Character Analysis: Prince Zuko

We love ourselves one (1) awkward redeemed boy.

Prince Zuko has been my favorite character since I was about eight years old, and he has held that spot for a good reason.

Since Avatar the Last Airbender first aired in 2005, the character of Prince Zuko has been analyzed again and again over the years, and his story arc has been marked as one of the best and well-written redemption arcs in TV history. But he did not start out as the most well-liked character.

Warning: for those who have not seen the show, there are SPOILERS. And another warning: this post is long. Long because there's just so much to talk about with this character that I can't condense it without leaving important things out. So here we go.

We are introduced to Prince Zuko in the very first episode of the show, after Aang is freed from the iceberg. A large beam of light shoots into the sky, and upon seeing this, Zuko utters his first word of the series:

“Finally.”

Already, this implies a few things about his character:

1. He’s impatient

2. He’s been searching for someone

3. He’s angry

Not only does he look angry, he sounds angry and agitated. This anger of his is a prime motivator and emotion throughout his character development. And for the longest time, no one understands - besides Uncle Iroh - where his source of anger stems from.

He’s an angry boy, for sure. Anger, along with hopelessness, are his primary emotions throughout Season 1 of the show. At first glance, he seems like a typical, angry antagonist who wants to destroy the world’s only hope because he has something to gain for himself. But Zuko's reasoning behind going after the Avatar is not surface level.

It is early on that we as viewers figure out that Prince Zuko is not only unaccepted by anyone outside of the Fire Nation, but he is also rejected by his own people. As the crowned Prince of the Fire Nation, he's scorned and rejected by everyone. It seems a bit odd to have the Prince of the Fire Nation looked down upon so much.

In Episode 3 of Season 1, we are introduced to the main antagonist of the first season, Admiral Zhao. There is tension built between Zuko and Zhao, not just as a rivalry, but because of the lack of respect Zhao has for Zuko. He calls him a 'banished prince', and insults Zuko pretty seriously by saying his father doesn't want him back home. There's a lot of implied family trauma that circles around in this episode, and Zhao's insults fuels Zuko's rage. This episode is the first display of Zuko's actual strength, when he participates in an Agni Kai - one which we are told is not his first match. Zuko is able to beat Zhao and displays honor by not burning Zhao's face, much unlike what was done to him before. This mercy shows the first signs of dignity and empathy in Zuko's character that is often overlooked due to his angry facade for most of the show.

After this, most of Prince Zuko's appearances for the next 9 episodes are him chasing down Aang trying to capture him. These episodes display his ability to track down a kid who clearly has no idea where he's going, but also how angry and determined he is. The only bit of character development we get from Prince Zuko is during the Winter Solstice episodes when Uncle Iroh is captured by Earth Kingdom soldiers. Zuko goes after them to rescue his uncle, but as he travels, he has the opportunity to abandon Iroh and chase Aang: but he doesn't. He goes back to save his uncle: this is the first time he gives up a potential chase with Aang. There are a few moments here and there where Zuko's softer side shows up, but not much. After the little nugget of information in Episode 3, we don't get much of Zuko's story after that. Not until one of the best episodes of Season 1: The Storm.

Not only does this episode explain the disappearance of Aang and why he left in the first place, it also explains how and why Prince Zuko was banished and why he's chasing after the Avatar. In a series of flashbacks, we are shown that Zuko was a kindhearted young teenager who attended a war meeting with his Uncle, eager to learn about the country he would be ruling in the future. After hearing a plan to sacrifice new recruits in battle, the 13-year old Zuko speaks up in outrage, appalled by the fact the commanding officers would betray their soldiers like that. Of course, this outburst does not go in Zuko's favor. He's forced to participate in an Agni Kai. But his fight isn't against the General he spoke against: Zuko had to fight his own father. And he refused. He would not fight his father and begged to be forgiven. He begged for mercy to be shown, as it was obvious he couldn't fight against his own father.

This is where we first get a taste of Fire Lord Ozai's cruelty. He burned his own son for not fighting against him, and found it dishonorable that Zuko would choose such a thing. And because of that, he was banished from the Fire Nation. That's how he got the scar on his face, where his anger stems from, and why he is so determined. He believes he has lost all his honor and dignity and believes that somehow, his father is the only one who can restore it to him. So Zuko is bent on capturing Aang, as Zuko sees him as the only way to can return home with restored honor.

Zuko was shown violence was the answer for his kindness, and instead of seeing his father as a cruel, unmerciful man who abused him, he sees him as a powerful idol he has to please in order for his rightful honor to be restored and he can return home.

But beneath all the rage, Zuko is still a kindhearted person. He has just been abused and lied to, which has twisted his mind and his heart to hide who he really is in order to please his abuser - his own father. He makes bad decisions because he forgets who he really is, and focuses on those decisions he makes solely because he thinks it'll please his father. Even with this past weighing on him, Zuko shows his kindness in both small and big moments throughout Season 1 and 2.

Zuko's true character is something his Uncle Iroh sees within him, along with the man he could be, and always encourages him to choose his own path, to make his own choices, and to think for himself. Iroh becomes the father to Zuko that he never had, but Zuko himself doesn't realize this until the third season of the show.

After The Storm, viewers begin to feel sympathy towards Zuko because so many things about his character make sense. We understand where his anger stems from, where his drive and determination come from, and how warped his mind is about the Fire Nation.

The next big episode for Zuko is the very next one in the series, The Blue Spirit.

Zuko will do anything to ensure he's the one to deliver the Avatar to his father. Like mentioned before, Zuko sees Aang as his one shot at redemption in his father's eyes. Because of this, Zuko disguises himself as a rogue with a mask and infiltrates a Fire Nation fortress where Aang is being held captive. While his main focus may be to keep Admiral Zhao from getting Aang, it also shows a bit of a softer side to Zuko that he's willing to help someone other than himself out, even if he is mostly helping himself.

The Blue Spirit becomes a type of dual personality for Prince Zuko. Not only does he display he has more than his firebending to rely on - he is very skilled with broadswords - he also openly goes against his own country. He betrays the Fire Nation by setting Aang free. By doing so, he becomes an enemy of the Fire Nation in a different way: not only is he now a banished prince, he is now a criminal and enemy of the Fire Nation.

After Zuko saves and frees Aang, subsequently being saved by Aang after being knocked out by an arrow, he wakes to see Aang in the forest, and the two have a brief, one-sided conversation. Aang mentions his old friend from the Fire Nation and asks Zuko if maybe they could've been friends too. Of course, in a very Zuko-like manner, he firebends at Aang, and Aang runs off. His face softens after Aang leaves, as if he's contemplating the question.

When Zuko returns to his ship, after telling his uncle he's going to lay down, he is in deep thought about his recent actions. He looks at the Fire Nation insignia on the wall beside him, and physically turns his back on it - both physically and metaphorically turning his back on the Fire Nation.

After that, the next big scene with Zuko that hammers down his status as an outcast and reject by his own people is when Admiral Zhao hires pirates to assassinate Prince Zuko. Admiral Zhao suspects Zuko is the Blue Spirit, and immediately hires pirates to assassinate him after he figures it out. It is a breathtaking scene when Zuko realizes he's been set up, and after his ship is blown to smithereens, the viewers are left in shock, thinking this teenager has been killed.

Zuko lives, but he has injuries from the attempt on his life. Uncle Iroh aids him while he figures out a plan to infiltrate the North Pole's icy fortress to capture Aang. And Zuko does just that.

After a heated battle against Katara, Zuko takes Aang and escapes into a blizzard, where he has to take shelter. Here, we hear more about his story, and it honestly makes us feel more sympathy towards this already dynamically tragic character. He talks about luck, and how he has never had luck. Zuko brings up his father and sister - both characters we will meet later on.

"My father says she was born lucky. He said I was lucky to be born."

This one line shows the family dynamic Zuko grew up with. He has always been shunned by his father, who has favored his sister. We see more of this favoritism displayed later on, but Zuko admitting this, yet still not realizing that his father is an abusive man, goes to show how deep the trauma and desire to please him is. Zuko feels like this favoritism is even more of a reason to prove his worthiness to his father. He has to outshine his sister, to do his best, and be this version of himself that his father wants him to be, just in order to get his father's approval and his honor back.

His monologue in the cave is incredibly sad to reflect on. Zuko admits he doesn't need luck; he's always had to fight and struggle - and his struggle has made him who he was. Symbolically, the camera shows his scarred side during this scene, as if to show that his fight and struggle has scarred him - in more ways than one.

Of course, his success with capturing Aang doesn't last long. He's soon rescued by Katara and Sokka, and with a turn of events that leads him to fighting Admiral Zhao one last time, Zuko shows his softer side once more. Zuko is obviously furious that Zhao tried to have him killed, and the two duel it out with Zuko having the advantage. But when the spirit monster Aang was controlling takes Zhao, Zuko offers him a hand. He tries to save Zhao from dying - but Zhao's stubborn pride keeps him from taking Zuko's hand.

This small moment shows that even though Zuko was fighting against a man who would kill him with no hesitation, he was willing to help him escape death without hesitation. These moments in Zuko's character development often get glossed over because they are overshadowed by bigger events going on in the plot.

In Season 1, there are 4 major things we can take away from Zuko's character:

1. He's a victim of abuse

2. He makes a lot of bad decisions based on what others want of him

3. He has a softer, compassionate side he doesn't like to show

4. He is an outcast amongst his own people and the people of the world

Season 2 is a pinnacle of Zuko's character development, and this comes because of the fugitive lifestyle he is forced to live.

At the start of Season 2, we are introduced to Prince Zuko's sister: Princess Azula. She is an absolute psychopath all on her own, but that's a different analysis for a different day. She is on a mission of her own - to bring Zuko and Iroh back to the Fire Nation as prisoners. Her cunning trap fails, however, and leaves Zuko and Iroh as fugitives of the Fire Nation. They navigate through the Earth Kingdom, going through tough little adventures of their own. Zuko passes his 3 year anniversary of his banishment, and now more than ever he's determined to get it all back.

In Season 2 Episode 2, Zuko has his first real exposure to the damage of the war caused by his country. He and his uncle are sheltered by a young family after Iroh is poisoned, and the young woman, Song, tries to inquire about his scar. Of course, Zuko doesn't want to talk about it and stops her from reaching out to touch it. In turn, Song shows Zuko her leg, which is badly burned. She explains how she got it and Zuko looks at her in shock, and something seems to click that there are many people affected by the war.

While this resonates with Zuko, he still makes a bad decision by taking one of the family's ostrich horses for him and his uncle before they leave. After they make it to an Earth Kingdom town, Iroh and Zuko are forced to beg for money as people walk by, which is something that humiliates Zuko to no end. After seeing his uncle humiliated just to receive a few coins, Zuko once again dons the Blue Spirit disguise, stealing from those who have plenty to provide for him and his uncle. This life Zuko chooses is displeasing to Iroh, but when he tries to confront Zuko about it, Zuko - instead of listening to Iroh's words - decides to split with the loyal uncle and go about it on his own.

This leads to one of the best episodes in Season 2: Zuko Alone.

This standalone episode has viewers go deep into Zuko's past. When Zuko goes into a small Earth Kingdom town, he's taken in by a family, fed, and cared for. While he is with them, flashbacks of Zuko's childhood exposes Zuko's trauma and sad backstory even more so than The Storm did. It is in this episode we learn more of Azula's child prodigy tendencies and Fire Lord Ozai's favoritism of her. Anytime Azula is performing, he is happy. Anytime Zuko does something, he grows upset and angry. Zuko tries so hard to get his father's approval, but he never gets it. His mother, however, is extremely loving and caring for her son. It is obvious Zuko is a Momma's boy. He spends most of his time with her.

After the little boy - Lee - is told that his brother's division has been captured by some nasty Earth Kingdom soldiers, Zuko has a flashback of when Iroh lost his own son, and when Zuko lost his cousin. He is able to sympathize with this family and their fear for what is to befall their son or brother. It is here he remembers that his father tried to usurp Iroh's birthright as Fire Lord, and Azula comes to tell him that Ozai was going to kill Zuko. Zuko tries to ignore Azula, with his famous words, "Azula always lies."

Zuko grew up with 1 - a psychopathic liar for a sister, and 2 - an abusive, uncaring father who would kill his own son. The only ones who actually cared for Zuko was his mother and Iroh.

Because of the empathy stemming from his own past, Zuko tries to inspire Lee to never give up, but this backfires on him when the little boy goes to challenge the Earth Kingdom soldiers. Lee's mother begs Zuko to help get their son back, and Zuko agrees.

Zuko fights against the soldiers, displaying his skills as a swordsman, and only goes down against the last soldier. After being slammed by a rock, Zuko is knocked into a flashback right before his mother left, where she tells him to never be ashamed of who he is. This seems to trigger a nerve within Zuko, and he bursts into a blaze of glory - quite literally - and defeats the soldier with his firebending. There he proclaims he is the Prince of the Fire Nation to the entire town, and he claims it with pride, as if he has come to terms with his past.

The crowd hurls insults at Zuko, including him being 'banished', 'unwanted', and more. He goes up to Lee to talk with him, but the mother - who previously begged him for help - now stands in front of her son like she's protecting him from a monster. And Lee, instead of being inspired and happy around Zuko like he had been the entire episode, yells out that he hates Zuko.

Zuko saved a village from abusive soldiers and was repaid with hatred and rejection just because of who he was and where he was from.

To take a look at this episode out of context and compare it to another episode in Season 3, The Painted Lady, where Katara saves a Fire Nation village from abusive soldiers, there is a huge double standard. Zuko pretends to be someone he's not for majority of this episode, but when he comes clean with who he is, after he saves them, he is rejected and hated. Katara, after pretending to be someone she's not for majority of the Painted Lady episode, but comes clean with who she is after she saves them, is treated like a hero and celebrated.

The double standard is just shocking. The only difference between the two is that Zuko is recognized as being the Prince of the Fire Nation. And hatred automatically stems from the people who were previously cheering him on and helping him.

This rejection hurts Zuko, but he seems to bury it inside of himself as he is forced to leave the village.

The rejection fuels Zuko to continue doing the one thing he knows to do: hunt down the Avatar. This not only leads him to a confrontation with Aang, but with Azula as well. Zuko is reunited with Iroh, and as he continues to fight against Azula, the main objective of getting Aang disappears into stopping his sister. This leads to a foreshadowing moment where Zuko and Iroh are standing with the Avatar's group, cornering Azula. They're working together.

Azula, being Azula, injures Iroh severely to escape. Zuko is left in distraught and pain as his uncle lays unconscious on the ground. Katara offers to heal him, but Zuko refuses and yells out for them to leave. His anger boiled back up and he couldn't think straight. But it does show the love Zuko has deep down for Iroh. Zuko even takes care of Iroh and nurses him back to health as much as he can.

This leads to Uncle Iroh training Zuko yet again, but this time instead of firebending, it's how to redirect lightning. A technique that will give Zuko an edge against the two people who have abused him: Ozai and Azula. Both of them can bend lightning, and they often use it to cause the most damage. Zuko desperately wants to learn how to bend lightning, yet for some reason is unable to. In his mind, learning how to bend lightning would put him on par with the skills of his sister and it would impress his father. However, Uncle Iroh knows Zuko too well; he knows Zuko will benefit from learning how to redirect lightning more than he would learning how to bend lightning.

Since Iroh learned the technique from waterbenders, he teaches Zuko about the balance of the four elements and how the four nations work together. Iroh is subtly placing the thoughts in Zuko's mind about how the war is hurting this balance, but Iroh never comes out and blatantly says it, since he knows Zuko will not listen to that sort of teaching.

After Zuko is taught how to redirect lightning, he tries to seek out a storm so he can practice. He ends up shouting out at the sky that after everything that's been thrown at him, now he could give it back. This defiance and anger stems from his sadness, pain, and rejection he's felt most of his life. Of course, nothing happens to him, and the next we see of Zuko and Iroh, they're fleeing to Ba Sing Se as refugees.

Zuko finds some solace in the character of Jet, who convinces Zuko to steal from the ship's captain that was hogging all the food. In a true Robin Hood type of scene, Zuko teams up with Jet's group and helps distribute food to the poor, starving, and needy refugees amongst the boat. It's another moment that shows Zuko's softer side, even if he doesn't let his guard down. Jet, however, figures out the two are firebenders, and he's determined to out them in front of the Earth Kingdom soldiers.

Once inside Ba Sing Se, Zuko is appalled at the thought of working in a tea shop.

With a mix of comedy in the normal banter between Iroh and Zuko, he begrudgingly helps his uncle work in the tea shop and defends him and his uncle against Jet's accusation of them being firebenders.

Learning from his past, Zuko fights against Jet with just his swords, not giving in to wanting to use his bending, and beating Jet with pure swordsmanship. Unlike in Zuko Alone, where Zuko proudly proclaimed who he was, here he conceals his heritage because it's not only him who could be hurt by the reveal, it would cause his uncle pain as well.

After Jet is successfully taken away, Zuko lives his life rather peacefully with Iroh, even going on a date with a girl in the Tales of Ba Sing Se. This little episode with Zuko is hilarious because bits and pieces of his true self seep through unintentionally. We as viewers see the awkward side of Zuko that is so, so very painful to watch. But we also witness him jeopardize his life in Ba Sing Se just to make this girl smile. When the lights she wants to show Zuko is all put out, Zuko makes her close her eyes, and silently uses his firebending to light up everything around the fountain. It's a risky move, and she could have easily turned him in for the probability of him being a firebender. But she doesn't: she sees the gesture as kind and sweet instead, and she rewards him with his first onscreen kiss of the series. It was a very humanizing episode for Zuko, where the viewers got to really see who he is as a person - not just as the Fire Lord's son.

After getting their own tea shop, Zuko discovers Aang is in Ba Sing Se, and that his bison, Appa, is missing. In an instant, he reverts back to his old self as his Achilles heel of capturing the Avatar to restore his honor is blasted into the forefront of his mind. And that becomes his goal once more.

Zuko dons the Blue Spirit once again, tricking a Di Lee agent into telling him where Appa was being kept. After getting there, still disguised as the Blue Spirit, Iroh appears and ousts him. Iroh begins to question Zuko's methods, and gives him an incredible speech about how Zuko needs to make his own decisions:

"Is it your own destiny? Or is it a destiny that someone else has tried to force on you? I'm begging you, Prince Zuko. It's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions: who are you? And what do you want?"

Zuko angrily throws his mask and sword down, more conflicted now than he has ever been. But, for once, he makes the right decision: he frees Appa. At the end of the episode, Zuko discards the Blue Spirit mask, letting go of the rogue he disguised himself as, and is a physical representation that he's no longer hiding himself.

The choice Zuko makes leaves him distraught: he does not know how to handle being good. It leaves him in a dizzying sickness Uncle Iroh calls his 'metamorphosis'. After several nightmares, analogies of good vs. evil in the forms of Blue and Red dragons (Blue voiced by Azula, Red voiced by Iroh), Zuko awakens in a happier, brighter place. And up until he is captured by Azula, that happiness remains.

The series finale, named the Crossroads of Destiny, is more of an episode about Zuko's path than anything else. Zuko is thrown in prison with Katara, and while at first all she does is hurl insults at him, Zuko opens up to Katara after hearing about how she had lost her mother. The empathy Zuko feels, just as was shown in Zuko Alone, is a strong motivator for his actions, and is one reason why he lets his guard down around Katara.

This scene of understanding between the two is a turning point, or what should have been a turning point for Zuko. Katara offers to heal Zuko's scar, which in his eyes, marks his shame of the banished prince who has been cursed. And he was going to let her. Before this can happen, Aang and Iroh come to their rescue, much to Zuko's disappointment.

Iroh tries his hardest to convince Zuko it was time for him to choose good. Azula, however, comes in and manipulates Zuko into his weakness once more: he could have his honor restored to him if he were to join her and fight against Aang. With a heavy choice weighing on him, Zuko makes the ultimate decision to join Azula.

Not only does this leave every viewer devastated, it devastates Iroh and Katara. Katara yells out at Zuko that she thought he had changed, and he responds to say he did. Just not in a good way. And Iroh turns away from Zuko in disappointment.

After Aang is defeated by Azula, Zuko worries about how his father will receive him: he didn't have the Avatar. But he was still going home since the Avatar was 'dead'. Azula, of course, reassures him that he had restored his own honor.

At the end of Season 2, there are 3 major things to come away with from Zuko's character development:

1. His yearning for his father's love is his Achilles heel

2. Zuko has learned compassion, yet is still shown rejection, thus leading him to make bad decisions

3. Zuko battles against good and evil almost continuously throughout his life

Season 3 is perhaps my favorite season. That's my personal opinion. But there are several reasons for this, the first being that Zuko's character development finally blossoms after all the buildup from the first two seasons.

The first five episodes of Season 3 include Zuko's reunion with his father, where he claims Zuko has regained his honor because he killed the Avatar. Zuko learns Azula credited him with this, and he grows fearful of her motives. Even though Zuko has kept the secret of Katara's healing water from Azula, she suspects the Avatar may be alive. And if that were the case, everything Zuko just got back would be thrown away. Again.

This not only causes a rift in their already unsteady relationship, it angers Zuko even more than he already is. Zuko's anger grows at an unhealthy rate within the first few episodes. It shows when he's talking to others - besides his father - and when he visits Iroh in prison. His prison visits often end with him yelling at Iroh and slamming things against the wall, even when he originally tries to come to Iroh for advice. Zuko may not mean anything he's saying to Iroh, but his anger is misplaced and he takes it out on the man who has done nothing but love him.

Zuko's skepticism of Aang's survival and what it would do to his honor leads him to hire an assassin to kill Aang. This is one of his many, many bad decisions, but his mind is wrapped around the fear of what will happen if his father were to discover the Avatar was actually alive. I don't doubt the scar on his face burned a bit more as his fear and paranoia continued to grow.

This anger peaks during the Beach episode, where Zuko and his group head to a beach for some down time. What starts off as a funny episode turns into an episode focused around Zuko's emotions, actions, and thoughts. He has more flashbacks of his mother and when he was younger; Zuko tries to recall his happy memories but finds it hard to do so because of everything that's happened and because of how messed up his family is now.

When they all gather around the fire and talk with one another, Zuko calls out both Mai and Ty Lee, but in turn, they call him out on his anger and begin questioning why he's so angry, and who he's angry at. Zuko tries to dodge the question, and for a few seconds is actually confused about who he was really angry at, but after a bit more intense pressure from everyone, Zuko finally shouts it out:

"I'm angry at myself!"

His moral lines of good and evil have been so blurred because of the way his family is, because of the journey he's had, and because of the choices he's made. He doesn't know what is right or wrong anymore. He thinks he's made all the wrong choices, but doesn't believe there's any other option than what he's done. He's pressured into a life that isn't his all because he seeks the love and attention of a father who never cared about him. And it has made him deeply, deeply angry and hurt. He even mentions that he has his father's acceptance now and how his father talks to him, but it's nothing like what he imagined it to be. It leaves him confused and struggles within himself, wondering if he has made the right choices.

This conflict inside Zuko peaks in the next episode: The Avatar and the Firelord. One of the best background stories ever, Zuko and Aang both find out what happened before the start of the war. Zuko reads about his great grandfather Sozin, and how he was actually friends with Avatar Roku before the war began. Even though the two were originally best friends, after Sozin began seeing the world differently and wanting to spread the Fire Nation's greatness, he and Roku became enemies. The climactic scene of Sozin helping Roku fight against a volcano, and succeeding, but then leaving him to die after Roku is poisoned by the toxic gas, is a chilling end. Sozin decides without Roku in his way, all his plans are possible. So he can begin his war. So he leaves Roku to die.

Zuko, confused as to why he was sent to find this information, confronts Iroh in his prison cell again - Zuko knew it was Iroh who had put him up to this. Iroh reveals that Ozai's grandfather was Fire Lord Sozin, but his mother's grandfather was Avatar Roku. The camera angles when Iroh reveals this splits Zuko in two: the scarred half of his face referring to his father's side of the family, and the unhurt side of his face referring to his mother's side of the family. The dualism is part of his conflicted spirit, and Iroh explains that good and evil reside in him as part of his legacy, thus explaining the struggle he has always gone through.

The framing in these scenes makes it seem like Zuko is the one in a prison instead of Iroh. Metaphorically, it shows how he is trapped within his own mind because of this struggle inside of him and because he doesn't know what to do. However, once Iroh encourages him, light shines through the cage, as if to shine on Zuko as his mind is made up on what has to be done.

Because Zuko finally understands his own struggle and the very roots of the internal conflict within him, he's able to see the light clearly for the first time. Because of his newfound clarity, Zuko is able to come to a decision that he should have made a long time ago.

During the invasion episodes, Zuko is shown writing a farewell letter to Mai, and then he goes to face his father. This is the absolute pinnacle moment of Zuko's growth. He not only has the courage to go to his father and tell him he's leaving, but he calls out Ozai on everything he's done to Zuko. Zuko is now facing his abuser, not running, hiding, or living in fear of what would happen if he did something to displease him. And he tells him exactly that: that all he ever wanted was Ozai's love, and that he wanted to please him.

Even after Ozai threatens to kill Zuko for speaking up, Zuko continues on, telling Ozai exactly what is on his mind. Zuko now admits that challenging a 13-year old boy to an Agni Kai, and burning his own son's face, was cruel and wrong. There was no justification for what he had done. Ozai rebuts Zuko's truth by saying he's learned nothing from his banishment, but Zuko refuses to back down and be silenced by Ozai anymore. Zuko, after his three years of banishment and seeing how the world is affected by the war, and after finally coming to terms with his internal struggle, and seeing things clearly, is able to deliver the most impactful speech to his father.

"Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history. And somehow, the war was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an amazing lie that was. The people of the world are terrified by the Fire Nation. They don't see our greatness. They hate us. And we deserve it. We've created an era of fear in the world, and if we don't want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness."

This is perhaps one of Zuko's greatest scenes ever. Not only has he realized the cost of this war, but he knows that fear causes destruction because for the past three years, fear of rejection from his father had nearly caused him to self-destruct. Zuko is bold, strong, and is so confident in this scene that it gives you goosebumps watching it. He finally tells Ozai off for everything he's done. Even when Ozai mocks him for being soft and saying Iroh had gotten to him, Zuko proudly smiles and says he has. Then he tells Ozai - to his face - that Iroh had been the real father to him. That is an empowering moment for Zuko: he's no longer seeking the approval of his father. He has stopped yearning for a man who has only abused him, and has dedicated himself to find the man who was his father in actions - Iroh.

Zuko tells Ozai he is going to join the Avatar, and Ozai tries to egg Zuko on to kill him then and there. Zuko, understanding more about destiny and honor than ever before, refuses, because he knows it is not his place. When Zuko goes to leave, the camera zooms in on the side of his face unscarred - symbolizing the pureness of his heart now that he has confronted his abuser and left that part of him behind.

His conscious, for once in his life, is finally clear. He's found his drive in life that is actually his own, and not somebody else's that has been forced on him. He has held his abuser accountable, recognized that he - Zuko - was not at fault for speaking out against a plan to sacrifice troops, and fully comes to terms that this man that has abused him is not really his father. It is a powerful scene that places Zuko's character above so many others.

But of course, being the manipulative, abusive father he is, Ozai baits Zuko to wait until the eclipse was over by bringing up Zuko's mother. And Zuko, who is nothing less than a complete Momma's boy, falls for it. He learns the truth of his mother and that she is still alive: she was merely banished for what she had to do in order to save Zuko's life. Ozai notes that banishment is to lenient a punishment, and as the sun peaks out once more, tries to kill Zuko with a surprise lightning attack.

Zuko takes the hit full force, but because of what Iroh had taught him, he is able to channel the lightning through him and send it back at his father. The scene is incredibly symbolic in so many different ways: the technique Iroh taught Zuko out of love was to defend him from the hate of his father. And when his father, out of hatred and spite, tried to kill him, Zuko was able to revert that energy and be unaffected by the attack because of the love that had been previously shown to him. Instead of absorbing the abuse like he once had, he lets it flow through him, and he expels it from his body instead of letting it destroy him like he did previously.

The brainwashing has been snapped away, and that previous Achilles heel of needing something to have his honor restored by his father is gone. Zuko is finally a free man.

After he leaves Ozai, Zuko tries to get to Iroh, but discovers he's busted out on his own. So instead, he chases down Aang's group, but this time for the purpose of joining them.

This is where Zuko's true personality really begins to blossom and shine. We as viewers figure out that he is so, so awkward that it is actually painful to see at times. In a hilarious way, of course. But Zuko finds himself in an awkward position of not knowing how to present himself to the group without it seeming like he's attacking them. He tries to come up with a speech to prepare himself, but when the time comes and he is actually in front of them, he stumbles over his words and fumbles the whole speech.

His stumbling does nothing to help his case. The gang is already skeptical of him, even when he proposes teaching firebending to Aang. The least trusting of the group, however, is Katara, who remembers their time in prison at Ba Sing Se. Still holding a major grudge against him because of that, she is the most heated one and adamant that he will not be part of their group.

After a long series of events and Zuko fighting against his own assassin he hired, he approaches the group again, and this time is able to give an honest speech filled with his intentions of wanting to end the war. Aang finally accepts Zuko as a teacher, and everyone gives their approval, even a begrudging Katara. Zuko, ecstatic that he's finally accepted, thinks of his uncle and how things have changed so much in three years. His relationship with Katara gets more complicated when she threatens him, which leaves him a bit hurt as she walks away from him.

His troubles continue when he tries teaching Aang, but his firebending has disappeared. Anger had been his source for so long, that now it was gone, he didn't have the drive for fire like he once did. This leads Aang and Zuko on an embarking journey to find the source of fire. The interactions between the two are hilariously awkward at first, as the two are still getting used to one another, but towards the end of the episode, they act like they're old friends, and both learn the heart of firebending. This gives Zuko a new outlook on fire, and a purpose to teach Aang.

From here on, Zuko aids both Sokka and Katara on their own little missions as if ways to gain back their trust, and he is successful with both of them. He not only gains their trust and friendship, he is fully welcomed as a part of their group without any qualms now.

This leads to the episode where the entire show is summed up: The Ember Island Players. While this episode is mostly just comic relief before the intense four part finale, it is also a reflection for our characters, especially Zuko. He sees every mistake and choice he's made, and its thrown in his face because of how he betrayed his uncle. In his mind, Uncle Iroh hates him for what he's done.

In a scene with Toph, Zuko talks about how Iroh had always been there for him, guided him, and loved him, but all he had done to repay that kindness was betray him. It's Zuko's greatest regret. And he's terrified and ashamed of what his uncle must think of him. Toph reassures Zuko that he's already redeemed himself to his uncle by choosing the right path, and that his uncle would be proud of him for where he is now. It's a sweet moment for Zuko to be reassured by someone else that he's made his uncle proud. But deep down, he doesn't actually believe it: because it hasn't come from Iroh himself.

During the four part finale, Zuko reveals to the group of his father's plan to burn down the entire Earth Kingdom, and how if Aang doesn't stop Ozai before the comet comes, there will be nothing left afterwards. They immediately begin to plan, but when Aang disappears, the one the group turns to is Zuko. They depend on him for guidance on how to find Aang, and Zuko deals with the pressure perfectly and goes to find the person who can track down Aang. When Aang seems to be nowhere, Zuko realizes there's only one other person who could stop Ozai: Uncle Iroh. In a very strange but sweet moment, Zuko pulls Iroh's old sandal from his stuff and hands it over to be tracked.

Once the group is led to the general area Iroh is in, they are confronted by members of the White Lotus - a group and game Iroh had always played and talked about. Zuko began to see the connections between the group and seems to be amazed at his uncle's connections. The members take the group to camp and Zuko is directed to Iroh's tent. But instead of going inside, he sits on the ground outside, too afraid to enter. Katara gives Zuko a sweet pep talk to convince him to go inside, and finally, Zuko does.

Even though he's convinced that Iroh hates him and that he's going to be furious, he walks inside, ready to apologize as much as he can. Iroh is sleeping at the time, and even as anxious and scared as Zuko is, he patiently waits for Iroh to wake up. Unlike in earlier situations where Zuko may have woken him up regardless, here he shows patience and restraint, which is another testament to his growth as a human. When Iroh wakes up, Zuko's anxiety immediately returns and all he can think about is apologizing to him. But as soon as he starts apologizing, Zuko starts crying, ashamed of what he had done.

Iroh, instead of lashing out at Zuko like his father had done, wraps Zuko in a hug, and instantly forgives him.

Zuko literally could not imagine this outcome, where Iroh so willingly forgives him, where he's not angry, and where he doesn't lash out at Zuko. Before when he had done something to disappoint or offend his father figure, he was met with cruelty and ended up scarred because of it - both physically and emotionally. But here, Iroh shows the exact opposite of what Zuko was accustomed to: love, forgiveness, and mercy.

And Zuko has no idea how to react. For his whole life, his idea of punishment came from a cruel father who knew nothing of mercy. He was threatened several times, his father abused him verbally and physically, and tried to kill him more than once. He was expecting something of a similar manner because that is what he was accustomed to. The bravery it took for Zuko to even walk in to apologize for Iroh, with the trauma of knowing what happened the last time he apologized to a father figure, is incredible. It takes all of his strength and courage to go inside that tent and apologize. And the response he got was nothing like the abuse he had previously known, and that is because Iroh is a proper father.

Iroh does not lash out at Zuko one bit. He doesn't scream, shout, firebend, attack, or anything. He lovingly takes Zuko into a hug. He's not even mad at Zuko, and that absolutely floors the teenager. He thought Iroh was going to be furious with him. These actions - compassion, love, and mercy - are so foreign to Zuko from a father figure that he doesn't know how to respond to it, but he's so relieved to find out his uncle doesn't hate him.

It is a beautiful moment with their relationship coming full circle, Uncle Iroh saying how happy he was that Zuko had found his way back here and had chosen the right path. The two are finally reunited after being separated for so long, and this time, they are both 100% fighting on the same side, with the same goals, and with the same heart.

From here, Zuko is told that he is the only one that can take the throne, as an idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor. Of course, Zuko doubts his uncle's words, but Iroh reassures him that because of his past, his struggles, and how he's chosen his own path, Zuko has by far redeemed himself and restored his own honor. The only struggle he has left is to face his last abuser: Azula.

And he does this with Katara at his side.

Azula challenges Zuko to an Agni Kai when they arrive to the Fire Nation. Zuko - sensing there's something off about Azula - accepts her challenge to keep Katara from getting hurt. Their duel is the most beautifully animated fight scene of the whole series, but what really sends this over the top is the music. It is not an inspiring, upbeat score. It is a slow, sad score that really makes the viewer realize this is not hero vs. antagonist: this is brother vs. sister. These two siblings, though they had never gotten along too well, are fighting in a duel that usually ends up with either death or some sort of gross scarring. And it's incredibly depressing yet captivating to watch.

Zuko is calm, collected, and determined to win this fight for the sake of his country, and for the sake of the world. His firebending is more powerful than ever, and he is steady, unafraid, and confident when fighting Azula. He has never been this confident when fighting anyone before. And he shows up at just the right time.

After getting the edge on Azula, he challenges her ability to bend lightning, taunting her a little that she's afraid he'll redirect it. His level of confidence - plus the skills to back it up - has him completely unfazed by a family member who used to abuse and manipulate him. He's ready for her now, and she is the one who is unprepared, having lost all her control over him.

Azula, being the cunning psychopath she is, shoots her lightning not at Zuko - but at Katara. And when Zuko realizes where Azula is aiming, he panics. He loses the composure he's had the entire time when he realizes that Katara does not know how to redirect lightning, and would be killed if she got hit by Azula's bolt.

In a true act of self-sacrifice, Zuko jumps in front of the blast himself and takes it.

Knowing the consequences, he still jumps in front of the attack. He is able to redirect the lightning while in midair, but doing so, the lightning coursing through his body literally burns him from the inside out. When the lightning leaves his body, Zuko is left with a giant wound on his stomach, unable to move.

Fortunately, Katara beats Azula and heals Zuko in a very tearful, emotional moment for the two.

The fact that Zuko is so willing to save somebody else - even at the extent of his own life - shows just how much he truly cares for others and how much he's grown. From the very beginning of the show, he had been showing bits and pieces of his softer side and how he'll help other people, but after his redemption, he goes out of his way to help people and often uses himself as a shield for others. This moment is the peak for his self-sacrificial nature, and his love for the ones he cares about is now fully unleashed and often unmatched.

The season ends with Prince Zuko being named Fire Lord Zuko, who ends the war and stands in front of the nations with the Avatar, his friend, at his side.

Zuko began as an angry, banished and forsaken prince who wanted nothing more than to capture the Avatar to restore his honor in his father's eyes, and he ended as a motivated, honor-filled, loving Fire Lord with friends, his country, and his family back. He stopped pretending to be someone he wasn't, stopped trying to please other people, and lived for what he believed in, fought for his beliefs, and was a key factor in ending a century old war.

If there were a top 3 list of takeaways from Season 3 Zuko, it would be these:

1. Never give up on finding who you are

2. Redemption is always possible for those who want to seek it truly

3. Love and compassion rule over hate and anger

Zuko has - in my opinion - the best character development I have ever seen to this day. He goes from a banished prince, hated by his own father and an outcast of his nation, to a scorned refugee in poverty who struggles to figure out his place in the world, and sees the world in a new light because of his experiences yet still makes bad choices, to a redeemed, free man who stood up to his abusers, fought to come to the right choice, stood by his decision even when it got hard, and did everything he could to be the man he knew he was supposed to be.

He restored his relationship with his uncle. He remained humble even after being placed in power. He gained lifelong friends after his redemption and realized how freeing the light could be.

This character is so well-written and fleshed out that I know I've still probably missed something. But my goodness, I just have so many feelings about this character. He's my favorite character to this day because of how complete his redemption arc is. It was not half-written or done quickly. It was slow, hard, agonizing, painful, and when he finally saw the light, he fought to keep that light. And it is absolutely beautiful.

So here's my opinion (very lengthy, my apologies) on Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender. If you have any other thoughts on him, or notice something I may have said wrong/forgotten, please feel free to let me know. If there's a character you would like me to analyze, please let me know that as well.

Happy reading!