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I dislike calling Zuko's story a story of redemption. The majority of his journey throughout the show wasn't about redeeming himself, it was about coming to terms with the trauma his family inflicted upon him and recognizing it as a cycle of abuse. And then breaking it
- and finding out who he was in the aftermath.
Sozin: "You will obey me or this defiant breath will be your last"
Sozin: "You will obey me or this defiant breath will be your last"
Zuko: "Think again, I am going to speak my mind and you are going to listen. For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me. I thought it was my honor that I wanted. But really? I was just trying to please you. You! My father. Who banished me just for talking
out of turn. Who challenged me, a 13 year old boy, to an Agni-Kai. How could you possibly justify a duel with a child?
Sozin: "It was to teach you respect!"
Sozin: "It was to teach you respect!"
Zuko: "It was cruel. And it was wrong. I've learnt everything. And I've had to learn it on my own"
This last line hit me pretty hard. He finally understands that he doesn't need to please his father(/abuser?), and sees his torment not as a lesson but for what it really was.
This last line hit me pretty hard. He finally understands that he doesn't need to please his father(/abuser?), and sees his torment not as a lesson but for what it really was.
I choked at that point. The scene right after is really powerful too.
Sozin hits Zuko with a literal BOLT of LIGHTNING which Zuko redirects in a split second.
Even in that split second, he doesn't immediately use the lightning to kill the man who tormented his whole life, he purposefully redirects away and escapes.
Even in that split second, he doesn't immediately use the lightning to kill the man who tormented his whole life, he purposefully redirects away and escapes.
Look at him. He's finally began to find himself, and he knows the person he is now isn't someone that operates on rage and seeks revenge.
He literally tells Sozin he'll help stop the invasion and usher in an age of "peace and kindness"
He literally tells Sozin he'll help stop the invasion and usher in an age of "peace and kindness"
i draw strength from him, dude. i love this guy so much. he screws up and hurts many people in his character arc, but he makes amends for every one of them. may we all find the strength we need to recognize torment where we see it and heal from it
