- From fugitive...
- This is humiliating.
To Fire Lord?
Let's illuminate Zuko's journey
and explore how his bending evolved
as a result of his complicated
emotional struggle.
We should first note
that during Zuko's upbringing,
fire burning was widely viewed
as an art of destruction,
fueled by anger and rage.
And nobody embodied that spirit
more than Zuko's father, Ozai,
a merciless and violent man
who wanted to rule the world.
You will obey me or this
defiant breath will be your last.
A blatant contrast to Zuko's mother,
Ursa, who was kind and nurturing.
Zuko was essentially raised by a symbol
of good and a symbol of evil.
Because of that, a war of decency
raged inside of it.
And since bending required
a strong emotional focus,
the young prince struggled
to learn fire bending.
I failed.
No, I loved watching you.
That's who you are, Zuko.
Someone who keeps fighting,
even though it's hard.
Understandably, Zuko found himself
very close with his mother.
That's what moms are like.
If you mess with their babies,
they're gonna bite you back.
And Ursa would soon bite
back after Zuko became a target.
Behind closed doors, Ozai made
a move for the throne,
which enraged the current fire lord.
Grandfather said dad's punishment
should fit his crime.
You must know the pain of losing
a firstborn son by sacrificing your own.
You're lying.
Dad would never do that to me.
Your father would never do what to you?
What is going on here?
Ozai was preparing to sacrifice his son,
but Ursa secretly made a deal
to spare Zuko's life.
In exchange, she was banished
from the Fire Nation capital.
- Mom?
- Zuko, please, my love. Listen to me.
Everything I've done,
I've done to protect you.
Remember this, Zuko,
no matter how things may seem to change,
never forget who you are.
That's the last we'd see of Ursa
for the foreseeable future,
though her kind moral spirit
would live on inside Zuko,
raging a war against
his father's guidance.
Meanwhile, his father gained a new title.
Hail Fire Lord Ozai.
Iin his teenage years,
Zuko tried to embrace his father's legacy
by leaning into the military lifestyle,
perhaps prematurely.
You can't sacrifice an entire division
like that.
Those soldiers love and defend our nation.
How can you betray them?
That outburst, fueled by
his mother's morality,
was a massive turning point
in Zuko's life.
He'd be punished for this insolence
with an Agni Kai, a fire duel.
Time for one of Zuko's
first major fire bending tests.
After years of tutors,
he was confident
in facing the general
who he had insulted.
But as it turned out, Zuko would be
facing the Fire Lord himself.
Please, Father. I only had
the Fire Nation's best interests at heart.
I'm sorry I spoke out of turn.
- You will fight for your honor.
- I won't fight you.
You will learn respect and suffering
will be your teacher.
Zuko was scarred by his father,
then exiled, sent on this impossible
mission to capture the mysterious Avatar.
That would be his only hope
of coming home with honor.
Nearly three years later, Zuko had
plenty of anger to fuel his bending.
I don't need any calming tea.
I need to capture the Avatar.
Zuko spent his downtime training
under Uncle Iroh.
Though even with all his rage,
Zuko's power fell short.
Again.
This is because Iroh was teaching
the true approach to fire bending,
one that was not rooted
in anger and destruction.
Power in fire bending comes from
the breath, not the muscles.
The breath becomes energy in the body.
The energy extends past your limbs
and becomes fire.
That lesson wouldn't last.
Not after the Avatar emerged.
The mission from his father
began to consume him,
which caused more trouble
when his mother's morality flared up.
Do it!
Liike when he refused
to scar another general.
That's it?
Your father raised a coward.
Next time you get in my way,
I promise I won't hold back.
His internal struggle,
the two paths inspired
by his contrasting parents,
would split his identity.
The man Ursa wanted him to be
would sort of come to life
as the blue spirit.
During this time,
we'd also witnessed Zuko's
impressive swordsmanship and agility.
Who are you?
- Are you here to rescue me?
- But why the mask?
As it turns out, Ursa,
a former stage actress,
kept a collection of masks from her
past life hidden in the royal palace.
It's likely young Zuko found those
and kept this one
to remember his missing mother.
The prince begins wearing this disguise
when rebelling against his father's reign.
Have you heard of the blue spirit,
General Iroh?
Just rumors.
I don't think he is real.
He's real, alright. He's a criminal
and an enemy of the Fire Nation.
But I have a feeling justice
will catch up with him soon.
Unfortunately, just like Ursa,
the Blue Spirit had no place
under Ozai's rule.
An attempt on his life,
Zuko was presumed dead,
but it just made him more desperate
to restore his honor,
much to the chagrin of Uncle Iroh.
Ever since I lost my son...
Uncle, you don't have to say it.
I think of you as my own.
I know, Uncle. We'll meet again.
After I have the Avatar.
Remember your breath of fire.
It could save your life out there.
I will.
Iroh was right.
That breath of fire came in clutch as Zuko
demonstrated his current
fire bending skillsl to defeat Katara.
He even captured the Avatar.
Well, briefly.
Here for a rematch?
Trust me, Zuko, it's not
going to be much of a match.
Zuko's fire bending skill had grown,
but his planning was weak.
He could have died if Team Avatar
had left him lost in the tundra.
It was clear the prince had more to learn.
After the failed siege of the North,
Zuko was reunited with
a frighteningly familiar face.
Hello, brother, uncle.
- What are you doing here?
-Princess Azula, Zuko's younger sister,
represented the offspring Ozai
wanted: merciless and powerful,
more powerful than Zuko, at least.
She was the epitome of anger and rage.
So much so that her power
had grown thunderous.
Thankfully, Uncle Iroh had Zuko's back.
Redirecting lightning?
Now that would be a skill worth learning.
It was time Uncle Irohand Prince Zuko
abandoned their Fire Nation
identity all together.
As refugees,
Iroh's fire bending lessons were exchanged
for lessons on humility.
Spare coins for weary travelers?
This is humiliating. We're royalty.
These people should be giving us
whatever we want.
As the saying goes,
you can lead an ostrich horse to water,
- but you can't make them drink.
- I thought a lot about what you said.
- You did? Good. Good.
- It's helped me realize something.
We no longer have anything to gain
by traveling together.
- I need to find my own way.
- Zuko went on his own,
finding himself broke and hungry.
But still, he chose a path of decency.
Thanks for not ratting me out.
While hiding his identity,
he saw what a family could be: caring.
Supper's going to be ready soon.
Would you like to stay?
Zuko was welcome until he used
fire to protect that family.
- Immediately, he was shunned.
- Not a step closer.
- It's yours. You should have it.
- No, I hate you.
This was a painful reminder of how
reprehensible Ozai's legacy could be.
As was their next encounter
with the Azula team avatar.
[screaming]
Once Uncle Iroh recovered,
it was clear Zuko needed
to continue building his skills
by learning how to bend electricity.
Positive energy and negative energy.
Only a select few fire benders
can separate these energies.
This creates an imbalance.
The energy wants to restore balance.
And in the moment,
the positive and negative energy
come crashing back together.
You provide release and guidance,
creating lightning.
But again, Zuko's emotional struggle
had a direct impact on his bending.
[grunting]
Why can't I do it?
Instead of lightning,
it keeps exploding in my face,
like everything always does.
Consider that lesson failed for now.
Instead, they dive into
an even more important lesson.
Understanding all four elements is key
to becoming a great fire bender.
The same mindset which makes
the Avatar so powerful.
You see, the technique I'm about
to teach you is one I learned by
studying the water benders.
Like the water benders who use their
opponent's flow of energy against them,
Iroh taught Zuko
how to redirect lightening.
Excellent. You've got it.
Great. I'm ready
to try with real lightning.
What? Are you crazy?
Lightning is very dangerous.
I thought that was the point.
You teaching me how
to protect myself from it.
Yeah, but I'm not going to
shoot lightning at you.
If you're lucky, you will never
have to use this technique at all.
That skill, while useful, brought Zuko no
closer to winning the war inside himself.
You've always thrown
everything you could at me.
Well, I can take it,
and now I can give it back!
Go on, strike me!
You never held back before!
This would be the height of
Zuko'ss emotional turmoil.
Until his obsession reemerged
in Ba Sing Se,
leading to a harsh reality check.
What do you plan to do now
that you have found the Avatar's bison?
Keep it locked in our new apartment?
Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?
- First, I have to get it out of here.
- And then what?
You never think these things through.
I know my own destiny, Uncle.
Is it your own destiny or is it a destiny
someone else has tried to force on you.
Who are you?
And what do you want?
[grunting]
Zuko released Appa and his alter ego.
You did the right thing, nephew.
The Blue Spirit sank,
but his emotional struggles surfaced,
causing the prince
to be physically sick.
As a result, we saw for ourselves
the war raging inside his head.
It's getting late.
Are you planning to retire soon, My Lord?
- I'm not tired.
- Relax, Fire Lord Zuko.
Just let go. Give into it.
Shut your eyes for a while.
No, Fire Lord Zuko!
Do not listen to the Blue Dragon.
You should get out of here right now.
Go! Before it's too late.
The two dragons represented
the two sides of his family,
pulling him to and from paths
of self-destruction.
And then another nightmare
showing an obsession consuming him.
[screaming]
Just like his nightmares warned,
Zuko was tested as two family figures
pulled him down separate paths.
I need you, Zuko.
And the only way we win is together.
At the end of this day,
you will have your honor back.
You will have father's love.
You will have everything you want.
Zuko, I am begging you.
Look into your heart and see what it is
that you truly want.
Disappointingly, Zuko chose the path
he had pursued for the last three years.
Even when the Avatar escaped,
presumed dead,
Azula claimed her prize,
her brother's loyalty.
Today, you restored your own honor.
They may have won the battle,
but Zuko was losing
the war inside himself.
Welcome home.
The prince's regret was obvious.
Not that it mattered. He had made
his bed in a den of lion vultures.
As he lost sight of his mother's morality,
Zuko embraced the sour lifestyle
of the Fire Nation royalty.
He had luxury, praise, acceptance by
his father, but his true father figure,
- Uncle Iroh?
- You're not going to see anything?
[grunting]
You're a crazy old man. You're crazy.
And if you weren't in jail,
you'd be sleeping in a gutter.
The prince had followed
his darkest destiny.
The one set before him by his sinister
father. But there was hope.
Uncle Iroh revealed a family secret
that would illuminate his mother's legacy.
I have more than one great grandfather,
Prince Zuko.
Sozin was your father's grandfather.
Your mother's grandfather
was Avatar Roku.
Why are you telling me this?
Because understanding the struggle
between your two great grandfathers
can help you better understand
the battle within yourself.
This turned the tide on Zuko's
internal struggle.
He could still live an honorable life,
even if it meant setting fire
to everything he knew.
I know I've made some bad choices,
but today I'm going to set things right.
That would mean taking advantage
of the eclipse, which would halt
fire bending altogether and then
challenging his biggest adversary yet,
- Ozai.
- For so long,
all I wanted was for you to love me,
to accept me.
I thought it was my honor
that I wanted.
But really,
I was just trying to please you.
You, my father who banished me
just for talking out of turn.
My father who challenged me,
a 13 year old boy to an Agni Kai.
How can you possibly justify
a duel with a child?
- It was to teach you respect.
- It was cruel and it was wrong.
- Then you've learned nothing.
- No, I've learned everything.
And I've had to learn it on my own.
Standing up to his father's led
to a violent altercation,
but his first successful attempt
at redirecting electricity.
A powerful leap forward and skill.
And as he escaped,
the prince shut the door
on his father's legacy,
ending the war inside himself.
Finally, he had set on a path
that would make his mother
and his great grandfather,
Avatar Roku, proud, but as a result,
he needed to be rebuilt
from the ground up.
Part of that included
joining a new kind of family.
I know you must be surprised
to see me here.
Not really since you followed us
all over the world.
Right. Well, anyway,
what I wanted to tell you about
is that I've changed
and I'm good now.
And, well,
I think I should join your group.
Oh, and I can teach fire
bending to you.
The group was hesitant to accept Zuko
until you helped them defeat
an explosive bounty hunter.
After that dangerous display,
Zuko was cautiously welcomed.
I won't let you down. I promise.
It was time to teach
the Avatar fire bending.
But was the student ready
to become the teacher?
What was that?
That was the worst fire bending
I've ever seen.
But a consequence
to rediscovering himself,
meant rediscovering fire bending as well.
Maybe your fire bending comes from rage
and you just don't have enough anger
to fuel it the way you used to.
You're going to need to learn to draw
your fire bending from a different source.
I recommend the original source.
The original source of fire bending?
Dragons.
After they were assumed to be extinct,
Zuko and Aand met Ran and Shaw,
who illuminated the true
meaning of fire bending.
All this time,
I thought fire burning was destruction,
but now I know what it really is.
It's energy and life.
Yeah.
It's like the sun, but inside of you.
This might sound familiar.
It's actually a message that Uncle Iroh
had been attempting to teach Zuko
all along.
Power ain fire bending comes from
the breath, not the muscles.
Zuko's power was recharged,
fueled like never before.
And in the final weeks of summer,
Zuko learned about courage from Sokka,
mercy from Katara,
and forgiveness from Uncle Iroh.
How can you forgive me so easily?
I thought you would be furious with me.
I was never angry with you.
I was sad because I was afraid
you lost your way.
I did lose my way.
But you found it again.
Now, Zuko''s journey had taken him
to the end of the 100 Year War.
He had mastered fire bending,
he conquered the war inside himself.
So what role would he play next?
Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation
so that when the Fire Lord falls,
you can assume the throne
and restore peace
and order, but Azula
will be there waiting for you.
- I can handle Azula.
- Not alone.
You'll need help.
You're right. Katara, how would you like
to help me put a Azula in her place?
- It would be my pleasure.
- The stage was set.
Both siblings were fueled
by Sozin's comet.
Their fire burning was amplified, but
Zuko still had something to Azula didn't.
Fire born from energy and life,
not anger and rage.
The prince demonstrated
the agility of air benders
and the groundedness of earth benders.
His fire bending could even
make the dragons proud.
And when he channeled the water benders
and prepared to redirect lightning,
he'd end up demonstrating
something entirely new.
Self-sacrifice.
Zuko proved in that moment
that he was his mother's son.
He risked his life
for someone else's.
In turn, Katara went on to save the day.
She froze a Azula in ice,
like she had once done to Zuko himself.
But unlike young Zuko,
Azula wasn't taught breath
of fire from Uncle Iroh.
Eventually, Sozin's comet passed.
The war was over.
Zuko recovered and went on
to lead the Fire Nation
- as the rightful heir to the throne.
- All hail fire Lord Zuko.
Now, despite being a master fire
bender with a strong self identity,
Zuko still had much to learn,
especially around politics and his mother.
But that's a journey for another day.
So for now, tell us
what your favorite Zuko moment was.
Comment below and keep watching
for all things Avatar.
I'm just saying that considering his
messed up family and how he was raised,
he could have turned out a lot worse.
