Atla Zuko - Blog Posts

One thing I love about the live action avatar is that Ozai places Zuko's hand over his heart before burning his face off. He shows that small bit of vulnerability because he KNOWS Zuko would never do what he’s about to do. It’s just this small little mocking action of “look I’m OFFERING you the opportunity to stop this. To win. But you would NEVER do that because you are weak. Because you haven’t got the guts to do what I’m about to do”. Ozai has so much faith that Zuko would never turn against him and he is right. 

....I ran out of more space

the northern water tribes wall looks pretty cool. I also like how they add like...specific names to the northern and southern water tribe areas we see. It adds a little realism.

the pakras the northern water tribe people wear arn't all the same and I think its a really cute detail. its a great addition that expands upon the animation. its sick.

Iroh casually and polietly insulting Zhao and then zhao insulting him back is some much needed political awkwardness I needed.

YUE MIXING THE DESERT FOR THE LITTLE GIRL WITH BENDING. ITS SUPER CUTE.

"that I was stuck up?" "yeah! :D UH I mean no" I hate this change BUT this is funny.

I kinda love how they show HOW out of touch the north is via their understanding of fire nation armour. I mean I know its done in the show I just love that they kept it in.

I like the healing dummy in the healer hut. I think its a very sick addition.

I like that Kuruk is a thing. I also like how Yue doesn't JUST beleive that Kuruk was an avatar who didn't do his job. Its sweet its like Katara and Aang. that cute little paralels comming through again.

honestly I have a love hate relationship with Aang seeing past avatars. on one hand Its great to get to see them more, and it foreshadows the final invasion and aang trying to seek help before choosing his own path. on the other hand, it sometimes removes his agency when they do these things for him. specifically with Kyoshi.

I like how Kuruk holds power, how he blows the snow away and his voice gets louder. I also love WHY he cannot do what Kyoshi did. I love that they play on old cannon to expand on their own. It's sick.

"silly avatar"

I like how in episode 8 Sokka seems to be taking on a leadership role in the fight, specifically by calling out commands to Katara and Aang. Its a prety nice addition.

"one way or another this is how my journey ends" the fact that Iroh just has to accept that Zuko is willing to die for this. thats fucked. its good.

I like that they use Kuruks knife. it adds a nice touch I guess.

I also like that zhao acts as though killing the ocean would be insane and not just killing the moon. its so funny.

MOMO DOES ONE THING THIS SEASON AND ITS SAVE A CHILD AND ALMOST DIE. best character ever made. I ma so glad he was used in this show.

the spirit oasis is insane I kinda love it and I kinda hate it cuss HOW IS THAT BEING HIDEN BY THE CASTLE. if they had decended a few more stairs I'd beleive it but oh god. I will say the abundance of flowers is really cute.

Zuko went under the ice as well.. him bursting through hte suface looks sick. I'm glad he's an idiot in this series as well.

I like the fish.

zhao actually like has a plan and for once in episode 8 he is scary.

THAT RED MOON FUCKS. its intresting how they move to it being completlty red compared to the animation being deprived of colour. Its an intresting twist stylistically. I also reallly like how the world starts fading to black the moment rhe fish is killed, its just a reallllly sick thing. I always loved how the seige of the north is animated so for them to do it gustice style wise its fun.

"master of three elelements, hasn't really got the same ring to it" is helarious. "touching, not that I care"

SEEING THE BOAT MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH THE WALL WAS INSANE. IT WAS MESSY, IT WAS DANGEROUS, IT WAS IMPOSIBLE.

I think the destruction shown to the buildings is actually shown much better in the LA then in the animation, for obvious reasons. Either way I like it.

Hahn staying behind for the others to retreat is an intresting change. I'm still not sure if I LOVE it but it is an intresting change.

the ocean spirit LOOKS dangerous and insane. that is SICK. Its like if Gozzila was clapped.

I like how all the water tribes people are bowing down towards it.

"he's a small man whos gonna meet a small end" we love you Iroh

Zuko and zhaos battle o the bridge looks good, I love that they kept the animations stylistic choice of fire lighting up the world despite the moon. it adds such a good contrast between them and the world and UGH yes.

Zukos desperation for zhao to be lying is so painful.

I've been so negative to the LA so heres a few things that I genuinely loved. Spoiles ahead. duh.

Sukis eye make up. the yellow blend into red? a nice subtle change to her character design that reallly adds to her

Zuko having those avatar dolls and their eyes lighting up. was cute

Zuko getting so hissy and destroying his room cuss his journal was missing. very relatable, very silly, the way Iroh is just kinda there realllly shows their dynamic well and also shows how Zuko IS just a stressed teenager

all the maps and drawings on the walls. they are very pretty and I'd love to have some of them irl

the entire scene of Suki and Sokka training together. Sokka slowly following her, Suki directing his moves and changing his forms. it felt like a dance and reallly highlighted how beutiful and deadly martial arts can be. it was also just filmed very sweetly with little noise beyond a sound track and grunts. Genuinely the best scene of episode 2 (and maybe the whole show).

Zuko unirioncally trying to fight Kyoshi??? it was so random but SO fitting. I aspire to be as stupid as this dumbass.

Sokka going "leader vs leader" to Zuko when asking him to fight was very cute and I HOPE they keep this style of interactions in like season 3 if they get that far.

JET USING THE HOOKS ON HIS SWORDS TO CONNECT THEM AND USE THEM AS ONE LARGE EXTENDED SWORD??? so intresting. SUCH a good use of props and how dynamic the fights in this show COULD be.

Longshot. Idk they are just so funny to me, I love how they are just casually posed on a tree as they shoot the first arrow.

the mechanist telling Sokka that he's tallented when it comes to engineering. it was very sweet, although I feel like it might bite the writers in the ass eventually. but for now it was very sweet.

I know in a past post I complained that Aang taught her bending to much, BUT Jet helping her open up about her mother and it helping her bending was an intresting take. I can see why people would hate it, but also why people would like it. Its intresting, its unique, and introduces an intresting paralel of Katara struggling to bend because of her emotions, and (hopefully) zuko facing that same issue later on in the series.

OMA AND SHU. best change of the entire series, truly the ultimate step up from the og, it works so well. I've seen this change in fanfiction and always loved it there, so happy it's now in a cannon media. Also the art work as they explain is very very beutiful.

Jets actor is honestly pretty fucking good. his "I thought you were on our side. On my side" speech in episode 4 was very sweetly done and it FELT complex with his emotions. espeically the choked up "i am nothing like the firebenders" MY GOD. Its a different take on Jet that shows a bit more of his sympathy then in the show and I think it realllly works. Props to the actor.

Zuko struggling to lie during episode 4 and make up excuses as he walks around the prision. Its so fucking funny to see him struggle and be all "well...my comanders gonna be pissed if I don't get to my duty in times" its so funny. I love Dallas I think he does a great job with Zuko and his characterisation will only get better if the show continues.

changing it to Sokka and Katara in the cave from Aang and Katara is honestly pretty cute? I know it takes away from the building romance with Katara and aang (although the show has cut so many of their interactions then this time it really WOULD feel forced) BUT it does work to expand and examine the theme of family that Avatar as a thing LOVES. Its espeically sweet arfter we've seen Katara and Sokka struggling deeply with each others wants and desires earlier in the show (espeically since this is stright arfter Jet). ( I am slightly pissed that its KATARA who is the skeptic in the tunnels. they could have the same argument with Katara being the one to believe. but oh well). Their argument was well worth it, it was long building, and truly felt like the two had buckled under the stress of leaving their tribe. Plus with the glowing crystals its like they are surrounded by stars which I think adds to the idea of missing home.

finishing the song secret tunel to then go "yeah there doomed!" with the biggest smile on his face. 10/10 comedy.

The arctitexture of the Omashu palace AND the crystals he bends are extrodinarily stunning. I mean the crytals look like smash beer bottles when broken, but when they are crystals???? suppper pretty.

ZUKOS PONY TAIL DOES THE PONY TAIL SWING BACK AND FORTH! Okay I know this is dumb, ut in the animation it didn''t happen as much or as extreme so it pleases me that real world physics are happening. Plus its just so silly.

The earth benders talking about how much was LOST during Irohs siege of ba sing se was pretty powerful. I've always been slightly irked that they wash over Irohs past and that he is JUST a good person, so it felt pretty cool that they took the time to kinda have him be....confronted by it? "I was a soilder" "you were a butcher!". It was a very quick examination of grief and ptsd, we got to see Irohs own sort of views about what happened, we got to see another persons desire for revenge because of the war, it was an odd scene for what we know of Iroh but it WAS intresting.

The funeral scene. "what a great honour for you and Lu ten to die in service of the fire nation" AND THEN ZUKO ACTING LIKE IT WAS WRONG TO SAY THAT. god. And then offering the medal that lu ten gave him to Iroh to properly comfort him? I was sobbing. It was a beutiful examination of Zukos conflict with what is expected of him, and what he WANTS to do. and then sitting by his side when no one else would? and Irohs tears only NOW comming once Zuko joined him? It was reallly and beutiful scene. I am so happy they added this.

genuinely when it was revealed that the tunnels where changing??? chills. I expected it. but it still shook me to my core. Maybe its cuss of the funeral scene before hand but either way props to them.

Okay so the animals sometimes looks goofy, BUT they also express WHAT they are so well. I love all the animals they look so fluffy and silly.

Iroh using the chains against hte earth soilders, once again some fun fight choreography and I am living for it.

Katara finding the badgermoles reacting to emotions with like...wonder and then Sokka going all "soo uhhh Mr badgermole" Was SO cute and in character.

Sometimes theres issues with the earth bending speed, but in the Bumi and Aang fight I found all the speed rather fitting. When he threw rocks, he THREW them. espeically the smaller rocks those shits are DEADLY. I mean that recreations of the animations scene where he bends over the rock looks goofy, like I get it but it didn't quite translate well BUT The rest of the fight looked pretty good. (and whilst I GET why it was important for Aang to face this challenge of this or that, it was upsetting for BUMI to be the one to do that. There are multiple other characters where it would make more sense, with Bumi being an old friend it just feels wrong. "you think like a child" "Is that really so bad?" was very sweet though.). I think Im a little over critical of what they've done to Bumi. it is a sweet story line and I can KINDA understand Bumis stance. realistically it wasn't that awful of a change its just jarring cuss its BUMI. Love his dress though I think it REALLY adds to this diversity of cultures and earth kingdom citys.

Seeing Zuko with that bandages arround his head and all his hair kinda really hurt. Also the use of leaves from the vine again. very sweet. "home. everything I need is on this boat" IT MADE ME SOB SO FAST. For all this shows changes, the changes they do with Zuko and Iroh work. The way Zuko saw the air bison and STILL chose getting his uncle to safty over even mentioning them? wonderful.

THE ICE DISKS! KATARA LITERALLY SAYING SHE GOT IT FROM THE EARTH BENDERS! its pretty cool. I like that they are already going deep with the benders taking elements from other bending styles is super fun!

Sokka and the little girl

A lot of peoples defenses for the live action start with "its an adaptation it's not gonna be the exact same show" and like...duh??? Most people who are writing criticisms for the show aren't criticizing it because it's a bad adaptation alone, they point out flaws that come down to it just being a bad show. Adaptations are tricky to get right because they are essentially a professional fanfiction retelling, you have to work out what is the most important parts to carry across the main theme, sometimes that means you have to change the characters personalities or even arcs. We understand that. Many successful adaptations get that (think lord of the rings, or [i'm sorry to say this] harry potter. or even better yet good omens!). Why do those adaptations work then? because they adapt and write a fluid story BASED on that original work. It's there, USE IT.

The live action doesn't work for me because it fails to write its own story well. The exposition dumps, the clunky dialog between characters, the pacing. It feels like a rough draft and not a final product. Like there is SO much potential in this show and I really hope it gets a season 2 with a larger budget and a couple more episodes because I want them to do well. There's a couple of really cute small things that are so interesting like Zuko having those avatar dolls or Sokka and Suki first training together and her correcting his form. I want more of this and less of them just dumping future lore on me for no reason. It would really help them narratively if they just let some things remain a mystery to new audiences. 

A pen sketch of zuko!

A zuko sketch I did on my aunt's phone on the note app.

This made me realise how different an actual stylus pen to a random silicon tipped pen that I own 👀👀.

I don't remember if I posted this so here.

Lee form the tea shop!

A mini zuko form my sketchbook

Does anyone have Zuko x reader fic recs?

I feel like I read every single one of them🥹🥹🥹.

He would tho... He is that type of boyfriend

mai: I really like strawberries

zuko: oh..

(Next day)

Mai: …zuko did u just buy the whole market’s strawberries?

My art style both digitally and traditionally keeps on changing.

I don't even know anymore 🪼.

Have this digital painting of zuko!

I was clearly inspired by @torushiie on Instagram and YouTube!

I remember seeing a comic with zuko wearing hair clips.

I just had to draw it at some point,if somone knows who is the artist please tell me 🥹🥹

Another digital drawing of zuko, I, by no means, know what i am doing 🙂.

I mess around and shit happens.

I finished colouring it! Weeeeeeee🍪🍪

@tyrannosaurustai thank you so much for your kind words❤️ I have been having art block and this really helped 🥺🥺

I decided to try digital art.

My sanity is gone thank you very much. 🥹🥹

@tyrannosaurustai 's art of zuko inspired this ❤️ I hope you don't mind 👉🏽👈🏽

The mini zuko's of my sketchbook, I love him ❤️ he is so precious, a little awkward turtle-duck🥺🥺🥹

Concept: Fire Lords traditionally dress like the stages of the sun to match their reign.

When Zuko is first crowned, he dresses in the colours of dawn. Bright yellows and pinks and even purples. He starts to wear more traditional crimson-and-gold robes after a few years, the colours of midday when Agni is at his strongest. And towards the end of his reign, when he's getting ready to pass the crown onto Izumi, he starts dressing like the setting sun.

I am heading to bed night night 🌃🌃

“can’t wait for zuko’s glowup” i want him as he is Now.

Fireside (Zuko x Reader)

Word Count: 1,775

Author’s Note: I am so deeply sorry this took so long to post. I don’t know what happened but after Thanksgiving the creative part of my brain completely shut down and all I could do was lay in bed and play video games. But it’s back now so 🎉🎉🎉 happy new year to all of us! 

I got this request a WHILE ago and had written something else for it but after reconsidering, I totally hated it, so this is the rewrite for some cozy, wintery goodness. I also love this idea because I’m constantly cold - my feet and hands are always freezing and even in summer I’ll wear sweaters and hoodies because aircon can get pretty chilly when you have the body temp of your average vampire. 

Now for a little update: in the new year, I’ll be focusing more on original works than fanfiction. I’m still going to finish Two Halves, and I’ll still write fanfiction (because it’s still super fun) but I have so many ideas for original works that are taking over my brain that it seems only fitting to shift that direction. If you’re on my subscriber list and would like to only receive alerts for fanfic, let me know and I’ll add you to a separate list. 

I hope you’re all having a wonderful holiday, taking time to relax and spend time with loved ones, and generally just glad to have survived this shithole of a year. Here’s hoping that 2021 goes better - 2020 set the bar pretty low so it shouldn’t be too hard. 🥂

Snow was a rare occurrence in the Fire Nation. Summers typically scorched, followed by peaceful autumns and mild winters; a little rainfall was all one typically expected during the colder months in the Imperial City. 

This year, however, was much different. The mountains that bordered the villages and towns throughout the island were white capped under gray skies; streets were slickened by thick layers of ice that settled between cobblestones and creased the panes of windows; bracing breezes swept through landscapes unaccustomed to such unforgiving weather, carrying flurries of snow that bit at cheeks and cloaked the world in a dull ivory veil. Winter came to the Fire Nation seeking a cruel, unwarranted vengeance.

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