the similarities between the reylo and zukaang dynamics: a thread

first we’ll start with the leads of the respective series: aang and rey. both characters are similar in personalities and drive. they’re compassionate/see the good in everybody. rey was reluctant to have anything to do with the force. aang was reluctant to be the avatar.

now their counterparts. zuko and kylo ren are also similar in their personalities and drive. they have bad relationships with their families and believe that their honor/belonging is tied to a pursuit of power and proving themselves to their lineage (zuko w ozai, kylo w vader)

kylo believes that everything he needs to prove himself to his grandfather’s legacy is tied to rey (the lightsaber she possesses). in comparison, zuko thinks everything he wants (his honor) is tied to aang (capturing him and delivering him to his father)

rey/aang and kylo/zuko are all individually skilled in combat. either series showcases how well the two work together without communication, as seen in episode 13 of book one of atla, and the throne room fight in the last jedi.

aang was the first to offer friendship/understanding to zuko. rey was the first to offer the same to kylo. kylo and zuko wanted this belonging as they had been deprived of it all their lives. but aang/rey were their enemies, making them conflicted in what they feasibly wanted.

either series focus on the dynamic between aang/zuko and rey/kylo. though they are on opposite sides of the war, they are both tested by their connection/drawn to each other in a way that can only be described as destiny.

the themes of light/dark and yin/yang are prominent throughout either series. these themes are seen in the characters as rey/aang symbolize the light/yin, while kylo/zuko symbolize the dark/yang. these dualities compliment and challenge each other.

going back to how the characters are drawn to each other: throughout the series, each character is shown to have visions of their counterpart. these visions drive the conflict between them/emphasize how they are connected.

their connection extends to their ancestors, as their pasts are connected in many ways. their ancestors’s relationships had plunged the world/galaxy in darkness, and together, kylo/rey and zuko/aang worked and succeeded in righting those wrongs.

in the end, by working together, zuko/aang and kylo/rey were successful in restoring peace and balance to their worlds. these acts enforced how they were destined to come together, and play roles they might have never imagined/wanted.

end of thread.