Prince Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender starts the series as the main antagonist, someone who is constantly was hunting down Aang, Katara, and Sokka. Eventually, he changes, having one of the greatest character development arcs across all media. But in those first few episodes, particularly the first season, Zuko is relentlessly on the hunt.
Zuko makes for a formidable opponent. All his battles are carried out to the best of his ability, showing audiences just how hard he has been training since his banishment from the Fire Nation. In different battles, he shows that he not only is an excellent bender, but he also knows how to use a variety of melee weapons including his iconic dual broadswords.
10 Zuko Vs Sokka / Aang
Zuko's first fight throughout the series is just as he descends upon the Southern Water Tribe and attempts to scare the villagers into telling him where Aang has gone. Sokka steps up to bat but gets embarrassingly defeated by the prince of the Fire Nation until a boomerang comes back and whacks Zuko in the head. Just as Zuko looks like he's about to actually try to fight Sokka, Aang slides in on a penguin, knocking the teenager over. The two then get into a short fight, their first in the series, before Aang surrenders to keep the villagers safe from harm.
9 Aboard The Ship
Once Zuko has Aang in custody, the two end up fighting within Zuko's private chambers. The fight quickly devolves to Zuko using his bending while Aang just evades every attack. This increasing angers the older boy who then whirls around with his fire, destroying almost everything in the room, everything except for Aang. Aang stays at Zuko's back, only bending when he has to quickly block the flames from himself before he uses the mattress in the room to slam into Zuko against the wall and ceiling. The two then continue to fight on the ship's deck when Zuko hits him off into the cold water. Aang goes into the Avatar State and immediately wrecks Zuko.
8 Zhao Agni Kai
The first battle between Agni Kai and Zhao took place in episode three of the very first season. This scene feels a bit like a turning point for fans to maybe suspect that Zuko isn't going to be the main villain throughout the series. In this episode, though, the viewer will feel the growing disdain for Zhao.
Zhao is meant to show viewers what a real antagonist looks like while Zuko already proves to be more of an anti-hero. Viewers will feel themselves rooting for Zuko in this fight, while also seeing that he is an extremely competent fighter already, even though he got humiliated by Aang in the episode prior.
7 Zuko Vs Kyoshi Warriors / Aang
Zuko invades Kyoshi Island in search of the Avatar and ends up brutally destroying the place in his path. The Kyoshi warriors, mainly Suki, tries to fight against Zuko but are bested pretty quickly. Fire against fans proves to be a pretty quick defeat. What's interesting about this fight is that Suki and Zuko end up becoming really great friends later on. Mai hires the Kyoshi warriors to be the royal guard for Zuko once he is Fire Lord, with Suki becoming his main guard, forcing the two to become better friends and allies. Zuko also fights against Sokka as a warrior and Aang later one. But once Aang realizes that their fight is doing more damage than good, he tries to run away so that Zuko and his men will chase them off the island, in order to leave the others alone.
6 Zuko & Iroh Vs Earthbenders
After Iroh gets abducted by a few earthbenders, Zuko tracks him down and fights back to back with his uncle. This is the first time fans actually get to see Iroh in action and it is pretty marvelous as the two show off some of their strengths. Iroh is still bound in chains, but he uses them to fight against the other men while Zuko uses his firebending training to evade and fight against them. Iroh also saves his nephew a couple of times throughout the fight showing viewers once again just how much he cares for Zuko and how he is always there to defend him.
5 Zuko Vs The Pirates
In an attempt to capture the Avatar again, Zuko enlists a band of pirates to help him out in exchange for a waterbending scroll that Katara had stolen from them. But, thanks to Sokka scheming, the pirates end up turning on Zuko and his men and the two group end up getting into a fight while Team Avatar tries to escape. This battle is pretty funny as the pirates often use melee weapons against the firebending but still manage to hold up their end of the fight, all the while Aang and Sokka scuttle around in the middle. In the end, Iroh stops the pirate captain and Zuko in the middle of their fight with ease and points out that the Avatar is getting away on the pirate ship.
4 The Blue Spirit & Aang Vs Zhao
In the episode "The Blue Spirit," we see a climactic change in Zuko's personality. After getting abducted by Zhao and his men, Aang is imprisoned at a Fire Nation base with seemingly no way to escape while Katara and Sokka are deathly ill in a far-off cave awaiting the remedy from Aang. Zuko comes to his aid, in the guise of the Blue Spirit, to break Aang out of jail.
Zuko doesn't use his firebending in this moment so that he can keep his identity a secret even more, and the two fight back to back, defending one another perfectly in sync against Zhao's men.
3 Zuko Vs Aang
This fight, in the episode "Bato of the Water Tribe," is just so well choreographed. Aang and Zuko fight yet again but it shows how far both of the characters have come in their training. They have learned a lot since their first battle and also have studied each other's moves to better prepare for their fights. Aang and Zuko weave in and out of each other, dodging each blow and always coming back to clash. This fight shows just how evenly matched they are up to this point, and the only reason Zuko loses is due to Nyla paralyzing him after being confused by the perfume smell.
2 Zuko Vs Katara
Zuko versus Katara in part one of "The Siege of the North" is the first time fans really get to see these two characters go head-to-head in combat and the first time Katara shows off her true abilities as a waterbender after she had training with the master of the Northern tribe. Zuko and Katara fight it out, appearing to be evenly matched as Zuko comments that she has gotten better. But right when Katara thinks she has him trapped, the sun rises, giving Zuko all the power he needs to defeat her and steal Aang.
1 Zuko Vs Zhao
Zuko and Zhao battle again in this final showdown in the Northern Water Tribe after Zhao murdered the Moon Spirit. The entire scene is beautifully done, as the colors bleed to black, white, and the oranges and reds of the flames they are bending. This scene is like a rematch for their battle earlier in the season that had gone unfinished. Zuko outmatches Zhao who is then grabbed by the Ocean Spirit in revenge. The younger firebender tries to save Zhao, who allows his pride to best him as he accepts his death.