Avatar: The Last Airbender is known for its compelling cast of characters, a cast whose villains are nearly as relatable as its heroes. Of course, Fire Lord Ozai tends to be an exception to this rule, since the fans don't see much of him until the final season of the show. It's possible this narrative choice was meant to hype up Ozai's appearance when it did finally come, but it mostly just boosted fans' love for the other two major villains: the Fire Lord's kids, Zuko and Azula.
Zuko doesn't stay a villain for long, joining Team Avatar in the fight against his father before Book Three is finished. Azula, however, goes down swinging for her father—and her storyline makes one wonder whether she wouldn't have been better off as the series' Big Bad.
10 Ozai Was Evil Enough: He's More Intimidating
Keeping Fire Lord Ozai's character shrouded in mystery was a smart narrative choice in the sense that it made the villain more intimidating. Since fans only knew stories about the Fire Lord's cruelty, that's the perception that stuck with him. He was portrayed as merciless and too powerful to defeat—and those qualities wouldn't have landed as well if fans had gotten to know the man behind the villain.
Without building Ozai up to be this undefeatable character, the final match between him and Aang also would have been less climactic than it was. With that in mind, there is something to be said about having a villain that fans will feel for if they lose.
9 Should Have Been Azula: She's More Human
No one would ever claim Azula isn't an intimidating villain, but she possessed something that Ozai never really showed onscreen: a sense of vulnerability. Although that may have made her slightly less fearsome than her father, it also made her a villain viewers cared about. And most television watchers can agree that a series that leaves its viewers feeling for both sides is doing something right.
While Ozai and Aang's final battle was no doubt a nail-biter of a fight, Azula's last stand proved more emotional for fans. That's because they were given a better understanding of what drove her character forward and what insecurities plagued her. Not only did this make her more interesting to watch, but it made it harder to root against her—even knowing she was wrong and needed to lose.
8 Ozai Was Evil Enough: He Has Unlimited Resources
Due to his position as Fire Lord, Ozai had unlimited resources at his disposal, which is another fact that made him a formidable villain. Even if he wasn't physically present in much of the series, his armies always were. They were representative of his reach, and they emphasized how difficult it would be to bring his reign to an end.
Although Azula also had leverage over the Fire Nation's armies, Ozai's role as the most powerful man in the Avatar world positioned him better to be Aang's final challenge.
7 Should Have Been Azula: She Has Loyal Followers
Although Fire Lord Ozai led the Fire Nation for years, it's not clear how his own people felt about him. Beyond years' worth of brainwashed loyalty from his subjects, fans never see what makes him a compelling leader. In fact, most of the people who do know him well reject his actions—Iroh and Zuko among them.
Azula, on the other hand, seems to have a magnetic pull when it comes to leading others. This is why Ty Lee and Mai stick with her for so long, and it's why she convinces Zuko to regress on his path to redemption at the end of Book Two. Sure, Azula eventually meets the same fate as her father, with everyone who followed her turning their backs on her. But fans have a better idea of why they were drawn to Azula in the first place, and that makes her a more believable threat.
6 Ozai Was Evil Enough: He Uses His Power To His Advantage
For a series aimed at a younger audience, it makes sense to associate the biggest villain with brute strength. And Ozai has that in spades, showcasing his Firebending powers during his final showdown with Aang.
Not only does it make for a more interesting last battle, but it's easier to wrap one's head around. Of course Fire Lord Ozai is the Big Bad of the series; he's the most physically powerful and he's pretty much undefeated. It's implied that Ozai has strategic intelligence as well, but fans never get a display of that.
5 Should Have Been Azula: She's Clever And Uses That
Fire Lord Ozai might be stronger on the battlefield, but Azula consistently uses her own cleverness to win the upper hand. This is most evident when she manipulates the situation in Ba Sing Se and takes command of the Dai Li. However, she's constantly laying traps for Team Avatar, and they often work.
Azula's cleverness also arguably makes the final battle between her and Zuko more interesting to watch than the showdown between Aang and Ozai. While Ozai uses brute force to attack Aang, Azula goes after what Zuko cares about—in this case, Katara—making it a more heart-stopping affair for viewers. Her antics also prove that intelligence can be far more intimidating and powerful than physical strength.
4 Ozai Was Evil Enough: It Makes More Sense For Zuko's Arc
Fire Lord Ozai being the Big Bad of The Last Airbender may be underwhelming at times, but it does make sense when fans consider Prince Zuko's character arc. The meaning behind Zuko's redemption just wouldn't have been the same with Azula as the series' major villain.
Since Ozai is the one who cast Zuko out during his formative years, it's far more satisfying to see Zuko take up his throne when he's finally defeated. It's also questionable as to whether Zuko would have turned on Azula in the same way he turned on his father and whether it would have had as much of an impact.
3 Should Have Been Azula: She Has More Story To Tell
The Last Airbender obviously isn't intended to be a villain story but it could have delivered Aang's journey as a hero, Zuko's redemption arc, and a satisfying villain narrative side by side had it chosen Azula as its Big Bad.
Between her tumultuous feelings toward her mother, her drive to please her father, and her unsettling determination to do the Fire Nation's bidding as a teenager, Azula certainly had more story to tell. Even when she reaches her breaking point at the end of the series, The Last Airbender doesn't give Azula's descent the attention it deserves.
2 Ozai Was Evil Enough: He Satisfies Popular Villain Tropes
Popular tropes continue to crop up in stories for a reason, and Fire Lord Ozai satisfies a number of villain tropes that keep fans coming back for more. Not only is he the evil father and tyrant with a dedicated nation behind him, but he's powerful and mysterious.
All of the tropes Ozai's character is built upon are classic elements that make The Last Airbender feel familiar even as it outshines other stories like it.
1 Should Have Been Azula: The World Needs More Well-Written Women As Villains
For the time it was made, The Last Airbender already proved itself progressive in terms of writing its female characters. Each of the women in the series goes well beyond common tropes, and they're often smarter and more powerful than their male counterparts.
Setting Azula up as the show's Big Bad would have been another step in the right direction, delivering a female villain who wasn't just fierce, but also had a great deal of depth. Of course, the series still managed that feat, but it would have hit even harder if Azula eventually became the most powerful member of her family.