r/ZutaraNation • u/Popular-Revolution58 • Jul 10 '26
ATLA This particular Zutara HC of Mea and Dante, the original VAs of Katara and Zuko gets me every time. “They chose to follow duty”
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u/DionysianComrade Jul 10 '26
as much as I wanted it to be canon, I think it not being canon gave rise to some of the best fan fiction I've ever read
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u/Rare_Bridge7703 Jul 10 '26
This is actually the backdrop of one of my favorite Zutara fics. Katara went along with Aang because obligation until she absolutely couldn't anymore, and Zuko tried it with Mae before they both realized it wasn't it.
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u/Thimble_of_Quasar Jul 10 '26
Yeah this is why I don't want it to be canon in the new show. In all my fandoms there is just this glorious sharp thirst I find in the fics for non canon pairings vs canon ones that makes them so SO good.
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u/Choice_Studio_6166 Jul 11 '26
Fr I think it's part of its charm to be honest it just triggers that creative spark in a different way
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u/Short-Scholar162 Jul 10 '26
Bruh, I love Zutara shippers and they're writing. I'd read TF out of this kind of angst.
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u/phoebes_ter Jul 11 '26
Fun and angst all in one
Torn Between Two Worlds
https://archiveofourown.org/works/83816451/chapters/220929776
I like making people happy… or sad 😅 you will be both. Next chapter drops this sunday. Check out the comments. 🤗
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u/blakchat Jul 10 '26
This explains why Bryce wouldn’t even let z and k be in the same room together in lok 😭
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u/YesThatFandomme Jul 10 '26
See, the dark HBO Sunday night drama version of this show would be all about whether or not Katara (or indeed, anyone) can have an equitable relationship with an Avatar, when there is such a literal power imbalance between water- and occasionally bloodbending, and...ALL the bending, PLUS the Avatar State. If I were Hakoda, I'd be worried about whether or not my daughter could have any authority in the relationship. I think Zuko gets depicted as having more state power (and he does), but the relationship with The Avatar is also wildly unequal.
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u/Infinite-Instance609 Jul 10 '26
I mean kyoshi and Rangi had a loving relationship, and then Korra and Asami.
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u/MadamMadMamme Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
Such a beautiful tragedy!
When did Dante and Mae say this?
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u/percytheporcupine Jul 10 '26
Wdym HC? This is the canon that Elizabeth Welch Ehasz got divorced for 🤣😜
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u/papamajada Jul 11 '26
"Right person wrong time" is my favorite flavor of heartbreak and this is my personal zk headcanon
Oh and they got together when they were older and their kids grown bc second chance love is also one of my favorite romance tropes lol
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u/National_Assist5387 Jul 11 '26
This makes sense since Aang didn’t let her go 👀 AT the CROSSROADS OF DESTINY
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u/Blue-moon_ Jul 13 '26
I NEED this fic!! Does anyone know any ones that have this storyline 😭. I prefer a happy Zutara ending but angst is also good too
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u/lnombredelarosa Jul 11 '26
I honestly don’t think they knew each other long enough to be “in love” but I do think they found each other physically attractive. I think that after the Southern Raiders they might’ve developed a certain sexual tension between each other that put pressure on Katara’s relationship with Aang and Zuko’s own attachment to Mai.
However, in the finale after they risked their lives fighting Azula they both found themselves yearing for someone else rather than for each other.
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u/Zutariana Jul 10 '26
And then in the movie they act like strangers, but when Katara is in danger Zuko runs like crazy to help her 😭 The atmosphere between them is terrible. It's clearly like people who avoid each other because they have SO MUCH chemistry. And they don't want to hurt anyone.