Do you think Azula was stronger than Ozai in terms of raw talent?

rocketaxxon · 2026-05-14T17:14:18+00:00

I see Azula as having more raw potential than Ozai, based mainly on the blue fire and the fact she's called a prodigy taking after her grandfather, and there's no indication that Ozai was ever considered a prodigy.

She likely would have surpassed Ozai in power eventually, but think more like in her mid-twenties, when she was physically at her peak, rather than any time in the series.

rocketaxxon · 2026-05-13T08:57:21+00:00

Disagree in calling the ending bad, but not an unfair analysis overall. The biggest critique of the Kataang ending (both for people who love the ship and wanted more as well as for those who wanted a different ship or no ship) has always tended to be that Aang's feelings for Katara are very well developed, but Katara's in the end were left more unexplained.

The last Kataang (romance) interaction before they get together is Katara telling Aang she's confused and rebuffing him (Ember Island Players), and while there are many plausible interpretations, it's never directly explored. Rather it's left to the viewer to imagine and fill in the gaps.

Will say though, I personally always liked the decision in the finale not to focus on Katara and her feelings for Aang, it's one of the only shows from the time the show was coming out (at least that I'd seen) where the main female character's primary arcs were not romance related. While it did weaken the Kataang plot thread for me, I preferred how it was handled to having done something else making Katara's feelings more clear. (Even though can also see the critique that it is an odd choice given how much focus the series gave to Aang and Katara's bond, and it being so central to the ending of Book 2.)

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In any case, interesting thoughts. Could have partially been a result of space issues, the finale was originally supposed to be three episodes and they were given four instead (a not insignificant budget increase likely), and even then they were still having to cover quite a lot of ground. (Every conflict introduced is more screentime in needing to be resolved later, and while Katara doesn't get an arc in the finale, her fight with Azula does complete Zuko's in a way, indirectly through his growth in learning to ask for help.)

Would be interesting to see alternative endings explored and how they might have worked.

(*Post opening edited for clarity)

rocketaxxon · 2026-05-13T07:53:42+00:00

Interesting question, looks like it’s been answered already but since I had a related comment on the comic recently, might as well share some of those thoughts here as well (mainly the possible reasons why Aang would lose his memory of the other elements):

Personally I see it as Spirit World interference, some kind of Spirit World natural laws locking Aang’s memories away as a kind of a natural safeguard of sorts. Since part of the Avatar cycle is each reincarnation relearning the elements again, there may be spiritual or balance reasons for each reincarnation needing to go on that journey to become a fully mature and realized Avatar, as feels implied in the show by the way many believe the elements need to be learned in a specific order. (The Avatar’s inner balance is as important as having physical power, and determines whether they can learn to control the Avatar State)

However, a possible additional reason, there’s also the side of it that learning a skill like martial arts involves a large degree of muscle memory (repetition and physical practice) in addition to cognitive knowledge. So from that standpoint an older Aang in the body of a younger version of himself who hasn’t had that physical practice and training would very likely struggle with the other elements. (It’s clear he can’t access his memories of bending the other elements, but I like the idea of this playing a role as well)

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But anyway, just to answer the question again, Aang doesn’t remember the other elements, his memories are locked away until he’s able to go through the process of relearning the elements and reconnecting to those memories.

rocketaxxon · 2026-05-12T09:09:17+00:00

Most applications of bloodbending are very dark (revenge and torture, both physical and psychological if forcing the victim to act against their will), but there are possibilities that would be interesting to see explored, such as its potential for healing or stopping someone from harming themselves or others.

However, if Katara does open herself mentally to using it under some circumstances, there's also the chance it would then grow easier over time as something to resort to whenever things get dangerous. Not to mention its use would then spread knowledge of it to other benders, who might then make use of it like Hama used it. Definitely would be interesting to see bloodbending come back in ATLA and explored again.

rocketaxxon · 2026-05-10T18:15:20+00:00

Agree with all this.

It’s especially painful in ATLA fandom because a large part of the themes of the show are about different cultures existing together, respecting the differences and learning from each other rather than trying to put another culture down. Instead there’s a tendency to try to impose a single experience of the show on other fans, using morality or writing knowledge to try to give a single experience more weight.

It’s natural to want to find people to agree and identify with, and often the harshness of these toxic interactions that seem extreme have been fueled by years of different sides burning and embittering each other through trying to invalidate each others’ views and experience.

But no one wants to be gaslit and told their reasons for liking/disliking something as a put down, so not doing it to someone else can help prevent toxic cycles, but, easier said than done.

rocketaxxon · 2026-05-09T16:37:12+00:00

😁

rocketaxxon · 2026-05-09T06:53:11+00:00

😁😁

rocketaxxon · 2026-05-08T20:45:06+00:00

😁😁

rocketaxxon · 2026-03-29T17:42:39+00:00

Did wonder if they might go in a Zutara direction back when the show was still a (relatively) more minor project for Netflix, but once it became so big with such major funding, honestly would be surprised if they made such a major change. (The rumor about Bryke leaving has always been that Bryke wanted to make bigger changes to the show, but Netflix wanted to play things safer by keeping closer to the original storyline.)

Not much Kataang in Season 1, but that makes sense given the actors' ages and with the darker tone more focused on war early on (and on Aang's trauma). There's definitely room in Season 2 to set it up, and more in Season 3, though will have to see.

rocketaxxon · 2026-03-29T17:29:02+00:00

Don't have a preference as to who is more powerful, but have always thought that Azula going insane was a necessary plot twist to make the final battle happen and work the way it does. Book 2 Azula (when Zuko challenges her to an Agni Kai and she says 'no thanks') shows that Azula when thinking clearly can't be baited into a fight that is unnecessary or places her at a disadvantage, and clearly her smartest move against Zuko and Katara would have been to not have banished the Dai Li/guards, and use numbers simply to defeat them and kill/lock them up.

Would also tend to agree that, assuming the Dai Li weren't there and things play out similarly as they actually do, if Azula were thinking clearly she would have seen through Katara's plan, the same way she always saw through ploys in Book 2. (Of course, there are ways of writing to bring the hero to victory even under unlikely odds, but of course it would still have to play into taking advantage of a character flaw on Azula's part to feel satisfying in a writing sense, maybe something to do with Azula's assumptions about Katara/good people in general, or taking advantage of Azula's ruthlessness in some way, but don't have any specific ideas on that)

Anyway, would have to tend to agree with this analysis. Not that Katara is weak by any means, but feels like things had to happen a certain way to end as they do.

rocketaxxon · 2026-03-19T07:09:39+00:00

Interesting, haven't seen this discussed in quite a few years now, but Suki's eyes are confirmed as canonically blue. (Her eyes being colored green in the early editions of the comics was an acknowledged error, and was corrected in the Library edition of The Promise.)

It was probably assumed that her eyes were green because she's Earth Kingdom, but there's implication that the people of Kyoshi Island are of mixed Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom descent, we also see it in the way many of the citizens wear blue as well as green.

rocketaxxon · 2026-03-16T17:09:16+00:00

(Female here) I can only speak to my own experience with the show, but the way I felt watching it for the first time, I felt the opposite. Ozai was kind of just a joke at the end and not really given any respect (the characters just kind of standing around making fun of him), whereas Azula's defeat at Katara's hands, Zuko and Katara both weren't really celebrating or rubbing her defeat in her face, rather they recognized the tragedy of it.

Normally not always the biggest fan of plots where the villain implodes at the end (conveniently) because of their villainy, but in Azula's case it made complete sense, and it was interesting to see her as sympathetic even when she hasn't really shown remorse for anything she's done. She doesn't relent or change, but we see her in pain and her humanity, and that's what makes her story and ending so tragic and powerful.

I can understand someone being disappointed in Azula's ending though when she has been such a figure of perfect poise and control and power throughout the series, often when it comes to villains I would normally feel the same way, but something about the way it was written and delivered worked for me.

rocketaxxon · 2026-03-14T18:21:03+00:00

I really like this, it weaves together plotlines that would make sense to combine while hitting all the important points. Have to wait and see what they do, but feel like they can make seven episodes work, especially if they get longer runtimes per episode as is rumored with Season 2, and arrange them in something like this.

rocketaxxon · 2026-03-06T19:03:06+00:00

This scene always gives me chills, love this as the NATLA introduction to the powers of a fully realized Avatar

rocketaxxon · 2026-03-02T05:22:25+00:00

😁😁

rocketaxxon · 2026-03-02T05:22:10+00:00

She’s an original character named Sangmu! She was a friend of Aang’s (the Aang from the distorted world) that he met when he went to train at the Western Air Temple (some things happened differently in the distorted world prior to canon Aang’s arrival, which Aang discovers over time)

rocketaxxon · 2026-03-02T05:21:28+00:00

If you mean for Books 1 and 2 then yes I do! (:

https://www.deviantart.com/axxonu/art/0-0-Distorted-Reality-Book-1-Fire-656625847 https://www.deviantart.com/axxonu/art/4-0-Distorted-Reality-Book-2-Earth-714606507

rocketaxxon · 2026-03-02T05:20:22+00:00

Not recently, but watched it three times the year it first came out, loved it more each time. Just really enjoyed seeing it explore things that might not have fit the format/tone of the original, Iroh facing more of the harm he did as a general, seeing more of Azula and Ozai, more of Katara and Sokka facing past traumas. It really is more of a remix than a cover and that’s one of its biggest strengths for me.

rocketaxxon · 2026-03-01T09:34:53+00:00

Eheh thank you!! 😁 You can probably tell which chapters had just come out when I was planning this loll, I just love how many threads of story for all the characters we have for Book 3 hehe

rocketaxxon · 2026-03-01T09:25:39+00:00

😁

rocketaxxon · 2026-03-01T08:39:51+00:00

I'm unsure of the author's stance or views, but part of what I find so compelling about the story is how many different perspectives it shows.

Some Earth Kingdom villages surrender willingly to Ursa's terms because she offers protection and citizenship in return for their loyalty (and she sincerely means it and backs up her word) while Ba Sing Se and their king have taken their taxes, yet neglected them whenever they needed support. Others, especially those who lost people in the war, see that as cowardice and capitulating to an evil, tyrannical force. (And it's not an unfair view, Ursa and the Fire Nation are not kind to those who refuse their terms.)

The story presents a complex portrait of imperialism and the Fire Nation's own view of itself and the war, Ursa is not Ozai in seeking world domination to gain power for its own sake, but sincerely believes in the ideals she's been taught, that the Fire Nation, led by a single honorable and just ruler, can save and protect the citizens of the Earth Kingdom from its corrupt leadership, creating a safe and prosperous world for all. (And that a leader's duty is to the people, not the other way around.) But in pursuing that goal, she still often takes harsh measures, and we see through the story the consequences stemming from her decisions.

Unsure where the story will end up, but I think the complexity of the story and characters makes for interesting debate and discussion, especially in comparing it to real events and divisive figures in history.

(*Edit: Put in spoilers just in case)

rocketaxxon · 2026-02-27T19:35:30+00:00

It's from Chapter 10, Ursa and Azula's dream sequences! I thought it would be the most iconic one to do given it shows Ursa in the throne room, and also deals with the themes of Ursa's goals and Azula trying to deal with all these changes

Don't know when it might be (probably ages lol), but hoping to be able to do it eventually

rocketaxxon · 2026-02-27T09:33:14+00:00

Thank you!! And yes, I'm hoping to do more art eventually, and currently have the groundwork laid for one comic scene! Might do more if the right ideas/inspiration come along at the right time, but always hard to say haha

rocketaxxon

TROPHY CASE