Azula is one of the most complex and controversial villains of the entire Avatar: The Last Airbender universe. Though she might be beloved by many and hated by others, no one can deny the range and strength of her character as a core foundation of what makes Avatar so interesting and continuously relevant.

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Nothing can take away from Azula's villainous nature, but she still has a lot of positive qualities that help round her out as a dimensional character, all of which deserve to be recognized for what they are.

Her Self-Control

Azula looking down at someone in Avatar The Last Airbender

Up until the betrayal of Ty Lee and Mai in "The Boiling Rock," Azula had a remarkable ability to control her emotions. Even if the tides turned against her, such as in "Return to Omashu," when the gang escaped her wrath, or "The Secret of the Fire Nation," when her drill was destroyed, she always kept a cool composure. She never struggled to control her temper like Zuko.

This self-control is what enabled her to rethink her decisions and replan, such as her Dai Li coup after the drill was dismantled. She used her head, not her heart, and it's made Azula such a fearsome strategist. She wasn't hot-headed like a stereotypical female villain might be, and this quality helps contribute to the progressive nature of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Her Ability To Be Nice

Avatar Zuko Azula Ember Island

This one is definitely a stretch. Azula was never a nice person, as it wasn't a trait that Ozai ever saw value in, and he therefore never encouraged it. Iroh was plenty nice, but he devoted all of his time to Zuko, and Azula was left to adopt the iciness of her father.

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It was surprising and sweet, then, when she showed the capacity for niceness at the end of "The Beach." She seemed genuinely concerned for Zuko, and she even made an effort to make him feel better when she suggested they all trash Chan's fancy house. Azula didn't have to do any of those things, and there was nothing strategic or manipulative about her actions. It was a small and fleeting moment, but it's a redeemable quality nonetheless.

Her Leadership Skills

Azula frowning in ATLA

Azula has all the leadership qualities of her father, and then some. She knows how to keep a captive audience, and as illustrated in "The Crossroads of Destiny," she can turn even the most faithful army to her own will. The Dai Li were fiercely loyal to Long Feng, but following Azula's powerful speech, quickly betrayed him to align with her diabolical plans. She just has that effect on people.

What's even more impressive is that she was only 14 at the time, and she still managed to inspire and encapsulate the attention of these seasoned soldiers. It's a truly admirable skill, and it's unfortunate that Azula was born on the wrong side of the war. The Earth Kingdom could have used more leaders like her.

Her (Rare) Moments Of Vulnerability

Azula looking annoyed in ATLA

It's always a treat when the villain shows a soft spot. It's humanizing, interesting, and it adds dimension to both the character and the story. Unlike Zhao and Ozai, whose arcs were generally flat and evil, Azula did have a few moments that lifted the curtain to her inner turmoil and heart.

In "The Beach," Azula admitted to feeling hurt that her mother viewed her as a monster, and in "Sozin's Comet," she sobbed at the thought that her mother could have loved her. These little glimpses helped fill in why she felt enabled to be so cruel and cold, and it was a subtle way to indicate how Azula might have struggled similarly to Zuko with her image of herself versus the image that others had for her.

Her Physical Agility

Azula hanging from a mountain side and smiling in Avatar The Last Airbender

Azula is one strong 14 year old. She can climb anything, jump anything, jet-pack herself with fire, and what's more, she's the only bender in the Avatar universe who can produce blue fire. She's a firebending prodigy, and anyone who ever battled with her barely got out alive.

It's the combination of this physical strength and her enormous wit that makes Azula such a dangerous adversary, and she's truly unmatched by any other character in the series. Zuko and Katara only defeated her by circumstance in "Sozin's Comet," and had she been less emotionally anguished, there's no telling what would have happened to the duo in that final Agni Kai.

Her Unrelenting Confidence

Azula smirks in Avatar: The Last Airbender

Azula had incredible self-confidence. Though some of her pride was a facade, as she had a lot of issues to overcome with self-image in terms of her mother, she knew what her worth was. In "The Beach," when Ty Lee said that everyone should worship her, Azula matter-of-factly responded with "Yes, I know, and I love it."

She's unabashed and cocky, but given her princess title and prodigal firebending, she's not exactly wrong. Maybe people shouldn't be "worshipping" Azula, but she certainly deserves respect and recognition for her abilities, and she shouldn't be villainized for this confidence. Instead, this aspect should be celebrated, as it actually sends a positive message about gender and female self-worth.

Her Competetive Spirit

Azula smiling while at the beach in ATLA

Although this quality often got the best of Azula, such as her overreaction during the volleyball game in "The Beach," it was still a cornerstone of her character and a product of the environment she grew up in. Ozai pitted Azula and Zuko against each other countless times, and she shaped a large part of herself around maintaining a certain standard for him.

Related: The Strongest Women In Avatar The Last Airbender, Ranked

Her competitiveness in "The Beach" also led to some of her only humorous scenes, such as when she said "Well, that was fun" after burning down the volleyball net, and her loud obnoxious laugh when she competed with Ty Lee for attention. It's a part of Azula that disrupts her cold and calculating nature, proving that she's actually a person and not just an emotionless machine.

Her Impeccable Standards

Azula using her powers in ATLA

Even though perfectionism isn't always a positive quality, it's not bad to have high standards, and Azula definitely became such a force of nature because of her own immense standards. She never stopped pushing herself because she understood the dedication needed to maintain her fighting edge.

The best example of her perfectionism is Azula's lightning demonstration in "The Avatar State," a technique she performed flawlessly except for a single wild hair. She then said, "Almost isn't good enough," and that line really encapsulates her mantra on life. It's both an admirable quality and a sad one, as it puts a lot of pressure on herself, but it's a great foreshadowing for what's to come in "Sozin's Comet."

Her Ability To Endure No Matter What

Azula crying in ATLA

If Azula is knocked down, she just gets right back up again, and she is unrelenting in what she wants. She chased Team Avatar all through the night in "The Chase," she staged an epic comeback after her drill failed in "Crossroads of Destiny," and there were many other times that others might've given up while she persevered.

It's an inspiring quality of hers and clearly runs in the family, as Zuko also shared the tendency to never give up. Like him, Azula followed the gang all over the Earth Kingdom, and she never considered quitting. Failure only made her more determined to succeed, and that's something everyone should aspire to.

Her Unmatched Intelligence

Azula bends lightning in The Last Airbender

Azula had more cunning and strategy than anyone in the entire Avatar: The Last Airbender universe. Her Dai Li coup was the only reason the Fire Nation was able to capture Ba Sing Se, the eclipse invasion was defeated because of her foresight, and Ozai's plan to raze the Earth Kingdom in "Sozin's Comet" was all her idea as well.

Her incredible intellect enabled her to be the backbone of every Fire Nation military success, and if she had been taken out of the equation, Aang and his friends would have triumphed much, much earlier. In fact, the whole of season 3 could have been avoided without Azula. This intelligence makes her one of the best villains of the series, if not of all time, and it contributes to her icon status. She's a model for female villains everywhere, and character designers should seriously take note.

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