Hot Take: Mai Might Not Have A Flashy Backstory But Shes Still An Incredibly Strong And Complex Character.

Hot take: Mai might not have a flashy backstory but she’s still an incredibly strong and complex character. As someone who’s grown up with pressure and high expectations I relate to Mai refusing to feel anything.

I love Maiko because Zuko helps Mai learn that expressing herself is ok and Mai helps Zuko understand and control his anger. Zuko wasn’t paired with a “depressing” or “flat” character who would “drag him down,” he’s paired with another nuanced character who helps him grow and is a good narrative foil for him.

They could never make me hate Maiko when Mai was willing to die for him and Zuko looks like a dopey puppy every time she is involved and Mai will let her walls down around him and Zuko is the only one who can earnestly make her laugh and Mai threw mud at him when they were kids and Zuko was so ready to jump to her defense when Azula lit a apple on fire on her head and Mai can touch his scar like it’s not even there and Zuko thinks she’s so beautiful when she hates the world and Mai trusts him so implicitly that she’d betray her nation, friends, and family for him and Zukos only regret when leaving the fire nation was also leaving her and Mai tries her hardest to work past her own issues to support him in his struggles and Zuko genuinely loves it when she expresses herself and Mai who doesn’t like hugs will be so cuddly and touchy only with him and Zuko knows she doesn’t need anyone to protect her and Mai loves him more than she fears Azula…

Maiko the ship that you are… they could never make me hate you

so what and who do we have to sacrifice to see this concept happen….

Just thinking about how Zuko really does look at Mai like she is his sun, moon, and his entire universe. It is rare screenshots like this that really show how much the artists put into showing the amount of love Zuko has for Mai.

long hair zuko lives in my head rent free

Mai and Izumi playing with turtleducks?

If you feel like, of course

say no more u_u