The next two Avatars, from water and earth, live without ever knowing who they are.
Zuko still spoke out at the meeting, he still refused to fight his father in the Agni Kai.
Zuko was banished, and in his search to find the Avatar, earth bends.
He is the Avatar and doesn’t know what to do about it.
Okay but consider:
Zuko, punching the air: “I MUST FIND THE AVATAR!”
*rock goes flying*
Zuko, waving his arms for emphasis: “IT IS THE ONLY WAY”
*strong wind knocks over grunt in the background*
Zuko, stomping dramatically: “TO RESTORE MY HONOR!”
*deck behind zuko becomes covered in ice*
Iroh, stroking his beard: “…. hmmmmmm…”
And Iroh just decides to mess with him and just goes “Well, I suppose we should start searching” and Zuko doesn’t find out until later in the episode
Nah man, gimme a whole season of Zuko and Iroh’s hijinks as they search for the avatar and it’s Zuko the whole time. A whole season of Iroh waffling between goofy uncle and “here let me teach you about balance-” “I DON”T NEED BALANCE I NEED TO RESTORE MY HONOUR” “okay cool you do you kid i bet the avatar’s behind that rock please move it for me”
zuko saying he needs to find the avatar, when actually, he just needs to find himself is his original story arc
When Zhao attacks Zuko with his back turned, Iroh is certain he’s about to see his nephew murdered in front of his eyes.
Then a glittering red beast comes screaming from the sky, and pins Zhao to the ship.
It’s –
It can’t be –
“STOP!” Zuko shouts, “Fern, don’t do it!”
“A dragon?” Zhao says, more in wonder than in fear. “When the Fire Lord finds out about this-”
Zuko’s face hardens. “Nephew?” Iroh whispers in disbelief, “Do you – do you know this beast?” It’s impossible, this entire situation is impossible.
Zuko ignores him. “My father,” he snarls, “will not find out. You’re not going to tell him.”
“How do you plan to stop me?” Zhao challenges. Iroh doesn’t think he fully appreciates the dragon claw pinning him to the ship.
His nephew cocks his head to the side. “You did this to yourself, I hope you know that. Fern,” he says, addressing the dragon, and Iroh knows what he’s going to do, is going to tell the dragon to kill the admiral, and how on earth did Zuko develop enough of a rapport with a dragon to tell it to do anything at all? “Let him go.”
The dragon growls, displeased, but listens. The dragon listens to his nephew. What?
Zhao has no sooner gotten to his feet then Zuko punches forward, releasing the strongest fireball Iroh has ever seen him command. It enfulges Zhao, and his death screams echo in Iroh’s ears until Zuko silences him by kicking him into the ocean. He doesn’t come back up.
The crew is silent as the dragon makes a low rumbling noise, one that could almost be considered a purr, and twines itself around Zuko. He pets her neck, and she leans into him, content as a cat in sunlight.
“Inferno is my dragon,” Zuko says, fierce, “to attack her is to attack me. To attack me is death. Understand?”
Captain Jee is the first to bow his submission, his agreement. The rest of the crew isn’t fair behind.
wupacing 