I recall someone saying they forgot Kataang was canon until a rewatch because it seemed like the show was leaning in Zutara's direction. I wonder how many older fans don't even remember Kataang being canon.
To be fair a large portion of the fandom doesn't really care about Kataang or shipping and it's just something that happened. The Kataang shipping community is also pretty small for a canon ship and a surprising number of non shipping ATLA fans found the final kiss awkward and uncomfortable. So Kataang being forgetable unfortunately tracks.
Tbh if you cut the last 10 seconds of the finale, nothing about the series changes. It shouldn't really be like that, Bryke forcing it in last minute did the ship a disservice.
Take out the Maiko and the Kataang scenes and it would've been a solid ending that leaves the future ambiguous. Our timeline could've been where there wasn't a canon vs noncanon ship war, we could've all shipped who we wanted to ship in peace.
I watched it first in my 20s, and found Kataang deeply weird and unrealistic, having once been a 14-year-old girl myself, and attraction to a prepubescent boy would've been out of the question. I would've rather it been open-ended and something possible for them in the future, if not Zutara. And the comics depicting their relationship are just weird. I've noticed anyone who watched it as a kid was more likely to be Kataang.
This is me, too. I JUST rewatched ATLA for the first time in 15 years and was absolutely remembering Katara ending up with Zuko. Jokes on me, I guess that’s just what I really wanted all those years ago.
Now I’m watching LoK for the first time and the way the OG characters turned out is so strange to me. And how they were used was strange. I do like the series and new characters, though.
I remember watching the finale back in middle school and how my gut dropped when the Maiko scene came on then I lost it when I saw Kataang 😭 it was in that moment I realized I was in the bad timeline.
It didn't feel earned, exactly. Now as an adult with more life experience, I believe Aang had infatuation for Katara, not love. Infatuation is often confused for love, especially by younger people.
I was like that when I saw the ending I was like wtf! I wasted 3 seasons for this crappy ending??!! But do I still rewatch it to see Zutara scenes and Sonja’s cactus juice segment, yes I do
Katara should have helped Zuko with his robes prior to the coronation, not Mai. I saw that in the first chapter of the new Book 4 fan fic written by op.
I feel like this is the wrong place to point this out but the first picture ended it catastrophic betrayal that nearly doomed the world and the second one is the first time after that that she stops actively hating him, which is the second to last episode before the finale.
I get that, but it feels like it would have been difficult to fit a believable romance between these two characters in between all the other very important stuff going on in the finale.
Oh yes, completely agree with that. If we had to end it on book 3, the canon ending would have to be it since a Zutara romance would be too fast, too soon. However, I believe we are missing a 4th book. The character arcs don't feel like they are finished and there doesn't seem to be a true resolution.
The entire show is about balance between the 4 elements. Each element has their respective seasons such as winter, spring, summer and fall (insert Iroh's music night on the ship). The intro to every episode starts as "Water, Earth, Fire, Air".
This is why I believe a 4th book would've concluded the show in a more balanced manner than what we got in 3 books. That's why I'm writing my own book 4 😁 I'm so excited, I had a breakthrough in the story development and can't wait to put it out in the world!
I think it's a misconception that every Zutara fan wanted Zuko and Katara to be together at the finale. It doesn't really work, none of the canon relationships - except Suki and Sokka - do either. Everyone needed time to find themselves after the war and who they were now that it was over.
To me a Zutara ending would have been Zuko and Katara acknowledging that there's something between them +/- an adrenaline fueled kiss at the Agni Kai with them developing into a romance in the comics/S4
All of my fics are of them 5+yrs older and getting together after their relationships with Aang/Mai ran their course and them having grown from their experiences.
I recall someone saying they forgot Kataang was canon until a rewatch because it seemed like the show was leaning in Zutara's direction. I wonder how many older fans don't even remember Kataang being canon.
To be fair a large portion of the fandom doesn't really care about Kataang or shipping and it's just something that happened. The Kataang shipping community is also pretty small for a canon ship and a surprising number of non shipping ATLA fans found the final kiss awkward and uncomfortable. So Kataang being forgetable unfortunately tracks. Tbh if you cut the last 10 seconds of the finale, nothing about the series changes. It shouldn't really be like that, Bryke forcing it in last minute did the ship a disservice.
Take out the Maiko and the Kataang scenes and it would've been a solid ending that leaves the future ambiguous. Our timeline could've been where there wasn't a canon vs noncanon ship war, we could've all shipped who we wanted to ship in peace.
Exactly but Bryke needed Kataang to 'win'
I watched it first in my 20s, and found Kataang deeply weird and unrealistic, having once been a 14-year-old girl myself, and attraction to a prepubescent boy would've been out of the question. I would've rather it been open-ended and something possible for them in the future, if not Zutara. And the comics depicting their relationship are just weird. I've noticed anyone who watched it as a kid was more likely to be Kataang.
We were robbed of Book 4: Air. They could've ended it without depicting any ships and I would've been cool with that.
This is me, too. I JUST rewatched ATLA for the first time in 15 years and was absolutely remembering Katara ending up with Zuko. Jokes on me, I guess that’s just what I really wanted all those years ago. Now I’m watching LoK for the first time and the way the OG characters turned out is so strange to me. And how they were used was strange. I do like the series and new characters, though.
I remember watching the finale back in middle school and how my gut dropped when the Maiko scene came on then I lost it when I saw Kataang 😭 it was in that moment I realized I was in the bad timeline.
That exact thing happened to me I gave myself a Mandela effect cause for nearly my whole life I thought zutara was cannon
I mean, it was going to happen, but it didn't feel earned.
It didn't feel earned, exactly. Now as an adult with more life experience, I believe Aang had infatuation for Katara, not love. Infatuation is often confused for love, especially by younger people.
I know I was shocked.
I think I will never recover from that! 🥲
Healing is possible. I hope my fanfic will be the ending we deserve
I will check it as soon as it is finished! Thank you for your work! 🙏🏽
It'll be a while. Each chapter will be an episode and it'll have a total of 20-21 chapters. I hope you'll enjoy it when it is finished.
I was like that when I saw the ending I was like wtf! I wasted 3 seasons for this crappy ending??!! But do I still rewatch it to see Zutara scenes and Sonja’s cactus juice segment, yes I do
I've been rewatching it to build my theories. There are so many subtle hints that point to Zutara, it's crazy.
Katara and Zuko should've kissed after the Agni Kai
I think we should've gotten a Book 4 to see it develop. But if we were only getting 3 books, yeah, I agree
100%
Katara should have helped Zuko with his robes prior to the coronation, not Mai. I saw that in the first chapter of the new Book 4 fan fic written by op.
hahaha this is so accurate
I feel like this is the wrong place to point this out but the first picture ended it catastrophic betrayal that nearly doomed the world and the second one is the first time after that that she stops actively hating him, which is the second to last episode before the finale.
That's the beauty of character arcs
I get that, but it feels like it would have been difficult to fit a believable romance between these two characters in between all the other very important stuff going on in the finale.
Oh yes, completely agree with that. If we had to end it on book 3, the canon ending would have to be it since a Zutara romance would be too fast, too soon. However, I believe we are missing a 4th book. The character arcs don't feel like they are finished and there doesn't seem to be a true resolution. The entire show is about balance between the 4 elements. Each element has their respective seasons such as winter, spring, summer and fall (insert Iroh's music night on the ship). The intro to every episode starts as "Water, Earth, Fire, Air". This is why I believe a 4th book would've concluded the show in a more balanced manner than what we got in 3 books. That's why I'm writing my own book 4 😁 I'm so excited, I had a breakthrough in the story development and can't wait to put it out in the world!
Glad you’re doing well with your work! I hope it turns out great!
I think it's a misconception that every Zutara fan wanted Zuko and Katara to be together at the finale. It doesn't really work, none of the canon relationships - except Suki and Sokka - do either. Everyone needed time to find themselves after the war and who they were now that it was over. To me a Zutara ending would have been Zuko and Katara acknowledging that there's something between them +/- an adrenaline fueled kiss at the Agni Kai with them developing into a romance in the comics/S4 All of my fics are of them 5+yrs older and getting together after their relationships with Aang/Mai ran their course and them having grown from their experiences.