Strange relationships in cartoons.
 

"Honey I can't stand to see you happy, but more than that, I hate to see you sad."

This is a song that not many casual Prince listeners know of, it's a deep cut from his "Sign O' the Times" album, and at the time was not released as a single. It was about Prince's relationship with Suzanna Melvoin, which judging by these lyrics was tempestuous and Toxic.

And that gave me an idea, let's talk about the cartoon couples this song is describing. They can't live with each other but they also cannot live without each other.

First up

"You've miscalculated, I love Zuko more than I fear YOU!"
- Mai to Princess Azula after helping Zuko escape from the Boiling Rock prison.
https://46.media.tumblr.com/d687b1b9...hzkjo6_500.gif
These two were already an item before the events of the series drove him to go searching for the Avatar. But to say that their relationship was smooth sailing would be a lie, they are in constant break up and make up. The events of "The Promise" almost split them up for good.
https://66.media.tumblr.com/249b310a...c12dcfa961.jpg
It took them five years before the events of "Smoke and Shadow" made them cross paths with each other once more and although Mai had been dating another guy, she was quick to admit that he wasn't her type anyway, the dating was only to fool herself that she could go on in life without Zuko.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ff/f0...ad1dabbca3.jpg

Mai doesn't appear in "Legend of Korra" but there's little doubt that she's the mother of Firelord Izumi, the family resemblance is too great to be a coincidence.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/...20150406235046


"Oh wow, I never thought Raph would get the hots for a big NEWT!"
"I know right, he's got some weird taste!"
- Karai and Leonardo in "When Worlds collide"
https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca88...b9v4i5K3oIFZ3c

What I like about these two is that it was presented to us in a believable way, it wasn't a rush job, no "We have to give Leonardo a girlfriend just because." But again, there would be no smooth sailing for these two. Theirs would be a tale of betrayal from both sides, the war between their respective clans, the reconciliation, that disastrous mutation and as a red line through it all, that mutual attraction they had for the other.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OVkVNzx1c...600/new7-2.jpg
In the in canon "New Animated adventures" comic book series it was further elaborated upon how the two of them flirt-fought.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FMKds0vaD...s1600/-018.jpg

The series never showed what happened with the both of them before the events of "Mutant apocalypse" but it's safe to assume that Karai perished when the explosion happened.

Not on topic but just grabbing that last comment..

When Ciro was asked about April and Karai, can't quote the exact wording (the Q&A was posted somewhere on here and I can't remember where) but 'don't know what to tell you' came up, he suggested as they both mutants that they could be wondering around the desert somewhere, there seemed to be no confirmed story for them unless anything else came up. This means I can think what I like and to be honest unless she was right there why would she perish at that point? the TMNT didn't die and they were there, with Leo taking the brunt of the blast. I joke that she was off in space at the time with the second set of turtles (not sure there still should have been two sets with the timeline stuff?) but otherwise I think she could well have survived in the desert, died somewhere along with way or is still there. Same for characters like TC and Fish face etc. TC seems like he would be more of a survivor than Fish Face though.