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WolvenBane08 β MMRP Azula
Published: 2014-03-24 03:27:28 +0000 UTC; Views: 1093; Favourites: 18; Downloads: 3
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Description
The COMPLETED sketch of Azula for the RP going on over at Mai-Multiverse.She's one of the characters I'm RPing (well, my headcanon version of her, anyway...who is 20-21). I thought I'd give her some new threads to go with her...evolved and matured personality.Β
I based it off of Bryke's sketch of the grown-up Team Avatar. But, of course, Azlua has to be different than Zuzu...so some of the colors are changed to better suit her.
Azula belongs to Bryke, not me.Β
Though my idea of what a grown-up Azula would be like is, well, mine. Headcanons, amirite?
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Comments: 24
Plz dunt hurt meh azula i didn't meanz it
She looks awesome! Your art is really evolving
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Headcanon Adult Azula is less likely to flash-fry you for no apparent reason. Though half the time I suspect it's because she feels it just isn't worth the effort. XD
Thanks! I'm continually surprising myself every time I sketch something new. It's kinda fun, seeing what I'll come up with next.Β
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It's nice to see headcanons of adult!Azula where she looks like her father (which is the way it should be, if people actually bothered to look at the composition of her face... thank YOU for doing that). 
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She has her dad's face, but her mom's eye-shape. Or at least that's what I tried for, anyway. XD
I agree about Zuzu. Azula more of a warrior than he is, so it makes sense that she'd be the one wearing the more militaristic clothes. Where Zuzu's too peaceful for that, IMO.Β
And THANK YOU! Azula's my favorite character of all time and ANY series, so it means a lot to me to hear you like it!
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Her mom's eye shape? Hmmm, maybe. There's no question she looks overwhelmingly like Ozai, though, even in the show. Like I said, it's something I appreciate, because I've noticed that a lot of artists who do older versions of her seem to try their hardest to make her look like Ursa, and it turns out looking NOTHING like her canon design. I like when people actually work with what the show gives them to create a feasible prospect of what she would look like as an adult, which is what you have done.
Good point about the peace vs. war angle in the choice of clothing, too. That makes a lot of sense!
And since Azula's only 5 feet tall, she probably likes the fact that the armor makes her appear bigger.
You're welcome! She's all kinds of amazing, so it's nice to find a fan who truly appreciates her without lapsing into all kinds of changes to her design and personality. You might be amazed how hard it is to find people like yourself. It's a refreshing change!
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I love her entirely too much as she is to change her. Do I think she can be redeemed? Hell yes! But it won't be a quick thing at all. And the events of the comic make it a lot harder.
But, really, everyone changes and evolves as they grow older. All I'm doing is playing around with how I think Azula would do that.
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I don't like the idea of redemption for her or think it's possible, but to each their own. Then again, I don't like the comic, either. Weird how that works, huh?
"everyone changes and evolves as they grow older"... Eh... not everyone. Mostly true, but not always. My dad hasn't changed much from my earliest memories to now. Some people just... don't. I see Azula as being very resistant to change because she thinks she's perfect and holds divine right to rule. That's not something she'll just toss away. It's a critical part of her personality. But, hey, I like your concept, even if I don't agree with everything.
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I'd disagree personally, the person I was at 14, Azula's age in the show, is completely different than it is now...and without any true major life-changing events (like losing everything due to an incursion, being beaten by your brother in an agni-kai, being imprisoned for years) became a person I would never have suspected I would become.
Honestly I can see after a few years Azula cooling down and eventually even become a close ally in years to come. The GAang gave multiple people seconds chances, I can see them doing the same for Azula. Azula after many years of coming to accept what happened and some more maturity as a person and not just as a general could lead her to become a great ally to Zuko in ruling the Fire Nation as she was raised around politics much more'so than he was. Give it 6 years and Azula could easily be on her feat and a different person.
Everyone deserves a second chance and Azula really never got one in the past, which would be uncharacteristic of the GAang
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Okay. I respect your opinion. But nothing you've said has changed my mind about it. I've heard so many explanations for redemption and haven't been swayed by any of them. As cruel as she was from an early age, I don't find it feasible for her to "see the light" and begin caring genuinely for other people. She lacks compassion. That was a recurrent theme throughout the show and it never changed. We were never given hints toward an honest existential journey for change from this character. People keep saying "oh, she was such and such age", but you realize there are people who start off badly as children and never change, correct? I don't see why this isn't a possibility, yet a heel face turn is not only acceptable by fandom standards, but expected. I think it's just wishful thinking on most fans' parts. You have your opinion and I have mine. All it's going to be is a stalemate because I'm not budging, but thanks for sharing.
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You are all posing interesting thoughts and ideas. I see where you're coming from; however I also think that the show onlyΒ showed the sides of Azula they wanted you to see so she would be the best possible antagonist.
I'd say that based on what we're shown, you have a very good point. She seemed like a sociopath.
But... I can say I did some pretty awful things as a child I wasn't proud of. Β And I have family who did terrible things as children because they didn't understand the meaning behind their actions. Even if she never becomes a "good" person, without the constant head-patting from Daddy approving of her violent behavior, I agree with WolvenBane that she'd have to either find another way to earn the praise that she based her personality around (there were hints of that in how Ozai and Azula interacted), or remain lost in her madness.
I think I see her more as a "never really regains her sanity" type because literally everything she was and is was totally destroyed.
I say that without ever having read the comic though and not having watched Avatar in a really long time. xD
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There really is no way to argue for or against what you said about the show only giving certain sides of Azula because we simply don't know one way or the other. It's a hypothesis. You could be right. We may never know. The only way to know would be to ask Bryke, and that's assuming they would tell us. It could've been framed purposely to leave it open for interpretation. One thing they did say with certainty is that she is a villain, more than just a simple antagonist like Zuko, and she's all about power. That doesn't sound like someone who's going to turn out to be a very nice person later in life.
I'm glad you think I make a good point. I'd like to think so, too. I'm just going off what's been shown on the screen and not by fandom's whimsical interpretations.
"And I have family who did terrible things as children because they didn't understand the meaning behind their actions."
But this is the difference, my friend. Your family didn't know what they were doing was wrong. Azula did. Even when she was younger. She made conscious choices to hurt animals, her own brother, and later to kill a prepubescent boy with a smile on her face. I would invite everyone participating in this dialogue to watch "Zuko Alone" and really watch what's going on. Watch Azula's behavior and how the show treats it. You just said she seemed like a sociopath, and I would 100% agree with you. That's why she behaved as she did. That's why she lacked compassion at such a young age and continues to. She's not "wired correctly". She does terrible things, knows they're terrible, and doesn't remotely care who gets hurt. There's no empathy there. If you're born without empathy, you're very unlikely to develop it later in life. It's a misfiring in the brain, from what current studies show. So to suggest Azula will magically develop empathy and actually begin to see the world from a perspective separate from her own is wishful thinking at best, the way I see.
"I agree with WolvenBane that she'd have to either find another way to earn the praise that she based her personality around (there were hints of that in how Ozai and Azula interacted), or remain lost in her madness."
She still acted in ways completely separate from Ozai's influence. I'm trying to drive that point home, but some people apparently choose not to hear it. (I'm not accusing you of this, so I'm sorry if it remotely sounds that way. I'm expressing vexation at Azula's fanbase for constantly blaming everyone and everything else for the way she turned out, effectively stripping her of any sense of accountability and even her brilliant intellect. I've seen it a million times already. Yes, Ozai is partly to blame, absolutely, but so is Azula for her own bad choices, of which she was fully aware.) She has a mind of her own. No matter what, we all make choices in life! We choose to act on what life offers us. She's not the same character as Zuko, and to suggest Zuko would've turned out to be like Azula with Ozai's direct influence is doing Zuko a great disservice. He always had a conscience. He always had the capacity for great empathy and compassion. He even got himself banished for it! We're individuals, all of us, and one person's decisions can vary greatly from another's in the same circumstance. Azula made a ton of mistakes. She never owned up to them. She doesn't want to.
And don't worry about the comic. You haven't missed anything. It was terrible. Completely destroyed any credibility Ursa had. If you like her, you'd be doing yourself a favor by staying away.
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Aw man, whut? Why would they ruin Ursa? What a bunch of hooey.
Also no, I totally agree Zuko wouldn't have been the same. He is too kind. Β Even if he HAD his father's favor, he would never have been the type of person Azula became.
And please don't think I'm giving Azula a free pass for the things she did because of Ozai; no no, he just encouraged her when he should have been restraining her, but she was useful and a better heir. Though I do'nt know that even he realized how cruel and destructive she was.
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The main writer (Gene Yang, not Bryke) went on record saying he thought Ursa's banishment was BORING, so he turned her entire life into a soap opera. I kid you not, sadly. It's that bad. Possibly the worst kind of hooey. I'm just in it for the pretty pictures, seriously. If you like Ursa, I can crop and send you some because she was drawn in a breathtaking style. It's too bad her actual story turned out to be so crummy.
Good to know you agree. I've seen people make that argument and just... no. It derides Zuko in such a grievous way.
We're on the same page about that, so no worries. I was expressing frustration at 75% (guestimate) of Azula's fandom who delights in twisting everything around to make others at fault while stripping Azula of accountability because she's young or they choose to identify with her in some way (...why would anyone want to?). I wonder if Ozai knew the extent of her destructiveness and cruelty, too. I'm sort of thinking he didn't. She wasn't under his thumb like people try to say. She lied to his face and got away with it until Zuko broke the truth about Aang's revival. She was always looking out for #1, which was herself. Her interests happened to align with Ozai's most of the time, but not always.
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Ugh Avatar: TLAB was such a masterpiece, everything after.. just isn't what I was expecting it to be.
Yyeah Ozai was too consumed with his quest for power to care much about what Azula was up to I think.Β
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I feel the same! The comics, Korra... nothing can live up to the original. It's a little isolating to see so many fans gushing over Korra (the comics have their detractors, and rightly so), and it makes you feel like you're being a downer because you're just not into it, you know?
You're probably right about that. Then again, like father, like daughter: Azula is the exact same way, obsessed with power. It's too bad. If they weren't so self-absorbed and stuck on themselves, maybe things could turn out a little differently.
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I thought they did a much better job on the first season of Korra. It felt different and I liked the faster pace, but her characterization started falling flat later on, and the 2nd season was just. Questionable.
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I only watched the first season myself and didn't much care for it. The comparisons to A:TLA can't be helped, I guess. I did hear it went downhill in the second season, which is a shame for the fans who like it.
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My thoughts on her exactly. It would be so unlike Aang to give her a second chance.Β
I can see him being hesitant (she did try to kill him) but I think he'd eventually come around and try to help her.
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Keep in mind Azula is only 14 in the show. She is the way she is because her father imposed that mindset upon her. By the end of the series, she's reached her absolute lowest point. When someone reaches that point in their life, they have to either change something or remain in that state forever.Β
Azula is many things, but I can't ever see her giving up. Would that change be overnight? Of course not. It'd be gradual.Β
I think she'd slowly regain her sanity and "play nice" with everyone with the intent of eventually taking over again. But that type of plan would take a long time to develop and implement. She'd need to gather support of the nobility and people without drawing attention to herself. She'd need tons of time and patience. As a whole, it would take years.
And during those years, she would be exposed to all the things the GAang is doing. She'd see, with her own eyes, the good things her brother was doing for her nation.Β
And I think that, above all else, is what would drive her to have a change of heart. Her father raised her on propaganda favoring the Fire Nation. She has immense pride for her Nation.Β
I believe that inherently motivating desire to provide the best for her people, combined with watching all the good things Zuzu does for the Fire Nation, would gradually change her mindset.Β
Would she still want to be Fire Lord? Absolutely!
But let's face it. Zuzu wasn't raised around politics and blackmail like Azula was; so he likely won't be able to handle it as well as she.Β
Would he hand the crown over to her? Probably not. But I can see him being more of a figurehead while Azula really drives the Nation.
(If I were writing a sequel, I'd have them share the title of Fire Lord...that way Zuzu can also work on his little pet project Republic City and not worry about his country.)
In the end, though, I think it all boils down to how she's treated. If she's consistently shown kindness, I think she could morph into an amazing woman.Β
But if she's forgotten and abused, that will never happen. She'd remain angry and vengeful, and may never even regain her sanity.
I work with youth every summer. I've seen hundreds of kids go all different directions after high school every year; but one thing is the same for all of them: Not one of them is the same person at 20 that they were at 14.
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There are children who start off badly and never become better as adults. I don't see why a drastic change in personality is expected from Azula, yet the idea of her remaining cruel and unapologetic as she was always shown to be is so hard to swallow. I don't think many fans know about child sociopaths, but they do exist, and they're tragic tales that are very real. That was the impression I formed of her based on what the show told us, and I've seen nothing to detract from that as of this writing.
As I told another commenter, I've heard possibility all angles of redemption for Azula over the years, and none have swayed me. I respect your opinion and your theory, but it hasn't changed my mind.
"She is the way she is because her father imposed that mindset upon her."
Only partially true. He didn't tell her to throw objects at the turtleducks or relentlessly torment Zuko. (If he had, we would've been shown it.) The creators have absolute power to frame their story in the way they intend. They intended and succeeded in showing that Azula had free will and was more than capable of making her own decisions. I find it downright impossible to believe that such an intelligent child, later teenager, had literally NO idea that what she was doing was wrong. She knew right from wrong. She chose to do wrong beyond her father's teachings and expectations, and she enjoyed it. She lacks compassion and conscience. To change that is changing the entire framework of her character, and I'm not a fan of it. Therefore, not a fan of redemption. That's really all there is to it.
Thanks for sharing your opinion, but I'm not budging.
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