Zuko

History
Zuko is the only son and the first-born of Fire Lord Ozai and Fire Lady 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, favored him.



When Zuko was about eleven years old, his cousin, Lu Ten, died while away at war. Soon after, General Iroh, devastated by the loss of his only child, abandoned his two-year siege of the Earth Kingdom Capital City, 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 as the Fire Lord now wants his younger son to know what it feels like to lose a child. 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, thirteen 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. 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.

Finding the Avatar


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 on 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.

Two years later, near the coast of the South pole, Prince Zuko on his warship witnesses a column of bright light (the Avatar being freed from the iceberg), he eagerly tells his skeptical Uncle Iroh that the light must have been caused by the Avatar. Dismissing his uncle's advice to not get his hopes up, and to calm down with some tea, Zuko orders the course be set for the light, determined to capture the Avatar.

As evening wears on, Iroh advises Zuko to get some rest, and reminds him that his quest is as futile as when his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather attempted it and failed. Zuko tersely comments that they hadn't found the Avatar because their honor was not at stake, unlike him.

Iroh, meanwhile, is teaching Firebending basics to Zuko, drilling the prince and his infantry sparring partners in a sequence Zuko can't quite complete correctly. After Iroh lectures on the importance of strength as an extension of breath and not brute force for Firebending, an impatient Zuko tries to browbeat Iroh into teaching him a more advanced set. Zuko reasons that it will take more than basics to defeat the Avatar, who has had a century to master all the elements. Iroh grudgingly acquiesces, but first takes a moment to finish his roast duck.

Later, Zuko saw a signal flare from an old Fire Nation wreck, (accidently trigged by the Avatar). As Katara and Aang escape the shipwreck, Zuko sees them heading toward the village through a telescope. Zuko tells his crew to wake his uncle and report that he has finally found the Avatar.

Face of the Enemy
Zuko's ship quickly arrives at the Water Tribe village, its mere approaching collapsing Sokka's makeshift walls and towers. Still, Sokka stands bravely, only balking in order to avoid the ramp that descends from the ship. Zuko quickly descends, accompanied by only a very small number of soldiers, and Sokka charges him. The more experienced Zuko requires only his bare hands to counter Sokka's primitive weaponry, and he is almost dismissive of his presence at first.

Zuko demands the location of the Avatar, expecting to find an old man somewhere in the village. He grabs Gran Gran Kanna threateningly, and Sokka attacks Zuko again. The two fight briefly, and once again Zuko only needs to use his bare hands to render Sokka's attacks useless. Sokka only manages a lucky hit when his boomerang strikes the back of Zuko's helmet, angering the prince to the extent that he prepares to use Firebending on the unfortunate villagers.

Suddenly Avatar Aang, riding on a penguin-otter, and knocks Zuko off of his feet. Zuko is shocked as he realizes that the Avatar is merely a twelve-year-old boy, rather than the ancient master he was expecting. As he voices this revelation, the Water Tribe villagers express their own surprise. Zuko quickly regains his focus, and wastes no time in launching a series of fire blasts at Aang. Aang is able to defend himself with Airbending, but soon decides to stop the battle when he realizes that Zuko's attacks would inevitably strike the children he has befriended. Aang surrenders, and Zuko's soldiers take him aboard as a prisoner before setting off for the Fire Nation.

On Zuko's ship, the guards escort Aang to the prison hold, while Prince Zuko entrusts his Uncle Iroh with taking the boy's glider to his personal quarters. Iroh, true to his nature, immediately and casually passes the job on to the nearest guard. While being taken to the prison hold, Aang, with his hands tied, uses his powerful breath to knock out both of his escorts. He then proceeds to rapidly run through the inners of the ship, trying to retrieve his staff. One of the escorts recovers, and sounds the alarm.



Aang continues to run through the ship's many hallways, in the process displaying tremendous speed and agility and also cutting his bonds on the helmet of one of the guards. He looks through several rooms before finally discovering Zuko's personal quarters. He runs in to claim his staff, just as a waiting Zuko slams the door shut to cut off his escape route. Zuko launches a number of attacks in hopes of incapacitating Aang, but the Airbender easily avoids them before finally launching a short series of powerful gusts that slam Zuko against the room's walls and ceiling, briefly stunning him.

Aang heads to the outside of the ship, and prepares to make his escape on his glider. However, just as Aang takes off, Zuko is able to leap after him and grab his ankle. Not able to compensate for the extra weight nor to break free of Zuko's grip, Aang is unable to remain aloft, and the two crash clumsily onto the deck. The two prepare to face off a third time, but are distracted by the sudden appearance of Appa, carrying Sokka and Katara to Aang's rescue. Aang is unable to regain his focus before Zuko, who quickly launches a series of fire blasts that presses him to the edge of the deck and knocks his staff away. Another two blasts follow, and Aang, while apparently unharmed by the flames, falls overboard into the frigid sea below.

Aang sinks as Katara cries out in dismay, and he appears momentarily unconscious. However, his eyes soon open, before they and his tattoos glow a brilliant white, and his expression becomes stern. Aang, in the "Avatar State," begins to Waterbend the sea around him, pushing himself into the air on a whirling column of water. Zuko, Katara, and Sokka are shocked at this immense display of bending power, and Aang deposits himself on the deck of the ship before bending his liquid platform into a spinning wall of water that sends Zuko and all of his guards currently ondeck flying, Zuko himself going overboard. Appa lands on the deck, while Aang, apparently dazed after the massive display of power, collapses. Katara and Sokka rush to his aid, assuring that he is alright before preparing to leave.

Sokka goes to retrieve Aang's staff, to find Zuko climbing back onto the deck. At a great advantage due to Zuko's position, Sokka quickly strikes the prince in the forehead a number of times, sending him overboard again. Zuko is only barely able to cling to an anchors chain approximately halfway down the ship's hull. Some of the soldiers recover, and begin to approach Katara and the still-exhausted Aang.

Katara, is able to freeze the guards in place to stop their approach. All three take off on Appa just as Iroh arrives on the scene. Iroh helps Zuko on-board again, and the two launch a combined fire blast in an attempt to shoot down the escaping air bison. Aang recovers from his dazed state just in time to turn this attack against the Firebenders, using a blast of wind to redirect the fireball into one of the immense walls of ice on either side of the ship. The resulting avalanche buries the front half of Zuko's ship in ice and snow, stopping it cold. Appa flies into the distance, his passengers laughing happily.

Zuko, angry that the Avatar has escaped his grasp, vows not to underestimate the boy again. He instructs his crew to dig the ship out and pursue the Avatar and his friends as soon as possible. Unfortunately the majority of his crew is either frozen solid or helping to thaw other crew members. He vows never to underestimate him again.

A Bitter Rivalry
Soon afterwards, Zuko docks at a Fire Nation controlled harbor off the coast of the Southwest Earth Kingdom. His ship needing substantial repairs from his encounter with Aang. Zuko wants the repairs done quickly so they won’t lose Aang’s trail. He warns Iroh not to mention the Avatar during their stay so no other Firebenders will start looking for him. Zhao walks up to Iroh and Zuko welcoming them to his harbor. Zuko and Iroh learn of Zhao’s promotion from Captain to Commander. Seeing how damaged their ship is, Zhao asks how it happened. Zuko makes up a story about crashing into an Earth Kingdom ship. Curious, Zhao invites the pair of them for a drink. Zuko attempts to get out of it but Iroh speaks for both of them and accepts the invite.

Commander Zhao is explaining the Fire Nation’s planned victory to Zuko and Iroh over tea in his tent. Zuko voices his doubts that the plan will work. Zhao then asks about Zuko’s search for the Avatar, to which Zuko replies he has been unsuccessful. Zhao says he didn’t expect anything different. Zuko then gets up to leave but Commander Zhao’s guards stop him. One of Zhao’s soldiers walks in and reports that he interrogated Zuko’s crew and found out that Zuko had the Avatar but let him escape. Zuko has no choice but to tell Zhao the truth.

Commander Zhao is appalled that a twelve year old boy bested Zuko and his crew. Zuko passionately states that he is going to continue his hunt and will not underestimate the Avatar again. When Zhao replies that he will be taking over the hunt for the Avatar, Zuko leaps for Zhao in a rage but is held back by the guards. Zhao orders for Zuko and Iroh to be kept in his tent and leaves. In anger, Zuko kicks a table as Iroh asks for more tea.

Commander Zhao and his search party are almost ready to set sail on their search for the Avatar. Zhao will then release Zuko when his ship is out at sea. Zuko states forcefully that he is going to capture the Avatar before Zhao, who laughs at the thought. How can a banished prince compete with a resourceful commander with hundreds of warships at his disposal? Zhao then demeans Zuko by telling him that his father would let him come home without the Avatar if the Fire Lord really loved him. Zhao states that all Lord Ozai sees in his son is failure. Zuko challenges Zhao out of pure rage and disgust to an Agni Kai at sunset. After Zhao leaves the tent, Iroh reminds Zuko about how his last duel with a Firebending master turned out. Zuko responds; "I will never forget."

It is sunset and Commander Zhao and Prince Zuko are ready to duel. The two combatants begin back to back. Iroh counsels Zuko to remember his basics as they are his greatest assets, but Zuko doesn't appear to heed his uncle's wisdom, instead simply stating that he will not lose and assumes his stance. Zhao claims that the duel will end swiftly, and also assumes his stance. The two opponents stare deeply and fiercely into each other's eyes. The gong sounds and the match commences.

Zhao seems more than a match for Zuko, effortlessly avoiding and nullifying all of Zuko's fireblasts. As he catches his breath, Iroh continues to advise Zuko to remember his basics. Zhao then proceeds to throw his own volley of fireblasts. Zuko is able to block each, but is slowly forced back with every parry. For the final blast, Zhao uses both fists, forming a blast that connects and knocks Zuko to the ground. Pressing the attack, Zhao leaps into the air, covers the distance between him and Zuko, and prepares a finishing fireblast aimed directly for Zuko's face.



An instant before contact, Zuko rolls out of the way, rises with a kicking flourish, and knocks Zhao out of his stance. With newfound vigor, Zuko releases a series of low attacks that cause Zhao to retreat, finishing him with a jet of fire from a full body kick.Zhao expects Zuko to strike him once more, to mark his victory, but Zuko releases a fireblast past Zhao’s face instead, promising next time Zhao is in his way, he will not hold back.

As he turns to walk away, enraged by his defeat, Zhao sends a jet of fire at Zuko’s back, which Iroh swiftly stops with his bare hand. After throwing Zhao to the ground, Iroh lectures Zhao about how dishonorably he has acted, and that his nephew is more honorable even in exile. Iroh is still polite enough to thank Zhao for the tea. After leaving the arena, Zuko asks Iroh if he really meant what he said back there, to which Iroh responds: "Of course. I told you ginseng tea is my favorite." As the two walk back towards the ship, the faintest of smiles crosses Prince Zuko's lips.

Zhao becomes Zuko's bitter rival in his quest to capture Aang throughout the continuation of Book 1.

Pirates and a Waterbending Scroll
Meanwhile, Zuko was busy sparring with lieutenant Jee when Iroh had just diverted the ship to find a port in order to replace a White Lotus tile for his Pai Sho game. Venting with smoke through his nose, Zuko angrily allows him. Iroh calmly expresses that "it's so good to have an understanding nephew." as the smoke engulfed the bridge.

Zuko and Iroh arrive at a port. Unfortunately for Zuko, Iroh didn't find a replacement White Lotus tile from every single merchant in town, but he found numerous trinkets for music night on the ship in which three of their troops were carrying. Zuko was frustrated that the trip was a complete waste of time.

Then they come across some pirates, whom had a Waterbending Scroll stolen by Katara, after discovering that they're pursuing Aang as well. Zuko joins forces with the pirates to hunt down Aang, Zuko surmises that they'll practising waterbending by the river. They find Katara, alone, late at night practicing the Water Whip. Zuko captures and ties Katara to a tree, attempting to interrogate her for information on the Avatar, showing her that he holds her mother's lost betrothal necklace in his possession, the last tie that she has to her mother in exchange. However, the pirates demanded the scroll. Yet, Zuko threatens to destroy it if they don't find Aang.

Then, Aang and Sokka are found and captured. Aang and Sokka discover Katara bound to a tree surrounded by firebenders. As Zuko and the pirates are about to make the trade (the scroll for the Avatar), Sokka convinces the pirates to sell Aang by revealing to them that he's the Avatar, despite Zuko's attempts to keep it a secret from the pirates. The pirates decide that they want to sell Aang to the Fire Nation, and the situation quickly escalates into a battle.

While Zuko and the Pirates fought, Aang, Katara, and Sokka escaped. Katara and Aang use waterbending to get the pirates' boat into water and sail away. Iroh stops Zuko and Captain, showing them that the pirate's boat is being stolen. Zuko laughs at their misfortune, until he saw the pirates (except for the Captain) stealing his smaller ship and start chasing after the Avatar.

Unfortunately, both ships were lost after falling over a waterfall. Back on shore, Iroh discovers that his lost White Lotus tile was stuck in his sleeve the whole time. A not impressed Zuko grabs the tile from Iroh's hand and throws it over the waterfall in anger which strikes one of the pirates on the head and bounces off.

The Blue Spirit
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:

The New 'Admiral' Zhao
At Pohuai Stronghold, a Fire Nation fortress overlooking the Earth Kingdom's western shore, Commander Zhao requests the use of the Yu Yan Archers, an elite group of Fire Nation soldiers skilled in archery, in his hunt for the Avatar. His commanding officer, Colonel Shinu, strictly denies the request, until word suddenly arrives from Fire Lord Ozai that Zhao has been promoted to the position of admiral. Now the superior officer, Zhao smugly changes his request of the Yu Yan Archers' abilities into an order. Meanwhile, a figure watches the proceedings from the roof above and behind Zhao, his face hidden by a blue noh mask.



Meanwhile, on Zuko's ship, the exiled prince is discussing what actions to take in pursuing the Avatar with his crew, having lost Aang's trail due to the recent storm. However, their planning is interrupted when a large Fire Nation ship, one of the many under Zhao's command, pulls alongside. Several Fire Nation soldiers board, revealing a wanted poster depicting Aang, and stating that all information regarding the Avatar is to be reported directly to Admiral Zhao. Zuko angrily reports that he has no information to report, and demands that the soldiers get off his ship and allow them to pass. He becomes further angered when the soldiers comply to his first demand, but state that under Zhao's orders no ships are being allowed in or out of the area. Iroh responds to all of this in his typical laid-back fashion, instead focusing on winning a game of Pai Sho with several of the crew members.

Zuko practices on the deck of his ship, having not given an order to his men in the hour since it was boarded. Iroh expresses concern over his nephew's behavior, and assures him that it is still possible that he could capture the Avatar before Zhao. Zuko expresses disbelief, as Zhao has far greater resources and power. He states, despondently, that soon he will lose all that he has been fighting for in the years since his exile.

His fears were founded when the Avatar was finally captured by the Yu Yan Archers, and taken back at Pohuai Stronghold as a prisoner. Where he was chained and locked up in a cell, where he was mocked by Admiral Zhao.

Infiltrate and Escape
However, the same masked figure from before materializes amongst the bushes flanking the path into the fortress. The figure - the titular Blue Spirit - sneaks into the fortress by clinging to the underside of a carriage that is brought into the fortress, before moving stealthily through it to Aang's cell.

Luckily for the Blue Spirit, Zhao is currently addressing all of the Fire Nation members in the fortress, saying that the Avatar has been captured and the Fire Nation will win the war in less than a year. This allows him to move across the fortress's inner-most wall unnoticed, before descending into a small sewage system and emerging within the fortress's main tower.

The Blue Spirit deftly defeats the guards in his way. As he moves into the cell and unsheathes his swords, Aang becomes terrified, presumably believing the Blue Spirit means harm rather than help.

However, his fears are soon dispersed as the Blue Spirit slashes through his bonds, and begins to leave the room. Aang questions the Blue Spirit's identity and intentions, but he does not answer, instead silently motioning for Aang to follow him. Aang concludes that this new figure means to help him escape, and follows him outside.

As Aang and the Blue Spirit exit the tower via the fortress's shallow sewers, Zhao strolls through its corridors while ordering a secretary to send a message to the Fire Lord recording his triumph. However, Zhao notices the four guards that the Blue Spirit has defeated, and after finding that Aang has escaped, he sounds the alarm.

Fight
Just as the alarm sounds, Aang and the Blue Spirit are making their way up the rope that the latter used to descend the wall. The rope is cut, and the Blue Spirit and Aang are forced fight their way out of the fortress through its three sets of gates. Aang airbends a group of soldiers out of their path and manages to reach the first gate easily, but the Blue Spirit does not possess his supernatural speed, and is soon overtaken by a dozen spear men, who he begins to battle.

Aang, noticing that his unexpected savior is in danger, moves to assist him, though the Blue Spirit appears capable of easily matching his opponents. In the process, Aang yanks away one of the spears and snaps its blade off, turning it into a staff in place of his glider. Aang is able to use his airbending abilities in conjunction with the staff to move himself and the Blue Spirit to the top of the second wall, but in the process drops the staff, leaving them with one more wall to overcome. Scores of Fire Nation soldiers ascend the wall with flexible bamboo ladders, but a quick-thinking Aang turns this against their pursuers. He turns the ladders into makeshift stilts, and, with the Blue Spirit hanging on his back, uses three of the ladders to get them across to the third wall.

However, a Firebending soldier burns the last ladder beneath their feet before they can reach the final wall, and Aang and the Spirit are forced to jump. Although both manage to get hand-holds on the edge of the wall, neither is able to hang on, and they fall to the ground in front of the final gate. A group of Firebenders launch a combined attack on the duo, and Aang uses Airbending to defend them before Zhao orders his soldiers to stand down. The admiral continues, stating that the Avatar must be captured alive.

Hearing this, the Blue Spirit quickly places his swords at Aang's throat threateningly. Zhao appears angered, but decides not to take any risks. He orders the guards to open the gates, and the Blue Spirit, still holding his blades to Aang's neck, marches the two of them outside, never turning either of their backs to the fortress. Colonel Shinu is bewildered that Zhao is allowing the Avatar to escape, but the admiral remains calm.

At the top of the outer wall, Zhao orders a Yu Yan Archer to knock out the Blue Spirit, which he does unerringly with a single arrow to his forehead. The Blue Spirit falls over instantly unconscious, his life spared due to the protection provided by his mask. Aang immediately Airbends up a large dust cloud to conceal himself, while a group of Fire Nation soldiers raced from the fortress to capture them. He takes off the Blue Spirit's mask to learn that his rescuer is, to his immense shock, Zuko. He turns to run and leave the prince behind, but hesitates. When the dust settles, Aang and Zuko have vanished without a trace. Zhao is immensely angered, and his mood is not helped when suddenly one of the frogs from before appears alongside him, croaks, and leaps off the wall.

Later, Zuko regains consciousness to discover that morning has arrived, and he is with Aang in a wooded area. Aang speaks nostalgically of Kuzon, a Fire Nation boy he knew as one of his closest friends a century before. He laughs at the thought of how much trouble he got into with his friend. After reflecting, he asks Zuko if under different circumstances they too could have been friends. Zuko pauses, then responds by launching a fire blast, which Aang easily avoids before leaping through the trees. Zuko's stern expression softens slightly, and he stops not to pursue the Avatar, at least for now.

Zuko returns to his ship. Iroh greets him, questioning where he has been all night, but seems not to be too worried, being more concerned with the events of "music night" from the evening before. Zuko ignores these comments, and orders no disturbances while he tries to catch up on his sleep. At the same time in their respective places, Aang and Zuko attempt to sleep. link title

Later Exploits
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. Iroh pretends to be paralyzed so he could hold June close to him. He shushes Zuko when he points this out.

Towards the end of season one, Zhao recruits the soldiers under Zuko’s command so he wouldn't get in the way again. When he sees the broadswords on a mantelpiece, Zhao deduces that Zuko is 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 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 for three weeks.

Betrayed


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
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 who even throws away Zuko's dagger, reject Zuko because of his identity and he departs with his retrieved dagger.He takes the name Lee after he goes into the Earth Kingdom.

Reunion and 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, by deflecting all of Zuko's attacks and landing a knock-out blow to Zuko. All seemed lost 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
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 subtle Firebending to heat his tea. 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 quietly remarks, "It was nice."

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 dissuade 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 had 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. Zuko is suddenly once again uncertain of himself, though, and expresses regret at having betrayed Iroh. Azula turns this aside, though, telling Zuko that it was Iroh who betrayed him. She then expresses confidence that, Avatar or no Avatar, Zuko has restored his own honor. We leave Zuko with the young man still looking conflicted about the decision he has made.

Returning Home
As displayed in "Going Home Again," a canonical interlude comic featured within the second All-Avatar Nick Mag Presents edition, Zuko is surprisingly reluctant to return to the Fire Nation as a hero. However, after informing his sister of his intention to remain in Ba Sing Se, the princess pulls out a trump card in the form of an old friend--Mai, who had shared a mutual crush with Zuko as a child. After foiling Azula's dinner date set up, Zuko accompanies the governor's daughter on a stroll throughout the city, where--after an incident involving Jin, octofish, and a fountain--the two end up kissing and reminiscing. The following day, as he sees Mai off during the boardings, Zuko severely contemplates returning home with her, watched on by Azula. The princess then turns her attention to Iroh being led aboard a Fire Nation ship in chains and wonders aloud if he will even survive the trip. As she bids her brother farewell, Zuko suddenly makes the resolve to come with them back to the Fire Nation. Azula slyly tells her brother to do whatever he wants, as its his decision.



Several weeks later, though, as the ship approaches Fire Nation waters, Zuko expresses his fear at how much everything has changed, and how much he himself has changed. Despite reassurances from Mai and deafening cheers from the citizens of the Fire Nation, Zuko is still uncertain as to how his father would receive him--and even doubtful as to whether or not the Avatar was truly dead, a feeling he consequentially expresses to his sister. When he finally returns to his father's throne room, however, his father welcomes him back with pride and recognition, claiming that Zuko had fully redeemed himself by slaying the Avatar. Zuko manages to contain his surprise at this, knowing full well that it had been Azula who had delivered the blow, not him.

Although the false claim finally gives him the redemption he has so longed for, Zuko confronts his sister that night about why she had given him the credit. Azula claims that she saw how worried Zuko was about not having the Avatar, she decided to give him the credit for his demise out of a generous gesture to repay his part in the takeover of Ba Sing Se. Zuko refuses to believe her explanation, accusing her of retaining an ulterior motive. Azula nonchalantly points out how letting him have all the glory over slaying the Avatar could do little to benefit her, but goes on to insidiously acknowledge the fact that should it be discovered that the Avatar was alive, all that glory would swiftly turn into shame and foolishness. She assures Zuko that he has nothing to worry about, as he had already said himself, there's no way the Avatar could have survived. With that, the princess bids her brother goodnight, who leaves deeply incensed. Even with his redemption, he is still being manipulated.



Zuko had been secretly seeing his imprisoned uncle, telling the guard to say nothing. However, Iroh would have none of him and refused to listens to Zuko's claims he could have been a hero. While on a picnic with Mai, they were interrupted by Azula who cautions Zuko not to be discovered visiting Uncle or people will think he was conspiring with him. After delivering a box of chicken to his uncle, Zuko says to his uncle that he has everything he has ever wanted, but is tortured knowing that the Avatar is still alive; Iroh refuses to advise his nephew. Zuko then meets with a person who has a tattoo of a third eye who he instructs to kill the Avatar.

Zuko, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee go on vacation to Ember Island at Lo and Li's beach house, due to the fact Fire Lord Ozai is holding a restricted meeting with his confidants. At the beach, Zuko makes several unsuccessful attempts to impress Mai with pretty shells and ice cream; the former fails to appeal to her, and the latter falls on Mai's leg in the unlucky fashion Zuko is famous for. The group is invited to a party at Chan's house.

During the party, after fetching Mai some food, Zuko finds Ruon-Jian talking to Mai. Zuko loses his temper and violently throws Ruon-Jian into a large pot across the room. Disgusted, Mai angrily tells Zuko that his temper is out of control; he takes his anger out on her, then, saying that she doesn't feel anything and is a 'big blah'. Hurt and confused by this accusation, Mai tells Zuko that their relationship is over. Chan returns and ejects Zuko from the party. Zuko heads off and goes to his family's abandoned vacation house where he reminisces about memories of himself as a child with his Mother, Father, and Uncle. He spots a stone imprinted with his own baby handprint, only for his eyes to be drawn to an old family portrait hanging on the wall. Azula finds Zuko, and they all go down to the beach again. Zuko tries to reconcile with Mai, but she is still cold toward him.

When words start to fly, Zuko pushes into a rant about his own life, where he admits that he's angry but unsure why. The girls all pressure him into giving an answer, and he finally screams that he is angry at himself because he doesn't know the difference between right and wrong anymore. Finally understanding what bothers Zuko so much, Mai returns to his side and says that the one thing she cares about is Zuko and kisses him once again.

Family History
In "The Avatar and the Fire Lord," Zuko awakes and finds a message telling him to go to the Fire Temple and learn of his great-grandfather's death. After he goes there, he finds Sozin's last testaments. Zuko reads up on the past friendship of Avatar Roku and Fire Lord Sozin. At the end Sozin says he kept searching for the new Avatar. Zuko confronts Iroh in prison, outraged, and accusing Iroh of sending him messages telling him that the scroll told him little more than what he already knew. Zuko says he had learned nothing more of Sozin's death. Iroh calmly states that he was referring to his mother's great-grandfather, Avatar Roku. Zuko falls to his knees, more confused than ever. Iroh tells Zuko good and evil are always fighting inside Zuko for it is his nature. Iroh says that the bright side is that Zuko alone can restore honor to the Fire Nation and bring about peace. Iroh then hands Zuko a lost royal artifact (meant to be worn by the crowned prince) worn by both of his great-grandfathers and tells him he can choose either of their paths and restore balance to the world or destroy it.

Zuko eventually recovers from the initial shock of his family revelation, and in the following weeks is thoroughly enjoying life as an honored prince. He has servants attending to his every need and the population adores him. A few days before the Day of Black Sun, he visits Mai's house, which is right across from the Royal Palace. The two are happier than ever as Mai is now much more open with her emotions. When Zuko asks if Mai could have anything she wanted in the world right now what it would be, he discovers her love for fruit tarts and with his servants is able to answer to such desires. Suddenly, Mai mentions that Azula got invited to a war meeting with their father and apparently Zuko didn't get invited. He talks to Azula who assures him that he was not told about the war meeting because he is already expected to be there. However, the fact that he, the Crown Prince was not informed as opposed to the Crown Princess insults him, so he refuses to go. When he sulks about it, Mai suggests he order some servants around or enjoy a fruit tart, but Zuko is not in the mood. However, the next morning, Zuko does go to the war meeting when he finds out that his father refused to start with him absent, setting his mind at ease. When it ends, he tells Mai that his father let him sit at his right side, much to Mai's delight. However, Zuko also confides in her that although he acted like the son his father wanted, he was not himself.



Redemption
Before the battle, he gazes at a drawing of him and Mai, saying, "I'm sorry". During the eclipse, he enters his father's chamber with his dual swords. He spouts his rage at the Fire Lord, explaining his internal conflicts throughout the series. Zuko says that he was never there during his childhood and argues that his father was cruel to challenge a thirteen year old to an Agni Ki and cause permanent damage to him for only the crime of speaking out of turn at a war meeting. Having had a first hand look at the destruction the Fire Nation has caused, Zuko speaks his mind about it and says it is not the "spreading of greatness" the country has lied about to its citizens. He turns to "join the Avatar" and nearly leaves the catacomb when his father asks,"Don't you want to know what happened to your mother?"



Lured by these words, Zuko turns to stay. Ozai explains that after requesting that Iroh's birthright be revoked and placed upon his head, Azulon told him that he would have to kill Zuko to suffer the same pain as Iroh. Ozai reveals he had every intention to do so, but that his wife stated a plan in which Zuko would live and Ozai would become Fire Lord. Her actions resulted in Azulon's death and her banishment. This leaves Zuko hopefully asking that she was still alive. Ozai states it's very possible, but that he has learned that banishment is far too merciful of a punishment for treason and that Zuko will receive no such mercy. Just as the eclipse ends, Ozai leaps from his seat and fires a massive lightning bolt at Zuko. He catches the blast, sliding back several feet, before redirecting the charge at a much-surprised Ozai. The impact sends Ozai slamming into the back wall, and gives Zuko time to escape. From there, he heads to the prison, finding most of the guards unconscious or otherwise incapacitated. Finding the warden who constantly insulted Iroh, he demands to know what happened. The guard reveals that Iroh broke himself out, and was like a "one-man army." The last we see of Zuko is his following of the young ones and Appa in a hot-air balloon.

Joining The Avatar
Zuko arrives at the Western Air Temple, which was built under a cliffside, before Aang and his friends. He decends into the temple, and has a flashback about his previous visit there three years ago. He runs away to hide when the gang arrives on Appa. Later at his camp in the woods, he tries to practice a speech to explain to the Avatar to accept him into the group, with little success. He tries to think about what his Uncle Iroh and Azula would do in a situation like this, but still doesn't get it right. Finally Zuko returns to the temple and appears before Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph. Upon his arrival, Appa licks him for remembering that Zuko set him free in Ba Sing Se, which surprises Aang. Zuko then tries his speech, and offers to teach Aang firebending, but the group is unwilling to let him due to their mistrust of him, especially Katara. Zuko then begins apologizing for the bad things he did to them, but accidentally lets slip the fact that he sent the Combustion Man after them. Enraged, the gang demands that Zuko leave them now. Zuko then offers to be accepted as their prisoner, but Katara waterbends at him and orders him to leave. Zuko returns to his camp, and berates himself for how bad his attempt was at joining their group.

Later that night Toph, sensing that Zuko was sincere, goes to visit him. She makes a noise that startles Zuko, causing him to act on instinct and firebend at the intruder, not knowing it was Toph. He burns her feet by accident, and when he tries to apologize and help her, she earthbends at him and retreats back to the temple. Zuko then collapses to the ground and shouts in frustration, "Why am I so bad at being good?!"

The next day, Combustion Man has tracked down Aang and the group to the temple. Zuko attacks Combution Man causing his attack to miss. Zuko orders him to stop hunting the Avatar, but Combustion Man ignores him and continues firing blasts at the temple. Zuko attempts to stop him with firebending, but he deflects it with ease and fires a blast at Zuko. Zuko uses his bending to defend himself, nearly getting thrown off the cliff in the process. Aang and Katara attempt to bend at Combustion Man, but he easily withstands their attacks. Sokka however, uses his boomerang to hit Combustion Man in his third eye, causing his next attack to backfire and prompt an explosion that sends him falling off the cliff.

Zuko appears to the Avatar once more, and apologizes to him again, saying that he has been through a lot the past few years. He then apologizes to Toph for burning her, remarking that he has to be in better control of his bending, and that fire can be a dangerous thing if not controled. Aang then realizes that Zuko was probably meant to be his teacher, because he understands what Aang went through when he first tried to firebend and burned Katara by accident. Zuko then asks one more time to join the group. Aang agrees, then asks his friends if he can be allowed to join them. Toph agrees, saying jokingly that it will give her time to get back at Zuko for burning her. Sokka agrees knowing that Aang knows what he is doing. Lastly, Katara allows him, but only because Aang needs a firebending teacher. Zuko happily promises that he won't let them down.

After Sokka shows Zuko to his room in the temple, he begins to unpack his things. He pulls a picture of his Uncle Iroh out of his bag, prompting another flashback. When the flashback ends, Katara appears in his doorway. Just as Zuko begins to show delight at her letting him join the team, she informs Zuko that even though the others accepted him, she still doesn't trust him. Katara then gives Zuko a warning: If she even suspects that he might go back to his old ways or try to harm Aang in any way, she will personally kill him. She then leaves Zuko to ponder her words.

Remastering Firebending
After joining the group, Zuko begins to teach Aang firebending. After Aang shows him that he can't create fire, Zuko attempts to demonstrate, but is only able to produce very weak fire blasts. After Zuko informs the rest of the group about his loss of firebending, Sokka and Katara poke fun at him, but Toph has another idea. She suggests that Zuko and Aang learn from the original source of firebending. Earthbending came from the Badgermoles, and Airbending came from the Sky Bisons. Zuko feels he is out of luck because Firebending originated from the Dragons, which are extinct. He does inform them that there are old ruins of the ancient Sun Warriors civilization located near to the Western Air Temple, and that they might learn something there.

After arriving at the ruins, Aang is almost caught in a booby trap. Zuko avoids it, saying that places with booby traps always have something worth protecting. While exploring, Zuko reveals that his great-grandfather Sozin began a tradition that if anyone hunted a dragon and defeated it, their firebending would become legendary, and be granted the title of "Dragon." This action lead the Fire Nation to exterminate the dragons. Zuko's uncle conquered the last dragon(possibly giving him the name "The Dragon of the West"). Sozin also stated that firebending originated from anger and rage and could only be used for destruction.

Aang and Zuko then find their way into a room with a circular alignment of statues, that are labeled as "The Dancing Dragon", which is an ancient firebending form. After the both of them perform the form, a glowing jewel appears in the center of the room. Zuko takes it, and accidentally triggers another trap. They are both found by members of the Sun Warrior Tribe a while later.

The chief tells them that if they wish to master firebending, they must meet the tribe's masters. They are both given a fireball to carry up a mountain where the masters are to prove their worth and commitment to firebending. Shortly after arriving at the mountain top, they are confronted by the masters, which turn out to be a red dragon and a violet dragon. The dragons circle around a shocked Zuko and Aang. Aang and Zuko perform The Dancing Dragon, which mimics the dragon's movements. The masters deem them worthy, and demonstrate their bending by creating a rainbow colored column of fire.

Zuko realizes that firebending isn't just hate and destruction, but beauty and life as well, and why he lost his ability to firebend. Hunting the Avatar was his drive for so long, so when he joined him, his drive vanished and he lost his touch with his inner fire. His new drive is to help the Avatar defeat the Fire Lord and restore balance to the world. Zuko and Aang are still shocked that there are dragons left. Zuko thinks that his Uncle lied when he found and killed the last dragon, but the Sun Chief informs him otherwise. Zuko's uncle Iroh found his way to the dragons, and was deemed worthy and taught the original source of firebending as well. Zuko is able to perform strong fire blasts again, and Aang is able to create fire to.

After returning to the group, Aang and Zuko perform the firebending form they learned. Sokka pokes fun at them saying that they could dance to defeat the fire lord. A frustrated Zuko argues with him, but when he tells the group the form is called The Dancing Dragon, he is left embarrassed as the group laughs at him.

Personality
While initially the series' main antagonist, over time Zuko's development has shown him to be more of a bitter and complex young man than a truly evil character; he is far closer to an anti-hero than true villain. Zuko wanted, more than anything, to have his place as heir to the Fire Nation throne and his father's love. Zuko believed, or has perhaps forced himself to believe, that capturing the Avatar will make these wishes come true, which made 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. He also believes that he is marked unlucky and that the world 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.

Zuko has numerous contradictory traits, beliefs, and behaviors. For example, he is 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. It was Zuko's belief that it is wrong to sacrifice able-bodied and willing troops as a diversionary tactic, a fact which led to his exile when he voiced his opinion and angered his father, Ozai. During his banishment, Zuko displayed much zeal in pursuing the Avatar, using whatever means he thought necessary to gain the upper hand. Although he has said that the capture of the Avatar is a greater concern to him than the safety of his crew or even himself, he shows 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 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 the Earth Kingdom. Zuko has nothing, something he cannot seem to accept. At first, Zuko lashes out and turns to robbery, even stealing from those who have been kind to him. After some time, however, partially in thanks to a talk from Iroh, Zuko gains a more reasonable outlook. Although theft is still necessary from time to time, he refuses to steal from already needy people, or people who have shown him kindness. He also defended an Earth Kingdom village against a group of thugs who terrorized its people after having been appointed to protect them. Zuko begins becoming more patient, kind, precise, and calculating; traits necessary to evade Azula's pursuit while staying incognito from local authorities. During "Lake Laogai", he even sets Aang's pet bison and primary mode of transportation, Appa, free from Dai Li captivity at Iroh's suggestion.

These traits would become dominant after Zuko's fever dreams and hallucinations in "The Earth King," as afterwards he displayed a more optimistic 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, he afterwards seems conflicted about his choices, and is uncomfortable with his betrayal of Iroh, who is a father figure to him. In The Beach, Zuko states that he is angry with himself, saying he doesn't know right from wrong. Zuko gets a letter and tries to know his great-grandfather, then later Iroh tells him that Avatar Roku is his mother's grandfather. Iroh then gives Zuko an ancient crown, worn only by the crowned prince of the Fire Nation. Iroh also states that Zuko's inner conflict is due to his good and evil nature that he inherited from Roku and Sozin respectively.

In "Nightmares and Daydreams" he became upset when he wasn't informed of a war meeting in which his sister was invited, and shown happiness when a servant later came and asked Zuko to head to the war room, as Ozai would not start the meeting without him. Much later, he told Mai that he found himself unhappy, even when his father treated him as the perfect son.

During the events of Day of Black Sun, Zuko comes to realize that he must restore peace to the world by joining the Avatar and fighting the tyranny of his nation. He discards his previous beliefs in the Fire Nation's greatness and swears to his father that he will be defeated. He then attempts to free his uncle from prison, but when Iroh escapes himself, Zuko follows Aang and the others as they flee to the Western Air Temple.

While at the Western Air Temple, Zuko shows a complete change in personality. He admits his wrongdoings to Team Avatar, and apologizes for the things he did to them. He even, for the first time, beins to show a comical side to his personality. This is shown when he practices a speech to say to the Avatar to a frog. After questioning what Iroh and Azula would do in his situation, he tries to impersonate them.

Rather than trying to capture the Avatar for the fire nation's benefit, he attempts to join him to end his nation's tyranny. While he used to attack Aang whenever they met, he instead defends him from the assasin that he hired to kill the Avatar. He has also come to realize that his father could never restore to him his honor, and that he has to restore it himself. Zuko is even very happy when the Avatar finally accepts him as his firebnding teacher and group member. But even though he has changed, not everybody in the Avatar's group trusts him, so he still has to earn some of thier trust for what he did to them in the past.

Firebending
Throughout the series, Zuko has shown himself to be a highly skilled Firebender, and his skill has grown as the series has progressed.

As a child he could only create small bursts of flame, but by the time he was thirteen he was confident enough in his abilities to readily accept a challenge of Agni Kai, (he refused to fight, however, when he found out his challenger was his father).

At the beginning of the series he is still learning the basics from Iroh, and is unable to land a single blow against Aang. However by episode 3, he utilizes what he has been taught to defeat the older and more experienced Zhao. Later on in Book One, Zuko's skill grows. During "Bato of the Water Tribe" he fares well in a second duel against Aang, being able to deliver multiple fire blasts for a sustained period without tiring, and is only defeated when he is paralyzed by June's confused Shirshu. During the Season One finale he defeats Katara after the Sun rises, and lands a decisive victory in a rematch against Zhao.

In "The Avatar State", he is unable to land any blows against Azula, and is defeated rather easily. He fares somewhat better during "The Chase"; in a three-way battle with Azula and Aang, he trades several fire blasts with his sister and keeps the Avatar on the defensive. As Book Two progresses, he learns more advanced firebending from Iroh. He becomes more efficient and refined as a result of this. During a battle with the Rough Rhinos, he sends a small bolt of fire through Vachir's bow, breaking the string. He also demonstrates the ability to fire multiple small blasts through two fingers, rather than his whole fist, during "Tales of Ba Sing Se". During the Season Two finale, he demonstrates how far his prowess has grown. His fire blasts have become more powerful, and he is shown charging his attacks before releasing them, creating enormous blasts of fire. He also demonstrates the ability to create two long whips of fire. He is able to battle evenly with Aang, even though Aang had been skilfully using both airbending and earthbending. Later, after switching opponents with Azula, he battles evenly with Katara, who had long since been declared a Master. In The Western Air Temple he utilizes a wall of flame to stop a combustion attack. Though he lost his ability to bend during "The Firebending Masters" he soon regained it when he learned how to firebend without utilizing emotions such as rage or hate.

In "Zuko Alone", he used his firebending in conjunction with his broadswords. He has also demonstrated use of Fire Daggers and limited use of Breath of Fire.

During his training with Iroh he attempted to learn how to create lightning. However, because of his inner turmoil, he was unable to achieve the required peace of mind, and his attempts to produce lightning would only explode in his face. Instead, Iroh taught him how to absorb and redirect lightning. He later employed this technique against his father during Day of Black Sun.

Swordsmanship
In addition to his firebending, Zuko is a master of his dual Dao blades, a skill he picked up during his years at sea. He would use his Dao swords whenever he was in his Blue Spirit disguise.

During "The Blue Spirit", he was able to defeat multiple foes using only his swords. He also dueled evenly with Jet and his dual hookswords in "City of Walls and Secrets", until the fight was broken up by the Da Lai and Jet was arrested. During "Zuko Alone" Zuko defeated several Earth Kingdom soldiers with his Dao swords and minimum effort, only resorting to Firebending when faced with a powerful Earthbender; even then he was able to hold off the Earthbender's attacks for several moments with only his blades. His skill was such that his father was afraid to face him while neither of them could firebend.

Name
A Google search on 'Zuko -Avatar' will reveal Spanish, Slavic, and English examples; it's a real-life surname although the most famous example is another fictional character (Danny Zuko from "Grease"). There is also a folk-rock singer named Michael Zuko. The only example of Zuko as a first name from the first 5 pages of the above search came from South Africa. No occurrences of the name were found in Chinese or any other Asian language.

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 'resurrected rule.' In "The Avatar and the Fire Lord," the word Sū is also used for his great grandfather Sozin's name on the boxes which held the diary scrolls. 'Fire Lord Sozin' is written as 烈火君蘇進 (liè huǒ jūn sū jìn). Sozin or Sū Jìn translates as 'resurrection enters.'

Relatives
See Fire Nation Royal Family Tree