I was thinking a lot about this moment. Somehow it feels like the agni kai was a watershed moment not only for Zuko, but also for Iroh.
I think this something that Iroh is intensely ashamed about – and is the source of all the patience he has with Zuko and his determination to make things right for him.
Because Zuko’s scar is not just a testament of Ozai’s cruelty as a father, but is a scar on the soul of the entire Fire Nation.
Their supreme ruler publicly mutilates on his own son, a 13-year old child, who merely spoke the truth about a nation that in a quest for power has lost perspective on the worth of human life – and everyone cheers.
The scarring and humiliation of the young prince (who should be really the symbol of the future to his people) is a grotesque public spectacle.
And Iroh, who was once next in line to leading these people, former great war hero, one of the most powerful benders, and still one of the nation’s leaders – all he can do is to look away.
The boy who spoke the truth, who stood up for kindness, who tries to do the right thing, who refuses to fight his own father, who begs for forgiveness – he faces completely alone his horrible punishment, and nobody speaks up for him.
And I think this is Iroh’s moment of truth – that disagreeing privately is not enough, he cannot look away anymore. He realizes that healing this boy could be the chance to heal the Fire Nation, that he is maybe destined to be their leader, but not from the throne of the Fire Lord. He has to get Zuko through this trauma and show him kindness, love and acceptance in a way he has never experienced it. He has to teach him that speaking up and saying sorry should not and will not lead to harsh punishment, that kindness is not weakness and cruelty is not strength; that honor is not violence, but doing the right thing.
have you considered that Kara was really into music as a child because well, she couldn’t exactly be into sports with her powers, after all, and she is the only one with knowledge of Kryptonian music. If she doesn’t learn to play it herself, then she will never hear it again. And the instruments aren’t quite the same, but they’re similar enough that when she plays for a moment she can fool herself into believing that her parents would just be right there when she looked up
Okay, I like your thought. (I meant it when I was stalking your blog tags and that you have awesome thoughts)
Have you also considered that it is through music, through playing music, that Kara being to gain and later hones her control? Music is sound but it’s also touch. It’s vibration and force and knowing exactly what pressure or exhale is required to strike the note right. It’s in knowing how much to manipulate or adjust that resulting sound to produce something even greater.
Kara is awkward and anxious, but she’s not a klutz. She’s managed -in ten years- to go from suddenly having super-strength, speed, and senses to having pretty damned good control of them. While growing, while experiencing this new, alien world around her. And while, you know, dealing with the grief of losing everything she’s ever known including her remaining purpose in life.
Headcanon: if Kara learns and/or teaches herself music, this is one of the ways she finds to hone her control and mastery over her abilities on the finer end of the scale. This still leaves the upper spectrum as relatively inexperienced, which works into canon. (And @mysteriousangstninja, this would totally work in with one of those ideas we’ve been talking about.)
Which then leads me to the inevitable: Kara’s got a lot of nervous actions, we already know that, but add that with an inclination towards music, towards touch and rhythm and the soothing pattern edged out with finger tips? Kara’s always going to be hesitant with her strength, but one thing she learned from music was how to touch lightly. It tends to be lost on most, who think it’s insignificant from how faint it is. It’s barely there and everyone is too busy to really pay attention. But imagine someone who isn’t. Someone who stops and takes the time and realises that Kara’s got an unfathomable gentleness about her touch. She can make instruments sing, can draw the most exquisite of hums from string and marvels at each percussive vibration. Drums and strings and woodwinds are all amazing, but its humans who make Kara light up with delight.
Of course, now I think I want a musician AU, but I’m pretty sure I’d be happy in seeing any form of musical!Kara played out.
# oh my god i love this so much # like there is also a kind of safety in fame too # because it is so much harder to disappear a famous person than it is an anonymous one # one who is beloved by the public and would have more than one person fight for them # like alex would worry both more and less because there are so many people watching kara # that can easily see her lose control but at the same time so many people watching her means alex can relax just a littel bit more # because kara being america’s sweetheart kind of thing # and music is something that kara doesnt have to feel guilty about using her powers for # or thinking it gives her an unfair advt compared to like maybe an athlete or something because the part of music it is for other people # and i’m just assuming here kara is at least somewhat famous # like has a p specific following
Question of Smoke 