I cannot believe it’s taken me this long to talk about Avatar: The Last Airbender because it is seriously one of the best shows ever written. I am not even exaggerating. I have read a lot of books, seen a lot of TV shows, watched a lot of movies, but I have rarely seen a story so flawlessly executed with characters so well-developed, and such extraordinary world-building. Now, the only things I can think of that come close are Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings, but all three of these things fall short in some category. Lord of the Rings excels at world-building with all the different cultures, legends, magic, government, even entirely new languages; but it is not exceedingly strong with all its characters (that is to say, some characters get more attention than others and there are just SO MANY that you tend to lose track). Star Wars has excellent world-building and character development, but it tends to be a little inconsistent sometimes and there’s a lot open to interpretation. Harry Potter, in my opinion, is the closest to perfection I have seen when it comes to world-building, character-development, and satisfying conclusions to buildup. It falters slightly at some points when it comes to plot; there are a few things left open or unsatisfied.
However, I have to say that Avatar: The Last Airbender has got to be even better than Harry Potter when it comes to all those things. Now, I am not necessarily saying that it is better than all those books/shows I listed above (because they are all different genres and styles and everyone has their own taste), but I am saying it is a near perfect story with a flawless execution and characters.
I was debating on what exactly I should focus on for this post-- the show as a whole, a specific character, an episode, a particular aspect of the show such as bending-- but then it became very clear. There are lots of interesting and post-worthy things in the show, but easily the most standout thing has to be the character Prince Zuko. If you have seen the show, you’ll know exactly why I’ve decided to focus on him. He is universally agreed upon to be the most compelling character in the series. I have NEVER seen a character arc so amazingly executed as his. I intend to explain why he is so fascinating and how other writers should take note.
First, briefly, for those who are unfamiliar with the show, I will give a quick overview of the plot:
It takes place in a world that revolves around the four elements: water, earth, fire, and air; different nations/tribes/kingdoms are built around each of them. Certain people can control the elements, they’re known as “benders.” But there is only one person in the entire world who can bend all four elements who is known as the Avatar. It is the Avatar’s job to maintain peace, harmony, and balance in the world. Whenever the Avatar dies, they are reborn into the next nation in the cycle (so if they were a water bender, they would become an earth bender next).
The show begins when the Fire Nation attacks the rest of the world and basically dominates every nation in a Nazi-like regime. The Avatar is the only one who can stop them, but he has disappeared.
One day, two kids from the Southern Water Tribe discovers a kid frozen in an ice burg, an air bender, and realize that he is the Avatar. He has been frozen there for the past 100 years. They accompany him around the world as he masters the other elements-- water, earth, and fire-- while avoiding the Fire Nation army who wants to capture him, particularly one banished prince who is out to regain his honor.
And that is just the tip of the ice burg (no pun intended).
I guess at this point I should put up a SPOILER WARNING if anyone hasn’t seen the show and intends to. Believe me, it is a super intense and well-done show. At first it seems kind of average, but by the time you get like 3/4 through the first season, you’ll realize that there’s a lot more to it than you realized. And it just gets better and better with each episode. The second season is awesome, and the third and final season is just plain EPIC!!!
Anyways, you have been warned, proceed at your own risk.
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| Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation |
I mentioned in the summary above a banished prince from the Fire Nation. That is Zuko. He is by far the most compelling character in the show (and, in my opinion, one of the most compelling characters ever written). I intend to dive into why this is.
A summation of why I think he is so interesting is that he discovers his own honor and respect of everyone around him through great trial and tribulation. He at first thinks that honor is something that can be given to him when in fact that it is something that is earned. Throughout the entire series, beginning with the very first episode, he is on a journey of self-discovery. To add to this, he is very complex and contradicting. On one hand, he is antagonizing towards the heroes of the story, but he also has many attributes that make him sympathetic and relatable, definitely more so than the other antagonists. At the core, he is not evil. His goals simply clash with the protagonists.
He is both a round character and a dynamic character. I have been writing a report for a class about dynamic and round characters, so I’ve been doing a lot of research on the subject. A dynamic character is someone who goes through a major change through the story. This could be a change in his/her personality, a change in his/her outlook on life, a change in his/her overall nature, or they could learn something about themselves, other people, or the world they live in. Dynamic is not the same as round. A rounded character is anyone who has a complex and interesting personality. Round characters are often portrayed as conflicted and contradictory. Even the most minor characters can be round. However, usually the central characters are the dynamic ones because they are most affected by the resolving conflict of the story.
Zuko is both. He has a fleshed-out, fascinating, contradicting personality (in other words, he is a round character). He is also very changed by the story, each choice he makes, everything that happens to him ultimately affects the person he becomes in the end. He is not the same person at the beginning of the series as he is at the end. Most of the main characters in the show are dynamic as well, but none go through such a drastic change as Zuko does. It is such a gradual, natural change too. Every step and every choice he makes is perfect logical and fits his character in that moment.
From the very beginning, he was never a “bad” person, simply misguided and confused. He wants only one thing out of life: to be accepted and to regain his honor. By seeking honor, he is seeking respect. The very definition of honor as defined by Merriam-Webster is “usually merited respect.” This is not a bad thing to want like unlimited power, ruling the world, or any of the other things the other antagonists in the show want. He simply goes about it in the wrong way and is not sure how to actually obtain that “honor.”
By dividing his life into sections, his journey of self-discovery becomes more evident.
1) The Innocent
Zuko was the oldest child and only son of Firelord Ozai, the ruler of the Fire Nation and current instigator of the Hundred Years War throughout the world. As seen in the episode "Zuko Alone" Zuko had a fairly happy childhood with the exception of his sister’s bullying. He was mostly unaware of the extent of his nation’s negative impact on the rest of the world thanks to his mother’s sheltering. He knew there was a war and that his nation was the cause, but he did not know how truly awful it was. Because of this, he grew up happy and even gentle. Then, as a result of this, his father looked down on him next to his much more aggressive sister who was naturally talented at fire bending and strategizing.
At this time period, the Fire Benders used anger and rage as their primary source of bending and since Zuko was more gentle and caring, bending came as more of a challenge to him. However, as he notes later in life, the fact that he had to struggle made him stronger. It made him a fighter and he never gave up. “I don't need luck, though. I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am” (episode "The Siege of the North, Part 2"). This is part of what makes him so interesting; he constantly gets knocked down, but he always gets back up again.
2) The Fall
After he lost his mother, things began to change. He began to see the world as it really was, but never so clearly as the day when he first entered the war council room as seen in the episode "The Storm." As he entered his teenage years, he decided that as heir to the throne, he needed to know more about the war. His uncle reluctantly allowed him to participate which ultimately led to his fall from grace. While inside, Zuko was outraged by the War General’s plan to use Fire Nation recruits as bait, basically lambs to slaughter, and spoke out against him.
This disgraceful act led to Zuko being challenged to an Agni Kai (a fire duel). Zuko accepted, assuming he would face the War General. However, as he entered the ring, he found he was facing his father, the Firelord. Shocked and horrified, Zuko begged for forgiveness and mercy, but his father would have none of it. After reprimanding him for his disrespect, weakness, and cowardice, he burned half his face off and then banished him.
This important moment in Zuko’s life shows his humility and love for a cold, cruel father. It also displays what an honorable core he actually has with his gesture of refusing to fight in an effort to pacify his father. However, Zuko is still thinking a little selfishly here because he wants to remain in his comfortable home and not get cast out.
Of course, the fall is key in any great journey.
Of course, the fall is key in any great journey.
3) The Antagonist
The series picks up three years after Zuko’s banishment. He has been tasked with capturing the Avatar and only then will he be accepted back into his father’s court. An impossible task it seems at first until suddenly, Aang (the Avatar) appears out of nowhere in the South Pole. Zuko immediately becomes obsessed with catching him and pursues him all over the world, constantly foiling their plans and getting in the way.
He is completely obsessed with the idea that if he brings back the Avatar, his father will give him back his honor. He has a very mixed up notion that honor is something that can be given and taken away. He feels so disgraced after what happened during the Agni Kai with the Firelord and he thinks his father somehow took away his honor in that moment. Now he believes that only his father can give it back to him; so by doing his will and pleasing him, that is how he can gain it back. Therefore, he is not necessarily trying to be evil or bad, he is only trying to fulfill his own goal so that things can go back to normal. He just wants to be happy again like when he was the Innocent.
He becomes a very angry and brooding person, living in his own delusion that his father will accept him back and things can go back to normal. His firebending skills grow because of all his growing anger and he becomes an ever-threatening presence to the Avatar and his friends.
Then, despite Zuko’s mercy, in a fit of anger, Zhao attacks him while his back is turned, but Zuko is saved by his Uncle Iroh. Iroh states plainly “my nephew is more honorable than you.” This quote is a first clue to Zuko’s true personality. He comes across as angsty and antagonizing, but deep down, he has a good heart.
Even later, when he fights with Zhao again in the Northern Water Tribe during the episode "The Siege of the North, Part 2" and Zhao is suddenly attacked by the Ocean Spirit, Zuko forgets the duel and tries to save his life. Throughout the entire season, Zhao has been an even worse antagonist to the heroes than Zuko and has even been an antagonist to Zuko himself (hence why they’re dueling in that moment). He has be grasping for power, cheating, killing without cause, threatening torture, boasting, stealing, and so much more. However, despite all this, Zuko still tries to save his life. This further iterates the point that at the core, Zuko is not a bad person.
4) The Refugee
After Zuko has time and time again failed to capture the Avatar combined with his uncle’s treasonous behavior, Zuko and Iroh become wanted men. Throughout this time, they travel through the Earth Kingdom undercover with other people who have been forced from their homes by the Fire Nation, ultimately settling in Ba Sing Se, the mightiest Earth city. During this time, Zuko goes through a great transformation that is key to the rest of his development.
While living as a refugee, Zuko sees firsthand what his nation’s cruelty has been inflicting upon the rest of the world. Up until this point, he has only been on the one side, seeing from the Fire Nation’s perspective. He also has only had one goal in mind: capture the Avatar. Now he has a secondary goal: avoid the Fire Nation. His humanity really starts to shine through during this time period.
A particular moment is when, for a brief time, he breaks away from his uncle to live on his own in the episode "Zuko Alone." He spends time in an Earth Kingdom town protecting a family from some bully soldiers and bonding with their young son. He nobly stands up against the soldiers and even fights them when they kidnap the boy to “join” the army. However, despite all this, he is instantly rejected once his identity is revealed. All this is important not just to display his sympathetic and human side, but it also gives Zuko a chance to see the great prejudice against the Fire Nation.
Another moment where Zuko’s more tender side is displayed is in the episode "The Tales of Ba Sing Se" when he and his uncle have settled in Ba Sing Se and a girl asks Zuko on a date. He is forced by his uncle to go and she takes him to her “favorite place”, a fountain where lanterns shine in the water. However, when they get there, the lanterns aren’t lit and she gets really disappointed. Even though he’s supposed to be undercover and in hiding, Zuko takes this opportunity to use his bending to light all the lanterns just to make her happy. If that doesn’t show what a good-hearted person he is deep down, I don’t know what does. It’s just a small thing, but the small things really matter.
Now, for the big important moment. In the episode "Lake Laogai" Zuko is presented with the chance to steal Aang’s flying bison and use it as leverage to capture him. However, with his uncle’s prodding, he decides to set him free instead. This choice comes into such conflict with everything he has stood for for so long that he actually goes through a severe physical reaction as seen in "The Earth King." For so long, the Fire Nation’s morals have been his morals. The Fire Nation would take whatever they could and wiped out entire nations without thought. Even though Zuko was banished from the Fire Nation, up until this point in his life, he still lived a very Fire Nation-like lifestyle. Now, suddenly when confronted with a very critical choice, he made a decision that went against his traditional morals.
His uncle described this reaction as a metamorphosis. He would emerge a new man; which he does. After he recovers from the sickness, he appears much happier and more content with his new lifestyle. He has gone through a moral transformation, free of his original morality forced upon him by the Fire Nation and his father, now more aware of suffering around him and what true wickedness looks like.
5) The Return
It was not to last though. Even though he went through a moral transformation, he still had to make a transformation of ideals. In the episode "The Crossroads of Destiny" he is tempted by his sister Azula’s offer to return home because he still has the idea that his father can return his honor to him. This is the idea he has been obsessing over since the very first episode (and even before that). He has not yet realized that honor is something you earn for yourself. Thus, he accepts her offer, betrays his uncle, and attacks Aang.
Despite this choice, his moral transformation remains key to the remainder of his character arc. He returns home a different person than when he left. He becomes even more moody and brooding than ever before, nothing ever satisfying him and always feeling restless and uneasy. Even though he gets everything he ever wanted and more-- he is crown prince once again, his father actually talks to him and reveres him as the killer of the Avatar, he has a girlfriend, he fights side-by-side with his sister-- he feels dissatisfied and angry.
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| "I'm angry at MYSELF!!!" |
To add on to that is when he discovers the truth about his ancestry in the episode "The Avatar and the Firelord"; how he descends from both Firelord Sozin and Avatar Roku. (As a short summary, Firelord Sozin was the Firelord who began the war and Avatar Roku was the Avatar before Aang who tried to stop it, but was killed by Sozin.)
As Uncle Iroh says of Zuko's lineage, understanding the struggle between his two great-grandfathers can help him better understand the struggle within himself. Evil and good has always been at war inside of him, it is his legacy. It is literally his destiny to find the balance and cleanse the struggle of his ancestors. This further cements his bond to Avatar Aang. Thus, he is further propelled towards joining forces with him.
6) The Redemption
Then, comes Zuko’s big moment when he finally comes to terms with himself and the world around him. In the episode "The Day of the Black Sun, Part 2" he goes and confronts his father on the day of the solar eclipse (the day when firebending is impossible) and tells him off for basically everything; the war, his abuse of Zuko as a child, his unjust banishment, his warped god complex, and everything. By giving this speech, it is made clear that Zuko has a complete understanding of his past and how it has shaped him into who he is and what he must do. He tells his father that he intends to join the Avatar and help him bring down the Firelord.
When asked why he doesn’t just kill the Firelord in that moment, Zuko again displays his full understanding of his place in the world by answering that he “knows [his] own destiny.” It is the Avatar’s destiny to kill the Firelord, not Zuko’s. If Zuko were to take out the Firelord, it would be viewed by the world as a son grappling for his father’s power; but if the Avatar were to do it, then it would truly accomplish peace since it is the Avatar’s duty to maintain balance in the world.
He helps teach Aang firebending (the last element he has to learn before mastering all the elements) and provides lots of valuable information about the Fire Nation’s inner workings. He does his best to make up for his past mistakes. He finally discovers his own destiny and what role he is supposed to play in the world. He finally understands that he has to earn his own honor and it is not something that is simply given to him. So he does everything in his power to earn everyone’s respect by being the best person he can be.
Zuko’s story is so satisfying because it comes into full circle. He ultimately becomes Firelord after his father is defeated in "Sozin's Comet, Part 4." This makes so much sense not just because he is heir to the throne, but because of how much he has learned. He must take charge to mend a broken country and a broken world, scarred after a war that has lasted a hundred years; broken and confused just like he was. By becoming Firelord, he earns the respect of the entire world, in other words he gains honor in the sight of the world. Allow me to reiterate: he is seen as honorable not just by his nation, but the entire world. He goes from disgraced prince at the beginning of the series to revered Firelord by the end. This is everything he ever wanted and more.
And this is why Zuko is so compelling. He goes through so many ups and downs. He is tempted and tried and even makes a lot of wrong choices, but in the end, he manages to find his way and come out on top. He was confused and lost, but through a long journey of self-discovery, he becomes a better person. A lot of redemption stories have the bad guy start out as legitimately bad with evil intentions, but Zuko is not that at all. He is an antagonist, sure, because he is always getting in the way of the protagonists’s own goals, but his intent is not purely evil. He was never a bad person to begin with; just lost and confused. And aren’t we all like that at some point? I think Zuko is a good example of what we all should be: a fighter. Never give up! Our trials and even our bad decisions will ultimately shape us into who we are meant to be as long as we keep trying to find our way: a great and honorable person.
