Zuko The mysterious and thought provoking storyline
Starting out in the Firenation
- Zuko began in the Firenation in a mad hunt for The Avatar
Zuko was born as a child of the Firenation Leader (The Firelord) and was destined to become the next Firelord.” However he questioned a general during a Firenation war meeting about his plan to send brand new Firenation soldiers to their certain deaths in order to create a distraction for the main Firenation army.” For his outburst Zuko was sentenced to an Agni Kai (Fight to the death) with his own father (The Firelord).” As an act of -mercy” his father only scarred his face” permanently and banished him with the only way to come back being the capture of The Avatar.
Banished with Iroh
Zukos’ wise Uncle, Uncle Iroh (General in the Firenation, known as Dragon of the West). Chose to join Zuko on his quest.” Uncle Iroh lost his own son in a raid against the Earth Nation.” This caused Uncle Iroh to give up his leadership in the Firenation army.” As time went on, Uncle Iroh took Zuko on as his own son, although at first Zuko rejected Uncle Iroh he learned great lessons about his own true destiny from Uncle Iroh and valuable life lessons.
The Chase of The Avatar
- Iroh takes on Zuko as his own son, after Zuko’s banishment
From the moment Zuko was banished from the Firenation he began his chase of The Avatar, it obsessed his every waking moment.” Even to the point of endangering himself and angering his crew.” Probably only the patience and instruction from Uncle Iroh kept Zuko alive through the turbulent transitioning periods of his life.” Nearly every waking moment consumed Zuko’s ambition to capture the Avatar and restore his -honor”.
Transformation Point 1 – Zuko as The Blue Spirit
- Zuko Challenges Commander Zhao to an Agni Kai
Zuko almost captures The Avatar near the beginning of the series, however he underestimates his power and Avatar Aang is able to escape.” While Zuko is in getting his ship repaired Admiral Zhao guesses the nature of why Zuko’s ship is damaged (it was damaged during the Avatars Escape).” Zuko denies this, and as it goes Admiral Zhao finds out the truth and calls Zuko a traitor and tries to hold him captive.” Zuko then challeges Admiral Zhao to Agni Kai (Firebending Duel usually to the death).
Zuko as the "Blue Spirit"
Zuko defeats Admiral Zhao in the Agni Kai but allows him to live (which makes Uncle Iroh very happy).” But now Admiral Zhao knows that the Avatar is alive and sets out to capture him before Zuko.” Admiral Zhao uses an elite team of archers to capture Aang.” After the archers capture Avatar Aang, Zuko takes on his alter ego, known as The Blue Spirit and sets Aang free from certain life-long imprisonment.
I believe this initial point was the first part where Zuko begins to realize who he truly can become.
The Chase of the Avatar Part 2
So Zuko sets Avatar Aang free only to chase him again.” Admiral Zhao attempts to have Zuko assassinated by pirates and Zuko barely escapes with his life.” This sets the stage for a very interesting line of events.” Admiral Zhao believes that his assassination attempt succeeded and invites Uncle Iroh to join him as his general on a siege of the Northern Water Tribe (where Aang is learning how to water bend).” Iroh accepts and uses his position to allow Zuko to disguise himself as a Firenation soldier and join the Firenation army on the siege of the Firenation.
Zuko Meditating during his chase of the Avatar
Zuko uses his position to capture The Avatar while Admiral Zhao and his army is attacking the Northern Water Tribe.” As Zuko captures him Katara defeats him using her newfound Waterbending skills and they almost leave Zuko to die, but Aang insists that they take him along and save his life.” Avatar Aang is beginning to see another side to Zuko.
Meanwhile Admiral Zhao is about to do the unthinkable, which is to destroy the Moon Spirit to take away the Waterbenders abilities.” What Zhao doesn’t realize is that removing the moon upsets the entire balance of the Avatar world.” This forces both Zuko and Uncle Iroh to attempt to stop him, Avatar Aang uses the anger generated by the Moon Spirit to cause the Firenation army to retreat, saving the Northern Water Tribe from certain destruction.
Admiral Zhao and Prince Zuko were bitter enemies.
Transformation Point 2 – Fugitive to the Firenation
Zuko once again resumes his hunt of The Avatar but this time is interrupted by his sister Azula, who informs Zuko that his father Firelord Ozai has restored Zukos honor and will accept him back into the Firenation.” As Zuko learns however this is a trick by Azula in order to imprison Zuko.” Zuko and Uncle Iroh escape and thus become fugitives, with no crew, no ship, left to scour the land on their own.
Zuko goes out on his own
As time wears on, Zuko becomes less and less happy living with Iroh, eventually he becomes so angry that he leaves Uncle Iroh and sets out on his own (Uncle Iroh tracks him discreetly).
Going Solo
So Zuko sets out on his own as a fugitive during this time he travels to a remote Earth Kingdom Village where he meets a little Earth Kingdom boy who reminds Zuko alot about himself.” Zuko takes an immediate liking to the boy, and soon learns that a gang of Earth Bending soldiers are using their powers to terrorize the village, taking money, land, and harming the villagers.” Zuko likes the little boy so much he gives him a dagger given to him by Uncle Iroh.” Zuko also learns that the boys brother is off fighting the Fire Nation in the war.
Zuko reveals his true form to the Earth Kingdom Villiage
The Earth Kingdom thugs eventually get their sights set on the boys family and take the boys father away to fight in the war.” Zuko challenges the Earth Kingdom soldiers all to a duel, and defeats every one except for the leader who is a well trained fighter.” Also during the fight Zuko cannot use his Firebending or else he will reveal his secret identity (Prince of” the Firenation).” During his fight with the Earthbending leader Zuko is almost defeated and in a fit of rage uses his Fire Bending against the Lead Earth Bender.” Zuko quickly defeat him, but the Earth Kingdom Villagers turn their backs on him (who had saved them) even the little boy gives Zuko back his dagger saying he never wants to see him again.
Zuko furthers his transformation
This Solo point for Zuko is very interesting, he is able to live among the Earth Kingdom without killing them, and actually wants to help them, or do something good for them.” Which is very different from the way he was brought up.
The Climax Point
Eventually Zuko and Iroh are reunited, Uncle Iroh saves Zuko once again.” Uncle Iroh then journey to Ba Sing Se, the last safe Earth Kingdom City. (And the most powerful). Unbeknownst to them, Avatar Aang and crew are also travelling to Ba Sing Se but that is a different story.” When they arrive at Ba Sing Se Zuko goes through some very interesting changes.” Foremost of which is when he helps the Avatar free his Bison, this act of goodness is so in conflict with what he usually does he becomes sick for many days.” After his sickness he appears to be completely transformed.
Zuko has two major crossroads to choose from
However Azula infiltrates Ba Sing Se with the help of their elite protectors, The Dai Li, After she takes over the city she captures and imprisons Zuko.” Uncle Iroh who knows that Aang and co. are in town goes to them for help.” Toph vouches for Iroh and so they help him free Zuko from Azulas clutches.” Interestingly enough Zuko is imprisoned with Katara so they help rescue both.” However as Aang, Zuko, and Uncle Iroh plus the rest are escaping Azula heads them off and Zuko joins her to capture the Avatar, which means Zuko changes sides again!” With Zuko’s help Azula manages to kill the Avatar, Katara however uses her Northern Oasis Water to revive him and they barely escape.” Azula thinks the Avatar is dead but Zuko is not so sure, because he knows about the Norther Oasis Water.
Prince Zuko is welcomed back to the firenation as a hero for slaying the Avatar, Uncle Iroh is sentenced to lifelong imprisonment for helping The Avatar and his friends.” However history repeats itself, in another War meeting Firelord Ozai tells his men about his plans to eradicate the entire city of Ba Sing Se where Zuko just came from, killing everyone in the city.” This horrifies Zuko but he keeps his mouth quiet, and decides to learn more about the history of the previous Avatar, Avatar Roku.” As it turns out Avatar Roku was a Firebender by birth and a close friend of Prince Sozin who was destined to become the next firelord.” Avatar Roku was called to training as an Avatar, and he had to leave his friend Firelord Sozin behind.” Firelord Sozin it appears became obsessed with uniting the kingdoms as one kingdom under the rule of the Firenation, the now fully trained Avatar Roku didn’t see it that way, he saw it as a quest for world domination.” Avatar Roku put a stop to it but didn’t kill Firelord Sozin because of their friendship, This angered Firelord Sozin and he eventually betrayed Avatar Roku to his death.
Zuko is returned home with honor but things don't feel right to him.
With The Avatar gone, Firelord Sozin began the war on all other nations, Avatar Aang was born as an airbender and the story was begun there.” This was a major turning point for Zuko because he was able to see a time before the Fire Nation was at war with everyone, and how happy the world was during that point.
Final Transformation
Zuko decides to leave the Fire Nation and sets out to help The Avatar in his quest to end the war.” As Aang is looking for a Firebending teacher this is great timing.” Aang and the gang however have a very difficult time believing that he has changed until Zuko stops Combustion Man (an assassing Zuko sent after them) from attempting to kill them.” Once they trust Zuko he completely changes and becomes a huge part of the group.
While Zuko is joining the Avatar Team, Uncle Iroh escapes from the Fire Nation prison and joins up with his ancient group The Order of The White Lotus where he planned to help them overthrow the Fire Nation.” Zuko trains Avatar Aang in Firebending and eventually he is able to find his Uncle among The Order of The White Lotus where after profusely apologizing to his Uncle his Uncle forgives him.
Uncle Iroh tells Zuko that he will refuse to become the next Firelord, and that Zuko should be the one to take his fathers place and lead the Firenation to a peaceful coexistence with the other nations. To do this Zuko must challenge his sister Azula who currently held the throne.
Azula who goes crazy over the betrayal of her two closest friends is not her complete self when Zuko challenges her.” Zuko and Katara are able to defeat Azula together.
Zuko and Azula his sister have an Agni Kai
The beginning of Zukos reign
While it was a very unexpected (but great) ending.” Zuko takes over as Firelord and along with the Avatar is able to restore Peace again to the Four Nations.
Zuko becomes king of the Firenation
Zuko was by far my favorite storyline and theme throughout the show.” It showed someone who was brought up in terrible circumstances and was able to overcome them and eventually be able to make the right choice and change the world for the better.
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Small typo.
You mention Aang was born as an earthbender in this story.
You also mentioned that Zuko continued his “hung” for the Avatar instead of his “hunt” for the Avatar.
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Admin / Jordash Reply:March 15th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Oh wow, thanks for pointing that out, looks like i’ll have to proofread my articles a bit more thoroughly
Thanks much.
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art Reply:March 16th, 2010 at 8:28 am
Anytime. Good read btw.
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Zhoa is not a general, he’s an Admiral. And when he first fights Zuko he’s only a Commander.
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Admin / Jordash Reply:April 15th, 2010 at 10:51 pm
Oh yeah good catch, I got that fixed now. Thanks!
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hello my name is sarah im from ocala florida from the marion oaks and im here to tell about relationship between zuko and katara . ever since there enemies and thene there lovers but aang is just a kid he cant fall in love with katara he`s too young for her but i did put zuko and katara in my jernoul thats way i start over again im was trying to get rid of mai for being love of zuko mai wasnt very nice because she is a vain
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chey storm Reply:June 26th, 2010 at 8:22 pm
um aang is not a kid he is 13 too just like katara
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Rose Reply:June 30th, 2010 at 11:49 pm
is that true? guess gotta watch it again
always thought aang was 12 and katara 14
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woodzanager Reply:November 10th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Yea aang is only 12 and katara is 14
number1Kataangfan Reply:October 20th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
Rose, you’re right, Aang IS 12, but as it stated at the end of the Katara article, Kataang is EPIC!
Leon Stark Reply:January 28th, 2012 at 12:09 pm
And that is an age difference? Zuko is about 18 or so, and has his mate in Mai. Katara is about 13 or 14. Aang is (physiologically) a bit over 12. (Of course, in the iceberg, he was 112 years old.)
Aang, from the first sight, had strong feelings for Katara, “Come here, … closer, … closer, … WANNA GO PENGUIN-SLEDDING WITH ME?” To me, that “almost” sounds like an awesome first date! Especially for a couple that met for about five seconds.
zuko is so adorablee
evr snce d star i knw he wld b good in d endd
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You might check your story for some “continuity” errors. It was a good read that could be made a bit better with a little checking. In the “Zuko alone” episode, the boy Li “borrows” the twin-sword and tries it out in the sunflower field. Zuko catches him and tries to give him some rudimentary training.(“The way of the sword belongs not to any one nation, but to any who seek to possess it” [Pian Dao])Zuko gives to Li the knife, a gift from General Iroh. It is Li who tries to defend/attack the renegade Earth-Benders under “General” Gow, but untrained is even less effective than poorly trained, and it is Li who is captured, not the elder of the family. The father said he was going to the front to look for his elder son.
Zuko had to resort to Fire-Bending to defeat Gow, and revealed himself as he saw himself. The villagers only had the “wanted” posters to go on, even if he had just saved the whole community. Rejected, he still tried to befriend the boy Li, but the prejudice against all Fire-Benders is strong, and for that moment, immovable as the rocks to a fire-bender.
A number of arcs can be written from just this episode.
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One sentence, Zuko’s kinda hot
but still, I always thought Zuko will end up with Katara but it was pretty obvious that Aang and katara will end up together. Their young and in love whereas Zuko has to fulfil his duty as a Firelord. And Katara and Ang had a really strong relatioship too, they ended up having a son together
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Leon Stark Reply:August 17th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
In the episode “Imprisoned”, Katara loses her mother’s betrothal necklace. This is a symbol usually given by the male proposing to the female. The symbol on it usually implies/ symbolizes the male’s family or participatory group in the community.
Aang does not have a water-tribe family, but was smitten practically from awaking from his cryonic slumber. He displayed this interest with the first words from his mouth in a hundred years,”Wanna go penguin-sledding with me?” He sits on his favorite neck-perch on Appa and smiles.
Katara asks him, “Whatcha smiling at?” Aang acts dumb, but he really does have strong feelings. When, in the episode, “Bato of the Water Tribe”, the trio are being chased by the ShirShu, Aang and Zuko have a rather protracted battle, where Aang snags Katara’s necklace. At the end of the episode, as they are leaving the scene of the devastation they left at the healers monastery and perfume-factory, Aang kinda pins the “blame” for the return of the necklace (Aang being far too modest) on Zuko.
Katara sees right through the comment and kisses Aang (cue the blush). In its own way, Aang “proposed” to Katara right there, with the return of the “betrothal” necklace. I could see Aang giving Katara an Air-Bender symbol necklace to seal their “engagement”.
Zuko was paired with Mai practically from birth, two powerful and politically connected Fire-Nation families joining and assuring not only the social connection, but all the political ties that go along with them. Exile Zuko cannot lose his feelings for Mai, even when confronted with his similarity to Katara (mothers lost to the war). It may be why he rejoins Azula. He has always wanted to return home to be with his father, (and maybe Mai, the only person who never judged him for his words or actions) but it seems his father could care less. Zuko sees the war, his sister, and his father for what they are or are not. After confronting his father on the eclipse, shows FireLord Ozai that the disrespectful exiled prince has learned a few things that make Zuko a greater threat than he had thought. Zuko felt sorry for Katara, but not anything more. Katara was still too confused because she felt her emotions swimming in a rip-current tearing her apart. Katara felt for Haruun the earth-bender, and for Jet, the “freedom-fighter” (a line that gets used to wake Jet up from a bad case of hypnosis). But I think Katara always had a special feeling for Aang from day one.
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Rose Reply:August 19th, 2010 at 5:04 am
@ Leon you just said everything I wanted to say …
and presented it in such a strong argument with highly valid points ,including Aang’s being smitten with Katara right from the first moment he laid eyes on her
However,I must also note:
When I first watched Avatar I missed most of the eps in Season 1 .But based on the few episodes I did catch, I actually believed Zuko and Katara had some ‘issues’ going on between them because of the way they interact with one another. esp in “Siege of the North”
I would like to hear your views on this
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Leon Stark Reply:August 19th, 2010 at 6:14 am
Rose:
First, you might be interested in this website:
http://tv.blinkx.com/
They have the whole of the Avatar saga here, along with hundreds of other neat shows.
Katara remembered that a Commander of the Fire-Nation killed her mother. The whole of the Fire-Nation leaves a bad taste in her throat. Zuko is only near (and to end the saga, at) the apex of this society.
Then there is the episode, “The Crossroads of Destiny” that ends Book-2. Katara is imprisoned with Zuko in the depths of Ba Sing Se. Zuko admits that this war took his mother, although he may not have discussed the details with her. Then he turns to join Azula. BETRAYAL is a HUGE turnoff.
It is not until “The Southern Raiders” and only a short time ahead of the Comet that Zuko helps Katara deal with the man who stood over her mother and threatened them both. He was a social and emotional nobody with a shrew for a mother. This (sort of) cleared the air between them and enabled her to feel comfortable working with Zuko against the now psychologically disabled Azula.
All Azula’s relationships are based on how much people fear her, even her “friends”. In “The Beach”, Zuko admits his confusion between his family life and the lessons he was learning from his uncle, the “Dragon of the West”, General Iroh. Mai’s perfect life was one of constraint and politics. Tai Li had identity issues with a matched set of seven. Probably Tai Li got called by one or another of her sister’s names too often. Azula admits she never felt that her mother loved her, but she was pushing the fact her mother never seemed to get angry. Anger gets things done, and people fear angry Fire-Benders. (The Boiling Rock 2)Mai says to Azula, “You misjudged me, I love Zuko more than I fear you.” Even Tai Li stands with Mai, with a half dozen or so Chi-blocking punches to Azula’s back and side. This “betrayal” sends Azula over the edge, she never had a point where she did not get what she wanted. So in defeat, Azula has a huge temper tantrum, probably a dozen or more years overdue.
Katara knows that Zuko’s affections belong somewhere else, but she can work with him. Zuko had to change and see the changes deep within himself to go beyond the shame of his father. Katara can respect Zuko for his growth, but as a Bender on the opposite Element, all they have for each other is respect.
woodzanager Reply:November 11th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
I never saw any “interaction” between zuko and katara throughout the series that made me believe they were going to end up together wxcept when they were imprisoned together in the old catacombs of ba sing se when zuko told katara that he had lost his mother to the fire nation as well. I came close to thinking they might become closer and at the very most be good friends because I always knew aang would end up with katara, and when aang came and rescued her she immediatly left zukos side and ran over to hug aang.
woodzanager Reply:November 10th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
I disagree with the part when you said that when aang gave katara back her mothers necklace he wasn’t trying to ask her to marry him, he was just simply returning it to her, and besides at that point in the story aang hasn’t even told katara bow he feels about her and as far as I can still tell katara stills sees aang as a good friend, sweet little guy as she stated in a few episodes before aang gave her the necklacew.
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woodzanager Reply:November 10th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
I meant that torward the comment above made by leon sorry for the confusion
Leon Stark Reply:November 13th, 2010 at 11:11 am
And how many blushes did you miss in the interim? Katara may not yet feel so close to Aang (Males take less than two minutes to feel something for a female, females take between minutes and hours to decide), but Aang, as an Air-Nomad, has both strong and mercurial feelings, but all directed at Katara. Katara is the ONLY person who can bring Aang down from an uncontrolled “Avatar State”. If that is not a spiritual link, then I do not know what is. Aang returning the necklace was not, in itself a proclamation of betrothal, but the description of Zuko’s insistance that it be returned, after the difficulty of the fight, was a kind of admission how he felt.
Zuko’s betrayal in the crystal caves, where Katara thought there was something more to Zuko, tore all her trust of him away. She was willing to think he was confused, but Zuko turning to Azula (lying, cheating, terrorizing) for direction was just the end of her confidence.
woodzanager Reply:November 30th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Yes katara and aang were probably spiritually connected but it was because they were destined to be together because like kanna (sokka and katara’s gram gram) said in “the avatar returns” that and I quote “aang is the avatar, you two found him for a reason, now your destinies are intertwined” (sorry for spelling errors). Also, where was the description of zukos insistence thatg the betroval necklace be returned, I have seen that episode many times anf it didn’t seem to me like he cared one way or the other if katara got her necklace back. Aang had to forcily take it back when he saw it on zukos hand while they were battling. Zuko would have kept it for ever if not for aang taking it from him.
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Leon Stark Reply:November 30th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
Exactly! Aang was being FACETIOUS when he said that Zuko wanted her to have it back. Air-Nomads are known for having a sense of humor. Aang had to fight hard to trick Zuko into leaving it unblocked so he could snag it. When they were on Appa and escaping, Aang made a comment about the concept of some momento, then presented the necklace, with a snarky comment about Zuko. Katara got the joke and gave Aang a kiss on the cheek. Would Aang have fought so hard to retrieve the necklace if he did not have as strong feelings for Katara? Although this was the return of a personal item, Aang’s way of returning it was a hint at how closely he was tied to Katara (Wanna go penguin-sledding with me?)
Zuko cared nothing for anything but “capturing the Avatar”. The necklace was the means to an end. That is all. Having or losing, all he wanted was to “capture the Avatar”. He had no idea that he would capture the Avatar by joining him. That was to be later, when he had made all the mistakes, returned home to face his father, realize that this was not his true path, and turn around after the “Day of Black Sun”. Mai never judged him, one way or another, but given the chance, would probably have followed him into the face of a lava-flow to be with him. Zuko kept protecting her, in his own way, to protect her father’s position and reputation. Mai always knew this, but refused to keep from wanting to escape the life in the royal household. Bossing around servants can get so boring after a while. “This place is so boring, just kill me now!”
emily Reply:May 10th, 2011 at 6:29 am
I think we can all agree that Aang has a huge crush on Katara from when he first lays eyes on her, but in returning the betrothal necklace Aang has no intention of asking Katara to marry him. Remember, Katara received the necklace from her mother when she was presumably quite young, and she is very attached to it, as she would see it as one of the last remaining links between her and her now deceased mother, along with the fact that it was originally her grandmothers so is therefore a family artefact. Katara knows nothing about the necklace – apart from the fact that it was originally her grandmother’s and was passed down through the family – until they arrive at the North Pole, where she is told by her healing teacher that it is a betrothal necklace. Therefore neither Aang nor Katara had any idea it was a betrothal necklace until later in the season.
When Zuko finds the necklace, he recognises it as Katara’s (though I’m unsure whether he even knows her name here as they have had very little interaction) and realises he can use it as a tool to get what he wants, which we plainly see in the episode ‘The Waterbending Scroll’ where he tries to use it to bribe Katara into telling him where ‘the avatar’ is. He then uses it again in the episode ‘Bato of the Water Tribe’ where he gets Nyla to track Katara by the smell of the necklace. His only motivation to keep the necklace is to put it to further use as either a tracking device or tool of manipulation over Katara. He doesn’t care for it at all in any other way.
Katara was clearly distressed about losing the necklace, so of course Aang would want to take it back for her. He would be making Katara happy, which is what he wants, and it will also make her see him in a more positive light, because he has returned something she cares so much about. He had no idea it was a betrothal necklace, and I think at this point he just had a major crush on Katara – he wasn’t in love with her yet – though of course the kiss he received as thanks might have just convinced him.
I think Katara was very thankful to Aang for returning his necklace. However I do believe that she has had feelings for Aang from the beginning, but didn’t realise she had them until somewhere in the second or third series. In the second episode, ‘The Avatar Returns’, she is going to leave with Aang rather than stay with her tribe, and she gets very upset when Sokka banishes him, which shows her automatic connection with Aang, although she may just want to leave with him because he’ll take her to the North Pole. Also in the episode ‘The Warriors of Kyoshi’ Katara gets very jealous of all the female attention Aang receives from the girls of the village, and the way he is showing off for them (but he’s really doing it for her). I don’t think she sees Aang as anything more than a friend or brother until the ‘Fortuneteller’ episode, where the fortuneteller predicts the man she will marry will be a powerful bender, and then Sokka points out what a powerful bender Aang is when he singlehandedly saves a town from a volcano. She was always very touchy-feely with Aang, but I think the first kiss she gives Aang (albeit on the cheek) is when he returns her necklace – after the fortuneteller episode.
So all in all Aang was just returning Katara’s necklace because he knew what it meant to her, although I’m sure the writers and now we get a chuckle out of the dramatic irony of Aang returning the necklace (as we know it is a betrothal necklace and that he ends up marrying her, but they do not lol)
wow I wrote a lot hope you can be bothered to read it
Rose Reply:August 19th, 2010 at 5:15 am
@ Noodles
hear hear
and may le old Firelord lead a long life so we get to see little Zukos and Mais.
It would be interesting to see the kids of Dork! i-talk-to-Badgerfrogs-Zuko and Crazy-cool-knife-wielding-Mai
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woodzanager Reply:November 10th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Besides zuko loves mai (his girlfriend)
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Leon Stark Reply:November 30th, 2010 at 11:42 pm
… Since prepubescance. Remember the flashback scene where Azula is going to fire-bolt an apple off Mai’s head and Zuko tackles Mai to “protect” her (into the fountain)? Azula’s attitude leads a comment that is an insult to female breeding canines everywhere.
And Mai is, was and always will be, devoted to Zuko. “I love Zuko more than I fear you”, to Azula’s comment about betrayal. Azula didn’t learn anything on the Beach. She moaned and lamented and then trashed a party of pretty cool kids just because she could. Zuko, Ty Lee and Mai joined in just to relieve the catharsis of revelation. That is where they relearned their loyalties leading to the actions on “the Boiling Rock”. That is where the loyalties and directions start to crack, and Azula’s power/fear driven life starts to unravel.
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mona Reply:January 17th, 2011 at 8:00 pm
ahmm… how did you know they had a son together? i thought i already watched the full episodes, is there anything after that? thanks
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Concerning the events that succeed Zuko’s elevation to the position of Fire-Lord, I foresee travel. Mai gets bored easily. Zuko has a mission, to find out about his mother, and also to right some events that got him to where he rose to, to restore the balance. There is an Earth-Bending family that helped him, and he tried to help back. I can see him borrowing Toph to deal with General Gow. Zuko has to return an Ostrich-horse to a family that helped him and his uncle “MuShi”, and maybe with a premium of a a couple of Ostrich-horse and maybe some other production animals that can graze on native grains and bugs. He has incurred a number of social debts and feels the need to make right by them. Mai will want to stay close to Zuko. “You are NEVER leaving me again!”, Mai says to Zuko after being abandoned at least twice, “for her own protection”. Mai wants not to be bored, and she may get what she wants, travel with Zuko.
Wherever Mai goes, she is going to have to deal with people far below her class, be a bad girl, and get DIRTY! (EWWWW!) All things far out of character. She will want to leave him a dozen times but in situations that leaving him will trap her in an untenable situation, will leave her trapped. Staying with him will mean getting dirty, doing things that are decent and kind, out of character, and otherwise interesting. She will have tonnes of fun, but never directly admit it.
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mai and zuko are not cute couple its just zuko and katara and not aang or mai aang is too goofy and mai is too evil and bordish aang and katara may already have a son named tenzin and katara remarried to zuko and have a child named korra kataang didnt win yet kataang lost and maiko the loser and zutara is the winner ha i win
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Leon Stark Reply:November 13th, 2010 at 10:54 am
Mai and Zuko have been close since they were prepubescent. They have been a couple long before Azula got into taunting them about their close “association”. I do not see much between Katara and Zuko, their elements are in direct opposition, and Katara has a native distrust of the Fire-Nation since her mother disappeared. She knew her mother sent her away to “Go get your father”. She knew that she was the last Water-Bender in the Southern Water-Tribe. There was no one to teach her about the methods how to do water-bending. That is why she “pushed” water behind her instead of in front of her in Book 1 Chapter 2: The Avatar Returns. She knew she could bend water, but not how to control it. Zuko’s initial introduction to the Southern Water-Tribe was no help. Zuko’s betrayal in the crystal caves was another issue Katara had with Zuko. I do not think Katara would ever feel “close” with Zuko, but she could trust him enough to work with her.
Aang had not seen anyone since the day he left the Southern Air-Temple. The first person whose face swam into his consciousness as his eyes corrected for differential resolution was Katara. The first full sentence he said to Katara was, “Wanna go penguin-sledding with me?” As they rode a swimming Appa to the Southern Water Tribe village, Katara asked Aang about the “Avatar”, and “Why are you smiling at me?” All Aang could do was blush and say, “I was smiling?” Throughout all the episodes, Aang and Katara blushed at each other so much that you could almost paint their faces permanently rouged and it would seem normal. Even their miscues were those of a pair celestially linked.
If you think that Mai would let ANYONE within hailing distance of Zuko, she would ram a star-blade through your throat. She is like that when protecting her turf. Aang respects Mai from a distance and that is the way she likes it. Zuko is only worried that Katara is going to ran an ice-spike into him. He had to redeem himself only to preserve himself. He wanted her as a friend, and someone who would trust him to train Aang, but not much more. He has, and always had Mai, and, if she had here way, she would sequester Zuko away in a “Forbidden City”. I see Zuko as having other plans, helping Aang restore balance, and a search for his mother.
My own story line brings both stories together. Ursa does not survive, but she is honored by those with those she finds shelter with. Aang’s search leads him to find his own people, and he finds there is more to the story than just looking for the missing Air-Nomads. Aang’s search and Zuko’s come together in the end.
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At the end of the series, Mai is still deeply involved with Zuko, “Don’t you EVER leave me again.” Katara and Aang finally get that kiss they have a half-dozen or more times wanted to share. Katara still has a few issues with all Fire-Benders, and as much as with Zuko. This does not mean they cannot work together, but they have too many issues to be any closer than co-employees and assistants to the Avatar (and not specifically to Aang).
If you remember the episode “The Blue Spirit”, Aang saves Zuko from Admiral Zhau, and comments about his friend Kuzon, a Fire-Bender of his Air-Nomad youth. “If you were there then, could we be friends?” Zuko blows a random fire-jet in Aang’s direction, but when he gets back to the ship, he lies there, and looks like he is having a hard time sleeping, lost in thought about the question, “… Could we be friends?” Two books later and Zuko realizes, “Yes, we could be friends then, and we can be friends now. Now, I need you, your friendship, and help to fix what three generations have ‘fouled’ up.” He just had to do all the wrong things to find the right one. Mai was, from their youth, teased for her feelings for Zuko, and Zuko’s feelings for her.
Katara had no strong feelings for anyone but her brother, “Have you ever smelled your socks? Not pleasant!”, as she Water-bent/cracked the top of the iceberg that held Aang in suspension. Aang had his own feelings for not wanting to be Avatar, but he felt for the first caring individual on whom he set his eyes, Katara (like a little chick imprinting on the first moving thing it sees). Katara starts getting her “mother-hen” on with this fun-loving, funny, goofy kid who has major issues growing up and knowing he has to do something that goes against everything he was taught. I see more of a KataAang, and a Mai-ko than a Kata-ko and anyone else with Aang. I also see Sokka and Suki as an item. Two Warriors, back to back watching each other’s blind-side. Sokka’s immediate thought is, “Now I have to find my boomerang and ‘space-sword’.”
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Fine fine read…other than the errors and holes in the storytelling already pointed out lol. Aside from Aang, Zuko is my favorite character…because like myself..there is more to him than meets the eye..he is complicated, strong-willed, never gives up, and despite his many mistakes from his misguided anger..he means well and finally sees the light
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woozanager:
Aang may be twelve, but he is also precocious. He is an exceptionally young “Master Air-Bender”, and he chose the ancient artifacts, the old toys of previous avatars. He has strong feelings and the only person who was ever able to bring him down from an uncontrolled “Avatar-State” was Katara. If you both read and watched in Book 1, Aang is “smitten” with Katara. Yes they are friends, but Katara ever says the thing, or does the thing that draws Aang out of himself. Most of the “flashbacks” were triggered by talks with Katara. We never find out if Aang and Katara ever kiss in “Cave of the Two Lovers”, but they make it out in part because of their feelings for each other. A two year difference is not all that much. Anyway, looking at it another way, Aang is 112 years old, from his stasis in the Southern Waters iceberg.
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The knife zuko received from irobh was the knife iroh took from the general who surrendered once iroh broke through the great wall of ba sing se
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Thanks Jordash! I think that Zuko looks better without his ponytail. LOL random.
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emily Reply:May 10th, 2011 at 6:39 am
i totally agree. Is it wrong to find animated characters hot, bacause Zuko with no ponytail, especially in the episode the beach – wow!
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I think Mai was more of an afterthought, she and Zuko were sorely mismatched. They would have done a better job matching him with Ty Lee or having him get back together with that Jin. I mean, come on, Mai doesn’t see Zuko for years and they are kissing passionately on the ship. Their whole relationship makes no sense. It’s like they were tossed together because the writers wanted to line him up with someone.
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Leon Stark Reply:November 30th, 2010 at 10:42 am
Even when they in their (for us, it would be about the end of elementary school, beginning of middle school) prepubescent days, Mai had deep thoughts for Zuko. The separation was because of her father’s political ambition. Every time they get together, they are either ready to strangle each other, or are madly in love with each other. Quote from Mai to Azula, “You thought wrong. I love Zuko more than I fear you.” That led to Azula starting an attack and Ty Lee chi-chopping Azula on the “Boiling Rock”. Zuko keeps trying to protect Mai from the social and political fallout of her “misbehaving”.
If you really listened to the conversations on “The Beach” Ty Lee was one of a set of septuplets, with identity and attention issues. She was probably called by the names of her sisters so often that she had to escape, to become a “circus freak”. Mai was on the other side, unable to be a child because she was as often presented as part of her family, with that much attention on her, her actions and reactions. Mai loves being the privileged only child for sixteen years (and the birth of her baby brother Tom Tom) but knows that her actions and reactions are going to reflect on her father’s position. Zuko was, at that time, dealing with the issues of restoring his honor, but was that what he wanted, the way he wanted it? He was turning over his actions and reactions over and over in his mind. He had two paths, family and history, power and balance. Which path? Frustration leading to an anger that eats at oneself. (Mai was never critical of Zuko’s actions except when they directly concerned her. “Don’t you EVER leave me again”) Azula could never recognize her mother’s love, no matter how she tried to show it. Azula had a mean streak and people either clung to her shadow or ran for the hills. Her philosophy was – Fear and power are stronger than anything the world can throw at me, and I will use them to rule the world of the weak and fearful. – She ruled her friends like that and ruled her military like that. “Return to Omashu” showed how she cowed Ty Lee to join her.
Azula never cared what she destroyed as long as she got her way. In a little way, she reminds me of “Veruka Salt” in “Charlie (Willy Wonka) and the Chocolate Factory”. The one time she didn’t get what she wanted, when Katara tied her down under water, the hissy-fit and crying-jag she had was probably the first she had since she was in diapers!.
Whenever Mai and Zuko were together they were almost as if they were already married. We have never seen them together for more than a couple of days. What about having them travel together, to all the places that Zuko visited with the remains of his “I am the Crown Prince of the Fire-Nation, you must provide for me!” attitude. He had to work, he had to fight openly, he had to get dirty, he had to wait tables, he had to be just like the people over whom he would have to rule. Mai needs to be taken down a peg or two (Remember, in “The Drill” how she would not get into the slurry tank?).
Mai and Zuko were together ever since they were kids. Part of my fan-fiction is based on Mai’s line, “Don’t you EVER leave me again!”, said to Zuko. Zuko left on being banished with just a note. Zuko left Mai in a prison cell at the “Boiling Rock”. Even being dumped, “You thought wrong. I love Zuko more than I fear you”, as she protected the escape of Zuko from the prison guards and his sister Azula. Zuko joined Aang, leaving Mai with just a note about finding his destiny. “Don’t you EVER leave me again!”
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Tracy Reply:November 30th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Well, we all view things in a different way. And if you like Mai and Zuko together, that’s cool. I agree to disagree. I have to say, I felt that Mai was a turn coat quite often, she didn’t care about her brother. She was always bored. She was more than happy to join up with Azula and I wonder how she would have reacted to Zuko if he had not teamed up with Azula.
When she did help Zuko in the Boiling Rock, her choice of words to Azula were cruel and calculated. She didn’t say. “I love Zuko” and leave it at that, she turned on her. Earlier, she turned on Zuko saying he was betraying his country. I feel Mai looked out for Mai and her own personal gain. She was happy with Zuko now that he was Fire Lord. But I couldn’t see her wanting to give him children or anything like that.
As for Ty Lee. Was she a septuplet or were they all just close in age, they never specified. I wish we’d learned more about her. I liked her quite a bit even if she seemed a bit fluffy and frivolous, she had a big heart.
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Leon Stark Reply:December 1st, 2010 at 12:15 am
If you remember on “The Beach”, Mai recollected that EVERYTHING was about her father’s political position. She saw Zuko’s internal torment not as something she understood, but as an affront to her father’s position. It had been going ever since Zuko spoke out in the war council. He was right, but his manners were rash. Mai joined Azula because she felt that this Earth-Kingdom outpost was some kind of punishment for her father’s actions, inaction, competence or lack thereof. Azula would get her out from under her stifling family. She now had to cozen an infant brother (oooh, UGH! dirty diapers!) along with her responsibilities to “not misbehave”. Azula also terrorized Ty Lee into joining her. Just think during some moment away from Azula how the two friends talked about their “friend” Azula.
Fear has huge power, but when confronted with what you fear and what you love, “Iacta est alia”, “the die is cast”. Many turn their backs on their love to not feel the terror of their fears as did the Jews who “helped” (or spied on) the Nazis. Others fought their fears and got shot or gassed for their troubles. Ghetto trees bore some “strange fruit” (refer to the old song). Sometimes when someone is confronted by their fear, even if it is of someone they have known since the school playground, they say exactly what is on their mind, paraphrasing, “Yes, I fear you, and you have no compunction not to hurt me the way you are now, but I will take it for my love of Zuko is stronger.” Put more succinctly, “You thought wrong. I love Zuko more than I fear you (and fear what you may want to do to me).” Mai has the politician’s way of speech, stating exactly where the balance lies. She is not just saying that she loves Zuko, but that she fears Azula, more than any friendship she has for her. “The Boiling Rock” was the last straw, and state the whole environmental situation.
woodzanager Reply:December 1st, 2010 at 12:39 am
That would have been cool to se zuko hook up with that girl from ba sin se he went out with in “the tales of ba sing se
Leon Stark Reply:December 1st, 2010 at 7:57 am
The crossing paths with Jin may be an interesting arc to explore as Zuko returns to find the balance in himself. In that tale, Zuko was never that into anyone. He took the date reluctantly. He was awkward and uncomfortable, but not mean, and even somewhat considerate. He had a nice time, even with all his discomfort.
A visit with his uncle “Mu Shi” to learn some of the theraputic affects of various teas may be a vehicle to reintroduce Jin to Zuko and bring Mai into the mix. I think Jin would accept the situation, but I would have to play with the thought of Mai’s reaction. I have a few ideas. Maybe one of Jet’s freedom-fighters?
Tracy Reply:December 1st, 2010 at 4:07 pm
I just have to agree to disagree, I think Mai is only out for herself, and does things only for her gain.
But the problem too, is that the writers didn’t always stay canon to themselves, sometimes I really couldn’t see Zuko acting the way they had him act because of the way he was. But, I’m happy with my fanfic for that.
But for realty’s sake, I would have preferred to see him with someone with more feeling and passion.
Tracy Reply:December 1st, 2010 at 5:07 pm
I don’t think Mai feared Azula. Not when she said. “You miscalculated.” There was definite sarcasm in there. And before she said that, there was hurt in Azula’s tone, til she got mad.
Leon Stark Reply:December 2nd, 2010 at 1:46 pm
Mai is easily bored, easily frustrated and Azula offers her something that is not the day-to-day of royal courtly life, its rules, rituals and constraints. We know little of her feelings except she has been kept clean and protected. Her “You miscalculated … ” remark was sarcastic, and meant to finally confront having Azula push her buttons. Azula was great at button-pushing, not necessarily fear, but manipulating, and Mai’s boredom was a great button to push. Mai needs to be in a situation where her money and power have no value.
Ty Lee had to be “pried” from her happy (albeit hard and “interesting”) life with the circus. “My aura has never been pinker!” Ty Lee spent half a dozen years earning her living and was happy. What happened when Azula went after the escaping gondola? Ty Lee followed and fought as Azula wanted, not by her own choice, just following Azula and her mission to capture (isolate, remove) Zuko. She fought as she had always fought, but against someone who knew the basis of her moves, Suki. All Suki was looking for was a place to grab and unbalance Ty Lee. Azula had, once Zuko was banished, the desire to contain him, or to “celebrate becoming an only child!” If she had, Mai would have turned on her anyway. The show never delved into Mai’s feelings, except into her boredom and frustration, protecting her father’s career. I can see her as a child herself, watching other children getting dirty, getting rough, cooking and crafting, sports and just playing, while she was clean, scrubbed and dressed in fine silks, awaiting her attendance at court as a show-piece. Ty Lee was her opposite, a restricted part of a matched set without individual identity except as part of “… a matched set …” and the reason she was even more bored. Ty Lee was not as high-born, played with her matched sisters, and learned all sorts of ways to become an individual, to not be a show-piece. Azula was a prodigy, she could do it all as a child, even lightning-bend. It was all easy for her. Mai was a bit jealous, but knew it was not to be. She developed an eye for aim and throwing darts, stars, blades and other offensive weapons. This was Mai’s individual talent. She had lived in control for so long that to lose it was unthinkable. She would not follow the slurry to battle Katara and/or Toph. She was air-slapped a couple of times by Appa, and could only make sarcastic remarks.
Mai needs to get out, see the world and to be cared for, and to care for Zuko. Ty Lee could care less for Zuko. She has a thing for Sokka (“He’s kinda cute”). She wants to battle Suki for him. Maybe she wants to battle him for his choice? Zuko has been around, seen the world, battled the Avatar through all the nations. Mai has seen a little of the world, the narrow and constrained Ba Sing Se, but not interacted with anyone but the same social level as herself. She has NEVER willingly gotten dirty, sweaty, worked hard except in battle, been put up as a paragon, put down as a tool, been anywhere she was not on her own level. Her character is a minimally null, a point in the score of her father’s reckoning as part of his social standing. She needs a life. Her emotions only show when she is bored, defeated, or, finally, put into a conflict between being used between Azula and her feelings for her childhood love, Zuko.
In his relationship with Jin, Zuko is never comfortable, knowing he has Mai, before, then and always. Jin is a nice diversion, and he can show kindness, but it is not a date he relishes. He would be happier if Jin came in with another young man, closer socially and elementally to her. Jin saw an unattached working man who was interesting and fit-looking. Zuko saw someone who, if he opened up, would become a hazard to him and to his uncle. (Was she a Dai Li agent? A stooge for a Fire-Nation officer looking for a reward? A pirate’s daughter? WHO WAS SHE?!?) He was mentally still on the run, even in the restricted and restrictive life in Ba Sing Se. When it became possible, he could be kind and sweet, but still very guarded.
Zuko, from the time he was banished, was in conflict with himself, and that was the canon. He could never find a path that did not crumble in front of him, until he caved into giving himself and his skills over to the Avatar. In “The Blue Spirit”, Aang pulls Zuko out of a situation and into the woods. “I’ve had friends all over, even in the Fire-Nation. I remember my friend Kuzon, we got into all sorts of trouble, and he was Fire-Nation, like you! If I knew you back then, could we have been friends?” When Zuko returned to the ship and lay down to sleep, I think the question, “… could we be friends?” haunted him until he joined the Avatar. He lay there with his eyes open and turned away from the Fire-Nation flag.
Mai is out for herself (or more for her father’s career), but she still does not know the answer to the Buddhist koan: “Who are you?”. She is, in her mind, an extension of her father, still an only child, even with her little brother TomTom. The concept of caring for her brother repulses her (Ooooh, UGH! Dirty diapers!). She is still the protected and symbolic figurehead of her father’s fertility. “I got everything I wanted, as long as I behaved.” Somehow, with Zuko, she felt something of freedom, even with him being banished. Mai never directly battled Zuko, leaving that to Azula. She battled Katara, with the water-bending master finding ways of deflecting or armoring against her blades and darts. This was just because this is what Azula wanted, pushed her buttons. She really did not care, except it got her out of sitting in a stuffy royal court. Mai needs a chance to get out and be, without having to fight, or from another, less violent series, Miss Frizzle says, “Let’s get dirty”. Mai needs to get dirty, sweaty, learn to cook, make tea, live a life. Mai’s character is still never developed except that it exists as a mate for Zuko. Zuko thought of Katara, but never really cared for her, a friend and ally, but that is all. His heart was always darted and pinned to and by Mai, the only girl (as I remember) Zuko ever kissed.
I can see all sorts of other story-lines without Mai, but I do not think Zuko has any other thought than having Mai by his side in his future. This would assure the political alliance with many other powerful families that in fighting him, have to fight themselves. (This is still a feudal society.) I see a story line where Azula and Ozai build a force to hunt down Zuko and Mai, Aang and the gAang. The Fire-Nation splits into those who are tired of war and those who thought that “We are a bunch of losers and MUST AT ALL COSTS RUN THE WORLD TO KEEP IT FROM THE OTHER LOSER, WEAK AND STUPID NATIONS!” I can see some part of the Dai Li joining this fight, looking for validation and a place in some “new world order”. The dangers are escalated, the intrigues are deeper, and the balance is in danger until all four elements are in balance.
Coyote01 Reply:November 30th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Well, Mai and Zuko were not always together as more than friends…however they both had a THING for eacthoher since they were kids…so they didn’t become more than friends until after Zuko was back from banishment because Mai did not want to be accused of treason from Azula and the rest of the firenation. While I agree Mai didn’t really match with Zuko..they made the most sense, practically as they were both of royal ways.
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Leon Stark Reply:December 1st, 2010 at 12:31 am
They grew up together, were always to each other’s eye. Mai’s mind was made up long before Zuko’s, even if Zuko was not to be Fire-Lord. The thought was that Iroh, then Liu-Tien would have been the line-up. Ozai’s challenge of Iroh’s competence after the loss of his son was a blow to the whole family. Ursa stood up to protect Zuko and only Ozai and (the late) Azulon knew what happened.
When Zuko was banished, Mai got … a note. When Zuko returned and Mai felt close to him, it was okay, but he was still writhing inside about his feelings about his family, so out of balance. When he finally left, Mai got … a note. When Mai confronted Zuko at the Boiling Rock, and the escape was under-way, Zuko tried to protect her by locking her in a cell. Mai never felt torment, but then again, she had the feeling knocked out of her in order to protect her father’s political standing and career. “I got everything I wanted if I towed the line. All I could be was the good little girl. We had father’s career to consider.” Imagine how hard it was for her to tell her long-time friend and playmate, “I love Zuko more than I fear you.” It was probably the most emotion she ever showed Azula since her hormones started to kick in.
How many people marry “their high-school sweethearts”. For Zuko and Mai, it was the same thing. They will marry and bear little Zai’s and Mako’s. Bless them.
Coyote01 Reply:December 1st, 2010 at 4:14 pm
@Tracy..yea I mean someone like Katara would have been wonderful for Zuko because they were kinda opposites but they benefited eachother..Zuko had a lot of passion and Katara had much compassion to balance Zuko out and Zuko to Katara..but of course Katara and Aang already were tied together pretty much from the start lol.
Tracy Reply:December 1st, 2010 at 4:42 pm
Mai had a crush on him when they were kids, but Zuko pretty much felt girls were crazy back then. LOL.
Tracy Reply:December 1st, 2010 at 5:21 pm
Coyote, Katara was destined for Aang, I believe, but even Ty Lee would have been better for Zuko because she was sweet and caring. Zuko needs to be cared for. Not bored with.
I like how complicated Zuko’s inner self is compared to how he acts outwardly…it’s kind of like he lies to himself a lot lol…but really he just doesn’t fully realize why he feels what he feels.
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Leon Stark Reply:November 24th, 2010 at 5:11 am
Zuko, banished, always knew he needed the Avatar “to restore his honor”, but he does not know how and for what. Even at a point he thought about his “destiny” he almost had to make a wrong turn to see why what he thought what he wanted was wrong, and make a hard turn (Day of Black Sun) to find a better path. He loved his sister, but she never loved anyone but herself. Azula lived to cause fear and anger. It was, in part, her taunting that brought Zuko to the conclusion of the series. Zuko still has SOOOO many issues to deal with. It could be a whole other book!
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Good article, not long enough, but Zuko is my favorite, so I am quite biased. He definitely regained his own honor in the end and when Ran and Shao showed him the meaning of Firebending, he was unstoppable…
I was listening to one of the commentaries one evening and The Beach was kind of based on 80′s angst type movies. THAT is why I cannot see Zuko and Mai together, but they aren’t in my fan fic, so I am very happy with that.
Gotta love the fan fic where you can fix whatever you feel is a mistake, eh?
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the thing I don’t understand about ty lee is that in “the beach” she complains about being part of a match set with what I assume could only mean she was part of identical twins or more. She says that she felt like she didn’t even have her own name. But in “avatar aang” she joins the kyoshi wariors who for the most part all look alike so its almost like a match set. What hapened to her being in the curcis?
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woodzanager Reply:November 30th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
Sorry circus
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Leon Stark Reply:December 1st, 2010 at 7:44 am
Ty Lee was one of a birth of seven, and had identity and attention issues because of it. She had to create a unique identity for herself, even if it is as a “circus freak”. Just tell her that as she is chi-chopping”!
The outfits of the Kyoshi Warriors have specific unique elements that permit separate identification. Head-dresses, the order of braids and ensigns, and certain family signs/symbols turn a basic uniform into piece of unique art. Yes, they have uniform elements, but they also imply specializations and personalities. Maybe it is the family issues and the mixing her up with her sisters, but she may have a new home and identity with the Kyoshi Warriors.
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I noticed a mistake at the very beginning when you said zuko was born as a child of the firenation leader (the firelord). I’m not trying to be a prick its just that ozai wasn’t firelord yet and he wasn’t even in line to be the next one, firelord azulon was the current firelord and iroh was next in line. I guess you were referring to him as to being born in the fire nation royal family.
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emily Reply:May 10th, 2011 at 7:00 am
hahaha good pick up
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zuko was not destined to become fire lord, iroh and lu ten
were also one of the picture captions sy zuko becomes king of the
fire nation that’s incorrect as well earthkindom has kings
firenation has lords
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True aang is a very young master but he is also an airbending prodigy meaning the skills come to him naturally with ease like azula with firebending, she didn’t struggle like zuko did to learn firebending. And as far as the cave of two lovers that happened in book two so aang and katara had time to grow feelings for each other throughout book one. I will admit that you could definately tell katara was beginning to have romantic feelings for aang in bookone in the episode “the fortuneteller”.
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Leon Stark Reply:January 18th, 2011 at 11:01 pm
Way back, in episode one, book one, Aang’s firat line was to Katara, “I want to ask you something, closer, closer, … Wanna go penguin-sledding with me?” Childish, maybe, but still somewhat sappily endearing. As Appa was swimming his way to the Southern Water village, Katara asks, “Why are you smiling at me?” She knew that Aang felt something, but what?
In the “Southern Air Temple” Katara saw the statues’ eyes light up, – “The Avatar has returned” – She found Aang in the throes of a rampant Avatar State. She was the only one who could bring him back to Earth. All throughout Book one, there were times when either Aang or Katara would be blushing or in some situation where there was a rescue, one of the other. It was Aang who fought Zuko in order to retrieve the betrothal necklace. When he returned it, he was being coy, but Katara may have felt that it was Aang giving her a betrothal necklace of his own. (The betrothal necklace was a Water-Tribe custom, and not something common in the Air-Nomads.) One could always see, even before “The Fortune-teller” Aunt Wu foretold anything. Even Sokka knew before they left the Water-tribe village, “Let’s go rescue your boyfriend.”
In some ways, the last person to think about the concept was Katara, but even she knew, but would not admit it to herself. “He’s the real deal! I sense much wisdom in him” in talking with GranGran.
You also bring up the prodigy of Azula. Azula learned everything cold. hard and without fear or remorse, just anger, hate, and the need to manipulate her world, even to manipulate everyone around her. Zuko always had feelings, but as often as not, they were feelings of frustration and empathy. He just had no vocabulary to express them. Azula rejected her world to jump into the fire of her icy heart. No wonder she rejected her mother. “Oh well, she’s gone.” And that was that. Just another day at the royal court. Zuko was tormented over the one person who he could directly talk to. He learned things about the depth of his soul that Azula sought to avoid, as they did not meet her aims. (note: I did not say needs, aims at control by whatever means necessary.)
Zuko was told to find the Avatar on being banished. Eventually, he did, but he had misinterpreted how he was to find him. He found the Avatar, Aang, and had to submit to him instead of conquer him. In “The Red (Blue?) Spirit” Aang saved Zuko from the archers, and said, “Could we have been friends?” (remembering his “… friends all over, even in the Fire-Nation”). Zuko responded with a misaimed fire-bolt. When he returned to the ship, he felt the need to rest. He lay down with the Fire-Nation flag hanging on his wall and he turned from it, as if there were something inside asking about what had just happened.
Ursa and Iroh were the two most powerful influences in his life, but he wanted the approval of the one person who rejected him, his own father. When he finally got recognized by his father, something was not right about it and it was “The Day of Black Sun” that informed him about what his life was really like, and what he really needed. Once the hate, fear and anger drained from him, he needed to reconnect with the “fire within”, by his visit to the “Sun Warriors”.
Aang and Katara were always a couple, whether they knew it or not. Even Sokka saw it (and he was not especially perceptive). Zuko and Mai were linked throughout their youth, even before there was the chance of Zuko becoming Fire-Lord. Zuko had a lot of issues to deal with in his youth, and as he grew and saw what the world around him and his family was really like, he had to make a turn in his life that would possibly be called an epiphany, a catharsis. Iroh celebrated this, and knew that Zuko had learned more than he earlier had let on. (Maybe he saw that Zuko was also a “Dragon”?)
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I was just talking about how it was easy for aang and azula to master their native elements because they were prodigies, not ittentions once they did master them. Also the whole smiling part from the first episode katara probably guessed that aang liked her somewhat but I don’t think she thought much about it. And when sokka said let’s go rescue your boyfriend he was just being sarcastic because katara was saying over and over how they needed to go rescue aang. Also, aang giving katara back her mothers betrothal necklace was just his way of apologizing for not giving her and sokka the map to their father in the first place and he knew how much the necklace meant to her. One more thing sokka helped bring aang down from the avatar state somewhat in “the southern air temple”, not just katara, even though katara did it the one other time in “the desert” by herself.
The reason I think azula rejected her mother was because she always felt that she liked zuko more than her so she became somewhat jealous
I agree that kataang was always going to happen (which I’m glad it did) and I think zuko and mai were perfect for each other.
What do you mean when you said iroh might have thought zuko was also a “dragon”?
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Leon Stark Reply:January 19th, 2011 at 4:12 am
I am sorry, but I have seen too many “prodigies” in my day get pushed on high only to crash and burn. Azula, for all her skills, on “The Beach” and in all Zuko’s flashbacks, never just sat and listened to her mother. She was either with her “friends” Mai and Ty Lee, or alone. She rejected her own “femininity” to study her fire-bending. She seemed always to have a streak of obstinace driving her actions. She reveled in the destructive potential of fire above all else. Jion Jiong made notes about Admiral Zhang that were very telling, and as Azula was introduced in Book two, many of the same tendencies were in Azula, but with a twist. If she had any elder guides, she reveled in the attentions of Lu and Li, the old twin ladies. They seemed to have been thrust upon her as models of “proper ladies”, but were always past their prime for any males of “breeding age”(?)
Aang was a prodigy, but then he had hundreds of past lives and their arts to draw on. Aang’s mentor, Gyatsu, made certain that he was around all sorts of people, like Kuzon of the Fire-Nation and Bumi, the Earth-Bender. Aang seemed to take everything in stride, and bent to whatever the needs of his training without harm to anyone. Azula reveled in other people’s pain and embarassment, especially Zuko’s. Mot that much was told about Ursa, but in the end, it seemed that her spirit in the mirror was trying to tell Azula that she was loved, whether she liked it or not. When Azula was getting ready for her coronation, she sent away all her guards, Dai Li agents, and anybody who might support her. She even rejected her old teachers, Lu and Li.
As far as the map, Aang confessed and came back to them. They had already forgiven him. Earlier, Sokka was looking for the fishing-line, and Aang had made it into a necklace for Katara. She seemed to think it was nice, but it wasn’t her mother’s necklace. Aang could have just left the necklace with Zuko, but seemed to make a special effort to get it, no matter what he did to Zuko.
Sokka did try to get Aang down from the Avatar State in “the Southern AIr Temple, but there was no connection. It was Katara’s presence and her voice that seemed to do the trick. Seeing Gyatsu’s remains there in the snow surrounded by Fire-Nation soldiers and their uniforms triggered his emotions. If left unchecked, he probably would have had a spirit-world encounter with Roku, to explain what had happened, but Katara was there to calm him down.
All through the three books, Iroh was referred to as “The Dragon of the West”, a title whose explanation did not fully come to the fore until “The Firebending Masters”. The original explanation was that Iroh killed the last of the dragons, which was not true. Iroh learned all the secrets of the Dragons, Ren and Shao and kept the secret by saying they were dead. When Zuko “lost” his fire-bending, Aang and Zuko went to the old city of the “Sun-Warriors” to see if there was some secret to Fire-Bending remaining in the ruins. There were, and both Zuko and Aang came away with the core of Fire-Bending skill and art. The Sun-Warrior chief said that Iroh was the last person to have encountered the Dragons, and thus the title. When Zuko caught up with Iroh again, after many weeks of separation (Iroh was in prison and probably knew about the eclipse, so he trained to be able to get out without his firebending), Zuko had made a major change in attitude, starting in Ba Sing Se. Somehow, I think (my opinion) once you have encountered the Dragons, there is a change that any who have encountered them can see or sense. No words, but just the sense of something more. Zuko had done something recently that had been done last only by Iroh. Iroh probably saw others who took the title “Dragon” pass away before Zuko was born, so knowing little of what occurred while he was a prisoner, Iroh would not have known about Zuko’s loss of his bending. Zuko was always a fiery kid, even in frustration. That is what fueled his fire early on, and did not on that last meeting in “Old-People Town” (so sayeth Bumi). It is one of the junction points of the physical and spirit world, meeting Dragons. He still made, in their planning, what we call a Freudian slip, the “Father-Lord”. He still loved his father, even though he had his total separation from him.
When the gAang got back together, Zuko seemed glad that Ozai was still alive, if not fire-bending. He knew it would be hard for Aang to kill Ozai, both physically and morally. It just was not in Aang’s nature.
I am writing bit by bit, my own version of a Book 4: Air, The search for the lost Air-Benders. It starts with a cold wind and a dream that reminds Aang that he is an Air- NOMAD. Nomads are not a fixed people, and are all over the place. Aang left enough before Sozin’s Comet for the Air-Nomads to scatter. They would need a secret place, and Aang would have to search for it. There is a Chinese Buddhist philosophy of four temples, and a Taoist philosophy of five temples or mountains. Aang will have to find clues to the fifthe temple from clues in the other four. Zuko is looking for clues to what happened to his mother, and Azula and Ozai are hot for vengeance against both of them.
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Jeeze, everyone’s criticizing your grammer and story! Give him a break, that probably took a lot of work to type.
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I don’t think that Mai is really bored all the time, she’s just not good at showing her emotions because of the way she’s been raised. She really love Zuko, and I hope they have a happy life.
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Admin / Jordash Reply:February 22nd, 2011 at 1:28 am
Yeah I think so too
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emily: You are right, the connection is not yet fully formed. It would not come remotely close until “Cave of the Two Lovers” and their (did they, or didn’t they) kiss in the dark. I think it was in the opening of “The Fortune Teller” that Aang wove the fishing-line into a flower-shaped necklace. It was something, but Katara seemed to have no emotional attachment to it.
Later, in “Bato of the Water Tribe”, Aang could have either not noticed, or passed on grabbing the three-generations old betrothal necklace.The fact that he made a special effort to grab it had many implications. It robbed Zuko of a tool to track or exert influence on Katara, and it proved his sincerity to forge and maintain a connection with Katara. Katara was duly grateful.
GranGran knew they were connected from the first. Sokka, even in his most sarcastic, was prophetic if yet unknowing. Katara could not openly admit her feelings, but they were right there, out in the open. They always were connected, no Aunt Wu needed.
Aang returned something of deep emotional significance, and Katara noticed, no matter how coy Aang was about it. “Zuko wanted you to have this … “(presenting the necklace). The connection becomes closer and closer. Katara even tries to “fly” (hang-glide) inorder to understand Asng better.
Zuko was Fire-Nation, and therefore the symbol of all that was evil in the world. Zuko had seen differently, but it was a conversation for a different day. When Zuko and Karata shared their “mother-stories” was there the smallest connection, but Zuko still wanted to deal with his family, for wherever it led. Zuko turning home felt like betrayal to Katara, and therefore could never truly connect with Zuko except on the most external level. That changes within the last half-dozen episodes. (I had to bring this up to maintain the thread of “Zuko, the mysterious …”) Zuko would come back with the Avatar, but as his friend and in some ways, servant, instead of as his master and captor.
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Zuko is sooooo hot
I think he really sweet and I love him so much.
I liked the part where Zuko chose to join the avatar instead of trying to get him.
He is so cute when he tries to get everyone to trust him and believe that he is on their side.
I LOVE ZUKO!!!!
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Admin / Jordash Reply:August 1st, 2011 at 12:11 pm
Yeah Zuko is an amazing character!
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Leon Stark Reply:August 1st, 2011 at 7:18 pm
Zuko is an interesting character. When he was very young, he expected his Uncle, General Iroh, and then his cousin Lu Ten, to be the Fire Lord line. Lu Ten died in battle at the Siege of Ba Sing Se. General Iroh was devastated, and retreated from the siege, but was still foremost in Azulan’s mind as the next Fire-Lord. Ozai would have none of it, and by treachery, and unknown acts, was the only one left to become Fire-Lord, giving up his wife in the process, with no remorse.
Zuko was devastated, but hid it well. When Zuko FINALLY had the chance to sit in on a War-Council at about age 16, he showed less-than-sterling manners, but he was right in his strategic assessment. He interrupted one of the generals and thought he would fight an Agni Kai against an elderly Fire-Bender. It was the Fire-Lord’s council though, and the offense was directly to the host, Fire Lord Ozai, Zuko’s father.
The Agni Kai, at the arena, exposed this error in judgment on Zuko’s part, that he would have to fight his father, the Master’s Master among Fire-Benders. Maybe he should have fought, but Zuko loved his father, and knew not the rules of the Council. Zuko took the insults of being disrespectful and weak, unable to do what was necessary and a coward.
The Fire-Lord, Ozai spared and scarred his son and SENTENCED Zuko to find and capture the Avatar. In this, “capture” finally means capture the attention and the friendship of the last (local) member of a lost race, not imprison and neutralize the one person who could stop the Fire-Lord’s plans to completely deform the balance. Zuko had to see how the balance worked, how the world worked outside of Fire-Nation control. He had to learn how Fire-Nation attitudes ate into the way the world worked.
Azula showed Zuko “the Fire-Nation Way” on Ember Island, where he realized that it was warped and skewed, and not able to fit in with what he saw the rest of the world was like. Maybe fun, and maybe a thrill, but not all the time. For Azula, it HAD TO BE all the time, and playing with people’s heads to boot.
This is not Zuko, straight-forward, brutally honest and self-deprecating. He knows his skills and is yet exploring his limits. He is the new DRAGON, having learned his power directly from the DRAGONS of the Sun Warriors. He needs to learn to still his emotions and learn how to bend lightning to his bidding. He has only one other interest besides the balance of the world, Mai. And Mai has always loved Zuko since they were about eight years old or so. And Mai had a revelation concerning her friendship with Azula, “You miscalculated! I love Zuko more than I fear you.” The bluntest and most dangerous statement she could say to someone realizing that she was not invincible. And Zuko was the core. Even Tai Li turned on Azula.
Zuko had friends who would stand by him and Azula was losing hers. Without rudder or anchor, Zuko was adrift and Azula had her friends. The tables had turned, and Azula was alone, and that was driving her crazy along with the power of the comet. Zuko could depend on Katara, Aang, Toph, Sokka and Suki for their standing with friend. Zuko traveled a long way to get there, but he captured the friendship and loyalty of the Avatar, and that was the entire idea.
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hahaha i love that episode! With Zuko talking to the frog and doing impersonations of Azula and Iroh. I love the ‘Hey, Zuko here’ line. Classic.
Its so cute when he accidentley burns Toph and he’s so sorry for what he did
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I think zuko is by far the most compelling character in the entire show. His story makes him seem like he has the most human personality
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