In the animated world of Nickelodoen's Avatar: the Last Airbender, the Fire Nation is waging war for control of the entire planet, and the royal family of the Fire Nation is spearheading that effort. Fire Lord Ozai is orchestrating the entire thing, but his son and daughter, Zuko and Azula, are powerful firebenders in their own right.
But while Princess Azula is a thug and an extension of her father's will, Prince Zuko is a complex figure who grapples with the light and darkness inside him, and he must choose between honor and humility and decide how he will really make his mark on history. At first, he was a cartoony villain... then he became a far more dynamic, deep, and sympathetic character. So, here is some excellent fan art dedicated to this remarkable character.
10 The Firebender
Why not start the Zuko fan art gallery with a classic design like this one? In artist MyCKs's eye-popping art, we get a prince Zuko who is ready to fight, but against whom, we're not sure. But he doesn't look afraid in the least.
We also like the use of scatterd ashes to help fill up some negative space, while the blank white background helps emphasize Zuko himself. With this crisp and clear image, we're tempted to think of this as a firebender school's recruitment poster.
9 Fire And Water
Our second entry to the Zuko art gallery brings us one of the most popular pairings in the entire franchise. We all know that Katara ended up with Aang and started a family with him, but fans love to speculate about what would happen if Zuko captured her heart instead.
Artist nymre brings us this lushly detailed fan art bringing Zuko and Katara together, and the visual style reminds us of the well-drawn Dark Horse Avatar comics out there. This could easily be a scene from the comics if they depicted an alternate, Zutara-friendly universe.
8 Mother Knows Best
At first, it may be tempting to think that Zuko is a bitter loner, given how his father banished him and his sister Azula scorns him. In fact, Zuko becomes a wanted criminal of the Fire Nation in season 2. But as all this art proves, he is not alone.
In this touching piece by artist ArtCrawl, a young prince Zuko spends quality time with his mother Ursa, and once again, this is art that could easily fit into the Dark Horse comic line. We also like that soft evening light and how it looks fiery but gentle at the same time. Sunsets in the Fire Nation must be gorgeous.
7 Zuko And Aang
For our fourth entry, we show that Zuko has good friends not only within his family (his mother), but also from the very people the Fire Nation destroyed. The Fire Nation single-handedly wiped out the Air Nomads... with one exception.
Zuko went on an obsessive hunt to capture the lone airbender avatar, but in season 3 of the show, the two boys became allies and friends at last, and artist artofcarmen brings us a richly detailed scene of both benders showing us what they can do. After meeting the Sun Warriors and the last two dragons, Zuko and Aang together learned what firebending is really all about.
6 The Blue Spirit
Zuko is a pretty public figure, since he is he son of the Fire Lord (and his burn scar gives him away). But he does have a secret identity: the Blue Spirit. In this masked ninja form, Zuko can operate anonymously, and he once freed Aang from Admiral Zhao's grip this way.
So, artist acim96 paid tribute to Zuko's alter ego with this dark and moody piece, and we love the mysterious ash and fog that surround Zuko as he removes the mask to show who he truly is. And that glowing yellow eye is positively haunting.
5 Zuko And The Bandit
Zuko is getting a lot of fun pairings today, isn't he? In our sixth entry for the Zuko fan art gallery, we are treated to a gorgeous twilight scene where Zuko is playing a little music for his new girlfriend... a teenaged Toph Beifong!
Everything about artist lilsuika's piece is stunning, from the level of detail on their outfits to the fireflies to the foggy mountains and the moon. And based on Toph's adoring expression, Zuko knows how to plan an A+ date night. We're happy for them.
4 Alone Again
We have to say, Zuko is a fascinating subject for fan art whether is out there alone or with a good friend or a lover. So, artist Mattierial brings us a classic scene from the second season of Avatar: the Last Airbender, when Zuko was truly isolated.
But don't feel too sorry for him; he wanted this, and his soul searching across the Earth Kingdom was a sight to see. So, with some stark colors, a good sense of scale, and contrasting Zuko in the foreground with that distant town, the artist really captured the lonesome feel. Will Zuko visit the town? Or perhaps just move on, once again?
3 Parting Ways
Artist silent-clarion rewinds the scene a bit, to when Zuko and Iroh are about to part ways as they trek across the Eart Kingdom. They are both outlaws and wanted by the Fire Nation, and they have little but the road and each other.
We like the foggy and mysterious background to contrast with the perfectly clear scene of Iroh and Zuko, and just look at how lushly detailed the grass and trees are. It's a great place for a hike... but if you're prince Zuko, you're not in the mood to see the beauty of it. Too bad.
2 Burning Passion
Four our second to last entry, we bring Zuko back to the Fire Nation, and right into the arms of his girlfriend, Mai (the girl who throws knives and stars). They've had some rough patches before, but by the end of the series, they are committed, and very happy together.
Artist GENZOMAN gives us this exciting Zuko/Mai action pose that's worthy of any comic book cover, and they are together forever... and ready to fight! We can tell that they're not in the mood to play games, either.
1 Past And Present
Our final entry, courtesy of zutaraxmylove, takes us 70 years into the future, to the time of avatar Korra and General Iroh II. We love the nostalgic and dreamlike look of this piece, with its abstract background and washed out colors. It's like a distant memory.
In this scene, an elderly Zuko offers his hand to a young Iroh II, who is eager to hear more stories from his grandfather. The coat alludes to Iroh II's future as a leader, and we're positive that Zuko is proud of how his grandson turned out. So are we!