New Avatar: The Last Airbender fan art puts an adult Zuko into a really snazzy suit. Despite going off the air over ten years ago, Avatar has become one of the most-talked about pieces of pop culture this year. That's largely thanks to its debut on Netflix, which has drawn in both old and new fans. Avatar has long been recognized as one of the most beloved children's shows out there thanks to its creative world-building and three-dimensional characters. Its sequel series, The Legend of Korra, also has its fair share of fans and recently joined Avatar on Netflix, helping to reignite interest in the franchise as a whole.
While Avatar has numerous characters that are beloved by fans, it's safe to say Zuko is one of the most popular. Zuko begins the series as the main villain, a prince from the villainous Fire Nation tasked with tracking down the Avatar, the world's last hope for peace. However, as Avatar progresses, Zuko undergoes a journey that takes him from spoiled royal to humbled hero. Zuko's character development is frequently cited as one of the best aspects of Avatar's story.
Fan artist Nicko Tumamak recently shared a piece imagining an older Zuko in modern clothes. The Zuko in Avatar is only sixteen years old, while this version is far more grown up. Honestly, he looks really, really good in this style. You can see the piece down below.
Fans actually have the opportunity to see an older Zuko in canon - though he's much older than shown above. In The Legend of Korra, Zuko appears as an old man to aid Korra, the newest Avatar, as she goes about her own adventures. While Zuko doesn't stick around for long, it's still fun to see what's happened to him later in life. The Avatar comics have also helped fill in parts of his life after the show ended, like his journey in tracking down his mother Ursa.
There's a lot of interest (and in some cases, worry) about the upcoming live-action Avatar adaptation that's in development at Netflix. Fans were hopeful this series would turn out better than the previous live-action attempt, The Last Airbender, but following the recent news that Avatar's creators departed the project, there's renewed concern about how it will turn out. It's too soon to write it off as a failure, but it will definitely be under a lot of scrutiny. One thing is certain though: If Netflix is unable to get Zuko right, fans will be very, very upset.
Source: Nicko Tumamak/Instagram