Holy shit. I’m on season three of #AvatarTheLastAirbender and it hurts me that Katara ends up either Aang instead of Zuko. Just feels so painfully obvious that that’s not the way they should have gone.

Just started Season 3 for the first time since 4th grade.

Katara is dealing with feelings of rejection from her dad who left her as a child to go to war, which she’s connecting with Aang’s absence as he further gives himself over to the duties and responsibility of the Avatar.

Meanwhile, Aang just failed in his attempt to reach the Avatar State explicitly because he failed to “let Katara go.”

When he tried, he was killed before he was able to do so, and it was Katara who saved him, setting their relationship back to one of caretaking and reliance.

But after a religious experience at sea, Aang destroys his glider and realizes he must fully devote himself to completing his duty as Avatar, in this case continuing to fake his own death at the expense of his reputation and sense of identity.

Logically, it seems like this indicates a return to the path of “releasing attachment” for Aang. He has sarcaficed his sense of self, and the logical next obstacle to overcome is letting go of Katara, his friend and the person he has loved throughout adolescence.

Now, though, two years have passed since the show began and Aang has grown up. Soon he must let go of his sense of self and realize his broader importance- that includes letting go of Katara.

And again, the show has indicated that Katara requires devotion that the Aang can never provide. Today he’s just a boy, and tomorrow he will be the messiah.

Katara also isn’t someone who can take a back seat, not because of hubris, but because it’s simply not in her nature to be the doting housewife. She’s too independent, she wouldn’t be able to orient her being around someone else, as would be required when marrying a godlike being

Meanwhile, Zuko is set to become someone who can fill Katara’s needs. His arc has always been about overcoming the standards of worth and honor set for him by his family and become a person of true worth (good character), like Uncle Iroh.

It just makes sense that his arc will either end with his renunciation of his family name, or with him taking over as leader of the fire nation, but molded by his experiences to rule as Iroh would have instead of his father (justly instead of unjustly)

Either way, the idea is that his arc will end with him becoming a wiser, kinder, more selfless person. In other words, a worthy, devoted person for Katara to engage in a healthy relationship with.

If he becomes Fire Lord (I forget what his exact fate is, other than that he lives) he may still have some of the “devotion” issues that Aang has as Avatar (he’s a king instead of a prophet).

But on the other hand, it would be a fitting conclusion to the show’s theme about the unity of all things and all peoples if the new Fire Lord married a water tribe peasant.

The merging of elements that have been perceived as opposites, the futility of social class, etc

Anyway, these are just a few thoughts that I thought I’d log 2/3s of the way into my first rewatch of the show since childhood.

I’ll be curious to revisit this thread when I’m finished and see whether I still agree. Still love the show. #AvatarTheLastAirbender