fannishcodex:

pteropus717:

konthelion:

pteropus717:

I was going to point out how ridiculous it is that Tarrlok needs an office large enough to span five full-length windows.

Then again, he ended up being the only council member to actually accomplish anything, so I guess he earned it.

Tarrlok really was the only council member who did anything. As much as I like Tenzin he really did not accomplish that much if any at all. And the other three council members acted more like a flock of sheep so they don’t deserve a five window office.

Spur-of-the-moment headcanon: Tarrlok’s office (and extravagant private bathroom which is only accessible through a secret panel in the wall) used to be the other three council members’ offices. He proposed to knock down the walls and combine the offices into one super-office for himself. He offered them rooms in the basement to compensate.

Predictably, none of them had a problem with his decision.

Seriously, though. Tenzin used to be my favorite character, and I’m glad he spoke up against Tarrlok, but…that’s really all he did. He pointed his finger and called Tarrlok a meanie, then he grumbled and folded his arms whenever Tarrlok got his way.

Though that might have something to do with the fact that passing a law in Republic City requires only a majority vote among five people between the ages of 37 and 600.

took me a while to realize how young tarrlok is compared to the rest of the council, those three clearly don’t give a damn what goes on in the city, do they even know there’s a city outside the courthouse?, and tenzin only seems to care on principle, but he doesn’t ever do anything to help, he doesn’t even have to live in the city. he doesn’t experience the blend of cultures which was kind of the point, right? that’s pretty much why zuko and aang founded it, so it could be a focal point of harmony and peace among all the nations, but tenzin has to be on his island and immerse himself in air nomad culture, because he’s the only one left who can teach it, tarrlok was the only one who had any clue what was happening in the city

Excellent commentary so far on this. I’d also like to add to these facts that unlike the other, older council members, Tarrlok doesn’t just sit around and talk. If he wants a Task Force created to be watch for the city, he makes sure it happens. And when it does happen, he doesn’t appoint someone else to lead it - he leads it. 

I can’t recall any politicians in our world or in most fiction who are willing to get down and dirty to ensure the safety of their city like Tarrlok does - it was something I really admired about him in watching and rewatching “The Voice in the Night” my first few times! :D 

It’s also quite astonishing how much younger he is in comparison to the other council members, which means he probably worked hard for the city before achieving such a seat within the council. And when he does, he sees the issues that are plaguing the city such as the Equalists and the nonbender oppression, and, however misguided his ideals were, he attempts to better the situation.