would make the most sense for him to get argumentative with Iroh, and actually has done. 

Sokka constantly poo-poos the idea of destiny and spirituality, and gets mad at Iroh for suggesting that they rescue Zuko from the Crystal Catacombs because he doesn’t care about the “good inside” him. They have similar skill-sets and influence, but their ideologies are mostly incompatible. So I absolutely want to see more of Sokka actually debating him; that would be way more interesting the typical interactions we see with Iroh anyway.

(Zuko watches this in horror like a high-speed ping-pong match.)

I also like the idea of Sokka enjoying many of the same things as iroh, but in ways that make Iroh shudder. For instance:

–Sokka is good at, and likes playing Pai Sho. However, he is very much of a disrespectful opponent who engages in trash talk and speed plays. 

–Sokka also likes tea, but he is prone to dumping all sorts of ingredients into it that’s besides the norm, including sugar and honey and generally just “ruining” the natural flavor of the tea. (Sokka invents ‘iced tea’ which Iroh secretly views as blasphemy.)

–Again they have a penchant for strategy, and debate hypothetical scenarios, but Sokka is noticeably less honorable and is willing to resort to dirty tactics in spades if he thinks it can net him victory.

–They both have a thing for poetry, but iroh is very prosy and thoughtful, while Sokka can just string together whatever first pops into his head and fashions that into a workable poem. 

(Yes you do…)

Bonus: ft last ronin Casey’s

He parents his siblings and he’s tired.

Here’s a concept that’s been living rent free in my mind for a month: Aizawa and Mic own a nursery and these are the kids that attend

Sokka's new sword after space sword falls during battle.

Trying to find a concise way to describe Centaurworld to the uninitiated and so far I’ve settled on “what if Samurai Jack was sent to the Care Bears universe instead of the future. And was also a horse.”

Aang and Sokka’s friendship is proof that vegetarians and meat-eaters can still be buddies

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when sokka needs advice about how to process something internal, private, he’ll typically take it to toph. her calm manner of listening puts him at ease and he never doubts that she’ll keep his vulnerabilities to herself. her advice is frank, realistic and fair. 

when he needs someone to distract him, he goes to suki. she has a way of assessing what’s on his mind and pivoting madly away from it. her charm is impossible to resist, so when she puts her mind to it, she never fails to make him smile. 

when he wants someone by his side while he fixes a problem, he can’t go wrong with zuko. zuko proved that at the boiling rock. he’s ride or die, and sokka will never get over how validating it is to have an ally he can rely on no matter what. well, two allies. they also bring momo. 

when he wants someone to just sit with him and understand, that’s a job for katara. she’s his shadow and his witness, just as he is hers. no one else will ever be up to that task. 

but when there’s an external problem out in the world and he doesn’t know what to do about it, that kind of question can only go to aang. and nothing makes sokka happier than getting to watch the gears in aang’s brain work as he figures out a solution. this is what aang is great at, and it’s a treat to watch him excel at what he does. there’s that sense of pride, too, that sokka was part of this kid’s upbringing and now here he is, all wise and shit. (he was always wise, but let sokka have this one!!!) sokka was taught that it isn’t right to ask for help, but he knows better now, and when it comes to his amazing, brilliant, empathetic, wise friends, he never minds at all.