Asami Sato can walk and chew gum at the same time

[lizbee]

If people aren't accusing Mako of being the worst human being of all time because he's going out with one girl and doesn't realise he also has feelings for another, they're complaining that Asami is a jealous harpy and a bad person because she's troubled by Mako's behaviour at the same time as they're searching for Korra.

I don't buy it.

Yeah, there are probably better times to worry that your boyfriend has feelings for another girl.  But the problem with humans is that emotions don't usually take timing into consideration.  Asami discusses Mako's feelings with Bolin; she also drives fancy Equalist sleds and generally makes herself useful.  And that's the important thing, not feelings, but actions.  In short, she can search for Korra and be genuinely concerned for her safety, and stress about her boyfriend.  Simultaneously, even!  Amazing!  I wouldn't recommend keeping it up as a long-term lifestyle choice, but the great thing about being a teenager is that you have the energy for that kind of thing.  (Back in high school I knew a girl who moved out of her horrible stepmother's home, broke up with her boyfriend and started going out with another boy, all in exam week.  And she still got into law.)

The other reason I'm kind of side-eye at the criticism is that the conversation between Bolin and Asami was quite reminiscent of the one in "The Crossroads of Destiny" where Aang, while searching for Katara, with the survival of the Earth Kingdom at risk, still takes time out to get some personal advice from Iroh.  The stakes were a lot higher there, but it still boiled down to, "I like this girl, and I worry that liking her is wrong, and also what if the Guru was right and I've messed everything up for the entire world?" 

(There really needs to be fic where Aang finds Guru Pathik again and tells him that he was so very wrong he is the Mayor of Wrongtown in the State of Incorrect in the nation of Quite Mistaken.)

In conclusion, and to sum up, fandom, I do not agree with you.  And also it is a day ending in Y. 



Having said all that, I'm quite forgiving of fandom being WRONG, because Tumblr has decided that Zuko's daughter is named Honora, and frankly, with ideas like that, I just can't stay mad at you guys. 

Comments

[rj_anderson]

There really needs to be fic where Aang finds Guru Pathik again and tells him that he was so very wrong he is the Mayor of Wrongtown in the State of Incorrect in the nation of Quite Mistaken.

I would read that fic IN A HEARTBEAT. Also, ha.

ITA with everything you've said about Mako and Asami. And yet I find myself wishing I were more attached to their characters than I am. It's not fair to compare three seasons of AtLA to one as-yet-unfinished season of Korra in terms of character development, and I'm also interested in seeing how the finale plays out, so I'm not whining about it. But I'd like to see a little more depth, or breadth, or humour, or something, that will make me care about Team Korra the same way I did about Team Aang.

That being said, I adore Korra herself completely and unconditionally and I think Tenzin and his family are the absolute bombdiggity. And also LIIIIIIIIN. So it's not like this show hasn't gifted me with some wonderful characters. I'm just a little disappointed in how flat Mako and Bolin have become over the past few episodes. And Asami, despite her humanizing hints of jealousy, still seems a little too perfect to be real.

[unjapanologist]

Honora? Pffft. We at capslock_atla had her pegged as Honor Fruit Tarts aaaaages ago.

Otherwise, I completely agree about emotions not being simple and Mako not being a huge dick just for being confused. But I do understand why people are annoyed with him. He's got almost no character development besides being the guy who these two people decided to fall in love with out of the blue, and with his (understandable) waffling being the only thing he stands out for, it makes him a bloody annoying character. I really don't look forward to seeing Mako in a scene anymore. It's just "Gaaah, go away so Tarrlok/Amon/literally anybody else can have more screen time, because you irritate me".

[sapote]

This is actually a major reason why I started &hearting Asami so hard. She is worried about her relationship! She is probably kind of mad that Mako might like Korra and Korra might like him back even though she is standing RIGHT THERE and HAS FEELINGS and probably wishes they would TALK TO HER IN A REASONABLE WAY about what's happening. But she's also had a hell of a week and has lots of shit to get done. Which she gets done!

... I feel like if she is like this about getting shit done while also having feelings like a normal person at her age she's going to have a pretty happy successful life. That's how I feel about that.

[innerbrat]

I saw a thing on Tumblr that explained that Mako was a THE WORST HUMAN BEING OF ALL TIME and people had better stop comparing him to Zuko, because Zuko had REASONS for what he did.




But i love Asami so much I won't read anything bad about her at all. She's grown up and responsible and you can actually see her struggle with her feelings instead of just having them and it's REALLY HARD BEING A TEENAGER OK?

I really really love my Team Avatar kids, and fandom can shut up about them.

[archangelbeth]

Asami is in a hugely tricky emotional place (and, okay, I wasn't going out with the guy when he found someone else -- and someone I disliked, to boot, but it was kind of wounding...) and is trying to have dignity! Mako is letting his conflict-of-attraction get in the way of his thinking right now, but hopefully he will recover and there will be talking and they can work things out with "yes, I'm attracted to you both but I'm not going to cheat on you or abandon you." This may take a few episodes. >_>

But Bolin could have explained the situation a bit better... Well, if he'd been anyone but Bolin. (Bolin is such a sidekick right now, even if I do have a soft spot for him and his noodle-binging. He needs a level-up montage like Sokka got.)

(Also, I am shocked, shocked, Fandom! Zuko's daughter must definitely be named after his mother, Ursa.

Because then there would be Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

*beth dives for cover*)