Toko

Toko
GENERAL
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Character	Zuko
Character	Toph Beifong
Canonical?	Fanon
Status of Relationship	Close friends/Teammates/Former enemies
IN FANDOM
Type (?)	Het
Also Known As	Zutoph

2

Zuko – “Ow! What was that for?”

Toph – “That's how I show affection.”

— Zuko and Toph after she punched him in the arm.

Toko is the het ship between Zuko and Toph from the Avatar: The Last Airbender fandom.

Canon

Toph and Zuko first met during a confrontation in Tu Zin. Toph had already met Zuko's Uncle Iroh when she had temporarily ran away from Team Avatar. Iroh offered Toph some tea and told him about Zuko. When Zuko and Toph met up during a battle, they both took on Azula who ran away. They were then separated as Azula had wounded Iroh with her lightning and Zuko refused Team Avatar's help. Zuko and Toph were both involved in the final battle before the fall of Ba Sing Se.

Zuko would later turn on Team Avatar again in Ba Sing Se but he eventually came to his senses and tried to join Team Avatar so that he could teach Aang firebending. When Zuko arrived at the Western Air Temple, nobody else trusted him and wanted him gone but Toph has the ability to sense lies and could tell that Zuko was sincere. She tried to convince everybody to give him a second chance but her pleas fell on deaf ears. Toph later went to visit Zuko at his campsite but he accidentally burned her feet. He later apologized and Aang finally allowed him to join. Toph approved of this, saying that she could get back at Zuko for accidentally burning her feet.

At one point, Zuko had trouble firebending because he finally got rid of his inner turmoil. While most members of Team Avatar were being sarcastic, Toph actually gave him serious advice and suggested that he seek the original source of firebending. The two also later had a conversation about Zuko betraying Iroh during an intermission for a play that they were watching about themselves. Zuko felt guilty over backstabbing his uncle but Toph comforted Zuko by telling him that he's already redeemed himself to him, stating that she would know because she has met him. Toph then punched Zuko in the shoulder and explained that this was how she shows affection.

Aang later went missing shortly before the arrival of Sozin's Comet and the rest of Team Avatar decided to split up in order to look for him. Toph immediately decided that she wanted to team up with Zuko because everybody else but her got to go on a field trip with him. She expressed this by hugging Zuko's arm and making him blush. She told Zuko stories of her past but he was more focused on finding Aang which she found to be disappointing. After the war ended, Toph attended Zuko's coronation as firelord.

Quotes

“You're all ignoring one crucial fact: Aang needs a firebending teacher! We can't think of a single person in the world to do the job! Now one shows up on a silver platter, and you won't even think about it?”

— Toph trying to convince the group to give Zuko a chance in The Western Air Temple.

“Ergh! I'm beginning to wonder who's really the blind one around here!”

— Toph after everybody dismisses Zuko in The Western Air Temple.

“Go ahead and let him join. It'll give me plenty of time to get back at him for burning my feet.”

— Toph when Zuko joins Team Avatar in The Western Air Temple.

Zuko – "For me, it takes all the mistakes I've made in my life, and shoves them back in my face. My uncle, he's always been on my side, even when things were bad. He was there for me, he taught me so much, and how do I repay him? With a knife in his back. It's my greatest regret, and I may never get to redeem myself. "

Toph – "You have redeemed yourself to your uncle. You don't realize it, but you already have. "

Zuko – "How do you know?"

Toph – "Because I once had a long conversation with the guy, and all he would talk about was you. "

Zuko – "Really?"

Toph – "Oh, sorry."

Zuko – "Oh, well, I didn't realize it was such a horrible option. Sorry I suggested it!"

Toph – "But it was also very sweet. All your uncle wanted was for you to find your own path, and see the light. Now you're here with us. He'd be proud. [Punches Zuko in the shoulder]"

Zuko – "Ow! What was that for? "

Toph – "That's how I show affection. "

– Zuko and Toph having a heart-to-heart conversion in The Ember Island Players.

“I'm going with Zuko! What?! Everyone else went on a life-changing field trip with Zuko. Now it's my turn.”

— Toph wanting a 'life changing field trip' with Zuko in Sozin's Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King.

Fanon

Toko is a popular ship within the Avatar fandom. Many fans especially started to ship the two together when Toph wanted to go on a field trip with Zuko. A lot fans assumed that she had a crush on him and some thought that Zuko might like her back since he blushed when she grabbed his arm. Many also love the fact that Toph was the first to trust Zuko. Since Zuko is royalty and Toph is from a wealthy family, there are a lot of fan fictions about a marriage between the two. Toko most commonly rivals the Maiko, Zutara, Tokka, Taang and The Doph ships.

Fandom

FAN FICTION

Toph/Zuko tag on AO3

Toph/Zuko (TLA) tag on FanFiction.net

Toph/Zuko (LoK) tag on FanFiction.net

TUMBLR

Zutoph posts on Tumblr

Trivia

• Toph was the last member of Team Avatar to meet Zuko and the first to trust him unless Appa is counted.

Variations

Tokaang refers to the ship between Aang, Zuko and Toph

Zutaroph refers to the ship between Katara, Zuko and Toph

Zutokka refers to the ship between Sokka, Zuko and Toph