I watched ATLA as a teenager and it remains one of the best children's cartoons I've seen, but it still stings that after all of Katara's strength and heart and deep emotional intelligence, by the end of the show she is still Aang's prize for saving the world.

Their relationship never meaningfully develops past the initial angst of his revealed attraction, she is never given the space to think through or develop her feelings for him, and his unwanted advances are never commented upon or worked through. She just acquiesces.

He doesn't engage with her goals or help her on her own journey of self-actualisation and maturity. He doesn't listen or meaningfully respond to her fears or difficulties. She helps him grow, but he doesn't reciprocate. But she's still his prize.

Katara's role is to be consistently strong, provide immediate comfort and moral guidance, and take the reins when things go wildly wrong. But in the handful of moments where she falters, or doubts, Aang doesn't help her. He moralizes and chides.

It's an unfortunate failure of the show, that Katara's relationship with her apparent love interest never evolves past mothering.

So if you're wondering why Zutara folks are still a bit salty, think about this thread, and consider how Zuko earned Katara's regard by helping her, no-judgement, find and face her mother's murderer.

(That episode was also a great example of how Zuko internalized Iroh's teachings and used them to help someone else who was also grieving and conflicted and prone to making a life-alteringly bad choice.)