The live-action remake of Avatar: The Last Airbender continues to grow as the cast list is slowly getting revealed. While Netflix is sure to try to make a faithful adaption to the original cartoon, the cartoon will forever be the perfect series for its themes, plot, and, of course, characters.
One of the most important characters in the show is Zuko, banished prince of the Fire Nation. The character arc he goes through over the course of the series is profound and amazing, making him one of the most complex characters in the entire series. Because of this, one of the best ways to describe Zuko is through the use of memes.
He Believes The Universe Is Against Him
The universe has not been kind to Zuko during the start of the series. He was exiled by his father, foiled at every turn to capture the Avatar, and even forced to go on the run with his uncle when Azula is sent to hunt them down.
With all the bad stuff happening to him, Zuko obviously has come to the conclusion that the universe is out to get him. Even when he's trying to live his life, the universe throws another monkey wrench into the equation and makes his life worse. However, Zuko going through all that pain and suffering was important for his character arc and setting him on his path to redemption.
A Powerful Firebender
Zuko's power levels are quite enormous, so much so that he could've potentially taken out the Fire Lord himself. And that power only grows throughout the series.
Much of Zuko's power was fueled by his anger, something that he is well known for. But when he made peace with much of his anger upon joining Team Avatar, that power became diminished. It was only after learning new firebending techniques from dragons that Zuko became even more powerful than he had ever been before. No matter what, Zuko has always been a powerhouse.
An Honorable Warrior
Zuko's entire story arc for the first two seasons revolves around him trying to get his honor back by capturing the Avatar. It's what drives him nearly the entire time.
However, after being forced to go on the run with Iroh, he begins to change as he sees the horrors that the Fire Nation has inflicted on the Earth Kingdom and through the wise words of Iroh. He slowly realizes by the time the third season starts that no one can give him his honor back except for himself, leading to his defection from the Fire Lord and his joining Team Avatar, pointing to more reasons why he's one of the best fire nation characters in the franchise.
Highly Influenced By Iroh
Right from the start, it's clear that Iroh is the best mentor in the series. And Zuko learns this over the course of all three seasons.
In the first season, Zuko cares very little for what Iroh has to say, yet still cares about him. It is during the 2nd season that their bond really grows. Iroh does everything he can to set Zuko on the right path, even when Zuko turns against him. Zuko eventually learns to take his uncle's lessons to heart and works to make it up to him. Iroh's influence on Zuko lasts even beyond the series into the sequel series, The Legend of Korra.
He's Very Blunt
Zuko doesn't quite have a way with words as Iroh does. Pretty much all the time, he's very blunt about what he wants.
Zuko says exactly what he wants when he wants it, often using angry, forceful tones to drive his point home. The only time when he is uncomfortable speaking his mind is when he's talking about himself and how he's feeling. Besides that, he is extremely blunt when talking about his plans and pointing things out to people, even when he doesn't see the full picture like Iroh wants him to.
He'll Fight His Own People To Get What He Wants
Zuko has proven that he is extremely determined to capture the Avatar no matter what. And that includes going up against the Fire Nation itself.
As the Blue Spirit, he becomes a force against the Fire Nation, going up against Admiral Zhao when he had captured Aang. Of course, this action was only so that Zuko could hand the Avatar over to the Fire Lord himself, but it showed how desperate he was to regain his honor as well as humiliate Zhao. It also shows how far Zuko is willing to go in order to accomplish his goals.
Fights No Matter What
Zuko is always willing to fight anyone that comes between him and his goals, and as one of the strongest characters in the series, most people can't do anything to stop him.
He often charges right into battle without any sort of negotiations or plan; just a single-minded focus to complete his objective, most of the time that being to capture the Avatar. His power levels are almost off the scale, letting him beat opponents far more skilled than he is, such as Admiral Zhao. Even at an old age in the sequel series, Zuko is still willing to go up against the enemies of the world.
He Loves His Mother
Zuko harbors a lot of anger towards his family, but there is one other person in it besides Iroh that he loves: his mother.
His mother's exile is another reason for his anger against his father. From the flashback episode where we learn her fate, it's clear that Zuko loved her, and she loved her right back - a love that she did not send toward Azula. Zuko loves her so much that he embarks on a quest to find her and bring her home in a follow-up comic to the series.
He Can Be Socially Awkward
Zuko is far from being a people person, as evidenced by his hot-headed personality and his discomfort with talking about himself.
As such, he is incredibly awkward at calmer moments, particularly when he comes to join Team Avatar. Despite his rehearsal of what he wants to say, he still fumbles with his words and ultimately makes things worse between himself and the others. After a time, though, he does grow more comfortable around people that care about him and see him as a friend, though he can still be awkward at times.
His Arc Is The Best In The Series
While the main focus of the series is on Aang mastering the four elements, another key plot is Zuko's character development.
The audience is able to see this change over the course of the series. From the start, Zuko is more about attacking others in his quest to attack the Avatar. But as time went on, he slowly went towards a more protective role, fighting more in self-defense rather than attacking others. He even takes a lightning blast meant for Katara, almost dying in the process, showing once and for all just how much he's changed.