Mai's relationships

This page is comprised of Mai's relationships with other characters in the series. She shared a series of complex relationships with other figures often due to conflicting personalities.

Parents
"'I was a rich only child who got anything I wanted. As long as I behaved ... and sat still ... and didn't speak unless spoken to. My mother said I had to keep out of trouble. We had my dad's political career to think about.' - Mai talking about her family in 'The Beach'."



Mai was born into one of the wealthiest families in the Fire Nation, her father being a prominent politician who eventually became the governor of New Ozai. It has been implied that she does not hold her family in the highest regard. Growing up, her father was still rising among the ranks and therefore, the family became preoccupied with achieving higher favor with the Fire Lord. As her father's only daughter, Mai was expected to behave properly among the politicians in order to ensure her father's respectability was preserved. As a result, her mother and father taught Mai to keep her opinions and emotions to herself; her personal needs were always second to her parents'.

Mai was often spoiled like many other wealthy girls as long as she remained in line. Unfortunately, Mai could find little comfort in material needs and lived a very controlled lifestyle, adhering to her parents' demands. Because of this, she developed a very pessimistic and gloomy outlook on life and is uninterested by virtually everything around her. She craves excitement and freedom and displays a rebellious attitude toward her superiors. Her resentment of her controlled lifestyle extends to the point where Azula's deduction for Mai's uncaring persona caused her to briefly give into her anger and demand she be left alone.

Mai's parents evidently love their daughter despite their troubled history, as displayed by her mother's encouragement to indulge in their lavish lifestyle in Omashu, however, Mai's attitude remains unwavering.

In the wake of her controlled lifestyle, Mai was more than willing to join Azula on her quest to capture Zuko and Iroh, seeing it as an opportunity to receive the excitement and freedom she desired.

Tom-Tom
"'You brought my brother?' - Mai talking to Aang, Katara, and Sokka in 'Return to Omashu'."

Mai gained a little brother named Tom-Tom two years prior to the start of the series. During their stay in Omashu, her family agreed to exchange the imprisoned King Bumi for Tom-Tom, who accidentally wound up with the Avatar's group when they fled Omashu. During the exchange, Mai's friend, Princess Azula, criticized that trading a king for a toddler was foolish. After considering this prospect, Mai unhesitatingly let the Avatar's group keep Tom-Tom.

The warden
"'The warden's my uncle, you idiot.' - Mai to Zuko in 'The Boiling Rock, Part 2'."

Mai appeared to have a strong relationship with the warden, who seemed to care deeply about her state of happiness. He was more than willing to inform her, as opposed to the Fire Lord, of Zuko's capture at the Boiling Rock, deeming it a punishment for his abandonment. In addition, he "pulled a few strings" for her, releasing her from prison after she was imprisoned there under Azula's orders. This was done despite the fact that Mai had tarnished her uncle's zero-escape record, a record the warden took enormous pride in, at the prison through aiding Zuko's escape.

Zuko
"'I think it means ... I actually kind of like you.' - Mai to Zuko in 'Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang'."



As children of the Fire Nation royal court, Mai and Zuko were acquaintances. She was shown to have harbored feelings for him as a younger child, blushing when she caught sight of him walking by. Azula has declared their feelings for each other as mutual. Azula and Ty Lee arranged a date between Mai and Zuko when Zuko voiced reluctance to return to the Fire Nation. The couple quickly unfolded the ruse and set off to explore the city. When they ran into Jin, Mai decided to play along when Zuko told Jin she was a knife thrower at the circus where they performed. During an attempt to perform the same act, Jin nearly hit Zuko, causing him to fall into the fountain. She proceeded to lean over them and whisper, "Now we're even." At the end of the date, the two reminisced their childhood and shared a kiss.

They continued their relationship with Mai exhibiting strong feelings for Zuko and vice versa. Their relationship went through a slight rough patch, where the two broke up temporarily during Zuko's fit of temper. They soon got back together after confessing their issues. During the Invasion of the Fire Nation, Zuko left the Fire Nation to join the Avatar; he left her a note, stating that he was breaking up with her.



She later confronted him when Zuko was imprisoned, stating that he broke her heart. When the prison guards were ordered to cut the lines of the gondola Zuko was riding to escape the Boiling Rock, Mai intervened and aided his escape. When questioned for her actions, she replied, "Saving the jerk who dumped me." Azula, outraged at her betrayal and willingness to aid her brother, ordered her to be imprisoned. After Ozai was overthrown, Mai reunited with Zuko and helped him get dressed for his coronation. She forgave him for his past actions and confessed her feelings for him. The two kissed, but she hastily warned him never to "break up with [her] again."

Being in Zuko's presence tends to bring out a more passionate side of Mai. Her normally pessimistic, dull attitude is overshadowed by a show of happiness and affection when she spends time with him.

Mai and Zuko remained in a strong relationship well over a year after the Hundred Year War, even as the Harmony Restoration Movement began to fail. After several failed assassination attempts on him, including one from one would-be assassin from the colony of Yu Dao, Zuko left the Royal City to confront the colonists there while failing to inform Mai of his intentions. Mai feared for his safety and only learned about his departure from the city soldiers, which seemed to have hurt her as he did not confide in his intent to go to the Earth Kingdom. Mai confronted Zuko on this when he returned, showing sadness and concern for Zuko as he was no longer in a balanced state of mind, prompting him to apologize for his actions.

During his trip to Yu Dao, Mai personally asked the Kyoshi Warriors to protect Zuko from any further assassinations, feeling the Imperial Guards simply were not skilled enough to do the same. Mai continued to comfort and support Zuko as he mulled over how to restore order to the restless colonies.

It is through this crisis that Mai's dedication to Zuko is further emphasized, having gone to great lengths to protect him and showing visible concern for his well-being.

However, over time, Mai grew upset with Zuko's keeping of secrets from her, stating that he "loved [his] secrets more than [her]". After finding out through Suki about Zuko's repeated visits to his father, she broke up with him, leaving the Royal Palace despite Zuko stating that he loved her.

Ty Lee
"'Zuko, leave her alone.' - Mai to Zuko in 'The Beach'."



Ty Lee is Mai's best friend whom she met at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls as younger children. Despite Mai's pessimistic attitude and Ty Lee's flightiness, which occasionally led to personality clashes between the two, they held a mutual respect for each other. When younger, Ty Lee enjoyed playing pranks on Mai, partaking in a trick Azula devised to embarrass both Mai and Zuko, who were childhood sweethearts. Ty Lee often tried to encourage Mai to be more open and outgoing.

Ty Lee and Mai reunited in present-day in Omashu when Azula recruited the two to aid her in her mission to capture Zuko and Iroh. The two were happy to see each other and continually cooperated in battle with the Avatar and the Earth Kingdom Army. When Azula was preoccupied elsewhere, Mai and Ty Lee always battled alongside each other. They proved more than a match for their enemies with their combined skills of chi blocking and shuriken-jutsu.

Ty Lee and Mai continued to enjoy each other's company upon returning to the Fire Nation after capturing Ba Sing Se, the Earth Kingdom capital. They spent a weekend on Ember Island together along with Zuko and Azula. While vacationing there, their personalities once again clashed, however, after open confessions about their troubled lifestyles, they grew to understand each other's problems. After Zuko joined the Avatar and assisted Sokka in a prison break at the Boiling Rock, Ty Lee accompanied Azula and Mai to the prison. When Zuko attempted to flee with his allies, Azula left him to die in the boiling lake surrounding the prison, prompting Mai to save his life. Ty Lee, terrified that Azula would hurt Mai for her actions, promptly disabled the princess with her chi blocking when the latter prepared to attack. This action shocked Mai who did not know Ty Lee had the will to resist Azula up until that point. The two were later arrested for betraying the princess and served hard time together at the Boiling Rock.

The two girls were released from prison after the Hundred Year War ended; They have remained friends as Ty Lee sacrificed her freedom to protect Mai, and a year after the Hundred Year War ended and the Harmony Restoration Movement showed signs of failing, Mai entrusted Ty Lee and her team of Kyoshi Warriors with Zuko's protection following several threats made against his life. The girls thus reunited in their efforts to defend Zuko during the postwar crisis.

Team Avatar
"'I thought when Ty Lee and I finally caught you guys, it would be more exciting.' - Mai in 'The Chase'."



Mai was an enemy of Team Avatar throughout most of the series. After allying with Azula, she was more than happy to engage them in combat; despite their bending skills, Mai was more than a match for any member of the team, managing to defeat Katara in a matter of seconds and disabling the Kyoshi Warriors. She took part in the fall of Ba Sing Se, but was not dedicated enough to bother stopping Sokka and Toph from rescuing the Earth King's pet bear. Katara was the sole member of Team Avatar who managed to catch Mai off-guard, immobilizing Mai's arm in an ice encasing before Ty Lee blocked the waterbender's chi.

Mai was imprisoned during the final weeks of the War due to her betrayal toward Azula for helping Zuko flee the Boiling Rock Prison after Azula left him for dead. In doing so, she unintentionally saved former enemies Sokka and Suki. After Mai was released from prison when the War ended, she made peace with everyone in Team Avatar and befriended them. She was seen playing Pai Sho with Suki in Iroh's tea shop and teasing Sokka over his mediocre drawing of the group.

Azula
"'You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you.' - Mai to Azula in 'The Boiling Rock, Part 2'."



Mai and Princess Azula first met as children at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls and have been friends for many years. However, their relationship is perhaps the most complex of Mai's relationships. As children, Azula enjoyed teasing Mai and playing pranks on her, especially after noticing Mai's crush on her brother, Zuko. In one notable incident, Azula tricked Zuko into knocking Mai into a pond by setting fire to an apple she placed on Mai's head. Mai was not harmed, however, she was clearly irritated and could have potentially been injured.

Azula reunited with and recruited Mai in the occupied city of Omashu as a member of her elite team tasked with the duty to capture Iroh and Zuko. Mai appeared glad to see Azula and readily accepted the princess' request, seeing it as an opportunity to escape Omashu, which she dreaded. Prior to their departure, Mai's father, the governor, agreed to exchange King Bumi to the Earth Kingdom Resistance in return for his son Tom-Tom, who accidentally followed Team Avatar and the Omashu civilians when they were evacuated from the city. Azula put Mai in charge of the exchange, however, was able to manipulate Mai into calling off the deal and surrendering Tom-Tom to the enemy. Mai complied, an action that put Tom-Tom's life in danger in the battle that followed.

Mai openly cooperated with Azula's efforts to capture Zuko, Iroh and the Avatar and was an active participant in the capture of Ba Sing Se. However, she also displayed a lack of regard for her orders. When the Fire Nation attempted to drill through the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se, Mai refused to pursue Sokka and Katara through the Fire Nation drill's slurry system, saying that Azula could "shoot all the lightning she wants" at her. She refused to fight Team Avatar in Ba Sing Se out of boredom, allowing them to merely take the Earth King's bear, Bosco, away, without any struggle.

Azula decided to return to the Fire Nation with her imprisoned Uncle Iroh and drag Zuko along. When he refused, Azula used Zuko and Mai's childhood crushes on each other to convince him otherwise, arranging a dinner date between the two. The two caught on to her scheme, however, they did eventually reunite and Zuko agreed to come home.

After the group returned home, Mai and Azula's relationship underwent noticeable tension. While Mai and Zuko were enjoying a romantic picnic near the Fire Nation Capital, Azula interrupted them in order to speak with Zuko. When they refused, Azula forced Mai to leave by lying that Ty Lee needed help with her tangled braid. Mai complied, but gave Azula a quick, venomous glare as she passed. During the group's stay on Ember Island, they revealed their rough childhoods to each other. When Azula analyzed the reasons for Mai's lack of emotions, Mai shouted she leave her alone. Mai informed Zuko of a war meeting Azula was invited to. Zuko was not told of this beforehand and the two of them became suspicious of Azula.



Mai and Azula's friendship finally came to an end during the events on the Boiling Rock. When the girls learned that Zuko had been captured at the Boiling Rock, Mai, along with Azula and Ty Lee, went to the prison to interrogate Zuko on his reasons for leaving her on the Day of Black Sun to help the Avatar. When Zuko attempted to escape with his friend Sokka and some of the prisoners, Azula and Ty Lee fought them on the gondola. The guards attempted to cut the lines above the boiling lake, so Azula left the group to die. Mai supposedly witnessed this and betrayed Azula to save Zuko's life by fighting the guards.

Mai was arrested afterwards where Azula proceeded to interrogate her. When asked why she aided Zuko, Mai stated that Azula did not know her as well she previously conceived and said, "I love Zuko more than I fear you." Azula became enraged and attempted to strike Mai down, the latter of whom prepared to fight her with her knives. However, before either could strike, Ty Lee disabled Azula to save Mai, leading to the two girls' arrest. Mai and Ty Lee gave Azula one last look of defiance before they were dragged into the prison.

Mai's betrayal of Azula ultimately sparked Azula's descent into insanity. Her actions prompted Ty Lee to betray Azula out of her defense and left Azula without any friends. Her sanity was damaged by these events to the extent where it ultimately led to her defeat at the hands of Zuko and Katara.

Mai later reunited with Zuko when the War ended and they continued their relationship. Mai has apparently moved on, as she has befriended the Avatar's group and never mentions Azula again.