The last time Admiral Zhao was seen in Avatar: The Last Airbender, he was being dragged underwater by the Ocean Spirit at the end of season 1. Ever ambitious and determined, Zhao invaded the Northern Water Tribe, seeking to destroy it and capture Aang. But his decision to kill the Moon Spirit aroused the wrath of the Ocean Spirit, who merged with Aang and promptly destroyed the Fire Nation fleet. Refusing Zuko’s help, Zhao disappeared into the ocean and was presumed dead - but The Legend of Korra reveals what really happened to Zhao, and it's a fate worse than death.

Admiral Zhao wasn’t just Aang’s opponent, but also Zuko’s main rival in season 1. Power-hungry and ambitious, the admiral was determined to reach the upper ranks of the Fire Nation. When he realized the Avatar had resurfaced, he quickly tried to undermine Zuko’s efforts and capture Aang himself. He almost succeeded when Aang was overtaken by the Yuyan Archers while trying to grab frogs to cure Katara and Sokka’s fever. However, Zuko, wearing his Blue Spirit mask, managed to infiltrate Zhao’s fortress and help Aang escape.

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Zhao’s hunger for power made him blind to the consequences of his actions. Despite being warned by Uncle Iroh that meddling with the Spirit World would end badly, Zhao persisted with his plan to capture the mortal form of the Moon Spirit in order to strip the bending abilities of the waterbenders from the Northern Water Tribe. When Team Avatar confronted him and tried to recover the Moon Spirit, in the form of a koi fish called Tui, Zhao decided to kill it instead. This erased the moon from the sky and temporarily stopped all waterbending. Knowing Zhao had gone too far, Iroh attacked the admiral. Zhao had to flee, but by then the Ocean Spirit’s anger had been unleashed against the Fire Nation fleet.

Admiral Zhao looking angry in TLOK

As Zhao tried to escape, he was confronted by Zuko. The two fought, but after Princess Yue sacrificed herself to restore the moon, the Ocean Spirit grabbed Zhao. When Zuko offered to pull the man back to safety, Zhao refused his help and fell into the water, disappearing without a trace. While many believed he had drowned, an episode in The Legend of Korra season 2 reveals that the Ocean Spirit punished him by taking him to a special kind of hell. In the episode “Darkness Falls,” Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi enter the Spirit World to look for Jinora, who was captured by Unalaq. Their search leads them to the Fog of Lost Souls, a spirit prison for humans.

Those sent to the Fog of Lost Souls are condemned to wander for all eternity, their minds infiltrated and infected by a spirit who forces them to repeatedly face their darkest memories. As Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi look for Jinora, a confused and delirious Zhao passes by them. Murmuring to himself, Zhao proclaims he’s the Moonslayer, the Conquerer, and that he will find the Avatar. When he sees Tenzin, he confuses him for Aang and grabs him by the collar. Bumi and Kya quickly push Zhao off their brother. As they leave, Zhao disappears in the fog while still yelling he will capture the Avatar. Instead of death, Zhao’s punishment for going against the spirits is to be driven mad by his desire to capture Aang - a goal he will never be able to accomplish. A fitting but horrible end to a power-hungry and cruel man.

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