There is something particularly funny when social media is outraged ~~no one is talking about this!~~ when it is literally the top story for both the New York Times AND The Washington Post and both MSNBC and CNN have been talking about it a whole lot.
For context, I am in no way commenting in any way other than to say it is really damn strange to see people on social media say that there is no coverage of what is happening in Portland when this is the what the New York Times front page looks like right now:
And while it has since been moved to a lower spot on their page to make way for more recent breaking news, this is the current number one most read article at the Washington Post:
Basically what I am saying, and have been cautioning against for ages, is this impulse to equate what is and is not on your socail media feed to what actual news agencies are focusing on, and a very constant and obvious discrediting of journalists that occurs all the damn time on social media with baseless (and super easy to debunk) claims that journalists are never covering stories they are not only focusing on but are also highlighting.
okay but like can we talk about how, although this is presented in a very funny manner, this is actually a REALLY IMPORTANT LESSON for abused kids to hear? that family doesn’t always mean that you have to forgive someone and accept their behavior? that your own safety and health is more important than that of someone who hurts you, even if that person is your blood relation?
idk man I just have a lot of feels about this
And that is why it really pisses me off when certain Azula stans use this scene as evidence that Iroh is a terrible person who could never understand her. Like some of them straight up say that this scene (and the one where she gets a doll, that she immediately sets on fire because she doesn’t like it) are evidence that Iroh is abusive towards her. No he’s trying to tell his nephew, the one family member that actually gives a damn about him, that he doesn’t owe anything to his manipulative sister (and eventually work his way towards having Zuko let go of his need to please Ozai whose even worse than Azula) Also Azula shot him with lighting like 12 hours ago so he has every right to be a bit salty (plus the previous time they encountered Azula she straight up almost killed Zuko and it was only Iroh’s quick movement that saved him)
This. It’s perfectly all right to be disappointed that Iroh didn’t try to help Azula, or to think “she was fourteen, he was an adult, it was his responsibility to try”. But the truth is, it’s not that simple. Azula had shown nothing but disdain for Iroh and his advice, and there’s simply no way Ozai would have tolerated Iroh ‘corrupting’ his chosen heir - and the rivalry that existed between Azula and Zuko meant that any attempt to reach both would have failed.
This post by @melinda-t-charville sums it up well by framing it in terms of the Trolley Problem. Iroh had to choose between putting his efforts into a child who spoke up publically and told off someone four or five times his age for sacrificing loyal troops as ‘fresh meat’, and a child who stood and watched with glee as that first child screamed and burned for it. At the very best interpretation of events, Azula was willing to throw Zuko and Iroh under the bus to save her own hide with her father. At worst she was rejoicing about it.
Add in the fact that if anybody in the series knew from experience that sometimes a younger sibling is too far gone to save, it’s Iroh, and it’s no surprise Iroh gives the advice he does. In another world where mental health care was a thing and Iroh had the resources to provide it? Sure. But in a world where they’re fugitives and injured because of Azula? No.
I never thought about the fact that iroh WOULD know when its too late for a younger sibling.
I am Silver Tongue, I am an artist. I have many characters and you can check out my art in the art tag. I occasionally practice witchcraft though I don't do anything too complicated. I am girl 2 and don't know what else to put here.
