**Spoilers For Western Air Temple!**

You hath been warned...


Ok. So, I've seen The Western Air Temple, and let me tell you guys. It gives me a lot of hope and actually a big boost of morale for the possiblity of Zutara in the show.

I'm telling you guys...Zutara has begun. Seriously. You just have to look between the lines.

Western Air Temple gave us some important elements to work with between Katara and Zuko, that are going to create a perfect alchemy for a relationship to develop between them...And almost all in that last scene where she threatens him.

I've written all about this in my latest journal entry, but here's a little bit of the important stuff.

Zuko KNOWS he hurt her. And now he knows he hurt her BAD. And he REGRETS it. But it's going to be hard to earn back her trust.

...

The tension between Katara and Zuko is so thick right now, but the fact is, with this new static relationship between them, it's really sticking them into a position that WILL develop.

Katara WILL see the real Zuko, with time and healing and being around him. When she does, she will appreciate him all the more.
Zuko WILL strive to earn her respect back. I KNOW he wants there to be a good relationship between them, and he will seek forgivness, and he will work for it. He understands what he did, and the consequences it rendered, and he is going to do what he can to set it right again.

With all that, friendship's going to develop, and I'm certain that something more will become of it.


And the link to the page itself so you can read my theory in it's entirety.
[link]
BTW, it does start halfway or so down the entry, the first half is general geeking out about the episode...

Some people may say that Katara giving Zuko the death threat has completely wiped out a chance for Zutara. But I really believe that it's just opened the door that we Zutarians have really been hoping for.

So, for any Zutarians who might be losing hope out there, I'd like to share this theory/analyzation with you. Zutara hasn't lost it's way, it's only just begun. Literally.

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Anyway, on to the picture. Pretty obvious, it's basically an expression of the CURRENT Zutara relationship.

Right now, Katara is still angry and hurt. Zuko, however, is apologetic and still seeking forgiveness from the one person of the group who hasn't accepted him yet. He knows he hurt her, hence he's looking at her while she's got her back turned on him. The sad and apologetic look on his face says he regrets what he's done. He wants her to trust him, to be his friend.

The color reversal is another thing. Whereas Zuko used to be the angry, confused and hurt one, while Katara was the calmer, gentler one(for the most part XD), now their roles are somewhat reversed.
Zuko is calm, finally resolved, and trying to make good with his life. Katara, however, is hurt from what Zuko's done to her and her friends, Angry that he's showed up again, and confused as to if he should really be trusted or not, why he would be there with them after everything that's happened.

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I went with a little back-to-back dynamic, but at first, Katara's hair took over everything... XD So, I had to slim that down.
I've been practicing with my new Faber-Castell Manga pens again! ^^
It probably took me only an hour and a half at the most to do this(aside from the photostudio crud). It really just flowed out, which is great, I love when that happens.

Zuko, Katara, and A:TLA (c) Mike and Bryan
Drawing (c) KyokoMari