Another fandom-related rant. Subject: "Emo"

[timepiececlock]

Like others I'm sure, I've been irritated this year with the prevalent overuse of the term "emo", especially when applied to each and every male character in the fandom multiverse who looks even remotely unhappy. Not every sad person is emo. Not every angry person is emo. Not every grieving or depressed person is emo. If we're going to throw stereotypes at fictional characters (who are, let's face it, really easy to "type"), at least let's pick the right one, shall we? In that vein, I give you another angry letter to the A:TLAB fandom. Well, "angry" is probably an overstatement-- I mean, it's not like I'm going to weep for a week about it and cry over my internet guitar like the real emo rockers do.


Dear Avatar fandom,

Zuko is not now, has never been, and never will be emo. Zuko is not the Emo Kid, he's an Angry Young Man. Respect the stereotype! If Zuko were to hole up in his tiny metal room on his ship after a long day of failing to capture the Avatar and brooding over his estranged relationship with his abusive deadbeat father, he would not listen to Dashboard Confessional or A Simple Plan or AFI or Bright Eyes, he would listen to System Of A Down. And maybe throw in some Disturbed and a few tracks by KoRn. That's what Angry Young Men do. ...When they're not screaming at the world from a mountaintop in the rain, kicking random objects, shouting at people who only try to help, sulking silently for hours (possibly days) on end, picking violent fights, plotting revenge, avoiding confrontations with loved ones, or running away from home. Zuko doesn't want to slit his wrists and then write bad poetry in his own lifeblood. Zuko wants to go somewhere that he can eat real Fire Nation food, beat up his overachieving sibling, have it out with Daddy Dearest, and rule his own country again.


Thanks,

A Mildly Irked Zuko Fan

Comments

[jakia.livejournal.com]

Mostly I'm inclined to agree with you, however, there are times when Zuko is an emokid. When he's crying in the rain at the end of Bitter Works, it was like Dashboard Confessional was planning in the background while Zuko wallowed in his angst and woe.

Also note: Mai is an emokid.

And she is so going to write bad poetry in Rebirth!verse. Lots and lots of really, bad poetry. :) :)

jak

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

We'll simply have to disagree then, because I don't consider one tear in the middle of shouting at a storm on a mountaintop to be emo. I don't think one tear in particular has anything to do with it, because crying doesn't equal emo. Not to mention Dashboard Confessional frequently sings about romantic angst, when all of Zuko's angst and anger is directed at his family and his lack of purpose in life. Anyway, I just don't see it.

Mai probably is, at least somewhat. She's not depressing, but she's got that sulky bored disdain thing going on. I can see her keeping an angst journal, and listening to Jimmy Eat World while painting her fingernails black, then deciding she'll go to the mall just to hang out and be bored there instead of at home.