#and then in perhaps an even crueler move Ozai banishes his son

[bitchiepudding]

In Machiavelli’s The Prince, we learn about the different ways a prince can come into power. They are Prowess(you’re own skill), Fortune(a more powerful entity gifts you the power), Crime(Corruption and assassination), and Constitution(noble bloodline). Each of them have their own issues but when speaking of Ozai in particular he gained his power through Crime.

Ozai has his wife assassinate his father for the throne when it should have gone to his brother constitutionally. Machiavelli warns that a prince who achieves their power through crime may have to commit cruelties in order to keep his power, as unlike with Prowess and Constitution, he has done nothing to earn it. Because of how he achieved his position, he will be unpopular when his position requires popularity, thus creating the need to establish oneself through cruelty.

That is what burning Zuko was.

It was not about Zuko speaking out of turn. It was not about respect nor honor.

It was about power.

Ozai had to establish himself as a ruler. And To ensure that no one speak out against him, that his more popular and established brother’s backers could not displace him. He had to commit a cruelty…

And no one would dare question a man who would burn his own son’s face.

Sorry, but having Zuko actually fight back against Ozai during their Agni Kai is just wrong. He was a child, only 13 at the time, afraid to fight his own father and was mutilated as punishment, because Ozai saw Zuko's begging and unwillingness to fight as unforgiveable weakness.

The Angi Kai isn't meant to be a showcase of Zuko's fighting potential (that's what the Zhao fight is for), but to show the utter cruelty of Ozai.