Avatar: The Last Airbender/Characters/The Fire Nation

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


These characters hail from the Fire Nation.

Prince Zuko

Voiced by: Dante Basco

"I don't need luck, though. I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight, and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am."

Even as the prince of the Fire Nation, Zuko has always struggled in life, particularly in matching his prodigy sister Azula and getting his father's acknowledgement. This came to a head when Ozai punished him for a perceived slight by horrifically burning his face and sending him into exile, refusing to let him return until he had captured the Avatar. (This was intended as a Snipe Hunt, since Aang had been missing for a century.) Determined to prove his worth to his father, Zuko hunted Aang across the world for the first season while trying to find his own destiny.

Eventually, Zuko betrays Iroh and helps Azula take over Ba Sing Se. Granted amnesty for his actions, Zuko is finally allowed to come home. He has his honor restored, the adoration of a nation, the love of his life, and the respect of his father. And he finds himself lacking. After some soul-searching, Zuko finally realizes what Iroh had always tried to teach him. After giving Ozai an epic and well-deserved Calling the Old Man Out, Zuko defects to join the Gaang as Aang's Firebending teacher. Though initially mistrusted, grudges dissolve into friendships and Zuko soon becomes a core member of the group. At the end of the series, Zuko becomes the new Fire Lord and strives to rebuild the world into an era of peace. And hopefully find his mother.

Tropes exhibited by Zuko include:

"It's like a thilver thandwich!"

Uncle Iroh

Voiced by: Mako (original), Greg Baldwin (after Mako's death)

"Sick of tea?! That's like being sick of breathing!"

Zuko's and Azula's uncle and Ozai's brother, Iroh was once the heir to the Fire Nation throne a mighty general known as the Dragon Of the West. After the death of his beloved son Lu Ten, Iroh lost his thirst for conquest and retired. Afterwards, Iroh came to think of Zuko as his own son. When Zuko was exiled, Iroh went along with him to mentor and protect him. While he tends to act very silly most of the time, he is actually one of the most capable of the cast, and likely a match for Ozai himself. Also the Grand Master of the Order of the White Lotus.

Tropes exhibited by Iroh include:
  • Acrofatic: Season 1 and 2
  • Anti-Villain: Type IV.
  • Badass Beard: From Season 2 onwards.
  • Badass Grandpa: Still a powerful Firebender well into old age, enough so that Zuko tried to get him to challenge Ozai when Aang disappeared.
  • Big Good: Of the order of the White Lotus.
  • Breakout Character
  • Breath Weapon: "Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname Dragon of the West?" While he's not the only Firebender who can do this, this is his signature move.
  • Bunny Ears Lawyer: He is one of the greatest Firebenders in the world and the leader of an organization of Badass Grandpas who have all dedicated their lives to mastering their art/fighting style. He would much rather drink tea and play Paisho.
  • Cain and Abel: Abel To Ozai's Cain, though the two never fought directly. When he was given the chance, Iroh declined, as it was Aang's job.
  • The Caretaker: To Zuko.
  • Chivalrous Pervert: "I didn't see you get immobilised by the tongue..." "Shhh."
    • To elaborate, Nyla, June's animal companion has a tongue with neurotoxins that can paralyze anything that it licks. After a scuffle with Team Avatar, they tricked Nyla into hitting Zuko and June and Iroh "fell" on top of June, despite not getting hit. Zuko then comments.
  • Cincinnatus: Of the 'does not want power' type. He'd much rather run a tea shop and let his nephew run the nation.
  • Cool Old Guy: Friendly, funny, kick ass, and plays a mean game of pai-sho.
  • Cool Uncle: To Zuko, specifically.
  • Cultured Badass: Not only can he kick your ass in the battle arena, he can kick it in Paisho and tea brewing!
  • Dead Soldier Son: Inverted. It's implied that if his son hadn't been killed in the Battle of Ba Sing Se, Iroh would've been a different person rather than the cheery, yet tragic Cool Old Guy. Not necessarily evil, but he definitely would've been a powerful, feared Fire Lord after the victory.

"Leaves from the vine...falling so slow..."

  • Death Faked for You: Protected the dragons from being exterminated by pretending to kill the last of them himself.
  • Dirty Old Man: More of a chivalrous version, however.
  • Drink Order: Tea.
  • Eccentric Mentor: He's obsessed with tea, acts goofy, and is so casual you'd think he didn't know there was a war going on, yet he's the key to Zuko's character development and helps along Aang's and Toph's too.
  • Eyes of Gold
  • Foreshadowing: His White Lotus tile may not have seemed important when brought up during Book One, until you later find out about the Order of the White Lotus.
  • Generation Xerox: He more closely resembles his genocidal grandfather Sozin than his lanky father. There is double irony there, given that Iroh is far less of an asshole than Sozin was, and that he was his father's favorite (rather than Ozai, who resembled Azulon the most).
  • Grandpa What Massive Hotness You Have: That scene in "Sokka's Master." Dare you deny it?
  • Heel Face Turn: Subverted, as he was pretty much always a good guy. He just stuck with the Fire Nation to protect/guide Zuko. He showed his True Colors when he learned of Zhao's plans for the moon.

Iroh: "Zhao, whatever you do to that spirit, I'll unleash on you ten-fold! Let it go now!"

Princess Azula

Voiced by: Grey DeLisle

"My own mother thought I was a monster... She was right, of course, but it still hurt."

Zuko's younger sister and princess of the Fire Nation. As a Firebending prodigy, her father Ozai favored her over Zuko, though the two had an opposite relationship to their mother Ursa. Azula uses her position and power to torment Zuko and anyone else in her way. A skilled tactician, master manipulator, and brilliant fighter, she's easily one of the Gaang's deadliest foes. She describes herself as "a people person," but she really is only skilled in manipulating people through fear. Normal interaction eludes and bewilders her more often than not.

Tropes exhibited by Azula include:
  • Alas, Poor Villain: True, she may have done awful things, but her fall is so catastrophic and heartbreaking it's near impossible not to pity her.
  • Arrogant Kung Fu Guy: She has this opinion of herself but her interactions with opponents are more psychological.
  • Ax Crazy: Keeps it in check for most of the series, but lets it all loose during her Villainous Breakdown.
  • Badass: Competes with Toph for the most Badbutt on the show.
  • The Baroness: Sexpot variety.
  • Be Careful What You Wish For/The Chains of Commanding: When Ozai gives her the title of Fire Lord when he ascends to Phoenix King, Azula is initially pleased at the authority she now wields... But the burden of being supreme leader starts eating at her sanity, her becoming more paranoid and psychotic as the days pass. By the time Zuko and Katara show up to face her in the grand finale, she's a total wreck.
  • Berserk Button: Never imply that she is less than perfect. Also, if you want to die in a painful and humiliating manner, say Zuko is better than her in any context.
    • The word "monster" is her personal Trigger, due to perceiving her mother considered her this. As such, she despises being thought as one. The tragic part is that no one has called or even thought of her as a monster, but her delusions won't let her see this.
  • Broken Ace: She's held as The Ace throughout the Fire Nation for being a Firebending prodigy and a master planner and manipulator, at the age of 14. She, however, has serious issues with perfection, and she gets even more broken in Book 3.
  • Broken Bird: Good lord...
  • Cain and Abel: Cain To Zuko's Abel.
  • Card-Carrying Villain:

"My own mother thought I was a monster... She was right, of course, but it still hurt."

    • While this was played for psychosis and self loathing in the finale, when first brought up it was in a "history will overlook that unsavory aspect of me" sense.
  • The Chessmaster: At only 14 years old, she comes up with a plan that successfully conquers a city that had remained standing for a century.
  • Consummate Liar: "I am a four hundred foot tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings."

Toph: Okay, I admit, you're good.

Azula: "For some reason, when I meet boys, they act as if I'm going to do something horrible to them."
Ty Lee: (laughs) "But you probably would do something horrible to them."

Mai

Voiced by: Cricket Leigh

"Victory Is Boring."

Daughter of very high class Fire Nation nobles, Mai was constantly forced by her parents to be quiet in order to keep up appearances. As a result, Mai finds no enjoyment in anything other than her childhood crush Zuko. As an expert with throwing blades, Mai was recruited by her old friend Azula to help her in her schemes. Although she does have a soft spot for Zuko, she's so apathetic to everything that she doesn't care about being Azula's soldier. At least, that's what Azula thought.

Zuko:"I like it when you express yourself." or "You're so beautiful when you hate the world."

"You want me to express myself? LEAVE ME ALONE!"


Ty Lee

Voiced by: Olivia Hack

"My aura has never been pinker!"

Daughter of Fire Nation nobles, Ty Lee made an effort to distinguish herself from her six identical sisters. After joining a circus, Ty Lee was forcefully recruited by her childhood friend Azula. Although she's an expert martial artist able to stop bending by striking pressure points, she's more interested in doing handstands and being girly than doing villain work. Nonetheless, she's easily cowed by Azula, making her a loyal, if very quirky, minion. At least, that's what Azula and Ty Lee herself thought.


Fire Lord Ozai

Voiced by: Mark Hamill

"I have all the power in the WOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRLD!!"

Ruler of the Fire Nation and likely the most powerful Firebender on the planet, Ozai is the main antagonist of the series. A ruthless warlord and megalomaniac, Ozai is willing to burn the rest of the world to the ground so he can rule. He has little to no empathy for anyone, including his own children (though he's acts decent towards them if they prove themselves useful.) Aang must defeat Ozai before Ozai can harness Sozin's Comet and use it to end the war once and for all. After crowning himself Phoenix King and trying to annihilate the Earth Kingdom with the Comet's power, Ozai was defeated by Aang, relieved of his Firebending, and left to rot in a prison cell.

  • Abusive Father: You see that scar on Zuko's face? That's just the most visible mark.
  • Ambition Is Evil
  • Authority Equals Asskicking: Does it ever. The only benders in the world who have a chance of beating him in a straight fight are Aang and Iroh, meaning that Ozai is at worst the third most powerful bender in the world. Though that's a moot point after he loses his bending.
  • Beard of Evil
  • Badass: See Authority Equals Asskicking.
  • Bigger Bad: Leader of the bad guys, but he gets almost no screen time until...
    • Big Bad: ...the four episode finale, but his influence in the story makes him the main villain for the series.
  • Brought Down to Normal
  • Cain and Abel: Cain To Iroh's Abel, though they never fought directly. Ozai preferred machinations when dealing with his brother.
  • The Chessmaster: Like his daughter, he's a very capable strategist and manipulator. Unlike his daughter, he's usually too Drunk on the Dark Side to use it, and generally prefers to just set his problems on fire.
    • It appears as though he is flexing his Chessmaster abilities in The Promise.
  • Classic Villain: Representing pride and ambition.
  • Despotism Justifies the Means: He wants to rule the world in his own name, not as the ruler of the Fire Nation, so he promotes his daughter to Fire Lord and declares himself the Phoenix King.
  • The Determinator: He refuses to give up, even still referring to himself as the "Phoenix King", after losing his powers.
  • Drunk on the Dark Side: Just read his quote.
  • Equal Opportunity Evil: Quite evil, but no one can say he's sexist. Favors his (also evil) daughter over his son, has no problem with women serving in the Fire Nation military, and has no issue with making his aforementioned daughter the Fire Lord.
  • Evil Cannot Comprehend Good
  • Evil Is Burning Hot
  • Evil Overlord
  • Evil Mentor: To Zuko in The Promise.
  • The Evil Prince: In flashbacks.
  • Eyes of Gold
  • The Faceless: In Seasons 1-2.
  • Fate Worse Than Death: His final fate. To say he deserved it would be an understatement.
  • Faux Affably Evil: When he's not being abusive, he sounds civil, but in a cold and not-really-empathic way. He tells people what he thinks they want to hear, so long as what they want is to stay on his good side.
  • Freudian Excuse: It's implied he was The Unfavorite to Azulon. Considering he did the exact same thing to Zuko but worse, this gets him no points whatsoever.
  • A God Am I:
    • God-Emperor: Makes a claim at this towards the end with the new position of "Phoenix King".
  • Glass Cannon or Squishy Wizard: Reflects his fighting style if not his fragility. Unlike his brother and children who like to mix it up in close combat and are generally almost as dangerous without bending as they are with it, Ozai prefers to stay at a distance and blast his enemies with ranged attacks. In the absence of bending he even seems to consider himself outmatched by Zuko. Zuko was admittedly armed with swords at the time.
    • Not really: During the entire final battle from the begining until Aang enters the Avatar state he's chasing Aang down trying to get close. It's the Avatar who is backing away and running. Plus because Sozin's comet makes his attacks so much more powerful he doesn't need to be as close to attack effectively.
  • Hannibal Lecture: Toward Zuko in The Promise.
  • Hate Sink: Boy is he ever. He's pretty much your typical Evil Overlord from the get go, but what makes him into this trope is his horrendous treatment towards his family, especially his children. He derided and mistreated Zuko for not living up to his expectations, going so far as to burn his face and exile him, driving him into a pointless quest to capture the Avatar. He horrifically twisted his daughter Azula into becoming his Daddy's Little Villain, only to kick her upstairs, with his teachings breaking her psyche completely. There's absolutely nothing likable or sympathetic about him, and the Fate Worse Than Death he suffers is pretty much deserved.
  • Hot Dad
  • Humiliation Conga: Brought Down to Normal, mocked by teenagers and left living on the mercy of the son he abused.
  • Inferiority Superiority Complex: Heavily hinted in his relationship with his brother, in his own personal search of admiration and respect and lately in his Villainous Breakdown.
  • Kill It with Fire
  • Knight of Cerebus
  • Large Ham: In the series finale as The Phoenix King!
  • Manipulative Bastard: Plays on Zuko's emotions right until the kid Calling the Old Man Out.
  • Might Makes Right: Firmly believes that the Fire Lord's will is right by way of being the Fire Lord.
  • Misery Builds Character: He believes hardly in this as way of upbringing to his children.
  • Necessarily Evil: According to him in The Promise to govern a empire like the Fire Nation.
  • Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: He tried to smash Aang's earth shield only to hit the chakra that Azula had blocked, opening it, and immediately gets his ass kicked.
  • No Celebrities Were Harmed: His final solution to the Earth Kingdom is a literal Holocaust. To make the similarities even more obvious, it's based on an earlier genocide (Hitler mentioned the Armenian genocide before initiating the Jewish one by saying there would be no consequences for attempting it), and just like Hitler, his predecessor which barely could stand him suddenly died just after negating him supreme power (Hindenburg wins the presidential election, Azulon negates to give Ozai's precedence over his older brother Iroh).
  • Offing the Offspring: Was planning on doing this to Zuko when he was about 8-10 to appease his father. Attempted to do it again when Zuko announced his intentions to join the Avatar to help him defeat him.
  • Oh Crap He actually has his first moment of panic even before this when it looks like Aang is going to redirect his lightning right back at him. He doesn't use lightning for the fight after this. He didn't take it well when Zuko threw his lightning back, either.
  • Omnicidal Maniac: His Evil Plan in the finale was to wipe out the other two nations.
  • Orcus on His Throne: Strategically justified.
  • Parent Service
  • Pet the Dog: Rescues a young Zuko from drowning after a tide sweeps him into the middle of the ocean.
  • Prepare to Die: A rare, terrifying example: it helps that he waited until he had a solid claim to winning.

"You're weak -- just like the rest of your people! They did not deserve to exist in this world -- in my world! Prepare to join them! Prepare to DIE!!!"

Princess Ursa

Voiced by: Jen Cohn

"That's what moms are like -- if you mess with their babies, they're gonna bite you back."

Even as Ozai's wife, Ursa was a caring mother to their children. (Though she had considerable problems dealing with Azula.) She was one of the few people who consistently supported Zuko, and it came as a hard blow to him when she suddenly disappeared.

The reason for her disappearance was part of a deal with her husband Ozai: in exchange for not killing Zuko, Ursa would kill Fire Lord Azulon and make it so Ozai could take the throne. Though Ozai claims that she is now banished, it's unknown what finally happened to her.

Commander/Admiral Zhao

Voiced by: Jason Isaacs

"I had a pupil once who had no interest in learning discipline. He was only concerned with the power of fire - how he could use it to destroy his opponents and wipe out the obstacles in his path."

—Jeong Jeong

The power-hungry and glory-seeking Admiral of the Fire Nation. With his greater resources and army, he served as Zuko's rival to capture Aang in the first season. However, he considered the capture of the Avatar to be a minor project compared to his dream of KILLING THE MOON! While he did succeed, his actions were quickly undone by Yue, and he was killed by the vengeful Ocean Spirit.

"WE ARE THE GODS NOW!"

Combustion Man

"I've heard about you. They say you're good at what you do. And even better at keeping secrets. The Avatar is alive. I want you to find him. And end him."

—Zuko

A mysterious assasin hired by Zuko to hunt down and kill the Avatar. Relentless in his pursuit of Aang and seemingly unstoppable, he uses a unique form of Firebending by shooting laser beams that cause Stuff Blowing Up. Also known as Sparky Sparky Boom Man.

Fire Lord Sozin

Voiced by: Ron Perlman

"I've been thinking. We should share this prosperity with the rest of the world. In our hands is the most successful empire in history. It's time we expanded it."

Sozin is the man responsible for the destruction of the Air Nomads, father to Azulon, grandfather to Iroh and Ozai and great-grandfather to Zuko, Azula and Lu Ten (Iroh's son). As Fire Lord during Roku's era, Sozin plotted to take over the world as a way of sharing the Fire Nation's prosperity with everyone. Knowing that the Avatar would oppose his plans, he used the power of a passing comet to launch a devastating first strike on the Air Nomads, wiping them out (except Aang, who he missed) and leaving him free to wage a one hundred year war. Although he is now long dead, his comet will return to allow Ozai to do the same for the rest of the world. Also once close friends with Avatar Roku, ever since they were children. However, the two became distant due to Roku's duties as the Avatar and Sozin's plans for conquest, and Sozin betrayed him as soon as he had the chance.

  • Ambition Is Evil: Especially when it leads you to leave your former best friend to die.
  • Bait the Dog: Right before he begins his plans for conquest, he's personally helping to save his citizens from an erupting volcano.
  • Be All My Sins Remembered: Thinks this near the end.
  • Big Bad Friend
  • Creepy Monotone
  • Death by Irony: He started off as a nationalist that wanted to "share Fire Nation prosperity" with the world. By the end of his life, not only did he regret ever acting upon his ambitions, but he realized all too late that he couldn't do a damn thing to change it. It's a healthy dose of irony, karma and a rather tragic finish to what could've been a great leader (morally speaking).
  • Dragon Rider: Though according to Zuko, he's the one who started the tradition of hunting them for sport; by the time of the series, they are all extinct or so Zuko thinks, which seems ungrateful of him.
  • Evil Former Friend
  • Evil Plan: To Take Over the World. He didn't think it was evil at first and his descendents all continue carrying out this plan. Ozai almost succeeded.
  • Eyes of Gold
  • Karma Houdini: Subverted, rather surprisingly. He doesn't physically suffer for his actions, but he ultimately comes to realize that he crossed the Moral Event Horizon, betrayed his best friend and wasted his life on a wild goose chase to find the next Avatar. At the end of his life, Sozin dies a rather somber man, unable to enjoy his success or attempt to undo the damage he's done. The world let Sozin off, but his conscience didn't.
  • Posthumous Character: We learned of his backstory through a flashback-like episode, particularly by word-of-mouth from Roku and Zuko's history scrolls. Azula pitched in on the basics of Sozin's impact on the world at the beginning, too.
  • Predecessor Villain
  • Redemption Equals Death: Averted. He came to regret many of his decisons, but never got a chance at redemption.
  • Royals Who Actually Do Something: Despite having had a falling out with Roku years before, he was still willing to help him save Fire Nation citizens from an erupting volcano.
  • Utopia Justifies the Means: Actually ends up being an aversion, as he realized his utopia wasn't worth what he'd done to try and create it.
  • Was It Really Worth It?: At the end of his life, he decides that no, it really wasn't. Too bad his descendants didn't take a hint.
  • We Can Rule Together: To Roku.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: As illustrated by his quote.
  • White Man's Burden: Essentially what he's trying to do to the world. While his descendants weren't as interested in helping the world, they continued to preach this as propaganda.

Fire Lord Azulon

Voiced by: Walker Edmiston

"You dare suggest I betray Iroh? My first born? Directly after the demise of his only beloved son? I think Iroh has suffered enough. But you, your punishment has scarcely begun!"

Azulon was the Fire Lord before Ozai, son of Sozin, father to Iroh and Ozai and grandfather to Zuko, Azula and Lu Ten (Iroh's son). Famed for his military prowess and skill at firebending, he ruled the Fire Nation with an iron grip. He was a man with little warmth in him, sentencing men to death with a stunning callousness. Ozai seemed to have had as strained a relationship with him as he did with his own son, always seeking to earn his favour but always being met with scorn. After Ozai tried his patience one time too many, making an inappropriate bid for the throne, Azulon ordered Zuko's death, to teach his son a lesson in humility (not that it would have worked, considering Ozai was more than happy to do so). He died shortly after giving that order, making way for Ozai to succeed him as Fire Lord.

  • Abusive Father: Heavily implied that he was like that with Ozai.
  • Asshole Victim: All signs point to Azulon not being a very nice person. Word of God and background material show him as ruling the Fire Nation with an iron fist and carrying out the war against the other nations with brutality only matched by Ozai. Of particular note is the genocide carried out against the Southern Water Tribe's Waterbenders and the raids carried out against said tribes. (These raids eventually resulted in the death of Katara's mother.) Not to mention the fact that he was willing to have his innocent grandson killed just to prove a point to Ozai. Other than possibly Iroh, it's unlikely anyone really missed him when Ozai and Ursa killed him.
  • The Coroner Doth Protest Too Much: Blows up at Ozai over a proposal to disown Iroh one night, and dies of old age after naming Ozai his heir by the next morning? How... convenient.
  • Even Evil Has Standards: As his quote illustrates, he didn't appreciate Ozai's attempt to use Lu Ten's death to usurp the birthright from Iroh.
  • Posthumous Character
  • Thicker Than Water: He and Iroh, despite his failure.
  • Unreliable Narrator: The only knowledge we have of him and his actions (besides Zuko's memories) comes from two in-universe sources, neither of whom is bound by Villains Never Lie.


Lo and Li

Voiced by: Takayao Fischer

"Azula, we are concerned for you and your well-being!"

Lo and Li are a pair of elderly twins, who serve the Fire Nation Royal Family as Azula's advisors and Firebending mentors, despite not being Firebenders themselves. Every scene of theirs is with Azula.

Tropes exhibited by Lo and Li include:
  • Badass Normal: While Lo and Li are never actually seen fighting, it's clear that when you consider the attitude of the Fire Nation royals, being an advisor must mean you're pretty good at what you do. Word of God also states that they were driving the machine in "The Chase", meaning they have some proficiency with machines.
  • Creepy Twins: At first. In their last few appearances, they seem to become comic relief.
  • Even Evil Has Standards: When Azula started going crazy, they did their best to stop Azula from going overboard.
  • Evil Old Folks: Or at least devout patriots to an evil society.
  • Expy: At first, they seem to be Azula's answer to Zuko being with Iroh, but that doesn't come to pass.
  • We Were Quite The Lookers: In "The Beach", it's revealed that when they were young, they were quite beautiful.
  • Older and Wiser: They are advisors, after all.
  • Single-Minded Twins: They're constantly finishing each other's sentences or speaking in unison, and their physical actions often mirror each other.
  • Theme Twin Naming: Their names are the exact same, bar a single letter.
    • Their names are also completely different, barring a single letter.
  • What Happened to the Mouse?: We never do find out what happens to them after one of them is to be banished. It could be assumed that they left together instead of just one, given Azula's insanity at the time.
    • Alternatively, they both stayed but just stayed away from each other so Azula wouldn't notice.
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Avatar:_The_Last_Airbender/Characters/The_Fire_Nation?oldid=2027613"