| "Zuko, please, my love, listen to me. Everything I've done, I've done to protect you. Remember this, Zuko. No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are." |
| — Ursa to Zuko.[1] |
Ursa was the wife of Ozai and later Noren, mother of Zuko, Azula, and Kiyi,[6] daughter of Jinzuk and Rina, and maternal granddaughter of Avatar Roku and Ta Min. She grew up in the Fire Nation village of Hira'a until she was forced by Fire Lord Azulon to marry his son, Prince Ozai, in order to fulfill a prophecy that said that a royal descendant of Roku would bring great power to Azulon's own lineage. Many years later, when she learned that Azulon ordered her husband to murder their son, Zuko, and that Ozai intended to go through with it, she conspired against the Fire Lord, ensuring that her only son's life would be spared, and that Ozai would be crowned Fire Lord. This resulted in her subsequent banishment from the Fire Nation Capital for treason.[7] She returned to her hometown where she rekindled a relationship with her old boyfriend, who had changed his face and identity to Noren. In order to lead a normal life again, she went to see the Mother of Faces with Noren and requested that the spirit grant her an entirely new face and identity, though this also wiped clean all of her memories linked to her life with Ozai, including her children.
As Noriko, Ursa had another daughter, Kiyi, with Noren. When Zuko finally tracked her down, she revisited the Mother of Faces and decided to have her old face and memories returned.[6] Zuko revoked her banishment and welcomed her back to the Fire Nation Capital with her new family, where her role as the Fire Lord's mother was reaffirmed.[8] However, Ursa was anxious to return to the capital, and her fears were realized when Kiyi was kidnapped in a plot orchestrated by Azula. Thanks to Zuko and his allies, Kiyi was returned safely to an overjoyed Ursa. This ordeal also gave her the strength she needed to face her ex-husband one last time.[9]
Quick Answers
How many children did Ursa have?
What is the prophecy that led Ursa to marry Ozai?
What happened to Ursa after she was banished?
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What was Ursa's role in the death of Azulon?
History[]
Leaving her loved ones[]
Ursa and Ikem confirmed their engagement with a passionate kiss.
Ursa was born around 64 AG[2] to Jinzuk and Rina in the small Fire Nation town of Hira'a. From an early age, she was close friends with a boy named Ikem. Though she would tease him when they were younger, they developed romantic feelings for each other as they grew up.[10]
At twenty-one, Ursa auditioned for the role of Dragon Empress in the local production of Love amongst the Dragons. She went to tell Ikem that she had received the role and found him rehearsing his lines on an empty stage. At his request, they rehearsed a scene of the play in which they would have to kiss on stage, but Ursa expressed her dissatisfaction with "masked kissing", since the props stood in the way. When she took off her mask, Ikem startled her with an unnerving stare. Ursa questioned him about it and he promptly proposed. Though initially confused, Ursa happily accepted and they sealed their engagement with a passionate kiss.[10]
Later at night, she gleefully made her way home to tell her mother of Ikem's proposal, but she found her mother crying over Avatar Roku's headpiece. When she asked what was going on and where her father was, her mother told her he was in the greenhouse with a visitor. Before Ursa left the room, her mother emphasized that she loved her no matter what happened.[10]
Ursa tearfully bid Ikem farewell to ensure his safety.
Upon entering the greenhouse, Ursa discovered that the guests about whom her mother had been talking were Fire Lord Azulon and his son, Prince Ozai. The Fire Lord complimented her beauty before mentioning a prophecy made by the Fire Sages that foretold a powerful lineage of rulers who would come forth from a marital union between a descendant of Avatar Roku and the Fire Lord's bloodline. Ozai then proposed to Ursa and she, without a choice in the matter, agreed. As Ursa was leaving town with her betrothed, Ikem blocked the carriage's path. She pleaded with Ozai to order his soldiers to stop from interfering, calling the prince "[her] love". He complied, and she stepped out from the carriage and told Ikem to go home. Despite his begging, Ursa told him that her decision could not be undone as Ozai's proposal had brought honor to her family. She made clear to Ikem that marrying Ozai was what she truly wanted and, with tears in her eyes, told him once more to go home, knowing that it was the only way to ensure his safety. Equally heartbroken, she left a devastated Ikem by the side of the road.[10]
Life as Fire Princess[]
Ursa and Ozai's wedding.
During his wedding celebration, Ozai informed Ursa that she should tell her parents that they had always been good to her, revealing that she could no longer have ties to her former life after the event. As such, she was forced to bid her parents farewell and started her new life as a Princess of the Fire Nation.[10]
Following her marriage, Ursa gave birth to Prince Zuko and, two years later, to Princess Azula. On a family trip to Ember Island, Zuko nearly drowned in his attempt to assist a turtle crab. After Ozai rescued him, Ursa comforted Zuko by holding him while he recovered from his experience.[11] Years later, Azula began to consciously firebend, displaying an unusually early control over her abilities. While Ozai was overjoyed upon realizing that his daughter was a prodigy, Ursa was discomfortable due to knowing that her daughter's power would be exploited by others. Her timid and sad reaction contributed to Azula believing that Ursa had always feared her.[12]
Unhappy with her life at the palace, Ursa kept theater masks to remind herself of her past life, including her ex-boyfriend Ikem.
Despite her royal duties to her new family, she was unwilling to forget the loved ones she left behind, nor could she stop thinking about the life she would have led in Hira'a.[10] She secretly managed to acquire a set of masks which had been used by the Hira'a Acting Troupe when performing Love amongst the Dragons. The princess kept the masks hidden in her quarters behind a painting of her and Ozai to remind her of the people in Hira'a,[13] and, in particular, Ikem with the Dragon Emperor mask. She wrote to her family frequently and employed a palace servant, Elua, to send these secret letters home. Elua's apparent loyalty inspired Ursa to view her as part of her family, and she was eternally grateful. However, unbeknownst to Ursa, none of her letters made it to their destination; under orders from Prince Ozai, Elua betrayed Ursa's trust and filed the notes away.[10]
Ursa eventually became suspicious of the fact that Ozai had intercepted and read her letters, and came up with a plan to trick him into admitting it: she wrote a fake letter to Ikem in which she claimed he was Zuko's real father.[6] Months later, Ozai confronted her with his knowledge of the letter, stating that her actions were treasonous to the crown of the Fire Nation. Ursa was initially furious to learn that her suspicions of Ozai were correct but quickly burst into tears when Ozai revealed he had taken measures to kill Ikem.[7] Ursa demanded to know why Ozai had done so since they both knew Zuko was really Ozai's son. Ozai responded by asking her why she had written the false letter in the first place. Ursa told him her original plan, and that part of her motivation was that she wished Zuko was not Ozai's son. As an act of vengeance, Ozai stated that, from that point onward, he would treat Zuko as if Ursa's desire had been a reality.[6]
Aside from her children, there was one other ray of light in her life as princess: her brother-in-law, Crown Prince Iroh. A much different man than Ozai, Iroh was compassionate and respectful to Ursa, and his presence in the palace always gave her hope.[8]
Ursa and Zuko shared an innocent moment by the turtle duck pond.
One morning, Ursa and young Zuko were feeding turtle ducks at a small pond in the palace's garden. The boy offered to show his mother the way Azula fed them, and proceeded to hit one of the baby turtle ducks with a large piece of bread. Ursa berated him for the cruel act while the mother turtle duck approached Zuko and bit his ankle. Upset and unsure why the turtle duck bit him, Ursa comforted Zuko and told him that mothers are protective of their children and will "bite back" when they are in danger before snapping her jaws at Zuko in a playful way. As Ursa and Zuko walked through a courtyard, they were approached by Azula who persuaded her mother to let Zuko play with her, Mai, and Ty Lee. Finding no reason to suspect Azula, Ursa encouraged Zuko to play with his sister but was shocked when she saw him coming back soaking wet as a result of Azula's cruel teasing.[1]
Later, Ursa called her children and informed them that a letter from their Uncle Iroh in Ba Sing Se had arrived at the palace along with gifts to Zuko and Azula. The latter remarked that, if he did not return from the siege, their father Ozai would be the next in line to be Fire Lord, affirming sharply that "[their] dad would make a much better Fire Lord". Ursa, astonished at Azula's fierce agreement to that, told her to be quiet as that would be a grave misfortune.[1]
Azulon's murder[]
Days later, Ursa was sitting near the pond when a servant delivered another letter from Ba Sing Se. After reading it, a tear fell from her cheek. She informed her children that their cousin and Iroh's son, Lu Ten, had not survived battle during the siege. His son's death broke Iroh, and he abandoned his campaign at Ba Sing Se. Consequently, Fire Lord Azulon called Ozai and his family to an audience at the throne room, where Ursa watched as her children demonstrated their firebending abilities. Zuko's skills, however, paled in comparison to his sister's and, after he fell to the ground distraught, Ursa ran to comfort him. Unimpressed with his grandchildren's displays, Azulon dismissed everyone except Ozai.[1]
In order to save Zuko, Ursa made a deal with Ozai, providing him with an untraceable poison to murder his father.
That night, Ursa found her children squabbling over something. Curious, she pulled Azula aside to get the full story and found out that Ozai had asked Fire Lord Azulon to pass Iroh's birthright to the throne to him, since Iroh no longer had any living heirs and his retreat from Ba Sing Se was considered a dishonor. As punishment for his insolence, Ozai was tasked by an infuriated Azulon to kill his own son, so that he may feel the pain of losing a firstborn. Shocked by this information, Ursa sent Azula off to bed and went to find her husband. When Ozai declared he had every intention of going through with his orders, Ursa made a deal with him: the throne for Zuko's life. Ursa offered an untraceable and odorless poison, credited to her mother's expertise in herbalism, which could work quickly and efficiently. Ozai accepted her offer on the condition that she leave the palace and city following the plot, never to return, fearful that she may slip him the poison as well. He also refused to let Ursa leave with their children, stating they were collateral: as long as she kept her end of the bargain, Zuko and Azula would not be harmed. If she tried to stay or take the children with her, Ozai would have all three of them hunted down and killed.[7]
Ursa comforted Zuko just before her disappearance.
Ursa gave the poison to Ozai to administer and then made her way to the rooms of her children to say her goodbyes. She kissed a sleeping Azula on the cheek[7] before moving on to Zuko and waking the young prince. She told him that everything she had done was to keep him safe, that she loved him, and to always remember who he was, no matter how things seemed to change. As a half-asleep Zuko lay down to bed, she pulled the hood of her cape over her head and walked away into the shadows.[1] She then left the palace on a boat and headed back toward Hira'a.[7]
Life as Noriko[]
Ursa arrived in Hira'a in the middle of the night but immediately went to her parents' old house to visit them. A little girl opened the door instead and informed her, unaware of who she was, that Jinzuk and Rina had both passed away years prior. Saddened and with nowhere to go, Ursa retreated to the theater stage in the middle of the town and cried to herself in silence. A man named Noren approached her, believing that she was looking for a part in the next play, but after realizing how sad the former Fire Nation princess was, he invited her to breakfast, an offer Ursa gladly accepted. As Ursa ate her breakfast, she conversed with Noren until he suddenly mentioned her by name, though Ursa was certain she had yet to introduce herself. Having lost her appetite and feeling awkward, Ursa prepared to leave when Noren admitted that he was actually Ikem, her ex-fiancé.[7]
Noren revealed that he had encountered the Mother of Faces, who altered his face and gave him a new name following his heartbreak at Ursa's departure. Ursa realized Ozai must have lied to her about having killed Ikem; it was clear Noren's new identity had saved him. Noren then offered Ursa a chance to make up for their lost time as lovers: if Ursa were to change her face, they could live in peace together, and she would have a chance to see her children undetected.[6]
Ursa received her new face and identity from the Mother of Faces, becoming Noriko in the process.
The couple went to Forgetful Valley, eventually arriving and setting up camp by one of the sacred pools from where the Mother of Faces' wolf would drink. After at least several months living in the forest, the wolf appeared, indicating the face-bestowing spirit was nearby. Noren comforted Ursa who, despite finding her place in the world with him, was saddened at having lost her children. He suggested moving them closer to Hira'a, but Ursa declined, saying to do so would put the children and the entire town in danger. The Mother of Faces arrived but was puzzled by Ursa's decision to change her face, despite her obvious beauty. To test her sincerity, the spirit offered the former princess a new, much plainer face, which Ursa accepted without hesitation. Sensing Ursa's pain, the Mother of Faces also asked her if she would want a new mind that did not remember her old life. After much deliberation, Ursa agreed to forget her past life. Even though this meant she would forget her own children, Ursa found it was too painful to constantly worry whether they were all right. With a new face and identity, Ursa became "Noriko", married Noren with the theatre stage as their wedding venue, and had one child, a daughter named Kiyi.[6] Noriko lived peacefully with her family in Hira'a until the arrival of a disguised Team Avatar in 102 AG, almost five years after the wedding.[7]
"Noriko" remembered hearing that Ursa once had returned to Hira'a, looking for Ikem.
Noriko questioned Aang and Katara, clearly smitten, on whether they were thinking about marriage as they were a bit young for that, but upon seeing their reactions, quickly withdrew her inquiry and simply stated that they were lucky to have found each other at their age. Noren interrupted their conversation and, claiming to believe Sokka's cover story about them being drama historians, informed the group that Ursa had been the acting troupe's most famous member before being taken to the Fire Nation Capital. When Zuko inquired about Ikem, Noren admitted that Ikem was Ursa's boyfriend but, after Ursa departed, he left. Noriko added that he was believed to have run off to Forgetful Valley in a dangerous forest near town. She then said that Ursa apparently returned to Hira'a years later and subsequently traveled to Forgetful Valley to find Ikem. Surprised, Noren questioned the accuracy of his wife's statement.[7]
As Azula threatened to kill her, Ursa apologized to her first daughter for not having been a better mother, despite not remembering.
The next night, Zuko returned to the house upon learning the truth that Noriko was actually his mother, Ursa. However, when Zuko found that Noriko was happy with her life, he felt satisfied about her wellbeing and turned to leave. Noren stopped him and encouraged him to tell Noriko who he really was. He then told his wife the truth about her identity. Suddenly, after battling Sokka, Azula burst in through the roof with the intent to kill her. She questioned if Kiyi was a replacement for her, but Noriko responded that, if she was indeed her mother, her only fault was not loving her enough. Shocked by this, Azula was bested by Zuko and she ran off. The Mother of Faces then appeared and asked Noriko if she wanted to regain her former memories. Though Zuko countered that she did not have to as the life she knew in Hira'a was beautiful as it was, Noriko agreed without hesitation if it meant remembering Zuko and Azula. The next day she apologized to Zuko and, at his inquiry, told him the truth about the false letter she wrote regarding his parentage. Zuko forgave her and Ursa decided to share her past with her son, starting right from the beginning.[6]
Return to the Fire Nation Capital[]
Scared to lose her daughter, Ursa hugged her close and forbade her from riding a flying dolphin fish with Aang.
A few weeks after reuniting with her son, Ursa and her family were arranged to travel by ship to visit the Fire Nation Capital for the first time since Ozai banished her.[14] As the mother of the new Fire Lord, Ursa received the formal title of "Lady". When Zuko announced that they were nearing the main island, she was pleased to notice he still had the same sparkle in his eyes from childhood whenever he became excited. As she lovingly brushed the side of his head, a slightly embarrassed Zuko shied away from her ministrations, deeming them to be unfitting for a Fire Lord. This prompted Ursa to apologize. As Zuko left her to go check up on his friends, Noren approached and asked Ursa if she was okay, reflecting that her hands always grew cold whenever she was scared. Ursa merely noted it had been a long time since she had been in "that place", and assured her husband that she was fine. When she noticed Aang and Kiyi riding a flying dolphin fish, she panicked and yelled for her daughter to come back, ignoring Katara's reassurances that Kiyi was safe. The Avatar, however, instantly brought Kiyi back on board and Ursa pulled her into a tight hug, saying that she could not lose her, though her daughter rebelled against her embrace, yelling to be let go. As Noren took Kiyi below deck at the girl's request, Ursa forlornly agreed with her son that Kiyi needed time to adjust to her changed face. When Aang apologized for having worried her, she dismissed it, noting that she should be the one apologizing for overreacting before excusing herself and walking to the side of the ship to look out over the water.[8]
Ursa was reassured by Zuko that he would do everything in his power to keep her and her family safe.
Later on, Ursa was out on deck, a tear rolling down her face. She was approached by Zuko asking if she was okay. Though startled by his appearance, she answered that she was fine. She asked him if Aang, Katara, and Sokka had left. After Zuko said yes, she said he was lucky to have "such good friends". Once again, Zuko asked if she was okay and she replied she just needed fresh air. Zuko thought she was upset about Kiyi, though Ursa admitted that she was thinking about Azula and asked her son if he thought she was safe, warm, and happy. Zuko recalled how he spent weeks looking for her in Forgetful Valley without finding her, which meant Azula did not want to be found. He believed her to be safe as he knew she would survive, though he did not know what "happy" was for Azula. Ursa told her son they should not be dour right before returning to the capital and that it would be wonderful to see him in his element. As Zuko took her hand to thank her, he found it was cold and began to take her below deck. However, a messenger hawk carrying a message from the Kyoshi warriors appeared, and after seeing her son's angered face, Ursa asked if something was wrong but was assured that it was nothing he could not handle. Before she went below the deck, Zuko promised to keep her family, especially Kiyi, safe with all his power.[8]
The next morning, while on deck with her family, Ursa looked through a telescope and noticed they were not at Harbor City. She was informed by Zuko that there had been a change of plans, and a submarine appeared, out of which Iroh and Suki emerged. As Iroh apologized for the pain his family had caused her, Ursa readily embraced him and said he did not need to apologize as his presence had always given her hope. She then happily looked on as Iroh met with Kiyi and Noren.[8]
Ursa and her family took the submarine on a detour to the capital via a hidden pathway through the forest. Unfortunately, they were ambushed by the New Ozai Society, who demanded that Zuko relinquish the throne if he valued his family's lives. Ursa tried to comfort Kiyi, assuring that Zuko would protect them, but her daughter rejected her touch, stating that her hands were cold. When Zuko and his Kyoshi Warrior bodyguards were subdued, the New Ozai Society prepared to burn the carriage as punishment for Zuko's defiance. Thankfully, one of their own had a change of heart and freed Zuko before reinforcement arrived and drove off the attackers.[8]
Ursa was hesitant to enter the Fire Nation Royal Palace for the first time since her exile.
As they arrived at the palace, Ursa was hesitant to enter the Great Hall for the first time since her exile. She declined Zuko's offer to stay in her old bedroom, saying that one of the guest rooms would suffice. Upon walking through the palace, she tried to reassure herself that she and Kiyi were perfectly safe as Zuko was now in charge and that Ozai was no longer there. However, she was slightly startled when she stumbled upon Ozai's painting in the Royal Gallery.[8]
A month later, Ursa and her family were witnesses to Ukano being escorted from the palace. Kiyi was curious as to what Ukano was grumpy about, but her parents assured her she need not be concerned, and Ursa assured her that they'll be safe in the palace. However, again, Kiyi refused Ursa's cold touch.
Later the same night, Ursa overheard Suki and Ty Lee discussing the recent dark spirit attacks in the city. Upon hearing that Tom-Tom was abducted, Ursa panicked when she saw that Noren was not looking after Kiyi, and was relieved to find her daughter sleeping soundly.
Ursa and Noren were horrified when they realized that Kiyi had been taken by the Kemurikage.
Later on, as Ursa and Noren retired, Zuko moved Kiyi to another room at her request. However, this left her vulnerable as she was abducted by Azula, who was disguised as a Kemurikage.[15] Ursa and Noren were subsequently woken by the sounds of battle outside the palace and to their horror, they learned from Zuko that their daughter had been taken from them, prompting the two parents to embrace one another.
Worried for Kiyi's safety, Ursa sat alone, cradling Kiyi's doll, before being joined by Iroh, who had just arrived via airship. Ursa then broke the silence, lamenting that Kiyi may never reconcile with her changed face, though Iroh insisted that she not give up hope. She proceeded to ask her ex-brother-in-law how he had managed to cope with the passing of his son, Lu Ten. Iroh confessed that he had never gotten over it and consoled that parents are not always able to protect their children, and the best they can do is teach them to see fear with unclouded eyes.
Ursa confronted Ozai in prison.
After Zuko, Aang, Mai, and Kei Lo rescued Kiyi and the other abducted children from Azula, Ursa was present as Zuko publicly apologized for his misconduct in handling the crisis. Accompanied by Iroh, Ursa subsequently went to see Ozai in prison for the first time in years. Ozai spouted threats at her, but she saw past it and labeled the former Fire Lord as a small man trying to be big, who never had a heart for any member of his family or even himself. She then turned and left his cell, as Ozai desperately demanded her to come back and grovel before him. Ursa then returned to bed with Noren and Kiyi, who welcomed her for the first time since getting her original face back.[9]
Personality[]
In contrast with her adult personality, Ursa was quite rough, playful, and spirited in her youth, as evidenced by her teasing of Ikem, which even went as far as kicking him in the stomach and pushing his face in the dirt.[10] As she knew that her marriage to someone with the personality and rank as Ozai would mean she would be constantly isolated and seen by vigilantes, she was very careful and vigilant herself, knowing the servants who she could not trust and hid her medical skills from her then-husband. However, Ursa's forceful attitude was shown even against his fury when she confirmed that he read her letters through a risky plan, which would indirectly affect Zuko negatively at the end.[6] Ultimately, Ozai's emotional abusiveness toward her and his children resulted in Ursa developing a lasting fear of him,[8] connected to her deep worries about her family's safety.[9]
Ursa cared for her children greatly.
Ursa was rather artistic and perseverant, She always wanted to get the part as the Dragon Empress in Love amongst the Dragons. Her love for the play extended even to her isolated adulthood, showing it to her children who acted as the main rivals in the play. Ursa was a pragmatist, choosing to leave Ikem behind in order to protect him and later accepted banishment in order to save Zuko. Despite her love and affection for her children, she opted to forget their existence at one point in order to find inner peace once she reunited with Noren. Ultimately, she came to regret this decision, realizing that Zuko and Azula were her true family.[6]
Ursa told Iroh about her intense fear for the safety of her children.
Ursa was a kind, caring, and loving mother to her children, showing equal authority in their parenting as her much more powerful husband. One of her defining features was her strong motherly love and protectiveness of her only son Zuko, whom she encouraged to be as he is, especially his determination.[5] Her life was dedicated to safeguarding him from any harm, resorting to any means necessary to keep her son safe such as to give Ozai a vial of poison, aware that he would use it to kill Fire Lord Azulon and take the throne.[7] Similarly, Ursa's relationship with her youngest daughter, Kiyi, was very loving and caring despite it temporary got strained after obtaining her original face. She was overprotective as well, as she panicked when she saw Kiyi riding a flying dolphin fish, being fearful of losing her second daughter too.[8] Together with the traumatic memories of her first marriage, these worries contributed to Ursa's intense fear of losing her children in some way permanently. She only became better at dealing with this fear after Iroh told her that it would never disappear but could be better dealt with them by seeing it with unclouded eyes.[9]
However, Ursa's relationship with her eldest daughter Azula was strained by the fact that the young princess was emotionally abusive and manipulative toward her family and friends, especially Zuko. She was forced to discipline Azula on a regular basis, but it was apparent to her that her daughter's cruelty was beyond a normal level.[1] It was her behavior toward Azula that started the princess' anger and jealousy toward Zuko for how he was loved and cared for by her as she herself craved their mother's love. Although her treatment was good-intentioned, the way she disciplined Azula regularly made her daughter incorrectly believe that Ursa thought of her as a monster;[4] her belief that Ursa never loved her influenced Azula's later behavior and emotional instability.[16] However, despite all this, Ursa cared about her daughter's well-being, as she wondered, teary-eyed, if Azula was safe, warm, or happy after learning that she had vanished in the Forgetful Valley and appeared to regret how her attempts to make Azula a better person had caused her daughter such pain.[8]
Abilities[]
Medical skills[]
Ursa could create an untraceable, deadly poison.
Ursa was taught a great deal about many medicinal herbs and poisons from her mother, a master herbalist. After she accepted Ozai's marriage proposal, she was not known to practice but her skill remained excellent. She used her knowledge to create a powerful colorless, odorless poison that was completely untraceable.[7]
Physical prowess[]
Despite the fact that she lived in a luxurious palace, Ursa had enough physical resistance to survive in the Forgetful Valley with Noren's help.[7]
Relatives[]
- Main article: Fire Nation Royal Family
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| Sozin |
| Zeisan |
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| Azulon |
| Ilah |
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| Rina |
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| Ozai |
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| Lu Ten |
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| Zuko |
| Azula |
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| Iroh |
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Appearances[]
Avatar: The Last Airbender[]
Book Two: Earth (土)[]
- 207. "Zuko Alone" (flashback)
- 218. "The Earth King" (dream)
Book Three: Fire (火)[]
- 320. "Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno" (vision)
Graphic novels[]
- The Promise Part Two (flashback, no lines)
- The Promise Part Three (vision)
- The Search trilogy
- Smoke and Shadow trilogy
- Azula in the Spirit Temple (dream)
Trivia[]
- During the 2008 San Diego Comic-con and the audio commentary for "Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang", it was announced that a reunion between Ursa and Zuko had been arranged and made into a storyboard by directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Seung-Hyun Oh, and storyboard artist Lauren Montgomery, but was later dropped just before the finale was finished at the request of show co-creator Michael Dante DiMartino for reasons unknown.[18][19]
- Ursa never appeared in the present timeline of the television series. Her story was told in flashbacks and later via comics.
- The word ursa means bear in Latin, which fits Ursa's protectiveness of her children, similar to how female bears are notoriously protective of their cubs.
- The play Ursa rehearsed over and over was the same she showed to her children during their vacations, which they played as the Dark Water Spirit (Zuko) and the Dragon Emperor (Azula) several times later. Her son was very fond of the play, as seen for conserving his mask in the next years.
- Ozai had Ursa watched for months prior to their arranged marriage, which allowed him to immediately know that her test letter to Ikem claiming Zuko as their son was false.[6]
- Ironically, the last thing Ursa told Zuko before leaving was to never forget who he was, but she herself forgot who she was for years.
- Ursa is the only known person to have been in more than one marriage.
- Ursa is one of two known characters in the Avatar franchise to have had children with two different men, the other being Toph Beifong.
- During Azula's hallucinations, Ursa acted as Azula's moral consciousness and most kind side. Yet, Azula perceived her mother as someone who conspired against her since birth out of fear. She thought that Ursa controlled everyone around her, including Ozai, and told them her weaknesses if she thinks they are useful (like Mai, Ty Lee, and even Team Avatar).
Notes[]
- ↑ According to sketchbook notes of The Search (Omnibus edition), Ursa was twenty-one when she and Ozai got married, the same year Azulon was eighty-five, which would place the date of the wedding at 85 AG.[2] However, Azulon's age must be a mistake, as Zuko was born in 83 AG.[3] As a result, Ursa's birth date can only be roughly estimated based on the dates provided by The Search.