Zuko
| Zuko | |
|---|---|
| Voiced by | Dante Basco Elijah Runcorn (Young Zuko) |
| In-universe information | |
| Aliases | The Blue Spirit, Li, Junior |
| Gender | Male |
| Position | Prince of the Fire Nation (exiled), Dual Dao swordsman, Firebender, Azula's ally |
| Nationality | Fire Nation File:Firebend.jpg |
Prince Zuko is a fictional character voiced by Dante Basco on the Nickelodeon animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Zuko is a skilled Firebender and exiled prince of the Fire Nation, bent on capturing Aang, the long-lost Avatar, in his quest to restore his honor and right to the throne in the eyes of his father, Fire Lord Ozai, to earn his return home from exile. He is accompanied and advised in his search by Iroh.
Zuko's distinguishing marks include an enormous facial burn scar radiating from his left eye over his ear. Formerly, his head was shaven but for a small queue of black hair at the back. After slicing off his top-knot as a show of his severance from his family in the episode "The Avatar State," Zuko begins to let his hair grow out.
History
Zuko is the eldest child and only son of Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Ursa. From an early age, Zuko is disdained by his father and is also the object of his sister, Azula's, manipulation, ridicule, and deception. Zuko’s mother, however, favors him.
When Zuko is about ten-years-old, his cousin, Lu Ten, dies while away at war. Soon after, General Iroh, devastated by the loss of his only child, abandons his two-year siege of the Earth Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Se. During an audience with Fire Lord Azulon, Ozai shows off Azula's prodigious Firebending skill and her knowledge of military strategy, both of which outstrip Zuko's. Azulon is unimpressed by all of these exercises and demands that Ursa and her children leave and Ozai be frank about his reasons for wanting the audience. Azula and Zuko eavesdrop on Ozai and Azulon’s conversation as Ozai voices his desire to be made heir in place of Iroh, justifying this course of action by pointing out that not only has Iroh’s overwhelming grief and subsequent erratic behavior made the date of his return from war uncertain, but that Iroh no longer has any heirs to carry on his line. Azulon, however, is outraged and he declares angrily that Iroh has suffered enough, but Ozai’s suffering has only just begun.
Frightened, Zuko runs away while Azula stays to watch. Later, while Zuko is in his room trying to sleep, Azula comes in and mockingly tells him that Azulon's punishment for Ozai is that Ozai must kill Zuko. Ursa, hearing the commotion comes in and drags Azula away, declaring that it is time that they talked, and Zuko, left behind, chants quietly to himself, "Azula always lies." Much later that night, Zuko is awakened once again, but this time by his mother. She tells a sleepy Zuko that everything that she has done, she did for him, and instructs him not to forget who he is no matter how much things may change. Zuko wakes up the next morning and immediately remembers what transpired the night before and runs frantically through the halls searching for his mother. He finds Azula, who blithely tells him that Azulon died last night and, as she plays with Zuko's pearl dagger (a gift from Iroh), mocks Zuko about the fact that their mother is not there to make her give it back. Eventually, Zuko finds Ozai in the gardens of the palace, and upon doing so demands to know where Ursa is. Ozai does not answer and Zuko hangs his head, defeated. At Azulon’s funeral, the sage conducting the ceremony names Ozai the new Fire Lord, stating that Azulon's dying request was that he be succeeded by his second son.
Years later, Iroh allows a persistent, fourteen year old Zuko into a war counsel with Ozai and a group of his generals. Zuko ignores Iroh's instructions not to speak during the meeting when one general outlines a plan to sacrifice an entire division of new recruits in a diversionary maneuver. Zuko vocally disagrees with this, seeing it as a betrayal of the recruits' patriotism. This insubordination is a grave insult and Ozai demands that Zuko participate in an Agni Kai (fire duel). Zuko agrees, unaware that he will face his father and not the general whom he insulted. Upon turning to face his opponent, Zuko is immediately penitent and kneels, refusing to fight, and tearfully begs his father’s forgiveness. Ozai declares Zuko’s refusal to fight him a sign of cowardice and yet another display of disrespect, and tells him that "[he] will learn respect, and suffering will be [his] teacher." Ozai then burns Zuko (permanently scarring him), strips him of his birthright, and exiles him from his beloved homeland, declaring that he can only return if he is able to find and capture the Avatar, who disappeared one hundred years before. A fool's errand by all accounts, but one to which Zuko clings desperately as his only hope of regaining everything that he has lost.
Story
Book 1: Water
Iroh accompanies Zuko during his exile, and the pair spend more than two years at sea with a small ship and crew searching for the Avatar. The crew are not royal guards or special forces, and may well have been banished themselves, or foolishly intent in serving under the popular General Iroh. They were often unhappy under Zuko but obey his orders. Iroh considers the search to be more of an extended vacation.
When Zuko finally finds the Avatar at the South Pole, in the company of the remnants of the Southern Water Tribe, he is shocked and disappointed to discover that the Avatar is only a twelve-year-old boy. However, when Aang (with the assistance of Sokka and Katara) escapes from Zuko, he vows never to underestimate him again. Soon after this first encounter, Zuko docks in a port controlled by Commander Zhao in order to have the damage to his ship repaired. By interrogating Zuko’s crew, Zhao discovers that the Avatar has returned and wishes to capture him himself. This conflict results in an Agni Kai, during which Zuko defeats Zhao. Zhao remains Zuko's bitter rival in his quest to capture Aang throughout the continuation of Book 1.
After the "The Avatar Returns," Zuko has numerous other encounters with Aang. One of the most significant occurs in "The Blue Spirit," when Zuko takes on the guise of the Blue Spirit, a dual-broadsword-wielding vigilante in an oni mask, in order to kidnap a captured Aang from Zhao. Because Aang assumes that the silent vigilante is a new ally, he and Zuko work well together as they try to escape from the fortress. After Zuko has been knocked unconscious, Aang removes the mask and discovers his true identity. However, Aang does take the unconscious Zuko along with him when he escapes, thus saving him from discovery by Zhao and the charges of treason that would surely follow. When Zuko wakes, Aang makes a vague overture of friendship towards him, to which Zuko's only response is a fireblast.
During "Bato of the Water Tribe," Zuko encountered the bounty hunter June and her Shirshu invading his ship in pursuit of a stowaway. June tells him her Shirshu can detect a scent for miles by just smelling an object. Zuko enlists her help (to compensate for the damage to his ship) and uses Katara's necklace to follow her scent, tracking Aang by proxy. Zuko ends up in a one on one showdown with Aang, but is defeated when Sokka devises a plan to blind the Shirshu by overpowering its sense of smell, its strongest method of perception. The Shirshu loses control and, with its toxin-secreting tongue, paralyzes both Zuko and June.
Towards the end of season one, Zhao deduces Zuko’s identity as the Blue Spirit and hires a band of pirates to assassinate Zuko. The pirates blow up Zuko’s ship, but he survives. With Iroh’s help, Zuko infiltrates Zhao’s crew under the guise of a soldier and stows away on a ship as Zhao journeys to the North Pole to lay siege to the Northern Water Tribe.
Once at the North Pole, Zuko sneaks into the city. After hours of battling Katara, Zuko manages to kidnap Aang from her while the Avatar is in a fugue state, his spirit off in the Spirit World in an attempt to find help to defeat Zhao’s forces. Zuko escapes with Aang into a blizzard, but is found by Katara, Sokka, and Princess Yue soon after Aang awakens. Aang saves Zuko’s life for a second time, insisting that Zuko must be brought along instead of being left unconscious in the snow where he would surely die. Upon returning to the Northern Water Tribe’s city, Zuko escapes while Aang and his allies are distracted by Zhao’s attack on the Moon Spirit, Tui. Zuko runs into Zhao, also escaping, and the two battle over Zhao’s attempt to have Zuko assassinated. However, when the vengeful Ocean Spirit, La, attacks Zhao, attempting to drag him into the water, Zuko offers Zhao his hand in aid. Zhao refuses and is drowned by the Ocean Spirit. Zuko and Iroh escape the North Pole on a driftwood raft.
Book 2: Earth
Season two would prove to be a journey of self-discovery and change for Zuko. The possible ramifications of these changes could well have tremendous consequences for both his own personal future and that of many other characters in Avatar.
Betrayed
Main Articles: The Avatar State, The Cave of Two Lovers, The Swamp, and Avatar Day
The season opens on the three year anniversary of Zuko's banishment, and Zuko is as determined as ever in his desire to capture Aang and "regain what he has lost". Unbeknownst to him, however, his father has officially declared both he and Iroh traitors for their actions against Zhao during the siege of the Northern Water Tribe and sent Zuko's sister, Azula, to bring them back as prisoners. Azula attempts to deceive them into believing that Ozai has ended their exile, and despite Iroh’s doubts, Zuko wishes to believe this, so he agrees to go. Azula’s treachery is revealed when the two are about to board her ship, resulting in a brawl where Iroh fights off her guards while Zuko angrily confronts his sister. Zuko proves to be no match for Azula, who defeats him without Zuko landing a single blow. Azula prepares to finish him with a lightning attack, but Iroh intercedes, redirecting the blast and escaping with Zuko. Afterwards, as a symbol of severance from their family and the Fire Nation, the pair sever their topknots with a dagger Iroh had given Zuko years earlier.
Iroh and Zuko soon have trouble living off the land. Iroh mistakenly ingests a deadly plant, and they are forced to seek aid from a young Earth Kingdom herbalist named Song. Song tries to reach out to Zuko repeatedly, but he rebuffs her. However, when she displays her own burn scars caused by the Fire Nation, he seems taken aback and dismayed. Despite this, as Zuko and Iroh depart, Zuko steals Song’s ostrich horse, over Iroh's protests.
The two grow more desperate and Zuko fumes as Iroh is forced to panhandle for money. After watching Iroh being harassed, Zuko once again dons the guise of the Blue Spirit and turns to stealing from local merchants. Iroh, worried about Zuko, has a talk with him about his suspicious acquisitions and his honor. However when he goes further and points out that capturing the Avatar at this point would likely not improve their situation or return Zuko to his "rightful place" in the Fire Nation, Zuko pulls away from Iroh and walks off. When he returns, he says that, after reflection, he decides that they no longer have anything to gain by traveling together and parts ways with Iroh.
Alone
Main article: Zuko Alone
Zuko wanders through the Earth Kingdom, passing through forbidding and uninhabited areas. Despite his worsening hunger and lack of supplies, he decides not to rob a young couple when he notices that the woman is pregnant. Eventually, he stumbles upon a small town that is regularly harassed by a troop of unscrupulous Earth Kingdom soldiers. Zuko stands up to those soldiers, impressing a young boy named Lee, who invites Zuko back to his family's farm for food and shelter. He spends the day helping with chores, and thinking of his own, far less happy childhood. Zuko acts as something of a substitute brother for Lee, whose older brother is off in the war, even giving Lee a quick lesson in how to use dual broadswords when Lee’s curiosity prompts him to take them. Before leaving, Zuko gives Lee the dagger that he received from Iroh as a boy.
After Zuko leaves town, Lee's mother comes to him, telling him how the soldiers came to harass the family and took Lee away when he threatened them with the dagger. Having no one else to turn to, she asks Zuko to save him. Zuko denounces the soldiers as common bullies and defeats most of them easily, but the ringleader is an Earthbender and Zuko is unable to beat him using only his broadswords. After recalling his mother's last words to him before her disappearance, to "Always remember who you are", Zuko Firebends to save himself and announces his identity proudly to the town. Despite what he has done for them, the townspeople, including Lee, reject Zuko because of his identity and he departs.
Reunion
Main articles: The Chase, Bitter Work
Zuko picks up Azula's trail, who is in turn relentlessly hunting and harrying Aang and company. He manages to track Azula into a deserted town where she and Aang are about to face off, and warns her to leave Aang's capture to him. She ignores him and they engage in a three-way battle that Azula dominates, until Aang’s friends arrive to assist him, and Iroh, who has been following Zuko and watching over his nephew from afar, comes to Zuko’s aid. All six corner Azula, who feigns surrender, only to attack and badly wound Iroh in a moment of distraction and escape. Zuko is grief-stricken about Iroh's serious injury and angrily demands that Aang and his companions, who offer to help him, leave them alone.
After Zuko tends to Iroh's wound himself he asks Iroh to resume his training so that he can defeat Azula. Iroh agrees, and attempts to show Zuko the difficult art of creating lightning, but Zuko's inner turmoil prevents him from doing so. Instead, Iroh shows him how to redirect lightning, but refuses to test the skill due to the danger. Zuko is undeterred and climbs a mountain during a storm, intent on accomplishing the task. He rages at the storm and the world in general when no lightning comes close enough until finally, exhausted and emotionally spent, he collapses, a bitter tear in his eye.
To Ba Sing Se
Main articles: The Desert, The Serpent's Pass, The Drill, City of Walls and Secrets, The Tales of Ba Sing Se
Zuko and Iroh travel to a desert oasis where Iroh makes contact with a secret society in which he is a member: The Order of the White Lotus. Zuko and Iroh find out that the Fire Nation has placed a large bounty on their heads, but the White Lotus aids them in dodging bounty hunters and garners documentation so that Iroh and Zuko may pass into the Earth Kingdom's capital city, Ba Sing Se. While traveling there they encounter Jet, who is on his way to Ba Sing Se to make a new life and befriends Zuko before noticing Iroh employing a subtle Firebending. Furious, Jet becomes determined to expose them.
Zuko and Iroh find a place to live in Ba Sing Se, which displeases Zuko, who has no desire to make a life in the "prison" that is Ba Sing Se. They both take jobs in a teahouse in Ba Sing Se as servers, and Iroh soon takes it upon himself to greatly improve the quality of the local tea, which garners him a degree of fame. Meanwhile, Jet makes various surreptitious attempts to prove that Zuko and Iroh are Firebenders, but fails. Finally, a frustrated Jet walks into the teashop and challenges them to a fight, hoping to force one of them to Firebend in self-defense. Zuko takes up Jet's challenge and the two begin an extended, even battle until the Dai Li interrupt them. Various witnesses state that Jet's attack on the teashop employees and Zuko was completely unprovoked, leading to Jet’s arrest.
Zuko continues to be reluctant to adapt to living in Ba Sing Se, perhaps best typified by his awkward date with Jin, a young girl who is a regular customer of the teahouse where he works and who has developed a crush on Zuko. Towards the end of their date she hints that she wants to kiss him, something Zuko doesn't seem to get. When she does kiss him, he returns it before breaking off, saying only, "It's complicated", and going back home. When he returns home and Iroh asks him how his date went, Zuko goes straight into his room without answering, but after a few seconds, Zuko cracks open the door and sadly remarks, "it was nice".
Crossroads of Destiny
Main articles: Lake Laogai, The Earth King, The Guru, The Crossroads of Destiny
Zuko learns that Aang is in the city by seeing a flier that Aang and company have made to look for the missing Appa. Zuko decides to hunt for Appa and use him as bait for Aang. In his Blue Spirit disguise he forces an agent of the Dai Li to tell him the whereabouts of Appa, then sneaks into the Dai Li secret base beneath Lake Laogai and finds Appa in his cell, but is confronted by Iroh. Iroh, in an uncharacteristically sharp manner, berates Zuko's rashness, pointing out that Zuko has not thought of what to do after he has Appa in his possession. He then attempts to persuade Zuko into giving up his search for the Avatar, telling Zuko to give up the destiny set for him by his father, and follow his own path. Zuko cries out in agony and indecision, but does free Appa. When they leave Lake Laogai, he throws his Blue Spirit mask into the lake.
As soon as Zuko and Iroh return to their apartment Zuko collapses with a terrible fever. Iroh informs him that the great struggle going on inside Zuko's mind over his future and his destiny has in effect carried over to this body. Iroh likens this period of time to a metamorphosis, and states that in the end Zuko would emerge as the person he is truly meant to be. Zuko has a series of dreams and hallucinations, and in one of them sees himself as the Fire Lord, without his scar, while a blue dragon with Azula's voice and a red dragon with Iroh's voice give him differing advice. He also sees images of his vanished mother begging him for help. Zuko finally seems to waken. He gets up and splashes water on his face, only to look up into a mirror and see that he has Aang's bald head and tattoo. Zuko then truly wakes with a cry of horror and immediately touches his face where it is scarred. Upon finding the scar still there he closes his eyes and goes back to sleep.
Afterwards, Zuko appears to have developed a more optimistic view of life and living in Ba Sing Se. He is enthusiastic at the opening of Iroh's new teashop, and at the invitation for the two of them to come to the Earth King's palace and serve tea to the king. The invitation, however, is a trap set by Azula, who has struck a deal with the Dai Li to perform a coup on the Earth King. Iroh and Zuko manage to fight their way free, but Zuko chooses to stand and face Azula while Iroh flees. He challenges Azula to an Agni Kai, but Azula laughs off his challenge and has the Dai Li arrest him and imprison him in a cave with Katara. There Katara berates Zuko, who sits silently and absorbs the abuse until Katara mentions how the Fire Nation took her mother away from her, something which Zuko can sympathize with and relate to. This is a bonding point for the two, and Katara apologizes, explaining that for a long time Zuko's face was the face of the enemy in her mind, causing Zuko to acknowledge his scar and how it marks him. Katara offers to attempt to heal Zuko's scar and is about to do so when Iroh and Aang barge in to rescue them.
Despite the statement that he has changed, Zuko still holds a great deal of anger towards Aang, and within moments the two old adversaries nearly come to blows, until Iroh restrains Zuko and encourages Aang and Katara to leave and find their friends. While Katara and Aang exit the cavern, Iroh attempts to persuade Zuko from continuing his pursuit once again. Azula arrives accompanied by two Dai Li agents who incapacitate Iroh in crystal. Both Iroh and Azula attempt to persuade Zuko- Azula seeking his assistance in capturing the Avatar, and Iroh begging him to seek his own destiny. When Azula leaves to fight Aang and Katara, Zuko later joins and decides to help Azula by attacking Aang, which he does with manic zeal. Surprisingly, Zuko also assists his sister directly several times, including freeing her when Katara appears to have Azula trapped.
At the end of the battle, Iroh arrives on the scene and covers Katara and Aang's escape by holding off the siblings and scores of Dai Li agents until they have safely exited the cavern. Iroh then lets himself get captured, and Azula and Zuko triumphantly return to the Earth King's palace. Azula then tells Zuko that he can return home to the Fire nation as a war hero, as he has reclaimed his honor. Zuko, however, expresses regret at having turned against Iroh, and appears to still be conflicted about his future.
Personality
While initially the series' main antagonist, over time Zuko's continued development has shown him to be more like a bitter and complex young man than a truly evil character. Zuko wants, more than anything, to have what he feels should be his birthrights: his place as Prince of the Fire Nation and his father's love. Zuko truly believes, or has perhaps forced himself to believe, that capturing the Avatar will make these wishes come true, and this makes him one of Aang's most determined enemies.
Zuko believes that a person becomes strong by having to struggle and fight for what they want. He has said that he does not want to have good luck, because he feels he can control his own fate. However, he also believes that he is marked unlucky, or even that the world itself is against him. Zuko's reaction to this perception of the world always being set against him is defiance in the form of an iron will and inflexible determination. When he makes up his mind that decision is set in stone, and Zuko will not back down, regardless of the odds he has to face, or the potential consequences.
Zuko has numerous seemingly contradictory traits, beliefs, and behaviors. For example Zuko is quite domineering and controlling, a result of being raised as Fire Nation royalty, and disdains working with people he believes are inferior to himself. Yet he adamantly refuses to view people as expendable. To an effect, it was Zuko's ideal of believing that it is wrong to sacrifice able-bodied and willing troops merely as a diversionary tactic which led to his exile. During his banishment, Zuko displayed much of the Fire Nation's zeal in pursuing the Avatar, using whatever means he thought necessary to gain the upper hand. He has said that the capture of the Avatar is the greatest concern to him, more so than the safety or well being of his crew or even himself. Yet, he shows some compassion to those close to him, choosing to rescue Iroh when he was captured, rather than pursue Aang, and also risked his own life in order to save a member of his crew during a fierce storm. Towards the end of the storm, the crew spots Aang, but rather than chase the Avatar, Zuko orders the ship and crew to safety.
Because the prospect of returning home and being forgiven was Zuko's sole motivation, he is marked by abject despair at having seemingly lost his chance early in the second season. He finds himself in perhaps the most dire situation possible: being hunted by his sister, the ruthless and relentless Azula while attempting to survive as a penniless fugitive in a kingdom of his mortal enemies. Zuko no longer has anything, something he cannot seem to accept or acclimate himself to, after having grown up as royalty. Even the resources he had at his disposal as an exile prince contrast sharply with his new position in the world. At first, Zuko lashes out and turns to robbery, even stealing from those who have been kind to him. After some time, however, (and a talk from Iroh), Zuko begins to act in a more principled manner again. Although theft is still necessary from time to time, he refuses to steal from people who need things more than he does, or from people who have been kind to him or helped him. He also defended an Earth Kingdom village from a group of thugs who terrorized its people after having been appointed to protect them. Zuko begins showing signs of becoming more patient, kind, precise, and calculating, traits likely encouraged by having to constantly be on the run from Azula while staying incognito from any local authorities. During "Lake Laogai", he even sets the Avatar's pet bison and primary mode of transportation, Appa, free from Dai Li clutches at Iroh's suggestion.
It seemed that these "good" traits would become dominant after Zuko's series of fever dreams and hallucinations in "The Earth King," as afterwards he displayed a far more optimistic and benign attitude towards life and the world, however, Azula successfully tapped into and manipulated Zuko's desire for the love and approval of his father, and convinced him to betray Iroh and become her ally in "The Crossroads of Destiny." Although Zuko continued to insist that he had truly changed even after joining Azula, it remains to be seen what long term effects his choice will have on his ever-evolving personality. Afterwards, he seems conflicted about his choices, and is uncomfortable with his betrayal of Iroh, who had been a father figure to him.
Abilities
Firebending
Zuko has shown himself to be a highly skilled Firebender. The first true measure of his ability came in the Agni Kai against Zhao just three episodes into the series. Zhao was a strong Firebender and a high ranking officer in the Fire Nation Navy. Although Zuko struggled in much of the duel, the fact that he managed to defeat Zhao was a major accomplishment for a teenage fighter with far less experience than his opponent. Because Zuko spends much of the first season constantly doing battle with various foes, including Aang himself, his skills as a fighter have improved greatly. At the end of the season, he not only defeats Katara in the Moon Shrine after the sun rises, but he also defeats Zhao far more easily and impressively before the Ocean Spirit ends the duel by carrying Zhao off.
Throughout Book 2 there have been signs that his skill may be improving. In the Book's first episode, Zuko was unable to land a single blow on Azula during their fight. However, during their second encounter, Zuko fares far better, (although Azula still certainly has the upper hand), trading fire blasts with her until he fell into a partially destroyed building, which allowed Azula to strike a knockout blow while he was recovered.
After Zuko began training under Iroh again the very nature of his fighting style has undergone an evolution. Throughout the first Book his style was based on overwhelming force. Nearly all of his attacks produced either a large fireball or a long sheet of flame. While powerful, this style also was reckless, direct, left him open to counterattacks and almost certainly consumed a large amount of energy. (In the first duel with Zhao, for example, Zuko is panting and visibly tired after launching just a few attacks). In the Second Book he begins, like his uncle, to show far more finesse, refinement and economy of energy. For example, when faced by an enemy archer, rather than launching a large flame to bowl him over, he sends a small bolt of flame that burns a hole through both bow and string, completely disarming him. Also, like Azula he begins projecting flames from two fingers rather than his whole fist and, as seen when he lit numerous candles during his date with Jin in "Tales of Ba Sing Se", this allowed him to hit multiple targets with great accuracy in a matter of seconds.
In the season finale of Book II, Zuko is shown utilizing a number of new tactics and techniques. First, he was shown to charge up his attacks, which significantly increased their power and efficiency in a manner similar to a technique of Azula's. Secondly, he used his firebending in the shape of long whips or lashes, a maneuver that proved to be an effective mid or long range attack and more malleable than simply shooting a ball of flame. As a result he was able to battle on even terms with Katara, who at that point had long since been declared a waterbending master, and Aang, who was now proficient with Water and earthbending as well as airbending.
Other skills
As well as being a proficient Firebender, Zuko has also shown to be highly skilled in the use of dual broadswords, a talent he refined during his time at sea. This is best displayed in the episode "The Blue Spirit", when Zuko had to refrain from using his bending abilities and was shown defeating scores of Fire Nation soldiers. In Zuko Alone he easily defeats a small squadron of Earth Kingdom soldiers, and even takes on their Earthbending leader with just his swords before he uses Firebending to finish him off.
Zuko's final ability is stealth. His ability to infiltrate a guarded fortress was amply demonstrated in the episodes "The Blue Spirit" "The Siege of the North" and "Lake Laogai". In each case, Zuko entered hostile territory and managed to reach his objective without being caught, although the circumstances of each separate at this point. Also, the different natures of those fortresses show that he is adaptable to circumstances as well. He is also skilled at the art of the ambush, laying cunning traps for his victims, both demonstrated when he briefly turned bandit and when he later set a trap for an agent of the Dai Li in order to obtain information on Appa's location. This ability ties in well with his swordsmanship, and is a key facet of his 'Blue Spirit' persona.
Family
Fire Lord Ozai
Though Zuko was once moved to tears by his father's upbraiding of him in the Agni Kai arena, his present feelings towards Fire Lord Ozai seem mixed at best. He once commented to his rival Admiral Zhao that his father was "a fool" if he believed that the other nations would follow him once conquered. He is also resentful of Ozai's favoritism towards his sister Azula, but it's unknown how much of this anger is directed at Ozai himself. Ozai has told his son he was "lucky to be born", (as opposed to his sister being "born lucky") and told Azula he considers Zuko "a failure." Despite this, perhaps the most significant driving force behind Zuko's desire to regain his honor is that it will allow him to regain his father's love. It is noteworthy that after the severing of his topknot (and thus his ties to his homeland and family, starting anew) this may no longer be true.
Uncle Iroh
Iroh is Zuko's uncle, mentor, Firebending teacher, adviser, caretaker and de facto father-figure. The tolerant and even-keeled foil to Zuko's impulsiveness, Iroh tempers Zuko's anger with practical advice and a wry sense of humor. Though Iroh is a hard instructor, his merciless drilling in Firebending basics has served to improve Zuko's skill. Iroh is sympathetic to Zuko (having likewise fallen from grace due to an infamous military failure in his days as a Fire Nation General) and pleads that he not be so relentless in his search. Although he often teases Zuko, who impatiently balks at his advice, they care deeply about each other. He even thinks of Zuko as his surrogate child, (his own son having died) and worries over him accordingly. Iroh is constantly guiding Zuko, and trying to help him to make good choices. In turn, Zuko deeply loves his uncle, and is greatly touched when Iroh indirectly praises him. When Zuko was once confronted with the choice of tracking the Avatar or saving a kidnapped Iroh, he chose the latter without hesitation. Both depend on each other in exile. Iroh is considered by the Fire Lord to be "a traitor," blamed for the failure of the siege of the Northern Water Tribe after he attacked Admiral Zhao for killing the mortal form of the Moon Spirit.
In the episode "Avatar Day," Zuko separated from his uncle and both began traveling solo. This occurred after Iroh explained to Zuko that capturing the Avatar at this point would probably not immediately grant him his honor and throne. Zuko left, believing that they no longer had anything to gain from traveling together ("I need to find my own way").
In the episode "The Chase," Zuko and Iroh rejoined during a battle with Azula and Aang's group. Their reunion was cut short, however, when Iroh was severely injured by Azula. Later, in the episode "Bitter Work," it is evident Zuko has been helping Iroh recover (going so far as to make tea for him). Then, Iroh begins to teach Zuko how to channel lightning through his body, but refuses to aim one at him for practice due to the risks involved.
In the episode "Lake Laogai", Iroh finally loses his temper, and berates Zuko for his lack of forethought in his plans--in the most recent case, discovering Appa before the rest of the main cast does. While Iroh's words are harsh, Zuko ultimately seems to respect the sentiments behind them, opting to release Appa--knowing the bison will return to Aang. At the end of the episode, at his uncle's suggestion, he drops his Blue Spirit mask into the lake, and it disappears. in the episode "The Earth King", he and Zuko arrive back at their apartment. Iroh once again congratulates him for letting Appa go, but Zuko says that he "doesn't feel right" before passing out on the floor. During Zuko's illness, Iroh gladly takes care of his nephew. However, in "The Crossroads of Destiny," Zuko sides with Azula and betrays Iroh. Later in the episode, Iroh turns his head from Zuko, signifying that he is ashamed of the choices that his nephew has made.
Princess Azula
Azula is Zuko's younger sister, first seen in the audience at Zuko's ill-fated Agni Kai. A sadist whose cruelty is matched only by her father's, Azula seems to take great pleasure in the punishment inflicted on her brother, and may hold a desire to inherit the throne, while Zuko expresses resentment towards her, as she is a Firebending prodigy and the favored sibling. At the end of the first season, Fire Lord Ozai gave Azula the task of capturing Iroh and Zuko. In "The Avatar State," Azula attempts but fails to capture them, (now considered traitors of the Fire Nation) luring Zuko with the lie that Fire Lord Ozai wanted him back home. She enjoys tormenting her brother, calling him by a disliked nickname, "Zuzu," and mentioning his inferiority in their father's eyes. Azula has recently decided to try to capture the Avatar as well, after encountering him in Omashu (renamed New Ozai). In the Episode "The Earth King", it was revealed in Zuko's dream state, that Azula had a great deal of influence over him (arguably rivaling his uncle's influence). This is only furthered in the episode "The Crossroads of Destiny" where Azula successfully convinces Zuko to betray their Uncle, aid her against Aang and Katara, and finally conquer Ba Sing Se.
Princess Ursa
Little has been revealed of the relationship between Zuko and his mother, Princess Ursa. It is hinted that Zuko was his mother's favorite child, and the two were close. This is the opposite to her husband Ozai's feelings towards their children, who has stated that while Azula was "born lucky," Zuko was "lucky to be born." In the episode "Zuko Alone," she leaves under mysterious circumstances and has not returned. This is later touched upon when Azula claims that their father, Fire Lord Ozai, is going to have to kill Zuko after angering the then Fire Lord Azulon. Before Ursa leaves, she tells Zuko that everything she has done has been to protect him. Despite the fact that Ursa disappears on the same night that Azulon dies, it is unclear what exactly took place or how these two events are related. Ursa's ultimate fate is, thus, unknown. It has been revealed however, that Zuko will begin a search for her later on. Whether or not he'll be able to successfully locate her or if she's even still alive has yet to be revealed. But a small hint that he truly believes she is dead, or at least gone, is given in the season 2 finale "The Crossroads of Destiny" when he tells Katara that he too, has lost his mother to the Fire Nation. In "The Earth King" he is plagued by dreams where his mother was pleading to have him help her. During this dream, the blue dragon, which has Azula's voice, tells Zuko to "sleep, just like Mother". It could be hinted that Azula might have something to do with Princess Ursa's disappearance, or rather that Zuko subconsciously believes she does.
Other
Fire Lord Sozin is Zuko's great grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon and his wife Ilah are Zuko's paternal grandparents, and Lu Ten, Iroh's late son, is Zuko's first cousin. Only Azulon is shown interacting with Zuko in any way. However, it's unclear how Azulon felt about his grandson. It remains a possibility that he ordered Ozai to kill Zuko as a punishment for Ozai's disrespect toward Iroh, which would certainly indicate a lack of regard for Zuko. Also, because Zuko's flashbacks about Lu Ten's fate are triggered by his exposure to Lee's troubles regarding his brother's fate in the war, it is subtly implied that Zuko and Lu Ten perhaps had a brotherly bond.
Relationships
Aang
Aang, as the Avatar, is Zuko's greatest enemy and his long sought-after prize. Throughout the bulk of the series, Zuko's primary focus has been to capture Aang, who constantly eludes him. Even though the capture of the Avatar by anyone of the Fire Nation would assist his country, because Zuko sees the capture and delivery of Aang to Fire Lord Ozai as the only way to restore his lost honor, Zuko goes out of his way to impede rivals from capturing Aang before Zuko himself does.
In "The Blue Spirit" Zuko takes on the titular guise of the Blue Spirit, a masked, dual-broadsword-wielding vigilante, in order to abduct Aang from the fortress where he is being kept by Admiral Zhao, who has managed to capture him. Zuko manages to escape with Aang, but once they've made it a ways down the road Zuko is knocked out by the Yu Yan Archers and Aang unmasks Zuko. However, even upon discovering that his rescuer-turned-abductor is his major enemy, Aang still takes Zuko with him when he escapes. When Zuko awakens, Aang speaks to him fondly and nostalgically of Kuzon, a boy from the Fire Nation who used to be his friend 100 years previously and the times before the war. Aang then asks, guilelessly, if Zuko thinks that he and Aang could have been friends in another time. Zuko's response is to shoot a fire blast at Aang. Aang flees through the trees, but Zuko does not give chase.
While Zuko has a catatonic Aang in his custody during "Siege of the North," he speaks to him about his life philosophy of struggle being the genesis of strength and compares Aang to Azula, citing that everything comes easily to Azula. Once Aang's friends come to rescue him, Aang once again chooses to save Zuko's life when he insists on bringing Zuko along rather than leaving him unconscious in a blizzard.
After Zuko is declared a wanted traitor of the Fire Nation, he still somewhat expresses a desire to capture Aang, despite evidence that this would, in all likelihood, no longer be enough to win back his honor and his birthright. In "The Chase," Zuko confronts both Aang and Azula, then engages in a three-way battle with them when Azula refuses to leave the capture of the Avatar to Zuko. Zuko almost gives up in his pursuit of the Avatar during Book II. The inner conflict resulting over this potential change in goals results with him dreaming in "The Earth King" that he had Aang's face.
Despite Aang being the clear protagonist and Zuko being one of the major antagonists, their stories are often paralleled in the narrative structure of the show. In "The Storm," flashbacks of the incidents that changed their respective lives forever (Aang being told that he was the Avatar and subsequently running away; Zuko's Agni Kai against his father and subsequent scarring and loss of his honor) are shown side-by-side. In "Bitter Work," their attempts to progress in their bending while impeded by psychological blocks are also shown side-by-side. In "The Avatar State" scenes of Aang struggling to cope with an unexpected betrayal from an Earth Kingdom general morph smoothly into Zuko facing a similar betrayal from his sister.
Jet
Jet is a teenaged boy from the Earth Kingdom and the guerrilla leader of his band of adolescent Freedom Fighters.
Zuko first encounters Jet in "The Serpent's Pass," when they are both travelling on the ferry to Ba Sing Se. Jet approaches Zuko after overhearing him complain about the quality of the food and suggests that Zuko assist him and his gang in stealing better food from the captain's stores. Zuko accepts this offer and they work together very well to complete their mission and deliver food to all the ferry passengers. Jet later tells Iroh and Zuko that he is going to Ba Sing Se to make amends for past deeds of which he is not proud. Iroh pointedly states that he believes that people deserve second chances and can change their lives if they want to, clearly meaning this as a message to Zuko. Zuko, however, appears unaffected.
Jin
Jin is a teenaged patron of the tea shop where Iroh and Zuko work in Ba Sing Se, who has a small crush on Zuko.
Jin acts on her crush during "Tales of Ba Sing Se" and asks Zuko out on a date, which Iroh quickly accepts for a confused and silent Zuko. Jin and Zuko have an awkward dinner after which Jin drags Zuko to a fountain surrounded by candles, but when they arrive she is disappointed that they aren't lit. Zuko tells Jin to close her eyes and, despite the risks involved, lights the candles with Firebending. She's pleased, but Zuko is oblivious to the fact that she wants to kiss him, and offers her a coupon to the tea shop. Jin accepts, then tells Zuko to close his eyes and gives him a soft kiss on the lips. Zuko leans in for a split second and starts to return the kiss, but then pulls away, pained by the idea of making any connections or any move that might lead to settling down or becoming comfortable in Ba Sing Se, as he stated to Iroh in "City of Walls and Secrets." Zuko tells a saddened Jin only that "It's complicated," then runs away, leaving her standing alone by the fountain. Later, when Iroh asks how his night was, he comments that "It was nice."
Katara
Katara is a Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe and Aang's close friend and staunch defender, and thus, by association, an enemy of Zuko.
At the end of "Imprisoned", the only trace of the Avatar and his companions that Zuko finds on an Earthbender prison rig that they helped to liberate is Katara's tribal necklace, lost in the commotion. In "The Waterbending Scroll" after capturing Katara with the assistance of a band of pirates, Zuko attempts to use the necklace as a bribe to get Katara to betray Aang's whereabouts, but she refuses. Then, in "Bato of the Water Tribe" Zuko employs the bounty hunter, June, and her shirshu, a tracking beast with a hypersensitive olfactory system, and uses the necklace to track Katara, thus tracking Aang by proxy. However, when he does find Aang, Aang reclaims the necklace and returns it to Katara.
In "Siege of the North" after Zuko has made his way into the Spirit Oasis of the Northern Water Tribe, Katara is the only thing standing between Zuko and abducting Aang, who is in meditative fugue as he tries to solicit help from the spirits to defeat Zhao's attack on the North Pole. Due to having previously found and been trained by Pakku, a Waterbending master, and with her bending at its most powerful during the full moon due to Waterbending's lunar sympathy, Katara is more than a match for Zuko and initially subdues him. However, the sun starts coming up, lessening her power and (assuming a solar sympathy for Firebenders) increasing his, he overpowers her, knocks her out, and escapes with Aang. Later in "Siege of the North, Part II," Katara defeats Zuko with a second time during the full moon when she, Sokka, and Princess Yue have come to rescue Aang.
Finally, in "The Chase," Katara, along with Toph, Sokka, and Aang, attacks Princess Azula in unison with Zuko. Once Azula has disappeared, Katara tries to tell Zuko that she could assist the injured Iroh with her healing abilities, but runs off with her companions when Zuko violently demands that they leave him and Iroh alone.
In the Season finale, Zuko and Katara are imprisoned in a crystal cave below the Earth King's palace. Katara first yells at him and blames him for the Fire Nation starting the war, and says that it took away her mother. Zuko seems sympathetic, and remarks that the actions of the Fire Nation have also taken his mother, Ursa. He also tells Katara that he once thought his scar set him apart and made him different, but now believes he no longer needs it to determine his destiny. Katara offers to heal his scar with the water from the Spirit Oasis. Just as Katara is about to heal him, Iroh and Aang break them out of the prison. Despite the sympathy each shows the other, Zuko joins Azula in trying to capture the Avatar soon afterwards, and the siblings battle both Katara and Aang.
Zhao
Zhao was a high-ranking (Originally a Captain, then Commander, then an Admiral) and ambitious officer in the Fire Nation navy and Zuko's major rival in his attempts to capture Avatar Aang. Throughout the first season Zhao and Zuko were constantly at odds as they attempted to stay one step ahead of each other in their pursuit of the Avatar.
In "The Southern Air Temple," Zuko attempts to withhold the information that the Avatar has returned from Zhao, but Zhao discovers the truth anyway and decides to detain Zuko so that he is unable to capture the Avatar first. This infuriates Zuko and in their subsequent argument Zhao mocks Zuko's plight, telling him that his father doesn't really want him back at all. Zuko then challenges Zhao to an Agni Kai in which he defeats Zhao by utilizing a strong foundation in the basics of Firebending that he had previously dismissed. Zuko, however, chooses not to scar or kill Zhao upon his victory, and while he's walking away Zhao attempts a dishonorable attack that is blocked by Iroh.
In "Winter Solstice," Zuko runs a blockade of Zhao's ships and enters into Fire Nation waters in pursuit of the Avatar, thus violating the terms of his exile. Zhao allows him to pass, however, in order to follow Zuko to the location of the Avatar and, once there, plans to arrest Zuko as well. Zuko escapes.
In "The Blue Spirit," Zuko takes on the guise of the Blue Spirit, a masked, dual-broadsword-wielding vigilante, first to spy on Zhao and then later to abduct the Avatar from Zhao's custody. Zhao realizes that this is Zuko's alternate identity in "The Waterbending Master" when he comes to comandeer Zuko's crew in order to invade the Northern Water Tribe and notices dual broadswords in Zuko's quarters. Zhao then hires the pirates with whom Zuko had bad dealings in "The Waterbending Scroll" to assassinate Zuko. However, Zuko survives and stows away on one of Zhao's ships, pretending to be a soldier, and later engages Zhao in a battle in retaliation for Zhao's attempt to kill him. During this fight, Zuko maintains that he had no choice but to act as the Blue Spirit, while Zhao insists that he should have just accepted his failure with honor. Their battle, however, is interrupted when the vengeful Ocean Spirit, upset that Zhao killed its counterpart, the Moon Spirit, manifests a hand-like appendage of water and drags Zhao away. Zuko reaches out a hand to Zhao in an attempt to help him. Though Zhao initally tries to reach his hand, he then refuses to accept his help. He is then dragged down into the water and killed by the Ocean Spirit.
Trivia
- In "The Desert", considered a traitor, Zuko's name was listed on a Fire Nation wanted poster as "祖寇" (zǔ kòu), which translate as 'ancestors robber." Later, in "The Tales of Ba Sing Se", his name is written as "蘇科" (sū kè) on his segment's title card, which translates as 'resurrect rule.'
- Since "The Cave of Two Lovers," Iroh and Zuko are known as travelers Mushi and Lee. When those names were conjured up by Zuko, he was wearing a bamboo coolie hat which in Chinese is called a Lì ( 笠 ) or Lee. Iroh, looking half-dead with medicinal paste smeared over his sores, was given the name Mùshī ( 墓屍 ) which translates as 'grave corpse.'
- When Zuko's healthy eye opens all the way, the scarred one remains still, but when Zuko closes his right eye, the left shuts evenly with it. During the episode Bitter Work, when Zuko weeps at the end of the episode, his scarred eye does not shed any tears. This suggests that the scar has affected his tear duct and eyelid muscle, rather than just his skin.
- Zuko has a very limited role in the video game, only appearing in cutscenes very early in the game, in the middle of the game, at the last level, and at the end of the game. He is also mentioned in the second level.
References
- http://www.avatarspiritmedia.net/transcripts.php - Episode transcripts
- Altered States Magazine's Comic Con 2005 coverage
| The Last Airbender (The Legend of Aang in some regions) |
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| The Legend of Korra |
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