It bothers me so much that the only transfem rep in mtg cards is this like. Soldier military woman, like 'ooh look at this guy's we made a trans woman who's a part of a war machine' fantastic thank you magic very original
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Okay.
First of all, there is no “our” interpretation of the text. My thoughts are my own, and your thoughts are your own. Some of our thoughts might align, but I will not allow you to speak for me.
Second, I am sorry you feel so disappointed in the current state of transgender representation in Magic. I understand your concerns and I think they’re valid concerns.
Third, your concerns being valid does not mean I agree with what you have to say, though. Don’t come into my inbox complaining unless you’re ready for me to honestly respond. Respectfully, your approach to these concerns makes it clear to me that you don’t actually understand what you’re talking about.
It’s apparent that you follow me or have at least seen many of my posts. You appear to respect my opinions / analysis (at least regarding Jace and Tezzeret). So listen to me when I say this:
What constitutes ‘good’ representation is context-dependent, and it’s not something you alone get to decide.
Yes, Alesha is a “soldier military woman”, as you said. I understand that you have this complaint because you believe this makes Alesha an example of the stereotype that trans women are violent. But context matters. What you’re failing to consider is the fact that she comes from the Mardu Horde, a faction on Tarkir inspired by the Mongol hordes of real-world history. In this context, Alesha isn’t presented as violent because she’s a trans woman. She’s violent because she literally comes from a warrior clan based on one of the greatest military forces in human history. And honestly, with Magic being a combat-centric game, she’s not any more violent than any non-Mardu Legends, either.
Do you seriously think a story about a trans woman fighting to proudly declare her trans identity in her culture and later becoming the accomplished and well-respected leader of her clan is bad representation? Does the fact that she’s a warrior really outweigh the rest of the lovingly crafted trans narrative they created for her, to you?
It’s fine if you feel that way. You don’t have to like Alesha or her story. But just because something wasn’t made for your taste doesn’t mean it’s bad writing / bad representation.
Anyway, I highly recommend you read Alesha’s story, “The Truth of Names”, since it seems like you haven’t read it yet. It’s a fantastic story– the most beloved short story in all of Magic, actually. It was the most-read article on the entire Magic website for like 5 years, according to WOTC.
And if you’re interested in learning more about transfem characters in Magic who aren’t Alesha, I recommend you read about Xantcha, who first appears in the novel “Planeswalker”.
Next, I need to make things clear about Ashiok.
Ashiok was never intended to be nonbinary representation. Ashiok was created to be a mysterious, unknowable villain. What makes Ashiok special is that we are not mean to know anything about Ashiok. We do not know Ashiok’s species or plane of origin, for example. Another part of that element of mystery is not knowing Ashiok’s gender, or how Ashiok identifies. Ashiok’s original style guide from Theros explicitly instructs people to not use any pronouns for Ashiok at all (which I still follow because old habits are hard to break.) Official Magic sources did not begin to use they/them pronouns for Ashiok until 2022, in the story “A Garden of Flesh” (another excellent story, BTW.) And they only started using they/them for Ashiok because it is really hard to write a story where the character is mentioned that many times without pronouns.
All this to say: Ashiok as intentional nonbinary representation is certainly not the narrative WOTC is pushing.
Yes, there are many fans of Ashiok who interpret Ashiok as nonbinary, but those are their thoughts and you need not concern yourself with that, if it bothers you so.
I’m glad you like my analysis of Jace and Tezzeret as transgender characters. Thank you for that, genuinely. But I want you to understand that the reason I have these interpretations is because I love Magic Story. And more importantly, I actually read it. I love Magic Story, and I have so much respect for the Magic Narrative team and the work they do.
What most people don’t understand is that the Magic Narrative Team is in fact very careful and very loving in their approach to queer representation. You may not know this about me, but I’m friends with A LOT of people who formerly or currently work on Magic / Magic Story. Knowing these people personally, I know for a fact that the Magic creative Team does not create queer characters for “diversity points”. They’re not just checking boxes. The Magic creative team creates queer characters because the Magic creative team is full of queer people and allies who want to tell stories that reflect their own + fans’ experiences. And they have to constantly fight to include more / better queer representation in Magic. They want good queer representation in Magic just as much as we do.
Am I going to defend everything they do? No! Are they perfect? No! They are just people. They make mistakes and they have blind spots. For example, in my essay about my analysis of Jace as a trans man, I explain that the reason my interpretation means so much to me is because there is currently zero meaningful representation for trans men in Magic canon. There are zero transgender male characters in Magic canon who have names. That’s a HUGE blind spot considering the number of canon trans characters! That’s something that disappoints and upsets me.
I’m not afraid to criticize Magic Story, and I do so very often. But I am critical of Magic story because I love it. My criticism does not equal hatred or unhappiness.
Sorry to hear that their efforts at including better trans representation in Magic would piss you off. I’m sorry that you’ve given up.
Lastly, I think Liliana is cis, but that’s just my headcanon.
god i really wish i knew what you were talking about because this sounds incredible.
hey so wrong blog but I found it
the comments on any one of this person’s videos are incredible by the way. would highly recommend
oh its. SO much longer than that.
Affirmations:
I can shapeshift into a monkey. I can easily shapeshift into a monkey. I can instantly shapeshift into a monkey. I can safely shapeshift into a monkey. I can easily shapeshift into my original form. I can instantly shapeshift into my original form. I can safely shapeshift into my original form. I can change my DNA in an instant. I am always safe when shapeshifting. My body is always safe when shapeshifting. My mind is always safe when shapeshifting. I keep my human color vision in my monkey form. My body masks my monkey DNA. I appear completely human when in my human form. My body masks my human DNA when in my monkey form. My spirit masks my primate aura and primate energy signature when I will it. My body absorbs every nutrient from the food I eat. I have full control over all of my forms. I innately know how to shift. I have full control of my shifts. I can easily tap into my subconscious mind. Psychic attacks are near impossible to execute upon me. My third eye is open wide. My chakras are safely open, activated and rejuvenated. Meditation comes easily to me. I can see and sense within my mind with absolute vividness and clarity as if in real life. Hypnosis works very well on me. I can easily break out of hypnosis or mind control at any time. I have perfect balance on any surface. I lose any fear of heights. I lose all fear of heights. I lose any fear of darkness. I lose all fear of darkness. I lose any fear of the unknown. I lose all fear of the unknown. I know when I am in danger and what to do about it. I am brave, strong and resilient. I tap into dragon energy to make me a powerful shifter. I tap into centaur energy to make me intelligent and clever.. I tap into griffin energy to make me brave and resilient. I am incredibly intelligent. I am incredibly clever. I am a powerful shifter. I can shapeshift at any time. When I am fully grown, my aging slows down. My lifespan is safely increased. My monkey form ages as I do. My monkey form has the color and pattern I want it to have. My fur color in my monkey form is rich and deep. My hair color in my human form is rich and deep. My monkey form looks exactly like I want it to look. My monkey form is beautiful. My monkey form is extremely fast, strong, agile, and flexible. My human form is extremely fast, strong, agile, and flexible. My body is incredibly efficient in all forms to provide safe efficient transformation. I have boundless, resplendent energy. I can safely absorb and disperse massive amounts of kinetic energy. I land softly from falls of any height. I can easily cling to any surface. I get stronger every full moon. Moonlight calms and refreshes me. I am tireless. I can safely go days without sleep. Three hours of sleep is like a full night’s rest for me. My digestive system safely digests beneficial food and drink at supernatural speeds. My digestive system intelligently utilizes anything beneficial and safely discards anything harmful. My digestive system is perfect in health and function. My digestive system is supernaturally efficient and able to extract maximum nutrition. I have enhanced senses. I have perfect vision. I have perfect hearing. I have a perfect sense of smell. I can track anything by scent alone. I have an incredible sense of direction. I can sense magnetic fields. I can use magnetic fields to know exactly where I am at all times. I enjoy all food. My monkey form can safely withstand any temperature. My human form can safely withstand any temperature. I am comfortable in any temperature. My eye color is soft and stunning. I can make my eyes glow in the dark at will. I can see perfectly in any light level. I have perfect hearing. I safely and naturally repel biting insects. I safely and naturally repel stinging insects. My physical health is perfect. My mental health is perfect. I can heal any wound instantly at will. I can make wounds seal up in seconds. My body swiftly heals fatal wounds. I have a high pain tolerance. My body feels little pain because I can heal wounds instantly. I know when I am being hurt. I am meant to be a shapeshifter. I know that I am meant to be a shapeshifter. I know that I am a shapeshifter. I am immune to all forms of mind control. I am immune to all negative programming. I am the sovereign of myself. I have indomitable willpower. I can do anything if I put my mind to it. I have a natural connection to primates. I can easily communicate with any primate. I can use telepathy with any primate. I love primates. primates love me. I can shapeshift any part of my body into part of my monkey form. I can summon the tail of my monkey form while in my human form. I can easily and safely make sounds like a monkey in my human form. I have retractable fangs in my human form. I can summon my fangs at will. I can retract my fangs at will. When my fangs are retracted they are impossible to detect. My retractable fangs are the perfect size for my mouth. My fangs are exactly how I imagine them. I have retractable primate claws in my human form. When my claws are retracted they are impossible to detect. I can summon my claws at will. I can retract my claws at will. My retractable claws are exactly how I imagine them. I am a master of fighting with my claws. I am a master of all forms of fighting. I am a master of fighting in my monkey form. I know when to talk and when to fight. I have supernatural intelligence. I am a great problem solver. I have perfect memory. I can easily remember massive amounts of related and unrelated information. I am extremely stealthy. I can travel anywhere without being seen or heard…. I am a master survivalist. I can survive in the wilderness easily. I can go a long time without food or water. I can survive any situation. I am grateful for any animal that dies to sustain me. I am a master hunter. I can easily detect lies. I have perfect balance…. All my chakras safely open, unblock, rejuvenate and flow with boundless energy. I can shapeshift into a normal sized monkey at will…. I can shapeshift into a giant monkey at will…. My giant monkey form is as large as I want it to be…. I can shapeshift into an anthropomorphic, monkey…. My anthropomorphic, monkey form is the height I want it to be…. My anthropomorphic, monkey form has the same color and pattern of my normal monkey form…. My anthropomorphic, monkey form looks exactly how I want it to look…. I have a human mind in all of my forms…. I have full control in all of my forms…. I can hybridize my monkey form with any of my other forms…. Any clothes I am wearing vanish when I shapeshift into a full monkey…. Any clothes I am wearing when I shapeshift into a full monkey reappear on my body when I shapeshift into my original form…. I intuitively know if it is a bad idea to shapeshift…. I can sense other shapeshifters from miles away. I can see perfectly in pure darkness. I have a deep respect for nature. I have a deep respect for primates. I can speak human languages while in my monkey form. I can use any powers I have while in my monkey form. All fillings, crowns, and cavities in my teeth are replaced with healthy tooth material. My teeth are perfectly white and healthy. My immune system is incredibly strong and safely wipes out all disease and cancer cells. My body is always safely full of energy and at peak performance. My mind is free of all limiting beliefs preventing me from reaching my goals. My mind is powerful. All positive and beneficial affirmations program my subconscious instantly. Affirmations I desire program my subconscious instantly. Affirmations I approve of program my subconscious instantly. I safely take in and absorb all subliminals. I bypass negativity to create instant and infinite results. All results gained from this subliminal are permanent.
Legit dated a guy in 7th grade who looked like O’Hare from The Lorax. Also had that hoodie. It was a crisp October day of 2013. I had just become a furry, and I wore a black fox tail every single day to school so I could be a fox. I went to a charter school at the time, so we frequently had families come to tour the school to see if it was a good fit for them. And I’m in the hallway, taking a break from my math problems. And there walks by a family, and a kid my age who’s wearing a fox tail. I immediately decided that we were destined to be together since he was the only other male fox in my age at the school. (The other furries pretended to be wolves and were too old for me to date). So a month goes by, and he enrolls in the school. He’s in the 7th grade class though. And I was in 5th grade back in 7th grade, because my school put kids in classes based on ability, not age. And it took them the second semester that year for them to put me in the 8th grade class, because I wasn’t dumb as a doornail. I just flunked the entrance exams. Anyways, I had a best friend (let’s call her Ali) And she was super into My Little Pony. And so was he. So suddenly, they become really good friends. And I keep trying to make a pass at the guy, but he just ignores me, he only wants to talk to Ali. Eventually, we become friends. And I ask him if he wants to date me and he accepts. About a month later, he confesses that he’s only dating me because he can’t get Ali, and he’ll dump me the moment that Ali asks him out. I was a dumbass back then so I thought it was fine and perfectly normal. The three of us had a Minecraft house together and we beat the Ender Dragon and Wither. Everything was perfect… Until Valentine’s Day.
I went hardcore for Valentine’s Day. I bought him a cool sketchbook and a box of chocolates. Then I made him a custom-painted figure of his My Little Pony oc, and a hat with fox ears. I give it to him, and he’s like “wow cool, thanks.” He didn’t get me anything though. (Actually, to this day I’ve never recieved a gift from a significant other despite being in multiple serious relationships). So it’s after lunch, and I’m doing math. When I hear screaming coming from the 7th grade classroom, which is next door. For some odd reason my boyfriend was running around the room, screaming like a banshee. After school, he refuses to tell me what happened and says he just had a panic attack from eating too much sugar. I confide in my other friends from that class and ask what happen. It turns out that the teacher thought the fox hat I made was stupid and made my boyfriend rip it off. So in a fit of rage, he started screaming, and then took a large gulp-cup of Coke from Jimmy John’s off of the teacher’s deck, and threw it at him, just narrowly missing and splattering all over the whiteboard.
We broke up like a month later. I didn’t keep much contact with him after that. Although, a year later he eventually realized how good I actually was and begged to have me back. But by then I had moved on.
Now its 2 years later. I am a freshman in high school. I get a file transfer on Skype. Its from my now-ex, who I hadn’t spoken to in over a year. I click on the file, its a Word file. I read it. Its a furry fanfiction he wrote about himself turning into a shark and me taking him back because he is now a sexy shark furry. I blocked him. We haven’t spoken since. I have no idea where he is now in life.
Moral of the story: Don’t date someone just because your fursona is the same species.
Since I made a post a while ago claiming that Zuko was autistic, some people have been asking for the “proof.” It seems fitting for me to provide said proof now, since it’s autism acceptance month. I’m going to try to be as comprehensive as I can, but if anyone has anything to add, feel free to do so! That said, please do not come on here to tell me that Zuko is not autistic. This is my headcanon, and these are all the things about Zuko that I relate to as an autistic person.
Alright, buckle up, kids, because Zuko is autistic af and I’m coming with all the receipts - and there are a lot of them.
Let’s start from the beginning. A lot of austistic people develop tactics early on that help us to ‘pass’ as allistic. When unsure of how to act in certain social situations, Zuko tends to mirror Azula. When he was younger, he was shown copying her sense of humor.
He threw a rock at a baby turtle duck and laughed, saying that this is how Azula feeds turtle ducks. Because Azula thought it was funny, he assumed his mom would think it was funny, too. It wasn’t until Ursa asked, “Why would you do that?” that Zuko even considered it might not be universally funny.
Zuko is shown laughing at things Azula thinks are funny more than once as a child. If Azula is not laughing directly at Zuko, he usually joins in on the laughter, even if he doesn’t understand the joke.
Another time Zuko tried to copy Azula was after she demonstrated her skills to their grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon. Zuko immediately attempted to demonstrate his own skills, even though he was not prepared.
Another thing that some autistic people struggle with is fine motor skills. When Zuko tried to prove to his grandfather that he was as skilled as Azula, he tripped both times he attempted to fire bend. He has obviously improved since that moment, but it took him a long time to do that.
“You have yet to master your basics. Drill it again.”
Zuko was at sea for three years with Iroh, seemingly doing nothing but training to get strong enough to capture the avatar. After three years, he was still working on his basics, as Iroh points out. Other benders have been shown to become masters much quicker than Zuko. Katara became a waterbending master after one episode. Aang mastered all four elements in the span of about a year. By the age of 12, Toph was already an earthbending master, and she taught herself. Zuko has had to work a lot harder than them to properly control his fine motor skills. It isn’t until he’s mastered his basics that he is able to progress as a bender.
Since Ozai was obviously not the most supportive parent, Zuko may have had to figure out other ways to hide his autism.
Another tactic he used was to practice social interactions before they happened. In this scene, he is shown giving a practice performance to a frog:
“The thing is, I have a lot of fire bending experience, and I’m considered to be pretty good at it. Well, you’ve seen me. You know, when I was attacking you?”
Obviously, this practice session was necessary, because Zuko said plenty of things here that could have easily further escalated the situation.
Even while using tools like mirroring or practicing social interaction, we all have moments where things might just feel a little off to allistic people.
Empathy
A lot of autistic people feel empathy differently than allistic people. Some of us might not feel empathy, some might experience hyper empathy, and some might just have a hard time expressing empathy. I suspect Zuko is leaning towards low empathy, or has trouble expressing empathy.
Exhibit A:
“My first girlfriend turned into the moon.”
“That’s rough, buddy.”
Notice how Zuko found it easier to talk about himself. He answered Sokka’s questions about Mai, and the conversation was moving along smoothly. It wasn’t until Sokka shared personal information about himself that Zuko seemed to be out of words.
Exhibit B:
Toph just told Zuko that her parents gave her everything she ever asked for, but not the one thing she really wanted: their love.
Zuko spends half of this conversation looking the other way. When he does look at her, notice his expression. He probably has no idea why she is telling him this, so he doesn’t know how to respond. And on top of that, he was under the impression that they were supposed to be looking for Aang.
A lot of autistic people have what you might call a one track mind (which I’ll get more into later). It’s hard for us to switch focus from one thing to another.
Toph wanted to partner with Zuko because she wanted a life changing field trip, but Zuko just wanted to find Aang. He was able to have ‘life changing field trips’ with Aang, Katara, and Sokka because he was actively focused on helping them with their specific problems. He had time to mentally prepare to help them. There was careful planning involved in each of those missions. He can’t help Toph in this moment, because her problem is conflicting with the problem they already have: finding Aang.
In both of the examples above, Zuko acknowledges the hardships that Sokka and Toph went through. “That’s rough buddy” and “I know you had a rough childhood.” This may be his way of trying to show compassion, even though it might come across as cold.
Zuko takes things at face value
Catching things like sarcasm, body language, metaphors, and ‘reading between the lines’ can be difficult for autistic people. This also gives us a reputation for being gullible, because it can be difficult to tell when someone is lying without being able to read the cues.
The first and most obvious example of this is what Zuko’s entire arc revolves around:
Capturing the Avatar
Ozai had just fought his own son, a 13 year old, in an Agni Kai. He burned Zuko’s face, intentionally causing permanent damage, and then banished him. All of this because Zuko spoke out of turn. At the time that Zuko was banished, the Avatar hadn’t been spotted for over 100 years.
Knowing all of that, it seems likely to me that Ozai was being cruel and sarcastic when he said that Zuko could come back after capturing the Avatar. It would be like saying “when pigs fly,” since at that point the Avatar was thought to have been gone forever.
Iroh, of course, knows this. That’s why in the beginning of the series, he kept reminding Zuko that the Avatar had not been seen in 100 years. He didn’t want Zuko to get his hopes up. Zuko, however, spends every minute for three years training to fight the avatar, and the second he sees something out of the ordinary, he automatically assumes that it is the the avatar’s doing. It’s kind of a miracle that he was right.
Capturing the Avatar = restoring honor. This is an example of both taking what his father told him as fact, and seeing things as black and white, which is also commonly associated with autism. Ozai told Zuko that capturing the avatar would restore his honor, so Zuko became obsessed with finding and capturing Aang. He truly believed that doing so was the only way to restore his honor and return home. It took Zuko years to realize that he could restore his honor in a different way than what his father told him.
He automatically believes Azula when she says he can come home
“Father regrets?”
It had been three years since he’d seen Azula, and he immediately took what she said at face value. He is excited to be going home, and he is frustrated with Iroh for being skeptical. When Iroh points out that he has never known Ozai to regret anything, Zuko says “did you even listen to Azula?”
Zuko takes what Azula says as fact, just like he has always done. This is why, as a child, he had to constantly tell himself, “Azula always lies,” because she probably had a habit of fooling Zuko. But now that it has been so long, without the constant reminder that Azula always lies, she takes advantage of the fact that Zuko trusts her so easily, and he falls for her lies once again.
He doesn’t catch on to Jin’s body language
In the episode ‘The Tales of Ba Sing Se,’ Zuko meets a girl named Jin. He immediately is threatened by her, because she keeps looking at him (eye contact is another thing that can be a challenge for autistic people). He assumes she knows they are fire nation. Despite the fact that he has seen her constantly smiling at him, he is completely surprised when he finds out she has a crush on him.
When Jin asks Zuko on a date, he shows up looking like this:
I think most people would catch on that this is Not A Good Look. But when Jin messes up his hair, Zuko gets frustrated. He says, “It took my uncle ten minutes to do my hair!”
So, Iroh told him this was a good hairstyle, and Zuko trusts Iroh, so he took his word as truth, and went along with it.
Later on in the date, Jin tries to kiss Zuko. Just before their lips touch, he holds a coupon in front of her face, exclaiming that he brought her a gift.
Zuko likes Jin. He risked a lot to light up the fountain for her. We know he wanted to kiss her, because when she kissed him later, he let her, and he even kissed her back for a moment before he bolted. But in this moment here, he missed the signs that said she was about to kiss him (the hand holding, Jin closing her eyes, leaning forward, etc), so he moved the conversation along in a way that he felt was natural, by giving her a gift.
He doesn’t realize that Sokka and Suki want time alone
Zuko runs into Suki when he’s about to go into Sokka’s tent. She’s clearly embarrassed, but Zuko doesn’t catch on.
“Sorry, do you need to talk to Sokka, too?”
Suki says no, so Zuko enters Sokka’s tent, to find Sokka like this:
There are roses everywhere, candles are lit, Sokka’s hair is down, he’s posing. Sokka was waiting for Suki to arrive, not Zuko.
But Zuko doesn’t catch on to that, either, so he sits right down and asks Sokka for advice, totally oblivious to what was supposed to be going down.
He can’t explain what is ‘off’ about Azula
A lot of autistic people have trouble recognizing patterns. Zuko has known Azula his whole life. He knows what her hair usually looks like. He knows what her makeup usually looks like. She doesn’t usually have dark circles under her eyes. She usually has better posture. I could go on.
Azula challenged Zuko to an Agni Kai looking like this:
“I can’t explain it, but there’s something off about her.”
This is something I struggle with, too. If my mom dyes her hair, I can tell something is different, but it may take me a few days to figure out exactly what has changed. I think this is what was going on with Zuko here. He knows something is up, but he can’t immediately recognize that Azula has cut her own hair poorly, or that her makeup is different because she did it herself, or that she has dark circles under her eyes, or weird posture, etc.
Sensory issues
Sensory issues are also associated with autism. This can manifest in sensory overload and strong reactions to physical contact, among other things.
One way I’ve learned to avoid or come down from sensory overload is to self-isolate and meditate, which is something Zuko does very often. This can also be a way to recharge spoons or mentally prepare for something that might be exhausting.
This explains why Zuko would react so strongly when someone interrupts his alone time. He needs that time to prepare for every other moment in the day. When this time is interrupted, he lashes out, and has trouble containing his emotions.
Physical contact
Zuko doesn’t always seem to know how to react to physical contact and affection. He reacts negatively if he isn’t prepared, or if he isn’t comfortable with the person. Even if he genuinely likes the person who is touching him (Jin, Iroh, Toph, Katara, etc), he still doesn’t seem to know what to do.
If Zuko is comfortable with the person who hugs him, he allows them to do so, but he still almost always looks flustered. He doesn’t always hug back, and when he does, it sometimes takes him a moment to process that he’s being hugged before he is able to return the gesture.
Difficulty Changing Plans
As I mentioned before, autistic people sometimes have a one-track mind. We may have difficulty changing plans, and may tend to see things as black and white, with no gray areas. All of these things describe Zuko to a T.
Zuko tends to get frustrated over any change of plans, but there’s one example I’d like to focus on.
Let’s talk about that angst coma. You know, that time Zuko got physically ill after he did something that completely altered the course of his life?
That’s the one. The thing is, change is hard. And it can be especially hard for autistic people. Zuko spent the last few years working towards one thing, and one thing only: capturing the avatar. Then, in one day, everything changed. He made a decision to free Appa, which was completely counter to what he has been working towards this entire time.
I’ve had “angst comas” before, and I know other autistic people who have had similar experiences. Sometimes you really do just need a few days in bed to recuperate and adjust to big changes.
some side notes that are worth mentioning:
Zuko takes Iroh’s metaphors literally
He repeats Iroh’s metaphors without understanding them, and they come across differently
It took him a minute to realize when Aang insulted him, because the insult was dressed up like a complement. “Hey, that was actually pretty smart of you.” Zuko’s first reaction is to smile proudly at the praise.
That scene when Aang wants to sit by Katara (bc he likes her) and Zuko is all, “I don’t get it, what’s the big deal? Just sit next to me.”
He saved Iroh’s smelly sandal when he was separated from him
He has a special interest in dao swords
Inaccurate self image (in his imagination he pictured himself without his scar)
He replays memories in his head of times when he thinks he may have said the wrong thing
He has meltdowns when things don’t go as he plans.
He sometimes messes up jokes when he’s trying to be funny
He paces back and forth a lot, perhaps as a way to stim
In conclusion Zuko is autistic af. I rest my case.
This is tumblr, not school, but I’d like to award this essay with an A+.
im so upset rn why were we robbed of the timeline where gideon survives war of the spark and he and liliana end up separated from the rest of the cast for a while (because hes the only person who doesnt want her dead lol) and have a lot of time to Talk To Each Other and Do Some Thinking
theyre almost complete opposites, but they’ve got some similarities, and i think the compare/contrast would have created some really good character development opportunities. (which we totally needed more of from dominaria)
gideon and liliana both have this thing where they feel the need to appear invincible and in control to others–gideon does it because he needs to convince others that everything will be ok, and liliana does it to convince others that /she’s/ ok. but they both can see through each other’s acts, which allows them to actually be honest and talk about their problems as people.
liliana teaches gideon to actually have some self worth and stop throwing himself into danger. his life is worth living! everyone has regrets, so why should he value his life any less because of his? what good is a dead hero? doesnt he think he deserves to enjoy any of the peace he’s fought for? how selfish of him to be willing to die for her.
and gideon’s patience and immunity to her manipulation allowed her to be vulnerable with him on dominaria. there are people who care about her and they’d help her if she’d just ask! it’s okay to be vulnerable. sincerity would go a long way to help her. people may even forgive her. he does. and he knows she’s capable of doing the right thing. everyone else wants her dead but he won’t let that happen.
anyway idk. why did he have to die for her. it doesnt make any sense. why didnt we get a story about both of them learning that they can be forgiven and deserve to live. we were fucking robbed.
- the ancient sheikah civilization disappeared 10,000 yesrs ago because they were deemed a threat and were attacked on the king’s orders, forcing them to retreat underground
- zelda, purah, and robbie are the only people who believe the ancient civilization still exists. the extent of their research isnt much more than tinkering with decayed and barely functioning guardian scouts. they have a sheikah slate, but it doesnt work
you are now all trapped in my vast puzzle dungeon. good luck.
Can I get a hint
HINT MOUSE SAYS: *in a little squeaky voice* collect the silver rod from fabio’s grotto and bring it to the bridge of malice. be sure to talk to “knight doogle” on the way.
*hint mouse scurries away into a nearby hole*
i go to fabios grotto
*you hear the sound of distant strained moaning, followed by the creaking of something getting up from an old wooden chair. something is approaching you.*
FABIO: welcome to my grotto.
I say hello to Fabio, and ask them if they have a Silver rod?
FABIO: silver rod? oh….
*fabio dissappears into his grotto and rummages around in his back room. he is gone for quite some time and hasn’t offered you anything to eat or drink, so you just stand around in his home feeling really awkward. what if he lives with relatives and they come out and say something to you?*
FABIO: sorry that took so long. here’s my silver rod. now that i remember i have it at all, it’s my most treasured posession. you’ll have to offer me something for it
i offer to knit fabio a nice hat, for when the grotto gets drafty in the wintertime.
FABIO: what a wonderful hat. thank you.
I thank Fabio for his help, and leave the Grotto to head for the Bridge of Malice.
*fabio snatches the silver rod back from you and hits you across the room with it like a baseball bat*
FABIO: help??? what help? we never reached a deal. i was simply thanking you for such a lovely hat. i demand more.
i give fabio two shoes made for dancing.
*fabio slips his new dancing shoes on. his socks are a bit wet so it makes a funny fart noise*
FABIO: wonderful boots! *fabio does an embarrassing dance move with all the coordination of a dead windmill but he’s having fun so you’re encouraging towards him* FABIO: but…it’s still not enough for me to part with my beloved rod…
I give Fabio a big pair of glasses for his big beautiful eyes.
FABIO: my magnificent glistening eyes have been magnified by these lovely glasses! i can see my treasured silver rod better than ever now and it’s even more beautiful than i thought. it’ll take something really special for me to part with this..
I go ask Doogle for help
*fabio cackles and waves as you excuse yourself from his grotto, which was easier than expected because fabio seems more interested in the gifts he has recieved than your company at the moment, and head back towards the guard tower you actually passed on your way but didn’t notice until now*
*as you approach the tower, a metal face peeks around the corner*
KNIGHT DOOGLE: huh? what? who goes there? i left my spear in the tower but if you’re up to no good i will really go back and get it. i’m really tough.
I remove Doogle’s helmet.
*you catch doogle off guard the moment he nervously breaks eye contact with you and lift off his helmet*
KNIGHT DOOGLE: ah! my helmet! i needed that to protect my head from attacks! why did you do that?
*doogle paces around a small radius of a few feet looking very worried*
knight doogle you are beautiful
KNIGHT DOOGLE: huh? oh, thank you, that’s very sweet. but you didn’t have to just take off my helmet like that, you could have asked first. i feel so embarrased now. *doogle shuffles back to his tower like a sad sneaking tree, and then returns, armed with a spear*
KNIGHT DOOGLE: sorry, i hope this isn’t threatening to you. i have lost all my confidence so i’m just holding this as a comfort item.
Wanna help us Get Fabio’s Silver Rod?
KNIGHT DOOGLE: fabio’s silver rod? he’ll forget about it in a week or two, he always forms fleeting attachments to things. but if you need it sooner rather than later, there’s one thing he has always desired above anything else…all i can tell you about it is that it’s small, yellow, and quite helpful.
we call hint mouse for help
*from a nearby hole, you and doogle both watch a creature, that’s small, yellow, and helpful scamper towards you. it’s the ever so helpful HINT MOUSE!!!*
*a round of applause and cheering is heard*
HINT MOUSE: *in a little squeaky voice* ahem ahem… it is me, a mouse am i! i only tell truths and i never lie! reliable, helpful, and handsome to boot! for all of your labour, i am the fruit!
*hint mouse looks around, hoping you’re all impressed by his new rhyming speech thing he’s trying out. rhyming is hard for mice because poetry is frowned upon in mouse culture*
I clap politely in appreciation of his speech and ask him if he would like to come visit Fabio with us
HINT MOUSE: thank you, i really appreciate the support. i will happily come and visit fabio with you…oh, sorry, hang on.
*hint mouse clears his throat*
HINT MOUSE: i’m always here for you, that’s my motto. so i shall accompany you to fabio’s grotto! you’ve supported me in all my life choices you’re a lifelong friend to all little…moices!
*he messed up a little at the end, but he did really well, all things considering. you, doogle, and hint mouse arrive again at fabio’s grotto, however the door is closed, though not locked.*
i knock politely and ask if Fabio is home
*your knock on the door echos throughout the surrounding area, and you can hear a familiar voice call to you from inside*
FABIO: come on in…so long as you’re not a greedy thief…yee hee hee…
I smile warmly at hint mouse, look knowingly at knight doogle, and gently push open the door
*the door opens, but it required quite a shove, as it feels like something is in the way. as you step into his grotto, hundreds of items are strewn across the floor.
FABIO: oh….welcome back…! since you’ve been gone, people have been laying items at my feet, all to get my beloved silver rod! it must be truly valuable..or truly blessed! as long as i have it, i’ll become the richest man in the caves! gah hah hah!
I turn to hint mouse and ask him to recite Fabio a poem that’ll blow his socks (and newly acquired shoes) off
*hint mouse looks back at you and nods, then leaps from your hand, hopping lightly from object to object across the room. fabio is so engorged on avarice that he’s already forgotten that you entered the room at all.*
HINT MOUSE: *gets fabios attention by briefly playing on a tiny flute*
the room is silent. hint mouse owns the stage now.
HINT MOUSE: ahem ahem!
you’ve gathered yourself quite a collection! but now youve…oh…uhh…ah!! (why did i end a verse with “collection”?? this is awful…what should i do?)
I whisper ‘correction…dejection…direction…. affection’ to HINT MOUSE out of the corner of my mouth, with the realization that his hint-giving generosity has taught me how to give hints to others myself
*hint mouse is re-energized with the inspiration he needs to finish his poem*
HINT MOUSE: you’ve assembled yourself quite a collection! but i have arrived to give you affection. your riches are piled right up to the cieling but deep down i know you suffer with a feeling. (feels awkward but…i can keep going! everyone believes in me!) you’re cooped up in here and you’re all alone just yourself, a rod, and an old wooden throne it doesn’t have to be that way, you don’t have to be bleak let me introduce myself, i’m hint mouse, squeak squeak! in exchange for the rod, i’ll be your best friend a little yellow creature who you can always depend!
*applause is heard yet again, the crowd is going hog wild.*
*fabio takes a gentle tumble down his tower of riches and cradles hint mouse in his arms*
FABIO:
hint mouse…that was beautiful. you’d do all that just to help an old
man? you’re truly the best treasure i could ever ask for, i’ll cherish
our friendship forever…
FABIO: thank you so much all of you. i have no need for material goods anymore. the silver rod is yours to take!
*you obtained the silver rod at last!*
i bring the silver rod to the bridge of malice
*you and doogle leave fabio’s grotto, silver rod in tow. fabio and hint mouse wave goodbye to and live the rest of their lives in peace.*
*as you walk towards malice bridge, doogle turns to you.*
KNIGHT DOOGLE: sorry i didn’t say or do much back there…what happened was really beautiful though.
*knight doogle stops and thinks for a second, his ears and hair sway in the breeze and it looks so cool*
KNIGHT DOOGLE: i’ve spent my whole adult life just guarding my tower selfishly, but people like hint mouse do so much to help others. once this is over i’m going to change my lifestyle, i’ll give up the knight life.
*you enjoy the rest of your walk with doogle, and eventually arrive at malice bridge, which despite the name, is actually pretty ordinary. at the other end of the bridge, light from the surface trickles down, the way out.*
*suddenly, the air around you grows cold, a shiver travels up your spine, and a giant shimmering monster appears out of nowhere*
SILVER GUARDIAN: YOUR JOURNEY IS ALMOST OVER, TRAVELLERS! I AM THE MASTER OF MALICE BRIDGE! HAVE YOU SEEN MY MISSING FINGER ANYWHERE?
present the silver rod (or finger, i guess?) to the silver guardian! ask he how lost it, too, if it proves to be his
*the silver guardian rattles and shakes with glee*
SILVER GUARDIAN: MY FINGER! MY PRECIOUS DIGIT! OH…I LOST IT BECAUSE I WAS POKING AROUND IN MOUSE HOLES LOOKING FOR HINT MOUSE, BUT A LESS HELPFUL MOUSE STOLE IT…
*the silver guardian reattaches its finger, which is gross, so you look away while it does that*
SILVER GUARDIAN: NOW HUMAN….ARE YOU READY TO LEARN THE TRUE PURPOSE OF THE SILVER ROD?
*you tremble as the silver guardian does some really confusing poses with its hand, not entirely sure where it’s going with this.*
SILVER GUARDIAN: HEH HEH HEH….TO CROSS THE BRIDGE YOU GO IN THIS DIRECTION!!!!
*as you cross the bridge to the outside world, the rocky walls of the dungeon give way to fields and forests.at the middle of the bridge, you turn back, and all of your friends are there, and now they are all friends with each other all thanks to you.*
HINT MOUSE: go ahead and be free! meeting you has filled me with glee! FABIO: you have people waiting for you out there, go and be with them! DOOGLE: i’ll never forget our adventure, you can keep my helmet to remember me! SILVER GUARDIAN: I DIDN’T REALLY GET TO KNOW YOU THAT WELL TO BE HONEST BUT YOU SEEM COOL. THANK YOU FOR FINDING MY FINGER!
*you turn around for the last time, and step outside*
no offense but anyone who ever calls botw zelda a bitch can actually fuck off forever like. she was only 6 years old when her mother died. and from 7 years old onwards her father forced her to pray and train and devote herself to the goddess thinking that it would awaken her power but NOTHING FUCKING WORKED EVER because when zeldas mother died she lost not only her mom but the ONLY person who could have taught her to awaken and use that power. and so she did this intense training and praying for 10 years with no results. so intense that she once passed out in freezing cold water while praying. and all this time her father has been outright telling her that she is a failure and an “heir to a throne of nothing but failure” when her inability to awaken her power was NEVER her fault in any way. additionally, she is extremely passionate about researching the ancient sheikah technology and its the only thing that makes her happy and makes her feel accomplished, but her father forbids her from pursuing her passion and tells her that its distracting her from her training.
and so she grows up believing that she is a failure and that its her fault, begging the goddess to know “whats wrong with me?”.
she has this terrible inferiority complex to all of the champions, ESPECIALLY LINK. and takes her anger out on him because it frustrates her to no end that he was able to draw the master sword and access its power effortlessly when she had trained for 10 years with no results. her emotional outburst at him was 100% reasonable. and she felt bad about lashing out at him and hating him, but later grew to truly love him.
she never learned how to deal with her emotions and ended up having all this pent-up anger and frustration. so like. zeldas not a bitch okay. its just really fucking difficult to go through that kind of emotional trauma and abuse and end up alright. and id even go as far as to say that she has depression. like. its not normal in any way for someone to think of themselves like that unless they have a mental illness that affects their emotions and self-image like depression does
