Avatar:TLA Miscellaneous Ideas Thread
- Thread starter nuclear death frog
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Intriguing. Really, there are three obvious ways to go with Kuei.
If he's exactly what he seems, there's a vacuum at the heart of the Earth Kingdom and, with the war over, nothing holding it together. No one thinks of themselves as an Earth Kingdomer first and foremost after all; their loyalties lies with smaller units - tribes, towns, regiments. All things fall apart, and the centre cannot hold. Rock, stressed by the long fire, crumbles into gravel, and is dust, scattered on the wind.
If he's competent, just ill-informed, his season three road trip will have shown him the true nature of things. He'll spend the next few years learning on the job, slowly growing into greatness. Initially, there would be problems, as in the first scenario, but they would be overcome. Such a story would be a mix of political intrigue and personal growth.
The third, as Drakensis says, is that he is much more than he seems. Growing up under Long Feng's control, he learnt his methods well, and surpassed them. He may even have turned the table on Feng, manipulating him into a fatal clash with the Avatar. Now he is the spider at the centre of a web, spreading across a continent, and why stop there? Marry Azula, and he can secretly rule the world, while letting the Fire Nation take the blame for any unpleasantness - not that he wants power, of course; he's just protecting his territory in the much efficient way possible.
If he's exactly what he seems, there's a vacuum at the heart of the Earth Kingdom and, with the war over, nothing holding it together. No one thinks of themselves as an Earth Kingdomer first and foremost after all; their loyalties lies with smaller units - tribes, towns, regiments. All things fall apart, and the centre cannot hold. Rock, stressed by the long fire, crumbles into gravel, and is dust, scattered on the wind.
If he's competent, just ill-informed, his season three road trip will have shown him the true nature of things. He'll spend the next few years learning on the job, slowly growing into greatness. Initially, there would be problems, as in the first scenario, but they would be overcome. Such a story would be a mix of political intrigue and personal growth.
The third, as Drakensis says, is that he is much more than he seems. Growing up under Long Feng's control, he learnt his methods well, and surpassed them. He may even have turned the table on Feng, manipulating him into a fatal clash with the Avatar. Now he is the spider at the centre of a web, spreading across a continent, and why stop there? Marry Azula, and he can secretly rule the world, while letting the Fire Nation take the blame for any unpleasantness - not that he wants power, of course; he's just protecting his territory in the much efficient way possible.
Yet another idea. Goddamn bunnies.
Inspired somewhat by this fic (note, I do not suggest reading more of that fic than is necessary to understand the general premise. YMMV). For those who don't want to risk it: Aang-Azula, enabled by convenient amnesia on Aang's part.
Now personally, I think that this is better reversed. Let's say that at the end of The Chase, with Iroh zapped and Azula escaping under cover of some fairly indiscriminate blasting by Toph, Aang, Katara and Zuko; Sokka happened to lob his boomerang at her and managed to whack her on the head on the return loop (possibly it runs in the family). Since she had no helmet or anything, this neatly knocks her out.
Not feeling it would be advisable to leave her with Zuko (who is acting rather aggressively as a result of Iroh's injury), the team carry her off, planning to leave her at the next town in a random act of mercy. However, when she wakes she has - in accordance with dramatic cliche - no idea who they are and only a vague notion of who she is. When asked why she (an obvious Fire Nation noblewoman) is in the company of such a disparate group, Sokka tells her she's Aang's girlfriend: partly to cover it and partly because he knows that it will wind Katara up.
Of course, one lie quickly piles on top of the other and Azula soon has the functional idea that she joined Team Avatar at Omashu and is in the early stages of a star-crossed romance with Aang. She's aware that she has a father who she is defying, and a brother intent on capturing Aang (none of the team have a good handle on Zuko's status at this time). Meanwhile Ty Lee and Mai are chasing after the group, trying to rescue Azula (somewhat sabotaged by the fact that neither is willing to actually interupt Azula when she's having alone time with Aang (Ty Lee because it's sweet, Mai because she's concerned sappiness might be catching)).
Note that although Azula is re-establishing a personality as a 'good' person, she's no less determined and only marginally less capable. Ba Sing Se would probably unfold drastically differently with her along:
Zuko would probably discover what Azula's been doing (Aang) while in Ba Sing Se and feel some reluctant obligation to intervene, although he's uncertain who he would be saving from whom. Iroh is of course, glad to give the happy couple his blessing.
Of course, since things would be going entirely too well, Azula should recover pertinent memories at some point after this and leave the group. By this point however, her defection has been recognised and she's a wanted fugitive from the Fire Nation. The defense of 'temporary insanity due to getting hit on the head with a boomerang' probably won't work and while she's very angry with Team Avatar, it's not as if they exploited her particularly...
Azula: Why didn't you rescue me earlier!
Mai: There was too much suction between your lips and the Avatar's.
Ty Lee: And then there was untangling your tongue from his tonsils. So was he a good kisser?
Azula: (thinks back)
Mai: Azula, it's been ten minutes, are you going to answer the question?
Azula: How hard would it be for you to unrescue me?
So, after careful deliberation she goes back to establish a new dynamic with the group. Azula, after all, is an excellent planner and she knows what she wants.
Azula: Um ... hi? Azula here. *waves awkwardly*
Aang: You came back! (beat) Why?
Azula: If I go home I'm a wanted traitor in the hands of the Fire Lord's officials. If I stay here I'm a wanted traitor in the company of the best chance there is of overthrowing the Fire Lord.
Aang: ...oh.
Azula: Also, I was your prisoner for months and didn't get ravished even once. It's outrageous and I demand that you make up for lost time, Aang!
Azula: (making notes) Sokka is annoying and ineffectual, but good at making plans. Keep him around as an advisor when I'm Fire Lord. Katara is sweet, kind and gentle. Also makes eyes at Aang when she thinks I'm not looking. Kill her with Fire. Toph...
Katara: I can hear you, you know.
Azula: Just fantisizing idly. I'm sure you're an expert on that.
Inspired somewhat by this fic (note, I do not suggest reading more of that fic than is necessary to understand the general premise. YMMV). For those who don't want to risk it: Aang-Azula, enabled by convenient amnesia on Aang's part.
Now personally, I think that this is better reversed. Let's say that at the end of The Chase, with Iroh zapped and Azula escaping under cover of some fairly indiscriminate blasting by Toph, Aang, Katara and Zuko; Sokka happened to lob his boomerang at her and managed to whack her on the head on the return loop (possibly it runs in the family). Since she had no helmet or anything, this neatly knocks her out.
Not feeling it would be advisable to leave her with Zuko (who is acting rather aggressively as a result of Iroh's injury), the team carry her off, planning to leave her at the next town in a random act of mercy. However, when she wakes she has - in accordance with dramatic cliche - no idea who they are and only a vague notion of who she is. When asked why she (an obvious Fire Nation noblewoman) is in the company of such a disparate group, Sokka tells her she's Aang's girlfriend: partly to cover it and partly because he knows that it will wind Katara up.
Of course, one lie quickly piles on top of the other and Azula soon has the functional idea that she joined Team Avatar at Omashu and is in the early stages of a star-crossed romance with Aang. She's aware that she has a father who she is defying, and a brother intent on capturing Aang (none of the team have a good handle on Zuko's status at this time). Meanwhile Ty Lee and Mai are chasing after the group, trying to rescue Azula (somewhat sabotaged by the fact that neither is willing to actually interupt Azula when she's having alone time with Aang (Ty Lee because it's sweet, Mai because she's concerned sappiness might be catching)).
Note that although Azula is re-establishing a personality as a 'good' person, she's no less determined and only marginally less capable. Ba Sing Se would probably unfold drastically differently with her along:
Zuko would probably discover what Azula's been doing (Aang) while in Ba Sing Se and feel some reluctant obligation to intervene, although he's uncertain who he would be saving from whom. Iroh is of course, glad to give the happy couple his blessing.
Of course, since things would be going entirely too well, Azula should recover pertinent memories at some point after this and leave the group. By this point however, her defection has been recognised and she's a wanted fugitive from the Fire Nation. The defense of 'temporary insanity due to getting hit on the head with a boomerang' probably won't work and while she's very angry with Team Avatar, it's not as if they exploited her particularly...
Azula: Why didn't you rescue me earlier!
Mai: There was too much suction between your lips and the Avatar's.
Ty Lee: And then there was untangling your tongue from his tonsils. So was he a good kisser?
Azula: (thinks back)
Mai: Azula, it's been ten minutes, are you going to answer the question?
Azula: How hard would it be for you to unrescue me?
So, after careful deliberation she goes back to establish a new dynamic with the group. Azula, after all, is an excellent planner and she knows what she wants.
Azula: Um ... hi? Azula here. *waves awkwardly*
Aang: You came back! (beat) Why?
Azula: If I go home I'm a wanted traitor in the hands of the Fire Lord's officials. If I stay here I'm a wanted traitor in the company of the best chance there is of overthrowing the Fire Lord.
Aang: ...oh.
Azula: Also, I was your prisoner for months and didn't get ravished even once. It's outrageous and I demand that you make up for lost time, Aang!
Azula: (making notes) Sokka is annoying and ineffectual, but good at making plans. Keep him around as an advisor when I'm Fire Lord. Katara is sweet, kind and gentle. Also makes eyes at Aang when she thinks I'm not looking. Kill her with Fire. Toph...
Katara: I can hear you, you know.
Azula: Just fantisizing idly. I'm sure you're an expert on that.
Evil...yea, I could see that happening.
Bloodbend Azula into a guy? Don't think the process works that way. The limited exposure you see of the stuff is essentially tugging on the water inside a person's body and the body coming along for the ride. I have yet to see any sort of evidence it can change the shape or build of someone.
Now seeing Katara TRY to impliment such a thing...not so hard to swallow. Just saying success is prolly not going to happen.
Bloodbend Azula into a guy? Don't think the process works that way. The limited exposure you see of the stuff is essentially tugging on the water inside a person's body and the body coming along for the ride. I have yet to see any sort of evidence it can change the shape or build of someone.
Now seeing Katara TRY to impliment such a thing...not so hard to swallow. Just saying success is prolly not going to happen.
But it'd be amusing as this comic shows....
http://www.kdingo.net/champ/pics/main.php?g2_itemId=6498
http://www.kdingo.net/champ/pics/main.php?g2_itemId=6528
http://www.kdingo.net/champ/pics/main.php?g2_itemId=6629
http://www.kdingo.net/champ/pics/main.php?g2_itemId=6498
http://www.kdingo.net/champ/pics/main.php?g2_itemId=6528
http://www.kdingo.net/champ/pics/main.php?g2_itemId=6629
Yet another idea (damn you muse, don't you know I'm on a schedule here!)
Canonically Azula beat Zuko in the agni kai to be Fire Lord. Okay, she did so by aiming her lightning at Katara, but fact is: she won.
And then Katara spanked her quite efficiently in single combat.
Now, granted, Azula had just fought a fairly extended duel, so she wasn't at her best. But Sozin's Comet was still in the sky, so she still had hugely overpowering firebending.
Now let's suppose that Zuko died from that lightning strike. Not at all implausible: it was intended to be lethal.
Iroh doesn't want the throne. Zuko's dead and none of Team Avatar want Azula as Fire Lord, even assuming she was coherent. But the alternative is civil war... unless someone of fearsome power were to exercise whatever trival claim (say, having beaten the previous Firelord within an inch of her life) they have with the full backing of the rest of the world.
All hail Firelord Katara.
Canonically Azula beat Zuko in the agni kai to be Fire Lord. Okay, she did so by aiming her lightning at Katara, but fact is: she won.
And then Katara spanked her quite efficiently in single combat.
Now, granted, Azula had just fought a fairly extended duel, so she wasn't at her best. But Sozin's Comet was still in the sky, so she still had hugely overpowering firebending.
Now let's suppose that Zuko died from that lightning strike. Not at all implausible: it was intended to be lethal.
Iroh doesn't want the throne. Zuko's dead and none of Team Avatar want Azula as Fire Lord, even assuming she was coherent. But the alternative is civil war... unless someone of fearsome power were to exercise whatever trival claim (say, having beaten the previous Firelord within an inch of her life) they have with the full backing of the rest of the world.
All hail Firelord Katara.
In practice, Iroh would reluctantly take the throne. The other options are hunting through the family trees for the nearest surviving relative, or having Aang appoint a Fire Lord by fiat, both potentially disastrous. With Iroh, the Fire Nation has twenty years to find a sane competent heir.
Now, if by ancient law and custom, any bystander treacherously attacked during an agni kai who successfully kill their attacker inherits all the titles and possessions of said attacker, then Katara is stuck with the title - and customs can be arbitrarily crazy.
Under those circumstances, after a few weeks of Fire Lady Katara, she manages to invoke some ancient law or custom that lets her pass the title on to someone more suitable, without haveing to die - but there's a slight mishap in the ceremony. Ail hail Fire Lord Toph.
Another few weeks of mayhem, another messed-up ceremony, and Fire Lord Sokka takes the throne, and so on - getting more absurd each time. Fire Lord Momo, anyone?
Now, if by ancient law and custom, any bystander treacherously attacked during an agni kai who successfully kill their attacker inherits all the titles and possessions of said attacker, then Katara is stuck with the title - and customs can be arbitrarily crazy.
Under those circumstances, after a few weeks of Fire Lady Katara, she manages to invoke some ancient law or custom that lets her pass the title on to someone more suitable, without haveing to die - but there's a slight mishap in the ceremony. Ail hail Fire Lord Toph.
Another few weeks of mayhem, another messed-up ceremony, and Fire Lord Sokka takes the throne, and so on - getting more absurd each time. Fire Lord Momo, anyone?
Well, aside from being funny, that would probably provoke the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes to provide a similar harem, to prevent th Fire Nation from having a monopoly on Avatar Nookie.
Possible scenarios/effects:
-Katara getting jealous
-Toph's parents throwing her in, Ty Lee could be another option, as their noble families might want to curry favor as well.
-Maybe Azula gets thrown is, to keep her away from th Fire Nation, and if anyone can keeps her under control, it's Aang.
-Harem auditons in American Idol style.
-Sokka teaching Aang abotu how to treat a woman right. Bonus points for cheesyness. Iroh would be another option for this.
Possible scenarios/effects:
-Katara getting jealous
-Toph's parents throwing her in, Ty Lee could be another option, as their noble families might want to curry favor as well.
-Maybe Azula gets thrown is, to keep her away from th Fire Nation, and if anyone can keeps her under control, it's Aang.
-Harem auditons in American Idol style.
-Sokka teaching Aang abotu how to treat a woman right. Bonus points for cheesyness. Iroh would be another option for this.