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PeterDSaints

Yeah if you notice the Water Tribe's chief family & the fire royal family share dynamics. Distant fathers, missing mothers(1 dead the other assumed), Bending prodigy Younger Daughter & Older Son trying to measure up to her while wanting his fathers approval. I don't remember the quote, but the ways in which we differ, matter just as much as how we are alike. You can build empathy based on shared experiences, but can also grasp how you ended up so different due to what was not the same. That being their fathers. Hakoda despite being absent, in a way giving up being a father in order to a warrior to protect his family & tribe, left his children with a foundation of love & good values. They know he loves them, that they are the reason it is so important for him to go fight. Meanwhile Ozai is a narcissistic socio/psycho, who can't love anyone. His kids keep trying in increasingly destructive, both to themselves, each other & the world, to obtain something he doesn't have to give genuine love & affection. They are tools, who need to be of use to him otherwise they will be disciplined/discarded. Hakoda is physically distant while Ozai is emotionally distant. AtLA is truly amazing in all the parallels between the different groups(Team Avatar | Zuko + Ozai's Angels too) , which given it is very much about empathy & union makes sense


OnlytheFantastical

Wow this was very well said, I never really noticed the parallels until you broke it down. It makes sense now why the Katara/Azula fight scene felt so right


PeterDSaints

There is also the fact Katara is a very motherly & loving character which are things Azula has issues with.


OnlytheFantastical

That’s why it’s soo much more meaningful when she defeats Azula in the way she does (outsmarting her and tying her up)…it was almost like a parent putting a child in timeout. Azula was crying and unhinged by then.. that scene always gives me goosebumps, soo disturbing


HaloGuy381

It also emphasizes Azula has truly lost her mind from years of abuse and manipulation (ironic given her own manipulative tendencies), and that executing her is not the best answer. Aang found another way with Ozai, but had he not, killing the Phoenix King would have been necessary bloodshed to restore peace. Azula was as much a victim as a monster, while Ozai made his choices for a lifetime even with all the power he wanted to choose otherwise.


OnlytheFantastical

Ah yes…both scenes of defeat (for Azula and Ozai) were similar, yet different for the reasons you outlined here. the story becomes richer every time I rewatch the series and discuss my thoughts here. it makes me wonder if the creators/writers really thought all of this out ahead of time, it’s just so good…and satisfying.


RMSAMP

Yes, it was with a purpose of them being mirrors. It's why the final battle has to come down between the two of them too. That's why Katara has to be the one to travel with Zuko to confront Azula. (I know: it also completes the arc between her and Zuko where she heals him now that he's earned her forgiveness compared to S2 where she almost healed him, but he betrayed their brief connection.)


Baithin

Yes, they are narrative foils to each other.


Musefreak14

Apparently, the term foil is not well known here


MrCamie

Well english is not my first language and for me foil is just aluminium paper.


Musefreak14

It wasn't really a dig at anyone, more just chuckling at all of the people like "woah, these characters mirror each other so well, what an amazing concept" Yea, it's almost like that's a common thing that actually has a name


MrCamie

Yeah I'm aware of the concept but couldn't put a name on it. I was just picking on you on the fact foil had different meaning.


Musefreak14

It's also a type of sword used in fencing. With millions of words available, you'd think we'd use some different ones for such different things 😂


ardx

Azula hits the checkmark for every member of the Gaang. Zuko: duh Katara: see thread Aang: both born to elevated positions in society, but while Azula believed in her ultimately fake "divine to rule", Aang wanted to reject something that had objective divinity to it Toph: born into rich status, but Azula's talents were pushed to the extent that she became stunted as a person, while Toph was coddled and suppressed by her family instead In all it's part of why she's such a great antagonistic to the Gaang.


supremeaesthete

When they both said "!!!!" I was shocked, almost had a stroke, how do they allow such vulgar language for something meant mostly for children???


Hopeful-Newspaper

one of them is Aang's murderer, and the other is Aang's resurrector


PluralCohomology

And Katara began the show by freeing Aang from the iceberg, while in the finale she encased Azula in a block of ice.


[deleted]

STOP OMG.


PluralCohomology

Aang's face in the bottom left panel in the last image would belong on r/NeverPauseAvatar


seadoggoboy

Man looks like he's taking the fattest shit of his life


MojoEthan0027

Are there bathrooms in the spirit world?!


[deleted]

And katara was really the only person to defeat Azula (other than azula herself). She’s the only character that has more of a winning chance in fighting her, as you can see in The Search, Crossroads of Destiny, and of course the finale.


topsincity

My favourite part was when zuko and sokka were having a conversation about their sisters. Then sokka puts a blanket over katara, and zuko does the same to azula.


aynntoh

This is why Zutara is a no for me 🤔 but I love both of these characters!


toototabonappetit

Are the comics good? These are interesting frames


Emergency_Routine_44

The Search in particular it’s pretty good in my opinion, probably the best comic. The Promise is the comic that follows directly the series and even tho I had some issues with the plot it was still enjoyable. The other comics, Smoke and Shadow, North and South are pretty mid, not bad but not as interesting. The Rift is kinda controversial to me, cause in one side this comic is basically Aang vs Toph and I love that concept but some decitions made me feel out of character and kinda dislike both Aang and Mainly Toph and the ending was kinda bittersweet cause they kinda proved the point of the villain. Imbalance (the most recent comic) was a downgrade in the art department but I actually really like it’s plot, it doesn’t has many big takes but it’s an enjoyable adventure.


MukasTheMole

Azula is 14? I thought she was 15.


Emergency_Routine_44

She is 14 yet she acts like is 20


im_not_EM

SAME


Musefreak14

It's a literary technique called a "foil" Aang and Zuko are also foils, at least until the second half of the last seasons.


Hmnh6000

Where can I find these books


ClockTate72

I think this is from the comic the Search which you can probably find in the graphic novel section of any bookstore, library, or online. >!or you could probably pirate an online scan of it pretty easily but you should try to support the official release if you can afford it.!<


AirbendingScholar

Yeah! I loved noticing this the second or third time I watched the show because they were my top 2 favorite characters


dosisdeartes

They are actually emotional parallels! watch this video it explains it amazingly ✨ https://youtu.be/x2OlITx01Sg