AN: I do not own any part of the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe except the crazy ideas I may write about for your viewing pleasure.
July, 28th, 2011:
Someone asked me what my 'true' moral to Everything really was intended to be. So, after much back-and-forth banter I've decided to illuminate the quandary that the Avatar's title and duty holds in the World.
The Avatar is a reincarnation of a previous self which is illustrated in the canon as an endless line of forms. Aang, Roku, Kyoshi, Kuruk, and Yangchen are but five forms of an infinite design to keep balance in the world. Balance does not have to mean stagnation; however, the World is rapidly advanced under the siege of the Fire Nation during the Hundred Year War. Look to the hot-air balloons which were invented as weapons of war. Look to the drill meant to pierce Ba Sing-Se which was invented for war. After the war these machines and devices could be used for air travel and mining exploration. Sure a platoon of earthbenders could tunnel out a mountain range for easier travel, but what do the non-benders do if no earthbender can or will lend a hand?
The disparity level between the benders and the non-benders is staggering. Sure, Sokka and the other non-benders during the Solar Eclipse Invasion managed to accomplish a lot without needing to bend. However, they were aided by new advances of technology which the war had brought about. Further, that war would not have been possible without an imbalance between the Four Nations. If it is the Avatar's duty to prevent such imbalance, it is a reasonable and logical extension that it is also the Avatar's duty to prevent advancement: thus stagnation.
Everything is funny and humor-filled, but it is my humor. I find it hilarious that the show is so beloved when in reality the above paragraph is the only logical conclusion of the created world. It is dark humor. It is irony to a high degree which makes me cackle senselessly for hours at the thought.
It is this same humor and conclusion which made me write Everything. Originally I ended on the very vague 'battle of the sexes', but that didn't convey the message I wanted. Thus the added material, and now the material explaining the added material.
So let us dig deeper now, shall we? If it is Aang's duty to keep balance, and Katara promotes a new world order; who do we want to win? The answer I gave that circular question and reasoning is that nobody wins! If the world remains balanced and peaceful you may never grow, but you never do another a mortal injustice. However, if you propagate the advancement of mankind then things must come unbalanced and more likely that the setting will be right for mortal injustices, yet also that propagation means a 'better' world for mankind to live in.
There is no 'right' or 'True' answer. The only real answer we can formulate is that it is a matter of opinion and the majority of opinions changes over the course of time; meaning that the 'right' answer can differ from Monday and Friday.
In such a scenario, Aang and Katara only represent two ideals which people can follow, and only by breaking them down (killing them off) and moving beyond the two can you come to understand the conflict and the resolution.
I've spoken so much of the conflict, that I've never given you the resolution. There is a reason for this withholding. My resolution is only my resolution to the conundrum, and that does not make it 'right', 'True', or even 'valid'.
There, I have answered your bloody, incessant questions about the nature of this story. Now go home and review my fricken' stories instead of nagging me with private messages! GAHHHH!