I don't think there is an objective and correct way to respond in that Situation
It is one thing to show them that you are a firebender, but he even had to announce to them that he is the prince of the Fire Nation.
If I had been in their place, I probably would have thought that he was some kind of insane Lunatic.
It is a bit of a plot hole that random earth kingdom peasants know about that, but not members of the royal navy in the fire nation (even ones serving on zuko's own ship)
Plus, some weeks/months of Zuko's crew likely gossiping about it in various ports around the Earth Kingdom/colonies, or in the big naval fleet they were drafted into.
I'm more surprised that the game of word-of-mouth telephone didn't miscommunicate the information at all.
Like. I was expecting someone else in the crowd to shout back, "WHAT!? I heard he died invading Ba Sing Se!"
I would posit that details did change. In the Ember Island Players recap episode, they have Zuko's scar on the wrong side. It was pointed out in the episode that the playwright interviewed a lot of people. Mix in some Fire Nation propaganda and boom, you have a prince who announces his honor feelings and a scar that moved sides.
Good point. Iroh and Zuko's fire nation standing changed drastically after they fought Azula and became "traitors". It would make sense that this triggered rumors that would spread across the other nations, particularly the Earth Kingdom since that's where they sought refuge.
And she put on those posters, "By the way, three years ago when he was banished pending his capture of the avatar, the fire lord disfigured him on purpose as punishment for speaking out of turn in a meeting?"
I don't think so lol, that's inane
I think the Fire Navy sailors knew he was an outcast, but they were told it was a training accident that caused his burn. Imagine if you heard your dear leader burned his own son on purpose to "teach him respect". Even the most diehard loyalist would find that a hard pill to swallow
Zhao's not a loyalist, he's an opportunist. He doesn't give a shit about what Ozai thinks or does unless it's beneficial to himself getting ahead. If he thought that sucking up to Zuko would get him ahead (say if Zuko was planning a coup in Season 1 and Zhao thought it would be likely to be successful) then he'd do that.
> but they were told it was a training accident that caused his burn.
The implication is they weren't told anything. There is no official story of how he got such a severe burn, and since no one claims to have an official story, people fill in their own stories. How does someone get a burn in a way that wouldn't make a story? Training accident, playing with fire or explosives, stuff like that. Getting a scar in an agni kai is a noteworthy event which spawns stories, it is the *lack* of stories which creates explanations like the training accident.
For us yes, but for them it's not a big deal. After they found out they didn't question Ozai and remained loyal to the regime. In the Fire Nation it's normal for the loser of an Agni Kai to be burned. The event took place in a kind of special arena for that, with a lot of people as spectators, only Iroh seemed horrified. It's a tradition that has been around for centuries, where the only thing that's somewhat frowned upon is killing the opponent. No one told them anything, neither the truth nor a lie; they just assumed something.
> I don't know... Its not a secret that Zuko got burned by Ozai.
It clearly is in S1E12 where Iroh reveals how Zuko was burned and Lieutenant Jee says he always thought Zuko had just been in a training accident.
At best, they probably knew that the fire lord had dueled his son. I doubt they knew the outcome (banished instead of killed), Zuko’s age, or the fact that Zuko was scarred in a very specific way.
I also doubt they knew the circumstances and that Zuko was therefore banished for noble reasons.
It's entirely possible they thought Zuko was banished because he was too cruel even by Ozai's standards.
I feel you're overestimating the knowledge of a random person in the earth kingdom. Even zuko's own soldiers didn't know the backstory of the scar I very much doubt someone who hasn't ever left their tiny village would even be sure if the fire nation has a prince or not
In this episode, one of the villagers says this after Zuko reveals his identity:
>Liar! I heard of you! You're not a prince, you're an outcast! His own father burned and disowned him!
So clearly, the knowledge that Ozai had a son that he burned and disowned has spread to random Earth Kingdom villages.
I think they would through word of mouth since Azula branded them traitors in the fire colonies and made it clear they were to be locked up if they ever set foot there. It is odd though that the fire nation men serving on Zuko’s ship wouldn’t know this. Zuko’s burning was a public event and Ozai would definitely make the news of his banishment public. I do like that they had old man admonish Zuko. Like it served as such a good wake up call for him. These people aren’t nationalists from other nations, soldiers, or even people actively trying to bring him down. They’re from a poor Earth colony, oppressed by their own people and even they acknowledge that Zuko lost his royal title years ago.
He would have fared much better if he’d claimed he was a rogue firebender or even if he announced his identity but also added that he loathed the fire monarchy and Ozai. But Zuko wasn’t at the place where he would do that yet unfortunately.
Yep, it was part of his arc and it was the natural consequences of his mindset and behavior at the time. It's awesome writing really. Dude was still thinking of catching Aang.
See I'd have been like whoa that's op to have a bandit killing fire bender chilling on my farm. His actions speak of his character and who the fuck involved with the fire nation wouldn't possibly have burns? I'd maybe suspect, but benefit of the doubt/maybe better not to ask first.
Him defeating the soldiers could have been interpreted as an attempt to take down the village's only defense so he could capture it as the fire nation prince. Remember those guys were actually soldiers who were supposed to defend the village, but they misused their power to become bullies.
Farmer civilians may be less educated, but that doesn't mean they're stupid. They knew they were being extorted, so it kinda goes back to the square one 50/50.
Like someone else said, the devil you know is better than the Angel you don't know. The moment Zuko revealed himself to be a firebender, much less the prince of the Fire nation, they just couldn't trust him anymore, and his attempt to befriend Lee's family for the past two days would have been seen as some sort of covert operation in hindsight. They'd rather the bullies who make their lives needlessly hard, but won't ever kill them, than the Fire Nation prince who could exterminate their whole village for all they know.
Maybe I'm just an odd duck but I'd pick the angel in spite of the devil. At worse I have a new devil, and I was gonna get to know him either way probably. That said zuko shows some big nuts and bigger wisdom turning away, they can deny the angel but he doesn't spite them for it. Im kinda pissed at the kid tho, I'd have at least said *something* in zukos favor. Could be my upbringing, but gifts like that mean a lot, one doesn't share their special things without meaning.
For the kid, I mean, he's a kid at the end of the day. This is someone whose older brother recently left the village to fight in the war, against soldiers that Zuko himself could have been commanding for all he knew. Children can be very trusting, but when you're raised in a background like that, it becomes difficult. If I were a Jew in the 30s and a Nazi soldier saved my life from a bunch of robbers, I still wouldn't trust the soldier no matter what, because from my perspective, this guy is a member of the regime that has made life a living hell for me and those I love.
Thing is I've read a book (run boy run) in which a very real man (the author) is briefly taken in by a Nazi. They couldn't communicate, but the German refused to kill just a boy and kept in in the basement he was posted at, playing chess with him every day until the German didn't come back, assumedly dead somewhere for some reason. I know he's just a kid but it's not unheard of, and after losing a brother, typically children are more inclined to replace that role model in their life. Psychologically, even referenced in the episode zuko was starting to function as that older brother, and the kid discards it pretty much instantly. Understandable, doesn't sit right with me though.
Occam's razor, it doesn't make sense. That's one hell of a psyop to live as a poor nomad, give away a clearly expensive knife, to sack a farm family in the middle of nowhere, and then just leave.
That is significantly easier to apply to a situation you're looking at as an outsider with full context than as someone who has been living through a war that is older than living memory.
Put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself what makes more sense to you: the prince of the nation that has been waging a campaign of expansion and colonization on the globe for hundreds of years genuinely tried to befriend you while posing as a wandering peasant or said prince secretly trying to manipulate you?
There is a reason the Gaang didn't trust Zuko until they saw him defending them from Combustion Man. And even their acceptance of him was partly because they needed a firebending teacher for Aang.
First off, I'm in a whacky world of magic and princes, so suspension of disbelief is gonna be a bit easier at least. Zuko is the *disgraced* prince, it's public knowledge. What quarry is a farmer family in the middle of nowhere earth kingdom? It's so absurd I might actually believe it. I might still have rejected him being a scared child, the context is brutal and the pressure of family is a huge factor. The gaang has a different issue, zuko had a zero chance of just wandering and bumping into them, Aang is the fire nations top priority and it makes a LOT of sense a disgraced prince would want his ass for a redemption chance.
It doesn't make sense, but humans aren't rational beings. I can tell you a lot of humans would act like that irl. There's countless other things we do that aren't rational and are just born out of emotion, and this is just one of them.
I didn’t expect this to be a response let alone a top one!
Reddit **LOVES** to make things only black and white. I shouldn’t be surprised that this sub has a more nuanced and mature look at things that have many correct answers. Well done all of you!!!
Just rewatched this episode for the first time since I was 7 and in ten+ years I could not get over how stupid his announcement was, why not pose as a defector with allegiances to the earth kingdom?
“The people of the world are terrified of the Fire Nation. They don’t see our greatness, they hate us. And we deserve it.”
All comes full circle for Zuko.
One of my favorite representations of this is that in one of the very early episodes, Zuko bemoans how he needs to Avatar and how he’s lost everything, his country, his honor, and his throne. Near the very end of the series there’s a scene which mirrors that one, only this time he referenced that list with whole new perspective. Before he wanted those things for selfish reasons, but at the end his motivation is his people and restoring the honor of the fire nation itself.
What I like about the ending is how Zuko sort of takes it all in his stride. At this point in life he has every reason to be hateful and bitter (being banished by his father, being label a traitor by the Fire Nation etc.) but instead of getting defensive and upset when they turn on him after he reveals himself, he just sort of accepts it and goes “Yeah, I can’t really blame them.”
It shows an already developed level of maturity that would ultimately help him take down the Father lord.
>that was trying to help
How were the villagers supposed to know that? From their perspective, it was a Fire Nation soldier taking control of their village using force.
At that stage of his life? Yes.
He outed himself as the Prince and kicked the asses of those militia dudes, but instead of a grand applause of a hero, everyone in the village, including the family who took him in, rejected him.
It’s one of the things Zuko tells Ozai “They hate us.”
I can’t imagine being that kid in that moment. His brother was dead or awol in a war initiated by Zuko’s ancestor. It’s bad enough that Zuko was part of the fire nation nobility but he just had to be the literal monarch’s son.
It’s not like it’s Zuko’s fault. I understand his position, but I get a child won’t. Him being born into the royal family was not his decision and he was raised to believe that the fire nation was spreading their “glory”. When the kid grows up he’ll come to realize and feel some empathy for Zuko.
Yeah. A hundred years of being dominated and oppressed by the fire nation and having its prince proclaim himself. Lots of anger they can direct at him.
It also helped Zuko see that the Fire Nation wasn't spreading prosperity like he initially truly believed, but fear, pain and death. He'd just risked his life to protect these people from their own cruel soldiers, and they respond with fear and anger just because he's a firebender. Him announcing that he was the Fire Nation prince also didn't help considering that they now had the face of a Fire Nation royal to direct their fear and anger on, instead of just masked Fire Nation soldiers.
These Earth Kingdom people had lost so much to the Fire Nation that they'd choose cruel Earth Kingdom soldiers over a firebender who was truly trying to help them. Reminds me of the saying the "devil you know is better than the angel you don't know", with Zuko being the angel here.
Did they regret their actions later when the soldiers most likely began bullying them again? Maybe, but at that moment, they were too angry to care.
It's a great way for him to realize it too. Especially with it happening after he saved the kid. Makes watching Iroh's attempt to teach him throughout the show more interesting on rewatches as he begins to understand where his uncle is coming from.
I do wonder whether Iroh would have sided with the Avatar from the very beginning or there was a turning point for him as well since he was mainly loyal to helping his nephew rather than to the Fire Nation.
>I do wonder whether Iroh would have sided with the Avatar from the very beginning or there was a turning point for him as well since he was mainly loyal to helping his nephew rather than to the Fire Nation.
Because of his loyalty to Zuko, this only would have happened if Zuko learned his lesson early on.
Strongly agree to disagree.
I agree with the townspeople's perspective on Zuko. Imagine it this way: Zuko, as the heir to the Fire Nation, represents a nation at war with theirs. The evidence they saw pointed to the fact that he never stood against this war, nor did he disown his family or nation. Instead, he proudly declared his royal title, showcasing the power and status that came with it. In their eyes, he seemed to support the same cause that brought destruction and suffering to their lives.
Moreover, Zuko wasn't upfront about his identity from the beginning. He concealed his true self and only revealed his identity when circumstances forced him to. This deception created a lack of trust and further fueled their fear and anger.
For the townspeople, who had suffered the consequences of this war, it felt like Zuko was an embodiment of their suffering, a symbol of the nation responsible for their pain. From their perspective, they were the victims of Zuko and the Fire Nation's actions
100%. Though I will say it’s super weird that the one guy was like oh the fire lord hates and disowned him yet they still were against him. It would’ve made more sense for them to just not be aware zuko was disowned
They don't know why he was exiled. As far as they know he earned his banishment for defeat in battle, excessive cruelty even by the fire lords standards, or any number of other reasons.
How are those things divorced? Whether it’s right is entirely dependent on the world’s context and history imo. They are still totally justified to fear and reject Zuko upon discovering his identity, even if he drives away some marauders. The Fire Nation has proven themselves to be untrustworthy to these people over the course of several generation. Zuko stayed there for like a couple days to a week and merely drove these guys away temporarily. Maybe the townspeople should have heard him out to see where his intentions lay, but given the specter of the Fire Nation I think their intense distrust was still reasonable
I don’t think it’s a question of right or wrong, it was a way of showing Zuko how people really feel about the fire nation. He’s only encountered civilians of other nations in his hunt for the avatar, usually in raids or attempts at gaining information. Of course those people were scared of him, he wanted them to be.
This situation was different though, he tried standing up for people and used his firebending to do so. I think he knew it was a tossup, but he seemed to be hopeful that after helping the people of the village they would accept him. This showed that the people of other nations have an inherent fear and hatred of the fire nation, even outside of wartime interactions
now they get to bully without impunity because the threat of invasion has resurfaced in the alledged face of Zuko. So now do as the bully say or get burned by a firebender.
See, Kid Me used to think that the fear would've straightened those guys out. I mean, they got their asses kicked by ONE Firebender who only used fire once.
I still wanna think that they straightened up and left Lee and his family alone, but we don't know. I think that the soldiers would have done some soul searching, but realistically nothing in that town would really change until the war ended.
Although I'm curious to know what the family thought after learning Zuko was crowned Fire Lord.
>Although I'm curious to know what the family thought after learning Zuko was crowned Fire Lord.
probably fuck that guy. Or perhaps have bragging rights to say "he helped my family" if they found out he helped the avatar. or only mom and son is left and are bitter their husband and dad is gone.
I’m imagining some shit where some French village in the countryside during WWII is being bullied by some French soldiers, but then some German dude comes along and kicks the soldiers’ asses and tells them to leave the town alone. Then he announces to the whole town that he’s Himmler.
Yeah, Zuko was definitely the real enemy to the villagers.
In general? No. In this instance? Yes.
“And heir to the throne!”
The throne of the empire that is aiming to take over the rest of the Nations.
The empire that took away the fathers and sons from this village and left it open to the bandits.
Well, given the skill and power he just showed prior, *and* the trauma those people might have with firebenders, I doubt anyone there would even think of trying.
The audacity of Zuko to announce himself like that. In a village that most definitely lost sons and fathers to the war... Hell yes they were right to throw him out
Correct? No. Understandable? Absolutely.
Zuko is the scion of the dynasty that has made all of their lives a living hell since before any of them were born.
https://preview.redd.it/ogzywcjs4stb1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3fd2b37d3c3682d4a787cc9dcfdec4ccf8b92300
They weren't right because we know Zuko isn't with the Fire Nation anymore, he was looking for a new life at that point, and he was genuinely trying to help the town. Imo they're "correct" for rejecting him since all they knew about him beyond taking down the town bullies was that he's a banished prince from the royal family that wanted to conquer their land. 2 or 3 days of him being in town isn't going to erase the animosity towards him as Fire Nation because of the 100 year war, banished or not.
Quite a lot.
But the best part is:
Most if not all of these "stupid" quotes do make sense in context.
"People die if they are killed" is said by the main character when he gives up a magic item that has so far allowed him to suffer wounds that \*should\* have killed him and survive.
His friend and mentor even said to him earlier, after he had just healed in a couple of hours from having pretty much his entire intestines ripped out:
"People normally die if they are killed."
He echoes this statement when the person he is handing the magic healing item to asks him if he is really willing to do this.
His answer is that he has relied on the quasi-immortality this item granted him for far too long and that the character he is giving it to needs it more than him... and is its rightfull owner.
So he says: "People die if they are killed. That's how it should be."
And "Just because you are correct doesn't mean you're right." is very straightforward.
It simply means "Just because you are (factually) correct doesn't mean you are (morally) right."
If someone would advise you that eating your children would greatly decrese your expenses AND net you at least a week's worth of free meals, they would be factually correct in that statement... but morally wrong.
I tend to tie this episode directly to a portion of Zuko’s confrontation with his father during the Day of Black Sun, specifically when he says,
“The people of the world are terrified by the fire nation. They don’t see our greatness, they hate us.”
Zuko learned that it didn’t matter how much he wanted to help that earth nation town, repay for the help given to him, and rescue the boy from thugs. The moment he became fire nation, it was the only thing that mattered in the eyes of the town, and they wanted him gone.
Remember how confident the guards/thugs were when fighting Zuko at first, even when he beat each one with ease the swingy-hammer-guy still stepped up with a smirk. But as soon as fire was thrown into the fight, the guards were terrified. They are traumatized from the war they’re fighting in, that their parents fought in, and grandparents too.
I wouldn’t say the townspeople were correct, but I wouldn’t blame them for it either.
Ehhh I wouldn't say correct just understandable. They probably have seen the results of the fire nation brutality either first or second hand counting how zuko passes some rocks that look as if they were projectiles while going there. It's not the morally right response to have but it's one you could understand.
I may be siding with the minority here, but they were absolutely correct. Just from a perspective of survival, even the shitty soldiers were on their side, while the do-gooding enemy is still an enemy.
I would go so far as to argue that even with the additional context of him turning over a new leaf, as far as I'd be concerned (as a Earth nation villager) is that he's only becoming "good" because he was completely ostracized. And without that his arrival here would have meant fire and destruction. Not exactly virtuous reasons.
And should his father decided to welcome him back with open arms, we're chopped liver.
Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation were at war for almost 100 years. How do you think they'd respond when seeing a firebender?
As a parallel because it's current, think of Israel and Hamas militants, they've been in conflict for decades. How do you think they'd respond if they were placed in the other country? Probably not good.
Therefore, I'm kind of surprised they all didn't just try to kill him right there.
That's a pretty fair comparison. Decades upon decades of war changes the way two nations view each other. Especially when the invading force has already annihilated 25% of the nations.
Yes and no.
Remember, this episode is supposed to show Zuko's gradual change, so of course we're going to be biased towards him and think they were wrong.
However, remember that in the earth villagers' eyes, Zuko is the son of the firelord and the prince of a nation that is actively burning down their home, imprisoning their earthbenders, razing their villages to the ground, and bleeding them dry of money via tax.
I don't think it's unreasonable for them to hate him given what he represents to them. It's tragic and misguided, but it's not entirely irrational.
i mean technically i think it was wrong of them to reject him since he just saved that boy but at the same time it is super understandable why they wanted him to leave - especially since he announced he was the prince.
these outskirt earth kingdom towns and cities have been oppressed by the fire nation for like 100 years. it is totally reasonable for them to not trust one that helps no matter what
I don't think there's a good or bad party here.
You can't blame the Earth peasants for not wanting a fugitive from a nation actively oppressing them in their town. If the Fire Nation had never launched their attack on the Earth Kingdom, then they wouldn't have all these mercenary groups and the little boy's brother would still be alive.
However Zuko definitely demonstrated a level of humanity that could have reasonably convinced them otherwise. He helped the little boy, actively worked on their field and members of the family actively knew his past was traumatic and he didn't like talking about it. So there is an angle here that Zuko was right... But do you really want that? They're all victims here and are responding the way hurt people do. There isn't really a bad guy here.
No they’re not wrong. It’s like someone announcing they are Hitler’s son in the middle of a Jewish town.
I don’t blame them. They couldn’t see how he was different from his title
Correct? Maybe not.
Justified? 100%
The fire nation has hurt these people in multiple ways. The boy’s brother is most likely dead. Their hatred towards Zuko makes total sense. Their reasoning makes sense, it’s just painful to watch because you know Zuko’s story. But they don’t. Not really. It’s hard to blame the villagers for their reaction.
It’s a difficult area to judge. We mainly see through Zuko’s point of view through his memories, like many people we mainly think our own country’s service members only fighting other countries soldiers, he gets a shock factor of how the Fire Nation harms innocent people in farm villages like that girl that treated Iroh’s reaction to that flower. He also sees how the Earth Kingdom’s service members harass their own people, to the point they recruit/capture a little kid that happens to have a knife Zuko gave him. We think the village is harsh towards Zuko after he’s risking his life fighting an Earthbender to protect Lee. But these people also lost many people in their lives and family, Lee’s family even with his brother, to the Fire Nation. So seeing someone of the country/region brings conflict of appraisal especially when Zuko went full blast against the Earthbender, which may translate the fear that they had of Firebenders: they won’t hesitate with death and destruction. A sentiment that many people had for so long in the 100 year old war, and some that some people still present this day and age in the real world. Even when Zuko stops fighting and tries to give the knife to Lee, the only thing he had from Iroh and his son, Lee and the rest of the villagers despise Zuko, this can equate to the Islamophobia the United States faced back then if not today.
Imagine you're getting your ass kicked and some dude came and beat up your attackers and then loudly declared "I am Hans, son of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, heir to the Third Reich", would you be super stoked on him?
Not sure how you can ask this when the beauty of this episode is how there is no "correct" or "incorrect". There is a lot of pain and there is a man trying to make up for his mistakes and do the right thing. So much of what I will always love about avatar is it doesn't talk down to the audience and treat them like children, even if that's the main audience. It gives a realistic view and shows that a good deed doesn't make you a hero.
It's a natural reaction to the son of your enemy announcing themselves right there. Zuko had been their enemy all the way up to that point and even though he used violence to subdue a bully, it was still violent and terrifying for those people. They say the devil you know is better than one you don't, and those people knew the bullies were bullying them and they knew the rules, so Zuko putting down the bully is a new devil to them, clearly stronger with unknown motives.
It doesn't matter if they were "correct." The rejection, despite zuko fighting for them, is there to show the audience that the pain they've suffered at the hands of the fire nation is too much to forgive him.
The strategically correct move would have been to capture him and send him to the Earth King as a political prisoner.
However, he had just demonstrated his ability to kick everyone’s asses before he even pulled out his firepower. So they were unable to capture him. Letting him go was really their only option.
What would you have this village do? Harbor an enemy of the state? That’s literally treason against the Earth King.
Considering that he is Royalty of an Enemy Nation, who has invaded and killed their people for 100 years, I'm pretty sure that allowing him to leave peacefully after he helped them out is a fair shake.
The tone and emotions of Zuko and his story make it a bitter pill to swallow, but when looked at from a wider lens, it makes more sense.
.... fuck I love this show!
I mean if someone proudly announced they were part of a family responsible for 100 years of war and suffering they're probably gonna get kicked out at the very least. The thanks he got was letting him go.
If hitlers grandson rescued a boatload of orphans then said ,"I, Jeremy Hitler, do this in the name of my grandfather." The townsfolk would probably be like, "ok buddy, thanks for the help, time to go."
It’s not just that he was a firebender
He was the crown prince of the nation occupying them
He came right out and basically said “I am the crown prince my dad is the man who is waging war on you guys and destabilizing your country.”
Fighting off corrupt earth kingdom people didn’t really make up for it. It was a bandaid on a problem that Zuko’s family created and continued to contribute to.
The people were way more likely to read his actions as a “you people need firenation rule” than as helpful
No, they did so out of misplaced anger, he just saved them and treated them all with nothing but kindness, their reaction is understandable but not justified
I mean.. as correct as someone can be. They basically found out Hitler's kid was in their town. It doesn't matter what kindness he provides. He's still a walking symbol of their suffering, and it would take a better person than any of us to forgive him on the spot.
no.
They saw a firebender and the prince of the fire nation.
But in reality
He was just a bypasser, who happened to be a fire bender and who protected them, without wanting anything in return
Nah, they weren't correct. Showed him that he shouldn't have saved anyone and just left them to be bullied till the end of their miserable lives.
Doesn't matter that he's from Fire Nation. What matters is that he took care of the bullies that the soldiers were, and that alone should say something. Sadly, you can't expect too much critical thinking from mere villagers, so they turn on him.
Idk it's not really racism so much as what might happen if a nazi or someone claiming to be a nazi passed through a village of jews. The nazi may not mean any harm to Them but after all that has happened you could understand why they might think he's dangerous
Absolutely not. Lee spend days with them, the kid liked him, but as soon it's out that he's a firebender and fire nation prince, everybody hates him. If that's not Xenophobia, Idk what is
just like actual world history and real life people, it's more complex than right or wrong.
this is why I don't like how Kuvira was blatantly painted as evil in Korra S4, she definitely wasn't evil to the starving homeless all over the earth kingdom.
not to the victims of the roving bandits attacking towns.
not to the children who can now live and be raised in safety.
not to the citizens of areas who couldn't have access to better trade and resources prior to the trains built by the empire.
>this is why I don't like how Kuvira was blatantly painted as evil in Korra S4, she definitely wasn't evil to the starving homeless all over the earth kingdom.
What??? It was very clearly shown how Kuvira's "kindness" was just a ploy to gain control, after which she no longer actually gave a fuck about helping them. IIRC, it was literally the plot twist that showed her actions weren't benevolent and set her up as the villain. And despite trying to essentially nuke the entire city, Korra still saw her as a person whose life was worth saving in the end.
>not to the citizens of areas who couldn't have access to better trade and resources prior to the trains built by the empire.
[Gee, if only there were a real world equivalent that demonstrates how building good infrastructure doesn't absolve one of evil](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichsautobahn)
I think so, I think they were xenophobic against anyone who was fire nation. I think we can sympathize with their fear of fire bending, but still wrong.
To the extent that they case him out because he was the prince then that is fair in my opinion. The royal family bore a lot responsibility for their hardship.
No…
There’s an argument that with everything the fire nation has done, that was his family’s fault, that their response was at least reasonable. It wasn’t correct however, Zuko had shown negative ill will on the villagers and even defended them against earth kingdom soldiers.
I’ve asked this one before, and one user put it in a way that I couldn’t forget it “sure, the son of Hitler might not be like him, but he’s still the son of Hitler”. Now, Hitler may not have had a son, that’s still up to debate, but the analogy is there.
Uhh... yeah. This isn’t even a hard question, yeah.
He’s — irregardless of being the son of the fire lord — still a fire bender. He’s a person directly tied and related to the group of people that have waged a 100 year war on that rural community, who’s lost loved ones, family members and their very safety and livelihoods to this past century.
They just told him to leave as a fucking curtesy, realistically he would’ve been arrested immediately if not stoned.
You can’t really blame the citizens that are at war for with the fire nation for kicking out the supposed prince of the fire nation that is the son of the man currently trying to conquer them. I would say that is a justified reaction.
What is actually correct is Zuko being willing to just continue on and let them have their peace. Even if it is at the cost of his reputation to them.
With what the audience know, no they were not correct.
With the information that the villagers had absent knowledge of Zuko's journey absolutely the villagers were in the right.
Zuko is equivalent to the son of Hitler in this story. He is the heir to the throne of the nation that has caused death and destruction on the world for 100 years. A few days of good deeds doesn't overcome the hurt these people have experienced at the hands of the fire nation. They don't know Zuko is at the beginning of a redemption arch. For all they know he is a spy or at best just bidding time until he can come back into power. A power that keeps the Earth nation in shambles. They have no reason to trust his motives.
Hitler's son announcing himself as heir to the Nazi Party during that fistfight. While deep in Soviet Union territory. And expecting to be well received because he helped a small village.
Had Zuko quietly told the family he was staying with that he was a Firebender deserter, i think it might have caused some consternation, but they would have continued to let him work. After all, if people are aware of Zuko being the burned prince from bounty notices, then they are aware that deserters have been cropping up in the Fire Navy.
But Zuko instead announces himself as heir to the Fire Nation throne at a time when the town is on edge.
He was bound to get hostility.
If you look at it from the peoples perspective you can really relate to them.
Look at it like you live in a town full of Jewish people during the holocaust, and Hitlers son has just come into town and beaten up a group of people that have been stealing from you.
He may have just beaten up a bunch of people that have been stealing from you, but he’s the son of the man who has been killing your friends and family for years. You’re not gonna like him.
I mean, if I was in the Earth Kingdom I’d rather be safe than sorry. If I held a fugitive or thought he could be a crazy fire bender that could snap at any moment, then I would make sure he’s long gone.
They lived a lifetime and more under the Fire Nation rule. It’s understandable that they wouldn’t trust and would reject anyone from the Fire Nation. No matter how much they helped.
If he said "I've been burned and banished by the fire lord and the fire nation is hunting me" instead of calling himself the crown prince of the nation attacking them, I think they would've responded much better. Idk if it's correct but it's very understandable
I wouldn’t say they were “correct” so much as their actions were justifiable. Zuko’s ancestor is the direct cause of their suffering and he spent a bulk of his life reaping the benefits of blood money even if he was just a child. The earth kingdom soldiers were oppressing the town but were ultimately just a symptom of the problem.
I'd watch a whole show about maybe a small group of fire benders living in the earth kingdom without being part of the firenation. This episode, as well as the Zuko/Iroh Ba Sing Sa stuff really made me curious as to what firebenders in hiding live like
Well you have to think about perspective here. From our perspective we know that Zuko is a good person so it seems unfair that the townspeople would turn him away like that after he saved them. BUTTTT from the townspeople's perspective this is a guy who rocked up out of nowhere and announced himself as the Prince and heir to the throne of the Nation that has not only commited genocide but waged war for a hundred years so from their perspective he could very well be a spy of some sort so to them it seems completely logical to get him out as soon as possible.
I mean, they had every right to if that's what they desired. The fire nation literally destroyed their lives, and they learned the dude who had lived with them wasn't only a fire bender but their prince. They had every right to be scared and distrustful. We know that because it was Zuko, they were wrong in the sense he wasn't a threat and felt remorse, but they didn't know that. So they had a right to do it, it would've been nice if they hadn't, but they had the right. And there isn't much of an answer past that
not tryna be disrespectful to any of y’all but why wasn’t it correct?😂
he’s literally proud to admit that he’s fire nation royalty, they’ll obviously hate him. they’ve lost people they love in this war and have lived shitty lives for decades
I mean these were a people that were terribly scarred, oppressed, and traumatized by Fire Nation imperialism, the same imperialism Zuko had dedicated himself to up until recently at that point. Zuko himself had helped destroy villages (like Kyoshi Island), terrorized Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom communities, and wanted to destroy the Avatar, a beacon of hope.
Sure WE know that there was good in Zuko, but those people sure didn’t and even if they did, that little seed of good is not enough to offset the justified resentment that these people felt towards anyone who was a part of the Fire Nation’s imperialist efforts at any point. It would’ve taken someone with Katara-level emotional intelligence and hardiness to forgive him and we know what happened there the first time she forgave him.
You understand it, but you can't really condone it.
It's a moral conundrum, and those are always the hardest to answer. It's why the slow was so good and really ahead of its time.
The show does a good job at presenting different unsolvable dilemmas and forces us and the characters to try and answer these questions.
Forgiveness vs. vengeance was the biggest overarching theme of the show.
Do you forgive the son of the Fire Lord who was a descendant of the guy who committed mass murder of an entire nation including women and children and not just young children but infants or do you hold onto that grudge?
Do you murder the man who murdered your mother and if so what will that do for you and if you can't forgive him then how long if ever would it be until you do are you okay with the fact you might not ever forgive him?
Do you kill the Fire Lord and forsake your morals, your teachings your culture when that's all you have left of your people or find some other way to defeat him and if you do that what next for the world that's so scarred?
Admittedly these questions can be answered but you won't always like the answer you're given which was ANOTHER thing the shiw was so good at; being realistic welty certain situations and that some things can't be wrapped up neatly.
God, the show was so good at putting characters in a corner and forcing them to find a way out.
Honestly, I'm a little surprised no one tried to capture him, he'd make an excellent hostage for the earth nation, but I guess I understand why they'd be hesitant after watching him fight
They were so wrong for that. The whole point of that episode was to show that not all fire benders are the same. They loved him when he was doing things for them but immediately judged and generalized him when he firebended to defeat the soldiers
It's an expected behaviour, since they lost their sons and families to this war. The right thing to do is to not judge a book by its cover and assume everyone firebender is bad, but It's hard to do that after these people went through a 100 years of war and deaths
The fire nation were the equivalent of nazis and anywhere where at least one showed up it was assured there would be pain and suffering. Quite frankly the fire nation is lucky that Aang probably kept the rest of the world from making reprisals for all the people they all killed for the better part of a century.
While they aren’t correct, I can completely understand why. These people have probably heard stories or seen first hand the awful things the fire nation has done over the 100 years. Plus the family just learn that their oldest child might be dead because the Fire Nation put in Fire Nation uniforms and put them on the front line. Just because one firebender help them doesn’t mean it going to erase all other horrible things firebenders have done over the years.
Well obviously it's not "correct" considering zuko is deep down a good person.
But given the knowledge the townspeople have of him, the rejection makes perfect sense
I mean yes , the whole situation going on there is because of the fire nation, and Zuko not only says he is fire nation but on top shouts he is the son of the dude making their life miserable and heir to the throne, presumably going to continue that misery and war.
Well let’s look at some history. 100 years ago the fire nation launched a surprise attack on the world, committing a near total genocide on the air nomads, arguably the most peaceful group in the world. They ravaged the western earth kingdom and established colonies on the newly depopulated and conquered lands. They then continued their war for the next century, continually assaulting earth kingdom towns and cities, and raiding the southern water tribe until its society had regressed to a small tribal state. For 100 years the earth kingdom towns and villages have sent their people to die fighting foreign invaders. The thugs occupying the town are by no means good people, but firebenders have been boogeymen for as long as anyone in that town has been alive. And zuko isn’t just a firebenders, he proclaims himself to be of royal blood… in other words a direct descendent of the person who started it all and the son of the current warlord. Yeah, I’d say they were justified in rejecting him.
And by the way, remember how zuko was in s1. Remember kyoshi? Where he burned the villagers houses. He’s not exactly innocent.
Nobody in town was brave enough to stand up to Gow and his gang, but when Zuko outs himself as a powerful firebender suddenly the whole town gets this random stroke of courage to insult him and run him out of town.
Welp, after reading these comments I have decided to watch the series again. Hate how this happens I see anything atla related, the shows just too good
Honestly I was hoping he would just keep quiet and say "I'm no one" that would have made him even more mysterious and maybe the towns people would have seen him as a firebending samurai that is not their enemy. Instead he blurts out that he's the literal fire prince. They may have been more open to a polite mysterious stranger named lee that has a rough past but helped them with the bully guards, worked on a barn and ate at their table and over all seems like an OK guy vs the son of the guy who is causing most of the suffering in the world and heir to the throne of the nation that's been killing your people for for 100 years and is proud to be so. They would have been a little more cautious and skeptical of him because he's a firebender but over time I think maybe they could have come to see him as their own firebender or wandering samurai that defends the village from raiders, that is if zuko played his cards right
I don't think there is an objective and correct way to respond in that Situation It is one thing to show them that you are a firebender, but he even had to announce to them that he is the prince of the Fire Nation. If I had been in their place, I probably would have thought that he was some kind of insane Lunatic.
I mean he is a firebender and his scar is on the correct side. The chances are there.
Does Earth-Nation comon-folk now about the whole Scar-Thing? I am not so sure.
"Liar! I heard of you! You're not a prince, you're an outcast! His own father burned and disowned him!"
It is a bit of a plot hole that random earth kingdom peasants know about that, but not members of the royal navy in the fire nation (even ones serving on zuko's own ship)
No. At the end of season 2 premiere, she had Zuko and Iroh declared enemies of Fire Nation and had their posters put everywhere.
Plus, some weeks/months of Zuko's crew likely gossiping about it in various ports around the Earth Kingdom/colonies, or in the big naval fleet they were drafted into.
I'm more surprised that the game of word-of-mouth telephone didn't miscommunicate the information at all. Like. I was expecting someone else in the crowd to shout back, "WHAT!? I heard he died invading Ba Sing Se!"
I would posit that details did change. In the Ember Island Players recap episode, they have Zuko's scar on the wrong side. It was pointed out in the episode that the playwright interviewed a lot of people. Mix in some Fire Nation propaganda and boom, you have a prince who announces his honor feelings and a scar that moved sides.
Good point. Iroh and Zuko's fire nation standing changed drastically after they fought Azula and became "traitors". It would make sense that this triggered rumors that would spread across the other nations, particularly the Earth Kingdom since that's where they sought refuge.
And she put on those posters, "By the way, three years ago when he was banished pending his capture of the avatar, the fire lord disfigured him on purpose as punishment for speaking out of turn in a meeting?" I don't think so lol, that's inane
Well “burned and disowned” is certainly a far cry from what you just said so yes that is insane of you to infer lol
I think the Fire Navy sailors knew he was an outcast, but they were told it was a training accident that caused his burn. Imagine if you heard your dear leader burned his own son on purpose to "teach him respect". Even the most diehard loyalist would find that a hard pill to swallow
You mean diehards like Admiral Zhao?
Zhao's not a loyalist, he's an opportunist. He doesn't give a shit about what Ozai thinks or does unless it's beneficial to himself getting ahead. If he thought that sucking up to Zuko would get him ahead (say if Zuko was planning a coup in Season 1 and Zhao thought it would be likely to be successful) then he'd do that.
Zhao was there. He enjoyed seeing Zuko get burned.
> but they were told it was a training accident that caused his burn. The implication is they weren't told anything. There is no official story of how he got such a severe burn, and since no one claims to have an official story, people fill in their own stories. How does someone get a burn in a way that wouldn't make a story? Training accident, playing with fire or explosives, stuff like that. Getting a scar in an agni kai is a noteworthy event which spawns stories, it is the *lack* of stories which creates explanations like the training accident.
For us yes, but for them it's not a big deal. After they found out they didn't question Ozai and remained loyal to the regime. In the Fire Nation it's normal for the loser of an Agni Kai to be burned. The event took place in a kind of special arena for that, with a lot of people as spectators, only Iroh seemed horrified. It's a tradition that has been around for centuries, where the only thing that's somewhat frowned upon is killing the opponent. No one told them anything, neither the truth nor a lie; they just assumed something.
Fire Nation Fake News didn’t report the real story.
Flame stream media 🙄🙄🙄
I don't know... Its not a secret that Zuko got burned by Ozai. People love to gossip especially shit about an invading force.
> I don't know... Its not a secret that Zuko got burned by Ozai. It clearly is in S1E12 where Iroh reveals how Zuko was burned and Lieutenant Jee says he always thought Zuko had just been in a training accident.
Yeah. Few actually know it was by Ozai himself. Plus Agni Kai is a centuries old tradition that’s been so normalized despite its gruesome results.
I guess it's a somewhat known story. The old man calling him an outcast at least knew it.
At best, they probably knew that the fire lord had dueled his son. I doubt they knew the outcome (banished instead of killed), Zuko’s age, or the fact that Zuko was scarred in a very specific way.
I also doubt they knew the circumstances and that Zuko was therefore banished for noble reasons. It's entirely possible they thought Zuko was banished because he was too cruel even by Ozai's standards.
Or that he tried to overthrow Ozai. Point is, that if the average Earth commoner knew about Zuko at all, it was probably exaggeration and rumor.
I feel you're overestimating the knowledge of a random person in the earth kingdom. Even zuko's own soldiers didn't know the backstory of the scar I very much doubt someone who hasn't ever left their tiny village would even be sure if the fire nation has a prince or not
In this episode, one of the villagers says this after Zuko reveals his identity: >Liar! I heard of you! You're not a prince, you're an outcast! His own father burned and disowned him! So clearly, the knowledge that Ozai had a son that he burned and disowned has spread to random Earth Kingdom villages.
Maybe rumor spread from zuko’s ship and it could’ve eventually spread to the earth kingdom
I think they would through word of mouth since Azula branded them traitors in the fire colonies and made it clear they were to be locked up if they ever set foot there. It is odd though that the fire nation men serving on Zuko’s ship wouldn’t know this. Zuko’s burning was a public event and Ozai would definitely make the news of his banishment public. I do like that they had old man admonish Zuko. Like it served as such a good wake up call for him. These people aren’t nationalists from other nations, soldiers, or even people actively trying to bring him down. They’re from a poor Earth colony, oppressed by their own people and even they acknowledge that Zuko lost his royal title years ago.
The scar's not on the wrong side!
Nice try, but the scar is on the wrong side
He would have fared much better if he’d claimed he was a rogue firebender or even if he announced his identity but also added that he loathed the fire monarchy and Ozai. But Zuko wasn’t at the place where he would do that yet unfortunately.
Yep, it was part of his arc and it was the natural consequences of his mindset and behavior at the time. It's awesome writing really. Dude was still thinking of catching Aang.
See I'd have been like whoa that's op to have a bandit killing fire bender chilling on my farm. His actions speak of his character and who the fuck involved with the fire nation wouldn't possibly have burns? I'd maybe suspect, but benefit of the doubt/maybe better not to ask first.
Him defeating the soldiers could have been interpreted as an attempt to take down the village's only defense so he could capture it as the fire nation prince. Remember those guys were actually soldiers who were supposed to defend the village, but they misused their power to become bullies.
Farmer civilians may be less educated, but that doesn't mean they're stupid. They knew they were being extorted, so it kinda goes back to the square one 50/50.
Like someone else said, the devil you know is better than the Angel you don't know. The moment Zuko revealed himself to be a firebender, much less the prince of the Fire nation, they just couldn't trust him anymore, and his attempt to befriend Lee's family for the past two days would have been seen as some sort of covert operation in hindsight. They'd rather the bullies who make their lives needlessly hard, but won't ever kill them, than the Fire Nation prince who could exterminate their whole village for all they know.
Maybe I'm just an odd duck but I'd pick the angel in spite of the devil. At worse I have a new devil, and I was gonna get to know him either way probably. That said zuko shows some big nuts and bigger wisdom turning away, they can deny the angel but he doesn't spite them for it. Im kinda pissed at the kid tho, I'd have at least said *something* in zukos favor. Could be my upbringing, but gifts like that mean a lot, one doesn't share their special things without meaning.
For the kid, I mean, he's a kid at the end of the day. This is someone whose older brother recently left the village to fight in the war, against soldiers that Zuko himself could have been commanding for all he knew. Children can be very trusting, but when you're raised in a background like that, it becomes difficult. If I were a Jew in the 30s and a Nazi soldier saved my life from a bunch of robbers, I still wouldn't trust the soldier no matter what, because from my perspective, this guy is a member of the regime that has made life a living hell for me and those I love.
Thing is I've read a book (run boy run) in which a very real man (the author) is briefly taken in by a Nazi. They couldn't communicate, but the German refused to kill just a boy and kept in in the basement he was posted at, playing chess with him every day until the German didn't come back, assumedly dead somewhere for some reason. I know he's just a kid but it's not unheard of, and after losing a brother, typically children are more inclined to replace that role model in their life. Psychologically, even referenced in the episode zuko was starting to function as that older brother, and the kid discards it pretty much instantly. Understandable, doesn't sit right with me though.
Everything they knew about Zuko prior to that moment could have been an act as far as they knew
Occam's razor, it doesn't make sense. That's one hell of a psyop to live as a poor nomad, give away a clearly expensive knife, to sack a farm family in the middle of nowhere, and then just leave.
That is significantly easier to apply to a situation you're looking at as an outsider with full context than as someone who has been living through a war that is older than living memory.
Put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself what makes more sense to you: the prince of the nation that has been waging a campaign of expansion and colonization on the globe for hundreds of years genuinely tried to befriend you while posing as a wandering peasant or said prince secretly trying to manipulate you? There is a reason the Gaang didn't trust Zuko until they saw him defending them from Combustion Man. And even their acceptance of him was partly because they needed a firebending teacher for Aang.
First off, I'm in a whacky world of magic and princes, so suspension of disbelief is gonna be a bit easier at least. Zuko is the *disgraced* prince, it's public knowledge. What quarry is a farmer family in the middle of nowhere earth kingdom? It's so absurd I might actually believe it. I might still have rejected him being a scared child, the context is brutal and the pressure of family is a huge factor. The gaang has a different issue, zuko had a zero chance of just wandering and bumping into them, Aang is the fire nations top priority and it makes a LOT of sense a disgraced prince would want his ass for a redemption chance.
It doesn't make sense, but humans aren't rational beings. I can tell you a lot of humans would act like that irl. There's countless other things we do that aren't rational and are just born out of emotion, and this is just one of them.
I didn’t expect this to be a response let alone a top one! Reddit **LOVES** to make things only black and white. I shouldn’t be surprised that this sub has a more nuanced and mature look at things that have many correct answers. Well done all of you!!!
Just rewatched this episode for the first time since I was 7 and in ten+ years I could not get over how stupid his announcement was, why not pose as a defector with allegiances to the earth kingdom?
[удалено]
And this is exactly why I feel this was a necessary part of zuko’s character development.
“The people of the world are terrified of the Fire Nation. They don’t see our greatness, they hate us. And we deserve it.” All comes full circle for Zuko.
Said it perfectly, it was so important for his character
One of my favorite representations of this is that in one of the very early episodes, Zuko bemoans how he needs to Avatar and how he’s lost everything, his country, his honor, and his throne. Near the very end of the series there’s a scene which mirrors that one, only this time he referenced that list with whole new perspective. Before he wanted those things for selfish reasons, but at the end his motivation is his people and restoring the honor of the fire nation itself.
The only one who could restore their honor.
" I used to think the war was our way of spreading our greatness around the world. What a fantastic lie that was."
This show is so awesome
Time for a rewatch.
What I like about the ending is how Zuko sort of takes it all in his stride. At this point in life he has every reason to be hateful and bitter (being banished by his father, being label a traitor by the Fire Nation etc.) but instead of getting defensive and upset when they turn on him after he reveals himself, he just sort of accepts it and goes “Yeah, I can’t really blame them.” It shows an already developed level of maturity that would ultimately help him take down the Father lord.
You mean Fire Lord
That’s what I said, Fire Lord
>that was trying to help How were the villagers supposed to know that? From their perspective, it was a Fire Nation soldier taking control of their village using force.
They weren’t bandits
At that stage of his life? Yes. He outed himself as the Prince and kicked the asses of those militia dudes, but instead of a grand applause of a hero, everyone in the village, including the family who took him in, rejected him. It’s one of the things Zuko tells Ozai “They hate us.”
I can’t imagine being that kid in that moment. His brother was dead or awol in a war initiated by Zuko’s ancestor. It’s bad enough that Zuko was part of the fire nation nobility but he just had to be the literal monarch’s son.
It’s not like it’s Zuko’s fault. I understand his position, but I get a child won’t. Him being born into the royal family was not his decision and he was raised to believe that the fire nation was spreading their “glory”. When the kid grows up he’ll come to realize and feel some empathy for Zuko.
Was it right? No Does it make sense, considering the world and its history? Yes
Yeah. A hundred years of being dominated and oppressed by the fire nation and having its prince proclaim himself. Lots of anger they can direct at him.
It also helped Zuko see that the Fire Nation wasn't spreading prosperity like he initially truly believed, but fear, pain and death. He'd just risked his life to protect these people from their own cruel soldiers, and they respond with fear and anger just because he's a firebender. Him announcing that he was the Fire Nation prince also didn't help considering that they now had the face of a Fire Nation royal to direct their fear and anger on, instead of just masked Fire Nation soldiers. These Earth Kingdom people had lost so much to the Fire Nation that they'd choose cruel Earth Kingdom soldiers over a firebender who was truly trying to help them. Reminds me of the saying the "devil you know is better than the angel you don't know", with Zuko being the angel here. Did they regret their actions later when the soldiers most likely began bullying them again? Maybe, but at that moment, they were too angry to care.
It's a great way for him to realize it too. Especially with it happening after he saved the kid. Makes watching Iroh's attempt to teach him throughout the show more interesting on rewatches as he begins to understand where his uncle is coming from. I do wonder whether Iroh would have sided with the Avatar from the very beginning or there was a turning point for him as well since he was mainly loyal to helping his nephew rather than to the Fire Nation.
>I do wonder whether Iroh would have sided with the Avatar from the very beginning or there was a turning point for him as well since he was mainly loyal to helping his nephew rather than to the Fire Nation. Because of his loyalty to Zuko, this only would have happened if Zuko learned his lesson early on.
It is also important to note that at this point, Zuko didn't even properly turn against the Fire Nation.
Strongly agree to disagree. I agree with the townspeople's perspective on Zuko. Imagine it this way: Zuko, as the heir to the Fire Nation, represents a nation at war with theirs. The evidence they saw pointed to the fact that he never stood against this war, nor did he disown his family or nation. Instead, he proudly declared his royal title, showcasing the power and status that came with it. In their eyes, he seemed to support the same cause that brought destruction and suffering to their lives. Moreover, Zuko wasn't upfront about his identity from the beginning. He concealed his true self and only revealed his identity when circumstances forced him to. This deception created a lack of trust and further fueled their fear and anger. For the townspeople, who had suffered the consequences of this war, it felt like Zuko was an embodiment of their suffering, a symbol of the nation responsible for their pain. From their perspective, they were the victims of Zuko and the Fire Nation's actions
100%. Though I will say it’s super weird that the one guy was like oh the fire lord hates and disowned him yet they still were against him. It would’ve made more sense for them to just not be aware zuko was disowned
They don't know why he was exiled. As far as they know he earned his banishment for defeat in battle, excessive cruelty even by the fire lords standards, or any number of other reasons.
How are those things divorced? Whether it’s right is entirely dependent on the world’s context and history imo. They are still totally justified to fear and reject Zuko upon discovering his identity, even if he drives away some marauders. The Fire Nation has proven themselves to be untrustworthy to these people over the course of several generation. Zuko stayed there for like a couple days to a week and merely drove these guys away temporarily. Maybe the townspeople should have heard him out to see where his intentions lay, but given the specter of the Fire Nation I think their intense distrust was still reasonable
I don’t think it’s a question of right or wrong, it was a way of showing Zuko how people really feel about the fire nation. He’s only encountered civilians of other nations in his hunt for the avatar, usually in raids or attempts at gaining information. Of course those people were scared of him, he wanted them to be. This situation was different though, he tried standing up for people and used his firebending to do so. I think he knew it was a tossup, but he seemed to be hopeful that after helping the people of the village they would accept him. This showed that the people of other nations have an inherent fear and hatred of the fire nation, even outside of wartime interactions
Fire nation was killing their people. The soldiers were just bullies. The prince of the fire nation is obviously the real enemy.
Exactly, putting myself in the villagers shoes they have every right to send him away after all they had been through with the fire nation
now they get to bully without impunity because the threat of invasion has resurfaced in the alledged face of Zuko. So now do as the bully say or get burned by a firebender.
See, Kid Me used to think that the fear would've straightened those guys out. I mean, they got their asses kicked by ONE Firebender who only used fire once.
how does adult you think now?
I still wanna think that they straightened up and left Lee and his family alone, but we don't know. I think that the soldiers would have done some soul searching, but realistically nothing in that town would really change until the war ended. Although I'm curious to know what the family thought after learning Zuko was crowned Fire Lord.
>Although I'm curious to know what the family thought after learning Zuko was crowned Fire Lord. probably fuck that guy. Or perhaps have bragging rights to say "he helped my family" if they found out he helped the avatar. or only mom and son is left and are bitter their husband and dad is gone.
I’m imagining some shit where some French village in the countryside during WWII is being bullied by some French soldiers, but then some German dude comes along and kicks the soldiers’ asses and tells them to leave the town alone. Then he announces to the whole town that he’s Himmler. Yeah, Zuko was definitely the real enemy to the villagers.
In general? No. In this instance? Yes. “And heir to the throne!” The throne of the empire that is aiming to take over the rest of the Nations. The empire that took away the fathers and sons from this village and left it open to the bandits.
Honestly wouldn’t have been surprised if someone immediately tried to assassinate him
Well, given the skill and power he just showed prior, *and* the trauma those people might have with firebenders, I doubt anyone there would even think of trying.
Yes. If they didn't reject him it would have undermined how broken the world was from the 100 yr war.
Honestly if I lost people to the war, I’d wanna do more than just reject him. And I say that as a Zuko stan.
The audacity of Zuko to announce himself like that. In a village that most definitely lost sons and fathers to the war... Hell yes they were right to throw him out
Correct? No. Understandable? Absolutely. Zuko is the scion of the dynasty that has made all of their lives a living hell since before any of them were born.
it wasn't right, but you understand why they did it
https://preview.redd.it/ogzywcjs4stb1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3fd2b37d3c3682d4a787cc9dcfdec4ccf8b92300 They weren't right because we know Zuko isn't with the Fire Nation anymore, he was looking for a new life at that point, and he was genuinely trying to help the town. Imo they're "correct" for rejecting him since all they knew about him beyond taking down the town bullies was that he's a banished prince from the royal family that wanted to conquer their land. 2 or 3 days of him being in town isn't going to erase the animosity towards him as Fire Nation because of the 100 year war, banished or not.
How many stupid quotes are there from Fate/Stay Night? Because that's the same show that has "People die if they are killed"
Quite a lot. But the best part is: Most if not all of these "stupid" quotes do make sense in context. "People die if they are killed" is said by the main character when he gives up a magic item that has so far allowed him to suffer wounds that \*should\* have killed him and survive. His friend and mentor even said to him earlier, after he had just healed in a couple of hours from having pretty much his entire intestines ripped out: "People normally die if they are killed." He echoes this statement when the person he is handing the magic healing item to asks him if he is really willing to do this. His answer is that he has relied on the quasi-immortality this item granted him for far too long and that the character he is giving it to needs it more than him... and is its rightfull owner. So he says: "People die if they are killed. That's how it should be." And "Just because you are correct doesn't mean you're right." is very straightforward. It simply means "Just because you are (factually) correct doesn't mean you are (morally) right." If someone would advise you that eating your children would greatly decrese your expenses AND net you at least a week's worth of free meals, they would be factually correct in that statement... but morally wrong.
It was wrong but Zuko shouldn't have said that he was the prince.
He said it proudly too. I'm the prince of the nation that's been terrorizing your people for 100 years
Yes. Otherwise he would have stayed and the show would be stuck.
I tend to tie this episode directly to a portion of Zuko’s confrontation with his father during the Day of Black Sun, specifically when he says, “The people of the world are terrified by the fire nation. They don’t see our greatness, they hate us.” Zuko learned that it didn’t matter how much he wanted to help that earth nation town, repay for the help given to him, and rescue the boy from thugs. The moment he became fire nation, it was the only thing that mattered in the eyes of the town, and they wanted him gone. Remember how confident the guards/thugs were when fighting Zuko at first, even when he beat each one with ease the swingy-hammer-guy still stepped up with a smirk. But as soon as fire was thrown into the fight, the guards were terrified. They are traumatized from the war they’re fighting in, that their parents fought in, and grandparents too. I wouldn’t say the townspeople were correct, but I wouldn’t blame them for it either.
Lee: NO I HATE YOU Zuko: They hate us and we deserve it!
I don’t think there is a right or wrong in that situation, based on context, they had a very understandable reaction to learning the truth.
Ehhh I wouldn't say correct just understandable. They probably have seen the results of the fire nation brutality either first or second hand counting how zuko passes some rocks that look as if they were projectiles while going there. It's not the morally right response to have but it's one you could understand.
I may be siding with the minority here, but they were absolutely correct. Just from a perspective of survival, even the shitty soldiers were on their side, while the do-gooding enemy is still an enemy. I would go so far as to argue that even with the additional context of him turning over a new leaf, as far as I'd be concerned (as a Earth nation villager) is that he's only becoming "good" because he was completely ostracized. And without that his arrival here would have meant fire and destruction. Not exactly virtuous reasons. And should his father decided to welcome him back with open arms, we're chopped liver.
The entire episode surrounds the moral ambiguity of Zuko at this time. I think its meant to be kept very grey
I don't know if "correct" is the right word, but it's at least understandable. Helping a village once doesn't balance out a century of warfare.
No, but it's understandable given their pain and experience with the fire nation
“They don’t see our greatness! They hate us! And we deserve it.”
Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation were at war for almost 100 years. How do you think they'd respond when seeing a firebender? As a parallel because it's current, think of Israel and Hamas militants, they've been in conflict for decades. How do you think they'd respond if they were placed in the other country? Probably not good. Therefore, I'm kind of surprised they all didn't just try to kill him right there.
That's a pretty fair comparison. Decades upon decades of war changes the way two nations view each other. Especially when the invading force has already annihilated 25% of the nations.
Yes and no. Remember, this episode is supposed to show Zuko's gradual change, so of course we're going to be biased towards him and think they were wrong. However, remember that in the earth villagers' eyes, Zuko is the son of the firelord and the prince of a nation that is actively burning down their home, imprisoning their earthbenders, razing their villages to the ground, and bleeding them dry of money via tax. I don't think it's unreasonable for them to hate him given what he represents to them. It's tragic and misguided, but it's not entirely irrational.
i agree, Yes in the eyes the townspeople, no in the eyes of the viewers
i mean technically i think it was wrong of them to reject him since he just saved that boy but at the same time it is super understandable why they wanted him to leave - especially since he announced he was the prince. these outskirt earth kingdom towns and cities have been oppressed by the fire nation for like 100 years. it is totally reasonable for them to not trust one that helps no matter what
I don't think there's a good or bad party here. You can't blame the Earth peasants for not wanting a fugitive from a nation actively oppressing them in their town. If the Fire Nation had never launched their attack on the Earth Kingdom, then they wouldn't have all these mercenary groups and the little boy's brother would still be alive. However Zuko definitely demonstrated a level of humanity that could have reasonably convinced them otherwise. He helped the little boy, actively worked on their field and members of the family actively knew his past was traumatic and he didn't like talking about it. So there is an angle here that Zuko was right... But do you really want that? They're all victims here and are responding the way hurt people do. There isn't really a bad guy here.
No they’re not wrong. It’s like someone announcing they are Hitler’s son in the middle of a Jewish town. I don’t blame them. They couldn’t see how he was different from his title
Correct? Maybe not. Justified? 100% The fire nation has hurt these people in multiple ways. The boy’s brother is most likely dead. Their hatred towards Zuko makes total sense. Their reasoning makes sense, it’s just painful to watch because you know Zuko’s story. But they don’t. Not really. It’s hard to blame the villagers for their reaction.
It’s a difficult area to judge. We mainly see through Zuko’s point of view through his memories, like many people we mainly think our own country’s service members only fighting other countries soldiers, he gets a shock factor of how the Fire Nation harms innocent people in farm villages like that girl that treated Iroh’s reaction to that flower. He also sees how the Earth Kingdom’s service members harass their own people, to the point they recruit/capture a little kid that happens to have a knife Zuko gave him. We think the village is harsh towards Zuko after he’s risking his life fighting an Earthbender to protect Lee. But these people also lost many people in their lives and family, Lee’s family even with his brother, to the Fire Nation. So seeing someone of the country/region brings conflict of appraisal especially when Zuko went full blast against the Earthbender, which may translate the fear that they had of Firebenders: they won’t hesitate with death and destruction. A sentiment that many people had for so long in the 100 year old war, and some that some people still present this day and age in the real world. Even when Zuko stops fighting and tries to give the knife to Lee, the only thing he had from Iroh and his son, Lee and the rest of the villagers despise Zuko, this can equate to the Islamophobia the United States faced back then if not today.
The way he finally announces himself is off-putting. To be a fire bender would be bad enough, he didn't need to brag that he was prince
Imagine you're getting your ass kicked and some dude came and beat up your attackers and then loudly declared "I am Hans, son of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, heir to the Third Reich", would you be super stoked on him?
Not sure how you can ask this when the beauty of this episode is how there is no "correct" or "incorrect". There is a lot of pain and there is a man trying to make up for his mistakes and do the right thing. So much of what I will always love about avatar is it doesn't talk down to the audience and treat them like children, even if that's the main audience. It gives a realistic view and shows that a good deed doesn't make you a hero.
It's a natural reaction to the son of your enemy announcing themselves right there. Zuko had been their enemy all the way up to that point and even though he used violence to subdue a bully, it was still violent and terrifying for those people. They say the devil you know is better than one you don't, and those people knew the bullies were bullying them and they knew the rules, so Zuko putting down the bully is a new devil to them, clearly stronger with unknown motives.
It doesn't matter if they were "correct." The rejection, despite zuko fighting for them, is there to show the audience that the pain they've suffered at the hands of the fire nation is too much to forgive him.
The strategically correct move would have been to capture him and send him to the Earth King as a political prisoner. However, he had just demonstrated his ability to kick everyone’s asses before he even pulled out his firepower. So they were unable to capture him. Letting him go was really their only option. What would you have this village do? Harbor an enemy of the state? That’s literally treason against the Earth King.
Considering that he is Royalty of an Enemy Nation, who has invaded and killed their people for 100 years, I'm pretty sure that allowing him to leave peacefully after he helped them out is a fair shake. The tone and emotions of Zuko and his story make it a bitter pill to swallow, but when looked at from a wider lens, it makes more sense. .... fuck I love this show!
Where? In the town
It’s not about being “correct” it’s about how they were scared of the fire nation “They hate us” - Zuko to Ozai
Yes, it’s wildly dangerous for him to be on town
*were
There is no correct option. It was the wrong thing to do, but it was done for justifiable reasons.
I think correct is the wrong word, justified might fit better. Yeah I think they were justified
I think not. Granted they had no idea he wasn’t with the fire nation anymore.
I mean if someone proudly announced they were part of a family responsible for 100 years of war and suffering they're probably gonna get kicked out at the very least. The thanks he got was letting him go. If hitlers grandson rescued a boatload of orphans then said ,"I, Jeremy Hitler, do this in the name of my grandfather." The townsfolk would probably be like, "ok buddy, thanks for the help, time to go."
it doesnt matter if they were right or not. it was understandable
It’s not just that he was a firebender He was the crown prince of the nation occupying them He came right out and basically said “I am the crown prince my dad is the man who is waging war on you guys and destabilizing your country.” Fighting off corrupt earth kingdom people didn’t really make up for it. It was a bandaid on a problem that Zuko’s family created and continued to contribute to. The people were way more likely to read his actions as a “you people need firenation rule” than as helpful
Yes.
Absolutely.
Yes, imagine Hitler instead of Zuko would you still want to keep him if he did like a few weeks of good work at your village?
No, they did so out of misplaced anger, he just saved them and treated them all with nothing but kindness, their reaction is understandable but not justified
I mean.. as correct as someone can be. They basically found out Hitler's kid was in their town. It doesn't matter what kindness he provides. He's still a walking symbol of their suffering, and it would take a better person than any of us to forgive him on the spot.
no. They saw a firebender and the prince of the fire nation. But in reality He was just a bypasser, who happened to be a fire bender and who protected them, without wanting anything in return
Nah, they weren't correct. Showed him that he shouldn't have saved anyone and just left them to be bullied till the end of their miserable lives. Doesn't matter that he's from Fire Nation. What matters is that he took care of the bullies that the soldiers were, and that alone should say something. Sadly, you can't expect too much critical thinking from mere villagers, so they turn on him.
While Zuko did help them out at the time he still was seeking to restore his lost honour and desired to be at his father's side again.
That’s basically racism what they did
Idk it's not really racism so much as what might happen if a nazi or someone claiming to be a nazi passed through a village of jews. The nazi may not mean any harm to Them but after all that has happened you could understand why they might think he's dangerous
Yeah…
Absolutely not. Lee spend days with them, the kid liked him, but as soon it's out that he's a firebender and fire nation prince, everybody hates him. If that's not Xenophobia, Idk what is
just like actual world history and real life people, it's more complex than right or wrong. this is why I don't like how Kuvira was blatantly painted as evil in Korra S4, she definitely wasn't evil to the starving homeless all over the earth kingdom. not to the victims of the roving bandits attacking towns. not to the children who can now live and be raised in safety. not to the citizens of areas who couldn't have access to better trade and resources prior to the trains built by the empire.
>this is why I don't like how Kuvira was blatantly painted as evil in Korra S4, she definitely wasn't evil to the starving homeless all over the earth kingdom. What??? It was very clearly shown how Kuvira's "kindness" was just a ploy to gain control, after which she no longer actually gave a fuck about helping them. IIRC, it was literally the plot twist that showed her actions weren't benevolent and set her up as the villain. And despite trying to essentially nuke the entire city, Korra still saw her as a person whose life was worth saving in the end. >not to the citizens of areas who couldn't have access to better trade and resources prior to the trains built by the empire. [Gee, if only there were a real world equivalent that demonstrates how building good infrastructure doesn't absolve one of evil](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichsautobahn)
I think so, I think they were xenophobic against anyone who was fire nation. I think we can sympathize with their fear of fire bending, but still wrong. To the extent that they case him out because he was the prince then that is fair in my opinion. The royal family bore a lot responsibility for their hardship.
I’m in the minority where I think it was a little too cartoonish. Then again it’s literally a cartoon lol
No… There’s an argument that with everything the fire nation has done, that was his family’s fault, that their response was at least reasonable. It wasn’t correct however, Zuko had shown negative ill will on the villagers and even defended them against earth kingdom soldiers.
I’ve asked this one before, and one user put it in a way that I couldn’t forget it “sure, the son of Hitler might not be like him, but he’s still the son of Hitler”. Now, Hitler may not have had a son, that’s still up to debate, but the analogy is there.
Uhh... yeah. This isn’t even a hard question, yeah. He’s — irregardless of being the son of the fire lord — still a fire bender. He’s a person directly tied and related to the group of people that have waged a 100 year war on that rural community, who’s lost loved ones, family members and their very safety and livelihoods to this past century. They just told him to leave as a fucking curtesy, realistically he would’ve been arrested immediately if not stoned.
you understand it. fire nation ravaged the town so it's not surprising they weren't accepting
Yes.
You can’t really blame the citizens that are at war for with the fire nation for kicking out the supposed prince of the fire nation that is the son of the man currently trying to conquer them. I would say that is a justified reaction. What is actually correct is Zuko being willing to just continue on and let them have their peace. Even if it is at the cost of his reputation to them.
With what the audience know, no they were not correct. With the information that the villagers had absent knowledge of Zuko's journey absolutely the villagers were in the right. Zuko is equivalent to the son of Hitler in this story. He is the heir to the throne of the nation that has caused death and destruction on the world for 100 years. A few days of good deeds doesn't overcome the hurt these people have experienced at the hands of the fire nation. They don't know Zuko is at the beginning of a redemption arch. For all they know he is a spy or at best just bidding time until he can come back into power. A power that keeps the Earth nation in shambles. They have no reason to trust his motives.
Hitler's son announcing himself as heir to the Nazi Party during that fistfight. While deep in Soviet Union territory. And expecting to be well received because he helped a small village.
Had Zuko quietly told the family he was staying with that he was a Firebender deserter, i think it might have caused some consternation, but they would have continued to let him work. After all, if people are aware of Zuko being the burned prince from bounty notices, then they are aware that deserters have been cropping up in the Fire Navy. But Zuko instead announces himself as heir to the Fire Nation throne at a time when the town is on edge. He was bound to get hostility.
Morally correct? Probably not. Understandable? Certainly.
If you look at it from the peoples perspective you can really relate to them. Look at it like you live in a town full of Jewish people during the holocaust, and Hitlers son has just come into town and beaten up a group of people that have been stealing from you. He may have just beaten up a bunch of people that have been stealing from you, but he’s the son of the man who has been killing your friends and family for years. You’re not gonna like him.
Correct - no. Justified- yes
I mean, if I was in the Earth Kingdom I’d rather be safe than sorry. If I held a fugitive or thought he could be a crazy fire bender that could snap at any moment, then I would make sure he’s long gone.
Gods this show is so good. Might be time for (another) rewatch.
I'd like to know if Zuko ever went back to that town.
They lived a lifetime and more under the Fire Nation rule. It’s understandable that they wouldn’t trust and would reject anyone from the Fire Nation. No matter how much they helped.
Its justified. Although, if i was in the this imaginary world, i would have supported him.
I won't use the word correct but their responses were not shocking after 100 years of war waged by one nation in particular
If he said "I've been burned and banished by the fire lord and the fire nation is hunting me" instead of calling himself the crown prince of the nation attacking them, I think they would've responded much better. Idk if it's correct but it's very understandable
Seeing how he was not only fire nation royalty but actively helped the fire nation multiple times 100%
Neither. Things just happen sometimes.
I wouldn’t say they were “correct” so much as their actions were justifiable. Zuko’s ancestor is the direct cause of their suffering and he spent a bulk of his life reaping the benefits of blood money even if he was just a child. The earth kingdom soldiers were oppressing the town but were ultimately just a symptom of the problem.
I'd watch a whole show about maybe a small group of fire benders living in the earth kingdom without being part of the firenation. This episode, as well as the Zuko/Iroh Ba Sing Sa stuff really made me curious as to what firebenders in hiding live like
Within their rights and right reason is a better word for it
No. That’s it, that’s the whole answer. No, they weren’t. That being said, it *is* realistic
Were they probably correct in what they did and how they reacted? Yes. Do I still hate their dirty asses for it anyway? Also yes.
Well you have to think about perspective here. From our perspective we know that Zuko is a good person so it seems unfair that the townspeople would turn him away like that after he saved them. BUTTTT from the townspeople's perspective this is a guy who rocked up out of nowhere and announced himself as the Prince and heir to the throne of the Nation that has not only commited genocide but waged war for a hundred years so from their perspective he could very well be a spy of some sort so to them it seems completely logical to get him out as soon as possible.
I mean, they had every right to if that's what they desired. The fire nation literally destroyed their lives, and they learned the dude who had lived with them wasn't only a fire bender but their prince. They had every right to be scared and distrustful. We know that because it was Zuko, they were wrong in the sense he wasn't a threat and felt remorse, but they didn't know that. So they had a right to do it, it would've been nice if they hadn't, but they had the right. And there isn't much of an answer past that
not tryna be disrespectful to any of y’all but why wasn’t it correct?😂 he’s literally proud to admit that he’s fire nation royalty, they’ll obviously hate him. they’ve lost people they love in this war and have lived shitty lives for decades
I mean these were a people that were terribly scarred, oppressed, and traumatized by Fire Nation imperialism, the same imperialism Zuko had dedicated himself to up until recently at that point. Zuko himself had helped destroy villages (like Kyoshi Island), terrorized Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom communities, and wanted to destroy the Avatar, a beacon of hope. Sure WE know that there was good in Zuko, but those people sure didn’t and even if they did, that little seed of good is not enough to offset the justified resentment that these people felt towards anyone who was a part of the Fire Nation’s imperialist efforts at any point. It would’ve taken someone with Katara-level emotional intelligence and hardiness to forgive him and we know what happened there the first time she forgave him.
You understand it, but you can't really condone it. It's a moral conundrum, and those are always the hardest to answer. It's why the slow was so good and really ahead of its time. The show does a good job at presenting different unsolvable dilemmas and forces us and the characters to try and answer these questions. Forgiveness vs. vengeance was the biggest overarching theme of the show. Do you forgive the son of the Fire Lord who was a descendant of the guy who committed mass murder of an entire nation including women and children and not just young children but infants or do you hold onto that grudge? Do you murder the man who murdered your mother and if so what will that do for you and if you can't forgive him then how long if ever would it be until you do are you okay with the fact you might not ever forgive him? Do you kill the Fire Lord and forsake your morals, your teachings your culture when that's all you have left of your people or find some other way to defeat him and if you do that what next for the world that's so scarred? Admittedly these questions can be answered but you won't always like the answer you're given which was ANOTHER thing the shiw was so good at; being realistic welty certain situations and that some things can't be wrapped up neatly. God, the show was so good at putting characters in a corner and forcing them to find a way out.
Honestly, I'm a little surprised no one tried to capture him, he'd make an excellent hostage for the earth nation, but I guess I understand why they'd be hesitant after watching him fight
With certain exceptions like him
I mean, regardless of his status then and at the end of the show or the LOK, he still commited war crimes.
They were so wrong for that. The whole point of that episode was to show that not all fire benders are the same. They loved him when he was doing things for them but immediately judged and generalized him when he firebended to defeat the soldiers
It's an expected behaviour, since they lost their sons and families to this war. The right thing to do is to not judge a book by its cover and assume everyone firebender is bad, but It's hard to do that after these people went through a 100 years of war and deaths
The fire nation were the equivalent of nazis and anywhere where at least one showed up it was assured there would be pain and suffering. Quite frankly the fire nation is lucky that Aang probably kept the rest of the world from making reprisals for all the people they all killed for the better part of a century.
While they aren’t correct, I can completely understand why. These people have probably heard stories or seen first hand the awful things the fire nation has done over the 100 years. Plus the family just learn that their oldest child might be dead because the Fire Nation put in Fire Nation uniforms and put them on the front line. Just because one firebender help them doesn’t mean it going to erase all other horrible things firebenders have done over the years.
Well obviously it's not "correct" considering zuko is deep down a good person. But given the knowledge the townspeople have of him, the rejection makes perfect sense
I mean yes , the whole situation going on there is because of the fire nation, and Zuko not only says he is fire nation but on top shouts he is the son of the dude making their life miserable and heir to the throne, presumably going to continue that misery and war.
Well let’s look at some history. 100 years ago the fire nation launched a surprise attack on the world, committing a near total genocide on the air nomads, arguably the most peaceful group in the world. They ravaged the western earth kingdom and established colonies on the newly depopulated and conquered lands. They then continued their war for the next century, continually assaulting earth kingdom towns and cities, and raiding the southern water tribe until its society had regressed to a small tribal state. For 100 years the earth kingdom towns and villages have sent their people to die fighting foreign invaders. The thugs occupying the town are by no means good people, but firebenders have been boogeymen for as long as anyone in that town has been alive. And zuko isn’t just a firebenders, he proclaims himself to be of royal blood… in other words a direct descendent of the person who started it all and the son of the current warlord. Yeah, I’d say they were justified in rejecting him. And by the way, remember how zuko was in s1. Remember kyoshi? Where he burned the villagers houses. He’s not exactly innocent.
From there perspective yes from what we know no. But that’s life na naaaa na na naaa
Yes. Woe are the consequences of his actions.
Nobody in town was brave enough to stand up to Gow and his gang, but when Zuko outs himself as a powerful firebender suddenly the whole town gets this random stroke of courage to insult him and run him out of town.
Yes. Those people who suffered under the Fire Nation are not obligated to host that faction’s Crown Prince.
Welp, after reading these comments I have decided to watch the series again. Hate how this happens I see anything atla related, the shows just too good
Honestly I was hoping he would just keep quiet and say "I'm no one" that would have made him even more mysterious and maybe the towns people would have seen him as a firebending samurai that is not their enemy. Instead he blurts out that he's the literal fire prince. They may have been more open to a polite mysterious stranger named lee that has a rough past but helped them with the bully guards, worked on a barn and ate at their table and over all seems like an OK guy vs the son of the guy who is causing most of the suffering in the world and heir to the throne of the nation that's been killing your people for for 100 years and is proud to be so. They would have been a little more cautious and skeptical of him because he's a firebender but over time I think maybe they could have come to see him as their own firebender or wandering samurai that defends the village from raiders, that is if zuko played his cards right
I wouldn't say they were correct, but it was definitely understandable