Any Avatar: The Last Airbender fan can agree that Uncle Iroh is a character that is almost always right. No matter how bad things seem for Zuko, he can count on Iroh to offer some piece of sage advice. The wise Firebender has the worldly experience necessary to provide his nephew with the guidance he needs to stay on the right path.
Like any good father or mentor figure, Iroh is there for Zuko whenever he needs him most. The two spend the majority of the series traveling together, and Iroh is always ready to give the young Fire Prince the encouragement he requires. Not only that, but Iroh is also responsible for helping many other characters within the world of Avatar.
10 Iroh Advises Toph Over Tea
When Toph has a brief falling-out with the rest of Team Avatar, she leaves them and wanders into the wilderness alone. Eventually, she runs into Uncle Iroh who serves her a cup of tea and asks her what she's doing traveling alone. Toph explains that she doesn't like for people to act like she is helpless and can't do anything herself. Iroh wisely tells her that there is nothing wrong with accepting help from people who care about her.
Toph responds that their chat has helped her, and she returns to the group just in time to join them in the battle against Azula. With help from Zuko and Iroh, they surround Azula, forcing her to retreat. Iroh was right, as it was only together that they were able to beat Azula.
9 Iroh Warns Tenzin To Be Careful In The Spirit World
When Jinora gets lost in the Spirit World, Tenzin, Bumi, and Kya go looking for her. While traveling, they encounter Iroh, who offers to guide them out. However, Tenzin only wants to find his daughter and turns down the offer. Before leaving, Iroh warns them to be careful about how deeply they venture into the Spirit World.
As it turns out, Iroh was right to warn them, as they later find themselves trapped in the Fog of Lost Souls. While Tenzin initially loses track of his siblings in the fog, he eventually finds them and escapes.
8 Iroh Warns Zhao Not To Mess With The Natural Balance
Uncle Iroh is probably one of, if not the most spiritual Firebender on the show. He knows the spirits are beings that should not be trifled with, thanks to his encounter with the dragons, Ran and Shaw. Iroh recognizes the sanctity of the spirit world and its inhabitants, so when Admiral Zhao threatens to kill the Moon Spirit, he is understandably disturbed.
He warns Zhao that harming the spirits will have dire consequences, and when the ignorant Admiral goes ahead with his plan, he sees for himself. Aang enters the Avatar State and merges with the Ocean Spirit to unleash its wrath on the Firebenders.
7 Iroh Forces Zuko To Make A Tough Choice
After Zuko discovers where Appa is being held captive, he considers using the bison as bait to lure Aang to him and fulfill what he believes to be his destiny of capturing the Avatar. However, Iroh follows behind him and confronts him, telling him that he must choose his own destiny.
Iroh's words move Zuko, who decides to give up on his search for Aang and return to the tea shop he and his Uncle work at in Ba Sing Se. While the effects of that decision aren't felt until the next season, during Zuko's redemption, this ultimately is one of the biggest moments that contributes to his changing sides.
6 Iroh Reveals Zuko's Heritage
During the third season of the show, Zuko studies his heritage more in-depth and discovers that he is a descendant of both Fire Lord Sozin on his father's side and Avatar Roku on his mother's side. This essentially makes him the embodiment of the internal conflict he has been wrestling with since the beginning of the series.
Iroh explains this to Zuko and tells him that balance cannot be restored to the world without his help. This is one of the driving forces behind Zuko's decision to join Team Avatar and help them take down the Fire Lord.
5 Iroh Gives The Avatar Advice
After Zuko and Katara are captured by Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee, Iroh seeks out Team Avatar for help. While the two groups never saw eye to eye before, Iroh knows he cannot take the Fire Princess alone and will need help.
While searching for their captive friends, Iroh and Aang bond when the young Airbender asks the elder Firebender for advice. Iroh tells the Avatar that he thinks Aang is wise for choosing love instead of power, referring to Aang's choice to rescue Katara at the cost of his ability to enter the Avatar State. It turns out that Iroh is right, as love is what saves Aang in the end when Katara uses her spirit water to revive him.
4 Iroh Guides Korra Through The Spirit World
While Korra is trapped in the Spirit World in the form of her childhood self, Iroh finds her and offers to guide her, inviting her to a wedding ceremony between spirits. There, Iroh advises her that if she looks for the light, she will find it; whereas if she only searches for darkness, it will be all she ever sees.
Korra realizes he's right and begins to see the world around her more clearly, the scariness fading away. With her newfound courage, she is able to return to her adult form and escape to the real world.
3 Iroh Looks To The Other Nations For Wisdom
While training Zuko on how to redirect lightning, Iroh reveals to the Fire Prince that wisdom can be gained from many sources, just as he has developed this technique by studying Waterbenders. Zuko is hesitant at first, thinking that studying other cultures sounds like something the Avatar should be doing.
However, he takes the time to train with his uncle and learn the technique. Zuko wants to test it out and asks Iroh to shoot lightning at him, but his uncle declines. Later, the audience learns the value of Iroh teaching Zuko to redirect lightning when the Fire Lord tries to strike him with lightning during the invasion in season three.
2 Iroh Urges Zuko To Become The Fire Lord
Just before Sozin's Comet arrives, Team Avatar and Iroh discuss the future of the Fire Nation after the Fire Lord's defeat. Zuko had hoped that his uncle would take Ozai's place on the throne, but Iroh wisely points out that history would simply see it as yet another conflict between brothers.
Instead, Iroh tells Zuko that he should be the one to sit on the throne. Zuko, being a teenager, is understandably doubtful that he can be the leader the world needs. However, after the conclusion of the 100-Year War, Zuko proves Iroh right.
1 Iroh Suggests Korra Speak With Zuko
In an effort to call out Zaheer, Korra enters the Spirit World. However, she instead runs into Iroh. She asks him for advice on what to do about the Airbenders and Zaheer, but Iroh is at a loss.
Korra wishes aloud that she could talk to Aang, but due to Raava's destruction in the second season, she no longer has any connection to her past lives. Iroh suggests that maybe she should talk to Zuko since he and Aang became lifelong friends after the war ended. Korra follows through on his advice and Zuko does indeed help her figure out what to do.