Movies - TV
Zuko’s Scars In Avatar: The Last Airbender Explained
By DEVIN MEENAN
In “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” Zuko’s most distinguishing feature is the burn scar on the left side of his face, given to him by his father, Fire Lord Ozai.
However, the scar is more than a reminder of Zuko’s pain; it reflects his split soul. His internal struggle is emphasized in the Season 2 episode “The Earth King.”
In the episode, Zuko has a nightmare in which he is an unscarred Fire Lord. He meets the two warring parts of his soul, shown as a pair of dragons, one blue and one red.
It’s easy to assume that the good side of Zuko’s soul is his unscarred right side, but he only received the burn as a punishment from his father for standing up for what was right.
Zuko’s ideal image of himself in “The Earth King” is unscarred. Later in Season 3, viewers finally see Ozai, who looks like an older version of his son without the mark.
This revelation highlights Zuko’s similarity to his father, who is in danger of becoming him. However, Zuko turns Ozai to join the Avatar in the “Day of The Black Sun” episode.
During their confrontation, many of the shots focus on Zuko’s scar, showing that his good side has triumphed in his internal struggle.