I kept telling myself that I wouldn't write a ranting essay about the shipping war.  It's quite pointless, really, seeing as there's only seven or eight episodes left in the entire series.  Yet, here I am, writing away.  However, before I actually start, I would just like to say that I am going to try and stay as neutral as possible.  Also, this will most likely contain spoilers.

I figured I would start off with the ship that creates the most controversy: Zutara.  I have nothing against the ship, or those who ship it; I just find it to be highly impossible to happen.  From what I've noticed, a lot of Zutara fans look for details and symbolism in the show- which is great.  I like to analyze the show, too.  However, Avatar is a children's show.  Most seven year olds won't analyze a cartoon, looking for connections between to characters.  Though, I must admit that Mike and Bryan have noted the amount of older kids and adults that watch the show, and I think in an interview they've stated that they stopped caring too much about the content in the show.  But, you still need to keep in mind that Avatar is a Nickelodeon show- the same network where Sponge Bob is played.

I have also noticed among Zutarians that they hate Mai.  Not all of them, but the general community of Zutara shippers.  They state their reasons: She's boring, she's apathetic, she has no emotion, etcetera . . . Honestly, is that a good reason to dislike a character?  Or do Zutara shippers not like Mai because she was with Zuko, and it wasn't Katara with Zuko?  Well, that would make sense. There's nothing wrong with disliking a character- I myself was quite pleased to see the last of Jet.  Though, out of my own hypocrisy, I cannot give any valid reasons as to why I didn't like him.  But, that's slightly off-track from what I've been saying.  

Now, there are a lot of people- not just Zutarians- who believe that in the note Zuko left for Mai, he completely broke up with her.  Yes, he left her.  It's as simple as that.  However, I was daydreaming the other day in math class, and thought, "What if in the note, Zuko was asking for Mai's help?  What if, Zuko wanted Mai to act as a spy?"  Well, that would be completely absurd.  It was my own thought, and I still think it’s completely absurd.  However, Mike and Bryan have led us to believe one thing, then having everything turn out differently than thought, so we shouldn’t rule out all possibilities just yet.

Wow, I spent quite a lot of time rambling on about Zutara.  It was a complete waste of time, most likely, but all shipping rants are.

You probably think that I am going into Kataang now or Maiko now, right?  Well, no.  Tokka, actually.  In my opinion, Tokka is incredibly adorable.  From Toph’s perspective, at least.  Because really, would a sixteen year old have a crush on a twelve year old?  It’s possible, I suppose, but not coming from Sokka.  From what I’ve seen through message boards and fan fictions, most Tokka fans only want Toph to be happy.  They’re okay with Sukka happening, just as long as Toph is completely happy with it.  I find, however, that to be quite inconsiderate of Suki’s feelings.  Basically what Tokka shippers are saying- to be somewhat blunt- they are quite content with Suki coming back from wherever Azula had her held prisoner, torn and broken, only to find that her lover left her for a twelve year old.  Now that just doesn’t seem fair. Suki was there first- it’s as simple as that.  But, we don’t know for 100% fact that Suki is alive, therefore I really shouldn’t be saying things.

Howbeit, if in fact Azula was not lying when she was talking about Suki during The Day Of Black Sun episodes, then my theory on The Boiling Rock episodes could be plausible.  For those of you who wish to stay clear of the Nickelodeon site, one of their new games was called The Boiling Rock Rescue, or something of the sort.  You were Zuko, and you had to get all of the keys in order to rescue all of the prisoners, and keep from getting caught by the guards.  It was a pretty bad game in my opinion, but it did give insight to the next episodes.  I came up with the theory that The Boiling Rock is a prison in the Fire Nation [because the guards in the game were clad in Fire Nation uniforms] and the ‘Gaang’ goes to rescue the prisoners from the eclipse, along with Suki and the other Kyoshi warriors.  It’s also possible that Zuko knows his way around the prison, since you were playing his character in the game.

In addition to this theory, a picture was seen as a ‘what if’ by I think an artist in the show, and it was seen as Zuko sitting in a chair, his close torn and his head in his hands.  Next to him, leaning casually against the wall, was Mai.  This little sketch was merely for amusement, but there is also a chance that it could really happen.  If Zuko does know his way around the prison, and is the one rescuing everyone, then he could easily get caught.  If caught, then Zuko would, obviously, be taken as a prisoner.  Mai could have, possibly, extracted a key to his cell from Azula, and gone down to pay him a little visit.  My guess is that she would be talking to him about why he left, and why he never came out and told her what was wrong.  That’s only if my theory was in any way true.

Going back into Zutara, some shippers feel that Mai didn’t care for Zuko.  Well, really that she just wanted the ‘old’ Zuko.  The ‘old’ Zuko was who he was trying to be.  It didn’t work out, obviously, but Zuko never told Mai that he thought the Avatar was still alive, that he felt guilty for betraying his uncle, or anything else.  Though, he did say at the end of Nightmares and Daydreams that he wasn’t himself during the war meeting.  Of course, that’s all we heard.  Before he said that, however, Zuko had said that he was the ‘perfect prince’ and got to sit right next to his father.  Because Zuko lacked in communication with Mai, she assumed that that’s what he wanted, therefore being happy for him.  You cannot blame Mai for Zuko’s faults.

I would love to go into more details about Zutara, and Maiko, even Kataang, but that would last ages.  So before I conclude this pointless and absurd Avatar shipping rant/essay type thing, I have one last thing to say:

Azulee.  Tyzula.  Ty Lee x Azula.  Azula x Ty Lee.  Whatever you want to call.  It’s so cannon.  The reasons as to why it’s cannon … well, I’ll that ship for another pointless ranting essay.  If I ever feel the need to waste my time, that is.