This show has always been about the Avatar and the Firelord. When we first watched this show, we all thought it was just about Aang, but after Sozin’s Comet, we realized it was about Zuko too. Aang’s story can’t exist without Zuko, and Zuko’s story can’t exist without Aang. Together, their stories give us the story of the Avatar and the Firelord.
I’ve always noticed that there life was intertwining in a way. They show whats happening to Ang then cut off to show what’s going on with Zuko. Most of the time it was very similar. Like an episode where Ang says “I need my honor back” it fades to Zuko about to get his honor back aswell. There are also many other examples but I’m pretty forgetful.
I still love/hate how Zuko got physically sick whenever he did the right thing, it was a great way of showing how Ozai emotionally scarred him when he was right about sacrificing their own soldiers.
True. He was deemed a coward for showing mercy and kindness, to Admiral Zhao and that town he was unwilling to sacrifice in that whole debacle that led him to being scarred.
@@jiffycook Let's be honest, him backtracking is the best moment of his development. He made a realistic decision, he tried to get what he'd been looking for for years. Him doing that let Zuko seeing what he really wanted
A fun fact about Iroh's imprisionment; Whenever Zuko would visit Iroh, we always get a view from inside the cell, leaving Zuko behind bars in the darkness while Iroh is illuminated by the light from outside. This is a great representation of how Zuko is, despite himself, still struggling to find his place. He may have gained everything he wanted, but deep down, he's the one stuck in a cell in the deepest darkness.
The jail cell scenes exist because the original Iroh voice actor died and all the "silent treatment" episodes exist because they were looking for a replacement.
@@MyChannel7236 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaybe I just love to look at stuff from different angles and POVs after watching a show/movie or play a game; the insight you'll get takes a whole other meaning when you rewatch/replay them a second time
Yeah he’s one of those inspiring characters that make you want to get your life together after watching the show,... but then you just rewatch the show lol
@@balorthedreamer6792 I would say he'd surpassed her by that point; Azula only was able to get a clean hit in on him because she forced him to protect Katara rather than be able to redirect her lightning blast safely. Up until that point in their agni kai, she was clearly at a disadvantage against Zuko, partly due to her being even more mentally unstable than normal, but also because Zuko had become a much stronger bender after learning the lessons of the dragons and the true nature of firebending. Azula, by contrast, was still primarily using her rage and anger to fuel her firebending like she had been taught all her life; she didn't have the clarity that Zuko had, and only used her bending talents offensively rather than becoming more flexible with her technique
@@balorthedreamer6792 yes due to Azula’s weakened mindset. Really comes to show that fire bending is only as strong as ones will power and control is. However, if season 3 Zuko fought season 1 Azula, Azula would most likely win due to her style being much more precise, unless she used lightning of course
Zuko confronting the universe, daring the lightening to strike him, was the most emotionally powerful moment of the entire series for me. Dante Basco earned his paycheck that week!
Also it’s worth noting that when Azula shot Zuko she hit him in the stomach. According to Guru Pathik this is his Fire Chakra. It deals with willpower and is blocked by shame. By making the sacrifice of the ultimate self-sacrifice to save Katara, Zuko was able to move past his shame and in a way accept his past mistakes. This is just one of many ways Zuko was able to achieve peace and balance within himself.
I like that analysis, but it looks more like he was hit in the solar plexus. Little north of the stomach, south of the heart. When I was googling "solar plexus" just now to make sure I spelled it right, I found out that it is also a chakra, representing self-respect and personal power. Considering Zuko's self-respect makes me think of the way he was acting before he agreed to duel Azula, secure in the unconceited knowledge that he could beat her. Being struck there, he was not killed, because that chakra was open and its flow was strong. Maybe ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Thoreaux He survived because he didn’t hold the lightening in himself, he was still able to redirect it. He just held it a little too long which hurt him physically. The Solar Plexus was indeed closed but he opened it. Solar Plexus deals with confidence, self respect- personal identity, own beliefs and opinions not opinions of other people forced upon. Solar Plexus is the element of FIRE and willpower. Colour is yellow- yellowish red. It also symbolises in a way the light warmth and the sun.
One of the best ''bad'' guys and one of the best characters ever written on a show. You started on disliking him, then hated him, then related to him, felt sorry for him and at the end you supported him. That's bold character development!
i love how the fire lord openly shoots fire and lightning at zuko, but iro says "are you crazy, i'm not gonna shoot lightning at you", even after teaching zuko how to redirect it.
What do you expect from the mad man whose father was like "Tf you smoke, son? Iroh lost his only son! What would you feel, if your only son would perish?“ only to be greeted by a mentality like "Sheer joy and happiness just as if I'd conquered this world by my bare hands, old man.“
yeah aang learning the elements and needing to save the world was cool and all, but the evolution of Zuko and his story arc was more interesting then that
@@jakman8515 Well, she DID gain a lot of new techniques and strength, whereas zuko had been stuck in his old angry routine. The odds were all stacked in Katara's favor.
14:06 Note how the camera pushes in on Iroh so the prison bars disappear; showing that while literally incarcerated, Iroh, (and his message) are more free than Zuko. This is reinforced in the next shot as the camera pushes out on Zuko, revealing the prison bars, showing that while not in prison, Zuko is very much a prisoner of the inner turmoil raging inside of him. (All credit goes to "Weight of Cinema" for this detail)
I'm happy you mentioned how he used irohs teaching of the elements in his battle against azula, showing himself to be stronger than her, by not just harnessing the teaching of other elements, but the teaching of Iroh, Vs the teachings azula probably received from Ozai. So it wasn't just Azula Vs Zuko, it was also Ozais philosophy Vs Irohs Philosophy.
And thats part of the reason why Ozai was so angry when he redirected lightning. Failing to be victorious, sure, but the fact that it come from Iroh's philosophy - where all elements need to live in balance, that fire isn't meant for destruction, and that "the failure and shamed" Iroh was a father to Zuko, and successful at doing so, helping a previously weak firebender become strong not through rage or brute strength.
The best character arc ever and my favorite character in this series his bending was definitely underrated the two most emotional moments in my opinion are when zuko apologised to uncle iroh and when he was asking for the world to strike him
@@krishangpoojari3728 .......That's honestly probably not too far off of an analogy for her way of thinking. Azula is intelligent and cunning, and would want to be sure that the avatar is truly dead, so that her father's plans of world domination can be put into effect without anyone who might be capable of stopping him from succeeding.
boy went from “I must capture the avatar to regain my honor” to “my destiny is to help the avatar defeat my father and restore peace and balance to the world”. CHARACTER GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT DONE GOOD❤️
I always chuckle at how nerdy it was that Iroh learned to redirect lightning by studying the water benders. Because, you know, water conducts electricity 😉. The level of detail and parallel the writers put into things like this are why ATLA is one of my favorite series!
@@Michallote you do get pure water. That's how we know that water itself doesn't conduct electricity. Even then, logically speaking there would be no fish on this planet if oceans, rivers and lakes all conducted electricity as they would all be dead from it...
Zuko has a side of his mother and father though, when zuko was visiting iroh, it looks like zuko was inside the jail, cause of loosing his way. But in the end, Zuko proves people can still change.
What I found very interesting is that the name Zuko in Chinese means "failure" or "loved one". Interesting because the story line literally demonstrates them both.
Thank you. I've been watching the show since it first aired, and to this day I am still endlessly amazed at the tiny details I discover that make the whole show so rich and amazing.
I really love when Aang and Zuko went to find the dragons. What I love is the symbolism when presenting the fire. Aang had a small fire but then it went out due to a rumble, much like how the rumble (burning Katara) made him lose his faith in firebending. Zuko had fire but then lost it from struggling (Aang trying to take some of Zuko's fire) and then his fire went out, much like how he lost his firebending when struggling with his new identity. What they actually presented to Ren and Sha was humility, they had no fire to present nor fire to produce so they humbly came before them to truly learn; other's would have been eaten because of their selfish hearts to learn from them to destroy and not create. Truly a remarkable scene.
And of course, to quote Sideways While little heroic moments in this series is represented by the opening tune, this grand turning point of their life (both Zuko and Aang) is represented by the ending tune.
I just noticed something. When Zuko confronts his father and redirects lightning for the first time, he follows Iroh's instructions exactly. He catches the bolt with his left hand, allowing it to flow through his body for a second, and then shoots it through his right hand... Man, the level of detail in this show is one of the reasons it's the greatest ever.
I kinda a hater on the commentary. Like the show speaks for itself u can just show the clips. Tbh i just don’t need a summary on a show I’ve seen more times than i can count. I obviously don’t speak for everyone, just my thoughts on it all
Jaime Lannister: Noooo u can't just create an extremely tragic, compelling and humanizing redemption story arc in only 3 seasons!!! Zuko: Haha honor go brrrrrr
† s o p h i a b e r n i c e † if she had healed him aang would’ve been dead and it wouldn’t matter if zuko has his scar because he wouldn’t have known he needed to team up with the Avatar
I love how awkward Zuko is despite his temper. It makes him a truly relatable character for me. I have a bit of a temper just like him but I’m also super awkward. Zuko becomes a hero and I am so proud of his evolution. Seeing him grow into who he was always meant to be made me and most of the fandom as happy as can be. I learnt a lesson from Zuko’s story. You have to stand up for yourself even when it’s hard. Don’t let people tell you who your meant to be.
Sometimes, clouds have two sides, a dark and light, and a silver lining in between. Its like a silver sandwich! So when life seems hard, take a bite out of the silver sandwich!
I don't like how they handled Azula in the comics after the series. I get that she developed schizophrenia or more likely schizoaffective disorder, but it never quite got explained why. Is it genetic? Most likely not! It is somehow implied in the series that she too got abused by Ozai, perhaps even more than Zuko. Since schizoaffective disorder can and does very well indicate traumatic abuse during childhood. And I wished they would have dwelled in that. How Ozai corrupted her mind (and maybe even body, you don't know). Never forget that Azula is, as well as Ozais, Ursas daughter. In the end she has the same kind of moral struggle within her, as Zuko has... And simply dismissing her as crazy is... well... quite cruel.
@@1999yasin She was already completely gone (mentally) by the end of the series. She exercised power through fear, and once those closest to her stopped fearing her (ie. Mai and Ty Lee), she became paranoid (accusing close allies like the Dai Li of treachery) and eventually lost it after losing everything in her fight with Zuko/Katara. I wasn't aware it was stated she became schizophrenic.
Zuko: “Sometimes clouds have to sides, a light and a dark and a silver line in between like a silver sandwich, and sometimes when life is hard, take a bite out of the sandwich.” Sokka: “Oh yeh, maybe it’s not over!” Zuko: “ I can’t believe that actually worked! I didn’t even know what I was saying!” Sokka: “ No, what you said made no sense at all.” Me at 3am watching this part with subtitles: *tries not to laugh but wheezes a bit*
"Zuko, you have to look inside yourself to save yourself from your other self. Only then will your true self reveal itself. Even when I'm talking for him, I can't figure out what he means"
I never realized just how much Iroh's teachings played a part in Zuko's technique during his agni kai with Azula. It really goes to show just how important it is for any bender techniques from the other nations. Ohh man this just adds a whole new level of respect for this show!
I think Zuko had the greatest character development in cartoon history!!! Everything about his character was executed perfectly down to his firebending, the emotions he felt, and him trying to figure out the difference between right and wrong. I don’t think anyone could name a better character development than Zuko’s. (Btw Zuko is my fav character from atla!!❤️❤️)
Now that I've seen Avatar again, I think Zuko is the real character of the story His great-grandfathers are avatar roku and firelord Sozin. He finally became friend with Aang and finished the war. I always miss avatar
His mother had to severe all her ties with her family and no one really told him that the fire lord married her just because she was the avatar's grand daughter @angelmonroy9644
Yes, literally all his family can, even his grandson, so I don’t see any reason why he couldn’t, especially after learning how to redirect it, produce dragon fire and learning how to propel himself with fire bending.
Think about this. Combustion Bending is a failed attempt of Lightning Generation. When Zuko tried to create lightning, he created an explosion in front of him.
Zuko learned so much about himself and others: Acceptance when he faced his father (and a bit from toph has well) Friendship from Aang when they traveled to the original firebenders Courage from Sokka at the boiling rock Mercy from Katara in finding her mother’s killer Forgiveness from his Uncle’s care of him And, in the moment he could’ve died, sacrifice, something his mother showed to him when she protected him from Ozai
Theres a reason this show is in the talks of the best of all time and zuko's arc 100% has a huge roll in it. I havent seen a series since that has shows internal struggles nearly as well as atla. He really is one of the most well written characters of all time if not the best
Huh. I never realized that Azula couldn't escape Katara's ice because she never learned breath of fire from Iroh. I watched this show when it originally premiered and never made that connection in all these years and numerous re-watchings. I love that I'm still learning things about Avatar. 😁
And to think even at his "weakest" in season 1 he still mopped the floor with Zhao. Then again, at his best in Season 3, he still could only redirect lightning, not produce it. Meanwhile Azula was having a mental breakdown and yet she could still do it... I ask everyone here this question..... HOW?!
First of she had a general aptitude for everything, even in her lowest state she is still extremely powerful. Zuco doesn’t really have an extreme natural aptitude for much, as shown early in the series he wants to train to become stronger. Imo zuco would eventually grow to be stronger than azula, but she is just a prodigy
They always refer to her as a prodigy, which I assume means she has a talent for the mechanics of fire-bending (I.e. why she already has perfect lightning-bending technique), and then this talent paired with her crazy energy makes her a very strong fire bender lol.
I didn't realize it until it was mentioned in this video that in Zuko's final battle with Azula, he was fire bending with different styles. Standing firm like an earth bender, flowy like a water bender. It seems so obvious that I'm shocked I didn't notice sooner.
Maybe no swordfighting but just fighting skills in general. He did pick up sword fighting fairly late in the show. But totally agree on Sokka's leadership
Zuko may be a great firebender and the current Firelord but what I liked most about him is his awkwardness and being down to earth, when he asked the team for forgiveness and offers help, you can see him struggle a bit to talk, it shows that he changed and actually wanted to help the team in defeating Ozai and that's the level of growth I love to see in characters
"No matter how hard things get, never forget who you are Zuko" Proceeds to get a new face and life forgetting who she was earlier Me: Visible Confusion
Actually, she didn't forget who she was. Zuko's mom was a normal village girl who was selected to marry the fire nation Prince Ozai. She didn't want to marry him nor accept the life style, but she didn't have a choice. Upon escaping, after telling/giving Zuko her philosophy on her way of life, she went back to her original life style and even found her original lover (before Ozai). She then choose to completely forget the royal way of life as it was not who she initially was...'simple'.
I always thought it was important that Zuko said he "won't" fight his father, not that he can't. I think it shows how brave he actually was. He refused to even try to hurt his father, knowing that not doing so would end in his suffering. he wasn't scared to fight his father. He just refused to do it.
Interesting enough, the dragon that appears in Zuko's sickness dreams as the blue dragon is Azula. Later in the series we find out that the dragon that Sozin tamed/befriended was the blue one when we see him ride away on it instead of helping Roku off the volcano as the red dragon tries to protect him. This is made more apparent by Iroh being the voice of the red dragon since hes the one that seems to care about Zuko. Even though Zuko had no idea of how those details would mean anything, the creators of the show still made those choices to show the relationship between what was happening and what had already happened
Zuko is the GREATEST Character Arc of all time. I really feel like they should use his journey to teach writers in schools. SO many villains fall flat in comparison to him.
I also love the moment he lights the lanterns in Ba Sing Se. It demonstrates firebending as a respectful, beautiful, and maybe even a little cheeky martial art, and shows Zuko's ability to control and land small, precised fire.
![[UNCUT] “บอสณวัฒน์” ลากไส้!! ใครหนุนหลัง "แม่ตั๊ก ป๋าเบียร์" I คนดังนั่งเคลียร์ I 30 ก.ย. 67](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QlD7mU2KKRk/mqdefault.jpg)
What was your favorite part of Zuko’s journey?
thats rough buddy
Leaf me alone, I’m bushed!
My favorite part of Zuko journey is joining team avatar And teaching aang fire bending
The storm scene
My favourite part of Zuko's journey is definitely, when he joins team avatar to fight Fire Lord.
This show has always been about the Avatar and the Firelord. When we first watched this show, we all thought it was just about Aang, but after Sozin’s Comet, we realized it was about Zuko too. Aang’s story can’t exist without Zuko, and Zuko’s story can’t exist without Aang. Together, their stories give us the story of the Avatar and the Firelord.
Very true
this show could have easily been named Avatar and the Firelord
Yin and Yang
The Gotham Knight I was re watching this show and it was at about episode 7 I realised that even this early on they weren’t the bad guys.
I’ve always noticed that there life was intertwining in a way. They show whats happening to Ang then cut off to show what’s going on with Zuko. Most of the time it was very similar. Like an episode where Ang says “I need my honor back” it fades to Zuko about to get his honor back aswell. There are also many other examples but I’m pretty forgetful.
Zuko eventually looked inside himself to save himself from his other self, only then did his true self reveal itself.
Ah yes the iroh zuko
So true
Lol
Talk about a plot quote
He also took a bite into the sliver sandwich
Zuko is part of what makes this show the greatest
Yea
"Thats rough buddy" single handidly was one of the famous quotes in the avatar
I agree I can rewatch it over and over
That is true.
Ah yes, leaf me alone, I’m bushed!
Zuko, a kids cartoon character, literally has better character development than so many serious shows entire cast
Zuko is an American ANIME character. Change my mind
@@mohammedislam3098 i dont want to
True
@@mohammedislam3098 Zuko is a firebending prince. Change my mind.
@@TheUndulyNoted Just rewatch the last episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender 😁
I still love/hate how Zuko got physically sick whenever he did the right thing, it was a great way of showing how Ozai emotionally scarred him when he was right about sacrificing their own soldiers.
What do you hate about it?
Because it’s sad, so saying I love it feels wrong when it’s a response to trauma.
True. He was deemed a coward for showing mercy and kindness, to Admiral Zhao and that town he was unwilling to sacrifice in that whole debacle that led him to being scarred.
I love/hate it too. And then he back tracks! Zuko! Pick a side!
@@jiffycook Let's be honest, him backtracking is the best moment of his development. He made a realistic decision, he tried to get what he'd been looking for for years.
Him doing that let Zuko seeing what he really wanted
Zukos Hair Had The Most Character Developement.
Most Definitely!!!!
lol
Omar Omar lol
It looks great right?
Prince Zuko yeah bro😀
"My girlfriend turned into the moon"
(Thinks about it):
*"That's rough buddy."*
wut
@@internetduck1114 Watch the show bro.
@@jackychang9148 k m8
Im never happy.
Tarief Hassan need to talk?
A fun fact about Iroh's imprisionment;
Whenever Zuko would visit Iroh, we always get a view from inside the cell, leaving Zuko behind bars in the darkness while Iroh is illuminated by the light from outside. This is a great representation of how Zuko is, despite himself, still struggling to find his place. He may have gained everything he wanted, but deep down, he's the one stuck in a cell in the deepest darkness.
the symbolism and thought put into this show is impossible to explain
The jail cell scenes exist because the original Iroh voice actor died and all the "silent treatment" episodes exist because they were looking for a replacement.
You watched Over Analyzing Avatar, didn't you? 🤔
@@MyChannel7236 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaybe
I just love to look at stuff from different angles and POVs after watching a show/movie or play a game; the insight you'll get takes a whole other meaning when you rewatch/replay them a second time
@@MyChannel7236 so did I what about it 😅
Zuko is the best character because of his mental development into a better person!
True
Yeah he’s one of those inspiring characters that make you want to get your life together after watching the show,... but then you just rewatch the show lol
uncle iroh has a part in his development
@@sougataghar1179 he was the main part...not just a part
Sasuke could never
Zuko learned about
courage from Sokka,
mercy from Katara,
forgiveness from uncle Iroh, and...
*compassion* *and* *friendship* *from* *Aang*
Didnt he learn to accept himself with Toph at The Ember Island Players?
And he learned how to pelt ducks with bread from azula
@@danydady6851 HEY MOM WANNA SEE HOW AZULA FEEDS TURTLE DUCKS
Hanchie Soganub I mean that was more of a jokey recap episode so I doubt that had any impact on Zuko’s character
Didn’t he learn tea from iroh?
“Considerating his messed up family and how he was raised he could have turned out a lot worse”-toph
Sis spoke facts
@@slowedscenario1678 preach sis
Time stamp please?
@@bowielolz 20:00
Adanna Enyaosa thanks 😊
What I love most about Zuko is that by the time he fought Azula in the end. He hadn’t just mastered firebending. He had mastered himself.
Btw, would you say that he was even with Azula by their Agni Kai?
@@balorthedreamer6792 I would say he'd surpassed her by that point; Azula only was able to get a clean hit in on him because she forced him to protect Katara rather than be able to redirect her lightning blast safely. Up until that point in their agni kai, she was clearly at a disadvantage against Zuko, partly due to her being even more mentally unstable than normal, but also because Zuko had become a much stronger bender after learning the lessons of the dragons and the true nature of firebending. Azula, by contrast, was still primarily using her rage and anger to fuel her firebending like she had been taught all her life; she didn't have the clarity that Zuko had, and only used her bending talents offensively rather than becoming more flexible with her technique
@@balorthedreamer6792 Azula never overwhelmed Zuko after he and Aang visited and learned from the dragons.
@@balorthedreamer6792 yes due to Azula’s weakened mindset. Really comes to show that fire bending is only as strong as ones will power and control is. However, if season 3 Zuko fought season 1 Azula, Azula would most likely win due to her style being much more precise, unless she used lightning of course
@@Gaudzilla I feel like their fire would cancel out but Azula would have the better skill set to win.
The moment you realise the 12yr old boy you were chasing your whole life is also your great grandfather
Tenzin: And then my father becomes this reckless water child younger than me.
@@dragonairdragon6173 😂
oop
Don't remind me bro.
That makes no sense about the four year old but this also means that Aang is Related to iroh
Zuko: "I thought a lot about what you said."
Iroh: 🙂
Zuko: "We no longer have anything to gain by traveling together."
Iroh: 🙁
He needed to find his own path. While we had much to gain together. It needed a curved, bumpy road to get us back together.
Uncle Iroh You really are amazing with your words, Iroh.
lesson learnt
Uncle Iroh ❤️
Uncle Iroh tbh you looked better in green
13:55 “sozin was your father’s grandfather” *shows scarred side* “your mother’s grandfather was avatar roku” *shows unscarred side*
Hana Yousufzai I actually just saw this part and I just read the comment and I saw your text (The most likes I have got)
I never really thought to notice that detail. What a clever way of character camera shots to show that.
I loved it when they'd show the two sides of his face to represent the two sides of his character.
I'm not so sure about that
That makes lots of sense and also PLOTWIST Korra is his great-grandmother (technically)
Zuko confronting the universe, daring the lightening to strike him, was the most emotionally powerful moment of the entire series for me. Dante Basco earned his paycheck that week!
Also it’s worth noting that when Azula shot Zuko she hit him in the stomach. According to Guru Pathik this is his Fire Chakra. It deals with willpower and is blocked by shame. By making the sacrifice of the ultimate self-sacrifice to save Katara, Zuko was able to move past his shame and in a way accept his past mistakes. This is just one of many ways Zuko was able to achieve peace and balance within himself.
I like that analysis, but it looks more like he was hit in the solar plexus. Little north of the stomach, south of the heart.
When I was googling "solar plexus" just now to make sure I spelled it right, I found out that it is also a chakra, representing self-respect and personal power.
Considering Zuko's self-respect makes me think of the way he was acting before he agreed to duel Azula, secure in the unconceited knowledge that he could beat her. Being struck there, he was not killed, because that chakra was open and its flow was strong. Maybe ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Gloria Briones so his chakra was closed then he opened it
Thoreaux He survived because he didn’t hold the lightening in himself, he was still able to redirect it. He just held it a little too long which hurt him physically. The Solar Plexus was indeed closed but he opened it. Solar Plexus deals with confidence, self respect- personal identity, own beliefs and opinions not opinions of other people forced upon. Solar Plexus is the element of FIRE and willpower. Colour is yellow- yellowish red. It also symbolises in a way the light warmth and the sun.
So true
Meh
Zuko hands down has the best character development in television history
Yeah
True
Agreed
Stretch my guy
facts
Gods I love how socially awkward Zuko is without his anger. It’s like me trying to have a conversation without self deprecating humor
Dam, that hit too close to home. It’s definitely a crutch
yea y am a little arkward
@@tompeters51015lol
Ow honestly same
Haha same
One of the best ''bad'' guys and one of the best characters ever written on a show. You started on disliking him, then hated him, then related to him, felt sorry for him and at the end you supported him. That's bold character development!
I love how this fan base is still alive even after 15 years. Truly the best show!
I know right!! This is wicked!! This show has such memorable characters, Zuko being one who is talked about constantly!! I’m so proud 😊🔥
Geez has it been that long man i feel old
But even if it was 50 years it should still have a strong fan base
Lesvernorn Vienas True that mate!
It's the same with Full Metal Alchemists fanbase, show ended over a decade ago, yet it's still regarded as one of the best animes out there.
@@KyosisPlays it aint anime
i love how the fire lord openly shoots fire and lightning at zuko, but iro says "are you crazy, i'm not gonna shoot lightning at you", even after teaching zuko how to redirect it.
What do you expect from the mad man whose father was like "Tf you smoke, son? Iroh lost his only son! What would you feel, if your only son would perish?“
only to be greeted by a mentality like "Sheer joy and happiness just as if I'd conquered this world by my bare hands, old man.“
Hands in the air, Cooper!
zuko : azula always lies, azula always lies
azula : **lies**
zuko: *SURPRISED PIKACHU FACE*
mi niño
@@simpsoncornish7321 What?
@@davidgamerxyz1155 *mi niño*
@@davidgamerxyz1155 :O
mi niño
My fav Zuko moment is him begging Uncle Iroh for forgiveness, and without hesitation Iroh pulls his second son into a hug. Gets me everytime
In my opinion his character arc was the best redemption arc in all of television and media.
what do you call a reverse redemption arc
because in my apinion walter white had the best anti-redemption arc
@@lcdream4213 Corruption?
@@deadseven3474 corruption arc, yea sure
Jaime Lannister
yeah aang learning the elements and needing to save the world was cool and all, but the evolution of Zuko and his story arc was more interesting then that
Fire bender to a water bender: “Ready for a rematch?”
‘Is completely surrounded by snow’
And it's a full moon.
At night...
I thought that katara was just acting cocky until i saw that
lol groundon and kyogre paralles from pokemon
@@jakman8515 Well, she DID gain a lot of new techniques and strength, whereas zuko had been stuck in his old angry routine. The odds were all stacked in Katara's favor.
@@youssefe6977 no Zuko is a billion times stronger than her especially after his anger release.
14:06 Note how the camera pushes in on Iroh so the prison bars disappear; showing that while literally incarcerated, Iroh, (and his message) are more free than Zuko. This is reinforced in the next shot as the camera pushes out on Zuko, revealing the prison bars, showing that while not in prison, Zuko is very much a prisoner of the inner turmoil raging inside of him. (All credit goes to "Weight of Cinema" for this detail)
That was a talented description 😉 nice!
Well noted!
Also the light shining on iroh
As a film enthusiast I did notice this. But that doesn’t make it any more intriguing.
wow that was excellent
I'm happy you mentioned how he used irohs teaching of the elements in his battle against azula, showing himself to be stronger than her, by not just harnessing the teaching of other elements, but the teaching of Iroh, Vs the teachings azula probably received from Ozai. So it wasn't just Azula Vs Zuko, it was also Ozais philosophy Vs Irohs Philosophy.
And Sozin vs Roku
And thats part of the reason why Ozai was so angry when he redirected lightning. Failing to be victorious, sure, but the fact that it come from Iroh's philosophy - where all elements need to live in balance, that fire isn't meant for destruction, and that "the failure and shamed" Iroh was a father to Zuko, and successful at doing so, helping a previously weak firebender become strong not through rage or brute strength.
@@Goabnb94 That is just beautiful
The best character arc ever and my favorite character in this series his bending was definitely underrated the two most emotional moments in my opinion are when zuko apologised to uncle iroh and when he was asking for the world to strike him
Uncle iroh scen was easily the best
Zukos my favourite characters Oh and I love iroh
TRUEEEE
Yes, his bending is pretty much underrated.
The striking scene was even more emotional in German.
“I was never angry with you, I was sad because I was afraid you’d lost your way.”
I want to say this to someone so badly
I teared up at that part.
Uncle Iroh is the ideal uncle for all generations
@@farizhistorylover9419 true
That line always gets me close to tears
After 15 year this show is still the greatest.
Yea
Amen to that
I know right
Yup
I prefer Adventure Time
Azula wasn’t looking for her brother’s loyalty. She was looking for an insurance policy in case the Avatar survived.
IKR! She’s cruel!
U make it sound like a financial back up plan
@@krishangpoojari3728 .......That's honestly probably not too far off of an analogy for her way of thinking. Azula is intelligent and cunning, and would want to be sure that the avatar is truly dead, so that her father's plans of world domination can be put into effect without anyone who might be capable of stopping him from succeeding.
@@jenniferarbour8597 she’s a master manipulator and that’s why she’s my fave character lol
Zuko: I need to capture the avat-
Iroh: tea
I need to capture the AvaTEA.
T E A
*T* *E* *A*
zuko, you need o drink tea, not capture the avatar.
T
E
A
In today's day and age we all could use an uncle Iroh in our lives.
We could all start being like Uncle Iroh
@@moisesdiaz2895 also very true
Moisés Díaz drink lots of tea it calms your mind
Agreed
there’s no father like uncle iroh
boy went from “I must capture the avatar to regain my honor” to “my destiny is to help the avatar defeat my father and restore peace and balance to the world”. CHARACTER GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT DONE GOOD❤️
I always chuckle at how nerdy it was that Iroh learned to redirect lightning by studying the water benders. Because, you know, water conducts electricity 😉. The level of detail and parallel the writers put into things like this are why ATLA is one of my favorite series!
impurities within water conduct electricity not the water itself
@@FakeTier it might as well be called water itself. There is no naturally occurring pure water. Even raindrops have enough minerals to conduce water.
@@Michallote im just being the nerd here okay? i was just pointing out that water itself doesnt actually conduct electricity
@@Michallote you do get pure water. That's how we know that water itself doesn't conduct electricity. Even then, logically speaking there would be no fish on this planet if oceans, rivers and lakes all conducted electricity as they would all be dead from it...
Zuko has a side of his mother and father though, when zuko was visiting iroh, it looks like zuko was inside the jail, cause of loosing his way. But in the end, Zuko proves people can still change.
Zuko's "I'm angry at myself!" was my favorite part because of how much i could relate to it
Owch ;-;
@@floweydreemurr4209 hey dude
Hope you feel better now!
What I found very interesting is that the name Zuko in Chinese means "failure" or "loved one". Interesting because the story line literally demonstrates them both.
Thank you. I've been watching the show since it first aired, and to this day I am still endlessly amazed at the tiny details I discover that make the whole show so rich and amazing.
trolololol
No it's does not mean that .... The info in avatar wiki is wrong
@@-vox-6420 wat?
What’s the exact characters? Because I would change Zuko to 猪口 which is pig mouth
I really love when Aang and Zuko went to find the dragons. What I love is the symbolism when presenting the fire. Aang had a small fire but then it went out due to a rumble, much like how the rumble (burning Katara) made him lose his faith in firebending. Zuko had fire but then lost it from struggling (Aang trying to take some of Zuko's fire) and then his fire went out, much like how he lost his firebending when struggling with his new identity. What they actually presented to Ren and Sha was humility, they had no fire to present nor fire to produce so they humbly came before them to truly learn; other's would have been eaten because of their selfish hearts to learn from them to destroy and not create. Truly a remarkable scene.
YESSS
Makes sense now that I think about it.
And of course, to quote Sideways
While little heroic moments in this series is represented by the opening tune, this grand turning point of their life (both Zuko and Aang) is represented by the ending tune.
One of my fave episodes. The dance always makes me teary.
I just noticed something. When Zuko confronts his father and redirects lightning for the first time, he follows Iroh's instructions exactly. He catches the bolt with his left hand, allowing it to flow through his body for a second, and then shoots it through his right hand...
Man, the level of detail in this show is one of the reasons it's the greatest ever.
Who else was waiting for something like this
We all were waiting
🙋🏻♂️
Yess me, when I saw the Katara one I just needed a Zuko one so badly. He has evolved so much, and his firebending too ugh I love it
I kinda a hater on the commentary. Like the show speaks for itself u can just show the clips. Tbh i just don’t need a summary on a show I’ve seen more times than i can count. I obviously don’t speak for everyone, just my thoughts on it all
I was
I will always have a special place in my heart for Zuko and his journey. I will never get enough of him.
He will always be my favorite firelord out of any avatar series
@@shaylawatson1244 Azulas my favorite fire lord even though her reign was like 1 day long lol
The roses have bloomed,
The ground is muddy,
My first girlfriend turned into the moon
That’s rough buddy.
Lol
Lol thi thats actually hilarious
Ballo XD
Roses are red,
Some tulips are black,
Then everything changed
When the Fire Nation attacked.
This is Beautiful
Jaime Lannister: Noooo u can't just create an extremely tragic, compelling and humanizing redemption story arc in only 3 seasons!!!
Zuko: Haha honor go brrrrrr
XD
XD
XD
XD
XD
“Tell us what your favorite Zuko moment was!”
Me: *Hello, Zuko here.* 😂
“My first girlfriend turned into the moon”
...
“That’s rough Buddy”
"Take a bite from the silver sandwich" 😂😂😂
My favorite moment:
" *No.* "
@@random-mister912 Maybe a chicken flew over
Same
Hearing Zuko's scream when Ozai had the Agni Kai with him is heartwrenching
11yo Azula : *smiles*
Iroh: I looked away...
Ikr
Imagine the girl who kissed him in ba sing se
When he became fire lord, she must have been shocked, she litteraly kissed a king without knowing it
Not just any king
A h o t o n e
_literally-_
H I love you stranger
She knew that in the comics
@@satheeshkumar7413 oh...
You can't sacrifice a entire division like that those soldiers love and protect our nation
-Kind Zuko
hai uncle iroh
WW1 generals yes I can
YEAH BUT LIKE HIS HAIR IS A DIRECT PARALLEL OF HIS CHARACTER GROWTH
My hair is always beautiful.
@@azula9049 its perfect, dont cut it
It’s a metaphor not a parallel 😔
Azula not when you were slipping 🧑🦲
Also his skin going from pale (almost lifeless) to more human like
Him being forgiven by Iroh was one of the best parts of the show.
Iroh was never mad at him so no forgiving
Iroh was just sad that zuko lost his path but when found his path again iroh became happy
Fr
Zuko one of the best emotional investing complex journeys in history with his whole fallen prince arc one of the best aspects of this magnificent show
Can we talk about the fact that if Zuko had never gotten his scar him and Azula would look so similar
They’re siblings
Yes, siblings look similar to each other.
If only katara healed him
† s o p h i a b e r n i c e † if she had healed him aang would’ve been dead and it wouldn’t matter if zuko has his scar because he wouldn’t have known he needed to team up with the Avatar
really? almost as if they're siblings lol
"Why can't I do it? Instead of lightning it keeps exploding in my face, like everything always does!"
...
That's rough buddy
thats actually really sad and genuinely made me feel some kind of way hearing that, legit wanted to cry for zuko
I mean, that move would also be pretty useful if your opponent was really close to you.
Idunno, girls like it...
PxndaCakes yep like dollar store combustion bending
I love how awkward Zuko is despite his temper. It makes him a truly relatable character for me. I have a bit of a temper just like him but I’m also super awkward. Zuko becomes a hero and I am so proud of his evolution. Seeing him grow into who he was always meant to be made me and most of the fandom as happy as can be. I learnt a lesson from Zuko’s story. You have to stand up for yourself even when it’s hard. Don’t let people tell you who your meant to be.
To change, Zuko had to look between the two halves of the cloud and eat the silver sandwich.
OMG! You’re right! He ate the silver sandwich!
He also had to to save his self from his other self and then help his true self reveal itself
And Sokka finally understood what Zuko said instead of being a sin
OH YEAH! the silver sandwich episode!
Apparently i understood his quote, it kinda represents yin and yang
Sometimes, clouds have two sides, a dark and light, and a silver lining in between. Its like a silver sandwich! So when life seems hard, take a bite out of the silver sandwich!
I took a bite out of the silver sandwich
It tastes like butter, tears, and fillings.
Azula ember island players:
Look is that your honor?
Where!?
I don't like how they handled Azula in the comics after the series. I get that she developed schizophrenia or more likely schizoaffective disorder, but it never quite got explained why. Is it genetic? Most likely not! It is somehow implied in the series that she too got abused by Ozai, perhaps even more than Zuko. Since schizoaffective disorder can and does very well indicate traumatic abuse during childhood. And I wished they would have dwelled in that. How Ozai corrupted her mind (and maybe even body, you don't know). Never forget that Azula is, as well as Ozais, Ursas daughter. In the end she has the same kind of moral struggle within her, as Zuko has... And simply dismissing her as crazy is... well... quite cruel.
@@1999yasin She was already completely gone (mentally) by the end of the series. She exercised power through fear, and once those closest to her stopped fearing her (ie. Mai and Ty Lee), she became paranoid (accusing close allies like the Dai Li of treachery) and eventually lost it after losing everything in her fight with Zuko/Katara.
I wasn't aware it was stated she became schizophrenic.
Where?!?
T. Jason Thunder she was sought out to be the next firelord, she was definitely abused
Zuko: “Sometimes clouds have to sides, a light and a dark and a silver line in between like a silver sandwich, and sometimes when life is hard, take a bite out of the sandwich.”
Sokka: “Oh yeh, maybe it’s not over!”
Zuko: “ I can’t believe that actually worked! I didn’t even know what I was saying!”
Sokka: “ No, what you said made no sense at all.”
Me at 3am watching this part with subtitles: *tries not to laugh but wheezes a bit*
Me reading this
"Zuko, you have to look inside yourself to save yourself from your other self. Only then will your true self reveal itself.
Even when I'm talking for him, I can't figure out what he means"
Time stamp pls
I never realized just how much Iroh's teachings played a part in Zuko's technique during his agni kai with Azula. It really goes to show just how important it is for any bender techniques from the other nations. Ohh man this just adds a whole new level of respect for this show!
“Your mothers grandfather was avatar roku.”
*surprised Pikachu face*
Surprised pikachu face! 😮
:O
So Zuko and Aang are pretty much related! :O
@@idk-638 and azula
That was all of us
Zuko Redemption arc is the best
We need a series about Iroh, an entire franchise about Iroh's journey
I think Zuko had the greatest character development in cartoon history!!! Everything about his character was executed perfectly down to his firebending, the emotions he felt, and him trying to figure out the difference between right and wrong. I don’t think anyone could name a better character development than Zuko’s. (Btw Zuko is my fav character from atla!!❤️❤️)
Zuko's best line: "That's rough, buddy."
“I’m never happy.”
“Hello zuko here”
@αvαтαя яσкυ personal best line, the avatar speaks wisely
nah bro its *im must catch the avatar to regain my honor*
Evan Bushong I will use that line for as long as I am alive
Now that I've seen Avatar again, I think Zuko is the real character of the story
His great-grandfathers are avatar roku and firelord Sozin. He finally became friend with Aang and finished the war.
I always miss avatar
Imagine hunting the avatar for 3 years, just to find out he’s your great-grandfather
Why wouldn't he know that . No one told him?
Not even Azula
Imagine never telling that to Aang. It could have eased a lot of friction when he joined the team. And Toph would have known it was true.
His mother had to severe all her ties with her family and no one really told him that the fire lord married her just because she was the avatar's grand daughter @angelmonroy9644
One of the greatest characters ever written. Amazing arc, relatable, he lost his way, but found it again.
And he did it himself (-Iroh)
Im sure zuko could lighting generate after he became firelord. Knowing that the war inside him ended.
Yes, literally all his family can, even his grandson, so I don’t see any reason why he couldn’t, especially after learning how to redirect it, produce dragon fire and learning how to propel himself with fire bending.
@Semaj Playz No he didn't. He redirected the lightning Ozai shot at him.
i mean, even mako can do it with little effort so why not
i think he shows he can do it in one of the extended story books
Think about this.
Combustion Bending is a failed attempt of Lightning Generation.
When Zuko tried to create lightning, he created an explosion in front of him.
TheRapidTowel so true
Sparky sparky boom man 😂
You win some, you lose some
Hol up
@flaming dragon I like what your thinking
Zuko is hands down the best character of this show, was written beautifully and has an amazing arc.
I really wanted to suggest Toph in this kind of content. But then, I've realized that Toph is a legend from start to end.
Preach, Khent Mangoba, Preach!
Besides learning to metalbend, most of her growth did happen offscreen anyway. She was pretty much a master from her first appearance.
Zuko learned so much about himself and others:
Acceptance when he faced his father (and a bit from toph has well)
Friendship from Aang when they traveled to the original firebenders
Courage from Sokka at the boiling rock
Mercy from Katara in finding her mother’s killer
Forgiveness from his Uncle’s care of him
And, in the moment he could’ve died, sacrifice, something his mother showed to him when she protected him from Ozai
Wow. That’s deep.
Trueeeeeee. Zuko is one of the best written characters in the show
i feel like he learned acceptance from toph more than his father because she accepted him into team avatar first even after he burned her
And, he also got a life-changing trip with Toph. Oh wait
ATLA is definitively a TV show that helps parents at raising their kids. And is beyond that AMAZING!
"How can you forgive me so easily?!" hits me hard
that scene always makes me tear up a bit. so much emotion in it.
The Prodigal Nephew
Ikr.
Theres a reason this show is in the talks of the best of all time and zuko's arc 100% has a huge roll in it. I havent seen a series since that has shows internal struggles nearly as well as atla. He really is one of the most well written characters of all time if not the best
This "Zuko" guy looks like Sifu Hotman and Lee.
Khada 1 yeah man i think they’re triplets, but the other 2 dissapeared when sifu hotman trained aang
We talking about Lee with the cup of tea?
bro its crazy i heard Lee Just came out as The illegitimate son of the firelord
@@Alcencee Stop lying
@@Argos-xb8ek No its true Lee just became the firelord his tea shop Is still running too
My Honest opinion on Zukos entire story?
"That's rough buddy.."
It is rough.
Sokka: my first girlfriend, turned into the moon
Zuko: that’s rough buddy
Zuko probably has the best character development ever
Huh. I never realized that Azula couldn't escape Katara's ice because she never learned breath of fire from Iroh. I watched this show when it originally premiered and never made that connection in all these years and numerous re-watchings. I love that I'm still learning things about Avatar. 😁
“Strike me! You’ve never held back before” is so gut-wrenching because he’s asking to get struck by lightning the same way life has beaten him down💔💔
Not to mention him trying to redirect the lightning as metaphor for him being able to survive under the trauma.
Next, can we get Sokka's evolution? How he used his personality to his greatest advantage to be a great swordsman.
Frankie Santos R.I.P SOKKA, KATARA, AANG, TOPH AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, APPA OH AND ZUKO AND MOMO
@@mamadoudiop9567 toph,katara and zuko live on in LOK.
And to think even at his "weakest" in season 1 he still mopped the floor with Zhao.
Then again, at his best in Season 3, he still could only redirect lightning, not produce it. Meanwhile Azula was having a mental breakdown and yet she could still do it... I ask everyone here this question..... HOW?!
Azula's break down matched her fire style: rage. Felt betrayed by everyone and everything, she was in her best in terms of fighting power
First of she had a general aptitude for everything, even in her lowest state she is still extremely powerful. Zuco doesn’t really have an extreme natural aptitude for much, as shown early in the series he wants to train to become stronger. Imo zuco would eventually grow to be stronger than azula, but she is just a prodigy
I think...
They always refer to her as a prodigy, which I assume means she has a talent for the mechanics of fire-bending (I.e. why she already has perfect lightning-bending technique), and then this talent paired with her crazy energy makes her a very strong fire bender lol.
@@payjeitz4380 a very strong, one of a kind, BLUE fire bender
I didn't realize it until it was mentioned in this video that in Zuko's final battle with Azula, he was fire bending with different styles. Standing firm like an earth bender, flowy like a water bender. It seems so obvious that I'm shocked I didn't notice sooner.
15:05 "no,ive learnt everything,and i had to learn it on my own"
Uncle iroh:"am i a joke to you?"
No, Zuko learned it all himself. I never forced him, just pushed him in the right direction, like a flower in a stream
@@uncleiroh4379 oh,ok got it
@@uncleiroh4379You are an inspiration to us all
@@uncleiroh4379 i didnt know there were phones in the spirit world @_@
Now we need a "Sokka's Swordfighting and Leadership Evolution"
Maybe no swordfighting but just fighting skills in general. He did pick up sword fighting fairly late in the show. But totally agree on Sokka's leadership
Avatar trending again hope we will get more content in Animated version.
Its because of Smite doing a battle pass with the Zuko, Aang, and Korra’s skins. Maybe?
@@asmahaddad6542 also it being on Netflix now
we just need a series for the earth bender, and then the fire bender avatars
Their making live action ome
I just had tears in 10 second when zuko meet his uncle back after his journey
This one must have taken a long time to make. All the research and writing made this a great biography on zukos life. Great job
Zuko may be a great firebender and the current Firelord but what I liked most about him is his awkwardness and being down to earth, when he asked the team for forgiveness and offers help, you can see him struggle a bit to talk, it shows that he changed and actually wanted to help the team in defeating Ozai and that's the level of growth I love to see in characters
"No matter how hard things get, never forget who you are Zuko"
Proceeds to get a new face and life forgetting who she was earlier
Me: Visible Confusion
Actually, she didn't forget who she was.
Zuko's mom was a normal village girl who was selected to marry the fire nation Prince Ozai.
She didn't want to marry him nor accept the life style, but she didn't have a choice.
Upon escaping, after telling/giving Zuko her philosophy on her way of life, she went back to her original life style and even found her original lover (before Ozai). She then choose to completely forget the royal way of life as it was not who she initially was...'simple'.
Mr Otaku thats true but in a joking manner, the comment makes sense
I always thought it was important that Zuko said he "won't" fight his father, not that he can't. I think it shows how brave he actually was. He refused to even try to hurt his father, knowing that not doing so would end in his suffering. he wasn't scared to fight his father. He just refused to do it.
My favorite Zuko moment was when Iroh hugged him and they both started to cry.
His growth on the show **chefs kiss**
18:27 katara should’ve said, “it would be my HONOR”
Interesting enough, the dragon that appears in Zuko's sickness dreams as the blue dragon is Azula. Later in the series we find out that the dragon that Sozin tamed/befriended was the blue one when we see him ride away on it instead of helping Roku off the volcano as the red dragon tries to protect him. This is made more apparent by Iroh being the voice of the red dragon since hes the one that seems to care about Zuko. Even though Zuko had no idea of how those details would mean anything, the creators of the show still made those choices to show the relationship between what was happening and what had already happened
Zuko is the GREATEST Character Arc of all time. I really feel like they should use his journey to teach writers in schools. SO many villains fall flat in comparison to him.
definitely!
Matthew Francis yeah I want to watch cartoons in class 😁
@@kylenapsalot haha same!
@@Byebyeboybye I would take that class for sure! haha
@@matthewfrancisj thanks buddy
I also love the moment he lights the lanterns in Ba Sing Se. It demonstrates firebending as a respectful, beautiful, and maybe even a little cheeky martial art, and shows Zuko's ability to control and land small, precised fire.
The part where zuko learned forgiveness from Iroh was just.. tearbending😭
When Zuko attempted to bend lightning, he actually combustion bended.
He was a whole season ahead of the curve