Zuko

Name: Zuko Nationality: Fire Nation Capital, Fire Nation Ethnicity: Fire Nation Residence: Ember Island, Fire Nation Age: 16 Zuko was a Fire Nation royal and firebending master who reigned as Fire Lord from 100 AG until his abdication in 167 AG. He was the eldest child and only son of Princess Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai. Originally the primary enemy of Team Avatar, Zuko devoted three years to trying to capture the long-lost Avatar to end his banishment and regain his honor as Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. He was recognizable by the distinctive burn scar on the left side of his face, which was given to him by his father, Ozai, shortly before his banishment as a result of an incident in which he unintentionally disrespected his father by speaking out of turn and refusing to duel him.

With support from his paternal uncle, General Iroh, and after much internal struggle and turmoil, Zuko grew disillusioned and rejected Ozai and his model of the Fire Nation. He instead joined the Avatar's group to become Aang's lifelong friend and firebending mentor and was determined to end the war and restore both his and the Fire Nation's honor. While Aang defeated Ozai, Zuko, with the help of Katara, defeated his younger sister, Princess Azula, and took his place as Fire Lord, declaring the end of the Hundred Year War and the start of a new era of love and peace. Early life History of Zuko (83 AG – 99 AG) Born in 83 AG, Zuko was the firstborn child of Prince Ozai and Princess Ursa. From a young age, he was disdained by his father due to lacking the "spark in [his] eyes" typical for firebenders. Indeed, Zuko would struggle to become a strong bender; however, he displayed a strong sense of empathy and morality from an very early point. Zuko's early years were the only ones when his family was ever "actually happy". They made frequent vacations to Ember Island, and often watched the play Love amongst the Dragons at the Ember Island Theater. At this point, he and Azula still had a positive relationship. Zuko was schooled by Kunyo in firebending and by Piandao in the art of fighting with dual broadswords.

However, as they got older, Zuko and Azula eventually grew apart, and he became the object of his sister's manipulation, ridicule, and deception. Their mother, however, loved both but favored him over his sister, causing further jealousy and strife. Meanwhile, the relationship between Ursa and Ozai also became increasingly strained and poor, causing the latter to lash out at Zuko more and more. The young prince increasingly faced emotional abuse by both his father as well as his younger sister. In contrast to these dysfunctional relationships, Zuko grew close to his uncle, and the two often spent time together.

When Zuko was eleven years old, his cousin, Lu Ten, died in battle. General Iroh, devastated by the loss of his only child, abandoned his 600-day siege of the Earth Kingdom capital city, Ba Sing Se. This caused a series of events which resulted in the death of Fire Lord Azulon, the enthronement of Ozai, and the disappearance of Ursa. As they had been very close, the loss of his mother was traumatic to Zuko. Though he was now the new Crown Prince, Zuko was also left largely isolated in his family and at the mercy of both Ozai and Azula. Upon his return from the frontlines, however, Iroh tried to support his nephew as well as he could. Two years later, thirteen-year-old Zuko took part in a war council with Ozai and some of his generals. At the meeting, the prince fiercely spoke out against one general's suggestion to callously sacrifice an entire Fire Army division. The outburst was seen as a grave insult, and Ozai demanded the prince participate in an Agni Kai. He agreed, unaware that it was not the general whom he had insulted, but his father. When Zuko realized the truth, he tearfully begged for his father's forgiveness. Considering this another sign of cowardice and disrespect, Ozai burned Zuko by permanently scarring the left side of his face. Zuko was also stripped of his birthright, and exiled from his beloved homeland until he had captured the Avatar, who had disappeared nearly one hundred years prior. It was a fool's errand by all accounts, but one to which Zuko clung desperately as his only hope of regaining his honor and everything he had lost.

Zuko spent the next two years fruitlessly and desperately searching for the Avatar. He had been given a small ship, and was only accompanied by Iroh and a small crew. With these companions, he traveled around the world and scoured even the most remote locations for his prize. Aside of Iroh, Zuko's party took little joy in this journey.

Zuko is a young man with a fiery, angry temper and a deep inner pain that he hides behind a harsh mask of stubbornness. His character is shaped by his desire to regain lost honor and earn his father's recognition, which has made him obsessed with his goal and closed to the world. He is proud and cannot stand displays of weakness, both in himself and others, causing him to often act on emotion without thinking of the consequences. Inside he is desperately lonely and vulnerable, but does not know how to express his feelings other than through anger and cold stubbornness. Despite his outward harshness, Zuko is honest in his aspirations and shows amazing determination, ready to overcome any difficulties and pain for the sake of what he considers his duty. His inner conflict between who he is and who he wants to be makes his nature deep and contradictory.