Zuko

 

This article is about the character in Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender. For other similar uses, see Zuko (disambiguation).

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Zuko
Biographical information
Nationality	Fire Nation
Age	17
Physical description
Eye color	Brown
Hair color	Black
Personal information
Pronouns	He/him
Allies	Iroh
Enemies	Aang
Fighting style	Firebending
Political information
Position	Crown Prince of the Fire Nation
Affiliation	Fire Nation Fire Nation Royal Family
Chronological information
First appearance	"Aang"
Last appearance	"Legends"
Portrayed by	Dallas Liu
Image gallery (3)

Zuko is the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, the son of Fire Lord Ozai, and older brother of Princess Azula. A skilled firebender, Zuko was gravely wounded during an Agni Kai against his father and subsequently exiled from the Fire Nation. He then set out on a quest to hunt down and capture the Avatar accompanied by his uncle, General Iroh, believing it is the only way he can reclaim his honor and return home.

History

Funeral of Lu Ten

At the funeral of his cousin Lu Ten, Zuko paid his respects simply to Iroh. Then, he returned and gave Iroh a token originally owned by Lu Ten, along with a heartfelt story of how he was strengthened by Iroh's son. He then took a seat near Iroh to indicate he would not leave his uncle in this time of hardship.

Agni Kai

One day, Zuko was invited by his father to a meeting with his war council in the Throne Room to study and learn. General Li explained the layout of Earth Kingdom forces along the southern coasts, noting that the earthbenders used the cliffs as anchor points, which made any outflanking maneuver impossible. Ozai asked Zuko what he would do in the situation. As all eyes turned to Zuko, he advised a horns tactic. Dismissing the idea immediately, Ozai reminded Zuko of General Li's rapport with the strengthened cliff position. Trying to save himself, Zuko suggested tundra tanks for climbing over the cliffs, which Ozai found foolish as those tanks would be easy targets for skilled earthbenders. Stuttering, Zuko looked down disappointed as his father sighed and asked the general for an idea. He advised using a division to draw their attacks while using encircling forces to pin the earthbenders down. As the general spoke, the young prince grew more and more confused at the idea. Bewildered, he asked how that division would survive in the center of the earthbenders, only to realize they would be used as bait. Zuko looked up to his father in dismay as he explained sternly that sacrifice was a necessary part of the war. General Li suggested the 41st division, consisting of new and expendable recruits. After moments of deep thought, Zuko got up and declared that the plan was terrible, causing all eyes and ears in the Throne Room to turn to him. Zuko doubled down on the line and criticized the general's plan as horrifying for the soldiers and dishonorable of a high-ranking military general, which greatly enraged General Li and Ozai. As his father declared an Agni Kai, Zuko looked at his father scared in shock.

Zuko believed that he would fight General Li, but was stricken with shock when he finds out that he will duel with Ozai. Kneeling meekly before his father, Zuko begged for his forgiveness, saying that he meant him no disrespect. Ozai, unhappy with his son's apologies, told him that he disrespected not only him, but also his plans, strategies and military. Out of options, Zuko begrudgingly fought his father. Despite his best efforts, Zuko was already bested by his father's brute strength. Even after Ozai was caught in the open to Zuko's attack, Zuko hesitated, which Ozai took disgust and then he threw a flame at Zuko's shoulder, injuring and weakening him.

Banishment

Though Zuko survived, his face was permanently scarred. As Iroh tended to his injuries, Ozai walked by to talk to Zuko. When Iroh sternly asked his brother to leave as he had just found an ill-suited time for his presence, Ozai ignored him and talked to Zuko, saying that while he was impressed that his body would heal, his spirit was still weak. Ozai tried to reason that sacrificing the 41st Division would make him stronger. Zuko weakly, yet honestly empathized that he was still the firm believer that the weak could grow strong.

Ozai expressed disgust and anger that Zuko was as "soft" as his mother. Ozai said that he made a mistake that he sheltered Zuko all this time in the Palace. Believing that the harshness of the world would toughen his son, Ozai banished Zuko from the Fire Nation Capital, saying that he could only return home with honor if he captured the latest threat to the Fire Nation: the Avatar. Sternly explaining that he would suffer the harshest of punishments if he returned empty-headed, Ozai completely ignored Iroh's pleas and before leaving, placed the 41st Division under Zuko's command, throwing a sneer at his son, saying that since he cared much for the initial cannon fodder, Ozai allowed Zuko to keep the division as his crew.

Personality

Zuko has an intense and guarded personality, which demonstrates itself in his obsessive quest to capture the Avatar after he is exiled from the Fire Nation. He often struggles to live up to the demands of his cruel and controlling father, Fire Lord Ozai, a trait which comes to define his life after he is gravely wounded during their Agni Kai, causing permanent scarring to his eye.

Relatives

Sozin

Azulon

Iroh

Ozai

Lu Ten

Zuko

Azula

Appearances

Avatar: The Last Airbender

• 101. "Aang"
• 102. "Warriors"
• 103. "Omashu"
• 104. "Into the Dark"
• 105. "Spirited Away"
• 106. "Masks"
• 107. "The North"
• 108. "Legends"

Trivia

• The creators directly included scenes of the Agni Kai between Zuko and Ozai, unlike in the animated series, and also included more elements of Zuko's family backstory with Azula and Ozai earlier in the show, believing it was important for the viewers to see to "understand a lot more about Zuko's character" and make him "[feel] like a much more dimensionalized character".

See also

• Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender
• Zuko in The Last Airbender