#and is also worried about flat-out telling zuko that the firelord sucks and this quest is stupid because treason

[ironinkpen]

iroh is out here playing 4D pai sho, trying to gently nudge his nephew toward making good choices and maybe also committing some treason, while somehow completely forgetting that his nephew is, at any given opportunity, liable to make the most batshit decisions possible if given even the slightest amount of wiggle room. zuko is deeply traumatized and categorically does not understand anything more subtle than a brick to the face, why the FUCK would you leave ANYTHING up to interpretation with him, hello???

listen We Stan Uncle Iroh In This House etc etc but I gotta say, the decision to continuously interact with the Angriest Boy Alive via riddles he does not understand and often froths at the mouth upon hearing is definitely,,,,,, a choice

[zeldahime]

#zuko#iroh#a:tla#on a more serious note i know iroh wants zuko to come to his own conclusions#and is also worried about flat-out telling zuko that the firelord sucks and this quest is stupid because treason#but like. zuko is so ride or die for uncle iroh?#besides ba sing se (which was an impulse decision that i honestly think could have gone 50/50 either way)#when uncle fights zhao and gets them named traitors zuko's totally game. doesn't even blame iroh for what happened.#uncle! trust your boy more! tell him about your secret chess club!#anyway my point is that if uncle just flat-out told zuko ozai sucks a few times he could have speedrun zuko's whole character arc#no wonder zuko makes bad decisions when he doesn't understand half the advice he's been given in three years lol

listen We Stan Uncle Iroh In This House etc etc but I gotta say, the decision to continuously interact with the Angriest Boy Alive via riddles he does not understand and often froths at the mouth upon hearing is definitely,,,,,, a choice