Iroh - Blog Posts
there’s a little detail that i didn’t notice about “the blue spirit” when i first watched it. when zuko returns to his ship after his misadventures at ponhuai, avatar-less and honorless and still puzzling over aang’s speech and having made an enemy of zhao and probably severely concussed, iroh is there on deck.
music night happened the previous night. and yet it’s morning when zuko returns, and iroh is still playing the tsungi horn on deck.
iroh waited up all night for zuko to come back.
it’s such a small detail, but speaks volumes about their relationship. iroh not only allows zuko to sneak out in order to free the avatar in order to preserve his chance at regaining his honor, iroh actually subtly encorages zuko to free aang from ponhuai, even though he clearly knows that there’s every possibilty that zuko will be caught by zhao and iroh will not be able to save him.
as the guardian of a teenager, iroh’s influence over zuko is limited. iroh must allow zuko the freedom to chase after the destiny he thinks he wants, iroh cannot always protect zuko or keep him out of danger, iroh cannot even demonstrate affection to zuko in the way he would clearly like to because zuko is too hurt and guarded to be able to accept it from him -
- but iroh can wait up for him.
iroh can sit up all night, just to make sure that zuko gets home safely.
and it is such a striking element of their relationship, because I waited up all night for you becomes the unspoken love language by which they communicate caring and affection for each other.
iroh waits all night for zuko to return safely from ponhuai stronghold. iroh stays up while zuko sleeps on the ferry and waits up for zuko to return home from his date with jin. iroh sits up all night watching over zuko when he is sick and feverish.
and it’s not one-sided, because zuko waits up for iroh.
zuko waits up all night watching over an injured iroh after azula blasts him with blue fire. zuko sits up all night waiting for iroh to wake up when they reunite at the white lotus camp.
and this gesture becomes so important to zuko that it even becomes the way he demonstrates caring and concern for the members of the gaang. zuko waits up all night in appa’s saddle, knowing that sokka is planning a rescue mission. zuko waits up all night for katara to wake, knowing she needs to confront her own deeply-felt anger before she can understand and let go of it.
and this even is the gesture by which aang first demonstrates friendship to zuko. after zuko is knocked out by an arrow to his blue spirit mask, aang sits up with zuko for the rest of the night until zuko wakes up, just to make sure zuko is all right.
and the concept of sitting up all night for you is such a poignant contrast to zuko’s memory of his mother, who vanished out his life in the middle of the night, waking him up for a last goodbye.
it’s pretty clear that iroh sitting up all night with a sick child was far from an unusual occasion. i think it was probably really important for zuko to be shown, again and again and again, that he has someone who will be there when morning comes.
one parent left zuko in the night - but one parent will always wait up for him to come home.
The reasoning behind why Iroh choose a doll for Azula, from a colonial perspective
irl, colonizers and other dominant groups made dolls of minorities to assert their hegemony and subjugate them, often using stereotypes e.g. https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/links/essays/toys.htm
These toys were also used to indoctrinate children into particular cultural values or racist ideas. This might be the purpose of Azula's doll. It might be made in EK or FN colonies. Either way, it may represent the colonized EK female, symbolizing women the colonizer can own and objectify. It fits the stereotype of the pretty EK girl from Iroh's song. That might be the message of the doll.
If so, this wouldn't make it better that Iroh gave Azula the doll not the knife. But it shows his chauvinist and sexist thinking that he would use the doll to say: FN women, you can be imperialists too! (just not by fighting or being ruler, that's for boys only).
by @theteashopgirl
Ozai is so pathetic, like that “take his bending away haha he’s harmless now” trick would never have worked on Zuko, if you took his bending away he’d just grab his swords and come at you twice as hard, Azula doesn’t have swords or anything but she’s pretty good at hand to hand and amazing at talking her way out of problems, Iroh bust himself out of prison with no bending at all, meanwhile Ozai? Gets his bending taken away and then just collapses, doesn’t even try anymore, then just sits in prison and tries to get into Zuko’s head some more, he could have trained up and tried to break out too! But no! Bet he can’t break steel bars with his bare hands. Bet he can’t kick a steel lever in two. Bet he can’t even do a flip.
Also we never really see him do any really impressive firebending apart from when he has magic comet power, I guesss he shoots some lightning at Zuko, but that’s it and Azula is still better at the lightning thing. Azula has blue flames. Zuko can do firebreakdancing and bend with his swords. Does Ozai, who is not 14 years old, have blue flames? No he doesn’t.
He didn’t even do his coup himself, Ursa had to kill Azulon for him! Could have just challenged Iroh to an Agni Kai for the throne but he didn’t bc he knew he’d lose.
And then he only ruled for like 6 years! He lost a war that had been going on for 100 years bc of a bunch of kids.
Loserlord indeed
IDK HOW OLD THIS IS BUT
YES YES YES YES YES YES!!
all this drawing atla as cats made me think of this [ids in alt]
+bonus
Iroh: you know when I was your age...
Ozai: when I was your height?
Iroh:
Iroh: listen here you little shit
The Avatar Reunion was AMAZING!!
For anyone that couldn't afford a ticket, I don't have a recording 🤷
Message me if you'd like some cactus juice though! 👀
The major arcana is finished!!!!!!!
I'm thinking of getting this printed in a mini zine. If you're interested please let me know since I'm looking for distributers for a copy for myself at least.
Commissions are open and info can be found here
My ko-fi is here
Azula always lies.
saw this post by @heavenly-dusk and kinda went insane thinking abt it so i drew it, i hope you don’t mind!
there are a lot of bad takes in the atla fandom (like, atla fandom may as well be a bad take generator) but something that has really been pissing me off lately is the assumption that you can categorize the fire nation royal family into good guys and bad guys. first of all, obviously, they're all bad guys. they are imperialists. but the idea that "sozin ozai azula bad" and "iroh lu ten ursa zuko azulon(?!) good" is actually insane.
lu ten died attempting to conquer the earth kingdom. lu ten was there because his father, iroh, was leading the siege. ursa laughed when iroh joked about burning ba sing se to the ground. zuko laughed too, mirroring his dear mother who taught him about the wonders of imperialism. and the fact that some people think that azulon was a good guy because he favored iroh is crazy. he favored iroh because iroh was the better imperialist, was more charming and tactically savvy as he bent the world to his will. people who think that azulon didn't like ozai because ozai was cruel literally have it backwards. ozai was cruel because azulon didn't like him. sozin shaped azulon, and azulon shaped iroh and ozai. azulon reigned for most of the war, and he was responsible for decimating the southern water tribe and colonizing the earth kingdom.
iroh only realizes the error of his ways well into middle age, after spending a majority of his life colonizing the world. he only stops to reconsider once he experiences the adverse effects of war for himself through the loss of his son. likewise, zuko can only gain empathy for the victims of the war by being one himself, as a refugee in the earth kingdom, and bonding with people who have been hurt by the fire nation. azula doesn't get that chance. ozai doesn't get that chance. azulon, lu ten, and ursa are dead, so they will never get that chance. but it's not like there is some ontological moral divide separating azula from zuko. zuko was a sensitive child whereas azula was better at embodying fire nation values of power and cunning. zuko was punished for his outbursts whereas azula knew how to keep her mouth shut. therefore, zuko experienced circumstances that led him to disavow fire nation imperialism.
but that doesn't mean that azula is ontologically evil. azula was the iroh of her generation to zuko's ozai, and iroh (eventually) disavowed conquest as well. there is no inherent divide between good and bad, monster and human. ursa was a warm and loving mother to zuko, just as iroh was a warm and loving father to lu ten, but they both laughed at others' suffering. their values were shaped by their circumstances and experiences. their ideologies do not make them less human, or less capable of change, just as their interpersonal behaviors do not negate their abhorrent ideologies.
Saw this frame on a different reblog by @thatssroughbuddy but why does it look like Iroh is using his phone to take a photo of his nephew at a landmark
For the record while ATLA is an excellent show and Zukos redemption arc was perfectly paced, I would kill to have had Zuko join the Gaang at the end of book two, because the first half of book three would have been the funniest thing on the planet. Like. Just picture it. A bunch of unsupervised teenagers travelling undercover through enemy territory, trying to blend in… and the only people who have even been there before are 1. A guy who hasnt been there in a century, and 2. The former crown prince who has literally never spoken to a fire nation citizen who wasnt nobility, military, or one of his servants.
Like. Neither of them have any idea what they’re doing, or how normal fire nation citizens act, but they’re pretty sure the other one is wrong. Rest of the gaang knows even less. No adults. Zuko and Aang getting into a shouting debate over the finer points of fire nation culture is a nightly event. They are both so wrong, and so, so awkward
Just stared watching She-ra and this is all I can think about
Lee had a nightmare this night so I think uncle Iroh will let him to stay at home
(zuko says: Do I really need to go to work today, uncle?)
I feel like this should say “Leaf me alone,’ instead of ‘Leave me alone,’.
everytime zuko goes out he leaves iroh a note that says “gone insane, back later”
Do you think Iroh is overhyped as a character? It feels strange that people adore a character who comitted wartime atrocities.
you are aware that the point of his character was to show people that anyone is capable of changing and being a better person right?
hell, the show even showed you glimpses of his time in the military to contrast who he became later on. iroh also serves to show zuko who he would become if he chooses the right path.
possibly the most powerful part of his character arc was freeing ba sing se, the nation he besieged in the past. it completed his arc beautifully.
so no, he is not over-hyped. he is a reminder that we are all capable of change no matter our circumstances. he shows that being a good person is a decision you make every single day.
also before I forget again, can someone tell me why certain parts of the atla fandom act like iroh was never a war general?? like it's perfectly okay to love his character (like muah) but why so many people just forgetting or ignoring that part of his history, I see so many metas talking about "iroh a saint" bitch did we watch the same show?!
Random “what if Bolin and Mako were born in the first series” just because. (Though, their start is the same in the au where Aang died and Korra is born within the hundred year war. Which … maybe I’ll make a post about, maybe I won’t idk.)
They’re born in a Fire Nation colony. It’s small, not overly populated so their family isn’t exactly a secret. Some colonies have less unrest, this isn’t one of them.
Their family is generally ignored but with Fire Nation troops still prevalent in newer colonies they’re still kept an eye on.
Mako is born with gold eyes and his complexion is just darker than his mothers. They’re actually a little relieved. But then comes Bolin with warm green eyes who moves pebbles with his wails and they’re suddenly not so at ease in town anymore.
San is the one who bends a small tunnel under their house. He drills into his boys head that they don’t belong here, that people don’t care for them here. That one day they may have to leave. Go find refuge with his family back in Ba Sing Se. He tells Mako repeatedly that he can’t bend out there. He tells Bolin repeatedly that he can’t bend here.
Naoki doesn’t argue but she hates it, she hates these plans and the fact that they could be necessary. They’re her children, they should belong.
It’s Naoki who gets them in trouble. He’s passionate and speaks her mind but she’s angry too. She loves her nation and she hates it. Hates how it spits at her husband’s feet and looks at her children like they’re nothing. Naoki hates that in many of her peoples’ eyes she stopped being a Fire Nation citizen the moment she married San. (Or not, who knows if marriage between two nations is legal at this point. Especially concerning Fire Nation.)
Mako doesn’t know why his parents are suddenly fighting the soldiers but he knows what it means when they stop moving. He knows what could come next if he doesn’t get his little brother out.
And they’re running away and they’re crying and hungry and their feet hurt. Mako struggles to bend to keep them warm, Bolin struggles to make them stable shelter. Neither of them have any idea where they’re going.
They’re children who have struggled to survive. They have to learn to feed themselves, to keep themselves clothed in any manner they can. They’re rarely ever looked at when they roll into a town. Orphans of war are hardly a new concept, especially on the borders of the Earth Kingdom.
Mako hates firebenders and he never bends in public view but fire is what helps keep Bolin warm and fed. It’s what keeps him close to his mother. Mako hates firebenders but he trains every second he can. He’s skilled enough to keep them safe but his fire is used only as a last resort. Mako’s good with knives. (He doesn’t generate lightning in this au, doesn’t even know that’s a possibility.)
People tend to love Bolin and then dislike him in a heartbeat. He’s a very “not all firebenders are bad” kind of kid because they’re cursing the Fire Nation right in front of his brother and it’s not fair. Mako’s not like that and Bolin’s Fire Nation too. But he knows well enough he can’t say that. Bolin’s not ashamed of his family but he thinks sometimes that maybe he should be.
It takes them years to actually reach Ba Sing Se and by then Bolin has forgotten why they’re here in the first place. Mako doesn’t remind him. He doesn’t find their family. He doesn’t know them, he doesn’t trust them. Most of all he’s afraid they’ll reject them.
They spend three years in the city. Living on the street and in abandoned buildings. They both take whatever job they can find. Mako’s 16 and Bolin’s 14 and they’re used to hard living by now.
“These people are Fire Nation!” Bolin’s panic lasts only a moment when he realizes people are gathered on the street. Two teenagers around his brother’s age are sword fighting. The old man is trying to talk the teenager down, trying to tell them that they’re not who he thinks they are. It’s not surprising when the Dai Li takes one of the angry teenagers away. They said they’re not Fire Nation. People defended them. But Bolin can’t help but wonder.
Iroh is slightly worried it’s going to become a frequent occurrence when ANOTHER teenager comes in the shop asking if they’re Fire Nation. The difference is, he buys some tea and when he brings the cup to the counter, he leans over it to whisper his question. The problem is he whispers his question to his nephew who replies with a loud and impolite “no”. Luckily the boy seems unperturbed by Zuko’s brash behavior. Unluckily for them it just seems the boy decided for himself that they are.
The boy becomes a regular. Not always buying tea but always trying to engage both Zuko and Iroh. Iroh is amused, Zuko is not. But the boy, Bolin, did promise to keep their secret. Iroh believes him, though he never admits to the boy’s claims. Iroh eventually invites Bolin over for tea, much to Zuko’s chagrin. But he’s a hopeful old man and maybe someone as lighthearted as Bolin would be good for Zuko.
Iroh learns a lot about Bolin in a very short time. Bolin loves to talk, especially about his brother. Apparently Bolin has had a very hard life, traveling, homeless, his brother taking care of them since their parents were killed. Iroh doesn’t really understand how Bolin is so ready to be friends with people he believes to be of the same nation that killed his parents. That is until he sees his brother.
It’s Bolin’s eyes that threw him. Standing next to Mako with his dark amber eyes and the boys strong family resemblance, Iroh doesn’t know how he missed the Fire Nation in him. Mako politely apologizes for his brother’s intrusiveness and Iroh hopes maybe Zuko’s potential friend count just bumped up to two. But then Zuko remarks that he should be and the look Mako throws at his nephew makes Iroh realize he should focus on one for now. Still Mako somehow finds himself having tea with his brother, his strange old friend and their shithead nephew.
Another potential friend, a potential more, for Zuko comes in the form of Jin. She’s nice and he thinks her date with Zuko went well. But Bolin’s at their apartment the next morning without so much as a hello but a giddy “I knew it!” Iroh is reminded once again about his nephew’s fault in not thinking before he acts when Bolin told his tale about seeing and following Zuko only to see him light up the candles in a plaza without taking a step towards them.
It’s then that Iroh learns that Mako’s a firebender. Iroh is prevvy to a lot more detail about Bolin’s life then and Zuko quietly listens from his room. Iroh isn’t surprised to learn that Mako isn’t a fan of firebenders and wouldn’t exactly be happy about Bolin hanging around them. Mako wouldn’t be the first.
Iroh is pleased that Bolin is so happy for him when he’s given his own teashop. But Bolin never enters and he’s surprised that Bolin didn’t greet them at their new place. It’s then that he realizes the kind of people he’s suddenly surrounded by. No shoeless, grubby teenagers in sight. He doesn’t get the chance to invite Bolin and his brother into his teashop before they’re invited to see the king.
"Who would have thought, after all these years, I'd return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace..."
I got to meet Dante Basco on Friday. I was the first in line so he greeted me and shook my hand. He was super nice as he chatted with me for a little bit as stuff was set up.
Hell, technically I also got a photo with Greg Baldwin, he’s just over my shoulder.
While re-watching Avatar: The Last Airbender with my brother who had never seen it before, we really gravitated to this line from Iroh.
It's so uplifting that I wanted to make a poster with Iroh showing that "The Secret Ingredient is Love".
Zuko be like:
Avatar x DBH
Aang takes the place of markus as leader of the divergent, zuko takes the character of connor, iroh is Hank and azula and ozai are rk900 and Amanda respectively.
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"Lieutenant Anderson, my name is Zuko. I am the android sent by cyberlife. I looked for you at the station but nobody knew where you were. They said you were probably having some tea. I was lucky to find you in the fourth tea shop."
Rk800 took a moment to inspect the store and the few customers who were in it.
No one had a criminal record.
"What do you desire?"
The person the lieutenant had been talking to ignored them in favor of cleaning the table in front of him, Iroh gave him a small look of recognition.
"You were assigned a case earlier tonight. A homicide, involving a cyberlife android." The lieutenant did not respond but made a grin that Zuko could not identify. "according to the procedure, the company has assigned a specialized model to help investigators."
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If anyone is interested in making a fanfic with this idea, I'd love to read it.
Can we all agree it's canon
no one can ever make me hate this duo
Uncle Iroh: Remember, a falling knife has no handle.
Azula and Zuko, in unison : So, catch it by the blade!
Uncle Iroh: …I worry about both of you.