Maiko - Blog Posts
Oh, this is such a cute copy of my pro-maiko post!
But anyway maiko ended up together, since Zuko's only daughter and heir to the throne is his and Mai's child (even named after a fountain), too bad! I hope you're living well and comfortably in your delulu world.
But now I know that my anti-zutara posts somehow get into your feed (unless you intentionally look for them), and they upset you so much that you go out of your way to make anti-maiko clones of them, not even being able to find the original picture with the SpongeBob. Can't lie, it's very cute🥹
Ashes of the Academy is on point about Mai and Zuko not being back together yet mostly because the comic takes place around a year after Smoke and Shadow. And the writer of Smoke and Shadow did say they will get together again after three years after Smoke and Shadow right? that means 2 years after Ashes of the Academy. I personally loved seeing Mai's development and her chosen career for the future. It sounds cute being Izumi's teacher at the academy and teasing her.
I do want a comic about them getting back together though. Maybe if there is a Zuko movie? or comic it doesn't matter. they do need to conclude the Fire Nation and Azula's arc.
so tired of people rushing their relationship. they’re getting back together either way and it’s best for mai and zuko to take their time.
Ashes of the Academy is on point about Mai and Zuko not being back together yet mostly because the comic takes place around a year after Smoke and Shadow. And the writer of Smoke and Shadow did say they will get together again after three years after Smoke and Shadow right? that means 2 years after Ashes of the Academy. I personally loved seeing Mai's development and her chosen career for the future. It sounds cute being Izumi's teacher at the academy and teasing her.
I do want a comic about them getting back together though. Maybe if there is a Zuko movie? or comic it doesn't matter. they do need to conclude the Fire Nation and Azula's arc.
zuko making up for his past mistakes in his relationship with mai. everything is basically set for them to begin their relationship again after a while and y’all say they won’t be endgame 🤦♀️
well, Ashes of The Academy was such a nice read. this part in particular stayed with me because it reminded me of their argument during the Beach episode and looked at them now learning to trust and resolve their disagreements in a healthy way 😚
Of course, this is the generation that will lead the Fire Nation down a better path.
Now I wish we had more of this. a whole series of Mai continuing to find her purpose. Starting first with teaching and then perhaps other aspects of Fire Nation society too.
the last but no the least alta power couple, completing the series ~
love them all 💚💙🧡
Mai and Azula – Twin Snakes
ASHES OF THE ACADEMY MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD UNDER THE CUT
The main theme explored in Ashes of the Academy is how censorship and toxic nationalist values are imposed upon the young girls of the Royal Fire Academy, and how it impacts their relationships with each other. The main relationship that is explored here is the friendship between Mai and Azula, who in my opinion, have one of the most underrated and nuanced relationships in the whole show. Two girls on the wrong side of the war with different motivations. Mai’s ultimate betrayal of Azula at the Boiling Rock has surprised and perplexed viewers for years, and I think Ashes of the Academy *tries* to shine a little bit of light into their complex and murky relationship, and also seems to point towards a bigger plot for Azula.
Whether or not Mai and Azula were ever friends is something that keeps me up at night. Some fans over the years have guessed that Mai’s father, Ukano, is the main reason that Mai is part of Azula’s inner circle-- something that is confirmed in Ashes.
Ukano is the one who pressures Mai into this friendship despite her reservations. Azula’s cruel actions are immediately off-putting to Mai, but she obeys her father. They don’t really become “friends,” but rather, Mai’s knife throwing abilities recommend her to Azula as an asset. In my opinion, they both seem well aware of the circumstances surrounding their “friendship.”
After that we see a few instances of Azula being cruel to their other friends, and her manipulation eventually results in two girls having an Agni Kai. Mai initially believes that the fight won’t happen because Hong and Peijing (the other girls) are friends, and that the headmistresses will interfere and put a stop to the fighting—which they do not.
Once the fight is over, the headmistress asks the girls what the takeaway lesson is, and this is Azula’s response.
These flashbacks show us that in hindsight, Mai and Azula were destined to have a rocky friendship because of the values they learned at the Royal Fire Academy. (DOOMED FROM THE START I’M SICK) Do I think this means they were never friends? No. Personally, I think it would be impossible to hang out with someone for so many years and not have any meaningful moments together. I think they were friends to a certain degree, but did not hold deep affection and care for each other. But honestly between both of their emotional repression it can be hard to tell. I’ve gone back and forth over it a lot. They’re both clever, and I think were aware that their friendship was always going to be weakened by the fact that it’s based on their ulterior motives. This results in the events of The Boiling Rock and Azula’s eventual paranoid breakdown.
Not only are the girls a product of the academy, but they are a product of their HORRIBLE fathers. Ukano and Ozai are the ultimate orchestrators, and I see too many criticisms projected onto the girls rather than these absolute rats. Their fathers mold them into an extremely harmful pairing.
We see Ukano intimidating Mai into obedience by telling her she needs to befriend powerful people for her protection. He teaches her to comply with those in power.
Ozai on the other hand has a lot of political, military, and firebending power that he uses against people. Wielding power is a behavior he teaches and REQUIRES of Azula.
Mai is taught to comply with power, Azula is taught how to use it. They are both manipulated by their fathers, and are both products of the Fire Nation and the Royal Academy for Girls. So how have they ended up in such different places?
First, Ozai is leaps and bounds worse than Ukano. Ukano is a cowardly little rat man, but is nowhere near Ozai’s level of cruelty and abuse. We see how he treats Zuko and Azula. We are shown throughout the show how evil of a man he is. Azula has much deeper wounds, and has a much longer journey back to redemption.
Secondly, and most importantly, Mai has Zuko (and Ty Lee!). Whether you ship Maiko or not, whether you think they’re endgame or not, it is canonically true that at one point they really cared about each other. It always frustrates me when people claim that “Mai never really feared Azula” because it completely undermines the intentions of both Mai AND Azula. Mai IS afraid of and intimidated by Azula, because she’s been taught to be. Azula DOES want Mai to be afraid of her, because fear and power are her insurance against betrayal. When Mai ultimately decides that her love for Zuko is more powerful AND more important than her fear of Azula, everything crumbles. In my opinion, this is Mai’s revelation and her turning point. This is the act that mentally breaks her out of the toxicity of the Fire Nation, the Academy, and her relationship with Azula. I think Ty Lee saving her by betraying Azula in turn immediately reinforces this revelation, because she sees firsthand how true friendship (or love for my MaiLee shippers out there!) can overcome fear.
For Azula on the other hand, this is her undoing. She always tried to be powerful and fearsome so that she would always be able to overcome anyone who betrayed her. In my opinion, the actual act of being betrayed by Mai is not what shocks Azula, but rather the pain it causes her. The fact that she has spent her whole life trying to grow powerful and fearsome enough to be above the possibility and pain of betrayal and ultimately fails?? This leads to her unravelling. The power and values instilled in her are not enough to protect her from pain, even though they seemed to be enough before. There’s also the compounding betrayals of her mother, father, Iroh, Zuko, and pretty much everyone else that destroy her. Azula analysis is so complex I can’t even begin to do it justice here. I am depending and COUNTING ON a good Azula story in the future because she is so tragic and is overdue for her story.
Between the two, I think Mai is simply luckier with her circumstances and relationships. To me, this parallels Zuko’s relationship with Azula as well. He is able to learn and heal because he had Iroh, and I think the same can be said for Mai. To me, that is why she can accept these new values and have a desire for change much quicker than Azula. Do I think her changed worldview absolves her of wrongdoing? NOOOOOO!!! Despite the material that’s given to her, Mai is a complex character who is unlearning years of compliance and deeply instilled values. Not many people have ever really valued her as a person, and she is coping (badly) with the effects of that. Ukano’s involvement does not free her from blame, and I think Mai herself is still wrestling with her past actions. By agreeing to be a teacher, she is trying to help undo the harm that she caused, and the harm that was done to her.
The story has a hopeful ending with Mai finding something that gives her a sense of intrinsic fulfillment and value. Something that will hopefully help her heal from years of being used by other people. I can only hope Azula’s turn will be next.
Overall, I think Ashes of the Academy was trying to give us insight into several of the other factors that shaped Mai’s and Azula’s friendship, which it does… to a certain extent. In my opinion, all of the grace extended to Mai in this comic is grace that should also be extended to Azula in future material. I am deeply hopeful that they are trying to set up an eventual redemption for Azula, although the path is rocky so far, and they seem determined to heap tragedy on Azula with every new comic. Ashes takes several unnecessary whacks at Azula in my opinion, and then on the next page is soft on Mai. I can’t tell if this is on purpose and they are doing Azula SO dirty, or if the comments about her are coming off harsher than intended.
All things considered; I enjoyed the comic, but I think it really only scratches the surface. The Mai/Azula puzzle is very captivating to me and is one that I’ll probably think about until the end of time. Their relationship is twisted, and they’ve both caused extremely deep harm to each other. They’re both secretive and calculated, and their stories mirror each other’s in many ways. I think there’s SO much to explore there, but the comic barely takes us there. Mai is a more nuanced character than people give her credit for, and I wish that the comic went a little deeper. But considering that normally we never get Mai content… it was hard not to be excited about any content for her.
Welp we're definitely getting more fire nation food in the future 😂 they are cooking something with Azula, Ty Lee, Mai and Zuko.
People really try and say Katara is Izumi’s mom like honey?? That baby looks nothing like Katara??? Someone got Zuko pregnant and I know for a fact it wasn’t Katara
They don't necessarily say Katara is the mom, but they try to go "Oh, Maiko broke up in the comics, so Mai can't possibly be the mom" even though Izumi literally has the same face.
It's a blatant attempt at downplaying the fact that Zuko chose Mai over Katara or whoever they ship him with.
And let me be clear, I don't mind people just using the character of Izumi, or at least the name, in fics and making her the child of Zuko with some other woman, I do that too. The problem is the blatant denial of reality.
She's a Maiko baby. Plain and simple.
Zuko: Wow, the stars are beautiful.
Katara: Yeah they are.
Zuko: You know who else is beautiful?
Katara: *blushes* Who?
Zuko: Mai.
zutara runnn for your life…
this power couple
Mai really said "I stand with my cancelled husband"
i fucking hate him loll
Zuko has far more restraint than I do.
Because if I was Fire Lord, and this son of a bitch was rubbing it in my face that he was with my ex ... that's an instant Agni-Kai ... or a public execution.
my gosh im so excited im gonna piss my pants ok
Happy Ashes of the Academy Eve to all who celebrate
IHATE KEU LO I HATE KEI LO I HATE LEI LO I HAYE KEI LO I HATE KEI LO I HA
i hate when people treat mai and zukos break up like it was permanent like this is not something you do if you are over your ex im sorry 😭😭
i cant wait to see my favorite divorced couple get back together for the kids
I’d marry you with paper rings
Don’t be ridiculous I’m buying you a diamond
AAAGHHHH
ok, so we all know that mai is the most apathetic character in atla. conquering ba sing se for her is nothing (“just take the bear”), “victory is boring”, colorfulness “making her nauseous”.
she always complains about how bored she is, hates almost everything/everyone and nothing/no one can make her smile.
and THEN this ‘emotionless-cold-flat-gloomy-whatever’ girl aka ’the most bored/impassive person in the universe’ cuddles around zuko, chuckles and says that would be IMPRESSIVE if he finds a fruit tart for her.
impressive.
freaking fruit tart.
and she looks at him with such fondness as if he’d already given her the whole world and even more.
if that’s not love, then I don’t know what is.
so sick of “the comics didn’t happen!” “i don’t consider them canon!” grow up omd yeah they weren’t perfect but so fucking what 🤦♀️
Don't play with maiko fans. They..... hate their own ship, apparently?
found some pics from my IG posts (i ran a maiko fan account on IG a long time ago). thought you might wanna see it
Ah yes. Me. My boyfriend. And his 500 pound nine foot long baby dragon.
One of my favourite ship specific dynamics is when Mai is broken up with/aloof or mean towards Zuko and he's just there teasing her/being vaguely flirty
i hate zutara and taang 🔥🔥🗣️
anyway… maiko and kataang > > >
save me characters who are still hated and mischaracterized in 2024 for the sake of a fanon ship save meeeee
i can’t they’re so cute my goth children 💔💔
i adore maiko 🫶🏼
ah yes i'm still reading nonsense in the atla tags
calling mai a “toxic” and “bad” girlfriend and aang "abusive/misogynist" but gushing over zuko tying katara to a tree and bargaining her dead mothers necklace.
interesting.