Zuko

During his exile, Zuko became a bitter, impatient, and complex young man, akin to a tragic villain. More than anything, he wanted his place as heir to the Fire Nation throne and his father's love.[66] Zuko convinced himself that capturing the Avatar would make these wishes come true, making him one of Aang's most determined enemies.Zuko believed one became strong by struggling and fighting for what they want. However, he expressed contradicting mindsets; he did not want good luck because he felt he could control his fate, but also believed he was marked unlucky and that the world was against him.[46] His reaction to the perception of the world always set against him was iron-willed defiance and inflexible determination. He was clever yet hot-headed, often letting his temper get the best of him. He was averse to the thought of harming others without any motive or benefit, having consented to Aang's request to spare the Southern Water Tribe in exchange for himself as his prisoner, and left the village unharmed.[13] He rarely thought his situations through,[14] causing him to get in trouble; he captured Aang at the North Pole but chose to make his getaway through the perilous tundra,[46] and he casually took the sunstone off its pedestal in the Sun Warriors' temple only to fall into a trap.[17] Said traits were criticized by his uncle,[55][104] urging Zuko to try to control himself and think things through more often, which he managed to do over time.[69]

Zuko had other contradictory traits, beliefs, and behaviors. He was domineering and controlling, a result of his upbringing as Fire Nation royalty, and disdained to work with people he believed were inferior; yet he adamantly refused to view people as expendable. He believed it was wrong to sacrifice able-bodied and willing troops as a diversionary tactic. During his banishment, he displayed zeal in pursuing the Avatar, using whatever means he thought necessary. Although he had said capturing the Avatar was a greater concern to him than the safety of his crew or himself, he showed compassion to those close to him, as evidenced when he chose to rescue Iroh when he was captured[40] rather than pursue Aang and by risking his own life to save a member of his crew during a fierce storm. When the crew spotted Aang, he ordered the ship and crew to safety instead of chasing the Avatar.[20] Even after all the hardship that he suffered at the hands of his sister, Azula, Zuko was still willing to vouch for her, giving her several chances for them to work together in order to find their mother. He even went as far as to show brotherly affection for her, inspired by Sokka's actions toward Katara.[3] He was prone to commit brash actions against his sister, however, despite his best efforts to stop fighting her, even going as far as almost throwing her off a cliff.[27]

Zuko was able to show mercy, even to his enemies. When fighting an Agni Kai with Zhao, he decided to spare him unscathed, though Zhao had expressed every intention to hurt Zuko.[35] Even after Zhao had arranged for Zuko to be murdered, Zuko offered his hand in an attempt to save Zhao's life when the Ocean Spirit was about to drown him.[46]The prospect of returning home and earning forgiveness was Zuko's sole motivation. After losing his first chance at the Northern Water Tribe, he was filled with abject despair. He found himself in the direst situation possible—being hunted by his younger sister, the ruthless and relentless Azula,[47] while attempting to survive[105] as a penniless fugitive in the Earth Kingdom.[48] Apart from his ever-supportive uncle, Zuko had nothing. At first, he lashed out and turned to robbery,[49] even stealing from those who were kind to him.[105] After some time, however, partially in thanks to a talk from Iroh, he gained a more reasonable outlook. Theft was still necessary from time to time, but he refused to steal from needy people or people who showed him kindness. He defended an Earth Kingdom village against a group of thugs who terrorized its people.[28] He became more patient, kind, precise, and calculating; said traits necessary to evade Azula's pursuit while staying incognito from local authorities. He set Aang's pet bison and primary mode of transportation, Appa, free from Dai Li captivity at Iroh's suggestion.[55]

These traits became dominant after Zuko's fever dreams and hallucinations,[56] as he displayed an optimistic attitude toward life and the world.[57] However, Azula successfully manipulated his desire for love and approval from his father, convincing him to betray Iroh and become her ally.[1] He continued to insist that he had truly changed but felt conflicted about his choices afterward, uncomfortable with his betrayal of Iroh, a father figure to him.After his return to the Fire Nation, Zuko thought he had everything he ever wanted: a position of honor, respect, and his father's love. However, he still felt angry and confused. His triumph was nothing like he imagined it would be. His temper went out of control; he became suspicious of Mai and got into fights with several people. Later, he stated he was angry with himself, saying he did not know right from wrong.[61] He received a letter telling him his great-grandfather's death would reveal his destiny. He found Sozin's last testament and learned of his history with Avatar Roku. Assuming the letter was sent by his uncle, he visited him in prison, demanding to know the message's meaning. Iroh explained Avatar Roku was his mother's grandfather, and Zuko's inner conflict was part of the legacy of his forefathers' conflict. Iroh presented him with the Crown Prince headpiece, an ancient royal artifact, traditionally worn by the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and given to Roku by Sozin in their youth.[62]

Zuko became upset when he was not informed of a war meeting to which his sister was invited and showed happiness when a servant later came and asked him to head to the war room, as Ozai would not start the meeting without him. He told Mai he found himself unhappy, even when his father treated him as the perfect son. He said that he had been the perfect prince during the meeting, the son that his father had always wanted, but he had not been himself.[63]

During the events of Day of Black Sun, Zuko realized it was his duty as the heir to the Fire Nation throne to restore peace to the world by joining the Avatar and fighting his father's (and forefathers') tyrannical regime. His zeal and resolve resurfaced in an entirely different direction. He resolved to confront his father and his many evils. He revealed in a discourse his banishment made him a firsthand witness to the misery and pain the Fire Nation has inflicted on the World. He discovered sharing the Fire Nation's greatness had nothing to do with the war – only fired by a ruthless desire for power. He swore to his father he will do everything in his power to see his defeat. He attempted to free Iroh from prison, but when he escaped by himself, Zuko followed Aang and the others as they fled to the Western Air Temple.[66]While at the Western Air Temple, Zuko became regretful about his former disrespect and ruthlessness. He confronted Team Avatar and apologized for his wrongdoings. When his request to join them was rejected, he humbled himself and offered himself up as a prisoner—a stark contrast to the proud attitude he bore before. Zuko also revealed his calculating abilities and problem-solving skills while accompanying Aang to the Sun Warrior ruins, for example, by using his sword to reflect sunlight to hit the temple's sunstone, allowing them to enter the structure.

Zuko's attempt to defend Aang from Combustion Man signified his genuine loyalty to the team. He realized his father could never restore his honor, and he had to restore it himself. He was happy when the Avatar finally accepted him as his firebending teacher and group member.[21] Though he still had some issues to work through, he was far more composed and receptive. Since coming to terms with his own true feelings, he was more laid-back and empathetic though he remained strict and uptight when training Aang. After joining the group, he smiled more than usual, even when jokes were made at his expense,[17] and he seemed very happy as Fire Lord during a break in his uncle's tea shop.[15] Nonetheless, he was one of the more serious members of the group; whenever a situation got worse, such as when Sozin's Comet was near and when Aang went missing, Zuko did not put up with any antics or mistakes.At the start of his reign as Fire Lord, Zuko was assertive in having the Fire Nation pay for its crimes and having its colonies disbanded. However, after viewing the situation at Yu Dao and how the lives of Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom citizens had deeply intertwined themselves, Zuko became conflicted about his duties, and after being called a coward by Mayor Morishita, he sided with his people, devoting himself to protecting them and their way of life, withdrawing his support of the Harmony Restoration Movement and even fighting his friends, Katara and Aang, because of this.[23]

During this time, Zuko developed night-terrors, chronic insomnia, and a somewhat paranoid attitude. This would have increased further when he discovered that (at least some of) the assassins attempting to take his life were his own unhappy people, as he cared so much for his country. Zuko eventually became so desperate and conflicted over the duties and pressures of being Fire Lord that he turned to his imprisoned father Ozai for advice on how to deal with the pressures of the title.[23] Despite this, he continued to deny Ozai's claims that a Fire Lord's decisions were right by default. However, when being informed of the Earth Kingdom's impending attack, he begrudgingly admitted to himself that his father was right and prepared himself to go to war again.[30]

Eventually, Zuko came to realize that his emotional instability over his position as Fire Lord was not caused by the pressures of being a ruler or by the choices he made for Yu Dao, but due to his fear of ultimately becoming the same tyrant as his father was. However, he eventually came to terms with the fact that there was a side to himself and his personality that he could not understand.[70]

After an Earth Kingdom professor pointed out the similarities between governing a nation and taking care of a family, Zuko began doubting his own qualities as a leader again as his family was completely broken and a large part was due to his actions. However, he did show remorse and the will to fix past mistakes by trying to mend the rifts between his family. He freed Azula from the mental institution and asked for her help in his search for their mother, even allowing her to travel unbound and with dignity. After a conversation with Sokka about siblings, the latter noted how, despite their bickering, he and Katara were family, and as an older brother, he would always look after her. Inspired by those words, Zuko, who never truly attempted to connect with his younger sister, Azula, tried to do the same.During the search for his mother, and upon finding out that Ozai may not be his legitimate father, he realized that he might not be the true heir to the throne. Despite knowing that he must stay Fire Lord, Zuko felt the most hopeful and relieved in the group upon hearing the news. He believed that he could start anew and "gallivant" around the world helping people, as Azula remarked, much to Aang's dissatisfaction; he believed that Zuko must stay as the leader of his nation to continue ushering a new era of love and peace.

When their search brought Zuko in contact with a young child, Kiyi, he displayed the characteristics of a good father, reflecting the parenting style of his mother and Uncle Iroh, by displaying an inquisitive and doting attitude toward the girl. When she showed him her doll, he kindly played along and chastised Azula for her violent commentary, exhibiting a protective side. He also seemed quite at ease around the child, showing genuine friendship and politeness during their interactions, seemingly truly enjoying the girl's company.[27] His caring feelings toward Kiyi only strengthened after he discovered she was his half-sister, and he disregarded any royal formalities with her.[78]

When Kiyi began attending the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, he appointed Mai to serve as a teacher, exercising dual purposes: on a personal level, she was to ensure that Kiyi received a proper education, and more broadly to ascertain whether his educational reforms aimed at a kinder and gentler future for the Fire Nation were being followed.[83]

In his old age, Zuko displayed a more calm and wise demeanor,[93] as well as a strong sense of protecting his family and the Avatar.[89] He also retained a certain penchant for being the source of awkward moments when conversing with others, as evidenced by reactions to his revelation to Chiefs Tonraq, Desna, and Eska that he had once hired a combustionbending assassin to kill Aang when en route to P'Li's prison cell.The heavy curtains of the Fire Lord's chambers were drawn tight to block out the harsh midday sun, leaving the room in a state of perpetual, amber hued twilight. The only sounds were the crackling of the hearth and your own labored, uneven breathing.