In Defense of Azula - The Born Lucky Prodigy (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
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- čas přidán 7. 06. 2020
- I wanted to see if I could mount a case for Azula, and here's the outcome.
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MUSIC:
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Azula's theme
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Final Agni Kai - Krátké a kreslené filmy
I wanted to see if I could mount a defense for Azula’s actions in ATLA, trying to take the blame away from Azula and onto her surroundings. It is important to note that Azula had very questionable actions, and some downright evil ones, such as smiling when Zuko got burned, burning the earth kingdom doll, killing Aang, etc. She’s a complex character for that reason. Regardless of that, while I don’t actually agree with some of the things I myself mentioned in the video, I had fun mounting this defense, playing devil’s advocate for this character. Enjoy!
Also, it is important to note redemption has to come out of one’s own volition, so saying Azula deserves redemption, and her wanting it, are different things.
this is interesting
Make one on Revy and Rock's relationship from Black Lagoon next.
This seems hella off topic but this is the same problem that we're seeing in Attack on Titan. The Marleyans are being raised into thinking that the eldians are demons that have to be killed and its to the point where they dont see the wrong in their actions because in their minds its like 'so what if we murder theses innocent babies and children they deserve to die for something that they had no control over 2000 years ago.' The environment that they're in forces them to believe that these people have to be killed at all costs despite the fact that they had nothing to do eith what happened in the past
Excellent work, as always. Your video really helped me understand Azulas struggle.
Ursa's parenting could never have been good enough, Ozai being as he was, he would have caused far too much damage for any one person to handle, the only answer would be to eject Ozai completely and permanently from the picture, but their status as royalty makes that impossible
"Azula did anything Ozai asked but when she needed him the most, he vanished."
Um, bruh.
nice reference to the opening
🤣
tony estes ghost stories
SILENCE
She's the saddest character in the series. She just hid it by perfecting her skills.
How DARE you describe me as perfect? PERFECT IS TOO WEAK OF A WORD.
Azula I- don’t know what to call you otherwise princess Azula of the fire nation
@@whyyouhere2110 IT'S FIRE LORD AZULA NOW
@@azula5510 Sorry to ruin your destiny but your locked up now as I Fire Fist Ace is now the new Firelord.
Azula i mean not really
She's wasn't born lucky. She was born into being a weapon. That's not lucky. That's a curse.
Azula is evil Adora confirmed?
@@boglenight1551 who adrora if you mean pandora I can kinda see what you mean but no I have no clue what thau means
I'm not weird everyone else is weird and I'm normal I think they’re talking about the main character from She-Ra
@@naturerules8816 I still don't know what She-Ra is
I'm not weird everyone else is weird and I'm normal it’s a tv show. Search it up if you want I’m bad at explaining things clearly
Azula is just an extreme example of the “gifted kid” and how toxic that mentality is.
Liza Johnson the only reason she ended up evil is because of Ozais way of parenting. He pitted them against eachother for his love and she developed a mentality that she had to be better than her brother or else she will end up a disgrace like him. In addition to the fact that her mom never gave her as much attention as Zuko, leaving her clinging to her father for love and admiration and the only way she got that was from besting him and belittling him. Ergo extreme gifted kid
@Liza Johnson it does matter because she is just a child you cant blame a child for that
Liza Johnson yeah because who cares about depression and little emotional growth when you’re successful.
@@spacescribs5838 yeah, she was evil, but it wasn’t really her fault, and it’s really depressing to be honest. Makes me feel conflicted about her, I should despise her for her crimes but I can’t. Now Ozai on the other hand.... no conflict there, only hate.
That gifted kid mentality was mine for awhile. I got told how good I was at everything and I didn’t have much trouble getting good at things. When things then got harder I didn’t understand it. Talent gave me an early boost, but it also meant that I didn’t develop the work ethic that those around me had, and it made things much more difficult in the long run.
Azula to me was always the most overlooked of Ozai's abuse victims.
Preech
Because she's not as abused as the rest.
@@buster3041 she was mentally not physically, he saw her as a pawn and didn't want to "damage" his property unlike Zuko
@@buster3041 Oh she absolutely was. He emotionally abused his wife, physically abused his son and mentally abused his daughter.
@@Silva-ek9hd exactly.
I fully expected to cheer and jump for joy when Zuko finally defeated Azula but seeing her like that put so much into prospective. There's no joy in a broken 14 year old girl weeping uncontrollably
this...
Well when i was 9 years old i love when she is going crazy
But now more mature me
I feel sorry for her
If not bcs of her nation great ambition for conquering the world mybe she just gonna be competitive person
what is striking me at this scene even more is Zukos reaction, when you see Zuko being sad about Azula, you get that after everything Zuko loves Azula, she is still his sister for him and that is really heartbreaking i think.
Holy fuck she's 14... I legit thought she was like 23 or something. I forgot that everyone in Last Airbender was in their teens. EDIT: The oldest of the younguns is Sokka at 18 by the end of the series, wtf. Everything's in a different perspective now.
@@fredxu99 No sokka is 15 the series starts in the winter of 100AG and ends in the summer of 100AG.
Azula's cries after Katara chained her stuck with me after the first time watching it as a kid.
I was witnessing something Negative, yet Meaningful, Memorable and Honest.
Grey DeLisle did an amazing job voicing Azula and making that moment one of the most memorable scenes of the show.
She broke after watching Katara heal Zuko because je got love despite being 'weak' and she wanted that and never had.
@@shadyrain1206 poor azula I think she really want someone who would understand her.
Azula honestly breaks my heart. In the end, her tears were like the confused tears of a child. She believed power and glory would make her happy, but in the end her only desire was for love.
Who Am I? That breaks my heart also :( I wish she got a redemption arc
yea sometimes we forget she's really just a child that grew up being a weapon of a war, she didn't get a childhood and had no one to guide her like iroh for zuko
Yep, like what Zuko said "I thought it was honor what I wanted, but in the end I wanted you to love me", but by the way, how ironic is that Azula was so full into the "love/care = weakness" and yet so much that she's ever did and was was all for her father's love
The last agni kai is a devastating scene, even the music conveys that. Two siblings shouldn't be fighting to take the other one down; of course it's epic, but it's also sad.
The music was devastating. Absolutely perfect for that scene.
Agreed
The music reminds me of Luke Vs Vader's music during their final duel
the choreography + music behind it is makes the scene of my favourites!!
The "epicness" of it is part of why it's so sad. The giant walls of flame, the relentlessness of Zuko and especially Azula. This isnt an argument between siblings. Its an all out war against brother and sister
I love Azula. She's a product of neglect, disproportionate love shown, and of her times.
How was she neglect when her mother was their?
@@Furkward Being present and being available are two different things.
pyropulse while world views are generally more complex it is a lot different when you are the child of a king and heir to an empire. Not only that but the biggest empire in the world. If you are mad about writers spinning their own interpretation of how things would go you should stop consuming all media. No more tv, no more video games, no more books.
@pyropulse you are probably a product of neglect, disproportionate love, and of your times. Do you really think people's view isn't shaped by how they are raised?
@@FurkwardHer mum literally called her a monster lol
Azula is such a tragic character. Her goals and Zuko’s were exactly the same: pleasing their father. I believe that one little circumstance could’ve totally changed the siblings’ dynamic. Something as simple as following Ty Lee’s style of trying to define her own individuality. Things like this are why the royal siblings are my favorite characters in Avatar; they were side characters (or just for the most part in Zuko’s case), but their presence didn’t make them feel like they were.
And the show being a kid’s show, we often expect excitement and a sense of justice when the Bad Guys™ are defeated. However, I felt none of that. The fight was sad and powerful, the music making it feel even more tragic. They were just kids, siblings, and they were trying to kill each other.
...
Seeing azula during her breakdown is always hard to watch
The reason why I think a redemption arc would make sense for Azula is the sibling dynamic between her and Zuko. Younger siblings often learn how to act watching the older siblings. She saw Zuko's love and compassion was met with hatred and disgust by their father. So she did the opposite. But after the war she sees she was wrong. Zuko through love and compassion got everything, family, friends (her friends) and the throne. Zuko would also be to Azula what Iroh was to him.
good points. I figured her path to redemption would be a bumpy one, probably a very difficult one as thats the nature and beauty of her character. But it would be a path of redemption through Zuko. She might not have truly had someone to balance out the darkness with light, but she always had Zuko; her one true constant that ends up becoming her "true north".
There is this long and detailed fanfiction about Azula and her relationship to Zuko and her mother after the war. It's called 'Dominion'. In it Azula escapes a mental asylum she was put in by Zuko and starts the life of a fugitive in the Earth Kingdom. She starts looking for her mother, in order to get rid of her halucinations, and wants to trade with Zuko; Her mother for her father. The fanfiction also dares going into detail on Azulas abusive relationship with her father; not pretty. But it's really believable and true to the characters. Also very harsh on the emotions, not an easy read on that regard.
Here the Link, since people asked:
www.fanfiction.net/s/6383825/1/Dominion
EDIT: Don’t know why this is the only message showing up. Hope that this is the right link.
m.fanfiction.net/s/6383825/1/Dominion
Something that deeply scares me on reflection is the fact that Ozai never had children. He had a Weapon and a Weakling. When Zuko was burned and banished, Azula had a look of sickening glee on her face, but that is also what set into motion her eventual downfall. For Azula to be the better child, she needed Zuko to be the worse child. While she would show allegiance for Ozai at every opportunity, the one command she would openly defy was his wish for Zuko to remain banished. Why would she give Zuko the credit for Aang’s death, if not to coerce Zuko into returning to his role as a shield, to divert the heat away from her?
While so much of Azula is defined by Ozai, when she learned that she was being left behind, while Ozai shed his title of Fire Lord, stripping off any fatherly semblance, while reforging himself as the Phoenix King, that was when he proved himself to be a figurehead, untouchable and beyond such petty familial connections. While many people deride Ozai for being too one note, I find that so much of his nuances and character depth is shown through his twisted relationship to Azula.
Don’t know if this is appearing for other people, but is this the one?
m.fanfiction.net/s/6383825/1/Dominion
@@1999yasin sounds interesting for sure, but what platform is it on? i couldn't find it by just searching for it. a link would be much appreciated!
I always wish that Azula could have gotten a redemption arc. You hate her so much during book 2, but towards the end of book 3 she is no longer the princess of the fire nation, she’s a scared little girl. Every time I see her last scene when she is chained up, screaming, and crying, it hurts.
Check the comics they say they talk abt azula after ATLA
Yeah azula comes around quite a bit in the comic
@@thatguy5720 she turns mad doesn't she?
@@vinuzo9548 ive seen only a lil bit of spoilers bro but i dont own one of the comics
vinuzo if u want me to tell u lmk I ain’t tryna spoiler it ya feel me
She was never allowed to be vulnerable, to be weak, even when she talks about not caring that her mother didn’t love her enough it’s trying to raise it to brush it to the side.
This makes me wonder if being banished was the best thing that ever happened to Zuko.
426mak it was
Definitely
It was
Yes
This is the exact line Zuko tells the fatherlord
Zuko getting banned was a blessing in disguise he was forced away from his abusive dad and toxic environment into the loving arms or iroh. If it had been the other way around and azula had gotten all that love and grace from her uncle, could there be an alternative universe where she's firelord? I mean she is sharper than zuko lol
Marta Sajot I doubt it, even before that she still had all of this abuse and perfectionism ingrained in her she probably woudl have either tried to prove her father wrong and keep going maybe even tryin got conquer the fire nation maybe even being killed by her father, she probably wouldn’t have been able to take failure and shut down like she did at the end.
@@Valiguss well apparently I heard she was going to get a redemption arc so I feel she could have become a much nicer person if taught from young. If the rolles were reversed I still feel like zuko would have found his own way and switched sides though it may take something really deep to happen to him. Sort of like how the death or irohs son changed him
@@deejaydj6013 Is that whats gonna be on Netflix 🤔🤔
@@krabbykrabby8818 it was gonna be in the original series but i hope they gon do it
@@Valiguss Just curious, do people out there relate to Azula? I don't think its wrong, I was thinking if it was normal to relate to Zuko and Azula simultaneously in different and subjective ways
The only person who could defeat Azula .... *was herself* 😔❤️
Cool channel broo
Jak Royal thanks bro 🖤‼️
Profound thought. I found the ultimate agni kai between her and Zuko extremely out of character, her breakdown being the cause of her downfall.
And zuko and katara and aang and toph and iroh and sokka and ozai and mai and ty lee and maybe a few others that I can't remember.
yes exactly! zuko and katara didn't beat her she could've gotten out of those chains if she wanted to but she didn't she was her own destruction
All she wanted was her mother’s approval, since her father favored her, he rubbed off on her, and when Ty Lee, and Mai betrayed her, she didn’t think she could trust anyone, then the hallucinations, drove her insane.
Any child that was raised under the pretense that they were extremely gifted and pushed to extremes can gravitate to Azula’s arc and learn where the path leads
Really wish we got a book 4: Air to explore the after the war story and truly redeem Azula, the comics are fine but I don’t like how they handled Azula
agreed. They just made her evil and a slave to her fathers legacy. there's more to her than that. Like maybe after that apology from their mother she realizes who ozai really was just as zuko did, and leaves ozai behind to reconcile with zuko. reconciliation wouldve been a much better arc
The writer who joined ATLA later on and who also changed Toph from a buff man to a little girl, had plans for a season 4 Azula redemption arc. She continues reaching new lows and at the very bottom she finds that she has Zuko's unconditional love and guidance, changing for the better.
We were robbed of Azula's redemption 🥺😔
Well, Smoke and Shadow left Azula's arc very unconcluded so that's something we just need to wait for. But as far as Search goes - I liked that comic more than most of the animated ATLA series. And I could say the same about Promise.
I don’t. If that was ever to happen, Ozai was would still need to be around. Ehaz said he had no desire to continue the story after the whole purpose of the show(training to beat Ozai and restore balance) disappeared.
BUT! I would’ve love if Azula had like a mini-episode and they gave some peace of mind to her. Hinting she was coming back to her senses
pyropulse Her rule would have lead to extreme prosperity? Who’s to say. Typically fascist regimes only benefit the ruling class. Do you feel that if the Nazis had succeeded in WW2 that the world would have experienced extreme prosperity?
I always loved the scene of Azula talking to her mother in the mirror. The image of her mother in the mirror was just that, an image created by her mind. One of the hardest things to realize about yourself, is that you have the potential to change for the better. Yet, not doing so out of fear or not being strong enough to take the step in the right direction of improvement. The fact that her imagined vision of her mother says "I do love you" shows that either Azula knew she was loved, or at least like said in the video, wanted to be loved by her mother. If even her mother whom she thought feared her could love her, then anyone who fears her could also grow to love her. When you build your psyche on a misguided thought or image of yourself and others, when it is eventually revealed as misguided, it can harm you. If you realize the reason you think and act the way you do is wrong, you also realize that you could have been different at any point. You could have been better.
Azula is not without faults, and I love how the video still holds her accountable for her actions. Though it still shows that like the rest of her family, she could have changed for the better if given then chance, or if accepting the realization of her own declining sense of self. She is another reason why Avatar will forever be one of my top stories of all time.
thank you for the amazing introspection
However plot twist, the mother was actually there to see Azula
Yea, her mother was her own thoughts. And so she IS aware that she has spent her life trying to control people through fear, and she's not happy about it. She's upset n confused and she openly wishes things were not this way -- a reaction of someone who feels they HAVE to hurt people to maintain a relationship, not someone who enjoys it. It was only when her friends and father abandon her that she was forced to see this method (of fear and intimidation) as a flawed one.
This is such an amazing introspection I've read of her in Reddit, though it was more profound, this part is what i foind more related to your comment
@@chikitita6763 Wow and that's exactly how Firelord Ozai showed love to her, it's all she ever knew
AnUnspokenLegend “Even you fear me”
“No Azula, I love you” even though I hate Azula that scene was really good
Also about her character design, her “perfection” as is nearly kept, it is also completely symmetrical
Sage’s Rain do be epic
I feel everyone looks over the fact of Azula's age due to her personality being very VERY matured (Aang was 12 during the show and he is shown to be naiive and childlike constantly where as Azula is almost always stern and cold) I don't think this is her being mature as a mind but being bread and raised around the environment of power and domination. The Firelord carefully formed Azula into the perfect tool and she became a almost off-shoot of him because she had no one other then him.
It's a shame we never got any real looks at a possible "redemption arc" for her because I feel that would've been another great showcase of Aang's peaceful solutions mantra and a large theme of the show.
Still a great show and a great character
Pe Pet me too I always think it would be soooo cool to see Aang try to talk to Azula and what he would say since he believes in second chances
What I’ve noticed is that a lot of the young girls in this show are very matured for their age (for example katara, Mai, suki and azula) and there’s nothing wrong with being mature but considering their circumstances, it comes off as a result of their surroundings and situations instead of just something that is apart of their personality naturally.
A good example of a younger girl in the show who is mature but still maintains her childishness and embraces it is ty lee, who is the same age as azula and most of the other girls
Actually, I think she acts just like the 14 year old daughter of dictator would act like, minus the agency.
Azula wanted the same thing Zuko did. They both wanted their fathers love but neither would get it. Azula thought she was in competition with her brother for it. While Zuko realized what kind of man his father was and no longer desired Ozia’s love. As Evil as Azula was she was about as bad as Zuko was at the beginning of the series the only difference is she didn’t have an Iroh. She didn’t have someone to keep her in line. Yes she had friends she somewhat cared about but she was basically holding them hostage throughout the story. That made it easy for them to turn on her and at that point she realized she was alone, no mother, no friends, and now her father even left her to burn down the earth kingdom(which was her idea btw). She was alone with nothing but her unraveling mind. Her last act was lashing out and then breaking down. With no one to really comfort her.
Edit: Wow Thanks for all the likes!
Edit 2: For Real Thank You for all of the Likes. Never got 1k.
I agree. When I think about it, Zuko was the one born lucky to have unconditional love.
When both got what they "wanted"- being a war hero for Zuko and being fire lord for Azula- neither of them was happy. Azula and Zuko are the the same in that sense because both did evil deeds because that's how they were raised. Difference is, Zuko was never dismissed as just a monster by their mother and Iroh. He was misguided. Benefit of the doubt Azula never had. I could feel that what Azula truly wanted was love and acceptance as evidenced by her breakdown when she was about to be crowned fire lord.
Perfectly said
@Excelsior duh that's because his mother shaped his mentality as a boy my guy. Something she failed to do with azula. Zuko was lucky that the only good parent set his morals in a good direction to begin with. She even admitted this in the comics. So yes zuko was lucky, but azula was too in the sense of her ability.
Summed up what I was thinking. And also I completely agree that while Zuko had people there for him she had no one which is the biggest reason for her lashing out.
@Excelsior But he did have Iroh by his side no matter what he did trying to help him in life.
Despite his tough beginning, Zuko really changed for the better. He helped save the world, became firelord, and has friends who care about him. All in all, Zuko was actually the one born lucky.
I agree, Azula never got an Iroh or Ursa to sit through her problems and stick with her to the end to see her right her wrongs, I always wondered what would happen if she did
Well, I would say Azula was born lucky as was said in the show, but that her luck also ran out (as others have stated). Meanwhile for Zuko, he was born unlucky, but came across greater fortune once he finally got his luck through his mentoring from Iroh, which helped shape him into a transformed, almost completely different person.
In other words, Azula was born lucky, but Zuko was re-born lucky.
Emperor she was neglected it really wasn’t her fault she did these bad things to get attention if she was told she was loved before like Zuko it would’ve made a difference
@Emperor nobody is born purely evil. As you know the whole basis and purpose of the Avatar is balance. There is yin and yang everywhere. Nature and nurture- genetics and relationships- mold a person into how they act.
He was born lucky enough that Ozai didn't care for him, so other better people picked up the slack. Azula was born with the luck and curse of being Ozai's ideal child. I wonder if the fact that she is the younger sibling might also have helped. After all Ozai felt denied by his father, in favor of his older brother.
I relate to Azula
I was born “Lucky”
I’m always the better looking one in the family, I went to the best university in my country (only the best 3% get accepted) I’m always the best mannered one as well.... I’m idolized by all my family members, everyone wanted to be me.
But what people didn’t realize, I was only doing my best to make them proud. That put me into so much pressure. During this time I also figured out that I’m gay (which is not acceptable in my country) I felt like a disappointment... I dealt with depression for years but I couldn’t show or say anything because I can’t be depressed I’m perfect
Eventually in my last year of university I broke down, I dropped out, I hit the worst state possible. I couldn’t deal with it anymore, so I sent my family a very long message saying that I’m not following their dreams anymore. I’m moving to the UK soon to be able to live freely and away from all the pressure and expectations
And honestly, despite being the “disappointment” I am now.... I’m finally in peace and it is such a relief
i'm glad you managed to break free out of your family's expectations. that was very brave of you.
EUQI Thank you.. I’m glad that my university is free as long as you get accepted.. so I’m not in any debt which makes this a new fresh start for me
Ik this doesn't do much but I wish you luck in life.
Krabby Krabby thank you.. I appreciate it
you got this bro keep your head high
People sleep on Azula, back in these times she had the most control over her lighting. Iroh said “One wrong move can be deadly” while directing lightning but when Katara broke the earth benders out of prison Azula shocked the boomerang out of Sakas hand with a finger tip. Also she bended lighting while Tied up.
Christian Dior that’s just a plot hole my guy
Thats in comics she got a lot sttonger she beaten zuko in qgni kai there.
I had a stroke reading this
Ozai can form lightning immediately, right after an eclipse though
I say this a lot about azula, she had no one there for her, no one that loved her without fear. I really wish she got redeemed.
I think it was more realistic that she didn’t. I think she did in the comics but I’m glad they didn’t in the show. It’s important to recognize how her trauma and mental abuse from both her parents shaped her and her actions though.
Leilani Dru I agree. I grew up in an abusive family-not everyone gets a redemption arc. Some people must be cut off for you to protect yourself. Zuko’s betrayal of Iroh is nothing compared to Azula’s constant emotional abuse of Zuko their entire childhood. When we talk of abusive parents often there is a cycle of abuse. Sometimes it can be broken, other times it isn’t (hence the cycle). Zuko still has his own demons to deal with before he is ready to tackle Azula’s psychology... He is still recovering from a life of trauma himself. To the people that say Azula is just a child-what about Ozai? What about how he was raised? Can he be redeemed?
Excelsior uhm....yea. Duh. Even in the cartoon zuko and iroh did obviously. The point of my comment wasn’t that she was irredeemable or people in real life can’t be rehabilitated. The point was that not everybody who goes childhood trauma and mental breakdown of that magnitude comes back from it. If they gave EVERYONE a redemption arc, it would’ve seemed a bit too idealistic. It’s like in the episode where katara hunts down her mother’s killer and doesn’t kill him but never forgives him either, because the lesson was that not every trauma gets closure or a neat resolution, some things you never get over and that’s ok. So I’m glad they left it as is, at least for now. How she ended made sense for her character. Since u brought it up, In real life, not everyone gets a redemption story, most don’t. some just...suffer.
asmRTPOP I’m really sorry you grew up in an abusive family :( that fucking sucks. And have no doubt Ozai was probably abused himself. And he definitely seems irredeemable. I don’t know how the comics went, but in the show, they could probably pull of a redemption arc for azula, if they did it EXTREMELY carefully. And made it make sense. There’s so many points in the show where they handle the actual realities of human nature so well, so im sure they could do it. Like when Zuko went to that earth bender town and the family house he stayed at didn’t know he was the fire nation prince, when they found out, they didn’t welcome him with open arms because he saved their town and did some good deeds. Because he was basically a war monger and was the son of the avatar version of hitler. So As long as they keep it real, it could work. But honestly I like how Azula ended personally, even tho I do pity her.
Ovtcry she isn’t a woman. She’s a 14 yr old girl. With an abusive father who molded her in his image. Let’s start there.
Azula is definitely one of my favorite characters in ATLA, and she is my favorite villain.
She's still a villian after the series in the comics.
Perfer Saka, but my favourite is Toph.
@@KallusGarnet its sokka not saka. My favourite has to be either zuko, iroh or sokkah. Ty lee, azula, toph and suki are pretty good as well.
my ult is mai (so underrated), and azula is prolly my second-favorite.
I dunno you just corrected him and then got it wrong yourself 😔🤦
I think, and it would've been a powerful scene, but I think that when Katara chained Azula down, and she broke fully. It would've been amazing if Zuko hugged her. Here was his sister at her lowest, broken, lost, alone and chained. Both literally and figureatively. She was chained to the floor and chained in her mind. Zuko hugging her, could've been the start of that bridge, that moment of healing. Where she has nothing, but her brother.
A sign of hope, for the one character who really needed it by the end.
i think the message is that not all victims are innocent people, Azula did bad things and goes that rout as well even if she had nobody, such as aketchi from persona 5, he was also a gold child that has been abused but that does not change on what he has done
Something that always made me sad was that IROH, supposedly the wisest and most forgiving character, tells Zuko off for thinking he should try to cooperate with her and says "she's crazy and she needs to go down." He never gave her a chance like he did with Zuko, even when they were little kids.
George Spiggott yes, I never understood that.
Looking back at the scene years after the show ended, I felt the same way. My guess is that either Iroh didn't want Zuko to deviate from his own personal growth journey at the risk of getting more hurt by his sister OR that in growing up with his brother Ozai, he saw the same negative toxic traits from his brother in Azula and thus he mentally 'washed his hands' of Azula like he most likely did with Ozai. What do you think?
@@StarViewer68 I think he wrote azula off from the beginning because she didn't remind him of his son. Even when she was very young he didn't seem to like her or know her as well as zuko
You have to understand the context. Both Zuko and Iroh were on the run in a hostile territory. If Earth Kingdom discovers them they will be executed. If Azula discovers them, they will be turned over to Ozai. On top of that Azula struck Iroh and injured him. Azula is dangerous and at height of her power. It made sense Iroh saying this. Zuko needed to be firm facing Azula next. Otherwise it would end badly. Thoughts of getting along would have down doubt in Zukos mind, and Azula would have defeated him.
Nevertheless in the comic book the search when team avatar was against Zuko bringing Azula along for Ursas search, it was Iroh who stepped in and encouraged team avatar to bring Azula along. I think Iroh cares for Azula. The problem is Azula is ruthless and Iroh needed to protect Zuko. They are in a situation where next day they could die. I noticed that Iroh Azula fights Iroh does what is necessary for protection. He does not injure Azula or even it seems to me has no intention of killing her. Also Azula could have killed Iroh in the chase. She is talented and could have hit Itlroh with stronger blast. For all her disrespect towards Iroh I think she loves Iroh deep down. And who knows maybe Azula and Iroh can reconcile. After all Azulas story is up in the air for now. And there are great fanfics which do show both Azula redemption and her getting along with Iroh. We have to see how Avatar Studios will handle Azulas story and how her story is concluded going into Korra.
Also you have to dig deeper. See things with nuisance. I see parallels with notion that Aang was a bad father due to Tenzin Kya Bumi talk in Korra Season 2 civil wars
Yay for Avatar month! I was also very close to Azula while watching Avatar- as I saw myself in her. A perfectionist chasing parental approval and working so hard to stay at the top. I took Azula's story as an example of what these traits; intelligence, ambition, strength, determination, could do in overdrive. These traits are not bad in and of themselves, but it is what your goals are and how you treat those around you that ultimately define who you are. Azula was abandoned and turned out to be untrusting and paranoid of losing her status. You are 100% right, her tragic ending was a perfect foil for Zuko. Thank you for the amazing video, as always xoxox
Thank you as always Monica!
Perfectly said ❤️❤️❤️‼️‼️‼️‼️
Whats Avatar Month???
I won't ever get tired of saying just how much Azula truly deserved better ://///
Azula is a character that sits very close to my heart, she is 14 like me. She has been abused by her father mentally like me. I'm very often compared to Azula when me and my friends talk about characters we relate too. Even at her first scene just sitting on the floor smiling up at Ozai I felt a connection to her. Her breakdown and the last Agni Kai are so heartbreaking for me, she was truly alone at the end. She didn't get the closure she needed but her end was still a great reflection on what she had done throughout the entire series as well as her mental state.
"An innocent child with a thorn in his heart" i find this line to fit perfectly with most 'villains' i find
her.
@@skhafijurrahaman9204 did you just assume They're gender? *TRIGGERED*
@@kungfu5048 I thought you were calling Azula the innocent child.
@@skhafijurrahaman9204 I was
@@kungfu5048 then it's her not his so what.
Even as a kid, I deeply impacted by the scenes of the mirror, the beach and her last scene. Funny enough, the beach scene and the mirror scene became my favorite scenes because they reminded me that Azula is Human, not a monster. I think it's important to understand that being born a prodigy and being born incompetent are the same, hell.
Why I think Azula deserves redemption and a chance at a normal, happy life:
- Because she was a child soldier exploited by her own father who was never allowed to learn and know better before it was too late
- Because behind that prodigy is a broken and hurting child, being crushed by her own failings and being alone through it all
- Because she still clings to the destructive path that was destroying her even after the war, and ultimately that will hurt her the most
- Because the justice that moves the world forward should not include the suffering of a broken girl
And finally
- Because she was born into this world
Love it. I'd also argue that Azula was even more of a victim of her father than Zuko. Zuko got burned and banished, and sure he went chasing the Avatar. But he literally got out of the house, and he ran around with world with his Uncle Iroh. He was able to grow and learn on his own. Meanwhile, Azula was still at home, under the rule of her father, where he could keep grooming her. Also love how we're psychoanalyzing cartoon characters. So much depth to this show. It helped me grow up and it still helps me today at 30 years old.
Azula character was perfectly designed
ScoobySnax 🔥
Azula never had her luck run out. She never had luck in the first place. Her fire bending skills was a curse, and although she was very good, the only person who she wanted to understand, to love her, is her mother. she’s been struggling her entire life
It’s sad that when Zuko was going through a painful time in his life, Iroh showed him boundless love and support, which is exactly what he needed to become a better person. But in her darkest moment, her brother fought her and beat her and she was chained down. I understand how important it was that he did that, but I can’t feel anything but bad for her.
In first though that Azula was a villain but she have a mental break because she wanted her parents loves and wanted to be perfect even she thought that power is the answer. In the beach I saw her breakdown in pain and empathy. Also she my favorite character
Seeing a Sage's Rain thumbnail without text feels weird.
Very weird seeing it
@@SagesRain There's that good ol' text again.
Why does your comment says 1 week ago?
Cy Beast most likely a patreon supporter who gets early access to videos as a reward
@@pervysage392 I'm not a Patreon supporter. I found this video while it was still unlisted. The vid was made public about a week after that.
Azula and Zuko are mirror images of each other. Both have done evil in the past. Both wanting parental acceptance through doing what they knew would please their parents.
I can relate with Azula more though. I always act put together and distant- giving people the impression I'm unfeeling but in reality it's because I'm sensitive. I put high walls up because I had to protect myself, not having anyone to love me, feel secure about or trust.
That's where the difference between Azula and Zuko lies. Zuko was seen as who he is by Iroh and their mom- capable of evil but there is good, deep deep deep down inside. Azula was dismissed as a monster. Nobody ever bothered to get to her.
Azula will forever be my favorite character. As well as Suki.
burgerpatty yup, it’s sad that no one made the effort to get through to her-not even the comics did Azula justice
I would have loved to see Zuko help Azula to escape Ozai’s abuse and achieve peace like Iroh did for him
I've watched all off your Avatar videos over the last few days and they've been soothing during difficult times. I really enjoy videos exploring Azula's character, because there's so much to debate about her and the ideas of evil and empathy. The quote "born lucky" always strikes me because I think it's ironic, and Azula was never born lucky. Zuko was the lucky one because he had to struggle and fight, and also had strong attachments to people who showed him unconditional love and guidance. This combination of adversity and support are what give people a sense of resilience, an ability to adapt after traumas. Zuko loses everything- his family, his lifestyle, his assurance in his values and beliefs, and though he struggles repeatedly he is eventually able to get through it. When Azula is threatened with losing the same, she cannot handle it. She never had the opportunity to build resilience and falls apart. Being "born lucky" is never so lucky as it seems (ask a former "gifted kid" or "child prodigy" how they feel about it as adults). As for whether she's redeemable- I think so, but the tragedy of her character is that she never receives the guidance she needs to redeem herself, at least where we leave her off. One of the writers said given more time, he would have given her a redemption arch, one even longer and harder than Zuko's, with Zuko serving as a mentor for her. But guess we'll never see it.
You’re completely right in your statement, but I just wanted to add that Zuko also had the influence of Iroh. Personally Iroh has influenced my life for the better as well as the wisdom he gives is something which shouldn’t be merely excused as a decent writer’s ideals, but something which can and probably should be applied to all of our lives, but that’s a different story. Zuko in the duration of his struggle had Iroh by his side to empathize with as Iroh had experienced a lifetime of struggle. The death of Lu Ten, Ozai’s usurping of the throne, a childhood of feuding between his brother, and lots more. Iroh remained by the side of Zuko as that sort of guiding light as I personally believe that Iroh wanted Zuko to not end up how he did, realize his father’s tyrannical and unjust ways, and claim his rightful place on the throne. In Azula’s case, she grew being that prodigy, or raw weapon her father viewed her as. Similar to how some parents may be up their student’s academic life all the time, forcing them to never take their focus away for it, even during crisis of self affliction or health; it can be applied similarly to Azula. Ozai knew the raw power she had, he wanted to keep her away from pure “love” like the love that Ursa showed to Zuko. In my opinion, Ozai could’ve perceived “love” as something that weakens the strategist’s mind and brings them to be merciful. Of course Ozai didn’t want any mercy presented from a raw weapon like Azula. This lack of love and proper guidance and care that Zuko DID receive from Iroh and Ursa, was a key factor to Azula’s mental instability. Her perfectionism, narcissist tendencies, and dominance all originated from that childhood prodigy and expectations, as well as the jealousy that I haven’t mentioned until now. Azula was also jealous that she couldn’t “get” her mother’s love, even though Ursa DID love each child dearly. Unfortunately Ozai’s unempathetic and manipulative influence drove Azula to her madness.
The end really made me tear up, when putting all the pieces together it makes tragic, heartbreaking sense; Azula wasn't just some sociopathic exumtion of power, fear and perfection, no she was not a monster, but rather she was used as a piece in ozai's destructive game of dominance chess, a gifted soul who was torn up and reshaped by war, as well as the sins and desires of her father, torn up to the point of mental illness, shaped with so much manipulation that she would lose her bigger picture in exchang life to serve the shaper... just a teenage girl who was robbed of the true social joys in life; happiness, friendship, love and compassion... what if she wasn't shaped from the beginning but was free to take her own path and develop without fear? Her and Zuko could have been the duo that represents the true aspects of fire; passion, the redemption of life, truth even when it hurts, a source of light for others and a symbol of hope! With their generation alone, they were born to make good change to balance their family's sins, they together could've cleansed the world and fed the fire of hope
She literally showed no empathy towards Zuko when he got burned.
@@2minutes58 but why did she tell zuko that Ozai was planning to kill him? and she literally wanted zuko to rule with her. she wanted her brother around. i think she just had a weird and twisted way of showing that she cared for zuko
@@2minutes58 by that logic lets compare zuko feeling no emotion every time he tried to kill aang.
@@chosoistryinghisbest lol trying to get the avatar.....watching your brother get burned by your abusive father....IM NOT BEING THAT GUY BUT SHE IS A Sociopath
Seeing Azula's last moments in the series always makes my eyes water.
After learning about what Azula went through, it's clear that she was never evil from the start. More like misguided and corrupted. As a kid, I did like her as a villain but felt satisfied to see her finally defeated in the finale. Rewatching it now though, I actually felt sorry for Azula and sympathized with her when she broke down. Her final scene was both symbolic and heartbreaking
Corruption can lead to being evil. Maybe Azula wasn’t evil from the start but she was evil
@@seandalo some kid like to kill or torture small animals. Not because they are evil, its because they arent capable of differeniating between right and wrong.
From kids azula , she has a misguided expectation what is right and wrong thanks to her father influence.
If only she get the same attention she get from her mom like zuko, she may growth differently.
Silver Virio Well obviously she knew she had to take control the wrong way. She was evil regardless.
Logical Sean She’s 14 and never had any actual love and support she could trust. Her actions may have been ‘evil’ but that doesn’t mean she’s inherently evil or unworthy of recovery. She’s also a child soldier, which is an actual thing in the real world that is not dealt with by judging the moral character of the child soldier before giving them help.
Red Hood says her flaw the best: "you want to rule through fear, but what do you do with the ones that aren't afraid."
I´d say the scar on Aang´s back has an answer for that ;)
Kill Them And Make A Example,Duh.>:.O
Kill them with brute force, duh! And extremely gruesomely, too!
8:57 Ursa loved Azula just as the same as Zuko in the comics that is clearly stated that Ursa wanted to take both her children when she was banished and when Zuko and Azula found their mother, Ursa wanted to go after Azula when Azula ran away.
I’m pretty sure she love zuko more.
@@tanadin4883 she did because azula was ozai 2.0 she never respected her mother and my mother would have killed me if I behaved like her she is very lucky that her mother was softie and calm.
@@Seoyeaji921 but at the same time we have to say that she did not try to make asula into a good person at all
@@mohamedkamara7701 why would she ? Do you think everybody has to be a softie? You can't change a person who is cruel from nature which azula is but you can change people who are hard on outside but has softness which is zuko and azula is not kind of person who will listen to iroh teachings or ursa cuddles she is different 😈 she is a proud sadist
@@Seoyeaji921 the promblem is that she not crule from nature In the beach episode we see that when zuko felt pain asula make sure he was ok and when she relies she emotionally gutted Ty leee she felt apologetic. We see that when she is not trying to gain her father affection she is a nice person.
2: zuko and asula are the same in this sence the only difference is zuko had helped with his truma asula did not.
3: asula might not listen to iorah but she would when it come to her mother because one thing she crave is her mother love that why see her jealous of zuko because he got affection that she wants without any conditions
4: asula not sadistic she dose not enjoy causing pain she only cause pain to gain affection from her father
Zuko was broken and wanted his honor but he had uncle Iroh to keep him from going crazy Azula had a monster who mentally abused her
I don't think Ozai did that much to her mentally, power corrupts she was just too spoiled, her power was overwhelming for herself to control, she craved attention in an emotional way her dad didn't gave her attention emotionally but told her yes to everything, he was a yes man not a father.
Zuko in the other was the one that was mentally abused Azula wasn't mentally abused she was just ignored completely emotionally nobody opposed or told her no to anything including her dad. That's worst than reprehending your kids and physically abusing them I got spanked and yelled a lot growing up tought me respect and discipline it didn't make me rebellious.
In my teens I lost my father figure my mom stopped hitting me and let me be free she was basically a yes woman and well I got some habits that now as an adult I'm trying to correct because of the lack of disciplinary action from her part. I don't have restrain in certain aspects of my life this is probably the case of Azula when you're given too much freedom, nobody monitored her or took care of her, she even admits this that she was jealous of Zuko for the attention that he got from her mother.
Zuko getting whooped, exiled, punished he got abused but that also showed that was getting attention, his dad was parenting him in a bad way but he was showing attention in a way. Azula wanted attention good or bad Zuko got the attention always, not his dad's approval but his attention. Azula was such a gifted individual, a prodigy and so ahead or time everyone thought she was fine on her own.
@@ShinigamiUchihax2 i think the way u r looking at abuse is very generic. yes both zuko and azula were abused but saying that azula was barely abused(mentally)by her father is false.
she for sure has good in her, I knew it from the moment I saw that she felt sympathetic towards ty lee when calling her tease in the beach episode, and also when she actually admitted to her jealousy shows that she did have weakness, but I don't know if she's ever going to let the good in her come through :(
Thank you for this video. Ozai never had children. He had a Weapon and a Weakling. When Zuko was burned and banished, Azula had a look of sickening glee on her face, but that is also what set into motion her eventual downfall. For Azula to be the better child, she needed Zuko to be the worse child. While she would show allegiance for Ozai at every opportunity, the one command she would openly defy was his wish for Zuko to remain banished. Why would she give Zuko the credit for Aang’s death, if not to coerce Zuko into returning to his role of a shield to divert the heat away from her.
While so much of Azula is defined by Ozai, when she learned that she was being left behind, while Ozai shed his title of Fire Lord, stripping off any fatherly semblance, while reforging himself as the Phoenix King, that was when he proved himself to be a figurehead, untouchable and beyond such petty familial connections. While many people deride Ozai for being too one note, so much of his nuances and character depth is shown through his twisted relationship to Azula.
I want more sympathy and understanding for what Azula was put through and I am so grateful for your video. Stay safe and have an amazing day.
I don’t think Azula’s redemption would devalue Zuko’s arc in any way. If anything, it would greatly improve his arc. Zuko would act as her savior, just as Iroh was Zuko’s. He has been shown love and understanding, something Azula desperately needs. He can be someone who will care about who she is and not what she can do.
With Zuko’s patience and understanding (having the same genocidal, psychopath of a father), I don’t see why Azula can’t accept help and reform to an extent. It would just be a shame to have such a great character waste away in a mental institution, and at such a young age with much of her life ahead of her.
Great video, Sage! I’m glad there’s more people who agree she deserves a second chance.
When I first watched ATLA, I was so ready for them to beat Azula. I thought it was going to be sooo satisfying. But it was probably one of the saddest moments in the show. That scene of her chained to the storm drain crying her eyes out, still gives me goosebumps to this day.
I thought it was satisfying
@@2minutes58 you found a child having a mental breakdown satisfying? 😭
I don't think people Acknowledge the fact that adult being ozai's favorite wasn't a good thing for azula
She was a 14 year old with no parents.
While neither had parents for majority of their lives, Zuko had experienced safety and compassion with his mother.
Azula did not have that she had Standards and expectations from her Abusive father.
She wasn't a teenager, She was a weapon made by her father, and again when the weapon stopped working he discarded her.
Towards the end I genuinely felt bad for azula and hope she would get redeemed because beneath all her darkness she's just a little girl wanting attention and acceptance at heart
Ursa was seriously the worst parent to Azula. Even if she had to leave the fire nation, no one forced her to delete her memories. She still could secretly be in touch with her children and not just hop into another life. Especially considering that those years were really important for Azula to find her true identity. Ursa was just being really selfish
Smh... blaming the mom despite being abused by her husband. Y’all crazy.
It's definitely important to think about the fact that Ursa and Ozai had different parenting styles, so I agree with you there.
The moment she saw herself as imperfect in the mirror, she broke and started hallucinating.
Probably one of the darkest moments in ATLA was when she broke down, because it's not that far off from some realities, and that's what makes ATLA so great and different.
I said the same things to "hello future me" but It's highly likely that Ozai's the one who made Azula think that Ursa feared and despised Azula and it's possible that during Azula's crazy ideas in smoke and shadows actually came from Ozai and he instructed her to do these things while speaking to each other privately during the search. so her issues in both comic trilogies is because she still believes and trusts in Ozai. This highlights the ultimate difference between Ozai and Azula: Azula thinks she can be like her father and emulates him, his cruelty, and his philosophies...but never realizes why his ideas work for him and not her. Ozai's mentality only works because he has no friends, no love for his family at all (not even Azula) and thus, no problems eradicating people at the blink of an eye or dealing with a traitor in his ranks. Betrayal means nothing but a swift death for the traitor. Azula, on the other hand, cannot stomach betrayal at all and becomes unhinged quickly at being betrayed by anyone. In turn, this leads her to a life of paranoia, constantly thinking there's a knife to her back or an arrow aimed at her head. Azula's (admittedly twisted) love for her brother and (at the time) trust in her friends makes her a complete contradiction to what she professed she wants. the only person she loves and trusts is now just Ozai. There needs to be a comic trilogy (two if necessary) where these possibilities are true and Ozai destroys that trust. This would cause Azula to go further down in her madness as Aaron Ehasz wanted but Ozai's reasons for betraying Azula would contrast greatly to the reasons why Mai, Ty lee and Zuko decide to betray Azula. In there case, the reasons why Zuko betrays her is because Iroh showed him truths that Zuko couldn't see before and that spreading fear and hate are not the way to do things, why Mai then betrays Azula is because she trusts and loves Zuko more then she fears Azula and finally why Ty lee backstabs Azula (kinda close to being literally) is that Azula threatened to kill Mai (that and maybe Mai inspired Ty lee to rely more on love then hate) Ozai does leave Azula behind and made the title "fire-lord" look obsolete but he still manipulates her into trusting in his wisdom (probably even gave the "we can rule together" speech at some point off screen) so when Ozai betrays her for real, it could be because she failed to kill Ursa while she had the chance, failing to keep the homeland safe from Zuko and Katara, confesses that Ozai lied about Ursa not loving Azula and thought of her as a monster, after Ozai escapes and plans to overthrow the world into chaos along side Zhi Bao and the entire new Ozai society and renaming that society the red lotus and doesn't need Azula anymore, and holds Azula captive as a result or all of the above. This betrayals would utterly destroy her, all her worst and greatest fears have now been realized, and truly reaches the bottom of her abyss but then Zuko comes in and puts everything he learned from Iroh to the test and he tells her that no matter how bad and messed up their family is, he'll never turn his back on her and would always be wise and loving to Azula alongside Ursa shortly after and Azula takes all that to heart and decides to learn to have compassion. And I think Aang would be the first to forgive her due to his belief that everyone deserves a second chance and trusts Zuko's way of thinking. This of course would still come with some problems. For one thing, They're are many others who won't be so easily forgiving, the whole ordeal would be longer and far more complicated then Zuko as to be expected and Azula would probably have to stand trial for what she's done, Azula may come off as weird an awkward, even more so then how she was in the beach because she has no clear idea how to be the new Azula. All her life she believed fear and control were the natural order of things, so to learn to be a moral empathetic person would require her to invent a new image of herself. It would be very challenging for her and would go through an identity crisis and her hard work to regain the trust of others and being integrated into the group just doubles the challenge. They may try to do a 12 angry men parody like they did with footloose. Ultimately, with Zuko's guidance, Azula succeeds in being redeemed and once again fights along side team avatar against Ozai and the red lotus.
Omg. I never noticed the detail with her lipstick
If she is 14 I am 14.. it's a joke don't call the fbi.. unless.. jk.. hehe..
I'm just gonna say regarding the title: Azula was the one lucky to be born, Zuko got friends, got his emotions stable, and became the firelord, Azula went insane and lost all her friends, all she really has left is her being born
6:47 I only just noticed this now, and its probably the fifth time I've seen this scene. 'The Beach' is the first episode where Azula shows the capacity for remorse and compassion, this is seen when she hastily apologises to Ty Lee after saying that shes 'easy' and 'a tease'. But In this scene on the beach at night, she pretends to stand by her callousness by turning her head away after insulting Ty Lee again. But really, she was too proud to apologise or acknowledge wrongdoing, and instead hesitantly opens one eye to observe the impact of her sharp tongue. This is subtle empathy in a pathetic sense of the word, but empathy to a degree nonetheless.
I actually couldn't wait to see Azula being defeated, but when I actually saw it...I felt bad for her.
I usually say that a lot of villains could have turned out good if they had someone like Iroh.
I think the real question is not whether or not Azula deserves redemption, but rather if she truly desires it. Would she be willing to look back at her past and be able to forgive herself and forge a new destiny? She does kind of do that in the comics, but still in her own twisted way. Iroh and Zuko, in spite of their past actions, actively sought out to redeem themselves when they could've easily chosen to stay and let their grievances consume them, and both of them were able to acknowledge their wrong doings without succumbing to pride and/or shame, something that would be immensely difficult for Azula to do, but not impossible. On the other hand, Ozai is someone who probably doesn't deserve redemption, if nothing else, because he chose his path long ago and is too set in his ways to make such a big change. Everybody is capable of redemption, but not everyone is willing to do it.
Azula is one of the most saddest but powerful people in the series.
If Nick wasn’t a kid show, I believe Azula would’ve commit suicide at the last agni Kai. Probably shooting fire from her mouth and crushing the pillars, possibly crushing herself. Consider Fire Nation is based on Japan, “ Death before dishonor”
SHE IS MY BABY I LOVE HER
They did her dirty in the after comics
azula is my favorite character tbh and i wish she would get a proper redemption story
It's ironic that she's a born lucky prodigy when in many ways she was born unlucky.
@Ovtcry Ozai is the product of fire nation propaganda as well. His ideas about power could easily be tied to the fire nation believing they were the most powerful and rich country in the world and the war was their way of spreading that wealth. Ozai is also a product of circumstance but has his faults. He tried to get Azulon to revoke Iroh's birthright after Iroh's son died but Azulon disagreed. But even this can be tied to the fire nations idea of power over others starting with Sozin.
When I was a kid watching Azula break down at the end was so satisfying. Now I’m older and have rewatched a few times it just makes me feel depressed.
Watching as a child and an adult Avatar is two completely different shows.
she is on of the saddest characters ever created and i think that's what makes her so compelling. i feel like i could analyze her for so long
My poor baby deserves better than all the stars in the sky🥺
Leila Dennis 🥺
@@golden.fire.princess9653 Sweetheart, I am here😘
Yet all she got was space 😔
King No 😭🥺
SIMPS
Azula was my favorite character. Azula, Iroh, toph. Zuko. Aang in that order
Give Azula a redemption arc! Just keep her still cunning and powerful, and I'm happy!
I still maintain the belief that Azula lied about who Azulon ordered Ozai to kill. That he was told he must kill his favorite child, not his oldest. Perhaps Azula believed wrongly that Ursa wouldn't fight to save her daughter the way she would for her son, and probably believes that Ursa failed to see through her deception, but in the end, Ursa loved both her children, even if Azula believed herself undeserving of that love.
Why can't parents let their kids be kids? Like newborn birds, they have to find their wings before knowing they can and will truly fly.
That's a modern concept, parents expected their kids to be little adults back before modern times. Why? I'm not sure.
I mean she had an extremely manipulative and sociopathic father that was trying to constantly be in control. Her being a prodigy is what ultimately was her downfall because he made Ozai set unattainable expectations for her. To top this all off, it is hard to be just a “normal kid” when you have only known a time of war and destruction
Because Ozai Did't WANT Her To Fly: He Wanted Her Caged Until Needed And Then Returned.
@@JT5555 Well he did have a complete disregard for human life, including his own people and family, unlike his own father who at least had a heart when it came to his family.
@Ovtcry Ursa always sensed that there was something wrong with Azula, and she and Ozai share many traits.
Loved this video. Azula was always my favorite character in this series. When i was a kid she was just interesting, she stood out to me more than everyone else. The older I got, the more understanding and deeper thinking i gained, i continued to see how truly fascinating all that she is and all that shapes her as a person/character is. Would love to see what happens to her after where the comics left off. I do think her redemption arc would be a rough journey and would come with a lot of internal battles and solitude, but ultimately leads to redemption though Zuko. He would be her Iroh.
It reminds me of a story a Sex Pistols member told about Sid Vicious, and how his mother was giving him heroin as a birthday present at his fourteenth birthday. His own mother, and at some point, the guy said when you're raised in that kind of an environment, you don't stand a chance. Sid made his own choices, and so did Azula, but their capability to make responsible and moral choices were so warped and distorted by forces that were never in their control, and never could be in their control.
Best character in the whole show and definitely deserves a redemption arc
Fr dawg
she goes on full baddy in the comics and then just vanishes
dawg zuko was better and he got it
Nice pfp and I agree my dude
𝓉ℴ𝓅𝒽 𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝒷ℯ𝓈𝓉
You should be a narrator! Every video of yours is a masterpiece.
Not sure how you feel about the legend of korra, but I'd love to hear some of your deeper meanings behind a few characters :) or even hear your thoughts on the adult versions of team avatar
7:38 gets me every time
This is why I love Avatar The Lat Airbender, nothing is as simple as black and white. Zuko's and Azula's stories, reminded a lot of my childhood and struggles with my parents and siblings. (Obviously not to this extreme.) So when I saw their stories unfold it sort gave me a sense of hope that things could eventually turn out good in the end. however they could also become worse if I didn't surround myself with the right people.
I completely disagree with the common “Ursas questionable parenting skills” stance most people take. The show goes out of its way to display how much she loved her by the correcting of Azulas behavior. Loving parents correct their children, bad parents neglect. She loved each child in the unique way they needed it. Zuko needed encouragement, Azula needed more discipline. Ursa is patient yet firm with Azula despite her being grieved at how sadistic her daughter was.
I'm not sure I'd make the leap and say Ursa's parenting skills were "questionable" either, but I also think there's enough evidence to show that she wasn't _perfect_ . We definitely have to cut her some slack, as she was stuck co-parenting with Ozai, after all. Had she married a decent man I'm sure she would have made an excellent parent. However, every single interaction she has with Azula in flashbacks is negative- scolding, reprimanding, etc. No doubt Azula deserved it in those instances, but never do we see her praise Azula, either. Ursa was trying to compensate for Ozai's negative influence in both her children by showering love, affection, and praise on Zuko and taking Azula to task- both things they weren't getting from their father. But this created a dynamic where Azula was only receiving praise from Ozai and only receiving criticism from her mother, according to two opposing sets of values. Despite Ursa's intentions, a dynamic like this is always damaging for a child. As Hello Future Me puts it, "to earn the praise of her father she had to become a monster in her mother's eyes". I highly recommend checking out his video, "The Psychology of Azula", where he goes much more in depth on the topic of co-parenting.
Ursa was playing a mother's role. She couldn't do the proper discipline to Azula because of the dynamic mother's and daughter's have. If Azula's father on the otherhand, just for one moment tell Azula what she was doing was wrong, Azula would have been a completely different person
Sunrays the only thing that I’ve seen that she did wrong is this remark “what is wrong with that child” that statement is honestly really bad
@@moontowne4873 And the worst part about that is that Azula was *definitely* still within earshot. Regardless of how hard you try not to care, overhearing something like that from a parent is devastating.
Maladjusted Maverick Not to mention Azula was still super young when Ursa was exiled. Ursa never got very long to try and teach her better.
Finally someone who shares the notion that Ursa was an incompetent mother
Something I noticed about the final Agnikai:
Zuko’s firebending forms aren’t just firebending. He constantly used airbending, water bending, and earth bending forms against Azula. While Azula constantly uses the same firebending and lightning bending forms. This shows the growth and progression of the characters. Zuko changed, learned from his time away and used what he learned along the way, while Azula didn’t change enough, and so she broke.
Even though Azula had Ozai’s love and Zuko had Ursa’s love, those two are not even comparable. Ozai’s love was sick and twisted versus Ursa’s motherly love.
Technically Ozai didn't love her
I can relate a lot to Azula because:
I always wanted my dad to acknowledge me like he always does to my sister
My dad proved time and time again (like Azula's mom because Azula thought that ursa didn't love her) always played video games.
I am my mom's golden child and so get all the attention and it does take its toll. I hate having all this pressure to be perfect and it is having an affect because I'm am starting to mentally crypal
Azula needs to heal.
I love your video everything about it is perfect!Yes Azula was without faults and can't be easily forgiven for her actions but after seeing the breakdown you realize that she is just a broken little girl without an identity of her own and shaped by Ozai's tool in his scheme and once she outlived her usefulness in his eyes he discarded her which left Azula devastated as Ozai was pretty much the person responsible for how she turned out
I think that it’s really important to remember that azula is the great granddaughter of avatar Roku too.
They are both conflicted, both Zuko and azula, with having good and evil constantly fighting inside them.
So since they are constantly fighting, azula does indeed have a chance.
Azula does have an internal battle within her but I've yet to see the good that would make her a redeemable character, whereas Zuko had traits that clearly indicated that he cared about people and wanted to do good
@@mary-annannan5216 we do see little good in her on amber island but zuko goodness shines more then azula because she didn't had no one like zuko did
@@chrisdew9816 hmm I don't think the good in Azula seen in that episode is enough to give her a redemption arc, I think zuko is enough but Azula too would just be overkill. She's a great villian and not everyone gets a happy ending.
@@chrisdew9816 We've seen a tiny bit of good from her, but just barely. I personally don't want a redemption arc for her, I think she works better as just a tragic villain without the happy ending
ATLA is probably the best case scenario for character writing. Not many shows can greatly write a villain that makes the audience eventually feel sympathy and understanding as to why they turned out the way they did, but also not forgetting the atrocities they've committed. Azula is an evil person, because she enjoys destruction, manipulation, and domination through her powers. But it begs the thought of is she evil naturally or because of nurturing via Ozai and the absence of a mother's love, then you remember she's a young girl forced to grow up quickly for all the wrong reasons.
Man. I really love the episode where they go to the party and just try to be kids, It can really show what happens to them due to them being raised by war basically. ATLA is a show that you loved when you were a kid, and love so much more when your a teen or an adult. Shame there are no more shows like this being made
And so it begins. I had to rewatch ATLA in preparation for this. Keep it up :)
I like to think to myself that all of Sage's videos are just him thinking out loud after smoking a blunt
He does have that type of voice. Kinda cool though. 😂😂😂
I would’ve loved if Azula got a redemption arc
Can't redeem the mentally sick
K A I You’re right, she doesn’t need a redemption arc, she needs a recovery arc.
Azula: mentally abused by her father (maybe physical) and neglected by her mother Ursa.
Her father broke her, and her mother allowed it to happen.
The fact she (Ursa) didn't realize it because she was trying to protect the one she saw was being hurt the most, doesn't change that fact.
She was just a child who wasn't given a chance, who wasn't seen as anything beyond her label as a perfect heir, the prodigy of the family. That's a cold and restrictive space to exist, where love and compassion had no place.
In the end, all of them were pushed to the limit by Ozai. And she broke beyond repair, it would seem. Her story is a heartbreaking tragedy.
As always, you did an amazing job. This is a very thoughtful and beautiful defense. You are so caring. I love her. She is one of the greatest characters of all time.
Carolina beautifully said! I agree
Ursa felt more like a step-mother or governess towards Azula. My favorite example is the presentation of their skills to Azulon. It would tell a different story, if Ursa had some kind words for both her children.
Or, Azula was born evil? Evil people do exist, you know. Her mother isn’t perfect, but Azula’s behavior as a child would worry and scare any normal parent.