Highlights
- Iroh is a beloved character in Avatar: The Last Airbender due to his wisdom, mentorship, and transformation throughout the series.
- Iroh serves as a mentor to Zuko, helping him on his redemption arc and teaching him the difference between right and wrong.
- Despite his kind and humorous demeanor, Iroh is a formidable strategist and powerful firebender, subverting expectations and earning the admiration of fans.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of those shows that never gets old. Almost twenty years after it first aired, the series is still loved by fans and rewatched on a frequent basis. There’s plenty to love about the show, from its impeccable storytelling to its wide range of characters. From this amazing ensemble, one universally loved character is Iroh.
As Zuko’s uncle, Iroh plays a significant role in the story. Over the years, he has emerged as an icon among the fanbase. Some admire his oft-quoted dialogues, some enjoy his comic timing, and others love his tactician’s mind. As a character, he starts off as a funny old man with a witticism for every situation. But he goes on to become so much more. Here's why fans adore him, and always will.
Ghost of Tsushima Multiplayer Mode Narrated By Uncle Iroh Voice Actor
With Ghost of Tsushima: Legends finally out, players are discovering the English narrator also voices Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Who Is Iroh?
On the surface, Iroh is a wise old man who loves a good cup of tea. At first glance, most would not think that he is the firstborn son of Fire Lord Azulon and, technically, in line for the throne. But he is. He was also a fearsome commander in the army, playing a big role in the Hundred Year War. In fact, he was the first to breach the outer wall of Ba Sing Se, one of the strongest cities in the Earth Kingdom. And then tragedy struck.
Iroh’s son, Lu Ten, died on the front lines. The incident not only left Iroh in unimaginable grief, but also completely changed the direction of his life. He lost his will and abandoned the siege. He even let Ozai, his younger brother, claim the throne after their father’s mysterious death. Iroh retired from state affairs and instead spent his time traveling the world. During his explorations, his understanding of the world changed. He even became a member of the Order of the White Lotus, a secret international society that went beyond borders.
At the time that the show begins, Iroh is well past that stage of his life, and has chosen to accompany his nephew, Zuko, in banishment. While the rest of the family looks down on the teenage Zuko, Iroh offers his nephew support and empathy on his long quest to find the Avatar — even if it isn’t always received well. Over the seasons, Iroh helps Zuko find who he really is, and learn the difference between right and wrong. In the end, Iroh not only pushes Zuko on to help Aang and his friends, but also helps win the war against the Fire Nation. He rallies all the members of the White Lotus, including several other bending masters, and together they liberate the city of Ba Sing Se.
Iroh’s journey, filled with introspection and transformation, is a fascinating and moving one by itself. But there’s so much more that endears him to fans.
Uncle Iroh Is The Mentor Everyone Wants
Surrounded by all the adolescent characters in the show, Iroh stands out as an older, and wiser, mentor. He uses the lessons he has learned throughout his own life to guide his younger companions. Zuko stands out as the most obvious example of Iroh’s mentorship. Iroh turns Zuko’s determination to regain his honor into an exploration of his own identity. He takes Zuko from a rage-fueled teenager into a mature leader who knows the difference between right and wrong. At every turn of their journey, Iroh offers Zuko words of wisdom, such as:
Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame.
Iroh plays a major role in Zuko’s transformation, which is considered one of the best-written redemption arcs of all time. But his wisdom goes beyond Zuko as well. In the episode “The Chase,” Iroh and Toph end up crossing paths when the latter has stormed off after a tiff with Team Avatar. It’s Iroh’s counsel that prompts Toph to accept help from her teammates instead of doing everything on her own.
Iroh also offers guidance to the Avatar himself when the two of them are working together to save Katara and Zuko in “The Crossroads of Destiny.” He advises Aang to keep moving even when things seem dark:
Sometimes, life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place.
Within the world of the show, Iroh's wisdom is everlasting. Even in death, Iroh offers guidance to the new avatar in The Legend of Korra through the spirit world. He may be gone, but his mentorship never will be.
Iroh’s insights often apply to reality in general, even outside the world of Avatar. Many viewers find understanding and empathy in his words, and apply his wisdom to their own lives. And in classic Iroh fashion, the words usually come wrapped up in a joke, accompanied by a wink or a kind smile. It’s no wonder Iroh’s lines are some of the show’s most quoted ones.
Iroh Subverts Expectations
While Iroh is wise and kind and full of laughs, he’s also supremely clever and strong. In the Avatar world, people see Iroh as a sweet old man who might be a little eccentric, but is basically harmless. Most forget that he was one of the Fire Nation’s fiercest generals. Iroh uses this to manipulate others’ expectations of him, lulling them into a false sense of security. Little do his adversaries realize that behind the affable exterior lies a formidable strategist with an unparalleled firebending talent.
Inevitably, this provides Iroh with the perfect opportunity to retaliate when he needs to. Not only does this allow Iroh to get the better of his earthbending captors and escape Azula’s clutches, it also enables him to escape the Fire Nation’s prison by literally breaking his cell open and taking down all his guards. This cheerful, fragile-looking old man offers some of the show’s most iconic scenes.
Thanks to Iroh’s kind persona and general adorableness, people also tend to forget that he is a powerful bender. Early in his life, Iroh traveled the world and explored the other elements. He learned the lightning redirection technique from waterbenders — something he passes on to Zuko, who in turn uses it against his own father. Iroh also learned to breathe fire from the original firebending dragons. It was thanks to this skill that he earned the name ‘The Dragon of the West.’
But despite all his prowess, Iroh doesn’t leave behind his morals. In fact, he even pretended to have killed the last dragon to ensure no one else from the Fire Nation would go hunting them. All in all, Iroh is someone to look up to. He’s a character who becomes a beacon of hope for everybody, making viewers eager to root for him and proving himself worthy of being a part of Team Avatar.
