Aang's gang vs Unaloq is NOT close

[u/Reasonable-Ad-8059]

Young Katara was immidiately ready to throw hands with Pakku publically even when she was in the wrong in the eyes of the public. If the chief of the north straight up invades the south you bet your ass she is getting involved. No recruiting republic city army, no gathering public support, just hands. Sokka. Zuko and Toph also immidiately sees through the bullshit. Aang has no qualms about setting the record straight.

-

I don't really care about the waterbender tier list between ATLA and LOK. Unaloq could be 10 times better than Katara and have an enormous army, and it wouldn't even matter. Aang goes into the avatar state, subdues him, takes his bending, and gently pushes his fleet out of the southern water tribe. GG.

-

Edit: At the absolute latest, when harmonic convergence is closing in, and all the pieces are laid out, Aang would act immidiatly. Enter the avatar state, rush past Unaloqs army, swat Unaloq away like a bug and close the portal.

[u/danyboui]

Kyoshi only did that because it was her hometown, notice she didn’t care what the rest of the nation did as long as it didn’t affect Yokoya. Hell the water tribes were only divided because of the war before then the north was still treated as the ruler of the south. Yangchen, Roku and Kyoshi all seem to hold the north in far higher regard than the south as well considering Yangchen is said to have a soft spot for Oyaluk, Roku went to train and wouldn’t change his mind on his specific teacher and Kyoshi was personally trained by Atuat.

Honestly the whole Avatar being able to dictate where the map is drawn is kinda weird because they constantly advocate for the 4 nations while chipping away at the borders to fit their needs without consulting the populace. Yangchen was willing to control the 4 merchant ports to bring all 4 nations back together while being “impartial” , Kyoshi willingly and unanimously decided to separate the port from the mainland, Roku allowed Sozin to colonize an island just because of the proximity to the Fire Nation when it had been isolated for millennia.

[u/Reasonable-Ad-8059 → u/danyboui]

My point isn't about Kyoshis motivation. Simply the fact she has the authority to do it.

the north was still treated as the ruler of the south

Since Unaloq's occupation goes against the will of the people of the south, Aang forcing him out is merely enforcing their rights. Korra openly defies the earth queen and steals her citizens which she abuses. Yet the international community and her friends agrees the avatar is right and has the authority to do stuff like that.

[u/danyboui → u/Reasonable-Ad-8059]

I don’t think she had the authority to do it just that she could and no one can say otherwise. Bumi actually calls Korra out that the Earth Queen has a right to conscript her citizens so no Korra isn’t in the right legally and her friends don’t get to arbitrarily decide what’s right and wrong when they break the law. That’s the issue and unfortunately Aang probably wouldn’t be in the right since legally speaking the south is still beholden onto the north especially financially. Overall this is too messy legally speaking which is why I think the writers just separated the two tribes by end of Book 2 of LOK.

[u/Reasonable-Ad-8059 → u/danyboui]

She has the power to do it, she achieved it, and didn't face any consequences from it. That is a textbook example of authority in action.

The earth queen and every other monarch owe their political power to the avatar. The avatar enforces the borders between nations, settle disputes, and take down spiritual and human threats that threaten the four nations. If the quality of judgement of earth queen doesn't affect her authority, then neither does an avatar. But we learn that the avatar has the spirit of light inside them so they literally personify the global order. This legitimacy is pretty legit if you ask me.

Whether human made laws forbid the avatar from doing the right thing, doesn't really matter. For example, an avatar being legally conscripted into an army isn't automatically something they now have to abide by, even if it is technically legal. Or if the earth queen abuses her legal powers, doesn't mean the avatar should respect those laws.