#crown prince zuko

[the-badger-mole]

I've sometimes pondered what would have happened in A:tLA if Ozai had just ... choked on a fire flake or something. Fell down the stairs, slipped and knocked himself out in the bathtub, got struck by dry lightning. I'm sure in most cases Azula would seize the opportunity to get herself crowned, but i feel like there's some interesting potential there. Especially if it happened before Zuko got banished, or after the fall of Ba Sing Se.

I think if Ozai died before Zuko's banishment, Iroh would've taken over. Zuko would be his heir, and Azula would resent the fact that she was no longer the golden child. I think Iroh would do his best not to have a golden child between them, but Azula would be essentially going from the court darling to "Zuko's Little Sister" and she wouldn't stand for that. Iroh would try so hard to stop the toxic sibling cycle, but Azula's ambition is a force to be reckoned with. I think she would have just enough people in her ear telling her she'd be a better successor to the throne than either her uncle or brother to cause trouble.

The implication of the show is that Iroh joins the White Lotus sometime between losing Lu Ten and returning to the Fire Nation when Zuko is 13, so Fire Iroh's assent would likely be the end of the war. ATLA would've been a drama about international political intrigue instead of ending a war, I think.

[c-m-li-s-fanfic-corner]

Just a Little Trick

(AO3 LINK)

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender (Cartoon 2005)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Characters: Zuko (Avatar), Sokka (Avatar), Aang (Avatar), Katara (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Suki (Avatar), Original Female Character(s), Fire Nation Army (Avatar)

Additional Tags: Imprisonment, Rescue, Escape, Muzzles, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Master Firebender Zuko, The Order of the White Lotus (Avatar), Fire Nation 41st Division (Avatar), Rebellion, Resistance, Crown Prince Zuko, Partially Blind Zuko (Avatar), Blind Toph Beifong, Disabled Character, Partially Deaf Zuko (Avatar), Bad Parent Ozai (Avatar), just throw him on the trash heap people

Summary:

Getting captured for being the traitor prince isn't much of a surprise.

Getting help from the enemy is a little bit more of a surprise.

See below for my casting choices:

[demaparbat-hp]

No war au: first time meeting each other at a diplomatic event. zuko, crown prince of the fire nation kisses the hand of katara chief of the southern water tribe.

Beyond diplomacy.

[aceoffangirls]

Been thinking how Soren is just a less angsty and emo, golden retriever version of Zuko.

Like we know Avatar the Last Airbender and The Dragon Prince have the same creators but their parallels are very similar

They both had their mother leave when they where younger

They both have a gifted younger sibling (Azula and Claudia) who is favoured by their father (Ozai and Viren)

Both their Dads are a type of lord

They both were manipulated by their fathers into doing some thing wrong in the hopes of earning their fathers love

Both deal with internal conflict about what is right and wrong

Both of them go through a redemption arc that leads them to join the hero’s in the third season

I think the difference lies in the fact that Soren’s Dad cared for him in someway and Soren once had a good relationship with his sister while Zukos Dad never cared and was a horrible abusive human being and Zuko and his sister don’t get along.

Like they are very very different characters that just so happen to share very similar Daddy Issues that have a favoured gifted golden child younger sibling, trying to earn your fathers affection type of trauma

[discordiansamba]

sokka: so let me get this straight- you're the Avatar, and you're a master swordsman? is there anything you're NOT good at?

zuko: well-

katara: his lackluster social skills?

toph: lying?

aang: controlling his temper?

iroh: his tea brewing could certainly use some work...

zuko: ...uh. that, I guess.

[blluespirit]

Zuko's official defection post-DOBS

I made a post about this here, but I NEED to talk about Zuko defecting more, so here's a deeper dive into Zuko's desertion post-the Day of Black Sun and the crazy impact it could have had on the narrative if only we'd had more time:

In the series before the day of black sun, Zuko had been labeled a traitor, even if he'd not fully committed to the cause yet, but the reason that this is so different and should have had far reaching consequences is because of two things:

Zuko returned home. He was a great propaganda story for Ozai to use in his continued campaign. Despite years banished, ordered to do the impossible, Zuko actually did it. He 'killed' the Avatar and returned home to take his rightful place at his father's side. It's a version of a 'rags to riches' story (except riches to rags to riches and all of it is a lie lol).

The uhhhh... incredibly suspicious circumstances of Zuko leaving. To the outside it looks like this: Zuko 'kills' the Avatar and returns home a hero. Then, when his nation is at it's weakest, the Avatar reveals himself to be alive and leads an invasion right into the capital. Zuko escapes at the same time the Avatar and his companions do. So... Zuko obviously didn't kill the Avatar, and mysteriously disappeared before any consequences could befall him. So, there are several burning questions that people would be desperate to know: What did Zuko do to convince Azula of all people that he really did kill the Avatar? How much did Azula know? Did Aang and Zuko plan for this so they'd have an inside party during the invasion? Did Zuko come home always intending to defect? Regardless of it being true or false would quickly become redundant. The point is that people will talk and react according to what they hear if they see him; most likely it won't be a positive reception with few exceptions.

With all of that, the Gaang must navigate the Fire Nation: the place that hates Zuko the most right now... which says a lot, considering he's the son of the man trying to destroy the world.

Building on what I said in point 1; the smear campaign against would have been dialled up to a thousand. The literal Crown Prince of the Fire Nation defected. You cannot get a more high-profile defector than that. Jeong Jeong's leaving was a big deal, now lets take that and make it so much worse. Ozai would understand that such an event is undoubtably going to stir conversation and thought; and he wants that conversation to be directed in a very particular way. He and his council/generals would know they need to squash any potential rebellion before it can breathe and use Zuko's actions as a reason to become even more patriotic. They'd be doing everything they can to stir up anger, to make them out as the victim - Zuko was corrupted by the Earth Kingdom people since he spent time living among them, eating their roof, wearing their clothes, sleeping in their beds. He can no longer be seen as Fire. Truth would become redundant. Zuko has committed the ultimate betrayal. (I think to Zuko and Mai's interaction at the Boiling Rock prison;

MAI: The warden's my uncle, you idiot. [Zuko facepalms and sighs; Mai shows him a letter.] The truth is, I guess I don't know you. All I get is a letter? You could have at least looked me in the eye when you ripped out my heart. ZUKO: I didn't mean to - MAI: You didn't mean to? [Reading the letter.] "Dear Mai, I'm sorry that you have to find out this way, but I'm leaving." ZUKO: Stop! This isn't about you. This is about the Fire Nation! MAI: [Sarcastically.] Thanks Zuko, that makes me feel all better. [Throws the letter at him.] ZUKO: [Stands up.] Mai, I never wanted to hurt you. But I have to do this to save my country. MAI: Save it? You're betraying your country! ZUKO: That's not how I see it.

Mai's complicated and misguided feelings are all tied up in Zuko, because she's right. She doesn't know him. She thinks he's betraying them all; Zuko is trying to save them all. She fundamentally does not know who he is. When they last knew each other, they were just little children. They're older now, and there's an abyss of experience between them; one of them staying in comfortable familiarity of the Fire Nation, the other falling further and further out of that sphere until eventually he realises the truth. Mai doesn't really love Zuko - she can't, because she doesn't know he is (and vice versa).

Rant aside, I think this energy can be placed to many civilians in the Fire Nation. Although only gone for three years, he was so young when he left, it's unlikely anyone had much of a conceptualisation of him. Now, all people know is this: Zuko was banished for disrespect, he's lack of honour. He 'killed' the Avatar and returned home, only to disappear soon after the Avatar appeared, leading an invasion. That's not much to base an opinion on, and when your surrounded by propaganda, it might be impossible to see through the lies.

We can also some healthy inferencing here to how the Fire Nation would feel about Zuko's action as well by remembering what Iroh and Zuko's first wanted poster read: “Permission is granted to kill them on sight" and that was in Book 1, when Zuko's in-denial treason was pretty tame compared to this. I'd wager the bounty on Zuko's head would be... large. Whether he'd be worth more alive or dead is up to you. I can see the lines falling either way (he's committed an egregious act against his nation: there's either np other option but to kill him, or they want him alive as a big power-play).

Regardless, a bounty on his head makes him a target and not just any target, he's the target. What is he wanted for? Treason of the highest order, that is consistent. The details? Well that depends who you talk to and what poster you read. The point is that each detail creates fear and loathing until only two things are certain, capturing/killing the traitor prince will reward you with a lot of money; helping the traitor will cost you your life.

Lastly; Zuko was the crown prince. Now, he's the traitorous ex-prince allying with the Avatar to overthrow his own country. He's dangerous in a whole new way. Even though Ozai would remove him from the line of succession, it would be clear what the Avatar's ploy here is. Zuko is not just his Firebending teacher, but who he intends to sit on the thrown after he disposes of Ozai

All of this to say, navigating the Fire Nation should have been harder and navigating it with a newly traitorous Zuko should have been terrifying.

[ladyjuliapearle]

From Prince to Firelord, from finding honour in a fight to finding trust in a friend.

Zuko is such a high quality character.

Don't get me wrong, all the characters in avatar the last airbender had great stories, but non that had such an emotional rollercoaster written as Zuko had.

He's like a turtle duck. If that turtle duck wanted to attack you but only holds itself back because of their uncle.

[jellyfish-cosplay]

Met so many lovely people at CPAC!

(Xie Lian is @/aniquiki on insta)

[un-pearable]

need to find a good atla fic focusing on iroh’s formative years. i get why everyone’s obsessed with zuko but i’m fascinated by iroh’s history - i think we’ve collectively forgotten that he was the previous crown prince. he spent his childhood in the same situation as zuko - in line for the throne with a vindicative younger sibling, doing terrible things for what felt like a worthy cause. where’s the melodramatic late twenties mid thirties saga of this man grappling with his morality and impact on the world just in time to have a son who’s doomed to die

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

zuko: makes the conscious decision to leave all his luxury and privilege behind to confront his father about the war and right his wrongs, does his best to make up for his actions

catra: only apologizes to adora and does a good thing when she has run out of options and will likely be cast out by horde prime, immediately goes back to her toxic nature as soon as she's rescued

[procrastinatingwriting]

There they go,

Two little fire hazards playing pai sho

Zuko tries to make a bold move

Azula plays and her brother's doomed

"That's not fair, you can't do this"!

Says the dum-dum, but she clearly did

"It's not my fault that you're so bad."

And Zuko stomped, very clearly mad.

When practicing katas Azula's mind is clear

When Zuko tries he can only fear

Their father's voice after his serious gaze

Zuko is scolded, Azula is praised.

Azula is said to have a lot of luck

She doesn't see it, but she does want

She's good at bending and receives some praise

But what Zuko has she can only chase.

Two little fire hazards, playing tag

Zuko is happy but Azula's mad

For what or why she doesn't know

But when she strikes her brother knows.

"What's your problem? That's not the game!"

He yells at her when the ducks she maims

"Well, your game's boring so I made a change.

The one who fires more will win this stage."

Mother soon finds out why her lilies are burnt

Azula gets grounded and Zuko gets scolded

She doesn't understand, and it isn't fair

She burnt so much, but her heart is still mad.

Deep in thought she thinks to herself

[pocketramblr]

For 5 ask game: how about an au where zuko and aang are both the avatar

1- "how does that happen" well, Aang half died in the ice burg. The subsequent water and earth benders were noticably weaker than previous ones, though this helped the water bender hide from the fire nation, and led to the earth bender one being killed by them... Just as Ursa goes into labor for the first time. Unfortunately, Ozai wants to use his avatar son and is very disappointed when Zuko turns thirteen without a sign of airbending- the sages promised this boy was the avatar!

2- Zuko is invited to war meetings, but when he tries to speak he is silenced- when he is actually the avatar, master of elements, he will be allowed to advice, trusted, but not yet. He can sit in silence for only so long, and finally breaks to say they cannot sacrifice the children of the fire nation like that- and he is sent away to the sages, who suggest investigating the Air Temples and seeing if anything there sparks bending in him.

3- it does, the barest bit exploding when he gasped at the sight of the bodies, when he caught the glimpses of spirits in the corner of his eyes. Zuko can't stay here and orders the ship to take him to the southern water tribe instead, so he can unlock water bending. That doesn't work, (and the village says there's no water benders left) but it's marginally easier to practice fire and air bending outside of the graveyard the temple had become. He trains for years, knowing there is no point in returning home unless it's as the avatar.

4- and then one day, Katara wakes Aang up. Zuko gets close hoping the light are spirits that will help him learn water bending, and then we get to the first real problem of them both being the avatar: only one of them can be it at a time. So, when Aang starts bending, Zuko suddenly can't, unless he can overpower Aang and leave him unable to bend as well. (Which he only manages with the highest levels of anger) um, the avatar state is the opposite - if one of them goes into it, the other is dragged along.

5- Zuko is now chasing them because he wants an airbender and waterbender teacher, and also see if he can figure out from the spirits why his bending keeps vanishing. Iroh keeps asking him how he's going to actually convince them to teach him after he captures them, and Zuko says he'll just figure it out then. Katara thinks Aang is proof that awful firebending prince was only ever a mock Avatar and the bending vanishing is just a side effect of being in an ice burg for a century. Sokka thinks they're all crazy. And Aang actually figures out what's happening very early but no one believes it because "that's not how the avatar works" even though as 50% of the avatar, he should be considered an expert!

[eggtrolls]

I have immense respect for co-organizing people in my park volunteer gig because they're hard-working and dedicated and passionate but!!!! one of these men literally named his oldest child after a MAIN CHARACTER from Avatar the Last Airbender, and then said child will be making noise in the background of our Zoom call and he's like [main character from Avatar the Last Airbender], please go to your room

[evilkitten3]

people on the fanon wiki will just straight up announce that they haven't actually watched the show huh

[britcision]

Zuko really quickly pardoning himself for his crimes before he finishes his next sentence

Ok but Zuko using the knowledge he acquired during his banishment to help him as the Fire Lord. Like making small talk with Earth Kingdom dignitaries about their local foods that he enjoyed and even misses. Like having in-depth conversations with his captains about sea currents and navigation. Like, in the middle of a meeting with several high-ranking naval officials, pointing out flails in security, like how a person can cling to a Fire Nation ship for hours at a time, or climb aboard using hatches on the upper decks, or disguise themselves as a lower ranking guard with easily accessible spare armour….

Though none of his experiences can prepare Zuko for the long, awkward silence that comes after he admits to doing or at least knowing something illegal and/or completely buck wild

[tcrturedpcet]

Tag Drop 3.

Hephaestus

16.) Hephaestus / Years Of Labor 16.) Interactions / I Did My Time 16.) Mirror / Get The Matches

Icarus

17.) Icarus / I Was Heavenstruck 17.) Interactions / Now I'm Down Bad 17.) Mirror / I Knew Cosmic Love

Jennifer Jareau

18.) Jennifer Jareau / Guilty As Sin 18.) Interactions / Only Your Actions Talk 18.) Mirror / Am I Bad or Mad or Wise

Matthias Helvar

19.) Matthias Helvar / I'm Coming Back 19.) Interactions / I'm Making A Comeback 19.) Mirror / Get The Crown

Percy Jackson

20.) Percy Jackson / Change The Prophecy 20.) Interactions / I Sealed My Fate 20.) Mirror / Redo The Prophecy

Rapunzel

21.) Rapunzel / Is It Somethin' I Did 21.) Interactions / Was She Lying 21.) Mirror / Promises Oceans Deep

Zuko

22.) Prince Zuko / A Halo To The Highest Degree 22.) Interactions / Maybe I Can't 22.) Mirror / A Dangerous Man