zuko

the beginning of the series, Zuko is introduced as an antagonist in search of the Avatar in hopes of reclaiming his honor. Even after multiple encounters, success eludes Zuko, who soon gains some competition from Zhao, an ambitious Fire Nation admiral. During the invasion of the Northern Water Tribe, Zuko infiltrates the Spirit Oasis where Aang has entered Spirit World and left his body vulnerable. Zuko captures Aang, but is ultimately forced to return him when Aang's friends show up. Aang then escapes. Aang then saves Zuko from dying in the cold. It is also in book one that we learn Zuko is the Blue Spirit; a mysterious, masked figure, who at one point, rescues Aang from a Fire Nation base where Zhao had imprisoned Aang.

Book Two: Earth

The second season opens with Prince Zuko and General Iroh still chasing the Avatar, only to be confronted by Azula, Zuko's sister. On the run from Azula, Iroh and Zuko travel the Earth Kingdom as poor refugees. His first encounter with the Earth nation people happens when his uncle brews tea out of a plant that turns out to be poisonous. Seeking help, they meet a young woman who invites them into her home, where Iroh receives a salve for his hives. While there, Zuko meets the woman's daughter. She notices his scar, and shows him a burn on her leg where Fire Nation soldiers have burned her. This becomes a pivotal moment for the young prince in his personal struggle. Later, he finds a mask he used to wear as a kid and becomes the blue spirit, secretly stealing money and goods from people. Iroh confronts him about this, and Zuko decides they should separate. Iroh continues to track Zuko while he journeys solo, and the prince reunites with his uncle during a battle with his sister Azula. Soon after, their travels take them to Full Moon Bay, where he and Iroh meet Jet, the leader of the Freedom Fighters gang, on the ferry to Ba Sing Se. Zuko teams up with Jet and his crew to distribute the food on the ship more evenly; Jet later remarks that because of Zuko's scar he knew exactly who he was: an outcast, like him. Upon reaching the city, Jet invites Zuko to join his group, but Zuko refuses. Jet sees Iroh heating a cup of cold tea with fire bending and suddenly becomes obsessed. Iroh tries to make a new lifestyle for Zuko and himself, working in a tea shop. Zuko doesn't like it much, but settles into it. Jet's obsession leads him to barge into the tea shop and Zuko challenges him to a fight; Jet is eventually arrested by the Dai Li and carted off. Zuko sinks into life in the Impenetrable City for a month—his uncle even sets him up with a date—until he realizes that the Avatar is in Ba Sing Se. He attempts to steal the Avatar's flying bison from underneath Lake Laogai, but his uncle shows up and urges him to look in side of himself and ask what it is he really wants from his life. It is too much for Zuko, who throws down his swords and decides to set the animal free. Following this critical decision, he falls ill, because as his uncle explains, what he did was so contrary to his image of himself that he is at war in his own mind and body. The next day he awakes, clear and free, without a care in the world. His uncle's new tea shop is open for the first day, and for a little while they work cheerily serving customers. Meanwhile, Azula has infiltrated the city from above, and taken over the Dai Li; she invites her brother and uncle to the palace "to serve tea to the Earth King," but of course, really to ambush them. Azula captures Zuko and puts him into the Crystal Catacombs under Old Ba Sing Se, where he finds his cell mate is Katara. Katara is incensed and accuses Zuko of playing another trick on her, then tells him the Fire nation took her mother from her. Zuko realizes this is something they have in common, and tells her so. Everything seems fine until Iroh and the Avatar show up. Katara leaves with Aang, and Iroh holds Zuko back to talk. Unfortunately, Azula shows up and arrests Iroh. She tempts Zuko with the prospect of redemption to their father, Fire Lord Ozai. Zuko takes the bait, and turns to Azula's side to fight Katara and the Avatar. Aang learns to consciously enter the Avatar state, but Azula shoots him down with lightning. Katara escapes with the Avatar defended by Iroh, and Zuko is left with Azula, who promises him a hero's return home to the Fire Nation. Zuko is troubled still, however, since he doesn't have the Avatar and is not sure he is doing the right thing.

Book Three: Fire

The final season begins with Zuko and Azula's return to the Fire Nation after conquering Ba Sing Se. Both are praised as heroes by the Fire Nation. Further inspection reveals that Azula suspects Aang survived her attack, and has transferred the glory to Zuko to protect herself from blame in the event that the Avatar resurfaces. Zuko visits his imprisoned uncle, from whom he learns that he is maternally a descendent of Avatar Roku, Aang's predecessor, and begins to feel that it is his responsibility to help stop the war. In a war meeting, Zuko inadvertently catalyzes a plan to destroy the Earth Kingdom. He realizes that this isn't the kind of person he wants to be and resolves to help Aang defeat his father. Although they initially reject him, Aang and his companions accept Zuko after he helps them against Combustion Man, the hit man sent earlier in the series by Zuko himself. However, when Zuko tries to teach Aang firebending Zuko finds that his lack of purpose has weakened his firebending power. He and Aang travel to discover the long-forgotten, and original, source of firebending. In their search they find the world's last dragons, who teach them a new - and more powerful - way to firebend. Later, Zuko helps Sokka free Sokka's father, Hakoda, and Sokka's girlfriend Suki, from the Fire Nation's maximum security prison, the Boiling Rock. While there, Zuko is confronted by his former girlfriend Mai, who ends up betraying Azula to assist Zuko. Zuko also helps Katara find and confront her mother's killer, making amends for his betrayal of her in Ba Sing Se and resulting in them becoming friends.
During the four-part series finale, Aang mysteriously disappears shortly before the ultimate struggle and Zuko is put in charge of finding him. When Zuko is unable to find Aang, he instead finds Iroh, who forgives his mistakes and sends him and Katara to face Azula. Iroh says that when his father falls that Zuko should become firelord. At the Fire Nation capital, Azula challenges Zuko to single combat (Agni Kai). When Zuko proves to be an equal to her, she tries to strike Katara with lightning in a desperate attempt to defeat Zuko. She is stopped when Zuko jumps in front of the blow, sacrificing himself for his friend. Katara then finishes the fight, captures Azula, and heals Zuko. After the battle Zuko is crowned Fire Lord and reunites with Mai. He then makes a promise to the other Nations that peace will prevail for all. Later, Zuko visits his father in prison, asking the whereabouts of his mother Ursa. An ending clip shows Zuko in his uncle's tea-shop in Ba Sing Se with the rest of the gang.
the beginning of the series, Zuko is introduced as an antagonist in search of the Avatar in hopes of reclaiming his honor. Even after multiple encounters, success eludes Zuko, who soon gains some competition from Zhao, an ambitious Fire Nation admiral. During the invasion of the Northern Water Tribe, Zuko infiltrates the Spirit Oasis where Aang has entered Spirit World and left his body vulnerable. Zuko captures Aang, but is ultimately forced to return him when Aang's friends show up. Aang then escapes. Aang then saves Zuko from dying in the cold. It is also in book one that we learn Zuko is the Blue Spirit; a mysterious, masked figure, who at one point, rescues Aang from a Fire Nation base where Zhao had imprisoned Aang.

Book Two: Earth

The second season opens with Prince Zuko and General Iroh still chasing the Avatar, only to be confronted by Azula, Zuko's sister. On the run from Azula, Iroh and Zuko travel the Earth Kingdom as poor refugees. His first encounter with the Earth nation people happens when his uncle brews tea out of a plant that turns out to be poisonous. Seeking help, they meet a young woman who invites them into her home, where Iroh receives a salve for his hives. While there, Zuko meets the woman's daughter. She notices his scar, and shows him a burn on her leg where Fire Nation soldiers have burned her. This becomes a pivotal moment for the young prince in his personal struggle. Later, he finds a mask he used to wear as a kid and becomes the blue spirit, secretly stealing money and goods from people. Iroh confronts him about this, and Zuko decides they should separate. Iroh continues to track Zuko while he journeys solo, and the prince reunites with his uncle during a battle with his sister Azula. Soon after, their travels take them to Full Moon Bay, where he and Iroh meet Jet, the leader of the Freedom Fighters gang, on the ferry to Ba Sing Se. Zuko teams up with Jet and his crew to distribute the food on the ship more evenly; Jet later remarks that because of Zuko's scar he knew exactly who he was: an outcast, like him. Upon reaching the city, Jet invites Zuko to join his group, but Zuko refuses. Jet sees Iroh heating a cup of cold tea with fire bending and suddenly becomes obsessed. Iroh tries to make a new lifestyle for Zuko and himself, working in a tea shop. Zuko doesn't like it much, but settles into it. Jet's obsession leads him to barge into the tea shop and Zuko challenges him to a fight; Jet is eventually arrested by the Dai Li and carted off. Zuko sinks into life in the Impenetrable City for a month—his uncle even sets him up with a date—until he realizes that the Avatar is in Ba Sing Se. He attempts to steal the Avatar's flying bison from underneath Lake Laogai, but his uncle shows up and urges him to look in side of himself and ask what it is he really wants from his life. It is too much for Zuko, who throws down his swords and decides to set the animal free. Following this critical decision, he falls ill, because as his uncle explains, what he did was so contrary to his image of himself that he is at war in his own mind and body. The next day he awakes, clear and free, without a care in the world. His uncle's new tea shop is open for the first day, and for a little while they work cheerily serving customers. Meanwhile, Azula has infiltrated the city from above, and taken over the Dai Li; she invites her brother and uncle to the palace "to serve tea to the Earth King," but of course, really to ambush them. Azula captures Zuko and puts him into the Crystal Catacombs under Old Ba Sing Se, where he finds his cell mate is Katara. Katara is incensed and accuses Zuko of playing another trick on her, then tells him the Fire nation took her mother from her. Zuko realizes this is something they have in common, and tells her so. Everything seems fine until Iroh and the Avatar show up. Katara leaves with Aang, and Iroh holds Zuko back to talk. Unfortunately, Azula shows up and arrests Iroh. She tempts Zuko with the prospect of redemption to their father, Fire Lord Ozai. Zuko takes the bait, and turns to Azula's side to fight Katara and the Avatar. Aang learns to consciously enter the Avatar state, but Azula shoots him down with lightning. Katara escapes with the Avatar defended by Iroh, and Zuko is left with Azula, who promises him a hero's return home to the Fire Nation. Zuko is troubled still, however, since he doesn't have the Avatar and is not sure he is doing the right thing.

Book Three: Fire

The final season begins with Zuko and Azula's return to the Fire Nation after conquering Ba Sing Se. Both are praised as heroes by the Fire Nation. Further inspection reveals that Azula suspects Aang survived her attack, and has transferred the glory to Zuko to protect herself from blame in the event that the Avatar resurfaces. Zuko visits his imprisoned uncle, from whom he learns that he is maternally a descendent of Avatar Roku, Aang's predecessor, and begins to feel that it is his responsibility to help stop the war. In a war meeting, Zuko inadvertently catalyzes a plan to destroy the Earth Kingdom. He realizes that this isn't the kind of person he wants to be and resolves to help Aang defeat his father. Although they initially reject him, Aang and his companions accept Zuko after he helps them against Combustion Man, the hit man sent earlier in the series by Zuko himself. However, when Zuko tries to teach Aang firebending Zuko finds that his lack of purpose has weakened his firebending power. He and Aang travel to discover the long-forgotten, and original, source of firebending. In their search they find the world's last dragons, who teach them a new - and more powerful - way to firebend. Later, Zuko helps Sokka free Sokka's father, Hakoda, and Sokka's girlfriend Suki, from the Fire Nation's maximum security prison, the Boiling Rock. While there, Zuko is confronted by his former girlfriend Mai, who ends up betraying Azula to assist Zuko. Zuko also helps Katara find and confront her mother's killer, making amends for his betrayal of her in Ba Sing Se and resulting in them becoming friends.
During the four-part series finale, Aang mysteriously disappears shortly before the ultimate struggle and Zuko is put in charge of finding him. When Zuko is unable to find Aang, he instead finds Iroh, who forgives his mistakes and sends him and Katara to face Azula. Iroh says that when his father falls that Zuko should become firelord. At the Fire Nation capital, Azula challenges Zuko to single combat (Agni Kai). When Zuko proves to be an equal to her, she tries to strike Katara with lightning in a desperate attempt to defeat Zuko. She is stopped when Zuko jumps in front of the blow, sacrificing himself for his friend. Katara then finishes the fight, captures Azula, and heals Zuko. After the battle Zuko is crowned Fire Lord and reunites with Mai. He then makes a promise to the other Nations that peace will prevail for all. Later, Zuko visits his father in prison, asking the whereabouts of his mother Ursa. An ending clip shows Zuko in his uncle's tea-shop in Ba Sing Se with the rest of the gang.