Uncle Iroh
Encyclopedia
Iroh is a fictional character
in Nickelodeon's
animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender
. The character, created by Michael Dante DiMartino
and Bryan Konietzko
, was voiced by Mako
in the first and second seasons, but after Mako's death of esophageal cancer
, Iroh was voiced by Greg Baldwin
in the third season. The short story "The Tale of Iroh", in episode 15 of Season Two, "The Tales of Ba Sing Se", was dedicated "In Honor of Mako".
Iroh is a Firebending master and a former Crown Prince
of the Fire Nation, a race of people who can create and manipulate fire. He is a retired General of the Fire Nation, and elder brother of Fire Lord Ozai. Iroh accompanied his exiled nephew, Zuko, on his quest to capture Aang
, the long-lost Avatar, in order to restore the young prince's honor and rights to the throne.
In "Tales of Ba Sing Se", Iroh’s name was written as 艾洛 (aì lùo).
In the 2 hour episode event "Sozin's Comet" it is revealed that he is a Grand-Lotus, or high-ranking member, of an international secret society named the "Order of the White Lotus", which is also composed of Katara's, Aang's, and Sokka's old masters: Waterbending Master Pakku, Omashu King and Earthbending Master Bumi, Firebending Master Jeong Jeong, and Swordmaster Piandao respectively.
At the beginning of Season Two, Iroh and Zuko are fugitives from the Fire Nation. They take refuge in Earth Kingdom towns, posing as homeless beggars. Iroh decides to teach Zuko the advanced Firebending techniques he will need to defeat Princess Azula
, who is sent to capture him and the Avatar. Iroh teaches Zuko a technique of his own creation—to absorb and redirect lightning, which he developed after studying Waterbenders. Iroh and Zuko eventually reach Ba Sing Se, where they soon begin a very prosperous life running a tea house. Iroh eventually convinces Zuko to stop his search for the Avatar, though this does not last. Azula arrives in Ba Sing Se and convinces Zuko to help her conquer the city and defeat the Avatar and Katara in order for him to regain his honor and his father's love. Iroh defends a wounded Aang and Katara after Zuko betrays him, and is imprisoned by Azula's new allies, the Dai Li, for his actions.
In season three, Iroh—held in Fire Nation prison—refuses to talk to Zuko after what he did at Ba Sing Se, but eventually tells him that Zuko is descended from Avatar Roku. Though he poses as a psychologically broken man to the Fire Nation guards, Iroh remains mentally sharp, and when he is not being observed he spends his time in prison exercising relentlessly, transforming his rotund physique into that of a muscular warrior. He finally escapes during the solar eclipse. When Zuko finds his cell, the bars have been bent outwards and the guards all unconscious. In the series finale, he is revealed to have reunited with his fellow members of the White Lotus and he is located by Zuko and the others. When a much-changed Zuko arrives to beg forgiveness for his betrayal, Iroh grants it without hesitation, and declines his own birthright to the Fire Nation's throne after Zuko tells Iroh his intention for defeating Azula. Here, Iroh states his wish to return to his tea shop. He later plays the role of liberating Ba Sing Se from Fire Nation control. In the final scene, he is later seen with the rest of the cast, relaxing at his new tea shop.
in his old age, he focuses more on the pursuits of relaxation and amusements than on the pursuit of the Avatar, clashing with the dedication of his nephew. Iroh is only seen attacking the Avatar once in the story when they discover his existence. This shows how Iroh has great respect for the Avatar, and he understands Aang's position as Avatar. However, beneath the easy going exterior lies a wise man experienced in the ways of the world, a seasoned and wily strategist, a powerful Firebending master and a good mentor. He believes that Zuko will not succeed in bringing Avatar Aang to Fire Lord Ozai, but sees this pursuit as a way to give Zuko a goal that would occupy his mind and keep him busy, thus healing his psychological well-being that was damaged by the Fire Lord.
Iroh is particularly fond of food, good tea,
the strategy game Pai Sho,
and pleasant notes. He later displays skill at playing the pipa
, singing lullabies to pacify a crying child. Most likely because of his love of tea, he has shown himself to be an amateur botanist
with knowledge of a wide variety of plants, though his misinterpretation of some plant characteristics leads him to accidentally poisoning himself.
He also demonstrates a respect and appreciation for all cultures, which seems to be a rarity among those of the Fire Nation. This partially stems from his trip into the spirit world, which left him with a certain spiritual awareness, and partially from his membership in the Order of the White Lotus (the Avatar equivalent of the Freemasons
). He also tends to act as a mentor to everyone he meets, including the Avatar and his friends; he even gave advice to a man who tried to rob him. In this respect, he is something of a father-figure to Prince Zuko and cares deeply for him, to the point of willingly following his nephew into a self-imposed exile, later on, Zuko describes him as "the one who's been a true father to me". In Tales of Ba Sing Se, it is suggested that his perpetual optimism and generosity are a form of post-traumatic growth
resulting from the death of his son, Lu Ten. This can be seen in his song "Leaves From the Vine", which he sings on the anniversary of Lu Ten's birthday.
Though Iroh has endured much pain in his life, he is able to grow and appreciate everything he has gone through and has a great deal of wisdom and compassion for others. This is seen on numerous occasions throughout the show, and with a wide array of the characters, including his talk over tea with Toph. When the Avatar's friends ask him to face the Fire Lord, he declines, regretfully pointing out that the world would only see it as a brother killing a brother, simply another civil war in Fire Nation history, and that balance had to be restored through the Avatar. His strongest display of his caring and gentle character is best shown in his relationship with his nephew, Zuko. He continuously presses Zuko to find his true self, and realizes that Zuko can only find those answers for himself. Even when Zuko marks him as a lazy old man and a disgrace to the Fire Nation, and rebels against him, Iroh acts solely out of love, and waits for Zuko to discover that what he wanted meant losing himself. Never lashing out at him, and only giving him guidance, he accepts Zuko effortlessly when Zuko begs for his forgiveness.
Despite his age, Iroh is seen flirting with various women throughout the series, and has been addressed as "handsome" on multiple occasions.
In addition to his extensive military service, Iroh has endured other trials, the hardest and most painful being his beloved son's death, and a journey to the Spirit World,
which has left him with respect for the other world and the unique ability to see characters of the spirit world from the regular world. The nature and events surrounding his journey to the Spirit World are not revealed. At one point in his life, he also encounters the last surviving dragons in the world, who judge him and deem him worthy to know the true nature of Firebending. In order to protect them, he lies and fabricates a story about him having actually slain the last dragon, thus stopping any further hunts from being conducted. Near the finale, he is addressed again by his former title of "General".
Iroh stands as one of the select few Firebenders the show has revealed who possess the ability to generate lightning. Most notably, he is also the inventor of a unique technique involving the absorption and redirection of lightning. Iroh developed the technique by observing Waterbenders, who use their fluid movements to redirect attacks. Thus far, he, his nephew Zuko, and Avatar Aang are the only ones to show this ability, although Firelord Sozin possessed a similar ability to redirect heat.
This ability to both generate and redirect lightning makes Iroh the only character to demonstrate the ability to both use lightning as a weapon and defense, while all other Firebenders with knowledge of lightning only demonstrate the ability to generate or redirect lightning, not both.
Iroh is the only person on the show who is shown being able to see spirits whilst in the physical world, as he is able to see Aang's spirit flying over him in Season 1, possibly due to his own rumored trip to the spirit world.
In Season 3, Iroh used his time in prison to secretly improve himself in a more physical manner, although the exact level of fitness that he has reached is unclear. After his escape (off screen) the bars of his cell are seen to be bent and even cut, and the tied up warden informs Zuko that his uncle was "like a one-man army". It has never been revealed exactly how he escaped his cell, but he has shown himself to be clever & innovative with excellent fine-control of his bending. With his heat-generating/redirecting abilities & his lightning-bending, he could secretly cut the bars & then have bent them, possibly after softening them with heat, but since it was the solar eclipse it's possible he escaped with hand to hand combat.
During the events of the second coming of Sozin's Comet, Iroh finally realized a vision he had in the past (before his siege on the city) to take Ba Sing Se, although rather than for the Fire Nation, it was in the name of the Earth Kingdom.
played by Shaun Toub
. This version is not as comedic as his cartoon counterpart but still retains his role as mentor to the afflicted Zuko. While Iroh doesn't engage in any combat in the movie, he shows great skill in firebending and great respect for the spirits. He shows that, while he is not necessarily a pacifist, he will defend himself and his nephew from attack. For example, when Zhao attacks Zuko, who is attempting to leave after Iroh convinces him not to fight as Zhao would be fighting him "so he could capture him." Unlike other firebenders in the movie, who require a source to bend, Iroh was capable of generating fire without one.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in Nickelodeon's
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender is an American animated television series that aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. The series was created and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who served as executive producers along with Aaron Ehasz...
. The character, created by Michael Dante DiMartino
Michael Dante DiMartino
Michael Dante DiMartino is an American animation director, best known as the co-creator, executive producer and story editor of the hit TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender on Nickelodeon...
and Bryan Konietzko
Bryan Konietzko
Bryan Konietzko is the co-creator and executive producer of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. He has also worked as a character designer at Film Roman for Family Guy and as Assistant Director for Mission Hill and King of the Hill. He was a Storyboard Artist and Art Director for the...
, was voiced by Mako
Mako (actor)
, born , was an Oscar- and Tony-nominated Japanese actor. Many of his acting roles credited him simply as Mako, omitting his surname. -Early life:...
in the first and second seasons, but after Mako's death of esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
, Iroh was voiced by Greg Baldwin
Greg Baldwin
Greg Baldwin is an American actor. Raised in Spring, Texas, he currently resides in the San Fernando Valley with Melissa Baldwin, his wife of twenty-six years and their two children, Sydney and Cooper...
in the third season. The short story "The Tale of Iroh", in episode 15 of Season Two, "The Tales of Ba Sing Se", was dedicated "In Honor of Mako".
Iroh is a Firebending master and a former Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
of the Fire Nation, a race of people who can create and manipulate fire. He is a retired General of the Fire Nation, and elder brother of Fire Lord Ozai. Iroh accompanied his exiled nephew, Zuko, on his quest to capture Aang
Aang
Aang is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. The character is created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and is voiced by Zach Tyler Eisen. Aang is depicted as the show's main protagonist, and as such has appeared in all but one...
, the long-lost Avatar, in order to restore the young prince's honor and rights to the throne.
In "Tales of Ba Sing Se", Iroh’s name was written as 艾洛 (aì lùo).
History
In the second season, Iroh was revealed to be the firstborn son of Fire Lord Azulon and Fire Lady Ilah. Iroh was destined to succeed Azulon as Fire Lord of the Fire Nation. Although the change was never officially announced by Fire Lord Azulon, Ozai became Fire Lord. Even when Ozai had seized the throne, there was never any action taken by Iroh to take back the throne. This is because Iroh was saddened by the death of his only son, Lu Ten, in the Siege of Ba Sing Se. In The Firebending Masters, Zuko tells Aang that Iroh killed off the last of the dragons, earning him the nickname "Dragon of the West". In reality, Iroh lied to conceal and protect the last two dragons, who had taught him the true art of Firebending. The method that the Fire Nation currently uses gets its source from anger and rage, as opposed to the form that the dragons taught Iroh, Zuko, and Aang, which draws its energy from life.In the 2 hour episode event "Sozin's Comet" it is revealed that he is a Grand-Lotus, or high-ranking member, of an international secret society named the "Order of the White Lotus", which is also composed of Katara's, Aang's, and Sokka's old masters: Waterbending Master Pakku, Omashu King and Earthbending Master Bumi, Firebending Master Jeong Jeong, and Swordmaster Piandao respectively.
Plot overview
When the story begins, Iroh is shown accompanying the banished Prince Zuko on his journey. It is revealed that the pair have spent three years at sea, searching in vain for any sign of the Avatar, who is the spirit of the planet manifested in human form. Near the end of the first episode of the show, a strange beacon lights the skies off the coast of the South Pole. When this is investigated, Zuko discovers that the Avatar has reappeared. Zuko and Iroh quickly engage in hot pursuit, tracking the Avatar and his friends across the globe. In order to get Zuko to the Northern Water Tribe in the end of season 1, Iroh hides Zuko aboard Admiral Zhao's ship, while serving as Zhao's chief adviser for his invasion of the North. When Admiral Zhao's plan threatens the spiritual balance, Iroh attacks Zhao and is subsequently branded a traitor to the Fire Nation and blamed for the failure of the invasion.At the beginning of Season Two, Iroh and Zuko are fugitives from the Fire Nation. They take refuge in Earth Kingdom towns, posing as homeless beggars. Iroh decides to teach Zuko the advanced Firebending techniques he will need to defeat Princess Azula
Princess Azula
Azula is a fictional character and a chief antagonist from Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender...
, who is sent to capture him and the Avatar. Iroh teaches Zuko a technique of his own creation—to absorb and redirect lightning, which he developed after studying Waterbenders. Iroh and Zuko eventually reach Ba Sing Se, where they soon begin a very prosperous life running a tea house. Iroh eventually convinces Zuko to stop his search for the Avatar, though this does not last. Azula arrives in Ba Sing Se and convinces Zuko to help her conquer the city and defeat the Avatar and Katara in order for him to regain his honor and his father's love. Iroh defends a wounded Aang and Katara after Zuko betrays him, and is imprisoned by Azula's new allies, the Dai Li, for his actions.
In season three, Iroh—held in Fire Nation prison—refuses to talk to Zuko after what he did at Ba Sing Se, but eventually tells him that Zuko is descended from Avatar Roku. Though he poses as a psychologically broken man to the Fire Nation guards, Iroh remains mentally sharp, and when he is not being observed he spends his time in prison exercising relentlessly, transforming his rotund physique into that of a muscular warrior. He finally escapes during the solar eclipse. When Zuko finds his cell, the bars have been bent outwards and the guards all unconscious. In the series finale, he is revealed to have reunited with his fellow members of the White Lotus and he is located by Zuko and the others. When a much-changed Zuko arrives to beg forgiveness for his betrayal, Iroh grants it without hesitation, and declines his own birthright to the Fire Nation's throne after Zuko tells Iroh his intention for defeating Azula. Here, Iroh states his wish to return to his tea shop. He later plays the role of liberating Ba Sing Se from Fire Nation control. In the final scene, he is later seen with the rest of the cast, relaxing at his new tea shop.
Personality
Easygoing, friendly, and dryly good-humored, Iroh treats his self-imposed exile of the first part of the series as though it were an extended vacation. Something of a hedonistHedonism
Hedonism is a school of thought which argues that pleasure is the only intrinsic good. In very simple terms, a hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure .-Etymology:The name derives from the Greek word for "delight" ....
in his old age, he focuses more on the pursuits of relaxation and amusements than on the pursuit of the Avatar, clashing with the dedication of his nephew. Iroh is only seen attacking the Avatar once in the story when they discover his existence. This shows how Iroh has great respect for the Avatar, and he understands Aang's position as Avatar. However, beneath the easy going exterior lies a wise man experienced in the ways of the world, a seasoned and wily strategist, a powerful Firebending master and a good mentor. He believes that Zuko will not succeed in bringing Avatar Aang to Fire Lord Ozai, but sees this pursuit as a way to give Zuko a goal that would occupy his mind and keep him busy, thus healing his psychological well-being that was damaged by the Fire Lord.
Iroh is particularly fond of food, good tea,
the strategy game Pai Sho,
and pleasant notes. He later displays skill at playing the pipa
Pipa
The pipa is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, belonging to the plucked category of instruments . Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets ranging from 12–26...
, singing lullabies to pacify a crying child. Most likely because of his love of tea, he has shown himself to be an amateur botanist
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
with knowledge of a wide variety of plants, though his misinterpretation of some plant characteristics leads him to accidentally poisoning himself.
He also demonstrates a respect and appreciation for all cultures, which seems to be a rarity among those of the Fire Nation. This partially stems from his trip into the spirit world, which left him with a certain spiritual awareness, and partially from his membership in the Order of the White Lotus (the Avatar equivalent of the Freemasons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
). He also tends to act as a mentor to everyone he meets, including the Avatar and his friends; he even gave advice to a man who tried to rob him. In this respect, he is something of a father-figure to Prince Zuko and cares deeply for him, to the point of willingly following his nephew into a self-imposed exile, later on, Zuko describes him as "the one who's been a true father to me". In Tales of Ba Sing Se, it is suggested that his perpetual optimism and generosity are a form of post-traumatic growth
Post-traumatic growth
Posttraumatic growth refers to positive psychological change experienced as a result of the struggle with highly challenging life circumstances . These sets of circumstances represent significant challenges to the adaptive resources of the individual, and pose significant challenges to...
resulting from the death of his son, Lu Ten. This can be seen in his song "Leaves From the Vine", which he sings on the anniversary of Lu Ten's birthday.
Though Iroh has endured much pain in his life, he is able to grow and appreciate everything he has gone through and has a great deal of wisdom and compassion for others. This is seen on numerous occasions throughout the show, and with a wide array of the characters, including his talk over tea with Toph. When the Avatar's friends ask him to face the Fire Lord, he declines, regretfully pointing out that the world would only see it as a brother killing a brother, simply another civil war in Fire Nation history, and that balance had to be restored through the Avatar. His strongest display of his caring and gentle character is best shown in his relationship with his nephew, Zuko. He continuously presses Zuko to find his true self, and realizes that Zuko can only find those answers for himself. Even when Zuko marks him as a lazy old man and a disgrace to the Fire Nation, and rebels against him, Iroh acts solely out of love, and waits for Zuko to discover that what he wanted meant losing himself. Never lashing out at him, and only giving him guidance, he accepts Zuko effortlessly when Zuko begs for his forgiveness.
Despite his age, Iroh is seen flirting with various women throughout the series, and has been addressed as "handsome" on multiple occasions.
Veteran
It is revealed that in his younger days, Iroh was a great general and war hero, once known among his enemies as the "Dragon of the West" because he supposedly slew the last two dragons in the world, as well as his particular aptitude for breathing fire during combat. It is revealed in "The Firebending Masters" that he did not kill these dragons, but pretended to do so in order to hide and protect them. It should also be noted that Firebenders that have defeated dragons are given the honorary title "Dragon". Though Iroh still commands a great deal of respect, he falls from grace when after six hundred days of siege he fails to conquer Ba Sing Se. Iroh gives up the assault when his son and only child, Lu Ten, is killed in battle. While many, including Ozai, view this failure as a disgrace, Iroh believes that he did the right thing and later claims that he and his men were tired after the long siege. As a result of his long service in the military, Iroh knows many of the Fire Nation soldiers personally, although many become enemies due to his being branded a traitor to the Fire Nation.In addition to his extensive military service, Iroh has endured other trials, the hardest and most painful being his beloved son's death, and a journey to the Spirit World,
which has left him with respect for the other world and the unique ability to see characters of the spirit world from the regular world. The nature and events surrounding his journey to the Spirit World are not revealed. At one point in his life, he also encounters the last surviving dragons in the world, who judge him and deem him worthy to know the true nature of Firebending. In order to protect them, he lies and fabricates a story about him having actually slain the last dragon, thus stopping any further hunts from being conducted. Near the finale, he is addressed again by his former title of "General".
Abilities
Iroh is a renowned and powerful Firebender in the Avatar world. A wise old man who exercises 'neutral jing', Iroh's style of Firebending tends to be less aggressive than others. Iroh has a tendency to not involve himself in battles, but when he does partake in them, he displays great skill. Throughout the entire series, Iroh was never placed in a battle where he was seriously challenged. The only times when it might be inferred that he wouldn't have been able to emerge victorious was when he faced Azula twice in Ba Sing Se. However, both times Azula had the Dai Li fighting alongside her, and despite this, Iroh escaped easily the first time and peacefully surrendered the second. The greatest sign of Iroh's true power is when he practically retook Ba Sing Se himself. It has been hinted throughout the series that Iroh is more skilled at firebending than his brother, Fire Lord Ozai, with Iroh holding a far greater respect and understanding of Firebending than his brother, but as the two had never fought each other in the series, it is unknown who is really the more powerful of the two in combat; Iroh himself has stated that there is a possibility he could not defeat his brother in combat. Some have attributed this to Iroh's compassionate nature preventing him from causing his own younger brother harm, such as when Iroh was unwilling to challenge his brother for the throne to the Fire Nation. He has a famous "Breath of Fire", which resembles a dragon breathing flames on its opponent.Iroh stands as one of the select few Firebenders the show has revealed who possess the ability to generate lightning. Most notably, he is also the inventor of a unique technique involving the absorption and redirection of lightning. Iroh developed the technique by observing Waterbenders, who use their fluid movements to redirect attacks. Thus far, he, his nephew Zuko, and Avatar Aang are the only ones to show this ability, although Firelord Sozin possessed a similar ability to redirect heat.
This ability to both generate and redirect lightning makes Iroh the only character to demonstrate the ability to both use lightning as a weapon and defense, while all other Firebenders with knowledge of lightning only demonstrate the ability to generate or redirect lightning, not both.
Iroh is the only person on the show who is shown being able to see spirits whilst in the physical world, as he is able to see Aang's spirit flying over him in Season 1, possibly due to his own rumored trip to the spirit world.
In Season 3, Iroh used his time in prison to secretly improve himself in a more physical manner, although the exact level of fitness that he has reached is unclear. After his escape (off screen) the bars of his cell are seen to be bent and even cut, and the tied up warden informs Zuko that his uncle was "like a one-man army". It has never been revealed exactly how he escaped his cell, but he has shown himself to be clever & innovative with excellent fine-control of his bending. With his heat-generating/redirecting abilities & his lightning-bending, he could secretly cut the bars & then have bent them, possibly after softening them with heat, but since it was the solar eclipse it's possible he escaped with hand to hand combat.
During the events of the second coming of Sozin's Comet, Iroh finally realized a vision he had in the past (before his siege on the city) to take Ba Sing Se, although rather than for the Fire Nation, it was in the name of the Earth Kingdom.
Appearance in other media
Iroh appears in the feature film The Last AirbenderThe Last Airbender
The Last Airbender is a 2010 American fantasy adventure film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It is a live-action film adaptation of the first season to the Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender....
played by Shaun Toub
Shaun Toub
Shaun Toub is an Iranian-American film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as Farhad in the 2004 movie Crash, as Rahim Khan in the movie The Kite Runner, and as Yinsen in the movie Iron Man.-Personal life:...
. This version is not as comedic as his cartoon counterpart but still retains his role as mentor to the afflicted Zuko. While Iroh doesn't engage in any combat in the movie, he shows great skill in firebending and great respect for the spirits. He shows that, while he is not necessarily a pacifist, he will defend himself and his nephew from attack. For example, when Zhao attacks Zuko, who is attempting to leave after Iroh convinces him not to fight as Zhao would be fighting him "so he could capture him." Unlike other firebenders in the movie, who require a source to bend, Iroh was capable of generating fire without one.