Shipping

Bryan Konietzko: I remember until midway through first season I never even knew what shipping was, and then suddenly on the Internet...

Michael Dante DiMartino: ''Suddenly on the Internet you had writing about shipping, and I was like, "What is this? What is this phenomenon about?" ''

Bryan Konietzko: ''Yeah. I was all like, "They're shipping love to each other?''"

Shipping, abbreviated from "relationships", is the term given to the fan-created pairing of two or more Avatar: The Last Airbender and/or The Legend of Korra characters. It became a very important part of Avatar for a large number of fans.

"Ships" are commonly designated with portmanteau couple names, usually derived by combining the names of the characters or words that accurately describe them. Common reasons for fan-created pairings include extensive companionship, obvious "movements" by either character, subtle actions by either character, or even the fact that they look "cute together".

Many fans were very devoted to their preferred "ships" and wrote fanon to detail and expand upon their theories. Subsequently, some fans conflicted over the validity of each other's supporter "ships", which resulted in an amused reaction from the creators.

Avatar: The Last Airbender



 * Aang and Katara - known as "Kataang", fans known as "Kataangers": One of the two most popular "ships", "Kataang" was based on the fact that Katara and Aang became friends at the very beginning of the series, and Aang immediately developed an obvious crush on her, which later grew into a true love for her. Katara frequently gave him friendly kisses on the cheek.  Aang's crush on her was made explicit, while Katara was told she will marry a powerful bender and had the appearance of an epiphany when Sokka casually described Aang as a powerful bender. During the battle in the Crystal Catacombs, his earthly attachment to Katara prevented him from triggering the Avatar State. After being shot down by Azula and being revived by Katara's spirit water, Aang looked up at Katara and smiled at her weakly, indicating that he had not truly given her up.  During the Invasion of the Fire Nation, Aang kissed Katara on the lips before leaving to find and battle Fire Lord Ozai. Despite this, the two were not a couple; Katara even refused Aang's romantic advances during an intermission of the play they were watching on Ember Island. However, they kissed passionately at the end of the series, beginning a romantic relationship. It has been proven that Aang and Katara married in their later lives and had three children, including two sons by the names of Tenzin and Bumi who appear in The Legend of Korra, finally confirming the continuation of their romance.




 * Katara and Zuko - known as "Zutara", Fans known as "Zutarians": The counterpart to Kataang and the other most popular ship, Zutara cited evidence that was less overt. The ship's first real "moment" took place when Zuko tried to capture Katara. Also, when Azula attacked Iroh during the Conflict at Tu Zin, Katara offered to help Zuko heal his uncle's wound. Zuko and Katara later happened to both be imprisoned in the same catacomb; although at first Katara acted antagonistic to him, Zuko revealed he had also lost his mother to the Fire Nation, which caused her to grow sympathetic toward him, due to her being able to relate to the pain of losing a parent, and offered to heal his scar. After betraying her and joining Azula, Katara vowed never to trust Zuko again. Later on, when Zuko joined Team Avatar and helped Katara find the man who killed her mother, she was able to forgive and start trusting him. Soon after, they slowly became friends. When it was time for everyone to choose their own destiny, Zuko enlisted Katara's aid in facing Azula. During the Comet-Enhanced Agni Kai, they fought together against Azula, where Zuko actually saved Katara's life by jumping in the way of Azula's lighting bolt that was targeted for her. Their relationship never turned romantic.


 * Sokka and Ty Lee - known as "Ty Lokka" - Ty Lee demonstrated a crush on Sokka at several points in the story. When she first met him, she commented to Mai that he was "kind of cute". When she met him a second time, she happily exclaimed, "It is the Avatar... and friends!" with a special emphasis on Sokka. When Sokka discovered that Ty Lee and Mai were impersonating Kyoshi Warriors, Ty Lee fought Sokka in a fashion that prompted her to say, "It's like we're dancing together!" Sokka pointed out that he was "kind of involved with Suki". The two had little interaction after that.




 * Zuko and Mai - known as "Maiko" - Set up ever since Mai's smile at the thought of seeing Zuko again, Maiko was one of the primary ships of the show. The two were childhood sweethearts, but drifted apart when Zuko began pursuing the Avatar. They did, however, reunite later on. They shared several kisses, although it was during their visit to Ember Island that Mai and Zuko had trouble with one another's anger or apathy and split up. Later, however, they were much more affectionate toward each another. During the Invasion of the Fire Nation, Zuko wrote Mai a letter detailing how he had to leave her and join Team Avatar. Mai interpreted this as him breaking up with her and, in a later confrontation, stated he had broken her heart. Despite this, she betrayed Azula to save him, saying, "I love Zuko more than I fear you." Moments before Zuko's coronation, they reaffirmed their relationship with a hug and a kiss. Maiko fans commonly worked together with, or were, Kataangers, trying to show Zutarians that if Zuko liked Mai and Katara liked Aang, Zutara would therefore never happen. The Maiko ship was recently put in danger due to a breakup featured in the ongoing "The Promise" comic book series and (supposedly) growing romantic feelings between Suki and Zuko hinted within.




 * Jet and Katara - known as "Jetara" - This ship arose after it was shown that Katara and Jet had a romantic attraction to each other. However, when Jet tricked Katara into harming innocent people, she abandoned all loyalty to him and remained bitter toward him from then on. However, Katara seemed uncomfortable and defensive when questioned about her relationship with him in Ba Sing Se, and apparently considered Jet her ex-boyfriend. Any remaining chance of them becoming a couple was eliminated when Jet died under Lake Laogai after being struck down by Long Feng. Interestingly, Jetara was commonly supported as a prelude to Zutara, as it was claimed to be proof that Katara liked "bad boys". It was also revealed on Avatar Extras that Jet was Katara's first kiss, though it was off screen.


 * Aang and Toph - known as "Taang", Fans known as "Taangers" - Toph and Aang had a close friendship throughout the series, although as Actor Sokka said, they had a "rocky relationship". Aang had a vision of her in the swamp, but did not meet Toph until he, Katara and Sokka bought tickets to attend the Earth Rumble VI tournament. Toph initially refused to join their group, but agreed when her father expressed his desire to hide and protect her even more. Proponents of the ship liked their nature as opposites. Taang was commonly shipped in tandem with Zutara, as it conveniently solved the problem of Aang's romantic interest in Katara. Once Aang mastered earthbending, there was little plot-related reason for him to interact with Toph and their friendship faded into the background. However, they continued to enjoy each other's company.




 * Sokka and Toph - known as "Tokka", Fans known as "Tokkans" or, more commonly, "Tokkaneers" - This ship was mostly based on the pair's deep friendship and, later on, Toph's clear crush on Sokka. Explicit hints about her feelings for him began when Toph was bitter about how he ran straight to Suki instead of thanking her for saving his life. Later on, when Toph was drowning, Sokka announced his intention to save her, only for Suki to reach her first. Toph, believing Sokka rescued her, kissed Suki on the cheek. She also clung to his arm while flying on Appa. Their friendship was later emphasized even more when Toph blushed upon Sokka's return from training with Piandao and Sokka gave her a gift of meteorite stone that she wore as a bracelet. Later, they had a tender conversation when she had a falling out with Katara. During the final battle, Sokka and Toph worked together, at first with Suki and then without her, to bring down an entire fleet of Fire Nation airships, the two of them nearly dying in the process. After Suki saved both of their lives, Sokka remained in his relationship with Suki. Tokka was commonly shipped in tandem with Kataang, as it provided romantic partners for all four members of Team Avatar. Many Tokka shippers "abandoned ship" after it was revealed that Toph's daughter dated Katara's son, as this would have meant the two would be cousins if Sokka was Lin's father.


 * Toph and Zuko - known as "Toko" - Toph was the first member of the group to accept Zuko, encouraging the others to let him join Team Avatar. They had a tender conversation, where Zuko expressed concern about his actions toward Iroh and Toph assured him, based on her conversation with Iroh, that he had probably already forgiven his nephew. When the team temporarily separated in an attempt to track down Aang, Toph immediately chose to accompany Zuko, claiming that everyone else had gone on a "life-changing field trip with Zuko", and it was therefore her turn. She clung to Zuko's arm, causing him to blush. Their friendship made for a convenient fanon ship, as the complete Team Avatar (Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Zuko, Suki) can be paired off among themselves as Kataang, Sukka, and Toko. It should also be noted that Toph stopped blushing about Sokka around the same time Zuko showed up, and hit his arm constantly, her way of showing affection. Any problems between the two usually resolved quickly, including the time Zuko burned her feet. They also were the two of Aang's toughest teachers. They both had issues with their parents, causing them to run away. She was the one who advised Zuko about finding a new way to learn firebending while everyone else mocked him. They also both had alter egos: Zuko's being the Blue Spirit and Toph's being the Blind Bandit.




 * Yue and Sokka - known as "Yukka" - Sokka developed a strong romantic interest in Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe. She came to love him, too, but the two were kept apart due to Yue's engagement to another warrior, Hahn. When the Fire Nation attacked the tribe, Sokka swore to defend Yue, bringing them ever closer. Yue ultimately died when she gave up her life force to save the Moon Spirit Tui, and was thus reincarnated as Tui's successor. Yue kissed Sokka goodbye, promising she would always be with him. Sokka remained very upset about Yue's sacrifice, believing he failed to protect her. Although he had since fallen in love with Suki, Sokka's love for Yue remained very strong.


 * Haru and Katara - known as "Harutara" - A possible romance between Haru and Katara was suggested after Katara met Haru in the forest near the mining village. When Haru was arrested by the Fire Nation, Katara tricked the Fire Nation into arresting her in order to save him, a task in which she succeeded. She and Haru grew close after they confided their personal sadness due to the ongoing war to each other. Haru and Katara have since remained good friends and fought by each other's side during the Day of Black Sun. Haru remained one of Katara's most cited love interests, a romance even Toph implied when Katara said that she "[had] a surprise for everyone". However, Katara denied this, as it was clear that they were only friends and not in love. This romance was parodied by the creators in "School Time Shipping".




 * Sokka and Suki - known as "'Sukka", fans known as "Sukkans" - Suki and Sokka's relationship began when they first met each other on Kyoshi Island. Sokka displayed a sexist attitude toward the Kyoshi Warriors. However, Suki showed him the error of his ways. She later kissed him on the cheek before he left Kyoshi Island. They affectionately reunited in Full Moon Bay, although there were some awkward moments for them. However, they parted again after sharing a passionate kiss. Suki was captured by Mai, Azula and Ty Lee shortly after, so they did not meet again until Sokka ventured the Boiling Rock to free his father. Later on, the two planned a romantic rendezvous in Sokka's tent; however, it was comically interrupted when Zuko approached Sokka for advice on dealing with Katara. Their relationship was also highlighted during the play on Ember Island and their time spent on the beach before the arrival of Sozin's Comet. As of the end of the series, they are a couple.


 * Azula and Ty Lee - known as "Tyzula", this is a fairly popular ship. Ty Lee frequently compliments Azula, and many fans feel that Azula has a soft spot for Ty Lee, as demonstrated in "The Beach". They state that Ty Lee's betrayal was what sent Azula over the edge, and despite Ty Lee's betrayal at the Boiling Rock, this remains a popular ship, arguably more popular than any other ship involving either girl in Avatar: The Last Airbender.


 * Song and Zuko - known as "Zong" - This short-lived ship came up after an Earth Kingdom girl named Song took an interest in Zuko and offered him food and shelter for the night after Iroh became poisoned by mistake. She sympathized with Zuko's inner pain and admitted to him that the Fire Nation hurt her, too. She told him they took her father and showed him her burnt ankle, a revelation that left Zuko genuinely stunned. Song also came close to touching Zuko's scar. Zuko respected Song, but did not return her romance. This possible romance came to an abrupt end when Song saw Zuko and Iroh steal her family's ostrich horse, breaking her heart. The two never met again after this, but Zuko learned a lot from Song as he continued his travels. Generally, those shippers who do not like Mai but who endorse Kataang will either ship this or Jinko.




 * Jin and Zuko - known as "Jinko" - This fairly-popular ship was inspired after Jin, a young girl in Ba Sing Se, displayed an open attraction to Zuko and eventually earned a date with him at Iroh's insistence. Zuko denied that Jin was his girlfriend, but he enjoyed his date more than he wanted anyone to know. Zuko and Jin even shared a kiss before Zuko realized that their relationship would never work out, leaving her somewhat saddened. Zuko later admitted to Iroh that his date was "nice". Jin and Zuko met again, but by this point, Zuko was back with his childhood sweetheart, Mai.


 * Suki and Zuko - known as "Zuki" or sometimes "Suzuki" - before the end of May 2012, this ship sailed silently as a lone crack ship that very few people cared for, due to poor interactions between Suki and Zuko in the animated series. In "The Promise" comic book series, issues 1 and 2 feature Suki displaying a certain level of concern for Zuko's well being, as well as a direct intervention in his personal affairs, previously unseen before and while these only occur in a few panels of Volumes 1 & 2, they have been enough to put the Sukka and Maiko ships in a threat. The idea of them being canon is judging by Suki's body language which she displays in her interactions with Zuko, facial expressions, and particular dialogue between her and Zuko in which she expresses the concern of her fellow Kyoshi Warriors for his well being, while putting strong emphasis on her own personal concern for him apart from the other Warriors that has caused some fans to believe that Suki's growing friendship with Zuko may be budding into a romantic attraction for him. On top of this, in the same comic series, Mai, after having been involved with Zuko for little over a year, ends their relationship due to Zuko's secret meetings with his deposed father, an incident, oddly enough, caused by a worried Suki's having secretly followed Zuko to the jail Ozai has been imprisoned and subsequently beseeching Mai to intervene and help Zuko. At this point, Suki apologizes and professes to Zuko the aforementioned concern she bears for him. Although some other fans believe that their interaction was none other than mere friendship, other fans have begun to entertain the idea that Suki and Zuko may become romantically involved officially.  Zuki shippers and Maiko fans are awaiting the release of "The Promise: Part 3" in September 2012 to answer some of their questions concerning the fate of these ships.

The Legend of Korra



 * Mako and Korra - known as "Makorra", fans known as "Makorrians" - This wildly popular The Legend of Korra ship was inspired well before the series debuted. When Korra and Mako first encountered, Makorra hints were present, causing the shipping to peak. The ship went viral once a promotional trailer showed a shot of Korra kissing Mako. Although their relationship is still fairly undeveloped, the ship supporters continue to grow in numbers based on the various teasings of the couple. Ikki and Jinora explicitly state the fact that Korra has a crush on Mako, the two involuntarily fall asleep on each other at Republic City Park, and when the two pose as a couple to infiltrate Amon's rally to save Bolin, Mako lends Korra his beloved scarf. In fact, Mako's scarf has been a center argument for many fans, claiming it is similar to the "red string of fate", an idea in Eastern mythology that the god's might tie two lover's fates together with a red string so that they will meet and never separate. Furthermore, Korra is revealed to be jealous of Asami and Mako's budding relationship. When Korra admitted her feelings to Mako, he initially shot her down, but after witnessing her going on a date with Bolin, Mako expressed feelings of jealousy. When Korra then kissed him by surprise, he willingly kissed her back, complicating his relationship with Asami and his brother. Mako continues having an interest in Korra's welfare, as he was the first to hug her after she faced off against some Equalists and he was the one who attempted to carry Korra out of the Equalist factory when he could have carried Lin or Tenzin as well, but left them for his brother. After Korra was retrieved by Naga after Tarrlok imprisoned her, he ordered the others to give her some space, picking her up and carrying her to Oogi. He then proceeded to brush her hair out of her face tenderly, telling her she was safe. When Korra was recovering from being imprisoned by Tarrlok, Mako was by her bedside and even held her hand. He even comforted Korra when she was upset about Air Temple Island being taken over by Equalists. Also, at the end of the first season, after Korra found out that her bending was gone, Mako confronted her and told her how he felt, telling her that he loved her. After Korra went into the Avatar State, Korra also told him that she loved him. Then, Mako and Korra had kissed for the second time, this being very passionate.




 * Bolin and Korra - known as "Borra" or "Kolin" - This ship has a lot of fans that would like to see Korra and Bolin have a non-platonic relationship. Bolin convinced Toza to let Korra pass by after she snuck into the Pro-bending Arena, and invited her back to the pro-bending teams' locker room to watch the match. The two soon became friends, he willingly showed her some pro-bending tricks and was quick to accept her on the Fire Ferrets pro-bending team. After Korra helped to rescue Bolin out of the clutches of Amon, Bolin thanked her by giving her a cupcake and a rose. His little gesture of kindness was overshadowed by the large gift basket the council page brought in name of Councilman Tarrlok. Bolin immediately inquired whether or not that "Tarrlok guy" was bothering Korra, as he was willing to have a word with him. When Korra laughed it off, saying that Tarrlok was just "some old guy", Bolin expressed joy upon hearing this, stating "that sounds better, I like that better". Soon after, Bolin talked to Mako about Korra being his future girlfriend, saying that he and Korra would be perfect for each other. Although Mako was against it, Bolin asked Korra out, and took her to Narook's Seaweed Noodlery for their "date". They ate dinner, had fun, and took a trip to Republic City's tower to gaze out over the city's skyline. Bolin bought Korra a bouquet of flowers the next day, but witnessed her kissing Mako, which reduced him to tears. Bolin's considerate, affectionate, and sweet treatment of Korra has strongly increased fan support for the ship.




 * Asami and Mako - known as "Masami" or "Mami" - This ship began when Asami accidentally hit Mako with her moped, introducing the two. Upon laying eyes on her, Mako was smitten by Asami's beauty. To make up for the accident, Asami asked him on a date to Kuang's Cuisine, at which Asami holds Mako's hand. At Tarrlok's gala, the two go as a couple and Asami is seen consistently holding Mako's arm. Later on, the two ride in a taxi cab through Republic City Park where they express their emotions, eventually leading to the two cuddling. Mako and Asami are currently going steady, leaving Korra to be "the other woman". Given that this ship is a strong threat due to the two officially dating, there is always the chance for a shipping war similar to Kataang/Zutara of the series prior. Mako was willing to threaten his friendship with Korra when she insisted on going after Asami's father, immediately choosing Asami over Korra. He also cares deeply for Asami's safety and is very protective over her, venturing down a possibly dangerous road in her place to find out information for her. However, Asami expressed hurt and confusion upon Bolin's revelation of Mako and Korra's kiss. It seems that Mako and Asami broke up but regained trust in him.


 * Tahno and Korra - known as "Tahorra" or "Tahnorra" - This ship began when a promo was released revealing Tahno and Korra standing in close quarters. During this interaction, Korra challenged him to a fight, calling him "pretty boy", and then the Wolfbats' waterbender uttered: "Go for it". This first interaction occurred while the Avatar was on a date with Bolin, when Korra saw that Tahno was staring at them. Tahno walked over to her and offered her pro-bending "private lessons". This single scene resulted in a constantly expanding fandom. Korra and Tahno also interacted when Tahno was at the police headquarters after he lost his bending. He wanted Korra to get Amon on his behalf, something she nodded to in acceptance. Their conversation ended with Tahno saying, "see you around, Avatar," with a smile.




 * Bolin and Asami - known as "Bosami" - This undeveloped ship is occasionally promoted by Makorra advocates, conveniently pairing Asami with Bolin to solve Asami's love interest in Mako and Bolin's love interest in Korra. Makorra advocates also use it to ship the new Team Avatar as Makorra and Bosami. The two have interacted infrequently, but Bolin enjoyed living in Asami's mansion after the closing of the Pro-bending Arena. He also seems to trust Asami with Pabu, as she was seen holding Pabu when Mako and Bolin are preparing to move out of the arena. In search of Korra, Bolin told Asami about Mako's true love, revealing Korra and Mako's first kiss. Days later, Bolin aided Asami to defeat Hiroshi Sato by sending earth boulders to Hiroshi Sato's mecha tank.


 * Iroh and Korra - known as "Korroh" or sometimes "Kiroh" - After Iroh debuted, but before he and Korra even met, Masami fans and fans strongly against Makorra started shipping Korra with Iroh. After Iroh receives word that Republic City is under attack, Iroh states that he "look[s] forward to winning back Republic City, together." Later, when Iroh's fleets were approaching the city, he was attacked, and fell in the water. Korra saved him and brought him to Team Avatar's hideout, and used waterbending to heal his wounds. Iroh was at first against the idea of Korra leaving to fight Amon, but decided that his grandfather, Zuko, would value the Avatar's opinion, so he should too.




 * Pema and Tenzin - known as "Pemzin" - Pema and Tenzin are happily married with three kids, with their fourth child being born during the series. Fans have expressed shock over the sixteen year age difference between them, but that has not stopped people from enjoying and celebrating their relationship.


 * Tenzin and Lin Beifong - known as "Linzin" or "Tenlin" - As the son of the Avatar and the daughter of one of his good friends, they have known each other since childhood. They were once romantically involved, but began to drift apart due to "different goals in life". Pema told Korra that she could not watch Tenzin spend his life with "the wrong woman". Tenzin broke up with Lin after Pema confessed her love for him. However, there is still lots of friction between the chief and the airbender. Korra even suggested that Lin has still not gotten over what happened. Lin agreed to Tenzin's request to be lenient with Korra when she destroyed some shops in Republic City, and promised to act with more decorum during the Pro-bending Tournament Championship when he asked her. Furthermore, Lin was very willing to help out her old boyfriend out by protecting his family whilst he went to an urgent council meeting, and even put her life and bending on the line in order to buy Tenzin and his family time from the pursuing Equalists.

"Shipping wars"
Fans often had a "fan preferred couple" which they attempted to find reasons to substantiate as well as reasons to disregard other possible matches with these characters. Some fans even designated a pairing which they defended fervently. Fanon was written extensively; forums were filled with "shipping" theories and rumors. This often resulted in conflicts between conflicting "shippings", the most well-known example being between "Kataang" and "Zutara".

Supporters on both sides became increasingly antagonistic to the other "ship" and theories extended beyond how their "ship" was correct to how the other "ship" was incorrect. Often, shippers would cite how one member of the opposing ship was or should be romantically attracted to a different person. Typically Kataangers would cite Zuko and Mai's relationship, while Zutarians began shipping Toph with Aang to deal with the problem of the hero being unattached.

Because the correct "ships" remained unrevealed throughout most of the show, fans constantly debated their preferred "ships". At one point, the creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, said they were inclined to "Kataang", but did not say outright that it was correct, noting "Zutara" as an interesting concept. They also expressed surprise about the concept of "shipping".

The "shipping wars" had a generally negative impact on the Avatar fan community. Although the correct "ships" have now been revealed, there is still an antagonistic feeling among a small number of Avatar fans. With the release of Legend of Korra, the "shipping wars" now concern the conflicting ships of this series, particularly "Masami" and "Makorra".
 * Shipping War I - This shipping war took place during Avatar: The Last Airbender and continued for a few months after the last episode in Book 3: Fire and mainly revolved around the Zutara, Maiko, and Kataang ships.
 * Shipping War II - This shipping war is ongoing in The Legend of Korra and mainly revolves around the Makorra, Masami, and Borra ships.
 * Shipping Conflict - This shipping conflict is ongoing, and has the potential of becoming a full fledged shipping war. It revolves around the Tokka/The Doph and Linzin/Pemzin shippings, as well as revival of old Zutara, Maiko, and Kataang hatred. It primarily started when Lin lost her bending in Turning the Tides, although it was caused when the Tokka ship was most-likely disproved because it would thus make Tenlin a relationship between cousins,which would be considered incestuous by most Western audiences. It delved further when Iroh II was introduced, causing fangirls of Zuko to remember Zuko, whom a lot wanted to end up with Katara. It may end shortly because Tokka has been most likely disproved, and Zutara has been disproved.